# Chapter 4: First Encounter
The Yaorui Palace was the supreme symbol of power in Yuanliao. What thoughts occupied the mind of the king seated on that dragon throne?
This Yuanliao city was so unfamiliar it made one's heart race with anxiety.
Weiyang walked past Yaorui Palace and couldn't help but sigh deeply.
"Sister is so beautiful, why the worried face?"
Weiyang looked up and saw a boy sitting on the steps of a mansion not far away. He was richly dressed, with bright and calm eyes, and his young pale face was exceptionally beautiful. *I've never seen such a beautiful child!*
The boy laughed: "I haven't been able to come out for fresh air in a long time. The first day I come out, I see such a beautiful sister."
"Hmph." Weiyang couldn't help but laugh—this child's mouth is really sweet.
Weiyang smiled and asked, "Whose child are you? Why are you sitting here?" While asking, she walked closer to him, and only then realized the child had injured legs, with his ankles wrapped tightly. "How did you get hurt?"
The boy smiled lightly. "I made trouble again yesterday and fell and got hurt." He pointed behind him to the three characters "Zhongbi Mansion" and said, "I live here."
Only then did Weiyang notice this mansion was the Zhongbi Mansion that everyone said few dared approach. She was shocked. *Could this child be Xia Mandu? But I've heard he's already thirteen this year—why does he look like a child of about ten?*
"Sister, what's your name?" The boy was full of innocent brightness as he took Weiyang's hand. "I've never seen you before."
Weiyang felt an inexplicable warmth and lightness around this child. "My name is Weiyang. What's yours?"
"I'm Xia Mandu." He smiled, his eyes calm and gentle.
Weiyang couldn't help but feel heartache: *So he really is that child poisoned and in critical condition. How pitiful.*
Weiyang thought of this and forced a smile, saying, "Mandu, how could you be so careless? Did the doctor examine your leg injury properly? You..." She was in the middle of speaking when a voice called out, "Young Prince!"
A woman in her twenties, pale-faced, hurried out from Zhongbi Mansion. She had an oval face with delicate eyebrows and eyes, her appearance gentle and serene, with a slender graceful figure, wearing a light yellow brocade skirt. Weiyang couldn't determine her status, but noticed she was carrying an embroidered cushion. She descended the steps, came before Weiyang, and curtsied. "This servant greets Her Majesty the Queen."
Weiyang was stunned: *Such an exquisitely beautiful woman is merely a servant?!*
Mandu widened his eyes and said to Weiyang, "So you're the Zhangzhou bride!"
"Young Prince, you cannot directly call the Great King's name!" Lanxing said, helping Mandu sit on the cushion.
Weiyang asked again, "Mandu, why aren't you resting properly in bed?"
Mandu lifted his head, smiling. "My brother is about to return. I'm waiting for him here."
Weiyang was taken aback, smiling as she sat beside Mandu. "I heard your brother won't be back for two more days."
"Zhou said he would arrive soon," Mandu's excitement brightened. "He received news about my leg injury and rushed back early."
"Look at you being so careless—you must have worried your brother terribly." Weiyang took the fragrant candied dates from Yingshan and handed them to him. "These are candied dates from Jinjing that I brought. Eat while you wait."
Mandu looked up at the servant and asked, "Lanxing Sister, may I eat?" Upon seeing her nod, he happily popped one into his mouth, then suddenly asked, "Queen Sister, why were you sighing just now?"
"Ah." Weiyang smiled. "Just a small matter."
Weiyang was chatting with Mandu when she heard hoofbeats. A man in crimson armor rode a yellow-brown horse at full speed. As he approached the mansion entrance, she could see he had arrow-shaped brows and elegant eyes, a dignified bearing, and a subtly tanned face—he was a handsome young general of heroic bearing.
He dismounted and went straight to Mandu, concern evident on his face as he called out, "Mandu!" The man was over eight chi tall, broad-shouldered and straight-backed. Despite his heavy armor, he didn't look bulky; he moved with purpose, exuding an unmistakable powerful presence.
*He must be the Supreme Commander General Xia Mancheng,* Weiyang thought.
But she heard Mandu call him "Zhongshan!" Lanxing also bowed and said, "General Cheng!"
The man approached and asked urgently, "Mandu, how serious is your injury?"
Mandu smiled. "It's nothing serious. The medicine has already been applied. The doctor said I'll be fine after resting for a month or so."
Lanxing added, "The Great King sent the finest medicines. Surely..."
"Surely what?" The man coldly swept his gaze over Lanxing. "How do you take care of the child? Actually letting Mandu get injured! Lanxing, which servant was so careless? It seems she's tired of living!"
Though his tone was calm, Lanxing dropped to her knees and pleaded, "General Cheng, if the Xia General is going to blame someone, let it be my failure!"
Mandu also tugged at him,撒娇地撒着娇："Zhongshan, I was being naughty myself. It's not their fault! You must speak up for them!"
Zhongshan picked up Mandu to comfort him. "Got it!" Lanxing kowtowed in gratitude. Zhongshan then said, "Lanxing, you have courage. I think you know Mancheng won't kill you, so you always take everything upon yourself?" Lanxing lowered her head in silence. Zhongshan paid her no mind and turned to look at Weiyang, asking, "And you are..."
Lanxing hastily said, "This is Her Majesty the Queen!"
