Song Pu’s forced smile froze at once. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the still smug Tantai Yi, utterly unable to believe that he had so casually said such a thing.
For a moment, Song Pu felt that the looks directed at him from all around had turned strange. His chest rose and fell sharply, and a flush akin to shame and indignation spread across his face. “…Your Majesty jests. I have merely shared a bed with Your Majesty. The term ‘attending in bed’ must absolutely not be applied to me.”
Tantai Yi said, “It is all the same. My reward to myself is Lord Song. Lord Song would not mind, surely?”
Song Pu: “…”
He minded. He minded very much.
He was genuinely furious. The blasted emperor was already the subject of countless rumours, yet he made no effort to avoid saying such things in front of others, even speaking like this before Chang Jiangming and the rest. Did he have no sense of dignity at all?
The customs of the Liang dynasty were relatively conservative. Though some noble families kept male favourites, they never dared to display it openly. What was more, the two of them had only shared a bed a few times, with not the slightest improper relationship between men. It was nothing more than an ordinary relationship between ruler and subject. This was precisely the sort of thing that had to be kept hidden, for fear that it might spread and confirm the rumours that the emperor truly favoured men. Yet here he was, behaving recklessly and effectively smearing his own name.
Song Pu was so angry that even the tips of his ears turned red, and for a moment he did not know what to say.
Tantai Yi noticed the change in his expression. He paused, a flicker of confusion passing through his eyes, though it lasted only an instant. As though he had come to some understanding, his brows drew together slightly, and he said with faint displeasure, “Lord Song is not my concubine, so the term ‘attending in bed’ is indeed inappropriate. I misspoke.”
At his side, Cao Xi added in a low voice, “If Your Majesty wishes someone to attend you in bed, it would be better to return to the palace and confer a title upon a consort. That would also serve to fill out the harem.”
Tantai Yi cast him a faintly cool glance and said, “I revere the Buddha. Apart from causing me to break my vows and bringing me trouble, consorts serve no purpose. If Eunuch Cao concerns himself so much with my affairs, he will only vex me.”
Cao Xi’s voice trembled as he said, “This servant has misspoken. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
With just a few sentences, the earlier slip born of overexcitement was neatly smoothed over.
Chang Jiangming and the others also let out a breath of relief. Hearing the emperor speak as he had, they had all been startled, and given the conservative customs, had even begun to wonder if they had misheard. Fortunately, it was not what they had imagined.
After hearing Tantai Yi’s attempt to salvage the situation, Song Pu glanced at Chang Jiangming and the others again. Seeing that their expressions had returned to normal, he finally relaxed.
After the banquet, Song Pu had originally intended to explain matters further to Chang Jiangming and the others, but when the words reached his lips, he felt it unnecessary. The more he explained, the more suspicious it would seem. Better to say nothing at all.
Returning to his room, Denglong bustled over attentively to pour him hot water, then lowered his voice and asked, “Young Master, now that the wall has collapsed, will His Majesty not have it repaired? Or perhaps we could change rooms?”
Denglong slept in the outer room, separated by a small door with good soundproofing. He had most likely not heard the noise of Tantai Yi breaking down the wall and had genuinely believed Song Pu’s earlier nonsense. Song Pu smiled faintly and said, “There is no need. It makes no difference.”
Denglong muttered, “How can it make no difference? His Majesty is sleeping right next door.”
Only after the wall had fallen did he realise that his young master’s bed and the emperor’s bed were placed side by side.
Song Pu suddenly felt a little guilty. “…In any case, it is fine. Do not concern yourself with it.”
Seeing that his tone had turned serious, Denglong truly said no more. He took away the soiled clothes, hung the fresh garments over the screen, and then withdrew.
After bathing and changing, Song Pu returned to his bed. Although Tantai Yi had said they would sleep together, it was more convenient to remain in his own room, so he did not go out.
He lay down on his bed and had just tucked himself in when Tantai Yi came over.
With the wall gone, their beds were set side by side. Tantai Yi sat upon his own bed and turned his head to look at him. “Why does Lord Song not come over to sleep?”
At his words, Song Pu gathered up his quilt and rolled himself over onto Tantai Yi’s bed.
Tantai Yi lowered his gaze to look at him and laughed. “Lord Song looks rather like a caterpillar.”
In the glow of the candlelight, Tantai Yi’s features appeared all the more striking and flawless. Owing to his posture, the angles of his cheeks were softened slightly, lending him a gentler air, and giving him a kind of androgynous allure.
He truly possessed a face as dazzling and searing as the sun.
Song Pu often thought that if he had been born in the modern world, setting aside his insufferable temperament, that face alone would have been enough to win him a vast following of admirers.
Lost in this thought, he drifted off for a moment. The smile at Tantai Yi’s lips faded slightly as he said with languid indifference, “Could it be that Lord Song is angry with me?”
Song Pu came back to himself and replied instinctively, “Your Majesty misunderstands. How could I be angry with Your Majesty?”
Tantai Yi, however, found this perfunctory and gave a soft snort. “If Lord Song is not angry, then why has he not spoken a single word this evening?”
“…Your Majesty overthinks it,” Song Pu said. “I was merely distracted by other thoughts just now.”
Tantai Yi pressed him, “What was Lord Song thinking about, to the point of ignoring me?”
