Dong-
Dong-
Distant morning bells rang out from deep within Cloud Peace City.
The little courtyard deep in Twin Osmanthus Alley was silent, with only a black horse standing quietly beside the kitchen.
The main house's door was shut. Ever since Luo Ning and Zhe Yunli had left, it had never opened again.
Several more flowerpots had appeared beneath the melon trellis, set alongside those Luo Ning had bought. Over the past two days, the lush green seedlings had grown a little sturdier.
In the western side room, Ye Jingtang sat bare-chested on the bed, holding the gold paper with his eyes closed in concentration.
The big, snowy-white Niao Niao crouched beside the pillow, staring listlessly at the window.
A few days ago, Zhe Yunli would already have been up at this hour, holding Niao Niao and feeding breakfast. Living with Tang-Tang clearly offered no such blessings. They had been apart for only two days, yet longing already lingered relentlessly in Niao Niao's heart.
"Cheep..."
After waiting ages without any movement from Ye Jingtang, Niao Niao rolled over beside him and kicked him with little claws, signaling that it was time for breakfast.
Ye Jingtang's eyelashes stirred. He opened his eyes and looked at the gold paper in his hand.
After Luo Ning and Zhe Yunli left, life had become decidedly monotonous. These past two days, he had essentially stayed indoors, devoting himself to martial training.
The Tianhe Blade, the Overlord Spear, Lightness Skill, and his own saber techniques all needed practice. When he put it that way, his schedule was rather busy.
Divine martial mastery could never be achieved in a single day, and Ye Jingtang was in no hurry. During his breaks, he studied the Dragon-Mingling Diagram he had acquired by chance.
He had tried every decoding method he knew-projection, copying, soaking it in water, burning it, and so on-without any results. He had already set it aside for the time being, but when he woke that morning, inspiration suddenly struck, and he remembered something: investigating bamboo.
He had seen little in this life, but retained plenty of jumbled memories from his previous one, including the amusing story of a sage "investigating bamboo."
Although this approach to investigating things was wrong, he still carefully studied the picture of a "tortoise bearing three mountains" on the gold paper and earnestly began "investigating paper," trying to stare his way into the profound truths of heaven's way contained within it.
To his surprise, he discovered that the method actually worked.
He saw no profound truths of heaven's way, but whether his eyes had blurred from staring too long or not, the glittering golden dragon-tortoise in the picture seemed to move. The clouds encircling the three mountain peaks also seemed to flow slowly under the light.
After pondering for ages, he decided this might be a method of circulating qi. He closed his eyes and concentrated, imagining each feature of the picture as a part of his body, trying to link them together inside himself into the "illusory scene" he had seen.
He had just begun to grasp a hint of it when Niao Niao kicked him awake.
Seeing that daylight had fully arrived, Ye Jingtang did not rush. After committing the method to memory, he put away the gold paper and pulled on his robes.
They would soon depart for West King Town, and Third Madam had already begun preparations. Before leaving, however, he still had to finish his business with Prince Jing.
Last time, he had promised Prince Jing they would compare Lightness Skills in three days. In the blink of an eye, the day had arrived. He could use this opportunity to teach her the Tianhe Blade. If she learned quickly, he might even fish Qiu Tianhe out today, sparing himself Heroine Luo's complaints that he was not taking the matter seriously.
After washing up, Ye Jingtang watered the flowers and plants Luo Ning had planted, then led his horse out of Twin Osmanthus Alley with Niao Niao, heading toward Jade Resonance Tower.
He had been in the capital for many days now, and it was late in the fourth month. The young ladies and married women strolling through the bustling streets wore lighter clothes, drawing appraising looks from idle men.
"Cheep!"
Niao Niao raised a wing from his shoulder and covered Ye Jingtang's eyes, reminding him not to look at anything improper.
Ye Jingtang flicked Niao Niao and rode through the crowded streets to the Black Bureau, where he saw constables hurrying in and out.
He had just reached the entrance when two men walked out together.
The burly man in front was She Long, "Black Impermanence," his arm still wrapped in bandages. Shang Jianli followed behind him.
"Lord She, Lord Shang."
