At dawn, as soon as the palace gates creaked open, Hong Fu hurried to Prince Rui’s Mansion, clutching the Imperial Sword of Authority.
By the time he reached the mansion, the glow of dawn still lingered on the horizon. Liu Yuanxun lay deep in slumber, but Gu Lianzhao had already spent half an hour practicing martial arts in the backyard.
Ling Ting heard the disturbance and rushed out with hurried steps. He meant to escort Hong Fu to the parlor for a brief rest, but Hong Fu raised a hand to halt him.
Hong Fu pointed toward a green pine tree in the courtyard, its branches heavy with snow. His tone left no room for argument. “You stay right here. Don’t follow me!”
Ling Ting had no authority to defy Hong Fu’s orders. No matter how much he resisted inwardly, he could only bow his head in acquiescence. He watched helplessly as Hong Fu pushed open the door to the prince’s bedchamber and strode inside.
Liu Yuanxun slept soundly, curled up with his face buried in the pillow on the other side. The quilt enveloped him tightly.
Hong Fu pulled back the quilt with careful hands, then tugged at Liu Yuanxun’s collar. When the prince’s chest and abdomen came into view, Hong Fu’s face darkened completely.
Overnight, those intimate red marks had turned into ugly bruises. Liu Yuanxun didn’t look like a man who had spent a night in passionate bliss. He looked more like someone who had been bound in a dungeon and tortured mercilessly for hours.
Rage boiled within Hong Fu. He itched to slap Gu Lianzhao senseless, but the man wasn’t there. Hong Fu could only swallow his fury.
He examined the traces on the bed closely and confirmed that the two had indeed slept side by side the night before. Only then did he gently tuck the quilt around Liu Yuanxun and turn toward the door.
With Eunuch Hong’s arrival, Gu Lianzhao could no longer play dumb.
As soon as Eunuch Hong entered the prince’s bedchamber, Gu Lianzhao had sheathed his blade and gone to the front courtyard.
Ling Ting stood in the courtyard. When Gu Lianzhao appeared, Ling Ting glanced at him instinctively.
No one else was in the courtyard at that moment, so neither man hid his feelings. A rare glint of hostility flickered in Ling Ting’s eyes, but Gu Lianzhao merely regarded him calmly, paying him no mind.
Ling Ting had served Liu Yuanxun for years. If he had the skill to climb into the prince’s bed, he would have become one of Liu Yuanxun’s bedmates long ago. No need to wait until now, still just a guard.
Gu Lianzhao didn’t care about Ling Ting.
The one who put him on high alert was Hong Fu.
Sure enough, as soon as Hong Fu emerged from the bedchamber, he summoned Gu Lianzhao to the side hall.
Gu Lianzhao followed humbly at his heels. The moment the door to the side hall closed, a fierce palm wind whistled toward him.
Eunuch Hong had no martial prowess, and with Gu Lianzhao’s skills, he could have dodged the slap blindfolded. Yet he didn’t evade. He stood meekly in place like an innocent and harmless ger, offering not a single word of defense.
But the slap halted inches from his ear. Instead, Hong Fu seized Gu Lianzhao’s chin in a vise-like grip. His shrill voice dripped with undisguised malice. “Gu Jiu, you had best remember your place. You’re nothing but a concubine. When attending to the prince, know your bounds. Know which marks to leave and which to avoid. Don’t let there be a next time, or this one won’t mind taking time to teach you some manners.”
Gu Lianzhao dropped to his knees at once. His kneecaps slammed into the floor with a dull thud. He bowed his head low in atonement. “This subordinate deserves death. But it was… it was at the prince’s command.”
Eunuch Hong’s face twisted. His voice turned icy, each word deliberate. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Gu Lianzhao prostrated himself even lower. “This subordinate wouldn’t dare lie. It was the prince’s personal request.”
With that, he rolled up his sleeve, revealing a pristine right arm. He spoke respectfully. “A few days ago, the prince gave this subordinate a vial of medicine. He said applying it for eight days would make the Virginity Mark vanish. This subordinate didn’t dare refuse. Yesterday, when we entered the palace, the prince saw an opportunity. He… asked this subordinate to leave some marks on him and even took a pill that damages one’s yang essence. The prince said that if an imperial physician came to check his pulse, it would make the matter convincing.”
Hong Fu’s expression shifted repeatedly. He inwardly cursed the failure of the “consummation,” yet this truth aligned with Prince Rui’s temperament. The smooth “consummation” had raised suspicions for both him and the emperor—that was why he had come to probe.
