CH 16

The afterglow is swallowed by the tall peaks of mountains as the curtain of night spreads itself across the mortal world. The bright moon is beautiful, shining upon a bamboo forest in the outskirts of Chang’an. As bamboo shadows sway, in a strange and silent place, the sound of someone’s presence carries on the wind.

“Your Excellency Chu, I suddenly feel like you’re not here to investigate a gambling den.”

“What does this mean?”

“Look at this soulless place. No matter how you look at it, we just look like we are eloping. Why don’t you be a little honest with me: is your heart truly moved and you’re planning to do something to me?”

“…..What can I do?”

Chu Mingyun gives his sleeves a tug and the sandalwood fan is already in his hand. He gives Su Shiyu’s figure a half-smile and says: “Naturally, there are a lot of things one could do. Why don’t we give this a thorough discussion? I could teach you the quickest way to take off your robes and you can tell me what type you like more……”

“Your Excellency Chu.” Su Shiyu suddenly turns around. Chu Mingyun takes a step closer and pauses.

“Truth be told,” Su Shiyu says, looking at him. 

Chu Mingyun hesitates for a moment and answers, “Hm?”

“This humble one surnamed Su has already forgotten the last time we had a civil conversation.”

“……”

Su Shiyu turns around and tries to take a few steps forwards. He suddenly feels himself walking on something hard. He bends to look at his feet, lending the light from the firestarter to inspect the bamboo pole closely. After half a beat, he reaches out into the soil at the bamboo pole to pull out a narrow iron hoop. There is a grinding sound and a small patch of land rises up, sending dust and soil pouring down from all four directions.

Chu Mingyun takes a step back with his nose covered. As he watches the soil falling cleanly off the patch of land, he realizes it’s an iron board hiding a little stone path underneath. The path is narrow and pitch black, stretching down eerily, as if it’s a path leading to the land of the dead.

“Is this the entry to the gambling den?” Chu Mingyun doesn’t care to hide the disgust in his voice. “People would still be in the mood to gamble after going through this ghastly place?”

“Honoured guests would naturally have another way of entry, but he could only bribe a few gamblers. So, Your Excellency Chu will have to deigna little bit.” Su Shiyu says, “It’s because of this the governor hasn’t closed down this gambling den. Otherwise, one fears that before the officials could force their way in here, they will have already escaped from the other side.”

Smiling, Chu Mingyun snorts at Su Shiyu in a way that speaks volumes.

Su Shiyu kills the firestarter, and just as he enters, he suddenly thinks of something. “It’s extremely dark on this road. Will His Excellency Chu feel uncomfortable?”

“So what if I’m uncomfortable? Are you going to hold my hand across?”

Chu Mingyun was just giving a casual answer, but outside of expectation, Su Shiyu reaches out with a hand and holds his wrist lightly. Su Shiyu smiles slightly under the moonlight in prone shadows. “Then let us go.”

He fails to answer him for a moment.

As they step into the entrance, descending along the stone steps, there’s not a single light along the way. Thick blackness fills their sights, following them as they continuously advance. All around, it’s getting colder as frost clings to their skin, as if they were blending into it. Chu Mingyun could only feel the last bit of warmth on his wrist from the palm of a person’s hand, separated by the fabric of his sleeve.

Nobody speaks. The only sound is footsteps stepping across stone steps.

It’s unknown for how long they have walked. They could only feel the stone steps coming from below. In front of them appears to be some light, and after a few dozen steps, the path widens.

The place seems to exist in some valley. There is a tall pavilion in front of them, its eaves like spread wings lit with fires as bright as the day.

In front of the red-lacquered door is a manservant wearing a mask. Once he sees Chu Mingyun and Su Shiyu walking up close, someone has already rushed up to welcome them, eagerly pushing two white masks into their hands. “Yo, welcome to the Lane of Everlasting Happiness, both of you Young Masters. All the best to enjoying yourselves to the fullest!”

Chu Mingyun lowers his gaze to examine the beautifully crafted mask in his hand. “What business do I have wearing this?”

The manservant smiles and says, “People who come here usually don’t want themselves to be known. Put this on, and regardless of what you do, you’ll feel more carefree.” 

The mask covers one’s forehead and everything below that, concealing almost half the face and revealing only the jaw. Chu Mingyun and Su Shiyu exchange glances, then give a quiet laugh as they push the door in.

The thick scent of wine mixed with fragrance fills the entire large hall. Sounds made by money jingle clearly in the air. The songstress’s voice mixes into a messy blend of angry shouts and howls. At a glance, every table is brimming with people with prostitutes among them. How rowdy.

“Hm?” Chu Mingyun looks at Su Shiyu, opening his mouth as if he is speaking. He reaches out to pull him close to his ear. “What did you say just now?”

Su Shiyu hesitates for a while, but doesn’t push him away. He says, “There’s nothing we could find in this place. We need to meet the owner of this gambling den.”

“It seems His Excellency Su has already found a way to accomplish that.”

“Other than boundless limits with nothing that cannot be gambled, this place is attractive to people for another reason.” Su Shiyu says, “Those gamblers say this place has a rule: the one who wins the most money can have a chance of gambling with the owner on the second floor. If the gambler wins, he may make a wish and it will be realized.”

