Qin Li nearly fell over in rage from Xie Linchuan’s blatant nonsense. He gave a mocking laugh. “Do you think I will believe that?”
“You did not even bother to think of a better excuse. Am I really that easy to fool?”
Xie Linchuan draped his coat over his shoulders and got out of bed, blinking with a look of concern. “Where is Your Majesty hurt? Let me see.”
Recalling the spot that had been slapped earlier, Qin Li’s face turned various shades of purple and red. He squeezed out a few words through his teeth. “I am not injured.”
Xie Linchuan breathed a sigh of relief. “That is good. I thought I might have struck too hard in my sleep and offended Your Majesty.”
Qin Li was exasperated. “Offended? You even called me by my name!”
The more he thought about it, the more suspicious he became. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “Xie Linchuan, are you submissive on the surface while cursing me in your heart? Have you been wanting to hit me for a long time?”
That practiced roll and counterattack, those sharp and stern words spoken without hesitation; how could such things be so natural and fluid if they were not deeply ingrained in his heart?
Xie Linchuan secretly cursed his luck. Why was Qin Li so hard to fool this time?
His mind had never raced so fast. In a flash of inspiration, he came up with a desperate excuse. “Actually, last night I dreamed that Your Majesty was provoked by a traitor and intended to kill me. I was pushed to the edge of a cliff, desperate to survive. In my sleepwalking state, I could not distinguish between the dream and reality, which is why I was rough with Your Majesty.”
Qin Li narrowed his eyes and stared at him. “You dreamed of me?”
Keep talking. Keep making things up.
Xie Linchuan nodded quite frankly. “Yes.”
He had indeed dreamed of Qin Li. In fact, he dreamed of him often, though most of those images were not particularly pleasant.
Qin Li studied Xie Linchuan’s face. Unfortunately, the man’s expression was too calm; there was not a hint of guilt to be found. He could not tell if the man was simply too deep and good at pretending, or if he was telling the truth.
As Qin Li moved his mouth, he felt a slight sting. He touched the spot where his skin had been bitten and suddenly recalled yesterday’s passionate and aggressive kiss. The tips of his ears began to feel hot again.
Whatever. What if Xie Linchuan really does think of me by day and dream of me by night?
Thinking this, Qin Li’s anger subsided considerably.
He raised his chin slightly, looked Xie Linchuan up and down, and reached out to touch the man’s cheek, pinching his flesh. He had wanted to touch it last night; as expected, the texture was good.
Qin Li’s lips curled into a shallow smile. He grabbed Xie Linchuan’s chin, leaned in, and bit hard on those lips that spoke words so difficult to distinguish between truth and lies. He was only satisfied once a red mark was left in the exact same spot on the corner of Xie Linchuan’s mouth.
Xie Linchuan used his thumb to wipe away the warm moisture and raised an eyebrow. “Is Your Majesty no longer angry?”
Qin Li gave a silent huff. Xie Linchuan’s excuse was clumsy, but at least he had made one. He would take note of this for now; once he had completely won the man over in the future, he would settle the score slowly.
His brow gradually smoothed as he regained his lazy expression, letting out a short laugh. “I am not so petty as to fuss over such a small matter.”
Qin Li is not petty? Fine.
Xie Linchuan suppressed the amusement in his heart and pressed his lips together, saying reservedly, “It is good that Your Majesty has calmed down.”
It was getting late. Qin Li called for Li Sanbao to assist him in washing and changing so he could return to the palace for the morning court.
When they left the Xie estate, the Old Madam of the Xie family and Xie Linchuan’s younger siblings were all standing respectfully at the entrance to see them off. Qin Li’s eyes swept across them, glanced at the plaque of the Xie estate, and then lowered his voice to give Li Sanbao a few instructions.
Li Sanbao was startled. “Did Your Majesty not say yesterday that we should keep this outing low-key and not draw attention?”
The carriage was plain black without a single insignia.
Qin Li gave him a cold look. “Stop talking nonsense.”
“Yes, yes.” Li Sanbao nodded hurriedly and immediately ordered the guards to set up the imperial insignia and canopy. The Yulin Guards crowded around them, creating a grand and imposing atmosphere as if afraid that no one would know the Emperor had visited the Xie estate and stayed the night.
