Chapter 14: The Polo Match and a Chilling Encounter

The imperial palace was a place of immense importance, so much so that even high-ranking officials and revered ministers had to dismount their carriages and proceed on foot once they reached its gates.

Young noblemen like Su Zhuozhi were certainly no exception to this rule.

Their steeds were handed over to eunuchs to be led to the stables. Su Zhuozhi, along with other scions of prominent families, proceeded to pay their respects to His Majesty.

As a mere attendant, Xie Jue naturally lacked the qualifications to enter the imperial palace. He could only wait outside.

The Mingde Emperor was an avid polo enthusiast, and a vast, flat expanse of land had been specially designated within the palace grounds for the sport, complete with seating for spectators.

Su Zhuozhi and Jiang Yangyu chatted amiably as they walked. Seeing Su Zhuozhi riding the horse he had gifted, Jiang Yangyu was in good spirits.

He chuckled, “Didn’t I tell you that horse was excellent? You almost refused it; you definitely would have regretted it.”

Su Zhuozhi did not argue, offering sincere praise instead. “It truly is wonderful,” he admitted.

There was nothing more exhilarating than galloping on horseback, the sensation akin to flying. He had tested the horse in the imperial suburbs previously, finding it vigorous and robust, its speed both swift and incredibly satisfying.

“Have you named it yet?” Jiang Yangyu inquired.

Su Zhuozhi nodded. “Yes, I call it Cherry Pudding.”

“…What?!” Jiang Yangyu instantly froze, his face a mask of disbelief. He had expected a name of grandeur, or at least one with poetic significance.

How could such a magnificent and striking steed be given the name of a saccharine dessert? It was utterly undignified.

“But Cherry Pudding is delicious,” Su Zhuozhi mused, a hint of longing in his voice as he licked his lips. He was suddenly craving it.

The young eunuch leading the way overheard them and chimed in with a smile, “Young Master Su, as it happens, Cherry Pudding has been prepared today.”

“Really?” Su Zhuozhi’s eyes brightened, and he laughed. “Then I’m in for a treat! The imperial chef’s rendition must be exquisite.”

Annoyed, Jiang Yangyu turned his head, no longer wanting to speak with him. Su Zhuozhi nudged his arm, then showered the gifted steed with effusive praise, eventually coaxing Jiang Yangyu into a better mood.

Before long, they arrived at the polo grounds to meet His Majesty.

The assembled noble scions composed themselves, performing a solemn bow. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Su Zhuozhi’s downward gaze caught a glimpse of a yellow robe as it halted directly before him.

Meanwhile, outside the palace gates.

Xie Jue looked up with cold eyes. Above the towering red walls, an boundless blue sky stretched out. Yet, what ordinary mortals could not perceive was the ominous black energy swirling within it, like a surging torrent.

This was not merely a resplendent and magnificent imperial palace; it was a perilous lair for powerful demons.

“You may rise.”

The Mingde Emperor’s gentle yet authoritative voice resonated.

Upon hearing this, Su Zhuozhi and the others straightened their backs.

After ascending the throne, the Mingde Emperor had been engrossed in state affairs. When he finally managed to carve out some leisure time to indulge in his favorite pastimes, his ministers would invariably spoil his enjoyment.

He often felt so frustrated that he wanted to smash the mountain of accumulated memorials and play polo for three days and three nights straight. However, if he were to truly do so, the remonstrating officials would undoubtedly cite scriptures and argue endlessly, driving him to distraction.

Thus, the Mingde Emperor valued his time. He didn’t bother with excessive pleasantries, immediately ordering everyone to mount their horses and commence the polo match.

Su Zhuozhi sat tall and steady in the saddle, expertly maneuvering his horse across the field.

Wielding their crescent-shaped mallets, everyone vied fiercely to strike the ball.

The match was incredibly intense, with scores neck and neck. Neither team dared to show the slightest slackness as they remained evenly matched.

Su Zhuozhi turned, exchanging a silent glance with Jiang Yangyu, conveying an unspoken message. Then, in perfect synchronicity, they passed the ball to the Mingde Emperor.

