“Have the residence prepare a carriage. I shall accompany Sage Ruler Han Yue on an outing,” Fan Li instructed the steward.
Of course, this was merely for show. His true intention was to alert the Fan Residence guards, ensuring a discreet yet comprehensive security detail for the outing, providing maximum protection for this particular clone.
Only after these arrangements were made did Fan Li breathe a sigh of relief. He glanced at Han Yue, observing her gentle expression and the way her gaze lingered on him.
“Ah… just a moment. It will take some time for the residence to prepare the carriage and horses,” Fan Li lied without a flicker of hesitation.
“Mmm. I apologize for the trouble,” Han Yue replied, her smile deepening.
What was she so happy about? These preparations weren’t for her benefit, but rather, as a precaution against her.
The thought had barely formed when Fan Li paused, startled by his own suspicion. Precaution against Han Yue? It was almost an instinctive reaction, a lingering habit from the time she had attempted to assassinate him.
But now, their relationship was amicable. Surely she wouldn’t attack him again.
Fan Li found himself pondering an age-old dilemma: If your mother and I were both drowning, who would you save first? And so, if Empress Yao Guang and he were drowning, who would Han Yue save?
Lost in these absurd thoughts, he arrived at the residence gates.
The carriage was indeed ready. But the driver looked familiar.
“Zhao Tieniu, why are you here?” Fan Li asked, surprised.
“My lord, I’m the best driver in the garrison army! I heard you were taking your wife out for a stroll, so I volunteered. Don’t you worry, with Tieniu at the reins, even the roughest roads will feel as smooth as silk!” Zhao Tieniu declared, thumping his chest proudly.
Fan Li’s face darkened. Was this idiot blind? Couldn’t he see Han Yue standing beside him? Calling her his wife? He was practically begging for death!
Fan Li glanced at Sage Ruler Han Yue, surprised to find her expression calm, almost indifferent, as if this were a matter of course. The only noticeable change was a faint blush on her ears.
“Ahem! Tieniu, mind your words! If you speak out of turn again, I’ll have your head for it, according to military law!” Fan Li scolded sternly.
His harsh tone was intended to protect Zhao Tieniu, lest Han Yue truly draw her sword and execute him on the spot.
The garrison army, it seemed, truly valued discipline.
Zhao Tieniu, hearing the words “military law,” shuddered, despite his imposing physique. He abandoned his playful demeanor, adopting a serious expression, finally resembling a proper soldier.
“My lord, my lady, please, enter the carriage.” Zhao Tieniu’s voice, though serious, boomed through the streets, loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear.
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Fan Li was furious. His own reputation was already tarnished. But to damage Han Yue’s, that was a price he couldn’t afford.
“Shall we?” Han Yue’s gentle voice, accompanied by a tug on his sleeve, saved him from further embarrassment.
The gesture, though their skin hadn't touched, suggested an intimacy reserved for lovers.
“Uh… yes. Let’s go.” Fan Li, grateful for the interruption, glared at Zhao Tieniu before entering the carriage.
“Strange. Is the master in a bad mood today?” Zhao Tieniu was completely oblivious. He assumed Fan Li's displeasure was directed at him.
Throughout history, those who blamed themselves for every misfortune often lived the most tiring lives. A carefree attitude, like Zhao Tieniu’s, was far less burdensome.
In a narrow alley near the Fan Residence, two young men, disguised as laborers in rough spun clothing, whispered to each other in effeminate voices.
“So, Duke Jin and the Sword Sage… are they truly lovers?”
“We must inform His Majesty immediately. This is a disaster!”
These two were eunuchs from the palace, spies planted by Xiang Chong to monitor the Fan Residence. Their skills were amateurish. They had been exposed long ago. But Fan Li, confident in his own power and influence, had dismissed Xiang Chong’s petty schemes, allowing the two eunuchs to live.
An outing through Peng City was no trivial matter. Unlike his previous excursions with Han Yue in Chang’an, Peng City was Fan Li’s territory. Wherever the Fan Clan’s carriage traveled, the streets were cleared.
“What day is it today?” Han Yue asked suddenly. “Why are the streets so empty?”
Fan Li blushed crimson. He couldn't possibly admit that the streets were cleared because he, the most powerful official in Great Chu, was out for a stroll.
Zhao Tieniu, perhaps sensing Fan Li’s silence, and not particularly focused on driving, offered an explanation.
“My lady, my lord is a pillar of the state, a cornerstone of the court. His safety is paramount. Wherever he travels, the streets are cleared. Even closing the entire city wouldn’t be unusual.”
Fan Li wanted to scream. Who asked for your explanation?! Did you have to open your big mouth?!
He was mortified. This was Peng City, his territory. A simple outing didn't require such a grand display of power. If a single assassin dared draw a blade against him in Peng City, the Fan Clan’s influence was truly a joke.
“It must be a misunderstanding. The guards overreacted,” Fan Li muttered, furious. He had simply requested a carriage, not a city-wide lockdown.
“I see.” Han Yue, however, seemed to believe Zhao Tieniu’s explanation.
She nodded, turning to Fan Li with a serious expression. “It seems you are truly indispensable to Great Chu.”
“Mmm,” Fan Li replied, hoping Xiang Chong shared that sentiment.
The streets were already cleared. There was no way to reverse the situation now. Wherever the Fan Clan’s carriage passed, the streets remained empty, the shops closed.
After a few blocks, Fan Li found the entire experience rather dull. Han Yue, however, seemed delighted, peering out the carriage window, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement.
Fan Li suddenly remembered that Han Yue, having spent her youth in secluded cultivation, had rarely experienced the bustling energy of a capital city.
Even an empty city, steeped in the thousand-year history of the Great Chu Dynasty, possessed a unique charm.
“Peng City is beautiful,” Han Yue murmured, reluctantly lowering the curtain.
“May I visit you again tomorrow?”
Fan Li, looking at her earnest expression, couldn’t refuse. And the faint chill emanating from the Chasing Moon Sword at her waist further solidified his decision.
“Of course. I will accompany you for as long as you wish.”
Within the Great Chu’s imperial palace.
A porcelain vase shattered against the floor like fallen stars. Every piece of porcelain within reach had been smashed by Xiang Chong.
“Sage Ruler Han Yue has become Fan Li’s wife?! Impossible! I don’t believe it! You two must have misheard! Tell me, did you mishear?!”
The two eunuchs knelt, trembling, afraid to speak. They knew that if they insisted on the truth, they might be executed on the spot.
But lying to the Emperor was also a crime punishable by death. With their limited intelligence, they were at a loss.
“Your Majesty, please calm yourself.” A gentle, sweet voice drifted into the hall from outside.
Xiang Chong’s anger instantly dissipated. He looked towards the entrance, his gaze fixed upon the figure he had been dreaming of.
“Sage Ruler… Bai Rong, you’ve arrived?”