Three Steps: From Assassin to Empress - Chapter 6: A Different Identity?
Chapter 6: A Different Identity?
“Xie Zhou, from Jiankang,” Ying Xiu replied.
Upon hearing the surname, a serious expression appeared on Wang Shouzhen’s face. This surname inevitably brought to mind the Xie clan of Jianzhang, who were known for retiring from office and giving up power for a life of reclusion, especially since he was from the capital. It seemed he was a retainer of the Xie clan of Jianzhang.
Just a retainer.
Wang Shouzhen’s expression relaxed a little. Ying Xiu’s eyes were sparkling, and he smiled like a child whenever he mentioned that Xie clan retainer. Wang Shouzhen couldn’t help but chuckle. “Since you like him, I’ll find a way to get him for you.”
Ying Xiu was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head. “No,” he said seriously. “Only if he says he doesn’t want to be a retainer anymore, then I’ll take him with me.”
It seemed he didn’t want him to interfere. Although the Xie clan of Jianzhang was not to be trifled with, he was just a retainer after all. It wouldn’t be difficult to exchange some things for him.
After Ying Xiu’s refusal, Wang Shouzhen didn’t bring up the topic again. He laughed and asked, “So, is he more handsome, or am I?” He was quite emotional. “You said I was handsome when you first saw me. It hasn’t even been a few years, and you’ve already changed your mind.”
Ying Xiu felt inexplicably guilty. He raised his eyes to look at Wang Shouzhen for a moment, then quickly lowered them. He didn’t know if he should tell the truth. The truth was that Xie Zhou was much more handsome. Xie Zhou’s beauty was sharp, like the cold gleam of a sword, a beauty that could take a person’s life. At the same time, it was reserved and calm. From afar, he looked like a clear moonlight, but up close, he was the flash of a sword.
Seeing his reaction, Wang Shouzhen didn’t press the matter and simply smiled.
There were still some things he hadn’t told Ying Xiu. This trip to Jiangzhou was bound to be full of intrigue and danger. The governor of Jiangzhou was a southern noble of the Wu clan, while the Wang clan of Langya were gentry from the Central Plains who had migrated south with Emperor Yuanxi. The two families had always been at odds. Emperor Zhaosu sending a retainer from the Wang clan of Langya to be the vice-governor of Jiangzhou was clearly a move to balance the power between the two families. The Xie clan of Jianzhang was also a gentry family, and they had secretly sent a retainer to Xunyang, Jiangzhou. Perhaps they could try to cooperate with the Xie clan. Once the canal was built, they could compete for control of the transportation routes.
Wang Shouzhen’s mind was racing. He decided he needed to find an opportunity to meet that retainer from the Xie clan of Jianzhang. It just so happened that tonight was the welcoming banquet for the vice-governor of Jiangzhou, held at the private residence of the governor of Jiangzhou. Wang Shouzhen was attending as an honored guest, while Wang Yu, citing that he was new to the area and wanted to see the scholars of Jiangzhou, asked the governor of Jiangzhou to invite all the scholars and literati in the city to the banquet. This big roundabout was just to allow Ying Xiu to attend the banquet in his current identity.
The governor of Jiangzhou’s private residence was built in a conventional manner, neither exceeding the official system nor appearing cramped or poor. Even so, it was enough to make the impoverished scholars look up in awe.
Tonight, it was a buffet. Tea cups floated on the clear water, and the soft sound of utensils clinking in the water created an elegant and refined atmosphere. Ying Xiu sat among a group of unfamiliar scholars, looking left and right, trying to find Xie Zhou among the guests.
The other day, when he learned that Jianxin intended to meet with Xie Zhou, he immediately asked someone to deliver a letter to Xie Zhou. It was strange that the boy who was responsible for the delivery returned with a pale face, as if he had been greatly frightened. When asked what happened, the boy just shook his head, saying the people inside were very friendly and he was just scared by the guards.
The Xie residence guards? He didn’t see any when he went there last time.
