Chapter 6

Luo Tingshi stood with his hands behind his back before the bed, his gaze lingering on the pile of garments within the bedding. His thin lips pressed together slightly.

Earlier, the kitten pendant had rolled into the right corner beneath the bed. As he reached to retrieve it, the back of his hand brushed against an inexplicably soft object. Immediately afterward, he discovered this pile of clothes.

Luo Tingshi glanced down and saw that the person’s undergarments were also among them.

Had he fled naked?

Luo Tingshi hissed coldly, “What a disgrace!” If anyone had seen him in such a state of passion…

Luo Tingshi’s face turned ashen, a fierce killing intent surging within him.

He lifted the top layer of clothing with a steady hand, retrieved the inner garment wrapped in the middle, and brought it close to the right sleeve, inhaling deeply.

A faint scent of wine lingered at his nostrils.

Luo Tingshi’s thin lips curled into a cold smile, revealing a look of understanding: “It was you, after all.”

At the banquet that day, he had witnessed Lu Jing accidentally spill wine onto the right sleeve of his robe. The inner garment’s right sleeve was soaked through, leaving no doubt that Lu Jing was the one who had shared his bed.

Luo Tingshi’s face bore a smug look of certainty as he couldn’t help but lean closer to the inner sleeve, inhaling deeper.

His nose sank into soft fabric, and a faint, elusive fragrance drifted into his nostrils.

This scent felt familiar.

That night, as he kissed the person in his arms, his nose had slowly traced down the smooth curve of their neck. His lips and teeth had gently nibbled the supple flesh. The other had arched their neck in impatience, clinging tightly to him, burying themselves deeper into his embrace.

“Don’t bite me…”

The voice was soft and velvety, laced with petulance.

Luo Tingshi chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around the slender back in his embrace. He buried his face deeply into the other’s chest, inhaling gently.

An unnamed sweet fragrance filled his nostrils.

It seemed to emanate from the very flesh of the person in his arms.

…

His gaze swept over the mirror, catching a face lost in rapturous devotion. Luo Tingshi jolted awake, instantly snapping back to reality. Realizing what he was doing, he tossed the garment aside like a hot potato.

Luo Tingshi’s face darkened.

He had actually become obsessed with someone else’s clothing—utterly unbecoming of an emperor’s dignity.

With a cold expression, Luo Tingshi pushed the pile of garments further back, climbed into bed, removed his clothes, and extinguished the lamp.

Lying on this familiar bed, fragments of memories flashed before his eyes, and a wave of heat washed over Luo Tingshi.

Soon after, a large hand slipped out silently, plucking a close-fitting undershirt from the pile and tucking it beneath the covers.

–

Yu Zhi had been feeling increasingly restless lately. The more he tried to forget that encounter, the clearer the images in his memory became.

That night, Yu Zhi tossed and turned again, unable to sleep.

“Huff…”

Every night of his childhood, he had clutched it to sleep. As he grew older, he felt too embarrassed to sleep with the bear anymore, so he locked it away in the cabinet.

Hugging the familiar softness as he climbed into bed, Yu Zhi leaned against the headboard, gently resting his chin on the bear’s shoulder, murmuring softly.

“Father said one needn’t hang oneself on a single tree for life. Even if one shares physical intimacy with another, if it proves unsuitable, one may part ways. Besides, His Majesty and he were merely a fleeting encounter—each fulfilling their own needs. He helped His Majesty weather the heat of desire, and His Majesty provided him the antidote. Why should either remain trapped in this?”

As he spoke, Yu Zhi snorted lightly. “Luo Tingshi is so repulsive, I refuse to be tied to him. Yu Kingdom has countless talented young men. What’s so hard about finding a husband? Hmph! Once Father and the others return, I’ll arrange a selection ceremony for myself.”

That night had been awful, yet it had made one thing crystal clear to Yu Zhi.

He did like men. And being on the receiving end felt rather good. Though it hurt at first, later…

“Ouch!”

Yu Zhi covered his flushed cheeks, hugging his teddy bear as he burrowed under the covers, his eyes sparkling brightly.

Yu Zhi felt more and more convinced that the selection ceremony was a brilliant idea.

I will choose a gentle and considerate husband. I refuse to be with someone as brutal and uncouth as that scoundrel.

With her mind made up, Yu Zhi drifted off to sleep with a smile on her lips.

–

To avoid any mishaps, Luo Tingshi specifically ordered spies in the capital of Yu Kingdom to paint a portrait of Lu Jing.

Half a month later, the painting was delivered to Luo Tingshi.

Luo Tingshi stared at the figure in the painting, sensing something faintly off. It was clearly the same face, yet he felt this wasn’t the “Lu Jing” he had seen.

Luo Tingshi’s eyes scanned the portrait inch by inch, comparing it to the face in his memory, confirming they were one and the same.

He mused inwardly: Could it be that this painter excels at capturing outward appearance but struggles with inner essence?

