Chapter 41: Catching A Bug In The Woods

Camp life has always been strict: there are three shifts for the night watch, and around the fifth watch all the soldiers must rise to begin morning drills.

Outside the tent came waves of neat, unified shouts. Shen Yu was already up and had lifted the tent flap, but upon seeing the scene outside she immediately let the curtain fall back down.

If there were only one bare-chested man outside she could walk past without looking away, even ten she could handle calmly, but out there were hundreds, nay thousands, of bare-chested, sweating men!

Shen Yu’s face fell. Perhaps… if she hadn’t seen that booklet in the Great Yuan Hall, and hadn’t seen that fire-avoidance chart yesterday, she might have pretended to be calm and walked out. But the problem was she couldn’t curb her curiosity, and she had read it.

After reading it she could no longer look directly at these bare-chested men.

She planned to wait until after the soldiers’ morning drills before going out, but no sooner had she formed that plan than Fang Rui’s steady voice came from outside the tent.

“Lord Shen, are you awake?”

At the sound of His Majesty’s voice, Shen Yu had no time for anything else and immediately drew up the tent curtain.

She forced her gaze to rest on His Majesty alone.

Shen Yu nodded slightly and called out, “Lord Fang.”

When Fang Rui saw Shen Yu, the gloom of the previous night vanished.

It should be noted: last night Lei Shengda had come to report, and another tent had been set up. If Fang Rui hadn’t forced himself to calm down, he would have rolled up his sleeves and buried Lei Shengda in a pit.

Fang Rui smiled faintly. “Lord Shen, would you accompany me for a walk?”

On hearing this, Shen Yu suppressed her uncomfortable, all-over unease, smiled slightly to hide it, and replied, “Why not?”

Fang Rui had liked Shen Yu before but did not know her well. Since approaching her under the identity of Jia Ming, he had come to understand another side of Shen Yu. The more he learned, the more he could read her feelings. It only took a furrowed brow and he could tell her joys and sorrows.

Though Shen Yu seemed much the same as always, upon hearing the invitation to walk with him her mouth clearly trembled for a moment.

Fang Rui’s gaze seemed to read Shen Yu’s thoughts. With his hands clasped behind him, he smiled. “The camp is noisy, let’s go outside for a walk.” He worried Shen Yu might have thought he meant to stroll through the camp. But how could he take her among so many men, half undressed? He wouldn’t sully her sight. If she wanted to look, she could only look at him.

Entrances to the camp required tokens, and Fang Rui naturally had one. When he took Shen Yu out, only two attendants followed at a distance, meaning that effectively Shen Yu was the only one by Fang Rui’s side.

Fang Rui deliberately slowed his pace to match Shen Yu’s, as if they were taking a stroll. It was already autumn. The area around Xili Mountain was full of maple woods, all aflame with red, maple leaves drifting down occasionally, very beautiful. There were many wild beasts here, so few people came this way. Of course, as long as one didn’t go deep into the forest, there wasn’t much danger.

“My dear aide Shen, I called you out because I wanted to ask you something,” he said as they walked, not stopping just to pose a question to Shen Yu.

A hint of puzzlement showed in Shen Yu’s eyes as she asked, “What does Your Majesty wish to ask me?”

Fang Rui stopped, turned to look at Shen Yu, and just then saw a maple leaf drifting down, about to fall onto Shen Yu’s head. He reached his hand up toward the top of her head.

Puzzled, Shen Yu froze when she saw His Majesty extend his hand, her eyes shifting slightly as she wondered what he intended to do.

After a moment the leaf landed in Fang Rui’s hand. He withdrew it and opened it out before Shen Yu, asking, “My dear aide Shen, tell me, why is this maple leaf red?”

Seeing the leaf in His Majesty’s hand, Shen Yu exhaled slightly, thought for a moment, and replied, “The Classic of Mountains and Seas records that the Yellow Emperor killed Chi You on Li Mountain, discarded his weapons, which transformed into maple trees, meaning that after the Yellow Emperor killed Chi You, the weapons were stained with blood and turned into maples, so the maple leaves naturally are red.”

Fang Rui chuckled lightly, withdrew his hand and let the leaf fall, then said to the two attendants behind him, “Wait here. My beloved aide Shen and I will take a private walk.”

The attendants stood firm where they were, and Fang Rui continued forward with Shen Yu beside him, her heart a little uneasy. His Majesty asking why the maple leaf was red made her feel he intended to tell her something important.

Fang Rui asked, “My dear aide Shen, what do you think of De’an?”

Shen Yu was taken aback, not understanding why His Majesty would ask that, but she answered, “Her Highness is lively and adorable, kind-hearted as well, a very good young lady.”

Fang Rui pretended to fall into thought, murmuring, “Is that so…” then continued, “De’an has been mentioning you a lot before me lately. I think De’an has reached a suitable marriageable age. If you also find De’an agreeable, why not let me act as a matchmaker? What do you say… my beloved aide Shen?”

Fang Rui walked on without watching Shen Yu. When she didn’t answer he noticed she had stopped a short distance behind him, her expression somewhat stunned.

“Your Majesty, I do not think that way about the princess at all, nor do I harbor such intentions!”

The word ‘shocked’ couldn’t begin to describe Shen Yu’s feelings now. His Majesty actually intended to give Princess De’an to her in marriage!?

