Chapter Sixty-Four: The Ability to Yield and Stand Tall

Tail Spoon Qianyu was dressed in a black fitted outfit, radiating both strength and elegance.

Feng Jinye gazed at the youth before him, holding Tail Spoon Qianyu’s slender waist, reluctant to let go. “Return to the manor early,” he said, his voice full of affection.

In that instant, Tail Spoon Qianyu felt as if Feng Jinye had transformed into a wife eagerly awaiting her husband’s return, and a shiver ran through her body.

Feng Jinye released her, then took out a personal token from his robes and tied it around Tail Spoon Qianyu’s waist.

This gesture inexplicably reminded Tail Spoon Qianyu of a maiden tying a scented sachet to her beloved.

“Are you running a fever?” Tail Spoon Qianyu reached out, touching Feng Jinye’s forehead.

“With this, you can charge all your expenses to the Battle King Manor’s account. If you need silver, you can withdraw it from any bank,” Feng Jinye explained.

Tail Spoon Qianyu suddenly understood. She had never imagined the token could be used this way; she’d always thought it was just a ticket for entry.

“I feel like I’ve missed out,” she murmured.

Feng Jinye was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“I have one too, but I didn’t know I could use it as money!” Tail Spoon Qianyu regretted her ignorance.

Had she known earlier, she wouldn’t have had to listen to Xue Chun’s daily nagging. In fact, she’d become so frugal that even drinking a little wine and wanting to smash a bottle for dramatic effect made her hesitate.

Seeing Tail Spoon Qianyu’s rueful expression, Feng Jinye couldn’t help but smile and gently stroked her head.

Suddenly, Tail Spoon Qianyu asked, “I want to buy four storefronts today. Is that enough?”

“Yes,” Feng Jinye calculated. Buying all the shops in Yue Capital would still be more than enough.

“Wow!” Tail Spoon Qianyu, unable to contain her joy, rose onto her tiptoes, hugged Feng Jinye’s neck, and kissed him on the cheek with a crisp sound. “Feng Jinye, I love you... I mean, I love your token!”

Feng Jinye stood frozen, forgetting he was supposed to escort her out of the manor.

Tail Spoon Qianyu, unconcerned, left Zhi Yu Tower and walked arm-in-arm with Xue Chun and Winter Warmth, declaring in all seriousness,

“Xue Chun, tonight we’re going to Drunken Qiong Pavilion for a Manchu-Han banquet. Afterwards, let’s go to Nine Linglong and order ten sets of clothes—five men’s, five women’s, all in your lady’s measurements!”

Xue Chun’s face turned pale; the clothes at Nine Linglong cost nearly five hundred taels a set!

Doing the math, since she had been bought for two taels, one outfit could buy two hundred and fifty Xue Chuns. Her mistress intended to buy clothes equivalent to two thousand five hundred Xue Chuns, not to mention the Manchu-Han banquet, which was another five hundred taels—a further two hundred and fifty Xue Chuns.

Seeing Xue Chun’s horrified look, Tail Spoon Qianyu laughed. “Just charge it to the manor’s account!”

Qing Xia muttered, “Miss is acting a bit strange today…”

Winter Warmth grew nervous, but said nothing.

The four, rarely united, enjoyed shopping together in the west of the city for half a day. Tail Spoon Qianyu and Xue Chun happily purchased two storefronts.

They arrived at Drunken Qiong Pavilion for lunch, but did not order the Manchu-Han banquet as promised. Instead, they enjoyed a simple yet exquisite meal, with each person’s favorite dish included.

“It’s exhausting; buying four shops a day is impossible,” Tail Spoon Qianyu said, content and unwilling to move. “Xue Chun, you and Qing Xia go to Nine Linglong and pick out spring clothes for me. I’ll rest here and wait for you…”

“All right. What style do you want, Miss?” Qing Xia asked.

“Anything is fine,” Tail Spoon Qianyu replied lazily.

After Xue Chun and Winter Warmth left, the weather, still chilly despite hints of warmth, began to drizzle.

Tail Spoon Qianyu lifted a cup of tea, gazing at the rain outside, and recalled the poem she’d recited at the poetry gathering when she first arrived in this world: “Don’t let wine startle your heavy spring slumber; gambling on books dissipates the scent of spilled tea. At the time, I thought it all ordinary.”

“Master, someone’s coming!” Winter Warmth shielded Tail Spoon Qianyu, alert. “Just one person.”

Tail Spoon Qianyu paused—one person?

Before she could react, a figure entered her private room.

“It’s you,” Tail Spoon Qianyu said, recognizing the visitor as Meiji.

Meiji’s eyes swept over Tail Spoon Qianyu, finding not a trace of fear, and she slowly drew a dart from her sleeve.

“Today, I’ll throw just one dart. If you can dodge it, I’ll let you go!” Meiji’s voice was bewitching.

Winter Warmth was about to draw her sword, but Tail Spoon Qianyu stopped her. “We can’t defeat her!”

“I won’t dodge. Just throw it!” Tail Spoon Qianyu saw through Meiji’s game, anger flaring. “If I die, so be it!”

“Interesting!” Meiji smirked, and without another word, flicked the dart.

The dart grazed Tail Spoon Qianyu’s shoulder, slicing a shallow wound.

Tail Spoon Qianyu knew that Shadow Pavilion wouldn’t kill her, but couldn’t understand why Meiji had come.

