Chapter 21

In the bamboo pavilion of Prince Yong’s residence, the white gauze curtains fluttered gently in the breeze. Zuo Lingxue and Prince Yong sat across from each other at the chess table, one playing black, the other white.

The black pieces had gained a powerful advantage. The white pieces were on the verge of defeat, yet their player remained calm and unhurried, seemingly indifferent to the outcome.

“I’ve hidden my strength for years, bowed to that venomous woman as if she were my mother. How much longer must I endure?” Prince Yong placed a black piece on the board, cutting off white’s remaining path.

Zuo Lingxue looked at him with eyes as clear and still as autumn water. Her voice was mild. “There’s no need to rush, Your Highness. If you wish to achieve something great, Bu Nian must be removed first.”

She spoke his name without even blinking. Whatever bond they once shared, she treated him now as less than a stranger.

“What exactly is Bu Nian thinking? You were close to him. Can’t you see through him?” On his own turf, Prince Yong could finally shed the mask and let his ambition show. “But on one thing, you’re right. Whether he rebels or not, he’s my enemy.”

As the future Princess Yong, being asked directly about her past with another man should have been deeply awkward. Yet Zuo Lingxue’s expression did not shift. On the contrary, a faint smile curled at the corner of her lips.

“He never spoke to me about court matters. Even when the old General Bu was assassinated, I only heard it from others.” She gave a wry smile. “Bu Nian was never one to talk much. We met on the battlefield, came to know each other in our youth, then parted more often than not. I wouldn’t say we were ever truly close.”

Seeing no chance to turn the tide, she set the white pieces aside and conceded.

In truth, it was not so much that Bu Nian was quiet, but that he was cautious. Even she had never fully earned his trust. Yet she did not wish to tell Prince Yong that. Saying it aloud would only make her feel even more pathetic.

Prince Yong toyed with a chess piece in his hand. “Getting rid of him won’t be difficult. Just let the Empress Dowager act. It wouldn’t be the first time she’s done something like this.” A sneer crossed his face. “The only concern is whether Bu Nian will take the bait.”

Zuo Lingxue began gathering the chess pieces, placing each into its proper box. “If we want him to bite, there may be someone who can help.”

Prince Yong leaned forward, his interest piqued. “Oh? He could endure even the murder of his own father. Who else could stir him?”

The Emperor had long lost his virtue, caring only for pleasure. Most affairs of state now fell under the Empress Dowager’s control. She was the kind of woman who sought only immediate gain and never considered the future. Fearing the Bu family’s influence in the military, she had schemed to eliminate the old general. In the end, she had failed to destroy the family completely and had only succeeded in souring relations with them.

Prince Yong felt disgust rise in him at the thought of her actions. Utterly foolish. Just like her niece, useless and incapable of achieving anything worthwhile.

“Leave it to me, Your Highness,” Zuo Lingxue said. Her delicate features held the beauty of a celestial maiden, but behind that calm expression, a deadly trap had already been laid.

—

Bu Nian entered Lian Ai’s courtyard and saw him sitting on a bench beneath the pavilion, arms resting on the railing as he stared blankly into the distance.

“What are you looking at?”

Lian Ai turned and glanced at him. “…The moon.”

Bu Nian was surprised he still had the mood for moon gazing. He walked over and sat beside him, following his gaze.

The full moon hung high in the sky like a jade disc. The stars around it were dimmed, their light drowned out by its brilliance.

To Bu Nian, the moon seemed no different from usual. “A rare clear night.”

Lian Ai replied, “There’s been a lot of rain before spring. It’ll pass soon enough.”

Suddenly, Bu Nian asked, “Are you afraid of heights?”

Lian Ai blinked, momentarily stunned. Just as he opened his mouth to ask how high he meant, his body grew light. Bu Nian had pulled him close by the waist and leapt into the air.

The cold wind rushed past them. Lian Ai was so startled he couldn’t even speak. All he could do was cling tightly to Bu Nian’s neck, pressing close to him.

Bu Nian carried him in a series of graceful leaps and landed atop the highest building in the general’s estate.

“Does the moon look bigger from up here?”

