The bracelet slipped off her snow-white wrist. In Xu Qi’an’s eyes, the plain-looking older woman’s appearance wavered like a reflection in the water. After a moment of transformation, her true face was revealed.
Her eyes were round and alluring, reflecting the firelight like shallow lakes with dazzling jewels, clear and captivating.
She raised her head shyly, her eyelashes fluttering lightly, exuding an elusive beauty.
Her lips were full and rosy, with exquisitely carved corners, like the most tempting cherries, enticing men to taste them.
She was beautiful indeed, but her grace and demeanor were even more outstanding, like a celestial maiden from a painting.
“…”
Xu Qi’an had seen beauties before and knew that the Northern Frontier King’s Princess Consort was renowned as Great Feng’s top beauty, naturally possessing exceptional qualities.
However, upon truly seeing the legendary top beauty of Great Feng, Xu Qi’an still felt a strong sense of amazement. A poem naturally came to mind:
“Her clothes are like clouds, her face like flowers,
Spring breeze caresses the balustrade, and dewdrops glisten.
If not seen atop the mountain of jade,
She’d be met under the moon in a jade pavilion.”
“Give… give it back to me…” she said in a voice tinged with tears and pleading.
Xu Qi’an silently looked at her, no longer teasing, and handed the bracelet back.
The Princess Consort snatched it back and put it on again. After another wave of light and shadow like water, she once again transformed into the unremarkable “Old Auntie.”
In her early thirties, with ordinary features and unremarkable presence.
The Princess Consort touched her face, sighed in relief, then tightly hid her right hand wearing the bracelet behind her back. She retreated step by step, watching Xu Qi’an warily.
She knew her beauty was an irresistible temptation for men.
In this world, she had only met two men who could resist the temptation and ignore her. One was Emperor Yuan Jing, who was obsessed with cultivation and valued immortality above all else.
The other was the Prince of Huai, who was fascinated with martial arts and had other plans for her.
As for Xu Qi’an, in the Princess Consort’s fixed impression of him, the labels were: young hero; and lecher.
Rumors said he frequented brothels daily and had deep entanglements with several courtesans. His reputation as a young hero and unrestrained romantic are often intertwined, and frequently discussed by people.
But what the Princess Consort feared most were lechers.
She’s too beautiful… No, it’s not just about being beautiful or not. She’s truly one of those rare women who remind me of first love… Xu Qi’an recalled this meme from his previous life.
He felt it was very fitting. The Princess Consort was beautiful indeed, but what truly struck Xu Qi’an like lightning was that unique charm about her, which could touch the soft spot in a man’s heart.
Is this Great Feng’s top beauty? Heh, an interesting woman.
Xu Qi’an held a tree branch, stirring the bonfire. He didn’t look at the wary and guarded Princess Consort again, instead gazing at the fire as he said:
“That bracelet is the one I won for you in the arrow-throwing game back then, right? It has the effect of concealing aura and changing appearance.”
The Princess Consort was slightly surprised. Thinking of the changes before and after taking off the bracelet, she believed he had deduced this, so she nodded.
Xu Qi’an continued: “I’ve long heard that the Northern Frontier King’s Princess Consort is Great Feng’s top beauty. I was skeptical before, but now that I’ve seen your true face… I can only sigh: truly worthy of the title.”
The Princess Consort frowned slightly, “Skeptical?”
If another woman had said this, the Princess Consort would think it was jealousy, which would be reasonable. But coming from a man’s mouth, it seemed very strange.
Xu Qi’an nodded: “Because I thought the women I know in my… circle are all outstanding beauties, each with their charm, like a hundred flowers competing in bloom. The so-called Princess Consort would just be another equally gorgeous flower.”
But he had to admit, in that fleeting moment of breathtaking beauty, this Princess Consort had displayed an extremely powerful feminine charm.
Even for him, seasoned in such matters, although not to the point of losing his mind, there was a momentary impulse, a primal male instinct.
Hearing this, the Princess Consort gave a cold laugh.
How could the woman this lecher associated with compare to her? Those courtesans in the brothels might be beautiful, but comparing those women of ill repute to her was somewhat insulting.
In the capital, the Princess Consort felt that the Emperor’s eldest and second daughters could barely serve as her foils. The Imperial Mentor Luo Yuheng, at her most charming, could compete with her in beauty, but most of the time was inferior.
As for other women, she had either never seen them or they were beautiful but of low status.
The capital was a mountain, and the Princess Consort was unrivaled at its peak. With a slight glance, she could at most see the tops of Huai Qing and Lin An’s heads. Occasionally, she might see half of Luo Yuheng’s face.
Of course, there was one person who, in her prime years, the Princess Consort felt might have been able to compete with her.
That was the Empress of Great Feng.
Naturally, the women Xu Qi’an associated with wouldn’t include Huai Qing, Lin An, or the Imperial Mentor. So, the Princess Consort scoffed at his words and raised her chin haughtily.
