Chapter 71: Requesting a Command
When Fang Jian startled awake from her dream, the sky had not yet brightened. She dazedly reached out to touch her cheek; it was cold and damp. She then looked at her own hands—the skin was supple and firm, the hands of a young, strong person. But the bone-gouging pain lingered, leaving her with a heart full of trepidation. Unable to fall back asleep, she rose and lit a lamp.
Some days prior, news had arrived from Chuzhou of Gao Yunqu's disappearance. At the time, Fang Jian had been worried but not panicked. In her eyes, Gao Yunqu was omnipotent. Chuzhou was but a remote corner of the frontier; how could it possibly cause Gao Yunqu to stumble? Yet this dream was terrifyingly real, chilling Fang Jian to the bone. She could not help but wonder, Could this be a warning from the heavens?
She sat stiffly until dawn. When Xiuzhu pushed the door open, she gave a start. "What are you doing?"
"Xiuzhu, do you think anything will happen to Lord Gao in Chuzhou?"
"Her Excellency is a person of great fortune; she will naturally turn peril into safety," Xiuzhu said without a second thought.
"Never mind. I can't just sit here and wait anxiously." Fang Jian made her decision.
She sought out Cui Miao to arrange an introduction to Wei Zhi, and then asked Wei Zhi to request an audience with Her Majesty on her behalf.
Wei Qi granted her an audience. She knelt in Yong'an Palace, requesting permission to go to Chuzhou and bring back Gao Yunqu.
"Why?" Wei Qi was somewhat curious. Fang Jian's previous 'good deeds' were not entirely untraceable; it was only because the results had been acceptable that Wei Qi had not taken her to task. Instead of keeping a low profile and laying low for a while, she had actually begged Wei Zhi to pull strings for an audience. Is she afraid I won't notice her?
Fang Jian took a deep breath. She had always known what kind of gamble was needed to achieve her desires. Maintaining a respectful posture, she spoke, "Because this subject is in love with Lord Gao."
Wei Qi had just taken a sip of tea when Fang Jian's words startled her so much she sprayed it back out. The teacup wobbled, splashing her hand. The Head Eunuch hurried forward with a cloth to help her wipe it clean. Wei Qi handed the cup to the Head Eunuch, allowing her to tend to the mess, while her gaze sharpened, fixing directly on Fang Jian. "What did you say?"
"This subject is in love with Lord Gao, Gao Yunqu. If any harm befalls her, this subject will be consumed with anxiety. Therefore, this subject volunteers to travel to Chuzhou and bring Lord Gao back!" Fang Jian's gaze was blazing, steady and resolute, showing this was no passing whim.
"Two women?" Wei Qi deliberately laced her tone with the utmost contempt.
Fang Jian showed no sign of alarm. As if recalling something that brought her joy, a faint smile touched her lips. "Your Majesty, this subject believes that the depth of affection and the weight of a vow are not distinguished by whether one is a man or a woman."
Wei Qi considered this for a moment, then the corners of her lips suddenly curled up. "You are in love with Gao Lushuang, but is Gao Lushuang in love with you?"
"This subject does not know," Fang Jian replied with equal frankness.
"You don't know?" Wei Qi raised an eyebrow. "You are willing to undertake this journey for her without even knowing her feelings?"
"How Lord Gao decides is her own affair. This subject's adoration is my own choice, and it will not waver simply because she may not reciprocate. Based on this heart alone, this subject is willing to go through fire and water for Lord Gao," Fang Jian said, kowtowing.
Wei Qi mulled it over for a moment before asking, "She is your teacher. Do you not fear universal condemnation?"
Fang Jian lifted her head, her eyes clear and bright. "Your Majesty, this subject does not recall ever serving the tea to formalize a master-disciple relationship."
Wei Qi looked at her. The young woman was ardent and sincere, a far cry from her previous cunning and slyness. For Gao Yunqu's sake, she had laid her heart bare for Wei Qi to see.
"Hahaha, interesting." Wei Qi burst out laughing, the sound echoing through the vast, empty hall. Those in attendance, unsure of her intent, held their breath and dared not make a sound. For a moment, the chamber was filled with nothing but her laughter. After a while, Wei Qi fell silent and looked at Fang Jian with great interest. In all fairness, Fang Jian was indeed beautiful, a worthy match for Gao Yunqu, even if she was a little younger...
As Wei Qi remained silent, Fang Jian dared not move. She had made another high-stakes gamble, placing herself on the betting table once more. Sweat beaded on her skin, dampening her undergarments where no one could see. A chill ran down her back.
After a long while, Wei Qi finally seemed to have finished her deliberations. She spoke slowly, "Very well. We grant your request."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's profound grace!" Fang Jian's eyes lit up as she hastily offered her thanks.
"Ask for whatever you need. Just bring her back to Us!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Fang Jian strode swiftly out of the palace city. Only when she reached a secluded, deserted spot did she dare let her joy show, feeling as if she could burst into song. She retrieved her horse and vaulted into the saddle, bypassing the bustling city streets and galloping at full speed. She reined in her horse before a small, old courtyard in the outer city, dismounted with a light leap, and rushed excitedly through the gate.
