Chapter 339: The Beauty of Jiangnan

Although it was her first time meeting Zhang Yue the day before, thanks to his thorough analysis and their subsequent interactions, Fan Xiyan figured out his ways—he was just more meticulous and cautious in his actions; ultimately, wasn’t he the same as other officials? So, after delivering the two food boxes, she waited for Zhang Yue to invite her over. To her surprise, it was Fan Tong who called her to the hall that morning and gave her instructions in front of Zhang Yue.

“Xiyan, I still need to go to the Maritime Administration. Since you have nothing to do at home, accompany Young Master Zhang around… Hmm, wear the same clothes you had yesterday.”

Fan Tong actually asked her to disguise herself as a man and go out with Zhang Yue! Fan Xiyan raised an eyebrow and glanced at Zhang Yue, seeing that he seemed unconcerned, while Fan Tong smiled like a Maitreya Buddha. She couldn’t help but feel puzzled. Though she had lived a comfortable life in the Fan family for two years, she wasn’t originally from a noble family. After some thought, realizing it wouldn’t harm her, she agreed and went back to change clothes. As soon as she left, Fan Tong nodded at Zhang Yue with a smile.

“I leave her in your hands, sir. Though this girl is cunning, I believe she can’t escape your control. I’ve already told you everything I need to say last night. Please trust me. I’ll write down everything I know in detail for your reference. I’ll also hand over the evidence I’ve collected over the years against Lord Wang tonight.”

“I’ll wait eagerly for good news from Lord Fan,” Zhang Yue said with a meaningful smile, then added slowly, “With your daughter by my side, I’ll ask my three maids to change into appropriate clothes as well. It’s rare for them to come out with me, so this is a good chance for them to see around. With them around, Lord Fan needn’t worry about your daughter causing any trouble, right?”

Fan Tong quickly laughed and said, “Sir, you’re joking.”

Once Zhang Yue left the hall, Fan Tong’s expression darkened. Not coming from a legitimate background, he had to use unorthodox methods for some things. Reaching the position of head of the Maritime Administration might already be his limit. More importantly, those behind him had no intention of promoting him to any other position. If he ever stopped holding that position, it would likely mean his end. That’s why he was so tolerant of such an obvious spy “daughter” of his.

But tolerance didn’t mean he would let this girl act recklessly all the time! Especially this time—Fan Xiyan’s tricks in front of Zhang Yue were clearly meant to kill him. He didn’t believe this girl had the audacity to act on her own. In other words, it was most likely the Princess Yongping and Marquis Fuyang’s idea; seeing things going wrong, they were ready to discard him as a pawn!
Standing there in the spacious hall, teeth gritted, Fan Tong couldn’t help but think of Yue Changtian, who suddenly appeared in his bedroom last night. Back then, he hadn’t believed that White Lotus Sect traitor, but the current situation forced him to believe it. Since he had been pushed to this extreme, if he didn’t save himself now, he would have no chance—at least he could buy some time.
Although the three of them—Lingxi, Qiuhen, and the others—had followed down to the south, even the least thoughtful of them, Qiuhen, knew there was another reason for them to come—otherwise, why hadn’t Zhang Yue taken them with him when he went to Qingzhou to kill people? So now, as they tried on the new outfits in the room, the three couldn’t help but whisper to each other. Qiuhen struggled to dress properly, finally managing to hide her long black hair under the small hat, though her face showed excitement.
“The young master is usually so hard to talk to—why has he suddenly changed his attitude this time?”
Amber, busy fixing Lingxi’s eyebrows, smiled slightly at these words. Though she had a vague guess, she naturally wouldn’t boast about it at such a time. Instead, she joked, “The young master said it was that Miss Fan who’s coming along. If that’s the case, it’s not strange that he brought us too. Even if the young master didn’t order it, I’m sure Sister would insist on coming as well, right?”
Hearing this, Lingxi couldn’t help but laugh, but Qiuhen was upset. She threw down her belt and rushed over to confront Amber, causing the two to argue. In the chaos, Qiuhen’s elbow knocked over Lingxi’s earrings, which were on the dressing table. Seeing the situation escalate, Lingxi quickly stopped them and searched the floor to retrieve the pearl earrings.
Only then did Qiuhen glare at Amber angrily, “Hmph! Don’t just tease me. Do you really think you weren’t prepared for that Miss Fan? Big families have their rules. Us girls usually don’t even leave the house—how could a wealthy family’s daughter show herself outside? Anyway, I don’t think she’s a proper person, so I must keep a close eye on the young master for the young mistress.”
“Alright, alright. When we meet the young mistress later, I’ll definitely tell her how loyal you are!”

She casually put the pearl earrings into her personal pouch. Lingxi, who was already fully dressed, snapped a dismissive remark before urging Amber and Qiuhen to hurry up and put on their robes. Soon, the three of them came out of the room one after another, all wearing green jackets, small hats, and black shoes. Aside from their more delicate appearances than men, as long as they kept their heads down so that no one could see their necks, it would be hard to tell they were women.

If it weren’t for concerns that leaving Lingxi and the others at the Fan family’s house might not be safe, Zhang Yue wouldn’t have wanted them to disguise themselves as men and parade through the streets. Yet, after stepping into the room and hearing the playful banter inside, he realized that this trip to the south wasn’t just about taking them to see the scenery—it would already be rare to sit down and talk properly as usual. They had even encountered pirates earlier. Now, seeing them come out neatly dressed, with Lingxi even bowing deeply to him with a smile, he couldn’t help but smile in return.

