Just when she was about to say a few more things to send the guy off, Lu Ri leaned forward with yet another drink. This time, his voice was very low, “It was just a joke but Marquis Wei seemed to have gotten angry? Could it be that I have accidentally hit a sore spot?”
Feng Zhi Wei met his gaze steadily, drained her cup, and returned a very fake looking smile, “Oh? Isn’t Grand Marshal the one whose sore spot had accidentally been poked by me?”
Lu Ri ignored her jab and refilled the cup, “Or Marquis Wei just couldn’t tolerate me slandering His Royal Highness Prince Chu?”
Feng Zhi Wei drained the cup in one shot, “As an envoy of Tiansheng, from the emperor to the common people, they are all subjects that this marquis will defend will all his might. Now that we are on this topic, I am quite surprised by the Grand Marshal. You are an important official of this country, after all, but you are focusing all your attention on these baseless rumors. Is it possible that the affairs of Xiliang court are so peaceful that there is nothing to do?”
The two of them exchanged sharp barbs, but the more they drank, the faster they talked and the lower their voices became. The officials in the hall looked on and could only see that the two were battling it out with drinks. They were all secretly sneering that their Grand Marshal has never been the forgiving sort, and especially hates it when other people say that he looks like a woman. Today, the Tiansheng envoy had sorely offended him. Quite pleased to just watch the two men duke it out from the sideline, they all sat smiling with no one attempting to go up close.
Lu Rui chuckled as he poured another glass, “How much of the rumors regarding His Royal Highness Prince Chu is true or false, I think only Marquis Wei knows best. However, although rumors passing around on the street are not to be taken seriously, but they are not necessarily unworthy of one’s attention. Take for example, I recently heard an interesting story that a prince of a certain country is currently trying to catch a certain escaped concubine. I wonder if Marquis Wei has heard about it?”
Feng Zhi Wei’s heart sank. Only then did she figure out the true intention of Lu Rui’s provocation. She glanced over and saw the strange suggestive smile in the man’s eyes. She stared at the men’s eyes, smiled, and filled the glasses for the both of them as if nothing had happened. “The Grand Marshal is truly considerate to take the trouble in collecting such a random anecdote. I am currently in a foreign country and have the important responsibility of being an envoy, I don’t have the leisure to worry about such things.”
“Marquis Wei naturally doesn’t need to worry about it. I will be the one to worry about it.”
Lu Rui was the real big drinker. After downing so many cups of wine, his face was still as pale as before. “I have received the order from the Regent to assist in finding out the whereabouts of the escaped concubine for that certain prince.”
Feng Zhi Wei lowered her head to pour the wine. There was a faint smile on her face but her mind was thinking furiously– what did Lu Rui mean? It was obvious he had already found out about her identity as a woman and the entanglement between her and Jin Siyu, but judging by what he said, the Regent is ignorant of that fact. Why didn’t he report it to the Regent? And these words, they are like a threat but also like a warning. Is his intention good or bad?
Feeling a bit flustered, this Grand Marshal turned out to be a much more formidable figure. There was no point blurting out anything at this moment, she might as well follow his lead and see what his intentions were.
“Is that right?” She smiled and drank another glass. “Grand Marshal is sure diligent. You even have to worry about such a trivial thing personally.”
“True.” Lu Rui replied with a frown, “The world is such a vast place filled with people, where would I even start? But I did hear that the escaped concubine is from Tiansheng. I wonder if I can trouble Marquis Wei to look for her on my behalf? If you have any news, Marquis, please let me know.”
Here it comes.
So this is Lu Rui’s true intention.
He threw out this important news not to threaten but to establish a private contact.
But why must he do so in front of all the ministers and put on a show that he is completely at odds with her? This in itself is something to ponder about.
Feng Zhi Wei chuckled and deliberately made her smile a bit cold. She clinked her wine glass against Lu Rui’s and said, “It’s my honor to be able to help the Grand Marshal in any way.”
Lu Rui laughed and said, “It is even more my honor. I will drink three cups to show my gratitude.” He then drank three cups of wine in a row. He casually showed the bottom of the cup to Feng Zhi Wei, laughed, turned around, and walked away slowly.
