Chapter Text
The Crown Prince of Yu Long perched inside the chamber of the horsecart, his elbow propped at the window sill while his wrist supported his chin. Clad in robes of silk and satin, adorned in jewels and gold, the handsome features on his face were stark.
His eyes seemed to be distant. He stared at the curtain which covered the window. Since the wheels of the horsecart rode rapidly over roads, the curtain fluttered with a loud snap.
His eyes narrowed. He would reach Yu Long in no time. Despite the weather being bright the last few days, it was raining today. Slight drizzle, overcast sky.
When he departed from Wu Yong, he did not look back. But in his heart, he only thought of one person— Xiao Yu. Birth name, Mei Nianqing.
In the Imperial Palace of Yu Long, the Crown Prince was forged like steel and blade, to be a man befitting his station, erasing all seven emotions and six desires. From a young age, he was trained with merciless precision, to maintain his refinement even in the direst situations.
Yet all his composure became undone the moment his eyes met with Mei Nianqing that day.
The Crown Prince had been raised as an heir, as an imperial blood, as a future emperor. He had never been raised like a son. He had never even dared to raise his gaze in front of the Emperor, he had never dared to address him as his Imperial Father. The silk laden conspiracies of the Imperial Palace had led to the death of his Imperial Mother— a casualty of poison grieved by the nation, by the Emperor, yet not by a husband.
Had Mei Nianqing known of his past, would he pause to comfort him? No, perhaps not. He was not the kind who was empathetic. He was the kind of man who would silently accompany him to drink.
At the age of fifteen, the Crown Prince was bestowed his First Consort by the Imperial Decree. Despite his unwillingness that he failed to express, he had married the woman he knew not the name of. She was almost his age, her beauty appealing, her voice soft, but it could not captivate the young prince. She was too gentle, so fragile that he dared not touch. Otherwise, what if she were to break like his mother once did?
Women such as her were untouchable as the moonlight, to be admired from afar. But Mei Nianqing…
The Crown Prince sighed at his thoughts. Mei Nianqing was a man whose hands had wielded swords, his eyes had witnessed blood, his tongue was familiar with defiance. Such a man was an invincible warrior. Those were the hands that the Crown Prince yearned to touch, to hold.
Eventually, Imperial Decrees stacked up, bestowing consorts upon the Crown Prince till even the air in his throat was a heavy burden. If marriage were a sacred union, then why were these ceremonies thwarted upon him as though his wives were warhorses or treaties?
The Second Consort wept on their wedding night, confessing her heart already belonged to someone else. Then she never cried again. He watched her as one might watch the swaying leaves and shifted his gaze away. He was well taught how affection was inefficient, how attachment was a leverage, how feelings were incomprehensible.
Yet at this moment, he wondered if his feelings towards Mei Nianqing were just the same…
This misery, rage and something far unsettling that twirled in his heart… for being unable to bring Mei Nianqing along his side… how could this strange emotion be named?
The Third Consort was an exceptional beauty who was gregarious by nature. She always initiated conversations and chirped endlessly. Her emotions could be observed like an open book, though they changed faster than the weather. The Crown Prince disliked excessive words.
Yet he wondered if it was Mei Nianqing who spoke… then perhaps it would be tolerable. He knew that around strangers, Mei Nianqing was the kind who would not speak unless spoken to. But with the Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong and the other vassals, he would not keep his guards up. The Crown Prince of Yu Long desired to be in that place.
The Fourth Consort was the youngest by age. Her choices in the fabrics of her robes and jewels of her accessories were extravagant beyond measure. But the innocence in her eyes was proof of her devotion towards the Crown Prince. This devotion was offered to the Crown Prince not out of her affection for a man of his nature but for her attachment for a man of his position.
Yet had it been Mei Nianqing in her stead, the Crown Prince would not mind showering him with all kinds of grandeurs and riches. But he knew that Mei Nianqing had grown up with as much opulence as Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong himself. He was just like the Crown Prince of Yu Long in that sense. Materialistic things could be seized, skills could not.
All the Imperial Consorts who stood behind him had their own motives. Each of them had sought interests from the Crown Prince. The First Consort sought protection, the Second Consort sought secrecy, the Third Consort sought influence, the Fourth Consort sought luxury. They remained for the status, the rank and for what came alongside the titles.
Yet, was there truly nothing that the Crown Prince could provide for Mei Nianqing?
