February arrived in the blink of an eye, bringing with it the biting chill of early spring. Lately, the Crown Prince had been spending more time attending to the Emperor, so Xin Yi devoted himself entirely to his work at the Court of Judicial Review. The Court held countless old archives; it was impossible for Xin Yi to read them all, so he selected them chronologically. Today, he was once again stationed among the old records. It happened to be the day the archive room was being cleaned, making the space somewhat cramped. He tucked a file under his arm and moved to the side, but as he brushed past someone, he bumped into a cabinet. A stack of old scrolls wobbled, threatening to fall.
Xin Yi reached out to steady them with one hand while supporting the person he had bumped into with the other.
The man was an elderly servant responsible for cleaning the Court, a mute. The old man clutched his broom and let out a grateful sound toward Xin Yi. Xin Yi smiled, leaned down to pick up the scrolls that had fallen to the floor, and walked away with them tucked under his arm.
During this period, he had become even more like refined jade, his sharp edges tucked away. If one looked closely at his smile, they could see a hint of Bai Jiu’s mannerism in the curve of his brow—though it lacked Bai Jiu’s overwhelming, gorgeous intensity. He was well-regarded by everyone in the Court and the palace alike. A few days ago, the Crown Prince had subtly brought up his status, implying that since he was now seventeen, it was no longer proper for him to continue living in the Prince of Pingding’s manor.
After leaving the archive room, he went to Zuo Kaizhi’s office to pay his respects before finally departing. Along the way, he encountered colleagues of various ranks and acknowledged each with a polite smile. Outside the gates, Meng Chen was waiting like a guardian deity, leaning against the wall. Seeing him emerge, Meng Chen brought the horse forward. Xin Yi now rode Chiye whenever he went out; with Meng Chen around, he never slacked on his martial training.
As they neared the manor, Meng Chen spurred his horse closer and whispered, "Ji Baiyue has sent word."
Xin Yi’s eyes lifted slightly. He smiled and asked, "What did he say?"
"He conducted a thorough search in Shanyin regarding the matter you asked him to investigate. In the fifty-first year of the Taizi era, the Crown Prince indeed never went to Shanyin," Meng Chen said, tugging at his own horse’s bridle as it tried to shy away from Chiye. "There isn't a single trace of the Crown Prince ever being there."
"The Crown Prince is meticulous; it’s expected that he would leave no tracks." Xin Yi didn't seem disappointed. He simply asked, "And what of the King of Tang?"
"It was discovered that during the Jiangtang dam breach, the King of Tang sent three ships from Xuhang to deliver grain to Qingping and Wuhan. They didn't stop at Jiangtang but went straight down the Long River." Meng Chen lowered his voice even further. "The King of Tang claimed the Jiangtang granaries were damaged by the floods and he was forced to purchase grain from Xuhang. But Ji Baiyue checked—while the Jiangtang granaries were affected by water, the damage wasn't extensive. The amount of grain transported out of there doesn't add up."
*It doesn't add up.*
Xin Yi thought for a moment and asked, "Where did those three ships from Xuhang go after entering the Long River?"
"After delivering the grain, they turned back to Jiangtang. The Prefect of Xuhang, Yan Jueshu, was originally an appointee of Adjutant Cao and is close to Zhang Taiyan’s faction. However, this man is exactly as his name suggests—he possesses none of the grace of a scholar. Rumor has it he is a man who counts every penny, a character who only has eyes for profit. Since the King of Tang bought grain from him, he would certainly have squeezed some profit out of Jiangtang before leaving, so the ships went to Jiangtang."
"They still went to Jiangtang." Having reached the front of the manor, Xin Yi lightly reined in his horse. Fine snow drifted onto his shoulders. He let out a soft "ah" and said, "It really was him."
"You mean, Young Prince...?"
"Since the New Year, my teacher has suspected that the palace eunuch's testimony regarding the origin of the gunpowder held a hidden truth. With the Prince of Qin in the capital, any large acquisition of gunpowder would never have escaped the eyes of the Capital Guard," Xin Yi said as he dismounted. "But the King of Tang is different. He brought three hundred Jiangtang soldiers as an escort. Although they stayed outside the capital, once they were at the gates, smuggling something inside wouldn't be difficult at all."
