Chapter 71: First Arrival in the Capital “This is the capital…
After two days of bumpy rides, the carriage finally arrived in the capital at sunset. The wheels made a crisp sound as they rolled over the bluestone pavement, a stark contrast to the dirt roads of the frontier.
Liu Yeshu gently lifted the carriage curtain, and the bustling scene before her dazzled her. Qi Yu looked at her amazed expression and couldn't help but joke, "It's like your first time in the capital."
Although it wasn't the original body's first time, it was my first time! Liu Yeshu complained inwardly, staring out the window intently.
Shops lined the streets, and buildings with carved beams and painted rafters stretched endlessly, every inch a testament to the capital's opulence. The people on the street were dressed in fine clothes and behaved elegantly, a stark contrast to the rough-and-tumble customs of the frontier.
The capital's streets were wide and smooth, their bluestone pavement shimmering in the sunlight, even enough to reveal shadows. Along the streets, vendors enthusiastically hawked their wares, selling fragrant cakes, exquisite embroidery, and even spices and porcelain brought in by foreign merchants. The aromas and shouts echoed in a dazzling array. On a street corner, performers performed acrobatics, children clapped and cheered, their cheerful laughter echoing throughout the market.
As the carriage moved forward, Liu Yeshu saw smoke rising from the street food stalls, the aroma of steamed buns, baked cakes, and candied haws filling the air. People were scrambling to buy. Large red lanterns hung high in front of the shops, swaying gently in the breeze, adding a festive touch to the street.
"Although life on the frontier is harsh, it also has its advantages," Qi Yu said softly, his eyes thoughtful. "At least the people there are more pure."
Liu Yeshu was about to respond when she was suddenly drawn in by a rich aroma. A bakery on the corner was steaming osmanthus cakes, and the sweet aroma wafted far into the distance. She couldn't help but take a closer look. Qi Yu's eyes flickered with a smile. "Do you like it?"
"No... no..." Liu Yeshu hurriedly denied, but saw Qi Yu had already ordered the driver to stop. She hurriedly dissuaded him: "General, there is no need..."
"This osmanthus cake is really good," Qi Yu interrupted her, lifted the carriage curtain, and instructed the guards, "Go buy some, it will help you pass the time on the way."
After a while, the guard returned with an exquisite food box, and the carriage was immediately filled with the fragrance of osmanthus.
Qi Yu placed the food box next to her and said, "Try it. It's actually not as good as you make."
The carriage continued on, entering an even busier street. The streets were bustling with activity: restaurants, teahouses, and opera stages buzzed with people, and traffic flowed relentlessly. Vendors shouted enthusiastically, and the streetside shops were overflowing with a dazzling array of goods: elegant tea sets, rich silks, and exquisitely carved objects, all seemingly showcasing the capital's splendor and prosperity.
Passing by a jewelry store, Liu Yeshu saw several noble ladies selecting gold hairpins. The embroidery on the hem of one of them was particularly exquisite. She couldn't help but take a second look, secretly memorizing the pattern in her mind.
"What are you thinking about?" Qi Yu noticed her expression.
"The embroidery in the capital is indeed exquisite." Liu Yeshu replied softly, "If we can bring the dried goods and medicinal materials from the border here for exchange, I believe we can..." She was halfway through her words when she suddenly realized that she was calculating business again and quickly stopped talking.
Qi Yu smiled and said, "You are a good businessman."
The carriage slowly left the hustle and bustle of the city and drove onto a wide bluestone avenue. The scenery along the way suddenly changed.
Mansions stood majestically, their towering gatehouses reaching into the sky, their vermilion walls gleaming majestically in the setting sun. In front of each gate crouched a pair of majestic stone lions, their eyes stern and their expressions lively, as if silently guarding this land of nobility.
Many mansions boasted plaques emblazoned with their status, their gold lacquer dulled by age, yet adding a touch of historical weight. The guards at the gates wore uniform, swords at their waists, spears in hand, and stood tall, their gaze fixed straight ahead. Their imposing presence alone made anyone wary of approaching.
Turning a corner, a particularly imposing gatehouse came into view, instantly catching Liu Yeshu's eye. The gatehouse stood nearly three meters tall, with soaring eaves and carved beams and painted buildings. The pair of stone lions in front of the gate were a truly impressive sight. Looking up, she saw the three characters "Shangshu Mansion" gleaming brightly on a golden plaque, a majestic golden glow shimmering in the setting sun. The guards at the gate, clad in gleaming armor and bearing long swords, had stern expressions, clearly well-trained elite soldiers.
As I was watching, a burst of clear laughter suddenly emanated from the mansion. A group of young men and women emerged, chatting and laughing. The women, dressed in a variety of silks and satins, wore gold hairpins and step-shaking ornaments on their heads, their every move exuding nobility. The men, dressed in embroidered robes, jade pendants at their waists, spoke with distinguished manners. They chatted and laughed, clearly discussing something amusing.
"This is the noble lady and young master from the capital." Qi Yu suddenly spoke, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice that Liu Yeshu could not understand.