Seeing She Long, Ye Jingtang stepped forward and saluted with cupped hands.
"Are you two heading out on business?"
She Long's tightly knitted brows relaxed a little when he saw Ye Jingtang. He walked straight over and patted his shoulder.
"Young Master Ye, perfect timing. Come along and help us with an assignment. My arm hasn't healed yet. If something really happens, I'll struggle to back Jianli up. You practice external martial arts too, so help hold the line."
He truly did not treat Ye Jingtang as an outsider.
Since Ye Jingtang was the one who had injured She Long with his saber, he could hardly refuse being pressed into service. He asked:
"Who are we arresting?"
She Long stood with his hands behind his back, a trace of worry on his face.
"We don't know. Yesterday, Wang Sheng, one of the bureau's chief constables, ran into someone near the eastern market and was killed on the spot. His body wasn't discovered until this morning. The attacker used a blunt weapon-a staff or club-and split his skull with one blow. Judging by the traces, Wang Sheng never even had time to draw his saber. His martial skills were first-rate even by the martial world's standards. The attacker's abilities may be unfathomable."
The Black Bureau had roughly forty chief constables in total, with the Six Fiends being the finest among them.
Hearing that a chief constable had been killed, Ye Jingtang could not help feeling alarmed. He asked:
"Could the attacker be a Grandmaster?"
"Almost certainly. Do you have time, Young Master Ye? Why not come along?"
Ye Jingtang did have time, and going out with Black and White Impermanence would not be especially dangerous, so he was about to agree.
But Shang Jianli, standing behind She Long, interjected:
"Young Master Ye lacks experience in the martial world. If we rashly take him along and something goes wrong, it'll be hard to answer for it. Prince Jing went to Jade Pool Manor yesterday and specifically instructed us to send Young Master Ye there to seek an audience if he came."
She Long had only casually tried to recruit another helper, so he naturally did not insist.
"Since Prince Jing has given orders, go attend to your business first, Young Master Ye."
Ye Jingtang cupped his hands. "Then please take care, my lords. Once I've seen Prince Jing, I'll come over and have a look. After this is all settled, I'll treat you both to an evening at Golden Screen Tower."
"Oh, you're too kind..."
Black and White Impermanence returned his salute and left together.
Having learned that Prince Jing was at the hot spring manor, Ye Jingtang did not enter the Black Bureau. He mounted his horse and headed toward the capital's eastern gate with Niao Niao.
Jade Pool Manor stood beneath Spring Dawn Peak outside the city, beside Lotus Pool and the Clear River. It served as a summer retreat, its scenery among the finest in Yunzhou. Unfortunately, it was reserved exclusively for the sovereign and stood empty nine-tenths of the year.
At noon, several pleasure boats and painted barges could be seen carrying scholars and young ladies along the river, while numerous merchant vessels traveled its waters as well. No visitors remained on the shore. The area had been cleared a full mile from the manor, and imperial guards in gleaming armor stood watch throughout. Even a bird flying past would be scrutinized several times.
Warm sunlight spilled over the manor beneath Spring Dawn Peak. Imperial guards patrolled outside, while beyond the Dragon-Washing Pool at the rear, countless palace maids in colorful garments stood bowed, waiting quietly.
The Dragon-Washing Pool was enormous, surrounded by flowers, greenery, and waterside pavilions for resting. Wisps of white mist rose from its center, where several dragon heads poured out warm spring water.
Splash...
Sunlight fell into the mist-shrouded outdoor hot spring, where a tall woman with skin as white as jade floated naked on her back.
In the shade beside the hot spring, the Empress Dowager sat with her long hair loose over her shoulders, a thin white gauze draped around her and her delicate feet immersed in the water. Her face held its usual trace of plaintive resentment.
"You said you were bringing me out to lift my spirits, but look how that turned out. You won't even let me leave the gates. What's the point of soaking here? Sigh..."
Dongfang Liren was an excellent swimmer. She turned over on the surface and gave a light kick with her long, lovely legs, slipping beneath the water. When she emerged, she was already before the Empress Dowager, her sleek hair clinging to her smooth back and a smile on her face.
