“Your Majesty, the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and Young General Gu has returned. Why not let General Gu’s men handle the patrols this year?” Nangou Boyu glanced at Xie Anci.
Every previous year, the task had been assigned to Xie Anci’s men. Nangou Boyu stood on Li Jinchen’s side, so naturally he now had to plan for Li Jinchen and replace Xie Anci’s men.
“That works well enough.” Li Jinchen looked at Xie Anci, but Xie Anci kept his eyes lowered as if he hadn’t heard at all, showing no reaction whatsoever.
“What does the Regent think?” Seeing Xie Anci’s demeanor, Li Jinchen couldn’t help asking.
“Whatever Your Majesty arranges is fine.” Xie Anci’s expression was indifferent, the picture of unconcern.
Li Jinchen was taken aback, Xie Anci actually didn’t object?
“In that case, this matter shall be entrusted to General Gu.”
On one hand, Li Jinchen felt he was wronging his good friend; on the other, he wanted to seize power quickly.
“Yes, I accept the command.”
Gu Lingyu didn’t mind at all, he had returned precisely to help Li Jinchen.
And so, a fairly smooth morning court session came to an end.
Li Jinchen summoned Gu Lingyu to the Imperial Study.
Xie Anci, finding things dull, was about to return to his residence when he was stopped by Chief Eunuch Sun, who attended Li Jinchen.
“Regent, a moment please.”
Xie Anci only knew that the eunuch’s surname was Sun. He had served the previous emperor for years and now continued his service under Li Jinchen.
Eunuch Sun naturally stood on Li Jinchen’s side, but he was also quite respectful toward Xie Anci after all, he was merely a eunuch.
The eunuchs of Aolong Kingdom held no real power; when it came down to it, they were just servants whose job was to wait on people.
“Eunuch Sun.” Xie Anci frowned. He didn’t think Li Jinchen would want to see him right now.
“His Majesty says to wait a while. Please follow me.”
“Regent.” Lu Yunzheng looked worried at the sight. “Let me accompany you.”
“Right Chancellor, His Majesty did not summon you. He only said he wished to see the Regent.” Eunuch Sun said this with a smile, though his tone was firm.
Lu Yunzheng frowned, clearly uneasy.
“In that case, I’ll go by myself. You head back first.” Xie Anci didn’t believe Li Jinchen would do anything to him, and he reassured Lu Yunzheng.
“Let’s go.” Xie Anci said to Eunuch Sun, then followed him to the entrance of the Imperial Study.
Seeing this, Lu Yunzheng had no choice but to leave for now. Although Xie Anci currently held control of the court, Li Jinchen was still the emperor, and Lu Yunzheng dared not act too boldly.
Looking at the tightly closed doors of the Imperial Study, Xie Anci gave a soft laugh.
“So I’m meant to wait here?” Xie Anci glanced at Eunuch Sun.
“Well… His Majesty and Young General Gu are catching up on old times. Please wait a little while, Regent.” Eunuch Sun put on a look of feigned difficulty, but his words clearly conveyed Li Jinchen’s intent.
“Hmph.” Xie Anci gave a cold laugh and turned to leave.
Trying to give me a show of force?
Li Jinchen was still far too impatient.
“Ah, Regent, wait! If you’re not here when His Majesty finds out, he’ll be angry!” Eunuch Sun’s face turned ugly, and he hurried after him.
“Then have him call for me once he’s finished catching up. I’ve never liked waiting for people.” Xie Anci strode away, heading straight for the Imperial Garden.
Inside the Imperial Study, the two men exchanged glances, having clearly overheard the exchange between Xie Anci and Eunuch Sun outside.
“Tsk tsk tsk. Your life as emperor really is rather frustrating.” Gu Lingyu said with a laugh.
“That’s exactly why I called you back, isn’t it?”
Li Jinchen gave a bitter smile. This was no longer a matter of feeling wronged, what Xie Anci had done to him two days ago was already a violation of basic human rights.
“What? You want me to suffer along with you?” Gu Lingyu said, pouring himself a cup of tea without the slightest courtesy.
Li Jinchen: “…”
“You’ve seen it yourself. Xie Anci now has the entire court in the palm of his hand. We need to find a way to take back power, and quickly,” Li Jinchen said gravely.
“I want to help you with that, but you know I’m not as clever as you. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it,” Gu Lingyu said, scratching the back of his head.
“The court is nothing like the frontier, it’s treacherous and full of hidden schemes. But don’t worry, I will protect you,” Li Jinchen promised. He didn’t want to lose anyone important ever again.
Gu Lingyu sighed. “If only Zhou Yunqing were still here. He’s far smarter than I am. I never thought much of him back then, but he would definitely be able to help you.”
At that name, Li Jinchen’s expression changed.
Realizing he had misspoken, Gu Lingyu hurried to console him. “I was just saying. He’s been gone for so many years, you should let it go.”
Li Jinchen’s face darkened. “It’s all Xie Anci. Why does he have to keep going after Zhou Yunqing like this?”
Thinking of that beautiful person, rage rose in Li Jinchen’s heart. He couldn’t imagine what Zhou Yunqing had ever done to offend him, Xie Anci not only had Grand Tutor Zhou’s estate confiscated, but the man himself had vanished without a trace.
Li Jinchen had sent people to search, but they found nothing.
Even if he refused to admit it, Zhou Yunqing had most likely met with disaster.
Gu Lingyu coughed lightly. It was only natural that Xie Anci kept making trouble for Zhou Yunqing.
After all, Li Jinchen had treated Zhou Yunqing so well of course Xie Anci would be jealous.
“Let’s drop this heavy topic. How was the frontier? You look much sturdier,” Li Jinchen said, giving Gu Lingyu’s arm a squeeze.
“Of course. Let me tell you.”
Cheerful laughter rang through the imperial study as time slipped slowly by.
Meanwhile, Xie Anci wandered the imperial garden alone.
Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and the chrysanthemums and cotton roses in the garden were in full bloom, vying with one another in splendor.
But despite the beautiful scenery before him, Xie Anci’s mind was entirely elsewhere.
Gu Lingyu’s rough treatment that morning had left his body aching badly.
Following a path he knew well, Xie Anci arrived at a pavilion, only to hear the sound of an exquisite qin melody drifting from within.
The clear, crisp notes soothed the soul, and Xie Anci felt his whole body relax.
He closed his eyes and stood listening for a moment, then the music abruptly stopped.
“Regent.” A cool, clear voice interrupted his thoughts. He opened his eyes and saw the person inside the pavilion.
The man within had long silver-white hair falling to his chest, and eyes tinged with pale blue, like gems submerged in a cold, dark pool.
“Grand Preceptor.” Xie Anci strolled slowly into the pavilion, the scent of gardenias lingering in the air around it.
Pei Xuan’s expression shifted slightly. His slender, fair fingers released the qin strings and withdrew into his white sleeves.
“What refined leisure you have, Grand Preceptor. My apologies for the intrusion.” Though Xie Anci said this, there was little apology on his face.
“I merely had nothing to occupy me today. No one usually comes to the imperial garden, it is I who interrupted the Regent’s enjoyment of the flowers,” Pei Xuan said, eyes lowered, his expression indifferent.
Xie Anci glanced at him with some surprise. It was the first time he’d ever heard Pei Xuan say so much in one breath.
The man’s voice was like his qin music cool, clear, and beautiful.
Seeing that Pei Xuan always wore this same expressionless look, neither sad nor happy, Xie Anci couldn’t help but find it intriguing.
He had nothing to do anyway, why not tease him a little?
That was what Xie Anci thought, and that was exactly what he did.