Amidst the turmoil of thoughts, Huai'an was swept along to the city gate to welcome the returning army.
The troops marched in solemn order, horses neighed, soldiers' steps were unified. Among the fluttering banners, one figure stood out—he wore a dark purple battle robe trimmed in gold. Upon his head was a heavy black-iron helmet carved with intricate patterns, topped with a bronze beast's head. His rugged face was sun-darkened, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, a firm jawline, and a hardened expression. Muscular, stern, brimming with a heroic aura—he seemed like a war god descended from the heavens.
This man, surrounded front and back by guards, was none other than Huai'an's second brother: Ping Yan, Grand General of the Left Guard and Supreme Commander of the Jingzhou Celestial Army.
Upon spotting Huai'an at the gate, Ping Yan leapt off his horse and ran over, battle robe billowing, eyes glowing with pride and joy.
After Huai'an gave him a formal bow, he helped her up with a cheerful chuckle. "Little rascal, you've got guts!" He waved his men to enter and take over the city affairs, then slung an arm over her shoulder and strolled into the city.
As the vanguard, Huai'an's troops had already done a round of orderly cleanup. Along the broad road, soldiers bustled around, some sweeping, others lining the way in welcome. Though the stone path still bore the scars of battle, it was at least passable.
"Oho! Not bad, kid. That Luo bandit was known for being tough. Tell me, how'd you take him down?" Ping Yan asked casually as they walked.
"Nothing special. Charged under the walls, stormed the battlements, the enemy leader couldn't take it and came at me, so I struck back." Huai'an replied blandly.
Ping Yan blinked, momentarily stunned by the simplicity, then burst out laughing. "Straightforward and brutal—I like it!" He gave her a thumbs-up in praise.
Huai'an gave a small smile, but then her eyes locked on his raised thumb with sudden intensity. Wait a minute… do people even use thumbs-up in this era? Could it be—?!
"Xiao Zhu?" she called out softly, full of hope and fear.
"?" Ping Yan looked confused, touched her forehead. "You okay? Got knocked in the head?" He frowned and continued, "The men were saying after you killed Luo, you started screaming 'Help! Help!' like you'd gone mad. What happened?"
Seeing that he hadn't responded to her test, Huai'an's shoulders slumped. "I lost my composure," she muttered, disappointed.
She silently berated herself: Ruined the persona! Got too emotional, didn't notice a thing, just yelling like a fool. Me—Ping Huai'an! Normally calm under pressure, unshaken even if Mount Tai collapsed in front of me! How did I lose control like that?
But thinking she might've killed Xiao Zhu, Huai'an sighed heavily again. Just my luck.
"Luo was indeed helping the remnants of the former dynasty, secretly fueling their rebellion. He sold our Lianshan iron ore to Southern Qi, provided weapons to the exiles. This time, we've crushed their arrogance. You've earned great merit, kid."
Huai'an bowed her head. "I dare not accept such praise."
The Luo bandit—real name Luo Lian—had been a famed warrior of the former Qin dynasty. After it was overthrown, he became a bandit, proclaiming "Restore Qin, overthrow Zheng," and occupied the natural fortress of Lianshan, styling himself King of North Luo. For years he dealt with Southern Qi and western tribes, smuggling minerals for profit. Lianshan, rich in resources and arable land, was a miracle. Luo ruled with fear, and the people dared not speak out. He was a major threat to the Zheng dynasty.
This was Huai'an's first time leading troops. Ping Yan had remained behind as overseer. Though he trusted his sister's abilities, he never expected her to settle the matter so quickly.
Such talent in the young! Ping Yan clicked his tongue inwardly. But then he thought—wait, I trained her. So actually, I'm amazing. With that, he raised his brows proudly and began humming a tune.
Huai'an, of course, had no idea how many rounds of self-congratulation her brother had gone through in a second. Her mind had only one thought: Damn! Xiao Zhu!
They chatted idly, arriving at Luo Lian's mansion. Expecting just another confiscation, they pushed open the door and were stunned into silence.
Because the place was HUGE.
"Whoa!"
The Ping family wasn't nobodies—their father, Ping Ji, was sworn brother to the emperor himself, a great hero who helped overthrow the last dynasty. Their house in the capital was among the grandest, yet even that paled before the scale of the Luo estate.
At the high gate tower, carvings of dragons and phoenixes abounded. The walls—like some nouveau riche's dream—were inlaid with endless red agates and emeralds. The garden was lush, with exquisite pavilions peeking out from rockeries and artificial lakes. A broad stone path led to the main house, whose roof sported mythic beasts, and its colonnade told folk tales of tigers, dragons, war, and immortals. From afar, it looked more like a grand temple than a residence.
