Zhang Xia stopped walking and no longer squeezed forward.

She quietly watched the sea of people give way in front of the wedding procession, then close in again behind it, all the way to the gate of the Qi family. But in front of the Qi family gate there were no servants greeting guests, no servants scattering lucky coins—only Qi Zhong standing there alone.

Chen Ji pulled on the reins. He looked at Qi Zhong, and Qi Zhong also looked at him.

Jin Zhu stepped forward a few steps onto the stone steps and handed over the gift list. "From the Qi family, we've come to fetch the bride. The betrothal document, the gift list, the invitation with the wedding date, four bolts of black-and-red ceremonial silk, six boxes of wine and fruit—nothing is missing."

But Qi Zhong did not take it.

Jin Zhu held up the gift list, the smile still hanging on his face. "What, have we failed in our manners?"

Qi Zhong did not look at Jin Zhu. He looked at Chen Ji and said, each word landing heavy, "Dismount."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, then swung down from his horse. His boots stepped into the slushy snow as he walked up the stone steps one step at a time.

Qi Zhong clasped his hands behind his back and deliberately asked, "May I ask what business brings you to my Qi family today?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "I've come to fetch the bride."

Qi Zhong said in a deep voice, "Louder. Say it for the common folk outside the gate to hear—what have you come to do today?"

Jin Zhu narrowed his eyes. The smile still hung at the corners of his mouth, but his eyes were no longer smiling. "Zhong'er…" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Chen Ji raised his hand to stop Jin Zhu from continuing, and said loudly, "I, the Chen family's bastard son Chen Ji, have come in accordance with the marriage contract to the Qi family to marry the Qi family's legitimate daughter, Qi Zhaoning."

Qi Zhong pointed at the two stone lions at the foot of the steps. "According to Daning Law, the stone lions in front of the residence of a First-Grade Official may only be six chi tall. This pair before my Qi family gate was bestowed by Emperor Gaozong at seven chi and two cun, permitting my Qi family to stand shoulder to shoulder with a Prince."

Having said that, Qi Zhong then pointed inside the main gate of the Qi family. "In the main hall there is also a plaque that reads 'The World's Literary Heart,' personally inscribed by Zhongzong. Over the several hundred years of the Qi family, we have produced seven cabinet ministers…"

Chen Ji quietly listened as Qi Zhong enumerated the Qi family's illustrious lineage, towering high like a Taishan.

A moment later, Qi Zhong fixed his gaze on Chen Ji. "Since you've come to fetch the bride, our Qi family ought by rights to have an elder come out to greet you. After you perform three bows, you may then enter the gate. But the elders in charge of our Qi family have all been driven out of the Imperial Capital by you Eunuch Party people. You may bow toward the South instead."

The Crowd at the foot of the steps erupted. "What's to the South? Ji State?"

"He's making him bow to Qi Xianzun and Qi Zhenwu?"

"He's making him admit he was wrong!"

At this moment, Jin Zhu took a step forward, standing in front of Qi Zhong, his cheek only a fist's distance away from the other's. He lowered his voice and spoke with a vicious snarl, "Zhong'er, that's about enough. Your Qi family knows perfectly well what you've done yourselves. It's only because Brother Pao and Er Dao's lives are in your hands, and only because this kid values affection and righteousness, otherwise with your Qi family having lost the Three Judicial Departments and Mr. Qi, how much longer could your Qi family still protect itself?"

Qi Zhong let out a cold laugh. "The Qi family's foundations in Ji State are still intact. Old Sir Qi, Qi Zhen, resigned and retired to seclusion earlier, and is now already on his way to the Imperial Capital. He will soon be restored to office. My Qi family has for generations worn caps and belts of office and lived amidst chimes and tripods; we are not to be offended by the Eunuch Party. Get out of the way. If he is unwilling to bow, I'll order those two killed at once."

Jin Zhu was about to say more, but then heard Chen Ji gently stop him. "Lord Jin Zhu, there's no need to say more."

The next moment, Chen Ji bowed toward the South, bending all the way down.

When he had completed the three bows, he turned his head to look at Qi Zhong. "If there's anything else, say it all now."

Qi Zhong said in a loud voice, "Coming to my Qi family to fetch the bride, we must at least observe the courtesy of the three blockings and three yieldings."

On the street, a young man asked curiously, "What are the three blockings and three yieldings?"

