After the Substitute Male Bride Fled, the Emperor Turned Dark - Chapter 7

The next day at the hour of the Monkey, Fang Zhiyan changed into a plain palace dress, pinned his hair with a single white jade hairpin, and headed toward the Qianqing Palace with Lan Ruo.

Along the way, he kept wondering why the Emperor had summoned him to the Qianqing Palace. To accompany him? To accompany him in doing what? Watching him review petitions by his side? Would he not die of boredom?

Upon reaching the gates of the Qianqing Palace, an unfamiliar young eunuch was already waiting.

“Concubine Zhuang has arrived,” the young eunuch said with a smile as he bowed. “His Majesty is waiting for you.”

Fang Zhiyan maintained the poised air of Concubine Zhuang, gave a slight nod, and followed the man inside.

The Qianqing Palace was much larger and colder than he had imagined. Within the vast hall, aside from the writing desk and shelves full of books, there were almost no extra decorations.

Xiao Huan was sitting behind the desk reviewing petitions. Hearing footsteps, he did not even look up. “You are here?”

Fang Zhiyan bowed. “This servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Mhm.” Xiao Huan pointed to a chair nearby. “Sit there.”

Fang Zhiyan followed the instruction and sat down properly. Eunuch Li served a pot of tea and then withdrew. The hall fell into silence.

After sitting for a while, Fang Zhiyan began to feel restless. He secretly observed the furnishings of the Qianqing Palace. On the desk sat a Duan inkstone, several Hu brushes hung from the brush rack, and nearby was a small white jade incense burner, from which curls of blue smoke rose.

The books on the shelves were neatly organized: history books, military treatises, strategies for governing the country, and copies of memorials that he did not quite understand. In a corner sat an ancient zither, covered in a thin layer of dust, looking as if it had not been played in a long time.

Fang Zhiyan’s gaze finally landed on Xiao Huan. He was very serious while reviewing petitions, his brow slightly furrowed as his vermilion brush moved across the paper. Occasionally, he would stop to think before continuing. Sunlight streamed through the window frames and fell upon him, casting a warm glow over his cold yet handsome face.

“Are you bored?” Xiao Huan suddenly asked.

Fang Zhiyan met his gaze openly and smiled. “I see many books on those shelves. If I may be so bold as to ask, are there any that this servant might read?”

“Come here.” Xiao Huan put down his brush and walked toward the shelves. Fang Zhiyan stood up and followed.

Xiao Huan scanned the shelves, pulled a book from the third level, and placed it on the top. Only then did he speak to Fang Zhiyan. “Except for those on the bottom shelf, you may read the rest.”

Having said that, he returned to the desk to continue his work.

Getting closer, Fang Zhiyan saw what these books were and instantly lost all interest. They were entirely composed of historical records and essential military tactics, leaving him with no desire to flip through them. He picked one up at random and sat back on the long chair to flip through it quietly.

Outside the hall, it was muggy and hot, but inside, it was cool and comfortable. After turning only three or five pages, Fang Zhiyan propped up his head and fell into a deep sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, Fang Zhiyan was awakened by a slight sound. He opened his eyes dizzily and realized that at some point, he had shifted from sitting upright to leaning halfway over. His head was slumped against the back of the chair, and the book in his hand had long since slid to the floor.

The light in the hall had dimmed, though the smoke from the ambergris incense still rose steadily. The sound had come from the desk. Xiao Huan had set aside his brush at some point and was leaning back with his eyes closed to rest. His brow was slightly furrowed, as if he were exhausted.

Fang Zhiyan dazed for a moment before realizing he had actually fallen asleep in the Qianqing Palace. He snapped awake and hurried to pick up the book, the movement causing the chair to make a soft creak.

Xiao Huan opened his eyes. In the dim light of the hall, those eyes appeared exceptionally deep, carrying a lingering weariness as they looked at Fang Zhiyan.

Feeling guilty under that gaze, Fang Zhiyan quickly clutched the book to his chest and whispered, “This servant has lost her composure.”

“It is no matter.” Xiao Huan’s voice was somewhat hoarse. He picked up his teacup to take a sip, found it cold, and set it down again.

