That evening's unexpected incident seemed to have left no mark on Pei You'an—it passed like water off a duck's back, leaving him as calm and composed as ever. But for Jiafu, all the joy and excitement she had felt since being taken along on this journey was like a tender sprout just emerging from the earth, frozen by an untimely frost before it could stretch its branches in the spring breeze and dew.
Jiafu regretted her impulsive words, but it was his response that served as another reminder.
She had celebrated too soon.
Pei You'an treated her well, tolerated her, understood her little schemes, and even yielded to her—like agreeing at the last moment to bring her along this time. Yet the barrier he had erected between them was so solid that Jiafu could hardly see any hope of breaking through. Worse still, she didn’t have the luxury of time to slowly win his affection or make him fall for her—and truth be told, in front of Pei You'an, she had no confidence in herself. Apart from the looks that had brought her misfortune in her past life and seemed destined to do so again in this one, what else did she have? How could a transcendent man like Pei You'an possibly like her, let alone agree to marry her?
Yet the thought of marrying him had taken root in her heart from the moment it first sprouted, and Jiafu couldn’t shake the temptation to draw closer to him, to find a branch she could perch upon.
What could she possibly do to make him agree?
This new setback, much like her thoughtless outburst, had struck without warning. Though her spirits were dampened, she had learned her lesson from the last time she sulked and skipped a meal. The next day, as the hour of his return approached, she mustered a smile and went to wait for him. Before long, she spotted his figure in the distance—accompanied once again by the young master of the chieftain's residence, An Cangzhu, who had walked with him the day before.
An Cangzhu had caught up with Pei You'an along the way. He was a dark-skinned, strapping young man with thick brows, a high nose, and a single earring. A short dagger hung at his waist, its sheath studded with colorful gemstones. Pei You'an had once saved his life, so An Cangzhu held him in high esteem.
After discussing his father’s upcoming meeting with the Grand Chieftain of Mengding, Yi Sang, An Cangzhu suddenly asked, "Lord Pei, your cousin—is she betrothed?"
The meeting between the two Grand Chieftains of Meng Mu and Mengding at the border pass of Anlong the next day had been arranged by Pei You'an himself. The matter was of great importance, and he had been deep in thought about it the entire journey. Caught off guard by An Cangzhu’s question, he turned to glance at the young man, noticing the faint awkwardness on his face and the eager anticipation in his eyes. After a brief pause, Pei You'an understood.
In terms of age, he wasn’t much older than this young master of the chieftain's residence. But standing beside this vibrant, energetic youth, Pei You'an felt a fleeting trace of autumnal melancholy settle in his heart.
He wasn’t particularly inclined to discuss Jiafu with the young man, but he answered nonetheless, "She remains unmarried."
An Cangzhu’s eyes brightened. "Where is her family from?"
"Quanzhou," Pei You'an replied.An Cangzhu immediately grew excited. "I know of Quanzhou! In my childhood, my father hired a tutor for me who happened to be from Quanzhou as well. I heard from him that Quanzhou is a land of abundance, with harbors everywhere—hundreds, even thousands of ships come and go daily. Seventy or eighty percent of the world’s rare treasures come through Quanzhou! There’s a wealthy merchant family surnamed Zhen in Quanzhou who specializes in maritime trade. Since my cousin also shares the surname Zhen, could she be related to that Zhen family?"
Pei You'an replied vaguely, "Her family does own a few ships..."
An Cangzhu eagerly cut in, "That’s wonderful! Lord Pei, would you allow me to speak with my cousin directly? My father is looking to purchase a batch of spices, but we fear being taken advantage of due to our remote location—substandard goods being passed off as quality. Since my cousin’s family has ships, they must also deal in spices. Wouldn’t it be perfect if I could negotiate with her directly?"
Pei You'an’s guest quarters were just ahead. As he hesitated, An Cangzhu looked up and spotted Jiafu standing at the doorway, craning her neck to watch them. His face lit up, and without waiting for Pei You'an, he hurried over and called out, "Cousin Zhen!"
Jiafu recognized him as the young master from the chieftain’s estate she had met the day before. Seeing him greet her with a beaming smile and address her as "Cousin Zhen" in such a familiar tone, she was momentarily taken aback. She glanced at Pei You'an, who had followed behind, unsure of what was happening. Out of courtesy, she responded with a curtsy.
An Cangzhu quickly waved his hands and began by apologizing for his sister’s behavior the previous day, saying he had reprimanded her and that she wouldn’t dare cause trouble again.
The scuffle from yesterday had been satisfying in the heat of the moment, and Pei You'an had shielded her afterward, not scolding her once for her recklessness. But afterward, reflecting on how she—someone who had lived two lifetimes—had ended up in such an undignified tussle with a young girl, she found it absurd and hardly something to be proud of. She had no desire to bring it up again, so she responded vaguely.
An Cangzhu hadn’t come just to apologize. After the opening remarks, he said, "I just heard from Lord Pei that your family is from Quanzhou and owns ships that trade overseas? I’m currently looking to purchase a sizable batch of spices, with plans for future orders as well. Would your family be interested in this business? We’ll follow all your rules regarding deposits and delivery. If it’s convenient, I’d love to discuss the details with you now."
This came completely out of the blue. Jiafu was stunned and instinctively looked to Pei You'an.
He stood behind An Cangzhu, his expression neutral, no different from usual. Jiafu couldn’t discern his thoughts, but without hesitation, she replied, "Thank you for your kind offer, Young Master. Unfortunately, while my family does own a few ships, we haven’t dealt much in spices these past two years. I’m afraid we can’t take on this business."
