Chapter One Lao Dan's Slender Gold Calligraphy

In the back courtyard of the Qiantang County Magistrate’s Office, a single lamp flickered like a bean.

"Xi Yuanda shouldn't have died this way..."

Gu Yun shook his head. Regardless of the conflict's origins, driven firstly by his family's will, secondly out of friendship for Xu You, and thirdly by his duty to petition on behalf of the unjustly slain commoners, he would have been duty-bound to plunge into this treacherous and shifting struggle. Yet killing Xi Yuanda was never his original intention. Gu Yun was one who embraced the Mandate of Heaven, indulged in painting, and possessed a magnanimous nature tending toward the realm of nature; had circumstances not forced his hand, he truly would not have wished to stain the hands that painted with blood.

"Xi Yuanda's crimes deserved death, and he had to die. The arrow was already notched on the string, and not releasing it would have harmed oneself. Why should the Prefect take it to heart?"

Bao Xi had initially been reluctant to let Gu Yun get entangled. In his view, brilliant though Gu Yun was, he was not yet prepared. The officialdom and the jianghu were never tender places; they were fraught with thorns and dangers at every step, where a single misstep could cost one's life and property. Thus, upon their very first meeting, he had disregarded past friendships and used harsh words to warn He Ru, all to buy Gu Yun some time to temper his disposition in the post of Qiantang Magistrate. He had never expected that Xu You's arrival, Zhan Wenjun's resistance, and the contest between the Zhan clan and the Celestial Master Dao would throw everything off course.

Consequently, he had been forced to ascend Mingyu Mountain alone. After understanding all of He Ru's layouts and deep deliberation, he had made a detailed report to the Gu clan. For various reasons, the Gu clan aristocracy finally agreed to let Gu Yun participate in the name of Qiantang County, provided that the situation was strictly controlled so as not to thoroughly antagonize the Celestial Master Dao—or rather, not to give the Celestial Master Dao an excuse to launch a counterattack.

Therefore, Xi Yuanda simply had to die. If he did not die, Du Jingzhi would find it difficult to extricate himself. If Du Jingzhi could not extricate himself, Sun Guan—whether for the sake of pride or internal solidarity within the Celestial Master Dao—could not let the matter rest, which would inevitably lead to incalculable losses.

The imperial court, the sovereign, the crown prince, the aristocratic families, the Celestial Master Dao, and Buddhism were, in this winter of the eleventh year of Yong'an, caught in a supremely fragile balance. A single careless move could become the straw that broke the camel's back, triggering violent turmoil and shifts in power across all fronts.

Even in the eyes of certain supreme masterminds whose schemes defied the heavens, such turmoil was bound to happen—just not yet, and certainly not to be touched by small figures like Xu You and Gu Yun. The timing was wrong, and no one was prepared!

They had to wait!

Wait for a catalyst!

Gu Yun could not agree with Bao Xi's words. "Xi Yuanda committed arbitrary executions, and it is true his crimes warrant death. But it should have been after thorough interrogation and verification, followed by the authorities carrying out a righteous execution to serve as a warning to the world. Doing it the way we did—first trapping him in a desperate situation with schemes, and then forcing and surrounding him to kill him—inevitably violates the harmony of heaven..."

Bao Xi's heart stirred slightly. "This scheme was entirely devised by Young Master Xu. I observed his resolute and decisive actions; he is truly no ordinary man. The Prefect associating with him will be of immense benefit to your future."

At these words, Gu Yun became greatly displeased. Though he cared little for schemes and disposed of deciphering human hearts, his innate intelligence was too sharp. Hearing the string music, he understood the elegant intent; how could he not grasp the hidden meaning behind Bao Xi's words? "Weizhi is a man of the immortals. Even if he possessed such shrewdness and means, he would disdain to use them. Didn't you say the strategist at Weizhi's side, He Ru, was the true mastermind? Why change your tune now?"

Bao Xi harbored an excessive wariness toward He Ru, and deep down, he was profoundly reluctant for Gu Yun and Xu You to grow too close. Thus, his surface praise was actually a deliberate attempt to provoke Gu Yun's aversion toward Xu You. He had not anticipated that his cleverness would overreach itself, only managing to displease Gu Yun.

"The Prefect rebukes rightly; this subordinate spoke out of turn!"

Bao Xi offered a flat apology. His gaze pierced through the courtyard sky of the magistrate's office, landing upon the distant peak of Mingyu Mountain, and his eyes narrowed slightly. After a long silence, he suddenly asked, "Does the Prefect wish to know how Xu You managed to bury that severed half of the Yuanyang Lodge stone carving inside the villa?"

