Chapter 7

Almost the instant Yun Yin appeared, the expression on Li Chunjin’s face immediately changed.

First, she looked up in shock, then bit her lip in disbelief.

But it was her nature; she ultimately refused to show weakness. Hearing Yun Yin’s words, she clenched her sleeves tight, yet still braced herself and sneered coldly: “I never named anyone specifically. Why does the Prince of Pingnan feel so guilty himself?”

Yun Yin nodded. “Her Highness speaks true.”

“But Her Highness doesn’t even dare to name names,” he said with a smile, “yet comes to accuse others of lacking moral integrity. Is that not being overly strict with others and overly lenient with oneself?”

Li Chunjin’s face flashed blue and white instantly.

She instinctively looked at Li Zhaoyi, but saw him only staring blankly at Yun Yin, with no particular reaction to these words. As if he had long seen through everything.

For example, the reason he was publicly humiliated by Li Chunjin was simply because she bullied the weak and feared the strong.

Li Chunjin’s expression was awful.

But she truly didn’t dare to openly challenge Yun Yin at this moment. In fact—

She gritted her teeth and thought.

In fact, since that night in Hidden Dragon Hall, no one had the ability to do so anymore.

She almost regretted her momentary verbal slip. Grinding her teeth, she said: “What the facts truly are, the Prince knows in his heart. I still have some matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you debating here.”

Having said this, she attempted to leave.

“Halt.” Yun Yin said.

Silence pervaded. Li Zhaoyi raised his head, and for the first time, saw a frost-like coldness in the man’s eyes.

This was completely unrestrained sharpness, carrying the bloody, oppressive air of the battlefield. Not far away, Li Chunjin’s jawline trembled slightly.

She was afraid.

Yun Yin smiled, very gently. “Your Highness, when you see the Son of Heaven, you are to perform the formal greeting.”

At his words, Li Chunjin’s face went pale. De Quan, to the side, slowly let out a breath, finally regaining his composure. He stayed bowed, tidying Li Zhaoyi’s slightly askew hem for him.

While De Quan was calm and collected, Li Chunjin’s lips were already trembling. She raised her voice sharply:

“Yun Yin! Don’t push people too far!”

As her voice fell, a flash of cold light streaked by. Li Chunjin’s pupils dilated. Something grazed past her ear, followed immediately by a loud crash behind her.

Trembling, she turned her head. A gleaming, cold dagger was firmly embedded in the rockery behind her.

“I do not say the same thing twice.”

Yun Yin’s tone was indifferent.

Dead silence.

Li Chunjin’s face was ashen, her hair slightly disheveled, staring fixedly at the man before her as if she wanted to swallow him alive.

After a tense standoff lasting a few moments, she clenched her sleeves, walked up to Li Zhaoyi, and performed a standard, formal palace salute:

“…Greetings, Your Majesty.”

These four words seemed wrung out from between her teeth.

Li Zhaoyi looked at her, unsure what to say.

Li Chunjin clearly wasn’t waiting to hear anything from him. Having performed the salute, she turned directly and left the scene. A guard jogged over to return the dagger to Yun Yin. He took it back, hung it at his waist, and looked at Li Zhaoyi with a normal expression:

“Your Majesty, let us return to the palace.”

–

On the way back, Li Zhaoyi kept sneaking glances at Yun Yin.

It had to be said, although he didn’t actually care about Changping’s attitude towards him, Yun Yin had clearly just gone to great lengths to defend him publicly.

He was hesitating whether to thank him when he heard Yun Yin speak:

“Mu Ke.”

Li Zhaoyi: ???

He silently asked De Quan with his eyes: Did you change your name?

De Quan looked entirely innocent.

Then, he saw a young man in black suddenly appear before them.

Li Zhaoyi blinked his eyes.

He watched as Yun Yin calmly instructed this person who had appeared out of nowhere: “Go to Wei Manor. Inform Wei Jian of today’s events. And then tell him I said, the Grand Princess still seems unwell. There’s no need for her to go out again for the near future.”

Mu Ke bowed in acknowledgment.

He flew away. Li Zhaoyi’s eyes went wide. As if only just remembering, Yun Yin explained nonchalantly: “Shadow Guard.”

“Was following Your Majesty previously,” he said. “Many assassins in the palace, for Your Majesty’s safety.”

Li Zhaoyi looked at him, a bit uneasy. “…Following all the time?”

Yun Yin paused slightly.

Li Zhaoyi looked at him, the tips of his ears slightly red, thinking about how he kicked off his blankets while sleeping and secretly played with the water during his bath.

He felt guilty, but Yun Yin also didn’t speak for a few seconds, not knowing what he was thinking. Finally, he said: “Not around the clock.”

Li Zhaoyi felt slightly relieved. He continued debating whether to thank him when Yun Yin suddenly spoke, “Your Majesty, watch your step.”

Li Zhaoyi: ???

In the next second, he stepped on a loose pebble, losing his balance and pitching forward.

This gave De Quan a fright, and Li Zhaoyi himself was startled too. But before he could react, a pair of hands from behind steadily caught him.

Yun Yin held his slender wrist, half-supporting him to stand upright, then released him.

“…Thank you,” Li Zhaoyi said, still shaken.

The delicate warmth Yun Yin’s fingertips had touched still lingered. A faint scent of Calming Incense drifted to his nose, the subtle fragrance cultivated over years spent indoors. He furrowed his brow slightly, discreetly letting go of Li Zhaoyi:

“You’re welcome.”

