Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

The room was pitch black with the lights out. Fan Changyu lay on the bed, almost pressed against the wall. She squinted slightly and glanced at the person lying beside her.

Hmph. Xie Zheng might as well be sleeping on the edge of the bed.

She closed her eyes, too lazy to care whether he was comfortable or not. She had already repeatedly declared that she had no improper thoughts about him and left him plenty of space. Yet, after getting into bed, he remained silent and still chose to sleep right on the edge.

This kind of avoidance—wasn’t it just him being afraid she’d covet his good looks?

Fan Changyu turned onto her side, facing the wall, and thought to herself: With his terrible temper, even if he looked like an immortal, she wouldn’t be interested!

The "immortal" Xie Zheng was feigning sleep with his eyes closed when the person beside him suddenly turned over, instantly yanking away the corner of the blanket he had barely been clinging to.

The chill of the night seeped through his thin clothes, biting into his skin. Xie Zheng opened his eyes and glanced inward. Fan Changyu’s figure formed a small mound under the thick quilt, with most of the blanket spread out in the middle of the bed.

To get any cover, he’d have to move slightly closer—but that would inevitably disturb Fan Changyu.

Her breathing was light, clearly not yet asleep.

Xie Zheng withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes again.

Once, when leading troops beyond the frontier, he had been buried in an avalanche for three days and survived. A little cold like this was nothing to him.

Though there was at least three feet of space between them, the fact that they were lying on the same bed made him uneasy.

Even siblings of the same blood could not share a room once they came of age, let alone a man and woman with no relation.

In this world, the only ones who could share a bed like this were husband and wife.

And the one sleeping soundly beside him now was this woman.

These chaotic thoughts robbed Xie Zheng of any drowsiness. When he heard Fan Changyu’s slow, steady breathing beside him, an inexplicable irritation rose in his chest. He sat up halfway, leaning against the headboard to ponder the current situation.

After sleeping for a while, Fan Changyu shifted onto her back.

Xie Zheng heard the movement and swept a cool glance her way.

She truly had a deceivingly innocent face. In sleep, she looked utterly harmless.

Yet when she was up to mischief, she wore the same guileless expression.

Sui Yuanqing… had probably been fooled by that very look, hadn’t he?

At the thought of that man, Xie Zheng’s eyes darkened.

He couldn’t quite name the feeling—like a wildflower he thought only he had noticed was actually being coveted by someone else.

His chest burned faintly, as if scorched by a candle’s flame. It didn’t hurt, but the heat was unbearable.

His gaze remained fixed on Fan Changyu’s sleeping face, his expression hidden in the darkness, growing even more inscrutable.

Perhaps sensing his stare in her dreams, Fan Changyu muttered discontentedly, "Not interested…"

Xie Zheng didn’t catch it clearly and frowned. "What?"

Fan Changyu mumbled something indistinct, not a single syllable audible. Xie Zheng had no choice but to lean closer to listen.

The cold radiating from him made Fan Changyu instinctively shrink away in her sleep. As she turned, her lips brushed lightly against his ear, and Xie Zheng froze completely.

Someone was too close. The unfamiliar presence wrapped around her, and after all she’d been through, Fan Changyu still had some vigilance left. Her eyelashes fluttered as she began to wake—but before her eyes could open, Xie Zheng pressed a cool fingertip to a pressure point on her neck, and she sank back into deep slumber.Xie Zheng rose without lighting a candle, relying on the faint snowlight filtering through the window as he poured himself two cups of cold tea at the table.

After drinking, he made no move to return to bed. Instead, he sat at the table, brows furrowed, his dark eyes fixed unwaveringly on the mound beneath the covers as if deep in thought.

A faint eagle cry seemed to echo through the night sky.

He lifted his gaze and slipped out of the room almost soundlessly, vaulting over the Wang family’s courtyard wall before walking some distance down the street. Only then did he raise his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle.

When a gyrfalcon delivering a message couldn’t find its recipient, it would circle above while crying out, only diving down upon hearing the answering whistle.

