After the snow cleared, Linnan City resumed its usual traffic of merchant ships; the war had passed and was simply over. The families of soldiers who had lost loved ones were slowly nursing their wounds, and the bloodstains atop the city walls, not yet fully washed away, had begun to fade.
Liu Jue’s wound healed quickly. He stayed in the manor recuperating, never leaving Qingluo’s side, not once bringing up the matter of wanting her to marry him. Qingluo, too, avoided the topic of their relationship, yet she was remarkably relaxed, casual in her speech. Every morning she exercised as usual, her movements agile; without holding back his internal energy, Liu Jue could sometimes only fight her to a draw. A’Luo said, “Didn’t you always want to know the name of this fighting style and who taught it to me?”
Liu Jue had never seen a style like this before — relying mostly on kicks, palm strikes, and punches, with no discernible system. He suppressed his curiosity, smiling as he watched Qingluo.
“This is a style that came from Japan. Actually, compared to the martial arts here, it’s not that useful, but it’s good for dealing with petty thieves and keeping fit. I started learning it at age five.”
“Where is Japan?”
“It’s an island nation overseas. You won’t find it. My teacher came from there — I can’t see him anymore now. Sometimes I think, after all these years, it feels like all of that has become a dream. Do you believe in gods? Let me tell you about a legendary heavenly deity, all right?”
A’Luo smiled sweetly, curling up on the couch, leaning into Liu Jue’s embrace. “That deity is called God. All living beings are His children, His people. He created humankind — all sorts, some became kings, some became peddlers and laborers. Everyone’s status in the world differs greatly. Someone once angrily asked Him, why did you create people with such disparities? Why does he get to enjoy wealth and ease, while I toil endlessly just to survive? God said lovingly, wealth and poverty are all fleeting clouds. I gave each of you a mind, and with that, a soul. When your life in this world ends and your soul stands before me, you will all be equal. I treat everyone the same.”
“I understand — you’re saying that people are actually equal to one another, just with different statuses?” Liu Jue said lazily.
“You’re so clever!” A’Luo’s heart bloomed with delight, not expecting Liu Jue to catch on so quickly!
“Fine, then let’s wait until this life ends to talk about equality. For now, in the Kingdom of Ning, the king still has the final say, and in the General’s Manor, I still have the final say!” A flicker of cunning crossed his eyes as Liu Jue lazily wrapped his arms around A’Luo. He thought to himself: equality? How could that ever be possible?
A’Luo slumped, dispirited — the feudal mindset here ran bone-deep, impossible to reform. But surely she could fight for some benefits? She rallied herself and said, “Legend has it there’s a country where husband and wife stay together for life, monogamously, growing old side by side. If a husband is with another woman outside the marriage, that’s called adultery — under Ning’s laws, that would mean a hundred lashes and facial branding. And if he brought her home as a second wife, he’d be judged guilty of bigamy and imprisoned — someone like Li, my so-called father, would easily spend over a decade in prison.”
“Oh? Then wouldn’t the men there be quite pitiable? What if he married a woman who couldn’t bear him a son, and he didn’t even like her — could he not take a concubine?” Liu Jue shook his head, finding it utterly absurd.
“He could get divorced! The husband can divorce the wife, and if the wife is unsatisfied, she can divorce the husband too, and find someone else she loves!”
“Outrageous! Who’s been filling your head with this nonsense? Just wait, I’ll tear out her tongue by the root!” Liu Jue grew furious, thinking — marry him and then, if unhappy, dare to divorce him? Hmph! He turned her face toward him and said seriously, “If I marry, it must be the one I love, and I will never abandon her.” He pinched her nose and laughed. “I didn’t expect you to be such a jealous woman!”
A’Luo gave up entirely on trying to reform his thinking, and said earnestly in return, “If I marry, he can only have me. If he takes a concubine, I’ll leave and let him have his way.”
Liu Jue blurted out, “So is that why you won’t be with Zili?”
A’Luo stood up and looked out the window. Zili — the one with the ever-present smile, tinged faintly with sorrow, the one who used to play the flute outside the Chancellor’s residence, the one who galloped with her across the grasslands. She sighed.
The slender figure before him sighed. Had she truly been fond of Zili after all? Liu Jue leapt up from the couch and held A’Luo tightly, hearing her murmur, “It’s just that back then we were too young — he loved to talk and I loved to laugh, and before we knew it we’d drifted off to sleep. In the dream, who knows how many blossoms fell. Zili and I simply never found the right time — in the end, we weren’t meant to be.”
So there was a kind of heartache that was jealousy too. He wished he could keep A’Luo raised in seclusion forever, knowing only him, no one else. Liu Jue’s mind burned hot; he lifted her chin and gazed into those glistening, shimmering eyes, staring deeply until only his own reflection filled her pupils. Only then did he let out a breath, his heart pounding fiercely. He covered A’Luo’s eyes with one hand and kissed her. A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his tongue. He watched her long lashes flutter in surprise, a flush spreading across her cheeks — utterly captivating. Liu Jue swept her up into his arms and tossed her upward suddenly. A’Luo, eyes closed, felt her body go weightless and let out a shriek as she fell back into a pair of strong arms. He tossed her up again, and again, and again, laughing heartily.
