147-154

Chapter 147: The Grand Wedding (I)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Autumn in the capital was different from anywhere else. Young girls gathered the red leaves found on the mountains to the west and sold them in the streets like flowers. The white grasses of the great lake to the east were gathered and woven into bundles—they were given to rich families to ward off evil. Slightly chilly autumn winds weaved through the capital streets, blowing through the forests, brushing past the smooth cheeks of traveling ladies, dispersing the steam rising from food stalls, as if trying to blow away a whole year's worth of bad luck and shady occurrences.

Among the streets of the capital, Tianhe Avenue was the cleanest and the most peaceful and beautiful. Various government buildings lined both sides. Today was the first day of the month, so the various officials got a rarely earned break of ten days. But they dared to not relax completely. Today was the day Fan Xian—the eldest son of Fan manor—got married. No matter the rank or post, all the officials were going.

This great wedding was a major sensation in the capital. The Fan clan was famous enough already. Due to Count Sinan's relationship with the royal family, in recent years they experienced a long period of prosperity, and the current functionary was sick in bed. In about a couple years' time, Fan Xian would take that position.

As for the groom Fan Xian, he had only recently become an even more sensational character. Not mentioning the Niulan Street incident half a year ago, it was only last month that he went into a drunken poetic frenzy in the palace. That incident made him the topic of every single household. Ever since that day, Fan Xian hid himself in his home, making the people wonder exactly what the newly appointed scholar looked like.

The bride was equally impressive. While she was only adopted into the Lin family at the beginning of the year, she was still the daughter of the prime minister. As the head of all civil officials who governed the nation, his daughter being married was a major event. Despite certain events in the imperial court that made the prime minister's position less than stable, there was no political danger with this wedding, and so various officials were happy to attend.

Both the bride and groom were illegitimate children, but everyone in the capital seemed to have forgotten about it now.

As for the high-ranking officials who knew this couple's real backgrounds, they secretly raised the standards for the wedding gifts. They took their seats early in Fan manor, curious as to what sort of developments would there be today.

...

Five old nannies were dressing Fan Xian up as if he were a wooden dummy, making him vow that if he had to go through this torture again in the future, he would turn down all weddings, or even swear to never get married again. Rather than being chained down by weddings, he's rather settle for hook-ups.

Normally, according to Qing traditions, weddings were held at dusk. But Fan Xian got dragged out of bed before the sun even came out. Bathing and brushing his teeth were simple matters, but immediately afterwards, one of the nannies began to dissolve some rouge in warm water. Greatly frightened, Fan Xian asked the nannie what she was doing. Only now did he realize that, as the groom, he needed to wear make-up!

Obviously, such things were more than what Fan Xian could endure, so he adamantly refused. Not even Fan Jian was able to persuade him after over half an hour. Although he was victorious, Fan Xian did lose much time, which was the reason why five nannies were helping him dress.

The clothing he had gotten used to long ago became unbearable today. Under the straight red robe were three layers of garments. On the outside, the robe was decorated by various jewelry, ribbons, and tassels; it was so colorful it made the eyes water.

After putting on the headdress, Fan Xian tied up the jade tablet. His silver shoes chaffed his feet, while his gold collar dug into his neck. Like an idiot, he was pushed to the front hall by the nannies.

Both Fan Ruoruo and Fan Sizhe were also dressed festively, Ruoruo especially so. Her pink top contrasted spiritedly against her calm face. The siblings tried to hide their laughter when they saw their elder brother. Fan Sizhe mocked, "Where did this flower dumpling come from?"

Fan Xian took two steps forward angrily, however, all the decorations he wore chimed out. Laughing at himself, he said, "Flower dumpling? I'm a wind chime spewing out colors."

For this living, walking wind chime, having to walk the streets was the most painful thing to do. Fortunately, Fan Xian would be riding in a sedan chair rather than on a horse. Otherwise, he'd dash back to Danzhou out of shame. Finally, the wedding parade arrived at Fan Manor. Lin Wan'er moved back to Lin household ten days ago. A wedding parade outside the palace wouldn't be appropriate for the entire capital to see.

Sitting in the sedan chair, the sound of firecrackers made him blank out slightly. As he smelled the smoke, the scent somehow reminded him of something from far past. He shook his head and pulled himself back together. He forced a very stiff smile and set off.

By rule, Fan Xian cannot enter the bride's room, while the prime minister cannot enter Fan manor. Among the ruckus of firecrackers and instruments, the gates of Lin manor slowly opened. The one who came out to greet them was Yuan Hongdao. A red flower adorned his hat, giving him quite the look.

"Young Master Fan." Yuan Hongdao greeted with a smile.

Fan Xian smiled uneasily, feeling a worrisome twinge in his stomach, but he forced himself to keep a bright expression. He greeted back "Mister Yuan." The two had seen each other in the prime minister's building. Knowing who each other were, the two of them weren't exactly strangers.

Of the specialist veterans in the capital, about half of them were accepted by Fan Xian. As soon as the front door to Lin manor was open, those old ladies opened their mouths and began to spew out good wishes. The sheer amount of words stunned Yuan Hongdao. Soon the crowd gathered at the entrance.

Then, they witnessed a truly strong stopping power.

So, where did the other half go? Taken by Lin manor, of course. Soon spit began to fly through the air as the chatter went on. While celebratory on the surface, they were full of hidden disdain. They didn't sound like they were celebrating the marriage between the prime minister's daughter and Count Sinan's son, instead they sounded like they were putting up with a pair of rich commoners from the countryside.

Fan Xian couldn't help but smile bitterly; he understood this was merely a custom. Before marriage, the bride's side must start a quarrel. Supposedly, this would use up all the quarrel the newly-wed would face in the future.

Fan Xian was forced to stood there listening. As time passed, he was getting nauseous. Finally, he noticed the noise died down a bit. Overjoyed, he opened his eyes and shouted, "Done?"

...

An awkward silence later, someone quietly told him, "Young Master Fan, it's still too early."

Someone from Lin manor added with a chuckle, "Looks like the groom is getting impatient. Well, can't blame him, since our Lady…" He then proceeded to throw out a ton of compliments regarding Lin Wan'er.

More time passed, Yuan Hongdao noticed Fan Xian was turning pale. He lowered his voice and said, "Please endure it a bit longer. The capital isn't like Danzhou. There really are a lot more customs here."

Fan Xian forced a happy expression, "I'm not impatient at all." Inside, he said to himself, "I waited thirty years already, this is nothing." After a short while, this evil ceremony finally ended. After some cheering, the gates to Lin manor opened a second time. The daughter of Lin Household finally walked out, led by two nannies.

Fan Xian's eyes brightened. Lin'er was dressed in an all-red robe with wide sleeves. Alongside her beauty was the atmosphere of peerless festivity. However, the red veil covered the decorated headdress and her unforgettable face.

The crowd gathered to spectate, starting an uproar before Fan Xian could do anything. The crowd shouted for Fan Xian to lift the veil to let them see if the bride was pretty.

Had they carried out such unruliness on a regular day, they'd be fortunate to receive a crippling beatdown at the hands of Wan'er's family; they'd even be imprisoned for life by the Overwatch Council.

But today was a day of grand celebration, and all were to be joyful. So neither households wished to disrupt this atmosphere. Fan Xian was still displeased and gave those people a look. The subordinates understood what Fan Xian meant. A few yelps came out of the crowd, it sounded like the rowdiest ones in there got kicked.

After another series of ceremonies, Lin Wan'er, dressed in all red, got onto the wedding sedan chair.

During the entire procedure, Fan Xian wasn't able to talk to her once, or make eye contact, or even get a fingertip on her.

...

Back at Fan manor, all the guests were there. The music made everything exceptionally lively.

The bride was invited to the room first, while the groom welcomed the guests in the front hall. As he greeted acquaintances and strangers alike with a smile, Fan Xian quietly asked someone next to him, "When do I get to exchange vows?"

"It's still too early for that, Young Master. You must first sit together, eat together with the same utensils, and…"

Fan Xian didn't hear the rest. Forcing down his urge to curse out, he consoled himself to be patient. As he said earlier, he waited thirty years already, why be impatient now?

Chapter 148: The Grand Wedding (II)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Whatever was said, Fan Xian couldn't remember, but he did remember drinking a lot. He also remembered being asked by the many officials present to write a couple of poems to commemorate the event, some of which held genuinely good intentions, while others were simply being greedy. Regardless of how much he drank, Fan Xian adhered to his vow of withdrawing from the world of poetry—he forced a smile and declined.

During the feast, the guests from Jing Palace finally arrived, and all of the officials stood to greet them.

King Jing had always liked the brat Fan Xian. Seeing his flamboyant outfit today, he said, "What kind of outfit is that?"

Fan Xian knew King Jing's temperament. He smiled and said, "May I ask how Your Highness dressed on the day of your wedding?"

Crown Prince Jing lowered his voice and said, "Probably worse than you."

King Jing cursed out, "When I married, you didn't even exist. What the hell do you know?"

Seeing King Jing and the crown prince quarreling, the other officials dared not interfere. Instead, they all stood to the side trying to hide their laughter. But the host, Count Sinan, couldn't afford such leisure. He went to council them. "Your Highness, that really was unnecessary." Despite being a count, the two households had had good relations for over ten years, which was why he was able to converse so casually with King Jing.

King Jing waved his hand and stopped minding everyone else as he followed Fan Jian inside. Halfway there, he stopped and turned around. He said to Fan Xian, seriously this time, "Not bad."

Fan Xian was surprised and hurriedly thanked him for the compliment. King Jing continued to speak with a frown, "I was originally planning to wait two years or so and have Rou Jia married to you. Who would have thought that older sister of mine would make the first move?" He seemed to feel truly regretful as he shook his head and walked inside.

Who was this older sister? Of course, it was Fan Xian's new mother-in-law, the eldest princess. Fortunately, King Jing lowered his voice when he said it, so no one else heard this. Fan Xian thought how scary it would be if he married Rou Jia before changing the subject—his mother-in-law looked so much younger than King Jing, which was very intriguing.

As he became lost in thought, Li Hongcheng patted him on the shoulder, "Between the two of us, my household is supposed to arrive earlier. But you should know, with occasions like this, it's not convenient for us to do so."

