Xie Zhe was momentarily startled by the implications behind these words and couldn’t help but say, “The top scholar has shown no suspicious behavior, Your Majesty… You clearly…”
He stole a glance at a certain unspoken place.
Only he knew that this was no coincidence.
Twice now. In just three days, the emperor had sought out the same person twice.
If this were a woman, she would have already been the foremost favored consort in the harem. The veteran ministers of the court would probably shed tears of relief, thinking that the dynasty might finally have an heir.
Though it was a man, in the face of absolute power, the emperor could take whomever he pleased, and no official would dare intervene.
Clearly, he had the desire, and the timing, location, and opportunity were all in place. The emperor could indulge as he pleased, without the need for responsibility—he could simply enjoy himself.
And yet, he still…
Xiao Yun, of course, knew exactly what that look meant. He laughed and cursed, “Get lost.”
“Xie Zhe, don’t you think it’s all a little too convenient? Qi Wang went through all that trouble to drug him, and in the end, it conveniently benefited me?”
Xie Zhe was confused. “Isn’t that… a good thing?”
Xiao Yun smiled meaningfully. “Xie Zhe, bad things are always real, but good things may very well be bad things in disguise. Because no one announces bad things to others—if they did, they wouldn’t succeed.”
He shrugged. “That’s why I’ve never really believed in free windfalls. They don’t feel real. Bad things, at least, feel more solid. If my dear nephew and the top scholar were already at the point of no return, I wouldn’t mind playing the hero and snatching the beauty away.”
Xie Zhe: “…”
Xiao Yun said coolly, “But he’s the one who threw himself into my arms.”
Xie Zhe hadn’t expected it to be just because of that.
“But Xie Caiqing truly has no flaws.”
The Changling guard’s three divisions monitored all influential figures in the capital, thoroughly investigating anyone who entered the city with even a hint of importance. Xie Caiqing was no exception.
There was absolutely nothing suspicious about him.
He had been inexplicably drugged, about to lose his chastity, barely escaped the tiger’s den, only to be thrown back into the abyss by the emperor—this…
If Xie Caiqing were conscious, how much agony would he be in?
Xie Zhe felt a twinge of compassion and said, “Though the encounters have been frequent, each one was natural. Even this time, it was Qi Wang who drugged him…”
Xiao Yun cut him off with a half-smile. “Xie Zhe, having no flaws at all might just be the biggest flaw. Because aside from sheer coincidence, meticulous calculation can make something appear even more natural than coincidence itself.”
Xiao Yun looked down at the distance, gazing far ahead, his voice indifferent. “Don’t think the way your enemies want you to think. Unless you want to lose completely.”
He cast a sidelong glance at Xie Zhe. “If someone else loses, they can always rise again. But if I lose?”
Xie Zhe was jolted awake, realizing that he had been too softhearted.
In the imperial family, if one wished to survive, there was no room for the naive kindness of common folk.
For ordinary people, liking someone was simply liking someone. But an emperor had to consider—was the person merely pretending, scheming against him?
After all, countless spies had thrown themselves into the emperor’s embrace before.
Every single one of them had been discovered or lured into revealing their hand, only to be executed. Some had even been used to extract critical intelligence.
Xie Caiqing was not impossible to suspect—he merely happened to be exceptionally beautiful and showed no visible flaws.
But this was the first time His Majesty had taken an interest in someone in this way, so naturally, his scrutiny was even more severe.
“Preventing problems before they arise—waiting until the blade is at your throat to act is too late. By then, many things are beyond saving. Prevention is both the most effective and the most difficult. Just because there are no signs doesn’t mean there is no threat,” Xiao Yun said lazily. “Testing him won’t hurt. There’s no loss. If he’s truly innocent, he’ll withstand the fire. I just don’t want to be stabbed in the back in the middle of the act—what a waste that’d be, wouldn’t it?”
Xie Zhe coughed. “…Your Majesty is wise.”
Xiao Yun chuckled. “So, do you think he’ll sneak out?”
The emperor asked again, making Xie Zhe’s scalp tingle slightly.
Although he didn’t believe His Majesty’s suspicions were correct, the emperor wasn’t wrong either.
Being cautious was always a good thing—because even if 10,000 times proved unnecessary, just one instance of being right could be fatal.
