Li Xiaotian had allocated this residence, which covered a vast area and was exquisitely decorated. Within its walls were jade steps and vermilion courtyards, with pavilions and towers every few steps, their heights obscuring the sun and making one lose all sense of direction.
Xiong Mao walked in and couldn't help but stare, dumbfounded.
He had never been to Luoyang before and didn't know the city could be this prosperous, with every material used being so refined. If Youzhou was the rough, bold wilderness, then Luoyang was a meticulously carved pavilion, every part worthy of admiration.
Li Xiaotian said with a smile, "This is one of the top-ranked grand mansions within Luoyang city. What does Governor Huo of Youzhou think?"
Huo Tingshan: "Excellent. Governor Li has gone to great trouble."
Li Xiaotian's gaze swept over the Youzhou entourage. He only saw Xin Jin and Shui Su, overlooking the tall, horseback-riding Wu Nanran. He exclaimed in surprise, "Governor Huo's retinue has only two maidservants? Shall I allocate some maids for your wife and daughter to use?"
"No need. My wife dislikes being attended by too many people," Huo Tingshan refused.
Today was different from the past. Even if they were just serving maids, he would not allow outsiders into his own courtyard.
While Huo Tingshan and Li Xiaotian were conversing, Pei Ying was also chatting with Li Xiaotian's wife.
Li Xiaotian's wife's surname was Zhuang, given name Manxiang, a native of Luoyang. After exchanging a few words with her, Pei Ying felt this Madam Zhuang seemed quite amiable.
Yes, only seemed.
Huo Tingshan would discuss politics with her and didn't restrict her from knowing about his military campaigns. Therefore, Pei Ying knew that over a year ago, during the period when the three provinces jointly suppressed the Blue Turban bandits, her current husband had severed the right arm of Li Xiaotian's son-in-law, Liu Baiquan.
Putting herself in their shoes, if her own daughter's future husband had his hand cut off by someone, she would surely hate that culprit to death.
Yet the other party was now all smiles, as if nothing had happened before.
Although Pei Ying was also smiling, she secretly heightened her vigilance.
After the usual pleasantries, Zhuang Manxiang said with a smile, "Luoyang is a wonderful place. Throughout history, countless famous figures have composed poems and songs praising its splendor. Since you mentioned, Madam Pei, that you haven't been to Luoyang before, how about the day after tomorrow I take you and your daughter to visit the markets?"
Pei Ying promptly showed a regretful expression. "Thank you first for your kind offer, Madam Zhuang. It's just that my daughter has always suffered from long journeys. Now that she's finally arrived in Luoyang, I'm afraid she only wants to sleep for three days and three nights to quickly recover her energy."
Zhuang Manxiang turned her head to look at Meng Ling'er.
She hadn't paid close attention before, but now looking, she was surprised to find the young girl indeed looked slightly pale and rather listless.
Zhuang Manxiang paused. "Then she really must rest properly."
Pei Ying smiled and agreed.
It seemed the topics between women meeting for the first time were always the same few: if they had children, they'd chat about them, then talk about experiences on the road, finally turning the conversation to clothing and accessories.
"Madam Pei, this yellow jade bangle is as soft and smooth as fine fat. I've seen many top-grade yellow jade bangles, but compared to yours, they all fall short." Zhuang Manxiang looked at the round yellow jade bangle on Pei Ying's wrist, her eyes showing admiration.
The other party rarely showed her emotions so openly. As Pei Ying was thinking how to respond, Zhuang Manxiang reached over and gently flicked the yellow jade bangle on Pei Ying's wrist.
Pei Ying was slightly taken aback.
She and Zhuang Manxiang had only just met. Such contact beyond proper social distance was rather abrupt.
No sooner had this thought arisen than Zhuang Manxiang had already withdrawn her hand, as if it had merely been a momentary impulse to take a closer look.
Pei Ying pressed her lips together.
Huo Tingshan's party arrived at Luoyang city during the Shen hour (3-5 PM). From outside the city to within, and then the subsequent entry into the residence, by the time everything was settled, it was the You hour (5-7 PM).
