Slow-Setting Net (3)

The Princess's Mansion was situated in the southeastern corner of Yan-de Ward. Separated only by the Gourd Canal, it faced the West Market from afar.

According to customary rules, a princess could only have an official administrative office built outside the palace after her marriage, and establishing an independent household was out of the question.

Princess Lan-jia alone was the exception, becoming the very first unmarried princess to establish an independent household.

Knowing the princess’s fondness for Western Regions music and dance, puppet shows, and exotic spices, Emperor He-hui specifically bestowed upon her the estate in Yan-de Ward so that Lan-jia could dispatch people to make purchases directly at the West Market. In addition to the mansion in Yan-de Ward, the princess also owned a mountain villa in the suburbs of Shang-du, sprawling across forty to fifty miles all the way to the foot of Lu Mountain.

Furthermore, Emperor He-hui granted the princess the Salt Marsh fief, yielding tens of thousands of bushels of salt annually. The governor of Salt Marsh County was none other than a trusted confidant of Princess Lan-jia. Such an arrangement by the emperor endowed Princess Lan-jia with a power capable of holding sway over the imperial capital—salt.

Given that the emperor held the Wan family in deep suspicion, would he not guard against Princess Lan-jia, who was born to Noble Consort Wan?

Though born to Noble Consort Wan, Lai-jia had actually been raised by Empress Liu. Following the empress’s death, the emperor kept the princess by his side, which resulted in a distant relationship with Noble Consort Wan.

Two years ago, when Noble Consort Wan sought to win over Xia Yun-he for the Prince of Ding and failed in her attempt to matchmake the princess with Xia Yun-he, the relationship between mother and daughter plummeted to absolute freezing point. Later, when Noble Consort Wan was suddenly struck by a severe illness, Princess Lan-jia never visited her even once.

Let us temporarily set aside the deep grievances and entanglements within the royal family.

Let us return to Xia Yun-he and her entourage as they arrived outside the princess's mansion. Disembarking from their carriage, they found that the sky had already turned pitch black.

The main gate of the princess's mansion was imposing and majestic, guarded by sturdy lion-shaped drum-shaped gate stones. Before they could even approach closely, they were surrounded by numerous guards.

Faintly, the sound of barbarian music drifted from within the estate. Knowing the princess must be inside, Xia Yun-he produced her official tallies and requested an announcement to be sent in.

Unable to make the decision on their own, the guards summoned the commanding officer on night duty. This dark-faced officer said, "Lord Xia, the princess has already retired. If you have business, please return tomorrow."

Clearly, the melodic strains of music were still floating gracefully from within the manor, yet he claimed the princess had retired. The intent to refuse them was glaringly obvious.

Unlike Xia Yun-he, whose brows were locked in a frown, these words suited Xue Wang’s wishes entirely. He grinned and nodded apologetically to the others, stepped back an inch, and turned to leave—only to be grabbed by the shoulder and hauled right back by Wei Si-zhao.

"Oh, Lord Xia, please, you... you must not..." Xue Wang’s facial features scrunched up together as he looked imploringly at Xia Yun-he.

Xia Yun-he gave a slight nod to Wei Si-zhao to express her gratitude, then withdrew her gaze and asked the dark-faced officer to step aside for a private word.

Moving away from the group, she bowed to the dark-faced officer and said, "This humble official本来 ought not to disturb the princess's rest, but this matter is of the utmost importance, directly concerning Her Highness, and brooks no delay. I must trouble the military officer to report this to the princess and permit us an audience to present our case in person."

"Since that is the case, wait here."

The officer went back inside to make the report, and the street fell into a temporary silence. The spring snow refused to accumulate, leaving the road wet and bone-chillingly cold.

Wei Si-zhao firmly pinned Xue Wang with one hand, letting the man struggle all he wanted while refusing to lower his guard by even a fraction.

The post-snow moon was large and bright. Wei Si-zhao glanced up, experiencing a momentary trance, and suddenly felt a sour ache in his chest, giving rise to a faint and bitter sorrow.

The scenery vaguely resembled years gone by, yet no friends or family would ever return to their old homeland.

The Jiang-dong case had been bizarre and tragic. As the orphaned survivor of the Wei clan, he was duty-bound to clear his family's name and redress their grievances... He turned his gaze to Xia Yun-he. That person was draped in a white fox-fur cloak, coughing incessantly and appearing too frail to withstand the wind. Zhen-niang supported her from the side, barely providing enough physical support to keep the tottering Xia Yun-he upright.

Wei Si-zhao could not help but frown slightly. He knew that Chen Hai-zhou was difficult to kill, but he had no idea how much certainty Xia Yun-he... had in accomplishing this deed. Still, as long as there was even a sliver of a chance to avenge the Wei clan and wash away their humiliation, he had to try.

...

After a short while, a burly general emerged, introducing himself as the Deputy Commander of the Personal Guards, bearing the surname Sun.

Commander Sun led the group in through the side gate, walking forward along a covered corridor. They passed a row of low, flat houses, which served as the estate's duty rooms. Further ahead, the view suddenly opened up: green bricks and white walls, towering ancient trees, with a post every ten paces and a guard every five. Stopping before a small door, Commander Sun halted and said, "Lord Xia, please submit to a body search."

