Chapter 26
Inside Yinghui Pavilion, the expressions of the three people were markedly different.
Qin Zheng, looking completely uninterested, walked off to sit on the side, not in the mood to deal with anyone.
Ji Qingzhou glanced at Qin Zheng, then at Li Zhan, his face somewhat confused—he wasn’t sure what he’d said wrong.
“No need to bother with him,” Li Zhan said. The man who was usually cold and distant now showed a faint, rare smile, though it quickly faded. He turned to the youth and asked, “You want to go to the Office of Judicial Review?”
Ji Qingzhou gave him a respectful bow and replied politely, “This matter should not trouble you again, Wang Ye, but the Inner Attendant Department has no authority over the Office of Judicial Review. Without your help, I’m afraid I won’t be able to get in, so I came to ask you for a verbal order.”
“You want to save him?” Li Zhan asked.
“Yes.” Ji Qingzhou nodded.
“It won’t be easy,” Li Zhan said again.
“I know,” Ji Qingzhou answered firmly. “But I still want to try.”
Li Zhan raised his eyes to look at Ji Qingzhou. He noticed that the youth seemed even paler than usual today, but those dark eyes of his still held a spark of light. Strangely, though the youth looked as though a gust of wind could knock him over, Li Zhan felt as if the boy was holding a blade sharp enough to cut through that wind. That edge made Li Zhan feel the urge to lean in and meet it.
But if he did, would the youth’s blade snap first, or would Li Zhan bleed?
Or perhaps… there was another possibility between them—one that didn’t end in mutual destruction.
Before Li Zhan could respond, Qin Zheng couldn’t hold back any longer. “Then tell me, what’s your so-called reason that makes this rescue absolutely necessary?” After a pause, he added, “Be clear. I wasn’t part of your little coded exchange. I don’t get your riddles.”
The brief conversation between Li Zhan and Ji Qingzhou had irritated Qin Zheng immensely.
How had he never noticed before that the two of them communicated so easily? It was like they didn’t need to say everything aloud—they understood each other with just a few words. That meant no need for follow-up, no need to clarify. To Qin Zheng, the clueless outsider, it felt like a personal insult.
Ji Qingzhou thought for a moment, then said, “Xiao Shan is my friend. I can’t just stand by and watch him be beaten to death.”
“But he broke palace rules,” Qin Zheng replied. “Can you think of any method—one that’s completely aboveboard and lawful—that could save him?”
“I don’t know,” Ji Qingzhou admitted. “But I still want to try.”
“You’re throwing an egg at a rock,” Qin Zheng muttered.
“Maybe I am overestimating myself.” Ji Qingzhou gave a bitter chuckle.
“Go, then.” Li Zhan tossed over a jade waist token. Ji Qingzhou quickly caught it. It was finely carved and clearly the token Li Zhan carried with him daily.
Seeing Li Zhan had made the decision, Qin Zheng couldn’t say much else. Reluctantly, he got to his feet. He’d lost a bet and, as agreed, had to accompany Ji Qingzhou to the Department of Penalty and Discipline.
“Give him the other thing you lost, too,” Li Zhan added.
Qin Zheng: …
This was ridiculous!
After they left Yinghui Pavilion, Qin Zheng took out a luminous pearl the size of a quail egg and shoved it into Ji Qingzhou’s hand. Ji Qingzhou looked at it. Though small, the pearl was flawless and of excellent quality—clearly very valuable.
“Why are you giving me this?” Ji Qingzhou asked, puzzled.
“Just take it. It’s yours now,” Qin Zheng said. “Think of it as a favor from me. Don’t let him get all the credit!”
Ji Qingzhou hesitated for a moment before putting the pearl away. Then he turned to Qin Zheng and said, “Earlier, you asked me why I wanted to save Xiao Shan. I thought about it. Besides being my friend, I think… it’s because I feel his fate is a lot like mine. When I saw him being carried out yesterday, I had this strange illusion… that the one lying on that wooden board was me.”
“What do you mean?” Qin Zheng was shocked. “Don’t tell me you also… You didn’t also do it with someone, right? Who was it? A guard? Someone from the Prince residence?”
Ji Qingzhou resisted the urge to roll his eyes and said, “I mean the similarity lies in our lives being treated as worthless—not that our situations are exactly the same. Young Master Qin, no offense, but you probably can’t understand that feeling.”
Qin Zheng nodded slowly, as if understanding a little.
His life had always been smooth and easy, free from hardship. He had never known what it was like to live in constant fear. But yesterday, seeing Ji Qingzhou in the gloomy alleys of the servant quarters, he had caught a glimpse of that frailty. The youth hadn’t even taken the medicine and was already that weak. If he had, they might have been collecting his corpse by now.
At that moment, Qin Zheng began to understand why Li Zhan could read Ji Qingzhou so well, and why Ji Qingzhou could grasp the meaning behind Li Zhan’s decisions. It turned out… they shared a subtle kind of similarity.
Ji Qingzhou was alone, with no one to rely on. His life was as cheap as dirt.
And Li Zhan—though powerful and radiant on the surface—was walking on thin ice in court, with no one he could truly trust.
