Searching for someone without knowing their name is like seeking a needle in a vast ocean. Once the name is known, the search becomes considerably easier. When Liu Yan, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture, saw the ledger spread out by Li Ce, he was somewhat taken aback. He looked up from the towering pile of documents and inquired, "How did Prince Chu determine that this corpse beneath the Jade Qiong Pavilion belonged to that person?"
"Because among those who stayed in Room No. 1 of the Jia Wing, only one was a Taoist," Li Ce replied. "If Prefect Liu doubts this, he can verify the fish tally with the inner court."
The inner court had long been cross-checking the fish tallies but to no avail. Now, suspecting that the deceased was connected to the late Prince Chen made matters much simpler. Sure enough, before long, the junior prefect of Jingzhao returned with confirmation: the inner court had verified that the fish tally indeed belonged to the late Prince Chen. No wonder it had gone missing. Items linked to those executed for treason were undoubtedly sealed away long ago.
Prince Chen Li Qian died in the twelfth year of the Tian'an reign. The emperor, in his mercy, spared the prince's former retainers from punishment. Even the prince's consort was only sentenced to guard his tomb by the Huai River. It was said that Li Long had quelled the rebellion and, for his merits, was bestowed the title of Duke Su. The character "Su" signifies solemnity and purification; though the title was somewhat unofficial, it reflected the emperor's firm resolve at the time.
Faced with this tangled treason case, Liu Yan could no longer maintain his composure. Rising hastily, he said, "Permit me to seek an audience with His Majesty and confer with Prince Chu further."
Li Ce did not accompany Liu Yan but remained quietly at the prefecture, basking in the sunlight and listening to the birdsong. Liu Yan was gone for a long time. When he returned, sweat soaked his official robes, and his expression was fraught with anxiety.
"The emperor has commanded us to ascertain the cause of Sima Cheng'en's death," he said gravely, "and has ordered the Sixteen Guards to swiftly pursue Duke Su Li Long."
Li Long was now beyond escape.
Baili Xi's residence was modest—no ornate beams or painted rafters, no throng of servants or maidens. He came from a reputable family and had advanced through the imperial examinations, serving with a clean reputation from the rank of junior clerk to censor-in-chief, holding the fifth official rank. Officials were quick to report misdeeds even without evidence, but Baili Xi was cautious and principled; he never made accusations without irrefutable proof. Thus, whenever Baili Xi impeached someone, nine times out of ten, the official would be convicted and imprisoned. He was regarded as a thorn in the side by many courtiers but remained undeterred, for the emperor valued him greatly—so much so that he was appointed tutor to the second prince.
That day, Baili Xi returned home and ate only a bowl of salty porridge before retreating to his study. Soon, there was a knock at the door. Recognizing the secret signal, Baili Xi opened it himself. Outside stood a sturdy man wearing a bamboo hat. He bowed respectfully and handed over a letter.
"Your Highness is well, please rest assured, Master," the man said with reverence.
Baili Xi returned to his seat and read the letter before immediately writing a reply and handing it back. "Go," he said lightly, "everything in the capital is proceeding as desired."
"If only everything went according to plan," Lady Ye leaned against the armrest with a sigh. "At that time, your aunt was already pregnant. The old matron was so happy she sewed tiger-patterned shoes at home. Yet before the shoes were finished, tragedy struck. Your grandmother fell ill and passed away, and that poor child was lost too."
Having suffered the loss of a child herself, Ye Rou felt the pain deeply, tears welling in her eyes. Ye Jiao rushed back anxiously, fanning herself rapidly. "Could it have been a misunderstanding? I heard there was a Taoist named Sima Cheng'en in Prince Chen's residence—a friend of Father's."
Mentioning Sima Cheng'en, Lady Ye smiled faintly. "He was about your father's age, quick-tempered but reliable. He believed that cultivating immortality required worldly experience, so he entered Prince Chen's household. The prince trusted him, and Sima Cheng'en often traveled between Shengzhou and the capital, delivering messages and assisting with affairs. Familiar with the roads and fearless of bandits, he could carry a piece of bread and cover three hundred miles. After Prince Chen's suicide, no one knew where he disappeared to."
Ye Jiao set aside her fan, silent on the matter of the corpse beneath the Jade Qiong Pavilion. Initially worried it was her father, she breathed easier upon learning otherwise. Yet hearing her mother speak of Sima Cheng'en, she could not help but feel sorrowful. The once carefree Taoist, now clad in feathered robes, had not ascended to immortality but was buried beneath the pavilion's floorboards, only seeing daylight after ten years.
In the mortuary, she had seen Sima Cheng'en's remains. The grayish-white bones did not invoke horror but deep sadness. Ultimately, his cultivation was incomplete; he had not achieved ascension. Reason told Ye Jiao to let it be—the man was dead, and what use was uncovering the truth? What if it harmed the Duke of Anguo's household? Their meager peace might vanish.
Yet feelings compelled her to leave home and deliver the news to Li Ce. "Sima Cheng'en," Ye Jiao said, "was responsible for delivering messages."
