Volume 6, Chapter 26: Guests Stay for Tea

When I entered the cabin and looked around, I was taken aback. Standing in a corner of the cabin was a fellow in black robes who was clearly Xiaoshunzi, yet his facial features had transformed greatly. Although his brows and corners of his eyes had barely changed, he looked like a completely different person. In addition, his aura had become ordinary, like dark clouds covering the bright moon. It would be impossible for others to tell he was the most elite Xiantian expert in the world. I knew Xiaoshunzi was using his internal energy to alter his facial muscles to change his appearance. Although the change wasn’t drastic, as not even the boat crew would notice, people who recognized him absolutely could not tell he was the Demonic Shadow, Li Shun. Why did he do this? I gave it some thought and realized why. The boy had quite the reputation in jianghu, so somebody might recognize him. It was too dangerous not to change his appearance. His thought process was always much more meticulous than mine.

I swept my gaze over Xiaoshunzi, pretending I didn’t see him. I sat at the table and stated with a smile, “Pardon me, I still haven’t asked you two your names.”

“I am Dongyang Dingming, and this is my friend, Daoist Priest Bitter Bamboo,” the Confucian scholar in hemp robes replied apologetically.

My eyes lit up. I knew of these two. I’d heard Xiaoshunzi bring up Priest Bitter Bamboo before, for he used to be a secret agent for Southern Chu. Back when Xiaoshunzi chased Vicious Killer a thousand li to kill him, he spared Priest Bitter Bamboo. Afterwards, the priest was too ashamed to stay behind in Great Yong and returned to Southern Chu, where he vanished without a trace. I never expected to see him here today. No wonder Xiaoshunzi changed his appearance so quickly. Over the years, Xiaoshunzi’s appearance hadn’t changed much, so he feared the priest might recognize him at first glance. As for Dingming, I also knew of him. Jiangnan’s wulin had four elites: Jiangnan’s best a.s.sa.s.sin, the Merciless Gentleman; the world’s most mysterious person, the manager of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets; the world’s best poisoner, Shen Ruhui; and the last one was Wuyue’s best swordsman, Dingming. Some people said his swordsmans.h.i.+p was worthy of being called the best in Jiangnan. However, he was humble and refused to accept the t.i.tle.

I turned these thoughts over in my mind. Of these four, two were related to me. The Merciless Gentleman was Yulun, who’d withdrawn from the Secret Camp. I didn’t know if he still retained the strength to be the best a.s.sa.s.sin. And wasn’t I the manager of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets? As for Wuyue’s best swordsman, Dingming, he’d thwarted the plans of Great Yong’s secret agents to control Jiangnan’s wulin multiple times. The Intelligence Management Section had registered him in the books.

Although the Fengyi Sect had relocated to Jiangnan, they lost experts such as Fan Huiyao and Wen Ziyan because of their past dispute with Jiangnan’s wulin, ruining their reputation. It was extremely difficult to establish a foothold in Jiangnan’s wulin, and in the end, they used force and feminine wiles to gain control of a group of experts from the criminal underworld to just manage to regain a portion of their strength. They could cast aside any fancies of leading the wulin like they had in Great Yong. Among Jiangnan’s righteous sects, only Dingming deserved to be called a leader.

What a coincidence that these two personages came aboard my s.h.i.+p. I showed an enthusiastic expression and saluted them. “Fate brought us together. You two are in the same cla.s.s of figures as Zhu Jia and Guo Jie.¹ It is my good fortune that I met you today. Li Er, go fetch a jug of the Huishan Spring water² Proprietor Zhou just sent us and a bag of the new tea leaves. My servant’s tea brewing is extraordinary. And the tea is newly picked Terrifying Fragrance,³ which is why I invited you two to taste some.”

“The Terrifying Fragrance produced at Zhenze Lake is already a good tea, and with the water of the Second-best Spring under Heaven, hearing of it refreshes one’s spirits,” Dingming said with a smile. “Brother Yun’s way of living is truly carefree. I boast I am carefree, but I am fettered by mundane affairs I can’t free myself from.”

I understood Dingming’s implied meaning. Smiling broadly, I replied, “Brother Ding is mocking me. Who doesn’t know that life is but a dream? It would be most difficult and painful if you insisted I pa.s.s the days clearheaded. The priest just blamed me for not worrying about the sacking of my hometown but didn’t know just how heartbroken and depressed I was. The trend of the times is unification. There’s no difference between the south uniting the north or the north uniting the south. No matter who ascends to the throne, the ones who suffer are us common folk. Besides, even if Lu Zhonglian⁴ of the Warring States were alive, he couldn’t persuade the Yong Emperor to abandon his Southern Campaign, let alone persuade the Southern Chu King and ministers to give up without a fight.⁵ In any case, the ravages of war are already difficult to avoid. I am no sage and can only go with the tide, powerless to resist the stormy seas of the mundane world. The Yong military not bathing Jiaxing in blood this time is a blessing amid tragedy. It’s likely that fellow townsman of mine remembered his roots.⁶ Otherwise, I fear the flouris.h.i.+ng region of Wuyue would have turned into a sea of blood and carnage.”

