Night Song - Chapter 13
undercurrent
He couldn't remember what they said after that.
All he remembered was drinking cup after cup, chatting idly about everything under the sun, but his mind was always filled with that perpetually pale and indifferent face.
Slender shoulders, a delicate waist, eyes as deep as the night, and a clear, melodious voice that lingers in the air.
In a hazy dream, he heard voices laughing and gently pouring glass after glass, and before he knew it, he was drinking more and more. That indifferent, ruthless, cruelly intelligent, eternally childlike woman filled all his thoughts. He didn't know what kind of complex emotions she evoked, but he was simply captivated and couldn't stop.
Looking at the man passed out drunk on the soft seat, Jiuwei sighed softly. She bent down and carried him to the couch, then turned and coldly gave the order.
"Take good care of him, and don't utter a word about what happened tonight."
Yan Rong composed herself and agreed. He glanced at her, sighed, and walked out the window as he had come, disappearing into the deep night.
The beautiful woman closed the window, sat on the edge of the bed gazing at the sleeping man, gently stroking his slightly furrowed brows, her fingers moving inch by inch across his young and handsome face.
"Is she really that beautiful?"
"You all miss her, one, two... three..."
"I even dream about her..."
The almost delirious voice disappeared. He took off his long robe and black boots, lowered the gauze curtain, and sprinkled some calming incense into the burner.
The fragrance drifted into the quiet night, and the last glimmer of light went out, as the deep darkness swallowed everything.
When I woke up, I was momentarily disoriented and couldn't tell where I was.
The curtains were drawn low, and a beautiful woman slept beside him on a red pillow and brocade quilt.
He sat up abruptly, a hangover headache hitting him unexpectedly, causing him to sway slightly. A pair of soft, warm hands touched his forehead, then lifted the covers and got up to pour him a warm cup of hangover soup.
"Young master drank too much last night."
He hesitantly accepted the jade cup, not daring to look at her beautiful face in the morning light. Memories of yesterday flooded his mind, and he almost cursed in frustration. Damn Jiuwei, if it weren't for him, how could he have spent the night drunk in this place?
"I...do I have...?" He couldn't get the question out, only feeling his face gradually burning.
The beautiful woman covered her mouth and laughed, offering an understanding answer.
"Young master was too drunk and just slept; he did nothing."
He immediately felt relieved, but also guilty.
"I'm sorry to bother you, young lady."
"Young master, you flatter me. Mei Garden is a place for seeking pleasure." A slender hand lifted the white curtain, and the room gradually brightened. "I only hope that you can come and sit here often. Although Yanrong cannot relieve my sorrow, it would be nice to accompany you to play the zither and appreciate music."
The beautiful woman by the window has long hair that falls over her shoulders, and she is charming and alluring, like a fragrant flower that anyone can pick.
Compared to that distant and unreachable person, the warmth of holding someone in your arms is the most real. Perhaps this is the deeper meaning behind Jiuwei's arrangement of this meeting.
He was momentarily stunned.
The clear pool in the Water Palace reflected a faint glow in the morning light.
A thin mist rose from the pond, hazy and indistinct, its dark blue hue subtly dampening one's clothes. After crossing the small bridge over the pond and entering the inner hall, I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
Along the corridor, on tiered flower terraces.
A small, slender figure sat on a bench under the eaves.
A morning breeze blows, and her snow-white skirt flutters gently, lonely and forlorn, like a constant silhouette.
Flowers were scattered all over the ground under the chair, petals falling one by one.
Her slender fingertips were stained bright red with flower juice, seemingly unaware of anyone's presence, as she slowly tore off a petal and put it in her mouth.
Kasya loved flowers and ordered all the flowers from the old garden to be moved over.
She rarely picks flowers, but occasionally she has the habit of eating them, plucking off a few petals to taste. When she does this, she is usually in a bad mood.
Upon closer inspection, it became clear that the hem of her skirt was soaked through by the mist, indicating that she had been sitting there for an unknown amount of time. Her black hair was plastered to her forehead, and her face was so white it was almost transparent.
"you........"
His dark eyes, glistening with a misty sheen, were like translucent gemstones, cool and serene.
He stopped talking after just one glance, unsure of what to say. The distance between them was so vast and distant; he could never fathom what Jia Ye was thinking.
The chair was a bit high, and her feet dangled in the air, her snow-white feet swaying gently. Her toes were round and small, very delicate, and not even as wide as an adult's palm.
The mud on the soles of her feet was particularly unsightly against her soft, white skin.
For some unknown reason, he bent his left knee and used his sleeve to wipe her clean. His fingers touched her cold ankle, and she flinched but did not pull away, letting him wipe her.
Her small feet connected to her delicate ankles, and her beautifully curved legs were like carved jade, and as cold as jade, they seemed like lifeless objects if they were not soft and smooth in the palm of your hand.
I held on for a long time, my mind blank, and my cold feet seemed to gradually warm up.
Suddenly, her hand went empty. She jumped off the bench barefoot, her skirt billowing and trailing on the ground.
Stepping over the scattered flower branches and brushing against the paved road, I was already far away in an instant.
Only fallen petals remained on the ground, flowers and leaves scattered about, like a dream at dawn.
Jia Ye rarely hesitates in her actions, but this time was different.
