Jiang Xuening was truly puzzled for quite a while. Watching Lu Xian leave with his sarcastic manner, she couldn’t help being lost in thought. Turning her head back to look at You Fangyin, she suddenly asked: “Did something happen on the road?”
You Fangyin shook her head.
Jiang Xuening studied her: “Then how did you two come together?”
You Fangyin looked at her, her gaze flickering briefly before she lowered her eyes slightly and said: “Just after entering Shanxi territory, everywhere was quite chaotic. Common people were still catching those ‘soul-calling’ heretical priests and monks. Even with silver in hand, gathering provisions was extremely difficult, far slower than expected progress. Boss Lu was originally going ahead to clear the way, but halfway through he turned back to help coordinate. I heard he was once a presented scholar who entered the Hanlin Academy. Some officials in Shanxi Province now are his old acquaintances. With his connections, he could help out somewhat. That’s why we came together.”
That made sense.
If Lu Zhaolin’s achievements weren’t significant and his usefulness not extensive, Xie Ju’an couldn’t possibly value him, nor could he have gone straight to the position of Minister of Revenue after accomplishing things in the previous life.
Outside the city was ultimately crowded with people and eyes everywhere—not convenient for speaking.
Jiang Xuening didn’t inquire deeply either. Seeing You Fangyin had arrived safely, she felt much more at ease.
War preparations grew increasingly urgent.
She knew she had no strategic ability. At most, she’d accumulated considerable capital over these two years, but before coming to Xinzhou, she’d already handed almost everything over to Xie Wei. Now this city was full of clever people. She felt she couldn’t help much—not causing trouble would be best.
So after watching them bustle about for a while, she returned.
Xie Wei stayed outside the city longer. He waited until Yan Lin came from the garrison encampment, together arranged all subsequent provisions matters and arrangements for Lu Xian’s people to take over military accounts, before returning to the General’s Residence.
In the evening, a simple welcoming banquet was held.
During the banquet, Lu Xian coldly observed the border situation and drank several cups. After it ended, emerging from the hall together with Xie Wei, he couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing: “For clever people, there truly are no useless idle strokes. Even an originally bad move can be turned by you into an interlocking ruthless strategy. In the end, is it that I, Lu, am shallow-sighted, or that I actually thought you were truly blinded by lust beyond salvation? Never imagined that crazy as you are, sick as you are, you actually haven’t delayed the overall situation.”
Xie Wei said: “What nonsense are you spouting now?”
Lu Xian snorted and didn’t explain.
His words were vague, but he didn’t believe Xie Wei couldn’t understand.
Coming all this way to the border to rescue what-you-call-it Grand Princess Leyang Shen Zhiyi was originally a bad move, with almost no benefits to be found.
Lu Xian had no doubt—
If there were no person like Jiang Xuening in this world, Xie Wei couldn’t possibly make such a muddled decision.
Yet there just happened to be one.
Only choosing this path didn’t mean he abandoned his original plan.
Who said one couldn’t have both fish and bear’s paw?
From Jinling to Xinzhou, Xie Ju’an had done three things: First, spreading everywhere the originally top-secret news of Shen Zhiyi being trapped in Tatar territory, causing common people to criticize, even military soldiers knowing it clearly; Second, using a forged edict to transfer Yan Lin to the border—one fake imperial edict let Yan Lin seize military authority; Third, going with the flow himself, obtaining a real imperial edict because Yan Lin left Huangzhou where he was exiled, legitimately coming to the border to supervise the army—not only supporting Yan Lin but also stabilizing military morale and accelerating the plan to attack the Tatars.
If ultimately successful, Xie Ju’an would first gain popular support, conversely putting the court in an unrighteous position; second, firmly grasping military authority in his hands—Yan Lin forging an edict, the entire army attacking the Tatars, whether knowing or not knowing, nominally all committing the gravest crime of deceiving the emperor and plotting rebellion. With execution whether one advanced or retreated, everyone would be bound together on one boat, extremely likely to simply go all out and rebel with them; third, if war arose at the border, the Heavenly Sect in the central plains would certainly seize the opportunity to rise up. At that time, with internal troubles and external threats, the court would find it difficult not to collapse!
“When sandpiper and clam fight, you the fisherman sit firmly at the border, gaining both good reputation and profit. When they’re exhausted from fighting, you lead troops into the central plains and break through the capital—then the overall situation is settled. Only…”
Lu Xian couldn’t help looking at him.
