As light flared at the relay station, Feng Zhiwei turned sharply. Behind her came Number Four’s low laugh: “Yesterday when that little girl triggered the cage first, I knew I couldn’t hide from you—Wei Zhi, you’re allowed to ambush others, but others aren’t allowed to use your own tactics against you?”
With his words, wind rose dramatically on all sides of the forest. The gnarled vines on the ground suddenly flipped up. Countless cold gleams shot from between the vines like lightning. Fierce wind howled, rushing toward them.
Except for Number Four perched high in the tree, the ground was already completely surrounded by that fierce wind.
Gu Nanyi suddenly kicked and broke the tree Number Four was on.
With a thunderous crash, the tree fell. That strange bird violently flew up. Number Four’s form flashed through the chaotic leaves, retreating ghost-like toward a certain direction—that direction was precisely his escape route. Only there were no hidden arrows, leaving him a gap to retreat through.
Number Four’s qinggong was extremely good. Like a loach, he slipped through the gap left for him. But just as he slipped out, his foot met empty air—who knew when a trap had been set here!
Number Four’s body immediately dropped, but he didn’t panic. In midair, his foot kicked against the trap’s edge and he flipped over in a flash. At this moment, several black shadows raced over at high speed. The leader reached out to grab him.
Number Four extended his hand to grasp it when he suddenly saw on his own shoulder—a hand calmly extending out.
In the dark night forest, against a background of arrows filling the sky behind him, above the suspended trap, suddenly seeing a hand growing from his own shoulder—it had quite a horrifying quality.
That hand was pale and slender, arriving first despite starting later. Though Number Four had reached out first, that hand grasped the rescuer’s hand first and with a light, skillful pull, yanked that person down into the trap.
Number Four’s extended hand suddenly lost its support and his body fell straight down. But this person’s adaptability was extremely flexible. He suddenly kicked against the person who’d been pulled down, viciously stamping that person against the trap wall. As fresh blood gushed wildly from that person’s mouth, his foot was already pressing against solid ground on the well wall through that person’s body. Borrowing the momentum, he leaped, about to burst from the trap.
However, just as his body exposed one shoulder above the trap, he suddenly saw someone crouching at the trap’s edge, smiling as they looked at him. In those misty eyes, his somewhat disheveled form was reflected.
Feng Zhiwei waited at the well’s mouth.
Number Four’s expression changed, but he still didn’t panic. His mouth issued a short, low hum—a strange tone like friction. Feng Zhiwei paused, suddenly hearing the sound of beating wings.
A strange bird with wings spread like a ghost face emerged in her pupils, viciously diving down at her from ahead!
That bird grew larger and larger in her pupils, coming with fierce momentum. A trace of mockery floated in Feng Zhiwei’s eyes. She raised her hand and waved. The bird tumbled in midair but didn’t fly away. With a mournful cry, its wings suddenly trembled, shaking out many short feathers—blue-tinged in color, half the size of its other feathers, falling like broken rain.
This time Feng Zhiwei’s face finally changed. She quickly drew back her hand and retreated. A figure flashed—Number Four had already burst from the trap, standing with his back to her a zhang away. That bird flapped its wings and landed on his shoulder. In the moonlight, he turned with a contemptuous smile.
The moon was rising right above his head. That person stood in the cold, cool moonlight, looking back proudly together with the evil bird on his shoulder. His pair of peach blossom eyes held several parts romantic charm, several parts coldness. Feng Zhiwei suddenly felt this person’s true identity must also be noble beyond compare, of jade halls and golden horses.
Behind her, a figure flashed—Gu Nanyi had also emerged from the trap. He’d pulled down Number Four’s helper, originally thinking Number Four would definitely fall into the trap. But when Number Four stamped on the person to burst from the trap, his back waist belt actually shot out a mass of poison needles fine as ox hair. Gu Nanyi was in the trap below at that time with limited dodging space. He also remembered Feng Zhiwei’s instruction to capture a live prisoner—not only wanting to dodge himself but also wanting to help that half-dead trampled person dodge. This delayed time. When Feng Zhiwei waiting at the trap’s mouth was forced to move aside because of the poison feathers, it actually let Number Four burst from the trap.
