He was overthinking it!
Kuang Xuexian was also shaken. He glanced at the quiet street and hurriedly said, “Let’s go back quickly.”
He sensed an impending storm. It was better to stay at home for now. After all, the Prime Minister had already sent someone.
But the capital was thousands of miles away—even on a fast horse, it would take three or four days. Had someone from the capital arrived to investigate so quickly?
As they passed near the temporary palace, they happened to see a group of riders approaching from the direction of the city gate. There were about a dozen of them, with flags fluttering behind the last few. Announcements rang out one after another, and the palace gates opened to welcome the group inside.
Kuang Xuexian lifted the carriage curtain to watch and asked Li Qing, “I’ve heard that the current Prime Minister is the pillar of Great Zhou?”
Li Qing: “Huh?”
Kuang Xuexian looked at him. “Under heaven, is Prime Minister Xie the only one who can still keep the emperor in check? Now that his people have arrived, perhaps the situation in the city will improve.”
Li Qing also leaned in behind him to look outside, his expression quite worried. “Sir, you’ve got it wrong. Once the Prime Minister’s men arrive, I’m afraid things will only get more complicated.”
Kuang Xuexian asked, “Why?”
Li Qing inquired, “How much do you know about this Prime Minister?”
Kuang Xuexian replied, “I often hear others praise him.”
Speaking of this Prime Minister Xie, in truth, he resembled an emperor more than Emperor Fu Lie did. Because the current governance of the court was almost entirely maintained by him.
The reason it’s said to be “maintained” rather than “controlled” is simply that compared to the current emperor, the Prime Minister’s reputation was truly too good.
This Prime Minister was renowned for his frugality and diligence. The common people respectfully called him the “Commoner Prime Minister.”
“Prime Minister” was an honorable title for the chancellor in the Great Zhou dynasty. Xie Yi was undoubtedly the chancellor with the purest reputation and highest moral standing in over two hundred years of Great Zhou history. “Commoner” here did not refer to ordinary origins in the usual sense, but rather that this Prime Minister truly always wore plain cloth garments.
But clearly, Li Qing, who came from the capital, held a different view of this highly reputed Prime Minister.
Li Qing said, “The current Prime Minister is the Empress Dowager’s full younger brother, from the prominent Jian Tai Xie clan. Speaking of the Jian Tai Xie clan, they are truly a distinguished family among distinguished families. In our Great Zhou dynasty, the Jian Tai Xie clan has produced nine marquises, three chancellors, twelve women granted noble titles, nine who married princesses, not to mention several empresses from the Xie family. Logically, with such a noble background and the power of regency, one could say his status is unmatched in the world. But since assuming the regency, this Prime Minister has only worn plain cloth, lived in thatched cottages, never had more than two dishes per meal, and never touched meat. His wife and daughters wear no jewels or makeup. He travels not in ornate carriages but rides a humble donkey. Moreover, this Prime Minister has a gentle temperament, is tall with a handsome beard—truly the epitome of a renowned scholar and a model for the world.”
Li Qing praised him extensively, but with a cold smile at the corner of his mouth.
Kuang Xuexian understood the implication in his words.
“Is he just a fame-seeker?”
Li Qing thought, more than just a fame-seeker.
If he hadn’t personally heard reports from the Emperor’s secret agents, he wouldn’t have believed that the seemingly upright and honorable Prime Minister Xie, with his vast lands and numerous luxurious residences, was actually the true great parasite of the state.
Of course, these secrets could not yet be revealed to others. He just smiled and said to Kuang Xuexian, “This servant merely feels that the Prime Minister is a bit excessively frugal.”
Kuang Xuexian thought for a moment and said, “Indeed.”
He believed that noble people could also be frugal.
But excessive frugality borders on hypocrisy. Being too frugal seemed more like a performance. If this Prime Minister Xie was also a fame-seeker, then he and the current emperor were truly a match. A tyrant paired with a hypocrite.
Then, when Prime Minister Xie’s men arrived, they might not suppress the emperor but instead might add fuel to the fire and abet the evildoer.
Great Zhou is doomed!
Although he was just a commoner and likely wouldn’t be affected by the bombing case, living in this era, thinking of a tyrant in power and even the widely praised Prime Minister possibly being a hypocrite, he felt the country was declining, and the current peace was like a mirage. His life now could be considered perfect, and along with it, his heart had softened considerably. With something to care for, he now felt somewhat worried and melancholy.
He had no other desires now, only hoping to spend the rest of his life peacefully with Zhang Ji.
Kuang Xuexian fell silent. At this moment, the wine’s effect fully took hold, and he leaned against the carriage, sighing, “We can only hope the emperor leaves the Western Capital soon.”
Li Qing said, “My lord, the current emperor is truly not as fearsome as you think.”
Kuang Xuexian replied, “Even Baobao was terrified out of his wits.”
There was no way to argue against that. Wang Baobao had indeed been frightened into such a state because of the emperor.
To be honest, even as a trusted confidant of the emperor, he couldn’t claim that all the rumors about the emperor’s infamy were baseless and unfounded.
The bamboo blinds on the carriage window filtered layers of faint light, casting a soft glow on Kuang Xuexian’s clean, understated face, lending it a gentle beauty in the dim spring light. Li Qing felt a pang of pity. An ordinary commoner, by chance and the whims of fate, had caught the emperor’s favor—it was hard to say whether this was a blessing or a misfortune.
After all, Kuang Xuexian was only a man. A man abandoned by a tyrant, or a man cherished by a tyrant—it was difficult to say which was the greater misfortune.
“Li Qing…” Kuang Xuexian suddenly leaned closer.
Li Qing: “Hmm? Yes?”
Kuang Xuexian’s cheeks seemed even redder than before, as if not just from the wine but also from a hint of embarrassment. “You must understand your master’s thoughts better than anyone else, right?”
Li Qing: “Huh?”
Kuang Xuexian smiled softly, revealing neat, white teeth. Li Qing wondered how an ordinary person could have such beautiful, clean teeth.
“Do you think your master has made up his mind?”
Li Qing: “Huh?”
“Don’t just say ‘huh’ all the time. Be honest with me. If… if I asked him to move into the main chamber today, would he… refuse?”
Li Qing: “……”
He looked at Kuang Xuexian’s flushed face. Perhaps emboldened by the wine, the young master dared to ask such questions.
Who would have thought that the young master was so lustful? It seemed his desire for the emperor’s male beauty was not a recent development.
Do you even know who you’re lusting after?
Li Qing pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and said, “This servant thinks the master must be very fond of you, young master.”
It wasn’t just a tyrant’s fleeting whim. Besides, getting a taste would be a gain. After all, there was no escape for the young master anyway. Since things had come to this, and the future was uncertain, the young master might as well enjoy himself while he could!
After all, having the emperor’s body would be a good thing! And besides, he was just telling the truth!
After a series of “after all” thoughts, he added, “This servant thinks the master would also like to move into the main chamber.”
Kuang Xuexian looked at Li Qing for a moment, then closed his eyes with a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
He felt an inexplicable unease about the current situation in Shuangluan City, as if the happiness before him was fleeting, perfect yet illusory like a dream. That was why he felt that he and Zhang Ji understood each other well enough and should seize the moment to take things further.
He simply hadn’t used any tricks on Zhang Ji, out of pity for his simplicity and integrity. If he wanted to reel Zhang Ji in, he had absolute confidence.
Perhaps it was the effect of the fruit wine, but at this thought, his heart warmed, and even the tip of his tongue seemed to taste sweetness. He was usually an extremely reserved young man, with delicate, cool features like a flower in a box, its fragrance contained within a small space. But now, with a faint blush on his cheeks, the contrast with his usual appearance was so stark that it gave him a radiant, spring-like beauty. Li Qing was taken aback, thinking that this usually cold and steady young man, suddenly glowing with color, was even more captivating than the most flamboyant and alluring beauties. If the young master were to face the emperor in such a state, that wicked dragon of an emperor might just reveal his true form.
What would the emperor’s true form look like?
He thought of the emperor who received the worship of all people, the emperor who used humans as archery targets, the emperor who, even in his teens, could manipulate old foxes like Minister Xie as if they were playthings in his hands. After a leisurely tour of the mountains and rivers, not only had he used his imperial authority to suppress the restless local lords and officials who were stirred up by the infighting in the capital, but he had also gathered a basketful of evidence of crimes committed by officials across the regions. Most likely, upon returning to the capital, he would unleash a great purge.
Such an emperor, he was certainly afraid of. Lady White Snake revealed her true form on the bed and frightened Xu Xian to death. If the emperor were to reveal his true form on the bed, could Lord Kuang handle it?
