Slowly Casting the Net

Fireworks bloomed in the sky one after another, their mottled light and shadow reflecting the varied expressions of those present—some astonished, others anxious.

Xie Yi turned his face away, adopting a pitiful, aggrieved tone. "Today is the fifteenth; I simply wished to see you, Sir. Please, rest assured, one day I will avenge you." As he spoke, he gestured to show that his martial arts were not to be underestimated.

Xia Yunhe covered her lips and coughed violently, supported by Sanniang.

"A feudal prince shall not enter the capital without an imperial edict," she said, her voice faint and raspy. "Your Highness could be in the army, or in Yin County, but you should not… be here. Putting aside why you left your fief, may I ask how long you have been away from the army? How do your generals view you? And if the Emperor finds out, how will he treat you?"

"Today is the fifteenth..." Xie Yi’s frame wavered. He lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly. "If I did not come, how could I know that you were suffering?"

The fireworks in the sky were brilliant, illuminating Xie Yi’s profile repeatedly. A single tear vanished into the night.

Tonight, the curfew was lifted. Vermilion Bird Avenue was ablaze with lights and flowers, filled with colorful lanterns and bustling crowds. The air was thick with the aroma of delicacies—everywhere was joy, everywhere was madness. Yet, there were always those to whom this revelry did not belong.

"I know you are a man of deep affection, Your Highness. But is there any year that lacks a Lantern Festival? Yin County is a good place, and Old General Shen is a man of loyalty and courage. Opportunities are fleeting; you understand this."

Xie Yi spoke hurriedly, "Chen Haizhou is a threat to you."

Xia Yunhe caught her breath and said, "I know. The sky over Shangdu is about to change. Your Highness must return to Yin County at once. Do not mention to anyone that you have been to Shangdu, lest you be implicated."

"Then, what about you, Sir..." Xie Yi could not help but take a step forward. Seeing that although Xia Yunhe’s face was pale, her expression was extremely calm, he involuntarily stopped.

A light fur cloak draped over Xia Yunhe’s thin frame; the finger marks on her neck were still faintly visible. She covered her lips to cough twice, appearing fragile and swaying, yet her words were restrained and stubborn, tinged with the metallic tang of blood in her throat, each syllable ringing clear and firm.

"Set a trap, and purge the evil."

The courtyard fell silent.

Purge the evil… Who was the evil in Shangdu? The people of Shangdu knew it without saying, and everyone in this courtyard knew it just as well. It had not been two years since Censor Tan Bingwen died after striking his head against a pillar in a desperate protest.

Xie Yi remained silent for a long time, his eyes harboring a contemplative glint. Finally, he said, "If that is the case, I understand."

He let out a sharp whistle, and a figure appeared atop the wall, leaping into the courtyard in two strides.

Sanniang’s eyes widened as she pointed at him. "The Zongzi thief!"

Xia Yunhe was momentarily surprised, recalling that Third Master Fu had mentioned Wei Sizhao had changed his name to Xia Zhao and joined the army in Yin County. Xie Yi had also gone to Yin County before the new year; it was inevitable they would cross paths. Xie Yi knew who Wei Sizhao was, and he knew why Wei Sizhao had hidden his identity.

"Xia Zhao, you are to protect Sir," Xie Yi said, his voice solemn and devoid of emotion, making it impossible to read his thoughts.

Wei Sizhao acknowledged the order, cupping his hands. "Understood, my lord."

As old acquaintances gathered, there was no joy of reunion in the courtyard, only a stagnant atmosphere.

Fireworks illuminated the night sky but could not reveal the thoughts hidden within each person. It was as if the vast city of Shangdu was only prosperous on the surface, while underneath, countless undercurrents and power struggles churned, impossible to fathom.

To Xia Yunhe, while Xie Yi was occasionally childish, he was never confused when it came to major matters. A feudal prince returning to the capital without permission was considered treason, and since Xie Yi had returned in secret, he dared not stay. That very night, taking advantage of the brilliant Lantern Festival lights and the weaving crowds, he slipped out of the city and rode back to Yin County.

Because Wei Sizhao had a grudge against Chen Haizhou, he feared detection and kept to himself, rarely appearing. As time passed, Xia Yunhe almost forgot his existence. She could not have imagined that Wei Sizhao would later save her once more. But that is a story for another time.

