CXD - 8

As night fell, heavy clouds hung low, and a gust of northern wind sent snowflakes swirling down, gently drifting onto the glazed green tiles atop Yaoguang Pavilion.

Beneath the roof, in the sleeping quarters, the golden lamp tree flickered with candlelight. A lavishly dressed figure paced back and forth anxiously under layers of intricate makeup: “What do you mean, I won’t be able to see Ah Ce Ge tonight?”

“Unfortunately, that’s how it is…” Having seen Jiang Zhiyi eagerly await her beloved all day and spend an entire hour preparing herself, Gu Yu hesitated for a long while before finally speaking up. “It seems the Lady discovered that you left through the window this time, so she sealed off all the doors and windows. Not only can we not leave, but even messages can’t get out…”

During the encounter with the bandits two days ago, all of Jiang Zhiyi’s trusted guards were injured, and her personal maid, Jingzhe, had also been wounded while leading the bandits away in a neighboring county a hundred miles away. She was being treated at a local clinic and couldn’t return to the capital just yet.

With such a vast Yaoguang Pavilion, only a few inexperienced newcomers remained by the side of the esteemed young mistress, leaving no one reliable for the moment.

“The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl meet once a year, but after waiting three years, my aunt has thwarted us again…!” Jiang Zhiyi stamped her foot in frustration, refusing to believe it as she walked over to the tightly shut door and tried pushing it forcefully—

But it didn’t budge an inch.

Indeed, her uncle, who worked in the Ministry of Works and was passionate about construction, had used the sturdiest materials when building this Yaoguang Pavilion for her. This impregnable golden cage was said to withstand even a battering ram for half a moment…

Could her uncle have ever imagined that one day, this golden cage would trap his own niece!

Jiang Zhiyi sat down on the edge of the bed, bitterly closing her eyes.

The sound of falling snow rustled outside the window. What should have been a picturesque scene of romance and beauty now felt like daggers piercing her heart with every soft thud.

“The snow has started falling. Could Ah Ce Ge already be waiting for me?” Jiang Zhiyi worriedly gazed out the window.

“This is just the beginning of the snowfall. General Shen likely wouldn’t arrive so early.” Gu Yu consoled her.

“Yes, with such heavy snow, I wonder if he’s dressed warmly enough?”

Gu Yu: “???”

“General Shen is full of vitality and wears only light clothing even in winter. He surely isn’t afraid of the cold.”

“Yes, in this freezing weather, what if he catches a chill and falls ill?”

Gu Yu: “…??”

“He spent three winters at the northwest border. How could he possibly fall ill here in Chang’an?”

“Yes, those rough men from the northwest borders—do they even know how to take care of someone? Would they make him some ginger tea to warm him up?”

Gu Yu: “???!!!”

“My Lady, I think you should worry about yourself first. Look at how your aunt used to work behind the scenes, but now she openly disrespects you… As for General Shen, if he doesn’t find you, he will naturally return.”

Jiang Zhiyi lightly nodded.

Just as Gu Yu began to relax—

“Yes,” Jiang Zhiyi sighed sorrowfully, pressing her temple, “If he doesn’t find me, he certainly won’t go back. Who knows how worried he must be right now?”

Gu Yu: “….”

Forget it; she might as well keep quiet.

In the spacious bedroom, a plaintive female voice rose and fell, sometimes light, sometimes heavy.

“We promised to watch the snow together upon his return. Will this lifelong promise ultimately never come true…?”

After an indeterminate amount of time, long enough for Gu Yu to start dozing off while standing, Jiang Zhiyi finally stopped her incessant chatter and stood up from the bedside: “No, I must find a way to see him!”

The snowstorm lasted the entire night, stopping only at dawn. The landscape was blanketed in snow, a vast expanse of white.

On the winding mountain paths outside the city, two fine horses—one black, one brown—galloped lightly, splashing up soft, powdery snow along the way.

