He walked away with a smile. Rong Wei leaned against the tree, thinking that the matter of killing the Crown Princess should be handled more urgently.
He hadn’t brought many people from Ruzhou. Some stayed near him ready to be dispatched at any time, while others had to maintain communication with Ruzhou. He had Mu Si continue, but there had been no response until now.
He strolled back leisurely, opening his chest to the refreshing night breeze, thinking of what Rong Pu had said earlier.
Actually, he hadn’t told the complete truth.
Actually, it wasn’t that he was entirely without bewilderment and shock.
He had seen plenty of men liking men, but never thought it would happen to himself. After all, from childhood to adulthood, he was very clear about his own preferences.
But liking Ye Shiba wasn’t something that happened suddenly. Perhaps when they leaped and embraced at that high tower, perhaps when they drank and talked heart-to-heart in that small building, perhaps when they met at the crest of waves, perhaps when they escaped the grassland fire, perhaps when he drew his bow for him against Old Fourth.
Perhaps in every moment of their encounters, like gentle rain, silent and continuous. By the time he noticed, his clothes were already soaked through.
And when he first noticed that rain drenching him, he was quite bewildered.
Regarding his future, he had thought of countless possibilities. He had even considered competing for favor in the Crown Princess’s harem, but never thought there would be this kind.
But his previous following and testing were merely acting on whim. Until that night in the dense forest when he killed his brother, knowing Ye Shiba was behind the tree, he still acted as himself.
He wanted Ye Shiba to see the real him.
He wanted to see Ye Shiba’s shocked and disgusted expression.
He thought of the various attitudes and expressions of disgust he had encountered over the years, appearing on that person’s face.
He thought of him leaving decisively, like many who had trusted and loved him before.
He wanted him to understand that he was a beautiful lamp burning candles made of corpse oil.
Thus, he would give up hope.
He deliberately watched Fourth Brother run toward the tree behind.
Waiting for Ye Shiba to come to the rescue, to scold, to break with him.
Then, Ye Shiba gripped Old Fourth’s throat and appeared before him step by step.
He walked through darkness, yet seemed to come clothed in light.
They stood side by side before the forest slope, watching Old Fourth struggle on the edge of life and death. He waited for that questioning, but heard him ask: “Do you need my help?”
Do you need my help.
In the past eighteen years, through countless near-death experiences, struggling in those bloody hardships, no one had ever said such a thing to him—do you need my help?
Attraction was like gentle rain, unknown when it began. But love was born in lightning and flint, in the time it takes a white horse to pass a gap.
In an instant, the sky brightened.
Heaven and earth suddenly opened up.
Before, he had asked himself: man or woman, does it matter?
Now he thought.
Having lived as a woman since childhood with reversed gender, this wasn’t something very difficult for him to accept.
It was just that sentence.
If you like someone, that’s enough.
…
That night, Tie Ci never slept, sitting in the courtyard, using the iron skewer from the lamb kebab to draw characters.
Dan Shuang silently followed beside her. She knew the Crown Princess’s habits—once the Crown Princess encountered something hesitant and difficult to decide, she would silently draw characters like this.
But with imperial shrewdness, even unconscious scribbling wouldn’t write any recognizable characters.
So Dan Shuang didn’t look, only silently accompanied her, not letting anyone disturb. When dawn was approaching, she went to bring water for the Crown Princess, carefully stepping around the messy marks all over the ground. Inadvertently glancing, she suddenly paused.
Among those scattered scribbles, there were vaguely several complete characters.
Rong Wei.
Over and over, seemingly casual but actually deeply carved among those crisscrossing lines.
At this moment, Dan Shuang suddenly felt alarmed.
She walked past calmly. According to rules, she couldn’t destroy the characters her master drew, so she pressed down with her feet, each step scooping up sand and earth to cover that name.
Tie Ci drew while casually taking the water, drinking it all without lifting her head. After drinking, she tossed the skewer aside, lay back, stretched out her legs and collapsed on the stone bench, eyes vacant as she stared at the sky.
