Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 61: The Secular World

Qi Yan pried apart her pearly teeth. Wei Zhen’s eyes widened as his tall nose brushed against her skin, and he kissed her as if laying siege to a city.

At that moment, she felt the emotions he had suppressed for so long surge forth like a flood.

Wei Zhen was kissed to the point of breathlessness, forced to rely on his breath to sustain her own. A faint blush spread across her snow-white cheeks as she struggled to break free. But Qi Yan clasped the back of her head, refusing to let her go.

Her tongue went numb, her legs weak.

She heard him speak beside her ear, and in that moment of distraction, he seized the opportunity. His lips and tongue invaded.

She whimpered, “There are the king’s people outside.”

Qi Yan replied, “I know. Don’t open the door.”

He grabbed her wrist and pressed it against the table. The sky-blue jade bracelet on her wrist gently tapped against the wooden surface as she struggled, producing a series of crisp, melodious sounds.

Their breaths intertwined in the darkness, blending with the whispering snowfall outside the window.

By the time he released her lips, the girl’s soft, cherry-pink lips had been ravished into a deep, alluring red.

Her ears burned crimson as she buried her face into his neck, unable to recover for a long while. Trembling, she whispered, “You should leave.”

Yet, despite her words, her fingers clung tightly to the fabric of his sleeve, showing no sign of letting go.

As she steadied her breath in his embrace, she slowly raised her arms and wrapped them around him as well.

The two of them simply held each other in silence, as if in this moment, time itself had stopped.

Until the maid outside called out, pulling Wei Zhen back to reality.

“Princess, have you retired for the night?”

Wei Zhen looked at Qi Yan and said, “You should hide first. I will go see the maid.”

She fumbled for the table, relighting the candle with Qi Yan’s help.

Wei Zhen walked to the door and turned back to make sure Qi Yan was well hidden. Seeing no trace of him, she finally opened the door.

A maid stood outside, about thirty years old, with an oval face and a calm, gentle smile.

“Your Highness, I saw that the candle in your room had gone out and thought you had already gone to bed. I am called Fu Qiang, sent by His Majesty to care for your daily needs. From now on, I will be serving you here in the Qingxue Hall. Are you preparing to rest now? I can attend to you.”

The maid was clearly sent by the Jin King to keep watch over her. Though she seemed kind, her every move carried the air of a seasoned servant. In just a few sentences, she made her purpose clear—she was here to monitor and take control of Wei Zhen’s quarters.

Seeing that Fu Qiang intended to enter, Wei Zhen quickly blocked her path. “You have just arrived, and we are not yet familiar with each other. Besides, I am not accustomed to having someone in my chambers at night. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself tonight.”

Fu Qiang asked, “Your Highness does not require my service tonight?”

Wei Zhen nodded. “It is already quite late. You should go rest.”

Fu Qiang glanced inside the hall. Seeing nothing amiss, she finally said, “Then I will take my leave. Your Highness, please rest well.”

Wei Zhen bid her farewell with a smile. The moment she shut the door, she grabbed the man’s cloak from the table and rushed behind the screen. “You must leave now.”

Qi Yan leaned lazily against the screen, his eyes sweeping toward her.

Wei Zhen opened the window slightly. A gust of cold wind rushed in, making her long hair dance. She turned back to him and said, “Qi Yan, earlier you asked me if I truly wanted to sever all ties with you.”

She shook her head. “I never did. Not once.”

The next moment, a hand reached out and pulled her into a warm embrace. Feeling the heat of his body, Wei Zhen’s eyes welled up with tears.

“But for now, should we keep our distance for a while?”

She stood on her toes, pressing a soft kiss to the corner of his eye.

Qi Yan’s long lashes fluttered like a butterfly’s wings, brushing against Wei Zhen’s skin and sending a tingling sensation through her.

Though reluctant, Wei Zhen softly urged, “Go now. Be careful not to be seen.”

Qi Yan took his cloak from her, finally letting her go. He reached up, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

He said softly, “I understand, Weizhen. I will not put you in a difficult position.”

With that, he flipped over and leapt out of the window. Before leaving, he turned back to look at her once more.

His figure melded completely into the pitch-black night. Only when she could no longer hear his footsteps outside did Weizhen finally feel her heart settle back into her chest.