He came suddenly, drank fiercely, and left casually. Her thoughts occupied, while Feng Zhi Wei was still thinking with a wine glass in hand, he had already staggered away. Seeing this, all the ministers of Xiliang felt that Lu Rui must have gained the upper hand in their drinking battle and excitedly gave him a hero’s welcome back.
The regent was also very pleased. He rewarded Lu Rui with a cup of wine and also toasted Feng Zhi Wei while he was at it. The dancers were then summoned. The dancers of Xiliang are the best in the world. Their lotus step and gliding moves were extremely tantalizing. The other envoys from Tiansheng all stopped drinking and watched the dancers with their hearts fluttering. Not Feng Zhi Wei though. She had seen Concubine Qing dance before, and she was the best dancer from Xiliang. No matter how beautiful these dancers are, they are no match against Concubine Qing’s natural-born charisma and seduction. She watched for a while with boredom while the officials around her gradually got more and more excited. This seemed to be the way things were done in Xiliang. Once the solemn banquet is done, the erotic dancing signals that the mood is now relaxed. The officials started to drink with each other, some arm in arm, some drunken, some grabbed the drancers, and some were reciting poems with their wine cups in hand. It was a loud chaotic scene of extravagant wantonness, quite unbearable. Even the Regent quickly apologized and excused himself, saying that he had drunk too much and was helped into the inner room by the most beautiful dancer to go “rest”.
Feng Zhi Wei’s lips curled up into a faint smile– the officialdom in the world is really the same. After the sanctimonious outer shell is stripped away, the filth underneath is all the same.
She looked around, a little surprised that Zhi Xiao was still not back yet. She didn’t think anything would happen to Zhi Xiao since there were plenty of people around. With Gu Zhi Xiao dressed in Tiansheng style outfit, no one would target her. Still, feeling a bit worried, she went over to Master Gu who was slowly tasting the Xiliang sweet wine, and said, “Go find your Zhi Xiao.”
“You?” Master Gu was also a little worried about his daughter but still asked about her first.
“What can happen to me?” Feng Zhi Wei smiled, “No matter how much the Regent tries to make things difficult for me, he will never dare to let something happen to me in Xiliang. He wants to befriend Tiansheng, not to start a war. Don’t worry.”
Master Gu thought for a moment and said, “I’ll be back soon.” Then left immediately. Feng Zhi Wei pushed away the two dancers who were urging her to drink, picked up a wine cup, and walked to the terrace that was connected to the corridor on the side of the palace. It was quiet here, with water flowing slowly on all sides.
Turning the corner, the terrace spread out in front of her. The vast water surface reflected the sparkling stars. The cool night breeze swept over the water, blowing ripples over the light purple palace lantern light reflections, like a piece of light purple silk, spread out on the white wooden ground.
But someone was already there before her.
The man leaned against the railing, facing the night breeze. The breeze toyed with his black stain-like hair, his figure looked tall and straight.
Feng Zhi Wei stopped and took a closer look at the figure. The next instant, she turned to leave.
“Peony.”
A somewhat ridiculous name came from behind. Feng Zhi Wei’s back stiffened. Turning around, she said with a blank smile, “Sir, what maid are you calling for? Do you need me to summon her for you?”
The man slowly turned around, half leaning against the wooden railing, and looked at her deeply. Although it was a face that was not familiar to him, the twinkling eyes were the same. He looked at the young man in brocade robes in front of him, an emotion of pain and unfamiliarity flashed across his eyes but then immediately turned to calm and gentleness.
“I am calling my escaped concubine.”
All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com
Ps. This scene should make it obvious that Jin Siyu is one of the two men from last week’s post. The other one? I am guessing that’s the young prince from another country Jin Siyu was talking to while watching our heroine and her envoy team making their grand entrance into Xiliang. I am assuming the young prince is the same guy our heroine ambushed out in the forest with Gu Nan Yi. The one who made the bird cage for Zhi Xiao.
Poor Jin Siyu. He is going to be in the world of pain. My heart goes out to him! I can’t wait to see who the other prince is. I have no idea. Thank you, Ninja. Another great work.