The twenty-fifth day of the fourth month, first year of Kaiyuan. Chang'an. Chongren Ward.
An Lushan was back again.
Not summoned by the court. He submitted a memorial himself, saying he wanted to "come to the capital to report on duties." The memorial was written very respectfully, saying he had been away from the capital for a month, missed His Majesty, couldn't eat or sleep in peace, and specially requested an audience. He approved it. He had to approve it. A newly promoted military governor saying he wanted to come report on duties—you had no reason to refuse.
When the news reached the dental clinic, I was treating a child's teeth. The copper basin for rinsing teeth was filled with warm water; the deer-antler dental probe had been heated over the candle flame, radiating a faint warmth. The lamp with the moon palace osmanthus tree swayed gently in the wind; the lamp shadow on the wall shook out a patch of broken gold.
"Sanniang, An Lushan is here again." Qingyuan stood at the door, her voice very low.
The dental probe in my hand paused. Just for a moment, quickly stabilizing again.
"Mm."
"Is he—"
"Qingyuan." I interrupted her, put down the tools, and looked at that child. The child's mouth was open, eyes round, not knowing what had happened. "Your tooth is filled. A child's mouth must not have any sweetness; within three days, you must avoid sweet and moist foods."
The child nodded, jumped off the treatment bed, and ran.
Qingyuan still stood at the door, her fingers clutching the door frame, knuckles turning white.
"Sanniang, what is he here for?"
"To report on duties."
"Is it really to report on duties?"
I didn't answer. I stood up, walked to the window. The locust flowers in Chongren Ward were still blooming; white petals fell on the steps at the clinic's entrance, a thin layer. The wind blew from the alley entrance; the petals swirled, like someone flipping through a book with no visible words. That lamp was still swaying. What was he here for? Not to report on duties. To probe. To probe whether His Majesty still trusted him, to probe whether there was still anyone in court opposing him, to probe how big that net had been woven.
The Imperial Medical Bureau
He was waiting for me at the entrance of the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Not a coincidence. He was waiting. The door creaked open; my fingertips subconsciously pressed against the lines of the dental chart, secretly clenching—then he turned around.
He stood in front of the medicine cabinet, back to the door, looking at that dental chart on the wall. His back was very broad; his shoulder armor radiated a dim light in the sunlight, like a silent wall. Hearing the footsteps, he turned around and smiled. That smile was very standard; the arc of his raised mouth corners, the degree his eyes narrowed, the angle his head slightly tilted—all just right. Exactly the same as our first meeting at the Imperial Medical Bureau. Honest, loyal, likable. Like a stone heated by furnace fire, warm to the touch, but you know it will kill you if it hits your head.
"Empress." He performed a bow, his movements very proper. "This subject came to the capital to report on duties, passed by the Imperial Medical Bureau, and wanted to come in and look. This subject's teeth have been a bit uncomfortable recently."
"Where is the General uncomfortable?"
"The teeth on the right. They hurt when eating."
"Open your mouth."
He opened his mouth. The warm water in the copper basin reflected his face, swaying. I checked it. Lower right first molar, gum color normal, no swelling, no cavities, no tartar. His teeth were still so white, so neat, unnaturally good. That molar radiated a moist luster under the candlelight, like a piece of fine porcelain. A thought suddenly flashed through my mind—it was like a time bomb, the casing perfect, the fuse inside already lit.
"The General's teeth are very good."
"Really?" He smiled. "Then perhaps this subject was overthinking it."
He stood up, looking at me. The agarwood on the medicine cabinet burned faintly; blue smoke swirled between us. His smile was still there, but the light in his eyes had changed. It was no longer a stone heated by furnace fire, but a blade. The kind of blade that finally reveals its true form after being seen through.
"Empress, this subject has one thing to ask."
"General, please speak."
"This subject heard something in Fanyang." His voice was very light, so light it sounded like he was saying something unimportant. "Someone said the Empress is investigating the Fanyang army's medicine. Investigating the Fanyang army's grain. Investigating the Fanyang army's accounts."
The hall fell silent. A burner of agarwood had burned out; the ash fell into the burner, making a faint sound. The lamp with the moon palace osmanthus tree swayed in the wind; the lamp shadow shattered on his shoulder armor.
I looked at him. He was smiling. Still that smile, honest, loyal, likable. But his eyes weren't smiling. His eyes were looking at me. Looking at my reaction, looking at my expression, looking to see if I would panic.
"The General hears a lot."
"This subject is a border general; his ears must be sharp. If not sharp, he can't guard the north." He took a step forward, his voice even lower, so low only I could hear. "Empress, this subject has one more thing to ask."
"General, please speak."
"Are this subject's teeth too white?"
The hall became even quieter. The water in the copper basin stopped swaying; the candle flame stopped flickering. Even the wind outside stopped; locust flowers hung in midair, unable to fall.
I looked into his eyes. He wasn't smiling. His mouth corners were still raised, but the smile was gone. His eyes were very bright, bright like a blade. Not the kind of blade that has to brighten when cornered, but the kind—that had been bright for a long time, only now letting people see it.
"The General's teeth are indeed very white."
"This subject has been in Fanyang for five years, eating coarse grain, meat, drinking wine. This subject's teeth shouldn't be this white." He looked at me. "The Empress noticed it the first time she saw this subject."
I didn't speak.
"The Empress also drew a dental chart for this subject. Drew it very carefully. The position of every tooth, the extent of gum swelling, the shape of the ulcers, the degree of root exposure. This subject has also seen such dental charts in Fanyang."
"Where?"
