It would have been better had Tantai Yi not brought the matter up at all. The moment he did, Song Pu felt his whole body grow restless again. He stammered, “This minister… only Your Majesty’s garments… I did not bring.”
Tantai Yi said nothing.
Feeling somewhat guilty, Song Pu forced an explanation. “This minister merely felt that Your Majesty’s personal garments, if carried on one’s person, might be somewhat disrespectful. Thus I left them at home and have kept them properly stored.”
Only then did Tantai Yi speak. “Since Lord Song has arranged matters so carefully, I shall not inquire further.”
With that, he fell silent again.
Song Pu’s hand was still held in his. Lowering his gaze, he could see Tantai Yi’s neatly trimmed, rounded nails. His skin was pale, even his knuckles pale, and only the tips of his nails bore a faint pink hue, making them particularly pleasing to the eye.
Compared to Tantai Yi’s long, slender hands, full of a distinctly masculine structure, Song Pu’s hands appeared softer and fuller, his fingers shorter, easily enclosed entirely within Tantai Yi’s palm.
The temperature was not high. Owing to the local climate, the nights were instead cool and faintly damp. Song Pu quietly pulled the quilt higher to cover his legs and pressed the cloak atop it to add weight, so as not to feel cold during the night.
“Your Majesty,” Song Pu called softly once he had finished.
“Mm?”
Song Pu asked cautiously, “It is late. Will Your Majesty retire?”
Tantai Yi said, “Is Lord Song tired?”
Naturally, Song Pu denied it. “This minister was only concerned that Your Majesty might grow weary. It would be better to rest early.”
He glanced again at their clasped hands. His palm had begun to sweat, which made him feel awkward, yet he did not dare withdraw.
Tantai Yi said, “I am not tired… Lord Song’s hand is damp.”
Song Pu said with embarrassment, “This minister is nervous. Your Majesty may release me. My palm is sweaty, it would not be proper if it troubled Your Majesty.”
Tantai Yi replied, “I find that even Lord Song’s sweat is fragrant.”
Song Pu: “……”
His throat tightened as he gave a dry laugh. “Your Majesty jests. How could sweat be fragrant?”
Tantai Yi said, “Sweat is not fragrant. Lord Song is.”
Song Pu: “……”
Mother, I suspect this man is flirting with me.
Song Pu replied stiffly, “Your Majesty is fragrant as well.”
Tantai Yi laughed. At that moment, even his laughter sounded harmless, lending him an unexpected gentleness. “I heard what Lord Song said just now.”
When he had been caught earlier, Song Pu had mostly felt flustered, afraid of offending him. Yet now, for reasons he could not quite explain, his face grew warm, especially with Tantai Yi speaking in such a tone. He could tell that Tantai Yi did not mind. Steadying himself, he forced a casual brightness into his voice. “This minister truly finds Your Majesty’s scent most pleasing. Might Your Majesty tell me what fragrance you use?”
Tantai Yi replied lazily, “If Lord Song likes it, I shall have some sent to you upon our return.”
Song Pu brightened. “Many thanks, Your Majesty.”
They fell quiet again. After a while, Song Pu heard a noise. Looking down, he saw that Tantai Yi’s other hand was prising at the wall.
Tantai Yi possessed immense strength. Breaking the wall seemed no more difficult than snapping a biscuit. In a short time, the hole that had only been slightly larger than a fist expanded to more than twice its size.
Song Pu: “……”
His throat tightened again. “…Your Majesty?”
Tantai Yi said, “This wall is rather unsightly. I shall remove it. Lord Song has no objections, I trust?”
Song Pu swallowed as he looked at the bits of debris falling by the edge of the bed. “How would this minister dare object?”
Tantai Yi paused, his voice cooling slightly. “My desire to see Lord Song seems rather stronger than Lord Song’s desire to be close to me. If Lord Song were not entirely unaware, I might suspect that you had given me some sort of bewitching draught.”
He added, with a trace of suspicion, “Lord Song has not truly done such a thing, has he?”
