After closing the door behind them, only the two of them remained in the room.
In the next moment, He Heng, in one smooth motion, grabbed Wen Liangyu’s wrist, flipping him over and pinning him down. The positions of the two instantly reversed.
Strands of He Heng’s hair cascaded down at his temple, intertwining with Wen Liangyu’s dark locks. At this moment, the two were incredibly close, their noses almost about to touch.
The young emperor, who had just moments ago displayed a distant and unapproachable demeanor, now blushed, and his breathing became noticeably rapid.
There was no longer any sign of the imposing presence of people surrounding the other’s residence.
Wen Liangyu’s current demeanor fueled He Heng’s mischievous thoughts even more, so he quirked his mouth and said:
“Your Majesty, by surrounding my residence, how do you intend to punish me?”
In their exchange, the man’s passionate breath brushed across their lips. Wen Liangyu’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and his ears began to burn. It seemed like this was the first time he had scrutinized the other’s face from such a close distance.
Suddenly, he became aware that, surprisingly, He Heng looked quite handsome as long as he refrained from speaking or doing any peculiar actions.
The man’s nose was elegantly straight, and his eyes were slender, resembling phoenix eyes. His forehead was high and prominent, with deep-set eyebrows that perfectly embodied the phrase “sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes”.
Oddly, it seemed like the other was completely oblivious to any inappropriateness in their proximity. Consequently, Wen Liangyu’s face flushed even more, and his heart raced.
He knew he wasn’t someone who judged others solely by their appearance, but…
“Thump! Thump! Thump!” His heart was beating so fast.
In order to conceal his own awkwardness, the young emperor quickly turned his head away, exposing his snow-white and soft neck in this angle.
He Heng extended his hand, bracing against the bedpost behind Wen Liangyu, enveloping him entirely.
“So, are you planning to keep me here and not let me go out?” He Heng teased.
“N-No.” The young emperor was starting to feel flustered, embarrassed by his own lack of composure.
At this moment, all he wanted was to leave quickly. His breathing became erratic, giving He Heng an even greater advantage.
He Heng continued to push the boundaries, saying, “Oh, so I can go out whenever I want, right?”
“Y-Yes,” stammered Wen Liangyu.
Avoiding eye contact, he mumbled a couple of responses and tried to get up to escape, but He Heng stopped him with a firm grip.
In reality, He Heng hadn’t touched Wen Liangyu; he merely had his palm against the bedpost behind him. However, the young emperor felt like a rabbit trapped in a cage, completely unable to find an escape. Finally, he had to quietly plead with the person in front of him, “Let me go out.”
Upon hearing this, He Heng remained still, simply looking at him and saying, “Your Majesty, everyone outside the door is under your command. Just call out, and they will all come in. How could you not be able to leave?”
How could he possibly call for help?
Wen Liangyu, like a flustered little rabbit, first cautiously looked around, then tentatively tried to get off the bed. However, because his path was blocked by the other, he lost his balance while getting off, ultimately crashing into He Heng’s arms.
Feeling the sudden addition of warmth and softness in his arms, He Heng was momentarily stunned. He then lowered his head slightly and saw the other’s ears, now as red as they could possibly be.
He smiled and abandoned his mischievous thoughts, getting up from the bed curtains.
On the fifth day of the siege of Prince Jing’s mansion, tranquility prevailed within the residence. The servants went about their tasks in an orderly manner, restoring the previous order. The atmosphere seemed even more harmonious than before the siege.
In He Heng’s study, the fragrance of tea lingered. A massive black and white chessboard was placed near the window, with scattered black and white pieces in an endgame formation. Several chess records were messily spread around the board.
He Heng held a chess record, sitting cross-legged at the desk, deeply focused on contemplating how to unravel the endgame on the board. Under his elbow were several sheets of parchment, each adorned with his various handwritten copies of the “Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection”1The Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion ( 蘭亭集序; Lántíngjí Xu), from the 4th century AD, is generally regarded as the greatest work of Chinese calligraphy. Although the Preface itself is not poetry, it introduces a set of poems and the Chinese language itself is especially poetic because of its repeated sounds, use of tones, and clear monosyllabic rhythm. from some time ago.
There were well-organized and elegant regular script characters, free-flowing and graceful cursive script, as well as the distinctive and slim gold-style characters.
Each character and stroke on these sheets exuded a sense of calmness and ease, neither hurried nor sluggish. From these robust and powerful strokes, one could discern that the person who wrote them during this time was in a state of leisure and contentment.
