Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio 

  Fan Xian’s head ached as a pair of warm, sensuous hands began rubbing his temples. A feeling of fear and uncertainty had washed over him. His eyes remained closed and he blurted out, “Where am I?” 

  Perhaps because he had drunk too much, he noticed that his voice had become rough and coarse. As the delicate fingers continued to rub his temples, he suddenly felt one depart. Shortly after, a cup was slowly raised to his lips; a cup to which he helplessly drank from. The concoction that he tasted was a benevolent, perfectly measured mixture of honey and hot water – it was the consummate remedy for the battle that was a hangover. As the succulent nectar passed his lips, Fan Xian smiled. 

  Fan Xian believed that Haitang would not poison him, for there would be no clear benefit for her doing so. As the thought of this crossed his mind, his nose perked to the sensation of a new and intoxicating fragrance; one that embodied elegance and grace. The mere scent made Fan Xian’s heart pound. He then began to feel a certain heat arise from the space below his waist, which drove his mind into a lustful frenzy. 

  That wonderful fragrance drew closer and closer and as it did, the sudden warmth of a soft and voluptuous body leant against Fan Xian’s head from behind. His heart began to pound at an even greater pace, and it was as if the fire of his heart was stoked into an uncontrollable blaze. 

  Fan Xian forced his eyes open. An unshakable desire had taken a hold of him, as he witnessed the pale hands of a recognizable figure clothed in white outstretched towards him. “Lili?” 

  Si Lili turned around and felt her body crumble, and so she fell upon Fan Xian`s chest. As she stared at Fan Xian, her eyes bore credulous innocence and a faint glimmer of sadness. It was if she was in anticipation of something that had yet to occur. 

  Fan Xian continued to inhale the sweet fragrance of the woman in his arms, but he could not help but feel his mind being led astray. Ever since he had arrived in Shangjing, he had only met her a brief few times in the temple and he had decided long ago to avoid the establishment of an association of any particular magnitude with her. But right now, there she was, fawning for him once again. This delicate and all-too-familiar touch continued to press against his chest. 

  A moment ago, he was drinking merrily with Haitang and now he was getting affectionate with Si Lili. 

  Fan Xian quickly understood what was happening here, but he could not figure out why the world was changing as fast as it was. 

  In the early summer of the capital, Shangjing, if there was no wind, the days would be hot and sultry. If there was no rain, the dust would arise and cloak the area. It was not the most ideal weather. Fortunately, it was already late when the events transpired and a gentle breeze graced the air, cooling the grounds of the temple. Fallen twigs and leaves dressed the roof of this abode, and all was illuminated by the gaze of the sparkling moon, which appeared larger than usual on this particular night. 

  Fan Xian hastily tightened his pants and took leave of the temple, with a silhouette not unlike a thief running through the night. His face wore a ridiculous expression. Just beyond the entrance of the temple, Fan Xian looked back and saw the sight of a woman who was perched upon the roof, with the moon lit up at her back as if it were a halo. Fan Xian yelled, “You and your mentor are exactly the same! You are both as crazy as each other.” 

  Fan Xian was always fond of donning the appearance of someone who was sweet, shy and wholly innocent. Even though few believed it, he was kindhearted. But today, he had been thrust into this bizarre scenario, which flustered his mind and made him incredibly angry, but frightened too. To bark at the woman in this manner was a way of venting his frustrations. 

  Haitang’s vigil watch, up there on the roof of the temple, portrayed her as a figure of mystique; a guardian of the lovebirds, so to speak. The kerchief that she ordinarily wore was now tied around her neck, and she looked like some kind of military commander. There was a look of surprise on her face and a glint of awkward amusement in her eyes. She had apparently not expected Fan Xian to awaken so quickly. Mockingly, she said, “That quick?” 

  Hearing this, Fan Xian was driven into a rage. He exclaimed, “What kind of woman are you?” 

  Haitang was fast to understand that which had actually transpired and with some shame lowered her head into the palms of her hand, saying, “How could I forget that you were the apprentice of Fei Jie? I should have increased the dosage of the drug I slipped into your beverage.” 

  The moon quivered and the twigs that had adorned the roof were knocked away when Haitang leapt from the rooftop to the ground below. The grace of her landing did not disturb the dust of the temple ground as she landed near Fan Xian. She smiled and looked back at the temple, opening the doors as she did so. She signaled for Fan Xian to return inside with her. 

  Outside the temple, it had grown pitch black. The resident frogs of a nearby pond ribbetted in the night, as if the two of them were visiting a temple that was far off in the wild. Fan Xian’s heart writhed in anger and with a fierce look, he demanded, “What the hell did you put in my drink?” 

  “Aphrodisiac,” Haitang replied, quickly and sincerely, with an expression that suggested the deed she did was of no special concern. “The best that the palace was able to provide.” 