The Crown Prince of Yu Long had fulfilled his duties towards his four consorts but he had never confided in any of them. Trust was a weakness he had eliminated before he had even learnt to wield the sword. When his hands were not injured by training, he was sent to war. Rest was a luxury he could not afford. He could not tell apart victories and losses. He had only ever felt indifference. This indifference was cascaded by a countenance of amusement, lest arouse any suspicions.
Yet all this composure, this discipline, this refinement of nineteen years…
All of it had faltered in the span of three days.
All for a single man. How absurd.
The Crown Prince chuckled at his own absurdness. He was received by Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong with measured courtesy. He had noticed Mei Nianqing the moment he had arrived in that pavilion.
An enthralling beauty despite being a man… The Crown Prince had never found such elegance under one’s brow, such grace below one’s lip!
For the first time, the Crown Prince was relieved that his amused expression was never swept by any other emotions.
That day, he had intentionally allowed his words to curl into a mild insult against Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong. He only meant to test the waters as he always had. He meant to provoke the prince who was younger than him by age.
The one who answered was the vassal.
It was only then that the Crown Prince understood that a delicate face did not necessarily ensure delicate words. At that moment, he decided to despise his defiance… Such a disobedient tongue…
Had he been in Yu Long, that tongue would be severed.
And yet in then end, he caught himself thinking—
“Beautiful. Ruinously so.”
Later in the day when he had leaped off a tree and Mei Nianqing happened to jump off from a nearby wall, they had collided with each other. They both were trained martial artists but their compatibility was low, therefore they could not assist in stabilizing each other. Mei Nianqing used his own body as a shield to protect the Crown Prince by instinct alone.
Seeing Mei Nianqing’s face in such close proximity, he was truly enamoured by his beauty. His heartbeat went erratic not from the fall but from the lack of distance. After all, gratitude was an unfamiliar terrain.
Not knowing how to save his face, he pretended to fall unconscious. Later when he saw Mei Nianqing being carried in the arms of Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong for he had been poisoned, his first instinct was to yearn that he was in his stead. He wished it was him who could carry Mei Nianqing with such familiarity.
Later that night, he had waited on the rooftop and collided with Mei Nianqing again on purpose. In the banquet hall, he had thrown in some ambiguous remarks in the guise of compliments simply to draw Mei Nianqing’s attention. How could Mei Nianqing be so ignorant to the sufferings he was causing the Crown Prince?
Thus the Crown Prince had invited Mei Nianqing to the guest quarters and played cards with him under the dim light produced by the lanterns. He hoped to stir at least some feelings within that repressed scholar. When he noticed Mei Nianqing’s meticulous movements of hands, he knew he was cheating.
Had there been such a daring schemer in Yu Long, the Crown Prince would have him executed before dawn.
But when he realised that he could curb the rites and bend the rules for the man before him… he realised that this was not simple gratitude.
The very next day, the Crown Prince and Mei Nianqing travelled across the hunting grounds. While the other princes competed for hunting, the Crown Prince of Yu Long leisurely chatted with Mei Nianqing and wondered if two lovers would do the same on festivals.
Yet when he suggested Mei Nianqing to accompany him in Yu Long… he was refused. The Crown Prince had never been denied what he wished to possess. Naturally, he was upset, so upset that he had his own horse startled and run away, simply so that he could have Mei Nianqing ride the same horse as him. He knew he was being childish. Even he found it absurd.
Later that night, the Crown Prince entered the vassals’ bathchamber and pretended to be a dead man floating in the basin. Mei Nianqing was too kind. He knew he would come in proximity to check on him. When he did, the Crown Prince seized the opportunity to perform the Forbidden Technique of Fate Reversal. It was similar to a pre-marital rite of his homeland.
Even then, Mei Nianqing’s fury was clearer than fear, his defiance more stark than panic. The Crown Prince realised that he could indulge this rebellion eternally.
But Taizi Dianxia entered and broke the technique before its completion. According to the Technique of Fate Reversal, only the true fated lover may disrupt this ceremony.
The Crown Prince chuckled. The heavens were cruel indeed.
The following morning he asked for Mei Nianqing in the court of Wu Yong, negotiating his bargain with treasures, trade routes, people, provinces— even half of his own kingdom. He had been desperate, deliberate, distraught. He had no care for the repercussions.
If he could simply have Mei Nianqing, he could abandon everything else.
