Today, they were heading to the northern city gate to receive the envoy from Goryeo, Yi Minshun.

Yi Minshun was the seventh son of the current King of Goryeo, only twenty-five years old. Though his accomplishments in court couldn't compare to those of his elder brothers, he was deeply favored as the son of a beloved concubine.

This time, as the Emperor of Daxuan was turning fifty, the King specially sent Yi Minshun to present birthday congratulations—clearly intending to give this cherished son a chance to make an impression before the Emperor of Daxuan.

After all, Goryeo bordered Daxuan to the west, and in the north, part of its territory touched the grassland. While those steppe tribes were not as ferocious as the Turks, they were by no means harmless. In recent years, if not for Daxuan’s protection, Goryeo would have long since been plundered down to the bone.

Thus, Goryeo had paid tribute to Daxuan for generations. Any shift in its court or royal house had to be reported to Daxuan before any decision could be made.

Sending Yi Minshun was very much in line with this precedent.

It was said that this youngest son, born in the King’s later years, had been spoiled from childhood—arrogant and unruly, frequently causing trouble in Goryeo under the shelter of imperial favor. His elder brothers all saw him as a thorn in their side, wishing nothing more than to remove him.

The King hadn’t taken this seriously at first.

But as age crept up and his grip on power weakened, and as his elder sons clashed more and more viciously, he gradually began to consider a way out for his treasured son.

And the best way out—was Daxuan.

The Emperor of Daxuan was still in his prime, with many years ahead. With lavish tribute and a beloved son sent to personally present birthday wishes, the Goryeo King hoped his son could win the Emperor’s favor. Then, no matter what turmoil befell Goryeo’s court, his other sons would hesitate to act against Yi Minshun for fear of offending Daxuan—leaving him a noble and wealthy future as a royal prince.

Such is the depth of parental love.

Fang Linyuan said no more, and Li Cheng'an also refrained from disturbing him. The ceremonial procession continued out of the city. Once they had arrayed themselves in proper formation, they quietly waited for the Goryeo envoy to arrive.

By midday, the Goryeo delegation came into view, stretching out in a long, imposing line.

Having gone through this twice before, the guards of the Sixteenth Guard were well-practiced. They smoothly carried out the rituals of welcome, then split into two columns, ready to escort the envoy and their tribute into the city.

But when the envoy halted before them, the seventh prince of Goryeo, Yi Minshun, remained still. Instead of moving forward, he lingered in place, eyeing Fang Linyuan up and down.

“General Fang Linyuan,” he said. His Mandarin was a bit clumsy but passably fluent. “I have long heard of your great name.”

Fang Linyuan’s mind was in turmoil—he had no mood to deal with him.

Hearing his name, Fang Linyuan lifted his eyes slightly, meeting a pair of small, scheming, and ill-intentioned eyes.

Yi Minshun’s eyes were naturally small, and with slightly hooded lids, they didn’t lend themselves well to expressing the layered malice and provocation behind them—making them less noticeable at first glance.

He tilted his chin slightly, wearing a smug, hostile smile, and stared fixedly at Fang Linyuan, as though waiting for a reaction.

But what reaction was there to wait for?

Right now, Fang Linyuan’s eyes and heart were entirely filled with Zhao Chu’s peach blossom-like gaze. Private feelings had taken over, leaving him unusually absent-minded even during duty.

So, before all eyes, this striking, tall, and handsome young general merely gave Yi Minshun a calm glance, then offered a lazy, faint smile—like a sword too proud to unsheathe for mortals.

He nudged his horse, courteously turned to clear the main road, extended a hand in a "please" gesture, and said with a smile: “You flatter me. Please, Your Highness—the Emperor and the other envoys have long awaited your arrival at the palace.”

Yi Minshun’s beady little eyes widened slightly.

He… he had just been blatantly ignored?

Mortals can’t read minds, so he naturally didn’t know that Fang Linyuan’s head was a mess right now.

One moment, he feared Zhao Chu would despise him if he discovered his feelings. The next, he imagined that if Zhao Chu ever truly ascended the throne, his own thoughts as he knelt beneath the palace steps would be utterly different from those of the rest of the court.

