Chapter 116 Amidst the Clouds (Part Six) Wei Yuanzhan gave him a deep smile...

As Wei Yuanzhan circled around Zizhang Street again, a servant from Song Lang's residence approached, flicked the reins in his hand, and stopped outside the gate of Song's residence.

"Young Master Wei." The visitor bowed respectfully and said, "My master has been waiting for me at the manor for a long time and specially ordered me to come here to greet you. Please, Young Master Wei, take a step forward."

His gaze, lowered slightly from horseback, followed the movement to the wide-open door, and he understood.

After holding the reins in his hand for a moment, Wei Yuanzhan said, "I am preoccupied with military affairs and cannot come inside. If Lord Song has something to discuss, we can meet at Changfeng Camp."

He paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, while the horse beneath him paced impatiently.

"If it is inconvenient for Lord Song, it would be just as good if your tenth son came. I will wait for him."

The servant hesitated, about to say something to urge the prince to ascend the throne, when he heard the rhythmic sound of horses' hooves. Then a figure in black robes swept past his eyes. He looked up and turned his head; the figure of the Prince of Wei was already gradually disappearing into the distance on the long street.

When Song Lang heard Wei Yuanzhan's words in detail, his brows furrowed immediately. He could tell that Song Peiyu and Wei Yuanzhan had a falling out.

He immediately sent someone to summon Song Peiyu's servants for questioning. After learning half of the story, he said, "Summon your tenth young master here."

As Song Peiyu stepped across the threshold, he saw Song Lang sitting upright at the head of the table. He raised his eyes slightly to look at him and asked, "How is your arm?"

The tone of her question was flat, but her eyes never left him as she spoke.

Song Peiyu felt wronged, but she straightened her back and replied with her eyes lowered, "It doesn't hurt much anymore."

Song Lang nodded slightly and asked him to sit down.

"I heard you ran into Prince Wei at the Yunxiang Hunting Grounds a few days ago?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Song Peiyu's dark pupils trembled, and he raised his eyelids: "Father, is it Prince Wei... who has come to the manor?"

Recalling Wei Yuanzhan's dark, brooding gaze, his fear wasn't as intense as it had been that day. After all, he was back home, with his father's support. However, he feared that if he attracted the Dragon King to his home and brought disaster, his elder brother would come and humiliate him again.

He harbored a deep-seated loathing for his elder brother, accompanied by fear; this feeling had grown from childhood to adulthood and had become almost instinctive.

Song Lang pursed his lips slightly, hidden behind his goatee, feeling rather helpless at his beloved son's timid appearance. He said indifferently, "They've invited you to go to the military camp."

A sudden wave of dizziness washed over him, and Song Peiyu's eyes and brows showed a look of bewilderment. His lips opened and closed repeatedly, and finally, his blood rushed to his head in a panic: "No, Father, I have no grudge against him! I'm still injured!"

As he spoke, he forcefully raised his arm, pulled at something, his brows furrowed tightly, and he groaned a few times.

Song Lang rubbed his temples, glancing at him sideways in the gaps, before putting his hand down after a moment: "Why did you go to the Yunxiang Hunting Grounds for no reason? I didn't expect you to win the hunt next month, so there's no need for you to go to such lengths."

“I’m not a boy anymore. I wanted to help my father as much as I could… but it became my fault.” Song Peiyu’s voice grew softer as he spoke, tinged with resentment at his good intentions going unrewarded. He was probably gritting his teeth, his lips pressed tightly together.

Upon hearing this, Song Lang felt a mix of emotions. After a long silence, he waved his hand and said, "Since you have this intention, then go and settle the matter of Prince Wei. I don't care about you."

These words sounded like a provocation, and Song Peiyu's anger only increased. He stomped his foot and stood up: "Fine, I'll go!"

They were all young men in their late teens or early twenties. Wei Yuanzhan's intentions were clear to him from just one glance that day.

But Song Zhirou provoked him and shot him, how could he not hold a grudge?

