Xie Jing knelt too hastily, and his knee struck the uneven seams of the imperial walkway, likely leaving a bruise.
He felt Lu Lingcong’s shoulder beside him tremble slightly, but the latter did not turn his head to look at him. He unconsciously curled his thumb into his palm and clenched his fist tightly.
The emperor sat sideways upon the throne without speaking or reacting, fixing him with an unwavering gaze for the length of a cup of tea. Then, he suddenly lifted a finger and said, as if talking about domestic matters, “Fetch the fox fur greatcoat that was newly made yesterday. This child looks frail, so bestow it upon him.”
He didn’t order him to rise, yet he gave him a piece of clothing.
The emperor then rose somewhat languidly and strolled to the front of the steps. He lifted his voice a little, appearing to address Zhong Zhao, yet in truth the Xie family, halted a few steps behind Xie Jing and unable to move forward or withdraw, could hear every word just as clearly:
“Go and deliver a message. It seems it will snow. Tell Minister Xie to return to his residence and rest early.”
Hearing this, Xie Jing’s heart sank heavily. He knew he would have to kneel there all night.
He heard no further sounds behind him and assumed that his family, left with no alternative, had already withdrawn. The emperor yawned, gave no further glance to the two kneeling beneath the steps, and slowly walked away with his hands clasped behind his back.
The air was motionless and neither spoke. Soon an inner attendant hurried over and presented the heavy black cloak with both hands, but Xie Jing did not accept it. He first glanced at Lu Lingcong, who did not raise his eyes yet understood his meaning and only said, “It was bestowed upon you, so accept it.”
Xie Jing then stopped being polite, took the cloak, shook it open, and wrapped himself in it. He immediately felt much warmer, and the pain in his knee gradually eased. His heart rate slowed a little, and he quipped softly, “It seems you and I are keeping the New Year’s vigil together now.”
Lu Lingcong remained motionless after hearing him. After a long while, he slowly unclenched his tight fist, turned his head slightly, and looked at Xie Jing: “Why did you do that?”
Xie Jing did not answer at once and only returned Lu Lingcong’s gaze, studying his eyes in silence for a long while. Only after seeming to confirm something did he speak: “You worried too much; I did it only for the Xie family.”
He looked In the direction the Emperor had left and said softly and quickly, “Just now, when I heard His Majesty’s words, I even thought this whole affair tonight was a play staged by you and your father, trying to corner the Xie family even after the matter was settled.”
Lu Lingcong frowned: “You mean ‘ask the Xie family’s opinion on Zhen’s behalf’?”
Xie Jing nodded and said, “But now it seems you are not an accomplice either. In that case it is simply His Majesty’s tactic.”
He suddenly gave a sarcastic laugh that never reached his eyes and spoke in a cold tone: “You can shoot geese on your own, yet His Majesty can just as easily kill two birds with one stone. Those two geese in the Xie family’s possession are already dead. You should be grateful that you and I are still able to breathe and speak while kneeling here.”
Lu Lingcong was silent for a moment, then said, “But even if Emperor Father’s words had hidden meaning, and even if I understood his implication, I still would have gone over and asked Lord Xie’s opinion.”
Xie Jing let out an “Mm”: “Of course you would ask, and of course my father would seize the opportunity to refuse.”
He reached out and pointed toward the ceiling: “He understands you too well, and he also understands my father too well as well. He calculated the consequences of saying that sentence long ago. He was just waiting for this marriage to be called off by the two of you. And then? Do you know what the next step is?”
Lu Lingcong paused, then said softly, “Defiance of an Imperial Decree.”
Xie Jing snapped his fingers and said evenly, “From those two sentences of yours just now, it’s clear you understand His Majesty very well. His consort, his own daughter, and you—his eldest son, he values all of you.”
“What are the consequences for your defiance? And what are the consequences for the Xie family’s defiance?” Xie Jing raised an eyebrow, as if speaking of a trivial matter. “We would die, but you guys would not.”
Lu Lingcong shifted his gaze, but Xie Jing knew he tacitly agreed.
“That’s why I initially thought this was a setup conspired by you and your father. If the Xie family had dared to harbor the slightest personal intention of disobedience, we would have been condemned immediately.”
Lu Lingcong sighed almost imperceptibly; his expression somewhat somber. After a long pause, he said, “But even so… I still wouldn’t allow a one-in-ten-thousand chance of my family being put in danger.”
Xie Jing smiled broadly: “Coincidentally, so am I. That’s why I knelt here before you could even ask the question.”
He shrugged: “But It’s only by this that I confirmed you were also being played. So, what about Luoyi? If public opinion genuinely condemns it and going becomes unavoidable, I have no objections either.”
Lu Lingcong shook his head, however: “As you said, tonight I was merely an incidental target. Proceeding to the fiefdom is an ambiguous matter with no real consequence. After kneeling here tonight, which served as a warning to both you and me, the matter should not be brought up again in the future.”