The evening banquet was held within the mansion.
Both Huo Tingshan and Li Xiaotian were Provincial Governors. The former also held a military general title personally conferred by the imperial court. If one really compared, Huo Tingshan's standing was slightly weightier than Li Xiaotian's.
But now they were in Luoyang, the capital of Si Province, Li Xiaotian's territory. For Huo Tingshan to sit alone at the head seat would be inappropriate. So, they simply set up a combined table, with both men sitting at the head, though Li Xiaotian sat on the right and Huo Tingshan on the left.
Below them sat first Zhuang Manxiang, then Pei Ying and Meng Ling'er. Following them, the military officers from Youzhou and Si Province were seated alternately.
This evening meal was arranged by Li Xiaotian. All the dishes were ordered from famous eateries in Luoyang city—a sumptuous feast of rare delicacies and fine wine.
As night fell, the mansion remained bright as day. Amidst the clinking of cups, the Youzhou generals and the Si Province side chatted animatedly. The banquet was filled with laughter and conversation, as if no discord had ever existed between them.
While the heads of the table conversed, Zhuang Manxiang and Pei Ying exchanged small talk.
"Is your daughter betrothed?" Zhuang Manxiang asked.
A flicker passed through Pei Ying's eyes. "Her father and I are selecting a husband for her, but she's only sixteen this year. There's no hurry."
Sixteen and still not betrothed, yet she says there's no hurry. Zhuang Manxiang quickly understood the other party had greater ambitions. "Although it's winter now, not comparable to the sea of flowers in March, winter has its own scenery. Luoyang has a famous plum garden. Another day, shall we go enjoy the plum blossoms together, Madam Pei?"
Pei Ying sighed. "I naturally yearn to see the plum garden, but now is not the time."
"Why do you say that, Madam Pei?" Zhuang Manxiang asked, surprised.
Pei Ying lowered her voice, shifting the blame onto Huo Tingshan without much burden: "This trip to Luoyang is to join forces with your Si Province to campaign against Jing. Before coming, I had to make many promises to my husband to be allowed to accompany the army. He forbids my daughter and me from sightseeing and enjoying leisure."
Zhuang Manxiang hadn't expected this twist. Her fine eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Viewing plum blossoms is within the city. It hardly counts as sightseeing."
Pei Ying shook her head regretfully. "Although I share your view, Madam Zhuang, in this matter, my opinion doesn't count."
Zhuang Manxiang was speechless. She looked at the beautiful woman's profile beside her, secretly tightening her grip on her handkerchief.
Pei Ying steered the conversation to the delicacies, chatting with her about Luoyang's fine food.
Wine was served at the banquet, both regular clear wine and the renowned Pei family brew.
Mixing the two types, by the end Li Xiaotian, seeming somewhat intoxicated, lamented, "A beautiful wife by your side, intelligent and sensible children, and three provinces under your command... Governor Huo of Youzhou, you truly have good fortune, so good it breeds envy."
Huo Tingshan swirled his wine cup. "I also think my fate is excellent, beyond compare."
Li Xiaotian choked slightly.
The banquet lasted a long time. It wasn't until nearing the curfew that Li Xiaotian finally led the Si Province contingent away.
Pei Ying returned to the main courtyard. Just after finishing her ablutions, Huo Tingshan entered. The man reeked of alcohol, the smell permeating the room as he came in.
Pei Ying took two steps back, overwhelmed by the fumes. "Huo Tingshan, go wash up immediately."
The man sniffed. "I don't think the smell is that strong."
"Not your decision," Pei Ying said, pushing him toward the adjoining washroom. "The soap is in the box. Use your own piece. No sneaking to use mine again."
"My wife is keeping her distance from me."
Pei Ying was exasperated. "It's a matter of hygiene."
After he entered the side room, Pei Ying returned to the bedside and hung several pierced night pearls to serve as small lamps.
Once they were hung, Pei Ying took out the green bamboo pouch.
She had been embroidering this pouch since the southern campaign began, and only now was she finishing it. The long needle pierced through the dark green brocade, with dark green thread coiled around the needlehead. She pressed it tight and pulled the thread long.
