Xiao Yinghuai was so angry he laughed.
The goat-hair brush in his hand clattered onto the table, and he said to the dark corner, “Bring the person back to me.”
Gong Defu stole a glance at the emperor’s expression and was so frightened that he didn’t dare make a sound.
Good heavens, how could this little ancestor get into trouble after just one day without anyone watching him?
On the other side, not only had Song Jian failed to get the signature, he had also scraped his palm until it was bleeding. After finally making it into Dongling Pavilion, Xu Xian told him that Qi Jingzhi had diarrhea today and hadn’t entered the palace.
Song Jian felt like dying.
He stood at the entrance of Dongling Pavilion, hugging his little pink fan with tears shimmering in his eyes.
Xu Xian couldn’t bear it and said, “If Lord Song has urgent business, when he comes next time, I can pass the message along for you.”
Just as Song Jian nodded in agreement, figures from the Tiancha Division shadow guards appeared outside the Ministry of Rites.
Good news: it was Seventeen and Eighteen.
Bad news: they had come to escort him before the emperor.
As always, Seventeen kept his mouth shut and sent him Morse code with his face.
Eighteen: “His Majesty is very angry.”
Seventeen nodded.
Eighteen: “Lord Song, you’re on your own.”
Seventeen: “(Mm.)”
Song Jian’s world collapsed.
No, what had he done this time??
After arriving at the imperial study, Seventeen and Eighteen vanished with a whoosh. Song Jian looked at the others standing outside the door—
Xiao Fengzi, Xiao Guizi, Xiao Wuzi, Gong Defu.
They were all looking at him with concern and sympathy.
Song Jian hadn’t even wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes yet. “?”
“Did I break some heavenly law?”
He had only gone to ask for a signature, and he hadn’t even gotten it! He had even scraped his hand!
Wuwu…
Gong Defu lowered his voice and comforted him, “Lord Song, if you should admit it, then admit it. Whatever you do, don’t talk back to His Majesty.”
Song Jian sniffled, looking pitiful. “I understand.”
He pushed the door open and walked in. After only taking two steps—
“Close the door.”
The man’s icy voice came.
Without saying a word, Song Jian obediently shut the door tightly, then turned around to look at the man whose brows were lowered in displeasure.
“Who taught you to be so bold and reckless?”
Song Jian shuddered and stood there quietly.
Xiao Yinghuai said, “What did you go to the Ministry of Rites for?”
Song Jian: “This subject… this subject went to find Qi Jingzhi.”
Xiao Yinghuai frowned. “?”
How did Qi Jingzhi get dragged into this too?
The young man stood in the center of the imperial study, his beautiful face full of confusion. A few crystal-clear tears still clung to his eyelashes, making him look utterly innocent.
Xiao Yinghuai fell silent for a moment before throwing out a few words. “Flirting everywhere. Both men and women. Utterly absurd.”
Song Jian didn’t even realize who he was talking about before he heard—
“If you had been willing to plead with me for Danluo back then, I might have fulfilled your wish. But now? Xu Xian, Qi Jingzhi—you insist on sticking your nose into all of them. Do you really think My court is your imperial harem?”
Song Jian’s eyes grew wider and wider.
No, bro, no no no no?
Xiao Yinghuai said, “Why are your eyes so wide?”
Song Jian immediately narrowed them, though he still bravely spoke up for himself. “This subject and Miss Danluo are innocent!”
Xiao Yinghuai had already witnessed it twice with his own eyes, and had also heard the person before him personally say he liked the palace maid Xiao Dan.
He sneered. “How do you prove it?”
The words “whoever makes the claim has to provide the evidence” had already reached Song Jian’s lips, but after the man shot him a look, he obediently swallowed them back down.
Xiao Yinghuai said, “You’d better give me a reason that makes sense.”
Song Jian fidgeted with his fingers and mumbled a sentence.
Xiao Yinghuai raised a brow. “What?”
Song Jian: “￥%&#%…”
Xiao Yinghuai: “…”
“Do you have mouth ulcers too?”
Song Jian pressed his lips together.
Xiao Yinghuai said, “Louder.”
Song Jian steeled himself and shouted at the top of his lungs, “This subject has a preference for men!”
“…”
Song Jian blushed.
At the same time, outside the door, Xiao Fengzi, Xiao Guizi, Xiao Wuzi, and Gong Defu: “??”
Xiao Fengzi whispered, “What did Lord Song just say to His Majesty??”
Xiao Guizi: “Hiss~~”
Xiao Wuzi looked at Gong Defu. “Master, did Lord Song just tell His Majesty that he has a preference for men?”
At this moment, there were two Gong Defus standing at the doorway.
Because Gong Defu had split apart.
Inside the imperial study, after Song Jian shouted those words, the air froze for nearly five seconds.
Song Jian first blushed, then his ears turned red, and finally even his fair neck was tinged crimson.
Ha.
Damn it.
His head had nearly dropped to his chest.
Xiao Yinghuai said, “So you’re telling me that the people you like are Xu Xian and Qi Jingzhi.”
