“Chief Minister Wei? Chief Minister Wei?”
“Hm?”
Wei Fu abruptly snapped back from his wandering thoughts somewhere beyond the heavens. Once he came back to himself, he first curved his eyes and smiled apologetically at the person across from him. “What is it?”
Fu Yu Wei, one of Longsha’s Cabinet Ministers and Minister of Personnel, invited him warmly. “Chief Minister Wei has had his head buried in documents for half the day. You must be tired. Have a cup of tea and rest for a bit. Official papers pile up like mountains; they can’t possibly be finished in a day or two.”
Wei Fu thought, You people eat three proper meals a day without missing a single one and have snacks twice besides. With this sheep-herding way of working, it would be a miracle if anything got done. Outwardly, he accepted with a pleased smile, rose, and followed him to the side hall for tea.
The attendants of the Eastern Pavilion filed in one after another, delivering tea tables to each lord in turn. All kinds of fresh fruits and pastries to accompany the tea were stacked inside sectioned boxes: seasonal melons, grapes, peaches, oranges, and pomegranates, as well as puff-pastry mooncakes carefully prepared by the Court of State Banquets, marked on top with red characters such as “fortune” and “fulfillment.”
Fu Yu Wei picked up an exquisitely small mooncake. It was so delicious that his eyes narrowed, the tips of his beard twitching upward like a perfectly content old cat. Then he slowly savored the clear, sweet, mellow “Golden Pond Green Snow” tea and let out a long, comfortable breath. “After yearning and yearning for it, eating mooncakes since the first day of the month, we’ve finally looked forward to Mid-Autumn. At last we can take a day off and properly loosen up these old bones of mine.”
Minister of Rites Ming Lin Qian smiled and said, “Lord Fu Yu, don’t be too happy too early. His Majesty is bestowing a banquet tomorrow night. Do you think you’ll be able to escape?”
Fu Yu Wei gave a dismissive sound and said without the slightest concern, “Stealing even half a day of leisure is good enough. Besides, in the evening, there will naturally be romantic talents, graceful dancers, and beautiful musicians all racking their brains to attend to His Majesty. As for us, we can simply watch the spectacle.”
He cast Ming Lin Qian a meaningful glance. Ming Lin Qian smiled and said, “It is the first Mid-Autumn banquet since the new ruler ascended the throne. Which yamen would dare not put its heart into it? The Ministry of Rites is not even the busiest one. The Court of State Banquets and the Music Bureau are the ones truly working day and night.”
Wei Fu had no appetite for snacks today. Distractedly, he lifted the cup of black tea in front of him—Yu Gong Zhao Ye would not let him drink green tea, saying he already slept too little and caused trouble, and since green tea sharpened the mind, once he drank it, there would be no need for him to sleep at all—and probed, “For tomorrow night’s bestowed banquet, are all court officials required to attend? Around what time will it end?”
Fu Yu Wei said, “According to past custom, members of the royal clan and officials of the sixth rank and above attend the banquet. In the past, when the late king was in good spirits, he liked crowds and bustle. Every time, the feast would continue deep into the night before he was satisfied. Unfortunately, last year he was gravely ill, and no one was in the mood to admire the moon, so everyone sat for a short while and then dispersed. His Majesty is somewhat fonder of quiet, but who knows what he intends to do this year.”
The last night banquet had caused such a huge mess that Yu Gong Lie was probably wary too. Perhaps this time, they would only go through the motions… Before Wei Fu could finish coaxing himself, he heard Ming Lin Qian cut in. “Chief Minister Wei and Deputy Minister Feng have nearly been in Longsha for a full year. That too is something worth celebrating. It is the first time the two of you are spending the festival in Longsha, so His Majesty will certainly offer generous comfort and will not treat it perfunctorily.”
“……”
Wei Fu silently wilted again.
Yu Gong Zhao Ye was busy handling matters on Yanyuan’s side and had not been in Bihan City recently. He had told Wei Fu he would try his best to return on the day of Mid-Autumn. On such a fine night and beautiful scenery, before flowers and beneath the moon, Wei Fu had no desire at all to spend it together with the king and his colleagues. He would rather return home, shut the doors and windows, seize that brief reunion tightly, and spend the entire night admiring his own moon.
In truth, he had already received a great deal. Yu Gong Zhao Ye almost let him run wild according to his own temperament, yet he still could not help greedily longing for more time together.
