BXG - 27

◎ Candlelight ◎

The next morning, Qu You rose earlier than usual, rubbing her eyes as she made her way to the Tuolan Courtyard for breakfast. She was halfway through her bowl of shrimp dumplings when she learned that Zhou Tan had not returned home after the morning court session—Emperor Song Chang had detained him.

In ancient times, the early court sessions began at an ungodly hour, often when she would still be awake from late-night study. After court, Zhou Tan typically returned home to change before heading to the Ministry of Justice.

By the time Qu You usually woke up, Zhou Tan would already have spent half the morning handling official business. Today, however, she had risen early with the intention of sharing breakfast with him during his wardrobe change, only to find he hadn’t come back.

Qu You stirred her dumplings absentmindedly.

The matter of Afurong… If she were to ask Zhou Tan directly, given his suspicious and stubborn nature, he would likely not only refuse to answer but also become more guarded, making it even harder to extract information.

But how did he come to possess such a substance?

Opium wasn’t prevalent in Bianjing during this era. Moreover, as Bai Ying had mentioned, few people knew about it—perhaps only the imperial family within the palace walls had access.

Zhou Tan’s strong reaction and refusal to take the drug last time indicated he hadn’t done so willingly.

She speculated… perhaps Emperor Song Chang had bestowed it upon him.

Emperor Song Chang, known as De Di, had a poor reputation in historical records.

Though the Yongning era appeared peaceful, it was largely due to the efforts of the previous dynasty’s Emperor Yi Xuan. Official histories questioned how Song Chang ascended the throne, with many scholars speculating he poisoned his father to seize power.

However, without concrete evidence, all that remained was Song Chang’s legacy.

Song Chang was diligent but notoriously paranoid and unpredictable. In the tenth year of Yongning, he once suspended court for thirteen days and later massacred scholars and upright officials during the Rancui Pavilion incident, earning him eternal infamy.

After betraying Gu Zhiyan, Zhou Tan became a trusted confidant of Emperor Song Chang. Three years later, when the emperor fell ill and the crown prince attempted a coup, Zhou Tan supported the future Ming Emperor, grandson of Prince Jing, to quell the rebellion and ascend the throne.

But the Ming Emperor wasn’t Song Chang’s biological son; he was the grandson of Song Chang’s elder brother, Prince Jing. Zhou Tan’s shifting allegiances suggested a deeper narrative.

To survive, Zhou Tan sacrificed his reputation to align with Emperor Song Chang, only to face suspicion and even receive Afurong as a “gift.” How could he not harbor resentment? Supporting Prince Jing’s grandson later seemed inevitable.

Looking back at Zhou Tan’s choices, nearly every step he took was a dead-end move—betraying his mentor to survive, allying with Emperor Song Chang to survive, and seeking alternatives to survive.

Surviving amidst fire and water.

Scholars often criticized Zhou Tan for lacking the “integrity of a literatus.” Perhaps his life effectively ended when he refused to die honorably in prison like others, choosing instead to live on.

Which made it all the stranger.

Qu You finally realized what had been unsettling about observing Zhou Tan recently. All the logic above rested on one assumption: Zhou Tan didn’t want to die.

But during their interactions, she always felt he wasn’t afraid of death.

If he wasn’t afraid of dying, how should everything be reinterpreted?

With these heavy thoughts, Qu You finished her breakfast and wandered around the garden until the sun blazed high in the sky. Zhou Tan still hadn’t returned.

Just as she prepared to send a guard to check on him at the Ministry of Justice, a message arrived from the palace: Zhou Tan had been caned by the emperor, and she was summoned to fetch him at the palace gate.

Qu You quickly arranged a carriage and followed the palace eunuch who delivered the message to a side entrance frequently used by noblewomen entering the palace.

On either side stretched the familiar yet alien vermillion palace walls, towering and imposing. Unlike the narrow corridor from her dream, this side entrance opened into a vast expanse under a wide sky, where distant palaces shimmered in the sunlight.

This place embodied the old order, the heart of feudal power.

The guards stationed here stood motionless, their faces expressionless.

Qu You had no visceral sense of Zhou Tan’s high rank and power, but standing here, she felt the oppressive weight of imperial authority.

The palace walls were impossibly high, the halls numerous. Passing palace attendants hurried by, bowing deeply, shrinking themselves into insignificance.

An eerie silence enveloped the surroundings; she could even hear the steady breathing of the guards.

Then, along the endless stretch of palace walls, she saw Zhou Tan staggering toward her.

He wasn’t wearing his official hat, and his loose robe billowed in the wind, making him appear unstable, as if about to collapse. He walked slowly, head bowed, each step heavy, unlike the hurried scurrying of other palace servants.

A kindly-looking elderly eunuch accompanied him but didn’t offer support. Without hesitation, Qu You lifted her skirts and ran over. The guards at the side gate glanced up but didn’t intervene.

She rushed to his side, supporting his arm as she had done twice before. To her surprise, Zhou Tan didn’t push her away, instead placing a cold hand over hers, signaling her to relax. “I’m fine.”

“And this must be Lady Zhou?”

The old eunuch bowed to her, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “His Majesty instructed me to carry Lord Zhou out, but he insisted on walking himself. I’ll trouble you to take care of him now. With your arrival, my mission is complete.”

“Thank you.”

Zhou Tan raised his hand in a perfunctory gesture of gratitude, and Qu You followed suit with a slight curtsy. Supporting him, she found the task arduous and decided to let him lean on her shoulder.

Only then did she feel the dampness soaking through his back—whether from cold sweat or blood, she couldn’t tell.

The intimacy of the position was undeniable; most of Zhou Tan’s weight rested on her shoulder. After a few steps, he regained some composure and rasped, “Thank you.”

Qu You, too lazy for formalities, asked bluntly as they walked, “Why did His Majesty punish you?”

She expected him to remain silent, but after a moment, he gave a bitter laugh and replied, “It was because I…”

Before he could finish, a deep bell tolled across the empty expanse.

Zhou Tan’s earlier self-deprecating smile froze at the sound. He stopped, slowly turning his head. Following his gaze, Qu You saw a bright, towering pavilion.

Even in broad daylight, the tolling of the bell summoned countless eunuchs, who lit candles inside and outside the pavilion. Under the sunlight, the building gleamed brilliantly, as if ablaze.

Staring at the pavilion, Qu You felt a familiar tremor course through her and murmured, “This is…”

Zhou Tan averted his gaze, his amber eyes turning icy.

“The Rancui Pavilion.”

Qu You’s mouth parted slightly as she recalled the famous preface he had written.

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In the fifteenth year of Yongning, the emperor erected the Rancui Pavilion at the eastern gate. That year marked the beginning of purity and renewal… Though jade may go unrecognized, its time will come; though horses may not gallop, they await the moment of great significance. Gazing afar into the clouds, I hear the tolling bells and sigh, hoping our shared destiny becomes the elegant voice of the world. On the fifth day of the first month.

—Preface to The Rancui Pavilion Ode