“Would you like to try?”

The distance between them was uncomfortably close.

He Yan was startled at first, then confused. As she met his autumn-pool-like eyes, she felt her cheeks rapidly heating up. Though she wanted to retreat, her shoulders were firmly held in place. She could only look up at him from within his embrace, stammering, “…Try what?”

“After seeing so much, don’t you want to try?” He raised an eyebrow, leaning closer, his gaze falling on her lips, making He Yan’s heart pound like a drum.

The man’s features, compared to his bright and handsome appearance in his youth, had become even more refined and dignified, carrying a kind of cruel indulgence. Such a person, usually as aloof as a flower on a high peak when calm, became irresistibly alluring when he lazily curved his lips and his gaze turned scorching.

He Yan said, “I don’t want to.”

“Oh?” His lips curved into a light smile, his tone becoming more dangerous. “How would you know how well it matches the pictures without trying?”

“This… doesn’t necessarily need trying,” He Yan clumsily explained. “If you look at enough of them, you’ll understand it’s all the same thing. Just different in detail… and some aren’t suitable for ordinary people. They’re just drawn for entertainment and novelty. There’s no need to try, reading is enough.”

Xiao Jue: “Entertainment?”

He Yan: “…Some people might just be eager to learn.”

Xiao Jue’s eyes turned cold, his smile becoming more playful. He said softly, “With such experience, we must try.” He moved closer and closer, forcing He Yan to retreat to the headboard with nowhere else to go. He tilted his head slightly, leaning in. His thin lips were about to touch the corner of her mouth.

He Yan shrieked, “My Lord!”

This cry of “My Lord” was so loud it startled Xiao Jue. After a moment, he stopped, just a hair’s breadth away from He Yan, and raised his eyebrows: “What is it?”

“I’m still an unmarried maiden,” He Yan pleaded softly. “I still need to marry in the future. This isn’t proper between us.”

“What’s improper about it?” Xiao Jue said calmly. “We’ve already looked at the pictures together anyway.”

“Looking at pictures is one thing, but doing it is another matter entirely.” He Yan begged, “Commander, please spare me this time. I promise I’ll never ask the Commander to look at pictures with me again.”

She thought that Xiao Jue’s mind was truly unfathomable – it was just looking at pictures, yet he wanted to act them out. Who would dare look at pictures with him in the future? It would cause trouble.

Xiao Jue looked at her with an ambiguous smile: “Now you’re afraid?”

“Yes, yes, I’m afraid,” He Yan was very docile. “I promise I’ll never ask Commander to look at pictures again.”

“You mean,” he said unhurriedly, “you’ll find someone else?”

“I won’t find anyone else either!” He Yan quickly said. “I won’t even look at them myself!”

Her grape-like pupils stared at him, bright and clear, carefully like a student caught by the teacher. Xiao Jue suddenly felt puzzled, thinking his behavior was quite bizarre. What did it matter to him what He Yan liked to look at? Was it because she called him father once, that he had to worry about every little thing like raising a daughter?

But speaking of which, how did her father raise his daughter to become such an oddity who didn’t know the meaning of shame?

He suddenly released his hands that were holding He Yan, glanced at the painting on the wall, and marveled at how Cui Yuezhi had so meticulously thought about his nephew’s nighttime pleasures, though it wasn’t necessary. He casually pulled the satin cloth from the small table and covered the wall painting, then “swoosh swoosh” secured it firmly with two silver needles.

At this point, He Yan finally understood that Xiao Jue disliked seeing these pictures. Thinking about it, it made sense – Second Young Master Xiao was pure as jade and had high standards, such vulgar pictures would surely sully his eyes.

How particular indeed.

After doing all this, he walked to one side of the room and took out a mattress from a yellow wooden cabinet, laying it on the couch by the window.

The couch was meant for guests to sit and enjoy the view outside while having snacks and tea. He Yan was surprised and asked, “Commander, are you sleeping here tonight?”

“Where else?”

He Yan hesitated for a moment: “Actually, you could come up and sleep together.”

Xiao Jue paused in arranging the bedding, looked at her, and spoke coldly: “I see you’re quite bold.”

