Chapter 377: If Xiao Shao Travels to When Qi Yan Just Fell into Misfortune 6

Chapter 377: If Xiao Shao Traveled Back to When Qi Yan First Fell into Misfortune (Part 6)

Qi Yan stood almost frozen, staring at the small courtyard. For a moment, he questioned whether this was a dream.

Otherwise, how could such a scene appear before him?

His father was feeding the chickens with grains, his mother was hanging laundry to dry, and his eldest sister was reading with his younger sister under the fading glow of the sunset.

They rose with the sun and rested with its setting, framed by distant green mountains and clear waters—a picture-perfect idyllic scene.

Qi Yan remembered his father once saying that after retiring, he would buy such a small courtyard and live a leisurely, idyllic life. Back then, the whole family had gathered together. His mother said she would plant mulberry trees (for silk production) outside the courtyard to raise silkworms, his younger sister insisted on keeping a fluffy little chick, and his father dreamed of a vegetable patch, aspiring to emulate the ancients—"rising at dawn to clear weeds, returning at dusk with a hoe on his shoulder."*

*This is an allusion to the famous Tang Dynasty poet Tao Yuanming, known for his pastoral poetry and reclusive lifestyle.

But after the Qi family was convicted and imprisoned, such scenes had vanished, even from his dreams.

Qi Yan did not blink or move. He clung to the carriage’s edge, as if fearing the mirage might dissolve at a touch.

It was not until Xiao Shao nudged him that he snapped out of it. "Quit dawdling—get moving!"

Only then did Qi Yan seem to wake from a dream. He hesitantly stepped down from the carriage but did not dare approach immediately. Instead, he turned back uncertainly, looking at Xiao Shao as if pleading for reassurance.

Xiao Shao laughed. Folding his fan, he pointed forward, his handsome face radiant with charm. "Go on. I shall wait here for you. Just be back before sunset."

So Qi Yan took a step toward the courtyard—small at first, then larger and larger, until finally, he was running flat-out.

Xiao Shao watched as he rushed into the courtyard, embracing his mother first, then his father and sisters one by one, before the whole family vanished inside the small house.

Xiao Shao lowered the carriage curtain and idly picked up a book to read.

He thought to himself, *"This little gourd (his nickname for the reticent Qi Yan) better cheer up now. At least crack a smile?"*

Always wearing such a solemn expression, like a storm cloud.

But when Qi Yan returned, Xiao Shao lifted his chin to look—only to find that the storm cloud had turned teary-eyed and blotchy.

This thoroughly baffled Xiao Shao. Flicking open his fan, he reached out to touch the corner of Qi Yan’s eye and raised a brow. "I did not do anything to Lord Qi. He looked healthy enough to perform a whole set of *Baduanjin* (a traditional exercise routine). What is wrong with you?"

The words only seemed to upset Xiao Tanhu further. With a choked sob, he called out, "Second Prince," then grabbed Xiao Shao’s outstretched hand and suddenly threw himself forward, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Xiao Shao blinked, stunned.

Qi Yan’s chin rested on Xiao Shao’s shoulder, his arms squeezing tightly, his back trembling faintly if one looked closely.

In two lifetimes, his beloved had never once thrown himself into his arms like this. Xiao Shao froze for a moment before chuckling and patting Qi Yan’s back. "There now, why are you even more upset now that you have seen them?"

Under his gentle reassurance, Qi Yan gradually calmed. A little embarrassed—as a subject, he ought to remain restrained and proper, yet he kept revealing emotions he should not in front of the Second Prince—he reluctantly pulled away from Xiao Shao’s embrace. Then, clasping his hands and raising them to his forehead, he performed a deep, formal bow (a kowtow-like gesture).

Qi Yan held the bow as he spoke. "From this day forward, my life is pledged to Your Highness. Whatever task you require of me, I shall fulfill it without hesitation."

This time, even the "Second" in "Second Prince" was omitted (deliberately omitting ‘Second’), as if, within the vast imperial city, there was only one "Prince" from now on—Xiao Shao.

Xiao Shao: "...Your life belongs to you, not me. I do not have any dangerous tasks for you."

After a moment’s thought, he added, "But if you are asking for assignments, there is one thing."

He brought up the same matter as in their past life—tasking Qi Yan with assisting in the investigation of the Hedong treasury (a notorious embezzlement case).

