Ning Yi smiled without answering. He raised his arms, and Feng Zhi Wei’s sight went black as his cloak covered her head. Ning Yi wrapped her in his cloak, leaned against the ship’s railing, and said with a laugh, “There’s water ahead and no one behind. Whoever wants to see can see.” 

It was rare for Feng Zhi Wei to see him so forceful and unrestrained. With his cloak covering on top, the ship’s railing behind, and Ning Yi pressing against her so tightly that she couldn’t move, push, or hit, Feng Zhi Wei was about to consider whether to use her “classic” knee move when everything suddenly went dark before her eyes. Ning Yi’s lips were already pressing down heavily on hers. 

The way his lips landed on hers was not as gentle as in the past but carried a hint of fierce force, not taking no for an answer, seeking comfort. Yet, the moment his lips touched hers, it became as gentle as a spring stream, lingering lightly like falling feathers and dancing flower petals. Small pecks of kisses, from the corner of her mouth to her lips. Seemingly determined to sooth away the pain of missing her this past 6 months with the continuous cluster of kisses. Feng Zhi Wei reached out to push him away but he muttered in her ear “Let me smell if the fragrance of the wisteria cake is still there….” Hearing his words, Feng Zhi Wei wanted to laugh at the absurd excuse, yet somehow her heart softened. The softening of her heart also seemed to cause her body to soften, making her face blush slightly. Ning Yi seized the opportunity to attack and conquer, prying open her teeth and leaning in for a fierce kiss. 

The boat rocked gently, the river’s waves lapping in the far distance, while a cloak created a small, warm, isolated space for them.  Under the cloak, he kissed her fiercely, the tip of his tongue tracing between her lips and every inch inside her mouth, as to permanently claim them as his territory or perhaps wishing to transform himself into a torrent rain to wash away all traces of others. He pressed so tightly against her that Feng Zhi Wei gradually felt as if she was suffocating. At the moment when her breathing became the most labored, he suddenly tilted his head slightly, creating a small gap. Feng Zhi Wei promptly took the chance to poke her head out, but he rubbed his cheek against hers, muttering, “…I don’t like having others…” 

It was a seemingly nonsensical half-sentence, but Feng Zhi Wei immediately understood. She felt as if her whole body had burst into flame and wanted to go find a certain peeping tom that very second to give him a good beating. Ning Yi, however, refused to let her go and instead, trapped her tightly in his arms, kissed her bit by bit from her lips to her cheeks to her earlobes, gently place nibbling kisses all the way as he whispered softly, “Don’t move…let me miss you well…” 

Feng Zhi Wei closed her eyes, sighed softly, and abruptly reached out and unhooked Ning Yi’s cloak. With a flick of her wrist, the cloak fell into her elbow. With the cloak gone, Ning Yi had no choice but to back away. 

Seemingly not angry, he stood three steps away and looked at her with a smile as he said, “When you were taking off my clothes just now, I thought you were going to…here…” 

Feng Zhi Wei raised her hand and threw the cloak at him, silencing the rest of his teasing words. 

Ning Yi smiled and used the momentum to put on his cloak. Feng Zhi Wei walked past him and sighed, “Your dragon-sun preference (preference for men) is well known even in Xiliang. Aren’t you afraid His Majesty would have some thoughts about it?” 

“I would rather he thinks I have dragon-sun preference than have any other thoughts about me.” Ning Yi replied with words that seemed to have a deeper meaning. He turned her shoulder to look her over carefully and said, “You seem to have gotten thinner?” 

Feng Zhi Wei touched her face and laughed, “Where? I think I have gained weight instead.” Only then did she have time to look over Ning Yi and thought it was him who seemed to have lost some weight. 

“You stayed in Xiliang for a few extra months.” Ning Yi said with a smile, holding her hand, “You made me spend a lonely New Year all by myself. How are you going to make it up to me?” 

