His hands were surprisingly soft—softer than a woman’s.
Standing in place, gripping the brocade box, Xiao Yun felt exasperated.
Twice now, the man had run off before he could finish speaking. Even if he called him back, he wouldn’t return. What a troublesome person. If it were anyone else, he’d have dealt with them properly.
Xiao Yun opened the box and glanced inside.
The red string was gone—Xie Caiqing must have cut it off. Inside lay a pristine piece of white jade, exactly as it had been when he first gifted it.
A strange irritation welled up in Xiao Yun. It was as if a city that had willingly surrendered to him had suddenly rebelled. D*mn it, he felt like marching in, burning, pillaging, and conquering it outright—forcing it to cry for mercy, swearing eternal loyalty to him.
Not that he would actually do it. After all, the man was rather pitiful.
The surface of the jade was exceptionally smooth and polished. Before returning it, Xie Caiqing must have repeatedly wiped and cleaned it, trying to erase all traces of his touch and wear. It was returned to its original state, as if untouched.
And indeed, he succeeded.
Xiao Yun let out a cold “heh” and snapped the brocade box shut without a trace of care.
So eager to cut ties with him—such a heartless little thing.
He wasn’t self-deprecating enough to keep pushing when met with indifference. He just found him amusing, easy to tease.
Yet not only did the other party not share the sentiment, he even seemed to dislike him. And Xiao Yun should keep chasing after him? What a joke. He was the emperor—he could have anyone he wanted. There were plenty of people out there with hands ten times softer than his.
He was busy. He had no time to bother with him. He wasn’t particularly fond of him anyway. Who had spoiled him into thinking otherwise?
Back at his palace, Xiao Yun pulled off the sachet at his waist and tossed it aside along with the brocade box.
…
At the Top Scholar’s residence, Taifei burst into laughter after hearing about the young Wangye’s antics, clutching her stomach in amusement.
“My heavens, how do you even come up with these things?”
She was amazed. This wasn’t something she had taught him. Her tricks were only meant to deal with ordinary men. But Xiao Yun wasn’t just any man—he was an emperor. He had all the thoughts of a regular man, but with an extra layer of danger and unpredictability. He didn’t just think with his lower half.
Jiang Huaichu replied indifferently, “Xiao Yun is highly vigilant, an expert at deception, quick to react, ruthless, and extremely unstable. If I show even the slightest hint of hostility, it will trigger his imperial instincts—he’ll analyze me, suspect me, guard against me, and test me over and over again. I have to stay by his side for a long time. One misstep, and I’ll be in grave danger.”
“If it comes down to schemes of power, I likely can’t outmatch him. Just look at what he did with Qi Wang yesterday—every move interconnected, flawless, and all without even making the first move himself. A single action achieved multiple goals, and he played it with effortless ease. That’s why I must make sure he never sees me as an opponent. This is his domain. I have no advantage.”
“I slipped up last time—offered myself up too obviously, made him suspicious, triggered his imperial instincts. I was nearly shot dead during his so-called ‘test.’”
Jiang Huaichu’s eyes curved into a smile. “So after thinking it over, this is the best approach. I treat him as just a regular man, and in turn, he sees me as nothing more than a harmless little thing. If there’s no power struggle, then his imperial side doesn’t emerge, and he simply remains a normal man. The threat is drastically reduced.”
“Before, he saw me as someone clever, opportunistic, and eager to take shortcuts. That impression was far too aggressive and put him on high alert.”
“I need to gradually reshape his view of me—to make him believe that my ambitions are driven by noble ideals, like serving the country and advocating for the people. That my struggles are merely acts of self-preservation, not self-gain.”
Xie Caiqing smiled gently. “I may not be able to match him in political intrigue—after all, I’m young—but I can play the game of romance with him. He’s inexperienced in this, and so am I. The playing field is finally even. I avoid my weaknesses and leverage my strengths.”
Taifei clicked her tongue in admiration, barely able to hold back her laughter.
How could the young Wangye analyze something like this with the same seriousness as imperial politics?
“Then all I need to consider is—if he were a regular man, what kind of person would he be drawn to? And I found that… he seems to like little white rabbits.”
Jiang Huaichu bit back a laugh.
Taifei burst out laughing.
She knew exactly what that meant. When Jiang Huaichu was young, he had wanted to get close to his cold and distant imperial brother, but he failed every time. Eventually, his tiny self would come running to her in frustration.
