When they heard that Ning Chen had slept with the woman emperor of Wu, Zisu and Yudie were more excited than she was.

That was only because they both worshiped the woman emperor of Wu.

In this age a woman's standing was very low, and a concubine's was lowest of all. She counted as property, and could be bought, sold, or given away.

But the standing of women in the Wu Kingdom was plainly higher than in the Great Xuan.

In the Wu Kingdom a concubine could not be bought or sold or killed at will. A woman could sit the imperial examination, hold office, and much else besides.

All of it was the work of the woman emperor of Wu.

So although the states were different, women everywhere worshiped the woman emperor of Wu.

Still, Zisu and Yudie liked Mangzhou better.

Mangzhou had high hills and thick forests, and a damp climate.

And once Ning Chen went back to the capital he would have to lead troops against Prince Rui, so they wanted to stay on a while longer and travel back only after Ning Chen had put the rebellion down and come home.

Ning Chen agreed. They could go back whenever they liked.

The next day Ning Chen was up early.

He harnessed the carriage and went alone to the back courtyard.

Grunting with the effort, he carried a carriage-load of gold and silver and jewelry out of the sealed room and loaded it aboard. He covered it over with tent canvas, lashed it down, and brought the carriage around.

Then he went to the middle courtyard, called Feng Qizheng and Yue Congyun, and left by the back gate in the first gray of dawn!

The load was heavy, and it took two horses to pull it.

Diaochan was a warhorse, and a smug one. She would not pull a carriage at all, and went clopping along beside it on her own.

Feng Qizheng and Yue Congyun each rode a horse.

Ning Chen drove the carriage himself.

"What's in the carriage?"

Feng Qizheng asked out of curiosity.

Ning…