Her gaze landed on the dimly lit window screen. Through it, she could almost still see the silhouette of the young man as he left.

She had not shed a single tear in front of him, but now, at last, her eyes welled up, and she could no longer hold back her tears. She raised a hand to wipe the corner of her eye, yet a faint smile appeared on her lips.

How could she have ever wanted to sever ties with him?

She had never confessed her feelings to him, never told him she liked him—because she was lost, unable to see a future with him. But now, he had said that he would stay by her side, that they would walk this path together.

Then she, too, would do the same.

From beginning to end, the only man she needed was one who could bring her peace.

She didn’t know whether he understood the meaning behind her kiss at the corner of his eye.

She was willing to trust him and walk this path alongside him.

Weizhen turned around, blew out the candle, and lay down on the bed.

At the fourth watch of the night, she woke up drenched in sweat, jolted from a nightmare.

The scene of the beast pouncing at her had been too vivid. She placed a hand on her forehead, her red lips parting as she gasped for breath.

During the palace banquet, she had been seated above, watching everything unfold clearly. The beast had been surrounded by people, yet after breaking free from its restraints, it first bit a guard before charging upward.

Logically, after injuring someone, the beast should have been drawn to the scent of blood and stopped. But instead, it didn’t pause at all, as if its sole target had always been the Jin King.

Weizhen furrowed her brows tightly.

If the beast had been trained beforehand, was last night’s incident truly an accident? Or was someone orchestrating it from behind the scenes, using the beast as a means to eliminate the Jin King?

If the Jin King were to die, with no heir yet appointed, the entire court would undoubtedly fall into chaos.

Who would benefit the most from this? The Sixth Prince, Ji Chi, was the most suspicious. Was he the one who resorted to such desperate measures, or was there another mastermind behind it?

Suddenly, Weizhen recalled something—last night, when she had been by the Jin King’s side, she had caught a faint, unfamiliar fragrance on him. He had never smelled like that before. At the time, she had felt it was odd but hadn’t thought too deeply about it.

At dawn, she would go through her collection of books and compare the scents to see if she could identify that fragrance.

She suspected that it was precisely this scent that had driven the beast into a frenzy.

Only the closest attendants of the Jin King would have access to his garments. If her suspicions were correct, then someone impure had infiltrated his inner circle.

Before sunrise, Weizhen rose and made her way to the side hall where the Jin King had rested. She intended to retrieve his garments before they were destroyed, but upon arrival, the palace maid informed her that his clothes had already been collected and burned by the attendants.

Weizhen immediately knew that her suspicions were likely correct. She did not press the matter further and returned to her chambers.

She retrieved the robes she had worn the day before. Since she had been close to the Jin King the entire time, her garments had also absorbed a trace of that fragrance.

Just then, Liangchan arrived with news. “Gugu Fuchang has come.”

Weizhen said, “She was sent by the Jin King to keep an eye on me. Just focus on our own matters; there’s no need to pay her too much attention.”

She looked at the incense trays set before her and picked up the Compendium of Fragrances, flipping through its pages.

The events of the New Year’s Eve banquet had already spread throughout the entire palace overnight.

As the one who had presented the beast, Ji Chi could not escape blame.

Kneeling before the royal hall, Ji Chi repeatedly proclaimed his innocence, insisting he had no knowledge of why the beast had gone berserk. The Jin King remained silent and ordered his men to take Ji Chi away for interrogation by the prison officials.

After Ji Chi was taken away, several royal sons came in succession to visit the Jin King, but all were dismissed.

Only at midday, when Qi Yan arrived, was he allowed to enter the grand hall.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, the Jin King opened his eyes and said, “You have come?”

Qi Yan performed a formal bow before rising and taking a seat beside the bed. “How is Your Majesty feeling?”

“I am quite well. This minor injury is nothing worth mentioning.”

The Jin King sat up, his expression unchanged, but when his wounded arm brushed against the bedside, the muscles in his face tensed slightly. Qi Yan immediately stepped forward to support him as the Jin King leaned back against the bed railing.

“Regarding last night’s banquet, do you believe it was merely an accident, or was Ji Chi deliberately scheming for my throne?” the Jin King asked.

