Chapter Text
“Give us a list of all the living children in the royal bloodline.”
Ling Wen dipped her head. He had called her in for a private audience because she seemed the most capable of his ministers, and she didn’t disappoint. “Your Majesty, there are three.”
“Only three?” Hua Cheng asked.
“Your Majesty killed many of the royal relatives before they could have children,” she said bluntly.
That did sound like the original Hua Cheng.
He waved a hand. “Go on. Who are they?”
“Your Majesty’s paternal cousin, the late Prince of Qi, left behind a son.”
“How old is he now?’
“Seventeen.”
“Next.” He wanted an heir he could mold, not an unruly teenager who could very well decide to stab Hua Cheng in his sleep if he became the heir.
“The Marquis of Lintao, descended from Your Majesty’s great-uncle, is six years old.”
Promising. “And the third?”
“The third child is thirteen—”
Pass. Preteens were far too annoying. Being king was bad enough without having to deal with one of those.
“Summon the young Marquis of Lintao to the capital.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Hua Cheng had no idea where the Marquis of Lintao was located, but he figured it could take some time for the child to reach the capital and be evaluated. In the meantime, he had to find excuses to see Xie Lian even while acting somewhat in character. (Lately, every time the system tried to accuse him of acting out of character, Hua Cheng argued with it so extensively that it just gave up and flew away.)
“Your Majesty, the deputy minister of rites requests an audience.”
“Why is a mere deputy minister here to bother us? Where’s the minister of rites?”
His head eunuch’s mouth turned down in a small grimace. He lowered his voice. “Your Majesty had the last minister of rites beheaded. The position has not yet been filled.”
“Ah.” Sounds about right. “Why not?”
The eunuch cleared his throat. “The last four ministers of rites have been executed in the last year.” He hurriedly continued, “All were deserving of punishment and were appropriately dealt with by Your Majesty, of course. This humble servant did not mean to suggest—”
“Shut up.” Hua Cheng sincerely doubted that all of those deaths were entirely merited, but not even he could openly challenge his own royal authority.
Now that he thought about it, he did recall the original Hua Cheng’s beef with the Ministry of Rites. Ever since he was young, he had always been very sensitive to any mention of ill omens. Hua Cheng had been profoundly affected by the rumors that his own birth was cursed under the Star of Solitude—rumors that the Ministry of Rites no doubt helped the queen dowager perpetuate.
If no one wanted to take up the position now, Hua Cheng couldn’t exactly blame them, so he just rolled his eyes and ordered the deputy minister to be brought in for an audience.
Immediately, he regretted doing so. The sniveling middle-aged man before him kowtowed nine times despite Hua Cheng’s repeated requests for him to get up and stop banging his forehead against the ground. It had turned a ghastly red by the time he finally stopped—at which point he just began complaining about something to do with the royal examinations.
“If this continues, our country will cease to be like a country, and this humble subject will be too ashamed to accept the salary you provide—”
“Then return it to us,” Hua Cheng said coolly. He gave the deputy minister of rites a small, insincere smile. “The Treasury is low on funds, after all. We’re so relieved to hear you understand our concerns.”
The man looked up, his eyes nearly bulging out of his face. “Your Majesty?”
“Weren’t you saying you want to serve us without any salary? How generous of you. We accept.”
“Your Majesty! This—”
“You’re dismissed.”
The deputy minister nearly sagged back to the ground when he tried to stand, so a eunuch had to help him up. Hua Cheng couldn’t help but laugh at the sight, though he at least tried to keep it quiet.
“Turn away anyone else who seeks an audience today,” he told his head eunuch.
The eunuch nodded but continued to look anxiously at the king’s desk, where the pile of memorials he had yet to read had formed a dangerously teetering tower. “Your Majesty, these—”
“Not interested. We’re busy.”
“Why is the king so interested in you?” Feng Xin demanded.
Xie Lian had nothing to offer him but a helpless shrug. “It’s just a coincidence, I suppose, that I got involved in his personal affairs. It probably won’t last long.”
“It had better not,” Mu Qing said darkly. “Unless you want to lose your head.”
Xie Lian liked his head right where it was, attached to his neck. “It won’t come to that,” he said. “Probably.”
“Probably?!” Feng Xin repeated. “Your Highness, the situation is grave. We need to take action!”
“What action could we possibly take?” Xie Lian asked.
