Zhao Chu suddenly asked as he heard this.

"What?"

"Ah," Fang Linyuan snapped out of his reverie. "Today, the Emperor mentioned that Naren Temüjin was persistently pursuing the matter. I guess he never really wanted to marry, he just wanted a Han woman to flaunt his power when he returned to the Turkic."

Just then, a knock interrupted Fang Linyuan.

He turned to see Juan Su, who was beside Zhao Chu, standing at the door, holding a cup of tea.

Fang Linyuan quickly looked to Zhao Chu.

But Zhao Chu raised her eyes slightly and said, "No need to worry, continue."

Juan Su approached and placed the tea beside him, saying, "Marquis, please."

Fang Linyuan had stood in the Hall of Courtly Remonstrance for half a day, he thought this tea was like timely rain after a long drought.

Little did he know that when he returned home, Zhao Chu had already instructed Juan Su to prepare the tea.

"I thought I could use the treaty's provision of non-aggression to pressure Naren Temüjin, but who knew he was truly drunk that night." Fang Linyuan nodded and continued, even thanking Juan Su with a smile.

"His men heard that you almost 'attempted suicide' and told him, which scared him quite a bit."

Juan Su paused slightly.

She had served by Zhao Chu's side since childhood and knew his taboos well. If there was one thing Fifth Princess hated most in his life, it was being ridiculed because of his appearance and being reminded of such incidents.

Especially in a joking tone like Marquis Anping's, unaware that he was poking the Fifth Princess's sore spot.

Juan Su was about to remind Fang Linyuan while handing him the tea, but she saw that Fang Linyuan had already brought the tea to his lips.

"Today, as soon as he saw me, he apologized repeatedly. When I mentioned the Han woman, he was scared to death and quickly said he was joking." Fang Linyuan said

Juan Su couldn't help but raise her eyes to look at Zhao Chu.

But she saw...

She saw Zhao Chu's eyebrows lift ever so slightly, and he even followed Marquis Anping with a lazy smile.

Not a trace of gloom could be seen, but rather, he seemed to be laughing along. That relaxed expression, even Zhao Chu seemed to have caught some of Marquis Anping's infectious spirit.

Juan Su was slightly stunned.

She had never seen Fifth Princess like this before.

"If we're talking about 'attempting suicide,' then it should be your credit." Over there, Zhao Chu's tone became brighter by two degrees as he leisurely spoke.

"Indeed. It was my move that startled the barbarian." Marquis Anping smiled, raised the teacup, and took a couple of sips.

"Mm! Good tea! There wasn't even a place to sit in the Hall of Courtly Remonstrance earlier. I was truly dehydrated."

The teacup blocked Fang Linyuan's line of sight, and Juan Su saw that Fifth Princess's eyes were squinting with a smile.

Juan Su bowed her head and retreated.

The master she had followed for many years seemed to have changed suddenly, as if he had touched his reverse scale in the wrong place. (NT: Chinese idiom. in mythology, the"reverse scale" is an extremely sensitive and vulnerable spot on dragons’ bodies.)

Possession and such are all unreliable supernatural events. Seeing this scene, it seemed to Juan Su that she hadn't slept well last night and had woken up too early for her duty today. She should go back and get some rest.

*

With the biggest problem resolved, the negotiations between Daxuan and the Turks also went more smoothly.

In addition to paying tribute to Daxuan every year, Naren Temüjin also harboured intentions to open mutual markets and trade food, salt- and iron with Daxuan.

Emperor Hongyou summoned Fang Linyuan again, saying that everything else had been settled, but the matter of salt and-iron was crucial to the country, and the courtiers were still in dispute.

Fang Linyuan naturally opposed it.

Putting aside salt affairs, fine iron could be used to forge swords and sabres. If the Turks obtained the fine iron cast by Daxuan and used it to forge weapons, then Daxuan would be arming its enemies with its own weapons.

Emperor Hongyou agreed with his reasoning.

