Chapter 70: Lighting High Candles to Adorn the Crimson Beauty

The celadon candle holder was filled with the unique charm characteristic of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Its base, shaped like an inverted lotus pod, was carved with lotus petal motifs. Atop it sat a horizontal crossbar featuring four lion-shaped cup holders, capable of holding several candles simultaneously.

In the corner of the room, a gilded phoenix-shaped incense burner emitted the scent of finely ground sandalwood. The refined, hundred-times-tempered gold shimmered faintly, its luster visible beneath the surface. As the smoke curled upward like mist on a morning when frost melts away, it adorned the boudoir, making it appear as if it were a realm of immortals.

Xu You sat down with an air of ease. As he looked at Zhan Wenjun opposite him, he found himself momentarily dazed. It is said that beauties look their best in the soft glow of a lamp; the three-foot-tall white candles flickered with a bright, vernal allure, and amidst the swirling incense, her already peerless beauty took on a transcendent charm that seemed all the more elusive.

"Fearing only that in the deep of night the flowers might drift to sleep, I burn high candles to illuminate the painted face..."

Xu You suddenly recalled Su Shi’s poem "Begonia," the words escaping his lips before he realized that, given the setting and the mood, the sentiment might appear somewhat frivolous.

Zhan Wenjun stared at Xu You, motionless. It was not until some time had passed that she seemed to snap out of her reverie, a faint blush stealing across her snow-white cheeks. Yet, being a woman of generous spirit, she was not overcome by shyness. Instead, she arched her sword-like brows and praised, "Sir, your words flow with such elegance and talent that I fear you are no less gifted than Lu Xu, the foremost scholar of the Three Wus!"

Xu You had heard the name Lu Xu before. During his first visit to see Zhan Wenjun, he had encountered Song Shenfei, who was masquerading as her, and He Ru had quoted a poem Lu Xu had written for Song Shenfei.

This meant that in Zhan Wenjun’s mind, she had already placed Xu You on par with the greatest literary talent of the Three Wus.

Xu You replied with a sheepish smile, "You flatter me, Madam! I am but a man of the sword; how could I be mentioned in the same breath as Master Lu?"

"You are too modest, Sir! Last time, I was stunned by your line, 'Children do not recognize the prize of heaven, and recklessly wipe the snowy brush with green mud.' Today, hearing this verse about the deep night and the flowers, I find you have reached even greater heights. If it comes to understanding the heart of a lady, there is surely no one in the Three Wus who could come in second to you."

*Is she praising me or mocking me?*

Xu You felt quite conflicted. After some thought, he decided to fall back on his old revolutionary tactic: changing the subject. "Earlier, Wan Qi came to see me..."

"Regarding Bai Hua?"

"Yes!" Xu You carefully observed Zhan Wenjun’s expression. "Bai Hua’s offense lies in failing to report to you beforehand, but if we put ourselves in her shoes, with the lives of her entire family held in the hands of others, it is only natural that she would find it difficult to make the right decision in such a moment of panic. Considering her youth and ignorance, and the fact that she has not truly committed a grave error, punishing her by expulsion or sentencing her to forced labor would be an excellent solution."

Zhan Wenjun sighed. "Sir, you are a student of military strategy. Do you not know that trust must be free of deception, and loyalty must be undivided? When my late uncle was here, he managed the household as he would an army. Bai Hua committed an act of betrayal; her loyalty was divided, and by the law, it is truly unforgivable!"

These were words from the *Six Secret Teachings*. Even in this era, few people studied military classics, yet Zhan Wenjun, a mere woman from a merchant family, could quote them with such ease. The deliberate care Guo Mian had taken in her upbringing made Xu You wonder all the more about the reasons behind it.

"Since we are speaking of military strategy, surely you have studied the teachings of Guigu. The Master said that in rewarding, one must value integrity; in punishing, one must value justice. To act blindly by the rules and remain obstinately conservative is hardly the way of justice."

"Guigu?"

Zhan Wenjun gasped. "The teachings of Guigu have long been absent from the world since the days of Zhang Yi and Su Pu. For many years, though many have claimed to be successors of the secret arts of Guigu, most have merely used the names of the ancients to engage in petty schemes. From what you say, could it be that the Xu clan of Yixing has obtained the true teachings of Guigu? No wonder the Xu clan has achieved such brilliant military success for a hundred years, so that is why..."