My mind was in turmoil, and I waited two days.

A torrential rain fell in central Beijing.

A damp mist enveloped the area; the rain had stopped, the sky was turning slightly blue, and the sound of rainwater dripping from the eaves was the sound of rainwater running down the roof tiles.

Several archery targets were hanging inside Longyuexuan. Zhirou leaned against the door with her arms crossed, her gaze sweeping over Song Hanjin.

The courtyard was spacious. The girl stood under the eaves with a bow in hand. She pulled back the string, but the arrow was released with a "whoosh" and flew far from the bullseye.

She couldn't help but sigh in frustration, and was about to try again when a tall, slender body suddenly enveloped her from behind, his palm gripping her arm as he adjusted her position.

"Relax your shoulders." Zhi Rou's voice rang in her ears. Song Hanjin did as she was told, but her breathing was rapid. She would pause occasionally, and then Zhi Rou would say, "Sister, don't hold your breath. Regulate your breathing."

The anxiety she had been suppressing gradually subsided under Zhi Rou's voice. She guided her to tighten the bowstring, and then with a clear whistle, the arrow struck the bullseye.

The covering on the back of her hand receded.

Song Hanjin stared at the bullseye for a moment, her eyes gradually brightening. With a slight smile, she turned to Zhirou and said, "Fourth sister is truly remarkable! How many days of practice will it take me to even come close to you?"

Zhi Rou paused for a moment and then said, "If it's this range, you can hit the target every time after a month of practice."

"It'll take more than a month?" Song Hanjin was slightly disappointed.

Zhi Rou chuckled lightly: "Nothing can be accomplished overnight." She looked at her for a moment, then her expression slowly turned serious. "Sister, are you so persistent just for the spring search next month?"

"You and your brother are both good at riding and archery, even Song Qizhang is good at it..." Song Hanjin's delicate eyebrows drooped slightly, her words not quite complete.

Zhi Rou thought it was her competitive spirit at play. She understood this feeling very well and wanted to help her.

Just as he was about to speak, a complaint echoed in his ears: "I wonder if my brother has arrived in Yuyang yet, and why hasn't Changli returned?"

Zhi Rou was taken aback. So it was because she missed her brother.

A light smile appeared on his lips as he comforted Song Hanjin, saying, "Big brother has only been away from home for a short time; he must still be on his way."

They set off on February 13th, and only half a month has passed since then. The round trip from Changli would take even longer. Song Hanjin clearly understood all this, but she couldn't resist her wild thoughts. Hearing Zhirou's comforting words, she forced a smile.

Seeing that she was absent-minded, Zhi Rou didn't know what to say next. She pondered carefully in her heart and came up with a solution: "Why don't you wait for me for three months or two months, sister? Once I've finished my business, I'll accompany you to the border."

For many things, "thinking" is far less useful than "doing." News heard from Chang Li is not as reassuring as seeing it with one's own eyes.

Song Hanjin never expected that her fourth sister understood her so well. She did want to go to Yuyang, but her father and mother would never agree.

Her mind was in turmoil, and she didn't even notice what Zhi Rou was talking about regarding her private matters. She gently shook her head: "I'm just a little worried about him."

He lowered his longbow, paused, and confided to Zhi Rou, "I've been having a lot of dreams lately—nightmares, fearful dreams, chaotic dreams. In my dreams... he didn't come back safely."

Zhi Rou was raised outside Beijing until she was nine years old, and what she envied most since childhood was the bond between siblings. She didn't want Song Han Jin to be anxious, and she didn't want to see her sad, so she tugged at her hand, her tone still light and cheerful.

"Sister, you're not a deity. What you see in your dream is just an illusion. How can you take it as a prophecy and send it to me?"

“But in previous years the hunt was held in autumn and winter. Now that spring has been mentioned, some people say…” Song Hanjin looked around, lowered her voice, and almost touched Zhirou’s head, “Your Majesty is just bluffing, doing this for the north to see.”

Is it going to be war? Zhi Rou couldn't help but think of En He, and her brows furrowed slightly.

