I spent the entire journey back in a daze, calculating: how exactly could I obtain the consent of these high-level leaders?
My father wouldn’t be much of a problem, so long as I enjoyed it and could guarantee my own safety. My future in-laws? Prince Jing’s Manor? They wouldn’t even need to agree; the moment I became a constable, they would likely come crawling over to break the engagement immediately.
The hardest hurdle would be the Emperor. How could I get him to agree?
First, I had to let him know of my intentions. Whether I should find a middleman to pass the word or entrust someone to deliver a resume, I hadn't quite decided. After that, I suppose I would wait for him to test me, or perhaps I should proactively seek out a major target to challenge. If I could make a name for myself in one battle, the Emperor’s eyes would light up, and he would realize I was prime material for service within the Six Doors...
The problem was, whom should I challenge?
Before I knew it, the carriage had come to a halt. Aunt Fu lifted the curtain, peered outside, and said with a hint of surprise, "It seems to be Princess Qingrong’s carriage again."
My spirits instantly lifted. Princess Qingrong? Wasn't she the Emperor’s most beloved daughter? Although I couldn't immediately see how she might help in this matter, getting on the good side of this favored daughter of heaven certainly couldn't hurt.
I leaped off the carriage and sprinted toward my courtyard at a hundred-meter dash pace.
Qingrong was indeed waiting for me in my bedroom. A few years had passed, and she had blossomed into a poised young woman, her speech and mannerisms carrying a touch more of the steady royal grace. Only those large eyes of hers still occasionally betrayed a hint of mischief.
"I was unaware of Your Highness’s arrival; please forgive my lack of welcome." I leaned against the doorframe, peeking behind me. "Since there are no outsiders, I don't need to kneel, right?"
Qingrong pursed her lips and smiled. "My Great Constable, I know you’ve been busy these past few days. Well? How is it going?"
The words "Great Constable" made my heart skip a beat, and I suddenly felt a bit breathless. Could my intentions be so obvious that even Qingrong, whose nerves were usually thicker than most, had seen through them? I stammered, "It’s... it’s fine. What brings you here?"
With a playful expression, Qingrong paced a few steps in front of me, then tilted her head and gave me a cryptic smile.
That smile made my skin crawl. I hadn't even figured out how to utilize her royal status yet, but the moment she looked at me, I felt a pang of guilt.
Qingrong giggled. "I came specifically to bring you a message. But first, I saw something very strange in your bedroom. Tell me, what is that called?"
She pointed a slender, lily-white finger toward the zither on the low table by my bed.
I let out a long breath. So she was asking about that. "A zheng. It’s also called a guzheng. It’s a musical instrument."
"An instrument?" Qingrong’s large eyes darted around. "Could you play something for me? In exchange, I’ll tell you some good news."
Good news? It couldn't be that the Emperor had given me special permission to work at the Ministry of Justice, could it? It couldn't be that fast; I hadn't even sent in my job application yet...
"Good Wuchao, just play one piece so I can see what it’s like, alright?" She probably thought I was trying to be lazy. I quickly nodded in agreement. "Fine, fine. Sit quietly to the side and don't cause trouble. I’ll play for you."
She immediately sat down obediently.
I washed my hands with due ceremony, then had Yingxue light a stick of incense. As I fitted the plectrums onto my fingers, I pondered: what should I play? Looking at this bright, youthful girl before me, I decided on "Jasmine Flower."
I had transcribed the score from memory while living in the mountains. However, the melody I played still sounded slightly different from what I remembered. After years of practice, I had grown familiar with this guzheng. While playing simple tunes was no longer an issue, I was still a long way from my ideal...
And my ideal was that one day, I could perfectly perform "A Moonlit Night on the Spring River" for my father who couldn't hear, and my father Ji who could.
I silently hummed the lyrics of "Jasmine Flower" in my heart. That was a flower that bloomed in another world... a flower from my hometown. It was a pity I might never see it again.
Only now did I realize that this light and beautiful melody was actually infused with a soul-searing homesickness. No wonder when Premier Zhou took the front-line song and dance troupe to perform in Indonesia and heard this song, he remarked that it reminded him of his old home in Northern Jiangsu...
I missed home, too. And my home was a place I would likely never be able to return to in this life.
When the piece ended, I looked up to find Qingrong still staring at me blankly.
"Jasmine Flower. This song is called Jasmine Flower."
Qingrong’s gaze was still a bit dazed as she murmured, "I didn't expect... it to be so beautiful."
I was about to offer a few humble words, but just as a smile touched my lips, a thick wave of melancholy rose in my heart. I didn't like this baseless sentimentality, so I changed the subject. "Weren't you going to tell me the good news?"
This question brought Qingrong fully back to her senses. She stared at me and said, word by word, "Mingshao is coming back."
"Who?" I didn't hear clearly. The name sounded familiar, but he didn't feel like someone I knew...
"Young Prince Mingshao... my cousin... your fiancé!" The little girl looked triumphant, as if she had just dropped a bombshell.
I stared at her blankly, a bit confused. Young Prince Mingshao... he wasn't at the Prince’s Manor? Where had he gone?
