Chapter 023: After Nightfall, The Green Lanterns Are Silent, and Human Voices Are Hushed
Qin Chanyue’s consciousness had already grown hazy.
She forgot about her husband, forgot about the foolish Liu Yandai, forgot about the scheming Zhou Yuanting—briefly pulled into the tides of desire, she drifted and sank.
In the past, Qin Chanyue had only been with Zhou Ziheng. Zhou Ziheng, a scholar with a frail constitution, would be panting after just a short while. As he aged, he became even less capable, so Qin Chanyue’s understanding of matters of the bedchamber was not particularly deep. In recent years, she had almost entirely avoided men, nearly forgetting what a man’s scent was like.
But today was completely different.
The man before her today was burning with heat, seemingly possessing inexhaustible strength. One powerful hand encircled her waist, lifting her effortlessly.
It was like riding a wild horse across the grasslands, the fierce wind whipping through her hair. As the horse’s back jolted and swayed, she felt as if she might fall, forced to tightly grip with her full calves. Qin Chanyue, a military general’s daughter, had tamed horses since childhood, born with a skill in taming horses. Yet, this was the first time in her life she had ridden such an uncontrollable steed. The horse was beyond control, and she could not break free, only sinking deeper into it, already losing track of time. Pitifully, a few drops of Bodhi water soaked into the two petals of the pink lotus.
Inside the room, the ice vat gradually melted, the soft sound of trickling water echoing faintly. The lingering coolness spread through the side chamber, the bed creaking and groaning. In the corner, the incense stick had burned to its end, its faint lingering fragrance dispersing in the air of the side chamber, mingling with the scent of musk and stone orchid, lingering for a long time.
The door of the side chamber remained tightly shut. Liu Yandai stood guard outside, from daylight until the sky blazed with colorful clouds. As darkness began to fall, she stubbornly refused to leave, not taking a single step away.
After nightfall, the green lanterns were silent, and human voices were hushed, leaving only the chirping of cicadas among the trees.
The summer night was quiet, and Chang’an slept.
As darkness descended, lanterns were lit along the corridor eaves, forming a long, connected line that illuminated the lengthy corridor, exuding an aura of tranquility in the silent night.
Outside the side chamber, Shizi Furen sat leaning against a goose-neck chair in the corridor, her eyes occasionally glancing toward the door.
The door remained tightly closed.
She wondered several times: It’s so late now, shouldn’t the medicine in Pomu have worn off? But since no one had come out, she dared not open the door to check, only continuing to guard outside the side chamber.
While she kept watch, Nanny Li had long since returned. Originally, Nanny Li had left the estate earlier to attend to some matters. Later, upon learning that Liu Yandai had been looking for her, she specifically returned to ask Liu Yandai what the matter was.
How could Liu Yandai possibly tell her? The deed was already done, and it had to be carefully concealed. So she denied it, instead turning to ask Nanny Li what she had gone out to do.
Nanny Li snorted lightly and said, “If Shizi Furen won’t tell this old servant, then this old servant won’t tell Shizi Furen either.”
And so, the two of them kept their little secrets to themselves, neither willing to share.
Liu Yandai’s secret was related to Qin Chanyue, while Nanny Li’s secret was also related to Qin Chanyue—more precisely, to Qin Chanyue’s two sons.
Zhou Yuanting had not only caused trouble for Liu Yandai today; he had also stirred up trouble for Zhou Chiye and Bai Yuning. Upon learning that Zhou Chiye had gone to find Bai Yuning, he deliberately revealed their whereabouts to the private soldiers under Zhongyi Marquis’s command. At that very moment, these private soldiers were rushing to apprehend them.
Tonight, those connected to the Zhongyi Hou Mansion were destined to remain sleepless.
——
At that time, within Baihe Fang.
Zhou Chiye was riding his horse, making his way through Baihe Fang.
Baihe Fang was located in the distant outskirts of Chang’an, where the comings and goings were mostly ordinary people, not particularly refined. The area lacked soaring towers and upturned eaves, and the ground was covered in ordinary sandy roads. Many dragged oxcarts and horse-drawn carriages along, yet there was little excrement to be found—the residents here were mostly frugal households who would carefully collect feces to take back for composting fertilizer on their own land, so the ground remained relatively clean.