The priest’s face grew cold at the words. “All you young aristocrats, rich and powerful families, and wealthy merchants only think about family instead of country,” he snapped. “How else could it have come to this, beset by the enemy on all sides, when our Southern Chu controlled a vast swathe of territory—including the strategic regions of Sichuan, Jingxiang, and Jianghuai—and possessed the two large Junshan Navies of Ninghai and Dinghai? Young master Yun should know our Southern Chu navies have already fought two battles with the Yong navy in Hangzhou Bay. Neither battle could determine the victor. And the situation in Jingxiang is very tense, for the Nanyang army has sieged Xiangyang once again. The Yong army in Sichuan is also itching for trouble. Yet our Southern Chu aristocrats are still drowning themselves in alcohol and fantasies. On the day of the Lantern Festival, the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets organized an auction in Jianye. One gla.s.s disc with dragon designs sold for two million taels! From the King to his officials, extravagant luxury has become the prevailing practice, and they sit back and watch the people suffer. If Southern Chu is destroyed, all of you will have caused it.”

Dingming furrowed his brows. He knew that ever since Priest Bitter Bamboo had returned to Southern Chu, he had been discharged from military duty and been drifting through jianghu. His temper often went to extremes. Most of the time it didn’t matter, but now was not the time for it to flare. This mysterious gentleman surnamed Yun presumably possessed hidden influence within Wu Commandery. If they offended him, trying to fundraise in Wu Commandery would be for naught. Nudging Priest Bitter Bamboo with his foot, Dingming spoke with an apologetic tone, “Brother Yun deeply understands the current situation. This battle for all the land under the Heavens is presumably pointless for the sensible and enlightened young master. Us two are earthly people and truly cannot bear to see the Yong heavy cavalry trample over half of Jiangnan. The two countries are in a north-south stalemate these days. If we consider military strength, Southern Chu’s forces are far inferior to Great Yong’s. But if we consider territory and financial resources, Southern Chu is no worse than Great Yong. If we can halt them at the Yangtze River, that would be a blessing. Besides, our Southern Chu may be cowardly, but we have the Grand General as a pillar of the nation. He inflicted heavy losses on the Yong military in the two battles of Huaixi and Yangzhou. Although the Yong military is once again going to battle, the Southern Chu soldiers and civilians will unite and help each other with victory expected as long as the Grand General plants his banner. Isn’t young master’s inclination to finance a volunteer army in Wuyue a demonstration of his harboring thoughts of the affairs of state? Priest Bitter Bamboo, young master Yun is not like those n.o.bodies. Why aren’t you apologizing already?”

With those words, Priest Bitter Bamboo had no choice but to stand up and apologize. I also stood and returned the salute, saying with a smile, “Priest Bitter Bamboo wasn’t mistaken, though. The gla.s.s disc with dragon designs was two chi long and both one chi⁷ wide and tall, and was engraved with one hundred eight coiled dragons. If placed under lamplight, it glittered and dazzled the eyes. The dragons came alive, looking like they would break out of the disc. In addition, the fine lines in the gla.s.s looked just like thick clouds. That dragon disc is priceless. I once got a look and could hardly tear myself away from it. It’s a pity that someone bought it. Now it’s probably under heavy guard in a tower, never to see the light of day again. It’s sad and a shame.” I teased Priest Bitter Bamboo while also admiring Dingming’s skill. First, he tactfully criticized my concern about the fate of the nation, then he hinted to Priest Bitter Bamboo that me contributing funds to the volunteer army would be a good sign. He truly considered every detail. While Southern Chu had as many heroes as twinkling stars in the night sky, they had unfortunately been obscured by clouds. If the Southern Chu court had governed with prudence, we truly couldn’t have attacked.

Priest Bitter Bamboo became despondent at the words, but he didn’t want to say something offensive again. A light shone in Dingming’s eyes, however. Having the qualifications to partic.i.p.ate in an auction held by the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets meant the gentleman had to be the head of a wealthy and famous Southern Chu family.

At this moment, Xiaoshunzi brought over a terracotta tea set, two bags of tea leaves, and a sealed jug of spring water. I changed the subject. “Drinking tea ought to be enjoyable. Since I have guests today, I should play a piece on the zither. Are you in the mood to allow it?”

Dingming was just thinking about changing the subject and replied, “I was just about to ask to hear sire’s playing. Please, enlighten me.” As he spoke, he noticed a zither stand inside the cabin. He also had a very good sense of melody and knew the emotions expressed by music. He had already sensed their host was enigmatic, so he was trying to do some probing.

Although I knew his intent, I wasn’t worried. I walked to the zither stand and sat down. Clearing my mind, I thought only of a gurgling stream, and with a flicking of my ten fingers, zither music sounded. Dingming listened carefully, feeling like the music emulated the pitter-patter of drizzle as it fell from the sky and flowed into a mountain brook, splas.h.i.+ng over rocks and sweeping past roots and gra.s.s. It sounded like streams weaving together into a river and the river converging into a lake. It echoed the surging of the lake outside the cabin, fusing such that the distinction between inside and outside disappeared. Anyone who heard the music would think they were simply listening to the sounds of nature, not zither strings. And the music was free and easy, the unfettered nature obvious to the ear.

