Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 53: Luring Her

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting a bright halo of light over the person on the bed. That person turned over, pulled the quilt closer, and soon fell silent once more.

Inside the room, all was quiet except for the sound of the torrential rain outside.

Qi Yan had not expected that there would be someone else in Wei Zhen’s chambers.

Wei Zhen signaled for him to stay silent and whispered by his ear, “Light a candle for me.”

The candle pierced through the darkness, bringing brightness back to her vision. She took the tall candle holder from him and gestured for Qi Yan to hide behind the screen while she walked toward the bed.

A night breeze slipped through the small gaps in the window, making the candlelight flicker. Wei Zhen lifted a corner of the bed canopy and, by the dim glow, saw Gongsun Xian still fast asleep on the bed.

Wei Zhen called her name softly and gave her a gentle push. Then she sat by the bed, carefully observing her expression for a while. Only after confirming that Gongsun Xian was truly asleep did she let out a small sigh of relief and step away from the bed.

Qi Yan leaned against the screen, waiting for her. As soon as Wei Zhen came over, she pulled him behind it to speak.

Qi Yan asked, “Who’s the person in your bed?”

Wei Zhen placed the candle on the lamp stand. “It’s Gongsun Xian. She was afraid of the thunder and couldn’t sleep alone, so she came to me and asked me to sleep with her.”

If they had woken Gongsun Xian just now, things would have been truly difficult to explain.

Wei Zhen lifted her gaze and landed on the young man’s chin. His lips were tinged with a delicate red, faintly glossed over with the mark she had left.

Earlier, in the dark, she couldn’t see his expression, so she had not felt embarrassed. But now, facing him directly, she found it impossible to hide her shyness.

Only now did Wei Zhen realize that Qi Yan’s clothes were completely soaked. The thin summer fabric clung to his frame, outlining his lean waist and long, straight legs.

The night was damp with rain, and the sound of dripping water echoed. The first time they met, she had been drenched in blood, her clothes soaked, and Qi Yan—then the cold-hearted young general—had grabbed her shoulders without mercy, demanding if she had killed someone.

Who would have thought that, with time, things would change? Now, he too was soaked from head to toe, standing close to her behind a narrow screen—after just having kissed her.

Wei Zhen tilted her head up. “The debt I owed you, is it repaid now?”

Qi Yan leaned in, a lazy charm hanging from his brow. That roguish air about him made Wei Zhen think of the time he had called himself a ‘shameless scoundrel’—surely, he had worn the same expression then.

His gaze met hers before dropping to her lips. That look seemed to carry heat, making Wei Zhen instinctively press her lips together.

After a long moment, he pulled his gaze away and hummed in response. “Yes, it’s repaid.”

“Then, are you leaving?” Wei Zhen asked.

“Do you want me to leave?” Qi Yan glanced at the window.

With someone else sleeping in her room, it would naturally be best for him to go. But just as Wei Zhen was about to say so, she saw the rain pouring outside, drenching the trees. It was unclear when it would stop, and the young man before her still had water droplets clinging to his hair.

Wei Zhen said, “You should wait until the rain lightens before you leave.”

Part of her worried he’d get sick from the rain, but another part of her… simply wanted him to stay a little longer.

The faint light cast a blue hue over Qi Yan’s face, making his sharp features even more striking.

He lowered his head as if he had read her thoughts and chuckled. “Alright.”

He had worried that after their kiss, she would be too embarrassed to face him. But since she hadn’t shown any signs of rejection, he felt reassured. Though he carried himself with ease, when it came to her, he too had moments of uncertainty—afraid that she would push him away.

Qi Yan asked, “Do you have a brazier or heater in your room? My clothes are soaked, and I’d like to dry them before leaving. Is that alright?”

He made sure to ask for her permission—after all, kissing was one thing, but undressing in front of her was another.

Wei Zhen hesitated for a moment. “I do, but since you’re completely drenched, why not go to the bathhouse and rinse off first? There’s hot water prepared there.”

Qi Yan agreed. Wei Zhen turned and fetched a brazier from the main hall, but to avoid disturbing Gongsun Xian, she brought it directly to the bathhouse.

Qi Yan began undressing, first untying his belt and setting it on the table.

Wei Zhen crouched down and used a copper stick to stir the coals in the brazier, her eyes fixed intently on the fire before her.

The soft rustling of fabric filled the air as Qi Yan removed his clothes. She heard his steps move toward the pool, followed by the gentle splash of water.

She didn’t dare look, only picking up his damp clothes from the table and spreading them out over the brazier to dry.

First the outer robe, then the trousers, then the inner garments.

As for the closest-fitting underpants, he was probably still wearing them.

The bathhouse filled with steam, and Wei Zhen’s cheeks grew warm. She spread out the clothes and said, “Your robes are almost dry. You can dry the rest yourself when you come out.”

Qi Yan didn’t respond for a long time. Wei Zhen called out again, but still got no reply. She turned around.

Qi Yan had one hand on the pool’s edge, seemingly about to rise from the water. Wei Zhen caught a glimpse of his bare waist before he suddenly plunged back in with a splash, his body disappearing beneath the surface.

