“Greetings to the marquis.” Everyone raised their heads at the sound, and all froze in surprise. The first to react was still Xiao He, who swiftly knelt and bowed. The entire room of people, caught off guard, hurriedly followed suit. A roomful of greetings rumbled in Ning Xuan’s ears, but without any unified rhythm.
The instant Ning Xuan saw the person clearly, he felt as though some nerve in his mind had been drilled into. It throbbed violently, making his vision blur and darken in waves.
A low laugh sounded. Without confirming or denying anything, the man lifted a hand to exempt everyone from ceremony. Every gesture carried restrained dominance, authority, and dignity.
This was Ning Xuan’s first time seeing Marquis Dingbei, Nalan Jian. At least, at that time, he believed it was their first meeting. It was hard to describe what he felt. His chest seemed blocked by something desperately pressing down on it. This was clearly an absolute hero, admired by countless people, yet Ning Xuan could not bring himself to feel reverence no matter what. Instead, he felt a faint, inexplicable aversion. “It seems talents are truly emerging in great numbers. The Ministry of War has gained quite a few new faces.” His smile was clearly easygoing, yet somehow it did not allow anyone to relax or draw close. Nalan Jian’s gaze swept like a torch over the few unfamiliar faces, naturally including Ning Xuan.
“Were those words just now spoken by you?” His gaze stopped on Ning Xuan. He raised a brow, seeming gentle, yet displaying the full measure of authority without anger.
“He is a newly appointed bureau director and does not yet understand many things. If he has offended the marquis in any way, may the marquis please be magnanimous.” Xiao He clearly could have stood by and watched, yet because he had no choice but to remember that Feng Xuanzhe had personally instructed him to take good care of this person, he forced himself to step forward and smooth things over. He bent at the waist and bowed, unable to conceal the cold sweat beneath his calm exterior.
It was only a small Ministry of War, only a matter neither large nor small and of little direct consequence, yet it already revealed just how filthy and muddy the waters truly were. Some watched from the sidelines, some sneered coldly, and some were so anxious they broke into a cold sweat, yet still hesitated, not knowing whether they should speak up and plead on his behalf.
As the person directly involved, Ning Xuan only stood where he was, neither servile nor overbearing, calmly meeting Nalan Jian’s gaze, as though he was not the least bit afraid of his imposing presence. Neither humble nor arrogant, he said, “Replying to the marquis, yes.”
After a moment of silence, Nalan Jian’s dignified face opened into a smile. He reached out and lightly patted Ning Xuan twice on the shoulder, then laughed aloud. “Good! Good lad. A man ought to have this kind of backbone!”
This unexpected turn left everyone present caught off guard. Even Xiao He, publicly acknowledged in official circles as young and accomplished, could not help staring blankly, forgetting to withdraw from his bow. His bewildered gaze moved between Ning Xuan and Nalan Jian.
“You are the first person who has dared say that I cannot afford to lose. You have courage and insight!” With a bright laugh, Nalan Jian sat back down in the chief seat where Xiao He had been sitting earlier. “Then tell me, if I do not lead the troops in this battle, who should be sent? Our emperor possesses both literary and martial brilliance, yet I must say, when it comes to outstanding military generals, there are not many.”
“To defeat the enemy and seize victory, one must strike unexpectedly. If the marquis leads the army, naturally you will be the choice everyone hopes for. But this lower official has already stated the advantages and disadvantages within that. Beneath the marquis, Prince Yu recently made his name in one battle and is worthy of being called a young famous general. It would naturally be much more suitable for Prince Yu to lead the troops, but it would not achieve the effect of catching the enemy by surprise.”
Ning Xuan’s words were as good as saying nothing at all. Many bureau directors, vice directors, and secretaries rolled their eyes one after another. Even the vice ministers standing on either side broke out in cold sweat, but Xiao He’s face remained taut as dust.
Nalan Jian’s gaze burned as he carefully looked Ning Xuan up and down. His tone was not pleasant. “I couldn’t tell that despite your young age, your ambitions are not small.”