“You could develop a severe illness that ruins your face,” Mu Qing said, helpful as always.
Xie Lian expected Feng Xin to immediately snap back like he normally would, but instead his loyal attendant seemed to be seriously considering it. “If it would make the king lose interest in you . . .”
Xie Lian looked between them. “Doesn’t that seem a little premature?”
“Your Highness, we can’t sit back and let him covet your good looks! Who knows what disgusting things the king will try to do to you if we don’t cut off his interest now?”
Xie Lian wanted to point out that Hua Cheng probably would have tried something already if he intended to, but he didn’t think Feng Xin would understand this perspective.
Hua Cheng had a rather awful reputation, but if he were truly as lustful and domineering as the rumors suggested, surely he would’ve just taken what he wanted immediately. He might be a little brusque, but he hadn’t been terribly rude to Xie Lian, who was as good as a prisoner here. The king had even shown concern for his injured hands and not requested any repayment for his kindness.
Xie Lian wasn’t going to let his guard down, exactly, but he no longer saw the situation quite as bleakly as Feng Xin and Mu Qing seemed to. He might not find happiness in Tonglu, but he could see a way to peacefully coexist with the king.
As for the queen dowager . . . she was likely the real problem.
After the incident in her palace, the king had ordered Xie Lian to remain confined alongside Shi Qingxuan, who was now no longer allowed to leave her palace to attend the morning greeting.
“Why did you go in the first place?” Hua Cheng had asked Shi Qingxuan while Xie Lian’s hands were receiving excessive medical attention.
“Her Majesty ordered me to!”
Hua Cheng had glowered at his noble consort. “Did we not order you to stay in your palace for a month to reflect?”
“Yes, but Her Majesty said that her summons were an exception.”
“Did she,” the king had said. His tone was so frigid Xie Lian still shivered a little when he thought back to that moment.
At least neither of them could be summoned by the queen dowager for the next month, but that didn’t mean the trouble had passed. Xie Lian was reluctant to get involved in this power struggle between the king and his royal mother, but he seemed to have no choice, considering the queen dowager’s obvious loathing for him.
“Unless Your Highness wants to earn the king’s favor,” Mu Qing said suddenly.
Feng Xin thumped him so hard that Mu Qing had to take a step to steady himself. “What are you saying? How can you insult His Highness like that?”
Mu Qing rubbed his arm, his face unmoved from its usual expression of disdain. “I’m just saying it’s an option. Do we have many options for survival?”
“So you would have His Highness sell himself to the king to save your own wretched skin? You disgusting, disloyal—”
“That’s enough,” Xie Lian said. “You’re giving me a headache. Go train idioms.”
“Your Highness—”
“Go.”
“The king arrives!”
Even Mu Qing’s posture grew wary at that. He, like Feng Xin, turned to look at Xie Lian.
“Do you not listen to my orders anymore?” Xie Lian said calmly. “Go.”
“But—”
Mu Qing grabbed Feng Xin roughly by the arm and hauled him out the side entrance just as the king walked in. Xie Lian moved to kneel—a posture he was growing unfortunately accustomed to—but the king ordered him to get up before he actually lowered himself.
“Where is the noble consort?”
Xie Lian looked blankly around his own living quarters. If the king wanted to see the noble consort, surely he’d be more successful if he actually went to Shi Qingxuan’s quarters. “This subject is unaware of the noble consort’s whereabouts, Your Majesty.”
“Oh.” The king didn’t sound terribly interested in this. He beckoned a eunuch. “We’re hungry. Have our dinner brought here immediately.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Xie Lian eyed the door, wondering if he was supposed to leave so the king could eat in peace. Or was the king going to use him to test for poison again?
“Sit.”
Xie Lian didn’t react to the command at first.
“Sit,” the king said again, more vehement this time. “Or does Lian-shijun think himself above his king’s orders?”
Xie Lian sat down across from the king and bowed his head.
“How do you feel about children?”
Xie Lian’s head jerked up before he could stop it. “Your Majesty?”
Was the king aware that, as a man, Xie Lian could not fulfill his concubine duties of birthing a child? Shi Qingxuan had given no indication that anyone in the harem was with child, though even if someone were pregnant, a royal son or daughter would never be given to someone as low-ranked as Xie Lian to raise. Unless the king planned to have the noble consort raise his child and wanted to be sure Xie Lian would be welcoming . . .