His Majesty, conspicuous in his bright yellow riding attire, seized the opportunity. He swung his mallet with force, striking the ball precisely into the opposing goal.

The resounding clang of a gong signaled their team’s successful score.

The Mingde Emperor’s eyes gleamed with pride and delight, a broad smile gracing his lips. The game had been utterly exhilarating and satisfying.

After such a vigorous round of exercise, even with the cool weather, everyone had worked up a sweat.

As soon as they dismounted, the young eunuchs busied themselves, eagerly stepping forward to wipe away perspiration and offer tea bowls to quench their parched throats.

In high spirits, the Mingde Emperor found the coordinated play with Su Zhuozhi particularly brilliant. He clapped Su Zhuozhi on the shoulder, smiling as he said, “Zhuozhi, since you dislike studying, how about I appoint you as a Hanlin Attendant? What do you say?”

An Attendant was not a formal official position but rather a companion to His Majesty, a collection of talented individuals from various fields: brilliant poets, master painters, monks, Daoists, musicians, and chess players.

They earned His Majesty’s favor through their specialized skills, residing within the palace and awaiting summons. For most people, this was an immense honor.

However, Su Zhuozhi showed little interest. He chuckled, “I am grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness, but my nature is rather restless, and I tend to act impulsively. My father scolds me daily, fearing I might accidentally offend Your Majesty, which would be a grave offense indeed.”

“Your father worries too much. With your disposition, who could possibly dislike you?” The Mingde Emperor laughed heartily, seemingly having made the offer casually, without intending to press the matter further.

The Mingde Emperor led the way, with everyone else following in a respectful procession. The positioning was far from arbitrary; it was highly significant, with those closer to His Majesty enjoying greater imperial favor.

Attendees were generally arranged according to their status and rank. Su Zhuozhi, however, was an exception. Since the Mingde Emperor wished to speak with him, he naturally stood at the very front of the line, just half a step behind His Majesty.

This was not the first time such an occurrence had taken place. Naturally, some harbored resentment, secretly giving Su Zhuozhi cold shoulders or attempting to trip him up.

However, Su Zhuozhi was no easily bullied soft persimmon, and with several high-ranking close friends always ready to stand up for him, others rarely gained any advantage.

The only time even Jiang Yangyu found himself powerless was when they encountered Prince Chu, the Mingde Emperor’s younger brother.

Prince Chu was known for his pederasty, a notorious lover of men, and his princely estate housed numerous handsome young men. On one occasion, Su Zhuozhi and his friends were out enjoying the spring scenery when they chanced upon him.

The young man’s features were exquisite, vibrant and full of life, his smile as brilliant as dazzling sunlight. He resembled a beauty stepped out of a painting, immediately captivating Prince Chu, who promptly ordered his men to seize him.

Of course, Prince Chu did not succeed. Su Zhuozhi had highly skilled bodyguards, and Jiang Yangyu and others protected him. In the end, Prince Chu only managed to tease him with a few words, never even touching his hand.

Even so, when the Su family learned of it, they caused a huge uproar. They formally accused Prince Chu of disregarding the law and bullying commoners.

Simultaneously, leveraging their connections, they implored familiar officials to submit memorials, detailing numerous instances of Prince Chu’s corruption, illicit dealings, and crimes against humanity.

Each charge was shocking and horrifying. Prince Chu was enraged and panicked, but he soon relaxed. He was a prince, and His Majesty was his own elder brother; surely he wouldn’t truly punish him.

But the truth was, the Mingde Emperor was serious. He pursued each of Prince Chu’s crimes without mercy, even issuing an imperial decree to strip him of his princely title.

Prince Chu was incredulous. Such a minor incident, he thought, hardly warranted such a drastic response from the Emperor. What was so special about that pretty merchant’s son?

He never found out. Even as he lay dead in his coffin, he couldn’t comprehend it.

Yet, this immense upheaval that shook the capital and beyond was, for Su Zhuozhi, merely a period of staying home, eating, sleeping, and playing each day. His family showered him with care and affection, cursing Prince Chu on his behalf, while his friends took turns visiting to console him, and his servants eagerly fawned over him.

