Song Pu’s smile froze at once, but he quickly spoke up. “Your Majesty, that would not be appropriate. How could I allow Your Majesty to drink the sweet soup I have already tasted?”
Tantai Yi laughed. “Seeing how sweetly Lord Song was drinking it has made me crave some as well.”
As he spoke, he lifted his palm and curled his fingers in a light beckoning motion, his manner leaving no room for refusal.
Song Pu had no choice but to pass him the bowl. “Your Majesty, please be careful. It’s hot.”
Tantai Yi accepted it, and Cao Xi hurriedly took another spoon from the tray and handed it to him.
Although he had claimed to be craving it, Tantai Yi only took two sips before setting the bowl down. His golden eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled.
“I had thought this sweet soup no different from the others before it. Yet Lord Song’s bowl seems sweeter and more refreshing than any I have tasted.”
Song Pu was momentarily taken aback. A faint blush rose to his face and he said somewhat shyly, “Your Majesty is teasing me again.”
He took the bowl back and quietly continued drinking.
Tantai Yi did nothing else. Resting his chin in his hand, he simply watched him.
Under that gaze, Song Pu forced himself to finish the sweet soup before saying, “I have finished. Thank you for Your Majesty’s reward. I am deeply grateful.”
Tantai Yi said, “Lord Song might as well stay in the palace tonight and continue telling the rest of the story to me.”
Song Pu: “…”
Seeing his expression, Tantai Yi frowned slightly. “Lord Song is unwilling?”
Song Pu replied, “This subject would not refuse even if it meant death.”
Tantai Yi said, “Lord Song speaks of death every other sentence. It sounds ill-omened to my ears. You need not say such things again.”
Song Pu paused, then corrected himself. “This subject would not refuse.”
Tantai Yi laughed.
He possessed an extraordinarily beautiful face. His features were sharply defined and no one would mistake him for a woman, yet that appearance was more striking than many women’s. His golden eyes lent him an added brilliance, so that when he smiled he seemed dazzling, almost radiant.
The atmosphere was relaxed enough that Song Pu finally dared to look directly at him. Even though he already knew Tantai Yi was handsome, seeing him so closely again still made a trace of astonishment appear in his eyes.
Song Pu could not help closing his eyes for a moment.
Tantai Yi asked, “Are Lord Song’s eyes hurting?”
Song Pu replied with complete sincerity, “It is because Your Majesty’s sacred countenance shines with such brilliance that it has dazzled my eyes. With Your Majesty’s divine majesty, who could possibly look directly upon your face without being struck blind?”
That remark made Tantai Yi laugh again. Even Cao Xi could sense the pleasure radiating from him.
“I grant Lord Song this special privilege,” Tantai Yi said. “From now on, wherever and whenever you wish, you may look directly upon my face. But if you are going to look, you should look properly and commit it firmly to memory.”
In truth, Tantai Yi was a very domineering person. When he truly wanted Song Pu to do something, his tone and attitude revealed an unyielding authority that could not be refused. At such times even Song Pu’s silver tongue could hardly turn the situation around.
Thus that night he really did stay in the palace.
And he slept on Tantai Yi’s dragon bed.
As the emperor’s bedchamber, it naturally displayed imperial grandeur. Though the outer hall appeared plain, once one entered the sleeping quarters the difference was obvious. The dragon bed itself was crafted from gold and jade, and set into its canopy was a luminous pearl the size of an adult man’s palm. The bed was enormous. It was large enough for several grown men to sleep upon without difficulty.
After Cao Xi led him to bathe and change into fresh clothes, Song Pu arrived at the bedchamber feeling rather stiff and awkward. Only when Tantai Yi, having removed his robes with the help of the young eunuchs and loosened his hair, sat upon the bed and patted the space beside him did Song Pu dare approach and sit down.
Tantai Yi said, “Relax, Lord Song. This is already the second time we have shared a bed. You should be used to it by now.”
Song Pu replied nervously, “Only through Your Majesty’s grace could this subject ever have such an opportunity. Throughout history, what minister has ever shared the emperor’s dragon bed? I truly feel uneasy and at a loss.”
