Chapter 6: A Gentleman Does Not Deceive Himself

"Madam, Meng Xingchun's dossier has been retrieved!"

Wan Qi's voice rang out, causing the two individuals in the room to tremble slightly in unison. Time seemed to freeze for mere seconds, yet stretched as long as a lifetime. Zhan Wenjun let out a faint sigh and said, "Come in."

Whether it was an illusion or not, Xu You caught a hint of a lost-and-found regret in Zhan Wenjun's tone, yet it was seemingly as tranquil and relieved as still water.

*Squeak.*

The wooden door pushed open a tiny crack. By the lingering glow of the palace lantern Wan Qi carried, Xu You finally caught sight of that slender, porcelain-white, supremely exquisite jade hand resting on the desk. Her fingertips, delicate as scalloped leeks, were separated from his own by merely an inch.

Within reach,
yet unimaginably far away!

Noticing Xu You's gaze, Zhan Wenjun withdrew her hand in a flash, biting her red lips as her eyes shimmered with unshed moisture. Though naturally bold and magnanimous as a man, she had inexplicably experienced flutters of bashfulness and agitation time and again since meeting Xu You. It was as if the maidenly sentiments that had lain dormant for over a decade were blossoming at this very moment, fresh and dripping with dew.

Wan Qi walked in, glanced left and right, and asked in confusion, "Why is the white candle out?"

Xu You was the first to recover his wits. "For some reason, the candlestick suddenly went out just now. Go take a look and see what happened!"

Wan Qi acknowledged the order, placed the palace lantern on the floor of the room, found the bronze wick-trimmer from the hidden drawer beneath the candlestick, and poked around at it for a moment. Turning back, she said, "The wick burned through in the middle. We just need to replace it with a new white candle."

The candlelight illuminated the room once more. Zhan Wenjun's expression had already returned to normal. She took the dossier and placed it in the center of the desk to review it together with Xu You. The document detailed most of Meng Xingchun's actions from the time he entered officialdom down to recent years, including the cases he had handled, his reputation in court and the public sphere, and the appraisal of his character by Sili Xiaowei Xiao Xunqi.

"Alert, profound, and deeply rooted, yet lacking in gravitas... Xiao Xunqi holds quite a high opinion of Meng Xingchun."

Xiao Xunqi hailed from the Lanling Xiao clan and was a childhood friend of An Zidao. The two could be said to have grown up together, studying and practicing calligraphy side by side. Naturally, they had also committed no shortage of wild, frivolous, and unruly misdeeds in their youth, belonging to an unbreakable bond of iron. Therefore, after ascending the throne, An Zidao pulled strings to promote Xiao Xunqi as the Sili Xiaowei. It was under Xiao Xunqi's leadership that the Sili Mansion charged into the fray for An Zidao to purge the regents and monopolize supreme power, rendering monumental service. Contemporary evaluations noted that the bloodstained hands of Xiao Xunqi could keep the Huai River murky for three years, which gave a clear indication of his ruthless nature.

Xu You shook his head and said, "Xiao Xunqi's words cannot be trusted. This man can be called the most treacherous scoundrel of our dynasty; any words from his mouth are bound to be laced with traps. One cannot refuse to listen to him, yet neither can one believe him entirely. For instance, his assessment of Meng Xingchun as alert is probably correct, and profound has a grain of truth to it as well, but gravitas is hardly certain. If someone truly believes Meng Xingchun possesses gravitas and foolishly attempts to reason with him using sentiment and logic, they might well walk right into a trap without even knowing it."

As he spoke, he flipped through the cases Meng Xingchun had handled, ranging from the imperial court down to the localities, from titled nobility to commoners. They could be described as all-encompassing, but upon careful reflection, a clear yet incomplete portrait of the man gradually emerged: Meng Xingchun came from humble origins and, after studying hard to achieve success, found it difficult to enter officialdom through the recommendation system of the grand intermediaries. Unwilling to remain buried in obscurity, he chose to join the Sili Mansion, becoming a running dog looked down upon by scholars and literati. He was dedicated in his duties, respectful to his superiors, and exceptionally clever. He began to stand out within the Sili Mansion, catching Xiao Xunqi's eye, and within a mere decade, he rose to become a Deputy Adjutant of the Crouching Tiger Bureau.

On the surface, such a man might appear long since polished by the mundane world into someone resilient and smooth, impervious to mere words. Yet Xu You was a master at discerning human hearts. The more a man like this craved power and status, the more his bones radiated a deep-seated sense of inferiority. This inferiority stemmed from his humble background, from unfulfilled ambitions, and from his relentless efforts failing to win the recognition and respect of the world. Far from being flawless, his inner nature was riddled with loopholes and far from impregnable.

By the time they finished reading the thick dossier, the eastern sky was revealing a pale, fish-belly white. Xu You stretched his back leisurely and turned his head to find Zhan Wenjun slumped over the desk, her cheek pressed against her palm, fast asleep.

