Lantern light surged like a tide, the wind howled sharply.
“Kneel! Why is he here?!”
“How would I know?!”
“Where did Liu Chou'er run off to?!”
“I was just about to ask you that!”
“But where did you even get those rigged dice?!”
“I drink and gamble with the guards every day. Did you think I was doing it for nothing?!”
“Did you at least bring the silver notes with you?!”
“Of course! With the treasury this empty, how could I not?!”
“Then where are we running?!”
“I’ve never been here before!”
“Neither have I!”
“Then just sit tight and wait to be dragged back to scrub chamber pots!”
Before anyone could react, Jing Xuan and Hua Ting had already snatched up the silver notes from the table with practiced ease. They pushed through the noisy crowd, vaulted over the high courtyard wall at the rear exit, slipped into the narrow alleyways between the streets, and fled into Zhangtai Alley behind the gambling house.
Red tiles shimmered, jade carriages raced past, fine liquor and fragrant perfumes filled the air, gold-threaded garments gleamed under the lanterns.
But they had no time to take in the sights.
All they could do was run for their lives.
Not until the clatter of the Silver Crane Guards had completely faded and their legs could no longer carry them did they finally collapse against a low courtyard wall, hidden beneath the cover of a massive golden osmanthus tree, gasping for breath.
Hua Ting, still haunted by the thought of endless chamber pot duty, had gone pale. “Jing Xuan, is Prince Xiangding trying to kill me this time? Why else would he bring so many men?”
Jing Xuan’s cheeks were flushed red from the night wind. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not even worth deploying the Silver Crane Guards. Gu Fang isn’t here for us.”
“Then what for?”
“How would I know? The Silver Crane Guards are his personal army, not mine.” Jing Xuan said this, but his mind was already racing with guesses. “But I have a feeling this has something to do with Xie Buzi.”
“Xie Buzi?”
“Mm. Does he look like just any rich young master to you?”
Hua Ting shook his head between gasps. “Even I can’t afford jade that expensive.”
“Exactly. And he was wearing official boots, only government officials or their sons dare to dress like that in Chang’an. But this year, Jiangnan suffered floods, and both Jiangdong and Zhunbei’s local offices are claiming they’ve spent every last tael. If he really were an official’s son from Jiangnan, how could he be flaunting wealth like this? What, is he hoping his entire family gets executed?”
Jing Xuan’s breathing had steadied, and his thoughts were growing sharper.
Hua Ting still wasn’t convinced. “So you’re saying Prince Xiangding came to arrest Xie Buzi?”
“No.” Jing Xuan’s answer was firm. “If he really wanted to catch him, he wouldn’t have made such a big scene, let alone announce it at the entrance and leave the back unguarded. That’s practically an invitation to escape. Which makes me think he’s using Xie Buzi as an excuse to investigate Golden Jade Pavilion.”
“Golden Jade Pavilion?” Hua Ting was taken aback. “What’s there to investigate?”
The Great Yan didn’t prohibit gambling, nor did it enforce a curfew. Golden Jade Pavilion was known to have government backing, so it rarely resorted to the kind of scams and deadly traps common in small, shady gambling houses.
Even if it did, that would be a matter for the Minister of Capital Affairs.
Why would the Silver Crane Guards be involved?
Seeing that Hua Ting still didn’t get it, Jing Xuan sighed inwardly for Prime Minister Shi.
A renowned statesman of his era,
And this was the grandson he ended up with.
But he could only patiently explain: “If Xie Buzi isn’t actually from Jiangnan, yet he’s deliberately flaunting wealth in a place like Golden Jade Pavilion under the guise of an official’s son, that means someone wants the capital’s nobility and common folk to pay attention to Jiangnan. And right now, what does Jiangnan lack the most? And what does a gambling house have the most of?”
Hua Ting finally caught on. “Money?!”
