Chapter 1: Jiangzuo (I)

In the misty north of the river, Huainan is full of wonders. Shops are lit by candles as neighbors cross by boat. There are lands where only bamboo is planted, and no household fails to raise geese. Spring’s beauty fills the city, with music and songs filling the air.

In the midsummer of the 14th year of Tianbao, Yangzhou, the capital of the Jiangdu region, was alive with travelers and singing courtesans. For this former imperial capital, where fine horses were meant to roam freely and wealth allowed for secret outings, it seemed impossible not to bear the reputation of being extravagant, dissolute, and frivolous—despite its splendid decorations and opulence.

Whether you were a local from Huainan or an official sent from Chang’an by imperial order, once you stepped into Yangzhou, no one could remain unmoved—physically and emotionally.

The local environment shapes its people; even beggars in Yangzhou had healthier complexions than those in Guanzhong, let alone the nobles dressed in fine clothes and surrounded by beauties.

As the saying goes, one must adapt to local customs. Li Kuo was no exception when he arrived here. Since receiving the imperial order to serve as a military trainer in Huainan, the fierce aura around him had diminished, replaced by the relaxed demeanor of the Jianghuai region. What delighted him most was that, at the prince’s insistence, the emperor allowed his entire family to move to Yangzhou, breaking the rule that military families could not leave Chang’an.

Of course, strictly speaking, Li Kuo was no longer a military officer. Though he still held the title of Deputy Protector of Anxi, everyone in the court knew it was merely an indirect reward from the emperor for his outstanding performance in the battle of Julan City—he would not actually command troops.

For a military trainer, allowing his family to reunite with him wasn’t a major issue, so the emperor agreed after some thought. To put it bluntly, the emperor had removed him from Shule during his peak years and sent him to Huainan to train troops, seemingly to sideline him. After all, after the battle of Julan City, Li Kuo’s influence in the Anxi army soared, ranking only below the Protector and Deputy Protector, Feng Changqing. When Gao Xianzhi resigned, the emperor promoted Feng Changqing, and Li Kuo should have taken his place. Yet the emperor transferred him for a series of flimsy reasons.

This sudden change in position was similar to moving the young man from the Longyou military unit to the Anxi military unit a few years ago—without giving any reason at all. Yet, this might not be a bad thing for the young man. After all, his rising influence in the Anxi military inevitably drew the displeasure of some people, and in a way, the emperor was actually helping him.

As the saying goes, when the water overflows, it spills; when the moon is full, it wanes. Hiding one’s achievements and fame at the right time can indeed be a wise choice.

Of course, there was another reason why the young man went to Huainan Circuit—a reason that couldn’t be made public in the court. There was a secret that needed to be solved by the young man, a problem that had troubled him for years.

Perhaps he couldn’t escape it from the start; in other words, it was all fate…

Huangfu Yun, the top entertainer at Zimo Pavilion, was retouching her makeup in front of a bronze mirror when suddenly a lively figure appeared in the mirror.

“Miss, is Lord Li really that charming? There are so many handsome men in Jiangdu, yet you’ve never shown any interest. What makes Lord Li so special that you go through all this trouble to dress up?”

It was a young maid, about fifteen or sixteen years old. Though her appearance wasn’t outstanding, with her thick brows and delicate eyes, she was quite pleasant to look at at first glance.

“You little brat, are you teasing me about this again?”

Huangfu Yun glared at the maid and snapped, “You wouldn’t understand these matters between men and women. Besides, when did I ever say I liked him?”

The maid couldn’t hold back any longer and covered her mouth, saying, “Stop pretending! Even when the son of the governor comes to Zimo Pavilion, you don’t even give him a second glance. Oh, right, last time that Prince of Gaoyou spent a thousand gold pieces to buy a piece of music from you. You couldn’t resist Lord Sun’s persistent requests and played a piece, still with no makeup on at all. Well, as the saying goes, I put on makeup just for you, huh, just for you!”

“You dead girl! See what you’ve gotten me into!”

Huangfu Yun’s face turned red with embarrassment as she rushed forward to “fight” with the maid, both laughing nonstop.

“Pity me, miss! Pity me!”

But the maid showed no sense and kept shouting.

After fighting for a while, perhaps tired of it, they both leaned back on the couch to rest.

“Chisu, what do you think of Lord Li?” Huangfu Yun asked, rubbing her palms slightly.

Chisu covered her mouth and laughed, “I told you the miss liked Lord Li, but you kept denying it. Now, isn’t it obvious?”

“Shut up! I’m talking to you seriously. In your opinion, is Lord Li someone worth relying on?”

Huangfu Yun threw a light punch at Chi Su and lowered her head slightly.
“Ah, you surely won’t give up your trust in him, will you? Miss, you must think carefully!”
Chi Su was so shocked that her mouth became as round as a goose egg. She hurriedly advised, “There are plenty of noble young men and wealthy heirs in our Jiangdu City. Many of them have better qualifications than him. As for their hearts—how many men aren’t fickle? He’s being attentive to you now because you’re the top beauty at Zi Mo Ge; of course, your beauty makes you desirable. But once he marries you, his attitude will surely change.”
Having seen too many so-called “romantic stories” in the world of pleasure, she no longer believed in true love. If true love truly existed, why would there be so many unfortunate women in such situations?
“Miss, if you’re thinking of using him as a money-making tool, that’s one thing, but you must never think about freeing yourself. Even if you do want to be freed, don’t give yourself to that scoundrel!”
Chi Su crossed her arms and spoke fiercely.
“Pfft!”
Seeing the silly look on the maid’s face, Huangfu Yun couldn’t help but laugh. “I just said one sentence, and look how much you’ve talked! It really fits the saying—‘The emperor isn’t in a hurry, but the eunuch is!’”
She tapped Chi Su’s forehead, making the maid feel embarrassed.
“Hmph, I can’t argue with you, but you need to be more discerning. After all, this is a lifetime decision—you can’t just blindly give in to him.”
The maid puffed out her cheeks and spoke slowly, emphasizing each word.