Once he had “given his heart,” he began to want “forever and ever.” Perhaps it was because although he and His Highness slept together every day, on the surface they had very little interaction, and strictly speaking, they were still carrying on a secret affair.
He thought gloomily, Can we only have a secret affair at the Mid-Autumn banquet, right under the eyes of the king and all the officials?
“Lord Wei… Lord Wei?”
“Hm?”
Wei Fu realized that he had drifted off again. Under the gazes of several ministers who had been drawn over, he said as though nothing had happened, “What is it?”
A blue-robed inner attendant hurried forward and bowed to report, “Someone from the chief minister’s residence has come to report that an honored guest has arrived at the residence and asks that Your Excellency return as soon as possible.”
His voice was neither high nor low, just enough for everyone with their ears pricked to hear. Wei Fu asked in confusion, “An honored guest? Who is it?”
The inner attendant shook his head, indicating that he did not know.
He had no family or close connections in Longsha. Where would an “honored guest” come from, one important enough for the Egret Guards to specially send someone into the palace with a message? Could Xiling have sent someone?
Wei Fu’s thoughts turned rapidly, but his body had already consciously risen from his seat. He said to the others, “There is a matter at home, so allow me to take my leave first. I will temporarily entrust the official business to you all. If there is anything urgent, send someone to my residence to find me.”
Everyone said, “In any case, it is close to the time for office dismissal, and tomorrow is a festival rest day. Chief Minister Wei, please go with peace of mind.”
Wei Fu followed the inner attendant hurriedly out of the Eastern Pavilion. Outside the palace gate, he saw the coachman who had come to receive him and frowned as he asked, “Who came? What did he look like? Did he give a name?”
The coachman answered quietly, “He said his surname was Xie. He was quite tall, very handsome, and looked a bit like you…”
Xie You Lan?
Why would that troublesome thing suddenly come looking for him?
The arrival of that troublemaker was adding frost to snow upon Wei Fu’s already low spirits. Wei Fu boarded the carriage, and all along the way, he thought irritably about what kind of demon Xie You Lan was planning to act like this time. After a long while, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong. Lifting the carriage curtain to look, he saw that the street outside was not the scenery he had already grown used to.
Wei Fu’s heart gave a sudden jump. One accident was an accident, but two accidents were suspicious. He immediately gripped the small knife inside his sleeve and called loudly, “Ding Fei! This isn’t the road back to the residence. Where are you going?”
The coachman Ding Fei drove the carriage through the long street, traveling smoothly and without obstruction toward the eastern city gate. Amid the rumbling sounds of the carriage wheels, he answered casually, “We’re not going back to the residence. We’re leaving the city. Don’t worry, Your Excellency.”
“……”
Wei Fu questioned him incredulously, “You’re already taking me out of the city, and you’re still telling me not to worry?”
Ding Fei said honestly, “Because worrying won’t help.”
Wei Fu: “……”
“Who ordered you?” He restrained the impulse to kick the carriage door open and jump out. “Are you planning to kidnap me? Where are you taking me?”
“I am merely inviting Your Excellency out as a guest. Don’t make it sound so frightening,” Ding Fei said unhurriedly. “And please don’t think of jumping from the carriage to escape. If you are injured, it will be difficult to answer for.”
“Difficult to answer to whom?”
Ding Fei seemed to hesitate for a moment. After carefully thinking it over, he answered cautiously, “The ancestors, I suppose.”
Wei Fu: ?
This person had imitated the voice very well, but he was not the real “Ding Fei.” He had definitely disguised himself with a changed appearance.
Wei Fu had originally been startled and extremely vigilant, but after thinking carefully, he felt that the other party’s move was strange in every way. There was no intent to harm him, and there was even a bit of fear of offending him.
Moreover, Bihan City was Yeguang’s territory. Now that Yu Gong Zhao Ye did not even fully trust the king, he would certainly have hidden eyes watching Wei Fu in secret. The carriage was now on a bustling market street. If he raised his voice to give warning now—
“You won’t be able to leave the city gate. Once we pass the checkpoint, as long as I shout once from inside the carriage, the city gate guards will immediately stop you.” Wei Fu bargained with him. “Since your master has so graciously invited me, it would be discourteous to refuse, and I would be very happy to meet him. Why don’t you tell me who exactly is hosting me, and I will cooperate with you in leaving the city without giving you any trouble. How does that sound?”
But Ding Fei said, “For such a trifling matter, how could I trouble Lord Wei? Please sit at ease. Besides, it is better not to let others know that Lord Wei has left the city.”