Noticing the movement, Fang Zhiyan hesitated for a moment before standing up and walking over. He lifted the copper kettle warming on the small charcoal stove and refilled the cup with hot water. Xiao Huan watched his actions without speaking.

After finishing, Fang Zhiyan looked toward Xiao Huan. “Your Majesty, this servant remembered that the crabapples in the courtyard have not been watered today. Perhaps it is best if I return now.”

Xiao Huan set down the tea, his voice flat. “The servants will handle such things.”

Fang Zhiyan let out a sigh against his conscience. “To tell the truth, those in this servant’s courtyard are quite forgetful. They always forget.”

“Such servants in the palace deserve to be beaten to death with clubs. If Concubine Zhuang finds them unpleasant to use, it would be better to replace the lot.”

He spoke those brutal words with total indifference.

Fang Zhiyan was truly startled this time. The light was not bright, and for a moment, he could not distinguish whether the Emperor was speaking casually or truly intended to do so. He and Xiao Huan had only met a few times, and during those times, the man had acted quite easygoing. It made him almost forget that the person before him was the Emperor who held the power of life and death.

He slowly knelt and explained dryly, “Your Majesty, please forgive me. In truth, it is because this servant cherishes the crabapples and is unwilling to let others touch them. The people of Jingyang Palace are very dutiful, and this servant is very satisfied.”

Xiao Huan’s eyes slowly swept over his face. He showed no emotion, yet the pressure was immense. Silence hung in the hall for several breaths.

“Rise. I did not say I was going to blame anyone. They are your people; you have the final say.”

Fang Zhiyan braced himself against the floor and climbed up slowly, feeling his heartbeat grow heavy.

Eunuch Li entered at that moment and immediately sensed the wrong atmosphere. He said with a smile, “The imperial kitchen has sent over several kinds of pastries. Your Majesty, My Lady, would you like to have some?”

Usually, Xiao Huan did not eat such things, but seeing that Fang Zhiyan’s face was not looking good, as if he had been frightened, he nodded.

After eating a few pastries, Xiao Huan stopped making things difficult for him and asked Eunuch Li to see him back.

Once outside the hall, Eunuch Li lowered his voice and said to Fang Zhiyan, “His Majesty never allows others into the side room of the Qianqing Palace. Why does My Lady look so gloomy after receiving such an honor?”

Away from Xiao Huan’s sight, Fang Zhiyan immediately adopted a sharp expression and gave Eunuch Li a huge eye-roll. “In such hot weather, running back and forth, would you be happy if it were you?”

Eunuch Li was stunned. By the time he recovered, the master and servant of the Jingyang Palace had already walked far away.

When he returned to the side room, Xiao Huan asked without looking up, “Did Concubine Zhuang give you a hard time?”

His voice betrayed no emotion. Eunuch Li considered for a moment and smiled respectfully. “Your Majesty must be joking. I see that Concubine Zhuang is a person of true character.”

After all, in this palace, she was the first to roll her eyes at the Chief Internal Manager, Eunuch Li, who had served the Emperor since childhood. Who else would not try every possible way to curry favor with him?

Eunuch Li puzzled out something else. Could this be the reason why the Emperor regarded Concubine Zhuang so highly? It made sense; everyone in the palace wore several masks. Even if they harbored ill intentions, their faces were covered in smiles. None were as authentic as Concubine Zhuang.

Perhaps the Emperor found it fresh and liked someone a bit more insolent and willful; it was understandable. Thinking this, Eunuch Li wore a gratified smile. Heaven have mercy, the Emperor, who appeared uninterested in women to outsiders and incapable to those close to him, was finally welcoming his first spring.

As soon as Fang Zhiyan returned to Jingyang Palace, Lan Ruo set down her umbrella and helped him unfasten the palace dress. “How was it? The Emperor did not make things difficult for you in the side room, did he?”

He collapsed onto the soft couch and let out a long sigh of relief, raising his hand to rub his brow. “He did not make things difficult, but he gave me a scare.”

Lan Ruo fanned him, asking curiously, “How did the Emperor scare you?”

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