Chapter 4: Do You Know That You Look Like a Femme Fatale Who Could Topple a Nation?
Silence fell in the imperial study.
Chu Yi sat dazedly on the inner side of the bed, racking his brain for a way to exonerate himself.
“Your Majesty, the handwriting in those letters… anyone who diligently imitates and studies it can write identically to this subject’s hand. As for the arrow, it was indeed lost. This subject has absolutely no intention of rebelling.”
Sheng Qianheng looked back at Chu Yi, whose pale face had yet to recover its color. “My men discovered that the letters were passed to the rebel by one of your people. How do you explain that?”
Chu Yi continued, “In the year Your Majesty first ascended the throne, many of the old officials from the previous court were insubordinate. Although Your Majesty has already eliminated most of the treacherous ministers, it is inevitable that some remnants remain. This subject pretended to associate with them in order to uncover their secrets, intending to capture them all in one fell swoop. This subject did indeed have contact with the rebels, but those subsequent letters were absolutely not from this subject’s hand. I only knew they would make a move on the day of the sacrificial ceremony, but I did not anticipate that they would advance the assassination…”
Sheng Qianheng raised an eyebrow. “And how do you explain the Imperial Guard capturing you and bringing you before Zhen that day? You had packed quite a large bundle.”
Chu Yi’s expression was utterly sincere. “This subject intended to take the bundle and rendezvous with the rebels to find their lair, thinking I could then pass the information to Your Majesty. I never expected the Imperial Guard to disrupt my plan.”
Sheng Qianheng: “Is that so? I had people inspect your bundle, item by item. It didn’t seem to be as you described.”
Chu Yi felt a cold sweat break out, but he had to continue feigning composure. “This subject knew I was being framed for treason and would find it difficult to prove my innocence. I could only flee to seek a way to survive.”
A knock came from outside the hall. A maidservant asked, “Your Majesty, it is time to serve the midday meal.”
Sheng Qianheng turned to look at Chu Yi’s pale cheeks and couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. “Are you hungry?”
Chu Yi wanted to say he wasn’t, but his stomach rumbled audibly.
Sheng Qianheng immediately had the meal served.
Several maidservants entered the imperial study carrying trays.
After all the dishes were laid out, Sheng Qianheng led Chu Yi to the dining table. “Continue. Is there anything else you haven’t confessed?”
Chu Yi watched as the young eunuch in charge of tasting for poison sampled each dish. Only then did Sheng Qianheng dismiss everyone.
He then pulled Chu Yi down to sit with him.
Sheng Qianheng: “It has been a long time since you and I have spoken as freely as we have today.”
Chu Yi frowned. This is called speaking freely? He had to carefully consider every word he said, terrified of misspeaking…
“Your Majesty, this subject has already told you everything I know.”
Sheng Qianheng picked up a piece of sweet lotus root, a dish Chu Yi usually liked, and placed it in his bowl. He continued to ask, “How much were you involved in the assassination?”
He already knew from his secret guards that Chu Yi had given the rebels a hand signal that day. If he lied…
Chu Yi really couldn’t figure out the tyrant’s intentions. However, the original book stated that Sheng Qianheng had numerous secret guards under his command and should be able to perceive many things. He had no choice but to confess what the original owner had done. “This subject acted according to the plan with the rebel and passed on a hand signal. However, the timing of the signal was wrong, so they were bound to fail in the assassination. If the arrow had truly harmed Your Majesty, with this subject by Your Majesty’s side, I would naturally have blocked the arrow for you.”
Sheng Qianheng ladled a bowl of congee for Chu Yi. “Have some congee. The imperial physician said your body is weak these few days and you can only have congee.”
Chu Yi was starving. It was probably because he had eaten too little for his morning meal. After slurping down a few mouthfuls of plain congee, he said, “Your Majesty… whether I live or die, just give me a straight answer…”
Sheng Qianheng asked, “A-Yi, why do you say such things?”
Chu Yi, with a mindset of certain death, began to act recklessly. “The evidence General Wang presented in the imperial study before I fainted—you had me open it myself just to test me, didn’t you? I’ve said everything I can say. What more do you want from me?”
He looked at the table of delicacies, yet the tyrant was only letting him have congee. Congee had no nutrition at all. He pushed away the bowl Sheng Qianheng had served him. “Sheng Qianheng, we’ve known each other since you were five. In these seventeen years, how have I treated you? Don’t you know my character?”
