Unaware of the little scene that transpired after she left, Feng Zhi Wei is in the middle of eating a steaming hot dinner in the inn. 

Shao Ning waited at the inn entrance for half of the day and was finally forced to return to the palace before the palace gate is locked. Furious, Shao Ning declared before she left that be it one day, two days or three days, she refuse to believe Wei Zhi would be able to hide in his mouse hole forever! 

After being told of her words, Feng Zhi Wei could only shake her head with a resigned smile. According to the reports Zong Chen received from the men they had left in the Capital, the princess apparently had become a “Door Widow” and had made a ruckus insisting that she wanted to keep virtue for the guy. The Emperor naturally refused. (Door Widows are women who are engaged to be married but before they could enter into their husband’s door (married), their to-be-husbands die unexpectedly. To keep virtue, in this case, would mean the woman would live as the dead man’s widow and not marry again, either for a period of time or for life.) 

The princess then wanted to become a Buddhist nun. The Emperor naturally rejected that idea as well. After the chaos settled, the end result is that the old Emperor no longer dares to mention marriage to his only daughter– if the topic is brought up then she would immediately cry like a mad woman saying she is a miserable person and she wants to go to the royal nunnery to spend to rest of her life. 

Shao Ning got her wish, she kept herself in the palace and will be staying there for a long time. Feng Zhi Wei could only shake her head after hearing the whole thing, the only thought she had was– that fiance that suddenly died at home, did he really die of a sudden illness or did he die suddenly because of this marriage?

With Shao Ning’s ruthlessness, this is something she certainly could’ve done. That Ning family blood is quite ruthless. 

Feng Zhi Wei guessed that she will have to for sure give up her military authority once she is back in the Capital. At the most, she might be given a military honorary title. The vice deputy minister of etiquette office she had held back then will probably be replaced by taking off the vice part. But even if she becomes the actual deputy minister of etiquette, she doubts she can have any involvement in Shao Ning’s marriage. This was Shao Ning’s warning to her– if you arrange one (marriage), then I will kill one. 

While she was eating, Zong Chen also told her another piece of news. The dancer that had danced back on Concubine Chang’s birthday banquet had been doing quite well after entering into the palace. In a matter of a few months, the dancer had been promoted three times and has been awarded the title as Qing Fei. (The royal concubines, like government officials, have levels. Fei is a fairly high level, and Qing (festive) would be the dancer’s title. I believe this is an important figure later on, so I will be referring to her as Qing Fei from now on.) This particular royal concubine is quite skillful, the royal haram is now very orderly under her control. She is also highly favored by the Emperor, especially since the Emperor spends almost every night in her palace. Rumors are swirling around in Tiansheng court that this Qing Fe will eventually give Tiansheng Emperor the 11th Prince. 

“It’s no wonder even with how popular Ning Yi is right now in court, the Emperor still has not made him the crown prince.” Feng Zhi Wei laughed, “Looks like he is waiting for the future 11th prince?”

“It doesn’t look to me that Prince Chu is too worried.” Zong Chen grinned, “So what if this so-called 11th Prince is made the crown prince? How many more years can the old emperor live? How can an infant compete with the mighty influence of Prince Chu?”

“In the current court, be it civil or military, half of them belong to the faction of Prince Chu.” Feng Zhi Wei taps her chopsticks, “I am waiting for the day when I am wooed. (to join his faction)”

Zong Chen and Hua Qiong both glanced at her. Feng Zhi Wei’s eyes were clear, no sign of anything amiss. 

The clueless Yan Huaishi enthusiastically leaned over “That would be great! Back when you and His Highness were in South Sea, you two worked so well together! This would be a great opportunity to join hands again to form another happy union…ouch.”

His lovely dreams cut off none too gently by a hard pinch, Yan Huaishi turned his head in surprise only to have Hua Qiong unceremoniously dump the fist chewing Hua Chang Tian in his arms, “Your son wants to sleep now, go and coax him.”

Yan Huaishi looked down at his cheap son, the little guy was smiling at him while chewing his fist. His long-slanted eyes are already starting to look quite similar to Hua Qiong’s scholar ex-husband. (cheap in “cheap son” is a way in Chinese to describe a familial relationship that came unexpectedly or in non-traditional way. So it could be “cheap father”, “cheap mother” etc. Cheap = you didn’t have to work for it and it landed on your lap.)

Everyone looked over. 

All holding their breath a bit. 

