Linglong Button
Proofreader/Editor: Nene Yashiro

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After returning home, Tang Jiwei put away the three paintings. Tang De watched his brother busying himself, not mentioning the silver at all. He felt anxious, scratching his head but was too embarrassed to speak up.

Once Tang Jiwei had everything organized, he pulled out a cloth bag from under the desk. It contained exactly thirty taels of silver.

“This is all my savings. If you can truly work hard and get things done, it won’t be in vain for me to lend it to you at the risk of my own finances. Here, take it,” Tang Jiwei tossed the bag to him.

Tang De opened it and saw the three silver ingots, totaling thirty taels. He felt happy at the prospect of finally being able to show what he could do, but then he remembered how hard his brother had worked day and night to earn this money. He felt a bit guilty; taking this money would really put his brother in a tight spot.

Seeing Tang De’s guilty expression, Tang Jiwei understood what he was thinking and said, “You don’t have to feel bad. This is a loan, not a gift. If you make money, just pay me back with interest.”

Tang Jiwei turned to place the book on the shelf. His calm demeanor made Tang De, who always claimed to be a little lord, feel an urge to cry. People often said that scholars were pedantic and poor, but his brother was treating him exceptionally well.

Suppressing the bittersweet feelings, Tang De gritted his teeth and said, “Brother, don’t worry. I will definitely pay you back. Even if the inn loses money, I will work day and night to return your thirty taels!”

Tang Jiwei flipped through an old book, looking down and smiling. “You have some self-awareness. I don’t know your friends very well, but I suggest you go solo. Hiring them as partners can complicate matters. Even brothers should keep clear accounts. You can also borrow a little more from someone else; the location you’re looking at has good customer traffic, so you won’t have trouble earning it back.”

Tang De nodded; he understood that his brother was trying to help him figure things out. But he said, “Those brothers of mine grew up together. Since I promised to take them along, I can’t back out. Brother, thank you, but I can’t follow your advice this time. I want to make my own decisions.”

Tang Jiwei nodded without saying anything. When Tang De saw that his brother wasn’t paying him any more attention, he took the silver and left. On his way through the courtyard, he even slipped a hairpin to their mother.

“Hey, you little rascal, how can you have spare money for these when you’re borrowing to get by?” Madam Xiao pretended to scold him, but inwardly she felt pleased; what could she do? Her nephew was being filial to her!

Tang Jiwei, still reading, didn’t mind that Tang De had disregarded his advice. Tang De was now a grown man with his own ideas and principles for dealing with life. While he could support him for a time, he couldn’t make decisions for him forever.

Some people need to stumble into the mud to understand how tough life can be. No matter how close the relationships are, some distance is necessary.

In the Hall of Diligent Governance, Duke Wei Guozhong was reporting to the emperor regarding the handling of the Zhang Yuan incident. In his prime, Duke Wei was full of vigor and radiated health, but Han Zhen didn’t want to look at him.

“Your Majesty, regarding the Zhang Yuan case, the Ministry of Justice has completed its investigation, and the remnants of the rebel party have been cleared. The accounting books for Zhang Yuan’s embezzlement and bribery, as well as the receipts for buying and selling official positions, have already been voluntarily submitted to the Ministry of Justice by Princess Yucheng. Your Majesty, what are your thoughts?”

Holding a red brush to annotate the memorial, Han Zhen didn’t raise his head and said, “Whatever the judgment is, follow the law. The emperor is equal to the commoners in crime, especially since he is just a prince.”

Duke Wei cupped his hands and said, “I will inform the Ministry of Justice. However, this case has gone too smoothly, and I find it somewhat suspicious.”

The emperor glanced at him and said in a deep voice, “This matter ends here. The case was handled by Wei Lin, who is naturally much quicker than those useless individuals. There is no need for you to be suspicious, my dear minister.”

Duke Wei nodded but hesitated for a moment before he couldn’t help but kneel, lifting his robe and respectfully asking, “Your Majesty, may I ask what crime the empress committed to incur your wrath? I plead for your forgiveness on behalf of my unfilial daughter.”

Han Zhen felt a surge of irritation rising in his chest. He calmed himself, suppressing emotions that shouldn’t have arisen at this moment. He set down his brush and took a sip of tea that Li Sheng had offered.

Looking at the person kneeling below the dragon steps, he spoke in a soothing tone, “The empress’s misconduct is an internal palace matter, and you, my dear minister, are a person of merit to the state. I can differentiate between matters and will not transfer my anger.”

“It is I who have overstepped.”

Duke Wei felt a chill run down his spine. After kneeling and saying what he had to, he stumbled out of the palace doors. His intention was to speak up for his daughter, hoping to quell the emperor’s anger so that the empress would fare better in the harem. Little did he know that Han Zhen had turned the tables on him. To say he wouldn’t take it out on her was just a way to tell him to mind his own business; if he insisted on defending the empress, then his family would suffer from a small loss.

The ever-wise Duke Wei didn’t realize that this cunning emperor harbored resentment toward the empress for reasons that he couldn’t fathom. He wouldn’t remember that two years prior, he had pressured Han Zhen to execute a man, and that man’s death would eventually cost him dearly for his actions.
Li Sheng stepped forward to report to the emperor, saying, “Your Majesty, there’s news from the Empress Dowager. It’s said that the princess, having lost her husband, shouldn’t live alone outside the palace, so they intend to renovate the princess’s residence and bring her back.”

