The redbud trees at the Prince of Mingxuan’s estate grew well, their branches intertwining as they reached over the four walls. Looking from the inside out, the sky seemed to be burning with a deep, purplish-red hue.
Ting Yuan withdrew his gaze and walked quickly toward the estate gates.
The man standing at the base of the steps possessed a tall, elegant stature. Hearing footsteps, he turned around. Ting Yuan stepped forward to bow, “Greetings, Heir Apparent. His Highness is not receiving guests; I hope you will excuse him.”
Shen Qinglan was blind; he wore a silk eye mask, leaving his exposed face looking gentle and fair. He pressed his lips together and said, “My Ah-Jiu was sent to Chaotian City before he even learned how to crawl. If not for this imperial decree, I fear everyone would have forgotten that there is still a Fifth Young Master in the Marquis of Yongding’s estate. He is concubine-born and unloved; marrying him brings His Highness no benefits and will only make him a laughingstock. His Highness is of noble imperial blood and deserves a better match. Ah-Jiu is truly unworthy; I implore His Highness to show mercy.”
“To have an older brother like you, Heir Apparent, is the Fifth Young Master’s fortune,” Ting Yuan returned the bow, speaking with respectful composure. “But surely you discussed this with the Marquis before coming here.”
Shen Qinglan replied, “My father is loyal to the Emperor and would not dare show the slightest disrespect to His Majesty’s will. We understand that this is His Highness elevating the Marquis’s estate and Ah-Jiu. However, whether His Highness blames me for disregarding the imperial will or for being reckless and ignorant, I must beg His Highness to rescind the order. Over these years, Ah-Jiu has lacked parental love and has suffered much. I entreat His Highness to have a compassionate heart and spare him.”
“Heir Apparent, your words…” Ting Yuan said with a playful tone, “make the Prince of Mingxuan’s estate sound like a sea of bitterness.”
“Regardless of how noble His Highness is, my Ah-Jiu is still a man,” Shen Qinglan struggled to control his tone. “Marrying someone you do not know is hardly a joyous occasion, let alone marrying as a male wife.”
Ting Yuan could not see Shen Qinglan’s eyes, but he could hear the slight tremor in his voice. This puzzled him: Shen Quebai and Shen Qinglan had not met for nearly twenty years; where did such brotherly affection come from that Shen Qinglan would come in person to plead? Was it based solely on those peace letters of unknown origin?
Ting Yuan’s thoughts shifted slightly, and he apologized, “I hope you will understand, Heir Apparent, but you know His Highness’s temper. Whatever he decides, there is absolutely no possibility of changing it. Moreover, His Majesty has spoken; how can his decree be changed so easily?”
Knowing that since Shen Qinglan had come, he was not afraid of trouble, Ting Yuan played another card, “If His Majesty were to hear these words, he might misunderstand and think the Fifth Young Master lacks respect or loyalty to the throne, which would not be good at all.”
“I…” Shen Qinglan was indeed shaken.
“Calculating the time, the Fifth Young Master should be arriving soon. Perhaps you should hear his thoughts on the matter.” Ting Yuan guessed that Shen Qinglan was proud and reserved and might not like strangers assisting him, so he simply bowed, “Heir Apparent, go safely.”
Shen Qinglan’s lips moved; he nodded, returned the bow, and turned to leave. He had not gone many steps when a young man in indigo martial attire ran up, raised an arm to support him, and nodded toward Ting Yuan.
Ting Yuan returned the greeting, watching as Wen Xie helped Shen Qinglan into the carriage. It was clear Wen Xie was accustomed to being this human crutch; their movements were skilled and natural supportive, yet not so overly careful as to make Shen Qinglan seem like fragile porcelain.
The Marquis’s carriage slowly drove away. Ting Yuan withdrew his gaze and turned to return to the estate.
