Can't We Just Not Divorce After All? - Chapter 5

The rain had let up slightly. The little eunuch wanted to send Xiao Yanshi back, but the latter shook his head, refusing to go.

Seeing Xiao Yanshi’s soaked clothes, the little eunuch had no choice but to bring him back first.

The little eunuch lived behind a dilapidated palace building. He carefully guided Xiao Yanshi away from the puddles, though he inadvertently stepped into the water himself, instantly soaking his own shoes and socks.

He didn’t seem to care, however, only shielding Xiao Yanshi even more protectively.

This was the first time Xiao Yanshi had cried in front of an outsider, and feeling somewhat embarrassed, he lowered his head and sniffled.

The little eunuch didn’t understand his small insecurities; he just took Xiao Yanshi’s hand and settled him onto the only bed in the room.

It was called a bed, but there wasn’t even a decent quilt. The “mattress” consisted of various old clothes, and there wasn’t even a bed curtain.

Early autumn in Jiangling was rainy; it was common for it to drizzle for an entire day. The place where the little eunuch lived was heavy with moisture, with moss clinging to the pillars, climbing up little by little—at first glance, it looked exactly like winding green snakes.

Xiao Yanshi shuddered and sat obediently, clutching his sleeves.

The little eunuch dug out a charcoal brazier with a large hole in it and hugged a bundle of firewood from a corner.

Xiao Yanshi had never started a fire before, and he watched as the little eunuch busied himself. Before long, a burst of flames crackled to life, and Xiao Yanshi’s eyes lit up: How amazing!

The little eunuch turned around and bumped into those shining eyes. He stood up and walked over. “Do you know how to take off your clothes?”

He looked like a young master from a well-to-do family, pampered at home; naturally, he would find even something as crude as starting a fire novel.

“…I know how,” Xiao Yanshi replied in a muffled voice, his tone nasal.

“Take off all your clothes, and I will dry them for you.” After saying this, the little eunuch went back to rummaging around for things.

Xiao Yanshi froze for a moment, then obediently set about untying his garments.

And then…

He was stunned.

The clothes sent by the Marchioness this time were somewhat complex, and he couldn’t untie them at all.

His two small hands grabbed the buttons and tugged, but they didn’t budge. He held his breath until his face turned a deep red, and after a long while, he gathered enough courage to call out toward the little eunuch, “…I, I can’t untie them.”

Hearing this, the little eunuch turned back, carrying a small bundle.

Meeting Xiao Yanshi’s aggrieved and embarrassed gaze, he frowned slightly.

Xiao Yanshi thought he was displeased, so he lowered his head and continued to tug fiercely at the buttons. With his clothes already soaked and his cheeks slightly puffed out, there wasn’t a trace of the “Little Tyrant of Jiangling” left in him.

“Let me.” The little eunuch crouched down in front of Xiao Yanshi and carefully helped him untie the clothes.

When it came to the inner garment, Xiao Yanshi felt somewhat unnatural, his cheeks flushing red. “Does this need to be taken off too?”

“Yes, it’s wet.”

As soon as the little eunuch looked up and saw Xiao Yanshi’s bright red face, he immediately understood that the little thing was shy, so he deftly untied the sash and retreated.

Xiao Yanshi was dazed for a second.

“Take off the inner garment yourself, then put this on.” After the small bundle was opened, there were two pieces of clothing inside, looking quite new, with almost no wrinkles.

They weren’t high-quality fabric, though.

Xiao Yanshi touched them after receiving them. Seeing him not moving, the little eunuch said, “They are clean clothes; I’ve never worn them.”

Xiao Yanshi nodded. After the person in front of him turned around, he peeled off his inner garment and put on the clothes given to him.

The clothes were surprisingly well-fitted, and the sleeves were just the right length.

However, the sash still posed a problem for Xiao Yanshi. After hesitating, he said, “Could you help me tie this?”

