A Dream of Justice: The First Lady Constable | Chapter 56 | A Parting Promise | Novela.app

There was no moon, nor were there any stars. The night was a heavy, ink-black shroud, so stifling it made one feel breathless. I stepped down the stairs and walked slowly along the gravel path of the post house’s rear garden. Though the garden wasn't large, it had been built specifically to receive visiting members of the imperial family, so its layout and scale were quite refined. I had no clear destination; I was simply instinctively searching for a place where I could catch a breeze and calm my restless heart. Ever since the news of Crown Prince Mingde’s ascension reached us, a vague, heavy weight had been pressing down on my chest, leaving me agitated and uneasy. In truth, if I thought about it carefully, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing for the Ji family. With the status of imperial in-laws, my father might find more opportunities to exert his influence in court. The same went for Minzhi and Minyan—they were all moving closer to the very center of the power struggle. As for Wuxiu, though her rank was secondary to the Empress, she was about to give birth to the Emperor’s firstborn. From that perspective, her position was more prominent than the Empress’s—and far more dangerous. I found myself hoping her child would be a little princess; if that were the case, both she and the Ji family would be much safer... A soft cough sounded from very close by. I looked up and saw several jagged decorative rocks rising from the nearby shrubbery. A dark figure was reclining atop them. Who would be lying out here on such a cold night? The darkness was too thick; even straining my eyes, I could only make out a murky silhouette. Perhaps, like me, they were troubled and unable to sleep. Just as I was about to turn and leave, a cool, distant voice called my name. "Xi Xia?" The voice was airy and uncertain, as if the speaker wasn't quite sure I was really there. It sounded like Feng Tong. I took two steps closer and asked tentatively, "Fortress Lord Feng?" Feng Tong sat up, looking down at me from his perch. "Can't sleep?" he asked pensively. I didn't speak. We weren't close, and such a question felt a bit too intimate. Feng Tong sighed softly. "If you don't mind, come sit for a while." I didn't particularly want to sit, but I wanted to go back inside even less. After a moment's hesitation, I walked over and sat on a stone beside him. A faint scent of wine drifted from him. I thought knowingly: *No wonder he’s so talkative. It turns out...* "You're thinking about the capital, aren't you?" His tone was flat, yet carried an undeniable certainty. I countered, "You seem very sure of yourself." Feng Tong let out a short laugh. In that moonless, starless night, I could clearly see the ripples of emotion in his emerald eyes. Such a vivid expression was rare on him. I couldn't help but wonder—this man became quite extraordinary once he’d had a drink. He asked me back with a hint of disdain, "Why are you so certain that others can't see through your thoughts?" His words left me puzzled. I stared at him blankly, originally intending to remain silent, but the provocation in his tone rubbed me the wrong way. Unable to hold back, I gave a cold laugh. "So what if you see through them? Who doesn't have things on their mind? Are my thoughts something to be ashamed of?" Feng Tong tilted his head back and lay down on the rocks again. He likely had heavy matters of his own weighing on him, for he didn't react to my sharp tone, instead sinking back into his own reflections. I didn't want to keep playing riddles with him. Standing up, I said, "I'm going back." Feng Tong didn't seem to hear my farewell. Instead, he said in a low, arrogant murmur, "Don't think I haven't noticed—you're afraid of him, aren't you?" My heart gave a sudden lurch. "What nonsense are you talking about?" Feng Tong stood up with an elegant grace and paced slowly toward me. He smelled of wine, but his bright eyes were exceptionally clear. He stared at me and asked bluntly, "Do you always avoid the issue like this?" No one likes being interrogated so arrogantly. I frowned. "That is my business, after all. Who do you think you are? Is not wanting to discuss it with you the same as avoiding it?!" His eerie green eyes, even in the dark, emitted a faint, mesmerizing glow, beautiful as two gemstones that made one want to reach out and touch them. He paced twice in front of me and said evenly, "Many of the Fengyun Fortress's businesses involve members of the imperial family. I have known that man for a long time and understand him to some extent. From the moment you brought his jade pendant to me, asking for my permission to excavate Feng Jing’s tomb, I already sensed his feelings for you..." "Stop!" I couldn't help but shout. "Why are you so gossipy? Don't you find it exhausting to meddle in other people's affairs? I really don't want to hear any more. Go play by yourself." Feng Tong stood stubbornly in my path, staring into my eyes. "Xi Xia, I didn't mean to make you unhappy. I just..." He paused, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face. "I just wanted you to know that no matter what happens, I will be on your side." I stared