Inside a dim, gloomy cell, several piles of filthy straw were strewn across the floor. Against the cold, hard stone wall leaned a pale-faced man, his long hair unkempt and dried blood staining the corner of his lips.
A jailer pushed open the cell door: “Your Highness, His Majesty has arrived.”
The man did not move, merely lifting his eyelids slightly to glance at the person behind the jailer.
“Imperial Father.”
Yu Yinjiang knitted his brows, his voice sounding somewhat raspy: “We came to—”
“Where is Xiao Tan?” The man interrupted him impatiently, appearing completely unconcerned as to why the supreme ruler of the realm had visited this filthy, blood-soaked dungeon filled with corpses.
“Even now, you still only care about Xiao Tan?!” Yu Yinjiang finally blazed with fury, the overwhelming heartache he felt upon arriving completely snuffed out by the man’s unrepentant attitude.
Irritated, the man closed his eyes, intending not to respond.
Yu Yinjiang let out a bitter, mocking laugh, repeating the word “Good” several times before saying: “You care so much for Xiao Tan? Let Us tell you, he returned to the Xiao Prince’s Mansion long ago!”
“Oh, returned to the Xiao Prince’s Mansion… then is he safe or unsafe? Does Your Majesty intend to punish him, or not?” Hearing this, the man finally showed a reaction, leaning against the wall as he struggled to stand.
“You know what We mean,” Yu Yinjiang said as he calmed down, his gaze laced with painful affection. “Sometimes We wonder if We spoiled you too much, leaving you incapable of distinguishing right from wrong.”
“You think Xiao Tan is a fool for love like you? He sees the big picture far clearer than you do!”
Having gone days without a single drop of water or grain of rice, the man ultimately lacked the strength to stand. Slumping back onto the straw, he panted heavily while a faint smile touched his lips: “A man facing death merely wishes to fulfill his final lingering thought. Why must Imperial Father use such falsehoods to disgust me?”
Yu Yinjiang shook his head, seemingly at a loss for words. “Whether it is a lie or not, you know the truth in your heart.”
“You… you have truly disappointed Us.” With those final words, Yu Yinjiang swept his sleeves and departed.
Disappointed? Disappointed in what? Disappointed that he was ‘blind to people’s true nature’? Disappointed that he was ‘rebellious and committed lèse-majesté’? Or disappointed that he lacked political cunning, dying in this dungeon right at the start of the battle for succession?
Once Yu Yinjiang left, silence reclaimed the cell. The man let out a self-deprecating smile, turning his head to gaze at a single shaft of light leaking through the high window.
He understood Yu Yinjiang’s implication, but he refused to believe it was true. Xiao Tan would never harm him.
He was merely relieved, relieved that the unspoken words in his heart would never have to be uttered. Now that the two of them were destined to be separated by life and death, why drag that person down with his so-called sincerity and waste the finest years of his life.
“Your Highness, Your Highness—” Duan Fangzhu softly called out to Yu Yi, taking care not to wake Xiao Tan.
The eldest young master had guarded His Highness through the night and was exhausted; he truly needed a proper rest.
“Mm.” Yu Yi scowled, painstakingly dragging himself out of the dream and forcing his way through the dizzy spell that accompanied waking up.
Perhaps because Xiao Tan had provoked him yesterday, he had dreamed of his past life for the first time since his rebirth. No wonder Yu Yinjiang had spoken the word “disappointed” in that dream, his past self had indeed been far too foolish, deceived by someone while still adamantly defending him.
“Your Highness,” Duan Fangzhu brought a cup of tea to Yu Yi, saying: “Yue Yang is waiting outside the door.”
“Mm, tell him to go to the study. I’ll be there shortly.” Yu Yi’s voice was exceedingly raspy; the chill he caught yesterday had not subsided, and he hadn’t slept well overnight.
He pushed himself up to stand. Seeing Duan Fangzhu about to push the wheelchair over, he scowled: “It’s just a few steps, no need for a wheel… Why is he here?!”
Yu Yi’s gaze turned dark and sullen as he looked over. Xiao Tan sat by the table, his spine ramrod straight, sound asleep with his head resting on one hand.
“Your Highness, the eldest young master guarded you all night yesterday. Changing your clothes and feeding you tea were all done personally by him, he wouldn’t let any of us servants touch you.”
Duan Fangzhu spoke with a warm, gratified smile. Having watched Yu Yi grow up, he felt His Majesty had made an excellent choice in this marriage match; the eldest young master was truly steady and considerate.
