The night in the capital was quiet and cold. In the distance, lanterns hanging on mansion gates swayed gently in the wind, illuminating only small circles of ground beneath them.
Wang Dian felt a bit cold. His hand slid down Liang Ye’s robe and slipped inside the front to warm up. The icy hand made Liang Ye frown slightly.
“You’re drunk,” Liang Ye said. His face was hidden in the darkness, making his expression indiscernible.
Wang Dian chuckled and, going further, put his other hand inside to warm up as well. He rested his forehead on Liang Ye’s shoulder without much strength. “Then pretend you’re hearing some drunken talk. I’m happy today and don’t want to argue with you.”
Liang Ye raised his hand, placing his warm palm on Wang Dian’s nape, gently caressing it. “When will you learn to be more obedient?”
Wang Dian felt Liang Ye’s slender waist and laughed, “When will you learn to be more obedient?”
Perhaps because neither could answer the other’s question, or because the night wind was too cold, after a moment of silence, they both spoke simultaneously. “Let’s go back.”
Wang Dian slowly raised his head, meeting Liang Ye’s inscrutable gaze.
“Do you know how I came to this wretched place?” Wang Dian asked, walking forward with the lantern.
“You told Zhen before when you were drunk,” Liang Ye said, taking the lantern from him and holding his hand inside his wide sleeve to keep it warm. “You were hosting a gathering, and when you went to get wine from the cellar, everything went black. When you opened your eyes again, you were outside the discussion hall.”
Wang Dian laughed, “Do you believe it?”
“Zhen doesn’t believe in supernatural things,” Liang Ye said emotionlessly. “There are countless strange and peculiar things in this world. Your case is just one of them.”
“If you don’t believe in the supernatural, why did you take a Taoist priest as your master?” Wang Dian asked, surprised.
“I only learned martial arts from my master, I didn’t practice cultivation,” Liang Ye said expressionlessly.
Wang Dian chuckled and asked, “How did you meet your master?”
He rarely talked about the past with Liang Ye. Firstly, he knew Liang Ye probably had a very difficult childhood, and for someone without self-healing abilities, it was like reopening old wounds. Secondly, Liang Ye never mentioned anything about himself, being extremely guarded. Forcing him to talk about it wouldn’t make sense either.
Now, with the help of a bit of drunkenness, he decided to ask.
He wasn’t sure if Liang Ye would answer, probably just saying “Don’t pry into Zhen’s affairs” again, retreating into his little turtle shell, and biting if asked further.
Wang Dian found Liang the little turtle endearing for a moment, which made him view Liang Ye himself with more tolerance. After all, a perfectly normal person couldn’t get angry at a turtle.
“Once when Zhen was ill, Cui Yuxian invited a Taoist priest into the palace to perform rituals. It happened to be my master,” Liang Ye said calmly. “After Zhen recovered, he wanted to take Zhen as his disciple. Cui Yuxian disagreed and had him expelled from the palace. That night, Zhen woke up to find himself in a Taoist temple. He said he would cut off Zhen’s head if Zhen didn’t become his disciple, so Zhen kowtowed, offered tea, and became his disciple.”
Wang Dian was silent for two seconds. “Your master was quite a character. How old were you then?”
“Eight years old,” Liang Ye said expressionlessly.
Wang Dian lowered his head and made a vague gesture in the air, drunkenly saying, “At eight, you were probably only this tall, a skinny little thing, couldn’t even fill out the dragon robe…”
He raised his hand and patted the imaginary child’s head, saying to Liang Ye, “I know you want to hold everything tightly in your hands so no one can take it away, but with people, sometimes the tighter you grip, the more they slip away.”
Liang Ye might have laughed, or maybe not. Wang Dian could barely hear his own voice, as if it was muffled by cotton. He didn’t know what else he said or thought afterward. When he opened his eyes again, he was already lying on Liang Ye’s back.
“If Zhen removes the Gu worm from you, you’re not allowed to leave,” Liang Ye’s voice sounded distant.
