That New Year’s Eve dinner was quite an ordeal for Master Lu of Jing’an Mansion, who rarely touched alcohol. The young prince, however, insisted on pouring him drink after drink. If Lu refused, the prince would act like a spoiled brat, threatening to roll on the floor. Unable to withstand his master’s childish antics, Lu ended up drinking far too much. When he finally managed to escape, he staggered out, reeking of alcohol, and squatted by the garden wall, vomiting repeatedly. His only handmaiden, Xinghua, gently patted his back, her expression filled with concern.
Though Lu had suffered greatly, his mood seemed rather light. He said he wanted to take Xinghua, whose real name was Liu Lingbao, to visit his old home. In truth, Xinghua often visited the dilapidated house in his spare time. It had long been purchased by Jing’an Mansion, and every time she went, she would meticulously clean it until not a speck of dust remained. She knew the place like the back of her hand.
Lu Xu, blind as he was, did not enter the house, merely standing at the gate, no one knew what he was trying to “see.” Then he took Xinghua to Yongzi Alley, where he used to make a living playing chess for money. He squatted on the ground, leaning against the wall, silent and still. It was as if a chessboard lay before him. He moved his fingers as though picking up pieces, gently placing them down. Xinghua did not speak, her eyes soft.
The young blind man continued placing imaginary pieces, smiling as he said, “When our Qing Party fell, I was the one who added the final logs to the fire. If I hadn’t, Jing’an Mansion would have become nothing more than a decorative vase. I’ve always been a man of ambition, tied to the mansion’s fate—its glory is mine, its disgrace is mine too. How could I stand idly by while the young master was unable to act freely?”
Xinghua knew in private that Prince Zhao Xun liked to call him “Master Lu” or “Lu Gongzi,” and when in a playful mood, even affectionately called him “Little Sixth.” But Lu always addressed him with irreverent formality as “the Young Master,” never as Prince Jing’an.
“The Lu family in Yangfang Lane wanted to leave, and though we couldn’t stop them in Xiangfan City, tripping them up a bit wasn’t hard. Though it wouldn’t change the larger picture, if the young master was unhappy and insisted on making life difficult for Beiliang, then as a man who once gambled on chess, I could only do my best to play the game, planting some hidden dangers for the Lu family. If the late Grand Secretary Lu, with his keen insight into the ways of the world, were still alive, these petty tricks might not have worked. But now that he’s gone, who can say?”
Xinghua shifted positions, shielding Lu from the cold wind blowing down the alley, and softly said, “Master, you are a man destined for great deeds. Small details should not bind you.”
Lu Xu laughed. “They say, ‘If you can’t even clean your own room, how can you clean the world?’ Yet they also say, ‘Great men don’t concern themselves with trifles.’ The ancients and their books sure do confuse future generations. But as for me, a blind man, I truly can only rely on you to clean my house.”
Xinghua’s eyes shimmered. “This servant is more than willing.”
Lu reached out his hand, perhaps emboldened by the wine, wanting to caress Liu Lingbao’s smooth cheek. But when Liu leaned in, he withdrew his hand and softly said, “We are fortunate to rely on each other. Let’s try to live a little longer.”
Lu tilted his head back, resting against the wall, murmuring, “You poor blind thing.”
Suddenly, Xinghua lowered her voice and said, “Lu Gongzi, if you wish to go to Beiliang, Liu Lingbao will risk her life to help you escape the city.”
Lu was momentarily stunned, then shook his head with a faint smile. “I have my own plans. It’s fine here.”
※※※
At Tingchao Lake in Beiliang, the scholar Chen Xiliang sat in a lakeside pavilion. With him were Xu Beizhi, the grandson of the former Northern Court King Xu Huainan, and Princess Xu Wei Xiong, who sat in a wheelchair. The three, so different in background, formed a balanced triangle.
Xu Wei Xiong, who controlled half of Beiliang’s intelligence network, spoke calmly, “There’s news I should share. The Northern Liang Empress has arrived at our border, accompanied by only one person.”
Xu Beizhi hummed in acknowledgment and quickly deduced, “It must be Toba Pusa.”
Chen Xiliang frowned slightly and asked, “Can’t we kill her?”
Xu Beizhi smiled. “If we could kill her, we would have already. The problem is, she can’t be killed.”
Chen Xiliang merely said, “I see,” his expression calm.
Xu Wei Xiong turned her gaze southward and smiled. “Then let’s scheme a little more. After all, the real work will still be done by them.”
Though Xu Beizhi had already been assigned to a local post and rarely visited Liangshan, there were frequent rumors of him mingling with scholars and officials. Unlike Chen Xiliang, who remained secluded in the mansion, tirelessly devoting himself to his duties, Xu Beizhi was always at ease, even when facing Xu Wei Xiong. He would even crack harmless jokes, as he did now, lazily saying, “I hear our young master has been out traveling again, and he’s managed to trick quite a few important people into coming to Beiliang to toil away. What a talent! I’d say his looks are good enough to charm a few girls, but I didn’t expect him to be so good at swindling men too.”
Chen Xiliang remained expressionless, turning his head toward Tingchao Lake, where thousands of koi swam.
Xu Wei Xiong pointed at the two of them and smiled wryly. “Xu Beizhi, if you want to curse yourself, that’s fine, but why drag Chen Xiliang into it? Insulting others while insulting yourself—what’s the point of such a deal, where you lose as much as you gain?”
Xu Beizhi burst into laughter. “Princess, you don’t understand. I was born with a black heart and a thick skin, so I take fewer wounds than Chen Gongzi here.”
Chen Xiliang helplessly shook his head. Such a man could never be a friend, yet even as an opponent, he was hard to dislike.
Xu Wei Xiong murmured to herself, “A new year, a new Beiliang, a new beginning.”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage