“It’s late. Go to sleep.”
Qin Yi lowered his eyes and lay down on his side.
Yan Tongshu stiffened. “I’m not tired yet.”
“I am.” Qin Yi pulled Yan Tongshu onto the bed and tucked the covers around her. “You don’t have to attend morning court tomorrow, but I do.”
“Oh.” Yan Tongshu blinked.
Not having to attend morning court was simply wonderful. She had nearly forgotten what that felt like.
Yan Tongshu was still gloating over her good fortune when a large foot edged toward her.
She hissed.
Qin Yi drew in a sharp breath. “Why are your feet so cold?”
Yan Tongshu kicked him. “I have a naturally cold constitution.”
“Is that so?” Qin Yi caught her hand and pressed it to his cheek. “Your hands are cold too.”
Yan Tongshu’s slender lashes trembled lightly.
Qin Yi’s voice, filled with amusement, sounded beside her ear, low and soft. “Shall I warm you up?”
Hmm?
Before Yan Tongshu could react, Qin Yi took her hand and guided it beneath the covers. He lifted the hem of his inner garment and pressed her icy fingers against his waist.
The coldness of her hand was instantly enveloped by his heat.
Yan Tongshu’s hand recoiled. She snatched it back and then kicked him hard. “Behave yourself and go to sleep.”
She gripped the edge of the quilt, turned her back to Qin Yi, and squeezed her eyes shut.
Qin Yi turned onto his side and quietly watched her.
The candle flame was on the verge of dying, its hazy light outlining Yan Tongshu’s slender figure.
Her dark hair spilled across the pillow, making the exposed nape of her neck look even more luminous and jade-white.
Her breathing was light and steady, completely unguarded.
He reached out, gently took the hand hanging beside her pillow, and slowly pressed it against his cheek, rubbing against it with the lightest, most lingering touch.
His eyes gradually darkened.
He wanted her.
He wanted more—so much more.
Not merely embraces and touches, but more than that.
After a long while, Qin Yi let out a sigh. He lowered his head and placed the faintest kiss on her icy fingertips. Then he closed his eyes and drifted peacefully to sleep.
His dream was filled with the fragrance of peach blossoms.
Qin Yi opened his eyes to find himself in the familiar bedchamber, beneath the dim glow of candlelight.
“Qin Yi.”
His body suddenly grew heavy as Yan Tongshu rolled over and straddled him. She was not heavy, but the sensation made him unbearably ticklish.
She looked down at him with a bright smile, mischief dancing in her eyes. “Qin Yi, you’re so hot.”
He was.
He was burning hot.
Through their thin garments, the coolness of her body slowly seeped into him, mingling with his heat.
Even their breathing grew disordered.
Yan Tongshu lowered her head, her red lips hovering over his, tempting him toward ruin.
He lifted his head, reaching for her, trying to kiss her.
But Yan Tongshu suddenly pulled away with a teasing smile. She pressed a finger to his lips, the cool fingertip tracing downward bit by bit—from his chin, along his throat, and over his Adam’s apple. She tugged open his collar and let her finger come to rest over his heart before pointing straight at his obvious defeat.
“Qin Yi, I told you—what you want…”
Qin Yi seized her wrist, rolled over, and pinned her beneath him, kissing her fiercely.
Qin Yi suddenly opened his eyes.
Every time, the dream ended there.
He turned onto his side and looked at Yan Tongshu.
She was already fast asleep, utterly unaware that a madman was lying beside her.
Qin Yi let out a long sigh. He rose from the bed as quietly as possible, pushed open the door, and went out into the adjoining room.
The autumn night wind was cold. It helped suppress the indescribable heat raging within him.
The next morning, someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Lu Xi stood outside and called softly through the door, “Your Majesty, it is time to return to the palace and attend morning court.”
There was no response from inside.
Lu Xi knocked several more times, harder than before.
Yan Tongshu rubbed her eyes and sat up, her mood dark as thunder.
She looked toward the window. Outside was still pitch-black; dawn had not yet broken.
She should have been sleeping until broad daylight, but instead she had been woken up.
“Qin Yi.” Yan Tongshu called out, but there was no answer.