Off to the side, Xiaoshunzi was slowly brewing tea, doing each step with extreme finesse. It looked like he too was working with the music, each of his movements precise, graceful, and calm. Once the zither piece ended, the smell of tea wafted through the air, spilling into the entirety of the cabin. Xiaoshunzi split the tea into three porcelain teacups, each one crystal clear and translucent, white as snow. He delivered the teacups. With the color of the teacups, the tea appeared to be pure jade, either green or dark green. During the deep conversation, steam hung heavy and the tea aroma perfused. Some of the tea leaves in the teacups curled up while others stayed flat.

Dingming lifted his teacup and was a little surprised. As a man from Wuyue and well traveled to boot, he was no stranger to the Terrifying Fragrance produced on the Green Snail Peak of Zhenze Lake’s East Mountain. This tea was characterized by its slender leaves that curled into a shape resembling a snail. The leaves were covered with fuzz, of a silvery, rich green color, and had a heady aroma. When brewed, the tea tasted mellow and fruity and looked dark green and clear. The leaves at the bottom turned a tender green color and brightened. However, today’s serving of tea clearly had another famous tea mixed in. Curiosity arose within him, and he downed the tea in a single gulp. But the taste was ever-changing, and it tasted rich. Contemplating the flavor, he was actually rather unfamiliar with the tea. He couldn’t stop himself from scrunching up his brows and sinking into deep thought.

Although Priest Bitter Bamboo was quite cantankerous today, he was still the best and brightest of Southern Chu’s secret agents. Hearing Dingming’s hint, he calmed down. He was a yellow-hatted Daoist priest and often drank tea while cultivating. He’d also traveled all across the north and south banks of the Yangtze. He knew quite a few of the famous teas in the world. Drinking the tea, he pondered it for a moment, then said, “This is Xinyang Maojian mixed with Terrifying Fragrance. A good tea that gives one a good mood.”

I also drank the tea in my teacup. “Li Er is best at brewing tea. He’s seen almost all the world’s famous teas,” I said with a smile. “These Terrifying Fragrance leaves were picked prematurely, right after the spring equinox, so the flavor was too light. As a result, he complemented it with Xinyang Maojian. The Daoist priest hit the nail on the head, showing he’s also a man versed in the art of tea.”

Dingming’s gaze fell upon Xiaoshunzi. The servant’s face looked normal to him. Although the servant was taciturn, his eyes were icy. Both brewing tea and serving tea required mastery and experience. Every wealthy and influential family had many of these skilled servants, with some never even leaving their master their entire life. As young master Yun had this kind of servant with him, he clearly had an extraordinary background, and in addition, he was old friends with the proprietor of the Xiexiu Workshop. The two of them should have shared similar statuses, but Dingming had never heard of a large and influential family surnamed Yun in Jiaxing before. Suspicion started to creep into his mind, Dingming probed, “Since young master Yun is from Jiaxing, you’ve presumably seen who’s currently leading the a.s.sault on Wuyue. What does the young master think of that man?”

“You’ve put me on the spot,” I said with a smile. “Although I was born in Jiaxing, my family was poverty-stricken since my childhood. My relatives are as few and far between as the brightest stars on a cold night. As for Jiang Zhe, it’s said he also left town in childhood. And with the Jing branch of his family having the status and position they did, how could I get a chance to get acquainted with him even while we were both in Jiaxing? If brother Ding wishes to know what kind of person he is, you don’t need to ask me. You need only listen to the talk of the town to know. However, in my opinion, he’s a lucky man. He married a wife as beautiful as a flower and has the deep trust of the Yong Emperor. How many people in the world have such good fortune?”

Dingming’s eyes gleamed, and he remarked, “So young master Yun was also born into a poor family. Gaining your current success must have caused you untold suffering, I believe. But with the young master’s family, enterprises, and estate presumably in Jiangnan, aren’t you worried the flames of war will put everything to the torch?” Dingming’s thoughts turned over again and again in his mind. This young master Yun’s tone doesn’t sound like the tone of a son of a famous and influential family. His bearing and character most certainly aren’t common. His parading of wealth demonstrates he was a wealthy man, so his status is quite interesting. I can’t let him slip away easily. Further, Dingming had lived in Wuyue for a long time, but had never heard of this man before, so how could he be willing to muddle his way through?

I smiled thinly and replied, “I’m not the only one not sparing my family, enterprises, and estate. Aren’t the multiple generations of Southern Chu kings, except for His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Wu, the ones who most didn’t spare the estate?”

“Why does the young master speak so?” Dingming asked in a low voice.

