The two silently looked at each other. Qi Jingqing’s Adam’s apple moved several times as if wanting to say something but held back, quietly watching her.
After an unknown amount of time, Feng Lezhen suddenly frowned: “Why do I feel a bit dizzy?”
“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?” Qi Jingqing reached out to steady her, but Feng Lezhen calmly dodged.
Qi Jingqing watched her embroidered cloud-patterned sleeve slip away from his palm. After a moment of silence, he lifted his gaze again but missed her look.
His fingertips still seemed to feel the soft touch of the sleeve sliding past. He quickly turned his face away and hid his hand in his sleeve: “If you feel very uncomfortable, perhaps the household physician should take a look.”
“No need, it’s much better now,” Feng Lezhen said, then turned to take a box from the nearby cabinet and handed it to him.
Qi Jingqing was puzzled but took it, opening it to see an inkstone and a red envelope decorated with bamboo leaves inside.
“Earlier, Ah Ye sent this to you but you refused; this time I’m giving it to you personally, so you’d better accept it, right?” Feng Lezhen joked, as if the previous ambiguous and heavy atmosphere never existed.
Qi Jingqing silently curved his lips into a slight smile: “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Feng Lezhen smiled too and continued to chat casually with him, but this time carefully avoided topics related to fireworks, marriage, or loved ones.
Perhaps the heat in the room hastened the effects of the alcohol, and Feng Lezhen unknowingly fell asleep. When she woke, it was already the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year. Sitting up, she saw a red corner peeking from under her pillow. She paused, then pulled it out—it was a hefty red envelope.
“It should be from the Shizi,” Ah Ye came in from outside.
Feng Lezhen pinched her brows: “When did he leave?”
“According to Fan Gonggong, he left shortly after midnight,” Ah Ye rubbed her eyes, clearly still sleepy.
Feng Lezhen looked at the heavy red envelope in her hand and recalled his words from last night: “Having seen such a magnificent sight, no other scenery in this world could compare.” Suddenly, the envelope felt like a hot potato—neither something to keep nor to discard.
“Your Highness, Your Highness…”
Ah Ye called a few times before Feng Lezhen snapped back to reality: “What is it?”
“You don’t like the red envelope from the Shizi?” Ah Ye asked curiously.
Feng Lezhen smiled: “How could that be?”
“But you seem to have something heavy on your mind,” Ah Ye blinked.
Feng Lezhen’s mood was complicated: “It’s because…”
Since it was only a guess, she didn’t quite know how to say it. Seeing her silence, Ah Ye brought a small stool and sat beside the bed, her inquisitive expression resembling Feng Lezhen’s persistent questioning about family matters the night before.
Feng Lezhen laughed wryly and tapped her forehead: “You’ve got nothing better to do, huh?”
“My most important duty is to accompany Your Highness,” Ah Ye said sweetly. It was New Year’s Day, after all.
Feng Lezhen glanced at her and then sank back into her own worries.
“So, Your Highness,” Ah Ye broke the silence again, “what exactly are you worried about?”
Seeing Ah Ye was determined to get to the bottom of it, Feng Lezhen didn’t hide anything: “If you were Zhenbian Marquis…”
“Hmm, I am Zhenbian Marquis,” Ah Ye nodded seriously.
Feng Lezhen raised her hand to support her chin: “You’ve raised a son for twenty years, and he fell in love with the person who pushed him into the water and ruined his chance at a normal life. What would you do?”
“Help them be together,” Ah Ye said earnestly.
Feng Lezhen: “…”
“Too bad I’m not Zhenbian Marquis, so helping them is impossible,” Ah Ye said regretfully. “Is the Shizi fond of Your Highness? It’s no surprise. You’re beautiful and intelligent. Not just the Shizi, who’s lived behind tall walls all his life, but even Mr. Shen, who has traveled the world and seen many sights, is devoted to you. But this must never be known by the Marquis, or else…”
“Or else what?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Ah Ye: “There are two possibilities. One, Your Highness takes a liking to the Shizi; two, you do not.”
Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue.
As a close attendant responsible for protecting Her Highness, it was rare for Ah Ye to have this advisory role, so she explained clearly: “In the first case, if Your Highness and the Shizi like each other, you two will be together. Even if the Marquis is unhappy, if the Shizi is determined, his father can only consent. Your Highness would gain a beloved and also gain the Marquis’s influence—but only if you give up Mr. Shen.”
Qi Jingqing’s high status means that even if he is willing to serve Her Highness alongside others, the Marquis’s household likely wouldn’t accept it. The Qi family’s army might even feel insulted by it. To avoid discord with Yingguan’s powers, Mr. Shen will have to suffer a little.
“The Mr. Shen you mention is backed by the wealthy Shen family. If abandoned, even if Shen Suinian wishes to follow, he’d probably give up decisively,” Feng Lezhen raised her eyebrows.
Ah Ye looked melancholic: “So it depends on whether Your Highness wants wealth or power.”
“What if I want both?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Ah Ye sighed earnestly: “It’s hard to have everything in this world, Your Highness!”
“Enough talk. What happens if you don’t like him?” Perhaps still hungover, Feng Lezhen wanted to hear the worst.
Ah Ye: “The Marquis loves his son dearly. If he finds out his son’s feelings are unrequited, even if you swear on heaven that you won’t harm his son, to prevent the first situation from happening, he’ll stop at nothing to drive you out of Yingguan to avoid future troubles.”
“…Sounds like neither outcome is good.”
“Exactly,” Ah Ye sighed. “Though the Shizi is physically weak, his looks are exquisite. Even if you don’t like him, taking him in wouldn’t be a loss. If not, you could negotiate with Mr. Shen to endure some time, first figure out how to gain the Qi family’s power, then deal with the rest later.”
“Do you take the Qi family army for some trivial thing, that just bringing it here makes everything worry-free?” Feng Lezhen shot her a glance. “The reason the late emperor was troubled by Zhenbian Marquis having his own army was precisely because the Qi family army only obeys the Qi family. Even if now they submit for the Shizi, have you thought about what comes after?”
“After what?” Ah Ye asked.
Feng Lezhen’s expression flickered: “Qi Jingqing’s body is frail and surely won’t live as long as ordinary people. If I, as you say, take him in, and Zhenbian Marquis compromises for his son, he would have to be used by me. But once something happens to Qi Jingqing, with no more concerns, he might fight to the death with me, and then my coming to Yingguan would be for nothing.”
Qi Jingqing’s body was indeed very weak; no one could guarantee how long he would live. If he only had two or three years left… Ah Ye shuddered thinking of the Marquis going mad: “In that case, the risk is too great. Your Highness, you should give it up.”
“I was never convinced by your words anyway,” Feng Lezhen smiled faintly. “Though he is a Qi family member, I have no intention of involving him in my affairs, so forget it.”
“But if he truly loves you, it’s like a big stone hanging over your head. The moment the Marquis knows, that stone will fall,” Ah Ye frowned.
Feng Lezhen lowered her eyes: “So if there really is such a stone, the only solution is to make the stone disappear on its own.”
“…You mean kill him?!” Ah Ye was shocked.
Feng Lezhen: “…” She realized it was just the lingering hangover making her say so much nonsense.
The first day of the new year was the quietest. Feng Lezhen, as a guest, brought a small gift to Zhenbian Marquis and his wife to pay New Year respects, then returned to her room.
The weather was clear these days, with no more snow. Her mood was also bright as she wielded a wooden sword and exercised with Ah Ye in the courtyard.
After practicing a sword form, she broke a slight sweat, but Ah Ye’s breathing remained unchanged: “Your Highness’s health is worse than when we were in the capital, obviously because you’ve stayed indoors too long and your strength has declined. You must exercise more in the future.”
“Your Highness is busy and has no time to practice swordplay with you,” Fan Gonggong said while helping Feng Lezhen put on a thick coat. “But Your Highness does need to move more. The late emperor often said, those who accomplish great things must first be healthy.”
