Seven days later.
Xu Buling walked out of the Imperial College and gave a whistle. A black horse with snow-white hooves, tall as a man's shoulder, trotted out of the stables and came to a stop before the dismounting stone on the long bluestone street.
The horse was a Windchaser Snowhoof, bred in the northern deserts. Of the Xiliang army under Prince Su's command, a hundred thousand were cavalry, every mount from the northern deserts. One fine horse in a hundred was a Snowhoof, and one Snowhoof in a hundred was a Windchaser; it was worth its own weight in gold, and even with money it was nearly impossible to buy. All of Chang'an had only two—the other was the emperor's own mount.
Xu Buling swung into the saddle and galloped toward Prince Su's residence on Kuishou Street in Changle Ward. The neighborhoods around the imperial city held only princes, nobles, and ministers; every mansion was ringed with guards, and pedestrians were few.
After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he passed the three octagonal archways of Kuishou Street, and from afar he spotted a small sedan chair waiting outside the gates of Prince Su's residence, with a poised maidservant holding an umbrella, standing there in respectful silence.
It was Madame Lu's personal maid.
Xu Buling felt a headache coming on. He reined in the horse, ready to turn around and make do with a night at the Imperial College, when a crisp voice rang out behind him:
"Young Prince!"
Xu Buling sighed. There was nothing for it but to nudge the horse forward across the snow-covered street, walk up to the maid, and ask what he already knew:
"Yuenü, what brings you all the way out here?"
Yuenü sank into a curtsy as fluid as water, her voice soft and gentle:
"My lord Heir, the madam has waited at home for you three days. When you did not come, she feared something had happened to you, and sent this maid to take a look."
Xu Buling nodded slightly and turned his horse toward Madame Lu's residence.
Kuishou Street held only princes, nobles, and ministers. The three octagonal archways at the head of the street had been bestowed upon the three houses of Xiao, Lu, and Xu.
The Xiao clan of Huainan was one of Great Yue's great aristocratic houses. Through three changes of dynasty across the vast Central Plains, the Xiao family had stood unshaken, generation after generation serving as chancellor. The Lu family of Jinling was likewise an old noble house, its capital residence standing directly across from the Xiao estate. The Xu family had only been granted land and made vassal kings sixty years ago; in true depth of foundation, the gap between the three houses was considerable.
In her youth Madame Lu had been promised to a brilliant young man of the Xiao clan. But her husband died young soon after she entered the household, and she was left a widow.
Great clans set store by propriety and the cardinal bonds. As a daughter of the Lu, Madame Lu naturally kept to her honor and could never remarry. Her reputation down the years had been spotless. Long since used to life in the capital and unwilling to move to Huainan, she had always lived in Jinghua Garden, close by the Xiao estate.
Xu Buling dismounted outside Jinghua Garden and left his guards waiting at the gate. Straightening his robes and cap, he walked in along a path he knew by heart and came to the lakeside annex.
A cold wind whispered. The rare flowers and strange trees in the garden had long since withered, and a faint dusting of snow lay over everything.
The elegant little courtyard, built right on the lake, had once been a place to escape the summer heat. Madame Lu preferred quiet, so she had settled here for good, keeping only a few maids to wait on her.
Snow crusted the green tiles atop the white walls, and red lanterns hung outside the courtyard gate, swaying in the wind.
Xu Buling walked slowly up to the annex. The gate stood open, and maids hurried to and fro carrying basins of water that steamed white in the bitter winter cold.
Splash, splash—
The faint sound of water drifted out.
Xu Buling hesitated, then turned toward the stone pavilion outside the annex—but the maids inside had already caught sight of him. One came over at a hurried walk and said respectfully:
"Young Prince, the madam is bathing. Please wait a moment."
"All right."
Xu Buling drew his snow-white fox cloak a little tighter and waited quietly outside the courtyard.
But soon, after the maid went in to announce him, an annoyed and very stern voice came from the small annex:
"Buling, come in here."
Xu Buling tucked his hands into his sleeves and gazed at the white snow covering the splendid garden, as though he had heard nothing at all.
Pat, pat—
The maid came trotting back, a slightly odd look on her face. She stole a glance at the peerlessly handsome Heir and said in a small voice:
"Young Prince, the madam says to come in…"
Xu Buling frowned slightly, finding Madame Lu a little too fond of making a game of it. His body might be seventeen or eighteen, but his mind had long since matured—and seventeen or eighteen was hardly a child anyway.
"Get in here! Are you going to disobey me now too?"
Madame Lu's voice was thoroughly vexed, and she seemed to slap at the water in her irritation.
