When Fu Liao regained consciousness, a sharp pain suddenly stabbed through his head.
As he opened his eyes, the physical discomfort gradually dissipated, and the interior decor before him grew instantly familiar.
Upon closer inspection, however, a sense of unfamiliarity washed over him.
This was his room.
His room from the modern world.
The screen of the phone resting on the nightstand was illuminated, likely displaying the novel he had skimmed through before falling asleep.
The rest of the space was impeccably neat, even the bedsheets smoothed down completely, as if no one had ever lived there.
Business as usual.
Only then did Fu Liao realize he was not lying in bed, but rather leaning back against the bedroom door, surveying everything within his room.
He felt his movements grow sluggish. After a moment of hesitation, he wanted to step forward and grab the phone to re-read the novel he had never properly taken in, but the moment he took a step, he hesitated.
He turned around and pushed open the door.
The bedroom door was of fine quality; as long as he handled the knob with care, it made not the slightest sound.
Thus, the door to a room in the corner of the second floor cracked open stealthily, granting Fu Liao a view of the lavish and opulent decorations in the main hall, symbolizing the status and wealth possessed by the master of the house.
Some people were busy about their tasks. Fu Liao spotted his biological father and stepmother, alongside unfamiliar siblings.
It was just like before, unchanged in any way.
As an illegitimate child brought home midway, he naturally shared no common topics with them.
Fu Liao had half expected them to hurl abuse or greet him with cold shoulders, but in reality, they were completely indifferent and detached, acting as though the household had never gained an extra member like him.
The hand resting lightly on the railing tightened, yet it still failed to emit the slightest sound.
The people with their heads bowed in the hall never once looked up.
Fu Liao realized he could not make out their facial features.
So he returned to his room in silence.
Walking straight toward the glowing phone, Fu Liao reached out his hand, intending to pick it up.
His hand stopped dead in its tracks.
No matter how hard he tried, he could not touch that source of light, as if an impassable chasm separated them.
Fu Liao’s pupils constricted sharply.
Unable to go back?
A hollow sensation gripped his heart, and cold sweat instantly broke out across his forehead.
His outstretched hand felt numb and sore, much like a forcefully thrown punch that had been abruptly intercepted midway.
Desperate to break free, Fu Liao closed his eyes instinctively and jerked his hand back with all his might,
Ji Liandu’s striking face sprang into view.
“Ah-Liao, you are awake?” he asked softly, peering over the edge of the bed.
It took Fu Liao a good long while to process it: that had been a dream.
He had simply dreamed of the life he lived every single day.
Reading books in his room, tidying up, stepping outside, catching a distant glimpse of the others, and retreating back to his room.
Why had he been so desperate to escape just now?
Fu Liao could say with certainty that he was not dreaming right now, because every inch of his body ached.
A strange sense of relief washed over him.
In his peripheral vision, Ji Liandu’s silhouette occupied the majority of his sight, recalling to Fu Liao the final fragments of memory before he lost consciousness.
“Xi Lingjian, where are they?”
His throat felt as though it were tearing apart the moment he spoke. Fu Liao rubbed his neck, attempting to alleviate the agony.
“You fainted just a moment ago, and they parted ways on bad terms,” Ji Liandu said, worry shadowing his face as his delicate brows knit together. “Ah-Liao, I am so scared.”
Fu Liao was momentarily stunned.
“The Prince Regent does not seem to have realized I slipped out yet, I really do not want to be locked up again, Ah-Liao.” Ji Liandu licked his lips nervously. “Ah-Liao, you are the person I trust most in this world, you have to help me.”
With great effort, Fu Liao shifted his body and sat up in bed.
“Xiao Ji, why did you run out at a time like this?” He coughed twice, feeling as though his throat would rip open in the next instant. “How am I supposed to help you?”
A slight, mocking smile tugged at the corner of Ji Liandu’s lips.
Yet a flash of hesitation lingered in the depths of his eyes.
This person was not Fu Liao; why was he still acting just like Fu Liao, worrying over him to such an extent?
It was as if he genuinely regarded him as his beloved.
Moreover, the real Fu Liao had never paid him much mind.
Ji Liandu stared fixedly into the pupils of the person before him, searching in vain for any sign of murky impurity; they were so clear they were almost frightening.
Could he simply be overthinking things? No matter how fantastical, no one could be replaced out of nowhere by an identical replica without warning.
Perhaps a high fever had simply fried the man’s brain.
Besides, Xi Lingjian was far more perceptive than this. Having caught wind of his unusual behavior, how could he possibly have taken no action yet?
Lost in thought for a moment, the hesitation vanished entirely. Ji Liandu gave his head a gentle shake, as if clearing away the absurd notion he had just entertained.
So be it.
Since he had already burned his bridges with Xi Lingjian, all he needed was to have this person stall Xi Lingjian so he could seize the chance to escape, locate that eunuch dog, and find a new hiding spot.
If this fool was willing to play the savior, he would simply indulge him.
Regardless of who he was, people born to such luxury who knew nothing of ordinary hardships all deserved to,
A sudden wave of warmth enveloped his body.
Fu Liao draped an outer robe over his shoulders. “Sit up and talk, crouching like that will give you a chill in your feet.”
As he spoke, his brow furrowed again, and he lowered his head to clear his throat quietly.
Ji Liandu remained silent for a beat.
“The Prince Regent and Official Xu have not left yet, because your father genuinely injured the Prince Regent, and they are still out in the courtyard.” He remained seated, merely gesturing toward the outdoors.
Ji Liandu let out a slow breath. “If the Prince Regent does not leave, I have no way of escaping. Ah-Liao, can you not find a way to make the Prince Regent leave quickly?”
No.
