Without knowing how long it had passed, Shen Zechuan plucked off the plum blossoms and crushed them in his hand. The fragile petals released their juice, dampening his fingertips. As he lowered his gaze, he reached for a handkerchief. Suddenly, the snowfield outside made a soft “creak, creak” sound. Shen Zechuan did not speak, and a cloak abruptly covered his head from above.
Shen Zechuan froze for a moment, then was lifted up. The cloak opened a gap, and the back of his head was pressed down before he was kissed without warning.
Broken snow fell onto Shen Zechuan’s nose, yet between their lips and teeth it was warm.
Xiao Chiye pulled open the cloak and laughed loudly. “I came from—”
Shen Zechuan grabbed Xiao Chiye’s fur collar, tilted his head down, and almost collided directly with his lips. Xiao Chiye was covered in travel dust and immediately tightened his arms, holding Lanzhou so tightly he could barely breathe.
Shen Zechuan pulled back slightly and said softly, “I was—”
Xiao Chiye covered the back of his head again and kissed him once more. Months of longing for each other erupted in that moment. After only a brief restraint, he revealed his true nature, kissing until Lanzhou’s tongue went numb.
Xiao Chiye was tall and strong, and holding Shen Zechuan like this took no effort at all. Shen Zechuan’s head was pushed against the plum branches, and snow kept shaking loose, falling onto both of their necks and making them shiver together.
“Jue Capital is really cold,” Xiao Chiye said with feeling.
“You’re really warm,” Shen Zechuan replied.
Snow sliding down Xiao Chiye’s neck ran along his spine, icy enough to make him gasp, yet he still refused to let go of the person in front of him, even bouncing slightly while holding him.
With that movement, Shen Zechuan was pressed further into the plum branches, and snow and broken blossoms cascaded down over both of them.
“Xiao Er!” Shen Zechuan pressed his hand against Xiao Chiye’s face in frustration.
Xiao Chiye’s eyes were blocked. He stepped back a few paces and fell straight into the thick snow. Snow dust splashed onto Shen Zechuan’s face. Xiao Chiye’s chest rose and fell; he held Shen Zechuan’s face, leaned forward, and kissed him again.
“Big brother told me to stay at Dajing for a few days,” Xiao Chiye said, baring his teeth in a sharp grin. “I ran away in the middle of the night. He’s going to come into the capital and beat me up in a few days.”
“You came through the East Northern Grain-and-Horse Road?” Shen Zechuan suddenly grabbed his wrist and leaned closer. “Did you see Sister-in-law and Xun’er on the way?”
“I did,” Xiao Chiye raised an eyebrow. “But my horse was fast—I overtook them on the spot.”
On the road, Xiao Xun was still in a bumpy carriage. Lu Guangbai asked, “What are you looking at?”
Xiao Xun said expressionlessly, pointing ahead, “Second Uncle said he’s just going to pee and will be back.”
A row of guards in front burst out laughing in unison.
Lu Guangbai patted Xiao Xun’s head. “Your second uncle is a troublemaker. You can’t trust anything a troublemaker says.”
Inside the carriage, Lu Yizhi suddenly pulled open the curtain, pointing forward with an imposing air. “Charge. Full speed. Even if we can’t catch him, we have to reach him in time for dinner!”
Xiao Chiye ran fast, but still got beaten in Jue Capital. Ji Gang felt a bit sorry for him and chased him off instead.
A few days later, Shen Zechuan sorted through official records, writing with inked brush on blank paper under the lamp’s glow. In the quiet of everything, he finally sorted out everything that had happened after the Yongyi years of the Great Zhou.
“In the Yongyi years, the Grand Tutor entered office three times, assisting the crown prince in implementing the household registry system,” Xiao Chiye said, holding Shen Zechuan’s hand from behind and writing together with him.
Qi Huilian lost in conflict with the aristocratic families after Qiao Kanghai’s betrayal. Ji Lei and Shen Wei forced the crown prince to death at Zhaozui Temple, and from then on Qi Huilian feigned madness and was imprisoned there; the Eastern Palace bloodline was completely severed.