Unfazed, An Cangzhu pressed on, "Since you’re from Quanzhou, you must know some reputable merchants. Could you introduce me to a few reliable ones?"
Jiafu wore an apologetic expression. "I’m truly sorry, but I’ve spent my days at home embroidering and painting, with no knowledge of outside trade. I’m afraid I can’t be of help to you, Young Master."
Disappointment flickered across An Cangzhu’s face, but soon he brightened again. "No matter! I was thinking—Lord Pei has been quite busy lately and may not have time to accompany you. Since you’ve come to our lands, you’re an honored guest of the chieftain’s estate. We have a few scenic spots worth visiting. If you’d like, I can arrange for someone to show you around. What do you say?"He turned to Pei You'an and said, "Lord Pei, I see my cousin staying in the guesthouse all day without stepping out, which must be quite stifling. Since you've traveled such a long way to resolve the disputes in our Mengmu Prefecture, working so diligently, it’s only right that I fulfill my duties as host."
Pei You'an couldn't help but glance at Jiafu, and their gazes met in the air. He noticed the faint curve of her lips, a subtle smile, her gentle brows and shimmering eyes—her demeanor soft and alluring, carrying an ambiguous undertone that seemed to flow solely between the two of them, unnoticed by others.
This sensation was incredibly elusive, hard to grasp, yet pervasive.
For a fleeting moment, he doubted his own eyes and instinctively looked again, but Jiafu had already turned away, and the moment vanished like smoke. Pei You'an watched as she smiled at An Cangzhu and replied, "I wouldn’t dare trouble the young master. To be honest, the reason I accompanied my elder cousin here is because I was unwell and needed his treatment. It just so happened that he had to come to your esteemed land, and since the treatment couldn’t be interrupted midway, he brought me along. Once I’ve fully recovered, I’ll gladly accept your hospitality—how does that sound?"
Her response was flawless—it explained Pei You'an’s seemingly inexplicable decision to bring her along while tactfully declining An Cangzhu’s enthusiastic invitation.
Pei You'an snapped out of his daze and glanced at her once more.
Her bright eyes were fixed on the chieftain’s son, her expression earnest.
An Cangzhu was disappointed yet again and could only nod, urging her to rest well before leaving dejectedly.
Jiafu followed Pei You'an inside, eagerly bringing him tea with a smile. "Cousin, why have you returned so early today? Will you be going out again tonight?"
Since arriving here, Pei You'an had been meeting all sorts of people daily, and tomorrow was a critical day for their mission. His mind had been heavy, but now, watching her bustling around him, his mood inexplicably lightened. He smiled. "Everything’s been arranged. I’ve declined the chieftain’s banquet and won’t be going out tonight. I’ll rest early—there’s important business tomorrow."
Jiafu was delighted. "That’s wonderful! Cousin, please sit. Let me check on the sweet soup I made—once it’s ready, I’ll bring you a bowl."
Pei You'an had never been fond of sweets, but since she had a sweet tooth, he had grown accustomed to it. He gazed at her retreating figure, lost in thought for a moment.
...
Early the next morning, Pei You'an, An Jilong, and their party left the chieftain’s residence and arrived at Anlong Pass, the border between Mengmu Prefecture and Mengding Prefecture. Here, under Pei You'an’s mediation, An Jilong and Yi Sang, the chieftain of Mengding, would hold a meeting to resolve the recent resurgence of disputes.
This new conflict stemmed from the recently departed Pacification Commissioner, Lord Ma. During his tenure, he had deliberately favored An Jilong, bestowing upon him the imperial title of "Grand Chieftain," and with a mere verbal decree, he casually allocated the long-disputed Anlong Pass entirely to An Jilong. This provoked Yi Sang’s resentment, and as soon as Lord Ma left, Yi Sang broke the years-old alliance under the pretext that ancestral lands must not be lost under his watch, launching another attack on Mengmu Prefecture.
The meeting place had been chosen here precisely to reassure both parties. The open plain was surrounded by unobstructed terrain—no trees or boulders to hide behind, no possibility of ambush. Each side’s retinue would be fully visible.
As previously agreed, An Jilong brought only twenty elite guards. Upon arrival, he ordered them to halt several yards away on the open ground while he and Pei You'an took their seats.There were still two quarters of an hour left before the agreed time, and all the invited chieftains—except for Yi Sang—had already arrived to bear witness. Everyone present knew Pei You'an, and upon his arrival, they greeted him warmly. After exchanging pleasantries, Pei You'an unhesitatingly took the central seat, with An Jilong seated to his left. The right seat remained empty, awaiting Yi Sang's arrival.
As the sun climbed higher, the appointed time arrived, yet Yi Sang still had not appeared. An Jilong's expression darkened, and the chieftains murmured among themselves. Moments later, a massive cloud of dust kicked up by galloping horses appeared on the horizon, moving steadily closer. Judging by the commotion, there were at least several hundred men in the approaching party. As they drew near, it became clear—it was the belated Yi Sang.
Originally, both sides had agreed to bring no more than twenty guards each. But before the meeting had even begun, Yi Sang had not only arrived late but also broken the rules by bringing such a large force. Standing beside An Jilong, An Cangzhu's face flushed with anger, and he immediately said, "Father, what is he trying to do? I'll go muster our men at once!"
Before setting out, An Jilong had also brought several hundred men as a precaution, but the rest of his forces had been stationed several miles away and were not present here.
An Jilong was equally furious. He glanced at Pei You'an, who remained unmoved, sitting composedly with his gaze fixed ahead, his expression calm. After a moment's thought, An Jilong suppressed his anger and said, "He must be trying to intimidate us. But with Lord Pei here, he wouldn’t dare act recklessly. Let’s wait and see."
OpenNovel