If Jiang Wu had any preferences, then midnight was certainly his number one favorite time after he came into this body.
Because it was the perfect time to sleep without question.
Unless there were special circumstances, once the sky darkened, Jiang Wu would have his subordinates carry him to bed, never giving anyone a chance to force him to work.
Today was an exception.
“Your Majesty, would you like to go check on Yin Shizi?”
When Sixteen asked the question, Jiang Wu was indeed thinking about Yin Wuzhi, probably regarding some matters related to him.
When he initially summoned Yin Wuzhi into the palace, he had greatly angered his royal grandmother. She had analyzed the pros and cons from every angle, fearing that his actions would provoke King Dingnan and threaten his throne.
But why, today, did she hit Yin Wuzhi even more ruthlessly than he did?
He had never beaten Yin Wuzhi to the point of unconsciousness.
Wasn’t Empress Dowager Wen, Yin Wuzhi’s aunt? Why didn’t she speak up to stop it?
“Your Majesty?”
“Imperial Physician Gu said he’s fine.”
“…Shouldn’t you check on him?”
“Why should I?”
“Because the Shizi was injured.” Sixteen said patiently, “He was injured for your sake, Your Majesty.”
“If I go see him, will that make him better?”
“…” It seemed logical.
Sixteen quietly brought him to the imperial bed, tucked him in, and pulled down the bed curtain.
Darkness enveloped him, the kind he preferred, best when he was alone, allowing him to completely empty his mind.
He closed his eyes, but his thoughts didn’t drift far. Instead, they went outside the Taiji Palace and landed on Yin Wuzhi.
After today’s events, would Yin Wuzhi hate him or his royal grandmother? Was this a new source of resentment?
Around midnight, Empress Dowager Wen entered a small room in a side hall, where Yin Wuzhi was still unconscious, attended by Qi Hanmiao.
“Empress Dowager.”
Empress Dowager Wen gestured for him to be quiet and slowly approached the bed. Staring at the boy’s pale face, she asked, “What did the doctor say?”
“It’s mainly exhaustion. The doctor recommended plenty of rest.”
Empress Dowager Wen sighed, watching him for a while. Her eyes suddenly narrowed, focusing on his eye corner.
At that moment, Yin Wuzhi’s eyelashes fluttered.
As his consciousness returned, he detected a faint scent of osmanthus, and through his haze, he seemed to see Jiang Wu sitting at the bedside.
The emperor… wasn’t lazy this time?
The figure before him became clearer, and Empress Dowager Wen’s voice came through, “Ah Zhi, how are you feeling?”
Yin Wuzhi fully opened his eyes, instinctively glancing to his side. Jiang Wu was not there; the osmanthus scent came from the balm under his pillow.
“Ah Zhi?” Empress Dowager Wen’s face was filled with worry. “The Great Empress Dowager only instructed the eunuchs to make it look harsh, not to actually hurt you. They are well-trained and should not have made any mistakes.”
Yin Wuzhi fully regained his senses and began to sit up, but Empress Dowager Wen pressed him back down, “If you’re not feeling well, just lie down.”
“Thank you for your concern, Empress Dowager.” Yin Wuzhi, not used to lying down in front of others, sat up against the bed, saying, “It’s nothing, just a bit of exhaustion.”
From the first blow, he understood the Grand Empress Dowager’s intentions. As she said, it only looked harsh, though it wasn’t painless. Even fifty slaps on any skin would leave it red and swollen, but calling it punishment would be an exaggeration.
Otherwise, in his completely exhausted state, there was no way he could have endured fifty strikes.
With so many people watching, including Jiang Wu, he couldn’t expose the truth.
Besides, he knew that Jiang Wu had already agreed to come down from the roof. He himself had insisted on pushing past his limits, causing the emperor to fall from the roof. Even if the Great Empress Dowager had really punished him with fifty lashes, he would have deserved it.
Empress Dowager Wen relaxed slightly. “I’m relieved you’re okay. I actually came this late to give the emperor time to visit you.”