This was both for Xiao Shao’s goal of overthrowing the Crown Prince and ascending the throne, and for openly clearing the Qi family’s name. This time, Xiao Shao wanted Qi Yan to stand proudly by his side—no name changed, no identity hidden. They were meant to stand together, their names etched together into history.

Qi Yan held his gaze unblinkingly, his eyes reddening slightly again.

Xiao Shao grew uneasy under his stare. "What? Tired of being here already? If so, let's go back."

In the days that followed, Qi Yan became increasingly busy.

He worked like a whirling dervish, juggling tasks—helping Xiao Shao with official duties, drafting policy essays, making time to visit his parents in the suburbs, and occasionally teaching his younger sister to read and write.

At nearly the same time as in his past life, Xiao Shao took Qi Yan to Hedong.

With the experience from his past life, Xiao Shao navigated the situation effortlessly. He thoroughly investigated the Hedong treasury case, artfully played the victim card in front of his parents, and once again claimed the Crown Prince's seat.

Then, after the passing of the late emperor and the period of national mourning, Xiao Shao ascended the throne, proclaiming the new Zhaoyuan era.

First, he ordered a full investigation into the Hedong treasury, unearthing numerous cronies of the former Crown Prince, and restored the reputations of all those involved in the case, including Qi Chen and Qi Yan.

Thus, this time, Xiao Tanhua assumed office as Imperial Censor under his own name.

Xiao Shao’s plan was to let him gain experience in a virtuous official position for a couple of years, then ease him into promotion to his side without much effort. But he soon realized that this life was different.

At this time, many holdouts from the former Crown Prince's clique still lingered in the court, colluding with powerful families, and graft ran wild. The Hedong treasury case was merely the tip of the iceberg. Qi Yan repeatedly submitted memorials, using razor-sharp, venomous rhetoric, directly targeting several major aristocratic families. He wielded both open and underhanded methods, and his methods were more reminiscent of Chief Overseer Qi from the first life than Xiao Tanhua from the second.

He acted as Xiao Shao’s eyes, overseeing the officials and clashing with the powerful elites. Occasionally, he did not shy away from harsh punishments, leaving the court trembling with fear. Many even labeled him a "ruthless enforcer."

When dealing with the aristocratic families, Qi Yan rarely smiled. His face, so soft in Xiao Shao’s presence, was now rigid and hard-edged and cold as steel, exuding an icy severity.

Over time, even Qi Chen, secluded in the mountains, heard whispers of it.

One day, while playing chess with Qi Yan, he tactfully probed, "A-Yan, is this what His Majesty intends?"

Qi Yan shook his head. "No, it’s my own choice."

He had discerned Xiao Shao’s desire to dismantle the aristocratic families but hesitated over how to proceed. So, Qi Yan acted for him.

Qi Yan said, "I choose to be His Majesty’s weapon."

Qi Chen paused, then spoke gravely, "A-Yan, you must understand—blades rarely meet a good end."

Once everything was over, to appease public anger and restore harmony, the blade was often broken. History books overflow with such cases—Zhang Tang, Lai Junchen—and their fates were already clearly written.

Being cashiered and banished counted as mercy; exile, execution, or even dismemberment were not unheard of.

Qi Yan replied, "My choice. My consequences."

He was willing to serve Xiao Shao, to shoulder the disgrace for him. If Xiao Shao needed to break him afterward, so be it.

This life, this family—they were all saved by Xiao Shao. Repaying him with his life was more than fair.

Seeing his resolve, Qi Chen could say no more. "As long as you understand the stakes."

Qi Yan smiled. "I understand."

—What he didn’t know was that, behind the scenes, Xiao Shao was nearly beside himself with worry.

Though their relationship had grown close, they still hadn't crossed that threshold. Xiao Shao pondered how to breach the last barrier gracefully, to naturally guide things toward intimacy.

He imagined taking Qi Yan on an outing, feeding him treats in the carriage, viewing peach blossoms while passing a wine cup, or reviewing memorials together until their hands intertwined, their gazes tender, leading to a passionate embrace.

But he was wrong—Qi Yan was nowhere to be found.

Xiao Shao knew Qi Yan was a workaholic, but he never expected him to be this extreme. His own husband would disappear for nights on end, too busy to return home, while in court he clashed with one official after another, scowling at ministers who had served multiple dynasties and mocking the great noble clans.