There was a faint edge of danger in his tone, and those golden eyes fixed intently upon Song Pu’s face, as though seeking the slightest anomaly.
Song Pu felt a brief flicker of irritation, but did not show it. He simply answered honestly, “I was admiring Your Majesty’s appearance and lost in thought. I was thinking that Your Majesty is truly the most handsome man I have ever seen in my life. I even feel that the most beautiful woman in the world could not rival Your Majesty’s looks. Your Majesty’s countenance surpasses all men and women alive, as radiant as the blazing sun, impossible to look at directly. If more people could behold it, Your Majesty’s beauty would surely be praised for generations.”
Tantai Yi said, “Lord Song is lacking in experience. The late emperor and my mother both surpassed me in appearance. Had you seen them, you would not think so.”
For someone often called arrogant and self-assured, he showed an unexpected modesty at this moment.
Song Pu found it somewhat surprising. Yet at the mention of the late emperor and the emperor’s birth mother, his heart tightened, and he did not dare ask further. He only said, “This subject has seen only Your Majesty, and thus finds Your Majesty’s appearance peerless. Perhaps only once in a thousand years could someone rival Your Majesty, no, perhaps once in ten thousand years. This subject truly believes that Your Majesty is a divine dragon descended to the mortal world. Otherwise, how could a mere man possess such divine might?”
Flattered by this string of praise, Tantai Yi at once forgot their earlier tension. The corners of his lips lifted, and his voice softened with a trace of sweetness. “Lord Song’s tongue is truly skilful. I am exceedingly fond of it.”
Lowering his gaze to Song Pu’s pale face nestled within the quilt, he felt an itch crawl through him, as though ants were skittering beneath his skin.
Seeing his tone soften, Song Pu felt somewhat reassured. He was just about to suggest that His Majesty rest when Tantai Yi spoke again, his voice faintly husky. “However, I must ask Lord Song whether he is unwilling to share a quilt with me, to have brought another with him.”
Song Pu paused, then replied, “Your Majesty’s body runs particularly warm. When I am near, I sweat incessantly and become rather unclean. If I were to soil Your Majesty, it would be most improper.”
Tantai Yi leaned down, drawing close, and sniffed lightly at the crook of Song Pu’s neck. “Lord Song has bathed?”
Feeling him draw near, Song Pu grew stiff. With Tantai Yi’s head so close and his warm breath brushing lightly against the sensitive skin by his ear, he became even more tense, his voice tightening. “…Naturally. As I am to sleep beside Your Majesty, I must keep myself clean, lest I offend.”
Tantai Yi inhaled that scent, as soothing as the finest incense, and felt his taut nerves ease. He could not quite understand why the scent about Lord Song was so pleasing.
He paused for a moment, faintly suspicious, before saying, “The scent of soapberry, and Lord Song’s own scent.”
Having said that, he withdrew slightly and lay down as well, sinking into the unique fragrance that belonged solely to Lord Song. “I do not mind if Lord Song sweats… in truth, I find it rather pleasant. But since Lord Song cares about it, so be it.”
Song Pu said, “Many thanks for Your Majesty’s indulgence.”
After that, he said nothing further. Tantai Yi waited a while, yet found the unusual quiet increasingly uncomfortable.
He held it in for a time, but in the end could not restrain himself. “Lord Song has nothing to say to me?”
“What would Your Majesty have me say?”
Tantai Yi grew displeased and said coolly, “Lord Song’s mouth never stops on ordinary days. Must I now prompt you?”
Ordinarily, Song Pu would take the initiative and speak eagerly with Tantai Yi. But the shock of the day had been too great, and he still harboured some resentment. Even so, before the emperor, he could not show it. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Shall this subject continue telling Your Majesty ‘Battle Through The Heavens’?”
Tantai Yi paused, then said flatly, “I do not wish to hear ‘Battle Through The Heavens’ today.”
Song Pu tugged at the quilt and asked softly, “…Then what would Your Majesty like to hear?”
Tantai Yi vaguely sensed a trace of defiance in Lord Song, yet could not quite grasp it. Left with a restless irritation, his tone instead turned cool. “I am not unreasonable. Since Lord Song is tired, then rest.”
Song Pu said, “Many thanks for Your Majesty’s consideration.”
Tantai Yi: “…”
He turned his head to look at Song Pu, only to see that he had already closed his eyes and was genuinely preparing to sleep.
Irritation stirred within him, though nothing showed on his face. “Is Lord Song asleep?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, this subject has not yet fallen asleep,” Song Pu answered softly.
Tantai Yi restrained himself for a moment, but in the end could not hold back. “Lord Song should return and sleep. I do not wish to share a bed with Lord Song tonight.”
Song Pu opened his eyes, turned to glance at him, and said in a low voice, “It is this subject who has offended Your Majesty. I shall return to my bed at once.”
Having said so, he truly rose, kneeling upon the bed, and began to crawl back towards his own. Before long, he had settled himself properly, tucking in the edges of the quilt and folding his hands neatly over his abdomen, adopting a docile and composed sleeping posture. Just before closing his eyes, he turned his head to look at Tantai Yi, smiling with particular sweetness and innocence, and said softly, “This subject will sleep first. Your Majesty should also rest early.”
Tantai Yi: “…”
He laughed in exasperation. His fingers tightened, and with a squeeze, he crushed the edge of the bed.