Even after all that, Xie Lian’s thoughts somehow circled back around to the idea of Hua Cheng wanting to make a child with him, and his face flushed. Luckily, the king didn’t notice his discomfort; he was too busy fiddling with a hand fan Shi Qingxuan had left behind on the table.
“Mhm. Children. Would you be able to, say, tutor a child?”
“I can’t say I’ve tried,” Xie Lian said slowly, “but my abilities would pale in comparison to the great scholars of Tonglu—”
“Really,” the king murmured. “You’re trained in the Six Arts, are you not?”
“I . . . am.”
“The rumors say you were a rare prodigy in Xianle.”
Xie Lian shifted awkwardly in his seat. “Rumors are prone to exaggerating. I am of little talent.”
“We don’t believe it.”
Xie Lian raised his eyes and accidentally met the king’s stare. Even with only one eye, Hua Cheng’s gaze was near-impossible to break free of. The idea that Hua Cheng could see right through him made Xie Lian uneasy.
“Your Majesty, how could I dare lie to you?” Xie Lian said helplessly. “I was proficient in some areas, but my tutors always said I lacked focus in others. My true passion was always martial arts, not statecraft or the scholarly arts.” Ironic, now, wasn’t it? He’d never get the chance to rule a nation anyway, so he supposed it didn’t matter.
Contrary to Xie Lian’s expectations, Hua Cheng seemed even more interested in this answer. He leaned forward. “Martial arts?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“As it happens, we’ve been in need of a sparring partner who suits our tastes.”
Xie Lian did not ask what “tastes” he was referring to, but it did take some effort to close his mouth before his jaw detached itself. Eventually, he managed to get out, “Your Majesty?”
Xie Lian couldn’t see his angle. The king of Tonglu was renowned as a rare martial arts genius; Xie Lian had even once hoped to get the chance to duel him. Did the king actually want to spar? Or was it a euphemism for venting his anger on Xie Lian, or—or something else?
“I’m inadequate and would be too embarrassed to demonstrate my poor skills before Your Majesty.”
“We’re your king. Do we have to ask how you feel about our commands?”
Xie Lian lowered his head to hide the aggrievement in his expression. “Your Majesty.”
Hua Cheng stood and placed one hand on the table as he leaned forward. With the fan in his other hand, he reached out and lifted Xie Lian’s chin. His eye searched Xie Lian’s face, and whatever he saw there made him laugh. “So it’s settled, then. You’ll train with us.”
“Your Majesty,” he repeated, turning his head away.
A legion of servants from the royal kitchens entered then to bring the king’s evening meal. The king sat back down and tossed the fan aside with a careless swing of his hand. Xie Lian found Hua Cheng’s expression eerily similar to E-Ming’s after catching a rat.
Xie Lian felt reluctant about being a mere rat within the king’s grasp, but he couldn’t suppress a flicker of interest in the idea of practicing martial arts again. His skills had no doubt grown rusty, but they would always be ingrained in him.
Xie Lian politely waited for the king to eat first after the food had been tested by three different servants.
Instead of picking up his chopsticks, however, Hua Cheng gestured to Xie Lian. “What are you waiting for? Is it not your duty to make sure the food is safe for your king? Come here.”
Xie Lian tried to ignore the uncharitable thoughts he was having as he picked up chopsticks and moved to the seat next to the king. Hua Cheng grabbed his own chopsticks just to put a piece of chicken in Xie Lian’s bowl.
“Test this for poison,” the king said imperiously. “We want to eat this first.”
Xie Lian put down the fish he was about to eat and obediently took a bite of the chicken. Hua Cheng watched him intently for any sign of poisoning, but Xie Lian had to disappoint him.
“Your Majesty—”
“Don’t speak. Try this.” The king put some beef in Xie Lian’s bowl.
Xie Lian was rather torn between laughing and crying. He couldn’t get another word in at all until he’d tried every dish on the table, at which point the king finally relented.
But then Hua Cheng suddenly paused with his chopsticks in midair and stared at him. Xie Lian stared back, confused.
“Aren’t you going to serve your king?”
Xie Lian tried to maintain a neutral expression as he carefully placed a piece of fish in the king’s bowl. “Your Majesty, please enjoy.”
“What, you expect us to pick it up ourself?” The king’s intent gaze made it difficult to tell if he was serious or just playing around. Xie Lian didn’t want to lose his head over something so stupid, so he stifled a sigh and picked the fish up again to hold out to the king. An amused smile unfurled across Hua Cheng’s face as he leaned forward to eat it from Xie Lian’s chopsticks.
