Liu Chaoming left the Hall of Supreme Harmony and headed toward the Censorate. Passing through the covered walkway, he saw Zhu Yiheng emerge from a pavilion ahead, wearing plain robes with a white jade clasp at his waist. His entire person seemed draped in the color of a new moon.

Liu Chaoming halted his steps: “Didn’t the Tenth Prince go with the Seventh Prince to the Five Military Commissioners’ Office to discuss matters?”

“Is Lord Liu asking when he already knows the answer?” Zhu Yiheng said with a faint smile. “Zhu Zhaowei has never let down his guard against me. How would he let me discuss matters of military provisions and grain supplies together with him? Halfway there, using the approaching Qingming Festival as an excuse, he sent me off, ordering me to proceed to the Imperial Mausoleum tomorrow to supervise the Qingming tomb-sweeping arrangements, and not allowing me to return to the palace until the beginning of the third month.”

As he spoke, seeing Liu Chaoming’s expression remain indifferent, he stepped aside to make way: “The night is long and lonely—I merely wished to exchange a few idle words with you, Lord.”

This place had already been arranged properly by Zhu Yiheng. There was no one around, and a pot of pre-rain tea was simmering on a small brazier in the pavilion.

Liu Chaoming entered the pavilion, picked up the teapot himself, and poured a cup. He said coolly: “Actually, the date of the Fourth Prince’s return to Beiping was already set long ago, wasn’t it?”

Zhu Yiheng made a sound of acknowledgment and turned over a teacup for himself: “Does Zhu Zhaowei think everyone is like him? Fighting over the imperial position so fiercely he even disregards the realm? If it weren’t for Qian Zhihan and Shen Qingyue successively leaving their posts, leaving the Ministry of Revenue with no one capable of shouldering the great responsibility, causing the grain supplies bound for Beiping to remain undecided, Fourth Brother would have returned as soon as Northern Liang mobilized its troops.”

Liu Chaoming said: “The grain supplies bound for Beiping remaining unresolved is not actually due to the Ministry of Revenue’s inaction.” He picked up his teacup and glanced at it, then poured this first brew of tea onto the flowers and trees beside the pavilion. “War is frequent on the northern frontier, and Great Sui is currently experiencing a transition of old and new imperial power. Northern Liang has been watching for opportunities all along. Shen Qingyue had already anticipated there would be war this year. Even before the New Year festival, he had prepared the grain registers from various regions and drafted the provisions for military pay and grain rations.

“However, after the Zhaojue Temple incident, Zhu Zhaowei doubled the silver allocated for purchasing horses at the northwest horse markets. Originally planned to buy four thousand horses, now he wants to buy eight thousand. The Ministry of Revenue couldn’t manage the funds, which is what delayed the grain supplies for the Prince’s Beiping expedition.”

Zhu Yiheng said: “Actually, that’s quite reasonable. Wartime is precisely when horses are needed. Investing more silver in troops and horses can be considered supplementing military strength for all regions.” He thought for a moment. “However, the extra horses Zhu Zhaowei is buying—I’m afraid he intends to use them himself first?”

“Because he’s anxious now.” Liu Chaoming said casually. “Zhu Zhaowei is neither legitimate heir nor eldest son, and he still carries the suspicion of plotting against the Crown Prince. How could ascending the throne be so easy? Moreover, as soon as he took power, the unclear transition between old and new imperial authority caused hidden troubles that had been buried for decades throughout the realm to erupt all at once. Externally, he must quell rebellions and govern; internally, he wants to drive away the Fourth Prince and kill Zhu Nanxian to secure his throne. Of those around him, only Zhu Qiyue is truly trustworthy, but Zhu Qiyue has an unclear-headed temperament.

“What can Zhu Zhaowei do? He can only rely on troops and horses—deploying the Fengyang Army to the Northern Military Camp under the pretext of supplementing military strength, and of the eight thousand horses purchased, three thousand are first allocated to his Fengyang Army. He understands in his heart that amidst chaos, whoever controls military power controls the realm.”

The second brew of tea was ready. Zhu Yiheng picked up the teapot and poured fresh cups for both himself and Liu Chaoming, nodding: “Yes, amidst chaos, only military power is paramount.”

He savored Liu Chaoming’s earlier words for a moment, then suddenly smiled: “So today you deliberately presented the letter between Marquis Wenyuan and the Su family patriarch in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, using the opportunity to clear Su Shiyu’s name as a way to make Zhu Zhaowei suspicious of her identity, prompting him to investigate her? Do you want the Eastern Palace faction to be placed in mortal danger before they can survive?”

Liu Chaoming said expressionlessly: “Think what you will.”

Zhu Yiheng continued smiling: “Back when Su Shiyu fell into the water, Thirteenth sent away two Chengtian Gate guards overnight. My people found this suspicious, so they mixed in with Zhu Zhaowei’s pursuing troops and captured one. Upon questioning, they learned that Su Shiyu was actually a woman. I immediately wrote to Fourth Brother, telling him that Su Jin of Yingtian Prefecture could be useful. Three months later, Fourth Brother replied, saying you, Lord Liu, wanted to protect this person.

“I didn’t believe it at the time. I deeply thought that the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate was famously hard-hearted—not harming people was already good enough, so how could he protect anyone? It wasn’t until the Zhaojue Temple incident, when you, Lord, nearly ruined the entire situation over a letter warning Su Shiyu to avoid disaster, that I realized Fourth Brother’s words were true.”

He paused, his amber eyes gazing at Liu Chaoming: “Has Lord Liu now come to his senses, or is he breaking the jar? How did you suddenly grasp the principle that chess pieces should be used when useful and discarded when necessary?”

