After a long and intense love affair, both of them were sweating. There were two large bathtubs prepared in the waterside pavilion. The hot water had already dispersed the white mist, but it was hot now, so it was okay to use normal temperature water. Yu Wang carried the unconscious Su Yan into the bathtub, not caring about his wounds that could not touch water, and put his fingers into him, and the silk strands he drew floated in the water.
Su Yan woke up quietly, and exhaustedly let him do what he wanted. His voice was hoarse, but he still cursed stubbornly: “Rogue! Beast! R*pist…”
Yu Wang replied indifferently, “Okay, you are right.” After treating his body inside and out, he carried him into a second bathtub sprinkled with perfumed dew, sat naked outside the tub, and used soap to wash his long hair.
Su Yan was like a plant wilting in the hot sun, half hanging on the edge of the bucket, drooping and muttering, “I’m a straight man. I’m a straight man. I’m a straight man.”
“——What?” Yu Wang stopped and asked him with raised eyebrows.
“I don’t love men, I only love women.”
Yu Wang laughed: “Then tell me, which girl did you fall in love with?”
“…Not yet, but there will be in the future.” Su Yan said with a frown.
Yu Wang laughed loudly and kneaded his buttocks in the water: “Don’t fool yourself! Besides, with your enchanting little mouth behind you, how can a woman enjoy it? It’s a waste of God’s gift.”
Su Yan raised his hand angrily and slapped him in the face.
Because his hands and feet were still sore, this blow was more like flirting than a beating. Yu Wang sneered, threw away the soap, stepped into the bathtub, spread his buttocks and poked inside.
Su Yan was frightened now, and tried to climb out of the bucket with splashes of water: “If you do it again, I’m going to die! I’m really going to die!”
Yu Wang pulled him back, kissed the wet long hair on his naked back, and said with satisfaction: “Good boy, give in sooner and suffer less. Does your wrist still hurt?”
Su Yan nodded. Yu Wang kissed the bruise on his wrist again, “I promise this position will make you happy, be careful next time.”
What the h*ll! Su Yan thought with frustration and resentment, when he got out of this waterside pavilion, he would climb into the carriage even if he had to crawl, and leave the capital immediately, and never have anything to do with this r*pist again. If he had the chance, he would secretly stab him and beat him up to vent his hatred.
He arrived at the waterside pavilion in the afternoon. It was already getting dark. After taking a bath and changing into new clothes, he had to take Yu Wang’s carriage back to the city.
Yu Wang got addicted to it and took advantage of him in his arms in the carriage. He was exhausted and put up a few resistances in vain, but his arms were no match for his thighs, so he had to give up.
“Where should I send you back to? Jing Alley?” Yu Wang asked, “If I remember correctly, that’s Shen Qi’s residence – are you on good terms with him?”
Su Yan rested his head on Yu Wang’s arm and lazily replied, “He saved me in the Little Southern Courtyard. Have you forgotten the matter with the secret memorial? Some social interaction was inevitable afterward. Speaking of being on good terms, didn’t he toss a little note into your arms? Wouldn’t that count as a private exchange?”
Yu Wang, in an excellent mood, stroked Su Yan’s cheek and said, “What dealings could I possibly have with him? That night was a chance encounter. Don’t be jealous. This Wangye only loves you; no one else catches my eye.”
“You said it yourself, your word is your bond. If I ever find you making excuses to approach him or chatting about who-knows-what, don’t blame me for thinking the worst—” Su Yan rolled his eyes at him. “After all, Wangye, surely you’re not oblivious to the reputation you used to have?”
Yu Wang adored Su Yan’s unreasonable and proud demeanor, leaning down to kiss him deeply again. Su Yan thought to himself: Indeed, when one becomes accustomed to twisting the truth, there’s no psychological burden anymore. Fine, let him stew in his imaginary jealousy so he doesn’t go causing trouble for Shen Qi.
The carriage stopped in front of the Su residence. Su Yan gave Yu Wang a hard shove. “Let go! I’m going home. There’s a long journey ahead tomorrow.”
“Parting today, who knows when we’ll meet again.” A fleeting regret crossed Yu Wang’s face before he said lightly, “Well then, parting with a companion is the fate of officials wandering far from home. No need for sentimental displays. Go on and take care of yourself. I’ll be waiting for you to return to the capital.”
Su Yan secretly resented Yu Wang’s domineering ways, but he had to admit the Wangye’s free-spirited demeanor at this moment was admirable. Rising, Su Yan pushed open the carriage door and stepped down without looking back.
Behind him, Yu Wang lifted the curtain, casting a deep gaze after him before ordering the coachman, “Return to the manor.”
Hearing the sound of the carriage wheels receding, Su Yan could no longer maintain his upright and confident stride. His shoulders slumped as he leaned against the wall, legs trembling, body wracked with soreness and swelling that made every step excruciating. He couldn’t help but recall a meme from his previous life that read, “If you share my bed, you’ll be walking holding the walls afterward.” Embarrassed and furious, he muttered, “What a shameless scoundrel! All those tricks, aren’t you afraid you’ll break your legs?”
