Before dawn had broken, just as the watch drum struck the hour of Chou, the entire Prince Yi’s residence was already ablaze with light.
When Lan Ningcheng and several attendants mercilessly dragged Xiao Ying out of his warm bed, he clung desperately to his silk quilt, refusing to let go at all costs.
Only when Lan Ningcheng gave the order and two burly attendants stepped forward to forcibly separate His Highness Prince Yi from his beloved quilt, half-carrying and half-dragging him to the copper basin to press a hot towel against his face, did Xiao Ying finally manage to pry open his bleary peach-blossom eyes.
All because the previous day, he had specifically instructed them that he absolutely had to rise early today.
The fifteenth of the month had arrived—the day of the Wangchao, or Grand Court Audience.
As an idle prince without any real power, Xiao Ying did not have to attend the regular daily court sessions at the imperial palace like the other high-ranking officials. However, the grand audiences held on the first day of every month, known as the Shuochao, and the fifteenth, known as the Wangchao, were attended by all imperial relatives and officials residing in the capital. Naturally, he could not escape those.
Whenever such a day came around, he would usually claim to be ill or come up with some other excuse to avoid attending. After all, showing up too diligently would not fit his carefully cultivated image as an idle prince.
Over the course of a year, he appeared at court fewer times than he visited the imperial harem to pay his respects to his mother consort.
Even when he did attend, he was little more than a clay statue standing there to be punished by boredom. No one cared whether this dissolute prince showed up or not.
But the situation was different now.
Since he had decided to enter the game, the grand court audience had become the front line where power struggles and intelligence from across the capital converged. He had no choice but to attend.
Xiao Ying kept his eyes half-closed as the attendants dressed him in his elaborate court robes.
His princely python robe was a rich wisteria purple. On anyone else, such a flamboyant yet delicate color might look frivolous and fail to command respect. But on Xiao Ying, it complemented his peerlessly handsome face, whose naturally alluring features carried an unmistakable air of carefree charm.
The silver python embroidered across his collar and cuffs looked almost lifelike, adding an undeniable touch of nobility.
Lan Ningcheng personally stepped forward to gather Xiao Ying’s raven-black hair high atop his head. He placed an intricately openworked white jade crown threaded with silver filigree over it, then secured it firmly with a fine hairpin carved from creamy white jade. This subdued his unabashedly dissolute air just enough to bring out a measure of the dignity expected in court.
Once everything was in place, Xiao Ying raised his eyelids slightly and looked at himself in the full-length bronze mirror.
The splendor of the wisteria purple blended perfectly with the cool elegance of the silver embroidery. The jade crown holding his hair in place made his exquisitely drawn features appear even more refined and aristocratic.
Although a trace of sleepy languor still lingered in his eyes, the moment his wide sleeves brushed lightly against his sides, the dignity and unfathomable depth of an imperial prince had already begun to reveal themselves almost unconsciously.
When Lan Ningcheng stuffed Xiao Ying into the carriage, he was still only half awake.
His body clock was accustomed to nights of revelry and sleeping until well after sunrise. Having to get up at the hour of Chou was practically torture.
The carriage rocked along the bluestone road until it stopped before the dismounting marker outside the Imperial City. Only when Lan Ningcheng’s deep voice sounded from outside did Xiao Ying reluctantly climb down.
A chilly night breeze swept over him, making him shiver. He drew his signature ivory folding fan from his sleeve and opened it, covering half his face as he let out a huge yawn. Only then did he begin to feel a little more alert.
He had arrived neither particularly early nor particularly late.
The one thing the emperor disliked most was tardiness.
Therefore, although Xiao Ying was lax in almost every other respect, he never arrived late.
In the Eastern and Western Waiting Halls in the distance, civil and military officials had already gathered, carrying lanterns and speaking quietly among themselves.
As a prince, Xiao Ying naturally did not need to squeeze in among them.
Accompanied by Lan Ningcheng and guided by attendants carrying lanterns, he went straight to Shenwu Gate.
The towering palace walls of Shenwu Gate resembled a gigantic beast lying in wait beneath the night sky. Palace lanterns swayed faintly in the night breeze.
“Your Highness,” Lan Ningcheng called softly, holding up his lantern.
Xiao Ying closed his folding fan and replied indifferently, “Let’s go.”
Under the faint glow of the lanterns, the party entered the palace grounds.
The imperial palace was a labyrinth of gates and courtyards, with armored guards stationed everywhere. At every palace gate, imperial guards stood watch with halberds, conducting strict inspections.