Upon reaching a fork in the road, the youth on the glossy black horse suddenly reined in his steed.

“What’s wrong, Young General?” Mu Xinhong followed suit, stopping and looking in the direction Yuan Ce was staring.

There were two fresh carriage tracks leading to the camp.

Soldiers usually entered and exited the camp on foot or horseback. Could it be…

Yesterday, the Young General burned the note from the young lady and completely ignored the invitation. Could the young lady have come to confront him?

“Young General, if anything happens, you just ride away. This subordinate will hold them off.”

The two horses cautiously slowed their pace as they continued forward.

At the camp gate, a yew wood carriage bearing the name of a clinic came into view.

Yuan Ce tossed the reins, dismounted gracefully, and lightly patted the horse’s back.

The glossy black horse snorted relaxedly and ambled towards the stable to graze.

Mu Xinhong also let out a sigh of relief, pointing to the yew wood carriage and asking the on-duty soldier: “Why did you bring in an outside doctor? Is the prisoner unable to endure?”

“…It’s not the prisoner who can’t endure!”

A delicate hand painted with red nail polish lifted the curtain of the carriage. Out emerged a young maiden clad in bright-colored robes, adorned with hairpins and necklaces, raising her head proudly: “You couldn’t send a sedan chair within half a quarter of an hour. Is this how you treat your future young mistress?”

Mu Xinhong: “?????”

Yuan Ce froze, slowly turning around.

Jiang Zhiyi’s face instantly changed from anger to joy. Lifting her skirt, she jumped into the snow: “Ah Ce Ge!”

Yuan Ce’s face darkened as he turned and walked into the camp: “Stop her.”

“Yes!” Mu Xinhong led his men, armed with weapons, to surround her.

This Princess Yongying kept inviting secretly and declaring openly—it seemed she was determined to slander the Young General into having an affair with her. They vowed to defend the Young General’s honor to the death—

Jiang Zhiyi took something from her sleeve and tossed it high into the air.

A golden imperial token soared upwards.

Several soldiers gasped, dropping their weapons clattering to the ground, scrambling to catch it.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhiyi, lifting her skirts elegantly, had already entered the camp: “Ah Ce Ge! Ah Ce Ge, are you angry with me?”

Yuan Ce closed his eyes briefly, then turned around: “Worthless bunch.”

Jiang Zhiyi stopped in her tracks, her slender, pale neck slowly bowing down.

“I’m sorry, Ah Ce Ge. I know you must be angry with me. I’ve come to explain—I didn’t intentionally break our promise last night. My aunt locked me up… I tried many ways, but nothing worked until the doctor came this morning for a follow-up visit. That’s when I managed to sneak onto the clinic’s carriage…”

Yuan Ce stared at the top of her head, nodding approvingly: “The daily dramas of Her Highness are indeed unpredictable.”

Jiang Zhiyi was taken aback: “I’m telling the truth…”

“Her Highness is quite capable here. With the imperial decree in hand, who can do anything to you?”

“That decree allows me free passage through the checkpoints in the capital, but home affairs don’t fall under His Majesty’s jurisdiction…” Jiang Zhiyi frowned with difficulty, then suddenly brightened: “This way, I’ll request another decree for home use later. From then on, we can meet whenever we want. Will that make you happy, Ah Ce Ge?”

“…”

Yuan Ce turned and walked away.

He looked even angrier than before.

Why was it so hard to please him!

Jiang Zhiyi hurried to catch up, seeing the snowflakes in his hair, wanting to brush them off for him. But struggling to match his steps, she couldn’t keep up.

“Ah Ce Ge, there’s so much snow on your head. Did you wait for me all night?” Jiang Zhiyi, lifting her dress, struggled through the deep snow, glancing alternately at her feet and at him.

“Your Highness is overthinking this,” Yuan Ce didn’t look aside, continuing his steady pace. “I didn’t show up for the appointment.”

“Are you saying this to ease my guilt…”

“No.”

