The moment Tan Ji saw Zhao Chu, his eyes lit up.

He had been in Yanzhou for many years and prided himself on having seen countless beauties—women he’d played with were as numerous as the fish crossing the river. He’d even seen his fair share of exotic women.

But he had never encountered anyone like this—just hiding half the face was enough to hook his soul and steal half his wits.

She was stunning, enchanting, and yet cold to the bone.

Tan Ji swallowed hard, staring straight at her.

But the beauty seemed to find his gaze impolite. After just one glance—before he could get a good look—she turned her face away and hid behind Fang Linyuan.

But the beauty was tall and slender, how could she possibly hide completely? Half concealed, half revealed, her side profile beneath the fluttering veil looked even more delicate and fair. Her lashes, soft as bird feathers, drooped low, adding to the shy, trampled allure she exuded.

The gauze fluttered in the night breeze, and Tan Ji—head full of indulgence and arrogance—was already too dazed to tell north from south.

But in the next moment, a clear, cool voice snapped him back to reality. “General Tan? What brings you here?”

Tan Ji turned his head to see Fang Linyuan standing half a step forward, just enough to hide the beauty even further behind him.

Tan Ji froze for a moment.

The next instant, his gaze landed on Fang Linyuan’s upright, righteous, and strikingly handsome face. The lust that had swelled inside him turned at once into jealousy and indignation.

Why was he here?

If he hadn’t caught wind of it from the barracks and eagerly rushed into the city hoping to see the famed General Fang defeated and humiliated, he wouldn’t have stumbled upon such a one-in-a-million beauty!

And look at him now, acting all prim and proper—yet the moment a princess famed for her beauty across the capital arrived in Yanzhou, he was already prowling the city for beauties the very next day.

The thought made Tan Ji even more convinced that Fang Linyuan wasn’t someone to be feared.

He straightened his back, shedding his pretence of deference, his face full of smugness and mischief as he looked at Fang Linyuan with ill intent.

“Just happened to be in town,” he said. “But General Fang, you’re really blessed with the favour of beauties. Where did you find such a woman—and why hide her? Rest assured, I won’t breathe a word of this to Her Highness the Princess.”

*

Fang Linyuan hadn’t meant to shield Zhao Chu behind him on purpose.

Just now, when Zhao Chu had ducked away, he had happened to use Fang’s shoulder to conceal his face. Which led to the two of them… standing extremely close.

The cool but firm body, separated only by soft silk, was pressed against his arm. It wasn’t soft or fragrant like a woman’s—but within that scent lingered a tension and taut power that made Fang Linyuan freeze entirely.

He could feel Zhao Chu pressed against him—so near. The other’s cool breath fell lightly on his shoulder, brushing his hair where he’d lowered his head.

It felt like a venomous fang had pierced him there. In an instant, half his body went numb.

He didn’t dare stay like that and had to step forward to create some space.

But with them so close—how much distance could half a step really make?

Instead of pulling away from Zhao Chu, it only shifted that warm breath to the back of his neck.

His skin was about to lose all feeling.

Someone save him! Someone dressed in a gauze skirt simply could not be considered the same gender—and especially not Zhao Chu, this demon, this ghost, this spirit-seducing fox!

When he looked up again, it was into Tan Ji’s lecherous, daring eyes.

He even mentioned the Princess? The Princess was right in front of him. Look again, and Her Highness might just gouge out his eyeballs herself.

Fang Linyuan forced down a tremor in his breath and, facing Tan Ji, replied coolly: “Just happened to be in town? Then I only hope General Tan wasn’t following me too closely.”

His words were blunt, but Tan Ji only smiled, his eyes sizing him up with an ambiguous look.

“General Fang laughed,” he said. “I just didn’t expect to stumble upon you meeting a beauty by night. I must have interrupted.”

As he said this, his eyes shamelessly drifted toward Zhao Chu once more.

Too tall, not ideal perhaps—but that face was truly too lovely. He only wondered what the lower half looked like…

“General Tan,” Fang Linyuan frowned, blocking his view, “do I need to report my personal affairs to you?”

