BXG - 68

◎A Beautiful Night◎

Xu Zhi sat at the head of the room, wiping the long sword in his hand with a handkerchief.

The sword was named Long Guang and had been left behind by Xiao Yue many years ago.

A guard reported that Young Master Zhou had come to visit. Xu Zhi hastily put down the sword and rose to greet him at the door.

Zhou Tan and He Yuan Kai entered together, still carrying the rich aroma of alcohol.

Yan Fu, who had run in after them, grinned and eagerly came forward to pour tea: “Father, why did you think of polishing your sword today?”

Xu Zhi had been Xiao Yue’s deputy general back then. Though technically a subordinate, Xiao Yue’s straightforward and generous nature made both him and Zhou Shu regard Xiao Yue as a brother-in-arms.

Before the final battle of Dingxi, it seemed Xiao Yue realized reinforcements would not arrive. That night, he sent Xu Zhi and Zhou Shu out of Lishaoguan.

Officially, they were sent to deliver a message, but in reality, Xiao Yue entrusted them with his last wishes.

Xu Zhi rode two horses to death to reach the main camp for reinforcements. Not long after arriving, he heard that Lishaoguan had fallen, and Xiao Yue along with tens of thousands of Lingxiao Army’s main force had perished, their bodies buried in the wilderness.

In a daze, Xu Zhi opened the box Xiao Yue had entrusted to him and found inside the seal of the fiefdom and military medals.

The capital of Bian Du hypocritically sent funeral couplets for Xiao Yue. Xu Zhi took over Xiao Yue’s fiefdom with the remaining thousands of elite Lingxiao soldiers. To preserve Xiao Yue’s legacy, everyone changed their names and trained in deserted areas. Apart from protecting the people during an attack on Xishao, they never flaunted their prowess again.

Even when ignorant officials from the eleven states provoked them, they endured as much as possible.

Xu Zhi’s wife had died early without leaving any children. To prevent suspicion from Bian Du, he formally declared that he would never remarry or have children. The emperor was very satisfied, gradually forgetting about the Lingxiao Army stationed in the northwest and dropping his suspicions.

In his heart, the remnants of the Lingxiao Army were no longer a threat.

Xu Zhi diligently guarded the Lingxiao Army, but deep down, he didn’t know what he was waiting for all these years.

Until a Tong Pan from Bian Du arrived in Ruo Zhou where he resided.

Upon hearing the visitor’s surname was Zhou, Xu Zhi felt a strong premonition.

Out of caution, he initially only sent He Yuan Kai from Wu Bin’s household to secretly assist. Unexpectedly, Zhou Tan was even smarter than he anticipated. With his help, Zhou Tan quickly gained control of Ruo Zhou.

He Yuan Kai led the person in to see him.

At that moment, Xu Zhi’s biggest stroke of luck was that this person was Zhou Shu’s son.

After Zhou Shu went west, he lost contact with Xu Zhi. Unaware of Xiao Yue’s specific instructions, Zhou Shu never actively sought him out. Xu Zhi once sent people to Lin’an to search for him and learned that Zhou Shu had tragically passed away. His two sons left Lin’an to seek refuge with distant relatives.

When Zhou Tan walked into his residence following He Yuan Kai, Xu Zhi was greatly shaken.

Xiao Yue had actually left behind descendants!

Perhaps… even Xiao Yue himself didn’t know.

Seeing the amber-colored eyes, Xu Zhi almost cried out.

There was no need for proof like the imperial decree; Song Chang’s memory of Xiao Yue was hazy after years apart. But they had spent countless days together, and similarities were unmistakable.

Even though Zhou Tan’s demeanor was melancholic and different from Xiao Yue’s straightforwardness, after Xu Zhi took him for a ride around the distant camp, many old soldiers knelt before the tent with tears in their eyes.

With tear-filled eyes, Xu Zhi called him: “Young Master…”

But Zhou Tan smiled and shook his head, saying: “Uncle Xu, Father often spoke of you.”

It took him a moment to realize that the “Father” Zhou Tan referred to was probably Zhou Shu, who raised him.

