Chapter 11: Curtailing the Fiefdoms Part 1

The strokes connected smoothly, the handwriting clear and elegant—impressive at first glance. But upon closer inspection, one might notice the brushstrokes were somewhat soft. For an eight-year-old girl, however, reaching this level was already no small feat.

When Wei Lingci saw it, she offered no harsh words. Instead, her face softened into a warm smile once more, her features as captivating as ever. She picked up the brush and copied the characters on the paper again, her strokes forceful and penetrating, like a soaring dragon. On the clean white paper, the two sets of words stood in stark contrast, worlds apart.

Xun Changqing furrowed her brows and silently comforted herself: She was still young, and her brushwork wasn’t fully formed yet—that was normal.

Neither of them spoke. Instead, someone lingered hesitantly at the door. Xun Changqing glanced over, suspicion rising in her heart. Her inquiring gaze fell behind Wei Lingci, who gave a slight nod.

Xun Changqing jumped down from the stool and walked to the door. Immediately, the young attendant stepped over the threshold and said in a low voice, “Young Master, our general invites you over.” With that, he presented her with a Yuan Mansion’s Token using both hands.

Holding the token, Xun Changqing looked at Wei Lingci, hesitating without speaking. At this moment, Wei Lingci was like an elder to her; she should seek her opinion on how to proceed. She couldn’t just head out on her own.

Wei Lingci approached, and the attendant retreated outside the door, waiting for them to discuss.

She took the token from Xun Changqing’s hand and examined it carefully several times. Her figure was slender, taller than Xun Changqing, so she lowered her gaze and said, “This token seems genuine. She probably can’t come out herself, so she’s asking you to go over. If you go, I’ll accompany you.”

They stood mere inches apart. For Xun Changqing to see Wei Lingci’s expression, she had to tilt her head up, her heart pounding wildly. In a low voice, she said, “I want to go.”

“Very well,” Wei Lingci returned the token to her. She glanced at the attendant outside and stepped out. After descending the steps, she saw no one following. Turning back, she frowned in displeasure at Xun Changqing, who still stood dazed in place. “The moon is already setting in the west. Are you planning to wait until tomorrow?”

Xun Changqing inside the room sensed the shift in Wei Lingci’s mood and hurried out with small steps. The attendant led the way ahead.

The State Guesthouse was guarded inside and out—soldiers every five steps, lanterns every ten, rivaling the security of the Containment Origin Hall itself.

The guards stood with swords at their sides, silent and still. Patrols moved along the garden paths, torches held high, eyes straight ahead. The princess needed rest now, but Yuan Man was still inspecting outside. Having learned earlier that Xun Changqing was also staying at the guesthouse, she had sent someone to fetch her.

Inside the room, candles burned brightly. On the table lay a slightly yellowed map, marked with the wedding procession’s location and the stops along the way. For days, Yuan Man hadn’t slept properly; her eyes ached, and as she stared at the map, her heart felt empty and heavy.

She had personally sent the person she loved to another country for a political marriage. Seeing her in phoenix crown and rosy robes, standing side by side with another man—what irony. And how weak she herself was.

Wei Lingci and Yuan Man were not acquainted. After a brief greeting upon entering, Wei Lingci turned to leave. Passing Xun Changqing, she paused, leaned down, and whispered something in her ear.

They were too close; Wei Lingci’s breath was like orchid fragrance, lingering around her neck, making Xun Changqing’s face flush red. As she leaned in, her gaze fell on the pale skin of Xun Changqing’s neck, where faint blue veins pulsed beneath.

But Wei Lingci left immediately after speaking, without lingering a moment. Xun Changqing had been dazed by the intimate gesture, stunned by the closeness. When she recovered, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Yuan Man’s gaze happened to land on her just then. Seeing her ears red as the evening glow, Yuan Man asked puzzledly, “Are you hot? It’s getting colder the further north we go. Lingyun Mountain isn’t on our route—why are you staying at the guesthouse?”

Yuan Man rarely spoke so seriously; perhaps these days had given her much to think about. Xun Changqing looked up and saw the dark circles under her eyes, her face haggard. Without responding, she fell into thought. After a moment, she said softly, “Sister Aman, do you truly love her?”

Matters of the heart had no right or wrong. Xun Changqing often felt lost—unable to love or hate, inseparable, unsure how to proceed: follow her heart or bury the feelings? Now, seeing the emaciated Yuan Man, it was like glimpsing her past self. The difference was that Xun Yiran had feelings, while Wei Lingci did not; she couldn’t force it. But Yuan Man and Asu struggled bitterly against worldly judgment.

At her words, Yuan Man nodded slightly, stiffened for a moment, and the room fell silent again. Closing her eyes, she sighed lightly and smiled bitterly. “If she were marrying an ordinary man, I could let go. But this is a marriage alliance between nations. One misstep in the borderlands could cost her life—I simply can’t rest easy. My father once said the borderlands have been restless these years. His Majesty agreed to the marriage request to appease them. Asu is clever and won’t voice any grievances, but she can protect herself there. I’m afraid that if the borderlands can’t endure Great Qi’s restraints any longer and march south, she might… do something desperate.”

Xun Changqing’s face filled with worry too. She walked closer and sat on a nearby chair, propping her chin as she gazed at Yuan Man. “If there were no marriage alliance, what would you do? The two of you still couldn’t be together.”

The topic lightened. Yuan Man sat beside her. These days, she had thought it through; even if her parents disapproved, there were ways to compromise. Xun Changqing knew these things, so no need to hide. With a frank laugh, she said, “Without the alliance, Asu as a princess might be granted in marriage by His Majesty anyway. I once planned to enter a temple after some time, shave my head and cultivate for the people’s blessings. After the Previous Emperor’s death, she’d gain her freedom and fake her death to leave. I’d discuss it properly with my parents. As a girl, I don’t need to carry on the family line; if I’m willing, they’ll agree.”

Once Xun Yisu regained her freedom, living incognito without ties to the royals, the two could be together without implicating Yuan Qingming and his wife. Yuan Qingming doted on his daughter and wouldn’t obstruct; family prestige mattered less than her happiness.

As she spoke, Yuan Man’s expression remained composed, not her usual springlike warmth. A hint of desolation lingered in her eyes—it was just a facade. She looked at Xun Changqing and suddenly said flatly, “Why did you come here?”