Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Thirty-Third Chapter

"Sheng Geer's temper's getting worse and worse," Ceng Gui said, stepping away from Lian Cheng. "You've grown close to the Ye family of late. With such a temper, I fear you'll hardly get in Grand Secretary Ye's good graces."

Lian Xiusheng retorted, "Cousin would do better to focus more on his studies, lest once the mourning period ends, he's forgotten all the classics and history he's learned, making it hard to pass the exams."

Hearing Lian Xiusheng, for no good reason, bring up the death of someone's father and the delay of the spring examinations due to mourning—two of life's greatest sorrows—Lian Cheng quickly stood up and stepped between them. "That piece of sacrificial meat I got earlier was mostly fat; it made me nauseous. It was a good thing Cousin Ruzhuo's tea came just in time."

He tried to make peace: "Cousin Ruzhuo's got a wealth of knowledge and rare talent. Passing the spring exams with distinction should be no problem."

"Third Brother's words suggest I wasn't timely enough," Lian Xiusheng said, with a smirk that was hard to read, half joking, half serious.

Lian Cheng didn't mean it that way at all; Lian Xiusheng was reading too much into it. He wanted Lian Xiusheng to stop bringing all that political scheming into family affairs.

Fortunately, Huqiu came running in just then to report, "Young Master Xia has come to pay New Year's greetings. The lady requests that the young master come and speak with him."

Lian Cheng quickly slipped away from the two of them. He sensed some friction between them, but the book had never mentioned any conflict between them, and since even the unofficial histories recorded nothing, it was probably trivial and uninteresting. So Lian Cheng couldn't be bothered to care—better to make a strategic retreat.

Being with Huqiu was refreshing. Lian Cheng casually broke off a sprig of winter plum. "What do you think of this as a New Year's gift for Xia Shutong?"

Huqiu said, "Whatever the young master gives, Young Master Xia will be delighted."

For once, the not-so-bright Huqiu was correct in his judgment. Xia Shutong was already delighted before he even noticed the plum blossom in Lian Cheng's hand, and even more so when he saw it.

Xia Shutong hadn't originally come to pay New Year's greetings to the Lian family; there was no close relationship between the Xias and the Lians. So after seeing Lian Cheng, he took his leave of Lady Zhang and, along with his servant, went with Lian Cheng to Penglai Pavilion. "I should be the first to wish you, Minzi, a Happy New Year. When I came early this morning, your family was still in the midst of ancestor worship. I waited in your mother's courtyard for a good while, and she personally brewed tea for me—quite remarkable. I thought no one bothered with those old-fashioned ways anymore."

"This time I've brought some change of clothes. I'm going to stay with you for a few days. Father and Mother are going to the auxiliary capital tomorrow to visit some relatives and take a look at the imperial wood."

"Imperial wood?" Lian Cheng asked. "What imperial wood is there in the auxiliary capital? If they want to see wood, they should go to the mountains of the southwest."

"I asked Father the same thing, but he told me not to worry about it, so I argued with him. That's why I'm left home alone this time."

Lian Cheng caught on. "Ah, I thought you came to sincerely wish me a Happy New Year, but it turns out you're just bored and lonely at home, so you came looking for me."

"Minzi, don't be so literal. Just know that my intentions are genuine," Xia Shutong said with a grin, and then they arrived at Lian Cheng's residence. He looked up at the plaque above the door. "'You are a celestial being, you should know the path to Penglai. I wish to lead the dusty guest, together toward Penglai.' Minzi, this dwelling is truly wonderful!"

Lian Cheng said nothing and stepped over the threshold. Xia Shutong followed, looking around, startled by the two big roosters, and then peered into the left moon gate. "Who lives on the left?"

Lian Cheng said it was Lian Xiusheng.

Xia Shutong looked as if he'd seen a ghost and ran away.

"How can you live so close to him? Isn't it frightening? How can you sleep at night?" Xia Shutong had, since childhood, been particularly afraid of people like Lian Xiusheng—so brilliant and flawless that they seemed almost inhuman.

"Why would it be hard to sleep?" Lian Cheng found it baffling. Since being transported into the book, he'd been sleeping much better than before.

"In the auxiliary capital, I heard a few little stories. One of them says that the more extraordinary a person is, the closer they are to demons and mountain spirits. Ordinary people like us always have flaws," Xia Shutong whispered. "Besides, my dad doesn't like seeing him either. Every time he talks to Lian Xiusheng, he feels short of breath and wants to gulp down two bowls of medicine. It's quite eerie."

Lian Cheng didn't respond. He thought that Xia Shutong's father, Xia Dan, felt short of breath after talking to Lian Xiusheng probably because Lian Xiusheng had annoyed him.

Still, Xia Shutong being so unintelligent—even more so than himself—pleased Lian Cheng.

So he sighed and said, "It seems your father and Lian Xiusheng don't get along."