He had been composed in the court, smiling and negotiating calmly throughout. Only he knew how frantic and impulsive he had grown.
All for one man.
Half of the kingdom of Yu Long. Sold for a cherished man.
The words had left his mouth before pride could intervene. Yet the answer that met him was denial.
Had he not been this cornered, had Wu Yong accepted his clause, he would not have had to mention anything regarding the pre-marital rite or pretend that Mei Nianqing had been willing to be his. Naturally, he did not state the matter of the forbidden technique. If Wu Yong accepted, the Crown Prince would be given what was rightfully his. If Wu Yong refused this matrimony, no one else would dishonour their family name by marrying this half claimed noble man.
The outcome should have been obvious.
Yet, Wu Yong curbed all words and twisted all phrases, till refusal was the only way. Thus the Crown Prince was denied something for the first time. How funny… This was the first time he had dared to choose someone for himself.
Soon after, the Crown Prince was sent back to his homeland. No weapons were wielded, no blood was drawn, no duels or wars followed, no shackles bound. He was simply dismissed.
Humiliation.
As the galloping of the horses paused, the Crown Prince realised that a few days had already passed since he departed from Wu Yong. And now, he had already reached the Imperial Palace of Yu Long.
Since Yu Long was in the North, it had been relentlessly snowing for the past few days. Yet he wondered if it was still raining in Wu Yong.
After returning to the Imperial Palace, he was asked to meet His Majesty the Emperor before anything. He had expected this summon. Thus with a cloak that had gathered snow, he walked past the familiar corridors. Several eyes followed him, numerous heads bowed. Everyone greeted him, no one welcomed.
He only walked forward with precise steps. In Yu Long, he could not bear to collide or fall. There were no arms to catch him, no body to shield him.
As he stood before the doors of the court, the servants announced his arrival. In his mind, he instinctively rehearsed how he would recount the failed alliance. He could already imagine receiving a cold gaze, hearing a measured disappointment, perhaps even a furious rebuke or a consequential punishment.
His feet moved forward. They had never felt this heavy.
He had faced armies without yielding. He had commanded the military without flinching.
Yet what unsettled him was not spiritual repercussions, political consequences, familial disappointment.
What truly unsettled him were the memories of the hands which pressed against his chest, the taste of herbal tea poured in that pavilion, the smell of sandalwood that clung to a scholar’s robes, the answers provided by either scoffs or silence and… the sight of those beautiful eyes.
It unsettled him from within. It stirred within him some foreign emotions. It ignited unquenchable desires that knew no bounds.
-君梅-
The Crown Prince entered the familiar court. It was the same as he could remember. A suffocating grandeur.
There were no ministers, eunuchs or servants. Only the man who sat on the throne at the highest position, looking down upon him with indifferent eyes.
The Crown Prince kowtowed, “Your Majesty.”
The Emperor did not bid him to rise immediately. Instead, an uncertain silence stretched.
Even at this moment, the Crown Prince recalled how the cool winds brushed Mei Nianqing’s hair as he rode the horse, how his own hand lingered at Mei Nianqing’s waist in the guise of necessity.
“Rise,” the Emperor permitted.
“This humble son greets Your Majesty,” the Crown Prince voiced the rehearsed words.
The Emperor’s fingers tapped at the handrest of the throne. He said, “Every journey that someone of Imperial blood makes, should naturally bring some kind of profit to the kingdom— be it tribute in gold, annexation of fertile lands or new trade routes to bypass the frost during winter. What has the Crown Prince returned with?”
Before the Crown Prince could respond, the Emperor clapped his hands once with a thwack and continued in a soft tone, “Ah, we remember now— the Crown Prince has returned with a stained reputation.”
The Crown Prince said mechanically, “Your Majesty is mistaken, this—”
“SILENCE! DID WE ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK!?” The Emperor interrupted with a roar.
The Crown Prince hung his head. But his posture was upright.
The Emperor calmed himself before saying, “We are aware you have returned far before the scheduled time. Report regarding the alliance Wu Yong proposed.”
“Negotiations proved unfruitful,” the Crown Prince responded.
The Emperor chuckled, “Unfruitful? Is that the word for public humiliation? Report again. Properly.”
The Crown Prince pursed his lips. With a pause he replied, “The alliance failed.”