Yin Wuzhi’s eyes flickered, but Empress Dowager Wen shook her head slightly, “I didn’t expect that even your injuries wouldn’t concern him.”
That wasn’t true. While he was being beaten, Jiang Wu had stared at him the entire time without blinking.
Yin Wuzhi defended Jiang Wu, “It’s late. His Majesty is probably tired. Besides, my injuries aren’t serious.”
“If not for the emperor’s secret guards and Commander Qiu, you could have broken a bone.” Empress Dowager Wen still seemed worried. “The emperor is different from before. If he makes any strange requests, you don’t have to comply just to please him.”
“I’m only trying to extract information about Empress Dowager Yao as soon as possible.”
Empress Dowager Wen, feeling guilty, said, “No matter what, you’ve suffered… If you’re truly struggling, tell me, and I’ll find a way to get you out of the palace.”
“Having taken on this responsibility, I will see it through to the end.”
Empress Dowager Wen nodded in approval. Yin Wuzhi noticed her gaze lingering on a particular spot and instinctively asked, “Is there something on my face?”
“It seems…” Empress Dowager Wen gently reached out, and Yin Wuzhi stiffened as he felt her soft fingers brush the corner of his left eye. He quickly wiped it with his sleeve, “What is it?”
“Nothing, perhaps I was mistaken.” Empress Dowager Wen retracted her hand. Before leaving, she reminded him, “Since you’re seriously injured, act the part.”
She wanted him to feign illness. Yin Wuzhi instinctively refused, “The emperor needs me to take care of him.”
“He has so many people by his side, your presence is not necessary,” said Empress Dowager Wen. “Rest well. After fifty lashes, you probably won’t be able to get out of bed for at least ten days, maybe half a month.”
“…” Yin Wuzhi thought he would be back on his feet in no more than three days, full of energy.
The Great Empress Dowager’s actions had clearly disrupted Jiang Wu’s plans. He thought about it until the early hours of the morning before finally dozing off, though he hadn’t reached any conclusions.
The result of overthinking was that he slept even longer the next day. Even when hunger eventually woke him, he still felt like he hadn’t had enough sleep.
His eyes were sore and swollen. He tried to open them as wide as possible but still felt as though he couldn’t see clearly. His head felt heavy, and though Jiang Wu typically found his body heavy and disliked walking, today it felt even heavier than usual.
It wasn’t just the weight; there was a sensation of floating, as if his feet weren’t touching the ground. If he had to describe it, it was like stumbling through the air while carrying a small mountain. He was trying with all his might to stay balanced, yet he still couldn’t control the up and down motion.
Jiang Wu numbly accepted the food offered to him, then curled up in his chair and closed his eyes.
Usually, when he closed his eyes, his mind would gradually drift away. But today was different; his mind was stuck, as though it had been glued together, and even stirring his thoughts felt exhausting.
…What’s wrong with me?
“Your Majesty.” Qi Hanmiao served him some fruit tea, placing it on the table. He hesitantly asked, “Did you not sleep well last night?”
Jiang Wu took a moment to respond. “I didn’t sleep well.”
“Shall I have someone massage your head?”
“Yes.”
A maid soon arrived, massaging his heavy limbs, and the tension in his temples eased slightly.
Though Jiang Wu kept his eyes closed, he never fully relaxed.
He still didn’t understand what was happening to him—why it felt as though he was gravely ill.
Meanwhile, Qi Hanmiao was bustling back and forth, delivering tea to Yin Wuzhi with a cheerful face. “Empress Dowager Wen was wrong after all. His Majesty did react, quite strongly in fact.”
Yin Wuzhi: “?”
He was eager to know what had happened with Jiang Wu, but he kept calm, sipping his tea without asking, confident that Qi Hanmiao would tell him eventually.
“His Majesty had insomnia last night.”
Yin Wuzhi: “!”
He…had insomnia because he was beaten? Was that the reason?
“How do you know His Majesty had insomnia?”
“His energy is completely different from usual.”
“Does he usually have much energy?”