"At this subject's military doctor's. He drew them for this subject's soldiers. Those soldiers ate three years of old grain, dried meat, bad wine. Their teeth rotted, rotted into the exact same shape. This subject's military doctor said this was caused by long-term malnutrition. This subject asked him, can it be treated? He said, yes. But need to change grain, change meat, change wine. This subject changed them. This subject's soldiers now don't eat old grain. Don't eat stinking dried meat. Don't drink bad wine. This subject sends medicine to the people of Lingnan Circuit, also using these saved grains. This subject doesn't know what this subject did wrong."
He looked at me. His eyes were very bright, bright like a wrongly accused person.
"Is the Empress investigating this subject?"
The hall was quiet for a long time. A burner of agarwood burned out, then another. Ash fell into the burner, layer by layer, like snow. I looked at him. He stood there, the smile had faded, his mouth flat, his jaw slightly tense. His hand hung by his side, fingers slightly curled, like they would clench at any moment, or loosen at any moment.
"General." I looked at him. "What are you afraid of?"
He paused. Just for a moment. Quickly, he smiled again. The smile slightly faded, but revealed more depth.
"This subject isn't afraid. This subject just wants to know what this subject did wrong. This subject has been in Fanyang for five years; the Turks dare not invade the border. This subject's soldiers are full and warm. This subject's people have medicine to use. This subject doesn't know where this subject went wrong."
"The General didn't do anything wrong."
"Then why is the Empress investigating this subject?"
"Because I am a doctor. A doctor treating an illness must investigate. Investigate the cause, investigate the lesion, investigate the root. The General's soldiers' teeth rotted. The General changed grain, changed meat, changed wine. Their teeth got better. This is a good thing. But the General's supply depot lost thirty percent of its gunpowder. The General's medicinal herbs had thirty percent loss. The General's grain stored enough for half a year. The General's net is woven very big. The General is in Chang'an; people speak for you. The General is in the palace; people work for you. The General is in Lingnan; people set up longevity tablets for you. The General didn't do anything wrong. The General is just—too big."
He didn't speak. He stood there, looking into my eyes. His smile was still there, but the light in his eyes had changed. No longer a blade, but fire. The kind of fire that no longer needs to pretend after being seen through.
"Empress, can this subject still come to you for his teeth in the future?"
"Yes. The General's teeth are very good. No need to see."
"What about this subject's soldiers? Who sees their teeth?"
"The General changed the grain; their teeth will get better."
"What if they don't?"
"Then let the military doctor see."
"The military doctor isn't enough."
"Then find more."
"Can't find."
"Why can't find?"
He looked at me, silent for a long time. The candle flame flickered in his eyes, then went out. Then he smiled. This time, it was a real smile. Not that standard, honest, loyal smile. Another kind. The kind of smile that relaxes after being cornered. Like a person who has walked in the dark for a long time, finally seen by someone.
"Because good military doctors are all in Chang'an. All in the Imperial Medical Bureau. All in the Empress's dental clinic. This subject can't find any in Fanyang."
He didn't speak again. He performed a bow, turned and left. His steps were steady, the same as when he came. His shoulder armor radiated a dim light in the sunlight; his back was broad, like a wall. He walked to the door, stopped, didn't turn around.
"Empress, can this subject still come to you for his teeth in the future?"
"Yes."
"Then next time this subject comes, will the Empress still draw a dental chart for this subject?"
"Yes."
He smiled. Left. The sound of horse hooves came out from the alley entrance of Chongren Ward, clip-clop, in the spring where locust flowers had fallen, echoing far away.
The Bedchamber
In the evening, he came to the bedchamber. I told him what happened today. He leaned on the couch, eyes closed. The candle flame danced on the red sandalwood carved case; the trace of sandalwood incense faintly smelled of caramel, mixing with the scent of locust flowers outside the window.
"Longji."
"Mm?"
"He knows. He knows I'm investigating him."
"I know."
"He isn't afraid. He asked me what he did wrong."
"He didn't do anything wrong. He's just too big."
He opened his eyes, looking at me. The candlelight reflected in his eyes, like two small flames.
"Qingyan, do you know, today in court, he also asked me."
"Asked you what?"
"Asked me—'Your Majesty, what did this subject do wrong?'"
"How did you answer?"
"I said—'The General didn't do anything wrong. The General is just too capable.'"
"What did he say?"
"He said—" He smiled, a very faint smile. "'How to distinguish merit from fault, shouldn't all be blamed?'"
Outside the window, the moon over Chang'an rose. Shining on Zhuque Avenue, shining on the entrance of the Chongren Ward dental clinic, shining on the West Market's Hu wine shop. Also shining on that person who came from Fanyang. He was probably still smiling. Still saying those pretty words. Still waiting. Waiting for His Majesty to trust him a little more, waiting for the net to be a little bigger, waiting for the right time.
"Longji."
"Mm?"
"When will the net be closed?"
He was silent for a long time. Moonlight shone on his face; his eyelashes cast a fine shadow.
"Soon."
"How soon is soon?"
He didn't answer. He took my hand; his palm was warm.
"Qingyan, were you afraid today?"
"Not afraid."
"Why?"
"Because I am a doctor. A doctor treating an illness isn't afraid of the patient."
"What if the patient bites?"
I looked at him. "Then pull his teeth first."
He paused, then smiled. A very light, very faint smile, but it reached his eyes.
Outside the window, Chang'an's night was very quiet. The wind stopped, locust flowers held candles again, even camel bells seemed to hold their breath. Moonlight shone on this city, shining on the visible things, and also on the invisible things. Shining on that net that was slowly closing. The wind stopped. Locust flowers no longer fell. Even camel bells rested. The whole city became quiet, as if waiting for something. Waiting for the day the net closes.
(End of Chapter 36)