Chapter Two: The Regulations Governing the Colors and Styles of Attire

The sound of rain striking the banana leaves echoed through the night, leaving him sleepless. Xu You lay on his bed fully clothed, memories of past and present flooding his mind, and only as dawn approached did he finally drift into a deep slumber. He didn’t know how long he slept before the sound of argument outside the courtyard roused him. In a haze, he awoke with a start, sitting up reflexively, terror filling his eyes. The movement tore at the wound on his chest and abdomen, causing a pain so sharp it felt as if it were being ripped open anew, and in an instant, cold sweat covered his brow.

It was only then he realized that the bloody night more than twenty days ago—the flash of blades and fire, the twisted faces, the screams of his kin and followers, the entire Xu stronghold stained red with blood—had carved itself deeply into his soul, undiminished even after his spirit changed.

"Qiufen, Qiufen?"

He called twice, but there was no response from outside. Bewildered, he rose and left his bed, ignoring his loosened hair, and walked toward the courtyard gate.

"Go, go, all of you get out of here! You, you, and you, listen carefully: The Xu family committed treason and should have been exterminated. Only through the lord's mercy were some spared. You barely managed to keep your lives, and yet you dare secretly bring food to Xu You, the traitor? Do you wish to die?"

Xu You stepped outside and saw a crowd gathered at the gate—local villagers, neighbors. A middle-aged man, around forty, stood with his back to him, wearing a lacquered gauze high cap, a broad crimson robe of brocade, and holding a horsewhip, barking orders with arrogant disdain. Flanking him were ten attendants, each with a long blade at their waist, clad in dull turtle-shell patterned armor, leather belts, and wide-legged pants, their fierce eyes and robust physiques making them look formidable.

An elderly man with white hair and beard sat collapsed on the ground, his overturned fish basket nearby, a plump carp lying in a puddle, weakly blowing bubbles. Qiufen stood before him, facing the middle-aged man, her delicate face flushed with anger as she argued, "My young master has been pardoned by the lord’s decree and is recuperating here. How could he still be a traitor? You are simply spreading lies..."

"Impudent!"

A flash of rage crossed the man's face. With a flick of his wrist, his horsewhip lashed toward Qiufen’s face, the force enough that, if it landed, would surely split her skin, possibly ruining her appearance forever.

In his previous life, Xu You had grown accustomed to hiding his emotions, but seeing this scene, his eyes nearly burst from his head. He was about to shout in protest when he saw Qiufen remain unafraid, her gaze icy. As the tip of the whip neared her nose, she tilted her body slightly, evading the blow. At the same time, her slender right hand snapped forward, her index and middle finger forming a scissor, catching the whip precisely.

The man clearly hadn’t expected such agility from the seemingly frail girl. He froze, then tried to pull back, but the whip, gripped between her fingers, didn’t move at all, as if forged from iron.

The crowd erupted in laughter, unrestrained in their mockery. The man's face flushed red with anger; tossing the whip aside, he shouted, "The Xu family’s treacherous heart remains! Even a maid dares to defy orders and incite the people to riot—arrest them all!"

The ten attendants stepped forward in unison, drawing their blades with a hiss. The cold steel caught the morning sun, casting dazzling flashes at the gate.

Qiufen bit her lip stubbornly, refusing to retreat before the armed men, though regret flickered in her eyes. Yes, her master had just been cleared of charges—if her impulsive actions brought trouble upon him...

Qiufen, it’s all your fault. If you are beaten, so be it; why did you resist, why couldn’t you endure?

"Stop!"

At that critical moment, a calm, deep voice rang out among the crowd. The middle-aged man spun around in fury, but upon seeing the newcomer, his expression changed dramatically. He staggered back two steps before regaining his footing.

"It’s Young Master Xu..."

"It really is!"

"Has Lord Weizhi recovered?"

"To be able to get out of bed, he must be well—what great news!"

"Ah, not necessarily. Look at Xu’s complexion and bearing—he’s nothing like before."

"Listen, seems he’s coughing. Clearly his wounds aren’t healed..."

"How could they heal so easily? I heard that night he killed eleven of the Shen family’s seventh-rank experts alone, but was stabbed over thirty times himself..."

"Really? Ah, the mighty men of Jiangdong—none greater than Shen and Xu. The Shen clan still flaunts its power, but how did the Xu clan fall so far!"

