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As the foliage on the trees thinned, the winter wind blew north.
After more than a month had passed, a blue-robed servant girl came into the hall to report that Medicine master Du had returned. Qin Zhao stood abruptly upon hearing this, and his look darkened for a moment, then he forced himself back into his seat. Chu Mingyun gave him a look, smiled with an unknown intent, and continued to peel the kumquat in his hand.
Not long after, Du Yue walked up to the doorway in a dallying manner as expected. He was apprehensive, and after seeing Qin Zhao avoid his gaze he grew even more perturbed, and after trying haltingly to speak for a while, said insipidly: “I’ve come back.”
Qin Zhao leaned his head slightly such that his expression could not be clearly seen, and didn’t speak a word.
Chu Mingyun responded to him in an expression of his great compassion, “Yo, you actually remember to return? You’re not going to stay at your cousin’s place for a few more days?”
“I also wanted to ah,” Du Yue thickened his face and walked in to sit down, “But it seems like I’m kind of getting in the way of things over there, Su Bai runs errands even faster than me.”
(T/N: Seems to be some sort of wordplay, to ‘run’ 跑 but è·‘è…ż = errand boy, so èżžè·‘(,)è…żéƒœæŻ”æˆ‘ćż« could literally mean Du Yue saying SB’s legs are faster than his, even though Su Shiyu probably means SB is running errands for him)
There are some people, take Du Yue for example, you really don’t know whether it’s his head that’s not working well or his heart is too honest.
Chu Mingyun ate his kumquat, appreciating Qin Zhao’s expression which had become even worse after being depressed for more than a month.
Du Yue also followed his gaze and gave Qin Zhao several glances, and finally drummed up the courage to speak: “Qin Zhao, I

I’ve come back.”
Chu Mingyun’s words from that day still felt as if they were pricking his heart, Qin Zhao was bad at expressing himself from the start, and now it was even more like he had a fishbone stuck in his throat, and it took a long while before he said hoarsely: “En.” After thinking for a bit, he added, “It’s good you’ve come back.”
Du Yue looked embarrassed, and also didn’t know what to say; he turned his head and saw Chu Mingyun wiping his hands, rising to leave, dressed clearly in a purple brocade robe. He (Du Yue) was suddenly curious, “Aiy, when I came out I also saw my cousin like this.”
”En.” Chu Mingyun fixed his lapel, “Today is the Winter Solstice1, the head of the literary officials also wears the same ceremonial garments.”
”Ah?” Du Yue was stunned, “Eating a dumpling in Chang’an is also so grand?”
Chu Mingyun’s hand stilled, and he held himself back from giving Du Yue a look of disdain, “

The Rite of Offering Sacrifice (焭怩性慞).”
Offering a sacrifice to heaven during the Winter Solstice, praying for moderate winds and timely rain, praying for the mountains and rivers to flourish (stability of the empire).
The ceremonial music filled the halls of the Weiyang palace, drums signalled the flags in the air, the hundred officials stood in rows, with Chu Mingyun and Su Shiyu leading them, they bowed and kowtowed in greeting.
The styling of the Xia dynasty favored black, Li Yanzhen wore his pure-black imperial robes, went up to the Emperor’s place at the altar, offered up the jade objects and silk fabrics, singing the phrase, Coming harmoniously, ending with paying solemn respects**, an eight-row dance1 was offered in blessing below the alter.
Chu Mingyun squinted over there, seeing a whole group all solemn and respectful, and inexplicably thought of what Su Xing had said. This splendour and harmony, was it perhaps really just like the reflection of flowers and the moon over water, unable to withstand a strike.
The ceremony ended, and the officials gathered for the banquet. In the vast halls of the palace, musician and dancer ladies stepped across embroidered rugs in a single file, music blew from reed pipes, fluttering in a graceful dance. Li Yanzhen waved a hand from above declaring they enjoy themselves to the fullest today, and the gathered officials intertwined with wine cups and gaming chips (T/N: refers to having a large lively party, no actual gambling chips should be there), and the atmosphere became lively at once.
Chu Mingyun propped up his cheek with one hand, disinterestedly sipping at his wine, sitting alone at the head of the left side, and because of his antisocial behaviour not many went forth to offer toasts, and compared to Su Shiyu on the opposite side who was continually pestered by others, he was rather enjoying his peace.
It’s just that midway through the banquet there was a person who decided to disturb his peace. The palace maid bowed in salute, and said softly: “My mistress (niangniang) has put forth an invitation, hoping Your Honor will visit on her account.”
Chu Mingyun’s browtips slightly raised, “What if I say I won’t go?”
“This

