“Pfft—cough cough!” Zhang Huaiyu couldn’t contain his laughter, spitting out his wine and choking.
Before he could recover, his vision blurred. Suddenly, he felt a numbness in his neck and his throat tightened. He tried to speak but couldn’t make a sound.
His mute acupoint had been struck!
Although everyone present was skilled in martial arts, only one person could strike so swiftly and imperceptibly—the man beside him, Prince Jiang Xu of Beiding, the legendary war god feared by the northern barbarians.
Zhang Huaiyu’s eyes widened. He pointed his folding fan at Jiang Xu, his face full of accusation.
Jiang Xu didn’t flinch. He merely raised his eyelids and gazed at Zhang Huaiyu silently.
His eyes were like a frozen lake—dark, cold, and still. For reasons unknown, Zhang Huaiyu felt a chill down his spine and meekly lowered his fan.
Outside, lanterns on both riverbanks reflected on the water, creating a shimmering spectacle. The warm room fell silent once more, with only the tassel of the folding fan swaying gently in the candlelight.
—
“Minmin, did you hear something just now?” Ming Tan asked hesitantly.
“Sound? What sound?” Bai Minmin looked puzzled.
Ming Tan glanced around, paused for a moment, then shook her head. “I thought I heard someone cough… maybe I was mistaken.”
Although Tingyu Tower was designed for privacy, and the adjacent room was occupied by martial artists who could easily hear outside noises, Ming Tan’s keen hearing might not have picked up anything if the windows hadn’t been open for viewing the scenery.
Perhaps out of caution, or because they had finished discussing important matters, the two girls moved on to lighter topics.
As the second-night watch began, the official boat stopped in the middle of Xian River, preparing to launch fireworks.
Bai Minmin had been waiting eagerly by the window. Ming Tan, setting aside her usual composure, lifted her skirt and stepped onto the small platform by the window. She leaned out, hands on the windowsill, unable to resist peering outside.
The Lantern Festival in the capital was always a grand affair, filled with spectacular performances and endless entertainment.
Both banks of the Xian River were ablaze with lights. Crowds gathered, eagerly awaiting the fireworks. Wishing lanterns floated from the docks, creating a scene of prosperity and celebration.
Amidst cheers from the shore, fireworks burst from the official boat. Wealthy families on the banks joined in, lighting their displays. For a moment, the night sky blazed as bright as day with dazzling colors.
Despite their noble upbringing, Ming Tan and Bai Minmin were still innocent teenagers. They watched with bated breath, unwilling to miss a single moment.
“It’s beautiful,” Ming Tan sighed softly, her face cupped in her hands as she gazed at the night sky.
Bai Minmin nodded excitedly. “I loved that rabbit-shaped one just now. So cute!”
“I like those golden sparks that shower down. The sound is so delicate and pleasing, like… Look, there they are again!”
The soft, excited voices of the girls not only caught their companion’s attention but also drew the gaze of those in the adjacent room towards the window.
Jiang Xu remained still, continuing to pour and drink his wine. However, his seat faced the window, and as he tilted his head back, he caught a full view of the dreamlike golden rain in the night sky. His eyes flickered, and the wine slid down his throat without a trace of its usual bite.
The fireworks were breathtaking but fleeting. As the night sky returned to darkness, Ming Tan stood by the window, lost in thought and feeling inexplicably melancholic.
Fortunately, it wasn’t too late. Bai Minmin, eager to join the festivities on South Imperial River Street, persuaded Ming Tan to go along. Her vivid descriptions of flower-adorned carriages and lantern displays quickly dispelled Ming Tan’s lingering sadness.
Ming Tan had never before visited South Imperial River Street during the Lantern Festival. This long riverside street was known for its lively atmosphere but also its mix of characters. Every year, incidents involving women and children occurred here, so noble families usually discouraged their daughters from visiting.
The two girls carefully covered their faces with veils. As they stepped down from their carriage, the dazzling lights and bustling crowd momentarily dazed Ming Tan.
Bai Minmin, having snuck out here for several years, was well-adjusted. She looked around and suddenly exclaimed, “Oh!”
“What is it?” Ming Tan asked.
“Nothing, I just thought I saw Young Master Shu,” Bai Minmin said, peering ahead curiously.
Young Master Shu Jingran, the Right Minister’s son, was known for his grace and literary talent. Many young women in the capital admired him.
It was rumored that he would participate in this year’s spring imperial examination, and many believed he was the prime candidate for the role of “Tanhua” (third-ranked scholar).