A’Luo wrapped her arms around his neck, scolding him affectionately. “So your wound has fully healed after all?!”
“So you’re the one who says one thing but means another! Ha ha! My A’Luo! Mine!” Liu Jue laughed heartily.
A’Luo sighed and buried her face in his chest. “My mother wants to become a nun. I can’t bear it. She won’t go back to the Chancellor’s residence, and neither will I. Don’t send us back!”
Liu Jue set A’Luo down and said seriously, “A’Luo, you will always be the Third Miss of the Chancellor’s residence. You cannot follow me without status or title. If you’re to marry me, you must be married off properly, with full honors, from the Chancellor’s residence.”
“What if the one you marry is Cheng Qing, not the Chancellor’s Third Miss?”
“The one I’m betrothed to is the Chancellor’s Third Miss. The Anqing Prince’s household has been bound by marriage to Chancellor Li since the betrothal was set. You will inevitably have to return to Feng City — there’s no hiding it.”
“Wouldn’t it be fine to just stay in Linnan City? Far from Feng City, far from the royal court.”
Liu Jue looked deeply at A’Luo. Was she afraid of returning to Feng City? Did she still not fully trust him at heart? Did she doubt his ability to protect her? “A’Luo, you must understand — I am the Kingdom of Ning’s Pingnan General, the young prince of the Anqing Prince’s household, the Ning Prince’s nephew, cousin to the Crown Prince and to Zili. There are things I cannot simply do as I please. I have my responsibilities. If I abandoned everything and ran away with you, other kingdoms — not to mention Ning itself — would see it as an opportunity, sending skilled fighters to capture me, a member of Ning’s royal family. Even if they couldn’t threaten Ning directly, they could humiliate the royal house. And besides, you have no choice in the matter either — even without my marrying you, in name you are already my betrothed, Liu Jue’s future wife.” Liu Jue calmly laid out the situation for her. “His Majesty has already suspended court for nearly two months now. The storm in Feng City could break loose at any moment. Who will emerge victorious is anyone’s guess — it’s simply the way of these things, that whoever wins becomes king and whoever loses becomes an outlaw. The moment His Majesty passes, that will be the day I lead my troops back to Feng City.”
A’Luo froze. If she followed him, she would inevitably be swept up into a life of scheming and rivalry, unable to control her own fate. She shook her head unconsciously.
Liu Jue held her face still, not letting her shake her head. “I understand you detest that kind of life. But don’t think about running — how could you possibly get away? Even if you escaped, you might fall into the hands of another kingdom — what would I do then? Stay with me, A’Luo. You just need to stay with me, that’s all.”
At this moment, A’Luo felt exhausted. She could stay with him, be with him. But the moment she thought of all the people in the Ning royal palace and the Chancellor’s residence, a deep weariness surfaced from within. She said quietly, “Do you know why Qinglei hurt her hand at the Crown Prince’s night banquet? That tune, ‘Autumn Waters,’ was one I played. Just for one piece of music, it caused such a huge uproar. Who would have thought the Crown Princess would come out ahead because of it. Wang Yanhui really is quite the talent!”
Liu Jue froze. “So that’s why you refuse to play the qin. No matter how I asked, you wouldn’t play — it was only because you were forced at the Crown Prince’s banquet that you played that piece, ‘Guangling Sanctuary’! Does Zili know?”
A’Luo shook her head. “The maids in the Chancellor’s residence who knew about it have all disappeared. I’m terrified. If it weren’t for switching to the flute, that so-called father of mine might have crippled my hand to prevent future trouble. Don’t send me back. I really am afraid.”
Liu Jue took A’Luo’s hand — slender fingers, palms slightly roughened from practicing martial arts. These same hands had played the tune “Autumn Waters” that shook all of Feng City, elevating her to the status of a Crown Prince’s consort. These same hands had played the flute that stirred the heart of Prince Li. He gently stroked her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “Now I understand.”
A few days later, a fast horse arrived from Feng City bearing the Ning Prince’s decree. Upon learning of the great victory over the Chen army at Linnan, the Ning Prince was so delighted that he attended court for two days straight, and after his excitement, his illness worsened. He bestowed upon Liu Jue the title of Prince Pingnan, and upon Gu Tianxiang, the title of First-Rank Duke of Loyal Valor. Hearing that the Chancellor’s Third Miss had been found, he ordered a carriage sent to escort her back to the Chancellor’s residence. Along with the decree came household guards from the Chancellor’s residence as well.
At a night banquet held at the General’s Manor for the envoy who delivered the decree, after some drinks, someone asked about the situation in Feng City. The envoy said, “The old prince instructed this humble official to pass along a message to the Pingnan Prince — his exact words were, ‘No matter how high his rank climbs or what title he’s given, he’s still my son. If I say something, my son had better listen.'”
The officers in the hall lowered their heads to hide their laughter. Liu Jue’s face turned completely red, though inwardly he understood the situation clearly. It looked like A’Luo would have to return to Feng City by herself first. Thinking about how to tell her, Liu Jue felt a headache coming on. A’Luo had always resisted the idea of returning to Feng City.