The little eunuch turned back. Without a word of refusal, he crouched down and carefully straightened Xiao Yanshi’s clothes, tying the sash perfectly.

“Are these your clothes?” After spending this short while together, Xiao Yanshi had lost all his wariness toward the person in front of him, and his boldness had grown quite a bit.

“…They are my clothes.” The little eunuch sat back down to hang and dry Xiao Yanshi’s wet clothes.

Xiao Yanshi hopped off the bed, crouched beside the little eunuch, and carefully touched the patch on the hem of his clothes. “These clothes are so new, why don’t you wear them?”

The little eunuch remained silent.

Xiao Yanshi didn’t get an answer. He instinctively raised his head to look at the other person, noticing his slender neck and pale cheeks. “Should I not have asked?”

“…There’s nothing you shouldn’t ask,” the little eunuch said, flipping the clothes over. “These are the only two pieces of clothing my moth—my mother made for me with her own hands.”

“Then why did your mother sew them a bit small? They don’t look like they fit…”

“…My mother is dead.” The little eunuch lowered his eyes to look at Xiao Yanshi, watching the little thing go from confusion and misunderstanding to a sudden change of expression, looking both timid and guilty. “I… I…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry…” Xiao Yanshi seemed afraid of causing the other person sadness, so he carefully tugged on the other’s sleeve. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s nothing, it’s good that she’s dead…” The little eunuch propped up the clothes and gave them a shake. “They are almost dry.”

They were clearly two unrelated sentences, but as Xiao Yanshi looked at the other person, he instinctively reached out and touched his face.

“Hmm? What are you doing?”

“Why do I feel like you want to cry?” Xiao Yanshi spoke in his childish, innocent way, but the little eunuch suddenly stiffened.

The next moment, large droplets of tears began to fall.

Actually, if Xue Shao hadn’t mentioned it, Xiao Yanshi would have almost forgotten that person.

“It has nothing to do with him.” Xiao Yanshi didn’t want to talk about old acquaintances.

But Xue Shao clearly didn’t know how to read the room; he stood up abruptly and stared at Xiao Yanshi. “You are clearly doing this because of him!”

Xue Shao remembered it very clearly.

Not long after that eunuch died, Xiao Yanshi left the palace, and then… he followed the Pingbei Marquis to the Northern Frontier.

Xiao Yanshi had only been a companion for less than a year. The Emperor had later found sons of other dukes and lords to send into the palace, even following Xue Shao’s wishes from beginning to end.

But not a single companion lasted ten days in the palace.

Xue Shao’s birth mother was favored, his grandfather was the Grand Tutor of the current dynasty, and his two uncles were the Right Cavalier Attendant and the Governor of Jizhou respectively. Since his birth, he had been doted on by the Emperor.

With his arrogant and domineering nature, even the Crown Prince didn’t dare to clash with him.

He only ever hit a wall with Xiao Yanshi.

Xiao Yanshi stroked the teacup in his hand. “Your Highness, the person is already dead. Besides, he was just an insignificant little eunuch.”

“Ten years have passed; if you hadn’t brought it up today, this official would have long forgotten that such a person even existed…”

Once these words were out, Xue Shao was stunned. “Really?”

“Naturally, it is true.” Xiao Yanshi didn’t have enough patience to talk nonsense with the prince. He went straight to the point. “The war in the Northern Frontier is critical. Countless civilians are displaced at the border. All these years, the Northern Di barbarians have retreated after fighting, then attacked again after retreating. Compared to the war, the life or death of a little eunuch counts for nothing.”

“And… this official only exchanged a few harmless words with that eunuch. Since he’s dead, he’s dead; who could possibly remember him for all these years?”

“Second Prince.”

Just as Xiao Yanshi finished speaking, a voice rang out from behind him.

It was somewhat familiar, but more so, it was strange.

He turned his head to look. A man was draped in a snow-white cloak; his face was as beautiful as jade and his presence was elegant. He bowed slightly to Xue Shao.

With his head lowered, the expression on his face could not be seen.

