《From CEO to Concubine》


 Chapter 99 - Sixth

    The morning of the imperial examination was just like any other morning in the inner palace; mundane. Yan Zheyun, who had been exempted from the assemblies at Changchun Palace ever since he started attending to the ''infirm'' emperor, was allowed to return to Yuyang Palace for the first time in a while.


    Today was also the first time he met Ying Qi, presumably one of Liu Yao''s royal guards. After makeup and a change of wardrobe, Ying Qi bore such a striking resemblance to the emperor that Yan Zheyun had served for months that Yan Zheyun wouldn''t have been able to tell the difference without close scrutiny. Even then, he wasn''t certain. If it weren''t for the deferential greeting Ying Qi directed towards him, he might have mistaken him for Liu Yao without a second thought.


    For the past couple of weeks, whilst Liu Yao had struggled with addiction in the little room in a corner of Qianqing Palace, it had been Ying Qi who had worn his robes and attended morning court. Ying Qi who had sat in Tianlu Pavilion pretending to read memorials. Ying Qi who had mimicked Liu Yao''s mannerisms so perfectly that the inner palace had been none the wiser.


    Doppelganger.  Yan Zheyun had never seen one with such a similarity and although he was sure that Liu Yao must have some way to differentiate Ying Qi from him, a method of proving his actual identity if Ying Qi should choose to become a turncoat, the knowledge still chilled Yan Zheyun to the bone.


    "My ancestors and those emperors before us have frequently employed this tactic (1)," Liu Yao had said, upon Yan Zheyun''s asking. "It has saved this sovereign''s life in the past."


    He hadn''t elaborated and Yan Zheyun hadn''t inquired further either. Down that route lay only death, he didn''t want to pick at Liu Yao''s scabs, prod into whether every time someone wore his face and died for him, Liu Yao''s conscience took a hit.


    After Ying Qi had replaced Liu Yao in his bedchambers in Qianqing Palace, it was no longer appropriate for Yan Zheyun to linger in there alone with him, whether it was for the sake of putting on an act or not. Two men sitting together in the proximity of a bed might not sit at odds with Yan Zheyun''s modern-day virtues but in this era, his hands were tied by the heavy societal expectations placed upon wives and concubines, regardless of their gender. In the eyes of imperial law, Yan Zheyun belonged to Liu Yao and it would be remiss for him to disregard his husband''s reputation and meet with any man in private, even if his husband were aware of it.


    Not to mention, Liu Yao was the emperor, the last man who could afford to be cuckolded; the respect his civilians had for him was of utmost importance if he wanted to run the country efficiently and any concubine who had the gall to turn him into a laughing stock would have to pay a dear price.


    For the sake of everyone, Liu Yao had dismissed Yan Zheyun with a casual head ruffle and a, "I''ll see you tonight."


    As though they were a normal couple parting ways at the door in the morning, both of them about to drive off to their jobs, where they would spend the whole day expanding their companies and missing each other before returning for a homemade meal if they didn''t meet up outside for an evening date.


    Yan Zheyun hadn''t been able to resist. He''d gone in for the kill, tiptoeing to reach Liu Yao''s lips, slightly parted in surprise at his sudden display of boldness. Head Eunuch Cao had been present¡ªYan Zheyun''s ears had caught his sharp intake of breath¡ªbut he hadn''t cared, licking into Liu Yao''s mouth, coy like a kitten experimenting with a new treat for the first time, gone before Liu Yao could catch him and pull him back for a deeper taste. Lately, he''d noticed an almost feral look in Liu Yao''s eyes every time they were even remotely intimate and Yan Zheyun suspected that it wouldn''t be long before he was coaxed into fulfilling that one last concubine''s duty he hadn''t quite managed to get to.


    After that night, where Liu Yao had asked Yan Zheyun to call him by name, something had changed. Their relationship undulated with a fluidity that Yan Zheyun was still getting used to, molding like liquid to fit whatever vessel Liu Yao took the form of. One second, he could be an emperor issuing orders and referring to himself with the appropriate self-address. The next, he could be the boyfriend of Yan Zheyun''s dreams.


    They hadn''t spoke about where they stood with each other but perhaps, after today, there would be time.


    "You''ve only been apart for less than a shichen and already you''re pining?"


    Gracious Consort Yao''s infuriating voice brought Yan Zheyun back to reality. He was seated cross-legged on Hua Zhixuan''s rumpled bed, accompanying the unmoving lump buried beneath a thick set of blankets, but his mind kept straying back to Liu Yao and he had to force himself to snap out of it and be a more supportive friend.


    He reached out to give the lump a gentle shake. "Brother Hua?" he called tentatively. "Will you not see me?"


    The lump curled in even more tightly on itself before it gave up and unrolled, Hua Zhixuan''s puffy eyes peering blearily up at Yan Zheyun, his mouth falling into a full pout, one that Yan Zheyun noticed Gracious Consort Yao fixating on.


    He resisted the urge to elbow Gracious Consort Yao in the ribs. Whatever his affiliation to the emperor, he was still ranked above Yan Zheyun in the eyes of others and Yan Zheyun couldn''t take such liberties. Even if he didn''t think this was an appropriate moment for Liu Yao''s maybe-henchman to be thirsting over his closest friend.


    ¡­if only he could get rid of Gracious Consort Yao, he had about a thousand questions to interrogate Hua Zhixuan with, mostly pertaining to his view of this odd budding relationship of his, which was both endearing and dangerous in turn.


    Hua Zhixuan sniffled. "Langjun, Brother Yan, Zhixuan is fine. It''s just¡­still a bit difficult to accept losing my candidature for an examination that I spent all my life preparing for, that''s all."


    Yan Zheyun felt his heart twinge in sympathy. He patted Hua Zhixuan on the arm, knowing that any words he could offer now would be poor comfort. Tomorrow, Hua Zhixuan would be able to start to move on, focusing on the backdoor opportunity granted to him by his concubinage to an emperor who wasn''t blind enough to reject talent, no matter what form it presented itself in.


    But for today, he could and should be allowed to wallow in self-pity, if that was what it took for him to vent.


    Yan Zheyun looked at Gracious Consort Yao.


    "Is Gracious Consort free to accompany Brother Hua?" he asked. Ever since that one time Gracious Consort Yao teased him for using the title ''Langjun'', he had resolutely avoided it. Listening to it spill so naturally from Hua Zhixuan''s lips was grating enough.


    Gracious Consort Yao raised an eyebrow. "Leaving so soon? But Lord Yue just got here."


    Hua Zhixuan shot upright in bed. He was faring much better now albeit waifish from a lack of appetite. But Yan Zheyun wasn''t too worried. Judging by how persistent Gracious Consort Yao had been in spoon-feeding him nutritional tonics and porridge, which Yan Zheyun had had the chance to witness firsthand earlier, he would be back to his original size soon and then some.


    "Brother Yan also looks exhausted," Hua Zhixuan said, concern replacing his melancholy as he studied Yan Zheyun''s face.


    Yan Zheyun''s eyes crinkled. He wasn''t sure how ''airtight'' Hua Zhixuan''s house was, so as to speak, and could not risk even the slightest hint of Liu Yao''s plans leaking out, so he didn''t let Hua Zhixuan know that it was all an act. That although Liu Yao had sent him out of Qianqing Palace, Yan Zheyun had been assigned the task of ''getting some fresh air'' in the gardens of the inner palace, with the true intention of observing the behaviour of the other concubines. To look the part of the weary concubine who had spent too many nights tending to a sickly emperor, he''d burnt the midnight oil two nights in a row, resolutely refusing to sleep despite Liu Yao''s best efforts to get him to take a nap.


    He had to look the part to play the part. This was a task Liu Yao had entrusted him with and just like how Yan Zheyun had given it his all whenever his father had assigned him a project during his internship, he was ready to show Liu Yao that he was capable of being a valuable employee.


    "I''ll be back in the afternoon," he promised. He would have just enough time to pop in and say hi to Hua Zhixuan again before Liu Yao expected him back in Qianqing Palace for dinner.


    Hua Zhixuan''s frown didn''t disappear but he didn''t ask what Yan Zheyun was heading off to do, had always been astute about what should and should not be said. "Take care of yourself," was all he added.


    "I will." With one last smile at Hua Zhixuan and a polite bow to Gracious Consort Yao, Yan Zheyun retreated.


    The imperial gardens had dressed themselves in all the colours of spring. With Xiao De by his side, Yan Zheyun strolled leisurely amongst the flower beds and false rock mountains, seemingly at ease as he took a gander with no obvious destination in mind.


    This wasn''t true, of course. Already, he could hear light conversation coming from a pavilion up ahead. It was half-obstructed by a peach blossom tree in full bloom but the owners of the feminine voices could only have one identity; no maid would be brave enough to pause in the middle of the imperial gardens to gossip, not unless they were asking for a hearty scolding from their supervisor gugu or momo.


    The imperial gardens were never quiet in the day. Servants of all ranks passed through it, even high-ranking officials who had been granted leave in the form of a special pass to visit the emperor in his study. Hence, it didn''t surprise Yan Zheyun when he saw a couple of foreign faces about, belonging to men who weren''t dressed in the uniforms of eunuchs or guards.


    What did surprise him, however, was when one of them called out to him.


    "Lord of Handsome Fairness Yue!"


    From the corner of his eye, Yan Zheyun noticed Xiao De stiffening. He had a similar reaction himself; who was so brazen as to strike up conversation with one of the emperor''s concubines? Male visitors to the inner palace were restricted to members of the royal family with reason to be present, such as an invite from the dowager, or ministers with important business.


    Obviously, chatting to one of His Majesty''s harem was not a good excuse.


    "Keep walking," Yan Zheyun murmured.


    He wanted to see just which idiot wanted so badly to get them both into trouble and to what extent he would go.


    "Lord Yue! Please wait! This prince would like a word!"


    A prince. Frost formed in Yan Zheyun''s gaze as he finally slowed to a pause. Liu Yao might not appreciate him talking to one of his brothers but Liu Yao might also need any useful information Yan Zheyun could glean from such a conversation. A glance around the place revealed a lot of curious looks directed towards both of them. Good. There were plenty of eyewitnesses from all walks of the palace. If anyone had the intention to accuse him of an ambiguous relationship with a ranked prince, it would be harder for them to convince a large number of people to sing the same tune.


    "Take note of the designations of the servants around us. I want a list of their names and masters as soon as possible." Xiao De alone might have a hard time completing this request but with his connections in the departments, Yan Zheyun was confident that he wouldn''t disappoint.


    The prince drew near and Yan Zheyun stopped speaking, waiting to see what he had to say. Now that he stood right in front, Yan Zheyun could recognise him as the man with the overly invasive stare. The one who had disgusted him so thoroughly at the spring banquet that it had felt like his eyes alone could leave an oily residue behind on everything they''d roamed over.


    Up-close and personal, this feeling only intensified and Yan Zheyun had to fight the temptation to flee. Still, he took a firm step backwards, putting a pointed distance between them as he regarded the prince coolly.


    The ''other'' prince. Yan Zheyun searched for a resemblance to Liu Yao but couldn''t find any in his face or his demeanour.


    "Lord Yue," he said, with a flamboyant salute that was probably meant to make him look dashing but just came across as frivolous. Lixin hadn''t had much to say about him except that he liked staring at Yan Yun like he was a slab of meat because he was a useless dandy who was too weak to fight the fourth prince for either the throne or the beauty.


    Yan Zheyun could definitely see the dandy component to his personality but he wasn''t convinced that this other prince was much of a waste of space as he portrayed himself to be. His gaze was flirtatious, yes, but beneath its playful spark was a dark hunger that Yan Zheyun had only ever seen in the eyes of very ambitious men.


    Like Liu Yao whenever he spoke about overhauling the current ineffectual political system.


    Until he proved himself to be negligible, Yan Zheyun wasn''t going to drop his guard around him.


    "Why has Your Highness sought out this concubine?" Yan Zheyun asked, emphasising his role in the inner palace.


    The prince chuckled, snapping his fan open and giving it a couple of energetic waves like he was about to wax lyrical about his poetic inspiration any second now. "Lord Yue does not need to be so wary, this prince is aware that my behaviour is inappropriate and for this, I apologise," he said.


    "Since Your Highness is of the same opinion, this concubine shall take my leave¡ª"


    "It''s just that, this prince heard that Royal Brother is ailing and felt bad for spending my days relaxing in luxurious tea houses whilst the foundation stone of our dynasty suffers!" Yan Zheyun couldn''t tell if he was disguising his sarcasm behind a veneer of melodrama but he knew that the longer he remained here the harder it would be for him to conceal his outright dislike.


    "If Your Highness is asking about His Majesty''s health, please forgive this concubine for being unable to divulge any details," he said coldly.


    But the prince shook his head flippantly. "No no, of course not, this prince had just been turned away from Royal Brother''s palace and would like to ask Lord Yue to help this faithful little brother convey my wishes to our mutual liege." He let out an extravagant sigh. "This prince is so very concerned, you know?"


    Yan Zheyun''s eye twitched. "Of course. If there is nothing else, please excuse this concubine."


    The theatrics were overbearing and he didn''t want to be in the other prince''s presence for any longer than necessary. As for his agenda, he surely had one but Yan Zheyun intended to report this conversation verbatim and let Liu Yao decipher that himself. He wasn''t familiar enough with this prince, whoever he was, to make such judgements.


    To Yan Zheyun''s relief, the prince didn''t attempt to hold him back anymore. The weight of his lecherous stare was heavy but at least he let Yan Zheyun depart after gracing him with one more over-the-top salute.


    "Xiao De, which prince was that?" Yan Zheyun asked once he was certain they were out of earshot.


    "In response to Little Master, that was the Respectful Prince of the First Rank, Sixth Prince Gong."


    "¡­"


    Respectful? Had Liu Yao been the one to bestow that title upon him? Had he meant to be ironic?!


    Yan Zheyun had nothing to say to that. But whatever. Respectful or otherwise, treasonous or otherwise, his attitude towards the throne wasn''t clear but his intentions towards ''Yan Yun'' were.. He coveted what wasn''t his, just as the other scumbag gongs did, and that alone was sufficient to make him Yan Zheyun''s enemy.

 Chapter 100 - Peonies

    The feminine chatter grew louder as Yan Zheyun and Xiao De proceeded with their walk. The stone arrangements in the imperial gardens were very tastefully done. Yan Zheyun couldn''t estimate how much manpower it must have taken to cart the large pieces over from where they had been naturally obtained, especially without the convenience of modern machinery and transportation. They had been shaped and artfully arranged to resemble the mountains in watercolour paintings, some of them almost tall enough to reach the height of the imperial city''s walls.


    Ahead, white marble stone steps that were embedded in their rough surface winded up towards a pavilion that had a lovely vantage point of the scenery below. Xiao De had informed Yan Zheyun that the flower season in the imperial city was from the third to the sixth months, which was why the imperial gardens were his best bet if he were to seek out the company of the other concubines. The magnolia trees were in their full glory, their elegant creamy blooms stately in contrast to the lively sprinkle of small almond blooms. Purple wisteria, red peonies, and the fiery trumpet vines that crept along the walls brightened up the atmosphere.


    Amidst such splendour, their bright robes holding ground against the palette of spring, were His Majesty''s concubines, lounging in the pavilion perched on top of the artificial hill. It was a big group of them but Yan Zheyun noted that the noble consorts were conspicuously absent, Imperial Concubine Hui holding court in their absence. If he could see them, they could see him, possibly even whilst he''d been speaking to the sixth prince.


    True enough, as he drew nearer, he heard a saccharine voice call out from above, "What a special day it must be for Lord Yue to be free enough to enjoy the imperial gardens!"


    This was what Yan Zheyun had been waiting for. Despite being a concubine, he was a man, and approaching a group of His Majesty''s concubines when he hadn''t been invited over could be made into a huge fuss if he weren''t careful.


    But since Wu Yusi was forward enough to bring him into this, it would be ungentlemanly on his part to ignore her, wouldn''t it?


    He took his time ascending the stairs before paying Imperial Concubine Hui his respects. She was the only member of the inner palace present that outranked him and the other women, no matter how they felt towards him, had to rise upon his arrival to greet him in turn.


    "Little Sister Wu has a point, it isn''t every day we get to see Lord Yue away from His Majesty''s side," Imperial Concubine Hui said with a smile. She was an alluring woman, had dimples just like the host body did, but whilst they enhanced Yan Yun''s childlike charms, they gave her a sultry air that set her apart from the other concubines, whose families had trained them to portray themselves in as decorous a manner as possible.


    She reminded Yan Zheyun of the buxom bombshells that would sometimes approach him in the high-end nightclubs and other entertainment establishments on the rare occasion that his friends managed to drag him away from his desk. He''d already had a taste of her aggressive cunning and in the 21st century, where no holds were barred, she would be a formidable woman.


    As it was, she was reduced to scheming against other teenage girls, a gilded cage of canaries so claustrophobic that they had to peck at each other, hoping to kill off all the competitors so that they could secure the tastiest morsel for themselves.


    He had to stifle a grin when the image of Liu Yao on a giant silver platter flashed in his mind but Imperial Concubine Hui must have picked up on his amusement because she ordered for some top-grade pu er tea to be poured for him before asking, "Lord Yue, try some of this concubine''s favourite brew. It might not be as good as what you''re used to in Qianqing Palace but is very pleasant to me."


    So it began. Yan Zheyun kept his expression neutral as he thanked Imperial Concubine Hui for her generosity and obliged her by pretending to a small sip, fingers delicately placed on the rim as though it was too hot for him to touch and he was waiting for it to cool down. It didn''t seem likely that she would attempt to poison him with so many witnesses present but he couldn''t discount the possibility that someone might try to frame her for it.


    "Lord Yue is in the mood for relaxation, can this concubine take it to mean that His Majesty''s health has improved?" Imperial Concubine Hui''s expression was hopeful. Hers wasn''t the only one; Yan Zheyun was used to commanding attention in boardroom meetings and business conferences but never with this amount of fervour.


    Liu Yao truly was quite the commodity. Pity Yan Zheyun didn''t like sharing.