” The other party didn’t expect this sort of answer, and could only reply, “If Your Honor does not go, this slave does not know how to answer her, hoping Your Honor will give face.”
Chu Mingyun smiled disinterestedly, and stood up to follow her out of the palace hall subtly without alerting others.
After walking a while they made a turn, and passing a few overlapping branches revealed a large still pond, next to Taiye pond stood a lady in red robes. Seeing him approach, she gave a charming smile, “This concubine even thought Your Honor would not come.”
The palace maid who led him dismissed herself, at this time most people were gathered at the palace banquet, so there was only the two of them around Taiye pond. Chu Mingyun made a greeting, saying, “Since niangniang has extended an invitation, how could this subject dare to not come, only I do not know if niangniang needs something?”
Jiang Yuan looked at him, saying: “It doesn’t really count as something much, it’s just that it’s rare to get the chance to meet Your Honor today, I couldn’t hold myself back a little is all.”
”Niangniang please speak directly.”
Jiang Yuan turned her face over, looking at a few carp subtly emerging from the surface of Taiye Pond, and slowly said, “Your Honor is a grand general of the court, with a far-spread reputation, and is the ideal match in many young maidens’ fantasies, this concubine naturally is also one of them

it’s just a pity that now I have entered the palace, and unfortunately I have no destiny with Your Honor in this life.”
Chu Mingyun laughed lowly, “This move of yours is a little passĂ©.” Making a sincere confession, this sort of trick, he already used it on Su Shiyu half a year ago.
“What?” Jiang Yuan turned back her head in shock, not having heard clearly.
“Nothing much,” Chu Mingyun said, “Since we have no destiny, why did niangniang seek this subject to come?”
She stepped a few paces forward until she was right in front of Chu Mingyun, “That’s why I said

I couldn’t hold myself back.”
Chu Mingyun lowered his eyes to look at her, and simply ditched the polite address since there was no one around, “Don’t tell me you haven’t heard that I like men now?”
Jiang Yuan lowered her head slightly, “Of course I’ve heard, it’s just that feelings of attraction are not so easily wiped away.”
Chu Mingyun laughed, gripping Jiang Yuan’s chin and lifted her face up, and lowered his voice to ask, “Then you intend to have sex with me or else?”
He didn’t miss the flash of panic that passed through Jiang Yuan’s eyes. Her nails sank into his palm, forcing herself to meet those eyes calmly, “Your Honor

”
“I indeed had some pretty ladies in my residence previously, but they’re not like you.” Chu Mingyun interrupted her words, loosening his hand.
Jiang Yuan quickly lowered her head, and gathered her wits before asking, “How are they not alike?”
”They –” Chu Mingyun swept his gaze over her, “All had chests.”
“

” Jiang Yuan was stunned, then imperceptibly sucked in a deep breath, so as to calm down.
Chu Mingyun completed his greeting with a placid expression, “This humble subject bids his leave.”
Jiang Yuan was shocked when she heard those words, and could no longer care about much, hastily grabbing onto him, “Wait, Your Honor!”
Chu Mingyun turned his body to look at her, and Jiang Yuan released her hand, taking out a scented pouch from her her sleeve, and stuffing it into his hand, “Coming forward today, was actually just to give this scented pouch to Your Honor.”
”Can I not want it?” Chu Mingyun asked.
At a distance behind Chu Mingyun, between the intercrossing branches stood a figure dressed in purple, the other party stopped walking briefly, obviously looking over here, then turning to leave soundlessly. Jiang Yuan sighed in relief in her heart, “This concubine’s sincerity, I hope Your Honor keeps it.” After that she said no more, completed a greeting towards Chu Mingyun, turned and left.
Chu Mingyun pinched the scented pouch, it had quite some weight to it, so he directly tore it open, and hidden within the potpourri (fragrant herbs) he saw the corner of something copper peeking out as expected. He reached to take it out, it was a key of unknown use, and after thinking about it, he stuffed the key back into the pouch, and threw the scent pouch into the pond without much hesitation.
With only a ‘dong‘ sound, that scented pouch sunk to the bottom.
When Chu Mingyun returned to the palace hall, a crowd of officials (‘subjects’ in raw) were already sp drunk such that the alcohol burned up to their ears, and Jiang Yuan was keeping company by Li Yanzhen’s side. He casually swept a glance, and saw that the people around Su Shiyu had already dispersed. Turning his heel, he walked over and sat down, “Master Su, can you accompany for another few more cups?”
Su Shiyu turned his face to look at him, looking completely sober, but he seemed to be holding himself back from saying something.
”What’s up?”
Su Shiyu lowered his voice, “You

