A Letter on the Pillow

"I don't understand what you're talking about." Li Qingxian refused to budge.

Zhou Chunfeng hid the delight at the corners of his eyes and said, "Still, be careful that someone accuses you afterward of currying favor and fawning for advancement."

"I've already been to Ministry of Revenue Street. Why should I fear a battle of words?" Li Qingxian smiled calmly.

Li Qingxian shifted the subject. "To prevent petty villains from making accusations, how about this: today, we draw up two copies of a document. One will be kept with Lord Luo, and Uncle Zhou will store the other. Once the brewing method is finalized, we can use the documents as proof and offer them as birthday congratulations to His Majesty. However, I have one improper request: no one beyond the four of us may know about these two documents. If word leaks out, I would rather destroy the brewing method."

"You're being overly cautious, but that is fine. I will hide this document well and never let anyone else learn of it, including Lord Lu," Luo Jing said.

"Mhm." Zhou Chunfeng merely nodded softly.

After discussing matters for a while longer, Luo Jing and Li Qingxian took their leave around dusk.

"Stay a moment, worthy nephew. This foolish uncle has something to say," Zhou Chunfeng said.

Delight flashed across Li Qingxian's face. "Then this nephew will remain."

Zhou Chunfeng's mouth twitched. After seeing Luo Jing off, he turned and returned to the study.

Led by a guard, Luo Jing exited through the side gate of the Night Guard Yamen. He stood on Night Guard Street, gazing up at the blue-black night sky.

Duan Heng and the other subordinates stood behind him, waiting silently.

"Brother Heng, I have to thank you for today," Luo Jing suddenly said.

"Huh?" Duan Heng looked utterly bewildered.

"This Li Qingxian is quite good." As Luo Jing spoke, he strode away.

Duan Heng suddenly understood and chuckled foolishly.

Inside the study.

Zhou Chunfeng pointed at a chair. "Sit."

Li Qingxian sat down.

"Tell me. What exactly are you plotting by having the two of us safeguard those documents?"

"Nothing," Li Qingxian answered naturally.

"Besides protecting yourself, do you have any other intentions in offering birthday congratulations to His Majesty?" Zhou Chunfeng raised his brows, looking every bit the heroic gentleman.

"Nothing." Li Qingxian remained perfectly composed.

"Good, then." Zhou Chunfeng nodded. "What are you standing around for? Take a Gold-Character Command Token and hide it well. Don't flaunt it everywhere."

"Huh? All right!" Li Qingxian happily walked to the desk, carefully picked up the wooden Gold-Character Command Token with its black base and gold lettering, and examined it closely.

"Anything else? If not, go back."

Just as Li Qingxian was about to leave, he glanced at Zhou Chunfeng and said with a grin, "Uncle Zhou, I want to ask you a few personal questions. I've been wanting to for a long time."

"Ask." Zhou Chunfeng casually picked up a document and began reviewing it.

Li Qingxian said, "Great Qi has many legends about you. For example, 'Citywide Jade Gazing'—when you arrived in Wu-Su City at the age of ten, your skin was so crystal-clear, like jade, that people mistook you for a jade man, and the whole city came out to stare. I never believed it before, but after seeing you today, I immediately did."

"Seven." Zhou Chunfeng did not even raise his head.

"Then... Fruit-Filled Carriage was real too? You merely said you were going to buy pears, and countless women forcibly threw their own vegetables and fruit into your carriage?"

"Many times." Zhou Chunfeng put down the document. Helplessness appeared on his handsome face beneath those heroic brows as he nodded.

"Then Hand-Linking Encirclement was real too?" Li Qingxian grew even more curious. It was hard to imagine someone being so handsome that numerous women linked hands and surrounded him just to look at him.

Zhou Chunfeng's expression darkened. "Did you come here to be a Night Guard or a long-tongued gossip? Zhou Hen, see the guest out."

"Then it really was true..." Li Qingxian turned and left without a care. "Uncle Zhou, nurture your illness properly. Your throat is bad, so speak less. Later, I'll ask a childhood friend to get some loquat syrup. It isn't precious, but it's genuine. Uncle Zhou Hen, I'm leaving. No need to see me off."

Li Qingxian departed in a carefree, boisterous manner.

Once Li Qingxian's figure vanished from the courtyard, Zhou Hen said helplessly, "That child gets familiar with people far too quickly."