However, a few days later, news came from the palace that Naren Temüjin was willing to exchange a Turkic princess in exchange for Daxuan's permission to trade salt and iron.

Emperor Hongyou summoned Fang Linyuan again.

"Today, summoning you here is still about the treaty," Emperor Hongyou said. "Naren Temüjin's heir earnestly asks Us to open salt and iron trade and even sends a princess for marriage. Now, the courtiers are urging Us to agree, and We find it difficult to refuse."

Fang Linyuan hesitated to speak.

How was he going to explain this to Emperor Hongyou? On the day he single-handedly took down the elder brother of Naren Temüjin, the latter was actually applauding and cheering in the tent. Not to mention that the current Khan of the Turks had more than thirty children, marrying off one princess was just a trivial matter for them.

Fang Linyuan could only bow and say, "So I ask Your Majesty to stick to the bottom line, only agreeing to trade fine salt with the Turks, while still refusing to trade iron."

"Is this feasible?" Emperor Hongyou asked.

"The Turks cannot refine the fine iron of the Central Plains, but they still have crude iron to use. For them, it's not an urgent matter, and comparing it with salt is just to confuse matters," Fang Linyuan explained. "Salt is only for the needs of the people, but fine iron is for warfare. There's a world of difference between the two. Please, Your Majesty, think twice."

Emperor Hongyou pondered for a moment before finally nodding.

"I understand," he said. "Thanks to your presence, though the courtiers have considered everything carefully, they have never been on the battlefield. Foreign affairs are just paper tigers to them."

"Your Majesty overpraises me," Fang Linyuan replied.

"Naren Temüjin will leave the capital on the tenth day of the month. I originally wanted to keep you for a while longer, but now that border trade is imminent, if you're not here, I really can't rest assured," Emperor Hongyou said.

Fang Linyuan's eyes brightened at these words.

Can he finally leave?

The Emperor's words were probably urging him to pack up.

He quickly bowed and said, "The ambitions of the Turks are still not extinguished. I am willing to guard the border to ease Your Majesty's concerns."

Emperor Hongyou nodded at his words.

"With you here, I can rest assured," he admitted. "Prepare slowly when you return. When the weather warms up a bit, I will personally send you out of the city."

*

Upon returning, Fang Linyuan informed his sister-in-law of the matter.

Upon learning that he was leaving, Song Zhaojin couldn't help but complain.

"So sudden? The Emperor just signed a contract with the Turks, and with them paying tribute and trading, the border should be stable for at least three to five years. You've only been married for a month, and now you're leaving for the border. Are you abandoning your family?"

Fang Linyuan could only smile apologetically on the side. "It's the Emperor's decree, and I can't disobey it."

Song Zhaojin sighed deeply at the words.

"The Emperor doesn't seem to care at all about the Fifth Princess," she noted. "How could he separate his daughter and son-in-law so soon after their wedding?"

Fang Linyuan scratched his head quietly beside her.

Not caring? His sister-in-law hadn't seen Zhao Chu's demeanour in the palace.

After complaining for a few moments, Song Zhaojin also knew that the imperial decree could not be changed, and she sighed to Fang Linyuan, "The princess is so precious, I can't bear to see her go through what I went through. Even if you have to return to the border to guard it, you must know how to cherish your own life. You've been fond of the princess for so long, you must not hurt her again. What would she do if something happened to you?"

Fang Linyuan solemnly promised, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't worry, I will talk to the princess and ask her to take care of you and Changnian more in the capital."

However, Song Zhaojin shook her head. "We'll be fine, it's you I'm worried about. In two days, it will be the Flower Festival. Don't forget to take the princess to the flower market. After that, the two of you will be apart more often than not, who knows when you'll see each other again."

"Oh..."

He still had to accompany Zhao Chu to see the flowers!

Although he could now have a decent conversation with Zhao Chu, they were still two men. Going to see flowers together would be quite strange!

