Su Yan was caught by his personal guard while being intimate with his good brother. No matter how thick-skinned he was, he couldn’t quite bear it. He hurriedly lowered his head, slipped out from under Shen Qi’s arm, stood up and stretched his back, pretending nothing had happened as he said, “Ah Zhui, you’re back! How was it, was the journey hard? Did the investigation go smoothly?”
Under Shen Qi’s murderous gaze, Jinghong Zhui spoke calmly: “It was alright. Those Embroidered Uniform Guards did indeed die from snake venom. It’s somewhat weaker than the Red-Crowned Silver-Ring poison used by Mister He back then, but it can be confirmed that it’s of a similar type.”
“From the looks of it, it’s undoubtedly Mister He pulling tricks behind the scenes again. The Void Sect really has made a comeback.” Su Yan rested his chin on his fist and pondered. “The popular support foundation of the Void Sect has already been mostly destroyed, yet it can still incite some followers to spread demon books, truly like a centipede that does not stiffen even after death. As the saying goes, strike the snake at its seven inches. While we reverse public opinion and compete for the people’s support, we must also capture Mister He and the player behind him. Only when those two are brought to justice will the internal crisis of Great Ming truly be resolved.”
Shen Qi said, “The followers captured in the Demon Book case will continue to be strictly interrogated by the Northern Surveillance Bureau to see if any information about Mister He can be obtained. Bandit, what else did you find on your end? It can’t be just snake venom, can it?”
Ignoring his provocation, Jinghong Zhui continued to Su Yan, “There’s another clue. When I investigated the underground printing workshop where the Embroidered Uniform Guards died, I traced along the faint traces left by the snake handler and discovered they had once gathered in an alley in the eastern part of the outer city. There’s a large residence there. According to nearby residents, the owner is old and sickly, with no descendants, living off ancestral property. The gates are tightly shut even in broad daylight, but there are strange movements at night, for example, shadows flashing over the walls, and people knocking on the door late at night. I think there’s something suspicious about the owner of that residence.”
A large residence in the eastern outer city? Shen Qi slightly narrowed his eyes, as if connecting it to something.
Su Yan also found it strange and was about to ask further about the residence, when Shen Qi said, “Let’s have dinner first, Qinghe must be starving.”
Jinghong Zhui stopped discussing official matters and urged Su Yan to go to the dining hall.
Dinner had already been set. The three of them chatted intermittently while eating.
Su Yan had missed lunch while busy at the office, and now he was ravenous. Accidentally overeating, he had to carry a pot of digestive tea to stroll in the back garden. Jinghong Zhui was about to follow when Shen Qi, without a word, extended the hilt of his blade to block him.
“What is it, want to fight?” Jinghong Zhui’s cold tone carried a hint of eagerness.
Shen Qi glanced toward the corridor outside the door. Su Yan had already walked far away, completely out of sight. He then pulled out a map of the capital from his sleeve, shook it open, and pointed with the hilt at a red-circled spot: “The large residence in the eastern outer city you mentioned, is it here?”
Jinghong Zhui’s gaze swept over it, then fixed. He turned to Shen Qi: “You also traced it to this place?”
Shen Qi: “Not only did I trace it here, I also discovered that among the people secretly entering and leaving this residence, there is someone you would not expect.”
Jinghong Zhui: “Who?”
Shen Qi: “Su Xiaojing.”
Jinghong Zhui froze: “You… misjudged? Or are you taking a private grudge?”
Shen Qi sneered, disdaining to argue.
Seeing him like this, Jinghong Zhui instead believed it somewhat and frowned: “You’d better have solid evidence. Otherwise… my lord will be very distressed. Xiaobei and Xiaojing, he treats them like his own younger brothers.”
Shen Qi said, “Not yet. I need to cast a long line to catch a big fish.”
“Then don’t tell my lord yet!” Jinghong Zhui said immediately. “Wait until everything is clear before speaking, to avoid harming the innocent. I’ll also keep an eye on Xiaojing and not let him get too close to my lord, better safe than sorry.”
Shen Qi quite agreed inwardly, but his face still showed no good expression. He was annoyed that the other had returned at the wrong time, embarrassing Su Yan, tonight’s good opportunity would likely be ruined.
He was unhappy, and Jinghong Zhui became happy. A faint trace of a smile appeared at the corner of his lips: “The meal is finished, aren’t you going back to the Northern Surveillance Bureau to continue investigating? I’ll stand watch for my lord tonight, you can rest easy.”