Liu Yeshu responded. The elegance and composure in these people's every move and gesture was the kind of demeanor that could only be cultivated from being immersed in a life of luxury since childhood.
The carriage continued on, gradually approaching the imperial city. The atmosphere grew increasingly solemn and dignified, even the air seemed to grow heavier. While the streets were quieter than the market district, they exuded a sense of majesty. Though the shops along the streets were few in number, each one was exquisitely decorated, clearly serving the needs of high-class officials and dignitaries.
From afar, the towering walls of the imperial city reached the clouds, their vermilion hues striking in the setting sun. The glazed tiles on the walls shimmered, as if proclaiming the city's majesty and dignity. The imperial guards at the palace gates, clad in gleaming helmets and armor, stood erect, their gazes piercing, their imposing aura of unspoken authority intimidating the very sight.
Looking at all this, Liu Yeshu couldn't help but feel a bit dazed. She had never seen such a grand scene before; the towering palace walls alone were enough to make her feel dwarfed. Everything here silently revealed the chasm between class and status, reminding her of her own origins.
The carriage finally stopped in front of a mansion. Bluestone steps, vermilion lacquer gates, and lanterns in front of the gate were already lit, emitting a soft halo in the twilight. Liu Yeshu looked at this magnificent mansion and sighed inwardly: "This is the capital..."
She stole a glance at Qi Yu, only to see him staring at her, his gaze unfathomable and deep. It seemed as if he was about to say something, yet he said nothing. The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the car window between them, revealing an invisible chasm.
The carriage gradually left the bustling street and turned into a secluded alley. The old houses on either side stood with their doors and windows tightly shut, their mottled walls covered in ivy, appearing eerie and gloomy in the twilight. Dim lights flickered in the wind, casting mottled shadows that made the alley seem even more eerie and quiet.
Liu Yeshu suddenly felt a surge of unease, and subconsciously tried to look towards Qi Yu. At that moment, the carriage jolted violently, accompanied by the horses' shrill neighs, and the entire vehicle shook violently. She stumbled and nearly fell, but Qi Yu caught her.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps could be heard outside the carriage, followed by the clang of swords clashing. In a flash of cold light, several masked men in black surrounded the carriage.
Qi Yu's face darkened instantly, and a terrifying coldness flashed in his eyes. He held Liu Yeshu tightly behind him and said in a low voice, "Be careful, don't move." Before he finished speaking, his longsword was already unsheathed, shining with a cold light.
Liu Yeshu noticed that the wound on his waist was bleeding, staining his clothes red. Her heart tightened: "General, you are injured..."
Before he could finish his words, an assassin lunged forward. Qi Yu snorted coldly, and with a flash of his sword, he forced the opponent back. However, more assassins swarmed in, and amid the flashing swords and shadows, Liu Yeshu saw that Qi Yu's movements were slightly slow, obviously affected by his wound.
An assassin's eyes flashed coldly, and he suddenly changed his attack direction and rushed directly towards her. Liu Yeshu had already clenched the dagger in her hand. This was a self-defense weapon she brought from the border. The blade was sharp and there was a mechanism on the handle.
Facing the assassin's attack, she forced herself to remain calm. Years of living on the frontier had taught her that panic would only make the situation worse. She steadied herself, her eyes fixed on the assassin's movements. When the assassin's blade slashed diagonally, she didn't meet it head-on. Instead, she dodged sideways, simultaneously triggering the hidden catch on the dagger's handle.
With a soft click, the dagger's blade suddenly split, becoming two thin blades. This was the dagger's unique design, allowing for unexpected strikes in critical moments. The assassin, clearly unprepared, hesitated. Liu Yeshu seized this momentary opening, intersecting the blades and blocking the opponent's retreat.
Qi Yu's eyes flashed with surprise when he saw this, but he quickly returned to the fight. He kept Liu Yeshu by his side, his sword sharp, but he was clearly affected by his injuries, and his breathing gradually became rapid.
"General, watch your back!" Liu Yeshu suddenly exclaimed. An assassin, taking advantage of Qi Yu's fending off a frontal attack, quietly slid around behind him. Without hesitation, she hurled her dagger, the double-edged blades slicing through the air with two streaks of cold light, forcing the assassin to retreat two steps.
Qi Yu seized this opportunity, turned around, and swept his sword across, repelling the attacker. However, this action agitated the wound, and his face turned pale, with beads of sweat oozing from his forehead.
Liu Yeshu quickly picked up the dagger and blocked Qi Yu's injured side. The two stood back to back. In this position, she could protect Qi Yu's weakness and use his strength.
"General," Liu Yeshu said in a light but firm voice, "I won't hold you back." Her eyes were firm, and although the hand holding the dagger was shaking, she had no intention of retreating.
Qi Yu did not answer, but the sword in front of her became more and more stable.
The two men stood back to back, their breathing gradually becoming synchronized. Liu Yeshu's dagger was focused on defense, nimbly blocking the assassin's attacks, while Qi Yu's longsword was like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, each strike going straight for the vital point.