He had only just managed to reach this position; how could he let it disrupt his original plan?
“Besides, Ah-Liao, you know I excel at singing and dancing.”
Ji Liandu abruptly seized Fu Liao’s hand. Perhaps due to excessive tension, what was meant to be a tender touch felt more like a coercive warning.
A sharp pain flared on Fu Liao’s wrist, where a pale patch of skin faintly turned red.
Catching sight of it, Ji Liandu hurriedly slackened his grip.
“Furthermore, in half a month, it will be the Qiandiu Festival. I want to perform a piece before the Emperor.” Ji Liandu softened his tone, adopting a pleading expression that anyone would find impossible to refuse. “Even if it is just to catch a glimpse of the palace, I want to go.”
Fu Liao understood.
This was the post of Chief Musician that Xi Lingjian had always promised him but never delivered.
Xi Lingjian had long been aware of Ji Liandu’s objective; securing the position of Chief Musician would grant him greater access to the Emperor while also facilitating secret rendezvous with the eunuch blackmailing him.
In truth, even before Xi Lingjian placed him under house arrest, Ji Liandu had already been blackmailed by the eunuchs.
They incited conflict between the new and old factions while remaining hidden to whisper poison into the Emperor’s ear, and Ji Liandu was essentially a planted landmine left by the eunuch faction right beside Xi Lingjian.
Given how opaque the plot details had been, Fu Liao remained unsure whether Xi Lingjian was aware of this, but for both logical and practical reasons, he could never allow Ji Liandu to attain freedom and slip beyond his control.
Fu Liao sighed softly.
“I will find a way to help you escape.”
Before Fu Liao’s voice faded, he saw Ji Liandu’s eyes light up, only for the man to quickly regain his composure, waiting patiently for him to finish speaking before offering a smile of a survivor cheating death.
“That is wonderful, Ah-Liao, I knew you would help me!”
Ji Liandu leaned closer, causing Fu Liao to tense up visibly.
Could he actually like him?
Fu Liao rubbed his arm, coughing uncomfortably. “As for the second part, I hold no official rank, I cannot even see the Emperor, how am I supposed to help you?”
“You can do it!” Ji Liandu grew suddenly animated, as if he had already mapped out the entire scheme. “Does Ah-Liao know of a position in the palace called the Chief Musician? It is in charge of palace instruments and provides entertainment for the Emperor.”
Fu Liao nodded.
Just as he suspected.
“But,”
Before Fu Liao could finish, footsteps echoed from outside the door.
Ji Liandu’s expression shifted instantly, and he scrambled back into the corner, concealing himself within the shadows.
Fu Liao spotted the familiar trio once more, though the atmosphere among them bore no resemblance to the one he remembered.
“Your Highness, Official Xu.”
Fu Liao’s throat was so raw he could barely speak.
Xi Lingjian frowned the moment he heard his voice and flicked the teacup off the table.
It landed squarely in Fu Liao’s hand without spilling a single drop.
“The heir should lubricate his throat first, lest you ruin your throat before your eyes go,” he remarked with an ambiguous smile.
Lifting the cup, Fu Liao took a small sip, catching a familiar scent mingling with the aroma of the tea.
He cast a cautious glance at Xi Lingjian, a smile threatening to tug at the corners of his mouth before he quickly reined it in.
Had he misunderstood again?
Fu Pengfu’s face was flushed with rage, though his momentum was vastly inferior to before. “Prince Regent, what are you talking about with eyes? You were clearly aiming to cripple my Ah-Liao,”
Xi Lingjian glanced sideways, tossing him a single look that instantly petrified Fu Pengfu, causing his raised hand to drop limply to his side.
Cold sweat beaded continuously on Xu Jingyi’s forehead, and his twitching mouth symbolized how drastically the tables had turned during the time Fu Liao was unconscious.
“Since the heir is unwell, there is no need to trouble him with further words,” Xi Lingjian said, a trace of laughter hidden in his tone. “Just now outside the courtyard, the Marquis already admitted that it was out of excessive concern for the heir that he committed the offense against Me.”
“Is that not right, Official Xu?” Xi Lingjian pivoted toward Xu Jingyi.
Gritting his teeth, Xu Jingyi pressed his lips together, parting them only after a long pause to squeeze out a single “Yes.”
Watching him glare at Fu Pengfu, Fu Liao noted the absolute fury written across the man’s face.
It appeared the plot to use a tiger to devour a wolf had failed.
Xi Lingjian unhurriedly continued, “Considering the Marquis was merely concerned for the heir, I can waive the crime of trespassing.”
Fu Pengfu brightened instantly, the smile barely forming on his face before the subsequent chilling words crashed down.
“However, if I were to let it go just like that, where would My majesty be?”
Lifting his chin, Xi Lingjian addressed Fu Pengfu, “Marquis, you tell Me, how should I deal with you?”
An inspiration suddenly struck Fu Liao.
“Your Highness.”
After drinking some tea, the discomfort had eased slightly.
His voice carried a clearer tone, instantly capturing the attention of everyone present.
“Since my father committed the offense against Your Highness for my sake, why not let me take my father’s punishment in his stead.”
The sooner Xi Lingjian left, the lower the chance of him discovering Ji Liandu.
If Xi Lingjian agreed, it would also buy him time to spend alongside the man, enabling him to understand him better and tailor his approach accordingly.
“I am willing to follow Your Highness back to the Prince Regent’s residence and instruct the Yulin Guards.” He offered a faint, translucent smile. “If it yields no results, I am willing to bear the blame and submit to Your Highness’s disposal.”
“Very well.”
Gazing straight at him, Xi Lingjian agreed without a moment’s hesitation.
As if he had been waiting precisely for this moment.