Ye Pingjun stared blankly at the steaming basket of chicken broth soup dumplings before her, unable to speak for a long while. Yu Changxuan glanced at her, then naturally reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his embrace. Feeling her spine instantly stiffen in resistance, he nonetheless leaned close to her ear and whispered with a soft laugh, "I was just teasing you earlier. If you keep ignoring me, I'll keep scaring you like this."
She finally turned to look at him, meeting the tender warmth in his dark eyes. Her heart involuntarily trembled, and she quickly averted her gaze, murmuring, "I don’t want any." As her shoulders relaxed—he had released her—he stood up and said, "Get some rest after you eat. I’ll be going now."
With that, he left. She remained rigidly seated on the sofa, lost in thought, her palms damp with cold sweat. Even her forehead was beaded with fine perspiration. Outside, the rain had lightened, droplets falling one by one from the eaves like the slow, measured drip of a night leak—each drop... then another... exuding a lonely stillness. Slowly, she drew her feet up, hugging her knees as she curled tightly into herself on the sofa, unable to stop shivering, her heart racing even more fiercely.
The next morning, Madam Li arrived at Maple Terrace in her family’s car. As the gatekeeper announced her, Pingjun, who had been sitting in the hall, had no time to retreat upstairs before Madam Li entered. Dressed in a white brocade cheongsam with a subtle floral pattern, Madam Li dabbed the sweat from the tip of her nose with a lilac silk handkerchief as soon as she stepped inside. Smiling at Pingjun, she exclaimed, "Dear sister, it’s been so long—I’ve missed you terribly!"
Pingjun sat on the violet velvet sofa, lifting her eyes briefly to Madam Li. Beaming, Madam Li approached and warmly settled beside her, taking Pingjun’s hands in her own. After scrutinizing her carefully, Madam Li smiled faintly and said, "Everyone says Fifth Master cherishes you as dearly as his own eyes—and it shows! You look healthier than before, and even more beautiful."
Pingjun quietly withdrew her hands. Madam Li’s eyes shifted shrewdly, but her smile remained. "Now that you’ve climbed to such heights and live a celestial life, shouldn’t you credit us for our part in it?" Pingjun raised her gaze to meet Madam Li’s, her clear, bright eyes starkly contrasting as she replied coolly, "Oh? Then I suppose I ought to indeed credit you for that."
Madam Li was taken aback by the icy chill in Pingjun’s eyes—she hadn’t expected this. After a moment’s silence, she smiled again and said, "Precisely. Think back to when Xue Ting was thrown into prison last time. If not for our Bo Ren pulling strings and vouching for him, he might not have gotten out so easily. Although he’s been released now, his record remains with the Special Service Division. I fear if Bo Ren ever slips up, he could be arrested again—and that would be unfortunate."
Pingjun stared at Madam Li, her lips pressed tightly together. Unfazed, Madam Li smiled serenely and turned to glance out the window. "They say the Yu family owns many private residences, but Maple Terrace is the most beautiful. Just look at this scenery—in all of Golden Mausoleum, who but the Yu family could boast such grandeur?"As soon as Madam Li finished speaking, a cinnamon-colored gold thread sparrow alighted on a cypress branch outside the window, chirping cheerfully. Madam Li exclaimed, "Ah, what a beautiful gold thread sparrow." Pingjun also glanced out the window, her eyes softening with warmth. "That's a hibiscus bird." Since hibiscus bird was another name for the gold thread sparrow, Madam Li smiled and said, "Judging by your expression, little sister, you must be quite fond of this hibiscus bird."
Pingjun didn't wish to elaborate further and merely nodded slightly. Madam Li continued with casual conversation, asking about her hobbies and whether she enjoyed watching movies or dining at Western restaurants. Pingjun responded with perfunctory nods until nearly noon, when Madam Li left with a cheerful smile.
