After about half an hour, the bloodshot color in Liang Ye’s eyes slowly faded away.
Wang Dian sat on the steps, opened the letter written by Zhao Qi, and handed it to him.
“Zhen doesn’t want to look at it,” Liang Ye said. “You read it to Zhen.”
Wang Dian looked at his tired eyes, folded the letter and put it back, placing it on the step. He said, “Then look at it when you want to.”
Liang Ye didn’t say anything. Just as he was about to get up, someone grabbed his sleeve. He turned his head and met Liang Ye’s smile. “Keep Zhen company for a while.”
Wang Dian remained silent for a moment, then sat back down on the step. Liang Ye pulled his sleeve towards himself, and his hand fell on Liang Ye’s leg following the force.
With a hint of hesitation, Liang Ye carefully placed his injured hand in Wang Dian’s palm and said softly, “Wang Dian, blow on it for Zhen.”
“Didn’t you say it doesn’t hurt?” Wang Dian’s tone was harsh, but he didn’t throw away the injured hand.
Liang Ye moved closer to him, his body pressing tightly against him, and softened his voice, saying, “It hurts.”
Wang Dian knew he was pretending, but still took his hand and blew on it, then loosened the handkerchief that had been tied too tightly earlier to make him more comfortable.
Liang Ye thoughtfully watched his now gentler actions, then cupped his face and awkwardly blew a breath on his nose tip.
Wang Dian was confused, “What are you doing?”
His nose wasn’t injured.
Liang Ye let go of his face, turned his head and muttered something. Wang Dian didn’t hear clearly and instinctively leaned closer, “What did you say?”
“Blew on it,” Liang Ye turned his head, leaned close to his ear and whispered, “so it doesn’t hurt anymore.”
Wang Dian strangely understood his meaning, his expression somewhat complex. “The Gu worm attack was yesterday—”
Liang Ye frowned, a bit displeased and annoyed. He blew on him fiercely again. Wang Dian turned his head to dodge, then was gently kissed on the nose tip, leaving him stunned.
Liang Ye reached out to touch the Gu worm on his lower back, looking down as he asked, “Does it still hurt?”
Wang Dian sighed.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
****
“To talk about our Liang country’s Grand Empress Dowager in Xingqing Palace, three days and three nights wouldn’t be enough! Among the once great families of Cui, Wang, Yan, and Bian, the Cui family produced the most talented people. The Empress Dowager was from a branch of the Cui family. At fourteen, she disguised herself as a man and came from her hometown in Liyang to the capital for the imperial examination. She surpassed all the men and became the top scholar. Coincidentally, Emperor Huixian was caught in an earthquake while offering sacrifices in the suburbs. The two were stranded in the deep mountains, and Emperor Huixian injured his leg. To save him, the Empress Dowager didn’t hesitate to reveal her true identity. Emperor Huixian was shocked at first, then overjoyed, as the two had already developed feelings for each other… Later, when the Empress Dowager came of age, Emperor Huixian overcame all opposition and made her the Empress… After Emperor Huixian passed away, the princes fought among themselves. The Empress Dowager decisively supported the late emperor to succeed the throne…”
The teahouse was bustling with noise as the storyteller narrated the Grand Empress Dowager’s extraordinary tales. The audience sighed, gasped, and laughed, listening intently.
“When a hen crows, it bodes ill for the nation,” in a corner, several young men who looked like scholars were gathered drinking tea. One of them grumbled discontentedly.
“Shu Zhuo, be careful with your words,” the person next to him looked at him disapprovingly. “We’re in the capital now.”
Xun Yang gripped his teacup tightly and lowered his voice, “When I first saw it in Sifang City, I thought it was a dragon in shallow waters or a tiger hiding in deep mountains. But you’ve all seen what happened to Senior Xun Yao. Everyone knows that Senior Xun Yao and the other two were schemed against and used, yet no one stood up to speak for them. Even His Majesty… I really don’t know why I came to the capital anymore.”
“You talk nicely, but didn’t you still take the second imperial examination? Third-rank scholar, stop pretending here!” A young man with narrow eyes mocked, “No matter who’s in power, you’re the one rising quickly, Xun Third-rank scholar.”
Xun Yang’s face darkened, “I continued with the examination because I promised Baili Daren I would enter official service.”
“Anyone can say pretty words.” The man sneered.
