Guangping Prefecture in Northern Zhili was one of the eight prefectures south of the capital region. Long and narrow in shape, it was wedged between Shandong and Henan.
Across the vast wetlands, endless reeds swayed in the wind.
Several horses raced forward, their hooves pounding rapidly and chaotically across the marshes. They splashed through the shallow water, startling wild ducks and cormorants into the air in a flurry of wings.
A small village gradually came into view ahead.
The gatekeeper, dressed as a merchant, pulled on the reins and brought his horse to a stop. He removed his waterskin and took several long gulps before saying to the blue-robed man riding another horse, “Lord Shen, this place is called Dongtou Village. Forty li farther ahead is Yongnian City.”
Shen Qi surveyed the village and surrounding countryside in the fading light and said coldly, “Mr. Player certainly has some nerve, establishing his base this close to the capital region. Some time ago, after Yu Chezhi’s imperial troops wiped out Madman Liao’s forces, they passed through here on their way back from Daming Prefecture. And they somehow failed to discover this hideout and cut off his head?”
The gatekeeper had already learned how vicious Shen Qi’s temperament was.
Did we recruit a capable general or a yaksha?
While grumbling inwardly, he forced a hollow smile. “Lord Shen, if you’re going to say things like that in front of Lord Player next time, please wait until after I’ve left. Otherwise, even if the city gate doesn’t catch fire, I’m afraid I’ll be the fish caught in the flames.”
“Enough nonsense. Move!” Shen Qi flicked his whip against his horse and galloped through the water.
The gatekeeper swallowed his latest grievance and hurried after him.
Dongtou Village appeared completely ordinary on the surface, but two zhang beneath the ground lay a hidden tunnel. When Shen Qi saw them preparing to enter yet another tunnel, he sneered. “You really are a bunch of moles.”
The gatekeeper pretended not to hear. Along with three other hidden agents who had been evacuated from the capital, he carried a torch and led the way.
The tunnel was surprisingly spacious. Square blue bricks paved the floor, while the walls were constructed from blue brick as well. The ceiling was covered in numerous blackened marks from smoke and fire, clearly indicating that the tunnel was used frequently.
As they walked, the gatekeeper explained, “This tunnel’s main passage stretches for forty-five li, running from Dongtou Village directly to the inner city of Yongnian. It was dug by Dou Jiande, the leader of the rebel army at the end of the Sui Dynasty. When he fought Qin Wang, Li Shimin, here, he used this passage to transport troops back and forth and confuse the enemy. That’s why it came to be called the ‘Troop Transport Tunnel.’ Originally, years of accumulated mud had blocked the passage. Ten years ago, Lord Player sent people to reopen and expand it, which is why it can be used today.”
Ten years ago…
Shen Qi suddenly thought of the timing. That was precisely when the Seven Killings Camp had first been established. Could this be the headquarters of the Seven Killings Camp? The “insect nest” Qinghe once mentioned?
The tunnel was not only extraordinarily long, but also seemed to extend into an enormous network whose full breadth and depth were impossible to determine. Many of the branching passages had been newly excavated over the years, leading to various training grounds for assassins. As they proceeded, the occasional faint screams echoed from the depths of the dark tunnels.
Shen Qi felt as though he had returned to the Imperial Prison. With a half-smile that did not quite reach his eyes, he remarked, “The surroundings aren’t much to look at, but the atmosphere is rather familiar.”
His smile sent chills crawling down the gatekeeper’s back. He quickened his pace, eager to reach the end of the tunnel. They climbed a set of stairs and arrived before an enormous stone gate carved with the ferocious mythical dragon-son Yazi.
“Lord Player is behind this door. Lord Shen, please enter on your own.” Having said this, the gatekeeper retreated as though a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Shen Qi stared at the vicious, snarling Yazi carved into the door. Almost instinctively, he pressed his palm against the hilt of his sword. The Embroidered Spring Blade at his waist had been replaced by a Mosu saber, and he still had not completely gotten used to it.
He took a deep breath, circulated qi into both palms, and forcefully pushed open the heavy stone doors.
Beyond them was a vast hall. It resembled a palace for ritual fasting, yet also a Mingtang, the ceremonial central hall of ancient imperial architecture. Its furnishings and decorations were steeped in antiquity. At the far end of the hall stood an elevated throne. A human-shaped black silhouette sat upon it.
Shen Qi walked forward step by step. He stopped at the foot of the stairs leading to the throne and said coldly, “Sitting high above your guest and treating him as though he were invisible, is this how Lord Player receives his guests?”
The black silhouette rose. In the dim light, it slowly descended the stairs, stopping three steps away. The faint glow of the pearls embedded in the walls illuminated the tall outline of the figure. The person wore a broad-brimmed hat, with a long, smoke-gray gauze veil hanging all around its brim. It fell from the top of his head all the way to his insteps, concealing his entire body completely.
