When Meng Ren came to Qingxin Pavilion to check on Yu Xingliang, he found the latter slumped gloomily on the couch, half-asleep with his eyes closed.
“Boss! Your quarters here are way too extravagant!” As soon as Meng Ren stepped through the door, he started exclaiming in wonder, “I thought I had just stumbled into some imperial concubine’s bedchamber.”
Lifting himself up listlessly, Yu Xingliang opened his eyes and retorted, “You are talking nonsense again. Concubines live in the inner palace, which is miles and miles away from here!”
Sitting down by the edge of the couch, Meng Ren asked in astonishment, “Miles and miles away? Is it really that far?”
Yu Xingliang rubbed his temples, too tired to reply.
Seeing that Yu Xingliang was ignoring him, Meng Ren stood up and began looking around the room.
The bouquet of flowers by the window instantly caught his attention. “Boss, you even have flowers in your room! They look gorgeous!”
Following the direction of Meng Ren’s finger, Yu Xingliang saw a vibrant arrangement of blossoms tucked inside an exquisitely crafted jade vase, adding a touch of life to the entire bedchamber.
Unable to resist clicking his tongue in admiration, Yu Xingliang muttered, “The imperial city really is something else. Even the quarters of a constable who isn’t even a Dragon-Guarding Envoy yet are furnished with such stunning flower arrangements.”
Stepping closer for a sniff, Meng Ren exclaimed, “It smells so good! There is even clove in here, it must be meant to help calm the mind!”
Stretching lazily, Yu Xingliang offered, “If you like it so much, just take it with you.”
“Really? Then I won’t be polite!” Clutching the jade vase and flowers tightly to his chest as if afraid Yu Xingliang might change his mind the very next second, Meng Ren made off with the prize.
Rolling his eyes speechlessly, Yu Xingliang asked, “What brings you to my room anyway?”
“Ah, don’t even ask!” Hugging the bouquet, Meng Ren sat back down beside Yu Xingliang and grumbled, “Guess who I am sharing a room with?”
Tilting his head, Yu Xingliang guessed, “Let me guess: Huang Zilan?”
“Boss, you are a genius!” Meng Ren’s eyes widened. “How did you figure that out?”
Walking over to the table to pour himself a cup of water, Yu Xingliang answered calmly, “What is so difficult about that? Judging by how the imperial city arranged private courtyards for the top constables of the three districts, they are bound to group people from the same district together. You both came from the Southern District, and given that miserable expression of yours, the only person from the Southern District who could put you in that kind of mood is probably Huang Zilan, who gave you a hard time earlier today.”
Meng Ren looked at Yu Xingliang with absolute, star-struck admiration.
Taking a sip of water, Yu Xingliang continued, “I was actually a bit worried about you, but now that I know you are rooming with Huang Zilan, I can rest easy.”
Meng Ren asked, “Why?”
Grinning broadly at Meng Ren, Yu Xingliang teased, “If anyone tries to pull any sneaky tricks, Huang Zilan can protect you.”
“Boss!” Meng Ren protested, his face flushing red.
Pouting, Yu Xingliang coaxed, “Hey, I am serious. There are over two hundred participants this time, and only a dozen or so will make it to the end. Who knows if someone might resort to dirty tricks? Huang Zilan’s martial arts are solid, so protecting you should be a breeze.”
Walking back to the edge of the couch, Yu Xingliang deliberately prodded, “A-Ren, why are your cheeks so red?”
Clutching the bouquet, Meng Ren flusteredly denied the accusation, “I am not! Boss, you are teasing me again. I am not talking to you anymore, I am going back!” With that, he fled in a panic, nearly tripping over the threshold on his way out.
Laughing heartily from where he lay sprawled across the couch, Yu Xingliang called out in a loud, teasing voice, “Take your time, A-Ren! If you trip, make sure to ask your roommate to apply some medicine for you!”
Already far down the corridor, Meng Ren tossed back a reply, “I am not listening, I am not listening!”
When night fell, somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, Yu Xingliang felt a pair of slightly chilling hands gently caressing his face. Fingertips brushed across his eyebrows, his eyes, his nose, and his lips, lingering and lightly tracing the skin of his cheeks. Though painless, the sensation made his heart itch unbearably.
Gu Shaoyuan tried several times to open his eyes, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not force them open, and his entire body remained utterly paralyzed.
It felt as though someone had struck his pressure points.
This strange sensation persisted throughout the entire night.
The next morning, just as Yu Xingliang finished changing into the violet-blue damask robe delivered by the palace attendants, he sensed someone sneaking up behind him.
“Brother Gu.” Fortunately, Peng Liuhui spoke up just in time; otherwise, Yu Xingliang might not have been able to participate in today’s martial trial.
“Brother Peng, it is you!” Yu Xingliang reined in his surging internal energy and greeted him, “Morning.”