When the news of the imperial decree reached Shen Qinglan, Shen Quebai was already on his way back to the capital. At that time, Shen Qinglan had just reached the city gates of Tanzhou, intending to visit his teacher. He had no time to ponder it deeply, but his first reaction was: absolutely not.
Ah-Jiu had no imposing power or status. If he were to submit to a man, he would be the subject of gossip and mockery behind his back. The Prince of Mingxuan’s intentions in suddenly wanting to marry Ah-Jiu were unclear and worrying, and the Prince was known to be moody and unpredictable. Ah-Jiu’s future in the Prince’s estate would be uncertain. Yet his father remained silent, and the Prince was difficult to persuade who else could block this?
“Heir Apparent, are we going to the city gate?”
Wen Xie suddenly spoke. Shen Qinglan’s hand, resting on his knee, relaxed abruptly, and he regained his composure, “What?”
“A carriage just headed toward the Prince of Mingxuan’s estate. The driver was a young eunuch, and the wheels were covered in a layer of dust from the long journey,” Wen Xie had already turned the horse’s head toward the city gate, “It must be the Fifth Young Master returning to the capital.”
Hearing this, Shen Qinglan turned toward the carriage window. He pushed it open a crack; the air held a faint, earthy scent. It was going to rain.
Shen Quebai stepped out of the carriage. A small drop of rain fell on his face. The young eunuch accompanying him held an umbrella over him, saying, “The Fifth Young Master has just arrived, and the heavens are already raining. This is the sky washing away the dust for you. It will wash away all the dirt and filth of the past, leaving only clear sunlight for your days to come.”
“A good omen,” Shen Quebai smiled at him, “Thank you, Eunuch, for your kind words.”
The sound of carriage wheels approached. Shen Quebai seemed to sense something and turned to see a carriage bearing the “Marquis of Yongding” placard stopping in front of him. Wen Xie jumped down, opened the door, and revealed Shen Qinglan sitting inside, as still as a pine tree.
Shen Quebai was startled. The eunuch had already passed the umbrella into his hand.
Shen Qinglan bent down to exit the cabin. Just as he was about to step onto the ground, a hand reached out to support his arm. Wen Xie had been supporting him for twelve years, and he had memorized the contours of his palm; this hand was clearly not Wen Xie’s.
“The ground is wet; don’t dirty your shoes.” Shen Quebai held the umbrella over him, whispering, “Brother.”
Shen Qinglan still stepped onto the ground so he could look his brother in the eye—using his fingertips to “see.” He touched Shen Quebai’s face, his voice like warm, steeped tea, “Spring willow brows, phoenix eyes—Ah-Jiu has grown handsome…” He touched Shen Quebai’s head, “And tall, too.”
The young eunuch behind them remained expressionless, but inside, he was bursting with curiosity. This Fifth Young Master had not returned to Xuandu for nineteen years; why was the Heir Apparent so affectionate toward him? Could a few letters of peace really build such deep brotherly love?
Of course not.
Because those letters were merely tools the murderer had painstakingly used to cover their tracks. Shen Quebai had secretly written to Shen Qinglan—a brother he hadn’t met in nineteen years, yet who had taken the initiative to write asking if he was safe and healthy, sending monthly allowances, giving gifts during holidays, and always concerned about his studies.
Shen Quebai looked at Shen Qinglan, his heart feeling as though it were soaking in that cup of warm tea. He rubbed his head against Shen Qinglan’s hand, whispering, “Brother.”
“Brother is here,” Shen Qinglan said, “You must be exhausted from the long journey. Come back to the estate with me and get some good sleep.” He turned around, then remembered something and turned back to ask, “Is anyone with you?”
The young eunuch hurried forward, “This slave greets the Heir Apparent. The Ancestor was in a hurry to return to the palace to report, so he had this slave accompany the Fifth Young Master back to the estate.”
Wen Xie, standing to the side, fished out some silver and handed it over, saying, “Thank you for taking care of my Young Master along the way. It is raining; go find a teahouse, have a hot cup of tea, and rest before you head back.”
