Chapter 13: Dusk
Atop the mountain where the Feng family resides stands a towering pavilion. Atop the pavilion hangs a gilded plaque, inscribed with the three characters "Fengshen Pavilion," in a majestic and imposing style. The entire building boasts soaring eaves and angles, carved beams and painted rafters, and a vermilion roof shimmering against the emerald green tiles, adorned with gold and jade, creating a dazzling spectacle. However, those in the courtyards below, looking up, see only lush ancient trees and swirling clouds. The Fengshen Pavilion is veiled within, like a mirage from a fairyland, its true form hidden from mortal eyes.
No servant of the Feng family had ever set foot here, and even Feng clan members rarely ventured there. Any intruder would be stunned—this magnificent attic, comparable to a royal palace, was completely empty. Only a three-foot-long, single-handled halberd stood in the center, its gleaming cold, lonely, and eerie.
At this moment, the sun was setting in the west, the dusk shrouded in golden light, and Fengshen Pavilion was shrouded in a hazy mist. Beside the pavilion, with its carved railings and jade bricks, Feng Yanyuan, dressed in white, stood tall and graceful, his gaze fixed in the distance. His brows furrowed slightly, his gaze deep, as if he could see through the mundane world beneath the clouds and mist.
The branches and leaves are hidden in the forest valley on the mountainside.
Yun Yuan slipped quietly out of Haofeng Courtyard's back door. She glanced around warily, confirming no one was around. Then, with a flicker of her legs, she vanished into the shadows of the trees like a wisp of smoke, stealing towards Yuanfeng Courtyard. From above, her figure flickered among the lush branches, like a nimble bird, gliding lightly through the treetops without disturbing a single gust of wind—the strength of her footwork clearly demonstrated a unique martial arts skill.
But when she stepped into the territory of Yuanfeng Courtyard, she suddenly restrained her breath and moved as cautiously as an ant, as if even her breathing had blended into the shadows.
Feng Yanyuan stood on the Fengshen Pavilion, his eyes calm, watching her every move patiently, until her figure completely disappeared in the houses of Yuanfeng Courtyard, then he stood up gracefully, his clothes fluttering, and fell silently like a fallen leaf.
When Ruyue couldn't find Yunyuan, she first asked Yuanfengwei, who told her that Yunyuan had fled to the slavery compound because of Qiutang. She was so panicked she had no choice but to go look for Master Yuan. She couldn't understand Master Yuan's reaction—he walked out of the compound without a word, and no one knew where he was going. She was left pacing in panic until Fengjiu came to tell her that the girl had returned safely.
After calming Yun Yuan down, she stormed off to Yuanshanzhai, furious, determined to get Master Yuan to give her justice for Yuan'er. Pushing the door open, she found Master Yuan leisurely reclining on a bamboo couch, a book in hand, his expression impassive. She rambled on about how the Haofeng Guards had captured Qiutang and beaten her half to death, forcing Yuan'er to rescue him. She said how fortunately Xiran had known better, or else Yuan'er's finger would have been broken. She went on like this for a long time, only to hear the book gently turn a page, making a subtle rustling sound. Master Yuan remained completely silent, not even raising an eyelid.
She was confused, so she exaggerated her pity, saying that Yuan'er was so scared that she fell ill and vomited all over the place. She then tentatively asked, "If the young master rewards Yun Yuan with something, she will definitely get better." But before she finished her words, Young Master Yuan raised his sword-like eyebrows, and immediately "rewarded" Yun Yuan with the job of sweeping the courtyard for a few days, and said coldly, "Since you are sick, don't come near to serve you." Ruyue was dumbfounded.
After that, Master Yuan stopped even visiting the crossbow workshop. Feng Jiuxin's collection of gadgets lay piled on the desk, unopened. The rudimentary kite lay alone in a corner, unpainted and untied, its presence garbled amidst the pile of cold, hard weapons. And its owner, however, didn't even bother to glance at it.
Feng Jiu told Ruyue all these things secretly.
He pulled her to hide behind the rockery, and mysteriously stuffed a bag of roasted goose meat into her hands. He watched her eat it with relish while complaining to herself.
He also said that Mr. Yuan has been particularly fond of shooting birds in the sky recently.
For example, today, during the horseback archery competition, the young master suddenly nocked a dozen arrows, drew his bow, and shot into the sky. He watched as a dozen wild geese formed a line in the sky, falling one by one from the blue sky and white clouds, leaving only a few. Feng Jiu had felt sorry for the geese, but the young master actually wanted him to pick them all up. He could only ride his horse, picking up geese all over the mountains and plains. However, the young master didn't even look at them, just wanted them to be roasted and eaten. Feng Jiu sighed helplessly, wondering who was taking pity on them.
Ruyue was chewing her food until her mouth was full of oil when she suddenly interrupted in a vague voice: "There is only one wild goose left. How lonely and pitiful it is."
Feng Jiu's eyes widened as he looked at the corners of her shiny mouth, then at the goose meat in her hand that was gnawed to pieces. "The one that flew away was pitiful?"
