Chapter 008

Zhan Yue was born with a pair of narrow and long eyes, a straight nose, a handsome face, and lips as thin as a knife.

After all, they were uncle and nephew, and Zhan Yue actually looked a bit like Zhan Shaoying. But compared to Zhan Shaoying's scholarly frailty, he seemed to have a heroic spirit that could not be ignored.

Perhaps it was because he had been in the military for many years.

Hearing Jiashan calling him, Zhan Yue just glanced at her casually, and said slowly: "Hello, Princess."

Jiashan smiled sweetly, the curve of the corners of his lips was bright and beautiful: "Master Zhan is well too."

She laughed and said, "I had forgotten that you and Aunt Ruyang are actually relatives."

"Since we have been together in Changchun Temple these days, I have to rely on Lord Zhan a lot." Jiashan's smile gradually deepened, and she asked Su Yu to make tea for the two of them.

Zhan Yue's voice was calm and cold: "It is my duty as a minister, and I must do my best."

At this time, the nun who brought them here said, "Your Highness and the Lord, please wait a moment. The layman is preparing the dishes. I'm afraid you will have to wait for a while."

Zhan Yue raised his eyebrows slightly, and Jia Shan couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Auntie cooks in person?"

The lady said, "Yes. Your Highness is a distinguished guest, so he should be treated with great courtesy."

"Thank you for your help, auntie." Jiashan bowed slightly. She had never expected that Princess Ruyang had learned to be a good cook in Changchun Temple.

Since the dishes had not been served yet, they could not just sit there and wait face to face. Jiashan was the king, Zhanyue was the minister, Jiashan was a woman, Zhanyue was a man, and their identities were awkward when they got along with each other.

There was a low table and chairs in the courtyard. When Jiashan came, he thought it was for Princess Ruyang to use for making tea in the afternoon. But when he looked again, he realized that the female official had already placed the chess scale on the low table.

The black and white pieces were placed in opposite round bowls. Ruyang must have prepared a chessboard deliberately because he was afraid that they would get bored waiting.

Since it was the princess's good intention, Jiashan naturally sat down. She glanced at Zhan Yue who was still standing and smiled: "I've heard that you are smart and studious, and you are proficient in both literature and martial arts. I wonder if your chess skills are as good as the legend says?"

Jiashan's face is fair and beautiful. She is at the most beautiful age. Even without makeup, she is still charming and her smile is as beautiful as a flower.

Zhan Yue just glanced at her lightly, then looked away as if he didn't care.

He sat upright opposite Jiashan, his eyelashes trembling slightly, "Please give me some advice, Your Highness."

About a cup of tea later, Zhao Youze came over, led by a maid.

He seemed to be able to quickly identify Jiashan's location, and the maid led him to Jiashan's side. Zhao Youze called her "Sister" softly, and Jiashan held Zhao Youze with one hand and continued to play chess with Zhan Yue with the other.

Zhao Youze sat on a low stool, leaning slightly on Jiashan's shoulder.

A long time passed, with only the sound of chess pieces falling one after another, and neither Jiashan nor Zhan Yue said a word.

Finally, Zhao Youze couldn't help but ask, "Did Sister win?"

Jiashan looked across at Zhan Yue, who was sitting upright, and shook his head slightly: "No win."

“I lost.”

She held the black pieces, while Zhan Yue held the white pieces. At first, Jia Shan made the first move to start the game. She had learned how to play Go from her teacher when she was young, but compared to Zhan Yue's skills, she was just a show-off.

After a while, it showed signs of decay.

Zhan Yue's chess game was like his personality - calm and steady. Although he was not aggressive, his moves were very ruthless, and each move was made at the critical position.

Even if Jiashan took the initiative, it was still easily defeated.

Jiashan's eyes were filled with ripples, and she said with a pursed lip, "Master Zhan is a master of chess. I have to admit that you are better than me."

"But I thought that the Lord would give me some leniency." Jia Shan said with a smile. Her eyes fell on Zhan Yue's slender white fingertips: "I didn't expect that I was too sentimental. The Lord was so ruthless when he attacked."

Jiashan's voice was soft, and the graceful ending was more like a light feather, which tickled Zhan Yue's heart lightly.

Zhan Yue's narrow eyes slightly curved, but his tone was calm: "Not holding back on one's own strength is a sign of respect for the opponent."

He looked at Jiashan without blinking: "If Your Highness is not convinced, you can play another round."

Jiashan frowned slightly. She turned her eyes to the chessboard, where she had lost half of her territory, and chuckled, "I can't beat you, sir, so why bother myself?"

She leaned forward slightly, quietly moving an inch closer to Zhan Yue, looked at him lazily and said, "Compared to this, I want to know more, what is there that Commander Zhan can't do?"