So when Li Zhan looked at Ji Qingzhou with that gaze… was he seeing another version of himself?
The Office of Judicial Review was still dark and damp, filled with a suffocating stench.
Ji Qingzhou had only just stepped inside when a wave of nausea hit him again. He nearly threw up right in front of the guards.
“You’re not sick, are you?” Qin Zheng asked, surprised. “We should have Imperial Physician Zhang take a look at you later!”
“I just felt sick from the smell… I don’t understand why they don’t build more windows in a place like this. Sunlight doesn’t cost silver—it won’t bleach or burn anything,” Ji Qingzhou said.
As they walked further inside, Qin Zheng added, “Not many who come here leave alive. If there’s too much sunlight and it feels too pleasant, people might not want to die. What if they turn into resentful spirits and refuse to move on? Wouldn’t that be a headache?”
Ji Qingzhou paused for a moment after hearing that, and surprisingly, he found the twisted logic somewhat convincing.
When they entered the room where Xiao Shan was held, they saw him leaning against the wall. His face was still pale, but it didn’t look as ashen as it had the day before—he must have recovered slightly after taking some medicine.
“Qingzhou, why are you here?” Xiao Shan’s face lit up when he saw Ji Qingzhou.
Ji Qingzhou squatted down beside him, showed him Li Zhan’s waist token, and said, “Wang Ye sent me.”
Qin Zheng: ???
Wasn’t he the one who insisted on coming here?
“Am I going to die soon?” Xiao Shan asked.
“Yeah,” Ji Qingzhou responded softly, a bit of sorrow in his expression.
Qin Zheng: …
What kind of way was that to talk to someone?
“I always knew this day would come. It’s fine.” Xiao Shan gave a bitter smile, then reached out and lightly squeezed Ji Qingzhou’s hand. “You and Dayou need to take care of each other. If you get the chance, look after Guo Zi for me too…”
“Alright,” Ji Qingzhou nodded, not asking any questions.
“Guo Zi’s an honest kid, and still young. No one’s looking out for him in the Imperial Kitchen,” Xiao Shan went on. “When I was still around, others held back because of my relationship with Brother Dayou, so they mostly left me alone. But once I’m gone, I’m sure they’ll bully him.”
Ji Qingzhou nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him.”
“With those words from you, I can rest easy.” Xiao Shan said, “We haven’t known each other long, but Brother Dayou treats you well, so I know you’re a good person.”
Now that he knew he was going to die, Xiao Shan seemed more at peace. Holding Ji Qingzhou’s hand, he spoke for a long while. Ji Qingzhou didn’t try to comfort him or offer false hope—he simply listened quietly, like a loyal listener.
It wasn’t until the guards outside knocked on the door that Ji Qingzhou finally stood up.
Xiao Shan knew this would be the last time he saw him. His eyes turned red, but he still managed a forced smile for Ji Qingzhou.
“Thank you for coming to see me,” Xiao Shan said with a choked voice.
“After the caning, your body will be taken to the mass grave. I won’t be able to collect your remains,” Ji Qingzhou said. “Do you have anything on you I could keep? I’ll secretly build you a grave with clothes and a memorial, and burn paper money for you during the festivals.”
Qin Zheng: …
He was completely lost now. Wasn’t the goal to save the person?
Xiao Shan was stunned for a moment, then thought it over and removed a small jade pendant from around his neck.
Ji Qingzhou accepted the pendant, examined it, and asked, “Where do you want to be buried?”
Xiao Shan looked up at the small patch of sunlight streaming through the window. His face briefly softened. Then he said in a low voice, “Do you remember that small courtyard where you and Brother Dayou caught rabbits? There’s a flower bed right in front of the gate. Bury me there.”
Ji Qingzhou nodded, then turned and left the room, holding the jade pendant.
Once they were far enough from the room, Qin Zheng finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. “That’s it?”
“This is just the beginning,” Ji Qingzhou said, holding the pendant up to the sunlight. “The quality’s pretty average.”
Qin Zheng: …
Was he planning to sell the dead man’s belongings?
“I don’t get it. What was the point of all that? You begged Wang Ye for the chance to see him, and when you got it, you didn’t ask a single question or say a word of comfort.” Qin Zheng asked, “What kind of plan are you hiding?”
Ji Qingzhou turned to look at Qin Zheng and asked, “Why did Wang Ye ask you to come with me?”
“How would I know? Maybe he was afraid you’d do something reckless?” Qin Zheng said. “Or maybe he was worried someone would make things difficult for you. You stick out too much in the palace with your status and your looks.”
Ji Qingzhou nodded and said, “Then do me another favor.”
“Why are you acting like we’re so close?” Qin Zheng grumbled. “It’s one thing if Wang Ye orders me around, but now you’re trying to do it too?”
“It’s not for free—it’s an exchange,” Ji Qingzhou replied.
“And what do you have to offer?” Qin Zheng asked.
Ji Qingzhou raised the jade pendant in his hand and said, “I’ll be moving around the palace a lot over the next few days. If you help me avoid trouble, I’ll satisfy your curiosity—I’ll tell you exactly what plan I’ve got brewing.”
