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Daxia, Eighth Year of Yonghe, summer solstice.
On the outskirts of the capital Chang’an, a sea of forests stretches with waves of green and the wind leaves behind its presence as it sweeps past. The whistle of a bird echoes, and from the verdant green pine woods an unremarkable black-feathered bird shoots into the clouds. It flies across towering buildings and bustling streets before diving into the Residence of the Grand Marshal, landing on the shoulder of a cheerful-looking man in black robes.
Qin Zhao takes the bamboo tube tied to the bird’s legs and roughly sweeps his gaze across the contents of the letter, before turning around to step onto the pavement.
The study is filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. A youth in ink-blue robes is leaning behind his desk, peeling lychee with his gaze held low. The brilliant red skin of the lychee contrasts his fair crystal-white skin.
“Back at the right time.” Chu Mingyun does not even raise his head. He asks the person who came in, “Have one?”
Qin Zhao hands him the letter. “Chen Xuanwen is dead.”
Chu Mingyun hesitates. He raises his head to cast Qin Zhao a look. Using a brocade handkerchief to wipe his hands clean, he accepts the letter, casually reading through every line. His expression is indifferent, only giving a low laugh when he places the letter onto the table. “I owe Chen Xuanwen the grace of his support. Sending someone to escort him back to his hometown had originally been a dutiful act on my part, but it’s unexpected that there would really be such a change of events.”
“This humble subject has failed,” Qin Zhao says.
“Leave it.” Chu Mingyun says, “Suicide isn’t something you could have stopped.”
Qin Zhao says nothing.
Chen Xuanwen was in his seventies. He occupied the position of the Minister of War and had served three generations of the Imperial Family. He was greatly looked up to in the Imperial Court. A few days ago, he begged to resign and return to his hometown. His Majesty bestowed him with gifts and officials of all ranks watched his departure, calm and peaceful like all the years of his life. Even the Shadow Guards they sent had returned to report the completion of their task; who could have known that he would suddenly commit suicide in his own home?
When the Shadow Guard heard of the news and hurried back, all that was left was a room smeared with traces of blood. The local authorities had taken and buried Chen Xuanwen’s corpse. The rumours go that he was indulging in a night of song and alcohol when suddenly he went completely silent. The neighbours visited his home to check on him, yet what greeted them was the sight of fresh blood pooling on the floor and what was apparently Chen Xuanwen’s suicide with a blade to his throat. There were even people who claimed they saw the words he’d written on the wall with blood:
“Could not bear the pressure, and so unyieldingly offers death.”
“This is truly what he wrote before his death?” Chu Mingyun asks.
“The Shadow Guard hadn’t seen those words upon their return. Whether it’s real or not is still unknown. The local authorities have withheld information, simply claiming he passed and offered silence to everything else.”
“Heh, what kind of a person was Chen Xuanwen? The local authorities surely fear that the suspicions of his sudden death would bring trouble from the capital. Since the capital is far away, it is natural that this incident is silenced. Aren’t those people skilled in creating a false appearance of peace and harmony?” Chu Minyun leans against the chair, tapping the letter with the tip of his finger. “Rumours don’t materialize from thin air. Moreover, those words did carry the style of his character. They should be true. I fear that the clues were left in a way too obvious; someone has destroyed them.”
Qin Zhao freezes. “There is really something amiss here?”
Chu Mingyin asks instead, “Has anyone ever seen Chen Xuanwen’s family over there?”
Qin Zhao ponders over it for a moment, then shakes his head. “According to the reports, none.”
“Then it’s no wonder.”
“What do you mean?”
“‘Could not bear the pressure, and so unyieldingly offers death.’ This certainly isn’t a personal grudge. In the years Chen Xuanwen was an official, even if he did not have a hundred students, all the favours he’d done for others big and small would be unnumbered. Let alone the confidential secrets he knew. If one could convert him to their side and make use of him, they would be in an advantageous position in Court without a doubt.” Chu Minyun coldly sneers. “And if they were unable to recruit him, that would leave using his family members against him. It’s not a very new method to use.”
“If that’s is the case, then we cannot stand by and watch,” Qin Zhao says.
“Only, we do not know whether he’s relocated his family to someplace else or they have already fallen into someone else’s hands.” Chu Mingyun says, “Let the Shadow Guards scout for information from the local authorities, and see if they can find anything out.”
“Understood.” Qin Zhao hesitates before saying, “There is something else that seems relevant. The Shadow Guard found someone secretly tailing Chen Xuanwen when escorting him home. They have discovered the same person in Chang’an. They could confirm that he’s from the Su family.”
“

The Su family?” Chen Mingyun vaguely raises a brow. “Su Shiyu?”
Qin Zhao nods his head as he looks at him.
A hundred years had gone since the founding of the Kingdom of Daxia; due to the founding Chancellor’s attempt to usurp the throne, that position was since abolished. Only two of the Three Lords remain with the Grand Marshal holding power over military services, and the Grand Secretary in charge of supervision. Together, they assist the Emperor in country affairs.
The current Emperor is young, ignorant, and incapable. The Imperial Court is under the control of the Grand Marshal, Chu Mingyun, and the Grand Secretary, Su Shiyu. This creates two opposing powers, the Chu and Su Factions1, posing as rivals in court.
“You suspect this is the doing of Su Shiyu?” Chu Mingyun looks at him and quietly says, “It’s difficult to say.”
Qin Zhao ponders over it and says, “True. After all, everyone says Su Shiyu is  a virtuous man. These methods are a little underhanded.”
“Heh.” Chu Minyun sneers. “Just because he shows a virtuous side, how do you know if he is truly a virtuous man?”
“

