Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Haitang’s words made Fan Xian feel very good and very powerful. This young man and woman shared a single blanket and spoke quietly under the moonlight of such moving things. It was difficult for it to not become explicit with a powerful and clichéd ending.
However, Fan Xian was not surprised. He also didn’t hide under the bed in fright nor did he leap at her. He only sincerely and seriously replied to her,
Very good, we can discuss the wedding date.
…
…
This was his reply to the question of
what if I married you…,
so now it was Haitang’s turn to be shocked. She had a strong sense of being caught in her own trap. She knew very well that she had once again underestimated the shamelessness and black-heartedness under Fan Xian’s gentle exterior.
She chuckled and lowered her head. Complaining in her heart, how could she have just spouted such a line?
In her interactions with Fan Xian this past year, they had long nurtured a relationship that surpassed friendship and was closer to that tacit understanding like that of family. Fan Xian looked at her expression and knew what she was thinking. His eyebrow raised and he said, smilingly,
That empress dowager of yours.
That Emperor of yours.
Haitang raised her face and continued it with a smile.
That baldy of yours.
Fan Xian continued seriously.
Haitang tilted her head slightly,
Your identity.
And your identity,
Fan Xian said with a slight smile.
These few random sentences already clearly laid out the obstacles and problems running between them. In the relationship between men and women, what was important was to be of one heart and mind. Although the two of them had never exchanged sweet or loving words, with the moonlight as witness, they had already thoroughly figured out the other person’s thoughts.
There were countless mediocre people in the world. As for a rare confidant in this world of mortals, who would be willing to lightly miss it or give it up?
The problem was that the Qing Emperor would not want Fan Xian to have the outside support of the Northern Qi Tianyi Dao, which was a powerful force, while he already held such great power. While the dowager empress of the Northern Qi had been urgently looking for a matching household for Haitang, it was impossible for her to allow Haitang to handle it herself.
The respective position of Fan Xian and Haitang in their own countries ensured that if they decided to break this current situation and publicly stand shoulder to shoulder, they would both face unimaginable pressure.
The South Kingdom was a bit easier to deal with, even if the Qing Emperor did not like Fan Xian receiving more foreign support. Given the Emperor’s great self-confidence, he would likely think to use this opportunity to further weaken Northern Qi’s strength. Fan Xian could use this as an excuse to persuade his father.
In the eyes of the people of Qing Kingdom, Fan Xian marrying Haitang was a joyful matter that would earn the Qing people a great deal of face, and it was something they had the advantage in. Who wouldn’t be willing?
The objections from Northern Qi would be quite fierce. The officials, who always self-defined themselves as orthodox, would not be able to accept that the pride of their country, the saint Haitang, one of the Tianmai beings, would marry a Southern savage they held in contempt deep in their hearts. Not only would they not accept, the empress dowager and Ku He would both prevent this matter from happening.
In exchanging students, there was room for discussion on both sides. In a matter of marrying out a girl, it was clear that the Northern Qi people were suffering a loss. How could they agree?
As for that little Emperor, he had some methods that even Fan Xian admired. There was no hope that he would be willing to let go. Fan Xian smiled self-mockingly and said,
When you came to Jiangnan, your Emperor asked you to monitor me making silver…if you become a woman of my family, then it can be said we have a family-run shop and can spend his money as we wish. Wouldn’t he die of anger?
Haitang smiled and said,
If he heard what you said, that would really make him angry.
Fan Xian sighed.
Actually, after you marry me, our whole family could find a quiet and isolated place to live out the rest of our lives, that could be possible. Who cares how angry the courts of the two countries will get.
Haitang looked at him with a not-quite-there smile and said,
Would you be satisfied?
Fan Xian was silent for a moment, not to be outdone, he gazed back and asked,
Perhaps you would be satisfied?
The two people gazed at each other and knew that each other’s heart was bound. They had benevolence toward this world. Although Fan Xian’s benevolence came from his selfish inner heart and Haitang’s benevolence came from her kind nature, regardless of who, neither would be able to turn their back and walk away, to coldly watch all that happened in the world.
They were all people of this world. How could they leave it?
The room once again sank into silence. In the sky above Hua Garden, the crescent moon suddenly came through the smoke like clouds, and the moonlight became slightly brighter. It reflected back from the wall and garden into the room, covering the large bed, cotton blanket, and faces of the two extraordinary people in a layer of light haze.