"Something happened in the city yesterday, and the Black Bureau is investigating. Once things settle down, I'll take you to enjoy the river scenery."
Dongfang Liren was as tall as a man. Even if her proportions matched those of an ordinary woman, her breasts would inevitably be larger.
Born in Jiangzhou, the Empress Dowager was a gentle beauty from a scholarly family. She probably reached only Ye Jingtang's chin, but a pampered childhood had left her wanting for no nourishment. Her assets were quite impressive too, her bust strikingly generous for her frame.
Neither woman had any intention of comparing, of course. The Empress Dowager slid into the pool and floated lazily, gently stirring the water with her hands.
"Whenever I go out, it either rains or something goes wrong. Is heaven deliberately making life difficult for me?"
"Don't keep dwelling on such things, Your Majesty. Think of something pleasant."
"How can I feel pleased when you're so unreliable? Last time, I thought you'd given me something nice... I had Hongyu throw that thing away. If you behave so outrageously again, I'll complain to Her Majesty!"
"I only thought of it on a whim because you must be lonely, living widowed deep in the palace..."
"Even if I am lonely, I can't act recklessly. You weren't little when I entered the palace. Don't you know my circumstances? You're untouched, but do you think your mother isn't?"
The Empress Dowager shot Dongfang Liren an irritated glance, then remembered the handsome young man she had seen in the painting last time. After a moment's thought, she asked curiously:
"Liren, you haven't already..."
Dongfang Liren's gallant face stiffened, and she frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You're Prince Jing, second only to one and above ten thousand. Finding a handsome young man to attend to you would be simple enough..."
The Empress Dowager glanced beneath the water.
"Liren, tell me honestly. Have you already... hmm?"
?!
Dongfang Liren naturally understood what the Empress Dowager meant and grew rather annoyed.
"What nonsense are you saying? How could I possibly..."
Knowing she would get no answer, and that she could hardly check herself, the Empress Dowager said discontentedly:
"I was only curious. You should have married long ago. If you have someone in your heart, just say so. Your mother will ask Her Majesty to grant you a marriage."
The Empress was Dongfang Liren's own elder sister. If she took a fancy to a man, why would she need the Empress Dowager to play matchmaker? She merely smiled in response.
They had only chatted a little longer when a female official entered the Dragon-Washing Pool and respectfully reported from behind a screen:
"Your Highness, word has come from outside that Young Master Ye Jingtang is here."
"Oh?"
Dongfang Liren had had no chance these past few days to ask how Ye Jingtang's study of the Tianhe Blade was progressing. Now that he was here, she naturally wanted to see him.
But discussing martial arts would take them at least half a day. She had come to keep the Empress Dowager company and lift her spirits; abandoning her to meet privately with a man would certainly be inappropriate. After some thought, she instructed:
"Have Young Master Ye enjoy the manor's scenery for now. I'll summon him when I'm free."
"Yes."
Last time at Jade Resonance Tower, the Empress Dowager had seen Dongfang Liren go out to meet "Young Master Ye," and afterward had spotted that flawless young man who looked as though he had stepped out of a painting.
Ye was a rare surname, with only a handful in the entire capital. His form of address suggested he was not an official, and the young man last time had also been dressed like an ordinary gentleman. She felt they were most likely the same person.
"Liren, who is this Young Master Ye?"
Dongfang Liren was a little distracted. Afraid the Empress Dowager would notice, she swam behind her and helped smooth her long hair.
"A new helper recruited by the Black Bureau. He has excellent martial skills and exceptional abilities, but comes from a merchant family. There's nothing particularly special about him."
Nothing particularly special?
The Empress Dowager did not believe a word of it. If this "Ye Jingtang" truly was the young man from the painting she had seen last time, his looks alone were special enough.
Still, as Empress Dowager, she could hardly question her about such things, so she said considerately:
"If you have business, go attend to it. I'm used to being alone."
"I came out to keep you company and lift your spirits, so of course I must do it properly. Such minor matters can wait."
"As long as you're in no hurry... I'm only afraid you're hiding someone in your heart and think your mother has no sense of when to make herself scarce."
"Sigh..."
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