A Night of Fish and Dragons Dance  

A jug of fine wine rested on the table at the bow of the boat, alongside a dish of black sugar preserves nestled within a red lacquer vessel, with no other accompaniments to the drink. 

The black-sailed skiff glided through the heart of the Peach Blossom River, where within the cabin, a celestial maiden adorned in flowing garments cradled a pipa, her delicate features partially obscured. Her slender fingers, like jade, danced gracefully as she plucked the strings, the melodious notes cascading into the clear waters. Suddenly, she parted her crimson lips, softly singing: "The east wind releases a thousand blossoms at night; it also scatters stars like rain. The fragrant path is filled with the sound of galloping steeds and ornate carriages. The phoenix flute resonates, the jade pot glimmers, as the fish and dragons dance through the night. The moths and snowy willows entwined with golden threads, laughter and whispers carry fragrant scents away. In the crowd, searching for him a thousand times, I turn to find him, yet he stands there, amidst the dim lantern light." 

As the song concluded, the celestial maiden lingered in thought, gently placing the plectrum among the strings, yet remained silent, still cradling the pipa. 

"What's wrong? Is the verse not to your liking?" Barefoot and seated at the bow, Zhu Mojun, clad in simple linen, looked at the maiden and smiled gently. 

The celestial maiden shook her head lightly: "Your words are indeed exquisite, but in this moment and setting, they feel overly melancholic." 

Zhu Mojun regarded her thoughtfully, swirling his wine glass: "These lyrics were penned by Director Zhang in years past; I could never create such beauty myself… Moreover, the essence of the verse is profound; you feel its sorrow because you harbor unspoken thoughts… Do you remember how long we have known each other?" 

"If my memory serves me right, it has been approximately three years and six months." The celestial maiden set aside the pipa and stepped out of the cramped cabin, taking a seat opposite Zhu Mojun, pouring him more wine. 

"Your memory is impeccable." Zhu Mojun observed her, gazing at her delicate hands, and sighed softly: "When I first encountered you, I was merely a lowly clerk in the Judicial Department." 

The celestial maiden smiled warmly, her voice gentle: "Yet now you are an envoy of the Judicial Department; soon, you shall be the Deputy Head. Within the imperial city, few can compel you to bow your head. Your future is resplendent; it would be unwise for you to associate with someone like me." 

"Is this truly what you believe?" Zhu Mojun chuckled, downing his cup in one gulp, self-deprecatingly stating: "You do not understand; at my current position, advancing further does not solely depend on my actions, but rather on whether those above me are willing to grant me that opportunity. Thus, I have resolved that if this journey goes well, regardless of the outcome, I shall bring you back to the Central State Imperial City." 

The celestial maiden's hands trembled slightly. She was uncertain of the nature of Zhu Mojun's journey, yet she refrained from inquiring further, merely lowering her head and softly saying, "I shall drink with you." 

Zhu Mojun's gaze softened; he tilted his head slightly, the crescent moon reflecting upon the water. A blue dove flew in from afar, landing squarely on his left shoulder, its crimson claws tightly gripping a small message tube. 

Taking a deep breath, he extracted the tiny scroll from the tube. Upon a mere glance, his complexion turned pale. 

The celestial maiden's lips quivered, yet her expression remained gentle. 

"She is too ruthless." Zhu Mojun exhaled slowly, uttering words the celestial maiden could not comprehend. After a deep glance at her, he softly requested, "Let us share another drink." 

The celestial maiden nodded and poured more wine; their cups clinked gently, and they drank deeply. Yet, what rendered her utterly still was that while the wine poured from the same jug, she remained unharmed, but Zhu Mojun's mouth bled streams of dark crimson. 

"The most sorrowful thing in this world is to watch the one you love before you, yet be unable to embrace her, to bask in her warmth… Forgive me…" Zhu Mojun remained motionless, tears of blood streaming from his eyes, his head bowed low, his voice fading with each breath until it vanished entirely. 

The celestial maiden's countenance remained serene and gentle as she gazed at the still figure of Zhu Mojun, recalling the ambitious glint in his eyes when he had leapt onto her boat over three years ago… Yet she knew she would never see him again. Silently, she rose, retrieving the pipa from the cabin, and sat across from Zhu Mojun, slowly applying rouge and powder, transforming her initially delicate visage into one of striking beauty. 

"Dearest, I shall accompany you; regardless of what happens, I will follow you today." Once her makeup was complete, the celestial maiden gazed at the crescent moon in the river, as if wishing to pluck it from the sky, and reached out, leaping into the air, splashing a cascade of pearl-like droplets. 

As Dongling's Commander Li Qilong rebelled, assassinating the Yunqin Empire's Princess Changsun Muyue, who was on a mission across the realm, the princess fell gravely injured and unconscious. That night, Zhu Mojun, the third-ranking official of the Judicial Department, took poison and ended his life upon the Peach Blossom River. 

The accompanying songstress drowned herself in despair. 

... 

... 

