Shang Yinyu had dozens of ways to make Nineteen confess, but a sovereign who respected worthy men could never use any of those dozen-odd methods of his.
Shang Yinyu let go of Nineteen, straightened Nineteen’s collar for him, and said:
“Nineteen, go back and rest well today. If you need anything, come find me again.”
Huh? Don’t I seem to have said this line today already?
Along with his reluctance, Nineteen also breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Master had said that was not an offense, he did not want to stand before Master in such an awkward posture.
He was about to salute and take his leave when he suddenly realized he was still holding the emperor’s jade pendant in his hand, and hurriedly offered it up with both hands.
“Master, this subordinate carelessly tore off your jade pendant…”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”
Before Nineteen could ask for forgiveness, Shang Yinyu had already pardoned him.
What Nineteen held was a set of Lantian black jade with a dark red tassel.
Each day the attendants who served his washing hung two sets of jade pendants on Shang Yinyu, one set strung with many pieces of jade, so that walking made a “clinking and jingling of pendants and rings.”
It was fine for ordinary walking, but if he took hurried steps, the clashing of that jade could be noisy enough to give one a headache.
Shang Yinyu did not want to hang the jade back on, so he said to Nineteen: “Keep it. I grant this pendant to you.”
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.” Nineteen accepted the pendant and saluted respectfully.
Shadow guards always take no ordinary path. Shang Yinyu watched Nineteen touch his toes lightly and leap up to the beams.
His gaze followed, and though his eyes had been stuck to that figure in black, he lost his target as the black clothing fluttered.
Suppressing the sudden emptiness, Shang Yinyu sat down at the desk and called An Dezhong.
Before long, An Dezhong came in with his head lowered and body bowed, carrying tea. “Does Your Majesty have any instructions?”
Shang Yinyu picked up the tea and signaled An Dezhong to carry back the memorials piled up beside the desk.
While directing An Dezhong to sort them by category, Shang Yinyu took a sip of tea to moisten his throat.
This round with Nineteen had left his mouth dry and tongue parched, and he could not even taste Nineteen to quench his thirst. A wise ruler really isn’t so easy to be.
An Dezhong arranged the memorials separately according to His Majesty’s requirements.
The shadow guard Nineteen was long gone from the room, but An Dezhong was an old hand who had been at His Majesty’s side since His Majesty’s birth, and all of his daily life, clothing, food, lodging and travel were handled by his hand.
Just in the moment of a glance while moving the memorials, An Dezhong noticed that one set of jade pendants at His Majesty’s waist was missing.
Where that pendant had gone could be known even by thinking with a strand of hair.
Yesterday His Majesty had favored Shadow Nineteen, and An Dezhong had wanted to find time to have a talk with Shadow Nineteen.
He had not expected His Majesty to be so fond of Shadow Nineteen that within only two days he would summon him to be favored again in succession, and this time even bestowed a set of black jade.
Shadow Nineteen was His Majesty’s shadow guard commander. The shadow guards were independent of every institution and loyal only to His Majesty, not under his jurisdiction.
But as people who served His Majesty alike, some rules still had to be observed.
·
When the three-day rest of the Qianqiu Festival was over, Shang Yinyu formally began the emperor’s life of holding court every day, year-round without a break.
Not long after taking the throne, Shang Yinyu had moved the morning court to the Chen hour, but he still had to get up as soon as it was light, to be served by attendants in washing.
Putting on the yellow robe patterned with nine golden dragons, wearing the crown, and finally sitting on the dragon throne in the Golden Hall, watching the court officials put on shows.
“Your Majesty, the Qianqiu Festival has passed. Should preparations for the autumn hunt begin?”
Only upon this reminder did Shang Yinyu recall the matter of the hunt. Counting the days, it was this year’s autumn hunt.
It was this autumn hunt where he met assassins and the horse was startled, and he waited half the night in the mountain crevice with a badly wounded Nineteen, when his Nineteen had almost been lost.
“I will discuss this with the Cabinet later.”
The autumn hunt could not go ahead. Shang Yinyu needed time to clear out those assassins and their source.
