История о похищении мужа

Глава 4

He sneered inwardly, but his smile was as gentle and reserved as he would when speaking to other ministers. Fu Bo said, "I was not yet recovered when Lord Xinyang got married, so I was unable to offer my congratulations in person. I will make up for it another day with a small gift to express my congratulations."

Pingyi bowed slightly again and said, "It is rare for Madam to be so kind. Pingyi and my wife thank you."

Fu Bo turned slightly to look at the moon, his smile unchanged, his expression as leisurely as if he were talking about the bright moon and gentle breeze. However, the topic he was talking about suddenly changed: "Tell me the reason."

She spoke in a natural and calm tone. She knew that Xuan Lian's gaze had never left her for a moment, and she could not show any unusual expression to Ping Yi.

Pingyi remained calm and composed, following her gaze before lowering it again, carefully maintaining her distance. With her usual upright demeanor, she replied, "Pingyi cannot betray my brother, cannot abandon my marriage vows with my wife, and cannot bring shame upon my family and country." She skillfully controlled the volume of her voice so that she could hear it, but others could not.

Her eyes welled up with tears, but she forced a smile, not even allowing it to falter: "So, you'd rather betray me."

He remained standing with his eyes lowered, a slight, purely ceremonial smile on his face: "Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king. Even if Yi Ruo were to leave the state of Chu, he would be utterly useless. Taking you with me would only burden you, harm you, and betray you."

“No,” she said softly, refuting his words, “you are marrying her instead of me because she can bring you real peace.”

Ping Yi also did not deny it: "If it weren't for this marriage agreement, I'm afraid I wouldn't have had the chance to meet you back then."

Qi and Chu were both powerful states in the south, and had been embroiled in conflict for centuries, each harboring ambitions for the other. In recent years, Qi's power had greatly increased, and its influence had gradually surpassed that of Chu. When Pingyi was sixteen, Qi intended to launch a military attack on Chu, but fortunately, Pingyi went on a diplomatic mission to negotiate, thus averting a crisis. Qi wanted to form a marriage alliance with Chu, which Chu naturally welcomed. The fact that King Qi specifically chose to marry his daughter to Pingyi was probably also the reason why the Queen Mother of the past and the current Xuanlian found it difficult to decide to eliminate Pingyi.

Having lived in the palace for a long time, he gradually came to understand many things he hadn't understood in his youth. Fu Bo sighed softly, "Why did I do it in the first place!" He turned and left, regretting his naiveté.

She was alone with Xuanlian at night, and Xuanlian asked her about her conversation with Pingyi. She said casually, "I congratulated him, and he thanked me. After that, we chatted about the moon and the weather. He said that the weather is good now, and the people are living in peace and prosperity, all because of Your Majesty's good governance."

Xuan Lian curled the corners of his lips slightly: "Is that so?"

Fu Bo feigned displeasure and frowned, saying, "Does Your Majesty's statement imply that I have a secret relationship with Lord Xinyang?"

Xuan Lian suddenly laughed: "How could that be!" After a moment, he stopped laughing, stared at Fu Bo, and said seriously: "Before I decided to summon you to the palace, I asked him if he had feelings for you. If so, as the elder brother, I would not take away my younger brother's love. He just smiled and replied that he had only met you a few times and had no connection with you, but he had often heard people praise you for being elegant, virtuous, and suitable for marriage."

IV. The Grand Master of Fate

(to be continued)

IV. The Grand Master of Fate

The heavenly gates are wide open, and I ride upon the dark clouds;

Let the wind lead the way, and let the rain wash away the dust.

Her robes were draped with ethereal clouds, and her jade pendants glittered in the sunlight.

One yin and one yang, none of us know what I do.

Human life is indeed predetermined; what is the purpose of separation and reunion?

—From "Nine Songs: The Great Master of Fate"

At the end of that year, the powerful northern state of Qiang sent envoys to Mingcheng to discuss an alliance with Chu to attack Qi.

The envoy Zhou Xun stated that the Qi state had always coveted the surrounding states and harbored ambitions of annexing them. The Qing state had recently received intelligence from spies that Qi was secretly training its navy, intending to cross the river and invade the Qing state across the river. If successful, they planned to use this momentum to destroy the states of Chu, Fu, Yue, and Yan one by one, ultimately dominating the world. Therefore, the ruler of Qing intended to ally with Chu and first attack Qi. If they could destroy Qi, all the better; if not, a combined war between the two states would be enough to severely weaken Qi, rendering it incapable of further invasions. This would allow the Chu state, which had been threatened for many years, to finally rest easy.

