Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 82: Marriage

Chapter 82: Marriage

The Chouyou Queen had never let the two of them go and did not allow them to step even a foot outside the city gates. Nor did she guarantee them food, clothing, or daily necessities—everything still had to be managed by themselves.

Qi Yan said, “I’ll go take a look at the marketplace later to see if I can find a way to make some money. You’ve been following me around and must be tired. Have a good rest.”

Wei Zhen shook her head. “I’m not tired. I’ll go with you. I can do many things. Earlier, when I came back, I got caught in a heavy rain, and I noticed how inconvenient it was for pedestrians on the road. I thought perhaps I could make some bamboo hats and have someone sell them outside.”

Qi Yan held her hand. “Making bamboo hats is too rough on the hands.”

Wei Zhen gave a slight smile. “Then let’s find some work that’s not too exhausting. Best if we can do it together. Your leg is still injured—use this time to rest properly.”

Qi Yan still didn’t want her to work too hard, but on second thought, having her stay at home meant she might run into A’Zhu’s man, and indeed, if he stayed by her side, she would be safest.

They moved out of A’Zhu’s house and found a small courtyard that belonged solely to the two of them.

Qi Yan never forgot the war outside. He knew that while he was away, dramatic changes must have occurred. He wrote several letters and asked the Chouyou Queen’s subordinates to send them out, trying to get in touch with Zuo Ying.

While waiting for Zuo Ying’s arrival, Qi Yan and Wei Zhen found work copying books at a book hall in the city. During the day, they went together to copy books, and Qi Yan used the opportunity to gather information about the outside world. Gradually, through conversations with others, he pieced together a rough picture of the situation beyond the city walls. He secretly planned for everything that would come once he got out.

Every evening, Qi Yan would be summoned to the royal palace by the Chouyou Queen to offer military advice.

Several days passed in the blink of an eye. That evening, Wei Zhen was home alone. She heard sounds coming from the courtyard and knew Qi Yan had returned. She quickly hid the half-finished bamboo hat and walked toward the door.

She opened the door and, sure enough, saw Qi Yan. Smiling, she went up to him and asked, “You’re back. What did the Chouyou Queen say today?”

Qi Yan sighed. “The Chouyou Queen wants to go to war with the Quanrong tribe. She asked me how to deploy the troops. I gave her some suggestions, but she still hasn’t made her stance clear.”

Wei Zhen said, “You’re a Jin general. It’s reasonable that she doesn’t trust you right away. But since she summoned you, she must be aware of your capabilities and is considering asking for your advice.”

Qi Yan nodded, then took her right hand. His brows furrowed slightly as he asked, “How did you get hurt?”

Wei Zhen quickly withdrew her hand. “I accidentally bumped into something. It’s nothing.”

These past few days, while Qi Yan was away, she had secretly been weaving bamboo hats, hoping to earn a bit more money to cover their expenses. Wei Zhen didn’t want him to know where the injuries came from, or he would surely blame himself.

He seemed to have pulled himself out of his grief, but Wei Zhen knew that deep down, he still hadn’t let go of that battle. Otherwise, he wouldn’t always be studying maps and planning every step of their escape during his idle moments. Wei Zhen saw no need to add more pressure on him.

Qi Yan said, “Let’s go back inside. I’ll apply medicine to your wound.”

He went into the room, took out a bottle of medicine from the cabinet, and pulled her over to sit by the table. The sun had not yet set, and the window was open. The clear light streamed in at an angle, touching his brows and sleeves. His eyelashes were long and thick, and his face pale. As he applied the medicine, he appeared especially focused.

Noticing her gaze, he looked up and smiled gently. “I’ve applied the medicine. I brought back a lamb from the market today—we’ll have lamb meat and lamb soup tonight.”

Wei Zhen was surprised. The wages they earned from copying books were meager, barely enough for household expenses. How did he have extra money to buy lamb?

Qi Yan said, “Today, the Chouyou Queen gave me a little reward. I thought you hadn’t had a good meal for four or five days, so I bought a lamb at the market. The vendor has already slaughtered it for me.”

Wei Zhen asked, “Do you know how to make soup?”

Qi Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. “Not really, but I specifically asked the butcher how to do it. I’ve memorized the steps—I’ll give it a try later.”

That dinner was excellent. After eating, the two of them held hands and walked under the moonlight, talking for quite a while.

At night, they returned to the house to rest.