    "In response to Imperial Concubine Hui Niangniang, His Majesty granted Yan Yun a day''s rest." Yan Zheyun lowered his gaze to the stone table they were seated at. "As for His Majesty''s health, please forgive Yan Yun but he is in no position to disclose any details."


    Imperial Concubine Hui adjusted her sleeves. "This concubine isn''t trying to make things difficult for you," she said with an understanding sigh. "All of us sisters here are worried for our husband and would just like to know if he''s all right."


    She didn''t place any particular emphasis on the words ''our husband'' but they sank like lead in Yan Zheyun''s stomach anyway. He knew it was circumstantial, that realistically speaking, he could expect Liu Yao to only have one person in his life. But he wasn''t certain he would ever get used to it, ever be able to look upon the harem magnanimously like the women in the shows did.


    "The imperial physicians are working hard at His Majesty''s recovery," was all Yan Zheyun would say on the subject, even as some of the other concubines chipped in to badger him. Whether it was out of genuine concern or whether they were fishing for more information, he knew he had to remain non-committal.


    "Since Lord Yue has become tired from attending to His Majesty day and night, why hasn''t His Majesty sent for others to help share in the burden?" The girl who spoke up wasn''t one that Yan Zheyun was acquainted with. She was vaguely familiar from the few morning assemblies he''d attended but wasn''t of high enough rank to take a seat and stood so far behind that this was the first he was getting a good glimpse at her face. She was pretty, prettier than Wu Yusi, but even now, was being made to stand in a corner of the pavilion like she was one of the maids, just because Yan Zheyun''s arrival made it such that there weren''t enough chairs to go around.


    He made a mental note to ask Xiao De to check which palace she was staying at, as well as a run-down of her family background. Although she carried herself subserviently, she dared to voice her opinions to him directly, which might indicate that she''d either been put up to it by someone more powerful or she was disgruntled with her current station and wanted to rise higher.


    If it was the former, he wanted to know who she was affiliated with. If it was the latter, he wanted to assist her. Just like how the concubines of Yuanyin Palace had no spare time to cause Yan Zheyun trouble after Liu Yao sowed the seeds of internal discord amongst them. Yan Zheyun had hardly seen them after and surmised that he wouldn''t see them out and about today either.


    Stirring up the same trouble amongst the female concubines didn''t seem like the worst idea he could have.


    Of course, he kept these dastardly thoughts to himself. "This concubine just follows His Majesty''s arrangements," he said lightly. "If His Majesty asks me to attend to him, I attend to him. If His Majesty dismisses me for the day, I return to my own life until I am required again."


    Wu Yusi scoffed into her cup. "Lord Yue puts it so simply," she said, scathing despite her valiant attempt to conceal her spite. "Lord Yue has such a way with men, no wonder His Majesty is so willing to ''make arrangements'' for you. Even Prince Gong can''t complete a walk in the imperial gardens without being struck by Lord Yue''s¡­charms?"


    Yan Zheyun didn''t bother engaging her less than subtle jibe but someone else spoke up for him. The quiet girl reclining on the bannister of the pavilion in a quiet corner glanced up from her embroidery. He recognised her to be Talented Lady Zhao, the one whose interpretation of his poetry made him wish to sink into the cracks of the ground in sheer embarrassment.


    "Attendant Wu speaks carelessly," she said softly but firmly. "If Prince Gong were struck by Lord Yue''s charms, the fault lies with him for behaving improperly. Similarly, His Majesty chooses to favour Lord Yue and that is His Majesty''s decision, not Lord Yue''s."


    Wu Yusi rolled her eyes. "Even the virtuous Lady Zhao is speaking up for Lord Yue, what more can the rest of us say?" she mocked.


    Lady Zhao fell silent, clearly disinterested in arguing with her further.


    Taking this as a sign of victory, Wu Yusi became even bolder. She shot Yan Zheyun a smug look before inclining her chin towards the lush flower beds just below. "Does Lord Yue still remember how to appreciate flowers? Which ones are mudan and which ones are shaoyao (1), would Lord Yue require one of the maids to guide you in the viewing?"


    Even after so many months, Wu Yusi was unable to let go of his past, just had to insinuate that Yan Yun''s years as a slave had worn him so coarse that he had left all scholarly pursuits behind. There was a modicum of truth to this but it was also an underestimation of the calibre of the tutelage he had been subjected to when young. Even without Yan Zheyun''s painting lessons, where he''d had the study the differences between these flowers that were a common theme in the art, Yan Yun would have been able to tell them apart.


    His lips quirked. "Both mudan and shaoyao have been renowned for their beauty since ancient times with as much variety in shape and colour as there are stars." He folded his hands on his lap demurely. "The mudan has a thick brown stem with leaves that form long and thin teeth-like edges. The flowers are large, their lustrous petals folded one over another in dense layers arching over a golden centre and their faint fragrance is intoxicating."


    He stood up and walked up to the bannister for a closer look. A mild breeze stirred his hair and he tucked the strands behind his ear.


    "Shaoyao, on the other hand, have a pale green stem that is slender and smooth with a round curve to the edges of their pointed leaves. The flowers are large and colourful too but are distinguished by two varieties, one with petals like clouds and another curled shyly like a young maiden thinking of spring. The golden centre of a shaoyao is interspersed with hues of red and its smell is overwhelming and brings along with it a hint of sweetness."


    He clasped his hands behind his back, eyes forming little crescents as he shot Xiao De a playful look. "My manservant was just telling me that he was surprised the imperial gardens would only have shaoyao and no mudan, given that shaoyao has traditionally been inferior in the eyes of scholars. Did Attendant Wu mean to ask this concubine a trick question¡­or perhaps Attendant Wu hadn''t been very observant in your admiration of the flowers earlier?"


    Wu Yusi''s cheeks burned with shame. The loveliness of her willow-shaped eyes was marred by hatred.


    But Yan Zheyun wasn''t interested in letting her off the hook just like that. She had to learn to get as good as she gave.


    "Poets have long argued that the majestic mudan, in all its traditional glory, is deserving of the title ''king of flowers'' and far outweighs the lithe and graceful shaoyao, which has always been seen as less decorous." Yan Zheyun let out a wistful sigh. "At the end of the day, what does it matter?" He glanced over his shoulder at Wu Yusi. "Mudan or shaoyao, as long as His Majesty likes it, what''s to stop him from crowning one over the other?"


    Wu Yusi bristled. "Yan Yun! You''re so full of yourself that you dare to aspire to be crowned?!"


    She was referring to the phoenix headdress, of course.


    "Don''t put words into my mouth, Attendant Wu," was his casual reply. "Why have you started talking about inner palace politics again? This concubine was merely indulging your need to talk about flowers."


    Wu Yusi''s face turned a livid purple. Just as Yan Zheyun was expecting her to go the route of Attendant Zhang and throw a hissy fit that would incur her a punishment, Imperial Concubine Hui stepped in with a reproving frown at Wu Yusi.


    "Have you learnt nothing from the peach blossom gathering?" she chastised. "If you want to discuss the flowers with Lord Yue then discuss the flowers, but learn to do so civilly, you''re the legitimate daughter of the Wu Family!"


    To Yan Zheyun''s surprise, Wu Yusi deflated and settled back down in her seat with her head lowered remorsefully. "Niangniang is right to scold Yusi, Yusi will watch her words."


    "Apologise to Lord Yue for your insouciance."


    Wu Yusi''s lips flattened and her expression was so dark that Yan Zheyun suspected that if the fruit knife on the table were within her reach, he would be on the receiving end of it.


    But she obeyed Imperial Concubine Hui.


    "Yusi is sorry for offending Lord Yue."


    Yan Zheyun''s smile widened. "No offence taken, anytime Little Sister Wu would like to converse about the poetry of nature, this concubine would be more than happy to oblige."


    The experience had been a valuable one, after all. Without it, he would not have realised just how interesting a dynamic Wu Yusi and Imperial Concubine Hui shared. Was Wu Yusi so obedient towards Imperial Concubine Hui because she was living in the palace that Imperial Concubine Hui was in charge of or had they formed an alliance? What had Imperial Concubine Hui promised or threatened Liang Hui''s proud, spoilt little daughter with to secure her obedience?


    This was the problem with the harem. So many people were harmonious in appearance but remained estranged from each other at heart (2).


    Within the walls of the imperial city, nothing was more precious than genuineness.


    Imperial Concubine Hui turned to Yan Zheyun with a small furrow on her brow. "Little Brother Yue, even though LIttle Sister Wu''s words were brashly said, they were not without a small truth. If possible, you should avoid coming into contact with outsiders, both male and female." She looked tentatively at him. "This concubine knows that ordinarily, it would be up to Noble Consort Li or Dou to tell you this, but this big sister is worried for your well-being, surely you wouldn''t blame me for bringing this up?"


    Blame her? Not at all. Yan Zheyun was grateful that she''d given him the opportunity to ask about the missing noble consorts.


    "Yan Yun can''t thank Imperial Concubine Hui enough and will do well to heed Niangniang''s warning," he answered with wide-eyed sincerity before looking with curiosity. "Now that Niangniang has mentioned it, why haven''t Noble Consort Li or Noble Consort Dou come out to enjoy the beautiful weather? Yan Yun has been negligent in my morning greetings to either of them and was hoping for the opportunity to make up for it."


    "Noble Consort Li Niangniang hasn''t been well these days either," one of the other concubines whom Yan Zheyun couldn''t remember piped up, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Heli went to see Niangniang after assembly today but her chief maid said that she didn''t wish to have any visitors." This Heli, whatever her rank was, looked younger than the rest of them; Yan Zheyun wasn''t even sure if she was even 16-years-old yet. Suddenly, he was relieved for another reason that Liu Yao hadn''t touched any of his men or women. Even though Yan Zheyun knew that these were different times, he wasn''t sure he could stomach the idea.


    "Niangniang loves gathering with all us sisters whenever she can, she must be faring quite poorly." Heli''s words were met with a chorus of agreement.


    Faring quite poorly? Or sickened by her own guilty conscience? It was hard to say but if there was one person amongst the inner palace whose hands weren''t clean, she would be his first bet.


    He looked past the red pillars of the pavilion and out at the clear skies overhead. The candidates for the imperial examination should already be taking their seats in Weiyang Hall.


    Whatever Liu Yao needed to do there, Yan Zheyun would watch his back in the inner palace for him.

 Chapter 101 - A Test

    It was still night when Tang Yuqin began to queue for the checks leading into the capital''s examination hall. Clouds streaked over the dark sky like the fine lines of a brushstroke and in front of him loomed the tall lofty arch he''d dreamt about stepping past into ever since he''d successfully topped the first round of the prefecture examinations and had officially been granted the title of ''xiucai'' or ''scholar''.


    The other candidates around him were just as excited and the air was thrumming with an undercurrent of nervous energy but no one dared to converse under the stern watch of the administrators from the Department of Rites, whose arduous task was to keep the flow of the day smooth. His Majesty would be watching today, seated at the head of the hall and might be the only time that Tang Yuqin, as a mere commoner, would be able to be this close to the imperial presence.


    Just the thought of that made the blood in his veins quicken. Having made it to this final lap, all candidates of the spring administration would be granted a rank and accepted into the pool of officials. But there was a world of difference in the political career of the principal graduate and a candidate that only made it into the lowest band. If Tang Yuqin wanted to serve his country and his emperor well, he would have to do his very best later on.


    Ten years of studying by the cold window with no one asking for him, one day of honour and his name will be renowned throughout the lands (1).


    The queue moved, Tang Yuqin along with it. It was a long wait but he didn''t feel any impatience, an odd dissociation between the anticipation he felt and the tranquillity that he responded with making him stand out in the fidgeting crowd. One or two sharp-eyed administrators noted his unnatural calmness with interest; this was a man whose bearing was suited to court, a good sprout (2), so as to speak. Should he perform well this spring, his future would be bright, possibly much brighter than that last principal graduate from the Wu Family, whose reputation had taken a severe hit recently after the recurrent rumours of the unrest within his backyard.


    Judging from his robes, which were clean but simple, he was of a humble origin. During the late emperor''s reign, this would have been a strike against him, but everyone knew that Emperor Xuanjun was seeking to elevate a new group of officials from the populace.


    This year might really be this chap''s year.


    Tang Yuqin didn''t realise that he was already under observation by these alert low-ranking officials. His mind was focused instead on reciting the Four Books and Five Classics in his head, which he''d known by heart since a tender age. He wasn''t trying frantically to recall a line or to revise any of the debates he''d had with his teachers on a certain theme. Instead, this was just a light warm-up for him, going through the material with a confident ease that was as soothing to him as copying the scriptures were for others.


    The queue led into a side chamber, where candidates first had their identities verified. Tang Yuqin already had his provisional ticket ready, which he had kept locked up like it was his greatest treasure after obtaining it. This ticket, validated by an official red seal, was used to prevent a substitute from sitting for the examination in place of a candidate and included his name, seat position, as well as physical features, such as his height, his build, and a detailed description of his body, down to the small mole he hadn''t even known existed on the back of his right earlobe. This, in combination with the strict criteria for the referees that all candidates had to supply to prove their good standing, made it difficult to carry out an impersonation.


    Once this check was passed, all candidates regardless of background were asked to strip naked and unbind their hair. This was in accordance with the examination rules; in order to prevent cheating from occurring, every nook and cranny of a candidate''s body, as well as their stationery, would be thoroughly examined. The first time this had happened to Tang Yuqin in the prefecture examinations, he had been embarrassed but hadn''t fared as badly as some of the richer merchant sons that had been brought up with a silver spoon in the nearby towns.


    Propriety was a luxury good and Tang Yuqin''s family couldn''t afford for him to be too fussy about it.


    The checks today were shorter than the ones Tang Yuqin had undergone in the past because everyone had brought along little baggage. Unlike the prefecture and provincial examinations, the spring examinations in the capital were only one day long and as such, candidates did not have to bring along any daily necessities.


    He emerged on the other side, was led to a grand hall, and felt his heart soar as he took in the rows and rows of low tables that flanked a long carpet leading from the entrance to a dais. There was no one seated upon it yet but once all the candidates had entered and the examinations were ready to begin, only then would the emperor take his place to preside over them.


    Settling in comfortably, Tang Yuqin began sorting out his brushes and ink. When it came to his studies, he''d always had a good rein on his emotions but today he couldn''t stop his heart from soaring. The hopes of his family, all the years his relatives had toiled away in the fields under the hot sun to afford his fees at the local school, had boiled down to this moment.


    After living in the capital for a while, Tang Yuqin had learnt that the waters near the throne were murkier than he''d naively believed back when he was just a peasant boy with ideals that were too big for his straw shoes. But from the day he''d picked up the brush all those years ago, a brush that he now knew was of the roughest make but had cost his little siblings the chance to eat any meat that spring festival, Tang Yuqin knew that he''d no choice but to wet his sleeves in this pool.


    For the sake of his family and for the sake of the others like them who led such hard lives, he was determined to make a difference.


    Soon, it was time.


    The examination questions were handed out but no one opened them yet, waiting for the one person they had spent most of their lives hoping to meet. The eagerness that Tang Yuqin felt was overwhelming, such that when a figure finally approached the dais from a side chamber his heart nearly leapt into his throat.


    But quickly, he realised that something was wrong. And judging by the faint stirrings of unease around him, he wasn''t the only one.


    The young man who stood on the dais was dressed regally but didn''t wear the headdress with the twelve strings of beads that would denote his status as the Son of Heaven. More importantly, he didn''t have the aura that Tang Yuqin expected; though he carried himself in a stately manner and with great poise, he lacked the firmness and resolution that Tang Yuqin had detected in the emperor''s way of running things, which had rippled across the country in a wave that no one had expected.


    Five years ago, when Tang Yuqin had first heard of the emperor''s attempt to clamp down on corruption by investigating the officials outside of the capital, he''d known that becoming an official wasn''t going to just be a job to him, it was going to be his life''s work.


    True enough, the young man soon introduced himself as the fourth prince and whatever polite goodwill Tang Yuqin had felt for him initially dissipated right away.


    Tang Yuqin had the feeling that the emperor was worth pledging loyalty to. The fourth prince, despite his eloquence and charm, was not.


    "This prince welcomes everyone to the final round of the imperial examinations," the fourth prince said, sounding like he was making an opening speech at a frivolous banquet instead of officially announcing the start of what would be one of the most serious events in a candidate''s life. "Everyone present today is worthy of being called the pinnacle of talent in Great Ye and it is with much respect that this prince thanks you for striving to make it this far."


    His tone turned apologetic. "However, this prince regrets to inform everyone that due to unforeseen circumstances, His Majesty is unable to preside over today''s spring examinations and that this prince shall be stepping in to¡ª"


    Before the fourth prince could complete his sentence, before the disappointment towards the emperor could firmly take root in the hearts of the candidates, the door to the side chamber swung open again and a loud declaration from a high-pitched eunuch''s voice resounded to the rafters.


    "Announcing His Majesty!"


    The candidates had already been instructed on how to behave in this situation and there was no need, of course, for any of the administrators or examiners present to be told what to do. As such, the entire hall bowed in tandem as they responded to the emperor''s arrival with, "May my liege live for ten thousand years!" The only person who failed to react in time was the gobsmacked fourth prince, whose face had drained of blood.


    "Royal Brother," he said, backing away from the seat on the dais once the emperor walked up to it. "This brother-subject is pleased to see that you''re able to make it."


    The emperor''s eyes flickered to his face. "This sovereign is indebted to your care," was his calm reply. He said this casually, as though he was just making polite talk, but the forced facade of impeccability on the fourth prince''s face began to chip at its corners.


    "Since Royal Brother is here¡­"


    The emperor gazed over the crowd, his inscrutable eyes sweeping over the sea of candidates. They didn''t linger on anyone in particular but still, Tang Yuqin felt the pressure in the atmosphere begin to build up. So this was what it felt like to be surveyed by the most powerful man in the country. And to have to do this, perhaps have to step out from the crowd in morning court and have his full attention whilst presenting a report, was of such immense stress that not everyone could cope with it.