If there was even the slightest chance that Xie Caiqing truly was what the emperor suspected, and with only Qi Wang around, he would inevitably let down his guard, exposing his true nature. Thinking himself clever, he would slip away from Qi Wang, sneak out of the room, and attempt to escape undetected.
…Only to be shot dead by the emperor on the spot.
Lying in wait, playing him in the palm of his hand.
Xie Zhe felt a chill creep into his heart. He glanced at the overly well-behaved young man inside the room and sighed silently. “But if he isn’t? Wouldn’t that mean the top scholar was wrongfully—”
“Then my dear nephew will have to take a needle,” Xiao Yun said, producing a hair-thin silver needle from nowhere and rolling it between his fingers with a touch of regret.
Xie Zhe eyed the needle, which was clearly coated with a strong sedative. “…Your Majesty is wise.”
So, either Xie Caiqing was truly a spy and would be subdued by Qi Wang, or Qi Wang himself would be knocked out by the emperor’s flying needle.
After spending so long under the emperor’s rule, Xie Zhe found himself developing sympathy for incompetent villains. They thought they were diligently scheming, but in His Majesty’s eyes, they were nothing more than amusement.
Xiao Yun clearly just wanted to talk, utterly unconcerned with Xie Zhe’s thoughts. His smile deepened. “Isn’t this a lossless plan? If the top scholar turns out to be innocent, he won’t even know what happened in his dazed state. How could he hold a grudge against me? Later, when I make it up to him, I can even tell him he forced himself on me. That I, out of compassion, couldn’t leave him helpless, because, after all, a life was at stake. That would make me his savior.”
“He’s so thin-skinned, he’d probably want to die from shame. It’s perfect—I gain everything, and he loses nothing. I’m getting smarter by the day.”
Xiao Yun clicked his tongue twice.
Xie Zhe: “…”
Xiao Yun lazily chuckled. “So, what do you think? Will it be the arrow or the needle?”
Before he could finish his sentence, his expression suddenly changed.
Inside the room, before Qi Wang could pounce, Xie Caiqing—his face flushed—was already eagerly stripping off his inner robe.
The garment that had taken him so much effort to put back on was now sliding off his shoulders without hesitation, right in front of Qi Wang.
And it kept going.
“Mn… I want it. So hot,” Xie Caiqing whimpered. “Please, give me…”
A few obscene words drifted out through the open window.
On the pavilion, Xiao Yun suddenly caught sight of a smooth, bare waist. His face darkened instantly.
Qi Wang, who stood directly in front of him, was undoubtedly seeing even more.
Xie Zhe barely held back his laughter. He had expected this outcome all along—how could Xie Caiqing possibly be a spy?
….
Inside the side chamber.
Qi Wang, staring at Xie Caiqing—who had suddenly abandoned his reserved demeanor and was now eagerly undressing—felt his blood surge. His previous plans to torment him flew out of his mind.
“Alright, alright, I’ll give you whatever you want. Whatever you like, I’ll fulfill your every wish, my dear,” he coaxed.
For the third time in recent days, he reached out to pull Xie Caiqing into his arms.
Xie Caiqing hesitated for a split second as his fingers stiffened, suppressing the overwhelming disgust he felt for the drunken, unkempt man in front of him. Just as he was about to throw himself into his embrace, Qi Wang’s eyes suddenly widened in shock.
A moment later, they fluttered shut, his body swayed twice, and with a loud “thud,” he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
A barely visible silver needle was lodged in the side of his neck.
In that instant, Xie Caiqing and Qi Wang’s bodies had been nearly overlapping, tangled in a struggle. If the one who fired the needle had misjudged by even a fraction, it could have easily hit Xie Caiqing instead.
And if the needle had struck a vital point, Qi Wang might not have simply passed out—he could have died.
Xie Caiqing froze, his fingers trembling as he clutched the windowsill behind him. A chill ran down his spine.
Xiao Yun had been lying in wait like a predator. If he had stepped out of that room, he would have been the one lying on the ground right now.
His heart, which had been suspended in his throat, finally settled. A fleeting smile flickered across his lips.
He had bet correctly.
….
When Xiao Yun entered, the man who had been so eager to strip moments ago was now curled up in the corner, hugging his knees.