Of course, “leisure and contentment” is the refined expression; in He Heng’s own words, it would be “happily idling like a fish”.
Ever since he completely relinquished political and military power to Wen Liangyu, he lived each day joyfully, akin to an immortal.
The young emperor was reluctant to genuinely trouble He Heng. Although he claimed to confine him within Prince Jing’s mansion, assigning guards to watch him in real-time, in reality, He Heng went wherever he pleased every day. The guards could only nod in agreement, eventually even taking on miscellaneous tasks for He Heng, becoming his new followers.
During this period, his life could be described with the phrase “returning to simplicity”. Essentially, it consisted of eating, sleeping, playing, and then sleeping again when tired.
Every morning after finishing his breakfast, He Heng would stroll in the courtyard to spend time with various pets he kept, do some running for exercise, take a short rest, and then engage in some handicrafts in his backyard. In just a few days, he had set up several dog kennels, rabbit cages, and even a swing in his backyard.
After having lunch, He Heng would take a short nap on a hammock, sleeping through the afternoon. Upon waking up, he would contemplate his newly studied arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Sometimes, he would invite someone to play chess, and other times, he would enjoy a tea session with someone.
In the evening, if Wen Liangyu found some free time to “supervise” Prince Jing’s mansion, He Heng would make time to accompany the young emperor. If the young emperor wasn’t available, He Heng would leave the palace and take a stroll, returning to the mansion after having his fill of amusement.
On this particular day, just after noon, while He Heng was deeply engrossed in a game of chess, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the door. It sounded like someone had been hit and collapsed.
Upon noticing the disturbance, He Heng immediately stood up from the cushion, ready to go outside and see what was happening.
“Bang!”
A head popped out from the broken paper window, and Xie Chong, holding a large pastry in his mouth, mumbled incomprehensibly to He Heng, “He, my lord! Your savior is here!”
He Heng stood there in confusion, taking a good while to understand that Xie Chong was saying, “I’ve come to rescue you.”
After being “confined” to Prince Jing’s mansion, He Heng had directly ordered the disbandment of his original guard team, and everyone had gone back to their homes. Only Xie Chong, being a bit slow on the uptake, still believed that He Heng was being kept captive by the emperor.
He Heng didn’t mind Xie Chong much, aside from him being a bit simple-minded. If Xie Chong was willing to stay in Prince Jing’s mansion, He Heng wouldn’t mind keeping him around. However,
“If you’re here to rescue me, why are you holding a pastry in your mouth?”
Was he worried that he might get hungry and faint during the rescue mission?
Xie Chong took a bite of the pastry. “Lord He, I brought this so you wouldn’t go hungry!”
“What if the emperor locks you up and doesn’t give you anything to eat? That’s why I brought a big pastry.”
“But I was afraid it would get squashed if I put it in my pocket, so I held it in my mouth.”
The words he spoke actually made sense.
Saying this, Xie Chong, still holding the pastry in his mouth, used his hand to tear the pastry into two pieces. He first gulped down the piece in his mouth, then lifted the other half, showing a silly smile to He Heng. “Lord He, try it! The taste is really good!”
He Heng initially looked at him with suspicion, then took the other half from Xie Chong’s hand.
As it happened, he was hungry now, and the pastry looked quite appetizing.
With that in mind, He Heng tentatively took a bite.
“Mmm.”
After swallowing the pastry, he nodded repeatedly, saying, “The taste is indeed quite good.”
He Heng then turned to Xie Chong, asking, “Where did you buy this?”
“Huh?” Xie Chong scratched his head in confusion. “I didn’t buy it.”
Seeing this, He Heng raised an eyebrow in suspicion, and then heard Xie Chong continue:
“I got this from the altar with the incense burner.”
“Cough! Cough!”
Hearing that Xie Chong, this simpleton, had taken it from offerings at a Buddhist altar, the pastry in He Heng’s mouth suddenly didn’t seem as appetizing.
He Heng coughed a couple of times and then threw the remaining half of the pastry toward Xie Chong’s forehead.
“Eating offerings, aren’t you afraid that this thing has been there longer than your age?”
During this time, Wen Liangyu’s situation was quite the opposite of He Heng’s. He was entangled in political affairs every day, busy to the point of exhaustion, with an endless stream of memorials and numerous meetings, both large and small.
So, every evening, he particularly didn’t want to return to the desolate Yangxin Hall to dine alone.
In contrast, Prince Jing’s mansion always seemed lively. Every night, He Heng would instruct the servants to prepare dishes from various regions, always including several that Wen Liangyu enjoyed.
