The last night of the first lunar month.
Inside the imperial traveling palace of Jiaosong County, the lanterns were sparse and lonely.
This palace had been renovated from an ancient temple. Due to the haste of its construction, it retained much of its original monastic appearance. Only the furnishings had been updated and the gardens replanted, making it look more like a secluded retreat for the nobility.
In the northwest position of the palace stood a towering, massive main hall. Enshrined within was Dai Teng, the celestial god said to govern the five souls and five ghosts.
The eyes of the giant statue emitted a soft glow in the darkness, carved from a stone containing phosphorescent jade.
Beneath the statue, the young Emperor approached with slow steps, the lingering chill of the night air still clinging to his robes.
He gazed at the god’s peaceful, expressionless face and pulled back the brocade cloth covering the altar.
Beneath the cloth sat a filigreed gold sphere resting on a Phoebe zhennan wood tray. Upon closer inspection, the gold sphere contained many intricate layers, through which a faint emerald green light shimmered.
Beside the tray, a cold hand-warmer emitted a slightly bitter scent of citron, a fragrance quite similar to the one the man himself carried.
Just as he reached out to take the hand-warmer, the sound of footsteps echoed behind him.
Su Wei withdrew his sleeve and turned to face his head attendant.
After a brief bow, Shan Jiangfei dismissed the palace servants on night watch at the hall entrance. He stepped forward and carefully removed the heavy imperial crown from the Emperor’s head.
"Your Majesty, Middle Lieutenant Ding has just reported that the person has returned to her quarters. Your Majesty may rest easy."
Shan Jiangfei’s voice was very soft, clearly intended only for the ears of the man before him.
Su Wei leaned back slightly against a soft couch. Upon hearing this, he gave a faint hum of acknowledgment.
As Shan Jiangfei was about to place the crown back into the lacquered box prepared by the Ministry of Rites, his gaze caught the extinguished hand-warmer on the altar, and his expression shifted.
"Did Your Majesty not carry the hand-warmer just now?"
The Emperor glanced at the warmer, his expression indifferent. "I likely left it behind after changing my robes."
Shan Jiangfei stepped forward to retrieve the warmer, his tone filled with self-reproach. "They are not from the capital's palace after all; their work is so negligent. It was my poor arrangement. I beg Your Majesty’s punishment."
"It is just a hand-warmer. Why should I punish you?"
Shan Jiangfei fell silent for a moment.
With the crown removed, the man’s black hair was revealed, tied high. His slender neck emerged from the cross-collared robe, the segments of his spine clearly visible. On his fair skin was a red mark pressed by the heavy headpiece.
With a sigh, the attendant took a small vial of medicine from his sleeve and applied it to the red mark.
"Why does Your Majesty never take care of your own body? The weather is still cold, and the ceremony has so many procedures. Your Majesty could have let me stand in your place."
The translucent ointment was spread across the skin by a fingertip, gradually revealing a bone-deep warmth. Su Wei half-closed his eyes, his demeanor finally softening.
"A-Fei, your portrayal of me is now seventy or eighty percent similar. If one does not look closely, you might even fool my Royal Uncle. However, this ceremony was held under the watchful eyes of the masses, and the sword had to be bestowed by my own hand. If those old fogies on the platform today found out, who knows what they would speculate about me."
Shan Jiangfei found it somewhat amusing. "Was it not the same in previous years? I never saw Your Majesty worry about such things then..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his impropriety and quickly apologized. "I have overstepped. I beg Your Majesty not to take offense."
The Emperor clearly had no intention of punishing him, saying flatly, "In previous years, it did not matter. This year, it does."
His long, slender fingers slowly brushed over a string of sarira beads as if he were contemplating something else.
The attendant, his eyes lowered, knew the man before him was preoccupied.
"Does Your Majesty have something on your mind?"
Su Wei pointed to the colorful dried fruits and preserves in an exquisitely carved lacquer box on a side table.
"Why are there no almonds in here?"
Shan Jiangfei froze, seemingly caught off guard by the question. He quickly replied, "I shall have someone prepare them immediately."
The Emperor turned his hand over, revealing a shriveled object in his palm.
"I want this kind."
Shan Jiangfei leaned in closer to see clearly. It was a dried, wrinkled apricot pit.
"Those are wild apricot pits. I fear they cannot be found in the palace. I can send someone to the markets in the east of the city to look..."
The man paused, then tucked the dried pit back into his sleeve.
