The military officer Song Xian was not an incompetent man.
Since the assassination attempt on Yuanxi, Ning Yi had paid a little attention to this individual. Although it seemed somewhat like waiting for a rabbit by a tree stump, yielding little result, with his current status, he couldn't acquire very detailed intelligence. However, some basic information could still be obtained if one made an effort.
Just as Lu Agu had told him before, Song Xian had a flamboyant personality, was vindictive, and ruthless. Yet, he was certainly no mediocre figure. Compared to Chen Yong, the commander of the Wulie Army, Song Xian, who had once roamed the underworld, perhaps fit the mold of a standard soldier better. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been entrusted with the command of the Wulie Army's elite guard unit.
The current dynasty favored literature over military might, and the Wulie Army was a garrison stationed in the prosperous Jiangning region, lacking in overall combat effectiveness. The only truly capable units were a few formations centered around the elite guard. Song Xian's position in the Wulie Army was notable; ever since the assassination attempt on Yuanxi, he had become more vigilant, always accompanied by numerous bodyguards when going out. Now, in this gathering, Ning Yi could only keep a distance, observing the surroundings. Thankfully, with so many people around, it was unlikely anyone would notice his surveillance.
Since he could do this, others could too. If someone else were plotting against Song Xian, they might very well be mingling within the crowd. He discreetly watched for such a possibility, but with so many people around, just like on Yuanxi Night when he hadn't even seen the assassin's face, he couldn't gather any useful information. Song Xian had about ten men with him, strolling casually, and didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about the performances. When they reached the riverside stage, he parted the crowd and took a seat in the front row reserved for dignitaries, engaging in conversation with someone, while his bodyguards maintained vigilance around them.
Ning Yi stood on the periphery of the crowd, glancing around, then began to recall the events of Yuanxi Night, pondering the details and trying to grasp the woman's behavioral style. He contemplated how he might go about taking out Song Xian. Just as he was halfway through this line of thought, someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder with a folding fan.
"Hey, brother, you're tall and impressive, but standing here is blocking my view. What do you say we do about that?"
Ning Yi was of average height, not particularly tall, and the voice behind him sounded rather quirky. Upon hearing it, he turned around with a smile. The person wielding the fan wore a black long robe and was just a head shorter than him, though significantly slimmer. It was Nie Yunzhu, her pretty face affectedly serious, dressed in male attire but lacking any masculine demeanor, making her appear quite endearing.
"Your reasoning is so comprehensive; it's clearly my fault. Given your fierce and domineering nature, should I pay you a protection fee?"
Nie Yunzhu tried to maintain a stern expression, extending her hand, "No problem! Just hand over all the flowers you have on you, and I'll spare you this time. Otherwise, watch out for a beating that'll turn your head into a pig's head!"
Having often set up stalls and picked up such street talk, she exuded confidence. Ning Yi sighed, taking out the flower and ticket he had received upon entering and placing them in her hand. Nie Yunzhu then burst into laughter, "Did you enjoy the performance of that lady singing up there? You seemed so engrossed earlier!"
"Lady singing?" Ning Yi turned to look, finally realizing she was referring to the singer on stage. "Ah, I was just thinking about some things. When did you arrive?"
"I happened to see you while wandering around, and I've been standing behind you for quite a while."
Two of them walked towards the flower donation station not far away, and Nie Yunzhu took out a flower from her pocket and tossed it into the large box alongside Ning Yi's. She then handed the receipt to the registrar: "Two flowers for Miss Yuan Jin'er from Jin Feng Tower."
"Miss Yuan Jin'er hasn't taken the stage yet," the registrar replied.
"Still, it counts," she insisted.
With that, the registrar noted it down. Ning Yi smiled and said, "Are you here to cheer for Miss Jin'er?"
"Miss Jin'er and I have always had a good relationship," Nie Yunzhu said, looking down thoughtfully. "Actually, I did help with her song and dance this time."
The two of them met every morning and talked about everything, but she hadn't mentioned this before. Ning Yi felt a bit puzzled: "Didn't you say you didn't want to get close to that place anymore?"
"My mother wants Jin'er to continue being one of the four leading figures, and she told me that if I help a bit, it would also help us with publicity in the future. I thought about it and agreed. Now my discussions with my mother are about business, which is different from before, so I'm not avoiding it so much. She's quite good at this sort of thing," Nie Yunzhu paused, then added as they walked, "Actually, I shouldn't have agreed. Jin'er has some fame now, and as it grows, whether it's good or bad is hard to say. Jin'er's character is… cough, let's not talk about that…"
She shook her head and smiled, "By the way, is Liheng going to watch Jin'er's performance later?"
"Since you've helped with the four leading figures, of course you can't miss it."
"Ah, Jin'er actually said she wanted to meet you. After all, you're the most mysterious top talent in Jiangning. I'll point you out to her from the audience… By the way, didn't you say a little maid would come with you? I was just wondering who it could be."
