“Bang!” A teacup smashed heavily onto the floor, the valuable Ru ware porcelain from the previous dynasty shattering into pieces.
“Useless! All of you are useless! You can’t even catch a single assassin. What’s the point of keeping these guards around? I might as well raise a pack of dogs!”
Fengan Marquis, Wei Jun, roared in fury, tugging at his freshly bandaged wound, which sent him collapsing back onto his bed in pain. He gasped, “And those Embroidered Uniform Guard from the Northern Surveillance Bureau*—they brag about having control over every blade of grass and tree in the capital, but when it matters—”
* secret police system under the Embroidered Uniform Guard; it was specifically tasked with surveillance, investigations, and handling criminal cases
“—Lord Marquis!” His trusted steward, Xu Yong, hurriedly interrupted, making a nervous gesture indicating that walls have ears.
In his rage, Wei Jun had spoken without care, but at the reminder, he immediately thought of Feng Que’s fearsome face and the endless wails from the depths of the imperial prison, feeling a sudden chill. He swallowed the rest of his words.
Xu Yong consoled him, “Lord Marquis, please don’t worry. Since the Commandant has agreed to this task, he won’t give up easily. Otherwise, what would become of the Northern Surveillance Bureau’s reputation? The assassin is highly skilled, and capturing him won’t be an overnight task. Perhaps in a few more days, he’ll be caught.”
Wei Jun gritted his teeth. “When he’s caught, I’ll skin him alive myself!”
“He’s just a desperate man on the run. Hardly worth dirtying your noble hands, My Lord. When the Embroidered Uniform Guard gets hold of him, the imperial prison will make him wish he were dead.”
“And that old fox Li Chengfeng! He uses his status as a senior official of two reigns to bully me every day. It’s infuriating! This old tree’s roots run deep, and it’s hard to shake him now, but we can still cut off some of his branches and make him suffer, can’t we?”
Wei Jun, still fuming, asked Xu Yong, “That disciple of his, Chancellor of the Imperial Academy Zhuo Qi, continues to let his students slander me everywhere. Hasn’t Feng Que taken care of it yet?”
Xu Yong replied, “I’ve asked. Commandant Feng said he’s entrusted the matter to a capable officer. Chancellor of the Imperial Academy is, after all, a fourth-rank official, so it must be done flawlessly. Should I grease the wheels over there again?”
Wei Jun waved dismissively. “What’s the point? Niang Niang’s favor still hasn’t been repaid! If I had extra funds, I’d rather spend it on Lan Xi.
As the chief eunuch, he serves right by the Emperor’s side. A few words here and there, even if the Emperor doesn’t care at first, he might listen over time. I’ve noticed he doesn’t see eye to eye with Li Chengfeng and the other civil officials. They seem cordial on the surface, but who knows what tricks they’re playing on each other behind the scenes. If we can get him on our side, we’d be set!”
Xu Yong nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Still furious, Wei Jun asked, “How’s the Niang Niang? When will she give birth?”
“The imperial physician said it will take more than two months.”
“May the ancestors of the Wei family bless us and grant us a son!”
***
Half a month passed, and Su Yan was finally able to get out of bed and walk a few steps. He arranged to have a Luohan bed moved into the courtyard.
In the courtyard stood an old peach tree, its delicate pink blossoms barely clinging to the branches. A gentle breeze stirred the air, and petals fell like rain, a vibrant and fading beauty.
Amidst this cascade of peach blossoms, Su Yan, with his hair down and barefoot in simple white clothes, laid on the bed, savoring the scene. He felt as if the plain tea he drank tasted like fine alcohol, and even the pain from his numerous injuries seemed to ease.
In the mood to recite some Tang or Song poetry that matched the scene, he was interrupted when Su Xiaojing ran up, breathless. “Wang—Wangye is here…”
Su Yan’s mind instantly leapt to the thought, “Close the door, release the dogs!” He struggled to get up from the Luohan bed.
But a laugh echoed from the corridor, “Stay as you are. Don’t disturb such a beautiful scene. I’ll find an artist to capture this moment later and have them paint a ‘Peach Blossom Immortal Under the Peach Tree’.”
Su Yan wiped his face with his wide sleeve, forcing away his grim expression before turning around. “Wangye honors my humble abode with your presence; it truly brightens up the place.”
Yu Wang walked over to the tree, plucked a fallen peach blossom from Su Yan’s collar, and recited, “I’ve long lamented that spring is hard to find, but I didn’t realize it had come here. Qinghe, your place truly deserves the phrase ‘a house of spring colors.’”
