QYT - 8

Qing Wei looked at Cui Zhiyue, the autumn light shining obliquely into the house, reflecting determination in her eyes.

Cui Zhiyue’s marriage to Jiang Cizhou was not decided overnight. From receiving the letter to traveling to the capital and settling into the Gao residence, she had many opportunities to refuse the marriage, but she hesitated. Now, she had suddenly made up her mind, which must have a reason.

“Did the Jiang family’s elder treat you coldly today when he came to propose marriage?” Qing Wei asked, thinking of this.

Cui Zhiyue endured for a while before biting her lip and nodding: “This morning, Old Master Jiang from the Jiang family came. I went behind the screen on the side of the main hall to eavesdrop. That Old Master Jiang, he, he truly was...”

Cui Zhiyue recalled Jiang Zhunian’s arrogant manner of speaking...

“The betrothal gifts are a bit meager, but there’s nothing that can be done. The Jiang family is clean-handed; they’re not a wealthy family. Brother Gao, please forgive us.”

“A few days ago, His Majesty summoned my humble son late at night. Has Brother Gao heard of it?”

“My humble son is untalented, but by His Majesty’s grace, he was granted an inherited official post. He is now the new Marshal of the Black Eagle Division.”

“Oh, no, no, it’s truly due to His Majesty’s discerning eyes and our ancestors’ accumulated virtues and blessings that my humble son has the opportunity to display his talents. The Black Eagle Division is currently short on personnel, and I heard a few days ago they even arrested the wrong person. My humble son is taking on a new position, and I am indeed very worried for him.”

“My humble son has been promoted. Tonight, he’s hosting a banquet at Donglaishun to entertain relatives and friends. Will Lord Gao also come?”

“Never mind. Brother Gao is busy with official duties. When he’s free another day, my humble son and I will certainly host another banquet. Please do grace us with your presence!”

...

“That Old Master Jiang said he wanted to have a double celebration and hastily set the wedding date for seven days later. He made excuses in every possible way; in just a few sentences, he probably cut down half the expenses! He looked like he was pained to spend even a single copper coin. He must look down on me. If that’s the case, why did he write to propose marriage in the first place? If I marry into such a family, I don’t know how difficult life will be. I might as well stay at the Gao family, accompany my aunt, and never marry anyone!”

By the end of her speech, Cui Zhiyue’s eyes were filled with tears, and her tone carried a hint of resentment.

Qing Wei was slightly surprised, not expecting that the position of the Black Eagle Division’s head would fall to the young master of the Jiang family—

That night, the wind surged, and the young man in green robes lay drunk in the palace tower. At first glance, he clearly seemed to be a thoughtless fellow.

Qing Wei remained calm, but asked, “Was Aunt Luo not present today?”

“Aunt goes to the Buddhist hall to chant scriptures and pray for blessings in the middle of every month. She left before dawn this morning.”

Qing Wei recalled Xue Changxing’s words and knew she should carefully comfort Cui Zhiyue, but she never beat around the bush when dealing with matters. Seeing Cui Zhiyue in a dilemma, she felt it was best to cut the Gordian knot swiftly.

Qing Wei thus spoke frankly: “Your aunt has always doted on you. Today, Old Master Jiang came to propose marriage, yet she was not at home. Have you considered why?”

Cui Zhiyue was stunned.

Qing Wei added, “The Gao residence has countless servants. You went to the main hall to eavesdrop on the two masters, which is disrespectful, yet no one stopped you. Have you ever considered why?”

Cui Zhiyue’s face gradually turned pale.

How could Lady Luo not know about Jiang Zhunian’s proposal today? If she truly wanted to keep Cui Zhiyue, despite Jiang Zhunian’s coldness, she could have simply refused him to his face.

But she didn’t; she was willing but unable.

And Gao Yuchang leaving a screen, allowing Cui Zhiyue to overhear his discussion with Jiang Zhunian, was for the same reason.

He didn’t want to keep this distressed cousin any longer, but he couldn’t say it directly, so he used the screen to let her understand for herself.

It turned out that the Gao family was also not a place to stay.

But where else could she go now besides the Gao family?

Qing Wei asked, “Have you discussed with your cousin about staying at the Gao family?”

Cui Zhiyue shook her head, her voice already choked and hoarse: “I... I thought that, after all, my cousin and I have feelings for each other. This matter, even if I don’t speak, he should know in his heart...”

She was a girl; some things, how could she take the initiative to speak?

So she waited and waited, until today.

Qing Wei said, “Then you go ask him first, and then make a decision.”

She didn’t tell her what she heard in the abandoned courtyard. Gao Ziyu was useless, but at least he had feelings for Cui Zhiyue. If everything was truly as Lady Luo and Gao Yuchang had argued that night—that Cui Hongyi’s conviction was only because Jiang Zhunian had fueled it—then the Jiang family was certainly not a good place for Cui Zhiyue either.

Qing Wei looked at Cui Zhiyue: “Observe everything, listen carefully, and ponder with your heart. After you’ve asked Gao Ziyu, whether to stay or leave, only you can make the decision for yourself. There’s no need to rush. There are still a few days before your marriage. Weigh everything carefully, make up your mind, and if I can help then, it won’t be too late to find me.”

Cui Zhiyue’s face was pale, her lips tightly bitten, deep teeth marks etched on them, and tears streamed down incessantly.

After a long while, she silently wiped away a tear with her hand, clenched her fists, and nodded.

The side room had no windows. Xue Changxing could only tell dawn from dusk through a crack in the wooden door. Outside, the sun was setting in the west, and the sky was filled with rosy clouds. Xue Changxing thought that Qing Wei only brought food after dark, and was about to close his eyes for a nap when the door was suddenly pushed open. Qing Wei entered and threw a black robe over his head: “Put this on first. We’ll leave the moment the city gate opens tomorrow morning.”

Xue Changxing pulled the robe off his head: “The strict checks at the city gate have been lifted?”

“Yes,” Qing Wei nodded. “The Black Eagle Division can’t catch anyone, and blocking the city gate like this isn’t a solution. They’ve got a new head, who lifted the restrictions at noon today. Tomorrow morning is the best time to leave the city; we can’t miss it.”

Xue Changxing, upon hearing this, wasted no words and immediately changed into the night-traveling attire. Seeing Qing Wei about to leave, he quickly asked, “Where are you going?”

“I need to go out and scout again,” Qing Wei said. “Your case is an opportunity the Black Eagle Division has waited five years for. Given Wei Jue’s and Zhang Luzhi’s temperaments, they won’t give up easily. Whether the new Marshal respects them is another matter. If Wei Jue plays hard to get, I need to take precautions early.”

“Hey, wait a minute—” Xue Changxing saw Qing Wei already stepping into the courtyard with just a few words and quickly said, “Let’s negotiate, alright?”

“Negotiate what?”

“Well,” Xue Changxing chuckled, “I have a sweetheart in Liushui Alley. Now that I’m leaving, I was thinking of secretly going there when it gets dark later...”

“No!” Before Xue Changxing could finish, Qing Wei interrupted him decisively. “You can’t go anywhere before leaving the city!”

Xue Changxing said, “Aren’t you curious why I appeared in the capital after surviving the Xijintai collapse? I’ll tell you the truth, it’s because of this sweetheart of mine. I’m partly responsible for her fall into prostitution. I risked coming here just to see her.”

“Taking risks is one thing, seeking death is another. You’re risking your life just to see her?”

Xue Changxing saw that Qing Wei was determined to stop him and retorted angrily, “Then I’m not leaving. If I don’t see her, I’ll stay at the Gao residence until I die.”

“Heaven helps those who help themselves. Those who stand on their own are always supported by others. Since you’re being self-destructive,” Qing Wei said coldly, “then do as you please.”

Xue Changxing deliberately acted stubbornly: “Not only will I not leave, but when the Black Eagle Division comes looking, I’ll also tell them that I was able to escape the dark prison all thanks to your help!”

Qing Wei said, “You are welcome to say so. A dozen elite guards from the Inspection Office couldn’t stop me. Without you as a burden, I can still retreat unscathed from under the Black Eagle Division’s blades. The world outside is vast; can I be trapped and perish in this corner?”

Xue Changxing, seeing that she was impervious to both soft and harsh words, anxiously said, “Oh, what’s wrong with me just going to see my sweetheart once? You also said that a dozen elite guards from the Inspection Office couldn’t stop you, and the Black Eagle Division has sent many people to watch you, but you climb walls to leave the mansion daily, moving freely, easily shaking them off. I also know martial arts; I won’t cause you trouble. It’s just a detour to Liushui Alley before leaving the city.”

He pleaded earnestly, “Why did I come to the capital? Don’t I know this is courting death? But, five years ago, when Xijintai collapsed, my relatives and old friends, some died, some were injured. How many are still alive now? Meiniang... she is almost my only family left in this world. If I leave today, it might be a farewell of life and death with her, with no chance to meet again in the future. I just want to see her once, what’s wrong with that?”

Xue Changxing became increasingly agitated. He returned to the side room, sat on the ground, and said angrily, “You look so young and should be innocent and carefree, yet why are you so cold and unfeeling? Fine, since it has come to this, you go. Meiniang, I will find a way to see her myself. You don’t need to worry about me anymore.”

Autumn dusk was fleeting. The sun quickly set in the west, and a thin haze rose everywhere. Xue Changxing was staring blankly at the hay bale in the corner when suddenly, a dagger was thrown onto it.

Qing Wei’s cold voice came from beside him: “Take this for self-defense.”

Xue Changxing was stunned, then scrambled up: “You’re willing to go with me?”