  “You……” Fan Xian raised his arm, pointing directly at her nose; her nose that was sharper than anyone else’s. The thought to break it crossed his mind. “I am a Commissioner of the Qing Kingdom and she will be a wife of your emperor soon. How dare you attempt this!” 

  Haitang’s face became cold all of a sudden. “When you drugged me at Wuduhe, that was okay? You mean to say that it was okay for you to do it and not me?” 

  “Back then, we were enemies. Today we are friends! How could you say that?” Fan Xian immediately dropped his facade of righteousness. 

  Haitang smiled and said, “When we were back at the palace, what was it that you said to me?” 

  Many days ago in the palace…… 

  “The antidote for the aphrodisiac you gave me last time required orange peel. It was too concentrated and thus tasted far too bitter.” Lady Haitang spoke as she stood there drenched in sunlight. 

  Fan Xian laughed and was aware that Haitang had gotten over the horrendous deception he had committed upon her and he said lightly, “I am the Overwatch Council’s Commissioner, not some noble person with profound honor. These things happen. Do not mind me using such methods. If you actually do mind, then you are free to also use that…… aphrodisiac on me.” 

  These words were frivolous and devoid of earnestness, but Haitang was not a woman who would shrivel up and become ashamed for what had transpired and been done to her, so she said, “If there ever comes a chance, I will use it.” 

  If there ever comes a chance, I will use it. 

  Fan Xian had an incredible memory, and so it was of no surprise that he remembered this clearly. He was merely surprised that she was a woman, and had the courage to do something like this. He gasped, and the anger in his heart would not quell, partly because he knew that there was nothing he could do about it. He had inadvertently allowed someone else to drug him, and that person was merely doing that which he had proposed. There really was nothing he could do about it. Fan Xian looked up to the moon, telling himself how much he now hated Haitang. 

  “I am no ascetic woman. I am just a woman who harbors bitter resentment and a personal grudge.” Haitang laughed. 

  “It shouldn’t have been Si Lili. She is like a sister to you!” Fan Xian looked at Haitang coldly and continued, “Do you know what this means?” 

  “Lili likes you.” Haitang smiled and said, “You are not objecting her appearance, are you? A few of use girls thought this would work out well.” Ever since she knew that Fan Xian was the author of Story of the Stone, which was written under the pseudonym Mister Cao, Haitang was even more confident about her plan. 

  \r \r \r 

  Fan Xian became quiet all of a sudden, lost in deep contemplation. After a while, he looked at Haitang and said, “Actually, since you are the one who drugged me, and even though you yourself are not that pretty, I can face the music. I can give myself away for a brief time. Why bring Lady Si into this?” 

  Even though Haitang was free and easy, and not the sort to take things to heart, she was just a young woman. When she heard what Fan Xian had to say, she was furious. Her big, bright eyes peered at Fan Xian like razorblades. Her appearance right now was not unlike a wolf, roaming the moors at midnight. 

  After Fan Xian made his awful speech, he calmed down at the sight of Haitang. To try and ease the situation, he forced a smile and said, “I can just leave, but be wary of your mentor Ku He. He may punish you for your actions on this night.” 

  Haitang took a deep breath in an attempt to suppress her bubbling, increasingly volatile emotions, and in a low voice spoke, “Please forgive me for setting you up today.” 

  With an expressionless face, Fan Xian replied, “You could always do this again another time. There will be plenty of other men willing to accept a lustful romp; well, as long as it’s not with you. 

  Haitang was no longer angry and had little regard for Fan Xian’s snide and spiteful remarks. She lightly said, “The day after tomorrow, the palace will have a banquet. There will be fighting, so please prepare for it.” 

  “After the banquet, I will be returning to Qing.” Fan Xian observed Haitang’s now strangely serene face. “I cannot stay in Shangjing any longer, for I have an emergency within my family I have to deal with. Can you go arrange for Lady Si to meet with me once again?” 

  Haitang agreed in silence and then watched Fan Xian’s shadow become one with the dark of the night. As Fan Xian walked across the fields, he staggered and almost collapsed wholly. He at first thought it was because of his distraught mind, but looking down, he realized he had not tightened the cord of his robe well enough and that is what caused his stumble. 

  So the scholar of the generation and the most promising up-and-coming minister’s most embarrassing moment of his life had actually taken place in a temple in a remote corner of Shangjing. 

  Haitang laughed. Her wide eyes beamed with joy, for no apparent reason. 

  Fan Xian had at last returned to the envoy. His eyes relayed a sense of peace, a view that would belie the distressing evening he had truly had. The anger that overwhelmed his face had now at last dissipated, too. Living in this world, having to avert and avoid the constant barrage of tricks and traps was no small feat. One had to be a person of flawless composure and not be one to make a single mistake – that is not to mention one’s need to possess the ability of reading others at a whim. 