Qingrong was clearly disappointed by my reaction. "You... don't seem to care?"
I gave her a strange look, thinking: *This Mingshao is someone who shouldn't have any intersection with my life. Why should I care?*
Qingrong shook her head helplessly. "When Mingshao was six, he was taken to Qizhou by his uncle, the current Commander of the Military, Chu De. He only returns once a year. Today I heard Imperial Father and the others discussing that Chu De is returning to the capital to report on his duties. If Chu De is coming back, Mingshao will certainly come back too..."
I couldn't help but yawn, but seeing the flash of anger on Qingrong’s face, I quickly covered my mouth and gave a couple of awkward, dry laughs. It seemed I had to put on a cooperative act—for the sake of my grand future, I couldn't afford to offend this young lady. "This... Young Prince... what... what is he like?"
Qingrong cheered up again. "Him? He looks better than any of my brothers. Imperial Father once praised him for being gifted in both the literary and martial arts—except for one bad thing: he doesn't like to talk. He’s as dull as an old man."
What should I say next? I racked my brain for a topic, and when I looked up, Qingrong was sizing me up with a knowing look.
"Alright, alright, I won't push you." Qingrong curled her lip. "You’ll like Mingshao once you see him."
I nodded along while inwardly groaning. Qingrong probably saw that I didn't want to dwell on the subject, so she magnanimously let me off the hook. "Then I’ll head back to the palace. I’ll come find you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow..." I felt a bit conflicted. "Tomorrow I have to go to the Ministry of Justice for the hearing."
"Then the day after." Her little face was about to drop again. I quickly nodded.
However, I didn't end up attending the hearing the next day. That very evening, I received a message from Master Rongqin, telling me to return to Qingshui Nunnery the following day.
I later learned that on the night of the incident at the Yun Manor, after Xi Hua had fled from Yun Jin’s study, another person appeared. This was Yun Liao’s primary wife, Lady Cao. For some reason, she had secretly followed her husband that night to the outside of Yun Jin’s study, and thus witnessed the entire murder. This woman helped Yun Liao move the body to Yun Jin’s own bedroom, then wiped away the blood and threw the murder weapon into the pond in front of the prayer hall.
Lady Cao was also the last to confess.
There was one more small interlude: that night, when Yun Liao’s concubine, Lady Hu, had finished stewing the tonic soup in the kitchen, she had sent a maid to invite Lady Cao and Yun Liao’s other concubine, Lady Sun. The maid went to Lady Cao’s quarters, but no one was there. Because it involved a human life, Lady Hu had never dared to speak of it.
According to the laws of the Yan Tian Kingdom, Yun Liao was sentenced to death by hanging. His accomplice, Lady Cao, was sentenced to exile for a thousand miles, with no possibility of pardon even during general amnesties.
I never saw Xi Hua again. I heard from Luo Jin that Xi Hua had originally intended to return to her hometown, but Old Madam Yun had insisted on keeping her. Yun Jin was unmarried, and Yun Liao only had two daughters by his concubine, Lady Sun. Therefore, the son Xi Hua later gave birth to naturally became the heir to the Yun family.
I hoped that when the child grew up, Xi Hua would tell him his father’s name was Yun Jin. But that was just my own thought; how could I control the lives of others?
I only hoped the living would fare well.
On the way up the mountain, I kept guessing the reason Master Rongqin had sent for me. I had followed her for over four years, and she had always been cold and distant, never speaking more than necessary and never prying into my affairs. Sometimes when I stayed home a day or two longer than usual, she never asked why.
This time...
Before I even reached Qingshui Nunnery, I saw seven or eight burly men in tight-fitting martial attire standing disciplined outside the mountain gate. Their eyes were sharp and alert; one look told me they were people of the *jianghu*. This sight immediately made me tense. Had my Master’s enemies found her?
No, it didn't seem like it. If they were enemies, they would have fought their way in long ago. However, the way they looked at me was very strange—was I really beautiful enough to be stared at like a street attraction?
I cautiously wove through them, holding my breath and staying on guard. To my surprise, nothing happened. When I reached the gate of the courtyard where Master and I lived, I saw several more young men in the same attire guarding the door. They looked respectful, as if they were dutifully guarding a palace gate—none of them even spared me a side-glance.
Peeking into the courtyard, I saw Master Rongqin slowly walking around the garden beds. Four men and women in the same attire were kneeling respectfully in the center of the yard, their heads bowed. Although summer was ending, it was nearly noon, and the sun was still scorching...
Master saw me and the corners of her mouth tilted up slightly, her eyes reflecting a hint of relief. My heart skipped a beat; she rarely had such moments of outward emotion, and in such a strange setting—it felt somewhat eerie.
"Come here," she waved me over, then spoke to the kneeling people. "This is my disciple, Ji Wuchao. She will be thirteen in two months. Though she is young, the child is naturally gifted and has learned at least sixty to seventy percent of my skills. With diligent practice in the future, her martial arts achievements will certainly not be inferior to mine."
The four people looked up to size me up, and I curiously looked back at them. Before I could get a good look, they bowed their heads again and said in unison, "Greetings, Junior Sister."