Gu Yun was also curious. "I heard that when the County Lieutenant Du excavated the Yuanyang Lodge stone carving, it caused over a thousand commoners outside the gates to fall to their knees and kowtow. Is it true, then, as they say, that the villa was erected by the Supreme Primordial's manifestation on the shores of Lake Qiantang?"

"Whether it was the Supreme Primordial's manifestation, I do not know. But I heard Zhan Wenjun state clearly with her own ears that the stone carving was indeed buried by her beforehand... I merely find it strange. Although there are normally only eight purple-robed page boys in the villa, these eight are well-versed in martial arts. How could someone secretly bury a stone carving without alerting them? That is no easy feat... Oh, there is one more matter I forgot to report to the Prefect." Bao Xi produced a piece of rubbing paper and presented it before Gu Yun. "These are the characters rubbed from the stone carving..."

"Ah!"

Gu Yun's eyes lit up. He sprang to his feet, snatched the paper, and hurried beneath the candlelight to examine it. The longer he looked, the more fascinated he became, until he couldn't help shouting, "Fine characters!" Then, turning to Bao Xi with absolute conviction, he demanded, "Where is the stone carving? I want to see it right now!"

Unlike the quietude of the magistrate's office, Mingyu Mountain tonight was ablaze with light. Servants hurried back and forth between the various courtyards, and people carrying wine and dishes moved in an endless stream along the mountain paths. Having suppressed themselves for too long, they were now enjoying a moment of brief jubilation after winning their initial victory. This not only eased the lingering tension among the Guo family's numerous servants and retainers, but also allowed everyone to see a glimmer of perseverance shining through their despair.

"The two characters for 'Yuanyang' on the Yuanyang Lodge stone carving—what script did you use, Seventh Young Master? Their skeletal vigor is exquisite, their untethered charm drifts naturally, and their structural balance is open and unconstrained. It is completely unlike anything in the current age; I have never seen it, nor have I ever heard of it." The matter of the stone carving had all along been handled by Zuo Jun—from selecting the stone, carving it, making it look old, to copying and spraying the 'Yuanyang' characters personally written by Xu You. He Ru had not inquired into the details, and naturally had never laid eyes on them until the stone carving was unearthed, finally affording him the chance to admire its beauty.

Xu You smiled. "Since it was written by Laozi, immortals and mortals belong to different realms, so a script never before seen in the mortal world is only natural, isn't it?"

He Ru sneered. His interest in calligraphy went no further than a casual hobby, and he paid it little mind. Since Xu You was deliberately playing the mystery, he didn't bother to pursue the matter, lifting a cup of snow-ice wine to sip slowly with his eyes closed, displaying the romantic and unrestrained air of a wise scholar. Lishuang, however, was different. Having grown up in the Qingle Pavilion, she had been required to study zither music as well as painting and calligraphy, and having spent years among a Confucian bastion like the Yuan clan, her passion for calligraphy was almost an instinctive reflex. Thus, she maintained a keen interest in the topic. "It is said that Laozi once served as a historian of the Zhou Dynasty, and after riding a green ox out of the Hangu Pass, he was feather-transformed and became an immortal. No authentic works of his survive in the world. How did the Young Master learn Laozi's handwriting?"

Zhan Wenjun sat to one side, her ink-jade eyes sweeping across Xu You's face. "Wenjun knows nothing of calligraphy, but observing the various masters of past dynasties, the most proficient among them mastered at most a single script. The Young Master's previous handwriting already approached the realm of ultimate skill, yet he has managed to forge an entirely new path, creating a novel script unprecedented in past or present. It truly fills Wenjun with admiration!"

Xu You could exchange nonsense with He Ru, but facing Zhan Wenjun, he could not be so uninhibited. "You flatter me! This script is something I chanced upon in an ancient text. I copied it for a period of time, though it remains immature and incomplete. Regrettably, it was destroyed in a great fire, and I shall never have the fortune to lay eyes on it again. In remembrance of the ancient sages, I gave it a name of my own: the Slender Gold Script!"

Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, initially studied Huang Tingjian, then later learned from Chu Suiliang, Xue Ji, and Xue Yao, blending the strengths of various masters while injecting his own originality to ultimately create the unique "Slender Gold Script," characterized by its rhythmic charm and distinct from all previous scripts. Xu You had practiced copying it for a time during his own study of calligraphy, but ultimately still preferred Wang Xizhi; thus, his mastery of Wang's style was seven parts, while his Slender Gold Script was only five. However, Wang Xizhi's script was close to the contemporary era and traceable, whereas the Slender Gold Script was separated by several centuries, and its transformation was vast enough to leave He Ru and the others awestruck.

