ATLAS TRANSLATES

The Northern Princess would certainly need to go to Jianye.

As Lu Yun told Luo Lingyu, the known was always more controllable than the unknown.

However, before making preparations to send the Northern envoys to Jianye, they still needed to resolve the matter of the Northern Princess spying on Southern military affairs.

During the time General Wei was handling this issue, Lu Yun wrote a letter to Prince Chen, asking him to find a way to send some beauties to Taichu Palace — letting His Majesty have a taste before the Northern Princess entered the palace. With such young and beautiful women presented first, even if the Northern Princess entered through a political marriage, her standing before His Majesty would likely be far less than what Lu Xian saw in his dream.

The Southern Emperor sought immortality and had cut himself off from female company. However, if he desired such pleasures, the South had no shortage of beauties.

Prince Chen Liu Chu was surprised at why this needed to be done, as he never interfered in his father’s harem affairs. Many things couldn’t be explained clearly through just letters. Liu Chu acted entirely based on his understanding and trust in his friend. While Liu Chu pondered how to find an excuse to add some young “imperial consorts” for himself, he also reported the number of troops that could be deployed and the amount of military supplies reserved in the treasury according to Lu Yun’s request.

While Lu Yun was communicating with Prince Chen, he hadn’t forgotten about his foolish second brother, Lu Xian.

Lu Xian was living in constant anxiety, worried that his letter hadn’t been seen by his cousin Luo and third brother, and uneasy about Lu Yun not believing his dream. This refined noble scholar could now calm his emotions among the sandalwood incense of the various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, only becoming confused again by his dreams when receiving letters from his third brother.

Corresponding through letters was never as convenient as face-to-face conversation. Roughly knowing his second brother’s lack of clarity, Lu Yun’s letter did not repeatedly ask Lu Xian to confirm whether his dream was true or false. Lu Yun only briefly raised four questions, requiring his second brother to answer truthfully—

First, when did Lu Xian’s dreams begin, were there any prior signs, and had anything unusual happened around him;

Second, in Lu Xian’s first dream, what were the specific events, and what time period did the dream cover;

Third, was the timeline of the dreams always moving forward, or did it repeat, and did Lu Xian ever get confused about which period he was dreaming about;

Fourth, in the dream where Lu Yun died from countless arrows piercing his heart, could the specific time be seen clearly, and if not, was there any indication of when the great battle in Nanyang would take place.

Among all these questions, not a single one mentioned the “Northern Princess,” leaving Lu Xian unsure how to feel.

However, Lu Yun’s clear thinking encouraged Lu Xian: he knew his third brother’s perspective surpassed his own. If he hadn’t been afraid of changes in the dream, if he hadn’t initially doubted his own dreams, if he hadn’t feared Lu Yun would think him mad… he should have discussed this with his third brother earlier.

But even now, Lu Xian remained anxious, unsure whether sharing his dreams with his brother and sister would bring greater danger.

These things couldn’t be properly explained in a letter, so Lu Xian could only answer his brother’s questions first, wracking his brain to analyze his dreams for Lu Yun as thoroughly as possible. When he encountered details he couldn’t remember clearly, such as when the great battle of Nanyang would occur, he had to immerse himself completely, referring to the scenery in his dreams and thinking for several days.

After sending the letter, Lu Yun went to help General Wei interrogate the Northern Princess.

The Northern Princess was troubled and uncomfortable. Having been caught spying on Southern military affairs, the Northern envoy group was suddenly labeled as “spies” overnight. At this point, not only was a smooth journey to Jianye questionable, but whether the North and South would use this as an excuse to resume war was also a concern. The Northern Princess’s journey carried an important mission, and she absolutely did not want it to fail here.

Under guard in a tent with her servants removed, she was well-fed and cared for but couldn’t go anywhere. Everyone in her entourage had been taken away for questioning. The envoys continuously sent gifts, spoke kind words, and claimed the incident was accidental. The princess remained composed for the first few days, but later became panicked when she saw General Wei showed no signs of leniency.

One afternoon, Wei Cong came again to question the Northern Princess. Wei Cong’s imposing figure was like a great mountain, his expression carrying both a roguish air and killing intent. He sat boldly in the main seat, expressionlessly observing the princess who appeared frail before him. Wei Cong sneered: “If the military warehouse hadn’t already been moved, who knows what you lot with your wolf-like ambitions would have taken. Tell me, what was your emperor’s real purpose in sending you, a princess, for this marriage alliance?”

