He Yan hadn’t expected there to be such a history between Yang Mingzhi and Xiao Jue. After hearing Lin Shuanghe’s account, she pondered for quite a while.

Indeed, Yang Mingzhi’s final words were unnecessarily hurtful. But what could have prompted such behavior? If he didn’t want to help, he could have simply refused, why deliberately wound someone so deeply? Moreover, Yang Mingzhi’s original temperament wasn’t so caustic. If He Yan could think this far, surely Xiao Jue, Yang Mingzhi’s former friend, should have considered this as well.

He Yan asked, “What happened after that? Did the Commander never interact with Official Yang again? Was there perhaps some misunderstanding?”

Lin Shuanghe shook his head, “After Huaijin led troops to Guo City, he rarely returned to the capital. As for Yang Mingzhi, shortly after Huaijin left, he stopped attending classes at Xian Chang Academy. Given his talents, I had thought he would achieve top honors in the imperial examinations and remain in Shuo Capital. With his father’s connections and his abilities, this wouldn’t have been difficult. However, after that incident, he seemed to vanish entirely. We were all brothers once, and regarding Huaijin’s matter, Yang Mingzhi was indeed in the wrong. I ceased contact with him afterward, so I didn’t know when he became the Provincial Governor of Jinling.”

These brothers had truly gone their separate ways now, He Yan thought to herself.

Just then, a knock came at the door, accompanied by Yan He’s impatient urging: “Lin Shuanghe, open up!”

Lin Shuanghe rose and walked to the door. Upon opening it, he saw Yan He standing there and smiled, “General Yan, what brings you here so late?”

As Yan He was about to speak, he caught sight of He Yan inside the room and asked suspiciously, “Why is he in your room?”

“I came to check for ants,” He Yan replied. “If there were any, I could help Brother Lin get rid of them.”

“Yes, exactly,” Lin Shuanghe said seriously. “I invited her to drive away ants. Don’t make unnecessary assumptions about our relationship.”

“What nonsense,” Yan He frowned. “Hurry and change your clothes, come with us.”

“Where to?” Lin Shuanghe asked, puzzled.

Yan He cleared his throat, “I’ve had someone inform Yang Mingzhi that we’re going boating on the Qinhuai River tonight. As the Provincial Governor, he naturally should arrange proper entertainment for us. Quick, change your clothes and let Xiao Huaijin know.”

No one had anticipated this move from Yan He. Lin Shuanghe was stunned and asked, “…Why are we going boating?”

“Who do Yang Mingzhi and Xiao Huaijin think they’re fooling?” Yan He said smugly. “I saw through it at a glance. This young master is feeling generous today and willing to be their bridge. Xiao Huaijin won’t come to Jinling often. With more time together, misunderstandings will naturally resolve themselves.” He played with the end of his ponytail, “In my years traveling, I’ve learned much about human nature. With Xiao Huaijin’s unlikeable personality, he can’t resolve misunderstandings with Yang Mingzhi on his own. As for Yang Mingzhi, I don’t particularly dislike him. I’m not doing this for Xiao Huaijin but for Yang Mingzhi alone.”

Seeing Lin Shuanghe’s silence, Yan He lifted his chin, “Well? Aren’t you impressed by my magnanimity? Shouldn’t you thank me on behalf of your dear friend?”

He Yan: “…”

Lin Shuanghe: “…I really must thank you.”

Yan He was truly remarkable, He Yan marveled inwardly, always managing to precisely step on Xiao Jue’s sore spots. No wonder they had clashed at Xian Chang Academy.

“No need for thanks,” Yan He said dismissively. “I’ll go inform Chu Zilan.”

“…Wait,” Lin Shuanghe asked, “Yang Mingzhi is one thing, but why invite Chu Zilan?”

“With everyone staying here, leaving him out alone would make me seem petty. Besides, in official circles, one must be diplomatic. Is constantly fighting like roosters supposed to make one appear formidable?” Yan He sneered, “Oh, I forgot, you’re not an official, so naturally you wouldn’t understand these things.”