Wei Fu said, “……Such a big tone. You don’t even place the city gate guards in your eyes?” Then should I shout or not?
However, neither of these two questions needed answering.
Wei Fu did not know what method Ding Fei had used, but when they reached the city gate, soldiers had already opened the gate in advance to let them pass. The carriage did not even slow down, and with a whoosh, it was out.
Wei Fu: “……”
In broad daylight, beneath a clear and righteous sky, he had openly and swaggeringly abducted Longsha’s Chief Minister just like that, encountering not even the slightest obstruction along the way. His conduct was so vile it was simply outrageous. Wei Fu was so shocked that for a long time he could not manage to squeeze out what came next.
The carriage fell quiet. The hostage seemed to have been dealt such a blow that he had completely accepted his fate, giving up resistance and persuasion.
Ding Fei drove the carriage east along the official road, feeling very comfortable in the fresh breeze. The noise of hooves and wheels completely covered the faint movement inside the carriage.
A hand silently reached out from behind the carriage curtain, quietly stretching toward his completely undefended back, like a snake slowly swimming out from the grass—
“Hiss…”
That hand seized “Ding Fei’s” cheek.
“A’Ying—”
The kidnapped victim himself and his voice appeared eerily behind the coachman at the same time. The fingers pinching the human-skin mask exerted a little force as he angrily accused, “Is bullying me that fun?!”
The false “Ding Fei” and true kidnapper, Yu Gong Zhao Ye, silently answered in his heart, Yes.
Usually, Wei Fu was all smiles, looking as though he was easy to knead and had no temper at all. But the Wei Fu who was occasionally irritated, cold-faced and unhappy, or seriously negotiating was also very interesting.
Yu Gong Zhao Ye absolutely refused to admit that he was the kind of bad person with restless hands who deliberately poked a pufferfish just to watch it get angry. He gave a false cough and calmly changed back to his original voice. “How did you recognize me?”
“You tricked me out and deliberately said that someone surnamed Xie looked like me, leading me to guess Xie You Lan. But in the entire world, aren’t you the only one who knows about our relationship?” Wei Fu rubbed his face hard as though venting. “And the city gate guards letting us pass without a word was also on account of your Yeguang. Your Highness’s hands and eyes reach the heavens. You openly abducted a court minister in the street. There is simply no law left!”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye casually tore off the mask and shook loose the long hair tucked inside the head covering. His beautifully arched lips held a teasing smile. “Then shall I turn back and send Chancellor Wei home?”
The slightly curled ends of his hair brushed over Wei Fu’s hand, the touch like soft, precious silk. If Wei Fu could resist this sort of temptation, he ought to be sitting in a temple right now instead of in a carriage. He mumbled, “Mm, seeing as you are quite good-looking and possess considerable charm, this chancellor will reluctantly submit to you.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s smile deepened. “What about the law? Don’t want it anymore?”
Wei Fu propped one hand against the carriage shaft and used the other to turn Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s face toward him. In the slowly passing cool breeze, he leaned over and kissed that lawless mouth.
As their lips and teeth pressed and rubbed together, joy burst again and again in his heart like tiny fireworks, swiftly sweeping away the lingering dark clouds.
The person he loved, who always descended from the heavens in places he least expected, lazily accepted and responded to him. His attitude was so docile that there was no sign at all that he was the madman who had disguised himself as a coachman and tricked someone away from under the eyes of a whole city’s Royal Army guards.
Moonlight was clearly cold, yet it descended with gentle favor.
“Where are we going?”
Once the suffering of longing had eased somewhat, curiosity emerged into the wind. Wei Fu pulled out a hair ribbon and helped Yu Gong Zhao Ye tie up his long hair while asking him, “Didn’t you say before that you could only return for Mid-Autumn? Tomorrow night, His Majesty is bestowing a banquet, and officials of the sixth rank and above will attend. Did you specially hurry back for that?”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye shot him a sidelong look as if looking at a wooden club.
Wei Fu: “……No?”
“Just how much do I love bustle, young master, that I would specifically ‘hurry back’ just to join the fun?” Yu Gong Zhao Ye deliberately bit down heavily on those three words and lightly flicked the whip over the horse’s back. “Last year in Fengdu, I promised you I’d take you to the seaside to watch fireworks at Mid-Autumn. Did you forget?”
Author’s Notes: At this moment, Xie You Lan: Achoo!
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