Feng Zhiwei’s mouth twitched, and she wondered to herself whether she ought to salute him according to the ceremonial rites or if she could find a way to secretly kick him off the carriage. But then the man finished his perverted words: “Marvelous like your blood.”
Feng Zhiwei immediately came to a decision and lifted her chin and cried out: “Dried peach!”
A scarlet sword burst through the carriage roof like a bolt of lightning, stabbing towards the man’s head.
But that man casually sipped from his glass, not shifting a single muscle, the wine in his glass perfectly calm.
The sharp sword howled through the air only to curve an inch away from the man’s skull, sliding past and skimming the crystal glass in the man’s hand.
Biting cold fell around them in an irresistible blanket, but it did not disturb a single mote of dust.
A droplet of maroon wine floated out of the glass and flew into a waiting mouth. Ning Yi smacked his lips, savoring the aftertaste before smiling and saying: “Many thanks to Brother Gu for pouring the wine.”
Feng Zhiwei sighed and called out: “Peach Pit!”
The Scarlet Sword flew back the way it came, leaving a tiny hole in the carriage roof that was quickly plugged with the ever adaptable walnut.
Peach Meat — Kill! Peach Skin — Flee! Dried Peach — Scare! Peach Powder — Handle the matter yourself! Walnut — I want!
This was the new secret code between Feng Zhiwei and Gu Nanyi.
Young Master Gu liked using the fewest words to express the greatest depth of meaning.
Feng Zhiwei sighed again and sat down across from her torturer. She grabbed another crystal glass and poured the entire bottle into the cup before lifting the vessel and calling out: “Wine!”
Young Master Gu reached down to grab the cup, and after the blink of an eye he returned the empty glass with a walnut inside it.
I want!
Feng Zhiwei mourned the glass: “Only one bottle.”
“Brother Gu, I have half a glass here, do you want it?” Ning Yi said coldly, his face dark as Feng Zhiwei served the wine to another.
Young Master Gu’s answer a walnut marred by a worm.
Ning Yi turned questioningly to Feng Zhiwei, and she examined the worm for a moment before replied wonderingly: “Perhaps he means to say — faugh!”
Ning Yi’s mouth twitched and he flicked his hand, obliterating the walnut with his True Qi.
“Your Highness, a small South Sea Maritime Department is not worth your leaving Dijing.” Feng Zhiwei said as she put away the empty bottle of precious, foreign wine. “Are you so confident in Dijing’s affairs and so mistrusting of me?”
“You think so highly of yourself,” Ning Yi replied, chuckling. “I am here for the same reason you are, as an Imperial Envoy dispatched by Father Emperor. I have an inspection tour of the land and maritime forces of the South Sea region and am accompanied by my Ceremonial Guard.
“The Chang Family has showed an intention to rebel?” Feng Zhiwei immediately asked.
“We are covering our bases.” Ning Yi replied calmly. “The Chang Family has managed the South Sea for many years and has continuously expanded their military forces. Most of the high-ranking officers are their people, and no one knows the exact troop count under General Chang Minjiang’s command. The new Minnan Province General is neither experienced enough nor qualified to suppress Chang Minjiang. Without a qualified Imperial Envoy, no one could stand in his way if things get out of control.”
“But what will happen in Dijing once you are gone?” Feng Zhiwei asked — now was clearly not a great time to leave the capital.
“Second Brother is leaving for the distant Ten Thousand Mountain Range; Seventh Brother is in the process of taking over Fifth Brother’s affairs in Jiang Huai Province. Only Tenth Brother is left by His Majesty’s side.” Ning Yi explained, clearly not very worried. “There will be no trouble.”
The Emperor had sent away all his adult sons, and under this circumstance it was unsurprising that Ning Yi had agreed to leave Dijing. With Hu Shengshan and Xin Ziyan manning the helm, Prince Chu’s party was safe; and the only prince remaining in the Imperial Court was his Tenth Brother, a brother already close to him.
Feng Zhiwei smiled, posing another question: “It is good that His Majesty does not worry about his body; but has he not considered that with his advanced age and past illnesses, what he would need to do if something happened to him with his sons so far away from Dijing?”
“Perhaps he thinks that with his sons far away, he will live longer.” Ning Yi answered boldly, a faint coldness hovering around his brows.
Feng Zhiwei smiled and a squeaking emerged from her robes as her sleeves rustled and two little golden creatures scampered out.
“The Pen Monkeys?” Ning Yi murmured, some surprise finally crossing his face. “They are not dead? How did you find them?”
“The night that Fifth Prince came to kill me, I found them in a corridor outside the study.” Feng Zhiwei replied, gently petting the little animals. “These little guys were hiding in the gaps along the roof — these gluttons been sneaking into the Imperial Study to lick the desk ink. I’ve always thought small animals were adorable, and the guard would only have killed them, so I hid them and brought them away.”
The two Pen Monkeys clung to Feng Zhiwei’s fingers, running around and playing, their golden fur brushing against her skin. Ning Yi’s eyes flashed and he almost moved to pull them away from her, but he stopped himself before reaching out.
His every move was under Feng Zhiwei’s eyes, and she smiled faintly.
When she had brought away the Pen Monkeys, Gu Nanyi had not allowed her to play with them and had taken them away, only bringing them back to her after some time had passed. When they were returned, their dimmed fur had become bright gold again. Something had clearly been done to the Pen Monkeys, and she had always wondered whether the perpetrator had been the Fifth Prince or His Highness Prince Chu? By his actions, it looked like it was probably the latter.
Gu Nanyi had not explained, but she could guess what had happened. The desk ink and square scroll from the banquet must have contained some medicine that would trigger aggression in the Pen Monkeys, because those two things were the only ones introduced before the attack.
But if Ning Yi had prepared everything, he would not have turned back after loosing the arrow. If he had made the move, he must have already been prepared to fight for the throne; why had he retreated after the Tian Sheng Emperor was poisoned? Why had he secluded himself away?
“Father Emperor was not poisoned.” Ning Yi replied, answering the questions in her eyes. After a moment, he continued explaining, his voice bitter: “Anyone who dared make a fuss would have fallen upon evil.
Feng Zhiwei stirred, her heart dropping as the truth came out — as she had suspected, the Emperor had never been poisoned!
Yi-er, investigate. As she thought back to the Tian Sheng Emperor’s words as he collapsed, Feng Zhiwei felt cold sweat cover her back — how likely was it that a poisoned victim could express himself so clearly in the short window of time before his collapse? His instructions to Ning Yi was so venomous! If Ning Yi had not seen through the Tian Sheng Emperor’s subterfuge and instead used the Tian Sheng Emperor’s instructions to cause a huge fuss and extend his power, what fate would have awaited him?