“Plotting great matters like this naturally has no flaws; it just doesn’t win young ladies’ favor.”
Hearing this, Xie Wei said nothing.
Lu Xian figured he himself hadn’t fully understood yet—most likely Xie Ju’an’s heart was even clearer than his own. His words might just be showing off his slight skill before an expert, making a fool of himself. He simply shut his mouth and bid farewell when reaching the courtyard fork ahead.
The General’s Residence truly occupied considerable land.
The place he stayed was still to the west, so he walked along the corridor all the way there.
Only when reaching the courtyard entrance did he actually hear fragmentary conversation.
“The border isn’t peaceful either. I think you shouldn’t stay here too long. No matter how the war starts, it ultimately won’t reach Jiangnan. You should listen to me and after busily finishing this affair, obediently return to Jiangnan or Shu. The matters here ultimately have Lu Zhaolin—he’s Xie Wei’s person and should be the one worrying, laboring, suffering, and working his life away. Don’t get involved.”
“What about Miss?”
“Me? After rescuing Her Highness from the Tatars, I’ll naturally also grease my feet and slip away, too lazy to get involved in their messy situation.”
These were Jiang Xuening and You Fangyin’s voices.
Hearing them even mention himself, Lu Xian felt very displeased. He should have stayed hidden in the dark, waiting for these two to finish speaking before walking out, avoiding everyone’s embarrassment. But inexplicably a surge of anger rose up, and he deliberately didn’t want to.
So he walked forward two steps.
Jiang Xuening had her back to him, but You Fangyin faced directly toward him and saw him at a glance.
Lu Xian said: “Second Miss Ning speaks too correctly—I should indeed be the one worrying, laboring, suffering, and working my life away.”
Only then did Jiang Xuening see him.
However, thinking about what she’d said, there was nothing unspeakable about being overheard. On the contrary, seeing Lu Xian reminded her of some matters from daytime, so she didn’t acknowledge him first but instead said to You Fangyin: “You go back to your room first. I have some words to speak with Boss Lu.”
You Fangyin’s eyes glanced at Lu Xian, seeming to hesitate for a moment, but she still listened to Jiang Xuening’s words, nodded, and turned to leave.
Only Jiang Xuening remained in place, studying Lu Xian.
Lu Xian withdrew his gaze from You Fangyin’s departing figure but smiled at Jiang Xuening: “What instruction does Second Miss have?”
“I wouldn’t dare instruct.”
Jiang Xuening also smiled radiantly while walking around him in circles twice with interest, looking and shaking her head, her mischief mixed with some gloating mockery.
“Since ancient times, treacherous merchants all excel at calculations. How is it that Boss Lu’s expression looks like he failed to win the wife and lost soldiers too?”
Lu Xian’s expression changed.
But Jiang Xuening paced with hands behind her back, finding Lu Xian’s reaction more and more interesting. After a long while, she stopped, moved close to him, and suddenly lowered her voice to ask: “After all this fuss, you have feelings for our Fangyin?”
Lu Xian’s face turned cold as he sneered: “What joke are you making!”
Jiang Xuening raised an eyebrow.
Lu Xian coldly added: “A married woman! I, Lu, am not so base as that.”
Once he said this, Jiang Xuening’s originally relaxed expression faded. The calm, penetrating light concealed beneath her eyelids only said: “So you know too. Fangyin and Young Master Ren’s journey together hasn’t been easy. Seeing they’re getting along well, I think someone as shrewd as Boss Lu naturally can weigh the pros and cons and shouldn’t insert himself horizontally.”
Lu Xian scoffed: “Even a fake married couple counts?”
This time it was Jiang Xuening’s turn to be surprised—he actually knew?
But Lu Xian was too lazy to explain anything.
He flicked his sleeve to leave.
After a long silence, Jiang Xuening stared at him, but suddenly had a flash of inspiration and laughed: “Hey, you had such hostility toward me during the day—could it be because Fangyin cares more about me, and you’re jealous?”
She saw Lu Xian’s footsteps halt, his entire figure seeming to tense at her words.
However, he ultimately endured and didn’t turn around.
As if truly proving he didn’t care, he didn’t even turn his head once and went straight into the courtyard.
Behind him, Jiang Xuening clapped her hands in laughter, nearly bending at the waist.
In the previous life, many were jealous of her, but she didn’t care at all.
After all, those were all women.
But in this life, even men were becoming jealous of her—too amusing!