…Too bitter.

Fang Linyuan had twice now tasted the bitter fruit of love because of Zhao Chu, and he was finding it hard to extricate himself.

Naturally, he didn’t notice Yi Minshun’s eyes nearly blazing with fury.

Arrogant—truly far too arrogant!

Four years ago, Yi Minshun had once accompanied his father to Shangjing.

That year, he had personally laid eyes on Zhao Chu, just fifteen and still in mourning—and that single glance had sealed his fate for a lifetime.

Ever since, no woman in all of Goryeo could compare to that young girl dressed in plain mourning attire, yet beautiful as blooming peach and plum.

Because of her, he had not taken a wife for four years. Though among his eleven or twelve concubines there were many noble ladies from prestigious Goryeo clans, the position of his main wife had always been reserved for her.

But just as he had finally waited out the mourning period, before he could even come forward with a marriage proposal—she was already married to another!

Yi Minshun ground his teeth to bits in frustration. He had endured months of waiting for this very day—to measure himself against the man who had taken away the woman he loved!

And this man…

Had directly ignored him!

*

In his rage, Yi Minshun—so used to being the center of attention in Goryeo—had already forgotten the true purpose of his mission to Daxuan.

He lowered his head and gave a meaningful glance to the attendants at his side.

Those attendants, long used to swaggering about and bullying commoners back in Goryeo, needed no further instruction.

So, just after entering the bustling Shangjing, Yi Minshun pretended to be intrigued by the lively city streets and ordered his attendants to go purchase some trinkets.

The attendants surged forward and in just a few words began arguing with street vendors.

They shouted in rapid Goryeo dialect, and it wasn’t long before their argument exploded—overturning stalls right there in the middle of the street.

The stalls stood side by side along the road, and the group of them pushed forward recklessly, plunging the entire marketplace into chaos.

The once-bustling street instantly turned into a mess.

Yi Minshun looked over at Fang Linyuan, satisfied.

Well? His subordinates didn’t speak Chinese, and misunderstandings with vendors were only natural. But Fang Linyuan was just the Daxuan Emperor’s dog. Now that a commotion had occurred, there was no way the Emperor wouldn’t punish him.

Yi Minshun looked on triumphantly as Fang Linyuan turned his head, his sharp, handsome brows immediately knitting together.

Get angry. Yi Minshun thought. Just lose your temper—any such behavior would be deemed disrespect toward the envoy.

He folded his arms, and before Fang Linyuan could respond, he slowly spoke up with a drawl: “These dog servants—how do they manage to mess up even a simple errand? Truly shameful. Forgive me, General. Daxuan’s language is just too hard for them to understand...”

But before Fang Linyuan could open his mouth, the young officer beside him had already shouted in anger and leapt off his horse.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Clad in golden armor and bearing red-tasseled weaponry, the young soldier ignored all ceremonial restraint. Leaving his steed behind, he strode forward and seized the leading Goryeo attendant—who had just been gesturing wildly at a vendor.

That man was none other than Li Cheng’an.

A scion of Shangjing's elite, he had seen all sorts of antics. This petty disruption didn’t even qualify as a toothpick to him.

He was far stronger than the attendant, and easily hoisted him off the ground with one hand.

Yi Minshun’s eyes flew wide open.

He rushed to speak—but before he could, a clear and steady voice had already sounded from the side.

“Li Cheng’an.”

He turned to look—and saw that the one speaking was none other than the cold-faced General Fang.

*

The poor performance of those Goryeo attendants had not escaped Fang Linyuan’s notice.

To deliberately stir up trouble the moment they entered the capital—this envoy sent by a small vassal state was clearly a pampered prince who didn’t know his place.

But what was his true aim?

Fang Linyuan’s gaze calmly swept past Yi Minshun. Then, with one hand holding the reins, he rode forward to the group.

“No disrespect,” he said mildly to Li Cheng’an.

At this, Li Cheng’an shot a fierce glare at the man in his grasp before flinging him forward with a shove—nearly throwing him to the ground. The man immediately shrank back, like a rabbit caught by the throat, not daring to move another inch.