From his gloomy expression, Shen Qi suddenly revealed a trace of ill intent, speaking in a low voice: “Tonight I’ll search Su Xiaojing’s room. And you, you’ll infiltrate that residence in the eastern outer city and probe the master’s background.”
Jinghong Zhui countered, “Since when is it your turn to give orders? Do you take me for one of your Embroidered Uniform Guards?”
Shen Qi: “Then how would you arrange it? Let me see if it’s reasonable. I’ll say this first, investigation is the strong suit of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; qinggong is not. If things go wrong, at worst it will alert the enemy, but we can still escape.”
Jinghong Zhui: “…I’ll infiltrate that residence to investigate, and you’ll search Xiaojing’s room.”
Shen Qi tapped his shoulder with the hilt of his blade, turned with a half-smile, and left to accompany Su Yan on his walk in the back garden.
Jinghong Zhui crossed his arms over his sword and cursed coldly, “Dog!”
***
“Little master… little master…”
Su Xiaojing, half-asleep, opened his eyes at the call. Pushing away a pair of jade-like arms lying across his chest, he abruptly sat up, hastily dressed, got out of bed, and opened the door.
Fan Momo bowed outside and said in a low voice, “Little master, someone has come from Ning Wang’s side!”
“Ning Wang… my uncle? What is his reaction?” Su Xiaojing felt somewhat nervous.
Fan Momo said, “Rest assured. This old servant wrote everything in detail in the letter, and also sent along the swaddling cloth and longevity lock left by Xin Wangfei, and had it delivered through connections to Ning Wang’s residence in Henan. Once Ning Wang sees them, he will surely believe the little master’s identity. And indeed, a reply has come. From the messenger’s tone, Ning Wang is also very excited!”
The stone in Su Xiaojing’s heart half fell away. He smiled and said, “If Uncle is willing to acknowledge me, that would be best. At least from now on, I will have true family, and no longer be a lowly servant without Father or mother.”
Fan Momo comforted him a few more words, then brought him to meet the messenger.
The messenger sent by Ning Wang was an old servant who had once served at Xin Wang’s side for many years and later, after falling into hardship, went to seek refuge with Ning Wang. After seeing Su Xiaojing, the messenger examined him repeatedly, and finally affirmed, “He resembles Xin Wang, and also resembles Madam Liu, most likely he truly is the heir!”
The other half of the stone in Su Xiaojing’s heart also fell to the ground. He repeatedly savored the weight and taste of the word “heir,” and found it more and more endlessly lingering.
He suddenly thought that if Xin Wang’s residence had not suffered that calamity back then, then as an illegitimate son born of a concubine, he would never have had the possibility of becoming the heir apparent, perhaps he would not even have had a formal status. In that case, that calamity was not entirely bad after all.
The messenger brought Ning Wang’s reply, as well as quite a lot of gold, silver, and banknotes. Seeing that Ning Wang’s letter was elegantly written and gentle in tone, full of remembrance for his elder brother and concern for his nephew, Su Xiaojing seemed to see before him the image of a refined young gentleman, and could not help but be moved to tears.
At the end of the letter, Ning Wang invited him to Henan, saying he would never treat his elder brother’s only bloodline poorly. As it happened, he himself had no children, and would surely treat him as his own son.
The nephew and adopted son of a reigning prince! This was an identity Su Xiaojing had never even dared to imagine before. But at this moment, because of what Fan Momo had said, a new desire began to grow in him,
“Emperor Jinglong is a b*stard; his son, the current Qinghe Emperor, is naturally also a b*stard. And you, little master, you are the legitimate imperial bloodline! Don’t forget, your Father, Xin Wang, was the eldest son of Emperor Xianzhu. If Zhu Jintang had not usurped the throne, the one who should have become emperor would have been him!”
“Your Father is Xin Wang, Zhu Tanli, the true late emperor. You have only one paternal uncle, Ning Wang Zhu Tanluo, who shares the same mother as your Father. And you, little master, on the night when Xin Wangfei sent you and your mother away, she personally gave you a name, Zhu Xian.”
“Zhu Xian, that is the true Son of Heaven of the present dynasty.”
An illegitimate son of a disgraced prince, an adopted son of an idle feudal lord, or the reigning Son of Heaven who would set things right, which future was more tempting? It went without saying.
Su Xiaojing’s heart was in turmoil, like a gambler who had staked everything. At one moment, he thought of stopping while ahead; at another, he steeled himself to gamble everything; at another, guilt arose, feeling that he had betrayed the family with whom he had shared fortune and misfortune.
The messenger went to the side room to rest and eat. Taking the opportunity, Fan Momo asked Su Xiaojing, “What does the little master himself think? What plans do you have for the future?”
Su Xiaojing hesitated for a long while, then said awkwardly, “I… I’m not very sure either… but at least… as a son, if I don’t try to clear my biological Father’s name, it would be hard to justify…”
Fan Momo knew his heart had been moved. A faint smile lingered at the corner of her lips as she said, “No matter what decision the little master makes, this old servant’s half-buried body will follow to the death. How about this, please have little master dictate, and this old servant will write a reply to Ning Wang. If Ning Wang knows there is hope for clearing his elder brother’s name, he will surely support little master with all his strength.”
Su Xiaojing suddenly asked, “Does Uncle know about that matter?”
“Which matter?”
“The matter that the late emperor… is not of Emperor Xianzhu’s bloodline.”
A sharp light suddenly shone in Fan Momo’s lowered eyes: “Ning Wang certainly knows! But firstly, he suffers from chronic illness; secondly, by nature he is a gentleman, not someone who delights in contending for power. With Xin Wang’s extermination already a settled fact, this old servant guesses that even if he has been dissatisfied with Emperor Jinglong these past ten-odd years, he would not be willing to commit treason against his ruler.”
“Then Uncle…” Su Xiaojing hesitated again.
Fan Momo seemed to guess his thoughts and added, “But with the little master alive, it is different. Xin Wang left behind a son, Ning Wang would be as if he himself had offspring. Perhaps for his elder brother, and for you, he may do something astonishing.”
A sense of unease and itching stirred in Su Xiaojing’s heart, as several thoughts tugged back and forth in his mind:
Go to Henan to seek refuge with Ning Wang, and become an adopted son of a feudal prince, living a life of ease…
Remain in the capital, build his own power, and risk his life to clear his Father’s name…
Or forget it, return to Lord Su’s side, and treat all this as nothing more than a dream…
Unable to decide, he paced back and forth in the room, biting all ten fingertips raw. Unable to bear seeing him so troubled, Fan Momo advised, “If little master truly finds it difficult, this old servant believes that the spirits of the prince and princess in heaven would not wish little master to take risks… in any case, being alive is what matters.”
“Being alive is what matters”, these words shook Su Xiaojing to his core. He suddenly raised his face and shouted at Fan Momo, “What do you mean ‘being alive is what matters’! Yes, I survived, from the uncertainty of life in my mother’s womb, to enduring hunger as a child, to being bought and sold without any dignity, I struggled to survive! And what of it? I live worse than a guard dog in a wealthy household! Momo, I tell you, I will not go back to living under others’ roofs, whether in the Su residence or the Ning Wang residence. I want to take back everything that should belong to me!”
Fan Momo’s expression grew excited as she said, “Little master truly resembles Xin Wang, ambitious and broad-minded. This old servant did not misjudge! Since you have made up your mind, then step forward bit by bit, using every force that can be used to achieve your goal.”
“What should I do now?” Su Xiaojing asked.
Fan Momo countered, “Has little master heard of the Void Sect?”
Su Xiaojing replied instinctively, “A scam cult?”
Fan Momo: “……”
Fan Momo: “Back then, the Fragrance Master truly did help Taizu Emperor ascend the dragon throne. Now that they want to become the state religion, they must once again send a suitable person to the throne.”
Su Xiaojing: “Taizu Emperor… state religion… this is a transaction?”
Fan Momo: “This is mutual benefit. Besides, after the Taizu Emperor ascended the throne, didn’t he do as he pleased? Borrowing power does not necessarily mean it must be repaid.”
Su Xiaojing seemed to realize something and nodded silently: “I’ll think it over some more… Momo, are you a member of the Void Sect? But if you’re an ordinary follower, you probably wouldn’t be able to speak to the sect leader.”
Fan Momo said in a low voice, “Little master, please allow me to explain. This old servant did not dare speak plainly before, not out of intent to deceive, but for fear that little master would be influenced by preconceived notions and think of the Void Sect as an evil cult. In truth, it is a founding contributor. This old servant happens to be a local leader, introducing little master to the sect leader is something I can accomplish.”
