The Banished Immortal of the Cold Palace: His Majesty’s Young Master Yun Has Fallen Asleep Again - Chapter 6

The bitter wind swept across the land; the coldest days of winter had arrived.

Frost formed thick, delicate patterns on the window lattice. Yun Biechen lifted his gaze, somewhat lethargically, toward the white plum tree he usually preferred to lean against while resting.

As the wind blew, the withered branches shook off petals of white plum, leaving the world in a state of stark, frigid whiteness. It was so quiet that one could almost hear the sound of the biting chill seeping into the marrow of his bones.

It was very quiet.

It seemed like the perfect time to sleep.

“Young Master… the weather is turning quite cold…” Wang Sheng looked at Yun Biechen’s thin outer garment with disapproval. “Please, put on more layers.”

Yun Biechen frowned. “No.”

Wang Sheng stomped his feet, which were already stiff with cold, and raised his voice slightly. “Young Master, why must you be so stubborn! This wind is like a knife; it feels as if it is slicing into your skin. If you go about in just this thin layer and catch a cold, you will be the one suffering through bitter medicinal decoctions later.”

He stepped forward, reaching out to grab Yun Biechen’s sleeve, clutching a cotton-padded cloak that looked reasonably warm. “Put it on, Young Master. Please, listen to me.”

Yun Biechen turned and slipped out of the room, his brows knitting even tighter. “I said no.”

Wang Sheng, however, was relentless, chasing after him. “No or not, you must! Young Master! Put it on before you go outside! The courtyard is full of snow; it is freezing!”

Just as Wang Sheng was about to reach him, Yun Biechen vanished.

From above, Yun Biechen’s lethargic voice drifted down: “Gui-Gui, I think I am dying.”

Wang Sheng was instantly panicked. Following the voice, he found Yun Biechen, who had somehow climbed up into the tree. “What is wrong? Where do you feel unwell? I will go fetch the imperial physician!”

“If you do not start cooking, I really will die.” Yun Biechen brushed the snow off a branch and lay down upon it, right before Wang Sheng’s anxious eyes.

Wang Sheng hurried over. “Young Master! It is fine if you do not wear it, but please, at least use the cloak as a cushion before you lie down!”

This time, Yun Biechen did not argue. He jumped down from the tree, took the cotton cloak from Wang Sheng’s hands, used the momentum to leap back onto the branch, and laid the cloak down before settling onto it.

Wang Sheng stood beneath the tree, watching as Yun Biechen rested his hand behind his head and drifted off to sleep just like that.

Even after all this time, he was still somewhat shocked by the Young Master’s ability to fall asleep in an instant.

Since Yun Biechen refused to wear more clothes, Wang Sheng had no choice but to turn back to prepare the meal.

The fire in the hearth licked at the firewood. Amidst the crackling, Wang Sheng added warm water to the pot and could not help but mutter to himself, “So stubborn. If you get sick, let us see how you will manage to sleep peacefully on a tree branch then.”

Steam began to rise from the pot, spreading warmth through the air. As it brushed past his nose, he recalled the sight of the Young Master lying on the branch just moments ago. His expression was relaxed, appearing even more lonely and serene than the white plum blossoms on the boughs.

Just as he was stirring the rice porridge, a very light sound of footsteps drifted from outside the courtyard wall. A crunching sound in the snow, then silence.

Wang Sheng paused, tilting his head to listen, but the sound did not repeat, as if it were merely the wind sweeping snow grains against the wall.

He frowned, just about to get up to check, when Yun Biechen’s voice drifted down from above, raspy with sleep: “Gui-Gui, the scent of the porridge has reached the tree.”

It was exceptionally captivating to the ear.

Wang Sheng turned back and saw that Yun Biechen had woken up. He was propped up on his elbows on the cotton cloak, his gaze fixed on the stove, a faint hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth.

“Young Master, get down now that you are awake!” Wang Sheng said, his tone impatient. “The porridge is almost ready. If you dally any longer, be careful it does not turn cold.”

Yun Biechen did not respond. He simply raised a hand to catch a snowflake drifting down. The fingertip felt slightly cold, and that chill spread through his veins, clearing his clouded mind a bit.

The wind picked up, and white plum petals showered upon him. He gazed at the grey, overcast sky in the distance and suddenly whispered, “This year’s snow seems heavier than in previous years.”

As Wang Sheng ladled the porridge, he replied, “It does seem heavier. Should we send some cotton cloaks to Imperial Concubine Shu?”

Yun Biechen leaped down from the branch and walked casually to the stone stool opposite Wang Sheng to sit down. “It is quite cold today. Keep the porridge warm for now; finish your meal before you go deliver her food. I asked someone to get some thicker clothes that she can wear a few days ago; send those over as well.”

Wang Sheng nodded and handed the bowl of porridge to Yun Biechen. As he did so, he felt the other’s icy-cold hand and pursed his lips. “Young Master, are you not cold?”

Yun Biechen took a spoonful of porridge and put it in his mouth. The meat porridge was savory, and he squinted his eyes. “I am not. But do not follow my example; wear more layers.”

Wang Sheng also ladled some porridge for himself and sat down next to Yun Biechen. “Young Master, why are you so concerned about the Imperial Concubine?”

Yun Biechen’s gaze remained on the porridge in his hand. “If you were a person about to die, I would be concerned about you, too.”

Wang Sheng was shocked. He turned his head abruptly, scanning their surroundings. “Young Master! How can you say such things! Even though the Imperial Concubine is in the Cold Palace now, she is the birth mother of the current Emperor. No one knows the Emperor’s current attitude toward her.”

“Young Master, that remark is blasphemy. If someone were to overhear, it would bring disaster upon us.”

Yun Biechen did not seem to care. “Gui-Gui, I want to drink meat porridge again tomorrow.”

Wang Sheng’s earnest warnings were stuck in his throat.

Watching Yun Biechen lower his eyes and drink his porridge earnestly, his heart ached again.

Although Yun Biechen could always produce various items from who knows where, things like food were only occasional. Most of the time, they only had older rice. There was very little meat.

They basically drank porridge every single day.

If the Young Master had not been abducted into the palace, would he be suffering like this?

But remembering what Eunuch Wang said, that once the Emperor finished handling this round of political affairs and was less busy, Eunuch Wang would report everything to the Emperor.

When that time came, it would be the time for the Young Master to leave.

And he… he was a eunuch… he could not leave with the Young Master…

After finishing his porridge, Yun Biechen saw Wang Sheng holding his bowl in a daze. He set his bowl down and reminded him, “It will be cold if you do not eat it now.”

Wang Sheng snapped back to reality. He touched the bowl, which had already cooled down in a short time, and buried his head to drink his porridge quickly.

Yun Biechen stood up and walked into the room.

“Gui-Gui.”

Wang Sheng lifted his head from the bowl. “Yes? What is it, Young Master?”

“You mentioned a few days ago that Wang Shunde is serving before the Emperor again?”

Wang Sheng swallowed his porridge. “Yes. Eunuch Wang originally intended to follow the late Emperor in death after handling the funeral arrangements, but because I made a mistake while serving before the Emperor, he had to step in to take my place.”

Yun Biechen knew that Wang Sheng was the godson Wang Shunde had adopted, so he was not surprised by the answer. “Then go find Wang Shunde. Tell him to report to that person that the Imperial Concubine will not survive this winter.”

Wang Sheng was stunned. “But the Imperial Concubine looks quite spirited today.”

Yun Biechen said, “Just do as I say.”

Wang Sheng nodded. He gulped down the remaining bit of porridge and wiped his mouth. “Then I will go deliver the food to the Imperial Concubine first.”