“Do you know I stayed up all night worrying about you…”

“I don’t.”

“Then now that you know, can’t you forgive me!”

“No…” Yuan Ce paused, frowning and turning around. “This is a military camp, not a theater stage. If Your Highness wants to put on a performance, please return to your…”

Suddenly, Jiang Zhiyi tiptoed and reached out her hand.

Yuan Ce raised his arm to block, looking at her hand, which was whiter than the frost on the ground.

“I just wanted to brush off the snow…” Jiang Zhiyi sighed, gently patting his forearm through the cold wrist guard, “Alright, since you endured the cold for me all night, it’s understandable if you can’t forgive me right away. I’ll stay here until you’re no longer angry.”

“…”

After a quarter of an hour, Jiang Zhiyi faced a rack full of gleaming swords, knives, hooks, saws, whips, chains thicker than her arms, and other bizarre instruments. Her face turned pale, and she grabbed onto the nearby chair for support.

“Ah Ce Ge, why did you bring me here…?”

Yuan Ce squinted at the person in front of him. He couldn’t understand which act this princess was playing—sometimes spirited, sometimes full of sour remarks—and he neither cared to.

One chop to the neck could knock her unconscious for ten hours. Beating her wasn’t an option, scolding her wouldn’t drive her away. So, he brought her to the torture chamber to scare her, to see how long this precious flower could endure the sight of bloodshed.

Yuan Ce glanced at her trembling hand gripping the chair: “Is Her Highness interested in these instruments of torture?”

“Uh—huh?”

Yuan Ce bent down slightly and pulled off the black cloth covering the chair.

The seat revealed dense rows of sharp spikes stained with old blood. Jiang Zhiyi jumped back, both hands and body retreating.

“Not interested?” Yuan Ce crumpled the cloth and threw it aside. “Then Her Highness still has time to leave.”

Jiang Zhiyi quickly shook her head: “No, I’m interested. Very interested!”

“Her Highness’s complexion doesn’t seem interested.”

“…This is how I look when I’m interested.”

Yuan Ce raised an eyebrow at her, tilting his chin toward the guard on duty: “Inside, did they confess?”

The soldier picked up the confession statement from the table, ready to answer—

Yuan Ce: “They haven’t confessed?”

“Huh?” The soldier hesitated, glancing at Jiang Zhiyi, then at Yuan Ce, suddenly enlightened, “Oh, they haven’t confessed. Does the Young General want to interrogate personally?”

The soldier set down the confession statement and stepped forward, pulling open the curtain.

The blood-stained rack and the overwhelming stench of blood hit them like a wave. Jiang Zhiyi, overwhelmed by the foul smell, turned her head and gagged into her handkerchief.

Yuan Ce watched her leisurely: “What good is Your Highness staying here?”

Jiang Zhiyi forced down the nausea rising to her throat, glancing at the prisoner hanging limply on the rack, ragged and filthy.

Knowing she couldn’t stand blood and detested filth, wasn’t this precisely to test how far she’d go for him? She was the one who broke the promise first, so today, no matter what, she had to make him happy…

Jiang Zhiyi fought back the urge to vomit, straightened her back, and stepped forward: “If Ah Ce Ge stops being angry with me, I’ll do anything! If you set fire, I’ll pour oil. If you kill, I’ll pass the knife!”

The burly man on the rack suddenly opened his bloodshot eyes.

Jiang Zhiyi leapt back behind Yuan Ce, peeking out with half her face: “He—he wasn’t unconscious?”

Yuan Ce glanced back at her and held out his hand: “In that case, trouble Her Highness to pass me a bullwhip.”

Jiang Zhiyi looked at Yuan Ce, then at the prisoner, confirming the chains were secured. She carefully approached the rack of instruments, pondering for a moment amidst the dazzling array: “Hmm… What does a bullwhip look like?”

A nearby soldier pointed out the direction for Jiang Zhiyi and quietly reminded Yuan Ce: “Young General, isn’t this too light?”