He patted Lin Shuanghe’s shoulder and headed toward Chu Zhao’s courtyard.

Lin Shuanghe and He Yan exchanged helpless glances, speechless. True to Yan He’s nature, he had managed to gather two enemies at once. Besides Yang Mingzhi, he’d added Chu Zhao – Xiao Jue might die of anger. He probably wouldn’t even agree to join them.

“Sister He,” Lin Shuanghe said, “Perhaps… you should be the one to tell Huaijin.”

He Yan: “Let’s go together.”

This was practically a death mission – how could she bear it alone?

After much hesitation, they finally went to Xiao Jue’s room together and explained Yan He’s proposal. They expected Xiao Jue to refuse, but surprisingly, he turned and said, “Fine.”

Both He Yan and Lin Shuanghe were shocked.

He agreed just like that, and so calmly? Lin Shuanghe whispered to He Yan, “He won’t start fighting with Yang Mingzhi once we’re on the boat, will he? That would be too unseemly.”

He Yan: “Very likely.”

Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow: “Aren’t you two coming?”

“Yes, yes, of course we’re coming.” Lin Shuanghe moved close to He Yan’s ear and whispered, “We must go. If they start fighting, remember to help break it up.”

He Yan was speechless.

After agreeing, everyone returned to their rooms to change clothes. Having been traveling, they were dusty from the road. Arriving in Jinling and going boating in their travel-worn attire would be inappropriate. He Yan had water brought for bathing and changed into fresh clothes.

When leaving Run Capital, many citizens had given them food and clothing as gifts. Though the fabric wasn’t particularly expensive, it fit well. He Yan looked at herself in the mirror – a youth in blue clothes and cloth boots, with clear features and bright eyes, looking no different from the students at Xian Chang Academy in her previous life. She seemed to have grown taller since first arriving in Liangzhou. Standing in the room, she was as straight as a poplar tree, young and full of vitality.

After finishing her preparations, He Yan pushed open the door and found everyone already waiting for her. Yan He impatiently said, “You’re just a minor official, why are you so troublesome, keeping everyone waiting? Were you applying powder and rouge in there?”

He Yan thought to herself, coincidentally, she had indeed been applying powder and rouge. A young woman disguised as a man needed careful preparation.

Xiao Jue glanced at her, his lips curling slightly, and said, “Let’s go.”

The residence Yang Mingzhi had arranged for them wasn’t far from the Qinhuai River. Therefore, instead of taking carriages, they walked to the riverbank. Their group, composed of either handsome youths or beautiful men, attracted much attention on the street. Occasionally, bold young ladies would pretend to twist their ankles and lean toward them. However, Xiao Jue had always disliked physical contact and skillfully avoided them. Yan He wasn’t particularly chivalrous, but he refrained from scolding them. Chu Zhao had a beautiful maid by his side, so the ladies settled for second best, and in the end, Lin Shuanghe and He Yan bore the brunt of their attention.

He Yan lost count of how many beautiful ladies she had helped steady, but their amorous gazes were truly hard to handle. At that moment, she felt that someone like Song Taotao’s innocent charm was preferable.

Lin Shuanghe was in the same situation, having called out “Miss” countless times.

Yan He watched their predicament with amusement and said to Lin Shuanghe, “Lin Shuanghe, after all these years, you’re still so popular with women.”

Lin Shuanghe straightened his slightly wrinkled robes and smiled, “Naturally, just as you consistently remain unpopular with women.”

Yan He snorted, “I’m already married, I don’t need others’ approval.”

He Yan was startled and looked at Yan He: “General Yan is married?”

At these words, both Xiao Jue and Chu Zhao turned to look at He Yan.

Lin Shuanghe opened his fan, “Surprising, isn’t it? Our General Yan, so young, yet unfortunately married early.”

“I see you’re jealous,” Yan He sneered.

He Yan found it peculiar. Since joining the military, she had rarely kept in touch with her classmates from Xian Chang Academy and hadn’t known when Yan He had married. Although marriage at his age wasn’t unusual, given his arrogant and confrontational personality, it was hard to imagine him as a husband. It was at this moment that He Yan truly felt that the young men of their past had indeed grown up.

