The hibiscus embroidered on her dress immediately bloomed in the wind. Before Hua Wuduo had even returned to the corridor, he heard two heavy thuds behind him, followed by several different voices exclaiming, "Young Master!" "Young Master!"... It was all in chaos.
Hua Wuduo turned around at the sound, but there was no one left in the tree. She thought about it carefully; she had clearly settled them in just moments before. How could they all have fallen at once, even the one who was clinging to the trunk? A smile flickered in her eyes, but she held it back. Her lips twitched a few times as she turned and walked back to Song Lan's side. She saw Song Lan and the others under the veranda looking out the wall with worried and flustered expressions. Seeing her return, they were too embarrassed to show it too obviously, and although they forced themselves to sit down, they were already fidgeting.
Song Lan's expression was somewhat strange. Hua Wuduo only sat for a short while before bidding farewell to Song Ziyin and leaving. While Hua Wuduo was there, the five girls stared at her blankly without saying a word. Only after she left and exited the courtyard did the girl named Ning'er say, "She really is very beautiful."
At this moment, Fan Qingfei said, "I wonder how badly my brother fell. Aunt, I'll take my leave and go home to check on him."
Song Zixing's cousin, Zheng Mingruo, also said, "Madam, Mingruo will also take her leave now. She's going home to visit her brother."
Song Lan said, "I don't know how he is after falling from such a tall tree. I'm very worried about him. Please send me a message when you get back."
"Yes," the two replied, and hurriedly withdrew.
Once outside the Fan residence and seated in the carriage, Song Ziyin couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.
Even with few flowers, one can still smile.
Song Ziyin laughed as she said, "That's hilarious, I'm going to tell my brother when I get back."
Hua Wuduo also curled the corners of his mouth and said, "I had no intention of doing so."
Song Ziyin laughed even harder and said, "This is really hilarious! Do you know who those two people in the tree are?"
Hua Wuduo raised an eyebrow, though he knew a thing or two, he didn't explain.
Song Ziyin then said, "One is the older brother of that arrogant Fan Qingfei, and the other is my cousin." Song Ziyin blinked and continued, "This Fan Qingfei has always been arrogant and has been pestering my brother for many years. Now that he has seen you, he is probably too embarrassed to pester my brother anymore."
Hua Wuduo smiled and said, "Qingfei is very beautiful. Why hasn't he married her all these years?"
Song Ziyin said, "I also asked my elder brother, but he only replied with three words."
Hua Wuduo said with a half-smile, "I don't like it."
Upon hearing this, Song Ziyin laughed so hard she almost fell over, saying, "You even perfectly mimicked the expression on my brother's face when he said that."
Hua Wuduo smiled without speaking. Song Zixing had once said, "Don't look at him with your eyes, feel him with your heart." Now she understood the meaning behind his words. Although she knew Song Zixing would say those three words with such an expression, she didn't know why he would say them. She pondered for a while but still couldn't figure it out. Then she heard Song Ziyin sigh, "I really wish I could be like you."
That evening, Song Zixing brought it up to her on his own initiative.
It turned out that the person who stole the grain was none other than Song Zixing. Due to widespread famine, many refugees flocked to Jiangnan, causing great concern for the Song family, who had always been stationed there. The Song family learned that Prince Liu Yi of Jin had stockpiled a large amount of grain, and Song Zixing planned to steal it during the Phoenix Boat Race in Jiangling. Song Zixing had been planning this for a long time. Firstly, he knew that Hua Wuduo didn't want to perform on stage and was unaware that Gongzi Qi had already arranged a substitute for her, thus worrying that the Phoenix Boat Race wouldn't proceed smoothly, affecting his grain-stealing plan. Secondly, he wanted to take the opportunity to confirm her identity and tease Hua Wuduo. Therefore, when he guessed that Hua Wuduo might not perform and secretly run away, he made things difficult for her. He hadn't expected that Hua Wuduo would rather collapse the platform than perform. Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo glared fiercely at Song Zixing. Song Zixing smiled and continued to explain that after successfully stealing the grain, he used several thousand soldiers disguised as refugees to distribute the stolen grain to Jiangnan, where it was then distributed to the refugees who had fled there. Hearing this, Hua Wuduo remained silent, lost in thought. As far as she knew, Song Zixing wasn't the only one who had tried to steal the grain.