Zhou Tan glossed over Zhou Shu’s cause of death, only recounting the incident of defeating Fu Qingnian in Bian Du. Finally, he revealed everything: Jing Wangsun was his student, and if he could ascend the throne instead of Song Chang and his son, naturally, they would support him.

For many years, the Xiang Ning Marquis’s residence had been lifeless. Now, with Zhou Tan frequently visiting, it finally regained some vitality.

Xu Zhi no longer worried about reporting Ruo Zhou’s situation to Bian Du. After years of tension, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Zhou Tan often sent a young soldier named Yan Fu to pass messages. Finding the boy clever, Xu Zhi adopted him as his godson and frequently sent him to train in the Lingxiao Army camp.

One day, he took Zhou Tan and his wife to the site of the former Dingxi battle. The Xishao army had retreated ten miles from this place. The broken walls of Lishaoguan remained desolate and cold, covered in thick ice.

Zhou Tan dismounted and stood there for a long time.

The northern desert stretched endlessly, leaving only the hundred-zhang ice before their eyes. Countless heroes had died here over hundreds of years, their spirits lingering, guarding the western borders of Dayin even after death.

He heard Zhou Tan’s wife softly recite in the piercing wind:

“The beacon fires of Shuofang illuminate Ganquan; Chang’an’s flying general charges out of Qilian. Brave youths with rhino shields and jade swords, white horses with golden reins…”

Now, they had all vanished into the desolate yellow sands, leaving no trace behind.

Fortunately, the sons of old friends remained.

Thinking of this, Xu Zhi’s eyes moistened. Yan Fu called out again, bringing him back to reality, so he covered up by saying: “I remembered some old matters… The Long Guang sword has been sealed in my house for many years, untouched by blood. This sword was given to me by General Xiao back then. Since you are here today, I will leave it to you.”

Yan Fu excitedly took the sword and examined it thoroughly. Zhou Tan watched them for a long while with lowered eyes, finally revealing a faint smile.

Only then did Xu Zhi say: “Your banquet must have been a great success.”

Before Zhou Tan could reply, Yan Fu interjected: “With Young Master Zhou and Governor He working together, how could it not be successful? After Wu Bin’s death, Ruo Zhou underwent a complete transformation. Everywhere you go, you can hear praise for them. Today, the merchants’ concerns have been resolved. Now, Ruo Zhou is truly united.”

He Yuan Kai bowed to Xu Zhi: “We owe our gratitude to Lord Marquis for his past promotion.”

Xu Zhi chuckled and stopped his gesture, asking everyone to sit: “You’ve come today for Little He’s wedding, right? Xiaobai, why isn’t your wife with you?”

He Yuan Kai quickly replied: “The wedding date hasn’t been set yet, so we’re not in a hurry… Young Master Zhou’s wife has gone to talk with Yi Ran.”

Yan Fu interjected: “Indeed, there’s no rush. Recently, Lord He has been busy preparing the betrothal gifts. As soon as the merchant banquet is over, he plans to formally propose. However, even after the proposal, there will still be a long time needed to prepare for the wedding banquet. Now, all the women in Ruo Zhou envy Miss Wang. Even though she’s been married before, Lord He is putting so much effort into this.”

He Yuan Kai cleared his throat and calmly said: “What does it matter if she’s been married before? Preparing a wedding banquet for the one you love naturally requires meticulous attention. Women have dreamed of this day since they were young. Since Yi Ran hadn’t met her true love before, I must make up for all the past grievances and ensure that when she recalls this wedding, she feels nothing but fulfillment.”

Yan Fu sighed repeatedly and then turned to see Zhou Tan lost in thought while sitting in a chair: “Young Master Zhou, what are you thinking about?”

Xu Zhi teased with a smile: “Xiaobai must be reminiscing about his own wedding. I can see that he and Miss Qu have a strong bond, so back then...”

“Aiya, now that you mention it, I just remembered!” Yan Fu slapped his thigh and gossiped enthusiastically to Xu Zhi: “Father doesn’t know, but my sister once wrote to me. Young Master Zhou and Madam’s marriage was arranged by the Emperor. It’s said that on the day of the betrothal, Young Master Zhou was even attacked. Someone else had to carry a rooster to perform the wedding rites with the bride.”