“Chu Yiyuan! Say less!” Someone nearby spoke up, “And Shu Zhuo, calm down too. Things aren’t beyond remedy. His Majesty didn’t take Senior Xun Yao and the others’ lives. When we enter official service, we’ll surely find a chance. Besides, this time it didn’t implicate other people from Changlin Academy, which is fortunate in misfortune.”
Chu Yiyuan snorted coldly, “Even if you enter official service, you’ll just be minor officials sent to the provinces. What can you achieve?”
“Chu Yiyuan, are you done? I know you’re angry about not passing this time, but who told you not to study hard usually?” Someone slammed the table, “Is it Shu Zhuo and Binbai’s fault? Instead of reflecting on yourself, you’re finding fault everywhere. No wonder you didn’t pass!”
“You—” Chu Yiyuan stood up abruptly, glaring at that person.
“Alright, alright, what’s this look like? So many people are watching.” Liu Binbai pulled the person beside him to sit down, “Tomorrow is the Grand Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. As new scholars, we’ll all have to enter the palace to pay respects. There will also be envoys from Southern Zhao, Eastern Chen, and Northern Liang…”
“…Tomorrow is Empress Dowager Cui’s 60th birthday, a rare joyous occasion for our Great Liang in recent years… As they say, a woman’s ambition is no less than a man’s…” The storyteller’s clapper suddenly struck loudly. Outside the teahouse, a thunderclap suddenly exploded, and torrential rain poured down.
“Yiyuan, where are you going!?” Someone called out hurriedly amidst the commotion, but was quickly drowned out by the downpour.
The sky above the capital was pitch black. The fierce wind and sudden rain almost made it hard to breathe. The vermilion window frames of the palace bedchamber were rattling from the raindrops.
Wang Dian reached out to close the window, shutting out the rain and cold wind, but still felt cold. Even though it was daytime, the room was so dark that candles had been lit. The thick sandalwood incense lingered in the room.
“Put out the incense, it’s giving me a headache.” He pulled his sleeves together and sat back at the desk, continuing to read the memorial by candlelight.
Liang Ye wore a loose rabbit fur robe, exposing much of his chest. His slender waist flashed by, faintly visible in the white soft robe, making it hard to tell if he was cold or not.
At least Wang Dian’s eyes hurt from looking.
Liang Ye lazily lifted the incense burner’s lid, twirling the hook in his hand. He fiddled with it for a while, not only failing to extinguish the incense but making it even more choking.
Wang Dian coughed while covering his nose and mouth with his sleeve. He went over and took the thing from Liang Ye’s hand, swiftly put out the incense, then went to the window to open it again for ventilation.
Then he was pinned against the window.
Liang Ye trapped him between the wall and himself, leisurely pecking at his brows and eyes. His palm cupped Wang Dian’s chin, forcing him to tilt his head up. Soon, Wang Dian’s collar and hair tips were dampened by the rain. The sound of rain and thunder roared in his ears. Cold wind mingled with hot air. He grabbed at Liang Ye’s waist and straightened up, holding onto the windowsill.
“Stop fooling around,” he pursed his slightly sore lips, “There’s still much to do today.”
Liang Ye chuckled softly, his hands gripping Wang Dian’s waist to keep him from getting up. He narrowed his eyes, watching the rain splash in and dampen Wang Dian’s front. He lowered his head to kiss it, his lips barely touching the soft fabric when Wang Dian grabbed his hair and pulled him up.
Liang Ye turned his head in annoyance and bit Wang Dian’s wrist.
This fellow never knew how to bite gently. Wang Dian frowned in pain. Liang Ye bit down and ground his teeth before releasing under Wang Dian’s warning glare. “If you dare to pull Zhen’s hair again, Zhen will bite through your wrist.”
Wang Dian glanced at the reddish-purple bite mark on his wrist, his lips twitching as he said coolly, “You can try.”
He then pulled back his sleeves and walked towards the table. Liang Ye followed closely behind, sitting in the chair before Wang Dian could. He then grabbed Wang Dian’s waist and pulled him onto his lap, burying his face in Wang Dian’s back and taking a deep breath before exhaling.
His breath was warm through the fabric. Wang Dian stared at the memorial, reading two lines before he couldn’t help saying, “This isn’t comfortable. Let me down.”
Liang Ye mischievously shook his legs twice, pulling Wang Dian closer to himself.