Tan Ji laughed and waved his hands. “Of course not. It’s just that Yanzhou sits at the frontier, and there are too many ‘three teachings and nine streams’ (NT: idiom used to describe a wide variety of people from all walks of life, often with a negative connotation). You’ve come from the capital—I just didn’t want you to be provoked by some disreputable type and tarnish your good name for nothing…”

This time, Fang Linyuan cut him off directly.

“If this isn’t an interrogation, then no need for your concern,” he said, tilting his head slightly toward Zhao Chu and showing Tan Ji a faintly impatient half-profile.

Though inexperienced, he at least understood—this was the look of a man whose mood had been ruined.

“You go first.” He said to Zhao Chu.

But then he saw Zhao Chu lift his brows slightly, and those fox-like eyes just happened to lock onto his.

In the next moment, Zhao Chu took his hand. That cool, jade-like hand slipped into his palm like a snake.

Fang Linyuan felt as if his heart had stopped.

“Will my lord still come to find me?” Zhao Chu's voice drifted softly into his ear.

He… he’s still acting?!

Fang Linyuan stared at him in momentary daze—then felt a small wad of paper discreetly pushed into his palm.

Hard. Tiny. But in the midst of their entwined hands, it was like a blade at his throat, masked beneath physical intimacy.

His hand trembled slightly, and it was only with the last bit of self-control that he managed to keep a straight face as he spoke stiffly to Zhao Chu: “Didn’t you hear me? I said leave.”

The heartbroken “girl” cast a sideways glance full of grievance at the general, yanked back the tender hand she’d offered, and turned to run off.

Under the fluttering gauze, Tan Ji only managed to glimpse that graceful figure disappear into the bustling crowd—never again fated to see the beauty’s face.

And with Fang Linyuan standing right there… there was no way to send someone in pursuit.

Tan Ji was torn between regret and frustration. Just as he was about to vent his irritation, he realized the only one left before him was Fang Linyuan, still turned to look in the direction the “beauty” had gone.

Tan Ji’s lips twitched.

No matter what, this was the imperial envoy sent from the capital, a general personally appointed by the emperor. It wasn’t yet time to have Lord Sang settle accounts with him, so he had to give him a bit of face—for now.

But once he returned empty-handed… there were “gifts” waiting for him in the capital.

Tan Ji ground his teeth and forced himself to swallow his vexation.

Just then, Fang Linyuan turned back.

His brows were tightly knit, and his gaze toward Tan Ji was full of cold displeasure: “You just had to bring up the princess, didn’t you? If you’re so eager to police me, why don’t you go write up a memorial right now?”

Tan Ji was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Fang Linyuan to snap like that: “General…”

But Fang Linyuan wasn’t paying him any attention anymore.

He took the horse by the reins and strode off. As he passed Tan Ji, he didn’t spare him a glance—but that seemingly unremarkable shoulder bumped into Tan Ji’s broad frame and sent him staggering a step back.

*

Within a few days, the Yanzhou military camp was buzzing with gossip.

Word was that General Fang Linyuan, the envoy from the capital, had encountered some enchanting woman during his visit to the city—only to be caught red-handed by General Tan.

Soon enough, even among Fang’s own attendants and guards, murmurs began to circulate.

Fang Linyuan didn’t even have to open his eyes to know Tan Ji was behind it all. The intent was obvious—intimidation.

After all, his wife was a princess. Beyond his rank, merit, and title, he carried the status of imperial son-in-law.

If such rumours were to reach the capital, his reputation would be the least of the issues—the emperor would be the first to rebuke and punish him.

Tan Ji assumed that with this, Fang Linyuan would become cautious, or at least distracted by scandal.

What he didn’t know was—this kind of thing had absolutely no effect on Fang Linyuan.

He moved unhurriedly, feigning routine inspections under the pretence of questioning within the army, all while closely following Heng Feizhang’s progress with auditing the accounts. By the time the books were nearly finished and the rumours within the army were running rampant, he kicked open the door of Tan Ji’s command tent with one fierce blow.

Inside, Tan Ji was startled out of his wits.

Looking up, he saw the tall young general standing just outside the entrance, silhouetted against the bright daylight. The light outlined his figure with striking clarity.

The flaps of the tent trembled slightly from the force of the kick, lifting a fine haze of dust.

