Chapter 55

Lantern Festival

After the Spring Feast on the fifth day, everyone was anxiously waiting for something major to happen, but the days passed by like water flowing in a stream, without any noticeable changes.

Song Muxuan was busy building ships, constructing tall buildings from scratch. In just a few days, there wouldn’t be any obvious results. The Qi forces continued searching the city day after day, but still had no leads on the whereabouts of King Ling’an and Xie Zhu.

In Wangxue Valley, life continued with domestic matters.

Xie Sui’an stayed indoors, claiming to be recuperating, and the vitality of the house seemed to vanish with her absence.

Xie Que Shan also took a breath of relief and ended the confinement of Lu Jin Xiu, allowing her to accompany their daughter.

Lady Gantang took charge of all household matters and seemed to be planning to stay in Wangxue Valley for an extended period. Eventually, someone asked when she would return to her husband’s family—or when Pingnan Hou would come to Lidu Prefecture.

It was then that Lady Gantang revealed something shocking: “I’ve divorced Pingnan Hou.”

Everyone was astounded, and even the matriarch was so angry she pointed at her face and scolded, “Such a big matter, why didn’t you tell us?!”

With a touch of guilt, Lady Gantang responded, “You didn’t ask me.”

It turned out that when Yucheng fell, Pingnan Hou had surrendered without a fight and even planned to offer his wife to the Qi army leader as a gesture of goodwill. That night, Lady Gantang left a divorce letter, stole Pingnan Hou’s seal, and made her way to the military camp in the dead of night.

The camp that night was brightly lit, as bright as daylight. The soldiers were anxious, uncertain of what the future would hold after tonight. Until a figure, not tall but resolute, emerged from the torchlight and stepped before the troops. She removed her black cloak and hood, revealing a simple, unadorned face.

Holding the seal, she loudly declared to the soldiers, “Anyone who does not wish to surrender, take your weapons and follow me.”

And so, a woman who had been confined to the inner chambers of her house for her entire life, for the first time stepping outside, carried the tiger seal and led a few hundred soldiers over mountains and rivers, returning to Lidu Prefecture.

Of course, Lady Gantang didn’t speak of these details. She simply said that her ideals had diverged from Pingnan Hou’s, and they could no longer work together.

The matriarch could only sigh deeply. With the war having reached this point, there was no time to discuss womanly virtues or face. Survival was the greatest blessing. Since her granddaughter had returned and brought the great-grandchildren, that was enough family happiness.

After everything they had been through, the matriarch’s attitude became much more peaceful, and even her view of Xie Que Shan softened.

Now, the only thing on her mind was Xie Zhu.

Xie Sui’an lay her head on her grandmother’s lap, covering her swollen eyes with thick powder, and comforted her, “Third Uncle will be fine.”

In the sunlight, the matriarch stared at the white flower that had quietly been pinned into Xie Sui’an’s hair, and in the end, didn’t ask anything.

The days passed quietly, and the Lantern Festival finally arrived.

During this time, Nan Yi had either been learning how to read account books or studying, and things between her and Xie Que Shan had remained calm. She had probably grown used to living in constant tension, so after a few days of peaceful life, she felt something was amiss. Was the Bingzhu Division really keeping the whereabouts of Xie Zhu and King Ling’an hidden without making a move? Did Lady Gantang no longer visit Tiger Kneeling Mountain to meet the Yucheng army? Did the Qi forces know about it... and if they did, why hadn’t they searched?

These thoughts often lingered in her mind, but there were no conclusions. During the remaining time of peace, she ate, drank, slept well, and gathered her strength.

Then, on the Lantern Festival, Xie Sui’an suddenly made an excuse to go out.

Nan Yi had not seen her for several days, but when she did, Xie Sui’an seemed fine, though she spoke mysteriously, leaving only one cryptic message.

“During the lantern festival tonight, there will be a flower boat on the river leaving Lidu Prefecture. At the third watch, the boat will stop at Yonggui Bridge. You need to bring Sister Qiu and Third Aunt to the dock at the bridge. Someone will meet you there.”

A jolt ran through Nan Yi’s heart. Finally, it had come—the Bingzhu Division must be sending Xie Zhu out of Lidu Prefecture.

Suddenly, she felt a sense of relief. At last, there was something to bring Xie Liu back to life.

________________________________________

This flower boat was a property of the Guizhu Hall.

The boat was prepared for Wan Yan Jun and the Qi people. On the night of the Lantern Festival, the boat would travel across Qu Ling River. After the guests enjoyed the fireworks, they would rest on board for the night. The next day, they would wake up and continue to the Yangtze River, returning to Lidu Prefecture in the afternoon.

The Yangtze River was a natural barrier for the Qi people, but they were already preparing for water warfare. Wan Yan Jun was particularly obsessed with this plan and suggested using the flower boat to first take a scenic tour of the Yangtze.

Such a luxurious flower boat would have been rare even in the former Bianjing City. The boat was filled with rare treasures, but none were gaudy or ostentatious.

This boat was the pride of Zhang Yuehui, and every decoration reflected his taste.

On the boat, there was a giant screen made of colorful transparent glass, a craft supposedly introduced from the West. The light outside shone on the glass, creating dazzling speckles.

