Nine Nights Owl Song

February 14th, the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, the residence of the Marquis of Dingyuan.

The imperial edict arrived at noon.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict was the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs—the emperor's most trusted confidant, who rarely left the imperial city.

His personal visit indicates the significant weight of this imperial edict.

The entire Dingyuan Marquis's residence knelt on the ground. Su Zhentian knelt at the very front, followed by Shen Shi, Su Jiuge, Su Chengzhi, Su Chengen, Su Chengxun, and Su Wan'er.

Su Jiuge knelt beside Shen Shi, her head bowed.

The eunuch unfurled the imperial edict, his shrill voice echoing through the front courtyard of the Marquis's residence.

Su Jiuge didn't quite understand the flowery language, but she did understand a few key words—

"Su Jiuge, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, is gentle and virtuous by nature, and is prudent and self-disciplined. She is to be married to the sixth prince, Xiao Yan, as his principal wife by imperial decree, and the wedding will be held on an auspicious day."

The front yard was extremely quiet.

Su Zhentian kowtowed to receive the imperial decree.

"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude."

The eunuch handed the imperial edict to Su Zhentian, smiled and said, "Congratulations, Your Excellency," before leaving with his men.

Only the Su family remained in the front yard, kneeling on the ground, and no one stood up.

Su Chengzhi lowered his head, his expression unreadable. Su Chengen remained silent. Su Chengxun seemed lost in thought. Su Wan'er looked at Su Jiuge, Shen Shi looked at Su Jiuge, and Su Zhentian also looked at Su Jiuge.

All eyes were on her.

Su Jiuge stood up, walked to Su Zhentian, took the imperial edict from his hand, unfolded it, and read it again.

"By imperial decree, she is to be married to the Sixth Prince Xiao Yan as his principal wife, and an auspicious day shall be chosen for the wedding." The words were written in black and white, with the imperial seal in vermilion, clear and unalterable.

She rolled up the imperial edict and held it in her hand.

She thought she would be angry and resentful, but she felt none of that.

My mind was very calm, as calm as a stagnant pool.

She knew this day would come.

The emperor had told her, "I want to marry you to the sixth prince." She neither agreed nor refused, only saying, "Your Majesty need not worry about it."

The emperor didn't listen to her; he was still worried.

A single imperial decree transformed her from a free woman into someone else's fiancée.

Shen came over and took her hand; her hand was trembling slightly.

"Nine Songs..." Madam Shen didn't know what to say.

Should I congratulate her? My daughter is getting married; I should congratulate her.

But her daughter was to marry the sixth prince, a notorious wastrel and good-for-nothing in the court. What mother would want to marry her daughter to such a good-for-nothing?

Su Jiuge looked at Shen Shi.

"Mother, I'm alright."

Shen's tears fell.

Su Zhentian stood silently to the side for a long time, then said something that surprised everyone:

"The Sixth Prince is no simple man." He looked at Su Jiuge.

"Your lack of objection indicates that you have plans."

Su Jiuge looked at Su Zhentian and nodded.

Su Zhentian did not ask any further questions.

He turned and walked away, his back straight, but he walked very slowly, as if something was pressing down on his shoulders, a weight he had been used to for many years.

The news of the arranged marriage spread throughout Luoyang that very day.

Teahouses, taverns, and streets were filled with the talk of the town—the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan was to marry the sixth prince.

"That ruthless killer is going to marry that playboy who loves to eat, drink, and have fun."

"A perfect match, one kills, the other spends money, neither of them can say anything about the other."

"Is the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion about to take sides?"

"Why take sides? The Sixth Prince isn't the Crown Prince, what's the point of siding with him?"

"You don't understand. The Sixth Prince is useless, but the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion is. Su Jiuge has the Dark Pavilion, and the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion has military power. They don't take sides, so no one dares to touch them."

Prince Zhao's Mansion.

Xiao Yan sat in his study, the imperial edict laid out before him, which he had read many times before.

Bai Yu stood opposite him, holding a teacup, unsure of how to begin.

Xiao Yan spoke first.

Do you think she'll be angry?

Bai Yu thought for a moment.

"meeting."

Xiao Yan nodded.

I think so too.

He rolled up the imperial edict and set it aside.

"Father is putting me on the hot seat. He knows perfectly well that Su Jiuge doesn't want to get married, he knows perfectly well that I... never mind."

