The Longjiang Post Station incident—a silent contest testing adaptability that overturned in an instant—Xi Liao was defeated once again. Feng Zhiwei pressed her advantage relentlessly. Refusing entry at the city gates in indignation, she brazenly led the Tiansheng procession to squat right at Longjiang Post Station. Two thousand people and horses all needed food and fodder, and in such an awkward situation, the station master didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, the Regent was sensible enough to know that at this point, stubbornly holding out would only make Xi Liao’s court increasingly embarrassed. This person also possessed the qualities of a hero who could bend and stretch. Upon receiving the news, he immediately led all the officials to Longjiang Post Station to personally welcome the envoy delegation.
When the Regent’s ceremonial procession approached from afar, the Tiansheng side knew about it. Feng Zhiwei, ignoring the urging of the two deputy envoys, leisurely taught Young Master Gu to paint.
“What do you want to paint?” She spread out the paper scroll, holding a brush in her mouth quite professionally as she asked her young master: “Landscape or palace buildings? Figures, flowers, or birds? Domestic animals, beasts, insects, or fish? Fine brushwork? Freehand style? Outline drawing? Ink wash?”
In the distance, Ning Cheng crouched on a wall somewhere, using an openly spying gaze and posture, rarely showing a bit of admiration as he looked at Feng Zhiwei. Wow, she looks quite expert—if she paints well, stealing it out to sell should be worth quite a bit of money, right?
“Walnuts.” Young Master Gu answered calmly.
Feng Zhiwei: “…”
On the neighboring wall, Ning Cheng nearly did a headfirst tumble, immediately furious—Of all things to paint, why must you paint walnuts? No matter how well you paint walnuts, they’re still walnuts. How much could stealing them out to sell be worth? Why can’t you paint beauties? Otherwise painting me, Ning Cheng, would have collector’s value too—
Feng Zhiwei and Gu Nanyi consistently ignored that awkward guard who had clearly been exposed long ago but stubbornly refused to appear openly and honestly, sneaking around pretending every day. Feng Zhiwei licked her brush and said: “Fine, walnuts.”
With that lick, the tip of her tongue and corner of her lips got some ink on them. Young Master Gu, being a clean person, saw this and immediately felt it was improper. Whenever he felt something was improper, he would take immediate action. So he grabbed Feng Zhiwei and said: “It’s dirty.”
Feng Zhiwei said “Ah?” Young Master Gu had already said: “I’ll lick it off for you.” Then he lifted his veil and leaned in.
His powerful thinking that fell outside normal people’s range of understanding most tested one’s instant reaction ability. Feng Zhiwei indeed failed to react again. Her vision darkened as he suddenly drew close. She only saw red lips bright like a bursting, full pomegranate, a high-bridged nose, jade-like skin, and a jaw with indescribably beautiful lines that dazzled her eyes. Then her lips were covered with softness—soft, moist, and slightly cool, like a piece of soft jade. Upon contact, she felt warmth reaching to the bottom of her heart. Those lips seemed to want to catch her tongue. Feng Zhiwei instinctively closed her mouth immediately. Those lips then gently moved over her lips, quick and nimble, lightly licking the corner of her mouth.
Like being wetted by spring rain, drenched in delicate crimson, thirty thousand li of spring breeze passing through, before the small pavilion, sunset clouds and荼靡 flowers—that slightly wet sensation rushed into her mind. Feng Zhiwei instantly reacted, her face exploding red. With an “Ah!” she leaned backward, only to see Young Master Gu frozen in place, staring blankly, one finger still lingering at the edge of the veil. He seemed somewhat unable to process what had happened, and the cheek slightly visible at the veil’s edge was actually also faintly red.
Young Master… was blushing?
Feng Zhiwei, half-tilted with her face leaning back in a difficult posture, was stunned. Young Master Gu, leaning slightly forward with his veil half-lifted, was stunned in a posture of about to topple over.
No one could see his expression behind the veil—somewhat… confused.
Just in that instant, he had originally only instinctively gone to clean off that ink. However, when lips and teeth met and the rich yet cool fragrance penetrated to his bones, even though it was only such a brief moment, his calm mind suddenly surged like last time—more intense and more fierce than last time. So fierce that he seemed to hear his heart pounding against his chest, as if about to uncontrollably burst out.
