At this moment, the capital was full of dignitaries, and colorful silks flying in the air. All the excitement and the crowd were all for that person. 

His mortal rival. 

His enemy.

His…concubine. 

The fierce warrior who broke into their military camp under the White Head Cliff alone and fought against thousands of troops. The captive Shao Yao who was tortured and tested in the secret dungeon of Pu Garden. The beguiling concubine in the Pu Yuan study who was gentle and charming. The mastermind who stirred up the frenzied chaos by the Ningbi Lake. The eloquent negotiator who came back on New Year’s Eve. The one who jumped off the city wall resolutely and turned the tide of the standoff. 

One person with a thousand faces, ever changing. He had thought she was his, really his, but in the end, she was always just the first minister of Tiansheng who was unmatched when it came to getting others to dance according to her will. 

Those days with her were one surprise after another, happiness and shock came one after another. His heart was tossed up and down, this way and that way, completely at someone else’s will. 

Until in the end, she lied with a smile, resolutely let go, and jumped off the Pucheng city wall. His hands grabbed at the air, grasping nothing but the cold snowy wind…as if he was grasping at his very heart that had been crumbled up and tossed aside. 

At that time, a piece of her clothes trembled in the wind between his fingers. He loosened his fingers and the cloth corner turned to ash in an instant. 

She was the kind of liar who could make lies sound more real than the truth. 

Deceived, deceived thoroughly she did him. 

His Royal Highness Jin Siyu, the Prince An of Dayue, stared at the back of a certain figure. After their parting more than six months ago, it was the first time he saw her wearing men’s clothes and wandering around in the crowd. She seemed like a stranger but in actuality very familiar. One would not be able to forget for life the nobility and calmness that was etched into her very bones. 

He had heard that she was getting higher and higher in the world. That she was thriving in the imperial court of Tiansheng, invincible, to the point that even such an important task of being an envoy to Xiliang had been entrusted to her. What a joyful surprise. 

Jin Siyu’s lips curled up with a hint of a smile, still gentle but there was something more in that gentleness. A hint of sadness and coldness. 

“What are you looking at, Your Highness?” Someone suddenly interrupted. The man came forward with a smile. Seemingly quite familiar with this man, Jin Siyu’s guards bowed and silently left them. 

Jin Siyu retraced his gaze without turning his head toward the man. He took a sip of tea and smiled, “It’s so lively.” 

The man squeezed next to him, leaned over to look down, and a flash of mixed emotions flashed across his eyes before he smiled and said, “It is certainly a very lively Xiliang— this envoy from Tiansheng, do you know him, Your Highness?” 

He tilted his head with a smile and looked at Jin Siyu– who was tall and graceful, wearing a scarlet brocade robe, with a pair of alluring peach blossom eyes. His eyes would even be slightly raised when he looked at someone, appearing arrogant yet free at the same time. 

(I think I did a translation note regarding “peach blossom eyes” when we first met Jin Siyu, but I will mention it again since that was a long time ago. Peach blossom often has a romantic reference. Peach blossom eyes= alluring eyes; peach blossom luck= someone is about to have good luck in their love life.)

“How would I have a chance to become acquainted with Marquis Wei? I have just heard of his name for a long time.” Jin Siyu smiled and asked offhandedly,  “Young prince know him?”

“I live in a remote area and cannot enter the imperial capital without being summoned. How could I have the opportunity to know such an important court figure?” The young man was also laughing, but no matter how one listens to it, there seemed a bit of gnashing of teeth in that laughter. 

(Culture note: Certain princes (could be actual relations by blood or awarded due to merits) or important generals, are not allowed to enter the imperial capital (or even leave their designated area) unless summoned by the emperor. This is often done out of fear that these people might have the power/men/influence to attempt a rebellion.) 

“This person is not an ordinary person.” Jin Siyu raised his chin in the direction where Feng Zhi Wei’s figure disappeared, “Young prince better be careful.” 

He had assumed that after hearing his words, this proud and arrogant son of the vassal king would certainly refute him with disdain, but much to his surprise, after waiting for a bit, there was still no sound. Jin Siyu turned his head in surprise and saw that the young man stared in that direction for a long time before saying slowly, “One day, I will make it so that he will have to be careful of me.” 

Jin Siyu’s eyes flashed, but he didn’t ask, just patted the young man’s shoulder and said: “Young prince has outstanding abilities. Even I who am in the far distant Dayue had heard much concerning it. This person is just an ordinary minister of Tiansheng, someone who is merely a tad bit luckier than others. How can he match even one ten-thousandth of you, young prince? Is just that since this person is now in Jincheng, you and I will inevitably meet him, so it’s better to be careful.” 

“Of course.” The young man smiled and turned around, already back to his normal self. “The Regent is looking for allies. In addition to publicly welcoming the Tiansheng envoy, he has been in secret contact with both you and me. Now that the envoy has entered the capital, he will surely hold a banquet in Changping Palace. I think, why don’t you and I let the Regent conceal our identities and go there? We can take the opportunity to see if this Tiansheng envoy is everything he is rumored to be. What do you think?”

Jin Siyu looked at the young man a bit strangely, thinking inwardly that if it was all supposed to be done in secret, then it was naturally better for them to appear in front of the Tiansheng envoy the less the better. As someone who has a grudge against Wei Zhi, he will of course appear in front of her. However, this man had never met Wei Zhi before, and as someone who has always been smart and clever, this proposal seemed rather illogical. It is hard to not think that he might have other intentions. 

But then he himself also had other intentions, so he smiled and said, “Alright.”

Two people each with their own ulterior motives smiled at each. 

In the distance, Feng Zhi Wei who was entering the meeting hall suddenly shuddered. 

Young Master Gu beside her immediately put a cloak on her. Feng Zhi Wei grabbed the corner of the cloak, looked in the direction of the city, squinted her eyes, stared at the slowly approaching low grey clouds, and said softly, “The wind has started to blow…”

———————————–

On the second day after entering the city, the Regent held a banquet in Changping Palace to welcome the envoy team from Tiansheng. That night, the palace was decorated with lights and ten miles of red carpet. 

It’s nighttime. Feng Zhi Wei took Gu Nan Yi and Gu Zhi Xiao along to partake of the free food. Before she left, she packed a bundle, took something out, looked at it for a while, and stuffed it into her clothes. 

The carriages rumbled towards the palace. At the end of the ten-mile red carpet, there were many nobles waiting. When the envoy from Tiansheng arrived, all the officials looked back and the eunuch in charge of the ceremonies pierced the firework filled night sky with his high penetrating voice. 

“Lord Wei Zhi, the Marquis of Tiansheng, the Wuwei (meaning fierce) General, and the Minister of Rites, has arrived——”

Chengping Palace was decorated gorgeously on this night. Deep red palace lanterns with tassels stretched from the front gate to both sides of the road. From a distance, it looked as if pearls were falling from the Milky Way. The flowers were particularly soft and gorgeous petals competed for beauty in the flowerbeds on both sides of the room, their beauty further illuminated by the lights. 


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