Taifei had told him back then, “Your imperial brother has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He’s stubborn and proud, doesn’t respond well to force. You have to act like a little white rabbit. If he hits you, you tear up. If he ignores you, you snuggle closer. If he scolds you, you droop your ears and tremble. If he’s kind to you, you nuzzle him shyly. If he chases you, you run away. That way, he’ll have no idea what to do with you.”
The young Wangye had been exceptionally bright—even as a child, he had learned the trick in no time. And since he was absolutely adorable back then, it worked like a charm.
For years, his imperial brother had remained oblivious, never realizing that the “obedient little rabbit” he had doted on had actually grown up to give birth to an enemy nation’s emperor.
When he finally woke up to reality, he would probably be livid.
In truth, only a handful of people from Nanruo knew that the young Wangye wasn’t a rabbit at all.
He was a little fox.
Taifei finished laughing and remarked sincerely, “I actually understand where Xiao Yun is coming from. Take your imperial brother, for instance—just think how exhausting his life is. Constantly guarding against threats, constantly occupied, never a moment’s rest. He never married because he never had the time or energy to care for someone else—it would only distract him.”
“Xiao Yun is the same. They’re both in their prime, focused on building their legacy. Who has the time for romance? If anything, Xiao Yun might entertain a fling—sleep with someone and then discard them. But your imperial brother? He has too much respect for women to do that.”
Jiang Huaichu remained silent. It was true.
Taifei added, “And if I take a neutral perspective, leaving aside the fact that I’m from Nanruo, Xiao Yun is likely even busier than your imperial brother.”
“He rules over a vast empire. The territory of Great Ning is three times the size of Nanruo. Countless provinces, countless officials—every matter, big or small, falls under his jurisdiction.”
“He has to attend court. A few years ago, he even had to personally lead battles. That kind of life is simply inhuman. I can’t even fathom how he manages it.”
Jiang Huaichu nodded.
He knew firsthand just how much work went into commanding an army—reading endless reports, making countless decisions. Managing supplies, recruiting soldiers, rewarding victories, boosting morale after defeats. Overseeing military discipline, navigating court politics, handling logistics, devising strategies—Xiao Yun had to deal with all of it.
And more.
So before coming to Great Ning, Jiang Huaichu had assumed that Xiao Yun, like his imperial brother, must be overworked to the point of exhaustion.
In reality, he seemed quite relaxed.
At least, outwardly so.
Jiang Huaichu even wondered—did the man not sleep?
Taifei, though discussing Xiao Yun and Jiang Huaiyi, kept sneaking glances at Jiang Huaichu.
For years, without his imperial brother even realizing it, the young Wangye had taken on countless burdens, solving countless problems from the shadows.
The Emperor of Nanruo was indeed busy, but the Little Wangye wasn’t much better off.
Pulling all-nighters was common for him, which was why his health was so poor.
Taifei suppressed a trace of heartache that surfaced in her heart and smiled. “That’s why I completely understand why he likes little white rabbits. The affairs of the imperial court are exhausting enough—when it comes to his harem, something gentle and harmless would be the only thing that allows him to relax without thinking too much.”
“If I were Xiao Yun, I’d like little white rabbits too. The kind that are simple and easy to read, who don’t cause trouble, who are understanding. He wouldn’t have to worry about the inner palace catching fire.”
She chuckled. “The way I’m saying this is making even me feel tempted.”
Jiang Huaichu, however, furrowed his brows slightly. “…Actually, he seems very energetic, very idle, very fond of making trouble. He doesn’t look like someone who dislikes exhaustion. Maybe it’s just his preference.”
Taifei looked incredulous. “He’s idle?”
“…Yes. Not only idle, but he also enjoys playing around. I always get the feeling that even with all those people around him, they’re not enough for him to play with. He’s… restless. Like he has excess energy with nowhere to expend it.” Jiang Huaichu found it strange himself and didn’t want to think too deeply about it. “But that’s not important.”
Taifei cautiously asked, “So, after spending time with him, what do you think of him as a person?”
Jiang Huaichu replied flatly, “He’s tall, good-looking, and in excellent health.”
“…” Taifei sighed. “I meant what kind of person he is. Do you like or dislike him?”
Jiang Huaichu frowned. “I only came here for a child.”
Taifei’s expression turned peculiar, and she hesitated before saying, “But you have to… with him.”
Jiang Huaichu: “Yes, so as long as he doesn’t affect my child’s health, height, or looks, that’s enough.”
