Fu Liao caught a glimpse of a faint sliver of light across the firmament the moment he raised his head.
It was not true light, nor was it particularly bright, appearing merely a shade lighter than the surrounding pitch black. Even so, it was enough to make Fu Liao’s pupils constrict sharply.
The previously oppressive sky, resembling a throwing-tantrum child suddenly handed the sweet it desired, abruptly shifted its complexion at breakneck speed.
He could faintly make out wisps of clouds quietly slipping away, leaving behind a graceful outline against a sky that had already faded into a paler hue.
The gray wolf trotted alongside Fu Liao as he walked out. Seeming unaccustomed to the soft mud near the mountain’s foot, it flicked its tail, pacing back and forth. After playing for a short while, the surrounding mud had been churned up by its paws, rendering the originally loose earth even more sticky.
Noticing that its front paws were on the verge of sinking into the filthy silt, it pulled them out with a disgruntled huff, rubbed them against the dry ground, and shook its entire body from head to toe.
It cast a perplexed look toward the tall, slender man beside it, wondering why he had remained silent for so long.
At that exact moment, the man spoke. “If this matter is brought to light, Yu’er’s future path in life will likely be far from smooth.”
Fu Liao stared straight ahead into an expanse of absolute darkness, where lingering too long might cause one to lose all sense of direction underfoot. “There will still be all sorts of individuals harboring ulterior motives who will slander and ostracize him.”
Zu Zishan knew he was deflecting, but lacking any desire to call him out, she simply went along with it.
As she listened, however, a sense of dissonance struck her, and the reason quickly surfaced in her mind.
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she turned her gaze toward Fu Liao.
“Does the heir not know that my father is a prominent high-ranking official in the imperial court? Even if Lü Chen held his current official rank and wished to remarry me, he would have had to enter our family as a matrilocal son-in-law.” She laughed softly. “For the heir to be so ill-informed, you are bound to suffer a heavy loss in the future.”
Fu Liao was momentarily taken aback.
His mind had been cluttered with other matters, causing him to momentarily forget that people of this era placed immense importance on matching family backgrounds.
“Though my father belongs to the old faction and is getting on in years, he still wields considerable influence at court. He has reached the age for retirement, only…” Zu Zishan’s gaze drifted far into the distance. “The heir wouldn’t know, but back when Lü Chen was merely a local official and happened to visit Jingzhou, I was tricked by him and completely infatuated.”
“So, the hardships one is meant to suffer cannot be avoided.” Her gaze hardened with resolve. “Besides, our Zu family will protect him.”
She paused, then corrected herself: “At least Ni’er and I will protect him.”
Fu Liao bent down and patted the gray wolf’s head.
“Has Madam Zu considered how she will explain this to her family?”
“In our household, we defer to my father’s word on everything,” Zu Zishan sighed. “However, he is far too rigid… If I were to tell him what Lü Chen subjected me to, he would likely lecture me about washing dirty linen in public while scolding me for my past foolishness, which is why I have never dared to breathe a word of it to my family.”
Saying this, a hint of melancholy colored her tone. “We are simply taking things one step at a time.”
The gray wolf licked Fu Liao’s boot, rubbing affectionately against his ankle.
“As long as every step is planted firmly, all will be well.” Fu Liao exhaled softly. “Since everything that needs to be done has been completed, let us return.”
The gray wolf seemed to comprehend his words. As the two prepared to depart, it trotted in a reluctant circle around them before taking the lead and heading off in the opposite direction.
Though astonished by how human-like the wolf’s intuition was, both of them were thoroughly exhausted, and given their already delicate constitutions, they parted ways after taking a detour back.
Sneaking back into the estate, Fu Liao had barely stepped through the doorway when Zhichang sprang up in a panic, nearly overturning his chair.
“Careful.” Fu Liao rushed forward to steady it, preventing it from clipping Zhichang’s foot.
“You have finally returned, Young Master!” Zhichang whispered. “Just a moment ago, the First Young Master wanted to come see you, but thankfully I managed to stall him. It was terrifying.”
A trace of apology colored Fu Liao’s tone. “You have worked hard as well. Go get some rest.”
Zhichang murmured an assent and retreated to the outer chamber, leaving the interior and exterior enveloped in quiet once more.
Fu Liao kneaded the aching spots on his body, only now realizing how much ground he had covered today, far exceeding his daily quota of physical exertion prior to this, prompting immediate protest from his frail physique.
He suppressed a yawn and hurried to turn in for the night.
He could only hope that a torrential downpour would sweep over them during his sleep.
When Fu Liao opened his eyes again, dawn was just beginning to break.
Sleep vanished the moment he woke. He pushed open the door to find the scenery hazy and indistinct, as if the heavens themselves had yet to wake up, wrapped in a lingering drowsiness that had even made them forget to bring the rain.
The dry air made Fu Liao feel as though his own body was parched.
Though keeping the door open cleared his mind, the chill quickly crept back into his hands and feet.