Qing Wei ignored him. She picked up a black robe nearby, wrapped it around herself, and pulled up the hood, only saying, “Going to Liushui Alley late at night won’t work. The Inspection Department’s forces are deployed in Liushui Alley at night. Tonight, the new Marshal of the Black Eagle Division is hosting a banquet at Donglaishun. Wei Jue and others will presumably attend. You can only take a gamble now.”

After she finished speaking, she walked out on her own.

Xue Changxing quickly followed, fawning, “Still, the heroine’s consideration is thorough.”

He also asked curiously, “Why did you suddenly change your mind? Did your conscience awaken? Or did something I just said touch you? I take back what I said before; you’re not unreasonable, you’re sharp-tongued but soft-hearted...”

Liushui Alley was the most prosperous street in the capital of Great Zhou. It had the busiest restaurants and the grandest money houses. During the Zhaohua era, as the curfew system became more lenient, it became a place where dragons and snakes mingled. There were high-ranking people, as well as those trapped in the deep gutters. Turning into a dark alley, one could find secret brothels doing flesh trade, and black-hearted gambling dens, where all sorts of people from various walks of life could be found.

The brothel Xue Changxing was going to was called “Shifang Pavilion.” He had suffered an injury on the battlefield years ago, leaving him with a slight limp, but his movements were still agile. Soon, he reached the wall of the brothel’s back alley. Xue Changxing covered his mouth with both hands and emitted a few calls resembling a partridge.

After waiting for less than an hour, a small door hidden by vines on the wall opened, and a woman dressed in a wide-sleeved silk gauze robe with a coiled cloud bun emerged. She was around thirty years old, with fine lines already at the corners of her eyes, yet her gaze was like autumn waters, still charming. She was Meiniang, the procuress of Shifang Pavilion, whom Xue Changxing was looking for.

Meiniang was surprised to see Xue Changxing: “Is it really you? I thought I misheard.” Her gaze shifted to Qing Wei beside him: “Who is this?”

“A friend of mine,” Xue Changxing said concisely. “Time is short; let’s talk somewhere else.”

Meiniang nodded and led Xue Changxing and Qing Wei into the courtyard.

This secret door connected to a small courtyard on the side of Shifang Pavilion. This courtyard must have been Meiniang’s personal residence. After Qing Wei entered, she quickly surveyed the surrounding terrain. To the right, near the street, was a two-story building. Between the building and the street wall was a narrow, elongated pond, which was the only blind spot. The building had windows facing south, and looking out, one could see the entire courtyard and the long alley in front of Shifang Pavilion.

Meiniang led Xue Changxing and Qing Wei up to the small building, saying, “I heard you escaped from the dark prison and sent people to look for you, but they couldn’t find any trace of you. I was afraid of alerting the enemy, so I didn’t dare to act overtly. Those officers at the city gate a few days ago, were they looking for you? What do you plan to do now? If you have nowhere to go, I have a hidden house southwest of Liushui Alley...”

Xue Changxing said, “I can’t stay in the capital any longer. Where’s the thing I asked you to keep safe last time?”

“It’s carefully hidden,” Meiniang said, closing the door. She was about to retrieve it, but her steps paused, and her gaze lingered hesitantly on Qing Wei.

On the second floor of the small building, there was only one room. Qing Wei, in her black robe, had come with Xue Changxing, making it clear she couldn’t show herself publicly. Meiniang couldn’t ask her to wait outside and looked to Xue Changxing for guidance.

Xue Changxing shook his head.

Meiniang then said nothing more. She led Xue Changxing behind the screen in front of the couch, took a copper key to open the hidden compartment in the headboard of the wooden couch, and took out the wooden box hidden inside for him.

The two spoke behind the screen, their voices hushed, yet because they weren’t deliberately avoiding Qing Wei, their words couldn’t escape her ears—

“Holding onto these is ultimately a burden. This deadly calamity, wasn’t it brought on precisely this way? If you don’t give up for a day, you won’t see the light of day for a day. In my opinion, why not just let it go...”

“No, all those buried under Xijintai were my brothers and comrades. I cannot let them bear this infamy and die in vain...”

“It’s been five years. If you continue like this, you’ll only go deeper into danger, with no way out in the future. You can’t afford to contend with those people. You came to the capital this time, at least I’m here to watch over you. But in the future, if... if even I am gone...”

Qing Wei listened to Meiniang and Xue Changxing talking, growing more suspicious with each word. How did this sound like long-separated lovers?

It wasn’t until the last few sentences came out that she thought to herself, “This is bad!” She suddenly stood up, preparing to forcefully take Xue Changxing away, when suddenly, a voice came from the small courtyard: “Officers, hey, officers, we run a legitimate business here...”

Someone seemed to be desperately trying to stop people.

Behind the screen, Meiniang and Xue Changxing also froze simultaneously.

Meiniang swiftly walked to the window, pushed open a crack, and her face instantly turned pale: “This is bad! It’s the Black Eagle Division! The Black Eagle Division has found us!”

Before her voice faded, Zhang Luzhi’s voice indeed came from the courtyard:

“Surround this place! Search carefully! Don’t miss an inch!”