I looked out the window and evenly explained, “Once the Jin Dynasty was established, the court selected officials by placing the most emphasis on virtue and family pedigree. Such ‘virtue’ had always been lauded by the influential families, while ‘family pedigree’ kicked the poor and commoners out the door. As a result, the state’s power declined with each pa.s.sing day, to the point that barbarians overran the imperial capital, causing all the imperial consorts to self-immolate. The crown prince sailed south and established Jianye as the secondary capital. The dynasty on its last legs, people later called this Jin court the Eastern Jin. The current Southern Chu palace is built in major part on the ruins of the old imperial palace. Although the Central Plains armies drove the barbarians out in the end, and the imperial capital relocated to Chang’an, the process of selecting officials didn’t change.

“After less than a hundred years pa.s.sed, the Eastern Jin fragmented into multiple nations. His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Wu, inherited the fertile lands of Jiangnan and established an empire. He switched to the inst.i.tution of the imperial examination for selecting officials. The selection of military officers was even more eclectic. Unfortunately, Emperor Wu was forced to compromise with Jiangnan’s aristocracy for the sake of this grand undertaking, relinquis.h.i.+ng a share of his authority to the aristocracy. However, because of Emperor Wu’s rare gifts and bold vision, those aristocratic families didn’t try to overly thwart him. At that time, Southern Chu’s court was completely made up of outstanding personnel who weren’t confined to a given background and weren’t asked to uphold a certain ideology. That was the period Southern Chu was most prosperous. It’s a pity and a misfortune that Emperor Wu pa.s.sed away seven years after founding Southern Chu. After King Ling succeeded the throne, the power of the aristocracy reared its head again. The next three kings all mucked about, only knowing how to balance the power of the aristocracy to protect their position on the throne. The imperial examination turned formulaic and even tactical, with talent selected based on their skill at composing lyrical poems. And even if one pa.s.sed the imperial examination with flying colors, if one weren’t part of an influential family, one couldn’t be promoted in the court, even with astonis.h.i.+ng skill. And so, most of the personnel in the court was replaced by aristocrats contending for supremacy, while the worthy and able were relegated to humble positions. Thus, high ranking officials became incompetent. Southern Chu’s talent withered, mostly as a result of this. The King still doesn’t know to exert himself to defend the state’s power, let alone us commoners.”

Gloom glimmered in Dingming’s eyes. He started as a poor scholar, and when studying wouldn’t do, he turned to the sword. Although he became a well-known swordsman, he was just a warrior in the eyes of the aristocracy. He may have been willing to dedicate himself to the service of Southern Chu, but he had no stepping stones to do so. However, he still said, “The King is young and hasn’t yet governed by himself. Prime Minister Shang is the regent. Although mediocre officials are in charge, the situation in the court can still be called stable. Also, Grand General Lu promotes people according to merit to protect our territory. If we receive the a.s.sistance of a sage, a turnaround may be possible. Young master is insightful, a rare sight in the world. If you’d be willing to serve the country, you’d a.s.suredly be the most important official of this generation. Why do you bury yourself among the commoners, biding your time?”

I scowled. “If brother Ding truly thinks this, then this one will have to see you out. a.s.suming the King is young and hasn’t personally governed yet… Brother Ding must not be aware that the gla.s.s disc with dragon designs is currently stored in the treasury of the inner palace. And ever since the twenty-second year of Xiande, when Li Zhi sacked Jianye, the aristocratic families in power in the court have all suffered from the ravages of war. Only the Shang family profited from the disaster, unifying the laws of the royal court. For the past ten years, the court has been more than calm, all a result of the Shang family having the final say. Unfortunately, Shang Weijun doesn’t have enough skill and is shortsighted, not knowing when to take the advantage to implement new policies and weaken the aristocracy’s local influence. His only skill lies in acting to increase national power, yet he is nepotistic, not heeding how competent the appointee is. Ten years ago, the court still had some able people, but now everyone who isn’t the Shang family’s va.s.sal is useless, with the exception of one or two people. And while Grand General Lu does as you say, promoting via merit, the Ministry of War is controlled by Shang Weijun. If one wants to be promoted to colonel, it requires the Ministry of War’s stamp of approval. Lu Can may have a plan, but how many people through these years have risen from the rank of foot soldier to general? Moreover, Lu Can can only select talent from the army he personally leads. Even with a direct descendant of the Lu family leading an army, most promotions are related to family pedigree. Lu Can himself has no power to change this. If this weren’t the case, why would a hero like brother Ding wish to serve his country but never enlist in the army to affect the battlefield, only willing to provide a.s.sistance in an unofficial status?”

Dingming sighed repeatedly, finally running out of things to say. Everything the gentleman in brocade robes said was true. He had no way of countering anything. His only response was, “The rise and fall of the nation concerns everyone! Although young master speaks with reason, the current situation hangs on a knife’s edge. We can’t just sit by and watch as the Yong armies march south, especially not as the Yong armies pillage Wuyue and strew countless countrymen across the land. Unfortunately, most of the unaffected aristocrats and merchants in Wuyue are afraid of the Yong military. They’re too scared to donate funds to the volunteer army. How sad and shameful!”

Seeing him like this, I picked up, “Brother Ding doesn’t know how the aristocrats and merchants think. These people only care about their own interests. If this weren’t true, why would private coastal trade be the prevailing practice? Most of the court’s decrees for the region of Wuyue are empty words. Even Shang Weijun went out of his way to send one of his trusted aides to govern Wuyue to covertly conduct private coastal trade, didn’t he? In their eyes, their interests are more important than everything else. If they funded a volunteer army, and the court got control of the army, Wuyue would no longer be unrestricted from Jianye’s governmental orders. This is taboo for them. In addition, The biggest profits for the aristocracy in Wuyue come from deep-sea trading, and Yuhang is Wuyue’s largest port. But now it’s been blockaded by the Yong navy, so before the victor becomes clear between the two navies, Wuyue’s aristocracy naturally doesn’t want to antagonize the Yong navy.”

At these words, Dingming thought, Young master Yun must be an outstanding businessman. He’s so talented he can perfectly describe the critical juncture. I had never even heard of such things before, and he has a good relations.h.i.+p with the Xiexiu Workshop, judging from his bearing and character. Proprietor Zhou is so fawning as well. Besides retrieving the distant Huishan Spring water and sending it here, he also hustled over with Terrifying Fragrance before the peak time to pick it. This young master might be the power behind the Xiexiu Workshop. This train of thought in mind, he asked with more intent, “Then in young master’s opinion, how should the Wuyue aristocracy be convinced to support the funding and raising of the volunteer army?”

I didn’t hesitate to answer, “Since merchants chase profit, one must bait them into action. The power Grand General Lu wields can’t stay in Wuyue for long, and once he leaves, if there isn’t a volunteer army to help Southern Chu consolidate their coastal defenses in Wuyue, the Yong navy will go ash.o.r.e once again and plunder Wuyue. If the Yong navy succeeds again and again in Wuyue, Wuyue’s aristocracy will have no choice but to play into Yong’s hands, even if Great Yong is willing to open up the private coastal trade. Enemies work together if one side doesn’t have enough strength, and so cannot get the upper hand while cooperating. As a result, for the Wuyue aristocracy, there’s only a possibility of negotiations if the Yong navy is forced to retreat to the sea. Moreover, each of Wuyue’s aristocratic families have armed guards and personal soldiers. If they’re worried the court will take control of the volunteer army and damage their a.s.sets, why not mix in some of their personal soldiers into the volunteer army? That way, Wuyue’s aristocracy can control the army so that it won’t turn into a tool of the court used to eliminate dissidents.”

Dingming furrowed his brows. “In this fas.h.i.+on, the volunteer army can be successfully funded and raised, but that’ll reduce it to a private fighting force for the Wuyue aristocracy.”

“As brother Ding was inclined to ask about this, I just said my piece, that’s all. This is just an emergency strategy. If this isn’t done, it will be difficult to quickly form the volunteer army,” I said with a smile. “Control of the army is simply a pretense to persuade the Wuyue aristocracy. Actual implementation has many subtle aspects that can be taken into account. Who knows who’ll gain the upper hand in the end? In my humble opinion, raising a volunteer army most likely won’t be a problem for the Grand General, considering his capability and bearing, even though people aren’t united in spirit. And Grand General Lu’s civil and military expertise far surpa.s.ses everybody else’s. Perhaps he has an even better idea!”

Dingming nodded to himself, believing Yun Wuzong made perfect sense. When he lifted his eyes and looked over, young master Yun was gently flapping his folding fan, his expression calm. An a.s.sertive light glowed on his features, clearly certain of his judgement. He also revered and admired Grand General Lu Can. It seemed like he didn’t despair for Southern Chu as he had said. If Dingming could burden him with responsibility or persuade him to try his level best for Southern Chu, Dingming could get some helpful tips from him at worst. And it would be a terrible shame for a man this skilled and with such bearing to be buried in the wilderness. Thinking of this, Dingming was about to open his mouth to admonish Yun Wuzong, but he saw a smile in Yun Wuzong’s eyes. The man calmly flapped his fan and asked, “In brother Ding’s opinion, who has a higher probability of winning the Battle for Wuyue, Great Yong or Southern Chu? Does my fellow townsman have the skill to annex the region of Wuyue? Although he is notorious, most of his reputation comes from conspiracies and machinations. In this fair and square campaign, he shouldn’t have any tricks left, right?”

Dingming swallowed the words he’d been about to speak. Endless emotions welled up inside him, and he sighed. “Brother Yun can perfectly spot the bad policies of the court. You presumably understand Great Yong’s strengths as well. Great Yong usually has been more powerful than our country. Seven or eight years ago, in their decisive battle to conquer Northern Han, casualties piled up on both combatant sides, but Great Yong wasn’t debilitated. After the battle, they completely devoured Northern Han’s power. Even the then Royal Princess of Jiaping has become the wife of the Prince of Qi now. Great Yong’s power has increased without ever weakening. The Prince of Qing in the eastern Sichuan region tried to take advantage of the situation and rebelled, wanting to seize control of Great Yong’s throne. But this turned into the biggest joke.