Ping Yan clicked his tongue. "Who knew selling ore could buy a better life than ours? Huai'an, why do we even bother risking our lives on the battlefield?"
"Maybe because all that mining loot ends up in our hands anyway?"
"Well said." Ping Yan nodded in agreement.
They walked into the main hall and finally dismissed their men to explore on their own. "Good stuff's worth seeing in private," said Ping Yan.
The moment the guards left, Huai'an flopped onto a couch, pulled off her helmet, and began removing her armor. Ping Yan also started stripping off the formalities—robes, cloaks, the heavy helmet.
"Hey hey! Brother! Don't strip any further!" Huai'an shouted.
Ping Yan was already down to a single undershirt, fanning himself with the collar. "It's so damn hot!"
"Brother, there's a lady present!"
"Lady?" Ping Yan blinked, then burst out laughing. "You? A lady? You're still a scrawny little squirt! Back in the camp, I trained shirtless all the time—never heard you complain then!"
Huai'an pouted. That was me tolerating you. Don't push it.
"The weather's wild. Breezy this morning, but by noon, not a cloud in sight. That sun was vicious—and they still made me wear that thick uniform! Tsk tsk… I need to get back to the capital—warm beds, cold pillows, luxury everywhere." Ping Yan lounged back on another couch, mumbling to himself, when Huai'an suddenly let out a "Wah!"
He stopped. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Then why the hell were you freaking out?"
"Just… a bit of blood."
Ping Yan shot up instantly. "Where?!"
Huai'an pointed to her left forearm with her chin. She was pressing it with her other hand. Probably got cut during the charge—didn't notice it beneath the armor and bindings. Now, with everything off, blood gushed freely.
"Lift it up, let me see." Ping Yan's brow furrowed, voice serious.
Huai'an rolled up her sleeve while muttering, "I didn't feel it just now, but now it really hurts."Only after the fight ended and the adrenaline subsided did she realize the searing pain in her hand.She recalled getting hurt frequently during training; it had always been excruciating.Of course, she'd usually wave it off with a smile in front of others, pretending it was nothing.But now—before her real brother—hmm... surely it was okay to cry out a little, right?
Ping Yan saw the gash on her forearm and immediately shattered her expectation with a disapproving tone."Shameful! Getting hurt in a mere scuffle?"
Huai'an recalled the memories she had gleaned: Ping Huai'an, doted on by two elder brothers, a harmonious household...Where's the doting? What's with this sarcasm?
Her wound was on her arm and hard to manage single-handedly.Being mocked on top of that made her feel even more aggrieved.She pouted and said pitifully, "Second Brother, help me with the medicine?"
Ping Yan sighed, walked out, and ordered a subordinate to fetch the golden wound ointment.
Then he returned to the couch and had Huai'an sit by the edge.With a clean silk cloth soaked in clear wine, he gently pressed it against her wound.The moment the cloth touched the cut, Huai'an gasped sharply, her brows furrowed tightly in pain.She instinctively shrank back, trying to dodge the sting.
Damn! This knife wound hurts a million times worse than a paper cut!
"Don't move!" Ping Yan barked.
"It hurts!" Huai'an cried out, tears welling in her eyes.
"What are you crying for?" Ping Yan sounded annoyed, but his hands grew noticeably gentler.
"What kind of brother doesn't let his sister cry?"
"Have you forgotten?" Ping Yan recited, "Ping family precept: No losing in war, no losing in fights, and no crying over scrapes or bruises."
"Did I lose? Did I fail? Can't I just wince a little?"
"No."
Huai'an fumed. Though she hadn't been in this timeline long, she quickly found her footing and fired back:
"Why don't you ever feel sorry for me?"
"Feel sorry for you?" Ping Yan looked disgusted. "I'd rather feel sorry for Da Huang, the mangy dog at the gate. He's cuter than you."
"You're the mangy dog! Ugly and unloved!"
Ping Yan ignored her.
"I'm telling Dad to whip you."
"Whip what, whip yourself? You crazy?"
Huai'an paused. 'Crazy'? Is that slang from this era?Forget it! I'm done overanalyzing idioms and time-period language. If Xiao Zhu's still alive, he can come find me himself. I'm done being the responsible one.
Ping Yan poured ointment on her wound, and Huai'an immediately yelled again, "It hurts like hell!"
"Keep it down! My eardrums are bleeding."
"This is exactly why girls don't like you, Second Brother! You've got no tenderness, no charm. You'll totally die alone!"The more she spoke, the more annoyed she became.Why do I have to suffer so much just because I crossed over? My own brother's this mean, and I don't even get a single emotional support system!
