Chapter Forty-One: Since You Are Here, Make Yourself at Home

Ye Night City, Bingshan Villa.

The moon was bright and the stars sparse; Xiye sat at the center of the courtyard, gazing at the night sky in contemplation.

“What are you thinking about, Your Highness?” someone asked behind him.

“I’m wondering whether that fellow is Xiao Qi,” he replied calmly.

“Has Your Highness found the Seventh Prince?” the person behind him asked with a hint of curiosity.

“Perhaps I have, perhaps I haven’t.” Xiye shook his head. “We did find Su Ziye, as well as Liu Ru, who brought Su Ziye here to Ye Night City.”

“By all reason, Su Ziye ought to be Xiao Qi, but Xiao Qi is never one to play by the rules.”

“He chose to bring a substitute to Ye Night City. Given his temperament, neither Su Ziye nor Liu Ru should be Xiao Qi.”

The prince of Ster spoke in a low voice.

“Didn’t Your Highness see Liu Ru in person today?” the person behind asked.

“There is something of Xiao Qi’s bearing about him.” Xiye lowered his head and smiled. “It’s the first time I’ve realized that fellow could look so beautiful if he dressed as a woman.”

“So Liu Ru is the Seventh Prince?” the voice behind him mused.

“I still want to see that Su Ziye for myself,” Xiye said. “Perhaps only after meeting both can I be certain.” He looked up at the star-strewn sky.

“In that case, you’ll surely see them three days from now,” the person behind said.

Three days later would be the sixth of June—the day the Ye Night Academy’s Triple Trial would begin.

All candidates would be treated equally as they entered the academy and faced the renowned Three Trials of Ye Night.

“Yes, in three days.” Xiye nodded.

“What are Your Highness’s plans after that?” the person behind inquired further.

“Specifically?” Xiye replied indifferently.

“For example, if Your Highness passes all three trials, will you officially enroll? Or if you find the Seventh Prince—what then? Will you persuade him to return to the Empire? Or...” He stared at the man’s back. “...or will you kill him here?”

“Why do you think that?” Xiye smiled.

“The Seventh Prince is Sequence One,” the other said. “Even though he’s on the run, he remains Sequence One—the one destined to inherit the throne after His Majesty.”

“So if I kill him, my own sequence moves up?” Xiye looked up at the sky, unable to suppress a laugh. “No one in the sequences has ever murdered another. If I can help it, I won’t be the first.”

“That was before the old matriarch passed,” the other sighed. “Now that she’s gone, all things will change.”

“I do miss her dearly,” Xiye said with a smile. “I’ve come only to find him, to ask why he chose this path.”

“As for what I’ll do after that—whether I return home or stay at this academy for a few more years—I haven’t yet decided.”

“But some things are better left unresolved.”

“I’m just a little worried,” Xiye said quietly.

“I would gladly share your burdens, Your Highness,” came the gentle reply from behind.

Xiye turned and looked at the speaker. “That won’t be necessary.”

...

...

Ye Night Academy, Sun Tower.

The auction held that day in the Hall of Stars had been a grand affair. Aside from the Student Council, both the Snow Burial Society and the Scarlet Heart Dojo had provided significant assistance.

Yet the outcome surprised nearly everyone.

“So the person who won the lot was Liu Ru?” Die Xian mused. “I heard Yan Luo mention she had the Third Prince’s Golden Leaf Grass.”

“That’s right,” Calotes nodded. “But aside from the Third Prince’s Golden Leaf Grass, she also made a second offer.”

“What did she offer?” Lu Xidong asked curiously.

“That concerns the Dojo Master.” Calotes turned and smiled at Lu Xidong. “When you asked why I did what I did, I only told you to trust me. You might not trust my character, but you should at least trust my abilities.”

“Well, now it’s time to reveal some of the truth.”

With that, Calotes slowly drew a blue envelope from his sleeve. Die Xian’s eyes widened in surprise at the sight. “This...”

“This is the envelope I handed to Liu Ru earlier. But after all the twists and turns, it found its way back to us.” Calotes smiled serenely.

“What happened?” Lu Xidong asked.

“This year’s Triple Trial will be unusually tumultuous, for certain reasons,” Calotes explained calmly. “So I took some precautions—such as holding this auction in the Hall of Stars.”

“I invited all the particularly notable candidates for this year’s trial, so they could meet and get to know one another—and so I could observe them.”

“And what did you learn?” Die Xian asked.

“They’re all exceedingly wealthy,” Calotes replied with a laugh.

Die Xian’s face soured, but Calotes paid it no mind and continued, “Let me start from the beginning. You’re curious why the envelope returned to me—it’s because Liu Ru’s second offer was precisely this:”

“She will make all the trial questions public for everyone in Ye Night City.”

“No one would go to such lengths only to make such a foolish move,” Die Xian commented softly.

Though Die Xian had not appeared openly during the auction, she had been controlling matters from the shadows and knew every detail of what had transpired. The bidding had grown heated, reaching astronomical sums.

To win the questions at such a price, only to make them public, was unthinkable.

“But Liu Ru was willing,” Calotes said. “And only she could have gotten the Third Prince’s Golden Leaf Grass.”

“It’s the best possible outcome,” Die Xian sighed. “But why would she do it?” She looked at Calotes.

“Because that was what I intended,” Calotes replied with a smile. “The auction itself was a special pre-test, and Liu Ru gave the best answer.”

“And what will she get in return?” Lu Xidong asked.

“Almost anything she desires,” Calotes said calmly. “But in the end, she chose only one thing.”

“And what’s that?” Die Xian pressed.

“She wants her attendant, Su Ziye, to be admitted to Ye Night Academy without taking the entrance exams.” Calotes turned to Die Xian.

“That’s impossible!” Die Xian declared.