Then Song Zixing continued, saying that he wasn't the only one who stole the grain; Wu Yi was also involved. That day, his men disguised themselves as refugees and robbed the eastern granary, but Wu Yi used some of his men to incite refugees to take the opportunity to rob the western granary.
Hua Wuduo then asked, "Why did he steal the grain?"
Song Zixing said, "As far as I know, Wu Yi resold the stolen grain to Li She, and after some time, Li She distributed it to major merchants in the Jiangling area."
"Why did he sell the grain to Li She? Would he be short of money?" Hua Wuduo asked with doubt, as she knew Wu Yi did not seem to be short of money.
Song Zixing smiled and said, "I greatly admire Wu Yi. He sold these grains to Li She for three reasons. First, he can keep some of the money for himself. Second, he can sell the stolen goods locally, which is much more convenient and time-consuming than my method of transporting them. Third, this move will also benefit the people in the Jiangling area."
"What do you mean?" Hua Wuduo asked.
“Jiangling has suffered from severe drought for years, and the price of rice in the market is extremely high. Wu Yi will sell the stolen grain to Li She at a low price, making a profit for himself, and Li She will also profit. Li She is a merchant, and merchants are driven by profit; they will do things even if it involves taking risks. Li She will definitely make a lot of money from this deal. Moreover, he once had a slight crush on a woman, so he is happy to trade with Wu Yi and help him with this favor.” At this point, Song Zixing’s gaze fell on Hua Wuduo, and he continued, “The Li family’s grain stores are spread throughout the prefectures and counties of Jiangling, so hiding these government grains is not difficult. This will help Wu Yi sell the stolen goods locally. In addition, with a large amount of grain entering the market, the price of rice will naturally drop, which will ultimately benefit the people.”
Hearing this, Hua Wuduo was somewhat dazed. She knew Wu Yi was somewhat clever, but she never imagined he was so adept at strategizing. He must have already planned his first step, even Li She, from the moment he attempted to steal the grain. Thinking of the letter Li She hid in the fruit basket and the scene of him waiting for her to wake up, she finally understood why Li She could enter their residence so easily, and why Gongzi Yi and Gongzi Qi were never there. She hadn't understood Li She's thoughts then, but now, looking back, she knew he was pursuing her.
Wu Yi had actually taken advantage of her back then. The thought made her chest tighten.
Thinking of this, she thought of Song Zixing again. Song Zixing's idea of stealing grain must have been planned for a long time, and he must have taken advantage of Princess Liu Yu's feelings for him.
Hua Wuduo couldn't help but sigh at himself and Liu Yu, for they had only encountered wolves.
Song Zixing laughed and said, "To others I am a wolf, but to you I am fish meat, at your mercy."
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo said in a serious tone, "Although I like to eat fish, I never like to eat human flesh."
Song Zixing chuckled, shook his head and sighed, "When I can like you even a little less, I will be complete."
Hua Wuduo said, "I am very much looking forward to it."
In a fit of anger, Song Zixing slapped her head. Hua Wuduo turned her head and stretched out two fingers to pinch his hand, but he held it tightly in return. Hua Wuduo snorted and struggled a few times, but failed to break free. She then said, "A gentleman uses words, not fists."
Song Zixing moved a few steps closer to her, gazing intently at her, and whispered, "Promise me one thing."
Hua Wuduo swung his legs and shook his head, saying, "Beg me, beg me nicely, and maybe I'll agree."
Song Zixing said, "Don't just look at me with your eyes, feel me with your heart."
Hua Wuduo pretended to close his eyes, and after a while, he stretched out his other hand and groped around like a blind man, saying, "I'm so tired, I can't see anything."
Song Zixing was both amused and exasperated.
Looking at her somewhat smug profile, Song Zixing suddenly wished time could stand still at this moment.