As they passed through the Imperial Garden, the wind stirred the leaves, making them rustle in the darkness.
Xiao Ying gazed at the old tree branches clawing through the night like grasping hands, and his thoughts suddenly drifted away.
He remembered when he was very young, when his mother consort had held his hand and walked him through this very place.
Back then, he had understood nothing. He had only thought the garden was enormous, beautiful, and magnificent.
Now, looking at it again, the garden remained the same, but everything else had changed.
He knew better than anyone how many unmentionable corpses and how much blood lay buried beneath this flower-covered earth.
At the final palace gate, Lan Ningcheng stopped and bowed.
“Your Highness, I can escort you only this far. I will wait here for you.”
According to protocol, a prince’s attendants were not permitted to enter the Hall of Deliberation. Lan Ningcheng could only wait in the attendants’ quarters.
Xiao Ying gave a slight nod and stepped through the gate alone.
Whenever he walked along this imperial road leading to the center of power, he felt as though he were walking naked, with nothing but fragile, thin ice beneath his feet.
There were no personal guards surrounding him, no sharp blades to protect him. Hidden arrows threatened him from every direction.
At this moment, anyone could take his life with ease.
The extravagantly luxurious “armor” he wore offered no protection whatsoever. It was the only thin and fragile shield he possessed.
That was why he had once detested this man-eating place so intensely, preferring to hide outside the palace and play the role of a worthless wastrel with a notorious reputation.
But now, he could no longer afford to retreat.
The morning mist gradually dispersed. Across the outer court plaza, the crimson and bamboo-green court robes of the civil and military officials shifted in the faint light. Several officials dressed in deep purple robes passed silently by, resembling a quiet yet surging tide.
From a distance, Xiao Ying spotted the magnificent and imposing ceremonial procession beneath the vermilion steps.
The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace had arrived.
That conspicuous apricot-yellow figure in the distance resembled a little sun that never set. Everyone else could only look up at him.
Xiao Ying suppressed the glimmer in his eyes and put on his familiar, careless expression once more. Then, at an unhurried pace, he made his way toward the Hall of Deliberation.
Outside the hall, Censorial Inspectors held their registers and scrutinized every official’s bearing with cold, hawklike eyes.
The princes also arrived one after another.
Among the emperor’s adult sons, Xiao Ying was the youngest.
Seeing that he had actually shown up today instead of requesting leave, several of his elder brothers looked at him without the slightest concern for his recent recovery from a serious illness. Their eyes were filled instead with astonishment, as if to ask, What is this good-for-nothing doing here?
At the very front, Crown Prince Xiao Sheng seemed to have noticed the commotion as well.
He turned his head slightly, cast Xiao Ying a cold glance, and then indifferently looked away.
As the bell rang, the officials entered the court in orderly procession under the guidance of the Censorial Inspectors, arranged according to their civil or military offices and ranks.
A short while later, the emperor ascended the throne, surrounded by his personal guards and eunuchs.
“Your subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long, long live Your Majesty!”
The thunderous cries of the kneeling officials echoed through the vast hall.
Xiao Ying stood at the very end of the first row of princes. It was an excellent position.
From the corner of his eye, he could observe everything before the throne, including the Crown Prince’s movements. At the same time, every subtle change in his own expression was exposed to anyone watching closely.
That was why he had to make his performance as an idle wastrel especially convincing today.
He quietly raised his eyes and surveyed the hall.
As it happened, every prince was present today except the seventh prince, Xiao Yuan, who was fighting far away on the Northern Border, and the ninth prince, Xiao Wei, who had not yet come of age. The court robes beneath the steps displayed a variety of colors.
One spring, the emperor had suddenly issued an edict:
“I have observed that the court robes worn by the princes are too similar in color and design. Now that the princes have been granted titles, each with his own residence and duties, from this day forward, when attending court, all princes except the Crown Prince, who shall retain his apricot-yellow robes, may choose the color and fabric of their own python robes so that the officials may distinguish them. With the colors made clear, court protocol will also be less likely to become confused. So ordered.”
The wording had been unremarkable, as though a father were casually suggesting a convenient arrangement.
Most officials had read it and thought only that the emperor was being considerate toward his sons, allowing them some freedom and enjoyment in their choice of formal attire. After all, in the past, the colors of python robes had not been regulated so strictly that every slight difference in shade needed to be scrutinized.