Fan Xian understood. Despite the two of them being on friendly terms, Li Hongcheng was still King Jing's crown prince. It would be against the norms for him to come help out the son of a civil servant. As Fan Xian smiled and was about to say something, Li Hongcheng continued in a light voice, "Rou Jia couldn't be here today. She asked me to let you know."

Fan Xian raised an eyebrow. Rou Jia was his and Ruoruo's friend. Why didn't she come on his wedding day?

Seeing his expression, Li Hongcheng explained with an uneasy smile, "My younger sister is currently wiping away her tears back at the manor. What Lord Father said was true; if it wasn't for your fiancée's background, he really would have asked the empress dowager to wed Rou Jia to you."

Fan Xian was shocked at first, but then he felt a bit bitter. He realized that he really didn't know what to say, so he decided to stay silent for the moment.

The time had finally arrived for the couple to exchange vows to Heaven and Earth. Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er each held onto one end of the red silk sash, staring at each other affectionately. Delicately, they said their vows. This made Fan Ruoruo cry and Fan Sizhe cringe.

When saluting the parents, Count Sinan Fan Jian sat while gently stroking his beard. Lady Liu sat somewhat awkwardly in the seat of the mother. The people watching were all wondering: since when did Lady Liu establish herself as the head wife?

The spectators didn't know it was the result of Fan Xian's plans for the past month. Fan Xian was not the type to love his enemies, but he was also not the type to hold a grudge. He was still cautious of Lady Liu. But seeing how she was truly loyal and dedicated to his father, establishing her position as the head wife would stabilize her influence as well as calm her down a bit.

Of course, should Lady Liu act against him in anyway, Fan Xian now could protect himself and hurt the enemy. It's just that Fan Xian didn't want that to happen; if he was correct, Lady Liu had suffered much in her life, not to mention that Fan Sizhe was between them too. Up until last night – until empress dowager herself gave permission – Count Sinan had always been silent about changing Lady Liu's place in the household.

After having endured for ten years, Lady Liu was finally sitting as the head wife of the household. Not used to the position, she touched the hand rests of her seat. A bit unsettled, she received the tea that was offered to her and took a noncommittal sip. She began to stare uneasily at Fan Xian.

Fan Xian didn't look back at her, however. He was offering tea to his father with a smile.

With great difficulty, a faint smile appeared on the corner of Lady Liu's lips.

The outsiders who were watching couldn't help but feel confused. After all, they didn't know what happened, so who could blame them? But those from Lady Liu's mother's side couldn't help but sigh over the scene.

At this moment, some ruckus sounded outside the manor. Fan Xian rose while Wan'er was helped up by a nanny. The family looked outside in unison.

"An Imperial decree has arrived for the Fan clan."

Eunuch Hou, who was familiar with the Fan household, came in with a bright smile to deliver the Imperial decree. Despite today being a day of celebration, both Fan Jian and Fan Xian guessed there had been some arrangements in the palace, and thus weren't surprised.

But the civil officials in the courtyard were. As Eunuch Hou announced the decree, the officials found the award being bestowed to be atypical. The amount of golden silk far surpassed what was normal; there were also some tribute items. Regardless of how they looked at it, this was not the gift to bestow upon a marriage between the children of civil servants. Rather, it was more suited to be given to a ruler or a royal relative.

Even considering that this involved the prime minister and Count Sinan, the royal family shouldn't be giving this much attention.

As he listened to the Imperial decree, Fan Xian said quietly to his wife, whose face was hidden under the red veil, "Hear that? That's all thanks to you."

Under her veil, Lin Wan'er was greatly embarrassed.

...

After Eunuch Hou left, and as the various officials were just about to take a breath of relief, another voice outside announced, "Fan and Lin, a match made in Heaven, Imperial Consort Shu brings gifts."

Surprised, Fan Xian and Wan'er saluted again. Imperial Consort Shu had given them the original copies of that rare set of books. Lady Shu was the mother of the second prince. As it turned out, she too had connections with Fan manor. The officials were awed.

A short while after that, a voice rang out once again, "Fan and Lin, a match made in Heaven, Ning the Talented also brings gifts." While the status of this talented woman wasn't all that high, her only son was the eldest prince. She always had a retinue of troops with her, as the emperor valued her highly.

Ning's gift was a sword, which suited her Dongyi background. The newly-wed couple had no choice but to receive it with a salute. Fan Xian said quietly to his wife, "See? Now it's the Ladies' turn to award us. This sword must be for you. If something ever goes against your wishes, you can use it to slay me."

Again, Lin Wan'er became extremely embarrassed. In front of this crowd, it was impossible for her to give her husband a smack.

Since both Imperial Consort Shu and Ning the Talented had given gifts, the other Ladies were no exception, only the less prominent ones sent their gifts together. Only Lady Ning was different, as she was part of Liu family. Furthermore, last night, she received word that Lady Liu had finally been promoted to head wife. She was overjoyed, so she decided to go all out; the gift list alone was about two feet thick, to the shock of the watching officials.

After the Ladies, it was time for the empress dowager's gift. As the mother figure to the nation, her gift was bound to be extraordinary: it was a delicate and translucent jade ruyi scepter of indescribable value.

The wedding was an eye-opening event for those civil officials. Since Qing's founding day, they had never seen so many esteemed ones from the palace be so involved in the marriage between the children of officials.

It goes without saying that the high-ranking officials who knew Wan'er's background realized what was happening. Lin Wan'er was not only Eldest Princess's illegitimate daughter. Most importantly, she was beloved by both the emperor and empress dowager. Growing up in the palace, it was no wonder that her relationship with those esteemed ones was so atypical.

Gradually everything began to calm down as the officials slowly learned what was happening. As they became more collected, their views toward the bride changed.

Finally, the biggest bombshell dropped. His Majesty's own calligraphy was carried into Fan Manor by a group of eunuchs, as though it were some invaluable treasure. Everyone in the courtyard knelt.

"By this Heavenly edict, His Majesty hereby decrees: the unison between Fan and Lin, a match made in Heaven, His Majesty has written words of blessing."

Carefully, Fan Jian and Fan Xian received it and displayed it to the crowd. On the white paper were the words "May you share a hundred years in happiness together".

On the surface, the meaning was simple, but His Majesty had never been known for interfering with the private affairs of his subjects. There must be some complex, deeper meaning behind this. The crowd in the courtyard started guessing. It looked like Fan Xian had stumbled upon great fortune by marrying Lin Wan'er.

In a room deep in the palace, the emperor of Qing was looking at a painting with a smile. The painting was a portrait of a woman in a yellow shirt.

The emperor had given his dearest Wan'er to Fan Xian. His Majesty thought the woman in the painting would like the girl too. So much had happened in Fan manor today. The onlookers all believed it was due to His Majesty pampering Wan'er. Even the Ladies didn't stray too far from that belief. But the truth was that His Majesty felt regretful that Fan Xian could not get married as a prince.

Gazing at the woman in the painting, the emperor smiled. "You used to enjoy such lively events. I hope he does too."

Chapter 149: Gifts (Part 1)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Young women who had read a great number of romance novels would be greatly enamored with such a wedding scene. Fan Xian was, to put it simply, not a fan. He was of a strong enough will not to be moved by the palace's bestowals. What was more, he felt deep down, as did the guests attending this ritual, that these rewards were naturally all being bestowed upon "Princess Chen", Lin Wan'er.

Fan Xian's main concern was that his knees and lower back couldn't take all the kneeling required every time someone from the palace came to present them with a gift. It made him think of Wu Zhu's quarterstaff.

In a burst of joyous sounds of rituals and music, the marriage between Fan and Lin families was finally complete. The bride and groom were sent into their bridal chamber, and the guests began to leave. Strangely that day, save for Prince Jing, all alone, no one drank to excess.

Count Sinan, Fan Jian, watched as the newly married couple were escorted into their bridal chamber, and a gentle smile formed on his face. The thing that he had worried about the most today had not occurred. It seemed that the Crown Prince and the Second Prince also knew that on the day of his son's wedding, coming to attend the ritual without careful consideration of status could cause alarm in the palace and conflict with Fan Xian.

But the Crown Prince and the Second Prince had still sent people to deliver heavy gifts.

Evening came, and the newlyweds, assisted by serving-girls, arrived at their new home. The place was illuminated by red lanterns, with auspicious symbols plastered everywhere, all in a festive brilliant red color.

When he arrived, Fan Xian was finally able to relax. Some of the serving-girls were his own, some hand been sent by the estate of Prince Jing, and some were the older ones who had followed Lin Wan'er from the palace, still somewhat fearful of this young master.

He entered the room, stretched out his entire body, and with a beaming smile, asked the gathered servants to leave. The servants, gathered outside the door, bowed to the newlywed couple. Wan'er quickly handed her lady-in-waiting Si Qi a small sum of money in appreciation of the work she had done in the wedding.

"Si Qi, you must be tired too. Please, go to bed," said Fan Xian, smiling, his brows forming a Y shape.

Si Qi looked somewhat awkwardly at her mistress, thinking about the traditional exchange of cups of wine between bride and groom that was yet to occur. At that moment, she caught sight of the hand on Lin Wan'er's knee, and waved imperceptibly, seemingly in a hurry to depart.

The servant girls hid their laughter and quickly left the bridal chamber, closing the wooden door.

Only Fan Xian and Wan'er were left.

"Come out. You don't want me to beat you." To Lin Wan'er's surprise, Fan Xian spoke coldly. Sure enough, Fan Sizhe's fat figure wriggled out from underneath the bed and fled the room, his head lowered.

Fan Xian frowned. "I wouldn't mind if the chamber pot by the bed had choked him to death."

Lin Wan'er giggled, her head covered in a red veil. "The chamber pot has never been used." Fan Xian thought she was right: the top of the chamber pot was still lined with gold lacquer, the inside filled with aromatic herbs.

Looking around, he saw no one else, just the silent flickering of the red candles. He chuckled and walked towards her, taking hold of her slightly cold hands from inside her sleeves.

He suddenly thought of Wu Zhu. If that grandmaster had hidden in the corner as he always liked to, and once the newlyweds were doing the things that newlyweds do on the bed, and he had seen that shadow in the corner, it would probably scare him out of his wits. He cleared his throat quickly. "Uncle, are you there?" he said quietly.

