Futile Devices Scans

After escorting Wei Fu’s guests out on his behalf, Ying Yue returned and stepped into the room to find Wei Fu already seated beside Yugong Zhaoye of his own accord, trading barbed remarks with Xie Youlan. Yugong Zhaoye wore an expression of complete detachment, as though his three souls and seven spirits had already fled home some time ago.

Ying Yue recognized Wei Fu, although he did not see him often. This was his first time meeting Xie Youlan. Yet with the two men seated in the same room, he suddenly realized that their features did resemble each other somewhat. Especially when they both lowered their eyes and showed no expression, the contours of their brows and eyes looked almost as though they had been carved from the same mold.

Their temperaments, however, could not have been more different. Wei Fu resembled gentle spring water, warm and soothing to the heart, whereas Xie Youlan was like a cold, sinister wind, looking perfectly capable of slapping someone merely because he happened to be in a bad mood.

One came from a noble aristocratic house of Xiling, the other from a jianghu sect of Dongyu. They were like two ships that would never have crossed paths in eight lifetimes. Had chance not brought them together, no one would ever have associated one with the other, much less suspected a blood relationship.

Back then, Yugong Zhaoye’s mistake had been not knowing what Jiang Guan looked like, which was why he had believed Xie Youlan’s nonsense. But judging from the atmosphere between them now, they were clearly more than mere “relatives.” They were most likely brothers.

“Since everyone here already knows one another, we can skip the introductions.” Yugong Zhaoye tapped the table lightly with his knuckles, dragging the conversation back to serious matters. “Palace Master Xie came personally to Bihan City to discuss this kidnapping-and-extortion business without even bringing attendants. It seems money isn’t what you want. What exactly are you after? Speak plainly.”

Xie Youlan poured himself wine from a silver flask and casually glanced at Wei Fu, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “I’m discussing business with Prince Yugong. Isn’t it rather obstructive to have irrelevant people sitting here? Why not have someone throw him out?”

His appearance was stunning. He possessed the same beautiful peach-blossom eyes as Wei Fu, although he was several years older and carried himself with greater composure. Only his expression constantly held a trace of cold mockery, as though he habitually looked down upon everyone around him. The lower half of his face resembled Wei Fu less: his nose was sharp and his lips thin, so while beautiful, his beauty carried a distinctly cruel edge.

Wei Fu, whose cultivation was still shallow, smiled instead of snapping back. His eyes shifted fluidly toward Yugong Zhaoye as he spoke tactfully. “Although I know nothing about jianghu disputes, I do possess some ability to judge people. I wouldn’t dare claim I could be of much assistance by staying, but at the very least I can prevent villains from deceiving Your Highness.”

Beneath the table and hidden inside his sleeves, his hand slowly reached over, hooked Yugong Zhaoye’s little finger, and gently swayed it like a silent plea.

Yugong Zhaoye, unwillingly dragged out as a shield: “…”

Xie Youlan sneered. “You really intend to let him sit here and listen to how you secretly investigated his background?”

Wei Fu immediately declared his innocence to Yugong Zhaoye. “I came to Longsha under imperial orders to serve as Minister-Regent. It’s only natural for Your Highness to investigate me. Am I truly such an unreasonable person that I would resent Your Highness over something so minor?” As he spoke, he did not forget to step on Xie Youlan along the way. “What did I just say? Some people simply love sowing discord whenever they find an opportunity. Your Highness mustn’t fall for his tricks.”

Only now did Ying Yue finally understand why Yugong Zhaoye had worn such an expression when he entered earlier.

“Talk business, both of you. If this continues, we may as well end the conversation entirely.” After acting as a decorative vase for half the evening, Yugong Zhaoye’s patience finally ran out. He looked practically ready to sharpen a blade and settle matters by force. “Even if we risk our lives in the attempt, we may still be able to keep Palace Master Xie here. With you in our hands, Beizhu Palace would have no choice but to release its hostage.”

