It was high noon, and the sun slipped out from behind the wispy clouds quietly. Wen Zhuo showed up at the Hanlin Academy right on time.
He had barely stepped into the official compound when a Hanlin Expositor came toward him and greeted him, "Academy Head, are you heading to the dining hall for your meal?"
"I already ate in the Eastern Palace." Wen Zhuo stood tall and straight as a pine, his strides steady, his bearing dignified, not a single hint of anything unusual showing on him.
A look of undisguised admiration flooded the Expositor's eyes right away. To be appointed one of the Three Preceptors of the Crown Prince was already a great honor, and to be frequently summoned by the Crown Prince to share meals in the Eastern Palace on top of that—Director Wen's future was truly boundless.
Just as Wen Zhuo was about to enter the Academy Head's main hall, he suddenly turned back and instructed him, "After you finish your meal, I will hold a deliberation. Make sure all officials from every department come over."
"Understood!" The Expositor bowed and acknowledged the order promptly.
Word soon spread to the dining hall. None of the Hanlin Academy officials dared to slight the order. They scraped the last bits of rice from their bowls, wiped their mouths haphazardly, smoothed the creases on their official robes, and hurried back to the main hall to wait.
When Wen Zhuo walked into the hall and saw everyone had arrived without a single absence, a flicker of satisfaction finally crossed his otherwise impassive face. He stood at the front steps of the main hall, cleared his throat, and said, "As you have all likely heard, the Hanlin Academy will be drafting the exam questions for next year's Metropolitan Examination. I plan to select eight of you to work with me on finalizing the exam scope. Once the Chief Examiner is formally appointed, we will split into separate sections to draft the specific questions."
The officials had already settled into their seats when they noticed Wen Zhuo remained standing with his hands folded respectfully, his expression grave. They exchanged confused glances and immediately scrambled to their feet nervously, all wondering to themselves why Director Wen was in such a stern mood today that he would not even sit down for the deliberation.
A quick-witted Compiler immediately picked up the pearwood hardwood chair he had been sitting on, hurried over to Wen Zhuo, wiped the seat surface over and over with his sleeve, and said with an ingratiating smile, "Academy Head, please take a seat. Standing to speak will tire you out."
Wen Zhuo glanced at the chair out of the corner of his eye, his body tensing almost imperceptibly for a split second before he turned his face away sharply and said coldly, "I will not sit. Move it away."
"..."
The Compiler looked awkward and could only carry the chair back dejectedly, his mind even more puzzled by the Academy Head's strange behavior.
During the entire deliberation that day, Wen Zhuo asked all the officials to recommend themselves for the selection. For a full half hour, no one in the main hall dared to sit down. Finally, eight Hanlin officials with both good character and sufficient competence were selected.
When the official business was finally wrapped up, the eight selected officials followed Wen Zhuo to the east side chamber of the Academy Head's main hall to discuss the exam scope in greater detail.
They had barely brushed the edges of their chairs when they saw Wen Zhuo pick up a copy of *Spring and Autumn Annals* from the desk, walk slowly over to the door, lean casually against the doorframe to sunbathe, his posture relaxed yet he still refused to take a seat.
Seeing this, the officials immediately jumped to their feet in unison and stood with their hands respectfully at their sides.
Wen Zhuo frowned and glanced at them, saying, "All of you sit down. Why are you still standing?"
They replied in one voice, "Academy Head, you take the seat first. Please sit down."
Wen Zhuo's jaw tightened, "I am not tired. I just want to get some sun."
The officials looked at each other and said, "We are not tired either! We might as well keep you company and sunbathe together, Academy Head!"
Wen Zhuo: "..."
He had never seen this group of people be so overly attentive on any ordinary day!
A couple of days later, Liu Chenming finished drafting the candidate list for the Chief Examiner position. He had deliberately made amends for his earlier oversight by placing Wen Zhuo's name at the very top of the list.
The list was passed through Liu Quan, the Supervisor of the Imperial Ceremonial Directorate, to Emperor Shunyuan's sickbed.