The young eunuch did not refuse. He took it with a smile, offered a few more auspicious blessings, and left after bowing.
Once they were in the carriage, Shen Qinglan finally spoke, “This marriage is absurd, but it is an imperial decree and involves the Prince of Mingxuan’s estate, so we cannot treat it lightly. The one who delivered the decree is the Emperor’s study-companion eunuch, a fourth-rank official, a man of great seniority named Yu Banhu. People before the throne are the most adept at reading faces; I suspect they didn’t mistreat you along the way. That bit of money was both returning a favor and giving one.”
He disliked these entanglements, but he understood that sometimes, it didn’t matter whether one liked them or not.
“I know,” Shen Quebai lay down, pillowing his head on Shen Qinglan’s lap, closing his eyes as he said, “Don’t worry, Brother.”
Hearing this, Shen Qinglan pressed his forehead and let out an almost inaudible sigh.
Yu Banhu changed into a clean, round-collared red robe and kowtowed before the throne. Only after hearing a crisp bell chime from inside did he stand up and enter. There were no eunuchs serving inside, only a man in loose robes sitting on a daybed, holding a book while studying the chessboard before him.
Yu Banhu approached lightly and waited on the side without speaking.
After a long while, Emperor Jing’an sighed, petulantly closing the chess book, “Write…” He choked, coughing violently. Yu Banhu hurried forward to soothe his breathing. A moment later, Emperor Jing’an waved his hand and finished his thought, “…what thing?”
“Do not let yourself get angry.” Yu Banhu handed him a jade cup, “You were too engrossed. You must drink some tea to rest; then, with a single inspired move, you will break the deadlock.”
Emperor Jing’an sipped the tea and signaled Yu Banhu with his eyes, “Flattering me.”
Yu Banhu laughed, “It seems this slave’s tongue is still of no use.”
Emperor Jing’an set down the teacup, “How is that child?”
“He is truly beautiful,” Yu Banhu gestured with his fingers, “Those brows and eyes look like they were painted; he is both clean and exquisite.”
Emperor Jing’an laughed, “You old fellow, don’t just go around looking at faces.”
“That I would not do. This slave watched him closely along the way. He is like a young pine tree dignified, polite, not the slightest bit spoiled or restless; his bones are straight and hard.” Yu Banhu had used the money Shen Quebai gave him to buy food and drink for his subordinates; now, it turned into sweet-sounding words blowing into the Imperial ear, “I have seen his hands fair and beautiful, yet with calluses. I suspect that since his nanny passed, he had to draw his own water and do the chores. On the return trip, when I chatted with the Fifth Young Master, he even secretly asked me if His Highness looked like a fierce tiger or a night-yaksha, and if he was scary.”
“He still hides a bit of childishness.” Emperor Jing’an looked at the board with a smile, “Go and select some things that a young person would likely enjoy and send them to the Marquis of Yongding’s estate.”
“As you command.” Yu Banhu bowed and retreated out of the hall.
Footsteps sounded immediately. Jade-colored robe hems brushed against the dragon-patterned incense burner on the floor. Emperor Jing’an reached out and flicked a chess piece, “Banhu says he is a small pine tree. What about you?”
“I think perhaps,” the voice was cool, like ice-chilled wine, “it is a phoenix tree.”
“If he really is a phoenix tree, even entering the Qiongxian Garden won’t stop him from being a dragon that coils and a phoenix that rests.” Emperor Jing’an looked at the chessboard and finally grew annoyed, “No more playing. What a troublesome endgame call Ah-Xing immediately to break this deadlock.”
Lan Qin glanced at the messy board, thinking that Zhu Hexing probably didn’t want to come and pick up the mess. He said, “His Highness went straight to the Hanqing Temple upon returning to Xuandu and hasn’t stepped a foot outside the gate since.”
Emperor Jing’an gave an “oh” and pondered, “It seems this trip to Chaotian City blocked his eyes in some way.”