Chapter 456: Chapter 440: Beauty
Xie Xun said he would keep an eye on Fang Chuning, and he really did. Sitting there, watching Fang Chuning and Xie Jue play chess, although his skills were no match for Xie Jue’s, he wasn’t entirely unskilled. Observing from the side, he could grasp some insights, but he couldn’t embody the silent demeanor of a true gentleman observing chess. Instead, he insisted on directing Xie Jue on how to play his moves.
Xie Jue endured his interference but didn’t follow his advice even once.
After losing one game to Fang Chuning, Xie Xun suggested, "Second Brother, if you listen to me, you’re guaranteed to win."
Fang Chuning rested his chin on his hand, looking at Xie Xun with a half-smile. With that completely disorderly playstyle of his, Xie Jue had already lost long ago. "Go fetch Ruyi."
"...Alright!"
Feeling dismissed, Xie Xun had no choice but to go find Ruyi.
Finally, peace returned to Xie Jue’s world. But then, he noticed Fang Chuning gazing at him intently. Xie Jue, unfazed, picked up a porcelain plate, placed the roasted sweet potatoes on it, and set them aside to cool.
One was for Fang Chuning, the other for Ruyi when he arrived.
"When are you heading back to Jiaozhou?" Fang Chuning casually asked while fiddling with a chess piece, as if chatting casually, his tone completely relaxed.
Xie Jue responded in kind, "After the New Year."
"By then, my injury should be mostly healed. Let’s go together."
"You’re staying until after the New Year?"
"Over the years, I’ve cultivated a circle of confidants in Zhongzhou, people I can trust. This time, I came because of Han Ziqi’s matter, but it hasn’t been resolved yet. Once Fengyu replies to him, I still have other business to discuss with him." Fang Chuning continued, "Father wrote me a letter, asking me to block this deal. If you want to look at his troop deployment, just ask me. Why go through all the trouble?"
"So forthright?"
Fang Chuning stared at the chessboard, deliberating on his next move. "The court and Ningzhou won’t come to blows again this year, and troop deployments can always be adjusted. What’s the harm in telling you? In fact, I also want to know how Father plans to arrange things. In these past two years, our communication has been minimal. Reports from Sannan... I seldom see those either."
"Why would the Marshal keep the Sannan war reports from you?" Xie Jue’s face grew heavy. "Back in Ningzhou, the Marshal frequently discussed battle situations with Father. Even after returning to the capital, his reports were sent every now and then. You’re stationed in Zhongzhou, a critical location, so there’s no reason for him to keep you in the dark."
Fang Chuning placed his next move on the board before raising a teacup to wet his throat. The sweet aroma of roasted sweet potatoes teased his appetite. "I’m in charge of Zhongzhou, officially its commander. I’ve also fostered a group of my own confidants. Yet this group is more loyal to Father, as they were sent here by him to keep me in check. I can even guess his dilemma: on one hand, he wants me to secure Zhongzhou as quickly as possible; on the other hand, he fears I might grow too dominant here. I have no clue what he’s thinking. Back then, he shared battle intel with the Marquis because the northern and southern fronts were deeply interconnected. These days, Zhongzhou’s main concern is guarding against the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry."
From his words, Xie Jue finally understood.
Fang Chuning took a small knife and sliced the sweet potato open. Its scent mingled with the rising steam, tantalizingly appetizing. The motion of his Adam’s apple suggested his hunger. The two of them had once relied solely on sweet potatoes and water to survive. For five days straight, the same meal had left them repulsed. Now, years later, the taste brought a faint sense of nostalgia.
"I nearly forgot to tell you a piece of news: Yuwen Jing has had another son. Both Princess Consort Jing and Noble Consort Lan gave birth to sons. This makes the Crown Prince seem a little... less special." Fang Chuning casually threw out this highly classified piece of information. "Your Shadow Guard report should arrive soon as well."
"He certainly has a flourishing line," Xie Jue sneered. "The palace has had quite a few joyous occasions over the past couple of years. The two new Princes both came from prominent families, and yet my cousin let them be born without issue."
"Lin Helin has no foothold in the palace anymore. Your Shadow Guard reports have become less frequent, so you should know by now: it’s not as easy to sneak information out of the Imperial Palace these days. Whatever plans you had, you’ll find your hands tied. Besides, the Empress isn’t the kind of ruthless figure to crack down on such affairs. Naturally, she just turns a blind eye." Fang Chuning spoke lightly. "Yuwen Jing isn’t someone easy to handle. When Lin Helin and Father sent me to Zhongzhou, they foresaw this. I’m not one to submit to others, and once I secured Zhongzhou, it ensured Yuwen Jing wouldn’t dare grow too brazen."
But of course, his father trusted his ability while simultaneously crafting a metaphorical chain to bind him securely.
Xie Jue’s mood grew heavier. If it weren’t for him, Fang Chuning might have avoided being constrained by the Marshal... Back when Lin Helin sent Fang Chuning to Zhongzhou, Xie Jue already knew this would happen.
At the time, he had thought, one day, he would make his cousin regret his choices.
But looking at Fang Chuning’s expression now, a weight pressed against his heart. If he were to pursue his plans without compromise, the person he’d hurt most would inevitably be the one before him.
Thinking of his own lineage, Xie Jue hesitated before asking, "Has... the Marshal not urged you to marry?"
The faint laughter in Fang Chuning’s tone subsided. "Do you want me to marry?"
"Answer my question. Don’t dodge it by throwing another back at me." Annoyance flickered in Xie Jue’s voice.
"No."
"Why not?" Xie Jue didn’t understand. The palace had on multiple occasions brought up match suggestions for Fang Chuning. How had he managed to avoid them every time? Men from noble families of their age were expected to marry by now.
Even though the Marshal and the Princess had limited influence over him, they wouldn’t simply allow him unchecked freedom forever. Fang Chuning would inevitably have to marry.
"And who, exactly, should I marry?" Fang Chuning’s voice carried layers of meaning as he quipped, "Since you know me so well, why not introduce me to a suitable young lady?"
"Marry whomever you please—it has nothing to do with me." Xie Jue focused intently on the chessboard. He had been pondering his next move for a long time but had yet to make it. Fang Chuning didn’t press him.
When Xie Xun returned with Ruyi in his arms, he walked in just in time to hear Fang Chuning mention matchmaking. Instantly, his expression darkened. Wasn’t this poking at his second brother’s sore spot? Outrageous!!!
"Fang Chuning, I’ll matchmake for you myself. I’ll write a letter to the Duchess Marquis An Yuan immediately and ask her to look out for eligible young ladies in the capital. What’s your type?" Xie Xun asked with a smile. "You must like beautiful but foolish women, yes?"
Xie Jue, "..."
Fang Chuning couldn’t help but laugh. "Exactly, I like foolish beauties. Pretty and brainless—just perfect."