Yet a few of the princes had felt a subtle unease the moment they received the edict.
Because the emperor did not need to ask anyone any questions.
He only needed to look at what they wore.
Within three days of the edict’s issuance, the princes had submitted their chosen colors in writing. To outsiders, these documents were little more than a formality. But in the emperor’s mind, they had added another entry to a private ledger that no one else had ever seen.
At the very front, Crown Prince Xiao Sheng stood like an unshakable wall. His position was the highest and most conspicuous, but that also meant no one could clearly see his expression.
The second prince, Xiao Chang, wore a python robe in a warm, reddish-brown shade. He smiled as pleasantly as a spring breeze, occasionally nodding to officials. His smile seemed like a mask permanently fixed to his face.
The third prince, Xiao Yan, stood ramrod straight. He had chosen the most ostentatious color of all: blood-jade red. The golden threads outlining the python gleamed sharply, making his ambition impossible to miss. His eyes were as keen as knives, constantly sweeping between the Crown Prince and the assembled officials.
Not far away, the fourth prince, Xiao Cheng, stood with his eyes lowered and his mouth closed, as still as a monk in meditation. The plain silver embroidery on his tea-white python robe almost blended into the fabric itself, giving him an air of cool restraint.
The fifth prince, Xiao Jin, wore an elegant bamboo-moon-green robe. A smile played at the corners of his lips, and his demeanor was gentle and refined, like that of a harmless scholar.
The sixth prince, Xiao Zhuo, was wrapped in an inconspicuous wild-goose-gray robe. He kept his head so low that he seemed to wish he could shrink into the cracks between the floor tiles.
As for the seventh prince, Xiao Yuan, who was far away on the Northern Border, he had chosen a severe, austere black, with a python outlined in dark gold. His attire was solemn and imposing.
And Xiao Ying, standing at the very end, was the perfect embodiment of the phrase “eat, wait, and die.”
His posture was a disgrace. Every so often, he half-covered his mouth and yawned, his luminous peach-blossom eyes heavy with sleep.
After that edict, the princes had all tacitly avoided any color scheme resembling that of the Eastern Palace.
From then on, these colors became labels that neither the officials nor the emperor could ever peel away.
The court audience proceeded much as it always had. Officials presented their memorials, and the Six Ministries reported on their affairs.
On the surface, Xiao Ying looked as though he were about to fall asleep from boredom. In reality, his mind was working at full speed, filtering every official’s words and every decision made by the emperor.
Curiously, a full half hour passed today, yet the civil and military officials seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement: not one of them mentioned the Northern Border.
No one asked about the war against the Northern Di, and no one asked about supplies for the front lines.
Xiao Ying sneered inwardly. The Crown Prince’s faction really does wield enormous influence. Hardly anyone dares bring up the matter.
Just as the routine formalities were about to conclude, the third prince, Xiao Yan, suddenly stepped out of formation and spoke in a clear, resonant voice.
“Your Majesty, Father! Your son has recently received reports that the Capital Army stationed on the Northern Border is suspected of serious corruption, and furthermore… this matter may well be connected to a powerful noble within the court!”
As Xiao Yan spoke, he glanced without the slightest hesitation at the back of Crown Prince Xiao Sheng. Every word was aimed directly at the Eastern Palace.
On the throne, the emperor’s gaze was unfathomable.
Ever since Qu Detao had been sent to the Northern Border as an inspecting commissioner, he had not only kept an eye on Xiao Yuan but had also followed the trail to investigate the Capital Army’s long-standing corruption. The emperor was naturally aware of this.
He also knew that the Crown Prince’s faction had received the news some time ago and was scrambling to distance itself from the scandal.
Based on the emperor’s understanding of the Crown Prince, Xiao Sheng was cautious by nature. If he truly intended to amass wealth, he would never dare to meddle so brazenly in the affairs of the Capital Army.
But the emperor did not care what the truth was.
What concerned him was that the Crown Prince’s faction had grown far too arrogant lately. Its influence was beginning to threaten imperial authority.
He might be old, but he was not dead yet.
The emperor spoke slowly, his voice deep and imposing.
“Do you have concrete evidence?”
Xiao Yan’s spirits lifted. He answered loudly, “Although I have no concrete evidence yet, your son is willing to request Your Majesty’s decree to travel to the Northern Border and take charge of a thorough investigation. I will surely expose these parasites of the state!”
From the back of the hall, Xiao Ying sneered inwardly.
