“Of course I’ll wash.”
Shen Zheng did not press him for details. Instead, he took Wen Zhuo’s other hand and lowered both of them into the warm copper basin, scooping up a bit of soap and working it carefully between his fingers.
Watching his lowered brows and eyes, Wen Zhuo felt his heart stir. Suddenly, he curled his fingers and lightly scratched the thin calluses in Shen Zheng’s palm.
The water in the basin rippled softly. Wen Zhuo immediately looked up to study Shen Zheng, only to meet his teasing eyes. The displeasure between his brows had already vanished without a trace.
Wen Zhuo thought to himself, He really is easy to placate.
Once they were thoroughly clean, Wen Zhuo withdrew his hands and hid them in his sleeves. Then he stood up, assuming the solemn bearing of a teacher. “It wouldn’t be proper for me to stay here any longer, Your Highness. Now that my hands are washed, I’ll be going.”
Shen Zheng did not stop him. He merely picked up the damp linen cloth and wiped his face before casually handing it to the young eunuch behind him, ordering the servants to remove the basin as well.
Wen Zhuo took two steps forward. “I’m leaving, Your Highness.”
“All right,” Shen Zheng replied. He lifted his chin, and someone outside immediately entered carrying an oil-paper parcel. Wisps of steam still rose from it, filling the room with a sweet fragrance.
Wen Zhuo’s gaze was instantly drawn to the parcel, and his Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously.
Shen Zheng accepted the parcel and leisurely unwrapped it, revealing soft, milky-white date rice cakes inside.
He weighed one in his palm and said with amused interest, “Perhaps Teacher would like to stay a little longer?”
“Then I’ll leave after I’ve eaten.”
Wen Zhuo hurried toward the date cakes. Without even looking up, he pinched one and popped it into his mouth. The red-bean paste melted on his tongue, and his heart turned sweet and soft. He mumbled, “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Shen Zheng took the opportunity to lightly brush his cheek. “There’s no need to thank me, Teacher.”
—
After the regular court session, Liu Kangren was interrogated by the Dali Temple for another three consecutive days.
He repeated the events of the old incident in Mianzhou more than ten times before finally completing the required formalities and being released from prison in shackles.
He was not yet completely cleared of all charges. Only after the delegation sent to the Western Ocean had finished preparing and sailed beyond the borders of the Great Qian Empire would the shackles on his hands and feet be removed.
For a general who had once commanded armies and shaken the battlefields, this was undoubtedly a deep humiliation. But for Liu Kangren, it was already the best possible outcome.
He had not set foot in the capital for nearly ten years. The period before his diplomatic mission would at least allow him to enjoy a brief reunion with his family.
The Duke of Liu’s residence had been silent for many years, but now laughter and warmth once again filled its halls. New Year’s red lanterns hung beneath the eaves.
On the third day after Liu Kangren’s release, Liu Yuanqing was already able to walk without his crutch.
After learning that Shen Zheng had been avoiding visits from the court officials and had kept his doors shut at the princes’ residence for several days, he went with his son first to the Wen residence.
After a light knock on the door, their calling card was passed inside. Before long, Liu Qiying ushered the two of them into the study and seated them as honored guests.
Jiang Mannü brought in steaming Songluo tea and said warmly, “Duke Liu, Lord Liu, our master will be here shortly.”
Liu Kangren held the warm teacup in both hands and nodded slightly. “Thank you, Miss Liu and Miss Jiang.”
Liu Yuanqing studied the two young women and asked curiously, “You know them as well?”
“While I was hiding in the Liu residence, I survived only because the two young ladies secretly looked after me, bringing me water and food. Otherwise, I would have died of hunger and cold long ago.” Liu Kangren spoke with heartfelt sincerity, his eyes full of gratitude.
Upon hearing this, Liu Yuanqing immediately rose. He lifted both arms and clasped his hands in a solemn salute. “Liu Yuanqing thanks you both!”
Liu Qiying and Jiang Mannü quickly stepped aside, repeatedly saying, “Duke, please don’t. We could never accept such a gesture.”
“It is easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to send charcoal in the snow. The two of you deserve it,” Liu Yuanqing said gravely.
He had commanded armies for many years and possessed great prestige—not only because he was skilled at leading troops and strict with those under his command, but also because he clearly distinguished right from wrong and never used his authority to oppress others.
As they spoke, the curtain to the study was lifted, and Wen Zhuo entered wearing a wide-sleeved, round-collared robe, with a thick fox-fur cloak wrapped around him.
