Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 83: Secret

Lizhou, northern Jin State.

The sky was clear, the visibility excellent. A shaft of sunlight fell through the window of the carriage, illuminating the weary Chen Jie, lighting up her snow-white, jade-like arm. She paid no mind to the scenery outside; all her thoughts were occupied by the young man with striking features and thick brows, riding not far off, accompanying their group.

Suddenly, he turned his head and met Chen Jie's gaze. Their eyes met, and a faint blush crept into her cheeks as she smiled and called out, "Thank you, Young Master Xu. If not for you, this journey would have been much harder."

"You're too kind, Sister Jie. When traveling, we help each other. It was nothing for me," he replied.

The youth's name was Xu Qing. He had handsome features, clear eyes, and a free-spirited, unrestrained air about him. Not only did Chen Jie find herself drawn to him, but even the young servant girls regarded him with admiration.

"Elder Brother Xu, are you sure you'll be alright traveling alone in Lizhou?" asked one of the girls, her tone casual and friendly.

Her eyes were not merely clear; they were like limpid pools, sparkling with life. So young, yet she already possessed a beauty and bearing to rival her mother's.

Xu Qing liked this mother and daughter pair. With such beauty, what man could remain unmoved?

"It's nothing. I've been traveling and studying away from home since I was a boy," Xu Qing replied with a smile.

Yet Chen Jie's heart rippled with emotion. Though she was married and the mother of two, the events of the journey had touched her deeply.

They had been returning from her family home when she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest and fainted on the road. Xu Qing, passing by, had come to her rescue, diagnosing her with a touch of anemia and recommending some simple remedies. As they were headed in the same direction, he joined their party.

During the journey, casual conversation revealed that Xu Qing had studied under a renowned master. He was well-versed in literature, the martial arts, medicine, and even astronomy—a rare and brilliant young man.

Chen Jie found herself shaken to the core. Never in her life had she felt such a powerful attraction to a man. She savored the feeling of being cared for, her heart pounding wildly.

Abruptly, Chen Jie said, "Then I must invite you to dinner someday, Young Master Xu. I hope you'll do me the honor."

She felt her cheeks grow even warmer as she spoke.

Xu Qing's heart stirred; he agreed readily. "I'd be delighted. I know where your residence is."

They exchanged a smile, feelings quietly passing between them, nothing more needing to be said.

As their party entered Lizhou, Chen Jie was suddenly overcome by a deep sense of loss.

Her daughter, quick-witted as ever, noticed at once. "Mother, stop looking. He's already out of sight."

Chen Jie blushed, her beautiful eyes flicking over to her daughter as she warned, "Don't mention what happened before to your father."

"Alright," her daughter replied, eyes bright with mischief. "Mother, are you going to see him again?"

Chen Jie replied calmly, "He did save me. It's only right that I thank him."

Her daughter nodded, but her smile was sly. "Young Master Xu is amazing—he knows everything, can do everything, and he's so good-looking. Far better than any man I've ever met."

Chen Jie regarded her daughter, already guessing her thoughts, and teased, "Too bad you’re already engaged. Otherwise, you could get closer to him."

"So what?" the girl said with a little snort, her face unconcerned, a hint of rebelliousness in her eyes.

Chen Jie knew her daughter's temperament all too well, and her heart tightened with a trace of annoyance. "Don't act willfully or do anything reckless," she admonished.

The girl only smiled, her beautiful eyes shining with barely contained excitement.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing, having entered the city, made some inquiries and promptly headed for the largest pleasure district in town.

"Seize the day, drink while there is wine, pluck the flowers while they bloom…"

…

"Brother Chuan, up ahead is Lizhou territory."

The carriage rolled smoothly along. The farther south they went, the more beautiful the mountains and rivers became, and Xu Wei's spirits seemed to lift with the scenery. She often leaned out the window to gaze at the landscape, becoming livelier and more cheerful.

"Mm," Wang Chuan replied, still taciturn but attentive, which was already more than he gave most people.

When Yang Hao and the others approached, Wang Chuan would often remain silent, leaving them at a loss—unsure whether to stay or go, unable to discern his opinion.

According to Yang Hao's observations, Wang Chuan would sometimes lapse into such a state, as if immersed in martial meditation, his spirit wandering the heavens.

Since then, Yang Hao dared not disturb him, and had learned to read Wang Chuan's expression to gauge his state of mind.

"Brother Chuan, you've taught me martial arts—now can you teach me how to write poetry?" Xu Wei asked suddenly, recalling something. "You're brilliant at poetry, and that last one you recited…"

Before leaving, Wang Chuan had instructed the soldiers to leave their armor and weapons with Qi Hao, telling them to claim they lost them in Wei territory if questioned upon their return.

As long as the cavalry kept their mounts, they could request anything else they needed from the lord of Jin.

Qi Hao had slaughtered so many cattle and sheep to entertain them; it was hard to repay such generosity.

Before departing, Wang Chuan composed one final verse, once again stunning all present:

"In the borderlands, autumn brings unfamiliar sights;
The wild geese of Hengyang depart without care.
On all sides, the cries of war horns rise,
In the thousand peaks, long smoke and the setting sun, a lonely fortress closes.
A cup of muddy wine, home a thousand miles away,
Never to carve our triumph on Yanran’s stone.
Qiang pipes wail, frost covers the earth—
No sleep for men, and tears for the white-haired general."

With this poem, all other verses of the frontier were eclipsed.