“Now that you mentioned it, I do feel a little bad.” Feng Zhi Wei smiled, and suddenly raised her hand and flipped open the lid of an inconspicuous large pickle jar by the side of the boat. “I’ll compensate you with this large jar of pickled vegetables.” 

“Big jar of pickled vegetables” had its disguised top flipped off, stood up, and rubbed his hands together sheepishly, “Master…”

Ning Yi stared at him with surprise and said with wide eyes, “Hey, isn’t this Mr. Ning, the unparalleled literary talent? What are you doing here? Composing poetry in a pickle jar?” 

“Yes.” Feng Zhi Wei patted Ning Cheng’s shoulder and said with a smile, “It’s been hard for Mr.Ning to follow us all the way to Xiliang, composing countless fine poems on walls and roof beams. I suppose he must have become addicted, so now that he has arrived in Tiansheng, he still hasn’t forgotten to look for inspiration. What’s the topic this time? “The Unspeakable Things at the Bow of a River Boat”? Or “The Cloak Incident of Prince Chu and Marquis Wei”? 

She chuckled and strode away. Watching her retreating figure with a smile, Ning Yi thought to himself that this girl was indeed angry. He turned his head to look at his precious guard, who looked completely oblivious and was at the moment gazing at him with a face full of grievance and indignation. 

Leaning against the ship’s railing, Ning Yi beckoned to Ning Cheng. Ning Cheng immediately pulled several sheets of paper from his boot and eagerly handed them over and said, “Master, I got busy later on and didn’t have time to bind them, but everything that needed to be noted is here…”

So this is the loose-leaf sequel to “The Records of Splendid Dreams in Xiliang” Ning Yi shot him a glance and opened it up. 

“The Jin Siyu’s Body-Pressing Incident”

“Wedding Night or Pounce Now? Witness Feng Zhi Wei’s Bold Choice”

“Adulterous Pair Conspires in Deception, Wicked Man and Ruthless Woman’s Suggestive Moments Underwater!” 

With tears in his eyes, Ning Cheng rolled up his sleeves to show his master the smallest lingering hint of the minor injuries he had sustained from fighting with the Regent’s guards a couple of months ago: “Master, look! They tricked me into fighting. Then they ran off before I was even finished and left me to fight against two opponents without any help. I almost lost my life…what sort of assignment did you give me? I would rather empty chamber pots in the manor than deal with that woman again…..” 

“Alright.” Ning Yi listened with a smile. Tucking that “The Records of Splendid Dreams in Xiliang” into his sleeve, he said gently, “You don’t have to deal with her anymore. I have just decided to send you to the countryside estate to manage the chamber pots for a year. All of the chamber pots will be under your charge. You see, this assignment definitely won’t cost your life. You don’t have to thank me…Mm, that’s settled. Go wash and get to bed.” (That last bit of “Go wash and get to bed” is a Chinese joke referring to when something really bad is about to happen, and there is nothing you can do other than give up.) 

Like Feng Zhi Wei, he patted Ning Cheng’s shoulder, chuckled, and strode off. 

The unfortunate Guard Ning stood shivering in the chilly early spring wind, staring after his master’s retreating figure. 

—————————————————

After crossing the river that evening, Hua Qiong personally came to meet them. It was only after eating dinner at Hua Qiong’s place that Feng Zhi Wei learned that Ning Yi had come to the south to inspect the resettlement and road construction. Minnan’s Ten Thousand Mountain in the south, due to its steep terrain, made the area inaccessible.  The various indigenous tribes living there were also difficult to govern,  and due to the harsh living conditions, they would often come out of the mountains to harass the nearby settlements.  The general of southern Minnan petitioned to build roads through the mountains, establish counties and build cities, and relocate the Han settlers to live alongside the indigenous tribes, in hopes of achieving integration. It was a major undertaking and one that would benefit generations to come. The Emperor of Tiansheng approved it immediately. Since the Minnan general was recommended by Ning Yi and Ning Yi oversaw both the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, the matter was placed under his charge. Only then could Ning Yi find a reason to come here. 


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