“While it’s a poetic name, Wangye, I dare not accept it, nor do I dare put it on my door.”
“Oh? Why?”
“If a guest were to mistakenly wander in, the donkey-like temper of my servants might have them unleash the dogs without warning, surely causing trouble.”
Yu Wang raised an eyebrow. “Qinghe, there’s a hidden meaning in your words. Surely you don’t mean to drive me away?”
Su Yan shot him a sidelong glance. “Wangye jests. My doors have always been open to you, and haven’t you come and gone as you please?”
Yu Wang sighed, “It seems I’ve offended you, Qinghe. Fortunately, I’ve brought a small gift today as an apology, so that I won’t be swept out next time.” He gestured to an attendant, who brought over a package wrapped in palace silk.
Su Yan was curious. What would this scheming Wangye give him? It couldn’t possibly be something like an erotic painting, could it?
Yu Wang set the gift on the bed and, seating himself at the edge, untied the silk to reveal a beautifully crafted Western chess set.
The board was made of black and white jade stones, polished and seamlessly fitted together. The pieces were carved into shapes of chariots, horses, and figures, with delicate details down to individual strands of hair. They stood poised and lifelike, ready for battle.
Pointing to the black pieces, Yu Wang said, “These are made of Fuping ink jade, dense in color and texture, fine in grain, as dark as ink and smooth to the touch.”
Then, pointing to the white pieces, he added, “These are made of Xinyang crystal, clear as ice, and can refract dazzling rainbows under the sun.”
Su Yan was impressed. This was a masterpiece worthy of admiration, even worthy of display in the Forbidden City.
Yu Wang, seeing Su Yan’s delight, was pleased. “When you first introduced Western chess in the Eastern Palace, it quickly became popular in the court, even catching the Emperor’s interest. So I had this set made to your specifications. Do you like it?”
Su Yan couldn’t help but pick up a crystal knight to admire it. “Exquisitely crafted, Wangye. You have refined taste.”
Yu Wang, smiling, said, “I’m glad you like it. Shall we play a few rounds?”
Su Yan, itching for a challenge, readily agreed and instructed a servant to bring over a beech-wood kang table adorned with a lotus vine pattern, setting it on the luohan bed. Injured and unable to sit upright, he placed a thick, soft cushion under his waist, leaning diagonally with one hand propping his chin as he prepared to play chess.
Yu Wang selected the black pieces, graciously allowing Su Yan the first move.
Unreserved, Su Yan advanced his king’s pawn two squares forward, initiating an aggressive opening.
Yu Wang smiled faintly, refraining from contesting the center directly. He advanced his knight’s pawn and, after Su Yan developed his knight, moved his own king’s pawn forward, paving the way for his bishop.
Su Yan hadn’t anticipated such composed responses and was delighted to find that the game had developed into one of the modern popular opening strategies—the Sicilian Defense. His interest was immediately piqued, and he focused intently.
The two exchanged moves for dozens of rounds. Su Yan furrowed his brows in thought, deeply engrossed.
Yu Wang, seizing a moment, glanced at Su Yan. His fingers, holding the chess piece, were as clear and lustrous as jade, with a faint pink hue at the tips, resembling flower petals drifting in mid-air. They were even more exquisite than the crystal chess pieces themselves. His heart stirred uncontrollably, and countless thoughts flooded his mind.
“Wangye, it’s your turn,” Su Yan prompted after a while, noticing the lack of response.
Yu Wang snapped out of his daze. “Oh, right.” He placed a piece on the board, inadvertently exposing a flaw on his king’s side.
Su Yan chuckled and seized the opportunity to counterattack. A few moves later, he successfully checkmated Yu Wang. Lifting the black king’s defeated figure, he laughed heartily. “That was exhilarating! Wangye’s skill is extraordinary. In just a short month, you’ve learned so much. At this rate, it won’t be long before I find myself defeated at your hands.”
Suddenly, Yu Wang caught Su Yan’s hand and gently rubbed his fingers in his palm. Softly, he said, “If you enjoy chess, I’ll play with you every day. As long as I can see you happy, I’ll be happy too.”
Su Yan froze for a moment and, sensing something amiss, tried to pull his hand away. But he moved too quickly, and his injury struck the edge of the bed, causing him to gasp in pain.