    Already, some candidates were green about the gills and this tension exacerbated when, without further ado, the emperor called for the examination to commence.


    Less than a snap of the fingers later, disbelieving gasps and sharp intakes of breath disrupted the silence. The administrators issued harsh warnings but in his seat, with his chin propped up on one hand, the emperor didn''t seem to mind the small commotion.


    Tang Yuqin heard a ringing in his ears. He could feel a slight tremble throughout his entire body as he reread the question on the page again and again, unable to believe what he was seeing.


    Unlike the previous examinations, which had candidates cooped up in cramped booths in terrible conditions for three sessions over nine days, the spring examinations were blessedly short and with an examination script that was set by the emperor himself. Based on His Majesty''s preferences, Tang Yuqin and his teacher had already predicted that the questions would have a more practical slant, focusing on policy, such as the management of floods, rather than theory-based.


    But no one saw this coming. There was only one question on the parchment and it read:


    [If it was discovered that members of the nobility had sought to tarnish the integrity of Great Ye''s imperial examination by releasing the examination questions beforehand to certain candidates, what stance should this sovereign take and what measures should be implemented?]

 Chapter 102 - Honesty Is The Best Policy

    The uneasy stirring amidst the candidates was too obvious and it was evident that its cause was the examination script.


    The administrators exchanged nervous glances with each other; had something gone wrong?


    But no one could say for sure. The ten examiners for this round, who had personally prepared and checked each script before sealing them away, were already locked up in a compound within the Hanlin Imperial Academy, where they were to spend the next ten days in seclusion until they were done marking the papers.


    No one else present should know the content of the scripts, apart from one.


    "What''s the matter?" Liu Yao called out as though he had no idea why there was so much unrest amidst the candidates in the hall.


    The Minister of Rites swallowed in nervousness. He had just taken a glance at the question and had gone weak at the knees.


    "I-In response to Your Majesty," he stammered out. "It''s nothing." In a louder voice, he tried to call out for order to return, reminding candidates to follow the rules of silence.


    Liu Yao hadn''t been expecting him to confess to anything on the spot. Whether it was Wu Shengqi or Liu Wei, he was certain they had already taken a peek at the original list of questions that he''d prepared for the examination, were likely to have been participants in its dissemination. This must have been the case last round too and even during the prefecture and provincial examinations. Why else would certain sons of nobles and officials, whose grades had been mediocre all their lives, suddenly show a marked performance improvement only during the examinations? If they were working harder than everyone else, then so be it, but the reports Liu Yao had received of them stated that if they weren''t toiling away in the perfumed boudoirs of the flower district, they were burning hours and money in the gambling dens that he hadn''t managed to eradicate.


    If Liu Yao hadn''t interfered, these ''promising young lads'' would be the ones he had to mint as newly employed officials at the end of spring.


    And now, Minister of Rites Wu had the cheek to tell him that ''it was nothing''.


    Liu Yao had underestimated the anger he harboured. It left a nearly suffocating pressure in his chest. He''d planned for this day for a long time now, ever since he''d held his first imperial examinations three years ago, only to discover to his dismay that despite his best attempts at ensuring that the examination was going to be a fair one, even after appointing his teacher as the head examiner, the power of the nobles was so deeply rooted in the system that he couldn''t free himself of their control.


    It was a vicious cycle. To seize power back, Liu Yao had to choose new officials whose allegiances would belong wholly to him. But to choose such new officials, Liu Yao had to seize power first, such that the nobles could not interfere in the examination process.


    From the Ministry of Personnel, to the Ministry of Rites, to the Imperial University, to his dear little brother himself. Liu Yao had no idea just how many people were working against the very peace that he sought to protect. This made him painfully aware that if he couldn''t topple the system, he would amount to little more than a puppet emperor. That was what they had done to his father, leeching him dry of all actual say in most matters of the state until he was merely a dry husk on top of the throne, a figurehead to be pandered to with sweet flattery, who was content with his lot in life as long as there was enough wine and beauties to go about.


    But to topple the system, Liu Yao had to build up his support base. He had his network, which was handed down from his ancestors, but by the time it had reached his hands, it was nothing but a shell of its former self, laziness and greed turning a dangerous tiger into a pampered house cat. Liu Yao had invested the time and effort into honing its claws once again, painstakingly supporting those who deserved to rise in the ranks whilst weeding out those who had forgotten what it meant to serve the empire and their liege.


    But even with their help, his journey had been excruciating. The old noble clans weren''t foolish; they knew that an emperor, however feeble, had his resources, let alone this young, prickly upstart with more ambition in one bone than the late emperor had in his entire body. Thus, they guarded their territories zealously, rooting out spies and concealing their traces with a caution that Liu Yao would have admired more if it hadn''t been directed against him. And even then, whatever little evidence Liu Yao''s men managed to obtain of his enemies'' misdoings, they could only present it to him under the table.


    Without a strong, united voice to back him up in court, even if he tried to use it to take them down, he would soon be met with a chorus of dissent that was voluminous to drown out any pleas for justice.


    These five years, and with only the left prime minister and his grand tutor firmly on his side, Liu Yao had had to demonstrate some makings of tyranny to get his way. Every time he''d jumped on a fault committed by one of the six old noble clans, who were at the heart of the rot of this dynasty, he''d seized it by the neck and refused to let go. Executions, demotions, the stripping of positions, Du Yi had warned him that he was pushing them too far, pressurising them too hard at a stage where he wasn''t ready to go up against them. But Liu Yao could feel the noose they dangled tightening around his throat each time he''d conceded to any of their demands.


    Du Yi was right, of course. Morning court had swiftly become like quicksand; the more Liu Yao struggled against his ministers, the faster they tried to circumvent any changes he tried to make. Du Yi and Left Prime Minister Zhao advocated a gentler route of tentative compromise, insidious in its own way, chipping slowly away at stubborn stone, piece by piece until it crumbled.


    But Liu Yao didn''t have the luxury, especially not after learning that Liu Wei might not be the best candidate for his successor after all. One alternative was a good-for-nothing, who spent all his time dabbling in art and music in the high-end brothels of the capital, sometimes even applying for permission to tour the southern cities, where the beauties were said to be made of water.


    The other was a little boy who had yet to see his ninth summer.


    Liu Yao didn''t want the throne but he wasn''t going to be his father. He didn''t shirk the responsibility that had landed upon him and had the intention to pave the road for whoever was walking behind him. But all these grand ideas that he had were far easier said than done. The very bastards that had sworn loyalty to their emperor, some of them to three generations of emperors, in fact, were the reason why he was met with resistance at every turn.


    At the end of the day, it didn''t matter that the dragon was a mightier creature than the teng she (1). Perhaps it could win a fight against five teng snakes, or even ten. But what about a hundred? A thousand?


    To believe that it could still win alone would be a dangerous arrogance. If it wanted to prevent its rightful place from being usurped, it had to put aside its pride.


    "Cao Mingbao, take notes." Liu Yao didn''t bother lowering his voice and it rang out clearly across the hall, a simple sentence that sealed certain fates.


    Cao Mingbao bowed and beckoned for the young eunuchs behind him to present him with a scroll and brush, already dipped in ink and ready for his use. Evidently, they had come prepared.


    Beneath the dais, under the unnerving stare of the man who was above all, the candidates trembled, especially those who harboured nefarious intentions. The emperor hadn''t announced what sort of notes he''d commanded his head eunuch to record. It could very well be just a record of the day. But their guilty conscience, coupled with the shocking question on the examination script, made fear blossom in the dirty depths of their souls.


    To cheat during the imperial examination, to form factions within the court¡­they were both transgressions. If the emperor wanted, he could pick it up and put it down lightly. But conversely, if he so wished, these could be blown up into serious crimes that could result in the death of one''s nine degrees of kindred (2).


    It would be inhumane, of course, but hadn''t there been all those stories about His Majesty''s reputation for being harsh?


    Liu Yao watched and didn''t miss the changes in their expressions. Every shudder, every panicked, terrified white-lipped face didn''t escape his gaze.


    Those who were thieves were afraid of being found out (3).


    Cao Mingbao was astute too; Liu Yao didn''t have to point the suspicious ones out to his head eunuch for him to deploy the small team of red-uniformed men to approach these candidates. The names on the scripts were already sealed to prevent examiners who read it later from recognising its owner and becoming biased towards or against them. But that wasn''t a problem. With utmost politeness, these members of the brocade guard requested to see the candidate''s provisional ticket.


    Some of these candidates definitely had something wrong with them but others would be innocent. Either way, Liu Yao wasn''t stopping them from completing the examination now. If they were guilty, then it didn''t matter how good an answer they managed to present. Once his brocade guard investigated their backgrounds and found an issue, he would not be using them.


    On the other hand, if they were innocent but couldn''t handle the pressure of the situation and produced a bad result, then they didn''t have the mettle required to stand up against intimidating enemies in court either and Liu Yao wouldn''t dare to use them.


    The candidates who had remained mostly unshaken by the development of these events were the ones Liu Yao looked to in search of a new future for his kingdom. His eyes landed on a figure in light grey robes, tucked away in a quiet corner of the hall. Coincidentally, he was surrounded by candidates from a more affluent background; they were all dressed in muted colours, but in the dim glow of the lights that hung overhead, his was the only set of attire that did not have a shiny sheen to it. Silk was the preferred material of the rich, perfect for spring as it could keep its wearer both warm and cool depending.


    And yet, it was this dullness of his clothes that caught Liu Yao''s attention first, followed quickly by his self-assured posture and the confidence with which he wielded his brush. As everyone present knew, the beauty of a candidate''s calligraphy was very important; anyone too nervous to keep their hand steady whilst writing would be severely penalised. This, too, was part of the test.


    "Royal Brother, has this subject-brother''s organisation failed to meet your standards?" On Liu Yao''s left stood Liu Wei, who had been fidgeting on the spot since the start of the examination.


    Liu Yao didn''t deign to look at him. "If you have done everything within your capacity, why are you worried now?" was his offhand reply but instead of ameliorating Liu Wei''s unease, Liu Yao could sense that the tension in his fourth brother had heightened, his thin frame in its elaborate Prince of the First Rank robes going rigid.


    Liu Yao''s network had kept him informed of Liu Wei''s doings, although Liu Yao didn''t have to rely on them to tell him that this little brother of his hadn''t learnt that much of a lesson after the last time Liu Yao had subtly reprimanded him for his behaviour at Compiler Wu''s wedding.


    Liu Yao had granted the role of chief investigator to Liu Wei both as a chance for him to train and to socialise with the new generation of officials. Back when he''d accepted that Liu Wei was his best bet for an heir, he''d intended to groom him for the position. Liu Yao wasn''t much older than Liu Wei but a mere four years still lent him an advantage. He''d wanted to help Liu Wei gather allies in court, uproot the civil war within his court, and make peace at the uneasy borders, before handing a strong empire over to his brother and retiring into the mountains to mourn.


    His plans had changed a lot in recent times and those included the ones he had for Liu Wei. Perhaps an emperor''s heart truly was fickle but making Liu Wei chief investigator was a double-edged sword for the both of them. Liu Yao could be raising a traitor, he was well aware of this fact now. But for Liu Wei, this was as much an opportunity to gain followers as it was a test of his loyalties.


    A test that he had failed spectacularly.


    Earlier that morning, whilst Yan Yun had still been fast asleep in Liu Yao''s arms, Head Eunuch Cao had returned with the results of the investigation into Meihong. His eyes and ears, which lurked in the depths of his imperial city and extended its shadowy reach down the throats and deep into the bowels of his officials'' households to see what was hiding inside, had been efficient as always. The little eunuch who had been in contact with Meihong, the one who worked in the imperial buttery, was in charge of the supply of meats to the kitchen, sourced directly from the imperial hunting grounds.


    No one but this little eunuch knew what else had been sneaked in past the imperial city''s tall walls in the bellies of these slaughtered animals.


    The mere thought of having that burnt in his study, in his bedroom, the soot leaving a nearly invisible coat of filth over his belongings, incensed Liu Yao. But not as much as learning that the little eunuch''s contact in the imperial hunting grounds was an old retired soldier, one of a batch from the southwestern army that he had taken pity on and personally granted recognition for their service by allowing them to retire with a comfortable sum and easier jobs in or around the capital.


    The southwestern army. The imperial hunting grounds. The former was linked to the Southwestern King, the warlord in charge of the safety of those borderlands, and General Guo. The latter was linked to Grand Protector Li.


    All three of them were meant to be protecting the realm and the imperial family. Yet, they had now become Liu Yao''s greatest suspects.


    "You seem like you have something you''d like to ask this sovereign."


    Since Liu Wei was hesitating like a coward, Liu Yao would just have to speak up for him.


    Forced to converse by a direct address from the emperor, Liu Wei had no choice but to engage. "This subject-brother can sense that Royal Brother is not in a good mood¡­perhaps it is because Royal Brother is still recovering?" He spoke barely above a whisper, still had enough good sense not to announce the emperor''s health status for all to hear. "Would Royal Brother like to take a rest in the side chamber? This subject-brother will provide you with updates¡ª"


    "Liu Wei." It was the second time today that Liu Yao had addressed his little brother by name. He wanted to remind him of who he was and what he stood for. That they shared the same surname and bloodline. "This sovereign has received evidence that certain candidates today have, prior to this examination, received a copy of the original examination script."


    Liu Wei went pale and proceeded to drop into a low bow, his movements capturing the attention of the candidates, who were already high-strung from the unusual turn the proceedings had taken.


    "This subject-brother begs Royal Brother to proceed with a fair investigation! This subject-brother does not know who has set out to frame me and turn Royal Brother against me, but¡ª"


    "Don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions," Liu Yao interrupted Liu Wei''s impassioned speech. He lifted his head to meet Cao Mingbao''s eyes and received a slight bow in return.


    Cao Mingbao tucked his whisk and horsetail whisk under an arm before clapping his hands together twice, sharply.


    The brocade guard, who had been returned to line the walls in a militant fashion after retrieving the names of the candidates who had roused Liu Yao''s suspicions, broke out of rank and file to approach a candidate each. They stood by them and pulled out a roll of parchment from their sleeves, leaning down and disregarding the frightened men as they compared the handwriting.


    Upon the dais, Liu Wei''s expression had turned ugly as Liu Yao explained to him just what was going on.


    "Isn''t it uncanny, how this sovereign''s examination script, which had taken this sovereign months to decide on, should so conveniently match the questions these candidates had chosen to practice on in their homes?"


    Already, four or five candidates had been hauled out of their seats and dragged away for further interrogation by the brocade guard but Liu Yao was certain that there was more. Not everyone was enough of an idiot to leave written evidence of their cheating lying around for nosy ''servants'' to poke their noses into, after all. But the few that he had caught would be sufficient for him to make a big fuss of this in court, not the mention the others who might have blown their cover in front of him today by displaying an unnatural amount of fear.


    "This could just be a coincidence, Royal Brother," Liu Wei said but there was a lack of conviction in his tone. "This subject-brother assures you that utmost care was given in ensuring that the content of the script was protected, perhaps these students were just industrious enough that they checked what matters of state Royal Brother was most concerned with and chose practice questions that fitted the bill¡­?"


    "Perhaps," Liu Yao said lightly. "Or perhaps not." He turned to meet Liu Wei''s eyes, noting with satisfaction the mounting horror that his little brother tried so hard but failed to suppress. "This sovereign isn''t accusing anyone yet, is just taking precautions to ensure that the integrity of today''s examination isn''t compromised." He waved an expansive arm at the rest of the hall. "For every individual that attempted to cheat today, there are many other honest ones who deserve to have their hard work respected, is this sovereign right?"


    What could Liu Wei say to that?


    "Of course, Royal Brother," he gritted out.


    Liu Yao''s smile was gratified. "This sovereign is relieved that his fourth royal brother is so sensible and trusts that you were not involved in anything untoward," he remarked calmly. "Still, although it pains this sovereign to say so, as Chief Organiser, it is inevitable that you would be implicated. To ensure that your name is cleared as soon as possible, this sovereign shall personally oversee the investigation of this matter."


    His ministers helped their sons and students to cheat, his little brother sought to absorb all the poor candidates with no backing into his camp.


    Liu Wei wanted evidence? Liu Yao was more than happy to oblige, he just needed the excuse to do so.


    And today had granted him one.


    He patted Liu Wei on the shoulder.. "Until this sovereign is satisfied that your honour and the imperial family''s reputation has been preserved, this sovereign must trouble you to return to your manor and wait for further news."

 Chapter 103 - As Luck Would Have It

    "Did you hear? His Majesty has removed the fourth prince from his duties in morning court temporarily whilst the investigation of the cheating incident concerning the spring examinations are ongoing."


    Yan Zheyun didn''t look up from the tiles in front of him. He clicked together a sequence of ''two bamboo'', ''three bamboo'', and ''four bamboo'', and threw a glance at the table to calculate the odds of obtaining the green ''Fa'' tile (1).


    "Be careful what you speak about, Lord Chen," he murmured.


    Lord Chen shot him a disgruntled look but shrank into his seat. Even though he was of a higher rank than Yan Zheyun, in the past couple of weeks, it had become evident just how dearly the emperor held Lord Yue in his heart; if Lord Yue were even permitted to return to Yuyang Palace in the day, the phoenix spring carriage would show up without fail by nightfall to ferry him back to the emperor''s palace.


    As such, even Lord Chen, who had problems controlling his bitchy mouth, knew better than to take his little squabbling with¡ªalthough it was more like squabbling at, given how little Yan Zheyun paid him any mind¡ªLord Yue too far. Over the weeks, the power dynamic in Yuyang Palace had gradually shifted and when Gracious Consort Yao was not present to manage them, it was the lower-ranked Lord Yue who actually took precedence.


    Lord Chen''s mouth pulled into a long pout. "This concubine wasn''t the first to bring it up," he muttered. "The entire inner palace is talking about it."


