Zuo Canglang entered the study. Before she could even kneel, Murong Yan spoke. "No need for formalities. Come here."
Zuo Canglang walked to his side. Before she could utter a word, Murong Yan took both her hands in his. "Your wounds haven't even healed. Why have you come to the palace?"
"I heard that Chancellor Xue has contracted the plague in prison," Zuo Canglang replied. "Old Master Wen was anxious and entreated me to seek an audience with Your Majesty."
Murong Yan was clearly satisfied; he knew she was telling the truth. Wen Xingye and Xue Chengjing had always been close friends. Now that Xue Chengjing was imprisoned and gravely ill, it was impossible for Wen Xingye not to be worried.
He pulled Zuo Canglang into his lap. "So, did you come today to deliver a message for him, or do you have something to say yourself?"
Zuo Canglang tried to stand, but with a slight struggle, her wound flared with pain, preventing her from exerting force. She had no choice but to let him hold her. "If I were delivering a message for him, it would be that Chancellor Xue has assisted the Murong clan for many years. Great Yan has remained standing despite many perils precisely because it had General Wen guarding the borders and a virtuous Chancellor managing the interior. After all these years, even if he has committed some faults, Your Majesty is magnanimous—surely you would not hold a grudge against a man with one foot in the grave?"
Murong Yan gave a cold snort. Zuo Canglang smiled again and continued, "Speaking of which, I simply recalled the time when Your Majesty was still Prince Qianyi. When Northern Yu used a scheme to sow discord, the late King had Your Majesty arrested and imprisoned. While the entire court stood by and watched, only Chancellor Xue busied himself on Your Majesty’s behalf, even writing to General Wen to persuade him to join the plea for mercy."
Murong Yan seemed to recall something. The mockery in his eyes gradually faded as he gave a soft, "Mhm."
Zuo Canglang turned her head to face him. "Thinking back, though it may have been foolish, his sincerity was true. Now... Your Majesty has ascended the throne, and ten thousand people bow before you. The entire court cries 'Long live the King,' yet the man who risked everything to protect Your Majesty back then has been stripped of his office and cast into a dungeon. Reflecting on it, it is truly a lamentable turn of events."
"Xue Chengjing..." Murong Yan said, his voice deep. "Sometimes, that man truly deserves to die." He paused for a long moment, then sighed softly. "And yet, he is indeed a good man."
"Your Majesty has keen insight and can naturally distinguish loyalty from treachery," Zuo Canglang said. "In truth, the Chancellor is already of advanced age; how many years does he have left? Why not grant him a peaceful end? Consider it an act of royal grace, a repayment for the kindness of his words back then."
Murong Yan lowered his head, burying his face in the crook of her neck. After a long silence, he spoke. "I have heard he is gravely ill in prison. Considering his age and his contributions to the state, I shall spare him the suffering of the dungeon. He is permitted to return to his manor to recover."
Zuo Canglang rose and knelt in gratitude. "I thank Your Majesty for your grace on behalf of Chancellor Xue."
"What are you to him, that you may thank me on his behalf?" Murong Yan asked. Zuo Canglang was momentarily speechless. He traced her lips with his forefinger; his touch was warm yet carried a slight chill. Zuo Canglang looked up, finding his gaze as hypnotic as a spell.
As his lips drew closer, Zuo Canglang suddenly broke away and stood up. A sharp pain shot through her wound. "Your Majesty!" she exclaimed.
Just as Murong Yan was about to speak, Wang Yunzhao’s voice rang out from outside. "Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen requests an audience."
Zuo Canglang hastily straightened her robes and knelt to the side. Murong Yan finally said slowly, "Let her in."
A moment later, a subtle fragrance drifted in on the breeze. Jiang Bilan entered with a graceful step, her jade pendants tinkling softly. Behind her, the maidservant Hui Yun kept her head low as she handed over a tureen of soup. Jiang Bilan placed the soup on the desk. "Your Majesty." She glanced at Zuo Canglang.