His head was buried low, dark hair spilling in disarray, and his fingers dug tightly into his kneecaps. His body trembled slightly, resembling a frightened little rabbit that had buried its ears against itself.
At the sound of movement, he sluggishly lifted his head and turned toward the door.
Xie Caiqing’s robe had slipped completely off, exposing skin as smooth as silk. Xie Zhe immediately lowered his head, not daring to look. For the first time in his life, he feared that even before a man, he might have an improper reaction.
Seeing the pitiful, self-destructive little rabbit, Xiao Yun laughed, striding forward with long steps and effortlessly scooping him up.
Perhaps it was out of fear of falling, or perhaps it was an instinctive longing, but the moment Xie Caiqing was lifted, he wrapped his arms around Xiao Yun’s neck and burrowed into his embrace, as if desperate to dig a hole and disappear inside his chest.
The position seemed to greatly satisfy the emperor’s vanity. He coughed lightly and thought, How could someone be so easy to bully yet so easy to pity at the same time?
So pitiful.
In his arms, Xie Caiqing inhaled the faint scent lingering on Xiao Yun’s body—a smell vaguely reminiscent of bird feathers.
His delicate lips tightened slightly.
The first time this had happened, he had been too tense to notice anything else. But now, with their proximity, he caught a whiff of something… unpleasant.
His movements became a little strained as he tried to snuggle closer. His sense of smell had always been far too keen.
…Could Xiao Yun not smell it himself? Or was this simply his natural body odor?
With the drug in his system on the verge of overtaking him—and with no way to remove it while the emperor was here—Xie Caiqing found himself strangely fixated on the thought.
The more he thought about it, the more his expression subtly twisted.
Xiao Yun had spent years leading armies into battle. Having also lived at the border himself, Xie Caiqing knew just how unclean those rough soldiers could be—how pungent their stench could get.
But this was Xiao Yun.
And Xie Caiqing had no way of detoxifying himself as long as he was around.
Xiao Yun had previously said that Yin Xian had gone to get the antidote. But there was no antidote for this drug. Even if, by some strange coincidence, one existed in the imperial palace, it was impossible that Xiao Yun was holding him like this out of concern that he might catch cold sitting on the ground—just so he could tenderly feed him the medicine.
Yet, paradoxically, he had completely lost the desire to bed Xiao Yun. From the moment that silver needle was shot, he had begun to grasp Xiao Yun’s temperament and patterns of behavior. And he knew that this was absolutely not the best choice right now.
Unfortunately, he had no other choice.
Xie Caiqing clenched his teeth, lifted his eyes slightly, and parted his pale lips just a fraction. “I want it.”
Xiao Yun was already looking down at him, his gaze darkening.
“You really want it?” he asked in a low voice.
Xie Caiqing’s eyes wavered in confusion for a moment before he nodded. It was unclear whether he had actually heard the question or if he would have nodded to anything Xiao Yun said.
So Xiao Yun tested him further. “You won’t regret it when you wake up?”
After begging for so long without receiving any relief, an anxious frustration crept into Xie Caiqing’s eyes. He nodded again—obedient yet impatient.
Xiao Yun thought, Just as I expected, and chuckled.
He didn’t care whether Xie Caiqing truly wanted it or not, or whether he would wake up and regret it. As long as Xie Caiqing wanted it now, that was all that mattered. And since Xie Caiqing was the one enticing him, it couldn’t be considered taking advantage of the situation.
He was no noble gentleman—letting such an opportunity slip away would make him seem abnormal.
Xiao Yun carried him to the bed, discreetly removing the hands clinging to his neck and clasping them in his own. Just as Xie Caiqing was about to feign a contented sigh, Xiao Yun’s thumb suddenly pressed into the delicate bones of his wrist.
Xie Caiqing’s breath almost hitched.
He still suspects me. Even at this moment, he still hadn’t dispelled his doubts.
For the first time, Xie Caiqing truly grasped the difference between his royal brother and Xiao Yun—between himself and Xiao Yun. He understood why Xiao Yun was the most formidable emperor in the history of Ning Country.
He had no idea where he had given himself away, but Xiao Yun was already this cautious.
He could endure what others could not. He was never swayed by immediate temptation. He was not merely the aggressive and greedy ruler known to the world—beneath that, he was someone who never let his emotions dictate his actions.
