In Qunxian Ward near the West Market, there lived a household surnamed Zhou. The head of household was named Zhou Dafu, a renowned master of fish delicacies in the West Market. He frequented great households, moving among banquets and wine gatherings. Whenever distinguished guests arrived, the hosts always invited Zhou Dafu to perform. His flying blade slicing fish was absolutely spectacular. Fresh Yellow River carp, still alive and jumping, would be brought to the table, and he would scale and gut them in mere moments.

Carp had many bones, and Yellow River carp particularly had a heavy earthy smell. Zhou Dafu used his swift blade to divide the fish and curved hook to remove bones—even the soft bones fine as velvet were picked out one by one. This was the Zhou family’s closely guarded secret. Though others could also make fish delicacies, compared to the Zhou family’s, one was on flat ground while the other was in heaven. The fish slices Zhou Dafu cut were thin as paper, white as clouds, crystal clear and translucent. Paired with shredded scallions, ginger water, fresh vinegar, and ground mustard seed mixed with water to make yellow mustard as accompaniment, it made people feel completely comfortable throughout their body with a sense of floating toward immortality.

Today Zhou Dafu had declined all invitations from other households. In his own back courtyard, he was concentrating on slicing fish delicacies for a young man, far more attentively than usual. When the fish meat was sliced, that fish’s mouth still kept opening and closing.

The young man picked up a slice of fish, dipped it in yellow mustard, put it in his mouth, closed his eyes to chew, and a look of extreme satisfaction appeared on his face. After eating three chopsticks’ worth and drinking one cup of wine, he put down his chopsticks and said to Zhou Dafu: “Your skill has become increasingly refined. The fish’s freshness and the meat’s resilience are perfectly preserved. Truly excellent craftsmanship.”

Zhou Dafu, standing to one side, heard the young man’s praise and a look of pride appeared on his face. Zhou Dafu had always been very satisfied with his own skill. He bowed forward and pushed the fish delicacy closer to the young man, saying: “Since the young master likes it, why not eat a few more bites?”

The young man shook his head and stood up. As if speaking to Zhou Dafu, yet also to himself, he said: “Fine food too easily makes people slack. Today I’ve already eaten three bites—this is greatly improper. With my family’s vengeance unavenged, I indulge in culinary pleasures. How will I face my grandfather in the netherworld?”

“The young master’s wisdom is deep as the ocean. This time we’ll surely make the Li family pay a heavy price. That murderous tyrant emperor—once he’s addicted to worry-forgetting grass, we’ll make him unable to live yet unable to die.”

The young man showed no joy. He looked up at the sky and said to Zhou Dafu: “Planning lies with people, success lies with heaven. I only hope this time we can succeed.”

“Young master worries too much. Those damned natives are all stupid fools. Young master’s slight scheme had them fall right into the trap. That worry-forgetting grass comes from a distant foreign land. Even among the Hu people it’s an extremely rare item. This old slave doesn’t believe there’s anyone in Chang’an who can recognize this thing and know its origins. Worry-forgetting grass paste was also only recently first discovered by a witch doctor. Our Dou family caravan traveled far this time and obtained these from the Persians. I really can’t think of anyone who could travel farther than the Dou family.”

The young man clenched his fists and heavily pounded the tree trunk. No one hoped more than he for the plan to succeed.

He would never forget the moment the rioters stormed into the Dou household. The lofty noble clan vanished into smoke in an instant. Before his grandfather pushed him into the hidden chamber, that aged face was covered with tears streaming down, saying to him: “Dou Yanshan, you are the next head of our Dou family. The Dou family’s bloodline needs you to continue it. Remember, no matter what happens, you must not come out.”

From that hidden hole, Dou Yanshan saw his grandfather being humiliated by the Bai Qi Si. He saw how that successful villain Dou Zhong gradually tightened the white silk around grandfather’s aged head. Grandfather didn’t say a word until death, only staring intently at the hidden hole, silently comforting him with his mouth—don’t come out.

The graceful young gentleman huddled like a dog in that hidden chamber for four full days. When everyone had left the ruins of the Dou household, only then did he crawl out from the fake mountain exit.

What was once a luxurious mansion had become complete ruins. Dou Yanshan had seen with his own eyes that those who set the fires weren’t rioters, but those bailiffs. From that moment, Dou Yanshan knew it was the Emperor who wanted the Dou family destroyed, not those mindless rioters.

The Dou family’s disappearance was only the tip of the iceberg. If a thousand-year family had no preparations, how could there be the possibility of generational glory? Zhou Dafu was a hidden chess piece left behind by the Dou family.

As early as when the various Lingnan local kings collectively pledged allegiance to Great Tang, the Dou family had prepared to extend their reach into Lingnan. Their relationship with the local kings was extremely harmonious. Weapons, grain, and women were the keys the Dou family used to open the door to Lingnan. No one knew the Dou family was quietly doing all this.

Years of effort had finally borne fruit. Presenting worry-forgetting grass to the Emperor was Dou Yanshan’s idea. As the Emperor’s relative by marriage, he knew very clearly that the Emperor suffered from wind disease. Once it flared up, his head would hurt unbearably. Worry-forgetting grass was the peerless medicine for relieving this pain. Although it had one unknown side effect, as a relative of the Li family, naturally he hoped this side effect would be as violent as possible.

Dou Yanshan very much hoped to see Li Er in the imperial palace, without worry-forgetting grass, howling in agony. This was also his greatest wish in life. As long as this wish was realized, this life would have no regrets.