As time went on, Wen Liangyu’s time spent in He Heng’s residence increased, as if he were immersed in a land of tenderness.
Eventually, whenever Wen Liangyu finished handling state affairs, Liu Fuyuan would be the first to ask if they should head to Prince Jing’s mansion, rather than the Emperor’s Yangxin Hall.
As a result, in a week, his visits to Prince Jing’s mansion surpassed the total number of times he had visited the various courtyards of the imperial harem in a year.
However, there are no secrets in the world. Eventually, this matter turned into rumors and reached the ears of the civil officials in the cabinet.
When they considered that Wen Liangyu, now well past his youth, had no heir to inherit the throne, let alone the sight of any children, it made them extremely anxious, like ants on a hot pot.
For these officials, the Emperor’s personal matters were considered state affairs. Consequently, overnight, led by the current Deputy Prime Minister Wang Jingyuan, the civil officials in the cabinet submitted memorials to the Emperor.
They urged him to take more consorts to expand the imperial harem, citing the need to solidify the state and the importance of having a stable succession for the nation. They emphasized that the harem should not be left without a mistress for a single day, and the present Great Wei urgently required a queen mother.
Implicit in their words was the urgency for him to promptly establish his heir.
On the current court session,
Wen Liangyu, dressed in a black official robe, sat upright on the dragon throne, with civil and military officials arranged on either side, creating a solemn atmosphere.
Just now, the ministers had finished submitting memorials on various state affairs.
Wen Liangyu had discussed the important matters, and after clearing his throat, he said:
“If there are no further matters to bring up, you may disperse from the court.”
However, at this moment, a figure stepped forward from the front ranks of the civil officials. Holding an ivory tablet against his chest, he looked solemnly at Wen Liangyu and said:
“Your Majesty, I have a matter to submit.”
This person was named Wang Jingyuan, holding the rank of the first grade, currently serving as the Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet, second only to Bai Lishen Shi.
As soon as he spoke, he immediately drew the attention of everyone in the grand hall.
Wen Liangyu gestured for him to speak.
Wang Jingyuan began slowly, “Your Majesty, now that the rebels have been eliminated, and the border troubles have been quelled, the country is in a state of peace and prosperity. The weather is favorable, and everything is in order.”
“Your Majesty, you have already passed the age of twenty, yet you still have no heir. The imperial harem has been dismissed by you for many years. The late Emperor, at your age, had already had numerous descendants, including two imperial sons and three princesses.”
“Your Majesty, as the Emperor, it is your duty to continue the royal lineage of Great Wei, and in the future, select an heir to inherit the throne. Now, Your Majesty is in the prime of life, and the flourishing age. I believe that Your Majesty should seize the opportunity to expand the imperial harem and continue the royal descendants. This will strengthen the foundation of our nation and comfort the spirits of our ancestors.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Liangyu raised an eyebrow and slightly curled the corner of his mouth. However, there was no trace of a smile in his eyes.
“So, what is your suggestion?” he asked.
He had grown weary of the advice urging him to expand the harem and establish an heir. Moreover, he detested the feeling of being pressured.
“Your Majesty!”
At this point, Wang Jingyuan’s emotions suddenly became intense. He immediately bowed his head and kneeled in the grand hall. “We hope Your Majesty will expand the imperial harem and promptly choose the Empress.”
“Just as a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, the harem should not be without a mistress for a day!”
Upon his words, the civil officials in the cabinet immediately followed his example, kneeling behind him and fervently pleading, “Your Majesty, we earnestly implore you to establish an heir soon!”
In an angle hidden from others’ view, the expression in Wang Jingyuan’s eyes was as calm as a stagnant pond, showing no sign of the earlier emotional fervor during his admonishment.
His facial expressions conveyed sincerity, but deep down, he was well aware that the words he had just spoken were nothing more than a show.
Currently, the senior prime minister Bai Lishen was getting old, and while he managed political affairs nominally, his abilities were waning. Although he held the title of senior prime minister, most matters in the cabinet were ultimately handled by the deputy prime minister, Wang Jingyuan.
Wang Jingyuan knew that Bai Lishen could retire at any time, and once he did, the position of senior prime minister would inevitably fall to him. To secure his position as the senior prime minister in the cabinet, he needed not only to handle political decisions but also navigate endless factional disputes.
Among them, the most crucial was the struggle within the Crown Prince’s faction.
If the future Empress were someone he endorsed, it would be tantamount to indirectly supporting the future Crown Prince.
