Reunion

"Amidst the crackle of firecrackers, another year departs." Ever since night had fallen during the hour of the Dog, scattered bursts of firecrackers had begun popping across Di'an City. As the hour of the Pig drew near, the detonations merged into a continuous roar, the rising and falling din faintly drowning out even the recent "blessing" bestowed upon the realm by the imperial family. New Year's Eve in Di'an City was steeped in festive warmth. Though court officials were required to keep vigil for the dynasty, the common folk were bound by no such duty. Following their reunion dinners, the residential alleys burst into lively activity. Neighbors were well acquainted with one another; children darted through the dim alleys along muddy paths in small groups, while elders gathered to reminisce about years gone by or set up tables in their courtyards for tile games like sparrow-tiles and mahjong. Beyond these residential lanes, the commercial avenues were just as bustling. Wealthy families in fine brocade strolled through temple fairs and markets in lively groups. Shouts of vendors, laughter, playful banter, and fiery-red lanterns all came together to illuminate the tens of thousands of households in Di'an. *Whoosh—* Just before the hour of the Pig, when the celebration was at its height, a loud, piercing whistle suddenly tore through the sky above Di'an. It was a fireball—one rising steadily into the pitch-black heavens from the Palace City at the center of Di'an. Seeing this, the commoners showed no panic at all. Instead, they set down whatever was in their hands, stopping in anticipation and excitement to gaze at the slowly ascending ball of fire. Every New Year's Eve, the Ministry of Rites joined forces with the palace's Directorate of Ceremonial to launch celebratory fireworks in honor of the new year. While this year's end had carried a measure of tension, that had all transpired within the imperial court, entirely detached from the lives of ordinary citizens. Beneath the eyes of the multitude, this firework climbed to a height invisible to mortal sight. After a brief moment of quiet— *Boom—* Right on cue at the hour of the Pig, the fireball detonated across the darkened expanse. Countless streaking comets trailing fiery plumes scattered in every direction, only to burst once more in mid-flight, blooming into a sky full of dazzling colors against the night canvas. In an instant, magnificent multicolored fireworks blanketed most of Di'an, illuminating the heavens and reflecting in the eyes of every soul in the city. This was the Son of Heaven's New Year greeting to the people of the world. Watching the fireworks fade from the sky and seeing the crowds along the streets kneeling in waves toward the Palace City, Xu Yuan suddenly thought of the resignation memorial his old man had submitted tonight. Two entirely unrelated matters, yet they had inexplicably linked together in his mind. After a brief moment of thought, Xu Yuan gave a gentle shake of his head. The hearts of the people lay with Great Yan, but unfortunately, the water that bore the ship of state in this world was not the common folk. Xu Yuan had originally intended to eat this year's New Year's Eve dinner at home. Yet plans could never keep up with changes. The Crown Prince had made an unexpected visit to the residence of the Left Vice Minister of War—namely, that little old man Wang Yuqian—claiming he wished to see Wang's "illegitimate son." Since a body double could not be used before the Crown Prince, Xu Yuan had had no choice but to set down his chopsticks and go socialize. As a result, he had ended up staying at the Vice Minister's manor all the way until the hour of the Pig. What Crown Prince Li Yucheng discussed with him tonight was the same as before: extending an olive branch to recruit him. The difference this time was that the recruitment was framed under the context of the Chancellor's Manor. That was because the identity of "Wang Shicai" had already entered the Prime Minister's Manor. The Crown Prince's earlier private overtures had proven Wang Shicai's capability. With that endorsement, old Wang Yuqian had legitimately and naturally placed him into the Prime Minister's Manor, which made it far more convenient for Xu Yuan to come and go from his own home. To pull this off, though, poor old Wang Yuqian had suffered quite a bit. His domestic backyard had caught fire. His highborn legitimate sons were still coasting along in low-prestige, low-profit yamens to build their résumés, yet a mere bastard had been arranged by the master of the house to enter the Prime Minister's Manor? Was that appropriate? Of course not. The first, second, and third wives were all raising a fuss. Had it not been for the Crown Prince's presence in the manor this New Year's Eve, the petty schemes and indignities those women wanted to direct at Xu Yuan would probably have frightened old Wang Yuqian into wetting his pants on the spot. After all, according to Great Yan custom, juniors were expected to kowtow to their elders. Watching this domestic infighting unfold, Xu Yuan could somewhat understand just how hostile Li Zhaoyuan's environment within the palace truly was. Even with the head of the household, Wang Yuqian, backing the persona of Wang Shicai, he was still subjected to such harassment—to say nothing of the red-walled palace, where lives could be lost at any moment. Returning to the matter at hand, Crown Prince Li Yucheng's visit to a high-ranking member of the Chancellor's faction on New Year's Eve was quite intriguing. His act of stopping Li