Count Yongfeng’s party had already attracted attention from every direction. After the commotion they caused at the ferry, Fu Xi Yan refused to believe the Liu family had not received word.
Yet for several days, as their carriages traveled from Jingmen to Jiangling, the Liu family remained completely still, revealing nothing of their attitude.
Only when the carriages finally reached the gates of Jiangling City did they see the welcoming party. Aside from the Fu family steward, who had arrived earlier to arrange a residence, a broad-backed, thick-waisted man stood beside him.
The man wore fine brocade and behaved respectfully. He looked less like a military officer and more like a shopkeeper.
The moment the carriage stopped, he rushed ahead of the Fu family steward and bowed toward Fu Fu inside.
“This steward of the residence of General of Agile Cavalry Liu has come on behalf of the head of the household to pay respects to Count Yongfeng.”
Fu Fu opened the carriage window. “General Liu is thoughtful. Please convey my thanks.”
The Liu Residence steward continued, “The General has important matters to handle today and could not personally come to meet Your Lordship. However, he has already prepared a residence for you. Here is the property deed. Please accept it.”
He drew the deed from his robes and offered it over.
Fu Fu’s gaze shifted to his own steward.
The Fu family steward immediately stepped forward and presented another deed. “Your Lordship, everything you instructed has already been arranged.”
The Liu Residence steward said, “The residence you bought is near the Little East Gate, close to the docks. There are people coming and going every day, so I’m afraid it will be somewhat noisy. The place I selected is near the General’s Residence. Most of the surrounding households belong to people of rank, and it is much quieter.”
The statement carried an obvious implication.
Everything the Fu family steward had been doing these past several days had been observed by the Liu family.
Before Fu Fu could answer, Madam Fu’s leisurely voice came from inside the carriage.
“I was the one who told him to buy somewhere lively. People coming and going is quite good. We’ve only just arrived here. Naturally, we should live somewhere crowded. It’s safer.”
The Liu Residence steward ran straight into a wall.
“Yes. Yes, of course.”
Fu Fu said, “Since General Liu has important business today, Fu will not impose by visiting. When the General is free, we can meet later.”
The Liu Residence steward opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something.
Fu Fu had already closed the carriage window.
He knocked on the wall of the carriage, and the convoy began moving again.
The steward stepped aside and watched the Fu family enter the city.
Then he returned to the General’s Residence and went to see Madam Liu, the supposedly reclusive wife who spent most of her time worshiping Buddha and rarely appeared in public.
Madam Liu was already irritated over her husband’s affairs.
Seeing the steward only made her more irritated.
“You met the Fu family. What did you think?”
The steward said, “The Count appears courteous, but he is difficult to deal with. The Countess is formidable as well.”
“A concubine-born daughter who managed to become a countess naturally has some judgment and ability. The Master used to say Fu Fu was too hesitant, always looking ahead and behind, and could never accomplish anything. Now that he’s corrected that weakness, he actually shows some capability. Unfortunately, he’s accepted one of those thankless assignments where nothing you do pleases anyone.”
Madam Liu waved impatiently.
“Forget it. There’s no need to worry about them. The Master has controlled the southern frontier for years. If he cannot even keep his own military camps under control, then he may as well step aside for someone more capable.”
What could the steward possibly say to that?
Nothing.
Madam Liu asked again, “Where is the Master? In the cellar again?”
“Yes. He cried again.”
Madam Liu covered her face.
She could hardly bear to look at this mess.
“Is there something wrong with that emperor’s head?! The man is already dead, yet he froze the corpse and sent it all this way. It looks practically alive, so it feels wrong to bury him immediately—but the dead cannot return to life, and fallen leaves must eventually return to their roots. The southern frontier isn’t even the Grand Commandant’s home. What was the point of sending him here? Now the Master goes down there and cries every day.”
No one could persuade him otherwise.
It was enough to drive her insane.
The Liu Residence steward wisely remained silent.
Madam Liu asked, “Has Huan returned?”
“Not yet.”
“We need to find an opportunity for him to meet the Fu family. It would be even better if he could meet the Fu family’s young lady. Blind marriages arranged without the couple knowing one another easily become bitter unions. I’ll have to coordinate with Madam Fu.”
