Zhao Cheng said, “My lord suspects that Fu Xian’s appointment to Lin’an this time is to seek justice for his father, his brother, and those ten thousand former soldiers of the Fu army?”
“More than just justice,” Mei Yan replied. “Wenchang, have you considered that he may be planning to retake Yingtian?” Only by reclaiming Yingtian could the Fu family truly remove the thorn buried in their hearts.
Zhao Cheng pondered for a long while before saying, “Might my lord be overthinking? As far as I know, Fu Xian was summoned to Lin’an to serve as commander of the Imperial Guard because someone submitted a memorial to Song Yu, fearing that Fu Yuan, stationed with troops far away for so long, might develop disloyal intentions. They called his grandson to the capital as a hostage.”
Fu Xian held no troops in his hands. With what could he retake Yingtian?
Mei Yan smiled faintly. “If he wished to leave, who in this Lin’an could stop him?” Since Fu Xian arrived in the capital, he had seen the young general from afar several times. There was a powerful presence about him, like a dragon leaping and a phoenix crying, something that instinctively felt threatening.
In any case, he was no ordinary man. They must prevent him from building his own power base in Lin’an.
Zhao Cheng stroked his beard thoughtfully. “My lord sees further than I. This man must be eliminated as soon as possible. If he grows stronger, he will become a great threat.” After pouring a cup of tea for Mei Yan, he added, “Leave this matter to me.”
“Be extremely careful.”
“I will.”
As they parted late at night, Mei Yan asked, “Have you made contact with a eunuch in the palace?”
“Do not be impatient, my lord. Soon,” Zhao Cheng replied. Earlier that day, a young eunuch had lingered at the entrance of his shop, peering in and out, trying several times to strike up a conversation. Zhao Cheng pretended not to notice, intending to whet the man’s appetite first.
Mei Yan nodded. “Kill Fu Xian first.”
On the tenth day of the fourth month, a gentle breeze blew through clear skies. Cheng Yunxiang had been staying at Ganquan Temple for nearly half a month. Free from the constraints of her elders, she rose late each day, leisurely washed and dressed, then went to the front hall to offer incense to the Three Pure Ones. Afterward, she would read a passage from the Dao De Jing and practice tai chi following the diagrams posted in the temple, passing most of the day in idle ease.
It was a peaceful and carefree life.
But today she heard that after the Beicang envoy returned, they had declined the proposal for Prince Xu, Pei Jin, to marry the Princess of Kuaiji from Later Yue, saying they would wait until her period of prayer ended before discussing the matter again. This left her restless and irritated.
After her afternoon nap, she decided to clear her mind. “Suli, Hua Ying, it’s been a long time since we went out. Let’s go see what’s happening in the streets.”
The three of them left Ganquan Temple and headed toward the eastern market district. As always, the streets were lined with shops, vendors calling out, full of lively bustle. At the sight of it, Cheng Yunxiang’s spirits lifted, and she quickened her steps.
She wandered as she shopped, buying all sorts of snacks to bring back and enjoy slowly later. “Oh? There are so many people over there.” A crowd had gathered not far away.
She squeezed her way in, only to find a book stall. Has some new and interesting storybook come out? The shopkeeper, seeing her interest, casually handed her a copy. “Just arrived. You won’t find it anywhere else in Lin’an.”
Curious, Cheng Yunxiang opened it.
On the first page were the words Illustrations of Lady Dingxiang Receiving Favor.
Receiving favor? Could it be about the recent rumors that the Emperor of Beicang, Pei Hui, frequently summoned Lady Dingxiang, the fallen empress of Later Sui, into the palace?
Her interest waned, and she flipped ahead casually. Then her gaze froze.
Spread across the fine paper was the completely naked body of a woman, rendered in vivid, meticulous detail from hair to toe. The painter’s lifelike technique and rich colors made it seem as though the woman lay before the viewer in a haze of desire, her every inch exposed without privacy, as if even her breath could be felt.
“Tsk, tsk, worthy of being the greatest beauty of Later Sui. Look at that flawless skin, those curves…”
“I heard this was painted by a court artist from Beicang from the real person. Lady Dingxiang truly is…”
Someone who had bought the book eagerly reached out to touch the painted figure, his expression lewd.
…
This was a grave humiliation to Lady Dingxiang.
The misery of a fallen nation struck Cheng Yunxiang with full force. Her mind buzzed, and she stood frozen, her eyes wide with shock and fear. Without the approval of the Beicang court, such paintings would never have circulated among the people, let alone reached Later Yue.
She did not doubt that this was deliberate, a way for Beicang to humiliate and psychologically crush Later Yue.
One day, when Beicang’s army marched south, would her elder sister, or even she herself, suffer the same fate as Lady Dingxiang? Reduced to playthings for Beicang nobles, stripped of all dignity, their bodies exposed for court painters to copy, displayed for the world’s amusement to satisfy the conquerors’ pride.
