PCA Chapter 62

Before getting off the carriage, Li Shi mentioned that someone would come to pick him up later. Su Cen glanced at the sky—it was already past the time officials left court. If he hurried, he might make it back before the curfew. He nodded in agreement.

 

Once inside the Dali Temple, Su Cen dove straight into the rear hall and began sifting through the towering stacks of memorials. He recalled someone mentioning that Feng Yiming had submitted three or four memorials, all on similar topics. If Yangzhou City was truly as corrupt as Feng Yiming claimed, where officials colluded with merchants and darkness reigned, Feng Yiming’s inability to speak freely suggested that the truths he wanted to reveal might be hidden within those memorials.

 

Including the one he’d found buried beneath a pile of books in his study, Su Cen located four memorials in total. Lighting a lamp, he pored over them word by word. Each was filled with grand, eloquent rhetoric, but they offered nothing of substance. No matter how he analyzed them, they made no sense. Frustrated, he set the memorials down. If this were a riddle, he would admit defeat.

 

But if even he couldn’t decipher them, who could?

 

In other words, if these memorials were a lock, only a matching key could open them. So who held the key?

 

An idea struck Su Cen, and he grabbed the memorials, ready to leave. As he stepped out of the study, the sound of the city’s curfew drums echoed three times through Chang’an—he hadn’t realized how late it had gotten.

 

Li Shi had said someone would come to pick him up. Was anyone still waiting at this hour? Doubtful, Su Cen went to the main gate. To his surprise, a small sedan chair was indeed still waiting.

 

Feeling guilty for having made them wait in the cold all night, Su Cen tipped the servants generously to express his remorse before boarding the sedan chair to head back.

 

Exhausted from the day’s work, he drifted off as the sedan chair swayed gently. When he opened his eyes again, they were already at Xingqing Palace.

 

The cool night air jolted him awake as he stepped off the sedan. At this hour, Li Shi was probably already asleep. It seemed he wouldn’t get any answers tonight. Pausing at the palace gates, Su Cen hesitated between returning home or staying at Xingqing Palace for the night. He quickly chose the latter—traveling in the dark at this hour wasn’t ideal, and staying here meant he could hitch a ride back tomorrow morning.

 

Of course, this meant imposing on Consort Ning once more.

 

Carrying a lantern, Su Cen made his way quietly into the rear hall of Xingqing Palace. As he passed the prince’s sleeping quarters, he noticed the lights were still on and stopped in his tracks.

 

Li Shi wasn’t in the habit of sleeping with the lights on. Curious, Su Cen ascended the steps, cautiously pressing his ear to the door to listen.

 

He thought he was being discreet, but the moment his ear touched the door, a voice from inside said, “Come in.”

 

Feeling a bit sheepish, Su Cen straightened up, handed his lantern to the servant standing guard outside, and pushed the door open.

 

His eyes met a pair of dark, ink-like ones.

 

Li Shi was reclining on the bed, a book in hand. One knee was bent, his black hair cascading down like a waterfall. Even in sleepwear, his commanding presence made Su Cen pause in awe.

 

He didn’t consider himself the type to judge people by their appearance, but when such unparalleled beauty lay before him, it was hard not to take notice.

 

For all his cunning, this old fox’s looks alone made him unmatched in Su Cen’s admittedly brief lifetime.

 

Li Shi set the book down and leaned against the bed, his gaze deep and impenetrable yet carrying a hint of amusement.

 

Su Cen took a deep breath, walked up to the bed, and smiled. “How did Your Highness know I was here?”

 

Li Shi replied, “I smelled it.”

 

Su Cen lifted his sleeve and sniffed it. He hadn’t used any fragrance that day—there shouldn’t have been any noticeable scent. How had Li Shi “smelled” him? Then it hit him: it wasn’t about scent. Li Shi had probably known the moment he stepped through the gates of Xingqing Palace.

