Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 47: Ji Yuan

Jin King’s words seemed casual, yet they were difficult to answer.

Wei Zhen was originally a princess sent in a marriage alliance, and it was only natural for her to be married into the royal family. However, if she showed even the slightest unwillingness, in Jin King’s eyes, it would mean she was placing herself too high and displaying resistance to the Jin royal family. Yet, if she showed the slightest willingness, it would make her seem lacking in propriety. Moreover, if she said she would leave the decision to Jin King, it would make her appear too indecisive.

Her answer had to be just right.

Wei Zhen spoke softly, “His Highness Ji Wo has escorted me all the way to the capital of Jin. If I felt not even the slightest gratitude or goodwill toward him, that would be too ungrateful of me. I am willing to interact with His Highness Ji Wo, as well as other princesses and royal descendants. However, since I have just arrived in the capital and do not yet understand everything well enough, I would like to first heed Your Majesty’s words, focus on my studies at the academy, and master the knowledge taught by my instructors. In the future, there will naturally be opportunities for me to interact with His Highness Ji Wo.”

Her words were impeccable. She placed Ji Wo on the same level as other royal descendants, showing that she treated them equally, yet she never explicitly rejected Ji Wo. More importantly, she made it clear that everything she did was centered around Jin King.

Wei Zhen obediently lowered her head.

Having received such an answer, Jin King did not press further.

From the corner of her eye, Wei Zhen glanced downward, just in time to see Ji Wo looking at her as well. The other party seemed somewhat uneasy, his cheeks slightly flushed. He turned his gaze toward Jin King and said, “Grandfather, I heard that a small country in the west has sent two puppies as tribute. Would you be willing to grant them to me?”

“You came here today just for this matter?” Jin King asked.

“Yes. Grandfather knows that I have little ambition, spending my days farming and raising puppies. I heard that these western puppies have thick, long fur and are completely snow-white. If Grandfather finds them too noisy, why not grant them to me?”

Jin King said, “Since your return from Chu, you have become even more lost in trivial pursuits.”

Ji Wo quickly explained, “I have never forgotten the tasks Grandfather assigned me. The moment I returned to Jin, I went to check on the crops. The fertile fields in the outskirts of the capital have been cultivated using my methods this time, and the crops are growing well. By the time autumn arrives, the harvest will be thirty percent higher than usual.”

Hearing this, Jin King called to the eunuch beside him, “Hong Shuo.”

The old eunuch immediately understood his meaning and signaled for Qi Yan to go to the back courtyard and fetch the two puppies.

A short while later, Qi Yan brought the dogs in. The two little puppies were not even as tall as half a person’s knee. They trotted inside, wobbling on their tiny legs, barking incessantly as soon as they entered the hall.

Ji Wo crouched down, rubbed the heads of both puppies, then stood up and saluted. “Thank you, Grandfather, for keeping them for me.”

He cupped his hands again and said, “The world is facing a great drought at present. I hope Grandfather can grant me more time to see if I can cultivate some special crops on dry land. If successful, it might alleviate the hardships of the displaced people.”

When it came to discussing his crops, Ji Wo suddenly became eloquent. Jin King listened until he grew weary and waved him off. “Enough. Take your two dogs and leave—they’re noisy.”

The two puppies flanked Ji Wo on either side as he stepped out of the hall.

Wei Zhen watched the two little dogs from behind, finding them quite adorable. She kept watching until Ji Wo’s figure disappeared before withdrawing her gaze, only to find Jin King looking at her.

Jin King asked, “You like those dogs as well?”

Wei Zhen did indeed like them, but since they already belonged to a grandson of Jin King, how could she make such a request? She simply shook her head.

Jin King said, “You may leave as well. Come to my palace at the same time tomorrow afternoon.”

Wei Zhen smiled. “Alright.”

Perhaps the smile on her lips was too obvious, for Jin King gave her an extra glance. Wei Zhen quickly adjusted her expression, lowering the curve of her lips slightly before rising and slowly taking her leave.

