Yin Wuzhi had thought that after telling Jiang Wu all this, he might become more cautious. To his surprise, Jiang Wu showed no reaction whatsoever.
Likewise, Jiang Wu had expected Yin Wuzhi to explode upon hearing about his plan to build the palace. But unexpectedly, he didn’t even spare him a glance.
Both were left feeling slightly disappointed.
Yin Wuzhi originally planned to push him to walk a few more laps, but seeing how exhausted he was just from talking, he decided to let it go for now.
Time quickly passed, and soon it was night. Before bed, a delicate and handsome young eunuch entered the palace. “Your Majesty, I’ve brought you some calming tea.”
Yin Wuzhi stepped forward, but the eunuch smiled and said, “Your Highness Shizi is injured, so let me serve His Majesty instead.”
He bypassed Yin Wuzhi and kindly picked up a spoon to feed Jiang Wu.
Yin Wuzhi’s eyebrow twitched as the eunuch gently asked, “Your Majesty, is it too hot?”
Jiang Wu made a noise of acknowledgment and continued being fed.
Yin Wuzhi then asked Qi Hanmiao, who was standing by, “When did His Majesty start needing calming tea before bed?”
Qi Hanmiao replied, “It’s a habit he’s picked up recently. Yi Rener comes from the Great Empress Dowager’s palace. This is Qin Gonggong’s newly adopted godson. He’s very well-behaved and brings the tea every day. His Majesty likes the taste, so he’s kept him around.”
Yi Rener.
What a name—could it be more nauseating?
Yi Rener fed Jiang Wu a spoonful and then wiped his moist lips with his sleeve. He fed another spoonful and wiped again, this time dragging the cloth from one corner of Jiang Wu’s lips to the other, as if Jiang Wu’s mouth were leaking or he was just amusing himself.
“Your Majesty, how is it? Not too hot, right?”
The question had already been asked more than once.
“Your Majesty looks even more handsome than yesterday. After finishing this tea and getting a good night’s sleep, your skin will be even more radiant tomorrow.”
This eunuch must be blind.
“If Your Majesty has no court meetings tomorrow, perhaps I could take you on the swings again? Wouldn’t that be nice?”
So, in the time Yin Wuzhi had been away, Jiang Wu had been pushed on swings by him?!
Perhaps recalling pleasant memories, Jiang Wu gave a soft hum of agreement.
A hum!
Yin Wuzhi’s wound began to ache again.
With a dark expression, he asked, “Does he do this every day?”
“Of course,” Qi Hanmiao replied. “His sweet talk pleases everyone. Even the Great Empress Dowager finds his words amusing, which is why she’s arranged for him to bring the calming tea daily.”
Amusing? More like syrupy honey clogging the lungs.
“Your Highness may not know, but recently the Great Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Wen have also arranged for a special dance performance to help His Majesty relax,” Qi Hanmiao added with a sigh. “But unfortunately, His Majesty’s decision to make Qiu Wuchen Empress angered the Great Empress Dowager. Otherwise, it would’ve already been scheduled.”
Just as the words left Qi Hanmiao’s mouth, a shadow flashed by, and in the next instant, the sound of a porcelain cup shattering echoed through the room.
Qi Hanmiao trembled and stared ahead, dumbfounded.
Yin Wuzhi had grabbed the eunuch by the throat, lifting him into the air. His aura was menacing, and his voice was cold as death. “What were you doing just now?”
The eunuch’s feet dangled, his face turning purple as he struggled to breathe. “I-I was just testing the tea’s temperature for His Majesty…”
“Your filthy mouth dares to test the temperature of His Majesty’s tea?” Yin Wuzhi’s murderous intent flared as his grip tightened. Qi Hanmiao, startled, rushed over. “Your Highness, please! This is someone from the Great Empress Dowager’s palace!”
“Yin Wuzhi,” Jiang Wu called out, giving a command. “Let him go.”
This guy was acting more like a tyrant than the Emperor himself.
The eunuch was thrown to the ground, and the chair he crashed into screeched across the floor, making an ear-piercing sound.
Jiang Wu heard Yin Wuzhi say, “Get out.”
Qi Hanmiao hurried to help the eunuch up and lead him out. Meanwhile, Jiang Wu stared at the young man standing before him. “What kind of madness is this?”
Yin Wuzhi turned to face him. “Any random person can put their mouth on your tea? How do you not find that disgusting?”
Jiang Wu replied, “Don’t get too arrogant just because you’re favored.”
