Chapter 40

Qixue soaked in the bath for a long time, scrubbing himself meticulously several times until he finally felt clean. His emotions calmed down, and he draped a robe over his shoulders before stepping out of the bath. He summoned the Nightmare Demon to dry his hair and body.

The Nightmare Demon’s movements were extremely gentle and attentive. Qixue enjoyed its thoughtful service while reflecting on himself inwardly.

His performance that night had been truly lackluster. He had meant to humiliate Ji Yuheng, but before Ji Yuheng’s emotions could collapse, he had lost his temper first, cursing and hitting the man before driving him out. It was too embarrassing.

That was one thing, but what if Ji Yuheng saw through his bluster—that he was all bark and no bite, incapable of real torment? What then? How would he ever deal with Ji Yuheng in the future?

Qixue touched his long hair, now dried by the Nightmare Demon, and comforted himself in a small voice, “It’s fine. It’s just Ji Yuheng. He’s not that impressive.”

“Even if he’s so great, he’s still just that thing at the end of the day. It’s not like I haven’t seen one before. His Majesty and Wei Huai scared me at first too, but now I’m used to it. It really doesn’t matter…”

“At worst… at worst, I can just find a way to ruin him. His Majesty probably wouldn’t make a eunuch the crown prince, right?”

He muttered to himself as he left the bath and changed into a light rouge-colored cloud gauze robe outside. The gauze was light and sheer, vaguely revealing his skin. He had changed into it specifically to show His Majesty when he went to Chang Le Palace in a moment.

Before leaving, Dong Yuan draped a thick cloak over Qixue. Although it was already spring, the nights were still chilly, and Qixue would get cold in just the gauze robe. This cloak was both warm and windproof, easy for Qixue to put on and take off—it was one of his favorites.

He rode in a palanquin to Chang Le Palace, but upon entering, he learned that Helan Ji was still discussing matters with a minister and had not yet retired for the night.

The hour had already passed midnight, and Qixue couldn’t help but show a heartbroken expression upon hearing that Helan Ji was still handling state affairs. Considerately, he said, “Is it something important? If it’s inconvenient to disturb, I’ll just wait in the bedchamber.”

Eunuch Xue went in to ask Helan Ji’s opinion and returned with a smile to report to Qixue, “His Majesty invites Your Ladyship inside. He also said that no matter when Your Ladyship comes, it’s never a disturbance. In the future, you may enter directly without waiting for announcement.”

Qixue’s heart sweetened. Of course, he wouldn’t casually interrupt official business, but he loved Helan Ji’s blatant favoritism toward him.

Eunuch Xue led Qixue into the room. Qixue followed behind him, tightening his cloak to avoid any spring scenery spilling out for the ministers inside to see.

However, upon entering the study, Qixue froze.

Besides Helan Ji, there was only one other person in the study. The minister who had come to discuss matters was none other than Wei Huai.

After many days apart, Wei Huai had lost a great deal of weight. His originally luxurious brocade robes and jade belt now hung loosely on him. His face lacked color, and a trace of dejected gloom had settled between his brows, yet it did nothing to diminish his dashing handsomeness.

Seeing Qixue, Wei Huai also paused for a moment, then his gaze fixed in place, sticking to Qixue’s body like glue. He scanned him inch by inch, as if determined to examine even his strands of hair, greedily and thirstily imprinting Qixue’s figure into his mind.

Qixue lowered his lashes, avoiding Wei Huai’s gaze, and went to Helan Ji’s side. “Your Majesty.”

He placed his hand on Helan Ji’s shoulder and leaned down to kiss his face. Helan Ji grasped his hand and directly pulled him onto his lap. “Sit.”

Seeing their affectionate display, Wei Huai’s expression darkened. With a bitter smile, he dropped to one knee and saluted Qixue. “This minister pays respects to the Noble Consort.”

Qixue wrapped his arms around Helan Ji’s neck and carefully observed his expression. Seeing no displeasure, he then said to Wei Huai, “Great General, please rise.”

“Thank you, Your Ladyship.”

Wei Huai stood and positioned himself in front of the desk, still boldly staring at Qixue. “How has Your Ladyship been faring lately? Is your mood well? Are you comfortable in the palace?”

Qixue lightly bit his lip and nodded. “Thank you for your concern, Great General. I’m doing well. His Majesty loves me so much that he naturally won’t let me suffer the slightest grievance. I’m very happy.”

His words were full of defense for Helan Ji, yet Wei Huai’s reaction was surprisingly calm. “That’s good. If Your Ladyship has any troubles in the future, feel free to confide in this minister. I am willing to serve Your Ladyship like a loyal dog or horse, to go through fire and water without hesitation.”