Song Pu did not know whether to laugh or cry. “This minister would not dare. Your Majesty should be careful not to injure your hand. If the wall is displeasing, it would be better to have Eunuch Cao send men to remove it tomorrow. For tonight, might Your Majesty endure it a while longer?”
Tantai Yi seemed to realise that what he had said was rather absurd and felt a faint loss of face. He quietly withdrew his hand and said nothing further.
Sensing the shift in his mood, Song Pu lowered his voice. “If this minister does not see Your Majesty, it feels as though three autumns have passed, and my heart grows restless, as though I might fall ill from longing. It is only natural that Your Majesty would wish to see me. How could it be the result of any bewitching draught? Your Majesty’s favour leaves me overwhelmed. I had thought only this minister longed to be in Your Majesty’s presence day and night, yet it seems Your Majesty feels the same. I am deeply moved. If Your Majesty does not mind, might this minister come and sleep in Your Majesty’s chambers?”
Tantai Yi replied with restraint, “Lord Madam Songst not be so forward. The bed here is not as large as the dragon bed. It is already a tight fit for me alone. How could it accommodate Lord Song?”
Hearing this, Song Pu relaxed inwardly, though he said with a show of regret, “Then it cannot be helped. One cannot inconvenience Your Majesty.”
Tantai Yi paused before saying, “Lord Song’s frame is slight. It is not entirely impossible to fit. If you come, we would inevitably be in close contact. I would not mind, but I fear Lord Song might.”
Song Pu said stiffly, “How could this minister mind Your Majesty? I would naturally welcome such closeness.”
Tantai Yi released his hand, a trace of amusement in his voice. “In that case, Lord Song may come.”
Song Pu shook his hand, still damp from Tantai Yi’s grip, suppressing the urge to sigh. Without putting on a robe, he simply draped the cloak over his undergarments and went to Tantai Yi’s chambers.
Unexpectedly, Denglong was still awake. Seeing him about to leave, she asked, “Young Master, do you need to relieve yourself? The chamber pot has been placed beside the cabinet.”
Song Pu replied absent-mindedly, “No. I am going to sleep in His Majesty’s chambers. You should rest early.”
Denglong watched him leave, a hint of confusion appearing on his face.
Song Pu’s chambers were very close to Tantai Yi’s, just next door. A few steps brought him there. The guards at the entrance had clearly received prior instructions. They did not stop him, but instead opened the door and ushered him in.
Song Pu entered and walked into the inner chamber. “Your Majesty?”
Tantai Yi, dressed in a snow-white inner robe, sat upon the bed. Seeing him arrive, he patted the space beside him. “Lord Song, come and sleep.”
Compared to Tantai Yi, Song Pu was indeed smaller. Tantai Yi stood at least a head taller, his tall, lean build making him appear even more imposing. The cloak he had given Song Pu did not fit particularly well. Song Pu had to gather part of it in his hand to keep it from dragging on the floor.
As Song Pu lifted the hem and walked towards him, Tantai Yi’s lips curved into a smile. “Lord Song truly is slight. Were you to wear my garments, they might pass for a robe.”
Do be quiet.
Song Pu forced a smile. “Your Majesty jests.”
He did not continue the exchange, lest Tantai Yi’s words provoke him further.
He removed the cloak, holding it in his arms, and climbed onto the bed. The moment he sat down, he hesitated slightly. “Your Majesty, are we not using separate quilts tonight?”
Tantai Yi said, “Does Lord Song wish to use separate quilts?”
Song Pu obediently pulled the quilt over his legs. “This minister does not.”
Tantai Yi laughed softly.
Song Pu glanced down. The hole Tantai Yi had made was right beside him. Presumably, the place where Tantai Yi had been lying earlier was where he now sat, for the bedding beneath still retained a trace of warmth. “Your Majesty, shall we rest?”
Tantai Yi gave a quiet assent and lay down beside him.
The bed was indeed not large, even somewhat narrow. Tantai Yi’s well-built frame pressed close against Song Pu, and Song Pu could feel the heat radiating from him, seeping into his skin.
Despite the chill of the night, Song Pu began to feel warm.