A middle-aged woman explained, "It's the rules of great noble houses. Before you can enter the gate, you have to first answer couplets and auspicious phrases. For example, if the Qi family gives the upper line 'A thousand miles of fate linked by a single thread,' that bastard son of the Chen family must respond with 'A hundred years of fine union joined by two hearts.' But usually the first blocking is done after you enter the gate. From the look of it now, they're not even letting the Chen family's bastard son in."

The young man clicked his tongue. "Then someone like me who can't read wouldn't be able to get in at all."

At this moment, Chen Ji said calmly, "Please, go ahead."

Qi Zhong said loudly, "Cast-off son of the Chen family, what face have you to stand outside my Qi family gate?"

The street fell quiet for a moment. Chen Ji lowered his head and said nothing.

Someone drew in a sharp breath. "This couplet…aren't they supposed to be saying auspicious things?"

"The Qi family clearly doesn't intend to let him in."

"If I were the Qi family, I wouldn't let him in either. Hawks and dogs of the Eunuch Party!"

Qi Zhong slanted a glance at Chen Ji. "What, can't answer it? Then I'll change to another line: 'Heartless and faithless, what face have you to fetch the bride today?'"

Chen Ji still remained silent and did not talk back.

Jin Zhu looked at Qi Zhong. "Is that enough? If it is, then let them go."

Qi Zhong gave a cold laugh. "Want to leave? It's not time yet. You can only leave when I say I'm done. Otherwise, just wait to collect those two corpses."

At this moment, the Qi family's main gate suddenly swung wide open.

Chen Ji looked up and saw Qi Zhaoning wearing a large cloak of white fox fur, the corners of her eyes tinged with red rouge.

Qi Zhaoning stood just inside the threshold and stared steadily at Chen Ji for a long time. She watched the heavy snow fall onto Chen Ji's head, several times opening her mouth as if to speak, only to stop.

In the end, she said softly, "I once longed for this day, longed for it day and night. I never imagined it would look like this. In the next life, I'm going to become a ring of the wrong size, barely hanging on your finger, so that at every moment you'll worry I might fall off and disappear. Remember this—this is what you owe me."

The next moment, before Chen Ji could speak, Qi Zhaoning had already lifted his head high and called out loudly to the Crowd outside the gate, "Chen family's bastard son Chen Ji, framing the loyal and good—this is disloyalty; faithless and heartless—this is unrighteousness; squeezing the common folk—this is inhumanity; turning his back on the Chen family—this is unfilial. Such a man, disloyal, unfilial, inhuman and unrighteous, Princess Bai Li has cast away like a worn-out shoe…"

Qi Zhaoning paused, his voice trembling slightly as he said, "What others don't want, I, Qi Zhaoning, don't want either."

The commoners in the Crowd looked at one another. "The Qi family has annulled the engagement!"

"Good to be rid of it!"

"After a scandal like this, who would still marry him?"

"Any decent family shouldn't marry their daughter to this kind of Eunuch Party lackey."

In the midst of the rising clamor, someone threw an egg that smashed against Chen Ji's back. Chen Ji didn't move at all.

At first the commoners were still a bit afraid, but when they saw Chen Ji remain motionless, their courage swelled and they threw another egg.

In the distance, Zhang Zheng watched Chen Ji standing in the heavy snow—that youth who, at the Dragon Gate Inn in Guyuan, had held a narrow pass against a thousand men; who, in front of Anding Gate, had led Prince Fu's horse; who, in his blazing red Qilin Embroidery, had shot like an arrow toward the Danbi Grand Music Hall—now stood beneath the Qi family's gate beam, head bowed.

It was as if light fell from the heavens, missing only a piece where he stood.

Zhang Zheng sniffed, tugged Zhang Xia away. "Don't look."

He forcibly pulled Zhang Xia out of the Crowd, out of Fuyou Street, talking as they walked. "Out of sight, out of mind. Since he chose not to look at you, you should understand what he means. He's very smart, so he knew perfectly well what would happen today when he came to the Qi family…"

But just then, Zhang Xia suddenly broke free of Zhang Zheng's hand, holding Zaozao as she stood in the swirling goose-feather snow.

Zhang Zheng grew anxious. "What are you doing?"

Zhang Xia abruptly turned with Zaozao, wordlessly heading back toward Fuyou Street.