After the king gave the order, she obeyed in the palace, but upon returning, she pondered for a long time. She opened and examined one intelligence report after another sent by various countries, repeatedly scrutinizing them, and remained undecided.
What are you worried about?
Hearing his question, she straightened up and gestured for him to close the door.
He casually covered it up, feeling surprised and suspicious, as he rarely saw her so cautious.
"The timing is wrong this time."
"What's the meaning?"
"The current situation in Kucha is very complicated. The assassination of the Left Minister is by no means a common family feud as Alice said." She pointed to the secret report about the case. "The King of Kucha is old and dotes on his youngest son born to his concubine. He is indifferent to his eldest son Chishu, who is supported by the court officials. He wants to depose the eldest son and establish the youngest son in his place. This is exactly the direction that the King of Kucha expects."
“Chishu has been trained in the army for many years and is brave and decisive. He has long been dissatisfied with the annual tribute. Once he succeeds to the throne, he will definitely be difficult to control. The army of Kucha is well-trained, fierce and brave. If we forcibly assassinate him, the casualties will be too great. It is not advisable to do it by force. Therefore, the sect is doing its best to support the concubine’s young son.”
Since the youngest son has no support from the court officials, he can only side with the maternal relatives. In order to consolidate his position, he must obey the Demonic Cult. Only in this way can he squeeze out the opposing ministers. In order to protect himself, he will become the puppet of the cult king in no time. With just a few words of planning, he can easily eliminate a troublesome potential threat. Jia Ye is very skilled in this method.
He understood in his heart, but only asked casually.
"Which side does the Left Minister belong to?"
"He originally held a neutral and impartial position, which is why the Pope indulged Alice's request. After all, killing him would serve as a warning and establish authority, forcing some wavering and hesitant ministers to make a decision."
"But it will also provoke the conservatives, making them more hostile to the Pope and turning them to support Chishu."
“It seems that’s indeed the case now.” Jia Ye smiled coldly. “Coincidentally, we just received a secret report that the Left Minister has connections with the Kingdom of Gumo and has repeatedly obstructed the military and political plans of the Grand Prince of Kucha.”
"Gumo? Didn't it have a war with Kucha a few years ago?"
"He was probably bribed by Gu Mo, so he deliberately obstructed and even advised the King of Kucha to reduce the army and seize Chi Shu's military power."
"Sounds like someone who could benefit us." He said with a hint of sarcasm, as Jia Ye was always adept at using such ministers who would betray their country for personal gain.
“He concealed it very well. On the surface, he was extremely loyal and seemed to care about the people’s livelihood. He was also Chishu’s uncle, so he was deeply trusted by the king.” She said with a hint of regret, “If I had known this, I would have just bribed him. I guess he thought this nephew was too shrewd and difficult to control.”
"So, the death of this maternal uncle is actually beneficial to Chishu."
"Eliminating a traitor within the family, inciting hatred towards the Pope throughout Kucha, and providing ample reason to reorganize the military and prepare for war, thus overwhelming the younger brother in terms of momentum—truly killing two birds with one stone." She commented calmly, with no small amount of admiration. "I am not at all surprised that you presented Alice Ruochi's scheme."
"Now is probably not a good time to go to Kucha."
“Very… terrible.” Jia Ye muttered to himself, “It is more likely that Chi Shu will hang my head on the city wall to declare to the church that I will never submit again.”
His expression changed slightly as he watched her pace back and forth in the room, hesitant and undecided.
"This opponent is truly formidable."
"Or I should go and kill him."
Jia Ye raised her eyes and thought for a moment. "No, he must be on high alert right now, so the chances of success are slim. Moreover, killing high-ranking officials would only incite the entire nation of Kucha to fight against him, making the situation even more difficult to manage."
"Then tomorrow, I'll go to the palace to inform the King and ask him to take down Alice first?" He knew in his heart that the chances of success were slim.
“Since Alice dared to join the church, she was a suicide spy, prepared to die. At this time, she has no concrete evidence, and mere speculation is not enough to sway the Pope’s favored concubine. How can she speak?”
Neither option worked, and the King then ordered Jia Ye to personally go to Kucha, a journey whose dangers were self-evident. He lowered his eyes, staring at the map on the table. The room was silent for a long time, then a thought vaguely surfaced.
He suddenly stood up, and Jia Ye appeared at the table at some point, his cold black eyes fixed on the same target.
A barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.
"We'll descend the mountain tomorrow and head to Gumo first."
“I will go with you.”
Jia Ye raised her eyes in slight surprise, "No need, I can bring two of the six wings with me."
“I’ll go.” He insisted, a rare occurrence for him.
Jia Ye remained silent for a long while.
"Whatever you say, just tell them to prepare everything."
night party
Gumo was originally a vassal state of Kucha.
A hundred years ago, the King of Gumo refused to be a vassal, so he held his own army and became enemies with Kucha.
The two countries have fought many times, with each side experiencing victories and defeats, a conflict that continues to this day.
Unlike his trip to Shache, this time he arranged all the travel and accommodations, a stark contrast to his bewilderment as a newcomer a few years ago.
As usual, Jia Ye was taciturn, silently riding his camel behind him, with only the tinkling of camel bells heard on the long road.
After that chance encounter in the early morning, the distance between us seemed to grow even more distant.