This was a sensation he had almost never experienced before. However, he didn’t panic like before, thinking he had contracted a serious illness or his internal energy had gone astray. He vaguely felt this was probably the same feeling as when he had touched her last time, just more excited, more profound, more difficult to control. If before it was a river splashing up waves, now it was an ocean raising up huge billows, yet they crashed against the same embankment.
But what exactly was this feeling?
Gu Nanyi wanted to ask clearly, but instinctively felt Feng Zhiwei wouldn’t tell him the answer. This person was very straightforward with him about all other matters, but every time he got a bit closer, she would act strangely. If he asked her, she would probably educate him again with that phrase about “propriety between men and women.”
Gu Nanyi was a studious child with perseverance. According to his past belief when learning martial arts—if you can’t get through, force your way through. Don’t fear the barrier. Try a few more times and water will naturally flow when the channel is formed.
So he decided not to waste time being confused. He just needed to try a few more times.
So he reached out to scoop her up, deciding to hold Feng Zhiwei in his arms and try again.
However, Feng Zhiwei had already come to her senses. As he moved, she immediately flipped up, glancing at that touch of red. Her heart also felt somewhat fluttering. She remembered that earlier he had also licked wine from the corner of her lips, but at that time he had been calm and unconcerned, purely tasting wine. She had just laughed it off. Now looking at it, it seemed somewhat… different?
So she quickly jumped awkwardly over the table to the other side of the painting desk, laughing dryly: “Walnuts… let’s paint walnuts…”
Gu Nanyi glanced at her, estimating the distance across the table. He figured he could grab her across the table, but to avoid knocking over the inkstone might be difficult, because Feng Zhiwei’s reactions and lightness skills were getting better and better. He suddenly felt a bit annoyed, thinking his consistent guidance of Feng Zhiwei’s martial arts all along had really been too much.
In an instant, Young Master Gu made a rare decision—he felt Feng Zhiwei’s martial arts had been practiced to this degree and that was good enough. She didn’t need to get any better. Anyway, as long as she needed it, he would be responsible for protecting her.
Feng Zhiwei didn’t know that in this instant, Young Master Gu had rarely made a selfish decision concerning her. She awkwardly lowered her head to take up the brush and wet it with ink, using this to conceal the red flush on her face. While applying ink to paper, she slowly thought about how to phrase things with Young Master to change his increasingly numerous horrifying little gestures recently.
Her brush outlined and sketched on the paper. While clearing her throat, she said as gently as possible: “Nanyi, this is how you paint walnuts—a circle, it doesn’t need to be too round, just generally round will do…”
“Walnut meat.” Young Master reminded her to remember to paint his favorite walnut meat.
“Oh.” While thinking, Feng Zhiwei absentmindedly drew another circle inside the circle. Young Master looked at it somewhat dissatisfied, feeling this circle didn’t seem quite like the walnut meat he ate every day.
Feng Zhiwei painted the walnut meat, then suddenly had inspiration. She quickly said: “Well, Nanyi, to eat the walnut meat, you have to crack its shell, but people aren’t walnuts. You can’t just do whatever you want. You must protect and respect other people’s shells. You can’t just crack or peel them for no reason, okay?”
“Didn’t crack, didn’t peel.” Young Master Gu expressed disagreement.
“This is a metaphor, a metaphor!” Feng Zhiwei sighed, thinking such a difficult problem couldn’t be explained clearly to Young Master in a short time. This also couldn’t be said directly. She’d better honestly pay attention herself. So she finished painting in two or three strokes, set down the brush, and said: “Done painting. Walnuts.”
In the distance, Ning Cheng was drinking wine. Hearing this, he craned his neck to look, and with a “pfft,” wine sprayed out three zhang.
Young Master Gu leaned over to look, then pulled one out from his pouch to compare. He felt it did seem somewhat similar, but something wasn’t quite right. He turned to look at a melon on the table, feeling that thing seemed more like it.
Just as he was about to express his opinion, he suddenly heard sounds from outside, vaguely some commotion, then quiet, followed by the sound of one person’s footsteps striding toward the side room. Those footsteps weren’t very loud, but rather carried a well-bred restraint. The pace wasn’t fast or slow, yet crisp and nimble. Between lifting and falling there was absolutely no dragging, making one feel the person taking such steps was energetic and decisive, possessing a momentum of controlling everything.
Feng Zhiwei raised an eyebrow, thinking there weren’t many people who could walk with such quality and control.
