Xiao Jue’s injuries healed quickly under Su Jinse’s care.
After surviving life-and-death trials together, the relationship between them had subtly changed.
Under Su Jinse’s governance, Qingshi Town had fully returned to order. In the fields, the first season of rice had yielded a bountiful harvest, golden waves stretching as far as the eye could see.
In the courtyard, Su Jinse peeled back the final layer of bandages, revealing the scarred but healed wound. She dabbed ointment onto her fingertips, about to cover it, when her wrist was gently held by a large hand.
Xiao Jue’s strength wasn’t heavy, but it could not be refused.
“It’s healed,” he said, his voice hoarse.
Su Jinse glanced at him without replying and used her other hand to apply the ointment. The cool sensation made his muscles tighten instinctively.
“Behave if you don’t want a scar,” she said calmly, though her movements remained gentle.
Xiao Jue said nothing, simply watching her focused profile. Whenever he awoke, he always saw her busy—attending to town affairs or preparing his medicines—seemingly tireless.
Outside, the sounds of harvest echoed with the laughter of villagers.
“Let’s go see your kingdom,” Xiao Jue suddenly said, already standing and casually draping his outer robe.
Su Jinse paused in her sorting of medicine bottles, then followed him.
They walked along the ridges between the fields. Everywhere, golden rice swayed under the sun. The farmers straightened from their work, seeing Su Jinse and offering wide, sincere smiles, calling out, “Lady Su!”
A chubby little boy dashed out of the field holding a few of the plumpest stalks, almost colliding with Su Jinse.
“Big Sister Su!” he cried, holding up the rice as if presenting treasure. “My dad says this is the best rice this year! For you!”
Su Jinse smiled and accepted it, patting his head. “Thank your father for me.”
Xiao Jue watched quietly, seeing how naturally she interacted with the people. The usual coldness on his face softened with genuine satisfaction.
A middle-aged steward ran over, face flushed, holding an abacus.
“Lady! The accounts are finished!” he exclaimed, voice trembling with excitement. “After this year’s autumn harvest, even after taxes and seeds are reserved, every household can store at least three hundred jin of surplus grain! Three hundred jin!”
For Qingshi Town, recently ravaged by disaster, this number was like a life-giving tonic. It meant no one would go hungry this winter.
The villagers’ cheers grew even louder.
Su Jinse stood on a higher platform, gazing at the land she had personally saved.
Xiao Jue silently came to her side, looking out over the fields with the same eyes.
“This place is stable now,” Su Jinse said softly, as if speaking to herself and to him at the same time.
Huamei, standing behind her, had long shed her earlier airs of vanity and become competent and steady—the most reliable aide for Su Jinse.
“Miss, there’s a letter from the capital,” Huamei said, handing it over.
It was from Su Muchen again.
In the letter, he described the current plight of the Hou residence. The drought had ruined their estates, emptied the treasury, and the family could barely sustain itself. Su Lingwei, now married into a wealthy household, not only did not help but repeatedly worsened their situation.
Su Muchen requested that the “miraculous person” in the south sell some grain to the Hou residence to relieve their urgent needs.
After reading the letter, Su Jinse’s lips curved into a meaningful smile.
“Tell him,” she said to Huamei, “the grain can be sold—but only if the Hou family gives something in exchange.”
“Exchange for what?”
“There’s a hot spring estate in the suburbs of the capital that belongs to the Hou family. I remember it has lovely scenery.”
Huamei paused, then understood her intent.
Su Jinse was ready to strike back.
After handing the letter to Huamei for processing, she turned and saw Xiao Jue standing behind her.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Ready for what?”
“To return to the capital,” Xiao Jue said, looking at her. “To make the world shake.”
Su Jinse laughed, a smile radiant and unstoppable under the sunset.
“The capital, I will return—but not yet,” she said. “Before I go, I need to make this place into an unshakable stronghold.”
She would accumulate enough power so that when she next set foot in the capital, she would no longer be a discarded woman at the mercy of others.
She would make everyone who wronged or schemed against her pay a bloody price.
Xiao Jue looked at the ambition and confidence sparkling in her eyes, and he smiled.
“Good. I’ll go with you.”