Zhang Shiping, who had always navigated the bustling markets and mingled with the officials, naturally had a keen sense of observation. That brief moment of melancholy in Fa Zheng's expression made Zhang Shiping's heart tighten.
As someone who had fully aligned himself with Liu Bei, Zhang Shiping understood clearly that if any lord had a chance to unify the land and restore the Han dynasty, Liu Bei's chances were at least sixty percent. Given Liu Bei's benevolence, it was almost certain that talented ministers like Fa Zheng, who had risen to high positions at a young age, would hold power for decades to come.
With that in mind, Zhang Shiping, as a businessman, would never dare offend a rising star like Fa Zheng, whose future was bound to be bright. That moment of sadness in Fa Zheng's eyes made Zhang Shiping wonder if he had somehow made a mistake.
"Brother Zhang, don't worry about it. I just thought I saw something wrong—probably just my eyes playing tricks on me after days without seeing any women," Fa Zheng laughed, trying to brush it off.
Although Zhang Shiping's expression hardly changed, Fa Zheng, who had been trained for a long time by Guo Jia and Jia Xu, could easily read people's thoughts. Recognizing Zhang Shiping's concern, Fa Zheng put on a playful, flirtatious grin.
"Haha, it seems the Prime Minister is quite the expert," Zhang Shiping responded with a knowing smile. As long as the problem wasn't with him, he didn't care about the rest. He wouldn't take Fa Zheng's words too seriously, nor would he pretend not to have heard them. But since they were on the march, there was no time to linger; he'd address it later when they reached Taishan.
After exchanging a few more words with Zhang Shiping, Fa Zheng returned to the convoy with Lu Xun. As soon as they were back in the carriage, Fa Zheng received a whack from a cane.
"Father, please go easy on me! I can't take another hit like that," Fa Zheng said with a wry smile, glancing at Lu Xun, who was trying to suppress a laugh.
"How did I, Fa Yan, end up with a son like you?" Fa Zheng's father was fuming from his son's earlier remarks. If they hadn't been in public, Fa Zheng would have received more than just a single strike.
"Just a few days ago, I was still your good son," Fa Zheng muttered helplessly. "Once you have a grandchild, you won't bother with me anymore."
Fa Yan fell silent. There was little he could say to Fa Zheng. He had to admit that his son had far exceeded his expectations. However, Fa Zheng's occasional reckless and nonchalant behavior still made him want to give his son a good thrashing.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ying was looking at the girl in front of her, who was a year younger than her—Wang Yi. "Sister, I think I just saw my husband..."
"Then why don't you go see him?" Wang Yi retorted, rolling her eyes. "We came all this way to find him. After traveling from Liangzhou to Taishan, we've covered so much ground. Now that we're finally here and you've spotted him, why hesitate?"
Jiang Ying could only smile bitterly. She had indeed come to find Fa Zheng. Her family had planned to marry her off to the Ma family of Fufeng—yes, the same Ma family as Ma Chao's. Compared to the declining Fa family, the Ma family had been growing stronger in recent years, and the Jiang family saw marriage as a way to secure their future in Xiliang.
However, Fufeng was also the hometown of the Ban family—the family that produced Ban Gu, Ban Chao, and Ban Zhao. In other words, it was a place where girls grew up reading books and emulating Ban Zhao. Naturally, Jiang Ying was one of those well-educated women.
Despite the engagement, Jiang Ying considered herself already betrothed to Fa Zheng. Her family's decision to marry her to the Ma family was deeply unsatisfactory. After all, Fa Zheng wasn't dead. Even if he was far away in Taishan, and even if he had fallen on hard times, she believed she should still marry him. How could her family stop her from leaving? Did they have no sense of decency?
Of course, Jiang Ying's grievances went unnoticed by her family. They didn't take her protests seriously, reasoning that the distance from Xiliang to Taishan was too great, and the times were too dangerous. Thus, Jiang Ying found herself confined to her home, albeit not under strict supervision.
This situation allowed Jiang Ying to maintain some contact with the outside world. Her mother, sisters, and other female relatives supported her decision. It was a matter of regional pride—after all, the women in this area were known for their strong wills.
Her mother, aunts, and cousins didn't have any better ideas, mainly because they had no idea where exactly Fa Zheng was. Even when Fa Zheng sent someone to bring Fa Yan to Taishan, he hadn't mentioned his official rank or specific location—just that they should come to Taishan.
In the end, Jiang Ying's smartest cousin, Wang Yi, came up with a plan: a journey of a thousand miles to find her husband. If Fa Zheng was in Taishan, they would go and find him. Once they left, it would be difficult for Jiang's family to track them down.
The plan was indeed risky. If Jiang Ying had gone alone, she might not have survived the journey. But Wang Yi, being the clever woman she was, wasn't about to let that happen. She ensured everything was arranged before they set off.
Wang Yi's intelligence was unmatched in their family, especially in terms of logical reasoning and meticulous planning. After much consideration, she managed to connect with Zhang Shiping.
Using the Wang family's influence in their homeland, they lured Zhang Shiping into their plans. Then, leveraging the Jiang family's status, they reached out to the Ma family. Jiang Ying, disguised as a man and accompanied by a steward, met Zhang Shiping briefly to leave an impression.
Once Zhang Shiping agreed to purchase horses, he developed a favorable impression of the Jiang and Wang families. Wang Yi then disguised herself as a servant, and they joined Zhang Shiping's convoy under the pretense of investigating the potential of a new trade route to Taishan.
For Zhang Shiping, it was a win-win situation. With no reason to doubt them, he treated their disguised steward as a distinguished guest. Thus, Jiang Ying and Wang Yi traveled smoothly to Taishan.
As they journeyed, Jiang Ying learned more and more about Fa Zheng. He was far from the minor official her father had assumed. Liu Bei wasn't just some minor warlord—he was a dominant power in the Central Plains. By the end of the year, Fa Zheng had become the Prime Minister of Qi, a title that exceeded all expectations.
Now, Jiang Ying found herself unsure of how to approach Fa Zheng. In her memory, he was still the playful youth she had once known. But after years apart, his status had grown far beyond anything she could have imagined. Could he still accept her as she was? Jiang Ying couldn't help but feel lost.
"I'll handle this, Sister Ying. It seems I'm the one who needs to take the lead after all," Wang Yi said calmly as she finished her tea and set the cup down. Although she wasn't entirely confident, as a smart woman, she knew that remaining composed was essential to keep her companion hopeful.