Emperor Shunyuan had been running a continuous high fever for days, his body growing increasingly weak. The imperial physicians had prescribed herbal remedies to stabilize his condition, but there was no sign of recovery. Lying propped up on soft pillows, covered by a thick quilt and warmed by a stove, he slowly lifted his eyelids when he heard the movement. His vision was blurred for a moment before he could make out the memorial Liu Quan was holding. He then closed his eyes and sighed softly, "It's time for the imperial examinations again. This is probably the last imperial examination of the Shunyuan reign."
Liu Quan was so frightened by the words that he immediately dropped to his knees, his voice laced with genuine concern, "Your Majesty has the well-being of all people at heart and works tirelessly day and night. Heaven will surely see your benevolence and bless you with long life and good health for a hundred years!"
Emperor Shunyuan let out a low chuckle, but the laughter tugged at his lungs and triggered a fit of coughs that left his face pale.
"When I was young, I was obsessed with seeking immortality and visiting all corners of the realm to search for Taoist masters. Now in my old age, I have finally come to my senses. There are no immortals who can defy fate and grant eternal life. I have long warned myself that I must not, out of fear as I face the end of my life, repeat the mistakes of my predecessors by believing in the nonsense of charlatans and bringing harm to the people."
"Your Majesty!" Liu Quan only dared to call out softly, not daring to say another word.
The predecessor Emperor Shunyuan referred to was none other than his father, Emperor Kangzhen.
In his later years, after the death of his eldest son and facing the threat from his own brothers who eyed the throne greedily, Emperor Kangzhen's temperament had grown increasingly erratic. He doted on a charlatan, neglected state affairs, and left the entire court living in fear.
Emperor Shunyuan had spent his entire life under the strict tutelage of Emperor Kangzhen, and only at the very end of his life did he dare to hint faintly at a hint of rebellion in this private conversation.
"Read the list to me," Emperor Shunyuan waved his hand, putting an end to this risky topic.
Liu Quan did not dare to delay. He unfolded the memorial and read every name clearly.
There were six names in total, and the reading was done quickly. After listening, Emperor Shunyuan stared blankly at the caisson ceiling above his bed, remaining silent for a long while.
Liu Quan stole a glance at the emperor's expression, not knowing what to say, when he heard Emperor Shunyuan speak slowly, "Earlier, because of the edict incident, I kept avoiding seeing Wenshan. And during the *Late Mountain Fu* case, he took all the blame for me and suffered so much. I have treated him too unfairly these days. The position of Chief Examiner for this imperial examination will be his."
The post of Chief Examiner for the Metropolitan Examination was an immense honor in the eyes of all literati across the realm.
All the successful candidates in this year's exam would automatically recognize Wen Zhuo as their patron examiner, and once they took up official positions in the court later, they would form his natural faction of supporters. With this decision, Emperor Shunyuan was tacitly allowing Wen Zhuo to no longer have to remain a lone courtier without any allies.
As a highly favored courtier of the current emperor, Wen Zhuo would easily become the target of political purges once the new emperor ascended the throne. By giving him this status, Emperor Shunyuan was paving a safe path for him to make up for his past debt to him.
"This servant will obey your order," Liu Quan bowed his head, his expression respectful and unreadable.
When Wen Zhuo received the news, he was slightly taken aback, but immediately understood Emperor Shunyuan's intention.
All of them were the same—they never showed total indifference, yet they were never willing to give their full hearts. They hid a glimmer of genuine kindness in their harshest decisions, but would still cast him aside without hesitation when the moment of choice came.
Fortunately, he had long stopped agonizing over such unfulfilled wishes. He would accept what Emperor Shunyuan offered him, and the secrets he kept would be taken as compensation for the emperor's earlier implicit approval of torturing him.
However, as the newly appointed Chief Examiner, there was one thing that made him overjoyed.
