Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

The long-separated teacher and student talked by candlelight late into the night. When Xie Zheng insisted on personally seeing Grand Tutor Tao back to his quarters, the old man waved him off: "Enough of this formality between us. You should rest too—this old man can find his own way back."

Xie Zheng then instructed Xie Qi to escort Tao Taifu instead. After a pause, he added, "If she knew I asked you to adopt her as your goddaughter, she might refuse out of pride. Tomorrow when we break camp, I'll arrange for her to ride down the mountain in your carriage. She respects learned scholars greatly—if you could guide her in some reading during the journey and persuade her to accept you as her godfather..."

Tao Taifu raised his aged eyelids at such meticulous planning and asked, "Is she worth all this trouble?"

Standing at the tent entrance where candlelight cast his handsome profile into shadow, Xie Zheng answered firmly, "She is."

With a chuckle, Tao Taifu conceded, "Very well, as you wish." Then inquired, "What's the girl's name and birth details? Since I'm adopting her, this old man should give her a courtesy name."

"Her surname is Fan, named Changyu. Sixteen this year, born around the first month of Qingli Year Two," Xie Zheng replied, though he didn't know Changyu's exact birthday—she'd declined to share it when asked in Qingping County.

Tao Taifu's expression underwent remarkable contortions. So this was why Gongsun Yin had claimed to recognize Fan Changyu yet refused to elaborate—the trap had been set here all along!

Noticing his teacher's odd reaction, Xie Zheng frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Tao Taifu regarded him with complex emotions. "The girl I met on the road was also named Fan Changyu."

Xie Zheng recalled Changyu mentioning an eccentric but erudite old man she'd encountered during dam construction—one who constantly berated his students. His eyelids twitched violently.

Silence engulfed the command tent as teacher and student stared wordlessly at each other.

After a long pause, Xie Zheng ventured, "Teacher...were you detained by Jizhou's dam construction troops?"

The involuntary labor memories being distinctly unpleasant, Tao Taifu's mustache quivered with indignation as he counterattacked: "That girl told me her divorced husband had been a live-in son-in-law." Peering at Xie Zheng, he demanded, "Did you become her concubine-spouse during your exile?"

After a measured silence, Xie Zheng slowly affirmed, "Mn."

Tao Taifu shot his disciple an astonished look—he knew exactly how prideful this student was! When Xie Wu mentioned Fan Changyu killing Shi Hu, he'd instinctively suspected this connection. But how could Xie Zheng, of all people, agree to matrilocal marriage? Moreover, Shi Hu had been a formidable general who defeated all vanguard and left-flank commanders—how could a martial novice like Fan Changyu achieve such a feat?

Furthermore, Xie Zheng's description painted an intelligent, perceptive girl, whereas Tao Taifu remembered Fan Changyu as a stubbornly simple-minded lass. These discrepancies had convinced him they were different people sharing a surname—who could have imagined such cosmic coincidence!

Observing his usually brilliant disciple's uncharacteristic despondency, Tao Taifu cleared his throat while stroking his goatee. "In that case, we'll abandon plans to find her another suitor."Xie Zheng glanced at Grand Tutor Tao, who clearly read a hint of "Do you really think I'd go looking for someone else?" in that look.

Xie Zheng said, "The matter of taking her as an adopted daughter will still require your assistance, Teacher."

Grand Tutor Tao shook his head with a sigh. "You might not believe it, but when I met that girl on the road, I thought she was promising material. Though she lacks a bit in cleverness, her temperament is generous and her will is firm. With some polishing, she could become something remarkable. I had intended to take her as my disciple, but she repeatedly refused."

Xie Zheng recalled how Fan Changyu had recently told him with a sympathetic expression that the eccentric old man was lonely and likely wanted to take her as a disciple so she could care for him in his old age. She was too preoccupied with finding Changning to spare the energy for a temperamental old man, hence her polite refusal—which had left the eccentric old man sulking for quite a while.