“Ah,” Xie Jing sounded rather disappointed. “Are we really not going? Luoyi is very close to my hometown, and the scenery is no less beautiful than Jiangnan. Since I can’t help my father much by staying in the capital anyway, I might as well just go back—”
He glanced at Lu Lingcong’s expression, knew his implied meaning had landed, and stopped teasing. He looked up at the increasingly dark sky and finally whispered, “The snow in Luoyi is heavier than in Jinling.”
The snow in Luoyi was, of course, heavier than in Jinling. In fact, it wasn’t until the latter half of New Year’s Eve—the very first hours of the new year—that the sky, which had frowned for half the night, finally and reluctantly scattered a few flakes of snow, blanketing Jinling in the first white of the Zhengyou eighth year.
By the fourth watch[mfn]3-5 AM.[/mfn], Xie Jing couldn’t stay awake anymore and fell asleep, shifting from kneeling to sitting on his heels. The distance between him and Lu Lingcong went from half an arm’s length to zero. He completely relaxed his body and leaned softly against him with his temple resting on Lu Lingcong’s shoulder. At some point, the greatcoat had begun half-enveloping both of them.
This posture was not comfortable, but Xie Jing was truly very sleepy and slept soundly while nestling against the warmth beside him.
No one came to chastise them for their improper kneeling posture. After the snow began to fall more heavily, palace attendants even silently brought them a paper umbrella. Lu Lingcong took it and raised his right arm; the one Xie Jing was not leaning on, to open it. A moment later, when he realized the bitter wind was blowing from the northwest, he tilted the umbrella toward Xie Jing’s side and then angled it a little more.
The water clock was nearly running out, and dawn was just breaking when Xie Jing was startled awake by Zhong Zhao’s voice. Grasping Lu Lingcong’s left arm, he barely managed to straighten his kneeling posture and saw Zhong Zhao smiling as he spoke politely, “His Majesty has said that the joyous occasion is in just a few days. Young Master Xie and Your Highness, please return and rest. Do not catch a chill and miss the auspicious hour.”
Lu Lingcong agreed, took some silver fragments from his pouch, and rewarded Zhong Zhao, telling him to distribute it among the palace attendants who had been on night duty at Shenlong Hall. Zhong Zhao accepted it beamingly, thanked him repeatedly for the grace, and then ordered an inner attendant to quickly fetch Prince Zhao’s mount.
Xie Jing hadn’t continued kneeling on his knees in the latter half of the night, and his winter robes were thick, so the pain wasn’t severe. However, his calves were both numb and sore. He had to shift most of his weight onto Lu Lingcong’s arm as a pivot as he struggled to get up. Lu Lingcong then gripped his elbow, half-pulling and half-embracing him to help him stand up.
He rubbed his eyes: “Shall we leave the palace and find a place for breakfast?”
Lu Lingcong took the reins, stroked Yi Yun’s snow-white mane to comfort her, and shook his head: “I need to go see my mother. You go back first. Let Yi Yun take you.”
Xie Jing was sleepy and didn’t think much about it. Only now did he realize that the Xie family, being unsure of the emperor’s intent, probably couldn’t send carriages to pick him up, and they might still be waiting for news from him at the mansion. He didn’t refuse, only asking, “Does she know the way?”
“Didn’t she go there last time?” Lu Lingcong shifted aside to let Xie Jing brace himself on his shoulder to mount the horse. “It’s a good chance for her to recognize the entrance again.”
Xie Jing reined the horse before the gate of his mansion and dismounted. He turned and gazed into Yi Yun’s bright eyes for a moment. Tentatively he raised his hand, and Yi Yun stepped half a pace forward and gently nuzzled his palm with docility.
“Thank you,” Xie Jing patted her flank. “Go home and be careful.”
Yi Yun then stepped back a few feet, stamped her forelegs, and turned to leave. Xie Jing watched until she left Wuyi Lane, then sighed, stepped up the stone steps, and knocked on the door of the Xie’s Mansion. In the main hall, his mother, older brother, and sister-in-law were all present with their breakfast half-finished on the table. Seeing Xie Jing enter, the worried looks on their faces temporarily receded. They came over to him and questioned him closely then set out a bowl and chopsticks, poured hot tea, served steaming porridge and urged him to sit down and eat breakfast.
In front of his mother, Xie Jing did not want to cause worry, so he didn’t tell the whole truth. Fortunately, Madam Xie only assumed he had genuinely stood up for Lu Lingcong. She didn’t press for details, only complaining that he shouldn’t have been so reckless. Xie Jing asked about his father, but Madam Xie said Xie Yi had finished eating and returned to his study: “He told us not to go looking for you, saying it was nothing major. I find that strange. How can being frozen all night be a minor thing?”
Xie Jing then patiently appeased his mother again. He understood in his heart that Xie Yi must have figured out the core mechanism of the situation and knew that from the moment Xie Jing knelt down to show his stance, the Xie family had, albeit barely, passed this major test.