Through the misty air, their eyes met.

Qi Yan looked away. “Thank you. Could you bring my clothes over?”

Wei Zhen stepped forward and handed him his trousers. Qi Yan took them and stood up from the water, using them to cover himself.

Wei Zhen’s cheeks burned. She had been engaged before, and the elderly maids had taught her about men and women—she wasn’t an ignorant girl who didn’t understand what he was trying to conceal.

Some things might have been brushed aside as insignificant, but once an effort was made to hide them, they became impossible to ignore.

They had once shared a bed, and the next morning had been painfully awkward.

That memory resurfaced, and when Wei Zhen noticed the faint redness of Qi Yan’s ears, she realized they must have been thinking of the same thing.

Qi Yan stopped beside her to grab the rest of his dry clothes from the table.

She didn’t want to look, but his water-dappled figure entered the corner of her vision. Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, she said, “You dry your clothes. I’ll wait outside.”

Qi Yan responded stiffly, “Alright.”

Stepping out of the bathing room, the heat dissipated, and the cool air rushed in, filling his lungs. Yet Wei Zhen still felt a lingering warmth in her chest. She walked to a nearby window, pushing it open just a sliver, allowing the cold breeze to seep inside.

Resting her head against the window lattice, she gazed outside. On the blades of grass, a spider was spinning its delicate silver threads.

Footsteps sounded behind her. Wei Zhen closed the window and turned around, only to see Qi Yan approaching, his upper body bare.

Qi Yan asked, “Do you have any pain-relief medicine in the hall?”

Wei Zhen nodded, her gaze falling upon the scar on his chest. Though it had faded significantly, on such a flawless body, it was like a crack marring a piece of fine jade.

She asked, “Is it an old injury acting up again?”

Qi Yan let out a quiet “Mm.” Just as he was about to take the medicine bottle from her, Wei Zhen spoke first. “Let me do it.”

Qi Yan hesitated. “You will?”

“I learned some basic bandaging and pain-relief techniques from the military doctors. I can help massage it a little.”

Dipping her fingertips into the medicinal powder, she carefully pressed them to his chest, touching his wound with the utmost caution.

So close, she could feel the warmth radiating from his body, disturbing the air around her. It made her a little absentminded. She had intended to touch only the wound itself, but inevitably, her fingers brushed against the surrounding muscles on his abdomen.

Her fingertips grew slightly damp with sweat as she felt his body gradually tense beneath her touch.

Tilting her head up, she carefully observed his expression. Qi Yan averted his gaze, his breath coming out hotter, nearly scorching.

Wei Zhen asked, “Should I continue applying the medicine?”

His voice was hoarse, but he still maintained an air of nonchalance. “Go ahead.”

She had no choice but to proceed. After a long while, he finally said, “I should be leaving soon. It’s already the fourth watch. Tomorrow morning, I have duty to attend.”

Wei Zhen’s hand paused in the middle of applying the medicine. Suddenly, he leaned down, slipping his arms under hers. “Can I hold you?”

Her fingers tightened around the medicine bottle. Earlier tonight, he had already embraced her, had even kissed her. And yet now, he was asking if he could hold her?

But this question felt like something more. It was as if he was asking whether, from now on, he could always hold her—whether they could continue down this path together.

Before Wei Zhen could answer, Qi Yan had already rested his head on her shoulder, his breath brushing against her ear as he murmured, “Today, I secured a position under Jin King.”

Wei Zhen was momentarily stunned. “What position?”

“The role of Vice Commandant of the Central Army. Today, he discussed matters of Chu’s governance with me and granted me this position, entrusting me with assisting in military affairs.”

Wei Zhen’s face lit up with a smile. “Really? I’ve said before, with your talent, if Jin King didn’t make use of you, it would be a waste.”

Qi Yan’s eyes reflected the brightness of her smile as he asked, “What about you? Has Jin King mentioned anything to you in these past days?”

Wei Zhen shook her head. “The academy’s curriculum hasn’t finished yet. From what I’ve gathered from the envoys, Jin King plans to wait until the academic year is over to assess the studies of the betrothed princesses and noble ladies. Come next spring, he’ll begin arranging marriages one by one.”

At the mention of this topic, they both fell silent, as if saying any more would drag them back to the cold, inescapable reality.

Wei Zhen lifted her head. “So in the future, will you be staying by Jin King’s side often? Or will you be moving out of the palace?”

“Jin King wants me to continue as before, waiting outside the royal hall for daily assignments. But from now on, I’ll have more responsibilities than before.” Qi Yan sighed. “Seeing you will be even more troublesome in the future.”

Wei Zhen said, “If General Qi finds it troublesome, then don’t come.”

Qi Yan replied, “But I made a promise to you, didn’t I? And you’ve already repaid the favor in advance, haven’t you?”

He lowered his head, his gaze falling upon the girl’s luminous face. It was as if moonlight flowed beneath her skin. Her long, elegant eyes seemed even more alluring than before. Even as she feigned anger, every expression she made was strikingly vivid.

