Prince Yan’s mansion had been ordered to collaborate with the Ministry of Rites in organizing the ceremony. The Ministry of Rites drafted the plan according to ceremonial regulations and law, and when they prepared to request funds, Prince Yan’s mansion was quiet as death.

Rumors spread throughout the Ministry of Rites that Prince Yan’s mansion simply couldn’t produce that much money. Making promises before His Majesty was merely to save Prince Yan and buy time.

Early one morning, Ministry of Rites Vice Minister Chen Yu’s carriage went directly to Prince Yan’s mansion. “This old minister requests an audience with Prince Yan’s mansion’s Chancellor Lu.”

A black-clothed female guard blocked him outside the gate. “Our Chancellor hasn’t risen yet.”

Chen Yu stood at the gate, laughing coldly in absurdity. “Previously I only took it as rumor—that Chancellor Lu rises at noon each day and can only work half a day. I didn’t expect seeing it today to find it true. Does he have any semblance of being a minister?”

A screech came from overhead. Chen Yu looked up in alarm to see a fierce-looking gray falcon perched on the eaves. The female guard extracted raw meat from a bucket to feed it.

The old minister covered his mouth with his sleeve, truly unable to bear the bloody smell. He feared the falcon’s ferocious manner as it chewed raw meat. After standing at the gate for a while, he had no choice but to head back home.

“Chancellor, Vice Minister Chen has been sent away,” Chi Su reported after feeding the falcon and entering.

Ice was still being used in the side hall, keeping the temperature extremely low. The scent of winter plum drifted from the incense burner.

Lu Huating was dressed neatly, not a hair out of place, crouching on the ground with his back to her, drawing a map.

Spread before him was an enormous white silk canvas two chi long and one and a half chi wide, with detailed palace floor plans drawn in black ink lines. The detailed depiction of Zhaixing Tower on the silk was copied proportionally from Chu kingdom’s old maps, requiring the finest wolf-hair brushes and rulers to paint accurately.

These past days, Lu Huating had led people to view the entire Daming Palace, finally selecting Zhaixing Tower as the ceremony location. “There’s an empty plot north of Zhaixing Tower. We only need to dismantle the railings, fill in the meandering stream, open the Qingxiao Gate and Chongxuan Gate, and the Buddha bone and common people can enter through the two northern gates.”

As he spoke, the adjutant clutched an abacus calculating. “Reckoning it this way can save considerable expenses. However, Minister Zhang has come calling—the Ministry of Rites’ plan must be complete. Chancellor must finish drawing and present it to His Majesty within three days at the latest to still have a chance to compete.”

These past days Lu Huating had been racing against time precisely to draw this map. He set down his brush and rubbed his wrist expressionlessly. “Three days is enough. I’ll rise two days earlier.”

Then Juan Su ran in. “Chancellor, an imperial edict has arrived. I heard it requires you to attend morning court on our Prince’s behalf starting tomorrow, until His Highness returns in triumph.”

Everyone in the side hall exclaimed “Ah!” The adjutant said, “You didn’t mishear? They want the Chancellor to attend court?”

“Morning court starts at the Hour of the Rabbit, doesn’t it?”

“Our Prince Yan’s mansion is quite far from the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Even if His Highness takes a sedan chair, it takes two quarters of an hour. He must rise while it’s still dark.”

“Usually when Prince Yan attends court too early, donning court robes and crown cap in the middle of the night, he even sleeps in the side hall to avoid disturbing the Princess.”

Lu Huating had already gone out with a stern face. Seeing the old red-robed eunuch indeed holding an imperial edict, he stared directly at it and reached out. “May I see the imperial edict?”

The old eunuch said, “Why are you in such a hurry? Wait until this slave finishes reading it, then you can look at your leisure for three days and nights.”

Lu Huating had to withdraw his hand and kneel beneath the autumn parasol tree to receive the edict.

The edict was indeed exactly as Juan Su had said. Lu Huating took the imperial edict. Several guards crowded around to look, thinking this truly was misfortune piling upon misfortune.

“Why would His Majesty issue such an edict?”

“I heard it was the Crown Prince’s suggestion and His Majesty agreed.”

“What time must we rise tomorrow?” Just hearing about it made Juan Su’s teeth ache. “The Chancellor has never risen so early, has he? The Crown Prince wants his life…”

“Otherwise, let us help you draw some of this map,” Zhu Su looked toward the canvas.

