Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Ten,
De Qing

Unsure why, perhaps it was that he secretly pried into He Xuan’s bit of inexplicable kindness, or perhaps his feelings were disturbed by that sudden bit of intimacy, Xiao Zuo circled around the bedchambers for a long time, and still sneakily, as though by accident, stepped into the courtyard.

It had already entered winter by now. That parasol tree’s leaves were almost about to all fall down, the bald branches emptily raised up, but the skies were so blue it was very clear. He Xuan stood underneath that parasol tree with his hands behind his back, lifting his head up looking at something. Xiao Zuo leisurely walked over, and asked, “What is your Highness looking at?”

“Look, once it actually enters winter, the birds would all fly south.” He Xuan did not even turn his head back, and lifted his fingers, pointing for a few birds in the horizon.

Xiao Zuo narrowed his eyes, and looked over to where his hand was pointing. The north’s winters were all dry and cold, and in between breathing, it was very easy to feel the harsh airs. Not even a sliver of a cloud could be seen in the skies. Those few birds travelled in pairs, and actually made Xiao Zuo find a bit of bleakness and misery in it.

“Nan Liang’s winters must never be this cold.”

Xiao Zuo nodded his head, “The winds are not this strong, but it is a humid cold. Each day, the palace would be burning with charcoal.”

He accidentally touched upon what was originally a prohibited word. Xiao Zuo remorsefully knitted his eyebrows, and secretly glanced at He Xuan. He Xuan seemed to not notice his wording, and followed along, “Mm, the scenery must be better than this side.”

Xiao Zuo was going to agree, but just as the words were about to leave the mouth, it was forcefully swallowed back by him. The person in front was Jin’s crown prince, if he were to say something bad about Jin in passing and provoke him, who knows if he would turn back. Right now, he was at another’s beck and call, it would be better to be a bit more prudent.

Once he thought to here, Xiao Zuo carefully deliberated for a while, then very carefully answered, “Jin has many trees with falling leaves, once the tree’s leaves yellow, it would be another kind of beautiful scenery.”

He Xuan glanced at him, and rubbed his temples as though it was funny, then said, “You need not be this reserved, Ig merely asked a few things on a whim. If you think about it, Ig am only just older than you by two years, you should be calling me Big Brother.”

The few lines before were still okay, but by the end, He Xuan’s words carried a slightly indescribable ambiguity and charm to it- that Big Brother carried a slight low-class meaning, making Xiao Zuo’s heart sink.

He actually did not know just where did that bit of intent came from- the person in front of his eyes clearly treated him like a pet, teasing him, when would there bit even a bit of……

Xiao Zuo hung his eyes down in mockery, Xiao Zuo, oh Xiao Zuo, just what are you thinking?

“Your Highness jests.”

“Aye.” He Xuan saw that he did not believe it, and spoke up again, “You really need not to be like this, must Ig order you to loosen up a bit?”

“I have made your Highness laugh.” Xiao Zuo then nodded his head, and turned a bit awkward from this seemingly closer relationship. His two hands rumpled the hem of his clothes, and did not know what to say for the time being.

He Xuan sighed, and reached out with his hand wanting to pull away his pair of hands tangling with each other, and just as he reached out, he heard Zi Wan to their backs saying, “Your Highness, Duke, dinner has already been prepared.”

He Xuan withdrew his hand in time, and nodded his head at her. Xiao Zuo let out a long breath of relief, and in his heart, was grateful to Zi Wan for saving him from the awkwardness just now in the critical moment. With a few steps, he walked to her side, “Let’s go.”

“Your Highness, please go ahead.”

With Zi Wan’s instructions, the chef got rid of some sweet dishes, and made them fairly mild.

Xiao Zuo was fond of spice- normally, he would always have Zi Wan prepare a bowl of chili sauce, and placed by the hands to eat with the dishes.

