He rubbed his eyes again and again. “Young Master Su… is it really Su Mingya?”
Su Mingya opened his arms to him.
Gu Xiaodeng could no longer suppress months of suffocating oppression. He rushed forward and plunged into his embrace, bursting into loud sobs.
Su Mingya bent down to hold him, coaxing him over and over in a hoarse voice: “There, there, little one. It’s alright now. I know everything. There’s nothing to be afraid of anymore.”
Gu Xiaodeng couldn’t utter a single word. He only knew he was wailing with his head bowed, hoarse and exhausted.
In the end, he heard only himself repeating Su Mingya’s name over and over, clutching at the single thread of spider silk left to him in Changluo.
In the depths of winter, during the twelfth month, heavy snow fell. Su Mingya wore a cloak, wrapping Gu Xiaodeng up with him as they snuggled before a heater for warmth. Gu Xiaodeng would occasionally lift his head, and Su Mingya would occasionally lower his, kissing him again and again.
When Gu Xiaodeng had first hidden in the Bright Candle Room, he still suffered from insomnia, apprehensive and severely lacking a sense of security. Su Mingya had held him, fully clothed, as they slept for seven nights straight, comforting him with coaxing and kisses. By the twelfth month, Gu Xiaodeng’s face had finally regained its vibrant vitality.
Gu Xiaodeng had a string of questions daily—asking about Su Xiaoyuan and the others, about the Gu Family, the Su Family, Changluo. Every time, Su Mingya would reply that all was calm, coaxing him to behave and hide here.
And so he watched as, when great waves surged, Xiaodeng docilely became his golden canary in a cage.
After their kiss, Su Mingya gently rubbed the tear tracks on Gu Xiaodeng’s cheek. He slipped his cold hand into Xiaodeng’s warm clothing, pressing against his chest, holding his waist. Warmly yet coercively, he drew upon his warmth.
“Young Master Su is so chilly.” Gu Xiaodeng scrunched his neck, still curled up in his arms like a small animal. He held Su Mingya’s left hand, breathing warm air onto it.
“Indeed, unlike Xiaodeng, who’s all warm and cozy.” Su Mingya lowered his eyes, resting on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. How he truly wished he could break him apart and tether him to his wrist.
But there was no way. The Gu Family wanted to proactively gift Gu Xiaodeng to the Second Prince as a symbolic present, a symbolic alliance, which the Su Family was only too delighted to see. The Prince Zhenbei, Gu Yan, intended to use the entire Gu Family as the cornerstone to balance the two factions, just as the Imperial Family had once made the Gu Family send their eldest daughter, Gu Renli, off for a political marriage. Ten years had come full circle, and Zhenbei Prince Mansion remained the most loyal, most willing-to-be-sacrificed servant.
The Crown Princess’s succession was inevitable. For the Su Family to continue guarding their position as the first and foremost family, they could only cheer as Gu Yan ceded influence. Gu Yan wanted to give a nominal sworn son to the Second Prince, to make a statement to the Crown Princess: even after she ascended the throne, she couldn’t freely deal a killing blow to the other imperial heirs. He could consecutively offer up his own sworn son and biological daughter, staking the Gu Family’s military power as a counterbalance.
The Su Family couldn’t wait for Gu Yan to be so stubbornly loyal, couldn’t wait for the Gu Family to fall under the future Empress’s disfavor.
That way, the future successor of his Su Family would continue to wield absolute authority in the Imperial Court, standing above all others.
Had Gu Yan not taken the initiative to hand Gu Xiaodeng over as a gift, had Gu Jinyu, stationed in the Outer State, not used his power to suppress the entire Gu Family in return, Su Mingya could have continued to fight.
Now, he was forced to weigh the options, alongside the Su Family, again and again. He was to be the Su Family’s successor; he only wanted the best. The Su Family refused to be subordinate to the Gu Family, just as he couldn’t bear being subordinate to Gu Jinyu.
Su Mingya wanted the best power, the best beauty. If he couldn’t have both the fish and the bear’s paw, then there was no other way.
Gu Jinyu wanted to drag the entire Gu Family to lean toward the Eastern Palace. Gu Yan wouldn’t permit it. An Ruoyi, Gu Ruhui, Gu Pinghan, none of them could influence the outcome. Since the person couldn’t be sent over openly, it would be done in secret.