The steward thought for a moment. “When I met Madam Fu today, she seemed somewhat displeased.”
Madam Liu was not surprised.
“The two families are currently discussing marriage. They traveled all this way, and we ignored them throughout the journey. Now that they’re practically at our front door, we only send a steward to greet them. Naturally, they’ll have thoughts about it. But everyone on the southern frontier is watching us right now. If we act too enthusiastic, it will look as though we are desperately throwing ourselves at the Fu family. That would undermine our standing.”
She thought again.
“Forget arranging things through the women. Too troublesome. Once Huan comes back, have him visit the Fu family himself. See whether they’re willing to let the two young people meet. If the marriage doesn’t suit them, end it early. Whatever happens, we absolutely cannot let another strange complication appear.”
While the Liu family discussed the Fu family, the Fu family was likewise discussing the Liu family.
Just as Madam Liu had predicted, Madam Fu was indeed dissatisfied with the attitude the Liu family had displayed.
They had come all the way to the Liu family’s doorstep, and the Liu family sent nothing more than a servant with a house deed.
What did they think the Fus were?
Some ruined relatives coming to cadge handouts?!
Fu Fu, however, was able to take it in stride. “We may have the secret decree, but ultimately our position has neither proper title nor public legitimacy. It is understandable that they would rather not deal with us.”
Fu Xuan said, “The rumor about the secret decree was probably deliberately released by His Majesty. This is an opportunity. If we can seize it and establish ourselves here, an open decree should follow before long.”
Emperor Jianhong’s eagerness to send them south might have been partly caused by Mo Xiao Ran’s pressure.
But there was probably another reason as well—the same reason he had once spoken of moving the capital.
Southern Yu had assassinated Northern Zhou officials and planted a spy network deep within the court.
Such brazen provocation would inevitably infuriate an emperor as narrow-minded as Jianhong.
Now that Northern Zhou’s internal disorder had been suppressed, retaliation was only natural.
Sending the Fu family south was merely the first step.
First, the emperor would see whether they could safely reach the southern frontier.
Then he would see whether they could establish a stable foothold.
If they accomplished both, they would have demonstrated that they were useful, and Emperor Jianhong would acknowledge their status and formally grant them offices.
If they failed—
then everything ended there.
A court fugitive for one day would remain a court fugitive for life.
Someone else would eventually be sent to replace them.
After the southern frontier was put in order, the next target would be Southern Yu itself.
Fu Fu asked, “How do you think we should establish ourselves?”
After leaving Haojing, Fu Fu and Fu Xuan no longer avoided discussing such matters in front of the younger generation.
They hoped the children could mature as quickly as possible through this enormous upheaval.
Especially Fu Li An and Fu Xi Yan.
One literary, one martial.
They complemented each other.
The task of raising the Fu family’s name in the future would eventually rest on their shoulders.
Fu Li An spoke first. “First, find some minor matter and deliberately make something larger of it, demonstrating the Fu family’s influence within the army. Second, secure the Liu family’s acceptance so that both families stand on the same side.”
Fu Fu said, “The first option is risky. Explain the second.”
Fu Li An glanced at Fu Xia Qing, who had been sitting quietly beside them.
“Since the purpose is to weave together the goodwill of two surnames and establish a hundred years of marital harmony, we should first determine whether this marriage itself is suitable.”
The Fu family was marrying off a daughter.
Whether the marriage was suitable depended first on the other family’s household atmosphere and second on the groom’s character.
Fu Fu nodded. “Then I’ll leave this matter to you two brothers.”
Fu Xi Yan, who had been happily eating melon from the sidelines, stared in shock. “Chen Xing is still so young. You’re already sending him out to handle business?”
Fu Chen Xing: “???”
Fu Fu and the others: “…”
Fu Fu angrily pointed at his nose. “You know Chen Xing is young, yet you still dare ask that question? Two brothers! Two brothers! Little Four, do you think you exist only to eat?”
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
It was simply habitual thinking.
His father had said “two brothers,” and there happened to be two of Fu Xi Yan’s brothers sitting here.
So he misunderstood.
After Fu Fu and Fu Xuan, the two elders, left, Fu Xi Yan went to discuss the division of labor with his eldest brother.
