It wasn't until the sun was setting that a maid called him to change his clothes and go to the front hall for dinner, and he got up in a daze.
"Young master, where is the jade pendant on your waist?" The maid was quite surprised when she noticed something was missing while tying his belt.
Young Master Li was startled, then came to his senses and looked down to search. Sure enough, the jade pendant that adorned his waist was gone. His mother had commissioned a skilled craftsman to make it when he turned one year old. It wasn't particularly valuable, but it was engraved with his name, and there was only one in the world; he never took it off. Losing it now would undoubtedly bring him much nagging from his parents.
Thinking about how he had been in a daze all day, Young Master Li thought to himself that he must have lost it somewhere without noticing. He was so confused that he certainly hadn't paid attention at the time, and finding it probably wouldn't be easy. He sighed, tugged at the hem of his clothes, and went to the front hall.
The next morning, perhaps because he had been out for a long time the day before, he felt a little tired and rested in bed for a while longer. Around noon, he heard a maid knocking on the door, saying that his father wanted him to go out.
Young Master Li thought to himself: His father rarely interfered in his affairs and seldom accompanied him on outings. What could his father possibly want with him this time?
Only after asking the maid did he learn that the Prefect of Huizhou had brought his wife back to his hometown to enjoy the spring scenery, and his residence in Yangzhou was not far from his home. Because he was a colleague of his father and also his father's superior, his father planned to visit him later, hoping to find some assistance for Young Master Li's career. Therefore, he ordered him to go with him and to make preparations in advance.
Young Master Li quickly got up, washed up, and went to the front hall. He saw his father arranging gifts and drafting visiting cards. He sat down to one side, picked up a book, and casually began to flip through it.
Before noon, a servant came to report that a bloody incident had occurred at the residence of the Prefect of Huizhou, and that the father and son were to proceed immediately. The servant specifically requested that Young Master Li be questioned. The Li father and son were bewildered but dared not delay, and hurried out to see what was happening. As soon as they stepped out of the gate, they saw many soldiers searching house to house throughout the city; even their own gate was guarded. Judging from this, something truly serious had occurred.
The prefect of Huizhou, surnamed Ding, was meticulous and his residence was heavily guarded. At this moment, he was pacing anxiously in the front hall, his face full of anger.
Upon inquiring about the actual situation, it was learned that on the morning of that day, someone carrying an invitation from the Li family arrived to pay a visit, claiming to be from the Li family of Yangzhou. The gatekeeper, seeing that the man was carrying the young master Li's personal jade pendant, did not suspect anything and let them into the inner hall. However, upon entering the inner hall and meeting the master, the two men drew their swords and attempted to assassinate him without saying a word. Fortunately, there were many guards nearby, and Prefect Ding was wearing gold-embroidered armor. Otherwise, he would likely have already lost his life in Yangzhou.
Unfortunately, the two thieves were highly skilled in martial arts and managed to escape.
Master Li was both shocked and furious, and immediately demanded to know the whereabouts of his son's jade pendant. Young Master Li could only explain that he had lost it or it had been stolen while he was out enjoying the spring yesterday. In any case, it wasn't with him now. Fortunately, Magistrate Ding was reasonable. Seeing that Young Master Li didn't seem to be lying, and considering the long-standing animosity between the two families, and that he himself was unharmed—only a few servants had been killed or injured—he didn't punish him further, merely scolding the younger man a couple of times.
Young Master Li was wronged and naturally felt indignant. That very night, he volunteered to lie in ambush in the Ding residence, determined to capture the thief if he were to reappear and clear his name.
The Ding residence was heavily guarded, but when the moon was high in the sky, the guards relaxed their guards during the shift change. While the guards were chatting, two masked figures darted across the rooftops unnoticed.
But this did not include Young Master Li, who had been closely monitoring the situation. He immediately leaped up and thrust his sword at the dark figure.
Although Young Master Li came from a family of civil officials, he had practiced martial arts since childhood and had studied under a famous master. His swordsmanship was superb, far surpassing that of the servants. Unfortunately, the two night travelers were even more skilled, especially the thin man in black, whose Qingming sword gleamed coldly. With a few flicks and deflections, he completely blocked Young Master Li's sword moves.
Seeing that Young Master Li was outmatched, the guards below, already lined up in several rows, gave a command, nocked their arrows, and unleashed a volley of arrows like a rain of locusts, waiting for Young Master Li to leap out of the battle circle. The two men in black, unable to retreat alone, forced Young Master Li's swordplay to falter, and with a single move, they pinned him outside the courtyard wall. The three fought fiercely, gradually moving away from the Ding residence until they reached the outskirts. The tall, thin man in black concealed his movements, leaped up, and unleashed a burst of sword energy, forcing Young Master Li back outside the battle circle.
"Brother!" The man in black beside him seemed to be a young man, but his voice was deliberately low and deep: "Why not kill this traitor who aided and abetted evil?"
The tall, thin man shook his head, turned around and glanced at Young Master Li. Under the bright moonlight and lanterns, his eyes shimmered with a chilling light, extremely beautiful, which made Young Master Li's heart skip a beat.
It feels strangely familiar.
"If this doesn't work, that corrupt official has returned to his hometown, and his henchmen are everywhere. It will be even more difficult for you and me to get close to him. As for revenge, who knows when we will be able to get it?"
Overwhelmed with emotion, the young man in black spoke with great passion. His words, tinged with bitter resentment, even contained a sob.
Upon hearing this, the tall, thin man sighed softly, seemingly also feeling frustrated. However, he still sheathed his sword and shook his head helplessly.
"Let's go, Yanzhi."
He gently patted his younger brother's shoulder, seemingly to comfort him. The two turned to leave, but behind them, Young Master Li persisted, asking:
"Are you the ones who stole the jade?"
The two men paused, the tall, thin man slightly turning his head, his figure appearing solemn in the moonlight. He glanced at Young Master Li, then waved his hand:
"Here you go!"
Young Master Li leaped and caught it, then opened his palm to see that it was indeed the jade pendant he had lost.
He stood there for a moment, then remembered the two assassins in black. But when he looked up, all that remained was the chilling wind; the two men were nowhere to be seen. A sense of loss washed over him. He reached out to put the jade pendant in his pocket, but suddenly, as if sensing something, he held it to his nose and sniffed it carefully twice.
A familiar aroma of Qimen incense wafts gently and lingers, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
Early summer had passed, and a gentle evening breeze brought a sense of tranquility. Inside the vast mansion, the young Censor-in-Chief sat upright on a stone bench, carefully picking at tea leaves. The newly bestowed residence by the Emperor was still rather deserted; the few maids and servants he had sent to bed had already been dismissed.
The moonlight was serene, with no dark clouds in sight, and a gentle breeze blew through the clear sky.
A faint fragrance, as fine as wisps of smoke, floated in the air. It also reminded him of the willow catkins and blossoms that drifted in the wind along the canal that year.
He put down his cup and smiled gently at the moon:
"Early spring has passed, and the chill is gone. Miss Chen, why don't we brew a cup together? How about some Mao Feng tea from your hometown?"
The fragrance intensifies, and a gentle breeze stirs, lifting the pillars to reveal the slender figure in dark robes.
END
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