Lu Huating glanced over. “Can you draw it?”

Several shadow guards crouched down to study it. They followed Prince Yan into battle and could draw battle maps, but this construction map made with rulers was complex and dizzying. Zhu Su shook his head like a rattle drum. “I can’t draw it.”

“I can’t either.”

“Neither can I.” Before Lu Huating could speak, several people didn’t dare be eyesores and withdrew one after another, even gently closing the hall door.

The adjutant carefully observed Lu Huating’s expression. “Chancellor… can it still be finished in three days?”

Lu Huating lowered his lashes to look at the map spread on the ground. His mood was presumably extremely poor—he was silent for a long while.

He used his slender fingers to carefully fold the imperial edict, coldly laughing with dark amusement. “If I don’t sleep at night, it’s possible.”

—

Outside the window, falling flowers drifted down in flurries. Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, arguments continued without cease. On the imperial throne, Emperor Chenming supported his forehead with his hand—whether from poor sleep or another headache attack was unclear.

After many years of warfare, the new dynasty’s treasury was depleted to the point of being stretched thin. Autumn taxes had been collected unevenly, naturally causing Emperor Chenming worry.

Ministry of Finance Minister Zhang Jun proposed canceling the commercial tax reductions previously given to great merchants. “Those reductions were promised to these merchants by the Chu kingdom’s荒 Emperor. What does it have to do with us? Great Chen should establish Great Chen’s rules.”

“Chang’an’s merchants have only just recovered some vitality. Minister Zhang has forgotten—when we entered Chang’an that year, great merchants still had the kindness to send winter clothing. Now that the new dynasty is stable, to turn around and increase taxes—wouldn’t that chill people’s hearts? Who would still be willing to do business in Chang’an afterward?” Meng Guanlou turned to Zhang Jun.

“Rather, the household tax—according to law it’s collected twice yearly. His Majesty in his benevolence reduced it to once yearly. Now that a year has passed and warfare has ceased, it should be restored to twice yearly. Minister Zhang cannot collect it—this is failure in performing duties.”

“Attendant Meng is about to marry a Cui family daughter—even your speech has become biased. Who knows whether you represent Chang’an’s merchants or are the Cui family’s son-in-law!” Zhang Jun said. “Those few winter garments bought the sage’s heart, yet no one mentions how the Cui family hoarded goods to manipulate prices and scraped how much fat from the people.”

Meng Guanlou said, “Minister Zhang, in the court hall we discuss matters as they are—this is not the time for your personal revenge!”

Lu Huating stood in the corner of the last row but remained completely silent from beginning to end.

“This Chancellor Lu has always had grievances with Attendant Meng—why doesn’t he say a word this time?”

“He’s being clever. Prince Yan is still on the battlefield, victory or defeat undecided. If he loses, Prince Yan will have no foothold in the future.”

Chen Yu laughed coldly. “The boy doesn’t rise until noon. This morning court time is too early for him—he hasn’t woken up yet!”

Li Xuan turned around. “Yuming, Sanlang’s mansion urgently needs money. I heard that for money, you’ve offended even the Ministry of Rites. Shouldn’t you say a few words on Prince Yan’s behalf?”

Lu Huating wore red official robes. Tree shadows fell on his shoulders like sparse shadows slanting across paper. He glanced at Li Xuan but didn’t take the bait. “Your Highness, this subject truly hasn’t woken up. Right now I’m not clearheaded.”

Emperor Chenming had no leisure for his jokes. “Speak properly.”

“This subject doesn’t understand taxation matters. However, this morning alone I sent out thirty tally letters.” Lu Huating said. “Because I control the tallies, I know that within Chang’an city there are as many as two thousand displaced people. They lost their land during the warfare chaos. If Chang’an is like this, the number of landless displaced people in other regions is imaginable. If the displaced aren’t resolved, household taxes cannot be collected. Further pressure will lead to rebellion. This subject cannot demand others’ lives just because I lack money.”

Someone said, “Indeed, speaking of which, this morning a common woman beat the drum to appeal for justice, accusing the Cui family of deceiving good family daughters among the displaced people, making them work as musicians in Four Night Tower…”

Meng Guanlou’s face immediately turned red and white. Prime Minister Meng gave him a look, telling him to stay calm. Emperor Chenming’s headache was severe. He waved his hand, and morning court was dismissed.