The Immortal Treasury Palace had a Wind Division.
Investigating a family’s household reputation obviously suited Fu Xi Yan perfectly.
He was just preparing to claim that task when Fu Li An said, “The Liu family’s household is simple. There is only one wife. Madam Liu lives quietly and rarely involves herself in household affairs. As a mother-in-law, she should be extremely easy to live with. I already investigated all of that.”
He continued, “I also found out that Liu Huan goes to Jinyu House every day. You can find him there.”
With three or four sentences, Fu Li An finished assigning the work.
Then he dusted off his hands and walked away.
Fu Xi Yan stared at his retreating back, filled with annoyance, regret, frustration…
If he had known this would happen, he should have previewed the textbook first and grabbed the easy question!
Unfortunately, regret accomplished nothing.
He could only drag his heavy feet to find the steward and ask what sort of place Jinyu House was.
“Jinyu House is the largest brothel in Jingzhou.”
When the steward reported this, Fu Xi Yan was sitting inside Pei Yuan Jin’s room.
The instant he heard the answer, he immediately turned to check Pei Yuan Jin’s expression.
Pei Yuan Jin remained perfectly calm as he drank tea.
During their days on the road, Jiang Rui had already learned Young Palace Master’s preferences. The moment they entered Jingzhou, he immediately had expensive local tea purchased and delivered.
Seeing Pei Yuan Jin occupied with tasting tea, Fu Xi Yan quietly relaxed. He said to the steward, “Send someone to watch the place. The moment Liu Huan appears, report back.”
The steward acknowledged the order and left.
Fu Xi Yan sighed dramatically toward Pei Yuan Jin.
“This should really have been Chen Xing’s task, but I thought he was far too young to go to a place like that, so I reluctantly took it on myself.”
Pei Yuan Jin finally spoke. “Reluctantly?”
“Of course reluctantly.”
Fu Xi Yan was completely righteous.
“If you don’t believe me, ask my father whether I’ve ever visited a pleasure house in my entire life. If you absolutely insist on counting one, then the only time was that pleasure boat when I was with you—and even then, the two of us were sitting in a fishing boat.”
“So this time you’re making up for the regret?”
“How can you call it regret? I’m sacrificing myself for my sister and investigating exactly what sort of person this Liu Huan is.”
Fu Xi Yan paused, then tentatively asked, “Why don’t you come with me?”
“Fine.”
Fu Xi Yan thought, He agreed that quickly. He was obviously prepared for this from the beginning. Good thing I’m clever enough to understand leadership’s intentions.
He said, “Though Liu Huan knows our family entered the city today. Maybe he won’t go.”
No matter how lustful someone was, surely he could manage to stay away for one day?
To be honest, the instant the steward said Jinyu House was a brothel, Fu Xi Yan had already crossed Liu Huan off his list of acceptable brothers-in-law.
Eating and drinking were tolerable.
Whoring and gambling were not.
Unfortunately, the marriage had been proposed by General Liu and approved by the emperor.
Whether it happened was not something either family could decide alone.
So Fu Xi Yan could not be too arbitrary.
He decided to see the situation with his own eyes.
The steward returned very quickly.
“Fourth Young Master, the people at Jinyu House say Young Master Liu arrived at noon and still hasn’t come out. It’s already been an hour.”
An hour?
At this point even daylilies would have finished cooking.
Fu Xi Yan jumped to his feet, stuffed every concealed weapon he owned into his clothes so they would be convenient for dirty tricks, grabbed Pei Yuan Jin, and marched out.
Unlike most brothels that slept during the day and came alive at night, Jinyu House could practically be called a model worker.
It operated twelve double-hours every day.
Its women worked in two shifts.
No matter when a customer arrived, smiling faces were waiting.
The moment Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin reached the entrance, a whole swarm of people rushed toward them.
Fu Xi Yan had seen this scene often enough on television and had anticipated it.
He snapped his fingers.
Xiao Sang and Xiao Zhang immediately stepped forward and blocked everyone away.
Fu Xi Yan and Pei Yuan Jin walked leisurely inside under protection like celebrities making a public appearance.
The madam could not get close enough to them and could only raise her arms and shout, “Young masters! Which lady have you come to see?”