“No, I know what you’re concerned about,” He Yan said. “We can just use two mattresses. When I was in Liangzhou before, I slept in communal beds, with more than ten people sharing one bed, and it was fine. Besides, I trust Commander’s character, you won’t compromise my reputation.”

Xiao Jue smiled coldly, “But I don’t trust your character. I’m afraid you’ll compromise my reputation.”

He Yan: “…”

She had no response to that.

Seeing Xiao Jue lie down after arranging the bedding, she thought for a moment, then blew out the lamp and lay down as well.

In the room, only a bit of moonlight filtered through the cracks onto the floor before the table, coating it with a layer of silver frost.

Back at the Xian Chang Academy, when they shared a room, they were quite far apart. He Yan, because He Yuan Liang had specially arranged it with the tutor, slept alone in a room.

Now sharing a room with Xiao Jue brought back shadows of those years.

She lay flat, the mattress beneath her soft and warm. He Yan asked, “Are you asleep?”

Xiao Jue didn’t answer.

He Yan continued on her own: “You probably aren’t asleep yet. Young… Young Master, let’s talk.”

Xiao Jue still didn’t respond.

“Why are we really in Ji Yang?”

She only knew she came to Ji Yang to accompany Xiao Jue on business, but didn’t know the specifics.

In the darkness, Xiao Jue’s voice came: “Looking for someone.”

He Yan was surprised, not expecting Xiao Jue to answer, so she asked, “Who are we looking for?”

“Chai An Xi.”

“Who is Chai An Xi?”

The room was silent for a moment, then Xiao Jue said: “My father’s subordinate.”

Xiao Zhong Wu’s subordinate? He Yan was stunned. During the Battle of Ming Shui, Xiao Zhong Wu and his closest confidants all died in battle. Since he said subordinate, from Xiao Jue’s tone, it must have been someone highly trusted. Could this person still be alive, and in Ji Yang?

Ji Yang was feudal prince territory, where people from Central Plains rarely came, and even if they did, they were just passing through, not staying long. Chai An Xi being in Ji Yang seemed more like he was hiding from someone. Could it be he was hiding from Xiao Jue? But why would he hide from Xiao Jue? Xiao Jue was Xiao Zhong Wu’s son, he should be loyal to him.

Perhaps generals’ minds were always particularly sensitive to such matters. He Yan immediately thought, could there have been problems with Xiao Zhong Wu’s defeat and death?

After all, in the Battle of Ming Shui, Xiao Zhong Wu’s defeat had been too devastating. People said he was stubborn and missed tactical opportunities, but looking at Xiao Zhong Wu’s past military achievements, he wasn’t a stubborn person.

Perhaps… Xiao Jue came here for matters related to that year. All those who knew the truth were gone, yet this Chai An Xi was still alive – indeed suspicious.

He Yan thought for a moment and said, “We’ll find this person.”

In the dim night light, she seemed to hear him chuckle softly. He asked, “Why did you come to Ji Yang?”

“Me?” He Yan was puzzled. “Weren’t you the one who asked me to come?”

Xiao Jue snorted, “Even if I hadn’t asked you to come, you would have found a way to follow, wouldn’t you?”

He Yan’s heart skipped a beat – this person’s intuition was too sharp. She indeed had ulterior motives, still hoping to find Liu Bu Wang in Ji Yang.

But she wouldn’t tell Xiao Jue this.

“You’re too suspicious,” He Yan made up an excuse. “This time, I came purely because of you. As long as you need me, even if it means climbing mountains of knives or diving into seas of fire, I would do it without hesitation.”

There was silence from his side for a moment, then he said: “Flattery.”

He Yan: “Is flattery all you can say?”

“Grandiose lies.”

“What else?”

“Flowery words.”

“What else?”

“Deception.”

He Yan: “…”

She said: “Young Master, do you know you’re being very childish right now?”

Xiao Jue: “Go to sleep.”

He stopped responding to her.

The spring night still held traces of cold, but for some reason, perhaps because someone was nearby, He Yan didn’t feel cold. She happily burrowed into her blanket, the bedding warm, and in just a moment, she fell asleep.

