Chapter 38: Human World Heavenly Palace (2)

Huang Fei said with emotion, "That day in Xichuan, the Princess rescued Jin Wuyu and blocked my Liefeng Cavalry from seizing the city. The three cups of wine on Jingyun Mountain left people with an endless aftertaste even today. Before this, the Di Du's Left Guard General Mo Heng entered Mu alone, and immediately after, Wei Yuan sent troops to attack Chu, forcing me to return to Shangying and abandon Xichuan. Others may have forgotten, but I remember clearly. That Wei Yuan was once a top general on par with Yiqu Marquis Wenjian. In the second year of the Eastern Emperor, because he could not be tolerated by the Phoenix Empress, he defected from the Di Du to the Mu State, and from then on, he was 'at odds' with the royal family. I once inadvertently learned that Wei Yuan's wife and elderly mother did not follow him to the Mu State but had moved to the Zhao State to avoid disaster before the incident. I didn't take this news to heart at the time, but thinking back on it now, it is quite interesting. The Jiuyi War lasted for three years. On the surface, it was a grudge between the royal family and the Jiuyi Tribe, but in reality, all states were involved in it. These years, just suppressing that King Xuanji Cang has cost me a lot of effort. But it just so happened that when the military edge first entered the Royal Domain, the war in the sky stopped abruptly in Xichuan City, resulting in a result of neither losing nor winning. If you say it is a coincidence, it is hard to believe. May I ask the Princess, I wonder who is so far-sighted, playing with the states of the Nine Domains in the palm of their hand? Fei, I truly admire you!"

Zi Rao listened to his interlocking deductions, which were just a few inconspicuous pieces of news, yet in his hands, they were connected and vertical, almost exactly the same as the facts. First, she was surprised by the sharpness of his mind, but in the end, she faintly raised her eyebrows, holding the jade cup leisurely, shaking it, and shaking it again. Not knowing what she thought of, the smile flowing in the depths of her beautiful eyes actually revealed a bit of triumph. "Just because of this, you concluded that I am the Nine Princess?"

Huang Fei drank the fine wine in his hand, "Today in the court, I deliberately tested you, and you made a promise to make Wei Yuan retreat in order to protect that Mu State Third Young Master. There are very few people in this world who can easily influence the military and politics of the Mu State, let alone such a wonderful beauty who holds the Nine-Turn Exquisite Stone. If I still couldn't guess who the Princess is, I would be too dull."

Zi Rao's eyelashes raised lightly, and she glanced at him from the bright moonlight, sighing, "The wine in your mansion is truly not bad. Tasting it carefully, it has a unique flavor."

Huang Fei lowered his eyes to look at the nectar in the cup, smiling slightly, "This wine has some history. Has the Princess ever heard of the East Sea Jade Marrow?"

In the past, within the territory of the Houfeng State, there was a lake of five colors. The lake was close to the Cloud Marsh and was shrouded in fairy mist all year round. Under the deep water, there were many beautiful jades, and among the jades, there were flowing springs. Using them to brew wine, the color was like emerald jade, warm and mellow, and one could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk. It was the best of wines and had been the tribute wine for the Di Du for hundreds of years.

Zi Rao sipped the wine and heard Huang Fei slowly say, "After Chu destroyed Houfeng, it obtained a thousand miles of fertile land west of Cloud Marsh. The Houfeng State sent people to assassinate our King several times, but no one could ever cross my Zhuri Sword by even half a step. That year, to celebrate my birthday, the Great King specially bestowed the Jade Marrow Wine Spring upon me to add to the fun, ordering people to gallop eight hundred miles a day to deliver it. This wine is exclusively enjoyed by the Shao Yuan Jun Mansion. I wonder which one suits the Princess's taste better compared to the Cloud-Jing Clear Spring?"

A wisp of clear flavor circled her soft lips, tongue, and teeth, entering her lungs and chest in a continuous, curling manner, warm and cold, hard to distinguish.

Nectar and jade liquid splashed on the rivers and mountains. This wine, no matter how one looked at it, was as green as blood.

Zi Rao suddenly smiled while holding the cup, "Cloud Lake Jade Marrow Wine, Hao Shan Smelting Sword Technique—these two are the crimes of the Houfeng State. Since Chu destroyed Houfeng, presumably, in addition to the Jade Marrow Wine, it also took the Smelting Sword Technique into its possession, right?"

A light that was almost imperceptible flashed in Huang Fei's eyes, "It seems the Princess is quite interested in that Smelting Sword Technique?"

Although Zi Rao wanted to take the opportunity to investigate the whereabouts of the "Secret Records of Smelting" from him, she also knew that his mind was meticulous and not like ordinary people, so she dared not test him too much. Her charming eyes raised slightly like a fine blade, and she changed the subject, "There is one thing that I think you will definitely be very interested in, Young Master."

Huang Fei raised his eyes to look at her, "Please speak, Princess."

"War horses."

Like jumping pearls, two clear and cold words were spat out from the woman's sandalwood mouth, as if still carrying the soft, moist fragrance of wine. Huang Fei, however, seemed to have been dazzled by the moonlight reflecting into the lake water. His handsome eyes narrowed, revealing a dangerous look.

The surroundings suddenly became silent. At this time, the moon was in the middle of the sky, and the ice wheel in the sky was like a painting, radiating clear brilliance, illuminating the world as bright as snow with the help of the water light. The lake was clear and clean without a speck of dust. Cold light flowed on the dense green leaves, changing constantly. This water pavilion with crystal stone walls and jade platforms was like a world of glass and crystal under the cold light, incomparably clear and strange.