"It's not exactly that they don't get along," Xia Shutong said. "But Father once said that Lian Xiusheng's essays were once guided by Grand Secretary Zeng. Although Lian Xiusheng never acknowledged Zeng as his teacher, Zeng did treat him as a student back then. However, Zeng was once my father's examiner, and later kicked my father out like an old shoe. That's why my father doesn't much care for Lian Xiusheng. I say he's jealous that Lian Xiusheng won his teacher's favor, but he insists Lian Xiusheng is scheming and tells me never to associate with him."

"Grand Secretary Zeng..."

"Yes, Grand Secretary Zeng, the grandfather of your cousin Ceng Gui."

Hearing that, Lian Cheng remembered. Ceng Gui's grandfather was now the Minister of Rites, also serving as the second assistant in the Grand Secretariat, holding several titular academician positions that need not be mentioned. He was a clear stream in the book, a very typical neutral. But since Lian Cheng had transmigrated before finishing the book, he didn't know how he ended up.

Analyzing the information at hand, it seemed that Zeng's dismissal of Xia Dan was most likely because Xia Dan had defected to Grand Secretary Ye's faction, which naturally conflicted with Zeng's neutral stance. Cutting ties with Xia Dan was simply to avoid being labeled as a member of Ye's faction himself.

So what was his view of Lian Xiusheng now? Lian Xiusheng was clearly also leaning toward Ye's faction. No wonder Lian Cheng had sensed tension between Lian Xiusheng and Ceng Gui in the ancestral hall earlier—it was probably for the same reason.

Alas, Lian Cheng sighed inwardly. Cliques were the most troublesome.

-

On the first day of the new year, guests came in droves. Firecrackers exploded round after round, and two batches of gifts arrived from the palace: one for the entire Lian residence, and the other specifically for Zhang Ailian, the commandery princess. Lian Cheng listened carefully to the imperial decrees—a small portion was from the current emperor and the empress, but most were from the dowager empress.

Xia Shutong was also impressed, marveling at the Lian family's abundant favor. But Lian Cheng thought, Isn't this the same as building them up to knock them down?

That evening, Lian Cheng and Xia Shutong dined at the Orchid Garden, then brought back a food box containing dried persimmons, lychees, longans, chestnuts, and cooked dates, along with two boxes of donkey meat to eat that night. The former were for good luck, the latter was called "chewing ghost." After that, Qiu Mama made sure they both drank pepper-and-cypress wine before calling it a night.

Lian Cheng didn't forget to send Huqiu to ask whether Lian Xiusheng had eaten the persimmons, chewed the ghost, and drunk the wine.

Huqiu returned quickly and reported, "Sixth Brother isn't in his courtyard."

Not in?

Lian Cheng thought for a moment and asked, "Is Fourth Madam there?"

Huqiu rushed off again and came back just as quickly. "Fourth Madam is there."

Xia Shutong, biting into a persimmon, was lying on the table reading a storybook. "Minzi, are you on such good terms with him? I have nothing to say to my younger siblings at home. They gossip about me behind my back every day, mocking me for growing up in the auxiliary capital and not knowing the ways of the capital, huh."

Lian Cheng ignored him, distracted, and continued questioning Huqiu. "What about Man Cai and Jin Cai..."

"This time I went, I took a good look. Man Cai is there, but Jin Cai is not," Huqiu guessed. "Maybe he went to the master's courtyard or was summoned by Second Brother again."

Lian Cheng chewed the dates expressionlessly, his mind racing.

Over this period, he had observed that when Lian Xiusheng moved around the residence, he brought Man Cai along. Last time, when he punished the two male prostitutes Lingyu and Ruyun, it was Jin Cai who acted, and Jin Cai didn't look like an ordinary servant. Lian Cheng glanced at the simple, honest, and somewhat dull Huqiu—most servants should be like that, a bit clever but not too much.

So Lian Cheng drained his cup of pepper-and-cypress wine, patted Huqiu on the shoulder, and said, "Let's go out for a walk." Then he told Xia Shutong to rest early.

Xia Shutong refused, bringing his servant, fastening his cloak, and stepping out with Lian Cheng into the heavy wind and snow.

Tonight's wind and snow were fiercer than any in recent days. The snowflakes were as large as mats, and they didn't linger on the ground. Inside and outside the courtyards, there were no traces of people. The warmth and liveliness were all indoors; outside, only the bright red lanterns and window paper-cuts remained.

Though Lian Cheng wore a long robe, a wind collar, and ear warmers, he still rubbed his hands and breathed on them. Behind him, Xia Shutong sneezed repeatedly, and eventually couldn't take it anymore. He begged off and returned with his servant.

"Master, where are we going?" Huqiu asked, holding up the lantern, thinking to himself: Going out on such a stormy night—if Sister Tongxue finds out, she'll surely scold us. And what's worse, Qiu Mama will report to the Orchid Garden, and the lady will know. It won't just be me getting scolded; the young master really does come up with the wildest ideas.

Lian Cheng said nothing, heading straight for his destination: the stable.

The Lian family had their own carriages. Whenever anyone went out, they needed a sedan chair or carriage. Even if a servant needed to quickly buy something, they would lead a mule from the stable. At this late hour, whether horses or mules, they should all be in the stable. So Lian Cheng didn't disturb the stable keeper; he slipped in on his own.

