Chapter – 08
Isn’t That So-and-So’s Little So-and-So?
In the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, everyone standing to the side held their breath, heads lowered low like quails, afraid of provoking Lord Nine Thousand’s displeasure.
“The Ministry of Revenue can’t balance their accountsâlet them worry about it themselves. The Directorate doesn’t handle that.” Chen Yu snapped at the underlings, then bent down with a teacup and said softly, “Seal Bearer, this is newly arrived Huangshan Maofeng tea. Would you care to try it?”
Even when angry, the Seal Bearer never revealed it outwardly. As Ting Lan’s trusted confidant, Chen Yu was usually the one to play the bad cop. But today he had a faint feeling that his master seemed… agitated?
Strange. The Ministry of Revenue’s mess shouldn’t have been enough to cause that.
Ting Lan idly toyed with a string of amber prayer beads in his hands, eyes lowered. “Send his memorial back. We’ll discuss the rest later. You’re all dismissed.”
The people in the room sighed in relief, silently taking deep breaths, then bowed and retreated out the door.
Chen Yu stepped forward, about to say something, but Ting Lan reached out and picked up the tea from the table. “You’ve been busy all morning too. Go get some rest.”
Chen Yu immediately stepped back two paces. “Yes, sir.”
Once everyone was gone and the room fell silent again, Ting Lan furrowed his brow, set down the amber prayer beads, and rose to walk toward the inner chamber.
He pushed open the carved wooden door. The mercury mirror, a tribute from the West, clearly reflected the visitor’s slender waist and striking, slightly upturned eyes. Ting Lan bent down, opened a small drawer in the sandalwood desk, and took out a white jade hairpin carved with openwork, tucking it carefully into his sleeve.
The young prince seemed to be ill. Normally a hearty eater who could put away two big bowls at every meal, he’d lost his appetite entirely. Even the imperial physicians couldn’t figure out what was wrongâmost concerning.
Time to pay a visit.
Ting Lan looked up and caught sight of his own androgynous features in the mirror. He turned away with a hint of distaste.
The Taoist priests summoned by the Emperor had already entered the palace.
Lord Nine Thousand sat in his small palanquin. As he made his way along the route, he saw swirling smoke that made it seem like a fairylandâTaoist priests conducting purification rituals.
There was hardly anyone around, deathly quiet. He caught fragments of idle chatter from a few Taoist priests. Ting Lan lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and peered outside.
“Do you think there really are demons in this world?” a young, fresh-faced Taoist priest asked.
A blue-robed priest tilted his head, cleared his throat, said nothing, but nodded.
“So… do demons really eat people?” The young priest perked up with interest and pressed further.
The priest couldn’t help it and nearly laughed out loud. “They don’t eat people.”
Powerful demons had long since stopped eating ordinary food; lesser ones just ate regular mealsâthough perhaps a little too much. All the vegetables they’d planted in the back courtyard had ended up in some little demon’s stomach. And it wouldn’t eat steamed vegetablesâeverything had to be stir-fried, with fruit afterward. Quite the high standard of living.
“…So, have you ever seen a fox spirit, fellow cultivator? Are they really that beautiful?”
The priest seemed to remember something amusing, covered his face, and nodded with some difficulty. “Beautiful, yes, but probably not the way you’re imagining…”
The young priest thought about the fox spirit in his imagination and ventured, “Enchanting hearts and minds, bringing ruin to the country?”
The priest couldn’t hold it in anymore. He didn’t answer, just tilted his head and covered his mouth.
Good heavensâbringing ruin to the country? Hahahahahaha.
The local country foxes from their mountain couldn’t even steal a chicken, let alone ruin a nation.
That silly fox probably couldn’t even understand what “bringing ruin to the country” meant.
To maintain his image as a reclusive master, he finally managed to turn back with difficulty, smiling casually, flicking his horsetail whisk, and said solemnly, “Enchanting hearts and minds, perhaps. Bringing ruin to the countryâabsolutely impossible.”
