The Imperial Study.
Chen Ziyan was unusually silent today. Before Yin Wuzhi entered, he had spent a long time thinking about how to explain the injury on his face, but unexpectedly, the other person didn’t ask at all.
Yin Wuzhi sat down in his usual seat, flipped through the memorials in front of him, and broke the silence: “Brother Chen, how much do you know about King Xiang?”
“Probably not as much as you do.”
“…?”
Chen Ziyan picked up the document in his hand and said, “The Ministry of Revenue’s petition still requires the emperor’s review, so I’ll be off.”
Yin Wuzhi took a step forward, “How about I…”
But under Chen Ziyan’s silent gaze, he swallowed his words.
Without saying a word, Chen Ziyan pushed open the door and walked out.
Shortly after, he returned with more documents. Yin Wuzhi saw this and said, “The emperor reviews documents so quickly.”
“The emperor has gone to sleep.”
It must have been exhausting for him to eat that piece of meat. Yin Wuzhi had even massaged his jaw for quite some time.
Chen Ziyan sat back down in his seat.
Yin Wuzhi glanced at him, then again, and asked, “Brother Ziyan, do you have some sort of grudge with King Xiang?”
“Weren’t you the one who just had a fight with him?”
“I meant before.”
Chen Ziyan shot him a look. “Why did you two fight?”
“…There was a bit of an argument.”
“Another argument?” Chen Ziyan chuckled, “You two are truly destined rivals.”
Yin Wuzhi paused awkwardly. “From the way you’re speaking, it sounds like I’ve had frequent arguments with King Xiang before?”
“Why are you acting like you’ve lost your memory?” Chen Ziyan said. “When you were young, you often got teased by him because you couldn’t speak the official dialect well. Before he left the capital, he even sought you out at the military camp for a match. People around you know about it to some extent. The other day, when you nonchalantly glanced at King Xiang’s petition, I thought you two had matured with age. I didn’t expect you’d still end up fighting.”
No wonder when he was summoned by Empress Dowager Wen today, she merely had them apologize to each other without much scolding. At the time, Yin Wuzhi found it strange how lightly the matter was treated. In hindsight, it seemed to be a common occurrence.
Upon reflection, he did have some memories of King Xiang, but his impression was that their relationship was rather neutral, not one of ongoing rivalry.
“And what about King Xiang and the emperor? Have you heard anything about that?”
Chen Ziyan furrowed his brow. “Before the emperor ascended the throne, he didn’t have much interaction with us. I only recall that when we were studying at the Imperial Academy, King Xiang liked to cling to him. But the emperor rarely attended, often being absent. So I don’t know much.”
“Why was he absent?”
“I heard that Empress Dowager Yao had arranged a separate tutor for him in the palace, and she probably didn’t like the emperor getting too close to people like King Xiang.”
Yin Wuzhi recalled the petition that had been secretly slipped into a gap. Afterward, he had inquired and learned that during his recovery, Empress Dowager Yao had indeed visited the emperor once to bring him food, although he hadn’t eaten any of it.
“You should know this better than me. After all, the emperor personally taught you the official dialect, and with Empress Dowager Wen in the palace, you were often able to visit with Dingnan Wangfei.”
“…” Yin Wuzhi found it strange as well. Before being summoned into the palace by Jiang Wu, he barely remembered the emperor’s appearance, which was clearly illogical.
“You’re always so sharp.” Chen Ziyan shook his head and turned back to the documents.
Yin Wuzhi picked up his brush. After a while, he asked, “That match with King Xiang—who won?”
Just as Yin Wuzhi had said, the artificially laid snow looked almost identical to before once another layer had fallen from the sky.
Chen Ziyan had gone to find Jiang Wu again with documents from the Ministry of Revenue. Yin Wuzhi flipped through the remaining petitions, eventually finding one that required the emperor’s review. He picked it up and headed for Taiji Hall.
Jiang Wu, who had been halfheartedly holding a brush, tossed it aside when he saw Yin Wuzhi approaching and took a brief rest.
