CH 12

There is only a small window on the wall in the cold and dark vault. The light is a little dim, shining upon a few dozen big boxes stacked together against the wall casting a huge shadow. 

Su Shiyu walks forward to earnestly study them for a while. He reaches out to slowly open a box and the smell of gunpowder fills his nose. It’s an entire box of black gunpowder.

Chu Mingyun raises a brow and takes a step back. He waves his hand to fan that nose-piercing smell away, shaking his head with a sigh. “Strange. What kind of a place is this with so much gunpowder? Sighs, in your opinion, are these enough to demolish the entire Chang’an City altogether?”

Su Shiyu opens a few boxes and sees that they are also filled with gunpowder. He laughs when he hears Chu Mingyun’s words. He answers, “I am unsure about Chang’an City, but from the way I see it, it surely wouldn’t be a problem to raze the Grand Marshal’s Residence into a flat land.”

“Oh?” Chu Mingyun smiles. “Is that so? I think they could still conveniently take down the Censorate as well.”

Su Shiyu turns around and returns Chu Mingyun’s smile; Each clearly having their own intentions.

Chu Mingyun watches Su Shiyu from behind with his hands across his chest and his thoughts racing. Seeing Su Shiyu returning everything back to its initial state means that he’s prepared to leave. Just as he wants to say something to stall the other, he catches the sound of movement from the side. The light in his eyes flikers. He turns around to give the tightly-shut metal door behind them a look and then tells Su Shiyu in a hushed voice, “Come here.”

Su Shiyu has already turned around, and so he curiously walks over. “Your Excellency Chu, how……”

He is taken off guard as Chu Mingyun leads him behind the door, a hand on his waist as he is pulled into Chu Mingyun’s arms entirely, his back against the other’s chest. Su Shiyu instinctively wants to struggle free, but Chu Mingyun’s other hand reaches across his chest and locks him in. He then tips his head to the side to press his lips against Su Shiyu’s ear and speaks gently: “Shh—”

Warm breath brushes his earlobe and the gentle voice that fills his ear makes Su Shiyu’s eyebrows tighten, yet he forces himself not to move away. When Chu Mingyun spoke, he too heard the faint sound of footsteps from the outside.

Smuggling gunpowder is an incredibly dangerous job. Compared to having to avoid the authority’s inspection, these massive amounts of black gunpowder are life-threatening to begin with. If a careless mistake causes an ignition, not only would the capital invested be lost, but countless human lives would also be lost. And thus, Tan Jing made arrangements with patrolling guards to forbid any entry of fire starters. At this time, a patrolling unit happened to pass by.

The wide iron doors are pushed open, covering both of their presences completely. Clear footsteps ring in this empty space.

Chu Mingyun could feel the compromise and cooperation of the person in his arms. He slowly curls the corner of his lips and releases Su Shiyu, yet his palm reaches down to Su Shiyu’s waist and, little by little, he starts feeling around.

Su Shiyu freezes and shuts his eyes, trying his best to ignore his actions. He steels his focus on the sound of the patrolling units inspecting the crates.

The fabric beneath Chu Mingyun’s touch is soft and smooth, the waist in his hand narrow and slim. If not for the fact that now isn’t a suitable time to speak, Chu Mingyun would have wanted to compliment Su Shiyu’s body to see his reaction. It’s quite a pity. Suddenly, his hand stops, his fingertips press down softly, certain that he has found the object he’s looking for.

His arm tightens its hold on Su Shiyu’s arm. Chu Mingyun’s hand slowly moves upwards, finally reaching the lapels. His fingers slowly draw circles on the dark-coloured patterns there, stroking for a moment before unhesitantly reaching inside.

Su Shiyu’s body went very stiff, his skin clearly feeling the warmth of that palm through a thin layer of inner clothes, like a snake snaking its way down.

The patrolling guards head out after they finished inspecting, yet Chu Mingyun’s hand continues to travel southward. Just as the iron door closes, Su Shiyu turns around to glare at him warningly with a sharp look  Chu Mingyun meets his gaze, a beautiful smile appearing at the corners of his eyes. He parts his lips to gently blow air into Su Shiyu’s ear and his smile deepens.

He had already felt one corner of the object; the footsteps had vanished outside the door.

Su Shiyu lashes out suddenly, raising an elbow to jab into Chu Mingyun’s chest and shaking himself free with the abrupt movement of his body, putting distance between them. Yet in the process, he feels something leaving his body at the same time Chu Mingyun’s arm did. He raises his eyes to look and is stunned.

“Tch—Why did you take a book with you around?” Chu Mingyun doesn’t miss the flash of anger in Su Shiyu’s eyes. He stomachs the pain in his chest as he waves the book in his hand. Seeing the change of colour in Su Shiyu’s expression as he had hoped, he lowers his gaze and  flips the object open. “It’s an accounts book.”

“It’s not anything special. Your Excellency Chu, please return it.” Su Shiyu withdraws his expression, adjusting his sleeve.

“All right.” Chu Mingyun looks at him with a smile, tapping a finger to his lips. “Give me a kiss then.”

Su Shiyu raises his eyes to look at him and chuckles “It’s enough to make these sort of jokes once.”

“You think I am joking?” Chu Mingyun flips the accounts book open, raising his hand to cleanly tear off two pages. “Then, how about now?”

Su Shiyu’s gaze darkens at the sound of ripping papers. He stares at him with a silent smile.

Chu Mingyun is full of himself, canting his head to the side to meet Su Shiyu’s expression. He flips a few pages again and tears a few more pages out. “Now, do you still think I am joking?”

