THE NEXT DAY, as expected, all their food was sabotaged. Liu Deyi—his pride wounded, and unwilling to show his face—instead had a young eunuch give Shen Jue his meal box. Shen Jue quietly slipped a handful of silver pieces into the hand of that eunuch, who weighed the silver in his palm and smiled.
"Shen-gonggong, you've always been clever," he remarked.
With that, he pulled a smaller boxed meal from under the table and handed it to Shen Jue. Then he returned half of Shen Jue's silver. "Come back tomorrow, and I'll have more for you. I don't need your silver. I can only get you one portion, though."
Shen Jue carried the meal box back. Consort Gao was perched on an embroidered stool, her hair again adorned with colorful feathers. She resembled a flamboyant rooster. Unfazed, Shen Jue set out her meal. Consort Gao picked up her chopsticks eagerly and took a bite, only to spit it out right away. "You little brat! Are you trying to poison me?!"
"This is all we have. Make do," Shen Jue said. He picked up the smaller meal box and turned to leave.
Consort Gao fluttered around him. "You heartless wretch!" she squawked. "You're keeping the good food for yourself! I won't stand for it!"
Shen Jue shot her a cold glance. "If you dare blabber in front of Sixi, I'll tear your tongue right out."
Consort Gao shrunk back, her once-proud feathers now drooping. She didn't dare provoke him further but still made faces behind his back.
Shen Jue ignored her and strode along the flowered walkway. The wound on Xiahou Lian's shoulder had reopened during the previous day's scuffle. When Shen Jue saw the blood seeping from it, his face had darkened, and he'd ordered Xiahou Lian to stay indoors and rest.
As he turned the corner by the moon gate, he saw Xiahou Lian leaning against a pillar. The boy grinned at him, head cocked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Xiahou Lian's smile was always rakish, with a hint of playfulness and an inexplicable charm. Even the ugly mask he wore couldn't hide his knavish, flirtatious charm. A natural troublemaker with a honeyed tongue, he only needed to stand on the street to draw a flock of young ladies to his side.
Shen Jue had seen Xiahou Lian flirt with girls before. His memory of Guixiang, from the Xie household, calling the boy "Lian-gege" in a soft, sweet voice was still vivid. Recalling that, Shen Jue felt a twinge of irritation. He thrust the boxed meal into Xiahou Lian's hands. "Look at you, standing there like some showy courtesan," he snapped. "Why not borrow a few of Consort Gao's feathers? Even a brothel girl would pale in comparison to you."
Xiahou Lian chuckled. "I wouldn't dare. My looks can't compete with yours, Shaoye."
When Xiahou Lian opened the meal box, he saw only a bowl of plain rice and a dish of braised pork. The portion was much smaller than usual; Liu Deyi was clearly making things difficult for Shen Jue. What Xiahou Lian couldn't have imagined was that even this meager portion had to be bought with silver.
"Have you eaten?" Xiahou Lian asked.
"Yes, I've eaten. You finish this. I'll come back later for the box."
Xiahou Lian nodded and returned to his room. Consort Gao was clutching her lotus-and-fish-patterned bowl; she stared pitifully at Shen Jue, drool dripping down her chin.
Shen Jue sighed. "Stop staring. I'm eating the same rotten food as you."
Consort Gao glared at him. "You little traitor! Serving that pretty boy and feeding me slop! How dare you!" She angrily plucked the feathers from her hair, throwing them at Shen Jue, then stormed out of the courtyard.
Shen Jue didn't react.
***
DURING THE RAINY SEASONS, the downpours in the capital were as relentless as the storms in the south. Rain fell day and night on the dark-tiled roofs, sounding like a cascade of shattered dishes. The palace's night patrols had doubled since the assassination; the guards made their rounds every quarter hour, rain or shine. The lanterns along the palace paths cast an eerie glow as the guards drifted through the storm like wraiths. Their metal armor could be heard clinking through the misty curtains of rain.
Liu Deyi crouched as he crept through the east gate and into the rear garden. Trees cast shadows like inky pools, the locust-tree trunks twisted like withered skeletons. A deathly pall clung to the leaves and flowers as if the rain had washed away their color. Liu Deyi didn't think that it was this eerie during the day, but at night, it practically felt haunted.
He walked until he reached a lantern. It was covered in gauze, glowing a soft green as it dangled from a stand about half a man's height. He paused to look around before heading north. After a few steps, a flash of red darted past the trees, nearly startling him into tumbling down. He steadied himself and looked again, but nothing was there.
