Chapter 49

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Gu Yan Fei glanced back briefly before continuing on her way. She indeed had matters to attend to. After leaving Jia Hui Courtyard, she instructed the coachman to take her to Qiong Fang Zhai.

Located at the bustling southern end of the city on Zhenhua Street, Qiong Fang Zhai sat amidst a vibrant row of shops. The street was lined with establishments, including taverns, fabric stores, cosmetics shops, and specialty food vendors, most of which were renowned old businesses in the capital. The street itself was alive with the ceaseless flow of pedestrians and carriages, a cacophony of noise and activity.

Qiong Fang Zhai, positioned at the very end of the street, was a two-story tavern. At this hour, the tavern wasn’t particularly crowded; only two or three tables were occupied in the ground floor’s main hall.

When the shopkeeper saw the token that Gu Yan Fei presented, he greeted her warmly and personally escorted her upstairs to a private room at the end of the corridor, named Tusu.

“This way, please,” the shopkeeper said, knocking twice on the door of the private room before courteously opening it for her.

As soon as the door swung open, a subtle aroma of wine wafted out. Sitting by the window was a slender young man dressed in white, his demeanor elegant and pristine, as though he were a snow lotus blooming on the peaks of a heavenly mountain—pure and flawless.

After Gu Yan Fei stepped inside, the shopkeeper closed the door behind her with a soft creak.

Now, the private room held only Gu Yan Fei and Chu Yi. The clamor of the busy street outside only made the quiet within feel even more serene.

“Please,” Chu Yi said gracefully, gesturing for Gu Yan Fei to take a seat. His finely sculpted brows and eyes looked as though they had been meticulously drawn, each stroke deliberate and perfect.

Gu Yan Fei sat down across from him, her gaze instinctively drifting to his left sleeve. The image of Qing Guang clawing at his sleeve earlier came to mind.

His crisp, snow-white sleeve now bore an elegant cloud pattern embroidered in silver thread. It was flawless, with no trace of snagged threads from a mischievous kitten. Clearly, this wasn’t the same outfit as before.

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, and she quickly glanced at the nearby cypress wood chessboard to mask her amusement. The board was arranged with black and white stones, evenly matched and vying for dominance in a two-sided battle.

Initially, she had only looked out of curiosity, but upon closer inspection, she froze in surprise.

The arrangement on the board was startlingly familiar. It was unmistakably the unfinished game they had played in Danyang City. The last move had been made by a white stone.

Raising an eyebrow, Gu Yan Fei reached into the box, picked up a black stone, and decisively placed it on the board.

Chu Yi smiled faintly and poured her a cup of wine with his own hands. “Try this Tusu wine,” he said warmly.

The aroma of the wine in the air grew richer, mingled with a faint herbal scent.

Gu Yan Fei lifted the delicate white porcelain cup and took a sip. The wine was a harmonious blend of sweetness and richness, with a strong herbal undertone. The flavor lingered in her mouth, and she narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.

Across from her, Chu Yi casually lifted the bamboo blind hanging over the window. With a subtle glance, he motioned for her to look outside.

The street beyond was lively and bustling. Directly across from Qiong Fang Zhai, a luxurious black lacquered, flat-roofed carriage stood parked in front of another tavern. Two young men emerged side by side from the establishment, their appearances and temperaments strikingly different. One appeared to be in his late twenties, while the other was a youth of around eighteen or nineteen.

The younger man wore a purple brocade robe intricately patterned with the Eight Immortals. He carried himself with confidence, exuding a proud and noble air—it was none other than Kang Wang, Chu You.

Gu Yan Fei’s gaze shifted from Kang Wang and his companion to the black lacquered carriage at the tavern entrance. On its roof, she noticed a gilded orchid emblem.

She paused, her brow arching slightly as recognition dawned. “The Yuan family?” she asked, her tone calm but inquisitive.

The orchid emblem was the family crest of the Yuan clan from Yangzhou, the maternal family of the current Empress Dowager.

Gu Yan Fei, admittedly, knew little about the prominent aristocratic families, only recognizing the renowned “Four Great Clans”—Wang, Xie, Yuan, and Xiao—as the foremost high-status families.

