UPON FINDING Jiang Yexue unharmed, Mo Xi first sighed in relief, then he frowned again. "You're asking me? What happened to you?"
Jiang Yexue smiled. "Did something happen to me?"
Mo Xi blinked. The doors were still open, showing the mess that covered the ground. No matter how one looked at it, it was out of the ordinary.
Sensing the question in Mo Xi's silence, Jiang Yexue explained, still smiling, "Oh, this. I made a new puppet that malfunctioned. It made quite a mess of the house." He shot a glance at that little clay puppet spinning around with its half-shattered head. "Look, it broke this one too."
"I see." Mo Xi cleared his throat. "Apologies, I thought Murongxiansheng…"
Jiang Yexue's feathery lashes lifted. "You saw Chuyi?"
"Mn," said Mo Xi. "On my way here, I saw him leaving. I thought he was here to see you, that some…disagreement occurred."
Jiang Yexue paused to cover his mouth with a sleeve, cleared his throat, and smiled faintly. "Is that so? Well, he didn't come here." As if suddenly chilled, he pulled his bathrobe closer and smoothed the white fabric. Then he reached up and tied his long hair, binding it into a relaxed ponytail and fastening it with a green jade clip.
His face had a distinctive air of refinement. The lines of his features were as soft as spring-grown willow catkins floating on the water's surface, his skin pale as new snow fallen by the riverside on a winter's night. At the moment, he was fresh out of the bath, and so seemed even more like a beautiful piece of Hetian jade immersed in a natural spring's waters, soothing away all frustrations or doubts.
"The academy has many books on artificing. Xiaojiu probably came to borrow one, not to see me." He paused, smile unfaltering. "Anyway, it's so late. I wasn't expecting any guests, so I went to take a bath before cleaning this mess. I'm afraid I've embarrassed myself before Xihe-jun."
"The fault is mine. I'm the one who's bothered you at this hour."
"We're brothers who have shared life or death—nothing is too much bother." Jiang Yexue looked him over and asked without preamble, "Did Xihe-jun come tonight because of Gu-xiong?" Mo Xi paused. "How did you know?"
Jiang Yexue's gaze slid away from Mo Xi's hair ribbon, his slender fingers interlocking over his knees. He said nothing about the mismatched ribbons as he lowered his lashes with a warm smile. "Other than military matters, the only thing that makes you so anxious is that dear brother of yours."
Mo Xi was silent a moment. Lifting a hand, he conjured a soundvanishing barrier to ensure their conversation wasn't overheard. Then he looked squarely at Jiang Yexue, his face solemn. "I've brought something with me." After a pause, he asked, "Do you remember what I told you on Bat Island, that I learned of some strange events in the Time Mirror?"
"I remember."
"I found some clues regarding Gu Mang's defection eight years ago."
"Is that so? What are they?"
Mo Xi stepped forward and placed his gold-on-black qiankun pouch on the desk before Jiang Yexue. "Jade scrolls."
Jiang Yexue had been calm until now, but when he heard this, his eyes widened and his face paled. Incredulous, he murmured, "Did you…steal the history-recording jade scrolls?"
Mo Xi didn't speak. He pressed his lips into a tight line, then lowered his head and pulled open the ribbons of the qiankun pouch to pour the fragments onto the table. The pieces of the history-recording jade scrolls scattered in front of Jiang Yexue, glowing faintly.
"Someone destroyed the scrolls," Mo Xi said succinctly. "This proves someone wants to erase what happened in Chonghua back then."
Jiang Yexue was frozen in astonishment for a long while. Leaning back in his wheelchair, he murmured, "Mo Xi, you're out of your mind…"
At the same time, back at Xihe Manor, Li Wei's shrewd face was gleaming beneath the lights of the plum-blossom copper lamps. Lips curved in a flattering smile, he was attempting to have an amicable discussion with the crowd of guests standing stock-still in Xihe Manor's great hall.
These people wore purple robes trimmed in gold and embroidered with the insignia of a hundred birds. The man at their head looked to be in his early thirties. His countenance was stern, and the faint wrinkles between his brows were evidence of his love of frowning. His lips were thin and his eyes were cold, with an air of unbending arrogance; his entire aura was one that warded off strangers.
This was the leading elder of Sishu Terrace, Zhou He.