Bu Nian tried to release his hold, but Lian Ai clutched his hand tightly, refusing to let go.

He had never looked at the moon from such a height. There were no railings on the rooftop. If he slipped…

The thought made him swallow hard. His grip tightened.

“Scared?” Bu Nian reversed his hold and slowly sat down on the rooftop ridge. “I’m not going to let you fall.”

Lian Ai sat with him, still keeping their fingers interlocked. He shook his head and replied, “Not scared. This is much better.”

They sat close together, chatting idly.

Bu Nian said, “If you like the moon, I’ll take you boating in Jiangnan next spring. There are many lakes there. At night, the water reflects the sky like a mirror. It’s as if there are two moons, one above and one below. I think you’d like it.”

Lian Ai lowered his head with a quiet smile. He didn’t take it seriously, thinking Bu Nian was simply being polite.

Suddenly, Bu Nian tilted his chin upward. Their eyes met, and with a faint smile, he asked, “You don’t believe I’ll take you?”

Lian Ai could only answer, “I believe you.”

Bu Nian seemed satisfied and let go of his hand. After a moment, as if remembering something important, he gave a soft “Ah.”

“I haven’t tested your studies these past few days. Did you practice your hundred crossbow shots tonight?”

Lian Ai froze. His eyes shifted slightly, his posture uneasy. Ever since that rainy night with Bu Nian, the next evening’s lesson had been canceled so he could rest. That single night of rest had quietly extended until now.

He hadn’t minded the hardship before. But once he slacked off and tasted the sweetness of laziness, picking it back up became much harder.

“My… my waist hurts.”

Bu Nian raised a brow. “Still hurting?”

Lian Ai nodded. “It does.”

Bu Nian hardened his expression and pretended to let go. “Still lying to me?”

Lian Ai thought he was really going to leave him. From a rooftop this high, how could he get down alone? In a panic, he grabbed the general’s sleeve. “General, it really hurts. This sl…” Then he remembered Bu Nian once said he always called himself ‘slave’ whenever he felt guilty. He nearly bit his tongue catching himself. “I’m not lying to you.”

Bu Nian found it amusing, though he kept his stern expression. “Then when I held your waist earlier, why didn’t it hurt?”

Backed into a corner, Lian Ai had no choice but to carry on with the lie.

“I was holding it in.”

He might have been, but Bu Nian could hold it in no longer. He suddenly burst into laughter. It was unrestrained and wild, unfiltered and loud, as though in that moonlit night he was releasing all the joy he had been suppressing for years.

Lian Ai had never seen him laugh like that. For a moment, he could only watch, unsure of what to do.

Bu Nian laughed until he had his fill. With both hands braced at his sides, his eyes glistened from laughing too hard, making them appear even brighter than usual.

He turned to Lian Ai. “Do you remember what you said back at the private mansion when you begged me to spare your life? I asked what you could do. Do you remember how you answered?”

Of course Lian Ai remembered. He just hadn’t expected Bu Nian to bring it up now.

He met his gaze and repeated, word for word, “I said I could please the general.”

Bu Nian gave another clear, cheerful smile. He reached out and rubbed the top of Lian Ai’s head. “That’s right. You’ve made me very pleased.”

The warmth of his palm tousled Lian Ai’s hair. Somehow, even his ears began to grow warm.

He leaned into Bu Nian’s hand. For some reason, he felt a quiet happiness rise within him, and he offered Bu Nian a gentle smile, soft and sweet.

His eyes curved like crescent moons. He looked just like a small pup clinging to its master.

A flicker of tenderness passed through Bu Nian’s gaze. He took his hand and said, “Come. It’s freezing up here.” With that, he brought Lian Ai down from the rooftop in a graceful descent.

—

Princess Fuqu slammed her palm on the table. “Speak up already!”

The old maid no longer dared to hide the truth. “The Princess Consort has fallen ill from missing you too deeply these past days. Her sorrow has taken a toll.”

Princess Fuqu shot to her feet. “What? My mother is sick?” She moved to rush outside. “I have to go see her!”