Seeing this, Song Hanjin suddenly stammered, "I... perhaps I'm overthinking it, Fourth Sister, let's continue shooting arrows."

Zhi Rou herself had her own worries, so instructing Song Hanjin on archery was a way for her to distract herself. When Song Hanjin spoke up, Zhi Rou nodded and smiled, then walked to the target to remove the arrows from her.

Just then, a servant came to report that the Tenth Young Master had arrived and wished to see the Fourth Young Lady.

Zhi Rou was curious about what he had come for. After thinking for a moment, she stepped out of the courtyard and said, "Sister, I'll go take a look."

Song Hanjin stood behind her for a while, then couldn't resist throwing the bow and arrows to the maid and quickly following after her.

In the front yard, boxes and chests of all sizes were piled up halfway up the corridor. Song Peiyu stood lazily in the courtyard, gazing at the sky. When he turned around, he saw Zhi Rou. He turned to the side, his gaze settling slightly.

Sunlight peeked through the clouds, and the sky had turned a bluish-green. Her dress swayed with her steps, and perhaps because of Wei Yuanzhan, he looked at her with a strange change in his perception, setting aside his prejudices.

A moment later, the person approached and said lazily, "Your injury, has it healed?"

The question, which sounded almost caring, surprised Zhi Rou. She chuckled softly, her voice light and clear. Upon hearing it, Song Peiyu was slightly taken aback.

She walked onto the veranda, glanced down at the gift boxes where people were sitting, and turned to look at Song Peiyu: "Alright. What about you?"

Their eyes met, and Song Peiyu's mind instantly shifted. He stepped onto the stairs and replied, somewhat defiantly, "If it weren't for Prince Wei loitering outside my door all day, I would have come to apologize to you a few days ago."

When Zhi Rou heard him mention Wei Yuanzhan, her eyelashes fell silently, and she remained silent.

With the trunk blocking her way, she moved nimbly through it without even her skirt getting caught.

Song Peiyu wasn't as interested in weaving through the winding paths as she was. He called out to her from behind, "Hey, tell him not to come again."

The figure in front stopped, turned around, and her glassy eyes swept over his face for a moment before she smiled and asked, "So you came here today because of Wei Yuanzhan? Did he ask you to do this?"

"no……"

"So you're genuinely apologizing to me?"

Song Peiyu bit her cheek: "Song Zhirou, I advise you to stop while you're ahead."

"Tenth Young Master," she brought it up maliciously, "you still owe me the title of 'Grandma'."

Song Peiyu closed his eyes, let out a long breath, and when he opened them again, his tone was much calmer: "What exactly do you want in order to settle this matter?"

"Simple."

Zhi Rou walked towards him, stopped in front of the nearest trunk, and looked directly at him.

“I don’t want your gifts. I want you to write a letter of apology yourself, which your parents and siblings must read and sign. If it is sincere, then we can call it a day.”

Her words were arrogant, and Song Peiyu's knuckles clenched so tightly they turned white. He said angrily, "How dare you humiliate me like this?"

Zhi Rou hadn't expected him to agree, and even if he did, he might not be able to keep his word. She lazily raised an eyebrow: "You have no intention of amicably reconciling with me, so why force yourself?"

Song Peiyu never expected that Song Zhirou would be so troublesome. Remembering the promise he made to his father, he was unwilling to give up easily. He clenched and unclenched his hands, rarely swallowing his anger for once.

"I can't write you an apology letter. Besides that, what else do you want me to do to prevent Prince Wei from ever..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhi Rou raised her eyebrows in annoyance, her voice turning cold: "What does our feud have to do with him?"

Her interruption made Song Peiyu realize something.

Wei Yuanzhan's arrogant and haughty behavior was something others dared not speak out against, but behind the scenes, his reputation was always mixed. Since Song Zhirou was willing to protect him, his trip today was not in vain.

After a long pause, Song Peiyu smiled and glanced down at the gift box: "Alright. Then please accept these apologies. From now on, our grudges are settled, and we will never mention them again."