He was like a wolf lurking in the dark of night, eyes glowing coldly, fangs hidden, ready to strike and kill in an instant.
One wrong move, and the very arms embracing him now in apparent tenderness could snap his neck in the next second.
Realizing this, Xie Caiqing’s heart sank. He had even less desire to follow through with this now.
This was the worst possible timing—too dangerous for him. If he gave in, he would lose the upper hand completely.
The closer he got to Xiao Yun before those suspicions were erased, the more he would expose himself—and the more thoroughly he would be doomed.
But he had no other option. His heart tensed. He needed to find a way to evade this.
Xiao Yun’s gaze was unreadable. Under his scrutiny, Xie Caiqing remained still, appearing utterly oblivious to the significance of the emperor’s actions.
Xiao Yun’s hands were much larger than his, and calloused from years of wielding weapons. His fingers bore the rough patches of a warrior’s life.
With a slight increase in pressure, Xiao Yun’s thumb traced along Xie Caiqing’s slender wrist bone, slowly kneading upward.
Xie Caiqing’s skin was smooth and delicate, so much so that after just a few rubs, it reddened slightly.
“…Mm, it hurts, so painful,” Xie Caiqing whimpered, his voice tinged with a soft sob.
He spoke right by Xiao Yun’s ear, and Xiao Yun’s fingers halted. Taking a deep breath, he found himself baffled—how could a grown man be this delicate? Just a couple of pinches, and he was already whimpering.
“You’re already crying about pain now? What’ll you do in a bit?” Xiao Yun murmured.
Xie Caiqing didn’t respond, simply curling up quietly in his arms, his face flushed.
Xiao Yun finally put his last bit of suspicion to rest.
Xie Caiqing had no martial skills. The bones of a trained fighter were subtly different from those of an ordinary person. Xie Caiqing not only had no strength to lift even a chicken, but his hands also bore no trace of weapons training. His pulse was weak and shallow—he had no major illnesses, but he was undoubtedly prone to minor ailments.
Not only did his hands lack calluses, but they were so pristine he might as well have never done a day of labor in his life. They were impossibly soft, even more so than the emperor’s own.
Xiao Yun, still holding him, examined his hands further before chuckling. “You sure know how to pamper yourself.”
He had none of the royal lineage, yet he carried himself with the extravagance of someone even more delicate than the imperial family.
And he was comfortable to hold.
The more Xiao Yun thought about it, the more amusing he found it. “If you take a wife in the future, she won’t be the one spoiling you, will she? What kind of nonsense would that be?”
He laughed. “Then again, where would a top scholar like you even find a wife more delicate, pampered, and high-maintenance than yourself?”
“….” Out of sight, Xie Caiqing’s face darkened slightly.
“With kidneys this weak, what are you going to do in the future? Looks alone won’t feed you. Women are easy to charm for a few years, but once they get older, let’s see if they still find you interesting. You’d better learn from me while you can.”
Xie Caiqing clenched his teeth. For the first time, he deeply loathed someone.
Absolutely loathed him.
How could someone be so infuriating?
Why did he have so much to say?
Xiao Yun sat at the edge of the bed, pinning the restlessly squirming body between his legs. “You won’t regret this when you wake up?”
For the first time in years, Xiao Yun found manipulating a person more entertaining than playing political games.
Xie Caiqing was so light that he probably didn’t even weigh as much as one of Xiao Yun’s bows. Yet holding him wasn’t uncomfortable in the slightest—he wasn’t overly thin but had a supple, well-proportioned build. A faint fragrance emanated from his body, cool yet warm at the same time. The contradiction in the scent made one want to lean in and inhale more deeply.
Xiao Yun didn’t understand scents, only that this one smelled strangely good.
At this moment, with Xie Caiqing trapped firmly before him, his legs pressed together, skin pale and smooth, long hair draping over his shoulders…
He looked just like a—pretty little girl.
Xiao Yun grinned.
If his daughter turned out like Xie Caiqing, he wouldn’t mind having ten or eight of them.
Too bad Xie Caiqing couldn’t bear children. Otherwise, he’d just bring him into the harem and have him give birth to a daughter for him.
The more he thought about it, the more amusing it became.