Yu Yi’s lips twitched. Pressing his fingers against the throbbing veins on his forehead, he barely managed to swallow his frustration.
Reasonably speaking, since they had just met, he couldn’t act too hostile toward Xiao Tan, lest it arouse suspicion.
Given the current crisis with the Crown Prince, no one in court would dare hold wedding banquets anyway, let alone him as a younger brother. Once this period passed, he would find an excuse to bring Xiao Qiang into the estate. As for Xiao Tan, he could go wherever he pleased and do whatever he wanted so long as he didn’t cling to him or hover before his eyes, Yu Yi wouldn’t bother meddling.
“Prepare a room for him and let him sleep there.” Dressing himself, Yu Yi grabbed his cloak from the chair and strode outside.
“Understood—” Duan Fangzhu saw him off from behind, his smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. His Highness is feeling protective now. In all his years taking care of Yu Yi, this was the very first time he had seen him show such concern for anyone.
Unaware of Duan Fangzhu’s internal musings, Yu Yi pulled his collar tight and strode quickly toward the study against the biting northern winter wind.
Yesterday’s explosion at Huayu Pavilion remained confined to those trapped inside the palace; as of now, only he and Xiao Tan had been released.
In his past life, this case had involved widespread ramifications, eventually leading back to Yu Yi himself, which prompted Yu Yinjiang to hush it up with a gentle warning.
The mastermind behind the scenes had executed this scheme with brilliant subtlety. The initial piece of evidence appeared completely unrelated to Yu Yi merely an ordinary jade pendant. Yet as the investigation progressed step by step, it would be revealed that the pendant had originally come from Yu Yi’s own hands.
In his past life, he had been far too naive, failing to pursue the investigation after the incident occurred, dying without ever learning who had orchestrated it. But it didn’t matter now; the only person who stood to benefit from the Crown Prince becoming a cripple was that single individual.
“Master!”
The moment Yu Yi stepped inside, he found Yue Yang kneeling on the floor.
“Rise. What have you uncovered?” Closing the door, Yu Yi carried the cold air inside as he sat before the writing desk, taking a sip of the warm tea Duan Fangzhu had prepared.
“Master, the woman who was with the Crown Prince when the incident occurred is indeed the palace maid to whom you previously gifted that jade pendant. That pendant…” Yue Yang hesitated slightly. It was blatantly obvious that someone was deliberately using that maid to frame him; speaking of it might trigger His Highness’s anger.
“Mm, I know. Have you checked who that maid interacted with beforehand?” Yu Yi asked calmly.
He had almost forgotten about this matter. The maid, A-Zhi, was originally an attendant to his late imperial mother. A few years ago, when Yu Yi encountered her paying respects to his mother in the palace, he had rewarded her with a jade pendant. He had been only a teenager at the time.
“Reporting to Master, after A-Zhi was released from the palace, she fell into working as a courtesan in a brothel. This subordinate questioned the people at Huayu Pavilion; they said that the day before the incident, A-Zhi entertained only one guest. Judging by his attire, he didn’t look wealthy, yet he spent money lavishly. People have already been dispatched to investigate him.”
Yu Yi nodded. Uncovering that person’s identity wasn’t difficult, but bringing the evidence seamlessly to court without leaving a trace, and determining how much damage that evidence could inflict on that individual, ultimately depended on his own influence within the imperial court.
The problem was that he had only recently been reborn, and his manpower was virtually nonexistent. In his past life, he harbored no ambition for power and was incredibly naive; though court officials had tried to align with him, he had brushed them all off overtly and covertly.
Still, this wasn’t impossible to manage.
Previously, the Crown Prince’s position had been secure, and his stint as regent had passed without major errors, so court officials naturally backed the heir apparent. Even those harboring hidden motives maintained an outward display of loyalty.
If he, Yu Yi, lacked influence, the Third Prince similarly possessed little. It all came down to who moved faster after all, their maternal families were both currently the Xiao Prince’s Mansion.
“That person’s identity shouldn’t be hard to trace; just have someone keep eyes on him. I need you to attend to another matter for me.”
“Yes!” Yue Yang answered sharply, wondering what task it would be this time. Searching Jiangnan for traces of the late Consort Xiang’s relics from her commoner days? Or had His Highness grown tired of the novel trinkets brought over last time? Word had it that an eldest young master had arrived at the estate recently, His Highness’s beloved, could it be.