Although Shen Qi could not see his features or figure clearly, his instincts told him that this was a man.
Sure enough, a male voice came from behind the gauze. He sounded fairly young. His voice was clean and slightly deep, with a trace of coolness in his tone. His accent gave no indication of where he came from.
“Commandant Shen is not a guest. You are the companion I have been waiting for all this time. It is my great fortune to have your assistance, Lord Shen.”
Shen Qi gave a faint, cold laugh. “I have no interest in assisting someone who hides his head and conceals his face. What? Is Lord Player’s appearance truly so unbearable to look at?”
The Player did not become angry. Instead, he let out a low chuckle. “When I recruited Lord Shen, you once said that what you wanted was power and status—‘power and status sufficient to protect the person dearest to my heart from being coveted, humiliated, and taken from me.’ Now, that person dearest to your heart has already been placed in someone else’s hands. Do you still desire what you once sought?”
Shen Qi clenched the fist hanging at his side. A vicious, razor-sharp light flashed through his eyes.
He did not respond with a single word. But the Player seemed to have already seen through to the deepest and most painful place in his heart. And with a single strike, he had hit the mark.
“I like people with desires and ambition, and I also admire Lord Shen’s methods and abilities.” The Player descended the last three steps and stood before Shen Qi. “When the matter is accomplished, I guarantee that what should belong to Lord Shen will not be lacking in the slightest.”
“And what will you use to guarantee your promise?” Shen Qi asked.
“I will use the face you are about to see.” The Player countered, “And you, Lord Shen, what will you use to guarantee your sincerity?”
Shen Qi said, “One does not employ those one suspects. If you do not trust me, why open the door at all?”
The Player nodded, took out a square box from his sleeve, and opened it. Inside lay a round, pitch-black pill. “People speak of swearing alliances with blood, we need not make it so messy. This will suffice.”
“What is it, poison?” Shen Qi asked without changing expression.
The Player shook his head. “No. This is a miraculous elixir. It allows one to stay far from worry and pain, and become stronger. Heiduo guarded the formula closely and took it with him to the underworld. These remaining pills, each one used is one fewer.”
Shen Qi said coldly, “Such a fine thing, why not keep it for yourself?”
The Player really did reach out and pinch the lychee-sized pill, breaking off a small piece. He lifted the gauze veil up to his nose and mouth, put the broken piece into his mouth, and chewed and swallowed it.
The remaining larger half he picked up and personally brought to Shen Qi’s lips. “This is a reward, and also the final test. If Lord Shen eats it, then you will truly share one heart and one virtue with me.”
Shen Qi stared at the black pill before him, expressionless. His teeth clenched tightly within his closed lips; his chest alternated between scorching heat and icy cold.
The Player seemed patient as he waited for him to open his mouth, yet also as if he might turn hostile the next moment.
In Shen Qi’s ears, it seemed as though he heard the crisp “pa-da, pa-da” of black and white stones falling upon a chessboard. He thought he had been in stalemate for a long time, but in truth it was only a few brief breaths. Then he abruptly relaxed his jaw and allowed The Player to place the remaining half-pill into his mouth.
He crushed the pill viciously between his teeth and swallowed it without discerning its taste.
The Player smiled in satisfaction, removed the wide-brimmed hat, and exposed his face before Shen Qi.
Shen Qi stared at his face, pondering for a moment. A trace of surprise flickered past before settling into understanding. “So it was you…”
The Player clapped his hands twice.
Mr. He, dressed in a white robe patterned with black script, walked out from the depths of the hall, holding a black lacquer tray. Upon it lay a neatly folded piece of red cloth. He came to stand beside them, still wearing a calm, detached smile.
The Player picked up the cloth and shook it open, it was a long, blood-red robe that reached the ground. He personally tied the robe onto Shen Qi, then pulled up the hood to cover his head and face.
On the tray remained a pair of black thin leather gloves, and a bronze mask of a familiar style.
“Guangping Prefecture has already received the court’s nationwide wanted notice. Soon, the warrant for the rebel Shen Qi will be posted throughout the land.” The Player held the mask before Shen Qi and said solemnly, “From this moment on, you are the new commander of the Seven-Kill Camp, Lian Qinghan.”
Mr. He added with a smile, “And hopefully the last one. To be honest, the previous two Commanders Lian and I did not get along very well.”
“I won’t get along with you either,” Shen Qi said indifferently.
“Perhaps. But at least in one regard, Lord Shen surpasses them, you never point fingers at your partners.”