    On Yan Zheyun''s right, Hua Zhixuan''s smile was placating as he patted Lord Chen on the arm. "Brother Yan is just being concerned for you, Brother Chen," he said. "This is a sensitive matter and the less we involve ourselves with it, the better." He had the gift of a friendly, unassuming demeanour, which, if he weren''t so often Yan Zheyun''s collateral damage, made him impossible to dislike. Coupled together with how fragile he still looked whilst remaining on the cusp of full recovery and no one in Yuyang Palace would treat him as anything less than a precious treasure at the moment. Hence, Lord Chen''s spectacular sulk didn''t quite lift but he didn''t push Hua Zhixuan''s hand away either.


    "This concubine doesn''t want to get involved," he argued halfheartedly. "This concubine was just thinking, now that His Majesty is defending the rights of the poor scholars to a fair examination system, wouldn''t they be very grateful to him?" A frisson of worry passed over his face. "Things feel like they''re about to change¡­"


    Yan Zheyun could understand Lord Chen''s preoccupation with this subject. Although he constantly portrayed himself as a spoiled young master, at the end of the day, he was just like most of the other concubines in the inner palace, with a large family behind them that he shared a mutual reliance with. The Chen Family, Yan Zheyund didn''t know much about. They weren''t one of the old noble clans but for Lord Chen to enter the harem and make it to his current position, they must hold relative influence in morning court. Yan Zheyun wondered just how important they were and where their allegiances lay.


    As for his concerns, they were valid, of course. Unlike Lord Chen and everyone else, who had only been able to receive piecemeal information on the cheating investigation, Yan Zheyun had front-row seats. He knew that after the spring examination had concluded a couple of days ago, the grateful candidates from humble backgrounds had congregated on Zhuque Street (2), the main road that stretched kilometres from the main gates of the capital to the entrance of the imperial city. They had kowtowed before the crimson walls that separated them from their liege, in a show of thanks that had lasted for hours and would be written into the historical records.


    Yan Zheyun also knew that this wasn''t the only way Liu Yao had benefited from this incident. He''d been by Liu Yao''s side as people like Head Eunuch Cao, Xi Momo, and on one memorable occasion, Gracious Consort Yao, or should he say, Chief of the Brocade Guard Yao Siya, had submitted their reports to him on the investigation. He knew that Meihong, the little eunuch from the imperial buttery, and the old retired soldier from the imperial hunting grounds were now in the hands of the Eastern Depot, with permission to elicit information through any means necessary. He also knew that many influential households, in the most prestigious residential district of this capital, were in an uproar because the most unremarkable of their servants had suddenly stepped up to turn against them, running out into the streets to declare that their masters were involved in bribing some of the organisers of the imperial examinations for the questions and that some of them had even been involved in assisting their young masters to cheat and wanted to turn themselves in.


    Ordinarily, a slave that betrayed and disgraced their household like that would be swiftly put to death. However, the brocade guard, on orders of the emperor, quickly stepped in to secure their safety, escorting them back for interrogation whilst their helpless masters could only look on in horror.


    So Lord Chen had a point. Things were about to change. But Yan Zheyun wasn''t going to be the one to reveal this. Perhaps Lord Chen was asking out of fear for his family or perhaps he had been put to the task. But he was going to be disappointed if he hoped to get more information out of Yan Zheyun, who really just wanted to play mahjong today. It had been a pleasant surprise to discover that this favourite of his family''s, which had only been invented in the 1800s, was already the latest craze in the Ye Dynasty. Some of the rules were a little different but Yan Zheyun had taken to this version of the game like a fish to water.


    This concubine was just shocked by how big the issue blew up¡­"


    Yan Zheyun arched an eyebrow whilst scrutinising his hand. Was someone holding onto his green ''Fa'' tile? If so, they should be letting go of it very soon¡­


    "My manservant overheard some eunuchs from the Department of Maintenance saying that Empress Dowager Niangniang sought out His Majesty yesterday in Tianlu Pavilion and that they''d argued¡­?" He moved to place a tile into the centre of the table, studying Yan Zheyun''s face in that hopes of gleaning from it whether the news was true or false.


    "Peng!" (3) Yan Zheyun ignored Lord Chen''s curiosity in favour of taking his long-awaited ''Fa'' tile from his slack fingers. "Thank you for the meal once more." Lord Chen had the misfortune to ''feed'' him regularly in this game and this little goading riled Lord Chen up enough to distract him from his previous topic of interest.


    Sure enough, Lord Chen bristled as he examined his tiles and the centre pile frantically, gaze darting back and forth as he tried his best to guess what sort of hand the irritating Lord Yue was building.


    "Mahjong is so much less fun with three than four," he grumbled, mostly because if there were four of them, Gracious Consort Yao would take the spot between Lord Yue and him, keeping them separate and most importantly, blocking him from directly feeding Lord Yue most of the time with the ''chi'' move (4) that allowed players to build sequences from taking a tile from the opponent before them.


    "Oh? Yan Yun finds it rather enjoyable regardless," was Yan Zheyun''s calm reply. "But perhaps it''s just the act of winning that makes it so very fun."


    Lord Chen''s temper exploded and had to be reined in with Hua Zhixuan''s very deft soothing.


    "Brother Chen¡­ Brother Chen! Let''s calm down, you won two rounds ago, didn''t you?" Hua Zhixuan said with a winsome smile, pointedly not bringing up the fact that the remaining eleven rounds or so were split evenly between Brother Yan and him. "Life is all about winning some and losing some, let''s not take it to heart!"


    "I''m not the one being annoying about it," Lord Chen gritted out, so frustrated by Yan Zheyun''s flippancy that he forgot to refer to himself with the formal self-address he took so much pride in. "Just because he has His Majesty''s favour¡­"


    "Yan Yun assures you, being good or bad at mahjong has nothing to do with His Majesty''s favour." And everything to do with mathematical aptitude, which Lord Chen had already demonstrated he had none.


    This casual bickering, which was monumentally aggravating on Lord Chen''s part but all in a day''s work for Yan Zheyun, might have blown up irreparably if it weren''t for the sudden arrival of a familiar face from Qianqing Palace.


    It was Deputy Eunuch Zheng, who had taken over most of Head Eunuch Cao''s usual duties due to Head Eunuch Cao being needed elsewhere. Yan Zheyun had seen him around Qianqing Palace a lot in recent times and he always had a respectful smile ready to welcome Yan Zheyun with, so it was rare to see him this solemn.


    Straightaway, Yan Zheyun raised his guard.


    "This servant greets Lord of Bright Deportment Chen, Lord of Handsome Fairness Yue, and Talented Lord Hua," Deputy Eunuch Zheng said with a polite bow. He raised his eyes to meet Yan Zheyun''s impassive ones politely. "Lord Yue, His Majesty and Noble Consort Li request your presence in Tianlu Pavilion."


    He didn''t need to add Noble Consort Li''s name to the list. He was trying to give Yan Zheyun ample warning.


    "This concubine thanks Zheng Gonggong for his troubles," Yan Zheyun said, before rising to his feet. It so happened to be his turn this around and he made a grab for the last tile he would have time to play, a small smile breaking out when he saw the ''eight bamboo'' he was holding.


    "Hu," he said before walking out and leaving Lord Chen and Hua Zhixuan to discover the ''lv yi se'' (5) winning hand he had concealed.


    Hopefully, he hadn''t used all his luck self-picking that winning tile.


    "Does Zheng Gonggong have any idea what His Majesty might wish to see this concubine for?" The walk to Tianlu Pavilion was particularly scenic at this time of the year but although Yan Zheyun''s tone was casual, although he looked here and there as though he was admiring the flowering trees, neither of them was fooled by his semblance of ease.


    Deputy Eunuch Zheng, who had long since demonstrated an eagerness to affiliate himself with Yan Zheyun, naturally would use this opportunity to earn even more of Yan Zheyun''s trust. Yan Zheyun was used to the way things worked in the inner palace by now, understood the tenuous alliances that the concubines often formed with the servants, a two-way crutch used to prop each other up in a world that sought very hard to tear them down. The eunuchs and maids that served the emperor directly were considered hot commodities. Yan Zheyun had no intention of buying Deputy Eunuch Zheng over to spy on Liu Yao but there was no harm in coming to a bit of an agreement to watch out for each other.


    "This servant is fearful to speak too much on the subject," Deputy Eunuch Zheng murmured, voice so soft that it would be out of earshot of the younger eunuchs that made up their entourage behind. "The only thing this servant would like to ask is, does Lord Yue know where your personal servants are today?"


    Yan Zheyun frowned. "This concubine sent Xiao De to fulfil a couple of tasks earlier on"¡ªin actuality, he''d sent Xiao De to his godfather to see if there were any updates on what was wrong with the original bracelet Noble Consort Li had gifted to him¡ª"and as for Qiu Ji, he assisted me with my attire this morning and then this concubine left him in my house to complete some chores." He turned to regard Deputy Eunuch Zheng. "Have either of them caused any trouble?"


    Deputy Eunuch Zheng returned the look with a meaningful stare. "Lord Yue will see in a while," he said.. "But this servant begs Lord Yue to be prepared and to keep your wits about you, not every flower in the imperial gardens blooms well, just like how not every manservant in the inner palace is loyal."

 Chapter 104 - Accusations

    TW: Violence


    As they approached Tianlu Pavilion, screams filled the air, destroying the sanctity of the emperor''s study. They were accompanied by a rhythmic dull thumping noise, paired together ironically in perfect harmony but still discordant in Yan Zheyun''s ears because he could guess at what was orchestrating the sounds.


    Yan Zheyun paused just outside the moon gate. The garden of Tianlu Pavilion was one of the neatest in the imperial city, with a small clearing just beyond the lotus ponds and the white marble bridge that led up to the main entrance. He had a clear view of the entire courtyard now and this clearing, which was usually unoccupied but for the occasional servant that was sweeping leaves, was now full of people.


    Precisely, it was full of eunuchs, who, from the threatening way they loomed over the bench that had been placed in the middle of the clearing, were probably from the Department of Careful Punishment. This suspicion was heightened by the figure that was strapped down to the top of the bench, flat on his stomach, with his trousers pulled down. He was the source of the raw screams, scraping against Yan Zheyun''s ears and leaving a shrill ringing behind.


    There was good reason for all this anguish. Two eunuchs flanking the figure held long sticks in their arms, which they wielded with unrelenting strength, taking turns to land blows upon the exposed skin. Or at least, that was what Yan Zheyun was presumably looking at. He couldn''t tell because there was so much blood, both on the figure''s body itself as well as dripping onto the floor, flying off the sticks in little flecks that should be too small for Yan Zheyun to see and yet still seared into his eyes.


    [Humans really are complex creatures,] he thought with a self-deprecating wry. He''d committed murder before, going overboard in self-defence, perhaps, but he''d had his hands stained with that same rust red once. And yet, here he was, emptying his breakfast into the nearest bush and wondering vaguely whether soiling one of the many workplaces of the emperor with his vomit would be considered a punishable offence in the inner palace.


    "Lord Yue!" A frantic hand reached out to steady Yan Zheyun, another coming up to pat him on the back. Deputy Eunuch Zheng might mean well but his outcry caught the attention of the others present, namely those standing right at the front of the scene, including a tall silhouette in black and gold, which Yan Zheyun would recognise a mile away.


    Yan Zheyun''s felt his blood run cold as they looked up in tandem at him. Through watery eyes, he could see Noble Consort Li''s colourful robes as she stood on Liu Yao''s right, carrying herself authoritatively as though that was where she was meant to be.


    On Liu Yao''s left was Fu Minde, whose frown was so deep that his eyes were half-hooded by his heavy brows.


    "Lord Yue, are you all right?"


    Yan Zheyun waved Deputy Eunuch Zheng off. "I''m fine," he murmured. He had to be. There was no choice. As a modern man, the idea of corporal punishment, especially on such a scale, was horrific. That the sight of it would repulse him was not unusual. But to everyone else present, who had no clue that Yan Zheyun''s stomach would be more sensitive than theirs, might read things differently. That they might even, god forbid, think that he might be reacting like this out of guilt.


    Noble Consort Li certainly thought so. Her voice called out to him over the commotion.


    "What''s the matter, Lord Yue? Why are you loitering at the entrance when¡ª"


    She cut herself off abruptly when Liu Yao turned to look at her. He didn''t say anything but he didn''t have to, the ominous aura radiating off of him more than sufficient to cow everyone in the clearing.


    When he met Yan Zheyun''s eyes, some of his anger dissipated. He held his hand out, the same way he always did whenever he beckoned, his palms turned upwards, long, elegant fingers extended in invitation.


    "Yan Yun, come here."


    Those familiar words were reassuring. Yan Zheyun felt his heart settle back into his chest. Although Liu Yao''s expression was as inscrutable as ever, although his gentleness right now could very well be a honey trap, Yan Zheyun was going to believe in the trust that they were only starting to learn to share.


    He pulled out a handkerchief from the folds of his robes, dabbed at his lips to ensure that he was presentable, before walking over.


    Liu Yao had issued a command to halt the beating and the screams in the air were replaced by a quiet whimpering. As he passed the figure on the bench, it turned its head to face him and he recognised who it was immediately.


    His eyes widened even though he didn''t feel that much surprise inside. If it were Xiao De that they had been punishing, Yan Zheyun was certain Liu Suzhi would have interfered by now or at least shown up to cause a fuss. But Qiu Ji didn''t have a backer to support him¡­or did he?


    Perhaps, his backer was the reason why he was here in the first place.


    Qiu Ji''s face was blotchy and his bloodshot eyes brightened with keen desperation when he caught sight of Yan Zheyun. Red froth bubbled from his lips as gasped out, "Little Master! Please save this servant!"


    Yan Zheyun''s mouth tightened. He''d known that he was walking straight into another trap, that it might involve this young boy who had attended to him daily for the past month or so. He''d been wary of Qiu Ji but at the same time, hadn''t wanted to second-guess him, had hoped that Qiu Ji would prove him wrong because even though he''d told himself time and again to harden his heart against the enemies that he would face in this world, not all of them made it easy for him. The likes of the scumbag gongs and selfish horrible people like Wu Shengqi or his would-be rapist Liang Ming, he had no problems exacting revenge against.


    But he had a harder time pretending that he would be able to look on with indifference if it were someone like Qiu Ji in the equation. No matter how many times he''d steeled himself for this eventuality, he was aware that Qiu Ji might not be all that different from Xiao Ma.


    "Your hands are cold," Liu Yao murmured when he took Yan Zheyun''s in his own and pulled him to stand close to his side, Fu Minde wisely making way for him.


    Yan Zheyun shook his head and gave a wan smile. "Yan Yun doesn''t like such violence," was all he said, even though he felt like his explanation was unnecessary. Out of the stories and legends, how many generals on the battlefield enjoyed being submerged in a bloodbath and surrounded by the corpses of both their enemies and their men? When given a choice, most sane people would know to pick peace.


    Noble Consort Li''s expression twisted. "Your Majesty," she said, stepping forward such that she was right in front of Liu Yao, in a bid to call his attention back. Yan Zheyun noticed what she was doing and tightened his hold on Liu Yao''s hand in a show of insecurity. It wasn''t entirely an act. Liu Yao was his best bet out of whatever she had planned for him and he didn''t know whether he could rely on him yet. Yan Zheyun was feeling insecure as hell.


    Liu Yao nodded at her. "Noble Consort requested for Yan Yun to be present for the rest of the interrogation. Now that he''s here, proceed with what you intended."


    "As Your Majesty commands." She shot a lofty look over at Fu Minde. "Perhaps Imperial Physician Fu would like to explain to Lord Yue his relevance in all this?" Her brows, drawn into a delicate arch, gave her a pointed, aggressive look, which was at odds with the benevolent demeanour she preferred to portray herself with.


    This was her tearing off her mask to deal with him? Yan Zheyun was almost flattered.


    Fu Minde bowed, a complicated look passing over his face. "In response to Noble Consort Niangniang, earlier this morning, the guards supervising the medicine stores in the imperial medical bureau caught an intruder attempting to steal black fragrance. As the perpetrator is a eunuch, which falls under the jurisdiction of the inner palace and the phoenix seal, this subject reported the matter to Head Eunuch Cao, Supervisor Liu, and of course, Niangniang yourself."


    Noble Consort Li''s rouged lips pressed into in a thin line. "When this consort received word of the incident, this consort was shocked to discover that this matter was related to His Majesty''s health and commenced investigations immediately to ensure that those involved would not have any chance to escape." She shot Yan Zheyun a cold glance. "But to my horror, after the perpetrator was brought to me and interrogated, he confessed that he was not only a personal manservant to Lord Yue, but also operating on Lord Yue''s orders!"


    Yan Zheyun just looked at her.


    "That''s it?" he said, when it became evident that she was done with her piece, the extent of her dramatics being to point a trembling finger¡ªlacquered nail and all¡ªat him in accusation. "Noble Consort Li is relying on just a simple statement from this concubine''s servant to pin the blame on this concubine?"


    He gazed up at Liu Yao. "Does this mean, Your Majesty, that if this servant bribed Noble Consort Li''s maid with all the fine treasures that you bestowed upon me, to say that Noble Consort Li has a secret lover outside of the palace, this would become true as well?"


    Noble Consort Li''s face turned a remarkable shade. "How dare you false accuse this consort of something that is blatantly untrue!" she shouted, before lowering her voice into a helpless pleading as she implored the emperor to ''see some sense''. "Your Majesty, Lord Yue has already said that he would be amendable to bribing this consort''s servants, his character is sharply called into question! Now that he knows that his malicious ploy against Your Majesty is about to fail, he is willing to scapegoat his subordinate to cover his tracks!"


    Her words seemed to aggravate Qiu Ji, who started struggling against his bonds on the bench. More blood leaked out of his wounds to spill onto the ground and Yan Zheyun averted his eyes from his pathetic writhing, both the metallic stench and the gory sight bringing bile up to this throat. This wasn''t the same as watching action movies, where everything ''brought to life'' in 4K HD was still ultimately a picture on a screen. This was real and this was too much for him.


    A hand pressed against the small of his back to steady him.


    Qiu Ji''s voice was wretched as he cried hoarsely for Yan Zheyun. He was a far cry from the meek young teen who had peered shyly at Yan Zheyun from the entrance to Yan Zheyun''s bedchambers, a bronze basin filled with warm clean water tucked under one arm as he asked for permission to enter and assist Xiao De in getting their little master ready for the day.


