The following day.

In a private chamber at Xiankelai, Shen Xiao and Li Qin sat facing each other across a low tea table. Shen Xiao leaned back in a high-backed chair, his left hand resting over his right, idly rubbing the center of his palm. His voice was calm and measured. “The Yellow River disaster relief assignment must be secured. It is vital to the advancement of your standing.”

Li Qin asked: “I know. But Second Brother is also competing for it, and as you saw at court today — he had the air of a man determined to prevail. Ever since the Crown Prince was placed in house confinement, some fence-sitters have turned to Second Brother’s side. Not a few officials have also submitted memorials urging that Second Brother be placed in charge of the relief.”

Shen Xiao only smiled. “Officials recommending a candidate is one thing. Whether His Majesty agrees is another.”

He pressed down Li Qin’s lack of confidence and continued: “Of all the assignments available, the Yellow River disaster relief is actually one of the easier ones to obtain. As long as you can propose a method for managing the flood, His Majesty will very likely consider you.”

Li Qin immediately pressed further: “You have a method for managing the Yellow River floods?”

Shen Xiao gave a nod.

“The root cause of the Yellow River’s perennial flooding is not difficult to identify — the riverbed carries too much silt and sediment. The river bottom has been rising year after year, so that even moderate rainfall causes the water level to swell dangerously, inviting disaster.”

Li Qin, though he had never had charge of the Ministry of Works, grasped the point. “So the root of it lies in the sediment of the riverbed?”

But how was one to clear the sediment? Surely one couldn’t send laborers to dive into the water and dig it out with shovels?

Shen Xiao saw Li Qin’s puzzlement. He lifted the lid from the teacup, plucked out a few tea leaves that had settled at the bottom, and arranged them on the table.

“From Henan Circuit all the way to the sea, the Yellow River runs through flat plains — the terrain is level. Think of these tea leaves as sediment. If the water flows slowly…”

Shen Xiao slowly poured half a cup of water across the table. The tea leaves were nudged gently by the sluggish current but did not flow off the table’s edge.

“The sediment only accumulates and sinks.”

“But if the water flows swiftly…”

Shen Xiao raised his hand and splashed the remaining tea water across the table. The tea leaves were immediately swept up by the violent surge of water, rushing off in a cascading rush.

“This way, the sediment at the riverbed is caught up in the swift current and carried all the way out to sea. With less sediment, the water level naturally drops — not only will this year’s flooding diminish, but even if heavy rains fall in future years, nothing like this year’s wide-scale flooding will occur.”

Shen Xiao set down the teacup. “In all past efforts to manage the Yellow River, the focus has been on raising and reinforcing the embankments. Embankments are certainly important — but that is treating the symptom, not the cause.”

Li Qin on the other side could not help but clap his hands in admiration. “What a brilliant approach! How did you ever think of it?!”

He felt more and more that Shen Xiao was an extraordinary find — like having come upon a living encyclopedia.

Shen Xiao only gave a mild smile. Faced with the Seventh Prince’s praise, he showed very little reaction. And certainly no wagging of a tail. The Seventh Prince could praise him all he liked — it was not the same as Li Shu. Except when it came to Li Shu, he was, in all other things, exceptionally calm and composed.

Shen Xiao said: “Actually, this principle was articulated by someone in the Former Han Dynasty. It simply has not been put into practice since. ‘In one measure of water, six parts are mud’ — and so water must ‘flow swiftly’ in order to carry the sediment.”

Shen Xiao read widely and eclectically. He did not devote himself solely to the classical texts — he sought out all manner of books, from astrology and geography to whatever oddities he could find. In the past, when his family had been poor, he could not afford books and would borrow them from others, copy them out, and return them. Even now his right hand bore a thick layer of calluses from the brush.

Most of the wisdom in this world did not fall ready-formed from the sky. What appeared to be effortless brilliance was, in many cases, the reward of diligence accumulated over a lifetime.

Shen Xiao shook the tea stains from his hand and fished out a handkerchief from his sleeve to wipe his fingers clean.

Li Qin had been deep in thought, turning over in his mind what method might cause the Yellow River’s current to flow more swiftly. Then his gaze was drawn, involuntarily, to the handkerchief in Shen Xiao’s hand.

It was not his fault his attention had wandered. The truth was, that handkerchief…

It was clearly a woman’s handkerchief.

White silk — delicate red plum blossoms embroidered in fine detail at each of the four corners. Even Li Qin, who had no knowledge of embroidery or fabrics, could see that the cloth was of extraordinary quality and the needlework exceptional.

One would be hard-pressed to find that quality of cloth even among the families of most officials — let alone among ordinary people.

He then watched Shen Xiao fold the handkerchief, tuck it carefully and with great reverence into the wide sleeve of his official robe, and resume his expression of a face unmoved by eight winds from any direction.

Shen Xiao continued: “If one is to speak of a specific approach for managing the floods, it is actually quite simple — eight words: ‘build embankments to confine the water; use the water to scour out the sand.'”