He said: “Your Majesty, you’ve arrived.”

Li Zhaoyi looked up. Indeed, they had already reached the entrance of Bright Clarity Hall.

~

Perhaps it was about to rain, but that evening was exceptionally stifling.

Li Zhaoyi didn’t mind heat much, but hated stuffiness. With Yun Yin there for dinner, he dared not eat less, but even after eating, he still felt stuffy. He wanted to go out for some fresh air, and also wanted a bath.

When he voiced this, hoping Yun Yin would leave, Yun Yin didn’t take the hint at all. Instead, he headed straight for the inner chamber.

Li Zhaoyi said: “…You’re staying to review memorials today?”

Yun Yin said: “Probably.”

Li Zhaoyi tried persuasion: “It’s about to rain. You can still leave now.”

Yun Yin said nonchalantly: “If it’s too late, Your Majesty could take me in for one night. I think the Side Hall looks quite suitable.”

Li Zhaoyi: “…”

He had no choice but to sit down, somewhat frustrated, at the main desk.

“Oh, right.” Remembering something else, he asked, “Your Shadow Guard left. When will he be back?”

Yun Yin finally looked up from the memorials and glanced at him.

Li Zhaoyi looked back at him innocently, his black-and-white eyes clear, as if one could see straight to the bottom.

Yun Yin said: “Likely won’t be back. Why does Your Majesty ask?”

Li Zhaoyi was also baffled by the question.

He said: “You said he was here to protect me.”

Yun Yin said: “And?”

Li Zhaoyi said: “Then am I… not as safe as before now?”

Yun Yin: …

He didn’t answer. Li Zhaoyi felt awkward.

He said: “You’re busy.”

As his words fell, a timely thunderclap boomed outside.

Sure enough, it started to rain.

–

The spring shower came swiftly and heavily.

Outside, the rain roared; inside, it was quiet and still. Li Zhaoyi sat rigidly at the desk, holding a brush. On the paper before him were no written characters, only a charmingly silly, three-legged cat.

The cat’s expression was vividly depicted, but that missing leg still hadn’t been drawn in.

Li Zhaoyi’s mind was wandering badly. On the table, the candle flames danced.

He kept feeling that Yun Yin’s attitude today was somewhat different.

Normally, Yun Yin also liked to tease him, but generally observed basic decorum. Tonight, however, he seemed to have completely forgotten this. His words carried a hint of jest, but also an absent-minded coldness.

Was something on his mind?

He wanted to ask. But didn’t dare.

With matters weighing on his mind, he couldn’t focus on drawing either. He thought again of Yun Yin facing Li Chunjin.

Very calm, utterly in control. And cold, very much a stranger.

He realized Li Chunjin might have been right.

Yun Yin did hold back somewhat when dealing with him.

Why was that?

Li Zhaoyi’s heart beat rapidly. Coming back to his senses, he discovered Yun Yin standing right beside him.

Yun Yin was scrutinizing his painting. Li Zhaoyi was so startled he nearly jumped out of his chair, looking flustered, and heard him comment:

“Your Majesty’s painting skill is quite good.”

Compared to writing, Li Zhaoyi used his brush far more for drawing.

Unsystematic freehand sketching using heavy ink; over time, it could still hold a few hints of natural charm.

Li Zhaoyi didn’t know why he’d suddenly come over and had to follow his line of conversation: “…Not very good at drawing people.”

This was the truth.

In the Cold Palace, there were many flowers, birds, fish, and insects, but people were few. And those who were there were mostly mad.

He really had no suitable subjects to sketch from.

Yun Yin didn’t comment, but suddenly drew the brush Li Zhaoyi had been holding tightly from his hand.

–

Li Zhaoyi was instantly jolted awake.

He stared somewhat stunned at Yun Yin, who showed not a single trace of awareness that he’d just committed a highly disrespectful act. He said: “Your Majesty, go sit over there.”

Ordering him around now too.

Li Zhaoyi… Li Zhaoyi went and sat down.

Not knowing what Yun Yin was up to, he instinctively looked up to watch his movements, simultaneously straightening his back. Yun Yin glanced at him, raised his wrist, and sketched a few strokes on the paper.

Li Zhaoyi’s curiosity was piqued. He sensed something, yet couldn’t quite believe it. It wasn’t until Yun Yin said “Done” that he nervously dashed over to look at the paper on the table.

It was a simple, small portrait, only roughly outlining the form and facial features. Only the eyes were depicted vividly and expressively, letting Li Zhaoyi recognize himself at a glance.

He froze.

Perhaps because his expression was too astonished, Yun Yin’s lips finally curved slightly. He said: “When painting a portrait, the most important part is the eyes.”

He was responding to Li Zhaoyi’s remark about “not very good at drawing people.”

He laid down the brush. Li Zhaoyi sat back down, unable to resist going to scrutinize the small portrait on the table again.

Strictly speaking, this could hardly be called a complete painting.

But as Yun Yin said, the essence of a portrait lay in the eyes.

The eyes in the painting were beautiful and lively, lending the entire work a natural spirit. Combined with the simple outline of the form, it was incredibly lifelike.

The more Li Zhaoyi looked, the more he liked it. But at a certain moment, a strange sense of danger suddenly struck him.

He wanted to look up, but abruptly froze in place.

Warm breath brushed his ear. His body was completely enveloped from behind. He lowered his head and saw the gleaming, razor-sharp blade pressed against his neck.