Most of the senior ministers, led by Lord Xinyang Pingyi, strongly opposed the move. Pingyi was particularly resolute, stating that Qing's actions were clearly a scheme. If Qi wanted to annex another country, it would first destroy its weak neighboring states in the south, and would never risk crossing the river to attack the powerful Qing. Qing must be trying to sow discord between the already peacefully allied states of Qi and Chu through marriage, instigate war between them, and then reap the benefits after both are weakened.

Xuanlian agreed and quickly ordered Zhou Xun to be imprisoned in Mingcheng, forbidding him from returning to the country.

Ping Yi remonstrated again, strongly advocating the execution of the envoy to establish authority, but Xuan Xuan hesitated to express his opinion. Ping Yi then continued to lead the court officials in frequent remonstrances, requesting the execution of Zhou Xun to deter the powerful state and consolidate the friendship with the Qi state.

Xuan Huan still hadn't made a decision. One day, after pondering alone in the inner palace for a long time, he suddenly summoned Fu Bo, told her about the situation, and asked her, "In your opinion, should Zhou Xun be executed or released?"

After a moment's thought, Fu Bo replied, "Keep him safe. If we kill him, the State of Qing might be so angry that it will send troops to attack Chu."

Xuan Lian said, "There is no need to worry about that. Although the Qing Kingdom is strong, it is not yet certain that it can cross the river to attack our country. Moreover, the northern countries also covet it. If it uses all its strength to destroy us, it will surely be in trouble."

Fu Bo sighed, “Even if the Qing Kingdom doesn’t launch a full-scale invasion, the execution of their envoy is a great disgrace, and they will still send troops to save face. War between two countries will inevitably result in casualties, which is bad for both the country and its people. It would be better to release Zhou Xun first, bestow upon him generous gifts, and offer kind words of comfort. Even if we do not accept the Qing Kingdom’s suggestion, we can still send him back to establish friendly relations between the two countries. If our country establishes friendly relations with the Qing Kingdom, Qi will have more to consider if he intends to attack us in the future.”

Xuanlian looked at her with a half-smile and said, "You speak up for Qing like this, it seems like you have some ulterior motives."

Fu Bo stiffened and immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty is wise, and you can see through my little schemes at a glance. Yes, Fu Bo does have selfish motives. I have heard that the State of Qing values Zhou Xun highly and intends to offer a large sum of money and treasures, as well as a princess in marriage, to redeem Zhou Xun. Therefore, I am worried that if Your Majesty does not release Zhou Xun voluntarily, the State of Qing will definitely offer a princess in marriage to redeem him. At that time, when the princess enters the palace, Your Majesty will discard Fu Bo like a worn-out shoe."

For once, a hint of warmth flashed in Xuan Lian's eyes, and his usually cold and hard face softened slightly. He smiled so gently, as if afraid of disturbing her, and with his hands supporting Fu Bo, he said to her, "I will issue an order immediately to release Zhou Xun."

Fu Bo bowed and saw him off. After he had gone far away, she looked up and gave him a cold smile. It wouldn't be difficult to make him happy if she put in a little effort. She had her own reasons for wanting Zhou Xun, but it wasn't because she was afraid that the princess of Qing Kingdom would enter the palace and steal the emperor's favor. Rather, she simply wanted Ping Yi to be unhappy.

Every time she recalled Xuan Lian's retelling of Ping Yi's words, her heart began to bleed. She often told herself that Xuan Lian might be lying to her, that Ping Yi would never push her into someone else's arms, but those two sentences kept swirling in her mind, never fading away. She could even imagine the tone of Ping Yi's voice when he said those words, and his supposedly "faint" smile at that time, so that when she remembered them, it was as if she had witnessed Ping Yi saying them to her.

She might forgive Pingyi for breaking his promise, but she would never forgive him for those few words he uttered.

After that, Xuanxuan often consulted her on political matters, and her principle was simple: choose the opposite stance from Pingyi. Xuanxuan always readily accepted her opinions. Fubo understood that he had already made up his mind, so there was no need to consult her. Asking her was just to hear the answer he wanted from her, seeking only to feel comfortable.

Looking at Xuan Lian's smile, she wondered how depressed Ping Yi must feel because of her instigation. She thought she would be happy because of it, but that wasn't the case. From then on, she was never truly happy.