Just as Pei Ying was about to look for scissors, she heard footsteps. The beautiful woman's movements paused for an instant, but she soon continued getting up to search for the scissors.
Huo Tingshan walked around the screen. His first glance saw no one by the bed, his second glance fell upon Pei Ying by the small cabinet. Seeing her holding small scissors, he seemed thoughtful and turned to look at the bed again.
A familiar pouch lay conspicuously on the bed.
Only, compared to its previous half-finished state, it now only needed the threads trimmed to be complete.
"Huo Tingshan, you cut the threads yourself." Seeing him idle, Pei Ying simply handed the scissors to him.
Huo Tingshan took the small silver scissors and raised an eyebrow. "They say when two are united as one, their strength can cut metal. For you and I to be so united in heart, using it merely to cut threads seems a waste of great talent."
Pei Ying: "...It's just cutting threads."
A soft "snip" soon sounded from his direction, after which Huo Tingshan picked up the pouch.
He had just bathed and was wearing only loosely tied inner garments, with no belt to hang the pouch. He held it against his waist for comparison, quite satisfied. "Your embroidery skill remains as excellent as ever."
Pei Ying fell silent, momentarily unable to tell if his words were mocking her or a genuine compliment.
Hearing no response from Pei Ying for a while, Huo Tingshan turned to see her complex expression. "You're not pleased even when praised?"
"Was that praise?" Pei Ying doubted.
Huo Tingshan laughed. "How is it not? The pouch you embroidered is matchless in this world. Others may not know, but I for one am exceedingly fond of it."
Pei Ying averted her eyes, the tips of her ears slightly red. "As long as you like it."
Having endured the fatigue of travel all day and attended a banquet in the evening, Pei Ying was tired and went to bed first.
Huo Tingshan stood by the bedside, still holding the pouch. His long fingers, calloused from years of practice, slowly traced over the green bamboo embroidered on the pouch.
What he said earlier was not false. The pouch she embroidered was indeed one of a kind, even the chosen motif was three parts more distinctive than others'.
Who wouldn't like a life of comfort and plenty? He certainly did.
"Madam, earlier I observed you and Li Xiaotian's wife conversing quite pleasantly. What did you discuss?" Huo Tingshan asked.
"It wasn't particularly pleasant," Pei Ying said softly. "At first, Madam Zhuang invited me to visit the market. I declined, citing our daughter's discomfort. Later, she invited me again to admire the plum blossoms, and I refused that too. I found her overly enthusiastic. If my daughter's husband had his hand cut off by someone else, I certainly wouldn't be laughing and chatting with that person's wife."
The man by the bedside had initially looked on with amusement in his eyes, but now the laughter swiftly faded from them. "She invited you out several times?"
Pei Ying hummed in affirmation.
"What else did you talk about?" Huo Tingshan asked.
Pei Ying answered truthfully, "Nothing else of particular note, just food and sights of Sizhou. Oh, she also asked if our daughter was betrothed."
"Madam, Luoyang is not like Youzhou. My influence here is not deeply rooted. If in the future anyone invites you out, refuse all except those I accompany you to." Huo Tingshan hung the pouch on a wooden stand, placing it with the dark robe for the next day.
Pei Ying: "I understand."
Just then, Guo Dajiang's voice came from outside the door, "Great General, Gu Tan requests an audience."
Huo Tingshan paused, took the outer robe hanging on the stand and put it on. "Rest first, Madam. I'll return shortly."
...
Study.
When Huo Tingshan entered the courtyard, he saw a man waiting there.
Hearing footsteps, the man turned. Moonlight fell upon his face, illuminating features as fair and delicate as a beautiful woman's. He bowed with hands clasped, "Greetings, Great General."
"No need for such formality, Qinghuai." Huo Tingshan addressed Gu Tan by his courtesy name.
The two entered the study.
Huo Tingshan looked him up and down and chuckled, "When you left Youzhou all those years ago, you were quite unwilling. Seven years have passed—you've grown fairer and a bit stouter. It seems you've found your element here in Sizhou."
