"I don’t know what you’re talking about." Li Qingxian refused to yield.
Zhou Chunfeng hid the amusement in his eyes. "However, be careful. People might accuse you of currying favor later."
"I’ve already been to Ministry of Revenue Street. Why would I fear a war of words?" Li Qingxian said with a placid smile.
Li Qingxian changed the subject. "To prevent petty people from making slanderous accusations, how about this? We draw up two written agreements today. One will be kept with Lord Luo, and Uncle Zhou will hold on to the other. Once the brewing method is finalized, we can use these documents as proof when we present it for the Emperor’s birthday. However, I have one condition: no one outside the four of us can know about these two agreements. If word gets out, I’d rather destroy the brewing method entirely."
"You’re being overly cautious, but that’s for the best. I will keep this agreement safe and ensure no one else learns of it, not even Lord Lur," Luo Jing said.
"Mm," Zhou Chunfeng simply nodded softly.
The group discussed for a while longer. At dusk, Luo Jing and Li Qingxian took their leave.
"Nephew, stay a moment. I have something to say," said Zhou Chunfeng.
Li Qingxian’s face lit up. "Then I’ll stay."
The corner of Zhou Chunfeng’s mouth twitched. He saw Luo Jing off, then turned and went back into his study.
Led by a guard, Luo Jing walked out the side gate of the Night Guard Office. He stood on Night Guard Street, gazing up at the deep blue-black sky.
Duan Heng and other subordinates followed behind, waiting in silence.
"Brother Heng, thank you for today," Luo Jing said suddenly.
"Huh?" Duan Heng looked completely baffled.
"That Li Qingxian... he’s quite something," Luo Jing said, then strode away.
Realization dawned on Duan Heng, and he let out a knowing chuckle.
「In the study.」
Zhou Chunfeng pointed to a chair. "Sit."
Li Qingxian sat down.
"Out with it. What are you really up to, having the two of us hold on to those agreements?"
"Nothing at all," Li Qingxian replied breezily.
"This birthday gift for the Emperor... aside from self-preservation, do you have any other motives?" Zhou Chunfeng asked, raising a brow, his handsome features sharp and intense.
"None at all," Li Qingxian replied, as calm as ever.
"Good," Zhou Chunfeng nodded. "What are you waiting for? Take a Golden Token. Keep it hidden, and don’t go flashing it around."
"Huh? Yes!" Li Qingxian walked cheerfully to the desk, carefully picked up the wooden, black-and-gold Golden Token, and turned it over in his hands to examine it.
"Is there anything else? If not, you can head back."
Just as he was about to leave, Li Qingxian glanced at Zhou Chunfeng and said with a cheeky grin, "Uncle Zhou, I’ve wanted to ask you a few personal questions for a long time."
"Ask," Zhou Chunfeng said, casually picking up a document to review.
Li Qingxian said, "There are many legends about you in our Daqi. For instance, the tale of ’The Whole City Gawks at Jade.’ It says that when you arrived in Wusu City at age ten, your skin was so clear it looked like jade, and people mistook you for a jade statue, causing the entire city to turn out and stare. I didn’t believe it at first, but after seeing you today, I’m a believer."
"I was seven," Zhou Chunfeng replied without looking up.
"Then... is the story of ’Filling the Carriage with Fruit’ also true? You just mentioned you were going to buy pears, and a throng of women forcibly threw their own fruits and vegetables into your carriage?"
"Many times." Zhou Chunfeng put down his document, a look of resignation on his handsome face as he nodded.
"And is the story of ’Surrounded by Linked Hands’ also true?" Li Qingxian grew even more curious. It was hard to imagine someone being so handsome that women would join hands to form a circle around him, just to stare.
Zhou Chunfeng’s expression darkened. "Are you here to be a Night Guard or a gossiper? Zhou Henn, show our guest out."
"So it is true..." Li Qingxian said, turning to leave, completely unfazed. "Uncle Zhou, take care of yourself. Rest your voice. I’ll go get some loquat paste from a childhood friend of mine later. It’s not expensive, but I guarantee it’s authentic. Uncle Zhou Henn, I’m off. No need to see me out."
Li Qingxian left with a carefree swagger.
Once Li Qingxian’s figure had disappeared from the courtyard, Zhou Henn said with resignation, "That kid gets familiar with people way too fast."
