Thirty-eight
Zhan Zhao's heavy breath brushed against Xuan Yuan Tianyi's neck, carrying a scorching heat. The way her fingertips gently caressed the back of his hand was like a spark thrown into a parched heart, instantly igniting a long-suppressed desire.
His arms tightened unconsciously around her neck, pulling her soft yet resilient body even closer into his embrace. The mirror reflected their figures pressed tightly together, red robes and official robes intertwined, an ambiguous atmosphere flowing silently in the warm light of the flickering red candles.
“Tianyi…” Zhan Zhao’s voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of uncertain probing, as if confirming that this was not yet another illusion. For a long time, he had imprisoned himself, using “not her wish” as a shackle to imprison his heart and desires. However, at this moment, with her calm and even indulgent response, those shackles were shattering inch by inch.
Xuanyuan Tianyi did not respond, but merely turned his head slightly, his warm lips brushing lightly against Xuanyuan Tianyi's taut jawline. This subtle movement was like the final command to open the floodgates.
Without further hesitation, Zhan Zhao bent down and picked her up in his arms.
Xuan Yuan Tian let out a soft gasp, her arms naturally encircling his neck. She looked up at him; in the candlelight, his deep eyes surged with long-suppressed emotions—struggle, guilt, but above all, a clear and unmistakable burning passion belonging to a man for the woman he loved. A slight smile touched her lips as she closed her eyes, burying her face in his chest, listening to his pounding heartbeat, a strange peace washing over her.
Warm red silk curtains, quilts billowing like red waves.
The heavy official robes and elaborate red garments slipped to the ground one by one, piling up as a silent declaration. The initial touch was cautious and tentative, as if handling a rare treasure. But when skin touched, feeling each other's real body temperature and heartbeat, all reason and restraint crumbled.
The red candles burned out, and the first rays of dawn appeared.
Zhan Zhao woke up first, with Xuan Yuan Tianyi still fast asleep in his arms. Her disheveled black hair was spread across the pillow, and her usually aloof face appeared exceptionally gentle in her sleep. The vermilion dot on her forehead was even more vibrant in the hazy morning light. On her bare shoulders and neck, a few ambiguous red marks silently told of the madness of the previous night.
A mix of satisfaction, affection, and a deeper sense of responsibility welled up inside him. He gently pulled his arms closer, holding her more tightly in his embrace, and lowered his head to place a feather-light kiss on the top of her head.
At this moment, all the entanglements, hesitations, and self-imposed barriers completely vanished. Regardless of the reasons for this marriage, at this moment, the person in his arms was Zhan Zhao's rightful wife, the person he was willing to give everything to protect.
Xuanyuan Tianyi stirred in his arms, slowly waking up. Meeting his gaze, a faint blush crossed her face, before she regained her usual languidness, only a hint of tenderness and dependence appeared deep in her eyes, unlike before.
"What are you looking at?" Her voice was hoarse from just waking up as she buried her face in Zhan Zhao's chest again.
Zhan Zhao chuckled softly, gently stroking her long hair with his fingers: "Look at my wife."
Those four simple words sent a shiver down Xuan Yuan Tianyi's spine. She looked up into his clear and resolute eyes, where there was no longer any distance or reluctance, only a deep and open affection. She knew that this stubborn "ox" had finally broken free of the cage that had imprisoned him.
"Not hiding anymore?"
"I won't hide anymore, I won't hide anymore."
The two got up to wash and dress, the atmosphere quite different from usual. Although they didn't exchange many words, the warmth and tacit understanding flowing between their eyes was keenly noticed even by Yin'er, who came in to serve them, and she smiled secretly with her lips pursed.
During breakfast, Zhan Zhao casually mentioned, "Today we need to intensify our investigation into the Liao Kingdom's spies. Last night at the palace banquet, Xiao Talan was able to mention the rumors in the palace so accurately, his spies in Bianjing are probably deeper than we thought."
Xuanyuan Tian nodded, scooped up a spoonful of congee, and said calmly, "It's more than just informants. To be able to deliver information from the palace so quickly and have the Liao envoy use it as a weapon in a formal setting, it would be absolutely impossible without someone in the court with high position and power working in collusion with him."
Zhan Zhao's expression hardened: "You suspect..."
“It’s not doubt, it’s certain.” Xuan Yuantian put down his spoon, his gaze sharp. “The border dispute is a pretext to disrupt our court, test Zhen’s bottom line, and even… stir up a bigger conflict. That’s Yelü Zongzhen’s real purpose for this trip. What we need to do is cut off their claws and find the traitor before they make their move.”
Her analysis was calm and precise, instantly pulling the two from the bliss of their honeymoon back into the harsh realities of life.
Zhan Zhao looked at her, his heart surging with indescribable emotions. This was his wife, who could share the warmth of their bedchamber and stand shoulder to shoulder with him through the storms of court life. With such a wife, what more could a husband ask for?
“Okay.” He held her hand, his palm warm and firm. “Let’s do it together.”
In the days that followed, beneath the seemingly calm surface of Bianjing, undercurrents were surging.
Leveraging his extensive network of connections cultivated over many years in Kaifeng and his familiarity with the diverse social circles of Bianjing, Zhan Zhao secretly mobilized trusted individuals to investigate potential Liao strongholds. Meanwhile, Xuan Yuan Tianyi utilized the power of the Xuan Yuan family's "Dark Feather" organization, employing a two-pronged approach, utilizing both江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) channels and information networks.