Xie Caiqing remained silent, and Xiao Yun hadn’t expected a response. He simply enjoyed talking. “If you behave, you’ll be mine from now on. In a couple of years, I’ll personally find you the best girl. Just tell me what kind you like.”
Xie Caiqing’s lips grew even more stiff.
Xiao Yun’s words were nothing but empty chatter, yet he had to listen carefully, not missing a single word.
How could an emperor talk so much?
Xie Zhe averted his eyes the moment the emperor picked up the top scholar in his arms.
Qi Wang was still lying on the floor, and in the blink of an eye, Xie Caiqing had already been carried onto the bed.
Xie Zhe stood dumbfounded, listening to His Majesty’s incessant rambling. He was speechless for a long moment before finally coming to terms with it. Given the emperor’s usual straightforward and efficient approach—doing things on a whim and discarding them just as quickly—this behavior was at least somewhat in character. Accepting it with difficulty, he turned and quietly exited.
Behind him, Xie Caiqing cast a glance toward the doorway. He watched as the wide-open door was slowly pushed shut, the light of hope in his eyes dimming bit by bit.
Just as Xie Zhe was about to close the door, Yin Xian came rushing around the corridor’s corner.
“Commander, wait!”
Xie Zhe’s hand froze on the door, his gaze shifting to the group of eunuchs behind Yin Xian, each carrying bottles and jars. His expression turned unreadable.
Panting heavily, Yin Xian gasped, “The alchemy room was too far. I was afraid the top scholar wouldn’t hold on, so I ran nonstop to get here. Did I make it in time?”
Xie Zhe swallowed hard.
Yin Xian glanced back. “I wasn’t sure which one it was, so I brought them all. There were too many.”
Xie Zhe swallowed again. Ten-ish eunuchs—yes, that was indeed too many.
Still catching his breath, Yin Xian weakly asked, “The top scholar—is he inside?”
“What about His Majesty? Without His Majesty, no one will recognize the correct antidote. What do we do?”
The corridor was dim, and Yin Xian couldn’t see the commander’s face clearly. Confused by his silence, he pressed on, “Why aren’t you saying anything, Commander? Time is of the essence—”
A soft groan came from inside the room.
Yin Xian calmed down slightly and smiled in relief. “As long as he’s inside, that’s good.”
He had done well this time. Surely, His Majesty would be pleased.
Raising his hand, he signaled the eunuchs behind him. “Hurry up and follow me—”
Xie Zhe abruptly grabbed Yin Xian, hesitating. “Wait—”
Seeing a large group rounding the corner, Xie Zhe’s face changed. “Why did you bring the entire Imperial Medical Bureau?!”
Yin Xian didn’t understand why the usually composed commander was suddenly so flustered and hesitant. Frustrated, he held back his impatience and explained, “I was afraid His Majesty wouldn’t be there! The imperial physicians would know better than us.”
Lowering his voice, he continued, “If anything happens to the top scholar, they’ll be the ones held responsible—not us. So—”
Xie Zhe’s expression twisted slightly as he struggled to find the right words. “But—”
“Stop dithering!” Yin Xian snapped. “Whatever you have to say, say it after we save him! This is His Majesty’s order. If we delay, we’ll both be in trouble!”
“Hurry up!” He waved to the physicians, who immediately rushed forward, each talking over the other.
“There’s no antidote for this—”
“Nonsense! It’s just an aphrodisiac. They’re all similar. If I need to, I can make an antidote myself!”
“But it’s Qi Wang’s formula, it’s not that simple—”
“The poor top scholar—”
Xie Zhe’s mind raced. This situation couldn’t get out. His Majesty’s dignity had to be preserved, and the top scholar still had to establish himself in court. And most importantly, the emperor’s little indulgence must not be disrupted. He had to find a way to send these people away.
“Listen to me—”
But with so many people frantically trying to help, his lone voice was drowned out. No one was calm enough to listen.
“Wait—”
A few young physicians, eager to prove themselves, couldn’t wait any longer. They pushed him aside and barged in, with the rest swarming in like a hive of bees.
Xie Zhe’s heart sank. He smacked his forehead in despair.
He had tried his best.
Hopefully, His Majesty had heard the commotion outside.
Hopefully, His Majesty hadn’t undressed yet.
…
Inside the room, the physicians and eunuchs burst in, only to find the emperor standing by the bed, one hand on his hip, pointing at them in anger.