This round of combat sounded complex but was actually only the instant a rabbit rises and falcon falls. In that instant, several people fought several rounds, each with their own heart-stopping moments. And at this moment, that person under the moon looked back with contempt, his smiling expression carrying much pride.
Behind him, somehow a large group of armored figures had already appeared silently, protecting him in their midst.
Feng Zhiwei stood in place, lightly applauding: “Excellent.”
This “excellent” was truly sincere—praising this person’s brilliant, ruthless adaptability, truly a great general’s bearing.
Number Four smiled gracefully, slowly retreating into the armored crowd. Not far from his group was an even larger encirclement belonging to Feng Zhiwei’s guard force, quietly waiting.
Number Four squinted, looking at the bright light from the distant relay station. In his earlier triumph, he hadn’t had time to look carefully. Now he realized that bright light wasn’t the expected firelight at all—just a few extra lanterns hung making it seem especially bright. He pursed his lips, couldn’t help showing a bitter smile. After a long while, he sighed: “Truly the infallible strategist, Young Marquis Wei.”
“You flatter me, you flatter me.” Feng Zhiwei smiled faintly.
“Let’s make a deal.” Number Four assessed the encirclement and didn’t rush to act. With his subordinates’ support, he mounted a horse and smiled: “My people aren’t as many as yours, but you should also know that those who could gallop a thousand li to receive me here are necessarily elite who can each fight ten. If you want to keep me today—easy. But of your two thousand guards, I’m afraid you’ll lose more than half. How will you explain to the Emperor then? Will he believe you lost so many elite just for some nobody? Won’t he suspect you have other intentions—for instance, trying to avoid continuing the envoy mission? If he becomes suspicious and no longer provides guards for you, how will your remaining people handle the journey ahead, still having to go to Xi Liang, that enemy nation? See—isn’t this an unprofitable endeavor?”
“Your Excellency is very shrewd, very good at calculating.” Feng Zhiwei stood with hands behind her back, quietly watching him. “Unfortunately, Your Excellency still overestimates your strength. Right now you have no qualification to negotiate with me, because just this person beside me”—she pointed at Gu Nanyi—”is sufficient to keep you here without causing too much damage to my guards.”
Number Four fell silent. On horseback, he raised his head, lightly tapping the saddle with his riding crop as if considering something. After a long while, he suddenly said: “A word in private.”
Feng Zhiwei smiled.
She found this person very interesting.
Enemy positions, eyeing each other like tigers, each wishing to devour the other—and he actually wanted to “have a private word” with her.
Then she said: “Alright.”
Number Four’s eyes also brightened. He released the bird, dismounted. Beside him, a masked man with a rough voice urgently said: “Master, don’t—”
Number Four waved his hand. That person abruptly stopped.
Feng Zhiwei quietly leaned close to Gu Nanyi’s ear: “You don’t need to come over. Just watch. With your martial arts, if you want to snatch me back, you still can’t beat that group of fools, right?”
Young Master Gu seriously looked toward the opposite side and felt that group did indeed look quite foolish. If something happened, snatching back Feng Zhiwei wouldn’t be a problem. He nodded.
Feng Zhiwei and Number Four each walked ten steps to the side, within everyone’s line of sight, entering the forest and standing separated by trees.
“Now let’s discuss the deal again.” Number Four stood with arms folded, casually watching Feng Zhiwei. “You let me go, I’ll give you benefits—personal ones.”
“Oh?” Feng Zhiwei raised her eyebrows.
“I greatly admire you.” Number Four’s tone was like an emperor to his subjects—not overbearing, yet making one feel that innate power of control. “Is there any possibility you could serve me?”
“Serve you—how? Not serve you—what then?” Feng Zhiwei’s eyes flashed. She didn’t mock or refute this arrogant statement.
“If you can serve me, tonight’s matter will be written off. In the future, I’ll naturally have ways to repay you.”
“Truly empty boasts.” Feng Zhiwei said lightly. “You understand—whether tonight’s matter is written off or not isn’t for you to decide. I have the final say. Furthermore, what could you possibly repay me with? I’m already the nation’s Second Rank Marquis, a First Rank official, at the pinnacle of ministerial power, beloved by the sovereign. Can you offer something better?”
Number Four said nothing, just smiled. That smile wasn’t the shame or anger of being mocked, but still that faint contempt and confidence—as if confident he truly could offer a better title and bestowal.