Qi Yan said, “I’ll need to go to the royal palace again tomorrow evening. I’ll be back late. If you get hungry, go ahead and eat—you don’t need to wait for me.”

Wei Zhen lay on his arm and softly replied, “Okay.”

The night wind was warm and gentle. After she fell asleep, Qi Yan held her fingertips. Her fingers, once delicate and smooth like jade, now looked like they had been sliced by blades, full of rough wounds.

If it had been just one wound, it would’ve been nothing. But lately, every day brought new cuts on her hands.

Qi Yan vaguely guessed that she was hiding something from him.

He slowly let go of her hand, got up from the bed, intending to get a clean robe from the cabinet. As he opened the cabinet door, something fell and stopped at his feet.

Qi Yan picked up the bamboo hat, stroked the half-woven bamboo strips, and looked back at the girl sleeping on the bed. In that instant, he understood where the wounds on her hands had come from.

He gripped the hat tightly for a long while, then put the bamboo strips back in place. He took out the clean robe he had originally meant to find, put it on, and left the house silently.

At midnight, the marketplace streets were still bustling. Two lines of scattered lights formed a path, like a dragon roaming through the dark night.

Qi Yan arrived at a side alley near the beast fighting arena and descended the stairs by the roadside.

After passing through a pitch-dark, narrow tunnel, a flood of dazzling light suddenly came into view, and waves of noise surged into his ears.

The Chouyou underground black market—filled with filth and corruption, everything imaginable was available—now unfolded before him.

On both sides of the street were flower houses and gambling dens, crowds shoulder to shoulder. Qi Yan walked forward without stopping until he reached the very back.

In the fighting pit, two burly men were wrestling, locked in fierce combat. The cheering around them rose higher and higher, the brutal violence forming a bloody spectacle.

The owner of the arena saw Qi Yan and came out specially to meet him. “Brother Qi, didn’t you come earlier this evening? Why are you back again?”

Qi Yan replied flatly, “I need money. Isn’t this the fastest place to earn some silver?”

The two men in the pit had already finished their match. The owner glanced at the bloody wrestler on the ground and ordered his men to quickly carry him away. Then he turned back and asked, “You want to go up again later?”

Qi Yan nodded and began to take off his upper robe.

The owner smiled, the scar on his face twitching. “I know you need money, but you can’t come here every day. Everyone outside knows that if you enter the ring, you’ll definitely win. It’s no fun—no one even bets anymore.”

The arena owner sighed, patted him on the shoulder. “Why don’t you go home for tonight?”

He turned to leave, but Qi Yan said behind him, “If it’s no fun, then let’s make the fight more interesting. Let two or three people come at me at once—what do you think?”

The owner was startled, then broke into a grin. “Sure! Of course we can do that!”

The warriors in this arena were all fierce and skilled. Now that someone had come to take on multiple opponents at once, it would definitely generate a lot of buzz.

“But will your wife agree to it? That day by the beast arena, who didn’t see her cry like a delicate flower as she ran into your arms, looking so pitiful and full of concern for you?”

Qi Yan’s hand paused as he untied his belt. “Just don’t let her find out about this.”

He walked forward. “Let’s get started. I need to be back before dawn.”

The owner clicked his tongue in admiration and struck the gong beside him. “Come on, come on! Place your bets!”

This fight, being one against three, drew a large crowd, and the betting was wild.

Qi Yan won unexpectedly. As he walked out from beside the railing, he was met with the crowd’s cheers.

The onlookers fervently tried to keep him, but Qi Yan didn’t stay. He wiped off his sweat, entered a side room to rinse off, washed away the sweat and others’ blood from his body, tidied his robe, and left before dawn.

He returned to the small courtyard, gently pushed open the wooden door of the house, and saw the young girl still asleep on the bed. He let out a long breath of relief, lay down beside her, and slowly wrapped his arms around her.

After a night of exertion and physical exhaustion, he drifted into a heavy sleep.

When Wei Zhen woke up and saw Qi Yan still resting peacefully, she got up quietly and carefully.

She knew he must be thoroughly worn out and wanted to let him rest well for the day, so she didn’t wake him.

There wasn’t much work assigned to her at the scriptorium today. Wei Zhen arrived there in the morning, copied the manuscripts, and submitted them for the shopkeeper’s inspection. Once she received his approval, she left early.

From both sides of the street came various cries: “Iron forging! Finest ore iron from the northwestern mines!”