Xie Youlan smiled faintly, plainly unconcerned by the threat. “Easy enough. I don’t lack money. I only require Prince Yugong to do one thing.”

“What?”

“There is a great lake along the border between northwestern Dongyu and Yanyuan. At its center lies an island hidden year-round in dense fog. I want Yeguang to escort me onto that island.”

He withdrew a map from his sleeve and calmly pushed it toward Yugong Zhaoye. “So long as I return safely to Beizhu Palace, I will immediately send that Moon Envoy back to Bihan City completely unharmed.”

Yugong Zhaoye’s gaze landed upon the place marked on the map. Rarely, he fell into a daze instead of answering immediately.

Seeing his hesitation, Xie Youlan raised an amused brow and looked toward Ying Yue behind him. Graciously lowering himself to speak first, he asked, “You’re her brother?”

Ying Yue did not understand why he had suddenly brought this up, but after hesitating for a moment, he nodded.

“I assume you siblings are extremely close,” Xie Youlan remarked, raising his wine cup. Subtle malice threaded through his voice. “After all, when death was right in front of her, the only thing she knew how to do was cry for her brother.”

Clang!

A fierce wind swept through the room as Ying Yue abruptly drew his blade.

The weapon slashed directly toward Xie Youlan’s face, yet the wine cup in Xie Youlan’s right hand did not tremble. With his left, he flicked the blade sharply with one finger. Crack! The blade shattered upon impact. Half the cold steel spun through the air before embedding itself in the table with a heavy thud.

“Ying Yue!”

Yugong Zhaoye barked sharply in warning, but the man who was usually as gentle as water had already been driven into boiling rage. “What did you do to her?!”

“With pathetic skills like yours, you’re not even as capable as your sister. Whatever I did to her, you would be powerless to stop me.” Xie Youlan took another drink and mocked him in an infuriatingly casual tone. “Use your brain. She is obviously still alive. Otherwise, how could I possibly make Yeguang work for me? But if you keep waving your claws around and anger me, your sister’s head may very well end up moving somewhere else.”

Yugong Zhaoye reached out and held Ying Yue down, shaking his head faintly. “Don’t act rashly.”

At that moment, Ying Yue felt as though ten thousand ants were devouring his heart. Grinding his teeth anxiously, he said, “Your Highness, let me go. I’m willing to work for Palace Master Xie. As long as you release my sister, I’ll agree to your terms.”

Wei Fu quietly studied the room. Yugong Zhaoye was still hesitating, clearly weighing the risks, while Xie Youlan’s provocation had obviously been deliberate. He was stirring Ying Yue’s emotions in order to pressure Yugong Zhaoye into agreeing quickly. So Wei Fu nudged Yugong Zhaoye with his elbow and spoke before he could answer. “How did you know his sister was sent by Yeguang?”

“Because everything she was investigating concerned ancient scandals.” Seeing through Wei Fu’s intentions immediately, Xie Youlan mocked him leisurely. “Whether it’s called Bihua or Yeguang, it’s all wordplay. Any spy connected to a troublesome pest like you inevitably belongs to Prince Yugong.”

Wei Fu choked slightly, then gave a bashful little “Aiya.” “Well then, apologies on our behalf. We’ll punish ourselves with three cups of wine. How about releasing her?”

Xie Youlan: “Don’t push your luck. Why should I?”

Wei Fu replied, “You’ve already inherited the position of Palace Master. Those old matters can no longer threaten you, so why drag innocent people into them?”

“That’s true. But I insist on using her as leverage.” Xie Youlan was brutally direct. “Back then, Prince Yugong stormed into Beizhu Palace alone in a fit of fury over a mute. Because I didn’t kill him, he somehow developed the mistaken impression that Beizhu Palace was a soft persimmon anyone could squeeze. If I don’t seize this leverage now that it’s delivered straight to my hands, will he bring you with him next time, march through my front gates, and simply take over Beizhu Palace?”

Wei Fu: “…”

At the mention of those old events, Wei Fu suddenly connected several dots. His gaze swept over Xie Youlan again and again with dawning realization until Xie Youlan finally became uncomfortable beneath it. “What?”