  Fan Xian never imagined that Haitang would be capable of committing such treachery. He never thought she could be so reckless in deciding her course of action, either. In a way, he thought it similar to how he was, as Fan Xian enjoyed the thrill of imprudent, daring deeds. 

  “Only four?” Fan Xian had already taken a shower, but as he sat in his chair, he couldn’t help but believe he could smell that delicate fragrance once again. And much to his surprise, he couldn’t help but think about Lady Si, either. In his heart, he knew he was a callous person, but he closed his eyes and began to think about what possible influence he could have over that woman. 

  Perhaps what Haitang said was true, but so what? 

  Yan Bingyun skewed his eyebrows into a frown. He looked upon Fan Xian and thought it was both strange and foolish of him, his superior and chief of the envoy – an envoy which was preparing to depart – to suddenly disappear for a whole day. He grimaced at the thought of all the business matters that had piled up, issues that all required Fan Xian’s presence. A source had previously informed him that Fan Xian had been spotted with Haitang, drinking in merriment at midnight. She wasn’t one to reveal herself to many, he thought. But if that was at midnight, where did he go after? And why did Fan Xian look so peculiar today? 

  “Yes, four years. Only four women have been brought to the temple in just as many years” Yan Bingyun answered. “The northern Qi Kingdom’s emperor, ever since he was young, has been quite a down-to-earth fellow. Judging from how he has managed this country, you can tell he is a wise lord. Any man with great ambition will not waste much time dealing with romance.” 

  “And the northern Qi Emperor has yet to produce an heir?” Fan Xian asked, with his eyes closed. 

  “The emperor is still young, so the palace is in no rush for that just yet.” 

  “Not in a rush……? Never mind. You go tell Wang Qinian to arrange a meeting at the palace in two days’ time and have a discussion regarding our way back.” Fan Xian then waved his hand, gesturing for Yan Bingyun to leave. 

  Yan Bingyun looked at Fan Xian with a puzzled expression, knowing that his master possessed numerous secrets he was not willing to divulge. Although Fan Xian was the Commissioner of the Overwatch Council, there was plenty of intelligence he wasn’t prepared to let anybody know about. 

  For example, that which occurred tonight. And for another example…… the northern Qi emperor might be attacked. Fan Xian’s fingers were still a little cold, and it was then that he realized that perhaps his courage was not as great as Haitang’s. 

  The gate of the main entrance of the palace, which was nestled between the cliffs, slowly opened…… From right outside the gate, they bore witness once again to the beauty of its black canopies gently rustling in the wind, as an incredible waterfall pounded the rocks below and to their side. Fan Xian looked upon the officers of the northern Qi Kingdom and noted that their faces were unfamiliar to him. As he approached the palace, he stared at them with a menacing gaze. Wei Hua and recognizable officers from the Office of the Grand Herald had arrived before them, however, and he made sure to greet them politely. They were then courteously welcomed by the eunuchs into the hall. 

  Inside, the hall was completely silent. Alongside the tiled path that they walked upon, a serene water stream followed. The water stream itself was almost wholly still, save for the odd ripple that occasionally arose due to the passing of fish. 

  Empress Dowager and the Emperor were sat upon their thrones, which were perched slightly higher than the rest of the hall. A dozen low tables had been spread about the hall, and they were each occupied by high-level nobles and officers of the kingdom. The ordinary officers would have to remain in the adjacent courtyards to eat. Fan Xian was a commissioner of the southern Qing Kingdom and as such was granted a seat upon the first table on the left. Aside from Gao Da – currently weaponless – who stood behind Fan Xian, only two others from the envoy were eligible for a seat at his side. Their names were Lin Wen and Lin Jing. 

  Sitting opposite them was the northern Qi Kingdom’s prime minister and the emperor’s very own tutor. Fan Xian looked at the tutor and immediately acknowledged that he was Zhuang Mohan’s most prized student. What struck Fan Xian the most, though, was how young he looked. 

  After a series of rituals, the birthday feast began. As Fan Xian looked upon her now, Empress Dowager was younger than what would be expected of someone in possession of such a title. Even though she had faint crow’s feet, she would most certainly be regarded as an average-looking middle-aged woman, not some “grandma” that would typically occupy her seat and title. 

  But Fan Xian recalled something that Xiao En had once told him, and it was that Empress Dowager was a heartless woman. She would issue a death sentence on a whim, with no remorse. As he thought of this, he turned away and suddenly noticed Shang Shanhu sat at the table beside him. It was a shame that when Fan Xian entered the hall, he did not get the chance to see Shang Shanhu make an entrance. 

  Empress Dowager lifted her wine glass and began her speech. She was soft-spoken and rather quiet, but Fan Xian paid no heed and decided not to listen. He just followed what his adjacent fellows did mindlessly, making sure to bow repeatedly and so on. 

