Chapter 16:
The Storm Approaches
TO OBTAIN A MOMENT OF JOY, one needed to endure ten times as much suffering. And if one had experienced joy already, suffering was then levied tenfold.
Xie Jinglan had long understood that principle, but he’d never expected the heavens to be so harsh.
Standing at the courtyard entrance, he watched Xiahou Lian carry a bundle on his back, a burly man beside him. That man was tall, with a broad face and dark skin. Despite the cold weather, he’d rolled his sleeves up to reveal two muscular arms. He seemed awkward, unsure of where to place his hands; even Xiahou Lian looked more dignified. The man glanced around; seeing Xie Jinglan, he turned to Aunt Lan and asked, “Who’s this?”
Aunt Lan, who had been quietly weeping, quickly wiped her tears and bowed. “Shaoye. Xiahou Lian’s father has come to take him home.”
The man laughed heartily. “So this is your shaoye.”
He pulled from his pocket a packet of pine-nut candies wrapped in oil paper and offered it to Xie Jinglan. “I am Xiahou Lian’s father. I apologize for any trouble he might’ve caused during his stay. I had no choice but to sell him to the manor—our family’s harvest failed, and my wife had just given birth to a child. Fortunately, things are better now, so I rushed here to reclaim him. He’s a lucky boy. I hear that an official has already repaid you for him, so I’ll be taking him away now. Is there anything else the shaoye needs?”
Xiahou Lian and his “father” clearly hadn’t coordinated their stories; their explanations were completely different. Xiahou Lian looked somewhat chagrined, but Xie Jinglan ignored the man and just asked Xiahou Lian, “Are you leaving?”
“Yes, I’m leaving.”
The man tucked the candies away awkwardly, then stood with his arms crossed, waiting for the pair to finish their conversation.
“Did you pack everything?”
“I did.”
“If I write to you, where should I send the letter?”
Xiahou Lian looked at Uncle Duan. This kid’s a real pain, thought Uncle Duan, feeling a headache coming on. He forced a smile. “That’ll be a bit tricky. Our little corner of the world is too remote to receive mail.”
Xie Jinglan had already guessed that this man wouldn’t let him stay in touch with Xiahou Lian. Not pressing further, he simply said, “If you want to write to me, send the letter to Lord Su’s residence. He’ll forward it to Xiansheng.”
“All right. Just don’t complain about my terrible penmanship.”
“Well, you should get going. Safe travels.”
Xiahou Lian hesitated for a moment, then said, “About Lianxiang—”
“I saw her mother taking away her body with my own eyes. You don’t need to worry.”
In the end, Xiahou Lian had decided against telling Xie Jinglan that Lianxiang was alive. After all, if he revealed that Lianxiang had survived, it was sure to implicate Qiu Ye. He fell silent for a while, then said, “Shaoye, your father...” His eyes flickered.
At a glance, Xie Jinglan could tell that something was going on. “There’s nothing you need to tell me,” he said. “My father has nothing to do with me anymore.”
“I understand.” Xiahou Lian patted Xie Jinglan’s shoulder. “Then I’ll be on my way.”
“Until we meet again.”
“Until we meet again.”
Aunt Lan stuffed a few steamed buns into Xiahou Lian’s hands, tears streaming down her face. “Take care, Xiao-Lian.”
“You take care too, Auntie. Don’t be too sad, or you’ll make yourself sick.” Xiahou Lian took the buns, grabbed Uncle Duan’s hand, and turned to leave.
Xie Jinglan and Aunt Lan escorted the pair to the side gate, watching as they slowly walked away. One tall and the other short, the two stumbled down the alley, the distant sunset casting a crimson glow. Step by step, Xiahou Lian walked into the distance, lit by the slanting sunlight. That light turned his figure hazy, as if he might vanish into the sunset at any moment.
Suddenly, Xie Jinglan felt an uncontrollable fear. Would he and Xiahou Lian ever see each other again?
“Xiahou Lian!”
Xie Jinglan suddenly chased after him. At the sound of his voice, Xiahou Lian turned around just in time for Xie Jinglan to pull him into a tight embrace.
Xiahou Lian sniffed lightly. Xie Jinglan smelled of soap.
“Don’t forget our talk in the study the other day,” Xie Jinglan murmured into his shoulder.
“I won’t forget. I took it to heart.”
“I’ll find you.”
“Mm-hmm. I know.”
“All right. You can go now.”
“Until we meet again.”
“Until we meet again.”
This time, Xiahou Lian really did leave. Xie Jinglan leaned against the wall and watched. The rough bricks scratched his hand, making it sting. At the entrance of the alley, Xiahou Lian climbed onto an oxcart, then disappeared around the corner.
He didn’t actually leave Jinling, though. Uncle Duan had arranged for him to board at Wanxiang Tower. His uncle went out early each morning and returned late at night; Xiahou Lian rarely saw him. And so Xiahou Lian resumed his carefree lifestyle. Fortunately, he was accustomed to being on his own and had long since learned to amuse himself.
He wasn’t wrong that Qiye Garden’s eyes were on Xie Bingfeng. Assassins had entered Jinling one by one. Wanxiang Tower’s front courtyard was brightly lit, a place of revelry and indulgence—a paradise on earth. The back courtyard was where the assassins went to douse their blades with strong liquor, their expressionless white porcelain masks luminous under the orange candlelight. Six of the Garden’s Eight Legions had arrived. The remaining two were absent—one was recuperating on the mountain after losing an arm during his last assassination, and the other was Xiahou Lian’s mother. She was still in the Western Regions, and there hadn’t been any news on her progress.
Xiahou Lian felt a twinge of unease. The assassins of Qiye Garden usually worked independently, lone wolves on a snowy plain. But now, at least twenty assassins had gathered in the back courtyard, and the Garden had no more than thirty assassins total. Still, Xiahou Lian didn’t dare ask too many questions. These assassins were desperadoes, more bloodthirsty than a wolf pack. They wouldn’t respect him just because he was the Garuda’s son. They only respected those who wielded sharper blades than they did.