The old maid hurried to block her. “You mustn’t, Your Highness. You were ordered by the Emperor to remain in Ziwei Temple for repentance. Leaving without permission would be defying an imperial decree.”

“But my mother is ill!” Princess Fuqu was both furious and anxious. “What crime did I commit that was so unforgivable? Why must I be treated like this?” Days of suppressed resentment burst forth in that moment.

She swept everything off the table in a fit of rage. Tears streamed from her eyes. “I hate him! I hate Bu Nian! How could he be so heartless? I hate him so much!”

The old maid was nearly moved to tears herself. She gently wiped Princess Fuqu’s face with a handkerchief. “Don’t do this, Your Highness. The Princess Consort’s health is already poor. You must take care of yourself.”

Princess Fuqu fell silent. Her snow-white teeth bit hard into her lower lip, as though trying to draw blood.

The maid couldn’t bear the sight and let out a long sigh. “That General Bu is truly something. He cast aside a noble girl like Your Highness to spoil that little catamite. He must be under a spell from that fox spirit.”

Princess Fuqu shut her eyes. Her heart felt like it was bleeding. “He even gave that wretch the safety pendant.”

The old woman gently stroked her back, as if to soothe her breathing.

“This old servant truly feel it’s unjust, Your Highness,” she said, growing more agitated. “How can that little tramp even compare to you? If I weren’t so old and half-blind, I’d have stabbed that wretch a hundred times in the street to vent your anger.”

“A hundred stabs wouldn’t be enough,” Princess Fuqu said, the hatred in her eyes thickening into something dark and heavy. “I’ll make him suffer every pain and torment this world has to offer. However Bu Nian treated me, I’ll repay it a thousandfold. He will never again dare to ignore me.”

“Of course, of course. Whatever Your Highness wants, this old servant will help you achieve it.” As the old maid soothed her back, a glint of triumph flashed across her kindly face. Princess Fuqu never noticed it.

—

It was a rare sunny day in winter. Lian Ai had heard from Fen Zi that there was a temple fair on South Street. He had never been to one before and was curious, so he went out with her.

The fair was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder. There were all kinds of rare and curious things, and the lively atmosphere dazzled Lian Ai.

In the crowd, the two guards who had been following behind were eventually separated. Fortunately, Lian Ai was still with Fen Zi, and he knew the way back, so he wasn’t too concerned.

They stopped in front of a steamed cake stall. The vendor, a man in plain clothes, explained that the cakes were a specialty of his village. They were soft, fragrant, and steamed on bamboo leaves, which left behind a subtle, clean aroma.

“What’s the filling?” Lian Ai asked.

“Red bean paste,” the man replied.

Lian Ai looked to Fen Zi. “The general likes them. Let’s get him a basket.”

Fen Zi couldn’t help but laugh and nodded. “Right away.”

As she paid, Lian Ai suddenly noticed a familiar figure at the mouth of an alley not far away.

A young girl in coarse grey clothes was being pulled by someone, her expression filled with terror. Her eyes met Lian Ai’s by chance. The instant she recognized him, she called out, “Kind benefactor! Please help me!”

Her voice was lost in the noise of the crowd. By the time it reached Lian Ai, it was broken and scattered. By the time it reached Lian Ai, the sound was broken and scattered. But it was enough. He recognized her, and he understood the urgency.

“Fen Zi, that girl..” he saw her about to be dragged away. Panic struck him. He shoved his way through the crowd and rushed toward her.

“Young Master?” Fen Zi turned back after paying, only to find Lian Ai gone.

She looked around, a sense of unease slowly creeping in.

The cake in her hand fell to the ground and was trampled into a mess. She paid it no mind and kept pushing through the crowd, calling Lian Ai’s name again and again.

She reached a quiet alley and found Lian Ai’s hairpin on the ground. Not far from it was a girl she vaguely recognized.

The girl sat curled on the ground, arms around her knees, her face streaked with tears. She trembled as she spoke. “I didn’t want to. They forced me… I didn’t want to…”

Fen Zi’s fingers clenched. She stepped forward and grabbed the girl by the collar. “Speak. Where is my young master?”