“A few days ago, you humiliated me like that… Logically, I could be considered half an older brother to you… yet you…”
Meeting Chu Yi’s tear-filled eyes, Sheng Qianheng was instantly flustered. He was about to raise his hand but Chu Yi slapped it away. “I… you know that wasn’t my intention…”
Seeing that Sheng Qianheng responded to a soft approach but not a hard one, Chu Yi pressed on, “Then what is your intention?”
The offense and defense switched in that instant.
The two looked at each other, speechless…
Chu Yi didn’t know why the tears wouldn’t stop. He was only trying to act to deceive the tyrant.
Sheng Qianheng hesitated for a long time before speaking. “I just wanted you to tell me yourself. The piles of memorials on my desk are all petitions for me to kill you. What do you want me to do?”
Chu Yi continued to sob with fake tears. “I… kill me or cut me up, as you please…”
Sheng Qianheng sighed. “Eat first.”
Chu Yi sniffled and turned back. “Your Majesty, just give me a word about my life.”
“Open your mouth, ah…” Sheng Qianheng held the bowl of congee, feeding Chu Yi spoonful by spoonful. “Why are you calling me Your Majesty now?”
Chu Yi was forced to drink several more mouthfuls of the plain congee. It was truly bland and tasteless; they hadn’t even bothered to add a pinch of salt.
He felt like he was about to be beheaded anyway, so he spouted nonsense, “Whether I call you that or not, I’m still going to be executed.”
Sheng Qianheng was so exasperated he laughed, then sighed. “Finish the congee first. We’ll discuss the rest later.”
Chu Yi took the bowl, set it down, and then picked up his chopsticks to eat some of the other dishes. “Does this mean Your Majesty believes me and isn’t planning to kill me?”
Sheng Qianheng: “Whether I believe you is useless. It only matters if the court officials believe you.”
Chu Yi’s brain cells couldn’t keep up. He couldn’t be bothered to deal with the tyrant and just focused on eating.
He was going to die sooner or later, so he might as well eat his fill and die on a full stomach.
After they finished their meal, they had the servants clear the food. Chu Yi was taken back to the bedchamber to rest.
Sheng Qianheng returned to the imperial study to discuss matters.
The rebels involved in the assassination had already been eliminated, except for the ringleader, Chu Yi…
These past few days, aside from being confined to Sheng Qianheng’s bedchamber to eat and drink, Chu Yi had nothing to do.
Calming incense had been burning in the bedchamber for days, and Chu Yi slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking.
Sheng Qianheng accompanied Chu Yi for the midday meal, then took him to the training grounds to practice archery.
The training grounds were about the size of three or four cuju fields. The archery targets were in the southwest corner. Sheng Qianheng had a palanquin, while Chu Yi had to walk a good few kilometers with the accompanying servants. He began to complain softly, “Your Majesty, this subject is but a civil official. I cannot be Your Majesty’s sparring partner; on the contrary, I am a burden.”
“Tired of walking?” Sheng Qianheng sensed Chu Yi’s need. He stepped down from the palanquin, scooped Chu Yi up by the knees, and held him in his arms. He bounced him gently a couple of times and then slowed his pace.
Chu Yi was startled. How did this tyrant sense what he needed?
Although he didn’t have a palanquin to sit in now, being carried was much easier. He found his tolerance level was getting higher and higher; he didn’t resist the princess carry at all. The moment he was lifted, a faint floral scent drifted past his nose. “Has Your Majesty been using incense? It smells wonderful.”
Sheng Qianheng guessed that after their first union, Chu Yi had become very sensitive to his xìnxiāng. He could smell it even when he wasn’t releasing it. “Do you like it?”
Chu Yi felt his head grow groggy, likely from fatigue. Dealing with the tyrant had unknowingly consumed a great deal of his mental and physical energy. “This subject likes it. It’s faint and very refreshing.”
When they reached the archery range, Sheng Qianheng gently set Chu Yi down, then summoned a servant to help them put on their archery protective gear.
Chu Yi was forced to put on a jue and a sui. He glanced at the token on the tyrant’s belt, lamenting that he hadn’t managed to steal it when the tyrant was carrying him! He hadn’t had a chance to get close to Sheng Qianheng these past few days. It seemed he would have to find another opportunity.
Sheng Qianheng turned and met Chu Yi’s direct gaze, roughly guessing his intentions. He didn’t plan to expose him. “Did A-Yi learn archery as a child?”
Chu Yi shook his head.
This answer was exactly what Sheng Qianheng wanted. He took a suitable bow and arrow and handed it to Chu Yi. “Zhen will teach you.”
Only then did Chu Yi realize that when they were alone in the tyrant’s bedchamber, Sheng Qianheng hadn’t referred to himself as “Zhen,” but “I.” Why was that?