Xu You had been careless. He had forgotten that perhaps only a handful of people in this world knew of the *Yinfu* arts, and He Ru was likely one of them. He had dropped a reference only to trip over his own feet; it was mortifying.

Fortunately, his skin was thick, and he could spin a yarn at a moment’s notice. "I must have read it somewhere by chance and forgotten it; it may not even be authentic. As for the military strategy of the Xu clan, it was written in the blood and experience of countless ancestors on the battlefield—it has nothing to do with Guigu!"

Zhan Wenjun quickly apologized, "It was my slip of the tongue!"

Xu You waved his hand theatrically. "No offense taken!"

The two looked at each other and laughed, the gravity and tension of their argument dissipating instantly. Xu You said earnestly, "The power of the law lies in balancing reward and punishment. Rewards entice the heart, and punishments instill awe. But both should serve to win the hearts of men, not to take their lives. Sparing Bai Hua’s life will not diminish the majesty of the law; on the contrary, it will show the retainers that there is mercy beyond the statutes. Human hearts are made of flesh and blood. If harsh laws were truly effective, how could the Later Yan have lost their empire?"

The Later Yan that Xu You spoke of was one of the seven kingdoms established during the chaos of the Five Barbarians following the migration of the gentry to the south. The Later Yan had an emperor named Murong Kui, who was much like Shi Hu, the emperor of the Later Zhao in another timeline—equally cruel, equally lustful, and equally bloodthirsty. During his reign, he established inhumane punishments, such as the 'crime of harming beasts,' where a thousand acres of fertile land were designated as hunting grounds; if any Han person dared to harm a wild animal, they were executed on the spot. Consequently, whenever officials took a fancy to a beautiful woman or wanted to seize property, they would falsely accuse people of this crime, causing countless families to be destroyed.

As a woman, and given that the Later Yan was not long past, Zhan Wenjun naturally empathized. Her delicate brows knit together, forming tiny ripples between them. "Do you think I resemble Murong Kui?"

*I said so much, and that is what you focus on?*

*Is this where you stop being reasonable?*

Xu You felt deeply frustrated. It seemed that in any era, women possessed the prerogative to be unreasonable. However, he had one great strength: he never tried to reason with a woman when she was being unreasonable. He laughed, "I saw a portrait of Murong Kui when I was in Yixing. To say we are similar is an understatement; even a single strand of your hair is incomparably more beautiful than that man!"

This flattery was shameless, but it was effective. Zhan Wenjun bit her lip and shot Xu You a glare, but in an instant, she returned to her upright, formal posture. Yet, this sudden display of charm amid her simple attire, even if it lasted only a second, nearly caused Xu You, with his superior self-control, to lose his composure.

"I have not had the fortune to read the teachings of Guigu, but I have read the *Nine Guards* of Guan Zi. In rewarding, one values sincerity; in punishing, one values certainty! It shares some similarities with what you just said, but there is a difference. To reward, one must indeed be trustworthy and sincere, but in punishing, the key is not justice, but certainty! On the battlefield, there is no time to debate whether something is fair or not. Once a military order is violated, punishment must follow!"

Xu You gripped the table, leaning forward, and stared into her eyes. "But this is the Guo household, not the army, and this is Mingyu Mountain, not the battlefield!"

Zhan Wenjun did not back down. Her eyes, as if studded with stars, almost perfectly reflected the shape of Xu You’s face, and for a fleeting moment, he could almost smell the fragrance emanating from her.

Warm, and faint.

Yet, it was wonderful.

"In times of peace, do not forget danger; in times of survival, do not forget the possibility of ruin; in times of order, do not forget the possibility of chaos!" Zhan Wenjun’s voice, clear yet tinged with a sense of distance, echoed in his ears. "If you have studied the *Book of Changes*, you should know that the words of the sages are not empty."

*In times of peace, do not forget danger; in times of survival, do not forget the possibility of ruin; in times of order, do not forget the possibility of chaos!*

These were the original words of Confucius from the *Xici*. Xu You sat back, smiling bitterly. "The Guo family is a wealthy house with business spanning the four seas, enjoying endless prosperity. Yet, why do you always seem to harbor such a sense of impending doom? It is fine to be prepared for danger in times of peace, but to worry like the man of Qi who feared the sky would fall is entirely unnecessary!"

A trace of exhaustion appeared in Zhan Wenjun’s eyes. She slowly lowered her head, and after a long while, she murmured, "You do not understand... you will never understand..."