Within moments, a pure white gyrfalcon swooped down from the darkness. Xie Zheng extended his right arm, and the bird’s iron-like talons gripped firmly onto his sleeve. After a few steadying flaps of its wings, it folded them neatly against its body.

Xie Zheng retrieved the message tied to the gyrfalcon’s leg and read it by moonlight before crushing the paper into fragments between his fingers.

The Jizhou Prefecture office was also lit that night.

When Zheng Wenchang emerged from the prison and presented the confession to He Jingyuan, he bowed his head and said, “As you suspected, my lord, it was Changxin Wang’s men who ambushed our officers, disguised themselves as grain collectors, and went to Qingping County to demand grain. The massacre of the Ma village was also the rebels’ doing. This humble official suspects that the incident in Taizhou—where people were beaten to death over grain collection—must also be linked to the rebels in Chongzhou.”

He Jingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the row of warm yellow lanterns beneath the eaves and the swirling snow. His response seemed unrelated: “Wen Chang, where do you think those two hundred thousand dan of grain, after passing through Merchant Zhao’s hands, were ultimately sent?”

Zheng Wenchang didn’t understand why his superior and mentor had suddenly circled back to the grain issue but answered truthfully, “At first, this humble official assumed it was mere merchant greed. But even after grain was forcibly collected in Taizhou and Jizhou, Merchant Zhao never sold the grain at inflated prices. Given the current situation, it seems more likely the rebels were behind it. I believe if we raid Merchant Zhao’s residence, we’ll uncover several rebel hideouts.”

He Jingyuan shook his head. “You underestimate them. Tomorrow, see how many of the Zhao Family’s businesses remain in Jizhou.”

Zheng Wenchang lowered his head in shame. “Had I realized sooner and raided Merchant Zhao’s home, the disaster in Qingping County could have been avoided.”

He Jingyuan said, “It’s not your fault. The rebels exploited this loophole—and I bear responsibility for that. Had I not fallen for their trap, obsessing over forcing the grain buyer to reveal themselves and allowing Wei Xuan to enforce the grain collection so harshly, the rebels wouldn’t have been able to stir up such chaos, no matter how many spies they planted in Jizhou.”

Zheng Wenchang didn’t grasp his meaning and said in confusion, “My lord, you shouldn’t shoulder all the blame. From what I see, the grain purchase was a trap set by the rebels from the start. Wei Xuan is ambitious and reckless—he seized your official seal by leveraging his position as the Northwest Military Governor. That was beyond your control.”

He Jingyuan sighed deeply but said nothing.

This disciple of his was excellent in every way—except for being too rigidly upright, taking everything at face value.

Some things, in the end, could not be spoken too plainly.

Had Merchant Zhao not deliberately left traces, leading him to believe the two hundred thousand dan of grain had been purchased by Wu’an Marquis, he would never have assumed Wu’an Marquis had bought it solely to obstruct Wei Xuan.

In the struggles of those in power, it was always the common people who suffered.He allowed Wei Xuan to requisition grain, intending to make Wu'an Marquis see the price the common people paid for his personal vendetta, and also to determine whether the Marquis was the type to stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

It was precisely this delegation of authority that gave the rebels an opportunity.

With the people pushed to such extremes, Wu'an Marquis had no choice but to "appear," ordering his old subordinates from Yanzhou to deliver a military transfer order, recalling Wei Xuan and halting the grain requisition.

From behind the scenes, regardless of his motives, he had ultimately become a pawn in the rebels' scheme.

Today, upon arriving in Qingzhou and encountering the blue devil mask-wearing figure who turned the tide, He Jingyuan suddenly thought of a question.

What if he had been wrong from the start? What if Wu'an Marquis had never intended to use the people of Tai and Jizhou as bargaining chips to bring down Wei Xuan? Then why had he requisitioned those two hundred thousand shi of grain?

His long-closed eyes abruptly snapped open. "Jinzhou!"

