The dungeon was much colder than the palace. Xueya sat on a pile of straw, hugging himself for warmth. He hadn’t expected that a prime minister would dare to act so boldly against the emperor’s orders, nor that Cui Lingjing would be so heartless.
Even though it was Cui Lingjing who had ordered him to write, now everything was being blamed on him.
Xueya sniffled, wondering if he would die in the dungeon. He had heard that prisoners in the dungeon were usually beheaded.
Imagining his death, he quickly shook his head.
No, in his dreams he hadn’t died in the dungeon, but how long would he be kept here? The dungeon was dark and cold, and he hadn’t eaten in a long time. The jailers looked at him with strange expressions. When he asked for food, they asked what he could offer them in return.
Their lewd looks made Xueya feel sick, preferring hunger to their demands.
He touched his stomach, now completely empty, and cursed Cui Lingjing again. The sky outside the small window darkened and then lightened again. At dawn, Xueya woke up, starving, his vision blurry. Unable to sleep, he stood up and grabbed the bars, shouting, “Is anyone there? Someone, help! I’m starving to death!”
He shouted for a long time before he heard the slow, cursing footsteps of a jailer. “Calling for spirits? Can’t even let people sleep in the morning.”
Seeing the jailer approach, Xueya immediately pleaded, “Sir, do you have any food? I haven’t eaten for a whole day and night. I’m really hungry.”
The jailer gave him a once-over. The delicate, pretty young man from yesterday now had a dirty face. It turned out Xueya had touched his face in his sleep after touching the walls.
The jailer’s gaze wandered down to his slender, fair neck, and he was about to say something when he heard a loud voice outside, “Why is the Prime Minister here so early?”
The jailer quickly pulled his gaze away from Xueya’s neck and walked out obsequiously. “The Prime Minister is here!”
Hearing that Yin Qingxuan had arrived, Xueya’s face fell. This loathsome man had thrown him into the dungeon and denied him food. What was he doing here now? Despite cursing Yin Qingxuan, Xueya couldn’t help but stand by the door, peering outside. But Yin Qingxuan wasn’t there to see him and left quickly.
When Xueya called for the jailer again, no one responded. By evening, he felt he could barely stand when he heard a rustling noise. Looking in the direction of the sound, he saw a rat.
The rat scurried about arrogantly, ignoring Xueya entirely. Xueya fixed his eyes on it. When it got close, he swiftly grabbed it.
“You wretched rat, you dare bully me!” Xueya hissed, his white teeth biting down hard. “Watch how I deal with you…”
“Seems you’re not that hungry if you have the energy to deal with a rat instead of eating it.”
The voice from nearby startled Xueya. He turned his head stiffly to see Yin Qingxuan’s expressionless face. Xueya pursed his lips and quickly threw the rat away. The rat flew into the air, squeaking in terror, while Xueya also cried out, “A rat! I thought it was a rabbit!”
Xueya, while speaking, shrank into the corner, pretending to be very scared.
But Yin Qingxuan ignored him entirely, only glancing to the side and saying, “Bring him food.”
Someone pushed food through the small opening under the bars. Xueya looked at the food being sent in, then at Yin Qingxuan, and said, “Prime Minister, I am truly innocent. I was just following orders.”
“I know. That’s why you’re just being held here. Once those young ladies calm down, you can be released,” Yin Qingxuan replied, his face devoid of expression.
Xueya quickly asked, “When will they calm down?”
Yin Qingxuan recalled his own sister, who was still smashing things at home, “It might take a while.”
With that, he left without waiting for Xueya to say anything else.
Hearing this, Xueya knew he wouldn’t die, which gave him a slight sense of relief. But the thought of not knowing how long he would be kept in the dungeon made him despair again. However, his hunger took precedence, so he decided to eat first.
From then on, someone brought him one meal a day. On the fifth day, Yin Qingxuan finally came and released him.