Song Jian abruptly raised his head. “No no no no no no…”
Xiao Yinghuai’s gaze swept toward the little pink fan tucked into his chest. Noticing it, Song Jian hurriedly took it out and handed it over, then loudly declared his loyalty again.
“This subject belongs to Your Majesty in life and will be Your Majesty’s ghost in death! This subject doesn’t like anyone else! This subject only likes…”
Xiao Yinghuai looked at him.
Song Jian muttered twice, “Likes…”
Hiss.
Why did that sound so wrong??
“Likes what?”
The words seemed to burn Song Jian’s mouth. They rolled around inside for a long time before he managed to squeeze out a few words with difficulty. “Likes being a shadow guard.”
Xiao Yinghuai let out a mocking laugh.
Song Jian’s face grew even hotter. Holding the fan out before the man, his hands trembled and trembled.
Only then did Xiao Yinghuai lower his head. This time, however, his gaze didn’t fall on the fan, but on Song Jian’s scraped, bleeding palm.
He frowned slightly. “You fell?”
Song Jian also looked down at his own hand. It wasn’t a big deal until he looked—
Only then did Song Jian finally remember that it hurt.
Damn, damn, damn, it hurt so much.
“I-I fell. Beside the steps at the Ministry of Rites…”
The way he said it sounded like he was complaining. Xiao Yinghuai looked at him and saw a few more tears fall, his eyes red like a rabbit’s.
He took the fan from Song Jian’s hand and called toward the door, “Defu.”
Hearing his voice, Gong Defu hurried inside. “Your Majesty!”
He addressed the emperor, but his gaze was fixed on Song Jian, his eyes full of undisguised panic.
Translated, it meant: Little ancestor, didn’t I tell you not to talk back to His Majesty?
“Pass down an order. Have the Ministry of Rites repair their courtyard.”
Gong Defu hurriedly nodded. “Yes, this old servant obeys.”
“And.”
Gong Defu paused.
Xiao Yinghuai said, “Bring some wound medicine.”
Gong Defu: “Yes, Your Majesty.”
He bowed and withdrew. Before leaving, he glanced once more at Song Jian, whose eyes were still red.
Oh, this little ancestor.
After Gong Defu left, silence once again returned to the imperial study. Song Jian blinked as he watched the man idly playing with the fan.
He said softly, “I got the fan from someone else. This subject just wanted to ask Qi Jingzhi for… for… an inscription.”
Xiao Yinghuai didn’t respond.
Song Jian said, “Really, Your Majesty!”
He wanted to explain why, but he couldn’t very well sell out Xiao Yongning, so he could only say, “This subject went to find him because I like Qi Jingzhi’s illustrated books. There wasn’t any other meaning.”
Xiao Yinghuai leisurely examined the design on the fan and casually asked, “What illustrated book?”
Song Jian recalled it. “The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang”
Xiao Yinghuai said nothing more.
Soon afterward, Xiao Wuzi brought the wound medicine over, along with strips of cloth for bandaging and strong liquor for disinfecting.
Xiao Yinghuai said, “Do you know how to apply it?”
Song Jian said shyly, “This is for me?”
Xiao Yinghuai looked at him as though looking at an idiot.
Song Jian hurriedly replied confidently, “I know!”
Xiao Yinghuai said, “Do it here. I’ll watch you. Don’t go outside and stir up more trouble.”
Song Jian: “…Oh.”
Standing beside the imperial desk, he carefully inspected the medicine and cloth laid out there. Then he picked up the bottle of liquor.
Unexpectedly, the moment he opened it, the overpowering sharp smell nearly knocked him backward.
Th-this-this-this-this…
Use this to disinfect??
Song Jian swallowed and looked toward the man beside him.
Xiao Yinghuai lifted his eyes. “Do you want me to apply the medicine for you?”
Song Jian waved his hands. “No, no.”
Xiao Yinghuai picked up a memorial to read and ignored him.
Not long afterward—
“Hiss hiss hiss hiss~~~”
“Ah, it hurts, hurts, hurts…”
“Wuu…”
Xiao Yinghuai: “…”
He forcibly ignored it, picked up his brush to review memorials.
A little while later—
“Fufufu~~”
“Fu~~~~”
“Fufu——”
Xiao Yinghuai looked over and found the person beside him puffing out his lips and blowing on the wound.
“Q3Q”
“…?”
Song Jian was in so much pain that tears frantically welled up in his eyes. The moment the man looked over, he couldn’t hold them back any longer, and a tear rolled down his cheek with a soft plop.
Aaaaaaaah.
It really hurt!!!
Song Jian: “Wuu…”
It hadn’t even hurt this much when he fell. Disinfecting it felt like it was going to kill him.
Xiao Yinghuai took a deep breath and grabbed his wrist. “Don’t move.”
He tore off a strip of cloth, dipped it in liquor, and helped clean the tiny bits of gravel out of the wound.
The pain made Song Jian writhe nonstop like a stubborn fish.
But the large hand gripping him was frighteningly firm, allowing him not the slightest struggle.