Zhang Jun was still very angry. He walked to Lu Huating’s side. “Just now Meng Guanlou was truly too excessive. Why doesn’t Prince Yan’s mansion fight for itself?”

“What use is arguing? It only makes His Majesty more vexed.” Lu Huating said. “Let them argue. Everyone thinks His Majesty has a generous temperament that can be contested, but I believe His Majesty’s heart is very clear on matters. Look at him—his headache has flared up from holding it in.”

The two were conversing privately when Lu Huating suddenly turned his eyes to the side.

If moments ago Lu Huating had been like an inscrutable fog, now his brow and eyes seemed refined by ice—becoming bright, sharp, intensely vivid and compelling.

Zhang Jun followed his gaze. The Crown Prince passed by Lu Huating, robes touching, as the sour scent of turmeric swept over.

Li Xuan seemed to sense something and turned his head. Lu Huating stared directly at the sachet at his waist, his expression inscrutable.

After a long while, Lu Huating raised his eyes, his gaze very deep. “The color of the sachet Your Highness wears is too dark—it doesn’t match your court robes. Remove it and bestow it upon this subject.”

Zhang Jun was stunned.

How could someone demand things from the Crown Prince so righteously?

Li Xuan thought he was retaliating for the morning court matter. He glanced at the twin-fish sachet with embroidered gold threads hanging obediently, himself not knowing why he smiled. “This item was given by a servant girl who said it was a deceased person’s relic—inauspicious, unlucky. This palace is of imperial noble blood and can suppress such things, but it wouldn’t be suitable for you. I’ll send you a new one another day.”

He patted Lu Huating’s shoulder and left.

As the two brushed past each other, Lu Huating didn’t turn his head. Though clearly there was no change in his expression, Zhang Jun was frightened by his complexion.

“I still have matters to attend to. I’m leaving first.” Before Zhang Jun could speak, Lu Huating brushed past him as if nothing had happened.

On the way back, willow catkins continuously fell on his shoulders and sleeves. Lu Huating reached to brush them away, but the snow-white blossoms only increased, impossible to brush clean.

The sunlight was dazzling. Before his eyes, the sachet hanging at Li Xuan’s waist kept flashing.

Closing his eyes, he saw a plain face with eyes harboring provocation.

Completely pledged allegiance to the Eastern Palace?

Given by a servant girl. A deceased person’s item.

Thinking of that imperial edict, Lu Huating suddenly smiled. The smile quickly disappeared, his dark eyes deep as water. Truly a natural nemesis.

According to Great Chen folk customs, only mutually enamored men and women would wear sachets given by each other. Qun Qing actually dared give his sachet to the Crown Prince—was she deliberately hanging it out to provoke him, or…

He walked all the way to Prince Yan’s mansion without uttering a word, leaving Juan Su waiting at Cheng’an Gate very puzzled. Passing through a patch of grass, Lu Huating suddenly threw the jade tablet in his hand.

The instant the jade tablet flew out, Juan Su also flew out.

He leaped into the grass to catch it, looked around—fortunately no one saw. He whispered a reminder: “Chancellor, jade tablets cannot be thrown carelessly. It’s great disrespect…”

Lu Huating looked ahead. “Juan Su, standing where you are, can you smell any scent on me?”

Juan Su sniffed. “Citrus scent?”

“Not citrus—turmeric.” Lu Huating said expressionlessly.

As heir apparent, Li Xuan never used any fragrances, especially strong-scented ones, to avoid affecting the Eastern Palace’s dignified and serious bearing.

Even if a servant girl eagerly offered a sachet, he had no need to wear it unless truly necessary—for instance, medicinal use, like himself.

Lu Huating suddenly realized the Crown Prince’s years-long lingering “illness” might also be “Yearning’s Lure” poisoning, and Qun Qing knew how to alleviate it. She always acted with strong purpose—perhaps she had used this detoxification method to gain the Crown Prince’s favor. His sachet had instead become her ladder to the clouds.

Perhaps the Crown Prince’s poisoning was also related to Qun Qing…

Yearning’s Lure—these three words made his fingers in his sleeve clench tight.

“Change the evening incense in the hall to turmeric. Starting tomorrow, I cannot wear this fragrance,” Lu Huating said.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince and he rarely met. Today he had also left hastily and hadn’t noticed that he carried the same scent.