Chapter 13 The figure is too beautiful

As noon approached, the group rested at the foot of a sheltered mountain.

The guards gathered dry wood to build a fire and roasted the beef they had bought from the village on a wooden frame with forks.

Yan Zhuyi looked at Wei Qin, who was far away from the fire, and vaguely remembered the boy from many years ago who carried a trunk and basket back and forth between the market and the private school.

The boy was sixteen or seventeen years old, with a tall and straight back. His naturally handsome appearance made him stand out in the crowd. Even the daughter of the prefect would fawn over him, personally offering him a hand warmer and a cloak to keep him warm.

She only witnessed the boy's refusal, and unconsciously curled the corners of her lips, which incurred the wrath of the prefect's daughter.

"Brother Wei passed the imperial examination with flying colors, ranking second in the class. I wonder if Prefect Lin regrets not forcibly taking Brother Wei as his son-in-law."

The head guard, surnamed Zheng, who was grilling the beef until it sizzled and dripped with oil, couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's common to misjudge and bet on the wrong thing. Maybe Wei, the editor, wasn't outstanding back then. After all, he was an adopted son from a poor family, and his biological father was a merchant."

In the eyes of some high-ranking families, the social hierarchy is: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with merchants being the lowest class. Even Yangzhou salt merchants are seen as cunning and greedy people, let alone small merchants and peddlers.

The leader surnamed Zheng was chatting and laughing, trying to curry favor with Yan Zhuyi. His rank was also higher than Wei Qin's, so he ignored the person being discussed and spoke without restraint.

The four guards responsible for protecting Jiang Yinyue silently stepped aside, caught in a dilemma, and decided not to get involved.

Just as Jiang Yinyue was about to retort, Wei Qin grabbed her sleeve.

"fine."

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhuyi nodded, glanced at the sizzling grilled meat, and had no appetite. "I just passed by a mountain stream. Could one of you please catch a couple of fish to enhance the flavor?"

The leader surnamed Zheng volunteered, but he didn't forget to "help out" Wei Qin.

"Since Editor Wei can tame horses, he must be able to catch fish too. Let's go together."

Jiang Yinyue retorted, "Can't even catch two fish himself, Vice Commissioner Zheng?"

In an attempt to curry favor with Yan Zhuyi, Assistant Commissioner Zheng deliberately made things difficult, saying, "It certainly won't be as plump and delicious as the fish that Editor Wei caught."

Wei Qin held Jiang Yinyue down and followed the head of the guards to the riverbank.

The river flowed gently. Zheng Qianshi stretched by the riverbank, turned halfway to look at Wei Qin, and gestured with his chin to Wei Qin to fish together.

"Those who know when to yield are heroes. Consort Yan is the Crown Prince's favorite, and a few whispers in his ear can make us suffer. Compiler Wei is a bit too aloof and doesn't understand human relationships. Unlike the top scholar who was also on the list, he rose from Hanlin Compiler to Grand Secretariat in three years and is doing very well."

Seeing Wei Qin standing still, Zheng Qianshi was a little angry. Wei Qin was just a seventh-rank civil official. Even if he was transferred, he would only be a sixth-rank salt transport commissioner. How dare he put on airs in front of him?

So what if his father-in-law is a high-ranking official? He still has connections behind him...

"ah!"

Before Zheng Qianshi could express his displeasure, a sudden kick caught him off guard, causing him to lose his balance, fall backward, and plunge into the river.

His robes were wet.

"Wei Qin, who gave you the audacity to defy your superior?!"

The general, an excellent swimmer, suddenly stood up, most of his body submerged in the water, and glared angrily at Wei Qin, who was looking down at him from above.

Wei Qin tucked his hands into his sleeves and paced leisurely. His confident demeanor made Zheng Qianshi feel unfamiliar, as if a silent gourd had blossomed into a beautiful flower in a secluded corner, no longer concealing its gorgeous and alluring side.

They possess the composure of those in high positions.

He spoke slowly, his tone more subdued than usual, "Zheng Qianshi is no less capable; he wields a sword skillfully, wins the favor of the Princess, and rises rapidly in rank."

In just six months, he rose from a thankless palace gate guard to a fourth-rank general, undoubtedly thanks to the eldest princess's encouragement.

Zheng Qianshi's angry face froze. How could a mere compiler in the Hanlin Academy know such a secret, which even the Emperor was kept in the dark about?

As if a shocking secret had been exposed, Assistant Commissioner Zheng flew into a rage, shouting, "You're spouting nonsense!"

“The Vice Commissioner may return to the palace and report this official for his malicious slander.”

Zheng Qianshi was so provoked that his face turned red. He never expected that this taciturn man would say something so surprising.

Let alone impeaching him, even the slightest disturbance would be disastrous for him. The wise thing to do is to keep the peace, shut Wei Qin up, and prevent the Princess from getting into trouble.

It's not worth losing favor just to spite someone, not at all!

He slunk up the riverbank, his aggressive demeanor weakening, and stiffly put on a smile, bowing and scraping as he apologized.

Able to bend and stretch.

