Time passed slowly as Xueya knelt on the soft carpet, not daring to make any unnecessary movements.
Upon arriving in the capital a few days ago, he hadn’t even glimpsed the city’s scenery through the carriage curtains before being confined. Today, after being roughly scrubbed in a bath, he was brought here to kneel.
The palace was magnificent, with intricate carvings and embroidered pillars. The hanging green silk curtains with gold threads exuded a subtle fragrance. The carpet was exceptionally pure, its origin unrecognizable but clearly expensive due to the absence of any stray hairs.
The palace attendants moved gracefully, walking like cats. The hall was quiet, except for the sound of someone flipping through a book.
Just as Xueya was starting to feel dizzy from kneeling, he finally heard a voice from above.
“What is your name?”
Hearing this, Xueya secretly pinched himself to stay alert. For the past half month, he had been surviving on two bowls of light porridge a day, and today he hadn’t had a drop of water before being brought here.
“Your humble servant’s name is Xueya,” he replied, trembling.
“Xueya? A tea name, quite elegant,” the young man’s voice paused slightly. “Raise your head.”
Nervously swallowing, Xueya lifted his head. He glanced at the other’s face and quickly lowered his gaze.
The night he had seen He Xulan, he had been struck by his beauty. Seeing him now in daylight, he was even more overwhelmed. He Xulan, dressed in a simple light blue old robe, held a book, his expression indifferent. Compared to the exhausted Xueya, He Xulan looked energetic and luminous.
“I have a few questions for you. You must answer them clearly,” He Xulan said.
Xueya nodded vigorously.
He Xulan’s questions all related to the benefactor. When asked about the benefactor’s nightly habits, Xueya sheepishly shook his head. “Your humble servant does not know.”
He Xulan’s eyes seemed to hold a deeper meaning. “You don’t know?”
“Your humble servant… your humble servant never attended to him personally. When the master couldn’t sleep, he would sometimes call for your humble servant to sing,” Xueya answered truthfully.
“What songs did you sing?” He Xulan asked again.
Xueya thought for a moment and listed some relatively proper songs. Initially, he had sung some lewd songs for the benefactor, but the benefactor, after laughing at first, had gradually grown stern and told him not to sing such songs again.
Quick to catch on, Xueya switched to more proper songs. Among them, the benefactor’s favorite was “Yearning.”
This song tells the story of a woman who longs for a certain gentleman. Using her prominent family background, she manages to be with him, but instead of a happy marriage, they become a resentful couple. In the end, the woman is left alone in an empty room, singing this song, “Yearning,” every night.
After answering this, the hall fell silent.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a voice from outside announced, “His Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived.”
The Crown Prince?
Xueya quickly lowered his head further.
“Let him in,” He Xulan’s voice seemed colder than before.
The sound of the pearl curtain swaying was followed by a young voice, still unbroken, clear and bright. “Your son greets you, Godfather.”
The Crown Prince, sixteen years old, named Cui Lingjing, bore a delicate face resembling his mother’s. He walked quickly to He Xulan’s side and naturally noticed the person kneeling on the ground. Glancing at Xueya, he greeted He Xulan, his eyes still slightly red, his voice somewhat hoarse. “Royal Son couldn’t sleep all night thinking of you, Godfather. After leaving the academy, I came straight here.”
He Xulan nodded. “You are filial, but you must take care of your health. In a few days, it will be your Royal Father’s funeral and your coronation ceremony.”
The Crown Prince acknowledged, his gaze returning to the person kneeling on the ground. After a moment, he said, “Godfather, is this the person who served my Royal Father?”
“Yes,” He Xulan replied.
The Crown Prince’s eyes flickered, and he immediately looked up. “Godfather, I dare to ask if you could grant this person to me.” Without waiting for He Xulan’s response, he continued, “A year ago, my Royal Father left the capital, and apart from Wang Gonggong and other long-serving servants, there was only him. It has been determined that my Royal Father died of natural causes, unrelated to this person. I miss my Royal Father and would like him to stay by my side to recount my Royal Father’s stories.”
Hearing the Crown Prince’s words, Xueya’s eyes lit up. He had thought he was doomed, but now there seemed to be a chance for reprieve.
From the Crown Prince’s words, he seemed like a kind person. The Emperor was a great benefactor, and his son appeared to be a good person too.
Moreover, as the Crown Prince, he would become the next Emperor after the Emperor’s death, the supreme ruler. If Xueya could serve the Crown Prince well, wouldn’t he achieve unimaginable wealth and fortune?
In just a few moments, Xueya’s mind had already turned to how he could serve the Crown Prince well.
However, He Xulan’s voice brought him back to reality.
“We should ask his opinion first,” He Xulan said, his tone neither warm nor cold. “Do you want to serve the Crown Prince?”
Xueya paused, slowly raising his head. He looked at the handsome young man in front of him and forced a smile. “This humble servant is willing to work tirelessly for the Crown Prince, to ease his worries.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed a change in the young man’s expression. There was a hint of mockery, perhaps even pity in his eyes, but it vanished so quickly that Xueya couldn’t be sure. Then he heard He Xulan speak again.
“Then take him with you.”
Upon hearing this, Xueya felt only joy and didn’t pay attention to He Xulan’s final glance. He kept his head down and followed the Crown Prince’s attendants out of Ningfu Palace.
He thought it over. Serving the Crown Prince would certainly be better than staying with He Xulan. He bore some resemblance to He Xulan and had served the Emperor in his final moments, which might make He Xulan harbor resentment towards him. The Crown Prince taking him away was a rescue from his misery.
Having gained the Emperor’s favor, it shouldn’t be too difficult to win a bit of the Crown Prince’s favor as well.
Thinking of this, Xueya stole a glance at the young man in the bright yellow robe ahead. The youth had a slender waist and long legs, like a bamboo shoot growing vigorously, full of vitality.
***
The Crown Prince’s palace was the Eastern Palace.
With the coronation ceremony just a few days away, the Eastern Palace was bustling and uneasy. Palace maids in flowing skirts moved like fish, stopping to bow obediently whenever they saw the Crown Prince.
Ignoring those kneeling on the ground, the Crown Prince walked through corridors and bridges straight to a side hall.
Following the Crown Prince and his attendants, Xueya couldn’t help but look around.
This place was beautiful, with flowing streams and lush vegetation, exquisite and luxurious in every detail. Xueya was dazzled, sneaking glances at the scenery as he followed the group.
As they were about to enter the hall, he quickly lowered his eyes and followed inside. Noticing the people ahead stopping, he also halted. Just as he hesitated about kneeling, a voice filled with intense disgust sounded.
“Bring me my whip.”
Author’s Note:
Xueya: Bully me now, but there will be a time when you’ll regret it, humph!
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