Uncle was not there.

Lin Wan'er, her hand in his, was imagining with some shame the things that were about to happen. Hearing him suddenly call out "uncle", she couldn't help but be perplexed. "Huh?"

"It's nothing." Fan Xian smiled. "When things have settled down, I'll show you."

"Oh." Lin Wan'er was confused and had no idea what he was talking about.

"My bride." Fan Xian had not used the traditional rod to lift the red veil over Wan'er's head, but had instead softly lifted it with it grasped between his fingers. He watched the red cloth slowly lift to expose the young woman's head, lowered and bashful, with a soft chin like white jade, and above that a pair of soft lips, a tiny, pointed nose, and a nervously closed pair of eyes with a set of gently trembling eyelashes.

The red lanterns gradually darkened, and Fan Xian sat slightly nervously on the bed, the thumb of his right hand gently caressing his bride's smooth cheek.

"Ahem."

From outside the room came the ill-timed sound of coughing, then the sound of a sword being unsheathed by one of Fan Xian's bodyguards. There was a groan, and finally, an alarmed cry from Wang Qinian!

Fan Xian frowned, bursting out of the door. His long red gown floated behind him like a beautiful red cloud in the night.

He could not see who this visitor was. His wrist trembled and he took a staggering step, avoiding the persons hands clapping his shoulders. Spontaneously, he took out his needles, jabbing them into his opponent's shoulders. The needle-tip was coated with a powerful poison, and it was unlikely that the opponent would be able to move a single step.

At that moment, his vision was finally clear. The handful of bodyguards standing before the stone steps had already collapsed, unconscious, and Wang Qinian stared in fear behind him.

Fan Xian was greatly shocked. Who in this world could still move after being affected by his own poison? He felt a movement in the air behind him, and turning his palms to weapons, he slashed at the air.

As he tried to slash at the person's face, Fan Xian let out a pained moan and crouched to the floor clutching his stomach.

The first reason for this was because he had failed to slash the person; the other reason was because he had been hit by poison.

He saw the person's disheveled hair and weathered face. They were very old, but he could not make out who it was. A pair of dark, cold eyes, mottled with a dark brown color. They looked terrifying.

"Teacher?" cried Fan Xian in surprise. There was a sharp pain in his stomach that he could not dare to ignore. He hurriedly fetched an antidote tablet from his belt and put it in his mouth, unsure as to whether it would work.

Then he hurriedly moved forward to salute, embrace, and curse Fei Jie, who had appeared suddenly today after ten years' absence.

"You haven't changed much." Fei Jie sat in the study, drinking tea, appreciating the servant girls massaging his legs, and looking at Fan Xian who stood next to him. "I thought that after ten years I'd hardly recognize you. I didn't expect you to grow to be so handsome."

Fan Xian sighed, but did not dare sit. "Teacher," he said, "could you not... even if it's just one time, please don't sneak into my room in the middle of the night. It's easy to make a mistake. Even though there is a soft pillow in my room, if I'd just taken out a knife, then what would you do? You're clearly the weakest one of the eight bureaus when it comes to martial arts, but you're fond of playing some kind of hero who sneaks around at night. It's very dangerous."

In truth, Fan Xian had imagined his reunion with his teacher countless times. Perhaps they would cry on each other's' shoulders; perhaps they would pour each other poisoned tea to test each other's skills. But he had not imagined him showing up to disrupt his wedding night.

All the thoughts he had had of him since they had parted quickly turned to unsatisfied anger. Today had played havoc on him. Fan Xian had always comforted himself - he had lived for thirty years, so what did he had to worry about? But he was soon to be successfully accomplished, and had been disturbed by this old poisoner. He could not help worrying, wondering - he could have come at any time; did it have to be tonight?

Fei Jie took no notice of him. "I have just returned from Dongyi," he said. "I heard that you were getting married, so I travelled for days. I've finally made it back here."

Fan Xian was filled with emotions. He quickly bent over to bow in respect. It was this man's efforts that were to thank for the fact that he had managed to live so long in this world.

Fei Jie handed him a small box. A faint fragrance wafted from inside it. Fan Xian was curious. "What is it?"

"A wedding gift for my student. Take a look."

Fan Xian knew that his teacher's gifts were unlike any other. He opened the box and looked. Inside were a number of pills about the size of a fingertip. He was moved, and scraping some of it off with a fingernail, he transferred it to his lips to test it.

Watching his movements, Fei Jie smiled. That pretty young boy had become a handsome young man, and he felt relieved, especially upon seeing that he had maintained the professional habits that he had once taught him.

"Tortoiseshell, made with vinegar." Fan Xian knitted his brow as he analyzed the pills. "Foxglove, donkey hide glue, beeswax... but there's another ingredient I can't figure out."

"Iced smoke." The corners of Fei Jie's lips raised. He seemed pleased.

"Iced smoke?" Fan Xian had already guessed at the uses of this pill. When he thought of his teacher's startling methods, he could not help but feel confidence in him, and he asked with pleasant surprise.

"Correct. It is an ingredient from overseas. I tasked the merchants of Dongyi with finding it for me four years ago, and this year they finally found it, so I spent a number of days there waiting for a boat." Fei Jie waved his hand, signaling to the servant girl attending him that she should leave.

Four years ago was when the marriage between the Fan and Lin families had first been discussed in the palace. So from that moment, Fei Jie had started his search for a cure for Lin Wan'er's tuberculosis, so that his student could marry a healthy bride. When he realized this, Fan Xian could not help but feel greatly moved.

"There was something else in Dongyi."

Fan Xian understood.

"I sold cures to Sigu Sword. In return, they promised not to make a move against you."

Fan Xian sat down next to his teacher, with no complaints at all about the fact that he had cut short his wedding night. "Master," he said, greatly moved, "for your medicines, you have my deepest gratitude. Thank you so much."

"This is the first time I have made such a medicine, but it has been tested, and it is effective." Fei Jie smiled. There was a flash in his mottled brown eyes. "But it has some side effects that you must be fully aware of."

"Teacher, please, tell me." Seeing Fei Jie's caution, Fan Xian's face also turned prudent.

Chapter 150: Gifts (Part 2)

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"After taking the medicine, you cannot have sex for a month." Fei Jie smiled. He still hadn't mentioned any of the real side effects.

"You're really cruel." Fan Xian glared at his teacher, wishing he could bite him.

"So I'll give it to her tomorrow," said Fan Xian anxiously.

Fei Jie almost spat out his tea. He pointed at Fan Xian's nose. "You're truly stubborn. You've been to the pleasure houses of the capital countless times; don't tell me you're worried about tonight?"

Fan Xian chuckled. "Because I know you're playing with me, teacher."

Fei Jie could do nothing to this handsome youngster. Ten years ago, he was no match, and ten years on, he was still no match. He stood up, seething. "Could it be that I was destined to owe you from a previous life? You are capable of guessing everything."

Fan Xian quickly stood up alongside him to console him. "Because you care about me, teacher."

Fei Jie suddenly looked him in the eye, and was silent for a long time. Because this study had only just been put into use, the smell of wood still hung in the room. The whole atmosphere was slightly odd.

"You have been in the capital for so long," Fei Jie said quietly after a long while, "and you have visited the Overwatch Council. I presumed you already knew these things."

"I know some of it." Fan Xian smiled innocently. "For example, I have learnt about my mother, but I still don't know about my father."

He looked Fei Jie in the eye. Fei Jie, a shrewd and ruthless poisoner, also felt some pressure. He smiled and changed the subject quite ingeniously, turning the questioning onto Fan Xian. "I presume you were aware that your mother founded both the House of Ye and the Overwatch Council. Count Sinan and the Director both wanted you to take over. But Count Sinan wanted you to take over the businesses of the royal purse, and the Director seemingly wanted you to take over the Overwatch Council."

Fan Xian shook his head. "Teacher. When you gave me that token long ago, it turned out to be the token of a commissioner. After I understood what that token represented, I knew what could happen in the future. What's your point?"

"My point is not the same as the Director's." Fei Jie seemed somewhat crestfallen. "The Overwatch Council is too close to the Emperor, and can very easily be dragged into terrible political power struggles. Though the royal purse is something of a hot potato, it is still easier to control than the Overwatch Council."

Fan Xian nodded, secretly laughing bitterly to himself. It seemed to him that he had already been dragged into the power struggles of the palace long ago. He had even been involved in the eldest princess's exile from the capital. He thought for a moment, then smiled. "There is no need to waste your effort, Teacher. You must be exhausted from the journey. Rest in the manor. As for future matters, whether or not I want to receive my mother's property, I fear that even if Director Chen and... my father wish to give it to me, there are still many people who would oppose such a thing."

Fei Jie nodded. "Things are complicated," he said seriously, "and as I see it, the Prime Minister cannot remain at the royal court much longer."

Fan Xian frowned. His father-in-law had managed to remove himself from the incident with Wu Bo'an long ago - what else was likely to happen?

Fei Jie did not explain, and instead simply asked his question quietly. "Is Master Wu in the capital?"

"After I came to the capital," said Fan Xian without a moment's hesitation, "he left. It seems that he went to the Southern Sea to find Ye Liuyun. I'm not sure what he's doing."

Fei Jie shook his head and suddenly looked Fan Xian in the eye. "I hear that you have written a number of poems in the capital," he said with a chiding frown, "and gained some renown?"

Fan Xian smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "You know, Teacher, I have enjoyed writing since I was young."

Fei Jie sighed. "It appears that the old salt seller Xin is also your excuse."

Fan Xian chuckled.

Fei Jie could not help but shake his head as he looked at him. "Your mother was quite a talent herself, but she looked down on such triteness. After you entered the capital, you practiced such skills. If your mother could see, you she'd be livid."

Fan Xian shrugged. He reckoned his mother must have been a formidable scientist in the previous world, so naturally she wouldn't agree with his path.

Fei Jie refused his student's offer of hospitality; naturally, he had a house in the capital. As he prepared to leave, Fan Xian finally could not stop himself from asking.

"Teacher. Were you and Chen Pingping and Wu Zhu followers of my mother?"