Haitang gazed at him calmly before suddenly smiling.
Most importantly, you already have a wife.
…
…
Fan Xian became silent and knew that this sentence was not easy to reply to. He had been reborn into this world for almost 20 years, and he had not yet heard of a custom of having two wives. Although when he was on the precipice, he had talked to Uncle Wu Zhu about the Three Represents and the three objectives, one of which was to marry lots and lots of wives. However, now that things were like this, he discovered that to be a stud with many beauties, in reality, was very difficult.
The important point was that his standards were too high, so he sighed helplessly. There was no need to talk about Wan’er, the most favored Princess. The Haitang in front of him, whom he could not bear to let go of anymore, also had an incomparably high position in Northern Qi. They had laid out so many obstacles earlier. What if he married Haitang as a concubine?
Fan Xian shuddered and even he felt that this was a bit tactless. Furthermore, he believed that the Northern Qi people would certainly go crazy. The two countries might even go back to being at war again.
Cold?
Haitang looked at him with a smile. Her hands pulled at the blanket and carefully pulled it up to her shoulders.
Fan Xian smiled bitterly and said,
It is my heart that is cold.
The night was indeed a bit cold. With both of them under the same blanket, it was impossible for it to cover two people. Haitang pulled some over and the top half of Fan Xian’s body was left out, he shivered and pulled it back.
With a swish, Haitang started and found that the blanket had been stolen from him. She glared at him angrily and stole it back.
Fan Xian chuckled. Without saying anything, he pulled it toward himself again.
The two of them sat like this in the bed and played a childish game of pulling the blankets. Fortunately, neither of them used zhenqi, otherwise what crime had the blanket committed? It would have long become tens of thousands of cotton threads and danced away in the wind, completely destroyed. What crime at the blanket committed? To be stolen back and forth by the two most powerful people of the younger generation, without giving an inch, the blanket wasn’t an imperial seal.
If these two people had followed the progress of the original history, perhaps after many years, they would be standing in each other’s country fighting for the world. Since they had begun to fight for the blanket, there was no need to fight for the world.
Heaven protects the people of the world.
…
…
It was rare for them to be so silly. The two closed their mouths tightly and glared at each other. Haitang’s originally crossed legs were no longer, and she glared angrily and shyly. This allowed Fan Xian, this skirt-chaser, to grasp the opportunity.
Fan Xian let go, and immediately the big blanket was stolen by Haitang. With a whoosh, the curtains rose and buried the top of half Haitang’s body into the flower soft bedding. The girl let out a slight cry of surprise.
A pair of legs in thin pants were left outside of the blanket. Particularly the pair of naked feet, were pale and alluring.
Fan Xian extended his hand and grasped the pair of feet.
Haitang’s leg shook slightly but did not struggle.
Don’t get cold.’ Fan Xian said righteously and coldly, but in his heart, he was actually very pleased. His trick earlier had indeed reached his highest realm. Swift as lightning, quick as a storm, the sunflowers came out. It had some resemblance to Uncle Wu Zhu’s realm of striking people with sticks. How could Haitang dodge it?
Perhaps…Haitang had not wanted to dodge at all?
The tactile sensation wasn’t bad, Fan Xian held the girl’s feet in his embrace, and his eyes narrowed proudly. For some reason, his brain remembered his previous life, when he was in high school, heavy snow had fallen from the sky and he had held the female class monitor’s feet just like this in his embrace…
Oh, perhaps it is only when you are content that you can remember those already distant and blurry memories.
…
…
Let go.
Haitang’s voice buzzed through under the blankets, except her tone had an additional glimmer of anger.
Fan Xian started and hesitantly let go, completely betraying the determination men should have at this time.
Haitang flipped the blanket down and glared angrily at him, however, her cheeks were slightly red and her hair was a mess. She really didn’t look like she had the power to pressure and terrify.
Fan Xian watched as she pulled her legs back under the blanket. He chuckled but did not say anything.
The blush on Haitang’s face showed slightly. She glared at him, then turned her body to face the inside of the bed.
Fan Xian silently changed into a black cat and crawled over to lie evenly with her. However, he lay very properly and used a voice as thin as a mosquito to say,
Cold, give some blanket to me.
