Qin Huaiyuan considered himself well acquainted with beauty. Men and women, older and younger, each with their own looks and charms—yet none compared to the person before him.
He stared openly and asked, “Are you one of the young emperor’s beauties?”
Song Liang answered, “I’m a beauty’s young emperor.”
Qin Huaiyuan went blank.
A moment later, Eunuch Zhou hurried over and angrily pointed at him.
“How dare you! You see His Majesty and fail to kneel? Do you know your crime!”
Qin Huaiyuan started. Before he could ask anything, the beauty before him said indifferently, “Never mind. Trespassing in my sleeping quarters is already a capital offense. No need to dwell on such a minor crime.”
Qin Huaiyuan: “…”
He did not believe the young emperor truly dared kill him. But he had come to apologize, so naturally he had to indulge him. Giving an awkward laugh, he prepared to get up and salute—only for the sword to press down on his shoulder.
Puzzled, he looked up and met Song Liang’s gaze from above.
“Before your sovereign, you kneel.”
“…”
Qin Huaiyuan stiffened. His aunt had held power in Great Yao since he was born. Apart from Regent Xie Yun, he had never knelt before anyone, much less this puppet of a young emperor.
During his brief hesitation, that unhurried voice sounded above him again.
“Trespassing in my sleeping quarters and refusing to kneel. Whose orders are you following, Marquis?”
Qin Huaiyuan had not expected the young emperor to be so adept at turning everything into an accusation. He immediately lowered his head and knelt.
“Your subject, Qin Huaiyuan, Marquis of Wuying, pays his respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!”
“Why have you trespassed in my sleeping quarters?”
“I heard that Your Majesty—”
As he spoke, Qin Huaiyuan began to rise. The weight on his shoulder abruptly increased. Alarmed, he looked up into Song Liang’s cold eyes. His heart sank. Gritting his teeth, he settled back onto his knees.
“I entered the palace to visit my aunt and happened to hear that Your Majesty was unwell. My aunt was also deeply concerned and sent me to inquire after you. When the eunuch failed to return with an answer, I grew anxious about your health and rashly climbed the wall. Please forgive me.”
“You came to visit a sick man empty-handed?”
“I brought medicinal ingredients. My attendant has them. He is waiting outside the wall.”
Song Liang suddenly gave a cold smile. “So there’s an accomplice.”
Qin Huaiyuan’s expression changed. He hurriedly looked up. “Your Majesty—”
“A joke. Don’t take it seriously. We are cousins of a sort. How could I treat you that way?”
“…”
Qin Huaiyuan was just about to relax when another sentence came from above.
“But if you treat me that way first, I won’t show mercy.”
Alarmed, he said, “Lu Yong acted with malicious intent when he poisoned Your Majesty. This has absolutely nothing to do with the Qin family. Please judge fairly!”
Song Liang raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t said anything. Why are you so nervous?”
Qin Huaiyuan: “…”
How could he fail to see it now? The young emperor was toying with him like a child. Qin Huaiyuan had always been the one to play with others, never the other way around. Unfortunately, he was the one asking for a favor today.
“All right. Rise, Marquis.”
“I was just poisoned. Naturally, finding someone intruding into my sleeping quarters frightened me. I had no intention of making things difficult for you. Surely you won’t hold it against me?”
“…”
The sword was withdrawn from his shoulder. Qin Huaiyuan slowly stood, looking at the beautiful young emperor, who had once again adopted a gentle expression. He felt both an irritating itch of attraction and resentment. He forced a smile.
“Of course not.”
“Good.”
While they spoke, the attendant outside the wall was brought in. He was indeed carrying numerous rare medicinal ingredients. Song Liang did not recognize them, but every time Qin Huaiyuan named one, Zhou An’s eyes lit up. Clearly, they were valuable.
“How thoughtful of you, Marquis,” Song Liang said appreciatively. “It seems I was right to arrange your transfer from the Ministry of Rites to the Chief Military Commission.”
Qin Huaiyuan: “…”
This very man had withheld his transfer order until now, yet he could still mention the matter without the slightest change of expression.
“It has been a long time. Your Majesty has changed considerably.”
The useless fool who had only known how to hide in his mother’s arms and cry a few years ago had become remarkably sharp-tongued. He even knew how to join forces with Chancellor Yin to scheme against others.
“In such a high position, surrounded by wolves and tigers, wouldn’t refusing to change leave me with nothing but death?”
“…”
Qin Huaiyuan’s smile faded slightly. He ventured, “If predators surround you at court, Your Majesty must be all the more careful not to let those with ulterior motives use you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Since Your Majesty calls me cousin, allow me to speak frankly.”
“It was the Grand Empress Dowager who brought you back to Yanjing to become emperor. The Qin family and Your Majesty should naturally share prosperity and adversity. If you flourish, so do the Qins. If you fall, so do we. Should anything happen to you, neither the Grand Empress Dowager nor the Qin family would benefit.”
Song Liang looked uncertain. “Are you saying the Grand Empress Dowager wasn’t the one who poisoned me?”
“Exactly!”
“But Lu Yong said—”
“Your Majesty!”
Qin Huaiyuan’s heart jumped.
“Though Lu Yong was once promoted and entrusted with responsibility by the Grand Empress Dowager, you cannot believe everything he says. Having dared poison you, he must have been prepared to die. Why would he so readily reveal the true mastermind?”
Song Liang looked horrified. “Is that so?”
Song Liang: 【No wonder he was the original host’s favorite in bed. Such a sweet tongue. If I didn’t know Lu Yong hadn’t actually said anything, I might have believed him.】
【…】
Naturally unaware of his thoughts, Qin Huaiyuan continued.