He Yuan Kai was slightly surprised: “Is that true?”

“Back then... I was severely injured, unconscious for many days, hovering between life and death,” Zhou Tan explained with a bitter smile. “The imperial betrothal was meant to bring me good fortune... If not for my wife, I would have surely perished back then.”

With just a few words, the perilous situation in Bian Du at that time became vividly clear. Xu Zhi patted his shoulder silently, while He Yuan Kai sighed: “Fortune favors the bold. People on the border think of Bian Du as a haven of wealth and happiness. The emperor’s protégés are highly esteemed, who would have guessed the bitterness behind it all?”

Yan Fu followed with a mournful sigh: “Madam is truly an extraordinary woman. If it were anyone else, receiving such a marriage decree, who knows how they might have reacted, let alone asking others to save their life...”

Zhou Tan remained silent. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly raised his head hesitantly and asked He Yuan Kai: “Do women truly value wedding banquets so much?”

In the western frontier, the lights were dim, and the night sky was dotted with stars, appearing much brighter than in Bian Du.

It was the full moon during the Grila Festival. When Qu You returned home, she happened to see a bright round moon hanging high in the sky, beautifully framed by the trees, captivating her heart.

The apricot blossoms in the garden had all bloomed, and small fruits were beginning to form on the branches. Qu You forbade anyone from sweeping away the fallen petals, so the ground was still covered with remnants of the flowers, resembling unmelted snow.

Not long after she entered the door, she heard the sound of horses neighing outside.

Turning around, she saw Zhou Tan standing under the moonlight, bathed in its glow, walking towards her. She stared in a daze, recalling the first time they met.

It wasn’t in the fragrant bridal chamber or through a distant glance across the screen in Songfeng Pavilion—it was in her dream.

The Zhou Tan in her dream was identical to the man before her, only more fragile and melancholic. On their first meeting, as strangers, he had already given her his last piece of clothing to keep warm.

The moonlight was as cold as it was today. She still remembered the scent of blood mixed with the tranquil fragrance of still water on that crane cloak.

Zhou Tan approached her, his expression somewhat unnatural, as if wanting to say something but ultimately didn’t. Instead, he asked: “Is Madam enjoying the moon?”

“Yes,” Qu You replied, recalling what Wang Yi Ran had told her, and said, “Would you like to join me?”

Zhou Tan readily agreed: “Very well.”

Thus, the two sat down in the pavilion in the garden. Hexing brought a jug of fine grape wine from the West and then withdrew with the others. Qu You poured a cup for Zhou Tan and said with interest: “Grape wine in a luminous cup... But this cup is made of celadon porcelain. Though exquisite, it’s not quite fitting. Did you know? This wine should be served in a glass goblet to reveal its true color.”

Zhou Tan gazed deeply at her: “Tomorrow, I’ll send someone to find a glass goblet for you.”

Qu You casually asked: “What if they can’t find one?”

Zhou Tan replied: “Since you’ve seen it, we can find it. And if we truly can’t, I’ll create one for you.”

Qu You was amused by his words. Holding her wine cup, she looked up and said: “I’ve also seen the stars in the sky.”

Following her gaze, Zhou Tan raised his hand to block the distant stars and earnestly said: “If you wish, I’ll go fetch them for you.”

Qu You laughed even more. She set down her wine cup and reached out to embrace Zhou Tan’s neck: “Tan Lang, how can you be so wonderful?”

She rarely called him “Tan Lang.” The last time she heard it was in jest.

Hearing it now, Zhou Tan felt his cheeks grow slightly warm.

The scent of apricot powder lingered around his nose. He reached out to embrace her and softly said: “There’s something I want to tell you...”

Coincidentally, Qu You also said: “There’s something I want to ask you—”

So Zhou Tan yielded: “Alright, you ask first.”

Qu You tightened her arms and stared into his amber eyes, which were almost within reach, and whispered: “We’ve been married for a long time, but only today did I realize I’ve never asked you, Tan Lang... do you...”

Suddenly, his heartbeat felt as thunderous as a drum.

Under the moonlight, she leaned closer, her beautiful eyes reflecting the cold silver light of the distant sky.

“—do you like me?”