Jiashan has a refreshing and pleasant floral scent, like the fragrance of snow plums, or the fragrance of orchids in the valley. The smell is not very strong, but just light and shallow, but it makes people immersed in it unconsciously, as if it can bewitch people's minds.

Zhan Yue lowered his head, his hand holding the teacup trembling slightly with distinct joints.

Jiashan didn't see that she was counting on her fingers, detailing Zhan Yue's abilities: "I heard my father praise your calligraphy. He said you have the 'style of Wang Youjun of Wei Jin'. Back then, my father chose you to be a Jinwu Guard because of your unparalleled bravery during the autumn hunting exam."

"Now, I have also seen your chess skills." Jiashan looked at him with a smile, seeming to be very curious, "A gentleman has six arts: ritual, music, archery, defense, calligraphy and mathematics. Could it be that Lord Zhan is really proficient in all of them?"

Zhan Yue didn't look at Jia Shan. His expression remained unchanged, but his voice was hoarse: "Of course not."

"Hmm." Jiashan pulled the corner of his lips and touched the head of Zhao Youze who was sitting next to him, "We Yuankang should also be as powerful as Lord Zhan."

Zhao Youze opened his mouth slightly, as if he wanted to say something.

At this time, Princess Ruyang finally came out of the house. She saw Zhan Yue and Jia Shan sitting on the left and right of the chessboard, and said with a smile: "Let's play after dinner. It's so hot in the sun, aren't you hungry?"

Before the two of them could reply, Zhao Youze tilted his head and sniffed. His handsome face flushed, and he was obviously very excited: "It smells so good."

"My aunt made this herself. I'm going to eat more later." Zhao Youze smiled brightly at Jiashan.

Zhao Youze was only eleven years old, and his actions were still childish. Princess Ruyang knew that he had been blind since childhood, so she naturally felt sorry for him. She walked over kindly and took Zhao Youze's hand personally: "Our Yuankang still knows how to make aunt happy."

Jiashan smiled and said, "Yuankang is young and growing, so he should eat more."

"You're not that big either." Several sets of bowls and chopsticks had been placed on the table, with Zhao Youze and Jiashan sitting on Princess Ruyang's left and right respectively.

Since there were no outsiders present, Ruyang didn't want Zhan Yue to follow the rules, so he let him sit next to Zhao Youze.

Fearing that Zhan Yue would feel uncomfortable, Ru Yang specifically said, "Since we are in the temple, those restrictions of status are things outside the temple."

Zhan Yue nodded, not as uncomfortable as Ruyang thought. He said, "I'll listen to my aunt."

Princess Ruyang's husband was Fu Yi, the prince of the Yongding Marquis's mansion. And Zhan Yue's mother, Fu Shiyu, was the legitimate daughter of the Yongding Marquis's mansion.

Although it is such a large mansion, many old people have turned into a pile of yellow earth. But this kinship will not change. Princess Ruyang is worthy of Zhan Yue's aunt no matter what.

Ruyang smiled and responded, looking at Zhan Yue's confused expression. She pursed her lips, as if she was really laughing: "I haven't heard anyone call me like this for a long time."

Zhan Yue lowered his eyelashes, and the hand holding the chopsticks exerted unnatural force, and his fingertips turned slightly white.

Jiashan also forced a smile, but Zhao Youze was the only one who picked up the chopsticks without hesitation and put rice into his mouth.

Jiashan knew the past events of the Yongding Marquis's mansion. Although she was not yet born when the Yongding Marquis's accident happened, how many people in Daliang didn't know about the Yongding Marquis's Fu family's great reputation in the past?

Unfortunately, reputation is a double-edged sword. It can win the heart of the king, but it can also lose his heart.

At the founding of the country, the Marquis of Yongding was awarded the title for military merit, and his wife and children had been awarded the title for several generations. The power of the Marquis of Yongding was gradually declining. Until the last Marquis of Yongding, Fu Yan, was born. At the age of 14, Fu Yan followed the Pingxi general to fight against the Turks, and worked quietly in the army for more than 20 years.

Originally, when the title of Yongding Marquis was passed down to Fu Yan, it was difficult for him to succeed to the title of equal rank. However, because Fu Yan's military achievements were so outstanding, the late emperor valued him. After the old Yongding Marquis passed away, Fu Yan not only succeeded to the title smoothly, but the late emperor also made Fu Yan's biological sister the empress.

The empress gave birth to a son, who was made Crown Prince Xiaohuai. The late emperor entrusted Fu Yan with the task of guarding the frontier.

In the 26th year of Zhongping, someone impeached Fu Yan for colluding with the enemy. They said that the reason why the Turks had been peaceful in recent years was because Fu Yan abused his power for personal gain. They said that he had long been in collusion with the Turks, trying to seize the border in one fell swoop and usurp the throne.

Originally, everyone thought it was just a trivial matter. The Marquis of Yongding had been in power for decades and had never been defeated. In addition, the Empress was the head of the harem, and the Crown Prince Xiaohuai had grown up and was about to reach adulthood.