Qi Yan was silent for a moment before replying, “It is difficult to determine at this moment. The Sixth Prince may not go so far, yet we cannot rule out the possibility that the King of Qi tempted him with benefits while he was in Qi State…”

The Jin King asked, “You suspect the King of Qi?”

“If Your Majesty had suffered an accident, the entire Jin Kingdom would undoubtedly fall into turmoil. That beast had been trained in Qi. Who is to say it was not acting on the King of Qi’s orders? If the King of Qi did indeed orchestrate this, it would be a reckless move, fraught with risk. But if successful, Qi would gain immense benefits from the chaos.”

“But the beast is already dead, making it difficult to investigate.”

“Indeed,” Qi Yan said. “That is why I say there is no definite conclusion. It all depends on Your Majesty’s will. You may choose to brush past the matter lightly, or you may use this as an opportunity to take action against Qi.”

The Jin King gave him a meaningful look. “General Qi, your tactics are becoming more and more like those of a strategist.”

Then, shifting the topic, he continued, “But the reason I summoned you today is not to discuss this matter.”

Qi Yan had already guessed his intentions. “May I ask what Your Majesty wishes to discuss?”

“Once the new year begins, I plan to arrange marriages for the ladies of the academy. You are familiar with the Princess of Chu—tell me, which royal son do you think would be a suitable match for her?”

The Jin King scrutinized Qi Yan’s expression. The young man slowly raised his eyes; aside from the slight trembling of his eyelashes at first, there was no further fluctuation in his emotions.

He said, “The princess’s marriage is of great consequence. As an outsider, I am truly unfit to discuss it.”

“Then the princess’s marriage shall be left to me to decide.”

A long silence filled the hall, and no one spoke.

The Jin King looked at him, his face unwavering. He said, “Let me ask you—have you ever harbored any improper thoughts about the Chu Princess?”

Qi Yan responded, “What does Your Majesty mean?”

“You have now been granted an official position and no longer need to stay by my side every day. For the time being, move out of the palace. This way, I won’t have sleepless nights, constantly reminded of what your father did to my daughter.”

Qi Yan smiled. “Does Your Majesty think there is something improper between the princess and me?”

The Jin King sneered. “I only believe what I see with my own eyes. In that moment when you risked your life to save her, can you truly say you had no other thoughts at all?”

“Qi Yan, recognize your own status. Know what you should and should not do.”

The Jin King’s smile disappeared, leaving only a cold and solemn expression. “Leave.”

Hong Shuo immediately stepped forward upon hearing this and said, “Young General, please go and let His Majesty rest.”

Qi Yan stood up, his expression calm. “I thank Your Majesty.”

The Jin King watched the young man’s departing figure. He had long known that Qi Yan was stubborn. He had already warned him—if Qi Yan refused to let go of his feelings, then whatever punishment the Jin King saw fit, he would carry out without hesitation.

“When will the Prime Minister of Wei arrive?” the Jin King asked.

“In approximately seven days. His Highness Ji Yuan has said that on the evening of that day, he will personally receive the Prime Minister and settle him in the guest hall before engaging in conversation to probe his stance. If all goes well, he will then escort the Prime Minister into the palace for a formal welcome banquet.”

The Jin King nodded. “He has thought things through. Let him handle it—after all, it concerns his own marriage.”

Hong Shuo responded, “Yes.”

At dusk seven days later, the Wei Prime Minister’s convoy arrived in Jiangdu.

The Prime Minister conducted himself with restraint; his convoy consisted of no more than six or seven carriages. However, the black banners embroidered with a coiling serpent and the character ‘Wei’ fluttered in the wind. As soon as they passed through the city gates, they immediately drew the attention of many citizens.

At a nearby tavern, Ji Yuan leaned against the railing, looking down at the young Prime Minister of Wei stepping out of his carriage, greeted by his attendants and led into the guest hall.

“The Prime Minister of Wei has arrived. Will Your Highness go to meet him?”

Ji Yuan replied, “I will come shortly.”

A guard reported, “Your Highness, there is another matter. Ever since the Prime Minister entered Jin, I have been covertly following them and discovered an unusual action on their part.”

Ji Yuan tapped the railing in thought, remaining silent. The guard continued, “The Prime Minister dispatched one of his men to search for the whereabouts of a jade pendant.”