Chiye snorted, and Xin Yi patted its head. Meng Chen also dismounted, looking puzzled. "Why would the King of Tang do such a thing? The Crown Prince was wounded and the Leftist faction was implicated, which only serves to highlight the Prince of Pingding’s power. He’s a provincial king; does he intend to just set off an explosion and leave without claiming any credit or fame?"
Xin Yi led the horse inside. "Perhaps his original intention was exactly that—to highlight the Prince of Pingding’s power."
Meng Chen’s eyes widened as he realized the implication. He blurted out, "He has such audacity?"
Xin Yi only smiled and didn't answer. After leading Chiye to the stables, he returned to the courtyard. He reached the door in a few steps and lifted the curtain to find Bai Jiu standing by the window. He hurried over and called out softly, "My Lord." Bai Jiu didn't turn around but simply beckoned him. Xin Yi immediately leaned in, and Bai Jiu raised a cup of warm milk to his lips.
Xin Yi drank it all in one breath from Bai Jiu’s hand. Bai Jiu took the opportunity to ruffle his hair and said, "Go change your clothes. We shall dine."
Xin Yi rubbed his head against Bai Jiu’s palm, his dimples deepening as he called "My Lord" repeatedly. Bai Jiu’s narrow eyes swept over him, and he gave his hair a few more ruffles.
"I saw the Crown Prince in the palace again today," Xin Yi murmured. "He asked when I would be moving out of the manor."
"He hasn't managed to father a son lately, so he’s being spiteful," Bai Jiu said with a smile. "Did you pay him any mind?"
"No." Xin Yi smiled as well, adding childishly, "I can't speak anyway, so even if I wanted to respond, I couldn't. I only heard that he actually went to Mount Luyi recently to pray for a son."
"Is that so?" Bai Jiu’s lowered eyes were deep. He tilted his head and pressed a light kiss to Xin Yi’s forehead. "Stop fidgeting."
Xin Yi’s face flushed. Bai Jiu’s lips trailed down the bridge of his nose to the tip. "Do you remember what I taught you last night?"
Xin Yi’s face turned even redder. He tried to take a step back, but Bai Jiu’s hand was already around his waist, blocking his retreat. Bai Jiu teased him, "So you didn't remember and want to run away."
Xin Yi’s mind was a haze of the previous night’s heat and sweat. He could only stammer, "I... I remember."
"You remember, then." Bai Jiu leaned in and chuckled softly by his ear. "Then I shall be in the Young Prince’s care tonight." Xin Yi let out a muffled sound, covered his nose with his fist, and fled to change his clothes, his face burning from that laugh.
After dinner, Xin Yi idly flipped through old archives, reviewing some past cases. Bai Jiu leaned against his shoulder, sitting behind him and watching, though his narrow eyes were half-closed as if he were drifting off. Hearing Bai Jiu’s breathing grow heavy, Xin Yi turned his head slightly to look. He felt that his Lord’s sleeping face was peerlessly beautiful, so much so that he forgot to turn the pages of the scroll in his hand.
The candle wick gave a soft pop. Bai Jiu tightened his grip around Xin Yi’s waist and said, "Let’s go. Time to rest." Xin Yi abruptly turned his head back. Bai Jiu’s chest vibrated with a chuckle; he simply picked the boy up by the waist and carried him toward the bed.
The lamp was extinguished, and the warmth spread beneath the covers.
The next morning, when Xin Yi woke up, he reached a hand out from under the quilt to feel around, only to have his fingers interlaced and pulled back by Bai Jiu. Xin Yi said groggily, "It’s time to go to the stables."
Bai Jiu gave a low grunt of affirmation but remained pressed against him, unmoving.
Xin Yi rubbed his head against the crook of Bai Jiu’s neck until his hair was a messy nest, finally tickling Bai Jiu awake. Bai Jiu held his head down and whispered, "How are you so energetic?"