"She's waiting for me at Wenmo Tower. I came down halfway," Ning Yi thought for a moment. "I should probably head over now."
Nie Yunzhu smiled, "Then let's go together. I'm heading to Jin'er's side too, so it's just on the way."
As they chatted casually, they weaved through the crowd back toward Wenmo Tower. Ning Yi glanced back at Song Xian's direction, pondering that brief glimpse earlier; perhaps it had been an illusion.
At that same moment, not far away under the eaves of a small building, Gu Yanzhen stood quietly, watching them walk away.
Having spotted Nie Yunzhu in the crowd, Gu Yanzhen had followed her for a long while. Throughout this time, he was puzzled about whom the usually indifferent Nie Yunzhu was searching for, but he never expected to witness the later developments.
During this entire period, he saw Nie Yunzhu meandering through the crowd without a clear purpose. She hadn't made any arrangements with anyone, yet it was evident she was looking forward to finding someone. In such a gathering, it was quite strange for her not to watch the performances, instead leisurely seeking out someone she hadn't arranged to meet among the three thousand attendees. Gu Yanzhen had never seen this side of her in the past few years.
At that time, Yunzhu was different from the majority of courtesans. She preferred tranquility, possessing exceptional skills in music, dance, poetry, and song, yet she did not flaunt them. Compared to ordinary courtesans, she exuded an air of scholarly elegance that wasn't pretentious but genuine. She was a woman of true ease of spirit, and being with her made everyone feel a sense of calmness. Gu Yanzhen couldn't pinpoint when he had first sensed this uniqueness, but he felt he understood her distinct thoughts because they were kindred spirits.
After returning from Bianjing, when he encountered Nie Yunzhu that morning and later learned she had bought her freedom, severing ties with her previous life, he felt a bit lost at first. However, upon reflection, he believed she should possess such a remarkable nature; beneath her calm exterior lay a hint of confidence and pride. He was drawn to this quality, feeling that they had shared a bond in the past. Their relationship had been sweet until the moment he received that slap, after which his feelings had changed.
For the past two months, he had been searching for the man behind Nie Yunzhu. Though he tried to play it cool on the surface, it had led to a falling out with Li Pin. Li Pin was truly someone not to be underestimated; he could see through Gu Yanzhen's thoughts without revealing a thing, making it impossible for him to manipulate the situation. As a result, Gu Yanzhen had lost his composure slightly and ended up saying a few harsh words. In truth, over these two months, he had occasionally inquired but still didn't know what he would do once he found that man.
He later concluded that this person might be a prominent elder, and if that were the case, there would be little he could do. It wasn't until recently that he had observed some of Nie Yunzhu's behavior.
Disguised as a man, Nie Yunzhu had managed to maintain an air of elegance, resembling a dashing young master. Then, in the crowd, she spotted the man she was looking for. First, she leaned out from a distance to steal a few glances, and then she approached him from behind, seemingly wanting to greet him but hesitating, waiting for him to turn around and notice her. During this time, Gu Yanzhen caught sight of her expressions from the side—sometimes struggling, sometimes displeased; at times, she would smile, and at others, her hand would rise as if to hit him, only to stop, furrowing her brow in slight irritation as she gazed at the man ahead, lost in thought. With each fleeting expression, her masculine demeanor faded, and at moments, she sighed or shrugged her shoulders in a helpless, girlish manner… These expressions were ones he had never seen on her before. Previously, during her performances at Jin Feng Tower, he had seen her frown in discomfort, feeling out of place, and had witnessed her composed yet scholarly smile, but these expressions now…
The man remained oblivious, unaware of the complex and adorable woman behind him, until Nie Yunzhu finally, in resignation, lifted her folding fan and tapped him on the shoulder, replacing her hesitance with a façade of seriousness. The two then chatted and laughed as they walked toward the registration table to donate flowers—only two measly blooms, at that—before finally departing… Gu Yanzhen found it hard to articulate his feelings. He watched it all with a blank expression and, after a long while, punched the nearby building pillar.
Then he let out a laugh.
Ning Yi and Nie Yunzhu parted ways at the foot of Wenmo Tower. Up above, at the window, Xiao Chan was leaning on the windowsill, watching, and then she waved at him energetically.
"Master, who is that young man in black you were walking with?"
When they reached the upper floor, Su Wending and the others had already left. Li Pin and Xiao Chan were still waiting for him, and Xiao Chan curiously asked. Ning Yi chuckled, "Just a girl in disguise. I teased her a bit since she's pretty."
"You're so naughty, Master!" Xiao Chan laughed brightly, clearly not believing him as she popped a pastry into her mouth. Soon after, the three of them left Wenmo Tower to rejoin the crowd and watch the ongoing performances.
From time to time, they spotted Song Xian and Chen Yong among the crowd, accompanied by the personal guards of the Wu Lie Army. Ning Yi kept a watchful eye, anticipating any possible developments…