Listen to him, speaking with such righteous indignation. As if anyone doesn’t know what he’s really plotting.
If he went to the Northern Border, he would obviously try to dig up the Crown Prince’s dirt while finding ways to trip up Prince Su. That would ensure Xiao Yuan had absolutely no chance of recovering the lost territory within three months.
And all the while, he would reap the glory for himself.
It was a truly excellent scheme.
The emperor did not answer immediately. He simply looked down at his ambitious son from the throne.
The third prince did indeed possess some talent and ruthlessness. Unfortunately, he could not conceal his intentions.
That was why he would always remain a tool for counterbalancing the Crown Prince, one whose sole purpose was to tear at the Crown Prince whenever necessary.
That was the best position the emperor had assigned him.
“Commissioner Qu is already investigating.”
The emperor cut across his grand ambitions in a detached tone.
“What would you go there for? To investigate the case, or to make a mess of things? Stand down.”
Xiao Yan’s expression stiffened. His face was full of unwillingness, but he could only grit his teeth and return to his place.
Xiao Ying could not see the Crown Prince’s expression, but he guessed that Xiao Sheng was probably breathing a sigh of relief.
It was certainly a good thing that Xiao Yan was not going to the Northern Border. Given the irreconcilable hostility between him and Xiao Yuan, the entire front line would have descended into chaos.
However, before the Eastern Palace could fully relax, the emperor’s next words sent the atmosphere in the hall plunging to freezing point.
“Speaking of the Northern Border…”
The emperor tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest of his throne.
“Why has the Ministry of Revenue’s military grain supply been delayed this year compared with previous years?”
The moment he spoke, the assembled officials were shaken.
Left Chancellor Pang Ziheng reacted swiftly, stepping forward and bowing.
“Your Majesty, last year’s harvest in Jiangnan was abundant, causing grain prices to plummet. As a result, grain merchants across the regions have been hoarding their stocks while waiting for prices to rise, unwilling to release their grain readily. The Ministry of Revenue has been busy stabilizing grain prices and facilitating the flow of supplies. Consequently, there has been a slight delay in coordinating the distribution—”
“Grain merchants hoarding their stocks?” the emperor interrupted with a cold laugh. “Then why have I heard that the grain transport routes in Jiangnan have long since returned to normal, and that ships have been arriving one after another at Beiming Port these past few days?”
Pang Ziheng was instantly at a loss for words. Cold sweat beaded across his forehead.
At that moment, Right Chancellor Jiang Zhiyan, who had been resting with his eyes closed, finally opened them and added another blow in an unhurried voice.
“I also reviewed the grain transport records recently. According to the Ministry of Revenue’s own reports, the dispatch of military provisions from its warehouses was delayed by a full seven days. The people of the Northern Border, despite the ravages of war, may perhaps survive on their stored grain. But the soldiers fighting and bleeding on the front lines cannot afford to wait.”
The Crown Prince, Xiao Sheng, clenched his hands inside his sleeves.
In the past, whenever the Ministry of Revenue deliberately delayed provisions for the Northern Border army—or, more accurately, for Prince Su, Xiao Yuan—the emperor had always turned a blind eye.
They had therefore assumed that the emperor tacitly approved of this method of suppressing Xiao Yuan.
Why, then, was his father suddenly standing up for the Northern Border army at a grand court audience today?
“The soldiers on the Northern Border have rendered great service through their hardship and sacrifice in defending their homeland.”
The emperor’s gaze swept like a blade over the Crown Prince and the Minister of Revenue before finally settling on Pang Ziheng. His voice grew stern.
“Do not let the people of the realm believe that I am the one treating them harshly.”
This unmistakable warning plunged the entire Hall of Deliberation into a suffocating silence.
Xiao Ying was beset by doubts.
In the past, his father had been deeply wary of his seventh brother. This time, he had sent Xiao Yuan to the Northern Border with an ultimatum that amounted to a death sentence: if he failed to recover the lost territory within three months, he would be punished.
His father had practically been hoping he would die on the battlefield.
Why, then, had his attitude suddenly changed?
Was this blatant pressure on the Eastern Palace really nothing more than an excuse to reprimand the Crown Prince’s faction?
Just as Xiao Ying was racking his brains to figure out the emperor’s intentions, the emperor’s gaze slowly passed over several of the princes.
Finally, it came to rest on the wisteria-purple figure.
Amid all these colors, heavy with authority and solemnity, the incongruously soft shade seemed almost out of place in the court.
