Chapter 24#

Quarrel#

Today, Jin Yang still wore his hair in the style of the Great Yu people. Half of his long hair was gathered up at the back of his head, with the rest falling over his shoulders and back. He had originally worked daily at the Ye Terrace, his skin tanned to a reddish hue, but after coming to the Northern Capital, he had stayed indoors continuously. Now, as he looked up at Awa, his face was fair once more, with a pair of moist, ink-black eyes.

Awa shoved what he was holding into Chen Shuang’s arms, darted a few steps to the eaves, and scooped Zhuo Zhuo up, sitting in the seat Zhuo Zhuo had just occupied. “I’ll call you Jin Yang, alright?”

His Great Yu accent was pure and pleasant, but Jin Yang didn’t even raise his head. “The King of Yunzhou is too kind.”

Awa smiled. “No need to stand on ceremony. You can call me Awa, just like Helan Feng—”

Before he could finish, the furious Zhuo Zhuo scratched him twice across the face. Startled, Awa let go, and Zhuo Zhuo jumped to the ground, snatched the beans Jin Yang had roasted, and ran off without looking back.

“Who’s this?” Awa rubbed his face. “So fierce. Helan Feng’s sister? Why does everyone in the family have this kind of temper?”

“What are you here for?” Jin Yang asked.

He was neither polite nor gracious. Awa smiled, but inwardly acknowledged that they now understood the significance of the slave brand on Jin Yang’s arm. “I’ve come to bring my slave home.”

Branding Jin Yang with the King of Yunzhou’s family mark hadn’t been a whim on Zhe Weng’s part. After Jin Yang had laid out the “Ten Harms” before them, Zhe Weng had already considered recruiting him. When Jin Yang lowered his head and prostrated himself, Awa had signaled to Zhe Weng with a glance. He pointed to his own arm, indicating for his father to look at Jin Yang, and in that silent exchange between father and son, this little trap was completed.

The only thing that surprised Awa was that Helan Feng hadn’t been willing to brand Jin Yang.

He seemed to understand, yet also seemed not to understand. What that所谓的 “unforgettable for the rest of one’s life” thing had become in Helan Feng’s heart filled him with curiosity.

He was also curious about Jin Yang himself.

Jin Yang’s left arm was bound tightly with a cloth strip, very securely. Awa asked him to undo it so he could see. Jin Yang got up to leave. Helan Feng had appeared behind him at some point, and he nearly stumbled into Helan Feng’s embrace.

Helan Feng leaned on his crutch, facing Awa, and spoke tersely. “Get out.”

The two attendants Awa had brought had both encountered Helan Feng that night and admired and respected him greatly. Seeing him appear, they were initially very pleased, but their expressions changed instantly. They darted to Awa’s side, drawing their swords in unison.

Helan Feng shielded Jin Yang behind him, the two blades nearly poking his face.

“Leave,” he repeated, very calmly.

Awa signaled for his two attendants to withdraw, ensuring only he, Helan Feng, and Jin Yang remained under the eaves.

“Jin Yang is my slave,” Awa said. “But I’ve come today for him, and also for you. Helan Feng, I want you to be my personal guard. If you’re willing, you could become a royal palace guard.”

Helan Feng stared at the brazier for a long while without speaking.

“When I saved you, I didn’t know you were the King of Yunzhou,” he said. “I took the Wolf Arrow to the royal capital to find you, and I didn’t know you would deceive me.”

Awa was silent. Helan Feng spoke again, this time about Jin Yang. Jin Yang turned his head and looked up at him, only able to see the top of Helan Feng’s head. His hair was neatly combed, a rich brown so deep it was almost black. The early spring on the Chivwang Plains was very cold, harsher than the late spring cold snaps Jin Yang remembered. Fine snowflakes had drifted down last night, but today the sun was brilliant. He saw Helan Feng’s uncombed hair catching the sunlight. The spring peach tree in the courtyard was right beside Helan Feng, its buds already swollen and ready to burst. The snow had melted, and its branches glistened with moisture.