Wei Zhen stopped in front of a blacksmith’s shop, gazing at the red-hot iron in boiling water. Suddenly, she remembered the set of armor gifted to Qi Yan by King Jin, which had been left behind in the desert, gradually buried by the drifting sand.

She opened her purse. The blacksmith asked, “Miss, you want something forged?”

Wei Zhen nodded, but the few silver coins left in her purse weren’t enough to commission a full set of armor. After a long moment of consideration, she looked up and said, “Yes. Please make me a pair of armguards.”

The blacksmith asked, “For your use?”

Wei Zhen shook her head. “No, for my husband.”

The blacksmith went into the shop and soon returned with several ready-made armguards. Wei Zhen picked up one of them. The blacksmith said, “This is made from fine Wuz iron, quite pricey. Do you want it, miss?”

Wei Zhen pressed her lips together and nodded. “Please wrap it up for me.”

Compared to the kind Qi Yan used in the military, this set of armguards wasn’t particularly good. But they had endured so much hardship during their escape, and Wei Zhen merely wanted to give him something to cheer him up a little—finding joy amidst suffering. She didn’t want him to look back on this period and have it all shrouded in shadows.

She didn’t care about the money, nor the practicality. At worst, she’d just be more frugal in the days to come—getting up at night to weave more bamboo hats and sell them.

Wei Zhen took the wrapped armguards in her arms and imagined Qi Yan’s expression when he received the gift. She quickened her steps on the way home.

When she arrived, Qi Yan wasn’t there. Wei Zhen put down the armguards, guessing he had probably been summoned to the palace by the Chouyou Queen again.

She took some bamboo strips out of the cupboard, planning to use this time to weave a bit.

Just then, footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard. The door opened, and Wei Zhen had only enough time to stuff the unfinished bamboo hat into the laundry basket and cover it with a piece of clothing before hurriedly standing up, smiling, “Why are you back so early today?”

Her heart beat rapidly—she wasn’t sure whether Qi Yan had seen that earlier moment.

Fortunately, Qi Yan didn’t question her and said, “The Chouyou Queen didn’t summon me to the palace today. I went to the street and bought a few things.”

Wei Zhen stepped forward. “What did you buy?”

Qi Yan said, “I was thinking about how your hands are always getting hurt, so I bought you some hand balm. The shopkeeper said it’s a product from the Western regions—it removes scars and regenerates skin, helping wounds heal quickly. Try it out.”

He took Wei Zhen’s hand and helped her rub in the balm.

Wei Zhen’s fingertips felt slippery. She looked at the porcelain bottle, slightly dazed. “This hand balm must be expensive. I passed by the cosmetics shop the other day and heard the assistant shouting about it. I think it costs several taels of silver.”

Qi Yan smiled. “You remembered wrong—it’s not that expensive, just a few copper coins.”

Wei Zhen gazed at him and murmured, “Really?”

She remembered very clearly—this balm definitely cost several taels.

“I bought some other things for you, too.” He took out a handkerchief-wrapped bundle from his sleeve and placed it on the table, ready to open it. But then he noticed something on the table and looked up to ask, “What’s this?”

Wei Zhen said, “It’s a pair of armguards I bought for you, along with wound medicine. I thought if you used better medicine, your wounds would heal faster.”

She picked up the armguards and helped him put them on. “Try them on—see if they fit. There are straps to tighten them.”

Qi Yan’s gaze shifted slightly as he watched her movements. “You really didn’t have to…”

“I know,” Wei Zhen interrupted, lifting her autumn-water eyes, “But I just wanted to buy them for you. I didn’t think about anything else. What else did you buy? Let me see.”

Qi Yan said, “A pair of earrings and some lip balm.”

“Why those?”

Qi Yan looked at her. She wore a simple cloth dress, no jewelry, her dark hair tied loosely with a ribbon and draped down her back. Ever since she started running with him, she hadn’t had time to care for her appearance. He knew she didn’t use makeup, yet still carried a kind of wild beauty. But what girl doesn’t like to feel pretty?

He handed her the lip balm, uncertain if she’d like the color. He asked nervously, “Does it look good?”

Wei Zhen opened the lid and smiled radiantly. “Help me put it on.”

Seeing her like that, Qi Yan knew she must be pleased. He dipped his fingertip into the bright red balm and slowly spread it across her lips. She pressed her lips together, and a glossy sheen coated them, rippling with seductive charm.