“I have to go now.” Qi Yan released her.

Wei Zhen responded with a soft “mm” and went to fetch an umbrella for him. Qi Yan changed into dry clothes, pushed open the window, and was about to leave when he turned back to look at her in the dark moonlit night.

The green trees swayed in the wind, and the cold wind howled into the great hall. The girl’s long hair fluttered in the wind.

Qi Yan suddenly leaned down.

Before Wei Zhen could react, the young man’s lips had already landed lightly on her cheek.

It was a damp kiss, carrying a trace of warmth.

Wei Zhen slowly placed her palm on her left cheek and met the young man’s autumn-water-like eyes, which were filled with laughter. “Sweet dreams, Miss Wei. See you tomorrow.”

Outside the window, the trees swayed. The young man left the great hall, his figure blending into the night, disappearing completely.

The window closed. Wei Zhen leaned against the wall, her chest still echoing with the immense reverberation of her heartbeats.

The young man’s gentle words still lingered by her ears. Wei Zhen couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from rising.

She turned and walked toward the bed, lifted the bed curtain, and saw that Gongsun Xian had not been disturbed, her face buried deep in the pillow. Wei Zhen let out a breath of relief, tucked her in properly, and lay down beside her.

The rain continued to fall with a soft pattering sound, drifting into her dreams.

Perhaps it was because she had stayed up too late the previous night—when Wei Zhen woke the next day, she clearly felt fatigued. By the afternoon, when she went to play the qin for the Jin King, she was barely keeping her eyes open, struggling not to fall asleep.

Fortunately, the Jin King was discussing state affairs with his ministers and did not pay much attention to her.

By the time she finished playing a few pieces, most of the ministers had already left the hall. The Jin King looked at her. Wei Zhen bowed, preparing to take her leave, but the Jin King spoke. “Your teacher came to see me this morning about your studies.”

Wei Zhen hadn’t expected the Jin King to take such an interest in her.

It had only been a few days since she started attending the academy.

“Your arithmetic lessons—you previously studied them in the State of Chu?”

The Jin King slowly unrolled a bamboo scroll in his hands. Wei Zhen saw that it was the coursework she had submitted.

The Jin King said, “Daughters of noble families, even if they receive education, mostly study the arts and etiquette suited to the aristocracy. It is rare for them to take this subject.”

Wei Zhen answered truthfully, “Your Majesty, after my grandfather passed away, the family estate was left to my younger brother and me. Therefore, over the years, I have been managing our family’s land. I have never formally studied arithmetic, but I have frequently used many of its principles in practice.”

“Oh?” The Jin King seemed intrigued by this. “You have managed an estate before?”

Wei Zhen nodded. “Yes. My younger brother oversees military affairs, while I handle the tax collection and land management of our estate. However, since he is still young, I make most of the final decisions.”

The Jin King gazed at Wei Zhen for a moment, then suddenly called out, “Hong Shuo.”

“This servant is here.”

The Jin King said, “Go and bring the account records of palace expenditures from the past three months.”

Wei Zhen was startled, but the Jin King had already continued, “You say you have studied arithmetic—I believe you. But as for managing an estate, that, I find hard to believe.”

His deep, commanding eyes exuded authority. “If you want me to believe you, then today, you will calculate all the palace accounts right here before me.”

Wei Zhen answered, “If Your Majesty doubts me, it is only natural for you to test me. But I would never dare to deceive you.”

Before long, piles of bamboo scrolls were brought into the palace hall. The Jin King gestured for her to sit at the desk beside him.

Wei Zhen forced herself to stay alert. She picked up a cinnabar brush and began examining the first scroll.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed in the grand hall as a minister entered. Wei Zhen did not lift her head—until someone knelt beside her, the hem of a dark robe brushing against the corner of her dress.

A familiar, clean fragrance drifted to her nose.

Wei Zhen’s hand, holding the brush, paused in midair. A drop of cinnabar ink fell from the tip, staining the bamboo scroll.

Qi Yan leaned against the Jin King’s desk, greeting the Jin King while sitting slightly turned toward her. The two were extremely close.

Wei Zhen continued looking at the bamboo scroll, trying to focus when the person beside her spoke. “Your Highness, may I borrow a little space? I need to write something to present to His Majesty.”

His voice was warm and polite. He bowed to Wei Zhen with impeccable manners.

The desk was wide, so Wei Zhen shifted slightly to the side, watching as he pretended not to know her in front of the Jin King.

He politely thanked her, then settled beside her. His expression was calm, his sleeves hidden under the desk. Beneath the table, the fabric of his sleeve lightly brushed against hers, and his hand within his sleeve gently hooked around her palm.

Wei Zhen’s heart trembled. She glanced toward the Jin King.

The Jin King was turned slightly to the side, speaking with a palace attendant and instructing them to leave.

This was the Jin King’s palace. The Jin King was right there, yet he dared to act so boldly with her?

Wei Zhen: Pretending we’re strangers? Please, General Qi, keep pretending.

Qi Yan: Balancing work and romance like a pro.