"He grew up wild, fearing neither heaven nor earth. That is not entirely a bad thing," Zhou Chunfeng said.

Zhou Hen curled his lips. Why did he not praise him to his face?

Zhou Chunfeng rose and walked to the window, looking out at the lotus pond where the flowers had yet to bloom.

"Wine..."

Zhou Chunfeng's vision blurred, as if he had returned to many years ago, when he had been demoted and driven from the capital, forced to taste all the warmth and coldness of human hearts.

Of so many so-called friends, only two true confidants had ultimately seen him off.

At Ten-Mile Pavilion, he saw a man seated by the window of a tavern, raising a cup to him from afar before draining it in one gulp.

At the time, Li Gangfeng and he had met only a few times. He had never expected Li Gangfeng, an official of the Censorate, to disregard suspicion and personally come to bid him farewell.

In Zhou Chunfeng's memories, during that early summer, the fragrance of sweet grass and wine forever drifted on the wind.

Flutter, flutter...

Zhou Hen glanced out the window and left the study.

Zhou Chunfeng returned to his desk. The Gray Falcon landed on the ground and transformed into a man.

"My lord, I found it."

"Tell me every detail." In Zhou Chunfeng's soft Jiangnan speech, it was as though blocks of stone had been piled one upon another.

"Two years ago, Lord Li Gangfeng impeached the Heir of Prince Yuan for nine grave crimes. The Heir of Prince Yuan was demoted to a General Supporting the State and placed under house arrest. Half a year ago, Lord Li died. The Heir of Prince Yuan moved back into Prince Yuan's Residence, but no longer held the title of heir. Recently, the Heir of Prince Yuan colluded with Ye Han, the illegitimate son of the Marquis of Northern Pacification. Ye Han feigned friendship and got Li Qingxian drunk. Then the Heir of Prince Yuan's men used the fifth form of the Heart-Shattering Palm on the intoxicated Li Qingxian. The fifth form of the Heart-Shattering Palm leaves no trace. If the victim has not reached Entry Rank, his heart meridians will seal shut after one hour, making it look remarkably like sudden death. Perhaps that man was too hasty and lacked sufficient force, allowing Li Qingxian to escape disaster."

A deep shadow settled in Zhou Chunfeng's eyes.

"It truly was Ye Han?"

"The evidence is conclusive."

Zhou Chunfeng sighed. He took out an envelope and wrote the three words "Zhou Chunfeng" on its front.

He stared at those three words for a long time.

"Zhou Hen."

"Your subordinate is here." Zhou Hen pushed open the door and entered.

"Have our people place this calling card on Prince Yuan's pillow," Zhou Chunfeng said.

Zhou Hen and the man transformed from the falcon both raised their heads, staring at Zhou Chunfeng in shock.

Half a year ago, it would have been of little consequence.

But times had changed.

"My lord, Prince Yuan has recently won considerable trust from His Majesty. It is said he will take command of the Two Guard Capital Camps," Zhou Hen advised.

"Do it." Zhou Chunfeng's voice was very soft.

"By your command!" Zhou Hen took the weighty empty envelope in both hands and strode out.

"Also, have Ye Han come here," Zhou Chunfeng said.

"Yes."

Not long after, a young man in an ordinary dark teal Night Guard uniform slowly approached.

He had sword-like brows and starry eyes, a face like crowned jade. Yet his brows were tightly furrowed and his lips pressed together hard.

His left hand gripped his saber hilt tightly, his back slightly hunched, his figure less upright than usual.

Just moments ago, Ye Han had seen Zheng Hui beneath the great locust tree outside the Street Patrol Office residences. Dressed in tattered clothes, Zheng Hui was excitedly recounting the entire process of how the Mounted Patrol had rescued Li Qingxian. The crowd around him formed three layers within and three layers without, packed so tightly not even water could pass through.

Pang Mingjing, the head of the Finance Section under the Finance Office, a dignified Principal Seventh Rank official, had actually been stripped of his official robes and thrown into the Imperial Prison.

Night insects flew into his face. Agitated, Ye Han repeatedly waved them away. Only upon reaching the study door did he take a deep breath to calm himself.

Just as he was about to speak, a summons in a Jiangnan accent came from within the study.

"Come in."

The voice was cold, freezing Ye Han's body stiff.