The guard pulled out a piece of paper from his sleeve. Ji Yuan took it, glanced down, and his brows furrowed slightly.

“When Your Highness was betrothed to the Wei Princess as a child, the Wei King gifted Jin a jade pendant engraved with the Wei Kingdom’s soaring serpent emblem. It was a matching pair with the princess’s own pendant. This drawing depicts that very pendant.”

Having kept this item with him since childhood, Ji Yuan was naturally familiar with its details. The pendant in the drawing was identical to his own.

Ji Yuan asked, “When the Prime Minister’s men were searching for the pendant, did they say anything?”

“The Wei people have offered a reward for this jade pendant. Anyone providing clues will receive a hundred gold pieces, and whoever finds its owner will be rewarded with ten thousand gold pieces.”

This was intriguing. The owner of that pendant was the Wei Princess—so why was the Wei Prime Minister seeking her so urgently?

Given how Wei had delayed the marriage between Ji Yuan and the princess time and again, he had long suspected that something was amiss.

The guard asked, “Should we report this to His Majesty?”

“No need. Just keep a close watch on them and inform me of any movements.”

Ji Yuan said indifferently, “Now that the Prime Minister has arrived in the capital, he will surely continue searching for the jade pendant. This drawing only depicts the front side—go and sketch the back of my pendant as well. Use it to test their reaction.”

The guard replied, “A brilliant plan, Your Highness.”

The following day, the news that the Seventh Prince had met the Wei Prime Minister outside the palace and engaged in a long discussion late into the night spread through the court.

The Prime Minister of Wei declared that his visit to Jin was indeed to strengthen the bond between the two nations, reaffirming the marriage alliance without any intent of reneging.

However, Wei had been forced into a difficult situation—due to an illness, the princess’s face had been marred, and her health had declined. A diviner had interpreted an ominous omen, declaring that she must leave the Wei palace to recover in secrecy. It was only in recent days that the Wei King had brought her back.

The Prime Minister had departed for Jin as soon as she showed signs of improvement.

“Between allied nations, marriage is inevitable. Wei would never go back on its word.” These were the Wei King’s own words.

Yet the princess had not fully recovered. The Wei King feared that if she traveled to Jin now, the change in climate would worsen her condition. Moreover, he was also concerned that her illness-marred appearance might displease the Jin Kingdom, hence the repeated delays in the marriage.

Qi Yan, arriving at court early in the morning to meet with the Jin King, learned of this matter from the ruler himself.

The Jin King, upon hearing Ji Yuan’s recounting of the Prime Minister’s words, showed clear dissatisfaction.

After Qi Yan left the palace hall, he walked along the corridor with Zuo Ying. They passed by a flowerbed, and just ahead lay Wei Zhen’s courtyard.

Since Qi Yan had moved out of the palace, he had not seen Wei Zhen for seven days. Even today, when the king summoned him, he had not allowed Wei Zhen to be present—clearly, an intentional avoidance.

Suddenly, the man beside him spoke, “General, do you recall the jade pendant you once showed me? The one related to the princess’s lineage?”

Qi Yan said in a low voice, “Yes. Have you found anything?”

Zuo Ying, being Qi Yan’s trusted confidant, had not been kept in the dark regarding Wei Zhen’s true heritage.

Zuo Ying reminded him, “General, the Wei Prime Minister has arrived in Jin.”

Qi Yan halted in his tracks, immediately understanding. Since Wei Zhen was of noble Wei lineage, the simplest way to investigate her background would be to approach the Prime Minister directly for assistance.

Qi Yan glanced ahead. “The princess’s courtyard is just ahead. Go and ask her for the jade pendant. Once the Prime Minister enters the palace, find an appropriate opportunity to secretly show it to him.”

Zuo Ying replied, “I shall claim that I acquired the pendant from a pawnshop and ask the Prime Minister if he recognizes which family it belongs to.”

Zuo Ying paused before adding, “But this matter cannot be made public.”

To the outside world, Wei Zhen was of noble Chu descent, standing in for the Chu Princess in the marriage alliance. If the truth of her origin were to be exposed… she would lose a vital safeguard.

Qi Yan stopped in the corridor, gazing ahead. “Yes, go to her.”