Tantai Yi gave a strange chuckle, his tone faintly teasing.
“Lord Song makes too much of it. Even the late emperor once invited Grand Secretary Ye to spend the night on the dragon bed, and they talked together all night. But for me, this is indeed the first time. Only Lord Song has received such favour from me.”
Seeing him smile, Song Pu realised he had indeed made too much fuss of it. Embarrassed, he laughed awkwardly.
“I was overthinking things.”
Tantai Yi said, “I prefer sleeping on the outer side, so Lord Song may take the inner side.”
Song Pu agreed and lay down inside. The faint scent of Tantai Yi surrounded him—a cool fragrance tinged with deep sandalwood.
Strangely enough, it was rather comforting.
Even after the candles were extinguished, the great luminous pearl overhead emitted a soft pale glow, so the room was far from dark.
Though they shared the same bed, they had separate quilts, so their bodies did not touch. This allowed Song Pu to relax somewhat.
Tantai Yi said, “If Lord Song’s throat feels better, continue telling ‘Battle Through the Heavens’.”
Song Pu was already quite tired, but since Tantai Yi asked, he had no choice but to continue.
Tantai Yi listened attentively without interrupting. Gradually, however, he noticed Song Pu’s voice growing softer. His pauses lengthened. Eventually the voice stopped altogether.
Turning his head, Tantai Yi saw that Song Pu had closed his eyes and fallen asleep.
“Lord Song is quite bold,” he murmured softly, though he did not wake him.
Tantai Yi himself remained wide awake. Looking at the sleeping figure beside him, he could not resist reaching out and pinching his cheek.
The moment he did so, he paused slightly.
Then he pinched it again.
The softness beneath his fingers surprised him.
“Lord Song is a man. How can his skin be so soft?” he wondered silently.
His long hair slipped forward over his shoulder, but he paid it no mind. He pinched the cheek several more times, yet the sleeping man did not stir.
Slowly his hand slid downward until it rested upon Song Pu’s slender neck. He could feel the warmth radiating from it. If he merely closed his hand, he could easily grasp the entire neck in his palm.
So slender. So fragile. So utterly defenceless.
Tantai Yi smiled, withdrew his hand, and murmured softly, “Lord Song is exhausted. He should rest properly.”
With that he lay down again and closed his eyes.
Perhaps because Song Pu was beside him, Tantai Yi slept unusually well that night.
…
The next morning, Song Pu had not fully awakened when he felt a heavy weight pressing on him, and he let out a startled “Ah!”
Opening his eyes, he found Tantai Yi’s face right before him.
He froze instantly in shock.
The weight on him was Tantai Yi’s arm, firmly draped across his collarbone and shoulder. Beneath the quilt he could also feel Tantai Yi’s leg hooked around his waist.
At some point during the night their separate quilts had become tangled, and Tantai Yi had ended up inside Song Pu’s bedding.
Song Pu normally slept very neatly. Whatever position he fell asleep in was usually the same position in which he woke. He rarely even turned over. His sleeping posture was orderly and calm, and he slept deeply. That was precisely why he had dared share a bed with Tantai Yi. At least he would not accidentally offend the emperor while asleep.
But what was this situation?
Song Pu hardly even dared breathe, remaining completely still.
Tantai Yi’s thick lashes fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes. He cast Song Pu a faint glance, then tightened his arm slightly, drawing him closer before closing his eyes again.
Song Pu did not dare wake him. He simply stared at the luminous pearl above, his body growing stiffer by the moment.
Perhaps sensing the tension in his body, Tantai Yi opened his eyes again. His voice was hoarse with sleep.
“Lord Song?”
Song Pu replied nervously, “This subject is here.”
Tantai Yi paused without speaking. Yet Song Pu could feel the weight of his gaze, as though he were being examined.
After a moment, Tantai Yi finally said, “Lord Song has extraordinary courage. Daring to sleep beneath the same quilt as I do.”