Meanwhile, Bao Zheng, under pressure in the imperial court, began a discreet investigation into officials who had had close contact with the Liao envoys or who had reacted abnormally during the adjustment of the border market tax system. Zhao Zhen, meanwhile, remained firmly in the central government, dealing with the Liao envoys while providing maximum support for Bao Zheng and Zhan Zhao's actions.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.
Zhan Zhao, dressed in black, and Bai Yutang, still in white, stealthily approached a seemingly ordinary warehouse in the south of the city. According to "Dark Feather" intelligence, this place was very likely a relay station for Liao Kingdom spies to transmit messages.
"Cat, are you sure this is the place? It doesn't look special." Bai Yutang lowered his voice, looking around the silent courtyard.
Zhan Zhao's eyes were sharp as he carefully sensed the movements around him: "The more ordinary something is, the more likely it is to harbor filth and corruption. It's best to be cautious."
The two exchanged a glance and tacitly scaled the wall to enter. The warehouse was filled with miscellaneous items and appeared deserted. However, Zhan Zhao keenly detected a very faint scent of spices, different from those of the Central Plains. He made a hand gesture, and he and Bai Yutang, one on each side, silently made their way to the inner courtyard.
In a dimly lit room in the inner courtyard, hushed conversations could be faintly heard, and they were being conducted in the Khitan language!
Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang held their breath and approached the window. They heard someone inside say, "...The Song court is investigating closely. These past few days have been tense. That line can't be used for the time being."
Another person said, "What's there to be afraid of? With that esteemed official maneuvering in the court, the Song Emperor won't be able to trace us away anytime soon. The key is to send the goods out as soon as possible; King Yelü is still waiting."
"Things? What things?" Bai Yutang mouthed to Zhan Zhao.
Zhan Zhao shook his head, indicating that he should continue listening.
The person inside said again, "...The list must be delivered to King Xiao. This is crucial to whether we can coordinate an attack from within and without in the future..."
Before he could finish speaking, Bai Yutang's eyes flashed, and he kicked open the door! "Who goes there!"
The two men inside were terrified and hurriedly drew their knives! One of them reacted extremely quickly, grabbing a sealed letterbox from the table and stuffing it into his clothes!
"Stay here!" Zhan Zhao drew his Juque sword, its light like a rainbow, aiming straight for the man's wrist! Bai Yutang simultaneously attacked another person to prevent him from sounding the alarm.
In an instant, the room was filled with the glint of swords! The two Liao spies were quite skilled and fought back desperately, attempting to destroy the message tube. However, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang were extremely powerful, and they subdued the two men in just a few moves.
Zhan Zhao snatched the letter tube; it felt heavy in his hand. Just as he was about to examine it, he suddenly heard a very faint twang of a bowstring outside the window!
"Watch out!" Bai Yutang suddenly shoved Zhan Zhao away!
A poisoned crossbow bolt whizzed past Zhan Zhao's ear and embedded itself deeply in the wall!
"An ambush! Silence them!" Zhan Zhao's heart sank. He and Bai Yutang quickly extinguished the candles and disappeared into the darkness. However, there was no further movement outside the window. Clearly, the one who shot the arrow had missed and had already fled.
It was already past midnight when they returned to Kaifeng Prefecture.
Bao Zheng, Gongsun Ce, and the Eighth Prince, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, were all waiting in the study.
Zhan Zhao presented the letter tube that had almost been destroyed: "My lord, this was found in the Liao Kingdom's secret agents' camp. They risked their lives to protect this item, so it must be of great importance."
Bao Zheng, his expression grave, carefully opened the letter tube and took out a roll of parchment inside. Upon unfolding it, everyone gasped in shock!
The document was densely packed with the names, official titles, and incriminating information of numerous officials in the court, and even included details of the weaknesses in the deployment of some border troops! It was clearly a list of "collaborators" and a compilation of intelligence prepared for colluding with foreign powers and overthrowing the regime!
"A wolf in sheep's clothing! His heart deserves to be punished!" The Eighth Prince was so angry that his face turned ashen.
Bao Zheng pointed to several names marked with special symbols on the list and said in a deep voice, "These... are all people who have been active in the court recently, or who have had contact with the Liao envoy. It seems that what the Liao Kingdom is after is far more than just the interests of the border market."
"We must inform the Emperor immediately!" Gongsun Ce said.
Zhan Zhao added what he had overheard about the conversation with "that person" and the incident of being silenced by a cold arrow: "The other party's inside man in the court is probably not low-ranking, and his reaction is extremely swift."
The case suddenly escalated, shifting from a border dispute to a conspiracy that threatens the very foundation of the nation.
Zhao Zhen received a secret report in his study. Looking at the list, he remained silent for a long time, his eyes filled with a chilling intent.
"Good, very good." His voice was calm, yet carried an oppressive air of impending doom. "Since they want to stick their claws in, then I will chop off their claws, along with the parasites hiding around me!"
He looked at Zhan Zhao and Bao Zheng: "This matter is to be handled entirely by the Kaifeng Prefecture. Investigate everyone on the list secretly and gather evidence. The Imperial City Guard will fully cooperate. Remember, catch them red-handed. I want to see who dares to defy the world and betray their country for personal gain!"
A silent battle, centered on the list and targeting the traitor and the Liao Kingdom's conspiracy, officially began under the cover of night in Bianjing. Zhan Zhao and Xuan Yuan Tianyi, who had just found common ground, would also join hands to plunge into this even more perilous storm.
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