Xie You shook his head with a light smile. Was his foster father really that frightening?
His foster father, Xie Anci, was the most exalted man in the realm today, truly above ten thousand others.
Everyone said his foster father lacked the bearing of the old prince, but Xie You felt his foster father had even more presence than the old prince.
It was just that his foster father poured all his heart into the current Emperor, which Xie You found rather a pity.
Someone as wonderful as his foster father should be trampling everyone else beneath his feet.
The current Emperor didn’t even like his foster father Xie You couldn’t understand it, though not being liked was just as well.
Once his foster father’s heart had been hurt enough, he would return to the residence. After all, the residence was his home.
“Foster Father.” Xie You called softly to Xie Anci.
Xie Anci was sleeping too deeply to react at all.
Xie You knocked on the carriage door. “Foster Father, pardon the intrusion.”
When Xie You opened the carriage door, he saw Xie Anci lying inside, his face flushed red, his whole body seeming to burn with fever.
Xie You froze for a moment, then hurried to support Xie Anci. His body was scorching hot, like a boiled shrimp.
“Foster Father.” Xie You quickly gathered Xie Anci into his arms and, in a panic, carried him into the residence.
“Someone! Fetch the imperial physician!” The moment the words left his mouth, a warm hand seized his.
“Don’t… don’t fetch the physician. I want a bath.” With that, Xie Anci fainted again.
Xie You was beside himself with worry, but he couldn’t disobey Xie Anci.
“His Highness is…” The steward hurried over, his heart aching at the sight of Xie Anci in Xie You’s arms.
The Prince almost never fell ill. How had he suddenly developed a fever?
“Never mind, hold off on the physician for now. Prepare hot water first.” After giving the order, Xie You carried Xie Anci into the room.
The steward hurried to make arrangements. He looked to be over fifty and had watched Xie Anci grow up.
After the old prince and princess consort passed away, the steward had cherished Xie Anci all the more, and Xie Anci treated him with great respect.
Xie You laid Xie Anci on the bed, only then noticing that his brocade robes were covered in wrinkles, and a faint scent of blood clung to him.
“Foster Father, forgive my offense.” With that, Xie You removed Xie Anci’s clothes.
His fair skin was covered in bruises of blue and purple, and blood had stained his inner garment red.
Xie Anci frowned, sleeping most uneasily.
His aching body, exposed to the air, made him want to curl up, but he was so weak he lacked even the strength to do that.
Xie You’s eyes reddened. How had his foster father been hurt like this?
Was it Li Jinchen’s doing?
His foster father would never let anyone but Li Jinchen touch him.
He knew Xie Anci was somewhat fastidious about such things. What exactly had happened last night?
Xie You’s fists clenched tight. His foster father, whom he had always kept hidden in his heart, was he being treated like a discarded rag just like that?
Li Jinchen!
I will make you pay!
Xie You thought through gritted teeth.
“Mm…” Xie Anci’s whole body ached, hot and cold at once, the pain unbearable.
Xie You came back to himself and soothed him, his face full of distress. “Foster Father, the water will be here soon. Just wait a little…”
Why would his foster father go to such lengths for that man?
Xie You couldn’t understand. He pressed against Xie Anci’s forehead, trying to bring his temperature down.
Knock, knock, knock…
A knock sounded at the door.
Xie You opened it with a cold face.
“I’ll handle things here. Leave the hot water at the door.”
“Yes.” The servants of the Regent’s residence had always been obedient, they did whatever their master told them and never dared to question him.
Xie You prepared the hot water, then carefully lifted Xie Anci into his arms.
The man who was usually so elegant and powerful now lay curled up in his embrace like a kitten.
Since Xie Anci was unconscious, Xie You feared he would slip down, so he stripped off his own clothes and stepped into the bath as well.
Fortunately, the tub was large enough to accommodate two grown men.
“Mm…”
The warm water enveloped Xie Anci. Waves of pain washed over him, yet it also felt as if he were drifting toward the clouds.
“Adoptive father…” Xie You called out to Xie Anci in a low voice, his expression devout and sincere.
Only when Xie Anci was asleep did he dare to look at him like this.
Xie Anci would never allow him to have any improper thoughts, that man’s heart held only Li Jinchen.
Xie You was both resentful and helpless. He could only bury this feeling deep in his heart. Staying by his side as an adopted son was better than being cast aside by him.
Xie You gently cleaned the wounds on Xie Anci’s body.
He must have been injured there too, he’d heard it needed to be cleaned properly.
Xie You’s face flushed red as his slender, well-defined fingers moved across Xie Anci’s body.
“Ugh…” The pain made Xie Anci furrow his brow tightly.
Xie You held his breath, and only relaxed when he saw that Xie Anci’s eyes remained closed.
The ever-proud Xie Anci would surely never want anyone to see him in this state not even him.
Xie You’s movements grew even gentler.
Xie Anci was truly beautiful. When his phoenix eyes opened, they seemed to ensnare people; there was a tear mole at the lower corner of his right eye, his nose was high and straight, and his thin lips were pale pink.
The old prince had originally intended to raise Xie Anci to be a civil official, but who could have guessed he would become a treacherous minister instead.
Xie You caressed Xie Anci’s luminously pale face, and when he saw those slightly pursed thin lips, he swallowed hard.
His ink-black long hair was dampened by the steam, clinging to his fair face, making him look all the more fragile and all the more endearing.
Xie You lowered his head, slowly drawing closer to Xie Anci.
Just this once. Please, let adoptive father not wake up.
Xie You prayed silently. But when he was half a finger’s width away, Xie Anci’s eyes suddenly opened.
Xie You froze completely, his Adam’s apple bobbing, cold sweat pouring down.
“A-Adoptive father.” Xie You’s voice carried a trace of tears he was, after all, only a young man who had just come of age.
He knew Xie Anci’s methods better than anyone.
He wasn’t afraid that Xie Anci would kill him. He was only afraid that Xie Anci would drive him away.
“Hot ” Xie Anci’s eyes seemed veiled with a layer of mist, his voice tinged with grievance. Then he fell back asleep.
Xie You let out a long breath of relief. Thank goodness adoptive father hadn’t truly woken.
Xie You dared not entertain any further thoughts. He quickly washed Xie Anci clean and carried him to the bed.
The soft mattress drew a comfortable sigh from Xie Anci, and then he sank into a deep sleep.
Xie You dressed Xie Anci in clean clothes and prepared cold water to bring down his fever.
But Xie Anci’s fever remained severe. Not daring to delay, Xie You went out to the street himself to buy medicine.
Xie Anci refused to summon the imperial physicians, Xie You knew it was because he didn’t want anyone from the palace to know. So he had no choice but to go to the medical hall himself.
Meanwhile, Xie You cursed Li Jinchen in his heart. What a beast he had his pleasure, and left adoptive father to suffer here.
After Xie You applied the medicine to Xie Anci, he finally improved a little.
By then, the sky had begun to pale with the first light of dawn.
Pei Xuan arrived at the imperial study but found no trace of Li Jinchen, and couldn’t help feeling puzzled.
It was the Emperor who had arranged to meet him here, so why was there no sign of him now that the time had come?
“Please wait a moment, Imperial Preceptor. His Majesty is bathing and changing into fresh clothes; he will arrive shortly,” the palace maid explained as she served the tea.
Pei Xuan nodded. Although he found it a bit strange that Li Jinchen would bathe first thing in the morning, he wasn’t particularly interested in other people’s affairs, so he didn’t ask any further.