Zheng Wenchang was puzzled. "My lord, what about Jinzhou?"

He Jingyuan strode back to his desk, unrolled a map of the northwest, and pointed at Jinzhou, his expression uncharacteristically grave. "Changxin Wang rebelled in Chongzhou, throwing the northwest into chaos. Wu'an Marquis fell in battle. What does this mean for the Northern Turks beyond the border?"

Zheng Wenchang grasped the implications, his scalp tingling. "This is the perfect opportunity for them to attack Great Yin."

He Jingyuan paced back and forth behind the desk, hands clasped behind his back. "Jinzhou is Great Yin's gateway, with Hui and Yan forming a triangular defense to stabilize the empire's borders. But all provisions must be allocated by the court. With Chongzhou in rebellion, the grain supply line is cut off. If Hui has no grain, where would Jinzhou get any? I was a fool! Those two hundred thousand shi of grain weren’t bought to frame Wei Xuan—they were a precaution for Jinzhou!"

Zheng Wenchang was stunned by this revelation. Connecting it with He Jingyuan’s earlier words, he finally understood the crux of the matter. "You mean... the Marquis bought that grain? Even after his defeat at Chongzhou, he foresaw the peril Jinzhou would face?"

He Jingyuan nodded slowly.

Zheng Wenchang said, "The Marquis's foresight is beyond our reach. Now that the rebels' scheme has been thwarted, with Hui holding firm and Jinzhou stocked with grain, this should be cause for celebration. Why does my lord still look troubled?"

He Jingyuan sighed. "If internal strife and external threats converge, how can this crisis be resolved?"

The question left Zheng Wenchang equally conflicted.

There were other things He Jingyuan left unsaid.

Wei Yan would never tolerate Wu'an Marquis's survival. Last time, he had sabotaged the Marquis on the Chongzhou battlefield. Now, if the Northern Turks and Chongzhou rebels attacked from both sides while the court deliberately withheld military provisions, He Jingyuan feared a repeat of the Jinzhou Massacre from seventeen years ago.

After standing silently for a long while, He Jingyuan finally said to Zheng Wenchang, "Continue sealing off Qingping County and root out all the rebels' spies. The waterways are dry in winter—this is the best time to dredge the silt. Wen Chang, once Qingping is settled, take men to clear the river route from Jizhou to Chongzhou."

If they could use the waterways, they could transport anything.

Zheng Wenchang’s heart skipped a beat as he bowed and withdrew.

Alone in the study, He Jingyuan heard the side door creak open. A white-haired, wrinkled elder stepped out and said, "Tell me—if that Wei fellow finds out you’ve been defying him like this, how many days do you think you have left to live?"

He Jingyuan replied simply, "In my position, I fulfill my duties. In my role, I bear my responsibilities. As long as I can face the people of this land with a clear conscience, that is enough."The old man shook his head with a wry smile and said, "When this old man comes next time to share wine and chess with you, I can only hope you'll still be alive."

He Jingyuan replied, "I await Grand Tutor's esteemed visit at any time. May I ask where the Grand Tutor plans to go next?"

The old man, dressed in tattered clothes with his white hair messily tied up by a wooden hairpin and a gourd of wine hanging at his waist, stretched lazily and said, "That brat Changxin Wang keeps sending people to disturb my peace at my thatched cottage every now and then. It's utterly annoying. This old man will wander around for now."

He Jingyuan lowered his eyelids and said, "I thought the Grand Tutor emerged from seclusion upon hearing of the Marquis's death on the battlefield."

The old man scoffed, "This old man may not have much skill, but in this lifetime, I've only taught one disciple. The person capable of taking his life hasn't even been born yet—otherwise, he'd have gained a junior brother."

He Jingyuan listened to the old man's words with a faint smile but remained silent.

Grand Tutor Tao had resigned and lived in seclusion for many years. After Changxin Wang rebelled, he repeatedly sent people to seek him out, ostensibly to invite him as an advisor but actually to have him teach his two sons.