He watched her close the lip balm tin and asked, “Why not look in the mirror?”

Wei Zhen turned and smiled. “If you think it looks good, that’s enough. Does it not?”

She leaned in close. Qi Yan took a step back, but she quickly reached out and caught him. He couldn’t escape the brightness in her smiling eyes.

Night fell, and dim light gradually enveloped them. Their breaths mingled against each other’s cheeks.

In this tug of war, their breathing slowly grew longer and softer.

Qi Yan looked into her bright eyes and smiled. “It looks good.”

The corners of Wei Zhen’s mouth curved even higher. She rose onto her toes—at this distance, she only had to tilt her head slightly to kiss his lips.

Wei Zhen said, “Qi Yan, thank you. I really like the things you gave me.”

In their situation, he didn’t have to do anything for her at all, yet he still went out of his way to buy lip balm—just to make her happy. Her heart was full of warmth and tenderness.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. His body stilled, but he didn’t push her away.

This lingering kiss wasn’t one born of passion between a man and a woman, but more like a kiss of comfort—of mutual solace during a difficult time.

Their lips and tongues brushed together, breath growing hotter and heavier. In the darkness, their clear eyes met, both filled with lingering tenderness.

Outside, the chirping of cicadas grew unbearably loud.

When their lips finally parted, Qi Yan said, “I really like the gift you gave me too.”

Wei Zhen smiled and pressed her lips together. “It’s late. We should get dinner ready.”

Qi Yan’s Adam’s apple moved as he gave a soft “mm,” but he did not let go of her. He leaned his forehead against hers, resting against one another.

After dinner, the two of them bathed and prepared to go to bed. Before nightfall, Qi Yan took the pair of arm guards she had given him, wiped them clean with a handkerchief, and carefully placed them into the cabinet.

When he returned to the bedside, the young girl had already fallen asleep. He lay down beside her, gently held her in his arms, and breathed in her scent—soft, warm, and soothing.

At the second watch of the night, Wei Zhen suddenly heard some rustling beside her. Drowsily, she asked, “Where are you going?”

Qi Yan was about to get up. Seeing her awake, he didn’t dare move again and lay back down.

She turned and wrapped her arms around him, her voice sweet and thick with sleep. “It’s not even dawn yet, rest a little longer.”

It wasn’t just before dawn—it was only the second watch of the night.

Qi Yan softly replied, “Alright,” and the arm around her waist slowly tightened.

After a long while, he called her name a few times: “Wei Zhen.” But the person beside him didn’t respond. Qi Yan looked at her with gentle eyes, slowly withdrew his arm from under her, picked up the robe from the clothes rack and draped it over himself, then stepped lightly as he walked out.

At the moment the door closed, Wei Zhen slowly opened her eyes, sat up in bed, and through the paper window saw his faint silhouette pushing open the courtyard gate and walking out.

Wei Zhen had woken up in a daze the night before and realized Qi Yan wasn’t beside her. At the time, she thought she was dreaming. That evening, when she kissed him and accidentally touched his left arm, he had sharply inhaled. Thinking he was injured, she tried to lift his sleeve to check, but Qi Yan repeatedly evaded her and brushed it off.

That was when Wei Zhen began to feel something was off.

She quickly put on a robe, didn’t even tie up her hair, and swiftly left the courtyard.

It was almost the third watch of the night, and the marketplace was still bustling with people. She blended into the crowd, staying a few hundred steps behind, following Qi Yan all the way until he entered a narrow alley beside the beast arena. She watched as he went down a staircase leading underground with a group of men.

She didn’t hesitate and quickly followed.

The stone stairs led underground, narrow and dim. Wei Zhen felt her way through the darkness. When she reached the entrance, she was stopped by two unruly-looking men.

“What’s a young lady like you doing here alone?”

Wei Zhen had already lost sight of Qi Yan in the crowd. She simply replied, “Looking for someone,” brushed aside their hands, and strode inside.

The black market streets were filled with debauchery and extravagance—a different kind of lively charm.

A young woman entering alone instantly drew the eyes of many men. She casually asked someone along the way if they’d seen a young man from the Central Plains. The person pointed ahead, and she walked deeper toward the far end.

Ahead, the sound of war drums thundered. Wei Zhen smelled blood in the air, and her heart began to pound violently.

Suddenly, she halted, her gaze fixed.

Among the crowd, she saw Qi Yan standing at the edge of the fighting ring, talking to a man from Qiu You.