”
The guards suddenly entered the palace hall, passing the crowd of officials with quick steps and kneeling in the hall, “Your Majesty, there’s been a burglary in Tianlu Pavillion!”
The officials sobered up a fair bit instantly, but Li Yanzhen held his forehead, and somewhat unable to react asked: “What’s happened?”
“There’s been a burglary in Tianlu Pavillion! The guards on duty were discovered unconscious by the time it was discovered, and the two keys in the pavillion have gone missing. The texts kept under the lock have been opened!”
The officials exchanged looks for a moment, seeming disoriented. The Tianlu Pavillion was in fore-palace, and has always been where important documents and texts are preserved, most of the Emperor’s edicts were also kept within that place, and although those could be considered important, it wasn’t exactly a place people cared about, so now that it was groundlessly burgled nobody could guess what the use of stealing it was.
Li Yanzhen obviously also understood this, asking: “What was lost?”
”This

” The head guard looked troubled, “The Pavillion’s catalogue is voluminous, we haven’t discovered what is missing yet.”
Li Yanzhen rubbed his temple seeming to not have dispersed his stupor, and didn’t speak for a bit. Jiang Yuan glanced at him, then took a deep breath and spoke up: “Your Majesty, allow this Subject a question,” She took out a brass key from her sleeve, facing the head guard in the hall, “Was the lost key, something like this?”
The head guard was shocked, and quickly replied: “It’s exactly this! 

But why does niangniang have it?”
Jiang Yuan met Li Yanzhen’s puzzled gaze, and slowly said: “Just now this conbuine went out for some fresh air, and happened to see an honored official, and picked up this key from the ground. I was originally intending to wait for the banquet to be dismissed before instructing someone to return it to him.” As she said this, she moved her gaze to the seating area on the right side.
The right side was where Grand Secretary Su Shiyu’s seat was, but at the moment Chu Mingyun was also seated there. He met Jiang Yuan’s gaze, and his mouth hooked upward in that instant, his smile hiding a few hints of danger.
The crowd’s gaze also followed, and Li Yanzhen asked: “Who did Beloved concubine see?”
”Does Your Majesty even need to ask this,” The head official in the Ministry of Justice Lu Shi directly spoke up, “Isn’t there only one honored official sitting at this table who went out for so long?”
Chu Mingyun flicked an impatient look at him, although he knew this old piece of work always disliked him, but he didn’t think it would be to the extent of paying him such attention during this banquet.
Jiang Yuan was about to say something, but Su Shiyu beat her to it, “Master Lu, I also went out of the hall just now.”
”I definitely wasn’t referring to you!” Lu Shi hurried to explain.
Su Shiyu gave a bland smile, and moved his gaze to Jiang Yuan, speaking in a gentle tone, “Speaking of which, it’s quite the coincidence, this Subject also saw Master Chu outside the hall, and spoke with him about some of the details of the previous case, and didn’t go very far from him throughout, so I’m not sure who exactly you saw?”
Jiang Yuan’s expression froze stiff, looking at Su Shiyu as if unable to believe what she heard.
Chu Mingyun was rendered absolutely breathless by this sight of Su Shiyu speaking blind words with his eyes wide open (telling bold-faced lies).
Jiang Yuan lowered her lashes, “Since Your Honor the Grand Secretary has spoken as such, then perhaps I saw it wrong.”
The palace hall was unavoidably thrown into a flurry of voices; the Chu faction was naturally unhappy (with the accusation), while most of the Su faction, like Lu Shi would like nothing more than to see Chu Mingyun get in trouble, but Su Shiyu just had to speak up, causing them to be conflicted.
”How could that be,” Su Shiyu laughed lightly, “If niangniang saw wrong, then where did the key come from?”
Jiang Yuan was at a loss for words and couldn’t reply, while Chu Mingyun picked up the conversation coolly, “there’s no need to be so troubled, didn’t they say there was two keys? Whether it’s true or false, we’d know after just a body search,” He paused, and his smile deepened, “But if the remaining one can’t be found, then this Subject would truly be wronged.”
A hand suddenly tightly grasped her hand in the sleeve, Jiang Yuan looked over in surprise, but Li Yanzhen smiled at her, and finally said: “Forget it, the banquet today is meant to be a joyous occasion, why kick up a fuss and end on a bad note.”
”Your Majesty
..”
”It was just a few registry books, not anything important, you’re dismissed.” Li Yanzhen lifted his hand, and the head guard replied and left. “Continue playing music!”
The dance music started up again, and wine cups were filled, the unhappy incident glossed over like smoke, and abandoned to the back of one’s mind after tipping back one’s cup and emptying it.
Su Shiyu sipped a mouthful with an unchanging expression, and asked Chu Mingyun who was staring at him, “Did you notice something?”
”Master Su, I feel that actually your skin is not any thinner compared to mine, can you let me have a feel to confirm?”
Su Shiyu narrowed his eyes and laughed lightly, sweeping him a gaze, and whispered: “I really did see you just now.”
”En?”
”There was a palace maid who said someone wanted to see me, and in the end after I was led to Taiye Pond they disappeared, then I saw you and that First-ranked Concubine2 Jiang.”
”She said she likes me, and you’re not even jealous?” Chu Mingyun looked at him, all smiles.
Su Shiyu didn’t pick up where he left, only coming to his own conclusion, “That niangniang may be problematic, but His Majesty currently favours her, as subjects of the external palace you and I are not in a good position to question the affairs of the inner palace, we can only pay attention to this.”
Chu Mingyun didn’t seem to care about this, “Then why did you help me?”
Su Shiyu thought about it, “Just take it as me returning a favour.” After a pause, he explained, “In Song Heng’s prison you took an arrow on my behalf.”
Chu Mingyun looked at him for a moment, then suddenly could help laughing quietly,
“You truly are