“Free world?” Chu Mingyun mockingly laughs.

Even the present Emperor would not have said such extremely arrogant words.

Su Shiyu nods his head. “So I think something is off about this place. It’s not just a place to squander money.” He looks at Chu Mingyun after he finishes.

They are standing quite close. At a glance, Su Shiyu sees into the other’s eyes. Chu Mingyun’s gaze is bright and clear; it startles him, and so he unconsciously takes a few steps back.

Chu Mingyun meets his eyes, and as if he understands why Su Shiyu said he needed his help, he asks, “You don’t know anything about gambling, do you?”

“Of course not.” Su Shiyu smiles. “If it were just betting on large and small1, I could try. Yet, this hall is filled with paijiu2 and the like. There is nothing I can do.”

Chu Mingyun smiles. “What a coincidence. Neither do I.”

Su Shiyu turns around to stare at Chu Mingyun. From across the mask, he can see that curious look on his face.

“……” Chu Mingyun glares at him. “Do I look like the sort of ignorant, incompetent, and arrogant person who leads the life of a loiterer?”

Su Shiyu quietly withdraws his gaze and smiles, “How would I?”

Chu Mingyun raises a brow and coldly says, “By the end of the day, I am still someone from the ranks of soldiers. Rules in the army are strict. Regardless of how I am as a person, one must still comply with regulations in this aspect.”

“……Embarrassing.” Su Shiyu hesitates and says, “Since this is the case, should we return to discuss a plan?”

“Why leave when we are already here?” Chu Mingyun looks at the largest gambling table in the center of the great hall. Over there, heads swarmed; he could vaguely see the little chips piled onto a small mound on the table. Everyone over there is dressed luxuriously, with a servant serving them tea from behind. Among them, one young man wearing purple robes stands out the most. He is wearing a variety of accessories, holding a gold-painted fan made of jade. He tosses out two pieces of black dominos, and from afar, one could see how frivolous that action was, completely showing off.

Chu Mingyun looks closely for a moment and suddenly says, “……Why is that dandy so familiar?”

Su Shiyu follows his line of sight over and thinks for a while before saying, “This…… This should be the only son of Xu Yin from the Ministry of War of the Chu Faction, Xu Tong.”

Some dandies are more easily recognized by their manner of attire than their face. After all, the mask can’t keep out the air of a black sheep of the family3. 

However, Chu Mingyun is concerned about something else. “Why did you have to mention the Chu Faction on purpose?”

“Just so Your Excellency Chu will find it easier to remember this person,” Su Shiyu says flatly.

Chu Mingyun doesn’t want to be calculative with him. He glares at the gambling table and ponders for a moment, then immediately smiles. “If something is truly afoot with this gambling den, then I have an idea to try out. But may I know if His Excellency Su is willing to cooperate with me?”

“No harm in speaking.”

Chu Mingyun leans in close to the side of his ear to whisper a few words. Su Shiyu’s gaze wavers but turns into a passive smile. “Nothing too difficult.”

“Don’t regret it.”

“Then I’ll have to trouble Your Excellency Chu.” Su Shiyu glances around once. They have been standing there talking for a while now, and although their position isn’t obvious, they have drawn some gazes on themselves. He takes a step back and lightly raises his voice: “The Young Master is indeed generous. Naturally, I would never tell anyone you’ve come here.”

Chu Mingyun smiles at him with his eyes. “I’ve made the right decision to spoil you rotten.” Then he takes a step towards the center of the gambling table.

At the same time, Xu Tong happened to win. The servant behind him immediately tosses out handfuls of shining golden chips. How cocky. Those who lost not only aren’t angry, they instead congratulate him.

“Young Master Xu, how lucky you are today!”

“Why would it only be today? Wasn’t I winning these past few days? From the way I see it, soon I’ll be invited to the upper floor to meet the owner.”

“Does that need to be said? Great Young Master Xu, you truly need to decide what you want to wish for then. If you rise through the ranks, don’t forget about us……”

Xu Tong waves his hand. “It’s fine to just enjoy it when you play. What wish do I have? What meaning is there in rising up the ranks? I’ve seen how the present Emperor entertains himself a few times, and that’s all there is. How could he compare to us, who are wild and free?”

Chu Mingyun can’t help giving a cold snort.

At this time, conveniently, nobody dared to continue Xu Tong’s words. It became a little quiet, and Chu Mingyun’s cold snort became exceptionally clearer.

Xu Tong’s eyebrows furrow. He looks over in displeasure. All the others also shift their gaze onto him at the same time.

Author’s Notes:

P.S.: I borrowed the idea of the masks in the gambling den from “The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng”.

Originally, the Limitless Happiness Pavilion suggestion has been altered. Terribly sorry. I thought that as long as I reference the source, it should be alright. Thanks for telling me where it went wrong. Kisses =3=

[1] 押大押小 refers to a game of chance in ancient China for gambling. Read about Sic bo.

[2] 牌九 paijiu is another game of Chinese domino. [1] and [2] are both popular gambling games in historical China. Su Shiyu probably means that he could easily figure out [1], but now paijiu [2] because its rules are more complicated.

[3] 败家之气 refers to children of families who squander their parent’s wealth or that they don’t live up to the family’s name. Technically the disgrace of a distinguished family.