Fu Xi Yan said, “I’m looking for Liu Huan.”
The madam said, “Our girls are all called Green Jade, Purple Pearl, Jade Linglong—none of them are named Liu Huan… Oh! I understand. You’re looking for the young master of General Liu’s family! This way, this way.”
She did not even bother asking another question before ordering someone to lead them.
Clearly, Liu Huan was not only a regular here but had plenty of disreputable friends who came looking for him too.
Fu Xi Yan left Xiao Sang and Xiao Zhang guarding the door.
Before stepping inside, he had already prepared himself to put on the sweetest possible “green-tea” act. He would not openly tear faces. He would simply speak in an exquisitely passive-aggressive way until one of them could no longer stand it.
Unfortunately, when the door opened, the scene inside completely destroyed all of his preparations.
Elio’s Notes: “Green tea” is modern Chinese internet slang for someone who presents an innocent, sweet, harmless exterior while behaving calculatingly or passive-aggressively underneath. Fu Xi Yan means he planned to act perfectly polite while needling Liu Huan mercilessly.
Two adjoining private rooms had been opened into one enormous space.
A huge round table stood in the middle.
A crowd of men—tall, short, fat, thin—sat around it.
In the seat of honor sat a fair-faced young officer wearing light armor and holding a short halberd. He gestured enthusiastically as he talked, practically spraying saliva with excitement, while the other men repeatedly shouted their approval.
The only two women in the room quietly stood to one side pouring tea and water.
Fu Xi Yan and the others entering did not interrupt the heated discussion at all.
They simply found a place to sit.
A maid came over, poured them tea, and left again, apparently not caring who they were or why they had come.
…
Since I’m already here, I might as well settle in.
Fu Xi Yan began listening seriously to the fair-faced young officer.
To his surprise, the man was explaining how to counter the Old Ghost of the Yangtze’s techniques.
A short-bearded man was extraordinarily enthusiastic.
Every time the young officer made a point, the man shouted, “Excellent!”
Once the officer finished and paused to drink tea, the short-bearded man said, “After hearing Young Master Liu break everything down like that, the Old Ghost of the Yangtze doesn’t seem particularly impressive. Young Master Liu could defeat him in fifteen moves. Yet the Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace needed more than forty! Clearly that reputation is nothing but empty fame.”
Fu Xi Yan, who had somehow eaten melon only to discover it was grown in his own backyard: “…”
He turned toward Pei Yuan Jin.
Pei Yuan Jin remained perfectly calm and simply allowed the group to continue spewing nonsense.
Fu Xi Yan whispered, “How did the person who defeated the Old Ghost of the Yangtze in forty-two moves suddenly become you?”
Yuan Bing had not been present for the actual fight and had mistaken the person.
That much could be understood.
But so many days had passed.
Surely the Old Ghost of the Yangtze himself knew who defeated him?
…
Even if he did not, could nobody have bothered asking what the Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace looked like?
His Pei Yuan Jin’s appearance was one in ten thousand.
He and Wei Li Ming were not even in the same league!
Were these people blind?!
Fu Xi Yan could no longer sit still.
He raised his voice. “May I ask why everyone has concluded that the person who defeated the Old Ghost of the Yangtze was the Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace?”
The short-bearded man had been in full flow and was unhappy at being interrupted.
“Yuan Bing personally asked him at the ferry, and Young Palace Master personally answered. How could it be false?”
Fu Xi Yan said, “By coincidence, this humble person happened to be there that day. I never heard Young Palace Master personally admit anything.”
The short-bearded man asked, “Did he deny it?”
Fu Xi Yan hesitated.
He turned toward Pei Yuan Jin.
Pei Yuan Jin also searched his memory.
It seemed…
he really had not?
Pei Yuan Jin quietly turned his face away.
Fu Xi Yan: “…”
Understood.
Explaining was equivalent to making excuses.
Naturally, the mighty Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace disdained doing anything so lacking in style.
This was a man who could not even be bothered to reach out and take a letter himself!
But silence meant admission?
Fu Xi Yan refused to accept that logic.
He said, “Did you know your honored father and I are sworn friends?”
The short-bearded man froze.
He studied Fu Xi Yan carefully from head to toe, then shook his head.