The previously quiet entrance to the Xie estate became bustling and noisy in an instant. Neighbors flocked to the scene upon hearing the news, crowding nearby to catch a glimpse of the newly enthroned Emperor. Though they were in awe of the fully armed Yulin Guards and dared not approach, their envious and jealous gazes frequently turned toward the Xie residence.
Xie Yingshan and Xie Yun were stunned by the display. The Old Madam sighed and bowed. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”
Xie Yingshan frowned, feeling deeply worried. The new Emperor had slept in his brother’s room last night. Did he even need to ask what had happened? Since the Emperor favored his brother so much, surely his brother must have suffered a great deal. Just look at how the corner of his mouth was cut!
His brother was right. He was isolated and without help in the palace. If he chose to go into business and ignored his brother, would that not make things even harder for him?
“Grandmother, little sister, I am going back to the study to review my books. I must prepare for this year’s autumn examinations.”
Xie Yun, standing nearby, was surprised to see her second brother suddenly clench his fists with a look of renewed determination. Did he just get a sudden burst of motivation?
Xie Linchuan followed Qin Li back to the palace, where they spent a good period of time in peace.
Qin Li was incredibly busy. Aside from handling state affairs during the morning court, he also had to fast and bathe for rituals, leaving him no time to bother Xie Linchuan. Xie Linchuan was happy to enjoy the leisure.
As the days passed, the day of the Great Sacrifice to Heaven finally arrived.
Qin Li had only recently ascended the throne, and his followers were mostly military generals who knew only how to fight; they understood nothing of these tedious formalities. The officials of the Ministry of Rites were all civil officials from the previous dynasty. Just listening to them argue over small details for days on end was exhausting. Eventually, Qin Li grew annoyed and ordered the ceremony to be simplified.
As the saying goes, “The great affairs of the state lie in sacrifice and war.” No matter how simplified, there were certain things that could not be omitted.
The streets outside were crowded with commoners who had come to witness the Great Sacrifice; it was a lively scene. The Emperor’s procession arrived at the altar of the temple, with Yulin Guards lining both sides and civil and military officials gathered in mass.
Xie Linchuan wore the wide-sleeved ceremonial robes of the rite and entered with the officials. Although he had lost his actual power and held no official post, Qin Li had not stripped him of his rank as General. His rank was second only to the trusted General Nie Dong. He was positioned not far behind Qin Li, opposite Prime Minister Yan Yu and the others.
Behind Yan Yu was Li Xuehong, whom Xie Linchuan had not seen for a long time. He wore moon-white silk robes and looked much thinner than before. His sleeves hung loose, and his previously subtle cheekbones were now slightly prominent.
From the moment Xie Linchuan appeared at the ceremony, Li Xuehong’s gaze was fixed on him. He held his hands together, a faint trace of sorrow between his brows. He did not hope to speak to him in such a setting; he only secretly hoped for a glance from Xie Linchuan, even if it were just a reassuring look.
However, Xie Linchuan’s gaze only swept over all the ministers, including him, without lingering for a moment. He gave him even less attention than he gave to several of his political enemies.
With a single glance, Xie Linchuan spotted Yang Qiong, who was leaning on two crutches. Yang Qiong had been staring at him from behind; it was hard not to notice his gaze. The moment their eyes met, Yang Qiong immediately lowered his head to look away, but the hatred in his eyes could not be hidden. He had been dismissed from his post as Vice Commander of the Imperial Guard by Qin Li’s order, but his official rank had not been stripped.
Xie Linchuan gave a faint glance and withdrew his gaze. The fact that Yang Qiong could still stand here, albeit limping, after being struck with two hundred military strokes meant the punishment had been a case of raising the rod high but striking lightly, resulting only in superficial wounds. The form was greater than the injury; it stripped him of his face and credit but did not take his life.
Seeing Yang Qiong appear at the ceremony, the other surrendered officials clearly breathed a sigh of relief. Many of them had been unable to sleep for nights after hearing about the incident at Qingyue Tower. Yang Qiong had been utterly humiliated and had stayed home to recover. It was only today that he forced himself to stand, despite his unhealed injuries, to prove before the court that he had not completely lost the Emperor’s favor.