“Jin Yang will return to the Ye Terrace with me. We won’t stay long in the Northern Capital,” Helan Feng said. “Whether it’s me or him, your efforts are wasted.”

Awa nodded and said softly, “You refuse to be my follower. There’s nothing I can do about that. But for the King of Yunzhou to take away one of his own slaves from here requires no effort at all.”

Jin Yang said, “I won’t work for the Northern Rong.”

“With such talent, wasted on a small place like the Ye Terrace, are you truly content to only be a slave of the Helan family?” Awa lowered his voice. “Jin Yang, don’t you want to return to Great Yu? Here in Northern Rong, aside from the Celestial Lord, only I can remove your slave status, and only I can help you return home.”

Jin Yang was both shocked and suspicious, and exchanged a glance with Helan Feng.

“We are merely each taking what we need,” Awa grabbed a handful of freshly roasted beans. “In three days, Helan Feng, if you don’t come find me, I will return to have another chat with Jin Yang.”

Hun Da’er and Du Ze were peeking from hiding. When the King of Yunzhou left, he smiled at the two of them, his mood unreadable.

Jin Yang carried the small basket of beans back to the rear courtyard, and Helan Feng followed. “He’s truly persistent,” Helan Feng said. “I can probably guess why he wants you.”

Jin Yang had always thought Helan Feng had no interest whatsoever in matters of the Northern Capital, especially anything beyond hunting, fishing, and looking after Zhuo Zhuo. He couldn’t help but ask in surprise, “You actually know?”

“Because Zhe Weng is young, and Awa is also young.”

Jin Yang understood instantly.

In a royal family, even between father and son, suspicion lurked. They cared for each other, but as the Northern Rong Celestial Lord, Zhe Weng, still in his prime, was wary of the equally young Awa. Awa was only in his twenties this year. If he had to wait normally for Zhe Weng to age and abdicate, it would take at least another twenty years. Zhe Weng still had many consorts, all hoping to bear sons to compete with Awa for the position of heir.

The successor to the Northern Rong Celestial Lord was not determined by age or birth order, but solely by whom the current Celestial Lord favored. Awa was the current heir, but the birth of a new child would change everything. Zhe Weng did not want to decide too early, while Awa was unwilling to wait too long.

“But the brand was ordered by the Celestial Lord,” Jin Yang asked. “Why would he give me to the King of Yunzhou?”

“The Celestial Lord values the King of Yunzhou greatly,” Helan Feng helped him tidy the basket. “I don’t fully understand, but General Hu said the Celestial Lord dotes on the King of Yunzhou and wants him to accomplish something, which is why he let him play a major role in quelling the internal chaos of the Five Tribes. They say that even with affection comes wariness.”

Jin Yang sat dazed on the cart used for transporting goods.

“Hard to understand,” Helan Feng said.

“No, it’s very easy to understand,” Jin Yang replied. “The King of Yunzhou reminds me of someone from Liangjing.”

“A friend?”

Jin Yang laughed abruptly, scoffing at the term. “I hate him.”

He was unwilling to speak more about this hated person with Helan Feng. Helan Feng couldn’t coax it out of him no matter what, and could only wander around the rear courtyard by himself.

Ruan Buqi’s skill at scrubbing pots had improved remarkably; every dirty pot in the kitchen had been scoured to a brand-new shine by her, using some unknown method. Chen Shuang was a guest and didn’t have to work; he only hovered around Jin Yang. In the moment Helan Feng went to the kitchen to find meat to eat, Chen Shuang was already sitting with Jin Yang, speaking in low voices.

A thought immediately arose in Helan Feng’s mind: I hate him.

He walked over and sat down next to Jin Yang, silently grabbing his left hand. Jin Yang jerked his hand back as if stung. “Don’t touch!”