Everyone in Chonghua knew Zhou He was quite insane. He was enamored of foreign magic techniques; regardless of whether they were good or evil, black magic or holy arts, there were none he wouldn't touch. His methods were indiscriminate, ranging from standard theoretical research to dark and bloody dissection of intestines and brains. The only reason he hadn't been named Chonghua's Greed, Wrath, or Ignorance was because Murong Chuyi's absolute indifference, both toward people and propriety, was second to none.
In effect, though Zhou He was vicious, he at least followed the rules. He refrained from opening skulls the emperor didn't permit him to open—albeit just barely. Now that this Zhou bastard had come to Xihe Manor, he wasn't so easily dismissed.
Li Wei accepted a heavy tea tray from a serving girl. Bowing and scraping, he delivered it with a broad smile to Elder Zhou's table. "Elder, please have some tea and try some fruit and desserts."
Zhou He made no sound. His fingers instinctively caressed the pitch-black dagger at his belt.
Head lowered, Li Wei shot a glance at the blade. His heart pounded in his chest. The design was ugly, resembling nothing so much as a pair of fire tongs—yet everyone was aware that this dagger was the most cherished treasure of Elder Zhou of Sishu Terrace. The holy weapon Lieying had picked its way through countless brains and dissected innumerable hearts, befitting the falcon that was its namesake. How many of the techniques currently in use within Chonghua had been discovered by Zhou He wielding Lieying?
Many called the Zhou Clan vultures, searching for the secrets of magical techniques in piles of corpses. Zhou He, when he heard such things, sneeringly retorted that he didn't require a corpse— many secrets could only be discovered while the subject lived. Any who didn't believe him were welcome to take a turn under his knife.
Purple with golden trim, totem of a hundred birds—the Zhou Clan were not solely carrion-eating vultures, they were also
Chonghua's falcons. With eyes that saw every detail, they picked the secrets of enemy nations from within crimson blood and presented them all to the emperor.
Li Wei attempted to make conversation. "Elder Zhou, this tea was steeped with dew from Mount Cuiling…"
Zhou He cut him off impatiently. "When will Xihe-jun return?"
"Please wait a while longer. This subordinate has sent people to summon the lord. Very soon, they will—"
Zhou He produced an intricate water clock from within his robes and slammed it on the table. He looked up. "A quarter-hour ago, you said the same. I value efficiency. Let's have an exact time—tell me if Xihe-jun will return within a shichen."
"Um…"
"Don't hem and haw. Sishu Terrace's black magic gu worms have been ready since yesterday; all we lack is the test subject. Now the specimen has returned, but I can't take him away. Instead, I must wait for your Xihe-jun to come back." Zhou He narrowed his eyes. "All right then, I'll wait. I'll do Xihe-jun this favor on account of his status and authority. But this can drag on for another shichen at most. Housekeeper Li, listen up. Gu Mang is the test subject His Imperial Majesty personally granted me. When Xihe-jun brought him back to this manor, your master was ceded temporary custody. Gu Mang is a traitor, and has been named the most suitable subject for black magic experiments by imperial decree… I've spent so long gathering black magic gu worms, and now they're finally ready." Zhou He grabbed Li Wei by the lapels with surprising force, tone laced with threat. "I haven't much more patience."
He shoved Li Wei away. Crossing one leg over the other, he said coldly, "Understand now?"
"Y-yes." Li Wei swallowed, shooting a glance at the water clock. "I do…" he murmured.
No I don't! Everyone knew Gu Mang would be used for Chonghua's black magic experiments, but damn it, you didn't tell anyone it would begin today, did you? You snuck around preparing everything without giving any notice, then rushed in to claim the prisoner. I don't have the means to stop your lordship, but shouldn't you at least stop by to chat when Xihe-jun's at home?
Who would dare give Gu Mang up when Xihe-jun isn't here!
The only person completely unbothered by the hostility filling the room was Gu Mang, who sat in a corner of the great hall. Despite suddenly finding himself Zhou He's quarry and a test specimen for Chonghua's demonic magic trials, Gu Mang was quite calm. When Zhou He arrived, Gu Mang had just finished bathing and was getting ready to sleep; now, he certainly couldn't go to bed. He sat on a chair with a loose bathrobe over his shoulders, inky hair framing his face.
Chin in hand, he gazed at this flock of vultures. He was quiet, as obedient as a tempered prisoner ought to be. It was just that his earlier obedience was real, while his current obedience was faked.
