As Jiang Ci was about to go to bed after several dull days, she heard voices in the courtyard. She rushed out and was overjoyed to see Cui Liang and Wei Zhao. She bounced towards them, calling out, “Brother Cui!”
The stone steps were icy from the snow, and she slipped, falling forward. Wei Zhao hurried to catch her. Being too far, he couldn’t maintain his balance and ended up shielding her in his arms as he fell onto the snowy ground.
Cui Liang approached, laughing, “You two, one with world-class martial arts and the other with outstanding qinggong, yet you’re acting like children.”
Jiang Ci stood up, grinning, and looked at Cui Liang. She was happy to see him and wanted to ask him to check her pulse again, but before she could speak, Wei Zhao had already stood up. He moved behind Jiang Ci, and suddenly, everything went dark for her as she fell into Wei Zhao’s arms.
Seeing Cui Liang’s surprise, Wei Zhao smiled and carried Jiang Ci into the room, gently laying her on the bed and tucking her in. He gazed at her delicate, beautiful face, took a deep breath, and walked to the outer room.
Cui Liang, sensing Wei Zhao had urgent matters to discuss, sat down at the table and calmly said, “Brother Xiao, please speak freely.”
The night wind was fierce, blowing through the door cracks. The candle on the table flickered, casting Wei Zhao’s handsome features in alternating light and shadow.
After listening silently, Cui Liang frowned and shook his head, “It’s not possible.”
Wei Zhao just looked at him quietly. After a moment, Cui Liang said, “What you’re planning is too risky. Although you manage the Guangming Bureau, they are still the Emperor’s guards. You can only control them for a short time, not indefinitely. Moreover, it won’t be easy for you to turn around and control Gao Cheng’s forces afterward.”
“To achieve great things, one must take risks. Ziming, if we don’t do this, tens of thousands of my Yueluo people will die. Besides, sooner or later, the Emperor will move against the Young Lord. Do you think Pei Yan is the type to surrender without a fight? If the Changfeng Cavalry is forced to rebel, the entire Hua Dynasty will be plunged into civil war. Can you bear to see the world engulfed in flames again?”
Cui Liang urgently replied, “But you can’t use such methods! What if you fail? Not only will you fail to save Yueluo, but many people will be implicated in the crime of treason, facing the execution of nine generations!”
Wei Zhao’s expression turned cold, “Ziming, it’s too late for such talk now. Gao Cheng’s men are already moving towards the imperial tombs. The Young Lord’s Changfeng Guards are secretly in position. Marquis Zhen Bei has also turned back midway and is leading troops to secretly advance north from Nan’an Prefecture. If the situation turns unfavorable, Ning Jianyu’s forces are ready to march south at any moment. Tomorrow is the grand ceremony at the imperial tombs. Everything has been set in motion. The arrow is already on the string; it must be released!”
Cui Liang was speechless, his palms sweating. Wei Zhao continued, “Ziming, the Young Lord would never let you know about these things. I’m telling you this tonight not to involve you, but to ask you for two favors.”
He stood up, straightened his robes, and with a solemn expression, bowed deeply to Cui Liang.
Cui Liang hurriedly stood to return the bow, saying, “Brother Xiao, you’re too kind.”
Wei Zhao glanced at the inner room, his expression darkening. Cui Liang seized the opportunity to advise, “Brother Xiao, what about Xiao Ci if something happens to you? She’s your wife; you have a responsibility to her.”
Wei Zhao felt a sharp pain in his heart but forced himself to say, “That’s why I’m asking you today, Ziming. If… if I don’t return, please take Xiao Ci away, far away, and never come back to the capital.”
Before Cui Liang could respond, Wei Zhao continued, “There’s one more thing I must ask of you. This bow is on behalf of my tens of thousands of Yueluo people. I beg for your promise.” He bowed again, deeply and formally.
Cui Liang stared at him intently and asked, “Brother Xiao, why do you trust me so much?”
Wei Zhao straightened up and smiled, “Ziming, when you suggested to the Young Lord to use the people’s power to drive out the Huan army, preventing them from easily raising troops later… Don’t tell me that was just a spur-of-the-moment idea.”
The cold wind howled through the deep alley, like a ghost from hell screaming in the night.
Wei Zhao stood in the darkness of the deep alley, watching Cui Liang board the carriage. The wheels crushed the snow as it drove away. He took a deep breath, feeling somewhat relieved, and made his way back to the small courtyard in Old Willow Lane.
He sat down by the bed, holding the still unconscious Jiang Ci in his arms for a long time until his arms grew numb. Then he gently unsealed her acupoints.
Jiang Ci opened her eyes, still confused about what had happened. Wei Zhao spoke softly, “Are you feeling unwell somewhere? How did you faint so suddenly?”