Yin Qingxuan took him directly back to Fengrui Palace. Xueya wanted to clean up first, but Yin Qingxuan didn’t give him the chance and led him straight to see the emperor. When Cui Lingjing saw Yin Qingxuan bringing in a filthy person, he immediately covered his nose and stepped back several paces, “Minister Yin, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to suffocate me?”
Yin Qingxuan reached out and revealed Xueya’s face, “I wanted to ask Your Majesty, what do you think of his appearance?”
Xueya immediately tried to hide his face, but Yin Qingxuan grabbed his hands, preventing him from hiding. Cui Lingjing showed a look of disgust, “What an ugly thing, get him out of here!”
Yin Qingxuan let go, “This was the servant by Your Majesty’s side, whom you once thought was the most beautiful. Now you call him ugly. It seems Your Majesty’s taste changes constantly. Thus, the previously selected young ladies cannot be said to be ugly. If they are not ugly, Your Majesty has no reason to refuse to select consorts.”
This move left both Xueya and Cui Lingjing speechless. Especially Xueya, being led over in such a filthy state, seeing palace servants avoiding him, was a huge blow to his spirit. Cui Lingjing once praised his beauty, making him secretly pleased, but today he was labeled as “ugly.”
Cui Lingjing closed his eyes, seemingly too angry to speak. After a long while, he said, “Good, Yin Qingxuan, you really want to anger me to death!”
“I dare not, I am just fulfilling my duty,” Yin Qingxuan replied, lifting the hem of his robe and kneeling on the ground, “For the royal lineage to continue, there’s no time to lose. Your Majesty must consider the kingdom’s stability. Without a crown prince, the country cannot be at peace.”
Cui Lingjing grabbed the cup on the table, intending to throw it at Yin Qingxuan, but seeing Yin Qingxuan not flinching, he instead threw it to the ground, “Fine, I will choose consorts. But let me tell you, Yin Qingxuan, if you dare to bring your ugly sister here, I’ll be the first to send her to the Cold Palace.”
Yin Qingxuan replied unflinchingly, “If my sister can enter the palace, it will be her great fortune. As for what happens afterward, it depends on her own abilities.”
Cui Lingjing had nothing more to say to Yin Qingxuan. Glancing at Xueya, he said, “Why aren’t you leaving to bathe? Do you want to suffocate me?”
Never before had Xueya been called ugly and smelly, feeling doubly insulted and wronged, he left dejectedly.
***
Xueya bathed five times and used scented powder on his wrists and behind his ears before he felt he was rid of the dungeon’s stench. Although he had that dream, he didn’t realize Yin Qingxuan was such a person—appearing like a gentleman but actually a schemer.
There were no good people in the capital, except perhaps He Xulan, who was pure and innocent to death.
Thinking of He Xulan, Xueya realized he hadn’t seen him in a long time. He wanted to maintain a good relationship with He Xulan, but now he knew nothing about him.
Since returning from the dungeon, whether it was because Cui Lingjing was impressed by his return or for another reason, he was no longer summoned to serve the emperor. Xueya no longer had to do eunuch duties, and palace maid duties were not assigned to him either.
Having nothing to do, Xueya came up with a plan. While Cui Lingjing attended the morning court, he left Fengrui Palace and headed towards Ningfu Palace. When he arrived at Ningfu Palace, the sky was bright, and it was breakfast time.
“Sir, I have something to discuss with the Empress Dowager. Could you inform him?” Xueya asked the eunuch guarding the entrance.
The eunuch seemed to recognize Xueya and did not question his visit, simply saying, “Wait a moment, I will report.”
The eunuch soon returned with a smile, “The Empress Dowager will see you. He is having breakfast in the side hall.”
Overjoyed, Xueya thanked him and went straight to the side hall. Arriving at the door, he tidied his clothes before entering. As expected, He Xulan was having breakfast, dressed casually in slightly old clothes, giving off a lazy and relaxed vibe.
Xueya walked quietly over and saluted, “Your servant greets the Empress Dowager.”
He Xulan put down his spoon and looked at Xueya, “There’s only me here, no need for such formalities.”