After court, Shang Yinyu discussed affairs of state with the Cabinet ministers, and while at it removed this year’s autumn hunt, changing the main hunt to a winter hunt.
In the afternoon, Shang Yinyu received two court historians.
The historians were correcting the records of the late emperor’s life and deeds and needed to look for some materials in the palace.
Shang Yinyu was writing them a handwritten order when he heard An Dezhong ask cautiously: “Your Majesty, should today’s martial lesson be canceled?”
Shang Yinyu was slightly startled. Ever since Qiao Beiji had gone to the army, whether he attended martial lessons depended entirely on his mood, and most of the time he went only four or five times a month.
In the tenth year of Tianxi, he was still a good student who attended martial lessons every day, and each time he would name Nineteen as his sparring partner, train until hot with sweat, and then take Nineteen to soak in a bath…
“No need. Prepare, and go to Shangwu Hall.”
Shang Yinyu handed the written order to the historians.
The two historians seemed interested not only in the late emperor’s life and deeds but also in his daily life, and said they would like to observe His Majesty’s martial lesson.
Shang Yinyu thought about it and felt there was nothing that could not be shown to others, so he allowed them to follow.
The emperor’s procession proceeded to Shangwu Hall.
Outside Shangwu Hall, seeing Nineteen in a black martial robe come to receive the carriage, Shang Yinyu for a moment felt as if it were another life.
As if he were still that student who, whatever he studied, made his teacher teach him dozens of times, and Nineteen were still the martial teacher who was full of patience however many times he taught.
Entering Shangwu Hall, Shang Yinyu had long forgotten his martial progress five years earlier. Watching Nineteen help him into the martial robe, he asked:
“What are we practicing today?”
“Mounted archery,” Nineteen replied.
This I can do. Although I can’t take the commander’s banner from hundreds of meters away as Qiao Beiji can, shooting a fixed target dozens of meters away is no problem.
The horses were all famous horses. Nineteen led over the one he rode most often, Night-Shining Jade Lion, with snow-white coat, handsome and extraordinary.
But Shang Yinyu looked to the other side of the paddock at the big black horse stamping restlessly, black and shining all over, with only its hooves white.
Black Cloud Treading Snow, the horse that traveling merchants from beyond the frontier had presented at the Qianqiu Festival, and also Qiao Beiji’s future mount.
Shang Yinyu had the attendants bring a plate of pastries and carried it toward the black horse.
Nineteen handed Night-Shining Jade Lion to the stable officer and followed himself. “Your Majesty, that horse has not been broken in. It is very fierce.”
“No matter.” It wasn’t broken in yet, but Shang Yinyu had ridden that horse many times later and knew well how to make a deal with it.
The emperor was about to reach the front of the big black horse, and Nineteen could only flash ahead and take the horse’s reins in his hand.
The big black horse stamped its front hooves and snorted at Shang Yinyu, the sound like muffled thunder.
Shang Yinyu did not mind. He took a piece of pastry and held it to Black Cloud Treading Snow’s mouth.
The big black horse lowered its head quickly and swallowed the pastry with the speed of thunder that no one could cover their ears against.
“Black Cloud Treading Snow, if you let me ride one round, this whole plate is yours.”
“Neigh—”
The deal was struck. Shang Yinyu had the stable officer put a saddle on Black Cloud Treading Snow, and when he turned his head he saw Nineteen looking at him with shining eyes.
Shang Yinyu said: “I know you like this horse. From now on, if you feed it a few pieces of pastry every day, it will surely follow you.”
“Your Majesty is truly amazing,” Nineteen said with admiration.
Shang Yinyu smiled. That’s amazing already? If you knew I had also been with you on this horse, wouldn’t you…
Shang Yinyu hurriedly stopped his thoughts and mounted, stepping into the stirrup.
To ease the pictures in his mind, Shang Yinyu deliberately did not have Nineteen come up with him, and rode alone, choosing various angles to shoot arrows.
After shooting a few arrows, he saw An Dezhong walk up beside Nineteen and say something to him.
Before long, Nineteen came to his side and took over from the stable officer to lead his horse.
This meant he had something to report.
