Chapter 27: Not a Single Soul Heeded His Command…

Lin Xiaoye pinched the petal on his chest and slowly rose to his feet, his gaze falling on the slip of paper.

The shock from moments ago had faded, leaving him puzzled now.

For the Empress to send him a private message, it had to contain information useful to him.

But why?

The Empress knew full well that he was a traitorous minister.

Unless it wasn’t information at all…

Lin Xiaoye rubbed his fingertip over the paper.

No way…

It couldn’t be a love letter, could it?

“…”

Lin Xiaoye let out a soft snort, shoving the ridiculous thoughts from his mind. Propping one leg up, he slowly unfolded the note.

The paper was completely blank.

In disbelief, Lin Xiaoye checked both sides.

~~~

It was still blank.

Lin Xiaoye: “…”

He held the slip between his index and middle fingers, slowly curving his lips into a smile.

Blank?

How intriguing.

Though blank, it itched at his heart more than any imagined content ever could.

Lin Xiaoye grabbed his small jar of wine and leaped down from the rooftop, ignoring Xiao Yang’s question from behind him. “Where are you off to so late?”

Where?

At this hour… it was time to eavesdrop on the Empress and the Emperor.

He glanced at the jar in his hand, thinking to himself how well that Dog Emperor must live to be so adored.

~~~

The Emperor was putting on a pitiful act.

Kneeling on the small cushion by the bed, his innocent face tilted up as his eyes blinked rapidly.

“I’m so sleepy,” the Emperor said, mimicking a little chick pecking at rice. “Let me sleep, please? Let me sleep?”

Lin Jianxi kept his back to him. “I’m not stopping you from sleeping. There’s the floor right there—lie down and you can.”

The Emperor: “…”

Lin Jianxi: “If you don’t want to lie down, then kneel and sleep.”

The Emperor: “Wuwuwu.”

Lin Jianxi turned around and smacked the back of his hand against the Emperor’s mouth. “Make another sound and you’ll sleep outside.”

The Emperor caught that hand and pressed a gentle kiss to it. Meeting Lin Jianxi’s beautiful eyes, which gleamed with cold intent, he defended himself. “This time, I really didn’t act rashly. I thought it through three times, I swear. There’s definitely something off about Lin Xiaoye. Just trust me, alright?”

Lin Jianxi gripped the Emperor’s chin, his fingers glowing with a pale, icy light. “Looks like you still don’t even know where you went wrong.”

The Emperor blinked in confusion. “Isn’t it this matter?”

Lin Jianxi: “You’re facing a court full of ministers, not just Lin Xiaoye alone. By humiliating him publicly, what do you think his followers will make of it? You claim you thought it through—but did you consider that in the current court, more people believe in him than in you?”

“…”

“Ah…” The Emperor let out a chuckle. “So even you’ve seen that he’s up to no good.”

Lin Jianxi fell silent.

The Emperor lowered his lashes, a plan forming in his mind. Then he grasped Lin Jianxi’s wrist. “I get it now. I won’t do anything to him tomorrow.”

At those words, Lin Jianxi’s expression softened. He leaned in, brushing his nose tip against the Emperor’s cheek.

“I just want you to be safe.”

The Emperor’s temperament reminded him a little of Song Cheng’an—wild and ruthless in his actions. But Song Cheng’an was more cautious than the Emperor; everything he did never backfired on him.

The Emperor, though…

Lin Jianxi found himself pulled into the Emperor’s embrace. Breathing in that familiar scent, he closed his eyes.

Once, an eunuch had accidentally spilled grape juice on him. It was just a casual remark that the clothes felt comfortable, but the Emperor had secretly ordered the man’s hands chopped off.

When Lin Jianxi found out, the Emperor had grinned and begged for praise, cupping his face and brushing a quick kiss against his lips. “He ruined something of yours—he deserved to die. In the future, if anyone dares bully you, don’t even ask me. Do whatever you want, Lin Jianxi. In this country, your status is higher than mine. I’m the one truly beneath you.”

A man like that, if not kept firmly in check, was bound for a tragic end.

Lin Jianxi opened his eyes and gazed at the Emperor’s weary sleeping face. With a soft sigh, he gently brushed aside the strands of hair falling across it.

The Emperor murmured, “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

Lin Jianxi: “No. You’re just… a little good-looking. I want to look a bit longer.”

The Emperor smiled and hugged him even tighter.

~~~

Lin Xiaoye hadn’t slept a wink all night. At the first light of dawn, he slipped past the departing Emperor and entered to find Lin Jianxi.

Lin Jianxi wasn’t in the bedchamber.

Lin Xiaoye arched a brow and asked a palace maid, “Where’s the Empress?”

The palace maid bowed her head. “In… in the kitchen.”

Lin Xiaoye: “Why the stutter?”

The palace maid shook her head. “Replying to the Prince—it’s nothing. The Empress is just preparing food for the birthday banquet. By tradition, each palace must contribute a signature dish.”

The Empress… cooking?

Lin Xiaoye’s mind conjured an image of the Empress bent over, a lock of hair falling to one side, his jade-white fingers delicately slicing vegetables with a knife.

With that frail strength of his, what could he even cut?

The more Lin Xiaoye thought about it, the more tantalizing the idea of Lin Jianxi cooking became. He turned and headed straight for the kitchen.

Arriving there, he leaned against the wall.

Lin Jianxi was holding a bundle of vegetables. Sensing his arrival, he didn’t even look up.

Lin Xiaoye: “You know exactly what I’m here to ask you.”

Lin Jianxi had just set the vegetables down when Lin Xiaoye stopped him. “Hold on—you keep cooking. I’m in no rush.”

Lin Jianxi placed the vegetables on the cutting board and leisurely picked up the knife.

Lin Xiaoye crossed his arms over his chest. “You can cook too?”

Lin Jianxi held the knife, pondering where to make the first cut. “Mm.”

Lin Xiaoye recalled the flower ring the Empress had woven— so exquisitely beautiful. The Empress’s hands were deft; his cooking had to taste just as good.

Bang!

The delicate Empress brought the knife down, embedding it deep into the cutting board—nearly a handspan high.

It had missed splitting the board clean in two by a hair.

Lin Xiaoye: “…”

Lin Xiaoye: “…?”