"Forget it. Such a small thing is not worth the trouble."
Through this exchange, Shan Jiangfei became increasingly certain of his suspicions.
He walked to the side, cleared the burnt incense ash from the warmer, added some calming incense, and carefully lit it.
"It is late. Your Majesty has had a long day and should rest."
The Emperor stared at the quietly burning incense burner, then suddenly rose from the couch.
"I do not wish to sleep yet, but I find myself quite bored."
Shan Jiangfei froze once more.
He had served the man before him since he was nine years old. As long as they were within the palace walls, he was the Emperor’s shadow.
Inseparable as they were, he had never heard this cold, detached man complain of boredom.
While he was dazed, Su Wei had already made up his mind about the idea that had been circling his heart.
"How far is the villa where Marquis Qinghuai is staying from the traveling palace?"
Shan Jiangfei suppressed his sense of strangeness. "By carriage, it is about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense."
Su Wei nodded, then said leisurely, "Send someone to Marquis Qinghuai’s place. Tell the Right General to come and atone for her crimes in person."
Shan Jiangfei accepted the order with a neutral expression, but felt compelled to ask cautiously, "It is the middle of the night. If Marquis Qinghuai asks, what is the... charge?"
"Did she not lose the ceremonial sword I bestowed upon her during the ritual? By law, she should be executed. As for the method of execution..." The man paused deliberately. "I shall have to think on it carefully."
Shan Jiangfei breathed a sigh of relief, finally certain that this errand wouldn't cost him his old life.
But when he turned to see the expression on the man’s face, his heart began to flutter with uncertainty again.
***
Less than an hour later, on the path outside the side gate of the traveling palace, Xiao Nanhui yawned as she climbed down from Jixiang’s back. She immediately spotted the young attendant standing in the night, holding a lantern.
She recognized him as the Chief Steward named Shan whom she had met when she first entered the palace. She felt a touch of familiarity, but for some reason, he looked exceptionally solemn and distant today. After exchanging greetings, she could only fall into an awkward silence.
Although she had only been a supporting player in today’s ceremony, she was exhausted. After the earlier ordeal, she had wanted to drag Ding Weixiang along to investigate the whereabouts of "Zou Sifang." However, before and after the incident, there were tens of thousands of people gathered around the sacrificial altar and within the city. Even if the army were mobilized to check everyone, there would be no definitive result in the short term. Weighing her options, she had to temporarily drop it and leave the tedious work to Ding Weixiang, only instructing him to inform her if there was any news.
When she returned to the villa, she had been extremely cautious, fearing Xiao Zhun would scold her for meddling in this mess, only to find that he had not returned to his quarters.
Just as she was tossing and turning in bed, a summons came from the traveling palace, saying she was to go and "atone for her crimes."
This was the first time Xiao Nanhui had been summoned in the middle of the night to atone for a crime; she suspected it might be a first for any official in the Tiancheng Dynasty. Unfortunately, Xiao Zhun was not by her side, so she couldn't even use a delaying tactic and had to obey honestly.
Shan Jiangfei walked briskly ahead. Aside from a few brief words upon meeting, he truly did not say another word. This made Xiao Nanhui even more uneasy.
After all, she had technically saved the Emperor’s life at the ceremony. Could this tyrant still be nursing a grudge from the events in Lingxi and be looking for an excuse to silence her now?
As she thought, her footsteps stumbled several times.
On the night of the last day of the month, no candles were allowed in the traveling palace. Occasionally, she saw passing palace maids and attendants, each carrying a "cold lamp" made of fireflies tucked in their sleeves. They looked like ghost fires, making the surrounding atmosphere feel even more eerie and ominous.
After several more turns, the surroundings grew even quieter, and the attendant’s footsteps became lighter.
Xiao Nanhui looked up and realized she was standing before a massive divine hall.
Though she had been to many deep forests, she rarely entered temples or ancient shrines; the only one she frequented was the small Yongye Temple. The style and shape of the temple before her were unlike anything she had ever seen. It clearly did not follow the styles popular in the last century. The deities enshrined within were likely not Buddhas or Heavenly Kings, but something far more ancient.
The attendant stood at the entrance to announce her arrival, then signaled for her to follow quickly.
As she stepped into the hall, a wave of warm, dry air hit her face.
In the center of the hall stood a large, carved bronze brazier. Wisps of thin smoke drifted from its warm jade-inlaid cover. The belly of the brazier was filled with glowing red charcoal, and the heat radiating from it pushed back the cold, creating a pocket of spring-like warmth within the vast hall.
