Chapter 66

Chapter 66: The Sixty-Sixth Return

"Third Brother, why have you come over? Not playing with the little companions anymore?" Lian Xiusheng's brows were like sweeping green mountains, his eyes full of irritation, yet he unconsciously pulled his third brother into his arms.

Lian Cheng said, "I've already been hanging out with them till midnight, haven't I?"

Lian Xiusheng didn't press further. His fingers touched the moisture on his third brother's waist, and he frowned. "Third Brother, where did this water on you come from?"

Lian Cheng saw him sit up abruptly and thought, *Does this guy have a thing about being clean?* He quickly said, "I came straight from the bathhouse. Maybe I didn't dry off all the way. I'm wearing my nightclothes, so it's not gonna wet your sheets." After speaking, Lian Cheng curled up like a cat, staying perfectly still and well-behaved.

Lian Xiusheng looked down at his third brother, and when he spoke again, his voice was suppressed. "Being wet like that'll make you catch a cold."

"I'm gifted with a strong body and all that. I am—hey, don't strip me, I'll report you to the yamen tomorrow, beat you..."

Lian Xiusheng grabbed a cloth and peeled off his third brother's clothes, and wiped him from head to toe. Throughout, he kept a calm, Buddha-like expression. When he dressed his third brother back in his nightclothes, he got out of bed, saying he had to go to the bathroom. Lian Xiusheng made a point of taking a detour, found Jin Cai, and after giving some unknown instructions, headed straight for the study.

Under the painting his third brother had drawn, he lit the candle lamp. Holding the lamp in one hand, he pressed the cloth that had wiped his brother's body against that part. *This foolish elder brother can't bear to pick it, using the painted skin on the wall to comfort myself, hands turning over a thousand layers, clouds rising in the sky, rain pouring down on the fragrant cloth.*

That night, when Lian Xiusheng returned to the room, Lian Cheng was already sound asleep. The two brothers slept in each other's arms, their bond deep and affectionate, and that is another matter.

On the third day, the monks were chanting sutras in the Song family's mourning shed. A few visiting governors, rare guests, came to offer incense. After the tea and wine rituals were complete, two dukes arrived. They wore Tang caps adorned with gold-inlaid jade rings, large robes of cyan brocade with qilin patterns, belts of rhinoceros horn, and pendants of white jade. Surrounded by attendants, they were not only impressive but also dignified and noble beyond measure, like stars around the moon.

Zhang Xian, holding a flask of wine, stood by the pillar next to Lian Cheng and whispered, "I haven't seen the Duke of Wei in years. Ever since his second daughter gave birth to a daughter and a son for the current emperor and was elevated to Noble Consort, he's gotten better at hiding his light. Look at his display today—it's far less grand than the Duke of Han's. He's probably worried about drawing attention."

Lian Cheng wasn't drinking wine today; he'd switched to tea. He said nonchalantly, "The Duke of Han is pretty straightforward."

"His wife is his advisor, and they haven't produced any offspring. Besides, they're both naturally fun-loving. Even if they are powerful, the current emperor doesn't need to worry about them."

Lian Cheng spat out his tea, shocked. "The Duke of Han looks to me like he's fifty or sixty!" *So he's an old gay guy! Extraordinary! This Dayao dynasty is really full of hidden talents.*

Zhang Xian never cared about conventional etiquette. "They were comrades in arms, and now they lean on each other. Life and death inseparable. If they can grow old together, that'd be a beautiful story."

Lian Cheng was easy to convince. He thought, *Yeah, love isn't just between men and women. If you find a soulmate in life, who cares about gender or status?*

And so, Lian Cheng pulled himself together and went back to listening to the chanting and sipping tea. Just then, Zhang Xian pushed him from behind and handed him a letter. Lian Cheng glanced at it and said, "If you've got something to say, just say it. Why write a letter when we're face to face?"

"This isn't for you. I want you to give it to your aunt."

"..." Lian Cheng not only spat out his tea this time; the teacup slipped from his hand and soaked his pants. He jumped up, snatched the letter, and pointed at Zhang Xian. "You! Have you gone mad? She is my aunt!"

Zhang Xian chuckled. "Precisely because she is your aunt, it's easier to talk. If it were someone else's aunt, I'd probably be beaten with a stick."

