A group of Shao Ning’s guards rushed over from around the corner, surrounding Feng Zhiwei and blocking her way.
Feng Zhiwei frowned. Wei Zhi was a scholar who knew nothing about the martial arts; there was no way he could fight the guards, and he could only turn and run.
“Take him down!” Shao Ning shouted, and the guards rushed over and easily subdued Feng Zhiwei.
“Tie him up!”
Feng Zhiwei was quickly tied up with a yellow ribbon and carried off.
Shao Ning’s face was a pale green and her eyes red. She trembled with an incoherent excitement, and punched up her dress in her fists as she ran with her guards to the Imperial Study.
“We will go see Father Emperor together!”
“We will say that you tricked my body and that we’ve already pledged to marry in the Imperial Garden. If you ever marry, it will only be to me; and if not you, I will never marry!”
Alright alright alright, Wei Zhi will marry no one except you, and without Wei Zhi you will never marry.
Feng Zhiwei’s fury bubbled forth as laughter, and she called down from her perch: “Princess, has no one ever told you that forcing yourself on someone will only lead to emptiness?”
“This Princess only understands this,” Princess Shao Ning replied imposingly. “When one does not do what they ought to, they are ultimately left with nothing.”
“…”
The eight strong guards carried Princess Shao Ning’s trussed up trophy down the hall, and the Feng Zhiwei prisoner could only sigh to the heavens: “In this age, a man’s beauty is so dangerous…”
At these words, a group of servants and spies quietly following them nearly tripped and sprained their backs…
They swept boisterously into the Imperial Study, but His Majesty was no present. An attending servant was waiting to take Wei Zhi to the Feng Yun Xuan. Shao Ning and her guards rushed over to the Feng Yun Xuan, but before they reached the door, a man leaned out of a second story window and yelled out: “Ai yo, is that Master Wei? Ai ya, you left upright but came back horizontal?”
Feng Zhiwei shifted her head and peered over at Helian Zheng, the prince’s eyebrows dancing from his heaving laughter. What was this guy doing here?
“Morning, Prince Hu Zhuo.” Feng Zhiwei smiled as she called out greetings, “Forgive this minister for not bowing, but I cannot bend over in this armor.”
Suddenly, another man appeared by Helian Zheng’s side, a cup of tea in his hand as he carefully peered down at Feng Zhiwei. The man spoke: “If you look one way, the mountain ranges are sweeping, but if you turn your perspective, they become steep peaks*. Master Wei, your bearing is very eye-catching.”
Feng Zhiwei’s eyelids twitched, and she turned her gaze to carefully examine the second man before replying: “Near or far, from heights or depths, the same scene will differ**. Your Highness’s bearing and expression is also profound.”
Helian Zhang laughed cheerfully, clearly in a great mood as he spoke: “The true face of Mount Lu seem strange to you***, Your Highness. Master Wei is not some ordinary minister that you can bully!”
“Because you are on the wall****,” Ning Yi replied, calmly turning. “And the walls of Qing Ming Academy’s Tower are truly tall.”
Helian Zheng, “…”
As the two men dueled with words, another window opened and the Tian Sheng Emperor glared down pale faced with anger.
“Shao Ning, what are you doing!”
Shao Ning gazed up defiantly and loudly called forth: “Father Emperor, I do not want to marry anyone else. Wei Zhi and I were in the Imperial Garden…” but before she could explain her lie, Feng Zhiwei interrupted her, calling out loudly from her supine position, her eyes closed.
“Your Majesty forgive this Minor Minister for not bowing in this ungiving armor! This Minor Minister was sleep walking through the Imperial Gardens and heard the plot of an opera about pledging to marry without the permission of parents but this foolish scholar did not understand the romance involved. This Minor Minister found the opera quite amusing and dramatic, but Her Highness did not like it. It is this Minor Minister’s fault for failing to explain the opera well and win over the Princess. This Minor Minister was so ashamed that my organs began to burn so I tied myself up to apologize to Your Majesty… Ah, I am very grateful that the Princess lent me her guards to carry this Minor Minister here; this Minor Minister accidentally tied myself too tightly.”
Laughter echoed down from the second floor as the Cabinet Ministers working within exchanged amused glances. This Wei Zhi brat was truly as slippery as a mud fish, so calmly calling black white, easily taking all responsibility and explaining everything away. He interrupted Shao Ning’s words and saved Imperial Face — no wonder His Majesty was also happy after his meetings with this young star.
The Tian Sheng Emperor could barely hold back his laughter as he forced a scolding frown, calling out: “Children! Why are you making such a scene about this small matter? All of you, leave! Shao Ning, you are growing more and more unreasonable! Do you truly want me to ground you?”
Shao Ning looked up, her face pale from Feng Zhiwei’s words. All the words she had wanted to pour from her heart and been blocked by Wei Zhi. This man’s thoughts were like the sea, and his heart like stone. She could not defeat him and she could not have him; begging, slowly winning him over, forcefully commanding — nothing could move him a whit.
She lifted her chin stubbornly, holding back the tears in her eyes, her watery gaze trembling like pearls in the sun.
The Tian Sheng Emperor looked down at his beloved daughter’s face and realized that his child had truly fallen in love. Just as his heart was hesitating, Ning Yi chuckled behind him: “Little Sister, you are too mischievous. Wei Zhi is an honorable minister with a promising future; after messing him with like this, what will other people think?’
The Tian Sheng Emperor paused and his heart calmed. Truly, there were many capable officials in the Imperial Court and many talents in the Han Lin Imperial Academy, but most scholars would only ever lead the country astray. Only very few scholars were truly learned and talented, but they were often proud and sneering and difficult to work with.
Wei Zhi was a rare gem, talented and learned, young and wise, his actions and words filled with propriety. In time, he would be a powerful and wise Prime Minister. For a man like him to play second fiddle to the Imperial Princess and quit his career would be a great shame.
And it was unclear whether Wei Zhi had any true affection for the Princess; just from a consideration for his beloved daughter, the Emperor could not force them together.
“Shao Ning!” The Tian Sheng Emperor called out again, hardening his heart. “Leave! This place is not for you!”
He gestured for Feng Zhiwei to be untied, and the good minister rubbed some blood into his limbs before smiling and saluting the Emperor: “Your Majesty is magnanimous for forgiving this Minor Minister’s discourtesy. Please do not blame the Princess; her big day is coming and we should preserve the Princess’s happiness.
At these words, the Tian Sheng Emperor felt that he had to ground Shao Ning. Her arranged marriage was just on the horizon and she was still running around recklessly abducting people. What would happen if the future Imperial Son-in-Law was dissatisfied? He slapped the rail and called out: “Bring the Princess home! No one is allowed to leave the Ming Yu[1] Palace!”
This command would only ever end when the Emperor countermanded it. Princess Shao Ning did not cry or make a fuss, she only glared palely at her father before turning and leaving, a single tear tread into the dust as she turned.
Feng Zhiwei stood straight-backed, calmly facing away from Shao Ning. If she did not cruelly push her away, she would only bring disaster onto Shao Ning. Today’s rejection would show her that she had loved the wrong person.
[1] 玉明,Jade Bright