“Secretly spread word that the Duan Prince’s Mansion is recruiting death-squad warriors on a massive scale. Anyone with no way out, anyone with elderly, sick, or disabled relatives they cannot care for, or anyone wishing to earn money may come and try.”
What?!
Midway through his wild guesses, Yue Yang snapped his head up upon hearing those words, locking eyes with Yu Yi’s icy, piercing gaze. Unable to maintain eye contact, he hurriedly bowed his head in panic.
Had His Highness finished playing around? Was he finally ready to get down to serious business?
Yue Yang felt a surge of excitement.
Although accepting Yu Yi as his master meant obeying without complaint regardless of the task, who didn’t long to build achievements and military honor? Who didn’t wish to put their skills to proper use? Who would willingly sign a life-or-death contract only to perform trivial errands of entertainment for their master every day?
“This subordinate obeys your command.” Kneeling down abruptly, he performed a solemn, grand bow toward Yu Yi.
His Highness’s action today declared to them all that the people of the Duan Prince’s Mansion were about to make their move.
When Xiao Tan woke up, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar bed, the surrounding decor bearing a striking resemblance to his bedroom before transmigrating into the book.
For a moment, he thought he had truly experienced a grand dream, sitting dazed for a long while until he verified that his body suffered no lingering fatigue or weakness before swinging his legs around to sit up.
“Eldest young master, shall this servant enter to assist you with dressing?” Duan Fangzhu waited outside the door, knocking gently upon hearing movement inside.
“Mm.” Xiao Tan sat poised by the edge of the bed, straightening his somewhat untidy collar.
Yu Yi had lost his mother at an early age, and Yu Yinjiang was constantly occupied with state affairs, unable to accompany him at all times. In his childhood, Yu Yi had almost exclusively two people by his side: the Empress Dowager and Duan Fangzhu.
Years ago, when the Empress Dowager was still in good health, she brought Yu Yi along wherever she went. Later, as she aged and lost her vitality, Duan Fangzhu was the one who accompanied him daily, taking him to pay respects to the Emperor and Empress Dowager morning and evening.
In Yu Yi’s eyes, he was his closest family member aside from the Emperor and Empress Dowager.
Xiao Tan felt quite nervous, fearing that any flaw in his behavior might make Duan Fangzhu feel he was unworthy of Yu Yi.
“Eldest young master, breakfast has been prepared. Shall we go join His Highness?” Duan Fangzhu probed gently while adjusting his waist belt.
Xiao Tan nodded as a matter of course; naturally, he should eat together with Yu Yi.
Thus, when the diligent Second Prince finally finished discussing next steps with Yue Yang and returned to his bedroom to eat breakfast, he saw Xiao Tan clad in fine garments, handsome as jade, sitting by the table chatting with Duan Fangzhu as if waiting for him to eat.
“Does His Highness have any particular preferences in daily life?” Xiao Tan asked earnestly.
“His Highness is skilled in many things, but what he truly enjoys are merely a few, such as practicing martial arts, archery, and horseback riding…” Duan Fangzhu cheerfully refilled Xiao Tan’s tea.
“Martial arts? His Highness’s health is fragile; can he handle such activities?” Xiao Tan felt somewhat perplexed.
“Naturally he cannot, it’s just that—”
“Duan Fangzhu!” Yu Yi snapped, unable to tolerate it any longer.
“Oh my, Your Highness, please sit! Heading off to discuss business without eating anything this morning, how can your body endure it…” Duan Fangzhu hurriedly assisted Yu Yi to his seat, instructing the attending maid nearby to serve the meal.
Yu Yi cast an annoyed glance at him. At such an advanced age, why is he still fussing over romantic entanglements? The clothes Xiao Tan wore, the jade pendant hanging from his waist, and the jade crown on his head were undoubtedly arranged by Duan Fangzhu after guessing his preferences.
“Your Highness.” Xiao Tan offered a gentle greeting, his brows knitting slightly as he observed the pale complexion of the man before him.
Clearly, when they returned to the estate yesterday, his face hadn’t looked this terrible.
Having been bedridden for over twenty years, he understood all too well the agony of chronic illness that never showed improvement, yet this Prince seemed far too negligent regarding his own health.
Yu Yi turned his head away, avoiding the gentle smile at the corners of Xiao Tan’s lips and the faint trace of concern between his brows.
