Chapter 463: Chapter 447 Hint
When Xie Jue returned to the courtyard, Fang Chuning was accompanying Ruyi on the warm couch, playing around. Seeing him come in, she waved her hand, and Ruyi cheerfully called out "Father." Xie Jue removed his cloak to wash his hands, wiped off the water, and walked to the wardrobe to fetch a clean set of clothes to change into. Fang Chuning continued playing with Ruyi, but once Xie Jue returned, her gaze fell onto him.
The Second Young Master’s room was already small, without any screens to partition it, so every movement was within sight. Fang Chuning leaned lazily against a soft pillow, completely unrestrained as she openly watched him change his clothes. Xie Jue’s build was tall and upright, resembling the young poplar trees of the northwest: straight and vibrant with life. Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, clean skin, and graceful lines formed an extraordinarily handsome masculine figure. His every gesture was calm and deliberate, a sight remarkably pleasing to the eyes. It was regrettable that he was only changing his outer garments.
A beauty, no matter what they do, remains captivating—even intoxicating without the need for wine. Fang Chuning’s gaze carried a greedy, predatory quality, her always-smiling eyes seemingly veiled by a layer of moist haze, the kind that makes one drunk without drinking.
Speaking of wine, she came back to her senses and hurriedly hid the wine jug behind the warm couch.
After changing, Xie Jue came over to pick up Ruyi. "Up so early?"
Fang Chuning chuckled lightly, "We’ve been up for quite a while. He was restless and wanted to go out and play, so I took him to enjoy the snow for a bit."
"Went to the plum garden?"
Fang Chuning nodded, "The plum garden here at the City Lord Mansion rivals that of the Marquis Mansion—you must really like it."
"Yes, Ayu is thoughtful." Xie Jue replied warmly, wiping Ruyi’s lips, then sent for Lady Zhang. Fang Chuning lazily bent her legs, letting one hand casually rest on her knee, looking relaxed and unconcerned. Xie Jue glanced at her still-swollen face and casually asked, "The weather is cold; why aren’t you staying indoors to rest? Why take Ruyi out?"
"Your son is quite the handful, insisting on finding you. I had no choice but to take him out to play." Fang Chuning complained, feigning grievance, "My fingers are frozen red—you see..."
She stretched out her frostbitten fingers, deliberately acting spoiled.
Xie Jue took one look; they were indeed red but not seriously so—she was leaning heavily into playing victim. "Ruyi can handle the cold better than you," he remarked.
"..."
Once Lady Zhang arrived, Xie Jue handed Ruyi over to her, asking her to take him to eat something. Though reluctant to leave his father, Ruyi obediently followed Lady Zhang.
Fang Chuning asked, "Is Fengyu alright? What’s Han Ziqi stirring up?"
Xie Jue sat cross-legged, sipping tea. "The West State Salt and Iron Department offered him ten thousand sets of armor and weapons, far short of the twenty thousand he demanded. Han Ziqi refused and started causing trouble. Sannan plans to move against Jiangnan; Sannan hopes we’ll pin down Zhongzhou’s forces, while they strike the Commander-in-Chief’s stationed troops and swallow Yanyang. Once unified, Zhixu aims to declare himself emperor and seize the thirteen cities of Jiangnan."
"What a fantasy!" Fang Chuning couldn’t resist mocking, "A very pretty dream."
"If Sannan had come to me right after the Marquis Mansion’s incident, I might have agreed."
"Even if you agreed, Xie Zhixu would never consent."
"If I agreed, he would consent."
Fang Chuning shook her head. "No matter how much your decision goes against his heart, he’ll follow you. But for this, he absolutely won’t."
Xie Jue lowered his eyes and chuckled softly without responding. The opened window let in cold air, the sun was setting, and the temperature had dropped further. Xie Jue knew Fang Chuning couldn’t handle the cold well, so he removed the rod propping open the window and shut it, blocking the chill. The room quieted instantly, the only sound the bubbling water on the stove.
Fang Chuning understood him, and also knew Zhixu’s nature.
"How much chance does Sannan have if they start a war?" Xie Jue asked.
"No idea!" Fang Chuning confessed, unfamiliar with Jiangnan’s battlefield, "I’ve never been to the southern battlefield. The terrain there is different from Ningzhou. Sannan’s army drills these past few years seemed weak—it’s unclear if that’s genuine or feigned—and I’ve heard of no particularly skilled generals from Sannan. But I trust Father won’t let Jiangnan fall; the Fang Family has defended Jiangnan for three generations. If there were truly any mishaps, Zhongzhou’s forces could reach the battlefield in two days. We’ve been conducting joint military exercises partly with southern warfare in mind."
"What if Zhongzhou’s army can’t mobilize?" Xie Jue slowly lifted his gaze, directly meeting Fang Chuning’s eyes, his look still calm.
Outside, the wind howled fiercely, making the lanterns under the eaves sway and dance wildly. Though the window blocked the gusts, Fang Chuning still felt a chill pierce straight to her heart. "Ting Feng—are the Beiman about to move?"
Xie Jue chuckled. He had assumed Fang Chuning would ask whether he and Xie Xun planned to stall Zhongzhou’s forces, but instead, she asked about the Beiman.
"Han Ziqi has suggested that if we send troops to assist, the Beiman will seize the opportunity to strike." Xie Jue’s expression turned grave. "If Ningzhou Iron Cavalry and the Beiman battle, it would become a protracted war, shattering the hard-won peace we’ve maintained."
"Han Ziqi must be bluffing. If he were certain of victory, why seek your cooperation? And mentioning the Beiman in front of the Xie Family is practically asking for death! What’s your take on this?"
"If I were already in Zhongzhou, and Zhixu had ascended as emperor, this matter would be manageable—we simply fight. But for now, it’s rather tricky," Xie Jue remarked lightly. "We and the imperial court remain divided. All we can do is watch as Jiangnan and Sannan clash."
Fang Chuning laughed, "Ting Feng, your hint was a bit too obvious."
"What did I hint at?"