Murong Yan said, "No need for such ceremony. Ah-Zuo is not a stranger."
Jiang Bilan smiled. "Speaking of which, the General and I are old acquaintances. Moreover, the General was once a retainer of Your Majesty’s household. The inner palace is quite lonely; the General should visit more often in the future."
Zuo Canglang bowed low. "I am honored by Your Majesty's favor. I shall obey."
Jiang Bilan nodded and walked to Murong Yan’s side to serve the soup into a small bowl. "I didn't know Zuo Canglang was here. Had I known, I would have brought an extra portion."
Zuo Canglang said respectfully, "I would not dare. I shall take my leave."
Murong Yan spoke. "Leave the matter of delivering the decree to the servants. You are still recovering from old wounds; you shouldn't overexert yourself."
Zuo Canglang answered in the affirmative, retreated three steps, and slowly exited the study. Wang Yunzhao, who had been waiting outside, immediately came forward to support her. "General, I shall arrange a carriage to take you back to your manor."
Zuo Canglang leaned on his arm. "Eunuch Wang, His Majesty has agreed to spare Chancellor Xue from the dungeon and allow him to return to his old residence to recover. Please send someone to deliver the decree immediately."
Wang Yunzhao’s heart skipped a beat. He whispered, "General, do you know who is behind this scheme? By pleading for Chancellor Xue, I fear you are making enemies for yourself for no reason!"
Zuo Canglang shook her head but did not answer. She only said, "It is rumored that Chancellor Xue has the plague. The imperial physicians are not reliable. Please send someone to the Jade Worship Sect to find Yang Lianting and have him come to treat the Chancellor. It must be done immediately, otherwise, once the news spreads, I fear the Chancellor’s life will be forfeit."
Wang Yunzhao nodded. "Rest easy, General."
The next day, news that Xue Chengjing had been released to his old residence to recover spread through the court. Yang Lianting, the leader of the Jade Worship Sect, rushed back to Jinyang overnight to personally treat Xue Chengjing’s illness.
On that same day, Zuo Canglang had entered the palace despite her injuries and spent about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea in the Royal Study. At that moment, the eyes of every official turned toward her. She had been recovering for over ten days and had not attended court. Yet, the combined petitions and loud outcries of the court officials over these past days had been less effective than a few words from her during a brief tea-time visit.
Furthermore, no one understood why she, clearly Murong Yan’s confidante, would suddenly plead for Xue Chengjing. After all, Xue Chengjing’s faction had never considered her one of their own.
While the officials watched from the shadows, Xue Chengjing was brought out. After several days of imprisonment and a severe illness, he had aged beyond recognition, even though Murong Yan had not subjected him to torture.
Yang Lianting didn't even see Zuo Canglang; he went straight to the Xue Manor. From the moment Zuo Canglang returned to her residence, she had been sleeping. For some reason, the elegant, swaying figure of Jiang Bilan kept flickering before her eyes.
Now, *she* was his wife. Every time Zuo Canglang saw him, this fact stood like a cold barrier between them. And who was she? Wen Qie’s widow.
In this life, the dreams she had dreamt—and those she hadn't—were all being extinguished in a boundless void.
The following day, Yang Lianting sent word via a member of the Jade Worship Sect, asking her to come to the Xue Manor. As Zuo Canglang was about to leave, Wen Xingye said, "I will go with you."
Zuo Canglang waved him off. "The plague is contagious."
With that, she departed. Wen Xingye watched her figure in silence for a moment. Old Madam Wen stood behind him and asked, "Old Master, do you think Chancellor Xue was released truly because Ah-Zuo spoke to the King?"
Wen Xingye said slowly, "I only meant to try, but I didn't expect she could actually do it."
"But she is the King's confidante," Old Madam Wen said. "The King clearly intended to put the Chancellor to death this time. Why would he suddenly change his mind?"
"I am more concerned with why she agreed to save the Chancellor," Wen Xingye replied. "Is it to bestow a favor upon his faction and consolidate her own power? Or is there another reason?"
