“You are but a fledgling scholar. Do you truly know who the Lord Chancellor is? He was the minister entrusted by the late Emperor to guide the current sovereign. No one in the imperial court dares to cross him. Do you truly believe a mere impeachment could topple such a villain?”
Shen Lang’s face was frozen in a cold mask as he spoke.
The Lord Chancellor’s infamy was universal. The world knew him as a treacherous, cunning man with a heart of poison. However, cursing him in private and impeaching him in the grand hall of the palace were two entirely different matters.
After all, some things weigh as little as a feather when left off the scales, but once placed upon them, they carry the weight of a thousand tons.
Young Master Mei cast a playful glance at Shen Lang before turning back to the high-spirited youth. “Fine ambitions. I saw in your poem that you find the Lord Chancellor narrow-minded and incapable of tolerating dissent. If you impeach him before the court, are you not afraid of death?”
Xie Shaoling gave a dismissive scoff, but when he raised his head, his eyes burned with a fierce light. “To live for justice at dawn and die at dusk—what more could I ask?”
Young Master Mei shook his head in disagreement, a faint smile playing on his lips as he dismissed the sentiment. “Silly.”
“Silly?”
Xie Shaoling had been hailed as a prodigy since childhood. No one had ever used that word to describe him.
Young Master Mei continued in a leisurely tone, “The Lord Chancellor’s power currently reaches the heavens. Impeaching him now would only graze his skin, yet it would cost you your life. It simply isn’t worth the price.”
Xie Shaoling let out a cold laugh. “When it comes to purging a traitor for the sake of the country, what does ‘worth’ have to do with it?”
He was beginning to regret being so candid with this man. The moment Young Master Mei spoke, he sounded like a common man terrified of death—a vulgar soul, through and through.
Young Master Mei did not take offense. Instead, he whispered, “Fine. Since you do not fear death, do you fear living?”
Xie Shaoling didn’t understand the intent behind the question, but he sensed a lurking malice.
Young Master Mei smiled softly. “I have heard that the Chancellor possesses formidable methods. He is an expert at turning loyal ministers and brave generals into his personal lapdogs. If you were lucky enough to survive, would you not fear becoming a dog for the Lord Chancellor?”
Xie Shaoling’s expression turned icy.
He was well aware of this. There was no shortage of former “upright” officials under the Chancellor’s banner. Now, they were like dogs with broken spines, wagging their tails and begging for scraps behind him just to survive.
His grip tightened around his folding fan. With a sharp crack, the sandalwood ribs snapped under his strength.
The youth brushed his sleeve as if he had stepped in something foul and was trying to wipe away the filth. “A dog for Gu Yu?”
“Is he even worthy?”
At those words, Shen Lang’s brows knit together, and he glanced at the young master beside him.
Young Master Mei, however, remained unfazed. With a half-smile, he asked, “Oh? And what if he threw your parents into Zhao Prison and used red-hot iron skewers to crush their fingers one by one? What would you do then?”
Xie Shaoling’s pupils constricted violently.
Young Master Mei’s smile didn’t falter, and his melodious voice seemed to be laced with venom. “What if he sent your sisters to the brothels to be forced into prostitution? Would you still refuse to submit?”
Each word was a blade aimed straight for the heart.
Xie Shaoling suddenly took a step forward, his aura sharp and aggressive as he closed the distance between him and Young Master Mei. “Do you think saying these things will make me afraid?”
“Presumptuous!”
Shen Lang barked a command, moving to intervene.
Young Master Mei spared Shen Lang a glance before calmly patting Xie Shaoling’s tensed cheek. He cooed in a low, comforting voice, “Don’t be afraid, there’s a good boy.”
Xie Shaoling’s nose was filled with the faint, ethereal fragrance lingering on the man’s palm. The scent made his mouth turn dry and his tongue feel strangely numb.
For a moment, an unnameable sense of shame washed over him.
He was afraid, of course. He didn’t fear death, but he feared involving the innocent. He subconsciously licked the corner of his lip. “By your logic, should I simply sit back and watch the wolves run rampant? Should I ignore it all?”
Young Master Mei seemed exasperated by the question and laughed helplessly. “One should take a long-term view of the world. You are younger than the Chancellor. Preserve your life first; you will have plenty of opportunities to deal with him in the future.”
As he breathed, Xie Shaoling could still smell the residual fragrance from the man’s hand. His heart began to flutter uncontrollably.
“Ahem!”
Shen Lang cleared his throat loudly, jarring Xie Shaoling out of his trance.
Shen Lang gave Xie Shaoling a cold look before saying to Young Master Mei, “Young Master, it is late. We should return.”
Young Master Mei nodded and stood up, walking toward the exit of the East Pavilion with a graceful, leisurely gait.
Xie Shaoling stood frozen in place. As if possessed, he touched his own cheek, whispering the words to himself: “One should take a long-term view of the world…”
He suddenly snapped back to his senses and rushed after the man. “Wait! I still do not know your name!”
Young Master Mei turned back and gave a soft smile. It was a smile as clear and chilling as shattered jade falling on snow, making it impossible to look away.
“You will know soon enough.”
Xie Shaoling’s heart skipped a beat, leaving him with a profound sense of loss.
Long after, as the sun dipped below the western horizon, Xie Shaoling’s companion, Xu Hesheng, arrived at the East Pavilion. He found Xie sitting alone at the tea table.
“Shaoling? Shaoling!”
Xu Hesheng called out three times without receiving an answer. Leaning closer, he saw that Xie Shaoling was clutching a plain silk handkerchief, stained with small spots of crimson blood.
“Whose handkerchief is this?”
Xu Hesheng thought the blood was bad luck and reached out to snatch it away to throw it out. However, Xie Shaoling jerked his hand away and pressed the silk to his nose, taking a deep breath.
The cold fragrance was intoxicating.