As they talked, they reached the Qinhuai River bank, where several servants were waiting. Upon seeing He Yan’s group, they approached and said, “Commander Xiao, General Yan, the Provincial Governor has prepared the boat and is waiting aboard.”

Given the Yang family’s status, Yang Mingzhi needn’t have been so accommodating – he was already showing considerable humility. However, among this group, his former close friend had become estranged, and there was Yan He, well-meaning but tactless. Chu Zhao wasn’t very familiar with Yang Mingzhi, and He Yan was essentially a different person now. Therefore, when they boarded the boat, everyone could sense Yang Mingzhi’s awkwardness.

Yang Mingzhi had removed his official robes and changed into a sandalwood-colored robe. Though an official, his face showed none of the worldliness typical of bureaucrats. Standing there, he appeared even more reserved, retaining something of his youthful pride. He Yan felt momentarily transported back to Xian Chang Academy when Yang Mingzhi was still the Yang Mingzhi of old.

Yan He patted Yang Mingzhi’s shoulder and walked to the bow to look around, saying, “You certainly know how to enjoy life, choosing such a nice place as Jinling. You probably don’t know that we were fighting in Run Capital not long ago, not far from your Jinling. It was hell on earth there, people were even resorting to cannibalism.”

Yang Mingzhi was startled: “Really?” His eyes then showed some indignation, and his lips moved as if wanting to say something, but ultimately he remained silent.

While the Wutuo people had wreaked havoc in Jiyang and Run Capital’s Huayuan, Jinling City remained completely unaffected. It was still a scene of revelry, with many pleasure boats floating down the Qinhuai River, carrying the sounds of strings and woodwinds drifting across the water. The riverbanks were brilliantly lit, as magnificent as a flower garden.

He Yan sat inside the boat, gazing out the window. The water’s surface was brilliantly lit by lanterns from the boats and fishing lights, creating an illusion of true peace and prosperity.

This place was different from Jiyang. Jiyang’s boats were smaller, its water markets lively, its women as bold and straightforward as the city itself. But Jinling was like an old dream of pavilions – among the boats, lanterns, and waterside pavilions lay a scene of intense beauty and spring splendor.

From one of the pleasure boats came the sound of a pipa. The notes fell like pearls on jade, setting thoughts adrift. Lin Shuanghe stood at the bow and smiled, “Jinling City is the same as it was years ago. These boats, this water, this pipa music – not a single thing has changed.”

Hearing this, Ying Xiang asked curiously, “Has Young Master Lin been to Jinling before?”

“Of course,” Lin Shuanghe opened his fan gracefully, “In fact, I wasn’t the only one on this boat who was here last time. Brother Yan, Huaijin… Official Yang, isn’t that right?”

He then turned to He Yan, who was still watching the scenery on the water: “Brother He, this must be your first time in Jinling. What do you think?”

He Yan nodded: “It’s beautiful.”

She thought to herself that this wasn’t her first time in Jinling. As Lin Shuanghe had mentioned, during their last visit to Jinling, everyone on this boat had been there – plus herself.

It was a summer day at Xian Chang Academy, during the same season as now. There was a poetry gathering in Jinling City, inviting all the renowned scholars of Great Wei. This was the first such event in ten years – a rare opportunity. The academy’s teachers wanted to broaden their students’ horizons, so they selected the ten students who performed best in classical studies and secured invitations for them.

He Yan hadn’t received an invitation, of course. Though she was better at classical studies than martial arts, she wasn’t among the top ten. But she hadn’t been particularly interested in traveling to Jinling anyway. Wearing a mask was always inconvenient, especially when spending days traveling with the young men. It would have been difficult to find time to avoid them, so not going was for the best. Thinking this way, she hadn’t felt much regret.

That day, He Yan had stayed behind to study after classes as usual. As the sun was setting, she figured there might still be some food left in the kitchen and headed there. Xian Chang Academy never stinted on students’ meals – there were always some pastries or dishes available in the kitchen, regardless of the time.