Fang Linyuan then turned slightly toward Yi Minshun. No matter what his intentions were, this incident could not be left unaddressed.

The dignity of Daxuan was at stake, and so was the alliance between the two nations. If today’s matter was left unresolved, it would drive a hard wedge between them—guaranteeing trouble down the line.

“Your Highness’s attendants do not understand the Han language. That is understandable,” he said to Yi Minshun. “However, under the capital’s garrison ordinances, anyone who wantonly damages the property of common citizens must compensate at full value.”

Compensate?

He had just publicly slapped Fang Linyuan in the face like that, and not only did the man not get angry—he actually told him to pay compensation?

Impossible!

If he obediently paid up, wouldn’t that mean he caused a whole commotion for nothing—and lost face into the bargain?

Yi Minshun stared at Fang Linyuan. After a moment, he let out a strange laugh and said,
“Garrison regulations? I heard General Fang, upon returning to the capital, was appointed to some nameless little post as a city watchman. Seems it’s true, after all?”

Fang Linyuan’s brow didn’t twitch in the slightest, but the surrounding guards of the Sixteenth Garrison all changed their expressions. On the ground, Li Cheng’an even took several angry steps forward, about to speak—only to be stopped by Fang Linyuan’s cold command.

“Li Cheng’an,” he said. “Stand down.”

Li Cheng’an’s chest heaved with fury, but at Fang Linyuan’s gaze, he finally glared viciously at Yi Minshun and stepped back.

“There are laws in every country,” Fang Linyuan then turned and said to Yi Minshun. “I ask that Your Highness understand.”

The more composed he remained, the more Yi Minshun refused to yield.

He looked at Fang Linyuan, then pressed even harder: “General Fang, what’s going on with your man? This was just a misunderstanding caused by not understanding the language—why did he lay hands on my attendant?”

Fang Linyuan frowned and looked at him coolly.

“He didn’t strike anyone,” Fang Linyuan said. “But if Your Highness believes your attendant was injured, you may request an imperial physician to examine him once we enter the palace.”

“In that case, have him examined first,” Yi Minshun said, lifting his chin, refusing to even mention compensation.

“Your Highness,” Fang Linyuan said evenly, “if this misunderstanding can be resolved today, then all ends well. The King of Goryeo and His Majesty of Daxuan will overlook the missteps between us.”

Just as Yi Minshun urged his horse forward to leave, Fang Linyuan stepped up with his reins, blocking his path. “It’s only a few taels of silver. We serve in humble positions—please, Your Highness, compensate accordingly.”

Yi Minshun let out a cold laugh. “A few taels of silver? Is the General now saying I’m not allowed to leave?” he said. “I didn’t expect that Daxuan’s officials would be so unreasonable…”

At that moment, however, a voice called out from not far off. “He’s being very reasonable,” the man said.

“But now, the unreasonable one has arrived.”

Fang Linyuan turned his head—he hadn’t expected to run into Wang Chang here today.

The infamous heir to the Prince of Qin, the number one scoundrel in Shangjing.

The last time they met, Fang Linyuan had knocked this young lord off his horse in public. Unconvinced, Wang Chang had insisted on a rematch during Qingming—only to suffer a humiliating defeat and have his life saved by Fang Linyuan in the process.

What was he doing here?

Before Fang Linyuan could figure it out, this prince swaggered up with a group of retainers in tow—immediately surrounding everyone present, like a gang of local street thugs.

“I just heard,” Wang Chang said, riding up to them on horseback, “that you can’t understand human speech?”

He was addressing Yi Minshun.

Who was this now?

Yi Minshun didn’t dare act rashly at first, but then he recalled that Daxuan’s only adult prince was currently absent from the capital. No matter how high this man’s status, he surely wasn’t royalty.

“Who are you scolding for not being able to understand !” Yi Minshun shot back.

“Oh? So you can understand,” Wang Chang replied, digging in his ear.

“Then pay up. Hurry it up. If you don’t settle this debt today, no one’s leaving this place.”

As he said this, he looked at Yi Minshun and flashed a nasty, arrogant grin.