“I would not call it ambition, but I do have a tiny bit of aspiration.” Ning Xuan did not try to conceal his intent after Nalan Jian saw through it at a glance. Instead, he asked calmly, “I only wonder whether the marquis is willing to grant it.”
“You are young and have achieved nothing. Why should I grant it?”
“Whether I am young or whether I have achievements is not important. What matters is winning through surprise and making the enemy lower their guard. Besides, even if I am nothing but an empty-headed fool, isn’t there still Prince Yu, the young general who has won the marquis’s deep approval? Whether in strength or military morale, our army holds every advantage. Wouldn’t this be the best deployment against the remnants in the northwest? Victory, yet without losing the bearing of a great state.”
Neither humble nor arrogant, neither hurried nor slow—only after he had wound his way around the matter for quite some time did everyone finally understand. This minor official, newly appointed on his very first day, a man who was clearly male yet so devastatingly beautiful that even women would feel ashamed before him, was actually volunteering himself and seeking merit. Ning Xuan’s boldness far exceeded everyone’s expectations, and they all looked askance at him with contempt. One moment he had styled himself as clean and upright, unwilling to join the mire, yet in the blink of an eye, he was the first to rush forward and request command for merit. This was officialdom.
The Ministry of War discussion that lasted until noon passed with everyone harboring their own thoughts. In the end, Nalan Jian gave no indication of his stance. He merely listened on and off as everyone argued noisily. Of course, after saying those few sentences, Ning Xuan also remained silent, completely placing himself among the ranks of mutes. As for the others, at first they had only despised this parachuted-in outsider. Now, they avoided him like the plague.
Afterward, Xiao He stopped Ning Xuan, his expression grave. “Do you know what you said and did today?”
“My lord has misunderstood this lower official. Was I not merely acting according to your signal?” Ning Xuan said. “Although I do not know what kind of rift exists between us, nor do I know whether His Highness instructed you regarding anything, today I cooperated with my lord’s intentions the whole time, did I not? When you wanted me to speak, I spoke. However you wanted me to speak, I spoke. Or perhaps what I said was too direct and extreme, exceeding my lord’s expectations. But neither you nor I expected Marquis Dingbei to appear. Life and death are decreed by fate, wealth and honor by heaven. I merely allowed what was meant to come to arrive a little faster. I hope my lord will forgive me.”
He cupped his hands and bowed. No matter how gloomy and frightening Xiao He’s expression was, Ning Xuan left the Ministry of War without looking back. It was the bitter cold of deep winter, and even with the midday sun overhead, it brought not the slightest warmth. The jujube-red official robe made his already fair skin seem even more translucent, nearly pale. The white pheasant rank badge on his chest swayed with his steps, lifelike in motion. His black hair was bound high, and when the wind passed, it lifted a few loose strands. White plum blossoms scattered through the air, their fragrance drifting in waves, cold and elegant.
Having entered court as an official, his status was no longer what it had been. He did not need to cling to others, nor did he need to accommodate them. Before the gates of Prince Yi’s Residence, he was no longer like before, restricted even in his coming and going, and only able to enter and leave through side gates or rear gates. The main gate was nothing more than a threshold, yet it was a place countless people would never be qualified to pass through even if they exhausted their entire lives.
Before he could see clearly, he was tightly drawn into a warm, burning embrace. What he feared was not Feng Xuanzhe’s changeability, but that he himself would become unable to extricate himself from this warmth, then melt and sink once more.
“Why are you so late? Are you tired? Was your first day at court bearable? Look at you, your hands are freezing.”
Warm breath brushed against his ear, warm and faintly tingling. They were clearly strangers who could hardly have been more unfamiliar, yet somehow they had become so intimate. Embracing, kissing—when had such things become so ordinary and natural? That low voice, those comforting words, only a few simple questions about whether he was cold or tired, were enough to make Ning Xuan’s eyes sting.