“Ever since you entered the palace, every time I see you, you look unhappy.” One day, Cen Yang, who was visiting Fu Bo in the palace, couldn’t help but sigh, “I can hardly remember what your expression was when you smiled.”

Fu Bo smiled and said, "How could that be? I often smile too, just like now."

Cen Yang shook his head: "That's not it. True laughter comes from the eyes."

Fu Bo looked dejected, lowered the corners of his lips, and sighed softly.

Cen Yang smiled bitterly, "You're becoming more and more like Lady Yuan back then... I really regret that I shouldn't have brought you into contact with the royal family, and I shouldn't have agreed to send you to the palace."

“Did we have a choice?” Fu Bo said. “It was fate. I have never resented my father.”

Cen Yang remained silent for a moment, then looked at Fu Bo and said, "If possible, it would be better to escape from this place. I'm afraid that if you continue like this, you will not be able to avoid the fate of Lady Yuan."

Fu Bo smiled and dismissed it: "How could that be possible?"

Cen Yang became serious, frowning earnestly as he said, "Where there's a will, there's a way. Think about it carefully."

Fu Bo opened his lips to speak again, but suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if a strange, cold light was piercing him.

Turning around, she saw Xuan Lian. His face was gloomy, and his gaze slowly moved across her and her father's faces before finally settling on Cen Yang.

Cen Yang knelt down to pay his respects, but Xuan Lian remained silent for a long time. His heart pounded uneasily; Fu Bo had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, shortly after Cen Yang left the capital and returned to his hometown, bad news came: Cen Yang was killed by bandits on his way back to Youhuang Mountain.

From that day on, Fu Bo stopped speaking. She cried the day she learned of her father's death, but after that, she showed no particular sadness. Apart from not speaking, she acted the same as before. When Xuan Lian summoned her, she served him as usual, and there was no indication that she had any unusual feelings for him.

Xuan Lian tried every possible way to test her, using both soft and hard tactics, but still couldn't get her to speak. At a palace banquet, he deliberately had Ping Yi sit quite close to Fu Bo, but the two sat indifferently, and even when their eyes occasionally met, they would naturally look away. There was no embarrassment or panic at that moment; their gazes swept over each other smoothly, without the slightest hesitation.

Pingyi rose to offer a toast, and Xuanlian instructed him to toast Fubo in return. Pingyi obeyed and toasted Fubo. Fubo bowed slightly, then raised his cup with both hands, and without saying a word, drank the wine in his cup.

“I apologize for not thanking Lord Xinyang,” Xuanlian said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Fu Bo stood up and bowed to Ping Yi to express his apology, and Ping Yi returned the bow.

Xuanlian glanced at Fubo and explained to Pingyi, "She is so grief-stricken by her father's death that she is unable to speak."

Pingyi nodded and said to Fubo, "Please accept my condolences, Madam."

"There is only one way to cure her heartache: catch the murderer who killed her father and avenge her." Xuan Lian took a sip of wine and looked at Ping Yi: "I am busy with political affairs and am unable to spare the time to relieve Cen Ji's worries. I wonder if my brother would be willing to do this for me and find her father's killer?"

Fu Bo was taken aback and turned to look at Ping Yi. The rest of the people in the hall also found the request rather strange and did not understand what Xuan Lian meant. They all looked at Ping Yi, and for a moment there was no sound.

Pingyi pondered for only a moment before quickly raising her eyebrows and replying, "Pingyi obeys."

Xuanlian nodded slowly, then emphasized, "I heard that the man was a bandit from Qi Kingdom."

Half a month later, on Fu Bo's birthday, Xuan Huan held a banquet in the palace, inviting all the palace ladies to celebrate. During the banquet, Lord Xin Yang requested an audience, and Xuan Huan summoned him inside. He entered slowly, dressed in plain clothes, carrying a square box wrapped in black silk in his right hand.

He held up the square box with both hands, saying it contained a congratulatory gift for Fubo. The palace maid took it and presented it to Fubo, who opened it to find a severed human head inside.

The palace servants who saw it clearly couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, but Fu Bo was not afraid at all. He reached out and grasped the head and hair, lifted it up, and examined it closely.

She recognized the man; he was a palace guard with superb martial arts skills, which Xuan Lian had once praised to her face.

Xuanlian's smile vanished, and he stared directly at Pingyi, his eyes filled with a cold light that could freeze a thousand feet deep.

Ping Yi looked back at him and calmly said, "Ping Yi dared not fail Your Majesty's trust and has already captured and killed the murderer of Mr. Cen."