Ming Tan had once caught a glimpse of Shu Jingran from afar and found him to be a refined and elegant young man. If not for her troublesome engagement with the Ling Marquis’s family, an alliance with the Shu family would have been desirable. Speaking of which, her impending break-up was inevitable, so she should start considering suitable matches.
As Ming Tan was lost in thought, Bai Minmin exclaimed again, “I wasn’t mistaken. Look, Tan, isn’t that Commander Lu? If Commander Lu is here, Young Master Shu must be with him!”
Ming Tan followed Bai Minmin’s gaze. The tall, sword-wearing man ahead had a scar that ran from his left forehead to the end of his eyebrow—unmistakably Lu Ting, the notoriously ruthless Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard.
It was well-known that Lu Ting, Shu Jingran, and Zhang Huaiyu were close friends. Before Ming Tan could get a clear view of Shu Jingran with Lu Ting, Bai Minmin eagerly pulled her forward to search for them.
“Oh… Young Miss!” Their maid, realizing what was happening, hurried after them.
The girls moved quickly, but the street was packed with revelers. In the blink of an eye, the men they had spotted vanished into the crowd.
Unable to get a closer look at the handsome young man, Bai Minmin was a bit disappointed. However, her playful nature soon drew her attention to the various stalls lining the riverside.
One moment she wanted to buy sweet cakes, the next roasted chestnuts. She carried small trinkets in her hands and insisted on lifting Ming Tan’s veil to feed her street snacks.
Ming Tan, always particular about food and drink, wouldn’t dare consume these street foods. As Bai Minmin tried to feed her and Ming Tan dodged, the two girls dissolved into laughter, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
“See? Isn’t South Imperial River Street much more fun than the colored tents at Daxiangguo Temple?” Bai Minmin boasted to Ming Tan after they had released wishing lanterns at the dock.
Ming Tan was about to reply when suddenly someone waved a folding fan and called out, “Sister Tan!”
Confused, Ming Tan thought she must be hearing things.
But the person quickly approached, proving she hadn’t imagined it.
“Sister Tan, and this is… Sister Min?” the newcomer asked.
The man was handsome, dressed in an exquisite jade-white brocade robe with a light gold crown, every inch a noble young master.
Recognizing him, Bai Minmin wanted to kick him. She snapped, “Who’s your sister?”
The Ling Marquis’s family was betrothed to the Jing’an Marquis’s family but had little interaction with the Chang Marquis’s family. Bai Minmin’s rejection made the overly familiar “Sister Min” inappropriate. The man didn’t argue, quickly bowing in apology for his presumption.
Though Bai Minmin knew it wasn’t the time to make a scene, she still wanted to verbally jab at him. Ming Tan, however, tugged at her sleeve and tried to maintain her composure as she asked, “Young Master, how did you recognize me?”
He smiled lightly, fanning himself as he replied smoothly, “Sister Tan shines like a brilliant pearl. Even a thin veil cannot hide your radiance.”
Ming Tan’s face remained impassive, but inwardly she wanted to slap him and demand he speak plainly.
Strangely, she had once thought her fiancé, Liang Zixuan, was talented and courteous. Though slightly less refined than Shu Jingran, he had seemed a worthy match.
Now, looking at him, she felt her past self must have been blind. Why was he fanning himself in this cold weather? His words were so frivolous and affected! Oily! Pretentious!
Perhaps sensing Ming Tan’s discomfort, Liang Zixuan explained with another smile, “Actually, I recognized the water-reflecting hairpin in Sister Tan’s hair. You seem to favor it.”
Ming Tan didn’t respond.
Liang Zixuan paused, then continued talking to cover his awkwardness.
Despite his efforts, Liang Zixuan’s words failed to elicit any response from Ming Tan. The Bai family girl occasionally shot him dagger-like glares.
Could they know about… No, impossible. That matter had been kept tightly under wraps. How could the Ming and Bai families have found out?
If they knew, given the Chang Marquis’s overprotective nature, he surely wouldn’t have remained quiet and not cause trouble for the Ling Marquis’s family.
This thought calmed Liang Zixuan somewhat. He belatedly realized the importance of his mother’s earlier instructions.
While he was fond of his cousin’s delicate charm, he had always considered Ming Tan his future wife. Moreover, the Ming and Bai families behind her would be great assets for his future career. This marriage was not something he could afford to lose.
