Volume Five: Down on His Luck, Northward to the Cloud Stele Chapter Four: Returning to the Residence

A fine carriage bearing the banner of the House of Su moved slowly along the broad streets of Moonview City.

Steward Su walked beside it, tilting his ear toward the sounds within. He had hurried as fast as he could, yet still been a step too late and failed to keep the young man from entering the carriage. The young lady had tugged and dragged him inside her own conveyance.

“The young lady is still unmarried. At this hour of the night, a man and a woman sharing a carriage alone—if anyone were to see it, her good name would be ruined!” Steward Su fretted as he walked, wringing his hands, listening now and then for any sound from inside.

Within the carriage, Su Mengling was carefully tending to Zhuohua’s wounds. Zhuohua sat rigidly upright, his expression grave, his eyes closed. He seemed to be asleep, yet his chest rose and fell too quickly for it to be said his heart was truly at peace.

As she cleaned his wounds, Su Mengling murmured through quiet sobs, “It is all my fault, for causing Big Brother to suffer such a grievous injury. Such a handsome Big Brother—if he were left with scars, what would I do?”

As she spoke, she turned to rinse the silk handkerchief in the copper basin beside her. The bloodstained water dissolved at once, and before long the basin of clear water had become a basin of red.

Su Mengling frowned, her chest heaving. Suddenly she covered her mouth in alarm and retched several times.

When the dry heaves passed, tears were already hanging in her eyes. She kept patting her chest from top to bottom with her small hand, forcing her breathing to steady.

Then a large, warm hand began patting her back in a measured rhythm. The touch was gentle yet firm, and Su Mengling felt much better.

She turned and gave Zhuohua a smile. “Big Brother, I am fine.”

“You are afraid of blood?”

“Yes. Ever since that time I was ambushed by a tiger demon and saw my family and guards torn apart before my eyes, I have had this weakness.” Lifting her gaze, her autumn-pure eyes filled with tears and sorrow. “Big Brother, am I especially useless?”

Zhuohua bent slightly and looked at her with gentle eyes. “It is not that you are useless. You were only six years old then; it would not be strange for you to react that way after seeing such a scene. What family’s little girl sees killings every day? When I first saw you, I thought you were very brave.”

His words made Su Mengling break into tears and laughter at once. “Really? Did Big Brother truly think I was brave then? But I was already so frightened I could only tremble!”

Zhuohua slowly straightened up, smiled, and did not answer her question. In his heart he thought, A six-year-old child seeing murder—only someone like Lanling would find that amusing.

With a creak, the carriage came to a stop. Outside, Steward Su’s voice drifted in. “Young lady, we have arrived home.”

Su Mengling rose at once, drew back the curtain, and peered outside. Zhuohua caught sight of a small yet exquisitely kept residence. Su Mengling answered brightly, “I know!”

Then she turned back, grabbed Zhuohua by the arm, and pulled him toward the door.

“Big Brother, we’re here. I’ll take you to meet my father. He must very much wish to see you as well.”

And so Zhuohua was half-led, half-dragged into the House of Su.

The residence was not large. Beyond the gate stood a screen wall about three meters high, carved with an elegant bat motif, with gourd patterns etched around it as ornament.

Turning past the screen wall, they entered a spacious courtyard. A broad path paved with blue bricks ran through the center, with many bamboo plants growing along either side. It was deep winter, and by rights there should have been some yellowed bamboo leaves falling to the ground, yet as Zhuohua walked, he did not see a single withered leaf. It was clear the master of the house had devoted considerable care to the bamboo grove.

Beyond the bamboo grove lay the main hall. The doors were open, and upon the wall hung a large painting of winter snow, plum blossoms, and bamboo. The brushwork was superb, the scene vivid as life.

So this Master Su is a man of letters and refinement, Zhuohua thought.

Su Mengling led Zhuohua to the threshold and said, “Big Brother, please have some tea here first. I will go inside to change clothes, then bring my father out to meet you.”

After speaking, she smiled sweetly at Steward Su. “Grandpa Su, I leave Big Brother in your care. You must look after him well. I’ll be back soon.” With that, she skipped merrily into the inner residence.

Zhuohua and Steward Su exchanged an awkward smile. Steward Su extended his right hand and said, “Please, come in.” Zhuohua clasped his hands and replied, “I am sorry to trouble you,” then stepped into the hall.

Steward Su led Zhuohua to the guest seat on the left and said, “Young Master Yan, I shall fetch a set of spare clothes for you. Please wait a moment.”

Zhuohua glanced at his own bare arms exposed from the torn sleeves and quickly stood to thank him. “Today I have indeed been discourteous.”

Steward Su smiled, bowed slightly, and withdrew.

Not long after, a maid brought a cup of tea to Zhuohua’s side and softly said, “Please have some tea, sir.” Before Zhuohua could even thank her, the maid set down the cup in haste and left.

As she turned away, Zhuohua seemed to catch her struggling to suppress a laugh.

