Chapter 58 The flowers in full bloom at the market town are dazzling.

*

Wang Yuying and Hugu Xumi finally agreed to meet at Yeguangbei on October 13th.

When she finished her duties at 5 PM, Hugu Xumi was already waiting at the entrance of the Ministry of War. As soon as he saw her, he smiled and said, "I just came from the Sifang Pavilion."

The implication is that it didn't take long.

Wang Yuying nodded, and the two walked out of the palace together. Hugu put his hands behind his back, turned his head slightly, looked at her, and asked, "It seems you've been distributing your pay earlier than before lately?"

"After the military examinations began, administrative affairs were simplified," Wang Yuying replied as she walked. "It's probably because the candidates are still competing in the training grounds and haven't reached the main hall yet, so they've had a few days to catch their breath. Not to mention me," Wang Yuying turned to look at him, "How about you? How have you been lately?"

"Having traveled to many places, I was deeply impressed by the abundance of goods and benefited greatly."

Wang Yuying smiled upon hearing this, turned her head, and continued to look ahead. Hugu continued, "During this time, Zheng Shaoqing of the Court of State Ceremonial accompanied us attentively, sparing no effort and providing detailed guidance. Lord Zheng was conscientious in his duties, elegant in demeanor, and treated people with kindness and gentleness. What is even more commendable is his extensive knowledge; he quoted extensively from classical texts on many historical sites, making me feel ashamed of my own inferiority."

Wang Yuying paused slightly, and soon landed half a body length ahead. Hugu immediately stopped and waited for her.

Wang Yuying quickly tried to salvage the situation: "What about the historical sites of our dynasty?"

Hugu smiled and said, "I envy this season, when the fine trees are still green."

Wang Yuying immediately thought of the vast expanse of white in the northern frontier, where only two months of the year are green.

The Northern Barbarians are a colder place than the Northern Frontier.

The two changed horses at the palace gate and traveled even faster, soon arriving at Yeguangbei. Even before they reached the inn, they could see it brightly lit, hear the sounds of Qiang flutes and Jie drums, and hear laughter and cheerful conversation.

Upon entering, the air was filled with the aroma of mutton. Young girls, some with skin as white as snow, others as black as night, moved about among the servants, their feet adorned with golden bells that jingled with each step. Curly-haired, dark-skinned guards also moved about.

"Everyone says this is Little Jade Gate." Hugu wrapped his right arm around Wang Yuying's back, giving her a fist-sized hug, thus separating her from the diners passing by.

“This is much more lively than Yumen,” Wang Yuying immediately replied, “Yumen is mostly yellow sand and sunsets.”

The private rooms in Hu's shop were converted into yurts, and the seating was arranged as brocade curtains with beaded veils. The two chose one and sat directly on the brocade carpet. On the table were glass lamps, silver pots, and the shop's signature wine—served in luminous cups.

Wang Yuying took a small sip first; it wasn't bitter, but sweet. She then took two or three more sips.

Hu Tong, with his red hair and high nose, handed over the menu. He even had a pair of amber eyes, which Wang Yuying couldn't help but glance at a few more times. When the purple-bearded, green-eyed waiter came to serve the dishes, she stared at him for even longer.

Then, turn your head to the side and compare it with Hokutani's pale gray-blue eyes.

Hugu smiled at her.

Wang Yuying silently said: Hugu's eyes are still more beautiful.

Hugu smiled without speaking. Beauty was one thing, brilliance was another. Her eyes were far brighter than the glass lamps in the tent, clear and unclouded. He gazed silently at his reflection in Wang Yuying's eyes, as if looking at a still image on water. No, that wasn't enough. He couldn't help but want to toss a pebble into them, to create ripples because of him.

Suddenly, a series of tambourine sounds rang out. Wang Yuying and Hugu stopped looking at each other and turned their eyes to the side. They saw four or five Western Qi dancers with painted green eyebrows and wearing tight-fitting clothes. Their dance was unrestrained, with golden bells ringing and their arm bracelets clashing.

After a while, the dancers gracefully descended, and in their place stood four muscular, bare-chested men from the Western Qi, their shoulders draped with gilded, beaded chest chains that reached down to their abdominal muscles. Wang Yuying was drawn to them for a few more glances, but then, feeling it was inappropriate, she looked away.

"Try this." Hu Gu handed over a plate of dark, wrinkled food with open mouths.

"What is this?"

Hugu Xuan laughed: "Scarlet lips."

Wang Yuying immediately felt nauseous: "No, no!"

Hugu chuckled softly, "Actually, it's moose lips."

