Murong Yi’s subordinates who had spread the net below the mountain cliff reacted and dove into the water one after another. On the large ship, soldiers skilled in swimming also entered the water to pursue. The quickest to react on the ship was Xiao Xueya, who seized a bow and arrows from a nearby guard. His arrows shot forth like stars chasing the moon, following that barely visible trace with swishing sounds. It was unclear which arrow hit whom, but the sea surface soon showed a patch of light red, which was then scattered by the waves. When the swimmers arrived and felt around underwater for a long time, they found no one.
This swimming ability was truly terrifying. Moreover, that area of sea had been under the surveillance of Xiao Xueya’s warship from the beginning, so that person must have been able to dive underwater for quite a while—their breath control was almost inhuman.
The sea was both a dead end and an escape route. Having fled this way, they couldn’t be found for the time being. Tie Ci had to board Xiao Xueya’s ship, preparing to take the sea route to rush to Kunzhou. The ship carried her three thousand guards. This return to Kunzhou would be her official appearance in Yannan as Crown Princess.
The Nanya affairs would be left for Xiao Xueya to handle. Xiao Xueya stood expressionlessly at the bow, looking at that group of private soldiers trying to break out, his gaze as if viewing a group of dead men. Tie Ci had to say: “Commander, this batch of private soldiers in Yannan—I want to subdue them, subdue them. You mustn’t go and kill them all for me right from the start.”
Xiao Xueya said indifferently: “A few thousand isolated troops with rebellious bones, and they’re Yannan’s military forces. Why should Your Highness concern yourself with them? Do you really intend to hand them over to the You siblings in the future?”
“As long as the Yannan Prince’s mansion doesn’t go too far, to show appeasement and to stabilize the people’s hearts, I will give the You siblings of this generation honorary titles with dignity. Such a large mansion must have people to guard it.” Tie Ci said, “So this future princely mansion army must first be subdued by me. Does the Commander understand?”
Murong Yi walked over and said: “Didn’t Mu Si come with the ship? I’ll leave him here to cooperate with the Grand Commander in handling these private soldiers and the three major chieftains’ affairs. I’ve already given him detailed instructions face to face—he knows how to deal with these mountain barbarians.”
Xiao Xueya said coldly: “Our Great Qian’s affairs—why should your Liaodong interfere?”
“Your Great Qian’s future ruler of the realm is still my person…” Murong Yi embraced Tie Ci and said with a smile, “Your Highness, let’s go. When the ruler has worries, the minister takes on the labor. Leave the matters here to the Grand Commander.”
Like a seductive concubine who bewitched the nation, he spirited away Tie Ci without his feet touching the ground. The dignified and noble Highness only managed to struggle and reach out a hand from his embrace, waving chaotically—unclear what she meant by the gesture.
Xiao Xueya’s gaze withdrew from their inseparable shoulders and fell upon the sea surface where waves rolled and clouds formed. His gaze remained motionless for a long time, as if that uniform deep blue sea was many times more pleasing to look at than those two people.
…
The large ship rounded Ningshan Bay for a hundred li, passing through the three ports of Jiaotou, Ningshan, and Tongyu, then disembarked at Dingmeng Prefecture. Officials from various Qianzhou departments who had received the news earlier were already quietly waiting at the dock with the Crown Princess’s ceremonial guard.
Qianzhou had first been combed through by the audit team led by Gu Xiaoxiao. Officials throughout Huangzhou, with its developed water and land routes, were thoroughly dealt with. Then Xiao Xueya, working from the waterways, had raked through Qianzhou from top to bottom again. The main prison of Qianzhou’s capital held a batch of military officials, while another batch hung in limbo with uncertain fates, living in daily fear, not knowing when the executioner’s blade might fall, causing them endless anxiety. Therefore, when the Crown Princess finally ended her incognito travels and officially inspected Yannan, all Qianzhou officials couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
However, they immediately received summons from the Crown Princess, who designated quite a group to accompany her southern tour. The Qianzhou officials had unspeakable grievances. Following the Crown Princess at this time—if the Yannan You father and son tore off all pretenses, the Crown Princess’s guards would certainly only care about her safety. Wouldn’t these unlucky fellows suffer the consequences? They wouldn’t openly tear off pretenses? But this journey to Kunzhou would still take several days, and along the way, any mountain bandits or vicious thieves that came in waves would be enough to make them suffer.
Therefore, everyone brought along plenty of guards and fully utilized their good relationships with Yannan locals along the way, gathering intelligence in advance and making connections everywhere, determined to ensure safe passage.
Little did they know that as they bustled about along this route, the guards responsible for intelligence gathering among Tie Ci’s Nine Guards secretly followed and had already filled their notebooks.