Song Jian trembled all over, tears mixing with the sweat on his forehead.
After it was finally finished, Xiao Yinghuai frowned and silently poured some medicine into his palm before skillfully wrapping both of his hands with strips of cloth.
Song Jian was red all over as he knelt on one knee, shedding tears.
Xiao Yinghuai glanced at him.
After a long while, he said, “Spoiled.”
“You don’t need to come over for the time being. Go back to the Tiancha Division and recover for a few days.”
Song Jian almost thought he’d misheard. Was Xiao the Skinflint actually giving him time off of his own accord?
“You don’t want to?”
Song Jian said, “I do! I do! Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty is such a wonderful person!”
Xiao Yinghuai let out an indistinct snort through his nose.
When Song Jian came out of the imperial study, Gong Defu and the other young eunuchs were all standing outside. Seeing him, the group hurriedly surrounded him.
Xiao Guizi said, “Lord Song, this servant has already delivered the imperial decree to the Ministry of Rites. The damaged part of those steps will be repaired in a couple of days.”
Xiao Wuzi said, “Lord Song, have your hands been treated? How are they? Do they still hurt?”
Song Jian thanked them for their concern and shook his head. “Much better.”
As he walked out, he thought of something and turned to ask Gong Defu, “Why is His Majesty so skilled at bandaging wounds? Did His Majesty…”
“…study medicine?”
Gong Defu: “…”
Following alongside Song Jian, he said quietly, “No. Studying medicine couldn’t have saved Great Yan back then.”
Song Jian asked, “How so?”
Gong Defu said, “Our emperor followed General Yan Chong onto the battlefield when he was only sixteen. Presumably that’s when he learned.”
That was beyond Song Jian’s expectations.
Gong Defu continued, “On the battlefield, swords have no eyes. They don’t care whether you’re a member of the imperial family or an ordinary soldier. Besides, the Yue Rong Kingdom has always eyed the Great Yan imperial family like a tiger watching its prey. Our emperor truly crawled out from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Bandaging wounds is nothing. There are many things our emperor knows.”
Song Jian nodded and sincerely gave a thumbs-up. “Amazing!”
Gong Defu smiled kindly, about to say something else when his steps suddenly halted.
He abruptly remembered the key words in Song Jian’s sentence.
“What did you just say?”
Song Jian looked puzzled. “Huh?”
Gong Defu said, “It was His Majesty who bandaged your wounds?!!”
Song Jian scratched his head. “Y-Yeah.”
Gong Defu pinched the bridge of his nose again.
Good heavens.
Over the next few days, Song Jian obediently returned to the Tiancha Division to recover. During that time, someone from the Ministry of Rites came looking for him and said that Qi Jingzhi had entered the palace.
With both hands wrapped up like rice dumplings, Song Jian found a suitable time and happily ran off to the Ministry of Rites again.
This time, the courtyard of the Ministry of Rites had completely changed. Those steps that had hidden “murderous intent” had all been repaired.
He wandered over to Dongling Pavilion and first spotted Xu Xian among the officials.
It had to be said that Xu Xian truly matched Song Jian’s image of a civil official—tall and refined, fair-skinned and handsome, with a red official robe that made him look both upright and dignified.
Song Jian had heard from Gong Defu that although Xu Xian had come from a poor family, he was exceptionally talented and insightful. He had been the top scholar of the special imperial examination in the first year of Chengqian, personally bestowed by Xiao Yinghuai’s imperial brush, and was also one of the most highly valued officials of the new dynasty.
What a coincidence. They were both favored officials of His Majesty. That made it even more important to build a good relationship.
Song Jian waved. “Vice Minister Xu!”
Hearing the voice, Xu Xian looked up and smiled. “Lord Song.”
Song Jian held the fan in both hands like Doraemon pulling something out of his pocket. “I’m looking for Qi Jingzhi.”
Xu Xian nodded and soon led him to a small room inside Dongling Pavilion.
Xu Xian said, “He’s inside. Though these past two days… well, his mood hasn’t been very good.”
Song Jian cupped his round hands in salute again. “Many thanks, Vice Minister Xu.”
The door to the small room wasn’t fully enclosed. The upper half was made of latticework, allowing Song Jian to see the person inside…
Uh, a wild man?
The burly “wild man” inside had disheveled hair and untidy clothes. Wearing a fierce expression, he held a paintbrush and was viciously drawing something on paper.
Song Jian fell silent for a moment.
Is this me during finals week?
He lightly knocked on the door. “Qi Jingzhi?”
Qi Jingzhi’s hand, drawing with hatred, paused as he looked up.
Song Jian showed a friendly smile, just about to say “I’m your fan. Could you give me an autograph?”
Instead, he watched Qi Jingzhi’s expression change instantly as he weakly collapsed to one side.
Then he threw Song Jian a flirtatious glance.
“Oh dear, I fell and it hurts. Only if Lord Song helps me up can I stand.”
Song Jian turned to stone. “…”
No, bro.
I guessed your sexual orientation in zero seconds. Why don’t you try guessing mine too?