Wei Cong grinned, showing silver-white teeth in his blood-red mouth, frightening the princess so much she almost stopped breathing. The general continued menacingly: “If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you! I’ll only face some military punishment, but you’ll lose your precious life. If you talk, your servants can return, and you might even make it to Jianye. Princess… think carefully before you speak.”

Both threats and enticements were used.

Any ordinary woman would have been scared to tears by this fierce-looking man.

The Northern Princess turned pale. By now, she could no longer believe the notion that Wei Cong liked her – she had completely lost face before him. Everything, all the misunderstandings, were because of… because of… The Northern Princess’s face flushed red as her shoulders trembled. She stood up and blurted out: “I was tricked! It was all Luo Lingyu, Lu Yun’s cousin who tricked me! She was jealous of my relationship with Lu Yun, she framed me, deliberately got close to me, and set me up…”

The Northern Princess’s eyes were blood-red, her facial muscles twitching when she said “Luo Lingyu,” her expression nearly twisted. By now, how could she not know she had been fooled by Luo Lingyu’s harmless appearance?

Wei Cong’s brow twitched, not expecting this turn of events. He furrowed his brows silently, waiting to hear what the Northern Princess would say. If what the princess said was true, then Luo Lingyu would be suspected of leaking military secrets. Wei Cong’s heart sank further – how could Luo Lingyu, a woman, leak military secrets? How could she possibly know secrets like the military warehouse’s location? Could Lu Yun have told her? If Lu Yun casually told such things to a woman, was it just his doing, or was the entire powerful family betraying the South… The layers of conspiracy made Wei Cong’s expression extremely serious.

Seeing hope, the Northern Princess’s eyes darkened, and tears immediately welled up as she spoke more vehemently about “Luo Lingyu’s” deep scheming.

Just as she was describing how Luo Lingyu had tricked her into riding horses near the military warehouse and pointed it out to her, the tent flap lifted, and a melodious male voice like jade chimes slowly came from behind: “That’s impossible. My cousin is just a weak woman, and she’s only been in Nanyang for half a month. How could she possibly know where the military warehouse is in such a short time?”

Looking back, they saw Lu Yun with his jade-like face and bamboo-chime voice.

Wei Cong’s eyes flickered, and the Northern Princess’s face darkened.

As Luo Lingyu herself had told Lu Yun, everything was her speculation – she had never explicitly told or promised anything to the Northern Princess. Such ambiguous words were not enough to condemn Luo Lingyu. Moreover, Lu Yun was present. As Lu Yun entered the tent and exchanged glances with General Wei, the general remained silent, seeming to sense something sensitive, but would not contradict his own military advisor in front of an enemy princess.

Lu Yun was able to look down at the princess calmly: “The princess’s spying on military secrets was self-initiated. No amount of excuses can absolve this.”

Lu Yun glanced at General Wei from the corner of his eye, seeming to smile slightly: “Let’s not lose sight of what’s important.”

Wei Cong’s face immediately darkened as he realized he had been led astray by the Northern Princess. The general restrained himself from shouting and pounding the table.

Seeing Lu Yun approach and settle into a seat with his robes swept aside, Wei Cong, skilled at interrogation, focused on being background atmosphere and spoke no more. He watched as Lu Yun raised his fair face, his eyebrows lifting slightly. Though it was an elegant and refined gesture, it made the Northern Princess anxiously avoid his gaze.

Lu Yun spoke slowly: “Actually, this matter is quite clear. Two nations at war are naturally enemies – there’s no need to even ask. However, since the princess came with certain intentions for this marriage alliance but now seems likely to fail at the first stop, even if we don’t kill you and let you return North… you’d probably face death there too, wouldn’t you?”

The Northern Princess’s lips trembled, her face growing more rigid. After a while, she coldly raised her eyes to stare at Lu Yun. Having now witnessed Lu Yun’s cold-heartedness, knowing he wouldn’t spare her, the princess could only ask stiffly: “What do you intend to do?”

Lu Yun said softly: “Actually, besides sending the envoy group back, we could also pretend not to know about this matter. While remaining wary of you, we could let you safely enter Jianye to negotiate with our Emperor.”

The Northern Princess: “Really?!”

Then suspiciously: “Why would you do this? Could you have some scheme?”

Lu Yun curved his lips in a smile, his eyes sparkling brilliantly. Breaking through his frost-covered demeanor, when he smiled, he was incredibly alluring, causing the Northern Princess’s suspicious heart to become dazed and softened. It took a long while before she clearly heard what Lu Yun said — “As long as the princess gives a general direction of where your army is lying in ambush.”