A maid approached and said, "Miss Ye, it's time for lunch." Pingjun shook her head, stood up, and went upstairs. Pushing open the bedroom door alone, she noticed that several windows in the room were open. Outside, an unidentified tall tree bloomed with fiery red flowers, clustered densely and vibrantly. A fragrant breeze drifted in, rustling the pages of the books on the coffee table in front of the sofa. She walked over to straighten the books and, finding the carpet exceptionally soft, settled onto it, picking up a round fan nearby and holding it quietly in her hand.
Yu Changxuan returned a little after two in the afternoon. He went straight upstairs and pushed open the bedroom door, only to find the room seemingly empty. His heart tightened until he turned and saw her sitting on the carpet, her head resting against the coffee table, fast asleep.
He tiptoed over, placing his military cap and an item he carried on the side. She had fallen asleep using the round fan as a pillow against the table, with apricot-yellow tassels softly draping from her temple. A gentle breeze from the window stirred the wide sleeves of her white dress adorned with yellow dots, revealing a section of her pale, slender arm. It seemed as if a subtle fragrance wafted from her sleeves, captivating him and stirring his soul, intoxicating his senses.
The apricot-yellow tassels swayed in the wind, their fringe softly brushing against her snow-white cheek, enhancing her face's delicate beauty, like peach blossoms adorned with dew and apricot flowers veiled in mist. Holding his breath, he reached out to gently stroke her soft cheek, gradually cupping her warm face in his hand. His palm bore the gun calluses from years of practice. As if discomforted in her sleep, she slightly furrowed her brows and opened her eyes.
Upon waking, she realized their intimate position and that her cheek was still cradled in his hand. Startled, she recoiled backward. This instinctive evasion suddenly ignited his anger. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her close. His grip was forceful, causing her to wince in pain as she couldn't help but say, "Let go, you're hurting me."
Only then did he snap out of it. Seeing her pale expression, he quickly released his hold. She retreated slightly. Yu Changxuan gazed at her silently for a moment before smiling faintly and saying, "Look what I brought for you."He picked up an object that had been placed to the side—it was a birdcage containing a yellow Hibiscus Bird, its leg fastened with a golden chain. The bird was pecking at grains and drinking water inside the cage. Yu Changxuan smiled and said, "I know you like this Hibiscus Bird, so I specially got it for you. It has many amusing tricks—I’ll have it perform for us later. I guarantee it will make you happy."
Pingjun looked at the bird in the cage and shook her head. "I don’t want it."
Yu Changxuan asked, "Don’t you like the Hibiscus Bird?"
Pingjun replied indifferently, "Does it even deserve such a fine name? Only those flying freely outside are called Hibiscus Birds. The one trapped in a cage is nothing but a Gold Thread Sparrow."
Yu Changxuan’s hand, holding the cage, paused mid-air. He lifted his eyes to look at her calm expression, then glanced at the Gold Thread Sparrow in the cage. Realizing that his gesture had inadvertently struck a sore spot, he instantly lost interest. Setting the cage down, he forced a patient smile and said, "I have nothing to do tonight. How about I take you to see a movie?"
Pingjun replied, "I don’t like that."
Yu Changxuan looked at her again. "Then shall I take you for a Western meal?" Pingjun lowered her head, slowly fiddling with the apricot-yellow tassels on her round fan, and murmured quietly, "I don’t care for that."
The room fell silent, with only the wind blowing in from the window, rustling the orchid leaves on the windowsill. The smile on his face gradually faded as he stared at her. After a long pause, he finally spoke with unusual calmness, "You refuse this and dislike that. I’ve indulged you too much, letting you develop such a temper."
She kept her head lowered, lips pressed together, the apricot-yellow tassels slipping softly through her fingers.
He fixed his gaze on her, his eyes burning with intensity. "No one has ever dared treat me like this! I’ve tolerated your repeated testing of my patience, and still, you’re not satisfied?!"
Pingjun lifted her head to glance at him but then turned away. Her evasion infuriated him. He reached out and forcibly turned her face back toward him, his breathing slightly hurried. "Ye Pingjun, you…" He broke off mid-sentence, too angry to continue, and glared fiercely into her clear eyes. His gaze was scorching, as if sparks were about to fly.
