Chapter 5: 第四章

A/N  Super long chapter :pp

It had been a few days since the lake incident and Liu Qingyuan hadn't seen the man again. He was quite the curiosity and Liu Qingyuan found himself thinking about him in his most stagnant moments.

The palace had been busy all day. A missive stating that the eldest prince was returning from his campaign at the border had arrived last night. From what Liu Qingyuan could gather, he was the king's older brother. He'd arrive the next day and the servants were scrambling to prepare a grand banquet with such short notice.

At the moment, Liu Qingyuan was patrolling with a fellow soldier, watching the eunuchs and maids scramble about and run everywhere in a hurry. He tried his best to ignore the presence beside him, one that was staring at him without regard for the path in front of him. He glanced at the boy beside him who quickly looked away, continuing to stare the moment Liu Qingyuan turned his head. The boy had already repeatedly declared Liu Qingyuan as his idol, that was, until Liu Qingyuan made him shut up. The pair stepped into a quieter passage and Liu Qingyuan wondered if he'd see that man again tomorrow night.

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The eldest prince had arrived hours ago and the banquet was starting to be unleashed to its full potential. Liu Qingyuan was a little disappointed he'd been assigned to patrol the palace while the festives went on. He'd at least wanted to see what it was like compared to Gongzhuan. If not, then to look for that man again. His partner was nowhere to be seen, having been reassigned to the kitchens. The captain had wanted the elite guards stationed near the royalty, but apparently, he was an exception. Maybe it was because they didn't know him...

Liu Qingyuan looped around the building again, coming round to face the store houses. It wasn't completely deserted. There were still guards and the occasional eunuch who rushed over to collect what the kitchen needed.

Liu Qingyuan walked past the little elevated rooms, crossing his arms against his chest from the slight wind. He wished the banquet would hurry up and finish so he could go back to his warm room or find another way to approach the king.

Crash!

Stopping abruptly, Liu Qingyuan shriveled around, eyes narrowed. He tightened his grip on his sword, creeping slowly up to an innocent looking store room. He swore the sound came from there.

In a flash, he pulled open the little door, glancing in bewilderment at the empty storeroom. It was filled to the brim with clay jars, sealed with a red square and rope around the neck. The room stunk strongly of alcohol. Liu Qingyuan turned to leave, dismissing the sound but glanced down and saw the shattered remains of a liquor jar at his feet. There was a flash from his peripheral vision. A black clad figure dashed away.

Liu Qingyuan left the store room, chasing after the figure. Out of nowhere, a portly eunuch with a round, young face crashed into him. Swearing vehemently in his mind, Liu Qingyuan helped the squabbling eunuch up, said a hasty apology and continued his chase.

Disguised with the darkness of the night, the figure was barely visible as they twisted through the halls and courtyards. Liu Qingyuan debated his options, turning to scale the side of a building. He ran along the tiles, leaping from roof to roof as he tracked the figure with his eyes.

Abruptly, Liu Qingyuan leapt, half-landing on the figure. They crashed to the wooden boards of a side hall. The figure pushed him off before he could orient himself, and turned to flee. But Liu Qingyuan advanced, forcing the figure to block his move and retaliate.

Liu Qingyuan got a fistful of the front of their tunic, yanking them towards him. But they shoved something in his face, white powder blooming in the air. Coughing, Liu Qingyuan quickly let go to shield his face from the substance. By the time the dust settled, the figure had disappeared. Teeming with frustration, Liu Qingyuan made chase but stopped as his boot scuffed something.

Looking down, he saw a little square of folded paper, that same white powder leaking from the edges. He knelt down, swiping a finger through the substance. He tried to smell it but it just smelled slightly floral. After deliberating for a second, Liu Qingyuan licked his finger, immediately spitting it out.

He recognized that taste. It was sweet but had an undercurrent of bitterness, one of the most common indicators of jiu hua (made up), a flower that was used as poison and made the person show symptoms of drunkenness.

Liu Qingyuan leapt to his feet, running the way the figure would have gone, hoping he'd catch another glance of them. Luck seemed to be on his side and he spotted the figure leaping over the rails towards the kitchen.

"Stop!" He shouted. The figure turned, spotted him and ran around a corner. He followed them. The only place they could have gone...

Liu Qingyuan burst through the door to the inner kitchen, the cooks startling at his entrance. A maid right by the door screamed in surprise, dropping the cup she'd been holding.

