Chapter 290: Chapter 283: Enchanted by Love
Xie Xun, adept at bandit suppression, had instilled fear in the robbers and horse thieves across the twelve provinces. This group of bandits had wreaked havoc in these regions for years, ruthless and ferocious, yet when faced with the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry, they had no choice but to surrender. No matter how the bandits and horse thieves proclaimed themselves kings of the mountains, they could only assemble a few thousand people at most. Some of the bandits were forced into their outlawry to escape Ningzhou’s military conscription.
Xie Xun relocated nearly twenty thousand bandits to Huangzhou and West Continent. He summoned Prefectural Magistrate Wang from Shun City to Huangzhou; Wang brought two thousand men to settle ten thousand of the bandits there, hoping they’d take root in Huangzhou. The situation in West Continent was more complicated due to the iron mines, which already had bandits, and collusion between officials and merchants. Xie Xun entrusted this issue to Fengyu.
Though Prefectural Magistrate Wang had governed for many years and managed Shun City well, Xie Xun felt that mere administrative tact couldn’t resolve West Continent’s problems. Fengyu was more ruthless and decisive compared to Wang—West Continent’s issues couldn’t be delayed, as prolonged uncertainties would only cause more harm. Hence, entrusting Fengyu was a better choice.
The larger bandit factions had been eradicated by Xie Xun, leaving only small groups of about a hundred men. These minor outlaws were left to Nuanyang, who would remain by Fengyu’s side with five thousand troops for smaller-scale clean-up operations. The State Mansion only intervened for large gatherings of bandits.
After suppressing the bandits, Xie Xun rushed to Jinzhou without rest. Fengyu had just gone out to attend a banquet when Xie Xun arrived in Jinzhou. He first inspected the silver and grain supplies outside the city, finding both to exceed Xie Jue’s initial estimates. Loading the silver and grain onto carts would take two days, and dry rations for the Iron Cavalry’s return to Ningzhou would also be prepared in the city. Xie Xun estimated they would depart for Ningzhou the day after tomorrow.
After handling military affairs, Xie Xun went to pick up Fengyu, only to find her utterly drunk. Fengyu, delicate and frail, wasn’t good with alcohol—she would collapse after just one cup of fruit wine. Under Fang Lingjun’s tutelage, however, she had learned to drink a few cups of fruit wine. In Ningzhou and across the twelve provinces, due to regional customs, both men and women were heavy drinkers, accustomed to strong spirits with a lingering kick.
"How did you let her drink so much?" Xie Xun’s expression darkened, his voice stern.
Qiuxiang and Chunlu trembled, lowering their heads obediently to accept his reprimand.
The young Marquis had become Prince Qin, no longer smiling with reckless abandon like a spring breeze. Now there was a sharpness about him that made people avert their gaze. Months ago, Qiuxiang might still have dared to retort and bicker with the young Marquis. But now, she wouldn’t risk it—although Xie Xun had never punished her, Qiuxiang no longer dared act out of line.
"He’s so fierce!" Fengyu, her slender fingers pointing at Xie Xun, slurred her words, drunk and bleary-eyed, the world before her a hazy blur. Every word she spoke seemed to dance on the edge of Xie Xun’s patience. "Who is he? Get rid of him!"
Qiuxiang and Chunlu shivered in fear.
The crescent moon cast a silvery glow, stretching the shadow of the young maiden on the steps into a slender silhouette. Xie Xun turned slightly to the side, their shadows overlapping by a mere inch as he lowered his voice into a deep murmur. "Who am I?"
The drunken girl, oblivious to danger, seemed equally aggrieved and resentful. "You’re too fierce!"
"I’m fierce?"
"Uh-huh!" Fengyu nodded innocently, her misty, wide eyes exuding purity. "Fierce!"
He looked so much like Zhixu!
Xie Xun wrapped his arm around her slender waist, hoisting the girl onto his shoulder with rough impatience before whistling. Zhuifeng trotted over.
Fengyu’s stomach pressed painfully against his shoulder, making her nauseous. She flailed her arms and reached toward Qiuxiang and Chunlu. "Help! Chunlu, save me!"
Qiuxiang and Chunlu could only watch helplessly. Poor girl, we can’t fight the Prince!
Feiying, Nuanyang, and the accompanying guards had long turned their heads to gaze at the moon, pretending not to notice.
Xie Xun held down the squirming Third Miss’s legs and gave her a light slap on the rear. "That’s right, this is a robbery. You’re coming with me to be my mountain bride!"
Fengyu’s eyes brimmed with tears at the slap. What Xie Xun deemed a gentle tap felt anything but gentle to Fengyu.
"You hit me?"
"So what if I did?"
Fengyu struck him across the face, her actions delivering the message: hit me, and see what happens!
The guards watched in stunned silence as the Prince was slapped. Just as they had lowered their heads to mount their horses and prepare to leave, they collectively turned to stare at the moon again, their synchronization unnervingly precise.
"Impressive!" Xie Xun gritted his teeth, tossing Fengyu onto Zhuifeng’s back with ease before mounting the horse himself, holding her securely with one arm as he rode back to the mansion.
Fengyu woke up past midnight, during the deepest hours of the night. Slumped against the edge of the bed, she dry-heaved until nothing came out. Chunlu and Qiuxiang brought her hot water and tea to sober up. Fengyu drank the tea but immediately threw it up, her stomach churning as she expelled the remnants of alcohol.