Seeing that he didn’t move for a long time, Qi Jingzhi propped up his head and looked at him, his rough voice rumbling, “Lord Song?”
Song Jian tried hard to cough twice and said with difficulty, “Brother, could you get up first?”
Qi Jingzhi was taller and more muscular than he was!
“…”
Qi Jingzhi said calmly, “Lord Song, you’ve changed.”
Song Jian’s scalp went numb.
The next second, Qi Jingzhi bashfully added, “You’ve become even more handsome.”
Aaaaaaaah!!
Song Jian almost spat out a mouthful of blood. With trembling round hands, he held out the fan.
“Could you write something on this fan? Just any line from ‘The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang’ will do.”
Seeing Qi Jingzhi remain silent, Song Jian hurriedly added, “Thank you. Grateful to have you.”
Qi Jingzhi said, “Why is Lord Song being so polite with me? It’s only writing a few words.”
He was normal for a brief moment. Rolling to his feet, he took the fan and swiftly wrote a string of words across it.
Seeing that he was about to draw something indescribable afterward, Song Jian hurriedly stopped him.
“No need! This is enough! Thank you!”
Qi Jingzhi paused. “All right then.”
He returned the fan to Song Jian. As he stood up, he noticed Song Jian’s heavily wrapped hands and clasped his chest in concern.
“Lord Song, you’re injured.”
Song Jian said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. You go ahead and keep busy. I’ll come see you another time when I’m free.”
Qi Jingzhi still tried to chase after him, frightening Song Jian into hurriedly running out of the room.
Behind him, Qi Jingzhi’s lingering voice echoed through the air.
“Lord Song! You’re so handsome!”
Song Jian stumbled.
He had always known artists tended to be mentally unstable.
He just hadn’t expected them to be “this” unstable.
Also… had he and this guy ended up in the same number??1撞号 (zhuànghào) literally means “to have the same number.” In Chinese BL slang, 号 (“number”) refers to a person’s sexual role: 1 (top) or 0 (bottom).
—
After leaving the Ministry of Rites that day, Song Jian gave the fan to Xiao Yongning.
Sure enough, Xiao Yongning was delighted. Not only did she stuff Song Jian with lots of delicious food, she also lent him the copy of 《The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang》 she had just bought that day.
Xiao Yongning said, “I’ve already read it several times over the past few days. Now I’m lending it to you, so you have to take good care of it.”
The moment Song Jian saw 《The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang》, he thought of Qi Jingzhi. It was hard to imagine what kind of content someone in Qi Jingzhi’s mental state could produce.
He couldn’t help asking, “What’s ‘The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang’ about?”
Xiao Yongning blushed and said bashfully, “You’ll know once you read it.”
Half doubtful, Song Jian took it back.
He read it.
That night, Song Jian couldn’t fall asleep.
The protagonist of 《The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang》 was called Young Master Xiang. He got his name because his body carried a unique fragrance, and that fragrance only became stronger and stronger after Young Master Xiang turned eighteen.2香 (xiāng) means “fragrance” or “sweet scent.”
And this fragrance would cause men to go into heat for him.
Song Jian: “…”
Who wouldn’t say that Qi Jingzhi’s mental state was way ahead of its time? The guy had created an ancient omega BL story.
The next morning, when Song Jian got up, he had two huge dark circles under his eyes. When he drifted out of his room, he startled Chang Ying.
“My lord! Did someone beat you up?!”
Song Jian nodded.
Having his soul violently struck counted as getting beaten up, didn’t it?
He walked into the dining hall and asked the cook, “Master, is there anything good to eat today?”
The cook lifted the curtain and said, “There sure is. My lord, wait a moment. I’m still making it.”
Song Jian nodded.
Chang Ying swung back and forth on the beam in the dining hall, swinging here for a while, then there for a while.
Song Jian looked at him. “What are you doing?”
Chang Ying answered seriously, “Working out.”
Song Jian: “…”
He opened his mouth and let out a huge yawn, then started doing eye exercises.
Eyes were part of the body too. Eye exercises were also working out.
When the cook brought over a bowl, Song Jian was pressing the Sibai acupoints with two fingers.3四白穴 (Sibai acupoint) is an acupuncture point located just below the eyes, commonly used to relieve eye fatigue, headaches, and facial pain.
“My lord, hurry and try it. This is the lychee milk pudding I made!”
There really had been a lot of lychees in the palace lately. Song Jian had eaten quite a few at Xiao Yongning’s place as well. He’d heard they had been presented as tribute by an official surnamed Xia from Changyu.
Looking at the beautifully plated lychee milk pudding before him, he could already smell the fragrance of lychees before even lowering his head.
The cook also brought Chang Ying a bowl. “Lord Chang Ying, come and have a taste!”
Chang Ying leaped down and, in one smooth motion, sat across from Song Jian. He took a bite, then gave a thumbs-up.
“Delicious!”
Song Jian lowered his head: “miamiamia~”
Sooooo delicious!!