“Graceful in demeanor and calm as a god.” Xiao Yanshi suddenly recalled these eight characters.

“Why is it you?” Compared to Xiao Yanshi’s mild surprise, Xue Shao’s expression was ugly. “You’ve only entered the Grand Princess’s mansion a few days ago, and you are already being so ostentatious. Are you afraid others won’t know that the Consort left a bastard outside?!”

Xue Shao was not polite at all; with one opening remark, he almost stripped a layer of skin off the other person.

The Grand Princess had always pampered him, and now that the Grand Princess had lost face and suffered grievances, he naturally wouldn’t let this so-called “Third Young Master” off easily.

His voice was not quiet, and there were many people around who turned their heads to watch the excitement.

The man seemed somewhat embarrassed; his bowing posture was stiff, but without Xue Shao’s command, he didn’t dare to stand up.

Xiao Yanshi’s gaze fell upon him. He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but in the few days since they last met, the man who had wielded his soft sword like a swimming dragon on that snowy night now lacked energy, his brows and eyes filled with indescribable weariness.

His body was even thinner.

Recalling the rumors that had been flying about Jiangling these past few days, Xiao Yanshi finally felt his heart soften and spoke to provide an escape. “The weather is freezing; a little wine would be perfect to warm the body. Would Your Highness like to have a cup?”

Xue Shao looked at him upon hearing this. “Have you seen him before?”

“Never seen him,” Xiao Yanshi said intentionally. “The Pingbei Marquis estate and the Grand Princess’s mansion have always had little interaction, and the Northern Frontier Army rarely uses firearms. As for this young master… I think my brother mentioned him once, but that’s about it.”

Xiao Yanshi understood Xue Shao and avoided his hidden pitfalls.

Clearly, Xue Shao’s anger had subsided quite a bit, and he told the man to stand up.

The side next to them was facing the window, and a cold wind was gusting in intermittently. Xue Shao glanced at him. “Since you’re already here, why not sit down and have a drink together?”

Although it was phrased as a question, it was clearly an invitation that could not be refused.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The man sat down obediently in the lower seat, with one chair separating him from Xiao Yanshi.

He was not overstepping his bounds in the slightest.

“Are you afraid of the cold?” Xue Shao still wouldn’t let him go. “Why are you wearing a cloak while drinking?”

The man understood and took off the cloak, setting it aside.

Wind mixed with snow particles fell onto his shoulders. Xiao Yanshi caught a glimpse of his straight, upright spine and still felt that this man was too thin.

Xue Shao summoned someone to bring the best wine. Xiao Yanshi glanced at it, and his heart settled down slightly—thankfully, it was not the strong liquor from that day.

Recalling the burning sensation in his stomach after drinking that day, he felt a headache coming on.

Xue Shao didn’t play any tricks with the drinking. He beckoned for an attendant to pour wine for the three of them.

Xiao Yanshi sighed inwardly and resigned himself to drinking along.

Xue Shao had a good tolerance for alcohol, his face remained pale and his breathing even, drinking as if it were tea. Xiao Yanshi also didn’t flush when drinking, so he also appeared fine.

It was just that the man appeared to be in poor condition.

After two cups of wine, his face was red and his ears were burning, even his neck flushed to a scary degree.

After taking off the cloak, the clothes beneath were somewhat loose, and the section of his neck revealed was suffused with redness, which seemed to have a tendency to spread downwards.

Xiao Yanshi endured it, but finally, he spoke up. “Your Highness, a little drink pleases the heart, but I’m afraid I will lose my manners if I drink too much.”

This statement was not entirely a lie, but his expression remained calm. Xue Shao glanced at him and felt he was only defending that annoying fellow, and was immediately unhappy. “What’s the point of a ‘little drink’? The wine here is good. Even if you drink too much today, there will be someone to see us both home safely.”

This was him refusing to give any face.

Xiao Yanshi was helpless and could only brace himself to continue drinking.