Just as He Yan reached the kitchen, she noticed the door to the woodshed was slightly ajar. As she approached, she heard excited young voices from inside: “Brother Lin’s suggestion is excellent! Since we’re going to Jinling anyway, why not visit Cloud Rising Tower to broaden our horizons? I’ve long heard of the Flower Immortal’s fame – seeing her once would make this life worthwhile.”

“Right?” Lin Shuanghe’s voice followed, “They say the beauties and wine at Cloud Rising Tower are unmatched in Great Wei. How could a poetry gathering compare? I say we stay in Jinling for a few extra days. The teachers won’t be coming along anyway. As long as we keep our servants and guards in check, we can enjoy ourselves – no one else will know!”

He Yan was stunned. She knew of Cloud Rising Tower – it was said to house the most courtesans of any pleasure house in Great Wei, each with their unique charm and beauty. Like a garden of a hundred flowers, and among them, the Flower Immortal was said to be ethereally beautiful, unforgettable to all who saw her.

These people were using the poetry gathering as an excuse to visit a pleasure house. If the teachers found out, they’d all have their legs broken. He Yan marveled at their boldness but had no desire to get involved, and was about to leave when suddenly a voice called out: “Who’s there?”

The next moment, the woodshed door flew open. A group of young men sat in a circle, and Yan He grabbed He Yan’s collar angrily: “You were eavesdropping?”

“I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop,” He Yan protested, “I was just passing by.” They were the ones talking so loudly with the door open, being so brazen – how could they blame her?

Yan He threw her into the woodshed and closed the door. The young men’s burning gazes turned to her as they spoke all at once.

“To think He Rufei would overhear us, how unlucky! Maybe we should cancel – what if this fellow reports us?”

“No way! We finally get to go to Jinling, we can’t let this kid ruin it – that would be too much of a waste!”

“Then what should we do? Silence them?” one youth said ominously, “Bury them alive right here?”

He Yan was startled and weakly spoke up: “…There’s no need to be so violent, I didn’t hear anything. Brother… Brother Lin?” She looked to Lin Shuanghe for help – they had “made progress together” after all, surely he wouldn’t abandon her now.

Lin Shuanghe stared at her thoughtfully for a moment, then closed his fan, “Oh, it’s not a big deal. I trust that even if Brother He heard something, they wouldn’t report us.”

“What good is your trust?” Yan He’s face darkened, “Will you take responsibility if something goes wrong?”

“I won’t take that responsibility, but why don’t we just bring them along?” Lin Shuanghe spread his hands, “That way, they won’t sabotage themselves, right?”

He Yan: “…”

Lin Shuanghe always managed to come up with particularly unique solutions in these situations.

He Yan protested: “The teachers won’t agree, I don’t have an invitation…”

“Don’t worry about that,” Lin Shuanghe smiled slightly, “Leave it to this young master.”

And so, He Yan was forced to accompany the young men to Jinling.

Lin Shuanghe obtained an invitation from somewhere, and the teachers agreed. Though Madam He was somewhat uneasy, He Yuansheng strongly approved. He supported anything that could add glory to “He Rufei’s” name. Thus, without much effort, He Yan made her first independent journey with the young men to Jinling.

They traveled by water.

It was He Yan’s first time on a large boat, and she was violently seasick, nearly vomiting up her heart and liver. The other young men already disliked having her tagging along and mocked her for being delicate. Even Lin Shuanghe, the only one who had a decent relationship with He Yan, had already become good friends with the boatman’s daughter, constantly telling her stories and making her laugh, completely forgetting about “Brother He” who had been forced to make this journey because of his words.

He Yan was miserable but couldn’t say anything. She leaned against the boat’s edge, listening to the cheerful laughter of the young men playing with crickets inside, looking at the cold, clear moon above, feeling the chilly wind – her heart felt particularly desolate.