Xiao Ying still had his eyes lowered, standing in a relaxed, careless manner, as though the dispute over the Northern Border’s military provisions and the struggle with the Eastern Palace had absolutely nothing to do with him, a dissolute prince.
In the past, when Xiao Ying had chosen such a romantic, carefree color as his signature shade, even the emperor had been deceived by the disguise for a time.
Looking back now, perhaps he had never truly understood this son of his.
The emperor watched him for a moment, and a deep, shadowy glimmer seemed to pass through his eyes.
Then a voice like a sudden clap of thunder descended upon Xiao Ying.
“Prince Yi.”
Xiao Ying’s heart lurched violently. For an instant, he almost thought his lack of sleep had caused him to hallucinate.
He exaggerated his expression of astonishment and bewilderment, raising his head toward the throne with an almost panicked look.
“Your son is here.”
“I see that you are nineteen now. You are no longer a child. Surely you have had enough of idling away your days in the capital all these years.”
The emperor’s tone was so even that it was impossible to discern whether he was pleased or displeased.
“Since you have so much free time, you can do something for me.”
In an instant, the gazes of every civil and military official in the hall swept toward Xiao Ying.
Some had not even noticed until that moment that Prince Yi was in attendance today.
Xiao Ying’s heart sank slightly, but he immediately put on his usual carefree smile and cupped his hands.
“Your Majesty need only give the order. Your son will brave fire and water without hesitation.”
“There is no need for you to brave fire and water.”
The emperor said, “The Imperial Clan Court has accumulated quite a number of old imperial records in recent years, including the sacrificial registers of previous emperors and empresses, as well as the genealogies of the imperial consorts. Many of these records contain errors and omissions due to their age. Go and sort them out for me.”
“…The Imperial Clan Court?”
The smile on Xiao Ying’s face froze. His voice carried just the right amount of alarm and confusion.
“You mean… me?”
“What? You are unwilling? Did you not just say that you would brave fire and water?” The emperor’s voice darkened.
Xiao Ying hurriedly bowed deeply.
“Your son is not unwilling. It is just… Your Majesty knows best that books have given your son a headache since childhood. I am truly unsuited to reading those tedious, complicated genealogies!”
The emperor remained expressionless.
“That is precisely why I am sending you there.”
“…”
“If you do not know how to do something, then you must learn.”
Xiao Ying fell silent for a moment before putting on an extremely troubled expression.
“Then… what if I am clumsy and make a mess of the genealogies?”
“Then organize them again.”
“What if I make a mistake?”
“Then organize them again.”
Xiao Ying refused to give up, seemingly determined to carry his worthless-prince persona to its very limits.
“What if I truly cannot do it?”
The emperor raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at him coldly.
“Then it will prove that you really are fit for nothing but living off the state. You can forget about ever stepping outside Prince Yi’s residence again for the rest of your life.”
The smile vanished completely from Xiao Ying’s face.
He knew that there was no escaping this assignment.
The moment he set foot in the Imperial Clan Court, every pair of eyes in the political arena would begin reassessing this once-worthless prince.
“Do you not always say that your ambitions lie outside the court? This assignment is perfect for you.”
The emperor spoke in a calm, indifferent tone.
“You will merely be organizing old records. The matter does not involve the Six Ministries and is perfectly suited to your so-called ‘ambitions.’ Begin working there for now. I will not grant you an official post yet. Once you have achieved something of value, I will consider it.”
After his gaze passed over Xiao Ying, the emperor’s eyes shifted slightly toward the Imperial Clan Court’s chief, Prince Gong, Xiao Yi, who stood very close to him.
The man had kept his eyes lowered throughout, seemingly unaware of the emperor’s attention.
The eunuch attending the emperor was quick to catch on and loudly announced the decree.
“Beginning tomorrow, Prince Yi, Xiao Ying, shall enter the Imperial Clan Court by imperial order and assist with the imperial genealogies, consorts’ registers, and old sacrificial records—”
“Father!”
The Crown Prince, Xiao Sheng, finally could not restrain himself. He stepped forward, his brows tightly knitted.
“The imperial genealogies are the foundation of the royal family. The old records contain details concerning the lineage and bloodlines of the late emperors, empresses, and various princes. These are no ordinary administrative matters. Eighth Brother has never been involved in court affairs. If he makes a mistake, I fear…”
He did not fear Xiao Ying himself, but even he could not explain why he felt such strong resistance when the emperor proposed this assignment.