“Has Your Majesty considered who would benefit if something happened to you and the blame were then placed on the Grand Empress Dowager?”
Song Liang appeared thoughtful. “Let me think. First, it certainly couldn’t be the regent—”
Qin Huaiyuan hurriedly interrupted, astonished. “Why do you think it couldn’t be the regent?”
Wasn’t he the most likely suspect? Who in the capital did not know Xie Yun had long wanted to be emperor?
“Because he’s handsome.”
Song Liang spoke as though it were obvious.
“As the saying goes, appearance reflects the heart. Looking like an immortal as he does, how could the regent commit something so depraved as poisoning?”
“…”
Qin Huaiyuan thought he and his aunt had truly overestimated the young emperor. He had not become cleverer at all—only more lustful.
Yet watching those bright peach-blossom eyes, he could not help feeling competitive.
“Then does Your Majesty find me handsome?”
Song Liang looked at him and slowly blinked. “Mm.”
Song Liang: 【Tch. Who does he think he is, comparing himself to Xie Yun?】
【…】
【Could you stop being so two-faced? You’re scrambling my code!】
Song Liang: 【Wait until I’ve sent this strutting stud pig away.】
“Then only Chancellor Yin remains. But he said he would never harm me. He said he would help me secure the throne.”
“Chancellor Yin is a respected veteran of two reigns. Whoever sits on the throne, his reputation as a senior statesman remains intact. Why would he truly care about Your Majesty?”
“You’re right.”
Song Liang nodded and answered perfunctorily, “I understand. You may go.”
“…”
Qin Huaiyuan faltered. They had been speaking perfectly well. Why had the man suddenly changed his attitude again? He asked tentatively, “Have I said something improper and offended Your Majesty?”
“No.”
Song Liang waved a hand.
“Go on. I want to take a walk.”
Qin Huaiyuan: “…”
Of all the difficult men and women he had encountered, none had been as hard to please as this young emperor. One moment, he smiled warmly at you. The next, he was cold as ice, treating you as utterly insignificant.
Yet that proud, indifferent, changeable face only made Qin Huaiyuan less able to look away. He wanted nothing more than to see what other expressions it could reveal.
“I take my leave. Please look after your health, Your Majesty. I shall return another day to pay my respects.”
By the time he finished, Song Liang had already walked some distance away, sword in hand. Only Zhou An remained, looking at him without much expression.
“This way, Marquis.”
Qin Huaiyuan removed a jade pendant from his waist and offered it with a smile.
“I’ve long heard of you, Eunuch Zhou. A small token of regard. I hope you won’t disdain it.”
Zhou An swiftly took the pendant and immediately grinned.
“Not at all, not at all! A servant out of the ancestral temple like me could hardly disdain it. Please hurry along. If those old ministers at the front gate catch you, you won’t get away.”
Qin Huaiyuan: “…”
He forced a smile. The moment he turned, his face darkened.
Behind him, Zhou An trotted to catch up with Song Liang.
“Your Majesty, the Marquis of Wuying gave me something excellent. Fine mutton-fat jade. It must be worth a great deal!”
“If he gave it to you, keep it.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Zhou An happily put it away, then continued, “When you told the marquis to leave just now, his expression looked as though he had swallowed something bitter and couldn’t complain. One of Yanjing’s Four Young Masters, yet you sent him packing today!”
“Yanjing’s Four Young Masters?”
“You haven’t heard of them, Your Majesty?”
Zhou An smiled. “They are the four men in Yanjing considered foremost in appearance, literary talent, and martial ability. The Marquis of Wuying is one. People say his looks and talent are exceptional, and his romantic charm even more so.”
Song Liang thought that was a reasonably fair assessment.
“Who else?”
“Helan Ze, heir to Prince Duan. People praise his virtue, talent, and gentlemanly bearing. Another was Rong Jing, the young general and son of the Duke of Ying. Unfortunately, a few years ago, the duke’s household was implicated in treason and collusion with the enemy. Their property was confiscated and the family put to death. Young General Rong also died on the journey into exile.”
“You hadn’t come to Yanjing then, Your Majesty. Presumably you never knew him.”
Song Liang said nothing. How could he not know him? Rong Jing, the main shou, the strongest fighter in the later part of the novel. A descendant of a loyal family, burdened with a bloody injustice and a terrible vendetta, he had single-handedly driven forward Great Yao’s downfall. He was also the only person in Helan Ze’s heart—the person the original host had envied most.
“And the last?”
“Ahem. You know the last one too.”
Zhou An lowered his voice. “Regent Xie Yun.”
Song Liang’s lips lifted slightly. “Really? What do people say about him?”
Zhou An’s voice dropped further. “Unmatched in learning and looks, even more accomplished in military strategy. But ambitious, cruel, overbearing, and violent.”
Song Liang: “…”
If he were Xie Yun, he would usurp the throne too. Not one person in all of Yanjing knew how to say something pleasant.
He scoffed. “As far as I can see, Helan Ze and the Marquis of Wuying have done plenty of bad things too. Why does everyone curse Xie Yun and leave them alone? A pack of fools.”
Zhou An was speechless. They said love made anyone beautiful in the beholder’s eyes, and it was certainly true. Everyone in Yanjing knew Helan Ze had an excellent reputation and distributed porridge and grain every year. And although the Marquis of Wuying was no saint, how could his cruelty compare with the regent’s? Only their emperor could find such good things to say about Xie Yun.
“Oh, right. When you have time, find me some records of the Duke of Ying’s case from back then. Be discreet. Don’t let anyone know.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
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