A figure appeared at the door—it was none other than Ye Donglou, the second-ranked scholar from Su Yan’s cohort, and the newly appointed Langzhong of the Ministry of Revenue, as well as Yu Wang shizi’s teacher.
Ye Donglou leaned against the door frame, his steps unsteady, as if he could no longer bear the weight of his own body. His delicate and refined features were twisted in bitter resentment, tears streaming down his face like rain.
Su Yan’s mind raced, and he immediately cried out to him, “Lord Ye, save me! Please save me!”
He could see clearly that with Ye Donglou’s frail and delicate appearance, there was no way he could actually rescue him. His cry for help was merely an attempt to distance himself from this absurd situation and clear his name. If word got out, he could at least claim that he was being forced by Yu Wang and have a witness to support his story.
But Ye Donglou seemed not to hear, stepping closer to the bed, his throat choked up, unable to speak, only shedding more tears.
Yu Wang sighed, stood up, and picked up the clothes draped over the stool, calmly dressing himself. “Why are you here?”
Ye Donglou choked out, “I came unexpectedly and disrupted Wangye’s pleasure. I beg Wangye’s forgiveness.”
“You take this too seriously, Donglou.”
“Does Wangye still remember that night on the city tower during the Lantern Festival? The sky was filled with floating lanterns, and we shared a cloak, swearing to the moon that our feelings would last until the end of time.” His voice was filled with sorrow as tears continued to flow down his face. “Yet now, Wangye has cast me aside and found new love…”
This was simply too much for Su Yan. He rolled his eyes at the ceiling. Never mind that swearing by the moon was one of the most ridiculous things anyone could do—the moon itself is fickle, waxing and waning, appearing and disappearing, just like a capricious little brat. How reliable could a promise made under it be? This poor kid was clearly just another victim of the seasoned seducer’s charm.
Moreover, when a man makes promises under the influence of lust, are those really promises? No, they’re all lies! Su Yan, in his previous life, had also been coerced by a girlfriend who was obsessed with romance dramas to make all sorts of vows about eternal love. But look at him now—barely half a year after reincarnating, his girlfriend was forever lost in another dimension, forced to become his ex, and her appearance had grown increasingly blurry in his memories due to the influence of the original owner of his body.
Yu Wang stepped forward, wrapping an arm around Ye Donglou’s waist, speaking in a gentle tone, “Donglou, why worry about being abandoned? As long as your love for me remains steadfast, you will always have a place in my heart.”
Ye Donglou laughed bitterly, “A place… in your heart? Just how many people can your heart hold?”
“No matter how many, you will always be in the front row,” Yu Wang replied. “That night under the moon, I spoke from the heart. You are gentle, tender, and understanding—who wouldn’t love you? You see, when you mentioned that being a Hanlin Academy Editor was too boring, I immediately arranged for you to be a Langzhong in the Ministry of Revenue. Doesn’t that show how much I value you?”
Ye Donglou clutched at his arm, as if his entire being depended on him. “Wangye knows I don’t care about that! All I want is to be with you, just the two of us for life…”
Yu Wang lightly brushed away his tears, a faint, mocking smile playing at the corner of his lips. “But the things you claim not to care about were the first things you mentioned to me. Donglou, oh Donglou, a person can’t be too greedy. You want power, you want love, and when you have love, you want exclusivity.
You can’t have everything in this world. There’s only one thing that could get you all you want, and that is—”
His voice suddenly trailed off, and he swallowed the last word.
Ye Donglou trembled, his face pale with embarrassment. “I didn’t mean… Wangye, please believe me… I am sincere…”
Yu Wang leaned in and kissed his forehead. “There, there, don’t make a fuss. Wipe away your tears, wash your face, and then go back to the archery range.”
Ye Donglou looked devastated, shaking his head. “How can I leave this room knowing that Wangye is thinking of being with someone else right now?”
Yu Wang frowned slightly, a hint of impatience flashing in his eyes. From his sleeve, he drew out a finely crafted and sharp fish-gut dagger.
Ye Donglou flinched in shock.
But Yu Wang only pressed the hilt of the dagger into Ye Donglou’s hand, gripping his hand tightly around it so the blade pointed at himself. “If you want to have me all to yourself, there’s only one way—kill me. Stop crying.”