The old man's last statement implied that he would only take another disciple if their talent surpassed that of Wu'an Marquis.

It seemed Changxin Wang's two sons had failed to catch his eye.

He Jingyuan asked knowingly, "After the Battle of Chongzhou, Changxin Wang's eldest son earned the nickname 'Little Wu'an Marquis.' Did the Grand Tutor not fancy him either?"

Grand Tutor Tao's expression darkened. "That brat—when he was ten, the chess manual I taught him somehow ended up in the hands of Changxin Wang's youngest son. What do you think Changxin Wang was scheming?"

He Jingyuan's face grew somber. "Little Wu'an Marquis"—was Changxin Wang raising his youngest son to emulate Wu'an Marquis?

Qingping County.

Fan Changyu woke up at the first crow of the rooster.

The sky was just beginning to lighten. Still half-asleep, she rolled over and was startled by the icy coldness of the other side of the bed, jolting her fully awake.

Sitting up with her hair tousled from sleep, Fan Changyu remembered that she had shared the bed with Yan Zheng the night before. She glanced toward the table and, unsurprisingly, saw Yan Zheng slumped over it, resting his head on his hand, asleep.

Judging by the coldness of the bed, he must not have slept there all night.

Fan Changyu couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart—perhaps a mix of frustration at her goodwill being unappreciated?

Then she wondered why she was even angry. His propriety should have pleased her, reinforcing her impression of him as a gentleman.

While she was still tangled in her thoughts, the man resting his head on his hand awoke at the rooster's crow. Meeting Fan Changyu's gaze, he paused briefly before saying calmly, "Awake?"

Fan Changyu nodded, running a hand through her hair. "We should have just gone back to town last night. Now you've gone another night without sleep."

Xie Zheng said, "I got up once during the night. Seeing it was almost dawn, I didn't go back to sleep."

Fan Changyu murmured an acknowledgment and didn't press the matter further.

It was just a matter of catching some sleep—he could do as he pleased. It wasn't like she was the one who had spent the night freezing and sleepless.

After breakfast at Head Constable Wang's house, Fan Changyu took Yu Bao'er and Xie Zheng back to town.

Changning had spent the night with Aunt Zhao and nearly burst into tears upon seeing Fan Changyu return. But spotting Yu Bao'er, she swallowed her tears, not wanting to embarrass herself.

With each other for company, the two children were so lively they might as well have been tearing the roof off. The only consolation for Fan Changyu was that Yu Bao'er no longer mentioned looking for his mother, and Changning seemed to have forgotten about the gyrfalcon.To capture the remaining accomplices of the thieves, Qingping County remained under strict martial law. However, Head Constable Wang sent someone to her home, and surprisingly, the county magistrate had secretly rewarded her with fifty taels of silver.

That day at the magistrate's residence, she had claimed to be under Head Constable Wang's command. It seemed that after the magistrate took credit for the achievement, he had offered this reward to win people over.

Fan Changyu understood the wisdom of keeping a low profile while profiting. Fame and reputation were useless to her—they might even bring trouble. Hard cash was far more practical.

After seeing off the officials, Changyu cheerfully went to hide the silver in her room. She ran into Xie Zheng and generously offered, "Want to split it half and half?"

Though this guy wanted to sever ties with her, the plan to lift the siege of Qingping County had been his idea. Moreover, he had saved her on the city wall. The accounts still needed to be settled properly.

Xie Zheng had noticed that in the two days since their return, Changyu had become noticeably more distant toward him.

She still greeted him with the same smile as before, but there was a clear difference in her demeanor that hadn't been there previously.

Suppressing the inexplicable irritation in his chest, he asked, "Does the government know my identity?"

Changyu shook her head. "I didn't tell anyone who you are. The magistrate wanted to take all the credit—he didn’t even mention Head Constable Wang’s name, so he probably wouldn’t bring you up either."