“The mysterious way the rebellion was put down seems unbelievable now. Who could’ve known the Embroidered Union would switch sides in the heat of battle? The Embroidered Union had always been elusive in the former Shu territory, with Great Yong’s and our Southern Chu’s multiple clean-up operations yielding no results. And with the profound hatred between the two countries, everyone believed it without a doubt. However, this prestigious, tight-knit organization had been infiltrated and controlled by Great Yong’s Bright Inspection Department long ago, and the organization easily took care of the Prince of Qing, Li Kang. Then the powerful and influential Embroidered Union vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye. The head of the Bright Inspection Department, Xiahou Yuanfeng, became famous across the lands, even shocking Sichuan. If not for Grand General Lu taking advantage of the unrest in the eastern Sichuan region to storm and capture Jiameng Pa.s.s, the Yong armies would probably have swept into Sichuan years ago. Although Sichuan is currently stable, the regions of Xiangfan and Jianghuai are hanging on a knife’s edge, with Great Yong’s one million troops threatening. Each of the defeats in Huaixi and Yangzhou may not have cut to the bone, but once the Yong Emperor deploys the warriors who galloped across the northern frontier to Jianghuai, I’m afraid it won’t be that easy to oppose Great Yong.

“Even more of a pain, the Yong armies have searched for alternate routes in, attacking from the sea and putting Wuyue in jeopardy. Our Southern Chu has a population in the tens of millions and occupies half the world, but we need to fortify every location, for every location has enemy armies. Although I have no mind for military strategy, I still know that defending many locations means splitting our strength. There’s also the principle of ‘soft power cannot defend’ in military schools. A long defense will result in a defeat, but counterattacking is a feeble recourse. What can be done? Who the weaker and stronger is between Great Yong and Southern Chu is clear as day.

“As for the young master asking about that man named Jiang Zhe, styled Suiyun, young master already knows how skilled the man is even without this one telling tales. Although the court and people blindly disparage and insult him, how could insightful people forget about how the man brainstormed stratagems and a.s.sisted the Prince of De in capturing multiple fortified cities in a row during the conquest of the Kingdom of Shu? In the end, he even drove the King of Shu to suicide, as well as removed threats from Sichuan. Although he was bedridden and retired from politics later because of the campaign, making his glory gradually fade from people’s memory, who in the world could forget him? I once read his Remonstration on Taking the Imperial Throne that got him censured. The memorial stated all the dangers for Southern Chu, one of the issues touched upon being Wuyue. He accused Wuyue’s garrison for not upkeeping their armaments and Wuyue’s aristocracy for disobeying Jianye’s laws and decrees. Once things went wrong, they would have no way of countering the enemy. If not for the current crisis, I fear that n.o.body in Southern Chu would’ve realized the reality of the situation. In my opinion, the Prince of De’s unwisest action was to hire a.s.sa.s.sins behind Jiang Zhe’s back to a.s.sa.s.sinate him. If not for this, Jiang Zhe might still care about Southern Chu, instead of leading troops in an attack on Wuyue with no consideration for his homeland.”

Dingming had spoken all this off the cuff. Something shattered once he finished speaking. Everyone looked over and saw that Priest Bitter Bamboo had crushed the teacup in his hand. Dingming began to speak but hesitated. Xiaoshunzi had already picked up the jug of spring water that had just started to boil and was about to refill everyone’s cups. He didn’t even raise an eyebrow to Priest Bitter Bamboo destroying the priceless teacup. He just offered another teacup of bone china, one of the cups he had specifically poured additional tea into. He also handed over a handkerchief. Priest Bitter Bamboo gave an embarra.s.sed smile and used the kerchief to wipe off the tea and leaves on his hands, his eyes s.h.i.+ning with apology. Xiaoshunzi went ahead and refilled everyone’s cups.

Dingming grew relieved at the sight. He added, “Regardless of that man’s strategies, just him being in Dinghai ties up Grand General Lu there, making him unwilling to rashly leave Wuyue. Even normal people can understand the depth of this power.”

I smiled. I looked at the second steeping of the tea, the color an even darker shade of green. “Since that’s the case, the region of Wuyue has plenty of elite light infantry who aren’t afraid of death. Why not wield them to get rid of the villains? My fellow townsman was part of Hanlin Academy for many years and is also a man with an encyclopedic knowledge. He presumably knows all about each county military and the geography of every region of Southern Chu. Judging from the man’s actions, he can produce clouds with one turn of his hand and rain with another before you can turn back around.⁸ He’s also gained the full trust of the Yong Emperor. If my fellow townsman is killed, wouldn’t it eliminate a huge threat?” I said.

Dingming sighed and said, “Easier said than done. Although that man is a frail scholar, he has a Xiantian expert attending to him at all times.” Then he glanced at Priest Bitter Bamboo. Seeing sadness but no impulsivity in his eyes, Dingming continued, “Moreover, he has the Stalwart Tiger Guard personally dispatched by the Yong Emperor protecting him. Whenever he goes out and about, he is escorted by a large retinue that has strict security measures. When is there an opportunity to a.s.sa.s.sinate him?”