Ye Donglou struggled to let go of the deadly weapon, but Yu Wang held on tightly. He broke down in tears, “Donglou had no such intention… Wangye, I was wrong. I won’t make a scene anymore… I’ll be understanding, gentle, and kind—please forgive me this time…”
Only then did Yu Wang release him, pulling him into his embrace, and gently patting his back in a comforting manner. “Good, good, now go back. Don’t let your colleagues and subordinates worry about you. And take this fish-gut dagger, crafted by a master swordsmith. It’s something I treasure, and now it’s yours. If in the future you ever find yourself feeling jealous again, just take it out, hold it, and when you’re ready to kill me, then you can start talking about ‘forever and always’ again.”
Ye Donglou, his face streaked with tears, stood there, clutching the hilt of the dagger, lost in a daze. He shuffled out of the room, stumbling as he went.
Yu Wang waited until he had left the study and was heading towards the Longde Hall before closing the door and turning back toward the bed—
But it was empty, with only a belt tied to the bedpost, as if someone had shed their skin and vanished.
It turned out that while the two of them were caught up in their melodrama, Su Yan had used his teeth to loosen the knot, freed his hands, and quietly slipped out the window.
Yu Wang was momentarily stunned, then laughed—though his laughter was tinged with anger. “…Su Qinghe!”
***
In preparation for the Dragon Boat Festival archery event, most officials and nobles had chosen not to wear their official robes. Su Yan, too, was dressed in a convenient archery uniform, but now that he had lost his belt, his loose robe flapped in the wind, making him look like he was wearing a pleated skirt with narrow sleeves. He had to clutch at his waist with both hands as he hurried towards the rear hall of Longde Hall, hoping to bump into an attendant or maid who could help him find a new belt.
He walked quickly with his head down, and as he stepped onto the rear hall’s steps, he almost collided with someone.
Su Yan quickly looked up, only to find himself face-to-face with a person he would have preferred not to see.
The man blocked his path completely. Su Yan couldn’t dodge or turn away, so he could only muster an awkward smile.
“What’s this? It’s only been two days, and Lord Su has already forgotten me. Truly, the higher one rises, the more forgetful one becomes.” Shen Qi, dressed in a blue satin robe with golden embroidery, his waist cinched by a silver belt, had a powerful and imposing presence. His eagle-like eyes fixed on Su Yan’s empty waist, and a trace of hostility seemed to flicker across his brows.
Su Yan forced a laugh, “You flatter me, Commander. I just didn’t expect you to be accompanying His Majesty to the Eastern Garden, so I was momentarily taken by surprise.”
Shen Qi lightly brushed the hilt of his embroidered spring knife against Su Yan’s waist, his words carrying a hidden meaning, “Lord Su, you’ve been ordered to practice archery, so how did you manage to lose your belt? Do you need me to help you look for it in the woods?”
Su Yan gritted his teeth inwardly: This spy chief really is everywhere. Could he possibly know what happened in the study just now? Do I need to silence another person besides Ye Donglou?
But then he reconsidered, thinking it shouldn’t be possible. Eavesdropping on a Wangye’s private affairs isn’t something easily done, and even the most brazen Embroidered Uniform Guard wouldn’t dare offend the emperor’s brother so recklessly.
Maintaining a calm demeanor, he replied, “I must have lost it in the woods while practicing archery, probably got snagged by some branches. The underbrush is thick, and it’s hard to find anything there. It’s just a belt; I’ll simply get a replacement. It’s a trivial matter, so there’s no need to trouble you, Commander. But what about you? Shouldn’t you be with Commandant Feng, competing for glory for the Northern Surveillance Bureau? What brings you to the rear hall?”
“This isn’t the place to talk. Come with me,” Shen Qi said, grabbing Su Yan’s wrist and leading him to a secluded side room along the corridor, closing the door behind them.
Because of what happened in the imperial prison, Su Yan was on guard and didn’t want to follow, but Shen Qi’s grip was like iron, his five fingers clasping Su Yan’s wrist tightly, making it impossible to break free. He had no choice but to be dragged into the room.
Just as he was about to question him, Shen Qi put a finger to his lips, motioning for him to listen to the sounds from the adjacent room.
Su Yan leaned closer to the wall, curious, and was startled to hear the unmistakable sounds of a man and woman in the throes of passion. The man’s voice was that of someone older, spewing vulgarities, while the woman was sobbing softly, occasionally letting out pained moans, pleading for mercy.
That man’s voice… it sounds familiar? Su Yan couldn’t immediately place it, but he was sure he had heard it in the last few months.
He quickly sifted through his memories, and suddenly it clicked. He whispered, “It’s Marquis Fengan, Wei Jun!”
Shen Qi nodded. “The Marquis was ordered to remain under house arrest for two months, and he was just released. As soon as he was free, Imperial Concubine Wei requested a favor from the Emperor, allowing him to join the archery event at the Eastern Garden.”
