Helan Ji had cut the inner side of his forearm, avoiding tendons and vital points, but he had brutally carved out a chunk of flesh. The pale skin contrasted starkly with the bloody incision, and blood dripped steadily from his hand.
“Ah, Your Majesty!”
Everyone present was terrified. The more timid palace servants screamed and scrambled toward Helan Ji, fearing he might impulsively cut himself again.
This was their supreme and most noble emperor of Great Yong. His body was worth a fortune in gold—people fretted even over a few lost hairs. Now he was so gravely injured; if questioned, they wouldn’t have enough heads to chop off!
The closest to Helan Ji was Ji Yuheng. His face paled abruptly, and he hurriedly pressed down on Helan Ji’s hand to seize the dagger. “Father Emperor, stop!”
Helan Ji had just recovered from a serious illness and had lost a lot of blood, so he was no match for Ji Yuheng in strength. Ji Yuheng snatched the dagger and tossed it aside. Helan Ji’s blood stained his hands red, making them tremble violently. “Quick, summon the imperial physician!”
Amid the chaos, a small snow-white furball bounced out, leaping onto Helan Ji’s knee. It wailed loudly, “Your Majesty!”
Rabbit Tuan sprawled on Helan Ji’s lap, anxiously nipping at his sleeve. Its clean rabbit fur was stained with blood.
Its black round eyes brimmed with large teardrops, its pink nose twitching nonstop. It clawed at Helan Ji’s wrist with its tiny paws. “Your Majesty, don’t punish yourself like this… Let me see your wound. Why is there so much blood? Why are you so harsh on yourself…”
“Yuan Yuan…”
Helan Ji froze. The stern coldness in his brows shattered instantly. Instinctively, he covered the wound with his sleeve, revealing a rare hint of fluster. “How did you get here?”
“I guessed you might be here, so I came. Let go—let me see. We need to stop the bleeding…”
Rabbit Tuan tugged at Helan Ji’s sleeve with its teeth, tears falling nonstop. It ached so much for him that it couldn’t help blaming him. He had transferred so much Demon Power to heal that body—how could His Majesty harm himself like this?
But it blamed itself even more. It was all because of him that Helan Ji hurt himself.
Due to blood loss, Helan Ji’s lips had paled. Knowing he couldn’t stop Rabbit Tuan, he waved the palace servants away. “All of you, withdraw.”
Everyone except Eunuch Xue left the hall. Over time, most palace servants knew the Noble Consort was a rabbit demon in disguise, but it was never openly mentioned—an unspoken secret among them.
Rabbit Tuan sniffled and shifted back to human form. From the jade token, it retrieved hemostatic powder and healing pills, applying them to stop Helan Ji’s bleeding and dress the wound.
These were pills Xie Shu had given him in the ancient mirror realm. The surroundings had been fraught with danger then, so Xie Shu had prepared many just in case. He hadn’t expected the first use to be on Helan Ji.
Xie Shu’s collection consisted of top-grade spiritual medicines with excellent efficacy. Helan Ji’s wound healed quickly, leaving only a sizable scar that would take time to fade. It stood out glaringly on his pale skin.
Qixue stroked the wound tenderly, heartbroken, tears still falling silently. His demeanor was pitiably fragile.
Helan Ji lowered his gaze and wiped away his tears. “Don’t cry, Yuan Yuan. Your medicine works well. I’m already fine.”
Qixue sat by his leg, resting his cheek on Helan Ji’s knee and nuzzling his palm gently. In a small voice, he asked, “Your Majesty, you’ve already figured everything out, haven’t you? That’s why you’re punishing Yun Qi and the East Palace servants?”
Anyone could tell Helan Ji’s reason for punishing Ji Yuheng was a pretext. The palace kept many demonic beasts, and the Zhu Yan Guards often patrolled with them. The East Palace guards’ beasts frequently brushed against things—claiming a beast had intruded was absurd.
The real reason Helan Ji punished Ji Yuheng was one: he had discovered the affair between Ji Yuheng and Qixue.
He raised his teary eyes, gazing sorrowfully at Helan Ji. Faced with that pitiful look, Helan Ji couldn’t offer any evasion. He could only nod slightly. “Yes.”
Qixue’s heart clenched. “When did you find out?”
“Yesterday.”
Helan Ji said slowly, “After you left Chang Le Palace, I sent demons to infiltrate Mingguang Palace. They discovered you secretly meeting the Crown Prince at night, entwined together on the bed all night long.”
His tone was flat, yet it exploded like thunder in the ears. A chill shot up Ji Yuheng’s spine, his heart plummeting into despair. He was doomed.
Despite the desperation, he didn’t hesitate. He kowtowed to Helan Ji in atonement. “This son knows his sins are grave and indefensible. But please punish this son alone, Father Emperor. This son willingly accepts.”
“But Mother Concubine… Mother Concubine is innocent. This son harbored illicit intentions toward Mother Concubine, coveting his beauty. I coerced and tempted him. Mother Concubine was forced by this son and had no choice but to yield. He did not betray Father Emperor willingly. Please discern the truth, Father Emperor, and absolve Mother Concubine.”
Even when his own life hung by a thread, he was willing to sacrifice himself to protect Qixue.