However, he ultimately said nothing, only: “Given the current situation, discussing this with you truly has no meaning. You can’t believe me either. Since that’s the case, let’s be most direct. You let me go tonight—I’ll grant you three requests.”
Feng Zhiwei was silent. Number Four observed her expression and smiled: “Don’t be so pedantic. When you suffer a loss, you should demand doubled compensation. If you really fight desperately to keep my life here, besides a corpse and venting anger, what practical benefit do you gain? My promise is truly worth ten thousand gold.”
Feng Zhiwei smiled: “Your Excellency speaks very boldly.”
Number Four smiled without speaking.
But Feng Zhiwei’s sentence wasn’t a question—just a statement. Then without considering, she decisively said: “Deal.”
Number Four’s eyes showed great brilliance. His jaw lifted: “The world speaks of Marquis Wei’s ruthless decisiveness. Seeing it today, it’s truly not empty words. I admire you more and more.”
“Fine words can’t be eaten as food.” Feng Zhiwei smiled and extended her hand. “Hand it over.”
Number Four paused, then smiled bitterly: “You actually want proof?” Reaching into his robes, he pulled out three paper scrolls already stamped with a special seal: “This kind of promise can’t really give much proof, but you should know the use of this thing. In the future, if you have any request—as long as it doesn’t harm my life and interests—write your request on this paper and send it to any nearby ‘Guang Ji Variety Store.’ Naturally someone will report your request to me and be at your command.”
The snow-white paper scroll was passed over. In the moonlight, the bright red seal at the scroll’s end caught the eye. Feng Zhiwei’s eyes swept over the seal and her gaze contracted.
Opposite, Number Four stood proudly with hands behind his back, smiling: “See? Is it worth offending me for the court’s business? Better to befriend me instead, isn’t it?”
Feng Zhiwei smiled and put away the paper scroll: “Your Excellency’s identity is noble, your word worth nine tripods. Tonight’s matter—I’ve been rude.”
Number Four smiled as he looked at her. Feng Zhiwei continued: “It’s just that guards have already surrounded this place. To truly let Your Excellency and your noble subordinates leave without any obstruction at all, I also have no way to explain. You know—the envoy team has many eyes and ears, and other officials present.”
“No problem.” Number Four said carelessly. “You direct which direction to slightly loosen the encirclement. I’ll just lead people to break through forcibly anyway. Losing a few subordinates doesn’t matter—as long as I myself am safe. Losing more people makes others know how hard this mission was.”
Listening, a trace of cold smile emerged at Feng Zhiwei’s lips. Indeed, another callous, ruthless king with the gaze of wolves and eagles!
“Very well.” The smile on her face unchanged, she pointed to the southwest: “Your Excellency, please break through from there. That direction is also near Meng Mountain on the capital’s outskirts. After entering the mountain path, local authorities will find it difficult to search.”
“Many thanks.” Number Four cupped his fists and without another word, left.
Feng Zhiwei stood in place, smiling as she watched him leave, not following. Number Four walked several steps and vaguely felt something wasn’t quite right but couldn’t figure out what. He couldn’t help turning back to look, seeing that youth’s robes fluttering under the mottled moon, a trace of smile sunk in the dim moon shadow, looking mysterious and leisurely.
Number Four’s heart moved slightly, a vague thought flitting through before dissipating.
He hurried back to his team, leading his subordinates straight toward the southwest. After a round of fighting, he indeed broke through without much effort. While fighting, a question kept circling in his mind. Only after breaking through the encirclement and entering Meng Mountain, when his subordinates wiped their sweat and reported the route behind to him, did a flash of inspiration strike—he suddenly realized why he’d always felt something was wrong.
When Wei Zhi negotiated with him, before issuing any orders, he’d told him the southwest could be broken through. After negotiating, he also hadn’t seen Wei Zhi send anyone to arrange quietly loosening the southwest encirclement—meaning the southwest encirclement had originally been the weakest. Even without exchanging with Wei Zhi, he could have led people to break through from that direction.
In other words, Wei Zhi had long guessed his identity and never planned to kill him at all!
Yet he’d cleverly offered three promises, handed over the secret code with his own seal, handed over his covert intelligence strongholds, still thinking he’d gained a huge advantage!