Creeping forward cautiously, he let out a couple of quiet meows, then called out softly, "Shen Jue?"
No one answered. Liu Deyi chided himself in frustration, certain he was imagining things; his mind was playing tricks on him.
A short distance ahead appeared a series of linked pavilions with dark-tiled roofs and gracefully curved eaves. A decorative bridge spanned the water like a cloud hanging low over the waves. Overcome with anticipation, Liu Deyi quickened his steps and rushed onto the bridge. He scrutinized his surroundings through the rain, back hunched and heart racing, as he waited for the person he so desperately wanted to see.
After a long while, no one had appeared. Liu Deyi's excitement turned into disappointment, then anger. He had been tricked! Not only had that Shen Jue struck him, the boy was now playing him for a fool!
Liu Deyi had stood there for so long that even the misty drizzle had soaked him through. Just when he'd decided to leave, shivering, he noticed something yellow on the bridge railing. It appeared to be a cloth bundle.
Could it be from Shen Jue? Was he posing a riddle for Liu Deyi?
Liu Deyi's spirits soared, and he rushed over to the bundle. As he reached for it, his foot slipped on some slick substance, and he lost his balance, crashing into the marble railing. Unbeknownst to him, the railing was already on its last legs, riddled with cracks. It shattered on impact. Liu Deyi tumbled into the lotus pond alongside chunks of broken marble.
Shen Jue watched the scene indifferently from beneath the old locust tree across the pond. Then he turned and walked away.
As the night deepened, the guards increased their patrolling. Shen Jue stood among the shadows cast by the leaves and flowers, silently counting the seconds. Just as a group of guards moved along the covered walkway, he slipped from the bushes and onto the walkway himself, moving swiftly with hurried, careful steps. He pictured the map of the rear garden—after passing one more flower-viewing pavilion, he would reach the Fourth Qianxi Courtyard.
The walkway lanterns swayed in the breeze, their glow flickering. The wind chimes softly tinkled out a series of notes. Shen Jue was moments from rounding the corner when two hands shot out from behind him. They clamped over his mouth and pulled him swiftly into a nearby house.
His heart sank. As he instinctively began to struggle, a voice hissed, "You little brat, sneaking out at night! Are you off to meet a girl?"
It was Consort Gao!
Shen Jue was about to respond when Consort Gao suddenly tightened her grip on his mouth and pointed outside. Together, they moved slowly and silently to the door, where they heard two guards walking by.
"Will anyone notice that we took a piss here?" one asked.
"Who cares?" responded the other. "The rain will wash it all away anyway."
As their footsteps faded, Shen Jue began to tremble. If those two guards had done their business around the corner earlier, then if Shen Jue had turned when he'd planned to, he'd have run straight into them.
Shen Jue glanced over and noticed Consort Gao still listening intently to the noises beyond the door. In the faint light, he could just make out her red inner robe with its floral embroidery. Her breasts seemed unusually full, nearly twice their normal size. When Consort Gao caught him staring at her bosom, she swiftly slapped him.
"You shameless pervert!" she snapped.
"What was that for?" a baffled Shen Jue demanded.
"You were staring at my chest!"
Shen Jue was speechless. Then again, she had just saved him. He took a deep breath and asked calmly, "What do you have in your robe?"
Consort Gao averted her gaze. "Nothing! I've just gained some weight, that's all!" she stammered.
"You were going to have good food tomorrow," Shen Jue told her patiently, "but if you don't show me, you won't get any of it."
"Hmph! I don't believe you! Just because you fool that silly boy in your room, you think you can fool me too?"
Shen Jue's patience snapped. "What have I fooled him about?"
Consort Gao spat on the ground. "I'm not stupid! I know you make him play with you, work for you—even sleep with you!"
Her words struck a nerve, and Shen Jue's throat tightened. He hadn't told Xiahou Lian that the Garuda had come to the palace looking for him, nor had he revealed how he'd exploited Liu Deyi's harassment to convince Xiahou Lian to stay. At some point, he had grown accustomed to scheming and manipulation—and if it kept Xiahou Lian by his side, he was willing to lie and withhold truths. Would Xiahou Lian ever find out? If he did, would he despise Shen Jue for it?
It doesn't matter, Shen Jue told himself. As long as he kept his secret, no one would know that he'd seen the Garuda.
But he hadn't expected Consort Gao, of all people, to see through his carefully woven cover-up. "You're growing more delusional," he sneered. "You should visit the imperial physicians' office tomorrow and have one of them examine you properly."