Yet Qi Yan had his own ambitions. He wasn’t just Xiao Shao’s lover—he was also the illustrious Tanhu (Third Rank Scholar), a man of literary talent. He had work to do, and Xiao Shao couldn’t stop him.

So, torn between fearing Qi Yan would work himself to death or be assassinated, Xiao Shao had court physicians frequently check his health, deployed imperial guards as covert protection, and accelerated his own efforts to dismantle the aristocratic clans—all while his heart pounded with anxiety.

This purge lasted for years.

Xiao Shao and Qi Yan worked in tandem, uprooting the rot, dismantling the great noble families, and promoting a new generation of uncorrupted officials. Drawing from his memories of the Previous Dynasty, Xiao Shao placed each of them in positions suited to their strengths—some to oversee inspections, others to manage waterworks. Thus, the court was revitalized, and Xiao Shao began to take on the bearing of an Emperor poised for revival.

Though many years later, these uncorrupted officials might grow into new aristocratic clans, at least for now, this was an era of peace and prosperity.

Finally, the two men, who had been whirling like busy tops, could catch their breath.

Xiao Shao covered his face with a memorial, sighing inwardly: *After so many years of forced celibacy, can I finally have some meat?*

—Damn it, even in the Previous Dynasty, it hadn’t taken this long.

As luck would have it, just as Xiao Shao had the last remnants of the corrupt faction executed, the Emperor’s annual Longevity Day (Qianqiu Festival) arrived.

Traditionally, the Emperor would host a grand banquet for his officials, a carefully staged show of harmony between ruler and subjects. But Xiao Shao had no desire to face a crowd of leather-faced elders. Under the pretense of frugality, he canceled the grand feast, opting instead for a single table in the imperial garden. He even changed into resplendent robes, preening at his dashing reflection in the mirror before nodding in satisfaction and ordering Fu Dehai to call Qi Yan into the palace.

When Fu Dehai arrived at Qi Yan’s residence, Qi Yan was already readying to retire. Taking the imperial edict, he froze. "His Majesty summoned only me?"

Fu Dehai fawned, "Indeed, only you, my lord."

The eunuch watched as the Emperor’s favorite stood stunned for a long moment before lowering his gaze, his typically frosty demeanor thawing into a serene smile.

Qi Yan’s eyes smoldered with quiet affection as he gently traced the edict, his fingers lingering over the familiar handwriting as if caressing a lover.

Softly, he murmured, "Good. I understand."

Fu Dehai: "?"

Before the eunuch could voice his confusion, Qi Yan accepted the edict and politely asked, "Eunuch Fu, might I trouble you to wait a moment while I wash up and change attire?"

If this was to be his last meeting with Xiao Shao, he wanted to look his best—if only for himself.

Fu Dehai: "Of course, take your time."

So Qi Yan bathed in scented water and donned a vermilion gold-brocaded robe—one of the most lavish gifts Xiao Shao had bestowed upon him, resembling the attire Xiao Shao had worn as a prince. Qi Yan adored it.

Then, he pinned his hair up with white jade, secured a white jade belt with pendants, and fussed over his appearance in the mirror. Only when satisfied did he turn to Fu Dehai with a courteous smile. "Let us go, Eunuch Fu. I am ready."

Fu Dehai hurriedly bowed. "Of course, my lord."

Qi Yan lifted the hem of his robe and stepped into the carriage. As the driver cracked the whip and the wheels began to turn, Qi Yan sat inside, drawing back the curtain. Before him lay the imperial palace in all its majesty; behind him, the frigid prison that had once been his fate.

Behind lay his origins; ahead, his destiny.

And between these two points stood Xiao Shao, who had pulled him from the prison and brought him into the palace.

When the carriage finally halted before the imperial garden, Qi Yan turned to Fu Dehai once more. "Eunuch Fu, after today, could you pass along words to my father for me?"

Fu Dehai hesitated. "Of course, my lord."

Qi Yan smiled. "Say to him: This road was mine to walk. No matter the outcome, I have never regretted it—not for a single moment."

Without waiting for a reply, he lifted his robes and stepped past the gate, striding alone into the heart of the garden.

He had already seen, Xiao Shao sitting deep amidst the blossoms, dressed in vibrant crimson robes, propped casually against the stone table with one hand while pouring himself wine from a silver jug. His handsome and dashing demeanor was just as it had been when they first met.

A faint smile played on Qi Yan's lips.

Author's Note:

Fu Dehai: "?"

Xiao Shao: "?"

Not on the same page *n