“Exactly. Money.” Jing Xuan propped himself up with his fan, still trying to catch his breath. “Although this year’s rains have been heavy and the flooding in Jiangnan is worse than the past two years, flood control policies have been in place since the late emperor’s reign. With decades of experience and the imperial court allocating massive amounts of silver, how could Jiangdong and Huaibei’s local offices be this bankrupt?”
“I know.” Hua Ting responded without hesitation this time. “My grandfather curses them at home every day. Jiangnan’s two provinces, parasites of the nation.”
Jing Xuan didn’t disagree. “Everyone knows they’re embezzling, but who exactly is embezzling, how they’re doing it, and why. It’s been a month and we still have no leads. Plus, the silver allocated this year consists of newly minted ingots and copper coins from the Ministry of Revenue, all stamped with serial numbers. Once they enter circulation, tracing the corruption would be easy.”
“So they…” Hua Ting suddenly understood. “They’re laundering money through the gambling house?!”
“Almost certainly.”
“Gu Fang must have gotten a lead, so he’s making a big show of things on purpose to flush them out.”
Jing Xuan spoke as he leaned against the wall, breath still slightly ragged, cheeks flushed from the cold night air, visibly disheveled from their escape. Yet, his gaze had turned deep and sharp, his voice cold and detached.
For a moment, Hua Ting felt like he was looking at Gu Fang himself.
That strange feeling from the carriage crept over him again.
Could it be that… His Majesty actually grew a brain after his coming-of-age ceremony?!
Before Hua Ting could even start fantasizing about whether he’d experience the same miraculous transformation when he came of age in two months, Jing Xuan suddenly looked up. “Wait, no. If Gu Fang meant to let Xie Buzi escape, then doesn’t that mean Xie Buzi is also—”
“Shit!”
Before Jing Xuan could finish, a purple-clad figure vaulted over the low wall and crashed straight to the ground.
“Fuck, I’m exhausted! This is worse than climbing Mount Shu! Why the hell are those soldiers so relentless?!”
Jing Xuan: “……”
Hua Ting: “……”
“! You’re wearing such an eye-catching outfit, don’t hide in the same place as me!”
Jing Xuan immediately started kicking Xie Buzi out.
Xie Buzi, fending off his kicks and punches, snapped back indignantly, “You think I wanted to?! There was only one way out of Golden Jade Pavilion! You think I enjoy running into you?! And look at you, do you think you’re any less conspicuous? With a face like that, you could drape yourself in a burlap sack and still stand out! And you have the nerve to call me out?!”
“Then get lost already!”
“I’d love to! But the soldiers have the whole street locked down! Where the hell am I supposed to go?!” Xie Buzi was just as bad-tempered. “And I ran because I didn’t want to mess up important business. Why the hell did you run? You were just here to gamble! Unless… you did something despicable?!”
Xie Buzi’s accusation was self-righteous.
Jing Xuan’s retort was even more self-righteous: “None of your damn business!”
Xie Buzi, utterly shameless: “Oh? If it’s none of my business, I might as well call the soldiers over. Let’s go down together!”
Jing Xuan: “You—!”
“No, please don’t!”
Before Jing Xuan could refute him, Hua Ting suddenly dropped to his knees, wailing tragically.
“Our young master hasn’t done anything wrong! He’s just a concubine who escaped from Prince Xiangding’s residence with stolen money! If he gets dragged back, he’ll be dead for sure! Please, Young Master Xie, have mercy and spare his life!”
And with that, the dignified young master of the Prime Minister Shi’s household actually kowtowed on the spot.
Jing Xuan: “???”
His pupils contracted in sheer shock.
But clearly, Hua Ting’s fear of chamber pots had already overwhelmed his reverence for imperial authority. His face was streaked with tears and snot.
“That Prince Xiangding may seem like an upright gentleman on the surface, but in truth, he’s a lecherous and cruel beast! Just because our young master is beautiful, he forcibly abducted him into his residence, imprisoned him, and tormented him night after night. That’s why our young master had no choice but to run! He only came to the gambling house today to win some travel funds! So, Young Master Xie, I beg you, with your great magnanimity, please don’t turn him in!”
