Chapter Fourteen: Fragrant Serenity Courtyard

Year Six of King Zheng of Qin, ninth month, twenty-second day.

Today, for many, passed in tranquil normalcy, yet for others, fate was irrevocably rewritten.

Since mastering the basics of Tai Chi, Li Yu had made it a habit to practice for half an hour every day. After his morning routine, he felt exceptionally spirited today; whether it was just his imagination or not, even his eyesight seemed sharper than usual. Perhaps this was the effect of Tai Chi. He hoped Tai Chi might benefit Ying Zheng, his so-called elder brother; Li Yu would rather not see this "brother" die young from drug use. He felt as if he were constantly fretting over Ying Zheng—alas, such was the debt he owed.

...

On the streets of Xianyang, Li Yu carried his suitcase leisurely, observing the passersby with idle curiosity. Inwardly, he sighed—how much better life was in ancient times. If he were in the modern world, a celebrity like him couldn't possibly stroll about so freely.

He knocked on the gate of the Lü residence; this time, the path was familiar. The door was opened by Lü Fang, old Lü himself. Observing the stream of guests, Li Yu couldn't help but wonder—when Lü Buwei eventually falls, how many will choose to remain?

At that moment, a young man blocked Li Yu's path. "Student Gan Luo greets the Grand Chancellor!" Li Yu scrutinized him, asking, "Do you have business with me?" Gan Luo was a figure Li Yu knew well: a fleeting star in history, appointed as chief minister at the tender age of twelve, brilliant yet ephemeral—a pity.

Gan Luo bowed respectfully. "I wish to study under the Grand Chancellor!"

Li Yu asked, intrigued, "Why choose me? The Lü residence’s collection is renowned throughout the land; I doubt even the palace can compare."

Gan Luo raised his head with pride. "I have read all the books in Lü’s collection, they are etched in my heart."

Really? Could he be his own self from two thousand years ago? Photographic memory? Li Yu was skeptical.

Old Lü interjected, "Gan Luo does not lie. The Chancellor himself has tested him."

Li Yu had no desire to be followed by a precocious child all day, though he himself wasn't much older. He pondered for a moment, then said, "Do you recall the four phrases I spoke in court?"

Gan Luo’s eyes filled with yearning. "Establish a heart for Heaven and Earth, establish destiny for the people, continue the lost learning of the sages, bring peace for all generations. I recite these daily; it is the scholar’s lifelong aspiration."

Li Yu pressed, "Do you know whence these phrases came?"

Gan Luo replied, "They are born from the Grand Chancellor’s travels across the kingdoms."

Li Yu nodded mysteriously. "I grant you four words—Unity of Knowledge and Action. Knowledge is the beginning of action; action is the fulfillment of knowledge. Meditate on this yourself."

Gan Luo stood transfixed, as if carved from wood, his gaze vacant and unfocused.

Li Yu nodded with satisfaction to Lü Fang. "This child has remarkable talent." With that, he strode toward Lü Buwei’s study.

Li Yu genuinely wished to help this gifted youth, perhaps because their paths were so similar. Gan Luo bowed deeply in Li Yu’s direction.

...

Before the desk, Li Yu looked on as Lü Buwei, his temples streaked with gray and crow’s feet etched deeply, wrote intently. Li Yu sighed; this man, who had labored for Great Qin half his life, was truly aged.

Clearly, Lü Buwei still managed state affairs; compared to the yet-unproclaimed Ying Zheng, the Chancellor’s burdens were heavier still.

"Li Yu, you’re here!" Lü Buwei finished writing, set down his brush and paper, and finally noticed Li Yu before him.

"What brings you here today?"

Li Yu said nothing, gazing at Lü Buwei until the Chancellor’s nerves began to fray, even growing faintly angry. Then, Li Yu produced a wooden box and offered it with both hands. "The King entrusted me to deliver this to the Chancellor."

---

Lü Buwei was already curious about the item Li Yu carried. "What is it?"