"Dream on." Zhi Rou said without any politeness, "Take it."

Song Peiyu pretended not to hear and turned away to walk down the corridor.

Zhi Rou raised her voice: "If you don't take it away, I will have no choice but to return it to your residence the way I came. If anyone asks, I will say that it is a gift from my great-aunt to her grand-nephew."

Hearing this, Song Peiyu blushed and turned around, shouting, "Bullshit!"

As the gaze fell, the girl stood calmly to one side of the corridor pillar, the lush green branches brushing against her back. She curved her lips into a smile, a look of smug satisfaction on her face.

Song Peiyu was filled with resentment but had no way to quell it. He could only stroll back to the front yard and ask someone to move his things before angrily stepping out the door.

Song Hanjin didn't hear their conversation. She stood far away and watched as Song Peiyu turned and left, with trunks being carried out one after another. She then moved closer and asked Zhirou curiously, "Why were they taken away again?"

Zhi Rou didn't want to talk about it too much, so she imitated her older sisters' proud tone and said, "Our family doesn't need his little things."

Otherwise, given Song Peiyu's character, why would he bring apology gifts to her door?

"Sister, when did you start enjoying these things?" Zhi Rou lowered her eyes and didn't answer.

“I’ve always been like this,” Song Hanjin said. As she walked, she added, “I also heard that my aunt is going to arrange a marriage for Wei Yuanzhan. There will probably be a spring banquet before his coming-of-age ceremony.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhi Rou stopped walking, her brows furrowing slightly, her heart filled with a strange feeling.

What was her relationship with Wei Yuanzhan? Best friends? Favorite friends? Recalling that day in the hunting tent, her heart felt like it had been seized.

But when it comes to marriage, aside from the time Wei Yuanzhan brought it up, she has never considered it an important matter. To put it bluntly, marriage is just a contract; to maintain it, it depends on the people involved.

Why do things that were originally insignificant suddenly seem so important once they become associated with Wei Yuanzhan?

Zhi Rou's fingers curled up quietly, unsure how to describe her feelings at that moment. She felt a little absurd and, without realizing it, her voice became agitated: "It's almost March, summer is coming, why hold another spring banquet?"

She couldn't help but cover her face with her sleeve and laugh out loud. After a long while, she stopped and said jokingly, "Go tell your aunt."

When she heard a noise beside her, Zhi Rou realized that she had lost her composure. She didn't feel embarrassed by being teased, but only annoyed. She kept her lips tightly closed and didn't say a word.

Song Hanjin stopped teasing her and became more serious. Remembering something, she asked her, "By the way, Miss Ling sent me an invitation to go on a spring outing to Yunshan. Would you like to come with me?"

"when?"

"tomorrow."

Yunshan is not far from Changfeng Camp, which is perfect. She wanted to go out of the city to see Wei Yuanzhan, and if possible, she even hoped it would be now.

She had been wanting to see him for the past few days, especially on the first night after they parted, when he teased her for being shy, yet his ears were burning with embarrassment—she still vividly remembered it.

But when she stepped out of the courtyard gate and was called away by someone from her mother's room, her thoughts were immediately dampened.

As they passed through the covered walkway, Zhi Rou's face lit up with a bright smile again: "I'm going the same way as my sister, but let's skip the spring outing up the mountain, shall we?"

The news that Song Peiyu carried several boxes of apologies to see Zhirou reached Wei Yuanzhan's ears that very day.

"The Fourth Miss refused his gift, and he left with a furious expression, so he must have been humiliated." Lan Ye returned from patrolling the camp with Wei Yuanzhan, received a letter outside, quickly read it, and reported to Wei Yuanzhan.

The light inside the tent was dim. Wei Yuanzhan casually untied his knife and placed it on the table, then sat down at the back without looking up, ignoring the news Lan Ye reported.

“My lord, let’s let him off the hook. Didn’t the Fourth Miss write to you the other day asking you not to interfere? Besides, he went to see the Fourth Miss, but he didn’t come to the camp to see you… He won’t come.”