Lian Cheng threw the letter back into his hand. "You reckless idiot! If you've got something to say to my aunt, say it yourself. Leave me out of it."

Zhang Xian then said, "Minzi, I'm not messing around with your aunt. How can you be so cold?"

Lian Cheng sat down again and said, "If you're not messing around, why haven't you sent a matchmaker? Why resort to these shady private talks?"

"I want to ask her consent first, to avoid getting a beating from my dad for nothing."

Lian Cheng remembered how Zhang Xian had been beaten by Zhang Zhifan so bad he couldn't walk or leave the house. Sighing, he took the letter back and said, "Just this once, never again."

Zhang Xian grinned and made a deep bow to Lian Cheng. Straightening up, he said, "I saw your sixth brother earlier. Did he take time off from the Ministry of Works?"

Lian Cheng was startled and said he didn't know. "He left early this morning. I figured he went to work."

"Let's go, let's go now," Zhang Xian said, grabbing Lian Cheng and tossing his teacup onto the table. He looked furtive. "I saw him with an old man heading behind the mourning shed. They haven't come out for a long time. If we go there, we might hear some secret."

"If you saw him, why didn't you tell me earlier? Your mind's only on romance." Lian Cheng had already walked several steps ahead of Zhang Xian.

"How could Lian Xiusheng be more important than me marrying your aunt?"

"..."

The two left the mourning shed and found a secluded spot among the garden rocks and hills. There was a snowy grotto, covered in ivy like a net. Voices came from inside. Seeing Zhang Xian about to barge in, Lian Cheng quickly pulled him behind himself and silently pointed to a small rocky hill nearby.

They climbed up together and saw two heads under a cluster of green leaves. Both were dressed in ordinary clothes; their expressions were invisible, but they could hear voices.

Lian Cheng held his breath and listened intently.

"A few days ago, I sent a letter to the Grand Secretary. He replied that he has recently caught a cold and is mostly not managing affairs. He instructed me to seek out the Young Lord Lian for the matter of the imperial wood. I beg the Old Master not to complicate this matter. Your subordinate has already found the culprit and will soon escort him to the capital." The old man who spoke bowed three times to Lian Xiusheng. Lian Cheng strained to look down and thought this must be Lord Wang, whom his sixth brother had mentioned.

Grand Secretary Ye had sent Lord Wang to meet Lian Xiusheng, perhaps because he was unwilling to handle it anymore. Otherwise, if he wanted Lian Xiusheng to show mercy, a single word from Grand Secretary Ye would suffice.

Lian Cheng continued listening. Lian Xiusheng's voice lacked the cadence of Lord Wang's; it was flat and calm. As a result, Lian Cheng couldn't clearly catch many words. The gist was a refusal, but given Lian Xiusheng's character, even a refusal was wrapped in sweet words.

The next moment, Lian Cheng and Zhang Xian saw Lord Wang's head sink—the old man actually knelt down!

At that, Lian Xiusheng raised his voice slightly. "Lord Wang, what are you doing? Please, get up."

Seeing Lian Xiusheng help Lord Wang up, the old man, having lost his dignity, no longer hid his emotions. He wiped his tears with his sleeve. "The Old Master refuses to help me with this matter. I am not trying to force the Old Master, but I am truly helpless. My son, in his ignorance, knowing neither heaven nor earth, used the imperial wood with several fellow officials to build a polo club manor. By the time I learned of it, it was too late."

"The imperial wood that hasn't been used yet, I have carefully counted several times. I will soon deliver it to the Great Hall's construction office. But the imperial wood that has already been used, I truly cannot compensate. I need some time to find a remedy. As long as the Old Master grants me a little more time, I will certainly..."

Lian Xiusheng raised his hand to stop him. When the old man fell silent, he asked, "Was it not your son alone who did this?"

"Of course not."

Lian Xiusheng curled his lips in a gentle smile. "Then please, Lord Wang, compile a list of those involved and hand it over to this junior. Although merit cannot fully offset the crime, it can spare your son from some undeserved suffering."

Lian Cheng nodded from above. *Sixth brother's words are not wrong. Before sentencing, if the offender confesses and cooperates with the investigation, leniency can be granted.* He continued listening, but to his surprise, Lord Wang refused, saying something about a gentleman embracing righteousness and hiding for friends, and offering to take the punishment himself.