Chen Ziyan had almost entirely avoided Jiang Wu after entering the palace. Jiang Wu couldn’t be bothered to move, and since Yin Wuzhi had recently become more diligent—meaning he was actively wielding the power Jiang Wu had granted him and seemed intent on taking over all the emperor’s responsibilities—Jiang Wu’s plan to bring about his own downfall was momentarily put on hold.
Now, with Chen Ziyan’s rare initiative, Jiang Wu casually raised his hand and pulled him closer.
Yin Wuzhi halted in his steps. “?”
Chen Ziyan also froze in place.
The emperor’s fingers brushed across the back of his hand. “After all, it seems the palace does take good care of people. Your hands have gotten much softer since you entered.”
Chen Ziyan: “…Your Majesty, the documents.”
“The documents aren’t as nice to look at as you are.” Jiang Wu raised his head. His expression seemed indifferent, but for some reason, it made Chen Ziyan’s face flush red.
The emperor’s fingers were long and delicate. Because of his laziness, they moved slowly over Chen Ziyan’s skin, which only heightened the tingling sensation across his scalp.
Suddenly, a hand pulled Chen Ziyan away. Jiang Wu’s hand slid back onto the chair, while Yin Wuzhi’s anger—and faint killing intent—became apparent once again.
It seems he had grown up, knowing how to hide his emotions better now.
Yin Wuzhi pulled Chen Ziyan aside, barely containing his frustration. “Brother Ziyan, are you alright?”
Chen Ziyan glanced at him and whispered, “I’m fine.”
“I told you not to stay close to him. That… that worthless emperor, he’s…” Yin Wuzhi’s chest rose and fell as he said, “He is shameless.”
Chen Ziyan glanced at him again and quietly said, “I didn’t think about it that much.”
“I know, but… just let me handle him from now on.”
Chen Ziyan said, “I’m older, so it should be me.”
“Brother Chen,” Yin Wuzhi said in a low voice, “Do you really want both of us to end up ruined?”
Chen Ziyan, in a serious tone, replied, “Good brothers should face hardship together.”
Yin Wuzhi: “.”
They both returned to Taiji Hall. The useless emperor was still lying there with a nonchalant expression. Since no one was urging him, he once again refused to work.
The two of them approached, and Chen Ziyan once more handed the pen to Jiang Wu. “Your Majesty, please.”
Jiang Wu stared at the pen and lazily said, “One word, one kiss…”
“Wait, let me check,” Yin Wuzhi quickly stepped forward and picked up the document from the table. “I can handle this one, and this one… Your Majesty, I can take care of all of these on your behalf.”
Chen Ziyan: “?”
Jiang Wu asked, “Really?”
“Absolutely,” Yin Wuzhi said firmly. “None of this requires His Majesty’s attention.”
After speaking, he picked everything up and walked to the door of the hall, not forgetting to call out, “Brother Chen.”
Back in the imperial study, Yin Wuzhi placed all the documents on his desk, saying, “Grand Preceptor Wen mentioned that not all of these need His Majesty’s personal review. They’re only being submitted because the emperor is newly enthroned and unfamiliar with many of the state affairs, so he needs to start learning from the basics.”
Chen Ziyan followed behind him, sitting down calmly on a cushion. “But if we don’t hand these matters to His Majesty, how will he ever become familiar with them?”
Yin Wuzhi, head down as he sorted through the documents, said, “I’m doing this for your sake, Brother Chen. Didn’t you hear what His Majesty said earlier? He said…”
With a heavy tone, as if recounting something terrifying, he continued, “A single word, a kiss. Do you really want to kiss a man, Brother Chen?”
Chen Ziyan replied, “If you can, so can I.”
“I absolutely don’t want to.”
Chen Ziyan sighed, “In that case, let me handle such matters from now on.”
“…” Yin Wuzhi paused, pen in hand. Chen Ziyan said, “I’ve been thinking these past few days, about what you’ve been going through in the palace. How have you become so on edge? Now I understand—clearly, you’ve suffered a lot.”
Yin Wuzhi lowered his eyelashes.
“From now on, with me here, I won’t let you stand in the way again,” Chen Ziyan said, his gaze deep. “To be honest, I’ve admired His Majesty for a long time.”
A drop of thick ink fell on the paper. Yin Wuzhi immediately reached for a cloth to blot it out.