Their coordination grew more and more seamless, as if they had fought side by side a thousand times. The assassins' attacks gradually weakened, and a look of uncertainty began to appear in their eyes. Just then, a sharp whistle pierced the night sky, and the assassins retreated like ghosts, leaving behind only knife marks on the ground and a few drops of blood that gleamed coldly in the moonlight.
The tension of the battle gradually subsided, and Liu Yeshu realized that her hands were still shaking slightly. She lowered her eyes to look at the dagger in her hand. The blade was stained with blood, gleaming coldly in the moonlight. This was her first time hurting someone, and she couldn't explain the feeling in her heart.
"You are very brave." Qi Yu suddenly spoke.
The woman in front of me is really brave.
Liu Yeshu looked up and met his deep eyes. She wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.
She noticed that his face was getting paler and that beads of cold sweat were already oozing out of his forehead.
"Let me see the wound." Liu Yeshu's voice was filled with undisguised worry.
The fight just now must have affected his injuries. She could even see the blood seeping from his clothes, gleaming faintly in the moonlight.
Qi Yu was silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, and finally he nodded: "It's not convenient here, let's talk about it when we get back." Having said that, the hand holding the sword unconsciously pressed on the wound, obviously trying to endure the pain.
The night wind was cool, and a hint of blood blew between the two of them. Liu Yeshu put away the dagger, approached Qi Yu, and wanted to support him.
Qi Yu suddenly reached out and held her still slightly trembling hand, his voice low and gentle: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
The General's Mansion in the capital is located in a secluded alley in the west of the city.
The blue-gray walls were simple and restrained, and a pair of stone lions stood majestically before the gate. Liu Yeshu followed Qi Yu into the mansion, her footsteps light. Unlike the desolate and rugged landscape of the frontier, the courtyard before her possessed a unique elegance. Several ancient pines stood tall and verdant, their twisted branches rustling softly in the evening breeze. The crisscrossing bluestone paths, like delicate meridians, framed the courtyard in a rhythmic pattern.
Stepping into Qi Yu's room, a pot of black orchids lay on the black lacquer table by the window, about to bloom. The few petals that had already opened were as delicate as jade, emitting a delicate fragrance. Gauze curtains swayed gently in the candlelight, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Various classics were neatly arranged on the sandalwood bookshelves.
Qi Yu untied the black cape from his shoulders, the movement twitching an old injury, causing a slight frown to form between his brows. He sat down on the sandalwood chair, his face slightly fatigued. Seeing this, Liu Yeshu's heart tightened, and she quickly walked over to his side.
"General, let me apply some medicine to you." Liu Yeshu's voice was filled with unconcealed worry. "If the wound is not treated properly, it may cause future problems."
Qi Yu stared at her for a moment, a flicker of tenderness in his eyes, and he nodded slightly. He lifted his shirt, revealing the wound. Though simply bandaged, the area surrounding it was already abnormally red and swollen. It had clearly been ruptured again by the intense movement during the previous fight. Liu Yeshu carefully unwrapped the blood-soaked gauze, fetched clean water, and meticulously wiped the clotted blood around the wound.
While cleaning the wound, Liu Yeshu couldn't help but ask, "General, since I started working in the general's mansion, you have been assassinated several times. Who sent these people and why are they chasing you so relentlessly?" She asked while observing Qi Yu's expression.
Qi Yu was silent for a long time. When he raised his eyelids, his gaze was as deep as a cold pond. "Rather than assassins, it's more like an extension of the internal strife within the court." His voice was low and calm. "These people are extraordinary in their skills. They obviously know the defenses of the capital city like the back of their hand. The border is desolate and dangerous, but within the court, the open and hidden attacks are even more difficult to guard against. In the current situation, internal troubles are far more difficult to deal with than external worries."
Liu Yeshu paused involuntarily when she heard this. She looked down at Qi Yu's hideous wound, and for some reason, a wave of bitterness welled up in her heart.
From the frontier to the capital, from the flashes of swords to the open and covert struggles, the man before him had always been at the center of the storm. Adding to the lingering fear from just now, as he recovered, the pent-up emotions finally burst forth, and crystal tears rolled down uncontrollably, pattering on Qi Yu's sleeves, blurring out into a blur of dark flowers.
Qi Yu looked at the tears and instinctively reached out to catch them, but he didn't know how to comfort them. His hand hovered in mid-air, hesitating for a moment, and finally gently grasped her wrist. His voice was low, with a hint of helplessness and heartache: "Life with me will not be easy. If you stay with me, you will inevitably be implicated."
Liu Yeshu paused, raised her tear-stained face, and stared directly into Qi Yu's eyes. Tears glistened in her eyes, yet a resolute light shone through them: "Since I have chosen to follow you, I will not retreat, life or death." Each word was resounding, like a vow.
Qi Yu looked at her stubborn appearance, like a sulking child, and suddenly laughed, "How can I die so easily?" He paused and said, "If you don't want to retreat, then don't retreat. Don't cry."
After Liu Yeshu stopped crying, Qi Yu turned to look at the guards guarding the door, and his voice returned to its usual calmness: "Spread the news that I was assassinated and injured, and I will take leave and not attend court tomorrow."
The guard bowed in agreement and turned to leave.
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