  It was Empress Dowager’s birthday, so it would naturally be a more grandiose banquet than something that a commoner could afford. The northern Qi Kingdom’s officers and nobles were all flustered in their attempts to find the most valuable gifts they could present to her, and subsequently bring to the palace. One of these remarkable gifts was a dragon, carved entirely out of the jade that was mined from Dong Mountain. There was also an excessively large clock that had been delivered all the way from Dongyi city. There were even twin-tailed ferrets, brought down from the frozen wastes of the north; to which a tall tale was ascribed that only one of these ferrets could exist every thousand years. 

  She seemed pleased with the gifts she had received, and gave a nod in response to their offerings. 

  The southern Qing Kingdom’s envoy’s gift had already been delivered to the capital a long time ago. Even though it was absurdly valuable, the gift itself wasn’t in any way noteworthy. Of course Fan Xian wouldn’t really compose another poem for the Empress Dowager comparing her to a celestial fairy who had descended to the mortal realm. That would give her a big head at the expense of Fan Xian losing face; and besides, his calligraphy wasn’t much to look at. 

  His personal gift was provided in a little bottle. Inside this bottle was a liquid that was amber in color. Aside from that, it looked fairly average and uninspired. When Empress Dowager opened the lid to have a sniff, however, she looked upon Fan Xian with genuine, heartfelt appreciation. 

  And yet it was merely perfume. The palace treasury had halted its production of this concoction fifteen years ago, but Fan Xian had managed to take one from Qingyu Hall. He had been keeping it to seduce Haitang with. 

  At the time, he did not know Haitang wasn’t the sort for such items, and, as he well knew now, that she was not often concerned with glamour and elegance. When Fan Xian was in the capital copying down the works of Li Qingzhao that he could recall, and preparing a perfume originally developed in France, he never thought his attempts at reining in Haitang would fail. And to now think that he was the one almost tricked by her. 

  After Fan Xian bowed before Empress Dowager, he looked up at the Emperor and noticed that even he was smiling toward Fan Xian. He had long held a preconceived prejudice toward the emperor and empress, but seeing what he saw at that very moment, he couldn’t help but feel his heart flutter ever so slightly.

  Chapter 249: Fighting and Play-fighting in the Palace Contest 

  Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio 

  Fan Xian was moved, though his expression remained deferential. He lowered his eyes, avoiding the young Emperor’s gaze, and uneasily cast a glance to one side at the Empress Dowager. There were no expressions on the aged faces of the grand tutor and the Prime Minister, so his gaze naturally fell upon the table to one side of the grand tutor. 

  The table was empty; it appeared that someone had failed to attend. As he considered this, someone came into the hall from a corridor to the side, bowing to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager and sitting casually at the table, where palace maids served him wine. 

  The man was dressed head to toe in black. He was tall, slender, and powerful-looking, yet his eyes were as calm as old water wells, their darkest depths invisible. The strangest thing was the chain around his waist, to which two curved blades were fastened. This was brazen indeed! 

  Fan Xian took in a breath of cold air and then turned to Lin Jing. “Who is that?” he asked. “If he can sit next to the grand tutor while carrying weapons into the palace, he is a formidable man indeed.” 

  “That man is Lang Tao, a disciple of Ku He,” said Lin Jing quietly. “He is a commander of the palace guard, but I’ve heard that over the past few years he has taken responsibility for the Emperor’s martial practice. He has little involvement in political affairs.” 

  Fan Xian grunted in acknowledgment. Seemingly having finally understood, he was rather taken aback. “So this is Haitang’s senior student under Ku He. No wonder he has such a high position.” 

  At that moment, Lang Tao’s deep, calm gaze had already fallen on Fan Xian. 

  Fan Xian smiled and raised his glass, gesticulating a toast with Lang Tao. “Hello,” he mouthed silently. 

  Lang Tao frowned. It seemed unclear what he was thinking. A short moment later, he finally raised his cup and drank along with Fan Xian. 

  “Sir, you ought to make friends with him,” said Lin Jing quietly. “It’s a shame that we leave for home the day after next when today is the first time you’ve met him.” 

  Fan Xian made a regretful face, but wondered whether Lang Tao might recognize him. While he pondered, Lang Tao also had his suspicions. Looking at the face of the young Qing official, it didn’t look unnatural at all. Could it be that Shen Zhong’s conjecture had been correct – that the man in black on the cliff had been Chen Pingping’s shadow bodyguard, and not this Commissioner Fan? 

  Fan Xian calmed himself as his gaze swept over the tables in the palace hall. “Why do I not see Master Shen Zhong?” he asked. 

  “Though Shen Zhong is Provost of the Discipline Commission, he is not of a high enough rank to enter the palace,” replied Lin Jing. “Besides, today is the Empress Dowager’s birthday. He is no doubt dealing with all matters of security in Shangjing.” 

