Chapter 6: Cloud-Patterned Shoes and a Slower Pace

The evening light was falling, one walking ahead, one following behind. The distance between them held steady at the ten zhang Fuheng had set according to palace protocol.

I trailed along behind, finding it amusing at first, but after a while I began to feel it wearing on me, since the man ahead had such long strides.

I had to hurry my steps constantly just to avoid falling behind. Unable to hold back any longer, I called out.

"Lord Fuheng, slow down a little. Your legs are so long, one step of yours is worth ten of mine trying to keep up."

Fuheng, walking ahead, stopped in his tracks the instant he heard this. He turned his head, his gaze dropping to the small embroidered shoes on my feet.

Indeed, I'd been hurrying just to maintain that ten zhang distance. He stayed silent for a few seconds, then without another word, quietly slowed his pace.

His long, decisive strides eased noticeably. The distance between us stayed exactly the same as before. But now I no longer had to practically run to keep up, and my breathing came much easier.

A little further on, Triệu Vân, standing at the barracks gate watching the scene, couldn't help but laugh, nudging the companion beside him.

"Hey. You see that?"

The other man asked in confusion what he meant. Triệu Vân chuckled softly, his voice full of rare wonder.

"After all these years... first time I've ever seen Lord Fuheng walk slow."

The man beside him stared blankly, watching Fuheng's retreating figure. Sure enough, the guard famous throughout the barracks for his brisk pace was today walking unusually unhurried.

Fuheng seemed to sense the eyes on his back and said quietly, his tone still even.

"It's not that I'm walking fast. It's that you're walking too slow."

But this time, the voice held none of its usual coldness, just a light remark. Almost as if he were teasing me back a little.

Hearing this, I pouted, unwilling to let it slide. I planted my hands on my hips and spoke up indignantly.

"I'm walking slow, so speak like a normal person for once. Try wearing these stilts and see how you like it."

I looked down at the cloud-patterned shoes on my feet, continuing to complain.

"I've been walking two years now and I'm still not steady in these. Keeping your pace just now was already quite an achievement. Any faster and I'd have twisted my ankle."

I lifted my head and looked straight at him, adding one more teasing remark.

"Could you even carry me if that happened? If I twist my ankle, you'll have to carry me on your back until it heals."

The moment the words left my mouth, the path fell silent for a few beats. Fuheng looked at me, then down at the cloud-patterned shoes on my feet. A flicker of something faint and reluctant crossed his eyes, barely noticeable.

He answered slowly, his tone extremely firm.

"I will not carry you."

Before I could react, he continued.

"If you truly twist your ankle, I'll call the imperial physician. Or have someone else escort you back. That would be more proper."

Having said this, he looked at my shoes once more, his tone considerably gentler this time.

"That was my oversight. I forgot palace maids wear these shoes."

He turned and walked on, his pace now much slower than before, almost like someone out for a leisurely stroll. After a few steps, without turning back, he simply said.

"This time... can you keep up?"

I followed behind, unable to stop the corner of my mouth from curving up slightly. Though I kept up an air of indignation on the outside, inside I felt rather pleased.

Privately thinking that this cold, stern lord apparently knew how to give ground after all.

Behind them, a patrolling guard happened to catch sight of the scene. He rubbed his eyes and murmured to his companion, wondering if he was seeing things.

That Lord Fuheng was slowing his pace to wait for someone else. The two of them exchanged a glance and, wisely, pretended to have seen nothing, continuing on with their patrol.

The road stretched on, one walking ahead, one behind. But for the first time since they'd known each other, there had been such light, teasing words exchanged between them.

After walking a while longer, I began to feel my legs aching terribly and let out a complaint.

"Lord Fuheng... how come the way there never felt this far, but the way back feels endless... I've been walking forever and haven't gotten there yet, I'm really too tired to go on."

With that, I simply sat myself down right in the middle of the bluestone path, no longer caring about appearances at all, only aware of how utterly worn out my legs had become.

Fuheng, ahead of me, heard the odd sound and turned his head, and at the sight before him, couldn't help but freeze for a moment.