The moon reached its zenith, and the tide that had receded earlier in the night slowly rose again, gradually submerging the rocky island beneath their feet.
Pei You'an and Jiafu stood on higher ground, watching the small boat carrying Dong Chengmao and Xiao Yu slowly drift away.
The young boy stood at the prow, reluctant to part, his gaze fixed on the direction of the rocky island until the figures of the two standing there grew smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing from sight.
The rock where Jiafu had sat earlier in the night was now submerged by the tide. The sampan floated up, its hull swaying gently with the hidden currents stirred by the waves crashing against the rocks, emitting soft splashing sounds.
Pei You'an led her back into the boat.
At dawn, Yang Yun would drive the carriage out of the city again to fetch them, so the remaining hours of the night would be spent aboard the drifting boat.
Pushed by the undercurrents beneath its hull, the small boat drifted slowly toward the shore.
Jiafu lay nestled in Pei You'an's arms, covered by his outer robe. Feeling drowsy, she slowly closed her eyes.
Pei You'an did not sleep the entire night.
For most of the time, he gazed down at the sleeping face of the girl in his arms, half-outlined by the night. When she seemed to stir restlessly in her dreams, nuzzling blindly against his chest, he gently patted her back until she settled again.
By the time Jiafu awoke, the boat had already returned to the sheltered cove among the shallows from the previous night, and the sky was fully bright.
The carriage they had ridden the night before was parked by the coral trees in the distance.
The sampan drifted farther and farther with the waves, vanishing completely into the vast expanse of the sea. The events of the previous night—the Golden-Masked Dragon Lord and the boy named Yu—now seemed like nothing more than fragments of a dream woven into their moonlit voyage.
As they returned to the city, their carriage passed through the city gates, where a newly posted government notice had drawn a crowd. Some clamored loudly, while others sighed in dismay.
Pei You'an instructed Yang Yun to stop the carriage. Moments later, Yang Yun returned with news: the prefecture had announced an immediate port closure, prohibiting all vessels from setting sail, with no mention of when the ban would be lifted.
The Zhen family had already suffered significant losses from the warehouse fire, and now, with the maritime trade suspended, their fortunes were further threatened—almost as if their livelihood had been cut off. Seeing Pei You'an frown slightly, seemingly deep in thought, Jiafu, not wanting to trouble him, quickly said, "After what happened to Elder Brother last time, the whole family is still shaken. Besides, Grandmother hasn’t been well, and we’ve been meaning to slow things down anyway. We expected an official notice sooner or later. Now that it’s here, we’ll just have to wait patiently."
Pei You'an snapped out of his thoughts and gave a slight nod.
Upon arriving at the Zhen residence, the two freshened up and changed clothes. Liu Momo and Tanxiang led the maids in serving a meal, neatly arranging the dishes on a small table.
Jiafu, ravenous by now, sat down and began eating immediately. Finding the shredded duck particularly delicious, she picked up a piece and held it to his lips.
He glanced sideways, noticing the servants had already tactfully turned away, and smiled before accepting the bite. Then, he picked up a piece of honey-glazed cherry pork—one of Jiafu’s favorites—and placed it in her bowl.
She popped it into her mouth, savoring it, and when she noticed his gaze lingering near her lips, she instinctively licked them, catching a stray drop of syrup. She flashed him a sweet smile.
Pei You'an averted his eyes.
After the meal, the two went to visit Grandmother at her bedside.
Hu Shi had been gradually recovering over the past few days. After keeping her company for a while, Meng Shi assured them she would stay, urging the two to go and rest.Pei You'an had someone reply to the accumulated visiting cards on his behalf and stayed behind closed doors, accompanying Jiafu back to their room. After their midday nap, beneath the south-facing window, he was neatly dressed with the Panni Belt cinched around his waist, still meticulous in appearance. Jiafu, however, seemed unsatisfied with her nap, her apricot-like face and peach-blossom cheeks glowing, her dark hair lazily uncombed. She casually wore a lake-blue home dress, revealing a crescent-moon white Breast Wrap at her chest, her jade-like feet bare without silk socks, dangling over the edge of the couch as she leaned lazily against his shoulder.