“Indeed,” Chu Yi replied, picking up his white porcelain wine cup. His long fingers idly rotated the cup as he spoke, his tone carrying a subtle depth. “‘No noble from the common class, no commoner from the noble clans.’”

His words referenced the Nine Ranks System.

Before the establishment of the Dajing dynasty, previous regimes like the Han, Jin, and Wei dynasties had implemented the Nine Ranks System. Under this system, officials were selected based on recommendations, which led to nepotism and the formation of entrenched aristocratic families.

Over time, these noble clans amassed vast tracts of land in their regions, occupying high-ranking positions for generations. Their power grew inexorably, to the point of raising private armies, effectively ruling their territories. In some cases, they wielded so much influence that even the imperial court was almost entirely controlled by these families.

After the Dajing dynasty was established, the founding emperor sought to weaken the influence of these powerful aristocratic families. He introduced the imperial examination system in the court, signaling his determination to prioritize merit over lineage. However, with the empire newly founded and its foundation unsteady, coupled with the looming threat of rebellion from the southern Yue Kingdom, the emperor lacked the resources to implement sweeping changes. The initiative had to be shelved temporarily.

Chu Yi glanced down through the window, his gaze settling on the man standing beside Kang Wang. The man was of medium build, with a refined and scholarly appearance, dressed in a luxurious robe.

“That’s Yuan Zhe, the future head of the Yuan family and Kang Wang’s cousin,” Chu Yi explained.

The Empress Dowager Yuan was the biological sister of the current head of the Yuan family, making Yuan Zhe her direct nephew.

Years ago, when the founding emperor sought a primary consort for the late emperor, he deliberately avoided selecting a noblewoman from one of the great families and instead chose Lady Liu, who came from humble origins, as the first empress. This decision was a calculated move to curb the power of the aristocracy.

However, after Lady Liu’s passing, the late emperor remarried, taking Lady Yuan—a noblewoman from the Yuan family—as his second empress. This remarriage was seen as a signal of reconciliation and favor toward the aristocratic families.

“Currently, a quarter of the court officials have been recommended by the aristocratic families, including members of the Yuan family’s main branch,” Chu Yi remarked with a faint smile, though his gaze remained icy and detached.

These aristocratic clans, with their generations of entrenched power, had long formed alliances in the court, prioritizing their own interests above all else. Even the emperor himself often found his authority constrained by their influence.

Since his return to the capital, Chu Yi’s father, the emperor, had expressed intentions of allowing him to formally attend court. However, the aristocratic factions in the court, unified in their interests, had collectively opposed the idea.

Chu Yi left the explanation at that, his words sharp yet restrained. Without further elaboration, he casually placed a white stone on the chessboard, the crisp sound breaking the silence.

Quick-witted as ever, Gu Yan Fei grasped the gravity of his situation from just these few words. The phrase “in deep water and scorching fire” hardly sufficed to describe his predicament.

However…

Recalling the events in Danyang City, Gu Yan Fei’s lips curved into a slight smile. It was evident that Chu Yi was far from a helpless victim. He, too, was someone with sharp edges and hidden depths.

Her amusement growing, she fixed her gaze on his face, studying him with unabashed curiosity.

The golden light streaming through the window bathed his features in a soft glow. His refined features appeared even more delicate and striking than usual, and the vivid red mole beneath his eye accentuated the jade-like translucence of his complexion, making him look like a meticulously crafted statue of white jade.

Chu Yi quietly returned her gaze, his eyes so clear they seemed to pierce straight through. Like a tranquil spring, they reflected the world around them, giving the illusion that they could capture and mirror everything—or perhaps even lay bare someone’s very soul.

Under such a penetrating gaze, Chu Yi’s expression remained unchanging. Not a flicker moved in his brows or at the corners of his eyes.

The private room fell into a profound silence.

Gu Yan Fei studied him for a long moment, her interest evident. Then, suddenly, she smiled, a flicker of amusement dancing in her eyes as she murmured softly to herself, As expected.

Chu Yi raised his right brow slightly, an unspoken question lingering in his expression as he regarded her curiously.

Gu Yan Fei said nothing in reply. Instead, she picked up a black stone and decisively placed it on the chessboard. Her move was as sharp and unyielding as ever.

As expected, he isn’t exactly favored by the Heavenly Dao, she thought, a quiet certainty settling in her mind.

Just like me.