“A bunch of useless fools! What took you so long?!”
His Majesty’s expression was fierce enough to devour them whole. The physicians and eunuchs, thoroughly startled, hastily dropped to their knees and begged for forgiveness.
Yin Xian silently cursed the commander a hundred times over. If not for him, they would have arrived much sooner.
But of course, he wouldn’t dare voice his complaint.
The emperor barked, “Why are you all just standing there?! Idiots! Hurry up and save him!”
Scrambling to their feet, the group rushed to the bedside.
“Hurry up!” The emperor kicked a sluggish eunuch in the rear.
Xie Zhe peeked inside, finally letting out a huge sigh of relief.
He glanced at the emperor, who was lazily leaning against the bedframe, supervising the commotion. His gaze fell on the emperor’s loosely fastened robe and the sash hanging carelessly from his waist. Unable to help himself, he snorted, nearly choking on his own spit.
A group of people were huddled around the bed, their backs facing the door, oblivious to the silent exchange between the emperor and the commander.
The emperor smirked, silently gesturing toward him with a look that screamed, You useless b*stard.
Xie Zhe, knowing his own incompetence, bowed his head in mock submission, struggling to suppress his laughter. The sound of air escaping his lips betrayed him.
The emperor’s gaze turned murderous. He mouthed, punish yourself later!
Xie Zhe, still stifling his amusement, nodded furiously like a pecking chick, finally managing to compose himself and feign ignorance.
Yin Xian, unable to contribute to the medical efforts, glanced over at the emperor. His eyes flickered with an idea, and he flattered, “Your Majesty, you must be parched after waiting all night. Shall I fetch you a—”
He paused mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he took a closer look.
Then, in an outraged tone, he exclaimed, “How could these fools serve His Majesty like this?!”
For some reason, the emperor’s robe was hanging loosely, exposing a broad expanse of his firm chest. The golden dragon embroidery on his sash had been twisted, leaving only its yellow tail visible, and a few strands of his neatly tied hair had fallen loose.
The sight made him look even more roguish and carefree.
Yin Xian hurried forward and half-knelt, reaching out to fasten the emperor’s belt. Xiao Yun had initially remained unbothered, but the moment Yin Xian’s hand extended toward his waist, he immediately took a step back, his expression shifting unpredictably.
“Get lost!” he snapped.
Yin Xian froze in shock.
His Majesty had always been extremely laid-back and enjoyed being served. If not for the fact that it would ruin his image, he probably wouldn’t even bother feeding himself. He never dressed himself, let alone tidied his own robes. Why today…
Could it be that he was growing tired of him? Had he fallen out of favor?
A wave of unease and grievance welled up in Yin Xian’s heart. He had always been diligent in his duties, yet the emperor was treating him so coldly.
“Tea!” Xiao Yun ordered impatiently.
Yin Xian blanked for a moment before breaking into a smile. “Right away!”
So His Majesty was simply thirsty. That made sense—His Majesty had never been one to care much about his appearance. Tea was obviously the more pressing matter. No wonder he had been annoyed—it was his own fault for not realizing sooner.
Feeling relieved, Yin Xian cheerfully went to fetch the tea.
Xiao Yun was about to leave, but Imperial Physician Zhang hesitated before calling out to him. “Your Majesty, about the medicine—”
He glanced at Xie Caiqing lying on the bed.
The top scholar’s entire body was slightly flushed, his lips pressed tightly together as if he was acutely aware of the people surrounding him. He was doing his utmost to suppress any sound, but it was clear that he was barely holding on.
The imperial physicians all looked at each other with expressions of helplessness, hesitant to speak. None of them wanted to risk punishment for failing to treat him properly.
Under the silent urging of his colleagues, Imperial Physician Zhang had no choice but to brace himself and say, “Your Majesty, there is no antidote for this aphrodisiac… It’s not that we are incompetent, but no one—no one would be able to… save the top scholar. Unless it were the legendary Divine Physician Miluo. If the top scholar wishes to survive, then I’m afraid… I’m afraid only…”
Xiao Yun narrowed his eyes. “Only what?”
