ATLAS TRANSLATES

Entering the governor’s mansion, being searched was the first step, with no exceptions. However, Lu Yun clearly couldn’t be searched. He stood holding a zither, his figure tall and slender, his features cold yet stunning. To outsiders, he appeared aloof and otherworldly.

In the guards’ eyes, they saw this lady called Chen Xue, who ignored their large sabers at their waists and paid no attention to their fierce expressions. This woman’s red lips curved upward, her voice low and enchanting, brushing past people’s hearts like silk, making them tremble. They only heard her say softly: “Are you threatening me?”

The soldiers hiding in the trees across the alley nearly fell down: Lu Yun’s voice was… so bewitching. If they didn’t know he was a man, even they would feel their blood heat up listening to it.

Obviously, the nearby guards were affected. Fixed by the lady’s cold black eyes, Chen Xue’s long eyelashes curved like flying moths, her pupils black and clear. When she focused on someone, her eye corners lifted upward, creating a peach blossom-like elegance…

Her beautiful eyes were soul-capturing, yet her expression remained cold. These contradicting qualities existed in one person, causing both guards to lose their composure.

Chen Xue lowered her gaze, looking at the zither in her arms, speaking softly: “I make my living performing with my zither skills in the common areas, and people call me a ‘master.’ I never expected to be invited by the governor to play, only to be blocked at his mansion’s entrance, such humiliation. Even as a zither player, I shouldn’t be insulted like this.”

Her eyes flickering, Lu Yun wanted to shed a few tears for effect. However, he didn’t have his sister Lingyu’s talent for crying on command. His eyes blinked, but no tears fell. As an alternative, Lu Yun let out a gentle sigh.

His dejected appearance made people’s hearts ache. Without waiting for anyone to speak, he immediately sat down on the ground.

He began to play the zither in protest.

In an instant, clear music filled the air, the zither’s sound rushing forth like a spring, rising and falling, circling and lingering. “Heart concentrated, form released, merging with the ten thousand transformations.”

The guards were at a loss: “My lady, this is… this isn’t quite appropriate, is it?”

Playing the zither in front of the governor’s mansion made it seem as if the governor had wronged her. Such integrity and character were highly praised in this era. However, in reality, the governor wasn’t even at the mansion.

Chen Xue’s zither playing was exceptionally good. Passing soldiers and pedestrians, more or less, stopped to watch the lady playing on the ground. Her profile showed eternal grace, her skin fair, black hair brushing against her cheeks before falling onto her dark robes. She kept her eyes downcast, appearing so peaceful and elegant.

It was almost impossible to associate her with being just a common zither player.

People spread the word—

“How can this woman play the zither so well? I’ve never heard such skill before.”

“What a shame she’s entering the governor’s household… what a shame.”

When the governor returned from the military camp outside the city, he found his path blocked at his own mansion gate. He was full of irritation. His servants inquired and learned what had happened. That a woman dared to make such a scene outside his mansion – the governor was surprised but also intrigued.

He stepped down from his carriage and walked into the crowd with his hands behind his back, pretending to be a common person to see what kind of woman would be so bold—

The zither music stopped. The lady rose with her instrument and turned around, bowing gracefully to him. Her voice still carried that bewitching huskiness: “This humble one greets the governor.”

The governor started, staring at her.

This woman was tall, standing in the crowd like a crane, noble and cold, pure as ice and jade. Her eyes showed pride, her neck was slender, and the wind gently brushed her clothes. Her garments rippled like crepe, accentuating her straight figure. Her core was sharp.

Yet, she was extraordinarily beautiful.

Like a poppy, contradictory, deadly, yet enticing exploration.

The governor was conquered by her unique temperament at first glance, unconsciously speaking: “Miss Chen, please enter. No need for a search.”

The people behind him disapproved: “My lord, if this woman is a spy…”

The governor spoke quietly: “She can’t be. Would the Southern Kingdom be crazy enough to send someone so proud as a spy? This woman is mysterious, not someone ordinary people could afford to hire… if I truly die by her hands, it would be because of her superior skills.”

One alley away, the Southern Kingdom soldiers who had been tense for an hour watched as the governor returned, opened the mansion gates wide, and even reached out to help Lu Yun inside. However, Lu Yun remained aloof, not even glancing at him, simply walking in with his zither. The governor’s face stiffened slightly, but he didn’t mind.

The soldiers: “…”

It wasn’t that the Southern Kingdom would send someone so proud as a spy. In fact, Lu Yun knew how to play the game… he knew what kind of women men liked and used it to his advantage. Moreover, Chen Xue’s mysterious loneliness… and Lu Yun’s natural aloofness were so similar. The performance came naturally to him.

…

Chen Xue was probably the most mysterious zither lady with the most tragic life experience that the Luoyang governor had ever met. She claimed to come from the Northern Territory, having endured many hardships and seen through the falsity of human hearts, which was why she always appeared melancholic and silent.

Chen Xue was so beautiful that even when she sat by the window, lost in thought while gazing at the lake, her slightly furrowed brows and the depression in her expression made people’s hearts ache.

They wanted to present all the world’s treasures before her for her to choose from.

Moreover, this woman had tremendous self-respect.

The governor was lustful, but this woman said: “…Things easily obtained lose their interest. Why doesn’t the governor save the best for last?” The governor was conquered by her eloquence and deeply agreed.

Since Chen Xue’s first day at the mansion when she played the zither outside the gate and refused to be searched, after learning of her disposition, the governor dared only to carefully cherish her and try to please her before she gave her consent. He exhausted himself sweet-talking her, yet feared defiling her… The governor himself didn’t know why Chen Xue had an aura that made people feel she deserved to be treasured.