Now, hearing Grand Tutor Tao explain the reason, Xie Zheng felt a peculiar sensation in his heart.

Seeing his silence, Grand Tutor Tao added, "She wouldn’t even agree to become my disciple back then. Now, asking her to recognize me as a foster father—this old man can’t guarantee she’ll agree."

Xie Zheng replied, "Do what we can, and leave the rest to fate."

Grand Tutor Tao sighed. "You two—just a pair of stubborn mules brought together!"

Xie Zheng remained silent.

After Grand Tutor Tao left, he stood alone with his hands behind his back, gazing absentmindedly at the dark night outside the tent.

The rain had stopped. In the distance, the orderly rows of military tents under the glow of campfires looked like small, dark mounds.

Xie Wu hesitantly approached and said, "Marquis, it’s already the third watch of the night. You should rest."

Xie Zheng’s thoughts were in turmoil, and he felt no trace of sleepiness. He ordered, "Go and reprimand the Left Guard Camp. The matter of her killing Shi Hu—keep it suppressed for now."

Xie Wu understood this was to protect Fan Changyu. If she didn’t plan to stay in the army, spreading this news would only bring her trouble.

He immediately clasped his fists and said, "Understood."

After Xie Wu withdrew, Xie Zheng ordered someone to bring his warhorse. Without any attendants, he rode alone aimlessly around the camp. Unconsciously, he arrived outside Fan Changyu’s tent. Sitting atop his horse, he quietly watched for a while before tugging the reins. His jet-black steed, its coat smooth as satin, turned and trotted into the deeper darkness of the night.

Inside the tent, Fan Changyu lay on the bed fully clothed, equally unable to sleep.

When the sound of hooves approached outside, she instinctively held her breath. The hoofbeats were light, as if deliberately slowed to avoid disturbing anyone.

After a long pause, the faint sound of hooves resumed, clearly moving away.

Who else would wander by her tent in the middle of the night just to check on her?

Realizing this, Fan Changyu felt a pang of complicated emotions. The events of the past few months flashed through her mind, making her even more unsettled.

Tossing and turning in an attempt to ease her restlessness, she nearly woke Changning. Rubbing her temples, she sat up and decided to go out for a walk as well.

She rose quietly, strapping a boning knife to her belt. As she stepped out of the tent, she noticed an unfamiliar soldier stationed near her quarters—seemingly on guard duty, though this area had never been patrolled at night before.

Fan Changyu’s eyes met his. The soldier stared back dumbly, his gaze a mix of panic and admiration. After a moment, as if remembering his duty, he guiltily averted his eyes.Fan Changyu guessed this was likely Xie Zheng's doing, and her emotions grew even more unsettled.

Familiar with the camp, she walked silently toward the outer perimeter of the encampment.

The personal guard had indeed been sent to protect Fan Changyu and her sister. Initially, Xie Wu and Xie Qi had been responsible for this task, but Fan Changyu had already grown familiar with them. If they were assigned to guard her, she would recognize them at a glance. Afraid she might be annoyed, Xie Zheng had instead dispatched a personal guard she hadn’t met before.

By the latter half of the night, the moon emerged from the dissipating clouds.

The mountain ridges in the darkness seemed dusted with silver, making the surroundings visible even without torches.

Fan Changyu stepped on the rain-softened earth, following the sound of flowing water toward the riverbank.

The wilderness was vast, filled with the alternating chirps of grass insects and croaks of frogs. The post-rain air was indescribably fresh, and taking a deep breath eased some of the heaviness in her heart.

If not for the drenched grass, she would have liked to spread her arms and lie down, sinking into the soft greenery, letting the peace of the night calm the restless thoughts in her mind.

A rustling sound came from the grass nearby. Fan Changyu paused, looking closely—only to see a pitch-black warhorse tied to a shrub. Further ahead by the riverbank, faint splashing sounds could be heard.

Recognizing the warhorse, Fan Changyu was startled and turned to leave, but the person by the river had already noticed her.