“Yuan Yuan won’t have any troubles.”

Helan Ji suddenly spoke. “As long as I am here, no matter what it is, I can resolve it for Yuan Yuan. There’s no need for the Great General to worry.”

Wei Huai smiled. “That may not be certain. What if the Noble Consort’s troubles are related to Your Majesty? Your Majesty rises early and retires late, attending to myriad state affairs, and can’t always be by Her Ladyship’s side. But I am different. With a single command from Your Ladyship, I can rush to the palace at any time and stay by your side.”

“Yuan Yuan only needs my company.” Helan Ji wrapped his arm around Qixue’s waist and kissed the top of his hair.

Qixue was a bit dazed and hadn’t quite reacted yet.

Wei Huai’s appearance in Chang Le Palace that night was completely unexpected. He had thought that since Helan Ji and Wei Huai could calmly discuss politics, it meant Wei Huai had let go of the past and restored his friendship with His Majesty. But now, it seemed otherwise. Why were the two of them vying for affection right in front of him?

Qixue didn’t want to be caught in the middle and moved to stand up. “Since Your Majesty and the Great General still have important matters to discuss, I’ll take my leave first…”

“Yuan Yuan doesn’t need to leave.”

Helan Ji didn’t let go and pressed him back onto his lap. “Since you are already married to me, you are my spouse. From now on, you have no connection with Wei Huai—you are strangers. There’s no need to deliberately avoid him.”

Wei Huai’s gaze trembled, clearly stung by Helan Ji’s words, but he soon laughed. “Has Your Majesty never heard the saying ‘old affections are hard to forget’? Your Ladyship harbors no ill will toward this minister even now. If there are feelings, how can we be strangers?”

With new love and old flame clashing head-on, Qixue finally understood what it meant to sit on pins and needles. To make matters worse, the brazier in the bedchamber burned especially hot. Wearing the heavy cloak, he soon felt his face flush and a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead.

He was truly overheating and softly pleaded with Helan Ji, “Your Majesty, let me go. I’m so hot.”

Helan Ji lowered his gaze to his face, sensing the embarrassment and shame in his heart. In the end, he didn’t want to make things difficult for him. “Alright, go wait for me in the bedchamber.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Qixue rose from Helan Ji’s lap as if granted a great pardon, fanning his face nonstop from the heat while untying the cloak’s fastenings as he walked toward the door.

Wei Huai had finally seen Qixue and naturally didn’t want him to leave so easily. Subconsciously, he grabbed Qixue’s wrist. “Your Ladyship, please wait—”

The cloak slipped from Qixue’s body, revealing the thin gauze robe.

He was covered in sweat, and the gauze clung wrinkled to his skin, outlining his slender waist. The soft peaks at his chest and the fullness at the small of his back were fully visible.

A rich, fragrant scent wafted over. Seeing the familiar ruby nipple studs, Wei Huai’s pupils contracted sharply, and overwhelming sourness and pain surged forth, nearly bursting his skin in an instant.

His emotions completely lost control. Unable to suppress the longing in his heart any longer, he pulled Qixue tightly into his embrace and called out in a daze, “…A Xue.”

With a “bang,” the teacup shattered heavily on the floor, scalding tea splashing onto Wei Huai’s leg.

The Nightmare Demon howled forth, pinning Wei Huai aside. Helan Ji’s expression was indifferent. “Wei Huai, I’ve made myself very clear to you. I won’t stop you from seeing Yuan Yuan, but you must know when to stop. You should understand that he is not someone you can covet.”

“…This minister understands.”

Wei Huai snapped back to sobriety and lowered his head dejectedly, not resisting the Nightmare Demon. “It was this minister’s lapse. Please punish me, Your Majesty and Your Ladyship.”

Helan Ji frowned slightly and looked at Qixue. “Yuan Yuan, how do you want to punish him?”

Seeing the disappointment on Wei Huai’s face, Qixue felt a little bad and sighed softly. “Just deduct one month’s salary from General Wei. Don’t lose control like this again.”

He took the cloak handed to him by the Nightmare Demon and left hugging it. Wei Huai stared dazedly at his retreating back until Helan Ji’s icy warning sounded: “Do you want to lie abed recovering for another half month?”

Wei Huai murmured soul-lost, “A Xue was once my spouse. We shared a bed every night, and the time he spent with me was much longer than with you. Why can’t I touch him?”

“Because the one he loves is me, not you.”

Helan Ji said, “If Yuan Yuan loved you more than me, I wouldn’t force him to stay in the palace. I want him to be happy. But you—what have you ever considered for Yuan Yuan? Wei Huai, you’re too selfish. You don’t deserve Yuan Yuan’s love.”

