The three exchanged a glance, then lifted the curtain and stepped outside.
The common people had no idea what had happened. All they saw was the Northern Garrison Army soldiers suddenly gathering and surging toward the pier.
Quite a few people put down whatever they were doing and came over.
“What… what happened this time?”
As they spoke, they tried to follow and take a look, but the Northern Garrison soldiers left behind to guard the area stopped them.
Following the military orders from above, one of the soldiers patiently reassured the crowd, “Folks, General Shen and General Feng have official business to attend to. Please stay here without worry. With our Northern Garrison Army here, nothing will happen.”
“Oh, so that’s what it is.”
Someone nearby suddenly understood. “Then we’d better not go and cause trouble for the Northern Garrison Army.”
The crowd that had gathered gradually dispersed in twos and threes.
At the same time, Shen Jue and the others had already led three thousand Northern Garrison soldiers to the pier, where they stood ready for battle.
Although the flood had torn several gaps through the pier, most of it was still standing. Three large ships were slowly approaching the shore, their lofty flags snapping loudly in the sea wind.
Feng Chunya had always possessed excellent eyesight. After staring at the three ships for a moment, she turned to Shen Jue and Pei Du. “The Northern Garrison flags are genuine. The patterns match.”
“We still need to remain cautious.” Pei Du turned and lowered his voice as he instructed the soldier beside him, “Tell the crossbowmen to stay hidden. No one is to show themselves without my order.”
The soldier acknowledged the command and soon disappeared from sight.
Among the three large ships, the largest struck the stone surface of the pier with a loud bang as its gangplank was lowered. A young man in a moon-white robe then appeared before everyone on the deck.
“Elder Brother, General Feng, Ziran!”
Shen Yu waved toward them, his voice carried over by the sea breeze, filled with unmistakable delight.
A year in the painting was no more than a single day in the human world, but he had truly spent three years inside it.
He had not seen his family or friends for a full three years. How could he not be overwhelmed with excitement now that they were reunited?
“It really is Fuyan!” Shen Jue’s pupils contracted slightly.
Feng Chunya had naturally recognized the person coming down from the ship as Shen Yu as well. Her eyes suddenly reddened, though her face broke into a radiant smile. “Wonderful! We won’t have to worry about running out of food anymore!”
“He arrived at just the right time.” Pei Du smiled as well.
After Shen Yu disembarked, he strode toward them. One after another, many more people emerged from the ship’s cabin.
They were all dressed in the Northern Garrison Army’s uniforms. Their faces were weathered by wind and frost, yet every one of them looked full of spirit.
They began unloading the goods in an orderly fashion.
Bag after bag of grain, tightly bound slabs of cured meat, neatly stacked bricks of salt, medicinal herbs…
“Elder Brother!”
When Shen Yu reached them, he suddenly threw his arms around Shen Jue, who had been standing still. “I missed you so much.”
Shen Jue froze for a moment. “Fuyan, what’s wrong? Is there something you haven’t told me?”
He and Shen Yu were brothers, born less than a year apart. They had grown up together, and Shen Jue understood him better than anyone.
Since childhood, Shen Yu had never liked going out. He usually preferred to stay alone in his study, quietly reading. He was nothing like Shen Ying, who was lively and active. This was the first time Shen Yu had embraced him like Shen Ying did, calling him Elder Brother and telling him that he missed him.
“It’s nothing.” Shen Yu let go of Shen Jue and still did not tell him about his illness. He merely said, “On the way to deliver the grain, we were fortunate enough to encounter the Divine Lady. She sent us into a mural, and we spent three years in that painted world. We hadn’t seen you all for so long, so we missed you terribly.”
At that, he looked at Pei Du and Feng Chunya as well.
“Have things been going well for you in Wuling Prefecture?”
Shen Jue was just about to say something when he noticed an unfamiliar woman stepping down from the large ship behind Shen Yu.
She wore a deep-purple outfit suited for combat, with a leather belt cinched around her waist and her sleeves neatly rolled up to the middle of her forearms. Her features were bright and striking.
Shen Jue’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned to Shen Yu. “Fuyan, who is she?”
Following Shen Jue’s line of sight, Shen Yu looked over. Once he saw who had arrived, he introduced her solemnly. “Elder Brother, this is Fan Miaozhen, the heir of the Fan family of Liaodong.”
“This time, she deserves the greatest credit for transporting the grain to Wuling City. If she had not transferred several of the finest cargo ships from the Fan family’s fleet and personally selected helmsmen who knew the waterways best, we likely would not have been able to travel by water.”
Fan Miaozhen had already reached them. She bent at the waist and cupped her hands in salute. “The Northern Lands have long since come under the Divine Lady’s rule. As fellow believers of the Divine Lady, it is only natural that we should look out for one another. The Fan family merely did what it ought to do and would never dare claim credit.”
That was the truth.
When Shen Yu had first gone to the Fan family to borrow ships, his mother had already ordered her people to prepare vessels for the voyage. But the moment she met Shen Yu, his mother had inexplicably formed the idea of taking him as her son-in-law.
In the end, the two sides reached an impasse.
Left with no choice, she used finding a sweetheart as an excuse to strike a deal with Shen Yu, thereby lending him the ships without arousing suspicion.
That way, she neither went against her original intentions nor lost face.
Feng Chunya stepped forward and helped Fan Miaozhen up. “Young Master Fan, it’s been a long time since we parted in Xianghuan City. You look as dashing as ever.”
“General Feng, on the other hand, seems to have become quite a bit more smooth-tongued,” Fan Miaozhen teased.
She knew Feng Chunya. Back when the Northern Garrison Army had conquered Xianghuan City, Fan Miaozhen and her clanswomen had been prepared to take their own lives. It was Feng Chunya who had saved them and given them new hope.
Feng Chunya smiled. “I was born with a dull mind. I owe it all to Miss Pei for patiently teaching me.”
“I’ve heard that Pei Wanning, the daughter of the Heluo Pei clan, is a once-in-a-millennium genius.” Fan Miaozhen looked at Feng Chunya. “If I get the chance, I would very much like to meet her.”
Over the years, Pei Wanning had held down Xindu City, the most important city in the north. Under her rule, many reasonable policies that benefited women had been smoothly implemented, and no one dared to pay lip service while secretly defying them. Women’s status had risen to unprecedented heights. In many places, women had even gained treatment equal to that of men.
What woman in the world would not be proud of Pei Wanning?
Pei Wanning’s fame had spread far and wide, known to everyone. As her uncle, Pei Du naturally felt immensely gratified.
“Young Master Fan, if you wish to meet A-Ning, once the south has been pacified, General Feng and I can introduce you at any time.”
Feng Chunya chimed in, “Strategist Pei is Miss Pei’s uncle. With his word, you’re sure to get your wish.”
Fan Miaozhen was delighted. “Thank you both.”
“Mr. Shen, have we arrived? I accidentally slept too long just now, and no one called me to get off the ship…”
Fang Shuo walked toward Shen Yu and the others. The moment he saw Shen Jue’s expressionless face, he felt a chill of apprehension.
Shen Jue’s brows drew tightly together.
“Fuyan, why did you bring Fang Shuo here?”
Pei Du was equally puzzled. “Fuyan, didn’t you say that you would be delivering the grain to Wuling City with Bu Yan? Why is Fang Shuo the one accompanying you?”
Shen Yu fell silent for a moment.
“That’s a long story. Why don’t we unload the grain from the ships first, then sit down and discuss everything?”