“…” Wang Dian was silent for two seconds, then turned his head to stare at him. “You’re an emperor. Can you not act like a hooligan?”
Liang Ye smirked, “What’s so interesting about the memorials? Look at Zhen.”
Wang Dian took a deep breath, pointing at the two high stacks of memorials on the table and said through gritted teeth, “The day before yesterday, I asked if you had finished reviewing all the memorials. You said you had and told me not to worry about anything. Now, tell me what these are, piled up from two days ago until today? Is your head full of water?”
Outside the window, a flash of white light passed by, followed by a deafening thunderclap that seemed to explode right next to their ears. Liang Ye’s arm around Wang Dian’s waist trembled imperceptibly. He grinned, “Zhen was afraid you’d be bored, so Zhen left these especially for you.”
“Thank you very much,” Wang Dian said, suppressing his anger as he looked through a few memorials. Feeling uneasy, he frowned and said, “Tomorrow’s birthday banquet…”
Liang Ye listlessly lay on his back, mumbling, “Zhen has arranged everything. Don’t worry.”
Hearing this, Wang Dian became even more worried. He turned and tugged at Liang Ye’s hair, asking softly, “I won’t ask much, but have you arranged any dramatic scenes like fake poisoning or fake deaths?”
Liang Ye looked at him in confusion, then murmured after a while, “Wang Dian, your head must be the one full of water. It’s Cui Yuxian’s birthday banquet. Why would Zhen fake death?”
“…Ah.” Wang Dian rubbed his nose. “That’s how it’s always written in novels. I was just guessing.”
Liang Ye laughed with delight.
Wang Dian ruffled his hair, lowering his eyes in thought for a moment. Liang Ye narrowed his eyes in comfort. “Stay in the palace tonight to keep Zhen company.”
Wang Dian hesitated for a few seconds, “Alright.”
Liang Ye looked at him with some surprise, “You agreed so readily?”
“I just feel like something bad might happen if I refuse,” Wang Dian frowned. “Although I believe in science, I can be superstitious occasionally.”
Liang Ye’s eyes showed confusion, “Science?”
Wang Dian felt like teasing him and said seriously, “For example, the earth is round, and we live on a huge ball.”
Liang Ye corrected him, “The sky is round and the earth is flat. We live on the ground.”
Wang Dian smiled and said, “Also, time and space can be bent.”
Liang Ye frowned, “Absurd.”
“Maybe one day I’ll just disappear,” Wang Dian saw his puzzled and disdainful look, and joked while pinching his cheek, “Unable to be found anywhere—Ouch!”
Liang Ye bit his finger, licking it suggestively. Wang Dian’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he looked away, trying to pull his finger out of Liang Ye’s mouth, but his fingertip was pricked by Liang Ye’s sharp canine teeth.
This fellow’s gaze was extremely aggressive, his desire so blatant and unabashed, without a trace of subtlety. Wang Dian gripped his jaw and forcefully pulled his finger out, saying coldly, “Read the memorials.”
Liang Ye maliciously bounced him up a bit, “Alright, Zhen will read with you.”
“I’m the one helping you read,” Wang Dian patiently corrected him, then added after a pause, “Tomorrow your ceremonial robe has a low neckline. Tonight, sleep properly and don’t think about anything else.”
“You’re really vulgar,” Liang Ye snorted lightly.
Wang Dian looked down at his own thigh. The belt with a buckle that Liang Ye had been wearing was now blatantly wrapped twice. Although separated by pants, he could still see some romantic and lewd implications in it.
“What’s this for?” He glanced at it again and asked Liang Ye.
Liang Ye’s slender fingers lightly tapped the buckle twice. He lowered his eyes to admire his own handiwork, satisfied, “Don’t know, but Zhen thinks it looks good.”
Wang Dian decided to treat it as an accidental coincidence and reached out to undo the buckle. Liang Ye deliberately interfered, messing up his pants, and the belt that was wrapped twice around now hung loosely. Wang Dian was so angry he slapped the back of Liang Ye’s hand.
“Zhen understands now,” Liang Ye suddenly said coldly.
“Understand what?” Wang Dian looked at his expression, thinking he was going to say something serious.
Liang Ye slipped his fingers between the fabric and the buckle, gently hooking upwards, and said happily, “It would look even better without pants and with a black belt instead.”
“…..”
Wang Dian felt that Northern Liang was doomed.