    "Little Master, please save Qiu Ji, Little Master, Qiu Ji was just doing what you told me to, please¡ª"


    Liu Yao''s interjection was like a sharp blade, slicing through Qiu Ji''s pitiful pleas with a merciless finality. "You say you received instructions. What were they exactly? Tell us without leaving out any detail." When he looked down upon Qiu Ji, his gaze was flat and disinterested, like he was staring at an already dead man. Yan Zheyun knew then and there that this beating was by Liu Yao''s orders. Of course. No one else would have the right to stain the stone floors of this particular courtyard without his permission.


    But if even after such torture, Qiu Ji was still pinning the blame on Yan Zheyun¡­


    He bit his lip. Would Liu Yao side with him against reason? Or would he be forced to capitulate to the so-called evidence at hand and pursue the issue further, thus allowing Noble Consort Li to continue with her show?


    Qiu Ji''s words shook with the effort it took for him to force them out. "Little Master." Resignation dulled his tone. "You said that your master was angry that your plans were ruined, that you needed a large quantity of black fragrance to¡ªto poison His Majesty yourself." He squeezed his eyes shut. "Qiu Ji committed a crime for Little Master''s sake, would Little Master not save Qiu Ji after all that he''s done for you?"


    "If by all that you''ve done for me," was Yan Zheyun''s reply, "is to lie to me and lie about me, then no, Little Master will not save Qiu Ji." He spoke calmly but he knew Liu Yao could detect the faint tremor that coursed through his body. This wasn''t the result of fear, this was the product of an icy rage that numbed him from inside out. It wasn''t directed at Qiu Ji, not entirely, the ones who deserved to be on its end were the bastards who had no qualms using the lives of those less privileged than them as mere chess pieces to be discarded as and when it suited them.


    Qiu Ji shook his head. "Little Master," he said despairingly. "Give it up, how long can you hide the truth from His Majesty?" As though the thought suddenly occurred to him, he started yelling for Liu Yao frantically instead. "Your Majesty, please spare this humble servant, this servant was forced to obey Lord Yue, this servant has evidence! The bracelet! His bracelet! Lord Yue hid the black fragrance in the bracelet Noble Consort Li¡ªhe wanted to frame her after poisoning Your Majesty!"


    Yan Zheyun guessed there was no need to ask Liu Suzhi to figure out what was wrong with the bracelet anymore. He could only thank himself for being prepared, that his careful guarding against Qiu Ji meant that Noble Consort Li still didn''t know that there was more than one copy of the bracelet in existence.


    He fell to his knees in front of Liu Yao and was adamant against Liu Yao''s attempts to haul him back up.


    "Your Majesty," he said quietly. "Yan Yun''s conscience is clear, Yan Yun did none of what he has been accused of." He turned to look at Noble Consort Li. "Yan Yun''s bracelet came from Noble Consort Li. In which case, Yan Yun would like to know, shouldn''t Noble Consort Li be of suspicion too?"


    And he had an inkling that Liu Yao already knew that she was responsible for this, just like how Liu Yao had mentioned her grandfather more than once in the long conversations he''d had with his network in the dead of the night.


    Much harder, however, was to pin it on those who truly were responsible.


    A harsh glint flashed in Noble Consort Li''s eyes. "Your personal manservant has already confessed that you had the intention to frame this consort for your own misdeeds! Lord Yue, you really are pernicious, has His Majesty not treated you well? Is this how you repay¡ª"


    "Enough."


    Liu Yao picked up Yan Zheyun''s slender wrist, sliding the bracelet off gently. He didn''t look at Yan Zheyun but the thumb stroking over Yan Zheyun''s knuckles was soothing.


    Surely the emperor wouldn''t go to such lengths to keep up the pretence of favouring him if he didn''t believe in his innocence?


    Liu Yao beckoned for Head Eunuch Cao to come over.


    "Summon the best craftsmen from the Department of Paraphernalia (1), if anyone would be able to discover a supposed secret compartment to this bracelet, it would be them."


    Head Eunuch Cao bowed and rushed off.


    Liu Yao tugged on Yan Zheyun''s arm, more insistently this time, until Yan Zheyun had no choice but to rise to his feet.


    "Is Yan Yun scared?" he asked.


    "No," Yan Zheyun replied, meeting his gaze full-on.. "Yan Yun has nothing to hide."

 Chapter 105 - Turning Tables

    Yan Zheyun wasn''t sure how long they waited for the craftsmen to examine the bracelet. The servants of Tianlu Pavilion had carried chairs out, laying them in front of the entrance in a row so that the emperor and the members of his inner palace who were present would not have to exhaust themselves waiting.


    Privately, Yan Zheyun felt like everyone should be entitled to a seat. Time did drag on, after all, his nerves tangling and untangling themselves into intricate love knots (1) as he waited for a verdict. He knew that there was nothing wrong with the bracelet on his wrist¡ªdiscounting the possibility of Liu Suzhi sabotaging him, but he had no reason to do that, not when it would implicate Xiao De too¡ªbut time spent in this world has conditioned him to understand that what could go wrong would go wrong; until he was certain that Liu Yao didn''t suspect him, he was going to be restless.


    At least, he observed, he didn''t seem like the only one wrought in tension. On the guise of reaching for his cup of tea, which had been placed on small side tables between their seats, he sneaked a glance past Liu Yao''s broad shoulders at Noble Consort Li. Her face was set with a grim determination but it was also paler than normal and although she appeared calm on the surface, she was carrying herself too stiffly for someone who was truly relaxed.


    Liu Yao seemed to notice his scrutiny because he turned his head towards Yan Zheyun. His eyes were serious but there was no hint of censure in their dark depths, just an endless stillness that reminded Yan Zheyun of a lake at night.


    "They shouldn''t be much longer," Liu Yao said lightly. "The craftsmen of the Department of Paraphernalia are some of the most reputable in the kingdom." He suddenly seemed to recall something, an amused curl to his lips as he directed his next statement at Noble Consort Li instead. "If this sovereign hasn''t remembered wrongly, this bracelet happens to be the one this sovereign gifted to Noble Consort upon your entry into my rear court back when this sovereign was Crown Prince?"


    Entry into. Not marriage. If Yan Zheyun hadn''t been certain that Liu Yao was on his side earlier on, he was now. His subtle goading might not achieve much in the current situation in terms of practicality but from the way Noble Consort Li flinched, he could the impact that Liu Yao''s words had on her.


    And perhaps, somewhere in there, was a bit of guilt too?


    "Yes, Your Majesty." Noble Consort Li''s voice was level. If Yan Zheyun hadn''t been scrutinising her long enough to notice that she''d touched the sides of her hair multiple times in the last minute or so, he would have been hoodwinked by her steady appearance. At the end of the day, even though she was foolish and impulsive, in his opinion, too eager¡ªor maybe too driven by desperation he couldn''t understand¡ªNoble Consort Li was a woman raised in this environment. She wasn''t just used to the basics of the game; they were second nature to her.


    [Unlike me,] Yan Zheyun thought, hiding his wryness behind the rim of his cup. How many times had he been caught in a precarious situation despite thinking that he''d taken precautions? He still couldn''t get used to how shamelessly the ruling class abused their authority in this era. And every time after, he would tell himself that he''d learnt his lesson, that next time he would be so careful that he didn''t have a repeat of the incident again, but still he was proven wrong.


    He wondered if there would ever come a day where no one would dare to scheme against him. That would be a blessed relief.


    As Liu Yao had predicted, the excruciating wait didn''t drag on for much longer and the arrival of the team of scruffy-looking craftsmen from the Department of Paraphernalia put an end to Yan Zheyun''s misery and, most likely, Nobel Consort Li''s too. One craftsman stood out in particular as he was far more senior in years and Yan Zheyun guessed that the others might be his apprentices, as they followed behind him at a respectful distance.


    It was this elderly craftsman who spoke up, the greeting bow that he performed perfectly fulfilling all the requirements of court etiquette, demonstrating that although he was neither a servant of the inner palace nor an official that assisted the emperor in ruling the country, he nonetheless had strong ties to the place. The Department of Paraphernalia was one of few that was situated outside of the inner palace itself, in the administrative region of the imperial city. Although the eunuchs controlled the movement of its products between this department and the palaces, the craftsmen themselves hadn''t been castrated, were workers that just so happened to be so good at their art that they were hired by the emperor in the capacity of their trade.


    "Commoner Mu Shi greets Your Majesty, Noble Consort Li Niangniang, and Lord Yue."


    "Dispense with formalities," Liu Yao said. "Master Craftsman (2) Mu, do you have answers for this sovereign?"


    Mu Shi''s answering salute was solemn. Although he was referred to himself as a commoner, his bearing was reasonably comfortable in the presence of his emperor, a sure sign that he''d had a lot of experience dealing with nobility in the past, if not the actual members of the imperial family.


    "In response to Your Majesty, this commoner has examined this bracelet personally because it was this commoner''s hand that crafted this bracelet upon Your Majesty''s request."


    "This sovereign remembers." The glance Liu Yao directed at Noble Consort Li was pointed. "Noble Consort, this sovereign specially requested the Department of Paraphernalia to prepare a gift for you to the theme of ''all rivers lead to the sea''. This sovereign thought that you would cherish its meaning but didn''t realise you would be so magnanimous as to part with it by giving it to this sovereign''s Yan Yun." He let out a quiet laugh. "In hindsight, that was rather astute of you."


    Yan Zheyun lowered his lashes so no one could see his eyes brighten with laughter. All rivers lead to the sea? That was an idiom he''d studied in school and he knew its meaning inside-out since his father often told him to train himself to be like this. As Liu Yao had said, it was a metaphor for magnanimity and graciousness, qualities that would have suited an empress, and no doubt, Noble Consort Li might have once assumed that to be the hidden meaning behind the emperor''s gift¡­right up until he dashed her hopes against the rocks the first chance that he could.


    It might be ridiculous but Liu Yao was the owner of the bitchiest mouth Yan Zheyun had come across since transmigration and he hung out in a harem full of catty concubines all day. None of them had anything on their husband, though, which was saying something. In just a couple of sentences from him, calculated to stab where she was most vulnerable, Noble Consort Li had wilted, blood draining from her face at Liu Yao''s reminder that she hadn''t been his chosen bride.


    Be magnanimous, was the significance of Liu Yao''s wedding gift to her. Because, Yan Zheyun surmised, he''d fully intended for her to tolerate a lot of shit from then on.


    It didn''t seem like Liu Yao to be this pernicious without a reason. Yan Zheyun couldn''t help but think that this casual animosity might have something to do with that missing Ziyu of his.


    Noble Consort Li''s lips trembled. "Your Majesty¡­"


    "Shh." Liu Yao hushed her with mocking gentleness. "Let''s see what else Master Craftsman Mu has to say."


    Upon hearing his name, Mu Shi continued with his report. "Your Majesty, after a thorough examination of the bracelet, this commoner has concluded that this is an excellent replica of the original creation." He pointed out the fine dark lines that webbed over the surface of the turquoise. "That year, this commoner went through three thousand different gemstones before choosing one whose markings would resemble the froth of waves as they crashed upon the sand. Although this is very close in pattern to this commoner''s original, this commoner has records of the original, and after referring, detected some minute differences in the markings although they are astonishingly minimal and might not have been picked up by anyone else."


    He looked at Yan Zheyun. "May this commoner know where Lord Yue found a craftsman capable of such work? This commoner highly admires his eye for detail."


    Liu Yao, too, turned to eye Yan Zheyun with interest.


    "¡­" Yan Zheyun returned the look in awkward silence. If ever there would be a good time to bring up Liu Suzhi, it definitely wasn''t now.


    "Never mind," Liu Yao said at last when it became evident that Yan Zheyun fully intended to chew on his lower lip the rest of the day if pressured. But Yan Zheyun could hear the unspoken later in his tone. "Can Master Craftsman Mu detect any problems with the bracelet, such as hidden compartments?"


    As a veteran of the imperial city, Mu Shi knew better than to be curious about why the emperor was asking this. The horrific scene that the craftsmen had walked in on had left his apprentices knocking their knees behind him as they tried and failed to conceal their frightened shivers but this old man was steady as he answered Liu Yao''s questions without hesitation.


    "This commoner has not detected thing of this sort, Your Majesty." Mu Shi gestured for his apprentice to bring the bracelet forward on a cushion, handing it to Head Eunuch Cao, who took it over to Liu Yao. "If Your Majesty can note the delicate metalwork that went into the gold frame of the bracelet, it is too thin to conceal any clasps that would allow its owner to access any hidden compartments."


    Noble Consort Li''s eyes had gone wide with disbelief once Mu Shi had confirmed that this bracelet wasn''t the one she had given to Yan Zheyun but she regained her composure, rounding on Yan Zheyun with an accusatory stare as she said, "Lord Yue! How bold of you to plant spies in His Majesty''s Tianlu Pavilion!" She glared past him at Deputy Eunuch Zheng and an exaggerated realisation passed over her visage. "Your Majesty!" she cried. "Lord Yue must have gotten wind about this matter beforehand and swapped out the bracelets before coming over¡ª"


    "Niangniang, don''t spit blood onto others (3)," Yan Zheyun interjected. "This concubine was playing mahjong with Lord Chen and Lord Hua when Deputy Eunuch Zheng came to escort me over here and certainly did not have time to change anything. Or are you suggesting that this concubine would have the means to bribe an entire house of servants as well as the entire entourage that followed behind Deputy Eunuch Zheng?" His smile turned self-deprecating. "That much financial power coming from a mere ex-slave?"


    "Yan Yun. This sovereign will not hear you spoken of like that by anyone, not even yourself."


    The dimple at the corner of Yan Zheyun''s mouth deepened as he crinkled his eyes at Liu Yao''s brooding frown. "As Your Majesty commands."


    Noble Consort Li''s rouge couldn''t conceal the pallor of her lips, pressed so tightly together that they had blanched. "That doesn''t absolve you of suspicion!" she said. "Perhaps you''re cautious enough to wear the replica at all times when not in His Majesty''s company? Why else would you have created a replica so early on¡ª"


    "Because, Niangniang, I don''t trust you," Yan Zheyun said simply. "I didn''t then and I won''t ever." He raised his eyes to meet Liu Yao''s, hoping that Liu Yao heard the hidden message in his next words. "In the inner palace, a confidante is precious precisely because they are nearly impossible to find. Niangniang gave me a bracelet out of the blue, going so far as to do so in front of the entire harem as though you wanted to reassure me that there was nothing wrong with it. How could I not be on my guard?" He raised an eyebrow. "Sure enough, a couple of months later, here I am in the line of fire for this very thing."


    He faced Liu Yao and got down on his knees into a respectful full kowtow. "Yan Yun has been framed and pleads Your Majesty to investigate Noble Consort Li''s involvement in this matter. Yan Yun is not guilty of any of the crimes pinned upon me by Noble Consort Li''s false accusations as well as my disloyal servant Qiu Ji."


    Qiu Ji''s groaning had weakened into faint whimpers by now, the pain leeching him of energy. Yan Zheyun had good reason to believe that he would not survive the investigation. The best he could try to get him was a clean, swift death, which was more than would be promised Yan Zheyun should the ploy against him succeed.


    Yan Zheyun expected Liu Yao to deliberate longer, maybe even refuse his request; no matter how silly she''d been to involve herself in this, Noble Consort Li was Grand Protector Li''s granddaughter and Grand Protector Li''s control of the Yulin Army was akin to the old man holding a blade at Liu Yao''s throat.


    But.


    "This sovereign permits this investigation," Liu Yao said immediately, eliciting a dismayed shout from Noble Consort Li, who look as though she''d been struck by lightning. "Head Eunuch Cao, inform the brocade guard to surround Changchun Palace and conduct a thorough search of the premises for evidence. All servants of Changchun Palace are to be brought to the Department of Careful Punishment for interrogation¡­with Noble Consort Li escorted along with them."


    Of course. Grand Protector Li thought that he had caught the tiger by the tail, without realising that the tiger had grown big enough to turn its head and bite back.


    Yan Zheyun nearly pitied Noble Consort Li, but only nearly. He had no reason to believe in her innocence, was more than certain now that her family was involved closely in the black fragrance incident, even if they weren''t the only culpable ones. Her actions today were almost brazen, as though she, or whoever was behind her, didn''t care how tenuous their evidence was, had been cocky about their arrangements, all the way down to the bracelet they had so openly planted on him. It made no sense to him and he could only guess that they had expected the emperor to lap it up, shackled by his limited influence and pressurised by their status, with no choice but to buy their version of the story over that of his poor, helpless favoured concubine.


    Yan Zheyun could only call them blind. After only a few months with Liu Yao, he could already see the mettle in his spine. If these old noble clans and powerful ministers still thought that they could control the young emperor, to break his will until he did their bidding, then the invention of a pair of good glasses couldn''t come any sooner for them.


    "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, you''ve wronged this consort! This consort only has Your Majesty''s best interests at heart! Your Majesty!" Noble Consort Li''s cries escalated into frantic shrieks as two guards clad in the trademark eye-catching red of the brocade guard uniform bowed to her and started ushering her uncompromisingly towards the moon gate Yan Zheyun had entered from earlier.


    "My best interests at heart?" Yan Zheyun heard Liu Yao murmur. "From the moment you chose this path, you were destined to be selfish, Noble Consort." Louder, he called out to her, "Don''t worry, Noble Consort, this sovereign knows how much your value your reputation and will seek to defend it¡ª"


    A sharp biting interjection rang out in the clearing. "Just as you claim to defend your fourth brother''s? Emperor, you are trying to drive this mourner to an early grave!"

 Chapter 106 - Power Struggle

    This was only the second time Yan Zheyun was meeting the empress dowager and the first since the spring festival banquet. He had straightened up from his kowtow earlier but was still on his knees, and hence, when the entire courtyard rushed to greet this troublesome woman, he had no choice but to fold over once more.