“Your Excellency the Grand Marshal.” Su Shiyu’s voice gradually quietens, the smile hanging at the corner of his lips deepening as he glares at him. “That item in your hands is an important piece of evidence in this case. Even though you hold a position of high power, making a mess of state affairs would bring punishment upon yourself.”

“Is that so?” Chu Mingyun raises the account book to take a closer look, then tucks the item behind his back. His body leans forward as he looks Su Shiyu in the eye and smiles. “How important is this case that it would need you to acquire the evidence in person? Why don’t you tell me? Perhaps I could help.”

“Please forgive this humble man surnamed Su’s incapability to offer anything.” Su Shiyu calmly says, “How could such a trivial matter beg the attention of His Excellency the Grand Marshal? If you return the item now, you’ve already done a big help.”

Chu Mingyun calmly raises a brow, withdrawing his gaze as he hastily slaps those torn pages back into the account book, walking over to tuck it into Su Shiyu’s hand. “Forget about it. I’ll not pester you anymore.” He studies Su Shiyu once over, shrugs his shoulders and walks heads out. “With the way you look now, you probably don’t want me in your sight. In that case, I should take my leave.”

Su Shiyu silently watches as Chu Mingyun opens the door and leaves just like that, his figure disappearing. His eyebrows furrow as he squeezes the account book in his hand.

Chu Mingyun glance behind him as he turns a corner and gives out a low laugh. Then he looks forward and slows his steps as he leisurely walks towards the outside.

There are echoes in the vault’s passageway, giving away the people who were hurrying in his direction long before they reached him.

As expected, after a few more turns, there is a large batch of guards blocking the path ahead. The one standing at the forefront bows to Chu Mingyun. “This inferior subject didn’t know of His Excellency’s visit, and so couldn’t welcome him in time. I beg Your Excellency Chu’s understanding.”

“En.” Chu Mingyun slowly nods his head and says, “Now, you have welcomed me. So step aside.”

“This inferior subject is just a lowly official. In the usual days, I wouldn’t have much time to see Your Excellency……”

“The reason you bring these people to stand in my way is to speak this nonsense to me?” Chu Mingyun says.

Tan Jing pauses. Looking at Chu Mingyun, he once again opens his mouth to say, “Since His Excellency understands, then this inferior official will go straight to the subject.”

“Your Excellency has once been involved in this business of mine as well. As the present events progress, now that Your Excellency has shown up here, I couldn’t help but want to take a look at you.”

Chu Mingyun gives a low chuckle and says, “You think I am here to destroy the evidence?”

“I dare not.” Tan Jing says, “His Excellency the Grand Marshal is not the sort of person who would add misery to others so he could place himself alone in righteous standing.”

Chu Mingyun’s smile gradually deepens. He raises his hand to take out two pieces of paper stacked together, then reaches out to an oil lamp hanging by the wall to allow its flames to lick at them. Once he releases them, they gradually turn to ash.

“But I am such a person.” His gaze cold under the warm light of the flame. “So, don’t ever think of using this to threaten me. Regardless of who you are.”

Tan Jing is stunned. The guards behind him tighten their grip on their weapons, waiting for orders. A flicker of cruelty appears in Tan Jing’s eyes as he waves his hand and wants to say something, but once again he is interrupted by Chu Mingyun.

“However, it’s not like me to be so unsentimental.” Chu Mingyun blows the ash off his fingers. “Su Shiyu is still in your vault. He wouldn’t have gone far at this moment. The one investigating you is the Grand Secretary himself. He is the one you should stop.”

“Su Shiyu?” Tan Jing looks at him suspiciously. “Your Excellency would reveal his whereabouts to me?”

“Whether Su Shiyu is dead or alive, what does it have to do with me?” Chu Mingyun raises his gaze to give him a look. “There are plenty of people who pray for his death.”

Tan Jing savours these words for a moment, then a smile follows. “Since this is the case, please be assured, Your Excellency. This inferior subject is willing to operate at your command.”

Chu Mingyun twitches his lips and raises his hand, signalling him to step aside.

……

Su Shiyu turns a corner and pauses. He glances around his surroundings and his eyes fall upon Tan Jing. He says with a smile, “His Excellency Tan. This formation doesn’t look like you are welcoming me.”

“If not for being at the end of my tether, I would never be willing to offend Your Excellency,” Tan Jing says. The guards behind him flash their weapons; it is a little eye-piercing in the dark.

“Offend, huh? I thought ‘a struggle for life and death’ suits Your Excellency Tan’s current situation more.” Su Shiyu glances at the path where he came from. “Speaking of which, did you run into His Excellency Chu on your way here?”

Tan Jing gives Su Shiyu’s prim and proper exterior a look, but cannot help picking up the hint that this simple question is a warning. He snorts coldly and says, “His Excellency Chu will not come to your rescue. The Grand Secretary will have to be disappointed.” He pauses, then says, “Truth be told, Tan Jing is now just executing the orders of His Excellency Chu.”

Su Shiyu can’t help giving him a strange look. “……To what state of pathetic would I have to be that I need to hope for his rescue?”

Without any more words, Tan Jing waves his hand and all his guards lunge forward. Su Shiyu doesn’t move from where he stands, smiling faintly at him through the wall of people, the flash of a blade from the tips of his fingers piercing into his sight.　　

Author’s Notes:

Author: Do you know what this is called? Sex/ual harrassment in workplace.

Chu Mingyun: Heh.

Author: Ah, but I also want to give Su Shiyu a hug. He surely smells nice/////

Chu Mingyun: Heheh.

Author: ……