"Oh, I don't want to eat it, take it away!" She tilted her head, not even looking at it, and quickly started drinking the wine on the table.

"Then try this one. This is fruit."

"I won't eat it, don't try to fool me." Wang Yuying didn't even look at these strange things he had conjured up.

"Try it, this time I guarantee I won't lie." Hugu placed the fruit next to Wang Yuying's hand, touched her fingers holding the luminous cup with his middle finger, and then lowered his hand. After a moment, Wang Yuying moved her little finger, then her ring finger, and slowly wrapped the fruit in her palm. She picked it up and saw that it was a purple fig.

“This is indeed quite delicious.” She turned and smiled at Hugu. Hugu met her gaze for a moment, then suddenly became rude, abruptly turning his head away and refusing to look at her again.

Wang Yuying, unaware of the reason, immediately turned her head—thinking that there was something wrong with the direction Hugu Xumi was looking in. After examining it for a while, she asked, "Are there people fighting over there?"

Hugu then looked up and realized that he had been so flustered that he hadn't noticed the two men fighting not far away.

He looked away and glanced at Wang Yuying again, seeing her squinting at him while still munching on a fig.

Hugu smiled quietly, unintentionally revealing a few pearly white teeth.

After finishing her figs, Wang Yuying looked away, not caring whether the fight over there was over or not.

The two diners who overturned the table and lifted the curtain were not treated equally. One was kicked out of Hu's restaurant, while the other was given a different place to sit in an empty tent next to Wang Yuying and Hu Gu. The man was dressed in fine clothes, and the owner of the Night-Shining Cup personally applied a dab to his forehead. Two other diners came over to ask what had happened, and the man angrily replied, "My betrothal was bewitched by a madman, so I beat him in anger!"

The diners and the innkeeper all agreed. After everyone left, the man was still indignant and poured out his grievances to Hugu Xumi beside him. He said that he had fought with the adulterer who had been chased away twice because of his righteous indignation. Today, he heard that he was in Hu's shop and came to teach him a lesson for the third time.

Hugu closed his lips in silence.

The man said again, "Sigh, why am I wasting my breath talking to a barbarian like you? You don't even understand Chinese!"

Hugu Xumi slowly spoke: "A true man, if he is truly calm and insightful, should not be driven by bloodlust to engage in childish squabbles over candy, or to hone his skills in the inner quarters. Even if he wins, he is still a young girl with a childish mind."

Upon hearing this, the man immediately swung his fist to punch Hugu, but Hugu, looking straight ahead and without even glancing at the man, grabbed the man's wrist first. The man's fist froze in mid-air, unable to move, and he tried to pull his hand away but couldn't break free.

Hugu continued, “A man should be self-disciplined and respectful of propriety. If he cannot win the heart of a woman, he should reflect on his own conduct instead of competing with other men.”

After saying that, his hand didn't seem to change at all, but the man suddenly grimaced and started crying out in pain.

"Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth," the shopkeeper hurriedly advised. Because the last time it was an envoy from Western Qi who brought grain, the shopkeeper knew the identity of the Northern Di King and asked the man to leave.

The area around the brocade tent quieted down again. Wang Yuying actually agreed with what Hugu had just said and couldn't help but steal glances at him. Hugu caught her gaze and smiled, "Didn't you say you'd know me completely tonight?"

Wang Yuying nodded, as she had agreed to learn about Hugu's experiences over the past three years. She then asked him questions one by one, and when they reached a point where they were moved by each other, they drank a cup together, repeating this process several times.

"I've had too much wine, I'm going to change." Wang Yuying got up and took her leave.

Hugu waited alone in the tent, his right leg crossed and his left knee bent. He drank a cup of wine, and when it was empty, the maid who had been standing by the wall silently approached, carrying a wine jar, to refill it. Hugu initially thought it was normal and allowed her to serve him. However, the maid tiptoed into the tent and moved closer. Hugu frowned, flicked his thumb and forefinger, and the beaded curtain parted, shutting the maid out.

The maidservant tactfully withdrew.

Wang Yuying returned after a while, and through the swaying beaded curtain, Hugu Chongfu smiled.

"Why did you bring the curtain down?" she asked.

"I just took a short rest."

"That's perfect. I just went outside and realized it's raining. Let's go back early."

Hugu paused for a moment, then nodded, slipped out of the tent, and slightly raised his right hand. A guard with slightly curly brown hair walked up to him.

"Prepare the carriage." After instructing the guards, Hugu said to Wang Yuying, "It will be easier to travel by carriage in the rain. Have them bring the horse back for you later."