Before he could continue, several greasy meat buns rolled from Consort Gao's robe. They tumbled to the floor as Shen Jue watched in silence.
Tears welling in her eyes, Consort Gao picked up the buns. "My buns! It's all your fault! You're such a monster!" she wailed, lips quivering as if she were mourning the loss of a child.
At some point, the rain had stopped. After many overcast days, the sky finally cleared, and the clouds parted to reveal a full moon. The ground glistened with rainwater, reflecting scattered fragments of silver moonlight. Shen Jue and Consort Gao passed through Shunzhen Gate, quietly shutting it behind them. As they walked along the moonlit path, which shimmered like frost, Consort Gao continued to clutch the dirtied meat buns, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Shen Jue sighed deeply and went to a secondary kitchen, returning with a small box of pastries. Handing it to Consort Gao, he said, "This is my private stash, and it's all I have left. Make it last."
Consort Gao was both surprised and touched. She quickly tucked the pastries into her robe. "I was wrong," she said tearfully. "You're a good person!"
Shen Jue ignored her, exasperated, and turned to go back to his room. His clothes were damp, so he stood outside to wring the rainwater out of them before entering. Inside, he decided against bathing; it was late, and he didn't want to wake Xiahou Lian. He simply lay down on the small daybed. In the darkness, Xiahou Lian turned over in the heated bed.
"Shaoye? Where did you go so late?" he mumbled sleepily.
Shen Jue's hands were cold. He blew on them before replying, "I went to relieve myself."
"And it took that long? Wow. Are you constipated, Shaoye?" Xiahou Lian was more awake now and sounded alarmed. "You'll get hemorrhoids if you're not careful. You should drink some laxative tea tomorrow."
Shen Jue glanced at him but didn't respond.
"Why are you sleeping on the daybed?" Xiahou Lian added.
Shen Jue's heart skipped a beat as he recalled Consort Gao's earlier accusation that he made Xiahou Lian sleep with him. That madwoman was always spouting nonsense. Shen Jue closed his eyes, saying, "Sharing a bed's inconvenient. I'll sleep here."
Xiahou Lian was puzzled. Shen Jue's thinking was always so bizarre, and they had been sleeping together just fine. Had Xiahou Lian done something to upset him? Was he dirty? Did he smell bad? Or was this because he wore Sixi's ugly face?
Whatever. Leave it at that. Giving up, Xiahou Lian sat upright, placed his bare feet on the ground, and walked to Shen Jue's daybed. Without a word, he scooped Shen Jue into his arms.
Startled, Shen Jue flailed. "What are you doing?!" he shouted.
Having lived a life of deprivation in the palace, Shen Jue was scarcely more than skin and bones. He was practically light as a feather. Xiahou Lian carried him to the bed easily, saying, "It's not right for a young master to sleep on a daybed while his servant sleeps in a better bed." With that, he turned and walked back to the daybed, then slipped under its covers.
Shen Jue was silent for a moment, then pulled up the blankets and went to sleep.
As the sky gradually paled with the next day's dawn, the palace's upper crust remained nestled in bed while the servants were already bustling around. Some of them lit lanterns, some swept and cleaned, and others prepared breakfast. At one point, the Fourth Qianxi Courtyard had been a neglected corner of the palace where servants tended to sleep until the sun was high. But since Shen Jue's arrival—though he didn't demand that the servants rise as early as those in other courtyards—they at least had to be up in time to fetch his breakfast.
No one complained, since they now had breakfast to eat. Moreover, Shen Jue was amiable and doled out rewards and punishments fairly. Everyone had come to appreciate his goodness.
When Xiahou Lian was injured, he'd ignored the servants' routines and stayed in his room, sleeping around the clock. Now that he felt better, however, he took it upon himself to help with the chores. Young and strong, he handled all the cleaning, on top of other menial tasks.
The other eunuchs "Sixi" worked with were also young—twelve or thirteen years old and full of energy. They often gossiped while working.
"Hey, Sixi, guess what I saw when I went to the kitchen to fetch breakfast this morning?" one said.
Before Xiahou Lian could respond, another chimed in, "What did you see? The new palace ladies? I heard they're as beautiful as celestial maidens, and the emperor can't decide which one to choose!"
"Pah! You're missing a piece downstairs and still thinking about women?" Rolling his eyes, the young eunuch continued, "Someone drowned in Yuqing Pool last night. It was gruesome—the body was all bloated, like dough. You could poke it and leave a dent."
"So what?" someone else scoffed. "How many people have drowned in that pool since the founding of our Great Qi dynasty? Palace concubines, eunuchs, maids—cats and dogs, for that matter. What's so strange about that?"