Aside from being a little bored by not being able to go out and play, everything continued as usual. Su Zhuozhi had only a vague understanding of matters between men and women, let alone male same-s*x relationships.

He simply found Prince Chu’s gaze disgusting and repulsive. Such a person, he felt, was certainly not worth dwelling on or letting spoil his mood. Before long, Su Zhuozhi cast the incident from his mind and resumed his carefree, dissolute life.

Su Zhuozhi did not know why His Majesty was willing to help him. However, seeing no malice in the Emperor’s actions, he bothered not to ponder it further.

Such was his nature: if others were good to him, he accepted it with equanimity, never feeling anxious or uneasy because of it.

Returning to the present, the Mingde Emperor decided to rest in the hexagonal pavilion near the polo grounds, which would help them cool down.

Cool down?

Upon hearing this, Su Zhuozhi felt a touch of confusion. Though they had just finished a game of polo, autumn had passed, and the weather had turned cold, preparing for winter. It couldn’t be that hot.

Yet, he saw everyone else profusely sweating, while he alone seemed unaffected. Could it be that he was physically weak? No, that was certainly impossible.

Lost in thought, he wasn’t paying close attention to his path and nearly tripped, stumbling momentarily. Fortunately, a small eunuch nearby quickly steadied him.

Su Zhuozhi looked down, only then realizing that a stone slab beneath his feet had been dislodged by wild tree roots, leaving one corner jutting out.

A cool breeze swept through, rustling softly.

Looking up, he saw a towering ancient tree before him, its deep brown trunk gnarled and thick, its branches lush and dense. Sunlight danced among the leaves, sparkling brilliantly, and the sound of the green foliage swaying in the wind was like a whispered secret.

Su Zhuozhi let out a soft gasp. Though not his first time seeing it, each encounter left him somewhat awestruck by this colossal tree, which impressed him even more than the opulent imperial city.

After they settled in the pavilion, the shade overhead indeed intensified the coolness.

The Mingde Emperor narrowed his eyes comfortably, conversing casually with them about various topics, primarily revolving around polo. Su Zhuozhi also happily enjoyed his Cherry Pudding, served in a translucent jade bowl, its snowy white and crimson hues both refreshing and sweet.

Seeing his enjoyment, the Mingde Emperor instructed a palace maid to serve him another bowl.

Halfway through their conversation, a eunuch suddenly approached, respectfully announcing, “Your Majesty, Concubine Jing requests an audience.”

The Mingde Emperor paused, not displeased by the interruption, but rather smiled slightly. “Granted.”

A woman in opulent palace attire slowly approached, her beauty unparalleled, with skin like ice and bones like jade. Her eyes held a hint of aloofness, yet when she looked at His Majesty, her lips curved into a slight arc, making her appear even more exquisite and captivating.

Concubine Jing was none other than the former Concubine Kong, whose rank had, as expected, recently risen.

Su Zhuozhi had just heard gossip about her not long ago and couldn’t help but glance at her out of curiosity.

Concubine Jing had specifically come to deliver soup to His Majesty, having personally prepared it. The Mingde Emperor tasted a spoonful and found it quite to his liking.

At that moment, Concubine Jing seemed to sense a gaze and looked up, meeting Su Zhuozhi’s eyes. After an elegant, distant smile, she quickly averted her gaze.

Concubine Jing did not linger. After delivering the soup and expressing a few words of concern for His Majesty, she bowed and took her leave. Her demeanor was perfectly measured, both demonstrating her affection for His Majesty and refraining from disturbing his affairs.

It was perfectly natural for His Majesty to favor such a beautiful and intelligent woman. However, once this seemingly delicate and beautiful concubine had walked out of earshot, the gentleness on her face vanished completely.

Her tone turned as cold as frost. “If the palace maids and eunuchs are useless, then we’ll find others. That one in red just now seemed quite suitable. A good-for-nothing wastrel, his death would be no great loss.”

Her trusted maidservant lowered her head. “Yes, Your Ladyship.”

The Mingde Emperor’s leisure time was limited. Before long, he dismissed everyone, asking only Su Zhuozhi to remain.