He could sense his father’s growing dissatisfaction with members of the Crown Prince’s faction in recent days.
The emperor had appeared to be defending the Northern Border army earlier, but the real beneficiary was Prince Su.
Now he was giving Prince Yi an opportunity as well.
Was his father dissatisfied with him for some reason?
Xiao Ying glanced up at the bright apricot-yellow figure from the corner of his eye. The Crown Prince seemed to be reacting a little too strongly. His reluctance to let anyone touch the old records of the imperial clan only made Xiao Ying more suspicious.
Before the Crown Prince had even finished speaking, Right Chancellor Jiang Zhiyan slowly stepped forward.
His tone was unhurried, but every word struck home.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, is mistaken. The imperial genealogies are indeed the foundation of the royal family. As a prince of the imperial clan, the Eighth Prince is perfectly entitled to assist with the old records under imperial decree. This is entirely in accordance with protocol.”
Jiang Zhiyan lifted his eyelids and looked at the Crown Prince.
“Furthermore, His Majesty has already made it clear that this matter does not involve the Six Ministries, military or political authority, or financial power. If Your Highness still insists on obstructing it, this old minister cannot help but find that rather puzzling.”
The Crown Prince’s expression darkened slightly.
Jiang Zhiyan added one final remark in a mild voice.
“Could it be that Your Highness believes the Eighth Prince should not even be allowed to look at his own family’s genealogy?”
The words were like a soft nail driven straight into the Crown Prince’s path, trapping him in a dead end.
Choked into silence, the Crown Prince could only retreat to his original position with a dark expression.
From the back, Xiao Ying had heard every word clearly. That old fox Jiang Zhiyan was acting as the emperor’s weapon, forcefully defending the emperor’s right to make decisions while sealing off every avenue of opposition from the Eastern Palace.
“…Your son accepts the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your grace.”
Xiao Ying bowed deeply.
He lowered his eyes and put on the aggrieved expression of a man whose comfortable life had been forcibly taken away, someone who dared not complain despite his resentment.
But inside, his thoughts were already surging like a raging sea.
Had his father taken the wrong medicine today?
First, he had reprimanded the Ministry of Revenue and questioned the delays in military provisions for the Northern Border. Then, he had unceremoniously shoved an insignificant prince like Xiao Ying into the Imperial Clan Court.
What kind of place was the Imperial Clan Court?
It was where the genealogies of the imperial family, the lineages of the royal bloodline, and the records of the appointment and investiture of imperial consorts were kept.
If he wanted to investigate old affairs within the imperial harem, the Imperial Clan Court was the most crucial point of entry.
Could it be… that his father had truly noticed something?
Most of the officials secretly mocked the situation, believing that the emperor was merely amusing himself at the expense of his inept eighth son.
Perhaps he thought Prince Yi had disgraced the imperial family by causing a scandal when he fell into the water over a male entertainer a while ago, and had therefore assigned him a tedious, thankless task as a form of punishment.
Yet a few pairs of eyes had changed.
This grand court audience, where everyone harbored their own ulterior motives, finally came to an end amid an eerie atmosphere in which no one could fully fathom the emperor’s intentions.
After today, the more perceptive wolves had already caught the shift in the political winds and begun reassessing the “value” of the various princes.
By the time Xiao Ying left the hall, the sky outside had grown bright.
He stretched lazily, preparing to hurry back to his residence and catch up on his sleep, when a warm, refined voice sounded behind him.
“Eighth Brother, please wait.”
Hearing the familiar voice, Xiao Ying turned around and immediately broke into a brilliant smile.
“Fifth Brother! It has been so long.”
The person approaching was the fifth prince, Xiao Jin.
Looking at Prince Jin, widely regarded throughout the capital as the most refined and courteous of all the princes, Xiao Ying felt alarm bells ringing in his heart.
This was a man who could maintain a warm, springlike smile while discussing poetry and painting with you in the gentlest of tones, only to turn around and plunge a knife straight into your heart with deadly precision.
“Congratulations, Eighth Brother. At last, you have a proper assignment.”
Xiao Jin walked closer, smiling warmly. His tone sounded sincere, but his eyes held a subtle, probing look.
“It seems Father has other plans for you.”
Xiao Ying immediately put on a deeply troubled expression.
“Fifth Brother, please don’t frighten me. I fear Father merely thinks I have too much free time at home and has finally found somewhere to send me to gather dust. I had been planning to go to Chunfeng Pavilion tomorrow to listen to music, but now all those plans have gone up in smoke.”
