Chapter 57: Behind Me, Before My Eyes

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Behind and Before

Captain Song Xian was by no means incompetent.

Ever since the assassination attempt during the Lantern Festival, Ning Yi had kept a closer eye on him. Though it felt somewhat like waiting for a rabbit beneath a tree, unlikely to yield much, and his current status didn’t allow him access to detailed intelligence, some basic information could always be obtained with enough interest.

Just as Lu Agui had told him before, Song Xian was flamboyant, vengeful, ruthless, but never a fool. Compared to Chen Yong, the commander of the Martial Fierce Army, Song Xian—who had once roamed the underworld—fit the mold of a proper soldier. Otherwise, he would not have been entrusted with the elite guard battalion at the heart of the Martial Fierce Army.

The dynasty favored literature over martial prowess; the Martial Fierce Army was a garrison force for Jiangning, stationed in a prosperous region, and overall not particularly formidable. If anything could be considered respectable, it was the battalions centered around the elite guards. Song Xian held a position second only to the commander himself. After the assassination during the Lantern Festival, he had grown more cautious, always flanked by numerous guards whenever he went out. Now, in the midst of the crowd, Ning Yi could only trail from afar, observing the surroundings. Luckily, with so many people, no one noticed he was following.

If he could shadow Song Xian like this, so could others. If someone else had designs on Song Xian, perhaps they too were mingling among the crowd. He kept a covert watch for such possibilities, but the crowd was thick, and during the Lantern Festival, even the assassin's face had not been seen clearly; now, there was little useful information to glean. Song Xian had brought around ten men, wandering about, seemingly not particularly interested in the performances. When he reached the stage by the riverbank, he separated from the crowd and took a seat among the dignitaries at the front, conversing with one of them, while his guards remained vigilant nearby.

Ning Yi stood at the edge of the throng, scanning the scene, then began recalling the events of the Lantern Festival—details and nuances, speculating on the assassin’s style, trying to put himself in her shoes, pondering how he might eliminate Song Xian if he chose. Halfway through these thoughts, someone tapped him on the shoulder with a folded fan.

“Hey, brother, just because you’re tall doesn’t mean you can block my view. What do you think you should do about that?”

Ning Yi was actually of average height, certainly not tall, and the voice behind him was oddly playful. He turned with a smile, recognizing the challenger: dressed in a black robe, shorter by a head, slender-bodied, chin lifted—a clear, earnest face belonging to Nie Yunzhu. Up close, despite the men’s attire, she lacked any masculine manner, instead appearing endearingly awkward.

“You make such a compelling case, it’s obviously my fault. Seeing how fierce and domineering you are, should I pay you some protection money?”

Nie Yunzhu tried to keep a stern face and extended her hand, “Easy—just hand over all the flowers you have, and I’ll let you off. Otherwise, be careful or I’ll make your head look like a pig’s.”

Apparently, she’d learned such phrases from frequenting the market stalls. Her bravado was on full display. Ning Yi sighed, handing her the flower and ticket he’d received upon entry. Nie Yunzhu burst out laughing, “Is the girl singing on stage really so captivating? You seemed completely absorbed just now.”

“Nichang?” Ning Yi glanced at the stage, realizing she meant the singer. “Ah, I was just lost in thought. When did you arrive?”

“I wandered around and happened to see you. I’ve been standing behind you for quite a while.”

Together, they walked to the flower recording station nearby. Nie Yunzhu took a flower from her sleeve, dropping it with Ning Yi’s into the large box, then handed their tickets to the attendant. “Two flowers for Miss Yuan Jin’er of Golden Wind Tower.”

“But Miss Yuan Jin’er hasn’t performed yet.”

“Give them anyway,” she insisted, and the attendant noted it down. Ning Yi smiled, “So you’re here to support Jin’er?”

“Jin’er and I have always been close,” Nie Yunzhu lowered her gaze, thinking before she spoke, “Actually, I helped with her performance this time.”

They met every morning and spoke of everything, though she’d never mentioned this before. Ning Yi was mildly surprised, “Didn’t you say you didn’t want anything to do with that place anymore?”

“Madam wants Jin’er to keep her position among the Four Great Courtesans and asked me to help a little. She promised to help promote us in return, so I agreed. Now we’re talking business, it’s not the same as before, so I don’t mind as much. Madam is quite good in this regard.” Nie Yunzhu paused as they walked, then added, “Actually, I probably shouldn’t have helped. Jin’er is gaining fame, but whether it’s good or bad is hard to say. Her temperament, too… well, let’s not talk about it.”

She shook her head and smiled, “Will you watch Jin’er’s performance later?”