Imperial Physician Zhang stammered, tongue-tied, “Only a man… Only a man could…”
Yin Xian, who had just returned with the tea, snapped, “What nonsense is this! He is the nation’s top scholar! If you lot can’t cure him, do you think the alchemists’ medicines can’t either? His Majesty already said—there is an antidote in the alchemy room!”
Xiao Yun glanced at Xie Caiqing’s slightly reddened lips, then smiled as he looked at Yin Xian. His tone was warm and amicable.
“Ah, how forgetful of me,” he said. “The red bottle. Two pills, taken twice, and he’ll be fine.”
The eunuchs and imperial physicians all rejoiced. “His Majesty is benevolent! This is a blessing for the top scholar, a blessing for the people, a blessing for the empire!”
Xie Zhe almost burst out laughing.
The emperor loved flattery, and his attendants never missed a chance to exaggerate the most trivial matters to please him. He usually enjoyed it immensely.
But this time…
The emperor’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He even smiled as he usually did and said, “Make sure to take good care of him!”
….
Xiao Yun left with a flick of his sleeve early on.
The physicians and eunuchs, after tending to Xie Caiqing, gradually dispersed, leaving only one or two people outside to keep watch overnight.
Once the room had quieted, and no one else was at his bedside, Xie Caiqing slowly sat up. He glanced in the direction where Xiao Yun had left, his long, delicate fingers brushing against his lips.
For a long while, he remained still. Then, even with his usual composed and reserved demeanor, he couldn’t help but chuckle.
The more he thought about it, the funnier it became.
So there really was an antidote in the palace.
The attendants urged him to stay the night and leave in the morning, but Xie Caiqing declined with a smile and returned to his residence in the dead of night.
Despite the late hour, the hall’s lanterns were still lit—a clear sign that Taifei had left them on for him.
Xie Caiqing stood in place for a moment, gazing at the warmly glowing light. Then he smiled softly.
Perhaps this was the reason he worked so hard.
He wanted certain people to always be safe and well.
And to protect them, he had to run even faster.
“Master has returned!” a servant at the door exclaimed in delight.
Xie Caiqing placed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence, and slipped inside.
As expected, Taifei had been waiting for him and had dozed off at the table, her head resting on her arms beneath the lamplight.
Xie Caiqing retrieved a cloak from a nearby rack and stepped forward to gently drape it over her shoulders. However, before he could do so, Taifei suddenly jolted awake, her expression triumphant.
“I had a feeling you’d be back!” she said proudly.
Xie Caiqing smiled silently and handed her the cloak. “Put this on.”
“Why didn’t you say something when you arrived?” She yawned as she took the cloak, still a bit groggy. Then her gaze fell on his changed attire, and her expression froze.
After a long pause, she blinked. “Did it work?”
“No,” Xie Caiqing replied.
At the mention of this, he felt another urge to laugh.
Taifei looked both disappointed and stunned. “Even after all that, it still didn’t work?”
The intelligence had come in long ago—Qi Wang had drugged the young Wangye, and the young Wangye had ended up in Xiao Yun’s arms.
Xie Caiqing couldn’t possibly explain all the twists and turns that had followed, nor did he particularly want to. He simply skipped over the details and provided the most crucial information.
As he poured her a cup of warm tea, Taifei frowned deeply. “Then what now? If he still suspects you after all this, what method could possibly work?”
Xie Caiqing said, “It’s actually a good thing it didn’t work. Soon, he won’t suspect me at all.”
“He loves playing games so much—I suppose I’ll just have to play along.” Xie Caiqing smiled faintly.
Taifei grew anxious. “Playing is fine, but what about children—”
Xie Caiqing blinked. “Before, I was the one in a hurry, and he wasn’t. Now, I’m no longer in a hurry. Let’s see if he starts to panic instead. After all, I worked so hard to throw myself into his hands, and this is how he treated me. I suppose I’ll just wait for him to throw himself at me instead.”
Taifei stared at him in shock for a long moment before finally saying, “…What exactly happened?”
How had the once well-behaved, obedient young Wangye turned into this overnight?
Xie Caiqing chuckled. “People are shaped by their rivals.”
….
The Emperor’s Sleeping Quarters
Because of the commotion with the top scholar at last night’s Qionglin Banquet, His Majesty had gone to bed late. He had barely slept a few hours before it was already time for morning court.
The palace attendants lined up outside the beaded curtains, waiting in silence.