“I’ve never heard Father mention you.”
Fu Xi Yan said, “You didn’t deny it. Does that mean you admit it too? In that case, why haven’t you called me Uncle yet?”
The short-bearded man finally realized Fu Xi Yan was mocking him.
He flew into a rage. “Fatty, get over here! I’ll—”
Halfway through, he abruptly clapped both hands over his mouth.
Too late.
Two enormous front teeth, covered in blood, fell out of his mouth.
He lunged forward in fury.
The fair-faced young officer immediately ordered someone to restrain him.
The young officer—Liu Huan—stood and cupped his hands toward Fu Xi Yan.
“Unless my eyes deceive me, you must be Count Yongfeng’s fourth son, Fu Xi Yan, the Censorate’s Capital Patrol Commissioner.”
Fu Xi Yan returned the greeting.
“A hero does not boast about former glory. The position of Patrol Commissioner belongs to the past.”
Liu Huan said, “I haven’t heard that Lord Fu was dismissed from office.”
Fu Xi Yan thought about it.
That seemed true.
He might have gone to prison.
He might have fled Haojing.
But the emperor had never actually issued an order dismissing him.
So technically…
was he merely absent without leave?
Liu Huan then turned toward Pei Yuan Jin.
His eyes immediately became fervent.
“This must be Young Palace Master Pei of the Immortal Treasury Palace, who is always inseparable from Lord Fu?”
Fu Xi Yan instinctively wanted to deny it.
When were they inseparable?
Then he remembered that nowadays they ate together and slept together.
“Inseparable” was actually quite accurate.
But outsiders did not know they ate and slept together.
So technically he could still deny it.
Yet if he denied it, what would Pei Yuan Jin think?
…
Fu Xi Yan fell into an increasingly strange mental loop and failed to answer in time.
Pei Yuan Jin, who supposedly handled “outside affairs,” therefore had to speak for himself.
“The person who attacked that day was indeed not me.”
No matter how arrogant the short-bearded man had been earlier, now that the person himself was present, all his confidence immediately disappeared.
He did not even dare complain about the loss of his front teeth.
Taking advantage of everyone’s distraction, he quietly returned to his seat and deliberately lowered himself as much as possible.
Liu Huan did not doubt that the Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace would tell the truth.
Instead, his expression became worried.
“But the rumor has already spread throughout Jing and Chu. Once the tournament finishes in a few days and the Martial Rankings are finalized, it will become established fact. At that point, the entire martial world will know that the Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace is ranked ninth on the Martial Rankings.”
Fu Xi Yan felt as disgusted as though he had swallowed a fly. “Isn’t that basically forcing someone to buy something they never wanted?”
Liu Huan said, “The Martial Rankings have always worked that way. For newcomers entering the jianghu, they’re a shortcut to fame and advancement. But to martial masters who have already been famous for years, they’re a plague to avoid at all costs. The current second-ranked fighter ended up on the list in exactly this way. He used countless connections trying to have his name removed and still failed.”
Fu Xi Yan stared in disbelief.
There was actually such an unreasonable ranking system in the world.
Then he thought about it.
The Martial Rankings had been created by the Four Directions Merchant Alliance.
Merchants did nothing without profit.
The more famous heroes appeared on the rankings, the more authority the rankings gained.
The more authority they possessed, the more experts would come seeking positions.
The stronger the Four Directions Merchant Alliance became.
It was a business with enormous profit and almost no cost.
Naturally, they would keep doing it.
As for whether the famous experts themselves agreed…
What could they do?
Slaughter everyone in the Merchant Alliance over it?
Fu Xi Yan looked worriedly at Pei Yuan Jin.
It was embarrassing enough for the mighty Young Palace Master of the Immortal Treasury Palace to appear on someone else’s Martial Rankings.
But ninth?
Especially a ninth place he had not even earned himself?
Who exactly were they insulting?!
Fu Xi Yan cupped his hands toward Liu Huan. “Thank you for the warning. You come to Jinyu House every day just to discuss… martial arts?”
Liu Huan smiled and nodded. “We used to gather in restaurants, but the owners complained that we were too loud, so we switched to Jinyu House. No one here minds noise.”
“Why not simply rent a courtyard?”