After Wei Zhen left, Jin King remarked, “When she heard that I wanted her to come tomorrow, she was even happier than when facing Ji Wo.”

The old eunuch bowed his head. “The Chu girl is clever. She knows that in the Jin palace, relying on anyone else cannot compare to relying on Your Majesty. She is ambitious.”

The most difficult thing in this world is to strike the perfect balance. Wei Zhen’s words to Jin King were just that—any more would be presumptuous, any less would show disrespect to the Jin court. This was not something an ordinary person could have come up with in such a short time.

“Tell the instructors to keep a close eye on her and report back on her studies in a few days.”

The old eunuch replied respectfully, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

By the time Wei Zhen stepped out of the royal palace, the sky was already cloaked in darkness.

Qi Yan carried her zither for her and escorted her back to her chambers.

The main hall of Qingxue Palace had yet to be lit, its interior shrouded in darkness. A maid entered first to light the candles while Wei Zhen waited outside with Qi Yan.

The cicadas in the trees chirped noisily. Standing on the threshold, Wei Zhen’s eyes sparkled. “His Majesty asked me to go to his palace tomorrow to play the zither for him. That means he acknowledges me and has begun to accept me, right?”

Her face was lit with joy. Since entering the Jin palace, this was the first time Qi Yan had seen such genuine happiness on her face.

Qi Yan said, “Yes, he acknowledges you.”

She reached out to take the zither from his arms. Their fingertips brushed, and their gazes met in the dim light. Her eyes were full of laughter, bright and warm. The summer breeze brushed against them, and Qi Yan felt a fine sweat forming in his palm as he slowly released their touching fingertips.

“The sky is getting dark—I should go.”

Wei Zhen tugged at his sleeve. “Will you come pick me up tomorrow afternoon to go to the royal palace?”

Qi Yan nodded. “I can.”

After stepping out of the courtyard, the smile on Qi Yan’s face gradually faded.

The cicadas’ summer cries rang from all directions, the evening breeze enveloping him. Walking along the path through the flowerbeds, Qi Yan could not shake the image of her bright eyes when she spoke about earning Jin King’s approval.

With each passing day, she was getting closer to Jin King. She had said before that earning Jin King’s favor was not about marrying any particular royal descendant. But ultimately, the day would come when Jin King would decide a marriage for her. And when that time came, how could she refuse?

This was the greatest problem lying ahead of them both.

What happened at dusk served as a wake-up call for Qi Yan. For the sake of the Qi family—and for his own private desire—there was only one thing he could do. He had to rise in Jin as quickly as possible.

He needed to seize every opportunity to prove his worth to Jin King. Only then could he stop Wei Zhen’s marriage arrangement.

Mist floated in the night, circling the bright moon. The young man strode away through the garden.

The next afternoon, Wei Zhen arrived outside the royal hall half an hour early.

She had been nervous before coming, but the moment she stepped over the threshold of the grand hall, all her unease dissipated. Taking the events of the previous day as a lesson, she continuously reminded herself that she was merely here to play the zither for Jin King—nothing more. She should simply regard herself as a musician.

On either side of the hall, numerous ministers were seated, each standing firm in their arguments, unwilling to concede. The atmosphere was tense, as if swords were drawn.

Wei Zhen chose a slightly more soothing melody and began to play. Yet, she suddenly realized that a king’s presence was always a solemn place. With so many ministers discussing state affairs, would it not be inappropriate for her to overhear their deliberations?

After a while, Jin King ordered her to step aside.

Jin King said, “Go to my library and fetch me a set of zither scores.”

Wei Zhen acknowledged the order, rose to her feet, and followed the palace servant out of the grand hall.

Jin King’s library was located near the royal hall. The building had several floors, and from a distance, the sunlight reflected off the soaring eaves of the pavilion, casting a dazzling glow.