Although he'd recovered a majority of his memories since coming out of the Time Mirror, Gu Mang still couldn't recall some extremely crucial points. The absence of these memories was like a smoothly flowing poem missing its most important rhyme, rendering him unable to fully understand his current circumstances. Gu Mang could remember that the emperor had indeed decreed him a test subject for black magic experiments. Yet when he searched what memories he had, he couldn't figure out how he'd ended up like this. Nevertheless, he was ready; he knew what he was determined to do, so he could endure it.
"Quick, send another message to the lord," Li Wei urged the manor's messenger servant.
The servant was even more anxious than Li Wei; beads of sweat stood out on his forehead. "I've sent it seventeen or eighteen times, but I can find no trace of the lord!"
Li Wei was pacing in frustration, first sneaking a glance at the malicious-looking Zhou He, then peeking at the calm and composed Gu Mang. No matter which side he chose to offend, the consequences would be more than he could bear. He turned like a top again and again until inspiration struck. He came to a stop and waved the messenger servant over. "Come here, come here! Hurry up, I have a plan."
The messenger, thinking Li Wei had some new plan, waited with wide eyes. But the words Housekeeper Li mysteriously imparted were: "Send another message."
Speechless, the messenger replied awkwardly, "Housekeeper Li, didn't I tell you? I've already sent word seventeen or eighteen times, but…"
"Have you got a pig's brains?" Li Wei prodded frantically at the servant's forehead. "I didn't say send it to Xihe-jun!"
"Then to whom?"
"Princess Mengze!"
Li Wei's quick thinking impressed even himself. No one but Princess Mengze could afford the responsibility of letting Gu Mang be taken away. Li Wei prodded the messenger. "Emergency help, emergency help! Hurry and send a voice message to Princess Mengze!"
As soon as the servant heard this, his eyes gleamed. Had they not been watched, he would've given Li Wei an enthusiastic thumbs up. Excellent, Head Housekeeper Li was truly excellent! Gu Mang was kept in the manor like a concubine; even if their lord purported to hate this concubine so much his skin crawled, anyone with eyes in Xihe Manor could see Mo Xi cared for Gu Mang. Now that Zhou He wanted to take Concubine Gu away, was there anyone in the manor who could take the blame?
There was only one: the lord's first wife.
Though Mengze had yet to officially cross the threshold of Xihe Manor, she was solidly considered to be Mistress Xihe-jun in everyone's eyes. She had selflessly saved Xihe-jun's life once already, so the only one who could take responsibility for dealing with said "concubine" was her.
These two miscreants of Xihe Manor had found a piece of floating driftwood to cling to. They sent off a message to Princess Mengze in utter delight, but before the messenger butterfly so much as crossed over the wall, it was shot down by a bolt of black light.
Displeased, Zhou He raised his eyes to stare at Li Wei. "Who are you contacting?"
"P-Princess M-Mengze…"
Zhou He pointed Lieying at him. "Li Wei, listen well. I came here today to take the prisoner. I'm here to tell you I'm doing so, not to ask your permission. Don't think I'll give you the chance to find someone else to plead on his behalf."
Staring at the point of that holy weapon that had carved through endless gore, Li Wei broke out in a cold sweat. "Yes yes yes yes! The elder is c-c-correct—"
Zhou He turned away. A silence fell over the room, the water clock counting the minutes, drop by drop, next to Zhou He's hand.
Amid this crushing tension, a snort rang out, followed by a soft sigh. It wasn't a particularly loud sound, but in the silence of the hall, it was ear-piercing. Everyone looked toward the source, only to realize it had come from the black dog Fandou lying at Gu Mang's feet.
Fandou seemed as witless as his master. Since his master was sitting calmly, Fandou was also markedly relaxed, drooling as he whined and snored in his sleep. Amused, Gu Mang placed his pale, bare feet on his fluffy fur. Subjected to a stepping-on even in his sleep, Fandou whimpered and blinked open his beady eyes to see Gu Mang was just playing. He closed his eyes and went back to dreaming, letting Gu Mang's jade-pale feet sink deep into his fur as they rubbed his belly and soft ears.
But moments later, Fandou sensed something. He flattened his ears and stared in the direction of the receiving hall as he yipped out an inquisitive bark.
A servant ran inside. Thinking Mo Xi had returned, Li Wei was overcome with delight. But the servant's stunned expression wrung his relief instantly back into anxiety. "What's going on?"
"Head Housekeeper Li." The servant was visibly distressed. "Ththere's another group of people outside."
"Who?!"
Before the servant could answer, the newcomers pushed their way into Xihe Manor, heedless of decorum. The bootlicking servant at the fore shouted with unimaginable pomposity, "Wangshu-jun has arrived!"