This woman’s zither skills were excellent.

Her reputation in Luoyang grew gradually. When the Luoyang governor went out with entertainers, she would accompany him. Coming and going, Luoyang’s upper-class families all witnessed this woman’s beauty and zither skills. Among the nobility, entertainers could be exchanged, and some people asked the Luoyang governor for this beauty. But the Luoyang governor hadn’t even enjoyed the beauty himself, how could he be willing to pass her to others?

Chen Xue’s lonely heart, under the governor’s persistent harassment, finally began to thaw, and she would smile at him. Although this thawing happened perhaps too quickly, just three days. But the governor, caught in the situation, would only arrogantly believe in his own capabilities.

Because Chen Xue had been bullied so much, she didn’t like talking to people. The governor would say anything to coax her into speaking. At first, he tested her with Northern Kingdom military intelligence, but seeing her brows furrow with disinterest, he felt relieved, believing she couldn’t be a spy. But once he started talking, he spoke more about military matters, naturally not knowing that the Chen Xue he was trying to please was listening to his words clearly and remembering them in her heart.

The governor’s mansion gradually became restless.

The servants in the mansion and the coming and going soldiers would talk with this woman. This woman deeply understood the taboos of social interaction, always holding back some words, her eyes trembling with emotion, seeming to want to speak but stopping herself, appearing distant and self-pitying… Behind the scenes, the governor’s mansion was in chaos, with servants and soldiers fighting over who this woman truly favored. But in front of the governor, they all protected Chen Xue.

Through various interactions and conversations, Chen Xue herself couldn’t remember who she had spoken with. Her admirers, however, lined up row after row.

The Southern Kingdom soldiers quietly observing them watched speechlessly as Chen Xue single-handedly threw the governor’s mansion into chaos: …Killing both men and women with charm, worthy of being the Jade Prince of Jianye.

Once, two soldiers got into a big fight over Miss Chen Xue.

During a night of drinking, the governor flew into a rage, flipping over the table and drawing his sword to punish Chen Xue. While those around were tense and helpless, they saw the lady slowly stand up, remove her hairpin, and kneel before the enraged governor.

Chen Xue spoke sorrowfully, claiming she deeply admired the governor and had no one else in her heart. Lu Yun was accomplished in literature, and though Chen Xue he portrayed was just a zither player, under his influence, this woman would tear up at the slightest breeze and carry deep sorrows. When she spoke of her secret admiration for the governor, it moved him so much he froze, believing he had found true love.

Chen Xue knelt on the ground, looking up and speaking softly: “…This humble one wishes to spend the rest of her life by my lord’s side.”

“In my youth, I had a great wish to travel the world with my zither and gain some small fame. But since meeting my lord, this humble one knows those things are meaningless. External things, gold and silver, none compare to you, my lord.”

The governor’s voice trembled: “You… you…”

He bent down, holding her hand: “Do you truly… truly…”

Chen Xue lowered her head, smiling shyly.

The governor felt completely relieved, stepping back twice and laughing three times, naturally not knowing that Chen Xue, who had slowly stood up, was disgustedly wiping her hand with a handkerchief from her sleeve. The handkerchief was then carelessly thrown away, causing others to scramble for it.

…

In less than half a month, Chen Xue had thrown the Luoyang governor’s mansion into complete chaos. The governor announced he would take her as a concubine, and for the first time, led her to meet the imprisoned scholars in the mansion. The governor rather looked down on these scholars who spent their days writing and criticizing government policies, influencing public opinion across the land. He wanted to humiliate these scholars, and after Chen Xue hesitated to speak several times, he arranged for these scholars to paint court lady portraits for his beloved new concubine.

The governor laughed: “My dear Xue Xue should be immortalized in court lady paintings, to be spread throughout the land.”

Lu Yun: “…”

His face turned slightly blue.

He didn’t want his beauty to be spread throughout the land.

However, in order to meet these scholars, Lady Chen Xue had to appear delighted and grateful, thanking the governor for his grace.

The scholars naturally refused to paint for a mere concubine. They had their principles – court lady paintings were meant to be examples for ladies throughout the land, what right did Chen Xue have? She wasn’t worthy. The governor was humiliated by the scholars’ sharp tongues, and Chen Xue mediated from both sides, claiming she would go talk to the scholars herself.

The imprisoned scholars had endured much humiliation from the Luoyang governor, preferring death to submission. Even while imprisoned, they refused to listen to the governor’s orders to write and paint what they didn’t like. The governor angrily cursed: “Swine, fools! They dare look down on me, I could kill them at any time!”

In the dark room, the scholars sat straight-backed, proudly unyielding. The door creaked open, and the beautiful Lady Chen Xue, with her orchid-like grace, stepped inside.

This was Lu Xuechen’s first meeting with these scholars.

Opening the first game, wanting to inquire about Master Huoyao’s place of imprisonment, researching how to replace the people in the mansion and rescue these people… there was now a direction.

No one knew what Chen Xue discussed with those scholars in the chamber, but two hours later, after Chen Xue came out, those scholars had changed their minds, agreeing to paint for the lady on the night the governor took her as a concubine, to spread the lady’s beauty throughout the land.

After Lu Yun learned of Master Huoyao’s place of imprisonment, he no longer needed to find opportunities to meet people and arouse suspicion. He pondered that the night when the Luoyang governor was to take Chen Xue as a concubine would be the perfect opportunity to act. Before the governor could even touch a finger to his new beautiful concubine, she would transform into a tall and sturdy man… The governor would surely be delighted.