By the time they returned to Castleton, the night was half gone. The four of them stumbled into the house, washed, ate a little, and collapsed into bed—dawn already tinting the horizon.
Lena Sanders woke not long after, drenched in heat and sweat. The air was stifling, suffocating—sleep was impossible.
Blackie and Jack Golden went out and bought half a cart of ice, returning with four or five rough but practical wooden ice chests.
After they set the chests in place, Darren Chang hefted a block of ice, nearly four feet tall, and stood it upright inside. The small room cooled at once.
Lena dove back into bed and fell fast asleep.
When she finally woke, it was already dusk. The moment she stepped outside, Harris Ma's dark face appeared before her, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Boss! Prince Heir's servant, Ruby, has been here twice already!
The first time was around noon—heard you were still sleeping, so he left.
The second time was just half an hour ago. He said that if you're awake, he's to tell you that tomorrow at noon, Prince Heir will accompany you to meet Prince Qin."
"Mm. After dinner, you and Jack Golden settle the accounts," Lena instructed.
"Got it!" Harris Ma replied with exuberance, spinning on his heel, then back again, looking at her with hopeful eyes. "Boss, so… you're going alone tomorrow? That's a lot of numbers to go through by yourself—"
"I'm enough," Lena cut him off bluntly.
"Right, right," Harris muttered, shoulders drooping as he shuffled off to the side room to tally the books.
Lena washed her face and followed the aroma wafting from the kitchen.
Inside, Jack Golden was tending the fire while Darren Chang stir-fried. Standing at the doorway, Lena felt the heat wash over her, nearly stealing her breath.
Their journey had lasted over three months, and now it was mid-May—the most sweltering time of year.
Just thinking of summer made Lena sigh.
Winter had its braziers, heated beds, and warm walls; but in summer, cooling down meant little more than a few blocks of melting ice—barely effective.
And then there were the omnipresent mosquitoes.
Heat and mosquitoes—this place's summer was truly unbearable.
Back in Riverford City, she could spend nights drifting on a boat in the river's cool breeze. This year, she'd have to endure it.
"Harris Ma!" Lena shouted. "Bring an ice chest here—no, bring two!"
Harris came running, lugging one along. "I told Darren we should move two chests into the kitchen, but he said it'd waste ice. See now? The boss is unhappy!"
Neither Lena nor Darren responded. Jack Golden rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Tomorrow, find someone to build a stove outside. Put up a shed too. Cook out there—it'll be cooler at least," Lena sighed again, watching the ice set in place.
She truly loathed this summer—there was nowhere to hide from the heat.
Soon, dinner was ready: spicy stir-fried chicken, stewed mutton, a large bowl of cold mixed vegetables, chopped green garlic and cilantro in another bowl, and a basket of steamed buns. The four sat surrounded by blocks of ice, yet still ended the meal drenched in sweat.
Afterward, Harris and Jack retreated to the side room to do the accounts. Darren tidied up, replaced the melted ice, brewed tea, and handed Lena a bowl.
Lena sipped quietly, glancing at Darren's brooding expression, and sighed.
"Darren, you're such a big fellow—how can you be so narrow-minded? Why fuss over every little thing?"
Darren shot her a sidelong look and said nothing.
"That Lord Ye—he had a cousin he grew up with, said she died unjustly. I promised him that if she truly was wronged, I'd see that justice was done."
Lena exhaled helplessly, explaining.
"The Wang family, right?" Darren asked gruffly.
"Mm. They're one of the families involved. But we'll need to verify everything first—we can't take anyone's word for it. Don't worry, I'll be careful.
Besides, I haven't set any deadline. I'll look into it only when convenient. Don't fret."
She sighed again as she spoke.
"You've forgotten the past ten-odd years," Darren muttered. "Now suddenly the Ye family appears, and then a vendetta—just be cautious."
"I know," Lena replied softly. "Don't overthink. There's no use worrying too much."
Her mind drifted to Wang Qingxi—his timid manner, the way his nose nearly touched the paper when he read. He was so nearsighted he couldn't see five steps ahead. If he truly were lecherous, it would be difficult indeed.
The Sunzhou couple must know something—she'd have to find a way to speak with them.
For now, she owed a debt to this body—to Zhanlu, whose life she had inherited.
At the very least, she would uncover the truth behind Zhanlu's death. Perhaps the girl still had an unfulfilled wish.
If it was within her power, Lena was willing to see that wish granted.
――――――――――
The next day, just after noon, Ruby arrived at Fried Rice Alley.
Lena, carrying a thick roll of account books, followed him through the Sunrise Gate. Before they had gone far, Gavin Shea came toward them.
Ruby bowed and stepped aside.
"I heard you traveled all the way from Wuwei Prefecture to Jinan. How was it?" Gavin asked, looking her up and down with a smile.
"Not bad," Lena replied, clasping the ledger and saluting him.
"Let's talk inside. My brother happens to be free," Gavin gestured toward Brightpeace Palace ahead.
As they walked, he couldn't help asking, "So, after seeing all that—can this business be done?"
"We won't know until we try," Lena said with a smile.
And truly, she didn't know. Things always looked easier than they were in practice.
Following Gavin, she entered a suite of three adjoining rooms beside the main hall.
The rooms were wide and airy, lined with bookshelves filled to the brim. On the west side stood a brazier, a pot of flowers, and a great writing desk; to the east, beneath a large window, a heated platform where the Crown Prince, Gu Jin, sat, his sharp gaze fixed on her.
He studied her openly.