The biggest obstacle between Hua Qiong and Yan Huaishi is the hierarchical belief of the aristocratic families. The No.1 noble family in the South Sea, a decedent of royal blood and a daughter of a small town teacher, there exists a huge gap that cannot be bridged. 

Hua Qiong might have used her glorious self and rewritten herself as a legendary female general, Yan Huaishi has also been firmly seated as the head of the Yan family, no longer the ignored second-class member of his clean. However, precisely because of all that, in the South Sea that regards clan traditions as laws, this future wife of Yan family clan leader, is still the center of controversies and criticisms. 

Hua Qing doesn’t care about other people’s criticisms but she has to know first whether her husband has the courage to accept everything about her, without any hidden prejudice. 

Marriages are not afraid of temporary torrents but are often destroyed by long-term frictions hidden in the heart. 

Not everyone can wake up from the passionate sweet dream of love to face cold cruel realities, fortunately, Hua Qiong has always been able to. 

The obstacle between her and Yan Huaishi is something Yan Huaishi himself has to overcome. 

The seemingly careless passing of the baby from Hua Qiong, is actually the best test for her husband. If he can’t pass this test, then with Hua Qiong’s pride, she will never bring Yan Chang Tian and marry into Yan Clan. 

Yan Huaishi stared at the child, then at his wife across from him. After a year of separation, his Hua Qiong was sharpened even more brightly by the wind and frost. All vibe of a girl from the small South Sea fishery village has been wiped away, she is now burningly vibrantly like a blooming flower. 

In this past year, he has regretted it countless times. Why didn’t he immediately answer when Hua Qiong had asked “Is there only kindness debts between us”? 

He always thought it was that hesitation that caused Hua Qiong to leave.

When she was there, he was accustomed to her presence, her existence was as natural as the unconscious thought of one should dress after getting up in the morning. Yet when she flew away, he finally discovered it wasn’t a piece of clothing that was missing but a heart. 

Some things are habitual, and natural to not question where it came from, but unknowingly, love has already bloomed. 

In the first half of that year, he frantically sent people looking for her everywhere. He himself also searched all over South Sea. In the many sleepless nights, he thought about her as a pregnant woman wandering around out there, not able to eat or sleep well, being bullied in some unknown corner. He would wake up in cold sweat many nights because of those thoughts and be unable to fall asleep for the rest of the night. 

Later, he finally thought of Wei Zhi’s existence, tentatively sent a letter out and finally got some news. 

That night, he slept with a smile on his face. 

Hua Qiong was by Wei Zhi’s side, then he can rest easy. He vaguely knew of Wei Zhi’s female identity. After all, he had entered the academy with Wei Zhi. There were many things and details that didn’t escape his shrew observation. However, if Wei Zhi didn’t say then he wouldn’t ask. This is the etiquette that a child of the noble family would have, to not step across a line. 

Those days, knowing she had made a great many achievements, he couldn’t help but be proud of her and excitedly told his mother. His mother frowned, saying that it was unbecoming of a girl to be wielding swords and fighting on the battlefields with men. He stopped sharing Hua Qiong’s news with his mother but in his heart, he was thrilled, his Hua Qiong has always been so different and extraordinary. 

He loves that difference. Compare to her, all those noble ladies are so boring and blend. 

Then later, it was the Battle of Baitou Cliff, and he got the news Hua Qiong had been killed. 

Like a thunderbolt striking down out of a blue sky, it shattered the hope and joy in his heart. 

It was three months drenched in alcohol. It was three months he didn’t know how to come or go, how to endure this long unending life. 

Fortunately…she is finally standing in front of him. Not pretentious, not shrinking, not hesitating, his Hua Qiong. 

To recover what he thought he had lost, his heart was overflowing with gratitude and joy. Nothing in the world was a hardship as long as he can sit across from her like this and smile at each other. 

Full of gratitude, he looked at his wife, feeling that the fact she can bring herself and son safely back to him then it is a blessing. 

After a long while, he smiled. 

Pinching the soft little nose of the child in his arms, he smiled, “Look at this nose, it’s exactly the same as my Qiong Er’s.” 

Everyone laughed. 

Hua Qiong smiled, her whole face sparkling, not feeling the phrase “my Qiong Er” was too shudderingly disgusting at all, she declared proudly, “Of course, that’s my son.” 

Yan Huaishi grinned, stood up holding his son, and pulled his wife away with him, “I don’t know how to coax, you come and teach me, you come and teach me…” 

The husband and wife walked away, under the lights, their two head gradually leaning closer and closer. 

      All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

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