The intimate embrace lasted a bit too long. Being squeezed by the crown prince’s youthful and passionate arms, Su Yan began to feel slightly breathless.
Helpless, he gently pushed on the crown prince’s arms and awkwardly said, “Your Highness, that’s enough…”
Zhu Helin, his chin resting on Su Yan’s shoulder, felt his emotions surging. No, it wasn’t just a surge; it was like wave after wave crashing against each other.
One thought came to mind: Holding Qinghe feels so comfortable—not too soft, not too hard, just right.
Another thought followed: He smells nice, like the scent of Lingling incense from the palace, but fresher and more ethereal. I wonder if he’s using perfume or incense.
Whenever he smelled the ministers’ heavy perfumes, they always seemed overly feminine, but somehow, it was different when it was on Qinghe—it smelled wonderful.
His thoughts spiraled, and Zhu Helin couldn’t help but ask, “What fragrance are you using?”
Su Yan, caught off guard by the random question, replied, “None, I didn’t put on any fragrance… Oh, it’s just the smell of soap.”
In ancient times, people valued fragrance, believing that scents nurtured the spirit. From wearing herbal sachets to distilling perfumes, the art of fragrance had been refined since the Song Dynasty, with the Ming Dynasty being particularly known for its variety of scented products, even using rose, jasmine, and osmanthus to flavor alcohol, tea, and pastries.
Su Yan, who in his previous life didn’t even use aftershave, had no habit of using floral water now either. He simply used the “fragrant round soap” his servant had bought from the market, choosing the least greasy-sounding one: a “vetiver” scent.
Little did he know, “vetiver” was actually a type of Lingling incense—sweet and fragrant. When heated by the steam of a bath, it filled the entire room with a refreshing aroma. Since he had already bought it and the bulk price was cheap, he had no choice but to use it.
Embarrassed by the crown prince’s inquiry, Su Yan quickly pushed him away, coughing awkwardly.
Zhu Helin reluctantly let go, though he still felt some reluctance. “If you like, the palace has plenty of high-quality perfumes. There are all kinds of scents. I can gift you a few bottles.”
I don’t use perfume! I only want sulfur soap! Su Yan forced a smile and politely declined. Then he added, “Your Highness should be on your way. If the Emperor notices you’re missing, he may send people to look for you.”
Zhu Helin nodded, adjusted his robe, took a few steps, then suddenly turned back to stare at Su Yan’s waist.
“I just noticed you changed your belt. It wasn’t this one earlier today.”
Su Yan: “?!”
“…It’s the same one.”
“No,” Zhu Helin said firmly. “The same fifth-rank silver-buckle belt—this morning when you came to the Eastern Palace, it was a soft fabric strap with just a silver plate at the front. Now it’s a stiff leather belt with an entire circle of buckles. When did you change belts?”
Su Yan’s face turned slightly green. The original soft belt had been left behind in the secluded lodge, repurposed by Yu Wang as an… SM tool—no, as a tool of illegal confinement. The new belt had been hastily pulled off by Commander Shen Qi and given to him to avoid arousing suspicion.
Back at the archery grounds, no one had noticed this subtle change—until now, when the Crown Prince, with his seemingly careless nature, spotted it. What kind of sharp observation was this? Like Zhang Fei threading a needle—coarse but meticulous?
“You and I rode the same carriage to the East Garden, and you didn’t bring any spare clothes or accessories. Where did this belt suddenly appear from?” Zhu Helin’s eyes flared with suspicion as a thought struck him. His tone sharpened, rapid-fire questions bursting forth: “Why did you remove your belt? Who gave you this one? And where is yours? Did you exchange it with some shameless person in private?”
A bead of cold sweat slid down Su Yan’s back, but his expression remained calm. “Your Highness, don’t let your imagination run wild. ‘Exchanging in private’—that refers to matters of propriety between men and women. Your Highness should focus on proper studies and stop reading those popular folk tales. If the tutors find out, they’ll make you copy the Four Books and Five Classics again.”
But Zhu Helin only grew angrier. “You’ve addressed me as ‘Your Highness’ three times in two sentences—suddenly being so formal, what are you guilty of? Fine, if you won’t tell me, I’ll find out myself and make that person pay!”
Su Yan sighed wryly. “Your Highness… truly, no one! While practicing archery in the forest, a branch caught my belt and tore it off. I couldn’t find it, so I asked a palace maid to fetch a random one as a replacement.”
Zhu Helin glared at him. “Do you think I’m a child you can fool? Where would a palace maid find a fifth-rank official’s belt? Fine then—you, as the Crown Prince’s Shidu, instead of properly accompanying me in my studies and martial practice, go off flirting with your colleagues! Do you want another round of the cane?”
At the mention of caning, Su Yan instinctively felt a phantom pain on his backside, and his expression darkened slightly. He responded coolly, “Is Your Highness planning to punish me with caning over a belt?”
Seeing Su Yan upset, Zhu Helin grew flustered, and his tone softened involuntarily. “No, I was just trying to scare you… Ah, Qinghe, can’t you not tie your shoe-laces in a melon-patch?”