Xie Linchuan smiled to himself. Qin Li indeed understood the art of balance. Though he was an Emperor who rose from the ranks, his political instincts were naturally sharp. He narrowed his eyes slightly. Even if Qin Li wanted to preserve his life, Yang Qiong had already become his mortal enemy; he had to die.
The officials waited for the new Emperor to finish his fasting and bathing and change into his sacrificial robes. Then, the Great Sacrifice to Heaven officially began.
Li Sanbao presented an incense stick as thick as a finger. Qin Li took it, lit it personally, and led the officials in burning incense and praying.
“What a nuisance,” Qin Li thought, suppressing his impatience as he followed the ceremony’s flow to offer the three animals and various sacrifices.
The master of ceremonies read the sacrificial text, offered wine at the altar, and then entered the temple to burn incense and pray for good weather and prosperity in the coming year. Finally, the ceremony would conclude after the officials drank the Blessed Wine offered by the presiding officer.
In his past life, Xie Linchuan had not attended Qin Li’s Great Sacrifice, but he knew that hidden guards and death warriors raised by the remnants of the Li family were hidden among the crowd, waiting for this day to assassinate Qin Li. In his past life, the rebel assassination failed, but Qin Li was injured. Though the injury was not severe, news of it spread far and wide. The commoners of the capital and the world began to doubt if Qin Li’s throne was illegitimate and if he lacked the favor of the gods, given the bloodshed at the sacrifice.
Inside the temple, Xie Linchuan stood behind and to the side of Qin Li, secretly observing everyone around him. There were many people near Qin Li: officials behind him, and ritual officers, eunuchs, and palace maids carrying various sacrifices on both sides.
Half a day passed, and the ceremony reached the final stage of drinking the Blessed Wine. A young eunuch carrying a tray of Blessed Wine walked forward with small, hurried steps, his head bowed. As he passed by Xie Linchuan, he somehow slipped and lost his balance, his body tilting to one side.
Xie Linchuan was quick to act, grabbing the eunuch’s arm to steady the tray. The porcelain-white wine cup slid to the edge of the tray, nearly falling. Xie Linchuan caught it and flicked it back into place with his finger. “Please be careful, Eunuch.”
Spilling the Blessed Wine was no small offense. The young eunuch’s face turned pale with fear as he nodded repeatedly. Only then did he carefully bring the tray before Qin Li. Perhaps out of nervousness, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his body trembled slightly.
The other officials made no sound at this small interlude, keeping their eyes on their own business. Only Yang Qiong, who had been observing every detail, let out a cold sneer. Just as Qin Li was about to reach for the wine, Yang Qiong suddenly stepped out and shouted, “Wait, Your Majesty! I fear there is something wrong with this wine!”
Everyone was stunned, looking at each other as a commotion broke out.
Qin Li turned slowly, the wide sleeves of his black patterned dragon robe falling. With a casual flick of his hand, his dark eyes seemed bottomless. He did not speak immediately; his piercing gaze swept over the officials and finally landed on Yang Qiong.
Prime Minister Yan Yu looked at Qin Li’s expression and spoke with a frown. “Yang Qiong, do you know what you are saying in such a solemn setting as the Great Sacrifice?”
Qin Li raised his hand and spoke coldly. “Let him speak.”
When Yang Qiong met Qin Li’s gaze, he felt a sudden surge of fear, but the constant pain in his buttocks reminded him that this was his only chance. He gritted his teeth and stepped forward to kneel before everyone. “Your Majesty, I personally saw Xie Linchuan touch this wine just now. Your Majesty must not drink it!”
“How could there be such a coincidence? This eunuch was walking perfectly well; why did he have to stumble toward him?”
“Last time at Qingyue Tower, he was clearly in contact with the rebels; that is how he lured me there! The rebel Yuan Chen personally told me that the person they were meeting was Xie Linchuan.”
“Your Majesty must believe my sincere words! If I have spoken a single lie, may I die a violent death in the streets!”