In his past life, he had been fooled by this exact expression feeling cherished and cared for, believing that someone truly loved him.
One couldn’t blame his past self for being too pure and honest; anyone beholding Xiao Tan’s eyes, which seemed to hold a starry galaxy would inevitably be moved.
“Since you have arrived at the estate, you must abide by its rules. Do not ask what should not be asked, do not look at what should not be seen, and do not do what should not be done,” Yu Yi said expressionlessly, lowering his eyes to sip his porridge.
“Yes, Xiao Tan will keep that in mind.”
Xiao Tan found it somewhat amusing; he didn’t recall the Second Prince enjoying putting on such authoritative airs in the original book.
“Yesterday in the palace, His Highness…” Xiao Tan paused, seemingly unsure of how to proceed.
Yu Yi glanced at him. Yesterday in the palace? What about the palace? This person is so impatient that he’s already probing for information on Xiao Zhengze’s behalf the moment he arrived.
Thinking about it, it made sense: Xiao Zhengze hadn’t been able to follow them to the Eastern Palace yesterday and knew nothing of the Crown Prince’s condition, so he was undoubtedly anxious right now.
Xiao Tan’s desperate plea to His Imperial Father yesterday to follow him back to the estate had likely been orchestrated by Xiao Zhengze firstly, leaving the palace allowed him to pass information outside, and secondly, he could remain in the Duan Prince’s Mansion to monitor his movements.
Truly killing two birds with one stone.
“What does His Highness think of Xiao Tan’s performance yesterday?”
…?
Performance?
What was he asking?
Yu Yi failed to process it for a moment, looking at Xiao Tan with a scowl.
The latter met his gaze quietly, his expression radiating romantic charm.
“Acceptable,” after a long pause, he offered a flat, indifferent response.
Hearing this, Xiao Tan smiled slightly. He naturally wouldn’t inquire about the situation at the Eastern Palace; in the original book, the original owner had asked, Yu Yi had answered, and Xiao Zhengze learned of it the very next day.
He was unwilling to let Yu Yi feel that his approach was merely meant to exploit him.
With that in mind, Xiao Tan picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of coconut date paste cake into Yu Yi’s bowl.
This was Yu Yi’s favorite pastry; rumor had it that Consort Xiang often made it for the Emperor in the palace, and Yu Yi had likely eaten it growing up, though he was too young at the time to remember what his mother’s date paste cake tasted like.
“I don’t like it.” Yu Yi discarded the date paste cake with a look of distaste, burying his head to continue sipping his porridge.
Now not only was Xiao Tan stunned, but even Duan Fangzhu froze.
“Your Highness, this is the coconut date paste cake His Majesty specifically dispatched someone to send over this morning. You… you don’t wish to eat it?” Duan Fangzhu felt somewhat bewildered; the flavor and presentation appeared unchanged, so why did His Highness suddenly dislike it?
Yu Yi remained silent, finishing his porridge in three quick gulps before standing up to walk outside.
“Your Highness, where are you going—” Duan Fangzhu chased behind carrying a cloak, “The wind is heavy outside; you must throw on a garment first!”
“To the Ministry of War; don’t follow me,” Yu Yi barked impatiently, coughing a few times as the wind caught his throat.
A guard pushed the wheelchair over. Yu Yi sat down, and just as he was about to board the carriage, a warm fur cloak was draped over his body.
It was hot, warm, freshly removed from Xiao Tan’s body, still carrying his body heat.
Yu Yi wanted to pull it off, but Xiao Tan spoke in a gentle voice: “Your Highness should wear it; the weather is far too cold.”
Those plagued by long illness feared the cold most of all. In the past, even sitting indoors required Xiao Tan to wear an extra layer, yet Yu Yi dared to step outside wearing a single layer no wonder he caught chills so easily.
However, the original owner’s physical foundation was indeed excellent; in the dead of winter, even after giving his fur cloak to Yu Yi, standing outside didn’t feel cold at all.
This sensation felt quite novel to Xiao Tan.
Bundled inside the fur cloak, Yu Yi’s coughing gradually subsided.
Looking at Xiao Tan’s slightly reddened eyes from the cold, he first fell into a brief daze, then couldn’t help offering a self-deprecating laugh internally.
He was far too familiar with this scene: draping a garment today, bringing a box of pastries tomorrow, guarding him tirelessly through the night, even staying awake for days on end these endearing little tricks were things Xiao Tan had always mastered with utmost proficiency.