"That's right."

"Did you once find medicines for my mother?"

"What medicines?"

"Hm..." Fan Xian had no choice but to shake his head. "Aphrodisiacs or knockout drops?"

Fei Jie had seemingly thought of something, and there was a strange look on his face. He laughed darkly. "Now that you are married, do you need such things?"

The next morning, the birds chirped incessantly on their branches. Even the leaves, gradually turning yellow, seemed soaked in happiness, turning soft. The morning sun shone at an angle into the courtyard, filling it with a faint and plentiful warm light. The grasses in the courtyard, tilting slightly over the stone footpath, were covered in a slight dew. All looked peaceful and quiet.

With a creak, Fan Xian pushed open the door and stretched out his body. There was a tired look on his face, but his eyes were still incomporably bright and clear. He yawned, smiled, and waved behind him. "Hurry up; you can see the season best in the morning. Chen'er, how can you dawdle in bed?"

Lin Wan'er's bashful and nervous answer came from inside the room. "I've never seen you so shameless. Close the door, quick."

Fan Xian laughed. "It's early in the morning, yesterday was the wedding. The servants are all tired. Perhaps we are the first in the household to wake up."

As he said it, he heard the sound of movement throughout the courtyard, with men and women all coming out to greet him. "Good morning, Master."

Fan Xian was startled, and suddenly went back inside, closing the door.

After a moment, a servant girl came in to help the newlyweds get washed and dressed before leaving the room. Fan Xian carefully took Lin Wan'er's hand. He looked at his wife's annoyed but beautiful face and smiled. "Last night I was with my teacher for a while, so time was short. This evening I shall return to make up for it."

Lin Wan'er had grown up in the palace, so she chose her words carefully. Now she had married a man who seemed to enjoy talking complete nonsense. "It's not proper," she said bashfully.

Fan Xian led her by her slightly-cold hand and smiled. "After the lakeside, we started to look at the scriptures a bit differently."

"There you go again."

"From today, you can call me 'husband'."

"Yes, husband." The way Lin Wan'er answered bashfully could really make one feel love for her.

When Fan Xian heard the word "husband", he thought of mahjong, of all the fortune and misfortune he'd had in his life, of the madness of last night, of the beauty of his wedding night, of the eldest princess exiled to her fiefdom by the Emperor; he couldn't help but smile. "I seem to have a few more tiles than most." [1]

Now, since he'd come to the capital, he'd finally found happiness. He couldn't help but sing to himself. "One night in the capital left me with so many feelings."

He held Lin Wan'er in his arms, who looked at him with innocent eyes, not understanding a word.

Over in Fan Manor proper, there was quite some commotion. The servants were divided into two rows to greet the newlyweds, all knowing that this lady of the house was quite a woman. At last night's wedding, the gifts from the palace had shaken all of the Fan clansmen.

Having drunk their wedding tea, Count Sinan amiably asked them to come forth and asked Wan'er about the health of Prime Minister Lin, then let them carry on comfortably. Seeing this new husband and wife, Count Sinan felt content, and Fan Ruoruo, standing to the side, was also delighted for her brother.

The two returned to the courtyard, then heard a commotion outside. A servant opened the door to find the the people who lived in the Fan Clan estate on the outskirts of the capital had come bearing gifts. It was not required for these people to see Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er in person, but then Teng Zijing and his wife had appeared, and Fan Xian was rather astonished.

"Is your leg better?" Fan Xian sat on a chair, looking carefully at Teng Zijing's leg.

Teng Zijing laughed. "It's been better for ages. I just have a little trouble getting out of bed."

Fan Xian smiled. "The venison I sent you was all thanks to Teng Zijing," he said to Lin Wan'er who was next to him.

Lin Wan'er smiled and nodded slightly. In one night, she had gone from a maiden to a prudent wife. Changes in one's life can be sudden.

Having said a few words, Teng Zijing's and his wife were led out to where they were staying. After they had left, Teng Zijing's wife spoke with quiet curiosity. "That young woman is so noble, but her posture seems rather weak. I worry she won't be a good fit for the young master."

Teng Zijing was startled, and chided her. "The young lady is truly noble. Think about who might be listening before you open that mouth." Teng Zijing's wife was still a young woman in some ways. She laughed, noncommital. "It just looked to me like the bride wasn't as attractive and intelligent as the groom. It's funny."

Teng Zijing laughed too. "In the capital, finding a young bride more intelligent than the young master might be a hard task."

Meanwhile, the gift from Fan Xian's grandmother in Danzhou, delayed on the road for a number of days, had finally arrived at Fan Manor. Count Sinan naturally came out to receive it, and let people know about the young people. Fan Xian was very happy. He led Wan'er by the hand outside the compound, talking as they walked. "My grandma loves me a lot, but I don't know what she might have sent us."

As they came to the gate, Fan Xian was taken aback. He could never have imagined that the gift his grandmother would send him would be a person.

Sisi looked happily at the young master she had served for many years, and paid them both her respects. "Young master, young mistress, it is an honor to see you."

[1] The word "xianggong", which means husband, is also used to denote a mahjong player disqualified by unintentionally taking the wrong number of tiles

[2] A reference to the pop song "One Night in Beijing" by Bobby Chen

Chapter 151: Chapter 45

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Fan Xian never imagiend that his grandmother could have sent Sisi all the way from Danzhou to the capital. He was happy to see the young woman he had spent so many peaceful years with. But he was also somewhat pained and unsure of what to do. His grandmother's thinking was clear: get him to take Sisi into their house. And looking at Sisi, he reckoned that she would not choose any other solution.

"Come in and rest." Fan Xian did his utmost to seem gentle.

But Sisi still felt that the young master before her seemed to have become something of a stranger. After all, Fan Xian had been through too many trials and struggles within the capital; other than his steady temperament, there was something else about his manner that she couldn't put a finger on.

Seeing Sisi's slightly uneasy face, Fan Xian laughed. "This girl, what is she thinking? Once we've eaten and drunk our fill, I'll show you around the capital."

"I have come to serve you, master," said Sisi, seemingly aggrieved. "Not for you to serve me, sir."

Such frankness - this really was the woman he had grown up with. Direct in her words and actions, nothing like the servant girls of Fan Manor in the capital, who did not dare to show even the slightest emotion before him, let alone refute any of his ideas.

Fan Xian walked forward and gently patted her slightly gaunt cheek, smiling. "Very well, I shall let you serve. Even if you're just making copies of books and grinding down inksticks, you had best wash first. Being all sweaty, reading books at night with the incense burning, you'll add a vinegar smell to the air."

The Kingdom of Qing did not have the story of Fang Xuanling's mistress drinking vinegar to demonstrate her convictions, so no one thought of this comment as clever. Fan Xian could not help but regret that he was casting pearls before swine.[1]

Sisi, slightly embarrassed, saluted once more, and was led off by a servant girl to wash. The servant girls had quickly noticed that this woman was not the same as them, and so they were especially courteous.

"Who is that woman Sisi?"

Devoid of the jealousy that Fan Xian had been expecting, Lin Wan'er's face was full of curiosity. She smiled. "I heard you say a while back that there was a servant-girl in Danzhou who was even more hardworking than Si Qi. Today I finally meet her."

The Kingdom of Qing was, after all, part of a world that regarded men as superior to women. Although Lin Wan'er was a princess, she seemed not to have much in the way of opinions and sensitivities. Besides, even if Fan Xian were to take a concubine, what would the illustrious princess have to be jealous of? Fan Xian laughed. It was lucky that this business had nothing to do with him. Otherwise he risked provoking the dissatisfaction of his little tiger. Did he want his arms ripped off?

"Marriage is the tomb of love," said Fan Xian casually. "So we must keep moving, lest we become zombies."

Lin Wan'er looked anxious, her mouth sunken. "I can't stand the cold," she said miserably.

"The snow of the Cang Mountains is great. Autumn and winter there are wonderful." Fan Xian smiled at his wife. Like some kind of travel agent, he tried to entice her. "The medicine my teacher gave you is extremely effective, and the imperial physicians were surprised after taking your pulse. But places high above sea level will be very good for your health."

Lin Wan'er cocked her head and leaned against his chest, rubbing against it. "I still don't understand what 'sea-level' means," she said softly.

"It's how high a place is above the sea." Fan Xian felt that his explanation was somewhat awkward.

"I still don't understand," said Lin Wan'er, pained. "If I don't want to go, is that ok? I'm afraid of climbing mountains, and of the cold."

"Look how round your face has become now," he said, somewhat annoyed. "A bit more movement won't be bad for you at all."

Lin Wan'er struggled out of his embrace, angered. "Last night, you said you liked me a little bit plump!"

Fan Xian narrowly avoided bursting into laughter, but managed to keep a straight face. "With the lights out, of course it's fine to be a little plump... but in the light of day... it's still better to be thin."

Lin Wan'er gave an angry harrumph, and walked briskly out into the corridor. Fan Xian quickly followed after, but didn't look at her face. He just walked forward a few steps. "I love your body, don't you know that?" he said quietly.

In the palace in autumn, it was still as if the summer wind blew through it. Lin Wan'er's face was hot, and in a moment her face reddened. She stepped forward, grabbed Fan Xian's hand, and lowered her head. "There are so many people attending to us, and you still have no shame."

The two were now in the palace, followed by a thrall of ladies-in-waiting and palace eunuchs, who all kept their heads lowered and stayed at a distance from Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er. It seemed that they had not heard what the two were talking about.

Fan Xian was still facing forward. He smiled. "Dear, you must learn from your husband how to do many surprising things without a change in your demeanor."

There was a subtext to his words that Wan'er did not understand. This was the first time the pair had entered the palace since their wedding. The palace concubines had come to see Lin Wan'er and clutched her to their breasts, crying out and giving them gifts. Fan Xian was not going to refuse, but seeing how the concubines loved Lin Wan'er so dearly, he could not help but feel scared. His wife's parents' home was the palace; if one day they were to have a falling out, he might meet a tragic end. The Emperor had four sons - one Crown Prince and three princes - in one sense, this was proof that he was no womanizer.

Another fortunate thing was that none of the concubines of the palace had given birth to a princess. So Lin Wan'er, who had grown up in the palace, was naturally beloved by all the concubines.