    Liu Yao''s eyes darted to him briefly before looking back at his mother. He didn''t tell Yan Zheyun to rise, which Yan Zheyun had already suspected would be the case; even if Liu Yao had been foolish enough to do so, he would have remained kneeling in a display of supplication, so as to not give the empress dowager any leeway to pick on their relationship.


    Not that it was going to stop her, it seemed.


    For a middle-aged woman, the dowager had matured beautifully, the faint signs of age not detracting from her splendour in the slightest. Her features had a stronger resemblance to the fourth prince than to Liu Yao; the hypocritical scholarly airs that the fourth prince exuded became a nobleness in her, and despite being of a slight build, she carried herself with so much dignity that she felt larger than life, even when in her immediate presence. She had a gentleness to the shape of her features that reminded Yan Zheyun of the softer southern beauty that was characteristic of the region that Yan Zheyun had come from in his world, which was commonly described as a mild delicateness like refreshing spring water.


    But this froze over into ice whenever she regarded Liu Yao and Yan Zheyun knew that she harboured the same discontent towards him.


    "Favouring the concubine over the wife," the dowager lectured harshly. "If this mourner didn''t intervene now, was Your Majesty planning on letting that suspect get away free whilst you pin the blame on another? Have you returned all your lessons to your tutors?!"


    Liu Yao rose from his greeting bow and returned her cold stare with one that could rival it. "Royal Mother has spent many days in seclusion and is mistaken. The phoenix headdress does not sit upon anyone''s head as of yet. This sovereign has no wife."


    "Preposterous! You performed your three bows during your marriage ceremony, asking even the heavens and earth to acknowledge your matrimonial bond¡ª"


    "Please allow this sovereign to remind Royal Mother of the heavens'' response. The empress star vanished the night Noble Consort Li entered this sovereign''s rear court. They have decreed that she does not befit the role." A mirthless smile played on his lips as he shot the haggard Noble Consort Li a glance. "Pity that there is no matching ''crown princess star''. One wonders what other signs the heavens would have communicated to us through that."


    Noble Consort Li was too distraught to care about the jibe. The appearance of the dowager was like a beacon of hope to her and she renewed her struggling now, managing to pull away from the brocade guards who had to take care not to touch her inappropriately.


    "Empress Dowager Niangniang! Niangniang, please save this consort, this consort has been maligned!" The elaborate huadian (1), the decorative little red lotus that had been painted to adorn her forehead had smudged and tendrils of her hair had come undone from its complicated updo, precious hairpins hanging on precariously as she stumbled over to throw herself at the dowager''s feet. "Niangniang, this consort has been framed by this wicked concubine, please help me!"


    Yan Zheyun could only look upon her wordlessly. He wanted to say the same thing too but he suspected it would be taken with a lot less sympathy by the dowager.


    Although, judging by the disdain that flitted over the dowager''s face, she didn''t think too highly of this ''daughter-in-law'' that she was so set on defending.


    He lowered his lashes demurely even as the cogs in his brain worked overtime. The dowager and the emperor evidently didn''t have a good relationship, even though she was his birth mother. The dowager was the fourth prince''s mother. The dowager was here to offer Noble Consort Li assistance.


    His eyes narrowed imperceptibly. If what he guessed was true, her personality was as terrifying as it was worthy of disgust. As the saying went, even a vicious tiger wouldn''t eat its child. Should the dowager have betrayed Liu Yao, then she was completely deserving of it should Liu Yao choose to move against her.


    Those who insisted that filial piety should be the first and foremost priority spoke too easily. Despite the bizarre trials and tribulations he''d had to face in this lifetime, the weirdest of all being transmigration, he had been blessed in his childhood with a loving family and had never had to suffer at the hands of the very people whose role was to nurture and protect. His affections and appreciation for them were unconditional but this didn''t mean he was ready to apply the same set of rules to any parent he came across.


    Right here was a parent who was very likely undeserving of Liu Yao''s efforts. He didn''t need the full picture to see how what little regard she had for him, had launched into her grand opening just now like an enemy troop flanking its unsuspecting opponent.


    "Your Majesty wishes to investigate Noble Consort Li? Very well." The dowager''s gaze was hard as adamantine, landing on Yan Zheyun with a weight that had him straightening his back in response, as though he had to brace himself for an incoming onslaught.


    "Since Noble Consort Li holds the phoenix seal but will be indisposed of as a result of this investigation, this mourner shall resume control of the affairs of the inner palace and shall head this investigation." She didn''t sneer at Yan Zheyun as she said this but her tone was dismissive when she spoke of him like he was nothing more than an insignificant piece of lint on the magnificent piece of embroidery she had spent years weaving; harmless but irritating to look at and to be dusted off at the first given opportunity. "This mourner will not let any unrest in the inner palace distract Your Majesty from your duties in morning court! All suspects must submit to interrogation, including this precious Lord Yue of yours."


    Liu Yao''s face darkened. He didn''t look over, had his back to Yan Zheyun, in fact, standing in-between the dowager and him as though he was a strong wall that was determined to provide shelter from her ire. But he held one hand behind his back, holding himself in a posture that would have radiated a measured poise if Yan Zheyun couldn''t see his fist clench, tight enough to whiten his knuckles.


    Yan Zheyun could feel the uncertainty threatening to consume him too, kept at bay only through sheer willpower. This was beyond his scope to protect himself; he didn''t doubt that Liu Yao intended to save him but in the light of the current situation, would he be able to?


    Being the emperor wasn''t always like the movies or the cute rom-com dramas that Lixin had adored before BL novels had changed her life. Liu Yao didn''t have absolute power; in some ways, he had more shackles than the average peasant tilling the fields did. Yan Zheyun understood this even as he''d understood that Liu Yao was his safest bet.


    But the oak tree that could tuck a small sapling in the comforting arms of its sturdy branches and nestle it safely away from the turbulent winds was still young and tender itself.


    "If Royal Mother wishes to burden yourself with this investigation, this son would be very grateful, even though it fills me with remorse to disturb Royal Mother''s peaceful retirement in her palace," Liu Yao said finally, his words so calm that it was impossible to guess at his true emotions by relying on them. "However, since Royal Mother has taken this upon yourself, this sovereign needs to share some important information with you."


    His footsteps clicked against the polished courtyard stone until he was a mere metre away from her, close enough that she must have felt intimidated by the way he towered over her because Yan Zheyun could detect a slight rigidity in her spine, which hadn''t been there before. But far enough that she would not be able to accuse him of an open threat.


    "Perhaps Royal Mother hasn''t forgotten the discussion we had about Liu Wei''s temporary dismissal from morning court"¡ªat the mention of this, Liu Yao''s expression turned almost wry whilst rage bled into the dowager''s¡ª"but this sovereign has reason to believe that the two incidents are related and since this concerns the integrity of the spring examinations, this matter no longer remains solely that of the inner palace."


    He gestured towards Head Eunuch Cao, who stepped forward and greeted the dowager.


    "This sovereign hereby commands the Eastern Depot and the Brocade Guard to assist Royal Mother in the investigation of Lord Yue and Noble Consort Li, as well as the servants in their respective houses. Should evidence be discovered, the Court of Judicature (2) will proceed with the case." His voice hardened. "No torture is to be performed on anyone without this sovereign''s express permission, on pain of death. Is this sovereign clear?"


    The dowager''s mouth flattened. "The Eastern Depot and the Brocade Guard work personally for Your Majesty, who has already expressed biased in this matter. If Your Majesty wishes to be fair, the Ministry of Justice should hold a trial for the case in tandem¡ª"


    "This son has the matters of the court well in hand and would not trouble Royal Mother to wear yourself out worrying about them for me. As for Royal Mother''s concern¡­" A funny lilt entered Liu Yao''s voice. It was almost inquisitive. "Royal Mother implies that the Ministry of Justice does not work directly for this son?"


    The dowager froze. "Of course not," she snapped. "You know what this mourner means."


    Liu Yao laughed softly. "This sovereign can''t say that he does." He didn''t waste any more time exchanging barbs with her and Yan Zheyun was still watching his back so he caught Liu Yao''s eyes the second he turned around and saw them soften with affection and something that might have been remorse but was gone so quickly Yan Zheyun hadn''t had the time to decipher it.


    Yan Zheyun felt some of the tightness in his chest dissipate. He had to trust that Liu Yao had a solution. All he had to do was ensure that he kept himself alive until then, avoid the cloak and dagger schemes that would no doubt be thrown at him the second Liu Yao''s back was turned.


    No big deal, right?


    Yeah, right.


    "This sovereign commands that all servants from Lord Yue''s house and Noble Consort Li''s house are to be taken to the Department of Careful Punishment for interrogation. Lord Yue and Noble Consort Li are to be escorted to individual cells as well and not permitted contact with anyone uninvolved in the investigation until this sovereign issues further orders."


    Compared to the anguished protests from Noble Consort Li, Yan Zheyun''s quiet bow was far more dignified. But no one heard the sigh he let escape from his lips as he thought about what lay ahead.


    Kitchens, stables, and now prison. Slave to concubine to criminal suspect. He''d thought that he''d finally made a bit of progress in his plans so why did it still feel like his life was regressing?


    [A hug now would be nice,] he thought, even though he knew that it wasn''t possible. Liu Yao had to keep his distance unless he wanted to shatter whatever tenuous illusions of impartiality he had halfheartedly conjured up for her sake.


    "This is a matter of urgency and this sovereign would like it resolved as soon as possible. Hence, this sovereign expects an update by this hour tomorrow."


    One day. Twelve shichen, twenty-four hours.


    He could do this.. And then, after, once the stress had killed whatever vestiges of embarrassment he might have at acting coquettishly in front of Liu Yao, he was going to crawl into Liu Yao''s lap and demand a cuddle for as long as it took for the anxiety to wear off.

 Chapter 107 - All Those Years Ago

    "To what does this servant owe the honour of an evening summons by Your Majesty?"


    The young man seated behind his desk in Tianlu Pavilion raised his head.


    "You know why this sovereign called you here tonight." It wasn''t a question and Liu Suzhi knew as much. He supposed he could count as a loyal eunuch who had served for two generations in the inner palace and for rather personal reasons, he had a far better gauge of the temperament of emperors than most.


    Emperor. The ultimate symbol of power, prestige, and luxury in the eyes of the ignorant fools who craved to be near to them, as wives, as concubines, as trusted officials and confidantes, believing that the sanctity of the supposed ''dragon spirit'' would rub off on them too.


    Liu Suzhi knew better. He''d been thoroughly doused in such ''dragon spirit'' before, had been so thoroughly knotted into the ties that had bound him to the emperor who had fucked him in the dragon bed and then died in the dragon bed after Liu Suzhi helped another to poison him to a slow but inevitable death.


    It had just been a favour, no need to mention it.


    He shook his head and let out a languid sigh, marvelling at how much this boy before him had changed. When the crown prince had finally become emperor, Liu Suzhi had assumed that he would morph to fit the role, which he had, to a certain extent. He had shown his true mettle, his resolve had hardened even as it had broken the carefree soul that had been struggling to stay alive underneath the weight of his responsibilities, but this was just another tragic tale from within the maws of the imperial city, one of many and nothing to write home about.


    A bad emperor could be useless and heartless, Liu Suzhi had experienced this firsthand. But a good emperor had to be heartless.


    Or so Liu Suzhi had thought. But now, eyeing this young liege of his, he wasn''t so sure anymore.


    "This sovereign has no time to bandy words with you," Liu Yao muttered. "Presumably, you''ve already heard about what happened earlier today?"


    Liu Suzhi sauntered over to present a lackadaisical bow before leaning against the edge of the emperor''s desk with a casualness that concealed the low boiling of anger that simmered in his chest when he heard that Xiao De had been taken into the Department of Careful Punishment. Although no one in their right mind would go against the emperor''s orders to withhold torture until further orders, this reassurance operated on the caveat that the fools stirring the waters were in their right minds in the first place.


    Noble Consort Li he didn''t have much to say about; she was an unfortunate pawn of her family with personal delusions of grandeur and now was the time for the emperor to pluck the weeds in his flower garden. But he knew fully well what the empress dowager was capable of. Even if he had no intention to assist Lord Yue, even if the emperor hadn''t called for him, he would have shown up tonight anyway. Knowing how that woman felt about him, Xiao De might not last the night. She was petty enough to exact her misguided idea of vengeance on an innocent, helpless servant if she thought she would be able to hurt him this way.


    Not knowing that Liu Suzhi had long since forgotten what pain felt like and wasn''t sure he could anymore.


    He reached into the folds of his sleeves and retrieved a slip of parchment, handing it over it the emperor with a simple flick of his fingers.


    "Months ago, right after you first summoned your precious Lord Yue to perform his duties, he reached out to me for assistance."


    The emperor''s countenance darkened as he heard this¡ªLiu Suzhi could guess why and he rolled his eyes inwardly at the idea of such silly possessiveness¡ªbut the look was swiftly replaced as he began to read the message Lord Yue had sent to Liu Suzhi about the crafting of the replica, the one Liu Suzhi was supposed to destroy but hadn''t.


    "This was sent to you by Lord Yue?" the emperor asked. There was an odd hoarseness to his voice that caught Liu Suzhi''s attention and he narrowed his eyes and scrutinised the emperor for any clues as to what had produced this effect. Despite his slight loss of composure, the emperor was as inscrutable as ever, except maybe for the way his gaze burned into the parchment so fiercely that Liu Suzhi was surprised it didn''t ignite.


    "Indeed, is something wrong, Your Majesty?" he asked lightly, reaching out to ask to have another look at it but paused when he noticed the emperor''s hand tightening around it, like he wanted to clutch it in his hold and keep it close to him but was afraid that it would crumple.


    How interesting.


    Swiftly changing tactics, Liu Suzhi pretended he hadn''t been paying attention to the emperor''s unusual behaviour. "This servant has a copy of the records of the order this servant sent to the craftsman this servant hired on Lord Yue''s behalf." He paused. "As well as a receipt for the hefty sum paid. Shall this servant present that to Your Majesty as well?"


    He expected the emperor to admonish him or perhaps ignore that last sentence entirely but instead, what he received was a taciturn nod. "You may."


    Liu Suzhi straightened up and truly regarded the emperor properly for the first time since entering the room. After a short moment of locking stares with the dragon, bolder than any servant had the right to be, Liu Suzhi let out a soft laugh.


    How far the mighty have fallen. Well, in this case, it wasn''t necessarily a bad thing. For Liu Suzhi, who had watched this boy grow up from the corner of his eye, a little less imperial demeanour and a little bit more humaneness wasn''t a terrible outcome.


    "Your Majesty must have called me here for a reason," he said, cutting to the chase now that he had some of the answers that he sought. Should Lord Yue survive this ordeal, his future was more promising than Liu Suzhi had anticipated. He hadn''t made a poor bet when he chose to entrust Xiao De to his care.


    As for Xiao Fu¡­he could consider what to do about Xiao Fu later.


    The emperor hummed. "The Eastern Depot sent back a report on the interrogation results so far. The maid in-charge of the incense, the eunuch from the imperial buttery, and even the retired soldier working in the imperial hunting grounds, their confessions all point back to Lord Yue."


    Liu Suzhi raised an eyebrow. "Even the soldier from the hunting grounds?"


    "Mm. He insists that he owes his allegiance to Yan Guozun and resents this sovereign for a tyrannical execution of the Yan Family." The emperor''s lips flattened. "And that he was helping Lord Yue exact his revenge against this sovereign."


    It was such an obvious setup; if the soldier were as loyal as he claimed to be, then why would he betray the only heir of his benefactor in such an eager sellout? But the beauty in this ploy was how effective it nonetheless was; although everyone who wasn''t a halfwit would be able to pick up on the dichotomy of the soldier''s behaviour, the seeds of doubt were easily sown, especially in one who needed to be as paranoid as an emperor did. Whoever had engineered this entire scheme had been counting on His Dear Majesty to suspect his favourite concubine.


    Liu Suzhi couldn''t blame them. He wasn''t sure what was going through the emperor''s mind but it didn''t matter as long as their agendas matched.


    "Why should Your Majesty concern yourself with such trivialities?" Liu Suzhi murmured. "You don''t like their confessions? Amend them."


    The emperor shot him a sour look. "This sovereign doesn''t believe in¡­" he trailed off, his brows furrowing into a deep frown. "But they didn''t play fair first."


    Liu Suzhi''s nod was encouraging, his smile full of charming wiles. "Is it worth being honourable now, Your Majesty?"


    "¡­the empress dowager has an eye on the case, is more than likely involved in this somehow."


    Liu Suzhi didn''t question the emperor''s suspicious relationship with his birth mother. It would be one of the biggest taboos for him to voice his speculations, second only to if he were in doubt of the emperor''s blood relation to his father.


    That wasn''t a matter he wanted to involve himself in.


    "The best way to solve a problem is to nip it in the bud," Liu Suzhi said calmly. He waved a hand in the general direction of the rafters, seemingly at nothing, although they both knew about the sharp blades that lurked in the shadows awaiting a command from their master. "Your Majesty''s network has ways and means, doesn''t it? If they can''t learn to speak the truth, then they don''t deserve to speak at all. And as we all know, dead men can''t talk."


    The emperor''s dark eyes met his. "Yes but the extent to which this sovereign can openly go against the dowager is limited by the boundaries of filial piety. You, on the other hand¡­" The ''have always been a thorn in her side, what''s one more time?'' went unsaid.


    Liu Suzhi''s lips curled and he dropped all formalities as he leaned over the desk to peer down at the emperor, audacious in a way that would have Head Eunuch Cao frothing at the mouth should that pompous lout be present to see it. But there was no anger in the emperor''s response, only a stately tranquillity that was reassuring.


    "What''s in it for me, Your Majesty?" he said, in the tone of one used to


    "If you solve this for me, this sovereign will grant you what you want. You know an emperor''s word weighs as much as nine cauldrons (1)."


    Liu Suzhi''s heart skipped a beat. Finally. After so many decades, he could have the certainty he''d sought for so long. It wouldn''t be long now before he could be free. The emperor was offering him a much-desired reprieve, was willing to risk his hold over the north by sacrificing the only bargaining chip he had against Great General Pan and by extension the army he held command over.


