Translator"s note: Announcing the opening of a ! Will be updated according to the translation!
Also, due to RL issues, from this chapter onwards I"m switching from an update every three days to a weekly update. QLTT will thus be released every Wednesday instead. Those who would like to lend some support may please consider buying me a coffee here!
— Armaria
20: Red to Green A golden basin held the clothes that the maid offered in her hands, and Shan Chao flipped through, saw that it was a brand-new Imperial Guard uniform, and count not help but pause slightly.
"Change," Xie Yun coldly said, "without this, you"d be shot to death before you even enter the Xuanwu Gate."
The Imperial Guard uniform was made of a deep red cloud brocade, with white muslin lining, with a black belt patterned with a flying fish pattern in dark gold, with a similar wrist protector along the sleeve cuffs, tailored to an exceptional tightness and nimbleness. There was a bronze mirror erected in a corner of the outer room, and Shan Chao studied himself up and down, and somewhat could not recognise who was this stalwart young man.
The maid carried in a bronze Imperial Guard token from below the corridor, starting as she caught sight of Shan Chao, presently which she covered her mouth in surprise and said: "What a charming gentleman."
Shan Chao moved away his gaze uneasily, to see Xie Yun stride out of the inner room after changing clothes, asking the maid: "You like him?"
The maid said: "A handsome boy, who wouldn"t like him?"
Xie Yun smiled: "Then you can serve him—but if he dies in the Palace today, the two of you would be destined to meet but not fated to be together."
These words had a deep meaning, that Shan Chao could not help but shiver in his heart.
Xie Yun did not explain further, retrieving that bronze token threaded in leather rope from the maid"s tray, and pa.s.sed by to personally tie it to Shan Chao"s belt.
Xie Yun had also changed into official robes—this was the first time all his life that Shan Chao had seen him wear the Imperial Guard Commander uniform, which unexpectedly had a reverse colour scheme to the Imperial Guard uniform, snow-white cloud brocade with deep red lining, with the collar and cuffs exposing a red inlay edging, with the dark python embroidered pattern moving with each march, as if alive.
For people like him who had practised external martial arts to the pinnacle, their body shape and temperament would be extremely outstanding, yet extremely different from Shan Chao.
Shan Chao was like an unsheathed sword, with the blade exposed, with his grandeur at its peak; Xie Yun had undergone countless chiselling and honing over the years, with elegance and power exposed outside, and the genuinely fatal edge turned within.
"Later when we enter the Palace, do not speak, do not wander off, just follow behind me." Xie Yun tied the token, and took half a step back to study Shan Chao, saying: "You hold the Snow Lotus."
Shan Chao wanted to keep asking, yet Xie Yun placed an index finger by his lips, turning around to leave.
The east, Daming Palace.
The horse-carriage entered from the north gate, pa.s.sing through the long street to arrive before a huge storied gate, where a few guards armed with sabres greeted, inviting the Commander to dismount and walk—any further would be the boundaries of the Outer Court. Shan Chao got off the carriage, raising his head to see the overcast afternoon sunlight pa.s.s through three huge gates, with a signboard displaying in gold lettering against a blue background three great characters to great astonishment: "Xuanwu Gate," Xie Yun said.
Shan Chao glanced at the cracks of the green-brick tiles underfoot, yet he only saw that the expansive plaza, stretching as far as the eye could see, before him the Xuanwu Gate and the distant Hanliang Palace throwing down majestic grey shadows in the mist.
"What are you looking at?" Xie Yun ridiculed, "The blood has long dried."
The general drapes the night over his shoulder on the Xuanwu Gate, to ask for the great honour by the five gates of the bedroom1—it had been forty years since the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Crown Prince Yin Li Jiancheng, the former crown prince Li Chengqian, the Prince of Qi Li Yuanji, the Prince of Wei Li Tai, even the former emperor himself had departed this mortal world, yet the Jin river still circled Taiji Palace, and the clear and crystalline Taiye Lake reflected the curling and uncurling of clouds, drifting without a trace towards the horizon.
They pa.s.sed by the Northern Bureau, and at the end of a side street a palace attendant was already waiting there, walking up to give a deep salute: "Commander, please follow me."
Pausing the attendant added: "The Empress has been waiting for a long time."
Shan Chao felt a chill on his wrist—Xie Yun"s five fingers had connected on his wrist.
It was unclear if that touch was a pull or a hold, and it was also hard to ascertain what kind of mood did that transmit, yet it was only conducted in an instant. Immediately Xie Yun let go and courteously turned to the attendant: "I know, please lead the way."
Qingning Palace was at the start of the Inner Palace side street, close to the rear of Zichen Hall, they had walked for about half a quarter to bypa.s.s the dazzling palace gates, and followed the long paulownia corridor to arrive before a building. At this moment the surroundings were desolate and silent, and the distant plaza did not have even a human silhouette in sight, the attendant stopped walking and smiled: "Commander please, the Empress is awaiting within."
Xie Yun"s rear figure seemed to pause, before he stepped over the tall threshold, and then he heard the attendant behind him turn towards Shan Chao grinning: "May this guard wait at the side hall—do you want tea?"
This question was somewhat abrupt, and Shan Chao had yet to respond, when Xie Yun suddenly said: "He does not need anything which need to be taken through the mouth."
It seemed that a confrontational deadlock had suddenly pa.s.sed in an instant, and then Xie Yun leant over to instruct Shan Chao: "Be more careful, don"t drop the Snow Lotus in your hands."
His words had just ended, when the attendant"s expression suddenly changed.
Yet the attendant quickly vanished that expression, and bowed with an agreement, before backing away.
Shan Chao gazed at Xie Yun, the latter"s eyes like a deep pool, reflecting the blue dome of heaven overhead of Daming Palace and the even more distant floating clouds.
The late autumn breeze blew in from the horizon, tangling the two people"s hair and lapels together.
Shan Chao"s hand hanging by the side moved, and then held the red sandalwood lock-box before him, murmuring: "You…"
Yet Xie Yun suddenly waved him away: "Protect yourself." And then he turned around to walk into the rear hall without looking back, quickly vanishing into the layered shadows of the great hall.
Shan Chao"s eyes kept gazing as his rear figure disappeared, before he backed up a step as if at a loss, and let out a long turbid breath from his chest.
At this moment the sky was awash in blue, the expansive palace gate plaza desolate and lonely. Beside the distant cries of geese flying past the blue dome of heaven, the surroundings were so quiet that only the wind could be heard. Shan Chao raised his head to look towards the tall building, and glimpsed something from the corner of his eyes—by the jade railing high above, there was someone standing there, gazing at him.
That was a woman.
She was dressed in red-gold palace silks, a phoenix hairpin pulling up her hair, and no longer young, yet magnificent and dignified set up on high, like a G.o.ddess descended with the wind from the highest heavens.
For some reason at the instant their eyes met, Shan Chao"s heart suddenly gave a heavy shiver, and an indescribable feeling suddenly arose from the depths of his soul.
Then the woman withdrew her gaze, turning to leave the tall tower, and the gold-flecked skirt disappeared under the blue sky.
1 ZH: 将军夜披玄武门，问寝五门朝至尊 - a line from "the poem ballad Night Picture of the Kaiyuan era" (开元夜游图) by the Song-era poet Zhou Bangyan.
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