No matter where you stand in Yuanfeng Courtyard, you can look up and see the towering rockery—its steep, jagged slopes are framed by layers of banana leaves, their broad fronds trembling in the wind, casting a shade of varying shades. At the foot of the mountain, a clear spring seeps from cracks in the rocks, meandering down a mossy gully with a gurgling sound like crushed jade falling on a plate.
A winding stone staircase leads up to the top of the rockery. At its end, a small redwood pavilion, its eaves jutting upwards, stands proudly in the air. It's the "Listening to the Rain Pavilion." On rainy days, raindrops splash from the dark tiles, first hitting the rockery rocks, then the banana leaves, before finally flowing into the mountain spring, creating a melodious flow across the bluestone. The pavilion is empty now, with only the wind blowing through the eaves, the only sound being the tinkling of bells.
Yun Yuan was standing under the corridor when she suddenly saw a white figure climbing up the stairs. In a blink of an eye, the figure disappeared behind the red railing of Tingyu Pavilion.
From that day on, whenever she looked toward the secluded pavilion, he would turn and head for the bamboo garden; when she bent down to sweep the steps, he would quietly move to the Listening to the Rain Pavilion. Every day, she could see him from afar, through the shadows of flowers in the corridors, or the rocks on the waterside pavilions, but his gaze never lingered on her, as if she were just a shadow in the wind through the bamboo forest.
Yun Yuan didn't know what he knew, or why he acted this way. But his indifference, his lack of trial and punishment, his sheer aloofness, was more disconcerting than a thunderous wrath. She felt like she was trapped in a silent game, unable to advance or retreat, helpless.
Yun Yuan lowered her head, and the broom in her hand mechanically swept across the bluestone floor of Wangyou Pavilion, her worries piling up like fallen leaves.
"Little bird!"
The sudden sound beside her ears startled her and she shuddered. Turning around, she saw Feng Yanxuan approaching her without her knowing when, his handsome features holding a mischievous smile.
"Master Xuan?"
He had been appearing and disappearing like a ghost these past few days, always choosing the time when no one was around, like an unpredictable gust of wind, suddenly appearing before her.
"Did you miss me?" He grabbed Yun Yuan's hand holding the broom, snatched the broom away, frowned and said, "Didn't I tell you that your hands can't do this?"
"Yuan'er is a servant, this is her duty."
"It's been several days, and he still ignores you?"
Yun Yuan nodded.
"I'll go find him and take you to Xuanfeng Courtyard!" He turned and was about to leave, his clothes picking up a gust of wind. Yun Yuan was about to stop him, but he suddenly stopped and turned back with that cynical smile on his face. "This stubborn ass is really troublesome. I don't know how long it will take to mess with him. Beautiful scenery and good times don't wait."
"Beautiful scenery?"
"He's such an idiot, he definitely hasn't brought you to meet him." Feng Yanxuan said with a smile, "It just so happens that he won't look for you right now. Just come with me!"
Feng Yanxuan grabbed Yun Yuan's wrist without saying a word and rushed forward. Before Yun Yuan could scream, she suddenly felt dizzy - he actually lifted her up by the waist and jumped over the high wall of Yuanfeng Courtyard.
The evening breeze whistled past her ears. Those absurd rumors about Master Xuan were truly true. She could still vividly remember the time he had abducted her and taken her to Xuanfeng Courtyard. Now, she had no idea where he was carrying her. By the time her feet finally touched the ground, she was already dizzy. She stumbled, her feet unsteady, and fell straight into Feng Yanxuan's arms.
"Tsk, you're really like a little bird." Feng Yanxuan took the opportunity to put his arms around her slender waist.
Yun Yuan's face flushed instantly. She suddenly broke free from his arms, staggered back a few steps, and looked around in panic.
This is a hilltop. As the sun sets, wisps of orange-red sunset glow, gently undulating across the endless peaks with the evening breeze. Clouds and mist linger on the indigo-colored mountainside, like the veil of a mountain god, concealing unknown secrets.
Feng Yanxuan's gaze was fixed solely on Yun Yuan. The setting sun gilded her plain blue dress, and tiny specks of light danced through her black hair, accentuating her delicate complexion. When the evening breeze blew past, a few strands of hair drifted gently around her ears, making her look like a lady from a meticulously painted painting, her grace so gentle it made one's heart flutter.
"The sun is setting in the west, its remaining light shining on my clothes." Feng Yanxuan smiled and said, "How beautiful!"
"Is this a forbidden area?" Yun Yuan came back to his senses and asked in surprise.
Feng Yanxuan shook his head and laughed, reaching out to poke her smooth forehead. "It's such a beautiful day, but you only care about the rules." He pretended to be heartbroken. "It's poetic and picturesque, do you understand?"
Yun Yuan couldn't help but laugh, her eyes flickering as she added, "'The blazing sun sets in the west, its afterglow illuminating my clothes'... I never thought the suave and charming Young Master Xuan would actually be reciting Ruan Sizong's poem."