    Of course Liu Suzhi was going to take it. He was just marvelling at how important this Lord Yue, whom he''d chosen almost on a whim, had become to this young emperor in such a short period.


    When he had a bit more time on his hands, it would be worth discovering just what it was about Lord Yue that the emperor seemed so enamoured by. He did have a face that even Liu Suzhi couldn''t help but admire, the sort that could fell kingdoms with a well-placed glance, but the emperor had never stuck Liu Suzhi as one who would cave at the sight of beauty. He dearly loved to know, just for the sake of satisfying his curiosity, if nothing else.


    Later, though.


    "This servant shall hold Your Majesty to your word then," he said with a bow that was more sincere than the one he had entered with. "In which case, this servant shall take his leave to fulfil Your Majesty''s commands."


    As he was about to back out of the room, he heard the emperor call after him again.


    "Liu Suzhi." It was the first time the emperor had ever called him something apart from ''Liu Gonggong''. Liu Suzhi took care to conceal his surprise.


    "Yes, Your Majesty?"


    The emperor appeared hesitant. "If this sovereign¡­permitted you to go to the front line, would you wish for that?"


    The front line, where he stood at the head of Great Ye''s army, his tall back like an insurmountable wall to keep the invading barbarians away from the poor towns on the borders of the north. The north was barren and its people had toiled for generations to prime the land and had laid down roots so strong that they would rather die than flee it. Liu Suzhi still received messages, sent by the same falcon each time, who really had no business stealing the jobs of carrier pigeons. In the tiny wooden capsules holding brief words from far-off lands, their writer painted a picture of a bleak landscape, where no amount of the emperor''s good intentions had been able to balm the wounds caused by war and poverty.


    Liu Suzhi had never replied to any of those messages. But he fed the falcon well each time, to entice it to remember the way back to him.


    But aloud, he cocked his head at the emperor and smiled as he said, "Why would this servant want that? To leave my luxurious Wushan Abode for a life of suffering? This servant understands that Your Majesty is well-meaning but not every story can have a happy ending."


    He let out a quiet laugh before walking off into the night.

 Chapter 108 - A Serious Help

    Liheng as a child was very quiet. In contrast to Yan Zheyun''s feisty little sister, this baby brother of his was shy and reserved, but so sweet and earnest that it was impossible to not like him any less. Some of their inconsiderate relatives used to criticise him for it, saying that it would have been better if Liheng and Lixin had been born with each other''s personalities. The girl was too forward and the boy was too meek, was the consensus, but Yan Zheyun and his parents had gone out of their way to defend the twins, to ensure that neither of them had ever felt like that was anything wrong with how they were.


    Especially since Yan Zheyun knew that Liheng wasn''t meek. He might have been quiet and he might have been reluctant to speak up in front of crowds, but his unassuming demeanour and guileless big Bambi eyes were a stark contrast to his siblings'' colder upward tilt that his siblings shared.


    But this was misleading. Yan Zheyun had watched his brother listen to the nagging and the complaints directed towards him by jealous distant relatives and had seen the sharp glint of patient ambition in them, a hunger to prove them wrong that was the opposite of Lixin''s recklessness whenever she snapped back at them for bullying her brother and closest companion.


    A wolf cub in lamb''s clothing.


    And now, behind bars and staring out vacantly at the guards stationed at the entrance of his cell, Yan Zheyun finally understood why Liheng behaved the way he did. Why he concealed his true nature beneath a veneer of harmlessness, lying in wait for the opportune moment to leap for the jugular.


    Not having access to a watch had trained Yan Zheyun to become more sensitive to time. He wasn''t sure how long he''d spent seated limply on some dry hay in the middle of a cell whilst watching the guards talk uneasily in front of him, but it didn''t feel like that long before a young man, in a plain uniform that revealed his low rank,  straightened up from his cavalier slouch against the wall and cleared his throat.


    "You there¡ª" He cut himself short with a strangled cough. "I mean¡ªthis subject means, Lord Yue!"


    Yan Zheyun raised his gaze slowly to meet his eyes, seeing for the nth time as they widened in wonder at the host body''s face before averting themselves quickly.


    "What is it?"


    In the stuffy, rank cells of the Department of Careful Punishment, his soft voice echoed out against the stone walls like rippling waters from the highest springs in the mountain, refreshing but icy.


    The young guard swallowed.


    "This¡ªI mean." He rubbed the back of his neck and shot a desperate glance at his companion, who rolled his eyes and muttered, "You''re the one who wanted to be considerate."


    The young guard had no choice but to trip over his own words. "This subject wanted to ask if Lord Yue was comfortable."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Yan Zheyun found himself at loss for words. Comfortable? In jail? If the young guard weren''t standing near enough to a sconce for Yan Zheyun to see the awkward blush creeping up his cheeks as it dawned on him that he had put his foot in his mouth, Yan Zheyun would have thought that the guard was mocking him.


    As it was, it sounded like he was asking out of genuine concern but¡­was bad at phrasing things?


    At any rate, Yan Zheyun could detect some sympathy here and was happy to exploit it to his heart''s content.


    He shifted himself into a kneeling position, hands folded on his lap as he murmured, "This concubine is a little cold," he confessed quietly, which wasn''t entirely a lie since he was in a plain grey robe that all prisoners had to change into to denote that consorts or servants, once in here, it no longer mattered what their previous status had been. Yan Zheyun had heard Noble Consort Li shrieking about it earlier from up ahead; he had no idea where she was being held, but if it was one of the other cells in this rank place, then Yan Zheyun felt slightly vindicated. He was used to roughing it out more than she was, that was for sure.


    The young guard snapped to attention immediately. "Hang on, this subject will see whether anything can be done about that," he said, dashing off before his companion could let out an exasperated "Oi!"


    The companion was a lot less friendly. His gaze was perfunctory as he regarded Yan Zheyun, with not even a fleeting hint of admiration for the host body''s face, and Yan Zheyun instantly found himself drawn to his professional demeanour. Not in the way he was drawn to Liu Yao, of course. This was more like how he tended to feel whenever he found himself a promising new hire.


    "Don''t get your hopes up," the companion said. "Ah Lu is new and doesn''t know how things are done here, he is more than likely to return empty-handed after punishment."


    He looked to be in his mid-thirties, and of good height and built. He carried himself properly too, despite being the owner of a very dry job, standing guard over a bunch of helpless men and women with little opportunity to prove his worth and climb the ranks. For someone who conducted himself so seriously, it was surprising that he would still be here guarding this prison, so unless he was completely new¡ªwhich didn''t seem to be the case from the way he behaved¡ªor he had made a severe mistake in the past, then the only other reason that Yan Zheyun could think of was that he had offended someone else.


    Yan Zheyun thought briefly about the ineffectual captain of the guard who had failed to question him appropriately that night when he''d bumped into the patrol whilst sneaking around the inner palace. And about the two members of the Yulin Army that had stopped him at the entrance to Qianqing Palace, especially the one who had the gall to take advantage of a ''helpless little eunuch''. Yan Zheyun hadn''t reported that behaviour to Liu Yao, not yet. Liu Yao had had too much on his plate then and Yan Zheyun wanted to wait for the opportune moment to use the lack of obedience in the Yulin Army to their best advantage.


    If he made it out of here and seeing how Liu Yao had acted earlier, he had a measure of confidence that he would, then it was about time to suggest to Liu Yao that he needed to overhaul the imperial city''s guards. Even if he still didn''t manage to wrestle control of the Yulin Army from the grand protector after this incident blew over, the late emperor''s previous reign had been so lax that laziness and corruption abounded within the infrastructure of the imperial city. Since Yan Zheyun had placed all his eggs in Liu Yao''s basket, it made sense for him to problem solve on Liu Yao''s behalf.


    With this in mind, he asked suddenly, "What''s your name?"


    The young guard''s companion stiffened. He seemed like he was about to ignore Yan Zheyun''s question when Yan Zheyun modified it to force out an answer.


    "This concubine is inquiring about your name."


    "¡­In response to Lord Yue, this subject is called Cui An." The reply came after a second''s hesitation but Yan Zheyun, who was satisfied with the information, chose to let it go.


    "Cui An." Yan Zheyun was about to enquire about Cui An''s plans for the future, sticking his nose shamelessly into someone else''s business, so as to speak when the doors leading towards this row of cells burst open with a noisy clang. Instead of the young guard¡ªAh Lu, Cui An had referred to him as just now¡ªa row of eunuchs and a tall burly man who was also in prisoner''s attire entered. His face had a ferocious scar that ran from his jaw to the corner of his eye and Yan Zheyun''s eyes narrowed as they scrutinised him.


    This wasn''t a prisoner from the Department of Careful Punishment; no eunuch would fit such a profile and if this prisoner had been a palace guard before committing a crime, then as a male with an intact reproductive system, he would not be permitted into the inner palace prison anyway and would be sent to the prison in the administrative division of the imperial city.


    Was this the present his enemies had prepared for him? Yan Zheyun''s lips curled upwards coldly. He hadn''t expected to be permitted to sit around peacefully until 24 hours passed but that would have been nice.


    [I should apply for 21 vacation days from bullshit,] he thought wryly but didn''t let any of his trepidation show on his face as he remained where he was, refusing to acknowledge the arrival of the newcomers.


    "Get out of the way, we are here on His Majesty''s orders to interrogate Lord Yue for his misdeeds!" The high-pitched mocking tone of the eunuch leading the entourage grated on Yan Zheyun''s ears. He was dressed in robes with a buzi on the front to denote his rank, which meant that he had official status and had a managerial role in the inner palace departments. This was probably the eunuch in charge of the Department of Careful Punishment.


    "Give us the keys to his cell, hurry!"


    Yan Zheyun''s fingers tightened over his knees. Liu Yao had lost control of this important department? Did he even know that? Or was the eunuch telling the truth and Liu Yao had changed his mind about trusting Yan Zheyun? No, no that wasn''t likely. Even if it were, the interrogation wouldn''t take this form; Yan Zheyun didn''t like the way the prisoner was eyeing him with greedy interest and he knew Liu Yao wouldn''t either. Whatever his feelings for Yan Zheyun were, he had a possessive streak that ran like an undercurrent in his veins and Yan Zheyun had caught glimpses of it before.


    He wouldn''t send someone who looked at Yan Zheyun with such salacious intent.


    Cui An thought the same, it seemed, because the furrow on his brow deepened and he used the length of his sheathed long sword to shove the approaching prisoner back, barring the eunuchs from heading towards the door.


    "What are you doing?!" the infuriated eunuch cried out. "How insolent, zajia shall report your misbehaviour to His Majesty and have you punished for it¡ª"


    "Supervisor Hong," Cui An interrupted curtly. "Without an imperial edict, my duty is to ensure that Lord Yue''s cell door remains locked until further instruction. If you must interrogate, do so through the bars." He didn''t mince his words the way a lot of subordinates would and his bluntness was evidently too much for someone like Supervisor Hong, who must have been used to being pandered to by the lower-ranking servants.


    He made an indignant noise and drew himself up to full height, which was laughable in comparison to Cui An''s tall, broad stature.


    "You dare to defy His Majesty''s commands?!"


    Cui An reiterated, "If Supervisor Hong wants to enter the cell, I need to see a written edict."


    "Zajia is passing His Majesty''s verbal edict to you, you fool!" Supervisor Hong reached out to shove Cui An back but the man didn''t budge.


    Cui An''s expression was perfectly serious as he said, "Supervisor Hong isn''t Head Eunuch Cao and your words don''t hold the same weight when it comes to verbal edicts, how am I supposed to know whether you''re telling the truth?" His tone wasn''t derisive, was very reasonable, in fact, but it didn''t stop Supervisor Hong''s hackles from raising.


    "Very well," Supervisor Hong said with a threatening leer. "Since you''re such a bad judge of the situation, then let zajia teach you a lesson. Today you''ve offended the wrong people, zajia will make sure that there is no tomorrow for you."


    He signalled at Cui An with his head and the prisoner, whose eyes were still glued to Yan Zheyun, made a vicious leap for Cui An, would have seized Cui An by the throat if it weren''t for his quick reflexes.


    Yan Zheyun''s mouth pressed into a flat lie when Cui An slammed against the bars of his cell. The prisoner that Supervisor Hong had brought along was ridiculously strong and Yan Zheyun didn''t want to sit around and watch as the guard who had dutifully been defending him was murdered before his eyes.


    Snatching a handful of straw, he crushed it in his hands before leaping up, his slight stature eclipsed by Cui An''s bigger frame so the prisoner didn''t realise he had moved until Yan Zheyun''s hand was darting through the bar, tossing the crumbled pieces in his face.


    It wasn''t the best distraction tactic but it was good enough that Cui An managed to get the upper hand back.


    "Preposterous!" Supervisor Hong shouted but anything else he could have added was lost to a swift interjection from the doorway, where a lithe figure leaned against the frame, a long pipe dangling from lazy fingers as he watched the proceedings unfold with a gleam in his eye that reminded Yan Zheyun of cats watching mice at play. By his side was a frazzled Ah Lu, holding a soft silk blanket up in two arms woodenly like he was about to place it upon an altar for offerings.


    It was Yan Zheyun''s blanket from Yuyang Palace. Liu Suzhi was here on his behalf, had made the trip, especially for him.


    "S¡ªSupervisor Liu¡ª"


    Liu Suzhi hummed. "Supervisor Hong," he greeted in return. "Zajia takes my eye off the departments for a couple of shichen and already you''re getting restless? What''s this? Do you tire of listening to Zajia''s instructions? Zajia''s word earlier today was His Majesty''s word, was that not good enough for you?"


    He shook his head and clicked his tongue. "Zajia is disappointed in you. And Zajia doesn''t use disappointing people."


    The blood drained from Supervisor Hong''s face.


    "Supervisor Liu, this servant was just following orders¡­we can discuss this¡­"


    Yan Zheyun let a small smile onto his face as relief flooded him.. Help had arrived.

 Chapter 109 - A Hearts Pleasure

    Liu Suzhi had shown up with a verbal edict from the emperor too. But unlike Supervisor Hong, his reputation preceded him so strongly that Cui An hadn''t hesitated before handing over the keys to Yan Zheyun''s cell.


    Everything happened in a blur. One moment, Yan Zheyun was still rapidly trying to think of a backup plan, should Cui An fail to keep Supervisor Hong and his ill-intentions at bay. The next, was bundled up in his thick comfortable blanket and rapidly escorted out of the department via a maze of winding passages that led to a nondescript side door. Xiao De was already waiting here for him, knotting his fingers together as his frantic gaze ran over Yan Zheyun like he was trying to catalogue any injuries that would require his special care. He was also unharmed, Yan Zheyun was relieved to see, reaching out to offer Xiao De reassurance with a pat on the arm.


    Little Master, you''ve suffered," Xiao De said with such overwhelming sympathy that he looked one second away from bursting into distraught tears on Yan Zheyun''s behalf. It had been a long while since Yan Zheyun had seen him lose composure like this, reverting to the young boy Liu Suzhi had sneakily shoved under his wing for reasons still unknown to Yan Zheyun; perhaps the emperor had a hand in this too but nonetheless, if Liu Suzhi had enough influence to be able to bail them all out of jail from under the dowager''s hawkish eyes, he didn''t need to foster his godson off to a concubine''s care, no matter how favoured that concubine might be.


    But now wasn''t the time to ask.


    "His Majesty has asked for your presence in Qianqing Palace," Xiao De explained as he led Yan Zheyun towards a waiting sedan. "This servant will assist Little Master with a quick freshening up in Yuyang Palace before¡ª"


    "No need," Yan Zheyun interrupted. He was looking at Liu Suzhi as he said this and picked up on a gleam of approval in this beautiful but deadly eunuch''s eyes. "Like this is fine." He didn''t need to play games with Liu Yao, he knew this, but perhaps, unknowingly, he''d become¡ªas the jealous rumours about him suggested¡ªconceited as a result of Liu Yao''s doting.


    In the grand scheme of things that had happened to him since transmigration, sitting around in a damp cell for a couple of hours didn''t even make the top ten of his worst experiences to date. But he wanted Liu Yao to know that he had suffered in some way, to perhaps be consoled and comforted, even though he didn''t think he had been too badly affected by the experience. It had been terse for a while there but Cui An''s presence had nullified most of the potential horrors that might have otherwise occurred.


    Liu Suzhi might think that he was using his wiles to gain more leverage with Liu Yao. But he was wrong. Showing up in prisoner''s clothes and hoping Liu Yao''s heart would ache for him wasn''t an attempt to wrap Liu Yao tight around his finger. It had nothing to do with seduction and everything to do with wanting a relationship that he could rely on for emotional support.


    It didn''t seem like an appropriate time to be thinking such things but Yan Zheyun craved it anyway.


    As he''d expected, Liu Yao''s stern gaze softened upon landing on him, although the furrow between his brows deepened when he took in Yan Zheyun''s dishevelled state, eyes narrowing at Xiao De when he caught sight of the young eunuch, who was unusually nervous in his presence.


    "Is this how you serve your little master?" he barked out a reprimand but before Yan Zheyun caught Xiao De''s arm before he could fall onto his knees and beg for forgiveness.


    "Xiao De was attentive to Yan Yun, it''s Yan Yun who asked to come straight to Qianqing Palace without freshening up first," Yan Zheyun said, reaching out for Liu Yao''s arm. But instead of wrapping his own around it and clinging on the way a coquettish concubine might, he slipped beneath it to encircle Liu Yao''s waist and bury his face in Liu Yao''s chest, breathing in the calming familiar scent of the non-drug infused incense that was used to smoke the imperial attire.


    Arms secured themselves firmly around Yan Zheyun and he let out a happy sigh.


    "This sovereign suspected you might be stubborn, so a bath has been prepared for you."


    "Mm, Yan Yun thanks His Majesty."


    Instead of the lavish bath that Yan Zheyun had used the first time he''d been summoned to Qianqing Palace, Liu Yao led him to his bedchambers, where a large tub and a selection of bath beans awaited. It was less lavish but invoked a warmth that spread gloriously through his skin as he settled down into it and seeped into his chest to pool where his heart was.


    It felt nice to be looked after.


