{"id":3745,"date":"2026-06-03T17:39:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T17:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-53\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T17:39:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T17:39:42","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-53-2","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-53-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit of Jade 53"},"content":{"rendered":"

Because of the conscription, Lin’an Town\u2014which had already been struggling\u2014became even quieter. The marketplace no longer possessed even a fraction of its former bustle.

The New Year had already passed. Aside from weddings and funerals, few households slaughtered pigs anymore, leaving Fan Changyu unexpectedly free.

Business at the meat market had also declined sharply. Many butcher shops had temporarily closed.

Since Qingping County was not far from Lu City, people were deeply uneasy. Some wealthy merchants with better sources of information had already sold off their properties and fled south.

For the past few days, Fan Changyu had remained home taking care of the two children.

Though she had not received much formal education, she knew texts like the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic by heart. She had planned to teach Changning and Yu Bao’er how to read.

To her surprise, despite his young age, Yu Bao’er already recognized many characters. When he used a charcoal stick to write on the ground, his handwriting looked quite respectable.

Changning outperformed Yu Bao’er in almost everything else. Usually, when the two played together, it was Yu Bao’er who followed her lead.

Discovering that this seemingly slow-witted little boy was actually better at reading and writing than she was left her deeply unconvinced.

She stopped thinking about playing altogether and spent her days pestering Fan Changyu to teach her characters.

Yu Bao’er, meanwhile, enthusiastically offered,

\u201cIf you want to learn, I can teach you.\u201d

Clutching Fan Changyu’s skirt, Changning snorted.

\u201cI don’t need you to teach me. My big sister will teach me. And once she teaches me all the characters she knows, Brother-in-law will teach me too. I’ll learn more characters than you!\u201d

Fan Changyu was in the middle of opening the Three Character Classic to teach Changning today’s lesson.

The mention of Yan Zheng caught her off guard.

For a brief moment, she lost herself in thought.

So many days had already passed.

She wondered whether the newly conscripted soldiers had reached Lu City yet.

Several tens of thousands of recruits had been gathered this time.

Old Zhao had been taken as both a veterinarian and a carpenter. If Yan Zheng had been assigned to the infantry, the chances of Old Zhao encountering him were slim.

If he had been placed in the cavalry, however, Old Zhao would have a much easier time finding him.

When Changning noticed Fan Changyu staring silently at the book, she gently tugged her sleeve.

\u201cBig Sister, what’s wrong?\u201d

Fan Changyu quickly collected herself.

\u201cNothing. Come on, let’s learn these five characters first…\u201d

Brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were expensive.

Fan Changyu wasn’t about to let the children waste them.

Instead, she gave them charcoal sticks and had them practice writing on a clean stone slab.

While Changning focused on her handwriting, Fan Changyu slowly opened the Four Books that Yan Zheng had painstakingly annotated.

She began with the Analects.

Since Yan Zheng had already taught her two chapters before and had filled the margins with detailed explanations, she found it surprisingly manageable.

Around noon, someone knocked on the Fan family’s gate.

Fan Changyu went to answer it.

Seeing that it was Yu Qianqian, she immediately invited her inside.

Wrapped in a dark cloak, Yu Qianqian wore a smile, but she looked noticeably worn and exhausted.

\u201cChangyu,\u201d she said, \u201cI’m in a hurry today, so I won’t come in. I’ve come to take Bao’er home.\u201d

The moment he heard his mother’s voice, Yu Bao’er ran out from the courtyard.

Throwing his arms around her leg, he looked up happily.

\u201cMother!\u201d

Yu Qianqian stroked his head before turning back to Fan Changyu.

\u201cThank you for taking care of Bao’er all this time.\u201d

Fan Changyu hurriedly replied that it had been no trouble at all.

Not seeing Xie Zheng around, Yu Qianqian asked,

\u201cYour husband was conscripted and sent to Lu City too, wasn’t he?\u201d

Fan Changyu nodded.

She invited Yu Qianqian inside once more, but Yu Qianqian still declined.

After a brief hesitation, she looked at Fan Changyu and said,

\u201cTo be honest, every wealthy merchant in Qingping County is pulling strings right now and moving their assets south. I’ve already sold my two Yixiang Tower restaurants at a discount. Everything has been arranged at the city gates. My family is leaving for Jiangnan this evening.\u201d

Her expression darkened.

\u201cNo one knows whether Lu City can hold out. Come with me, Changyu. If you’re worried about your husband, you can return to Qingping County after the war ends.\u201d

At last, Fan Changyu understood why Yu Qianqian seemed so rushed.

After a moment of silence, she shook her head.