She nudged Qin Yi with her foot. He felt strangely hot.
“Qin Yi?” Concerned, Yan Tongshu turned toward him.
Qin Yi lay on the bed, his face flushed, his breathing thick and labored, his body frighteningly hot.
Yan Tongshu placed a hand against his forehead. It was burning.
She caught his wrist and checked his pulse, then froze.
He had a fever?
The house wasn’t drafty.
Yan Tongshu glanced at the blankets. She had not stolen them from him, either. How had he suddenly developed a fever for no reason?
She hurriedly called Lu Xi inside.
Lu Xi was startled when he entered. “This…”
After a moment’s hesitation, Lu Xi immediately went outside and instructed the eunuchs waiting to escort the emperor back to the palace to inform the court officials that His Majesty had taken ill and that court would be suspended for the day. He then ordered the Divine Might Army to hurry to the palace and summon the imperial physicians. Once the physicians confirmed that the emperor could be moved, Qin Yi would be carried back to the palace on the imperial couch.
Yan Tongshu called Pearl to bring cold water so they could lower Qin Yi’s temperature.
The imperial physicians would need time to arrive, so Yan Tongshu first wrote out a prescription and had Pearl fetch the ingredients and begin boiling the medicine.
By the time the physicians arrived, they could confirm the prescription and give Qin Yi the medicine without delay.
Yan Tongshu sat beside the bed, placing a damp cloth over Qin Yi’s forehead. She could not help muttering again, “How did he suddenly come down with a fever when he was perfectly fine?”
She could not understand it. No matter how she thought about it, she could not understand.
Lu Xi stood to one side and guiltily lowered his head. He did not dare tell Yan Tongshu that Qin Yi had made himself ill by going outside to blow on the cold night wind.
Qin Yi’s temperature was astonishingly high. The cloth warmed almost immediately against his skin.
Yan Tongshu sighed, removed it, dipped it into the basin again, and wrung it nearly dry. She was just about to place it back on his forehead when Qin Yi suddenly opened his eyes.
His eyes were bloodshot, but unfocused. He stared straight at her.
“You’re awake—mmph…”
Before Yan Tongshu could finish, Qin Yi abruptly pulled her toward him. His arm circled around the back of her neck, his palm pressing against the back of her head.
He rested his forehead against hers. The fever had clouded his consciousness; he could neither hear nor see clearly. He was simply following instinct, searching for a familiar presence.
“Yan Tongshu… Yan Tongshu…”
His breathing was rapid and scorching, each breath washing over her face. His hoarse voice seemed to scrape its way out of his throat.
Yan Tongshu stared blankly into those eyes so close to hers. Beneath their blood-red surface, a violent storm seemed to be gathering.
Her heart gave a hard, sudden thump.
“Yes. I want it.”
Yan Tongshu heard him say it.
His voice was hoarse to the extreme, like someone finally surrendering after suppressing his desires for far too long.
Yan Tongshu frowned, confused. “What do you wan—”
Qin Yi lifted his head and kissed her without hesitation.
His kiss was scorching, urgent, and wild, carrying an irresistible force.
It began as tentative brushes of their lips, then became an unrestrained, ravenous assault.
He gave her no chance to catch her breath.
The world spun.
Her back sank into the softness of the quilts.
Only when Qin Yi seized both her hands and forced them above her head, pinning them firmly against the pillow, did she finally come to her senses.
Yan Tongshu tried to pull free, but Qin Yi was too heavy, too powerful, too crazed. He pressed her down until she could scarcely breathe.
Most frightening of all, the temperature of her own body was beginning to rise as well.
Their bodies tangled together, their breaths merging into scorching heat.
At last, Qin Yi drew back slightly.
Yan Tongshu gasped for breath, her chest rising and falling violently.
Qin Yi buried his face in the curve of her neck. His lips pressed against the snowy-white skin there, kissing it again and again, while his searing breath spilled over her flesh and stirred tiny tremors beneath her skin.
“Yan Tongshu.” His voice sounded as though it had been dragged over gravel, hoarse beyond recognition. “I want you… I want you so badly I’m going crazy.”