"What is the meaning of this?" The head cook moved away from the dish he'd been tasting and approached Liu Qingyuan. Though he was at least a foot shorter, his large mustache made up for it.

"Ah, I...I saw someone..." Liu Qingyuan glanced to the side, spotting an eunuch carrying a liquor pot and heading for the door. It was the same round-faced man from before.

"Hey," Liu Qingyuan ignored the head cook, instead turning to the startled eunuch. He pointed to the jar urgently. "Where did you get that?"

The eunuch pulled the jar protectively against his body. "The store room just now. Why?" Liu Qingyuan shoved the jar to the floor. It shattered, liquor splashing upon the floorboards. The head cook started yelling, another maid screamed and the eunuch gasped indignantly. "How-you- How dare you! Do you know how much the red-lidded ones cost?! That was for the king! Oh, I'll make that come out of your paycheck! You-"

"For the king?" Liu Qingyuan interrupted. "Did any more leave yet?"

"I-w-what?" the eunuch sputtered, his boy-ish eyes round with confusion.

"Answer the question," Liu Qingyuan snapped impatiently.

"I-yes, one. Just now. Why?" Liu Qingyuan turned sharply, running out the door and following the sound of music, laughter and lights. He stopped abruptly outside the venue. Why was he...this wasn't his king. He didn't need to save them.

His boot scraped against the gravel as he turned to leave, but he didn't want to go when he knew that the wine was poisoned. What if someone else drank it too?

"Shifu says sacrifices are necessary," Liu Qingyuan murmured to himself, but he could bring himself to leave. The king himself wouldn't die, no. The phoenix mark would protect him. Probably. But...

'It's a good opportunity to gain favour.' a little voice reasoned. 'Come on.'

'Fuck it' Liu Qingyuan thought and rushed into the hall.

He was immediately forced to slow his pace, the throng of people forcing him back. The food had just been served so maids were streaming out of the hall, trays in their hands. Liu Qingyuan took note of the guards lining the walls, standing stoically at their posts. He spotted Da He and quickly averted his gaze.

The hall was swathed in finery, fabric draped along the walls and pillars. The nobles were gorging themselves on the richest food, laughing and enjoying the performance of dancing girls in the center of the floor.

Liu Qingyuan's eyes skipped over them, rising instead to the figure seat at the front of the room. His fine robes were embroidered with a great roaring dragon, the beads of his mianliu guan* swaying with his every movements. His head was tilted down as he toasted to an official, but Liu Qingyuan saw his lips curl into a smile. Swathed in his robes, it was hard to assess his figure but he looked young. He was the legendary, Jiang Zhilan.

(*Mianliu guan - "The emperor hat", long and flat rectangular top with strings of beads hanging from the sides)

His gaze shifted down to the platform below the king's. There were four seats, two to the left and two to the right with the middle cleared as a walkway. A man sat in the seat to the right, closest to the king and the rest were occupied by women.

The man wore robes of dark blue, a faint dragon embroidered in black. His cruel cut face and broad build indicated that of a warrior. Liu Qingyuan narrowed his eyes, assuming he was Jiang Zhilan's elder brother; Jiang Baiyi.

Directly across from him sat a regal woman dressed in cream. Her inner robes were red and blue as a contrast and her hair was pinned up with a tall headpiece. She picked uninterestedly at her food, seeming aloof and cool from the celebration.

Beside her sat a girl in grey with ribbons in her hair and a fringe framing her face. She sat quietly eating her food. Directly across from her was a girl in purple, dressed in a less extravagantly feminine style. She looked around with every bite, seemingly unable to sit still.

The three Consorts.

Liu Qingyuan was shaken out of his daze when a maid bumped into him, a tray in her hands. She smiled awkwardly, bowed and went to move around him. He stepped in the same direction. For a few seconds, they played an annoying game. Liu Qingyuan glanced up, seeing a new maid lean over to fill the king's cup. He raised that cup to his lips. Losing his patience, Liu Qingyuan pushed the maid aside. She shrieked, falling into a guard.

Liu Qingyuan abandoned the shadows of the curtain draped around the edge of the room and rushed out into the middle, weaving through the startled dancing girls, his long strides carrying him up the steps to the king's platform. His hand shot out, knocking the cup from Jiang Zhilan's lips. The delicate porcelain shattered on the tiled floor.

