6 – Xie Nanzhu’s Predicament
The evening wind suddenly picked up, rustling the leaves.
A summer storm was brewing.
Yun Chaorong’s veil hat was blown to the ground.
Suddenly, everything went dark, and all light vanished from the world.
Night had fallen.
Yingxia hurriedly picked up the veil hat. “The wind is strong, Your Highness. Be careful not to catch a chill.”
Yun Chaorong snapped back to reality and ordered the curtains lowered. She turned and returned to her carriage, immediately selecting a few imperial guards and instructing them:
“The Duke of Yu’s residence is quite far from here. You, take Su Er Gongzi to Prince Rui’s mansion first, as it’s nearby. Report to me if there are any issues.”
“You, take my token and summon an imperial physician to treat Su Er Gongzi.”
“And you, go to the Duke of Yu’s residence to inform them that Su Er Gongzi is in critical condition and has been taken to Prince Rui’s mansion to rest.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
After giving these orders, Yun Chaorong lay back on the couch, finally feeling truly exhausted.
“Your Highness, it’s getting late. If we don’t return soon, the palace might send someone to look for us,” Michun said, kneeling beside Yun Chaorong and gently massaging her temples.
Yun Chaorong waved her hand. “Return to the palace.”
Yingxia leaned in to continue massaging Yun Chaorong’s legs and asked playfully:
“Your Highness, why were you so attentive to that Su Er Gongzi just now?”
She had also caught a glimpse of the person in the opposite carriage—more beautiful than the Bodhisattva statues in temples.
Michun didn’t ask but pricked up her ears to hear Yun Chaorong’s response.
Yun Chaorong pinched Yingxia’s chubby cheek. “I was in the mood to save him, so I did. Why would I need a reason?”
Though she said this, a stunning image flashed through her mind.
How could someone be so beautiful? And a man, at that.
She had seen many handsome men before.
Xie Nanzhu and Yun Canglan were good-looking, full of masculine vigor, like towering mountains.
Many civil officials at court were handsome, like pines or bamboos, dignified and upright.
Even the young eunuchs in the palace were pretty, with an extreme delicacy.
But none were like Su Jingyuan.
He lay there, pure as crystal.
Even when he coughed up blood, he resembled a piece of jade in the snow.
“Huh? Your Highness, the handkerchief you tied to your waist is gone!” Michun suddenly noticed something amiss.
Afterward, Michun and Yingxia searched the carriage but couldn’t find the handkerchief.
After all, it was the princess’s handkerchief and couldn’t be allowed to fall into just anyone’s hands.
If it were the original owner, she would likely have sent someone back to search for it.
But Yun Chaorong truly didn’t care. She yawned lazily and said:
“It’s just a handkerchief. It probably fell on the road.”
The storm swept in just as Yun Chaorong and her entourage returned to the palace.
Yun Chaorong finished her dinner early and went to bed. Despite the wind and rain outside, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The heavy rain continued until midnight before finally stopping.
After the rain ceased, a round, plump moon climbed above the treetops.
Bright moonlight streamed through the window lattice, illuminating Yun Chaorong’s sweet, sleeping face.
She knew the plot of the book had already begun to change, so she slept peacefully.
At the same time.
Thousands of miles away, outside Zhanghuai City, someone lay awake all night.
The moon flickered in and out of the clouds.
The shadows on the ground brightened and darkened in turn.
Xie Nanzhu lay on a bamboo-woven bed, his eyes fixed blankly on the tent ceiling.
The long wind rustled the tent, and the more he listened, the more agitated he felt.
Since his capture, he had been kept in the Northern Qiang military camp.
He had tried to escape at night, but his injuries were not yet fully healed. Moreover, the tent of the Northern Qiang female general, Li Yuezhen, was right next to his.
The slightest movement would alert the enemy.
Compared to the other captured soldiers, Xie Nanzhu actually hadn’t suffered much hardship. He wore clean clothes, lived in a separate tent, and had his three daily meals taken care of.
At first, he thought this was the enemy’s scheme, intending to use his talents to serve the Northern Qiang.
Until one day, Li Yuezhen walked into his tent, looking down at him arrogantly:
“Xie Nanzhu, this general has taken a liking to you. Once the war ends, I will marry you.”
Li Yuezhen was an outstanding heroine of the Northern Qiang, tall and imposing, with considerable skill in leading troops and a high status. For her to take a prisoner of war to serve her was no difficult matter.
Xie Nanzhu immediately sneered, “Wishful thinking!”
Countless women admired him, even Princess Rongyang, Yun Chaorong, had to curry favor with him. He merely feigned compliance with her due to her noble status.
In his eyes, only Yun Jingshan was different, far surpassing those ordinary women.
This burly woman before him wasn’t even as good as Yun Chaorong—how dare she harbor such thoughts about him?
Li Yuezhen: “What’s so wishful about it? I can just tie you up, and we can enter the bridal chamber tonight.”
Xie Nanzhu: “…I am a hostage. If anything happens to me, you won’t get any benefits from Da Yu.”
Li Yuezhen: “Whether you’re long or short, we’ll find out by trying.”
Xie Nanzhu: “Vulgar!… Unless I am willing, this will only make me despise you.”
Back when Yun Chaorong had mentioned requesting the emperor to bestow their marriage, he had replied the same way. Yun Chaorong then left with reddened eyes, never daring to bring it up again.
But Li Yuezhen was not Yun Chaorong.
“So what? This general only needs to satisfy her desires.”
Xie Nanzhu: “…”
In the end, Li Yuezhen did not sleep with him that night. She felt it would be detrimental to military discipline.
Although this young man truly appealed to her—with both martial prowess and good looks—her comrades were still fighting. For her to sleep with a prisoner was unjustifiable. It would be better to enjoy him after the war ended.
Li Yuezhen did not hide her intentions, so Xie Nanzhu knew his safety was only temporary.
He had to return to the Da Yu military camp first and find a way to achieve more military merits.
When he heard that the Northern Qiang was willing to negotiate peace, Xie Nanzhu did everything he could to send a message from the Northern Qiang camp to the capital, urging Yun Chaorong to go for a marriage alliance.
For this, he even exposed a spy he had planted among the Northern Qiang.
But as long as Yun Chaorong went for the marriage alliance, it would be worth it. When the Northern Qiang saw Da Yu’s most noble princess marrying over to serve their king, they would surely let down their guard in ecstasy.
At that time, he would return to the Da Yu army through the prisoner exchange during the peace talks. Taking advantage of the Northern Qiang’s unpreparedness, he would strike them by surprise.
Thinking of this, he grew somewhat impatient.
Why hadn’t the news of Da Yu’s marriage alliance arrived yet?
The person he had planted in the Morning Sun Palace should have taken action.
Yun Chaorong was utterly devoted to him; it was impossible for her not to react.
Could it be that she had done something outrageous for his sake?