Dan Shuang took this opportunity to put her hands behind her back, desperately rubbing with her boot heels.
Tie Ci seemed not to notice her movements and suddenly said: “Dan Shuang, let me ask you something.”
Dan Shuang’s heart jumped, her feet stopped. “Master.”
Her voice was tense.
Tie Ci said without moving: “If something very important to you requires you to be honest. But if you’re honest, perhaps this thing can never be accomplished again, all your efforts will be wasted, and others will be hurt… what would you do?”
Dan Shuang’s heart began beating again… guilty conscience, hearing only the word “honest” in her ears.
Was what her master said related to that name?
Be honest… honest about what?
Did her master want to be honest about her feelings to that person?
But she was already engaged to the son of the Liaodong King. The Liaodong King wasn’t some random person—breaking off the engagement casually could give them an excuse to send troops. Even if they didn’t send troops, the Empress Dowager and Xiao family would make a big issue of it.
That would truly mean all efforts going to waste.
Dan Shuang immediately said: “Don’t be honest! Absolutely cannot be honest! How difficult it’s been for you to reach today—how can you give up everything for just one… one whatever!”
Tie Ci let out a long sigh: “But this way, my conscience feels somewhat troubled.”
Cracks appeared in Dan Shuang’s ice-cold face.
Had emotional roots already grown this deep?
“Then…” she said hesitantly, “having both fish and bear’s paw?”
Although having three palaces and six courtyards wasn’t suitable for a female emperor—those old pedants would definitely oppose it—but if she really liked someone that much, after the great enterprise was accomplished, secretly bringing him into the palace wasn’t impossible, right?
At worst, she’d be scolded for being dissolute.
Only… the scene of Rong Wei strangling someone to death earlier still lingered in Dan Shuang’s mind. This person seemed somewhat similar in temperament to her master on the surface—usually smiling and cheerful, carefree and natural, even more mischievous than her master—but deep down, he was much more ruthless than her master.
Her master was harsh on herself, but due to years of moral education and imperial studies, still emphasized benevolence and kindness toward others. But this one…
This one didn’t seem like someone who would compromise himself or be content with a subordinate position.
If they eventually became a resentful couple…
Tie Ci, hearing this suggestion, shook her head vigorously and sighed: “This kind of thing can’t have both.”
Dan Shuang deeply agreed.
Exactly—with that person’s character, he might go crazy and either kill the Crown Princess’s husband or kill Her Highness. She didn’t dare think about it.
“Well then, if you ask me,” Dan Shuang said ruthlessly, “what is conscience worth? Your Highness, you should know that with your status and position, the last thing you should have is a conscience! If you develop a heart, those wolves and hunting dogs will immediately pounce and tear you apart!”
Tie Ci was silent. After a long while, she murmured: “Yes, those who achieve great enterprises don’t worry about small matters. When one general succeeds, ten thousand bones wither. I’m already standing at the edge of an abyss—what conscience should I care about…”
“Master thinking this way is correct.” Dan Shuang said fiercely. “If you can’t let go, or feel this matter has endless future troubles, you can be even more ruthless, for example…”
She remembered that day on the small boat under the bridge in town, the Crown Princess’s smile that seemed to illuminate her entire being.
If emotional roots had truly grown deep, there would surely be disaster.
Looking now, the Crown Princess still had hesitation in her heart, which was very good. While she hadn’t fallen too deep, it was time to make an early decision.
“…for example, kill him or exile him. Thus, everything would be settled once and for all! If you can’t bear to be ruthless, leave this matter to me!”
Tie Ci was still lost in thought, not hearing her words at all, waving her hand to indicate she should withdraw.
Dan Shuang was somewhat surprised, not expecting Tie Ci would actually agree, then was overjoyed.
With the Crown Princess being so resolute, how could great enterprise not be achieved!
Joy immediately turned to faint melancholy… if she angered that person this time, she probably wouldn’t be coming back.
Thinking this, she knelt down and properly kowtowed to Tie Ci: “Master, then I’m going. Please take care.”
Tie Ci came back to her senses, looking at her inexplicably: “Why are you kneeling for no reason? Practicing your legs? Get up, get up.”
Dan Shuang smiled bitterly.
That’s because you don’t understand that person. In your heart, he’s probably the best person in the world. You wouldn’t think he’d kill me.
But it doesn’t matter. A warrior dies for those who appreciate him. From when the Crown Princess saved her, from when she recommended her to Master, from when Master entrusted her to serve the Crown Princess well—her life had already been given to the Crown Princess.
As long as she could help the Crown Princess use wisdom’s sword to cut emotional ties, what did death matter?
She made up her mind, got up, tucked away her sword, and went out.
Here, Tie Ci’s mind was full of the matter she was about to face. Seeing dawn approaching, she didn’t return to the dormitory, directly leaving a note for Rong Pu asking him to help request leave—she wouldn’t attend classes today. She went back to get the makeup box she had taken from the supervisor’s wife last time, studied it carefully for a long time, then made a trip to He Zi’s place.
While she went to He Zi’s place, Dan Shuang went to find Rong Wei with tragic determination.
But Rong Wei wasn’t in the dormitory. Dan Shuang searched most of the academy before finding him by Liuxiang Lake.
In that secluded corner by Liuxiang Lake, among the flowering trees, the hammock that should have been put away had somehow been found by this fellow, who was now sleeping in it, facing the lake, swaying leisurely.
Dan Shuang held her breath, moving lightly and slowly.
She didn’t expect to kill him with a quick sword—she had seen Rong Wei in action. Most likely her own head would be on the ground before she could even get close.
So she approached slowly. Even if someone heard, it would seem like someone passing by.
Rong Wei swayed there, seemingly completely unaware.
Dan Shuang’s sword was already in her hand, only a few steps remaining.
Rong Wei suddenly spoke: “What are you dawdling around there for? Why don’t you…” His tone was helpless yet slightly pleased.
Dan Shuang was startled, suddenly leaping up, her sword flashing in a white arc, silk tree flowers falling in the forest.
The sword light was like lightning, instantly within inches of Rong Wei’s neck.
But it was caught by suddenly extended fingers.
Dan Shuang exerted force, but the sword was like being clamped in a mountain crevice, completely immobile.
Those two fingers were snow-white and slender, translucent in the sunlight.
Rong Wei slowly turned his head. The anger and killing intent in his eyes turned to astonishment when they met Dan Shuang’s face.
Initially thinking it was Ye Shiba, when sword qi attacked he thought it was an assassin targeting him, but in a turn he saw someone completely unexpected.
Only for a moment, the astonishment in his eyes turned to incredible shock, unbelievable bewilderment. After shock and bewilderment came layers of coldness, like winter frost flowers, like waves carrying crushed ice from below cliffs, crashing in layers.
He stared at the sword tip, his fingertip slowly moving. With a crack, the hundred-refined steel sword was snapped in two by his bare hands.
Dan Shuang was fierce. Without hesitation, she thrust forward with the broken sword, but how could she be faster than Rong Wei? He backhanded, and the broken sword tip was already at Dan Shuang’s throat, immediately shouting: “If you dare impale yourself on the sword tip, I’ll immediately kill Ye Shiba!”
But Dan Shuang said: “I promised my master not to be rash anymore.”
Hearing this, Rong Wei’s expression grew darker, slowly saying: “So this is a carefully planned action with preparation?”
“Yes!”
“You came to kill me?” Rong Wei’s eyes were ice-cold.
“Yes!”
“Your master sent you?”
Dan Shuang hesitated, feeling that since she had already failed, she couldn’t create more enemies for her master. Thinking it over, she said: “I don’t necessarily have to kill you. If you can restrain yourself from now on, stop bothering my master, and stay away from her, I naturally won’t trouble you.”
Rong Wei laughed, tossing aside the broken sword tip, actually lying back down, saying leisurely: “Oh? This is your master’s intention?”
He now appeared his usual laughing, carefree self, but Dan Shuang was more nervous than when the sword tip was at her neck, saying stiffly: “You’re a man, always pestering my master—what are you trying to do? Even if you’re a cut-sleeve, you can’t drag others to mess around with you. My master will enter government service and leave his name in history! How can you ruin his reputation so early!”
“Oh,” Rong Wei said in a drawn-out voice, “so that’s how it is. Indeed, I was thinking wrong, truly sorry to your master, nearly delaying his good prospects. If so, you may go. I will naturally restrain myself in the future.”
Dan Shuang could hardly believe he was so reasonable, not daring to believe it for a moment, asking again: “Really?”
Rong Wei lay in the hammock, seemingly unable to bear the intense sunlight, raising his hand to block it, squinting lazily: “If you disturb my nap again, I’ll bury you in Liuxiang Lake.”
Dan Shuang didn’t think he was joking, lifting her legs to leave. After a few steps, she looked back at the swaying hammock among the flowering trees and said: “This hammock is my master’s personal belonging. Your openly using it like this will also cause misunderstandings. Please don’t use it next time.”
Before her words finished, the sword tip buried in the soil suddenly flew up, rushing straight at Dan Shuang’s legs. Dan Shuang leaped up, rolling dozens of somersaults, chased out of the silk tree forest by her own sword tip.
As Dan Shuang exited the forest, she looked back once, inexplicably feeling that leisurely swaying figure looked somewhat desolate.
But she felt no guilt.
Her master had no intention of accepting him and couldn’t accept him. It was just that her master had a gentle nature, couldn’t be ruthless, and might not even understand her own feelings. If so, short pain was better than long pain. Helping Rong Wei, who was destined to fail, give up hope was also for his own good.
The flower forest became quiet again.
Rong Wei continued swaying leisurely in the sunlight, in the hammock.
After a long while, he raised his long legs, got down, looked down at the hammock, and smiled.
“Won’t let me use it,” he said.
Walking to where the sword tip had been inserted, two deep holes.
“Wanted to kill me,” he said.
On the ground was still half the broken sword Dan Shuang had left. He kicked it.
“Wanted to drive me away.”
He suddenly burst into laughter, seeming to find it funnier and funnier, laughing until he was out of breath, startling the mandarin ducks on Liuxiang Lake to separate, swans to flap their wings, the lake’s light and water colors in chaos, ripples disturbing endlessly.
After another moment, the laughter stopped abruptly. He coughed, looking down at his hands.
Last night they had been scratched by that old witch, with wounds where flesh curled back. He hadn’t bandaged them, airing them in this hammock, still waiting for that person to come help him bandage.
Instead, that person came to give him an even heavier sword wound.
He chuckled, took down the hammock, didn’t stuff it back into the artificial rock crevice, casually throwing it into the lake water.
He stood by the lake watching that hammock for a long time, then suddenly dove headfirst into the lake, fished out the hammock, stuffed it into the rock crevice, and walked away without looking back.
At this moment, Tie Ci had no idea Dan Shuang had created such a big misunderstanding. Her thoughts were entirely on the matter He Zi had entrusted to her.
She had talked with He Zi in his study for a long time. When leaving, He Zi asked her: “Have you already learned the truth?”
Tie Ci said: “Sir, I did obtain a truth, but I don’t quite believe that truth.”
Approval showed in He Zi’s eyes as he asked lightly: “Why?”
“Truth is sometimes just what others want you to see,” Tie Ci said. “People always believe results they deduce themselves, but what if that deduction was also hinted at by others for you to deduce? I still trust my own intuition more.”
I believe there are still some details in this matter without answers. I believe that Madam He, such a spirited and straightforward daughter of the martial world, wouldn’t become a spy.
“Sir, I want to ask you one more question. Back when you were trapped in the capital, imprisoned and interrogated by Prince Tang and Prince Lu, who rescued you afterward, and what did you do after getting out?”