Just as she was wondering if she could fish from the boat, someone suddenly patted her shoulder from behind. He Yan instinctively turned around, and the next moment, something cold was stuffed into her mouth. She was startled and about to cry out, but the object slid down her throat and into her stomach.

“Cough, cough, cough—” She began coughing violently and looked at the person before her.

The white-robed youth was leaning against the ship’s rail, carelessly glancing at her. In the moonlight, her reflection was visible in his pupils.

He Yan frantically clutched at her throat and asked, “What… what did you make me eat?”

Xiao Jue lazily replied: “Poison.”

“What—” He Yan was horrified.

“Shh,” he rested his chin on his hand, looking at the flowing water in the distance, “Don’t shout. If you’re too loud, you’ll die faster.”

“I,” He Yan was nearly in tears, “I’ve done nothing to wrong you, why would you harm me?”

The youth’s mouth twitched, and his usually languid expression took on a hint of mischief, “Isn’t it because we’re afraid you’ll tell on us?”

“I won’t tell!” He Yan grew desperate: “Quick, give me the antidote!”

“There is no antidote,” Xiao Jue replied indifferently, “It’s incurable.”

He didn’t seem to be lying. He Yan froze for a moment, her legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

How could this be?

So these young men had lured her out just to conveniently silence her? This place was indeed perfect for murder – throw the body in the river, and no trace would remain. Though she wondered if it would be cold to be eaten by fish after death.

Her courage was small then, but her thoughts were many. After wallowing in misery for a long while, she finally looked up at the youth standing at the bow and asked, “How many days do I have left?”

Seemingly surprised by her question, Xiao Jue paused, then snorted: “Five days.”

“Five days…” He Yan murmured: “It only takes three days to reach Jinling, that’s good. I’ll still have two days to see the Flower Immortal.”

Since she was going to die anyway, seeing a beautiful woman before death wouldn’t be so bad, she thought.

Xiao Jue let out a mocking laugh but didn’t answer.

He Yan hugged the ship’s mast and sat for a while longer. After some time, she stood up and wobbled inside. After a few steps, she suddenly realized something.

She wasn’t seasick anymore.

Finally understanding, He Yan ran back to Xiao Jue and looked up at him excitedly: “Brother… Brother Huaijin, I’m not seasick anymore. What you gave me just now – was it medicine for seasickness?”

Though her mask covered her face, it couldn’t hide her upturned lips and joyful tone. Xiao Jue looked at her coldly, curved his lips, and spoke in a gentle tone but with harsh words: “Fool.”

He turned and walked away.

He Yan watched his retreating figure and thought this person was truly odd – if it was seasickness medicine, why not just say so? Why tease and scare her like that?

…Though she had indeed been frightened.

Recalling these childhood memories, He Yan couldn’t help but smile. Just then, from a nearby pleasure boat – the one with the pipa music – came a woman’s song.

“…Cang Mountain is far, Wu Mountain is far, this small boat has traveled everywhere but dreams are hard to hold… Thoughts are difficult, regrets are difficult, now you and I are separated by railings, as spring winds age the youth…”

The woman’s voice was gentle and exceptionally clear, even more moving than the pearl-like pipa notes. Lin Shuanghe pointed his fan at that boat and said: “This is it! Back then, the Flower Immortal’s music was just like this, lingering in the rafters for three days without fading. I…”

He suddenly stopped, as if remembering something, and quickly went forward to speak with the servants on the boat. The servant soon left, and shortly after, the boat ahead stopped. Someone lifted the curtain, and a woman carrying a pipa stepped out.

This woman wore a thin silk dress in the color of begonia red, her phoenix eyes half-curved, her lips like cherry dots, her arms delicate, her bearing graceful and charming. Standing at the bow, her manner alone was enough to enter one’s spirit. The boat’s lanterns created intersecting lights, making it difficult to see her features. Yet even without seeing clearly, one knew she must be incomparably beautiful.

She held her pipa and didn’t speak, only bowing gracefully to everyone, like an old-colored dream by the Qinhuai River, illuminating the innocent eyes of the young men.

“…Miss You Xian?” Lin Shuanghe spoke in surprise.