“Look straight ahead, feet shoulder-width apart, chest out, abdomen in.” Sheng Qianheng stood behind him, one hand on Chu Yi’s waist, correcting his posture.
Chu Yi’s ears had always been rather sensitive. Sheng Qianheng’s breath fell beside his ear, feeling exceptionally intimate. He silently shifted a step to the left. “Your Majesty, we are too close. I’m afraid it will cause gossip.”
Sheng Qianheng had long since stopped caring about the opinions of others. He pulled Chu Yi back into his arms, his cheek brushing against Chu Yi’s. “Who would dare to gossip about Zhen? If any servant speaks ill of you, they’ll be beheaded.”
Chu Yi shivered involuntarily. There was truth to the saying that the imperial family was the most heartless. What reason could he expect from a man who had killed his own father to seize the throne?
Sheng Qianheng turned Chu Yi to face him, pinching his chin. “Afraid of Zhen?”
Chu Yi shook his head. How could he dare to speak…
Sheng Qianheng: “You were never afraid of Zhen before.”
Chu Yi’s eyelashes trembled. “Was I?”
It wasn’t recorded in the book, so he didn’t know.
Sheng Qianheng: “You used to always call me stupid and bring up the fact that I hadn’t started my formal education at the age of five.”
Chu Yi gave an awkward laugh…
This tyrant is very sharp. The original owner was so bold!
Sheng Qianheng gave Chu Yi a rough lesson on how to shoot an arrow, then reached up to pinch his earlobe, the corner of his lip curling. “Want to play a game?”
Chu Yi was confused. “What?”
Chu Yi watched as Sheng Qianheng stood alone in front of the target, took an apple from a servant, and placed it on his head. He then spoke to him, “Chu Yi, Zhen is giving you a chance for revenge. Take your bow and arrow, shoot the apple on Zhen’s head. Whether you hit it or not is entirely up to you.”
Chu Yi felt neither love nor hate for Sheng Qianheng. He was just the male lead of the book, though he had almost caused his death.
But if he were asked to kill someone, he would never dare. He picked up the bow and arrow but hesitated to act.
Chu Yi could only run forward, shouting, “Your Majesty, this subject dares not!”
Sheng Qianheng was taking a gamble. He was betting on whether Chu Yi was truly the leader of the assassination plot. This was the perfect opportunity; a single arrow could take his life. If he bet wrong, he would only lose his life. If he bet right, no matter how many court officials submitted memorials demanding Chu Yi’s execution, he could reject them all.
“Chu Yi, if you do not shoot this arrow, you will be disobeying an imperial edict. That is a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of your family. Do you really want to be put in that brocade box?”
Chu Yi had no choice but to stand his ground, trying his best to steady his trembling hands, and aim as best he could at the apple on the tyrant’s head.
The moment the arrow left the string, his right hand was still shaking.
He didn’t dare to look…
The tyrant might die in this instant.
Sheng Qianheng was truly a tyrant, holding even his own life in contempt, let alone others’. To survive, he had to shoot this arrow.
The arrow ultimately landed on the target. The apple was unharmed. Sheng Qianheng glanced at it, then took the apple down and walked toward Chu Yi.
Chu Yi couldn’t bear to kill him! The affection of many years still remained.
The moment Sheng Qianheng stood before Chu Yi, Chu Yi was still in a daze. He seemed to smell the floral scent again and unconsciously hugged him.
Sheng Qianheng raised a hand and patted Chu Yi’s back, comforting him in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I’m still here.”
After his emotions stabilized, Chu Yi silently stepped back. Perhaps the drastic emotional swing had made him cry without realizing it. He turned his back and wiped his tears with his sleeve.
Sheng Qianheng tilted his head. “Crying? Why are you like a child?”
Chu Yi choked back a sob. “Your Majesty is the child.”
Sheng Qianheng gently placed his hands on Chu Yi’s shoulders, turning him to face him. He cupped his face, moving closer inch by inch, his hot breath fanning across Chu Yi’s cheeks.
“Chu Yi, do you know that you look like a femme fatale who could topple a nation?”
Chu Yi lifted his tear-filled eyes and looked into the depths of Sheng Qianheng’s, momentarily forgetting what he was going to say.
In an instant, only a few inches remained between him and the tyrant…
Translator’s Notes
-
cuju : An ancient Chinese game similar to soccer, recognized by FIFA as the earliest form of football.
-
jue and sui : Jue is a thumb ring used in archery to protect the thumb when drawing the bowstring. Sui is a type of wrist guard.