Gu Tan smiled. "If one doesn't blend in seamlessly, the mission is hard to advance."
Seven years ago, he had received a secret mission, leading a group of men from Youzhou to Sizhou. Initially known to very few, the mission, in short, was: to be a sleeper agent.
To build a network of connections in Sizhou belonging to Youzhou.
After seven years of expansion, this invisible web had grown far beyond its initial scope. Perhaps the vendor selling flatbreads at the street corner, a servant in a prominent household, or even a minor constable in the government office were now people arranged by Gu Tan's side.
Setting aside the countless difficulties of these seven years, the manpower and financial resources expended alone were a staggering figure.
"When did you arrive, Qinghuai?" Huo Tingshan asked again.
It was already curfew; the other man certainly hadn't just arrived.
Gu Tan: "During the You hour, entering through the side gate."
The You hour was shortly after the Youzhou and Sizhou contingents had entered through the main gate. At that time, the Black Armored Cavalry had also taken up residence in the houses surrounding the four directions, with Youzhou troops all around.
"Speak then. Why the urgent visit today?" Huo Tingshan got straight to the point.
Today was his first day in Luoyang, and before the day had even ended, Gu Tan had sought him out. If he didn't have important news to report, Gu Tan could roll right back to Youzhou.
Gu Tan's expression turned serious. "Great General, within the month before your arrival in Luoyang, two groups of people visited the residence of the Sizhou Governor Li in succession."
Huo Tingshan rested his hand on the desk, his fingers tapping lightly, rhythmically. "Which two?"
Gu Tan: "The first was the Mo family. This Mo family can be considered a minor local magnate. The head of the family, Mo Pinggen, was originally from Youzhou. I heard he moved his entire family to Luoyang twenty years ago. His daughter accidentally saved the legitimate son of a major local magnate. The son fell for her at first sight and took Miss Mo as a concubine. Relying on the Feng family's influence, Mo Pinggen spent over a decade preparing and became a minor magnate here."
The surname "Mo" is not very common.
Huo Tingshan thought briefly but couldn't recall any magnates or their in-laws in Youzhou with the surname "Mo."
"And the second group?" Huo Tingshan asked.
Upon hearing this, he saw a grave look appear on Gu Tan's face. "Great General, the second group came from the west. I privately believe this group likely came from Chang'an."
Huo Tingshan's tapping fingers stilled. "Chang'an? Are you certain?"
Gu Tan nodded, then shook his head. "Only seventy percent sure. At the time, one of our brothers was returning to Luoyang from the western city gate. Upon entering the city, he happened upon a group. He observed that although their carriage was plain, the accompanying men, who resembled escorts, were dressed unusually. One among them was particularly well-dressed, his bearing different from ordinary people. That brother is now in trade and has come into contact with many travelers from north and south. He thought their accents sounded like those from the Chang'an area. As it happened, the brother wasn't in a hurry to return to his shop, so he tailed them."
In their line of work, curiosity is the one thing you cannot afford to lack.
Huo Tingshan listened quietly.
"I initially thought it was some distant relative of a prominent family arriving from Chang'an, but unexpectedly, the carriage procession proceeded all the way to the Governor's mansion," Gu Tan said. "And after the announcement was made, it was the Governor's steward who came out first to receive them."
Li Xiaotian was the governor of the province, the most powerful and influential figure in the entire Si Province. Though a steward is merely a servant, serving such a master naturally elevates one's status.
When the Governor's steward steps out, even other prominent families would take the initiative to greet him. For him to personally welcome guests this time, one can imagine these individuals must be of no ordinary status.
Huo Tingshan was thoughtful. "Could the person in the carriage be seen clearly?"
Gu Tan nodded. "Yes, clearly. My man said it was a lady wearing a veil hat. She was tall and slender, with her hair styled in a married woman's 'fallen horse' bun. Her skin was fair, and her figure was alluring."
Huo Tingshan froze.
Chang'an. The Zhuang family had extended invitations twice. A tall, fair-skinned, alluring beauty with a married woman's hairstyle...
The man's pupils constricted slightly.