***

The room was heated by the subfloor flues, making it as warm as spring. There was no need for Xu You to take off his outer garment to stage some melodramatic trope. Gazing intently at Zhan Wenjun's sharply defined, pretty face, the habitual resolve and decisiveness had vanished, replaced by an expression of utter peace and tranquility. Suddenly, she seemed to dream of something, her lovely brows furrowing slightly as ripples spread across her flawless skin. Her slightly upturned red lips resembled peach blossoms swaying in the breeze of early spring, possessing an unspeakable, alluring charm.

Xu You smiled, stood up on tiptoe, and quietly walked over to open the door. Hearing the sound, Wan Qi, who had been waiting outside the door the entire time, bowed in salute. Xu You raised his index finger to his lips, shushed softly, and pointed quietly into the room. Wan Qi froze, seemingly caught off guard that Zhan Wenjun would fall asleep in Xu You's presence, then hurried inside to attend to her.

Returning to his own courtyard, he saw He Ru—who never woke up early—standing in the middle of the courtyard, staring down at the fallen leaves in the courtyard pond. Xu You walked over and watched with him for a moment. Nine fallen leaves were scattered haphazardly in the pond, perhaps because they hadn't been swept up yet. Frowning, he remarked, "Just a few broken leaves, what's so interesting about them?"

He Ru scoffed and said, "What do you know? All things in heaven and earth form their own hexagrams; good and evil, fortune and misfortune reside within a single thought. In your eyes, they are fallen leaves; in my eyes, they are transformations!"

"Transformations? What transformations?"

He Ru pondered in silence, then suddenly flicked his sleeve, churning the leaves in the pond into a messy clump. He turned to look Xu You up and down, teasing, "Out all night without returning—could it be that the crimson curtains are warm, and you've already become Zhan Wenjun's intimate guest?"

These words carried a lewd undertone. Xu You snorted coldly and said, "A gentleman does not deceive himself in a dark room. You are filthy-minded yourself, so don't measure others by your own standard!"

"Hahaha!" He Ru laughed heartily, blinking his eyes as he said, "Little Seventh, you act the gentleman today, but don't live to regret it!"

Hearing him speak with such conviction, Xu You felt a stir in his heart. Remembering how He Ru had just gazed down at the fallen leaves to divine a hexagram, he shrugged and asked, "Did you see something?"

He Ru nodded, his expression a mix of amusement and strangeness. "Earlier, just as you walked in, a withered leaf happened to fall precisely into the pond, with Dui above and Kun below, transforming the original hexagram into the Cuo hexagram."

"The Cuo hexagram?"

"Lake over earth forms Cuo; Dui represents water, Kun represents earth, favorable to have somewhere to go! Toward Zhan Wenjun, you should be more proactive. Otherwise, once this opportunity passes, wanting to taste her sweetness again will likely be wishful thinking."

Xu You was well aware that the *Book of Changes* encompassed all things in the universe and that its principles were exquisitely subtle. However, claiming one could divine affairs between men and women from a few leaves sounded rather like a fairy tale. "You are well-versed in the *Yinfu* and the Four Phases; your understanding of the principles of divination may well surpass mine. But you grew up in a temple since childhood; you've seen fewer women than you have sutras. To chatter so recklessly about romance means you don't understand a maiden's heart at all. Haven't you heard the saying: a woman's heart is a needle at the bottom of the sea? No matter how exquisite the sixteen hexagrams of the circuit of heaven may be, they cannot fathom what women are thinking or what they intend to do. Moreover, if I had to take advantage of someone's vulnerability just to win her favor, although I, Xu You, may not strictly observe propriety, I would disdain to stoop to such levels!"

Just as the words left his mouth, he heard Lü Shuang and Qiu Fen whispering to one another on the central steps: "Did young master often frequent places of pleasure and nightlife when he was in Yixing, to understand women's matters so well?"

"Not really. The place I frequented most with him was the family armory... As for other things, perhaps he did, but I wouldn't know about them..."

With a helpless expression, Xu You turned around and asked, "When did you two come out?"

Lü Shuang hurried over, bent down to brush a stray piece of grass off Xu You's leather belt, and smiled gracefully. "We just arrived and only heard young master talking about disdaining to stoop to something. This maid speaks out of turn—what was it that young master disdains to do?"

Even Qiu Fen could tell Lü Shuang was teasing Xu You. She pursed her lips, wanting to laugh but not daring to. Glaring at Lü Shuang, Xu You rubbed his stomach and cried out, "Is breakfast ready? I'm about to starve to death... By the way, where is Feng Hu? Go wake him up for breakfast. It's quite strange today; usually Qiyi gets up early, but Feng Hu is nowhere to be seen..."

