The withered vines clung to ancient trees, and crows cawed under the dimming sky. A stone bridge arched over murmuring waters, beside which stood humble homes. Along a lonely path swept by the western wind, a dark horse galloped into the dusk. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the Soulbreaker rode toward the ends of the earth.
"How far are we from Dingzhou City?"
"At this pace, Master, we should arrive just outside Dingzhou in four days."
"Hmm. The Martial Assembly doesn't begin for another five days. No need to hurry. Where's the young master? I haven't seen him."
"He's gone ahead, sir. He rode out earlier—his horse is much faster than our carriage."
"He's always been impatient. Let him be. We'll rest here for the night. After days of travel, man and beast are weary. A short delay won't hurt."
"Master, about the letter from the Young Master's uncle… um… the homing pigeon was accidentally cut down by the Young Master's sword aura..."
"Oh? Another innocent pigeon falls victim? Bring me the letter then. As for the pigeon, roast it for my supper."
"Um… the pigeon was shredded by the sword qi—only one leg remained. The rest was, well… liquefied. Luckily, the message was tied to that leg, so the letter's intact. But the pigeon... is not."
"I see… well, roast the leg then. Better than nothing. Don't waste food—it's a sin."
"Yes, Master…"
In a quiet room, Qin Ren, the Third Young Master, lounged at a table, chin resting on crossed hands. His eyes were fixed on a beautifully crafted porcelain wine jar, its red label bearing two golden characters: "Imperial Use."
"Xiaoyan, how did your family come across imperial tribute wine? Isn't this the stuff reserved for the palace?"
Du Xiaoyan was tuning her zither with delicate fingers. She glanced at him, smiling. "I don't really know. You know I don't drink. Uncle Li found three jars of this wine in a secret chamber of the main house. Knowing you love wine, I asked for one."
Qin Ren looked at the ornate goblet beside the jar—made of gold, engraved with intricate floral designs and inlaid with rubies and sapphires. "This goblet must be worth a fortune. Didn't think the Tianping Manor was this wealthy. These are definitely palace relics."
The mention of her ancestral home brought a shadow to Du Xiaoyan's face, though she quickly masked it with a smile. "There were two goblets. Uncle Li wanted both, but I pestered him until he gave me one."
Qin Ren sighed. "You're always so good to me. But why hide such treasures in a secret room? What else was in there?"
Du Xiaoyan shrugged. "I had no idea the manor even had a secret chamber! Uncle Li's really good at finding things—he discovered the switch in no time. As for what else… just some gold, jewels, banknotes. Not much—maybe a hundred thousand taels. Uncle Li brought it all back."
Qin Ren chuckled to himself. Uncle Li, the infamous thief lord of Yan Province, was a master of locks, traps, and secrets. If he couldn't find a hidden chamber, no one could.
"But it's odd… why would Du Gongfu have imperial wine? He's no court official. And why hide it here, not at the Tianping Manor? Maybe… he kept it here for vacations in Dingzhou? Or perhaps the Manor holds even more?"
He poured himself a cup, the jade-green liquid shimmering in the light.
"Amazing wine!" he smacked his lips. "Smooth, mellow, fragrant. No burn, no bitterness. No wonder everyone wants to be Emperor—the wine alone's worth it. And the rest? Must be even better."
His eyes narrowed. "Unless… was this wine stolen from the palace? But Du Gongfu doesn't seem like a thief. More like a blacksmith than a bandit. Maybe someone else stole it and gifted it to him? That… could make sense…"
Across the room, Du Xiaoyan plucked a flowing scale on her zither and smiled. "Qin Lang, why don't you compose a song for me?"
He laughed. "Compose? I don't know how to write music."
"I don't need you to write it. Just sing something beautiful—I'll play along, just like last time… What was it called? Ah, A Lifetime of Love."
Qin Ren fell silent for a long moment. The name stirred a memory—an image of Qiu Ruomei surfaced unbidden. He drained his cup to drown the ache.
He walked to the window and gazed into the distance, to a place he couldn't name, to a silhouette he could no longer see. "Alright, Xiaoyan. If you want a song, your lord shall sing. Listen closely!"
A sword steeped in wine holds no flavor—who do I drink for?You, who came to bid farewell… You, who always came to bid farewell…
Her fingers moved in perfect harmony with his voice. It was as if their souls were aligned—her music flowed with his song, not a beat behind.
Even Du Xiaoyan was surprised. She had practiced the zither for years, but this seamless synergy was something else—like she could predict his next note.
Is this… what he meant by "a thread of fate"?Have I reached that level of understanding with him? But what am I, truly, in his heart? He risked his life to save me—that must mean something. But… can love truly be divided? Can a heart truly be shared?
Fragrance of rouge—love, not to be givenHeaven stretches far, the earth even farther…
In the kitchen, Li Xiaoye stopped chopping vegetables. Drawn by the song, she leaned on the doorframe, looking toward the room.
From the open window, she could see Qin Ren's figure silhouetted against the fading light. For once, he looked nothing like the roguish, lazy youth she knew—and everything like a sorrowful, complex man.
Who are you, really? One moment you're shameless, the next... this. That heartache in your voice isn't fake—not like when you tricked those three girls. Do you truly love someone? If so… why do you still protect those you don't love, even at your own risk? You're impossible to understand…
Without realizing it, she found herself entranced.
If you are a hero, then tears are forbiddenWithout you, this heart beats in vain…
Elsewhere, Tie Jian leaned out his own window, swigging imperial wine. "Ah, A-Ren's at it again—singing to charm the girls."
His sister Tie Xuanxuan rushed over, pushing him aside. "What's he singing now?"
The moment she heard it, she froze.
Why is he singing such a soft, tender tune? But… why is it so beautiful? I usually hate effeminate songs… yet this one… this one I like. Is it the lyrics? The voice? Did he write this? I've never heard it before. He always sings bold, sweeping verses… never anything like this. Why has he never sung this to me?
Tie Jian chuckled, watching her dazed expression. With a dramatic swig, he recited, "Too tender, too soon—my hair turns silver…" Then laughed heartily as he strode off.
This smile is poison—deadly and trueThese tears are beauty—only you ever knew…
In the rear courtyard, Qiao Wei sipped the last drop from his gourd and sighed. "Why's the young master singing such sentimental stuff again? Hasn't he learned yet—supremacy requires heartlessness…"
Li Shu replied, "Forget the song. Explain how demonic sect wine ended up in a nobleman's secret chamber?"
Qiao Wei shrugged. "Just a theory. Du Gongfu's ties to the Demonic Sect are no secret. The wine was hidden well, so he didn't want anyone finding it. I suspect it came from Ximen Wudi himself. You said the goblets and jars are imperial. If Ximen got his hands on them, someone in the palace must be helping him."
Li Shu scoffed, "Speculation. Maybe Du Gongfu has a friend in court. The Emperor could've given it to that friend, who then gifted it to him. Why drag Ximen into it?"
"I'm just guessing," Qiao Wei said. "But tribute wine? Even friends wouldn't give that away lightly. Ximen would've offered it to win Du Gongfu over. Think about it—if the Demonic Sect has ties inside the palace, and we don't know it… we're in real trouble."
Li Shu nodded. "Good point. Come—we should talk this through. Let's figure out which court official might be linked with Ximen Wudi…"
Let my legacy fade into dustIf I can trade it… for one smile from her lips.