“No.” Yan Tongshu turned her head away, her ears flushed red, as was her snow-white neck. Her slender lashes trembled faintly. “You’re delirious with fever.”
“No?” Qin Yi murmured. Even under the burning fever, his consciousness remained muddled. Thinking he was dreaming, he sounded as aggrieved as a child.
Yan Tongshu did not answer. She simply tried, again and again, to calm her disordered breathing and racing heart.
After a moment, she drew a deep breath and forced down the tremor in her throat. “Qin Yi.”
“Hmm?” Qin Yi’s voice was still hoarse beyond recognition.
Yan Tongshu lowered her lashes, not daring to look at him. Her voice was no better than his. “You’re sick. Lie down properly.”
Qin Yi did not move. Yan Tongshu’s lashes fluttered instinctively, and she said softly, “Be good.”
After a brief silence, Yan Tongshu felt the arm clasping her loosen.
Qin Yi rolled over and lay flat on his back, his eyes closed and his face turned upward. His chest was still heaving violently.
Yan Tongshu propped herself up and sat on the edge of the bed. Her cheeks were burning fiercely, red and hot.
She pressed the back of her icy hand against her cheek, trying to lower the alarming heat, then glared fiercely at Qin Yi.
“Dog emperor!”
She clenched her fist and took aim at Qin Yi, about to punch him hard. But when her gaze fell on his flushed face, her heart softened, and she withdrew her hand.
Forget it.
Since he was a patient whose mind had been addled by fever, she would let it go for now. She could settle the score with interest later.
Yan Tongshu touched her face again. She had probably caught Qin Yi’s fever; her entire body was astonishingly hot, and her heart was pounding at an alarming speed.
Something was wrong!
Yan Tongshu suddenly snapped to attention.
There was someone else in the room.
Lu Xi!
Yan Tongshu swept her gaze around the room. At some point, Lu Xi had left without making a sound. There was no one else inside, and the doors and windows had been shut tight, without even the slightest crack to let in air. The room’s temperature could not drop.
Neither could her heart settle down.
After a while, the imperial physician arrived. Once he had examined Qin Yi, Yan Tongshu showed him the prescription she had written. After confirming that it was correct, the physician also inspected the decoction Pearl had prepared and tested it for poison. Lu Xi then helped Qin Yi take the medicine.
After confirming with the imperial physician that Qin Yi could be moved, Lu Xi ordered the Divine Might Army to carry him back to the imperial palace.
Once Qin Yi had left, Pearl removed the sheets and quilt cover he had slept on.
People with fevers sweated profusely, and both the sheets and quilt cover were soaked through and needed to be washed.
After the bedding had been replaced, Yan Tongshu lay back down, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.
Her perfectly good bed had been slept in by the dog emperor, and now there seemed to be a strange scent lingering on it.
Hmph.
Yan Tongshu grabbed the quilt, pulled it over her face, and closed her eyes, trying desperately to fall asleep.
Dog emperor. Dog emperor.
Dog emperor!
Yan Tongshu angrily pulled the quilt back down. Her fair face had been smothered red beneath it.
She could not sleep at all now.
In short, no matter how one put it, this was all the dog emperor’s fault.
Yan Tongshu sighed. She wondered when the dog emperor’s fever would finally break.
No.
Why was she thinking about that?
Sleep, sleep, sleep.
Sleep!
Half an hour later, Yan Tongshu was still lying there with her large eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.
She could not sleep at all.
Yan Tongshu got to her feet and folded her arms across her chest.
This bed was unusable.
She dragged a fresh quilt off the bed and carried it to the guest room.
She still could not sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, her mind filled with all kinds of embarrassing, chaotic, lurid scenes.
The sounds of breathing, the sounds of panting.
Scorching, searing, and…
Ahhhhh!
Yan Tongshu screamed wildly inside.
The next morning, Yan Tongshu entered Kaifeng Office with a pair of dark circles under her eyes. The pressure surrounding her was so oppressive that it was terrifying.
The constables all avoided her as they passed.
Xu Qiu tugged at Jinbao. “What’s wrong with Lord Yan? Why does she look so awful?”