At this moment, the flower boat had not yet begun to take on passengers and was empty. Zhang Yuehui sat behind the glass screen, playing the zither. The colorful light and shadow shifted on him as the zither played with a clear, distant, and sorrowful sound, as if he were isolated from the world, a lonely soul with no connection to the realm of gods and spirits.

Away from the bustling music and dance, when he was alone, there was always a trace of dust and weariness on his face, as though weighed down by the journey.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he did not rush to lift his head. His fingers picked up speed, strumming the zither strings faster, matching the rhythm of the footsteps. The melody surged to a climax.

Then, with a press of his palm, he stilled the vibrating strings, abruptly halting the music at its peak. This was typical of him—a person who cared little for formalities or rules.

He casually looked up, and it was Chang Yan who had arrived.

“Master, Xie Liu came to see me. They plan to send Xie Zhu and King Ling’an out today.”

A slight, almost imperceptible frown appeared on Zhang Yuehui’s brow.

“What’s your task?”

“To send Xie Zhu onto this flower boat,” Chang Yan replied. The matter was urgent, so she had come quickly, her words spilling out faster with each sentence, revealing a hint of anxiety. “The Bingzhu Division has infiltrated our Guizhu Hall and replaced all the servants on the boat with their people. At the third watch, when the boat takes its first passenger at Yonggui Bridge, Xie Zhu will board. Once they confirm the boat is secure, they will signal. By the sixth watch, the boat will pass Sifang Bridge, and King Ling’an will board there. They plan to use the flower boat to enter the Yangtze River right under the noses of the Qi people.”

Zhang Yuehui’s fingers lightly strummed the zither strings, slow and deliberate, producing a few off-key notes. He fell into deep thought, and Chang Yan did not dare to interrupt him.

After a long pause, he spoke: “Go back. Do whatever Xie Liu tells you, but don’t make any mistakes.”

Chang Yan was shocked. “Master, aren’t we going to inform the Qi people to capture them?”

Zhang Yuehui’s expression remained lazy. “There’s a big fish lurking behind. What’s the point of capturing just Xie Zhu? Let the Bingzhu Division play their part. Once they’ve set the stage, and the Qi people get anxious, then we can raise the price.”

“...Understood.”

“Hmm... Tell the people below, when the first passenger boards at Yonggui Bridge, don’t inspect too strictly. Also, remove all the valuable items from the flower boat and replace them with fakes. If things get violent and they break the boat’s treasures, we’d suffer losses.”

“Understood.”

Though Chang Yan had grown accustomed to her master’s methods, she still found it somewhat absurd. The enemy had already gotten a knife into your bed, yet you’re still worried about not tearing the brocade quilt.

But there was something extraordinary about her master: once he made a plan, there were no miscalculations.

At least, so far, there hadn’t been.

“Tonight, on the Lantern Festival, let the Bingzhu Division take care of the show on the flower boat. I guess I’ll have to reluctantly join in the festivities at the lantern fair.”

Zhang Yuehui somehow produced a mask of a New Year’s doll, which seemed old and cheaply made, nothing like the usual refined items he preferred. He placed it on his face, and suddenly he appeared amiable, with a joyful expression.

With a graceful flick of his sleeve, he walked out.

Today, it wasn’t quite a coincidence—Qiu Jie’er and the Third Aunt had gone to the Niangniang Temple in the west of the city to burn incense early in the morning.

Xie Sui’an had a bunch of matters to handle outside and didn’t notify them in advance. She was afraid that if they found out too early, they might act suspiciously, move secretly, or bring valuables, which could easily be noticed and prevent them from leaving.

But since this task was the only thing Xie Sui’an entrusted her with, Nan Yi had to get the people onto the flower boat.

Before dusk, the streets had already become lively. The Qi people’s rule in Lidufu was indeed a balance of softness and strength. In order to avoid hindering the newly revived shipbuilding industry, they naturally couldn’t stop showing favors to the common people, so they hadn’t banned this year’s Lantern Festival.

Not only had they not banned it, but to showcase the peace under Qi rule, they had made it even more luxurious. For a long time, Lidufu hadn’t been this bustling.

The main roads were already strung with colorful lanterns. The crowd was so dense that the authorities had banned carriages and horses from the main streets, so to get to the Niangniang Temple, one had to walk.

Even with the hustle and bustle of the lively street, it didn’t catch Nan Yi’s attention. She darted ahead like an eel, her mind set solely on finding Qiu Jie’er and the others. But as she passed a mask stall, her footsteps faltered.

She caught sight of herself in the copper mirror hanging on the stall.

It seemed a bit too sneaky.

So she casually bought a fox mask and put it on, covering her expression completely. No one would recognize her, and she could move forward without restraint.

Suddenly, she bumped into someone.

She quickly looked up, and it was a person wearing a New Year’s doll mask.

The man was tall, and the mask was very festive, giving the illusion that his face behind the mask was equally amiable.

The mask seemed familiar, though she couldn’t recall where she had seen it before.

Feeling anxious, with no time to think it through, Nan Yi hurriedly cupped her hands and apologized. The bustling noise around her drowned out her voice.

Zhang Yuehui didn’t hear what she said clearly, thinking it was just a polite apology, and didn’t pay much attention. But the woman seemed to be in a hurry and, without waiting for him to respond, quickly walked away.

He instinctively looked back, but the crowd had already swallowed her up.