If she were to actually accept a marriage decreed by the emperor, she dare not even contemplate the consequences.

Fang Rui returned and looked at Shen Yu. “When I asked why the maple leaf is red, I meant that the leaf wasn’t red from the start, it changes with the seasons. You may not have feelings for De’an now, but feelings can change over time. If you cultivate them, then feelings will develop.”

Shen Yu shook her head repeatedly and protested, “I am not worthy of Her Highness, I beg Your Majesty to reconsider.”

Fang Rui frowned slightly and, displeased, retorted, “My dear aide Shen, such strong objection? Could it be that you already have a girl you fancy?”

Shen Yu wasn’t good at lying and had no intention of naming some random person to satisfy him, so she replied bluntly, “I have no girl I fancy. I only admire Her Highness, there is no other feeling.”

Seeing Shen Yu so unwilling, Fang Rui knew he had achieved half his aim and pressed on.

Putting on a stern face he said, “Since you truly have no feelings for De’an, then don’t give her the wrong idea. The girl is just beginning to feel love, I don’t want her sinking deeper and deeper.”

“I know what to do.” Shen Yu’s mind was in turmoil. She couldn’t fathom why she attracted the affections of women. She had been aloof enough, even physically thinner than ordinary men. What did they see in her? She resolved she must change.

Shen Yu couldn’t understand, but Fang Rui understood very well: though Shen Yu seemed thinner and weaker physically than most men, she was more dependable than most men, proving to be responsible, steady and reserved, giving others a sense of security, making others feel that whatever difficulty lay before her could be solved.

Tell me, how could such a rare kind of man fail to draw women’s liking? Not to mention women…even he… liked her quite a lot.

This time Fang Rui deliberately mentioned De’an in front of Shen Yu for one reason: De’an was persistent and stubborn, so he didn’t just have to deal with De’an, but he had to deal with Shen Yu as well. Now that Shen Yu knew De’an had designs on her, she would distance herself from De’an.

If De’an persisted, Shen Yu’s coldness would repel her.

Fang Rui’s little play needed no accomplice. With a few words he achieved the effect he wanted and was quite pleased.

Suddenly Fang Rui’s ears pricked. He seemed to hear De’an’s voice.

“Brother brought Shen Yu into the woods?! How could you not tell me about such a big thing?!”

Rong Tai replied meekly, “…Your Highness, this hardly seems like a big matter…”

“What do you mean ‘hardly a big matter’?! I’m telling you, anything concerning Shen Yu is an important matter!”

The voices drew closer and only someone with keen hearing would catch them. He glanced at Shen Yu, who looked down and absent-minded, and his expression turned thoughtful for a moment before the corner of his mouth twitched up.

De’an had arrived at just the right time.

“Let’s admire the view a little longer and then head back. After all, it’s not safe to go further in.”

No matter how beautiful the view, Shen Yu didn’t have the heart to take it in and she simply replied, “Very well.”

When Fang Rui heard the approaching footsteps, his gaze returned to the top of Shen Yu’s head and he said to her, “My dear aide Shen, don’t move. There’s a little green caterpillar on your head.”

Shen Yu, still thinking about how to avoid Princess De’an, changed color instantly at his words.

Shen Yu wasn’t afraid of bugs so much as she had a mild germophobia. Slimy things like creepy crawlies felt filthy to her, so let alone touching one, she didn’t even want to look at them.

“Don’t move, I’ll take it off for you,” Fang Rui said, reaching out again to pluck the supposed caterpillar from Shen Yu’s head.

From a distance it looked as if Fang Rui was affectionately stroking Shen Yu’s hair, and Shen Yu meekly let him smooth it.

De’an fell silent.

Rong Tai glanced at His Majesty and Lord Shen not far ahead, then at Princess De’an pouting and almost in tears. He nearly blurted out “my condolences”.

De’an couldn’t bear it and, pursing her lips, turned away with a slight catch in her voice, “Let’s go.”

As the footsteps faded, Fang Rui withdrew his hand calmly and said, “The bug is gone.”

Shen Yu breathed a sigh of relief and said to Fang Rui, “I thank Your Majesty.”

Fang Rui smiled, slightly turning his gaze to watch De’an’s departing figure.

After all, he still worried about De’an.

Shen Yu was someone he cared for; De’an was also an important family member. There was no difference between them.

After a while Fang Rui checked the sky and said, “Morning drills are almost over, let’s return. I hear that after drills some soldiers are holding sumo matches. Perfect time, my dear aide Shen, you can go see what it’s all about for yourself.”

Shen Yu’s composure instantly cracked at the word “sumo.”

Her eyes widened slightly as if startled, and she swallowed hard.

“Your Majesty, I find the scenery here quite beautiful and wish to enjoy it a while longer, so I will not accompany Your Majesty back.”

Shen Yu’s frightened expression was even more pronounced than when she had heard earlier that Fang Rui intended to match her with the princess.

Fang Rui looked at Shen Yu, thoughtful for a moment, then said, “So be it. If the scenery is more attractive to you than sumo, then I will not go see it either. I’ll accompany you and enjoy the view.”

Fang Rui thought inwardly: It seems Shen Yu really has sensed something amiss*. F**rom now on I must be more careful to avoid arousing suspicion about my identity.*