Chapter 30

Chapter 30

At the crack of dawn, Eunuch Qin personally led several red-robed Inner Officials to deliver clothes to Fu Ye.

The sky had just begun to lighten, and the ram's horn palace lanterns in the courtyard were still glowing. Fu Ye was going through his morning routine.

When the emperor next door rose, despite the crowd in the bedchamber, everyone moved in an orderly manner, each attending to their duties, with only the soft swish of fabric.

Fu Ye's quarters, by contrast, buzzed with activity. Green-robed attendants scurried about, while Eunuch Qin and a group of red-robed eunuchs stood at the entrance of the hall. The two groups—red and green—exchanged greetings, and the green-robed officials bowed before withdrawing with their armloads of toiletries.

Only after they had all withdrawn did Eunuch Qin lead the red-robed officials from the main hall inside.

Spring garments typically consisted of three layers: undergarments, an intermediate robe, and an outer robe. What Fu Huang bestowed were all outer robes.

The emperor had a strange quirk.

He enjoyed seeing Prince Huan wear his clothes.

If they were ordinary men’s garments, it might have set tongues wagging—after all, lending clothes to others occasionally was normal, but insisting on it daily would seem suspicious.

But the emperor was no ordinary man, and the dragon robe wasn't something just anybody could don.

Moreover, Fu Huang was no ordinary emperor.

Nothing he did surprised anyone.

Nothing he did invited speculation.

The emperor’s harem had remained completely unoccupied for years, neither consorts nor concubines.

This was the emperor’s way of demonstrating his favor to His Highness Prince Huan—even his own robes could be bestowed upon him!

“Is that so?” Fu Ye asked.

Eunuch Qin, personally assisting him with dressing, replied, “Indeed. In all of history, such an honor has been granted to Your Highness alone.”

Xiao Ai remarked, “You can really see how much Fu Huang yearns for familial affection!”

If everyone thought so, then it must be true.

He needn’t overthink it!

Today, Eunuch Qin brought a brand-new set of robes freshly made by the Imperial Wardrobe Office just two days prior.

The emperor, who now kept his hands clean of menial tasks, had only worn them once, leaving them practically untouched.

Yet, upon closer inspection, they carried the faint scent of bitter medicine often associated with Fu Huang, mingling with the wintergreen incense from his palace to form a unique fragrance—surprisingly pleasant.

Truly, an accidental blessing.

Fu Ye couldn’t help but lift his sleeve to sniff it repeatedly.

He thought the emperor had pulled out all the stops to make him wear his clothes, for the outer robe delivered today was a soft apricot hue, its hem adorned with intricate cloud patterns that swirled like morning fog—absolutely stunning.

The emperor of Great Zhou believed the dynasty belonged to the Water Virtue, which revered black. Thus, imperial attire predominantly featured black, and Fu Huang seldom wore other colors. He was not particular about clothing, and to avoid trouble, the Imperial Wardrobe Office typically crafted standard-issue black robes for him.

This apricot outer robe was understated yet refined, but paired with a golden crown and an ornamental girdle, it still looked splendid. Even Eunuch Qin couldn’t help but praise it repeatedly.

He even offered a helpful suggestion: “Would Your Highness like to show it to His Majesty?”

He thought that seeing the prince wear his clothes would surely please Fu Huang.

And if it was shown to him proactively, he would be even happier.

Upon hearing this, Fu Ye immediately went to Qingyuan Palace.

Being this well-behaved, how could Eunuch Qin not adore him!

He hurried into the hall to personally announce Prince Huan’s arrival.

Fu Huang had been sleeping earlier than before these days, though he still slept poorly despite sleeping an extra hour or two. He had risen early but stayed reclined on the divan, reviewing memorials.

The red-robed Inner Officials of the Imperial Secretariat stood silently nearby.

After Eunuch Qin announced him, Fu Ye passed through the surrounding screens. The Inner Officials kept their heads bowed, unfazed by his arrival—such was the rule set by Fu Huang: during official duties, no one, not even the emperor himself, warranted formal greetings. They simply had to focus on their tasks.

Thus, as Fu Ye walked among them, he felt as though he were walking through a row of red-paper effigies.

The people of Qingyuan Palace often gave him an eerie, underworld-like vibe.

Fu Huang, wrapped in a black cloak with only an inner robe beneath, radiated relaxed authority as he looked up at him.

"Came to greet His Majesty good morning," Fu Ye said with a smile.

The Inner Officials by the divan, all clad in red robes, accentuated Fu Ye’s slender and elegant figure in his apricot-colored gown, his complexion glowing.