Su Yan rubbed his forehead. “Where did you even learn the phrase ‘do not tie your shoe-laces in a melon-patch? Have you been secretly buying new storybooks outside the palace again? Didn’t you learn your lesson after that incident with Hanlin Tales of Romance? Do you really want me to be caned again?”
Zhu Helin’s face flushed red as he blurted, “That dirty erotic book wasn’t mine! It was a setup, and you know that!” He suddenly remembered the hidden risqué books in his bed, titles like The Monk and the Courtesan and The Night Lantern Romance. Though not outright obscene, they were certainly suggestive. Feeling guilty, he muttered, “I just… I just…”
He stepped forward and jabbed a finger at the silver buckles on Su Yan’s belt. “Take it off! Use mine!”
“For heaven’s sake, spare me!” Su Yan sighed, swatting away his hand.
Zhu Helin, knowing that using royal items without permission was a crime punishable by death, deflated and grumbled softly under his breath, “Attracting attention everywhere…”
Su Yan nearly burst out laughing in exasperation.
With a tone of sarcasm, he remarked, “Let’s go, Your Highness! If the Emperor catches us in this room, we’ll be accused of ‘secret liaisons’!”
Zhu Helin froze, his face flushing bright red. Without replying, he flung his sleeves and strode out of the room.
When Su Yan returned to the archery grounds, the sun was already dipping in the west, and nightfall would come in about an hour.
At that moment, the imperial entourage emerged from the Longde Hall, and Emperor Jinglong’s expression was peaceful, clearly content with the recent birth of his youngest son, which had brought him great joy.
Su Yan quickly slipped into the crowd, hiding himself among the throng.
Meanwhile, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who had been ordered to search for the weapon, returned with their report. In a secluded patch of grass, they had found a shallow, hastily dug and covered pit. Inside it lay a bloodstained short sword, which they presented on a white cloth.
The sword was only nine inches long, sharp enough to sever a strand of hair. Its blade had winding, uneven patterns, and near the hilt, close to the guard, was engraved the seal script character for “Gou,” indicating that this sword was forged by the renowned swordsmith Shangguan Gou. The sword was a replica of the famous “Fish Intestine Sword,” which was used by Zhuan Zhu to assassinate Wu Wangliao and was thus named “Gou Fish Intestine.”
The Emperor’s gaze darkened upon seeing the sword.
One of the six ministers present exclaimed, “Isn’t this His Highness Yu Wang’s favorite sword?”
Last year, on Yu Wang’s birthday, Shangguan Gou had personally gifted him three swords, one of which was this “Gou Fish Intestine.” Many had witnessed it at the celebration. Yu Wang had taken a particular liking to this small sword, carrying it with him always, except when entering the palace to see the Emperor, as everyone in the court knew.
The Emperor summoned Yu Wang forward and pointed at the sword, asking, “Is this your sword?”
Yu Wang remained composed and replied, “Yes, it is my sword.”
“Why is it stained with blood, and why was it buried in the dirt?”
“I gifted the sword to Ye Donglou. I don’t know what happened to it after that.”
“When did you give it to him?”
“…This afternoon.”
In other words, just before Ye Langzhong was attacked and fell to his death, Yu Wang had coincidentally given him a sword? And later, the bloodstained sword, matching the size of the wound on Ye’s body, was found discarded? The officials murmured among themselves, but no one dared to openly question Yu Wang.
At this moment, Minister of Justice Wang Tiru, a sixty-year-old official known for his strict adherence to the law and unyielding integrity, stepped forward. Though his neck was long and crane-like, and his slightly hunched figure was not particularly attractive, his reputation for justice and righteousness was well known.
He bowed and said, “The sword is stained with blood and appears to be the murder weapon. As it was once in Yu Wang’s possession, there may be a connection. I implore Your Majesty to not show favoritism and to investigate thoroughly.”
Emperor Jinglong, knowing Wang Shangshu’s straightforward nature, did not take offense. Yu Wang immediately retorted, “Even if this sword is the murder weapon, it doesn’t prove it has anything to do with me. Couldn’t the killer have taken the sword from Ye Donglou and used it against him?”
“Besides the weapon, there’s also motive. Your Highness had a close relationship with Ye Donglou. There’s more to the story than meets the eye. How could there be no connection? At the very least, you are a suspect,” Wang Tiru countered, his neck stretching in defiance.
Yu Wang smirked disdainfully and, instead of arguing further, turned to the Emperor and said, “I am deeply saddened by Ye Donglou’s death, but my conscience is clear. I trust that Your Majesty knows this.”
Emperor Jinglong replied calmly, “Whether this is a coincidence or something more, both sides need to provide concrete evidence—either to prove guilt or to exonerate themselves. If no evidence can be found, we will deliberate further.”
On the surface, the Emperor’s words seemed impartial, but in truth, they leaned toward Yu Wang. The real culprit was still at large, and Yu Wang had claimed the sword was given away—how could anyone find definitive proof? Despite this, Wang Shangshu boldly persisted, saying, “Then I ask that His Highness Yu Wang present witnesses or evidence to prove his innocence.”