Wang Yuying nodded. When the two arrived at the entrance of Hu's shop, two similar carriages were already parked. Wang Yuying walked towards the back carriage: "Then I'll take this one."

Seeing that the light rain was about to hit her head, Hugu took the umbrella from the attendant and held it above her head. He then escorted her for several steps, especially when Wang Yuying stepped onto the stool to get into the carriage, Hugu tilted the umbrella completely towards her, while his own right shoulder was soaked.

Seeing this, Wang Yuying felt guilty and quickly crawled into the carriage to prevent him from getting too wet in the rain.

Across the street from Hu's shop, there was another restaurant. In the private room on the second floor, the window was slightly ajar. Zheng Yangzhi sat quietly by the window, looking down at the street.

The attendant behind him sighed silently: the young master's face was visibly pale and uncomfortable.

Raindrops drifted in through the window, and Zheng Yangzhi frowned deeply.

The servant grew increasingly worried. For the past few years, for some unknown reason, the young master's health had deteriorated whenever it rained, and several renowned doctors had been consulted but none could diagnose the problem. He finally couldn't help but plead, "Young master, the rain is coming in. Perhaps we should close the window?"

Zheng Yangzhi, however, kept watching as the two carriages drove out of sight one after the other.

When they arrived at her home in Yongjia Lane, Hugu was already waiting in front of the car with an umbrella in hand when Wang Yuying got out. As soon as she stepped out of the car, an umbrella shielded her from the rain.

"Be careful." As Wang Yuying got out of the car, he naturally raised his hand to help her.

The two walked together under the same umbrella, and in just three steps they reached the eaves. Wang Yuying knocked on the door, and Hugu, after closing the umbrella, moved half a step closer to her side. They waited together until Juanxue came to open the door before bidding farewell.

To avoid the winter chill, all the plants on the flower stand were moved indoors. As soon as Wang Yuying entered the hall, she was surrounded by lush greenery, as if standing in a thicket. The camellia in the deep pot, which had been budding in the morning, had burst into full bloom tonight, its crimson color like blood. Wang Yuying couldn't help but take a few more glances at it.

Chu Ying smiled and said, "You seem quite happy today."

"Of course." Wang Yuying nodded twice.

Juanxue watched from the side and smiled. Her master was as happy as a blooming camellia tonight. To be honest, the flower had been green in the yard all along and she thought it would never bloom. She never expected that the budding and blooming would be so rapid and intense, both unexpected and captivating.

Wang Yuying had already entered the house. After washing up, she was still excited. She paced back and forth in the room, smiling and smelling of alcohol. In her heart, a voice recited the famous poem by the poet Li Bai: "Master Cen, Master Danqiu, we must drink three hundred cups in one go!"

Drinking and chatting with a close friend is such a delightful experience!

*

Sifangguan, guest rooms.

A row of attendants knelt before the Northern Di King, all of them silent.

Hugu Xumi's face turned ashen, and he asked in Di language, "Who dared to recklessly transfer the two chariots?"

After a long pause, a servant knelt down and said, "It was I who acted without permission, and I deserve to die! However, Your Majesty frequently has secret dealings with Han women, yet you are unwilling to learn the enemy's strengths and weaknesses from them. I fear that Your Majesty will become increasingly engrossed in riding with them, forgetting the importance of the ancestral temples and the state, and delaying..." The servant paused for a moment in his Di language before continuing, "...the return date. Therefore, I have arranged for two carriages."

"The departure date is set; I will leave the capital after the winter solstice." Hugu's face was ashen. "As for Miss Wang, I have already stated that since she is my close friend, I should treat her with utmost sincerity. If any villain takes advantage of her and plots against her, what kind of friend would she be?" Hugu narrowed his eyes. "Furthermore, I believe that she is also sincere towards me, so she should not betray me. If one deceives the sincere heart, how can one be considered a human being?"

He only makes friends, and will not involve her in anything else. Even if she inadvertently reveals confidential information about the court, he will never use that information.

Hugu glanced at the attendant: "This is the second time. Go and receive your punishment."

Then he called out a name in the Di language, and another attendant immediately responded.

Hugu said calmly, "Bring the catalog up again so I can take a look."

The attendant immediately presented a multi-page map. When it was opened and unfolded, it depicted the landscape of the entire country. It was five or six parts similar to the map that Wang Yuying and Xu Heng had looked at together that day. The capital city was mostly blank, and the closer one got to the Northern Barbarians, the more detailed it became.

Hugu took up his pen and corrected or added details about the various places in the city where he had traveled with Zheng Yangzhi during this period, all in the form of Di script, which resembled earthworms.

*

October 27th.