“Not a great deal,” Qin Zheng said.
“Then let’s add another wager,” Ji Qingzhou said.
“What is with all of you suddenly being obsessed with betting?” Qin Zheng cried out, exasperated.
“I’m just catering to your interests,” Ji Qingzhou replied. “From the way you used a luminous pearl as a wager, it’s clear you love gambling—you’re addicted and can’t help yourself.”
This time, Qin Zheng was completely speechless. He sighed in defeat and said, “Fine, what’s the bet?”
“You’ll go back and relay what I said today to Wang Ye. Tell him I need three days. If he agrees without asking anything, I win,” Ji Qingzhou said. “If he questions it, then you win.”
Qin Zheng said, “Alright. If I win, your punishment is to serve as my personal attendant for a month—doing whatever I say, no complaints.”
“If you lose, then you’ll accompany me around the palace for three days,” Ji Qingzhou countered.
The two shook hands and struck the deal.
Qin Zheng returned to Yinghui Pavilion, while Ji Qingzhou made a quick stop at the palace academy.
Inside Yinghui Pavilion, Qin Zheng recounted in full detail Ji Qingzhou’s conversation with Xiao Shan to Li Zhan. At the end, he also mentioned the matter of the jade pendant and Ji Qingzhou’s request—but conveniently left out the fact that they had made a bet.
Li Zhan nodded after hearing everything and said, “Alright.”
Qin Zheng was stunned. His face collapsed in disbelief as he asked, “You’re just agreeing like that? You’re not even going to ask why?”
Li Zhan looked at Qin Zheng with an expression that suggested he was looking at an idiot.
“That eunuch’s situation makes it nearly impossible for him to clear his name. The only way would be for the person he had relations with to step forward and admit they were the one who forced him. Only then would there be a chance to save his life,” Li Zhan said. “Within the bounds of palace law, this is the only path I can think of.”
Qin Zheng: …
“That eunuch surely knows this too, but he hasn’t defended himself at all. That must mean he’s trying to protect someone else,” Li Zhan continued. “Ji Qingzhou is very clever. If he had asked directly, he probably wouldn’t have gotten anything. By retreating first, he caught the other off guard and managed to obtain the jade pendant.”
“Oh!” Qin Zheng suddenly understood. “That pendant is their token of affection. Since Xiao Shan knew he was dying, he entrusted it to Young Master Ji out of love. I get it now—why didn’t I think of that?”
Li Zhan narrowed his eyes slightly, recalling how calm and determined Ji Qingzhou had looked when he came asking for the waist token. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. Just last night, he had considered how he might approach the matter himself. He hadn’t expected Ji Qingzhou to not only think of the same approach but to execute it flawlessly.
“One last question,” Qin Zheng said.
“You want to ask why I agreed to his request?” Li Zhan looked at him. “Don’t worry—it’s not what you’re thinking.”
Qin Zheng raised his brows. What he was thinking was: Wang Ye must’ve been seduced by Young Master Ji’s good looks.
“You delivered the imperial decree to him yesterday. While he’s still officially the young emperor’s personal attendant, in name he’s already the chief eunuch of Yinghui Pavilion now,” Li Zhan said. “He’s doing this to save someone, yes—but at the same time, he’s proving to me that he’s capable.”
Qin Zheng: …
No wonder Ji Qingzhou wanted him to tag along. He had voluntarily brought a witness to report back to Wang Ye?
“I surrender!” Qin Zheng said, throwing up his hands in defeat. “You two have taken over the whole show. I’m just the extra.”
“You didn’t say that yesterday when I told you to deliver the decree,” Li Zhan reminded him, raising an eyebrow.
Just yesterday, Qin Zheng had tried to persuade Li Zhan not to start a direct conflict with the Ministry of Appointments over some Young Master Ji. He’d said it wasn’t worth it. It was just a bowl of medicine—so what if it harmed the body a bit? Everyone else could drink it—why couldn’t Young Master Ji endure a little hardship?
But today, Qin Zheng finally understood. That imperial decree hadn’t just been worth it—it had been incredibly worth it.
Qin Zheng even felt that before long, Young Master Ji might become more useful than he was…
“When you wrote that decree yesterday, did you already know he was capable of all this?” Qin Zheng asked.
“I bet on it,” Li Zhan said mildly.
Qin Zheng: …
That hurt. Why was it always other people winning the bets, even though he was the one who loved gambling?
Meanwhile, Ji Qingzhou had gone to the palace academy to pass along a few instructions to Tang Yi, then headed off to find Tu Dayou.
Tu Dayou was visibly shocked the moment he saw the jade pendant in Ji Qingzhou’s hand.
“You’re planning to find Xiao Shan’s lover?” Tu Dayou asked.
“I want to try,” Ji Qingzhou replied.
Last night, he had stayed up flipping through palace regulations and found only one possible loophole.
If he wanted to save Xiao Shan, there was only one way: find the father of that child!
Since the matter had involved two people—and the child belonged to both of them—why should Xiao Shan suffer all this, nearly dying, while the other walked away unscathed?
It wasn’t fair!
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Obrigada pela tradução ❣️