Ping Yan was momentarily speechless. He glared at her."Fine, fine. I'm heartless. I'm unloved. I deserve to die alone."
"Yep. Deserve it."
"If I do die alone, will you take care of me?" he asked while wrapping her wound.
Huai'an considered it. "Nope."
"Pfft. Who was it I used to wipe clean as a baby? Ungrateful brat!"
"Ha! It was clearly our eldest brother who raised us!"
Ping Yan and Huai'an were only six years apart, whereas their eldest brother was fifteen years older than her.Though he left for distant schooling at twenty, he had indeed looked after her in childhood.
"Pfft," Ping Yan poked her on the forehead. "You remember everything, huh?"
"Pfft."
Ping Yan ignored her and started tidying up, when he heard another gasp behind him.
"Now what?" he grumbled impatiently, still turning back in case she'd found another cut somewhere.
Huai'an pointed at a gem-encrusted wall."Second Brother, can we pry off a few of those gems and sneak them back?"
"Ugh, so petty." Ping Yan sneered. Then he pulled out his dagger. "Which one?"
Huai'an stretched her arm, pointing at a chunk of red agate in the corner."The biggest one—looks like a stag's head!"
"Hang on." Ping Yan wedged the dagger beneath it, using the handle as a lever to slowly pry it loose.Whoever saw the dashing young commander scraping gems from a wall would never believe this was the same fearsome warlord of legend.
"Here." He weighed the agate in his hand—it was heavy."You want it?"
"Of course!"
"If I grow old alone, will you take care of me?"
"I'll think about it."
"Pfft." Ping Yan tossed her the agate.
Huai'an caught it and yelped again."This must be worth a fortune! So heavy! Brother, keep going, let's get rich!"
"Pfft. You want gems? Go ask your sweetheart."
"Sweetheart?" Huai'an blinked, confused.Just as Ping Yan opened his mouth to explain, she gasped again.
"Now what? I told you, quit getting hyped over nothing."
Huai'an pointed at the hole left behind in the wall."Brother, isn't there a cavity behind that gem?"
Ping Yan glanced at the gap. Crumbling debris revealed something thin behind it.He touched it—something broke. There was indeed a hollow space hidden behind the thick wall.
"What the hell?" Ping Yan frowned. He struck the wall with his dagger hilt until the cavity expanded into view.
"Whoa ho ho! Secret compartment!" Huai'an cheered gleefully.
Ping Yan brushed the debris aside and pulled out a small booklet.
Huai'an leapt down from the couch and snatched the booklet.Opening it, she saw it packed with names, dates, amounts, and items.
She gasped. "Brother, is this..."
Ping Yan snatched it back with a cold face. He flipped through it casually, then suddenly paused in shock.His expression shifted instantly—he masked it, nodded calmly, and said,"Yes. These are the dealings of the Luolian clan over the years."
Huai'an whistled. "Greed gets you greatness!"
Ignoring her, Ping Yan ordered a crowbar, pried off another gem, then another, and kept going.He smashed at the walls, hoping to find more secret documents hidden inside.
Huai'an didn't care about the records.Let her experienced brother handle that.She had a new dream: to get rich.Since she'd somehow landed in this mess—(Even though Huai'an's own consciousness wouldn't describe it that way—but who cares, it's all too confusing!)—she'd make the most of being a privileged beneficiary of this corrupt feudal society.
Still, she made a token offer:"Brother, need help?"
"You're injured. Go rest. Don't mess around."
Huai'an chuckled, picked up a few jade pieces, grabbed some coral, scooped up a string of pearls, and happily skipped to the guest room.
"You little rascal! Those are supposed to be confiscated!" Ping Yan yelled after her. But Huai'an pretended not to hear.
Only when the door shut behind her did Ping Yan finally sit down and quietly open the booklet he'd slipped into his sleeve.
Because in it was a name he knew all too well.
Lu Dongtian.
This man was perhaps the most enigmatic merchant in all of North Zheng.Rumored to be of humble birth, he'd risen from a street vendor to a business giant in just ten years.He now owned Tiandong Shops, the largest chain in the capital, with branches all over the empire.
His business methods were cunning and meticulous—every move like a calculated chess play.As Tiandong grew, his name spread across the realm.
But Lu Dongtian himself remained elusive. Few knew his true face or origin.
And Ping Yan—an influential figure in North Zheng—had, of course, met the man.
To him, however, Lu Dongtian was merely a puppet.The real power behind the curtain was that lord in the capital.
Thinking of that lord gave Ping Yan a headache.Damn it. Of all people to provoke, he had to mess with a traitor—with evidence no less.
Technically, everything found in this estate should be reported to the court.But with Lu Dongtian's name in the records…
Should he hand it in—or not?