"He’s grown up wild and fears nothing. That’s not necessarily a bad thing," Zhou Chunfeng said.
Zhou Henn pursed his lips. ’Why not praise him to his face then?’
Zhou Chunfeng rose and walked to the window, gazing at the lotus pond outside, where the flowers had not yet bloomed.
’Wine, is it...’
Zhou Chunfeng’s vision blurred, as if he were transported back many years, back to when he was demoted and exiled from the capital, forced to experience the full spectrum of human warmth and coldness.
Of all his so-called friends, only two true confidants came to see him off in the end.
It wasn’t until he reached the Ten-Mile Pavilion that he saw a man sitting at a window-side table in a tavern, raising a cup to him from afar before draining it in a single motion.
At the time, he and Li Gangfeng had only met on a few occasions. He never imagined that Li Gangfeng, an official from the Imperial Censorate, would cast aside all suspicion to see him off personally.
In Zhou Chunfeng’s memory, the wind of that early summer season was forever perfumed with the scent of sweet grass and wine.
FLAP FLAP FLAP...
Zhou Henn glanced out the window before exiting the study.
Zhou Chunfeng sat back down at his desk. A gyrfalcon landed on the floor and transformed into a man.
"My lord, I’ve finished the investigation."
"Tell me everything, in detail." Though spoken in his soft Jiangnan accent, Zhou Chunfeng’s voice was as heavy as stone.
"Two years ago, Lord Li Gangfeng impeached the Heir of Prince Yuann on nine major charges. The Heir was demoted to Assistant General and placed under house arrest. Half a year ago, Lord Li passed away. The former Heir moved back into Prince Yuann’s Mansion, though his title of ’Heir’ was not restored. Recently, he colluded with Ye Han, the concubine-born son of Marquis Dingbei. Ye Han pretended to befriend Li Qingxian and got him drunk, after which one of the former Heir’s subordinates used the Fifth Technique of the Heart Shattering Palm on him. The Fifth Technique leaves no trace. If the victim has not yet Entered Grade, their heart meridians will seal after one hour, mimicking a sudden death. Perhaps the assailant was too hasty and lacked sufficient power, which is the only reason Li Qingxian survived."
A deep darkness settled in Zhou Chunfeng’s eyes.
"It was really Ye Han?"
"The evidence is irrefutable."
Zhou Chunfeng sighed, took out an envelope, and wrote his name on the front: Zhou Chunfeng.
He stared at the name for a long time.
"Zhou Henn."
"I am here." Zhou Henn pushed the door open and entered.
"Have our men take this calling card and place it on Prince Yuann’s pillow," Zhou Chunfeng said.
Both Zhou Henn and the man who had been the gyrfalcon looked up, staring at Zhou Chunfeng in astonishment.
’Half a year ago, this wouldn’t have been a problem. But things were different now.’
"My lord, Prince Yuann has recently gained the Emperor’s deep trust. Rumor has it he’s about to be put in command of two divisions of the Capital Camp," Zhou Henn urged.
"Do it," Zhou Chunfeng’s voice was soft.
"As you command!" Zhou Henn took the strangely heavy empty envelope with both hands and strode out.
"And have Ye Han come see me," Zhou Chunfeng added.
"Yes, my lord."
A short while later, a young man in a standard, dark-cyan Night Guard Uniform approached at a slow pace.
He had sharp brows, bright eyes, and a face as fine as jade, but his brow was tightly furrowed and his lips were pressed into a firm line.
His left hand gripped the hilt of his saber, and his back was slightly hunched, his figure lacking its usual upright posture.
Ye Han had just seen it: under the large pagoda tree outside the Street Patrol Room barracks, Zheng Hui, despite his tattered clothes, was gleefully recounting the full story of how the Ti Qi had rescued Li Qingxian. He was surrounded by a crowd three layers deep, so thick you couldn’t get through.
Pang Mingjing, the Treasury Room Leader of the Finance Department, a dignified Senior Seventh Grade official, had been stripped of his uniform and thrown into the Imperial Prison.
Night insects swarmed his face, and an agitated Ye Han waved them away again and again. Only when he reached the study door did he take a deep breath to compose himself.
Just as he was about to speak, a summons, spoken in a Jiangnan accent, came from inside the study.
"Come in."
The voice was cold, chilling Ye Han to the bone.