Yu Wang hurriedly leaned over to check on him, supporting his waist and expressing concern. But realizing that the injured man was now in his arms, he couldn’t resist any longer. The restrained desire in his heart flared up uncontrollably. Flipping Su Yan beneath him, he slid his hand inside Su Yan’s robe, kneading and caressing as he mumbled incoherently, “Qinghe, just let me touch you… I won’t do anything else… Just one kiss… Hey, don’t move! Be careful of your wound…”
Su Yan broke out in a cold sweat from the pain and bellowed angrily, “Zhu Xujing! What madness is this?! Stop this at once, or don’t blame me for being unkind!”
Yu Wang, undeterred, licked and kissed his neck, murmuring, “Don’t be unkind, my dearest. Just a little kiss…”
Furious to the point of seeing stars, Su Yan no longer cared about the consequences of defying authority. He sharply jabbed his elbow into Yu Wang’s ribs with all his strength.
Yu Wang winced in pain, letting out a muffled groan. Su Yan seized the opportunity to push him away. His hand landed on a hard object, and without hesitation, he grabbed it. Holding it in the classic “brick-swinging-for-a-headshot” pose, he aimed for Yu Wang’s head.
Yu Wang, startled by the swift shadow slicing through the air, instinctively fell backward, narrowly avoiding the strike.
The kang table crashed to the ground with a dull thud, scattering chess pieces everywhere. Clutching his sore lower back, Yu Wang shouted indignantly, “You… put that down this instant! This is insubordination!”
Su Yan, gripping the brick—no, the jade chessboard—narrowed his eyes and sneered coldly. “Whether I strike or not, I’ve already committed insubordination. Might as well go all out and settle this once and for all. My life may be worthless, but Wangye’s esteemed self won’t leave here unscathed.”
Yu Wang realized he had pushed Su Yan too far. He inwardly cursed himself, regretting his momentary loss of control that had led to this standoff.
As the tension hung in the air, his attendants, who had been stationed outside, heard the commotion. Fearing something had gone awry, they rushed in to intervene, only to find Wangye disheveled and Su Yan with his clothes askew. Misinterpreting the scene as disrupting his private affairs, they fell to their knees in terror.
Yu Wang, both embarrassed and furious, turned his ire on them. “Who told you to come in?! Barging in like this—what do you think you’re doing, you fools?!”
The attendants trembled as they prostrated themselves. “Forgive us, Wangye. We were ignorant. Please quell your anger.”
Redirecting his frustration, Yu Wang turned back to Su Yan with an awkward smile. “Apologies, Qinghe. My men acted rashly and startled you. I’ll take responsibility.”
Su Yan, understanding that Yu Wang was using this as an opportunity to de-escalate, knew he needed to give him an out. He took a deep breath and replied, “Wangye, you overestimate the situation. I was merely groggy from sleep, speaking nonsense without realizing it. I hope Wangye won’t take offense.”
Relieved, Yu Wang nodded quickly. “No offense, no offense. If you’re tired, Qinghe, rest well.”
He adjusted the ornate gold crown adorned with jewels on his head, straightened his posture, and walked a few steps toward the door. Pausing, he turned back. “You’ve grown thinner while recovering. I’ll have someone send over some nourishing supplements. Don’t refuse them.”
Su Yan pulled his clothes back into place, his expression calm. “Thank you for Wangye’s kindness.”
The courtyard soon fell silent. The wind stirred the crimson petals, scattering them soundlessly to the ground, where they settled into the dust.
Su Yan shifted his waist slowly, wincing as the soft, thick cushion beneath him jabbed uncomfortably. Nudging the fallen chess pieces with the toe of his boot, he lazily called out, “Xiaojing, clean this up and put it away in the cabinet.”
“What… what treasures are these!” Xiaojing exclaimed in awe and regret as he carefully gathered the chess pieces from the dirt. Cradling the chessboard and pieces like priceless relics, he steadily carried them into the house.
“They’re not treasures—just tokens of ill intent,” Su Yan muttered, flipping onto his side with a sigh, preparing to sleep.
Suddenly, a sharp, cold voice pierced the stillness. “If there’s someone you’d rather not see, come to me for a deal. The first time is free of charge.”
Su Yan tilted his head slightly, glancing at the shadow inside the window frame. Smiling wryly, he said, “Today’s really been a mess. But let’s forget the deal—he’s annoying, sure, but I’m not mad enough to want him dead. And I wouldn’t want you to take any risks.”
The voice vanished as if it had never been there.
