Song Pu had never expected Tantai Yi to pull such a move.
He was momentarily at a loss for words. After quite some time, meeting those intimidating golden eyes, he softened his voice. “Your Majesty promised this subject that I could return home.”
Tantai Yi narrowed his eyes as he stared at his face. “Did I not allow you to return home? Had I not done so, you would still be at my summer retreat. Besides, Lord Song ought to finish telling me Battle Through the Heavens. Otherwise, I shall be haunted day and night, longing myself into illness. Does Lord Song truly find that acceptable?”
Song Pu had no answer. After a pause, he said, “How could this subject find that acceptable? Your Majesty may rest assured, this subject will finish telling Battle Through the Heavens, so that Your Majesty’s health remains in good order.”
Only then did Tantai Yi release his grip on Song Pu’s collar. He even went so far as to smooth out the creases he had made, as though he were being particularly considerate. His tone softened considerably. “Lord Song should have behaved thus from the start.”
As he spoke, the corners of his lips lifted slightly into a faint smile.
He stood so close that with a slight tilt of his head, Song Pu could face that dazzlingly beautiful face head-on, radiant as the sun itself. Seeing him smile now made the dizzy sensation in Song Pu’s head grow even stronger.
His elder brother Song Lingyun was also very handsome, as was Prince Gong. Logically speaking, Song Pu was surrounded by attractive men; even within the Song family, there was no shortage of good-looking youths. Chang Jiangming, Xie Nuoyu, Li Zongyi and the rest were all handsome in their own ways.
But only Tantai Yi gave him this vertiginous, light-headed feeling.
It was as though even looking at him directly risked being scorched by his beauty.
His features were simply too outstanding. Taken separately, each was exquisite; combined, they were even more extraordinary. Song Pu could not detect a single flaw upon his face. Even up close, his pores were barely visible; his skin was smoother and finer than a woman’s.
If Tantai Yi smiled, the effect would likely wipe out the entire health bar of any devoted admirer of beauty.
Song Pu was not such a person, and he did not wish to admit it, yet deep down he did indeed fall for Tantai Yi’s looks. At times, when he was angered by him, a glance at that face, followed by a few soft words, would ease his temper considerably.
Whether man or woman, people were always more tolerant of beauty, and especially of someone like Tantai Yi. It had to be said that the reason Song Pu could be repeatedly angered to the point of his voice trembling, yet still maintain such enthusiasm in praising him, was in no small part due to that face. Had it been an ordinary one, he would never have managed such fervour.
After smoothing the creases in his collar, Tantai Yi smiled and said, “It is too late today. Lord Song, you will enter the palace tomorrow.”
A weight seemed to settle heavily in Song Pu’s chest, yet nothing showed on his face. “This subject obeys.”
As he left Prince Gong’s residence, Song Pu still could not understand how matters had ended up like this.
He had clearly been living idly at home, free to eat, drink and amuse himself like a pampered layabout, yet with one sudden stroke from Tantai Yi, he was now to return to work?
For a moment, he did not know whether to blame himself for insisting on telling Tantai Yi such a long story as Battle Through the Heavens, or to blame Tantai Yi for stirring up trouble for no reason.
His mood was somewhat heavy as he returned to his courtyard, collapsing limply. He had scarcely sat for long when he heard Denglong calling for the eldest young master outside.
Soon after, there came a knock at the door. Denglong said from outside, “Young Master, the Eldest Young Master has come to see you.”
“Come in,” Song Pu said.
Denglong opened the door, and Song Lingyun entered. The first thing he asked was, “What did Prince Gong want with you?”
Remembering that he would have to return to the palace to work, Song Pu felt a touch guilty. “…Prince Gong wanted me to play cards with him and teach him how.”
Song Lingyun frowned. “Playing cards is no different from throwing dice in a gambling den. If Prince Gong wished for diversion, he would never choose something so frivolous and ruinous.”
Though unpleasant to hear, it was the truth. Because Song Pu had devised playing cards and mahjong, these amusements had become wildly popular in Yanjing, bringing him considerable attention. But alongside that came criticism from upright figures. From the moment they appeared, playing cards and mahjong had been lumped together with dice as things that led people astray.
Thus, although Song Pu had gained a foothold among Yanjing’s idle young elites, his reputation was far from flattering.
In those times, reputation mattered greatly. Indulgence in such pastimes easily marked one as an idle, unlearned wastrel.
Yet with his family’s wealth and his parents’ indulgence, and no one daring to say such things to his face, Song Pu did not take offence at Song Lingyun’s words. “Prince Gong said he had sent you an invitation, but you kept refusing, so he asked me to keep him company.”
Song Lingyun gave a cold snort. “You could have feigned ignorance. Next time he sends you an invitation, pretend to be ill and refuse.”
Prince Gong prided himself on being a virtuous prince and would naturally not involve himself in such things. Asking Song Pu to teach him card games was practically writing “ulterior motives” across his face.
Song Lingyun knew full well what sort of man Prince Gong was. Among clever men, there were times when Prince Gong did not even bother to conceal his schemes. Displaying one’s ambition could itself be a kind of olive branch.
Song Lingyun did not particularly dislike that, but he very much disliked Prince Gong approaching his younger brother. He knew he likely intended to use Ah-Pu to win him over, yet Ah-Pu should never be entangled in such matters.
If the opportunity arose, he would have to have a proper talk with him.
At this thought, Song Lingyun suddenly paused. There was no time like the present. He might as well go now. Before he departed for the northern frontier, he would also need Prince Gong to rein himself in.
With that decided, Song Lingyun did not say much more and soon left.
Song Pu let out a breath of relief, took a bath, and curled up in bed to cuddle his cat.
Perhaps because of the heat, Doufu could not be bothered to move about, no longer making frequent escape attempts. It mostly stayed in Song Pu’s room, sleeping. With an endless supply of ice, the room was cool and comfortable.
Song Pu held the cat and let it lie on his chest. He had barely closed his eyes for a moment when he began to feel slightly short of breath under its plump weight. He quietly lifted it down and set it beside him, but Doufu was not pleased. Bracing its limbs, it climbed straight back onto his chest and settled there again.
Amused, Song Pu hugged it and buried his face in its fur.
Cuddling his cat was the most relaxing and happiest part of his day.
With the cat in his arms and his head resting on a soft pillow, Song Pu gradually drifted off to sleep.
He had not slept for long before he was woken by noise. Opening his eyes, he found Song Lingyun’s face looming close. Still groggy, he rubbed his eyes. “Ge? Why have you come again?”
Song Lingyun’s breathing was rapid, though he restrained himself, afraid of startling him. He forced his voice to remain calm. “If I had not come, were you planning not to tell me anything about His Majesty?”
Song Pu jolted fully awake.
He said awkwardly, “What about His Majesty?”
“Prince Gong told me,” Song Lingyun said.
He frowned slightly, fixing Song Pu with a gaze that burned with intensity, almost oppressive.
Under that stare, Song Pu’s voice tightened, uneasy and suspicious. “What did Prince Gong tell you?”
Song Lingyun paused before replying, “Only that His Majesty went to Prince Gong’s residence.”
He was lying. Prince Gong’s reach extended further than his; he knew more. Whether intentionally or not, he had revealed what had happened at the summer retreat.
That dog emperor had actually ordered Ah-Pu, in public, to attend him in bed.
Attend him in bed!
Ah-Pu was a man. How could he possibly…!
Song Lingyun’s chest ached with every breath. Reaching out, he gripped Song Pu by the shoulders, his voice hoarse. “Tell me, did he force you?”
Rage burned within him, as though he had lost his reason, yet he still remembered that his younger brother could not bear pain. He restrained most of his strength, merely holding him in place so he could not evade the question.
Hearing this, Song Pu could not help slowly producing a mental “?”.
He blinked. “Do you mean Prince Gong or His Majesty?”
“His Majesty!” Song Lingyun said.
Song Pu thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I do not know how Prince Gong came to know of it, but His Majesty only asked me to finish telling what I had not yet finished. His Majesty’s word carries weight; he would not easily go back on his previous edict. Ge, you need not worry too much.”
Song Lingyun’s breath hitched. He found it somewhat difficult to speak. “That is not what I meant.”
Song Pu looked at him. “Not that? Then what?”
Meeting his eyes, Song Lingyun suddenly found himself unable to say anything at all.
Song Pu had always had a pair of clear, pure black eyes, just as he did now. His gaze was so clean, his temperament so gentle and guileless, someone who had always needed to be carefully protected and cherished.
“Your younger brother must be protected.” That was what their mother had impressed upon him even before Song Pu was born. He had taken it as a creed and upheld it all his life. When that incident happened, he had failed to protect him. That had been his fault, his responsibility. Even dying for it would have been justified.
Now he had grown into a man who could stand tall and bear the heavens upon his shoulders. Could he still fail to protect his own younger brother?
A surge of bitter anguish rose in Song Lingyun’s chest, reddening his eyes.
Song Pu was startled. No matter what, he had never imagined that one day he would see Song Lingyun’s eyes redden before him.
“Ge, what’s wrong?! Don’t cry! You’re scaring me, really, I’m scared.” Song Pu panicked, fumbling to wipe away his tears.
Song Lingyun raised a hand to block him, his voice hoarse. “I leave for the northern frontier the day after tomorrow. Ah-Pu, take care of yourself.”
With that, he turned and left without looking back.
Song Pu was stunned, then grew angry. It had to be Prince Gong filling Song Lingyun’s head with nonsense that led to this!
Did he even know how difficult it was to deal with someone obsessed with their younger brother?!
Prince Gong was nothing but a troublemaker.
Infuriating!