The following morning, in the Central State Imperial City, the Emperor convened his court. 

Seated upon the coiled dragon throne, the sovereign quietly scrutinized the dozens of officials kneeling before him in the grand hall. 

Everyone knew that the current Emperor of the Yunqin Empire was in his prime, brimming with vigor; yet, this resolute, seemingly gentle man displayed subtle signs of fatigue. 

This realization sent a chill through the hearts of the kneeling officials, who feared that the Emperor had spent the previous night sleepless, contemplating how to address the unfolding crisis. 

"Zhu Mojun is dead… but that does not absolve me." 

Despite the tempest of fury raging within, the voice of the man draped in the dragon robe remained as calm and steady as ever. His gaze, cast downward, did not linger on the ministers: "Is it truly only the Judicial Department involved? The Qing Wang armor is unique to the border troops; though not particularly formidable, few can don it in battle. I trust none of you require reminding that you can glean some insights from this Qing Wang armor?" 

"The Princess embodies my will; if they dare to assassinate her… should I not be wary within my own imperial city?" 

Having uttered this, the most powerful figure in the realm could no longer suppress the tremor at the corners of his mouth. His voice, too, rose slightly above its usual timbre: "Do not forget, my father left us only this pair of siblings, and I have but this one sister!" 

Many officials kneeling in the hall and several others seated behind the heavy curtains exchanged knowing glances, thinking that this situation stemmed from the excessive power wielded by the brother-sister duo of Yunqin… She had taken on all matters of the Judicial Department; what purpose did it serve for the department to exist? Every minister present knew that their relationships were like a pile of stacked firewood; if one were to be removed, who could predict how many others would tumble down? Moreover, who was she… With someone like Prime Minister Wenren behind those curtains, would she remain oblivious to such an assassination? 

Yet the sovereign's words were indeed grounded in truth; his anger was genuine, especially since the princess's grave injuries intensified his wrath… What if she truly were to die? 

Thus, regardless of their internal thoughts, they could only conceal their sentiments and make concessions to provide him with an explanation; a give-and-take was necessary. This miscalculation arose from not anticipating that the pampered princess would exhibit such resolve and ruthlessness. Now, all that could be done was to minimize the repercussions of this step and gradually reclaim what was lost. 

... 

In the palace of the ancient Tang Cang Kingdom, a scheming advisor could not hide the joy on his face as he bowed before the youthful Emperor Feng Xuan, advising, "The news of the Dongling rebellion is indeed true; we can take advantage of this opportunity to advance our troops." 

The young emperor, whose visage was even more youthful than Qiu Lu's, cast a discontented glance at the advisor and asked, "Why?" 

"The elders of the Yunqin Empire allowed this situation to unfold as a warning to the one on the dragon throne, cautioning him not to overstep. However, with Changsun Muyue retaliating in this manner, they will undoubtedly have to make concessions… Amidst this back-and-forth, chaos will surely ensue. The Yunqin Emperor is already quite formidable; it is unlikely that the death of one or two Zhu Mojun will quell his fury." 

"This reasoning is so evident; if you can comprehend it, then surely those elders hidden behind the curtains of Yunqin can as well. The best means of venting their anger is, of course, through bloodshed and death; they need not confine their killings to the imperial city." The young emperor mocked the advisor, saying, "With their capabilities, they could easily send those individuals to the border troops to perish. Furthermore… for the Yunqin Emperor, should we make a significant move, it would present him with the best opportunity. You must understand, the most effective means of bloodletting is through warfare; a batch of deaths leads to a new batch of replacements. How much maneuvering can occur in between?" 

With a slight cold smile, the young emperor squinted at the advisor, adding, "Moreover, you should know that those elders behind the curtains are far more composed than the impetuous Yunqin Emperor. Though dealing with them is more challenging, I would rather engage with these thoughtful old men than contend with an ambitious individual who disregards the consequences. If the south wishes to act, let them first engage in battle." However, the old man in the south likely comprehends the situation far better than we do; otherwise, the south would not have enjoyed such prosperity in recent years. 

"Your Majesty speaks wisely." The advisor inhaled deeply, bowing in submission to the short-statured, ordinary-looking young emperor. Those present in the hall who overheard their exchange felt a bead of cold sweat trickle down their backs. 

Previously, they believed the Empress Dowager was merely astute and skilled in political maneuvering, yet now she no longer held sway over state affairs… And how old is the young emperor? In matters of strategy and intrigue, he perceives the situation with greater clarity than many advisors steeped in such affairs for years. Is it possible that the manipulation of countless lives and deaths, an understanding of power that eludes many for a lifetime, is an innate trait of individuals like him? 

The youthful emperor, with his innocent visage, ceased to regard the advisor and instead scanned the other standing ministers in the hall. He rubbed his temples wearily and spoke slowly: "We must find a way to rescue Nangong Mo; he is a rare talent in cultivation for our Tang Cang and has proven himself loyal to our cause. If we cannot retrieve him from Qingluan Academy, we must find a way to exchange for his return!"