Since Fu Huang was occupied with work, Fu Ye bowed and took his leave. As he withdrew, he noticed the black cloak draped over Fu Huang looked like the one he’d worn a few days prior.

But it couldn’t be the same one.

The emperor’s cloaks were never washed and reworn—Fu Huang was not frugal with food or clothing, being obsessive about cleanliness.

His clothes were nearly identical, especially the black ones, often made in identical patterns and colors.

The Imperial Wardrobe Office served the emperor with an emphasis on playing it safe, unlike when crafting new garments for Fu Ye, where they frequently tried out bold new patterns.

Outside, the sky had brightened, and a thin trail of white smoke could be seen rising from Yongchang Mountain in the south. With no wind, the smoke hung almost motionless. Viewed from the corridor, it was awe-inspiring.

That was the smoke from Yongfu Pagoda—even now, embers still smoldered at its base.

Today, His Majesty was once again conducting state affairs in the Hall of Impartial Governance, with His Highness Prince Huan in attendance.

It almost felt deliberate, as if to put it on display for everyone.

Who would have thought that such brotherly affection could be seen in an emperor who had killed his own brothers?

Well, Chancellor Xie and others certainly believed it.

Rumors from the Empress Dowager’s palace suggested that the emperor’s decision to rescind the edict displaying heads at temples had been influenced by Prince Huan’s persuasion.

An emperor held supreme authority, and if one as unyielding and self-willed as the current sovereign refused to listen, even ministers risking their lives to plead would be futile. Historically, such situations called for a virtuous empress or wise consort to offer tender counsel.

Appealing to his emotions.

With no one in the imperial harem, Prince Huan had now assumed that role!

Did this mean that in the future, any messages could be relayed through him? If the emperor flew into a rage, could they seek Prince Huan’s protection?

The courtiers had always treated Fu Ye with mere deference, uncertain of the emperor’s stance toward the new prince and hesitant to approach him rashly. But now, spotting him from afar, they swarmed to greet him.

Especially those golden-armored guards of noble birth stationed near the inner palace were all eager to curry favor with Prince Huan.

His Highness Prince Huan was deeply favored by the Emperor and known for his benevolence. Now, when they drank privately, they were convinced Prince Huan’s future held limitless power and prestige.

With the Emperor keeping no consorts, they speculated in private that the Emperor would likely have no heirs. Moreover, His Majesty was in poor health—a common fact—and did not seem destined for a long life. Now that the Emperor permitted Prince Huan to participate in governance, it appeared he was setting him up for succession.

Who knew? He might even be named heir apparent one day and eventually ascend to the throne!

If they wanted to get in his good graces, they had to act now. At present, Prince Huan had no favored ministers by his side.

Of course, men like Liu Jiahui and Xiao Yichen hoped to become Prince Huan's close advisors.

Unfortunately, the golden-armored guards were barred from the inner palace, and Prince Huan usually kept to its confines. The only place they could possibly speak to him was the corridor outside the Zhongzheng Hall.

That corridor connected to the outer court. Since Green Abyss Palace was located in the northeast corner of the imperial palace, Chancellor Xie and the others rarely entered from the south when summoned for imperial audiences. Instead, they came through Dongchen Gate, escorted by golden-armored guards to the corridor outside the Zhongzheng Hall, where they were handed over to the black-armored guards.

Sometimes, after the Emperor concluded his audience in the Zhongzheng Hall, the golden-armored guards were responsible for escorting the ministers out.

This was the only opportunity the golden-armored guards had to catch a fleeting glimpse of Prince Huan.

But usually, at most, they could only steal a glance. To actually converse with His Highness was a matter of pure chance.

Among them, Xiao Yichen was the most anxious.

He was originally a notorious playboy in the brothels, renowned among the capital's young nobles for his striking looks and... impressive assets.

Who would have thought he would one day fall hopelessly in love with Prince Huan? Unable to see him, he wasted away pining for him.

“I heard Li Cong got transferred to the black-armored guards and became a personal guard in His Highness's palace. Yesterday at Minglou, he strutted around bragging.”

“He must have called in a favor from his cousin Li Dun, right?”

“Brother Chen, why don’t you go ask him for help? His cousin Li Dun, though not highly ranked, is one of His Majesty’s most trusted men.”

Li Cong and Xiao Yichen had always been bitter rivals—there was no way Xiao Yichen would lower himself to ask for his help.

Hearing someone sniffling behind him, he turned and saw Wei Simo.