Wang Dian felt he must be dreaming, so he closed his eyes again and drifted off.
****
The next day.
While waiting for the emperor to arrive, people in the discussion hall were whispering among themselves.
Wang Dian had no close associates among the officials at court. The only one he could talk to was Qi Ming, but Qi Ming’s rank was much lower than his. With half the hall between them, Wang Dian lowered his eyes and silently tried to catch up on sleep.
Unfortunately, the nausea from his hangover wouldn’t go away. His ears were filled with the buzzing of conversations, making it impossible to sleep soundly.
“…so young, yet already the Minister of Revenue…”
“He and the emperor…”
“…no one in the harem… should advise…”
“…sycophant…”
Wang Dian ignored it all, not even bothering to roll his eyes.
When Liang Ye came out, as usual, the entire hall knelt down with a rustle, shouting “Long live the emperor!” Wang Dian knelt down with the crowd, lowering his head and yawning listlessly.
Liang Ye’s gaze couldn’t help but drift towards him. Perhaps because he hadn’t called for them to rise for a while, Wang Dian looked up and met his direct gaze.
Wang Dian gave him a puzzled look, then lowered his head again.
“You may rise,” Liang Ye’s lazy voice echoed through the hall.
After everyone stood up, officials began to come forward to present matters. At first, it was just trivial issues, but soon someone stepped out and said, “Your Majesty, Cui’s family has died for their rebellion, but the forty thousand Black Armored Guards have yet to be sentenced. The prisons are overcrowded and can no longer cope…”
“What do you all think should be done with these people?” Liang Ye immediately threw the question back at them.
What followed was endless arguing and debating. Some advocated for execution, some for exile, and others believed these people should be released to demonstrate His Majesty’s wisdom… There were many opinions, each argued forcefully.
Although Liang Ye had given him a hint, Wang Dian knew this matter wouldn’t be easily resolved. Sure enough, Liang Ye said coldly, “These traitors plotted rebellion first. How can you all still be so considerate of them?”
At these words, everyone was frightened into kneeling and kowtowing, hurriedly claiming they didn’t dare.
Regardless of private interests, the charge of treason was not something anyone wanted on their own head. But Liang Ye’s words weren’t definitive, rather they hinted at some information, which the quick-witted had already caught on to.
Sure enough, after this part passed, someone seized the opportunity to suggest, “Your Majesty is in the prime of life, yet the harem is empty. This minister requests Your Majesty to hold a grand selection of consorts, to populate the harem and ensure royal succession.”
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone chimed in, with some even boldly recommending their own daughters.
Liang Ye smiled and said, “How strange, Zhen seems to remember that when Zhen wanted to take your daughter before, you refused vehemently, even threatening to bash your head against a pillar. Has the minister finally changed his mind?”
The man laughed awkwardly, “Previously, my daughter was frail, but now her health has greatly improved…”
In the past, Liang Ye had been erratic and without real power, merely a puppet who might not live long, suppressed by Cui Yuxian. When Cui Yuxian forbade him from taking consorts, even officials who wanted to send their daughters into the palace didn’t dare. But now things were different. An emperor with real power, no matter how eccentric or volatile, was still the emperor. Once a daughter entered the palace and bore children, they would truly become royal relatives.
Liang Ye didn’t show strong aversion, which greatly encouraged the court officials. Their enthusiasm nearly lifted the roof off the discussion hall.
Wang Dian was blatantly zoning out and dozing when he was suddenly called upon.
“Wang Dian, what do you think?” Liang Ye asked him with a smile.
Wang Dian stepped forward, eyes lowered, and said, “This minister also believes that Your Majesty should select consorts to expand the harem.”
“Hmm.” Liang Ye slapped the armrest of his throne and stood up. Looking down at the hall full of officials, he said with a cool smile, “Since Wang Dian also says so, it would be inappropriate for Zhen to refuse further. Have someone pick an auspicious day for the selection.”
Wang Dian suddenly looked up.
Liang Ye flashed him a provocative smile.