Lian Xiusheng only said calmly, "Lord Wang, this junior asked your son to confess out of consideration for our teacher. If not, your son and that group of reckless fellow officials and superiors would already have lost their heads."

Seeing the old man stunned and pale, Lian Xiusheng said, "Lord Wang, go home early and have a good family dinner. It may not be so easy to have one in the future."

Lord Wang was, of course, shaking with rage, spitting out broken words, but Lian Xiusheng only gave him a shallow bow and turned away.

Zhang Xian knew that he and his brother had overheard something huge. His expression was no different from Lord Wang's, and he was just as scared of death as Lian Cheng. As his limbs trembled, he fell straight down from the hill, just like Lian Cheng had when he eavesdropped on their fifth sister on New Year's Eve.

Thump, bang, crash, rustle—he tore through the green vines, trampled the moss, fell as if his soul was shattered and his bones broken, and saw stars.

But before Zhang Xian could get up, his neck tightened, his body lifted, his breath cut off, his eyes nearly bulging out.

By the time he saw the person's face clearly, Zhang Xian was half-dead. His feet off the ground, he kicked wildly, but couldn't move the other even a bit. Then he remembered Lian Cheng was also there, so he tugged at his sleeve to make him look up.

Lian Cheng, still unaware of what was happening below, was grabbing the ivy vines and slowly moving down. Hearing no movement from below, he whispered, "Siqi, are you hurt? If something hurts, don't move. I'll find a doctor for you."

Hearing this, Lian Xiusheng involuntarily tightened his grip on Zhang Xian.

Before Lian Cheng landed, Lian Xiusheng leaned close to Zhang Xian's ear. "I don't want third brother to know about this. Do you understand?"

Zhang Xian nodded frantically.

Lian Xiusheng threw Zhang Xian down just as Lian Cheng descended from above. He nearly lost his footing but managed to stand. Lian Xiusheng steadied him briefly, then withdrew his hand, pointing at Zhang Xian, who was almost unconscious on the ground. "Brother Siqi seems to have fainted from the fall. Should we call a doctor?"

Zhang Xian hadn't completely passed out. Hearing Lian Xiusheng's voice made his neck ache. He forced himself to sit up and said hoarsely, "No need to trouble. I'll be fine after resting a while."

Lian Cheng, hearing his ruined voice, ignored Lian Xiusheng's tugging and crouched to look at him. "How did you hurt your throat from the fall?"

It would have been fine if he hadn't looked—but when he did, it truly worried Lian Cheng. He saw Zhang Xian's neck circled with livid bruises, deep into the flesh, a terrifying sight. He looked up, thinking Zhang Xian must have been tangled and strangled by some vine, yet there was not a single fallen leaf on the ground. He asked Zhang Xian where these bruises came from.

Zhang Xian's eyes were blurred with tears, his suffering beyond words. As the son of a Minister, he need not have feared Lian Xiusheng, a mere Vice Minister in a humble, obscure department. But his father was such a snob—would he risk offending the emperor's current favorite for the sake of his worthless son? That was unthinkable. And why Lian Xiusheng did not wish Minzi to know, Zhang Xian could not yet fathom, but he feared it boded no good. So he said with indignation, "There are poisonous insects and vermin lurking all around us; we must be doubly cautious!"

Lian Cheng thought Zhang Xian was referring to Lord Wang's son secretly using the imperial wood and wanting Lian Xiusheng to cover it up, and nodded in agreement.

Lian Xiusheng also spoke from above, "Brother Siqi, you're very thoughtful."

Zhang Xian's eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out.

-

Three days later, the governor of Shaan and the surveillance commissioner's office received a letter from the Ministry of Works. They promptly ordered the local yamen and the circuit intendant within the surveillance commission to break into Lord Wang's residence and seize the young master, who was adorned with gold and jade and wore black boots. The household resounded with wailing and weeping, tears drenching the garden. After the young master was stripped of his cap and hat, pressed to the ground, and given twenty strokes of the board, he first spewed curses, then burst into loud sobs. The yamen magistrate, seeing the moment was right, asked if there were accomplices and urged him to confess quickly to avoid more painful beatings.