\u201cThank you for your kindness, Shopkeeper Yu. But I still have too many matters at home that haven’t been settled. If I leave now and the government issues more tax or grain requisition orders, the nine households tied to mine under the collective responsibility system will suffer because of me.\u201d

Under the law, ten neighboring households formed a single unit.

People could not simply move away at will.

Even relocating required official documents and an extremely cumbersome process.

After the murders that had occurred at her home, Fan Changyu had once considered taking Changning elsewhere to avoid trouble.

But dealing with property and relocation paperwork had delayed her plans. Eventually, she abandoned the idea altogether.

Yu Qianqian understood perfectly.

Even obtaining travel permits during the current lockdown required enormous effort.

Merchants like her had only succeeded after offering generous bribes to officials and disguising the move as a business expedition.

She squeezed Fan Changyu’s hand tightly.

\u201cI may only be a merchant. I can’t take everyone with me. But if you decide to come, just meet me at the city gates this evening.\u201d

Fan Changyu nodded.

\u201cI understand your kindness.\u201d

But she truly could not leave.

Setting aside the complicated relocation procedures, Old Zhao had already been conscripted.

Granny Zhao was alone now.

Fan Changyu could not abandon her.

To her and Changning, Granny Zhao was practically family.

Seeing that she couldn’t persuade her, Yu Qianqian stopped trying.

Lowering her head, she said to her son,

\u201cBao’er, say goodbye to Auntie Changyu and Sister Changning.\u201d

Yu Bao’er had known his mother came to pick him up.

What he hadn’t expected was that they would be leaving Qingping County entirely.

Turning toward Fan Changyu, he said obediently,

\u201cGoodbye, Auntie Changyu.\u201d

Then he looked at Changning, who was still clutching Fan Changyu’s skirt.

\u201cI’ll teach you how to read someday.\u201d

Changning immediately puffed up.

\u201cI’ll know more characters than you!\u201d

The children bickered while the two women laughed.

The sadness of parting eased considerably.

Holding Changning’s hand, Fan Changyu escorted Yu Qianqian and Yu Bao’er to the carriage waiting outside the alley.

Just as he was about to climb aboard, Yu Bao’er suddenly ran back.

He removed the jade pendant hanging around his neck and held it out to Changning.

\u201cThis is for you.\u201d

Fan Changyu immediately protested.

\u201cThat’s far too valuable.\u201d

But Yu Qianqian smiled gently.

\u201cLet her keep it. Bao’er gets lonely. Whenever he finds a friend and has to part with them, he always gives away his favorite possession. It’s his way of expressing his feelings.\u201d

Only after Fan Changyu nodded did Changning accept the pendant.

Looking down at her own clothes, she suddenly hesitated.

\u201cBut I don’t have anything to give you.\u201d

Yu Bao’er pointed at the grasshopper woven from grass hanging from her little pouch.

\u201cI want that.\u201d

Changning had been raised largely by Fan Changyu.

Like her sister, she was often straightforward to a fault.

She had never seen jade before and had no idea how valuable it was.

She only thought it looked pretty.

But she really liked the grasshopper too.

After a brief internal struggle, she decided Yu Bao’er seemed to genuinely like it.

Reluctantly, she removed it and handed it over.

\u201cUncle Zhao made this for me before he got taken away. He’s in the army now, so nobody can make grasshoppers for me anymore. You have to take good care of it. If you ever don’t want it anymore, bring it back and trade it for your pendant.\u201d

Yu Bao’er nodded seriously.

\u201cI’ll keep it.\u201d

Being too young to climb into the carriage himself, he was lifted up by Yu Qianqian.

As she raised him, her wide sleeve slipped down slightly.

The pair of jade bracelets on her wrist slid lower.

Fan Changyu immediately noticed faint scars around her wrists that looked like marks left by restraints.

Assuming they had come from her imprisonment, Fan Changyu’s heart tightened with sympathy.

When Yu Qianqian noticed where she was looking, the smile on her face stiffened briefly.

Instinctively, she pulled her sleeve down to cover the marks.

Only then did she continue,

\u201cWe’re leaving now.\u201d

Fan Changyu noticed nothing unusual.

She simply smiled.

\u201cHave a safe journey.\u201d

Once Yu Qianqian climbed aboard, the driver cracked his whip and the carriage rolled away.

As Fan Changyu and Changning headed home, she noticed that Changning kept staring at the ground and kicking pebbles along the road.

She seemed unusually downcast.

When Fan Changyu crouched beside her, she realized the little girl’s eyes were red.

\u201cDo you miss Bao’er?\u201d

Changning nodded and then shook her head.

Sadly, she said,

\u201cFalcon’s gone. Brother-in-law’s gone. Uncle Zhao’s gone too. Ningniang misses them…\u201d

Fan Changyu pulled her little sister into her arms and gently patted her back.

A sense of melancholy settled over her as well.