Hua Ting spoke with such heartfelt devotion, it was genuinely moving.
Xie Buzi couldn’t help but be touched. “So that’s how it is. No wonder you’re both so stunning and so wealthy. To think that under broad daylight, such a pitiful soul would suffer so… In that case, why don’t you just come with me? I’m rich, I’m young, and I don’t have any of those uh, ‘peculiar’ tendencies.”
He sounded completely serious.
Jing Xuan: “……”
Get lost!!!
Why were there so many perverted sodomites in this world?! Stay the hell away from him!!!
Jing Xuan kicked him hard. “Keep dreaming for eight lifetimes! There’s no way in hell I’d ever have anything to do with a man whose skills aren’t even worth a single one of my toes!”
“You—!” Xie Buzi had never been rejected so harshly before. He was instantly furious, then let out a cold laugh. “Fine. You look down on me? Then go find someone more ‘competent’ than me.”
Jing Xuan: “???”
What the hell did that mean?
Before he could react, Xie Buzi suddenly spun around and shouted toward the bustling street outside the low wall:
“Hey, you soldiers! That absolute beauty of a runaway concubine from Prince Xiangding’s residence is right here! If you catch him and bring him back, you’re guaranteed a hefty reward!”
Right after yelling, he let out a sharp whistle, and a burly man dropped down from the rooftops, scooped him up, and vanished within moments into the layered eaves and rooftops.
Jing Xuan: “……”
Hua Ting: “……”
Shit shit shit, what a fucking bastard!
Was this just because he didn’t bring any soldier with him today?!
But there was no time for rage or accusations, because the moment the words “Prince Xiangding’s runaway concubine” rang through the air, the once-bustling street fell into a dead silence.
Everyone turned to stare at them.
Jing Xuan, who had just caught his breath, immediately grabbed Hua Ting and bolted.
Meanwhile, the Silver Crane Guards at the end of the street, after a brief moment of shock and confusion, quickly reported the news to Gu Fang. The way behind them was now completely cut off.
Ahead lay the edge of the Eastern Market, patrolled and guarded by the Capital Magistrate’s forces.
He had no shadow guards with him today, and unlike those skilled in martial arts, he couldn’t leap over rooftops or tunnel underground.
With Xie Buzi’s one damn sentence, he had been trapped like a fish in a barrel.
Clearly, he’d still been too prideful while playing the rogue.
Seeing that all conventional escape routes were blocked, Jing Xuan dragged Hua Ting into a nondescript little tile-roofed house at the end of a narrow alley.
With a loud smack, he slapped a hundred-tael banknote onto the troupe leader’s table.
“Have everyone in your troupe keep their mouths shut. Then immediately, right now get us two disguises. Do it well, and I’ll give you another thousand taels.”
The troupe leader hesitated. “This…”
Jing Xuan gritted his teeth, speaking at lightning speed: “If a thousand isn’t enough, then two thousand! That’s enough for your entire troupe to eat and drink well for a whole year! What’s there to hesitate about?!”
This theater troupe had long since fallen into decline, with no business and no money. There was no way the troupe leader would think a thousand taels was too little.
“But… all our actors were hired to perform next door tonight. The only costumes left here are for female roles…”
Yet the two of them were clearly male.
Jing Xuan was indeed somewhat resistant to wearing women's clothing, but the sounds of the Silver Crane Guards searching and pursuing them were already echoing from the far end of Zhantai Alley, rapidly closing in.
For the sake of not having to copy books.
For the sake of Hua Ting not having to scrub chamber pots.
Jing Xuan steeled his heart, clenched his teeth, and said, “Fine! Dan roles it is! Just dress us up quickly! The uglier, the better!”
“Got it!”
The troupe leader happily accepted the banknote, called over his people, and immediately began applying makeup to the two of them.