Li Yu answered quietly, "A human head—from Ganquan Palace. The King is greatly enraged."

At those words, old Lü behind Li Yu opened his eyes, their brilliance sharp as a blade, staring intently.

Lü Buwei’s body stiffened; his eyes narrowed, his withered features growing somber as he regarded Li Yu, making no move to accept the box.

Li Yu maintained his posture, box extended, confronting Lü Buwei. After a tense silence, his grave expression melted into a smile as he spoke softly, "Tonight, a thief broke into Ganquan Palace, attempting to violate the Queen Mother. Fortunately, Heaven protected her, and she is unharmed."

"As long as the Queen Mother is safe," Lü Buwei replied after a pause, his face unsmiling and cold as he watched Li Yu.

An indescribable pressure weighed on Li Yu, but he remained unaffected. His courage had grown so robust that ordinary intimidation was meaningless.

"The King and Queen Mother wished to question the Chancellor, but I advised them that the Chancellor is exhausted from state affairs; lapses are inevitable and forgivable. The King accepted my counsel and has now appointed me to oversee this matter, to thoroughly investigate the palace."

Li Yu placed the ornate box on the floor, his smile sly and insincere, speaking slowly. The implication was clear: from now on, the Chancellor was to avoid palace affairs. There would be no second chance.

Lü Buwei narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Li Yu for a moment, then returned his smile with equal deliberation. "In that case, I am grateful to the Grand Chancellor. Lately, I have indeed felt my strength waning; oversights are inevitable, and the Queen Mother’s alarm was my fault."

"Qin cannot do without its Chancellor. You must care for your health," Li Yu replied, voice earnest with concern for Lü Buwei’s wellbeing.

"I am old now; the future of Qin depends on the King and the Grand Chancellor," Lü Buwei said, smiling.

Li Yu hurriedly demurred, exchanged a few compliments, then took his leave. This time, Lü Buwei personally escorted Li Yu to the gate, watching as he boarded his carriage and departed. Only then did the Chancellor’s smile vanish entirely, his gaze turning cold and forbidding.

Old Lü appeared silently at his side, bowing low to whisper, "It’s Lao Ai’s head."

"Fool!" Lü Buwei could not suppress his anger, his voice icy. He had anticipated exposure, but never so swiftly or so directly, with no time to react.

Li Yu had brought Lao Ai’s head, along with the goodwill of the King and Queen Mother. Though the words carried little substance, the implication was clear: the Queen Mother aside, the King was now extremely dissatisfied with him. Had Li Yu not calmed the King, Lü Buwei might already have faced punishment.

...

Just outside the Lü residence, Li Yu spotted Li Si waiting. He approached, asking, "Are you waiting for me, or looking for the Chancellor?"

Li Si bowed. "I learned from the Marquis’s house that your lordship was here, so I waited especially for the Grand Chancellor."

Li Yu asked, interested, "Did you find news about the wealthy merchants of Qin?"

Li Si raised a register. "All here."

Li Yu declined to take it, asking, "Is there a tavern nearby? Let’s eat and talk. Conducting business at someone’s gate is improper."

Yixiang Courtyard—the largest tavern in Xianyang, and also its greatest pleasure house. The first floor served food and drink, with private rooms and other entertainments above.

Li Yu had never been here; he’d heard it was the city’s greatest den of luxury, and had long been curious to see it for himself. Under the guise of official business, he’d finally seized the chance.

Any man would be curious; Li Yu had wondered since his first day in Xianyang how ancient times compared to the modern.

Li Si, too, was visiting for the first time, his own purse too meager ever to contemplate such a place.

Situated in the city’s busiest district, the tavern sprawled over nearly a hundred acres, divided into inner and outer courtyards. The outer courtyard was open to all; the inner required a sponsor—money alone wouldn’t suffice.

Li Yu was no stranger to luxury, having seen both ancient and modern palaces. He assumed opulence was much the same everywhere, but Yixiang Courtyard proved him naïve. Its splendor differed from the stately grandeur of the palace; here was the vulgarity of the nouveau riche, the scent of money everywhere. Giant blood coral stood as casual decoration; goblets were gold-plated, plates of silver, chopsticks made of ivory.