Liu Chaoming also looked back at Zhu Yiheng silently, then suddenly smiled: “Does it matter whether I did this deliberately? The situation between the Eastern Palace faction and Zhu Zhaowei has already become a dead end. Even if I hadn’t presented the letter between the Su family patriarch and Qi Boyuan in court, wouldn’t Zhu Zhaowei still try to kill Su Shiyu and Shen Qingyue? The longer it drags on, the more unfavorable the situation becomes. With Su Shiyu alone running around, even if she becomes Vice Minister of Justice and controls the power of punishment, she’s still walking on knife’s edge, liable to be shattered to pieces at any moment.”

As he spoke, he added: “Given the current situation, if we want to topple Zhu Zhaowei with the least cost, neither you nor I can do it—unless Zhu Nanxian and Shen Qingyue act.”

Zhu Yiheng said: “Since you know Su Shiyu has been running around lately to secure the position of Vice Minister of Justice, why not, in two days when the Grand Secretariat and the Three Judicial Offices deliberate, mention her name and help her?”

“She doesn’t need my help.” Liu Chaoming withdrew his sleeves and walked to the stone table, glancing at the second brew of tea Zhu Yiheng had made. The water was clear, the leaves curled, floating and sinking. He held the teacup in his hand. “Besides, I won’t help her.”

“Since we’re going separate ways, everything should depend on one’s own abilities.”

After suffering the finger-crushing punishment, Su Jin went to the Imperial Medical Academy upon leaving the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Though her hands weren’t injured to the bone, the flesh between her fingers was all damaged. Medical Administrator Fang Xu applied medicine for her and instructed her that for ten days she must not pick up a brush, must not carry weights, must not overwork herself, and must absolutely avoid leaving chronic ailments.

Su Jin agreed to everything before returning to the Censorate and ordering Zhai Di to have someone investigate the matter of her younger sister Su Wan’s arrival in the capital. A day later, Zhai Di reported that Su Wan and Assistant Director Qiu from the Court of Imperial Stud had reached the vicinity of the capital and should enter through Zhengyang Gate within these two days.

It was already late February, just before Qingming. Su Jin happened to have a day of rest and originally planned to go to Zhengyang Gate to meet Su Wan, but then remembering that Zhu Zhaowei had ordered Shen Xi to soon assume his post at the Court of Imperial Stud, she weighed her options and instead ordered Tan Zhaolin, who had just returned from the countryside, to go to Zhengyang Gate to receive the person, while she herself went to the Zhao family’s secondary residence to see Shen Xi.

When Shen Xi first arrived at the Zhao residence, it was mid-first month. The apricot tree in the courtyard had just formed flower buds. Now over a month had passed, and the apricot blossoms were nearly finished blooming.

On this day, the spring sun had not yet emerged from the clouds when Zhao Wan, carrying a bamboo winnowing basket, gathered the apricot petals that had fallen during the night. Before she could straighten up, she heard a voice behind her say leisurely: “What are you gathering these petals for?”

It was Shen Xi.

At some unknown time, he had emerged alone from the side room leaning on his walking stick, wearing blue robes and leaning against the doorframe, his eyes distant and dreamy.

Over the past month, though Shen Xi’s injuries had improved considerably, the smile on his face was less than before. Most of the time, he stayed alone in his room. Occasionally when he came to the courtyard with his walking stick, he would merely stand leaning against the doorframe for a while, lost in thought about who knows what. This was the first time he had risen so early and come outside.

Zhao Wan’s ears grew somewhat hot. Her hands gripping both sides of the winnowing basket suddenly tightened. After a long while, she said softly: “The apricot blossom season is about to pass. Awan… wanted to collect the petals and try making apricot blossom wine.”

Hearing these words, Shen Xi couldn’t help but pause.

Young Master Shen was extraordinarily intelligent and learned everything he tried since childhood. Later he learned the art of apricot blossom wine-making from Old Madam Shen. The mellow wine he produced earned everyone’s praise, so every year people would come asking for the wine he brewed.

Unfortunately, this spring he had spent most of his time dwelling on the past and self-reproach, and had lost his former leisurely refined mood. Now looking up, he saw the apricot blossoms were about to wither.

Shen Xi was momentarily speechless. After a moment, he only made a sound of acknowledgment.

Zhao Wan glanced at him, then lowered her eyes: “Young Master Shen rose early—is there some matter?”

Shen Xi nodded slightly and said: “Today is the monthly selection deliberation in the palace. Su Shiyu happens to have a rest day, so she’ll probably come. She’s someone who arrives early, so she should be here before the hour of chen.”

Hearing this, Zhao Wan quickly said: “Then Awan will immediately go prepare tea for Lord Su.” With that, she was about to leave carrying the winnowing basket.

Shen Xi looked at her retreating figure, fell silent for a moment, then called out: “Zhao Wan.” Then, leaning on his walking stick, he slowly walked toward the courtyard. He pulled down several flowering branches from the apricot tree to examine them closely, saying coolly: “What you have in your winnowing basket are all withered petals. How could wine brewed from them taste good? When flowers bloom and can be plucked, pluck them straight away. Several blooms at the tips of the branches have already reached their peak—if not picked, they’ll still fall. Better to turn them into fine wine instead, so they can be preserved for a long time.”

As he spoke, his wrist gently moved downward, letting the pure white apricot petals brush past the teardrop mole at the corner of his eye. He broke off several branches of intensely beautiful, intensely serene apricot blossoms and tossed them into Zhao Wan’s winnowing basket: “For you.”