Number Four sat on his horse, his expression shifting between dark and light. His subordinates watched his face anxiously and uneasily, not understanding what was wrong with their usually clever master today.
Number Four spent a long time mocking himself there, thinking he commanded a region, had been outstanding since childhood, prided himself as a child prodigy, received everyone’s adoration—but today still couldn’t beat the famously cunning Wei Zhi, taking a hard fall!
After a long while, he suddenly raised his riding crop, looking back toward where he’d come from. An unwilling yet excited low laugh burst from his throat.
“Good! You’re good!”
Over there, “Number Four” retreated in angry laughter and resentment. Here, Feng Zhiwei stood facing the wind with a smile, cherishing her spoils of war.
The paper scroll in her robes rustled against her clothing. Her eyes sparkled brilliantly in the dawn light.
Young Master Gu slowly walked over. He didn’t understand why Feng Zhiwei had let the opponent go, but believed Feng Zhiwei was always right.
The two stepped on dew-laden grass, walking leisurely outward, squinting to enjoy the dawn’s fresh wind. Feng Zhiwei was still immersed in calculating how to use her spoils of war when she suddenly heard Young Master Gu say: “Keep walking.”
Feng Zhiwei smiled with squinted eyes, thinking the young master was learning to proactively express beautiful wishes. Such beautiful weather, such clear wind—even the consistently calm young master was moved.
“Yes.” She softly made an “mm” sound. “I truly wish I could walk forever on this road without worries, concerns, or burdens, peacefully and quietly.”
She was purely sighing, but Young Master Gu suddenly turned back and said decisively: “Wrong.”
Feng Zhiwei paused.
“Worries, concerns, burdens.” Young Master Gu gripped her hand tightly. “Don’t matter, as long as we’re together.”
Feng Zhiwei looked down at her own hand, then at the young master’s expression, feeling today’s Gu Nanyi was somewhat different. Smiling, she patted his hand: “Yes, together.”
Gu Nanyi’s lips curved slightly behind his veil, feeling early summer was truly the most beautiful season of the four.
“Nanyi.” Feng Zhiwei suddenly said softly. “The most frightening thing in the world isn’t that the road is hard to walk—it’s that there’s no road at all.”
Young Master Gu was silent, then suddenly said: “No road—I’ll carve one open for you.”
Pausing, he said: “With my life.”
Feng Zhiwei trembled. After a long while: “Nanyi, remember—at any time, for my sake, treasure yourself.”
“No.” Gu Nanyi said quietly. “Without Feng Zhiwei, who is Gu Nanyi?”
Feng Zhiwei pressed her lips tight. In a heart full of slightly surging emotions, she couldn’t find a suitable answer. She fell silent, raising her head toward the distant rolling sea of clouds and dawn light, faint light floating in her eyes. Beside her, that person stood silently like a towering mountain, his forever unchanging shadow heavily and eternally covering her side.
After the Number Four incident, the journey became peaceful. All the way down through Jianghuai, walking through Longxi—when passing Jiyang Mountain, Feng Zhiwei looked up at the half-mountain hidden in clouds and mist. In a trance, she seemed to hear that night’s flute sound from the desolate temple. Passing through Jiyang, it was still Prefect Peng who received her. The official was the same official, but Shen Xuzhu and others who’d originally pressed down on him had long returned their souls to the underworld under Ning Yi’s hand. After being reorganized, Longxi’s official circles had restrained themselves much more than before. That evening, Prefect Peng hosted a banquet. He still remembered Young Master Gu’s peculiarity—all meat dishes were in eight pieces. Young Master Gu sat elevated and said lightly: “Actually seven pieces is also acceptable.”
Feng Zhiwei’s chopsticks paused, remembering that New Year’s Eve in Pu Garden when Jin Siyu had picked over three pieces of meat. Such a simple sentence condensed a person’s exceedingly difficult struggle. Taking that one step was as far as heaven from sea, requiring one to exhaust all strength.
She smiled lightly, serving food to Young Master Gu: “As long as you’re happy, anything is fine.”