The Su Family would give a push. At the same time, the Su Family had Su Mingya give a push.
“This winter seems especially cold,” Gu Xiaodeng murmured unknowingly, nuzzling him. “When will spring come? When the weather warms up, I want to disguise myself and go out for a walk. Mingya, do you think things will have settled by then? The Gu Family probably won’t need me as a bridge for balance anymore, right?”
“Yes,” Su Mingya held him tightly. His Asthma Affliction had clearly healed, but it always seemed to relapse whenever he was in front of Xiaodeng.
The Gu Family could meticulously raise one Gu Xiaodeng. With the Su Family’s manpower, having raised Su Xiaoyuan now, they could certainly raise an even more similar, better, more perfect rarity in the future.
In the future, perhaps there would be Little Paper, Little Scent.[T/N: Xiaodeng means ‘Little Lamp’, so ‘Little Paper’ and ‘Little Scent’ follow the same naming theme]
Without Gu Xiaodeng, the Su Family could gather everyone in the world who resembled him to their side. Sooner or later, someone would replace him.
Power and influence were exhaustible; playthings were inexhaustible.
To the extent that, as long as one’s power was strong enough, even if the other party was the Second Prince, so what? He might not necessarily be unable to snatch Gu Xiaodeng back.
If he regretted it later, he could just go and seize him back then.
He would definitely be able to snatch him back.
“You want to go out to play, no need to wait for spring. Remember the Winter Hunt I promised you at the end of spring?” Su Mingya held him tightly, struggling to steady his breathing. “In four days, I’ll be heading to Baiyong Mountain outside the city. Do you want to…”
He still couldn’t finish the sentence.
Gu Xiaodeng hesitated too. Although he did recall that liar Gu Jinyu’s instructions, he was more afraid of causing trouble for Su Mingya.
He leaned worriedly against Su Mingya’s chest, listening to his accelerating heartbeat. “Wouldn’t it cause you too much trouble? I can continue hiding here.”
“No trouble at all.”
The words escaped Su Mingya’s lips. Strangely, his heartbeat steadied.
Perhaps lies and moral bottom lines were the same; once you took the first step, what followed was no longer difficult.
Calmly, straightforwardly, Su Mingya invited Gu Xiaodeng to accompany him to Baiyong Mountain. So calm that even he himself was fooled by the illusion, as if he truly intended to take him out sightseeing.
As if they were not goods and a supplier, but truly a pair of lovers.
On the eighth day of the twelfth month, Gu Xiaodeng, wearing a disguised face and dressed in the uniform of a close attendant guard, stayed by Su Mingya’s side. Amid the leisurely swaying caravan, they departed Changluo City. Throughout the journey, he suppressed his excitement and timidity, not daring to look outside through the carriage window, for fear of encountering any familiar face.
Inside the carriage, Su Mingya calmly and naturally pulled him onto his lap, checking the scenery outside the window for him. “Rest assured, your disguise is flawless. No one will recognize you.”
Gu Xiaodeng asked quietly, “Has the Gu Family really not discovered I’ve run away? Xiaoyuan, in the Student Courtyard, hasn’t been exposed, has he?”
“No.” Su Mingya lightly kissed his dimple. “Just relax and enjoy yourself.”
Gu Xiaodeng breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn’t quite grasp where the faint, ominous intuition in his heart came from. On the journey, he could only repeatedly check the disguise on his face.
They departed at sunrise and arrived at Si hour (9-11 am). Dozens of noble families from Changluo arrived at Baiyong Mountain outside the city in a grand procession. The camps were already set up. The Su Family was situated in a prosperous, flat, open area. The camps were sparse and secure, relatively close to the Imperial Family’s.
After getting off the carriage, Gu Xiaodeng carefully surveyed the land. On the horizon not far away, there was a small pond enclosed by a fence. Unfrozen in this bitterly cold deep winter weather, guards led their horses there to drink.
He took a deep breath of the icy but free air, so cold it chilled his heart, yet he felt immensely at ease.