There was a stunned silence. Then suddenly, the hall burst into chaos. The guards surged forward. Qing Yuan recognized Da He powering towards him, determination and smug confirmation in his eyes.

"Get off!" Liu Qingyuan shrugged away the grip on him, fighting off more grabbing hands.

"Silence!" A voice boomed. The hall fell silent and the soldiers stepped back, at attention. Liu Qingyuan felt the king turn to him and he didn't dare raise his gaze. "What did you mean by that?" The voice was young and curious but with a steel-hard edge to it. It was a voice that demanded answers without really asking.

Liu Qingyuan hesitated a moment, clenched his fists then dropped into a bow for a king that wasn't his. "Forgive me, your majesty. Let me be frank."

"Mm."

"There is reason to believe that there was poison in your wine." Gasps rang out from the affronted noblemen. Liu Qingyuan glanced to the side, finally noticing Jiang Baiyi's tall figure staring at him with piercing eyes, interest and maliciousness in his eyes.

"How dare you suggest that! Guards, take him away!" a nobleman shouted. Jiang Zhilan held up his hand and silenced everyone. He turned his gaze back to Liu Qingyuan.

"What makes you believe that?"

"I...I was patrolling near the liquor store houses and noticed a suspicious figure. I followed him up to the kitchens where he disappeared. The eunuch..." Liu Qingyuan caught a figure shuffling up to the scene. He was that round-faced eunuch from before. "Him. He said that one pot had already been delivered."

The eunuch, surprised at being singled out, bowed quickly to the king. "Your majesty." Jiang Zhilan nodded in acknowledgement.

"You stupid guard!" The nobleman spoke up again, wine already making his tongue loose. "His majesty has the protection of the heavens. No mere poison can kill him! You're probably lying!"

Liu Qingyuan's nose scrunched up in annoyance. "Left state councillor, that's quite enough," the king warned. He narrowed his eyes at Liu Qingyuan. "Now-"

Liu Qingyuan leapt over the table, scattering the dishes in a cacophony of shattering porcelain. He grabbed the startled king by the front of his dragon robe and tugged him behind the throne. Assassins crashed in through the windows and entrance, massacring the guards in a flurry of crimson. The people screamed and shouted as they fought to get away.

"Protect the imperial consorts!" Liu Qingyuan heard Jiang Baiyi yell. He turned away, hurriedly pulling Jiang Zhilan with him to a pillar obscured by a thick swath of fabric. The entrance was blocked. All Liu Qingyuan could do was protect him with his blade.

Jiang Zhilan straightened up, fixing his hat and peering up at Liu Qingyuan's serious face in curiosity. Liu Qingyuan himself was focused on the chaos, one hand reflexively ushering the younger male behind him.

"Hey!" Jiang Zhilan yelped, as Liu Qingyuan shoved him back, parrying with an assassin. Metal rang on metal as Liu Qingyuan maneuvered his sword around his opponent's blade, disarming him with a flick of his wrist. He kicked the assassin in the chest, sending him flying backwards. Liu Qingyuan pursued them, splitting their throat from ear to ear, hot blood spraying up in an arc.

Jiang Zhilan stepped back, an uneasy look on his face. But thus was common in this era. He glanced to the side, eyes widening as he side-stepped a knife, turning and breaking the arm that held it. The assassin howled in pain. A sword flew past him, burying itself into the assassin's chest.

"Let's go." Liu Qingyuan grabbed his hand, pulling him away from that spot.

"There's...there's an exit behind the throne," Jiang Zhilan gasped. They made their way there.

He startled back as a girl dressed in swatches of purple fell onto the throne, horror in her eyes. Liu Qingyuan killed her pursuer in a quick motion and she glanced up at him, freezing in place.

"Y-you-" It was the girl from the inn. He recognized her; the curls of hair that framed her small face and the wild eyes filled with emotion.

"I-" Liu Qingyuan darted forward, helping her up and pulling her with them. They slipped down the corridor and emerged into an empty hall, pausing to catch their breath.

Liu Qingyuan felt the girl's hand being torn from his. He looked over in bewilderment to find Jiang Zhilan holding each of their wrists. He quickly dropped Liu Qingyuan's hand, bristling sulkily.

"She is my consort, how dare you touch her."

"Your majesty...," The girl blushed, rolling her lips. The king quickly dropped her hand too.