Her face tilted upward, the outline of his fingers clearly imprinted on her chin. Without another word, he suddenly stood up, grabbed the birdcage from the table, and hurled it to the ground in a fit of rage. "Fine! You have such a temper—do as you please! I won’t bother with you anymore!"
The cage landed on the carpet and rolled away. The startled Gold Thread Sparrow flapped its wings frantically inside, its red eyes wide as it chirped wildly.
She turned her head away. "Stop this madness!"
Gritting his teeth, he stared at her indifferent face. "You’d better not push me to madness!"
A knock came at the door. Adjutant Wu Zuoxiao called from outside, "Fifth Master, Madam has called and asked you to come to the official residence."Yu Changxuan's gaze remained fixed on Ye Pingjun, who simply sat there without uttering a word. He felt as if a cold, hard lump of iron had settled in his heart, grating against him relentlessly. In the end, it was all because of her. He must have gone mad to let her torment him like this.
Finally steeling himself, he picked up his military cap and turned to leave.
A gentle breeze carried the rain, painting a scene of fleeting tranquility.
It was late autumn, yet also a turbulent season for the central government in Golden Mausoleum. The warlord conflicts were escalating. Chu Wenfu, the administrative chairman of the government, had misjudged the situation. Taking advantage of the recent instability north of the river, he had launched an attack on the Xiao Family Army and initially gained some advantages, seizing two railway trunk lines. However, over the past month, the Xiao Family Army had launched a fierce counterattack, advancing all the way across the Xi River. Chu Wenfu could no longer sit still and hastily requested the military committee chairman, Yu Zhongquan, to step in. Only then was the Xiao Family Army halted. As a result, Chu Wenfu became even more subservient to Yu Zhongquan.
Amid such circumstances, Jiang Xueting, the editor-in-chief of the influential political newspaper Name Report, openly condemned the central government's constitution as a mere formality, likening the government to a puppet. He fearlessly criticized the distorted political model of military control over the party, even penning a satirical poem that directly targeted the Yu and Chu families for their insistence on civil war while neglecting the resistance against Fusang. The poem read:
The fisherman tills the land but casts no net,
The harrow plows the earth but strikes no shark.
Whose delicate daughter, so fair and frail,
Would willingly become another's dodder flower?
When justice falters and hearts grow cold,
How long can your arrogance hold?
That morning, after the routine meeting at the Yu Family Mansion, Yu Zhongquan retained Gu Yigang and Zhang Xiaoxian, two key figures in the Yu Family Army, to discuss military affairs. Yu Changxuan stayed in the office to observe. He watched as they debated strategies around the tactical map for a long time, discussing advances and retreats. Suddenly, Gu Yigang chuckled and said, "After all, the Chairman is formidable. No one could have anticipated this lethal move!"
Zhang Xiaoxian also laughed, "It seems the Chairman is determined to take the life of the Xiao Family's young marshal this time!"
Yu Changxuan saw his uncles exchanging cryptic smiles and noticed his father turning to glance at him with a faint smile. Unexpectedly, his father spoke, "Changxuan, there's no need to rush. Within this year, I will ensure you achieve a great military feat on the battlefield."
Yu Changxuan glanced at the tactical map and noticed a concentration of firepower at Xiangping Pass. He was still pondering how his father intended to orchestrate this battle when Gu Yigang, sipping tea nearby, smiled and said, "I understand now. The finest steel must be used for the blade's edge. It seems the Chairman plans to use this move to secure Fifth Young Master's success."
Yu Zhongquan merely smiled faintly, "I do have that intention. But given his youth, if he is to become a commander, he will need both of you to support him."
Yu Changxuan, impulsive in his youth, could no longer contain himself. He stepped forward and said, "Father, I don't need any support. Let me face Xiao Beichen on my own and fight to the finish!"
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