Her hair was tied up in the simplest bun with a silver pin, like a man's. A few loose strands were tucked casually behind her ears. She wore plain white summer cloth—shirt, skirt, and trousers tied loosely at the ankles with red and green silk cords, probably scraps picked up somewhere. Her shoes were men's style, sturdy with leather edges. A thick purple-red cord was tied at her waist—not quite a sash, more a rope.
Her attire was crude, utilitarian—like her manner. Yet her bright eyes and fine features somehow overshadowed it all, making one forget her rough dress entirely.
She was not what Gu Jin had expected, and yet… exactly as he had imagined.
"Your Highness," Lena greeted him with a respectful bow.
Gu Jin's brows lifted.
"Miss Li is unacquainted with court etiquette—I forgot to mention it," Gavin interjected quickly.
Ordinarily, before a prince, she should have knelt and bowed three times, not merely saluted.
"I have no use for such formalities," Gu Jin said with a smile. "Please, be seated."
Lena sat where he indicated—an armchair facing him, a little distance from the platform. Gavin took his place beside the prince.
A young attendant brought tea. Gu Jin raised his cup in gesture; Lena picked up hers and drank without hesitation, savoring it, then finishing it in a few small sips.
Smiling, Gu Jin signaled for fresh tea. The attendant changed the bowl for a straight porcelain cup.
Lena laughed lightly. "Thank you. The cup is fine indeed. I wasn't thirsty—it's just that the tea is excellent."
"This year's Dragon Phoenix Cake tea," Gu Jin said, still smiling. "Bring two cakes for Miss Li to take with her."
Lena thanked him.
"Have you inspected the postal stations, Miss Li? How do they seem to you?" he asked.
"More or less," she said, pushing the cup aside and unrolling the ledger. "We went from Castleton to Wuwei, then to Yangzhou, then Jinan, and returned by the same route."
"All the wealthiest regions," Gu Jin noted.
"Of course," Lena replied easily. "Business must follow money—you can't profit off the poor." Then, with a small smile: "What would Your Highness like to hear?"
Gu Jin blinked, then chuckled. "What did you see?"
"Plenty—too much, really. Depends what you want to know."
"The postal stations along those routes—what did you observe?"
"The nearer they are to Castleton, the newer and better-kept they are; the couriers more alert. None of these areas are particularly poor, so the rest are decent too.
The stations are manned by auxiliary soldiers, funded by the court but managed locally. Their headcounts are nearly identical. Roads are well paved, and trees line both sides neatly."
Her words were brief but clear.
"Have you planned how to run this postal business?" Gu Jin asked after a pause, smiling faintly.
"Yes. I plan to start with express delivery—three hundred li a day. From Castleton to Wuwei, ten days round trip."
Gu Jin's brows rose slightly.
"I have a hundred thousand taels of silver. I'll use only that. If the venture fails when it runs out, I'll stop and find something else." Lena spread her hands with a grin.
Gavin chuckled—those hundred thousand were his own payment for her bodyguard work.
"And have you calculated the cost? To send one letter from Castleton to Wuwei, how much would it be?" Gu Jin asked, amused.
"Not yet. Depends on the price of horses, feed, and wages. I don't plan to borrow official stations or inns—I'll buy or build my own, keep my own horses and people."
"Why not make use of the official posts?"
"The couriers are too poor, and the inns are too crowded with officials," she replied plainly.
Gavin arched an eyebrow. Gu Jin laughed softly. "If you've made up your mind, then go ahead. Whatever you need, seek out Prince Heir."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Lena said, rising with a smile. "Then I'll take my leave."
"I'll see you out," Gavin said quickly, escorting her all the way beyond Sunrise Gate.
He watched her go before turning back toward Brightpeace Palace.
"She's gone?" Gu Jin asked, glancing sidelong as Gavin reentered, though he already knew the answer.
"Mm. What do you think of her, brother?" Gavin asked, sitting beside him again.
"Extremely cautious. Speaks only when she must. Perhaps she truly can make this postal business work." Gu Jin seemed in good spirits.
"The couriers' pay is uniform, yet the nearer stations are livelier—those farther out must be suffering deductions. I'll have someone look into it," Gavin said with a frown. "Also, though headcounts are equal, workloads differ—some are overworked, others idle. This—"
Gu Jin raised a hand, cutting him off. "Minor matters. The postal system's flaws run deeper—that's why I want her to try. Ah," he sighed, "the empire's ailments are everywhere. Compared to them, the post is trivial.
Since the late emperor's reign, decades of peace and prosperity have passed, yet the number of taxpayers has not increased, while vagrants have multiplied severalfold." His brows drew tight. "The Ministry of Revenue is the real concern. You must leave soon—inspect the granaries, verify the land registries, audit several prefectures, then return by the autumn harvest. I'll watch the ministry in your absence."
"Understood," Gavin replied crisply. "I'll draft the memorial tonight, seek imperial sanction tomorrow, and depart the next day."
After a pause, he added, "The pacification commissioner of the Northwest Road is under the Marquis of Yongping. If—"
Gu Jin rubbed his forehead and gave him an exasperated look. "You still worry about that? A woman as shrewd as Miss Li?"
"It's not that. I'll be gone for months—if anything happens to her, she may have no one to turn to," Gavin admitted, a little embarrassed.
Gu Jin snorted. "Hmph."
"Even as a bodyguard, I still owe her my life…" Gavin murmured, rising awkwardly.
Gu Jin pressed his palm to his brow again. "If not for that debt—and your friendship—do you think she'd dare attempt this postal venture? Ah! You—honestly…" He sighed, one long breath after another. "In future, if Miss Li comes to you for help, discuss it with Shou Zhen first—then decide!"