---

Li Yu felt he’d come to the wrong place—he feared he might not have enough money to leave, which would be embarrassing. And this was only the outer courtyard; how much more extravagant was the inner?

Country bumpkin, he silently chided himself.

Li Si, knowing his place, ordered only two snacks, dismissing the serving maid.

Li Yu, ignoring the tavern, asked Li Si, "Let me see the list of Qin’s top ten merchants."

Li Si handed it over. "They’re all here. There’s no ranking, but it’s accurate. The most famous is a widow named Qin, from Ba Prefecture—many call her Widow Qing of Ba."

Li Yu instantly recalled her—first female tycoon of the Seven States, who funded the First Emperor and earned his respect, a legendary woman in a history where few women are remembered.

Li Yu circled her name.

Further down, he saw a curious entry—the Emerald Tiger.

"This fellow is from Han, isn’t he? Why is he on Qin’s list?" Li Yu pointed at the name.

Li Si replied, "You know him? The Emerald Tiger is odd. He lives in Han, but most of his business is in Qin. Few know this, but the Chancellor does."

Li Yu narrowed his eyes, pondering ulterior motives, and said, "Meet these two first; the others can wait."

Just then, their food arrived.

Li Yu eyed the table, turned to the serving maid, and asked, "Are you sure you’ve got the right table?"

The maid bowed slightly. "Yes, madam sent it for you both. She wishes to cultivate good relations with the young lord."

Li Yu immediately understood—his identity had been revealed. In the Warring States, ‘young lord’ was not a casual title, but a mark of status.

He accepted the gesture, invited Li Si to eat freely, and began to feast. Many of the wild game would be endangered species in the modern era—just a bite would earn three years in jail. He had no reason to be polite; he faced adversity as it came. Glancing up, he saw the cautious Li Si eating beside him.

In a private room on the fourth floor, an old man peered out at Li Yu, with a mature woman beside him. Her stance showed she deferred to the man.

He muttered, "Why is he here?"

The woman probed, "Is the young lord the one Xiong Qi mentioned—Li Yu?" She was no fool, quickly piecing things together.

The man replied, "Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. I’m leaving. If he comes again, get close to him. He’s of great use to me."

With that, he vanished.

The woman glanced at Li Yu below, licked her lips, and smiled slightly—a smile reminiscent of the Black Widow.

Li Yu understood well enough. To run such a lavish establishment in Xianyang’s prime district, the power behind it must be considerable.

"Who could it be? Surely not him?" Li Yu mused. There were only a few with such influence, and the guess was not hard.

It was late; Li Yu did not go to the palace but headed straight for the Talent Pavilion.

He realized he needed to buy a carriage; otherwise, half his day would be wasted traveling.

His purpose at the Talent Pavilion was to check if Lady Yan had returned. He hadn’t seen her in over a week and missed her dearly.

He knocked at the temporary headquarters of the Yin-Yang School; the door was opened by Moon Goddess.

A flicker of disappointment flashed across his face, swiftly noticed by Moon Goddess. "Is the Grand Chancellor here to see my senior sister? Sorry to disappoint you—she’s not here."

Li Yu bowed. "Forgive the disturbance then, miss."

He turned to leave, but Moon Goddess called after him, "Why not come in for a while? If you have questions, perhaps I can help."

Moon Goddess herself was unsure why she’d stopped him; she regretted it instantly.

Yet Li Yu did turn, face solemn. "I do have something to ask, miss. I’ve heard your Yin-Yang School studies the soul deeply. I have a question that’s troubled me: for the past two nights, whenever I sleep, I feel as though I am both myself and not myself—as if I have gained another self. It’s very mysterious, so I hoped your school might help me understand."

Moon Goddess listened quietly, then stepped aside and bowed. "Let us speak inside, Grand Chancellor."