Then what are your opinions?”
“How would I know?” Chu Mingyun says, “It’s not like I am close with Su Shiyu.”
Qin Zhao: “

”
“However, I am concerned over another issue.” The corner of Chu Mingyun’s lips curls and he slowly says, “The Censorate are all loyal to the Imperial Court. It would be impossible for Su Shiyu to order them for his personal use. In that case, who was it who tailed Chen Xuanwen?”
“Not sure. There were a few times we were a hair out of reach from tracking the other down, yet they escaped in the end.”
“And one time you almost exposed yourself to them.” Chu Mingyun raises his hand, stopping Qin Zhao from apologizing again. “The Shadow Guards were trained by myself. I know very well how capable they are. Would you think a pursuer who could leave our people looking so sorry would be a person Su Shiyu casually hired?”
Qin Zhao is enlightened, yet couldn’t respond within a tick of a second.
Chu Minyun faintly smiles, yet his gaze is clear and calm. “Is this colleague of mine supported by some powers in the Jianghu, or is he like me, raising trained troops in secret? So many years have passed and yet I am ignorant of it. It seems like our understanding of him is truly too little. Suddenly, I couldn’t help thinking that what I had seen was just meant for presentation.”
“What you mean is

?”
The smile at the corner of his lips hardens, his fingers holding the seed of a lychee and with a flicker of strength,  the seed turns into dust between his fingers. “Investigate. Investigate everything very carefully. After all, with all present things considered, he is my greatest rival.”
“But from this perspective, the powers behind Su Shiyu could not be underestimated. If he is alerted, it would be troublesome when he puts up his guard.”
“Your worries are rational, we

”
A knock rings all of a sudden from the door. Chu Mingyun pauses and grants them access. The door of the study creaks open and a woman holding a lacquered tray walks in gracefully, bending the knee as she faces him. “Your Excellency busies himself with country affairs all day long; Ruji has no capabilities to share in the burden. After a long thought, all this humble one could do is offer some meat soup. Hope Your Excellency does not frown upon it.”
Chu Mingyun replies with an affirmative “En,” before waving his hand and saying, “Put it down, then you may leave.”
Ruji obeys and places the soup down, yet she doesn’t leave. She glances at Qin Zhao who is standing at the side; in a gust of fragrance, Ruji has already taken a detour around the desk to Chu Mingyun’s side. She bites her lip lightly, and her soft, perfumed body leans on his shoulder. She speaks in Chu Mingyun’s ear in displeasure: “This soup was cooked for a  great many hours. If Ruji couldn’t watch Your Excellency sip them all down, she would refrain from leaving.”
Chu Mingyun turns his head to the side. He raises his hand to hold her jaw as warm fingers brush over her lips. Her gaze turns southward like a smile, but suddenly her face turns pale, a sharp scream jams in her throat, no longer able to utter a sound.
Chu Mingyun grips her neck, his eyes cold. “Don’t understand what I’m saying?”
Ruji is forcibly restrained. She cannot utter a single word, shivering as she shakes her head violently until Chu Mingyun lets her go. With a low sob, she quickly leaves.
Chu Mingyun raises the bowl of soup and stares at it for a while, before pouring it all into the pot of flowers at the corner of the table. He casts a glance at Qin Zhao. “What did you want to say?”
Qin Zhao expressionly replies, “Shige2 is a man blessed with fortune.”
“Your shige is a man blessed with ill-temper. Pull my leg again and I will give you a good beating.” Chu Mingyun returns to his seat and impatiently says, “My position in court is stable, hence there are many people who set their gazes on me. These few years, of all the women who were sent to the manor, which one of them didn’t try their hardest to gather information? Yet we still had to exhaust our budget to let them spend lavishly. Had it not been necessary, I would rather admire myself in the mirror for a night than stare at them.”
“Then what do you have planned?” Qin Zhao asks.
“The most worthless thing in this world is the lives of those used as spies, since they’d have to be cleaned out eventually.” Chu Mingyun raises his hand and rubs his eyebrows. “Where did we stop in our discussion?”
“Su Shiyu.” Qin Zhao says, “And wanting to investigate his whereabouts as well as those working underneath him. I fear it’s impossible to not draw his attention.”
“He would find out eventually.” Chu Mingyun ponders over it for a while, before saying suddenly, “What if he knows but could not do anything about it?”
“Would it be possible?” Qin Zhao asks curiously.
Chu Mingyun’s gaze brushes across the empty bowl on his desk, and he suddenly curls his lips into a smile. “Precisely. There is no need to wait for him to find out sooner or later.” He straightens his back and looks at Qin Zhao before commanding, “Give orders to spread some stories. It doesn’t matter how those stories are made; just say that I am attracted to males. They must be spread throughout the capital by tomorrow morning, especially to Su Shiyu. Let him know about this clearly.”
Author’s Notes:
The bureaucratic system is a combination of the Three Lords and Nine Ministers, and the Three Departments and Six Ministries. The Three Lords excluded the Chancellor, so there is only the Grand Marshal and the Grand Secretary. The rest are the Six Ministries. There are no records in history; calm down, researchers.
Lastly, believe me, this one is the gong!
Note:
In the summary, the sentence “The mountains and rivers in your pupils champion all that passes me by” was inspired by the song, “I am a lonely blue whale in the sea” in which its lyrics are modified.
I neglected to mention in the beginning it was my fault, I apologize to the song writer as well as the readers.
[1] 慚 (lit. Gang/Party/Faction). People of power within the capital in this setting are split into two groups: those who support Chu Mingyun and those who support Su Shiyu, hence they’re called the ‘Chu Factions’ and ‘Su Factions’.
[2] ćžˆć“„: Elder apprentice brother.