Lin Wan'er had become accustomed to the palace. Naturally, she had none of Fan Xian's cautious nervousness when he first entered the palace, but instead, she felt like she was playing around in one's own rear garden. Fan Xian was influenced by this, and as the Eldest Princess who he avoided most had already returned to her fiefdom in Xinyang, he was able to relax, and followed her all around the palace. Fan Xian had brought up the matter of the vacation to the Cang Mountains to the Empress when he had met with her, and received her approval.

But Wan'er still feared the cold. However, Fan Xian had his heart set on it, especially as next year, the prisoner exchange between the Kingdom of Qing and Northern Qi was set to officially begin.

The Overwatch Council had informed him through Wang Qinian, and it seemed that he was somewhat implicated in the matter, so he needed to be somewhere calm to sort out a few things and prepare.

But, unfortunately, on this visit to the palace, they had not seen Wan'er's uncle, the Emperor. Lin Wan'er was somewhat disappointed. Fan Xian's calm face hid other emotions.

A fleet of carriages rumbled out of Fan Manor. Today, Prime Minister Lin had come to send off his beloved daughter, so the scene seemed increasingly grand. The passers-by on the street gesticulated as they watched the procession. After all, a few days earlier the wedding between the Fan and Lin families was held, and the wedding scene had surprised half of the capital. They had not expected that a few days later, the "immortal poet" son of the Fan family would be causing a stir yet again.

"Why would you leave the capital after you got married?" asked an old man in the crowd, frowning with his hands behind his back. "Young people these days, they have their family's money behind them, and all they know is leisure. I heard that Master Fan is now an academician of the Imperial College. Why is he going to the Cang Mountains?"

"Look, don't you understand?" a young man next to him mocked. "Master Fan calls this a honeymoon. He's picked some place quiet to go."

"What's a honeymoon?" asked a spirited older lady.

"It means that life is sweet as honey," said another person who clearly had some distant relationship to the Fan family. "I don't know. It's a word that Master Fan invented."

The older lady was annoyed. "Such an odd word. What's the point of it? Whether the moon is honeyed or not, since they're staying someplace quiet for several days, I'm sure they'll have a peaceful, happy, plump baby."

Sitting to his left in the carriage on its way out of the capital, Lin Wan'er was wrapped inside her fur coat like a kitten. She looked at Fan Xian with a smile on her face. Her eyes shined like spring water. To her left was the gentle and respectful Fan Ruoruo, peeling an orange, carefully scraping the white pith from the fruit, and placing the segments between Fan Xian's lips.

Fan Xian had his eyes half-closed, but when he caught a glimpse of Lin Wan'er's expression, he couldn't help but frown. "It is now autumn. How can you be so afraid of the cold?"

Lin Wan'er laughed, climbed up next to him and opened her mouth, which made Fan Xian's heart flutter. But instead he heard her say to Ruoruo: "Dear sister, please hand me an orange."

Fan Ruoruo smiled. "Sister-in-law, you cannot eat oranges in your condition. It will cause heat."[2]

Lin Wan'er looked miserable. "Bother."

Fan Xian really did not understand how his wife and his sister addressed each other. "One calls the other 'sister', the other 'sister-in-law'. What sort of way is that to address one another?"

Lin Wan'er stuck out her tongue. "I had gotten used to calling her 'sister' before." Fan Ruoruo also couldn't help but laugh and pointed her finger at her brother's nose. "Before you were married, brother, you told me to call her 'sister-in-law', so I also got used to calling her that."

Fan Xian could only shake his head. The coach warmed up, and was heading up the mountain roads out of the capital, so they were getting sleepy. Lin Wan'er gradually leaned on Fan Xian's shoulder. Ruoruo also rested her head against the carriage siding.

The carriage suddenly rocked, waking up Wan'er, who was leaning on Fan Xian's shoulder. She rubbed her eyes. "Are we there yet?"

"That quickly?" Fan Xian laughed and shook his head. "The cottage in the Cang Mountains is nothing like the pavilion in the palace, but it's on the mountainside. It will take at least three days' travel from the capital."

"We left the capital so quickly after the wedding," said Lin Wan'er calmly. "Other than to help me recover, what was the reason for this?"

Fan Xian knew he could not hide this from her, and he hadn't prepared to, so he smiled. "Those two half-brothers of yours send people to our manor every day. I'm afraid of them. So of course I'm going to hide. Standing in line at this moment – no matter which side I stood on – would be a silly thing to do."

[1] Fang Xuanling, a Tang scholar, was offered a beautiful woman as a concubine by the Emperor, but his wife refused. The Emperor issued an ultimatum: either allow him to take a concubine, or drink a cup of poison wine. She chose the poison, but unbeknownst to her, he served her only a cup of vinegar. Respectful of her will, the Emperor rescinded his offer. "Drinking vinegar" became a metaphor for jealousy in Chinese.

[2] In traditional Chinese medicine, certain foods are considered to be "hot" or "cold", and imbalances of "hot" and "cold" in the body can cause problems with one's health.

Chapter 152: Chapter 46

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Two days later, the carriages had slowly made their way up the mountainside.

The Cang Mountains were unmatched in their majestic brilliance. Centuries before, an emperor had ordered thousands of slaves to dig out a path through the mountains through which carriages could ride, in order to make summer vacations to the mountains more convenient. In fact, not long after wasting tremendous amounts of manpower and resources in the creation of this road, that emperor died while lying with a concubine, and thus he never got to use it.

In the intervening years, the world had seen countless rises, falls, and scatterings. But gradually, this great mountain, close to the capital, had become a garden for the officials and nobility. The previous dynasty had set down many laws, and had instituted a thick atmosphere of nobility to the Cang Mountains that even the cold alpine winds could not blow away.

From then on in the Cang Mountains, it was forbidden to hunt, burn trees to open up land for agriculture, or any of the other things that the common people did. It became simply a vacation spot for the rich. Save for a handful of temples for the ascetics and a few hermits, everywhere else in the Cang Mountains had been bestowed by the palace upon its courtiers, so that they might build villas to temporarily avoid the bitterness of court politics.

The Fan clan villa was on the mountainside, and had been bestowed upon them by the previous emperor half a year before his death. It was surrounded by peace and quiet on all sides. In front of the villa flowed a small brook, and red autumnal leaves drifted down from the summit, floating along its clear waters. By the side of the brook were a patch of yellow flowers. The pavilion stood solitary and quiet. Its silence in the cold autumn sunset, with the occasional shadow of wild geese flying across the heavens, was unspeakably peaceful.

After Fan Xian and his entourage arrived, things soon became livelier. People who had arrived in advance were putting things in order at the villa. Because they did not know how long the young master and mistress and the young lady were going to stay, Fan Manor had prepared plenty of dried game. They had even transferred three singing girls to the mountains, who sang squeakily every day. Perhaps they were trying to scare away the squirrels who had attempted to get through the winter by feeding on their food stores.

"It is truly a wonderful place." Sending a servant off to get a room ready, Fan Xian strolled down to a stone platform in front of the villa. Seeing the clouds and mist float by not far below his feet, and the clear green forests in the distance on the bare mountainside, he couldn't help but sigh.

Lin Wan'er leant on him gently and smiled. "It really is incredible. When I was small I spent a little time in the Cang Mountains, but it wasn't nearly as beautiful and secluded as your family's villa."

"It's our house," Fan Xian corrected her. He then lovingly made sure her coat was done up; the mountains were cold indeed, and he worried for her poor health, and that she might catch cold.

Lin Wan'er giggled. "I see, my dear."

The young couple spent the next days in peace and quiet on the mountain. It was as if they had never known such tranquil happiness. It was a beautiful kind of life that Fan Xian had been separated from for many days, so he seemed to enjoy it to the utmost. If he wasn't taking Wan'er out for walks on the slippery mountain roads, he was standing behind his sister, watching her delicate penmanship. She committed everything about the unimaginably beautiful mountain scene onto paper.

This, at last, was true married life for Fan Xian and Lin Wan'er after their wedding. Over the days, the newlywed couple had gone from love at first sight, to the excitement of meeting separated by a wall, to deeply worried longing, and finally to being able to peacefully enjoy their love together. Their passion was in its final stage, becoming a delicate and enduring fragrance.

Early one morning, Lin Wan'er lazily opened her eyes and unthinkingly moved her arm over, only to find that no one was there. Under their warm and comfortable blanket, she was unsure where her husband had gone.

Lin Wan'er was not startled at all. Ever since they had gone to their bridal chamber, she had known that Fan Xian awoke extremely early every day. She didn't know where he went. Then, before she awoke, he would quietly return to their room.

She had been curious, but when they were staying at Fan Manor, it was inconvenient to do anything about it. Now that they were in the Cang Mountains, with no elders or annoying old wet-nurses about, Lin Wan'er looked around, rose from her bed, and put on her thick cloak and soft shoes. Like a thief, she sneaked out of the door.

She was greeted by a rush of morning mountain wind, so cold it made her shiver. She did not dare tarry, and smiling, she silently walked to the room at the end of the corridor and knocked twice on the door. A sleeping and bleary-eyed Fan Ruoruo heard the noise, and quickly got up to open the door. She had a thin garment draped over her. She rubbed her hands together against the cold. "Wan'er," she said wearily, "it's early, isn't it?"

After Lin Wan'er had arrived at the Cang Mountains, some of the rowdiness that she had always hidden behind her shy and loveable exterior had finally shown itself. She stuck out her tongue and hugged Ruoruo around the waist, then pulled her back to her warm blanket and sighed comfortably.

Fan Ruoruo was not used to sleeping in a bed with other people, so she felt a little strange. Her sister-in-law had turned out to be quite affectionate after all. She hugged Ruoruo, bringing her face close. "Do you know what your brother does early in the mornings?" she asked softly.

Fan Ruoruo felt her sister-in-law's cold hands on her waist, and wondered if her brother's heart would ache to see them both this way. She quickly caught her cold hands to warm them and spoke brusquely. "You're his wife. Why are you asking me?"

Lin Wan'er laughed. "Your brother is so secretive. Leaving that aside, every evening, when we talk and play chess in the room, where does he go off to? Aren't you curious?"