Therefore, he urgently advised Wen Liangyu to quickly expand the imperial harem and establish an heir.
The underlying interests involved in this matter were not merely about the need for someone to continue the royal bloodline on the surface. More importantly, it was connected to the covert factional struggles.
Looking at the current situation in the grand hall, Wen Liangyu’s fingertips, which were originally resting on the armrest, suddenly tightened, the force almost enough to imprint the sandalwood.
He had spent his early years alone in the deep palace, where he couldn’t feel the warmth of human relationships. All he experienced was boundless loneliness. Sometimes, he felt like he wasn’t a person but rather an instrument used to vie for power.
Therefore, when he heard those ministers urging him to continue the bloodline of Wei Dynasty, Wen Liangyu felt a visceral sense of nausea.
The morning court ended in a discordant manner that day, but the ministers persisted in their counsel for him to establish an heir.
After the morning court, Wen Liangyu did not return directly to Ganqing Palace to attend to state affairs, as he usually did. Instead, he wandered aimlessly within the palace.
Unconsciously, he found himself at the entrance of Prince Jing’s residence. When Wen Liangyu raised his head and saw the four characters hanging in front of the hall, a subtle and complex emotion welled up within him.
A few months ago, this place was clearly his nightmare, but now it has become his sanctuary.
He sighed softly at the entrance, hesitated for a moment, and eventually stepped inside.
When Wen Liangyu pushed open He Heng’s study door, the people inside seemed completely unaware of the disturbance. No one came out to greet him.
Two big men were standing with their backs to him, huddled around the desk, occasionally making chuckling sounds.
“Lord He, what you said is right!” Xie Chong turned slightly, raised a thumbs-up to He Heng, and then took another bite of the big cake, mumbling:
“Indeed, the cakes stolen from the imperial kitchen taste better.”
“Oh, that’s a must.” He Heng raised the corner of his mouth, and an expression of pride appeared on his handsome profile. “The imperial kitchen makes it for the emperor. How can it be the same?”
Upon hearing this, Liu Fuyuan, the eunuch by the emperor’s side, couldn’t help but feel awkward. He covered his mouth and coughed twice, reminding the two inside that the emperor had arrived.
After hearing the coughing, the room fell silent. He Heng and Xie Chong finally stopped their chuckling. They turned, still holding their big cakes, and saw the young emperor dressed in court attire. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he was looking at them with a smile that seemed somewhat ambiguous.
“Where do you think this cake comes from?”
Seeing this, He Heng quickly stuffed the big cake into Xie Chong’s arms, wiped the crumbs from his mouth, and walked up to Wen Liangyu, changing the subject.
“Your Majesty, why did you come so early today? Have you finished handling the affairs of state?”
Wen Liangyu lowered his eyes slightly. “What’s the matter? Can’t I come if I haven’t finished the affairs of state?”
“Of course, you can,” He Heng didn’t notice the melancholy in the other’s tone, cheerfully exclaimed, “Perfect timing! I’ll take you to see something.”
“Hmm?” Wen Liangyu was puzzled for a moment and before he could react, he was led by He Heng, hand in hand, all the way to the backyard.
As they reached the backyard, Wen Liangyu noticed the iron cage placed on the stone table in the center of the courtyard, and inside it, a small, snow-white rabbit.
“I just had this brought in today,” He Heng smiled at him, then walked over to open the cage. He lifted the white rabbit by its ears and stuffed it into Wen Liangyu’s arms.
“The one I gave you last time was a male. This one is a female. Put them together, and you can have lots of baby rabbits.”
He originally thought that the little emperor would jump with joy upon seeing the carefully prepared gift. However, the emperor still looked rather indifferent, only elongating his tone to ask, “Why do they have to have baby rabbits?”
“Ah?” He Heng was momentarily puzzled. “Are baby rabbits not good?”
“Having more rabbits means more…” He Heng seemed to imply using them for food, but he hesitated, realizing it might not be the right thing to say. He quickly changed his words, “They can be companions for you. And then, they can have more baby rabbits. The rabbits will multiply, and in the end, you can have a rabbit paradise.”
Wen Liangyu was taken aback, “What if they don’t have babies?”
He Heng tugged at the rabbit’s ears, half-jokingly saying, “If you don’t let them have babies, then their purpose for living is gone.”
As soon as he spoke, the atmosphere in the courtyard fell silent.
The young emperor, holding the rabbit, lowered his head directly, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.