Ying Xiu decided he would go himself from now on. If he did run into guards, he might be able to fight them and improve his martial skills.
He waited for a quarter of an hour. The guests gradually took their seats, and the banquet hall was almost full, but he still hadn’t seen that familiar white figure. Ying Xiu felt a little disheartened. It seemed Xie Zhou wouldn’t be coming.
He had thought that if he could facilitate the cooperation between the Wang and Xie families, Xie Zhou, as the retainer who took the lead, might be given an important position by his master, and his life in the Xie clan would be better. But Xie Zhou didn’t come…
Ying Xiu had no desire to stay. He simply got up to go for a walk outside. The governor of Jiangzhou’s residence was surrounded by water corridors. Outside the railings, the water was sparkling. The light from the lanterns reflected on the lake, making the scenery feel serene and secluded.
Ying Xiu walked with his head down and almost bumped into a group of people coming toward him.
“Sorry—” Ying Xiu instinctively said an apology. When he looked up and saw the person in front of him, he blurted out, “Xie Zhou?”
Unlike before, Xie Zhou was surrounded by many people. Their heavy fur robes and precious ornaments were luxurious. Each one of them looked elegant and dignified, commanding respect without needing to get angry. They glanced at him, stopped, and some emotion flashed in their eyes before they moved back in a silent, unspoken agreement.
These people had a unique aura and didn’t seem easy to deal with. How could Xie Zhou be standing in the middle of them?
“Ying Xiu,” Xie Zhou’s voice suddenly called his name. Ying Xiu, as if waking from a dream, instinctively said “Ah,” and quickly trotted to Xie Zhou’s side. Sometimes, even he didn’t understand why he instinctively obeyed Xie Zhou. It wasn’t just because of that face. There was a voice in his heart that faintly told him he had to listen to Xie Zhou, or something terrible would happen. This was the sharp intuition of an assassin facing danger.
“Do you want me to cooperate with the Wang clan?” Xie Zhou didn’t explain why he was late, and Ying Xiu forgot to ask. Looking at that face, he forgot all his sadness and frustration. He didn’t notice the impropriety of Xie Zhou’s words. The Wang clan of Langya was a noble family with a century of history, a powerful and established aristocracy. A common retainer should not speak of the Wang clan with such a calm, indifferent, or even slightly contemptuous tone.
“Yes, I do!” Ying Xiu said without thinking, earnestly. “If you make this happen, your life in the Xie family will be much better.”
The water corridor was open on all sides. A wind blew from the lake, causing the lanterns hanging from the eaves to sway. The light was hazy, illuminating the young man’s bright eyes. Around a bend in the corridor, a group of people stood still, their eyes lowered, not daring to look at what was happening in front of them. Their eyes couldn’t see, but their ears could hear. Conversations occasionally reached them. The young man’s voice was clear and bright, like a cheerful little bird.
He was talking to Emperor Zhaosu, saying that if he cooperated with the Wang family, Emperor Zhaosu’s life would be better. All of Emperor Zhaosu’s confidants, who lived in constant fear under his authority, were thinking: “…?” What are you talking about?
Who would dare to make the emperor’s life difficult, especially this emperor, Emperor Zhaosu, who was a notoriously cruel and bloodthirsty tyrant?
Ying Xiu was completely unaware of this. He was doing something very important—the young man tentatively took a corner of Xie Zhou’s robe. Suddenly, he felt the other’s gaze on him, and like being scalded, he immediately let go of the sleeve, looking down guiltily.
The young man lowered his head awkwardly, revealing his slender and graceful neck behind his collar. His skin was as delicate as cream, and some small scars were faintly visible.
Xie Zhou didn’t say anything. He didn’t know why Ying Xiu wanted to hold his sleeve, but it didn’t stop him from casually putting his sleeve into Ying Xiu’s hand. Suddenly, his hand held a piece of soft, cold fabric. Ying Xiu instinctively grasped it, holding it in his hand, and looked up in surprise. His eyes unexpectedly met the other’s. In that brief moment, the young assassin’s ears turned red for some reason. He quickly turned his head away, let go of the snowy white robe, and walked forward with a quick tap-tap-tap.