Wei Cong, listening on the side, had his brow jump violently as he glared at Lu Yun.

The Northern Princess: “…!”

Her breathing suddenly intensified, her whole body tensing up. Under Lu Yun’s deep gaze, when she spoke, her voice was hoarse: “…I… I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

Lu Yun smiled: “No need to be so nervous. I’m not asking where your army is right now. The border between North and South is so vast, I just want to know a general direction. Even if you don’t tell me, since I already have this suspicion, I’ll investigate afterward anyway. It’s just a matter of time. You’d just be helping me save some time, it wouldn’t really count as leaking military secrets.”

These few short days would affect whether they would be prepared for the upcoming great battle at Nanyang. In Lu Xian’s dream, clearly these few days hadn’t been calculated well, and Nanyang hadn’t been prepared. Lu Yun keenly extracted this loophole from Lu Xian’s romance-filled story. While writing to ask Lu Xian to recall the time of the battle, he also approached the Northern Princess to gain advance notice.

It was an obvious stratagem.

Lu Yun tempted her: “You just need to give a general direction, and tomorrow I’ll send you to Jianye.”

With his high nose and clear eyes, his bearing proper and bright like a clear wind and bright moon. Yet beneath such clear and handsome features, there were threads of seduction. Like a poppy blooming on a mountain peak, intensely alluring, tempting one to pluck it, to commit crime, to sink into his lies.

At least when the Northern Princess was looked at this way by Lu Yun, her heart trembled, and she vaguely felt: when he looks at me this way, he must love me in his heart… It must have been Luo Lingyu’s bewitching words that made him cold towards me. But the way he looks at me, he must have me in his heart… I, I…

About to marry a decrepit old man, who wouldn’t love a handsome young gentleman? Especially one known throughout the world as a famous scholar.

The Northern Princess lowered her eyelids and said softly: “Aren’t you afraid the answer I give will be a lie?”

Lu Yun: “Princess, you can’t fool anyone.”

After these words, whether it was his ruthlessness or his tenderness towards the princess was for the Northern Princess to interpret herself. In her confusion, the Northern Princess didn’t know what Lu Yun really meant. After a long silence, the princess still trembled as she knelt down and said a few words.

Lu Yun’s eyes narrowed, and he immediately had soldiers enter, ordering them to investigate.

Wei Cong looked deeply at Lu Yun: …what a demon!

Just sitting there speaking a few words, without even moving, he had made that princess fall for his beauty and led her along.

If this man truly liked someone and tried to seduce them, probably no woman in the world could resist Lu Yun’s charm and grace.

That Lady Luo… the Lady Luo who could talk of love with such a beautiful demon and was about to marry him, must not be a simple character either.

…How frightening. You two can play your games of seduction, but I, old Wei, won’t meddle in your romance or think about seducing anyone out of their marriage. I couldn’t seduce anyone anyway.

…

While General Wei felt bitter and wary of Lu Yun, the Northern envoy group heard that Nanyang would let them off and send them to Jianye the next day, bringing them relief. Though they questioned how such a matter could be resolved so easily, when the envoys questioned the princess, she coldly claimed to be unwell and refused to see anyone. Since they didn’t think a young woman being sent for marriage could cause much trouble, the questioning was dropped. Fearing things might change if they delayed, both sides were eager for the Northern envoy group to leave Nanyang quickly. The next day, carriages and horses were prepared for departure.

The people of Nanyang watched this envoy group with impure motives head towards Jianye, waiting for instructions from there.

For more than ten days, as time entered early October, the Northern Princess’s envoy group departed in grand fashion. Because Lu Yun was busy with these matters for several consecutive days, Luo Lingyu hadn’t seen him.

Golden fragrance urged the buds, jade dew scattered its perfume.

One evening, as thick clouds gathered before dense rain, in a courtyard shaded by osmanthus trees, Luo Lingyu stood with several Luo family ladies under the trees, using bamboo poles to knock down osmanthus flowers. The beauty of osmanthus flowers lies in how they “fall like rain.” Silk was spread on the ground to catch the falling flowers from above. Looking up, as the bamboo poles gently struck, under the soft, dim light, goose-yellow, golden-yellow, and orange-red flowers fell densely from the branches, like rice-grain-sized raindrops, covering the courtyard and weaving patterns on the silk below, creating layers of glittering beauty and fresh fragrance.

The osmanthus trees were lush and green, elegant and beautiful. Under the deep green, flowers also covered the edge of the pond, moving with the water flow.