“We don’t gather every day. It’s only because the Martial Rankings tournament is happening now that everyone has been meeting to discuss it.”
Fu Xi Yan asked curiously, “Since all of you are so interested in the Martial Rankings, why don’t you participate yourselves?”
“We’re all sons of military families. General Liu has a rule forbidding soldiers from entering the Martial Rankings. Even if we defeat someone on the list, we cannot be added. General Liu already settled this with the Four Directions Merchant Alliance years ago. We’re simply scratching an itch and enjoying some armchair fighting.”
Fu Xi Yan tugged Pei Yuan Jin’s sleeve. “Why don’t you join the army?”
Then he could get himself removed from the rankings.
Pei Yuan Jin: “…”
Now that everyone knew one another’s identities, Liu Huan naturally had to entertain them properly.
He had the madam prepare another private room and ordered an entirely new table of food and wine.
They chatted about everything beneath Heaven.
Halfway through the meal, Fu Xi Yan felt the atmosphere was right and abruptly asked, “What do you think about your own marriage?”
Liu Huan clearly had not expected such a direct question.
After a moment, he said, “Naturally, I follow my parents’ wishes.”
“You were betrothed from childhood to the Jiangling Prefect’s daughter and grew up knowing her. Do you feel reluctant to let that marriage go?”
Fu Xi Yan was applying the procedures of his previous life.
There was no need to ask about houses, cars, or property.
But romantic history absolutely had to be investigated.
Liu Huan said, “The Prefect’s household was strict, and I spent most of my years in the military, so we rarely saw one another. Still, we had known each other since childhood. Naturally, I feel some regret.”
On one hand, Fu Xi Yan thought the answer showed a reasonable amount of affection and loyalty.
On the other hand—
regretting another woman meant she still occupied a place in his heart.
If Fu Xia Qing married him later, would she have to live with a husband who carried some unreachable first love in his heart?
Fu Xi Yan had no daughter.
Yet he had already begun experiencing all the anxiety of marrying one off.
The more he looked at Liu Huan, the less satisfied he became.
His questions rapidly grew more aggressive.
“Who controls the money after marriage?”
“Do you intend to take concubines?”
“Do you prefer sons or daughters?”
…
Liu Huan began sweating profusely.
Originally, he had not given the proposed marriage much thought.
It was an alliance between two families. His parents arranged it, so he would simply follow along.
But Fu Xi Yan’s barrage forced him to genuinely think about what his married life might look like.
And somewhere along the way, without realizing it, Liu Huan had begun answering under the assumption that he really would marry the Fu family’s daughter.
Once Fu Xi Yan finished his interrogation, he was reasonably satisfied.
He asked the madam to bring writing materials, copied Liu Huan’s answers into two identical documents, had Liu Huan sign both, then had himself and Pei Yuan Jin sign as witnesses.
Each side would keep one copy.
“A true man’s word carries weight. You absolutely mustn’t break any of these promises.”
Fu Xi Yan folded Liu Huan’s written pledge and tucked it into his robes.
Liu Huan’s head was still spinning.
He smiled bitterly. “With a brother-in-law like you, how would I dare break my word?”
Fu Xi Yan wagged one finger. “You’re calling me that too early. The first stroke of the character 八 hasn’t even been written yet.”
Liu Huan: “…”
Not even the first stroke?
At this point, haven’t they already drawn every horizontal, vertical, left-falling, and right-falling stroke back and forth seven or eight times?
Elio’s Notes: 八字还没一撇 literally means “the character 八 hasn’t even received its first stroke yet.” It is an idiom meaning that something has not even begun to take definite shape. The narration extends the joke by imagining that every possible stroke has already been drawn repeatedly.
After leaving Jinyu House, Fu Xi Yan could not resist taking Liu Huan’s signed pledge back out and admiring it once more.
A man’s character could not truly be guaranteed by a sheet of paper.
But at the very least, if problems involving family responsibilities or interests arose in the future, Fu Xia Qing would already occupy the moral high ground.
Fu Xi Yan finished looking and was about to tuck the document away when Pei Yuan Jin took it from his hand and slipped it into his own robes.
Fu Xi Yan stared at him in confusion.
Pei Yuan Jin explained, “For reference.”
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