Pei You'an explained a chess manual to her, reconstructing from memory the unfinished game they had played on the boat that day—the one she had disrupted—without a single misplaced piece. "Your first thirty-five moves were excellent, and I couldn't find any flaws. But after the thirty-fifth move, you rushed to set up a trap, lacking experience, which led to a losing move. Let me teach you how to win against me," he said.
Focused on placing the pieces, his eyes fixed on the board, he deliberately avoided looking at her and continued, "...See? If you move like this, the 'endgame' you create will be without worries. Losing won’t harm you, and winning brings unexpected gains. This is the true 'Carefree Endgame'..."
Jiafu had a plum in her mouth, one cheek slightly puffed as she murmured in agreement. Her small hand reached for a twelve-compartment white jade and emerald-inlaid fruit box filled with lychees, green plums, dried peaches, hazelnuts, and other treats. She picked out an apricot preserve, rolled over onto her back, and sprawled across his lap. Raising a slender arm, she smiled and held the apricot preserve to his lips.
Pei You'an’s voice trailed off. He looked down, his gaze lingering on her face.
The warm afternoon breeze, carrying the intoxicating fragrance of flowers from the courtyard, drifted in through the window, gently rustling the half-rolled bamboo blinds, which tapped lightly against the window frame. Sunlight filtered through the blinds, dancing across the girl’s upturned face as the shadows swayed. Whether it was the brilliance of spring or the radiance of her beauty, his vision blurred momentarily.
"Chess cultivates discipline. Sit up properly," Pei You'an said, his voice slightly hoarse, his expression stern.
Jiafu pouted. "Eat it."
Pei You'an turned his face away. "It’s sour. I won’t."
Jiafu spat out the plum, now glistening with her saliva, and took a bite of the apricot preserve, revealing a small white canine. "It’s not sour! Have a bite, then teach me."
Pei You'an held the apricot preserve in his mouth, the sweet-and-sour taste slowly dissolving on his tongue, filling his mouth with moisture.
As he looked down at the girl sprawled shamelessly across his lap, coaxing his affection, he suddenly recalled an old etymological explanation he had once read somewhere.
The character for "coquettish" (娇) combined "woman" (女) and "arch" (乔), where "arch" originally meant "to buck like a horse"—suggesting a woman acting unruly before a man, refusing to obey.
"Big Cousin, what are you thinking about?" Jiafu asked, noticing his prolonged silence and the odd look in his eyes as he stared at her. She lifted her hand, waving her delicate fingers in front of his face like a summoning charm.
Pei You'an swallowed the fruit along with the moisture in his mouth, gently lifted her off his lap, and stood up, turning his back to her. "I’ve heard the scenery at Qingyuan Mountain is quite beautiful. I’ve been in Quanzhou for days but haven’t visited yet. Since we have time this afternoon, why don’t you take me for a walk?"Jiafu happily agreed and immediately slipped on her shoes from the couch. She sent someone to inform Meng Shi, then dressed and did her hair. She also asked her brother Zhen Yaoting to come along, but he refused, so she let it be. The two of them, accompanied by just one or two attendants, traveled lightly and exited the Chaotian Gate in the northern part of the city. They journeyed leisurely to Qingyuan Mountain, enjoyed the scenery, and returned in the evening. Though their legs were sore, their spirits were high, as Pei You'an had mentioned visiting Zimao Mountain in the western part of the city the next day, intending to explore all the landscapes of Quanzhou with her.
However, upon returning home, as soon as they entered the gate, the gatekeeper came forward and said, "Young Master Pei, this afternoon, Prefect Chen Daren came in person and delivered an urgent dispatch from the court, addressed to you."
Pei You'an took the letter, broke the wax seal, glanced at it, and set it aside, his expression unchanged as if he had anticipated it. He only looked at Jiafu with a hint of apology in his eyes and said softly, "Fu'er, His Majesty has summoned me back to the capital. You’ve only just returned home, and Grandmother’s illness hasn’t fully recovered. Stay here for now—I’ll go ahead first and bring you back after some time. Is that all right?"
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