Su Yan sneered, “This old lecher, forgetting the lesson he learned, dares to rape a palace maid in the Eastern Garden? That’s a capital offense! What, did the Emperor order you to arrest him?”
Shen Qi, with a faint, mocking smile, raised a finger and gently stroked Su Yan’s cheek before answering, “You really are a kind soul, Lord Su. Unfortunately, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. Commandant Feng has ordered me to secretly protect the Marquis. Once he’s finished, I’m to dispose of the palace maid to prevent any scandals.”
Su Yan already knew that this Embroidered Uniform Guard commander was no good—sinister and ruthless—but he didn’t expect him to be so blatantly evil, openly admitting it without a hint of shame.
Su Yan thought to himself, I knew the trap was waiting for me here! If I plead for mercy, this guy will probably say, “Beg me. If you beg me, I won’t kill her,” and then take the chance to extort me. Hah! Like h*ll I’ll let you get your way.
He immediately slammed his palm hard against the wall, the sound echoing with two heavy thuds. The person in the adjacent compartment seemed startled, as the voices abruptly fell silent.
Shen Qi quickly grabbed his wrist to stop him, but Su Yan kicked the wall with his foot, producing an even louder noise. From the other side, there came a string of low curses and the rustling sounds of hurried dressing.
“You’re bold. Aren’t you afraid Fengan Marquis will find out and come after you with a grudge to settle?” Shen Qi whispered in a low voice, leaning close to Su Yan’s ear.
Su Yan’s palm stung painfully, and he slightly regretted hitting so hard, but he gritted his teeth and forced a grin. “What if I went out, blocked his door, and then shouted down the hallway towards the main hall, ‘Someone’s assaulting a palace maid!’? How long do you think it would take for the guards to show up? I wonder how big the window next door is—would Fengan Marquis even be able to squeeze through it?”
Shen Qi looked surprised. “Reckless nonsense! You don’t care about that maid’s life, but do you really not care about your own career?”
Su Yan smirked coldly. “Is she even alive right now? Either you people will silence her, or she’ll kill herself out of shame and despair. If I expose this and draw the emperor’s attention, maybe—just maybe—she’ll have a slim chance of survival. As for my career? Take it or leave it!”
With that, he flung his sleeve and moved to rush out the door, only to be held back firmly by Shen Qi.
“You’re forcing my hand!” Shen Qi suddenly realized. Su Yan, ever the smooth operator, was always adept at saying the right things and playing his part flawlessly. Such reckless behavior was entirely unlike him. Clearly, he was taking advantage of Shen Qi’s feelings for him, using this ploy to manipulate him.
Do you think I, Shen Qi, am someone you can toy with so easily? He wanted to sneer and say, Fine, go ahead and make a scene. Let’s see who ends up losing the most when this spirals out of control!
But his hands, as if defying his own thoughts, held tightly onto Su Yan’s wrist, refusing to let go.
“I’m trying to absolve you,” Su Yan said, turning to face him and looking him in the eyes. “I know you’ve been ordered to kill an innocent, defenseless girl, and it probably doesn’t sit well with you. When your hands are stained with too much blood, you might think you’ve become numb, that you don’t care anymore. But when you’re alone, in the dead of night, revisiting the past, that pain will cut into your soul like a steel blade scraping bone. I don’t want you to add one more scar because of what happens today.”
Shen Qi froze in place.
He had served as a Embroidered Uniform Guard for nearly ten years, with countless resentful spirits and tortured souls in his wake. Some called him a demon, others feared him like a venomous snake, even giving him the nickname “Life-taking Qilang.”
He had never cared about these names, even starting to believe that he truly was a demon, feeding on others’ fear and dread to remain invincible. Only by stepping over a mountain of corpses could he reach a place of safety.
Yet now, a young man he barely knew looked at him without fear and said, with a touch of pity, “I know that feeling is like a blade scraping against bone. I don’t want you to suffer more.”
He let out a chilling laugh, his voice cold, “I’ve only ever scraped the bones of the living with a blade. I don’t know what it’s like to be scraped. That particular torture is called ‘Playing the Lute,’ where the blade dances on the ribs, creating a sharp, ringing sound. Would Lord Su care to listen?”
However, in the next moment, he realized that the cold laugh and the bloody words were both suppressed by a surge of emotion welling up in his chest, like a divine artifact subduing evil spirits, preventing them from leaking out even the slightest bit.
This surge of emotion drove him to pin Su Yan against the golden pillar in the gallery and kiss him fiercely.