Zhongshan was startled and started to kneel and bow, but Weiyang stopped him. "General Cheng, no need for such formality!"
Zhongshan was still holding Mandu. Upon hearing this, he indeed did not kneel and offer greetings, merely saying respectfully, "Zhongshan did not know it was Her Majesty the Queen. If there was any失礼, please do not take offense."
"No blame on the unknowing. Please don't mind, General Cheng." Weiyang smiled modestly, thinking: *I've heard he's very close to the Xia family. Since General Xia couldn't return in time, he must have sent him ahead to check on Mandu.* So she said, "The army is still on the road. I heard they won't arrive for two more days! You came back so early—I thought you were General Xia!"
Mandu burst out laughing. "He stole my brother's horse, so of course he arrived before my brother! Zhongshan, you're such a bully—you must have used force on my brother again!"
Zhongshan grinned. "I just said the horse was fast and asked to ride together with him. Since he wouldn't agree, I had no choice but to ride it myself. I wasn't being a bully. I just pulled him off!"
"How could riding two on one horse be faster?" Mandu wrapped his arms around his neck and whispered something in his ear. Weiyang couldn't hear what he said, only hearing Zhongshan laugh and scold him, "Mind your own business, old man! Heal your injury first, kid! It's wet and cold outside—get inside!"
He turned to Weiyang. "Your Majesty, please come in and sit for a while."
Weiyang was about to politely decline when she heard hoofbeats approaching again. Before the horse had even stopped, its rider had jumped down and was rushing over, shouting, "Cheng Zhongshan! You good-for-nothing bastard! I'll kill you one of these days!"
Weiyang was stunned by the sight of him: he had a delicate pointed face, pale skin set off by light eyebrows, a straight nose, and clear, deep eyes below. His crimson military uniform with golden trim made him stunningly handsome.
The man ignored Weiyang entirely, rushing over to ask urgently, "Mandu! How are you? Does it hurt?" Without waiting for Mandu's answer, he flew into a rage at Lanxing. "Which bastard doesn't want to live?" Just as he reached for his sword, Zhongshan quickly腾出手来 grabbed his wrist. "Mancheng! Don't be hasty!"
Lanxing had already fallen to her knees,哽咽道："General, this servant is guilty. It was this servant's carelessness..."
Zhongshan smiled apologetically. "Look, Lanxing has admitted her fault. Don't make a fuss! She's taken care of Mandu for so many years. You can't kill her."
Mandu also clung to his arm, tears welling up as he pleaded, "Brother, don't be angry. It's not their fault! If you kill them, I, I..." His tears fell onto his cheeks, pitiful and可怜.
Weiyang was greatly shocked: *So he's actually the Yuanliao Supreme Commander General Xia Mancheng! He's about to kill people at the slightest provocation! Truly ferocious and unreasonable!*
But she saw him hesitate, his gaze instantly softening and becoming gentle. He looked at Mandu's injury—indeed not serious—and felt relieved. He breathed out, "Alright, I hear you."
His long eyelashes, the same light brown as his brows, cast shadows over his eyes. His face was like flawless white jade, his lips fair and peaceful. Weiyang stared at him, hardly daring to believe such a beautiful man existed in this world!
He turned and discovered Weiyang. His lips didn't move, but his eyes were full of feeling.
Mandu broke into laughter through his tears and said to him, "Brother, this sister is Her Majesty the Queen!"
The two exchanged a glance. Only then did Weiyang snap back to reality. She甜甜地 smiled and said, "Long have I heard of General Xia's great reputation. Meeting you today, truly..." The words trailed off as she saw the man staring blankly at her. Weiyang's face flushed red, and she couldn't continue.
"Mancheng!" Zhongshan secretly nudged him, thinking with amusement: *This kid is being terribly rude to the Queen!*
Mancheng himself realized his impropriety and immediately knelt to bow. "Your Majesty the Queen..." The customary greetings were forgotten—he didn't know what to say.
Weiyang said, "General Xia, please rise. No need for such formality."
Mancheng stood up, and their eyes met again. He smiled, his red lips and white teeth revealing a hint of playful amusement in his eyes. Weiyang faintly heard her own heartbeat and dared not look at him, quickly lowering her head. She heard him say again, "Your Majesty, Zhongbi Mansion has few servants. We may not entertain properly. If you don't mind, please come in and sit for a while?"
Yingshan also sensed something was off with Weiyang and hurried to rescue her. "Thanks to the General's kindness, but it's already late. Her Majesty must return!"
Weiyang nodded.
"Well said," Mancheng didn't insist, saying, "Your Majesty, take care. Do visit Mandu more often when you have time." Though his words held no warmth, his voice was low and sincere.
Weiyang smiled and agreed. After saying her farewells, she turned and left. After taking a few steps, she looked back—the vermillion wooden gates had already closed.
An indescribable sense of loss surged up in her heart.
"Your Majesty..." Yingshan轻声地说. "Let's go back."
Weiyang glanced at her, feeling somewhat embarrassed. So she stepped out, slowly walking westward.
Entering Ruyi Palace, Rongxi Garden stood silently ahead. Weiyang raised her hand to shade herself from the late afternoon's golden sunlight, squinting at this home that made her feel so lonely and afraid, overwhelmed by a nameless helplessness.