06 – Chapter 1

Meng Jianqing raised his telescope, aiming it at the pleasure boats on Xuanwu Lake, slowly adjusting the focus.

The lens swept across face after face, finally stopping on one particular person.

The scholar in the lens was looking down, brush in hand, his features unclear.

Meng Jianqing moved the lens.

Standing beside that scholar was Wen Ruhai, nephew of the current Minister of Rites and Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Lord Wen Fangwen.

Meng Jianqing frowned slightly.

Wen Fangwen enjoyed great imperial favor. Wen Ruhai was magnanimous and hospitable, generous with his spending, and could be considered a man of influence within the Imperial Academy. Those Imperial Academy students who thought so highly of themselves called themselves “disciples of the Son of Heaven.” Throughout Yingtian Prefecture, everyone regarded them with deference, and even the Imperial Guard had to show them some respect. Though the imperial examinations had been restored and official selection had begun taking another proper path, threatening the Imperial Academy’s status considerably, these students had spread throughout various regions over the years, maintaining communication and deep roots. For the time being, they remained difficult to shake. Whenever various government offices investigated cases involving Imperial Academy students, they invariably frowned deeply.

He had been monitoring the Qingcheng candidate Li Keji for over a month. During this month, Wen Ruhai seemed to always be hovering around Li Keji, making him wonder whether Wen Ruhai’s interest stemmed from genuine appreciation or admiration for Li Keji’s renowned painting skills or if he had ulterior motives. After all, Li Keji was in second place in the Chuanzhong provincial examination, a popular candidate for the metropolitan examination, and had indeed passed to become a jinshi. The latest news was that he placed tenth in the palace examination and would soon enter the Hanlin Academy.

However, given Wen Ruhai’s family background and position, did he need to curry favor with Li Keji?

Li Keji set down his brush and straightened up with satisfaction.

Meng Jianqing’s lens moved back to him.

He was still very young and handsome. Though he appeared much more composed than other newly successful jinshi, his face still showed the spirited radiance of someone riding high on success.

Meng Jianqing couldn’t help but think that Li Keji was the youngest jinshi since the Ming Dynasty had reopened the imperial examinations, and would likely remain the youngest Hanlin scholar for a long time to come.

His future wife was a renowned beauty from Chuanzhong; his father-in-law, Hua Deyuan, the current Prefect of Chongqing, was reportedly likely to fill the recently vacated position of Sichuan Provincial Administration Commissioner.

Though his father Li Ruilin had served as a strategist for Prince Wu Zhang Shicheng during his lifetime and committed suicide when Suzhou fell; though his enlightening teacher was the proudly uncompromising “foremost poet of the realm” Gao Qi, who had been executed by the Hongwu Emperor just a few years ago; Li Keji himself had grown up on Ming territory and traveled thousands of li to the capital to await the court’s selection.

The Hongwu Emperor could not have failed to notice his background, yet still ranked him tenth in the palace examination.

This was a clear signal.

When the Hongwu Emperor sent the Yuan Dynasty’s surrendered minister Wei Su to guard the Yuan Emperor’s mausoleum, was he perhaps somewhat moved by Li Ruilin, who had been willing to die for Zhang Shicheng years ago? And when the Hongwu Emperor cast the stubbornly uncompromising Xia Boqi and his nephew into the sea for refusing to submit to the Ming and serve in the capital, was he not also satisfied by the sight of Li Ruilin’s son and Gao Qi’s student prostrating himself at the foot of the throne, eager to serve the Ming?

A brilliant future was spreading out at Li Keji’s feet, waiting only for him to step forward.

If he could pass the Imperial Guard’s scrutiny.

A slight smile played at the corner of Meng Jianqing’s mouth. He put away the telescope and ordered his subordinates to steer the small boat toward that pleasure boat.

As the small boat approached, Meng Jianqing noticed Li Keji’s body stiffen slightly, instinctively turning to look in their direction.

A layer of ethereal mist drifted across the lake surface in the spring rain. Yet Li Keji’s gaze seemed able to penetrate the mist, striking directly into Meng Jianqing’s eyes.

When their gazes met, both men felt a shock in their hearts.

Meng Jianqing leaped onto the boat, showed his badge, and said with cupped hands: “I am Meng Jianqing, acting on orders from Imperial Guard Commander Shen to invite Master Li to the Imperial Guard for a conversation.”

Wen Ruhai looked him over with surprise: “So you’re Meng Jianqing? I’ve truly admired your reputation for a long time!” He then turned to Li Keji with a smile: “Brother Li, Captain Meng is Commander Shen’s capable lieutenant. For him to personally come invite you shows that Brother Li, having passed through the dragon gate, is truly worth extraordinary regard!”

Li Keji smiled slightly.

Ordinary officials and commoners would be terrified upon hearing the Imperial Guard’s summons. Yet Wen Ruhai seemed completely unconcerned, and Li Keji remained very calm.

Perhaps because they had already prepared themselves mentally?

When Li Keji jumped from the pleasure boat to the small boat, Wen Ruhai did worry about him, calling for him to be careful not to fall into the water.

He seemed quite surprised by Li Keji’s agile movements.

Perhaps he didn’t know as much as Meng Jianqing had imagined?

The small boat headed toward the shore. Li Keji stood at the bow, gazing at the lake surface in contemplation.

Meng Jianqing had never observed him this closely before. He began to understand somewhat why the worldly Wen Ruhai would be drawn to Li Keji. This young jinshi possessed a tranquil demeanor as clear as autumn water, causing those who approached him to unconsciously relax due to the sense of peace and serenity they felt.

For those who spent their days rushing about and their nights deep in thought, such tranquility was enough to make them rush toward it like moths to flame.

However, Li Keji was still so young and had led such a smooth life—he shouldn’t possess this kind of peaceful serenity that only comes to those who have seen through worldly affairs yet maintain warm feelings toward them.

Most importantly, Meng Jianqing felt that for a moment he had felt guilty, because he had to take Li Keji to the Imperial Guard for interrogation.

Meng Jianqing suddenly awakened to his situation.

The peaceful atmosphere surrounding Li Keji, sufficient to make him lower his guard and in that instant die ten times over, was probably not a natural temperament.

But very likely some kind of mental cultivation aimed at subduing the enemy without fighting.

Just as he had refocused his mind and cautiously begun observing Li Keji again, Li Keji had already sensed his subtle change and turned to glance at him.

Their gazes met once more.

Meng Jianqing looked directly at Li Keji and smiled slightly.

Li Keji’s surprise was evident. This young Imperial Guard captain, with his restrained heroic bearing and concentrated will, was like a sheathed blade, facing him so openly and steadily, as if wanting to see through every thought in his mind.

Meng Jianqing could still feel the pressure from Li Keji’s gaze, yet he could still maintain his composed exterior. Li Keji, however, seemed not skilled at concealing the various changes in his heart, or perhaps had never thought to conceal them, or even was unable to conceal them.

The fluctuations in his heart, reflected on his face, had become very faint—perhaps imperceptible to ordinary people, but for Meng Jianqing’s trained eyes, sufficient to deduce his current feelings.

The small boat reached shore.

A small sedan chair was already waiting on the bank. Li Keji took the sedan while Meng Jianqing and his men followed on horseback.

After creating some distance, Meng Jianqing felt that the invisible pressure had disappeared and quietly exhaled.

He wondered if Li Keji, having left his observation and scrutiny, also felt relieved.