Chapter 19 Moon Appreciation "From now on, you don't need to tell me anything about the Shen family anymore..."
When Xie Chengyan returned to his residence from the military camp, it was completely dark. It had been snowing all day, and a small silver crown had been piled up on the heads of the stone lions in front of the gate.
The horse's hooves kicked up swirling snowflakes, and a gust of wind swept up the cloak behind Xie Chengyan. The servant at the door rushed forward and took the reins from him.
He had been in the military camp for five days straight, almost without sleep or rest. Although he did not look tired, there were still a few bloodshot veins in his eyes.
Liang Tuo's previous excuse to Shen Xi about being busy with military affairs was indeed just that—an excuse. But he had been genuinely busy these past few days, and only managed to find some free time this evening.
The dim light from the lantern cast a cold, hard shadow on Xie Chengyan's chin. When he was expressionless, his eyebrows were slightly lowered and his eyelids were lightly closed, giving him an imposing and dignified air.
Even after watching for a while, the servants in the manor couldn't help but feel fear. But remembering Xie Chengyan's previous instructions, they lowered their heads and reported, "General, today, the maidservant from Madam Shen's side came to the manor. She said that her mistress sent her here specifically to find you."
Did you specifically seek him out?
Xie Chengyan didn't stop walking, only slightly relaxing his tightly furrowed brows, and asked casually, "Hmm, how did you reply?"
The servant replied in detail, "I have done as the general instructed. I told him that you and the future second wife should not have too close a relationship, and I persuaded him to go back."
Xie Chengyan gently rubbed his fingertips: "And then?"
"After that?" The servant was unsure of Xie Chengyan's meaning, so he could only honestly reply, "After that, the little maid went back to report and didn't come back."
Upon hearing this, Xie Chengyan's expression remained unchanged. This was the result he had expected. The words had been made so clearly, and Shen Xi was a smart man who should know his limits.
As he had done countless times before, he personally paved the way, carefully leading his opponents into the game step by step, and ultimately achieving the outcome he had predicted without the slightest error.
But at this very moment, after all of this actually happened, a shadow crossed Xie Chengyan's eyes, and a feeling of inexplicable frustration welled up in his heart.
He stopped completely, the lanterns on both sides of the corridor casting his solitary shadow, dark and serene, covering the snow.
After thinking for a moment, he finally turned around and walked out again.
The servant beside him didn't understand the sudden turn of events. He paused for a moment, then quickly chased after Xie Chengyan to lead his horse, but Xie Chengyan stopped him.
"No need."
His voice was so deep it was almost frightening.
After saying this, Xie Chengyan, without any attendants, stepped into the wind and snow alone. The newly covered snow had already covered the steps by more than an inch, and his tall and straight figure was swallowed up in an instant, gradually becoming blurred.
After traveling for an unknown amount of time, when Chu Chengji finally saw the person at Wangxian Tower, he was almost startled at first glance.
Xie Chengyan was dressed in a black cloak, his face was cold and stern, his thin lips were pressed into a hard line, and his hair was covered with a thick layer of snow. The snow melted into water in a moment when the heat in the private room evaporated, soaking his clothes.
He had never seen Xie Chengyan like this before, not even during the most difficult times in the past.
Chu Chengji, unusually serious, asked, "What's wrong? Is something not going well?"
Xie Chengyan took off his cloak and handed it to the servant, remaining silent.
Seeing this, Chu Chengji's heart sank even further: "We've planned and calculated so many times, even if things don't go well, it shouldn't be so bad that you have to drown your sorrows in the snow."
Xie Chengyan paused, seemingly noticing a particular word, before looking up and responding.
"all the best."
Chu Chengji was relieved to hear this, but then he was puzzled again: "Since everything went smoothly, what's wrong with you? Did your horse and umbrella break down halfway?"
Xie Chengyan didn't intend to continue the topic and instead asked, "How are things on your end?"
"Don't worry, the message has been sent out. We're just waiting for the right moment at Chengyang Mountain, when they will naturally join the game."
Speaking of this, Chu Chengji seemed to remember something else: "By the way, why did you silence the spy sent by Prince Tan that day? According to the original plan, it would have been best to have him personally deliver the message to Prince Tan. By doing it this way, you ended up having to go through a lot of trouble to cover it up."