Xiao Jin maintained his flawless smile, though his gaze flickered slightly.
“The records at the Imperial Clan Court are indeed complicated. If you encounter anything you do not understand in the future, or come across some old documents that are ‘difficult to decide,’ you can always come to me. I will certainly help resolve your troubles.”
There was a subtle, almost imperceptible implication hidden in those words.
Xiao Ying pretended not to understand the subtext at all and waved his hand with a grin.
“How could I trouble you, Fifth Brother? If I truly cannot manage it, I can always go to Father and complain after a few days. I am sure he will understand that my brain simply was not made for reading books.”
Seeing that Xiao Ying was giving nothing away, Xiao Jin did not seem discouraged. Instead, he changed the subject and said casually, “By the way, I heard that you fell into the water from a pleasure boat a while ago and became seriously ill afterward. When I heard about it, I was genuinely worried.”
Xiao Ying put on a thoroughly regretful expression.
“Fifth Brother, that incident is truly embarrassing. I drank far too much that day. My head was completely muddled, and I have no idea how I ended up falling overboard. I even alarmed Father and the prefect of the capital. But please don’t worry, Fifth Brother. I have recovered quite well now, so there is no need for you to trouble yourself on my account.”
Xiao Jin’s expression did not change in the slightest. He seemed to have expected precisely this answer and merely nodded gently.
“If you have recovered, then take good care of yourself from now on, Eighth Brother. Whatever happens, you can always come to your Fifth Brother.”
With that, he inclined his head elegantly. Before leaving, he gave Xiao Ying a long look, a gentle smile lingering at the corners of his mouth—one that was chilling enough to make a person’s blood run cold.
Only then did he turn and leave.
Xiao Ying remained where he was, watching Xiao Jin’s retreating figure as the smile in his eyes gradually turned cold.
He understood that Xiao Jin had been testing him.
The fifth prince’s influence at court was not as great as that of the Eastern Palace or the aggressively ambitious third prince.
Nevertheless, the forces he controlled behind the scenes were not to be underestimated.
His attempt to draw Xiao Ying over to his side might have been prompted by the enormous wealth of the Lin family, which stood behind Prince Yi’s residence. Or perhaps he had sensed the shifting political winds with his usual sharp instincts. There might also have been some other motive.
But Xiao Ying knew one thing very clearly: working with Xiao Jin would be no different from courting a tiger.
If even the slightest piece of leverage fell into this man’s hands, Xiao Ying would never have a chance to turn his life around.
Outside the palace gates, Lan Ningcheng had been waiting for quite some time.
When he saw his master emerge at his usual leisurely pace, the two exchanged a glance. In perfect tacit understanding, neither said a word. They simply climbed into the carriage and headed back to the residence.
As soon as he returned to his bedchamber at Prince Yi’s residence, Xiao Ying impatiently stripped off the heavy, elaborate court robes that symbolized his princely status. He changed into a light, soft sleeping robe, flopped onto the couch, and let out a long sigh of relief.
At that moment, all he wanted was to remain forever attached to his bed.
But the political situation left him no room to close his eyes and forget about the world.
Lan Ningcheng had long since grown accustomed to the difference between his master’s public and private personas.
As he bent down to collect the clothing and accessories scattered across the floor, he asked quietly, “How did the court audience go today?”
While waiting in the attendants’ quarters, Lan Ningcheng had exchanged information discreetly with the deputies of several politically neutral officials. He had pieced together a vague picture: the emperor had recently become quite dissatisfied with the Eastern Palace, and something was likely to happen at court today.
Xiao Ying rubbed his aching temples and recounted everything that had happened, from the third prince’s challenge to the emperor’s questions about the Northern Border’s military provisions and the inexplicable order assigning him to the Imperial Clan Court.
When Lan Ningcheng heard the whole story, his hands stopped moving as he gathered the clothes. His brows drew together in a deep frown.
Being allowed into the Imperial Clan Court was, given their current circumstances, practically a gift from heaven.
Yet he could not bring himself to feel happy about it.
“The Imperial Clan Court…” he murmured. “It stores the imperial genealogies, records of the princes’ births, and detailed documents concerning the investiture and deaths of imperial consorts. Although it has no direct authority over the affairs of the former court, it is a key to investigating the ‘purge of the imperial harem.’”
Lan Ningcheng’s voice grew solemn.