"Feeling better, miss?"
After rinsing her mouth and drinking some hot tea, warmth finally spread through her stomach. "How did I get back?"
Chunlu cautiously asked, "Miss, don’t you remember?"
Fengyu blinked in confusion. She remembered having a few drinks at the banquet but nothing afterward. Chunlu elaborated, "The Prince brought you back."
"Zhixu is here in Jinzhou?" Fengyu’s spirits lifted as she threw on a robe. Stepping outside, she saw the bright moon hanging in the sky and paused. "What time is it?"
"Fourth watch," Chunlu replied. (Between 1–3 a.m.)
Fengyu thought of Xie Xun’s frantic schedule and imagined how exhausted he must be after suppressing the bandits. She longed to see him but didn’t want to disturb him while he rested.
Qiuxiang chimed in, "The Prince just woke up; he’s practicing his swordsmanship in the courtyard."
Trepidation gripped Fengyu’s heart as she walked into the courtyard. Moonlight spilled across the ground, the shadows of trees rustling in the oppressive heat of the late-night breeze. The sharp sounds of a longsword slicing through the air rang loud in the still night.
Xie Xun, dressed in black and with his waist tightly cinched, flourished his longsword with grace. His left leg, now healed, was free from the poison that had once plagued him, enabling movements ever more fluid. He was swift and splendid, moving like a startled phoenix and swimming dragon. Fengyu watched him, caught between amazement and an aching sadness—he couldn’t sleep during the night, haunted by memories of that night in the Capital City.
That night was a bone-deep agony, etched into him, tormenting him endlessly.
Who would be with him to endure these long, lonely nights once he returned to Ningzhou?
From the oppressive heat, sweat poured down after a set of swordsmanship practice. Fengyu sat under the veranda, smiling at him. "Come have some hot tea."
Upon seeing her, Xie Xun raised an eyebrow and strode over while wiping his sweat. He had his sleeves rolled up, revealing a glimpse of his toned arm. He wiped at the back of his neck, and as he approached, Fengyu noticed the cut on his lip, bleeding conspicuously.
"Your... lip! What happened?"
Xie Xun tossed the embroidered handkerchief onto the banister, licking the wound with the tip of his tongue. He smirked mischievously. "A drunken cat bit me."
"Drunken cat?" Fengyu froze as if struck by lightning. Her muddled mind suddenly recalled fragments—Zhixu had come to the banquet to fetch her, and she drunkenly accused him of being fierce, claiming she didn’t know him. Zhixu lost patience and aggressively hoisted her onto a horse. She flailed helplessly on his shoulder, receiving a slap before she retaliated by slapping him.
Fengyu gasped aloud. She had actually slapped Zhixu in front of his guards and soldiers?
It only got worse from there. Drunk and feeling nauseous, she had been agitated, crying and shouting, all of which Xie Xun had brutally suppressed.
At the mansion’s entrance, she threw a tantrum refusing to get off the horse. When Xie Xun tried to carry her down, unable to fight him, she bit his lip hard to vent her anger.
Feiying and Nuanyang, along with several hundred guards, had watched in shocked silence, caught off guard by the spectacle. Half of these newly picked soldiers were from the Kyoto Capital Guard, youthful and exuberant. One particularly bold soldier had let out a surprised "Wow!" which echoed awkwardly, and the entire unit descended into eerie silence. At the Prefectural Magistrate’s Mansion, they had gazed upward at the moon, but here, they stared downward at their shoes, none daring to meet the Prince’s eyes.
Fengyu bit him until she drew blood, then collapsed on his shoulder and slept soundly.
"Why are you blushing? Didn’t you say you couldn’t remember?" Xie Xun sneered, tilting his head back to drink some hot tea. The smooth warmth coursed down his throat as he eyed the Third Miss’s increasingly reddened face.
The tea neither quenched his thirst nor relieved his parched tongue.
"I... I don’t remember," Fengyu muttered, trying her best to uphold the lie, though her fiery-red ears betrayed her.
She felt utterly embarrassed at the thought of facing Xie Xun’s guards again.
It’s fine, Fengyu assured herself. Don’t panic!
They’d soon return to Ningzhou.
"Oh, really?" Xie Xun’s smile vanished abruptly as he gripped her chin firmly. "Fengyu, who am I?"
"Xie Zhixu." Fengyu’s misty eyes stared back at him innocently.
Once again, she recalled her foolish behavior—calling him fierce, asking Qiuxiang who he was, and telling them to send him away.
Disaster!
"That’s right, I am Xie Zhixu. You’d better remember it clearly." Xie Xun lowered his gaze, concealing the sharpness in his eyes as his thumb pressed firmly against her lower lip, rubbing hard. "If you dare ask me who I am next time, Ayu, you’ll face punishment."
A faint shiver coursed through Fengyu’s body as fear swept over her. Her scalp tingled; she didn’t want to imagine how Xie Xun might punish her.
The Third Miss knew how to admit her mistakes, meekly offering an apology, "I’ll never drink again."
Xie Xun arched a brow, unconvinced. Fengyu raised two fingers, "I swear."
Xie Xun laughed. "Didn’t you say... you couldn’t remember?"
Fengyu, speechless, "..."