“I know. I will pay attention to that from now on,” Feng Lezhen promised with a smile.
As they spoke, a guard reported: “Your Highness, the Shizi’s page has arrived.”
Ah Ye was puzzled: “What does he want?”
“Perhaps Qi Jingqing has something to ask of me,” Feng Lezhen smiled slightly and had him admitted.
Sure enough, the page came specially to invite her to the main hall to play chess with Qi Jingqing.
Feng Lezhen thought for a moment and refused. The page paused, caught her gaze, hesitated, then turned to leave.
“Is Your Highness planning to give the Shizi the cold shoulder?” Ah Ye whispered.
Feng Lezhen glanced toward the door: “He is a smart man; he will understand my meaning.”
Not to mention Qi Jingqing was a childhood playmate. Though his falling into the water was not directly her doing, it happened because she insisted on bringing him to the pond. For that alone, she always felt guilty toward him.
But unfortunately, his feelings were too troublesome for her. So even though she felt guilty, she needed to resolve it quickly.
“Did she really say that?” Qi Jingqing sat before the board, staring at the black and white pieces, his expression flickering.
The page swallowed silently: “…Yes. Your Highness said she is busy and can’t accompany the Shizi for amusement. The Shizi should find someone else to play chess with.”
He didn’t quite understand. It was the first day of the New Year; even guests wouldn’t visit. Why would the eldest princess be so busy? And if she won’t play chess with the Shizi, why tell him to find others?
“Ger Highness knows the Shizi is confined all day in the deep manor with no friends, yet she tells him to find others to play chess. I really don’t know what she means,” the page muttered softly.
Qi Jingqing seemed not to hear and quietly looked at the board.
Sensing his bad mood, the page wisely left.
After a long while, Qi Jingqing placed the last piece on the board. The black and white were sharply divided—the game was completely deadlocked.
From this day on, he no longer sought out Feng Lezhen. Occasionally when they met, they just nodded at each other and then deliberately avoided one another.
Though Feng Lezhen sometimes felt melancholy, mostly she breathed a sigh of relief.
After New Year’s Day, guests gradually arrived. Originally the government office and the barracks had little interaction and would pay New Year respects separately. But now that the eldest princess had moved to the Marquis’s residence, it was awkward to only pay respects to one side and ignore the other. So from the second to the sixth day, the Marquis’s mansion was extraordinarily lively. Even the usually reclusive Qi Jingqing was forced to come out and entertain guests.
By the sixth evening, the mansion finally quieted down. Feng Lezhen sighed in relief, ready to spend a whole day and night resting on the bed. But before she could lie down, Qi Jingqing’s page arrived again.
“The Shizi will go to the barracks tomorrow and specially sent me to invite Your Highness to accompany him,” he said respectfully.
Feng Lezhen suddenly remembered Qi Jingqing’s serious gaze on New Year’s Eve… she shouldn’t agree, must not agree, to let him give up sooner, but the attraction of the barracks was too strong!
After a moment, she reluctantly nodded.
The page had been anxious since entering but relaxed and happily left to report after hearing her acceptance.
Feng Lezhen, who planned to lie down all day, got up early the next morning. After getting ready and stepping out, she saw the page waiting outside.
“Your Highness, the Shizi knows you don’t want to get too involved with him at the Marquis’s mansion. He is currently waiting at the south street alley entrance. You can meet him there,” he said, bowing his head.
Feng Lezhen nodded, then took Ah Ye and went out.
Following the page’s directions, they arrived at South Street, where from a distance they saw a carriage parked in a corner. Ah Ye, who was in charge of the horses, turned her head and slipped into their own carriage.
“Your Highness, I already see the Shizir’s carriage. Shall I go notify them, then follow behind?”
“No need. We’ll switch to his carriage,” Feng Lezhen replied. Qi Jingqing had already been so considerate; if she rode alone, it would seem petty.
Ah Ye agreed with a sound and helped her over.
Qi Jingqing had waited too long and had gradually fallen asleep. It wasn’t until a thick curtain, like a quilt, was lifted a little and cold wind unexpectedly rushed in that he suddenly woke up.