Wei Qin sat on a huge rock by the river, his sleeves tucked in, without even glancing at him. "Four fish, thank you for your help, Assistant Inspector."

Zheng Qianshi immediately beamed with joy, "Of course, of course."

When the fragrant grilled fish were distributed by Zheng Qianshi to Yan Zhuyi and Jiang Yinyue, each receiving two, Yan Zhuyi's interest in savoring the delicacy waned by half. She looked incredulously at the fourth-rank general who was fawning over Wei Qin.

Jiang Yinyue was also stunned, wondering which weakness Wei Qin had exploited. "Here, I'll share half with you."

Wei Qin took the grilled fish, skillfully removed the bones, plated it, and handed it back to Jiang Yinyue.

As luck would have it, Yan Zhuyi got a fishbone stuck in her throat. She coughed and took a sip of water from the maid's hand before she could barely swallow the not-so-hard fishbone.

She gave Zheng Qianshi a cold look, but he avoided her gaze, looking like a frightened bird.

After resting, Jiang Yinyue sat in the carriage and quietly inquired about the reason. When she learned that Zheng Qianshi had an affair with the princess, she was not too surprised.

The eldest princess was the emperor's younger sister and her heart was with the crown prince. Because of this relationship, this matter could not be made public.

"Even my father might not know."

"Are there any secrets your father-in-law doesn't know?"

“Yes.” Jiang Yinyue leaned closer to Wei Qin and lowered her voice. “Grand Tutor Cui, the Grand Father-in-law, is known as the all-knowing scholar of the court. He knows far more secrets than my father.”

The east wind brushed past her ear, ruffling her hair. Wei Qin didn't reply, but instead tucked Jiang Yinyue's thin cloak under her, covering her small face with the fluffy hood.

The fingertips accidentally brushed against the woman's smooth skin.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then looked away one after the other.

Wei Qin moved away more slowly.

A light rain began to fall at night, and with no village or shop in sight, everyone took shelter in the carriage. Only Han Jian stood alone in the rain, staying by Yan Zhuyi's carriage without leaving her side.

Jiang Yinyue withdrew her gaze and turned to look at Wei Qin, who was crammed into the same carriage as her. She suddenly felt that they were somewhat similar, both guarding the women beside them and both being taciturn.

"There's a raincoat in the carriage, give it to Hanjian."

Jiang Yinyue didn't verbally thank Han Jian for helping Wei Qin mount his horse last night, but she remembered it in her heart.

Wei Qin, who was peeling fruit for Jiang Yinyue, raised his eyes, took out a raincoat from the box under the bench, lifted the curtain and tossed it to Han Jian, and continued to cut the fresh fruit given by the villagers into small pieces, stick them on bamboo skewers and feed them to Jiang Yinyue.

Hearing from the villagers that wolves often roamed the area, Wei Qin scattered powder around the convoy to repel wild animals before going to sleep.

When they returned to the carriage, Jiang Yinyue was already curled up on the small couch, wrapped up like a cicada pupa.

I don't know why they were wrapped up so tightly...

A single lantern on the carriage wall cast a dim light. The man took off his wet clothes and took out a brand new set from the trunk. As he bent down and straightened up, the lantern cast shadows of varying depths on him.

His tall, upright figure seemed ethereal beneath his clothes, his slender muscles clearly defined even when he was naked, and his graceful form resembled that of a leopard.

Jiang Yinyue, hiding under the covers with only her eyes showing, peeked at the scene. Her cheeks burned as she recalled the experience of being trapped between Wei Qin's knees last night.

"What are you looking at?"

"without......"

When the blanket was pulled back, the peeping became blatantly obvious.

Lying on her back, Jiang Yinyue could see the man standing by the small couch, looking down at her. Her gaze inevitably traveled upwards, sweeping over the man's abdomen and chest.

Everything is clearly visible.

Wei Qin's figure possessed an indescribable beauty, and Jiang Yinyue explained awkwardly, "You woke me up."

Seeing her flushed face, Wei Qin touched her skin with his fingertips. The unusual body temperature made the man frown slightly. He leaned down and pressed his forehead against hers.

"You have a fever."

"I don't......"

Jiang Yinyue stared blankly at the magnified handsome face before her, her supine body stiffening. How could she explain to Wei Qin the reason for her fever?

She couldn't very well admit that it was because she was thinking about the burning, surging sensation that had pressed against her hip last night.

She blinked, broke out in a light sweat, and shivered as Wei Qin lifted her up.

Thin clothes are no match for the damp chill of a rainy night.

Wei Qin draped the outer garment that was originally meant to be changed over Jiang Yinyue's shoulders and continued to press his forehead against hers, feeling the changes in her body temperature.

Unintentional, tender affection tormented the inexperienced woman.

After saying three times that she was fine, Jiang Yinyue slipped into the corner of the bed like an eel, saying, "Hurry up and get dressed."

Concern can cloud judgment. Wei Qin realized why she was acting strangely. He reached out and pulled the clothes back from her shoulder, put them on himself, and fastened the waist belt, restoring his elegant and graceful demeanor.