“The leader of the Void Sect… Mister He.” Su Xiaojing had heard this name many times from Su Yan before. But then, they had shared a common hatred; now, he harbored hidden expectations, and his feelings were completely different.
He sank in this contradictory and displaced emotion for a long time. At last, he let out a long breath and said word by word: “Mister… He.”
***
“Do you know how to play chess?” In the quiet room, a man in white, his hair loose, knelt on a cushion by the window. Before him was a low table with a chessboard set upon it. As if he had calculated the moment his guest would appear at the door, he asked without turning his head.
Su Xiaojing looked at his back, as though pricked by something overly bright, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Lowering his gaze, he answered, “No. No one ever taught me.”
“Does your master Su Yan know how? He never taught you?”
“My former master.” Su Xiaojing corrected immediately, then added, “Lord Su probably does, but I rarely saw him play Go at home. The few times I did see him play, it was Western chess.”
The man in white placed a piece and sighed, “He doesn’t play much, what a pity. If he were willing to put his mind to it, he would surely become a master.”
“Does whether I know how to play chess have anything to do with what we’re about to discuss?” A sudden surge of courage rose in Su Xiaojing, and he countered.
The man in white chuckled lightly. “Of course not. Just asking casually. I love the game of hand-talk, but my chess companions are not here. It has been long since I’ve had an opponent, and my hands itch for a match.”
He rose from the cushion, straightened his collar and sleeves, then turned and gave a slight cupped-hands salute. “I believe Young Master Su has already heard of me, but I should still formally introduce myself, I am the current leader of the Void Sect, known as ‘Mister He.’”
Su Xiaojing returned the salute. “I’m not some Young Master Su, and my name isn’t Xiaojing. My name is Zhu Xian.”
“A pleasure, a pleasure, Your Highness Xin Wang Shizi.” Mister He smiled. “Has Your Highness truly made up his mind to become Su Yan’s enemy?”
Su Xiaojing said, “I never intended to be his enemy. I just don’t want to keep trailing behind him and looking up at him all the time. And I want to take back what should rightfully belong to me, everything!”
“Good,” Mister He replied. “We each take what we need.”
***
The night was deep. In the front courtyard of the Liu residence in the eastern outer city, a lantern illuminated a small stretch of stone path ahead. Uneasy, Su Xiaojing asked, “Momo, did I show any weakness just now?”
Fan Momo immediately replied, “No. Little master spoke very well with the sect leader. Next, just follow the sect leader’s plan. He is a master at strategy and planning. Once little master has done what he ought to do, he can simply sit and wait to reap the results.”
Still feeling somewhat unsettled, Su Xiaojing chose to ignore it and said as he walked, “He wants me to return to Lord Su’s side, but I just feel…”
Fan Momo said, “Before troops move, provisions must go first; before provisions move, intelligence must go first. Whether we can strip the Qinghe Emperor of his ‘legitimate’ status, this battle is of utmost importance.”
Su Xiaojing fell silent for a moment, then nodded. “Very well. I’ll go back tomorrow morning.”
The lamplight and footsteps disappeared into the room.
On the pitch-dark eaves, a ghostlike figure appeared, it was Jinghong Zhui in night attire, but he quickly melted back into the darkness.
Inside the main residence of the Su household, Shen Qi had just finished bathing. Wearing sleep robes, he sat at the edge of the bed, looking down at Su Yan’s sleeping face, and could not help but smile faintly. Just as he was about to lower his head and lean closer, the window opened soundlessly. A gust of night wind swept through the room, and suddenly there was an extra figure by the bed.
Shen Qi lifted his head with a livid expression, casting a predatory glare at the uninvited guest who had once again ruined his moment.
Jinghong Zhui said calmly, “Su Xiaojing met with Mister He tonight. He will return tomorrow morning.”
Shen Qi said, “He still has the nerve to come back, what, to be a spy?”
Jinghong Zhui: “I will watch his every move. When he meets Mister He again, we’ll capture them all in one net.”
Shen Qi: “Without a more important ‘player,’ it doesn’t count as catching them all in one net.”
Jinghong Zhui: “What other tricks do you have?”
Shen Qi: “It’s called a strategy, have you ever studied?”
Jinghong Zhui: “No.”