Jinbao tilted his head and thought for a moment. “She’s having a bad temper after waking up.”
That bad?
The constable shook his head. It seemed Lord Yan truly had not slept well.
Yan Tongshu entered the office. The memorials on the desk had already been cleared away and taken elsewhere. However, two chairs still stood beside it.
She walked over and angrily hauled Qin Yi’s chair away.
Pearl and Jinbao exchanged glances.
What was wrong with Young Master? Why was his temper so much worse than usual after waking up today?
Once Qin Yi’s chair was gone, the desk looked much more pleasing to the eye. Yan Tongshu went over and began working.
That afternoon, Xu Qiu knocked on the door. “Lord Yan.”
Yan Tongshu was biting the end of her writing brush, her brows furrowed. She sat perfectly still, as though she had encountered an extremely difficult problem.
“Lord Yan!” Xu Qiu raised his voice.
Yan Tongshu came back to herself. “Ah? What is it?”
Xu Qiu reported, “Lord Feng has arrived. He’s brought Yu Moqing and the Yu family members with him.”
“All of them?” Yan Tongshu was startled.
“Yes.” Xu Qiu explained, “After Lord Feng left Kaifeng last time, he hurried back to Yun Prefecture overnight. He also sent men galloping along the route back to Xian Prefecture to search for the companions who had entered the capital with Yu Weizhu. Unexpectedly, they weren’t found along that route. Instead, they were encountered in Yun Prefecture.
“After leaving Bianjing, those people had not been in a hurry to travel. They planned to do some sightseeing before returning home, so they took a detour through Yun Prefecture. When Lord Feng found them, they had not yet left Yun Prefecture. He immediately brought them back to Bianjing. By coincidence, he ran into Yu Moqing on the way.”
Yan Tongshu asked, “Why was Yu Moqing on the road?”
“Just one of those coincidences.” Xu Qiu continued loudly, “Lord Feng didn’t recognize Yu Moqing, but those people all knew him. Yu Moqing was an assumed name. His real name is Xia He, the Young Master of the Xia family in Xian Prefecture, and the younger brother of Lord Xia of the Xian Prefecture Tribute Office. At first, he was recognized by the Yu family’s people on the road, but he refused to admit that he was Xia He.
“During the ensuing struggle, his collar was pulled open, revealing the three characters ‘Yu Weizhu.’ Lord Feng immediately grew suspicious. After capturing him and questioning him, he learned that he was indeed Yu Moqing. That was when Lord Feng brought the entire group here.”
Lord Feng was truly risking his life to solve the case.
In only a few days, he had made two round trips between Bianjing and Yun Prefecture.
Even a body made of iron could not withstand that.
Yan Tongshu hurriedly ordered Xu Qiu to bring in all the people involved in the case. The sooner she finished questioning them, the sooner Lord Feng could go and rest.
Xu Qiu acknowledged the order.
Of the four people traveling with Yu Weizhu, three were servants, while the fourth was his friend, Wei Wei.
Xia He and Wei Wei knelt in front, with the three servants kneeling behind them.
After Lord Feng Jien offered his greetings, he sat to one side.
Yan Tongshu told them to rise and answer her questions, then turned first to Wei Wei. “Did you enter the capital at the same time as Yu Weizhu?”
Wei Wei lowered his head, his heart uneasy, and replied in a mild tone, “I am Brother Yu’s good friend. This time, he came to Bianjing to deliver goods, and Uncle Yu and Aunt Yu were worried about letting him travel alone. As it happened, I was bored at home, so I told my parents and obtained their permission to accompany Brother Yu.”
Yan Tongshu questioned him in a steady voice. “Tell me in detail everything you saw, heard, and discussed along the way.”
"Yes." Wei Wei bowed and replied, "To deliver the goods to the Treasure Workshop on time, our group rushed all the way without stopping. We arrived in the capital on the 12th, successfully handed over the goods, and received the payment. After that, we rested in Bianjing for one day before setting off to leave. Brother Yu said he wanted to explore Bianjing a bit more and stayed behind for the time being. After that, I left by carriage with my servants, and I had no idea what happened to Brother Yu. I only learned yesterday that he had met with misfortune, and my heart is filled with sorrow."