“She’s one of Yeguang’s people. Keeping her alive for future use was merely an excuse you came up with afterward.” Wei Fu smiled. “The real reason you didn’t kill her when you first caught her was that she cried out for her brother beneath your blade, wasn’t it?”

Ying Yue froze in surprise. Xie Youlan looked utterly unwilling to entertain such ridiculous nonsense and answered coldly, “Completely wrong.”

Wei Fu only smiled without speaking.

In that brief exchange, it was as though he had suddenly set aside some invisible armor. His sharp claws and mischievous fangs withdrew, revealing once again the gentleness he usually showed other people. “It sounds as though becoming Palace Master hasn’t been especially comfortable for you. Why else would you personally bother with something like capturing people?”

“What does that have to do with you?” Xie Youlan dismissed him impatiently. “Mind your own business.”

At that moment, Yugong Zhaoye finally pulled his attention away from the map. “I have the same question and would appreciate Palace Master Xie enlightening me. Beizhu Palace possesses enormous power. Any capable subordinate under your command should be more suitable than us, and the island itself lies within Dongyu territory. Why not send your own trusted people instead of going out of your way to seek an escort from completely unrelated Longsha forces?”

“Internal affairs of my sect are inconvenient to explain to outsiders. Neither of you should pry.” Like an obstinate tyrant, Xie Youlan rejected the question outright. “But as for the lake and the island, I can provide some information.”

“That lake covers an area of one thousand qing. Its water is milky white, and dense mist shrouds it throughout the year, which is why it is called Yun Lake. Two months ago, in Lu County, Yingzhou, Dongyu, a woman could no longer endure her husband’s beatings and abuse. On a rainy night, she ran to the lakeside and threw herself in to die. Her family believed her dead, but several days later she returned home completely unharmed.”

Elio’s Notes: A qing (顷) is a traditional Chinese unit of land area equal to one hundred mu. Its precise modern size varied by period, so the historical unit is retained here.

“She claimed the currents had carried her onto an island in the middle of the lake. The island was covered in white sand and wild forest hidden beneath thick fog, without any sign of human habitation. She remained there for a day, and once the fog cleared, she drifted back across the lake clinging to a piece of wood.”

“Several days after she returned, her husband suddenly developed a strange illness. Red rashes and sores erupted all over his body. Once the skin split open, the wounds would never close and bled continuously. Eventually his entire body was covered in openings like a punctured waterskin, and he bled to death.”

“After the illness began spreading, the local authorities believed it to be a plague. They sealed the entire village and dragged the woman from her home for questioning. By then, however, she had already lost her mind. She could neither understand speech nor speak herself. She had become nothing more than a breathing corpse, and not long afterward, she died.”

The phrase breathing corpse struck some taut nerve. Wei Fu and Yugong Zhaoye instinctively turned toward one another at exactly the same moment, seeing identical caution in each other’s eyes.

The description was far too familiar.

Xie Youlan ignored their silent exchange and continued calmly. “Because the woman herself had never developed the strange illness, her corpse did not need to be burned after death. No relatives remained to claim it, so she was buried carelessly in a random grave. The minor official responsible for disposing of the body noticed a ring still on her hand and assumed it might be valuable, so he secretly pocketed it and took it to a pawnshop. But the ring was neither gold nor silver, and no one recognized the material. It was hardly worth anything. Eager to get rid of it, the official exchanged it for a little rice and flour before returning home.”

“Several days later, the strange illness broke out inside the county town. Within a month, everyone who had come into contact with the ring died violently one after another.”

Silence blanketed the room. Even in Bihan City’s mild and pleasant weather, everyone listening felt a chill crawl slowly up their backs.

Xie Youlan produced a flat hexagonal crystal case. Through the transparent lid, they could clearly see a dull-colored ring resting inside.

“But didn’t you just say everyone who touched it died horribly?!”