…

The next day, when He Yan woke up, Xiao Jue was no longer in the room.

She was stunned for a moment, estimating that it had only just dawned, yet Xiao Jue had risen even earlier than her. He Yan stood up, hurriedly washed up, put on an outer garment, and saw Xiao Jue sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, with a dirty stray cat lying on the stone table in front of him, taking small bites of something from his hand.

He Yan walked a bit closer and saw he had a plate of pastries from somewhere, which he was breaking into small pieces to feed the stray cat in front of him. Upon seeing someone approach, the cat’s fur bristled all over – it had rolled in some pond, its fur clumped together with dirty water.

“How did this cat get here?” He Yan asked, wanting to pet it, but the cat immediately bared its teeth. He Yan withdrew her hand and said, “Quite fierce.”

Xiao Jue glanced at her: “Found it.”

The young man’s fingers were slender and extremely patient as he broke the pastry bit by bit. The cat must have been one to judge by appearances – it was incredibly gentle with Xiao Jue, eating while softly meowing “Meow meow.”

It was quite a beautiful sight.

He Yan couldn’t help asking: “Young Master, aren’t you usually very particular about cleanliness?” Well, when he was with her, he was fastidious about everything, even dusting his sleeve if it was touched, yet here he was, being generous with a dirty stray cat.

“It depends on the situation,” Xiao Jue said unhurriedly.

He Yan thought, what does he mean by “depends on the situation”? Was he saying she wasn’t even worth as much as a cat?

Just then, Xiao Jue had finished feeding the last piece, patted the cat’s head and the clever cat arched its back, jumped onto the wall, and disappeared in a flash.

He Yan stared in amazement.

At this moment, Cui Jiao’s voice came from outside: “Young Master, Young Mistress, breakfast from the small kitchen has been brought over.”

He Yan felt hungry: “Let’s go eat something.”

Xiao Jue washed his hands and followed He Yan into the room, watching as Lin Shuang He removed the silver needles from the food, saying, “Go ahead and eat, it’s been tested, no poison.” After speaking, he quietly complained, “The difference in how people are treated is too great, why isn’t our food this abundant?”

He was now “Manager Lin” and couldn’t even eat with Xiao Jue and He Yan, having to eat with Chi Wu and the servants. He couldn’t even taste the food, lest someone notice something amiss.

Xiao Jue: “Get out.”

Lin Shuang He left.

Hong Qiao stood behind He Yan, who waved her hand: “You both go eat with Chi Wu and the others. The Young Master and I don’t like being waited upon. I can serve the dishes myself.”

Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao were startled, glancing at Xiao Jue. Seeing him remain silent, Cui Jiao said: “This servant understands,” and pulled Hong Qiao away.

Outside the door, Hong Qiao hesitantly asked: “Cui Jiao, is it alright for us to just leave like this? Why don’t the Young Mistress and Young Master want us to serve them? Are they dissatisfied with us?”

“That’s not it,” the quick-witted Cui Jiao explained, “Perhaps things are different in the capital compared to our Ji Yang. Besides, I hear the Young Mistress and Young Master are newly married. She probably wants to serve the Young Master personally… it’s called… romance.”

At this moment, the so-called Young Mistress who was “personally serving” the Young Master was enjoying a plum bun with great relish.

The last time she ate this well was when she pretended to be a nephew accompanying Xiao Jue to Liang Zhou City. But even then, the food was merely in specialties. This time was different. Cui Yuezhi already held a high position in Ji Yang, and this was his long-lost nephew – the hospitality was especially thoughtful. Even this early in the morning, the table was laden with assorted fire-baked buns, Xi Shi milk buns, pheasant soup, fish maw braised with ham, bird’s nest chicken soup…

“Isn’t this breakfast a bit too rich?” He Yan commented while taking a bite of the eight-treasure wild duck.

Xiao Jue held back, but finally couldn’t resist saying: “Have I ever starved you?”

He Yan’s cheeks were stuffed full: “Huh?”

He looked away in disgust: “Must you eat like a starving ghost?”

“But don’t you think it’s delicious!” He Yan hurriedly swallowed her food.

Xiao Jue mocked: “Is this all you aspire to?”