He always felt he’d forgotten someone. Dou Yanshan tapped his head, and that smiling face appeared before his eyes.

“Brother Yun, how could I forget you? This truly shouldn’t have happened. For the sake of a lowly maidservant, you boldly struck out and sent the good Dou family into the eighteenth level of hell. What skill! If I weren’t worried that Sun Simiao would see through the secret of worry-forgetting grass, how could I forget your share?”

Just as Dou Yanshan, dressed entirely in black, was gnashing his teeth in Zhou Dafu’s back courtyard, Zhou Dafu received a customer who came to order fish delicacies. After receiving the customer, Zhou Dafu came to the back courtyard and said to Dou Yanshan: “Young master, today at noon, Yun Ye went to the Court of State Ceremonial. After plundering a large batch of gifts, he left. Among them was worry-forgetting grass.”

“What did he go to the Court of State Ceremonial for? I’ve heard he’s never had much fondness for the court. Why would he go there?” Dou Yanshan was very worried. Any matter that became connected with Yun Ye would undergo changes. He couldn’t help but be anxious.

“In reply to the young master, Yun Ye went to the Court of State Ceremonial this time for the princess. This time the Emperor, not knowing what madness possessed him, inexplicably betrothed the princess to Meng Shezhao. According to reports from people in the palace, Yun Ye went this time to stand up for the princess. The relationship between them is very ambiguous. Analyzing according to Yun Ye’s temperament, he may have killing intent toward Meng Shezhao.”

Zhou Dafu was always as steady, calm, and sharp as the hand that held his blade. He never added personal feelings to his work. Precision was a skill every good blade master must master.

Dou Yanshan laughed loudly. Whenever he thought of Meng Shezhao, like a black monkey, writhing on Li Anlan’s snow-white body, he couldn’t suppress his desire to laugh heartily. Li Er’s punishment of his own daughter couldn’t be called light. Such a father—even Dou Yanshan was shocked by his heartlessness.

Yun Ye, oh Yun Ye, for the sake of this bitter anger in my chest, I’ll make Meng Shezhao marry Li Anlan no matter what—even if only for one night. As long as this great joke spreads, even if you dismember Meng Shezhao with five horses, it will be worth it. I want to see how you pull teeth from a tiger’s mouth.

Dou Yanshan was pleased with himself. He underestimated this demon Yun Ye. Regarding opium, which would make all Chinese people in later generations feel pain to their very bones, Yun Ye had sufficient knowledge. Once this demon was released, it would bring endless calamity.

Though the weather had turned warmer in early spring days, the cold air still hadn’t completely dissipated. In this weather when one should still wear a lined jacket, Tang Jian was dripping with sweat and pale-faced. If it was truly as Yun Ye said, of the Tang family’s entire household of over two hundred sixty people, not one could hope to live.

“Marquis Yun, this is not the time for jokes, nor is this a matter that can be joked about. Is it really true?” Tang Jian sought confirmation from Yun Ye once again.

“Look, I’ve already started arrogantly calling you Old Tang, and you still think I’m talking nonsense. Oh right, when you send over the bright moon jade pendant, don’t let others know. Also, this matter was discovered by the princess and has nothing to do with me. When you chop off Meng Shezhao’s head, remember to call me to watch.” Yun Ye reclined sideways on the low couch with one hand propping up his chin, speaking to Tang Jian.

“If I tell His Majesty this matter was discovered by the princess, do you think His Majesty would believe it? If the princess had such awareness, she wouldn’t have trapped herself in a dead end.” Tang Jian also doubted the princess’s intelligence.

“I don’t care. You, Old Tang, are also an outstanding person of your generation. Could such a small matter really stump you? I’m telling you, this matter isn’t simple. Someone must be directing things from behind. This worry-forgetting grass is also called hell flower. It’s transformed from the devil’s tears. Once it spreads, Great Tang’s people will be harmed by this thing until they’re skin and bones, morally degenerate. Not to mention men farming and women weaving or going into battle to kill enemies. I suggest that as soon as anyone is discovered possessing this thing, you must strike a killing blow immediately. Best not to delay even slightly.”

Yun Ye had to depict the horror of poppies even more viciously. He didn’t want the label of “sick man of East Asia” placed on Chinese people’s heads starting from the Tang Dynasty.

“You depict this thing so terribly, yet this old man hasn’t seen its harmfulness. You threaten this old man with every word—how is this the behavior of a gentleman?” Tang Jian held onto his last shred of hope, wanting to learn from Yun Ye’s mouth that this was a joke. There had never been such a vicious thing in the world.

“Old Tang, quickly abandon your wishful thinking. The seriousness of this matter exceeds your imagination. If you want to know how vicious it is, it’s very simple. You only need to lock those natives in a room, provide them food and drink, just don’t give them worry-forgetting grass. At most by tomorrow, you’ll discover those natives have become demons. They’ll beg you at any cost to obtain worry-forgetting grass. Even if you had them kill their closest person, they wouldn’t hesitate for a moment. If operated well, you could use a little worry-forgetting grass to obtain all their land.”

From the moment he discovered the opium, Yun Ye had specially paid attention to those several local kings. Without exception, their gazes were dull, lips purple, skeletal thin. He’d heard they were all once brave warriors skilled in battle. Since they started taking worry-forgetting grass a year ago, they gradually became light as swallows. If these people weren’t severe addicts, Yun Ye felt there was no need for his eyes to continue existing.