In front of He Xuan just so happen to place with his most favourite diced chicken. The royal manners he learned since young made him feel embarrassed for often getting Zi Wan to go over to grab it for him, and each time He Xuan’s chopsticks reached over, he could not help but stare at it too, then subconsciously dig into the white rice.

He Xuan did not have much preference for spicy flavours, however, he noticed that Xiao Zuo repeatedly extended his neck out and half secretly look towards his side, so he paid attention to it. Once Xiao Zuo subconsciously glanced at him again, He Xuan then reached out with the chopsticks and grabbed a few pieces, and very naturally placed it inside [Xiao Zuo’s] bowl.

Xiao Zuo got surprised, and stared at the pieces of chicken in the bowl with a bit of a loss. His hand holding up the chopsticks froze, but still did not put down the chopsticks. He Xuan propped his chin and watched him calmly, and curled up his lips, with a seemingly smiling look.

The maids to the side all lowered their heads looking to the side[1], pretending to be wooden stakes. Xiao Zuo nervously clutched his sleeves, and half-secretly put that piece of chicken into the mouth rapidly, swallowed it down whole, and could not even taste anything. Instead, when He Xuan beside him saw that hard-pressed appearance of his, he laughed out loud, making him hang his head even lower, like he was about to bury it in the bowl.

Xiao Zuo’s entire body seeped with sweat with a single meal, and after suffering through a dinner with difficulty, the maids brought out the final light soup, and Xiao Zuo was sipping it in small mouthfuls. He Xuan used one hand to hold a spoon, occasionally taking in one spoonful leisurely, then said, “Is that eunuch of yours called De Qing?”

Xiao Zuo was drinking soup, and once he was asked by him like this, he got so shocked he ended up choking, and tossed the soup spoon and coughed constantly. He Xuan gloatingly used his hand to lightly pat at his back, and smiled so much he narrowed his eyes, “The duke must not be too overly excited, if it harms the body, it would be bad.”

“Yes, does your Highness know of his whereabouts?” Xiao Zuo took a handkerchief that Zi Wan handed over, wiped his mouth, and asked.

He Xuan nodded his head, “Mm, a few days ago, Ig had people go to ask, there were some clues yesterday, there will be results not too far off.”

“Then I must really thank your Highness.” Once Xiao Zuo heard this good news, he could not help but be sincerely appreciative. He was coughing hurriedly just before, and the corners of the eyes emitted a bit of a red colour, so at this time, when looking towards He Xuan against the light, a billowing light from water rippled within the pupils, giving rise to a moving autumn wave.

He Xuan’s eyes went dark, and shook his head, “It is merely a lift of a finger. The duke now is a guest of Jin, having one more person to take care [of you] is always good.”

The two chatted for a few words, and the curtains of the night fell already. The residence was placed with lanterns in each area, so the dim yellow colour had an extra dubious tone to it.

“The matter regarding Zi Wan and De Qing, I must thank your Highness ’ efforts. I truly do not know how to repay your Highness.” Xiao Zuo only had a shawl over his gown. Now that it entered the night, once the north’s frosty winds blew by, it would bring some of the ruthlessness of some grass and wood breaking, and he unbearably shivered for a bit.

He Xuan just so happened to see it, waved his hand, and had the servants following get a fox coat, then helped him drape it on for him, “Jin does not compare to Nan Liang. Now that it has entered winter, the daytime may be warm with the sun still shining, but once it goes into the night, it was be cold much quicker. You should have the servants be more attentive about it, getting wind chills is not a good experience.”

That fox coat was extremely thick, and blocked off the cold winds thoroughly. Xiao Zuo then could stand up straight outside the house, and at the bottom of his heart, he felt that this crown prince was truthfully a bit too close with a monarch of a fallen country. He did not know if he turned arrogant from being pampered or if it was the habits of an emperor that took over, he slightly awkwardly took one step back, and put some distance with He Xuan, then nodded his head with his nose all stuffy, “I understand. It is late now, your Highness, you should go back now.”