“Failed, yes. That is the correct term. You were received with courtesy, offered favorable terms. Yet you chose to provoke their court and failed a meagre diplomacy,” the Emperor uttered, “Words travel faster than your horse cart, Crown Prince. Ridiculous rumours have filled the streets and tea pavilions. Tell us, does this cherished man know he has made a beggar of a Prince?”
“This humble son does not understand,” the Crown Prince replied.
“Oh, now you feign ignorance?” the Emperor raised his brow, “Those shameful rumours of how the Crown Prince of Yu Long, who was iron forged in fire, actually dissolved at the mere lift of the scholar’s eyelids! Invincible in the greatest wars yet defeated by the face of a servant boy! What sins have the ancestors of Yu Long committed that the Crown Prince so easily dishonours our blood!?”
The Crown Prince remained silent. He knew the question was addressed without expectancy of an answer.
“The Crown Prince who was raised to conquer the world— he was actually conquered by the lowly glance of a scholar with a pretty face! Do you know what the poets of Yu Long have been reciting in wine houses!?” the Emperor yelled, “They say the vanquisher of generals, the conqueror of nations, now trembles at the furrow of a scholar’s brow! Tell us, shall we crown the scholar then? Or hang the poet who dares to spread such rumors?”
Whoever had met the Crown Prince of Yu Long before, they would confirm that he had always worn an amused smile. Little did they know how this fabricated smile disappeared completely whenever he stood before the Emperor. An indifferent countenance was befitting.
The Emperor derided, “They say his lips tempt even the stoic Prince to folly. That it has snowed earlier this year, for the heavens mourn for the Prince’s heart. Why don’t we invite bards to compose songs in court!? We are aware which is exaggeration and which is the truth— though we would rather all these truths were an exaggeration as well.”
Lips that tempt even the stoic Prince to folly…
They were not wrong. The Crown Prince had pretended to be a dead man only to touch the hand he yearned for. He had not been hasty to steal a kiss.
“Do you even heed our words!? Do you think we are unaware of how you dismissed your servants simply to play cards with that servant boy all night! Of how you brought the least prey after hunting all day despite returning the last, and when you returned you rode the same saddle as that lowly scholar!” the Emperor exclaimed.
The Crown Prince waited for the Emperor to calm his mind. But in the end, it was his own mind which was swayed by the memories of the last three days. Nineteen years could be undone by three days.
“DO YOU THINK WE DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU BARGAINED FOR HIM!? YOU WERE PREPARED TO SQUANDER HALF OF OUR KINGDOM!” The Emperor screamed.
“Your Maj—” the Crown Prince muttered.
The Emperor interrupted, “We will not hear another word from you! You barter pieces of our land for a low life as though a lovesick fool! The land that shall be so rightfully yours after our reign— you dare dishonor that very land! They say you named provinces as if they were tributes! What can that lowly servant provide when we strip away your title!?”
“YOUR MAJESTY!” the Crown Prince exclaimed.
“It is us who is the son of the heavens! If we may bestow the title of the Crown Prince upon you, then we may also strip you off that honor! We may execute you if we please, we may demote you to a commoner if we see fit!” the Emperor roared.
The Crown Prince clenched his fists. He had been raised as the Crown Prince. He was raised to ascend the throne as the Emperor. That was his rightful fate. He opened his lips only to close them again.
“You provoked their heir, disrupted the negotiations,” the Emperor said calmly. “And when denied a personal request, you offered half of our empire.”
He continued, “Lord Mei Nianqing, youngest son of the noble family of Mei. A military family of generations. He is not only the Vassal of Ren but also the Imperial Companion of the Taizi of Wu Yong. You dare covet such a man, good, very good. Yet even after coercing him into our pre-marital rite— considering it was the rite at all, and not the forbidden technique— you return with none by your side. How shameful. They say that the vassal does not deem the Crown Prince of Yu Long worthy of his glance.”
To think that the Emperor would personally investigate a mere vassal for this purpose!
The Emperor paused before finally saying, “Speak!”
“It was indeed the pre-marital rite and not the forbidden technique, Your Majesty,” the Crown Prince lied.
He had never dared to lie to the Emperor before. Observing that the Emperor’s anger had quelled, he continued, “While it is true that we had offered half of Yu Long, it was only a measured move. Half of a kingdom does not necessarily refer to territory— words are too vague, too broad, it may be anything. It could refer to barren frontiers or temporary stewardship.”
