Chapter Seventy-Four: I Look Forward to Your Guidance
Feng Jinye was not entirely sure whether Weishao Qianyu’s words meant what he thought they did, but he still nodded blankly…
Weishao Qianyu looked at Feng Jinye’s somewhat dazed expression and couldn’t help but smile inwardly. “Did you bring me here?”
“Yes, this is the Prince of War’s residence,” Feng Jinye replied.
“So you’re the one who saved me? Your name is Feng Jinye—how are the characters written?” Weishao Qianyu asked as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
All the excitement in Feng Jinye’s heart was doused by this question. He resigned himself, walked to the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote down his name, handing it to Weishao Qianyu…
He felt a pang of disappointment. She truly didn’t know his name.
Before he could fully process that, Weishao Qianyu’s voice sounded beside him again, “I can’t read your handwriting…”
Feng Jinye almost choked. She couldn’t read it? He remembered clearly that she’d won first place at last year’s poetry gathering—how could she not read…
Feng Jinye was certain Weishao Qianyu was just teasing him, but he still wanted her to remember his name, so he gritted his teeth and said, “The ‘Feng’ of unrivaled elegance, the ‘Jin’ of holding jade, and the ‘Ye’ of a night as pure as dust!”
“A night as pure as dust? Your Highness, did you not study? Isn’t it ‘a night without dust’?” Weishao Qianyu retorted.
Feng Jinye didn’t argue. Weishao Qianyu was nothing like he had imagined…
Not only did she call him a scoundrel, she didn’t even know his name, and she dared to suggest he’d never studied…
Weishao Qianyu noticed Feng Jinye’s silence and frowned. Wasn’t he usually rather talkative?
“Did I say something wrong?” she asked again.
Thinking it over, Weishao Qianyu realized that ‘a night as pure as dust’ didn’t sound wrong, either…
“A night without dust, moonlight like silver. When pouring wine, fill the cup to the brim…” she murmured, reciting a poem. Su Shi had indeed written it that way…
Hearing her recite poetry, Feng Jinye’s mood brightened. “Miss Weishao is right. I am not well-read; I’ll have to rely on your guidance in the future.”
Weishao Qianyu did love to hear flattering words. She often joked that she was superficial, and perhaps there was some truth in it…
Looking at the name Feng Jinye had written, she stood and went to the writing desk, picked up a brush, and wrote his name: “Feng… Jin… Ye…”
So these were the characters.
Feng Jinye stepped closer, gazing at the three delicate and elegant characters, neat as flowers on a hairpin. They were lovely, though perhaps not as refined as his own calligraphy. Yet the more he looked, the more he liked them, and he found himself lost in thought, only to be interrupted by Weishao Qianyu again…
“Does Your Highness have any confidantes?” she asked lightly, setting the brush down.
Feng Jinye shook his head.
“But I’ve heard that all the high-born ladies in Yue City adore you, the Prince of War, like the famed Pan An!” Weishao Qianyu paused, then added, “For example, the second young lady of Prime Minister Liu’s household…”
Feng Jinye felt a surge of joy, pleased that she knew of him, but her next words dashed his hopes.
He frowned. Was she suspecting that her injury was somehow his fault, or that it was the second young lady of the Prime Minister’s house who had thrown the poisoned dart at her?
Feng Jinye paused. Clearly, it was time to deal with the Liu family.
“I don’t know the Liu family’s second young lady. As for the poisoned dart, I’ll investigate thoroughly. You can rest assured,” he replied calmly.
As soon as he finished speaking, Weishao Qianyu said, “That’s exactly what I was waiting to hear from you, Your Highness. I’ll return home and await your good news!”
Before leaving, she reminded him, “You must keep every promise you make to me!”
At the doorway, she turned back with a smile. “Feng Jinye, I am Weishao Qianyu. From now on, I look forward to your guidance!”
Half an hour later, Chu Jiu came rushing in to report, “Your Highness, um… Miss Weishao is lost in the prince’s residence…”
Feng Jinye was momentarily stunned. Someone so sharp-witted, lost?
“Where is she?” he asked.
Chu Jiu hesitated, thinking the prince might not believe him, “By the small lakeside pavilion…”
Feng Jinye nodded and headed out of the main courtyard…
Chu Jiu followed, adding, “Your Highness, Miss Weishao hasn’t even left the main courtyard. She’s by the little lake over there…”
Feng Jinye stopped, finding it hard to believe she had been lost in the main courtyard for half an hour.
Weishao Qianyu was rather puzzled. Why hadn’t she run into anyone who could show her the way?
At that moment, except for Chu Jiu, everyone else in the Prince of War’s main courtyard were hidden guards, so of course she couldn’t see them…
She missed the covered corridors of the Weishao General’s residence, where she had marked every turn. Whenever she was alone, she always knew where to go…
When Feng Jinye found her, he saw Weishao Qianyu sulking at the lakeside, tossing pebbles into the water…
At the sight of him, she muttered discontentedly, “I don’t want to come to your house anymore. It’s like a maze, and there’s no one to lead the way!”