"She is actually a good child," Old Madam Wen remarked.
Wen Xingye said, "I only feel that if she saved the Chancellor to win people's hearts, then what is her ambition? How terrifying would it be?"
When Zuo Canglang arrived at the Xue Manor, the plants and trees were withered and broken. It seemed that in the blink of an eye, this grand residence had turned into a desolate ruin.
Zuo Canglang stepped over the scattered petals and leaves. She saw Xue Chengjing lying on a simple bed, his hair disheveled. Yang Lianting, dressed in pristine white robes, looked somewhat out of place in these surroundings.
She walked to Yang Lianting’s side. "How is he?"
"The situation is grim," Yang Lianting said. "Someone intentionally infected him with the plague. The rat bite wounds were merely a facade."
Zuo Canglang was not surprised. She only asked, "Can he be saved?"
"Yes. Stand back a bit. There are medicinal masks boiling by the door; put one on before you come back in."
Zuo Canglang retreated to the door. "Then why did you call me here? I'm going back."
Yang Lianting didn't turn his head. "How many days has it been and your wound still hasn't healed? Wait outside. I'll write you a couple of prescriptions once I'm done here."
"How am I supposed to wait?" Zuo Canglang grumbled. "There isn't even a place to sit out there!"
Helpless, Yang Lianting took off his satin cloak and tossed it to her. Zuo Canglang bundled the cloak into a ball and sat in the outer room, leaning against an offering table that had been split in half but hadn't collapsed. She closed her eyes to rest.
A short while later, Jiang Xing arrived with people bringing clothes and cotton, and the room finally began to warm up.
Yang Lianting finished brewing the medicine and brought it over. Seeing her sleeping soundly against the broken table, he sighed, found a thin blanket to cover her, and moved the charcoal brazier closer. Zuo Canglang had already woken up, but she was still drowsy. The medicine the imperial physicians had prescribed was meant to keep her from moving too much, so she spent almost every day sleeping. While such medicine made her seem lethargic, it was indeed effective for healing external injuries on someone as restless as her.
Zuo Canglang didn't sleep for long before the hard table woke her up. "Drink the medicine first," Yang Lianting said.
She reached out to take it, but Yang Lianting had already blown the decoction cool and began feeding her spoonful by spoonful.
Jiang Xing watched from the side for a while, then gave a cold snort. "Having a foot in two boats... aren't you afraid of sinking?"
Yang Lianting glared at him. Zuo Canglang couldn't help but ask, "Who is the other boat?"
Yang Lianting stopped using the spoon. He pinched her nose with his left hand and blocked her mouth with the rim of the bowl with his right, pouring the medicine down in one go.
That night, at Jiang Sanyi’s manor.
"What exactly is this Zuo Canglang trying to do?" Jiang Sanyi asked. "She is the King's confidante; why would she suddenly save Xue Chengjing?"
His brother-in-law, Zheng Zhizhou, said, "Brother-in-law, do you think it's possible she wants to win over Xue Chengjing’s people?"
Lady Zheng added, "Even if she intended to, why did His Majesty agree? It is truly baffling."
"It isn't strange that His Majesty agreed," Jiang Sanyi said. Both Zheng Zhizhou and Lady Zheng looked at him. He said slowly, "There are few men who can resist the influence of pillow talk."
Lady Zheng’s expression changed drastically. "What? My Lord, are you saying..."
Jiang Sanyi nodded slowly.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 绘云 | Hui Yun | A maidservant serving Queen Jiang Bilan. |
| 姜杏 | Jiang Xing | An associate or disciple of Yang Lianting. |
| 郑之舟 | Zheng Zhizhou | Jiang Sanyi's brother-in-law. |
| 郑氏 | Lady Zheng | Jiang Sanyi's wife. |
| 枕边风 | Pillow talk | Literally "wind by the pillow"; refers to the influence a spouse or lover has over someone in power. |
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