Yannan also put on an appearance of having just learned of the Crown Princess’s arrival. The Prefect of Dingmeng Prefecture led local officials to welcome her, but Tie Ci didn’t stop in any city. The ceremonial procession wasn’t deployed either—she continued with swift horses and light cavalry, heading straight for Kunzhou.
Those officials following along had never suffered such hardship, stumbling and staggering behind all the way, yet not daring to complain or fall behind. This person claimed to be touring Yannan, with her spearpoint aimed at the You father and son who dominated the Southwest, but before even reaching Yannan, she had already sifted through Qianzhou twice.
The audit specialist Gu Xiaoxiao and the military commander Xiao Xueya had completely different personalities but were equally impenetrable. The former examined accounts like reaching into a bag, determined to overturn all the polished ledgers to reveal their true contents. Starting from Huangzhou, she traced suspicious transactions between surrounding prefectures, uncovering many officials with irregular dealings with Yannan. The latter killed as easily as taking objects, using bandit suppression and assassination cases to search through every prefectural inspection office and garrison in Qianzhou, forcibly bringing down the Qianzhou Regional Commander. The high official who had served two terms as Regional Commander in Qianzhou was still sitting in prison.
Among Qianzhou officials, probably only Pang Duan, the newly appointed Prefect of Pingyun, genuinely followed behind Tie Ci, since everyone knew he had to be a Crown Princess partisan—he had forcibly squeezed out the Crown Princess’s grandfather to rise meteorically.
Speaking of this replacement of the Pingyun Prefecture Prefect, it was also one of the reasons for everyone’s increased unease. The Crown Princess seemed amiable, but she could dismiss even her own grandfather at will. Did the various officials dare to confidently believe they held greater place in the Crown Princess’s heart than blood relatives?
It was said that Elder Madam Tan’s party never made it back to Qianzhou—no one knew where the family had gone. The once-prestigious Siyi Garden, which had dealings with many powerful figures, had now been converted into an academy with utmost speed.
Knowing the Tan family’s fate, all officials felt a chill in their hearts. Regardless of their inner thoughts, they showed the utmost respect on the surface.
However, Tie Ci only kept Pang Duan at her side, causing secret envy among the others. They all felt that this catfish, ugly appearance aside, didn’t seem particularly outstanding in talent and learning, yet somehow caught His Highness’s eye. In terms of talent and learning, they weren’t inferior to Pang Duan, and in terms of bearing and demeanor, they were several times superior—why couldn’t they catch the Crown Princess’s favor? It was said that the Crown Princess was surrounded by many beautiful people, and she was only of marriageable age, naturally preferring good looks and fine character. One should know that even hard duties could be good opportunities. If one could find favor in the imperial heart during these hundreds of li of travel, it would be better than later struggling to send gifts throughout the capital.
Officials always had active minds, so among them emerged a leader—a Liping Prefecture Magistrate known as “Refined Official”—who was famous for his jade-like beauty in his youth. Now approaching middle age but well-maintained, he was at the perfect age and appearance combining youthful handsomeness with mature gentleness. One evening, after careful grooming, he carried a chess pot and “happened to encounter” the Crown Princess taking a walk in the inn, politely inviting His Highness to “discuss strategy over the board” and “see heaven and earth in the paths between fields, discuss people’s livelihood across the board.”
He was handsome, his words were elegant, his manner was graceful, and in his chess pot, the white pieces were warm and smooth while the black pieces were crystal clear—yet none could match this handsome official’s gleaming eyes.
The Crown Princess was picking flowers in the courtyard at the time, sleeves rolled up high, holding a huge basin, looking up and laughing at the tree. The official looked up and saw a shadowy figure among the flowering branches—tall and agile, moving through the flower tree like wind. Wherever he passed, countless petals fell, swaying again and again in the transparent wind before finally falling into the Crown Princess’s basin.
These flowers were unique to Yannan, with thick petals and subtle fragrance. Locals often used them to make pastries. The official had seen people picking flowers before, but never with such swaying arrogance. In those snow-white sleeves’ rippling, the entire tree was like piled snow.
The flower-picker was irresponsible, making it hard for the flower-catcher. The Crown Princess held her large basin and ran around following him. Not one flower from the full tree was lost. The faster the flowers fell from the tree, the quicker she moved, graceful as a startled swan, elegant as a swimming dragon, dazzling the official.
Watching this, he couldn’t help but wonder in his heart: Who was this flower-picker? So ignorant of propriety? Didn’t he know to pick properly instead of making His Highness run around?
Tie Ci usually wasn’t close to officials, and her guards were all carefully selected and strictly trained. Now her preferences, habits, and daily affairs—nothing leaked to the outside. This official, eager to curry favor, repeated his polite invitation to play chess.
