Chapter 134: Princess Luyi

Tan City.

The carriage pulled to a slow stop before a restaurant. Tan City was not populous, and with two nations currently at war, pedestrians were few and far between. Even the restaurant felt quite desolate.

The two stepped out of the carriage and walked inside. Xue Xue followed him quietly. "Did you bring me here to eat?"

"Mhm. There is a specialty dish in Tan City that you might enjoy, Xue'er." Ji Wucheng led her upstairs, selecting a prime spot by the window, which offered both a breeze and a clear view of the scenery outside.

"I didn't expect you to enjoy such humble fare, Ziqing." Tan City was a small town, and the food served here was akin to simple farmhouse cooking.

"Why not? Besides, I only heard about it, and it is a rare treat to have you by my side." His words carried a faint sigh, as if he remained deeply troubled by her impending departure.

Hearing this, Xue Xue smiled. Should she tell him that she no longer intended to leave?

"It really is the King and the Queen." A deep, masculine voice approached. The man who spoke had already walked over; his crimson robes carried a hint of flamboyance, yet on him, they did not appear gaudy. Instead, he possessed the refined elegance of a scholar, and his slightly arched brows added a scholarly air to his expression.

"Is that Master Yu?" Xue Xue tilted her head.

"It is indeed this humble subject, Your Majesty." He stepped closer and bowed respectfully to both of them. "I hope the King will not take offense at my intrusion." He directed this toward Ji Wucheng, noting the King’s indifferent expression and realizing his arrival was perhaps ill-timed.

"I noticed you seemed to be in low spirits today, so it is of no consequence." Ji Wucheng smiled, observing him with a thoughtful gaze.

"My thanks for your understanding, Your Majesty. Today is her birthday. I had hoped to purchase some wine, but I forgot that we are in the Ji Kingdom; where could one possibly find Bamboo Blossom Wine?" He smiled as well, though it was an absent-minded one.

Her birthday... Bamboo Blossom Wine...

If she remembered correctly, Bamboo Blossom Wine was a specialty of the Wu Kingdom.

"Master Yu’s intentions are what matter; what does the type of wine signify?" Xue Xue asked. "This display does not befit the Yu Bufan I know."

"You are a subject under my command; this behavior is hardly appropriate." Ji Wucheng leisurely poured a cup of tea for Xue Xue, resting his head on one hand. "Besides, if she were in the afterlife, she would be comforted. A grown man acting so coy is quite unseemly." His words revealed nothing but disdain for Yu Bufan.

"I was merely reminded of old times and felt a sudden melancholy. I wonder if the King and Queen might allow me to stay for a while." With that, Yu Bufan took advantage of the opening to find an empty seat, looking utterly heartbroken.

"You have quite the nerve to sit at the same table as me." Ji Wucheng raised an eyebrow. His handsome face showed no anger, only a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, which was enough to make one shudder.

"I would not dare—"

"Since the King has no objections, Master Yu may sit here," Xue Xue said.

"My thanks to the Queen for her kind words." Thus, Yu Bufan sat down beside them with great composure.

The atmosphere turned somewhat bizarre. Ji Wucheng maintained a faint, inscrutable smile—the corners of his lips quirked up, yet there was no warmth in them; instead, they carried the cunning glint of a fox plotting mischief. Even under the crushing pressure of the King’s presence, Yu Bufan remained unmoved. He knew that as long as he had the Queen’s consent, the King was not a problem; at worst, he would simply receive a cold shoulder.

Xue Xue felt the currents flowing between the two men and found it somewhat amusing. Who would have thought that a monarch and his subject would engage in such a subtle power struggle?

***

However, one thing piqued her interest. "Master Yu, you are not a native of the Ji Kingdom, are you?"

"To answer the Queen, one could say that," Yu Bufan replied. "But I consider myself a Ji citizen now. Although my family rose to prominence in the Wu Kingdom, they also met their downfall there." He made no attempt to conceal it; he now shared an irreconcilable enmity with the Wu Kingdom.

"I suppose your family were painters for generations?"

"How did you know?" He looked at Xue Xue with surprise and disbelief.

"It seems I guessed correctly." She had merely been speculating. "Hearing that your family flourished and then fell in the Wu Kingdom, and knowing you are an accomplished painter, I made the inference. I had heard that the court painters of the Wu Kingdom were quite talented and were highly favored by the fifth monarch of that time, who broke tradition to grant them titles and estates."

However, that illustrious family of painters was suddenly wiped out after Zuoqiu Liye ascended the throne, reportedly linked to the Crown Prince at the time. It was common knowledge that a new monarch would naturally purge any dissenters.