Young Master Gu didn’t raise his head, eating the food she’d served. Just thinking of saying “I’m also happy with you—can we do what we did last night again?” when he suddenly heard an accompanying Vice Prefect laugh: “Marquis Wei, Lord Gu—though Jiyang is a small place, the land and water are good. It’s always been a place that produces beauties. Our Jiyang’s Wanhua Pavilion’s Qingwan—individually the finest beauties. Even compared to the capital’s famous courtesans, they’re not inferior. This subordinate ordered people to summon several to sing songs for the two lords and provide elegant interest. How about it?”
Feng Zhiwei gave a dry “haha” laugh, thinking finally along this route someone dared openly offer her beauties. Originally she’d wondered—when had Tiansheng Dynasty’s officials all become so upright and pure as water? This old woman serving as envoy to Xi Liang—all along the route, though reception was extremely fawning, it was completely proper. Forget beauties—she hadn’t even seen a female cat. Later, hearing guards’ gossip, she learned that throughout Tiansheng’s official circles, certain rumors were now somehow widely circulating. The content concerned certain matters between Prince Chu, Marquis Wei, and Guard Gu. The content was ambiguous, the characters fierce, the plot imaginative—directly compiling it into a legendary erotic tale required no embellishment. This Vice Prefect was probably a newcomer to official circles who hadn’t heard these things and directly stuffed beauties over to curry favor. Looking at Prefect Peng opposite, repeatedly giving him meaningful looks, his face had turned purple from holding back.
That Vice Prefect saw Feng Zhiwei smile without speaking while his superior kept making throat-slitting gestures with meaningful looks. Somewhat confused, he glanced left and right with a dry laugh, extremely embarrassed. Feng Zhiwei felt sorry seeing that appearance and was just about to find some excuse to refuse when she suddenly heard Young Master Gu beside her ask: “Women?”
The Vice Prefect hurriedly nodded.
Feng Zhiwei turned back in astonishment, looking at the completely serious Young Master Gu who absolutely didn’t look like he was joking.
“Beauties?” Young Master Gu asked again.
The Vice Prefect’s eyes glowed wickedly bright, his tone serious: “Absolutely beauties!”
Feng Zhiwei was just thinking about what was wrong with Young Master Gu—was he trying to find a nanny for Gu Zhixiao or something—when she heard the young master calmly instruct: “Good, try it.”
Feng Zhiwei, who was drinking wine, nearly sprayed it out with a “pfft.” She quickly covered with her sleeve, staring at the wine liquid sprayed all over her sleeve in a daze. Then she looked at the sky, wondering if the sun would rise from the west tomorrow.
Prefect Peng, who’d been giving his subordinate meaningful looks, had his eyelids flying wildly like having a seizure.
The rest of Jiyang Prefecture’s officials sitting in attendance all raised sleeves or held cups, observing Marquis Wei’s expression from behind sleeves and cups, watching what expression the legendary two-men-fighting-over-one-man’s “that one man” had facing open betrayal—watching whether Marquis Wei and Lord Gu’s severed-sleeve deep affection had some issue today. Had the severed sleeve faced truly being severed? A break? Discord? An argument? Throwing a tantrum? Or just playing little games of jealousy and flirtation?
Here speculation ran rampant, filled with human imagination about all forbidden loves, their eyes glowing as they added a new chapter to the legendary tale. They’d even thought of the chapter title: “Fickleness Openly Seeks Beauty, Vinegar Seas Rise in Heartbroken Pleasure-Seeking.”
Over there, Feng Zhiwei still stood dazed, not reacting. That sensitive person surprisingly didn’t notice the table’s instant turbulent undercurrents either. After quite a while, she dry-laughed again: “Good, try… try…”
While thinking the young master had grown up, enlightened so suddenly, this enlightenment coming so unexpectedly, charging straight to the main topic without any warning.
This time her smile truly was a dry laugh. Facing that fellow who seriously wanted to “try women” right in front of her, she just felt her heart in chaos, unable to describe the feeling. She had no mind to continue putting on a false front with everyone. On one hand saying “It’s late, let’s disperse,” on the other hand having that Vice Prefect stay, calling him aside separately: “Since Lord Gu wants to try, put your heart into it. Those experienced women from pleasure quarters aren’t needed. Just what you mentioned—qingguan courtesans with clean backgrounds and good temperaments. Pick one to serve Lord Gu.”