Xin Yi rested his forehead against Bai Jiu’s shoulder for a moment to clear his head before saying, "My waist hurts." As soon as he spoke, he realized his voice was hoarse.
Bai Jiu slid a hand under the quilt and rubbed idly over the smooth small of his back. "I’ll massage it for you."
Xin Yi squinted at the touch, his face growing redder. He bit down on Bai Jiu’s shoulder and mumbled, "I’m getting up. You keep sleeping."
Bai Jiu gave a soft hiss of pain. His hand pressed into Xin Yi’s messy hair, and he suddenly rolled over, pinning him down. With his hands braced beside Xin Yi’s head, he buried his face in the boy’s neck in a moment of intimate affection.
When Xin Yi finally left the house, he chose a high-collared robe as usual, hiding his neck completely. Though Meng Chen was a rough man, one look was enough for him to guess what had happened, and he even went easier on Xin Yi during their sparring.
Because he hadn't slept much the night before, Xin Yi’s mind wandered unusually while he was reviewing files at the Court of Judicial Review. He set down his brush and rubbed his temples, feeling a sort of sweet distress. His desk was covered with the scrolls he had read over the past few days. Thinking to return them to the archive room, he reached for the stack of reviewed files, only to feel something unusual.
There was an extra one.
Xin Yi’s fingers slid down the layers of scrolls. He pulled one out from near the bottom, and his heart skipped a beat.
This scroll had no case label. It bore only two words: *Shanyin*. Looking at the spine, he saw the character for *Sealed*.
This was a Sealed Archive, not to be read without an official order.
*Shanyin.*
Who knew he was investigating Shanyin? The Crown Prince? Or someone else?
Xin Yi suppressed the urge to look up and placed the sealed scroll on his desk. He continued writing on a piece of paper as if nothing were wrong, but his mind was racing.
It wasn't the Crown Prince.
To investigate the Crown Prince, one would first look at the Prince of Qin. Now that the Prince of Qin was dead, others might not know, but Xin Yi would naturally turn his gaze toward Shanyin. The words the King of Tang had gone out of his way to say were certainly not baseless; after all, any bait must have weight to be effective. There must be some connection between the Prince of Yan’s household and the Crown Prince. Although Xin Yi couldn't remember where he had heard the Crown Prince’s voice before, he was certain it wasn't from anything pleasant. This Shanyin archive was something he desperately needed, but who was it that knew his every move so clearly?
It wasn't the King of Tang.
Zuo Kaizhi was a "pure official," loyal only to the Emperor. He wouldn't even give face to the Crown Prince; he was devoted solely to the sovereign. Thus, the Court of Judicial Review was the most strictly neutral institution. It aligned neither with the Leftist faction nor with Bai Jiu. Zuo Kaizhi’s integrity was the primary reason for this. With him there, if anyone wanted to tamper with things inside the Court, the King of Tang would be the first person unable to do so.
Then who was it?
The ink from Xin Yi’s brush darkened as his eyes turned as deep as night.
Suddenly, someone walked toward his desk. Xin Yi flipped the page of the scroll he had been reading, appearing lost in thought. The person stopped by his desk and whispered, "Young Prince." Xin Yi looked up; it was a Registrar of the Court. The Registrar said, "The Lord Prefect summons you."
Xin Yi nodded. He casually closed the scrolls on his desk, his wide sleeve brushing over the surface as he left with the man. As they approached Zuo Kaizhi’s office, he could already hear voices inside. He clearly heard phrases like "cannot be condoned" and "this is a grave matter." His expression remained unchanged as he entered.
The room was filled with the senior officials of the Court. When they saw him enter, they made way, leaving an empty seat below Zuo Kaizhi. Xin Yi entered with a solemn expression but did not sit. Instead, he stood beside Zuo Kaizhi—a gesture of respect to the seniors present, choosing not to use his title as a Prince’s son to act superior.
Zuo Kaizhi’s face was grim. He glanced at Xin Yi and gave a slight nod, a silent word of praise. Xin Yi gave a humble smile and stood there listening.