“Did I wake you?” Feng Lezhen didn’t miss the faint sleepiness in his eyes.
Qi Jingqing straightened slightly, his voice still a little hoarse: “Your Highness.”
“Why are you so tired?” Feng Lezhen handed him the warm tea on the table.
Qi Jingqing took it and sipped lightly, finally becoming more alert. “The past two days I have been entertaining my father’s guests. It has indeed been tiring.”
“Why not rest a few more days before going to the barracks?” Feng Lezhen asked again.
Qi Jingqing glanced at her, then lowered his eyes before she could meet his gaze. “If I rest too long, my father will have the energy to trouble Jingren again. Better to go now and try to persuade her to come back and admit her mistake.”
“I see.” Feng Lezhen smiled.
Then the two stopped speaking, silently traveling to the barracks.
Though Feng Lezhen had been at Yingguan for some time, this was her first visit to a place like the barracks. She had long known the Qi family army was strictly disciplined and was the most reliable defense for the people of Great Qian. Only today did she get to witness it. Before the carriage stopped, she couldn’t help but lift the curtain and look out.
The weather was unusually fine. On the drill grounds, it seemed soldiers were training. The shouts of over a thousand troops thundered, their spirit like crashing thunder, causing the heart to tremble.
This was the Qi family army she sought. Feng Lezhen’s hand, hidden in her sleeve, gradually clenched, though her face remained calm.
“Young Master, Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
The barracks had a strict rule that no outside carriages were allowed inside, regardless of identity. All had to disembark before the gate. Feng Lezhen didn’t mind. After getting off the carriage first, she watched the coachman carefully help Qi Jingqing down, then unload the wheelchair from the carriage’s rear.
The guards at the gate had already noticed Qi Jingqing. When he settled into the wheelchair, they exchanged a glance and stepped forward to salute.
“Greetings, Young Master,” the guards saluted, but hesitated when they saw Feng Lezhen.
“This is the Eldest Princess,” Qi Jingqing introduced.
The two guards looked to be barely teenagers, full of fearless youth. Upon hearing her identity, they quickly saluted again, but couldn’t help but sneak curious glances.
“What are you looking at?” Feng Lezhen raised an eyebrow.
The guards smiled awkwardly. “Nothing, nothing, just… we wanted to ask, is it true the salary will be increased next October?”
Though not everyone at the barracks had seen the eldest princess’s youthful face, the promise she made in her youth was known by all. Now that she had appeared in person, naturally they wanted to ask.
Feng Lezhen wasn’t offended and nodded: “Of course it’s true.”
“We thank Your Highness in advance!” The guards immediately brightened.
Feng Lezhen’s lips curved slightly as she personally pushed Qi Jingqing slowly into the barracks. The guards who had wanted to help hesitated, but after meeting Qi Jingqing’s gaze, they wisely stepped back.
Far past the gate, Qi Jingqing finally spoke softly: “The soldiers have already thanked you. If Your Highness fails to deliver, it will be embarrassing.”
“If I fail, it won’t just be embarrassing,” Feng Lezhen shot him a glance.
Qi Jingqing recalled the bet she made with his father and smiled faintly: “So what’s your plan? If there’s anything I can help with, don’t hesitate.”
“Trying to make your father lose?”
“I just don’t want Your Highness to leave Yingguan.”
His words almost echoed hers without hesitation. Feng Lezhen paused slightly but didn’t continue to joke with him like before. Qi Jingqing noticed the chill in the atmosphere; his thin eyelids twitched slightly but he said no more.
They rode silently to the military camp. Qi Jingren evidently already knew of their arrival and was waiting inside the tent early. As Feng Lezhen pushed Qi Jingqing inside, she took a deep breath.
“Nervous, Your Highness?” Qi Jingqing’s voice broke the long silence.
A smile flickered in her eyes. “It’s been so many years; I’m indeed a little nervous.”