Hearing her sister-in-law speak this way, the naturally calm Ruoruo also could not help but feel somewhat puzzled. Every morning her brother went out to practice his skills; that she knew. But the past few evenings, her brother had been disappearing for a short while, and she really wasn't sure what he was up to.

"In the mornings he practices his skills, in the evenings... I'm not sure. Ask him."

Lin Wan'er was curious. "Practice his skills? What skills? Can we watch?"

"You are really curious about this."

"Of course." Lin Wan'er's eyes lit up. They looked like the waters of the lake on the summer estate. "It's only normal for a wife to feel curious about what her husband is doing."

Fan Ruoruo realized that this princess sister-in-law really did not have many of the habits of the palace. In some respects, she felt like Wan'er could cause more trouble than she could. She couldn't help but laugh. "On such a cold day, if I were married, I would prefer to stay in bed. If you rush out and my brother sees you and scolds you, then I won't be able to help you."

Lin Wan'er still did not know what Fan Xian looked like when he was angry, but knowing her husband's temperament, she was wary. Suddenly, she laughed. "If you were married? It's autumn, but it appears that our young lady has spring fever."

Whether it was due to the warmth of the two of them under the blanket, or embarrassment, Fan Ruoruo's face went read. "You are incorrigible," she said in a reprimanding tone. She extended her fingers to tickle Lin Wan'er, and Lin Wan'er responded with a yelp and threw a hand at her. The two young women tussled in bed, their youthful girlishness filling the air.

Fan Ruoruo was no match for the new bride's tricks, and panting, she had no choice but to spring up from the bed. She wrapped her sister-in-law up in layers, made sure that the cold mountain air could not reach her neck, and then, relieved, she took her by the hand and led her out of the villa to find her brother.

The sky was warm and bright, and the people in the villa were still going about their early-morning business. No one noticed the two young ladies sneaking around like thieves. A large part of the mountainside was the property of the Fan family, so no one else was there to disturb them. The two girls trod across the autumn dew, carefully making their way through a small path in the forest on the mountainside.

"Are you sure it's here?" Fan Ruoruo frowned. "This mountain is so big, we'd better not get lost."

"Don't worry." Lin Wan'er laughed. "I have an intuition. It's like I can sense where my husband is."

Fan Ruoruo couldn't help but think that all they had to go on was this unreliable intuition, but she noticed that the ground beneath their feet had been trodden on. The trail was quiet; she presumed that, other than her brother, no one else would be so keen to travel this far up the mountain.

Some time later, the two young women gathered some autumn leaves to wipe the dewdrops off their clothing. They passed through a stretch of woods and came to the mountain's edge. Thankfully, Lin Wan'er's health had improved greatly after taking Fei Jie's medicine; otherwise she would not have been able to keep going on. Seeing her sister-in-law's reddened face, Ruoruo lovingly caressed it, and told her that the top button of her cloak had come undone. The two girls looked out ahead.

When they saw it, they were startled. There was a gradual slope, rarely seen in the Cang Mountains. On top of it was a still-green meadow covered in autumn dew, and looking upward, there was a thirty-meter precipice. The slope was uneven, and among the rocks, yellow bamboo pointed toward the sky like swords.

On top of the cliff was a person, wearing only an unlined garment. It was Fan Xian, and by the look of him, he was preparing to jump off!

Seeing this, Lin Wan'er was shocked. She opened her mouth to cry out, to stop Fan Xian from moving. To her surprise, a soft and cold hand was clamped over her mouth.

Fan Ruoruo squinted at her brother on top of the precipice and forced herself to stay calm. "Don't worry." She didn't know whether she had confidence in her judgment.

Fan Xian had already started his descent. He leapt along the rocks, each step finding a safe foothold, and as he descended, his speed increased. He almost collided with the bamboo several times.

But he seemed to have some kind of innate premonition, and was always able to move just in time, or find a good foothold two steps ahead, and glided over the bamboo.

He relied on the powerful zhenqi in his body, and for this valiant control, he relied even more on the influence of Wu Zhu's instinct.

In a flash, his body was a blur, and he made his way through the rocks and bamboo forest to come to a steady stop on top of the meadow. Fan Xian turned his head slightly, and looked at the two girls, flabbergasted. "How did you get here?"

His breathing was not disordered in the least, and the bamboo on the slope swayed gently in his wake.

Chapter 153: Chapter 47

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

What Lin Wan'er and Ruoruo just saw stunned them speechless. Although the two of them both knew about Fan Xian slaying an eighth-ranked master on Niulan Street, watching him rush down from a cliff was something completely different from their understanding of martial arts.

Precise, composed, powerful—those were the impressions that hit them.

To the elder brother whom she had always admired, Fan Ruoruo yelled out – despite being much calmer than Lin Wan'er, "Xian, how did you do that?"

Fan Xian walked over from the grass. Looking at the two girls, he shook his head while patting theirs. "This is just my daily training." He believed that had they witnessed Wu Zhu's sheer drop from the cliffs of Danzhou, what he just did would have seemed like nothing.

He then frowned, "What are you doing here so early? There are wild beasts in these mountains."

Fan Ruoruo gave Lin Wan'er a look before replying with a smile: "Sister woke up and you were nowhere to be seen, so she dragged me out to find you. She's curious about how you train."

Fan Xian looked at his wife, whose face had already turned red from the morning chill. He tapped her on the tip of her nose. Lin Wan'er wasn't used to such intimate acts in front of Fan Ruoruo, so she shied away. Her mind was still immersed in what she just witnessed—who knew her husband was such an impressive martial artist?

As if seeing right through her, Fan Xian shook his head, "Don't think too highly of me. Someone once said that I'm above rank four but not enough to be rank six."

Lin Wan'er didn't really believe that, "I grew up in the palace. I've seen plenty of seventh and eighth ranked martial artists. Dear, you are much better than them."

"Really?" Fan Xian grinned, but didn't take it seriously. He then spoke, a bit troubled. "While Fei Jie's medicine is working very well, the wind is strong in the mountains, especially in the morning. What are we going to do if you catch a cold?" He tightened Wan'er's scarf. "I'm used to these daily training sessions. It's my fault for not telling you. But you mustn't come out like this again."

Fan Ruoruo was happy for them. She silently watched them with a smile. However, Fan Xian turned to her and said coldly, "That applies to you too."

Seeing her brother upset made Ruoruo sad. She said quietly, "I was wrong. From now on I definitely…" She was ready to say she would take good care of Wan'er, while Wan'er was ready to speak on Ruoruo's behalf, as she was the one who dragged Ruoruo out.

At this moment, however, Fan Xian touched Ruoruo's cold ears. He said gently, "Your sister is ill, but are you that much healthier? If something were to happen, how would you get married in the future?"

Only now did the two girls realize Fan Xian was upset about the other marriage. Knowing this young man in front of them cared for his wife and sister made them feel exceptionally fortunate.

The truly fortunate one was Fan Xian. Spending days in the mountains almost made him forget about everything in the capital. Every once in a while, Count Sinan would have someone deliver a private letter. And Wang Qinian would take the secret path Fan Xian provided and come to report the events in the capital.

Everything was calm in the capital. The only change that occurred was that Commander Yan Xiaoyi, who shot Fan Xian with an arrow, was transferred to the north as a captain. While the transfer itself was nothing out of the ordinary, it was His Majesty's warning to Yan Xiaoyi.

The treaty between Qing and Northern Qi went into effect last month, so there were really no opportunities of action for the military forces stationed up north. Despite being a captain, Yan Xiaoyi was rendered ineffective under the current circumstances and could only let his frustration brew silently.

Fan Xian frowned slightly as he read Wang Qinian's letter. Everyone knew Yan Xiaoyi's sudden rise was due to his ninth-ranked martial prowess, and also due to Eldest Princess's help. If the emperor wished to get rid of Eldest Princess, Yan Xiaoyi would be made to remain in the palace so that the Overwatch Council could keep an eye on him more easily. It didn't make sense for the Bureau of Military Affairs to get involved and promote Yan Xiaoyi to command an entire army.

Fan Xian lightly tapped the desk and shook his head as he realized what this was about. It looked like the emperor still had no intention of making any other moves besides issue a warning for the entire court to see. Apparently, it would become even safer in the capital. But how could a man who held sovereignty for over a decade tolerate the other faction gaining power without any restraint? With His Majesty's authority, the Overwatch Council's talents, and the loyalty of the Commander of Defense, it would be extremely simple to take out Eldest Princess and the one prince who had been hiding in the dark.

That was what Fan Xian could not understand; he didn't know how the emperor could just watch the other faction without concern, instead of act first.

Regardless, after ensuring it would be safe in the capital, Fan Xian started to relax. But at the same time there was a sense of regret. He had waged that propaganda battle because he was left with no other choice; he didn't know what His Majesty was capable of and therefore dared not wait. In the end, he only helplessly alleviated the standoff.

The struggle between Fan Xian and Eldest Princess shouldn't have been so significant. When they traded blows in secret, Fan Xian came out on top every single time. With Eldest Princess's temperament, should she ever get the opportunity to rise up, she would most definitely not forgive Fan Xian. If His Majesty was willing to play this dangerous game from beginning to end, how should Fan Xian respond?

Killing Eldest Princess seemed to be the most logical method, but that would involve many other issues. First of all, could Wu Zhu guarantee to not leave behind any evidence after killing the princess? Such insolent provocation against the royal family would likely incur His Majesty's wrath. Second of all, Eldest Princess was still the mother of Fan Xian's wife. If she were to die by his hands, how would he and Wan'er live together once she found out? The death of Fan Xian's second brother-in-law was already lodged in Fan Xian's heart like a thorn.

Lastly, and most importantly, neither Fan Xian nor Wu Zhu could guarantee Eldest Princess's death. She had already returned to her own fief. Who knew how many skilled masters were over there? As for the sniper rifle… Fan Xian dared not use it; he feared it would remind all the nobles in the capital of the deaths of those two successors years ago and make them remember the name Ye Qingmei.

Fan Xian peered outside at the early snow on Cang Mountain. Tonight, sparse snowflakes were already falling, making the mountain estate gracefully solemn. He sighed and burned the letters from his father and Wang Qinian before walking out. Since that rainy autumn night, he vowed to bury the truths involving his mother in his heart, until someday when he gained true control over everything.