“Of course. His Majesty is usually lethargic, not wanting to move, but today he clearly looks uncomfortable, not just lazy.”
“…” Yin Wuzhi was curious to see what he looked like.
After the massage, the maids bowed and left. Qi Hanmiao returned, holding a cup of tea, and gently fed Jiang Wu a few sips before asking cautiously, “Your Majesty, shall we go see the Shizi?”
“When will he recover?”
“Fifty lashes,” Qi Hanmiao sighed. “That’s a harsh punishment. If someone is even a little frail, it could kill them.”
Jiang Wu had no real concept of this. “What about Yin Wuzhi?”
“Even as the Shizi, he won’t be able to get out of bed for at least ten days, maybe half a month.”
If that were the case, no one would be able to handle the affairs of the imperial study, and if something urgent came up, what then?
Jiang Wu blinked tiredly. He was still very sleepy but not in the way where lying down would instantly bring rest.
“Let’s go see him.”
Yin Wuzhi, eager to see Jiang Wu’s current state, jumped out of bed and began dressing, planning to sneak to the Taiji Hall.
Just as he was about to put on his shoes, he heard noise outside. “Your Highness, His Majesty is here to see you.”
It was a warning.
Yin Wuzhi immediately threw off his shoes, stripped off his outer robe, and tossed it over the screen before jumping back into bed.
Jiang Wu was pushed to his bedside, and Yin Wuzhi instinctively looked up at him. He finally understood what Qi Hanmiao had meant.
Jiang Wu did indeed look different. Before, he had always appeared cold and lifeless, but in a composed way, like a refined doll. Now, though, he seemed somewhat dejected, his eyes sleepy and dark circles faintly visible beneath them.
…He actually looked more human.
“Your Majesty, did you have insomnia last night?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wu’s pupils trembled.
He finally realized what had happened to him.
Insomnia…
This was the infamous condition, the one that humans dread most—the endless, agonizing, repetitive torture that, though painful, doesn’t present itself in an obvious way. Many people don’t even realize that what they’re experiencing is actually a form of suffering…
The aftermath of insomnia.
Jiang Wu stood frozen, as if turned to stone.
What had he gone through?
Why had he been subjected to such a terrifying ordeal?
This kind of silent, barely noticeable pain—when had it started haunting him?
Why? He was just a wandering soul, so why did he have to endure such suffering?
“Your Majesty?” Yin Wuzhi almost couldn’t hold back from sitting up. He coughed, trying to look weak as he laid back down. “Your Majesty, weren’t you here to see me?”
Why had he suddenly spaced out, as if he’d just encountered the most frightening thing in the world?
It took Jiang Wu a long time to snap back to reality. He looked at Yin Wuzhi for a moment before saying, “I had insomnia.”
“…I see.” Yin Wuzhi asked, “Your Majesty, why did you have insomnia?”
“I…” Jiang Wu’s long, dark lashes lowered silently, his ink-black hair spilling over his shoulders as a sorrowful expression engulfed him. A wave of melancholy seemed to wrap around him like vines, building walls around him layer by layer. “I must have done something wrong.”
Yin Wuzhi’s heart skipped a beat.
Could Jiang Wu really be blaming himself to this extent? Had he spent the whole night feeling guilty about Yin Wuzhi’s injuries?
“Your Majesty, it’s not your fault,” Yin Wuzhi said gently. “I was at fault for overestimating myself. I should’ve known I couldn’t hold out.”
“Then why was I punished?”
Yin Wuzhi’s face turned red.
He… was seeing the punishment given to him by the Great Empress Dowager as a punishment for himself? What was he thinking? Like in those stories, where the punishment fell on the one his lover cherished…
Heat rushed to Yin Wuzhi’s ears, and he awkwardly said, “Really, Your Majesty, you don’t need to blame yourself. It has nothing to do with you.”
“If it has nothing to do with me,” Jiang Wu couldn’t understand, “then why must I suffer the pain of insomnia?”
Yin Wuzhi: “?”
Huh???