He Xuan seemed like he did not mind this action of his, and turned to go onto the sedan. Xiao Zuo watched as his sedan went far off while wrapped in the coat and standing at the door, then slowly went back. That fox coat was faintly left with a bit of the fragrance on He Xuan’s body, but it was not the scent of ambergris, it was probably the incense that he liked himself. Xiao Zuo could not help but carefully smell again, it should be the scent of bodhi[2] juice, cedar leaves, and the fragrance of a light bark- when mixed together, it actually had a kind of lonesome and cool feeling of solitude to it.

He Xuan…… a lofty crown prince like He Xuan, why would he use an incense with this kind of scent?

Xiao Zuo shook his head, and got vexed inside. He was already unable to fend for himself, to think he’d still have time to think about the respected and admired He Xuan, you really are bored.

Except, now that Xiao Zuo was draped in this outer coat, when smelling that sliver of fragrance, he had a kind of feeling like he was being embraced by He Xuan. He got goosebumps by his own thinking, and his face could not help but get hot. He used the still slightly cold hands to rub the cheeks, and staggered towards the room like he was drunk.

When he was passing by the corridor about to take a left corner, just so happened to have a pavilion for blocking wind there, and saw a few servant girls sweeping the courtyard hugging the broom, gathering together saying something.

“Qing Xing has been out of sorts these two days, I wonder what happened in her family.”

“Aye, I hear her mother’s sick, her family has no money for it.”

“How terrible, aye……”

Xiao Zuo knitted his brows and walked over. Those few servant girls heard his footsteps, and all stood up and bowed in slight panic, and trembled while asking for forgiveness, “Duke, the weather is cold in the night, us servants were here to evade the wind, please spare us, Duke.”

Xiao Zuo originally did not plan on punishing them, and said a few words, then let them go. These few days, he did slightly ignore Qing Xing for a bit. Xiao Zuo walked as he pondered if he should go see her, and then had a servant girl go to call her over.

The small servant girl took the orders, and after a quarter-hour, came back to tell him that Qing Xing just took time off from the steward and went back home. Xiao Zuo responded in understanding, and did not think too much about it.

❀

These days in the morning, Zi Wan would bring water into Xiao Zuo’s room and help him wash up. Xiao Zuo was currently wringing the towel in the water, and heard a knocking sound from outside. He neither slowly nor hurriedly put the hot towel onto the face and rubbed it, so the voice through the towel was a bit hazy, “Come in.”

Outside was a small pageboy managing books within the residence, and was very young, so the immature air within his facial features had not yet withdrawn. He poked his head in and said, “Duke, someone from the crown prince residence has come.”

“En…… it is probably regarding De Qing.” Xiao Zuo nodded his head, and put down the towel, “Have him wait for a bit in the main reception, I will come now.”

When Xiao Zuo stepped into the front reception, he saw a person with the appearance of a guard donned in short armour sitting up. His back was all straight, while the tea to the side that the pageboy poured was full, and probably did not drink it. Once that person saw Xiao Zuo come in, he stood up and bowed, “Greetings to the Nan Hun Duke. I have come on his Highness the Crown Prince’s orders, and brought De Qing to the ducal residence.”

“You’ve worked hard.” Xiao Zuo nodded his head, “Dare I ask where is De Qing right now?”

That person instructed a few words to the servant to the side, and the servant then turned around and exited out the doors.

“They will be here in a short moment.”

“Please sit.” Xiao Zuo pushed the teacup on the table, “Have some tea.”

“No need, this lowly one will be leaving in a while.” That person shook their head, and no longer spoke. After a moment’s notice, the servant from just before then led De Qing into the doors. Just as De Qing went inside, Xiao Zuo immediately rose up, and hurriedly and surprisingly went over to welcome him.

“Speak for a while, this lowly one will return to his Highness now.”

“Please thank his Highness for me.”

[1] 眼观鼻鼻观心- for the eyes to watch the nose, and the nose to watch the heart. “We saw nothing”.

[2] the bodhi fruit, a sacred fig