This Was a Good Start

This Was a Good Start

The emperor's western tour required the movement of a large number of troops. Wang Yue had to lead his army in inspecting the route, while Ling Buyi was responsible for the emperor's safety. With troops being prepared for deployment, Wang Yue couldn't stay at the estate all the time, so he let the three young ladies practice on their own and checked in on them from time to time.

Before Emperor Wen set out, Wang Yue had led his army ahead to scout the conditions along the route. Before leaving, he had specifically instructed the guards to pick up Shaoshang and Qiqi on time so they could practice martial arts at his estate. He had also stocked enough ingredients for several months of medicinal baths. What frustrated him was that only a few days after he departed, just as the emperor's entourage had set off from Kyoto, a carrier pigeon brought news from his estate: Cheng Shaoshang hadn't come to practice for several days. The guards investigated and discovered that she had already set off with her Third Uncle and his party, apparently headed for Hua County.

That day, Wang Yue's army reached a treacherous mountain pass. Beyond it lay Hua County, a hundred li farther on. There, a villa had been prepared as a temporary resting place for His Majesty, and troops were stationed nearby. Wang Yue figured that if anything had happened, someone would have informed him already, so he began studying the detailed topographical map his scouts had drawn up.

After examining it for some time, Wang Yue realized that the pass occupied an unusually strategic position. Given the general direction of the emperor's western tour, Hua County lay directly along the route. Before reaching the county, this seemed to be the