The crowd murmured in confusion; the middle-aged man’s face shifted between gloom and light, clearly intimidated by Xu You’s reputation. Qiufen paid no heed, rushing to Xu You and supporting his arm, saying, "Young master, why have you come out? The morning chill is heavy; let me take you back to rest..."

"No matter," Xu You suppressed his urge to cough, patting Qiufen’s hand to reassure her, before quietly asking, "What happened?"

"I got up early, thinking to make milky stewed fish for you, so I went to the fish market," Qiufen explained. She had no money and could only beg at the market. Xu You felt pity but said nothing. She continued, "But there was no suitable carp, and as I returned, I met Old Uncle Yu, who had fished overnight; after selling most, he gave me one and kindly carried it back in a basket. Just as we reached the gate, these villains arrived, questioned us, overturned the basket, and tried to arrest Uncle Yu..."

Understanding the cause, Xu You knelt beside the elderly man, helping him up gently. "Uncle Yu, are you hurt?"

Old Yu was frightened, stammering, "No, no trouble, young master, I’m fine, truly fine."

After settling Old Yu, Xu You stood tall, fixing his gaze on the middle-aged man with a natural aura of authority. "Who are you? Do you have the Board of Secretariat’s token?"

In Chu, the Board of Secretariat handled criminal cases. Given Xu You's former status and the crime he was accused of, only they had jurisdiction; local officials had no right to interfere. The token was a wooden badge proving an official’s identity, much like identification in later generations.

The man finally regained his composure. The Xu clan was no longer what it once was—what was there to fear from this little tyrant now? Emboldened, he sneered, "You are a mere registered commoner now; what right have you to invoke the Secretariat? I am Chen Mu, third-tier steward of Lord Shen, sent to visit you and see if anyone is disturbing your recovery."

The mention of Lord Shen sent a violent rage surging through Xu You. He inherited not only Xu You's memories but also his feelings: for the Shen clan, who had destroyed the Xu family, not even the waters of the Wu River could wash away his hatred. His gaze toward Chen Mu became cold and merciless, like snow on a sunless mountain, though his voice remained calm. "This is Yixing Commandery. If anyone causes trouble, the prefect will be informed. There’s no need for the Shen clan of Wuxing to meddle."

Chen Mu gave a sinister smile. "I forgot to mention: in a few days, Yixing will cease to exist."

"What?"

"What does he mean?"

"Yixing Commandery, gone?"

"Is the lord abolishing our commandery?"

In those days, native place mattered deeply. Yixing Commandery was the Xu clan’s ancestral home in Jiangdong, established for a century and nurturing generations. The emotion rooted in their bones was evident on the shocked faces of the crowd, even if Xu You couldn't fully grasp it.

It must be said, the Shen clan’s move was truly wicked. Though the Xu family had fallen after that bloody night, as long as Yixing remained, they might recover in decades and rise again. But if their ancestral commandery was abolished, from now on, the Xu clan would vanish.

"You’re lying, impossible, it can’t be!" Qiufen’s eyes widened, tears brimming, refusing to believe Chen Mu.

"Hmph!"

Chen Mu didn’t bother to explain, still remembering the humiliation from Qiufen. With a wave, he ordered, "Arrest this maid and take her for interrogation!"

Xu You stepped protectively before Qiufen. The ten armed attendants exchanged glances, hesitant to approach, cowed by his legendary reputation.

Xu You, the seventh son of the Xu family, though only fifteen, had trained since childhood in the famous White Tiger Nine Strengths technique. His skill was ranked sixth among ninth-grade experts, hailed as the martial prodigy most likely to break through to fifth-grade and become a "young master" before turning twenty.

Chen Mu’s lips curled in a sinister smile, tinged with satisfaction. "Go ahead! I don’t believe he dares resist!"

Xu You, having reached the pinnacle of the financial world in his previous life, was a master of manipulating people. He instantly understood Chen Mu’s intent—he wanted him to act, and if he killed a few attendants, all the better. Once a commotion broke out, reason would matter little; at this sensitive time, any trouble could revive the accusation of Xu family treason.

If he had his predecessor’s temperament, he would never endure such humiliation. When had the illustrious seventh son of the Xu clan ever been bullied by a steward? Chen Mu was banking on this, deliberately provoking him.

But this time, Chen Mu would be disappointed. Who could know that the Xu seventh son standing before them was now a different man entirely?

Xu You smiled faintly. "May I ask, Steward Chen, have you held office? What rank? What qualifications? What is your current position?"