The palace servant said, “All of His Majesty’s books are stored here. The zither scores should be on the second floor.”

The sound of the door closing echoed behind her as Wei Zhen stepped forward. Books filled the surroundings—so many that they could be described as a vast ocean of knowledge.

She wove her way through rows of bookshelves and ascended the stairs to the second floor.

Heading toward the innermost section, she suddenly heard the creak of wooden boards behind her. Thinking someone had arrived, she turned toward the sound but saw no one between the rows of bookshelves.

She crouched down and continued searching for the zither scores. However, just as she was reaching, a bamboo scroll on the top shelf tilted forward, teetering on the edge, about to fall.

“Be careful—” a man’s voice called out.

Before the voice had even faded, the bamboo scroll had already fallen, landing heavily on Wei Zhen’s arm.

Her body tilted forward, and she fell to the ground, one hand propped against the floor while the other reached up to rub her shoulder.

Above her, the rustling sounds resumed. Wei Zhen lifted her head and saw several more bamboo scrolls about to fall.

Those scrolls were thick and heavy—if they fell from such a great height, they would surely cause injury.

At this critical moment, a tall figure stepped to her side. Wei Zhen only had time to shift slightly before all the bamboo scrolls came crashing down. She instinctively shut her eyes, yet the expected pain never arrived. Instead, she only heard the dull thuds of the scrolls hitting someone’s body.

The scrolls rolled off the person, tumbling to the ground and finally stopping at Wei Zhen’s feet.

Wei Zhen raised her head, and the first thing that entered her view was the man’s finely sculpted jawline.

The young man was dressed in a luxurious raven-blue robe, with a jade crown adorning his head. His eyes were luminous, resembling a pair of black jade stones. At such a close distance, she could see his long, curled lashes clearly and could even catch the faint, refined fragrance on him.

His hands were placed on either side of her arms, still maintaining the protective posture from shielding her. Only after a moment did he slowly release her and straighten his back.

“Are you all right?” His voice was clear, noble, and elegant.

Wei Zhen shook her head and gathered the bamboo scrolls as she stood up. “I am unharmed. Was Your Highness injured? Should I summon a royal physician to take a look?”

The man dusted off his robes and replied indifferently, “I am fine.”

Wei Zhen observed his distinguished attire and asked softly, “May I ask which prince Your Highness is?”

The moment she posed the question, Wei Zhen realized something—on her journey to the arranged marriage, the envoys had given her an illustrated book depicting the appearances of various royal descendants. Yet, there had been one notable omission. The man before her did not match anyone in that book.

Clearly, that meant he must be—

“I am Ji Yuan, the seventh grandson of Jin King.”

The young man had a faint smile at the corner of his lips, yet it was overly polite, unable to conceal the air of detachment about him. He took the bamboo scrolls from Wei Zhen’s arms and placed them back on the shelf. As his embroidered sleeve with cloud patterns slipped down, it revealed slender, clean fingers. On the index finger of his left hand, there was a silver ring engraved with a serpent motif—delicately crafted and striking in design.

A serpent-patterned ring.

Wei Zhen could often deduce a person’s character from small details. At first glance, she had assumed that the man before her was as gentle as jade. However, judging by his choice of adornment, it seemed that might not be the case.

In a gentle voice, Wei Zhen said, “Today’s incident was my trouble to Your Highness. If Your Highness does not mind, I can ask my personal physician to check Your Highness’s back later. His medical skills are exceptional—any ailment he treats is completely cured.”

“No need.” His brows carried a cool sharpness. “The blame lies with the palace attendants who were responsible for tidying the library today, not with you. There is no need for you to take responsibility. Moreover, I am unharmed.”

“What book are you looking for?” Ji Yuan asked.

“‘Beishui,’ a collection of folk melodies and tunes from the northern regions.”

