Chapter 32

Chapter 32

After the meal, Pei Xingjian and the Prince of Yan remained to discuss state affairs, while all others were dismissed.

Lin Ting also left. It was said that the peach blossoms on the back mountain of Nanxiang Temple were unparalleled, but he dared not wander too far now. Besides, walking alone was risky—after all, not everyone in the court favored him, this "medicine."

For instance, when the Empress Dowager heard that Pei Xingjian’s headaches had nearly ceased, her expression darkened, though she maintained a strained smile throughout.

Even he could tell it was fake.

After observing for so long, he was almost certain—the Empress Dowager and the Emperor were at odds. He needed to be careful.

When he returned to the side chamber, Pei Xingjian was gone. He stopped a passing palace attendant and learned that the Emperor had gone to the hot spring pool on the back mountain.

The attendant said, "His Majesty ordered this humble servant to wait here. If Lord Lin returns, I am to take you there."

So Lin Ting followed the attendant to the back mountain.

The hot spring pool was located halfway up the mountain behind Nanxiang Temple, right in the middle of the peach orchard.

They took a narrow path uphill, and the attendant led Lin Ting to the entrance, pointing to a narrow trail. "His Majesty is inside. Please go in alone, Lord Lin." With that, the attendant left.

Lin Ting hesitated for a moment, peering inside, only to suddenly meet a pair of smiling eyes.

"Ah!" He exclaimed, then realized it was Eunuch Zhao.

"Oh, it’s just you, Eunuch Zhao." He patted his chest, calming himself.

Eunuch Zhao grinned, his eyes curving like crescents. "Ah, Lord Lin, there you are! His Majesty has been waiting for you inside."

Lin Ting didn’t know what to make of that. Why would Pei Xingjian be waiting for him? Surely not to share the bath.

Besides, his last experience at Shuhua Pool still made him nervous. He had no intention of going in again—what if he saw something he shouldn’t? Where would he even look?

"No, no, I’ll just wait out here."

Then, a voice called out from within: "Lin Ting, come in."

Eunuch Zhao immediately stepped aside. "Lord Lin, please." His sly expression made it seem like Lin Ting was entering some den of iniquity.

Lin Ting’s heart raced. Would he emerge unharmed? Especially his eyes—what if he saw something inappropriate again...

After walking about ten steps along the path, he finally made out a figure.

As he approached, he realized—Pei Xingjian was bare-chested.

His ink-black hair fell loosely to his waist, and Pei Xingjian made no move to cover up, his upper body fully exposed in the mist.

Lin Ting couldn’t help but steal glances. The Emperor’s muscles were taut, his waist lean, his pants loosely hanging at his hips. A long scar stretched across his abdomen. Water trickled down his chest, disappearing into the waistband of his pants, which clung tightly to his legs from being soaked.

Lin Ting’s gaze dipped lower, catching sight of a noticeable bulge at his waist. He immediately averted his eyes.

What was happening? Why did his face feel so warm?

Pei Xingjian lounged against the pool’s edge, watching as Lin Ting’s cheeks gradually flushed. "Come here."

Lin Ting’s feet felt rooted to the spot. His throat was dry; he swallowed before speaking. "Your Majesty, perhaps I should face away..."

"Your Majesty," Eunuch Zhao suddenly spoke up, "the Empress Dowager has sent peach blossom wine."

Lin Ting stopped short. "Then I’ll leave." If someone saw him here, wouldn’t that look bad?

As he turned, he almost ran into an approaching attendant. Lin Ting stepped back—only to slip and fall backward into the pool.

"Whoa—!" Before he could react, he was submerged in the hot water.

The heat enveloped him instantly. Lin Ting thrashed for a moment before a hand gripped his waist, pinning him to the edge.

The warm palm remained on his waist. Both of them were now soaked, and the attendant who had entered froze at the sight, gaping for a moment before hastily lowering his head, too hesitant to approach.

Eunuch Zhao was also startled, pulling the attendant and turning away.

"This old man... will return later."

He looked back regretfully.

Lin Ting was baffled.

Mist curled over the water’s surface, and the surrounding peach orchard was in full bloom, its pink petals drifting through the air. It was breathtaking.

But Lin Ting couldn't appreciate it—because Pei Xingjian’s hand was still on his waist.

He had worn thin clothing today, and now that it was soaked, it clung tightly to his body, making him acutely aware of every touch.

After a while, when the Emperor still hadn’t removed his hand, Lin Ting couldn’t help but say, "Your Majesty, I’m... alright now."

Pei Xingjian looked at him questioningly.

Lin Ting cringed at the thought of the two eunuchs witnessing this. His fingertips wanted to dig into the dirt out of sheer embarrassment. Thankfully, there weren’t many people around—otherwise, he might have sunk through the floor.

What did Pei Xingjian even eat to give off so much heat? Suppressing the warmth at his waist, he whispered, "Your Majesty, could you... move your hand?"

Pei Xingjian narrowed his eyes but obliged, pulling back his hand.

The strange sensation vanished, and Lin Ting exhaled in relief.

Pei Xingjian addressed the two attendants. "Turn around."

Eunuch Zhao cautiously turned, squinting as if afraid to see something improper. Yet the Emperor and Lord Lin now stood a full two body lengths apart, their postures screaming their distance.

Eunuch Zhao thought with disappointment. Why were they so distant again?

