novelraw Chapter 716 - 696: Two Boats
Chapter 716 - 696: Two Boats
On the window ledge of the private booths on the second floor of the inn, pots of shilan flowers were placed. These flowers, which only bloomed in Beiman winters, were soft, pale, and as pure as snow. Outside the window, the snowy landscape glistened, and a young girl in a brightly colored dress tilted her head upward, looking at her beloved, playfully demanding a kiss.
Xie Jue’s hands rested on his knees, clenched tightly into fists. He stayed silent, though the flicker of emotions in his eyes revealed a raging inner fire, restrained yet turbulent. Lan Ningzhen blinked regretfully, "Little liar."
Just as Lan Ningzhen straightened her posture, she suddenly felt an arm tighten around her waist. Xie Jue pulled her close, his shadow enveloping her as his lips pressed against hers. The young man’s kiss was clumsy yet tender, his lips soft and warm. Lan Ningzhen’s eyes widened, and she instinctively gripped his lapels, utterly shocked. This was the first time Xie Jue had initiated a kiss. As her heart raced uncontrollably, Lan Ningzhen finally understood the enthrallment described in books about passionate romance. Even such a fleeting kiss left her flustered, her heart pounding like a startled deer.
When Xie Jue pulled away, Lan Ningzhen remained dazed, staring at him as if someone had seized her throat, leaving her breathless. Xie Jue himself was taken aback by her reaction. He had assumed that given her frequent playful teasing, Lan Ningzhen would be unshaken, even cheeky. But to his surprise, she was so delicate and shy in this moment.
After the kiss, an inexplicable bashfulness hung between the two of them, rendering them momentarily speechless. Only the snow and wind fluttering outside the window masked the sound of their racing hearts. Lan Ningzhen said, "Kiss me again!"
Xie Jue: "..."
Just as he turned, preparing to refuse, Lan Ningzhen had already stepped forward. She lowered herself, kissing him forcefully. This time, it was a deep, fervent kiss. Breaking into his defenses, she pried his lips open with domineering confidence, aggressively taking the lead. Xie Jue tried to evade her, but she had him pinned against the window ledge. With her fingers interlocking his, she gripped his hands tightly against the ledge, stealing a fiery kiss amidst the howling wind and snow.
Overbearing, relentless—just like her!
When the kiss ended, Xie Jue found himself stunned. It was also the first time he’d been passively subjected to such an impassioned kiss. So this was the extent to which humans could share such intimate closeness. What unsettled him even more was that he didn’t resist Lan Ningzhen’s forceful kiss. Panic sinking in, Xie Jue’s mind raced with the image of Fang Chuning. The boiling blood coursing through his veins was abruptly doused with a cold realization.
What was he doing?
Why was he allowing Lan Ningzhen this liberty?
Why was he yielding to a Beiman Woman’s advances...? The realization struck him, and in alarm, Xie Jue shoved Lan Ningzhen away. Lan Ningzhen, however, merely looked at him with a playful gaze as he braced himself on the shilan flowers, panting heavily, a hint of redness at the corner of his eyes. She was both delighted and smug—this was her accomplishment. Only she could make Xie Jue lose control like this.
"Helian, *that* is a kiss."
That night, Xie Jue experienced a rare dream about Fang Chuning. He dreamt of the Ningzhou Battlefield, where warhorses screamed amidst the gleaming clashes of blades and frenzied slaughter. He saw Lan Ningzhen dressed in dazzling red atop a black warhorse, wielding a spear as she ruthlessly slew the soldiers of the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry. She descended upon the battlefield like an unstoppable deity of war—her crimson armor stained with countless streams of Ningzhou blood.
Suddenly, a snow-treading black horse galloped across the battlefield. Its rider, draped in silver armor and carrying a spear adorned with crimson tassels, appeared like a streak of blood. Fang Chuning’s spear clashed fiercely with Lan Ningzhen’s. The two silhouettes intertwined, their ferocity building as they fought each other relentlessly. Both were seasoned warriors, meeting on narrow paths where violence erupted into a tempestuous confrontation. Xie Jue could barely make sense of their shifting faces—at times, Lan Ningzhen bore Fang Chuning’s visage, and other times, Fang Chuning’s face morphed into Lan Ningzhen’s. He dreamt of Lan Ningzhen driving her spear through Fang Chuning’s throat, severing his head with a swift strike. Blood splattered everywhere as Fang Chuning’s black steed cried out in sorrow, wailing over the loss of its master...