Shen Qi: “…Bandit! Once we figure out Su Xiaojing’s value, let them use him first. Let everything collapse at the moment they think they’ve succeeded, nothing drives people mad more than the frustration of failure at the last step, making them act recklessly to salvage it.”
Jinghong Zhui: “All nonsense. How exactly does it collapse?”
Shen Qi said coldly, “Why should I tell you? Get out of my and Qinghe’s bedroom.”
“Per-son-al guard,” Jinghong Zhui said slowly, word by word. “Personally appointed by Lord Su. Explain, you who have studied, what does ‘personal’ mean?”
Shen Qi: “…Get out! Or I’ll take your life!”
Jinghong Zhui: “How?”
His voice got a bit louder. Su Yan turned over in his sleep, hugging the blanket and facing outward, mumbling unconsciously, “Qilang… Ah Zhui… don’t fight… eat hot pot…”
Even in his dreams, it was the three of them eating hot pot.
The two men by the bed suddenly felt a sense of helplessness. No matter how fiercely they fought, in Su Yan’s dreams they would still be pressed together, forced to eat hot pot in harmony. It was… enough to sap any desire to keep fighting.
Shen Qi decided to ignore Jinghong Zhui. Supporting himself on the bedframe, he leapt up onto the bed and slipped into Su Yan’s covers.
Jinghong Zhui immediately reached to grab his arm, intending to yank him up and throw him out. But at that moment, sensing the warmth behind him, Su Yan instinctively turned over again and wrapped his arms around Shen Qi’s arm.
Now it was impossible to pull him away by force. Lord Su was sleeping so deeply, he must be utterly exhausted. How could they bear to wake him…
Jinghong Zhui stood silent for a moment, then abruptly turned and left the bedside.
Shen Qi let out a silent scoff, pulled Su Yan into his arms, inhaled the scent of his hair, and closed his eyes.
Moments later, he suddenly opened them again, only to see that Jinghong Zhui had changed out of his night clothes and was now also wearing sleep robes, sitting on the outer side of the bed.
“It seems you really want to die,” Shen Qi said through gritted teeth, not forgetting to lower his voice as his hand moved toward a spare dagger hidden beneath the pillow.
Su Yan rolled further inward, leaving quite a bit of space by the edge of the bed. Jinghong Zhui naturally lay down and made a gesture of tapping his forehead with his finger toward Shen Qi, meaning “watch out for a sword through the heart.”
Shen Qi gripped the dagger, about to draw it, when Su Yan mumbled again, “Your Majesty… my legs are numb… really can’t, young master…”
The dagger froze beneath the pillow. Shen Qi took a long, deep breath.
Jinghong Zhui suddenly gave a low laugh. Before closing his eyes, he whispered in a breathy voice: “Accept it.”
Amid harsh, rapid breathing, Shen Qi stared at the dark canopy above the bed for who knew how long.
***
Morning light filtered through the mica panes set in the lattice wooden window, hazily spilling into the room.
Su Yan slowly opened his eyes, his mind still stuck in that several-seconds-long blankness of just waking up, until he realized that there were three people sleeping on the bed, himself included.
“…What the h*ll did you two b*stards do last night?!” Su Yan suddenly sat up, slapping the quilt as he shouted angrily, his cheeks flushing hotly. “Have you no shame at all?! Get the h*ll down!”
Actually, the moment his breathing changed, Jinghong Zhui had already woken up, just keeping his eyes closed and pretending to sleep.
Shen Qi seemed to have stayed up all night; at this moment his expression was not only gloomy but also somewhat irritable. He reached out, pressed Su Yan back onto the pillow, and without a word leaned in to kiss him.
“Still haven’t brushed… mm…” Su Yan struggled futilely, his fingers clawing aimlessly at the quilt. But before long, that resistance turned into a self-abandoning “do whatever you want,” and then into a dazed, willing response.
Jinghong Zhui’s expression was serious. When the two had to pause to catch their breath, he pulled Su Yan into his arms and said, “This subordinate also wants to kiss you, my lord, but I don’t want to taste a third person’s saliva. What should I do?”
Su Yan, both embarrassed and furious, panted, “If neither of you is getting off… I’ll get off myself!”
He flopped about, trying to climb over Jinghong Zhui to get out of bed. While holding him in place, Jinghong Zhui accidentally touched a certain sensitive spot and immediately understood: “My lord is quite energetic this early in the morning.”
Su Yan shut his eyes in despair and muttered, “I’m going to die.”