Yu Wang took a deep breath and looked to the Emperor.
The Emperor met his gaze with a calm expression, remaining silent.
In the end, the Emperor still wasn’t willing to fully protect him. Was he using this incident as a way to admonish him, to make sure he didn’t stir up trouble among the court again? Yu Wang lowered his eyes, internally scoffing, and said, “I have a witness.”
Wang Shangshu immediately asked, “Who?”
“The Xianma at the Bureau of Classics and the Crown Prince’s Shidu, Su Yan.”
Su Yan had been standing with his head down, absentmindedly crushing ants beneath his shoe, when he suddenly heard his name. He instinctively looked up and locked eyes with Yu Wang’s intense and cold stare.
In that moment, it was as if he could hear Yu Wang’s thoughts, echoing in his mind: “Be good and testify for me, or I’ll drag you down with me, and let’s see who suffers more in the end.”
How did I end up with such a shameless Wangye? Su Yan sighed inwardly in exasperation, and with no choice, he stepped forward and said, “I will testify on behalf of His Highness. This afternoon, His Highness was teaching me archery in the woods behind Longde Hall. Soon after, I became drunk and started vomiting. His Highness kindly helped me to the lodge to rest. It was there that Ye Langzhong came to meet with His Highness. His Highness took out the Fish Intestine Sword and gave it to Ye Langzhong. Not wanting to intrude on their conversation, I left for the archery field. After that, I don’t know what happened.”
He spoke formally and with composure, but the shrewd officials present couldn’t help but speculate: This Su Qinghe is even more handsome than Ye Donglou. Yu Wang is infamous for his pursuits of beauty—what kind of “rest” was he offering? And what kind of “conversation” did Ye Donglou seek at the lodge? Was this a love triangle?
Several officials shot Su Yan glances filled with ambiguous curiosity and speculation.
Su Yan felt irritated and glanced at Emperor Jinglong. The Emperor’s expression was calm as usual, but there was a subtle undercurrent of displeasure in his eyes—a sign that his imperial patience was wearing thin. Realizing he couldn’t rely on the Emperor to save him, Su Yan sighed silently.
Yu Wang faced Wang Tiru and raised his voice, “Wang Shangshu, you accuse me of murder. Do you have any solid evidence?”
Wang Tiru had no choice but to bow and reply, “There is no further evidence at this time. I dare not falsely accuse a imperial relative. I only suggest that His Highness might be involved. If not, all the better—innocence will prove itself.”
At this point, the commandant of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Feng Que, stepped forward with a long wooden box in hand and reported, “As commanded by His Majesty, I have secured the courtyard painting.”
Emperor Jinglong nodded and said, “Open the box and examine the painting. I want to know who was missing from the scene just before the incident occurred.”
Feng Que opened the box, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately spread several long scrolls one by one on the steps. The emperor and the ministers bent down to examine them closely.
One of the scrolls depicted the crown prince’s victory and the moment he received his reward and expressed his gratitude.
From the painting, it was clear that the artist’s vantage point was from a higher location, overlooking the entire archery field, with all the figures and actions clearly visible.
This work was by Shang Pu, also known as Shang Lianzhou, a renowned contemporary artist known for his skill in painting figures. His brushwork was vigorous, the scenes grand, yet intricate and detailed, with vivid and brilliant colors, and lifelike representations of people and their attire.
Suddenly, Su Yan remembered that in his past life, he had seen Shang Lianzhou’s “Emperor Mingxuan’s Hunting Scene” in the Forbidden City. It was truly a national treasure! He hadn’t expected to witness a fresh masterpiece by this great artist in person, and his heart surged with excitement.
But before he could fully indulge in this excitement, a loud exclamation from one of the ministers abruptly brought him back to reality, knocking him emotionally off balance.
The minister shouted, “Look at the building! Isn’t one of those two people Ye Langzhong?!”
Everyone immediately reacted, thinking that perhaps the other person in the painting was the murderer, accidentally captured at just the right moment. They all craned their necks to look.
In the painting, Ye Donglou was wearing an official’s robe, leaning against the railing, and his face was clearly visible. His expression appeared normal. The person facing him, with their back turned to the painting, was dressed in a bamboo-green robe. The hem of the robe was adorned with a pattern of red and orange auspicious clouds, and the shoulder area had an intricate pattern of orange blossom.
Su Yan stared at the outfit—it was extremely familiar.
Then he noticed that everyone around him was staring at him.
Puzzled, he looked down at his own clothes—the hem of his robe also had a red and orange pattern of auspicious clouds….
“That person standing by the railing with Ye Langzhong is Su Shidu,” Wang Shangshu said, pointing at Su Yan’s clothes, his voice heavy. “This is undeniable evidence. Based on this, we can conclude that the testimony he just gave for Yu Wang is entirely invalid. One is the owner of the weapon, the other was at the crime scene. How can we believe they are not suspects? We await Your Majesty’s judgment!”