 

He’s teasing me again. Su Cen gave him a light glare, dropped his sleeve, and asked, “Why hasn’t Your Highness gone to bed yet?”

 

Li Shi chuckled, taking Su Cen’s hand and gently kneading it. “I was waiting for you.”

 

That was obviously insincere, but it still warmed Su Cen’s heart. He couldn’t help but smile. “Weren’t you worried I might just head straight home instead of coming back here?”

 

“You’ve got that case on your mind. Could you really sleep if you went home?”

 

Li Shi understood him too well. Su Cen didn’t bother hiding his intentions. Pulling out several memorials, he said, “These are the memorials submitted by Feng Yiming. I’ve spent ages poring over them, but I can’t make sense of them.”

 

“Let me see.” Li Shi casually picked up one and sat upright to read.

 

Though Feng Yiming’s memorials offered little substance, they were all lengthy and verbose. By the time he started on the second one, Li Shi was already rubbing his temples.

 

Su Cen immediately regretted it.

 

Li Shi was in charge of every matter in court, and if he hadn’t slept yet, it was probably because he’d just finished handling state affairs. Not only had Su Cen disturbed him at this late hour, but now he was making him read through dense memorials in the middle of the night. These documents had been sitting untouched for days—waiting another night wouldn’t have made a difference. Why hadn’t he thought of that?

 

When Li Shi reached for the third memorial, Su Cen quickly stopped him. “Forget it. Let’s deal with this tomorrow.”

 

Li Shi smiled faintly. “It’s fine.”

 

Su Cen didn’t let go. “How about this: I’ll read them to you. You close your eyes and just listen.”

 

Li Shi raised an eyebrow at Su Cen’s stubbornness but eventually relented. He leaned back against the couch, closed his eyes, and said, “Go ahead.”

 

Su Cen had already familiarized himself with the contents, so his reading was steady and composed—neither too monotonous nor too lively. He read through the third memorial, then the fourth, and finally added his conclusion:

 

“The memorials are all similar in content. They only mention that the cases occurred along the post road but provide no specific locations or details about the victims. This makes it easy to assume that it’s one case reported multiple times, which is why I didn’t pay much attention before.”

 

“It’s not one case,” Li Shi opened his eyes and shook his head. “It’s four.”

 

“Four?” Su Cen frowned. He’d considered that possibility but couldn’t imagine what kind of crime would occur four times in a row. If it were a serial killing, how could there be no rumors about it in the capital?

 

Li Shi continued, “The lack of names and locations is intentional. If he included them, the memorials wouldn’t have reached you. He used so much filler to disguise the message and ensure it got through.”

 

“What’s the message?” Su Cen asked.

 

“People have died in Yangzhou.”

 

Su Cen furrowed his brows. That much was obvious from the memorials.

 

“He’s trying to lure someone to investigate.”

 

The realization dawned on Su Cen. No wonder there was no detailed investigation or thorough conclusion in the reports. Feng Yiming was clever—he wanted to use this method to draw the court’s attention. If he couldn’t investigate it alone, he’d get the imperial court to send someone.

 

Li Shi rubbed his temples again and said, “If I’m not mistaken, the dead are likely private salt smugglers.”

 

Su Cen froze, a chill creeping up his spine. He was aware of the fierce rivalry between official and private salt trades, but he hadn’t imagined it had escalated to the point of murder—not just one life lost, but four.

 

What was even more terrifying was that the state-controlled salt merchants could openly commit murder along the post roads. Not only did the local authorities turn a blind eye, but they also helped suppress the news. A single memorial required such painstaking effort to get through. The situation in Yangzhou’s bureaucracy was likely far worse than Feng Yiming’s impeachment suggested.

 

Collusion between officials and merchants, imperial court officials aiding murderers—what kind of monsters and demons were hiding beneath Yangzhou’s glamorous facade?

 

After some thought, Su Cen finally asked, “Feng Yiming is your man, isn’t he?”

