Prince Gong’s personal guards stood behind Tantai Yi, clearly having failed to stop him, their faces full of unease and apprehension.
Hearing those words, Prince Gong’s eyelids twitched slightly, and he smiled. “Your Majesty actually misses this subject? I am… deeply alarmed.”
Tantai Yi gave a smile that did not reach his eyes. “Prince Gong is, after all, my own brother. Naturally, I would miss you. If you are alarmed, you might reflect on whether you have done anything to wrong me.”
Prince Gong: “…”
Without waiting for him to reply, Tantai Yi’s gaze fell upon Song Pu. His smile faded somewhat, as though he had not expected to see him there. “…Why is Lord Song here?”
Song Pu bowed. “Your Majesty, I trust you are well.”
Tantai Yi stared at him without speaking. Inwardly, however, he thought that Twelve’s eyesight was truly poor. Lord Song had clearly grown thinner, yet he had the nerve to speak as though nothing had changed.
Under that burning, weighty gaze, Song Pu felt uneasy once more. He did not understand why Tantai Yi had returned early. Could it be because of him…? The thought had only just arisen before Song Pu forcibly suppressed it.
Impossible. He firmly denied the possibility.
Tantai Yi said coldly, “I issued an edict for you to return home and no longer attend upon me, yet you cannot remain idle, and have come running to serve someone else?”
Though Song Pu still could not speak easily with Tantai Yi, he had to make his position clear on such matters. Lowering his voice, he said respectfully, “This commoner was merely playing cards with His Highness Prince Gong. His Highness treats this commoner as a guest, so naturally I do my utmost to accompany him for his diversion.”
Hearing him refer to himself as “this commoner”, Tantai Yi felt a fresh surge of irritation. His voice grew colder, like a biting wind. “I sent you home, but I did not strip you of your post!”
Song Pu froze, somewhat at a loss. He had thought that edict meant he had been completely dismissed. Then he remembered that he held two roles: both as an official of the Eastern Palace and as the Emperor’s companion. The Emperor must have meant that his formal post still remained.
But was that not far removed from what had been said before?
He fell silent, yet Tantai Yi did not let him off. “Lord Song still belongs to my Eastern Palace, yet you converse so merrily with Prince Gong. Could it be that you think Prince Gong is fit to become master of the Eastern Palace?”
That accusation startled Song Pu into haste. “Your Majesty, I was merely passing the time with His Highness Prince Gong. There has been no impropriety. I beg Your Majesty to see clearly!”
Seeing that he had frightened him, Tantai Yi knew his words had gone too far, and felt a flicker of regret, though he did not know how to ease the situation. His expression stiffened slightly.
Prince Gong, however, spoke unhurriedly, “Your Majesty, why such anger? Ah-Pu is utterly loyal to you. Even while passing the time with me, he keeps to his proper place and has not overstepped in the least. If Your Majesty doubts him, it may well chill his heart.”
Hearing him call “Ah-Pu” again and again, as though they were exceedingly close, Tantai Yi’s irritation deepened. “When I speak with Lord Song, what place has Prince Gong to interrupt? I have admonished you so many times, yet you still fail to learn. Since you are still called ‘Gong’, perhaps I should change your title. How would ‘Prince Fool’ suit you?”
As he spoke, he gave Prince Gong a cold, sinister smile.
Prince Gong: “…”
The light in his amber eyes dimmed.
Tantai Yi held supreme imperial authority. Even the Empress Dowager could not shake his power. He truly had the authority to alter Prince Gong’s title, and with his wilful temperament, he would indeed be capable of doing so.
But Prince Gong would never allow such arbitrariness. If his title were truly changed, it would damage his reputation. The word “fool” was hardly an acceptable one.
At that thought, Prince Gong lowered his posture further, incomparably humble. “It was this subject who overstepped. I am willing to accept punishment. I beg Your Majesty to quell your anger.”
Tantai Yi stared at him. “Time and again I have shown you leniency, yet you repeatedly contradict me. Do you truly think I dare not punish you severely? Since Prince Gong is willing to accept punishment, I shall naturally oblige. Guards, take Prince Gong away and administer fifty lashes.”
He left him no face at all.
Song Pu was thoroughly fed up with his habit of punishing people at the slightest provocation, yet at present he was estranged from Tantai Yi and could not speak up to plead for leniency. He could only watch as Prince Gong followed the guards out.
Now only Tantai Yi and Song Pu remained in the hall.
Song Pu bowed again. “Since Prince Gong has gone to receive punishment, it would not be appropriate for me to remain here. This subject would like to take his leave. I ask Your Majesty’s understanding.”
Having spoken, he lowered his head and waited for quite some time, yet Tantai Yi did not speak, and unease crept into his heart.
After a while, Tantai Yi finally said, “Raise your head.”
Song Pu paused, then lifted his head, though he still did not dare look directly at him. As before, his gaze fell upon Tantai Yi’s chin.
After several days apart, there was indeed a sense of distance. It seemed he could no longer, as before, lavish the Emperor with enthusiastic flattery.
If Song Pu could feel that distance, Tantai Yi naturally could as well. More than Song Pu, he felt an unfamiliar sense of at a loss.
