He was standing as if he were giving support to someone else for the first time.

Fang Linyuan looked at Zhao Chu, and when he lifted his head again, the wall full of lanterns was swaying with the wind, as if waiting for him to choose from them.

He raised his head, his gaze moving upward, and paused on the very topmost lantern, the smallest of them all.

That lantern was carved in the shape of a lotus. Though small, its petals were layered one upon another, lifelike and vivid—seen from afar, it truly looked like a flower that could glow.

This one was really beautiful…

Eh, eh, no, this won’t do, this one won’t do.

Fang Linyuan stole a glance at Zhao Chu.

The Fifth Prince was still young; surely he had not been practicing martial arts for very many years. The lantern he had in mind was far too high up—if the Fifth Prince’s shot went astray, or too low, wouldn’t that be such a blow to his pride!

So Fang Linyuan looked at Zhao Chu, smiled, and pointed upward, but stopped at a lantern a little below the middle.

By the usual arc of a throw, this was the easiest one to hit. “Your Highness the Fifth prince, I want this one,” Fang Linyuan said with a smile.

Zhao Chu only met his eyes quietly, then took a dart handed to him by the nearby guard.

The dart was tied with a red string. As he stepped forward, the shopkeeper beside them called out: “Young master would like to try as well? Please, please—step into the red circle, and you may throw!”

At once, all the eyes gathered to watch fell upon Zhao Chu.

A child this young?

Curiosity naturally filled their gazes, but standing at the center of all attention, Zhao Chu’s expression remained unchanged as he stepped into the red circle.

His sleeve lifted, and in the blink of an eye the dart cut through the air.

With a whoosh, a chorus of gasps erupted around them.

From the very top of the lantern wall, the lotus lantern fell at once, rustling down to the ground.

*

Fang Linyuan blankly accepted the lantern that Zhao Chu handed over.

The exquisite lotus lantern lay in his palm. The red string at its top had been cut clean through, leaving the lantern itself perfectly intact, not even its fragile frame harmed in the slightest.

Fang Linyuan held the lantern, and only after a moment did he find his voice. “Well… this isn’t the one I asked for.”

He sounded a little embarrassed, like someone whose little scheme to cheat for someone else had just been laid bare.

He hadn’t thought Zhao Chu’s skill would be so good!

But Zhao Chu looked at him, and after a pause, a faint smile appeared under the lantern light. “I saw you had been looking at it the whole time,” he said. “If you want it, then just say so. Since I let you choose, of course I had the confidence to hit it.”

To think he was still younger than him… yet when he spoke, it was as if he were the adult.

Fang Linyuan looked at him and laughed sheepishly a few times. “I wasn’t, I was just curious…”

But Zhao Chu did not press him to explain further.

“Then open it and see,” he said to Fang Linyuan. “What’s inside?”

Fang Linyuan quickly lowered his head to open the lantern.

But before he could tear it open, the stallkeeper had already come over smiling broadly, setting a brocade box before the two of them.

“Young master’s skill is truly remarkable! Tonight at least twenty people tried for this lantern, and who would have thought it would be young master who seized the champion’s laurel in just one go!”

The brocade box was opened, and inside were a pair of lustrous porcelain dolls, produced in Ru kilns.

(NT: porcelain made in kilns from Ruzhou is a famous type of imperial porcelain. It has a delicate bluish-green glaze and is very rare)

“Such novelties are rare even in the imperial kilns! We happened to obtain a pair, and as today’s token of good fortune, we present them to the two young masters!”

Saying this, the shopkeeper offered the box up.

“Just right, one each for the two young masters—‘good things come in pairs’ (NT: Chinese idiom), what a double blessing!”

Fang Linyuan looked at Zhao Chu in delight.

From a young age he had seen many fine things, but never such a curious piece of porcelain. Zhao Chu looked back at him, the corners of his brows and eyes touched with a smile, and said lightly: “Take it.”

“All right!” Fang Linyuan carefully accepted the brocade box, then ran off a short distance to ask one of the attendants to pack it safely in the carriage.

Zhao Chu, watching his retreating back, quietly turned back to the shopkeeper.

“Reward him.” His voice was clear and cold, utterly unlike the rippling smile just moments ago under the lantern light.

