Gu Yun carefully replayed every word he had just said, only to realise, with a jolt, that by following the logic through, he had backed himself into a corner.
The lamplight flickered, warmth suffused the room, and where the tall youth stood, a silent shadow stretched obliquely across the floor.
If one does not know how to respond, or feels that any further response would be meaningless, then not responding is the best course of action.
A soft laugh sounded.
There was a trace of emotion mixed within it. Gu Yun did not quite understand it, but his animal-like instincts, sharp as ever, sensed not the slightest hint of danger. At least I haven’t crossed his bottom line, Gu Yun thought.
The Crown Prince smoothed the bedding and walked over. He extended a hand.
Gu Yun frowned. To his surprise, the other man merely rested a hand on his shoulder. A faint woody fragrance, light as mist, drifted outward and filled his senses, making him feel as though he had stepped into a sunlit forest.
The young man’s brow ridge was pronounced, his brows and eyes dark and heavy. Whenever he fixed his gaze upon someone, he unconsciously gave the impression of unfathomable depth, enough to make the hairs rise all over one’s body.
Gu Yun’s nose was gently pressed against his. Warm, moist breaths brushed across the philtrum above his lip. Faster than the discomfort came the young man’s deep voice.
“If this makes you feel more comfortable, then I don’t mind making a small sacrifice. Just as with forms of address. If you feel more comfortable calling me ‘Your Highness’, then do as you please.”
Gu Yun froze.
The young man released him, stepped back several paces, and left with crisp, decisive strides.
The warmth lingering on Gu Yun’s body gradually faded with time. He remained standing where he was, staring at the empty doorway, blinking slowly, confusion evident in his eyes.
He could not understand Chao Yan.
The imperial clan stood high above ordinary people, instinctively preserving those decaying rituals and naturally assuming the right to command others. Why, then, would someone like that show such respect towards a person for whom he held affection?
Even a love-struck fool would not be this love-struck. For someone of that standing, a lover who repeatedly defied him would cease to be a lover. Such a person would become an enemy, one who challenged his authority and patience, one who sought to overturn every conclusion he had ever drawn from experience.
And enemies were people to be eliminated by any means necessary.
Why was this Crown Prince so different? He was a walking contradiction.
A powerful curiosity suddenly arose within Gu Yun. He knew perfectly well that this man was dangerous, yet he still wanted to understand him. After washing up, he climbed into bed and sat reading. When Chao Yan returned, he truly did settle down on the couch.
Separated by a distance, the two sat in silence as usual, each reading his own book.
The candle flame flickered, shedding rolling tears of molten wax. Time slipped away in the blink of an eye, and the next day arrived.
Gu Yun had not slept well during the night. Taking advantage of the dim grey dawn, he tried to catch up on sleep. While dreaming of forging fire lances once more, he was awakened.
Still groggy, he suddenly remembered that today was his wedding day.
Lest Zhang Zhangshe and the others grow impatient and come barging in, he fumbled his way upright, put on the wedding robes, and sleepily made his way to the couch.
The Crown Prince had left at some point. The bedding on the couch had already been put away.
A palace maid brought washing implements. Once he had finished washing up, soft footsteps sounded within the warm chamber, and he was guided to the dressing table.
Zhang Zhangshe took out rouge and powder and carefully applied his make-up. Meanwhile, someone gathered up his hair, added hairpieces, and forcibly arranged it into an elaborate coiffure, piling it high with gold and silver hairpins, ornamental crowns, and jewelled adornments.
Gu Yun thought to himself that if he rewarded a servant with one ornament a day, it would take more than ten days to distribute them all.
They were so heavy. His neck felt as though it were about to snap, especially with the auspicious gold-inlaid jade lock hanging around it.
His hands were adorned with numerous ornaments as well. Every movement produced a cascade of clinking sounds, while the exquisitely crafted wedding attire itself weighed heavily upon him.
For a moment, his mind drifted. He felt as though he could hardly breathe.
The ornaments resembled invisible shackles, locking him firmly inside a cage. No matter how he struggled, he could not break free. Everything that followed felt as though he were a marionette, carrying out actions controlled by unseen strings.
By dusk, the wedding was complete.
Though it was called a wedding, it was not truly a wedding. Strictly speaking, it was an investiture ceremony. There was no formal betrothal, no bridal procession, no sharing of nuptial wine, nor any of the customary state rites. Since there was no Crown Princess Consort, there was likewise no need to pay respects to one. As a result, the entire ceremony was not especially lengthy and was completed within half a day.
Amid surroundings that could hardly be described as festive, he was escorted into a newly refurbished warm chamber decorated with celebrations everywhere.
The silence was almost oppressive. Unease welled up within him. Bracing himself against the edge of the bed, he stood and prepared to fetch some water.
“I thought you might not be feeling particularly comfortable either.”
Chao Yan’s voice sounded from ahead of him. Gu Yun looked up.
Chao Yan was dressed in a crimson gauze robe embroidered with a four-clawed ascending python woven in gold. It was ceremonial attire. A Secondary Consort was not a principal wife, so today the Crown Prince could not wear the formal wedding crown and robes reserved for a true marriage ceremony.
He poured a cup of tea and held it out.
Gu Yun paused before accepting it and taking small sips. The warm tea flowed down his slightly dry throat, easing much of his negative mood. He took another sip, and at that very moment felt a tug at his hair.
Chao Yan had moved behind him and was removing the hairpins, crown ornaments, and hairpieces. Being both tall and meticulous, he handled the task with ease. Within moments, everything had been removed.
Tilting his head, Gu Yun felt his neck instantly lighten. It was as though a door had opened in that cage.
His hair, having been bound up beneath the hairpieces for so long, was sticking up in every direction. Chao Yan found a comb, dipped it in water, and smoothed it back down.
He then left the warm chamber and returned carrying a set of clothes and a pair of cloth shoes. The outfit was men’s clothing.
The dark blue-black outer garment was padded with cotton and made from fine cloth. The snow-white inner garment was thick and made of silk. The short boots were simple black cloth shoes without a single decorative pattern.
From top to bottom, however, the ensemble was far from ordinary.
“Go and change,” Chao Yan said. “After that, we’ll get on with proper business. While you’re at it, remove your make-up. The cleansing supplies are on the dressing table. If you don’t know how, I’ll help you.”
Gu Yun asked in surprise, “The materials have all been gathered?”
Chao Yan nodded.
This matter was no trivial affair. The previous night, Chao Yan had already ordered people to begin preparations. The items Gu Yun required were not particularly rare, so everything had been collected within a single day.
Taking the clothes, Gu Yun promptly disappeared behind the bed to change.
Chao Yan watched his retreating figure and found himself recalling those lips stained with lip rouge, crimson and moist.
He picked up the teacup from the table and slowly rubbed its surface with his thumb. A faint trace of lip colour remained upon the porcelain-white cup, while a thin layer of clear tea still rested at the bottom.
…
It had to be said that men’s clothing was far simpler than women’s attire. When he reached the final layer, Gu Yun hesitated briefly before deciding to keep the dudou.
At last, he felt completely freed from the cage.
Letting out a contented sigh, he slipped on the cloth shoes, washed his hands, and sat before the dressing table, preparing to remove his make-up.
Apart from the first day he had arrived, when he had worn only light make-up, he had always pleaded with Zhang Zhangshe not to apply any. Unable to withstand him tugging at her sleeve and shaking it repeatedly, and given that he was naturally attractive enough without cosmetics, she had eventually relented.
As a result, he had absolutely no idea what she used to remove make-up or what the proper process was.
The first time he had removed it, all he had cared about was finding a way to survive safely in the Eastern Palace. He had paid no attention whatsoever to such trivial details.
Remembering Chao Yan’s earlier words, Gu Yun nearly asked him for help, but swallowed the words before they left his mouth.
How could a woman not know how to remove her own make-up? And who knew what thoughts Chao Yan might be harbouring?
His hand drifted to his Adam’s apple. Fortunately, it was not prominent.
One step at a time, he thought.
Putting the matter from his mind, he relied on memory, pushed aside the cosmetics used for application, and opened the remaining containers one by one. After fumbling through the process several times, he finally managed to remove all the make-up.
His face was drenched. Wiping it dry with a cloth, he emerged from behind the bed.
Chao Yan had already changed clothes.
He was now dressed in an entirely unremarkable grey outfit made from coarse cloth. To match it, he had tied his hair back using a roughly cut strip of fabric of the same colour, creating a loose, low knot.
This man’s bearing depended entirely upon his face.
Because he had deliberately slumped his shoulders and slightly hunched his back, imitating the posture of a street thug, his naturally striking physique had all but vanished.
Noticing Gu Yun’s gaze, Chao Yan immediately resumed his usual posture.
He looked back at him. Had he not known Chao Yan’s gender, then even dressed in men’s clothing, he would never have recognised him as a man.
He was simply too beautiful. There was a softness about him that could not be ignored.
Chao Yan retrieved a plain oil-paper umbrella from a cabinet. “Let’s go.”
Gu Yun responded and followed. After taking two steps, the corner of his eye caught the teacup he had used earlier.
It was spotless. Not a single drop remained.
Gu Yun hesitated. Had Zhang Zhangshe come in with attendants and cleaned it away?
The two left the room. Chao Yan summoned Zhao He and instructed him, “A-Yun and I are leaving the palace for a while. If anyone asks, tell them we’ve already retired for the night.”
Zhao He let out an involuntary sound of surprise. Though completely baffled, he immediately answered, “Yes.”
Watching the pair head towards the hidden passageway, while Li Lan led several guards dressed in plain clothes after them, he gradually realised what was happening and broke into a grin.
His Highness was taking Her Ladyship out of the palace for an excursion.
That was hardly strange. After all, today was unlike any other day.
Still smiling, he suddenly spotted a young eunuch lurking in the shadows and furtively peering in their direction. His expression darkened at once.
With one swift motion, he dragged the eunuch out and barked, “What duties are you assigned to? What are you doing here? You little slave, have you grown tired of keeping your head?”
The young eunuch repeatedly begged for mercy.
“Speak,” Zhao He snapped. “Or you won’t be forgiven.”
The young eunuch stammered and hesitated. Just then, Superintendent Liu arrived. Before the man himself appeared, his voice arrived first.
“Chief Steward Zhao, I sent him. Surely you understand. I’m merely concerned that His Highness may become overly indulgent in female company and damage his health.”
Zhao He sneered. “That falls within my responsibilities, not yours.”
Superintendent Liu stepped forward and slipped a piece of gold into Zhao He’s hand. Zhao He remained unmoved.
“We all serve His Majesty,” Superintendent Liu said.
Zhao He promptly returned the gold. With a cold laugh, Superintendent Liu turned and left.
One of the young eunuchs accompanying him asked, “Are we really letting the matter drop?”
The eunuch Zhao He had caught voiced the same concern.
Superintendent Liu smiled. “When His Highness leaves the palace, I naturally have people watching him. Whether Zhao He speaks or not, I’ll still know His Highness’s whereabouts.”
…
Clouds churned overhead.
Without warning, the sky darkened, and rain came crashing down in sheets.
Along a branch road leading from the inner city’s main avenue, the compacted earth was quickly soaked through. Muddy water splashed everywhere, and in every depression of the uneven ground, murky rainwater gathered to a depth of half a finger.
“Your Highness.” Keeping his expression unchanged, Gu Yun cast a subtle glance over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “Someone is following us.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Chao Yan replied.
He tilted the umbrella slightly towards Gu Yun, shielding him from the cold wind and the rain droplets it carried, lest they dampen his clothes.