    A chair had been placed next to the tub and instead of the maids, whom Yan Zheyun would have dismissed anyway, it was Liu Yao who took a seat, grabbing a soft cloth to help Yan Zheyun scrub his back.


    Just like how friends might help each other in a public bath.


    Or lovers.


    "Your Majesty didn''t keep his word today," Yan Zheyun murmured, resting his chin on the arms he propped up against the side of the tub as he enjoyed the tenderness Liu Yao was treating him with. He didn''t know if it was his imagination but Liu Yao felt¡­even gentler than normal. Whether this was because he''d read Yan Zheyun''s subtle plea for comfort or whether something else had happened, Yan Zheyun couldn''t tell.


    Liu Yao hummed. "In what way?"


    "Yan Yun was only in there for a handful of shichen at most, not the full day Your Majesty had ordered." He cracked open one lazy eye to peer through thick, moist lashes at the window. Outside, it was still the darkest hours of the night but in here, by the dim glow of lantern light, he found a measure of solace and wondered if Liu Yao felt the same way too.


    Liu Yao let out a quiet chuckle. "Yan Yun must have been scared silly to misconstrue this sovereign''s words," was his airy reply. "Since when did this sovereign say Yan Yun had to be imprisoned in the Department of Careful Punishment for any length of time?"


    Yan Zheyun raised a lofty eyebrow. "No?"


    "No, this sovereign expressly stated that everyone involved in the investigation had a full day to make any progress. As for how long the suspects had to remain in prison¡­" A small smile played on his lips as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Yan Zheyun''s ear, turning it bright red."I said to await further orders and issued further orders after. If anything, I kept my word spectacularly."


    "¡­"


    Shameless. Yan Zheyun and, he suspected, everyone else who had been present earlier that afternoon had been too caught up in how quickly the events had unfolded to focus on the exact wording of Liu Yao''s commands¡­except Head Eunuch Cao, who had ensured that they had been taken down by a scribe. Probably for this exact purpose.


    Yan Zheyun couldn''t help but admire Liu Yao''s presence of mind. Had he always been this collected or was this a quality that the throne and its burdens had shaped? Whilst everyone else had been caught up in trying to manipulate the game whilst trying to avoid being manipulated themselves, Liu Yao had calmed himself down, stepped off the chessboard and seized control of everyone like they had been mere marionettes, even the dowager, who had caught them all by surprise.


    It ought to terrify Yan Zheyun, who was used to being the one in charge of things. But¡­


    It was hot. Liu Yao was the boyfriend he''d decided on and Yan Zheyun had excellent taste, it seemed.


    Fingers pinched his nose teasingly, making Yan Zheyun wrinkle it.


    "What is Yan Yun thinking about?"


    [You,] Yan Zheyun didn''t say.


    "Is Noble Consort Li still in there?" he asked instead, not caring that his words came out petulant.


    "Why wouldn''t she be?" Liu Yao said. "Does this sovereign have any reason to believe that she has freed herself of all suspicions?"


    Yan Zheyun caught at the hand massaging the nape of his neck and pressed it against his mouth reverently.


    "But you trust me." He didn''t phrase it like a question even though his words were hopeful.


    He felt Liu Yao''s fingers twitch like they were resisting the urge to touch more.


    "I heard you that night," was Liu Yao''s answer. "Like a vivid dream, I had no control over what I was uttering but I could hear your replies all the same."


    Yan Zheyun''s eyelids fluttered shut. "Liu Yao," he mumbled. "You please my heart." This was a traditional way of confessing, much more formal than its modern-day equivalent of "I like you'', but it felt fitting for the magnitude of the emotions Yan Zheyun was going through. He now understood why historical films always felt that much more epic, to the point of being too dramatic for a normal 21st-century person to comprehend. Yan Zheyun had never lived so hard in his life before, caught in situations that had once been beyond his wildest imagination. Extreme despair, extreme decadence, even his affections for Liu Yao felt amplified beyond what he had ever believed he could be like in a romantic relationship.


    "You please my heart too," he heard Liu Yao say and with one last satisfied curl of his lips, he dozed off to the languid ministrations of very posh masseuse.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Liu Yao had never towelled anyone''s hair dry before. Once upon a time, when Ziyu had still been around and Liu Yao had taken his rank too much for granted, it had never occurred to him to set aside his imperial title and take good care of Ziyu the way a normal loving husband might.


    The long nights without Ziyu that followed had been ample time for him to regret not being kinder, not being gentler, not being more thoughtful in the little things that might have counted.


    Now, as he placed Yan Yun in his bed and wrapped the silk cloth around the ends of his hair awkwardly, trying to replicate the way the maids would dry his hair for him, he could only feel a sense of relief that there was still someone in this world that he wanted to do this for.


    Yan Yun¡­


    A quiet sigh slipped from his parted lips as he leaned in to press his face into the crook of Yan Yun''s neck, eliciting a small frown and a soft snuffle of protest as Yan Yun struggled a  bit against the weight above him. Liu Yao shifted until he wasn''t pressing down on Yan Yun''s chest but his nose chased after the clean scent of Yan Yun''s skin.


    Ziyu. Was this his Ziyu?


    Months ago, when Yan Yun had first entered the inner palace, Liu Yao had been taken aback by the similarities he shared with Ziyu in terms of demeanour. Every look, every glance, he saw a shadow of the boy he loved, in the tone of his guqin and his taste for desserts. He''d thought, at first, that it had been calculation on Yan Yun''s part, designed to lure Liu Yao in with promises of the past.


    But today, when Liu Suzhi had handed Liu Yao that piece of parchment with Yan Yun''s request on it, the one with the rushed, almost thoughtless cursive, Liu Yao had felt like someone had set his blood on fire.


    It had been years since he''d seen this script in anything other than the poems and letters he kept as hidden treasures in the secret chamber of his room. If Yan Yun had been intending to conjure up the appearance that he was Ziyu returned, then why had he chosen to hide this writing style from Liu Yao?


    Liu Yao could still recall the neat calligraphy hanging on the wall of Tianlu Pavilion. It had been pristine, elegant, but written in a hand that Liu Yao hadn''t recognised.


    If Liu Suzhi hadn''t handed him the message¡­he would never have known.


    "Who are you?" he murmured against the soft curve of a smooth cheek, lips tracing over warm skin in an attempt to ground himself in reality.


    If Yan Yun truly carried his Ziyu''s soul in his body, then this time, Liu Yao wasn''t going to let him go. If he didn''t, then Liu Yao was going to treasure every moment with him anyway, because he knew that by this point, he had fallen irredeemably.


    He was emperor. He could have the best of both worlds if he wanted.


    Straightening up, he turned to the entrance, where he knew Cao Mingbao had been waiting for his orders.


    "Let news of Liu Suzhi''s interference and Yan Yun''s return to Qianqing Palace reach the dowager''s ears."


    It was time to settle matters; a full day was a full day too long for dealing with such nonsense.

 Chapter 110 - Behind The Scenes

    "Lord Yue. Lord Yue?"


    Yan Zheyun woke up to a gentle shaking of his shoulders. He hummed sleepily and reached up to scrub a tired hand over his face before peering up blearily at whoever it was that disrupted his peaceful slumber.


    It turned out to be Deputy Eunuch Zheng, who gave him a respectful bow as he sat up and covered a yawn.


    "Zheng Gonggong, how long have I been asleep for?" Liu Yao''s bedchambers was familiar to Yan Zheyun by now; a couple of months ago, he wouldn''t have dreamt of becoming so well-acquainted with the ornate canopy and the lavish silk sheets, at least not without sex involved. But over the past few weeks, he''d shared the dragon bed so often that it had quickly become his favourite resting place. Nestled in Liu Yao''s arms, it was easier to believe that their relationship would be able to have some of the normalcy he craved for.


    "In response to Lord Yue, you have been asleep for 2 shichen. His Majesty is discussing matters with Empress Dowager Niangniang in the main chamber and has instructed you to join them after freshening up and eating dinner."


    Yan Zheyun blinked. The dowager was here already? But the time limit wasn''t up yet¡­unless she had caught wind that Liu Yao had released him from prison. Then it would make sense for her to come over and cause a fuss, he supposed, even though he didn''t have any idea why she had decided to involve herself in this issue.


    She claimed to have done so out of obligation to her duties to the inner palace; as dowager, it was natural for her to step in and assume the mantle of leader when there was discord amongst the concubines or underhanded tricks used against the emperor. But Yan Zheyun felt like that was just her excuse. The idea that she would be involved in her own son''s drugging would have been unthinkable to Yan Zheyun back in the past but this was no longer a naivety he could afford to have.


    He rose and allowed the servants to assist him into his robes, now used to their indifferent attention whilst they tended to him. The table had been laid with food that was still piping hot. He tried his best to eat some mouthfuls but found himself too restless to sit still, a mix of paranoia and anxiety drawing his thoughts over to where Liu Yao must be facing off with his mother even as attempted to finish this bowl of soup.


    "Lord Yue!" the maid attending to him protested mildly when he stood up to leave the table. "Lord Yue has barely touched the food, is it not to your tastes?"


    Yan Zheyun shook his head and gave her a reassuring smile. "This concubine has just woken up and doesn''t have much appetite at the moment," he explained. "Leave it, for now, this concubine will continue with the meal later."


    Without further ado, he headed over to where Deputy Eunuch Zheng was waiting patiently for him. He too gave the table a concerned glance but chose not to lecture Yan Zheyun.


    "If Lord Yue is ready, please follow this servant this way."


    Yan Zheyun had expected to be led into the main chamber of Qianqing Palace with a loud announcement and come under the vicious scrutiny of the dowager at once. But instead, Deputy Eunuch Zheng led him over to a small side door that he had never noticed before, which brought him right behind a tall, elaborate gold-gilded screen, where a divan had been laid out with a small tea-table on the side.


    Deputy Eunuch Zheng had fallen silent once bringing Yan Zheyun here, pointing at the divan and placing a finger on his lips to ensure that Yan Zheyun remained quiet despite all the curious questions he wanted to ask.


    It didn''t take him long to understand why he was here though; he could hear the conversation going on in the main chamber, loud and clear.


    If the dowager''s angry tirade could be called a ''conversation''.


    "Emperor!" she shouted in indignation. "This corrupt eunuch tampered with the evidence and for the sake of one lowly male concubine, you''re going to turn a blind eye?! How did this mourner''s son turn out so muddle-headed?! Don''t tell this mourner that you''ve forgotten all the warning stories about giving too much power to the departments!"


    Yan Zheyun took a seat and listened intently. This must have been Liu Yao''s intention; for him to be part of the proceedings without having to stand in the spotlight and face the unfair wrath of this formidable woman.


    "Royal Mother''s words are careless," he heard Liu Yao say. "Royal Mother insists that the suspects'' confessions were fabricated? What is Royal Mother''s proof for this?" His voice coming from very nearby; he was just beyond the screen, must have been seated before it like he was secretly keeping guard, hiding Yan Zheyun out of harm''s way. By sound alone, Yan Zheyun couldn''t tell what he was feeling at the moment. His tone was one of cool detachment, a stark contrast to the fury that practically radiated off the bite of the dowager''s words.


    The third speaker was quickly to interject with such polite mockery that Yan Zheyun could just imagine the sharp spike in the dowager''s ire.


    "This servant is also curious to know," Liu Suzhi drawled. "The maid in-charge of the incense, the eunuch from the imperial buttery, and even that retired soldier from the hunting grounds, all of them had started off insisting that it was Lord Yue, along with a faction of those loyal to the disgraced ex-prime minister Yue Guozun, who had plotted against His Majesty." He clicked his tongue. "And yet, after entering the Department of Careful Punishment, they''ve all started to sing a different tune. Makes you wonder, doesn''t it? Did they tell the truth before or after the torture?"


    The dowager harrumphed. "Perhaps this mourner''s investigations proceeded more smoothly then, since this mourner was fortunate enough to receive a copy of the first set of confessions before some devious wrongdoers attempted to hoodwink His Majesty with such nonsense!" There was a rustling noise that made Yan Zheyun guess that she had tossed a stack of paper onto the ground.


    He reached as quietly as he could for the cup of tea next to him and took a small sip after removing the lid. There was no saucer provided, just a fine cloth laid over the table that would cushion any clanging he made when he placed it back down.


    "What first set of confessions?" the emperor said in confusion. "Supervisor Liu, explain what''s going on."


    "Yes, Supervisor Liu, tell His Majesty just how come there are two sets of confessions," goaded the dowager with obvious gloating.


    When Liu Suzhi had shown up to fish him out of prison earlier on, Yan Zheyun had already suspected that he had formed an alliance with the emperor. Whether this was merely for Xiao De''s sake or not, Yan Zheyun didn''t mind. He needed all the allies he could get.


    And Liu Suzhi was worth his weight in gold, it turned out, because instead of denying anything or coming up with valid excuses, he said, "In response to Your Majesty, this servant made up the first set of confessions and sent them to Yongkang Palace."


    Something shattered.


    "Insolent! Ridiculous!" Yan Zheyun didn''t need to see her to be able to tell that the dowager was livid now. "Interfering with the investigations and muddying the waters with your dirty tricks, Your Majesty, can you see just how your servants do your bidding!"


    Liu Suzhi''s reply was suitably unapologetic. "But there was no other way to prevent Dowager Niangniang from interfering in the interrogation process, was there?" Yan Zheyun could imagine his insouciant shrug. "Sure enough, after Niangniang received that little piece of misinformation, your spies in the department stopped pulling their little strings and this servant was free to commence a proper interrogation. Wouldn''t you say that this servant should be commended for successfully fulfilling my duties as the Head of the Departments?"


    The dowager''s voice turned shrill. "Lying to the sovereign is a crime punishable by death, Supervisor Liu¡ª"


    "In response to Your Majesty," Liu Suzhi interrupted. "This servant has not at any point lied to my sovereign." A sly note crept into his voice. "Unless, of course, Empress Dowager Niangniang is suggesting that she is interested in replicating Wu Zetian''s (1) reign?"


    "That''s enough, Supervisor Liu. This sovereign''s Royal Mother has only ever been supportive of this sovereign''s reign and would not do anything to oppose it, isn''t that right? Royal Mother?"


    Even though Liu Yao didn''t raise his voice above a murmur, a chill ran down Yan Zheyun''s spine. The emperor''s soft ire wasn''t even directed at him so he could only imagine what the dowager was feeling right now.


    True enough, there was a waver in her voice, which had tempered down into something less volatile as she said, "Of course, this mourner supports Your Majesty. You''re my oldest son."


    "This sovereign is glad that we''re of the same heart." There was a short pause before Yan Zheyun heard the emperor continue. He seemed to be ruffling through some memorials; Yan Zheyun could hear the clattering. "The suspects have confessed that Grand Protector Li is behind this sovereign''s poisoning. Along with utilising the servants to smuggle black fragrance into the inner palace and change this sovereign''s incense, Noble Consort Li was also working on his behest to frame Lord Yue for the crime." His laughter was cold. "What a loyal  subject and consort this sovereign has."


    The dowager made one last attempt at remaining firm. "Your Majesty," she said, her words dripping poorly veiled poison. "You''ve trusted one man''s word on this matter and started to question the loyalties of an old subject who has served the throne for three generations!" If Yan Zheyun could see her now, he would see how her stare pierced Liu Suzhi with a viciousness that twisted the beauty of her features. "This eunuch is nothing more than a plaything of the late emperor¡ª"


    "And yet, this servant is a plaything that would have been dowager if the late emperor had just remained alive for a couple more months," Liu Suzhi concluded smugly. "Or is Dowager Niangniang going to pretend you didn''t know about the plans to depose of you?"


    A loud crack made Yan Zheyun jump, especially when it was followed up closely by the dowager''s angry shout. "How dare you speak to this mourner like that? Kneel! If this mourner doesn''t teach this mouth of yours a lesson today¡ª"


    "Royal Mother, please calm down. Or does Royal Mother wish for us to degenerate into civil war with the north?"


    Silence fell. Yan Zheyun surmised that the dowager was composing herself. When she spoke next, her voice was more level, even though it still contained a tightness that she couldn''t conceal.


    "Great General Pan is a sensible man and would not rebel against the kingdom he serves for the sake of a mere man." She spat the last word out.


    "Perhaps. But this sovereign will not risk it." Liu Yao cleared his throat and a hint of fatigue seeped into his tone as he spoke. "At the moment, this sovereign has a lot of troubles to deal with. The cheating incident is still being investigated and¡ªdon''t interrupt this sovereign yet, Royal Mother. This sovereign is determined to prove Fourth Brother''s innocence and wishes to dedicate more time to investigate that matter. As for the poisoning, since Grand Protector Li has been implicated, this has become a matter of the court and will have to be handled by this sovereign personally."


    For the first time in the entire conversation, Yan Zheyun heard Head Eunuch Cao speak.


    "May this old servant know what Your Majesty would wish to do about Noble Consort Li?" he asked. His question was perfunctory and it was impossible to tell whether he was co-starring in the emperor''s little act or whether he was truly bringing this up at this moment because it had suddenly occurred to him.


    The emperor''s pause was longer this time. Yan Zheyun held his breath and waited for a verdict. His fingers tightened in the fabric of his robes and he didn''t realise just how sweaty his palms had become until they came away damp.


    Would Liu Yao? He had an inkling that this was Liu Yao''s one big chance to rid himself of an unwanted consort and take her troublesome grandfather down a peg or two but there were so many other things to consider, such as Grand Protector Li''s control of the Yulin Army. Would he do it? Or would he hesitate¡­


    "Noble Consort Li has many answers to this sovereign''s questions. The bracelet, the black fragrance, and anything else she might have gotten up to behind this sovereign''s back, this sovereign would very much like to know."


    "This old servant understands," Head Eunuch Cao replied. Yan Zheyun knew him now to be the Chief of the Eastern Depot. Hence, it made sense that he would be the one in charge of such a crucial interrogation.


    "What is Your Majesty planning on doing with Noble Consort Li then?" the dowager said woodenly.


    "Any punishment can await her confession.. As for the others involved who have already been proven culpable, they are to be executed immediately."