at him, my gaze becoming uncontrollably vacant. Faced with such an unexpected confession, I truly didn't know what expression to make in response. I had never understood this strange man. Just like his behavior tonight: first mocking me, then showing kindness. Feng Tong’s green eyes watched me without blinking, his gaze filled with a complex light. For some reason, I suddenly felt that such a worried expression didn't suit his beautiful features—it was like seeing a flaw inside a precious gem, making one feel slightly uncomfortable. He quickly averted his gaze and let out a faint sigh. "Where is Ming Shao? Or should I call him Assistant General Zuo?" His mind truly jumped around. In the blink of an eye, he was back to Ming Shao. I shook my head and sighed. "He’s at a meeting in General Chu’s tent. Do you have business with him?" Feng Tong tilted his head back and took another swig of wine. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he tossed the wine flask hidden beneath his long sleeve. The porcelain jar hit the gravel path in the distance with a crisp shattering sound. Just as I was thinking that the gesture was quite cool—and very much in character for him—he stepped closer to me. A cold, large hand abruptly gripped my wrist. Then, in a voice trembling with suppressed anger, he asked, "What is so good about him?" I was stunned again. Was he truly drunk? Feng Tong grew impatient with my silence and pressed again, "You like him? Why? What makes him so special?" Explaining matters of the heart to a drunk person was difficult; I didn't know how to phrase it. I struggled twice, but it only made his grip tighten. I couldn't help but yell, "Feng Tong, let go!" He applied more pressure, cutting me off unceremoniously. "Answer me!" Suppressing my anger, I thought about how nonsensical drunk people could be. However, since he was so concerned about my love life and so desperate for an answer, I decided to tell him. "If he weren't as handsome as he is now, I would still like him. If he didn't have his current family background, I would still like him. It’s not because of the kind of person he is, or what virtues he possesses..." I racked my brain for the right words to express what I felt. Was I being clear enough? Probably not, because Feng Tong looked visibly bewildered. In truth, I was a bit bewildered myself. This wasn't a topic easily untangled even when sober. I sighed, about to explain further, but the hand holding mine slowly loosened. "I understand," he said slowly. His emerald eyes were still fixed on me, but a trace of loneliness had surfaced within them. He took a step back, then another. Then he turned and walked away with long, rapid strides. I watched his retreating back in confusion. Did he really understand? I felt like I hadn't explained anything at all. Footsteps sounded behind me, more familiar than anything. I relaxed my body and leaned back, falling as intended into Ming Shao’s embrace. I let out a satisfied sigh. "When did you get back?" Ming Shao buried his face in the crook of my neck, nuzzling me like a spoiled cat before saying with a smile, "Just now, right when you were shamelessly telling someone else how much you like me." He kissed my temple and let out a long sigh. "An eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch arrived today. Both my uncle and I have to stay in Qizhou to await orders. Only the Master of Ceremonies and the Princess’s guards are permitted to enter Great Chu. I’m afraid more edicts will arrive in the next day or two." "What does that mean?" My heart sank slightly. Ming Shao shook his head. He then pulled me tighter. "You have to leave tomorrow. This trip will mean twenty days of separation. Let’s not think about those unhappy things." Twenty days. It sounded longer than a century. I turned to hug him and whispered into his ear, "Let's go back to the room." Ming Shao’s arms tightened, and he swept me up into a horizontal carry. I clung to his neck. My previously chaotic thoughts had unknowingly transformed into a longing that struck even before we had parted. That night, we hardly slept at all, simply huddling close together, listening to each other’s breathing and heartbeats. The darkness gave me a flickering illusion, as if this tenderness could stretch on until the world grew old and the heavens crumbled. Stretching on until the very end of time. *** We reached Quanzhou, the capital of Great Chu, at sunset. Under the guidance of the internal affairs officials sent by the palace, we rested temporarily at the royal villa in the suburbs, waiting for the King himself to come and welcome his bride. Inside the villa, palace maids were attending to Princess Qingrong as she bathed and changed. When I entered the inner hall, Nanny Su was carefully adjusting the golden phoenix crown on Qingrong’s head. Atop the crown were four double-headed firebirds with wings spread as if to fly, each holding a large, shimmering pearl in its beak. The jewel-encrusted finery made Qingrong look suddenly much more mature, though her eyes still held a trace of panic and helplessness. The wedding robes of Great Chu were a deep, rich purple, embroidered with the royal guardian spirit, the double-headed firebird. The cinched-waist robe looked both