The real Lu Jing possessed an unremarkable appearance, yet radiated an air of innate nobility. Merely standing below the steps stirred a desire to shatter his pride, to bring him crashing down from his lofty perch.

Luo Tingxi chuckled softly.

He rolled up his sleeves, picked up a brush, and wrote a lengthy letter in flowing strokes. Folding it neatly into an envelope, he sealed it with wax and ordered, “Dispatch this letter to the Yu Emperor by the fastest horse.”

–

It was the height of summer. Yu Zhi sat in the Flying Cloud Pavilion, attending to state affairs.

This pavilion had been specially commissioned by the Emperor. Its mechanism channeled water from the lake to the roof. When activated, a curtain of water cascaded down from above.

The flow could be adjusted, and Yu Zhi set it to maximum. A torrential downpour poured from the pavilion roof, droplets splattering into the lake and startling the mallards swimming below into a frantic scramble.

These days, the Yu Kingdom enjoyed favorable weather with abundant rain, and no regions had suffered disasters. The memorials on the table mostly dealt with trivial matters. Yu Zhi’s brow relaxed as he wrote the character “read” in red ink. Eunuchs nearby collected the memorials bearing the emperor’s approval one by one.

Yu Zhi unfolded a memorial, his eyes flickering slightly. This one was submitted by the Prefect of Lingchuan County.

Your Majesty, there have been recent disturbances in Lingchuan Commandery. Individuals have been attempting to approach this servant, and through their pointed remarks, I discerned ulterior motives. They are likely agents dispatched by another nation, and I dared not disturb the nest lest the snake be startled.

The Lingchuan Prefect detailed the individuals’ approach in his memorial, and a cold light hardened in Yu Zhi’s eyes.

Though caught within the scheme, the Prefect struggled to discern their true nature—yet Yu Zhi saw their intentions clearly:

They sought to co-opt the Lingchuan Prefect.

Fortunately, the prefect was wise and upright, and did not fall for their scheme.

Yu Zhi gritted his teeth: “Luo, Ting, Shi.” He didn’t need to guess who had sent them. Yu Zhi was furious.

Besides Lingchuan, the other counties bordering Shengguo were likely restless too. Yu Zhi immediately summoned his personal guards, ordering them to secretly investigate the Lingchuan area.

With arrangements settled, noon approached.

Lin Shan brought in a food box, placing dishes around the table. He spoke softly, “Your Majesty, you haven’t eaten in nearly half a day. Please have something to settle your stomach.”

Yu Zhi felt somewhat hungry.

He set down the memorial he was holding, picked up a bowl of cold buckwheat noodles, and lifted his chopsticks to pick up a strand. Just as he was about to put it in his mouth, a sharp cramp seized his stomach, and a wave of nausea surged up his throat.

Yu Zhi sprang to his feet and hurried to a nearby pillar, bending over and retching.

Lin Shan paled with alarm, scrambling to his side to steady him. He whipped his head toward a nearby attendant and barked, “Quickly, fetch the imperial physician!”

The emperor continued retching uncontrollably. Lin Shan grew frantic, patting his back gently while his eyes darted toward the path beside the pavilion.

“Doctor Zhang, please hurry!”

Having eaten nothing for half a day, Yu Zhi’s stomach was empty. He vomited nothing but sour stomach acid.

His mouth felt sour and bitter.

Yu Zhi frowned. He had felt nauseous since waking that morning. Seeing the breakfast spread, he had no appetite and had ordered the palace attendants to remove it.

In the sweltering heat, Yu Zhi had assumed the recent oppressive weather had caused him to suffer from heatstroke, explaining his loss of appetite, dizziness, and nausea. After resting briefly and feeling somewhat restored, he hadn’t summoned the imperial physician.

At this very moment, Yu Zhi suddenly grasped another possibility.

His fingers trembled slightly as he rose with Lin Shan’s support.

“Your Majesty!” Lin Shan cried out in alarm. The emperor before him was as pale as paper, his body swaying slightly, looking as if he might collapse at any moment. Terrified, Lin Shan hurriedly guided Yu Zhi toward the bench in the pavilion. “Please sit down and rest.”

Supported by Lin Shan, Yu Zhi sank into the seat, a wave of overwhelming dread washing over him.

What if… what if…

In that instant, all sound around Yu Zhi faded away, leaving only the thunderous roar of the water.

Yu Zhi lifted his eyes. Lin Shan crouched before him, his face etched with anxiety, his lips moving rapidly. Yet Yu Zhi’s ears were filled with the roar of the water, and he could hear nothing.

Before long, Imperial Physician Zhang appeared on the path beside the pavilion.

He had run the entire way, his forehead glistening with sweat. Before catching his breath, he hurriedly grasped the Emperor’s right hand to take his pulse.

Yu Zhi’s eyes fixed on the man before him, his expression blank.

The next instant, Zhang Taiyi’s eyes widened in shock. His face flushed with alarm as he uttered a few words.

The roar of the water was deafening. Yu Zhi strained to make out a single sentence from the man’s moving lips—

“Your Majesty, you are expecting!”