Chunhua Hotel — the second-finest establishment in Longcheng after the Taoyuan Hotel, and well worth the distinction.
Today was Director Sun's wedding day. Ten tables had been set in the hotel, and a great many guests had come to offer their congratulations. The city offered no sprawling courtyards like those in the countryside, so whenever people had something to celebrate, they preferred to find a venue and make a proper occasion of it. The wealthy went to grand hotels; ordinary folk made do with modest restaurants.
Director Sun held the position of community director, ranked at the fifth grade — an impressive height that left most people far behind. Yet his salary, compared to those lordly men of wealth, was nothing to speak of. But who could blame fortune when his younger sister practically commanded the astronomical riches of all Longcheng? Even the smallest amount slipping through her fingers would be enough to keep a family clothed in silk and fed on the finest fare.
Or so people assumed.
In truth, the hotel had offered a bone-deep, bleeding discount simply to curry favor with a certain someone. On top of that, both father and son were high-ranking officials in Longcheng and drew respectable salaries — pooled together, it was just enough. Not to mention that the bride's family was quite wealthy, though the Sun father and son had firmly declined any financial contribution from that quarter.
"Director Sun, Chief Sun — congratulations, congratulations!"
"The same to you, the same to you — please, come inside."
The wedding proceeded according to custom, yet the one figure everyone had been hoping to see never appeared. More than a few guests quietly shook their heads and whispered their guesses: surely nothing had happened to that young woman? Had she truly fallen out of favor with the lord? Why else would she keep such a low profile — not even attending her own elder brother's wedding?
Even the bride's father, a prosperous merchant, was quietly regretting his choices. Had he attached himself to the wrong people? Had the Sun family lost its influence? But by then the engagement was already settled — there was no undoing it — and his daughter was reasonably content with her husband-to-be. Besides, even if the family had fallen from grace, they still counted two high officials among them. Walking away from a betrothal was not something one did lightly.
The wealthy merchant sat in the seat of honor, sighing inwardly while his face beamed like a laughing Buddha, radiating every appearance of a man delighted with the match.
"First bow — to Heaven and Earth!"
"Second bow — to the parents!"
"Husband and wife bow to each other!"
"The rites are complete!"
"Bride and groom, offer wine to the parents of the household."
At that moment, a small commotion broke out near the entrance. Then a figure walked in — a woman of extraordinary bearing and commanding presence, beautiful as an immortal stepped down from a painting.
Every person in the room instinctively held their breath, lowered their eyes in sudden self-consciousness, and the parents seated on both sides rose to their feet without quite knowing why.
This was the lord's chief attendant, and her presence was simply overwhelming.
"Please, everyone sit down. I'm only here to attend my brother's wedding and drink a cup of wine before I go."
"Jin — Jinxiu." Sun Tiezhu stared at his daughter with eyes full of surprised delight.
"Father, Mother — I'm pressed for time. I'll drink a toast and then I must leave."
"Good, good, good — busy is good."
Sun Dazhu led the bride over. "Jinxiu, you came."
Jinxiu gave a warm smile to her dependable, straightforward elder brother. "Brother — congratulations."
The bride and her family were too intimidated to speak. To merchants like them, Jinxiu was something akin to a terrifying overlord.
Jinxiu drank a single cup of wine and took her leave.
The hall, which had fallen into a hushed stillness, burst back into noise and chatter.
"Miss Jinxiu looked every bit herself — not at all like someone who'd fallen from favor."
"Miss Jinyi is well and good, so I can breathe easy now."
"Ha — easy? What are you relieved about? Don't tell me you're still harboring ideas. As if you'd be worthy."
"Listen to you talk — like you're any more worthy than the rest of us."
…
Longcheng lay in the far south, where winters were short, though each year still brought a flurry or two of light snow.
When the snow fell, life grew hard for the poor — coal supplies caused no end of trouble.
District Chief Zhao Jinyi set out with a team of government workers to inspect the neighborhoods where ordinary people lived, and even those in more difficult circumstances, to see whether anyone needed help and to do whatever could be done.
In Longcheng, no one was permitted to freeze to death or starve.
The inspection went smoothly at first. But halfway through, something went terribly wrong.
Dozens of ruthless men suddenly burst out from concealment, catching everyone off guard. The accompanying guards were taken completely by surprise — several were killed, many more wounded.
Most critically, District Chief Jinyi was struck by an arrow, and the arrowhead had been laced with poison.
The attackers had come prepared, their timing carefully calculated. By their own measure, they had achieved what they set out to do.
But when they tried to flee, they found themselves swallowed up in a sea of ordinary people. They didn't make it half a li before they were overwhelmed. A number of them were beaten to death on the spot by furious residents. Had it not been for the accompanying officers insisting that prisoners be taken alive to root out whoever was behind it all, not one of the attackers would have survived.
The district constabulary issued an emergency order: a sweep of the entire city for any remaining assassins or spies. With the wholehearted participation of Longcheng's citizens, more than a hundred additional suspects were apprehended.
The identities of these hundred-odd individuals were remarkably varied — a cross-section of almost every faction imaginable. There were agents of the Northern Barbarians, operatives of Emperor Ming, emissaries from the imperial court, and even men sent by several self-proclaimed wild emperors whose territories bordered Longcheng. Some of those wild emperors had in fact been captured by the court just days prior and sold over to Longcheng — a development their own men hadn't yet absorbed.
Which left those men in a rather confused position.
What exactly were they doing here now?
Where were they supposed to go from here?
And more urgently — should they go visit their emperor in his cell? That would be an awkward encounter, to say the least.
The Zhao residence. Zhao Baihui's private quarters.
Jinyi lay motionless on the bed, still and pale. Zhao Baihui sat beside her in silence, holding her bloodless hand without a word.
Several members of the Zhao household sat rigidly in their chairs nearby, their faces dark and grim, equally silent.
Moments ago, a few of them had been on their feet, furiously demanding to march on Liujing or storm the capital itself. A single cold look from Zhao Baihui and a sharp word had silenced them all.
Mingcheng knocked and entered, crossing the room to Zhao Baihui's side.
"My lord, it has been confirmed. The men were sent by the Northern Barbarians."
"Their original target was you, my lord. But you have always kept a low profile and stayed well-guarded, so they could never find an opening."
"So they shifted their target to Jinyi. They believed that by cutting off the head, they could plunge Longcheng into chaos and drag it into a struggle for power."
Zhao Baihui was quiet for a moment after hearing this. Then he spoke.
"First — all of those assassins are to be killed."
"The security detail failed in its duty to protect. Everyone involved is to be demoted."
"Those who died or were wounded are to be commended. Their families are to be looked after."
"As for the Northern Barbarians."
"Mingjian! Mingwei!"
"My lord!"
"Take two battalions north. I want ten thousand barbarian heads."
"Yes, my lord!"
"And bring me Aguda. If you don't have enough men, then raise more. Two battalions not enough — then ten. Ten not enough — then a hundred."
"Money is no concern. I want one outcome."
"I want Aguda on his knees before Jinyi, begging her forgiveness."