Junqing last night had already served as a pledge of allegiance to the Prime Minister's Manor. To visit a senior figure of the faction tonight, right after the Chancellor had submitted his resignation, meant that the Crown Prince had essentially declared his stance in full. Once this storm blew over, the current heir to the throne could be considered half an ally to the Prime Minister's Manor—the kind where both sides made mutual use of one another. As these trivial thoughts drifted through his mind, a tentative voice softly reached Xu Yuan's ears: "Third Young Master, making you travel out on New Year's Eve is truly my fault. Those three disgraceful wives of mine have made a fool of me before you as well." Xu Yuan raised his gaze and saw old Wang Yuqian warily studying his expression. Every family had its own troubles. Xu Yuan had reviewed Wang Yuqian's dossier; though the little old man was backed by the Prime Minister's Manor, his three wives all hailed from prominent capital clans in what amounted to political marriages. Those great clans used Wang Yuqian to attach themselves to the Prime Minister's Manor, while the manor used Wang Yuqian to keep those clans in check. Because of this, while Wang Yuqian held considerable sway within the Vice Minister's manor, his word was by no means absolute law. With a faint smile, Xu Yuan gave a light wave of his hand and went back to gazing out the window. "No matter." "Heh, heh..." Wang Yuqian chuckled sheepishly, but had no intention of dropping the subject. He continued in a careful whisper, "Third Young Master, does this count as having weathered the turn of the year?" So that was it—the old man had merely been looking for an opening to broach the topic. After a momentary pause, Xu Yuan played along with his probing. "The New Year isn't truly over until the fifteenth of the first month. What's the rush?" Wang Yuqian grew tense and rubbed his hands together. "Then what about tomorrow's palace banquet on the first?" Ordinarily, as a prominent court official of the lower third rank, Wang Yuqian was supposed to keep vigil for the state at the Ministry of War on New Year's Eve. Today, however, he had submitted a memorial reporting illness and returned straight to his manor without waiting for a court response. Nor was Wang Yuqian alone. Tonight, half of the second- and third-rank officials in the imperial court had reported ill and returned home without awaiting approval. As for why there had been no reply? It was not because the procedure for reporting illness was complicated, but because the senior official responsible for approving those requests had submitted his own resignation memorial and gone home to the inner court of the Prime Minister's Manor to celebrate the New Year. Even so, Xu Yuan deliberated slightly over how to answer. These court dignitaries reporting ill and heading home on New Year's Eve was not an insurmountable issue; it was merely a distinct display of attitude. But if they failed to attend the palace banquet, that stance would escalate, and the situation could easily spiral out of control. It was essentially a game of chicken. With a quiet chuckle, Xu Yuan's eyes curved slightly, and he murmured, "Vice Minister Wang... you have merely reported ill, not retired from office." *** Returning to the manor tonight, Xu Yuan made no attempt to conceal his tracks. The Vice Minister of War's carriage simply pulled up right before the gates of the Prime Minister's Manor, and Xu Yuan openly walked through the side entrance. The stance the Crown Prince had demonstrated tonight required "Wang Shicai" to act as the messenger. The moment Xu Yuan stepped through the gates, he saw a certain alluring succubus leaning against the courtyard door, waiting for him. As the Chief of the Black Scales, Lou Ji was truly an isolated soul, especially after she had slain Granny Long with her own hands that night, leaving her without a single friend to confide in. On this New Year's Eve when families gathered in reunion, she could only come looking for this little brother of hers. Yet after teasing and joking with him for a bit, the big succubus did not force him to stay by her side to keep vigil through the night. She escorted Xu Yuan to the entrance of the inner court, gave him an embrace against her chest, and then quietly took her leave. After all the twists and turns, by the time Xu Yuan returned to the inner court, the hour of the Rat was nearly at hand. Walking along the lane of the inner court, Xu Yuan pushed open the main gate and stepped into the main courtyard, greeted by a scene as warm and domestic as that of an ordinary household. Outside was pitch-black, while the main hall remained brightly lit. Three figures were inside amidst the glow, each occupied with their own affairs. Dressed in a festive new set of red robes, Xu Xinyao leaned half over the table, propping up her fair cheek with one hand. Her long, dense eyelashes drooped, and she looked thoroughly drowsy. Dora-a-Yao had poured immense effort into examining the corpse of the Emperor of Sien, and combined with her research into the soul ring holding the demon-ghost, she likely had not slept for several days. Feng Jiuxuan was still clad in snow-white robes, sitting quietly to one side with his eyes closed to rest his mind, the broken sword Qingyuan resting on the table before him. His father, Xu Yinhe, sat upright in the seat of honor. Composed and steady, he held a book, his gaze lowered as he quietly read through it. Before him stood a porcelain teacup sending up wisps of steam, and beside the cup lay a Go