However, Fangyin had a simple, honest heart. Once she settled on someone, she was stubborn. Though Jiang Xuening didn’t know what stage she and Ren Weizhi had reached, if someone as black-hearted as Lu Xian secretly caused trouble, even good things could become bad.
She’d need to guard against him in the future.
It wasn’t that Fangyin absolutely had to have Ren Weizhi—it all depended on her happiness. Jiang Xuening simply didn’t want her to be unhappy.
For a moment, she even wanted to go to Xie Wei and give Lu Xian some trouble.
But this thought only flashed before she abandoned it.
Xie Ju’an was someone who would accomplish great things, but she only wanted to live a simple, small life. Currently dealing with him insincerely—listening to him, not angering him, following his wishes—at the end of the day, it was for Shen Zhiyi’s sake, not wanting to break with him openly. But now they were almost at the extreme boundary. If she didn’t know when to advance and retreat, pushing this boundary down herself, it would be like trapping herself. When matters concluded, she feared even extricating herself from Xie Wei’s grasp wouldn’t be possible.
Regardless, being envied by a man made Jiang Xuening quite happy.
Only at night when lying down, she happened to have a nightmare.
Once this nightmare began, it lasted several nights.
She dreamed she stood on a high cliff. The mountain wall was steep, almost vertical—even withered pines and old trees couldn’t take root even slightly on the rock face.
Ahead was an abyss.
Just looking forward once, there was a stretch of pitch-black darkness where one couldn’t see one’s hand before one’s face, thick as ink.
Below the abyss was violent wind, seeming to come from the nether realm, howling ceaselessly.
She wanted to peer inside but couldn’t stand steadily. Several broken stones tumbled from beside her feet, falling off the cliff into the abyss. After a very long time, not even half an echo could be heard.
Thus a kind of terror seized her.
As if fearing some monster would emerge from that abyss to devour people, she lifted her foot to retreat backward, wanting to get far away from this abyss.
However, a hand reached out from behind her, actually pressing on her shoulder, while the other hand rested at her waist.
That person’s breath fell on her ear, pressed close to her cheek.
It was Xie Wei blocking her retreat, leaning by her ear: “It’s so deep—if you don’t jump down, how will you know whether it’s life or death?”
No—
That force transmitted from his hands, actually fiercely pushing her forward into the abyss!
She instantly screamed voicelessly.
The abyss rushed at her face. Her person was wrapped in a feeling of weightlessness. All terror magnified to the extreme, making her break out in cold sweat and wake again from this recurring dream.
Echoing by her ear wasn’t that phrase from the dream, but Xie Wei’s not-unmocking statement from not long ago: “If you could figure out why you and he couldn’t be together, you wouldn’t be called Jiang Xuening, and today you certainly wouldn’t be sitting here.”
Jiang Xuening’s whole person was like being fished out of water.
She covered her face somewhat weakly.
After quite a while, she slowly expelled that terror arising from deep within.
Darkness like silk threads seeped into the room, carrying some chill.
The gauze curtain by the bed was blown open at one corner by the wind.
A little light penetrated through the window paper, hazily illuminating the silhouette sitting by her bed.
His tranquil voice seemed to merge as one with this darkness, ethereal as mist: “You dreamed of me?”
Jiang Xuening was terrified with shock!
Hearing this familiar voice, she lowered her palm. Her vision carefully discerned, only then making out this silhouette from the darkness. For a moment, she felt even her heart was being seized, too frightened to speak.
Xie Wei didn’t know when he’d come, only watching her, still asking: “You dreamed of me?”
The earlier nightmare still retained a trace of lingering fear.
Jiang Xuening could hardly believe this person was sitting by her bedside in the middle of the night: “Xie Ju’an, how did you—”
But Xie Wei’s palm lightly caressed her cheek, resting on her brow, saying: “Ning’er, Shen Zhiyi is just an imperial family person. If she dies, she dies—what does it have to do with me? I’m having some regrets.”
Those fingers carried a trace of coolness.
Jiang Xuening immediately shivered.
But he didn’t say anything more. After a long time, he slowly withdrew his hand, rose, and walked out.
Wind blew in, the gauze curtain swaying gently.
Outside, the cold moon was like silver frost.
A deep, grand horn call carried from the distance, spreading across all directions, adding a touch of iron-horse military solemnity to this quiet cold night!
Jiang Xuening held the brocade quilt, only now remembering—
Tonight, the war had begun.