“You’re a young master, a commander, raised in luxury – of course, you’ve seen it all and think nothing of it. We common soldiers are lucky just to have enough to eat, let alone good food.” He Yan mumbled, “You’re like a well-fed man who doesn’t understand a hungry man’s plight.”

He choked slightly, giving up on reasoning with He Yan, and said lazily: “Whatever you want.”

He Yan ate while watching Xiao Jue, marveling at his elegant dining manners. Logically, those who spent years in military camps, regardless of whether they were young masters or nobles before, eventually stopped caring about such refinements. When He Yan played the role of “Young Master He,” she also paid attention to etiquette, but during actual battles, who had time for manners when you needed to stuff down a bun in three bites and get back to work?

He Yan didn’t believe Xiao Jue hadn’t experienced the same, yet after such hardships, he could seamlessly return to being the former Second Young Master Xiao – this wasn’t something ordinary people could achieve. At least she had long forgotten how to be a “young master.”

After the meal, Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao came to help He Yan dress and apply makeup. Cui Yuezhi was hosting a banquet at noon today and had also invited all the notable persons of Ji Yang City, to give face to Xiao Jue. Thus, they couldn’t be careless.

Xiao Jue went to find Lin Shuang He, while He Yan sat before the dressing mirror. Hong Qiao took out the “mermaid silk” from the trunk and asked He Yan: “Mistress, shall we wear this today?”

He Yan pondered for a moment. With many guests coming today, it would be safest to wear the most expensive piece, so she nodded: “Yes.”

The two maids busied themselves.

He Yan usually had no patience for such things, sometimes feeling that these delicate tasks required of women were even more exhausting than men’s duties. Just doing hair, applying makeup, selecting accessories and shoes, making sure every hair was in place – it wasn’t an easy task. As they worked on her hair, she fell asleep.

He Yan was awakened by Hong Qiao calling, “Mistress?”

He Yan opened her eyes, asking drowsily: “Is it done?”

“Yes.” Cui Jiao smiled from the side, her eyes full of admiration, “Mistress, you look beautiful.”

He Yan: “Thank you.”

She raised her eyes to look at herself in the mirror and was stunned for a moment. Her previous female attire had leaned towards elegant simplicity, but this “mermaid silk” outfit could be considered alluringly gorgeous. Cui Jiao and Hong Qiao had put in extra effort today, ensuring even the makeup was flawless. He Yan gazed at her unfamiliar reflection in a slight daze.

Now she didn’t even look like the real Young Miss He.

Cui Jiao smiled as she went to open the door, saying: “Young Master is next door. This servant will call him over to take a look.”

He Yan: “Don’t-“

Before she could finish saying “necessary,” Cui Jiao had already happily gone out.

He Yan stood up, suddenly hesitant. She was still wondering what attitude to take with Xiao Jue that would seem natural when she heard a casual voice from behind: “Ready?”

He Yan turned to look.

The young lady seemed lost in thought, her bright pupils carrying a hint of confusion, making her expression appear somewhat hazy. She was naturally beautiful; the former vigor in her features had been deliberately concealed by makeup, making her purely enchanting. Her face was delicate, black hair was simply tied up, obediently falling over her shoulders. Her figure appeared delicate and petite, made more graceful by the light white embroidered dress. The dress held very subtle patterns, and when sunlight passed through, it resembled mermaid scales, shimmering with faint blue-purple-gold powder. It made her entire person seem wrapped in a layer of gorgeous colors, like a legendary mermaid who had just crawled onto shore, newly arrived in the mortal realm.

Xiao Jue’s gaze paused slightly.

Lin Shuang He’s voice came from behind: “I must see what a hundred-gold dress looks like when worn. Let me see, let me see!”

His excited chatter fell silent upon seeing He Yan, leaving only amazement in his gaze.

Chi Wu and Fei Nu, who followed, also saw her. Fei Nu was fine, but Chi Wu seemed to have received a huge shock – how could a man in women’s clothing achieve such beauty?

It was completely impossible to tell she was a man, too frightening!

He Yan felt awkward being stared at by them, feeling like a monkey on display. She clutched her dress hem and said pitifully: “…Is it… too much?”