Jing Xuan couldn’t tell what was what, so he simply threw on the complicated layers of robes as best as he could, then let the troupe members fit him with a headpiece and smear on the cosmetics. Their movements were so fast and aggressive that he could barely keep his eyes open.
By the time he managed to open them again, the copper mirror reflected an entirely different person.
Dressed in a bright yellow court robe, draped with a beaded cloud-shoulder cape, wearing a kingfisher-feathered phoenix crown, and with delicate makeup accentuating his sculpted nose and vermillion lips.
His brows, naturally elegant as distant mountains, had been darkened with precise strokes. His eyes, already deep and autumn-bright, were now brushed with a hint of rouge, turning them irresistibly enchanting.
The golden hairpins atop his head shimmered, their light scattering into the candlelit room, reflecting in his gaze like rippling spring waters. The moment he lifted his eyes, he looked like a breathtaking apparition from a painting.
Despite the rushed application of cosmetics, despite the crudeness of the disguise, even a single glance was enough to make him more striking than the most famous courtesan in Zhantai Alley.
A man this beautiful… How could such a person exist in this world?
Even in this brothel-laden, pleasure-house-filled city, even among those who had seen all manner of beauties, the onlookers couldn’t help but freeze in place.
And then,
The absolutely breathtaking beauty erupted in rage:
“Who told you to make me this good-looking?! I asked for ‘plain and ugly’!”
The thick layers of powder and rouge had indeed altered his appearance, making him unrecognizable at a glance.
But these fools had painted him so stunningly that people would inevitably take a closer look.
And once they did, who in Chang’an wouldn’t recognize him?
There was no one else in the entire city who looked like a celestial being descended to earth.
Jing Xuan grabbed a brush, fully intending to draw an enormous blotch over his own face.
But before he could,
A loud cry rang out from outside:
“Aiyah! Officers, what brings you to our humble establishment? The ladies’ dressing area is up ahead, why are you forcing your way in?!”
“!”
They’re already here?!
Jing Xuan didn’t even have time to ruin his disguise.
Snatching up a silk handkerchief, he seized Hua Ting’s arm and bolted deeper into the theater house.
Then,
A calm, detached voice drifted in from behind them.
“The stature of these two ‘ladies’ is rather… impressive.”
Jing Xuan: “……”
Hua Ting: “……”
At that moment, they both felt as if White Impermanence was reaching out to drag them into the underworld.
Neither of them dared to turn around.
But Gu Fang had already taken the best seat in the room, leisurely settling in.
As a trembling servant handed him a cup of fine tea, he blew on it lightly and spoke in an unhurried tone:
“Judging by this yellow-robed lady’s attire, it seems she’s about to perform Farewell My Concubine.”
Jing Xuan: “……”
Bracing himself, he turned around, lowered his head, and gave a bow.
“Yes.”
That single word was spoken through gritted teeth.
Gu Fang, however, seemed completely unaware of the seething fury behind it.
He didn’t even tell him to raise his head for a closer look.
He simply blew on his tea again, then casually tossed out a few words:
“Hmm. Then sing.”
Then, his gaze shifted,
He looked directly at Hua Ting, whose entire body had gone rigid.
His tone remained indifferent:
“You too. If you sing badly… the whole troupe gets executed.”
Jing Xuan: “……”
Hua Ting: “……”
Troupe members: “……”
Thud!
Hua Ting’s eyes rolled back.
With a loud crash, he collapsed to the floor.
Just before passing out, he glanced at Jing Xuan through the veil of his headpiece and silently conveyed his last words:
“You’re on your own.”
Then, like a departed soul, he closed his eyes in eternal resignation.
Jing Xuan: “……”
His teeth clenched.
His foot wobbled.
His waist tilted.
Gu Fang lowered his gaze and spoke, “You are not allowed to faint.”
