Jiang Huaichu’s heart skipped a beat. Only years of discipline allowed him to suppress his overwhelming emotions in a split second and regain his composed demeanor.
The man who stood at the pinnacle of Great Ning, rarely seen by the public, was now in this humble little teahouse.
Jiang Huaichu’s face remained slightly tense.
But he had already spoken words of refusal…
A thought flickered through his mind. He allowed his gaze to linger on the jade inside the box for a moment longer before subtly shifting his eyes away.
The Changling Guard, who had been observing him closely, noticed his initial widening of eyes upon seeing the jade. Now, he was suddenly silent. The guard, too, changed his approach, abandoning his earlier persuasion. The silence between them was brief yet telling.
In just a second or two of mutual understanding, Jiang Huaichu glanced at him. Coincidentally, the guard also looked his way. Their eyes met fleetingly, both grasping the other’s thoughts without a word.
The Changling Guard, being highly skilled at reading people, understood instantly. His eyes flickered as he sighed, looking troubled. “My master says that once a gift is given, it is never taken back. If you refuse to accept it, I have no choice but to destroy it on the spot.”
Jiang Huaichu appropriately revealed a hint of surprise and reluctance.
The guard sighed again. “Though this item may not be worth a fortune, it is still quite rare. Destroying such a treasure would be a great pity. So, Young Master, perhaps you could make an exception and accept it?”
Jiang Huaichu, overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, finally sighed softly. “Very well. Then I shall accept it with gratitude.”
The Changling Guard let out a relieved breath. “That would be best. Now my master won’t be upset with me. Many thanks, Young Master, for your kindness.”
Jiang Huaichu took the box with both hands, closed the lid, and—his thoughts racing—smiled as he bowed slightly. “Please convey my gratitude to your master. As a humble scholar of lowly birth, I am honored by his favor. If I ever achieve success, I shall surely offer my service in return.”
The guard froze momentarily, as if doubting his ears. Then, suppressing laughter, he gave Jiang Huaichu a nod and turned to leave.
As Jiang Huaichu watched him go, he could only feel that what he held in his hands was a burning-hot burden.
….
Upstairs, Xiao Yun casually picked up a piece of tribute fruit from the delicate tray and took a bite. “Did he say anything?”
The Changling Guard hesitated slightly before reporting the conversation.
“What do you mean, ‘if he achieves success’?” Xiao Yun frowned. “Can’t even get the words out properly? Speak clearly!”
The guard hurriedly repeated, “He said… ‘I shall… surely offer my service in return.’”
Xiao Yun’s expression froze for a split second.
He coughed, then, half exasperated and half amused, muttered, “Does he think I’m his father, talking about offering his service?”
That phrase was typically used by students toward their teachers, or by adopted sons toward their foster fathers—essentially, a statement made by juniors to their seniors. Among peers, using such a phrase would mean…
A homos*xual implication.
Unable to hold back, Xie Zhe stifled his laughter and tried to defend Jiang Huaichu. “The Changling Guard addressed you as ‘Master’ in front of him, and that jade is clearly no ordinary piece. Anyone who can casually gift such an item must be at least of third-rank or higher. And anyone who has worked their way up to such a position would likely be over fifty years old. He could hardly have guessed that the person behind it was the young and handsome Emperor himself.”
“You’re picking up on these sly habits too now?” Xiao Yun scolded jokingly.
Then, he turned back to the guard. “You said he refused at first, but accepted after seeing it?”
The Changling Guard nodded.
Xie Zhe mused in a low voice, “So, was it greed for wealth or a hunger for power?”
Refusing at first suggested caution or high standards. But changing his mind upon seeing the jade—was it because he realized its value and was tempted? Or did he recognize that the giver held high status and wished to establish a connection?
Either way, it contradicted the steadfast, noble-hearted image he had presented earlier. If not a greedy man, then he was an ambitious one—certainly not as pure and righteous as his words had claimed.
Xiao Yun couldn’t quite figure it out and, frankly, wasn’t interested in overthinking it. Instead, he suddenly recalled how that person, despite wearing simple clothes, had a finely embroidered fragrance pouch at his waist. His hair ribbon matched the color of his robe, and the two ends were perfectly symmetrical.
He found it amusing.
“Xie Zhe, don’t always assume people are so worldly. He’s still young, not like those old foxes in court. Maybe he just thought it was pretty and wanted to keep it—like a little girl.”
Xie Zhe considered this and chuckled along.
….
At the Inn.
After returning from Yixian Tower, Jiang Huaichu sat quietly by the window, absentmindedly rubbing the jade in his hand, saying nothing.
Jiang Huaichu knew jade well.
This was top-grade white jade, pure and translucent, without the slightest flaw. Its texture was as fine and smooth as mutton-fat, with a glossy sheen that seemed almost moist to the touch.
The jade was in the shape of a “Ping An Kou” (a safety amulet), except that the hollowed-out center was intricately carved with a lifelike little Pixiu.
A safety amulet for peace, a Pixiu for wealth and warding off evil—its meaning was excellent, and its design was simple yet elegant. Under normal circumstances, he would have loved it dearly. The problem was… it came from Xiao Yun.
Taifei had always been quiet when she knew he had something on his mind. She preferred to let him sit alone and think of solutions rather than causing others to worry.