Of all the people in the entire dynasty who had no official position or rank, only the Fourth Sister dared to go to the military camp to seek an audience with the commander.

When Wei Yuanzhan thought of the cut on Zhi Rou's sleeve, his eyes changed several times. Then, thinking of Song Peiyu, he scoffed, "He's as cowardly as a mouse. How dare he make fun of Zhi Rou?"

Changhuai agreed with Lanye's idea and stepped forward to persuade him, "Master, Lanye is right. How about we... back down?"

Seeing that Wei Yuanzhan remained silent, she continued to probe indirectly, "Those portraits of noble ladies are still being sent to your courtyard in a steady stream. It seems that Madam intends for you to get married early to settle your mind..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wei Yuanzhan finally raised his head, his dark eyes fixed on him: "Didn't I tell you to burn them all?"

The marriage remains undecided, and the lady continues to send gifts every day. Changhuai smiled bitterly: "Master, how can it possibly burn completely?"

Wei Yuanzhan remained silent.

Just thinking about Zhi Rou's heartbroken state over her mother made his heart ache. He didn't want her to be burdened with anything more until he could resolve her inner conflict.

Therefore, he had not yet invited his father to the Song family home, even though he was already eager to marry her.

After a moment of silence, Wei Yuanzhan spoke up: "How's the matter I asked you to investigate going?"

After he won over Yuan Zhaobi and received news of him, he ordered Changhuai to investigate those who had served on the battlefields of the Ling family.

The Ling family members were skilled in both literature and martial arts. Before the seventh year of the Shuode era, the number of Ling family sons who fought on the battlefield and served in the court could surpass that of all other military generals combined. In the past, when Chang Yu was in the army, there was a young man named Xin Yi who was about the same age as Chang Yu. With this reduction, the number of members was narrowed down.

"In Ling Ji's generation, the seventh, tenth, and eleventh sons of the Ling family were all close to the Chang family. However, the eleventh son of the Ling family contracted malaria in the eighth year of Shuo De and died. Now, only one member of the Ling family still holds a place in the capital: Ling Ziheng. He is Ling Ji's son."

Chang Huai's words echoed in Wei Yuanzhan's mind. After a short while, he turned to look at the map, his gaze settling on the area north of the capital: Qinyang.

Before he could fully process his thoughts, a message suddenly came from outside the tent. It was an order from the Commander-in-Chief, saying that the torrential rains of the past few days had destroyed all the houses at the foot of the neighboring mountain, and that Wei Yuanzhan was specially ordered to lead troops to provide emergency relief.

The next day, Zhi Rou and Song Hanjin boarded the carriage together, while Pei Cheng rode a horse outside, which was prepared for Zhi Rou to move around easily.

They thought they would part ways after leaving the city for ten miles, but unexpectedly, halfway there, Song Hanjin suddenly felt unwell. When she asked the maid who was serving her, she learned that she was experiencing menstrual cramps.

Zhi Rou tried to persuade her to go back, but she refused, saying that she could ease the situation in a little while and that she couldn't break her promise. Zhi Rou was worried about her and took care of her the whole way in the car.

When Song Hanjin met the Ling siblings at Yunshan, she looked no different from usual. Zhirou watched her for a while and then whispered with a smile, "Sister, were you faking your stomachache?"

Upon hearing this, Song Hanjin's chest tightened, feeling genuinely guilty. Zhi Rou had already turned her head to the side, asking doubtfully, "After such a devastating rainstorm, what scenery is there left to admire?"

The ground was covered with fallen petals, and the air was filled with the earthy smell of mud and the crisp fragrance of flowers, yet it was unusually quiet, without even the chirping of insects or birds. Zhi Rou couldn't help but murmur, "And it doesn't seem very safe to me."

This wasn't her first time visiting Yunshan, but it had been four or five years since her last visit. Previously, the area was lush and verdant, filled with the melodious chirping of birds, and home to many hunters on its slopes. Compared to the opulent and bustling capital city, Yunshan truly possessed a unique charm.