Junior Sister? I stared at them blankly, then turned to look at Master.
Rongqin lowered her eyelids and said calmly, "Weren't you curious about the name of our sect? I will tell you now: we are the Ming Sect. The Sect Leader is my senior sister. Twenty years ago, to become the Sect Leader, she framed me and drove me out of the Ming Sect. Now she is dying and seeks peace of conscience. So, she sent people to bring me back, intending to pass the position of Sect Leader to me."
Sudden realization hit me. No wonder. Being wrongly accused for twenty years—no wonder she was always so unhappy. Who wouldn't be?
Master gazed at the lush green peaks of the back mountain, seemingly lost in distant memories. After a long time, she withdrew her gaze, shook her head twice, and murmured, "I looked forward to this for twenty years—I almost thought I would never see it in this lifetime. But now that the day has finally come, I can't find the spirit for it at all. Chao’er, tell me, what is wrong with me?"
I had to admit, the way she smiled felt very relaxing. So, I smiled too. "It’s because Master has already let go of past grudges and the pursuit of fame and fortune in the martial world."
Master Rongqin looked at me, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Then tell me, what should I do?"
I looked at the people kneeling on the ground, then back at Master. A hint of craftiness flickered in her eyes, as if she were tossing me a difficult problem just to tease me. I suddenly felt that this matter, which had troubled her for twenty years, should reach its conclusion today. Otherwise, she wouldn't be in such high spirits.
"Just have them go back and tell that Sect Leader that you’ve already forgotten the Ming Sect. Whoever she wants to choose as the leader has nothing to do with us," I said, adding a flattering smile. "I’m older now; I can accompany you to travel the world."
Master Rongqin burst into laughter. She wasn't actually old, and she wasn't ugly; when she laughed like that, she was truly quite beautiful.
But hearing her laughter, the four people kneeling on the ground bowed their heads even lower. One of the girls choked out, "If you refuse to return, we... we..."
Master Rongqin acted as if she hadn't heard her, still gazing into the distance with infinite longing. The faint haze in her eyes had vanished, like dark clouds parting to reveal a clear sky, making my own mood lighten as well.
"How is it that only today I realized I didn't truly care about being framed?" she murmured to herself. "How is it that only today I realized... those things weren't worth dwelling on at all?" She turned to look at me. "It seems I wasted a lot of time on these pointless matters."
I curled my lip. "That’s because you never would talk about your past. Otherwise, I would have talked you through it long ago."
Master Rongqin laughed again. She looked at the people on the ground and said calmly, "You may go back."
Not one of the four moved.
Master Rongqin looked at them with some difficulty, then looked at me. "How about this: you go and be their Sect Leader?"
I nearly choked on my own breath.
"You are my disciple, your martial arts are good, and you are smart." She tilted her head at me. "The Ming Sect is a large sect with a good reputation in the martial world. Being their leader isn't shameful."
"How could that work?" I finally caught my breath and shook my head vigorously. Had my Master become so carried away after freeing herself from her mental knot?
"Why wouldn't it work?" She looked at me very seriously; this time she didn't seem to be joking. "Don't you want to eliminate evil and protect the peaceful? By becoming the leader of the Ming Sect, wouldn't your ideal be realized?"
Eliminating evil and protecting the peaceful—that was true, but could one use that as an excuse to stand above the law?
I shook my head. "I want to eliminate evil, but I cannot violate the law. My ideal is—to be a constable."
The effect of this sentence was probably comparable to a hand grenade, as everyone stared at me in stunned silence, as if I were Shrek dropped from the sky.
Master Rongqin stammered in an incredulous tone, "You... don't want to be a Sect Leader... you want to be... a constable?"
I nodded emphatically.
Once I was certain of this, my heart felt clear and bright.
I looked at the dazed faces before me and, as if swearing an oath, spoke with unprecedented seriousness, word by word: "I want to defend the dignity of the law. I want to eliminate evil through proper legal procedures, protect national security, and protect the personal and property safety of every citizen. Because..." My expression became solemn. "Because a society without the concept of the rule of law is a society without hope or a future."
I looked at them; they were still staring at me in a muddle. I doubted they had actually understood a word I said.
I looked at Master Rongqin again; her expression was also blank. This feeling was truly maddening. Was what I said that hard to understand?
To express my determination, I raised my arm and shouted, "I resolutely refuse to be—a triad boss!"
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 六扇门 | Six Doors | A metonym for the government's investigative and legal bureaus. |
| 冥宗 | Ming Sect | The martial arts sect Master Rongqin belongs to. |
| 掌门 | Sect Leader | The head or grandmaster of a martial arts sect. |
| 楚德 | Chu De | A military commander and uncle to Prince Mingshao. |
| 歧州 | Qizhou | A geographical location/province. |
| 述职 | Report on duties | An official reporting of work by a subordinate to a superior. |
| 冥 | Ming | Meaning dark, profound, or the underworld. |
| 黑社会老大 | Triad boss / Underworld leader | Modern slang used by the protagonist to describe a sect leader. |