"A body search?" A thunderous roar echoed in Xia Yun-he's ears. She froze in place, dumbfounded for a moment, before managing to ask, "Search for what?"

Commander Sun stated, "To see the princess, one must undergo a body search. That is the rule. Anyone carrying blades or hidden weapons is forbidden to enter."

...

At these words, Xia Yun-he fell into silence. If she were a man, it naturally wouldn't matter, but she was cross-dressing in men's attire. If she underwent a body search today, her true identity would inevitably be exposed, and the Xia family would likewise be branded with the crime of deceiving the emperor. A body search was precisely what she could not afford. Yet without a body search, she could not enter the princess's mansion.

Seeing her hesitate, Commander Sun mocked, "If Lord Xia finds this difficult, then please return. Having previously rejected the princess's marriage proposal before Her Grace the Noble Consort, you now come rushing to pay court to the princess—who knows what ulterior motives you harbor."

"You... This matter concerns Her Highness..." Driven by anxiety, she broke into a violent fit of coughing, and Zhen-niang hastily steadied her.

Commander Sun glanced sideways at the group, a trace of contempt flashing in his eyes as he smiled faintly, "Since ancient times, scholars have had merely a tongue, able to stretch a sesame-sized matter into a watermelon. The princess is a person of noble and golden pedigree; is she someone the likes of you can see just by asking? If you are unwilling to undergo a body search, then please depart."

The current situation suited Xue Wang's wishes perfectly. He desperately wanted to retreat backward, but Wei Si-zhao shoved him right in front of Commander Sun with a single palm. Xue Wang chuckled sheepishly, shrank his shoulders, mumbled a couple of ingratiating pleas, and scurried off to the side.

Xia Yun-he coughed endlessly, her brow locked tight as she thought to herself: Chen Hai-zhou sent people to beat Xue Wang and cast him out of the estate today; tomorrow he will surely regret it and hunt Xue Wang down to silence him. Chen Hai-zhou's treason—if delayed until tomorrow, complications were bound to arise.

Commander Sun was not entirely unreasonable; he was simply accustomed to the robust and sturdy men of the military and felt rather disdainful of Xia Yun-he’s sickly appearance, which made her look as though a single puff of wind could blow her over.

He sneered, "If Academician Xia wishes to see Her Highness yet refuses a body search, you are merely making things difficult for us. If it is not a matter of utmost urgency, you had best leave early, lest you be stopped by the ward bailiff when the curfew falls."

As Xia Yun-he stood in a standoff with this man, she suddenly heard the barbarian music inside the princess's mansion shift in tune, growing bolder and more sonorous. The rapid rhythm beat against Xia Yun-he's heart, intensifying her anxiety.

Just as she was caught in a dilemma, a clear and mellow voice rang out.

"Lord Xia, let me go," Wei Si-zhao said calmly. "Since Lord Xia is indisposed, why not let this lowly one undergo the body search in your stead and seek an audience with the princess?"

Xia Yun-he looked up at the speaker, an inexpressible surge of emotion welling up in her heart.

It would be best if Wei Si-zhao could help her, but he had to get Commander Sun's consent first.

As soon as those words fell, Commander Sun frowned and interrogated, "What status do you hold that you are even worthy of seeing the princess?"

Unhurried and composed, Wei Si-zhao offered a formal bow and said, "This humble person is a servant of Lord Xia. Lord Xia disregards personal illness to pay a visit in the dead of night, naturally for an extraordinary matter. This affair impacts the safety of Her Highness and the survival of the state. I must trouble the commander to report once more and inquire whether the princess is willing to grant this humble person an audience."

The young man's words were neither servile nor overbearing, and his demeanor was extraordinary. Commander Sun felt a growing sense of favor toward him. His eyes darted back and forth between Xia Yun-he and the young man before dispatching a guard to consult the princess's wishes once again.

Before long, the guard returned with a single word: "Permitted."

Seeing that the princess had agreed, Xia Yun-he let out an instant breath of relief. Immediately afterward, Commander Sun summoned two men to prepare for the body searches of Wei Si-zhao and Xue Wang. Wei Si-zhao, however, hastily stopped them, reached into his own waistband, and produced a dagger and a row of needle-like hidden weapons. The others froze, and Commander Sun nearly drew his sword in alarm.

Solemnly, Wei Si-zhao entrusted the dagger and hidden weapons to Xia Yun-he, his expression unchanged as he said, "Lord Xia, I leave these in your care."

The farce concluded. Once the two men were searched, they followed the group of guards through the small gate, stepping onto a winding flagstone path and passing through courtyards. They beheld an artificial mountain peak serving as a screen, resplendent and dazzling. It set off the vermilion-painted timberwork, intricately carved windows, and balustrades arranged in perfect density. Exotic peaks and exquisite rocks were piled together, framed by towering ancient pines and aged cypresses. Outside, there was no sign of spring, yet everywhere within the garden bloomed with verdure. Now dusted with a layer of fresh snow, it possessed an even more ethereal, fairy-like charm: magnolias of pure white, red-golden camellias, and weeping begonias. Spring orchids were bursting with buds, offering a changing vista with every ten paces that deeply captivated the viewer.

