Third day of the New Year.
Shen Qi arrived on horseback at the Su residence, dismounted, and knocked on the door.
After a while, Su Xiaobei answered, but didn’t invite him in. Shen Qi gestured politely for him to step aside, but Su Xiaobei stood in the doorway like a lamp post, unmoving.
“Lord Su isn’t home? Where did he go?” Shen Qi asked.
Su Xiaobei replied, “The lord is at home. Doing nothing much. Reading miscellaneous books.”
“Then why not let me in? Just report that Qilang is here.”
Su Xiaobei gave a strange little smile. “The lord left instructions earlier: if Shen Tongzhi comes, tell him—‘Even if Erlang Shen himself comes, he shall not be allowed in.’ So, Lord Shen, feel free to do as you like.”
He was about to close the door when Shen Qi blocked it with his arm. “Your lord isn’t working on the case anymore?”
“Oh, he is. But cases are to be worked on at the yamen. He also said, if Shen Tongzhi inquires about the case, just tell him: ‘Go home, get a few nights of good sleep. When the time is right, the case will solve itself.’”
With that, Su Xiaobei pushed Shen Qi’s arm away and bolted the door.
Shen Qi, rebuffed, furrowed his brow in thought and slowly stepped down the stairs. He rode to the alley behind the Su residence and blew a short, sharp whistle.
Not long after, a shadowy figure emerged from under the eaves, leaping down from the wall and cupping his fists in greeting: “My lord.”
It was the Embroidered Uniform Guard scout, Gao Shuo.
Shen Qi dismounted and asked, “What happened yesterday? Any unusual activity at the Su residence?”
Gao Shuo replied, “Lord Su was summoned to the palace to see His Majesty. He entered around early afternoon and didn’t leave until the end of the evening hours. Rumor is, His Majesty kept him for dinner.”
“I already know that. What else?”
“His Majesty assigned four imperial guards to temporarily serve as his protectors. They’re currently stationed in the front courtyard of the Su residence.”
“I know that too.”
“There’s nothing else. The Su residence was very quiet last night. Since you ordered us to only report unusual activity and not to constantly monitor Lord Su, I didn’t keep eyes on him the entire time.”
Shen Qi nodded and began pondering Su Xiaobei’s earlier words.
“Did something happen?” Gao Shuo had rarely seen his superior look so troubled. He couldn’t help but ask.
Shen Qi mulled over the meaning behind those words and gave a faint, cold smile. “No wonder he won’t see me. He’s trying to avoid suspicion.”
“Avoid suspicion? Of what?” Gao Shuo was confused. “Everything was fine before yesterday, right? You even had New Year’s Eve dinner at the Su residence—”
Shen Qi raised his hand to stop him from continuing.
“He already explained the reason through the mouth of his servant.”
“What reason? I was eavesdropping from the wall just now and didn’t hear any reason.”
“‘Even if Erlang Shen comes, he shall not be allowed in’—Erlang. Shen. Not allowed in.” Shen Qi’s face grew cold. “Isn’t it obvious? His Majesty is watching both of us. The imperial guards are stationed right in the front courtyard, so he can’t say anything outright. He’s hinting at me with that line.”
Only now did Gao Shuo realize: among the late emperor’s many sons, the current emperor was indeed the second. Calling the emperor a “god” wasn’t much of a stretch.
He knew perfectly well about the private relationship between Shen Qi and Lord Su. He was shocked. “His Majesty knows?”
Thinking further, he suddenly understood. “Makes sense. The commanding officer’s seat is still vacant, and you, my lord, now hold real power within the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Lord Su is His Majesty’s favored scholar-official. A civil official getting too close to the Embroidered Uniform Guard… for the emperor, that’s indeed taboo.”
Shen Qi murmured, “What I’m worried about isn’t just that… When Feng Que got too close to the Wei family, he also crossed a line, but His Majesty wasn’t nearly this tense. He didn’t send people to watch day and night.”
“Maybe it’s because His Majesty values Lord Su more than most, and wants to entrust him with greater responsibility in the future. So he’s more careful, always correcting his course?” Gao Shuo reasoned, as far as he could.