Hearing this, Xueya softly called out, “Brother Empress Dowager.”
He Xulan responded with a hum and asked, “Have you had breakfast?”
“Not yet, I sneaked out,” Xueya said, his eyes glancing at the table.
He Xulan noticed his small movements. “Then sit down and eat with me.”
Xueya immediately shook his head, remembering Consort Shu, who also invited him to eat, only to end up in misfortune with her attendants beaten to death.
“Don’t worry, I’m the Empress Dowager. If I ask you to sit and eat, even the Emperor won’t punish you,” He Xulan reassured, seeming to understand Xueya’s concerns.
Xueya hesitated, then glanced again at the delicious food on the table. “Brother Empress Dowager, can I really eat this?”
“Of course.” He Xulan looked at the table. “But there’s only one set of chopsticks, which I’ve used. Do you mind?”
“Not at all!” Xueya shook his head quickly.
He hadn’t been working these days and had been eating leftovers. In the dungeon, he could barely get a meal. The aroma from the table made him drool; he didn’t care if He Xulan had used the chopsticks.
“Then sit and eat.” He Xulan handed the chopsticks to Xueya.
Xueya took the chopsticks, smiled at He Xulan, and sat down. Faced with the feast, he didn’t know where to start and finally decided to begin with the dishes closest to him.
Having often been hungry as a child, Xueya ate with great concentration and speed, like a hamster stuffing food into its cheeks.
When he nearly finished everything on the table, he suddenly stopped, nervously looking at He Xulan. “Plder brother, I think I ate too much. I finished your breakfast.”
“I’m already full. But you, are you still hungry? If you are, I can have the kitchen prepare more,” He Xulan replied, not angry at all.
Xueya touched his now-rounded belly and shook his head. “I’m not hungry anymore.”
He put down the chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and looked at He Xulan. He hadn’t come just for breakfast; he had other purposes.
“Older Brother, I was imprisoned in the dungeon a few days ago.” Seeing He Xulan’s surprised look, he continued, “The Ministry of Rites sent paintings to the Emperor, who disliked them. I was told to write ugly on them. Then the Prime Minister came and locked me in the dungeon to appease the ministers. I didn’t eat for two days and then only had one meal a day.”
He Xulan said, “No wonder you look thinner.”
Xueya, finally encountering someone who cared for him, spoke more, forgetting that He Xulan was his rival. “The dungeon is cold and dark, with rats. They’re terrifying. I was so scared I couldn’t move.”
He Xulan’s eyes showed more pity. “You’ve been through a lot. Did the Emperor reward you upon your return?”
“No.” Xueya’s face fell. Not only did he receive no reward, but he was also called smelly and ugly.
He Xulan frowned but said nothing.
After a pause, Xueya asked, “Older Brother Empress Dowager, do you know why the Emperor doesn’t want to choose consorts? Isn’t it good to select consorts? The palace would be livelier, and the Emperor would have company and could have children.”
Xueya watched He Xulan’s expression carefully, wanting to see if he looked sad at the mention of Cui Lingjing having children with others. But He Xulan remained indifferent.
“The Emperor is still young and perhaps just shy,” He Xulan said calmly.
“Oh,” Xueya responded. “Do you think the Emperor will choose an Empress this time?”
“That depends on the Emperor’s own thoughts,” He Xulan replied.
Xueya couldn’t detect any abnormal emotions from He Xulan, thinking that Cui Lingjing might be in unrequited love. Cui Lingjing fell for someone he shouldn’t have and was not reciprocated—serves him right!
Finished with his probing, Xueya prepared to leave but suddenly heard an announcement from outside:
“His Majesty has arrived!”
Xueya panicked and stood up. The memory of being caught with Consort Shu still haunted him. “What should I do? The Emperor is here!”
He Xulan looked at Xueya, “So what if the Emperor is here?”
“The Emperor doesn’t like seeing me with others. He will punish me!” Xueya said anxiously.
He Xulan glanced down and suddenly lifted the table curtain. “You can hide under the table.”
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