As soon as he said this, the temple fell into a dead silence. The young eunuch felt a chill run through his body. Drenched in cold sweat, he hurriedly put down the tray and knelt in a panic, crying out that he was being framed.
Qin Li narrowed his eyes slightly. His expression did not show anger, but there was a sense of pressure in the silence like the eve of a storm. Even the candlelight seemed to flicker in fear.
Xie Linchuan instantly became the focus of the civil and military officials, with all sorts of strange and suspicious gazes cast toward him. Li Xuehong especially was frowning, looking at Xie Linchuan nervously and biting his lip, yet he dared not speak. He knew what had happened at Qingyue Tower, but he would never believe that Xie Linchuan had truly defected to Qin Li. It had to be a frame-up by Yang Qiong and Li Fenghao. But how would he survive this crisis?
Xie Linchuan cast a cold glance at Yang Qiong, as if looking at a dead man. He did not speak to defend himself; instead, he walked forward and, under the watchful eyes of everyone, reached for the cup of Blessed Wine.
Yang Qiong shouted in anger, “Stop him! He wants to destroy the evidence!”
Qin Li’s brows furrowed tightly. The surrounding guards were in a stir, but without Qin Li’s command, they dared not move. To their surprise, Xie Linchuan did not break the cup. Instead, in front of Qin Li, he raised the cup to his own lips.
“Do not drink it!” Qin Li’s face changed. He stepped forward and swung his hand, intending to knock the cup away.
However, Xie Linchuan was a step faster. He tilted his head back and drained the cup in one gulp!
The crowd was shocked. Yan Yu, Yang Qiong, and the other officials looked at him in disbelief.
“Xie Linchuan!” Qin Li reached out to grab his mouth, his face dark with suppressed rage. “Spit it out! Someone, call the physician!”
Xie Linchuan’s lips curled into a smile. He wiped away a trace of moisture from his lips, brushed away Qin Li’s hand, and let out a low laugh. “Your Majesty, I am fine. See? This wine is not poisoned.”
The tension in Qin Li’s brow finally relaxed slightly, though he still looked at him suspiciously.
Yang Qiong’s face was ashen. “How? What trick did you play?”
Only then did Xie Linchuan look at Yang Qiong. He stopped smiling, his sharp brows lowering bit by bit. Obvious anger appeared in his eyes, his gaze like a blade cutting into the other man’s face.
“Yang Qiong, I have tolerated you time and again for the sake of our former companionship. But I, Xie Linchuan, am no saint, nor am I made of clay to be framed by you repeatedly!”
As soon as he spoke, he swung his arm and overturned the nearby sacrificial incense burner, slamming it hard against Yang Qiong’s head! The pungent incense immediately poured out, covering his head and face in ash. The incense had a very strong scent; usually, only a small amount was burned for a lingering fragrance. Now, with all of it poured over Yang Qiong, the scent was so intense it turned into an indescribable stench.
Yang Qiong’s forehead was immediately cut, and a large lump formed. Blood flowed down his eyes, and he sneezed repeatedly. The surrounding officials covered their noses and moved away from him.
“Xie Linchuan! You!” Yang Qiong was hit so hard he saw stars and nearly fainted. As soon as he opened his mouth, the scent made his eyes water.
Xie Linchuan’s sudden attack on Yang Qiong took Qin Li and the officials by surprise. Qin Li thought to himself that Xie Linchuan usually appeared steady and calm on the surface while being secretly mischievous; it was rare to see him so angry. It was quite a sight. On second thought, if anyone else were framed so many times, they would have exploded in rage long ago. Had he known Yang Qiong was so stubborn, he would have ordered those two hundred strokes to be much harder.
Qin Li pressed down his displeasure. He made no move to stop Xie Linchuan from venting his anger on Yang Qiong; he simply ordered someone to clean the floor and drag Yang Qiong away. At this moment, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the young eunuch kneeling on the ground. Seeing that Xie Linchuan was unharmed after drinking the wine, the eunuch’s face was filled with shock.
Yang Qiong was being dragged away by the guards but still refused to give up. “And that pot of wine! Maybe there is something wrong with the wine pot! Your Majesty!”