“I’m too selfish…”

Wei Huai repeated his words. “I’m very selfish?”

Helan Ji: “Think about it yourself. Everything you’ve done for Yuan Yuan—was it to satisfy him, or to satisfy yourself?”

Wei Huai fell silent.

…

That night, Qixue waited so long for Helan Ji that he finally couldn’t hold out and fell asleep. When he woke, Helan Ji had already gone to morning court and hadn’t disturbed his sleep in the meantime.

Qixue lazily rolled over twice hugging the quilt, but his heart felt a bit stuffy—both because of Ji Yuheng and Wei Huai. If possible, he still hoped Wei Huai could be happy and that he wouldn’t quarrel with His Majesty anymore, lest His Majesty be unhappy too.

He sighed, got up to dress and wash. Though a bit annoyed, his appetite wasn’t affected at all. He even ate two extra vegetable-heart buns.

After breakfast, Qixue went to Rabbit Garden to visit the gray rabbits. The little rabbits immediately crowded affectionately around him upon seeing him, rubbing against his feet and calves.

Seeing the adorable gray rabbits lifted Qixue’s mood considerably. Taking advantage of no one around, he transformed into Rabbit Tuan’s form and squeezed in among them, nuzzling and sniffing like a snow-white soup dumpling wedged among a group of gray-black sesame balls.

As Rabbit Tuan squeezed around, he was suddenly scooped up by a pair of hands. Before he could react, his four rabbit paws flailed in the air like he was swimming.

The gray rabbits, seeing Rabbit Tuan carried away, thought he had been kidnapped by a villain and anxiously pawed at the intruder’s legs. Rabbit Tuan finally reacted and glanced at the person with his black pearl-like eyes. “Wei Huai?”

Wei Huai kissed Rabbit Tuan’s pink nose tip, then his rabbit belly, burying his face in the soft rabbit fur. Rabbit Tuan’s belly itched from the kisses, and he swatted Wei Huai’s forehead with a paw. “Don’t take advantage of me!”

He had thought he’d need to struggle to get Wei Huai to let go, but Wei Huai soon lifted his head and gently groomed his rabbit fur. “Sorry, A Xue. I didn’t consider your feelings again.”

“?”

Rabbit Tuan hadn’t expected such a solemn apology. After a moment, he said, “It’s fine.”

He didn’t mind Wei Huai sucking on his rabbit belly—it was just too ticklish. Lighter sucking would do.

Rabbit Tuan gestured for Wei Huai to put him down. He first soothed the gray rabbits and coaxed them off to eat grass before transforming back to human form and speaking with Wei Huai. “Why are you here?”

Wei Huai: “I’m here to apologize to you.”

He knelt on the ground and deeply bowed to Qixue. Qixue jumped in fright and reached out to support him. “Get up. Don’t do this. Haven’t you already been fined a month’s salary? You don’t need to apologize to me anymore.”

“It’s not for last night,” Wei Huai didn’t raise his head. “It’s for before.”

“What matter?”

“All of it—whether imprisoning you, putting nipple studs on you for your sake, or forcing you to marry me.”

“But you don’t need to apologize.” Qixue said puzzledly, “I don’t blame you.”

Wei Huai lowered his eyes. “You not blaming me doesn’t mean I wasn’t wrong. Since I was wrong, I should apologize to you.”

His tone was low, filled with guilt. Qixue’s heart softened, and he reached out to stroke his head. “Forget it, it’s all in the past. I’ve never blamed you. Don’t take it to heart. Actually, I was wrong too. Let’s call it even, okay?”

“Okay…” Wei Huai responded softly, then quickly asked, “A Xue, do you still like me now?”

“I still like you. After all, you were my first lover.”

Qixue said, “But you know, you can’t compare to His Majesty in my heart. We’ve already broken things off. Even if I still like you, I won’t leave with you. I can’t abandon His Majesty for you.”

“I know I can’t compare to His Majesty. I no longer dare to hope for more.” Wei Huai’s voice was very low. “But A Xue, have you ever thought that even if you become His Majesty’s consort, there’s no need to completely sever ties with me?”

“What?” Qixue was stunned.

“You’re a demon, and so am I. We don’t need to follow human rules at all.”

Wei Huai lifted his eyes, a eerie green glow flashing through them. “Who says demons have to be devoted to one person? A Xue, since you like me and you also like His Majesty, if you could have both me and His Majesty at the same time, wouldn’t you be happier?”

“His Majesty is your husband, while I can be your lover.”

“I hope A Xue can live more happily, so when His Majesty isn’t by your side, I’ll keep you company and fill the loneliness and emptiness in your heart…”

“A Xue, doesn’t this stir your heart?”