Fu Liao sniffed, deciding against closing the door. Instead, he retreated back to the bed and pulled the quilt over himself.
The quilt was thick and folded into three layers, requiring some effort to haul over. Just as he settled it around himself, his movement accidentally dislodged something, sending it fluttering to the floor.
Fu Liao picked it up to find a piece of red paper inscribed with text.
It was an invitation card, requesting the original owner’s presence at a banquet. The original owner, however, had clearly shown zero interest, casting it aside onto the bed after reading it, leaving it crumpled and creased.
Fu Liao smoothed out the invitation, lit a candle, and examined the contents closely.
The card invited the original owner to attend a Leisure Banquet held at the Apricot Garden outside the city on the twentieth day of the third month, with proceedings slated to begin during the Hour of Chen, drawing numerous distinguished guests.
Rather early, Fu Liao thought.
Judging by its appearance, it was a purely recreational gathering. Even if the original owner preferred solitude, it hardly warranted such deep irritation.
Moreover, this invitation had not been addressed to Fu Pengfu to invite the Marquis of Mingliu and his household; it was meant solely for Fu Liao.
That in itself was unusual.
Fu Liao scanned the text once more.
The twentieth day of the third month… was that not tomorrow?
No, it was today.
Scheduled for the Hour of Chen, which happened to be precisely one hour before his scheduled duel with Xi Lingjian.
Fu Liao’s gaze dropped to the crumpled corner where the sender’s signature was affixed.
Xu Jingyi.
The surname Xu?
That influential patron who backed Lü Chen, the official from the Ministry of Rites, his surname was also Xu.
The old faction.
What business did a member of the old faction have sending an invitation straight to him, someone aligned with the new faction?
Fu Liao rubbed the red paper between his fingers.
If this invitation was genuinely intended for Fu Liao, there had to be a hidden motive behind it.
Could such a coincidence truly exist?
When Fu Liao arrived at the Apricot Garden, the seating mats had yet to be laid out.
He had arrived early, alongside the common folk who made their living on the streets and also started their days at dawn. Because the rumors he had spread earlier had already made the rounds, Fu Liao made no effort to conceal his face, allowing everyone a clear look at him moving about among the living.
The whispers among the onlookers had turned hesitant and uncertain. Some genuinely wondered if the high official possessed divine powers capable of raising the dead, while others immediately shouted them down, arguing that a man who disrupted moral order could never wield divine grace.
Yet wherever he walked, curious gazes followed him, and Fu Liao knew this news would inevitably reach Xi Lingjian’s ears.
Noticing he wasn’t heading toward Pingguan Pass, the spectating townspeople followed him as far as the Apricot Garden. Seeing preparations for a grand banquet underway, one which commoners in plain cloth were barred from entering, they found the situation baffling and decided not to press forward recklessly.
Fu Liao leaned against a tree trunk to catch his breath.
“Young Master!”
Just as Fu Liao had his eyes closed, a shout rang out. When he opened them, the previously empty surroundings had somehow filled with people, closing in around him as if to box him in.
The middle-aged man standing closest stroked his beard and chuckled. “To think the heir actually graced our Leisure Banquet! Please, take your seat, take your seat!”
Fu Liao looked him over, remaining rooted to the spot. “And you are?”
“This humble official is Chen Yuanji, Vice Minister of the Bureau of Appointments within the Ministry of Rites,” Chen Yuanji announced loudly, a hint of self-satisfaction coloring his tone. “Please be seated, Young Master. None of us expected you to come.”
Fu Liao recognized him.
He was the one who had exchanged correspondence with Lü Chen to frame a loyal official who had offered remonstrances with his blood, the very stepping stone Lü Chen had used to climb to power.
Considering the rank of Vice Minister of the Bureau of Appointments, Chen Yuanji was remarkably young, which explained his inflated sense of arrogance.
“This young master would like to ask what Official Xu means by choosing this particular time,” Fu Liao glanced at him, speaking in a lazy, unhurried tone. “This young master currently has no leisure to idle away time at a Leisure Banquet.”
“The heir’s worries are naturally understood by this old man.”
A resonant, full-chested voice echoed from behind Fu Liao.
“Prince Jing styles himself Regent, yet he monopolizes absolute power, manipulates the Emperor, and recently committed acts contrary to morality and reason by cutting down an upright and unyielding official of our Northern Chu!” Xu Jingyi shook his beard. “To have him deliberately harass the heir while disregarding the Marquis of Mingliu’s standing, this old man simply cannot tolerate it a moment longer.”
Fu Liao gave a slight nod, sweeping his gaze across the surroundings.
Judging by their attire, everyone present at the banquet belonged to the old faction. Xu Jingyi’s grand declaration, while ostensibly denouncing Xi Lingjian, was clearly an attempt to curry favor with him.
They were trying to win him over.
The old faction likely did this to strike a blow against the new faction represented by Xi Lingjian, but why select the original owner? Were they unconcerned that Fu Pengfu might catch wind of it?