“Looking at the genealogies alone may not reveal the whole picture. But with this legitimate position, we will have a much more defensible reason to investigate the medical records of the inner palace, the Ministry of Rites’ sacrificial ceremonies, and even the Ministry of Revenue.”
The problem was that the emperor had offered this opportunity at far too precise a moment.
It felt less like a gift falling from the heavens and more like a carefully laid trap.
Xiao Ying could hardly have failed to notice the danger.
The officials in charge of the Imperial Clan Court had always been core members of the imperial loyalist faction.
Its chief, Prince Gong, was the emperor’s younger brother and one of the few surviving sons of the late emperor who had lived through the purge back then.
By placing Xiao Ying inside an intelligence domain under his own control, the emperor had subjected him to a test he could not refuse.
Whatever records Xiao Ying examined or whichever consort’s files he investigated, every detail would be reported to the emperor without omission.
“Your Highness, are you really going to go?” Lan Ningcheng asked gravely.
Xiao Ying rolled over lazily, propping his chin on one hand, and sneered.
“Father shoved the assignment into my hands in front of the entire court. If I stubbornly refuse to accept it, won’t that make me look like I have something to hide?”
“But His Majesty is clearly testing you.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you still jumping into the pit?”
Xiao Ying chuckled softly. His peach-blossom eyes, which usually carried a trace of frivolity, were now startlingly clear, their sharpness unmistakable.
“He wants to see what I’ll investigate once I enter the Imperial Clan Court.”
Xiao Ying gazed up at the canopy, his voice dark and dangerous.
“And I want to go in and see for myself… what he has gone to such lengths to make me ‘see.’”
As soon as he finished speaking, that imposing aura vanished completely.
Xiao Ying pulled the thin quilt over himself and wrapped it tightly around his body. He was so sleepy that his next words came out muffled and indistinct.
“Let me catch up on some sleep… We’re going to Shuyu Pavilion tonight.”
Lan Ningcheng’s brows moved slightly.
“You have to report to the Imperial Clan Court first thing tomorrow morning, and you still want to go to Shuyu Pavilion tonight?”
Xiao Ying stuck one hand out from beneath the quilt and waved it lazily.
“I’m being forced to slave away in such a dull, tedious place as the Imperial Clan Court. Shouldn’t I spend the night before complaining about my grievances to my darling? Better yet, I should tire myself out thoroughly. That way, I’ll have a perfectly legitimate excuse to arrive late tomorrow.”
Lan Ningcheng fell silent.
He knew his master intended to carry his ridiculous performance as an idle, pleasure-seeking prince to the absolute extreme.
But he also knew they were racing against time, and every second of their plans had to be executed without the slightest mistake.
Xiao Ying’s trip was not merely another act in his ridiculous performance.
“Your Highness,” Lan Ningcheng sighed and advised him as he always did, “you have only just recovered. Please do not sleep on the couch outside. You might catch a chill again.”
There was no response from beneath the quilt.
Lan Ningcheng waited a moment, then stepped forward and took a closer look.
Only then did he discover that Xiao Ying had already fallen fast asleep.
Getting up at the hour of Chou, combined with the exhausting maneuvering at court, had evidently drained him completely.
In the end, left with no other choice, Lan Ningcheng could only murmur, “Forgive my impropriety, Your Highness.”
He bent down and lifted Xiao Ying, quilt and all, into his arms.
Although Lan Ningcheng was a civil official, his arms were surprisingly strong and steady. He lifted the precious, pampered body with no apparent effort.
Moving with extraordinary care, he walked steadily toward the inner bedchamber, afraid of waking the person in his arms.
Xiao Ying seemed very familiar with and comforted by his presence. He did not wake. Instead, he naturally nestled closer against Lan Ningcheng’s chest, finding a comfortable position before continuing to sleep soundly.
Feeling the faint warmth and movement against his chest, Lan Ningcheng paused.
He lowered his eyes to look at Xiao Ying’s face, now quiet and peaceful, stripped of every layer of caution and disguise.
But the moment lasted only briefly. With great restraint, he looked away.
He gently laid Xiao Ying on the soft bed in the inner chamber, tucked the corners of the silk quilt around him, and then withdrew without making a sound.
The door to the bedchamber closed softly.
Lan Ningcheng stood silently in the corridor outside for a while, until Yinsa came to the door and began pawing at it, trying to get inside.
He grabbed Yinsa by the scruff of the neck, then turned and walked away.