Ning Yi raised his eyes to look at Feng Zhiwei. The young girl wearing a mask had eyes shrouded in clouds and mist—her underlying expression impossible to discern.
Their gazes met, then each turned away. Ning Yi’s gaze dropped to his own sleeve, then he said lightly, “Very well.”
He didn’t ask what item it was, as if he had already guessed.
Feng Zhiwei pressed her lips in a smile—a smile that was cold.
The others didn’t understand what riddle these two were playing and looked on with impatient anticipation. Feng Zhiwei pointed at Ning Yi’s wrist and said with a smiling expression, “I’d like to borrow Your Highness’s prayer beads.”
Ning Yi wore a moon-white silk robe with gold-trimmed edges and wide sleeves, sparsely embroidered with a few pale green five-petaled plum blossoms—elegant, refined, and strikingly graceful. No one could see that he wore prayer beads on his wrist. The Tiansheng Emperor laughed and said, “Sixth son, I’ve never heard that you were a lay Buddhist at home. Why have you suddenly started believing in Buddhism?”
“Some days ago, Seventh Brother invited us brothers over to his residence for a banquet.” Ning Yi smiled. “During the feast, someone gave each of us a string, saying they were tribute items from the Xunluo nation. Wearing them in summer prevents perspiration, protects the heart, and clears the eyes. Since I most fear heat, I’ve been wearing mine—but I haven’t become a lay Buddhist.”
As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeve. On his wrist was a string of black prayer beads with an elegant luster and faint sandalwood fragrance. At a glance, one could tell they were no ordinary item. Set off by his delicate, jade-like wrist bones, what should have been such a solemn Buddhist article unexpectedly gave rise to a distinct sense of temptation.
He extended his hand, not removing the prayer beads himself, but instead raising his eyes to look at Feng Zhiwei with a smile, his gaze brilliant and overflowing beneath thick, long lashes.
Feng Zhiwei looked at him.
He looked at Feng Zhiwei.
His wrist extended in midair, simply not withdrawing.
Feng Zhiwei secretly gritted her teeth. Prolonging this standoff would only become increasingly awkward, so she had no choice but to reach out to take them. She carefully lifted her fingers, avoiding touching his skin. Beside them, Hu Shengshan suddenly laughed and said, “The way Minister Wei raises those orchid fingers—truly has the delicate manner of a maiden.”
Everyone laughed. Feng Zhiwei also laughed awkwardly and said, “This subject was the first son in my family. Several elder brothers died young before me, and my parents feared they couldn’t keep me alive, so from childhood they raised me as a daughter. I’ve made all you ministers laugh.”
As she spoke, she quickened her hand movements. Her fingertip slid across Ning Yi’s palm, and she suddenly felt Ning Yi’s finger curl, lightly scratching her palm.
This scratch was as light as a drifting feather, trembling yet hesitant. Feng Zhiwei’s heart jumped in alarm. She reflexively withdrew her hand, nearly dropping the prayer beads to the floor. She felt her face burning and thought to herself that this was bad—though she wore a mask on her face, her ears must certainly have turned red.
Sure enough, Ning Yi smiled and said, “Minister Wei is truly a meticulous person—even taking prayer beads requires such care.”
Everyone laughed again, but this time the laughter was different. Some still had no guile in their hearts, while others’ gazes flashed.
A poor boy from a farming family shouldn’t behave this way…
Feng Zhiwei looked into Ning Yi’s eyes, where his smile concealed coolness, and answered frankly with a laugh, “Wei Zhi comes from a humble family but now has the good fortune to be received in the imperial presence, and moreover to receive favorable regard from Your Highness and all the Grand Secretaries. For a moment I’m both delighted and anxious—please forgive my frivolousness, Your Highness.”
“It’s nothing.” Ning Yi smiled slightly. “When I see you, I too am delighted—so delighted that I’ve even become anxious.”
Everyone heartily began to joke around. The Tiansheng Emperor’s thoughts at this moment were still on Feng Zhiwei’s wolf-taming strategy. Though this exchange of undercurrents stirred his heart, he didn’t think deeply about it.