Unexpectedly, Shen Zheng was walking beside him, one hand holding back the heavy curtain for him.
Liu Yuanqing froze for a moment. Why was the Fifth Prince, who was rumored to have been hiding at the princes’ residence to escape the officials’ visits, here at the Wen residence?
Liu Kangren, however, was accustomed to it. Back in Mianzhou, he had already sensed that Wen Zhuo and Shen Zheng shared a relationship that was both teacher and friend.
“Duke Liu, why aren’t you at home enjoying time with your family? What brings you here instead?” Wen Zhuo asked with a smile at the corner of his lips. The cold wind outside had chilled his cheeks, and the moment he entered the study, he instinctively moved toward the brazier.
Liu Yuanqing came back to himself. Suddenly, he gathered up his robe, dropped to both knees, and bowed deeply.
“This old subject, Liu Yuanqing, thanks the Fifth Prince and Director Wen for saving my son’s life!”
Both Wen Zhuo and Shen Zheng paused.
“My son’s life once hung by a thread. Everyone in the Duke of Liu’s residence had already lost all hope. His coffin, burial clothes, and shroud had all been prepared; we were only waiting to see him off on his final journey. It was solely through the two of you devising strategies as ingenious as those of ghosts and gods that my son was able to snatch his life back from the gates of death.
“Though this old subject is advanced in years, my mind remains clear. Right and wrong are plain before my eyes. The virtue of giving my son a second life is impossible to repay. If the Fifth Prince does not reject us, I am willing to beg forgiveness for our past offenses. From this day forth, the entire Duke of Liu’s household, together with our former troops and retainers, will follow Your Highness’s lead. We shall brave boiling water and tread through fire without hesitation!”
Every word Liu Yuanqing spoke was filled with anguish, his voice hoarse and sorrowful.
This was what he had been thinking about day and night.
The Emperor was growing old, and the struggle among the princes had already become plain to see. How could he not be anxious?
If he chose to protect himself by remaining neutral, the Liu family would inevitably be neglected and suppressed once the new emperor ascended the throne. But if he staked everything on choosing a master to serve, he feared choosing the wrong one and bringing ruin upon his entire family.
Originally, Shen Zheng and Shen Chen were people he could never have chosen.
The incident from ten years ago was like a poisonous thorn lodged between the two families. With the passage of time, it had only grown deeper, festering until it became an open wound.
He had never expected that Shen Zheng would choose to save Kangren’s life at the very moment when revenge would have been easiest.
This convinced him that Shen Zheng was a broad-minded ruler who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievance—a worthy lord to serve.
Liu Kangren hurriedly followed his father and dropped to his knees as well. “Kangren is also willing to follow Your Highness!”
Wen Zhuo had anticipated this scene, so he was not particularly surprised. Yet seeing it with his own eyes still stirred a strange emotion within him.
Before meeting Shen Zheng, he had never imagined that this dead end could be resolved in such a way.
What, then, had all those bitter days in his previous life amounted to—when he had exhausted himself for Shen Chen, fighting Prince Xian on one side while worrying about a military mutiny on the other?
It turned out that he could support someone in ascending the throne with such ease, with a clear conscience. He did not have to resort to unscrupulous methods, toy with political schemes, or trample human hearts into the mud until he himself became a cold, merciless blade.
In truth, there had never been any true division between honest and corrupt officials, loyal ministers and treacherous ones. Ultimately, those below merely followed the example set above them. When the ruler was obstinate, the ministers became corrupt; when those above were wicked, those below could hardly remain upright. When all were bent, no one could straighten them.
Shen Zheng reached out and helped Duke Liu to his feet.
“The reason I was able to save Liu Kangren is that he truly devoted himself to serving the people and conducted himself with integrity. In the end, it was his own steadfast righteousness that saved him. Still, I am grateful for what you have said today, Duke Liu. It makes me feel that the dangerous act Director Wen and I staged was worthwhile.”
“This old subject is ashamed,” Liu Yuanqing said, lowering his head in embarrassment. “If I had not acted so stubbornly back then and forced Kangren into the position of commander, this disaster would never have happened.”
“Since I said the sins of the past are forgiven, there’s no need to bring them up again.” Shen Zheng raised a hand and patted him on the shoulder. Turning toward Liu Kangren, he said with unprecedented seriousness, “We must look ahead. I’ll be waiting for Lord Liu to bring potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn back to Da Qian.”