Shen Qi lowered his gaze to the red diagonal leather scabbard at his waist, as if making a final farewell to the past. Then he took the bronze mask from The Player and completely covered his face.
***
When Jinghong Zhui entered the room carrying a bowl of plain porridge, he saw Su Yan draped in a thin robe, sitting at the desk and writing intently. He frowned, set the bowl on the table, and reproached lightly, “My lord has only just stopped coughing blood and is still far from recovered. Why are you not resting properly in bed, and instead busying yourself again?”
Su Yan looked up and smiled at him. His complexion was somewhat better than the previous days, though still pale. “Even Ah Zhui dares to criticize me now, looks like my authority in this household is declining.”
“If my lord wants authority, then first recover your health.” Jinghong Zhui reached out to confiscate the paper. Seeing the words “letter of resignation” written at the top, he did not show surprise, only asking, “Will the young emperor agree?”
Su Yan gave a bitter smile. “He probably won’t, and his reaction will likely be quite intense. But I don’t intend to follow the proper procedures either. Look at Chief Minister Li, so old and ill, yet it took six resignation letters before he was allowed to return home, dragging on for over a month. If I formally submit a memorial to resign, Zhu Helin would probably flip over the imperial desk in front of the entire court.”
“Then what does my lord plan to do, hang up your official seal and leave?”
Su Yan hesitated, feeling that doing so would be somewhat unfair to the young master. Moreover, with His Majesty’s whereabouts currently unknown, he truly could not set his mind at ease.
“Ah Zhui, if you were to take action, could you find His Majesty?” he asked.
Jinghong Zhui thought for a moment before answering, “Not necessarily. That commander named Longquan is quite capable. Leading such a large force to search around the capital for so long without finding him means the old emperor is deliberately hiding and does not wish to be found.”
“What exactly does His Majesty intend to do…” Su Yan fell into thought. “Has some unexpected situation arisen, or is he planning something secret that even the young master and I must not know?”
Jinghong Zhui looked displeased. “I’ve already said, think less and rest more. It seems that unless my lord leaves the court and the capital, you will never properly recover. Whether the resignation letter is submitted or not doesn’t matter, this time, you must leave. If you won’t go, I’ll carry you away myself!”
Su Yan was thoroughly cowed and replied with a conciliatory smile, “Ah Zhui is right. I should let go of distracting thoughts and properly empty my mind. Besides, will the earth stop turning without me? Before I arrived, didn’t the Great Ming court function perfectly well? No one should think themselves too important.”
Jinghong Zhui was pleased that he could come to terms with it, but displeased at that last remark. Supporting Lord Su back to sit against the bed, he lifted the bowl of congee and scooped up a spoonful, bringing it to his mouth.
The congee was just the right temperature, rich with rice oil, the grains fully bloomed and melting upon entry. Su Yan obediently opened his mouth to eat, though a heaviness still pressed on his heart.
After finishing half the bowl, he also made up his mind: tomorrow, he would leave. The official seal, robes, and hat would all remain at the office; Xiaobei would stay in the capital to watch the house, with others to look after him. He and Ah Zhui would take only some valuables and a change of clothes, and go to some quiet place among mountains and waters to build a hut and live there, properly tending to his precarious body and mind.
As for Helin… he would likely fly into a great rage and send troops everywhere to search for him, but in time he would have to let go. Without him, Su Qinghe, Young Master would only become more self-reliant and grow into Great Zhu.
Su Yan explained his plan to Jinghong Zhui, who agreed wholeheartedly and immediately went to pack their belongings.
Before long he finished packing and came back to ask, “Where does my lord plan to retire in seclusion? Which direction, east, west, south, or north?”
Su Yan thought for a moment and replied, “I originally wanted to take this chance to return to Fuzhou to visit my parents, but first, the journey is too long, and the jolting of carriage and horse may be more than my current body can bear; second, Helin will certainly send people to my hometown to look for me, so it’s better not to go back for now.”
Jinghong Zhui could not pay respects to Su Yan’s parents, which was somewhat regrettable, but if Su Yan insisted on such a long journey despite his illness, he would stop him no matter what.
“To the north are the frontier regions, that won’t do. To the east is the Bohai coast. Either south or west, my lord, choose one?”
Su Yan’s low fever rose again, his mind hazy. Forcing himself to stay alert, he said, “It’s getting hot, so not south. Let’s go west, just find a place with clear mountains and beautiful waters to settle down, somewhere with a lake and some woods will do.”
Jinghong Zhui touched his forehead with concern, helped him lie down, and held his wrist at the pulse while channeling true qi.
Even in sleep, Su Yan could not rest peacefully. From time to time he murmured, frowned, and showed expressions of pain. Jinghong Zhui felt his heart tighten at the sight and stayed by his side the entire night without closing his eyes.
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