* Note it has similar parts from prev chapter but slightly changed
He Xulan’s face and body were covered in blood, clearly having just come from a fierce battle. When he saw Xueya inside the coffin, he immediately pushed the coffin lid open and quickly lifted Xueya out. Xueya had been trapped inside for a long time and was dressed in complex layers, with sweat soaking his temples and his makeup smudged, making him look pitiful.
He Xulan first grasped Xueya’s wrist, checking his pulse. Only after confirming his condition did his expression finally relax. Upon seeing Xueya’s tear-filled eyes, he quickly pulled him into his embrace, gently stroking his back to comfort him.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, Guan Guan,” he whispered, kissing Xueya’s forehead. His gaze shifted to Cui Lingjing inside the coffin, filled only with coldness.
Xueya’s heart finally settled when he saw He Xulan, but the shock had taken its toll, and he soon fainted. When he awoke, two days had passed.
Slowly opening his eyes, Xueya was still a bit confused, unsure of where he was. He turned over, wanting to look outside, but the slight sound he made already caught the attention of those outside.
“Awake? Had enough sleep?” He Xulan sat down at the bedside. Seeing Xueya staring blankly at him, he raised an eyebrow. “Still not fully awake?”
Xueya blinked, rubbed his eyes, and when he realized it was truly He Xulan in front of him, he immediately burst into tears. He cried so hard that even with He Xulan holding him, he couldn’t be calmed.
But Xueya couldn’t cry for long, because every time he cried, He Xulan kissed him—on his lips, and even catching his tears. What had started as a release of his grievances and fear gradually shifted in meaning as he was kissed.
“Brother,” Xueya’s voice slowly softened.
He Xulan responded and pulled his hand away. “You’ve slept for a long time. You must be hungry. The kitchen has prepared a meal, all your favorite dishes. I’ll carry you there.”
Xueya, still a bit dazed, was reluctant to let He Xulan leave. But hearing that there was food he liked, he couldn’t help but feel conflicted. He bit his lip, staring at He Xulan’s face.
Having not seen He Xulan for a long time, he felt He Xulan had become even more handsome.
“Brother, eat me first,” Xueya finally said after his internal struggle, wrapping his arms around He Xulan’s neck.
***
On the official road, a horse-drawn carriage sped by.
From within the carriage came the occasional sound of a child crying, followed by a man’s soothing voice.
“Don’t cry, Your Highness. Look at this.” The man waved a small tiger plush toy in front of the child.
But the child wasn’t very impressed and continued to cry, “I want my mother.”
“Your Highness’ mother is also on the way to Ningfeng. Once we arrive there, Your Highness will see her.”
Hearing this, the child’s tears finally lessened a bit, but not long after, he asked again, “What about my royal mother? When will I see her?”
Yin Qingxuan fell silent for a moment before saying, “If fate allows, Your Highness will see him again.”
After soothing the child for the entire journey, Yuan Si finally fell asleep. Yin Qingxuan lifted the curtain to glance outside, then took out a small bottle from his robe. He stared at the bottle for a long time before uncorking it and pouring the liquid outside the carriage.
A few days earlier.
“His Majesty ordered the Imperial Medical Bureau to prepare a medicine that would ensure someone could pass without pain,” the chief eunuch said quietly.
Yin Qingxuan’s expression froze for a moment before he replied, “I understand. Tomorrow I will give you a bottle of medicine. You know what to do.”
The chief eunuch nodded. “I understand.” He paused for a moment, then asked, “And my family…?”
“I will take them with me to Ningfeng. Don’t worry.”
The chief eunuch nearly burst into tears of joy when he heard this, saying, “With your words, Prime Minister Yin, I can be at ease. I have no family and can’t fulfill my filial duties to my elderly mother, but over the years, I’ve been fortunate to receive your care. If it weren’t for you asking the imperial physician to see my mother that day, she probably wouldn’t have survived.”