”
He was truly what, (Chu Mingyun) suddenly couldn’t think of a descriptor.
Until the banquet was dismissed, and she returned to the resting palace, Jiang Yuan still didn’t completely gather her wits.
She did a cover-up for the Tianlu Pavillion on orders, and originally held the resolve to die, only wanting to borrow Su Shiyu’s hand to damage Chu Mingyun’s power, but who knows what was with that Su Shiyu, this was already the second time sending a perfect opportunity to his doorstep only for him to reject it. The moment he spoke up to defend Chu Mingyun, Jiang Yuan already gripped the poison pill in her sleeve, but, Li Yanzhen just had to grab her hand right then, this young Emperor who didn’t understand how to utilise power play dismissed him with a few phrases, and unexpectedly truly didn’t pursue the matter anymore.
”Why is your face so pale?” Li Yanzhen let the palace maids remove his outer robe, and turned his head to look at her.
Jiang Yuan quickly settled her heart, and shook her head.
Li Yanzhen walked over, smiling, “Still thinking about the burglary in the Tianlu Pavilion?” Seeing that Jiang Yuan wasn’t speaking, he held her hand, “Even though We don’t really know what the situation is, but you don’t need to think about it anymore, as long as We trust you.”
Jiang Yuan stiffened, too many emotions overlapping that she didn’t know what this actually was, she lowered her head to look at Li Yanzhen’s hand, that hand exuded elegance, which had held memorials, and grabbing a brush and carving knife, but had never been stained with blood, just like this man’s nature, far too gentle, not like what an emperor should be.
She sighed in her heart, he was truly a fool.
The author has something to say:
Coming harmoniously, ending with paying solemn respects (æœ‰æ„é›é›ïŒŒè‡łæ­ąè‚ƒè‚ƒ)ïŒšă€ŠShijing· Ode to Zhou· Yong》, the song sung during the Zhou emperor’s rites of ancestral worship.
Taiye pond: The Taiye pond of the Han period was not in the Weiyang (outer palace) but in the Jianzhong (middle palace), the plot required me to move it over =v=
Tianlu Pavillion: The national archive building during the Han period.
Others→_→
Chu MingyunDon’t worry, I love even your flat chest.
Su Shiyu    Should I be moved?
Chu MingyunYou can take initiative.
Su ShiyuYou think too much.
(T/N: Attention, attention, there was a double update tonight so make sure you’ve read Chapter 26 before this. After next chapter, I will take a break from translating this to do the extras for Luan Shi Wei Wang.)
1. ć…«äœŸ – eight-row dance (of sixty-four dancers, the highest rank dance only performed for kings)
2.昭ä»Ș – If this is set during the Northern and Southern dynasties period, this rank is the rank among the concubines, and only the Empress is superior to this rank.