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Shangjue doesn't think much of it when family business takes him to these stranger parts of the world. It's a little further out than he would need to traverse himself; he has his pick of men who are more than capable, very much loyal and who are more than able to handle some of the wider workings in the family's network, but this one is a tricky one that necessitates his presence. It is rare that anything calls him this far out or necessitates Shangjue showing up in person, even rarer still for his subordinates to even ask for him, knowing as they do how he loathes spending a moment longer than he needs to be away from the Gong family compound.
Away from the comforting scents of bitter herbs that cling thick to his bedding, the gentle tinkle of beads braided into dark hair wove and designed himself. It has been a good two moons since he held Yuanzhi in his arms. Kissed his cheeks, held his hands, indulged his every little whim and fancy. Every moment he is kept away from the sense of home that comes to him at the sight of a smile that he knows is only reserved for his eyes and his alone is a moment that drives an undercurrent of impatience and ill-disguised contempt for the roadblock between him and his Yuanzhi.
"We are here."
Rallying his thoughts, Shangjue affects a mask of perfected neutrality. The sooner he resolves this matter, the faster he can ride home.
The Lady Wen Xiao who greets him smiles in a way that reminds him of Gong Ziyu's wife and raises his hackles for a beat before his brain catches up with the rest of him. This far out of their territory, there aren't too many who wish him harm, and those who do aren't the kind to smile right to his face while guiding him to a private pavilion to serve him tea. The business had been simple enough, though Shangjue will knock his subordinates' heads together when he gets his hands on them for exaggerating the matter about how many weapons are needed for this deal. Sure, there's the matter of transporting the goods and how quickly he can get it up the network, but Shangjue does not see how this would be any cause to lose sleep over.
They settle the matter within the shichen. Lady Wen Xiao seems equally as relieved to resolve the issue as he is, gracefully offering him a token of appreciation. "I heard that Young Master Jue has a beloved younger brother who is interested in poisons--" She starts to say, only to note Shangjue's sudden stop by her side.
Through the window of a room that looks into the courtyard they are in, Shangjue's eyes are fixed on the man who sits pensively by it.
"Who is that?" Shangjue eekes out between the shortness of his breath.
Wen Xiao follows his gaze, making an inquiring sound before huffing a laugh. Stepping forward, she calls out. "Xiao Zhuo!"
Shangjue barely has a moment to startle, because the man who looks like a mirror image to his Yuanzhi is turning to them, eyebrows raised. He disappears from view and reappears from a doorway, walking towards them. "May I introduce you to Zhuo Yichen, a descendent of the Bingyi Clan. Lord of the manor we are in." Wen Xiao moves to the man's side, beaming as Shangjue receives his bow and returns it with one of his own.
And Shangjue... Shangjue is tongue tied under the intensity of the other man's gaze. This close to him, Shangjue feels his heart shake at the way Yuanzhi's doppelgänger looks so much like him and yet not at all. There's a certain shadow in his eyes that Yuanzhi's do not carry, a hard pinch in the corners of his full lips, a furrow in his brow that Yuanzhi never directs at him but everyone else. Zhuo Yichen isn't his Yuanzhi.
"Forgive me for my impudence. I was just so surprised that two people could look so alike."
"Do you know someone who looks like our family's Xiao Zhuo?" Wen Xiao asks.
"Yes, my younger brother, Yuanzhi."
"Ah!" She gasps. "The famous poisonmaker of the Gong family?"
Shangjue calms his heart when Zhuo Yichen blinks, the furrow of his brow smoothing over. "Yes, that is him. He would be pleased to now that his reputation has reached this far out."
Zhuo Yichen does not offer anything to the conversation, but he stays nonetheless. Shangjue steals another look at him, lingering perhaps a second too long, because the hairs on his back prickle to a stand, and his hand moves on instinct to his sword. But before he can unsheath it, Zhuo Yichen audibly sighs, looking equal parts annoyed and bemused.
"If you're going to be rude and eavesdrop, you might as well come greet our guest."
"It's not my fault when you are speaking so loud." Shangjue whirls around, alarmed that anyone managed to creep up behind him and him not even realising it. The newcomer smiles benignly at him, sauntering to Zhuo Yichen's side with his elegant furs and parking himself just a shoulder's width in front of him. There's a territorial flash in his eyes when Shangjue looks over at Zhuo Yichen that was there one moment and gone the next.
The man juts his chin out, looking heavenward for a moment before sweetly speaking. "Daylight fades so quickly in these parts, sir. You wouldn't want to be caught out in the dark. Who knows what beasts or dangers lurk out there in the wilderness."
There is an easy languidness to the way he gestures and speaks, but Shangjue has been around enough snakes to know that this man is a master of them all. An unnatural beauty clings to this man and Shangjue can't shake the strangness that wafts off him in waves.
Catching Wen Xiao's small smile, he meets her eyes when she gestures for him to follow her. "I was just about to inform Young Master Jue that we have a gift for his brother," She smoothly says, holding out a hand and directing Shangjue to follow. "And that as a gesture of our goodwill and a desire to continue our shared business interests, we would hope the gift serves as a small token for someone so dear to Young Master Jue."
"Then Young Master Jue mustn't tarry. It would be remiss of such a dutiful brother to make his brother wait for his return." The man laughs gaily, taking a half step back to press shoulder to shoulder with Zhuo Yichen, whose face is doing a funny thing.
Shangjue averts his eyes. Taking the out for what it is. He has done what he came here to do. Other people's businesses are none of his own. He bows to the duo, making to follow Wen Xiao when a little movement catches his attention in his periphery.
Zhuo Yichen's face has relaxed, lips quickly shaping around quiet syllables that has the man with the silver streak in his hair smiling even wider. His eyes shutter close when the man leans in to whisper into his ear, cheeks turning a fetching pink at whatever is being said. Suddenly, Shangjue feels like he is intruding on something and looks quickly ahead.
Not his monkeys, not his business. He has a brother to get home to.