As long as he didn't have a fever, he took out a quilt and spread it on the side of the small couch, then lay down fully clothed with his back to Jiang Yinyue.

The tension and pressure vanished abruptly. Jiang Yinyue threw off the covers and crawled inside, glancing back at the man's back, which was softly illuminated by the lamplight.

"Wei Qin".

"Um."

"Thanks to you for being there all this way."

Wei Qin's thin eyelids twitched slightly. He didn't open his eyes. After an unknown amount of time, he murmured, "It's all thanks to Miss."

The woman "sleeping" on the couch subtly curled the corners of her lips.

**

The stars twinkled around the moon, and Wei Xichen, who was sleeping in a rosewood carriage, read the last secret report about Yangzhou's salt affairs. He leaned back on the armchair with a calm expression and pinched his brow bone.

The spacious carriage traveled smoothly on the official road, the flickering candlelight reflecting in the man's amber eyes.

If the discrepancies in the Yangzhou salt administration's accounts are directly related to Yan Hongchang, the salt transport commissioner, his family members, including his daughter Yan Zhuyi, will be implicated.

The evidence currently available does not point to Yan Hongchang.

The Crown Prince's trip to Yangzhou was ostensibly to reward the salt merchants, but in reality, he was secretly investigating the salt administration accounts. Since it was done in secret, there was a "target" in the open, making him a feared and targeted figure among some salt transport officials.

Wei Xichen leaned back, raised his hand to support his forehead, and was playing a game of chess in his mind.

Wei Qin was a pawn he had chosen; he had been planning this since Tao Qian, the Minister of Revenue, recommended him. Wei Qin's trip to Yangzhou as the Salt Transport Commissioner would inevitably make him a target, allowing him to divert attention from those others.

Thinking of Wei Qin, an untimely image of a beautiful woman appeared before Wei Xichen's eyes, as swift as a rabbit and as still as a virgin.

He felt a little resistant, and a hint of impatience appeared on his gentle face, but he just couldn't shake off that lingering figure.

"Crown Prince, I regret it."

In my dream, she was gentle and charming, without any thorns.

Unfortunately, it only exists in dreams.

This chance encounter seemed to have shaken his composure.

**

The bright sunshine urged the flowers to bloom, and the vibrant spring colors gradually deepened. After experiencing an extremely cold winter, Jiang Yinyue and her companions, accompanied by the fragrance of flowers, finally arrived at Yangzhou Prefecture, where the aroma of wine lingered.

The woman, carrying a small bundle, ran ahead, drawn by the freshly steamed meat buns.

Carrying two trays of packaged meat buns back to the carriage, Jiang Yinyue handed one to Wei Qin. When a guard jokingly asked why there weren't any for the others, she pointed to the beaded building surrounded by jade flutes along the street, then to the bustling street with its layered pavilions and terraces, and said confidently, "Look carefully, where is this? It's the famous Yangzhou!"

The task that the Crown Prince "entrusted" to the couple to escort Yan Zhuyi back to her hometown has come to an end.

That doesn't count as abandoning one's responsibilities.

The guard feigned sudden realization, dramatically slapping his forehead. "My lady is right, she's right!"

Upon hearing this, Yan Zhuyi, who was lifting the curtain, smiled and said, "Thank you both for taking care of me on the way. We will meet again in the future, so I won't bother with the parting gift of willow branches."

With that, he expressionlessly pulled down the curtain and ordered Han Jian to walk past the two of them.

Jiang Yinyue gave Han Jian a deep look and let them lead Zhu Dian away.

Zhu Dian, being forcibly dragged and pulled by the guards, began to scream and became agitated.

Jiang Yinyue sat in the carriage, waiting for Han Jian to fulfill his promise. Yan Zhuyi wouldn't care about a horse that had been trained to death. Although it was a last resort, it was still against Han Jian's master's wishes.

"Will Han Jian regret what he did today and feel ashamed before Yan Zhuyi?"

In their interactions, Jiang Yinyue vaguely sensed that Han Jian's submission to Yan Zhuyi was genuine and untainted by self-interest.

Wei Qin didn't take it seriously. "He followed his heart's desires and had no regrets after the storm. He felt guilty, but the scene was repeated, and so was his choice."

Follow your heart's desires, and let the wind carry you away without regret...

These words seemed applicable to herself as well. Jiang Yinyue was somewhat tempted. She put down the meat bun and used her index finger to sense the wind direction, as memories of the past flashed through her fingertips.

What's past is past; dwelling on it means you can't let go, while letting go brings rebirth.

When you stop caring about past losses, you won't confine yourself to a limited perspective.

She closed her eyes, imagining her most cherished trump card from back then being blown by the wind, spinning at her fingertips, turning into wisps of smoke, and dissipating with the wind.

There's no need to blame your past self. If the scene and the choices you made were to repeat themselves, wouldn't they?

Jiang Yinyue smiled quietly. In the spring when the grass grows and the orioles sing, it was time to say goodbye to her dejected self.

"Yangzhou, it's a pleasure to meet you."

A note from the author:

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Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone!