Chapter Fifty-Five: A Thunderclap in Winter

A sudden light snowfall arrived, the flakes drifting down from the sky like willow catkins. In the small courtyard where snowflakes danced, Zhou Liuzi remained focused as ever, practicing his swordsmanship with such dedication that the scene resembled a living painting.

Lu Liao reached out a hand, and the cool, crystalline snowflakes melted at his touch, suddenly making him long for the days at Dongchang Rock. Those days had been dull and monotonous, but carefree and natural. Now, after only half a year down the mountain, his heart felt heavier and more exhausted with each passing day.

Since that drunken night and his rambling at Celestial Fairy Tower, Lu Liao had shut himself in to study. Yet, the more he read, the more confused he became. Just as he wondered if it was time to go outside for a walk, two uninvited guests arrived at his home.

The handsome young monk Wuhua now had a scruffy beard and a haggard face. His eyes, red-rimmed, stared at the closed door of the clinic as he muttered to himself in guilt.

After a long while, Tang Xiaoqi and Ping'er supported the pale-faced young nun, casting a fierce glare at Wuhua before retreating to the back courtyard to rest. The old physician took the tea that Lu Liao diligently offered, sipped it slowly, and only then glanced at Wuhua, sighing softly.

"It's normal for young people to be enamored with the pleasures of the flesh," the old doctor said, "but to lack restraint even during a woman's pregnancy, that's excessive. I've prescribed some medicine to stabilize and nourish the fetus, so the child is safe for now. However, that young lady must rest completely, avoiding all fatigue and chills. She'll have to stay here for the time being."

At this, Lu Liao clutched his abdomen and burst into laughter. The monk Wuhua blushed crimson, unable to meet anyone's gaze.

"What are you laughing at? Xiaoqi has been perfectly healthy for ages. Yet you sneak into her room every night, and nothing happens! When will I ever get to hold a great-grandchild? Useless thing!" Lu Manman glared at Lu Liao with irritation.

Lu Liao’s expression remained dark and somber, unchanged even the next day. Just then, Gu Xihua arrived in men’s attire, graceful as ever. At the sight, Lu Liao clutched his chest, feeling a sharp pang, uncertain what to do.

Tang Xiaoqi and Gu Xihua greeted each other warmly, smiling like sisters, so much so that Lu Liao felt bewildered.

"Young master, don't be fooled by appearances," Zhou Liuzi whispered beside him. "Women may seem affectionate, but deep down, they might wish to stab each other."

"How would you know?" Lu Liao was skeptical.

"Before I mastered my art, the proudest, most skilled woman in our training group died at the hands of her dearest friend," Zhou Liuzi replied calmly.

Lu Liao’s heart began to race until Wuhua was finally summoned, and only the three of them remained in the study, allowing him to calm down.

As soon as Gu Xihua saw the downcast monk, she reached out and knocked his smooth bald head hard, scolding and crying at the same time, "You useless creature, are you trying to end the Gu family line?"

Lu Liao quickly pulled Gu Xihua aside, reassuring her, "It's all right! My grandfather’s skills in nurturing and blood tonics are unrivaled. Let her recover here for a few months, and your family will have a chubby, healthy boy in no time."

Relieved but still angry, Gu Xihua glared at the little monk. Lu Liao, too, gave Wuhua’s bald head a solid knock, feeling secretly delighted, and joined in to help scold him.

"I ought to beat you, you sanctimonious, shameless monk! How could you not spare a weak, pregnant nun? Be careful, your son will spit on that bald head of yours the moment he’s born!"

Gu Xihua, finally catching on, blushed furiously and pinched Lu Liao’s waist hard, cursing, "You're the truly shameless one here!"

"Hmph!" Seeing the two flirting openly again, Wuhua snorted in annoyance.

"Go on, get out of here! Just seeing you irritates me. Go take care of your little nun," Lu Liao waved his sleeve, dismissing the monk with much of his gloom dispelled.

Here, the two dared not address Lu Liao by his courtesy name, Yuyun, but instead quietly turned to business.

"General Geshuhan led sixty thousand troops and took Stone Fortress City from the Tibetans in one stroke. The scholars are rejoicing again, praising His Majesty’s wisdom and martial prowess.

"Zhao Fengzhang, the magistrate of Xianning, submitted over twenty accusations against the traitorous Chancellor Li Linfu. Even before the memorial arrived, Li Linfu heard of it, sent censors to arrest Zhao, charged him with spreading dangerous rumors, and had him flogged to death. Many scholars curse the corrupt ministers for deceiving the emperor and ruling unchecked," Gu Xihua said, toying with her teacup without much enthusiasm.

"Any news from Sword Gate?" Lu Liao asked. "It can’t be so quiet in Nanzhao in the southwest. It makes me uneasy."

Gu Xihua shook her head and complained, "There are more and more dull old men at Celestial Fairy Tower now, all putting on airs. The young prefer the lively foreign taverns. When will you take me there for a look?"

"Of course, no problem. I can’t promise much, but I can certainly treat you to drinks at the foreign tavern," Lu Liao agreed readily.

Finally smiling, Gu Xihua said cautiously, "There are rumors about your elder at Jade Truth Temple. Want to hear them?"

"What rumors?" Lu Liao grew interested.

"That great poet Wang Wei returned to the capital, failed to secure an official post, and wrote 'Lament on White Hair.' The old men recite his poem and sigh, saying a great talent was destroyed by a shameless woman—meaning your elder," Gu Xihua gossiped excitedly in Lu Liao’s ear.

Lu Liao, already aware of most of the story from Aunt Xilin and various rumors, turned awkward, realizing he’d best avoid paying respects at the temple for a while.

With a young monk and a little nun at home, and the occasional cross-dressing lady visitor, life in the Lu household remained mostly undisturbed. As the little nun’s belly grew rounder, the old master’s face grew darker, and the young couple, left speechless, could only redouble their efforts at producing an heir.

After the lively New Year’s festivities, the days entered the ninth year of Tianbao.

In a quiet, elegant courtyard in Chang’an, the incense burners in the garden still glowed, releasing strange fragrances whose ingredients were a mystery. The wind made the prayer flags flutter with a "swish, swish" sound.

Feeling a chill, Lu Liao wrapped his robe tightly and followed Wang Eleven inside. The roaring fire made the room warm. Lu Jiu sat at her desk, sampling a piece of rare rock sugar. She gestured to the plate, but Lu Liao shook his head—most families would never taste such a delicacy, but he was uninterested, wanting only to know why Lu Jiu had summoned him.

Waving her hand, Lu Jiu sent Wang Eleven away, leaving the two of them alone.

"Did you have a good New Year?" Lu Jiu asked casually.

"Not bad," Lu Liao replied indifferently.

"The exorcism drama was lively this year. Didn't you take your young wife to see it?" Lu Jiu asked, as if offhand.

"We went. But what’s so interesting about crowds and paper-mâché demons?" Lu Liao replied, bored.

"Perhaps not to you, but the favorite concubine of Censor Yang Zhao mysteriously vanished during the exorcism drama. Isn’t that interesting?" Lu Jiu smiled.

"Strange things often happen in those grand mansions. What’s so interesting about that?" Lu Liao shrugged.

"But this concubine was special. She was once a princess of Kang, famed for her beauty. When Kang defied the Protector General of Anxi, the general destroyed her country. The beautiful fourteen-year-old princess was gifted to Yang Zhao by the emperor and became his favorite. Now, during the exorcism drama, she vanished. How do you think Yang Zhao will react?" Lu Jiu watched him closely.

"I neither know nor care," Lu Liao replied calmly. He wasn’t about to get involved with Yang Zhao—censor, court official, and, more importantly, the emperor’s favored concubine's brother. One sneeze from him could wipe out Lu Liao’s entire family.

"I thought you’d say that. In a few days, my caravan is heading to Lingzhou in Guannei Dao. As my advisor, you’ll accompany me this time," Lu Jiu said flatly.

"No way! I have to compete in the Spring Imperial Examinations. This trip will delay everything," Lu Liao protested, knowing this journey would be anything but simple.

"Truly can’t?" Lu Jiu pressed.

"Absolutely not!" Lu Liao replied firmly.

"Fine then. Let me tell you a story. If you still refuse after, so be it," Lu Jiu said, confident as ever.

Lu Liao, knowing his secrets had been thoroughly unearthed by this witch, simply turned away, ignoring her.

"Rumor has it that the imperial concubine is pregnant, so His Majesty has favored Consort Mei and taken up matters of state again. Rumors swirl about the imperial concubine falling out of favor. Meanwhile, the military governor of Fanyang, An Lushan, has a stunning mistress who gave birth to a daughter, now sixteen and more beautiful than her mother. When the rumors spread, they secretly sent the girl to Prime Minister Li Linfu in the capital, hoping to have her enter the palace and rival the imperial concubine. But before reaching Luoyang, she was abducted in the mountains. Despite many investigations, she vanished without a trace, presumed dead at the hands of bandits," Lu Jiu said, then stopped, staring at Lu Liao.

In the dead of winter, cold sweat drenched Lu Liao’s back, though his expression remained still as he met Lu Jiu’s gaze. "What does this have to do with me?"

Lu Jiu smiled, shaking her head. "Nothing at all. I’m just amazed at how a plain family like yours ended up with such a stunning young wife. Even in the palace, she’d outshine all others."

"Xiaoqi is just an ordinary village girl, not worthy of such praise," Lu Liao replied, draining his tea.

"Is that so? In Ziyang County, Sichuan, there’s a lonely new grave on a barren slope outside Tang Family Village. The wooden marker reads 'Tang Xiaoqi’s grave.' I wonder who lies within? Someone paid twenty taels to bribe the village headman. I offered two hundred, and everything became clear," Lu Jiu said, standing and gazing lazily southwest out the window.

Only then did Lu Liao recall his earlier oversight, now caught in Lu Jiu’s hands.

"Even so, you can’t prove my Tang Xiaoqi is the missing governor’s daughter," Lu Liao retorted.

"As it happens, the place where that girl disappeared was overrun by bandits, later wiped out by Young Master Qin Ruochan of the Qin family. The bandit chief was also named Tang Xiaoqi. Stranger still, the girl’s bodyguards were all killed, but the old family servant was spared. That servant, under a new name, works as a bookkeeper in one of our Wang family shops. I had someone track down a portrait. Take a look and see if she resembles your 'tigress' of a wife," Lu Jiu finished, tossing Lu Liao a silk handkerchief bearing the portrait.

Lu Liao opened it. The smiling face painted there was precisely Tang Xiaoqi’s. His hand trembled as he held the silk.

"No one knows who orchestrated the abduction—whether it was the imperial concubine or her brother, Yang Zhao. If they found out, they would be exceedingly grateful to you, Lu Liao. But who knows how the emperor would react if he learned his woman had been stolen away," Lu Jiu said darkly.

Lu Liao seized Lu Jiu’s shoulder, demanding, "Wang Liuli! Why did you go to such lengths to investigate her background? What are you after?"

"Nothing at all. She called me a shameless witch, accused me of stealing her man. Why shouldn’t I be a little vengeful?" Lu Jiu huffed.