Beauty, Power and Intrigue Chapter 101

“That’s right, good news has come from the front – the southern part of the city has been breached. Sixty thousand of our troops have charged into the city, and I expect the royal city will soon be taken.” Chuan Ping’s face was full of smiles.

Song Chuyi was slightly startled. Could it be that the state of Zhao was really about to change hands?

“Yeah,” Zhao Yilou responded flatly.

Seeing this, Chuan Ping restrained his smile and said respectfully, “In addition, last night Gongzi Fan ordered that before the royal city is completely taken, Master Song is not permitted to leave the camp without authorization, and moreover…” He hesitated for a moment, then continued, “the Young Master also may not leave the tent.”

This amounted to house arrest, but Zhao Yilou did not care. Even without the order, so what? Had he not already been confined here before?

Song Chuyi was likewise not surprised by such an order – she was simply very curious about this Fan. She could sense that Chuan Ping had been currying favor with Zhao Yilou all along, so she asked, “May I ask what position Gongzi Fan holds?”

Chuan Ping was only too eager to show off in front of Zhao Yilou. Since Song Chuyi had given him the opportunity, he was delighted inwardly, though his face remained serious and earnest as he said, “He holds the position of Grand General of the Army, but Gongzi Fan dislikes being called Grand General by others.”

“And why is that?” Song Chuyi asked.

“Gongzi Fan’s temperament is unpredictable; I am unable to fathom it either,” Chuan Ping said.

Song Chuyi mused that this Young Master probably counted himself among the ranks of princes and nobles, believing that the nobility of bloodline far surpassed that of generals and ministers.

“How long was I asleep?” Song Chuyi turned her head and asked Zhao Yilou.

“A day,” Zhao Yilou said.

It seemed that Gongzi Fan was determined to win this time. Although the standoff had lasted for months, to storm into the royal city with such momentum in a single day and night was truly no simple feat.

Chuan Ping thought for a while and was about to find something to talk about with Song Chuyi when he heard an elegant male voice come from outside. “Hua Rongjian requests an audience with the Young Master.”

Zhao Yilou frowned slightly.

Seeing this subtle expression on Zhao Yilou’s face, Chuan Ping was instantly elated – so his efforts during this period had indeed been effective; at least for now, he had not been rejected.

Seeing that Zhao Yilou remained silent for a good while, Song Chuyi had no choice but to say, “Please come in.”

Hua Rongjian had never heard Zhao Yilou’s voice and assumed it was he who had spoken, so he lifted the curtain and walked in.

Song Chuyi had just raised her tea to her lips when she saw a young man enter, elegant as orchid and jade, wearing a formal cap and robes. He was dressed in a broad-sleeved deep robe of white with dark vine patterns interspersed with ink-blue silk bands, a raccoon-colored raccoon-dog fur wrapped around his neck. He was tall and slender, neither burly nor appearing thin, and though his handsome face bore a gentle smile, it strangely gave no sense of approachability.

Hua Rongjian swept back his wide sleeves and cupped his hands in salute toward Zhao Yilou. “I pay my respects to the Young Master.”

In this situation, Song Chuyi found it awkward to interject, so she took a sip of water and, lowering her eyes, shot Chuan Ping a look.

Chuan Ping caught on and quickly changed the subject. “I imagine Brother Rongjian has also heard that Gongzi Fan has issued a confinement order.”

The implication was that the reason Zhao Yilou was ignoring him was that he was sulking over this matter, not that he held anything against him – and it also gave Hua Rongjian a way to step down gracefully.

“So it was because of this.” Hua Rongjian knew full well that the real situation was not so, but could only smile faintly and take the out offered. “If the Young Master wishes to go out, then by all means go out. Although Gongzi Fan is the Grand General, does he still think he can control the ruler of the state?”

Song Chuyi set down her teacup, thinking to herself: the Hua clan was already at odds with Gongzi Fan, and the Wu clan would certainly overtake them from behind later. She must make Gongzi Fan and the Hua clan remember that there was still the Wu clan.

Actually, doing this required no effort at all. After all, the Wu clan’s strength could not be ignored – she only needed to have Zhao Yilou show a little more trust in Chuan Ping, to remind those two forces not to busy themselves with fighting each other.

“Heh, I just heard Master Ping say that the youngest son of the Hua clan possesses extraordinary bearing, and seeing him in person, one is truly captivated.” Song Chuyi rose with a smile and bowed to Hua Rongjian. “I am Song Huaijin, an old friend of Young Master Yilou. Seeing a gentleman of such elegance so suddenly, I have spoken rashly and presumptuously – I beg you not to take offense.”

Hua Rongjian was slightly surprised. First, he was astonished that Zhao Yilou actually had a friend of the scholar class, and that the one who had just invited him in was this youth. Second, because it was the first time he had clearly seen Zhao Yilou’s clean and crisp full appearance – unexpectedly a striking and extraordinary elegance. Third, he found it strange that Chuan Ping would actually speak well of him in front of Zhao Yilou?

Chuan Ping, for his part, was also puzzled about when he had ever mentioned such a thing, but since what Song Chuyi said was nothing bad, he did not let this question show on his face.

“Jizi says nothing – are you blaming Huaijin?” Zhao Yilou said coldly.

Hua Rongjian smiled faintly. “I would not dare. I was merely somewhat mesmerized upon seeing the Young Master’s peerless countenance.” With that, he bowed deeply to Song Chuyi. “I hope you will forgive me.”

Song Chuyi stepped forward and with both hands made a gesture of raising him without actually touching him, and the two politely yielded to each other before sitting down.

Zhao Yilou continued to focus his attention on the chessboard. Song Chuyi was talking with Hua Rongjian, and seeing him like this, she felt worried. He might find it hard to adapt to this kind of life of scheming and deception for a while, but the position he was in did not allow him to act according to his own whims. If he were truly left here alone, would there not be even a scrap of him left?

After much deliberation, she felt that people grow through the pressure of adversity. Zhao Yilou had a stubborn temperament and was somewhat headstrong; he should not be easily crushed.

Hua Rongjian knew it was simply impossible to get close to Zhao Yilou directly, so he gave up on pressing a warm face to a cold backside and instead started from Song Chuyi – after all, it seemed that the youth cared quite a bit about this friend.

Seeing Song Chuyi chatting so smoothly and effortlessly, Zhao Yilou lost interest in continuing the chess game and turned to teasing White Blade instead.

Over the next two days, Song Chuyi was busy handling relationships and had no time to pay attention to the two of them.

After the evening meal.

Song Chuyi began telling Zhao Yilou about the Hua clan, the Wu clan, Gongzi Fan, and the various major, medium, and minor families, and instructed him on what attitude he should adopt toward them.

Zhao Yilou listened earnestly. Seeing her fall silent, he could not help saying, “Are you about to leave?”

Song Chuyi took a sip of water and nodded. “Although I have not inquired about the fighting these past few days, I can vaguely sense it. I agreed to meet someone in four days, and there are also several people in the city who came with me – I cannot leave them unattended.”

“Young Master, Young Master…”

Outside the tent, Chuan Ping’s urgent shouts grew closer and closer.

Song Chuyi rose and pushed aside the heavy curtain, seeing Chuan Ping running over breathlessly. “There is a sturdy man in Wey soldier’s armor outside the camp, covered in blood. He says his name is Ji Huan. The colonel sent me to ask whether you know this person. If not, he will simply be shot dead with arrows.”

“Ji Huan is my guard,” Song Chuyi said, grabbing Chuan Ping. “Take me to see him.”

“Young Master, please return to the tent.” The guard stopped Zhao Yilou, who wanted to follow along.