Chapter 37 “The Fox Spirit in the Moonlight Tower”

Chapter 37: The Fox Spirit in the Moonlight Pavilion

I paid no mind to Xie Yan's dejection that day; my attitude was almost indifferent. However, I couldn't fend off Chou Yunqing's servant, Huai Xin, who was both fiercely loyal and incredibly nosy. Huai Xin practically made the drama between Xie Yan and me the center of his own life. Every day, besides attending to my needs, he would go out to dig up all sorts of gossip about Xie Yan.

"Young master, let me tell you, you're in serious trouble now!" For instance, at this very moment, he burst into the room with a grave expression, uttering this baffling statement. Sweat still beaded on his forehead, and his breath came in ragged gasps from running.

"What's the matter? Speak slowly."

I leisurely poured him a cup of tea, handing it to him unhurriedly. I cast a casual glance his way, my eyes conveying a hint of reproach, like an emperor unconcerned while his eunuch frets.

"Young master, how can you still have the leisure to sip tea here!" Though he spoke thus, Huai Xin still took the cup from me and drained it in one gulp, his face etched with the regret of a blacksmith whose iron won't turn to steel. "Huai Xin found out that after His Highness the Crown Prince left your place that day, he went to the Moonlight Pavilion and stayed there all night without coming out."

"So he went. What's the big deal?"

I sipped my tea with an air of ease, utterly uninterested in Xie Yan's affairs.

But come to think of it, what kind of place is the Moonlight Pavilion? Three years ago, when I was running around having fun everywhere, I had never heard of such a place. It must have been built in recent years, I mused.

"Young master, can't you be more concerned? It was you who said you liked the Crown Prince before, and now it's you who shows no sense of urgency at all." At this, Huai Xin let out a long sigh, as if I were an incapable ruler.

"Never mind," he said, seeing that I was still utterly clueless, and didn't press further. Instead, he continued, "I've already found out about the Moonlight Pavilion. It was built just three years ago, and it's an extremely mysterious place in the Crown Prince's residence. I had to bribe the guards at the entrance to get this information."

"The Moonlight Pavilion is shrouded in mystery. After His Highness ordered it built, he forbade any unauthorized personnel from entering."

"The guard told me that it's most likely a place where the Crown Prince is hiding a lover. That's why I say, young master, you must be careful. Even if you can't win the Crown Prince's heart now, you can't let him sink too deeply into the comforts of the Moonlight Pavilion."

"Moonlight Pavilion?" I stared at the translucent teacup in my hand, curious. "Has anyone seen what the beauty inside looks like?"

Huai Xin shook his head, his expression somewhat regretful. "His Highness handles everything about the Moonlight Pavilion personally, never delegating to others."

"The guard also said that His Highness stays overnight at the Moonlight Pavilion every few days. If it weren't for hiding a secret lover, why wouldn't he just sleep in his own chambers? After all, the Moonlight Pavilion is quite a distance from His Highness's chambers. Isn't it tiring to run back and forth like that?"

I swirled the warm tea in my cup, quietly watching the tea leaves gradually sink. The clear water reflected my indifferent expression. "Since no one has seen the master of the Moonlight Pavilion, how can we claim it's for hiding a secret lover?"

"Huai Xin thought the same at first, but the guard said that every day, clothing from the Weaver's Pavilion is delivered to the Moonlight Pavilion."

At this, Huai Xin suddenly looked around, and after ensuring no one was nearby, he mysteriously leaned in close to my ear.

"And once, a guard got lost in the middle of the night and accidentally wandered into the Moonlight Pavilion. He actually saw His Highness holding someone in his arms, sitting in a pavilion admiring the moon. He indeed saw the Crown Prince's faint figure from behind. This proves there really is such a person."

"So, young master, you must snap out of it. You can't continue like this. You need to be proactive and win the Crown Prince's heart back from the fox spirit in the Moonlight Pavilion."

"Tomorrow, during the chess game, you must use your smarts and charm to capture the Crown Prince's heart, understand? Young master, don't stay silent, and don't yawn. I'll go find you some chess strategy books now for you to practice."

"With your chess skills, you're sure to shine in tomorrow's game. But to be safe, you should still practice diligently. Huai Xin will bring the chess manuals to you right away."

"Alright, alright," I said, lacking any real interest in chess. The mention of chess manuals made me yawn repeatedly, but I couldn't bear to disappoint Huai Xin's good intentions, so I murmured perfunctorily, "Bring some fruit and pastries too. I'll eat while I play chess."

Seeing that I was finally willing to make an effort for Xie Yan, Huai Xin was thrilled and rushed out excitedly.

After he left, the room grew quiet without his constant chatter, and I had time to think, to carefully ponder the matters between Xie Yan, my father, and me.

Xie Yan is the Crown Prince. Uprooting everything he has painstakingly built over the years and shaking his foundations is no easy task. And I am merely the son of a small prefect, with no backing from any powerful faction. It's harder than reaching the heavens.

I gently rubbed the white jade chess piece in my hand, staring blankly as it warmed in my palm. After a moment's thought, I decisively placed it on the board at the critical point to break the game.

If I am to avenge my father now, to make Xie Yan pay with his life and lose his power, I must stay by Xie Yan's side. The most suitable identity for this is that of a study attendant—able to gain access to secrets discreetly while avoiding suspicion and keeping a low profile.

My plan for revenge can be carried out gradually. In the long years to come, I will surely find a way to make Xie Yan suffer unbearably while ensuring my own safety.

Using strength to counter strength, Xie Yan now holds power as the Crown Prince, but the struggle for power is always turbulent. How many ambitious wolves are lurking around him, coveting his position as Crown Prince?