“It’s been nearly ten days since leaving the capital. It must have been tiring disguising yourself as a maid. I’ve been enduring you, which has also been tiring,” Xu Qi’an smiled.
“What do you mean?” the Princess Consort was stunned.
“That night on the deck, I wanted to take off your bracelet, but I didn’t want to cause trouble. After all, I’m the official in charge, I had to consider the bigger picture.”
The Princess Consort’s expression froze as she stared at him in shock, saying, “You, you guessed I was the Princess Consort back then?”
It must be a lie. She had disguised herself so well, often praising herself at night for her acting skills, believing she had played the role of a maid to perfection, with no one recognizing her.
“To be precise, I started suspecting when you threw gold at me in the palace. I truly confirmed your identity when we met on the official ship. That’s when I understood you were the real Princess Consort. The one on the ship was just a puppet,” Xu Qi’an smiled.
After abandoning the ship and taking the land route, seeing the fake Princess Consort, Xu Qi’an felt no surprise and was even more certain she was an impostor.
The reason was simple: he had written a diary before, and in it, he had recorded a characteristic of the Princess Consort.
, I was exposed so early… The Princess Consort opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. Recalling her behavior these past few days, a sense of shame welled up, making her want to bury herself three feet underground.
“I’m telling you this to let you know that although I’m lecherous… what man isn’t? But I never force women. We still have a journey north ahead, and I need you to cooperate well,” Xu Qi’an comforted her.
Great Feng’s Silver Badge Xu never forces women, unless they’ve made up their minds.
Still unable to escape the fate of going north… The Princess Consort pursed her lips, somewhat disappointed. After a moment of gloomy silence, she asked, “When will we rejoin the delegation?”
The young Silver Badge raised his head, the firelight illuminating his face as the corner of his mouth curled into a meaningful smile: “Who said we’re rejoining the delegation?”
…
That night, the banyan tree rustled, and nothing happened.
In the morning, the first rays of dawn fell on her face, accompanied by the clear and melodious bird songs. She awoke from a light sleep to see the bonfire had been extinguished, with a large iron pot placed over it, emitting a fragrant smell of porridge.
The Princess Consort’s stomach growled twice. She approached the bonfire with undisguised delight and lifted the lid of the iron pot to find enough thick porridge for three to five people.
Moreover, there were clean bowls and chopsticks beside it.
Where did he get the pot to cook porridge, no, where did he get the rice? Where did he get clean bowls and chopsticks… The Princess Consort ladled herself a bowl of porridge and happily began to drink.
As the thick, sweet porridge at just the right temperature slid down her throat, the Princess Consort savored it, her eyes curving in pleasure.
After gnawing on two rabbit legs yesterday, her stomach had felt a bit uncomfortable. She had gotten up in the middle of the night to drink water, only to find that the guy had finished it all. Now her mouth was dry and her stomach empty.
This bowl of sweet, clear porridge was better than any delicacy.
At this moment, footsteps came from afar. Xu Qi’an returned, walking across the grass. He had changed into casual clothes and wore a sable hat, seeming to have just bathed.
“There’s a small river over there, no one around, suitable for bathing,” Xu Qi’an sat down beside her, tossing over some soap and a pig-bristle toothbrush, saying:
“Do you want to take a bath?”
The Princess Consort held the bowl with both hands, scrutinizing Xu Qi’an for a moment before shaking her head slightly.
“Aren’t you dirty?” Xu Qi’an frowned. After all, she was a noble Princess Consort, yet so unhygienic.
“You’re the dirty one,” the Princess Consort retorted, unappreciative of his good intentions.
She wouldn’t bathe. Wouldn’t that give this lecher an opportunity? What if he peeped from nearby, or took the chance to suggest bathing together…
Yes, goddesses don’t use the toilet. It’s my understanding that’s low… Xu Qi’an took back the pig-bristle toothbrush and soap.
The Princess Consort quickly said, “I do need to rinse my mouth.”
Her appetite was small; after eating a bowl of thick porridge, she felt a bit full. She examined the pig-bristle toothbrush while walking towards the river.
Mainly, she suspected the toothbrush had been used by Xu Qi’an, but she had no proof.
When she returned after brushing her teeth, the pot and bowls had disappeared. Xu Qi’an sat cross-legged by the ashes, intently studying a map.
“Where are we going next?” she asked.
“Sanhuang County.”
Xu Qi’an didn’t deliberately keep her in suspense, explaining, “This is a county at the border of Chu and Jiang Provinces. There’s an undercover agent cultivated by the Night Watchmen. I want to find him first, gather some intelligence, and then gradually penetrate deeper into Chu Province.”
The case of the “Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li” was perplexing, seeming to have hidden aspects. In this context, Xu Qi’an believed that investigating covertly was the correct choice.