The exhaustion from staying up all night vanished completely. Overjoyed, Song Jian praised him enthusiastically, “Master, your desserts are amazing! They’re even better than the ones at Bafuju!”
The cook looked very proud. “Of course. My Yan family has been making pastries for generations.”
It was Song Jian’s first time learning that the cook at the Tiancha Division’s dining hall was surnamed Yan.
He first applauded enthusiastically for the cook before asking, “Master, what’s your name?”
The cook answered, “Yan Lili.”
Song Jian: “?”
Huh?
After confirming it several times, Song Jian finally understood which characters they were.
Good.
A good name.
Song Jian said, “Yan Lili, you are the god of pastries in Great Yan. I will support you forever.”
Over the following days, Song Jian ate lychee milk pudding every day. By the time the wounds on his palms had almost healed and he returned to work, he had practically been marinated in lychee.
Inside Yanning Palace, the moment he approached, the man’s gaze fell on him.
He asked, “What’s that fragrance? It’s so sweet.”
Song Jian froze instantly, almost thinking he had awakened Young Master Xiang’s ability.
Only after a long while did he react.
“It’s lychee! Your Majesty! It’s lychee!”
Xiao Yinghuai: “…”
Just how much had he eaten?
Song Jian stood obediently to one side. Xiao Yinghuai glanced at him and noticed the rounded bulge beneath the young man’s robe over his chest, but said nothing.
It wasn’t until he stood up to retire for the night and walked past him that he suddenly stopped.
Song Jian asked, “What’s wrong, Your Majesty?”
Xiao Yinghuai reached toward his chest. After feeling around, he pulled out several lychees.
Holding them out to him, he said, “Don’t be so greedy. Eat less.”
Song Jian: “.”
Oh.
That night, Xiao Yinghuai went to bed just after the Hour of Hai4Hour of Hai (亥时) :9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., but he didn’t sleep well.
He tossed and turned, that teasingly sweet fragrance lingering around the tip of his nose the entire time.
It was the scent of lychees, but not entirely the scent of lychees.
That fragrance was sweeter than lychees, richer than lychees, and even more capable of disturbing one’s heart.
He dreamed.
The dream was dim and hazy. It seemed to be night. The flame atop a candlestick flickered sluggishly.
Xiao Yinghuai didn’t know where he was. All he saw were large red candles burning quietly.
They burned for a long time.
Wax dripped from the edges like tears.
Whose tears?
Xiao Yinghuai took a step.
The scene before him rippled apart like water, abruptly changing into another.
He was on a bed.
Beneath him, the young man’s face was covered in tears, the small mole at the corner of his eye burning red as though it could scorch someone.
…
Xiao Yinghuai suddenly woke up.
Quite unfortunately, Gong Defu happened to walk in from outside just then. As he lit the lamps, he said, “Your Majesty, it’s time to rise.”
Xiao Yinghuai stared at the bright yellow bed curtains, his brows tightly knitted.
Gong Defu was about to step forward to help the emperor dress when he caught sight of the emperor’s unusual expression.
He understood almost instantly.
Taking a step back, he said, “Your Majesty, this old servant will have them prepare some hot water. Please rest a little longer.”
After leaving Yanning Palace, Gong Defu sent someone to the front court to announce that His Majesty was feeling unwell today and would attend court half an hour late.
Early that morning, many young eunuchs carried buckets of water in and out of Yanning Palace.
However, it wasn’t the hot water Gong Defu had mentioned.
A closer look revealed that not a trace of steam rose from the buckets.
By the time Xiao Yinghuai arrived at the Golden Throne Hall, dawn had already broken.
Meanwhile, Song Jian was curled up on a beam, fast asleep, completely unaware of everything.
Only after broad daylight did Song Jian finally wake up.
He strolled leisurely outside, and before long, ran into Hei Dashuai.
He clicked his tongue a few times to call it over: “Hei Dashuai!”
Hei Dashuai barked once and ran over.
That afternoon, Song Jian received a task.
The Minister of Works, Cheng Yujin, had fallen ill, and Song Jian was to visit his residence and offer condolences.
He repeatedly confirmed with Gong Defu, “I’m the one going?”
Gong Defu replied, “Yes, Lord Song. His Majesty said that if you handle this matter well, you won’t need to come over these next few days. His Majesty is allowing you a few more days of rest.”
Song Jian fell silent for a moment.
Why did it feel like Xiao Yinghuai was deliberately sending him away?
Gong Defu said, “Lord Song, don’t worry. His Majesty definitely isn’t deliberately sending you away.”
Great. Now he was even more certain.
He accepted the decree.
“I guarantee I’ll complete the mission!”
“Oh, right. Can I get reimbursed for the money spent on the condolence gift?”
Gong Defu immediately pulled out a pouch of silver from his robes, “His Majesty provided it.”
Song Jian took it.
“(。￥ v ￥。)”
Smiling, Gong Defu patted him.
“My lord, this time His Majesty personally allowed you to leave the palace. Go without worry. You won’t need that much money at Lord Cheng’s place. Eat what you want, drink what you want.”