Xuan Lian remained silent, his gaze never leaving Ping Yi. The crowd was silent, no one daring to move; the air itself seemed to hold its own against the palpable tension.

Suddenly, Fu Bo chuckled softly, carrying the severed head as he slowly walked to Ping Yi and said gently, "Lord Xinyang, you have misunderstood." He raised the severed head to show him, looking into his eyes, "The one who killed my father was not him, but a man from Qi State."

"Is that so?" Pingyi smiled casually. "It was Pingyi's mistake. I apologize. Pingyi will apologize to the King."

Xuan Lian smiled slightly and said, "We'll talk about this later. In any case, Cen Ji's words today are all thanks to Lord Xinyang. Lord Xinyang, please sit down and have a few drinks."

Pingyi thanked her, sat down, took the wine pot from the palace maid, poured himself a drink, and then fell silent.

The following day, he resigned, citing the mistake of accidentally killing a palace guard, and asked the king to allow him to live in seclusion on Youhuang Mountain to reflect on his actions. Xuanlian politely tried to persuade him to stay, and only after his repeated insistence did he "reluctantly" agree.

When Pingyi set off, Xuanlian personally saw him off at the south gate of Mingcheng, standing indifferently with his hands behind his back on the city tower, accepting Pingyi's final kneeling homage.

At that time, Fu Bo, a palace maid, was strolling in the courtyard, looking up at the lone swallow hovering and circling under the eaves for a long time. Suddenly, she summoned Xi Sun and ordered, "Gather me a bunch of Asarum."

Xi Sun sighed, "Miss, the flowering season of the Du Ruo has long passed."

V. Lesser Master of Fate

He enters without a word and leaves without farewell; he rides the returning wind and drives the cloud banner.

There is no greater sorrow than parting from loved ones, and no greater joy than making a new friend.

With canopy and green banners, we ascend to the ninth heaven and stroke the comet.

With a long sword drawn, I embrace the young and tender; only the angelica is fit to be a righteous ruler for the people.

—From "Nine Songs: Lesser Master of Fate"

If you want to get the best revenge on someone, then don't let them know you have vengeful intentions in the first place. This applies to Yu Xuanlian, and it also applies to Yu Xuanzi.

Xuan Zi was Fu Bo's only noteworthy rival in the Chu Palace. That year, she entered the palace as a beauty presented by the small western kingdom of Fu. Dressed in purple feathers and emerald green, with long, flowing hair, she was dazzlingly beautiful. Shu Qianyi danced gracefully before Xuan Lian, her jade pendants fluttering, her skirt flowing like spring clouds, and Xuan Lian's eyes flickered.

Compared to Fu Bo, she was a vibrant flower, equally charming in both anger and laughter. For a time, Xuan Lian even neglected Fu Bo, allowing her to enjoy his exclusive favor.

She was also a shrewd woman. Soon after entering the palace, she realized that Fu Bo was the king's most valued wife and a formidable rival she could not ignore. So she tested and provoked Fu Bo, wanting to know her true colors.

Her usual demeanor wasn't alluring or seductive. She preferred to let her beautiful eyes reveal the clearest gaze, looking sincerely at the person in front of her, making herself appear innocent and pure, reminding others of her delicate, beautiful sixteen-year-old self, especially in front of Fu Bo, the mother of her five-year-old son, Zi Tun.

“Sister,” she appeared before Fubo one day, holding a luminous pearl, and called to Fubo in her sweetest voice, “The King bestowed upon me a luminous pearl, saying that it was originally a pair. One was given to you first, and this one is to be used as jewelry. But I think that since this pearl is a pair, it should not be separated. Lovers separated will fall ill with sorrow, and pearls have a spirit; if separated, their brilliance will surely be diminished. So I offer this pearl to you, sister. You can use it to make a pair of earrings with the original one, and when you wear them in the future, you will surely be the most beautiful woman in the harem.”

Fu Bo smiled faintly, "Thank you for your kindness, sister. But you've only recently entered the palace, and your dowry isn't complete yet. How can I accept such a generous gift? If I were to shamelessly accept it, I would have no face to show anyone." She turned and took out a hairpin inlaid with a luminous pearl. "I'm ashamed to say that I only remembered today that I hadn't given you the gift I prepared. Since you're here, I'll give it to you in person. My pearl is already set in this hairpin. If you like it, use it; if not, you can take it off and set it as an earring."