This was not as it should be. Between him and Lord Song, even if they were not intimate, they should not be as they were now, standing in silence facing one another.
He softened his expression. “Does Lord Song have anything to say to me?”
Holding his breath, Song Pu replied, “In reply to Your Majesty, this subject has nothing to say.”
Tantai Yi’s narrow golden eyes narrowed slightly. “Lord Song truly has nothing to say to me?”
“This subject truly has nothing to say to Your Majesty.”
He paused, somewhat hesitant. Tantai Yi caught that fleeting hesitation, and the irritation in his chest eased slightly. “Think it over carefully. Speak only once you have thought it through.”
Song Pu stole a glance at his expression and felt that his mood seemed tolerable, so he said cautiously, “Regarding the edict Your Majesty gave me… it seems it was not sealed? Your Majesty would not normally make such an oversight. May I ask the reason?”
If it had simply been forgotten, could he perhaps issue another properly sealed one?
He muttered inwardly, yet upon hearing this, Tantai Yi instead felt a surge of pleasure.
He had finally asked!
The corners of Tantai Yi’s lips lifted slightly, though he affected an air of indifference. “How could I make such an oversight? Lord Madam Songst be mistaken.”
Song Pu kept his gaze fixed on his chin, yet he could still sense that slight upward curve of his lips, that increasingly good mood. A trace of confusion arose in his heart. “…The edict Your Majesty gave me truly bore no seal. Perhaps Your Majesty forgot.”
Tantai Yi gave a soft “hm”, smiling faintly, but said nothing.
All Song Pu heard was that low, faintly teasing sound, stirring strangely at his ears, yet there was no further response. He grew all the more perplexed. With Tantai Yi offering no stance, he did not know how to proceed, and could only stand there blankly.
Tantai Yi had been waiting for him to soften and beg, yet after waiting for quite some time, Song Pu said nothing of the sort. Impatience and irritation rose again within him. Lowering his gaze, he saw Lord Song standing there in a dazed, foolish manner.
…Somehow rather pitifully endearing.
Tantai Yi’s heart softened. His lips moved, and before he knew it, he spoke first. “Has Lord Song ever regretted it?”
Another fatal question. If Song Pu said without hesitation that he had no regrets, it would make all his previous heartfelt declarations seem false, and would most likely anger Tantai Yi. If he said he did regret it… that would not be true either.
After a few seconds’ thought, Song Pu chose to skirt the issue. “Your Majesty has shown this subject great kindness, as weighty as a mountain. This subject keeps it ever in mind. Though I no longer attend upon Your Majesty, I will still pray for Your Majesty’s blessings, wishing Your Majesty good health and a smooth life.”
To Tantai Yi’s ears, this meant: he regretted it deeply. See, even though he no longer served at his side, he still thought of him day and night, wishing him well.
Tantai Yi’s mood soared at once. “In that case, I shall give Lord Song another chance. So long as Lord Song admits his fault to me, I will allow you to return and once more attend at my side.”
He had never shown such leniency to anyone before.
Song Pu was stunned. He could not understand why Tantai Yi had suddenly raised the matter of bringing him back. Then, hearing that he was expected to admit fault, the grievance and irritation he had suppressed earlier surged up again, and his tone turned somewhat stiff. “Your Majesty’s words carry the weight of gold. How would this subject dare damage Your Majesty’s reputation? Since Your Majesty has allowed this subject to return home, this subject is also content to remain idle there. I ask for Your Majesty’s understanding.”
He made no mention whatsoever of admitting fault.
The buoyant mood Tantai Yi had just felt immediately sank. Even now, he was still being stubborn with him!
Although he had spoken insincerely to Uncle Qin, Tantai Yi knew very well why he had come to Prince Gong’s residence. For him, this was already the second time he had lowered his head. Yet Lord Song showed no appreciation and continued to oppose him!
Even those who grew arrogant through favour were not arrogant like this. Did he truly no longer place him in his eyes?!
Tantai Yi’s chest rose and fell sharply. Once again angered to the point of laughter by Song Pu, he still wanted to flare up. Clenching his fist, he swung it towards the tea table beside him, only to withdraw his strength at the last moment, turning it into a light tap that made no sound.
As Emperor, his pride far exceeded that of ordinary men. He was supremely proud and self-regarding, and thus felt deep humiliation at having compromised again and again. Yet so long as he deceived himself, the shame did not feel quite so heavy.
But precisely because he was Emperor, if lowering his head became commonplace, would Lord Song still hold him in any regard?
He certainly would not.
Tantai Yi gave a cold laugh. “It seems Lord Song is living quite comfortably. I have underestimated you.”
With that, he did not wish to say more. If he continued, he feared he might rush forward and seize Lord Song by the collar to question him, which would only demean his imperial dignity.
Without another glance at Song Pu, he turned and slammed the door as he left.
Only after he had gone did Song Pu rise from where he had been kneeling. He brushed the dust from his knees and stepped out.
But the moment he did, he saw Tantai Yi striding swiftly back towards him. Reaching out with a long arm, he grabbed hold of his collar and said, “You have not yet finished telling me ‘Battle Through the Heavens’. I want to hear the ending!”