He first chatted with Su Zhuozhi about some domestic matters, then brought up the recent mysterious disappearances in the capital. In just two months, the number had exceeded a hundred.

Initially, they were street performers, without parents or family, attracting little attention. But as more and more people vanished, and even the second legitimate son of Earl Yong’an went missing the day before yesterday, it became a matter that demanded serious attention.

Who could be so skilled as to abduct people silently, without alerting a group of servants? And what if this mysterious individual grew bolder, daring to infiltrate the imperial palace at night?

The Mingde Emperor said, “This matter is peculiar. Dali Temple has found not a single clue. I fear it is the work of malevolent spirits.”

“I have already written to the sect master of the Myriad Sword Sect, asking him to send cultivators to the capital to investigate the situation. You must be more careful lately. If there’s no urgent need, go out less, and always bring more attendants with you.”

Su Zhuozhi was shocked upon hearing this. He knew a little about the matter; patrols in the city had indeed become much more frequent than before.

However, he hadn’t realized how dire the situation had become, with His Majesty personally handling it and even seeking cultivators. Speaking of which, he had never seen a true cultivator before.

Su Zhuozhi had always been well-protected, feeling that such matters were far removed from his life, thus he felt no fear. Moreover, with Xie Jue always by his side, whose martial prowess was exceptionally high, he felt incredibly secure.

Therefore, Su Zhuozhi was more interested in the legendary cultivators. He thanked His Majesty for his concern and asked, “Your Majesty, when the cultivators arrive, may I have a look?”

The Mingde Emperor smiled amiably. “Why not? I will summon you to the palace then and let you observe to your heart’s content. Indeed, they should be arriving in the capital soon.”

At this point, Eunuch Li reminded His Majesty that it was time to attend to state affairs. The Mingde Emperor then dismissed Su Zhuozhi from the palace.

Watching the young man’s retreating figure, the Mingde Emperor’s approachable smile faded, and he lowered his eyes in thought. Eunuch Li dared not disturb him, standing silently by his side.

Suddenly, the Mingde Emperor asked him, “Do you think Su Zhuozhi possesses any extraordinary qualities?”

Eunuch Li froze, his mind quickly becoming active. He recalled His Majesty’s usual demeanor and thus chose only flattering words to praise Su Zhuozhi.

However, these were not what the Mingde Emperor wished to hear. He, of course, knew Su Zhuozhi possessed many virtues and was a pleasant companion.

But what exactly made him special? Special enough for the Imperial Advisor, before embarking on his travels, to declare that this person’s fate was unique, greatly beneficial to His Majesty, and might even, one day, influence the destiny of the nation.

It was because of these words that the Mingde Emperor treated Su Zhuozhi with such particular favor. Regarding Prince Chu’s incident, he had long intended to curb the Prince’s power, but had Su Zhuozhi not been involved, he would not have stripped him of his title so early.

On the other side.

Su Zhuozhi walked towards the palace gates but encountered a delicate palace maid halfway there.

She smiled at him, respectfully saying, “Young Master Su, please allow this servant to escort you out of the palace.”

Accustomed to the fawning of servants, Su Zhuozhi saw nothing amiss and nodded in agreement. Yet, as they walked, he noticed the palace maid’s shadow on the ground twisting in an eerie, inhuman way.

He blinked, thinking his eyes had deceived him. As he tried to look more closely, he saw the maid’s shadow abruptly dart closer to him. He snapped his head up, startled to find her terrifyingly close.

Her face was pale as paper, her enlarged,black pupils vacant and lifeless, and her mouth was stretched wide in a mirthless grin, like a paper effigy covered with a thin layer of human skin, mimicking human expressions with a chilling and sinister air that sent shivers down his spine.

Su Zhuozhi felt as if he had plunged into an ice cellar. A voice screamed frantically in his mind to run, but his body was frozen, unable to move.

The palace maid smiled grimly, advancing on him step by terrifying step.

In that moment of peril, his vision suddenly went black, as a powerful hand covered his eyes, shielding him from the demon’s greedy, terrifying gaze.

At the same time, a forceful pull made him stumble backward, falling into a broad, firm embrace.

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