Haitang buzzed a reply in a voice like a bee and said,
You don’t have your own hands?
Although she said that, the girl still moved in a bit and made some room for Fan Xian. At the same time, she left half the blanket to him.
Fan Xian laid down comfortably. He sniffed heavily and found that indeed there wasn’t anything scented, there was only a calm, clean, and warm feeling enveloping him. He opened that pair of bright eyes and looked at the dark ceiling.
The two of them huddle in one bed. The silence became awkward and ambiguous. Earlier, Fan Xian had said he didn’t like to be ambiguous, but in reality, he loved to suffer in this kind of feeling.
He thought in his heart, Duoduo…today finally revealed some girly tendencies. It was different and interesting. Yet, he did not examine himself to see that he had strange hobbies in his heart.
Haitang had calmed down and carefully revealed her face.
Are you really not going to let me marry someone?
Hmm.
Fan Xian put two hands behind his head and smiled slightly.
Even if you are getting married, you can’t marry anyone else. It can only be me.
Haitang admitted defeat.
…
…
I came today because I had some bitterness to vent.
Fan Xian glanced at the girl beside him and related his worries earlier in the garden.
After Haitang thought for a while she gently said,
For you to come to me now to talk about you and your wife’s business, is it a bit inappropriate?
Fan Xian started and then realized he had indeed been a bit of a bastard. He couldn’t help smiling bitterly and said,
That’s true. Let’s talk about Ye Liuyun. I still don’t understand why he would show himself in Suzhou.
As soon as they began to discuss serious matters, Haitang’s childish behavior suddenly disappeared and she recovered her usual calm and steadiness. Turning over, she began to discuss and analyze with Fan Xian. She also told the story of her following Ye Liuyun from a distance and all that happened in between.
The two discussed back and forth and still could not make heads nor tails out of it. On the contrary, Haitang suddenly said lightly,
There is one possibility, I don’t know whether or not you’ve considered it.
What is it?
Fan Xian asked.
Perhaps the Emperor already knew of the Ye family’s relationship to the Junshang Conference, so Ye Liuyun was not worried about the Emperor finding out he had once struck out,
Haitang said.
Fan Xian thought for a moment then shook his head.
It still doesn’t make sense.
…
…
Having finished talking about Ye Liuyun, what else could they talk about? The manor in Jingdou, Lin Wan’er? Naturally, this was not a suitable topic to discuss in bed. Fan Xian felt guilty to some extent. No matter how open-hearted Haitang was, she wasn’t an unfeeling wooden person.
Lying here like this, with their breaths mingling, their warmth seeping into each other, and occasionally touching, although it was not ecstasy, it still made the temperature slowly rise under the blankets.
Let’s talk about the Temple,
Fan Xian said lightly. Perhaps he had made up his mind.
A glimmer of warmth and emotion flashed through Haitang’s eyes as she smiled slightly.
Beside the West Lake in Hangzhou, you said we will only talk about the affairs of the world.
The Temple is my business,
Fan Xian smiled and said.
Naturally, in the future, it is also your business.
The trust and closeness in these words made Haitang feel warm. Even though she was the saint girl of Northern Qi, able to enter and leave the Royal Palace without obstruction and had an eminent position, where could she look to find a confidant, to find a true friend, to find someone who could treat her equally and without ill-feeling?
…
…
The ‘wu’ character?
Haitang pushed herself up slightly and used her finger to draw in the air. An upstroke, a downstroke, an up, a down. She drew a few half circles with her brows pulled tight.
What does this symbol on the Temple mean?
At this point, Fan Xian had already told her in detail what Xiao En had said in the cave, it was only out of consideration for her feelings that he hid the matter of Imperial Advisor Ku He eating human flesh.
Haitang listened silently the entire time. It was only when he narrated the events of when Xiao En was in Northern Wei did a complicated emotion flash through her eyes occasionally. In the end, she was very confused by the symbol and so opened her mouth to ask.
How would I know?
Fan Xian said with a headache.
Seems like there will eventually be a day I’ll have to go to the Temple to see.
Unswerving determination gradually appeared in Haitang’s bright eyes.
I want to go.
Fan Xian smiled.