Shang Yinyu drew his bow, eyes fixed on the distant target, and asked casually: “What did you two say?”
Nineteen answered truthfully: “Eunuch An said Your Majesty has taken this subordinate, so this subordinate must serve Your Majesty well and must not be close to others again, lest he catch a filthy disease and give it to Your Majesty.”
Fuck! What a pig of a teammate!
Shang Yinyu was so startled that his hand shook, and the arrow he was charging shot out directly, landing in an arc on the ground ten meters short of the target.
Shang Yinyu had no mind for this embarrassing shot and turned to Nineteen below, who was combing the horse’s mane with his hand: “Nineteen, that old servant An Dezhong is talking nonsense. You need not pay him any attention. I’ll punish him later.”
“It’s fine. This subordinate is not close to others, only close to…” Nineteen fell silent and turned his head to look behind.
Shang Yinyu followed his look and saw the historians had come dozens of meters closer and were craning their necks this way.
Nineteen went silent; surely the historians could already hear their conversation.
Shang Yinyu felt that between him and Nineteen everything was clean and innocent, with no relationship that couldn’t be seen, and said to Nineteen quite calmly:
“You need not be like this. I am not the kind of person who manages my subordinates’ private lives.”
The attendants gathered the arrows and returned. Shang Yinyu glimpsed the historians writing with heads down in a small notebook and felt this was a good chance to put on a show.
“Would Nineteen like to ride this Black Cloud Treading Snow?” Shang Yinyu asked.
Nineteen never lied in front of His Majesty and admitted directly: “This subordinate would.”
Shang Yinyu handed the bow and arrow to Nineteen. “If you can hit the bullseye, I will invite you to ride together.”
Nineteen’s heart gave a great leap.
Unlike Master, who had to deal with a large number of memorials, archery to him was as easy as eating and drinking, but the reward Master offered was so great.
Nineteen respectfully took the bow and arrow and stepped aside.
He drew the bow and nocked the arrow.
Whoosh—
Thwack—
Right on the bullseye.
Nineteen’s hand was damp with nervous sweat. Not stopping to wipe it, he turned to look at His Majesty on the horse.
“A fine archery skill. With such archery skill Nineteen should be my general. Leading my horse is truly an insult to Nineteen’s talent.”
Shang Yinyu praised him at some length, but found that Nineteen did not cooperate at all and only stared with burning eyes at his saddle, his eyes almost giving off light.
All right, all right, I’ll let you get up first.
Shang Yinyu reached a hand out to Nineteen.
Nineteen’s hand was sweaty and he did not dare take the hand extended by the emperor. He only touched his feet lightly and turned over onto the horse.
With a person now in his arms, the two pressed tightly together, he could feel the body heat of both through the martial robes.
Shang Yinyu held Nineteen loosely and for a moment felt only that it was too close.
The saddle was a single-person saddle, and two grown men seated on it was naturally cramped.
Shang Yinyu used to like riding together with Nineteen on a single-person saddle, but that was to be with Nineteen on horseback.
Now he only wanted to get off and have the attendants add a saddle.
But if one acts, one must act completely, and adding props midway would greatly reduce the effect.
Shang Yinyu held Nineteen with one hand and the reins with the other, letting the horse carry them a few steps in the paddock, deliberately keeping at a not-near, not-far distance from the historians.
“Would Nineteen be willing to be my general?”
“This subordinate obeys Your Majesty in everything.” Nineteen looked at the hand the emperor had around him, his fingers moved, and in the end he did not dare to touch it, only letting them hang at the back of the horse’s neck, his fingertips curling a lock of Black Cloud Treading Snow’s mane.
Shang Yinyu was fairly satisfied with Nineteen’s present cooperation, nodded and said: “To be a general you can’t keep using this name anymore. I will grant you a name.”
Thinking that the historians would record their conversation and enter it into the histories, Shang Yinyu became excited, leaned in beside Nineteen’s ear, and said:
“For the surname, use your original surname, Qiao.”
“Mm…” Nineteen answered in a low voice, his ears gradually warming.
“As for the given name, let it be Beiji. How about that?”