“Four Great Courtesans, and you helped—of course I can’t miss it.”

“Jin’er said she’d like to meet you. You’re known as the most mysterious talent in Jiangning. Later, I’ll point you out to her… By the way, weren’t you supposed to bring a little maid with you? I was wondering who it might be.”

“She’s eating at Wenmo Tower, I'm joining her now,” Ning Yi thought for a moment, “It’s about time I went over.”

Nie Yunzhu smiled, “Let’s go together. I’ll head to Jin’er; it’s on the way.”

They chatted as they made their way through the crowd toward Wenmo Tower, Ning Yi glancing back at Song Xian, recalling that fleeting glimpse, wondering if it had been just his imagination.

At the same time, just beneath the eaves of a small building not far away—where neither of them noticed—Gu Yanzhen stood quietly, watching them depart.

He had followed Nie Yunzhu from the moment he spotted her in the crowd, spending quite some time. Throughout, Gu Yanzhen was puzzled by her actions—she, usually so reserved, seemed to be seeking someone, though he never expected to witness what followed.

He observed her wandering aimlessly through the crowd, not looking for any set person, but clearly hoping to find someone. In such a large venue, she ignored the performances, leisurely searching among thousands for someone she hadn’t arranged to meet—truly odd. In all the years he’d known her, he’d never seen this side.

Nie Yunzhu was unlike most courtesans. She loved tranquility, and excelled at music, dance, poetry, and singing, but never flaunted her talents. Compared to ordinary courtesans, she possessed genuine scholarly elegance, not a feigned one. She was truly at ease, and those around her felt a unique sense of serenity. Gu Yanzhen didn’t know when he first noticed this quality, but he felt he understood her unusual mind, for they were kindred spirits.

After returning from the capital, he met Nie Yunzhu again one morning, later learning she had redeemed herself for his sake and no longer associated with her old circle. Though he felt some disappointment at first, upon reflection, he realized her aloof nature was fitting—beneath a calm exterior, there was confidence and pride. This was what he admired, and their past affection had moved him to pursue her, until he was slapped—after which his feelings changed.

For the past two months, he had been searching for the man behind Nie Yunzhu, appearing nonchalant but ultimately falling out with Li Pin over it. Li Pin, shrewd and perceptive, had deduced Gu Yanzhen’s intentions but would not say a word, no matter how pressed. Gu Yanzhen lost his composure, uttered a few harsh words. Over those two months, he occasionally made inquiries, but even he wasn’t sure what he intended to do once he found that man.

Eventually, he concluded the man must be a venerable elder; if so, there was nothing he could do. Until recently, he witnessed new developments.

Dressed as a man, Nie Yunzhu still carried the aura of a refined gentleman. When she spotted her target in the crowd, she peered from afar, then approached, seemingly wanting to greet him but hesitating, waiting for him to notice her. Gu Yanzhen, observing from the side, saw her expressions—sometimes struggling, sometimes annoyed, occasionally smiling, lifting her hand but then stopping, frowning in frustration at the man’s absent-mindedness. Her changing expressions stripped away any masculine facade; sometimes she sighed, sometimes threw up her hands in girlish exasperation… He had never seen such expressions on her before. In Golden Wind Tower, he had seen her frown in discord with her surroundings, seen her reserved smile full of scholarly grace, but now…

The man never turned around, never saw the complex charm behind him, until Nie Yunzhu finally, resigned, tapped him with her fan, putting on a deliberately serious smile. Then the two laughed, walked to the flower registration desk—only two flowers—and left together… Gu Yanzhen couldn’t quite describe his feelings, watching it all with expressionless eyes, then after a long pause, slammed his fist into a pillar.

Then, he laughed aloud.

Ning Yi and Nie Yunzhu parted ways beneath Wenmo Tower. At a window above, Xiao Chan leaned out, waving vigorously.

“Master, who was the black-robed gentleman walking with you?”

Upstairs, Su Wending and the others had already left. Li Pin and Xiao Chan remained, the latter asking curiously. Ning Yi smiled, “Just a girl dressed as a man, pretty enough that I couldn’t resist teasing her.”

“Master, you’re so bad.” Xiao Chan popped a pastry in her mouth, beaming, clearly not believing him. Soon after, the three left Wenmo Tower to join the crowd for the next performances.

From time to time, the figures of Song Xian and Chen Yong appeared, surrounded by the Martial Fierce Army guards. Ning Yi kept his senses sharp, waiting for any possible incident…

The author of "Reborn as a Magistrate’s Son," Bu Xin Tian Shang Diao Xian Bing, has launched a new book, "The Great Demon God." Fans are invited to take a look.

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