“It’s not just about keeping him on the right path. It’s about completely ensnaring him.” Shen Qi’s face seemed a bit paler, his lips tinged a dark, bloody red. “Looks like what Yu Wang said back then wasn’t wrong after all.”
“Yu Wang? What does this have to do with Yu Wang?” Gao Shuo was puzzled.
At the Hongmen Banquet, Yu Wang’s bitter and resentful words still echoed in his ears:
“So what if you’re hostile to me? In royal brother’s eyes, both you and I are jokes. Right now, he’s just gotten his hands on him, and due to political pressure, had to demote and exile him—he doesn’t even have time to deal with us. But once he gets him back and transfers him back to the capital, it’ll be like a starving tiger guarding its food. You think you’ll even have a chance to get close? Wake up, Shen Qilang. Don’t even think about monopolizing him—soon you won’t even be able to see him in private!”
“A starving tiger guarding its food—he really hit the nail on the head.” Shen Qi clenched his teeth, his face dark with anger. The calm demeanor he had cultivated recently from having his wish fulfilled now fell away like a painted mask on a demon, dissipating into thin air.
Gao Shuo didn’t dare make a sound. He tried to piece together the complex web of relationships between all the involved parties in his mind, but the more he tried, the more tangled it became. In the end, he gave up.
Shen Qi took a deep breath to suppress the demonic energy stirring restlessly within him and said, “But Qinghe still gave me a time and place to meet.”
Wait, did he? Gao Shuo began to doubt whether his memory was failing him.
“Two days from now, at the Northern Surveillance Bureau. And he’s also obtained a key lead in the Court of Diplomatic Rites case. Everything will become clear then.”
Having said this, Shen Qi mounted his horse and instructed, “Continue your surveillance nearby, but be careful not to be discovered by the imperial guards. Report to me immediately if there’s any movement.”
“Yes, my lord.” Gao Shuo cupped his fists and then leapt away, disappearing into the maze of rooftops.
Shen Qi exited the alley and rode through the bustling streets, always feeling like there were eyes watching him from the shadows. Without turning his head, he kept moving forward on horseback and, upon returning home, didn’t step outside again for two full days.
Meanwhile, Su Yan also refrained from dealing with official matters these two days. When he wasn’t sleeping, he was out strolling, shopping, eating, and drinking. He received a thick stack of New Year greeting cards from colleagues and responded to each one in turn.
He also prepared several New Year gifts. The most lavish among them was sent to his nominal “grandmaster,” Gelao Li Chengfeng.
Other familiar officials, like Top Scholar Cui from the Hanlin Academy, Imperial Censor Jia from the Censorate, and Tian Siqing from the Dali Temple, all received gifts. Even the famed courtesan Ruan Hongjiao was not forgotten; though they’d only been acquainted for half a year, Su Yan had his servant deliver a New Year gift to her in Rouge Alley.
Ruan Hongjiao was used to receiving jewelry, silver, and hair ornaments from noble patrons, but this was the first time she had ever received a proper and respectable New Year gift.
Curious, she opened the parcel and found it packed according to the standards of gifts exchanged between siblings in a respectable household. It even included a handwritten note explaining that he had been assigned to Shaanxi for over half a year—not because his status had gone to his head, making him reluctant to see her. Now that he was back in the capital for the New Year, he was busy with official duties, but promised to visit when he had time.
Every word was sincere—neither perfunctory nor flirtatious. He treated her like a friend or relative with whom he got along.
Clutching a box of humble peanuts, dried dates, and longan, Ruan Hongjiao’s eyes filled with tears. She said to Su Xiaobei, “Your lord… really isn’t like most men.”
Su Xiaobei understood and smiled. “Indeed. Even us two servants never feel like servants around him—he spoils us too much.”
Ruan Hongjiao shyly dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. “I thought once he rose to power, he’d… well, no need for sentimental words. I know my place. Today I may be surrounded by admirers, but tomorrow, when I’ve aged and lost my looks, there’ll be no one at my door. I never expected anything. But Lord Su’s sincerity—I’ll remember it for the rest of my life. He’s never looked down on me, never acted lewd, never said sweet nothings while harboring contempt.”
She went into the kitchen herself, picked out some dried delicacies—mushrooms, pine nuts, seaweed, tangerines, olives, milk cakes—wrapped them in oiled paper and tied them into two bundles, handing them to Su Xiaobei as a return gift.