“I don’t hold any official title,” he said. “As long as I feel like it, even Fang Linyuan isn’t leaving this spot today. If you want to drag this out, let’s drag it out right here. If you want to fight…”

He smiled and cracked his knuckles with a loud crack crack.

“Then let’s fight to our heart’s content.”

*

Even Li Cheng’an couldn’t help sighing to himself—only a true idler with no official duty could be this unrestrained.

Under Wang Chang’s pressure, Yi Minshun reluctantly took out silver, paid for the damages, and even added a fine. Only then did Wang Chang lead his retainers away with swagger and ease.

Fang Linyuan could tell at a glance—this young lord must’ve been out amusing himself nearby, and upon seeing trouble, had simply stepped in out of loyalty.

He certainly couldn’t let Wang Chang bear the consequences.

Seeing that the commoners whose stalls had been overturned had all received compensation, Fang Linyuan gave a faint smile and said, “It was nothing but a misunderstanding. If Your Highness is interested in the wares of Daxuan’s marketplaces, I will immediately have men procure them for you. Since your attendants do not understand the Han language, there is no need for them to run about anymore.”

But Li Minshun’s expression had already turned quite unsightly.

Without a word, he spurred his horse forward toward the palace. Fang Linyuan gave a signal to the surrounding Sixteenth Guard, and the ceremonial soldiers promptly formed ranks once more, tightly surrounding the entire diplomatic envoy as they resumed their march toward the imperial city.

“As for the prince just now,” Fang Linyuan said with a slight smile, riding up beside Li Minshun, “I ask that Your Highness not take offense.”

Li Minshun ignored him, but Fang Linyuan didn’t mind. His tone was gentle, seemingly conciliatory—yet every word was laced with veiled threat.

“That prince comes from quite the background. No one in the capital dares provoke him. He is kin to the late Empress Dowager’s line—by blood, he is His Majesty’s younger brother. His Majesty is deeply filial and treats this younger brother with exceptional favor. All of us officials and generals in the capital wouldn’t dare cross him.”

He deliberately emphasized the words “younger brother”, his gaze steady as he watched Li Minshun’s reaction.

As expected, Li Minshun’s face stiffened slightly at these words—clear sign of unease and wariness.

From then on, things proceeded much more smoothly.

Fang Linyuan escorted Li Minshun all the way to the gates of the palace, and with that, his duty was complete. The earlier altercation on the street he recounted lightly to the court eunuch who came to receive the envoys.

The eunuch, hearing the matter, understood the situation at once and laughed it off as a simple misunderstanding, assuring him that His Majesty would certainly not mind.

Fang Linyuan nodded and stood watching as the foreign envoys entered the palace.

“That Goryeo man is really strange,” said Li Cheng’an, riding up once the gates had closed. “General, did you see the look on his face? He clearly came looking for trouble.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Fang Linyuan frowned slightly, nodded, and turned his horse to head back.

“I don’t know the reason,” he said. “But forget it—it’s done now. There are three days until the Qianqiu Banquet. Our Sixteenth Guard’s task is complete. Tell the brothers that aside from their usual rotation, they can rest properly for a few days. The entire Garrison Command is to receive one extra month’s silver payment—out of my own accounts.”

Li Cheng’an immediately grinned, agreeing as he sidled up to Fang Linyuan’s side.

“Of course, General!” he said. “But say—maybe that Goryeo man made a scene because of the Fifth Highness.”

Fang Linyuan’s brow twitched. He turned to look at Li Cheng’an.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “What does it have to do with her?”

Li Cheng’an lowered his voice at once.

“You weren’t in the capital back then, General, so you wouldn’t know,” he said. “The year the late Empress passed away, the King of Goryeo personally came to offer condolences and brought that fellow along. During the mourning rites, he kept staring at the Fifth Highness—blatantly and rudely. The whole capital was talking about it.”

Fang Linyuan couldn’t help but frown.

Zhao Chu had always loathed being lusted after. At the time, his circumstances were already difficult, and it was his mother’s funeral. For Li Minshun to behave that way—it must have made Zhao Chu absolutely detest him.