Peng Liuhui felt a lingering sense of terror. If he had actually taken that palm strike from Gu Shaoyuan just now, given his frail constitution, he would have been bedridden for months at the very least.
With lingering fear, Peng Liuhui said, “Brother Gu, I swear I am never going to joke around with you like that again.”
Offering a comforting pat on Peng Liuhui’s shoulder, Yu Xingliang deliberately changed the subject. “Is Brother Peng here this early to invite me to breakfast?”
Peng Liuhui replied, “Indeed! Zeng Yong is terrifyingly fierce and completely impossible to get along with; you are much easier to talk to, Brother Gu.”
Smiling awkwardly, Yu Xingliang muttered, “Heh, is that so?” Then, reaching into the food box he brought along, he pulled out a few pastries and shared them with Peng Liuhui.
Although Peng Liuhui politely accepted them, he kept hesitating and wore a troubled expression. Seeing this, Gu Shaoyuan snatched the pastries right back and put them back into the food box.
Peng Liuhui quickly protested, “Brother Gu! I did not say I would not eat them.”
With a hint of feigned dissatisfaction, Yu Xingliang said, “These are the finest pastries from the Yichuan date market, you know.”
Peng Liuhui hurriedly apologized, “Brother Gu, I heard the breakfast in the imperial city is exceptionally delicious. I just wanted to save room for the Imperial Dining Pavilion.”
Yu Xingliang furrowed his brow, pausing for a moment before asking:
“Is it really that good?”
Inside the Imperial Dining Pavilion, music played, dances were performed, and the air was thick with the aroma of fine food.
The gatekeeper directed Yu Xingliang and Peng Liuhui to their seats in the side hall on the ground floor.
Peng Liuhui asked the palace attendant, “Why are we sitting down here? We cannot even see the dancers’ faces from this spot.”
The attendant replied, “Replying to the divine constable, only high-ranking officials and official Dragon-Guarding Envoys are permitted to sit in the upper seating area.”
Yu Xingliang advised, “Alright, we did not come here to watch singing and dancing anyway.”
Pointing indignantly toward the second floor, which had a direct view of the stage, Peng Liuhui complained, “If that is the case, why is that person dressed in a violet-blue damask robe allowed to sit in the upper seats?! As far as I know, everyone wearing a violet-blue damask robe is a participant in today’s martial trial for the Dragon-Guarding Envoys!”
Following the direction of Peng Liuhui’s finger, Yu Xingliang looked up. On the second floor, a man with his hair gathered into a high crown, dark tresses flowing down his back like water, sat clad in the same violet-blue damask robe, looking exceptionally dashing, heroic, and spirited.
Sensing their gaze, the man on the upper floor slowly turned his head. Their eyes met.
Such a familiar gaze.
Only then did Yu Xingliang notice that the man on the upper floor wore a jade half-mask covering the upper half of his face.
“Oh, that is Lord Beiyu from the North District, the adopted son of Prime Minister Cao.”
The palace attendant answered respectfully.
“Tch, the Prime Minister’s adopted son? What, just because he is the Prime Minister’s adopted son…” Peng Liuhui was about to stand up and argue further with the attendant when Yu Xingliang pulled him back down.
Apologizing to the attendant on Peng Liuhui’s behalf, Yu Xingliang said, “My apologies, my friend has not eaten since this morning, so he is feeling irritable from hunger. Please overlook it.”
Filled with gratitude, the attendant bowed to Yu Xingliang and said softly, “Please wait a moment, divine constable, breakfast will be served right away.”
Yu Xingliang nodded with a polite smile of thanks.
When Yu Xingliang raised his head again, the masked Beiyu on the second floor had already vanished.
After finishing breakfast, the two of them hurried to the training grounds where Eunuch Mei had already begun explaining the rules.
Meng Ren pushed his way through the crowd to reach Yu Xingliang’s side, asking anxiously, “Boss! Where did you go? I went to your quarters and could not find you, I thought something happened to you! You scared me to death.”
Patting Meng Ren’s head, Yu Xingliang spoke gently, “Why are you looking like you are about to cry again? I merely went to grab some breakfast, look at how easily startled you are.”
Rubbing his eyes, Meng Ren broke into a smile. “That is right! Boss is so formidable, nothing bad would ever happen to him!”
Passing by as if by chance, Huang Zilan chimed in, “Useless, all he does is cry!”
Meng Ren: “(…)”
Peng Liuhui chimed in from the side, “My apologies, Constable Meng, I was the one who dragged Brother Gu along to the Imperial Dining Pavilion for breakfast, causing you to worry.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Ren’s eyes lit up as he asked, “The Imperial Dining Pavilion? Boss, was it good?”
Before Yu Xingliang could answer, Peng Liuhui eagerly answered for him, “Of course it was good! The food prepared by the imperial chefs is naturally the best in the world!”