Some flowers seemed frozen, suspended in mid-air, as if fixed in space. Looking closer, one could see that spider webs had formed in the shadowy areas where light couldn’t reach, catching the golden flower petals. The spider webs themselves were too fine to see clearly. Gently tapping the web with a bamboo pole would cause the scattered flowers it held to fall magnificently once again.

The maid Lingyu watched with wide-eyed amazement: “I’ve only seen such dense osmanthus flowers in the back garden of Kaishan Temple… I didn’t know the flowers here were even more abundant!”

Luo Lingyu crouched down, picking through the osmanthus flowers with her sachet, smiling sweetly: “They’re all about the same. Osmanthus flowers have many uses – for fragrance, medicine, and food. Once I prepare them, you’ll be the first to try.”

She turned to speak with the Luo family ladies from Nanyang: “For osmanthus cakes, sugared osmanthus is most common. This time when I returned from Jianye, I brought back their good glutinous rice and lotus roots. We can try making osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root and osmanthus chestnut soup. Clear and translucent, full of fragrance… I learned their recipe, would my sisters like to taste it?”

Luo Lingyu pondered: “I also want to research the recipe to preserve sugared osmanthus for twenty years without spoiling. I have some ideas to discuss with my sisters.”

The ladies were delighted and thanked her, agreeing to help.

The maid Lingyu praised her even more: “My lady can handle anything, how interesting. Even picking osmanthus flowers can produce so many things… Life is never dull with my lady, this servant is truly fortunate.”

Indeed, this was the truth. Luo Lingyu was a lady who greatly valued interest in life. She liked to experiment with various new skills and games; she could make beautiful flower paper and delicious pastries; she could brew tea and lead the courtyard maids to collect morning dew throughout spring.

She placed great importance on quality of life, with endless interests.

Among the noble ladies of the world, few were as lively and charming as her. Even though she could be somewhat calculating at times, her scheming had never diminished her elegant taste… How could a gentleman not like her?

While the maids admired Luo Lingyu, the Luo family ladies had more complex feelings. As fellow noble ladies, this cousin steadily outshone them all. Now regarding marriage, first she refused to break off her engagement, and then Lu Yun from Jianye came to propose… Luo Lingyu’s luck was enviably good.

One lady spoke sourly: “Sister, you shouldn’t spend all day picking flowers, shaking flowers, and drying flowers. If you keep being so careless, Lu Yun will be snatched away. How long has it been since Lu Yun came to see you? He’s been flirting with that Northern Princess. Today when the Northern Princess left Nanyang, they say Lu Yun escorted her quite far. Everyone saw how the princess looked back, reluctant to leave.”

Luo Lingyu’s hand holding the sachet paused.

Another lady feigned surprise, expressing sympathy for Luo Lingyu: “It might not be that Lu Yun has changed his heart, but that state affairs are more important. Indeed, where in the world is there a good gentleman who loves only one person? Even with Lady Luo’s talent and beauty, she can’t hold a man’s heart. In the eyes of someone like Lu Yun, state affairs are state affairs, and feelings are feelings. He distinguishes them so clearly. No matter how beautiful you are, sister, you can’t compete with the gentleman’s ambitions.”

They played off each other, speaking with enthusiasm.

Seeing the graceful Luo Lingyu suddenly stand up, holding her osmanthus-covered sachet, her skirt trailing on the ground, she brushed aside the dark strands falling by her ears.

Her black, jade-like eyes looked toward the courtyard entrance, and like the other ladies, she made a surprised and delighted expression: “Brother Xuechen, why are you here? When did you arrive?”

The other ladies: “…?!”

Taking a sharp breath, thinking “impossible,” they all turned together, following Luo Lingyu’s gaze to the courtyard entrance. However, it was undeniably true – they couldn’t mistake him – they saw that tall, graceful, pine-like gentleman standing at the courtyard entrance, gazing in their direction.

Lu Yun’s gaze was indifferent. As he appeared before everyone, he was as always like snow on high peaks – visible but unreachable.

And this snow on high peaks casually swept his eyes over the group of ladies in the courtyard, his gaze finally landing on Luo Lingyu, only then showing some warmth. Lu Yun was silent for a moment, then his eyes suddenly turned gentle as he said: “Sister hasn’t paid attention to me for several days, not responding when people relay messages, and no response to my letters. Afraid that sister had abandoned me, I had to come visit personally.”

The ladies’ faces immediately flushed: …What?! So it was Luo Lingyu ignoring Lu Yun? With Lu Yun being so excellent, what right did Luo Lingyu have to act proud?