I know how alluring this is to you, so you must promise me…you can’t go secretly by yourself.
He pointed at his own head and said,
The path Xiao En took back then is all hidden here.
Who was the girl who ran out from the temple?
Haitang asked, she actually already had a faint idea.
Although the answer did not surprise her, it still made her sigh.
My mother,
Fan Xian said proudly.
…
…
Thus the topic once again turned toward the Ye family back in the day. Occasionally they would talk about the elegance of the blind uncle. The more she heard about the details, the deeper the yearning became in Haitang’s eyes.
Back then, what kind of era was that?
the girl sighed and asked.
The four Great Grandmasters all appeared in that era, and other than that, there was still your mother and the blind Grandmaster, those two eye-catching figures.
Fan Xian joked and said,
In a few days, you’ll have to call her mother-in-law.
Haitang couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him and sighed to herself.
To come out from the Temple…perhaps…
Her eyes lit up and she said,
Lady Ye should be a Tianmai being, right?
What is a Tianmai being?
Fan Xian laughed coldly, he could not tell the fantastical time traveling story.
Everyone says you are a Tianmai being, what do you think?
Haitang smiled slightly.
Teacher says that those who are chosen by the Temple and are able to carry heaven’s will are Tianmai beings. I also don’t know why the teacher refers to me like that.
If it is like that, then isn’t Ku He a Tianmai being? Your Tianyi Dao martial methods were truly stolen out of the Temple by my mother.
…this is stolen, not imparted by the immortals of the Temple.
This…a scholar’s business, stealing books…how can it be stolen?
…
…
Does the Lady Ye have a very special bloodline?
Haitang was suddenly interested, her bright eyes were fixed on Fan Xian’s face.
Your meridians are very different from those of normal people, otherwise it would be impossible for you to practice that strange Tyrannical martial method. This is definitely related to your mother’s past.
Fan Xian looked at the girl’s expression and knew what she was thinking about. He smiled coldly and said,
Are you thinking that my child in the future might also be a strange one?
Haitang smiled superficially and did not reply.
Don’t you think about things like borrowing seed!
Perhaps Fan Xian had thought about his own romantic birth. In a rage, he lowered his voice and roared,
And also don’t think about putting aphrodisiac in the wine!
Haitang looked at his angry expression and only smiled without saying anything.
Si Lili didn’t get pregnant.
Every time Fan Xian thought about this matter he felt angry, the anger gradually rose.
Under the blankets, the two people’s bodies were already hot like fire, and now an evil fire had also been incited. How could it not create a fire of desire? Fan Xian gritted his teeth and set his face, without caring whether or not Duoduo would turn her hand and easily kill him, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her.
Hugging her from behind, he felt the girl’s slightly hot and trembling body. Fan Xian said beside her ear,
If you are truly interested, you don’t need to use aphrodisiacs. I would still be willing to offer my body to you.
Haitang laughed coldly and said lightly without turning her head,
Other than moving your hands and feet, do you not have any other ability for me to admire?
Fan Xian said in a great rage,
I only moved my feet earlier. When did I use my hands?
Haitang thought of something and her voice suddenly went soft. A moment later she gently said,
On the official road when we left the palace treasury…
Fan Xian immediately remembered. That day beside the spring woods, he calmly held the hand of the girl he held in his arms and refused to let go.
In the interaction between men and women, what was important was one attacked and one defended, to turn the tables on the attackers. As for Fan Xian and Haitang, since last spring, he had began to write poetry drafts in his heart and then used the aphrodisiac of using one word to summarize his heart as a marvelous trick. Adding in the later regular meetings, it cleverly changed from the earlier battle of wits and strength to a battle of the heart. In the end, it was a battle of emotions.
The relationship between the two of them changed. Their emotions changed, and their methods changed.
Here and now, what was there to fight about? To fight with another, was it really boundlessly fun? Fan Xian actually did not like it, so he extended his hand under Duoduo’s arms toward the front and grasped her hands. He rubbed his face on the back of her neck with satisfaction.
Haitang only felt her face becoming warmer and warmer. The bastard behind her was someone with a wife, yet he constantly teased her. It was truly despicable. But why has her heart been in a mess this half year? Why was she unable to maintain her previous calm state of mind that was so connected to nature?