Even without the incident of Qi Jingqing falling into the water, Qi Jingren and she had always been at odds — this tension began from their very first meeting. Every time they met, they’d quarrel. Qi Jingren’s sharp tongue was no match for hers, and though often furious enough to want to fight, she restrained herself out of respect for her status.
She and Qi Jingren were probably natural enemies. After so many years, she wondered if their relationship could soften at all.
Qi Jingqing guessed why she was nervous. His cold gaze flickered with some humor: “Your Highness, Jingren is quite different from before. It won’t be like old times, where you clash on sight.”
Feng Lezhen neither confirmed nor denied, only pushing him forward. Just as they entered, a tall, strong figure came into view.
She thought: “…What did that bean sprout eat all these years to grow so mighty?”
“Greetings, Your Highness,” Qi Jingren lowered her eyes and clasped her fists in salute.
Her features bore some resemblance to Qi Jingqing’s but also seemed entirely different. It was hard to say whether she was beautiful or not; she just appeared refined and dignified. Perhaps because she wore no armor inside the tent, only fitted clothes, her long limbs exuded an unspoken heroic aura.
Feng Lezhen looked at her like this and finally understood what Qi Jingqing meant by saying “she is different from before.”
“Long time no see. Little sister Jingren, are you well?” she asked gently and politely.
Qi Jingren’s expression was calm: “Your Highness is in the barracks; you may call me Canjiang Qi.”
“Jingren.” Qi Jingqing frowned slightly.
“Canjiang Qi,” Feng Lezhen nodded, “It seems the Young Master has something to say to you. I won’t disturb you.”
“I’ll have someone accompany Your Highness for a walk around the barracks.” Qi Jingren did not want outsiders meddling in family affairs and immediately agreed.
Feng Lezhen smiled, nodded to Qi Jingqing, and left. Soon, two soldiers came to take her to watch the military training. The barracks were vast, and walking around took almost half an hour. On the way back to Canjiang Qi’s tent, Feng Lezhen casually chatted with the soldiers.
“The Qi family army truly has great spirit. With such a group of people who sacrifice their homes for the country guarding the borders, both I and the Emperor can rest assured,” Feng Lezhen said, her face full of satisfaction.
The soldier proudly puffed out his chest: “Thank you for Your Highness’s praise. We will definitely live up to your expectations.”
Feng Lezhen smiled and casually asked, “Just now it seemed some soldiers divided into teams to fight and compete. I have seen the Qi family army’s training methods before in the memorials presented to the late Emperor by Zhenbian Marquis, but I haven’t seen this one. Is this newly developed by the Marquis?”
“It’s Canjiang Qi’s idea,” the soldier chuckled. “Our Canjiang Qi knows everything. Besides the Marquis, she is the most respected person in the Qi family army.”
“That means Canjiang Qi’s reputation in the army is quite high.” As Feng Lezhen spoke, a loud argument suddenly broke out inside the tent.
To be precise, only Qi Jingren was arguing.
She stopped just in time, looked up, and saw Qi Jingqing coming out. After meeting her gaze, he smiled helplessly. “Please pardon the embarrassment, Your Highness.”
“I just arrived as well. It seems the Shizi isn’t doing too well?” Feng Lezhen said. Seeing him sigh and shake his head, she didn’t ask further and pushed him away.
On the way back, neither spoke. The carriage stove burned warmly, but the air felt like ice.
In the quiet, Qi Jingqing casually lifted the curtain to look outside, noticed some spice vendors by the roadside, and told the coachman to stop.
“The chamber you now reside in is old. Sometimes there’s a smell of wood. Why not buy some incense to burn?” he gently suggested.
Feng Lezhen met his expectant gaze and after a moment of silence slowly said, “I have already had craftsmen working on repairing the roof these past two days. Should be able to return to the Eldest Princess’s residence soon…”
“Your Highness.” Qi Jingqing suddenly interrupted.
Feng Lezhen paused slightly—the first time since boarding the carriage that she looked him in the eyes.
“Why have you been avoiding me these days?” He looked straight at her and asked directly, “Did I do something wrong on New Year’s Eve?”
