I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Chapter 53

Xueya’s eyes suddenly widened, and he took a step back. He looked at Yin Qingxuan with suspicion, wondering if the other person was joking with him.

He had dreamed of Yin Qingxuan before, where he begged him to take him out of the palace, but Yin Qingxuan had refused.

Why would he now offer to take him out? Was he trying to trick him?

Yin Qingxuan had no relation to him—why would he take him out of the palace to live a good life?

Right now, Xueya had just barely managed to earn Cui Lingjing’s favor. If he left the palace, his future would be even more uncertain.

Thinking of this, Xueya shook his head. “I’m not going with you.”

Yin Qingxuan’s expression visibly cooled. “Why don’t you want to leave the palace?” His next words were much harsher. “Do you want to wear women’s robes for the rest of your life? Stay as something neither male nor female?”

These words undoubtedly pierced Xueya’s heart. He resisted the urge to kick Yin Qingxuan again and forced himself to walk in a circle before him, keeping up appearances. “What’s wrong with wearing women’s robes? My clothes and jewelry were all newly made by order of His Majesty. If the Prime Minister has no other matters, I still need to deliver soup to His Majesty.”

Xueya bowed and prepared to leave, but just as he turned, he felt something brush against his head. He froze, looking down to see his long hair falling loose. Slowly touching his head, he realized his hair had become a tangled mess.

Turning around, he angrily shouted, “You!”

Yin Qingxuan nonchalantly withdrew his hand, returning to his usual indifferent demeanor, as if he hadn’t just messed up Xueya’s hair.

Xueya was furious. Suddenly, he remembered that Yin Qingxuan liked He Xulan, so he immediately said, “The Empress Dowager was right. The Prime Minister is not a good person.”

Upon hearing He Xulan’s name, Yin Qingxuan’s gaze subtly changed. “The Empress Dowager? You saw her that night when you returned?”

Xueya had no idea that Yin Qingxuan would react so quickly, instantly guessing that he had run into He Xulan after escaping from the Enji Hall. He panicked, stammering, “N-no, she just mentioned it to me before…”

Yin Qingxuan said nothing, simply staring at Xueya with a thoughtful expression. Feeling increasingly flustered under his gaze, Xueya hastily excused himself and quickly left.

Back in his own room, he leaned against the door, finally letting out a breath of relief.

Lying isn’t easy. Well, technically, he hadn’t lied.

Although He Xulan hadn’t outright said that Yin Qingxuan was a bad person, he had punished him through Cui Lingjing’s hands.

Yin Qingxuan was just too clever—he had figured out immediately that Xueya had bumped into He Xulan that night.

After calming himself down, Xueya walked over to his dressing table to fix his hair, only to discover that his new hairpin was missing.

The hairpin had a pearl from the deep sea embedded in it, which glowed faintly at night. He had only gotten it two days ago, and now it was gone.

Where could it have fallen?

Xueya searched everywhere he had walked, but he couldn’t find it. By the time he gave up, the soup he was supposed to deliver to Cui Lingjing had already gone cold. He had to abandon the task entirely.

Not only had he failed to curry favor, but he had also lost a new hairpin. Xueya was heartbroken and, before falling asleep, kept thinking about the hairpin. Just as he was drifting off, it occurred to him that Yin Qingxuan had messed up his hair.

Could it be that Yin Qingxuan took his hairpin?

Why would he do that?

What would a Prime Minister want with his hairpin? Could it be… could Yin Qingxuan’s family be poor?

Xueya thought back to the accessories on Yin Qingxuan’s clothes. They didn’t seem cheap, so why would he steal his hairpin? Then, he remembered overhearing a conversation in the brothel.

One guest, a wealthy man who spent freely, would always visit a certain room, but things would always go missing. At first, the madam suspected the servants of theft, but after changing them several times, the items still disappeared. Finally, one morning, a servant caught the guest rummaging through a jewelry box, solving the mystery.

After that, whenever the guest visited, the servants would lock up their valuables.

Could Yin Qingxuan have the same strange habit? No, he couldn’t let this go. Next time, he had to find a way to get his hairpin back.

***

The snow in the capital fell continuously until the morning of New Year’s Eve. Cui Lingjing’s mood noticeably improved. Xueya knew that Cui Lingjing would be going to the tower that night to release sky lanterns. Last year, he had waited at the foot of the tower, but this year, he wanted to go up with Cui Lingjing.

“Your Majesty, may I go up to the tower with you?” Xueya asked.

Cui Lingjing continued eating without pausing, only speaking after swallowing his food. “What would you do up there? It’s full of ministers and officials. There’s nothing interesting.”

“I could carry your hand warmer,” Xueya said quickly. His voice softened, “I’ve never stood on such a high tower before. Would Your Majesty let me go up and see?”