The young eunuch went on. "Yes, but this guy was really unlucky. The guards said he snuck into the kitchen late at night and stole gold and silver cups. He probably planned to resell them to one of the glasswork sellers at Liulichang. But he slipped and fell, and the railing was already cracked, so he tumbled right into the water. After the emperor built the west garden's new leopard enclosure, he stopped visiting the rear gardens, so the eunuchs and maids there slacked off. No one even noticed that cracked railing. Good thing it was just a thieving eunuch who died; if it'd been some bigwig, a lot of people would've been in trouble!"
"You've been talking and talking, but you still haven't said who died," Xiahou Lian interjected.
The young eunuch scratched his head. "Oh, right. It was Liu-gonggong from the kitchen."
Startled, Xiahou Lian fell silent, his mind racing. Shen Jue had gone out last night—could this be related?
He couldn't shake the feeling that Shen Jue was involved. After all, Sixi had died for harassing Shen Jue. And Shen Jue was vindictive; he came from a noble family. He had studied the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as principles of hierarchy and morality. Even as a servant, his arrogance was unchanged—he couldn't tolerate the humiliation he'd faced. It was miraculous that he hadn't skinned that eunuch alive.
But why was he being so reckless? Even Xiahou Lian would've thought twice before brandishing his saber beneath the emperor's nose.
Xiahou Lian set down his broom and went looking for Shen Jue. Shen Jue was always busy with something; it was hard to track him down.
After some searching, he finally found Shen Jue on a walkway. Shen Jue had just returned from the Embroidery Bureau, carrying the consorts' summer outfits. In the palace, status gave rise to sycophancy, and everyone knew who to prioritize. The eunuchs had already rushed to deliver the summer wardrobes to places like Zhongcui Palace and Yonghe Palace. But for a neglected corner like the Fourth Qianxi Courtyard, Shen Jue had to continually chase after the items himself to finally secure them.
Shen Jue saw Xiahou Lian but didn't get the chance to greet him before Xiahou Lian approached him and asked in a low voice, "Did you hear about Liu Deyi's death?"
Shen Jue glanced at him. "Yes, I heard. What about it?"
Xiahou Lian studied his calm expression, unsure whether Shen Jue was involved. Hesitantly, he asked, "Did he really fall into the pond by accident?"
"Of course not," Shen Jue replied bluntly. "I did it. What—are you here to scold me? I didn't know you were so soft."
"It really was you!" Xiahou Lian grabbed his wrist. "Are you out of your mind? Why didn't you discuss something so dangerous with me?"
"I could handle it myself. You focus on recovering—and mind your own business!" Shen Jue shook off Xiahou Lian's hand and walked away.
Xiahou Lian followed close behind, gritting his teeth. "What kind of attitude is that? You don't treat me like a brother—you don't want my help. So why did you ask me to stay? As a decoration? As a pretty vase—something nice to look at?"
Shen Jue paused at Xiahou Lian's words. Were they brothers, or master and servant? In retrospect, he'd never really thought of Xiahou Lian as either brother or servant. So what exactly was Xiahou Lian to him?
Shen Jue couldn't figure it out and felt increasingly agitated. Afraid that Xiahou Lian would press further, he snapped, "Who says we're brothers? Do we share the same parents?"
Taken aback, Xiahou Lian stood still for a moment. Hunh. That's right. Shen Jue had never actually called him a brother—Xiahou Lian had just assumed that. But after mulling it over now, even he found it laughable.
Glancing up quickly, Xiahou Lian saw Shen Jue already walking away. He chased after him. "Fine. We don't have to be brothers. But you can't go around killing people!"
"Why not? You can, so why can't I?"
Shen Jue's thoughts whirled as Xiahou Lian replied in a strained voice, "Because you're different! Your hands are meant for holding brushes, not shedding blood!"
His simple words cut through Shen Jue like a knife. His old wounds instantly reopened, oozing fresh blood.
"Meant for holding brushes." The phrase echoed in Shen Jue's mind. His grip on the summer clothes tightened, crumpling the fabric. How long had it been since he last held a brush? As a eunuch, he wasn't even allotted ink or paper. Since entering the palace, he'd handled brooms, chamber pots, and laundry—but never a brush.
Ridiculous, Shen Jue thought. Xiahou Lian was such a fool. Did he really think Shen Jue could go back to how things were?