board. Black and white stones were intermingled across the grid, but judging from the book in his hands, he had clearly stopped playing. A faint smile touched the corner of Xu Yuan's lips. Though the court stood high, familial warmth remained. They were all waiting for him. Stepping slowly forward, Xu Yuan sent out his spiritual vision to scan the board, and a flash of surprise involuntarily crossed his eyes. Xu Yuan possessed a modest understanding of Go, though it was limited to being able to read the board. The game on the table did not appear to be his father playing against himself, for it was a one-sided massacre by Black against White. White had walked straight into a trap right from the opening; in under a hundred moves, Black had slaughtered White's large dragon, and across the entire board, one could not even find two living groups. It was so brutal it was almost unwatchable. *Pfft.* A soft chuckle rippled through the quiet courtyard. Just as Xu Yuan was wondering whether that supreme poseur Xu Changge had been the one butchered, Feng Jiuxuan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly turned his head to glance at him with a placid gaze. "..." Xu Yuan. "..." Feng Jiuxuan. A moment of silence hung in the air. From the head seat, Xu Yinhe slowly lowered the scroll in his hand, raising his eyes to look at his third son in the courtyard. "Now that you're back, what are you standing frozen in the courtyard for?" "..." Xu Yuan blinked, then continued walking inside. Today was New Year's Eve; his uncle couldn't very well beat him over something so trivial. At that thought, Xu Yuan's mind cleared, and he asked with deliberate innocence, "Father, you really went easy on yourself playing both sides. Look at how brutally Black slaughtered White! What terrible skill. Next time you're bored, I'll play with you instead." "..." Xu Yinhe fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, casting an amused glance toward Feng Jiuxuan. Seeing this, a faint, almost imperceptible smile surfaced on Feng Jiuxuan's thin lips as he spoke softly: "The hour of the Rat is almost upon us. If you were any later, the family's New Year's Eve dinner would have had to wait until next year." In his past life, the hour of the Rat spanned from eleven at night to one in the morning, but in Great Yan, the start of that hour marked the boundary between two days. As Xu Yuan stepped into the main hall, the drowsy maiden leaning on the table opened her eyes and beamed. "Third Brother, you're back!" Passing beside her, Xu Yuan casually ruffled her soft hair, then sat down at her side. He asked in a low voice, "Where is Xu Chang... er, Big Brother?" He had not seen Xu Changge upon returning. Ordinarily, their father would not dispatch family members on missions on New Year's Eve. Xu Xinyao gathered her energy and blinked, instinctively glancing toward the empty seat beside her. Surprise flickered in her beautiful eyes as she asked in mild confusion, "Big Brother was right here just a moment ago..." Xu Yuan reacted swiftly, glancing toward the kitchen. "Hah, he probably sensed I was back and ran off early to cook. Hmm... I'll go check the kitchen." As he spoke, Xu Yuan stood back up before his seat had even grown warm. Seeing this, Xu Xinyao rose as well, smiling brightly. "Then Xinyao will go help too!" "Forget it. Are you trying to blow up the kitchen?" "Xinyao learned some cooking while traveling outside!" "Fine, fine. Our household has two Saints and one Origin Realm; whatever you make probably won't kill anyone." "Brother! What are you talking about!" Xu Xinyao chided in mock indignation. Laughing and bantering, she skipped along after Xu Yuan as they left the main hall. After that brief burst of liveliness, the warmly lit hall returned to silence once more. "..." Watching the two children walk away, a tender smile appeared in Xu Yinhe's deep eyes, but it lasted only a brief moment before fading. Originally, today should have been even livelier... "Since you chose this path, walk it to the end." A calm voice came from the side. Xu Yinhe looked over at Feng Jiuxuan. Feng Jiuxuan gazed down at the broken sword before him, his voice very soft. "Qian'er is dead, and Chang'an is dead too. Even if only for their sake, you, Xu Yinhe, must see this path through to the end." Xu Yinhe's reply was placid: "I simply have no desire to see this house grow any lonelier." "Then take everything to the absolute limit." "Heh... you needn't worry yourself over that." After saying this, Xu Yinhe lowered his voice and asked, "Are you not going to the Black Prison tonight to see your old man?" "..." After a quiet pause, Feng Jiuxuan gave a slight shake of his head. "Why see him? Kinship was never worth mentioning to him anyway." Xu Yinhe looked deeply at Feng Jiuxuan. "Once they have lost everything, people change." "..." Feng Jiuxuan lowered his gaze, falling into thought. Before he could speak, a chaotic commotion erupted from the kitchen. "Get out! Who told you to come in here?" "Hey, I came to help today!" "Did I say I needed help? Changtian, do not make me repeat myself." "Third Brother, Big Brother, stop arguing!" "Tsk, Xu Changge, what the hell is wrong with you? Today is New Year's Eve—try laying a finger on me and see if Father doesn't beat you! Well, even if Father doesn't, Uncle will!" "Oh?" "Hey, hey! Wait a second, Xu Changge, put that knife down first—" "..." "..." Listening to the uproar coming from the kitchen, the two middle-aged men in the hall exchanged a glance, both catching the trace of an amused smile in each other's eyes.