He stepped through the drifting dust with large strides into the tent, locking eyes with Tan Ji:
"I really hadn’t realized, General Tan, that you were so fond of gossiping behind people’s backs. What’s the matter—when I told you to memorialize the Emperor that day, you didn’t have the guts?"

His expression was cold and stern, and at a glance Tan Ji knew he had come because of the rumours circulating in the army.

Oh? So that composed demeanour he’d had the past few days—it was just because the gossip hadn’t reached his ears yet.

Tan Ji gave Fang Linyuan a look. He remained impassive on the surface, but inside he was pleased.

He’d always believed that such young aristocrats only rose to fame through inflated praise. Without inherited status and the favour of women, what kind of merits could these pampered scions ever earn?

"Come now, General—what are you saying? I don’t quite understand," Tan Ji replied, meeting Fang Linyuan’s piercing gaze. "What gossip have I supposedly spread? Please enlighten me."

His words were courteous, but with a clear tone of disdain—just enough less respectful than usual to show his contempt.

Fang Linyuan’s expression didn’t change, but his brows lowered slightly as he took in every bit of smugness in Tan Ji’s eyes.

This so-called General Tan had likely never fought more than two battles in his whole career. Yet here he was, commanding troops and not even grasping the most basic truth—that arrogance leads to defeat.

With a sweep of his gaze, Fang Linyuan lazily continued playing along. "Shipu Alley," he said. "Still pretending to be confused?"

Tan Ji put on a face of sudden realization: "Oh, that day? General, did someone talk? I truly know nothing about it—you must see the truth clearly!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly stood and gestured for Fang Linyuan to take the seat of honour.
"Perhaps General should inquire around? That day I also had several subordinates with me. The streets were crowded—anyone might have recognized you…"

Fang Linyuan sat with a dark expression in the seat of honour, watching as Tan Ji went on with his speculations. Then he called in the subordinates who had accompanied him that day and put on a whole performance of questioning them.

Of course, nothing came from it. Sitting at the head of the room, Fang Linyuan was nearly bored to sleep from the show.

Soon after, Tan Ji, having learned nothing, kicked them all out in a show of frustration, then turned back with a smiling face to flatter Fang Linyuan again.

"General, what do you think of all that…?"

"You really know nothing?" Fang Linyuan asked, eyes narrowed.

"Truly! If the General doesn’t believe me, you’re welcome to investigate in the army—"

But before he could finish, something in his words seemed to strike a nerve. Fang Linyuan snapped his gaze up, cutting him off with anger and impatience thick in his voice—as though a sensitive spot had been touched.

"Investigate?" he said. "I came to Yanzhou to investigate your military conduct! And I should waste time on petty, trifling matters like this?"

"Yes, yes, of course!" Seeing Fang Linyuan genuinely angry, Tan Ji secretly chuckled but still agreed repeatedly on the surface.

"And you haven’t yet brought me your… your army’s…" Fang Linyuan stumbled for a moment before furiously finishing, "Your soldiers’ rosters! All of them! Send them all to my tent!"

"Yes, sir! I’ll have them delivered immediately!"

Tan Ji could barely keep the smile off his face.

Now he wanted to check the soldiers’ rosters—all of them? After days of aimless wandering around the camp without getting a single answer, he was still putting on this act of demanding the lists?

Over ten thousand men—go ahead, search all you want.

He readily agreed, over and over again, only to hear Fang Linyuan, as if still not satisfied, add coldly:
"Don’t think you can trick me. Every single roster—not one is to be missing."

What was there to hide? There were no portraits in the rosters. As for those who had died, he’d already filled in the records. What was Fang Linyuan going to do—match them one by one by face?

"Yes, of course! General Fang, rest assured—if there’s anyone I wouldn’t dare deceive, it’s you!" he quickly replied.

All his flattery and perfunctory politeness seemed to have finally appeased the furious General Fang.

Fang Linyuan finally relaxed his expression, waved a hand, and said: "Fine. At least you know your place."

Tan Ji couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. So this is all he amounts to.

He failed to notice, however, the subtle glint of cunning that flickered in General Fang’s eyes as he lowered his gaze.

 

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The author has something to say:

Fang Linyuan: Hi there, I’m a proud graduate of the Zhao Family Film Academy, Department of Acting. :D

 

Translator : DarNan