“Not bad. You know how to pick your master,” Hong Fu sneered, looking down with condescending approval. “Commanding Officer Liu’s eye is as sharp as ever. He spotted your Pure Yang Physique at a glance and brought you into the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Then he recommended you before the emperor, landing you as a concubine in Prince Rui’s Mansion. You mustn’t forget Commanding Officer Liu’s great kindness.”
Ever since learning of the Pure Yang Physique, Gu Lianzhao had suspected Liu Xun’s involvement. But under Hong Fu’s watchful eye, just as the eunuch anticipated, he clenched his fists, suppressing his anger.
Hong Fu noted every flicker of emotion on Gu Lianzhao’s face. Satisfied, he smiled. “There’s only one commanding officer position. If you want to rise, he has to fall. But you and I aren’t kin. Liu Xun is my godson. If you want my help, your current leverage might not suffice.”
Gu Lianzhao kowtowed heavily at once. “This subordinate is dull-witted. Please, point out a clear path for me, Eunuch!”
Hong Fu favored clever men, especially those he could use. He helped Gu Lianzhao to his feet, his expression shifting as changeable as spring weather. “You’re fine material, more capable than Liu Xun. The Embroidered Uniform Guard serves the emperor—I naturally want to recommend someone more competent. Obey my orders, and good days lie ahead.”
Gu Lianzhao cupped his fists. “This subordinate is willing to go through fire and water for you, Eunuch!”
“No need for that. What I’m asking isn’t some deadly task, but one of worldly ecstasy.” Eunuch Hong patted his shoulder and gestured toward a rosewood chair, settling in as if for a long talk.
Gu Lianzhao sat as Hong Fu indicated, adopting an attentive posture.
“Since you’ve been candid with me, I won’t hide it from you. You were chosen for your Pure Yang Physique. Prince Rui’s health worsens by the day. The imperial physicians say medicines aren’t enough—he needs to couple with a Pure Yang Physique to recover.”
Hong Fu drew a plain porcelain vial from his sleeve and toyed with it in his palm. He continued, “I know the prince’s temperament—he’s no easy bed-warmer. But you’re different. How long have you been in the mansion? Yet you’ve coaxed him to share your bed and even taken Ling Ting’s place to accompany him into the palace. Either he has feelings for you, or your skills are exceptional…”
Hong Fu drew out his words deliberately, leaving the rest unsaid. Only when fine sweat beaded on Gu Lianzhao’s forehead and his gaze wavered did he offer reassurance. “But having skills is good. Keeping the prince content is even better. I understand your difficulties, though…”
He handed the porcelain vial to Gu Lianzhao. “This is Bewitching Aphrodisiac Incense, laced with a touch of Soul-Confusing Incense. Sprinkle a pinch in the Incense Burner each night. The prince will stir with desire in his sleep. Move lightly enough, and he’ll notice nothing.”
Gu Lianzhao jolted inwardly. This diverged sharply from his expectations. He sensed the shifting tides but, with the cunning Eunuch Hong right there, dared not dwell on it lest he betray himself. He buried all his thoughts and continued the performance.
He accepted the vial gingerly. His voice rang with resolve. “This subordinate will complete the task! If the prince discovers it, I’ll claim it was my own doing and never betray you, Eunuch!”
Eunuch Hong’s brow furrowed. “Are you threatening me?”
“No, no!” Gu Lianzhao said in panic. “This subordinate is merely preparing for the worst!”
“Not good.” Gu Lianzhao glanced toward the door, urgency in his voice. “Eunuch, the prince is coming!”
Eunuch Hong’s face changed. He issued a final warning. “Remember what I said today. Do your job well, and the rewards will follow.”
Time pressed—Liu Yuanxun would enter any moment. Gu Lianzhao didn’t kowtow again. Instead, he tucked the vial into his sleeve and nodded solemnly.
Eunuch Hong had just risen from his chair when Liu Yuanxun pushed open the door, Ling Ting trailing behind with a face full of worry.
Liu Yuanxun had rushed over straight from waking, it seemed, wrapped in a heavy cloak. His dark hair was tousled by the wind, his cheeks faintly pale.
The moment he entered, Liu Yuanxun strode toward Gu Lianzhao. Up close, he scrutinized him thoroughly—from the red mark on his forehead to the dust on his knees.
The more he looked, the darker Liu Yuanxun’s expression grew.
“Eunuch Hong, if you have grievances, take them out on me. Since you’ve sent Gu Lianzhao to my mansion only to order him around, why not take him straight to the Directorate of Ceremonial and make him a eunuch? It’d save you the trip whenever you want to grind him down.”