“Favored?” Yin Wuzhi stared at him bitterly. “When have I ever been favored by you?”
As they escorted the Yi Rener out, they encountered Chen Ziyan, who had just arrived. Noticing the scene, Chen Ziyan asked, “What happened?”
Qi Hanmiao explained the situation, adding hesitantly, “It’s like His Highness has become a completely different person since returning.”
Chen Ziyan reassured him, “Ah Zhi is likely just worried about His Majesty’s safety. Who knows what could be hidden in that eunuch’s mouth?”
“But that eunuch is from the Great Empress Dowager’s palace,” Qi Hanmiao reminded him.
“Better safe than sorry.”
Inside the Taiji Hall, silence filled the air. Chen Ziyan entered, ordering the servants to clean up the mess. Yin Wuzhi sat expressionless in his chair.
“How are your injuries? Did you strain yourself again?” Chen Ziyan didn’t mention the earlier incident, but at the sound of his voice, Yin Wuzhi’s expression softened slightly. “I’m fine. Just one hand was enough.”
“You should rest tonight. Leave this to Attendant Qi.”
Jiang Wu, observing the two together, said, “Tonight, let Beloved Minister Chen…”
Yin Wuzhi raised his arm, sweeping a set of jade tea utensils off the table, which shattered on the floor.
When the sound died down, Jiang Wu calmly continued, “Stay to serve me tonight.”
Yin Wuzhi promptly grabbed Chen Ziyan and dragged him out. After regaining his balance, Chen Ziyan sighed, “His Majesty is only trying to provoke you. Since you’ve been gone, he hasn’t once called me to serve him.”
“Why would he want to provoke me?”
“… I’m not sure.” While it wasn’t clear whether the Emperor liked Yin Wuzhi, it did seem that he treated him differently from others.
Yin Wuzhi seemed to understand this too. “I’ll be watching over him tonight,” he declared firmly.
Chen Ziyan suppressed his complicated feelings and offered a gentle reminder. “You should talk it out. Don’t make things harder for yourself.”
That night, just as Qi Hanmiao was about to order the servants to help the Emperor to bed, Yin Wuzhi strode over, lifted the feeble Emperor onto his shoulder, and said firmly, “I’ll watch over him tonight. Everyone, leave.”
Qi Hanmiao hesitated, looking to Jiang Wu for confirmation. Draped over Yin Wuzhi’s shoulder, Jiang Wu weakly murmured, “Everyone out.”
Tonight, Yin Wuzhi was not his usual self.
Perhaps this was the “love turning to hate” that storytellers spoke of. It was rare to see him so aggressive, and Jiang Wu thought he should give him a chance.
After the others left, Yin Wuzhi placed Jiang Wu on the bed. Jiang Wu naturally leaned back, only to hear a “thunk” as his head hit the headboard.
Yin Wuzhi had placed him too close to the bed’s head.
Yin Wuzhi frowned, pulled him slightly toward the foot of the bed, thought about saying something, but swallowed his words.
Serves him right, he thought.
Jiang Wu, dazed from the knock, finally said, “It hurts.”
Yin Wuzhi sat down on the edge of the bed, slipping his fingers under Jiang Wu’s head, and gently massaged his scalp with his warm palm.
Jiang Wu tilted his face up to look at him and said, “Beloved Minister Yin, why don’t you come up and sleep too?”
At that moment, Jiang Wu’s head rested in the palm of Yin Wuzhi’s hand. His face, small as it was, looked as delicate and beautiful as a jade doll.
Yin Wuzhi responded, “What are you plotting now?”
Jiang Wu, thinking he might have better leverage if Yin Wuzhi was closer, said, “Come up.”
Yin Wuzhi stared at him for a moment, then withdrew his hand and silently laid down beside him.
Jiang Wu closed his eyes, waiting for something to happen. But when nothing did, he opened them again and said, “I want to watch you.”
Yin Wuzhi reached out and turned Jiang Wu’s head to face him.
Yin Wuzhi’s profile was sharp and well-defined, like it had been carved with a blade—fiercely handsome. Yet there was still a youthful softness to his features, as if his face hadn’t fully matured.
“Yin Wuzhi,” Jiang Wu asked, “are you very angry with me?”
“Yes,” Yin Wuzhi did not deny it.
Jiang Wu asked again, “Do you hate me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think I’m despicable?”
“Yes.”
“I’m shameless?”
“Yes.”
“I deserve to die?”
“Yes.”
“You really want to kill me?”
A silence settled between them.