Fifteen days before the Metropolitan Examination, which was the third day after New Year's Day, he would be confined inside the Imperial Examination Compound, cut off from all contact with the outside world until the exam questions were finalized and the official examination began.
That meant Shen Zheng would not be able to punish him with at least three letters—no! Not even one!
Just thinking about that made the usually restrained Director Wen indulge in six cotton candies that night, far more than his usual share.
Soon it was the day before New Year's Eve, the last day of the year that Shen Zheng oversaw state affairs as the Regent.
Inside the Hall of Military Eminence, Shen Zheng sat on the Regent's throne as all officials presented their affairs one by one. First, they read out the New Year greetings from local officials addressed to the Emperor and the Crown Prince, then handed over the annual summaries of the Six Ministries.
Gu Weizhi bowed and reported, "Your Highness, the New Year's rice and charcoal supplies for the capital have all been prepared, and all displaced people have been properly resettled."
Liu Chenming followed closely behind and said, "Your Highness, all preparations for the Imperial Examination Compound are complete. We have followed your decree to treat the participating scholars with extra care."
Mo Shu also stepped forward to report, "The palace guards and the nine city gates have all been reinforced with additional troops, to strictly fend off bandits and petty criminals, and safeguard the peace of the capital."
Shen Zheng nodded after listening, his fingertips tapping lightly on the arm of the chair, his voice steady. "The Emperor's illness has not yet healed. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, so we should simplify grand ceremonies, uphold filial piety, and observe court etiquette. All song, dance and feast entertainments are to be canceled. All officials shall gather for the imperial audience outside the Fengtian Gate at the ninth hour, and return to their respective residences to reunite with their families once the ceremony concludes."
With the official matters settled, the atmosphere in the hall softened a little.
Wen Zhuo, standing at the head of all civil and military officials, quickly lifted his eyes to glance at Shen Zheng, secretly speculating in his heart. Perhaps Shen Zheng had been so occupied by trivial busy affairs that he had temporarily forgotten about the punishment, or maybe, considering that tomorrow was his birthday, he had simply waived it.
Just as he began to harbor a sliver of luck, he heard Shen Zheng's voice, clear and unhurried, traveling through the air. "Director Wen, come to the Eastern Palace after the court session."
Wen Zhuo's eyelashes drooped instantly.
The old man Lan Jianghe patted his shoulder with a smile as he walked past. "Director Wen, the Crown Prince has benefited greatly from your tutelage, and his knowledge of state affairs has improved day by day. With New Year's Eve just around the corner, the fact that the Crown Prince has summoned you alone for a discussion speaks volumes of his exceptional favor. Congratulations to you, Director Wen."
You have no idea what the Crown Prince is summoning me for!
Wen Zhuo smiled back, hands folded behind his back, a dull ache faintly lingering from earlier.
Seeing that Shen Zheng showed no intention of going easy on him at all, Wen Zhuo could only resign himself to his fate, and made his way toward the Eastern Palace along a familiar path.
Just as he reached the Wenhua Gate, his wrist was suddenly grabbed by a large hand from behind, and he was pulled abruptly to the side.
Wen Zhuo turned around in a hurry, and fell straight into Shen Zheng's deep, dark eyes.
He glanced around, just in time to see a patrol of imperial guards passing by, so he quickly tried to pull his hand away, bowed respectfully and greeted, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Shen Zheng waited until the patrol had walked past, then leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice. "We are not going to Duanben Studio today."
Wen Zhuo's eyes lit up all at once. Could it be that he is not going to punish me?
Shen Zheng found his ever-changing expression amusing, a quiet laugh bubbling inside him. He kept a firm hold on Wen Zhuo's wrist, led him into the Eastern Palace, and headed straight for the side courtyard on the north side.
The courtyard was planted all over with plum trees. On the eve of New Year's Eve, the plum blossoms were in full bloom, their sparse, twisted shadows casting across the ground, and a subtle, sweet scent of blossoms drifting in the air.