Although the chief eunuch was favored by Cui Lingjing, he was still just a servant and couldn’t ask the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau to treat his mother. At that time, he had gone to Cui Lingjing for help, but Cui Lingjing, preoccupied with the drought, didn’t listen to much and had him dismissed.
The chief eunuch was heartbroken. Even though he was getting old, the thought of his sick mother at home still brought him to tears. It was at this moment that Yin Qingxuan happened to see him.
The chief eunuch considered himself a traitor to Cui Lingjing for helping Yin Qingxuan with his medication. After Cui Lingjing died, the chief eunuch ended his life by ramming his head against a pillar, choosing to die for his master.
***
By the time Xueya had eaten and drunk his fill, night had fallen. He lazily nestled in He Xulan’s arms, occasionally wiggling his toes in contentment. But this peaceful moment was soon interrupted by a call from outside.
“Your Majesty.”
Hearing the words “Your Majesty,” Xueya visibly flinched and looked up at He Xulan. “Brother.”
Sensing Xueya’s thoughts, He Xulan gently stroked his face in reassurance. “I’ll explain everything when I return. If you’re tired, rest for now.”
After saying this, He Xulan stood up and left. Xueya remained in bed, stunned for a while before realizing that He Xulan was now the emperor, which meant his good days had come. No one would bully him anymore. The thought filled him with joy, and he couldn’t help but roll around on the bed, hugging a pillow. But soon his smile froze.
Wait. If He Xulan was the emperor, wouldn’t he need to take concubines and have heirs? Xueya suddenly remembered something an older male courtesan had once told him.
“No matter what, a prostitute will have it better than us male courtesans. Once they’re redeemed and have a child or two, they might even enter the family. Even if they grow old and lose their beauty, their husband will still treat them kindly for the sake of the children. And if not, at least they’ll have their children to care for them in their old age. But us? We’re men, we can’t have children. When we’re old and no longer attractive, who knows what kind of fate awaits us.”
Xueya shuddered at the thought. He quickly got out of bed, not even bothering to put on his shoes and socks, and ran out to find He Xulan. However, he was stopped at the palace gate by two unfamiliar eunuchs.
“Where is master going?” one of the eunuchs asked.
“I’m going to find my brother. Where is he?” Xueya looked around but didn’t see He Xulan.
The eunuch was momentarily stunned before replying, “Does master mean His Majesty? He is in the study, discussing matters with General Yi and other ministers. He’s likely busy right now. It’s cold outside, master should stay indoors.”
Being stopped only heightened Xueya’s unease. Having narrowly escaped death, even after He Xulan’s comforting, he still felt anxious. “Don’t stop me! I need to find my brother.”
He pushed past the eunuchs and started walking outside. The two eunuchs, not daring to touch Xueya, could only block his path, pleading, “Master, you’re not wearing shoes or proper clothes. You’ll catch a cold. Please, let us help you get dressed first.”
“I don’t care! Get out of my way!” Xueya shouted. Seeing the eunuchs persist in blocking him, he bent down and slipped under their outstretched arms, quickly running forward.
Barefoot and without outer robes, his hair disheveled, Xueya ran through the palace halls. The spring night was still cold, and the stone floors felt icy. The lanterns hanging along the red corridors swayed gently in the wind, lifting the ends of Xueya’s hair. Ignoring the calls behind him, he ran straight ahead until the eunuchs outside the study saw him and announced his presence.
He Xulan quickly emerged from the study. Seeing Xueya running toward him, he frowned and hurried forward to catch the boy in his arms.
“Serve tea to General Yi and the others,” He Xulan instructed before taking off his outer robe and wrapping it around Xueya. He then lifted him up and carried him back inside.
Once back in the bedroom, He Xulan ordered the servants to prepare warm water and towels. He asked Xueya, “Are you feeling unwell?”
Sitting on the bed, wrapped in He Xulan’s outer robe, Xueya’s naturally alluring features were even more striking. His lips were slightly swollen, and the corners of his eyes were still red from the earlier activities, making him look even more seductive. He stared at He Xulan for a while before lowering his head. “I’m sorry, Brother. I shouldn’t have interrupted your meeting with General Yi.”