“…Admired His Majesty?”
“The Fourth Prince is graceful, with unmatched beauty, kind and humble, beloved by the people,” Chen Ziyan recalled. “Not just me, even someone as brash as Zuo Haoqing lowers his head before His Majesty.”
Yin Wuzhi wrapped the wolf-hair brush in the cloth, watching as the ink spread, turning the cloth black.
“Although his temperament has drastically changed, I used to resent it. But my father was right: if His Majesty has changed, there must be a reason. I believe that one day, he will awaken and return to being the man worth following.”
Yin Wuzhi, “So…?”
“So, in truth, I don’t dislike His Majesty. In fact, I’m quite glad to be this close to him,” Chen Ziyan said, pressing his lips together. “My past frustration with him stemmed from an unwillingness to accept His Majesty’s change, and to admit that I once admired such a person.”
“And now?”
“Now…” Chen Ziyan’s eyes deepened. “I want to try to accept this version of His Majesty. I don’t want to run from it anymore.”
A soft “crack” sounded—the pen in Yin Wuzhi’s hand had snapped.
Chen Ziyan said, “So, if you find His Majesty terrifying, just leave him to me.”
Jiang Wu sneezed as he shrank into his chair.
Qi Hanmiao hurried over and wiped his nose. “Your Majesty, are you catching a cold?”
Jiang Wu blinked, not saying a word.
Qi Hanmiao went to call the court physician, Gu Yan, who checked his pulse.
Afterward, Gu Yan placed Jiang Wu’s hand back under the blanket. “Your Majesty, do you have any other discomfort?”
Jiang Wu looked out the window. “How long will it snow?”
“I heard the snow in Guanjing usually lasts until late spring.”
That’s what Yin Wuzhi had said too.
Although Jiang Wu was fine, Gu Yan prescribed two sets of medicine to prevent colds—after all, the weather was cold, and the emperor’s well-being was a concern for the servants.
As he was leaving with his medicine chest, Yin Wuzhi was standing outside the screen. Gu Yan nodded to him. Just as he was about to leave, Yin Wuzhi asked, “Is this your first time in Guanjing, Imperial Physician Gu?”
“Indeed. I was admitted to the Imperial Academy of Medicine earlier this year.” He paused, puzzled. “How did the shizi know?”
“You said ‘I heard’ just now.”
Gu Yan froze, then chuckled. “Yes, it’s my first New Year in Guanjing.”
Yin Wuzhi gestured for him to leave, and Gu Yan respectfully bowed before disappearing outside the hall.
That night, Chen Ziyan didn’t stay with Yin Wuzhi in the imperial study. Yin Wuzhi, after spending a while there, wandered over to Taiji Hall. After several trips back and forth, Qi Hanmiao finally asked, “Shizi, what kind of martial art are you practicing?”
“Footwork,” Yin Wuzhi replied. “Light Qinggong.”
By the eighth trip to the Taiji Hall, it was already late at night.
He slipped into the side hall and found that the lights in Chen Ziyan’s room had been extinguished, so he crouched by the wall and listened.
There were sounds of turning over. The other party didn’t seem to be sleeping well. After tossing and turning for a while, he sat up, put on a robe, and walked to the window.
The window lights were rekindled, and the person sat down and started flipping through a book.
Soon after, the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow approached. Qi Hanmiao came to Chen Ziyan’s door. “Minister Chen, still awake so late?”
“Can’t sleep at night, just reading for a while.”
“Such a scholar. I’ll leave you to it then.”
“Sweet dreams to you.”
All became quiet. Yin Wuzhi, crouching by the wall, waited until Chen Ziyan fell asleep before standing up and returning to Taiji Hall.
He skillfully climbed onto the dragon bed, gently pulled Jiang Wu closer, and laid down beside him.
He wrapped his arms around him, buried his face in Jiang Wu’s neck, and took a deep breath.
Jiang Wu opened his eyes.
He did so silently, and the person lying against him didn’t notice at all.
A hand tugged at his collar, and his shoulder was lightly bitten, not just once but repeatedly.
Jiang Wu: “.”
Caught. Big black dog.
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