After that, Shen Wei suspected the Empress Dowager intended to discard him, bribed Pan Ruguin with a large sum, and obtained assignment to Zhongbo. In the same year, Shao Chengbi stole Zhongbo’s military maps under official authority to save the Qiao family, but Shen Wei broke his promise, Qiao Kanghai was executed, and the Shao family fell into ruin. Shao Chengbi, protected by Chen Zhen, went into hiding in Jue Capital, waiting for opportunity.
Upon arriving in Zhongbo, Shen Wei, in order to preserve his life, secretly transferred Zhongbo’s six-prefecture military maps to Amur while negotiating with the aristocratic families. He also killed his wife Bai Cha for Amur.
In the third year of Xian De, Western Ji suffered a drought. The provincial governor Jiang Qingshan incurred hundreds of thousands in debt and, risking execution, opened the granaries to distribute grain. In the same year, Vice Grand Councilor Hai Liangyi, together with the Ministry of Revenue censor Xue Xiuzhuo and various pragmatic officials, investigated Hua Siheng. Hua Siheng failed to extort money from the aristocratic families and thus took a desperate risk, using Shen Wei’s retreat from battle to open the Tea-Stone River defense line of Zhongbo and allow the Beisha cavalry to enter the borders.
At that point, Xiao Chiye frowned while writing. “Shen Wei’s retreat from battle was essentially a scapegoat for the aristocratic families. At that time, defecting to Amur would have been best for him. I still cannot understand why he chose self-immolation.”
“I didn’t understand it either,” Shen Zechuan said, turning his head slightly. “A few days ago Cheng Feng reorganized the Shen clan genealogy and found the reason. One very obvious reason.”
Xiao Chiye looked at him.
Shen Zechuan said three words: “Shen Zhouji.”
Xiao Chiye immediately understood. “…Indeed obvious.”
In order to avoid battle, Shen Wei and his son Shen Zhouji strangled the Dengzhou commander Tantai Long. When he returned to Jue Capital, he was already a criminal. He wanted to defect to Amur, but Amur’s cavalry tied Shen Zhouji to a horse and dragged him to death on the official road.
Shen Wei became a discarded pawn by both sides.
“Then in the fourth year of Xian De,” Xiao Chiye said, resting his chin on Shen Zechuan’s head, “our Lanzhou entered the capital.”
At that moment, the past surged like a flood, as if it were only yesterday.
Shen Zechuan entered the capital alone, while Xiao Jieming—then a rising military star—was forced to hand over Xiao Chiye. The rabid dog crushed by hatred and the chained hound collided in the rain of Jue Capital, tearing into each other, blood and heat burning like fire in their mouths.
Jue Capital forged Shen Lanzhou and Xiao Ce’an. They were either shield and blade behind each other, or enemies facing one another.
At dawn, Xiao Chiye heard a distant bell. He stroked Shen Zechuan’s hair and said firmly, “From today onward, my Lanzhou will be the sovereign of the world. All 560,000 troops of the realm will be under your command. You may enter the halls at will. I, Xiao Ce’an, will hang my blade in the main hall and guard all directions for you.”
Shen Zechuan raised his neck. Xiao Chiye lifted the jeweled crown and placed it steadily on him. The crimson robe edged with dark gold shimmered, and Xiao Chiye once again touched the red jade bead on Shen Zechuan’s right ear.
Kong Ling knocked on the door three times.
“Concealed锋 returns to its sheath,” Shen Zechuan said lazily, his fingers sliding up Xiao Chiye’s arm until he pinched his chin. Leaning closer, he did not kiss him, but whispered, “Who made this royal robe?”
Xiao Chiye whispered back, “A man stealing affection.”
Shen Zechuan smiled, stepped back, and stood beside him. The door opened, and Xiao Chiye lightly pressed a hand at his waist.