Hua Wuduo knew very little that Song Zixing had treated her extremely well. His feelings for her were genuine, and she was trying to accept them and also trying hard to forget the person who had originally occupied her heart... She tried very hard, very hard.
Despite all her efforts, she still couldn't understand whether her feelings for Song Zixing were genuine or just a misconception. All she knew was that she no longer loathed Song Zixing, and being with him didn't bring her pain. So be it for now.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Chaos Across the Land
After returning to Suzhou after the New Year, Song Zixing became even busier, constantly traveling between Suzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, and other places.
In April of the same year, Chen Dongyao, from Jian'an in the southeast, seized power and proclaimed himself King of Qi. Everyone in the land knew that Chen Dongyao had rebelled.
In June of the same year, Song Zixing gathered 60,000 troops and joined forces with Liu Yi, the Prince of Jin of Jiangling, to launch a two-pronged attack on Chen Dongyao under the pretext of suppressing a rebellion.
Months ago, Song Zixing asked Hua Wuduo if he was going to Jian'an. Hua Wuduo originally thought that Song Zixing was going to Jian'an to avenge his sister, but now he realized he was wrong. He had known about the strange phenomena in the southeast for a long time, and he was just waiting, waiting for a legitimate opportunity to completely eliminate Chen Dongyao.
Originally, Chen Dongyao was stationed in Jian'an, far from the emperor's reach. Coupled with his usual arrogance and domineering nature, almost no one could control him. Now, he declared himself king, taking the opportunity to expand his territory. Chen Dongyao lived up to his reputation as the most powerful general of the time. In just two months, he took over Guangdong, and his power grew rapidly, his army expanding at an unprecedented pace, unmatched by anyone else.
Located in the rear of Jiangnan, Jian'an was embroiled in a long-standing feud between the Chen and Song families, with Chen Dongyao and Song Zixing particularly at odds, almost to the point of open conflict. Chen Dongyao frequently used pretexts such as bandits and outlaws to stir up trouble and harass Jiangnan, making the Chen family a major thorn in the side of the Song family. Now that he had declared himself king, the Song family, allied with the Liu family, had long harbored the intention to eliminate him. The Song family wanted to seize Fujian and other areas, while the Liu family wanted to occupy Guangdong and eventually conquer Guangxi.
By this time, Hua Wuduo had been by Song Zixing's side for nearly half a year. The world was in chaos, with only Jiangnan remaining relatively peaceful. Hua Wuduo had originally intended to live a life of ease for the time being, but she hadn't expected Song Zixing to go to war. Song Zixing had asked her opinion. War was unfamiliar to her, but she was used to hearing stories of heroes in teahouses—tales of loyalty, courage, and righteousness. The heroic deeds of Zhang Yide single-handedly defeating an enemy, Cao Cao's million-strong army, and so on filled Hua Wuduo with endless admiration.
Hua Wuduo has always harbored the heart of a chivalrous woman, especially admiring heroes, and since heroes often emerge from the battlefield, she suggests to Xiang Feng that they might as well go and see the excitement. If there's a chance, they can also meet Chen Dongyao, the number one flower picker in the world.
When Song Zixing heard Hua Wuduo address Chen Dongyao in that way, he jokingly said, "I wonder what Chen Dongyao would think if he heard you address him like that."
Hua Wuduo, however, disagreed, saying, "It's not bad at all; it's still the best in the world."
Song Zixing burst into laughter in shock, saying, "I really want to keep you by my side and never leave your side."
"Do you think I'm a money bag?" Hua Wuduo said, quite displeased.
Song Zixing laughed and said, "If you are a money bag, I will be your silver. I can easily enter your heart and accompany you day and night."
Looking into his eyes, he turned his head away and asked, "When do we set off?"
"Half a month later," Song Zixing said calmly.
Before his departure, a distinguished guest arrived in Suzhou: Li She, the third son of the Li family.
More than half a year has passed since they parted ways in Luoyang. Hua Wuduo learned that Li She had arrived in Suzhou and had met with Song Zixing several times, but had not yet had the opportunity to meet Li She.