Reflecting on this, he finally understood the gravity of the situation he had previously dismissed when talking with his mother. Discreetly, he moved his hands behind his back, tapping his wrist with his folding fan.
Meanwhile, he continued his one-sided conversation with Ming Tan, feigning normalcy as he changed the subject.
Ming Tan was waiting for Lü’e and her guards to arrive so she could use them as an excuse to escape Liang Zixuan’s persistence. As she finally caught sight of Lü’e, a commotion erupted in the distant crowd.
“Thief! Stop that thief!”
“You there! Don’t run!”
Ming Tan looked towards the noise but before she could see clearly, two figures from the chaotic crowd charged towards the dock. Before she could react, she felt a forceful push—
“Tan!”
“Young Miss!”
Bai Minmin and Lü’e’s cries were accompanied by an unexpected splash as Ming Tan fell into the water.
Liang Zixuan reacted swiftly, shouting “Sister Tan!” as he anxiously removed his outer robe, preparing to rescue her.
Lü’e, seeing her future young master, felt a glimmer of hope in her panic. She nodded urgently, “Young Master, please save our Young Miss quickly!”
Bai Minmin instinctively held Liang Zixuan back, shouting, “Don’t go!”
Despite her playful nature, she was still a young lady from a noble family. She knew better than anyone that if Liang Zixuan rescued Ming Tan, it would ruin her friend’s life.
“Do you want to watch her die?” Liang Zixuan challenged, shaking off Bai Minmin’s grip.
Another splash followed as he jumped into the water.
Bai Minmin felt a chill run through her body. She knew Ming Tan well—her friend would rather drown in the Xian River than be rescued by Liang Zixuan in front of everyone.
She stared intently at the river’s surface, forcing herself to calm down and organize the guards and maids who had arrived:
“Keep the onlookers away. Don’t let anyone near!”
“You two, go down and pull the Young Master Liang away. And you two, can you swim? Go down and bring Tan back up!”
“We can’t hold them off for long. Lü’e, go back immediately and bring more guards to help keep people away!”
“Yes, miss!”
The river was bone-chillingly cold before spring, and the biting wind made it worse. Liang Zixuan quickly realized that rescuing someone wasn’t as easy as he had imagined. He couldn’t even locate Ming Tan.
Not only Liang Zixuan but also the guards and maids Bai Minmin had sent to search couldn’t find any trace of Ming Tan after a considerable time.
The dock wasn’t particularly deep, so it seemed impossible for someone to drown without a trace in such a short time. Yet they couldn’t spot even a glimpse of Ming Tan’s clothing.
After about half an hour, onlookers were forcibly kept away from the dock, aware only that someone had fallen in but unclear about the details.
Some idle men, seeing the commotion, guessed it might be a young lady from a noble family. They eagerly volunteered to help, hoping for a chance at a good marriage.
As the situation was about to spiral out of control, Bai Minmin felt both anxious and desperate. She regretted suggesting the outing to South Imperial River Street. If anything happened to Ming Tan, she would never forgive herself.
Just then, amidst the crisis, a figure in green waved a handkerchief at Bai Minmin from beyond the crowd: “Young Miss Bai, why are you still here? We’ve been looking everywhere for you! My young miss has personally made tangyuan today and is waiting for you to come and taste them!”
The green-clad woman intentionally raised her voice.
The voice sounded gentle, clear, and oddly familiar.
Bai Minmin turned, momentarily stunned.
It was… Suxin, Ming Tan’s most trusted maid?
How was she here?
And what did she just say? Her… young miss?
Suxin approached, calmly bowing to Bai Minmin and repeating her young miss’s invitation for Bai Minmin to come and taste the tangyuan.
Noticing Liang Zixuan being helped out of the water by guards behind Bai Minmin, Suxin asked with mild surprise, “Did Young Master Liang fall into the water?”
Bai Minmin, still trying to process the situation, didn’t know how to respond.
It wasn’t until she caught sight of the breathless Lü’e returning and frantically gesturing “It’s okay” that something suddenly clicked in her mind.
She quickly played along: “Yes, yes. Young Master Liang fell in. I… I happened to pass by and sent my guards to rescue him.”
“Oh, so it was just a man.”
“A grown man needing rescue after falling in? How embarrassing!”
“All this fuss for nothing.”
“Let’s go. We thought it was a young lady from an official’s family!”
The onlookers dispersed, waving their hands in boredom.
“???”
Liang Zixuan, shivering uncontrollably from the cold, couldn’t speak, but his eyes were filled with disbelief.