Chapter 25 White Dragon Fish Suit
Yun Yuan held a plain silk fan, gently waving it beside the princess. The butterfly wings embroidered on the fan flickered in the light, a reflection of her uncertain thoughts.
Through the swaying shadow of the fan, she saw Feng Yanyuan playing chess with the Prince of Langya. His fingers, slender as jade, held the black pieces, and his expression relaxed as he talked and laughed, as if the casual decision to "give" her away was no more than the brushing away of a fallen leaf.
——What is the meaning of the word “send”?
The fan handle felt slightly warm in her palm. Was it a temporary loan, or a permanent abandonment? Was she to be used to monitor the princess, or...was she truly to be given away as a gift? Yun Yuan watched Feng Yanyuan chatting and laughing, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around the bamboo ribs of the cattail leaf fan.
But she couldn't leave the Feng family, she still had to go to Wangyue Valley.
The princess had already turned her attention to the wisecracking Feng Yanxuan, her laughter cascading from time to time. This young man, a noble and noble woman, had no idea about the affairs of men and women; he was merely imitating the adults and showing off his authority. Feng Yanxuan's gentlemanly demeanor struck her as "constrained and boring," and she ultimately ejected him, along with the Prince of Langya, for being "noisy."
In front of the courtyard's moonlit gate, Feng Yanyuan was bidding farewell to the Prince of Langya. The moonlight cast a cold glaze over his profile, and the momentary bowing and kneeling at the banquet seemed as if it had never happened. This man, who could instantly transform his pride into tenderness, who could remain calm and composed despite being publicly humiliated, overlapped and diverged from the image she had remembered, becoming increasingly unfamiliar.
The princess wasn't exactly difficult to please, but you couldn't openly disobey her. She was also easy to coax; as soon as she had something new and delicious, her eyes would widen and she'd completely forget about anything that had upset her. When there wasn't anything delicious to eat, Yun Yuan would perform some magic tricks: conjuring a flower from behind the princess's ear, pulling a bird from her sleeve, or even making a flying bamboo dragonfly, which always made the little princess jump with delight. Within two days, the princess would wake up and look for "Yuan'er," completely forgetting Feng Yanxuan.
For example, on this day, Feng Yanxuan was still in the corridor hesitating about how to explain to the princess that he could not accompany her that day, but he heard the princess just yelling about looking for Yuan'er everywhere.
"Where's that spinning sugar painting from yesterday?"
Yun Yuan came in with a handful of freshly made candied fruit. She pursed her lips and smiled, "Your Highness, I'm afraid the sugar painting might melt, so I've put it in the icy container." As if by magic, she pulled out a glass cup from her sleeve. Inside, amber honey, wrapped around a few flower petals, was slowly spinning. "Why don't you try this? It's freshly brewed osmanthus honey, and inside it are sugar balls that bloom."
The princess's eyes widened, and she jumped off the couch without even bothering to put on her shoes and socks. When the candy ball popped open in her mouth, revealing the plum filling inside, she clapped her hands in delight, completely forgetting Feng Yanxuan's delay.
Feng Yanxuan, listening intently from the corridor, thought of his suave and charming ways over the years, how could he be defeated by this little girl? Yun Yuan, with just a few tricks, had the princess constantly calling him "Yuan'er long, Yuan'er short," while making him, a seasoned lover, seem like a mere decoration.
"This little bird..." He squinted at the light and shadows in the window—the princess of Yunyuanzheng Sect was folding a small boat out of reed leaves, and the tips of their hair were stained with crystal icing sugar. Feng Yanxuan suddenly chuckled and tapped the jade handle of his 纥尾 (麥尾) fan against his palm. "Alright... Looks like there's nothing left for me to do."
Within a few days, the novelty of Xuanfeng Courtyard had worn off in the princess's heart. No matter how exquisite this courtyard was, how could it compare to the magnificent buildings and palaces with carved railings and jade masonry? The little princess sat on the porch, her chin in her hand, kicking the pearls on her embroidered shoes out of boredom. Suddenly, her eyes lit up—"Yuan'er, shall we go out and play?"
Yun Yuan was holding a newly made cricket cage and came over. Upon hearing this, she paused and said, "This... This servant has no say in this..."
The princess curled her lips and then remembered Feng Yanxuan, who had been neglected by her for a long time.