Liu Kangren straightened his back and clasped his fists in a solemn vow. “Kangren will certainly bring back the seeds and repay Your Highness for recognizing my worth!”
Shen Zheng nodded. Once everyone had taken their seats again, he gave Liu Kangren a few more instructions, inevitably revealing some details about the social customs and local conditions of the Western lands.
He claimed that he had heard them from a Western musician in the palace while he was in Nanping.
The Liu family, father and son, believed him completely. Only Wen Zhuo toyed thoughtfully with the teacup in his hands.
Before they knew it, noon had passed, and Duke Liu finally rose to take his leave.
Wen Zhuo’s expression turned solemn. “Once you return, Duke, simply proceed as usual. Liu Kangren’s affairs must have absolutely nothing to do with either me or His Highness.”
Liu Yuanqing understood perfectly. “I’ve lived this long. How could I fail to understand the emperor’s thoughts? If the Marquis of Yongning and I both pledged allegiance to the Fifth Prince, His Majesty would be so startled he wouldn’t be able to sleep.”
Wen Zhuo smiled faintly.
After seeing Liu Yuanqing off, Shen Zheng finally shed the bearing of a prince. He stretched his limbs and gave a long yawn. “Since returning to the capital, I can’t escape people no matter where I go. I finally managed to slip out of the palace to find you, and I’d been hoping to…”
“Your Highness is renowned throughout the realm as a chess sage. The only thing you lacked was a contribution that could establish your position. With this disaster relief effort, Your Highness has quelled the people’s resentment in one stroke and filled that final gap. His Majesty is now praising you extravagantly, while Prince Xian has fallen from favor. The political landscape has already been rewritten. Naturally, countless officials will come forward to recommend themselves, hoping to earn the merit of supporting the future emperor.” Wen Zhuo covered his ears, which had been reddened by the biting wind, and spoke with utmost seriousness, forcibly steering the conversation back on course.
The one good thing about the bitter depths of winter, Shen Zheng thought as he lowered his arms and looked at Wen Zhuo with a smile, was that no one could tell whether those red ears were caused by the cold.
Wen Zhuo could naturally see that his smile was anything but proper. Yet he refused to stoop to the same level and continued with impeccable rectitude, “However, Your Highness needn’t associate with them for the moment. It might displease His Majesty. In any case, with Your Highness’s current momentum, no one can stop you.”
Wen Zhuo knew exactly when Emperor Shunyuan would die. In his previous life, it had taken him a full three years to support Shen Chen’s ascension to the position of Crown Prince. The timing had been just right. But in this life, Shen Zheng’s rise had proceeded far faster than expected. What they needed to do next was seek stability.
Shen Zheng did not interrupt him. He patiently waited until Wen Zhuo had finished, then unhurriedly completed the improper remark he had begun earlier. “…I’d been hoping to spend a little intimate time with you and ease the ache of missing you.”
“…”
Wen Zhuo was just about to advise him not to say “intimate time” in broad daylight, as it was beneath his dignity, when Jiang Mannü suddenly came running over.
“Sir, someone from Lord Xue of the Court of Judicial Review has come to invite you to his home for hot pot.”
“Not going, not going.” Wen Zhuo rejected the invitation without a second thought. “The mutton is too gamey. Just tell him I’m not home.”
Jiang Mannü replied, “Oh!”
Shen Zheng was not the only one who couldn’t escape people; Wen Zhuo was no better off. With the New Year approaching, it was the season when every household visited and cultivated relationships. As a favorite before the emperor and the Director of the Hanlin Academy, Wen Zhuo’s residence naturally could not avoid the bustle.
Since returning to the capital, the obligations of their respective official positions had left them precious little time together. Compared with the days and nights they had spent side by side in Mianzhou, when they had been practically inseparable, their current circumstances were painfully sparse.
Shen Zheng had gone to great lengths to slip away. All he wanted was to enjoy a little time alone with Wen Zhuo, and he truly did not want trivial matters to delay them again.
He took Wen Zhuo by the wrist and said mysteriously, “I know of a place that’s fairly quiet. Will you come with me, Teacher?”
“All the major restaurants, teahouses, chess parlors, and hot springs in the capital are fully booked at this time of year. What place could possibly be quiet?” Wen Zhuo paused, his brows drawing together slightly. “I’m afraid of the cold and don’t want to stay outside.”
“It isn’t outside.” Shen Zheng smiled and led him toward the rear courtyard. After passing the kitchen, he instructed Liu Qiying to watch the house, then pulled Wen Zhuo into the secret passage.