That day, Hua Wuduo had just finished practicing his martial arts when a maid handed him an exquisite letter with a sweet lotus fragrance. Hua Wuduo took it and opened it, and saw Li She's invitation: sunset, on the banks of the Suzhou River.
Although she had never revealed her true identity to Li She, now that her identity was known to the world, and Li She was her sister's uncle, she had to give him face.
With the army about to set off, Song Zixing had not returned to the general's mansion for the past few days. Hua Wuduo explained his whereabouts to the steward of the general's mansion and left before sunset.
Since Hua Wuduo returned to Suzhou from Hangzhou, the number of people gathering near the General's Mansion has more than doubled. From peddlers and merchants to scholars and gentlemen, the main, side, and back gates of the General's Mansion are constantly bustling with activity. This situation shows no signs of abating, as the constant flow of people around the General's Mansion has created a market. The prices of nearby shops have also risen significantly. Merchants say that although beautiful women are often considered unlucky, the arrival of this beauty in the General's Mansion is a blessing, bringing them good fortune as well.
Every time Hua Wuduo's carriage left the manor, countless men and women would follow it like it was a rare animal, as if the thick wooden planks of the carriage couldn't block their gazes. After a few times, Hua Wuduo stopped taking the carriage and instead climbed over the wall to go out.
Having enjoyed a comfortable life in Suzhou, Hua Wuduo hadn't worn a mask for some time. When going out, he only wore a veil, as wearing a mask for extended periods could damage his skin, and applying medicinal mud at night was quite troublesome. Now that his identity was out in the open, Hua Wuduo simply stopped wearing it during his time in Suzhou.
Ironically, once when she was wearing a veil and about to jump over the wall, she heard a man outside the wall sigh: "There is a beauty inside the wall and a scholar outside the wall. Alas, a wall blocks the light of love. If the beauty could come out and the scholar could come in, it would be a chance encounter, and I would have no regrets in this life."
Upon hearing this, Hua Wuduo's mischievous nature stirred. With a quick glance, she removed her veil, suddenly leaped over the wall, and stood instantly before the scholar, staring at him for a moment. Seeing the scholar staring blankly with wide eyes, Hua Wuduo winked at him. But instead of being surprised, the scholar's eyes rolled back and he fell backward. Hua Wuduo was startled. She quickly checked the scholar's breath and found he had only fainted. She looked at the scholar with some puzzlement, thought for a moment, then pursed her lips, put her veil back on, and swaggered away.
Later, the area under that wall was always crowded with people, so Hua Wuduo had to jump over other walls. Sometimes, as soon as she jumped over the wall, she would hear someone shout, "Over here..." but as soon as the person finished speaking, she would disappear from sight.
Later, Song Zixing strengthened the defenses around the General's Mansion, and there was no one outside the walls anymore. Hua Wuduo continued to leap in and out as before, and Song Zixing didn't care. He only told her that she must inform the steward of her whereabouts when she went out, and that she could do whatever she wanted. Song Zixing's indifference suited her perfectly.
On the banks of the Suzhou River, a gentle breeze blew, and the willows swayed green. Hua Wuduo had just arrived when she saw a man standing before a painted boat moored on the riverbank. The wind ruffled his clothes, and his tall back, backlit by the sun, carried a hint of loneliness. Hua Wuduo approached step by step, and when he turned to look at her, she smiled and said, "Brother Li, it's been a long time. How have you been?" These words were an admission that she and Li She had known each other for a while. Sure enough, after saying this, she saw that Li She showed no sign of surprise. Seeing her frankness, he even smiled. He already knew.
Sitting on the painted boat, surrounded by exquisite food and wine, Hua Wuduo sniffed the wine in his cup, narrowed his eyes, and then simply removed his veil, drinking it down in one gulp.
Li She's gaze faltered for a moment, though he quickly recovered, a faint trace of melancholy still lingered in his eyes.
Strangely enough, Li She was unusually quiet that day. Fortunately, the wine was really good, otherwise Hua Wuduo would have been unable to sit still.