Seeing Fu Liao remain silent, Xu Jingyi continued, “The heir’s steadfast devotion is plain for all the world to see. Yet Prince Jing seized what others held dear, drawing universal condemnation. Can the heir truly bear to watch his beloved suffer through such torment?”
Fu Liao’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
It appeared everyone was well aware of the original owner’s infatuation with Ji Liandu, as well as the fact that Xi Lingjian had snatched Ji Liandu away.
“Now rumors claim it was Prince Jing who miraculously revived the heir, twisting public discourse to suit his own narrative. Does the heir truly wish to stand by and watch Prince Jing acquire divine merits?”
Chen Yuanji seized the opening to chime in. He reached out to support Fu Liao’s arm, practically ushering him onto a grass mat to sit, and lowered his voice. “The heir must take care of his health so that he maintains the spirit to put others in their place.”
Fu Liao glanced down at the spread of fruits and delicacies before him. They were remarkably fresh, still glistening with morning dew, clearly transported straight to Jingzhou at great expense.
Noticing Fu Liao’s lack of reaction, a flicker of doubt crossed Xu Jingyi’s eyes.
“This duel violates all propriety. While this old man admires the heir’s commitment to his word, one must not ruin their health over it, no?” He continued with coaxing persuasion. “Should the heir simply choose not to attend, what could Prince Jing possibly do? If worse comes to worst, this old man can lend assistance.”
The banquet grew livelier, though no one seemed to pay attention to the conversation between the three of them. Yet Fu Liao could sense that their gazes kept drifting toward him intentionally or otherwise, every topic of discussion subtly steering back to the same individual.
“Is it not just Prince Jing hiding out in Jingzhou on account of some lingering injuries? It is a pity for Official Lü, though. Ah, I wager Prince Jing did it on purpose, simply because he took a fancy to someone else’s unwed…”
“Tsk, did people not also say Prince Jing has a penchant for male-love? To think he set his sights on that performing artist, daring to take someone straight out of a pleasure house! Filth really does flock together with scum.”
“Ah, if you put it that way, could the official from Shangmu have also… No wonder Prince Jing kept stalling, hahahaha.”
Fu Liao tightened his grip on his robes.
He finally understood why martial artists harbored such deep revulsion toward literary scholars.
Uttering such base, vulgar filth while maintaining the shameless pretense of refined nobility was truly astonishing.
Fu Liao let out a small breath.
While the new and old factions were locked in irreconcilable opposition, the original owner had never intended to meddle in party politics, maintaining a safe distance from them. Consequently, these people understood very little about the real original owner.
Furthermore, they could never conceive of a possibility like soul transference. Even if his behavior showed discrepancies, they would never genuinely suspect his identity.
Pondering the situation, Fu Liao roughly deduced why they had chosen to use him as a pawn.
His feelings for Ji Liandu bore no resemblance to the original owner’s infatuation. If he genuinely wanted to help Xi Lingjian mend his ways, throwing himself into the political mire of the court, especially in such a subservient role, was completely unnecessary.
He looked up at the clear sky.
Xu Jingyi’s implication was that he could offer protection, but accepting it would effectively categorize Fu Liao as part of the old faction.
Fu Liao casually picked up a plum and took a bite. The sweet nectar gradually spread across his palate.
Just as he prepared to speak, a sharp gasp cut through the murmuring crowd.
A young civil official pressed his lips into a tight line and took several steps back.
“I wondered what had gathered such a lively crowd.”
A familiar fragrance had already infiltrated Fu Liao’s senses, plunging the temperature of his already chilly hands to sub-zero levels.
Before he could fully turn his head, Xi Lingjian was already standing right before him. “The heir still has the leisure to sample fruit? It would seem you are entirely confident of winning this duel.”
Fu Liao paused.
Had he accepted Xu Jingyi’s offer, relying on his so-called assistance, he likely would have been maneuvered into a position closer to Xi Lingjian. Even failing that, entering official service would at least guarantee frequent encounters with Xi Lingjian at court.
Would that not provide a closer avenue to understanding the man?
And the old faction viewed him merely as a naive young master; as long as he kept his cards close to his chest, there would be ample room to maneuver.
Someone as perceptive as Xi Lingjian would undoubtedly see right through the scheme.
Clearing his throat, Fu Liao cast a glance at Xu Jingyi before shifting his eyes back to meet Xi Lingjian’s gaze.
With a smug expression, he declared, “Naturally, this young master has his ways.”
A smile surfaced on Xu Jingyi’s face.
A flash of amusement crossed the depths of Xi Lingjian’s eyes, though it lacked the terrifying edge of their first encounter, reminding Fu Liao of the light chuckle Xi Lingjian had let out the previous evening.
The subsequent drop in temperature within his own heart mirrored it precisely.
“Since the heir is so confident…”
Xi Lingjian suddenly reached out. Before Fu Liao could push himself up, his feet left the ground as his center of gravity lurched violently.
In the blink of an eye, he was hoisted straight up over Xi Lingjian’s shoulder.
“Our duel can simply be brought forward.”