“It’s rare to see you all dressed like this; you all look quite heroic. If you had swords too, you’d be like the ancient Hua Mulan.”

Hearing this, Qiuhen was overjoyed. “I was worried they’d figure it out! Since you say so, Master, why not let me borrow that sword to try it on? Just once!”

Zhang Yue had always doted on Qiuhen. Seeing her insist, he couldn’t help but laugh silently but still agreed, unbuckling the sword at his waist and hanging it on hers. Leading the three women out through the curtain, he saw Hu Qi, Tian Wen, and others already waiting outside. Fang Qing and Ma Qinjiu were both single, and Fan Xiyan, dressed neatly, was among them too.

Seeing that Zhang Yue had brought three maids on this trip, Fan Xiyan sneered inwardly, secretly glad she hadn’t followed that fool’s orders. Her appearance was very different from yesterday’s—she wore a black-green silk robe woven in Hangzhou, along with green Lu silk boots, looking exactly like a noble young man. As soon as they left the Fan family’s estate, she saw people riding in carriages or on horses. A groom led over a brightly colored yellow horse, and she swiftly mounted it.

“Since Brother Zhang has just arrived in Ningbo, I might as well take you to the Eastern Market first. Although there are no foreigners here, there are many rare items bought from the trade posts. Spices like frankincense and myrrh are prohibited, but with me guiding you, it’ll be easier to find them. Even gems, rhinoceros horns, and ivory are much cheaper here than elsewhere.”

Zhang Yue had no fixed purpose for coming out today, so he naturally had no objections. But when he saw Fan Xiyan whip her horse into a gallop, he remembered Fan Tong’s vague advice and smiled. Whether this woman was a bandit or not, Fan Tong wasn’t exactly a good person either. He could just take their words at face value—after all, he had his own plans and wouldn’t let them control him. In this vast Ningbo prefecture, he not only had spies but also loyal followers.

Jiangnan is beautiful,
Its scenery is truly enchanting.
At sunrise, the river flowers are redder than fire;
In spring, the river water is as green as blue.
How can one not remember Jiangnan?

This poem by the great Bai Juyi, “Remembering Jiangnan,” is catchy and has always been one of Zhang Yue’s favorite poems. Back in those days, all the water towns and ancient villages carried a somewhat artificial vibe, and the saying “Heaven above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below” had also lost its meaning. So, after leaving his horse and carriage at the market entrance, he strolled leisurely with the crowd, feeling much more relaxed.

The sounds of vendors calling out filled his ears, and in front of him were the traditional Jiangnan-style houses. Most of the people walking on the streets were men, with only a few women. Yet even those few women, when they raised their heads, showed gentle smiles. Regardless of their appearance, they were pleasing to the eye, adding even more charm to the bright spring scenery.

Their clothes weren’t particularly bright—soft sky blue, delicate peach pink, and muted lotus pink—yet he found them extremely soothing to look at. It was said that Jiangnan women were made of water, and their soft voices when greeting each other, along with the classical charm in their smiles, were truly delightful. After following Fan Xiyan into several secret spice shops, he inevitably picked up a hint of frankincense and myrrh on himself, while Lingxi Amber Qiuhen ended up with several ivory combs and similar items.

Fan Xiyan acted as a diligent guide, staying close to Zhang Yue, expecting him to take the opportunity to ask about those things from the previous day. To her great disappointment, this man, known for his tough reputation, spent most of his time helping the maids choose delicate trinkets, even showing great interest in crudely made bead chains from overseas. When Zhang Yue took a fancy to a gilded hairpin in a jewelry shop, she finally lost patience.

“Lord Zhang must be accustomed to fine things. Why waste time on such worthless items?”

As soon as she finished speaking, before Zhang Yue could turn around, a cold sneer came from the door: “Used to seeing fine things? What fine things has someone who only knows how to fight seen! Young Master Zhang, it truly is true that you meet people everywhere—there are so many good places in the world, yet you choose to come to Ningbo. With your illegal possession of firearms and your entourage carrying knives without permission, I wonder how you’ll try to make excuses to the authorities!”
Suddenly, an unexpected obstacle appeared. Zhang Yue, who hadn’t intended to pay attention to Fan Xiyan, couldn’t help but turn to take a look. Upon seeing the man in the colorful brocade robe at the entrance, he immediately frowned, wondering why this Wang Quanbin had suddenly reappeared and was speaking so boldly and recklessly. Seeing Ma Qinjiu’s pale face beside him, he ordered Hu Qi to buy the gilded hairpin that Ling Xi had chosen, then, tired of dealing with such people, he prepared to leave with his group.
Wang Quanbin had left in a huff that very morning after the Japanese pirates retreated. He had never heard any rumors about Zhang Yue being from the Jinyiwei and stubbornly thought of him as a bandit. Now, seeing that Zhang Yue ignored him, he felt both ashamed and angry. Just as he was about to order his entourage to block the door, he suddenly heard a voice behind him.
“Nephew, what are you arguing about here? You are a noble young man—don’t lose your status for no reason.”
Remembering the person who had come with him this time, Wang Quanbin’s angry expression vanished instantly, replaced by a flattering smile. He stepped aside and nodded at the newcomer, saying, “Eunuch Wang is right. It’s just that these people were carrying firearms illegally, and their entourage still has knives. I was worried they might hurt you.”
Hearing the words “Eunuch Wang,” Zhang Yue raised an eyebrow and soon saw the man leading the way. With a fair face and no beard, he exuded authority—wasn’t he Wang Darong, the man he had glimpsed at Zui Xiang Lou the previous day?