Xie Chengyan lowered his eyes and tapped his fingertips lightly on his knee: "If I can't even find a spy, wouldn't that be too fake?"
After thinking about it, Chu Chengji realized that what he said made sense.
Prince Tan is the current emperor's younger brother. Although he has been in his fiefdom for many years, he still has one hand in the capital and refuses to withdraw. On the surface, he is a member of the Crown Prince's faction, but anyone can talk big, and he inevitably has other thoughts behind the scenes.
This time, once Prince Tan learns that the Crown Prince is making moves but is keeping it from him, given his personality, he will certainly not sit idly by and wait for his doom. Taking advantage of the chaos and reaping the benefits would be the wise move.
Everything is ready, except for the east wind.
Chu Chengji relaxed and gently waved his folding fan.
Xie Chengyan, however, reacted calmly, his brow furrowed with a thousand unspoken thoughts: "It's not over yet, don't be too happy."
Chu Chengji was already used to him being like this, always scheming and plotting, never feeling tired. Suddenly remembering something, he closed his fan and placed it on the table.
"I forgot to tell you, these days the emperor intends to bestow a marriage upon you, and he is just worried about who is a good match for you."
He said it so casually, as if he were watching a good show.
This marriage, ostensibly a reward, was in reality a test and a measure of power. The Duke's mansion was a target of envy, and Xie Chengyan had made outstanding military achievements. The emperor, being suspicious, would certainly not allow it to continue.
Xie Chengyan was not surprised and calmly replied, "Find a way to block it for me."
It was certainly the right thing to do, but Chu Chengji still pressed for an answer: "Why?"
What can I give them?
Without thinking, Chu Chengji blurted out, "There are plenty of those: fame, fortune, power, and status. What don't you have now?"
Unusually, Xie Chengyan's gaze was fixed on his fingertips, as if he were recalling something. He seemed lost in thought. After a long while, Chu Chengji heard his voice slowly fall, as if shrouded in a layer of mist.
“Others can afford these things,” Xie Chengyan said, pausing for a moment. “Besides, they can make her laugh and bring her joy. As for me, I am just a brute.”
It is said that one should choose a good tree to perch on. In comparison, he is certainly not a good tree, and she would certainly not abandon the essential for the trivial.
She was so timid, so afraid of him, yet so... fond of Xie Wenlang.
Chu Chengji never expected to hear such remarks. In his impression, Xie Chengyan had always been a cold, aloof, and arrogant person. He never thought that Xie Chengyan would think about such things. He stammered as he spoke.
"You...you don't need to be so modest. Never mind, I'll find a way to refuse for you."
On this day, Xie Chengyan drank alcohol in private, a rare occurrence for him. He never touched alcohol unless absolutely necessary, as it was a mind-altering substance. He disliked things slipping out of his control, including his own thoughts.
Chu Chengji assumed that Xie Chengyan was about to achieve great things, so he drank a few cups with him. However, Xie Chengyan was not happy even when he indulged himself, and he stopped after a few drinks.
When it was time to go back, Chu Chengji kindly offered to have a servant prepare a carriage to take him, but Xie Chengyan waved him off, insisting on walking back by himself. No one knew what had gotten into him.
Chu Chengji didn't stop him. As a military officer, he might not even have a headache or fever if he walked back. He could just consider it a good way to improve his health.
When Xie Chengyan returned to the mansion alone after braving the heavy snow, Liang Tuo happened to return as well, and handed him a secret letter.
"General, we have news about the Shen family that you asked us to investigate."
The Shen family, it's the Shen family again.
As expected, alcohol can bewitch people's minds, and it always manages to get him involved with people he doesn't want to think about.
Xie Chengyan reached out and took the thin letter, examining it for a moment with his fingertips.
He had initially investigated Shen Xi extensively. This person, who always appeared in his dreams, had slipped out of his control. He couldn't understand her and was most afraid of this loss of control, so he had to find out more about her and gradually understand her.
Now, the opportunity has finally arrived.
But in the end, he didn't open it.
Xie Chengyan placed the letter almost indifferently on the lit candle. The flames instantly licked at it, gradually engulfing the letter and leaving only a pile of ashes.