The tower was normally closed, only opened on New Year’s Eve.

Cui Lingjing refused without hesitation. “No. Tonight, I’m going to release lanterns with the Empress. You shouldn’t go up.”

Hearing him mention the Empress caught Xueya off guard. Ever since he returned to Fengrui Palace, he hadn’t heard the Empress mentioned, and she hadn’t appeared on Little New Year Eve’s Eve either, with her seat next to Cui Lingjing left empty.

“Is the Empress going to the tower?”

“She can claim illness most days, but not tonight,” Cui Lingjing said, putting down his chopsticks and wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. “You stay in Fengrui Palace tonight. Don’t go anywhere.”

Hearing Cui Lingjing’s words, Xueya didn’t mention it again. That night, he ate dinner alone, listening to the distant sound of music. He tried to tell himself to be content, but still felt uneasy.

After dinner, he laid by the window, listening intently for any sign of Cui Lingjing returning, but after waiting for what felt like forever, there was no movement.

Growing more anxious, Xueya finally got out of bed, put on his shoes, and stepped outside. Not long after leaving his room, he ran into Little Pingzi, who had once taken care of him.

Little Pingzi usually served at Cui Lingjing’s side.

“Little Pingzi, has His Majesty returned?” Xueya grabbed his arm.

Little Pingzi shook his head. “No, His Majesty is drunk and will probably stay the night at the tower. I came back to fetch a change of clothes for him.”

Hearing that Cui Lingjing was drunk and hadn’t returned, Xueya’s alarm bells rang. “Is there anyone with him?”

“The Empress Dowager is there. He’s the one who sent me back to get his clothes.”

Those words completely set Xueya off.

He Xulan was with Cui Lingjing. What was he up to? If Cui Lingjing was drunk, why couldn’t he come back to sleep?

Was He Xulan planning to… have a relationship with Cui Lingjing?

At the thought of this, Xueya’s hands and feet turned cold. Cui Lingjing was very fond of He Xulan. If something happened between them, Cui Lingjing would never look at him again.

“I’ll take the clothes to him,” Xueya said, blocking Little Pingzi’s path. “You’ve been serving His Majesty all day. Aren’t you tired? You haven’t even had dinner yet, have you? Go eat something, and I’ll handle this.”

Little Pingzi hesitated a little. Seeing this, Xueya smiled at him and said, “Isn’t it good that I’m helping you? I’d hardly refuse to help if others were busy.”

Little Pingzi was momentarily stunned by Xueya’s smile, and then his face reddened slightly. “Alright, then you deliver it. I’ll prepare His Majesty’s clothes for you to take.”

With the clothes in hand, Xueya hurried to the Viewing Tower. When he arrived, the guards stationed at the entrance stopped him, but Xueya showed them the token Little Pingzi had given him. “I’m here to deliver clothes to His Majesty.”

The guards, after seeing the token, allowed Xueya to pass. The Viewing Tower had nine floors, and Xueya followed the stairs upward. He finally saw people on the seventh floor. Among them were senior eunuchs and those who usually served beside He Xulan. However, neither Cui Lingjing nor He Xulan were present on the seventh floor.

Xueya’s unease grew.

One of the senior eunuchs noticed Xueya and looked surprised. “Xueya, why are you the one delivering the clothes?”

“Little Pingzi wasn’t feeling well, so I came to help. Where is His Majesty?” Xueya spoke while glancing upwards.

“His Majesty is upstairs speaking with the Empress Dowager.” Before the senior eunuch could finish his sentence, Xueya rushed upstairs. The eunuch considered stopping him but ultimately decided not to.

Xueya ran breathlessly to the eighth floor, where he finally found Cui Lingjing, but he wasn’t alone—He Xulan was with him. Xueya hadn’t seen He Xulan for over half a year, and today, he found He Xulan more detestable than ever.

He Xulan was dressed in a dark crow-colored cloak that accentuated his fair skin and elegance. His eyes appeared softer than usual, probably from the effects of the wine he’d been drinking.

Cui Lingjing, sitting across from him, stared at He Xulan in a daze, holding his wine cup and looking utterly captivated. Seeing this filled Xueya with fury.

Cui Lingjing had never looked at him like that!

The sound of Xueya’s approach caught He Xulan’s attention. He glanced at Xueya, then calmly looked away, pouring another cup of wine for Cui Lingjing.

Without hesitation, Cui Lingjing downed the wine. At that moment, he was so focused on He Xulan that he hadn’t even noticed Xueya’s presence.

Xueya took a deep breath to calm his emotions before approaching with the clothes. “Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, I bring my greetings.”

Cui Lingjing finally noticed Xueya, his intoxicated eyes narrowing in displeasure. “Why are you here?”