Sitting opposite each other on the jade platform, with jade faces and handsome features, white clothes and dark robes, a pair of figures like banished immortals—yet the smiles carried a bit of cold meaning. The crystal-clear jade platform reflected the water light, reflecting into the bottom of Huang Fei's eyes, which did not reveal his thoughts. It was bright, dark, dreamlike, and real. The person in front of him seemed to have melted into the water, and in the blur, the clear and charming eyebrows contained a beauty that could hook souls and seize spirits.

I don't know how long it had been, but Huang Fei suddenly flicked his fingers, and a point of fluorescent light suddenly extinguished from his slender fingertips. A full cup of clear wine was poured into his throat, and he threw the cup into the lake, clapping his hands and laughing, "Wonderful! The Princess is truly a wonderful person!"

Zi Rao remained calm, only gracefully raising the emerald ice cup, "You overpraise me, Young Master."

Fast horses and sharp weapons were the foundation of the armies of the world. Among the Nine Domains, only the Mu and Xi states produced war horses. Now that Chu and Mu were at war, the Xi State had become the only place that could supply war horses to Chu. This war horse trade had previously been controlled by the Helian family, but this time Helian Wenren returned from the Xi State in a sorry state and gained nothing, causing a shortage of war horses in the Chu army. Many cavalry units were difficult to deploy. Even though Huang Fei was at odds with the Helian Marquis Mansion, he was also very troubled by this. At this very moment, the two words "war horse" were enough to move Shao Yuan Jun.

Huang Fei placed one hand on the ice table and tapped lightly, looking at the clear light reflecting on the water in the center of the lake. After a long while, he turned his head and said, "I am willing to hear the details of the matter the Princess mentioned."

Zi Rao smiled lightly, "The war horses of the Xi State are not sold to the Helian Marquis Mansion, but they are not necessarily not sold to you, Young Master. If you are willing, the Xi State can provide ten thousand war horses within ten days. From then on, all horse purchasing matters between the two states will have nothing to do with the Helian Marquis Mansion and will be subject only to your seal."

"Oh?" Huang Fei's eyes narrowed slightly. First Jiuyi, then Chu and Mu, and now the Xi State—these perfect and wonderful moves, this layout that was almost foolproof, made him have great interest in the person playing chess behind the scenes, "I wonder what I can do for the Princess?"

"Qi Shi." Still two faint words, just inexplicably carrying a bit of sharp meaning.

Huang Fei was silent for a moment, then raised his eyes, "I asked Qi Shi to pass a message, nothing more than to invite the Princess to the mansion for a chat, and had no other meaning. With your connection to the Witch Clan, Princess, if you want to seek medical treatment, you can just find him directly."

Zi Rao said faintly, "Qi Shi, this person, I don't trust."

Huang Fei smiled, "Do you trust me, Princess?"

Zi Rao also smiled, her eyebrows faintly haloed with glass colors, and her star-like eyes turned, reflecting people's hearts, "Young Master has a broad mind, and your chivalrous name is famous throughout the Nine Domains. I am sincerely asking you for help this time."

Huang Fei raised his hand to pour her wine. The wine fell into the ice cup, becoming deeper and thicker in the silence. After the cup was full, he put down the jade pot and smiled, "Since the Princess has ordered, Fei will definitely do his best."

Zi Rao lowered her eyes, holding the wine cup and curling her eyebrows gracefully. The moonlight was brighter, and she couldn't reach the faint shadows at the bottom of her deep eyelashes, "Then I will borrow this cup of wine to thank you in advance."

The nectar was crystal clear and cold. The quietness and nobility between her brows melted into a strange charm. Under the moon, the human world was ancient and void. It was empty, leaving only the charming posture of the woman lowering her brows. Huang Fei took a deep breath, his gaze passing over the emerald cup overflowing with light, and landed between her cold, dark eyebrows, "I heard you are seeking medical treatment for your brother. Since it is your brother, then that is..."

"The current Eastern Emperor, my brother."

Huang Fei's eyebrows moved, and he stood up and walked slowly along the jade platform soaked in water light. After a good while, he turned and said, "If I speak, even if I ask Qi Shi to treat the King of Hell in the underworld, he will have to try. But there is one thing that is troublesome."

Zi Rao smiled faintly, "That old monster is cold-blooded and unreasonable. I have asked him several times, and he remained indifferent. It is not strange for him to make things difficult. As long as he is willing to agree, let him set the conditions."

Huang Fei stared at her for a long time, then smiled, "The key to this matter is not Qi Shi. May I ask the Princess, even if Qi Shi agrees to treat the illness, is the Eastern Emperor willing to enter Chu to stay temporarily?"

The lake waves were silent. Zi Rao frowned slightly. Under the clear, dust-free silver brilliance, Huang Fei was in white clothes in the wind, cold and elegant, a handsome young master like jade, the Shao Yuan Jun who traversed the Nine Domains. He seemed to know that person well, hitting the nail on the head. Even if Qi Shi was willing to solve the poison and could solve the poison, he was afraid he would not come to the Chu State. Given the current situation, how could he be confined to another country and be controlled by others?

What's more, the Eastern Emperor going south would leave the Di Du empty, let alone the Chu State. Wouldn't it be taking the Son of Heaven to command the feudal lords? No matter how deep the thoughts were, they could be hidden from others, but not from those clear eyes. Adding variables to the chaotic situation, he would never agree.

Zi Rao bit her lips tightly, her eyes reflecting the faint green color in the wine, which was extremely deep. Huang Fei stood with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly on the side. After a while, he suddenly saw the vermilion lips in the dark shadows curl up quietly. She raised her head slightly and said softly, "I have my own ideas about this matter. As long as you persuade Qi Shi, Young Master."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 39 =====