Passing through the crowd of noble scions in their extravagant finery, he even spotted Ge Dongchen and Guan Yunji brushing past him in the crowd. They were following behind a tall, imposing young man in black. Gu Xiaodeng only glanced once before not daring to look again, quickly lowering his head.
On this trip out of the city, he still carried the piece of Blood Jade Gu Ruhui had given him in his bosom. He didn’t even know why he had brought it.
The main event of the Winter Hunt was only on the second day. The first day was just for rest and settling in. During the day, people came and went, creating quite a bustle. After entering Su Mingya’s tent, Gu Xiaodeng didn’t leave, listening to the voices until nightfall. Only then did Su Mingya return, bringing back a weariness born of excessive socializing. Seeing Xiaodeng, even his smile was strained.
Gu Xiaodeng walked over to embrace him. He also bent down. Alone in the tent, Su Mingya kissed his earlobe gently and whispered, “Tomorrow, you can go out.”
“It’s fine if I don’t go out either,” Gu Xiaodeng nuzzled him lovingly. “I’ve seen the heavens and the earth, and I’ve seen Su Mingya under this heaven and earth. That’s already enough.”
Su Mingya’s breath hitched. He suddenly said, “Xiaodeng, I want to drink with you. Will you accompany me for a light drink?”
Gu Xiaodeng smiled. “If your health allows, I’m certainly happy to oblige!”
Su Mingya then carried him to the table side. He personally warmed a pot of wine, poured a cup, and clinked glasses with him. He poured a second cup, passing it into Xiaodeng’s mouth.
In his days at the Star-Picking Tower, Gu Xiaodeng often shared water with him like this. Usually a charming intimate act, this time felt somewhat different.
The taste of this second cup of wine entering his mouth was not the same as the first.
It seemed to have a faint medicinal taste. He wondered if it might be medicinal wine. A pang of regret touched Gu Xiaodeng’s heart. His Medicine Person constitution made any tonic useless on him; it was truly a waste of a heavenly treasure.
Gu Xiaodeng swallowed it all. After swallowing, he felt a bit dizzy. Su Mingya’s slightly cold hand slowly covered his eyes, and he whispered softly in Xiaodeng’s ear, “Sleep well.”
Gu Xiaodeng thought it was just his low alcohol tolerance. Reassured, he closed his eyes and slumped into Su Mingya’s arms.
It felt like he was sleeping in a cradle. But tonight it was merely two cups of light wine; he shouldn’t be unconscious for too long. Soon, Gu Xiaodeng groggily woke up.
But he couldn’t open his eyes.
His eyes were bound by a blindfold, and he was held in an embrace that was somewhat unfamiliar, yet also seemed achingly familiar. Someone grasped his wrists. Someone held his waist. There were at least two people beside him.
Disoriented, he waited a moment, then heard two familiar voices nearby.
“How long can a cup of Soul-Beguiling Soup keep him unconscious?”
This was Guan Yunji’s voice.
“The effect of the Soul-Beguiling Soup is very potent, enough to make an ordinary person sleep through an entire night. Am I not right? Soul-Beguiling Soup is much better than wine; at least it can give him a long, beautiful dream.”
This was Ge Dongchen’s voice.
Immediately after, Ge Dongchen lifted his face, gently kneading his lower back with one hand while kissing him.
Gu Xiaodeng: “…”
What was going on?
He was trapped in Ge Dongchen’s embrace, unable to move when held tightly. Only his two hands could struggle, but Guan Yunji held both his hands in his palms, gripping so hard it felt as if he wanted to crush his wrists.
Guan Yunji was murmuring, calling him: “Gu Shanqing, Gu Shanqing…”
And Ge Dongchen, after kissing him long and deep, went on to kiss his neck, sighing softly with a murmur: “I suppose I’ll never be able to hold our Xiaodeng like this again, will I? It truly is hard to let go… A piece of jade I cherished for four years, finally to be monopolized by the Imperial Family. Yunji, do you think there’s any way that the Second Prince, in his spare time, might let me hold him too? The Second Prince keeps so many beauties; surely he isn’t lacking just this one?”
Guan Yunji’s voice held a slight sob. “Just shut up. Let him go. Don’t bring up a single word of the past. The Second Prince will arrive soon.”