“Don’t laugh at me,” she said with a blush. “I’ve given men flowers, wine cups, even my own undergarments. But I’ve never given a gift this earthy. Feels like something a proper housewife would send.”
She added, “Tell Lord Su that if it’s inconvenient, he shouldn’t come here anymore. This place isn’t good for his reputation. But I’ll always remember his kindness.”
Su Xiaobei brought the oiled-paper packages home and handed them straight to Su Yan. “Here, Lord, I’ve collected one of your romantic debts.”
Su Yan chuckled. “What a strange way to put it. I sent a simple New Year gift—you don’t need to worry whether she’s the top courtesan or the queen of courtesans.”
Su Xiaobei replied, “Miss Ruan is quite sensible. She asked the Lord not to visit again—it’s unbecoming for an official, especially with the current imperial edict against patronizing brothels.”
Su Yan knocked his head lightly. “Got it, little steward. I’ve just gotten out from under Ah Zhui’s jealous thumb and was hoping for a few days of peace—now here you are nagging me again.”
Su Xiaobei rubbed his forehead and silently thought: Steward is fine, but must he add ‘little’? Does he think I’m too childish? No—if I want to manage this household well, I must appear more mature.
—
At dawn on the sixth day of the new year, Shen Qi left home and rode straight to the Northern Surveillance Bureau.
By the hour of Chen, the Su family’s carriage arrived at the gate. Su Yan stepped down and, escorted by four imperial guards, entered the main hall.
With a warm smile, he cupped his hands toward Shen Qi. “Greetings, Lord Tongzhi. Happy New Year.”
Shen Qi returned the gesture. “Happy New Year to Lord Su.”
The two men took their seats as host and guest and drank two cups of tea in the hall. Of the four guards, two stood in the outer corridor, and two stood silently behind Su Yan—expressionless, like four heavenly guardians at the gates of the heavens.
Shen Qi ignored their presence and asked Su Yan, “In the Court of Diplomatic Rites case, the killer remains unknown. Lord Su, you spoke of waiting for the right moment when the case would unravel easily—does that mean you’ve now discovered the truth?”
Su Yan picked a candied fruit from the tea tray, found it pleasantly sweet and crisp, then picked another. As he chewed, he said, “Let’s set that case aside for now. I came to the Northern Surveillance Bureau today because I want to see two prisoners in the imperial prison.”
“Who?”
“Yan Chengxue and Huo Dun.”
Shen Qi stood up and said, “Lord Su, please follow me.”
When they reached the entrance of the imperial prison corridor, the four guards were still following Su Yan. Shen Qi extended his hand to block them. “This is a heavily guarded area. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed inside.”
One of the guards replied, “We are imperial guards, not unauthorized personnel.”
Shen Qi said, “The imperial prison holds extremely important prisoners. His Majesty has already decreed that unless it’s officials involved in the case or relevant personnel, no one is allowed inside.”
The guard refused to back down. “His Majesty also gave verbal instructions that we are not to leave Lord Su’s side even for a moment. We must ensure his absolute safety.”
Shen Qi’s expression turned cold. “Are you implying that the Embroidered Uniform Guard of the Northern Surveillance Bureau are unreliable and cannot ensure Lord Su’s safety?”
Su Yan chuckled, “Not leaving my side seems a bit much, doesn’t it? What, are you going to watch me sleep, bathe, and relieve myself too?”
The guards quickly cupped their fists in apology. “We wouldn’t dare! We spoke out of turn. Please forgive us, Lord Su.”
Su Yan said, “Since we’re on someone else’s turf, let’s not break their rules. You all wait here at the entrance. I’ll just ask a few questions and be right back—it won’t take long.”
The guards hesitated. After all, after issuing that order, the emperor had added, ‘If Su Shaoqing strongly resists, do not force it. Avoid angering him. Follow his instructions and report back to me later.’
So the lead guard lowered his head and said, “Everything as Lord Su commands. We’ll wait here. If you need anything, just send someone out to notify us.”
Su Yan nodded. “Much appreciated. I’ll treat you all to a good meal later,” he said as he followed Shen Qi into the prison.
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…can the starving tiger perhaps guard his food a *little* less closely?