Feng Yanxuan was preparing his archery equipment with the Prince of Langya in the backyard when he saw the princess running towards him, her skirt lifted. His eyes lit up like the arrowhead in his hand. He quickly rushed forward, the jade pendant on his waist jingling. When he heard the princess ask him to accompany her out for fun, he readily agreed.
"Second Young Master Feng," Prince Langya couldn't help laughing as he leaned against the saddle, "Who just now said he wanted to challenge me to three bouts?"
Feng Yanxuan threw the quiver to his follower without blushing or beating his heart. He diligently lifted the curtain for the princess while laughing and begging for mercy. His servile appearance made King Langya and Feng Yanyuan smile at each other.
"Look," Prince Langya tapped Feng Yanyuan's shoulder with his whip. "Your second brother's skill in forgetting his friends for the sake of beauty is far more refined than his archery."
Feng Yanyuan smiled silently, his gaze darting over the receding carriage. A faint glimpse of a snowy skirt peeked through the window; it was Yun Yuan, bending over to fasten the princess's cloak. His fingertips caressed the bowstring until the carriage disappeared around the corner, then he turned and drew his bow. The sound of the arrow piercing the air startled a flock of birds in the forest.
The mid-spring market is filled with a vibrant atmosphere. Red-painted buildings stand side by side, and colorful banners flutter in the warm breeze. Scholars in long robes stroll, fans in hand. Vendors in narrow-sleeved clothing shout incessantly. Even prominent-nosed, deep-eyed merchants lead camels, their bronze bells gleaming like broken gold in the sunlight.
"Ah!" The princess suddenly clutched Yun Yuan's sleeve—a bearded barbarian, his eyes wide, was shouting something in absurd at her. Feng Yanxuan quickly stepped in front of them, "Don't be afraid, Your Highness! These barbarians don't know etiquette." Far from being annoyed, the little princess peeked out from behind Yun Yuan to gaze at the man's back, her almond-shaped eyes filled with curiosity.
How could she have ever seen such a world? Everyone in the palace followed strict rules, even the folds of their clothes had to be neatly arranged. The bustling atmosphere of the streets was truly dazzling—the old man selling sugar figurines with his fingers flying, the golden bells on the ankles of Western dancers jingling. Even when a dung carrier shouted "Excuse me" as he passed by her, she forgot to cover her nose.
"That's a cat's eye from Persia... The Shu brocade here is overpriced... Your Highness, be careful with the steps..." Feng Yanxuan explained non-stop, admiring the sparkle of wonder in the princess's eyes with considerable pride. Suddenly, a hujia (a type of Chinese horn) blasted out, and a snake charmer appeared from the corner. A triangular snake head poked out of a bamboo basket, frightening the princess so much that she leaped directly into Feng Yanxuan's arms. Although the little princess was immediately drawn to the glass cups in the candy shop and flew away like a butterfly, he didn't forget to glance at Yun Yuan, who was following behind. His raised eyebrow seemed to show off: See, it's still me!
Yun Yuan just thought he was funny.
The little princess gradually gained courage, like a bird just out of its cage, flying wherever there was activity. She stood on tiptoe in front of the circus, watching intently, and the flashing swords and swords of the performers made her exclaim in surprise. After squeezing for a long time, she bought shepherd's purse and boiled eggs, but after taking a bite, she wrinkled her nose and spitted it out, then rushed into another crowd.
Feng Yanxuan followed behind, frantically paying, his brocade robe wrinkled. He had just paid the copper coins when he looked up and the little ancestor was gone. He stamped his feet anxiously, "Your Highness! Your Highness, slow down!"
As dusk falls, the sheep-horn lanterns in the waterside teahouse light up.
Feng Yanxuan was already sweating profusely from exhaustion, but the little princess was still full of energy, and was about to dive into the crowd again. Just as he was about to stop her, the petite figure had already slipped into the depths of the crowd like a loach.
"Master Xuan," Yun Yuan stepped forward quickly, her voice filled with worry, "It looks like there's a martial arts competition going on in there, and the swords are blind..."
Feng Yanyuan gritted his teeth, stamped his feet, and forced his way into the crowd.
In the center of the crowd, two wuxia warriors were locked in a fierce duel. Amidst the flashing swords and clashes, the little princess watched intently, forgetting even to eat her candied haws. Just as she joined the crowd in cheering, a rough hand suddenly covered her mouth and nose, and she was lifted up as if on a cloud.