Xu Buling braced himself and entered the annex. Dim yellow lamplight glowed in the west wing, where a woman's profile was cast on the paper window—graceful curves, full and slender in all the right places—while a maid moved about inside.
Xu Buling looked off to the side, walked over to the window, and stopped there with a light laugh:
"Aunt Lu, I'll just wait out here. Finish what you're doing first."
"And then you'll run off again in a moment. I told you to come, and what do you do? Pretend you didn't hear. Am I too long-winded for you now?"
Splash, splash—
Xu Buling rubbed his forehead, his back to the window, and thought it over:
"Aunt Lu worries too much. Um… I had a bit of private business…"
The splashing inside did not stop. After a short silence came a soft sigh, tinged with reproach:
"Fine. I won't pry. Just take care of yourself. A few days ago you beat Xiao Ting…"
"I know I was wrong."
"I didn't say you were wrong. You did well. Xiao Ting is all glib talk and bluster—bullies the weak and fears the strong, not a man at all. If he weren't my brother-in-law, I would have dealt with him long ago."
"Hm… all right. Next time I'll try harder."
"Xiao Ting ran off to the palace to complain, and the Empress Dowager told me to take you in hand. Hmph. As if I could bear to discipline you—I can't even dote on you enough. I'd sooner keep you in my mouth than let you go…
…Alas. But you've grown up, and you don't like being managed, and I suppose I have turned into a nag…"
The more she talked, the more a note of grievance crept into her voice.
Xu Buling drew a breath, kept his temper even, and answered in a junior's tone with a faint smile:
"Not at all. I like Aunt Lu best. I don't bother with anyone else."
"…Says one thing, means another…"
Her tone softened at last. The water splashed—she seemed to be climbing out of the tub—and then came a steady rustle of cloth, followed by her voice, brisk with instructions:
"I didn't call you here to scold you. An assassin has come to the capital, a highly skilled one. Zhang Xiang, the head of the Investigation Bureau, was nearly killed. Ten years ago the Bureau made a great purge of the jianghu and left a good many remnants behind. Your father sent troops to wipe out jianghu folk as well, so some of them may come for you. Be careful these next few days."
Xu Buling nodded slightly. "I know."
"And what was that business with the smuggled salt?"
Xu Buling had known this was coming. Helplessly, he said:
"I happened to be passing by. I just lent a hand, that's all."
"Just lent a hand, and it earned you the name of an upright magistrate. Do you think your reputation for virtue isn't grand enough as it is?"
Xu Buling was overcome with remorse and had nothing to say.
"…Never mind. What's done is done, and saying more won't help. I've already had the Imperial Guard suppress the whole affair. Be more careful from now on… And killing brings karma. How old are you? A hundred-odd lives on your hands—it shortens your years. No more killing."
"Heh, I know."
"Don't just say you know—do something. Do something scandalous, not something good."
The door of the west wing opened, and Madame Lu stepped out in a thin gown with a shawl over it, her wet hair hanging loose down her back, her cheeks faintly flushed—ripe and alluring, like a vivid peony blooming in the snow.
The winter day was cold. Fresh from her bath, she had walked out of a warm room into the cutting wind; she frowned and hunched her neck a little.
Seeing this, Xu Buling unfastened his white fox cloak, stepped up, and draped it over her shoulders. He stood half a head taller than Madame Lu, and the cloak was a size too big—it swallowed her up entirely.
Madame Lu drew the cloak tighter; its warmth drove the chill from her body, and her color improved. Recovering her dignity, she tilted her head to look at Xu Buling, who now stood in nothing but a white robe. "Don't catch cold. Come inside." She turned and walked toward her chamber.
Xu Buling thought about it, shook his head in resignation, and followed her in.
The chamber in the annex was small, furnished with a zither stand, a painting desk, a soft couch, and a tea table. Behind a curtain of beads stood an embroidered bed. It was neat and exquisite, and a brazier kept it warm and cozy.
The door closed. Xu Buling glanced around, sat down by the tea table, and with practiced hands began brewing Longtuan Shengxue tea from Southern Yue.
Madame Lu took off the cloak and sat down beside the soft couch in her thin green gown. A bronze mirror, a comb, and her trinkets lay within reach. She was just reaching for the comb when she suddenly frowned, picked up the snow-white fox cloak, brought it close, and sniffed. Her expression slowly turned grave.
Xu Buling fiddled with the tea things, puzzled. "What is it, Aunt Lu?"
Madame Lu held the cloak and sniffed carefully at it. "Moon Palace Cassia, from Xianzhi Studio—a young lady's face powder…"
Xu Buling's hands froze mid-motion. These past days he had repeatedly hoisted Song Yufu up and dangled her over the Bell and Drum Tower to threaten her, but he had only grabbed her with his hands—and she can smell even that?