In Chu, following the Wei system, people were evaluated and selected by officials through investigation of family and merit, resulting in "grade" and "qualification." Grades ranged from highest to lowest, divided into nine ranks: upper-upper, upper-middle, upper-lower, middle-upper, middle-middle, middle-lower, lower-upper, lower-middle, lower-lower. Only upper and lower classes existed, with first rank reserved for sages and unattainable; third rank and above were upper-class, below were lower. Qualifications were brief remarks on talent, such as "brilliant and outstanding." Upper-class officials started high, advanced quickly, and were respected; lower-class were low, promoted slowly, and looked down upon.

Chen Mu’s breath caught, glaring in anger. "Are you insulting me, Young Master Xu?"

"And if I am?" Xu You stood with hands behind his back, declaring loudly, "I suppose you are but a third-tier steward—without rank or position, and ignorant of skill. Do you know the law of rank and color in our dynasty?"

"What?"

Xu You stepped closer, only five feet from Chen Mu. "The rank and color codes dictate: princes and ministers of third rank and above wear purple; fourth and fifth ranks wear crimson; sixth and seventh, green; eighth and ninth, blue; extraneous officials and commoners, yellow; followers and slaves, white; butchers, vendors, and merchants, black. Those who violate are flogged eighty times and exiled three thousand li. You are only a steward in Lord Shen’s household, a slave; to wear white is already the lord’s favor, yet you dare dress in crimson. That aside, only officials may wear brocade; you wear high-quality patterned silk. Only ministers may wear high caps; your status allows only a small cap, yet you wear a lacquered high cap. Three offenses combined—should they be pursued, not even your master could save your life!"

This knowledge didn’t come from the body’s previous owner. Xu You was a passionate student of history in his past life and knew the rank and color system began in the pre-Qin and Han eras, though colors varied by dynasty. For example, yellow became reserved for royalty only after Tang Dezhong, but crimson and purple always belonged to high officials, while yellow and white were lowly. "Yellow-clad envoys and white-robed youths" referred to eunuchs and henchmen, both slave class, and "a mere white-robed" often meant commoners. So Xu You fabricated the Chu color code on the spot; even if not entirely accurate, it sufficed to intimidate Chen Mu.

Intimidated by Xu You’s authority, Chen Mu hesitated. "So what? Everyone dresses like this..."

The color code persisted for thousands of years, but was strictly enforced in few dynasties. Especially in Chu, which had endured decades of turmoil before stabilizing, such details were often ignored. High families, from nobles to slaves, wore brocade; even wealthy commoners dressed in high caps and robes, their homes filled with crimson and purple—no one cared.

But the law was the law. Whether it was enforced was one thing; once invoked, it was another. Especially between the Shen and Xu families—mortal enemies after that bloody night—if trouble arose, Chen Mu knew his master would never risk giving the enemy a handle for the sake of a lowly steward.

"Is that so?" Xu You replied coolly, "Qiufen, go to the Prefect’s office and file a charge: Chen Mu and others have violated the code, showing improper intentions."

Such accusations were powerful—anyone could use them, but their effectiveness depended on the wielder. Chen Mu’s reason for arresting Qiufen was inciting unrest, which could easily be investigated and disproved as petty thinking. But Xu You’s charge was solid; should it reach the Prefect, remember this was the Xu clan’s ancestral home—a Shen clan slave would face dire consequences.

"Let’s go!" Chen Mu grew angrier, seeing the carp still twitching on the ground. He stomped it to pulp. "Hmph, Xu You, don’t be complacent. The lord gave you only a month to recover; in three or five days, regardless of your state, you must leave Yixing and settle in Qiantang. Then, as a mere commoner, let’s see if your sharp tongue still serves you!"

"My fish, you, you..." Qiufen stared at the ruined carp, feeling as if her heart had been torn apart. Eyes red, she rushed forward to confront Chen Mu, but Xu You caught her and, with a sweep of his sleeve, replied icily, "No need to see you off."

Once Chen Mu and his men left in disgrace, Xu You folded his hands and bowed deeply. "My neighbors, in my youth I lacked restraint, causing trouble in the commandery and disturbing those around me. Reflecting now, I am filled with regret. These days, I have received your generous support—food and aid—which I will never forget. If fate allows, I shall repay you a thousandfold!"

The gathered crowd, young and old alike, bowed in return, then watched Xu You turn and leave. The battered gate closed slowly behind him, and someone whispered,

"In days to come, the one who restores the Xu clan and destroys the Shen family will surely be this young man."