At that moment, Zhuohua felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles—more uneasy than he had ever been when presiding over a grand assembly in the Spirit Insight Palace, with the masters of the four palaces and the clan heads of the seven houses all shouting over one another like a boiling cauldron.

Naturally, he did not touch the tea.

For these past three months, whether he had been beaten, humiliated, insulted, or driven away like a beggar when starving, he had always kept his breath and spirit from slackening.

But now, seated in a fine hall and treated as an honored guest, with everyone being so courteous to him, that tightly held breath at last loosened.

Only now did he have to admit it: he was no longer the exalted sovereign of Cloud Palace, the one who directed the currents of the realm.

He was merely a penniless, powerless waif.

The waif Yan Ruojun.

A long sigh rose in the quiet hall, where no one else was present, and it drew unusual attention.

Steward Su emerged from behind a side screen, carrying a brand-new set of clothes in both hands. Hearing that sigh, he hesitated slightly in his steps.

“This man must have suffered a great and grievous turn in his life. That sigh chills the heart,” Steward Su thought as he approached Zhuohua.

“Young Master Yan, I see that your build is not far from my son’s, so I took the liberty of bringing one of the young master’s new outfits. It was just made and has never been worn. Please do not despise it.”

As he spoke, Steward Su held the clothes out before Zhuohua.

Zhuohua did not look at the clothing. Instead, he stood and saluted Steward Su with respect. “Old sir, is this outfit intended for your son to wear for the New Year?”

Steward Su glanced down at the clothes and nodded. “Indeed. It was cloth cut for the New Year and made into a cotton robe. Still, it matters little. He can wear last year’s clothes.”

Zhuohua waved a hand and said with a smile, “Old sir, I appreciate your kindness. I will not change into it. Would you trouble yourself to fetch me a basin of clean water instead, so I may wash up before seeing the master of the house?”

Steward Su looked a little troubled. “But the young lady just told me to look after you properly. If you do not change into new clothes, and the young lady comes out and sees this, I fear she will blame this old man.”

Zhuohua smiled calmly. “I will explain it to Miss Su myself. Please do not worry.”

Steward Su nodded, put away the new cotton clothes, and said, “Then I shall go fetch water.” He turned to leave, then after a few steps looked back and said, “Thank you.” And with that, he hurried away.

Before long, Steward Su returned to the hall with the same little maid from before. Steward Su carried a copper basin, while the maid held a kettle of hot water. Standing by the side door, Steward Su called Zhuohua over.

Zhuohua rose and walked slowly to the small room beside the main hall. Steward Su had already set out the basin, and the maid was pouring hot water into it, occasionally reaching in to test the temperature with her hand.

Seeing Zhuohua, Steward Su smiled. “Young Master Yan, the water is ready. Please wash your face.”

Zhuohua smiled faintly and acknowledged him, then went to the basin to wash.

Seeing that Zhuohua’s cotton robe was in tatters, with both sleeves missing entirely, the little maid could not help laughing again.

Hearing the sound, Steward Su turned and gave the girl a sharp glare, frightening her so badly that she immediately smothered her laughter, lowered her head, and stood at attention beside him.

After washing his face and retying his crown, Zhuohua recovered some of his former bearing. He turned and thanked Steward Su and the maid separately with a bow.

It seemed to be the maid’s first time seeing such a handsome man; she could not help but let out a soft gasp. When Zhuohua’s gaze shifted toward her, her face flushed instantly to the roots of her ears, and she lowered her head even further.

Footsteps sounded from the direction of the hall, and Steward Su reminded Zhuohua, “Young Master Yan, the master has arrived.”

Zhuohua nodded and followed Steward Su quickly back into the hall. He stood before the guest seat with his hands folded, waiting for the household head to appear.

An old man in his fifties emerged from the rear hall. He was plainly dressed yet elegant in bearing, vigorous of spirit, and steady of step. Behind him followed Su Mengling, bright and carefree, her smile like a blossom in full bloom.

Before the old man had even reached the center of the hall, Su Mengling ran to Zhuohua’s side, praising him as she went. “Ah! Big Brother, you’ve washed up already! You look so handsome.” Then her eyes fell on his ragged robe, and her brows instantly knit together. She seized Steward Su by the hand and complained in a spoiled voice, “Steward Su! Didn’t I tell you to take good care of my Big Brother? Look at him—why is he still wearing these tattered clothes?”

Steward Su was just about to explain when, from the head of the hall, the old man barked, “Mengling! Which proper young lady tugs and fusses and makes such a racket as you do? Have you no decorum at all?” Then the old man turned his face toward Zhuohua and said with a smile, “My daughter is spoiled beyond measure, ill-mannered and without rules. I hope our guest will forgive the sight!”

Before he had finished speaking, the old man’s eyes suddenly widened. Tears burst forth at once, and both his wrinkled hands trembled as they reached forward.

With excitement and disbelief in his voice, he asked, “Benefactor... Benefactor, is it truly you?”