Before Song Jian could ask another question, Gong Defu lowered his voice again. “His Majesty approved it.”
Song Jian couldn’t help wondering.
Just what kind of shock had Xiao Yinghuai suffered?
Unable to find an answer, Song Jian stopped thinking about it. Holding the money, he happily left the palace.
The whole way, Song Jian kept thinking about the Minister of Works, Cheng Yujin.
The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he’d heard it before.
Muttering to himself, he bought two bags of rice on the street and carried them toward the Cheng residence.
By coincidence, the moment he arrived, he ran into another group sent from the palace.
The lead eunuch looked somewhat familiar. Song Jian had seen him before. He was one of the palace’s old hands.
The eunuch smiled at him, “Lord Song.”
Song Jian glanced at the items being carried behind them and asked, “You’re here to visit Lord Cheng too?”
The eunuch replied, “Yes. By His Majesty’s decree.”
Song Jian suddenly understood.
So two groups had been sent from the very beginning.
Then what did his two bags of rice count as?
Song Jian looked down at them.
Oh.
They counted as proof that his boss had discerning eyes and knew he was stingy.
Still, it wasn’t hard for Song Jian to figure out that the pouch of silver had actually been a reward for him to go out and have fun.
This Xiao Yinghuai—not only was he tough, he was unexpectedly quite a good person.
Whenever the palace sent people, the procession was always grand.
The eunuch carried the emperor’s authority, and outside the Cheng residence, a huge crowd had already knelt.
Song Jian blended into the crowd and watched for a while before suddenly spotting a familiar face.
Whoa.
Wasn’t that Semi-Truck Young Master?
He finally remembered where he’d heard Cheng Yujin’s name before.
Back when Semi-Truck Young Master had bullied someone on the street, hadn’t he been shouting the Minister of Works Cheng Yujin’s name?
Song Jian scratched his head.
After the chief eunuch finished all the polite formalities and was respectfully seen off by the Cheng household, Song Jian cleared his throat with a cough.
Everyone from the Cheng residence turned toward him.
Song Jian lifted the two bags of rice beside his face and shook them with a smile.
“Lord Cheng, I came to visit you.”
Of course Cheng Yujin recognized him. He hurriedly cupped his hands.
“Lord Song, you’re too courteous. How could this old man deserve such concern from you?”
Song Jian said, “You deserve it, you deserve it.”
He handed over the rice.
“His Majesty is very worried about you, Lord Cheng. You should recover quickly and continue serving His Majesty.”
As he spoke, Song Jian looked toward the pale-faced Semi-Truck Young Master beside him and remarked as if casually,
“Your son has certainly been raised well.”
Cheng Yujin forced a smile, “Oh my, Lord Song, what are you saying?”
At the entrance, Song Jian exchanged a pile of meaningless pleasantries with Cheng Yujin, “showed concern” for Semi-Truck Young Master a few more times, then waved and leisurely strolled away.
After Song Jian left, Cheng Yujin’s expression grew grave.
He glanced at his disappointing son.
“You’ve had contact with Song Jian?”
Semi-Truck stammered, “Father, I… I-I didn’t mean to…”
Cheng Yujin said, “His Majesty would never send someone from the Tiancha Division to our residence without reason. This is no good sign.”
Semi-Truck couldn’t quite understand.
“So what if he came? He didn’t say anything.”
Cheng Yujin sneered.
“That group from the Tiancha Division is no bunch of kind people. When Qin Xiaoyuan fell back then, dozens of crimes were pinned on him. Do you really think Qin Xiaoyuan committed all of them himself?”
Looking toward the direction Song Jian had left, he lowered his voice.
“Ever since the Tiancha Division was established, their job has been confiscating entire households and exterminating clans.”
The moment he finished speaking, a clap of thunder exploded across the sky.
Meanwhile, Song Jian wandered leisurely through the capital’s streets.
Whenever he saw some interesting little trinket, he bought it.
One for himself.
One for Xiao Yongning.
After thinking about it, he bought one for his boss too.
Sigh.
Bribing the boss—he was already an absolute master at it.
Holding a candied hawthorn skewer, Song Jian walked while eating.
Just then, rain suddenly began to fall.
At first it was light, but after only a few more steps, the raindrops started crashing down like stones.
Song Jian looked around and hurriedly covered his candied hawthorn before ducking beneath a shabby lean-to in a nearby alley.
He muttered, “Why did it suddenly start raining?”
Just as he was about to wipe the rainwater from his face, the corner of his eye paused.
Someone was leaning beside a pile of firewood in the corner.
Frowning, Song Jian walked over.
“Don’t kill me…”
The man’s entire body was filthy and reeking. He was already half-conscious.
After watching him for a moment, Song Jian realized he was the filthy man Semi-Truck had bullied on the street that day.
He bent down and gently poked the man.
“Brother, how are you? Are you okay?”
The man abruptly opened his eyes and frantically shrank backward.
“Don’t kill me! I don’t know anything! I don’t know anything!”
Startled, Song Jian said, “No, brother, I didn’t kill you. I didn’t kill you.”