Shen Zechuan stepped out. The sky was waking. Between the layered rooftops, remnants of Zhongbo, Beili, and Qidong all knelt. Kong Ling held the jade seal and said first, “Your Majesty—”
All voices followed: “Long live the Emperor! Long live! Long, long life!”
The morning light burst forth, shining through the jeweled crown. Shen Zechuan stood radiant amid the kneeling world.
On the ruins of the Jade Dragon Platform, Shen Zechuan built the new Cangyun Pavilion. On the left were the civil officials’ records—Qi Huilian, Hai Liangyi, Yao Wenyu—on the right were the generals’ annals—Xiao Fangxu, Xiao Jieming, Qi Zhuyin, Lu Guangbai, Yin Chang—ending in a dual portrait without hierarchy.
From then on, weapons turned to peace. The nation took the name “Jing,” and Shen Zechuan opened the era of Chunsheng Yuan.
That day, a grand banquet was held. Zhou Gui, once dull and silent for half his life, drank himself drunk at the palace steps, striking cups with chopsticks as he sang. He wept while holding Kong Ling’s hand and said, “From now on, I will guard Cizhou alone, and you will serve as the white-robed assistant here…” Then he broke down crying loudly, “This road has been so hard. Cheng Feng, I am just so happy!”
Fei Sheng clinked cups with others and laughed, “I will return with you, to Duanzhou, to be my ‘loyal and righteous self’!”
They laughed, then cried together.
Fei Sheng wiped his tears. “Damn it, I’m leaving—who will take care of my lord now!”
“Lord…” Tantai Hu wiped his face and corrected himself, “My Second Master is sitting in the capital. Not even a fly will get near the Emperor. What are you worried about!”
Hearing this, Gao Zhongxiong suddenly burst into loud sobs.
Yu Xiaozi hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong with you? You’re not even leaving!”
“I thought of Yuan Zhuo,” Gao Zhongxiong covered his face and bowed deeply toward Tantai Hu. “Yuan Zhuo wanted me to give you Hu Nu. Take good care of it!”
“Damn it,” Tantai Hu wiped his face again and said seriously, “I understand what Master Yuan Zhuo meant. I have a bad temper, so if I see the cat, I will think of him. I will act more carefully from now on.”
Huo Lingyun, after a few cups, said in a low voice, “I don’t know where Commander Qiao went…”
“Qiao Tianya left. The master sealed Anshansnow in a box. That kindness is enough,” Fei Sheng said, forcing himself to stay steady. “Where did my lord and Second Master go?”
The jeweled crown had not fallen, but the beads trembled, making a faint, shifting sound in the darkness. The throne towered high above, the most distant place in the world. Shen Zechuan was pressed within it, looking upward.
Sweat intertwined. With every movement, the jewels trembled.
Shen Zechuan’s robe was not removed. He only reached out and grasped Xiao Chiye’s back.
This was the most solemn and rigid place in the world, yet also what everyone longed for most. But neither of them cared.
Heat and intensity tangled all the way down to their toes.
Xiao Chiye’s back bore the wolf mark, and it was slightly hurt—but he loved that pain.
Shen Zechuan was submerged within it, lips parted around a jade bead, eyes half-lidded as he called out again and again, “Aye.”
Xiao Chiye braced himself against the throne, trapping him within his arms, biting him and laughing lowly. “…Lanzhou.”
Shen Zechuan’s hands were restrained.
Lanzhou.
Lanzhou.
The jeweled crown finally fell, rolling aside.
Xiao Chiye inhaled him at close range, voice dark with intensity. “Caught you.”
Shen Zechuan’s fingers slid across his hand as if in praise, as if urging him on. He was dangerous, almost intoxicatingly so, his hazy eyes pressed against Xiao Chiye’s cheek.
Power was trampled underfoot. They ground it down together, immersed in heat and desire. All chaos became distant, and from this moment on, they belonged only to each other.
Bound to each other. In heaven and earth.
—The End—