Jing Xuan, already halfway into fainting: “…”
That traitorous Hua Ting! He didn’t even leave him a chance to escape with his life! Does he believe or not that once this is over, Jing Xuan will exterminate the nine generations of the Hua family?!
But Hua Ting was already dragged away like a corpse by the troupe leader, carried off the stage, escaping to safety.
Jing Xuan had no choice but to brace himself as the trembling members of the troupe pushed him step by step onto the stage, stuffing a sword into his hand along the way.
But what did he know about singing Farewell My Concubine?
He was nothing like the Concubine, he was the damn emperor himself!
Still, things had already come to this. He had to sing, whether he could or not.
Thankfully, in order to maintain his persona as a hedonistic playboy, he had spent plenty of time lingering in the opera houses.
He might not have eaten pork, but he had at least seen pigs run.
And Gu Fang was a man with no leisurely pursuits—maybe, just maybe, he could bluff his way through.
Jing Xuan took a deep breath, slung the sword across his back, and struck a decent stance.
The entire troupe held their breath, their hearts lodging in their throats.
Even Gu Fang adjusted his sleeves and settled in comfortably, watching intently.
Then, Jing Xuan flicked his fingers, twisted his waist, parted his red lips, and sang.
“Since I, with my king, have fought east and west, enduring hardships and toil, year after year, year after year, year after—”
The moment Jing Xuan twisted his waist while gripping the sword, his voice rang out in a melodic, clear, and elegant tone.
The members of the troupe, as if seeing a glimpse of salvation, instantly widened their eyes in joy.
Then, in the very next second,
Their overly widened eyes saw Jing Xuan’s waist suddenly freeze mid-turn, as if he had pulled a muscle, and a miserable, half-crying howl exploded out of him.
“AH! Pain, pain, pain, pain—!”
His dilated pupils immediately reflected the kind and welcoming figures of Black and White Impermanence.
And in the second after that,
The calmly seated Prince Xiangding suddenly landed on the stage in an instant, catching “her” by the waist, steadily supporting "her" posture.
Not only that, he even gently brushed aside a loose strand of hair near Jing Xuan’s temple.
At that moment, the troupe felt like they had been brought back to life.
But the “girl” in question was having none of it.
Rather than thanking him, he reacted as if faced with a ferocious beast, immediately pushing Gu Fang away and raising his sword to point directly at his throat.
“Gu Fang! If you dare lock me up again, I’ll die right here and now!”
His stunning brows were raised in fury, his red lips pressed tight, his voice tinged with emotion, his whole being brimming with anger and grief.
Yet, despite all that rage, his beauty was devastating.
Like the true "Yu Ji" reborn, unyielding in the face of death.
And yet,
That prince, second only to the emperor himself, simply stood there, allowing the sharp sword to press against his throat.
He only lowered his gaze slightly, speaking in a voice so calm it seemed almost sorrowful:
“Do you truly hate me this much?”
Jing Xuan: “?”
“Is it that… no matter how much of the world’s best treasures I offer you… I will never win back your heart?”
Jing Xuan: “???”
Even Gu Fang’s closest subordinate suddenly dropped to his knees.
“Young Mistress! Though there have been countless misunderstandings and grievances between you and His Highness, he has only ever cared for you! Now, the entire Eastern Market knows that His Highness’s most beloved concubine has escaped! He even deployed the Silver Crane Guards at full force just to find you!
If you don’t go back with him now, His Highness’s life might as well be over! Young Mistress!”
Jing Xuan: “…”
Hua Ting: “…”
The entire troupe: “…”
“?? ??”
Farewell My Concubine (霸王别姬) is a famous Chinese opera.
During the fall of the Qin Dynasty, Xiang Yu is besieged by Liu Bang’s forces at Gaixia. Facing inevitable defeat, his beloved concubine Yu Ji performs a sorrowful farewell dance before taking her own life to ease his burden. Xiang Yu, heartbroken, fights his last battle and ultimately dies.
As for the dan role, it refers to female attire in Chinese opera.