Aside from the brazier, the most striking thing in the hall was the divine statue deep within. Around the statue were about a dozen pitch-black pillars, each requiring two or three people to encircle. They towered upward, disappearing into the darkness of the ceiling, giving one the sensation of an endless upward stretch.
The hall remained unlit. Aside from the faint glow of the charcoal, the only light came from the glass palace lanterns lining the path. Inside the lanterns were still the cold fireflies, and they were not shaped like ordinary lamp-stands but like giant flowers.
The petals were layered, with delicate, curling leaves beneath them, resembling some kind of orchid. However, the centers of the flowers were twisted and spiraled, like vortices blooming in the darkness.
Such flowers did not seem like something that would exist in the real world. But why... did they look a bit familiar?
Xiao Nanhui stared at the palace lanterns in a daze as she walked, completely failing to notice that the attendant had stopped ten paces behind her.
"Does the Right General like these palace lanterns?"
The Emperor’s voice rang out abruptly in the darkness. Xiao Nanhui jumped in fright, looking around before finally spotting the man beneath the divine statue.
He was still wearing the black sacrificial robes from the day, almost blending into the surrounding darkness.
Rumor had it the Emperor disliked bright light; she hadn't felt it before, but now she was seeing it for herself.
Her previous suspicions resurfaced. Xiao Nanhui felt a wave of unease and fumbled to kneel on the floor in greeting.
"This subject..." She started, then remembered she was here to atone for a crime and quickly corrected herself. "The criminal subject Xiao Nanhui has come to atone for her crimes. I hope Your Majesty will be magnanimous and show mercy."
After a long silence, the voice spoke again.
"Oh? And what crime have you committed?"
Xiao Nanhui felt a knot in her head.
*That’s not right! Didn't you call me here? Have you not figured out the crime yourself?!*
Pity she had been too concerned with her dignity to ask the attendant earlier. Now she had to rack her brain, terrified of accidentally stepping on a tiger’s tail. "T-this... this subject acted impulsively at the ceremony, broke the rules, and lost the assassin. I have truly failed Your Majesty’s trust."
Several crisp *clangs* rang out.
Xiao Nanhui shuddered along with the sound.
Several fragments of broken jade were thrown before her—vaguely recognizable as the ceremonial sword she had thrown to strike the Libo Bell.
"You dared to smash the gift I bestowed upon you into pieces. What should your punishment be?"
Xiao Nanhui felt another knot.
It was all because it was too dark. She had fumbled around and ended up grabbing the tiger’s backside after all.
"This subject deserves ten thousand deaths. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness."
*Hmph, what crime did I commit?*
*If I hadn't thrown that sword to sound the alarm, your old head might be whistling in the wind on Changmi Platform right now.*
"No matter how I punish you, the object is broken. How do you intend to make amends?"
Xiao Nanhui shifted slightly on the floor, staring at the jade shards for a moment of distraction.
*This Emperor is bored to death. It’s smashed like this and he still picked up every piece just to show me the evidence of my crime?!*
*No, no. A wise person doesn't fight against the odds. I can't let my life end here today.*
Closing her eyes and gritting her teeth, she had a sudden flash of inspiration and forced herself to speak.
"This subject... this subject will find the finest craftsman and melt down the gold Your Majesty previously rewarded me with to inlay the sword with gold. I will then hang it in the most auspicious spot in my home and bow to it day and night. I shall not forget it in life or death..."
"Very well. Rise." The Emperor’s voice held a rare note of amusement, his tone even lifting slightly. "I ask the Right General to remember the promise she has made, otherwise it shall be treated as the crime of deceiving the monarch."
Xiao Nanhui stood up dazed, suddenly feeling that something was not quite right about her visit today.
A second later, she looked up and saw the filigreed gold sphere on the altar, and that feeling grew even stronger.
She did not recognize the exquisite, complex object, but she recognized the translucent emerald green light peeking out from within.
It was a color unique in the world; she would never forget it after seeing it once.
"T-that... wasn't that taken at the ceremony..."
Inside that gold sphere was the Secret Seal—the very thing that had made her climb up and down like a monkey and soak in a swamp for a night.
After a moment of shock, she immediately realized: if the Secret Seal was here, then the seal stolen at the ceremony could only have been a fake.
Earlier, she had wondered why Ding Weixiang’s side hadn't shown the slightest bit of panic or urgency over the loss of the Secret Seal. It was truly strange. Looking at it now, a trap had been set from the very beginning, and she was merely an ignorant outsider.
