Chapter 16#

Dancing in the Shadow’s Pursuit#

It had been Pei Dan’s birthday the day before, and the Emperor just happened to have granted him leave, which made convalescing from his wounds far more convenient. The physician treating him was someone he’d used many times before — a man whose lips were tightly sealed — but he still gave him some extra silver, instructing him in no uncertain terms to be absolutely discreet. After dinner, Pei Dan dozed off briefly, only to be roused when Wu Bo reported that Young Master Li had fallen ill — gravely so, burning with high fever and lost to consciousness. The commotion had alarmed the officials guarding the residence.

Before Pei Dan could even process this, word came that the Emperor already intended to issue a decree, moving Li Fengbing out of the residence and into the palace to recover.

Pei Dan had planted eyes and ears around the Emperor’s person. This news arrived in the middle of the night; the decree might well be issued by dawn. A palace eunuch was waiting in the dark under the eaves outside his quarters. In the deep night, it was impossible to tell snow from moonlight. The opulent mansion stood unlit — once night fell, there was nothing but dark, ghostly shadows.

His grandfather had once said: Chancellor Pei is old beyond his years, clever and perceptive to the bone — remember his instructions carefully.

The eunuch did not wait long before the old servant emerged and handed him a folded slip of paper.

“The Chancellor instructs you to advise His Majesty on his behalf. The words of counsel are all written on this.” Wu Zhiheng said. “But don’t press too hard — the Chancellor will arrange things soon enough.”

The eunuch departed. As Wu Zhiheng was about to push the door open, a tremendous clattering and crashing came from inside — who knew what his master had knocked over this time. It was strange, really: his master had been fastidious to a fault, always impeccably dressed and groomed when out and about, yet at home he scattered things about in utter chaos. In the past, Li Fengbing had been the one to tidy up after him, and no one else was allowed to touch his things. Now that the household servants had dwindled, many tasks had to be handled personally. Wu Zhiheng could manage sweeping and cleaning but simply couldn’t bring any order to the mess.

Wu Zhiheng stepped into the room and found Pei Dan slouched amidst a heap of books and scrolls, likely having jostled a wound — teeth bared, face twisted in pain.

It wasn’t exactly filthy, this little nest of his — more like ordered chaos.

“Go and invite Director Fu.” Pei Dan rubbed his temple, his sword-like brows drawn low, as though at last betraying a thread of weariness. He paused for a long time between each sentence. “And Vice Minister Yang — I’ve nurtured him for so long; it’s about time he proved useful, wouldn’t you say?”

He was referring to his direct superior in the Department of State Affairs, the Director of the Department of State Affairs, Fu Yuan, as well as his subordinate, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Yang Yu.

“Yes.” Wu Bo bowed, then couldn’t help adding, “My lord, you…”

“I know what I’m doing.” Pei Dan’s voice was calm and hollow. “But whether he chooses to stay or to leave, I must see him through, whole and unharmed.”

Wu Bo looked up in surprise, but saw only Pei Dan with pressed lips, toying with a string of cold, inanimate agate beads in his fingers, his solitary silhouette outlined against the candlelight.

The next day, the Director of the Department of State Affairs submitted a memorial, reporting that he had received a dispatch from the Ministry of Rites: the commoner Li Fengbing had been living uneasily in the residence, had contracted a severe fever that aggravated his pre-existing illness, and was in grave danger. He requested that Li Fengbing be moved out of the residence and relocated to a quiet area in the capital to recover. As for the destination, the Ministry of Rites had naturally already made arrangements — it was a private estate registered under the name of its own Vice Minister, Yang Yu.

Chunshi ran busily back and forth, watching over the porters as they moved the trunks. After more than half a shichen, he supported Fengbing out.

Fengbing’s clothes were tidy, but he was in fact still running a fever — his inner garments soaked through. He’d only had a night’s rest, so his spirits were marginally better. A good number of people had gathered in the courtyard of the residence to “see him off.” Among them, the official in charge of guarding the residence looked particularly alarmed — the Director’s memorial had pinned all the blame on him, claiming that he was the one who had caused Fengbing to fall ill.

Otherwise, how else could they explain it? They couldn’t exactly say the Son of Heaven had punished him by making him kneel.

Fengbing was quiet for a moment, then said softly: “I’m all right.”

The guarding official understood immediately and nearly burst into tears. The Fourth Prince truly is a good man!

Once Fengbing had climbed into the carriage, he lifted the curtain and addressed the assembled crowd: “Thank you all. We met by chance, yet you have shown me such deep kindness. Fengbing wishes you all swift promotions and smooth fortune.”