The Vice Prefect looked up at Feng Zhiwei, moved. He’d just heard from colleagues’ whispers about “certain matters concerning Prince Chu, Marquis Wei, and Guard Gu.” Breaking out in a cold sweat regretting his flattery had landed on the horse’s leg, he never expected a sudden turn—Marquis Wei actually still so caringly arranged women for Lord Gu. He was even more moved by Marquis Wei’s magnanimous bearing, thinking Marquis Wei truly was Marquis Wei—even severed sleeves were severed with such backbone and bearing…
He immediately swore repeatedly it would absolutely be the cleanest and most beautiful, then hinted whether to also arrange one for Marquis Wei. After all, things were already like this. Feng Zhiwei listened absentmindedly, sorrowfully (he felt it was sorrow) saying: “As long as he’s satisfied…”
The Vice Prefect was moved to tears by Marquis Wei’s great severed-sleeve integrity and withdrew to arrange women. Feng Zhiwei here stood up, stood in a daze for a while. Without looking at Young Master Gu staying in the side room, she headed straight for the back courtyard.
She walked three circles in the back courtyard, looking up at the moon, looking down at the water, feeling today’s moon and water were both somewhat wrong. Just about to walk a fourth circle when a window suddenly opened. Gu Zhixiao poked her head out, calling in her baby voice: “What are you doing? So noisy!”
Feng Zhiwei saw her like seeing a savior and strode into the room: “Still not asleep so late?”
Gu Zhixiao, wearing a little bellyband, toddled back to bed, rubbing her eyes: “Where’s my daddy?”
Feng Zhiwei climbed onto her bed, burrowed into the covers, ignoring Gu Zhixiao pushing her, and hugged her: “Ah, your daddy…”
Gu Zhixiao, drowsy with sleep, turned to look at her.
Feng Zhiwei got halfway through the sentence before stopping, suddenly realizing she was somewhat losing composure. Saying this to a child? How to say it? Could she say it? If Gu Zhixiao, this demon girl who wanted to stuff her daddy in her pocket all day, truly knew her daddy was “with a bad woman,” would she really summon that cage without caring about anything and with a clack send someone back to grandmother’s house?
Feng Zhiwei sat there holding the soft little body in her arms. Gu Zhixiao was very sleepy, nodding off bit by bit in her embrace. The soft, milk-fragrant skin rubbed against her arms, making her heart peaceful and tender. After thinking a while, she couldn’t help slowly smiling.
Tonight she’d truly been scared by the young master… This step was taken too large—so large she couldn’t keep up, nearly falling down herself. This strange feeling of loss and bewilderment—was it the desolate feeling produced when seeing someone beside you whom you thought you understood suddenly grow to the point of strangeness?
She frowned thinking for a long time. Seeing the little girl still waiting for her, she smiled and slowly said while hugging her: “Zhixiao, have you ever thought about your daddy giving you a mother?”
Gu Zhixiao immediately wasn’t sleepy anymore, raising her head with spirit: “You?”
Feng Zhiwei cried “Ah!” feeling she’d truly come looking for abuse tonight out of boredom. Gu Zhixiao had already pursed her lips. Without speaking, she rolled from Feng Zhiwei’s arms, turning her back, making a show of sleeping.
Feng Zhiwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, thinking since being dealt with by Gu Nanyi that one time, this child had actually learned to be much more reserved, learning to restrain her sharp refusal. She was afraid of being thrown down by her daddy again if he knew. Thinking this way, she felt such a small child being forced to read expressions and endure was quite pitiful. She couldn’t help gently stroking her shoulder, saying softly: “Zhixiao, you’ll grow up. Your daddy will age. We’ll all age. Someday in the future, either your daddy will leave you or you’ll leave your daddy. Right now you might feel that’s unacceptable, but when you grow up, fresher, richer life will await you. Our existence will naturally fade…”
Speaking, she slowly stopped, her expression somewhat dazed. Was this passage really said to Gu Zhixiao, a three-year-old child, or to herself?
Life’s gatherings and separations are unpredictable. Who dares guarantee lifelong devotion and companionship to the end?
Perhaps someday, those gathered today will scatter north and south. Perhaps someday, those who accompanied one morning and evening will suddenly forget oneself.
Today’s deeply carved marks on the heart’s tablet—by tomorrow, perhaps just a strand of withered yellow old moonlight.