Li Cheng’an continued, “I heard he even had the idea of marrying the Fifth Highness. But even without a mother, she’s still a legitimate-born princess—how could that man have any claim on her? Not to mention it was still during the mourning period! I heard he wouldn’t give up and even disturbed the Fifth Highness while she was keeping vigil. The King of Goryeo was so furious he beat him in the palace.”

At this, Li Cheng’an gave a sigh and shook his head.

“Running into someone like that—what bad luck. General, you should really comfort Her Highness the Princess.”

*

Fang Linyuan wanted to comfort Zhao Chu too.

But… his feelings weren’t pure either.

A man who harbored desire for Zhao Chu—what right did he have to comfort him?

What’s more, Li Minshun didn’t even know that Zhao Chu was a man.

But he, Fang Linyuan, did know—and still, he had developed feelings.

Realizing he was in love with another man, Fang Linyuan found it impossible to face Zhao Chu.

He felt like a thief caught in the act for the first time—on edge, guilty, afraid his feelings would show through in his every gesture and draw the other’s disgust or scorn.

So that day, he deliberately returned to the manor an hour late, avoided the Huaiyu Pavilion, and went straight to his study in Fuguang Hall.

Claimed he had urgent matters to handle.

But what urgent matters could there be? His study didn’t even contain any serious paperwork—just shelves of military manuals he could recite in his sleep, and the rest were old travelogues and storybooks he’d secretly collected since childhood.

But then again—who cared?

He hid himself in the study, casually pulling out a book he didn’t even know the title of, and began flipping through it as if sitting on pins and needles.

He liked Zhao Chu… even if he was a man, he still liked him.

But how could two men be together? Moreover, it was a one-sided thing. If the other were a woman, he could at least try to court her and win her favor, but since it was a man…

Wasn’t that just being a scoundrel?

Fang Linyuan had no tears left to cry.

He deserved it—he met Zhao Chu. Falling once, then going deeper a second time. Looked like he was doomed to live alone, guarding the border desolately for life…

At that moment, the voice of a maid came from outside the door.

“Her Highness the Princess is here.”

The Princess…

Zhao Chu had come!

Fang Linyuan was startled, suddenly standing up from his chair and slamming the unknown book onto the table.

He looked up and saw Zhao Chu standing at the door.

In one hand, he carried a food box, and beneath the snow-white fox fur coat, his embroidered skirt trailed gracefully.

Zhao Chu was truly beautiful… so beautiful that Fang Linyuan sighed helplessly in his heart, feeling his infatuation was understandable.

“You… why have you come?” When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat stiff.

Yesterday when he saw Zhao Chu, he could still joke and laugh easily… No, that was not right! Yesterday he was the one crawling into Zhao Chu’s arms!

Fang Linyuan’s ears felt like they were burning.

Before him, Zhao Chu stepped forward with the food box, drawing nearer and nearer until he set it down on Fang Linyuan’s desk.

“Eunuch Wang specially made you some jujube paste plum blossom pastries. You didn’t come to eat today, and he was a little sad.”

As Zhao Chu spoke, he raised his hand and removed the cloak he wore.

The bright colors of the winter brocade skirt resembled a plum blossom spirit standing right before him—who could care about plum blossom pastries now?

Fang Linyuan couldn’t utter a sound.

Zhao Chu, standing before him, had long noticed his oddness.

Without a change in expression, his gorgeous eyes swept over Fang Linyuan’s panicked face, then, taking advantage of the motion of removing his cloak, glanced downward—landing on the “official document” flipped face down on the desk.

That wasn’t any official document at all.

Fang Linyuan belatedly reached out to cover it, but through his fingers, several characters were still revealed.

“Cui Yingying Waiting for the Moon in the West Chamber.”

(NT: from a classical Chinese play called “Romance of the Western Chamber” , written by Wang Shifu. ‘Waiting for the Moon in the West Chamber’ describes a famous scene in the play where Cui Yingying waits for her lover Zhang Sheng in the West Chamber of a monastery under the moonlight)

 

--

Author’s note:

Zhao Chu: …If you’re not looking for me, you’re secretly reading romance novels here?

 

Translator : DarNan