He claimed such, righteously so. In truth, he had only inferred these excuses while he was relishing wine in the horsecart a few hours ago. In reality, he had actually made that offer purely out of impulse alone. Only he knew that if this offer was accepted, he would deliberately stamp his seal on the paper that stated the clause, without even reading it twice.
“All this,” the Emperor suggested, “for a vassal?”
“For an asset,” the Crown Prince replied coldly.
The Emperor chuckled, “You would rearrange the borders for a mere asset?”
“He is the favoured son of the Mei family. If the offer was accepted, it would cause friction between the military family and the Imperial Family. Yu Long could exploit this internal disharmony,” the Crown Prince replied analytically. He added, “Besides, when the offer was made, Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong reacted heavily. That boy, the youngest son of Mei, holds an unusual influence over their heir. He is allowed to sit beside the Taizi during court, and permitted to intervene in political negotiations. Securing him would have granted leverage disproportionate to cost.”
This time, the Emperor remained still for a moment. He seemed to be finally convinced, though only a little.
The Crown Prince knew better than anyone that all this was a pretense. But the weight of his words were heavy. It was true that this could have been the result if the offer was accepted.
Then came a cold chuckle. The Emperor.
He adjusted his sleeve absentmindedly and said, “Crown Prince, you overestimate your cleverness. One day, this very reason would be the cause of your demise.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed. When in the court of Wu Yong, refusal had struck, something reckless had surged within him at the heat of the moment. He would have signed away provinces frantically without glancing at the ink. He would have squandered half of his kingdom. Not for an asset, not for leverage, simply for a beautiful man with an insolent tongue and steady hands.
The Emperor stood up, “You promised him the title of Fifth Consort Yu, the title of your deceased mother.”
“It was another advancement to gain Wu Yong’s trust. Their heir argued that the youngest son of Mei would be mistreated,” the Crown Prince explained.
“Say, Crown Prince, which feature of his was the most alluring,” the Emperor asked, “that their Taizi is so besotted?”
The silence stretched for the moment of a burning incense stick. It was not a question born out of curiosity. It was a test to inquire about the loyalty of the Crown Prince of Yu Long. If he refused, he would seem suspicious. If he answered wrongly, he would confirm rumors.
“Is it those eyes the wine houses spoke of or the lips the poets wrote of?” the Emperor added.
Defiance. That was what made Xiao Yu the most bewitching.
“His usefulness, Your Majesty. He had been trained under the same master as their heir. He is a martial artist politically positioned beside their Taizi. He is no ornamental scholar, he has the right to intervene in their court,” the Crown Prince finally replied.
“Yet if he were to be brought to Yu Long by matrimony, that usefulness would be dispensed. Wu Yong could have called for war. Yu Long presently lacks resources due to the upcoming winter,” the Emperor said.
Seeing that the Crown Prince lowered his gaze silently, the Emperor asked, “And his face?”
“Your Majesty?”
“That servant boy. Does he have an alluring face?” the Emperor asked.
The Crown Prince swallowed. Mei Nianqing’s face… it was in itself an asset. His beauty would put the moon to shame. It would be ignorant to simply deem it alluring.
“A pleasing exterior invites underestimation, Your Majesty. It is advantageous,” the Crown Prince replied.
“So you do admit his beauty is unparalleled,” the Emperor remarked.
The Crown Prince remained silent.
“Silence could mean obedience. Silence could also mean calculation. Silence could even mean agreement. Speak!” the Emperor demanded.
The Crown Prince said, “Their heir carves jades to place by his throne. The poets and winehouses may be fond of his exterior. But we only see a man adept with a sword. If his face is alluring, it is only a mere distraction for others.”
“So you are aware that it is a distraction and yet you allow yourself to be distracted, what a foolish son we have! Affection has only ever benefitted those who are detached. Say, Crown Prince, does the youngest son of Mei ask the Taizi of Wu Yong for favours?” The Emperor asked.
The Crown Prince paused at the sudden change of topic. He remembered how the heir of Wu Yong’s throne was prepared to send Imperial Guards to search for a mere earring that Mei Nianqing had lost. Was the Emperor not convinced?
He replied thoughtfully, “No, the Taizi of Wu Yong prepares for every comfort of that vassal before he may even ask. He need not ask.”
The Emperor uttered, “Yes, but suppose he did, would their Taizi deny him?”
“If it is within his capabilities,” the Crown Prince answered, “Then he would fulfill his wishes.”
He could not understand why the Emperor delved into such details. Thus he could only reply truthfully.
