“Ten years as one day; my hands have never won once.” Seeing he was about to lose, Emperor Jing’an used his sleeve to smear the chessboard in a chaotic mess. “No more playing. Not playing ever again.”
Zhu Hexing listened to this as if listening to someone pass wind.
Footsteps sounded outside, and Yu Banhu entered. “Your Majesty, it has been half an hour since the lunch hour; it is time for your medicine.” He uncovered the medicine bowl and said to Zhu Hexing, “If it weren’t for His Highness’s presence, His Majesty would likely refuse to drink his medicine.”
“Nonsense!” Emperor Jing’an gave him a feigned, weak kick. “I drink it on time every day.” Having said this, he lifted the medicine bowl and intentionally raised it in front of Zhu Hexing, drinking it right before his eyes.
Zhu Hexing watched the two of them acting out their little charade, let out a soft huff, and said, “Prepare a dish of candied golden dates.”
Yu Banhu looked at Emperor Jing’an, hesitating.
After finishing the medicine, Emperor Jing’an exhaled a long breath and said, “Did you come into the palace empty-handed? Hand over something tasty.”
“…I was afraid that if Your Majesty took another bite, you would depart this world to serve the Emperor of Heaven.” Zhu Hexing spoke these treasonous words in a calm voice. “So, I brought nothing.”
Emperor Jing’an didn’t believe him, his eyes flicking toward Zhu Hexing’s sleeve. “Is it candied lychee? Hurry and take it out; I am so bitter that I only want to eat what is made in your estate.”
Zhu Hexing was silent for a moment, then took a small bag from his sleeve, inside of which were two candied lychees wrapped in oil paper. Emperor Jing’an ate one, stroking the gilt pattern on the bag, and said distractedly, “Prosperity and longevity unending… a good omen, but what a pity.”
Zhu Hexing threw down a blue agate chess piece with a clack and rose to leave.
Emperor Jing’an hurriedly called him back. “I won’t say it anymore!” He used the chess table to steady himself as he rose, pulling Zhu Hexing back by his sleeve. He shot a look at Yu Banhu. “Look at him, what a grown man he is; he throws a tantrum and threatens to run off after just one word. His temper is as fiery as the heavens.”
“His Highness is merely concerned, hence the anxiety.” Yu Banhu stepped forward to stop Zhu Hexing from leaving and helped soothe the situation, adding, “His Majesty is overjoyed to see you. The imperial physicians say that what one fears most when recovering from illness is a restless mind; you are His Majesty’s best medicine.”
Emperor Jing’an peered at Zhu Hexing’s expression and said, “Banhu, go and fetch the zither; let Ah-Xing take it back with him later.”
“This slave obeys.” Yu Banhu bowed and retreated.
“This zither was crafted by Master Lü Hong, the number one zither master of Great Liang. Master Lü had long suffered from an old illness and passed away at the start of the year. The zither was entrusted by him to be delivered to the palace by his students. I have honored the zither for eighty-one days, and today, I give it to you.” Emperor Jing’an pulled a round stool from beside the daybed and sat down before Zhu Hexing, patting his leg just as he did when he was a child. “Three years ago, you snapped the strings and smashed your zither; the small side table has been empty ever since… This zither is worthy of you.”
Zhu Hexing did not look at him. “I smashed that zither myself; I don’t need you to compensate me.”
“That zither was the one you grabbed yourself during your hundred-day celebration. On that long table with hundreds of objects, you crawled from one end to the other just to touch the zither I had placed there. You were such a small little bundle, not even as tall as the zither. You couldn’t hold it, so you lifted your little bottom and sat right on top of it. I wanted to touch the zither, but you wouldn’t allow it, grabbing my fingers and biting down hard.” Emperor Jing’an smiled. “At that time, I thought, ‘What a domineering little ancestor.'”
Zhu Hexing could not recall these things; he had been too young.
“I didn’t give you anything when you came of age, just waiting for this zither.” Emperor Jing’an pressed his arm, the veins on the back of his hand gnarled and knotted. “Ah-Xing, look at me.”
In his youth, Emperor Jing’an had been a man of peerless grace, the kind of person who could receive a carriage full of perfumed sachets and fresh flowers just by walking through the capital. Now, however, even his eyes were veiled in a layer of deathly stillness. This was not because he was old; it was because he was… ill.
Zhu Hexing looked at him, his gaze flickering.
“I am old, and the children have grown up, but none of them are worry-free. They want to soar to the heavens, yet they are all still far from it.” Emperor Jing’an’s gaze was profound. “If they want to fight, let them fight, but they cannot fight for too long. My days are numbered; I cannot wait. And you, you are not worry-free either.” His tone turned helpless, “On this trip to Chaotian City, those people underestimated you; the next time they strike, they will be even more cautious and ruthless. Ah-Xing, you are still young. If you want to throw a tantrum or act mad, do whatever you want, but don’t treat your own life as worthless.”