The Qiu You man raised two fingers, showing a number, and threw him a pouch. Qi Yan opened it to check the silver inside, nodded in agreement, then stepped over the railing and entered the fighting ring.

On the other end of the ring, a massive mastiff was tied in place.

“Qi Yan!”

That cry made the young man in the ring freeze and slowly turn his head.

Around them, a circle of people called out, “What’s wrong? Are you going in or not? The vicious dog’s all ready!”

In Qi Yan’s line of sight, the girl’s eyes were red as she stared at him, a mist forming over them. Her hands, hanging by her sides, trembled slightly.

Qi Yan was stunned. He had not expected to see her here.

Her lips trembled. “Come outside with me.”

The owner of the ring recognized her as Qi Yan’s wife and quickly said to Qi Yan, “People have already placed bets. If you leave now, you’ll have to pay me back for all the wagers!”

Wei Zhen had already turned away, pushing through the crowd and striding out.

The surroundings fell into chaos. Qi Yan’s heart shook violently, as if stabbed by a dagger. His mind went blank for a moment.

The ring owner tried to stop him, but Qi Yan stepped forward, ignoring all obstructions, and quickly chased after her. “Wei Zhen!”

The two exited the underground market. Qi Yan caught her by the arm. Wei Zhen turned around and said, “Why did you come here behind my back?”

Qi Yan raised his hand to her cheek. A tear had slipped from her lash and into the lines of his palm, scorching his heart.

Her eyes were wet and bright. She raised a hand to wipe her eyes, stubbornly refusing to let more tears fall.

She gritted her teeth and said, “I followed you from home, thinking at most you were just up to something at night. But you came here. I spent so much of my wages to buy you medicine for your wounds, hoping you’d recover quickly…”

Seeing her sob, Qi Yan’s throat felt choked, as if something blocked it. “I didn’t want you to worry. I just wanted to earn a bit more…”

“I know…” It was precisely because she knew that she felt even more heartache and sorrow. All the suppressed bitterness surged up at once.

Qi Yan’s eyes were soft. “That day at the beast ring, was it for me that you pawned the jade pendant your parents left you to that Qiu You man? Ah Zhen, I want to help you redeem what your parents left you as soon as possible.”

As those words landed, Wei Zhen could no longer hold back. She stepped forward and tightly embraced him, kissing his lips, sealing off everything he was trying to say.

The intense love spilled from the corners of their lips. Passion swirled in the air. Tongue met tongue. Two young hearts beat wildly, expressing the deepest affection and longing.

The lanterns swayed around them, and the night wind danced through their hair. In that moment, all the surrounding noise faded into silence.

The scent of her lips seeped into his very bones, making Qi Yan’s heart tremble. He held her tightly.

Tears shimmered in Wei Zhen’s eyes. She let go of his lips. “I don’t want you to go through such hardship. You’re risking your life just to make a few silver coins. We can save and scrimp—it’ll still be enough.”

Qi Yan said, “Aren’t you weaving bamboo hats? Your hands are always getting hurt because of me. I don’t want you to toil.”

Wei Zhen hadn’t expected that he had already noticed. She looked at him quietly in the night wind. Everything the two of them had done, all the detours they’d taken, were for each other.

Wei Zhen’s nose tingled. “Come home with me.”

He nodded. Wei Zhen took his hand. But halfway there, she suddenly changed direction.

She led him to a hilltop. Under the night sky, the stars were dazzling. The starlight soaked the grass blades, casting bright ribbons of light. When the wind blew, those light ribbons swayed around them.

Qi Yan asked, “Why did we come here? The wind’s strong at night. Let’s go back.”

Though Wei Zhen was no longer sobbing, her voice still carried a thick crying tone. “Kneel.”

Qi Yan saw her serious expression and did not question her. He lifted his robe and knelt on the grass.

She knelt as well, took a deep breath, and raised her hands in prayer. “Let the vast heavens bear witness—Wei Zhen and Qi Yan are now husband and wife.”

Husband and wife…

Qi Yan looked at her in surprise. “Wei Zhen.”

His heart skipped a beat. In the spring night breeze, a surge of emotion struck him like a hammer to the chest. His heart suddenly burned, as if a bright flame had been ignited.

Wei Zhen turned her head. The wind lifted her long hair, a strand floating toward him.

“You must do as I did—clasp your hands and declare it to the heavens and gods.”

“Tonight, right here, we are getting married.”