“Very well,” the Emperor chuckled, “And if their Taizi Dianxia asks that scholar for his hands— not in marriage, not in alliance but his very hands which are skilled with brushstrokes, would that scholar sever those very hands unquestioned?”
“The Taizi of Wu Yong is too kind, too young. He would not ask for any such sacrifice which wounds his people,” the Crown Prince responded.
“Indeed, a sacrifice of his precious little person would be a wound to himself. The youngest son of Mei holds a power beyond what his status demands, he weaponizes his beauty in exchange for influence, the heavens will punish him,” The Emperor said, “However, if that Taizi truly asked for Lord Mei’s severed hands, say, tentatively in hypothesis, would the scholar submit?”
“Perhaps,” the Crown Prince answered. In his heart, he knew that the answer would have been yes. But he was reluctant to say so.
The Emperor asked, “Crown Prince, do you know what is the most precious part of oneself for a scholar?”
The Crown Prince answered unwaveringly, “Their hands.”
“Now, do you understand?” The Emperor asked.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the Crown Prince uttered perfunctorily.
“What did you understand?” the Emperor inquired.
“This Prince underestimated Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong. He is neither as kind nor as naive as imagined. His indulgence for Lord Mei is a mere expenditure in exchange of unquestioned loyalty of a sharpened blade,” the Crown Prince answered.
He only iterated the answer that the Emperor wished to hear. But three days were enough for the Crown Prince to understand. The relationship between Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong and Lord Mei Nianqing was not one to be weighed and measured. It was genuine.
And genuine affection was far more unsettling for the Crown Prince to comprehend.
“This Father has taught you well. Then again, you have never been a slow kid, have you?” the Emperor remarked.
“It is all Your Majesty’s grace. This son apologizes for committing wrongs and failing the alliance,” the Crown Prince said, “Punish this son.”
“Why, we do not have the heart to punish. The Crown Prince has now already understood his mistakes. It is good he is still willing to learn,” the Emperor uttered as he descended slowly from the steps. He continued, “As the Crown Prince may have already known, the Northern Borders have been in skirmishes for the last few months. It is a trivial matter that was not worthy of sending new troops. But winter has approached before time, our resources would plummet soon.”
The Crown Prince suggested, “Allow this son to venture to the Northern Borders. We shall return victorious in three months.”
“Three months?” the Emperor asked coldly.
“Two,” the Crown Prince corrected.
The Emperor chuckled, “Good. In two months, the poets shall compose their poetry on the valiance and heroism of the Crown Prince. Their filthy preposterous rumours will have been washed by the blood of those rebellious soldiers.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the Crown Prince affirmed.
The Crown Prince continued to kneel, his gaze lowered. The Emperor ceased his feet almost five zhang away after descending all the golden steps.
This very quest he assigned was the punishment. Punishment for wavering. Punishment for disloyalty. Punishment for having displayed affection, a weakness.
Resources were scarce during winter. It was especially cold in the north.
“The Crown Prince has provided useful information. Since the Crown Prince does not have any lingering attachments towards that scholar, certainly it would not matter if in a few days the youngest son of Mei was seized with a blade at his throat?” the Emperor uttered.
The Crown Prince remained silent.
A blade…
At Xiao Yu’s throat?
He could already imagine. A cold blade touching the pale, slender throat. The very neck that was always covered in high collared robes, that very neck adorned with golden necklaces, that very neck which he had once held.
A blade against that neck. A blade which could silence that insolent tongue forever.
Was the Emperor planning an assassination on Xiao Yu!?
If he was killed in the Palace of Wu Yong, the household of Mei could suspect the schemes of the Imperial Family which would cause internal disharmony! And all this information… he had provided by his very own tongue!
The countenance of the Crown Prince remained unchanged, indifferent. Even his breath did not falter. He was trained too well to hide his emotions. But his heart had gone completely still.
“We too had once been your age, Crown Prince. Do you think your nonchalance conceals your shameful affection? You may lie in the court of Wu Yong but you can not lie to this Father,” the Emperor said coldly.
“This son would not dare,” the Crown Prince muttered.
No, he had been foolish indeed. The Emperor would not waste his resources on simply removing a mere vassal. He was only testing the Crown Prince.
And the Crown Prince had failed. He had never failed before.