  Fan Xian nodded and said nothing. A moment later, wonderful music began to play throughout the palace, and dancers filled the courtyard. Clear light shone through the rafters; the birthday feast had officially begun. 

  First, the Emperor raised a cup to toast the Empress Dowager, and then the ministers kneeled, wishing the Empress Dowager a long life. As an official of a foreign nation, Fan Xian sat at the front, with Lin Jing to one side quietly instructing him on what to do so that everything went smoothly. 

  The beautiful palace maids brought out drinks and fruits and vegetables, and quietly and effortlessly placed them on the tables. Every time a palace maid came out to wait on people, Fan Xian turned slightly and smiled. In the midst of all these Northern Qi officials, he couldn’t help but be a little artificial, but the more some of them watched him, the happier they felt, feeling that this young wunderkind was quite an outstanding character. 

  Yet as he looked upon the fair-faced maids, Fan Xian felt somewhat uneasy. The young Emperor spent his days with all these beautiful women, and yet he hadn’t become a licentious youth. It was curious indeed. 

  Although the Empress Dowager’s birthday wasn’t like the birthday of any other old woman, it wasn’t all that different. The only thing was that the guests were of a somewhat higher caliber, the food and drink were of greater quality, and as for the post-meal entertainment…… it wasn’t anything you’d see at a middle-aged woman’s birthday party. It made Fan Xian’s head ache. 

  Fan Xian rubbed his temples. He had a warm smile on his face, but in his heart, he had already begun to curse. 

  Gentle girls now like to curse like old fishwives, and boorish boys now like to play at bashful coquetry. Pig-slaughtering butchers like to eat their neighbor’s vegetables, and unmarried old maids with flowers in their hair like to go around acting as matchmakers. These people all wish to get closer to the sort of things they are completely unsuited for, and to do the sort of things they should not. In psychological terms, this feeling of lacking something is emphasized by the subconscious mind. 

  So the Kingdom of Qing, always renowned throughout the land for its martial prowess, had set itself upon the path of culture and literature under its current Emperor. Its famous generals and great fighters began to involve themselves in poetry competitions. The palace concubines who loved literature gained the Emperor’s favor. The Second Prince threw himself into studying the classical scriptures, winning the hearts of the people until Fan Xian, the immortal of poetry, appeared, immediately gaining the attention and reverence of all the scholars of the land. 

  And Northern Qi, always prized as a center of culture, had worked to strengthen itself, no longer holding contests of poetry but instead contests of strength. It had given up on using words, instead choosing to reason with fists. So the fighters who had thrown their swords to the ground outside the diplomatic compound, wishing to duel with Fan Xian, could have stretched from the door all the way to Mount Yan. 

  Fan Xian had closed his door and not come out, choosing instead to travel around with Haitang, narrowly avoiding the constant offers to fight. To his surprise, just as he was about to return home, he found that he could not hide himself any longer in the palace hall. 

  “Master Fan, what do you think of this suggestion?” The Empress Dowager smiled, looking at the seated Fan Xian. Though it was a question, there was only one possible answer. 

  Fan Xian trembled slightly. Previously, the top general in Northern Qi had suggested a contest. Although it had sounded fine – just swapping pointers on martial techniques and nothing more – everybody knew that the immortal of poetry had no choice. This was shaping up to be a humiliation, and the Empress Dowager didn’t know why it seemed that he didn’t like her. 

  He stood up, looked around the room, and suddenly laughed. “Empress Dowager, I lack the strength even to truss a chicken. It is best that I sit this out.” 

  Laughter erupted in the hall. Nobody believed what Fan Xian had said. News of how he had killed Cheng Jushu and bested Ye Lin’g’er had spread throughout the land. Everyone knew that he was a rare combination of talented scholar and expert fighter. No one had expected the South’s chief diplomat to be so timid. 

  “You are too modest, Master Fan,” said the Empress Dowager, her face calm. She then said something else that Fan Xian found it impossible to refuse. 

  Fan Xian’s eyes widened. No wonder that in all the novels he had read in his old world about people who travelled to other worlds, those travellers carried on the honorable tradition of Wei Xiaobao, and called the Empress Dowager an “old whore”[1]. If he really let himself go at that moment, losing face in front of the royal court, he would find it rather hard to explain himself to his father and the old cripple back home; and who knew what sort of tricks Xinyang would play with whispers and rumors. 

  So with a smile, he took a step back and cupped his hands in deference. 

  The Empress Dowager’s eyes were bright. Sitting by her side, the Emperor looked slightly concerned. “Minister Fan,” he asked, “if you’re not feeling well, then you should sit it out.” 

  Though Fan Xian had talked with the Emperor on a number of occasions, he had some measure of ill-feeling about him. But hearing his sincere concern, he felt a certain respect for him as a ruler and could not help but feel touched. “Your Majesty,” he said, raising his head and speaking in a bright, clear voice, “even if my blood may splash upon the ground before the palace, then I shall offer it as a birthday gift to the Empress Dowager.” 