"Shouci! Shouci!"
Hearing her voice, Xie Min hurried out to greet her, completely bewildered. "Linshen, what brings you here?"
Fang Jian grasped her hands and asked with sincerity, "Shouci, would you be willing to make a trip to Chuzhou with me?"
Wei Qi watched Fang Jian depart, her steps light and her spirits soaring. She stood for a moment, watching Fang Jian's figure disappear beyond the layers of palace walls, then turned to her attendant. "We originally thought this Fang Linshen was a person of deep schemes, but it seems she is but a young woman after all, no different from A'zhi."
"Your Majesty agreed just like that?" the attendant asked.
Wei Qi beckoned to her. She obediently handed over a teacup and stood by her side. Wei Qi took the cup, sipped from it, and said, "We had originally intended for Dai Yanghui to make this trip. She and Gao Lushuang are dear friends, so she would surely have put her whole heart into it. However, if this Fang Jian is truly in love with Gao Lushuang, then perhaps she is indeed the better choice."
"Just now, Lord Fang's expression did not seem feigned."
"Power can turn a person into a demon. Ha, and to think it was for the sake of Gao Lushuang vouching for her." Wei Qi seemed to recall something and began to laugh again. "We were wondering why Gao Lushuang was so insistent on protecting her. Hahaha."
"It seems Lord Gao has feelings for Lord Fang as well."
"Excellent. This is excellent. One is a crane among the clouds, wanting nothing; the other is ruthless and unscrupulous, holding nothing back. Tie the two of them together, and they will become each other's concern. And people, once they have concerns, they have weaknesses. And once they have weaknesses, they become much easier to manage."
Wei Qi suddenly felt the urge to drink. All the talents of the realm were falling into her grasp. This called for a large cup of wine in celebration.
Gao Yunqu was completely unaware of Fang Jian's audacious pronouncements before Wei Qi. She slowly regained consciousness, the dim world spinning around her. It took a long moment for her vision to steady. Forcing herself to focus, she saw that she was surrounded by firewood, lying on a bed of fluffy straw. The building was somewhat dilapidated, likely a woodshed, though it was not particularly filthy. Her hands were bound behind her back, and she had been slumped in a pile of straw. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious, and one side of her body was numb from her own weight. She struggled, trying to find a way to sit up and relieve the tingling numbness, but she could not get the hang of it. In the end, she only managed to roll over and lie flat on the ground.
With a creak, someone pushed the door open. Gao Yunqu turned her head to look. The newcomer was a woman in her thirties, holding a bowl in her hands, likely bringing her a meal.
Gao Yunqu thought she looked kind and ventured to ask, "My lady, may I ask where this place is?"
The woman did not speak. She helped Gao Yunqu sit up, then lifted the bowl to her lips. It contained a thin, watery congee. Gao Yunqu was famished and, caring for little else, drank two mouthfuls from the woman's hand.
In that brief moment, she had made a quick assessment—she had no injuries, her surroundings were tolerable, and there were no guards. It seemed they did not want her dead, at least for the time being. After drinking the congee, she regained a little strength and asked the woman a few more questions, but received no reply.
Before long, Gao Yunqu felt her strength failing her; the congee must have been laced with a drug that weakened the muscles and bones. Only then did the woman approach, untie the ropes, and replace them with a set of shackles locked around her ankles.
"My lady, why will you not speak with me?" Resigned to her situation, Gao Yunqu was not anxious and tried to engage the woman in conversation.
The woman glanced up at her, her expression devoid of either sorrow or joy, and finally spoke. "What is there to say? I cannot tell you anything."
Gao Yunqu's spirits lifted. "Then I will not make things difficult for you. If it is something you cannot say, simply shake your head."
The woman remained noncommittal.
Gao Yunqu then asked, "Are the people who were with me still alive?"
The woman thought for a moment. "They are being held in another location."
Gao Yunqu felt greatly relieved. She looked at the woman's plain, clean-featured face and asked, "How may I address you, my lady?"
"...A'yuan. You can call me that." The woman hesitated for a moment before answering. But after she spoke, she retreated, leaving Gao Yunqu alone in the woodshed.
With her hands free, the aching numbness subsided considerably. Gao Yunqu supported herself on a pillar and slowly got to her feet, testing her movements. The drug had left her weak and exhausted; forget fighting her way out, she reckoned she would struggle to even lift a blade. One end of the shackles on her feet was fixed to the floor, the chain long enough for her to move about the room but not to exit the door. She took another turn around the room: firewood, straw, a chamber pot in the corner, and not a single other useful item to be found. The bowl from the congee had been taken away by A'yuan. And that congee, so thin it contained barely a few grains of rice, was certainly not enough to sate her hunger, but it did soothe her stomach somewhat. She walked to the door and peered through the cracks. The outside looked much like an ordinary village, with scattered thatched huts and piles of clutter. She saw no villagers, however. Over the course of a day, only one or two people occasionally passed by, carrying swords and bows, their stances steady. They were clearly martial practitioners. Gao Yunqu sat by the door for the entire day, pondering to herself, Where in the world have I ended up?
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