Chapter 13 – Treasure Room And Its Key

Back when Dongzhou was still unified and the capital city still lively, Fang Tinglan’s father, Fang Que, was the powerful Lord Zhenhai. Naturally then, the world seemed to revolve around1 his only son and pride of the family. Fang Tinglan not only accompanied the princes in their studies, but was granted many other privileges — such as the ability to walk freely through the palace.

It stood to reason that Fang Tinglan, who could play together with these powerful princes, would become an arrogant and willful young master. However, this young master2 had been raised a righteous soul. Because he would not stand for injustice, after entering the palace, Fang Tinglan directly stood up for and allied himself with the oft bullied sixth prince, Qin Weiyu.

Nobody bothered with the two of them. Nevertheless, the two were content in playing by themselves, climbing trees and picking fruit, riding wooden horses3 and pretending to be generals.

One day, Fang Tinglan heard the palace people gossiping about the haunted palace in the northeastern corner. Thinking of himself as the invincible young master Zhenhai, Fang Tinglan insisted on bringing the sixth prince along with himself to investigate.

Qin Weiyu trembled with fear the entire way there. Under the dark cloak of night, the prince walked two times slower. Even though he was also afraid, Fang Tinglan refused to turn back. It was his idea after all. Faking courage, he kicked open the door.

Firelight flickered chillingly inside. Fang Tinglan cried out in fear, then promptly burst into tears.

Of ghosts, there were obviously none. It was simply the old and forgotten lady of the palace finding shelter from the biting winter winds. The old lady didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She wiped away the boys’ tears and snot, and even gave them each a piece of roasted sweet potato. With the three of them gathered by the fire pit, she told them a story.

Hidden somewhere in Dongzhou was the previous dynasty’s treasure room. They had been a prosperous kingdom that even had “bows made of rainbows and armor made of gold.” Their treasure hold would naturally contain wonders of the world, any of which could easily be worth a mountain of gold. Of course, the treasure wasn’t left unprotected; demons and evil spirits guarded it. Anyone who tried to find exactly where the entrance was would be sucked dry by those evil spirits.

One of the old lady’s distant ancestors was a skilled hero4. In a stroke of luck, he had managed to evade the evil spirits and slip into the treasure hold. He had originally wanted to take a couple items and strike it rich, but strangely enough, after breaking through countless gateways and defeating countless demons inside, he emerged empty handed. Furthermore, he himself had lost his mind and disappeared, taking the hold’s secrets along with him.

“… Those treasures, they’ve all been cursed. You couldn’t touch them!” The old lady emphasized haughtily.

Qin Weiyu had been listening enthusiastically at the start, but blanched at the mention of demons and evil spirits. Even the sweet potato froze in his hands. Only Fang Tinglan listened naively and fearlessly. He licked the sweetness from his fingertips, and blinkingly spoke.

“That can’t be. If the entrance was guarded by demons, then how could your ancestor have been able to get inside or know that there was treasure inside?”

The old lady had no response. She twisted her sleeve between her thin, wrinkled fingers.

“Because … Because he had the key!”

※※※

“The old lady’s story really was just a story, but it’s based on the truth,” Fang Tinglan said.

“Fifteen years ago, around 100 Taiyan City residents managed to escape around a month before the city fell. Among them was an assassin named Shang Weiji. He led these people south, boarded two longships and crossed the ocean to Nanjing.”

Qin Weiyu felt his head spin, unable to make head or tail of Fang Tinglan’s words. How did this assassin relate to the story they’d heard when they were younger?

“You… want me to find this Shang Weiji person?”

“To be precise, I want you to find the Hanyin Order in his hands,” Fang Tinglan said.

“That is the ‘key’ the old lady spoke of. Just before the Rong Dynasty fell, they sent their loyal followers to move all of the classics, military tactics books, craft secrets, and even some treasures to some place in Dongzhou for safekeeping. Those ‘evil spirits’ she spoke of were likely the guards stationed there.”

“But after many tumultuous years, the Rong Dynasty had no hope left of returning to power and their loyal followers began to fight amongst themselves. One of those factions took some of the treasures with them and left for Beimo — blueprints for that demon-like artillery that felled Taiyan City originated from among those treasures.”

Though neither of the two had any idea of the late dynasty’s splendor, the tragic fall of Taiyan city fifteen years ago was carved into the heart of every Dongzhou person. Qin Weiyu wasn’t dumb — a dumb prince wouldn’t have survived these ten years in Tisu — and he understood quickly.

“You mean that Shang Weiji was part of those loyal followers? Then what’s left in that secret room …”

“Only he knows.” Fang Tinglan finished for him.

“You and I are both clear that those weaponry designs, detailed maps, and classics are far more valuable than any of the precious metals and jewel-set trinkets might be. Ever since I learned of the existence of the Hanyin Order, I’ve been secretly investigating Shang Weiji — and if I couldn’t locate the person, then any of the Taiyan refugees would do too. But many years have passed, and the Taiyan refugees have scattered with the wind.”

“Then, what do we do now?” Qin Weiyu hurriedly asked.

“No worries,” Fang Tinglan’s lip quirked up.

“Because the heavens have finally granted me a favor. I found a clue as soon as I entered Nanjing.” He whispered.

Hai Lian.

He said to himself silently.

The clock in the main hall struck eleven. Outside, the firework show had ended and the faint sounds of people dispersing filtered through the door. The two had to part.

In the end, Fang Tinglan placated the prince, arranging when and how to meet him again. Qin Weiyu accepted his arrangements.

Fang Tinglan took a couple steps towards the door, then turned to add:

“Everything has its own priority. I was only informing you of the Hanyin Order, not asking you to find it immediately. My top priorities are, one, to find Fei Yi and avenge my father, and two, to take you back to Dongzhou — and not in some covert manner. I’ll bring you back with your head held high.”

He raised his eyes to the moon outside. Fang Tinglan smiled at the Chen King he’d spent his childhood with — this smile was warm and gentle, genuine to the point of falsity, dazzling any who set their sight upon it.

Or rather, what dazzled Qin Weiyu was Fang Tinglan’s last sentence.

“Weiyu, I’ve come to be your kingmaker.”

 

A/N: Here we’ve finally explained a portion of Fang Tinglan’s backstory. My head’s about to explode from writing… (T/N: and mine from translating T_T)

We can’t have pirates without treasure! Otherwise, what sort of pirates would they be! (Even though the treasure is a little unrelated…)

Some random extra information _(:з」∠)_

The late Rong Dynasty was the first time period that I came up with. I wrote two entire volumes filled with their stories and other worldbuilding details when I was in school. It’s also the root of all evil in everyone else’s eyes 

1

world seemed to revolve around (众星拱月): lit. all the stars cup themselves around the moon, basically meaning that everyone revolves around him

2

young master (世子): So remember how there’s the emperor/royal family and ‘kings’ serving him? The word used here refers to the crown prince of those ‘kings,’ but I chose to use young master since I’ve been using Prince to refer to the royal princes.

3

wooden horses: not like rocking horses, more like these here

4

hero: hero doesn’t have the same meaning in Chinese. Whereas Western heroes are typically superhuman or granted special powers, Chinese ‘heroes’ refer to people typically extremely skilled in a certain aspect (like martial arts) and usually of outstanding character. Anyone can be a hero as long as they put in the effort to train themselves.