Feng Yanxuan had barely squeezed to the front row when he saw a dark figure, carrying a familiar pink shirt, streak through the crowd. His heart trembled violently, and without a care in the world, he leaped onto the eaves of the teahouse with a single toe. In a flash, the two dark figures had darted dozens of feet away, hurtling towards the dense forests on the outskirts of the city.
In the chaotic streets, no one noticed that someone was being captured and was being chased. Only Yun Yuan stood still, her snow-white sleeves rustling in the night wind.
Yun Yuan looked up at the two receding figures, then suddenly turned and sprinted towards Yuanfeng Courtyard. In the night, the figure in white was like a streak of light, disappearing around the corner in an instant.
The princess cried and struggled until she was hurled to the ground. As she struggled to get up, a hidden dart whizzed into her chest, sending her limp. Looking up, she saw a flash of cold light, the ghost-headed knife hovering just three inches above her head. The little princess, who had only moments ago been so excited watching the fight from the arena, now had even her sobs frozen in her throat.
"What a commotion!" The masked man with a knife complained.
"Who is coming?!" Feng Yanxuan shouted loudly, and the sound shook the whole area.
This shout seemed to give the princess immense courage. She struggled to her feet and shouted at the dark figure darting towards her not far away, "Feng Yanxuan!"
Feng Yanxuan's eyes darkened, and he unsheathed the soft sword at his waist with a clang. It shone coldly like a silver snake, and he charged straight at the masked man. However, the man was already prepared, and with a loud slash of his sword, sparks flew across the air, forcing him back several steps.
"Second Young Master Feng," the masked man said in a hoarse voice, with a hint of mockery, "it's best if you don't get involved in this mess."
Feng Yanxuan frowned and said in a cold voice, "Who are you? Who ordered you to do this? How dare you act so presumptuously in the Feng family's territory!"
"It doesn't matter who we are." The masked man smiled sinisterly. "If you want to know, Second Young Master, you might as well be smart. Live longer and you'll know who will rule the world in the future—and naturally you'll know to whom we pledge allegiance."
"Turns out they are just a bunch of wishful thinking traitors!" Feng Yanxuan sneered.
The masked man threw back his head and laughed heartily, his laughter filled with sarcasm. "What a pity! My master refuses to be a traitor, so he wants to capture this little princess alive." He swung his blade, pointing it directly at the limp girl. "Does Second Young Master really think that the current foolish and incompetent emperor can truly maintain his throne?"
Feng Yanxuan said no more. A cold light flashed in his eyes. The soft sword in his hand was like a flying dragon, carrying a sharp gust of wind, and went straight for the opponent's throat.
The night was as dark as ink, and the clang of swords clashing echoed through the gloomy woods. The princess lay prone on the ground, her fingertips digging deep into the soil, her trembling gaze straining to follow the two intertwining figures.
Suddenly, a cold light flashed, and a head was thrown high into the air. The blood drew a dazzling arc in the moonlight.
"Feng Yanxuan!!" The princess screamed heart-wrenchingly, but was suddenly pulled up by a brute force in the next second, and the cold blade was placed on the front of her neck, scaring the princess into silence immediately.
"Don't move!" The scolding frightened her so much that her whole body stiffened. With tearful eyes, she stared at a figure in the distance slowly falling down.
"The Feng family is indeed worthy of its reputation. Even the second young master, who is known for his extravagant ways, has such skills!" The blade pressed a little tighter on the princess's neck. "Second young master, don't worry. The lord has ordered us not to harm the princess' life, and we don't want to make enemies with the Feng family. But if the second young master insists on taking her away..." He sneered, "Then you can't blame me for your slip of the hand!"
Feng Yanxuan knelt on one knee, blood gushing from his shoulder, staining half his robes red. He had just slain one man, and now another had appeared. He realized with a start how many ambushes lay hidden among the swaying shadows of the trees. With a blade at the princess's neck, he dared not act rashly, and a vein bulged in his forehead. Just as his heart was racing, a sharp, stabbing pain shot through his back!
“Hmm—”
His eyes widened suddenly, and before he could turn around, a strange tingling sensation spread rapidly from the wound to every part of his body. Everything went black, and he fell heavily to the ground. The last thing he heard was the princess's shrill cries.
The masked man heaved the limp princess onto his shoulders and, with a few leaps, vanished into the depths of the dense forest. Under the moonlight, Feng Yanxuan lay quietly in a pool of blood, motionless. The night wind whirled a few fallen leaves, gently covering his bloodstained robes.
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