It was already the end of the Xu hour, approaching the Hai hour, with the curfew imminent. Thus, the residents of Baihe Fang gradually returned to their homes. When they caught sight of Zhou Chiye, they kept their distance and avoided him.
Just look at the young master’s luxurious silk attire, the jade adorning his horse’s forehead, and the gleaming, oiled whip—every detail spoke of a wealthy household, far beyond what they could afford to offend.
So they kept their distance, silently wondering in their hearts: why had such a young master come to their impoverished place?
Naturally, he had come to find Bai Yuning.
Zhou Chiwe passed by one low, cramped courtyard after another until he finally arrived at Bai Yuning’s courtyard. He deftly dismounted and stood at the gate, knocking.
The courtyard was dilapidated, and the gate was not made of brass rings or iron but a thin wooden door, with gaps and cracks so wide that one could see directly inside from outside.
The courtyard was narrow and small, containing only a well, a tree, and two rundown huts. When the fierce wind swept through, the thatch on the roofs rustled and shifted. For a place like this to house his Yuning was truly a grievance.
After Yuning was driven out of the mansion yesterday, she had little silver to her name and could only rent such a place. Later, when Zhou Chiye traced her steps here and saw Bai Yuning living in such conditions, his heart nearly broke. So, as soon as dawn broke today, he hurried to the money shop to withdraw funds, rented a new courtyard, and prepared to take Bai Yuning there.
He would never allow Bai Yuning to suffer even the slightest grievance!
“Yuning.” Filled with deep affection for Bai Yuning, his voice carried through the wooden door, accompanied by the sound of it opening. “I’ve returned.”
The next moment, the door was pushed open, and a young lady of elegant appearance emerged from within, gazing at Zhou Chiye with tender affection in her eyes.
At that time, dusk had settled, and stars dotted the sky. She stood beneath the moonlight, her dress gently swaying with the breeze, the moon’s radiance fully enveloping her, as if she were a goddess among the clouds.
If not seen atop the Qunyu Mountain, we would meet under the moon at Yaochi.
The moment Zhou Chiye saw her, a tingling sensation spread through his bones, and his heart felt as though it were being lightly tickled by a feather—an itch mingled with a sweet, delightful flavor. He couldn’t help but walk over to her, seeking a reward: “I’ve been running around all day. Don’t you feel any pity for me? Won’t you give me something nice?”
“Young Master, you’ve worked hard.” The heartless one teased him. “This humble one has nothing of value, I’m afraid I have nothing to repay you with.”
Zhou Chiye had already reached the doorway by then, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and eagerly nibbling the soft flesh of her cheek. In a playful tone, he replied: “With soft, charming, and slender bones like yours, even if you asked for Young Master’s life, what would be so difficult?”
He advanced as she retreated, and within two steps, they were inside the thatched hut. With a hook of his iron boot, Zhou Chiye nudged the door, which creaked and closed loosely.
By then, the sky had already darkened. The wooden door blocked the last sliver of moonlight, leaving the thatched hut in complete gloom.
There was nothing of value inside—just a bed and a table—but Bai Yuning had kept it meticulously clean. Zhou Chiye didn’t mind the place either. After all, it was only their last night here, and thinking of it that way made it feel all the more special.
Holding Bai Yuning in his arms, he teased mischievously, “Yuning, you’ll have to keep your voice down. This hut is old and rickety—we wouldn’t want to disturb the neighbors.”
Bai Yuning blushed and tried to pull away, but he pressed her down onto the table.
Young and in love, they cared little for propriety, eager to indulge in every reckless act imaginable. The bed had its charm, but so did the table.
Though Bai Yuning’s face flushed with embarrassment as she was pinned down, her delicate hands had already wrapped around his arms. The moment he leaned in, she let out a soft, breathy moan.
“Chiye—” As their clothes fell away, Bai Yuning whispered, “You mustn’t truly fall out with Houfu because of me. How could I bear that? In a few days, you should go back and apologize to the Marquis and Madam.”
Zhou Chiye grunted softly, nipping her shoulder. “I’m not going back.”