Madame Lu pressed her lips together, her almond eyes fixed on Xu Buling in earnest. "Moon Palace Cassia is a faint scent, and expensive besides. Generally only the daughters of scholarly official families use it… Who is this girl?"
Xu Buling went on pouring tea, a little exasperated. "Aunt Lu, don't you trust me? I just happened to brush against a female student at Wenqu Court. I haven't been out doing anything wild."
"What kind of talk is that?"
Madame Lu's face was stern; she was plainly angry, and she drew herself up a little. "You are a vassal prince's heir—why would I ever stand in the way of your finding a woman? If you want a woman, just say the word, and I'll find you any kind there is…" With that she turned her head and called out:
"Yuenü."
"Here."
Yuenü, who had hurried back, entered the room respectfully and bowed her head.
"Take the Heir downstairs to rest. Stay with him tonight, and from now on you'll attend the Heir."
"As you command."
Yuenü curtsied and walked slowly over to Xu Buling, reaching out to lend him her arm.
Xu Buling's scalp prickled. If Madame Lu planted a spy at his side to shadow him day and night, he could forget about ever getting any real work done. He raised a hand:
"Forget it, forget it. I'm not complaining about Aunt Lu. It truly was just an accidental brush. There's no girl I like."
Madame Lu studied him for a long while, and seeing that Xu Buling was not lying, she let out a long, quiet sigh:
"Buling, I'm not standing in the way of your finding a woman. You're still young, and you're so beautiful you could ruin kingdoms, and your rank and power are high besides. There's no woman in this world who wouldn't want to cling to you…
They say 'the most venomous thing is a woman's heart.' To seduce you, the women out there will do absolutely anything. You've seen little of the world; if you're careless and get taken in, you won't be the only one ruined.
One day you'll be a vassal king—have you never heard the tales of 'the beacon fires played over the vassals' and of King Zhou of Shang's ruin for a woman?"
"I know. I'll take it to heart as a warning."
Xu Buling gave a soft laugh, poured a cup of tea, walked over, and handed it to Madame Lu:
"Aunt Lu, have some tea. Calm yourself."
Madame Lu pressed her lips together, took the cup, blew on it lightly, and sipped. Sitting sideways with her head turned away, she still looked a little aggrieved.
Xu Buling thought for a moment, then raised his hands in a salute. "Um… there's a chess match at the Dragon's Roar Pavilion in Daye Ward today. I'll go place a bet, and not disturb Aunt Lu any longer."
At that, Madame Lu set down the cup, picked up the fox cloak, draped it over his back, then came around to the front and tied the cords at his collar:
"It's only natural for young men to want the spotlight, but your position is too high. Telling you to hide your talents and foul your name is not meant to harm you. Prince Su holds too much military power, and the streets whisper that 'the vassal kings covet the throne.' His Majesty is bound to have his thoughts…
…Right now every official in the court whispers that 'His Majesty means to strip the vassal kings.' True or false, you must mind your words and your conduct. Whatever you do, don't let your prominence draw suspicion."
Xu Buling smiled faintly. "I know."
Madame Lu patted his collar. "You. Fouling your own name is the simplest thing in the world. Those old scholars at the literary gatherings love nothing better than to split hairs. Buying poems, copying poems—that sort of 'plagiarism' is what men of letters despise most…
…Go and buy a fine poem, one that a man of your experience could never have written. In a few days, flash it about at the Dragon's Roar Poetry Gathering, and those pedantic old scholars will come after you tooth and nail. Then, in a fit of temper, you insist you wrote it yourself—and your reputation will blacken all on its own…"
Xu Buling's eyes lit up. That's a good idea.
As a transmigrator, writing poetry was out of the question for him—but copying a fine poem no one would believe he could write, for the sole purpose of getting himself cursed at? That he could do with one hand tied behind his back.
To be all of eighteen and come out with 'Old as I am, I stir with a young man's wildness—yellow hound at my left, grey falcon on my right'—even the head between his legs could tell it was stolen.
Xu Buling nodded and laughed softly. "Aunt Lu, rest easy. This time I'll make sure they curse me up one side and down the other."
Madame Lu snorted. "Don't botch it again. If you show yourself accomplished in both letters and arms, there'll be no one in the world who doesn't fear you." She finished settling his collar, looked him up and down carefully, and nodded in satisfaction. "Go on… and don't go drinking in the pleasure houses."
Brimming with confidence, Xu Buling turned and strode quickly out of the annex…
Dear readers, if you're passing through, won't you toss in a recommendation vote?