The Emperor chuckled, “And yet you already have. Your voice may be firm but we can hear the silence in them. Even if you do not falter, we can read your eyes. The very lands you were so eager to wager for a low life, you shall protect those very lands this winter. Depart from the Imperial City early at dawn tomorrow. And when you return, we shall have a fifth consort of yours prepared.”
And that was the punishment for lying.
“This Son obeys,” the Crown Prince said.
The Emperor explained, “Remember. Wu Yong did not retaliate against you in honor of Yu Long, in respect to us. If they called for war, it could have been disastrous.”
“Indeed, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor sighed, “You resemble her when you are the most foolish. She too thought that her affection could soften power.”
The Crown Prince noticed no anomaly within himself, despite the fact that the Emperor had spoken of his deceased mother. Before, it would stir his heart uncontrollably. But now…
Perhaps he had some faith in her. Perhaps.
“You may leave,” the Emperor ordered.
The Crown Prince stood up, his head still hung. He cupped his hand and bowed. Just as he turned and was about to leave, the Emperor’s voice came again—
“Halt.”
The Crown Prince ceased at once. He turned back.
“If any news of a scholar encountering misfortune reaches you, we believe you would not abandon your post,” the Emperor said.
The Crown Prince parted his lips slightly, as if to say something. In the end, he pursed his lips and bowed.
“Naturally, Your Majesty.”
“There are plenty of herbs that not only reduce intellect but also cloud the mind permanently. It would be regrettable if a scholar is driven to insanity. Or worse, foolishness.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“It would be unfortunate if he were to be in an accident and lose his fingers or perhaps the ability to move them. Say, Crown Prince, would he reminisce about the precision in his brush strokes or the decisiveness in his sword skills? Hah, how sorrowful it would all be beyond his capabilities. That alone could drive a man to insanity.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“It would be a pity if those beautiful eyes were gouged out. He would be left to wander the unfamiliar streets without sight. What a shame.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Perhaps because the Emperor was still not convinced, he added, “He will remain unharmed, though. If the Crown Prince of Yu Long behaves.”
The Crown Prince clenched his fist under his sleeves. His gaze that had been lowered for years was unaware of how to lift such heavy eyelids.
His voice was colder than the snow swirling outside, “As Your Majesty commands.”
That night, he sat alone in his bedchambers and drank liquor for a long time. The place which he had been familiar with for the last nineteen years suddenly felt unfamiliar.
His four consorts accompanied him in drinking. Another order from the Emperor. The Crown Prince could tell. The Consorts were not aware.
They played Weiqi on the Crown Prince’s insistence but soon the Crown Prince was bored. Then, he switched to playing cards instead.
The First Consort failed to even comprehend the rules of this foreign game and ended up refusing before the first round even began. The Second Consort played a round halfway and discarded her cards when she believed she had been losing.
The Third Consort seemed too adept with cards for someone who claimed not to know the rules. The Fourth Consort stole more glances at the Crown Prince’s face than at his cards. Her fingers brushed the Crown Prince’s hands every time she chose a card.
Yet none of these consorts were brave enough to accept the Crown Prince’s suggestion—
“Loser grants the winner a wish each round.”
After all, who was as courageous as Xiao Yu?
Among all these consorts, who would be brave enough to cheat brazenly as if they played in the unnamed wine houses in the shady districts?
In the end, he dismissed all the consorts from his chamber and continued to drink alone for a long time. He took the time to reflect.
Silence made his thoughts grow louder.
He realised that what he truly liked about Mei Nianqing was not merely his defiance or his beauty. Instead, he was fond of how devoted Mei Nianqing was to Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong. If he received even an ounce of such devotion as that…
Oh, lord, he could kill for such devotion!
He had noticed how Mei Nianqing, in the company of Taizi Dianxia and the three vassals, would let his guards down. He was still sharp-tongued, yes, but his tone was softer. He did not entirely dislike if his hand was held or if his head was caressed.
His intellect was sharp, his faith was unquestioned. His obedience and devotion was unparalleled.
He saw Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong as a man. Not as the heir to the throne, but as a man.
How the Crown Prince of Yu Long craved to be that man!
Throughout the night, he drank until his throat went sore and the back of his eyes stung. He laid on the silk mattresses that smelled like the sour scent of liquor. How unpleasant.
What he wished to smell was herbal tea and sandalwood.
But the only wish he had ever asked for was still beyond his grasp.
“Xiao Yu… Xiao Yu…”
-君梅-
Five years had passed since then.