Then she heard that person laugh: “I heard Lord Wei rarely shows such elegant interest in wielding brush and painting? May this prince have the privilege of seeing it?”
Feng Zhiwei stood up. The door curtain lifted, and that person had already entered with a smile.
Feng Zhiwei only felt her eyes brighten.
That person wore luxurious clothing—a purple-gold black crystal crown, coral belt, dark green robe with twelve golden dragons—radiantly brilliant all over. But all that splendor couldn’t suppress his outstanding bearing. Anyone seeing this person would absolutely not have their attention drawn first by the clothes. What they’d see first would definitely be his eyes.
Those were a pair of weathered yet amorous eyes. Not particularly large, nor the type of brilliant and peerless beauty, yet deep and distant, seeming somewhat melancholic—not an affected melancholy, but the kind of loneliness possessed by naturally noble people. Like the abyssal waters of the extreme north, faintly blue within deep black. Yet when they moved, they seemed to ignite with flame, bewitching the heart, intensely dancing, making one want to throw oneself in and turn to ash. Two contradictory gazes blended in such eyes, interweaving into unique charm, making anyone who glanced over nearly fall into such a gaze.
In Feng Zhiwei’s impression, among men over thirty, this person’s elegance and bearing were most outstanding, truly unparalleled. She had thought Xin Ziyan could be considered first in mature male beauty, but compared to Xi Liao’s Regent, this kind of beauty lacked the tempering of the mortal world, carrying a few parts superficiality, like a gorgeous false mask that would fall into棋花 groves when blown by wind.
Her surprise lasted only an instant. After all, she was someone who had seen countless handsome men. She immediately smiled and greeted him: “Is this the Regent Your Highness? Why didn’t the post station announce you, allowing me to come out to welcome you? This is truly too discourteous.”
“This prince told them not to disturb,” the Regent waved his hand. “I heard Lord Wei was painting. This prince thought, this is a rare opportunity—we mustn’t let us unwelcome guests disturb you. Lord Wei’s ink treasures are not something anyone can witness…” While speaking, he walked composedly toward the desk. Before arriving, he had already casually praised: “Is this Lord Wei’s painting? Oh my, truly elegant bones and clear spirit, graceful beauty and transcendent charm, extraordinary air and rhythm… uh.”
His fluent praise came to an abrupt halt when he saw that painting. Such a noble person accustomed to all manner of storms actually choked on his words. Leaning against the desk and staring at that painting, for an instant he couldn’t produce a single word.
On the snow-white, exquisite gold-threaded gauze paper were painted a bunch of circles, with smaller circles inside the circles—a bunch of circles with no technical content whatsoever. If the circles had been painted nicely, that would be one thing, but they were even crooked and twisted. Moreover, the brushwork was sloppy, absolutely not an expert’s work—only slightly better than a young student’s.
This was… the painting of the nationally renowned scholar?
“…Uh, uniquely charming!” The Regent was after all the Regent, absolutely not comparable to ordinary people. After brief shock, he immediately picked up his words. Then he immediately turned around, resolutely not looking at that painting, also not giving Feng Zhiwei any chance to be modest. With a slight smile, he had already changed the subject: “Lord Wei, Longjiang Post Station’s facilities are crude. We dare not detain Lord Wei’s esteemed presence. The Reception Hall has been newly renovated and awaits Lord Wei. This prince came here specially to personally escort Lord Wei’s carriage into the capital.”
He didn’t mention a word about what had happened earlier. His tone was warm without losing self-respect, balanced just right. Feng Zhiwei also acted as if those ringing angry rebukes earlier hadn’t been said by her. She repeatedly yielded, expressing how she dared not trouble the Regent to personally welcome her, asking His Highness to please quickly return and that Wei Zhi would enter the capital accompanied by the Ministry of Rites. The two conversed amicably, holding hands as they went out, laughing heartily together. Their laughter made everyone around them, who had been holding their breath, let out a long sigh of relief.
Xi Liao’s side was relieved that the Tiansheng envoy was also sensible and didn’t persist in giving them no way down. Tiansheng’s side was relieved that the Regent could bend and stretch, personally handling this matter despite his noble status, finally giving them a way down. People on both sides, each taking that stairway down, smiled at each other, temporarily putting away their weapons.
Feng Zhiwei and the Regent stood on the steps holding hands, laughing heartily together. Both laughed warmly and cheerfully.
Only in their eyes was there no mirth.