“I brought you your clothes, Your Majesty.” Although Xueya was furious inside, he kept a sweet smile on his face. “Your Majesty, there’s no way to bathe here. Perhaps it’s better for you to return and rest?”

But Cui Lingjing dismissed him immediately. “I plan to drink with Godfather until dawn. You may go.”

Xueya, hearing this, glanced at He Xulan, but He Xulan didn’t acknowledge him and continued pouring wine for Cui Lingjing. The emperor, seemingly enchanted by He Xulan, drank cup after cup until he was nearly too drunk to sit upright.

Finally, He Xulan stopped pouring. “Your Majesty, you are drunk.”

Cui Lingjing chuckled. “I’m not drunk. I can still drink with my Godfather.”

“Your Majesty, it’s best for you to rest.” He Xulan stood up, and Cui Lingjing, clearly worried that He Xulan might leave, tried to stand up as well. But he was too intoxicated, and as his body wobbled, he nearly fell. Xueya quickly moved to support him, but in doing so, the clothes he was holding dropped to the floor. However, Cui Lingjing pushed Xueya away, using the table for balance instead.

“Godfather… could you help me?” Cui Lingjing asked He Xulan, his tone pleading.

The push made Xueya stumble back several steps. He had already been feeling wronged, but hearing Cui Lingjing’s plea intensified his sense of injustice. When he saw He Xulan helping Cui Lingjing towards a couch behind a screen, a fleeting thought crossed his mind to just leave. But after standing there for a moment, he realized he couldn’t let his emotions get the better of him.

If he left, there was a good chance that Cui Lingjing and He Xulan would indeed end up together.

So, Xueya followed them behind the screen. When he arrived, Cui Lingjing was already lying on the couch, fully clothed and seemingly asleep. Xueya noticed that He Xulan hadn’t covered Cui Lingjing with a blanket, and he immediately suspected that He Xulan intended to undress him.

With that in mind, Xueya hurriedly placed himself between He Xulan and Cui Lingjing, blocking He Xulan from getting any closer. He Xulan blinked softly as if surprised by Xueya’s sudden action.

Xueya glared at He Xulan and turned to pull a blanket over Cui Lingjing, tucking him in tightly. If he could, he would’ve even covered Cui Lingjing’s face, but he worried that might suffocate him. After finishing, Xueya turned back, facing He Xulan with a look of fierce determination, and lowered his voice to warn him, “Don’t even think about touching His Majesty!”

He was like a little fox, fiercely guarding its territory.

He Xulan raised an eyebrow before letting it relax again. Calmly, he asked, “And what right do you have to say such a thing?”

From the moment Xueya saw He Xulan, he’d been filled with anger. In all the scenarios he’d imagined of meeting him again, He Xulan was always the one in a miserable state. But now, in reality, Xueya was the one left feeling pitiful.

He Xulan had made him wash clothes for half a year, yet now that they met, not only did He Xulan show no remorse, but he even had the nerve to remind Xueya of his lowly status. The more Xueya thought about it, the angrier he got, and he made up his mind to provoke He Xulan. “His Majesty and I have shared a bed. What do you think my status is, Empress Dowager? Who knows, I might soon be calling you ‘Godfather’ alongside His Majesty.”

After saying that, Xueya deliberately showed a shy expression, glancing timidly at the unconscious Cui Lingjing. In fact, he had been sneaking glances at He Xulan, wanting to see if he had upset her.

Hearing this, He Xulan turned and walked outside the screen. Xueya’s anger was still simmering; seeing He Xulan walk away because of him, he immediately followed, ready to provoke him further.

He didn’t want to miss such a good opportunity.

“Your Majesty, Godfather, why are you leaving?” Xueya circled around the screen, continuing to taunt He Xulan.

But when he got around the screen, he found that He Xulan hadn’t left; he was just standing outside it. Xueya’s footsteps paused, and a sense of crisis washed over him. He wanted to hide behind Cui Lingjing, but it was too late.

Xueya was pinned against the screen, with He Xulan holding him by the waist, leaning in close. Their breaths nearly intertwined. Surprised by He Xulan’s sudden move, Xueya let out a gasp before immediately closing his mouth.

He was too close to He Xulan now; he couldn’t let Cui Lingjing see them!

“Let go of me!” Xueya whispered, pushing against He Xulan, but he might as well have been pushing against a stone wall—nothing moved. “If you don’t let go, I’ll… I’ll call the Emperor!”

“Go ahead,” He Xulan replied, a faint scent of alcohol on him, which Xueya could only smell when he was so close. He was indeed very close; if he moved in even a little more, their lips would touch.

Xueya was furious at He Xulan’s actions, but for the moment, he had no way to counter it and could only glare at him resentfully.