Yuan Ce smirked at Jiang Zhiyi’s back as she picked up the whip: “Why use a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken.”

Jiang Zhiyi returned with the whip, eyeing the tall, muscular prisoner suspiciously: “This guy looks tough. Was he really just a useless chicken?”

Yuan Ce took the whip with a faint smile: “Yes.”

The prisoner’s eyes widened in terror: “I—I’ve already confessed everything! General, spare me! Don’t you remember? Before I became an outlaw, I was sworn brothers with your father. You called me ‘Uncle’ when you were little, and I even held…”

Crack! The whip lashed out, eliciting a blood-curdling scream.

Jiang Zhiyi shivered at the sight of flesh and blood clinging to the whip, turning her head and gagging again.

Yuan Ce turned his gaze back to her.

“I’m fine, Ah Ce Ge. Your important matters take precedence; there’s no need to constantly worry about me…” Jiang Zhiyi pressed her handkerchief to her mouth, blinking hard to stay conscious. “This prisoner just mentioned that he’s your old acquaintance, Ah Ce Ge.”

Yuan Ce raised an eyelid and looked at her: “Are there not enough people in this world who randomly claim connections?”

A soldier immediately poured a bucket of saltwater over the rack. The screams echoed throughout the chamber.

“Anyone bold enough to cozy up to our Young General will meet this fate!”

Jiang Zhiyi nodded, noticing Yuan Ce’s unwavering gaze on her, as if testing her reaction. Remembering she was trying to appease him, she immediately raised her hand and coldly glared at the prisoner: “Exactly. How dare you claim kinship with my Ah Ce Ge? Deserves punishment!”

—Whether he didn’t understand this veiled insult or was calm enough to truly remain unfazed, no one could tell.

Yuan Ce turned around, cracking his neck and stretching his muscles. He raised his hand and lashed out again.

The whip kicked up dust and debris, blinding to the eyes.

Yet, despite the ferocity of the blow, there was no scream. Jiang Zhiyi peeked out from behind Yuan Ce to see the prisoner’s head already drooping.

A soldier beside them lifted another bucket of saltwater: “No one has ever withstood two lashes from our Young General while awake!”

Yuan Ce tilted his head slightly and looked at Jiang Zhiyi.

Was he seeking applause?

Jiang Zhiyi gamely clapped her hands: “Ah Ce Ge is so impressive! Truly worthy of being the God of War of Dayao, the great hero in my heart!”

“…”

Even the wind outside the tent fell silent.

For a moment, it was unclear whether this torture chamber was meant to scare chickens or play music to cows.

Yuan Ce, his face grim, slowly coiled the whip around his palm twice and lashed out again.

“Wow! That was extraordinary!”

“That angle was cunning!”

“That was truly ‘A waterfall plunges three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way descends from the heavens!’”

“This lash was, was truly ‘A jumble of loud and soft sounds, like big and small pearls falling on a jade plate!’”

…

As Yuan Ce’s whip grew faster and faster, Jiang Zhiyi’s applause became increasingly exhausted, her repertoire running dry, breathless and incoherent.

At some unknown lash count, Yuan Ce finally stopped and turned around.

Jiang Zhiyi, panting heavily, looked at him, licking her lips with a dry tongue: “Ah Ce Ge, are you tired after whipping for so long?”

Yuan Ce’s lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes blazing with even greater anger.

Jiang Zhiyi froze, glancing at the now unconscious prisoner. She stepped forward consolingly and patted Yuan Ce’s hand: “Ah Ce Ge, it’s not worth getting angry over such a person. Let’s have some tea and rest!”

Yuan Ce slowly lowered his gaze to his hand, then tossed the whip aside and strode toward the tent entrance.

Jiang Zhiyi looked at the stunned soldiers beside her, then hurried after Yuan Ce: “Ah Ce Ge, did I say something wrong?”

Yuan Ce flung open the tent flap and strode out: “You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s my fault.”