“You’re clever, knowing I won’t kill you…” Meiji paused, then smiled. “But the dart is poisoned…”

A wave of dizziness overcame Tail Spoon Qianyu, and she collapsed unconscious.

Winter Warmth caught her, and Meiji said coolly, “Take her with you. Don’t try anything foolish. I won’t kill her, but I can’t guarantee she won’t starve or fall to her death…”

Winter Warmth had no choice but to carry Tail Spoon Qianyu and follow Meiji. Upon descending the stairs, she saw the secret guards lying scattered, her heart sinking—she didn’t know if anyone had managed to return to Battle King Manor for help.

At Battle King Manor’s Listening Wind Tower, Feng Jinye was uneasy.

“Your Highness, the secret guards report an assassin has infiltrated the manor and is heading towards Listening Wind Tower,” Chu Jiu reported.

Feng Jinye frowned. The assassin knew the manor well—was it Huangfu Chen?

He rose at once, and a shadow slipped into the study, tearing off his mask. “Where is Qianyu?” he demanded urgently.

Feng Jinye stared at Huangfu Chen, nearly unable to restrain himself from punching him, but he clenched his fist.

Huangfu Chen, not receiving an answer, wanted to strike Feng Jinye himself, but held back and explained, “Meiji has taken Qianyu’s bounty!”

Seeing Feng Jinye’s lack of reaction, he added anxiously, “I took the contract on your life; Meiji is going after Qianyu!”

Without a word, Feng Jinye rushed toward Drunken Qiong Pavilion like a whirlwind.

When he arrived, the place was empty.

Huangfu Chen arrived soon after, glaring at the deserted pavilion. “What’s going on? Why are you both listed in Shadow Pavilion’s bounties on the same day?”

Feng Jinye struggled to keep calm. “Eleven, investigate!”

Chu Jiu had already examined the traces in the private room; Night Eleven received the order and departed.

“Your Highness, there’s a dart,” Chu Jiu said, picking it up and handing it to Feng Jinye. “From the look of it, it only broke the skin…”

“Master, Princess Consort should be fine,” Chu Jiu reassured him. “Winter Warmth and the others are gone, likely protecting her. They might have escaped…”

Huangfu Chen took the dart from Feng Jinye, sniffed it. “There’s a sedative!”

“They must have drugged her and taken her away,” he said, casting Feng Jinye a sidelong glance. “If it was just a sedative, her life shouldn’t be in danger.”

Feng Jinye closed his eyes, pondering Meiji’s motive for abducting Tail Spoon Qianyu.

“Meiji has been searching for Mianyin’s successor. Could she have chosen Qianyu?” Huangfu Chen suddenly said.

Would she become another Qingxuan? Feng Jinye’s fist slammed into the wall.

His pupils flashed. “Qingxuan has returned!”

“That’s good,” Huangfu Chen replied calmly, though relief washed over him.

“What happened between you and Qingxuan?” Feng Jinye asked.

Huangfu Chen sighed. “On our way back to Yue Capital, we were ambushed by Shadow Pavilion. I told Qingxuan to hide and lured the assassins away. When I returned, all I found was a dart left by Meiji.”

Since then, Huangfu Chen had been searching for Qingxuan’s whereabouts, only discovering clues about Shadow Pavilion a few months ago. “Shadow Pavilion is very mysterious. I suspect it’s connected to the late Xiyan Kingdom—more precisely, to Xiyan’s Poison Palace.”

He said no more; if Feng Jinye believed him, there was no need for further explanation.

Feng Jinye was silent for a long time, then said, “I’ve sent Night Eleven to Shadow Pavilion to place a bounty—take the Battle King’s life within a day.”

“She must have gone too!” Huangfu Chen’s heart twisted at Feng Jinye’s words.

“For…” Huangfu Chen paused. “For Yunming’s antidote?”

Feng Jinye nodded. “Yes.”

Huangfu Chen had nothing more to say. Now that he could not return to Shadow Pavilion, he had yet to find the antidote.

Yunming, hearing from the guards that an assassin had entered Listening Wind Tower, hurried over, and then rushed to Drunken Qiong Pavilion.

He found Feng Jinye and Huangfu Chen drinking at the staircase.

“What happened?” Yunming, seeing Huangfu Chen, wanted to punch him, but restrained himself.

“Qianyu was taken…” Huangfu Chen’s words barely ended before Feng Jinye smashed a jug of wine at his feet.

Outside Yue Capital, in a small bamboo hut, Tail Spoon Qianyu slowly regained consciousness.

Her thoughts returned; she regretted her carelessness. She’d expected Shadow Pavilion wouldn’t kill her, but underestimated the treachery of the human heart—there were endless ways to make life worse than death.

Meiji caressed a jade-green teacup, then opened a packet of powder and sprinkled it into the tea. With a dart in one hand and the tea in the other, she walked toward Tail Spoon Qianyu.

“Awake? Get up and drink the tea obediently!” Meiji sat at the bedside, tapping Tail Spoon Qianyu’s face with the dart.

A chill ran through Tail Spoon Qianyu, convinced this woman meant to cut her face.

“May I ask what this is?” she asked meekly, forced to submit.

“Ma Fei powder. Drink it, and you’ll feel no pain when I cut your face,” Meiji smiled gently.

Tail Spoon Qianyu was genuinely frightened now; this woman was surely a lunatic. A true hero knows when to yield and when to stand tall. Tail Spoon Qianyu pleaded, “I was born beautiful. Can’t I avoid cosmetic surgery?”