Bai Yu looked at him.

"OP, you don't want to get married?"

Xiao Yan did not answer.

He looked out the window at the plum tree; the flowers had all fallen, and the bare branches swayed gently in the wind.

"Whether you want to or not is irrelevant. The imperial decree has been issued; you have no choice but to marry her."

Bai Yu remained silent for a moment.

"Master, if Miss Jiuge doesn't want to marry, she will defy the imperial decree."

Xiao Yan shook his head.

"She won't. She is the daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan's family, and the Marquis of Dingyuan's family has hundreds of lives. She won't implicate them just because she doesn't want to marry."

He looked at Bai Yu and said, "She's ruthless to her enemies, but even more ruthless to her own people. She won't let her own people get hurt."

Bai Yu suddenly asked:

"OP, when did you become so familiar with her?"

Xiao Yan did not answer.

February 15th, the day after the arranged marriage.

Su Jiuge went to Prince Zhao's residence to find Xiao Yan, but she didn't go through the main gate.

She climbed over the wall and landed beside the plum tree. The study light was still on, and Xiao Yan was sitting behind his desk drinking alcohol—not tea, but wine.

The pot of wine was almost empty. His face was a little red, and his eyes were also a little red. He was stunned for a moment when he saw Su Jiuge climb in through the window.

Why didn't you use the main entrance?

Su Jiuge walked over and sat down opposite him.

"Going through the main entrance requires an announcement, which is inconvenient."

Xiao Yan poured her a glass of wine. "Would you like some?"

Su Jiuge picked up her wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The liquor was very strong, like strong liquor, the kind old drunkards drink. Xiao Yan looked at her.

"Aren't you afraid I'll poison you?"

"You won't." Su Jiuge put down her wine glass.

"If you're going to kill me, you won't use poison."

Xiao Yan smiled, but the smile was somewhat bitter.

How do you know I wouldn't poison someone?

"Because you are Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yan's finger stopped on the wine glass.

He looked into Su Jiuge's eyes, those bright black eyes looking back at him.

There was no anger or resentment, nor any questioning.

Only peace.

She remained as calm as she had been when she told the emperor in the imperial study that day, "Your Majesty need not concern yourself with my affairs with the Sixth Prince."

Xiao Yan spoke first.

"I didn't propose the arranged marriage."

Su Jiuge said, "I know."

"It was Father Emperor's own idea," Xiao Yan said.

Su Jiuge picked up her teacup and took a sip.

"I know, and I know why your father wanted to marry me to you."

Su Jiuge looked into his eyes,

"The military power of the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion is a shield, the assassin network of the Dark Pavilion is a shield, and I am the shield. Your father gave you these shields to protect you. He was afraid that the Crown Prince would harm you, afraid that the Second Prince would harm you, and also afraid that you would be devoured."

Xiao Yan suddenly laughed.

"He really treats me like a child."

Xiao Yan was silent for a moment. "When he told me, I refused. He asked me why, and I said Su Jiuge wasn't the kind of person who could be forced into marriage by an imperial edict. He said I was the emperor, and my edicts were law. I said the heavens couldn't control her. He looked at me for a long time, and then issued the edict."

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

"Did you refuse?"

"I refused."

Why?

Xiao Yan did not answer.

He picked up his glass and took a sip.

Su Jiuge looked at him.

Xiao Yan put down his wine cup.

He looked at her, and those eyes that were always languid and seemed perpetually sleepy were now open.

There was a light inside that she had never seen before.

"I want you to choose for yourself. The imperial decree has been issued; you can disobey it. I will bear the consequences of disobeying. If Father wants to punish me, punish me. If he wants to kill me, kill me. It has nothing to do with you."

Su Jiuge stared at him for a long time.

"Xiao Yan, you've had too much to drink."

Xiao Yan smiled.

"Maybe."

Su Jiuge stood up.

"Come find me again tomorrow when you're sober and remember what you said."

She stopped at the door without turning back.

"Don't mention defying the imperial decree anymore. The decree has been issued, and I will not defy it. It's not because of you, but because of the Marquis of Dingyuan's family. I cannot implicate them."

She went out.

Xiao Yan sat behind his desk, looking at the empty doorway.

The wine jug was empty, so he poured himself another cup, but there was no wine left.

He put down his wine glass, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.