As he spoke, he thought to himself: the little fox next door was a soft, white little ball, and fun to talk to too. If anyone was going to enchant someone, it could certainly do itâafter all, even cultivators couldn’t resist, let alone ordinary people. Who knew which unlucky soul would run into it? It’d surely eat them out of house and home.
Lord Nine Thousand listened idly for a moment, then let the curtain fall and looked straight ahead.
The young priest seemed to still be pressing for details about what fox spirits really looked like.
The palanquin slowly made its way toward the Thirteenth Prince’s Changqiu Palace.
Ever since the Taoist priests entered the palace, the little fox had holed up indoors and refused to go out. Even hiding under the covers terrified himâhe was afraid a white-bearded Taoist priest would suddenly jump out from under the bed with a sword and capture him.
Even in his dreams, a priest would shout, “Demon, where do you think you’re running?”âhe couldn’t sleep well either.
But Ji Qing used to be the type to bounce around outside playing every day. This had Qiuyuan frantic with worry. She’d called for an imperial physician, but after examining him left and right, the doctor could find nothing wrong and just gave vague diagnoses like “melancholy and pent-up emotions.”
And now, here was Lord Nine Thousand himself paying a visit.
The little fox, wrapped in his blanket, had just popped a piece of candy into his mouth when Qiuyuan started knocking outside.
“Your Highness.”
He curled into a ball under the covers, voice muffled. “Qiuyuan, I’m not eating. Don’t worry about me.”
Qiuyuan knocked while secretly glancing at the person beside her.
She’d once worried that her prince had offended Lord Nine Thousand, but that very day, crate after crate of gifts had been delivered. Now Lord Nine Thousand had even come in person to check on himâthis couldn’t possibly be a sign of offense.
So Qiuyuan knocked even more vigorously. “Your Highness, Lord Nine Thousand is here.”
The fox popped his head out the moment he heard that.
Ting Lan is here!
My good friend came to see me!
So happy!
He scrambled up, jumped off the bed, slipped on his shoes, and pattered over to the door. The fox was very cautious, carefully cracking the door open a sliver to survey his surroundings.
Phew, good. Only Qiuyuan and Ting Lan. The fox relaxed, opened the door fully, stood up straight, and beamed at them.
Having been rolling around under the covers all day, the fox’s hair was a bit disheveled, and there were red marks on his face from where he’d been lying on it.
This was improperânot fit for receiving visitors.
Qiuyuan’s heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly glanced at Ting Lan’s reaction, afraid Lord Nine Thousand might take offense.
But Ting Lan’s expression didn’t change at all. With a faint smile, he asked, “How are you feeling today, Your Highness?”
Qiuyuan breathed a sigh of relief and tactfully withdrew.
“I’m fine.” The fox looked around nervously, took Ting Lan’s sleeve, and pulled him inside the room.
His room was the same as always, except through the bed’s gauze curtains, the bedding on the couch could be seen in disarray.
“Is something bothering you?” Ting Lan asked.
The fox sat obediently by the table, shaking his head repeatedly.
“Then why won’t you go out, and why won’t you eat?”
The fox lowered his head and denied it softly, “I just haven’t been going out. I still eat.”
Ting Lan smiled and shifted the question. “Then is there something on your mind?”
The fox nodded vigorously, leaned in, and asked, “Can I ask you a question?”
Ting Lan nodded. He smoothly moved behind Ji Qing, picked up a comb from the small side table, and began to straighten the young prince’s hair.
He’d been Lord Nine Thousand for many years now, wielding power and influence, and hadn’t served anyone in ages. His hands were a bit rusty today, but the young prince’s hair was incredibly softâit smoothed out with one stroke, glossy and dark as deep spring water, a pleasure to comb. The white jade hairpin was gently tucked in, a perfect match.
Ting Lan stepped back a few paces to admire his handiwork.
Ji Qing hesitated, his question still unasked, when another knock came at the door. This time Qiuyuan’s voice sounded more urgent.