"Your consort?" Liu Qingyuan challenged, raising a brow. He finally looked into Jiang Zhilan's face, narrowing his eyes at the familiarity of the features behind that swinging bead curtain.

"Ah, I am third consort, Hai Rong. It's a pleasure to meet you, gong zhi.*" She gracefully bowed her head.

(*Gong zhi - Honorific for the son of a noble or high ranking official, "young master")

"Gong zhi?" Jiang Zhilan scoffed sulkily. "He's a mere guard."

"Ah well, your majesty, don't be like that. He saved me." The king raised an eyebrow, eyes running over Liu Qingyuan. Hai Rong turned to him, bowing again. "Thank you again. I am in your debt." she smiled prettily. Liu Qingyuan nodded.

"Mmm."

"Since...," Jiang Zhilan interrupted. "Since you're my consort, you don't have to be in debt with him."

Liu Qingyuan smiled ruefully, feeling daring. "I saved you, yet, you don't even thank me," he said boldly. The air between them crackled ominously as they stared each other down.

"You see," Hai Rong said tentatively. "Thank you both for caring about me," she blushed bashfully. "But I think I will take my leave now. I need to find my maids." She bowed to the two men.

"It's dangerous," Liu Qingyuan stated plainly.

"You're dismissed," Jiang Zhilan said rapidly, waving her off. "And uh...be careful." He nodded and cleared his throat awkwardly. She bowed and dismissed herself.

Liu Qingyuan turned to the king, scowling. "Your majesty, how could you let her go just like that? Do you know how dangerous it could be?"

"She's fine," he said grumpily, walking away. He removed his mianliu guan, a hand brushing his hair back from his face. He turned back. "She knows some martial arts."

But Liu Qingyuan wasn't listening anymore. He knew that face. Abet, when he had his hair down and wide, peach blossom eyes instead of narrowed ones, but it was him.

"You-" Jiang Zhilan's grumpy expression turned to one of confusion at the accusation. Liu Qingyuan rapidly approached. "You're the one that was hiding in the pool." Realization dawned on his face before his expression crashed down into one of defense.

"I wasn't hiding! You're that one that came onto me!"

"Nobody goes there," Liu Qingyuan growled. "It was my place." He paused, realizing the fault in his words. How could he have an attachment to an object such as that tranquil pool? His master would definitely disapprove. But Jiang Zhilan wasn't listening.

"I'm the king, I...I own everything under the heavens!" he retaliated with a "textbook phrase", cringing internally at how it sounded. Liu Qingyuan's gaze darkened and his fists clenched at his side, his dripping sword adding to his suddenly menacing aura. He forced back the words that ached to spill from his lips.

'Not all of it. Gongzhuan will never be yours. Never.'

The tension was back and Jiang Zhilan shifted uncertainty, eyes drifting to the bloody sword in Liu Qingyuan's grasp. His phoenix mark would protect him but it sure as hell hurt to be stabbed.

"YOUR MAJESTYYYYYY!" A voice howled. They turned to see a chubby man in eunuch green robes barreling towards them from the end of the hall. Liu Qingyuan recognized him as the eunuch from the kitchen. He seemed to be running into everyone today. "THANK GOD YOU'RE SAFE!" he sobbed.

"Eunuch Shuang," Jiang Zhilan greeted, flicking one more glance at Liu Qingyuan. Eunuch Shuang spotted Liu Qingyuan and stopped his embarrassing display immediately.

"Who is this?" the king glared at Liu Qingyuan, prompting him to answer. "Go on!" The eunuch prompted, frowning comically.

He sighed. "Liu Qingyuan." He bowed briefly and the eunuch tsked disapprovingly.

"Wait." Shuang's beady eyes narrowed even more, running his eyes over Liu Qingyuan's uniform. He hadn't yet gained his official uniform but his black guard robes differentiated greatly from the standard red dress of the palace guards. "You're from that group the queen dowager picked! Oh, I'll tell the head guard, you were way out of line!" The eunuch shook a finger at him.

"Hao le, hao le*." Jiang Zhilan nodded to Liu Qingyuan. "Thank you for your service." Uncertainty, he bowed back and watched the king walk away with the fussing eunuch at his side. He'd found who he'd been looking for. Two people actually; the king and the man from the pool. But who would have thought that they would end up to be the same person.

(*Hao le, hao le - "All right, all right")