He heard someone say, "My Lord, a Sealed Archive is no ordinary matter. Its loss must be reported to the superiors. If the Court of Assessors finds out first, we won't be able to explain ourselves."
Another added, "The person guarding the archive room last night cannot escape responsibility. An interrogation will surely reveal the culprit. But if we report it and an inquiry follows, I fear it will be a great deal of trouble."
"Trouble or not, it must be reported. These are not ordinary times. His Majesty is strictly enforcing the penal laws to correct the rampant private dealings. If we are caught in this, our heads will roll."
The opinions were divided, and the room fell into a clamor. In the end, there was no consensus, and all eyes turned back to Zuo Kaizhi. Zuo Kaizhi had been listening with a cold face. Seeing that everyone had stopped talking, he said sternly, "The Sealed Archive is missing. The guard is to be dismissed and investigated immediately. It hasn't been missing for long, so it hasn't left the Court yet. Send men to search every corner immediately." He stood up and added, "No one is permitted to leave. We shall inspect every desk together."
The officials took their orders and followed Zuo Kaizhi into the main hall. Behind Zuo Kaizhi, Xin Yi’s hand inside his sleeve began to sweat. He gripped the scroll hidden there tightly.
He was playing the role of a mute; he had no way to speak his way out of this. Moreover, this Sealed Archive had appeared on his desk for no reason. Keeping it was a capital offense. Without a signal, who would be so kind as to give it to him? He couldn't explain it, and he had the stolen goods in his possession. If he were caught now...
Xin Yi licked his dry lips.
*This is getting intense.*
They went through the desks one by one. When they reached Xin Yi’s desk, the Registrar hesitated. Zuo Kaizhi frowned and said, "Search." The Registrar then carefully searched through the scrolls on Xin Yi’s desk. No one in the hall was spared, and the result was, naturally, nothing.
Since it wasn't on the desks, a body search was inevitable. Zuo Kaizhi took the lead by removing his own outer robe, and the others had no choice but to follow suit.
But the Sealed Archive was right in Xin Yi’s sleeve. Once he removed his robe, it could no longer be hidden.
No one in the hall spoke. While loosening one's robes was improper, no one questioned it under the circumstances. As it drew closer to Xin Yi’s turn, he remained outwardly calm, but his grip on the scroll in his sleeve tightened.
Zuo Kaizhi suddenly turned to look at him and said, "You are a Young Prince; removing your clothes in this hall would be an insult to the imperial bloodline. Xiao Su, accompany the Young Prince to my private office so he may change there."
The Registrar from before stepped forward and led Xin Yi away. Xin Yi’s heart stirred. He glanced up at Zuo Kaizhi, but Zuo Kaizhi was already staring at the others with his usual stern, authoritative expression.
Once they reached Zuo Kaizhi’s office, Xiao Su lowered his head and stepped back a few paces, standing outside the screen. "Please, Young Prince."
Xin Yi nodded and stepped behind the screen to remove his robe.
By the time the two returned to the front hall, the missing archive had been recovered. It was said that another Registrar had dared to steal it and was caught red-handed under the watchful eyes of the crowd. Zuo Kaizhi personally took back the missing archive, and the matter was settled.
When he sat back at his desk, Xin Yi relaxed his hand. The *real* Sealed Archive was back among his papers.
Was this his teacher... giving him permission to investigate the old matters of Shanyin?
Xin Yi took a sip of bitter tea and opened the Sealed Archive.
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
大理寺 | Court of Judicial Review / Dali Temple | The high court of imperial China.
许事 | Registrar | A minor official rank within the Court of Judicial Review.
封宗 | Sealed Archive | Classified or restricted imperial records.
山阴 | Shanyin | The location associated with the tragedy of Xin Yi's family.
颜绝书 | Yan Jueshu | Prefect of Xuhang, described as miserly.
江塘 | Jiangtang | A location mentioned in relation to a dam breach and grain smuggling.
徐杭 | Xuhang | A geographical location/prefecture.
鹿懿山 | Mount Luyi | A mountain mentioned as a place for prayer/pilgrimage.
小素 | Xiao Su | The name of the Registrar (Xushi) mentioned in this chapter.
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