I glanced at the sword on his back. “Although that man is strictly and closely guarded, there might still be a chance if someone were willing to die and followed the examples of Nie Zheng and Jing Ke and their ilk. That man may have experts at hand, but Southern Chu still has people their equal. Like you, brother Ding, your sword qi is contained instead of exposed. If you racked your brains and carried out an a.s.sa.s.sination attempt, there might still be a chance.”

“Swordsmen like us must first be sincere and honest,” Dingming said with a wry smile. “Though that man submitted to Great Yong, there was nothing he did wrong, no matter how one looks at the situation. And whether he submitted to Great Yong after being removed from office, or was captured and taken to the Yong capital under compulsion, or under any other circ.u.mstances, how could a uniquely talented strategist not shed tears of grat.i.tude and submit cheerfully upon meeting the Yong Emperor, a brilliant and sagacious monarch who offered his own garments and food and poured his heart out? I’ve thought about that man’s submission to Great Yong over and over again, but I’ve never been able to come up with even a single reason to blame him. Even if he were standing right in front of me, I couldn’t a.s.sa.s.sinate him with a clear conscience. And besides, in terms of martial arts, I may have small accomplishments, but I dare not equate myself to the Demonic Shadow, Li Shun. Although I’ve practiced the sword for many years, I’ve never fought all throughout the world, lingering on the edge of death. How could I compare myself to those true experts who have near-death experiences? No Xiantian experts have risen in all these years, as Jiangnan’s wulin lacks adversity, so how can it be compared to the experts who are as numerous as the clouds in the northern regions? Even if Demonic Shadow Li Shun and the Stalwart Tiger Guard disappeared from that man’s side, would he not have Shaolin monks and Devil Sect disciples? Trying to a.s.sa.s.sinate that man is just a pipe dream.”

I lowered my eyes, sipped the tea in my teacup, and declared, “Brother Ding is truly a talented hero. a.s.sa.s.sinations of enemy leaders are forced actions that mostly come from the weak wanting to triumph over the strong. With the two sides locked in a stalemate at Hangzhou Bay, Grand General Lu breaking through Dinghai in a pitched battle, thus eliminating the threat, would actually be a just and honorable strategy. Brother Ding works for the country and the people, truly a great man, which makes this one profoundly admire you.”

Dingming stood and saluted. “Since young master Yun also feels this way, why not serve the country? Grand General Lu is humble and respects the wise. If he learned of a personage such as the young master, he would surely give you a hearty welcome.” His eyes were full of hope, making it almost unbearable to refuse him.

I shook my head and smiled. “I have a carefree nature. All my life, I’ve never paid heed to the major events of the nation, and I usually sail up and down the Yangtze. I’m used to drinking wine with the moon, listening to the zither with the wind. Meeting someone like brother Ding and conversing over tea is the greatest delight in my life. As for those campaigns and that carnage, I truly don’t have the heart to pay attention. The war between the north and the south is a conflict between family lineages, no matter who wins and who loses. It has nothing to do with us common folk. Although I admire brother Ding’s intentions, please forgive me for not being able to intervene in the war. However, I do still have some strength in Jiangnan. Brother Ding, if you ever have an emergency, you can come seek my aid.”

Dingming grew despondent. He raised his eyes to see indifference on the face of the gentleman in brocade robes, his appearance as graceful and elegant as a banished immortal. He thought, A personage like this certainly shouldn’t be dragged into worldly affairs. Never mind, getting a promise from him was already extremely difficult. Turning to his side, he saw Priest Bitter Bamboo looking displeased. Dingming gave him a look to tell him to exercise patience and said, “’Twas I who was impertinent. Please forgive me, young master.”

I watched him turn tactful upon understanding the situation and liked him all the more. “Brother Ding sympathizes with this one’s anguish. This one is deeply relieved. But this one must ask brother Ding to not speak with anyone about this one’s affairs. This one does not wish to cause further incidents,” I said with a smile.

Dingming was taken aback. Although this request was reasonable, this man was enigmatic. If he covered up the gentleman’s affairs, it would be rather improper. Due to this, he simply said, “This one naturally won’t speak of it to anyone.” Priest Bitter Bamboo understood his intentions, so stayed silent.

I could easily spot the small actions the two of them made, but I wasn’t much concerned about them. This turn of events had been within my expectations all along.

Deliberately revealing joy and pleasure on my face, I stood to my feet and took the teapot from Xiaoshunzi’s hands. I personally refilled the two men’s teacups, boiling spring water flowing into their cups. Although my pour was inferior to Xiaoshunzi’s superb technique, water did not splash out and tea did not go flying. Afterwards, I personally offered the teacups to Dingming and Priest Bitter Bamboo, the two of them standing up and receiving them with both hands.