Tie Ci wiped the sweat from her forehead and glanced at this handsome official, roughly understanding his intentions. However, as the heir apparent, she had to tolerate her ministers’ little schemes. She waved at the person above, indicating he could stop, then handed the basin to Chi Xue and accepted the towel Dan Shuang offered to wipe her hands.
Her manner was warm and approachable, making the official’s heart leap with joy. In his elation, he became somewhat carried away. Looking up, he saw the person above seemed rather angry. Among the rustling leaves, suddenly a green fruit was thrown down at Tie Ci.
Tie Ci exclaimed “Oh!” and reached out to catch the fruit, though her hair arrangement was already knocked askew.
The official was shocked—there was actually still such an arrogant person in this world!
He hastily scolded: “What insolent slave! How dare you treat the noble one so carelessly!”
There were rustling sounds from the tree, and after a moment, half a face appeared—just half a face, yet it made this official, beautiful since childhood, tremble inwardly, suddenly wondering if his idea of “using beauty to seek favor” was too presumptuous.
Tie Ci laughed: “No harm, no harm.” Suddenly another green fruit was thrown down from overhead.
This time Tie Ci caught it with her hand, wiped it on her sleeve, and took a bite. After thinking, she said to the official: “I am not skilled in the way of black and white pieces, so let’s skip this chess game. However, I just picked many purple sage flowers, and the kitchen plans to make some fragrant cakes. Please wait here, and I’ll bring some back for you to taste later.”
The official was overjoyed and hastily expressed gratitude. Thinking that these flowers were picked by His Highness’s own hands and the cakes would be personally bestowed, such honor was far better than being a mere chess companion. He immediately bowed deeply to the ground, but saw the Crown Princess look up at the tree and laugh: “The flowers are picked—waiting for your cakes.”
The person in the tree said lazily: “You go wash the flowers first.”
The official watched in even greater shock as the Crown Princess actually cheerfully went off carrying the basin to wash the flowers.
He looked up at the tree in disbelief and saw a person leap down, moving with casual grace like a flower falling from the tree with the wind, suddenly appearing before him and looking him up and down.
Just that one glance made him feel as if he’d been dissected by a knife from inside out, filled with ten parts chill and ten parts shame.
That person stood among the snow-white and pale purple fallen sage flowers, wearing thin clothing casually, yet even the wrinkles seemed graceful, even the hem seemed to catch the wind. The slightly open chest revealed skin like jade, while his eyes were like black glazed glass washed transparent by heavenly water.
Both alluring and pure.
This official, accustomed to seeing beauties in such settings, was momentarily at a loss for words. He vaguely remembered seeing from afar a tall figure wearing a mask always staying close to the Crown Princess, inseparable from her—this must be that person.
With such beauty, one couldn’t help but think more. The official inquired about this person’s identity. The beauty leaned against the tree and said carelessly: “Me? I’m His Highness’s male favorite.”
Official: “…”
For a moment, he truly didn’t know whether to be shocked by this male favorite’s candor or by His Highness’s lustfulness.
He had always heard this one was wise and mighty, seemingly gentle but actually iron-blooded in style. Her actions along the way had indeed provided considerable evidence of this, yet he never expected such a person who cherished her reputation and cared about her name would be so unable to control herself when it came to male beauty.
The beautiful male favorite glanced at him sideways with a face full of innocence: “Why are you staring at me like that? Don’t let the pot call the kettle black—you, in the middle of the night, powdered and rouged, seeking His Highness for chess—weren’t you hoping to play your way into His Highness’s bed?”
The official’s heart stirred, and he smiled: “Brother, you jest. I’m merely a fifth-rank official—how would I dare recommend myself for His Highness’s pillow?”
The beauty laughed: “Sleeping is just sleeping—what does your official rank matter? Just like me—don’t I also come from humble origins? I think you’re quite handsome and should be His Highness’s preferred type.”
The official’s smile became more gentle: “From the moment I saw His Highness, my heart yearned toward her, longing to gain His Highness’s favor. I don’t dare dream of staying long by His Highness’s side—I just think that His Highness is such a celestial figure, if I could gain some intimacy, this life would have no regrets. I hope little brother will teach me.” As he spoke, his sleeves fell, and from beneath them he passed over a fine jade pendant.
The beauty accepted it without ceremony and pointed toward the inner courtyard: “These days, the bold eat their fill while the timid starve. I see His Highness actually has quite good feelings toward you—otherwise, why invite you to wait here for cakes? This is clearly a hint, a hint! You ponder it, ponder it carefully.”
The official’s eyes lit up: “Then…”