Between the hallways, in the main room, a heater basket was burning, making the surrounding area as warm as spring. The manor had sent over three singing girls; Lin Wan'er and Fan Ruoruo asked them to play cards together. As the game only needed four people at a time, the one left out was asked to help keep score. Fan Xian walked over smiling. The three song girls hurriedly stood up to salute him. Even the young maidservant who was preparing the bed in the inner room came out to salute the young master.

With a wave of his hand, Fan Xian told them to continue what they were doing. He then sat between Ruoruo and Wan'er and said, "If Sizhe was here, he'd have you both crying."

Lin Wan'er smiled at the remark, "I played him once in the manor. I didn't lose much."

Fan Xian didn't believe that Fan Sizhe, with his twisted and stubborn calculation abilities, could not win against Wan'er. Fan Ruoruo confirmed what she said. "She's not lying. That night, Sizhe only won two stacks of coins."

Fan Xian's eyes brightened, "I didn't think Wan'er was so formidable."

"There wasn't much to do in the palace. All the Ladies enjoyed playing cards," Lin Wan'er said with a grin. "You should know that when those palace women start calculating, each is shrewder than the one before them. Naturally, it was the same with playing cards. Having lived in the palace all those years, of course I'm no pushover."

With a somewhat apologetic smile, Fan Xian said, "I see, I see."

The other servants were all drinking and chatting in the side yards. Stepping over the bits of snow on the stone slabs, Fan Xian walked outside. The area behind him was dimly lit by candles, and echoed with the faint noises of Mahjong tiles and the excited voices of the girls. Suddenly, he remembered how Stephen Chow, playing Tang Bohu, might have also experienced such a scene in the movie Flirting Scholar. But Tang Bohu was very miserable, while Fan Xian was very fortunate; there was a huge difference.

Wan'er and Ruoruo both knew he would venture outside every night. But after seeing him train this morning, both of them obediently didn't ask him about anything and accepted it as a fact.

Bracing the light snow, Fan Xian went up the secret path, straight into the depths of the bamboo forest. He only stopped when he reached the bottom of the cliffs next to the plum blossom trees.

This was the most secluded place in Cang Mountain. Very casually, Fan Xian reached out his hand—Wu Zhu's hand reached down as if descending from Heaven—and the two hands grasped together. By alternating their strength, Fan Xian "floated" up to the peak. Here, he could see far and wide, while staying relatively safe from view.

Under the moonlight, the snowy Cang Mountains were silently beautiful. Fan Xian received a black, cold metal object from Wu Zhu. He laid on the ground, and took aim at the rocks in the snow far in the distance.

Chapter 154: Chapter 48-49

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Some time passed before Fan Xian finally got up from the snow. His movements were sluggish; he appeared to still be recovering from his emotions from before. This "firestick" had been well-protected. Having spent many days putting the three parts back together, Fan Xian discovered all the parts were in excellent condition; even the scope. Only now did Fan Xian realize how stupid he was for kicking that chest.

Fan Xian knew nothing of military matters; it took him many days just to get familiar with the weapon. As for actually training to use it, he discovered that reality was shockingly different from what he had imagined—when you find sunshine in your dream, you learn that the dream is fake.

How to judge distance; how to aim; how to ensure everything runs smoothly; this was all knowledge that nobody in this world knew. Without a teacher, Fan Xian could only try to find out himself. The further away he was from his target, the harder it was to hit. As for the effects of the wind, that was an even more difficult problem.

Fortunately, he had many good points to compensate for such difficulties. Firstly, he was very calm; almost as calm as Wu Zhu. Secondly, he was very steady; his overpowering zhenqi enabled his body to maintain the same posture for long periods of time. Most importantly, he was patient; he had the patience of a seasoned hunter. That was due to his encounters in his previous life and the "naps" from his current life. As long as he had the energy to do so, Fan Xian believed that he could hide motionless for an entire day.

After getting up from the snow, he felt the cold had turned his body stiff and numb. By slowly circulating his zhenqi, he recovered his numb limbs and turned to look at Wu Zhu who had been standing like a flagpole. He shook his head, "If I'm up against Yan Xiaoyi, I might not be able to shoot before he kills me with an arrow."

Wu Zhu said coldly, "You have no need for that."

Fan Xian didn't really understand what Wu Zhu meant. Troubled, he sat down holding the sniper rifle. "I know very well that my true strength is above rank eight, but below nine. You've been keeping the fact from me because you didn't want me to get arrogant. But if I have to deal with some ninth-ranked masters in the future, it would be better for me to have a weapon no one knows about."

Wu Zhu said, "By my standards, your rank is still seventh."

Fan Xian chuckled at himself, "A seventh-rank, killing Cheng Jushu? Trading palm strikes with Gong Dian?"

Wu Zhu continued, "Gong Dian ranks eighth, Cheng Jushu ranks seventh at most. Perhaps… while I spent the past dozen years in Danzhou, the quality of martial arts has gone down across the world."

Fan Xian frowned and dusted the snow off his hips. Although he didn't say anything, Wu Zhu's words still gave him a strange feeling. As to what was strange, Fan Xian couldn't explain. He shook his head, "I must become strong, or else I can't protect those around me; Wan'er and the royal family and Eldest Princess. And Ruoruo? Don't forget, she is also a poor child who grew up without a mother."

Wu Zhu was silent.

Fan Xian smiled. At the moment, the snowy mountain was bathed in the gentle and clear light of the moon, illuminating his flawless face. Watching Wu Zhu's black blindfold, which had gathered a few specks of snow, Fan Xian suddenly had an idea and did what he never dared to do growing up.

He took a step forward, carefully reaching out his hand to remove Wu Zhu's blindfold. His movement was extremely gentle.

Wu Zhu took a step back, which brought him precisely to the edge of the cliff without any distance to spare. Fan Xian's right hand stopped awkwardly in midair, inches from Wu Zhu's face.

"Time to return." Wu Zhu took the sniper rifle from Fan Xian and disappeared into the darkness.

Staring into the place where Wu Zhu disappeared, a sense of sadness gushed forth from Fan Xian's heart. Such a strong and peerless person who remembered only a fraction of his past; what would he be like in the future?

The mountains do not care for the passage of time. Every day, Fan Xian woke up at dawn with great self-discipline to train in martial arts. At night, he would make some time to train in sneaking about at night with Wu Zhu. For the rest of the days, he mostly lived a comfortable life with Lin Wan'er and his younger sister. As the girls gathered in the yard to compete in poetry, paint, sing, and play cards, days passed.

Ye Ling'er and Rou Jia also dropped by and stayed for a bit. Naturally, they held a small-scale poetry gathering. Rou Jia seemed to have gotten over her sadness from Fan Xian's marriage. With watery, pleading eyes, she asked to hear Fan compose a few poems. Not fooled in the slightest, Fan Xian escaped at the first opportunity.

Toward the end of the year, Fan Sizhe finally got away from his ethnology studies and rode his carriage up the mountains to ask his sister-in-law to play Mahjong. In his eyes, finding Lin Wan'er at a game table was like akin to a peerless swordsman finally finding a worthy rival. Human lives could be lonely like snowflakes.

As the Fan siblings gathered, Fan Xian, being the young master, could not forget his wife's older brother. Teng Zijing's wounds had healed, so Fan Xian asked him to bring Dabao over. The traveling party was protected by Wang Qinian's group, so there probably wouldn't be any problems.

One day after lunch, Fan Xian asked servants to prepare a carriage. Together with Lin Wan'er, they descended down the mountains to welcome Dabao. A short while later, they saw the traveling party. After the carriage and carts stopped, Teng Zijing quickly went forward to greet Fan Xian and the ruling Lady. Lin Wan'er knew this man was Fan Xian's first aide when he arrived in the capital, so she was exceeding kind to reply. But she couldn't help by be distracted by the carriage.

"Little Xianxian."

Needless to say, that was Dabao calling Fan Xian. Fan Xian couldn't help but smile as he saluted. He then went to greet his chubby brother-in-law, whom he hadn't seen in months. Fascinated by the mountain landscape, Dabao opened his mouth and laughed. "There's not nearly as much snow back in the capital."

Snow fell heavily in the Cang Mountains. Much of it accumulated on the roads. Looking at the snow on her brother's hair, Lin Wan'er walked up and brushed it off. She then put the fox pelt cloak she brought onto him. "That father of ours, seriously. He knew it'd be cold in the mountains, why didn't he prepare more clothes?"

Fan Xian only smiled. The prime minister was a man, and there weren't many women in Lin manor. As much as the prime minister treasured Dabao, he couldn't cover every aspect. Fan Xian then turned to ask Teng Zijing, "Did anything happen on the way here?"

"No." Teng Zijing answered, "Although, when entering the mountains, we ran into another traveling carriage. They saw we came from the prime minister's manor and let us pass first."

Enjoying the snow and avoiding summer heat; these were the favorite pastimes of the elites in the capital. In some areas leading up to the mountains, there were even soldiers stationed to guard the passes. Hearing there were no major incidents, Fan Xian made some more small talk and prepared to go back.

At that moment, the sound of horses could be heard behind them. A short while later, a traveling party of carriages came up in an aggressive manner. They were currently at a fork in the road, so for the moment everything seemed extremely crowded.

"That's them." Teng Zijing said somewhat uneasily, "Young Master, I spared you some details because I didn't want you to get angry."

The leading carriage driver saw the pileup and began swearing. Fan Xian squinted in that direction and recognized Guo You's carriage. Fan Xian smiled, thinking about something.

Eventually the leading carriage driver realized he was shouting at people from the prime minister's manor. The standoff suddenly became less heated.

"Even if you are from the prime minister's manor, you shouldn't block the path. We already made way for you once. Can you hurry up?" A voice came from the Guo carriage. Fan Xian recognized its owner.

Immediately, a rich son came out of the carriage. He pointed at Teng Zijing's party and scolded, "Why are you still in the way? Prime Minister Lin is still in the capital. What are you lot doing in the Cang Mountains?"

"Guo Baokun?" Fan Xian was overjoyed and waved.