\u201cWhen the war ends,\u201d she said softly, \u201cthey’ll come back.\u201d

\u2014

Several hundred miles away, at Lu City.

He Jingyuan had just arrived at the city gates with the newly recruited soldiers when he encountered a force from Yanzhou.

The commander spotted him from afar and immediately smiled while cupping his hands in greeting.

\u201cLord He.\u201d

The man wore spotless white robes and was handsome enough to resemble a young actor from the opera stage.

His fox-like eyes, however, radiated cunning.

He Jingyuan frowned instinctively.

The commander responsible for welcoming him explained,

\u201cThis is Advisor Gongsun, strategist under the Marquis of Wuan. He arrived recently from Yanzhou, claiming that Yanzhou’s defenses are weak and requesting troops from Lu City.\u201d

He Jingyuan’s expression darkened immediately.

\u201cThe rebels have surrounded Lu City with fifty thousand soldiers. How can Lu City possibly spare troops for Yanzhou?\u201d

Cold sweat broke out on the commander’s forehead.

\u201cEveryone says Advisor Gongsun is a genius. I honestly have no idea what he’s planning. I already used Lu City’s current crisis as an excuse to refuse him, but he said he only wants one thousand of the newly recruited soldiers you’ve brought.\u201d

Even He Jingyuan was baffled now.

Within moments, Gongsun Yin had strolled over in his flowing white robes.

\u201cI’ve come,\u201d he said with a smile, \u201cto request Lord He’s assistance.\u201d

Although Gongsun Yin held no official military rank, everyone knew he was one of Xie Zheng’s trusted advisers.

No one dared underestimate him.

As Governor of Jizhou, He Jingyuan answered directly to the imperial court in civil matters.

Military affairs, however, still fell under Xie Zheng’s authority.

Thus, after Gongsun Yin approached, He Jingyuan dismounted and replied carefully,

\u201cOrdinarily, Jizhou would naturally assist Yanzhou in its time of need. But surely Advisor Gongsun can see Jizhou’s current situation…\u201d

Gongsun Yin smiled.

\u201cI’ve come under the Marquis’s orders to relieve the siege of Lu City.\u201d

Since he made no mention of borrowing troops, He Jingyuan became even more puzzled.

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d

Gongsun Yin explained,

\u201cThe deaths caused by Wei Xuan’s grain requisitioning in Taizhou caused a great stir. The rebels undoubtedly helped fan the flames. However, Jizhou possesses valuable salt lakes, which is why the rebels chose to attack it first. If they fail to capture Jizhou quickly, they may well turn their attention to Taizhou instead.\u201d

His smile widened.

\u201cThe Marquis intends for Yanzhou to appear weak. I came here to request reinforcements publicly. If the rebels see that Jizhou can still spare troops for Yanzhou, they’ll inevitably begin questioning Jizhou’s true military strength. For the time being, they’ll hesitate to act rashly.\u201d

He Jingyuan asked,

\u201cWill Prince Changxin really be fooled so easily? What if he turns around and attacks Taizhou?\u201d

Gongsun Yin’s smile never faltered.

\u201cThe Marquis has already sent someone to borrow troops from Taizhou as well.\u201d

He Jingyuan fell silent.

Slowly, he considered the strategy.

Both Taizhou and Jizhou had suffered from scandals surrounding grain requisitions.

Public morale was low.

The rebels targeted Jizhou largely because of its salt resources.

If the Marquis of Wuan openly requested aid from both provinces, he would be sending a clear message:

Yanzhou was the weakest link.

Meanwhile, both Taizhou and Jizhou were still strong enough to lend soldiers.

Under normal circumstances, Prince Changxin might suspect a trap.

But with Jinzhou currently fighting the Northern Ques, Yanzhou genuinely appearing vulnerable was entirely plausible.

Finally, He Jingyuan called over a deputy commander.

\u201cGive Advisor Gongsun whatever troops he requires.\u201d

Gongsun Yin immediately bowed deeply.

\u201cMy thanks, Lord He.\u201d

\u201cIf this plan truly lifts the siege of Lu City and preserves Jizhou,\u201d He Jingyuan replied, \u201cthen it is I who should thank you and the Marquis.\u201d

After exchanging several more polite remarks, Gongsun Yin departed.

Half an hour later, dressed in white as snow, he returned to the camp occupied by the Yanzhou soldiers he had brought with him.

The moment he entered the tent, he could no longer suppress the amusement on his face.

Looking toward the man reclining on a couch\u2014whose eye and cheek were still visibly bruised\u2014he waggled his eyebrows and asked,

\u201cWell now. In this entire world, who could possibly beat you up this badly?\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-3745","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3745","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3745"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3745\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3746,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/3745\/revisions\/3746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3745"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=3745"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}