momijizukamori

On a quiet late spring day, in the fifth year of Tai Shi, a package arrived by courier at the Marquis of Order's manor. It was one of the rare days - though thankfully becoming less rare - in which both the marquis and the emperor were at home. Gu Yun's eyes lit up as soon as he saw the box, and he quickly absconded with it into his study, where he tucked it away for later. Changgeng made the requisite noises of curiosity he knew Gu Yun expected, but didn't press too hard - he knew Gu Yun would tell him what it was in due time.

Gu Yun had, at one point, attempted to sleuth out Changgeng's birthday, only to learn that the few people who knew with any degree of certainty had long since rotted into dust. In the first year of his reign, the Ministry of Rites had insisted that the emperor had to have a birthday for ceremonial purposes, and a great deal of time had been spent first on determining exactly how pregnant the royal consort had been when she fled the palace, and then on what the most auspicious day within that possible range was. In public he put up with the process with a calm smile, but in private Gu Yun knew he found it frustrating.

"I know the people expect a date for celebrations, but the only thing auspicious about my birth was that it led me to you, eventually."

"Well, it led to better lives for many of them, too, and it'll keep the ministers occupied with something that isn't causing trouble. And my birthday was inauspicious too, but it turned out all right in the end, didn't it?"

Changgeng made a noise of agreement, but looked unconvinced. Gu Yun contemplated distracting him with more underhanded means, but it had been a long day, and tomorrow looked to be no better.

"Well, whatever day they pick out can be for Li Min, and for all the official ceremonies, not for here at home. Any other day can be for my lovely Changgeng."

Flattery never worked for court officials, but it worked in the bedroom, and the matter was set aside for the evening. Changgeng continued to refuse to pick out a 'personal' birthday, however, and in retaliation, Gu Yun started giving him little gifts whenever he came across something he thought Changgeng would like, and calling it a birthday present. So it was no surprise when, after dinner, he told Changgeng to wait a moment as he fetched the box from the study.

"For your birthday," he announced, placing the box on the table in front of Changgeng. "Erm. There's a story here, but open it first."

Changgeng looked curiously at him, but then did as instructed, lifting the lid off the box. The inside was padded with dark felt, and nestled in the padding was a caidao. The shape of the blade was ordinary enough - rectangular and thin -  but there was an odd sheen to it, and the handle looked more like a thick rod of pitted iron than any usual knife handle. Changgeng looked back up at Gu Yun, and raised an eyebrow in silent askance.

"During a patrol on the northern frontier a few years back, I ended up talking to a blacksmith in one of the little border towns. He said that he often used military scrap as a starting material - armor and weapons that were abandoned for being too damaged to be worth repairing, or artillery shrapnel left over after battles. Apparently the iron used for the military is much better quality than anything else he can get, so it's worth the extra effort it takes to gather up the scrap and melt it down."

Changgeng smiled. "I like that. Turning weapons of war into civilian tools."

Gu Yun nodded. "It made me think of General's Slope, back in Yanhui. And I kept thinking about it, so I tracked him down again a few months ago." Changgeng gave him an expectant look, and Gu Yun forced himself to continue, even though he could feel himself flushing slightly in embarrassment at the sentimentality. "That used to be one of my old windslashers. It was gathering dust in the armory, and this seemed like a better use of it."

Changgeng's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and then he looked back at the contents of the box with far more reverence than Gu Yun thought was deserved, frankly.

"Zixi, that's... Thank you. For giving me another part of yourself." Gu Yun's ears were definitely red now, though thankfully Changgeng was still looking at his gift. He took the knife out of the box with the care of someone who knew full well how dangerous even a short blade could be, and felt its heft.

"It's well-balanced - and the grip feels more natural than I expected, given how unusual it is." He held it up to sight along it. "It's quite well-made - this smith of yours must be very skilled."

"He does have a reputation in the area. I'm glad it meets with Your Majesty's approval, though."

Changgeng smiled. "If we hadn't just eaten, I'd go whip something up right now to try it out."

"Well, I wouldn't be adverse to a late-night snack," Gu Yun replied, a touch mischievously, and Changgeng pouted in return. It should've looked absurd on a grown man, but instead it was merely endearing.

 "It's bad for your digestion, and your sleep, you know that."

Gu Yun laughed, and gently poked the frown between Changgeng's eyebrows. "I know, I know, I'm just teasing. You have tomorrow off too, right? Make me breakfast instead."

The pout - and the frown - disappeared instantly, replaced with Changgeng's radiant smile. "As my general commands." He put the knife back into the box for the moment. "Before I forget, though - wait here." This time it was his turn to disappear into the study, only to return shortly with something that he pressed into Gu Yun's hand.

"Hm?" Gu Yun looked at what he'd been given - a single copper coin, slightly worn. "What's this for?"

Changgeng gave him a slightly confused look. "You don't know the superstition about gifts of knives?"

Gu Yun's expression mirrored Changgeng's, though for the opposite reason. "... No?" He had never paid much mind to superstitions, given how many had doomed him from a young age.

Evidently his confusion was a source of amusement for Changgeng, who smiled at it. "It's bad luck to give anything sharp as a gift, because it might sever the relationship between the giver and receiver. But if you give a bit of money in return, it's a transaction, not a gift."

Gu Yun snorted derisively, though he slipped the coin into his sleeve all the same. "I don't need payment to rid me of bad luck - but I will take it as payment for other services tonight."

(The knife, still in its box, was rapidly forgotten for the rest of the evening.)