"No!" Xie Jue screamed, bolting upright from his nightmare. His thick garments were drenched in cold sweat, and his face was deathly pale as though every sound had become entangled in his throat, rendering him grief-stricken beyond measure.
The dream was like sharp thorns embedded in his mind, piercing deeply and drawing rivers of blood.
"Anning..."
Had something happened to Anning? Why else would he dream of such a scene? During one battle, when he and Fang Chuning had marched to the frontlines, he had experienced a similarly ominous dream. Upon waking, he had rushed to the front as quickly as he could, only to see medics carrying a bloodied Fang Chuning off the battlefield. That time, Fang Chuning had been gravely injured by the Beiman King. A sharp blade had nearly pierced through to his scapula, almost rendering one of his arms useless. Fang Chuning had spent two months in recovery, unable to lift a heavy spear. It was as though they had a psychic connection—the dream always preceded Chuning’s brush with death.
And now it had happened again.
Had something terrible happened to Anning once more?
Xie Jue had ventured to Beiman in secret, knowing that Anning would surely be furious. But this mission was known only to him, and it was impossible for Anning to have followed him to Beiman. Before he’d left, he hadn’t even had the chance to properly say goodbye to him.
They had sworn never to part, and never to keep secrets. Yet here he was, a man breaking his promises.
Xie Jue pushed open the window, letting the cold wind pour into the room. His gaze was resolute as he stared out into the snowstorm. He needed to complete his mission as quickly as possible. Anything long-term could no longer be entertained; he couldn’t wait another moment. He wanted to sprout wings and fly back to the familiar land of his home, to find his way back to the one person who mattered most.
After that day, Lan Ningzhen frequently visited Prince Manor. Xie Jue, cautious yet composed, adjusted to Lan Ningzhen’s affections. They often spent time together outside the manor. During this period, Xie Jue used his connection with the Lan Family to curry favor with the Chanyu Family. The two clans were already closely tied, and Xiao Jinghong’s death had created a rift between the Chanyu Family and the Great Prince. Now, with the Second Prince enjoying the height of his glory, the Chanyu Family, who had placed one of their women in the Second Prince Manor, began wavering in their loyalties. Once fiercely aligned with the Great King, the Chanyu Family’s unity began to crack.
Xie Jue did not expect them to defect completely to the Second Prince’s side all at once. Doubt alone was a sufficient opening, and that was enough. The Great Prince and the Beiman Great Queen controlled Fox City’s supplies and equipment, making the Chanyu Family’s support indispensable. As long as the Chanyu Family adopted a watch-and-wait approach, Xie Jue’s plan would progress much more smoothly, intensifying the rivalry between the Second and Great Princes.
If the Second Prince achieved distinction on the battlefield during this war, his rise to power would be inevitable.
Lan Ningzhen, aware of Xie Jue’s intent to leverage the Lan Family’s relationship with the Chanyu Family, knew her frequent trips to the Second Prince Manor signaled the Lan Family’s clear stance. Though the Lan Family had lost many sons in battle, their influence remained intact, and for the time being, they were untouchable.
It was a sunny day when Xie Jue and Lan Ningzhen strolled through Jade Street. Recently, Lan Ningzhen had become infatuated with making various ornaments for Xie Jue, and she delighted in bringing him to Jade Street to pick out materials.
As the snowstorm abated, their frequent appearances drew attention. The young elites in Fox City had grown increasingly curious about the so-called *Goddess*’s movements. They quickly learned that Lan Ningzhen was growing close not only with Dugu Jing but also with a certain strategist from the Second Prince Manor. To them, she was juggling two men—eating from one bowl while eyeing another. Word eventually reached Dugu Jing through the Sixth Prince, who heard rumors suggesting Lan Ningzhen was deliberately stringing him along while engaging with a lowly strategist. Being young and hot-headed, Dugu Jing could not bear the provocation and stormed toward Jade Street.