Pei Xingjian gestured to the young attendant. "Since the Empress Dowager sent it, leave it here."

The attendant set down the peach blossom wine. There were two bottles—one for the Emperor, and the other...

"The Empress Dowager learned that Lord Lin is also here," the attendant explained, pointing to the second bottle. "This one is for Lord Lin."

Lin Ting blinked in confusion. Huh? He got one too?

Eunuch Zhao escorted the attendant out.

Soaking wet, Lin Ting climbed out of the pool. The steam from the hot spring was stifling, and after just a short while, his throat felt parched.

They were on the back mountain, surrounded by peach trees. If he wanted water, he’d have to return to Nanxiang Temple.

His gaze fell on the bottle of peach blossom wine.

Since the Empress Dowager had given it to him... did that mean he could drink it? He reached for the white jade bottle.

Pei Xingjian's gaze snapped up, his voice icy. "Are you sure you want to drink this?"

Lin Ting's fingertips touched the bottle, and he nodded. But when he looked up at Pei Xingjian, he found the emperor staring at the peach blossom wine with a chilling gaze, as if it were poison.

Lin Ting's hand froze in midair. A wild thought flashed through his mind—

There's no way the Empress Dowager would have poisoned this... right?

Yet he hesitated and threw the question back. "Then, should Your Subject drink it or not?"

Pei Xingjian suddenly curled his lips and waded through the pool toward him, holding out his hand. "Give it to me."

Lin Ting obediently handed it over.

He had expected Pei Xingjian to test the wine somehow, but instead, the emperor immediately slammed the bottle to the ground.

With a sharp *crack*, the white jade porcelain shattered, spilling the wine. The sweet scent of peach blossoms bloomed in the air.

The crash startled the Tianxuan Guard stationed outside, and a guard appeared instantly, kneeling before Pei Xingjian. "Your Majesty, is everything alright?"

Pei Xingjian raised a hand dismissively. "It’s nothing. Dismissed."

The guard glanced at the broken bottle, his brow furrowing at the spill before vanishing as quickly as he had come.

Lin Ting crouched down to inspect the spilled wine—it was red. But since he had no idea what poison looked like, it told him nothing.

He decided to ask directly, "What’s wrong with the wine?"

Pei Xingjian grabbed the second bottle and smashed it too. The liquid pooled on the ground, and Lin Ting stared at it, noticing this one was a lighter shade.

His breath caught. He pointed at his own bottle. "Th-this one... it’s poisoned!"

Pei Xingjian didn’t even blink, his voice low. "Not just that."

Lin Ting stiffened. Just then, Zhao Dehai arrived with another bottle of peach blossom wine. "Your Majesty, this was personally supervised by the Tianxuan Guard during its brewing in the kitchen." He poured it onto the ground.

The liquid was a pale pink.

Lin Ting was completely stunned, his eyes wide with disbelief. "So both of those were—"

"Both poisoned," Pei Xingjian said calmly. "Except yours was more lethal. If you had drunk it, you wouldn’t have survived the night. As for mine..." His eyes followed the spreading liquid, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "I would’ve lasted a little longer than you."

Lin Ting’s mind went blank.

*What the hell, this is insane!* He’d only been transported to this world a few days ago. If Pei Xingjian hadn’t intervened, he would’ve already drunk it.

*Hell no, I’m too young to die! Is the ancient world always this dangerous?* He wondered if it was too late to start sucking up to the emperor for survival.

He never expected the Empress Dowager to dare poison the emperor. But judging by Pei Xingjian’s calm demeanor, was this not the first time? *The emperor must have it rough—dealing with crippling migraines, endless memorials, constant assassination attempts, and still being labeled a tyrant by the court. If I were him, I’d have snapped ages ago.*

*Who said this emperor was cruel? The guy's tragic.*

The thought consumed Lin Ting’s rusty mind, gears slowly turning.

He swallowed hard, suddenly no longer thirsty. *Temple wine it is. I know the difference between one full meal and steady meals.*

Zhao Dehai, long accustomed to such schemes, bowed and asked, "Your Majesty, shall we arrest the eunuch who delivered the wine?"

Pei Xingjian waved a hand. "Handle it."

"Yes," Zhao Dehai acknowledged, then hesitated. "And the Empress Dowager…?"

He was no stranger to her poisoning attempts. When the emperor first ascended the throne, the Xie family had controlled the court so thoroughly that even the emperor’s bathwater could have been laced with poison.

Those days had been filled with constant fear.

Fortunately, their emperor had acted decisively, rooting out most of the spies within half a year and establishing the Tianxuan Guard. Such poisoning incidents had since become rare.

"Let her be," Pei Xingjian said. Now wasn’t the time to deal with her faction.

Turning to Lin Ting, he ordered, "Go change your clothes first."

Lin Ting’s heart was still pounding, unable to calm down. He bowed quickly. "Then Your Subject will take his leave."

Pei Xingjian watched Lin Ting’s retreating figure until it disappeared from sight before finally looking away.

Zhao Dehai, recalling how close Lord Lin had come to drinking the poison, shuddered. "Thank heavens for Your Majesty’s wisdom, sparing Lord Lin from disaster."

Pei Xingjian closed his eyes. His fingers still tingled from where they had brushed against Lin Ting. In the silent mountains, all he could hear was the relentless pounding of his own heart—as if something was about to overflow.