His grave and solemn manner made it truly impossible to connect him with the man who had just wiped his hands on a woman’s handkerchief.

“Your Highness should submit a memorial to His Majesty as soon as possible, setting out the method for managing the Yellow River flooding. His Majesty will certainly regard you in a new light.”

But Li Qin, upon hearing this, furrowed his brow and hesitated. “But… this is your method. By rights you should be the one to submit the memorial.”

The Yellow River was a great, persistent knot weighing upon the Emperor’s heart. Whoever could manage the Yellow River would earn enormous credit with the Emperor. Indeed, given that the Ministry of Works was currently short of people, Shen Xiao stood an excellent chance of claiming Cui Jinzhi’s former position on the strength of this — stepping directly into the post of third-rank Ministry of Works Vice Minister.

Li Qin said: “This is your method. I cannot take your credit.”

Li Qin considered himself no petty man, and had no desire to do something so unworthy of his reputation.

Shen Xiao smiled faintly. A look of appreciation for Li Qin passed through his eyes. The Seventh Prince was indeed someone worth supporting.

Shen Xiao was very good at reading people. Better, in fact, than Li Shu.

If Shen Xiao were Li Shu, he would never have become entangled with Cui Jinzhi in the first place.

Men like Cui Jinzhi — born brilliantly clever, sons of great clans, whose lives had run too smoothly for too long — had never been tested and refined by adversity. So when they encountered great upheaval, they could not overcome it, and very easily turned dark and extreme.

Though one could not blame Li Shu for it — matters of the heart always made a person willfully blind.

Shen Xiao drew his thoughts back and persuaded: “Your Highness — I am here to serve you. How high you can rise determines the ceiling of what I can achieve. Whether this method of managing the floods was first proposed by me is not important. What matters is whose memorial can maximize the benefit. If I submit it, the best outcome His Majesty grants me is a post in the Ministry of Works, the role of managing the Yellow River relief. But if you submit it, you can oversee the whole of the Yellow River basin — commanding the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Finance, even the Ministry of War — during the relief period. Your standing with the Emperor will rise in a single bound. Assessed from this angle, you are the more suitable person to submit this memorial.”

Seeing that Li Qin still appeared reluctant and prepared to object further, Shen Xiao cut him off. “The power in my hands is not so important.”

Li Qin was quiet for a moment. He knew Shen Xiao was right. He gave a nod. “I will go home and write the memorial at once.”

Li Qin had more than just reliance on Shen Xiao by now — he had even begun to develop a subtle sense of the bond between a ruler and his trusted minister.

Compared with all the officials in court, Shen Xiao was a man of inner conviction. He walked the broad, direct path — his life was open and above reproach.

Li Qin thought: he would not only be a capable minister. He would become a minister of great renown.

With the official business concluded, Shen Xiao also relaxed. He leaned back in his chair, and his left hand drifted unconsciously to rubbing the center of his right palm again — and then, as if remembering something, he suddenly grew pleased with himself.

That pleasure did not show on his face. But the whole quality of his bearing suddenly softened, as if something tender had filled his heart entirely.

Li Qin noticed that this was already more times than he could count today that Shen Xiao had rubbed his own palm. He asked with concern: “Lord Shen — is there something wrong with your hand?”

A rash that was itching?

Shen Xiao promptly released his hand. “There is not.”

Yesterday at Qianfu Temple — the feeling of holding Li Shu’s wrist still seemed to linger in the center of his palm. She ran on the cool side, and being so slender, she was not soft to the touch — very much like her character, quite unyielding. And yet the pulse beneath her wrist was soft.

When he had reached out tentatively to make contact, she had not thrown him off.

Although her expression had been entirely unruffled — as if sensation had simply switched off, and she was wholly unaware of Shen Xiao’s quiet, secret act. But at the time she had clearly been tense through her whole body.

She was perhaps still uncertain, still hesitating — and that was all right. Shen Xiao was patient. As long as she did not refuse him, he could keep walking toward her.

Thinking of Li Shu again, Shen Xiao began unconsciously reaching toward his own palm once more.

Even Li Qin, dense as he might otherwise be, was by now completely submerged in Shen Xiao’s aura of private bliss.

Li Qin gave a silent, helpless laugh.

Although Shen Xiao was five years his senior, Li Qin’s own sons were already running all over the place — the product of the early marriages common in the imperial family. Against that backdrop, the young-man-in-the-first-flush-of-feeling quality that Shen Xiao was failing to conceal was truly impossible to miss: his joy was written in the corners of his brows and the edges of his eyes.

Li Qin picked up his teacup, took a sip, and thought privately: since they were all already aboard this boat of his — might as well go further in their cooperation, and then there would be no friction between them later.

Li Qin set down his teacup and, with the air of someone making idle small talk, began: “Speaking of which — Princess Pingyang’s birthday is a little over a month away. I have never been close with the Princess in the past and never gave her a proper birthday gift. Now that the Princess has helped me so greatly, I would like to express my gratitude. Lord Shen, help me think — what birthday gift would be appropriate this time?”