“Your Highness, Lord Nine ThousandâPrince Wei has arrived. He heard you were ill and has brought a master to perform exorcism and blessings for you. They’re already at the corridor.”
The fox shot to his feet, clutching the money pouch in his sleeve in bewilderment, heart pounding like a drum.
What should I do?
Run?
Turn into a fox and boltâfoxes have four legs, they’re fast. They wouldn’t catch me, right?
But…
Ji Qing touched the white jade hairpin in his hair and glanced at Ting Lan beside him.
If I ran, I’d never see him again.
And the tribulation would be ruined too…
Ji Qing stood still, watching Ting Lan rise and open the door.
The fox took a deep breath and looked toward the entrance.
There were two Taoist priests. One in blue robes seemed to have been dragged along against his will, looking somewhat at a loss. He said to Prince Wei with his head lowered, “If His Highness is ill, you should call for an imperial physician. My knowledge of medicine is only superficialâI’d hate to delay proper treatment.”
Prince Wei was about to reply when he looked up and caught sight of a flash of redâa cold, smiling figure staring back.
What is Ting Lan doing here? Prince Wei was greatly alarmed. With Ting Lan present, today would not go smoothly.
Then, on second thought, weren’t the Ministry of Revenue and the Embroidered Uniform Guard already enough to keep him busy? And yet he still had the leisure to meddle in Pei Jiqing’s affairs?
How interesting. That casual remark I made last timeâit seems I guessed right.
Pei Jiqingâtruly enduring humiliation for a greater purpose. To go so far as to use his looks to serve a eunuchâthat’s a heavy price to pay. Ruthless, indeed. Not to be underestimated.
Entering the courtyard, the blue-robed Daoist had yet to say anything, but another man was already chattering away endlessly.
The blue-robed Daoist listened for a moment and thought to himself, What nonsense.
The fox squinted at the figures in the courtyard. Why did they seem⌠oddly familiar?
“Even His Highness the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old is here? My thirteenth brother is illâsurely that’s not worth your personal attention?” Prince Wei said, hands tucked into his sleeves, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
“By imperial decree, I dare not be remiss,” Tinglan replied with a light laugh, idly turning the thumb ring on his finger. Prince Wei truly could not be allowed to remain any longer. He wondered if the Crown Prince felt the same way.
On the other side, the blue-robed Daoist had felt an unmistakable gaze upon him the moment he stepped through the door. Uncomfortable, he looked up.
Why was someone staring so intently, just like that one kid from that one family?
The next second, the Daoist’s copper-coin sword clattered to the ground with a bang.
“My apologies, my apologies,” Zhou Yiqing said, swiftly crouching down to pick up his sword while rubbing his eyes.
Wuliang Tianzunâsurely this humble Daoist isn’t seeing things.
Isn’t that little Jiqing from next door!?
This silly fox has infiltrated the imperial family?!
The Daoist retracted his earlier thoughtâif the situation played out right, this silly fox really might have the potential to bring ruin to the realmâŚ
But the thought vanished almost as quickly as it came. Little Jiqing, stop smilingâquick, pretend you don’t know me!
Zhou Yiqing silently screamed in his heart. Just as he averted his gaze, he heard the half-baked charlatan in front of him still muttering anxiously, not even glancing at Jiqing, saying, “Your Highness, there is demonic aura and vengeful spirits in your hallâthe root of it lies with you⌔
Before Zhou Yiqing could step over the threshold, he took a single bound, raised his copper-coin sword, and brought it down on the man’s head.
Bangâthat was the sound of the copper-coin sword striking the man’s head.
Clangâthat was the sound of the man collapsing to the ground.
Loud and clear.
Zhou Yiqing, unruffled, flicked his horsetail whisk and said, “In this humble Daoist’s observation, this man has overworked himself day and night, his spirit unstableâlikely allowing evil forces to take advantage. Your Highness, however, is blessed with profound fortune and is perfectly well.”
This humble Daoist still owes your elder sister twenty taels of silver from our last game of mahjongâtime to settle that debt, I suppose.