On the first day of the New Year, guests arrived continuously. Xie Yi’s colleagues and students were led directly to the study for tea. Xie Yan shuttled between the main hall and the front parlor, returning greetings and exchanging pleasantries. While Madam Xie and Lady Yao entertained the female guests in the warm pavilion behind the courtyard. Even Xie Jun was taken to the Yao Mansion by his maternal grandfather before breakfast, as Lady Yao was too busy managing Xie Jing’s marriage this year to visit her own family. The entire household had only Xie Jing left as an idle person. On his way back to his room servants and maids hurried in and out with no one having the time to notice him.
Xie Jing entered his room and kicked off his soaking wet shoes and socks. The bathing water, however, had been prepared and heated early. He quickly washed to warm his body, then climbed into bed and stared blankly at the canopy for fifteen minutes, realizing that he had lived in this room for less than a year in total, and in just a few days, he would be leaving it for good again.
Then he rolled over, pulled the quilt over his head, and fell into a deep sleep.
Before falling asleep, Xie Jing didn’t realize that this would be his last peaceful and leisurely rest for the next six days. Once the guests left, all the Xie’s Mansion’s attention returned to him. Xie Yan tirelessly reviewed the wedding day schedule with him, warning him not to make any mistakes or show displeasure and to endure whatever came for just that one day. Madam Xie, meanwhile, checked the dowry again and again, wanting to add and modify things, and even wanted Xie Jing to take several more serving girls to the Prince’s Mansion. Xie Jing dissuaded her by saying, “Bringing too many of my own people might displease His Highness,” before she finally relented.
The Empress assigned two court governesses from the Bureau of Ceremonial Supervision to the Xie’s Mansion to instruct him on various etiquette and conduct and how to serve His Highness and please his husband in the future. Xie Jing reluctantly learned, letting the instructions go in one ear and out the other. He thought that if Lu Lingcong dared to order him around like that after the marriage, he would go to the emperor and personally request to proceed to the fiefdom in Luoyi.
What made Xie Jing most embarrassed was when Lady Yao personally came to his room. She sent the servants away, put on an air of secrecy, lowered her voice and whispered guidance on the arts of the bedroom.
Xie Jing’s face felt hot: “Sister-in-law, I… probably… know what’s going on…”
Lady Yao looked at him distrustfully: “You know?”
Xie Jing: “…Right?”
Lady Yao: “If you knew, Father would have broken your legs long ago.”
Xie Jing wanted to cry but had no tears: “No, the thing is, primarily, this matter, I have to do it with, a man.”
Lady Yao looked utterly matter of fact: “That’s right, didn’t I do it with a man too? Otherwise, why would I ask you to listen carefully?”
It was already night on the sixth day of the first month when Xie Yi sought him out. The lamplight in the room was dim. His father was leaning on the bed while reading a book. Xie Jing then walked in, paid his respects and was told by Xie Yi to sit down. After a thought, he said, “You have to wake up early tomorrow, and it will be noisy all day. Father won’t delay you too much.”
He handed the ancient scroll in his hand to Xie Jing. Xie Jing did not flip back to the cover but lowered his eyes to see a few phrases, knowing it was the [Book of Jin].
“Have you read it?” Xie Yi asked.
Xie Jing nodded.
“Biography twenty-seven, have you read it?”
Xie Jing nodded again: “It contains eight people, including Luo Xian and Teng Xiu.”
Xie Yi waved his hand: “Don’t worry about the others, only focus on Hu Fen. Do you remember the saying Hu Fen once told Yang Jun?”
Xie Jing concentrated for a moment. His face, which had been slightly confused by the series of questions without context, gradually grew serious. He opened his mouth and quietly recited in a slow measured voice:
“Looking back at previous dynasties, those who marry into the imperial family have never failed to see their clan annihilated; it is only a matter of—time.”
He stared blankly at Xie Yi, whose expression was normal, and after a long silence, he merely whispered, “Father.”
Xie Yi sighed: “I am not a worrywart, nor do I intend to raise alarms, and I certainly won’t, like Yang Jun, flaunt power and intimidate others by relying on imperial connections. But past events are guides for future action. The road ahead will only become more difficult. Whether for yourself or for the Xie family, you must be careful, even more careful.”
Xie Jing softly said, “Son understands.”
“Do not let that incident the other day happen again. I know you were afraid of implicating the family, but the Heavens ordained that your father and elder brother are ahead of you, meaning that some things must be shouldered by us on your behalf, while other things can only be done by you for us. If we avoid trouble today, there is still tomorrow awaiting us.”
“Moreover, there are too many things in this world that cannot be changed by your efforts alone. You can fight, you can resist, but in the end, you will find that whatever the outcome was supposed to be, it will still be that outcome,” Xie Yi smiled faintly. “It is a bit early to say this. Perhaps you will understand when you are thirty, or perhaps later.”
Xie Jing did not know how to respond, so he could only nod again. He then looked up at his father, detecting a hint of age in his eyes and brows.
“Go back now,” Xie Yi said gently. “The dust has settled. From now on, you and His Highness must support each other. If you fare well, the family can rest easy.”