Although the winter solstice is approaching, the weather still retains the crispness of autumn. The gray sky that has been overcast for days has finally cleared up, and the white clouds do not move even when there is no wind.

A man in armor rode a brown horse, holding the reins as he slowly walked down Zhuque Avenue. Among the passersby, he was the most imposing, attracting the attention of a few pedestrians.

A carriage followed the man's horse. As it drew closer, the person inside opened the window and called out, "Ah Ye! Commander Jing!"

The man on horseback was Jing Ye. He looked back and saw that the person in the carriage was his superior, Yuan Wancheng. He quickly turned his horse around, dismounted at the window, and bowed, saying, "Grand Commandant."

"Why did you come into the city today?" Yuan Wancheng asked.

Jing Ye bowed and said, "I must perform my duties on the Winter Solstice, so I am taking leave today."

Yuan Wancheng frowned slightly, finding the words strange, yet unable to pinpoint the reason. Remembering that Jing Ye lived in the west of the city, and this road led to the palace, Yuan Wancheng couldn't help but ask, "Then where are you going?"

Jingye lowered his head, knowing that she was on duty and couldn't come out, but he just couldn't help wanting to wander around Yongjia Lane and the palace gate.

Unable to answer, Jing Ye countered with, "Where does Your Excellency, the Grand Commandant, intend to go?"

Yuan Wancheng raised an eyebrow, finally realizing what was wrong! How had his burly subordinate suddenly become so scholarly? It was the dead of winter, making him gasp in shock and feel even colder!

Yuan Wancheng said, "The King of the Northern Barbarians has come to pay homage to His Majesty. He and His Majesty have a long-standing friendship, and they have arranged to play polo at the Northern Garden today. I just finished some business at the Imperial Treasury and am heading to the polo field now."

After listening, Jing Ye wanted to take his leave, but suddenly his heartstrings twitched and Wang Yuying's laughter echoed in his mind, "Recently, an old friend of mine came to Beijing."

So it was the King of the Northern Di.

Jing Ye immediately bowed to Yuan Wancheng, saying, "I happen to be enjoying some leisure time and would like to join you at the stadium to witness this grand occasion."

Yuan Wancheng said, "I can take you there, but you have to agree to one request first."

Jing Ye raised his spirits and listened attentively.

Yuan Wancheng: "Speak properly."

...

Jing Ye followed Yuan Wancheng to the stadium. Security was tight, and they were only allowed entry after a thorough check.

In midwinter, the frosty grass turned silver, and colorful pavilions and a dragon throne with nine layers of brocade curtains were set up around the field. On the east and west sides, there were two colorful lacquered goalposts, each over three zhang high.

Jing Ye first looked for Wang Yuying, and after carefully looking around, he realized that she hadn't come to watch the game.

“Look, Aye, that’s the King of the Northern Di.”

Jingye Shunyuan Wancheng looked in the direction he was pointing and saw that the Northern Di King was about the same size as himself, with deep-set eyes and eyebrows. He was riding a horse with a silver wolf head on the saddle, and there were three other tall and strong foreigners beside him, all wearing brown robes.

After some questioning, Jingye learned that the other three were envoys from foreign countries. Polo teams typically consist of four players, and the teams had already been formed.

"Ah Ye, you've never played polo?" Yuan Wancheng asked in return after answering.

Jingye shook his head, when suddenly he heard the sound of drums and thunderous cheers. It turned out that the emperor was wearing a narrow-sleeved blue brocade robe and riding a jade-patterned horse.

But why is there no one by the emperor's side?

Just as Jing Ye was wondering, he suddenly heard the chief eunuch announce: "His Majesty has decreed that 'the joy of playing polo lies in unity.' Today, all officials, whether princes, generals, civil servants, or guards, may be listed. Those who wish to play polo with His Majesty, please step forward and stand under the Vermilion Bird Banner."

As he finished speaking, Yuan Wancheng sighed, "It's still the same rule. Back in the late Emperor's time, I even stepped forward once to fight a foreign barbarian king... Alas, Ah Ye, didn't you never fight one?"

Having read many books, Jing Ye understood everything. Without stopping, he walked towards the Vermilion Bird Banner. Regardless of whether they had fought or not, he wanted to investigate this Northern Di King, to see his abilities and character, and whether he was a suitable match for the young lady. He was also uneasy, wondering if the Emperor knew of Ying Niang's unwitting thoughts.

Just as Jingye was about to arrive, he suddenly saw a figure in a scarlet robe who stepped a few paces ahead of him and stood under his banner.

Jing Ye was so surprised his eyes almost popped out: Lord Zheng?