He was unfazed by the unpleasant smell in the stable, but Huqiu nearly gagged.

"Two horses are missing."

Huqiu pinched his nose. "How does the master know? I don't even know."

"Do you think I wander around the mansion aimlessly with my eyes shut?" Lian Cheng not only knew two horses were missing, but he also knew they were two fine steeds.

Lian Cheng had no choice but to disturb the stable keeper, who was inside holding his grandson and telling him a story. Lian Cheng apologized profusely, but the stable keeper was overwhelmed and said he could have just sent someone to inquire; there was no need to come in person—it wasn't appropriate for his status and would dirty his shoes.

"Forget the formalities," Lian Cheng said, pulling up a small stool and sitting down by the fire. "When did my sixth brother leave the residence?"

The groom, holding his grandson, said he did not know.

Huqiu bent down and gave the groom five qian of silver.

The groom knelt on the ground, flustered, accepted it before saying, "He left about two or three hours ago."

"Did Sixth Brother tell you why he was in such a hurry to go out on the first day of the month?"

"When the master conducts his affairs, why would he tell the likes of us? I had just washed my face and feet this evening when Jin Cai came, saying only that he needed horses and that I should not interfere. Jin Cai saddled the horses himself and led them off."

After hearing this, Lian Cheng had nothing else to say. As he left, he pinched the groom's grandson's chubby cheek, requested two taels of silver from Huqiu, and handed them to the groom. "Sixth Brother took the horses and left. You have told me this, and you need not tell anyone else. This silver is not meant to seal your lips—you may take it for your grandson's meals. Just know that I treat you well."

The groom kowtowed several times. Lian Cheng helped him up before leaving with Huqiu.

Just as they stepped out of the stable, the sound of a horse sneezing came from within, followed by neighing.

The sound of reed pipes and horses' neighing rose in chaos, as if vying to cross the Golden River.

Seven or eight tall, fine horses were reined to a stop before the sedan chair in front of Lord Xia's residence. Their hooves trod through the snow, churning slush everywhere.

"Lord Xia, have you brought what we asked for?" The lead rider called out loudly from horseback.

The curtain of the warm sedan chair in the snow stirred slightly, and a scroll was handed out of the sedan. Someone on the opposite side rode over slowly, reaching out to grasp the scroll. But the person inside the sedan did not let go. "I give you the painting—how do you guarantee my son's safety?" After asking, Lord Xia took advantage of the gap in the curtain to glance outside. He saw that the man on horseback was dressed in dark clothes, wearing a bamboo hat and a mask covering his face, leaving only a pair of eyes visible, with no discernible markings on his person.

"Lord Xia, if you hadn't asked, I'd have thought you'd forgotten you still have a young son," the man said, letting go and laughing loudly from his horse. "At a time like this, don't put on airs. I'm not here for this painting, and you're not here for Shutong either..."

"How could I not be here for him? If he weren't in your hands, how could I hand over this incriminating... this painting... to you!"

"What you think in your heart, I need not know. I only know that if I don't get this painting tonight, Shutong's head will be delivered to your residence tomorrow morning."

Lord Xia gritted his teeth and threw the scroll out, then ordered his carriage to turn around. "Quick! Back to the residence!"

After retrieving the painting, Jin Cai led the men to a dilapidated temple a few miles away. He told the others to wait outside, removed his bamboo hat and mask, and entered the temple.

Inside the temple, the bodhisattva gazed down with compassion for all beings. Beside the campfire sat a young man dressed in frost-colored robes.

"Master, the ledger has been obtained."

Lian Xiusheng put down the book in his hand, took the scroll from Jin Cai, and saw it was covered with water. He said helplessly, "You didn't think to wipe it clean?"

"Master, how did you know he would be willing to hand over the ledger? I thought Lord Xia did not care about Shutong," Jin Cai asked.

"Whether he cared about his son or not, he had to hand over the ledger. He hid it because he feared the Grand Secretary would find out. Now that he knows the Grand Secretary is already aware of its existence, there is no need to keep hiding it. Giving it to us at least saves his son's life—not giving it means losing both his family and his son. Why would he choose that?" Lian Xiusheng wiped the scroll clean with a handkerchief and took out a rolled sheet of painting paper. He slowly unrolled it to reveal a landscape painting in ink and wash.

Jin Cai saw it and his expression changed.

Lian Xiusheng glanced at him. "What are you afraid of? This is exactly what we wanted."

Jin Cai lowered his head and asked, "Master, if Lord Xia had not handed over the ledger tonight, would we have truly... dealt with Shutong?"

"Don't even mention a worthless young man. Even if it were a brother or sister in the family, it would make no difference." When Lian Xiusheng said this, his eyes were calm as lotuses, appearing even more merciful than the bodhisattva on the wall.

"...What if it were Third Brother?" Jin Cai asked.

Hearing this, Lian Xiusheng smiled gently. "No one in the world surpasses him. I thought you were smarter and more perceptive, but I see you're just as foolish."