Pleasure houses, the courtesans’ quarter, that whole side of the city — as a modern man, Ning Chen was curious about all of it.

But he turned down their generous invitation on the grounds that he was too young.

First, it was too expensive. Somebody else was paying tonight… but he’d have to pay it back eventually.

Second, he was too small… he meant his age.

He shot the breeze with them a while longer, then hoisted the log onto his shoulder again and went back to running.

At midday Old General Chen had wine and food set out.

Ning Chen drank a few cups with him.

Brewing in this era was primitive, so the wine wasn’t strong.

In the afternoon Ning Chen went back to training.

He had to get strong, and fast.

His sheer stubbornness had the soldiers looking at him with open admiration.

As he was leaving, Old General Chen sent him off with several packets of medicine. Put them in the tub at bath time, he said. They’d get the blood moving, break up the bruising, and take the ache out of his muscles.

Ning Chen thanked him and carried the packets back to the Ning residence.

He really was aching all over, as though somebody had worked him over. That was what came of going years without training.

A hot soak when he got back, plus Old General Chen’s medicine, ought to help.

He was still thinking about it when a scream went up behind him.

Ning Chen turned without thinking and saw a carriage bearing down on him at tremendous speed.

It was no more than three meters away.

Cold went through his whole body at once.

But the instinct to survive had him moving before he’d decided anything. He threw himself hard to one side.

He hit the ground and rolled with it.

The carriage tore past, dragging a gust of wind behind it, and was gone.

“You all right, young man?”

“That horse must have been spooked.”

“Dangerous. It nearly ran the boy down.”

Passersby crowded around. A kind soul helped Ning Chen to his feet.

“Thank you. I’m fine!”

He’d trained all day and already hurt everywhere. The fall hardly added to it.

The only thing that stung was that the heavy cloak had gotten dirty.

He thanked the people who’d helped him and started toward the Ning residence.

His eyes narrowed slightly. Something flickered behind them.

That horse hadn’t been spooked. That carriage had come for him.

First: it must have accelerated all at once. If it had come galloping the whole way, the noise would have been enormous, and he’d have noticed it long before.

Second: the driver had made no move to pull on the reins.

Somebody wanted him dead.

The cold rose in him again.

If it had hit him, he’d be dead — or maimed for life.

Was it the Chang woman and her sons?

He couldn’t think of anybody else who wanted him in the ground.

He would have to be a great deal more careful from now on.

And he had to get strong, fast. Strength was the only argument that settled anything.

Ning Chen got back to the Ning residence and found the place quiet and half-empty. A lot of the servants were gone.

He was still wondering about it when a maid came in through the arched gateway and looked startled to see him.

“Fourth Young Master. You didn’t go to the Top Scholar Tower?”

“Hm?” Ning Chen gave her a puzzled look.

“The First Young Master sat the palace examination today. He composed a poem on the spot and His Majesty was very pleased… In a few days the First Young Master takes up his post at the Hanlin Academy.”

“So the master is throwing a great banquet at the Top Scholar Tower today, to celebrate. The Tower was short-handed, so everyone in the household went to help serve… How is it you didn’t go, Fourth Young Master?”

Only after she’d asked did she realize it was the wrong question. The Fourth Young Master was out of favor, and that was no secret to anyone.

“Fourth Young Master — I should get back to work!”

She made a quick bow and hurried off.

Ning Chen laughed once, without humor. Even the household servants had gone, and it hadn’t occurred to a single person to tell him.

He really was an outsider here.

Ning Gan was one lucky dog, though.

There was a saying at court: first the Hanlin Academy, then the Grand Secretariat.

With the Left Chancellor and Ning Ziming paving the road for him, Ning Gan would rise fast and keep rising.

Ning Chen shook his head and put it out of his mind… he’d eaten the Top Scholar Tower’s cooking twice already.

Back in his room he rested a while, then had hot water brought up.

He put Old General Chen’s medicine into the water and had a long, luxurious soak.

He slept until deep in the night, and then the noise outside woke him.

Ning Ziming and the rest were home.

Thick-tongued, every one of them. He could tell how much they’d had just from the sound of it.

Ning Chen rolled over and went back to sleep… he had to be at the general’s residence tomorrow.

He’d barely dropped off when somebody started hammering on his door loud enough to shake the walls.

It jolted him awake.

“Ning Chen! Open the door. Open it!”

That was Ning Gan’s voice.

Then Ning Mao’s. “Ning Chen, I know you’re in there. Open up… or do I kick it in?”

Ning Chen had meant to ignore them, but the racket was too much to bear. He got out of bed, went over, and opened the door.

“What is wrong with you two? It’s the middle of the night.”

Ning Gan’s face was flushed scarlet with drink. He slurred out a rebuke. “Ning Chen, you insolent— is that any way to speak to your eldest brother?”

“Your eldest brother is a Compiler of the Hanlin Academy now. Seventh Rank, Senior Grade… when you see your eldest brother you kneel and knock your head on the floor… Now. I order you. Kneel to your eldest brother.”

Ning Chen smiled coldly. Seventh Rank, Senior. In this capital you could throw a brick and flatten a whole crowd of second and third ranks. Seventh rank wasn’t worth a damn.

“Dumbass. Get lost… Wake me up again and I’ll chop your hands off.”

Ning Mao shouted, “Ning Chen, you dare insult an official of the court… Elder Brother, give him thirty strokes of the rod and see how arrogant he is then!”

Ning Chen was so angry he laughed.

Ning Gan waved a hand. “Never mind, never mind… I’m in a good mood today. I won’t hold it against him.”

“Ning Chen. Your eldest brother still thinks about you, you know… I was worried you’d have had nothing to eat tonight, so I packed something up specially and brought it home for you.”

Only then did Ning Chen notice the oiled-paper package hanging from Ning Gan’s hand.

Before he could react, Ning Gan tossed it at him.

Ning Chen didn’t catch it. It hit the floor and burst open, and the bones inside spilled out.

Ning Gan wore a nasty little smile. “How careless of me. I’m afraid Fourth Brother will just have to get down on the floor and eat.”

“Elder Brother, if you give him that, what will the dogs in the house eat?”

Ning Gan said, “Fourth Brother comes first. We can’t have him going without… He eats worse than the dogs on an ordinary day. The dogs can miss one meal.”

Ning Mao burst into exaggerated laughter.

“Eat up, Ning Chen… see how your eldest brother frets over you!”

Ning Chen’s face was terrible to look at.

Then, suddenly, he was smiling. “Thank you, Elder Brother… You’ve gone to the trouble of bringing me food. It wouldn’t be right for a younger brother not to know his manners. One good turn deserves another — I have a gift for you as well.”

He turned and went back into the room.

He was out again a moment later, carrying the chamber pot.

“Gentlemen. A small gift. I hope you won’t think it beneath you.”

Before either of them could react, Ning Chen simply threw it.

Ning Gan took a critical hit, straight to the face.

Ning Mao got much the same, point-blank, right between the eyes.

Both of them finally registered what was in Ning Chen’s hand and backed away on instinct, lost their footing, and went down sprawling.

Ning Chen went after them and didn’t stop until he’d tipped the last drop in the pot over Ning Mao’s head.

His one regret at that moment was that he’d only pissed once. If he’d known, he’d have drunk more water and gone more often.

(End of Chapter 21)