I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Chapter 88

Little Pingzi returned to Fengrui Palace to report back. Facing the head eunuch, he stammered, “Xueya said… said he’s used to serving over there.”

“So, he’s not coming back?” The head eunuch’s face darkened. He glanced in the direction of the Imperial Study and then instructed Little Pingzi, “Don’t let this leak out. Act like it never happened.”

The head eunuch’s decision to bring Xueya back was his own. He had noticed that Cui Lingjing had been in a foul mood lately. The weather had grown cold, and the flowers in the vase of the Imperial Study had been replaced with plum blossoms. The head eunuch had seen Cui Lingjing staring at them in a daze more than once.

The head eunuch knew Xueya loved plum blossoms. Back when Xueya was in Fengrui Palace, he used to pick the blossoms, dry them, and put them into sachets to hang on his waist.

At the cleansing banquet the other day, Cui Lingjing had uncharacteristically mentioned Xueya in the bedroom, frowning and saying a lot, then forbidding the head eunuch to speak of it. The head eunuch understood that Cui Lingjing wanted Xueya back but didn’t want to ask for it himself, thinking it would be a blow to his pride.

So, the head eunuch had made the decision himself, privately seeking out Xueya to bring him back from Ningfu Palace, but Xueya didn’t want to return.

For now, the matter was put to rest, but the head eunuch hadn’t expected Cui Lingjing to find out.

“What were you doing at Ningfu Palace a few days ago?” Cui Lingjing asked casually as he put on his boots, his tone nonchalant, as if he were merely asking in passing.

Caught between telling the truth and lying, the head eunuch hesitated for a moment before deciding on a half-truth. “I went to see Xueya.”

Cui Lingjing glanced at the head eunuch as he stood and let the attendants help him dress. “He asked for you?”

“No, I went to see him. With the cold weather now, I was worried about his hands and feet. He used to get frostbite, which is prone to coming back. He’s been sweeping snow at Ningfu Palace—it’s pitiful. I went to ask if he wanted to return to serve at Fengrui Palace.” The head eunuch handed Cui Lingjing a fur coat.

Once fully dressed, Cui Lingjing walked toward the door. Just as he reached the doorway, he asked suddenly, “Is he coming back?”

The head eunuch shook his head.

Cui Lingjing’s face immediately darkened, and he stormed out. As he passed through the doorway, his crown accidentally caught on the embroidered curtain. The eunuch holding the curtain turned pale and immediately apologized, “Your Majesty, please forgive me! It wasn’t intentional!”

“Drag him out! Beat him until those hands are useless!” Cui Lingjing commanded.

Even after punishing the eunuch, Cui Lingjing’s anger remained. As he reviewed memorials in the Imperial Study, his frustration only grew, reaching its peak when the Ministry of Rites delivered the portraits of the new batch of potential consorts.

Meanwhile, in Ningfu Palace, Xueya was unaware that anyone was so upset over him. After dismissing Little Pingzi, he continued making dried flowers, just as the head eunuch had guessed. He had collected many plum blossoms.

As he dried the flowers, Xueya snacked on them. Noticing this, He Xulan couldn’t help but pinch his cheek. “You like eating plum blossoms that much?”

“I do.” Xueya smiled at He Xulan, his eyes curving. “When I was little and hungry, I used to eat plum blossoms. Brother, do you want some?” He offered a piece to He Xulan, holding it up to his lips.

He Xulan glanced down at the blossom and took a bite. Xueya continued to feed him, but as he did, his fingers were bitten. Just as Xueya was about to protest, he saw the teasing look in He Xulan’s eyes and realized he had done it on purpose.

In retaliation, Xueya grabbed He Xulan’s hand and pretended to bite it, and before long, the two were playfully tussling. Soon, Xueya found himself sitting on He Xulan’s lap, receiving a long kiss, his breath coming in short gasps.

Then, he heard He Xulan’s voice. “What did the people from His Majesty’s side say to you?”

Having been punished by He Xulan several times before, Xueya no longer dared to hide anything from him. He told the whole story honestly. After finishing, he noticed that He Xulan hadn’t responded, and quickly sat up straight. “Brother, I didn’t agree to go back.”

“I know,” He Xulan said calmly.

But Xueya still felt uneasy. He stared at He Xulan for a while before leaning in to kiss him again. In the process, he knocked over the basket of dried plum blossoms on the table, scattering half of them. Just as things were about to spiral out of control, Huang Gonggong’s voice came from outside.

“Your Majesty, His Majesty has arrived.”

He Xulan immediately straightened Xueya’s disheveled clothing and lifted him off the table. As he dressed Xueya, he whispered, “Go back to your room for now. I’ll come over later.”

Still a bit dazed, Xueya nodded and left. When he got back to his room, knowing He Xulan would come to find him later, his eyes gleamed mischievously. He undressed completely and slid under the covers.

The brazier in the room burned bright and warm. After lying there for a while, Xueya felt thirsty and got up to drink some water. Too lazy to dress, he knelt on the stool, casually pouring himself a drink.

As he was sipping, he heard footsteps approaching the door.

Assuming it was He Xulan, Xueya quickly scurried back to bed and called out, “The door’s not locked.”

Just as the door opened and Xueya purposely revealed his leg, thinking He Xulan, who loved to kiss his legs, had arrived, he heard the anxious voice of Huang Gonggong.

“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is waiting for you in the other room.”