B A F

19: Ye Yin

At the time when Ren Fengyao had ordered men to search along the river, Zi Yinye and Chun Ri traversed along the Raging River all the way to the border of Dongling and East Zhi.

There, they followed Hua Jianli and journeyed non-stop, leaving Zi Yinye somewhat tired. Seeing her weary face, Hua Jianli felt guilt and said quietly, "Little Qi, hold on for just a bit. In less than an hour, we'll reach Fengye city and you can have a good rest. Originally you could have lived just fine as a rich young lady, but for me... I have dragged you in!"

"Enough, stop acting so virtuous. It's unlike you, Brother Jianli!" Zi Yinye smiled yet was not smiling as she glanced at Hua Jianli. "It is true I am tired, but in my heart, I am content. Reuniting East and West Zhi is a challenge I am excited to face, it's not you dragging me in. Take a look at yourself. Clearly, you're a manly fellow, but right now, you have such a pitiful expression. It doesn't suit you!"

Hua Jianli was thirty or so with a tall stature, sturdy and well proportioned with thick, coarse brows. He could be considered handsome, but he emitted a wild aura. His personality was a mix between determined and lazy. It seemed if he joined the army, he would become a general, but if he were just a fisher, he would stay a fisher. All these aspects mixed together, he was an attractive, dependable man. But that did not matter to Zi Yinye.

"Brother Jianli, such a tender expression doesn't suit you at all," Zi Yinye teased. Hua Jianli remained silent, in a daze. "Make sure you never make that expression again, otherwise I'll either be scared to death or laugh to death. Of course, if you really can't help it, just show it to your wife. I'm sure she'll be the only one able to withstand it!"

She pressed the horse to go faster. By the time Hua Jianli reacted, his face had greened and reddened. "Little Qi, explain yourself! What do you mean if I can't help it? I was concerned for you, but instead of being grateful, you... You stop right there!"

Giddy and noisy the entire way, the three finally arrived at the city. There, they found an inn to stop at and the moment they lay down, they fell asleep. The journey had truly left Zi Yinye tired. When she woke up the next day, it was already the afternoon.

Hua Jianli had left the city in the early morning already. Zi Yinye understood that Hua Jianli was contacting the person they were going to meet – the future emperor of Zhi. She ate then went downstairs with Chun Ri.

The tavern was not considered big in Fengyao, but relatively quiet. The guests themselves also seemed to have hidden backgrounds. This was why Hua Jianli had chosen this tavern in particular.

Currently, many people were sitting in groups in the lounge, all of them there for lunch. Because she had already eaten, Zi Yinye selected to a seat in the corner to simply sit at and waved the waiter over for a pot of tea. While she waited for Hua Jianli, she listened in on the guests' conversations.

"Old Liu, is your letter done?"

"Yup. The scholar right across the street wrote it. Hey, it's pretty good! Their strokes sure are elegant, how pretty!"

"Yeah right, you don't know how to write a single word. How can a guy like you understand if the words were written elegantly or not? But it's true that that scholar has some reputation in Fengye. I've heard quite a few people with difficult problem came to him for help."

The serving waiter overheard. "You guys must be talking about Shi Xia! The rumors are true, he is truly wise. There's no problem he cannot solve. Not only that, he is skilled in calligraphy and painting. He is famous around Fengye, but he's also pretty arrogant. The city lord took notice of him and wanted him to live in the city manor as a scholar, but he stubbornly refuses to, staying on the streets to sell calligraphy and paintings instead, not moving an inch."