Yuan Man left Ji Province and headed north, passing through Border City without a sound.
In the Border State Capital, the architecture was slightly similar to that of Great Qi. The royal palace where the state lord resided stood at the center of the capital, surrounded by the mansions of other royals and nobles. As she passed through the city gates and ventured deeper, Yuan Man gradually noticed that whether it was the city towers and streets or the endless stream of pedestrians and bustling shops along the way, everything was decorated with lanterns and festive adornments, just like the New Year celebrations in Great Qi.
To avoid having her identity exposed, Yuan Man had not brought her usual bow and arrows; she only carried a soft sword at her waist. She wandered the markets for a long time before finding an inn on a remote street.
After nightfall, the entire city lit up. Yuan Man changed into night-traveling clothes, disguised herself, and went out. Walking the streets, she discovered many soldiers patrolling, alternating in shifts. Her suspicions grew stronger in her heart. She had been to the capital before and had never seen such a high level of alert.
The soldiers were highly vigilant, as if two armies were about to clash and an enemy ambush could strike at any moment. Hiding in a dark corner, Yuan Man watched the soldiers patrol back and forth, her heart pounding with anxiety. Could it be that the borderlands were planning a rebellion?
In front of the Prince’s Mansion, which was usually bustling and imposing, many soldiers now stood guard, dressed just like the ones she had encountered earlier on the road—they were not the mansion’s own guards.
She made her way to the back gate, which was similarly heavily guarded. Yuan Man leaned against the wall, feeling as if someone had gripped her throat, making it hard to breathe. Asu had been in the borderlands for six years and had her own people here; she shouldn’t be bullied. Ana Xuan wouldn’t dare mistreat her either. Now that she was confined in the Prince’s Mansion, there were only two possibilities. First, Ana Xuan had ascended the throne as emperor and no longer had any leverage over Asu.
Second, something had happened to Ana Xuan. But Asu was a Great Qi princess; the borderlands wouldn’t dare imprison her like this no matter what. Yuan Man couldn’t think of a third possibility. If she charged in alone, she definitely couldn’t rescue Asu. But if she didn’t go in, her heart wouldn’t be at ease.
Just one wall away, inside the mansion, everything had undergone earth-shattering changes.
The window in the room was open, allowing the person inside to see the outside world only through this small pane. So close yet so far—like the moon illuminating the azure sky, under the vast distant trees bloomed vibrant flowers in full splendor.
Xun Yisu sat on the floor beneath the window, dressed in a snow-white brocade robe—a style from Great Qi. The cuffs and hem of the white garment were embroidered with exquisite plum blossom petals in scarlet silk thread. Her ink-black hair was simply tied up with a dark green hairpin resembling a cat’s-eye gem, and her fair face glowed with elegant nobility under the silvery moonlight.
The door to the room, which had been shut for so long, slowly creaked open under the faint glow of the moonlight. Hearing the sound, a radiant smile overflowed from the corners of Xun Yisu’s lips. If anyone else had seen it, they would have been astonished, for that smile carried a sense of relief. The world was too beautiful—mountains and rivers, brilliant sunsets, lavish blooms, the myriad states of life. Everyone chased after it fervently; who would think of death? Even street beggars dreamed of immortality.
She came back to her senses and gazed at Ana Yanran, who stood dazzling in red amid the frosty moonlight. The red was bold yet gracefully noble, cinched at the waist with a jade belt that accentuated her upright, slender figure, her robes fluttering elegantly. Such a proud and confident person left Xun Yisu in awe.
She gave a faint bitter smile. “Princess, that red outfit looks stunning on you today. Your every glance is breathtaking, making others feel inferior.”
“Is that so? Once, someone praised me like that too, saying red best highlighted my charming allure.”
Once… Xun Yisu’s lips curved slightly, as if she understood the implication in Ana Yanran’s words. She said slowly, “And that person?”
A flicker of desolation passed through her bright eyes, the earlier sparkle gone. Ana Yanran felt a faint ache in her heart, a pain from long ago that lingered to this day. Once, someone had told her that her beauty and vibrancy added a touch of green to the grasslands, that she was like the happiest horse galloping freely across them.
After a moment of silence, Ana Yanran took a tray from the soldiers’ hands, holding two cups of wine, and placed it at Xun Yisu’s feet. “I originally wanted to keep you a few more days, but someone couldn’t wait any longer.”
Xun Yisu was stunned. Yuan Man had still come, disregarding her own mission. But what could she do now? How could one person stand against thousands of troops? With Ana Yanran’s heavy guards, she wouldn’t let the two of them leave easily.
She slowly leaned against the wall, utterly exhausted and devoid of any extra emotions. Gazing at the two cups of clear wine like spring water, a tender pity for the fragile woman welled up in her heart. In this detached state of mind, she reached out and grasped the chilling wine cup.