The man’s eyes were unfocused, his body incredibly weak.
Blinking, Song Jian held out his candied hawthorn.
“Here, you eat it. You look like you haven’t eaten in days.”
As though grabbing onto a lifesaving straw, the man clutched the candied hawthorn and wolfed it down, not even spitting out the pits.
Judging from his clothing, Song Jian didn’t think he was from the capital.
After some thought, he still asked,
“Brother, what’s your name? Where are you from? What brought you to the capital? If you don’t mind, you can tell me. I’ll help you.”
Afraid the man wouldn’t believe him, he even took several pieces of silver out of his money pouch.
“Take this and buy yourself something to eat. Find an inn to stay in too. With rain this heavy, if you stay outside today…”
Before he could finish, the man scrambled to his feet in panic.
Before Song Jian could even reach out, he had already stumbled away on all fours.
On the ground where he had just been sitting lay a worn token.
Song Jian picked it up and examined it.
The words engraved on it were: Changning, Deputy Prefect’s Token.
For two straight days, heavy rain fell over the capital.
The sky remained overcast and gloomy.
Inside the Golden Throne Hall—
“Your Majesty! Urgent report from Changning! The dikes along both banks of the Ning River have burst!”
Holding the flood report that had just been presented, Xiao Yinghuai’s voice was cold enough to freeze.
“Outrageous! Every year the court allocates river management funds to Changning. Where has all that money gone?”
The emperor flew into a rage.
All the civil and military officials throughout the court lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.
Just then—
“Your Majesty! This minister has a memorial!”
An official stepped forward, bowed deeply, and loudly declared,
“This minister wishes to impeach Vice Minister of Works Lin Hechang for concealing the flood situation in Changning!”
Because of the recent rain and cooler weather in the capital, Lin Hechang had caught a cold.
Sniffling, he looked up.
“Huh? Me?”
Xiao Yinghuai’s brows were tightly knitted.
The official continued, “The dikes could not possibly have collapsed in a single day. There should have been warning signs long ago. Yet not long ago, Lin Hechang reported to Your Majesty that the lower reaches of the Ning River had already been reinforced and that the local officials had evacuated the people living along both banks. Looking at the situation now, every word was a lie! He deliberately deceived Your Majesty! I ask Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!”
The Waterways Official from the Ministry of Works was so frightened by these words that he hurriedly knelt.
“Y-Your Majesty… this matter really has always been under Lord Lin’s responsibility. A-all the flood reports sent back from Changning were always reviewed by Lord Lin first.”
Lin Hechang had blown his nose until the tip of it was bright red.
Secretly rubbing his nose, it took him quite a while to realize something was wrong.
Wait.
They were impeaching him?
With a ‘bang’, Xiao Yinghuai threw the flood report before Lin Hechang.
Startled, Lin Hechang shuddered and dropped to his knees with a thud.
“Your Majesty, it’s true that the report first came to this minister, but this minister absolutely did not conceal the flood situation!”
Someone behind him said, “Who knows whether you colluded with the local officials to deliberately deceive the court?”
“Exactly.”
“So much river management funding is allocated every year. Lin Hechang, you certainly have quite the appetite.”
Cold sweat drenched Lin Hechang’s body.
Prostrating himself on the ground, he heard the man’s voice from above.
“Pang Qing. Investigate it.”
Pang Qing, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, bowed.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The sudden collapse of the Changning riverbank brought a fierce flood.
Most of the officials from the Waterways Department were dispatched to Changning.
Several imperial commissioners from the Censorate were sent one after another to investigate the case.
For a time, everyone in the capital was on edge.
Song Jian also quickly sensed that something was wrong.
Because these past few days, the Tiancha Division had been empty day and night.
In the dining hall, he asked the cook, “Yan Lili, when was the last time you saw Long Xiao and Song Feng?”
Yan Lili answered, “My lord, if I remember correctly, it should’ve been three days ago.”
Rubbing his chin, Song Jian thought for quite a while.
“Yan Lili, I think the weather is about to change.”
Yan Lili thought for a moment, “Is the Wang family about to go bankrupt?”
Song Jian: “?”
“Read fewer ‘The Domineering Prince Fell in Love with Me’ stories.”
Yan Lili said, “Oh. Then could you lend me ‘The Chronicles of Young Master Xiang’?”
Song Jian: “…”
Why did everyone know about Young Master Xiang?
He said: “That’s the Eldest Princess’s illustrated book. I’ll have to ask her before I can decide.”
Yan Lili nodded.
Since there was practically no one left at the Tiancha Division lately, Yan Lili had been forced to take some time off as well.
While Song Jian was still wondering about everyone else, his own assignment suddenly arrived.
Song Jian asked, “An arrest? Arrest who?”
Long Xiao strode in with one hand resting on the hilt of his saber.
“Vice Minister of Works Lin Hechang. Let’s go, my lord.”
Song Jian was no stranger to Lin Hechang’s name.
While standing night watch at Yanning Palace recently, he had heard Gong Defu mention him more than once.
He didn’t know exactly what had happened.
