chapter 58

Chapter 58: What to Do?

"Young Master, are you injured? Let this servant take a look." Lianqiao and Heling approached, anxiously inspecting Shen He.

They quickly noticed the small blood mark on his chin.

There were still traces of dried blood on his face. From a distance, it wasn't noticeable, but up close, it was evident.

Lianqiao's eyes turned red with concern, "Young Master, who dared to treat you like this? Who were those people to mistreat you so?"

Shen He patted Lianqiao's back reassuringly, his voice gentle, almost cooing, "It's okay, it's okay, don't cry, Lianqiao. I'm fine. In fact, I gave them a good beating. You wouldn't believe it; I turned that prince into a complete mess. If he dares to step out, I'll take you to see his battered face."

He touched his chin, explaining, "This isn't from being hit. I accidentally got scratched by a shard. Everywhere else is fine, see for yourself if you don't believe me."

He rolled up his sleeve to show Lianqiao his fair and unblemished arm.

There wasn't even a minor bruise on it. Though there had been some reddish marks from being grabbed earlier, they had faded during the carriage ride back to the palace, returning his skin to its pristine condition.

However, Lianqiao grabbed Shen He's hand and noted, "Young Master, your knuckles are red. With this redness, they're sure to swell by tomorrow morning. It will hurt then."

With his hand held, Shen He blushed and said sheepishly, "That's from hitting someone, hehe."

The idea of hurting one's own hand while throwing a punch was rather embarrassing and something Shen He had never encountered before.

Seeing Shen He's embarrassed smile, and sensing he wasn't in too much pain, Lianqiao finally relaxed, laughing, "Young Master, please refrain from such actions in the future. What if something had happened?"

Shen He responded, "Understood. Next time, I won't do that. I'll just gather a big crowd and use my numbers and influence to bully others. Is that okay?"

Lianqiao couldn't help but laugh at Shen He's antics.

Heling, standing to the side, teased, "Young Master should indeed learn the art of using influence to his advantage."

Shen He replied proudly, "Who says I can't? Today, I invoked the names of my grandfather, maternal grandfather, and aunt, among others."

Qi Zhuoyun, who had been expecting Shen He to lean into his embrace, felt a hint of discomfort at the emptiness.

He kept forgetting that over these two years, Shen He had grown taller, no longer the child who needed his assistance for everything.

Qi Zhuoyun withdrew his hand, listening to the murmurs between Shen He, Heling, and Lianqiao.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Shen He was more obedient and compliant around them than when he was with Qi Zhuoyun.

A subtle unease formed in Qi Zhuoyun's heart.

The child had grown, no longer as close to him as before. Yet why did he seem as close as ever to Lianqiao and the others?

These thoughts were fleeting.

Qi Zhuoyun, hands behind his back, followed Shen He and asked with a hint of teasing, "Really? Shen He, you mentioned so many backers. Why didn't you mention your brother? Shouldn't I be your strongest support?"

Shen He nodded, "Of course. But I was the one bullying others, not being bullied. What if invoking your name caused trouble?"

He instinctively began to fidget with his fingers, recalling a fight he had with the fifth prince when they were both younger.

Following that, the Emperor summoned the crown prince.

Even now, Shen He still feels a pang of guilt when he thinks of it.

It would be terrible if his troubles hindered the male lead's endeavors.

The male lead already had enough challenges.

Sadly, Shen He's well-intentions did not bring joy to Qi Zhuoyun.

Qi Zhuoyun draped an arm over his shoulder, guiding him towards the palace interior.

They had lingered outside for so long that only half the sun remained in the sky, soon to be enveloped by nightfall.

The slanting rays of light cast elongated shadows of Shen He and Qi Zhuoyun, stretching far and seemingly intertwining, with half of them folding onto the palace walls.

Qi Zhuoyun said, "Hehe, you need not worry about these matters. My power and authority are there to back you up. If you run into trouble, I'll handle it. If you don't use me as your support, then what's the point of my power?"

Shen He chuckled, obediently responding, "I'll remember that. Next time, I'll invoke your name, alright?"

He thought to himself that the male lead sure had a way with words.

Authority and power, aren't they what career-driven individuals like the male lead covet? Why concern oneself with how it's used?

With these thoughts, they returned to the palace interior. Qi Zhuoyun insisted on having Zhou Yan re-examine Shen He's hand and then prescribed some medicine.

Shen He's hand was held.

Lianqiao lit the lantern, and the candlelight flickered. Shen He, having been pampered, had a skin as fair as porcelain, reminiscent of a young maiden. Except for attending classes or playing outside, he was mostly sheltered, keeping his complexion pristine.

Shen He was quite the homebody, especially during the scorching summer days, preferring to stay indoors rather than venture out.

Under the candlelight, his pale skin glowed with the luster of white jade.

His hands, now slender and delicate, were a stark contrast to the chubby ones of his youth.

One thing that remained constant was Qi Zhuoyun's ability to easily envelop Shen He's hand within his own.

He gently held Shen He's fingertips as he applied the medicine.

Shen He felt the pain now, gritting his teeth and grimacing, "Brother, be gentle! Gently! Ouch, it hurts!"

Qi Zhuoyun's movements were already gentle. Hearing Shen He's outcry, he teased, "Wasn't Lord He unhurt? Such a minor wound shouldn't bother you. Why are you making such a fuss?"

Shen He covered his face with his left hand and gruffly responded, "Lord He had a momentary lapse today. Besides, Lord He is made of flesh too; even a small wound can hurt. It's only natural to cry out in pain. Let's not be stereotypical."

Qi Zhuoyun chuckled, causing a tremor in his finger applying the medicine. Pressing on the wound, Shen He immediately exclaimed, "Easy there! If it's too hard for you, let me do it myself!"