He said, "I want you to choose for yourself," and he said, "I will bear the consequences of disobeying the order." He was speaking from the heart.

He had never spoken so many truthful things to anyone before.

She said, "Come find me again tomorrow when you're sober and remember what you said."

He will go to see her tomorrow; he definitely will.

He will go, whether she remembers or not.

On February 16th, Xiao Yan went to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence early in the morning. He entered through the main gate, carrying a box of books.

When Uncle Fu saw the box of books, the corner of his mouth twitched.

The Sixth Prince used to send oranges, Shu brocade, and pastries; today he sent books.

Su Jiuge was in the training ground. Xiao Yan walked over and placed the box in front of her.

"What is this?" Su Jiuge asked.

"Books." Xiao Yan opened the box, inside which dozens of books were neatly stacked.

"You didn't study much before, and the Dark Pavilion doesn't teach these things. Now that you're the legitimate daughter of a marquis, it's not right for you not to study. These are all books I picked out: history books, military strategy, and policies for governing the country. Take your time to read them. Ask me if you don't understand anything."

Su Jiuge looked down at the box of books, then looked up at Xiao Yan. He had dark circles under his eyes; he hadn't slept well last night. But he seemed to be in good spirits and a good mood.

"Do you remember what you said last night?" Su Jiuge asked.

Xiao Yan's smile paused slightly.

"Remember."

Which sentence?

Xiao Yan looked at her. "Every single word."

Su Jiuge nodded.

"Just remember that."

She didn't say anything more, but lowered her head and took out a book from the box and opened it.

It was a copy of the Records of the Grand Historian. Turning to the first page, the first chapter was "The Annals of the Five Emperors".

She looked at the words; she recognized most of them, the old drunkard had taught her.

But she didn't quite understand it when put together. She didn't know who Xuanyuan was. "The Yellow Emperor was the son of Shaodian, surnamed Gongsun and named Xuanyuan."

Seeing that she was having trouble looking at it, Xiao Yan moved a chair and sat down next to her.

"This sentence, 'In the time of Xuanyuan, the Shennong clan declined,' refers to the Yan Emperor. At that time, the Yan Emperor's empire began to decline, with feudal lords fighting each other and the people suffering. Xuanyuan then trained an army to conquer the feudal lords who refused to pay tribute, and the feudal lords all submitted to him." Xiao Yan's voice was very soft and slow.

As Su Jiuge listened to his historical tale, when she heard the sentence "Xuanyuan trained an army to conquer the feudal lords who refused to pay tribute," she suddenly said, "Just like me. Whoever provokes me, I will kill."

Xiao Yan looked at her.

"You are different from Xuanyuan. He conquered the feudal lords to bring the world under his rule, while you kill people to survive."

Su Jiuge thought for a moment.

"Things are different now. Now, people are killed so that those who should live can live."

Xiao Yan smiled, but this smile was different from the previous ones. It was a smile of hope.

"You are changing."

Su Jiuge lowered her head and continued reading.

Xiao Yan sat next to her, watching her profile as she read.

Sunlight streamed down from above, falling on her eyelashes and casting a small shadow.

She has very long eyelashes; I hadn't noticed before.

She was very focused when she read, her brows furrowed slightly, and her lips unconsciously pursed, as if she were fighting with the words in the book.

Xiao Yan looked away.

He came every day from then on.

I give her books, read them to her, and read with her.

She read faster and faster, and remembered more and more accurately.

He began to teach her military strategy, governance, and the intricacies of court politics.

Su Jiuge is reading "The Art of War".

Xiao Yan sat next to her, holding a teacup in his hand.

"This page is about 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.'"

Xiao Yan looked at her.

Do you know why so many people lose battles?

"have no idea."

"It's not because they don't know the enemy, it's because they don't know themselves. They don't know how many soldiers they have, how many days their food supplies will last, or whether their soldiers are still capable of fighting. If they only look at the enemy and not at themselves, they are bound to be defeated."

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

"You're talking about me."

Xiao Yan looked at her.

"I used to only know that I had to live, but I didn't know what I wanted. A true friend, yet a true friend. So I walked in darkness." Su Jiuge looked up at Xiao Yan.

"Now I know."

Xiao Yan put down his teacup.

Su Jiuge had already lowered her head and continued reading.

She turned to the last page of "The Art of War".

Xiao Yan quietly looked at her profile.