Back in Huozhou, there had been so many instances of true and false seals. Now that history was repeating itself, she felt more like a fool than ever.
"Your Majesty’s strategy is brilliant. Since the National Seal is safe, I shall take my leave, the better to find that craftsman and carry out Your Majesty’s decree..."
"What is your hurry?"
She was in a hurry to escape this eerie atmosphere, in a hurry to figure out what she had overlooked, in a hurry to calm the increasingly obvious unease in her heart...
Stealing a glance back, Xiao Nanhui suddenly discovered that at some point, the attendant named Shan who had led her here had vanished. The area outside the hall was empty; not a single shadow could be seen.
The thin moonlight of the last night of the month spilled onto the path inside the hall, stretching her own shadow very long.
Then she saw another shadow stretch out from the darkness ahead, slowly walking toward her.
"Do you know what this vessel for the seal is?"
The gold flower sphere spun in the man’s hand, like an insignificant trinket.
"This subject does not know."
"This is a Linglong Shrine. Once closed, one must turn nine layers of mechanisms to open it. I once made an agreement with Marquis Qinghuai: if he could solve this Linglong Shrine, I would grant him one request. Can you guess what he asked of me?"
Xiao Nanhui’s heart began to pound.
"This subject does not know."
"Serving a monarch is like serving a tiger; to be an inch closer to me is to be an inch closer to danger. I thought Marquis Qinghuai would request to have you removed from the position of Right General, but instead, he requested that I permit him to go to war in Bijiang."
"If he had moved you away, I would never have used you heavily in this life, nor would I have had further intersection with you. But since he has let you go, then I shall not let go. Your future will not be looked after by Marquis Qinghuai, but will be entirely for me to decide."
Xiao Nanhui listened in silence, only realizing her throat was hoarse when she spoke.
"My adoptive father did not give up on me. He only..."
He only had things he had to do.
Reclaiming Bijiang, annihilating the Bai clan, and avenging his father and brother were Xiao Zhun’s lifelong wishes.
This thought had circled in her mind for so many days and nights, yet for some reason, she could not say the words now.
But at the same time, the unease of the night dissipated slightly, replaced by another emotion.
Xiao Nanhui finally looked up, staring straight at the insolent Emperor.
"This subject’s future is naturally in my own hands. How could I dare trouble Your Majesty to worry over it?"
She didn't know if it was her imagination, but the man’s eyes seemed to grow brighter against the surrounding gloom.
"General Xiao seems dissatisfied. I wonder what it is you are dissatisfied with?"
She stared at the gold flower sphere and asked heavily, "I wonder, when my adoptive father opened it, was the Secret Seal inside this shrine?"
"The Secret Seal was not there."
"Was there any treasure?"
"There was no treasure either."
The foul breath in her chest finally vented out. "Since it was empty, why did Your Majesty make someone go to such lengths to solve it?"
Her words were already somewhat bold. The implication was that the Emperor enjoyed using these clever toys to make things difficult for others. Xiao Zhun was a general going to war, putting his life on the line, yet the ruler of the nation still set hurdles for him. Was this not intentional harassment?
However, in the current context, the words carried another layer of meaning.
It was as if she were questioning the Emperor: *Why do you repeatedly play with me with your words, making it impossible for me to guess your true purpose?*
Xiao Nanhui’s reactions were always a beat slow. By the time she realized her words were inappropriate, it was already too late.
"To understand the ingenious thoughts of the Linglong Shrine and perceive its winding construction is a joy in itself. Why must there be a treasure?"
The shadow on the ground moved closer, almost intertwining with hers.
"Your Majesty is exceptionally brilliant and naturally finds it interesting. But I have always been dull-witted; I fear I cannot appreciate the joy in it."
Xiao Nanhui wanted to step back, but her legs wouldn't move.
"Do you know? No matter how complex and difficult the Linglong Shrine is, it ultimately follows a pattern. It is not the most complicated thing in this world."
She felt her heart beating very fast, but the blood in her limbs seemed to flow very slowly—so slowly that her every movement became sluggish.
"This subject is foolish..."
Su Wei’s breath was very close now—so close that her lowered gaze could see the fine *fufu* patterns embroidered on the hem of his robes.
Those were the clothes an Emperor wore only for sacrifices—complex, solemn, carrying a hint of cold, ascetic authority.
Her nose caught that faint scent on him again.