Slowly, he shuffled to the gate and knocked forcefully, calling, “Su Xiaobei! Su Xiaojing!” After a moment, hurried footsteps echoed from the courtyard, and Su Xiaojing opened the door with delight. “You’re back, my lord! Brother Bei said he’d fetch you from Jing Alley tomorrow at mid-morning!”
Su Yan felt a pang of guilt: In my current state, how could I face Shen Qi? If I’d known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have spouted nonsense yesterday about ‘pulling up my pants and immediately repaying a life-saving debt.’ Now I’ve ended up fulfilling that absurd prophecy. He might even think I came to him willingly… That madman’s temperament is unpredictable. Better to avoid unnecessary trouble. As for Yu Wang, that rotten melon is my mess to deal with!
Having made up his mind, Su Yan said, “There’s nothing left to do, so I came back early to get things in order and avoid a rush tomorrow. We’ll depart at dawn. By the way, is there somewhere to sleep tonight?”
Su Xiaojing replied, “Brother Bei and I tidied up a side room and patched the broken bed frame together. It can just about hold two or three people for the night. But we can’t let you be uncomfortable. Let us prepare the main room for you.”
“No need,” Su Yan said, waving his hand. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning, so why go to such trouble? I’ll squeeze in with you two for the night.”
He shuffled dispiritedly toward the side room and called back without turning around, “Go buy me a bowl of plain noodles with minced meat and scallions from the shop. Add a poached egg. I’m starving.”
—
Meanwhile, Shen Qi handed his blade to a court attendant, took a deep breath to steady his nerves, and entered the Southern Study.
Sunlight streamed through the lattice windows, illuminating Emperor Jinglong, who was engrossed in painting. The subject was Listening to the Rain Among Withered Lotus Leaves, rendered in bold ink strokes that evoked a sparse, autumnal desolation.
Shen Qi approached with his head lowered, knelt before the Emperor, and bowed deeply. “Your subject has come at your command. I greet Your Majesty.”
The Emperor responded with a casual hum, his brush never pausing.
Receiving no further instructions, Shen Qi remained kneeling, waiting patiently.
After a long silence, the Emperor set down his brush and spoke in a detached tone, “On the seventh of June, why did you request an audience with me?”
Shen Qi’s heart sank, knowing the inevitable reckoning had arrived. Yet outwardly, he remained calm and answered steadily, “On that day, this subject interrogated Feng Quer and learned that last year, Ning Wang had sent envoys to secretly investigate him, suspecting him of forming clandestine alliances with vassal lords for ulterior motives. This subject searched his residence for evidence but found it had been thoroughly cleaned out, leaving no correspondence or clues. Believing this matter to be of grave importance, I sought an audience with Your Majesty to report it.”
The Emperor, returning from Yongning Palace, had indeed encountered Shen Qi requesting an audience to discuss this matter. Both had suspected Ning Wang of covertly bribing court officials and imperial guards for some hidden agenda. Now, however, it was clear that the Emperor’s questioning had a different purpose entirely.
Shen Qi was well aware that spiriting Su Yan away from Lan Xi’s grasp and forging an imperial edict to take him from the palace would not remain hidden for long. He had been mentally prepared to face repercussions but hadn’t expected the Emperor to delay punishment for ten days, signaling his habit of settling scores later.
“You entered the palace alone but left with another. Who was that person?” the Emperor asked, scrutinizing his painting in the sunlight with a slight frown, seemingly dissatisfied.
Shen Qi answered without hesitation, “This subject encountered Su Yan by chance and left the palace with him.”
“It was Su Yan’s birthday that day. He drank a little too much at the banquet. Did I instruct you to escort him out?”
“There was no imperial decree. This subject acted on his own accord and presumptuously used Your Majesty’s name. This official is guilty.”
The Emperor crumpled the painting and tossed it at Shen Qi’s feet. Striding to stand over him, he said coldly, “Shen Qi, when you accused Feng Quer in the Eastern Garden and pledged your loyalty, I saw you as a capable and cunning man. I valued these traits and entrusted you with important tasks. You saved Su Yan’s life, and I rewarded you by promoting you to Qianshi. Now you’ve betrayed my trust by forging my decree. What gave you the audacity to act so recklessly?”
Shen Qi bowed deeply. “This subject was blinded by self-interest and does not seek forgiveness but is ready to accept punishment.”
“What self-interest? What did you hope to gain, and what did you gain?”
“When this subject was under Feng’s control in the East Garden, I admired Lord Su’s loyalty and could not bear to harm him. It was a small act of kindness, unexpected to result in near disaster for me, yet it ultimately brought imperial favor and a promotion. I am grateful to Your Majesty’s boundless grace and to Lord Su’s integrity in the Twelve Counts. However, this also gave rise to selfish motives. I thought Lord Su was highly regarded by Your Majesty, and by currying favor with him, there would be benefits and no harm.”