“Your Majesty.” Feng Zhiwei quickly changed the subject, stepping forward to present the prayer beads. “The two strategies for taming wolves lie in this.”
The Tiansheng Emperor played with the prayer beads, seeing that the pattern on them was somewhat strange and intricate. With sudden understanding, he said, “Gelug Lamaism?”
“Precisely.” Feng Zhiwei didn’t want to stay a moment longer and spoke extremely rapidly. “The Great Yue were originally steppe tribes. The first Great Khan Hula once believed in Lamaism. Though it later declined and was overtaken by Shamanism, most of the Yue nation’s upper nobility still believe in this religion. This subject believes we might as well attempt some methods to promote this religion within the Yue nation.”
“What of it then?”
“There are three benefits. First, Gelug Lamaism has ‘two prohibitions’—monks are not permitted to marry and bear children, and monks are not permitted to participate in production. Once large numbers of able-bodied young men are ordained into the religion, population and combat strength will decline. Even if they return to secular life during wartime, a long life of monastic devotion will have already worn away their killing intent. Second, Lamaist doctrine promotes the six paths of reincarnation and ascetic practice in this life solely to seek the next life—believers will develop hearts content with the status quo. Third, believing in Lamaism requires temples. Unlike Shamanism, where worship ceremonies can be held anywhere, large numbers of temples can also pull wandering herdsmen off their horses and detain them in fixed areas.”
“And the second strategy?” She spoke quickly, but the Tiansheng Emperor responded even faster, leaning forward slightly. If not for maintaining imperial dignity, he looked ready to rush down from his seat.
“Wool.” Feng Zhiwei said. “The Yan family of Nanhai has conducted maritime trade for many years and once brought back a type of long-haired sheep from that country. This sheep’s fleece is dense and thick. After spinning and weaving, it’s light, soft, and warm—much better than the heavy cotton cloth we commonly use in winter. But because this type of sheep doesn’t adapt to the hot, humid climate of the south, and also because the Minjiang Weaving Bureau fears the local cotton and hemp textile industry will be impacted, they’ve been obstructing the Yan family’s promotion of it. Now we might as well raise this type of sheep in the north, where the climate and soil are both very suitable. Once it becomes established, not only will it benefit our nation’s livelihood, it will also inevitably become a means of controlling the Great Yue’s economy.”
“As for how to promote Lamaism and wool…” Feng Zhiwei raised her face in a smile. “All the honored ministers seated here are capable officials and administrators who surely have excellent strategies to relieve Your Majesty’s concerns. Wei Zhi will not presume to overstep.”
She had fully displayed her ability while maintaining excellent propriety. Those seated were all noble ministers of distinguished lineage. In an instant, whether hostile or supportive, this assessment flowed through all their minds.
That young man stood in the solemn, magnificent imperial palace hall, the place where all military and state affairs of the realm were ultimately decided, before a group of dragons and phoenixes among men whose single words could determine the world’s great trends. Yet his spirit still soared brilliantly, his radiance dazzling. His expression was noble without arrogance, humble without servility—like a jade tree ringing clear, transcending above the ninth heaven.
The assembled group leaned forward slightly, involuntarily looking up, their eyes flashing with light—this youth’s talent and knowledge are exceptional; surely he has a future of meteoric rise!
—This youth’s edge is too exposed; he may be broken midway!
—This woman’s style of concealing her abilities has suddenly changed dramatically. Without leaving a trace, she’s pushed the Yan family to the forefront. Be careful!
This last line of thought naturally belonged solely to the noble Prince Chu. He sat upright in his seat, gazing at that fox-like woman, a trace of a smile frozen at his lips—beautiful and deeply alluring, like a bewitching crimson spider lily blooming at midnight.
In the sixth month of the fifteenth year of Tiansheng, Commander of the Five Armies Qiu Shangqi was appointed General Zhengbei and led an army of two hundred thousand northward.