Being too high-profile would put himself and his companions in danger.
The delegation led by Yang Yan was just a front on the surface.
A steady, step-by-step plan… The Princess Consort nodded slightly, then asked, “Where did those things go?”
“None of your business,” Xu Qi’an retorted mercilessly.
The two continued on their journey, avoiding main roads, taking mountain paths, field ridges, or directly climbing over mountains and ridges.
For an entire day, a certain petty woman didn’t speak another word to him.
Taking mountain roads had its advantages; the scenery along the way was not bad, with green mountains, clear waters, and drifting white clouds.
Occasionally, they could see proud pines standing on cliffs, spreading like umbrellas. They could also see wildflowers blooming by the roadside, simple yet resilient.
Xu Qi’an was a gentleman who cherished flowers and jade. He didn’t walk fast, occasionally stopping to choose a place with beautiful scenery for a leisurely rest of half an hour.
He would talk to her about his fish-raising experience, often earning disdainful cold laughs from the Princess Consort.
…
Half a month later, the delegation entered the northern border, arriving at a city called Wan Prefecture.
Wan Prefecture was a small prefecture, larger than a county but smaller than a commandery. The land in Wan Prefecture was fertile, suitable for farming, and was one of Chu Province’s granaries.
The architectural style here was not much different from the capital in the Central Plains, though the scale was incomparable. Due to the lack of nearby ports, the level of prosperity was limited.
After Yang Yan presented the imperial court documents, the highest-ranking officer at the city gate, a centurion, personally led them to the courier station.
Just as the delegation had settled in at the courier station and Yang Yan had taken a hot bath and was about to sit down for tea, the Prefect of Wan arrived.
The Prefect’s surname was Niu, but his physique didn’t match the “ox” character. He was tall and thin, with a goatee, wearing a blue robe embroidered with egrets, followed by two yamen officials.
“This lowly official didn’t know of Your Excellencies’ arrival, failing to welcome you from afar, failing to welcome you from afar…”
Prefect Niu’s attitude was extremely humble. After paying respects to the Deputy Chief Justice, the two Censors, and Yang Yan, he asked, “May I inquire about the purpose of Your Excellencies’ visit?”
Yang Yan, unskilled in official social interactions, did not respond.
The Deputy Chief Justice took out the prepared documents, handed them over with a smile, and began to address the Prefect as “brother” in a few words.
After exchanging pleasantries with the Deputy Chief Justice, Prefect Niu finally unfolded the documents in his hand and read them carefully.
After reading the documents, Prefect Niu’s expression became extremely strange, even finding it absurd. His gaze swept over everyone as he probed, “May I ask, which one is Silver Badge Xu?”
The Deputy Chief Justice sighed, saying sorrowfully, “The delegation was ambushed by enemies en route. Silver Badge Xu was severely injured protecting everyone. We’ve sent people to escort him back to the capital.”
Prefect Niu was shocked: “Such a thing happened? What kind of bandits dare to ambush an imperial delegation? This is utterly lawless.”
The Censor surnamed Liu waved his hand, saying, “Let’s not speak of this matter. Prefect Niu, we’ve come to investigate a case and have some questions to ask you.”
Prefect Niu hurriedly bowed: “Please ask, Censor.”
Censor Liu said solemnly, “How is the war situation in Chu Province?”
Hearing this, Prefect Niu sighed and said, “Last year, there was heavy snow in the north, freezing countless livestock to death. After spring this year, they frequently invaded the border, burning, killing, and looting along the way.
“Fortunately, the Northern Frontier King has many troops and generals under his command, and not a single city has been lost. The barbarians don’t dare to penetrate deep into Chu Province, but pity the common people near the border.”
Not all people lived in cities; those who encountered barbarian raids were the people in villages and towns.
The delegation members exchanged glances. Chen, the constable from the Ministry of Justice, frowned and asked, “Where did the ‘Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li’ occur?”
Prefect Niu smiled bitterly and spread his hands, saying, “This is simply a fantasy. Your Excellencies should know that Chu Province, in its entirety, is no more than eight thousand li. If there was a ‘Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li’, how could this lowly official still be standing here talking to Your Excellencies?”
Censor Liu sneered, “We’re all educated men. Prefect Niu, don’t try to be clever.”
The “Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Li” was an allusion, originating from the ancient Warring States period when a bloodthirsty general, upon defeating an enemy state, led his army to massacre people across three thousand li.
Later generations used it as an allusion to describe large-scale killings and brutal cruelty.
Although the barbarians harassed the border villagers, committing arson and plundering, the reports from the North sent back by the King of Zhenbei only mentioned that the barbarians had disturbed the border but that he had successfully repelled them with his troops, consistently bringing back good news.
If the barbarians truly committed the atrocity of “slaughtering blood across three thousand miles,” it would mean the King of Zhenbei had misreported military conditions, a serious dereliction of duty.