"Xie Jinglan is dead, Xiahou Lian. The person standing before you now is Shen Jue," he said slowly, his pale face as cold as frost. "Shen Jue is a eunuch—a servant, a dog raised by his masters. What use would he have for a brush?"
"You—" Xiahou Lian's heart ached, but he couldn't find a response. After a long pause, he finally said with difficulty, "Shaoye, you're not like me. I'm an assassin. I've already taken two or three lives, and a few more won't make a difference. From now on, if you need someone killed, just tell me. I'll do it for you. I'll kill anyone who wrongs you. Anyone who insults you, I'll cut them down!"
"What's the difference?" Shen Jue smiled mockingly. "Is holding a brush really so different from holding a blade? You're naive, Xiahou Lian. A blade can take one life, but power can destroy an entire family. When the emperor is angered, millions die, and blood flows for miles! Brushes and seals are the filthiest weapons in this world. You think assassins have the bloodiest hands? No, the person who most deserves to go to hell is the man on the throne in Fengxian Hall, worshipped by the masses!"
"I...I know, but..." Xiahou Lian stammered, his mind in turmoil. He scratched his head, unsure how to react.
"You just don't want me to go down that path, do you?" Shen Jue asked calmly.
"Exactly!" Xiahou Lian couldn't have cared less about the emperor. All he knew was that Xie Jinglan had once said that he would retreat to the countryside while the eunuchs remained in power, but that he'd help stabilize the nation again after they were gone. How could it be that Shen Jue was now one of the very eunuchs Xie Jinglan had condemned?
Xiahou Lian took a deep breath and said, "Shaoye, you don't understand. Once blood stains your hands, there's no turning back. Killing becomes addictive. You kill once, and then again and again. You begin to see people as little more than blades of grass—they die, and that's it. Is that truly what you want, Shaoye?"
He waited for Shen Jue to answer, but the other boy's expression remained indifferent and icy. Turning to look at Xiahou Lian, he said slowly, "Huh? Why shouldn't I?"
Xiahou Lian's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Xiahou Lian, let me ask you—why do you kill?" Shen Jue's voice was calm.
Xiahou Lian hesitated. "To survive."
"So do I, then," Shen Jue said with a faint smile. "I've started down this path already. Even if it leads to ruin, I won't turn back. I'll avenge Aunt Lan, kill Wei De, take control of the Eastern Depot, and become the leader of the Directorate of Ceremonial. If you don't want to see me do so, leave."
With those words, Shen Jue straightened the folds of the summer garments in his arms and walked away without a backward glance. Beneath the endless expanse of sky, his solitary figure looked both resolute and lonely.
Xiahou Lian watched him retreat. For a long time, he was at a loss.
Shen Jue and Xiahou Lian didn't speak for several days after that. Shen Jue threw himself into his duties, indifferent to Xiahou Lian's thoughts. Xiahou Lian didn't loiter either; he was often away, though no one knew what he was up to. At night, they returned to the same room, extinguished the lights, and went to sleep without a word.
One day, Shen Jue was serving Consort Gao her meal. The kitchen had welcomed a new steward, and their meals had returned to normal. Consort Gao was so delighted that she'd practically rolled on the floor. She had recently become obsessed with makeup, painting her face as red as a monkey's backside and caking on so much powder that it flaked off when she spoke. Her lunacy had reached new heights, and even the other mad concubines avoided her, as if terrified that her insanity would outshine theirs. Only Shen Jue could still speak with her calmly.
After setting out the dishes, Shen Jue turned and saw Xiahou Lian standing just beyond the threshold of the room, watching him.
"What do you want?" Shen Jue asked coldly.
Xiahou Lian pulled a three-foot-long wooden saber from behind his back and extended it.
Shen Jue looked at the wooden saber, puzzled. Did Xiahou Lian plan to kill him with it? Did he think Shen Jue would become a threat in the future and wish to nip it in the bud?
"I'm afraid you'll get yourself killed, so I'm going to teach you some useful saber moves. Then, if you ever slip up and get thrown in prison, you might be able to escape using your peerless swordplay." Xiahou Lian sighed mockingly. "After you bust out, you can come find me. If you have some proper skills under your belt, maybe I can find you a job." With that, Xiahou Lian gripped the saber in both hands, swung it in a smooth arc, and pointed the tip at Shen Jue.
Shen Jue chuckled coldly.
"What—you don't think I'm skilled enough?" Xiahou Lian raised an eyebrow.
Shen Jue stepped over the threshold, walked up to Xiahou Lian, and plucked the wooden saber from his hands. "Meet me by the palace wall at nine tonight."