At that moment, the eunuchs brought in the hot water and towels, but He Xulan dismissed them. He knelt down and gently wiped Xueya’s feet with the warm towel. “Is that all you want to say?” he asked softly.
Xueya shook his head.
He Xulan’s eyes darkened. “You’re lying again.”
Caught in the lie, Xueya tugged at the tassels on the bed curtain before speaking in a small voice. “Brother, are you going to take concubines soon?”
He Xulan’s hand paused for a moment. He looked up at Xueya, who clearly wasn’t happy. “Why are you asking this?”
“All emperors take concubines,” Xueya murmured. Even Cui Lingjing, who had resisted taking concubines, had eventually done so.
“The emperor does indeed need to marry and take concubines.” After drying both of Xueya’s feet, He Xulan tucked them into the blanket. But just as he finished, he heard a sob.
Xueya had started crying at some point, and in just a short while, his face was already drenched in tears, looking utterly pitiful.
Realizing he had made a sound, Xueya quickly pulled the blanket over his face. “Brother, go handle your matters. I’m… fine.”
He let out a sob right after saying “fine.”
Before he could finish, the blanket was pulled away. He Xulan leaned down, staring at him. “I was just teasing you. If I were to marry and take a concubine, the only one I’d want is you. Alright, stop overthinking. Get some rest, and I’ll be back when you wake up.”
With that, he kissed Xueya’s forehead.
Xueya tried his best to hold back his tears and nodded, but as soon as He Xulan left, he started crying again. It wasn’t until he cried himself to exhaustion that he finally fell asleep.
He had already slept for a long time before, so it wasn’t long before he suddenly woke up. The hall was quiet, and he was all alone.
Looking around the empty bedroom, Xueya clutched the blanket and scooted back until his back was pressed tightly against the wall, finding a small bit of comfort.
“I’m not scared, and I mustn’t cry. If I cry too much, Brother will get tired of me,” he muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes, which were sore and aching from all the crying. He laid in bed for a while, but when He Xulan still hadn’t returned, he couldn’t lie there any longer. He got up, dressed, put on his shoes, and stepped outside.
The two eunuchs standing guard outside were startled to see him again. “Is the master hungry or thirsty?”
Their anxiety was evident, as if they were terrified he might try to find He Xulan again. Xueya glanced at them and touched his stomach. “Hungry.”
Relieved, the eunuchs quickly smiled and said, “Please wait a moment, master. The meal will be brought up immediately.”
The meal arrived quickly, and Xueya sat at the table, eating quietly. After eating quite a bit, He Xulan still hadn’t returned, and Xueya found he couldn’t eat anymore. Feeling restless, he asked to take a walk.
The eunuchs hesitated but eventually agreed. So, late at night, Xueya wandered around the palace with two servants trailing behind him. Wherever he went, they followed. When Xueya told them not to, they knelt and begged, so he had no choice but to ask them to keep their distance.
As he strolled through the back courtyard, Xueya saw a nearby peach tree. He reached out, pulled down a branch, and plucked a few blossoms, popping them into his mouth. He thought eating the flowers might calm him down, but to the eunuchs, it seemed like something else entirely.
The two eunuchs exchanged a glance, fear evident in their eyes.
They had never served Xueya before, but they had heard of his infamous title as the “demon consort.” They had also heard that He Xulan had taken him from a coffin. The foolish emperor Cui Lingjing had died in that coffin, but the demon consort had lived. Could the rumors be true?
The outside world whispered that the demon consort knew witchcraft, with beauty beyond compare, capable of enchanting hearts, and that he neither aged nor died. The most terrifying part was that he could bring disaster to the world.
Oblivious to what the eunuchs were thinking, Xueya continued eating several dew-covered peach blossoms and then walked on. But after only a few steps, he suddenly recoiled in fear.
“Your Ma… Majesty… no… a ghost, there’s a ghost!” Xueya’s face went pale as he turned and bolted back.