This was the Crown Prince's private hot spring pavilion. Its vermilion door was half ajar, and curling water vapor mixed with the rich scent of sandalwood seeped out through the gaps in the door.
Wen Zhuo paused to admire the plum blossoms for a moment, then turned around, confused. "Your Highness is planning to take a bath in the hot spring?"
"The suburban imperial resort is not convenient to go to right now, so I can only make do with this place for you, my teacher. I will definitely take you there for a proper experience in the future," Shen Zheng said.
Wen Zhuo quickly straightened his expression. "Your Highness, that is improper. No court official is allowed to enter either the hot spring palace or the Eastern Palace's private hot spring."
Your Highness can enjoy himself as much as he wants, and this humble teacher should head back to his residence immediately!
Shen Zheng looked him over, a faint, teasing smile playing on his lips. "Does my teacher still think of himself as nothing more than a court official?"
Wen Zhuo was left speechless for a moment.
"I still remember that day at Chunlai Workshop, when the cold rain was drizzling and the hot spring water was warm and rippling. My heart was pounding, and I secretly glanced at Your Highness's lap, too ashamed to move. Back then, how could I have known that our affection would grow so deep later, and that Your Highness would also touch the most hidden parts of my body..." Shen Zheng recited the lines unhurriedly, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I specially had this hot spring pool prepared, all for the sake of that line you wrote, my teacher."
"..."
He never thought that those ten sheets of paper had ended up in Shen Zheng's hands. He had even forgotten himself that the seventh note contained those exact words!
Right after he finished speaking, Shen Zheng simply swept Wen Zhuo off his feet in a bridal carry, stepped into the warm pavilion, and then pressed his knuckles against the door to shut it firmly. The crisp click of the lock fell on Wen Zhuo's ears, loud and distinct.
It was completely quiet all around, with no attendants in sight. Obviously, Shen Zheng had made arrangements long ago to dismiss all the servants.
The hot spring pool inside the pavilion was built of bluestone, with a simple, clean layout. A small red clay stove was burning brightly at the edge of the pool, and the spring water rippled gently, lapping softly against the stone walls.
On the stone platform beside the pool, that amber long spoon lay quietly. Its honey-brown luster made Wen Zhuo's heart tremble the moment he saw it.
"It should be seventy-six strokes this time, a little fewer than last time. Just hang your official robe on the wooden rack, my teacher, so it won't get wet."
The hot steam from the spring made Wen Zhuo's cheeks damp and flushed. He pulled his official robe tighter around himself, his toes tucking inward slightly, and said in a restrained, decorous manner, "Your Highness, go ahead and enjoy your bath. This humble teacher will wait for you right here."
Shen Zheng undid his outer robe with one hand, his movements neat and quick. He draped his crimson court robe over the nearby rack, and the light apricot undergarment embroidered with cloud patterns he wore underneath outlined his tall, straight figure.
He chuckled, his voice deep and captivating. "If you don't take off your clothes, my teacher, how are you going to receive your punishment?"
Y.U.X.I!
Wen Zhuo felt a rush of heat surging straight to his head, and he almost wished he could plunge into the hot spring and sink to the bottom, never to come out again.
This was not their first time, though. Embarrassing as it was, he was already somewhat used to it. Then the thought hit him that tomorrow was his birthday, and Shen Zheng was not showing him the slightest bit of mercy. A wave of sudden grievance welled up in him, and he began to undo his fox fur coat in a huff, then took off his official robe, his outer tunic, and his inner garment layer by layer, until only a plain white undershirt was left on him. The collar gaped slightly, revealing the delicate line of his neck.
The hot, steamy air in the pavilion made his eyes glisten. He placed his hands on his undershorts, steeled his heart, and pulled them off in one swift motion. In the blink of an eye, the formally dressed, dignified official was left in a state of disheveled, half-clothed undress.
He lifted his dark eyes, which seemed as if they were filled with the glistening water of the hot spring. His fingertips traced up the wide sleeve of Shen Zheng's undergarment, rolling up the cuff embroidered with tiny insignias, exposing his broad, slightly rough palm.