"Who's there?"

The cold, deep voice was followed by several stones hurtling toward her like meteors. Fan Changyu quickly rolled aside, barely avoiding the projectiles that could have pierced straight through flesh.

As she pushed herself up from the ground, a sudden chill pressed against her neck—the man who had been by the river moments ago now stood before her, water dripping from his body, a steel blade pointed at her throat.

"It's you."

Only after recognizing her did the sharpness in Xie Zheng's eyes fade. He sheathed his blade, scrutinized her briefly, then extended a hand to help her up, frowning as he asked, "Are you hurt?"

Fan Changyu shook her head, refusing his hand as she sat up on her own. Yet inwardly, she marveled at his speed.

She had seen him kill before, but this was the first time she had witnessed his beast-like alertness.

Though the blade had been withdrawn, the skin on her neck still prickled with lingering tension. The sensation of having her life in another's hands, even for just a moment, had left her heart pounding.

Xie Zheng said, "I thought you were an enemy scout."

Dressed in a common soldier's uniform, her hair tied in a simple knot for convenience, she could easily be mistaken for someone else in the dark from a distance.

Fan Changyu thought that if she truly had been an enemy scout, even if she had dodged the stones, she wouldn’t have escaped his blade.

Awkwardly, she explained her presence: "I couldn’t sleep, so I came out for a walk to clear my mind. I happened to see your horse and assumed you were by the river, so I intended to leave."

Xie Zheng wore only military trousers, having just emerged from the river, water still dripping from his body. Unconcerned about the wet grass, he sat down directly. A few strands of his soaked hair had escaped his tied-up crown, clinging messily to his face and neck, lending him a youthful air.

Hearing Fan Changyu’s words, he glanced up at her, seemingly surprised. "You couldn’t sleep either?"His collarbones appeared even more pronounced due to the way he sat with his arms propped behind him. Under the moonlight, his skin took on a pale, frosty hue. Water droplets from his damp hair fell onto his collarbones, tracing a path down his firm muscles before disappearing below his narrow waist...

Fan Changyu suddenly felt her face grow warm and quickly averted her gaze. Afraid he might misunderstand, she said, "I killed a lot of people today. It's weighing on my mind."

The word "also" in his statement made it clear he couldn't sleep either—hence his presence here.

As for why he couldn't sleep, the reason was obvious.

While his words had indeed unsettled her and robbed her of sleep, she had already given him a clear rejection. Admitting now that his words kept her awake would feel... strange.

Though the battlefield scenes were certainly another reason for her restlessness.

Xie Zheng recalled that time in Lin'an Town when she'd been so frightened after killing someone that she crept to his bedside at night. His gaze softened slightly.

He'd long known from Xie Wu that on the battlefield, she couldn't bring herself to deliver fatal blows to common soldiers—only striking non-lethal areas to disable them.

Despite such reverence for life, she'd still fought on the battlefield for him.

How could she dare?

His chest burned as if scalded, a voice in his mind screaming to pull her into his arms. His fingers dug deep into the muddy grass beneath him, yet he didn't dare overstep.

It felt like insects were burrowing through his veins, his bones trembling with restraint until he finally suppressed the roaring impulse in his chest. Forcing composure, he lowered his eyes and said, "After my first battle, I had nightmares all night too."

"The second time I fought, I killed even more than before. That night I didn't sleep—just trained at the drill grounds until exhausted. When I collapsed, I fell asleep instantly. No nightmares."

A cold sneer touched his lips as he recounted these old memories, unaware of the aura of violence rising around him.

Like a stray dog covered in wounds, instinctively baring its teeth at approaching footsteps, as if ferocity could prevent further harm.

Then a warm hand rested on his soaking hair, its heat penetrating the cold wet strands.

Xie Zheng raised his phoenix eyes—the silver moon reflected in them, along with Fan Changyu's sun-bright features.

Pressing her lips together, she gently patted his head as if comforting a child. "It's all in the past now," she said.