Seeing the envy and regret on Meng Ren’s face, Yu Xingliang threw an arm around his shoulder and promised, “Alright, alright. Once the martial trial is over, we will have plenty of time to go to the Imperial Dining Pavilion. I will make sure you get to eat your fill then!”
Delighted, Meng Ren nodded vigorously. “Mm-hmm! Boss is right!”
Perhaps because the group’s chatter grew too loud, Yu Xingliang was called out by name on the spot. Eunuch Mei’s shrill voice rang out: “Divine Constable Gu! Did you hear the rules clearly?”
With everyone’s gazes converging on him, Yu Xingliang sheepishly withdrew the arm resting on Meng Ren’s shoulder and answered awkwardly, “I heard them clearly.”
With a gloomy expression, Eunuch Mei continued, “Is that so? Then would Divine Constable Gu please recap them for everyone.”
Showing a troubled expression, Yu Xingliang whispered to Meng Ren, “What were the rules again?”
Lowering his head, Meng Ren whispered back, “I was not listening either.”
Yu Xingliang turned to look at Peng Liuhui, who hid the lower half of his face behind his folding fan and whispered, “Brother Gu, do not look at me. I came with you, whatever you know, I know.”
Just as Yu Xingliang found himself with no one to turn to and prepared to confess, a pleasant male voice sounded softly from behind him, prompting: “Find the clues, seek the banner. Whoever claims the banner wins, and is promoted to Governor.”
Hearing this, Yu Xingliang repeated it in a loud, clear voice: “Find the clues, seek the banner. Whoever claims the banner wins, and is promoted to Governor.”
Staring at Yu Xingliang’s direction with a subtle expression for a long moment, Eunuch Mei proceeded to announce:
“Divine Constable Gu summarized it quite well. However, just in case anyone was daydreaming and missed it, this humble servant will repeat it once more to be thorough. Shortly, all of you will be blindfolded by palace attendants and led one by one to designated locations within the training grounds. At the very center of the training grounds stands a banner. The moment that banner is pulled up, the martial trial concludes. Everyone who is still alive will advance to the next literary trial, and whoever pulls up the banner will be directly promoted to Governor of the Dragon-Guarding Envoys, bypassing the literary trial entirely.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Yu Xingliang turned around to express his thanks. However, he found that the person standing directly behind him was dangerously close, towering over him by half a head.
Lifting his gaze, Yu Xingliang blurted out, “It is you?!”
Wearing a jade half-mask, Beiyu was staring down at Yu Xingliang from his height.
Even though only the lower half of his face was visible, the owner of such perfectly sculpted lip lines surely possessed extraordinary facial features as well.
Beiyu asked, “How much longer do you plan on staring?”
Only then did Yu Xingliang snap back to his senses. “My apologies for the offense. Thank you for helping me out just now.”
Glancing sideways at Meng Ren standing beside Yu Xingliang, Beiyu spoke with a hint of displeasure, “Hmph. You were chatting away so happily just now, I assumed Divine Constable Gu was fully aware of everything. Turns out you still needed someone else to bail you out.”
Staring blankly under Beiyu’s intense gaze, Yu Xingliang felt a twinge of unwarranted guilt and thought: Was my expression of gratitude not sincere enough? Why is this masked fellow suddenly so angry? Could it be like Zeng Yong looking down on Peng Liuhui, did he misunderstand me too?
Clearing his throat, Yu Xingliang offered a solemn explanation, “I am normally never someone who spaces out during important briefings, I…”
“It is none of my concern. Excuse me.” Without waiting for Yu Xingliang to finish, Beiyu stepped past him and walked away.
Watching Beiyu’s indifferent, receding figure, Yu Xingliang felt a strange sense of familiarity wash over him. Could it be someone I have seen earlier this morning?
Stepping closer, Meng Ren asked with a puzzled expression, “Boss, how did you manage to offend someone from the North District?”
Without answering, Yu Xingliang bit his thumbnail and analyzed aloud, “Logically speaking, I am extraordinarily likable, so could it be that…”
Lowering his hand, Yu Xingliang turned to scold Peng Liuhui, “Brother Peng! It must be because of your unreasonable behavior this morning that Masked Bro formed such a terrible first impression of me!”
Peng Liuhui felt deeply aggrieved.
Following the sound of a resounding arrow-whistle, the martial trial officially began.
Tearing off the black blindfold, Yu Xingliang surveyed his surroundings. Towering ancient trees filled his field of vision, their thick canopies locking out the sky so thoroughly that only thin beams of sunlight filtered down through the sparse leaves.
Lightly leaping up onto a thick tree trunk, Yu Xingliang looked down. A sea of dense green stretched out in all directions; it seemed he had been dropped deep into the heart of the training grounds.
Closing his eyes, Yu Xingliang listened intently. Aside from the soft rustling of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze, he could not catch a single trace of other movement.
Opening both eyes, Yu Xingliang furrowed his brow slightly, muttering, “This is way too quiet.”