“…” Taifei was completely at a loss for words. After a long pause, she finally spoke again. “Let’s set aside the matter of having a child for now. If you weren’t here for that, just considering him as a person, would you be willing to do that kind of thing with him?”
“Then I wouldn’t have come to Northern Ning.”
“…Just hypothetically!”
Jiang Huaichu shook his head, his long lashes lowering like dark feathers. “…I’ve never had that kind of thought. That kind of thing… is neither here nor there for me. I find it embarrassing, and I find him somewhat annoying.”
Taifei finally got the answer she was looking for. “Why?”
Jiang Huaichu spoke slowly. “Just annoying. I can’t explain why. It’s not hatred, just… annoyance.”
He couldn’t quite put it into words. He had never thought much about it before; his attention had never been on such matters. This wasn’t something he needed to consider.
“I only came here for a child,” he repeated, looking at Taifei with a slight plea in his eyes.
“Alright, alright, I won’t ask anymore!”
She realized that expecting an eighteen-year-old who had never been involved with anyone to figure out something that even women in their thirties couldn’t fully understand was truly difficult. And considering he had an emperor for an older brother watching over him… She gave up. “Tall, good-looking, and in excellent health—that’s good enough!”
Jiang Huaichu: “…”
Taifei then asked, “But if you’re trying so hard to distance yourself, will he still come to you? What if he doesn’t? It might be hard to even approach him later.”
Finally, a question Jiang Huaichu understood. He blinked. “I’m only distancing myself from him—it doesn’t mean I won’t linger in his sight.”
“…” Taifei looked like she had just been enlightened.
Jiang Huaichu smiled. “Not only will I linger, but I will also care for him attentively and express my deep gratitude for the times he saved my life.”
Taifei: “…”
—
The next day was the Hanlin Academy scholars’ scheduled scripture lecture for the emperor.
Xie Caiqing followed behind Liu Yun, carrying the scripture books, heading toward the imperial study.
The Hanlin scholars of Great Ning were scheduled to lecture the emperor three times a month, but the emperor found it tedious and argued with them until it was reduced to once a month for two hours.
At the entrance of the imperial study, Liu Yun turned to remind him, “You must watch the door closely later. Don’t let His Majesty run— I mean, don’t let him slip away to attend to other government affairs first.”
“…Understood,” Xie Caiqing responded.
At the corridor’s turn, the emperor appeared, carrying a birdcage. The moment Liu Yun saw him, he sprinted toward him. Xie Caiqing blinked in surprise at the strange scene.
Liu Yun ran so fast that Xiao Yun, upon seeing him, trembled slightly, nearly shaking the bird inside the cage. He turned to leave quickly but caught sight of Xie Caiqing standing dazedly in the corridor, watching.
His steps hesitated for a moment before he withdrew them, smoothing out his robes leisurely as he walked over.
Liu Yun, for the first time, managed to reach the emperor without having to chase him down. He wasn’t quite used to it and couldn’t help but smile brightly.
Last time, even though the emperor didn’t pick his book, he at least picked a book and started reading.
This time, he also didn’t reject the scripture lecture outright.
The emperor was finally studying!
Meanwhile, the top scholar, seeing the emperor approach, turned around with the scriptures in his arms and hid behind a pillar in the corridor.
Xiao Yun frowned, inexplicably annoyed.
“Knowing that you’re coming, I had someone prepare fresh tea for you, my dear scholar. Please have some first. I’ll be there when the time comes,” he said as he walked, addressing the nagging Liu Yun beside him.
Liu Yun was overjoyed. On any other day, he would have assumed this was just an excuse for His Majesty to escape. But today, the emperor’s attitude was a complete turnaround.
He feared that pushing the emperor too hard would extinguish this newfound enthusiasm, so he quickly agreed and went inside.
Xiao Yun strode down the corridor, spotting a small corner of fabric peeking out from behind a pillar, like a rabbit’s ear caught in his grip.
Reaching a pillar so thick that five people would have to join hands to wrap around it, he didn’t see Xie Caiqing at first. He paused for a moment, then smirked in exasperation.
“Top Scholar?” He called out with feigned confusion.
As expected, there was no reply.
Xiao Yun pretended to turn and leave, but suddenly spun around, taking a big step to the side of the pillar—just in time to catch Xie Caiqing, who had just let out a relieved breath.
“You playing hide and seek with me? Even circling the pillar?”