Wading through the snow, Zhang Zheng blocked her path, both hands gripping her shoulders. "What are you doing? If you go over now to speak up for him, you'll only get cursed alongside him. Listen to your brother—let's go home and pretend we were never here today."

Amid the heavy snow, Zhang Xia suddenly lifted her head, locking eyes with Zhang Zheng. "Brother, he doesn't dare look at me precisely because this is what he's like—he'll swallow all the bitterness alone, walk every road alone, and use the stupidest way to protect the people he wants to protect… pushing us away, making us stay a little farther from him."

Zhang Zheng fell silent, at a loss for words.

Goose-feather flakes drifted slantwise, whipping Zhang Xia's hair and red clothes, and Zaozao's mane, all streaming in the wind. "I understand him. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt."

She turned her head to look at the dark, pressing mass of people on Fuyou Street. "The world only saw his splendor, but I've seen every step of these four thousand li—from Luocheng City to Guyuan, from Guyuan to the Imperial Capital, from Chongli Pass to the Imperial Music Bureau. I know what Chen Ji did to save Bai Li, what he did to save Brother Pao, what he did for that 'carving a mark on the boat to seek a lost sword' obsession. I don't want him to feel that everything he's done this past year has been utterly meaningless."

Zhang Zheng snapped, "Since you've seen him go through fire and water for Bai Li, don't you want to see whether he'll go through fire and water once for you too? Why should my sister, Zhang Zheng's sister, have to swallow this kind of humiliation?"

Zhang Xia turned back, gazing steadily at Zhang Zheng. "There's no need to test him. I know he would. And I don't need to put anyone on a scale to measure their worth. Brother, from the moment She Dengke pierced through Chen Ji's heart, every person he meets will look to him like they're coming at him with a knife. I just don't want the day to come when he gives up on everyone."

Zhang Zheng asked, "What about Brother Pao and Er Dao?"

Zhang Xia adjusted the saddle on Zaozao's back. "I have a backup plan. They'll be fine."

Zhang Zheng's eyes grew complicated. "But you're not his moon."

Zhang Xia shook off Zhang Zheng, and with a clean, decisive motion vaulted onto the horse. "If I can't be the moon, then I'll be the sun!"

She patted Zaozao's back and leaned forward, charging toward Fuyou Street. Zaozao's powerful hooves kicked up sprays of snow, breath puffing white like arrows. In just a few breaths they reached the front of the Crowd. "Make way!"

The commoners turned, then hurriedly scrambled aside to open a path. In their frantic retreat, people stumbled and fell in all directions.

Standing before the Qi family gate, Chen Ji turned and saw that red-clad girl galloping toward him, just as reckless as the first day she'd come to Taiping Medical Hall.

Yet that chestnut stallion and the rider upon it seemed born to be the lead on any stage; whether she sang the dignified heroine or the lively young ingénue, she was always the most dazzling, radiant one, blazing with light.

Parting the Crowd, Zhang Xia reined in and sat astride her horse before the Qi family gate, calmly looking at Chen Ji.

Qi Zhaoning cried out anxiously, "Zhang Xia, what are you doing here!"

Zhang Xia did not look at him; she kept her steady gaze on Chen Ji and commanded, "Marry me."

Chen Ji froze where he stood.

He had walked very far, passed through countless crowds. Now, at last, in this Crowd there was someone he could not push away, could not beat back—riding a chestnut horse like a hero, staking all her reputation, courage, and retreat, to come and rescue him.

To go together through blade mountains, fire seas, morning glow, evening dusk, spring and autumn, winter and summer.

Chen Ji's expression slowly changed. His lips moved, and after a long time he finally breathed out a single word. "Alright."

Zhang Xia frowned, gripping the reins as she said in a low, firm voice, "Louder. Don't just say it for me to hear—say it for everyone!"

Chen Ji broke into a smile and shouted, "Alright!"

Standing inside the threshold, Qi Zhaoning screamed hoarsely, "Chen Ji, you are not allowed to agree to her! Don't forget, those two are still in my Qi family's hands. If you dare leave with her, you'll never see them again!"

But just then, more people arrived from outside Fuyou Street. Jiao Tu pushed into the Crowd, shouting, "They've been rescued! Brother Pao and Er Dao have already been rescued!"

Qi Zhong's face changed. He sprang onto the roof and sprinted southward, stepping from rooftop to rooftop.