Qi Zhuoyun softly chided with a suppressed voice, "Stay still! Just a bit more ointment and we're done. It's all over my hands."

Shen He immediately complied.

After applying the medicine to his hand, he tilted his chin up, presenting his face.

Once the dirt on his face was washed away, the scar stood out like the only flaw on a perfect piece of jade.

It was especially jarring to the eyes.

Qi Zhuoyun gently spread the remaining ointment on his fingertip along the scar.

Under the candlelight, the young boy's face was upturned, his eyelashes quivering.

Qi Zhuoyun lowered his gaze, staring intently at him, momentarily lost in thought.

Coming back to his senses, he found Shen He had pulled back, using a cloth to wipe off the ointment from his hands, asking, "Brother, is it all clean? Is there any left on your fingers?"

Qi Zhuoyun whispered, "All gone, it's clean now."

He stood up, gently ruffling Shen He's hair, "Finish your assignments, sleep early. Officer Song probably won't be visiting the East Palace tomorrow. If you need to leave, ensure you finish your breakfast first, understood?"

Shen He nodded, looking up at Qi Zhuoyun, "Brother, I understand. You go on with your work, remember to sleep early too."

Once Qi Zhuoyun left, Shen He immediately kicked off his shoes, jumped onto his bed, and started rummaging through his books. Lying atop a big tiger plushie, he contentedly read his storybook.

He'll read for now.

No classes tomorrow; he can deal with his homework later if needed.

Woohoo~!

Lianqiao and Heling felt helpless, so they turned up the bedside lamp a bit brighter.

Meanwhile, Qi Zhuoyun returned to his study.

Zhong Hong knew that today's incident hadn't been settled yet. He waited quietly for the prince's orders.

As expected, upon entering the study and finding Shen He absent, Qi Zhuoyun's expression turned icy in an instant.

Cold as frost.

He said coldly, "Every person involved today, count each and every one of them and investigate thoroughly."

He continued, "Start with Prince Yun. He raised his only son with such reckless abandon that the boy caused countless troubles. At the foot of the imperial city, everyone turned a blind eye just because of his Qi surname."

"...He never should have crossed paths with Hehe, let alone try to lead him astray. If Hehe hadn't been so pure-hearted and had been influenced by him in the Linjiang Pavilion, indulging in unsavory habits with courtesans..."

The mere thought of the child he had personally raised, as pure as fresh snow, becoming like Prince Yun's hedonistic son, a profligate young master, made Qi Zhuoyun's jaw tighten. His dark eyes seemed even darker amidst the flickering candlelight.

Today, since Hehe was waiting for him outside, he hadn't had the time to act further.

Surely Prince Yun didn't think he would let this go so easily.

Qi Zhuoyun then inquired, "Hehe doesn't know Prince Yun's son. Who was the noble youth that took him to Linjiang Pavilion? What's his name?"

Zhong Hong replied softly, "Your Highness, that young master's name is Jiang Zhitong, the legitimate son born to Jiang Deming's second marriage."

Qi Zhuoyun chuckled, though there was no warmth in his smile, "That's good to know. I've been thinking it's about time for a new Grand Scholar in the Imperial Cabinet."

……

Qi Zhuoyun certainly wasn't planning on letting this matter slide easily.

The old Duke stormed back to his mansion, fuming. He hadn't gotten a chance to see his grandson one last time before he left. Thinking of the imperial physician's diagnosis only fueled his anger further.

Shen Yan followed his grandfather. Once inside, he whispered, "Grandfather, are you planning on settling scores with Prince Yun?"

His eyes were profound, appearing dark and calm.

When he smiled, he looked like a refined and gentle young man, just less lively than one might expect.

When he wasn't smiling, those deep eyes concealed all emotions. The youthful sharpness typically seen in young men seemed absent in him, replaced by undercurrents churning beneath a calm surface.

The old Duke, though he appeared hasty and impulsive, was genuinely meticulous and thoughtful.

He chuckled upon hearing this, "Yan'er, tell your grandfather, if you were handling this matter, what would you do?"

Shen Yan's immediate thought was to make Prince Yun's mansion face the consequences and to see Prince Yun's son crushed to the ground one day.

Putting aside everyone else, just the fact that Prince Yun's son dared to hurt Shen He was unforgivable. If Shen Yan didn't crush him into the mud, he would always fear that one day the prince's son might retaliate against Shen He.

Just as he was about to voice these thoughts, Shen Yan closed his mouth, lowering his gaze, "I believe we need to amplify the prince's son's crime... but without offending the Prince Yun mansion directly or openly antagonizing them."

The old Duke sighed, "Yan'er, there's no need for pretense between us, grandfather and grandson. Speak your mind. I'm as fond of and worried about little He as you are."

He patted Shen Yan on the shoulder.

In his youth, the old Duke was tall and burly. Now, age had caused him to stoop a bit, but young Shen Yan was already nearly surpassing him in height.

The old Duke inquired, "You've studied military strategies and have your own perspectives on warfare. But court politics is just a war without weapons. What would you do on a battlefield?"

Shen Yan paused, then slowly responded, "I understand."

The old Duke's expression softened, patting Shen Yan's shoulder again, "In that case, handle this matter as you see fit. Whatever you feel is right to avenge your younger brother, do it."

Shen Yan nodded slightly.

After bowing, he turned and left. Outside the courtyard, his personal guard awaited him.

Once Shen Yan left, the old Duke's composed expression shattered. He paced around the room, cursing, "You understand? I don't. That damned Prince Yun! So arrogant before the crown prince arrives! Does he think I can't wield a sword anymore? What to do on the battlefield? Of course, you go after their leader!"

The old Duchess emerged, her voice soft, "... General."

The old Duke paused, "It's been years since I've used such language. Isn't it clear I'm agitated?"