Fang Linyuan was about to find an excuse to refuse, but when he turned his head, he saw his sister-in-law touching on a sore subject again, wiping her tears with a handkerchief and lowering her head.

His sister-in-law's eyes were not good, she must not cry again.

"Don't be sad, sister-in-law. You said it yourself, we won't have a war in three to five years, I'll be fine, so don't worry." Fang Linyuan comforted her.

"I'll listen to you, in a couple of days, I'll invite the princess to go to the flower market, and on New Year's Eve next year, I'll come back to accompany you to see the lanterns."

Well, he'd go, grit his teeth, and soon the night would pass.

That's what Fang Linyuan thought.

*
In the following two days, Fang Linyuan was busy all day, until the evening of the Flower Festival, when he finally found some free time.

It was because there were too many things to prepare for his departure. His warhorse, Liu Huo, needed a new set of horseshoes for the journey, and as the weather grew warmer, he also needed to replace his saddle pads. His father and brothers had left many military books and letters in the mansion, all of which were crucial documents that needed to be organized.

As a result, he only sent Yan Ting to inquire whether Zhao Chu was available, and after arranging the time, he waited for him outside Huaiyu Pavilion that evening.

Zhao Chu appeared on time.

Today, he was wearing a simpler robe, still made of dazzling brocade, but much cleaner and fresher than his usual attire. With spring gradually approaching, the nights were no longer as cold, so his clothes were slightly thinner, and there were some embellishments visible at his chest.

His hair was adorned with pearls and jade, and a pair of white jade earrings dangled beneath his ears, shining brightly in the night, quite charming.

As Fang Linyuan approached, he met those eyes.

Fang Linyuan was slightly taken aback.

Zhao Chu seemed... not too happy?

Though his eyes were not as gloomy as usual, they somehow seemed cold and somewhat desolate. As their gazes met, and after a brief pause, Zhao Chu coolly averted his eyes.

Didn't he want to go out?

Fang Linyuan thought for a moment and felt that might be the case.

He was going out with another man, and wasn't Zhao Chu being forced to accompany him on this outing? In a sense, they could sympathize with each other, and to some extent, Zhao Chu was accommodating him.

After all, Fang Linyuan was doing this to prevent his sister-in-law from getting upset, but Zhao Chu clearly didn't have to come.

Thinking this way, Fang Linyuan felt that Zhao Chu was quite principled.

He approached and walked shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Chu. As they walked out together, Fang Linyuan whispered beside him, "Thank you for agreeing to come out today."

Beside him, Zhao Chu lowered his eyes.

Well, he probably felt aggrieved. It might be better if they each went their separate ways for a while and agreed to meet at a certain time at the street corner.

But at that moment, Zhao Chu's cool and slightly hoarse voice sounded beside him, lightly drifting like the night wind blowing past his ears.

"Marquis, you're leaving, and I only found out from my sister-in-law," he said.

Oh, right, didn't Zhao Chu already know he was leaving?

He looked at Zhao Chu in puzzlement, not understanding what he meant.

But Zhao Chu, by his side, met his puzzled gaze, his lips moving a few times without making a sound.

This demeanour seemed to reveal a hint of inexplicable resentment.

"You..." Fang Linyuan didn't know where to put his hands.

Fortunately, Zhao Chu lowered his brows and stopped looking at him.

"These two days, Marquis has been so busy that he hasn't even found the time to tell me," he cntinued.

...Huh?

Fang Linyuan looked around.

Today, when they went out, they deliberately dismissed the servants, so now there were only the two of them within a few feet. Was Zhao Chu so addicted to acting, or was he so meticulous and thorough in his dealings with people?

Fang Linyuan looked at Zhao Chu with some admiration and shook his head with emotion.

Zhao Chu, truly a material for great deeds!

--

The author has something to say:

Fang Linyuan: Your acting skills are really good, I'm not lying to you, you're acting just like it's real!

Zhao Chu: ?

 

Translator : DarNan