That same month, the Ministries of Finance and Works, under imperial command, secretly negotiated with the Nanhai Yan clan’s representative in the capital regarding the introduction and promotion of English long-haired sheep. The Yan clan’s representative voluntarily offered to provide English sheep free of charge for the first three years, then take a thirty percent profit afterward. The Yan clan’s generosity greatly pleased the Emperor’s heart. They were bestowed the title of Imperial Merchants and given overall authority over trade exchanges between the southern territories and the capital’s commerce.
Both matters were related to Feng Zhiwei, but on the surface, this couldn’t be seen.
Regarding the selection of the Zhengbei Commander, the court also argued until faces turned red, because this campaign required a great victory but also required gentle pacification afterward. Therefore, the general presiding over this matter needed to be both brave and skilled in battle as well as mature and prudent—these were almost two opposing conditions. Since Tiansheng’s founding, the deeply suspicious Tiansheng Emperor had dismissed those who needed dismissing and killed those who needed killing among the founding generals, consuming them almost completely. After arguing to the end, the Tiansheng Emperor still ordered Qiu Shangqi to atone for his crimes through merit and appointed Chunyu Hong as Vice Commander—this also balanced the forces of several factions.
For someone setting out on campaign while under punishment, it was very difficult to be filled with heroic spirit. Anxious in his heart, Qiu Shangqi went to entreat Feng Zhiwei, this “descendant of old family friends,” to look after the Qiu mansion more while he was away from the capital.
“Dear nephew.” Qiu Shangqi, who had gained much white hair in just a few days, clasped hands with Feng Zhiwei, their eyes meeting with tears as he earnestly instructed, “The court situation is complex. Those several brothers of yours don’t understand matters. Third Brother just received the position of Captain in the Huwei Battalion. Inside and outside the residence, I must trouble you to watch over things more.”
Qiu Shangqi’s pair of old eyes looked earnestly at Feng Zhiwei—though Wei Zhi’s two strategies for eliminating the Yue had not yet taken effect and it wasn’t yet convenient to bestow rewards, everyone could see that His Majesty greatly appreciated this young hero. His meteoric rise was just a matter of time. The several young masters of the Qiu family were all rather incompetent. They had entered the Huwei Battalion through hereditary privilege and spent their days flying birds, walking dogs, and idling about. Previously, the Qiu family had been stable under the Fifth Prince’s patronage, but now the Fifth Prince had been de facto expelled from the imperial capital. The entire Fifth Prince faction was keeping a low profile, not even daring to breathe loudly. If they didn’t climb a tall tree early on, Qiu Shangqi feared that once he fell from power and lost his life, or even died wrapped in horse leather on the battlefield, what would happen to such a large family fortune? Therefore, he was determined to cultivate good relations, hoping that Master Wei would remember their “friendship of old acquaintances” and in the future provide more protection to the Qiu mansion.
“Uncle, please rest assured.” Feng Zhiwei said earnestly. “The Qiu mansion is my home. The Qiu household sons are my brothers. Whatever I have, they surely have as well.”
She also took out a brocade pouch and handed it to Qiu Shangqi. “Uncle, when you reach Canglang City at the Yue border, then open it.”
Qiu Shangqi was overjoyed—Wei Zhi’s wisdom was known throughout the court. This must surely be a brilliant stratagem! He hastily treasured it against his chest and reluctantly bid farewell to Feng Zhiwei.
The great army set out and traveled far. Finally, when nearly reaching Canglang City on the border a thousand miles away, Qiu Shangqi couldn’t resist and secretly opened the brocade pouch.
Immediately after, the two hundred thousand strong army suddenly saw their commander cry out, vomit fresh blood, and topple from his horse.
The wind stirred the small paper scroll inside the brocade pouch, causing it to drift up leisurely and fall into the Canglang River. The elegant handwriting on the scroll was thus obliterated, never to be seen by anyone again.
“The Qiu mansion is my home. The Qiu household sons are my brothers. Your wife is my maternal aunt. You are my uncle. From now on, what’s yours is mine. Congratulations, congratulations. Thank you, thank you.”
“—Feng Zhiwei bows her head.”