After the Lantern Festival, the most bustling affair was Chen Haizhou’s investigation into the case of the tiger escaping its cage at Changle Garden.

Prince Ding had interfered, repeatedly submitting memorials to Emperor Hehui, denouncing Chen Haizhou for his cruelty, greed, and tyranny, accusing him of framing the innocent and fabricating cases, which stirred up a storm in the imperial court.

Chen Haizhou, naturally, would not sit still. He submitted his own memorial to Emperor Hehui, reporting that Noble Consort Wan had incited her subordinates to poison the beast in an attempt to harm Lady Xin.

The Wan and Chen factions clashed fiercely during the court sessions, neither willing to yield.

Emperor Hehui wore the expression of one watching a spectacle, observing everyone with an inscrutable gaze.

Listening to the ministers berating each other, Xia Yunhe was distracted. She even found Chen Haizhou’s talk of "impartial handling and acting according to the law" to be somewhat laughable.

Watching the court, a sudden thought struck her: this was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Chen Haizhou. But it would require careful planning.

…

At the Xu residence in Xiahe Village, the sun was bright. The winter jasmine in the courtyard was quietly budding, dotting the flower-covered wall. It was not yet at its peak; in another half-month, the entire wall would be a waterfall of goose-yellow blossoms—that would be a sight to behold.

Xu Xing sat on a stone bench, organizing the sheets of Xuan paper covered in calligraphy.

Chen Haizhou picked one up at random. Seeing the wild, unrestrained strokes, he frowned slightly. "You are imitating calligraphy again. How much money can that earn you?"

"I don't need you to look so closely." With that, Xu Xing snatched the paper from Chen Haizhou’s hand.

Chen Haizhou did not react, saying, "Was it that dwarf, Ji Chu, who found the people for you again?"

"Why? Are you unsatisfied? Didn't you already investigate?" Xu Xing raised an eyebrow, mocking, "Coming to question me now? You know exactly who I meet every day, don't you?"

"Zihuai, I didn't have you followed. You know… you are different." Chen Haizhou said cautiously, "You saved my life; I have always remembered that."

Xu Xing sneered, opened a bamboo scroll case, stored the rolled-up paper, and closed the lid. He glanced at Chen Haizhou with undisguised mockery. "Can you let me go?"

Chen Haizhou shook his head slowly. "Except for that, I can grant you anything else."

"Ha." Xu Xing curled his lips, slung the scroll case over his shoulder, and did not bother to spare the man another glance.

Just as Xu Xing was about to step out the door, Chen Haizhou’s voice sounded again.

"Going to see Master Mobai again?"

At this, Xu Xing paused, looked back at Chen Haizhou, and said indifferently, "If you enjoy having me followed so much, then by all means, continue."

Without looking back, Xu Xing disappeared through the doorway.

The courtyard was quiet. A breeze blew, and the flowers on the wall swayed gently. After a while, a masked guard in black descended from the roof, knelt on one knee before Chen Haizhou, and said, "Master, shall I help you keep an eye on Master Xu? You are perhaps too… lenient with him?"

Chen Haizhou waved his hand. "He is not a prisoner. You go and keep a close watch on Prince Ding. Report any suspicious activity immediately."

"And Xia Yunhe?"

"Xia… Yun… He…" Chen Haizhou rubbed his brow, his eyes turning ruthless. He whispered, "She cannot achieve anything. Do not touch the Xia family yet. Once the Wan family is dealt with, the Xia family will be next."

The guard acknowledged the order and leaped back onto the roof. The courtyard returned to silence.

…

After leaving Xiahe Village, Xu Xing traveled south into the city. Only after ensuring no one was following did he sit at a nameless roadside tea stall. He ordered a bowl of hot tea, drinking it while waiting for the sweat to dissipate.

It was the hottest time of the afternoon, and the stall was packed with porters, traveling merchants, soldiers, servants, and long-distance travelers.

As Xu Xing drank, he noticed someone moving closer to him. Instinctively, he clutched the scroll case to his chest and glared at the man.

The newcomer was a traveler with a pack on his back. Xu Xing’s appearance of being faced with a great enemy startled the man, who knocked over his tea bowl, spilling tea across the table.

Xu Xing gripped the bamboo scroll case tightly, threw down three large coins, and fled as if escaping.

By the time he reached the back streets of Hefang Street, where the ivy on the walls was faintly sprouting new buds, Xu Xing calmed down, straightened his clothes, and walked toward the Mobai Studio.