Indeed, Calotes had no such authority—he was only Student Council President, not the Academy’s head.

“I’m sorry, but it is possible,” Calotes said with a smile.

“You mean...” Die Xian seemed to realize something.

“The Academy has had such provisions since its founding. We all know whom these rules are meant to serve,” Calotes explained. “Of course, for various reasons, this privilege is rarely invoked.”

“But it does exist here.”

“Is this a favor you’re granting?” Lu Xidong asked.

“You could say that,” Calotes replied coolly. “This is my game, and I must reward the victor accordingly. Besides, of all possible rewards, this is probably the most easily accepted.”

“Liu Ru…” Die Xian repeated the name softly, then sighed. “So you’re going to see the headmaster?”

“Yes,” Calotes confirmed simply.

For this authority belonged only to the true master of Ye Night Academy.

“Then it’s your affair now,” Die Xian said, setting it aside. “But I am still curious about a few things.”

“Ask away, then,” Calotes smiled, lifting his hand to break the seal on the envelope.

The Student Council President drew out a blue card and turned it over.

“This is the question for the first trial,” he told Die Xian.

She looked at the few words written and sighed. “So this is your plan.”

“What does the Dojo Master think?” Calotes looked at Lu Xidong.

Lu Xidong tucked his hands into his sleeves and smiled, “Does the President need my opinion?”

“Of course.” Calotes nodded. “Tomorrow, the front page of the Scarlet Heart Chronicle will feature the contents of this card.”

“That’s your agreement with Liu Ru?” Lu Xidong asked.

“You could say that,” Calotes replied.

“In that case, I accept.” Lu Xidong took the card. “The Scarlet Heart Dojo wouldn’t miss news like this.”

“I’ve said all I need to say,” Calotes looked at the two of them.

“The questions for the second and third trials will also be published in the Scarlet Heart Chronicle for all of Ye Night City to see.”

“In the next three days, we’ll prepare the examination halls for each trial.”

With that, Calotes strode toward the door.

“Where are you going?” Die Xian asked.

“As I said,” Calotes smiled over his shoulder, “to see the headmaster.”

...

...

Ye Night Academy is called the Academy of a Thousand Towers.

But that is not quite accurate.

For the academy actually contains only forty-three white towers:

A central Leaf Tower, three Sun, Moon, and Star Towers, and thirty-nine smaller towers scattered around the campus.

Of these, the Leaf Tower is the tallest—

A thousand feet high.

To climb from the first floor to the top would take a whole day.

But now Calotes stood beneath the central floating staircase. Guided by magical runes, the stairs soared upward, carrying him swiftly as if riding the clouds.

At last, he reached the very top of the Leaf Tower.

The Student Council President pressed his fingers together and knocked lightly.

“Dong, dong, dong.”

He knocked three times.

“The door’s not locked,” came a very aged voice from within.

“It’s only proper to be polite,” Calotes replied with a smile, pushing open the half-closed door and entering the headmaster’s office at the summit.

As the tower narrows with height, the office at the top was still spacious and old-fashioned.

He walked forward, sat down in the empty chair, and looked up at the old man before him. “Greetings, Teacher.”

The man addressed as Teacher was extremely aged, his hair and beard white as snow, his face deeply lined like the bark of a split tree. His eyes were a striking shade of blue, and his long gray robe carried a faint musty scent.

Yet the old man’s lips curled in a smile. “You don’t climb the Three Jewels Hall without reason. What brings you here today?”

“Can’t I just pay my respects?” Calotes said.

“To climb from the first floor to here takes at least three hours by stairs, and five minutes by the floating staircase. With your lazy temperament, would you come just to pay respects?” the old man scoffed.

“Teacher, that’s unfair,” Calotes laughed. “You never leave this place, yet there’s nothing in Ye Night City you don’t know.”

“You mean the Third Prince has taken in two children?” the old man asked calmly.

“Not just that,” Calotes replied. “The Seventh Prince of Ster has come to Ye Night City.”

“Let him come, then. This shabby temple is small, but it can house even a great Buddha,” the old man said. “If he wishes to stay, let him.”

“He wants an exemption from the entrance exams,” Calotes said.

The old man chuckled.

Calotes smiled as well.

They laughed together in the office.

“Granted,” the old man said at last.

“Thank you, Teacher.” Calotes gave heartfelt thanks.

“You just said I’m an old fool who knows everything in Ye Night City, and now you’re trying to fool me,” the old man sighed.

“I wouldn’t dare,” Calotes protested.

“Never mind. You’re the Student Council President—the details are your responsibility,” the old man said, letting the matter drop.

“But he wants to join the Student Council, and even become President,” Calotes continued. “Perhaps before long, it won’t be me visiting you.”

“You mean you’ll assist him?” the old man asked.

“I mean, I won’t stand in his way,” Calotes replied calmly.

“Let things be,” the old man sighed. “Since I once took you as my student, the academy won’t refuse anyone who wishes to come.”

Calotes nodded, then looked at the old man’s beard.

It was snowy white and thick—a beard that made drinking difficult.

But now, there was a clear notch, as if someone had snipped off a lock with scissors.

“What are you staring at!” the old man shielded his beard, feigning annoyance.

“I want to know who in this world could trim your beard,” Calotes asked curiously.

“Who else!” the old man grumbled. “That little rascal sneaked into the council chamber—what could I do?”

“So it was the Ninth Princess!” Calotes laughed in delight.

The old man muttered, “That rascal is bound to be trouble one day.”

“There’s already enough trouble in this world—maybe one more is a blessing,” Calotes said sincerely. “I’ve always wanted to meet the Ninth Princess.”

“Then go, no one’s stopping you,” the old man said.

Calotes shook his head.

“I won’t go.”

“I’ll stay here, always. I’m not leaving.”