  It was an inappropriate thing to say, very much in violation of etiquette, and the mood immediately soured. The Empress Dowager’s face sank. Yet the Emperor laughed, amused by his words. Fan Xian may have appeared calm and gentle to him on the outside, but was willful and determined to come out on top, with an eccentric temperament. He waved a hand. “We have said enough. As it is a contest, do not go too hard on each other.” 

  There was a coldness in the Emperor’s eyes as he looked at the ministers gathered in the palace hall. “If anyone feels unsure whether they can control their strength, then it is best they do not come forth to show themselves up.” The words gave pause to those who were intending to inflict “accidental” injuries. 

  The ministers trembled. The speed at which their young Emperor had reached maturity over the past few years had been rather frightening. His power had grown to a point where it looked unlikely to recede…… and what was even stranger was his relationship with Fan Xian. Was he their Emperor, or the Emperor of Qing? 

  The chatter died down. A general came in from outside, bowing to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. “I, Cheng Puzhu, ask for the guidance of Master Fan of the Kingdom of Qing.” 

  The Empress Dowager nodded slightly. The Emperor knew of Cheng Puzhu’s strength. He was a fellow student of Lang Tao, and they were students of the same sect. Currently, he held a post in the palace guard, and had probably heard the order and so he had come to participate in the contest. The Emperor knew from Haitang that Fan Xian was already a ninth-level master, and Cheng Puzhu was only seventh-level. The Emperor looked at Lang Tao, his own martial tutor, and saw that he was sitting calmly at his table, his face unmoved. Why? 

  Cheng Puzhu bowed once more to Fan Xian. “Master Fan, you are renowned for your talent in both literature and combat. I ask for your guidance.” 

  Fan Xian laughed and looked at Lang Tao. He knew that this contest in the palace was not in order to declare a victor, but for Lang Tao to see Fan Xian’s fighting style before he left for home. After he had arrived in Northern Qi, he had not fought in front of others. Lang Tao definitely still had doubts about the incident on top of the cliff. 

  He cupped his hands toward Cheng Puzhu. “Master Cheng?” 

  “I am he,” said Cheng Puzhu. 

  “You are no match for me,” said Fan Xian. He sat down. 

  There was a burst of chatter as those present discussed Fan Xian’s arrogance. Then they heard something else. “Master Cheng, I ask for your guidance.” 

  Cheng Puzhu was angry, and yet behind Fan Xian, he saw that a guard had stepped forth. He stood before him, the light coming down from the glass roof window and scattering clear and bright, illuminating the palace hall, and very clearly showing the vengeful expression on the guard’s plain-looking face. 

  With just one step forward, Gao Da seemed to have undergone a monumental change. Before, he was an unremarkable guard, hiding in Fan Xian’s shadow. Now that he had stepped forth, he had the air of a grandmaster. There was no wind in the hall, but his zhenqi circulated, causing his clothing to flutter. 

  Fan Xian shielded himself behind the table, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his fingers grasping his wine goblet. He squinted, taking note of Lang Tao’s expression out of the corner of his eye. 

  Lang Tao didn’t seem happy about the current situation. He was picking up some vegetables from a plate with his chopsticks, but Fan Xian could see his chin move slightly…… it seemed to be a nod of approval. 

  Cheng Puzhu took a deep breath. Everyone in Shangjing knew that Gao Da was a powerful bodyguard for the southern diplomatic mission. In one move, he had bested Tan Wu, Shang Shanhu’s subordinate. He was a true master! 

  But, things being as they were, Cheng Puzhu could not retreat. Instead, he called in a loud voice: “Your Majesty, grant me the use of my blade!” 

  Though the young Emperor admired Fan Xian, he was no fool. He knew what his duties as Emperor of Northern Qi entailed, and he admired the courage and power of this military leader. “I shall permit it……” he said, a praiseful look on his face. “General Cheng, take care. This is purely a test of your martial prowess. Do not look upon this as defending the honor of the royal court. Whether you win or lose, you have my respect.” 

  The Empress Dowager looked at her son disapprovingly, but the young Emperor laughed, seeming not to have seen his mother’s glare. 

  The Lin brothers were extremely nervous. They had wanted to return home immediately, how could they let such a scene unfold in the palace? If their side won, then Northern Qi would lose face. And if they lost, then Qing would lose face. Even worse! But the Qing officials, who had cultivated a natural ruthlessness over the past decades, saw their opponent’s provocations, and though they were civilian officials, they felt genuinely angry. “Gao, don’t go too hard on him,” they said. 

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  Before battle has begun, one must first win the war of words. Fan Xian looked at his two vice envoys and laughed bitterly. So those two were more arrogant than he was after all. He turned to face the Emperor, sat upon his Dragon Throne. “Your Majesty, I ask that you allow my subordinate to bring a sword into the palace.” 