“Let her return. Although the Empress Dowager has no objections regarding the handling of the Zhang Yuan matter, she may not be completely pleased. She must want to recover some losses; it’s time for her to take action,” Han Zhen replied.

“I’m curious to see how this once-powerful Empress Dowager will turn the tables on me,” he added.

Han Zhen stood up, lightly stroking the jade pendant on his clothes with one hand. The malice in his expression made everyone feel afraid. His demeanor, which radiated an air of superiority, was also why the officials dared not underestimate him. He was destined to be an emperor; if it weren’t for Empress Jiayi’s early death, his position as crown prince wouldn’t have been delayed for so many years, and he wouldn’t have to tread so carefully in the palace.

Yet, because he matured early and lacked the protection of a biological mother and the support of a powerful maternal family, he had to survive in the palace, making him adept at manipulating power and winning hearts.

“Disaster stems from fortune, and fortune hides within disaster.”

Losing his mother at a young age may not have been a bad thing for him. By leaving the harbor early, he developed the ability to navigate the storms of life.

Chief Eunuch Li Sheng understood the emperor’s meaning; balancing power between the harem and the former dynasty was a skill that this master was good at. Their Empress Dowager was no longer someone who could easily control him. Times had changed, and nobody could stop what needed to change.

Han Zhen took off the jade pendant he always carried and said, “Give this to Tang Jiwei. He did an excellent job, and I didn’t misjudge him.”

“But this is something you’ve carried for over a decade. I’m afraid you might regret giving it away,” Chief Eunuch Li Sheng said, frowning as he held the pendant.

Han Zhen chuckled lightly and kicked him playfully. “Am I that stingy? Go ahead and give it to him; I won’t regret it.”

Chief Eunuch Li Sheng sighed and nodded. This exquisite jade pendant adorned with gold thread was the emperor’s cherished possession. Many old acquaintances had passed away, let alone objects. Yet this little trinket had been kept by the emperor for decades; it wasn’t easy!

When Tang Jiwei received the small box from Mo Li, he didn’t say what was inside and simply left. Tang Jiwei thought it was probably just some gold, silver, or jade trinket as a reward. However, when he opened it, he felt as if memories had come rushing back, almost as if he had been resurrected. This jade pendant, the Linglong button, had somehow found its way back to him.

Rubbing the gold thread on the pendant, Tang Jiwei recalled the scene from the palace banquet years ago. The late emperor had sat in a commanding position, full of vigor, receiving news of a great victory from the northern front. In his excitement, he drank a few more cups and, feeling tipsy, began to bestow gifts upon everyone present. All the officials and their ladies received rewards, but Gu Zhenguan and Han Zhen received two translucent jade pendants.

“Why do these two jade pendants look like mandarin ducks? No, no, this won’t do! I’ve given the wrong reward. Let me give them something else; two young men shouldn’t wear such things,” the late emperor said, his face red from drinking.

Han Zhen stepped forward and cupped his hands, saying, “It’s not about the value of the gift; what matters is the thought behind it. Father, you are pleased to reward us with jade pendants, and it’s fate that we have these two. In the future, we can give them to the ladies we admire, so you needn’t give any other rewards.”

Gu Zhenguan, standing aside with a flushed face, was furious. He was trembling with anger, his body resembling a tightly wrapped ball, and his white fox cloak was clenched tightly in his grip. He knew this person held grudges. Wasn’t it just that he had spilled ink on his beloved painting? How could he let the emperor give them a pair of mandarin duck pendants? ^[1]Mandarin duck pendants are mostly associated with love and romance

Gu Zhenguan glared at him, vowing to kill him with his eyes, while Madam Gu watched his angry demeanor, laughing so hard she couldn’t contain herself.

Those were such beautiful days; he still remembered his mother’s face, free of fine wrinkles, covering her mouth with a handkerchief as she laughed, her eyes sparkling with joy. It felt as if time stood still, and the people in his memories were still there, laughing heartily.

But he was indeed gone. That jade pendant had been rejected by him and tossed into an unknown place in his residence. When the marquis’s residence was completed, his mother had put it in a box in his study, but he didn’t know if it was still there.

Looking at the gold-threaded jade pendant in his hand, Tang Jiwei couldn’t help but smile.

“Han Zhen, are you intentionally opposing me?” Gu Zhenguan said, puffing out his cheeks and angrily blocking his way.

“The teacher hasn’t left yet; are you planning to cause a scene here?” Han Zhen crossed his arms, indicating that the grand tutor had not yet departed.

Gu Zhenguan was always reckless and didn’t care who was around. He looked down and saw the jade pendant hanging on Han Zhen’s robe, and his anger flared. He yanked it off and threw it to the ground.

“I’ll tell you, I’m not a girl; I won’t wear such weird things. I’ll destroy your jade pendant and get you a better, clearer one tomorrow!” Gu Zhenguan spat out angrily before storming off.

Fortunately, it fell onto the snow; the place where the gold thread had been was probably where he had broken it back then. Who would have thought that after all this time, it would still hold such deep connections with him?

Tang Jiwei carefully placed the jade pendant back into the box and tucked it behind the bookshelf. Those carefree days of brotherly love had faded away like the broken jade pendant; even if he tried to mend it, it would never be the same as before.

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Author’s Note: A heartless little bottom versus a heartless little top—just a little bit of angst~