“To Marquis Yongning’s residence?” Wen Zhuo asked as he adjusted to the darkness of the passage. “It’s General Jun’s first New Year in the capital, and he’s in command of the three great military camps. I’m afraid the Marquis of Yongning’s residence will be no less lively than mine.”
But Shen Zheng stopped in the middle of the passage.
Wen Zhuo came to an abrupt halt and stared at Shen Zheng in stunned silence.
The passage was narrow, its walls enclosing a patch of absolute darkness. Far from either entrance, it was completely shielded from the biting winter wind. A tiny candle flame flickered against the wall, its dim light barely enough to make out their silhouettes. (Moderator, this is a real underground passage.)
The moment Wen Zhuo realized where this quiet place was—and what was about to happen—the heat in his body surged upward, burning from his cheeks all the way to the roots of his ears.
“Is this quiet enough?” Shen Zheng’s eyes appeared even deeper in the gloom. As he spoke, he brushed open his outer robe and draped it over his jade belt, his fingertips lightly tracing the gold thread embroidered across it. “Why aren’t you wearing the leather belt I gave you, Teacher?”
“Your Highness—” Wen Zhuo’s breathing suddenly quickened. The breath leaving his lips no longer condensed into white mist, and his vision was clear enough to see Shen Zheng drawing nearer and nearer. “Neither entrance is locked. Someone could come looking for us at any moment. How can we do this in the secret passage?”
“Are you cold?” Shen Zheng’s warm breath brushed over his ear, blowing away the faint traces of medicinal fragrance. “Are your ears still cold?”
Wen Zhuo fell silent. He had guessed what Shen Zheng intended to do, but when those thin ear bones were caught between his lips and gently attended to inch by inch, he still could not stop his spine from shuddering. It felt as though all the strength had been drawn from his muscles and bones.
He instinctively tightened his grip on the brocade robe over Shen Zheng’s chest, as though clinging to the face of a sheer cliff. It seemed that if he loosened his hold even slightly, he would lose control and slip into the depths below, drowning without a trace.
His reason warned him that this was no place for intimacy, yet his body’s desire made it impossible to resist. He had never experienced anything so astonishing and exquisite. The shivers that began in his ear spread through his entire body like a wildfire, burning all the way to his heart and leaving him so overheated that he could scarcely breathe.
“Teacher, your ears are very sensitive. Did you know that?” Shen Zheng asked after giving his small earlobe a hard suck, his teeth grazing it lightly.
“I did not!” Wen Zhuo forced the two words out through his trembling lips. Then, overcome with embarrassment and irritation, he buried his face against Shen Zheng’s shoulder, trying to hide how badly he had lost control.
“Then do you like it?” Shen Zheng patted his back soothingly.
Wen Zhuo’s fingers curled tighter into Shen Zheng’s lapel. He pretended not to hear.
The chill in his ear had been completely stolen away, leaving only damp heat behind. A tingling sensation spread outward, and he could clearly feel the changes taking place in his body.
Shen Zheng took in every reaction. His palm could feel the tension in Wen Zhuo’s back with perfect clarity.
With such soft warmth in his arms, Shen Zheng naturally felt desire as well. Yet he ignored his own reaction completely, focusing only on discovering Wen Zhuo’s most vulnerable points.
“Your concern is justified, Teacher. If Grandfather misses me and sends someone down to look for us, or if Uncle and Mo Shu need to discuss something and barge in without warning, it wouldn’t be appropriate.” Shen Zheng sounded as though he were genuinely giving the matter serious thought, but his hands never stopped moving.
“…Then Your Highness should hurry and go upstairs with me!” Wen Zhuo had never been so tense and apprehensive. He wished he could abandon Shen Zheng and flee for his life.
Shen Zheng let out a low chuckle. He raised a hand and brushed aside the unruly strands of hair at Wen Zhuo’s temple, fully revealing his soft, flushed ear. “So we won’t take off our outer robes. We’ll just kiss Teacher’s ears and see whether Teacher can enjoy it, all right?”
“What did Your Highness just say…?” Wen Zhuo abruptly lifted his head and stared at Shen Zheng in disbelief, completely unable to process such an outrageous statement.
Seeing the Little Cat Traitor, usually so imposing, wear such an expression, Shen Zheng truly couldn’t bear to torment him. He therefore kissed Wen Zhuo’s lips affectionately and said gently, “To prevent cheating, I suppose I’ll have to hold both of Teacher’s hands down.”