Zuo Xun did not have the habit of sleeping in. The reason he woke up late was because he was injured. That day, when he used his sword to catch Xi Yuanda's iron ball and poisoned needle, one of them had grazed his shoulder, and he hadn't paid it any mind at the time. Over the past few days, the poison had unwittingly spread through his body and suddenly flared up, striking him down with a severe illness from which he could not rise.

Upon learning of this, Xu You immediately notified Zhan Wenjun, asking her to invite a renowned Qiantang physician to Mingyu Mountain for a consultation. After the doctor arrived, he prescribed medicine to purge the toxin and nourish the liver. Several doses were administered, but they only temporarily suppressed the poison without achieving a fundamental recovery. After consulting with He Ru, Xu You concluded that the antidote still had to be sought from the Celestial Masters. He only regretted not having established a contact method with Li Yifeng, rendering him unable to find the man in a rush. On one hand, he dispatched requests everywhere for famous doctors to hold a joint consultation, sparing no heavy gold to invite them up the mountain regardless of distance; on the other hand, he actively sent men to Wu County to search for Li Yifeng. With him around, Xi Yuanda's petty poisoning tricks could be resolved with a wave of the hand.

However, five days later, the report returned: Li Yifeng had already handed over his duties as a ghost-catching libationer and returned to Mount Heming alone, no longer in Wu County. Xu You had previously told him that if a situation proved impossible, he should pull out immediately. It seemed that after delivering the Dingjin Dan last time, he had promptly left the turbulent waters of the Yangzhou administration. Decisive and quick to retreat when the tide turned, he was truly a worthy disciple of Li Changfeng, easily able to let go of the prosperous lands of Yangzhou.

His timely departure, however, spelled misery for the ailing Zuo Xun. Without Li Yifeng, Xu You thought long and hard and, throwing aside the need to avoid suspicion, went to the county office for a secret discussion with Gu Yun, asking him to privately entreat Meng Xingchun to see if an antidote could be obtained from the Celestial Masters.

All personnel of the Celestial Masters in the Yangzhou administration—especially those close to Xi Yuanda—were currently under Meng Xingchun's control. To search secretly without notifying him would, firstly, arouse suspicion; secondly, yield half the results with twice the effort; and thirdly, risk offending him. According to Xu You's assessment, Meng Xingchun was obsessed with fame and possessed an overwhelming lust for power. Once such a man grasped absolute authority, he would certainly regard the Yangzhou administration as his own private domain. If he came to feel that Xu You failed to show him proper respect, the consequences could well be imagined.

If there was one person in all of Yangzhou who must not be offended at present, Meng Xingchun definitely ranked near the top. Therefore, the best approach was to work through his connections, procure the antidote from those close to Xi Yuanda, and cure Zuo Xun of the poison he had suffered.

Gu Yun naturally agreed to the task wholeheartedly. Zuo Xun's injury, after all, was sustained to protect the people of Qiantang; otherwise, given his martial prowess, dodging would have been as easy as turning over a hand, so how could a poisoned needle have touched him? Yet Meng Xingchun paid little mind to the matter. Dispatched on imperial orders, he was racking his brains just to ensure his own official duties were flawlessly executed—how could he possibly waste time and energy on such trivial matters? Thus, another seven days passed without a reply given to Gu Yun.

Xu You could no longer wait. Zuo Xun's condition showed signs of worsening day by day. To see a healthy man lying helpless in bed was both distressing and anxiety-inducing. Left with no other choice, he had no alternative but to personally call upon Meng Xingchun and request an audience.

Meng Xingchun did not reside in the county office; instead, he had chosen a small courtyard near the City God Temple to set up his lodging. Xu You handed over his calling card, and after a short wait, a man dressed as an ordinary commoner led him inside. Ordinary though his attire appeared, the man's stride was steady and his gaze sharp—undoubtedly one of Meng Xingchun's retainers, also known as "Yellow-Eared Dogs."

The Sili Mansion comprised the Falcon & Vulture and the Crouching Tiger bureaus. The Falcon & Vulture stood for loyal bravery, while the Crouching Tiger stood for rigorous law. Later on, due to excessive bloodshed that provoked universal dread—and because the Falcon & Vulture Bureau mostly wore purple robes while the Crouching Tiger Bureau wore yellow garments—the court and the public mockingly dubbed them the "Purple-Tailed Owls" and "Yellow-Eared Dogs."

Intelligence gathered at the boat pavilion indicated that Meng Xingchun had brought only thirty retainers with him when he left the capital. Quality mattered more than quantity, however; the retainers of the Sili Mansion were elites selected from the military, subjected to various brutal and professional trainings. Able to lock down targets, make arrests, and destroy whole families, a single one of them could match ten men—fierce as wolves and tigers, they were not to be taken lightly.

Just as he stepped through the threshold, a voice—hoarse yet carrying a deep undertone—sounded: "Young Master Xu, I've heard of your great name for a long time!"