His breath was weak; it took him a long while to finish those two sentences. The crowd offered another round of polite exchanges, but he could bear it no longer. Just as he was about to lower the curtain, he noticed Chen Qiu standing at the back of the group, in the shadow of the residence’s gatepost, watching him with a darkened expression.

He did not know what Chen Qiu would ultimately think of him, but Fengbing had no energy left to concern himself with it.

His new residence was in Chongren Ward. The pavilions were newly built, and the garden was petite and elegant, though rather modest when compared with the mansions of the noble relatives surrounding it. Yang Yu led Fengbing and his servant on a brief tour before ushering them into the main room that faced south. He said this room was warm and spacious — the best for living in. Fengbing naturally expressed his thanks, and asked Chunshi to bring out some fresh goods from Lingnan as a gift for him.

Yang Yu accepted everything. His face was fair and clean, his build slightly plump, and his eyes curved with a smile that made him look very amiable. His words were watertight: “Young Master Li is too kind. The Ministry of Rites oversees the rites and ceremonies of tribute from all directions. Since you have traveled so far, your affairs are our affairs. The fact that you do not blame us for inadequate care already speaks to your generous heart.”

Yang Yu also sent him four servants — two maids for the inner quarters and two male attendants for the outer grounds. In addition, the estate already had its own cooks, kitchen hands, coachmen, and grooms. Even when Fengbing had lived in the Residence of the Ten Princes, he’d never had this many people at his disposal. He felt somewhat awkward, so all he could do was thank him again.

Yang Yu smiled and said: “These people are all clods. Of course, none of them can compare to this one here at your side. If you find them acceptable, please feel free to put them to work.”

Chunshi let out a proud little “Hmph.”

At last Yang Yu was sent off, and Fengbing could no longer stand up straight. Chunshi quickly helped him to bed and sent the newly assigned maids to boil water and add charcoal. It took a good while to make the room warm and comfortable. The young master, exhausted, dozed off. Chunshi tucked his hands into his sleeves, stepped outside, and made a careful circuit of the entire estate.

When he returned, his expression was grave.

Fengbing had already gotten up and was drinking his medicine.

“Young Master.” Chunshi said very seriously. “Even when I first arrived, something felt off — behind the back gate of this estate, there’s a grove of plum trees that leads straight into the back garden of the Pei residence.”

Fengbing was taken aback.

“Young Master,” Chunshi continued, “do you think this Vice Minister Yang might have something going on with the Chancellor?”

Fengbing nearly threw up, followed by another violent fit of coughing.

Thankfully, none of the other servants were around. Fengbing was shaking with laughter, the pain at his temples throbbing in time with his mirth. But Chunshi felt his guess was nine times out of ten correct, and his face was very dark. “What are you laughing at!”

“I’m laughing at how clever you are.” Fengbing propped his chin on his hand and thought for a moment. “Vice Minister Yang — he’s a bit too heavy. Pei Dan couldn’t lift him.”

“That’s not necessarily true,” Chunshi muttered. “Young Master Pei is plenty strong.”

A loose tongue indeed — he’d even gotten the honorific wrong.

After the move, with no idle hands to meddle, Fengbing rested properly for two full days. The fever broke, the headaches ceased, and he felt he was nearly recovered. Chunshi insisted on calling a physician again. This one was different from the previous visit — he said the former doctor had gone back to his hometown.

Fengbing fell into a pensive mood.

The physician pronounced him recovered. Chunshi was delighted and went to the kitchen to tinker alongside the cooks, preparing to make a grand feast for his young master’s dinner. But while he was there, he ran into that household servant of Chancellor Pei’s — the old man had also come to the kitchen, asking: “Is lunch ready?”

“It’s ready, it’s ready.” A cook replied, then lifted from the stove a set of exquisitely prepared food boxes that had been set out in advance — seven boxes stacked in a column — and handed them to the old servant to carry away. Chunshi stared blankly and went to ask that cook: “Th-that was the Chancellor’s lunch?”

“Of course.” The cook said. “Sometimes the Chancellor cooks for himself, but when he hasn’t had time, he has us prepare it for him. — Though the Chancellor has a banquet tonight, he’ll bring in outside cooks, so he won’t need us.”

“But — but why would he eat food from here?”

The cook gave him a strange look. “Why?” The cook racked his brains. “— Because this is the kitchen?”

Good heavens. Chunshi stood with his jaw slack.

Young Master Pei and Vice Minister Yang — they were already sharing a kitchen!

Shameless!