She froze there, her finger resting on Gu Zhixiao’s shoulder, forgetting to withdraw it. Suddenly she heard that child buried in the bedding say dully: “Won’t, won’t won’t won’t won’t.”
She said “won’t” five times, her muttering voice carrying a nasal tone. Feng Zhiwei’s finger brushed over her delicate little face, touching a trace of faint moisture.
Could this tiny child also be moved by the sudden melancholy and sorrow in her tone?
Feng Zhiwei withdrew her hand, feeling she really shouldn’t influence a child because of her own emotional turbulence. She climbed down from the bed, tucked Gu Zhixiao in. That child wrapped herself tightly, drilling firmly inside. Until she left the room, the child never turned over.
Feng Zhiwei returned to the courtyard, looking at Young Master Gu’s lit side room. His room was always next to hers. In the past, she’d felt it convenient. Today she felt it inconvenient. Going back to sleep—what if she heard certain sounds she shouldn’t hear? After thinking a long time, she could only go inspect the surrounding defenses, then went to see Qian Yan—she’d taken advantage of this envoy mission to request Qian Yan over to avoid causing incidents in the Imperial Capital. As for the court examination and official appointment he’d missed, after this envoy mission, reporting any merit for him would suffice as compensation. Qian Yan, owing her for saving his life and grateful for her painstaking care, had become even more cautious and attentive than before. On the night Number Four plotted, the assassins arranged to set fire and kill at the relay station were ambushed and killed—it was he who arranged hanging several large lanterns to illuminate the relay station, making distant Number Four think that side had succeeded.
Qian Yan was looking at southern documents forwarded from the court under lamplight. Seeing Feng Zhiwei enter, he smiled: “Marquis Wei still not sleeping?”
Feng Zhiwei dry-laughed once, thinking tonight this lord has nowhere to sleep. Changing the subject: “What are you reading so intently?”
“Special reports from Longbei and Minnan.” Qian Yan said. “It says not long ago, a merchant fleet departed from Da Yue and arrived at Xi Liang. This wasn’t particularly unusual. What’s unusual is that those who came to receive this fleet came from Xi Liang’s capital. Someone recognized one person who seemed to be the Regent’s right arm, Grand Marshal Lü Rui.”
Feng Zhiwei hadn’t yet read today’s document reports. Hearing this, her eyes flashed. She suddenly asked: “What’s Da Yue’s current situation?”
“The Yue Emperor died. The great army withdrew. Our dynasty took the opportunity to implement the two policies for pacifying Yue that Marquis Wei originally proposed. Currently, the Yue court has no time for other concerns—the princes are fighting for the throne. The Crown Prince was enthroned for three days before being killed by the Fourth Prince. When the Fourth Prince wanted to ascend, the Grand Tutor urgently deployed nearby forces to surround and exterminate his entire clan, then enthroned the Ninth Prince. However, half the court officials oppose this. Da Yue’s capital is currently caught in chaotic bloodshed.”
Feng Zhiwei listened impassively, asking: “What about Jin Siyu?”
“When the great chaos arose, Prince An commanded troops outside. He originally headed straight for the capital, but after the Crown Prince was killed, he changed course south and didn’t enter the Imperial Capital. It’s said his great army stopped in Da Yue’s southern border. The specific location hasn’t been investigated yet. His current situation is somewhat like his other brothers—exiled and wandering.”
“Is that so?” Feng Zhiwei smiled, her ending tone drawn out long. With hands behind her back, she thought of that year’s brilliantly colorful Pu Garden, thought of those heart-stopping yet impassive probes and counter-probes, thought of the study’s scheming negotiations, thought of when she fell from Pu City’s walls—Jin Siyu’s hand suddenly reaching out only to grasp empty air.
Not long since they’d parted—could old friends meet again in another country?
Who’d have thought this Xi Liang trip would be even more complex than imagined?
After chatting with Qian Yan a bit more, seeing it was late and not good to impose on others further, she bid farewell. Gathering the documents together, preparing to read by lamplight late at night in the hall, just about to step from the room when she suddenly heard an explosive sound.
The sound came from Young Master Gu’s room, accompanied by Young Master Gu’s cold, somewhat angry voice.
“Liar!”
Simultaneously, something burst through Young Master Gu’s window and with a splash, heavily fell into the pond outside.