Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 43: True Intentions

The grand hall was utterly silent, with only the occasional crackling of burning candles breaking the stillness.

Though Qi Yan’s words were spoken lightly, they echoed thunderously in Ji Si’s ears, fueling the flames of resentment already burning within him.

Amidst the chaos on the ground, Ji Si struggled to rise, intending to call for the guards outside the hall. However, the force pressing down on his shoulder suddenly shifted—the boot that had pinned him down was now pressed against his throat, instantly cutting off his breath.

Ji Si’s face turned red as he lifted his head, only to meet a gaze as deep as an abyss. The flickering candlelight cast a sharp, cold arc across the young man’s features.

Qi Yan shifted his foot slightly, and the pressure on Ji Si’s throat increased. The air in his chest was slowly squeezed out, forcing him to grit his teeth and push out a hoarse sound:

“Guards—”

“There’s no need to call the guards.”

From behind the wine table, another royal descendant suddenly rose, breaking the tense standoff in the hall.

With a cold voice, he said, “Hurry and help the Second Highness up. He’s completely drunk and speaking nonsense!”

Qi Yan slowly withdrew his foot, standing tall and elegant as he looked down at the man on the floor.

The palace attendants, who had been frozen in place like statues, finally regained their senses. They rushed forward to help Ji Si up.

Ji Si shoved away their hands, gasping for breath. “If the King learns of this tonight, do you think he’ll let you people from Chu off so easily?”

Qi Yan stared at him for a moment before letting out a soft laugh. “Go ahead, then. Tell the King of Jin.”

The young man’s eyes were filled with disdain, the curve of his lips carrying a mocking edge.

Qi Yan turned to Wei Zhen. “Princess, let’s go.”

He glanced at Wei Ling, who immediately stepped forward to support Wei Zhen. “Ah-jie.”

This night’s banquet had escalated beyond all expectations, but at last, it had come to an end.

Once they stepped out of the hall and onto the long corridor, they walked some distance away from the banquet hall before finally stopping.

Wei Zhen’s figure swayed unsteadily, her footing unstable as she nearly collapsed to the side.

Qi Yan swiftly reached out to catch her, preventing her from falling.

Since they were standing in an open corridor with palace attendants passing by from time to time, Qi Yan signaled Wei Ling to take over. Wei Ling carefully received her into his arms.

The young woman’s eyes remained tightly shut, her cheeks flushed a rosy red from the alcohol. She lay weakly in Wei Ling’s embrace, utterly defenseless.

Wei Ling’s eyes filled with distress. Looking up, he said, “Qi Yan, tonight’s events have serious implications. I’m worried Ah-jie will have offended the royal family because of this…”

Qi Yan was about to reply when footsteps sounded from behind them. Both he and Wei Ling turned their heads at the same time.

From a distance, Crown Prince Jing Heng approached. His gaze, when it landed on Qi Yan, was sharp and cold.

Stopping before them, he said, “On your very first day in the Jin palace, you’ve already stirred up such trouble. The Jin royal family holds itself above all others. When a princess from Chu enters Jin, they naturally have to put her in her place. If Wei Zhen had simply drunk those few cups of wine, it would have been a sign of submission, and the matter would have passed. But you, Qi Yan, had to ruin everything.”

Qi Yan raised an eyebrow. “What I do—what does that have to do with Your Highness?”

Jing Heng’s expression darkened. “This matter will undoubtedly reach the King of Jin. When the royal family decides to act, Qi Yan, have you thought about how you’ll deal with it? The marriage alliance between Chu and Jin—do you think you can ruin it as you please?”

“Are you done?” Qi Yan chuckled. “Surely, Your Highness doesn’t actually believe that a marriage alliance is secured through mere submission and endurance?”

Jing Heng’s face grew even graver. “I only hope that your actions in the Jin palace do not bring disaster upon Chu. But if you are intent on seeking death, I have nothing more to say.”

With a furious flick of his sleeve, Jing Heng turned and strode away, his robes billowing in the cold wind.

Qi Yan turned back and took the cloak from Liang Chan’s hands, draping it over Wei Zhen. As he tied the sash, Wei Zhen slowly opened her eyes.

Her gaze was hazy with moisture, the corners of her eyes flushed red. Her brows knitted slightly, as if she were enduring great pain.

Qi Yan placed the back of his hand against her forehead, brushing over a thin layer of cold sweat.

“Let’s take her back first,” Qi Yan said.

At that moment, another voice rang out. “Princess, Young General, please wait.”

A minister of Jin stepped forward, with Ji Wo following behind him. His expression was solemn as he folded his hands and bowed deeply before them.