As the thought took hold, her stomach twisted violently. Soon the pain became unbearable. Cold sweat broke out across her forehead as she stumbled out of the crowd and made her way to a quieter corner of the street. Overwhelmed, she retched repeatedly, her body trembling as she vomited bitter liquid.
Suli, who had served her since childhood and had rarely seen her ill, was terrified. “Miss, what’s wrong with you?”
Hua Ying, more composed, looked around and spotted a carriage bearing the jade insignia of the commander of the Imperial Guard. Without hesitation, she ran forward and stopped it. “Forgive me for stopping your carriage, my lord. Our Daoist mistress has suddenly fallen ill. May we borrow your carriage to take her to a clinic?”
The carriage came to a halt. A clear, youthful voice answered from within, “Yes.”
Hua Ying hurried back, helping Cheng Yunxiang toward the carriage. Inside, Fu Xian lifted the curtain, revealing a refined, handsome face. Frowning slightly, he asked, “Can she get in?”
Cheng Yunxiang was pale as paper, her strength gone. Before her maids could assist, Fu Xian reached out and pulled her into the carriage. “To a clinic.”
The driver obeyed.
Inside, the carriage was clean and orderly. Fu Xian looked somewhat at a loss as he glanced at her disheveled state. She was in great pain, sweat dripping from her brow onto the carpet. The jolting of the carriage only worsened her condition. She tried to lean against the seat but lacked the strength.
Without thinking, he reached out to steady her and guided her onto the cushioned bench. “Faster,” he instructed the driver.
What was that scent? Cypress… It smelled so pleasant.
Her consciousness blurred as she curled up weakly on the floor, tears welling in her eyes. Her loose hair framed her face like a rain-drenched blossom. The man across from her, however, had no mind to admire such a sight. He seemed more concerned that she might die in front of him, his fingers tapping restlessly against his robe.
Suddenly, her pale hand reached out and grabbed the sachet hanging at his waist, pressing it beneath her nose.
Fu Xian froze, startled and unsure what to do.
Fortunately, they soon arrived at a clinic. He stepped out first, brushed off his robes, gave a brief instruction to the driver, and left. Suli and Hua Ying, who had followed the carriage on foot, helped Cheng Yunxiang inside.
Back in the carriage, the driver caught up with Fu Xian. He opened a small incense box, took out a pellet of cypress incense, and placed it in the burner. The warm, clear fragrance filled the space, dispelling the lingering chill and refreshing his mind.
Inside the clinic, the old physician stroked his white beard while taking her pulse. “What fright did she suffer?”
It was an acute condition caused by shock and anxiety.
Suli and Hua Ying exchanged glances. “Doctor, our mistress only read a couple of pages from a storybook…”
The physician shook his head. “Women are naturally timid. Let her avoid strange and disturbing tales in the future.”
The maids were speechless.
After administering acupuncture to relieve her pain, he prescribed several doses of medicine. “Have her drink these for a few days to calm her nerves.”
Back at Ganquan Temple, her monthly cycle arrived unexpectedly two days early, worsening her discomfort. She went to bed early and did not have the strength to rise until midday the next day.
When Chen Baomiao heard that her daughter was ill, she rushed over in alarm. Seeing her daughter’s blank expression, she burst into tears. “My Yunxiang, what has happened to you?” In sixteen years, she had never seen her so ill.
At the sight of her mother, Cheng Yunxiang’s emotions broke. She burst into tears. “Mother, I’m afraid…”
She was afraid of the fall of Later Yue, afraid of being taken to Yanzhou like Lady Dingxiang and treated as a plaything.
Chen Baomiao gently stroked her face. “Do not be afraid. Mother is here.”
After two days of careful care, Cheng Yunxiang recovered. But her mother and the two maids noticed a change. She seemed more serious, often sitting at her desk in thought, reading tirelessly from morning to night.
It was as though she had become a different person.
They secretly worried she had been possessed, even placing a talisman beneath her bed.
Little did they know that from that day on, Cheng Yunxiang had developed a scholar’s resolve: to save a collapsing world and support a crumbling state.
Later Yue must not fall.
At least not before she had lived her life to the fullest.
She began to ponder how she might somehow help sustain this wealthy yet fragile kingdom. At times she would fall into deep thought, appearing as though she were simply daydreaming.
“Could Miss have lost her soul?” Suli whispered worriedly.
“Shall we try calling it back tonight?” Hua Ying sighed.
Later, Suli tested her with questions while serving tea. Cheng Yunxiang answered clearly, even recalling that it had been Commander Fu Xian’s carriage that had taken her to the clinic.
Relieved, Suli told Hua Ying there was no need for soul-calling rituals after all.