Wei Fu immediately shielded Yugong Zhaoye behind himself, looking ready to drag him straight onto the roof if necessary. Furious, he snapped at Xie Youlan, “Are you tired of living?!”

“Rumor claims the original owner’s resentment was so powerful that her ghost attached itself to the ring and became a vicious spirit that claimed lives. Anyone who possessed it was doomed to die horribly.” Xie Youlan mocked his cowardice. “Yet the object eventually reached my hands, and I’m still alive and well. Clearly all this talk of evil spirits is nothing more than frightening nonsense.”

Half amused and half exasperated, Yugong Zhaoye steadied Wei Fu and smoothed a hand along his back, practically able to feel his invisible fur standing on end. “Palace Master Xie makes sense. Compared with ghosts and demons, I also think this resembles either a plague or some rare poison.”

Leaning against his shoulder, Wei Fu muttered softly, “Your Highness, throughout history righteousness has overcome evil, but poison can also be used to counter poison. Is it possible this man has become so wicked that even evil spirits surrender before him?”

Xie Youlan: “…”

With the crystal case now in Yugong Zhaoye’s hands, Wei Fu examined it carefully. “Unknown material. No markings or corrosion. Perhaps refined steel, or some foreign metal from overseas? The emerald set into the ring isn’t even as large as a bean, so it truly isn’t valuable. There’s no engraved insignia either…”

“You don’t recognize it?”

Wei Fu honestly shook his head.

Xie Youlan looked into his bewildered eyes. For a moment, even he seemed unable to describe what he was feeling. Rarely, the easy composure with which he usually spread trouble slipped away, and his tone became strangely stiff. “This ring belonged to Jiang Fengxun.”

The name struck like thunder through a wall, crashing directly into Wei Fu’s mind and freezing him on the spot.

Yugong Zhaoye’s brow twitched faintly. “Who is Jiang Fengxun?”

Xie Youlan met his gaze briefly before looking back at Wei Fu. “You never told him?”

Yugong Zhaoye: “Told me what?”

“Jiang Fengxun was a woman.”

Once Xie Youlan fell silent, the contours of his brows and eyes looked almost eighty percent identical to Wei Fu’s. “She was the lady of Beizhu Palace for ten years, yet allowed herself to be seduced by a disciple of the Linghua Sect. She abandoned her husband and child and eloped with him, betraying the sect.”

“The child she later had with that man is that wretch sitting beside you.”

Yugong Zhaoye: “…”

So yet another brother had appeared.

After the eldest son of the Duke Who Stabilizes the Nation’s household, the Emperor of Xiling, and the Commander of the Egret Guards, now there was an evil-path elder brother as well.

Blood brothers were not necessarily loving, but they were invariably the most troublesome. “Prince Yugong,” Xie Youlan continued, “that little mouse you sent into Beizhu Palace was investigating precisely this old mess. If he had confessed everything to you earlier, you wouldn’t have had to waste so much effort, lose a subordinate, and hand me leverage in the process.”

Wei Fu: “…”

Xie Youlan clapped his hands appreciatively. “Wonderful. You hid things from him, and he hid things from you. It seems the two of you aren’t nearly as close as everyone claims.”

Those words pierced deeper than ten thousand enormous arrows. Wei Fu felt as though his soul was about to float straight out through the top of his head. Too frightened even to speak, he turned and cast Yugong Zhaoye a timid glance.

“Whether we’re close or not is none of your concern.” Yugong Zhaoye casually brushed the matter aside, plainly unwilling to discuss private affairs with him. Calmly, he continued, “There is still one thing I don’t understand. You clearly saved him back then, so why did you lie to me and claim he had died by your hand?”

“Because I felt like it.”

Xie Youlan answered with complete righteousness. “Must I tell the truth simply because you ask me a question? Not everyone enjoys helping lovers reunite. I happen to enjoy beating apart mandarin ducks. Is there a problem with that?”

Yugong Zhaoye: “…Palace Master Xie, I rarely agree with your younger brother, but this time he wins.”

How could anyone possibly have such a terrible personality?!