Hearing somebody call out to him in such a friendly manner, Guo Baokun thought it was someone he was close with. So he turned with a warm smile. Upon seeing Fan Xian, that smile froze on Guo Baokun's face, making him look incredibly awkward. There was some nervousness and fear in his eyes. "Who is that? That's Fan Xian…"

During the poetry gathering, at capital court, and in the Imperial palace; Guo Baokun had alienated Fan Xian numerous times. To Guo Baokun's misfortune, Fan Xian was one who stirred up the capital. Every time there was conflict, Fan Xian would pay it back in full. Now that Fan Xian had married that girl, the extravagance of their grand wedding made Guo Baokun accept his bad luck. Until now, all he had hoped for was to never run into Fan Xian ever again. But who knew fate could be so cruel?

Looking at Guo Baokun, Fan Xian thought, "This fellow's luck is so bad it would make both mortals and gods cry. Why must I run into him again?"

Seeing Guo manor's traveling party descend the mountain like fleeing rabbits, Fan Xian flexed his wrists. Lin Wan'er walked over and lowered her voice, "Why do you chase them away for no reason? His rank aside, he is still a civil servant close to the prince. Not to mention Cang Mountain is not Fan… ours. If other people find out about this, they would sure to call us uncivilized."

"I didn't chase them away," Hearing his wife, a mischievous smile appeared on Fan Xian's flawless face. "I only said I'd go visit him at midnight for some tea. I didn't know they'd run away."

Fan Xian spoke those words with such gentleness he made Lin Wan'er laugh. She said, "Oh you, who in the capital doesn't know it was you who beat him up? Go visit him at midnight? Of course he'd run away. He couldn't match you in fame or prowess. What other choice did he have?"

Fan Xian chuckled. "I, too, feel bad for him."

Teng Zijing also brought letters. In them, Count Sinan sounded somewhat worried, as if something had happened at the Imperial court. But from the contents, it didn't appear to involve the Eldest Princess, so what could it be? He then opened Wang Qinian's letter and put the two letters together. Everything made sense now.

"Letting business run politics. Now it's the Council. How long is this going to continue for?" Looking at the dark, snowy sky outside the window, Fan Xian shook his head.

He knew that eventually, the duty of going as an envoy to Northern Qi would fall upon him. His performance at the feast that night was overboard; escaping to the mountains wouldn't be enough to calm the waves.

Reason number two was Chen Pingping, his mother's former comrade whom he had never met. Director Chen very much wanted Fan Xian to take over his position in the Overwatch Council. But Fei Jie had confirmed that taking over that position would be harder than becoming prime minister. Fan Xian's fame and talent weren't enough to shake the Council's thousands of dark agents.

The Overwatch Council was not the regular Sixth Bureau. Those without competency could only get by momentarily; they could not gain lifetime control. What the Council itself and the emperor wanted was long-term stability. That was the reason why Chen Pingping left the duty to Fan Xian. If Fan Xian could successfully rescue Yan Bingyun, it would earn Yan Ruohai's favor. When he returns to the capital, there is bound to be a promotion. And with Fei Jie and Cheng Pingping's arrangements, Fan Xian would at least earn support from more than half of the leaders.

The problem was his father. Fan Jian wanted his son to peacefully take over the palace treasury and become exceptionally wealthy.

Between the two sides, Fan Xian knew he didn't have much say on the matter. Ultimately it depended on what His Majesty thought. Thinking about this emperor made Fan Xian frown. If he really took over the Overwatch Council, it would only confirm a certain terrifying thought.

Being the envoy to Northern Qi was a gilded opportunity. But Fan Xian knew he was only a piece of brass; gilded or not, brass cannot turn into gold. While he was still unaware of the riskiest part of the Overwatch Council's plans, he guessed this envoy wouldn't be unusual.

Outside the window, snow mixed with the wind. Toward the end of the long hallway, the faint sound of laughter could be heard. There was also the red light from candles, providing a warm sight in this snowy night.

Taking the two letters, Fan Xian ripped them to tiny pieces and threw them out the window where they mixed with the powdered snow, lost forever. A gust of wind blew in, chilling the room.

The dim candlelight brightened a bit.

"Close the window, it's freezing in here." Wan'er had gone to bed early. She peeked out half her face from under her blankets. With just her eyes showing, she said to Fan Xian, "Time to sleep. Let them do as they wish. My older brother is behaving, there's nothing to worry about."

Smiling, Fan Xian walked next to the bed and slid his hand under the blankets as if it were natural. As he gently palmed his wife's ample bosom, he began to talk about a completely different topic, "I know Dabao will behave, but you should know what that younger brother of mine is like. If I don't keep an eye on him, one of these days he'll bring Dabao into the mountains to hunt bears again."

Despite being married for some time now, Lin Wan'er was still not used to her husband's hand reaching out at her so leisurely. Her face turned bright red, and her eyes looked like they were about to shed tears. She caught the hands on her chest, "You're misbehaving again."

"My wife is calling me to bed, how should I behave?" Fan Xian chuckled. With a reverse palm strike, he extinguished the candle, leaving the couple in the quiet and dark room. After the rustling of clothes, Fan Xian was only wearing an undershirt. As he got under the blankets, his chilled body made Lin Wan'er shiver. She said, "You sleep so late every single night. No one knows what you're doing at the table."

"Is that a complaint?" Fan Xian teased his wife, who had yet to turn sixteen. A girl younger than him, who grew up treasured by her parents, was now his wife. Every night they indulged in pleasure. Fan Xian had no idea if she could endure it all. As he thought about it, he began to fondle Wan'er chest. This sense of fullness behind a slick, thin fabric was pure bliss.

Lin Wan'er moaned lightly and buried herself in Fan Xian's embrace.

Fan Xian lowered his head and met her lips with his. The two bodies slowly entwined, almost burning up, raising the room temperature.

...

Clouds clear; rain stops; mist dissipates. Flowers blossom and wilt; there's a time for everything.

It was still snowing outside the window. But it was warm as spring under the blankets. Wan'er, embarrassed, meekly buried her face in Fan Xian's chest. Fan Xian affectionately looked at his wife and gently stroked her lips. For some reason, he remembered the chicken drumstick from the temple.

"Your… Your hands are not clean." Wan'er turned her head.

Fan Xian smiled warmly. "Unclean? Where? My Wan'er is clean everywhere."

Lin Wan'er was afraid her husband would say some even more embarrassing things, so she changed the topic. "So, are you going to Northern Qi?"

Fan Xian embraced her tighter and asked her in return, "Will you follow me for life?"

"Eh?" Wan'er's expression couldn't be seen in the dark, but hearing her husband ask such a question must have made her nervous. In this world, divorce was unheard of. She asked, "Why do you ask?"

Fan Xian now realized his question was not appropriate, so he explained, "It just slipped out." It was something he carried over from his previous life. Although he exchanged vows with Wan'er, there were still certain things he wanted to hear from the mouth of a cute girl.

"Slipped out?" Lin Wan'er was suspicious. She asked weakly, "Were you thinking about Sisi?"

That made Fan Xian remember Sisi whom he had intentionally left at Fan manor. According to Teng Zijing, she was living quite well. But as for the mess grandmother made, he had to deal with that eventually.

He consoled Wan'er, "How could I be in the mood to think about that? If we want to get through the business of life, we must plan far ahead. Besides, you know your mother doesn't like me very much."

It was a new phrase that fell on Wan'er ears, warming her heart. Satisfied, she said, "I'm married to you, what other choice do I have?"

"Then that's that." Fan Xian smiled in the dark, his lips holding a gentle curve. He said lightly, "Some esteemed ones in the capital are holding a big Mahjong game. I don't know if I can join."

Wan'er smiled, "Fighting dirty, I'm no match for you. Playing table games, you're no match for me." That was the phrase Fan Xian used to trigger Zhuang Mohan to throw up blood. It had spread far and wide in the capital.

...

The snow and wind picked up. Fan Ruoruo could not sleep. She stood holding an umbrella, staring into the darkness and carefully keeping her distance from the edge of the pavement. On her face was a smile which lacked any emotion. Her heart was empty. The brother she admired the most was already married. Where did her future lead? Brother had said that she should be like Sizhe. She could find some things, emotions, or even fine arts to dedicate her life to. But she herself couldn't find such a thing.

Snow fell upon her umbrella, and onto her heart.

Wu Zhu, forever wearing his blindfold, silently appeared behind her. His emotionless voice rang out next to Ruoruo's ear, "Can you keep a secret?"

At dawn the next day, after Fan Xian returned from his training, he was surprised to find Dabao wearing the fox pelt cloak and looking down the cliffs of the estate. Worried that he'd fall, Fan Xian quickly walked towards Dabao and asked gently, "Dabao, what are you looking at?"

Dabao innocently grinned. He pointed downward and said, "Little Xianxian, there, big white bird."

Far away in the mountains, mist was rising. There, several white cranes, with black necks and tails, were foraging. Occasionally, they raised their heads and called out in their crisp voices. Between the calls, they would spread their wings and dance about. It was a beautiful sight.

Fan Xian was somewhat stunned. In such cold weather, those cranes remained in the mountains; could there be hot springs somewhere? Cranes are birds of freedom. They do not enjoy confinement. Watching the cranes in the distance dancing without restraint made Fan Xian inhale deeply. It brightened his spirit.

"Dabao, do you like those birds?"

"No."

Fan Xian was surprised. He asked with a smile, "Why not? Isn't their dance pretty?"

Dabao rubbed his lips, "They're always jumping around. It Make Dabao restless."

Fan Xian laughed and slapped his older brother-in-law on the shoulder. For some reason, this third talk with Dabao was the most relaxed. Perhaps it was because Dabao really was like a child, so there was nothing for Fan Xian to watch out for.

While the crane dance was beautiful, watching them was truly tiring.

"Dabao, have you been having fun these past few days?"

Dabao frowned ever so slightly, as if not knowing how to answer the question. Nevertheless, he tried his best, "Was… Was… good. Play Mahjong… Little fatty throwing tantrums. Pretty… fun."

Fan Xian chuckled. He stared at the dense snowy forest below; he stared at the mist in the distance and the cranes within that mist; he stayed silent for a long time.