It only made him angrier. “Why the tears? Man up!” he scolded.

Wei Simo said timidly, “Li Cong is a smooth talker.”

Xiao Yichen grew even more worried.

Now it wasn’t just about whether he could win Prince Huan’s favor.

Li Cong was indeed a slippery charmer with plenty of tricks. It was said he once drunkenly boasted that he’d gladly be the Prince’s lapdog.

Even if Prince Huan didn’t favor him, it couldn’t be Li Cong.

That scoundrel could win over even straight men.

His gaze shifted to Xie Liangbi not far away, who stood calmly, deep in thought, fingers tracing his sword hilt.

Chancellor Xie frequently moved about the palace, and as his most beloved youngest son, Xie Liangbi could easily get close to Prince Huan.

He wanted to ask Xie Liangbi to pass a warning to Prince Huan: Watch out for Li Cong.

But he was afraid Xie Liangbi might curry favor.

He had gone to the Zhizhong Hall with Xie Liangbi twice before, and the way Xie Liangbi looked at Prince Huan was anything but innocent.

He was just better at concealing it than others.

It was said that when Prince Huan petitioned on the case of Shanyuan Temple, it was Xie Liangbi who interceded with him.

Lost in thought, the commander entered.

Everyone hurried to their feet.

The commander smiled and said, "Chancellor Xie and the others are about to enter the palace. They’re already outside the Dongchen Gate. Who will escort them today?"

Xiao Yichen was the first to spring up.

Commander Zhou looked at him with amusement, then glanced at the others.

Wei Simo kept his head down, too timid to speak, delicate and meek.

He turned to Xie Liangbi. "You’ll accompany Xiao Yichen."

Surprisingly, Xie Liangbi hesitated for a moment before nodding.

He and Xie Liangbi arrived at the Dongchen Gate together, where the ministers’ carriages were waiting outside.

The Dongchen Gate wasn’t far from the Zhizhong Hall, so they walked.

Chancellor Xie usually treated his son as just another Golden Armor Guard when they met in the palace—both father and son were well-versed in court etiquette.

But today, when Chancellor Xie saw Xie Liangbi among the escorts, his brow visibly furrowed, his expression stern.

The group walked in silence to the Zhizhong Hall. Xiao Yichen’s heart trembled—even the usually carefree rogue felt somewhat dazed. Through the window, he spotted Prince Huan reading.

A figure like jade and gold, snow-pale skin, blossom-delicate features—something to admire from afar, never to be touched.

Under the corridor stood a crowd—a dozen red-robed Inner Officials and a few in blue robes.

He even spotted a black dragon robe near Academician Zhang.

Such regal majesty, as distant as celestial beings in the heavens, left him feeling unworthy.

They stopped at the entrance of the Zhizhong Hall, and Li Cong approached from the corridor.

Though Li Cong stifled his glee, his eyebrows lifted slightly at them, clearly pleased with himself.

After Chancellor Xie and the other ministers entered, Li Cong lowered his voice and said, "I figured it’d be you two. As expected. Now that I’ve got the prince’s ear, if there’s anything you need, just ask."

Xie Liangbi ignored him.

Xiao Yichen shot back, "If His Highness ever takes a liking to you, I’ll kowtow and call you ‘big brother.’”

Li Cong’s smile vanished.

The questioning dragged on, and they waited outside. Guard duty during the emperor’s presence was actually a hardship for the Golden Armor Guards—no drinking, eating, or slouching allowed. By the time their feet grew numb, Chancellor Xie and the others at last emerged.

Not long after, the emperor and Prince Huan also came out.

They watched as Prince Huan stood beside His Majesty, radiating even more imperial nobility.

When Prince Huan first returned, he was quite different from how he is now—all glamour but no authority, strikingly handsome yet unassuming, with a fragile air. Now, after spending so much time in the palace, the Emperor has bestowed upon him favors like no other, elevating him to a position second to none but the Emperor himself. With his recent involvement in governance and dressed in imperial robes, he stirs fanatical devotion, making one wish to grovel before him and serve as his loyal subject.

To be at his command.

“I beg a favor,” Chancellor Xie suddenly spoke.

That wily old fox, Chancellor Xie, rarely made personal appeals. Yet now, he was asking a personal favor—for his son.

He wanted his son, Xie Liangbi, to be removed from the Golden Armor Guards.

Fu Huang raised an eyebrow.

The Emperor handpicked all palace guards, typically assigning them for three years before reassignment. For nobles’ sons, the Golden Armor Guards were a badge of honor, and few would voluntarily resign.