As they neared the entrance of the alley, the carriage suddenly slowed down. Li Qing lifted the curtain to take a look and saw a small sedan chair colliding with theirs. The voice from the sedan chair was familiar—it was Zhao Zongliang, speaking in a high-pitched tone: “Why have we stopped?”
Their coachman was momentarily stunned before promptly steering the carriage aside to make way. The sedan bearers, however, caught a clear glimpse of his face and were also taken aback. Li Qing gave a slight nod with his chin, and the sedan bearers hurriedly carried the sedan chair past them.
He leaned forward to look ahead, the bright sunlight illuminating the alley. Fu Li stood at the doorway, holding a kitten in his arms.
Li Qing’s heart pounded wildly, sensing that a storm was brewing. He had an intuition that His Majesty’s tranquil life in this small courtyard would not last much longer.
Had the Xie clan already sensed His Majesty’s intentions?
The court had long been divided into two factions, with tensions simmering for years, waiting only for a crack to tear open.
Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed in, startling Kuang Xuexian, who had been dozing with his eyes closed.
Li Qing quickly lowered the curtain. As the sedan curtain swayed gently, his cheerful round face glowed faintly in the light, and he said with a smile, “Lord, we’re home.”
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the house. Li Qing jumped down first and said to Fu Li with a smile, “The lord is slightly drunk.”
Kuang Xuexian rose to get off the carriage and only then noticed that Fu Li was already standing beside it, holding the kitten in one arm while extending the other to support him.
Who could understand the happiness of waking up from a gentle, tipsy haze to see one’s boyfriend waiting to take them home?
He grasped Fu Li’s hand and stepped down. Fu Li asked him, “Are you feeling dizzy?”
Kuang Xuexian shook his head happily. “No, not at all. This is nothing. I’d like to drink a bit more.”
As he spoke, he reached out to stroke the cat in Fu Li’s arms, then looked up at Fu Li. He truly felt that all of this was too dreamlike—the gentle and affectionate man, the adorable pet, and the gradually warming spring.
It filled him with such happiness that his desires began to stir.
Kuang Xuexian turned back to Li Qing and said, “Li Qing, come, let’s have a few more drinks.”
It seemed as though the effects of the alcohol had fully taken hold of Lord Kuang. Oh no, Lord Kuang is getting carried away. What is he about to do…?
Li Qing thought for a moment and replied, “Alright.”
Once they entered the courtyard, Li Qing closed the main gate. He carefully observed the emperor’s expression, but nothing seemed amiss. Presumably, Zhao Zongliang’s earlier visit from the temporary palace was to report the arrival of Xiao Changming.
Seeing Kuang Xuexian head to the west wing to fetch more wine, Li Qing quietly said to Fu Li, “Your Majesty, on my way back, I saw a messenger cavalry entering the temporary palace.”
Fu Li let out an “Mm,” his expression unchanged.
It seemed His Majesty was already aware of the matter.
Kuang Xuexian called out from the west wing, “Is Daughter’s Red wine alright?”
Li Qing responded, then pursed his lips and stole a glance at Fu Li before saying, “Your Majesty, there’s one more thing”
Fu Li turned his head to look at him. Li Qing mustered his courage and this time looked directly at the emperor, hoping to discern his sacred will.
He had thought it through: if the emperor’s will aligned with what Lord Kuang had in mind, it would be a case of mutual affection, and everyone would be overjoyed. But if the emperor’s will differed, he could still mediate between them, ensuring Lord Kuang wouldn’t end up heartbroken from rejection.
“Well, Lord Kuang might want to borrow some liquid courage to bolster his nerve.”
As he spoke, Li Qing carefully observed the emperor’s expression.
The bright daylight shone upon the emperor’s youthful face. In the past, dark circles had often lingered under his eyes, but these past few days at the Kuang residence, his complexion had improved considerably. His unusually large, dark pupils seemed to have softened as well. Gently stroking the cat in his arms, he raised a slender eyebrow slightly, glanced at Li Qing, then turned his gaze thoughtfully toward the west wing. A faint, disdainful smile curled at the corner of his lips.
This disdain was naturally not directed at Lord Kuang; it was more likely a reaction to Lord Kuang’s audacity in walking right into the trap—truly… reckless.
Li Qing saw the emperor’s Adam’s apple bob slightly.
The emperor’s slender frame made his Adam’s apple appear particularly prominent. The veins on his large hands were clearly visible as they rested on the little black cat, no longer stroking it.
Li Qing thought to himself, It seems I should go prepare the hot water now.