Chen Shuang slipped away without a sound. In the rear courtyard, only Hun Da’er’s voice could be heard in the front yard, trying to persuade Zhuo Zhuo not to climb the rockery, and the rhythmic sound of Ruan Buqi chopping firewood.

“I want to see your wound,” Helan Feng said. “How many days have you worn this cloth strip without changing it?”

Jin Yang guarded his left hand, striding toward the courtyard gate. Helan Feng pulled him displeasedly, unceremoniously pushing his robe sleeve up to his elbow, and forcibly undid the bandage.

“Helan Feng!” Jin Yang rebuked him harshly. “Let go!”

Helan Feng’s hands were uninjured and much stronger than Jin Yang’s. In a few moves, he had undone the bandage on Jin Yang’s wound. The scabs from the burn peeled off with the cloth, leaving only a circular, ugly brand visible on Jin Yang’s arm. The scar was red, the new, tender skin fragile and sensitive. Helan Feng pressed it gently, and Jin Yang looked at him with reddened eyes.

“Keeping it wrapped like this is bad for the wound,” Helan Feng said, tossing the cloth strip aside. “No need for ointment; just leave it open.”

His fingers carefully traced over the freshly healed skin, his head bowed in focused observation. Jin Yang felt an intense, indescribable discomfort. He was startled, and afraid. Helan Feng’s touch reminded him of the moment of searing pain, yet also made his chest tremble.

He pushed Helan Feng away, hurriedly picked up the cloth strip, and hastily rewrapped his arm.

“The weather is getting warmer. You can’t do this,” Helan Feng said.

“Never mention this again!” Jin Yang pressed tightly on the brand on his arm. “Never mention it again, ever, or I will hate you.”

Helan Feng was stunned for a moment and did not continue to comfort him. “Are you blaming me?” he asked. “Blaming me for bringing you to the Northern Capital, blaming me for not rescuing you in time?”

Chen Shuang lingered outside the courtyard gate. Zhuo Zhuo, unable to climb the rockery, had run over here to climb trees instead. While watching Zhuo Zhuo, he eavesdropped on the argument in the rear courtyard. When Helan Feng left, he glared at Chen Shuang fiercely. Chen Shuang, bewildered, poked his head in to look at Jin Yang in the courtyard.

That night, Jin Yang moved his bedding and slept in Chen Shuang’s room. He made a small bed for himself. Seeing his dark expression but agitated movements, Chen Shuang tried to say something to cheer him up.

“Quarrels are common things,” he said. “Bed-head, head, head… this bed isn’t comfortable to sleep in, is it? You take my bed.”

After coaxing Zhuo Zhuo to sleep, Helan Feng returned to his room to find Jin Yang gone. He went out to look for him, took a few steps, then turned back. The sound of the door closing was extremely loud, startling Hun Da’er in the next room into spilling a cup of wine.

Jin Yang actually couldn’t sleep. He too could feel anger, but for some reason, this anger always seemed directed at Helan Feng. Helan Feng was like flint; a simple strike could ignite Jin Yang, making him say things he normally never would.

The scar on his left arm had indeed healed, but Jin Yang truly couldn’t bear to see it. Zhe Weng had called him a beast of the Chivwang Plains. Every time he thought of that, he felt the urge to vomit, wishing he could gouge open the wound, destroy it, tear it—anything, as long as it wasn’t a slave brand.

Because he couldn’t sleep, the slight sound of Chen Shuang’s window opening was heard clearly by Jin Yang. At first, he thought it was Helan Feng, but the person entering the room carried a peculiar scent—cold and refreshing, like snow, and also like a proud, solitary fragrance.

Jin Yang’s eyes snapped open. The person was already leaning over him, covering his mouth. “Shh…” he said with a smile. “Don’t shout, little general. If I’m discovered, it would be hard to explain.”

It was Yue Lianlou, travel-worn from his journey.

Author’s Note: Chen Shuang later installed a lock on his own mouth.

Today, only, the fragrant beans roasted by Jin Yang’s own hands.