Yin Xian tiptoed to the emperor’s bedside and cautiously lifted the bed canopy to take a look at the man sleeping bare under the covers.
His expression froze.
“Your Majesty, great news! Great news!”
Yin Xian’s voice was sharp and thin, screeching like a chicken. Xiao Yun, who was already a light sleeper, was startled awake, thinking something terrible had happened. He jerked up, rubbed his eyes, and asked, “What is it? What is it?”
Yin Xian announced, “Your Majesty’s golden spear stands tall—this is a great blessing for Great Ning!”
Xiao Yun glanced down at his lower body, his expression stiffened for a second, then he replied expressionlessly, “My golden spear stands tall every day.”
Yin Xian was an expert at flattery. “But today, Your Majesty’s golden spear stands especially tall—this is an even greater blessing for Great Ning!”
Xiao Yun’s face instantly turned green.
Yin Xian was waiting for the Emperor to laugh, scold him, and praise his quick wit. Instead, the Emperor, face darkened, said, “Get the h*ll out!”
Yin Xian froze. “Your Majesty—”
Xiao Yun snapped, “Move it!”
He just wanted to erase this scene from his sight.
Yin Xian had no idea what he said wrong. Trembling, he prepared to leave, but his black eyes darted around as he thought of a way to make amends. Grinning, he said, “Understood! This servant will roll out immediately!”
Then, he lay down. “Your Majesty, look! This servant is rolling out!”
“This servant is rolling away now!”
The Emperor watched as Yin Xian slowly rolled in circles toward the door. His face darkened even more.
How on earth did he pick such a buffoon?
…
During the morning court session, the Emperor pointed out numerous officials’ mistakes and had a few butts smacked as punishment.
Amidst the sea of pale, exposed backsides and their cries of pain, he finally felt at ease.
After court, while washing his hands, Xiao Yun suddenly paused. He had the nagging feeling he’d forgotten something. He rubbed his temples for a while but couldn’t recall what it was. Irritated, he turned to Yin Xian. “Summon the Commander.”
When Xie Zhe arrived, Xiao Yun asked, “Did I forget something last night?”
Xie Zhe thought for a moment. “Xie Caiqing?”
Xiao Yun shook his head. “No.”
The Emperor was busy, and he often forgot unimportant matters. Xie Zhe pondered for a long time before his expression changed slightly. Hesitantly, he asked, “Qi Wang?”
“Yes! Him!” Xiao Yun’s expression also changed. “Where is he? What happened to him?”
“…” Xie Zhe thought for a while but still couldn’t remember. He had to ask the Changling Guards. After a while, he returned with an answer. “Two guards carried him back to his manor.”
“What did they say?” Xiao Yun asked offhandedly.
The Changling Guard behind Xie Zhe respectfully replied, “Fearing that saying too much would cause trouble, we gave no explanation. We simply delivered him home and left.”
Xiao Yun waved his hand, dismissing the guard.
He then chuckled and scolded, “Has my memory rubbed off on you?”
Xie Zhe coughed. “How does Your Majesty plan to explain this?”
This matter didn’t necessarily require an explanation. The Eldest Princess’s household wouldn’t dare make a fuss. After all, no one knew better than the Eldest Princess herself what kind of troublemaker her son was. Even if they suffered in silence, they wouldn’t dare voice complaints.
Xie Zhe was just asking as a formality.
Xiao Yun thought of something amusing. The corner of his lips lifted slightly as he leisurely sipped his tea. “Send someone to the Eldest Princess’s manor with some supplements, saying they’re from me. If they ask about last night, tell them the top scholar carried knockout powder for self-defense and ended up knocking him out.”
Xie Zhe stared at the Emperor in disbelief. “…”
“What are you standing there for?” Xiao Yun urged. “Go now!”
“Your Majesty…” Xie Zhe increasingly pitied that poor scholar. He hesitated for a few seconds before saying, “If we say that, won’t the Eldest Princess and Qi Wang—”
“That’s exactly what I want,” Xiao Yun said lazily. “Be good, listen. Being not-so-clever isn’t scary, but asking questions about things you don’t understand—that’s just foolish.”
“…Yes.” Carrying the weight of being called “foolish,” Xie Zhe left with an expression that was hard to describe.
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