 

Today in the court, it was clear that Li Shi wanted to protect Feng Yiming.Anyone with eyes could see that, and even Li Qiong had deliberately used Feng Yiming to make things difficult for Li Shi. Moreover, Feng Yiming just happened to be stationed in the most tumultuous Yangzhou. Su Cen couldn’t believe that all these coincidences were merely happenstance.

 

“Feng Yiming is clever and reliable. I sent him there to secretly oversee the abolishment of the salt monopoly,” Li Shi sighed, closing his eyes. “It’s been hard on him.”

 

So it was true.

 

Su Cen frowned slightly and thought those who enjoy the emperor’s favor must share his burdens. What’s so hard about it? Even if Feng Yiming didn’t go, there would still be Li Yiming and Wang Yiming going in his place. Would they not be in a difficult position?

 

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Su Cen scorned himself fiercely. How petty he had become, competing for attention with someone far away, just because Li Shi praised someone as “clever.”

 

Even as he scolded himself, Su Cen couldn’t help but wonder: What if it were him? If he were in Yangzhou, would Li Shi protect him the same way he did Feng Yiming?

 

Li Shi suddenly grabbed Su Cen’s hand with surprising force and pulled him onto the couch, tilting his chin up. “Stop overthinking.”

 

“Overthinking what?” Meeting Li Shi’s dark, fathomless eyes, Su Cen felt his heartbeat quicken involuntarily.

 

“Think about what you should be thinking about.” One of Li Shi’s hands lingered on Su Cen’s face, his gaze impossibly tender. His fingers traced Su Cen’s lips, caressed his cheek, paused briefly over his cold, sharp brow, and finally settled on his earlobe, gently kneading it. Meanwhile, his other hand moved decisively, pulling off Su Cen’s outer robe and undoing his belt. His palm was hot, every touch leaving Su Cen trembling.

 

Having explored his body countless times, Li Shi knew it better than Su Cen himself—how to ignite his desire, scatter his thoughts, and leave him utterly defenseless, melting into a puddle.

 

“What should I be thinking about?” Su Cen’s voice was already unsteady as he raised his eyebrows, his gaze unabashedly alluring.

 

“Think about me,” Li Shi murmured, pressing a kiss to Su Cen’s slightly parted lips. “Or…” He thrust forward, voice low, “…think about this.”

 

A sharp gasp escaped Su Cen’s lips, a mix of pain and sweet satisfaction.

 

Li Shi lifted him by the waist, holding him close. “It’s cramped here. Let’s move to the bed.”

 

But he remained deep within him, each step driving him further. To make matters worse, Li Shi intentionally held him loosely, forcing Su Cen to tighten his grip.

 

What should have been a short walk left Su Cen breaking out in a light sweat. He glared at Li Shi in exasperation, his breaths shallow. Li Shi only chuckled. “If Zixu doesn’t want the bed, we can go back to the couch.”

 

Su Cen: “…”

 

After a round of passion, dawn was breaking. Su Cen collapsed into Li Shi’s arms, utterly spent, not wanting to lift a single finger.

 

 

Li Shi pulled the silk quilt over Su Cen, covering the lingering intimacy between his legs. He gently soothed Su Cen’s back and said, “I’ll grant you half a day off tomorrow. Sleep now.”

 

Su Cen nodded, obediently closing his eyes. As his heartbeat gradually calmed, the tangled thoughts in his mind slowly began to surface again.

 

After a long silence, he quietly reopened his eyes.

 

“Let me go,” Su Cen said out of nowhere.

 

“Have you thought it through?” Li Shi’s eyes remained closed, but it was clear he wasn’t asleep.

 

Su Cen confirmed his decision

once more in his heart and nodded earnestly.

 

“Be cautious in all matters,” Li Shi said, lightly patting his back. “and have Qi Lin follow you.”

 

 

 

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