The young man fled in disarray, plunging into the darkness and running for several steps before turning back. He shouted to Xie Zhou: “Xie Zhou, I’ll wait for you at the Canglang Pavilion!”
After saying this, he ran away again, even using his lightness skill.
Silence returned.
The robe that had been carefully held in a person’s palm now fell again, like a piece of cold snow. Xie Zhou stood alone, transforming back into Emperor Zhaosu. His handsome and stern face was cold and indifferent, making it impossible to tell if he was kind or heartless.
After a brief and sudden interlude, the officials who had been waiting in place began to move again. Without a word, they silently surrounded the young emperor and continued to walk forward. People came and went, but the river water under the water corridor remained still. The wind blew the five-sided glazed lanterns of the Canglang Pavilion, and the candlelight flickered.
Ying Xiu, standing behind Wang Shouzhen, suddenly remembered something. His public identity was that of a down-on-his-luck scholar. How could a mere scholar know the eldest son of the Wang clan and even arrange for the eldest son to meet with someone? This didn’t make sense.
Ying Xiu thought about it for a long time and decided to just go with it. Anyway, Xie Zhou might not even notice this flaw. If he asked, he could just casually brush it off.
Wang Shouzhen had just arrived, but the other party, a mere retainer, had little status and spoke with little authority, yet he was even later than he was, which made him a little displeased. For Ying Xiu’s sake, Wang Shouzhen didn’t say anything.
In the distance, a tall, lanky figure with a lantern approached. He walked out of the hazy, dim water corridor. Wherever he went, the candlelight was bright and cold, and his snowy white robe seemed to emit a chilly aura under the light.
A murderous aura.
When Wang Shouzhen first saw him, the word suddenly came to mind. He looked reserved and gentle, but he was actually covered in bl00d. Ying Xiu is so naive. How could he get involved with someone like this?!
Completely unaware of what was on Wang Shouzhen’s mind, Ying Xiu had already waved to Xie Zhou. Sitting next to Wang Shouzhen, he couldn’t speak loudly, so he could only gesture to Xie Zhou: “Xie Zhou, Xie Zhou, I’m here!”
Xie Zhou looked at him from a distance, then walked into the Canglang Pavilion with his lantern and naturally took a seat next to Ying Xiu. Now, Ying Xiu had Wang Shouzhen on his left and Xie Zhou on his right. The atmosphere dropped to freezing point. Ying Xiu was completely oblivious and said to Xie Zhou, “This is Young Master Wang, Wang Shouzhen.” Then, he turned to Wang Shouzhen and said, “This is Xie Zhou.”
This is Xie Zhou.
Hearing the brief introduction, Xie Zhou’s dark and slender eyelashes blinked slightly. His eyes reflected the pitch-black, soft swirl of hair on Ying Xiu’s head. Logically, after Ying Xiu’s introduction, Xie Zhou, who had a lower status, should have taken the initiative to greet Wang Shouzhen. However, he didn’t say anything. He just sat next to Ying Xiu, as if he was just there to make an appearance.
Wang Shouzhen’s eyebrow twitched. As the eldest son of the Wang clan of Langya, he rarely had to put on a smile for people. Most of the time, others would flatter him and cater to him. Even his peers from the Xie clan of Jianzhang would at least be polite and start a conversation to avoid an awkward silence.
How dare a mere retainer be so disrespectful?
Perhaps…
He’s not just a retainer of the Xie clan of Jianzhang?
This thought suddenly appeared, making Wang Shouzhen break out in a cold sweat. Xie Zhou, from Jiankang. If what he said was true, Jiankang was the capital, the emperor’s city, and there were countless princes and nobles. Could it be that he is a prince or a noble in disguise?