“That day, I saw Lord Su staggering drunkenly out of the hall, barely able to sit in his sedan. When I approached to check on him, I realized something was amiss—he seemed…” Shen Qi hesitated briefly before resolutely continuing, “…as if he’d been drugged. Having worked in the Northern Bureau investigating covert plots, I’ve seen many strange cases and couldn’t help but suspect he’d been targeted. The attendants carrying his sedan were evasive, claiming to follow Lan Gonggong’s orders to take him to the Southern Study. But Lord Su was nearly unconscious. What business would he have in the Southern Study in such a state, if not for urgent medical attention?”
“So, I suspected further: could Lord Su have offended Lan Gonggong somehow, leading to this underhanded retaliation? In my urgency, I claimed the Emperor’s verbal command to get Su Yan out of the palace.” As Shen Qi spoke, he showed a trace of guilt. “If it turns out that I misjudged Lan Gonggong out of pettiness, I am willing to apologize to him personally. However, my instincts, honed through ten years in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, compel me to dig deeper when something seems suspicious. This is not out of malice towards Lan Gonggong, but simply my nature. I hope Your Majesty can see this clearly.”
The Emperor looked down at him, his expression unreadable, neither angry nor pleased. After a pause, he asked, “You claim he was drugged? What kind of drug? How did it manifest?”
“I cannot determine the exact substance—I am not trained in medicine. However, he was feverish and distressed, rolling against the seats of the carriage as if trying to shed his skin like a snake.”
The Emperor coughed lightly, covering his mouth with a fist. “Shed his skin like a snake? What kind of imagery is that? You’ve turned a person into a laughingstock with your words.”
Shen Qi hurriedly lowered his head. “It was my clumsy tongue. I meant no disrespect.”
“…And after you brought him out of the palace, what then?”
Shen Qi initially thought to say he took Su Yan straight home, but considering that the Emperor could easily verify this, he adjusted his response, blending truth and fiction. “He claimed he needed to return home to see a concubine. Thinking that seeking a concubine wasn’t as effective as consulting a doctor, I first brought him to my humble residence and summoned a doctor. The doctor diagnosed an overdose of an aphrodisiac, suggesting either physical release or medicinal suppression with cooling tonics to alleviate the symptoms.”
The Emperor asked, “And then?”
Shen Qi replied, “I couldn’t let him take liberties with the maids at my home—they are but lowly women, unfit for such matters. Besides, Su Yan is young and frail… if something untoward happened, it would’ve been worse. So I had the doctor administer several bowls of medicine. He slept soundly for seven or eight hours and was fine the next afternoon.”
The mention of a severe reaction amused and irked the Emperor. He thought Shen Qi had handled things prudently, considering the suspicion surrounding Lan Gonggong. Shen Qi’s explanations largely made sense, showcasing his cautious approach and resourcefulness, though his behavior also bordered on insolence.
Ultimately, the Emperor decided not to delve further for the sake of Su Yan’s reputation. However, Shen Qi’s transgressions couldn’t be overlooked entirely.
The Emperor concluded, “You’ve erred in three ways. First, your intentions were impure, seeking to curry favor with a courtier for personal gain. Second, you falsely invoked my decree, bordering on deceit. Third, you acted presumptuously and with disregard for decorum. I initially considered dismissing you from your post, but given your recent merits and promotion, I won’t be accused of inconsistency. Remove your official attire and insignia, don a cangue, and serve fifteen days in the imperial prison. Your food, lodging, and treatment must match those of other inmates without exception—reflect on your actions thoroughly.”
The imperial prison was infamous for its harsh conditions—dank, vermin-ridden, and barely humane. The punishment wasn’t excessively harsh but served as a warning. Shen Qi accepted the decree without complaint, kowtowing to express his gratitude.
The Emperor waved him away but stopped him before he left entirely. “I hear you know the Northern Surveillance Bureau well. Before nightfall, draft a list of twenty capable Embroidered Uniform Guard operatives—loyal, astute, and skilled in martial arts. They needn’t be remarkable in appearance but must handle matters discreetly and be versatile enough to serve as attendants, guards, or spies as needed.”
Shen Qi didn’t ask a single unnecessary question and accepted the order without hesitation.
The Emperor waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
After exiting the Southern Study, Shen Qi wiped away a cold sweat under the scorching summer afternoon sun and hurried back home to deliver the unfortunate news to Su Yan—
The still-recovering Shen Qianshi was about to suffer again.
The imperial prison was no place for a human to endure. Spending half a month there was enough to strip away three layers of skin.
Shen Qianshi had even been cruelly denied the right to bid farewell to his brother, leaving his heart in anguish far greater than the torment of his body.
In short, Shen Qianshi was currently caught in a storm of misery and urgently needed his good brother’s heartfelt comfort to endure.