Luo Lingyu paused for a moment, then smiled slightly and went over to hold Lu Yun’s arm.

Undeniably, Lu Yun giving her face like this, elevating her status in front of her family sisters before them, raising her position in the Luo family… Luo Lingyu felt quite pleased in her heart.

…

She had always fantasized that after marrying into a powerful family with her ideal husband, with her elevated status, she would show off in front of those who had looked down on her before. She was petty – whoever had looked down on her before, she wanted to live better than them in the future.

Now she wasn’t yet married to Lu Yun.

She was still that small-minded, easily offended Luo Lingyu.

Lu Yun might despise her himself, but he upheld her in front of others. This was exactly why she wanted to marry.

…

When Luo Lingyu turned to look at Lu Yun, her gaze was deeply affectionate.

And Lu Yun could make her even more affectionate.

With Lu Yun’s arrival, the various ladies entertaining in Luo Lingyu’s courtyard felt embarrassed and took their leave one after another. Even the maid Lingyu left after serving tea. Lu Yun and Luo Lingyu sat together in the room, mysteriously, as Lu Yun had someone bring in something covered with cloth from outside.

Luo Lingyu knelt beside him, seeing that after he received this thing, he closed the door, keeping the servants outside. Luo Lingyu tilted her head: “What is it, that it can’t be seen by others?”

The room darkened, and Lu Yun gestured: “A gift for you… it can’t be exposed to light, blow out all the lamps in the room.”

Luo Lingyu gave him a puzzled look. With no servants present, she had to get up herself and extinguish the lamps one by one. When all the flames were out, the room was pitch black, and nothing could be seen. Luo Lingyu stood in the darkness, was grasped by her gentleman’s dry hand, and pulled to sit beside him.

Lu Yun: “Close your eyes.”

Luo Lingyu pouted: “What is it really?”

She obediently closed her eyes, and Lu Yun even touched them to make sure she wasn’t cheating, causing her to huff again, wondering why he had so little faith in her character. Was her character so terrible in his eyes?

With eyes closed, Luo Lingyu silently complained about Lu Yun. She had a heart full of secret affection for Lu Yun, and also a heart full of complaints. She muttered for a long while until she finally heard Lu Yun’s voice: “Alright, open your eyes.”

Luo Lingyu opened her eyes carelessly, but was immediately stunned with amazement—

It was a five-colored glass lamp.

A three-foot-tall glass lamp with a mechanism in the middle, covered with twelve glass panels. Behind each glass panel was a portrait of a beauty. As the mechanism moved, the portraits rotated. Under the colorful light, the twelve portraits slowly turned in the dark night, each one touching her heart.

Each portrait was of the same beauty.

Whether angry or happy, frowning or crying, leaning on railings or by windows.

A thousand charms and hundred allures, ordinary poses, different styles, all captured in the paintings. The bright and warm light illuminated the whole room, eyes only seeing flowing light and dancing flames, like trees of silver flowers.

Luo Lingyu slowly turned her face to look at Lu Yun in the lamplight. He lowered his eyes, also looking down at his lamp—the five-colored glass lamp, the twelve beauty portraits, all were his work.

Lu Yun said: “No need to be so moved, the lamp wasn’t made specially for you.”

Luo Lingyu raised an eyebrow.

Watching him still unwilling to admit it, still finding various excuses: “I bought lamp fixtures and glass from the Northern Princess, my glass workshop’s techniques improved, allowing for improvements. For glass beauty portraits, among worldly women, only sister Lingyu’s figure is worthy. I drew your portrait to match the lamp. It wasn’t made for you, but for this lamp. These twelve beauty portraits… mmph.”

His cheek suddenly felt cool, and Lu Yun’s eyelashes trembled slightly.

It was Luo Lingyu suddenly leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

Luo Lingyu embraced his neck, trembling as she held him close. She kissed his cheek, and during his silence, slowly moved over to kiss his lips. She looked at him with amazed eyes brimming with tears—at this moment, she felt she would never forget this night.

She realized she liked him and would never forget him.

Their faces touched, their hair intermingled. She heard Lu Yun say softly: “Then after we return to Jianye, will you marry me?”

The deeply moved Lady Luo, with tears in her eyes, was about to agree when she suddenly stopped, feeling she had heard these words somewhere before—on the night before he left Jianye, when he was drunk, he had said the same words.

…So since he didn’t remember what happened that night when sober, he had to say those words again?

Was such a repeated confession acceptable?