Before leaving, Hua Wuduo said, "Ruoxi has learned that Brother Li is heading north. Ruoxi has a favor to ask. I wonder if it would be convenient for Brother Li?"
Li She said, "Speak freely."
She handed something to Li She and said, "If Brother Li has the opportunity to go to Jingzhao, please give this to Wu Yi."
Without hesitation, Li She accepted the gift from Hua Wuduo and nodded.
Hua Wuduo smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Li."
Li She said, "There's no need to be so polite. The Li and Fang families are one family, and so are you and I."
Hua Wuduo nodded with a smile.
As darkness fell, before parting, Li She escorted her to the place where they had first agreed to meet. She smelled of wine, and her cheeks were slightly flushed. As she leaped from the painted boat to the riverbank, starlight bathed her. Li She was somewhat dazed. Seeing the knife disappear into the distance, he whispered to her retreating figure, "Take care."
Unexpectedly, she heard him clearly, turned around, and waved to him with a smile under the starry sky, saying, "Take care, Brother Li." After saying that, she turned and left gracefully.
Li She gazed at the distant object, wondering when they would meet again after this parting. He looked down at the object in his hand, his expression becoming complex.
After a long pause, he turned back to the boat, picked up a pen, and wrote on a piece of paper: All is well, do not worry. When the carrier pigeon was released, it flew towards Nanjing.
Three years later, Li She married Jin Sichai, a young lady from the Jin family in Luoyang. His younger brother, Li Kan, also married in Sichuan a year later and had a son that same year. He rarely set foot in the Central Plains throughout his life.
Fujian and other places are much hotter than the Jiangnan region, not to mention that it is already summer.
Since returning to Suzhou from Hangzhou, Hua Wuduo usually wore a veil and rarely wore a mask anymore. When Song Zixing suggested that she wear a mask before coming to Fujian, she was quite dismissive.
Song Zixing made it clear that her trip to Jian'an to see Chen Dongyao would inevitably cause a lot of trouble, given her appearance. Unexpectedly, Hua Wuduo didn't care at all and retorted disdainfully, "Let him come. I'll wait for him."
Upon hearing this, Song Zixing frowned. Years ago, Hua Wuduo had fought Chen Dongyao. Although she was wearing a mask then, given her unique weapon and identity, she had likely already been exposed… The thought that Chen Dongyao might be after her made Song Zixing uneasy. Seeing Song Zixing repeatedly mention the mask, Hua Wuduo finally agreed, donning the mask and disguising herself as his close bodyguard to enter the military camp.
Ever since Hua Wuduo caused a scene at the wedding of Liu Xiu, the emperor's brother-in-law, various rumors have circulated throughout the land about Fang Ruoxi, the second daughter of the Fang family. But regardless of the version, Fang Ruoxi's unparalleled beauty, mastery of disguise, attendance at Nanshan Academy, and wielding of the unique weapon, the Ten Golden Rings, remain constant. It seems that the gossips of Gongzi Yu and his ilk played a significant role in this.
Later, Song Zixing brought Hua Wuduo back to Hangzhou, and Fang Ruoxi's beauty became widely known throughout Jiangnan and even the world. Therefore, it is entirely possible that Chen Dongyao could deduce Hua Wuduo's true identity based on her weapon, the ten golden rings on her fingers.
Song Zixing's concerns were not unfounded. After his unsuccessful fight with Hua Wuduo, Chen Dongyao returned to Jian'an and ordered people to investigate the background of the woman he had fought in Suzhou, because the weapon she used was truly strange. That weapon had actually managed to injure him, which bothered him greatly.
Three days later, the scout reported back with detailed information.
Chen Dongyao frowned upon seeing it. It was her? Song Zixing had actually kept her by his side as his sister Song Ziyin's bodyguard. Chen Dongyao, who had previously harbored some feelings for Song Ziyin, was now completely preoccupied with this woman, forgetting all about Song Ziyin. He had heard that she was skilled in disguise and a peerless beauty. Was it true? Recalling her posture standing on the tree that day, her martial arts skills, her stunning beauty behind the mask, and her identity, Chen Dongyao felt an irresistible urge.