Liu Yuanxun was usually as mild-tempered as a pushover, but when angered, he could be sharp-tongued and cutting.
Hong Fu put on a aggrieved expression, his wrinkles radiating pitifulness. He sidled up to Liu Yuanxun to plead. “Little Master, you’ve wronged me! How could I dare bully your people? Blame these old bones of mine for being slow. Attendant Consort Gu knelt so quickly—I hadn’t even finished speaking when he was already on the ground. This old servant couldn’t stop him in time!”
Liu Yuanxun snorted coldly. “Fine, those are your words. A’Qiao, did you hear? From now on, don’t kneel when you see Eunuch Hong. If you do, it’s because you’re bullying his age and slow reflexes—he can’t even help you up.”
Gu Lianzhao blinked, lowering his eyes meekly. “Husband, I’ve noted it.”
“Ahem, cough cough cough…” One moment Liu Yuanxun brimmed with fury; the next, that “husband” turned his face crimson. But with Eunuch Hong watching, propriety demanded he not contradict Gu Lianzhao. His ears burned red as he acknowledged the address.
Eunuch Hong observed Liu Yuanxun’s reaction impassively. Seeing the genuine difference in how he treated Gu Lianzhao eased his mind considerably. He smoothly shifted the conversation to the Imperial Sword of Authority.
Ever since settling on Noble Consort Ling’s “fate,” Liu Yuanze had been in high spirits. He delegated authority swiftly—not only granting Liu Yuanxun the Imperial Sword of Authority, but also an Imperial Token.
With that token, Liu Yuanxun could enter any place as if the emperor himself had come. He could even command the guards of the Imperial City—a terrifying power.
Even Liu Yuanxun paled at the thought. If he harbored ill intentions, that token alone could draw away the Divine Martial Guards, leaving the palace exposed.
His imperial brother was far too trusting. How could he issue such a decree?
Liu Yuanxun examined the Imperial Token in his hand. Unnoticed, Gu Lianzhao pondered the deeper meaning behind Eunuch Hong’s words today.
He didn’t consider himself a betrayer of Liu Yuanxun. He had no fixed loyalties—where the wind blew strongest, thither he leaned. All his actions served his own interests.
At first, he’d cooperated with Liu Yuanxun to remove the Virginity Mark for a swift return to duty. Today, revealing the truth served the same purpose: safeguarding his position.
Never mind whether the hasty traces left from that night could withstand close scrutiny. The significance of the “consummation” alone was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.
First, Gu Lianzhao was certain that Liu Yuanxun had no idea of its true meaning. Second, judging from the dosage of the powder that Hong Fu had given him, a single time or even two wouldn’t produce any obvious effects—it required prolonged intimacy. Finally, he was convinced that the situation had undergone a major shift. Otherwise, the Emperor’s attitude would not have changed so dramatically.
From the very start, he had suspected that Liu Yuanxun possessed something that could check the Emperor. Otherwise, His Majesty could have simply handed over the powder right away.
Yet the Emperor had refrained from doing so, clearly out of some scruple.
But in a mere month—perhaps even just a few days—that scruple had vanished. That was why he had sent Hong Fu directly with the drug, disregarding Liu Yuanxun’s wishes and forcing the “consummation” through.
So what exactly had the Emperor been wary of?
No amount of pondering would unravel this on his own. The only ones in the know were the Emperor and his closest confidants—though Liu Yuanxun might be among them…
Gu Lianzhao lifted his gaze to look at Liu Yuanxun.
He had rushed over in such haste that his clothes were a rumpled mess, his hair disheveled, and he had even slipped his shoes on haphazardly. He must have thrown on whatever he could and bolted out the door. Was all this panic because he was afraid Gu Lianzhao had been bullied?
But what was the real reason behind his worry? Gu Lianzhao already had the answer in his heart: it wasn’t affection. Liu Yuanxun was simply kind-hearted by nature, as compassionate as a saint.
None of that mattered, though.
Gu Lianzhao quickly came to terms with it.
No matter what motive lay behind Liu Yuanxun’s kindness toward him, as long as that goodwill landed squarely in his lap, he would gladly accept it.
The matter of the consummation was too weighty, however. While he was more than willing to enjoy this stroke of good fortune delivered right to his door, he couldn’t help worrying that the “fortune” was like a honey-coated blade—easy to swallow, but impossible to spit back out.
Until he uncovered the secret behind it all, he would probably have to content himself with a little hands-on fun.