"You are lying." Yan Tongshu's tone turned icy cold in an instant.
Wei Wei immediately dropped to his knees. "This lowly one dares not."
Yan Tongshu narrowed his eyes. "You said you were bored staying at home, so you told your parents and traveled together with Yu Weizhu, rushing all the way to Bianjing. If you came to Bianjing just because you were bored, why would you leave in a hurry after only one day of rest, without staying to sightsee at all?
Your group left Bianjing in a rush, yet you did not head straight for your hometown, but detoured to Yunzhou. During that time, you all took your time enjoying leisure activities, which shows you were in no hurry to get back to Xianzhou. Then why were you in such a rush to leave Bianjing? Answer this official!"
Crack! The sound of the judge's gavel thundered out sharply.
The imposing pressure of the courtroom weighed heavily, and Wei Wei kept his head lowered, not daring to meet Yan Tongshu's gaze.
"This... this..." He hesitated again and again.
Yan Tongshu looked past him to the servants standing behind him. "You all tell me, why was that?"
The servants shook their heads one after another, chattering away. "My Lord, this small one has no idea."
"That's right, My Lord, we are just servants. We do whatever our master tells us to do."
"My Lord, back then we were all envious of Bianjing's prosperity and wanted to stay and explore. It was the Second Young Master Yu and Master Wei who urged us to leave."
"Wei Wei!"
Bang, the judge's gavel struck again.
Yan Tongshu said sternly, "Do you know what crime it is to hide the truth and deceive this official!"
The gavel's vibration made Wei Wei's scalp tingle, and his knees went weak as he subconsciously knelt down. "My Lord, this lowly one... this lowly one is..."
His eyes darted to Xia He at the side, who was also known as Yu Moqing.
Xia He had stormed off after quarreling with Yu Weizhu, but he had not actually left. He had lingered around the outskirts of Bianjing the whole time, waiting for Yu Weizhu to change his mind and come find him.
He waited and waited, until his heart was nearly broken, but the person he loved never came to make up with him.
Therefore, he had no idea that Yu Weizhu was already dead. He only found out yesterday at dusk, when he ran into Wei Wei's group. The servants grabbed him, his identity was exposed, and then Lord Feng sent people to arrest him.
Learning that the person he loved deeply had been murdered, Xia He cried until his heart and guts were torn apart. Now his eyes were red, his whole slender figure as fragile as a reed, and he could only stay upright with the support of his young attendant.
Wei Wei kept sneaking glances at Xia He out of the corner of his eye. Yan Tongshu noticed this sharply, frowned, and asked in a deep voice, "You knew Xia He was still in Bianjing, and you rushed your servants to leave just to cover for Yu Weizhu?"
Wei Wei's whole body jolted, and he confessed. "Since My Lord has already guessed, this lowly one dare not hide anything. That is exactly the case. Brother Yu is the second son of the Yu family. He has an elder brother above him and two younger brothers below him, so his position is awkward, and he needs to strive for a better standing. Back in his hometown, he has a wife and a son, and his wife has a fiery temper. If his family found out about his special penchant, it would cause chaos in his household, and he would probably be driven out of the Yu family. So out of the kindness of our friendship, I covered for him and hurried the servants away from Bianjing, to leave him enough time to meet up with Young Master Xia."
A nest of snakes and rats, aiding the wicked in their evil deeds, Yan Tongshu thought to himself with a scowl. He then continued to ask, "Is that all?"
Wei Wei said as if he had resigned himself to his fate, "This is all the inside story, this lowly one has confessed everything."
"Still spouting nonsense!" Yan Tongshu's eyebrows shot up in anger. He no longer paid any attention to Wei Wei, and turned his gaze to Xia He. "Xia He, are you Yu Moqing?"
Xia He had tears glistening in his eyes, and he bit his lip as he nodded.
Yan Tongshu went on to ask, "Just now the bailiffs said that your real identity is the Second Young Master of the Xia family in Xianzhou, the younger brother of Lord Xia of the Xianzhou Supply Office?"
Xia He nodded again, his pair of affectionate eyes so soft they seemed to drip water.