The current situation differed from what he had imagined. Ling He frowned slightly, feeling disappointed but unwilling to return empty-handed.

Zhi Rou has someone she wants to see. Seeing that Ling Hewei is traveling with martial arts attendants, it should be safe for her to go with him.

"Thirteenth Miss, Young Master Ling," she called softly, her eyes sparkling like stars and the moon. She then excused herself, saying, "I have an appointment with someone else, so I'll take my leave now. If you hear any strange noises in the mountains, could you please escort my sister down safely?"

Ling Hewei's invitation to Song Hanjin to travel together was sincere, and she was quite surprised to see Zhirou there at first. Now that she had received Song Hanjin's request, she smiled and said, "Don't worry, Miss Rou."

Following the old way of addressing them, Zhi Rou didn't realize anything was amiss, while Song Han Jin glanced at the two of them suspiciously.

Leaving the capital alone with only servants was a new experience for Song Hanjin, which made her slightly anxious. She had lied about feeling unwell to trick Zhirou into accompanying her. Now, being with Ling Hewei, she knew her fourth sister was going to find Wei Yuanzhan, so she didn't try to stop her.

“Fourth Miss Song.” Ling Ziheng strolled up in the morning light. This was the first time he had a chance to speak with Zhi Rou since they parted ways by the Yunliu River three years ago. “Let me give you a verse.”

The shadows of the trees veiled his face, creating an illusion of reflections on water. His voice was also cold and clear. Perhaps it was because of his mother, but Zhi Rou turned to look at him and nodded in agreement.

The warm sunlight fell from above onto their shoulders as they walked down the road, Zhi Rou quickening her pace slightly. Ling Ziheng, not seeing her speak, asked first, "Is life outside the Great Wall interesting?"

Most people would greet you with "How are you doing?", but when she heard him ask that, Zhi Rou's eyes, which were exposed to the moonlight, lifted slightly. She paused for a moment, then smiled.

"If Young Master Ling likes cattle and sheep, then that would be quite interesting."

There was a hint of playfulness in her words, and Ling Ziheng smiled slightly: "Miss Song is quite different now."

Before Zhi Rou could respond, his expression turned slightly serious, and the scent of agarwood wafted from his clothes between their sleeves. He asked gently, "Were you injured that day at the hunting grounds?"

She turned her head in surprise, but Ling Ziheng did not look away and quietly met her gaze.

That day, Zhi Rou only saw Ling Hewei and didn't know he was there. Now that he asked her about it, she felt a little awkward.

Just as she opened her mouth, a fierce gust of wind suddenly swept up from ahead. Zhi Rou reacted instinctively, grabbing the person next to her and pulling them to the side of the road.

The arrow grazed past his hair ornament, and with a "bang," as if it had struck something, a muffled sound came from behind.

Ling Ziheng's heart skipped a beat. After his breathing calmed down, he turned slightly and looked ahead.

A young and agile figure rode a black horse, the bow in his hand hanging naturally, his other hand holding the reins, stopping in front of him.

Ling Ziheng looked at him with a deep and calm gaze.

The man was covered in dust, which obscured his handsome face, making him unremarkable at first glance. However, his upright physique, like a pine tree, and his vibrant energy made him impossible to ignore.

They had met a few times, and Ling Ziheng recognized him as Wei Yuanzhan, the heir apparent of the Marquis of Yining.

Whether it was his imagination or not, Wei Yuanzhan smiled deeply at him, a smile that was almost friendly.

Before long, Lan Ye caught up on horseback, dismounted, ran to the road to investigate, and then shouted to Wei Yuanzhan, "Master, it's a fox!"

Wei Yuanzhan's smile deepened, and he gently squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs, urging it forward until it reached Zhi Rou.

His eyes were fixed on her, open and bright, and his voice, piercing in the sunlight, asked directly.

"Zhi Rou, did you come to see me?"