“Lord Song cannot sleep?” Tantai Yi asked suddenly.
Song Pu cautiously stretched his toes out from beneath the quilt, only to draw them back in again when the cold touched them. “This minister is somewhat unable to sleep. Earlier, Your Majesty mentioned having worries. Since Your Majesty also remains awake, might you share them? Perhaps this minister could lighten your burden a little.”
Tantai Yi did not respond.
Song Pu turned his head to look at him. “Your Majesty?”
The moonlight was bright enough that he could still clearly make out Tantai Yi’s face. He was certainly awake.
After a while, Tantai Yi spoke. “I was merely thinking of what Lord Song said earlier. It feels somewhat unreal.”
Song Pu asked carefully, “What does Your Majesty mean?”
Tantai Yi said evenly, “Even if I were to explain, Lord Song would not understand.”
A childish fellow putting on the airs of a brooding poet?
Song Pu said gently, “If Your Majesty does not explain, this minister will certainly not understand.”
Tantai Yi paused before saying, “If I were to say that I wish to take Lord Song as my male consort, how would Lord Song respond?”
Song Pu: “……”
Song Pu suspected he had misheard. “Might Your Majesty repeat that? This minister did not quite catch it.”
Tantai Yi knew perfectly well that he had heard. A trace of irritation flickered through him. His thin lips pressed together for a moment before he repeated, as though nothing were amiss, “I wish to take Lord Song as my consort.”
Song Pu: “……”
Song Pu wanted to speak, only to find his throat somewhat hoarse. He quickly swallowed, and once it felt less dry, he said, “Why does Your Majesty harbour such a thought?”
Tantai Yi replied calmly, “I naturally favour Lord Song. If Lord Song could remain by my side in the palace for a long time, it would not be without its merits.”
Song Pu let out a quiet breath of relief. This reason, at least, was within expectation. After all, Tantai Yi had already wanted him to reside in the palace. “If Your Majesty desires this minister’s long-term companionship, then making me a male consort would be the poorest of choices. Throughout history, there has never been a ruler who has taken a subject as a consort. Your Majesty must consider this carefully, lest it invite gossip. Should this minister bring harm to Your Majesty’s reputation, I would only be able to atone with my life.”
Tantai Yi gave a cold snort. “I am the emperor. What I say stands. If any dare to speak against it, I shall have their tongues torn out one by one. Besides, I am not the one concerned. It is Lord Song who fears tarnishing my name.”
For once, Song Pu felt he was entirely serious, and a trace of unease crept in. “Your Majesty… does Your Majesty understand what it means to be a consort? If this minister were taken as a male consort, would I simply be kept in the palace for display?”
Tantai Yi said, “I regard Lord Song as a confidant. As things were before, so they shall remain.”
That logic is rather questionable.
Even so, Song Pu could just about follow it. After all, the emperor’s way of thinking could, at times, be likened to that of an overgrown schoolboy. It was likely that he truly did favour him, which was why he wished to keep him constantly by his side.
Drawing a breath, he coughed lightly and lowered his voice. “But a consort is, in the end, different. If Your Majesty were to take this minister as one… could you truly accept such closeness with another man?”
Tantai Yi said, “Lord Song and I have shared a bed three times. You should know that I do not find you disagreeable.”
Song Pu: “……”
He pressed his lips together, his throat growing dry once more. “…That is not what this minister meant.”
He found himself too embarrassed to elaborate. A sheen of sweat broke out across his body, leaving his back faintly damp.
Tantai Yi’s tone cooled. “If Lord Song is unwilling, I shall not force you.”
Having served him for so long, Song Pu immediately recognised the shift in his tone. After a moment’s hesitation, he gathered his courage and reached out his hand. “…What this minister means is, if Your Majesty were to take me as a male consort, could you accept this level of intimacy?”
Even he could not quite sort out what he was feeling. He only knew that his face burned with heat. Had Tantai Yi been looking, he would have seen that it was flushed entirely red.
A moment later, Tantai Yi’s voice sounded, faintly taut.
“…I can.”