She herself didn’t want to be exposed, fearing retaliation from those people. When Yan Zheng had appeared on the city wall, he had even worn a mask. Changyu guessed he also didn’t want his identity revealed.

After all, offending those officials would only bring endless trouble.

Xie Zheng said, "This reward is yours. Why share it with me?"

Changyu replied, "Wasn’t the plan your idea?"

Xie Zheng lowered his gaze. "The magistrate gave you this silver not because you defended the city gates, but because you rescued him and captured the thieves. It has nothing to do with me."

Unable to argue with him, Changyu took the silver back to her room. Moments later, she returned carrying an armful of items. "You mentioned before that you were leaving—it was just bad timing with the county lockdown that kept you here these extra days. I’ve been preparing some things for you. Take these two sets of clothes for the road—you can change into them. The shoes are double-stitched, so they’ll last. Oh, and I also exchanged fifty taels into banknotes for you. They’ll be easier to carry…"

She rambled on like a mother sending her child off on a long journey. "I’ve also written the divorce papers. All that’s left is for you to press your fingerprint."

A letter of repudiation only required one party to write it, but divorce papers were different—they were meant to end the marriage amicably, so both parties needed to sign and press their fingerprints.

The stifling frustration that had been lodged in Xie Zheng’s chest these past days grew even more unbearable as she spoke.

Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, he studied her for a moment before suddenly smiling—a sharp, mocking smile. "How thoughtful of you to arrange everything for me."

Changyu didn’t engage in their usual banter. Instead, she said, "Life on the road isn’t like being at home. It’s best to prepare as much as possible. If you run into trouble out there, no one will be around to help you…"

An inexplicable surge of emotion churned in his chest, and the mocking smile on Xie Zheng’s face faltered. He averted his gaze to the snow piled on the courtyard wall and abruptly asked, "What about you? What are your plans from now on?"

Changyu chuckled. "Didn’t you already ask me that? As long as Qingping County remains peaceful, I plan to start my pig farm…"

Xie Zheng lifted his phoenix eyes slightly. "I meant—are you planning to marry someone, or will you continue seeking a live-in husband?"The question stumped Fan Changyu. She placed the pile of items on the table, walked to the steps by the door, and sat down. Gazing at the leafless pear tree in the courtyard, she thought for a moment before saying, "I’ll definitely get married eventually. As for whether I’ll take in a husband or marry into another family, we’ll see when the time comes."

Xie Zheng idly flicked a small pebble toward the pear tree, startling away the sparrows perched on its branches. "What kind of man do you like? If no one ever marries you or agrees to be your live-in husband, I’ll help you find someone," he teased.

Annoyed by his mockery, Fan Changyu snapped, "Definitely not someone with a temper like yours! With that sharp tongue of yours, you should worry about finding a wife yourself!"

Xie Zheng sat down with one knee bent, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips. "I wouldn’t marry someone like you either. I’d want someone gentle, virtuous, and skilled at managing a household." He tossed his last pebble with extra force, sending it flying far beyond the courtyard wall.

Fan Changyu glanced at his refined profile, then lowered her eyes with a wry smile. "I prefer someone gentle and scholarly—well-read, talented, humble, good-tempered, and cheerful. My mother used to say I’m too loud and brash, so I’d need a calmer man to keep me in check for a lasting marriage."

A faint, inexplicable ache rose in her chest—probably from missing her mother.

She added, "After all we’ve been through together, since you’re leaving soon, don’t curse me to a life of spinsterhood. I’ll wish you a gentle and virtuous wife, and you can wish me a refined and scholarly husband."

Xie Zheng said, "Fine."

His smile was breathtakingly beautiful.

When he stood, he even kindly offered her a hand. Having sat for too long, her legs were numb, so she placed her hand in his without hesitation.

The sudden shift happened in an instant—Fan Changyu was yanked forward with brutal force, crashing into his chest. The grip on her uninjured wrist was so tight it nearly felt like he meant to snap it.

He seized her jaw, tilting her face up, and descended on her lips with a savage, punishing kiss.