"From now on, you don't need to tell me anything about the Shen family."
When he was rational and clear-headed, he did not want to have any further involvement with Shen Xi.
But his dream didn't turn out as he hoped.
In my dream, it was still the Duke's mansion, and it was still that same person.
That night, the moon was high in the sky, a rare full moon.
Since the last time we met, Shen Xi had become much thinner, her frail and slender figure standing alone in the dark night.
Xie Chengyan rarely returned to the Duke's mansion. More than a year had passed since Xie Wenlang was seriously injured. When he saw that figure, he suddenly remembered the rumors he had overheard from the servants.
No one expected that the person Xie Wenlang saved with his act of kindness was actually the fifth princess of the royal family.
This fifth princess was the only daughter born in succession to survive, and she was pampered like a precious jewel by the emperor and empress dowager from a young age.
After being rescued by Xie Wenlang, she secretly fell in love with him. However, when she found out that he was already married, she didn't care at all. Instead, she made a scene and demanded that Xie Wenlang divorce Chen Xi and remarry.
This request was utterly absurd, and the emperor initially disagreed. However, he couldn't withstand the Fifth Princess's constant crying, tantrums, and threats of suicide, and she even went on a hunger strike. The emperor doted on her so much that he feared something might really happen to her, so he put pressure on the Duke's mansion both openly and secretly.
Upon hearing the news, Lady Xue, who had previously disliked Shen Xi the most, was the first to disagree. She immediately took Shen Xi's hand and promised that the Duke's mansion would never divorce her. To this end, she even specially asked someone to ask her elder sister, Empress Xue, who was devoted to Buddhism in the palace, to persuade her.
The ups and downs lasted for three months, but there was still no definite result.
Xie Chengyan had heard a little about these things, so he wasn't surprised that the protagonist of this story was up all night, standing in the courtyard to clear his head.
He had no intention of disturbing her, but just as he was about to leave, Shen Xi suddenly turned around and spotted him.
The moon was bright that night, and she stood under it in a red dress, looking inexplicably alluring.
Upon seeing him, Shen Xi was not surprised. Instead, he greeted him with a light laugh: "Brother, are you here to admire the moon too?"
I thought she would be somewhat depressed because of those things, but at first glance, she looked perfectly normal, except for a dark patch under her eyes, which made her look a little tired.
Xie Chengyan glanced at her discreetly and gave a soft reply.
“It’s rare to see such a big and bright full moon in the capital.” Shen Xi stepped aside to make room for him. “I’m sorry for making you laugh, brother.”
As if guided by some unseen force, Xie Chengyan stepped forward and stood beside her.
Two silent shadows were cast by the moonlight, their boundaries blurred by the soft moonlight.
Shen Xi looked up at the moon and idly started a conversation: "I heard that you have been stationed in Youzhou for a long time. Is the moon there different from that in the capital?"
"Whether in Youzhou or the capital, it is the same moon."
He lowered his head, but unintentionally caught a glimpse of Shen Xi's somewhat regretful expression. He paused abruptly, and when he spoke again, his attitude had changed.
"Although it's the same round, it's not quite the same."
Upon hearing this, Shen Xi's eyes lit up, and she asked curiously, "What's the difference?"
When asked this question, Xie Chengyan didn't know how to answer. He was always in a hurry in the capital and never had the leisure to look at the moon carefully.
But he continued fabricating the story without changing his expression: "The moon over Youzhou is much more expansive than that over the capital."
"Oh, that's great."
A smile filled Shen Xi's eyes, overflowing with boundless envy, brighter than the moonlight tonight.
Xie Chengyan sensed something was amiss and asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Shen Xi was taken aback, seemingly not expecting him to ask that question. She lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment.
"Speaking of which, there is indeed something that only my elder brother can help with."
Xie Chengyan was not surprised at all, and prompted her to continue: "What is it?"
The next moment, Shen Xi suddenly raised her eyes, her clear gaze looking straight into his eyes, her smile gentle.
"Even though you have so many things to do every day, I still hope that you can smile more and that you can always be safe and well."
Suddenly, Xie Chengyan's heart skipped a beat.
A note from the author:
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