That old fox Chancellor Xie never moved without motive.

He glanced toward the doorway and saw Fu Ye standing under the corridor, smirking as he nodded to Xie Liangbi’s group.

Xie Liangbi and Xiao Yichen immediately bowed, hands clasped in deference.

Chancellor Xie’s excuse was that his elderly mother was ill and had always doted on her youngest grandson, wishing for Xie Liangbi to return home to care for her.

The Xies’ matriarch, a nonagenarian noblewoman, held in high esteem—even the Empress Dowager revered her. Naturally, her request should be granted.

Fu Huang—no fan of Xie Liangbi—agreed.

Yet no one saw coming what happened that evening in Qingyuan Palace.

Not a major incident—just some guard reshuffling.

All guard transfers required the Emperor’s approval, especially for those serving in Fu Ye’s palace.

Fu Huang micromanaged this, personally selecting every guard himself.

They had to come from clean backgrounds, possess exceptional martial skills, and have unremarkable looks.

The Black Armor Guards of Qingyuan Palace were all under Li Dun’s command. This time, the guard Li Dun requested to transfer was none other than his own cousin, Li Cong, who had only recently been assigned to Qingyuan Palace.

Li Dun was fiercely loyal and understood the foundation of the Emperor’s trust in him. Even concerning his cousin, he concealed nothing, bluntly stating that reports had been made about Li Cong trading on his ties to Prince Huan. Upon investigation, the claims were found true, making him unfit to continue serving.

“Who reported this?” Fu Huang asked.

Li Dun prostrated. “Xie Liangbi of the Golden Armor Guards.”

Chancellor Xie had just petitioned for Xie Liangbi’s resignation from the Golden Armor Guards, and before leaving, Xie Liangbi had reported Li Cong. The dots connected themselves.

Fu Huang’s face went stormy, and he ordered Eunuch Qin to investigate personally.

The truth hit like a thunderbolt.

It turned out Chancellor Xie had insisted on his son’s resignation because he believed Xie Liangbi had grown too close to Prince Huan.

One piece of evidence was that when Prince Huan had spoken out in the Shan Yuan Temple case, it was Xie Liangbi who had pleaded on his behalf.

Fu Huang recalled that night when Fu Ye, with his hair loose, had knelt before him in genuine emotion—a night that had shaken him to the core.

Now, his temples pulsed with anger.

An Inner Official slipped in silently with garments in hand and whispered, "Your Majesty, His Highness has turned in for the night."

As he spoke, he presented the tray along with the clothes—the peach-blossom-colored robe Fu Ye had worn all day.

Fu Huang reached out, took it, and draped it over himself, slumping on the divan, his face grim.

The robe carried the fragrance of Snowy Green Letter, sweet yet light, which helped soothe his sleep.

Seeing the emperor's face dark as storm clouds, the Inner Official dared not speak and quietly withdrew.

When Eunuch Qin entered later, he found the emperor wrapped in that peach-blossom robe, pacing like a restless ghost in the chamber.

"Your Majesty, it is time to rest. Have you forgotten the curfew His Highness set for you?"

Fu Huang glanced at the water clock and said, "My head aches. Call him here."

Eunuch Qin immediately went to fetch Fu Ye.

Within moments, pounding footsteps rang out, and before anyone appeared, Fu Ye's anxious voice called out, "Imperial Brother, is your head hurting again?!"

Slumped on the divan, Fu Huang was certain—having sized up men all his life—that Fu Ye's concern for him was genuine.

The dark aura around him dissipated, leaving only a warmth that ached sweetly as he watched Fu Ye rush in.

Fu Ye had just lain down and hadn’t even had time to put on his outer robe before coming.

Now clad only in inner garments, his ink-black hair loose, he was heart-stoppingly beautiful, enough to set the heart quivering.

Fu Huang averted his gaze, lowering his head slightly.

He thought to himself—as the Son of Heaven, possessing all under heaven, he understood better than anyone that genuine feeling can't be commanded.

If Fu Ye held no genuine affection for him, there was truly nothing he could do about it.

This constant testing left his nerves frayed.

And yet, he reveled in the outcome.

Here he was, the all-powerful emperor who'd waded through blood and inspired fear in all, now completely in Fu Ye's hands, entangled in this taboo, consuming passion. He wondered if this was some form of retribution.

When he looked up again, Fu Ye had already changed into a black cloak. Fu Huang said, "The pain is severe. I'll have to bother you once more, Sixth Brother."