He said, "In reply to Lord Yan, even though I am the Second Young Master of the Xia family, I never liked being tied down by my family since I was a child, and I disdain the rigid conventions of the world. I went my own unorthodox way and only loved opera acting. Three years ago, I ran away from home, and it was Brother Yu who took me in. He helped me change my name, rented a place for me, and took care of everything for me.
He understood me, he was different from everyone else. Not only did he not scold me for being unprofessional like my elder brother did, he even bought me opera costumes, encouraged me, and supported me. What I felt for him, and what he felt for me, was all genuine."
At this point, Xia He blinked, and tears fell down his cheeks. "I just never expected that the east wind would be cruel, our happy moments would be fleeting, and all of it would vanish in an instant. He clearly promised he would divorce his wife and stay with me forever, but he kept delaying again and again, and even went to those filthy places to seek out pleasure. That's why I had a big fight with him and left in anger, cutting off our relationship."
Yan Tongshu was not moved by the "tragic romance" between Xia He and Yu Weizhu. Instead, his gaze grew sharper, and he asked, "Did you know that the jewelry made by the Yu family has passed the screening of the Supply Office, and is going to be offered as tribute to the palace next year?"
Xia He shook his head.
Yan Tongshu said, "The Supply Office is in charge of palace purchases, and your elder brother works there. Before he died, Yu Weizhu was lingering intimately with Yaoxiang at the Huahua Building, saying that he was going to close a huge deal next year, gain control of the household in his family, and then surpass his elder brother."
As he spoke, Yan Tongshu's sharp gaze stabbed at Wei Wei. "You tell me, what is this huge deal?"
Wei Wei ground his teeth in secret frustration. This Lord Yan is as sharp and alert as the rumors say.
Yan Tongshu had practically laid the whole truth bare, but Xia He still could not make sense of it.
Wei Wei sighed. Brother Yu, for the sake of our old friendship, I will do my best to preserve your reputation after death.
Wei Wei said, "Yes, as Lord Yan has guessed, this huge deal is exactly the matter of the Yu family's jewelry being selected for palace tribute. The jewelry made by the Yu family has exquisite craftsmanship and unique designs, but for various reasons, they never managed to reach the next level. Brother Yu wanted to surpass his elder brother and inherit the family business, so he turned to Lord Xia and begged him for help."
Xia He knitted his brows, a confused look flashing across his face. "My elder brother? He helped Brother Yu?"
Feng Jien could not stand watching any longer. How could Xia He be so naive?
He spoke up to prompt him, "Most likely your elder brother pulled strings for the Yu family because of you. Once this deal goes through, the Yu family's reputation will soar, and Yu Weizhu's standing in his family will rise sharply too."
Xia He was still lost. "My elder brother did it for my sake?"
Feng Jien said plainly, "Maybe he did it because Yu Weizhu was taking care of you, or maybe he was blackmailed. After all, if word got out that a high-ranking official's own younger brother ran off to become an opera performer and lived openly with a married man who had a wife and child, that would be disastrous for your elder brother's official career. Yu Weizhu helped you change your name and rented a place for you, all to hide your whereabouts so your elder brother could not find you."
Xia He staggered, as if a thunderclap had just exploded in his mind. His lips turned pale, and his voice trembled. "You mean... he was using me all along?"
Feng Jien nodded.
Xia He rushed up to Wei Wei, his fair, delicate fingers clutching at the other man's clothes. "Tell me, Brother Yu didn't lie to me, didn't use me, right? Say it!"
Wei Wei closed his eyes for a moment, and said haltingly, "Brother Yu, he... he did it all for the Yu family."
The last sliver of illusion was completely shattered. Xia He slumped down onto the ground, with big tears rolling down his cheeks.
"No, that's not true, that can't be true." Xia He could not bring himself to believe such a cruel thing. He had loved Brother Yu with every fiber of his being, trusted him completely, how could he have used him, lied to him?
Xia He was fair-skinned, soft-featured and stunningly beautiful. The sight of such a lovely person weeping was so pitiable that Wei Wei tried to comfort him, "Try to look on the bright side. Brother Yu didn't lie to just you alone."