Qixue was already heartbroken, and hearing Ji Yuheng defend him made the tears flow even more uncontrollably. “No, it’s not like that. The one who coerced and tempted was me. It’s all my fault. I seduced Yun Qi first…”
He pleadingly grasped Helan Ji’s hand, nuzzling his palm. Helan Ji lowered his gaze and gently stroked Qixue’s hair.
Helan Ji said, “I don’t blame you, Yuan Yuan. This isn’t your fault. You’re a mountain spirit, free by nature. For the Demon Clan, pursuing pleasure is instinct. I would never bind you with human morals and ethics.”
“But the Crown Prince is different. Raised on classics of poetry, rites, music, and imperial edicts, how could he not know right from wrong, honor and shame? His affair with Mother Concubine is a crime; doing it knowingly is greater sin. As emperor, husband, and father, in any role, I cannot lightly forgive him.”
“Of course… I have my faults too. I failed to teach him properly, so I deserve punishment. I carved out my own flesh as reprimand. Now it’s the Crown Prince’s turn.”
Helan Ji’s tone turned cold. “From today, the Crown Prince is confined to Mingguang Palace without decree; no leaving. Palace servants negligent—dock three months’ pay. Personal guards—fifty strokes of the staff.”
Eunuch Xue noted the verbal decree and bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Ji Yuheng bowed deeply in thanks, his expression unreadable. “This son thanks Father Emperor.”
Helan Ji took Qixue’s hand and whispered, “Let’s go back.”
They boarded the emperor’s palanquin together. Qixue clutched Helan Ji’s bloodstained sleeve, tears falling nonstop. Guilt and heartache filled his heart to the brim. He would rather Helan Ji punish him than see him harm himself like this.
Helan Ji pulled him into his arms, meticulously drying his tear tracks with a handkerchief. He applied fragrant balm to Qixue’s eyes and cheeks to prevent skin damage from excessive crying.
After a long silence, he asked Qixue, “Yuan Yuan, do you blame me? For confining Yun Qi?”
“…I blame myself.”
Qixue shook his head, trying hard to hold back tears so they wouldn’t melt the balm. “It’s because I’m no good that Your Majesty punished himself and Yun Qi. It’s all my fault.”
“Yuan Yuan, I said it’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”
Helan Ji sighed softly. “I didn’t want you to know about today. I only meant a light punishment for Yun Qi, then send him out of Shangjing for training a few years.”
“I have no intention of harshly punishing Yun Qi. He has a sharp mind, is strategic and decisive, with a benevolent heart—the ideal heir. I won’t depose him from the East Palace just because he admires you.”
“But as your husband, I can’t ignore your affair.”
Helan Ji’s voice was low as he held Qixue tighter, his dark phoenix eyes bottomless. “Yuan Yuan… If I want you to cut ties with Yun Qi and send him away from Shangjing, would you resent me? Would you ignore me forever?”
“I wouldn’t resent Your Majesty. How could I…”
Qixue shook his head frantically, clutching Helan Ji’s sleeve. But recalling Ji Yuheng’s deeply bowed back and his choked, almost frozen voice, he couldn’t bring himself to sever ties completely.
His most beloved was undoubtedly His Majesty—no one compared. But… his feelings for Yun Qi weren’t fake either. He…
“You really like him?” Helan Ji asked.
“I…”
Qixue opened his mouth, unsure how to answer.
He did like Yun Qi, but did he need to admit it in front of His Majesty?
In two months, he would fake his death and leave. No matter who he loved, he’d leave them. So agreeing to cut ties early—what did it matter? Just two months sooner.
Yet deep down, he resisted. With only two months left, they would part forever. He wanted a proper farewell with each—no bad blood, so they wouldn’t regret after he left…
Qixue’s distress was obvious. What more was there for Helan Ji to not understand? “You really like him.”
“I…” Qixue stammered, “I do like Yun Qi, but my greatest love is only Your Majesty… I swear to Your Majesty I won’t meet him secretly again. Can Your Majesty not send him away from Shangjing? I’ll talk to him properly…”
In his anxiety, his eyes welled up again. He murmured, “Don’t drive him away…”
“I won’t.”
Helan Ji soothingly touched his face. “Since you like him, I won’t send him out of Shangjing.”
“…Really?” Qixue sniffled, hardly believing it, asking softly.
“An emperor’s word is worth nine tripods—how could I go back on it?” Helan Ji lightly tapped his nose. “What I promise you, I’ll do.”
“Thank you…” Qixue was so moved he didn’t know what to do, hugging him tightly. “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
He nuzzled in Helan Ji’s arms like a spoiled rabbit, identical to his true form. A trace of gentleness softened Helan Ji’s cold expression. “You’re finally smiling, Yuan Yuan. No matter what, I just want you to be happy.”
“Though I punished Yun Qi, in my view, his feelings for you aren’t bad. I’ve always worried most about you. After I’m gone in a hundred years, with him and Wei Huai caring for you, I can rest easy.”
“In this life, I’ve had no joy. You are my only joy.”
“But I don’t want your joy to be just me. If you have many people you like surrounding you always, you’ll be happy every moment.”
“That’s what I want.”
“Yuan Yuan, be happy.”