Wasn’t it just attending a banquet? Was such elaborate dressing necessary? Wasn’t it too formal?

Her expression made things worse – her slightly furrowed brows created a pitiful appearance. Xiao Jue said with difficulty: “…Don’t speak with that expression.”

“Not at all, not at all!” Lin Shuang He became excited, “It’s perfect! A hundred-gold dress is truly worth a hundred gold – extraordinary indeed, money well spent!”

Cui Jiao became happy: “Right, Mistress? This servant said you look beautiful!”

When He Yan played a male role, she was often praised for being “valiant and handsome,” but had never experienced being praised for female beauty. Feeling shy and unsure how to respond, she cupped her hands in a martial salute and said boldly: “You’re too kind, too kind.”

Xiao Jue: “…”

Lin Shuang He: “…”

Others: “…”

Lin Shuang He said: “…While you look beautiful, Mistress, sometimes you needn’t be quite so bold.”

Xiao Jue smiled coldly: “You’d better return to your previous expression, otherwise I might forget you’re female.”

He Yan: “…”

Well, she got carried away for a moment.

…

By noon, the Cui Manor became lively.

Carriages kept stopping at the manor’s entrance, with ladies, young misses, young masters, and lords entering one after another.

Ji Yang was a feudal territory, and the current Princess Mu Hong Jin had grown up with Cui Yuezhi. Cui Yuezhi was Mu Hong Jin’s confidant and also Ji Yang’s Grand Cavalry Commander – everyone had to give him a face. Hearing that Cui Yuezhi had found his long-lost nephew and was specifically hosting a banquet for his return, everyone wanted to take a look.

The Cui Manor was extremely large, with a lake behind it. Ji Yang had many waterways, with gentle watercolors. There was a long lakeside pavilion in the lake, and today’s banquet was set there.

In the long pavilion, servants had already prepared long and low tables, laden with rich delicacies, and some distinguished guests had already taken their seats. Cui Yuezhi, the host, hadn’t yet returned from the royal manor. Since he hadn’t taken a wife and only had four concubines, only the old steward Zhong Fu was helping to receive guests.

On the right side of the pavilion sat a woman with a young lady in pink beside her. This young lady was beautifully delicate, though her skin was slightly dark, so she had applied extra powder, which rather diminished her wild charm and added a somewhat mature melancholy. She showed hints of impatience between her brows and asked: “At this hour, why haven’t Young Master Qiao and his wife arrived yet?”

“Why rush?” The woman beside her, presumably her mother, consoled with a smile, “The banquet hasn’t started yet. Moreover, Master Cui hasn’t arrived, so how could Young Master Qiao appear first? Is Min’er hungry?”

Yan Min’er – the young lady in pink – frowned and said: “I’m not hungry. Of course, it’s natural for us to wait for Commander Cui. But I heard that Commander Cui’s nephew, after drifting outside Ji Yang City, was adopted by a merchant. Now he’s nothing but a merchant. How can someone covered in the stench of copper coins deserve our patient waiting? Does he think he’s somebody important?”

After all, everyone in Ji Yang’s noble family knew that Qiao Huan Qing was a merchant. Although they came to the banquet today, it was out of respect for Cui Yuezhi. Privately, they all looked down on Qiao Huan Qing. They just wouldn’t say it as directly as Yan Min’er.

“Shush-” Madam Yan hurriedly covered her mouth: “Don’t talk nonsense. Regardless, he is still Master Cui’s nephew. I think we’ve spoiled you too much, making you so lawless. Haven’t you seen that Master Cui is hosting this banquet specifically to welcome Young Master Qiao? If you speak ill of Young Master Qiao, how could Master Cui be happy?”

“So what,” Yan Min’er said disdainfully, “Master Cui and my father are friends, he won’t blame me.”

“You…” Madam Yan wanted to stop her daughter’s unrestrained speech but couldn’t bring herself to truly scold her.

Yan Min’er’s beautiful eyes turned as she thought for a moment, then said dismissively: “I bet he’s probably never seen such grand occasions and is hiding somewhere right now, too afraid to come out, waiting for Commander Cui to guide him.”