His parents had treated Bai Yuning so poorly and favored his elder brother so blatantly—he had no desire to return. With his martial skills, surely he could forge his own path. Once he passed the Martial Examination and became the Wu Zhuangyuan, he could join the military and earn back his noble title through his own efforts. Why go back just to suffer humiliation?
Seeing the stubborn look in his eyes, Bai Yuning knew he wouldn’t relent, and a quiet anxiety stirred within her.
It didn’t matter if Zhou Chiye refused to return, but the Second Prince needed her to find a way back into Houfu.
He had said that tensions between Zhennan Wang and the Second Prince were reaching a boiling point. Both sides were locked in a fierce struggle, where a single misstep could lead to ruin. The Second Prince urgently needed her, as an inside agent, to return to Houfu and act.
This was about her parents’ lives! She had no choice but to persuade Zhou Chiye to go back.
He was her only connection to Houfu.
But if Zhou Chiye wouldn’t return, she couldn’t either. All she could do was fret helplessly.
Yet in that moment, Zhou Chiye was lost in passion, pulling her down with him and briefly making her forget everything else.
The moon rose above the willow branches, a time for lovers’ whispers. Just as the two were locked in passionate embrace, oblivious to the world outside, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded beyond the door.
Someone had surrounded the small courtyard, then broken through the gate and stormed in!
Both inside the hut were startled. It was already Hai hour, during curfew, and the Five-City Military and Horse Command patrolled the streets at night. Who would dare barge in at such an hour?
Zhou Chiye abruptly pulled away, while Bai Yuning clutched her thin garments to cover herself. Zhou Chiye scrambled to dress.
The intruders outside arrived with aggressive force, rushing into the thatched hut in an instant.
Bai Yuning, half-naked and with nowhere to hide on the table, could only shriek and shrink back in fear. Zhou Chiye had just pulled on his xieku and hadn’t even had time to grab his sword when he turned to see Houfu’s private soldiers charging in.
These private soldiers had come under the Marquis’s orders. As soon as they spotted Zhou Chiye, they shouted, “Second Young Master, the Marquis has sent us to bring you back.”
They knew beforehand that this wouldn’t be an easy task. Everyone was aware that the Second Young Master had left behind a blood letter when he ran away. With his formidable martial skills, forcing him back would inevitably lead to bloodshed.
Sure enough, as soon as Zhou Chiye saw them, he angrily drew his sword. The moment the blade left its sheath, he roared, “Get out, all of you!”
How dare these people come to arrest him!
What was even more infuriating was that among this group, someone had secretly glanced at Bai Yuning behind him!
How could he tolerate this?
He forced the private soldiers out with the tip of his sword, his words sharp and menacing: “Anyone who dares to step inside, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”
But unexpectedly, the private soldiers who had always shown him great respect and served him diligently did not retreat a single step. Instead, they pressed closer.
“Second Young Master.”
Their faces carried a hint of bloodlust, their voices overlapping like a sinister chant: “The Marquis ordered us to bring you back.”
Seeing that they dared not back down, Zhou Chiye was suddenly struck with fear.
When he was still the Second Young Master of the Houfu, these people had obeyed his every whim. Whatever he did, they would praise him and comply, making him believe he could control everyone this way.
But after he fell out with the Houfu, they too turned against him. Staring at their completely changed expressions, Zhou Chiye suddenly realized that without the identity of the Houfu’s Second Young Master, he had no power to command these people. When he truly challenged authority, he was nothing but an ant.
In that moment, he vaguely understood why Zhou Yuanting and Zhou Wenshan fought so fiercely for the position of Shizi. Whoever stood above could crush those below. A higher rank could overpower a lower one—whether it was family ties or love, in this moment, they seemed worthless. Even with boundless affection, one could not use it to fend off swords and spears, nor could love resist brute force.
The next moment, the crowd surged forward, engulfing Zhou Chiye.
The sound of clashing weapons echoed from the thatched cottage, and a woman’s scream grew increasingly piercing. None of the commoners in the neighboring houses dared to show their faces. On this summer night, the moon hung high in the sky, silently watching everyone.
—
Meanwhile, in the side chamber, Qin Chanyue slowly awoke.