Although every year there would be a few suspicious ministers who suspected that the Marquis of Yongding was holding his own troops, the late emperor would only reprimand the person who submitted the memorial and then leave the matter unresolved.

But this time, not only did the late emperor not do so, he also sent people to take back the military power from the Marquis of Yongding, and escorted the Marquis and his son to the capital for trial.

As soon as the news came out, Crown Prince Xiaohuai and the Empress repeatedly pleaded for mercy in front of the late emperor, but the emperor remained unmoved.

At that time, Yongding Hou was nearly fifty years old and had spent his whole life in the military. Among those sent by the late emperor were the people of Liu Ban, the then eunuch.

Liu Ban and Prince Xiaohuai were not on good terms, so it was easy to imagine what kind of humiliation the Marquis of Yongding would suffer on his way to the capital. A few days later, news came that the Marquis of Yongding had died on the way to the capital. The Marquis of Yongding's son, Fu Rong, was also covered in wounds when he was brought to the capital.

Prince Xiaohuai could not bear it and kowtowed three times in front of the palace to appeal for the injustice of Yongding Hou, but the late emperor did not change his mind. In the end, Fu Rong committed suicide in prison after leaving a blood letter.

Marquis Yongding had three sons and one daughter in his lifetime.

The eldest son, Fu Yi, married Princess Ruyang, and died in battle on the frontier five years ago, leaving no children. The second son, Fu Rong, married Lu, the daughter of the general of Datong, and left a daughter. The youngest son, Fu Xiao, was born in old age, and was just five years old that year.

As for the only daughter of Yongding Marquis, Fu Shiyu, she was only sixteen years old and was engaged to the Anguo Duke Zhan family, but had not yet married.

After Marquis Yongding and Fu Rong left, the only people left in the Marquis's mansion were widows, widowers and orphans.

I heard that it was only after Crown Prince Xiaohuai and the Empress knelt at the gate of the Qianqing Palace for a whole night that the late Emperor gave the remaining people in the Yongding Marquis' Mansion a way to live.

However, the title of Marquis Yongding and the generations of merits passed down by the ancestors also disappeared with the passing of Fu Yan.

Without the protection of the Marquis, the Anguo Mansion also ruined the marriage with Fu Shiyu. Because of this incident, Prince Xiaohuai became alienated from the late emperor. Less than a year later, Prince Xiaohuai was deposed and demoted to Yongzhou.

Afterwards, the queen died of depression, and the former King Han was made the crown prince, who is now Emperor Zhanghe.

With the late emperor's death, the right and wrong of this matter has long been difficult to distinguish. Whether Fu Yan colluded with the enemy or not, and whether the late emperor's judgment was right or wrong, may not be important anymore.

Fu Yan died, Fu Rong committed suicide, the Empress and Crown Prince Xiaohuai passed away...The only old friends left in the Yongding Marquis' Mansion now, besides the grown-up Fu Xiao, are probably Zhan Yue in front of him, and Princess Ruyang who married Fu Yi.

The merits and demerits of the Yongding Marquisate had long since become a story that was not to be forgotten, and no one dared to mention the heroes of the past.

Jiashan looked at Zhan Yue uncomfortably. She thought of the news she had heard from somewhere else -

At that time, after the Duke of Anguo broke up his marriage with Fu Shiyu, he married Wu Chongbo's daughter Jia. After Jia married, the Duke of Anguo recalled his past relationship with Fu Shiyu, so he went to Fu's house and asked to take Fu Shiyu as his concubine.

Jiashan had privately speculated that Fu Shiyu would still be willing to marry into the Anguo Mansion at that time. It was probably because the Yongding Marquis's family would have someone to protect them and not be bullied.

It’s just a pity for Fu Shiyu and Zhan Yue.

One is a daughter of a general who was raised in a pampered manner since childhood, and the other... should have been, with a distinguished family background, a powerful grandfather, an uncle who doted on him, and a legitimate son of a duke's mansion dressed in fine clothes and riding a horse.

But now, he could only stay in this temple, and softly called "Aunt" to Princess Ruyang who had already started fasting and chanting Buddhist scriptures.

Even though he later became a high-ranking official, even though he ended up being extremely brilliant and insolent.

But the decline of the Yongding Marquis's Mansion will surely become an eternal pain in his heart, right?

Whether out of pity or sadness, Jiashan heaved a sigh of relief. She picked up a piece of cabbage and put it into Zhanyue's bowl, smiling and saying to him, "Here you go."

Zhan Yue was stunned and looked at her.

Jiashan's face was as delicate and smooth as fat, and she looked like a picture. In the sunlight, her eyelashes were slightly blinking, and her pupils were dark and bright. It seemed that she could attract people to her heart at a glance.

Zhan Yue's tightly clenched fingers relaxed a little, he turned his head and looked away.