He only knew Lin Hechang had committed some offense.
And it seemed to be the kind that resulted in confiscating the household and exterminating the clan.
Following behind Long Xiao, he asked, “Has everything been investigated clearly?”
Long Xiao answered, “Lord Pang of the Censorate sent back a confidential letter. After His Majesty read it, he immediately issued the decree.”
Song Jian frowned slightly.
There were quite a few Tiancha Division shadow guards participating in the operation at the Lin residence.
Song Jian led the group.
Including Long Xiao, there were nine of them.
The Lin residence wasn’t particularly close to the palace.
So they chose the fastest way to get there.
Flying.
After being here for so long, Song Jian had gradually learned to control this body’s internal energy.
Although he hadn’t recovered to his original full strength, seven or eight-tenths wasn’t a problem.
The only thing he still couldn’t overcome was the modern fear of heights ingrained deep in his bones.
So Song Jian could only fly with his eyes half-closed.
By the time they reached the Lin residence, Lin Hechang was already waiting outside the front gate.
Looking at the group of shadow guards before him, he sniffled.
“Lord Song, actually, there was no need to bring so many people. I won’t run.”
Behind him, the servants and maids of the Lin residence secretly wiped away tears.
Looking at his red nose, Song Jian didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Lin Hechang took out a handkerchief and forcefully blew his nose.
“Snrrrrrrrk—”
Song Jian scratched his cheek.
After thinking for a moment, he took a lychee out of his robes and handed it over.
“It’s pretty tasty. Give it a try, Lord Lin.”
Lin Hechang stared blankly for a moment.
“Thank you, Lord Song. Now no one believes me anymore, yet you’re still willing to give me lychees.”
Song Jian patted him and carefully chose his words.
“Your red nose is very convincing.”
Lin Hechang: “…”
After escorting Lin Hechang to the imperial prison, Song Jian didn’t leave immediately.
He squatted outside Lin Hechang’s cell for a while.
Quietly, he asked, “Lord Lin, what exactly did you do?”
Lin Hechang sat cross-legged on the dry straw.
“It’s a long story.”
Song Jian grew a little anxious, “Then make a long story short.”
Lin Hechang fell silent for a moment before saying, “I committed a serious crime.”
Song Jian: “…”
“Not that short.”
Lin Hechang said, “Lord Song, why are you so curious about my affairs? You’re one of His Majesty’s people.”
Song Jian didn’t deny the second half of that sentence.
Nodding, he said, “I am one of His Majesty’s people, but I’m also a person. And I’m a person with an especially strong thirst for knowledge. Tell me. Maybe there’ll be a twist.”
Lin Hechang wasn’t hopeful at all, “If I said I was framed, would you believe me?”
Song Jian looked at his red nose once more.
A Joker’s nose
It really was very convincing.
He said, “If you’re not lying to me, I’ll believe you.”
Lin Hechang said, “Lord Song, I’m serious. Even though I don’t know who framed me, I was definitely framed. I was made the scapegoat. They all worked together without even discussing it with me!”
Song Jian slapped his thigh.
“That’s outrageous!”
Lin Hechang sighed, “I’ve been honest and upright all these years. The most disgraceful thing I’ve ever done was send His Majesty a crate of sour fruit.”
At that, he couldn’t help sniffing.
“In the end, His Majesty made me eat it myself. You have no idea. My teeth hurt for days.”
“Other people quench their thirst by thinking about plums. I can now quench my thirst just by thinking about fruit.”
This whole matter was really Song Jian’s fault.
He coughed and scratched his ear.
“It’s fine. Bribing the boss. Who hasn’t done that?”
Lin Hechang sighed again and waved at him.
“Lord Song, go back. His Majesty is so angry. Don’t let yourself get dragged into this in the end.”
Song Jian became even more convinced that Lin Hechang was a good person.
But he didn’t know what he could do now.
After thinking for a long while, he finally said to the prison guard,
“Brother Guard, make sure Lord Lin gets something good to eat.”
This prison guard was an old acquaintance of Song Jian’s.
Back when Song Jian had been thrown into the imperial prison, this guard had brought him four dishes, soup, and a large pork knuckle every day.
The guard replied, “Lord Song, I’ll do my best.”
Song Jian reached into the front of his robes.
The guard thought Song Jian was about to bribe him and was so frightened that his eyes widened.
“No, Lord Song! That’s a capital offense!”
Song Jian kept rummaging.
He rummaged and rummaged.
After quite a while, he finally pulled out a pellet drum.
Turning around, he handed it to Lin Hechang.
“Play with this when you’re bored. It’s really fun.”
Lin Hechang stared at the pellet drum, deep in thought.
The prison guard also fell into deep thought.
Haha.
Being so self-conscious was a little embarrassing.
Pretending to be very busy, he was just about to turn away—
When Song Jian called out again.
“Brother Guard.”
The guard turned around.
A handful of lychees appeared before him.
The young man smiled very obediently.
“These are really delicious. You should have some too.”
You can read the full completed story here with instant full access. ✨
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gingerbread On LC chapter 2