Prince of Nankang's Residence, rear courtyard.
Chen Cuo's Mother sat in the rear courtyard, her hair streaked with white. She watched Zhang Ju bow before her, smiled, and nodded. "You're here. Someone, bring him a seat."
Zhang Ju sat down with practiced ease.
Chen Cuo's Mother had refreshments and fruit brought in, then sighed.
Zhang Ju saw her expression and sighed inwardly. "What's happened at the residence this time? Has His Majesty caused trouble, or has something happened to the prince's heir again?"
"Neither." Chen Cuo's Mother shook her head. "My eldest son and grandson are certainly a worry, but today's matter concerns neither of them. It concerns my second son."
"The Lord?" Zhang Ju was taken aback. He rose at once and cupped his hands toward the north. "The Lord is now one of the Immortal School. How has he become involved?"
Chen Cuo's Mother shook her head. "I was summoned to the palace this morning. Only then did I learn that my son Fang Qing has descended the mountain and is now in Huainan!"
"Huainan? Wouldn't that put him face-to-face with His Majesty? Have the brothers fallen out?" Zhang Ju lowered his voice. "More than half of His Majesty's reputation survives only because several senior ministers at court are willing, for the Dream Immortal's sake, to uphold it."
"It isn't a quarrel between brothers. I heard the Zhou Kingdom's troops are involved..."
Before she could finish, a commotion broke out in the courtyard. Chen He hurried in.
"Have you no sense of propriety?" Chen Cuo's Mother scolded him. Then she sighed. "Well? What trouble has Luan caused now?"
"The heir... the heir killed someone in the street!"
"Qin Wuyang killed a man at thirteen, struck fear into mighty men, and won Crown Prince Dan's praise! This wretch insulted