Ji Wo said, “Tonight’s events were entirely my second brother’s folly, as well as a failure of Jin’s hospitality. On behalf of the royal family of Jin, I apologize to the Princess and ask for her forgiveness.”

Ji Wo had accompanied Wei Zhen on her journey north to Jin, providing security in secret along the way. Throughout the entire journey, he had never voiced a single complaint. Both Qi Yan and Wei Ling knew him to be a man of good character.

His apology was, in truth, a way for the Jin court to offer them a way out of the situation. Wei Ling was just about to accept when Qi Yan spoke first.

“Forgiveness is not something that can be decided with just a few words. Tonight’s events—Jin’s royal palace must give the Princess a proper explanation.”

At these words, the three others froze, not expecting Qi Yan to be so unyielding, refusing to concede even an inch.

Qi Yan looked at Ji Wo. “Ninth Highness.”

Ji Wo lowered his hands and bowed once more. “Of course.”

Qi Yan nodded and glanced at Wei Ling, signaling him to leave.

There was still a distance to Wei Zhen’s residence. Once they arrived, Liang Chan hurriedly fetched water to help freshen Wei Zhen up.

Wei Zhen sat on the edge of the bed, clutching a bedpost as she retched, her face turning deathly pale. Wei Ling turned away, unable to bear the sight.

Liang Chan said, “Young General, Young Master, please step outside for a moment. I need to help the Princess change.”

Wei Ling frowned deeply, then turned to Qi Yan. “I have something to say to you.”

The night outside was as cold as water, moonlight draping over the branches.

Wei Ling leaned against a peach tree, his hand clenched into a fist as he struck the trunk with force. Leaves rustled down, scattering over his shoulders.

Turning his head, his eyes burned red. “I already had a hard time accepting that Ah-jie had to leave Chu and travel north. But now, on her very first day here, she has already suffered so much. Who knows what else she will have to endure in the future? These Jin people are despicable!”

Under the moonlight, his bloodshot eyes shone with deep hatred. His trembling figure was like a wounded beast, its quills bristling—not to protect himself, but to protect his sister.

Qi Yan gazed at him. “What happened tonight cannot be tolerated. If we endure it silently, they will only push further.”

Wei Ling murmured, “But I can only stay in the Jin palace for a few more days. Once I return to Chu, what will happen to Ah-jie then?”

The moon stretched his shadow long across the ground. He pressed both hands against the tree trunk before suddenly turning to Qi Yan.

“Qi Yan, do you truly care for my sister?”

Qi Yan froze for a moment.

Wei Ling straightened. “Once I leave for Chu, I’ll have no way to help her here in the Jin palace. Before, I had my doubts about you, but I know that you are reliable.”

He raised a hand and wiped at the corner of his eyes. “Qi Yan, can I entrust my sister to you?”

The night wind blew, moonlight reflecting in his eyes, catching on the shimmer of tears.

At this moment, he was only a younger brother, concerned for his sister.

Qi Yan said, “I will take care of her.”

That was all Wei Ling needed.

He stepped forward and pulled Qi Yan into a firm embrace.

“Thank you.”

Qi Yan would keep his promise. Wei Ling had no doubt about that. He believed in the other’s character, and half of the unease in his heart was put to rest.

Behind him came the sound of a door opening. A maid had come to deliver a message: “Young Master, the princess has changed her clothes.”

Wei Ling responded and entered the hall, where he saw Wei Zhen had changed into a plain-colored dress and was sitting by the dimly lit bedside.

The faint candlelight illuminated her face. The young woman leaned her head against the bedpost, utterly weak and listless, without even the strength to lift her eyelids.

As he approached, the strong scent of alcohol on her body drifted into Wei Ling’s nose.

Wei Ling stood up. “I’ll go get some sobering tea.”

To the side, Liang Chan looked toward Qi Yan. Qi Yan signaled for her to accompany Wei Ling. The sound of two sets of footsteps gradually faded into the distance, leaving only the two of them in the hall.

A night breeze swept through, rustling the peach trees in the courtyard and causing the candlelight inside the hall to flicker and, suddenly, extinguish.

Darkness blanketed the world. In the silent hall, only the luminous pearl hanging from her waist continued to emit a soft glow.

The young woman’s body trembled, her shoulders shook, and as she leaned against the bedpost, a wet glisten seeped from beneath her thick eyelashes, shimmering like dew.

“Wei Zhen.” The deep and mellow voice of the young man reached her ears. The young woman slowly opened her eyes.

She curled up there, looking utterly aggrieved. Under her thin eyelids, her eyes were already flushed red.