  The Emperor smiled at him and waved his hand. 

  Outside the hall, they already knew that a contest was about to take place. It was the Empress Dowager’s birthday, so rules were relaxed somewhat within the palace, and the Emperor approved, so the officials who had been dining in a side chamber rushed into the main hall, fervently craning their necks to see what was about to take place. 

  A young eunuch entered the corner gate of the palace carrying Gao Da’s longsword, passing it to the eunuch in front of the palace, who brought it into the hall. Fan Xian saw Wang Qinian shoot a furtive glance in his direction from the doorway, and he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of worry. Was Wang going to take up his old trade and steal something from the palace? 

  Meanwhile, Gao Da took up his sword in both hands, his mental state immediately shifting into one of complete focus. The previous might was no more, and the feeling of stress had disappeared…… All that seemed to be left was him and his blade, but in the eyes of the spectators, it was still only a blade. 

  Lang Tao put down his chopsticks, looking at the unique longsword that Gao Da wielded. It wasn’t clear what he was thinking. He frowned. 

  Cheng Puzhu and Gao Da faced each other, sizing each other up as opponents, getting rid of all distracting thoughts. Cheng Puzhu took a breath and slowly withdrew his curved blades from their scabbards. The blades chafed against their sheathes with an ear-piercing metallic screech. 

  Gao Da still didn’t move. He held his longsword in his hands, leaning his body a few inches to the right. 

  Cheng Puzhu slowly began circulating his zhenqi, channeling it into his wrists. He felt as if his arms were becoming one with the curved blades. He raised them up. He was a fellow student of Lang Tao, a member of Ku He’s sect, and although he was only at the seventh-level, his teaching had given him self-confidence. His opponent might be arrogant and willful, but he was not. 

  The flash of his blades blossomed like snow! 

  The distance between the two experts disappeared in an instant, as if it had never existed. The next moment, Cheng Puzhu had appeared right in front of Gao Da. The two men were close; face-to-face, body-to-body! 

  And that icy glint had come from the sword in Cheng Puzhu’s hand. His curved blade was hanging strangely downward, and he raised it high, plunging it toward Gao Da’s left shoulder! 

  The two men were too close together. Even Cheng Puzhu’s curved blade could only hang downward, thrusting in this erratic and treacherous fashion. And the longsword that Gao Da held in his hands could not be unsheathed, and even if it had, there was no way to make use of it in so small a gap. 

  Cheng Puzhu was indeed an outstanding disciple of his sect, and in a short space of time, relying on his judgment of his opponent’s weapon, he had figured out a plan to subdue his enemy. 

  The ministers were surprised. It seemed that they were about to see blood spurt from Gao Da’s shoulder. 

  Fan Xian frowned. Apparently, he hadn’t expected Cheng Puzhu’s attack to be as fast and unrelenting as thunder. 

  There was an unpleasant sound. Soon after, there was the sound of something shattering, and a low groan. The next moment, the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, and all of those ministers who had gathered outside trying to peek in watched in shock as a figure flew across the room! 

  Cheng Puzhu collapsed to the ground, his face covered in blood. It seemed he had suffered a serious wound! 

  The spectators presumed that Gao Da had used his zhenqi to forcefully repel Cheng Puzhu. They couldn’t help but feel astonishment. To send a seventh-level master flying with one’s zhenqi alone – only the four grandmasters, or perhaps a very skilled upper ninth-level fighter could do such a thing…… And yet Gao Da was merely a bodyguard! 

  Only those in the room who were skilled in martial arts knew what had really occurred. As Cheng Puzhu had brought his curved blade down, Gao Da had not pulled out his sword, but rather his longsword had plunged downward! 

  The handle of the blade was roughly an inch in diameter, and this small hilt had come into contact with the point of Cheng Puzhu’s curved blade! 

  Gao Da’s blade was as tall as a man, and he stood it up vertically, the scabbard planted steadily into the floor. 

  So when the tip of the curved blade hit the hilt, it was as if all of Cheng Puzhu’s power and zhenqi had used Gao Da’s longsword as a bridge, transmitting it into the bluestone floor beneath their feet. Gao Da remained uninvolved, and watched as Cheng Puzhu’s charged-up attack had collided with the ground. 

  Even if you were a grandmaster, how could you go up against Mother Earth? 

  In that instant, Cheng Puzhu had felt an extremely powerful force transmitted through the tip of his blade, obstructing his breath. 

  Then Gao Da sheathed his sword and cupped his hands, his arms forming a circle. He turned to the left, his right fist like steel as his elbow smashed into Cheng Puzhu’s jaw. It was a powerful blow, immediately dislodging his opponent’s teeth from his lips, the blood spattering. This was Gao Da acting with restraint; if he were not holding back, Cheng Puzhu would have been dead. 