She sighed faintly and said for the third time tonight,
You really don’t want me to marry.
Fan Xian mumbled indistinctly and said,
You have to marry me, bring your sister…except it is a pity you don’t have one.
You’re really shameless.
She gently bit her lip. For some reason, Haitang suddenly felt angry and shy.
Fan Xian said gently,
It can’t be helped…if I don’t destroy your reputation, if we don’t spend a night under the same blanket, tomorrow that old woman would have you marry someone. This is something I had no choice but to do.
Haitang was defeated again.
…
…
Today, you said so many secrets, even the secret of the Temple. Are you not worried I am not using a honey trap?
Haitang suddenly smiled and asked.
Fan Xian replied seriously,
Duoduo…you’re not a great beauty.
Early the next morning, Fan Xian pushed open the door and left. He saw the bright morning sun and felt the cool breeze, it was very comfortable. Unable to resist, Fan Xian stretched lazily.
Ah! A girl servant’s scream came from the garden, then the girl immediately shut her mouth.
Everyone knew that the imperial envoy had private relations to Haitang living in the back garden, but the two had always kept to etiquette in front of others and not revealed any traces of their relationship. Who knew that today…Sir Fan junior would so publicly walk out from her bedroom?
Walking out early from the bedroom, what did that mean?
Fan Xian smiled slightly as he looked at the servant. In a warm voice, he said,
Morning.
Then he walked to the front garden. Along the way he greeted the servants and subordinates with a warm,
Morning.
For a moment, the people in the garden did not understand, thinking, When did the master become so gentle and cultivated? Why was his mood so good to the point that others were pointing it out?
Immediately, the shocking news gradually traveled through the servants’ mouths across Hua Garden. Following that, it traveled into the ears of Fan Xian’s subordinates.
Sisi’s mouth was opened wide at hearing this news. Although she knew this was a matter of time, she still felt it was rather sudden. She suddenly felt that the letter in her hand had become rather heavy. Last night, she had slept deeply and had forgotten to give the letter to the young master. She was a servant of the old manor in Danzhou, and all of her mind was on Fan Xian. She quickly asked a servant,
Where is the young master right now?
In the front hall?
…
…
By the time Fan Xian had cleaned up and was sitting in the front hall preparing to discuss business, the members of the Qinian Unit, including Deng Zi Yue and the seven Tiger Guards, already knew of the biggest news in the garden today.
The courageous and strong martial artists looked at Fan Xian with respect on their faces. To be able to swallow the Northern Qi Sage girl, this not only needed daring, it also needed a very high martial ability.
Deng Zi Yue was the only person with a gloomy expression. He was an important figure in the old manor in Jingdou, and Lin Wan’er was very good at doing things right. She always gave good rewards to the guards close to Fan Xian. She was friendly and likable, and well-loved by the old servants in the manor. He suddenly felt that the situation was far from good. Who was the mistress of the Fan family? He, and all of the servants, naturally stood on the side of the wife. However, he couldn’t stop a chill in his heart as he thought, if, in the future, the Fan household had a falling out, how could the wife defeat Haitang?
Fan Xian did not know that his confidant was thinking of such trivial matters, he was only focused on drinking porridge. Actually, last night, his talk with Haitang had burned up too much of his energy. They also had to make arrangements targeting Ye Liuyun’s mysterious appearance and analyzed the situation between the two countries, so it was difficult not to be tired.
Except, if he said this out loud, no one would believe him. Talking state affairs under the blankets? What bull.
At this time, Sisi finally arrived at the front hall and handed over the letter in her hand.
Fan Xian looked at the handwriting on the letter and felt surprised. He ripped open the letter to read and immediately his mouth fell open slightly, the porridge almost dripped out. He thought, this old woman is shameless and lowly, although he was also shameless and lowly, …he was not yet ready, would he let himself be tormented now?
He rose and stared at Deng Zi Yue. He sighed long and short and said,
Find a few people to go to Shazhou. They need to be capable and detail-oriented.’
Deng Zi Yue said questioningly,
The Suzhou matter has not concluded.
Fan Xian’s face was bitter as he said,
Go pick someone up.
Who?
Your mistress.
Wan’er was going to come. Fan Xian was happy, only there were too many happy things all at once. It seemed to be a bit troublesome.