"The Queen speaks the truth; I am thoroughly impressed." Yu Bufan listened without any visible reaction, as if she were speaking of strangers rather than his own family. "However, my hatred for the Wu Kingdom is not merely a matter of family vengeance." As he said this, a flash of ferocity crossed his face.

"My Queen is not here to listen to your grievances." The King’s tone remained gentle, but Yu Bufan could feel the biting cold beneath it.

"I have spoken too much; I beg the King’s forgiveness." He apologized hurriedly, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"The King is in a good mood today, and he has always been magnanimous, so he will not hold this against you." She found it quite entertaining to tease Ji Wucheng, not blaming him for why he always teased her in return.

"Xue'er is right." The King immediately fixed his gaze upon her with a tender expression, the smile on his lips deepening with a dangerous arc.

When the dishes were finally served, Yu Bufan tactfully moved to a nearby table. Having spoken with the Queen, his mood had improved considerably. Still, he dared not overstep in the King’s presence, knowing he had only been tolerated today because of the Queen.

With Yu Bufan no longer a distraction, the King’s mood improved significantly, and he began to serve Xue Xue with great care.

"Waiter, bring a pot of wine!" over at the other table, Yu Bufan called out, intending to drown his sorrows.

Hearing this, the King frowned and gave a subtle signal to Qinghe nearby. A moment later, the floor went quiet, and Yu Bufan’s figure vanished without a trace.

"What is the matter? Did you drive him away?" Xue Xue noticed his small gesture and couldn't help but laugh.

"Xue'er, you seem very concerned for him," the King hummed unhappily.

"Ziqing, you are so petty," Xue Xue replied.

"We are at war, and he is a man under my command; how can he be drinking privately?" This was his high-sounding justification.

However, she decided to let it slide. Yet, it turned out he was the one drinking.

"This is a case of 'the official may burn down buildings, but the commoner may not light a lamp,'" she said, snatching the wine from his hand. "Don't think that just because I couldn't see it, I couldn't smell it." She spoke with triumph, though the wine’s fragrance was indeed excellent—clear and sharp.

"Can't I have even a small sip?"

"Not even a sniff."

"..." Ji Wucheng pursed his lips. "How overbearing."

***

The night was as thick as ink ground from a fine inkstone, so dense it could not be thinned. The sky resembled a washed-clean, ink-colored robe, with stars hidden within it.

Beneath the pitch-black night, a long table was set with snacks and dishes, along with lit white candles and three sticks of burning incense.

A breeze arrived quietly, causing the candlelight to flicker and the smoke to drift off course.

Zuoqiu Liye had changed into a white robe, looking solemn and grave. He stood there and personally poured a cup of wine; the aroma was light, carrying a hint of bamboo.

"This is Bamboo Blossom Wine. One drinks it once a year, no more." He raised the cup and poured it onto the ground, following a straight line with meticulous, solemn care.

He seemed to be performing a ritual. After finishing, he stood still for a moment, his gaze soft, his usual wicked smile long gone, as if he were watching someone through the darkness.

After a while, he left, his robes fluttering in the wind.

"Oh, that's right, today is Princess Luyi's birthday." Gongshen Ling'er realized belatedly. She had almost forgotten, but it seemed Zuoqiu had always remembered—every single year. Whether it was her birthday or the anniversary of her death, he never forgot. No wonder she found Zuoqiu acting so unusually today; it was because he was thinking of Princess Luyi.

"I never expected to see such a devoted side of the Monarch," Elder Yue remarked with surprise as he watched the flickering candlelight. He knew of Princess Luyi, the thirteenth princess of the Wu Kingdom. In a sense, she had been the most important person in the Monarch's life; their bond was so deep that even Gongshen Ling'er, his childhood sweetheart, could not compare.

"Princess Luyi was a kind soul, and her relationship with the Monarch was indeed excellent." It was a pity that because she was too kind, she had departed so early.

"That is truly a shame," Elder Yue mused.

***

In Tan City, at the Yishouli Mansion.

Outside, a fine rain fell in silence, drifting with the wind and moistening the world.

He put on his sleeping robe and walked out of the bathroom. The room was hazy, and four gauze lanterns placed on either side cast a warm glow.

He walked slowly to the bedside. The person on the bed was already fast asleep, lying on her side with one wrist draped over the edge, her long hair covering the pillow. The dim light fell upon her face, revealing an indescribable gentleness.

He sat on the edge of the bed, observing her sleeping face in detail. Even sitting there, he could catch the faint scent of wine.

He forbade her from drinking, yet she had been greedy for a cup herself.

He smiled helplessly, reaching out to pull the quilt over her. As he caught sight of the mark on his own wrist, his movements paused.

The mark had not faded with the passage of time; rather, it had become more distinct. He touched his wrist, his gaze deepening.

It really was quite ugly...