Somehow, the scent now had less of a bitter quality and more warmth, and the air around them seemed to heat up with it.
Xiao Nanhui didn't dare to breathe, thinking she had to avoid this no matter what.
In the next second, a finger as smooth as jade lightly tapped her heart.
"This place is the most complicated thing in this world."
Xiao Nanhui felt her racing heart skip a beat.
She looked down at his hand; the string of sarira beads was still exactly where it should be.
Wasn't he wearing those prayer beads?
But why did she feel that the person before her... had gone mad?
"Many things in this world seem mysterious and unpredictable, but once the patterns of their operation are seen through, they are as dull and uninteresting as the rising and setting of the moon. But the construction of your heart, General Xiao... I have never been able to see through it."
Her breathing grew ragged, and she almost whispered, "This subject’s heart is one of absolute loyalty to Tiancheng. How could Your Majesty not see through it..."
"Xiao Nanhui, are you truly ignorant, or are you just teasing me?"
His silhouette swayed under the dim light of the palace lanterns, casting a long shadow across her cheek. Then, the shadow spread out, surrounding her.
She felt a pair of thin but strong hands wrap around her waist. Before she could react, something thin and slightly cool landed on her lips, like a plum blossom petal falling in the depths of winter.
Blood rushed to the top of Xiao Nanhui’s head. She felt her rising temperature warm that petal, making it press closer and deeper against her, surrounded by a surging breath.
She finally realized what was happening and instinctively tried to break free from the embrace.
But as soon as she exerted force, the man seemed to anticipate her next move. Using her momentum, he shifted, and she fell back toward the side table. His slender body pressed down on her, and a tangible gaze slid down from her face.
The scene from the martial arts field that day was repeating itself, only this time, who was on top and who was on the bottom seemed to have reversed.
"Every move and style General Xiao taught me, I have not dared to forget day or night."
She was like a plucked goose lying on a chopping block, flapping twice with all her might but not daring to truly use her strength. It looked more like a lover’s game of feigned resistance.
He just watched her quietly, but his gaze became burning hot. Those dark pupils seemed to give birth to two vortices, threatening to pull her in.
She panicked, feeling everything around her spin.
Those eyes and the massive carved palace lanterns merged into a blur of shimmering light, mixing with the cold moonlight and crashing into the blurry fragments deep in her memory.
She finally remembered the scene from that night in the Xuemi Palace and that embrace.
But why? How could it be...
Xiao Nanhui’s thoughts came to a halt.
She felt something that had been lurking in the depths of her heart beginning to churn uncontrollably.
This sensation was even more alarming than her body being out of control. To escape this suffocating situation, she spoke out in a fit of humiliated rage.
"Does Your Majesty think that because you are the Emperor and I dare not hurt you, you can bully me as you please?"
Almost instantly, the fire in those eyes went out, returning to the stillness of an ancient well.
This time, there seemed to be even more of a deathly stillness than before.
He let her go, slowly backing away a few steps, then turned and walked into the darkness deep within the palace without looking back.
"Steward Shan, see her out."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 戴榺 | Dai Teng | A deity governing the five souls and five ghosts. |
| 焦松县 | Jiaosong County | The location of the imperial traveling palace. |
| 锦罽 | Brocade cloth | A type of ornate woolen or silk fabric used for coverings. |
| 掐丝镂空金球 | Filigreed gold sphere | An intricate decorative object. |
| 香橼 | Citron | A fragrant citrus fruit. |
| 单将飞 | Shan Jiangfei | The Emperor's head attendant/eunuch. |
| 冕冠 | Imperial crown | The formal ceremonial headgear of the Emperor. |
| 丁中尉 | Middle Lieutenant Ding | Referring to Ding Weixiang. |
| 礼部 | Ministry of Rites | One of the Six Ministries of the imperial government. |
| 舍利珠 | Sarira beads | Buddhist prayer beads, often containing relics. |
| 玲珑龛 | Linglong Shrine | An intricate, multi-layered puzzle box or miniature shrine. |
| 班剑 | Ceremonial sword | A sword bestowed by the Emperor as a symbol of rank or favor. |
| 厘伯钟 | Libo Bell | A specific ceremonial bell mentioned in the ritual. |
| 黼黻 | Fufu | Traditional patterns (often axe-shaped) embroidered on imperial sacrificial robes. |
| 雪迷殿 | Xuemi Palace | "Palace of Lost Snow," a location from a previous memory. |