The young master of the Wang family had already been warned by his father beforehand. Now, after enduring the beating, he held nothing back when the magistrate questioned him. He not only named the idlers who had instigated them to move the imperial wood but also his sworn brothers from the fraternal wine ceremony, the servants who had poured wine for them that night, and the prostitutes who had sung and played the flute for them—everything, down to the last detail.

The yamen magistrate listened carefully and asked the scribe how many people were implicated. The scribe calculated and, growing flustered, reported, "Your Honor, there are as many as sixty people implicated!"

The magistrate had not anticipated so many names. He stopped asking if the young master had spilled everything, ordered him detained first, then with a grave expression instructed his secretary to draft a letter to the provincial capital, Xian'an Prefecture, asking whether all implicated suspects should be arrested. The letter was sent by fast horse.

Xian'an Prefecture, being better connected than local yamens, discovered from the dense list several individuals connected to high-ranking officials in the capital. They dared not make a hasty judgment, so they wrote another letter outlining the situation and dispatched it by fast horse to the imperial capital.

This time, the letter reached not only Lian Xiusheng but also Grand Secretary Ye, Ye Jie. Before Lian Xiusheng could inform Ye Jie, Ye Xin arrived, clutching his father's personal letter.

On the letter paper were eight vigorous characters: "Bear no grudge for past wrongs; practice loyalty and forgiveness."

Ye Xin had rushed to deliver the letter without overstepping propriety to read it. Now that he saw its contents, he let out two surprised gasps and bowed deeply to Lian Xiusheng. "Forgive me, Xiu Sheng. My father is advanced in years, and of late he has come to value blood ties all the more. You may..."

"It's no matter," Lian Xiusheng said with a gentle smile. "My teacher's blood is also my blood. I will surely save them."

"I'm relieved you understand." Ye Xin breathed a sigh. Having known and associated with Lian Xiusheng for many years, he was well acquainted with the man's character. Lian Xiusheng was a man of utmost rectitude, even if his methods were sometimes partial and ruthless, never straying from his original intent of serving the country and its people. But his father, though powerful and influential, had countless troubles he could not share with others.

After Ye Xin took his leave, Lian Xiusheng sat in a corner of the mourning shed and unfolded the letter again, reading the eight characters over and over: not holding grudges, but practicing loyalty and forgiveness. He lowered his eyes, revealing no emotion. Even if someone passed by, they would only think he was cultivating himself with Confucius's words.

"Sixth Brother, why haven't you had dinner yet?" A clear voice sounded. Before Lian Xiusheng could put away the letter, his third brother was already before him, his hand reaching out. "Could it be a love letter from some girl?"

Lian Xiusheng did not wish his third brother to harbor such absurd suspicions, so he handed him the letter.

Lian Cheng quickly scanned it. Seeing it was no love letter, and lacking any seal or signature—and moreover, not being in Lian Xiusheng's handwriting—he asked in confusion, "Who wrote this?"

"My teacher sent someone to deliver it to me," Lian Xiusheng said flatly. "The imperial timber held in Shaan Prefecture was stolen for building a manor, and it involves many people, some of whom are old officials of the court."

Lian Cheng immediately understood. He folded the letter and said with realization, "Grand Secretary Ye means for you to stop before going too far."

Seeing Lian Xiusheng silent, Lian Cheng knew he was right.

But his brother's demeanor made alarm bells ring in his heart. The path of a young treacherous minister often began like this—full of hatred, a fatuous sovereign, and being worn down by society's harshness, leading one to drift with the tide, eventually colluding with the wicked and joining in their crimes.

In modern times, the end would be prison or a death sentence; in ancient times, execution of the entire clan. If only he himself were executed, that might be bearable, but now they were, so to speak, on the same household register.

Lian Cheng absolutely could not let this happen. He tucked the letter away and rubbed both of Lian Xiusheng's cheeks. "A dragon or snake hibernates to preserve itself. No matter which path you choose, brother only hopes you remain upright and self-disciplined, unwavering in your lifelong aspiration."

Lian Xiusheng looked up at his third brother, pondered for a moment, then said, "Third Brother, would you be willing to fool around with me this evening, to lift your brother's spirits?"