Li Ce nodded as he flipped through the files. "That explains why he wore the late Prince Chen's fish tally."
The fish tally served as a token for entry into the palace, easing one's audience with the emperor. But Sima Cheng'en never met the emperor. Why did he go to the Jade Qiong Pavilion? Li Ce looked up at the overcast sky and slowly said, "He went to see someone else—someone who once could escort him into the palace."
But this time, that person murdered him beneath the pavilion, sealing his body in the floor and erasing all traces of his presence in the capital.
"Who?" Ye Jiao asked.
Li Ce looked at her but remained silent. Flustered, Ye Jiao hadn't even taken the tea he offered. Her pale cheeks, tinted like peach blossoms, flushed unevenly, vibrant yet tinged with anxiety.
She must be deeply worried that this matter might involve the Anguo Duke's household. She was meant to live carefree and bold, but because of his entanglement, she suffered this torment.
Thinking this, Li Ce feigned nonchalance. "Rest assured, it has nothing to do with the Duke's household. If the truth comes out, it might even benefit you."
Ye Jiao gave a bitter smile, sitting opposite him. "How is it," she asked, "that you know so much?"
Twelve years ago, Li Ce was only eight years old. What could a child remember?
"That year, I fell ill," Li Ce said, handing her the tea again and recounting the tale. At seven, he had fallen into a thief's pit, trapped in an ancient tomb for nine days before escaping. During those nine days, he had eaten all he could to survive—the vines on the tomb walls, the burial wine, even insects and ants that had fallen into the pit. Desperate to live, while tomb robbers sought survival too.
One robber, after fainting for two days, awoke and tried to kill Li Ce for food. He stabbed Li Ce with a dagger pulled from a corpse—poisoned with a deadly toxin. The imperial physician later said it was a rare, incurable corpse toxin. Legend said those infected would suffer skin decay, stiffen, lose reason, go mad, and die. Li Ce fared better—he was weak, had to frequently bask in sunlight, coughed feebly, and struggled to rise.
By eight, Li Ce's tutor had heard that Taoists in Zhongnan Mountain could refine an elixir using "five metals and eight stones" with cinnabar to dispel cold and cure the corpse toxin. Sima Cheng'en was the Taoist who descended from Zhongnan Mountain. Few attended Li Ce at the imperial tomb, so a eunuch was dispatched to find him. The eunuch went first to Shengzhou, learning Sima Cheng'en had just departed for the capital. Racing day and night, the eunuch finally met him in the western market.
Sima Cheng'en was hastily heading to the Jade Qiong Pavilion, telling the eunuch to wait outside. He promised to bring the elixir after finishing urgent business. But the eunuch waited until curfew; Sima Cheng'en never emerged. The eunuch returned nearly in tears.
Sima Cheng'en had vanished at the Jade Qiong Pavilion before Prince Chen's rebellion erupted. The court was in chaos, and even imperial physicians refused to come. Hope extinguished, the dwelling near the imperial tomb where Li Ce stayed fell into bleak silence.
After all this time, Li Ce still recalled how heartbroken he felt then.
Thus, it was no surprise Sima Cheng'en disappeared at the Jade Qiong Pavilion before the rebellion.
When the corpse was unearthed, seeing the barely decayed Taoist robe, Li Ce easily identified the deceased.
"So," Li Ce said with a dry mouth and a bright smile after telling the story, "I suffered greatly as a child. Shouldn't you make it up to me somehow?"
From the moment Li Ce mentioned eating insects, Ye Jiao's expression soured. When he spoke of the corpse toxin, her shoe scraped the floor. When the disappearance of Sima Cheng'en was mentioned, she grew somber, nearly in tears. Li Ce's jokes fell flat.
Ye Jiao pursed her lips, eyes full of tenderness. "Sisi," she squinted her almond-shaped eyes and forced a smile, "are you hungry? I'll treat you to a delicious meal."
"Is there wine?" Li Ce asked.
"There's wine, meat, and singing girls," Ye Jiao stood and said, "if you want to see a belly-baring dancer, I'll pay extra to have her reveal more of her waist. If she's bold enough, she'll sit on your lap."
In short, she would make up for all Li Ce had missed and never enjoyed.
At some point, Li Jing stepped in, surely overhearing Ye Jiao's words. He looked at Li Ce with envy.
"I want in, take me along," Li Jing exclaimed excitedly, turning to follow. Loudly he asked, "What kind of potion did you feed her? Give me some, my sister-in-law needs it too."
A woman who actively lets a dancer perch on her lover's lap was a rare sight.
Ye Jiao strode out, pushing Li Jing aside as she passed. "Move!" she snapped fiercely. "Have you ever eaten ants?"
Li Jing leapt back two yards, pale as death. What did ants have to do with anything?
Li Ce obediently followed Ye Jiao out, winking at Li Jing. Ye Jiao walked ahead, eyes glistening with faint tears. Truly pitiable—enough to infuriate anyone.