Xie Lian felt like his face and neck were on fire. He was just contemplating how to make an excuse to leave when the king suddenly grasped his hand to examine it.
“Your hands have healed well.”
“It’s all thanks to Your Majesty’s grace,” Xie Lian said. Though he tried to pull his hand away, the king clung on to it.
“Naturally. So—”
“Lian-shijun!”
Shi Qingxuan’s voice descended upon the room like a gift from the heavens. She stopped short when she belatedly registered the king’s presence. “Why are you—ahem, why is Your Majesty dining here tonight?”
“Can’t we? Doesn’t this palace belong to us?” The king raised his eyebrows.
Absurdly, the back-and-forth between the two sometimes reminded Xie Lian of petty squabbling among siblings. Though he had none himself, he had witnessed such a dynamic frequently among Xianle’s nobility.
It was a strange thought, but they both acted somewhat . . . childish, at times.
“Yes, of course, Your Majesty,” Shi Qingxuan said dully. “Everything the light shines upon in this land is y—”
“Be quiet. Why are you interrupting our dinner?”
Shi Qingxuan sucked her teeth. “Your Majesty, I was just looking for Lian-shijun so that we might dine together. Since you’re both here—”
“No. Get out.”
“Your Majesty!”
“We have matters to discuss with Lian-shijun that do not concern you.”
“Your Majesty! Like what?”
“Like none of your business.”
Shi Qingxuan looked so aggrieved that Xie Lian had to cover his startled laugh with a cough. “Your Ladyship, we can dine together tomorrow if that suits you.”
“No, you can’t,” the king said. “We have matters to discuss with Lian-shijun tomorrow too.”
Xie Lian began to wonder if he was really a political hostage or an exciting toy for Tonglu’s royalty to play with. He tried to signal with his eyes that Shi Qingxuan should leave before she angered the king, but she was not looking at him.
“Your Majesty,” she tried again.
“Scram.”
“Your—”
“Or we’ll tell your brother you’ve fallen out of favor.”
Her mouth snapped shut. “Your Majesty, Lian-shijun, please enjoy your meal. I will take my leave.”
After she left, Xie Lian snuck a glance at the king’s impassive face. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t quite dare.
“What?” the king said. “Speak.”
“Your Majesty,” Xie Lian said, “weren’t you looking for the noble consort when you arrived here?”
“Were we?” Hua Cheng seemed wholly unconcerned. “We don’t recall.”
“The queen dowager arrives!” a eunuch shouted.
Xie Lian really, really wanted to sigh.
It apparently wasn’t enough for a villain to be villainous in her own lair. She had to come swan around Xie Lian’s residence to put her villainy on full display.
When the queen dowager entered, Xie Lian once again tried to kneel—that was a very pesky habit of his that Hua Cheng would have to break—but Hua Cheng was faster. His tight grip on Xie Lian’s arm prevented him from lowering himself.
Perhaps it wasn’t the wisest chess move at this juncture, but Hua Cheng would rather upend the entire board than see Xie Lian on his knees for anyone—especially such a vile person as the queen dowager.
“Mother,” he greeted. “We’ll skip the formalities, shall we? Since we’re family.”
“Oh,” she said coldly, taking a seat at the table.
He sat back down and watched with great suspicion as she waved a hand behind her. A servant girl came forward with a tray.
“Mother has prepared something special for you,” the queen dowager said.
Now it was Hua Cheng’s turn to say, “Oh.”
Xie Lian sat with his head bowed, not looking at either of them even as she added, “I hear it’s a Xianle delicacy.”
“We didn’t know Mother took such an interest in the customs of our neighbor.”
“The former customs,” she corrected. “Such a shame, isn’t it?”
To Xie Lian’s credit, he hardly reacted beyond clasping his hands together more tightly in his lap. From where she was sitting, the queen dowager wasn’t able to see that.
“What is Mother referring to, we wonder?”
“Ah.” She affected a look of surprise. “Am I being inconsiderate of our guest? I only meant to express how terribly sorry I was to hear about Xianle’s crushing defeat.”
She would perhaps sound sorrier if she actually addressed him directly, but of course this entire charade was designed to prod at Xie Lian’s weaknesses.
Xie Lian still didn’t respond or even move.
“Aren’t you going to try some?”