But she herself was not the patient type. She walked over, patted his shoulder, and gently reassured him, “This jade might not necessarily belong to Xiao Yun.”
Jiang Huaichu came back to his senses and shook his head. “It’s his.”
Taifei dismissed it. “Oh, come on, what are the odds? So, Xiao Yun left the palace? And our spies just happened to lose track of him? You just happened to invite me to Yixian Tower? You just happened to argue in defense of your imperial brother, and Xiao Yun just happened to be in a private room listening to everything? You refused the gift at first, then accepted it, and even before meeting him, you’ve already made a fool of yourself? That’s way too many coincidences.”
“…Stop talking.” Jiang Huaichu’s voice was muffled. His expression was rarely gloomy, and the tips of his ears were slightly red.
In all these years, he had never made such a huge blunder.
“If you two were fated like this, you’d have to be a match made in heaven, tied by the red string of fate. So, no way! There are plenty of high-ranking officials in Great Ning. The jade is valuable, but it’s not priceless. There’s more than just one person who can afford to gift it. Don’t overthink it, just let it go—”
At that moment, the door creaked open, and Ru Shi stepped in lightly.
Jiang Huaichu immediately looked toward him.
Ru Shi closed the door behind him, strode over, and pulled a sheet of rice paper from his sleeve, unfolding it on the table.
Taifei’s comforting smile froze on her face.
On the paper was a detailed drawing of the very same jade that Jiang Huaichu held in his hand.
Jiang Huaichu compared the jade with the drawing carefully—every detail was identical.
He turned to look at Taifei.
Taifei: “…I’ll stop talking now.”
After a few seconds, she couldn’t help but ask, “How did you immediately recognize it as Xiao Yun’s?”
Ru Shi, ever considerate, explained for the young lord. “Two months ago, the young master asked me to gather all available information on Xiao Yun—his accessories, his usual clothing, and so on. I had people redraw everything in detail, thousands of sketches in total, and sent them all to him. This particular jade was so rarely worn that I almost couldn’t find a record of it.”
Taifei was quietly amazed at Jiang Huaichu’s photographic memory.
The emperor’s belongings were things no one else would dare to replicate.
This jade was one of a kind.
It was unquestionably Xiao Yun’s.
Taifei was utterly baffled. “Then why did he still give you the jade after you rejected him and insulted his looks? Does he… enjoy being treated coldly? Like, ‘Oh, everyone else is desperate to please me, but he ignores me—how unique! I like it!’”
Ru Shi also looked just as confused.
“…” Jiang Huaichu rubbed his temples. That was exactly what he had been pondering earlier.
If he hadn’t analyzed Xiao Yun’s character thoroughly, he might have assumed the same thing.
Two months ago, he had ignored all the external rumors about Xiao Yun and instead compiled and examined every piece of information he could find, dissecting it bit by bit in an attempt to understand the real Xiao Yun.
But Xiao Yun was famous for being unpredictable—he waged wars without following traditional military tactics, ruled without adhering to ancestral laws, and refused to appoint an empress despite expectations. He was practically governed by his whims.
His childhood experiences should have made him a ruthless and paranoid man, yet his personality was entirely different from what one would expect.
The contradictions within him were impossible to untangle.
Jiang Huaichu also knew one thing: if an emperor could be so easily deciphered, anyone would be able to manipulate him for their own rise to power.
He even suspected that much of the information in circulation had been deliberately leaked by Xiao Yun to mislead the world.
Throughout his life, Jiang Huaichu had met countless people and read them all effortlessly. Yet, he had to admit—Xiao Yun was the most complex and unpredictable of them all.
All he had managed to gather were a few scattered clues.
Jiang Huaichu rubbed the jade—an object that, just an hour ago, Xiao Yun himself might have been touching. His lips curled into a smile. “I think he might just be playing with me. Getting revenge in his own way.”
Ru Shi and Taifei were both taken aback.
Taifei tensed up and asked anxiously, “Is it a gift or a form of retaliation?”
Jiang Huaichu said, “What exactly he did doesn’t really matter. Emotions can’t be faked. Knowing his personality, I made him suffer a silent loss, so now he wants to make me suffer one in return.”
Taifei had never heard such an unusual perspective before. “So, what will you do?”
“I don’t know exactly what he’s planning, so I’ll just take things one step at a time,” Jiang Huaichu said. “For now, the priority is becoming the top scholar. That can’t be delayed.”
Taifei nodded. Knowing he had made up his mind, she didn’t press further. “Then what do you plan to do with this jade? Wear it on your waist?”
She shook her head immediately after speaking. “That’s not a good idea. If someone steals it or it breaks, it’ll be a huge problem. And if you ever meet him in the future and he asks about it…”
Jiang Huaichu thought for a moment and smiled.
He sent Ru Shi to buy a red cord, threaded it through the jade’s circular hole, then lowered his head and let it dangle over his chest.
With slender, flexible fingers, he tied the cord behind his neck in a tight knot.
The flawless white jade now rested against his flawless white skin.
Jiang Huaichu loosened the collar of his usually neat clothing slightly, tucking the jade inside so it lay directly against his chest. Then, he tidied his robes again with deliberate care.
Only a thin, hidden red cord remained visible around his neck.
Ru Shi lowered his gaze. Taifei cleared her throat for no apparent reason.