At these words, Shen Xiao’s ears pricked up immediately — but his face remained entirely expressionless, and with great gravity he gave a nod. “The Princess’s birthday is indeed an occasion to take seriously.”

Her birthday was coming up.

And so Shen Xiao, completely without any intention of doing so, rubbed his palm again.

* * *

Early the next morning, Li Qin submitted a memorial setting out a method for managing the Yellow River flooding. Emperor Zhengyuan read it and immediately summoned Li Qin to the palace.

He discussed in detail the specific plans for managing the flood, and also examined Li Qin’s conduct over the past several years in the Ministry of Rites. Emperor Zhengyuan was quite satisfied with Li Qin. Added to the fact that Li Qin had recently recommended the humbly-born Gui Zhi for a post in the Ministry of Finance, Emperor Zhengyuan was of the view that Li Qin was the son whose conduct was most in line with his own thinking — unlike the Crown Prince and the Second Prince, the Seventh Prince did not associate with the great clans, but instead sought to promote those of humble birth.

Emperor Zhengyuan looked at this son who had never received his attention in the past, and in his heart was a sudden, quiet sigh.

If only the Crown Prince could be more like Li Qin — keeping the great clans at arm’s length, staying close to those from humble origins, conducting himself with a bit more restraint — he would not be wearing himself to the bone worrying over the Crown Prince and going grey with anxiety.

The more effort one put into cultivating someone, the more likely they were to go wrong. Yet those left to the side, uncared for, could grow like wild grass — vigorous and full.

That very afternoon, Emperor Zhengyuan issued an imperial decree: the Seventh Imperial Prince Li Qin, possessed of keen intelligence and far-reaching judgment, was entrusted with overseeing the management of flood relief along the Yellow River. Every department whose work touched on the relief efforts was to cooperate with him fully, without delay or obstruction.

A prince who had previously existed in such obscurity he was nearly invisible now appeared before the entire civil and military court in this thunderclap manner.

Only then did the assembled officials stir with sudden astonishment. This prince who seemed so mild and unassuming — there was, it turned out, a quiet depth of steadiness in him that had gone entirely unnoticed.

The news of the Seventh Prince taking charge of the Yellow River relief was so shocking that by comparison, the fact that Shen Xiao had been promoted for exposing the Luo Prefecture disaster passed almost without notice.

His promotion had only been by one rank — from Supervising Secretary to Remonstrance Official. He remained within the Chancellery, but now held the broader authority to admonish the Son of Heaven over his failings and to impeach court officials.

The corruption and dereliction of the Luo Prefecture Prefectural Governor had set off an alarm in Emperor Zhengyuan’s mind. The officials along the Yellow River needed to be thoroughly investigated. Various circuit inspectors had already been dispatched, but someone was needed to oversee the whole operation. Emperor Zhengyuan assigned this task to Shen Xiao.

Shen Xiao had no connections with any of the great clans in court, and he possessed the boldness of one who, having committed everything, would see it through regardless of consequence. For handling affairs that had been allowed to rot through behind the scenes — where one tug exposed a vast web of involvement — he was the most fitting choice.

On account of this new assignment, Shen Xiao’s authority grew considerably greater than before.

The weather grew colder day by day. But things were moving in an ever-improving direction. Months ago, when Cui Jinzhi had crushed her jade ornament to pieces, Li Shu could not have imagined that in just a few short months she would find herself at the threshold of a brighter path.

Shen Xiao was buried in new business and worked himself ragged, day and night. By the time he at last surfaced from the mountain of court affairs and drew breath, half a month had already passed.

He slipped quietly to Xiankelai. But the doors of the Golden Jade Chamber were pulled firmly shut. Shen Xiao pushed them open as naturally as if he belonged there — no shop attendant came to stop him.

Inside the lavishly appointed Golden Jade Chamber, nothing had changed — except that on the chess board by the window, a dozen or so books were stacked. Shen Xiao walked closer. He saw that tucked partway out from between the books was a slip of paper. He drew it out, and suddenly a smile came over his face.

“The method for managing the Yellow River flooding is excellent.”

Her handwriting was loose and unrestrained — none of the delicate, fine style typical of most women. It was instead exceptionally free and spirited. She had written only this single line — but in the corner of the slip, she had added, in vermilion ink, a small red flower.

As a token of praise.

Shen Xiao ran his fingers over the slight indentations the ink had pressed into the paper. He could almost picture her as she held the brush and wrote.

Her brow carrying a trace of resignation. The corners of her eyes carrying a trace of amusement.

Oh, well, let me write him one line of praise after all — he has worked himself ragged on court matters. She had probably been thinking something along those lines as she set her brush to paper.

The dozen or so books were all rare out-of-print volumes from the Former Dynasty — the sort one could not acquire even for money.

Yet Shen Xiao found himself feeling, quite clearly, that the slip of paper in his hand weighed more.