Qi Yan knelt on one knee before her bed and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”

Wei Zhen said nothing, closed her eyes, and shook her head. She raised her hand to cover her face, trying to wipe away the tears at the corners of her eyes.

Qi Yan immediately guessed the reason.

He had escorted her north, watching as she prepared for her life in the Jin Palace. Along the journey, she had not had a single day of rest. By day, she took etiquette lessons; by night, she practiced the zither without pause, bearing immense pressure in her effort to do everything perfectly.

Since the day he met her, no matter how great the difficulty, she had always maintained a calm and steadfast demeanor in front of everyone.

But today’s events had utterly shattered her emotional defenses.

She cried uncontrollably, tears spilling from her eyes like fragile glass lanterns, shattering at the slightest touch.

“I hate them. I hate everyone in the Jin Palace,” she choked out. “They forced me like that just now, yet not a single person stood up for me.”

“I know,” the young man said, lifting a hand to gently wipe the tears from her cheek. “Wei Zhen, this is all their fault.”

She lifted a fingertip and murmured, “I remember every single person who forced me to drink today—Second Prince Ji Si, Fourth Prince, Sixth Prince… No matter what, I will live well in the Jin Palace. One day, I will make them all apologize to me for what they did tonight.”

Qi Yan gazed at her quietly. He understood her unwillingness to yield. In the past, whenever she suffered grievances, she kept them to herself, silently enduring. But tonight, after drinking, with her mind clouded, she had finally voiced the words buried in her heart.

Qi Yan raised his hand again and continued to wipe away her tears.

Her long hair trailed down onto the bedding, spilling over his knee. Her gaze was distant and unfocused. “I miss Grandfather. I miss Mother and Nanny. If Grandfather were here, he would never have allowed me to suffer even a bit of humiliation…”

A tear slipped from her long eyelashes. Qi Yan closed his eyes, feeling the droplet fall onto the bridge of his nose. It slid down his high nose bridge, trailing slowly downward.

Soft breaths drifted near him. When Qi Yan opened his eyes again, he saw the young woman leaning toward him, her bright eyes fixed on him.

Her gaze shimmered with tears, and the glow of the luminous pearl cast a gentle light around her, enveloping her in a serene radiance. She was like a night-blooming cereus, unfurling silently in the darkness.

Wei Zhen stared at the young man before her. In her blurred vision, the only light came from the luminous pearl. In this dim and shadowed world, he was the only person she could see.

Her heart was in turmoil. “Qi Yan, will you stay with me?”

Qi Yan was momentarily stunned. She leaned in a little closer. “Will you always stay by my side and protect me?”

Her lips were red and glistening, almost brushing against the bridge of his nose. The rich fragrance of her scent surrounded him.

He knelt before her, and she sat quietly before him. Another tear slipped from her bright eyes—this time, falling straight into his own.

That burning tear carried her emotions, rippling outward in waves of sorrow, as if he could feel her grievances as his own.

He answered her softly, “I will.”

He saw her eyes flicker upon hearing his words.

Then, suddenly, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his shoulder.

Qi Yan’s body stiffened. Her silk-like hair cascaded into the crook of his arm, and her tears seeped into the warmth of his neck.

She cried in his embrace, her tears dampening his clothes, soaking into the fabric, and also into the depths of his heart.

Qi Yan hesitated slightly before finally lifting a hand and placing it gently on her back. His voice was soft as he said, “I will always be with you, Wei Zhen.”

The warmth of her breath brushed against his ear. Her voice was thick with tears. “Really?”

The fragrance from her body seeped into his robes, into his skin. In this moment, he had become her sole source of reliance.

The night breeze blew gently, rustling the curtains. The cool, flowing moonlight spilled into the hall, washing over the table, washing over the two of them.

Qi Yan lifted his head in the soft night wind, seeing their shadows intertwined on the wall—hers delicate and graceful, slowly entwining around him like a flower.

Her heart beat fiercely, each pulse pressing against his chest.

In that moment, deep within his heart, a soft and unfamiliar emotion slowly spread, seeping into his veins.

He lifted his head, gazing at the bright moonlight, then lowered his eyes to the girl in his arms.

He knew she had been drinking, that she was likely unaware of what she was saying and might forget everything by morning. Yet still, he patiently answered her.

“Wei Zhen, I will stay with you.”

She murmured, “For how long?”

The young man held her tighter, his Adam’s apple moving slightly as he whispered, “Wei Zhen, for as long as you wish.”

“As long as I am by your side, I will never let anyone bully you.”

On a midsummer night, under the radiant moon and the rising night breeze, the depths of the young man’s heart were slowly revealed.