Jiang Ci was secretly delighted, thinking it was a symptom of her pregnancy. She wondered whether to tell Wei Zhao and became lost in thought. The candlelight made her eyes sparkle and her cheeks flush. Wei Zhao was mesmerized. He extinguished the candle and slowly leaned down.
Jiang Ci let out a small “Ah” as he covered her lips with his. She momentarily forgot about her news, but then remembered something else. When Wei Zhao released her lips and began kissing down her neck, she caught her breath and asked with a smile, “Where’s Brother Cui?”
“He had something to do and left. He said he’d come to see you next time.”
Jiang Ci wanted to ask if Cui Liang had checked her pulse after she fainted, but Wei Zhao had already buried his head in her chest. She became dizzy and could say nothing more, holding him tightly.
That night, he seemed particularly enamored with her body, like a thirsty traveler finding a spring or a dying fish returning to the sea. They intertwined passionately until the end of the zi hour (1-3 am) before falling into a deep sleep in each other’s arms.
It was still dark outside when Wei Zhao bit his tongue to force himself awake and quietly got up.
Jiang Ci struggled to open her eyes, watching him light a candle and put on his clothes. Feeling reluctant, she pouted, “It’s still early, let’s sleep a bit more.”
Her eyes were slightly open, her lips alluring, and her cheeks still flushed. Wei Zhao suddenly felt as if his heart was about to shatter, and his feet froze in place.
After a long silence, Jiang Ci called out, “Wu Xia.”
Wei Zhao forced a smile, sat down on the bed, and held her in his arms. He said softly, “I have something to do. You sleep a bit more. I’ll wait until you’re asleep before I leave.”
His clothes carried a faint, elegant fragrance, and his arms were so long and strong that it seemed no matter how fierce the wind and snow outside, they could shelter her for a lifetime. Jiang Ci felt completely at ease. She closed her eyes, listening to Wei Zhao’s slightly heavy breathing, and murmured, “Wu Xia.”
“Mm.”
Feeling a bit shy, she turned and hugged his waist, burying her face in his chest. She called out again, “Wu Xia.”
An expression of unbearable pain crossed Wei Zhao’s face. Afraid she might notice, he gently patted her back and said softly, “Xiao Ci, I’ll be busy for the next few days and might not be able to come. Take good care of yourself and don’t fall ill.”
Jiang Ci responded softly, thinking about how he wouldn’t be able to come for a few days. She hugged him tighter and said, “Wu Xia, I have something to tell you.”
Wei Zhao looked at the sky outside the window and had to harden his heart. He said, “I have to go. We’ll talk next time.” He put Jiang Ci down, not daring to look at her, and suddenly stood up, striding towards the door.
“Wu Xia,” Jiang Ci called out urgently.
Wei Zhao paused at the doorway. Still feeling shy, Jiang Ci lowered her gaze and said softly, “We… we’re going to have a little kitten soon.”
It took Wei Zhao a while to understand her meaning, and his vision blurred.
He felt a mix of joy and sorrow, a feeling both sweet and bitter spreading through his heart and overflowing to his entire body. A sense of happiness he had never experienced before, intertwined with intense pain, crashed over him like a tidal wave, making him sway, almost unable to bear it.
He slowly turned around and walked back to the bed on unsteady feet. Jiang Ci looked up, saw the strange expression on his face, and thought he hadn’t understood her meaning. She smiled, biting her lip, and said teasingly, “Silly, I mean, next June, you’re going to be a fa—”
Before she could finish, Wei Zhao had embraced her, pulling her tightly into his arms. As she looked up, she felt a coolness on her neck that slid down into her clothes. Only then did she realize that this coolness was his tears.
Thinking he was overwhelmed with joy, she laughed, “I’ve calculated it. By next June, our first little kitten will be born. Later, we can have a whole litter of kittens. That way, we won’t be lonely anymore, okay?”
Her voice was so close yet seemed so distant. Her body was like a flame, and he was like a moth willingly burning to ashes. Wei Zhao stroked her hair over and over again, suddenly feeling that the path ahead was no longer full of thorns or endless darkness.
He finally laughed with infinite joy. Jiang Ci looked up into his eyes, her heart overflowing with happiness, and said softly, “Wu Xia, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself.”
Wei Zhao tightened his arms, hugging her firmly, then slowly released her. His heart was full of reluctance and attachment, but he only stroked her forehead and said gently, “Xiao Ci, wait for me to return.”
He gazed at her for a moment, then stood up and walked to the door. As his right foot crossed the threshold, he turned back and smiled at her.
At that moment, the first ray of dawn light shone through the window, enveloping his figure. Jiang Ci looked up and felt that his smile at that moment was as bright as the morning sun, as pure as a newborn baby, without a trace of gloom, without a speck of dust, without any pain.
She was captivated, her heart filled with boundless joy. She smiled radiantly back at him, her dimples appearing like dewdrops on a begonia petal, clear and crystalline, facing the morning sun, smiling with happiness.