As my thoughts drifted, I had already gone through most of the chess manual. If it were the old me, I wouldn't have been able to focus on these manuals at all. But now, things are different. I can find endless joy in these mysterious chess games and apply what I learn to actual strategies. It's truly wonderful.

After Xie Yan left that day, he never came to see me again. Even his instructions were passed through the steward.

I still remember the steward's troubled expression when he came, his words full of worry. "His Highness's condition has gotten worse these past few days. After that night he went to Feng Jiuyue's residence, his loss of appetite finally improved a bit—at least he was willing to eat some porridge. But now, he hasn't touched a single grain of rice. Ah."

Hearing this, I remained expressionless, maintaining a polite and distant smile, but I didn't take the bait. I instinctively felt disgust toward Xie Yan and certainly wouldn't actively show concern for him. I changed the subject back to the matter at hand.

"Steward, what did you need me for?"

"Oh, it's this," the steward said, finally taking out an invitation from his sleeve. "In a few days, His Highness will be testing the chess skills of all the young masters. He hopes Chou Yunqing will participate on time."

"Steward, may I ask who will be setting the questions this time?" I still haven't forgotten the laughably simple question the steward set last time.

"His Highness will."

"His Highness will set up an Exquisite Chess Puzzle, waiting only for someone to solve it. Chou Yunqing, please practice more these next few days so you won't be out of practice and affect your performance."

What kind of chess puzzle would Xie Yan set? I had no idea.

The chess examination was held in the spacious Cold Plum Residence. The floor was paved with sandalwood, and behind the elegant screen, a gentle stream flowed past strange rock formations and artificial hills. Lotuses in the pond swayed in the breeze, their leaves lush, emitting the faint fragrance of lotus flowers.

Xie Yan, dressed in a plain white robe, sat upright in the center of the room. His face was paler than the last time I saw him, his cold fingers holding a black chess piece. His expression was aloof, like an elegant white crane.

Several well-born young masters had already gathered around him, stealing shy glances at him, their eyes filled with unconcealed joy.

Hmph, attracting attention again.

Seeing this scene, I felt somewhat irritated but had no reason to vent, so I could only grudgingly make my way to the chess table in the corner.

Xie Yan was surrounded by so many people, and everyone's attention was on him, so no one noticed my arrival.

I sat quietly in the corner, watching the lotus flowers outside glistening with raindrops. Some frail buds, not yet bloomed, shyly curled their petals but were dampened by the sudden rain, their bashful faces now wet.

I was so engrossed that I didn't even notice when the rain began to fall on my face. The raindrops came lightly and slowly, carrying a damp chill that made me shiver.

Although I am no longer the sickly Feng Jiuyue, this body isn't particularly healthy either. It's the type that could get sick from a gust of wind. Though I no longer have the bothersome asthma, the occasional colds are still quite frustrating.

"Creak."

A pale hand appeared before me. The person was exceptionally tall but painfully thin. He gently closed the window beside me, completely cutting off my view of the sky. The rain no longer rushed into my embrace, and the shivering throughout my body gradually subsided.

After closing the window, Xie Yan didn't look at me but returned to the main table with an expressionless look.

Only then did I notice that the room had gone completely quiet, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Everyone's eyes were on me. I was puzzled but quickly realized why.

It turned out that the room had multiple windows designed for enjoying the view, located in various places. Now, with the sudden evening rain, water was blowing in through all the windows.

But Xie Yan had only closed my window.

"Now, begin playing in pairs. The loser will be eliminated."

Xie Yan's words were light, but they caused a stir among the attendants. After whispering among themselves, they quickly paired up and began their games.

My table also welcomed an opponent—a young master in rich garments, holding a folding fan, with a small mole on his nose. He looked down his nose at me condescendingly, impatiently nudging the chess table with his sock-clad foot, his attitude arrogant.

"Let me play against you."

I had heard this voice before—on the day I removed my veil, this person had spoken about me from the shadows, every word oozing jealousy. I had little desire to play against him, but as I glanced around, I noticed everyone else had already paired off, leaving me as the only one alone. They all watched me with gleeful malice, as if anticipating a spectacle.

Since this was what they were hoping for, I wouldn’t disappoint them.

I concealed the coldness in my eyes, smiled faintly, and gestured politely, saying to the newcomer, "Then, please."

After a few moves, I realized this person indeed had the right to be arrogant. His skill was exceptional, his strategies unconventional, and his overall playing ability could be considered top-tier.

It was only then that I understood the meaning behind the others' looks—they were certain I would lose, and this had likely been a prearranged setup, setting me up against their best player to ensure my utter defeat. But they were wrong. Feng Jiuyue might have lost, but Chou Yunqing would not.

"I win," I said softly, unable to hide my satisfaction. Though his skill was impressive and his moves fierce, I had barely pulled through.

I’d passed the first test to get near Xie Yan.

"Is that so?" The other man, though defeated, showed no sign of dejection. Instead, he smirked at me, his almond-shaped eyes filled with malice and savagery. "Wasn’t I the one who won? I had the white stones."

How dare he blatantly lie! I was clearly the one with the white stones—I had even allowed black to move first at the start. Now, by simply swapping the stone holders, he had the audacity to cheat so blatantly!

"You have no shame!"

My voice trembled with anger as I reached out to reclaim my white stones, but the person across from me grabbed my wrist.

Despite his delicate appearance, his grip was astonishingly strong. Ignoring the fury on my face, he suddenly raised his voice and shouted, "Your Highness, this person refuses to accept his loss and is trying to switch the stones!"

As soon as he spoke, all eyes turned toward us. Xie Yan looked up from his book, and in that instant, his gaze was like an icy glare, sharply fixed on the hand that gripped mine.

[Author's Note]

"I’m jealous—not that I’d admit it."