Yang Qiong was indeed shrewd. Although he lacked the advantage of Xie Linchuan’s rebirth, he guessed based on his instincts as a commander that there might be something wrong with the eunuch. If he was right, the blame would surely fall on Xie Linchuan. Even if he were wrong, it was merely a case of being overly concerned for the Emperor’s safety; he might be punished again, but not killed. He had sensed from the previous punishment that Qin Li intended to spare his life. He had already been dismissed; as long as he lived, things could not get any worse than they were now. He decided to bet everything on that eunuch.
Yan Yu also noticed the eunuch’s strange behavior and stepped forward. “Yang Qiong’s words are not entirely without merit. Your Majesty’s health is paramount; one cannot be too careful. It is better to have the physician examine this pot of Blessed Wine.”
Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden change occurred. The young eunuch, who had been kneeling and crying out to Qin Li, suddenly bowed his head as if kowtowing. The moment his back and neck were exposed, three tiny poisonous arrows glowing with green light shot out from inside his collar, all aimed at Qin Li!
The distance between him and Qin Li was only a few paces; the arrows arrived in an instant!
Amidst the shouts of the guards, Xie Linchuan had already been on guard against the eunuch. He acted in a flash, flipping the tray and swinging it. With several muffled thuds, all three poisonous arrows were blocked and fell to the ground.
At the same time the eunuch launched his attack, the assassins who had been hidden among the crowd finally revealed themselves. They drew their weapons and rushed toward Qin Li with suicidal intent!
Qin Li instinctively reached for his waist but found it empty, remembering that he was wearing ceremonial robes and had no weapon.
“Assassins! Protect the Emperor!” Nie Dong shouted, drawing his blade to stand before Qin Li and engage the assassins.
The temple was crowded with officials, eunuchs, and palace maids, and the air was filled with cries of alarm. The chaotic crowd became the best cover for the assassins.
Xie Linchuan followed closely behind Qin Li as they moved toward the temple exit under Nie Dong’s cover. However, Yan Yu and Qin Yongyi pushed their way through, forcibly separating Xie Linchuan from Qin Li, their gazes still extremely wary. Especially in such a dangerous and chaotic state, they could trust no surrendered official, not even Xie Linchuan who had just tested the wine for Qin Li.
“Your Majesty, it is dangerous here. You must leave quickly!”
Qin Li had instinctively reached for Xie Linchuan’s hand, but after a moment’s hesitation, he was pulled away by Qin Yongyi and the others. At that moment, Qin Li caught a glimpse of Xie Linchuan’s eyes; the man seemed to give him a faint smile. That meaningful smile vanished in an instant, so fast it felt like an illusion.
Before he could think further, a hidden arrow shot from a cunning angle toward Qin Li’s chest!
“Qin Li!” Xie Linchuan’s face was grim. Without a moment’s thought or hesitation, he lunged toward Qin Li, pulling him into a roll on the ground.
He felt a sharp pain in his back and let out a muffled groan, his left arm still firmly protecting Qin Li.
“Xie Linchuan!” Qin Li’s pupils contracted in shock, his expression shifting rapidly. He pulled the man up and looked at his back. Sure enough, a short arrow was lodged in his shoulder blade, and bright red blood soaked through his outer robe, spreading into a crimson stain.
“Your Majesty, are you all, right?” Nie Dong rushed over after stabbing an assassin through.
The Yulin Guards had largely dealt with the assassins in the temple and were now evacuating the officials and pursuing the remaining death warriors. The chaotic situation was gradually being brought back under control. However, almost all the assassins had poison pills under their tongues; once captured, they bit the pills and committed suicide.
Qin Li narrowed his eyes, his lips pressed tightly together. His dark eyes were filled with a burning rage. He pulled Xie Linchuan into his arms and looked at Nie Dong. “I am fine. Call the imperial physician.”
He paused, his voice chillingly cold. “Since they have left themselves no way out, tear them into a thousand pieces. Leave none alive.”
Xie Linchuan leaned half his weight on Qin Li’s shoulder, his eyes slightly open with a trace of clarity.