"I live a carefree life, befriend Du Kang, and am free and unfettered by etiquette. I love the sunset more than the sunrise." Feng Yanxuan spread his sleeves, raised his head and smiled, "Aren't we like him?"
"Young Master sleeps until noon every day," Yun Yuan pursed her lips and chuckled. "It's true that he can only see the setting sun. It's just like the saying 'The morning sun is no longer bright, and the daylight is suddenly fading in the west.'"
"What a clever girl!" Feng Yanxuan laughed and clapped his hands. "Your eloquence is on par with my third brother's."
Yun Yuan looked at the setting sun and whispered, "It's just that Yuan'er finds it hard to imagine that Master Xuan would also lament, 'Life is like dust and dew, and the laws of nature are long and boundless.'"
"Are you making fun of me for not caring?" Feng Yanxuan raised his eyebrows.
"I dare not." She bowed gracefully, a sly look in her eyes. "Sir, you are a man of great intentions to have found such a beautiful view. I was just showing off my skills and pretending to be sophisticated."
Feng Yanxuan laughed out loud, his sleeves rustling in the evening breeze: "You're smart!"
Yun Yuan's eyes were unconsciously attracted to the valley in the distance - the valley in the shade seemed to be forgotten by the setting sun, and the thick fog was swirling in the valley like ink, which was thicker than the surrounding clouds and fog, and vaguely revealed a bit of weirdness.
"That's..." She had just opened her mouth when Feng Yanxuan's warm hands held her cheeks and forced her to turn her gaze away.
He feigned anger, "Such a beautiful sunset lasted only half an hour, and you're staring into that dark valley." He suddenly lowered his voice and added in a frightened tone, "There's a mandrill living in that valley, and it loves to peek into the eyes of passersby. If you look at it, it will see you. In the dead of night, it'll sneak up on you by your bed, drag you into the fog, and devour you alive!"
He even bared his teeth and made a face, like a mischievous brother scaring a child. Yun Yuan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Still laughing!" Feng Yanxuan suddenly let go of her and waved his sleeves. "Just wait, I'm going to catch that monster. Don't be scared to tears when I get scared!"
Yun Yuan smiled, her eyes curved as she saw Feng Yanxuan actually striding towards the valley, his pink sleeves fluttering like butterflies in the twilight. He suddenly turned around and winked at her with his right eye. "You can laugh now, but don't get so scared later that you try to crawl into my arms. I can't pull you away!"
Before he finished speaking, his figure faded into the dusk. Yun Yuan was about to call out when she suddenly saw a faint eaves peeking out from the shadows of the trees on the peak not far away. The vermilion attic loomed faintly amid the lush trees, its glazed tiles reflecting the last rays of sunset, like a cluster of flames burning in the mountains.
"Yuan'er is quite elegant."
The cold voice coiled around Yun Yuan's spine like a poisonous snake. Yun Yuan froze and turned around slowly - Feng Yanhao stood with his hands behind his back, a frost in his eyes.
"This young master remembers that it was my third brother who was supposed to be the one to take over?" He approached slowly, his dark robe sweeping across the fallen leaves. "Could it be that Yuan'er has changed her mind?"
"I dare not." Yun Yuan's fingertips felt cold. "It's just that Master Yuan seems to have disliked me recently."
"That's troublesome." Feng Yanhao's lips curled up into a sinister smile. "If I can't move the third brother's heart..." He turned suddenly, his clothes fluttering and bringing a chill, and his voice suddenly turned cold. "Wouldn't this life-extending medicine be wasted? What's more..." He sighed nonchalantly, "Keeping a useless pawn will only ruin our brotherhood." He asked Feng Wu, the iron tower behind him, "What should be done if a slave trespasses into the forbidden area?"
Feng Wu grinned, revealing his sharp white teeth: "Master, according to the law, he should be treated as a criminal slave."
"What a shame for this body." Feng Yanhao gazed at the sinking sun and suddenly changed the subject. "But since you're here, I've got an interesting idea... maybe I can test Third Brother's feelings." He leaned over and pinched Yun Yuan's chin. "I'll have to put Yuan'er in a difficult position, though."
A bloody taste rose in her throat, and Yun Yuan lowered her eyes: "This servant...will obey the young master's orders."
"First—" He smiled slightly and said softly and comfortingly, "It will hurt a little."
Before Yun Yuan could even frown, Feng Wu advanced like a ghost. The moment his palm slashed down, she clearly saw the hatred boiling in his eyes—he must have been holding back this blow for too long.
Feng Wu watched the girl fall to the ground limply and chuckled. He turned to look in the direction where Feng Yanxuan disappeared: "Over there, Second Young Master..."
"Don't worry about it." Feng Yanhao's voice gradually drifted away, "His romantic disease...finally paid off."
In the shadows of the valley, Feng Yanxuan leaned against the damp rock face, his eyes closed, as if lost in sleep. His hands were clasped together like a nest, and a tender yellow oriole struggled to poke its tiny head between his fingers. The oriole fluttered its wings, then suddenly took flight, stirring up a few falling feathers.
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