Ji Yuan was tall, like an imposing mountain of jade. When he stood before her, he blocked most of the light. He reached for a scroll from the topmost shelf and handed it to Wei Zhen. “Is this the one?”

Wei Zhen took it and, upon reading the title, smiled. “Yes, this is the one.”

Having obtained the scroll, she bid him farewell and left.

Upon returning to the royal hall, the ministers had already departed. Only Jin King remained, seated behind his desk, reading memorials. When he saw her, he asked, “I sent you to fetch a scroll—why were you gone so long?”

Wei Zhen curtsied gracefully. “Your child encountered the Seventh Prince in the library. A bamboo scroll fell from the shelves at the time, and thanks to the Seventh Prince shielding me with his body, I was not injured.”

“He shielded you from the falling scrolls?” Jin King asked.

Wei Zhen dared not elaborate, fearing that, like the previous day, Jin King would ask for her opinion on Ji Yuan’s character and then inquire about the possibility of betrothing her to him. Instead, she simply stepped forward and unfurled the scroll before him.

“Is this the zither score that Your Majesty wanted me to find?”

Jin King continued marking memorials with his vermillion brush as he replied, “Take a look at the score yourself first.”

“The melodies of the northern regions are vast and majestic. The compositions recorded in ‘Beishui’ largely follow this style. A zither player must deeply understand the essence of the songs to bring out their grandeur. Additionally, the rhythms change frequently, making them difficult to master.”

“If I asked you to play this piece, could you perform it well?”

Wei Zhen’s fingertips tapped against the edge of the bamboo scroll. Among all the zither players in the world, those who had reached the pinnacle of mastery could play with tenfold perfection. Her own skill, however, barely amounted to five or six at best. The pieces in ‘Beishui’ demanded at least an eight in skill.

Jin King casually spread open the scroll and pointed to a specific piece. “I’ll give you seven days. You only need to practice this one from ‘Beishui.’ In seven days, you will play it before me. Can you manage that?”

Wei Zhen put away the score and, almost without hesitation, replied, “I can.”

Jin King set down his vermillion brush and leaned back against his grand chair.

For once, Wei Zhen saw a look of satisfaction on his face. She dared not stare too long and quickly lowered her head.

Jin King said, “You met Ji Yuan today. Have you seen any of the other royal grandsons in the palace?”

Wei Zhen shook her head. “Not yet.”

Jin King said, “Tomorrow afternoon, the royal grandsons will be attending a hunting lesson. You young ladies should go as well. Among my grandsons, there are more than a dozen who are of suitable age but still unmarried. There is no rush—you may take your time getting to know them one by one.”

Wei Zhen felt immense pressure but answered, “Yes.”

The moment Wei Zhen left, Ji Yuan arrived at the royal hall.

He stopped at the steps and bowed in greeting to Jin King. Jin King asked, “I heard you met Wei Zhen at the library today. What do you think of her?”

Ji Yuan knelt in formal posture and replied in a clear, composed tone, “The lady from Chu is beautiful and elegant. She appears reserved, but her nature is actually gentle. However, I have only met her once, so I cannot judge her too deeply. She seems like someone one could interact with.”

Jin King gave him a meaningful look. “You were betrothed to the Princess of Wei from birth. Though the engagement was settled early, Wei has delayed the marriage for years. Now, there are many young ladies in the palace. You need not be bound by past agreements—you may choose freely among them.”

Their conversation was interrupted when Qi Yan entered from outside.

Qi Yan said, “The princess’s zither pendant fell in the hall. I came to retrieve it on her behalf.”

Receiving Jin King’s permission, Qi Yan stepped onto the platform to search for the jade pendant.

Meanwhile, Jin King turned to Ji Yuan and said, “If you find the lady from Chu remarkable, you may interact with her more. However, in the end, whom she marries depends first on my will and, ultimately, on her own choice.”

“If any of you desire her, you must rely on your own abilities to win her favor.”

Behind the desk, Qi Yan lifted his gaze.