Hua Cheng smiled slightly. “Of course, Mother. How could we turn down such a generous gift?” He picked up one of the flower-shaped pastries from the plate she’d pushed toward him and put the entire thing in his mouth.
“And Lian-shijun?” she asked once he’d finished.
“He doesn’t need any,” Hua Cheng said carelessly. “How can he maintain his figure if he overindulges?”
Xie Lian’s eyelashes fluttered as though he were trying to resist looking up. Hua Cheng could picture the incredulous expression he would wear, and it was difficult not to smile.
“One pastry can’t hurt,” she said.
“We said no.” Hua Cheng shoved another pastry in his mouth. He could barely taste what he was eating; all of his attention was focused on the queen dowager.
She sat back, clearly annoyed that she wouldn’t get to have her fun. “Are you so concerned about the physique of your harem members? Is that why you refuse to let one bear an heir?”
“This unfilial son must apologize. We didn’t mean to make Mother worry so about our marital activities. You must be feeling tired.” Hua Cheng called for a servant. “Escort the queen dowager back to her palace to rest.”
The queen dowager smacked away the hands of the young maid who tried to help her up, but she did get to her feet and bid Hua Cheng goodnight. While the wretched old viper clearly did not have many self-preservation instincts, considering her recent behavior, she was not prepared to make a scene here.
After she had departed, Hua Cheng let out a cough he’d been holding back through sheer willpower. Xie Lian glanced up, and Hua Cheng couldn’t help but feel a little gratified by his apparent concern. So gratified, in fact, that he started to cough more violently, just to see how Xie Lian would react.
“Your Majesty, are you alright?”
“What will you do if we’re not?”
“Your Majesty, please do not joke about such a serious matter. Was there . . . ?”
Hua Cheng caught him looking at the remaining pastries. “Does Lian-shijun wish to ask if there was something wrong with the pastries?”
“This subject wouldn’t dare.”
“My royal mother had these made for you. Are you angry that we won’t let you eat any?”
“No, Your Majesty,” Xie Lian said.
“You’re not cursing us in your heart?”
Xie Lian’s eyes snapped up to meet Hua Cheng’s. “This subject wouldn’t dare,” he repeated.
Hua Cheng snorted. “Sure.” He got up with a lazy stretch and told Xie Lian to stay seated. “We’re leaving.”
“Alright,” Xie Lian said softly. “Good night, Your Majesty.”
Xie Lian had met many people over the course of his life, but none so inscrutable as the king of Tonglu.
He wasn’t foolish enough to believe in a monarch’s good will, but it was hard to fully pin down Hua Cheng’s motives. His feud with the queen dowager could account for some of his behavior—but not all of it.
That was what troubled Xie Lian.
“Why is your master so hard to read?” Xie Lian said, stroking E-Ming’s back.
E-Ming cocked his head, and Xie Lian let out a quiet laugh. Perhaps even he found his master a little strange.
“What did the king w—Your Highness, I’ve told you that beast is dangerous! It could bite your head off whenever it wants!”
“Oh.” Xie Lian glanced up at Feng Xin as he walked in. “But he doesn’t want to bite my head off.”
Feng Xin did not look appeased by this answer, but he was not appeased by much these days, so Xie Lian wasn’t too concerned. “Your Highness, that’s a wild animal! A deadly predator!”
Xie Lian looked at the deadly predator as he rolled onto his side, awaiting a belly rub. Xie Lian couldn’t resist. “He’s pretty tame, I think.”
“It tried to bite my head off this morning,” Mu Qing said darkly as he too entered the room.
“I’m sure he didn’t mean to.”
Feng Xin rubbed a hand against his head. “Your Highness, what did the king want? Are you in danger?”
“When are we not in danger?” Mu Qing muttered.
“Who’s ‘we’?” Feng Xin hissed back. “I wasn’t talking to you!”
Their bickering gave Xie Lian another moment to reflect on how to respond. What did the king want? He too would like to know.
After morning court, Hua Cheng was happily preparing to go find Xie Lian for his first martial arts lesson, but of course this damn kingdom wouldn’t grant him a single moment of peace. If it wasn’t that awful bird trying to get in his way, it was something else.
“Your Majesty, there is a matter of concern.”
Hua Cheng narrowed his eyes at the insignificant little official trying to thwart him. “Speak.”
“It’s General Ming Guang. He is petitioning to return from the border.”