*Forgive me, Brother Zhao,* Xu You thought to himself. *I am borrowing your moniker for a moment. Surely, with your talent, even without the Slender Gold Script, you could invent a Plump Silver Script. You mustn't hold it against me.*

"Slender Gold?" Lishuang's beautiful eyes rippled with light. "A fine script, and an even finer name!" With her acute perception, she knew Xu You was merely invoking an ancient text to express modesty. A script as extraordinary as this—if a calligrapher lived in deep seclusion and embraced loneliness—might perhaps remain an unpolished pearl of the world. But since books were written and theories expounded, it was evidently not the work of an otherworldly hermit, and thus it was impossible for it to remain unknown to the world.

She smiled faintly, choosing not to expose Xu You. As a maidservant, she possessed at least that much tact!

Zhan Wenjun gave a soft chuckle, yet refused to let Xu You off the hook. "I wonder if the Young Master still remembers the name of that ancient book? I am willing to scatter wealth far and wide to procure it for the Young Master's practice."

Xu You opened his mouth, rendered completely speechless. Zhan Wenjun and Lishuang exchanged glances, then simultaneously covered their mouths in laughter, almost tumbling together. Two beauties, each excelling in her own charm—it truly made one forget what era this world belonged to!

He Ru had by then finished his cup of snow-ice wine. Watching coldly as Xu You conversed with Zhan Wenjun, he suddenly interjected, "Having killed Xi Yuanda today, Du Jingzhi will inevitably be furious. How we maneuver between the Prefect's Mansion and the Celestial Master Dao next will still rely on Gu Yun stepping forward to negotiate. He can petition the imperial court directly, which is far more convenient than us. Seventh, you must go and meet this Prefect Gu again tomorrow to open your hearts to one another, lest his scholar's pride flare up and ruin our grand design..."

Xu You nodded. "You and Bao Xi have talked things through thoroughly enough. I believe Feiqing will no longer harbor resentment... Moreover, killing Xi Yuanda was forced by circumstances and had to be done. It was also one of the conditions that allowed the Zhu and Gu clans to accept this plan. However, that man was addicted to killing, and eliminating him rids the people of Yangzhou of a major scourge. Feiqing will surely understand and will not censure me."

The Zhu clan had initially sent Zhu睿 to assist Zhan Wenjun simply to prevent the Zhan family's foundation from being completely ruined, while also intending to protect Zhan Wenjun's personal safety; they had not truly decided to make a complete break with Du Jingzhi. Later, as the situation gradually developed and Du Jingzhi began to lose ground, the Zhu clan saw an opportunity and actively participated in depth. Coupled with the fact that upon receiving Bao Xi's report, the Gu clan was also persuaded by the Zhu clan to change their stance—the four great surnames of Wu commandery were of one body, and mutual assistance over the years had become second nature—they jointly dealt Du Jingzhi an unforgettable, profound lesson.

Thus had occurred the scene during the day: Bao Xi representing the government relentlessly pressing Xi Yuanda, while Zhu睿 made a public appearance and struck down Xi Yuanda with a single blade in full view of the crowd.

Killing Xi Yuanda was not difficult; the difficulty lay in how to kill him with justifiable righteousness. He was no ordinary man, nor was he of ordinary aristocratic lineage; as a Dispelling Calamities Libationer of the Celestial Master Dao, he wore a religious cloak that naturally endowed him with a special protective aura. The price of killing him was simply too high.

Yet Xu You's plan was flawless. Using the name of the White Serpent, he exposed the bloody misdeeds of the Yuanyang Jing Rectory under the Celestial Master Dao's Yangzhou Diocese—how they seized commoner women in secret, tortured them wantonly, and then murdered and buried their corpses. Such an affair, in any dynasty, would be a heaven-shaking major case. Furthermore, Inspector An had always been benevolent and loving toward the people; upon receiving the report, he would inevitably fly into a towering rage. In the wake of the emperor's fury, the consequences of killing Xi Yuanda ceased to appear so glaring or significant.

And killing Xi Yuanda also benefited the Celestial Master Dao. All the criminal charges could be shifted entirely onto him alone; a dead Dispelling Calamities Libationer, neither too high nor too low in status, was undoubtedly the best scapegoat. In this way, Du Jingzhi still retained a glimmer of hope for extricating himself—naturally, with a scandal of this magnitude, he could no longer sit on the throne of the Yangzhou Diocese Libationer, but saving his life would at least allow Sun Guan to save face. Otherwise, if they became entangled, Sun Guan would not and could not abandon Du Jingzhi, and would lash out in a fierce counterattack. The consequences of that were something even the emperor could not bear.

Therefore, from whichever angle one looked at it, Xi Yuanda was destined to die. This was his tragedy, as well as the tragedy of many self-righteous small figures.

Only, being caught within the game, they themselves remained entirely unaware of it!