Then, after a moment’s thought, she asked, “Did you come looking for me?”
Feng Jinye nodded again.
“Are there people around here? The rumored hidden guards?” Otherwise, how would Feng Jinye have found her…
Hearing her say she didn’t want to come again, Feng Jinye was secretly delighted. It meant she had wanted to come in the first place!
She only didn’t want to come because she got lost.
Noticing her eager curiosity about the hidden guards, Feng Jinye played along, “Shall I take you to the Hidden Guard Tower? You can pick a few guards to guide you from now on.”
Weishao Qianyu nodded readily.
It had been a long time since Feng Jinye had been to the Hidden Guard Tower. The rows of guards saw their prince arrive with a petite young lady in tow and exchanged puzzled glances…
Weishao Qianyu had always been curious about these legendary hidden guards, and now, following Feng Jinye, she was both nervous and excited, unconsciously clutching the corner of his sleeve, her fingernails tracing the embroidered patterns…
Feng Jinye noticed every little action, and felt his heart fill with sweetness as she held onto his sleeve…
All Weishao Qianyu could see was a crowd—more people than she could count.
“Why are there so many?” she asked, puzzled.
“They’re selected from the military camps.”
“For generations, the generals of Liyue have been the targets of assassins from Xiyan, so we are permitted to train our own guard corps,” Feng Jinye explained calmly.
“Assassins? So all these people are here to protect you? Are your martial arts not good enough?” Weishao Qianyu asked in surprise.
Feng Jinye paused, then smiled. She was just a young girl, after all, who didn’t understand what it meant to fight for one’s life. He hoped she would never have to.
Seeing he didn’t answer, Weishao Qianyu let the matter drop and followed him up the stairs of the Hidden Guard Tower…
When they reached the women’s guard division, she saw slender, heroic figures, each one full of spirit, and her eyes shone with admiration.
Dong Nuan stood at attention with a line of guards.
“Pick a few,” Feng Jinye said softly.
“But these are for your protection. It would be such a waste to have them just show me around!”
Weishao Qianyu hadn’t really intended to pick guards from the tower; she’d just wanted to see it for herself…
With a glance from Feng Jinye, Dong Nuan and her team turned to Weishao Qianyu. “Dong Nuan at your service, my lady!”
Before Weishao Qianyu could respond, the rest echoed, “At your service, my lady!”
“Pick a few, or else they’ll all have to follow you…” Feng Jinye said.
She was taken aback, and his voice drifted to her again, “Didn’t you say every word I speak to you must be sincere? If you don’t choose, it’ll seem as if I was lying.”
Unable to refuse again, she said, “Well… please introduce yourselves so I can see who I get along with best…”
“Dong Nuan…”
“Ban Qiu…”
The rest introduced themselves in turn.
“You two will do. Your names go well with our Xue Chun and Qing Xia…” And so, Dong Nuan and Ban Qiu became the two guards assigned to guide her.
“Can you show me something interesting?” Weishao Qianyu wasn’t here just to look at guards.
Though the sight of so many was impressive, she wanted to see weapons, gunpowder, signal tubes, the guards’ uniforms…
She wanted to see the different kinds of weapons, learn how gunpowder was made in this era, see why the signal tubes were so magical, and what was unique about the guards’ attire—how they could possibly carry so much…
She had read all about this in storybooks!
“What do you mean by interesting?” Feng Jinye asked, puzzled.
“Like signal tubes! In the picture books, you just snap them and something shoots into the sky, sending a silent signal—so mysterious!” Weishao Qianyu said, full of excitement.
“There is a sound, but usually it’s during battle or in remote areas, so people don’t notice. And they’re not activated by snapping, but by lighting them!” Feng Jinye explained.
Weishao Qianyu paused. Wasn’t that just fireworks? Her face fell instantly…
“So the guards’ uniforms really can carry lots of little throwing knives and such?” she asked weakly.
“You can carry many concealed weapons, but—” Feng Jinye started.
She immediately cut him off, “Alright, I get it, don’t say any more—don’t ruin my beautiful imagination…”
“How about I become your hidden guard? I could protect you too!” she said, patting her chest.
As they walked back down, Ye Shiyi, Ye Jiu, and the others couldn’t help but cough and choke with laughter…
Feng Jinye chuckled quietly. She was truly delightful.
Weishao Qianyu had no idea that this playful remark would one day become a reality.
Feng Jinye merely thought she was a child, indulging in a moment of mischief, and agreed with a smile, “Alright, if you can defeat me, I’ll let you join the women’s guard division.”
Weishao Qianyu’s eyes lit up and she nodded eagerly…
It was obvious at a glance that Feng Jinye was highly skilled, but she was shameless enough to cheat!
She murmured to herself, a little excited, “You know, my father won’t let me practice martial arts. He just wants me to marry well and live peacefully. But ever since I met you, I keep thinking—if I don’t learn to fight, what will I do if I meet a scoundrel as skilled as you?”