  Rather than losing to Gao Da, Cheng Puzhu had lost to the floor. 

  The waiting eunuchs carried Cheng Puzhu away to see to his injuries. Gao Da bowed deeply to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, pulled out his longsword, and slowly returned to his place behind Fan Xian. With a cracking sound, the stone floor where they had fought began to split apart inch by inch. Everybody in the hall finally understood that Cheng Puzhu’s blow had hammered his still-sheathed longsword into the floor. What sort of strength was that? 

  Understanding Gao Da’s quick thinking, the gathered guests chattered among themselves, but they had little to say. 

  Looking at the faces of the Northern Qi officials, Fan Xian found himself laughing boastfully. In the eyes of onlookers, it was a somewhat evil laugh. Fan Xian offered the cup he was drinking to Gao Da behind him. 

  Gao Da was somewhat stunned. He took the cup and drank it in one mouthful. “Thank you for your wine, sir, and for your guidance.” It wasn’t clear what guidance Fan Xian had provided him with. 

  Fan Xian smiled. “You should be thanking the Empress Dowager for it……” 

  Before he had finished speaking, he realized that silence had descended upon the palace hall, including the officials and eunuchs outside…… because Lang Tao was speaking. 

  Lang Tao smiled at Fan Xian. “Your reputation for little tricks precedes you, Master Fan. I didn’t expect your bodyguard to be well-versed in them too.” Having said this, he stood up, taking off his outer layer of clothing and giving it to a palace maid, revealing the two curved blades on his waist. 

  There was a low humming sound in the hall. 

  Lang Tao had stepped forth! He was a disciple of Ku He and the martial tutor of His Majesty. The ministers of Shangjing had not seen him do battle for many years, and they did not expect that he would make an exception for a southerner. 

  The gathered officials stared at Lang Tao with fervent gazes. Due to his high status, they did not dare say a word. 

  Not waiting for Lang Tao to step forward, Fan Xian laughed and waved a hand. “I am no match for you.” Before, he had said that Cheng Puzhu was no match for him, and now he said that he was no match for his opponent. To the northern spectators, he was being candid and straightforward. 

  Lang Tao laughed. “We will only know that for sure once we have fought.” 

  Fan Xian’s heart skipped a beat. He knew that if he were to really fight Lang Tao, then firstly, if he were not able to use his concealed crossbow and his poisons, then he truly would not be any match for him. Secondly, if he let Lang Tao figure out that he really was the man on the cliff, then considering Ku He’s endless attempts to cover up the secret of the temple, then his only way out would be death. 

  He frowned. Yet he knew that challenging someone of Lang Tao’s stature would bring great honor to Qing. He could not send Gao Da out on his behalf once more. He steeled himself and got ready to do battle. Just at that moment, he heard a voice. “Brother, I shall do it.” 

  Fan Xian was happy. Very happy. 

  The people of Qi were also happy, and those who had come to see the spectacle happier still. 

  Haitang walked slowly out from behind the Empress Dowager, bowing slightly to Lang Tao. “Brother, allow me.” 

  Lang Tao looked at her with warmth. “Very well, Haitang…… but beware of Master Fan’s…… tactics.” 

  Haitang bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. She said nothing, and simply walked up to Fan Xian. “Are you ready?” she said with a smile. 

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” Neither of them felt there was anything childish about their conversation. 

  Of course, neither the crowd of onlookers nor even the Qing diplomatic mission had noticed anything. Everyone had fallen into a state of total anticipation, something that went beyond victory or defeat or the reputations of both nations – they simply wanted to see what would happen next. 

  From Qing, the immortal of poetry, skilled in literature and in combat, who had become Commissioner of the Overwatch Council at not even 20 years of age: Fan Xian. 

  From Qi, the upper ninth-level fighter, the youngest disciple of Ku He, the legendary Tianmai, believed by many to be most likely to become the fifth grandmaster: Haitang. 

  The two were the leading lights of their generation; the talk of every town. They had been spotted walking around the streets of Shangjing, seemingly appreciative of one another’s talent; from a certain perspective, it showed that they were of a class all of their own. 

  They had become quite a pair. 

  It was unclear how much time had passed. Standing by the doorway, Wang Qinian yawned, watching the two young fighters. “Who are they trying to fool?” he mumbled to himself. 

  The eunuch standing next to him was indignant. “A fake fight in the hall! Lady Haitang, how can you bear to disappoint these people so?” 

  “You’ve taken the spectators’ money,” said Wang Qinian, peeved. “It’s all for show, so what does it matter if it’s fake? When you consider who those two are, maybe the Emperor feels too embarrassed to expose it as fake.” 

  [1] Wei Xiaobao is a character in Jin Yong’s The Deer and the Cauldron, a wheeler-dealer bureaucrat who exposes an impostor who has been sent to impersonate the Empress Dowager.