Even though both sides were forming their respective machinations, all three men felt today’s tea party comfortable and enjoyable when their eyes met. They all smiled while looking at each other and downed their respective cups of tea.

After the remaining tea entered our stomachs, Xiaoshunzi started to put away the tea set, and a strong sense that it was time to leave came over the cabin. I walked next to the zither stand and gently plucked the strings. The vibrations made the zither sing, pregnant with farewell. Nothing was spoken, but Dingming was good at the pipa and a master of melody, so he heard the intent of seeing guests off in the zither music. Standing up, he was about to bid farewell when suddenly he lost strength in his hands and feet.

Terror flashed in his eyes, and he hurriedly tried to circulate his internal energy, but he couldn’t bring out even a sliver. He felt like the couple hundred bones in his body were being bathed in a spring breeze. It made him feel warm and weak, like drinking fine wine and not being able to stop. His feet turning to jelly, he fell back into his seat, feeling every ounce of his strength leaving his body. Forcing himself to crane his head backward, he saw Priest Bitter Bamboo pa.s.sed out in his chair and didn’t know when he’d fallen unconscious. Priest Bitter Bamboo’s face was pink, and he looked to be having a sweet dream.

Lightning flas.h.i.+ng in his eyes, Dingming couldn’t think of how he’d been poisoned. As drowsiness overtook him, he desperately wanted to fall asleep, but he knew in his heart that he’d been plotted against. No matter what happened, he had to get an explanation. He couldn’t doze off without understanding things. With great effort, he bit off the tip of his tongue. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, sweat beading on his forehead, but his mind clear, he struggled to ask, “Brother Yun, what’s the meaning of this?”

The man standing and playing the zither with his back to him looked back, apparent surprise in his eyes. He said with a smile, “Brother Ding, why are you struggling so hard to hold on? Once you relax, you’ll peacefully start dreaming and suffer no more.”

Dingming clutched an armrest with one hand. “When did you poison me, brother Yun? And how did I not notice?” he asked, the pain slowly disappearing. Drowsiness attacked him again. He widened his eyes, refusing to close them, afraid that if he did, he would sink into sleep.

He watched Yun Wuzong evenly answer, “It was a coincidence we met today. Having a heart-to-heart over tea is normal, but our conversation went too well. This one accidentally said a few things he shouldn’t have. In the old days, I could’ve packed up and gotten on the road after you left. Even if sire wished to track me, you would’ve been powerless to do so. But not today, unfortunately. I still want to stay the night. If sire sets your mind on detecting my whereabouts, it would cause a great deal of unnecessary trouble. To solve this problem, this one dropped some sleeping pills into the last cup of tea, inviting his two guests to sleep soundly on the pleasure boat for a night. When the red sun rises tomorrow morning, the two of you can return to the world of the living. What reason does brother Ding have to be struggling so hard to stay awake?”

Dingming felt his consciousness fading, sinking into darkness. He strived to look at the gentleman in brocade robes, vaguely feeling that once they bade farewell, he’d likely never have another chance to meet this enigmatic young master Yun. In addition, he wasn’t willing to pa.s.s up his final chance to understand the man. He watched Yun Wuzong sigh softly and say in sadness, “We may meet again at a later date after bidding farewell today. Brother Ding has an outstanding character and a strong will. This one respects that. This one won’t ever renege on or speak of his promise. But if brother Ding publicizes my matters everywhere, I will become angry. Who knows what unpleasant events may occur then? For brother Ding’s own good, please keep today’s events under wraps.”

Hearing all this, Dingming could no longer stay awake. Falling unconscious, he watched the gentleman slowly stroll over to him. The man spoke into his ear in a distant and melancholic tone, “The Mandate of Heaven has always been difficult to understand when compared to the happiness of being free of all worldly concerns.”⁹ Then Dingming sank into the deepest darkness.

Footnotes:

1. Zhu Jia (朱家) and Guo Jie (郭解) were two wandering heroes who lived during the Han Dynasty, separated by a hundred years.
2. 惠山泉, Huishan Quan – lit. Mount Hui Spring; now known as the “Second-best Spring under Heaven,” a t.i.tle acquired during the Song Dynasty, as it is renowned for its delicious water
3. 吓煞人香, xiasharenxiang – lit. very scary fragrance; nowadays is called Biluochun (Pi Lo Chun) and is one of the best, most famous green teas
4. 鲁仲连 (305-245 BCE) – a skilled orator from the State of Qi during the Warring States period who refused to submit to the State of Qin; he is sometimes used as an example for sticking to one’s principles.
5. 束手就擒, shushou-jiuqin – idiom, lit. hands tied awaiting capture; fig. be captured, surrender
6. This is Jiang Zhe referring to himself.
7. One chi is about 29 cm (just under 1 foot)
8. 翻云覆雨, fanyun-fuyu – idiom, lit. produce clouds with one turn of the hand and rain with another; fig. play tricks; s.h.i.+fty
9. These two clauses are actually two lines from two different poems, the first half by Southern Song poet Zhang Yuangan and the other half (after “when compared”) by Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai.