…
“Your Highness, your forehead!” Zhao He cried out in alarm the moment he saw Chao Yan emerge from the Emperor’s quarters, his face draining of colour as he hurried forward.
Chao Yan raised a finger and touched the wound. His fingertip came away stained crimson. “It’s nothing,” he said.
He had someone fetch a veiled hat and put it on, concealing the injury. Without alerting anyone else, he returned to the Eastern Palace.
Upon arriving at the Eastern Palace, Zhao He went to summon the imperial physician, whilst Chao Yan headed for the main hall to change his clothes. The front of his robes had been soaked with tea and blood.
Halfway there, Chao Yan glanced towards the side hall. After only a few breaths, he changed his mind and went there instead.
…
On the left side of the simply yet elegantly furnished hall stood a brazier. A teapot rested atop it, the water within at a rolling boil. White steam billowed upwards, blurring the figure of Gu Yun seated nearby.
His eyes were lowered. His ebony-black fringe, dampened slightly by the vapour rising from the bitter tea, clung to the side of his face.
A notebook no larger than a palm rested upon his knee. He was absent-mindedly twirling a charcoal pencil, whilst the white xuan paper pages were covered in a mess of random sketches and markings.
He had wanted to set down specific methods for improving wheat strains, but constrained by reality, he could only work through the details in his mind. Yet if he did not write something with his hands, it always felt as though something was missing, leaving an uncomfortable emptiness behind.
Gu Yun’s thoughts were moving rapidly when, at that moment, he suddenly heard a sound.
His gaze sharpened. He immediately raised his head and looked towards the source. A pair of pitch-black eyes was looking at him.
Gu Yun almost laughed from exasperation. “Your Highness, why do you always enjoy ambushing people?”
Chao Yan smiled but said nothing.
Removing his veiled hat, he dragged over a stool and sat down beside him. His gaze swept from the teapot to the notebook and charcoal pencil.
“What are you doing? Learning freehand painting? Drafting sketches?”
Gu Yun shook his head and explained briefly, “I’m thinking about improving wheat seeds.”
As he spoke, he leaned a little closer.
The scent of blood reached his nose before the winter chill did. His eyes immediately lifted, and he spotted the injury on Chao Yan’s forehead.
The wound was on the left side of his forehead, though not quite at the temple. The blood had yet to fully clot, sticking thickly to the wound and making the extent of the injury difficult to judge.
Even so, Gu Yun felt it looked exceptionally serious.
Without even asking what had happened, he set down what he was holding and hurried to call for the imperial physician.
Zhang Zhangshe replied that he would go immediately.
Gu Yun stood outside the hall waiting for the physician. Only moments later, the man arrived.
It was then that Gu Yun realised Zhao He had already gone to summon him.
His concern had thrown him into confusion. He had forgotten that the people by Chao Yan’s side would never allow their master to remain in danger.
Letting out a breath of relief, he led the physician inside. After taking two steps, however, he stopped.
He recognised this physician.
Wasn’t this the one everyone constantly said was incompetent? Could he really treat Chao Yan’s injury properly?
Gu Yun remained doubtful.
Yet the physician hurried over to Chao Yan’s side, swiftly opened his medical chest, and began treating the wound.
Every movement flowed smoothly and naturally. He looked extraordinarily professional. All of Gu Yun’s doubts vanished at once.
Folding his arms, he leaned against the doorway and watched as the physician finished treating the injury. The physician stated that the wound was not serious. Merely a flesh wound.
The powerful winter air passed through the densely packed buildings and, driven by differences in air pressure, naturally seeped indoors through the doors and windows into the warmth of the room.
Once he had finished, the physician produced several boxes of scar-removal ointment from his medical chest and prepared to leave.
Gu Yun lowered his arms and straightened. Calling after him, he smiled and said, “Your medical skills are truly impressive.”
The physician’s lips curved upwards. Halfway through the smile, he remembered the Crown Prince’s instructions from long ago to cooperate with the deception.
He immediately suppressed it and said slowly, “Your Ladyship overpraises me. My medical skills are merely ordinary. The others in the Imperial Medical Bureau are far superior.”
Zhao He immediately caught on and echoed the sentiment.
Gu Yun looked towards Chao Yan. The latter was supporting his head as though suffering from a headache.
Gu Yun could hardly hold it against someone acting under coercion.
He strode over to the true culprit and gave him a shove. Even then, he deliberately held back most of his strength.
The culprit was pushed just enough to sway slightly backwards. “What is it?”
He lowered his hand onto his thigh and looked up at Gu Yun. From this angle, one half of his eyelids drooped over his eyes. The white bandage wrapped around his forehead was particularly striking.
Seeing it, Gu Yun softened considerably. Even his tone unconsciously gentled.
“Does Your Highness truly not know?”
Chao Yan hesitated. “You mean…?”
Gu Yun crouched down and met his gaze. “The imperial physician…”
Before he could finish speaking, Chao Yan suddenly lowered his head. Turning his face sideways, he buried it against Gu Yun’s shoulder and neck and laughed quietly.
Hearing the laughter, Gu Yun immediately understood.
Grinding his teeth, he pressed a hand against the dog Crown Prince’s shoulder and tried to push him away.
“Don’t lean on me. I’m cutting ties with you!”
The dog Crown Prince did not move at all. Like a mountain, he remained rooted in place.
“The wound hurts,” he said quietly.
Gu Yun: “…”
And what does that have to do with me?
Gu Yun closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he still could not stop himself from saying, “The pain medicine probably hasn’t taken effect yet. Bear with it a little longer. What exactly happened to your injury?”
“His Majesty threw something at me,” Chao Yan replied.
Gu Yun paused. He immediately realised this was connected to the ‘good show’ Chao Yan had mentioned earlier.
“Didn’t you say that, just like me, no one could hurt you?”
Chao Yan raised his head. “But haven’t I avoided injury?”
Gu Yun stared coldly at the wound.
Meeting his gaze, Chao Yan smiled helplessly. “Fine. There is indeed a tiny injury. But it’s practically the same as not being injured at all.”
Gu Yun felt vaguely irritated. Bracing himself on his knees, he stood up and moved to pour some tea.
Chao Yan suddenly grabbed him.
Caught off balance, Gu Yun stumbled forwards and fell directly into his arms.
It was not a particularly comfortable position. All his weight was resting against Chao Yan. If the other man harboured any ill intentions, he could easily end up on the floor.
Gu Yun disliked that feeling.
Leaning against Chao Yan, he tried to adjust his posture. Chao Yan did not wait for him to struggle through the process. With a flex of his arm, he adjusted him into place himself.
Perhaps because he had spent so long sitting beside the steaming tea stove, Gu Yun carried the clean, bitter scent of tea all over him, even stronger than the fragrance lingering on his clothes.
Wrapped in layer upon layer of clothing, he felt soft to the touch, like a ball of dough.
Though it was nothing compared to when he wore lighter clothing, when a casual touch could easily feel the supple resilience of his body.
One hand resting against Gu Yun’s lower back, Chao Yan lightly rubbed the tip of his nose against him.
“Since you know I want not only your body but also your heart, you must have guessed why I deliberately smeared the physician’s reputation before. So why ask me again?”
“Do you want me to admit that I’m despicable and shameless?”
“That’s not what I meant,” Gu Yun replied.
“Then what did you mean?”
Because they were so close, his pupils reflected nothing at all. Yet with the light obscured, they seemed even darker than before.
Gu Yun suspected he already knew perfectly well and was merely teasing him. He chose not to answer.
Lowering his head, he began fiddling with the Crown Prince’s still-damp lapels.
The Crown Prince raised a leg and lightly bounced him. “I asked you a question.”
Gu Yun jabbed him twice in the chest. “I don’t know.”
Then he reached out and deliberately ruffled the front of the man’s robes, tugging open his high collar.
The Crown Prince lowered his hand to catch the troublemaking fingers. Gu Yun shot him a sidelong glance and swiftly hid his hands inside his fluffy sleeves.
Once the other man was left with no way to stop him, he promptly stretched them back out and resumed causing trouble.
Chao Yan: “…”
Chao Yan reached for his hands again. Gu Yun skilfully repeated the same trick.
Chao Yan laughed. “Are you asking to be fucked?”
Gu Yun: “???”
Never in his life had Gu Yun imagined Chao Yan would utter such a vulgar remark.
His eyes widened as he stared fixedly at him. The atmosphere grew tense.
At that moment, Zhao He arrived and announced that someone had come on the Emperor’s orders.
Gu Yun immediately stood up. At the same time, he grabbed Chao Yan and pulled him to his feet as well.
The visitor was Grand Eunuch Huang. He was accompanied by his apprentice Deng Er, and behind them stood a large group of eunuchs.
Grand Eunuch Huang bowed towards Chao Yan. “Your Highness, I have come on His Majesty’s orders to handle a matter.”
“What matter?” Chao Yan asked.
Grand Eunuch Huang looked rather awkward.
Stepping closer, he lowered his voice. “After learning of Prince Yan’s and the Eighth Prince’s affairs, His Majesty became concerned. He is uneasy about the various princes and has ordered us to immediately search both the Eastern Palace and the Eastern Garden.”
Chao Yan frowned deeply.
Grand Eunuch Huang gave a dry laugh. “Your Highness, His Majesty specifically instructed that it be done quietly.”
Chao Yan said, “Every move made by the imperial family is watched. Even if it is done quietly, news will still spread. Father’s actions are likely to invite criticism.”
It was far more than criticism. The ministers would undoubtedly condemn it.
Grand Eunuch Huang said, “It is not that I, a mere eunuch, wish to oppose Your Highness. This is His Majesty’s command.”
“I understand your difficulties,” Chao Yan replied. “Simply carry out your orders. I will not interfere.”
Grand Eunuch Huang was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his thanks.
Chao Yan then asked, “How does Father intend to deal with Fourth Uncle and Eighth Brother?”
Grand Eunuch Huang lowered his voice further.
“When His Majesty sent us out, he simultaneously summoned Prince Yan and the Eighth Prince. As for how he intends to deal with them, I do not know. However, as I was leaving, I heard Chancellor Meng urging His Majesty to set aside personal feelings and prioritise the greater good.”
At that, Grand Eunuch Huang fell silent. After bowing once more to Chao Yan, he led his people off to search the Eastern Palace.
At that same moment, the Eastern Garden was also undergoing a search. Several of the princes had no idea what was happening or why such a search had suddenly begun.
The Emperor had caught them completely off guard.
Smiles remained on their faces, but inwardly their hearts were in their throats. Secretly, they cursed the Emperor in the Western Garden repeatedly.
At the same time, they sent people to follow every search party closely. If anything compromising was discovered, they would immediately offer bribes and try to suppress the matter.
After searching the Eastern Palace from top to bottom, Grand Eunuch Huang departed with a large pile of confiscated items.
Before leaving, Deng Er handed Chao Yan a book list whose ink had only just dried.
Smiling, he said, “These are even more enjoyable.”
Gu Yun: “?”
Gu Yun looked towards the list. Chao Yan unfolded it.
What greeted his eyes was a string of rather evocative book titles. From the titles alone, it was obvious they were all popular storybooks currently in fashion.
Gu Yun immediately remembered the bundle hidden at the bottom of his book basket. Inside were several storybooks.
In order to learn about that sort of thing, when he visited the bookshop that night, he had bought a whole stack of storybooks regardless of orientation.
Among them were two stories about relationships between men. Hidden amongst the others, they were completely inconspicuous.
Because his mind had been occupied with more important matters, he had not yet found time to read them.
Apparently Deng Er had copied them down.
In an effort to curry favour with Chao Yan, who publicly claimed to love Gu Yun and genuinely did love him, he had compiled a list of similarly themed popular novels and presented it to him.
Gu Yun: “…”
Without needing to think carefully, Gu Yun knew Chao Yan had guessed his intentions through Deng Er’s actions.
At that moment, Chao Yan was looking at him with a faintly amused smile.
Gu Yun thought: This bastard doesn’t think I’m some lustful degenerate, does he?
He wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury himself. Realising that was impossible, he slowly and silently exploded with indignation.
Damn you, Deng Er! I hate you! I’m going to eat you alive!!!
Chao Yan withdrew his gaze. Rolling up the book list, he put it away.
“You’ve been thoughtful.”
Deng Er beamed.
Completely unaware that Gu Yun’s resentment had practically become tangible, he drifted away light-heartedly, convinced that his future was bright indeed.