"How am I supposed to teach that?" Wang Chuan frowned, pondering.

Was it to be like the method described in Dream of the Red Chamber?

Yet without madness, there could be no genius, no magic in it.

"Then how do you write your poems, Brother Chuan?" Xu Wei asked, her curiosity piqued.

Wang Chuan sighed.

"A true composition is born of nature,
A deft hand finds it by chance.
Pure and flawless, needing no artifice,
Consider the ancient bronze: neither skill nor clumsiness is evident.
Even the Han, close to the Qin, were already less pure,
And what of the northern tribes, whose bold pipes mingle with plaintive strings?
No more will another Kui arise;
In a thousand years, who can we expect to meet?"

Xu Wei listened, stunned, about to clap her hands.

"Excellent! Your Highness speaks well. Everyone knows you are a master of words, and today your reputation has proven true," Qin Zong exclaimed in admiration from nearby.

Wang Chuan was taken aback, tempted to throw something at him.

Couldn’t this fellow keep his distance?

"Brother Chuan, you’re amazing," Xu Wei said sincerely, nodding. "I see now—I should have studied harder. If I had, maybe I too could have written verses to astonish the world."

Wang Chuan looked at her earnest little face, and found himself speechless. In the end, he only nodded.

Fortunately, Xu Wei was fickle in all things, her interests fleeting, and she quickly changed the subject. "Earlier, the chief steward asked for your opinion. Brother Chuan, when you said you didn’t know, was that true?"

"What do you think?" Wang Chuan asked with a smile.

"You're so capable, Brother Chuan—there’s nothing you don’t understand," Xu Wei replied confidently.

"Yes, that’s how they see it as well," Wang Chuan said, glancing outside.

Xu Wei nodded, but seemed a little puzzled.

"I do understand, but I can't say it. At times like these, one must feign ignorance and hide one’s talents," Wang Chuan said, tousling her hair with a smile. "When the lord of Wei forced my hand, I already repaid him in kind. Now, there’s no one else in the world who can force me, none with even the right to try. If they do, the price will be terrible—beyond their imagining."

Seeing his expression grow grave, Wang Chuan reassured her. "But it’s nothing. These are just things I can share with you, Wei’er, things that can’t be spoken openly. I can only talk with you about them—they were always locked in my heart before."

"It no longer matters who finally holds Yanzhou City. For both states, it’s about face, and about a whetstone for their ambitions. Sometimes a defeat is more meaningful than a victory—it can inspire future strength and, in the end, leave you laughing last. But here on the battlefield, over a hundred thousand will perish, and the people of Yanzhou will be left in an awkward position. If they don’t quickly submit to one side, they’ll end up belonging to neither Wei nor Jin, a knot on the border, a source of endless trouble."

"The Tang have invaded as well, but their armies are nothing to worry about. Without a wise ruler or reforms, they’ll keep on declining, prey for others."

"The lord of Jin’s current move is his last probe. Soon, the west and north will be fortified, forcing him to expand only east and south. But unifying the Nine Provinces is no easy feat—it takes generations of effort. He’s too impatient; if he keeps this up, he’ll stumble badly."

"Today, it seems, they mean to use me, scheming again to push me forward. I don’t like being in the limelight."

"Brother Chuan, don’t be afraid—I’ll protect you," Xu Wei said, gently touching his face, her tone earnest. "I’m almost ready to master that move."

She had practiced it countless times before, to no avail.

But after Wang Chuan demonstrated it with her, she suddenly felt a breakthrough.

She spread her fingers, grasped at the air, and a suction drew toward her palm.

Her face was alight with excitement.

Wang Chuan couldn’t help but sigh. "Wei’er, you really are talented—just too lazy."

He himself trained in martial arts every day, spending far too much time on it, never truly satisfied.

"Don’t worry, Brother Chuan—I’ll protect you," Xu Wei said, her voice solemn.

"Alright," Wang Chuan replied, equally serious, without a smile. "Wei’er, let me tell you one more thing."

"What is it?" Xu Wei lay down, resting against his leg.

Wang Chuan’s brows twitched as he focused his spirit, the energy around them subtly shifting, cutting this space off from the outside world.

He pulled Xu Wei closer, his hand searching down her back, moving lower. "Don’t move."

"Hee-hee, that tickles…" Xu Wei squirmed slightly, a little shy, but still nestled against him, feeling his large hand gently caress her back. "Brother Chuan, what are you doing?"

"Your mother has grown a tail here," Wang Chuan said, stopping his hand and speaking seriously.

"What?" Xu Wei started, stunned, thinking she’d misheard.

"This is the secret I had to take with me. Your mother hoped I would protect you well," Wang Chuan explained. "Now I can tell you—your family carries fox blood. Your bones are different from ordinary people’s, and your tailbone has lengthened; you may also grow a tail. I’m not sure when, and perhaps there’ll be other transformations."

"What should we do?" Xu Wei sat up in alarm, reflexively glancing out the window.

"Don’t worry, I’ve set a veiling array—no one outside can hear us," Wang Chuan reassured her. "All these years, your mother has been fine. Even if, by some chance—just in case—anything happens, I’ll always be at your side."

"Will you still like me then, Brother Chuan?" Xu Wei gazed at him nervously, her hand tentatively reaching back.

"Of course—I’ll always like you," Wang Chuan smiled. "Don’t overthink it."

"Fox blood… does that make me a fox spirit? A demon…?"

"Don’t ask—none of that matters."

"…"