—
Time: Three-quarters past the fourth hour on the fifth day of the seventh month.
Location: Side room of Longjiang Post Station, Jincheng, Xi Liao.
Personnel: Still those two.
Events: Feng Zhiwei taught Gu Nanyi to paint. Of all things to teach, she had to paint walnuts. She didn’t even paint properly—she licked the brush, then Gu Nanyi licked Feng Zhiwei’s mouth.
Personal Opinion One: Licking back and forth and such is most unhygienic!
Personal Opinion Two: I know the above isn’t the point. Licking back and forth depends on who’s being licked. For instance, if it were Your Highness licking Feng Zhiwei, I know you absolutely wouldn’t think it unhygienic.
Personal Opinion Three: I know the second point still isn’t the point. The point is Gu Nanyi licked Feng Zhiwei.
Personal Opinion Four: But since he already licked her, I can’t help you lick it back. At most I can help you be indignant (actually I’m not indignant either—I most enjoy watching Feng Zhiwei act foolish).
Personal Opinion Five: Feng Zhiwei’s painting is truly deafening and enlightening.
Personal Opinion Six: Today I saw half of Gu Nanyi’s face.
Personal Opinion Seven: Your Highness, you can wash up and go to sleep.
—
On the sixth day of the seventh month in the fifteenth year of Tiansheng’s Changxi era, the Tiansheng delegation led by Feng Zhiwei finally entered Jincheng under the Regent’s personal welcome, advancing in a sinuous procession.
When her delegation entered the city, Jincheng’s streets were emptied of people. Both sides of the long street were packed with people competing to catch a glimpse of the Tiansheng envoy’s peerless scholarly bearing.
Feng Zhiwei smiled and waved from horseback, displaying elegant grace throughout, causing Xi Liao young ladies to scream with delight, pelting her like rain with fresh flowers and fruits. Young Master Gu caught every single one without exception, filling an entire large basket.
While Feng Zhiwei smiled stiffly, she resented that this long street was too long—her face muscles were starting to hurt. Suddenly, she felt a sensation like thorns on her back. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes searching behind her in all directions. However, there were truly too many people, and behind her was a continuous row of shops and teahouses. There was simply no way to determine the source of that feeling of being intensely watched.
She turned her face back and continued forward unconcernedly.
Ten zhang away from her on a teahouse floor, behind half-closed connected long windows, someone stood quietly. A deep blue auspicious cloud brocade robe was low-key yet luxurious, setting off a pair of eyes with rippling light on a gentle face.
The street full of crowded heads—his gaze, however, always followed alongside one person’s back in the center of the crowd.
At this moment, with dignitaries filling the capital and this person captivating the imperial city, the honor and bustle of colored silk dancing and myriad people welcoming were all arranged for that person.
His mortal enemy.
His enemy in vengeance.
His… concubine.
The fierce warrior who had single-handedly invaded the great camp at Whitehead Cliff to face a thousand troops, the peony prisoner who had endured cruel torture and countless tests in Pu Garden’s dark prison, the nearby concubine who had added fragrance with red sleeves and tender warmth in the inner courtyard study, the mastermind who had stirred up storms at Emerald Lake overturning the city, the negotiator who had returned on New Year’s Eve with tongue like a lotus flower, the city-leaper who had overturned clouds and rain and resolutely drawn the bow at Pucheng’s city walls.
One person with a thousand faces, ten thousand transformations. He had originally thought she was his, would truly be his. In the end, she had always been only that person—the brilliantly talented first minister of Tiansheng who toyed with others in the palm of her hand.
Those days accompanying her—one surprise, one joy, one joy followed by another surprise—his heart had long ago, at some unknown time, been unknowingly grasped tightly by her methods of overturning hands, rising and falling at someone else’s will.
In the end, she smiled and deceived, resolutely let go. At Pucheng’s city walls, that leap—his hand fell empty, grasping a handful of cold, snowy wind, as if grasping his instantly crumpled and discarded heart.
At that time, a corner of her garment fluttered in the wind between his fingers. He released his five fingers, and the fabric corner instantly turned to ash.
She was the kind of liar who could make lies sound truer than truth.
She had deceived him so bitterly.
Prince An of Da Yue, Jin Siyu, stared heavily at that back. Half a year since their parting, this was also the first time he had seen her in men’s clothing mingling among crowds. Though it seemed unfamiliar, it was actually familiar. That ineradicable nobility and composure in her bones made one unable to forget for a lifetime.