Zhu Hexing wanted to ask: What if I do treat it as worthless? How much is this rotten life of mine worth? But seeing Emperor Jing’an beginning to cough behind his sleeve, he could not bring himself to ask.
“If you are recovering, then recover properly,” Zhu Hexing reached out to soothe Emperor Jing’an’s breathing. “Don’t bother with planning your next move.”
Emperor Jing’an coughed for a while, his neck turning bright red. Zhu Hexing handed him warm water. He endured the itch in his throat to take two sips and said, “If this brain isn’t used for a single day, it turns to wood. If it isn’t agile, I can’t beat the others. I have won my whole life; I must win before I die, otherwise, I won’t be able to rest in peace even in death, I will jump out of my grave every night and stand at your bedside.”
Zhu Hexing told him to stop bragging, saying, “You’ve fallen ill to this extent; you’ve already lost.”
“No, as long as someone can firmly hold my seat, then in the end, I win.” Emperor Jing’an changed his logic again, shamelessly, “As long as I win at the very end, losing a few times in the middle doesn’t matter.”
Zhu Hexing was too lazy to argue with him. “Whatever you say, that’s how it is.”
Emperor Jing’an was smug, “It’s that you can’t beat me in an argument.”
“Oh, Your Majesty, your power to conjure life from desolation is unmatched; I concede defeat.” Zhu Hexing bowed, “This subject will take his leave now.”
Emperor Jing’an looked at him, “Not staying to dine with me this evening?”
Zhu Hexing called for someone outside, and a eunuch brought in his tall boots to help him put them on. He said, “No, I must at least look after my household; I am going back to have dinner with someone.”
Emperor Jing’an leaned back against his soft pillow, his eyebrows rising slightly at the words, “You really like that child.”
Zhu Hexing’s fingertips, which were rolling the beads, faltered slightly. He did not meet his gaze, nor did he respond to the remark. He stood up and walked away.
The eunuch followed Zhu Hexing out of the Hongyuan Hall. Just as they were about to descend the steps, Zhu Hexing stopped and glanced slightly to the side. The attendant stopped immediately, bowed respectfully, and stayed behind.
Zhu Hexing descended the long steps alone, walking down the palace path, and finally stopped in front of the gazebo in the side garden of the Hongyuan Hall. There was a row of Wei Zi peonies in front of the gazebo, their colors brilliant. He stared at them, the speed of him rolling his beads becoming faster and faster.
Footsteps sounded behind him, and Xiang Man approached respectfully, saying, “Your Highness”
Zhu Hexing stopped his hand, turned around, his pupils pitch-black, and he was as calm as it was terrifying. Xiang Man’s voice cut off abruptly. His breathing tightened, and he immediately knelt, burying his head, not daring to speak.
The sound of mandarin ducks in the lake flowing over the water was drip-drop, drip-drop.
Zhu Hexing looked at the top of Xiang Man’s head, watching until his eyes blurred. He didn’t move his gaze, asking, “Tell me, who in this world can kill me?”
Xiang Man replied, “As long as Your Highness wishes, anyone can.”
“But I do not wish it,” Zhu Hexing mused. “If those who hate me and loathe me kill me, they will be satisfied, and I will be unhappy. If ordinary people kill me, I find it uninteresting.”
“But if it is someone who likes you and respects you, naturally they cannot bring themselves to do it.” Xiang Man suggested, “If you let someone you yourself like do it, perhaps there would be some extra interest in it.”
Zhu Hexing felt this made sense. He asked, “Tell me, when His Majesty rides the crane to the west, will he issue a decree for me to be buried with him?”
“There is no such rule.” Xiang Man said, “Besides, His Majesty loves you so much, how could he bear to?”
“…Also true.” Zhu Hexing thought for a moment, “If I were to commit a treasonous act, would His Majesty be so furious that he would kill me?”
Xiang Man said carefully, “Your Highness, you have defied His Majesty’s imperial wishes several times over these years; that is already treason.”
“Yes, wanting His Majesty to kill me is too difficult.” Zhu Hexing muttered, “I need to find another blade… a blade.”
He suddenly recalled that he had forgotten to ask Shen Quebai what that red-sheathed blade was called.
Shen Quebai did want to kill him, though.
Xiang Man quietly looked up, pondering his expression, and said, “Your Highness, this slave feels it is too early to consider these things; His Majesty is in the prime of his life—”
“How much longer can he live?” Zhu Hexing sneered, before falling into silence.
Xiang Man did not dare to follow up on this, keeping his head down in silence until Zhu Hexing asked, “What did His Majesty send you to tell me?”
“Not His Majesty, it is news from outside the palace.” Xiang Man said, “Something happened at the Xiangsi Terrace,” he paused, “The Princess was also there.”
Hearing this, Zhu Hexing curled his lip, “He doesn’t bite me, but goes out to bite others… his taste is truly poor.”