The well-trained guard at his side immediately stepped forward and handed the shopkeeper a heavy purse.

The shopkeeper, caught between surprise and joy, fumbled awkwardly, not knowing what to do with his hands.

“But… but the prize was won fair and square by young master himself—how could I accept silver from young master as well…”

That young master’s gaze swept lightly across the place, and as he turned back, he dropped a calm remark.

“He really likes the auspicious prize you prepared.”

The shopkeeper was stunned, but that young master had already turned around, following the other youth into the crowd.

*

Extreme joy engender sorrow (NT: Chinese idiom, when one is too happy, misfortune follows) — this principle had never been a lie.

After climbing into the carriage with Zhao Chu and hurrying back, when they finally arrived before the palace gates, they were faced with doors tightly shut. Fang Linyuan was on the verge of tears.

Still too late!

Rongchang Street was too far from the palace, and that street was long, bustling, and lively. Walking all the way down it had cost far too much time.

Fang Linyuan, feeling he had caused trouble, looked worriedly at Zhao Chu.

He saw Zhao Chu turn his head and say to the man beside him: “Go to Donghua Gate and deliver a message to the Empress Mother.”

Fang Linyuan was startled.

Donghua Gate! He had heard of it. Once the Eastern Gate was locked, only the narrow crack at Donghua Gate allowed communication with the palace. It was the channel through which ministers with urgent petitions could enter to present memorials to the Emperor.

This meant alarming the Empress herself!

For a moment Fang Linyuan was so frightened he did not dare move.

He had lured the Fifth Prince out of the palace, and now was bringing him back so late… if the Empress learned of this, surely he would be punished! Only, what about the Fifth Prince, would he…

Eh?

Why was he looking at him?

Fang Linyuan turned his head, and saw Zhao Chu’s calm gaze, his head tilted slightly toward him: “Afraid?”

Fang Linyuan hesitated for a moment, but then resolutely shook his head.

A true man, a real gentleman (NT: Chinese idiom: an upright man should face things with boldness): if he had made a mistake, he should admit it. How could he shrink back in fear at a time like this!

“I’m fine!” he declared, with righteous words and a heroic expression. “Today it was I who brought you out of the palace. If the Empress is to punish, then I will take the blame upon myself. You have nothing to fear!”

He—afraid?

Zhao Chu, since birth, had never seen someone… quite this adorable.

Looking into Fang Linyuan’s eyes, which clearly flickered with worry yet forced themselves to look upright and proper, he paused. But the words on the tip of his tongue, he did not say.

Instead, he smiled softly and nodded to Fang Linyuan. “All right.”

As if he were truly entrusting Fang Linyuan to protect him.

*

So, under the splendid lights of the great hall, Dou Qingyi lowered her head and saw, placed upon her imperial desk, a somewhat coarse carved inkstone.

“Your Majesty, this is what I and His Highness bought for you specially on the street.”

She lifted her head, and saw below the steps the second son of Duke An, looking somewhat timid, yet still bracing himself to stand two steps ahead of Zhao Chu.

Of course, Fang Linyuan did not say that in truth this inkstone was bought for his elder brother, the most studious in the family.

But since his brother was not at home—to relieve an urgent need is like fighting a fire (NT: Chinese idiom: emergencies must be met immediately)—he might as well borrow flowers to offer to the Buddha (NT: Chinese idiom: to offer something to someone as if it were a gift, though it was borrowed or not one’s own).

Yet this Empress did not examine the inkstone much. Rather, taking advantage of the boy not daring to raise his head, she leisurely looked him over.

His eyes were indeed large, blinking quickly; though born of a military family, he was docile and harmless, like a fawn.

This look—was he afraid she would punish Zhao Chu? Standing there like someone stretching out the neck to await the blade; (NT: Chinese idiom: facing punishment without resistance), ready to bear her anger—this was indeed the loyal and righteous inheritance of his father and brothers.

Dou Qingyi smiled faintly, propping her temple lazily with one hand, and slowly prepared to speak.

Yet unexpectedly—

As soon as she lifted her eyes, out of the corner of her gaze she saw her own son, who was being shielded behind.

His gaze was calm, yet met hers directly.

The child who had always been indifferent, like snow falling from the eaves, was standing as if he were giving support to someone else for the first time.

 

Translator : DarNan