~~~

System covered its ears. “Oh my god, how did you manage that?”

Lin Jianxi lowered his head, looking a touch forlorn. “I always worry it won’t cut through in one go.”

System: “You could just saw it down slowly—one hand steadying the vegetable, the other on the knife.”

Lin Jianxi: “Then I’d end up slicing off a chunk of my finger.”

System: “…”

Lin Jianxi was unhappy. Lin Jianxi was dejected. Lin Jianxi sat off to one side, still harboring a bit of resentment toward Lin Xiaoye. At last he said, “You do it.”

Lin Xiaoye replied, “All I know how to do is brew tea.”

Back when the Emperor had humiliated Lin Xiaoye, he had enjoyed making him stand behind and brew tea.

So Lin Jianxi said, “Then in a bit, you can stand behind me and brew tea.”

Lin Xiaoye laughed in exasperation and crouched down in front of him. “Are you getting bold just because you know I like you?”

Lin Jianxi looked at him.

Gradually, tears welled up in his eyes.

Lin Xiaoye: “…”

Lin Jianxi turned his head away.

He had rushed out of bed that morning and only hastily tied up his hair. Because of his vigorous movements just now, as he turned his head, the hairpin fell to the floor.

His black hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

In that instant, Lin Xiaoye froze.

He first glanced at the hairpin on the ground, then looked up. Right then, with his hair loose, the Empress resembled one of those ethereal immortals from a storybook—beautiful from afar, but untouchable.

Lin Xiaoye’s throat bobbed.

Lin Jianxi turned to him. “Your Highness, since I’m so brazen, should I kneel before you now and beg your forgiveness?”

The way the Empress looked down at him was too striking, and even his eyes, filled with anger, were beautiful…

Lin Xiaoye’s fingers at his side slowly clenched into a fist. Then he suddenly chuckled. “Now I finally understand why he rushes back to see you every chance he gets—even if it’s just for an hour.”

Lin Xiaoye stood abruptly. “Fine. In a bit, I’ll brew the tea.”

Lin Jianxi immediately stopped looking pitiful and smiled lightly. “A prince’s word is his bond. No take-backs.”

Lin Xiaoye: “…”

There was no time left, so the two of them headed to the birthday banquet together.

Everything was as lively and opulent as always.

Lin Jianxi didn’t see the Emperor and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. If the Emperor arrived a little late, it meant less chance of conflict with Lin Xiaoye—a good thing.

Seated in the place of honor, Lin Jianxi watched the guests below chatting with good cheer.

Some looked at him with respect in their eyes, while others’ gazes were far more brazen.

Of course, Lin Jianxi didn’t care. At that moment, Lin Xiaoye was bent over pouring him tea, murmuring in his ear, “So what was the meaning of that note of yours?”

Lin Jianxi replied, “Think about what you did after you got it.”

Lin Xiaoye fell silent for a second. “Besides coming to find you and pouring tea, nothing.”

Lin Jianxi turned with a grin. “That’s exactly the point.”

Lin Xiaoye: “…” Damn it.

The Emperor was a madman, and Lin Jianxi feared he might do something to Lin Xiaoye. So he found an excuse to keep Lin Xiaoye by his side— that way, at least the Emperor wouldn’t make a move right in front of him.

Block one attempt at a time.

Lin Xiaoye suddenly laughed out loud. Then he bent down close—even brushing his fingers along Lin Jianxi’s neck.

All eyes on them.

Under the wolfish stares from the crowd below.

Lin Xiaoye deliberately trailed his fingertip lightly over the skin, his voice laced with intimacy. “Does His Majesty know you’re meeting me in secret?”

His overstepping gesture only stirred the crowd below into greater agitation. It was as if that touch was a signal, permission to get close to the Empress, to do whatever they pleased with him.

Lin Jianxi noticed the looks from below. The tickle on his neck made him shrink back a little, but Lin Xiaoye pressed him in place with his other hand.

Lin Jianxi glanced around but saw no sign of the Emperor.

Lin Xiaoye continued, “See their eyes? Someone as tempting as you shouldn’t show his face in public. It’s too dangerous, Lin Jianxi.”

“…”

Lin Jianxi had a bad feeling.

He called for his most trusted guard.

No response.

He looked toward the eunuch who usually attended the Emperor.

The eunuch kept his head bowed, utterly still.

Lin Jianxi’s heart stuttered to a halt.

In this moment—

Not a soul heeded his command.

And right now—or rather, from here on out—the man who held the highest power in the land, Lin Xiaoye, was carefully feeding him a piece of fruit.

“Tch, your whole body’s gone rigid. Don’t be scared. No one dares hurt you.”