He’d heard she was doing even better, rising meteoric in Tiansheng’s official circles, invincible wherever she went. Even such an important mission as envoy to Xi Liao could only be entrusted to her. Truly delightful.
Jin Siyu’s lips curved in a smile—still gentle, yet within that gentleness was another complex meaning, seemingly sad, seemingly cold.
“What is Your Highness looking at?” Someone beside him suddenly interjected. That person smiled as he approached. Jin Siyu’s guards seemed already familiar with this person, silently saluting and withdrawing.
Jin Siyu withdrew his gaze without turning his head, took a sip of tea, and smiled: “Very lively.”
That person squeezed beside him, craning his neck to look below. A complex meaning also flashed through his eyes for an instant, then he smiled: “Truly lively Xi Liao—does Your Highness know this Tiansheng envoy?”
He turned his head, smiling as he looked at Jin Siyu—tall and jade-like, wearing crimson brocade robes, a pair of peach blossom eyes. When looking at people, the corners of his eyes tilted slightly, disdainful yet natural, carefree and romantic.
“How would this prince have the opportunity to know Lord Wei? Though I’ve admired his name for a long time.” Jin Siyu smiled, also asking casually: “Does Young Prince know him?”
“I’m secluded in a corner—unless summoned, I cannot enter the Imperial Capital. How would I have the opportunity to know such a court dignitary?” That youth was also smiling, but within that laughter, no matter how one listened, there seemed to be a grinding teeth quality.
“This person is no ordinary person.” Jin Siyu raised his chin toward the direction where Feng Zhiwei’s back had disappeared. “Young Prince had better be careful.”
He had originally thought that with such words, this proud and arrogant son of a feudal prince would surely refute with disdain. Unexpectedly, after waiting quite a while, there was actually no sound. Jin Siyu turned his head in surprise and saw that youth staring long at that direction, slowly saying: “One day, I will make him have no choice but to be careful of me.”
Jin Siyu’s gaze flashed, but he didn’t ask. He only smiled and patted his shoulder: “Young Prince’s talents are outstanding. Even this prince far away in Da Yue has heard of them. This person is just an ordinary Tiansheng minister with a bit of good luck. How could he compare to even one ten-thousandth of Young Prince? It’s just that this person is now in Jincheng. You and I will inevitably encounter him. Better to be careful.”
“Naturally.” That youth smiled and turned back, having already recovered his natural manner. “The Regent seeks allies. Besides publicly receiving Tiansheng envoys, he’s secretly contacting both you and me. Now that the envoy has entered the capital, he will surely host a banquet at Changping Palace to entertain them. I think, why don’t you and I have the Regent conceal our identities and go as well? We can take this opportunity to probe this Tiansheng envoy’s true capabilities. What do you think?”
Jin Siyu looked at that youth somewhat strangely, thinking that since these were all secret activities, they should appear as little as possible before the Tiansheng envoy. He himself had old grievances with Wei Zhi and had to go before her. But this person had never met Wei Zhi and had always been clever and intelligent. This suggestion was somewhat unreasonable, more like he had ulterior motives.
However, he himself also had ulterior motives. So he smiled: “Good.”
Two people each harboring hidden agendas smiled at each other.
In the distance, Feng Zhiwei, just stepping into the Reception Hall, suddenly shivered.
Young Master Gu at her side immediately very perceptively draped a cloak over her. Feng Zhiwei clutched the cloak corner, gazing distantly toward the towering palace city direction, squinting as she watched the low, slowly approaching dark clouds, saying softly: “The wind is rising…”
On the second day after entering the city, the Regent hosted a banquet at Changping Palace to welcome the Tiansheng envoy. That night, Changping Palace was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers, with red felt laid for ten li.
That night, Feng Zhiwei brought both Gu Nanyi and Gu Zhixiao to freeload on the feast. Before leaving, she packed up a bundle, took out an item, looked at it for a while, and tucked it in her bosom.
Carriages and horses rumbled toward the palace city. At the end of the ten li of red felt, nobles gathered in clouds. When the Tiansheng envoy’s carriage arrived, all the officials turned around. The ceremonial eunuch’s penetrating voice leisurely pierced through the night sky where fireworks burst continuously.
“Tiansheng’s Loyalty and Righteousness Marquis, bearing the title of Mighty Military General, Minister of Rites—Lord Wei Zhi has arrived—”