magnificent and spirited—truly the style of a martial nation. Unlike the customs of Yantian, where the bride was covered from head to toe in red silk, here the new King and Queen proudly displayed their elegance before their subjects. To be honest, I truly admired their unique wedding custom: riding into the city openly alongside one's husband. Qingrong carefully scrutinized her reflection in the mirror, then took a deep breath and stood up. "I am ready." Nanny Su and I supported her on either side as we walked out. Below the steps, Yi Kai, dressed in wedding robes of the same color and pattern, was already waiting. Seeing us emerge, he elegantly reached out to take his bride’s hand. I suddenly felt that in the way they looked at each other, a touch of intimacy had unknowingly grown. Two white steeds, side by side, slowly moved out of the villa gates. Immediately, a thunderous, unending cheer erupted outside. The brothers of the guard and I followed closely behind in our pre-arranged formation. Ahead of the couple was a grand procession that stretched as far as the eye could see. Besides the colorful banners and royal regalia, hundreds of palace attendants carried various lanterns to light the way. On both sides of the street, the people of Great Chu gathered like a rising tide, everyone holding colored lanterns, creating a breathtaking sea of light in the night. I had never even dreamed of such a wedding ceremony. In this land, a Queen was not a negligible figure hiding behind a man, but a partner who stood upright by the King’s side to receive the cheers of the people. Suddenly, I felt incredibly happy for Qingrong. Turning back from my horse, I saw Qingrong sitting on her white steed, still gazing longingly in our direction. The moment I turned, she spurred her horse forward as if determined. "Xi Xia!" she shouted, her cheeks wet with tears. I rode toward her, and *Love You for Ten Thousand Years* circled her twice before stopping by her side. Qingrong quickly wiped her face, putting on a stubborn expression. "I just forgot to tell you something. You... you and Brother Shao are going to get married, right?" I nodded. Qingrong slid a ring set with a purple-red gemstone off her finger, took my hand, and gently slipped it onto my middle finger. "This is my wedding gift to you both." She stroked my hand, unwilling to let go for a long time. Her gesture made my own nose sting. I hurried to say, "Once we’re married, we’ll come to see you again." Qingrong nodded, trying hard to force a smile. "You aren't allowed to bully Brother Shao. And... you... don't work in the imperial court anymore." My heart skipped a beat. I looked at her seriously, and Qingrong simply met my gaze quietly. It turned out she had seen everything. A warm current surged through my heart, and I nodded vigorously. "I’ll get married as soon as I return. Then I’ll stay home every day to cook and have a child every year." Qingrong let out a short laugh. "Why do you sound like you're grinding your teeth when you talk about cooking and having kids?" I couldn't help but laugh too. I never thought the day would come when I’d be a full-time housewife, but the feeling wasn't bad at all. Qingrong and I embraced. I said, "You must learn from Princess Wencheng, whom I told you about. Use your intelligence to do something meaningful. Don't spend all day getting angry at concubines and embarrassing our Yantian Kingdom." Qingrong laughed again, then leaned close to my ear and whispered, "If—and I mean if—there ever comes a day when your situation is bad, you must remember to come find me." I wanted to say something lighthearted to tease her, but a sudden bitterness filled my heart, and the words wouldn't come. Not far behind her, Yi Kai was slowly riding over. I released Qingrong and saw her eyes beginning to moisten again. I pinched her apple-cheeks and finally squeezed out what I thought was a relaxed smile. "Have a daughter as cute as you so my son can marry her." Qingrong laughed once more. Taking advantage of her laughter, I pulled the reins and urged my big black horse to turn and gallop away. My tears finally fell the moment I turned my back. I finally realized that, like Jia Baoyu, I loved gatherings and hated partings. But of all the fated encounters in life, which one was truly within my power to control? *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 天佑 | Tianyou | The new era name adopted by Emperor Mingde; means "Heaven's Grace" or "Divine Protection." 全州 | Quanzhou | The capital city of the Great Chu Kingdom. 双头火鸟 | Double-headed Firebird | The royal guardian spirit and emblem of the Great Chu Kingdom. 八百里加急 | Eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch | The fastest military courier service in ancient China, used for extremely urgent imperial business. 文成公主 | Princess Wencheng | A historical figure (Tang Dynasty) who married the ruler of Tibet, bringing peace and culture; used here as an example of a politically influential bride. 爱 love 你 you 一 1 万 10,000 年 | Love You for Ten Thousand Years | The name of Xi Xia's horse (previously mentioned, but relevant here). 景德镇 | Jingdezhen | A famous city in China known as the "Porcelain Capital"; its appearance on a shard hints at a connection to the modern world.