The guards were well-trained and marched in silence all the way. The two men dared not speak either, making the strains of barbarian music grow ever clearer and brighter.

Turning a corridor, a brightly lit courtyard appeared ahead.

On the ground lay a finely stitched red felt carpet. A voluptuous barbarian maiden with striking facial features and adorned with jewels was dancing gracefully upon the felt. More than a dozen troupe performers, clad in lapel-fronted narrow-sleeved robes and black-leather pointed boots, were playing instruments, and the musical melodies emanated precisely from this place.

A group of refined and proper maidservants moved with graceful, swaying steps as they stood along the corridors, either walking about or holding trays. Astonishingly, not a single sound of coughing or idle chatter could be heard; everything was in immaculate order.

Commander Sun instructed Wei Si-zhao and Xue Wang to wait in place while he went in to make his report.

Bypassing the attending servants, Commander Sun knelt before a four-cornered tent canopy and murmured a few words in a low voice. The tent curtains hung low, and a graceful silhouette inside lazily stretched and casually waved a hand.

Immediately following this, Commander Sun ordered Wei Si-zhao and Xue Wang to step forward.

The person inside the tent said, "I have always heard that Official Xia is cautious and acute, and would never linger over trivial matters. No doubt his servant is the same. There are paper and brush here; write it down, and do not make a loud clamor to disturb the song and dance."

A maidservant carried a wooden tray to Wei Si-zhao and Xue Wang; the tray held paper and brush.

Xue Wang glanced at it and instinctively shrank back. Casting a look of contempt at him, Wei Si-zhao pondered for a brief moment, picked up the brush, and wrote five characters on the paper: "Chen Hai-zhou is rebelling." Having finished, he turned the paper face down and laid the brush aside.

The maidservant carried the wooden tray back into the tent canopy. Before long, she emerged again, signaling for the music to cease and distributing rewards to everyone. The troupe members all rose in unison, bowed in gratitude, and withdrew one by one.

As the crowd dispersed, the courtyard instantly grew quiet.

The person inside the tent asked, "Who wrote this?"

Wei Si-zhao bowed his head and replied, "This humble person wrote it."

"This matter... is there any human or physical evidence?"

"The person beside this humble person serves as human evidence; physical evidence is temporarily lacking."

A fair hand parted the tent curtains, and Princess Lan-jia walked out slowly. She wore a pale green silk-padded long robe with wide sleeves, her face free of cosmetics and adorned only with a set of filigree-inlaid gold and silver hairpins. Her eyes radiated brilliance, and her entire bearing was as tranquil as water, exuding an aura of regal splendor.

"How am I to believe that you two haven't colluded on your stories to slander others? Furthermore, why did Xia Yun-he not dare to come himself? Is he afraid I will settle accounts with him?"

At a loss for words, Wei Si-zhao braced himself and said, "Lord Xia is... feeling unwell..."

"If he is unwell, he should stay at home; why bother running amok in the city of Shang-du? Sun Cheng-hu, go bring Xia Yun-he here."

Commander Sun replied, "Your Highness, Lord Xia was unwilling to undergo a body search."

Princess Lan-jia smiled and said, "If he is unwilling to undergo a body search, then let him be. He's just a sickly weakling; surely you aren't afraid of him?"

...

Xia Yun-he stood near the gate. As the cold wind blew, she couldn't help but shiver. Zhen-niang pulled her cloak tighter around her, and Xia Yun-he met the woman's gaze with a small smile.

It was biting cold, so Xia Yun-he and Zhen-niang took refuge in the duty room to escape the chill.

In the distance, the rhythmic "bang-bang" sound of the watchman's drum echoed, signaling that the first watch and third quarter had arrived—the curfew had begun.

A night-duty guard stoked the brazier and said to the two of them, "The curfew has already begun, how do the two of you intend to return?"

Feeling somewhat dazed, Xia Yun-he shook her head and sighed, "We shall cross that bridge when we come to it."

The sound of barbarian music suddenly ceased. This meant that Wei Si-zhao and Xue Wang had undoubtedly seen Princess Lan-jia.

She felt for the dagger and hidden weapons handed to her by Wei Si-zhao. Seeing this, the night-duty guard asked her, "Lord Xia, which path does that servant of yours walk? He strikes me as having quite the chivalrous knight-errant demeanor."

"A jianghu man, just earning a living," she casually prevaricated, pondering inwardly: I wonder what Wei Si-zhao and Xue Wang said to the princess? Is everything going smoothly?

Princess Lan-jia was not some daughter pampered deep within a boudoir; she was the Grand Princess of the State of Chu, personally instructed by Emperor He-hui.

The princess's temperament and handling of affairs were practically identical to those of Emperor He-hui.

Xia Yun-he could not help but worry for the two men.

Just as she was thinking this, Commander Sun strode in through the door and called out to Xia Yun-he, "Lord Xia, the princess requests your presence. The princess has shown mercy and exempted Lord Xia from the body search."