Mei Nianqing walked through the Golden Lustre Thoroughfare of the Heavenly Capital. He did not find Taizi Dianxia and the three vassals at the Palace of Wuyong (the one in the Heavenly Capital). So he wandered around the heavens to seek them.
Several Heavenly Officials passed by.
Mei Nianqing sighed. It had been four years since Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong ascended as a Martial God. Naturally, Xu Yiran, Lu Qingshi, Chen Yuanbai and Mei Nianqing himself were assigned as his Deputy Gods.
Taizi Dianxia had been a radiant sun in the mortal realm, gleaming everywhere he went. Even in the heavens, this radiance did not dim and instead brightened to the point that everyone who stood beside him lost colours.
Today, Mei Nianqing had only gone for a minor errand in the mortal world and the others had already vanished. He looked at the faces of every passing stranger only to realise they were not whom he sought.
“Qing’er!” called a soft voice.
Despite the commotion around this busy thoroughfare, those words did not slip Mei Nianqing’s ears.
He did not require to look to realise that this voice belonged to His Dear Highness, a deep yet gentle voice. He looked at the opposite end of the busy roads of heavens.
Taizi Dianxia stood there with a loving smile. He waved at Mei Nianqing, practically beaming. He was clad in exquisite shimmering white robes with intricate embroidery. His obsidian black eyes were clear like the melted snow from a frozen lake.
Beside him stood three familiar men, the three vassals of Taizi Dianxia of Wu Yong. Xu Yiran gave a broad grin, Lu Qingshi waved lightly, Chen Yuanbai greeted him with a stoic nod.
Mei Nianqing smiled back.
The thoroughfare was completely swamped with Heavenly Officials, as it was usually the area where travelling was necessary to reach any other place in the heavens. Even so, Mei Nianqing could clearly see the four men who stood at the opposite end.
When Mei Nianqing made his way through the crowd, he realised his steps had become too quick to be said walking but too slow to be said running. Whatever.
This was not Wu Yong. This was the Heavenly Capital.
Who cares if he were to run?
Thus, his feet tapped onto the marble tiles in a quick and deliberate manner as he moved forward. The cool wind brushed through his face and caressed his hair. He realised that his chest rose and fell with heaves as air circulated quicker and quicker in his blood. His pulse quickened.
How lively the heavens were!
However, when Mei Nianqing was just a few steps away from his companions, he suddenly collided with a sturdy chest. Another Heavenly Official who was headed towards the opposite way.
A light thud was heard but neither of them fell. A firm hand grasped Mei Nianqing’s waist and when Mei Nianqing’s feet stabilised, the hand withdrew gracefully without lingering. Both of them took a step back to anchor themselves properly.
“Apologies, Your Highness,” Mei Nianqing bowed at once before he could even look at the other person.
All the Heavenly Officials were titled as His Highness to offer respect. Those two words were always at the tip of his tongue.
He felt a little embarrassed. He did not know why he suddenly ran.
Without lifting his gaze, Mei Nianqing’s eyes fell on the other person’s shoes. Clean, black shoes of metal. Certainly a man’s.
The man proffered his open palm. It cradled an earring.
This familiar earring had purple beads and a white tassel. It was the very earring that the Taizi had gifted to him. It had slightly worn out in the last five years. He used to wear it all the time, but now he only wore it occasionally, hoping it could be preserved.
“Oh…” Mei Nianqing muttered absentmindedly.
When he touched his left earlobe, he realised it must have fallen when he collided. How strange. He had not misplaced his earrings in years.
He outstretched his hand slightly to receive the earring as he lifted his gaze. His eyes froze.
The man who stood before him wore black robes with golden celestial patterns. His face seemed stained by time, no longer the nineteen year old youth from five years ago. Yet his refined features were strikingly handsome. His countenance was composed, no longer masked in an amused smile.
He no longer seemed the youth of yesterday who would impulsively offer half a kingdom for negotiations. He seemed rather calm and reticent. His frame was taller, his silhouette broader, his shadow covering Mei Nianqing completely.
“You still lose your things when you run in haste.”
His voice was deeper than what Mei Nianqing could remember.
Mei Nianqing’s breath hitched. His eyes widened.
He had not heard those words in years.
He had been content in doing so.
The edge of the foreigner’s lips curved subtly, his eyes softened. He added—
“Xiao Yu.”
-君梅-
—Fin.