This was the hand that could draft and review imperial memorials, and the same hand that could hold him completely under its control.
The bluestone floor under his feet was damp with moisture, and Wen Zhuo's toes curled involuntarily. He turned around carefully, hung his head, and lifted the hem of his undershirt, presenting the fair, plump curve of his backside right in front of Shen Zheng's palm.
I hate Your Highness so much!
Shen Zheng took in all his pouting, shame and frustration, and wrapped his arms tightly around him from behind, his palms settling contentedly on the smooth, soft skin as he asked, "After this, you will be locked up in the Imperial Academy to set the exam questions for several sessions in a row, and I won't be able to punish you then. Why don't we settle all the remaining strokes today?"
The plump curve under his palm visibly trembled.
Wen Zhuo glared back at him, biting his lip tightly and refusing to say a word.
Shen Zheng thought for a moment. "If I add up all the strokes, there will be too many, and I'm afraid you won't be able to take it. So instead of increasing the number, I'll use this amber long spoon to hit you. It will hurt a bit more."
Wen Zhuo's eyes were gradually turning red at the corners. He raised his sleeve and wiped at it roughly, still not uttering a word.
Tomorrow is my birthday! Does Your Highness even remember that?
Not waiting for his response, Shen Zheng reached for the amber long spoon on the edge of the pool, gripped it in his palm, and waved it twice through the air. The next second, it pressed gently against his skin.
The expected sharp pain did not come. Wen Zhuo froze, confused.
He snuck a glance at Shen Zheng over his shoulder, wondering if this thing was really all for show, looking intimidating but actually very light when it landed.
Shen Zheng was calm and unhurried, moving at an even, steady rhythm. One stroke followed another, and Wen Zhuo only felt a faint tingle, as a faint pink mark began to bloom on his skin.
Just as he was wondering what was going on, Shen Zheng's long, slender fingers spread the soft flesh apart, kneaded gently at the sensitive, tender spot for a moment, and then pressed into the warm crevice.
The hot steam in the pavilion was so thick that Wen Zhuo's breath caught sharply. He felt heat rushing into his chest, and every inch of his limbs and bones seemed to burn.
The long spoon landed softly, while his fingers never stopped moving. The two distinct sensations tangled together, stirring a strange new feeling in him.
It felt far more urgent, far more intoxicating than all the previous times. Even though he was trembling and flustered, he found himself craving more of this intimate torment.
His legs grew too weak to hold his weight. Strands of his dark hair were damp with water, the droplets sliding down along his hair and seeping into the fabric of his undershirt.
He could barely keep his upper body upright and proper, while the lower half of his body had long since turned completely weak and unsteady, and he had to exert all his strength to hold back the waves of sensation washing over him.
Shen Zheng noticed his reaction and let out a soft laugh. He moved quickly to turn Wen Zhuo around, and lifted him up in one arm.
Wen Zhuo closed his eyes slightly, letting the warmth and sensation wash over him, and wrapped his arms around Shen Zheng's shoulders in a rush, clinging to him tightly.
Shen Zheng caught sight of the damp glistening at the tips of his lashes and teased him playfully, "How many times have you cursed me in your head? You know full well yourself, Teacher, that this thing is meant for playful, intimate fun between two people in private chambers, yet you're still acting so wronged."
He held Wen Zhuo in his arms and stepped slowly into the warm bathing pool. The water rippled, splashing over his unfastened middle robe, so the ties came loose and slack in the waves. His lean, powerful waist and strong, well-defined arms, every line of his robust physique pressed tight against Wen Zhuo through the layer of damp fabric, their bodies clinging together without the slightest gap.
Wen Zhuo pretended not to hear, and bumped his face into Shen Zheng's shoulder to bury it there.
Shen Zheng leaned close to his ear, his hips shifting slowly as he spoke in a low, scalding tone, every word steady and unshakable, "I want every part of you, inside and out, to be steeped in my mark."