On the side, Liu Fuyuan, who heard the whole conversation, held the feather duster and secretly stomped his foot several times, looking quite anxious. Why did the Regent have to bring up the topic of having babies? The two of them were completely on different wavelengths. With the Emperor’s sensitive mindset, this conversation might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings.
Watching the Emperor, who remained motionless except for occasional trembles of the long eyelashes, He Heng, despite his usual obtuseness, sensed that something was amiss.
Sure enough, when Wen Liangyu lifted his head again, the area around his eyes was red, and his amber eyes were filled with moisture, looking extremely aggrieved.
“They want me to have children, and you, you also want me to have children! Sure enough, you are all the same.”
Saying this, Wen Liangyu suddenly choked up even more, half because of sadness, half because of embarrassment.
He knew that this actually had nothing to do with He Heng, but for some reason, every time he saw the other person, his vulnerable emotions always seemed to surface quickly.
The emotions accumulated throughout the day could no longer be suppressed and burst out at this moment.
Wen Liangyu felt embarrassed. He was the emperor; how could he say such things?
However, the next moment, he was suddenly embraced in a warm hug, and the broad palm of the other person was gently patting his back.
A deep voice sounded in his ears, “Who said you have to have children?”
There was a hint of confusion in the words.
He Heng hadn’t reacted immediately. Everything was fine just now, but in the blink of an eye, the little emperor’s eyes were even redder than the rabbit’s?
But the moment he saw Wen Liangyu’s sad and helpless look, he felt like his heart had been struck hard.
“Who made you unhappy?” He gently patted the other’s back, coaxing like talking to a child, “Be good, tell me.”
“Um~”
Wen Liangyu placed the rabbit on the ground, then suddenly stretched out his arms, hugged He Heng’s waist, and buried his face in his chest, rubbing against him like a little kitten.
Originally, these emotions and grievances shouldn’t have mattered at all; he should have endured all the unbearable pain and torment alone. However, for some reason, when it came to He Heng, all of Wen Liangyu’s patience instantly turned to nothing.
It’s like when he fell on the roadside when he was a child, with a long cut on his leg, bleeding profusely. Even when there was no one around, he could grit his teeth, endure the pain, and silently walk back to the palace alone.
However, when he returned to the palace, and his mother consolingly embraced him, asking if he was in pain, if it hurt, tears flowed uncontrollably from Wen Liangyu’s eyes, as if a floodgate had burst.
But his mother passed away early, and after her death, he became the young emperor who had to bear it all alone. He learned to conceal his sensitive emotions in front of everyone, until he met He Heng.
Some emotions seem impossible to hide no matter how much he tries; this man always has a way of making him sensitive and vulnerable.
At this moment, Wen Liangyu remained silent, embracing He Heng. He immersed himself in He Heng’s gentle embrace, feeling the firm and powerful arms sheltering him from the chilling wind. The surrounding world quieted down, and the worries seemed to fade away.
Seeing this scene, Liu Fuyuan tactfully retreated.
He sighed to himself as he walked away.
Often, those directly involved are perplexed, while bystanders see things more clearly. Perhaps the young emperor himself was unaware of the emotional changes for the Regent over these days.
He didn’t know whether the Regent had amnesia or had genuinely undergone a complete transformation. Regardless, their path together was destined to be challenging.
Yet, people are not like plants; how could they easily suppress their emotions?
Observing the young emperor clinging to him like a koala, He Heng probably guessed that he had encountered some distressing matters during the court session.
He remained silent, holding the emperor quietly.
After a while, seeing that the person in his arms was still emotionally downcast, He Heng gently patted his head.
“Your Majesty,” he said, “if you keep this up, your rabbit might run away.”
“Hmm?” As soon as he heard the word “rabbit” the young emperor indeed lifted his head slightly from He Heng’s chest, revealing half of his face.
Seeing this, He Heng smirked and glanced at the small white rabbit that was hopping away. He teasingly added, “If it runs too far and ends up in my kitchen, I can’t guarantee what might happen.”
“!” Almost instantly upon hearing this, Wen Liangyu immediately perked up, releasing He Heng’s hand and hurriedly rushed towards the still bouncing white rabbit.
Watching the young emperor walk away, He Heng’s expression rarely became serious. In his profound eyes, a sharp glint flashed. He gestured, summoning Liu Fuyuan to the shelter of the trees.
“Tell me, what happened during the court session today?”
The author has something to say:
Wang Jingyuan is in danger!
Heng Bao: Oh, so it’s about choosing the empress? Am I invisible, standing right in front of you?