“Go to sleep,” Yin Wuzhi finally said.
Jiang Wu felt uneasy. “Do you remember when we made plans, but I didn’t show up? Did you wait the whole night?”
Yin Wuzhi’s lips pressed together tightly, his lashes fluttering quickly.
“Yin Wuzhi,” Jiang Wu continued, “I sent someone to check on you. You stood there stupidly, wearing a pink and white cloak, holding Ah Gui. Why were you dressed like that?”
Yin Wuzhi’s nose reddened, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“You’re such an idiot,” Jiang Wu said.
Yin Wuzhi abruptly sat up—
“Don’t leave,” Jiang Wu commanded. “You just snapped at that servant. What does what I drink have to do with you?”
“Because I like you,” Yin Wuzhi said, his body tense. Jiang Wu couldn’t see his face, but he could hear the hoarseness in his voice. “Because I like you, I can’t stand it when others covet you. Because I like you, it’s okay if you break your promises. Because I like you, even though you’re despicable, shameless, hateful, and even deserve to die, I can still forgive you.”
Jiang Wu couldn’t understand. “If I’m so bad, if I treat you so poorly, why do you still like me?”
Yin Wuzhi didn’t answer.
“Yin Wuzhi,” Jiang Wu said, confused. If Yin Wuzhi had always liked him, what was he supposed to do now? Should he just let him continue liking him? He asked, “Why do you like me?”
If he could understand why, maybe he could find a way to stop it, to make Yin Wuzhi stop liking him.
“Yin Wuzhi,” Jiang Wu called out weakly, “Yin Wuzhi, Yin Wuzhi, tell me…”
“There’s no reason.”
Jiang Wu looked puzzled.
“Someone like you has no redeeming qualities,” Yin Wuzhi said. “Everything you’ve done to me doesn’t deserve my affection.”
“As the emperor, you’re neglectful of your duties, lazy, and laughable.”
“As a descendant, you ignored the poisoning of the Great Empress Dowager and didn’t care that the palace is in disarray.”
“As a ruler, you publicly humiliate, punish, and abuse your ministers. You’re unreasonable and impossible to deal with.”
“And as a person…” Yin Wuzhi said slowly, “you’re so lazy you won’t even use your own hands or mouth.”
“You’re not even worthy of being called human.”
“You think I like you because you’re good? Do you long for me to tell you what’s good about you?”
“Dream on.” Yin Wuzhi sneered. “I like you because I’m a fool, because I’m a masochist, because I’ve been cursed!”
The air was thick with Yin Wuzhi’s heavy breathing and the loud beating of his heart.
Jiang Wu stared at him dumbly, then said, “So when will you stop being foolish, stop being a masochist, stop being cursed?”
Yin Wuzhi laughed once.
Then he laughed twice.
He turned his head to look at Jiang Wu and, after a long pause, said, “You’d better hope that day never comes.”
“Because…”
“I’ll skin you alive, rip out your tendons, drink your blood, and devour your flesh.”
Jiang Wu instinctively said, “That would hurt a lot.”
Yin Wuzhi’s mouth tightened, and tears suddenly rolled down from his dark eyes without warning.
He turned away in embarrassment and stormed out without looking back.
The hall was quiet again for a long time.
Jiang Wu slowly sat up.
With his long hair hanging loose, the delicate outline of his features looked somewhat forlorn.
He wasn’t stupid.
The things Yin Wuzhi said afterward were just clumsy attempts to save face.
But there was one thing he said that was true.
“No reason.”
Everything in life has a cause and effect. There must be a reason for liking someone.
But Yin Wuzhi was right—he didn’t have a single redeeming quality. He wasn’t a good emperor, a good son, or a good grandson, and he wasn’t even fit to be called a person.
In his distant, drifting thoughts, Jiang Wu often wondered why he even existed.
Sometimes, even the wandering Taoist priests he encountered seemed perplexed by him.
A lonely soul, without attachment to the world, viewing all joys and sorrows as meaningless. To call him a lonely soul would be giving him too much credit, for even a lonely soul lingers due to unresolved desires.
A soul like his should have long since returned to nothingness, dispersed between heaven and earth.
Yet he still exists, with awareness and thoughts, sharing the same sky with all other beings, seeing the same scenery.
A lone soul that has no reason to exist, yet still does.
A love that has no reason to be, yet still is.
He looked at his hand, which had just pushed aside the bed curtains.
… What was he about to do?
Ah, right.
He thought, he wanted to wipe away Yin Wuzhi’s tears.
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