The Mobai Studio was the same as ever. The only difference was the presence of a scholarly young man in a green robe.

The scholar was in deep conversation with Master Mobai. Xu Xing took the scroll case in his hand, caught his breath, and stepped into the studio.

He bowed and said, "Uncle, Lord Xia."

Xia Yunhe turned and returned the bow with a smile. "Master Xu."

Master Mobai greeted Xu Xing cheerfully. "Zihuai, you’ve come at just the right time. Come and look at this calligraphy of mine."

Xu Xing stood the scroll case against the corner of the table, offered a few smiling compliments, and then said, "Uncle, the inkstone you mentioned last time, do you remember?"

"Hmph." Master Mobai pretended to be angry, pointing at Xu Xing’s nose. "You’re always swiping things from me. Wait here, I’ll go get it for you. Keep Lord Xia company for a moment."

Seeing Master Mobai walk away, Xu Xing opened the scroll case, pulled out the Xuan paper, selected one sheet, and handed it to Xia Yunhe. "Lord Xia, this is Chen Haizhou’s daily routine, diet, and preferences. I hope it helps."

Xia Yunhe took the paper, unfolded it, and scrutinized it. It was a densely packed page, noting thirty days of the month, divided into twelve two-hour periods, detailing Chen Haizhou’s activities, the people he met, the length of their conversations, the details of his meals, and even a record of when Chen Haizhou had struck her.

She was slightly stunned. Pointing to that specific record, she asked, "The matter on the fifteenth—how do you know about this? Did Chen Haizhou tell you?"

"Not at all. He never speaks to me about his affairs outside," Xu Xing glanced at her and said, "He returned quite late that night. I vaguely heard him speaking with someone, and the Xia family was mentioned. Later, rumors spread in the city that Chen Haizhou and you had a dispute over Sanniang. Who would believe that? I guessed there must be another reason."

Xia Yunhe folded the paper into a small square and tucked it into her sleeve. She bowed and said, "Master Xu is a man of great detail. With the situation in Shangdu so volatile, I trust you have heard the rumors."

"Naturally, I have heard some." Xu Xing looked at her, his eyes revealing a trace of confusion. "The aristocratic families flow like water, but Chen Haizhou remains like iron."

"I don’t think so. As the saying goes, ‘To make one perish, one must first make them mad.’"

Xu Xing’s pupils trembled suddenly. He looked at Xia Yunhe with a more evaluating gaze. Seeing the smile on her lips, he asked in a trembling voice, "Lord Xia, are you… are you planning to deal with…"

Xia Yunhe nodded. "I have a plan that can set you free from your shackles."

Xu Xing gripped Xia Yunhe’s arms, his emotions stirred. "Truly?"

"Truly." But then Xia Yunhe’s eyes darkened, and she lowered her head with a sigh. "Unfortunately, to carry out this plan, it must be done in three steps. It requires extreme caution, the collective effort of many, and one person to sacrifice themselves by entering the trap. If the plan succeeds, the world will be at peace. If it fails, all previous efforts will be wasted."

Xu Xing released Xia Yunhe, his eyes filled with sorrow. "What are the chances of success, Lord Xia?"

"One in ten." Seeing Xu Xing’s disappointment, Xia Yunhe continued, "If we have one person’s assistance, the chances rise to four in ten. With subsequent mediation and coordination among everyone involved, the success rate could reach seven in ten."

"Who is that person?"

Xia Yunhe pursed her lips, a hint of a smile in her eyes. "It is you, Master Xu."

Xu Xing released Xia Yunhe’s sleeves and stepped back two paces, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the table.

"Me? What could I possibly do? I am but a broken man."

"Master Xu, your talent is overflowing. Do not belittle yourself; it is only your luck that has been poor. This plan requires you to sacrifice yourself and enter the trap before there is any hope of success." After saying this, seeing Xu Xing biting his lip in hesitation, she sighed. "Very well, since Master Xu is unwilling, this matter is closed. I shall not mention it again."

She turned and began to walk away.

"Lord Xia!" Xu Xing clenched his fists, slowly raising his eyes, the muscles in his cheeks twitching. "Sacrificing myself to enter the trap… can it really exchange for freedom?"

A smile touched her lips. "I do not know."

Xu Xing stood where he was, lost in thought. After a long time, he looked at her. "I am willing to try."