Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Lin Ting left a note of absence at the palace early that morning and hurried back to his residence.

Zhang Ji was shocked to see his master looking utterly exhausted. "My lord, what happened to you?"

Lin Ting waved weakly. "I'm going to sleep. Don't disturb me."

With that, he went straight to his room and collapsed onto the bed, sleeping deeply. Even Zhang Ji’s attempt to wake him for lunch failed.

Lin Ting slept until the afternoon, waking up refreshed and full of energy.

He opened the door and casually called out to a servant watering flowers in the courtyard, "What time is it now?"

The servant replied, "It's already five forty-five."

He had slept the entire day away.

Yawning, Lin Ting first went to feed the fish in the pond before having his meal, finally feeling like himself again.

By then, evening had fallen. Winter days darkened early, and the sky had already dimmed before seven. Having eaten his fill, Lin Ting knew he wouldn't be able to sleep if he lay down now, so he took a stroll around the courtyard.

On the way, he ran into Zhang Ji, who wore an expression of hesitation.

Lin Ting couldn't stand seeing someone hold back words. "Just say what's on your mind. I won't eat you."

Zhang Ji said diplomatically, "My lord, no matter how much you love your work, you must take care of your health."

Lin Ting thought to himself—what nonsense. He was most careful about his health and disliked work the most.

"Yesterday, you worked until morning without sleeping. Though you're young, your body can't endure such strain."

Lin Ting blinked. "Huh?"

Zhang Ji looked pained. "Ah, the servants mean no disrespect, but everyone says His Majesty holds you in high favor. Yet seeing you so exhausted day after day worries us."

A warmth rose in Lin Ting's chest. He patted Zhang Ji's shoulder reassuringly. "It's fine. His Majesty didn't work me to exhaustion yesterday." The words felt oddly phrased even as he said them.

"I stayed overnight in the palace and didn't sleep well because—" He paused, wondering how to explain Pei Xingjian's strange nocturnal behavior the previous night.

"—I was scared awake by a thief."

Zhang Ji was instantly horrified. "A thief in the palace? That's preposterous!"

Lin Ting nodded firmly. "Yes, a thief. Sneaked into my room and startled me awake."

Though the details were off, the outcome was the same—he hadn't slept well all night.

Zhang Ji walked away in a daze. When he reached the front courtyard, he glanced up at the residence walls and wondered: If thieves these days were bold enough to infiltrate the palace, perhaps he should hire someone to reinforce their own walls?

Having successfully satisfied Zhang Ji with his cover story, Lin Ting sighed in relief and continued strolling around the courtyard to walk off his meal.

When he returned to the main courtyard, Zhang Ji hurried over again to report, "My lord, His Majesty has arrived."

Lin Ting stopped dead in his tracks. Again?

Before he could think further, Pei Xingjian had already entered the residence, wearing a dark blue outer robe with a set of jade ornaments at his waist. Lin Ting noticed they seemed to match the jade pendant he wore.

Their eyes met, and the awkwardness from the previous night flooded back into Lin Ting's mind. He closed his eyes briefly—blast it, that shadowy, monstrous figure was now permanently etched into his memory.

Pei Xingjian, however, remained composed, his expression calm. Only when he saw Lin Ting close his eyes did his brow furrow slightly. He asked dryly, "What? Is my presence so unbearable to look at?"

Lin Ting: *Why state the obvious?*

He took a deep breath. "No, it's just that another image of Your Majesty has become ingrained in my mind."

Pei Xingjian reached out, flicking away a dead leaf from Lin Ting's hair. His expression tightened momentarily. "So, is that the only image of me that remains in Minister Lin's mind?"

Lin Ting was still searching for a response when Pei Xingjian suddenly leaned in, his face a hair's breadth away, as if about to kiss him.

Startled, Lin Ting tried to pull back, but Pei Xingjian held him firmly by the waist, leaving no room to retreat.

"Does this image of me stay in Minister Lin's mind now?"

Lin Ting fell silent for a moment, his brain scrambling for a response before declaring firmly, "Indelibly etched."

Pei Xingjian seemed satisfied and loosened his grip slightly. "Then why do you still want to leave?"

Lin Ting's eyes widened. "H-how did he know I was planning to run?"

"Y-Your Majesty, I never said I wanted to leave!"

Pei Xingjian's lips curled. "Hmph. I suppose Minister Lin spoke the truth while drunk and forgot afterward."

Lin Ting: ???

*Heavens—the last time I drank was back at the capital barracks. I had no memory of that night—no wonder Pei Xingjian had been acting so unlike himself afterward!*

Seeing Lin Ting's expression of realization but no denial, Pei Xingjian's heart sank. *So it's true...*

Well, he was nearly ten years older than Lin Ting. He ought to be more accommodating.

As Lin Ting was lost in thought, a calm voice spoke before him. "Come, accompany me for a walk."

His mind still in chaos, Lin Ting was led out before he could think further.

The streets of the capital were bustling. Even in the chilly winds of the tenth month, the streets teemed with people.

Lin Ting had only taken a few steps when he sneezed. Pei Xingjian halted abruptly beside him.

Confused, Lin Ting looked over.

Pei Xingjian removed his own cloak and draped it over Lin Ting's shoulders, his long fingers tying the strings into a delicate bow. Then he gently freed Lin Ting's hair from the fur collar.

The warmth of Pei Xingjian's hand brushing against his neck made his skin tingle. Lin Ting's throat moved, and his entire body felt warm.

Once he had adjusted the cloak, Pei Xingjian looked down to see Lin Ting's face flushed pink, the distant lantern light casting a soft glow on his features—strikingly beautiful.

For a brief instant, Pei Xingjian's composure wavered, and he nearly gave in to kissing him. But he quickly steadied himself.

*This isn't the place.*

"Alright, let's go."

They continued walking. Lin Ting couldn't help but steal glances at Pei Xingjian. He could tell—Pei Xingjian had wanted to kiss him just now but restrained himself.

It reminded him of what Yang Gongming had once said: *Those storybooks all claim that if you truly love someone, you can't help yourself.*

But Lin Ting had his doubts that Pei Xingjian fit that description.

Pei Xingjian saw him home before returning by carriage.

Lin Ting watched the gradually receding carriage, and it dawned on him: Did Pei Xingjian leave the palace so late just to accompany him for a stroll?

Early the next morning, Lin Ting sat on the edge of his bed, hugging his blanket, his gaze vacant. He... he'd had that dream again...

A servant brought in water and, seeing his master seemingly lost in thought, called softly, "My lord? My lord?"

Lin Ting snapped out of it and waved them off. "I'm fine. Leave me alone. I'll manage on my own."

The servants placed the basin and towel on a nearby shelf and exited.

Lin Ting gripped his waistband and leaned against the bed frame. The emotions inside him were like a maze with no exit, raging uncontrollably, stirring unbearable turmoil in his heart.

He closed his eyes in despair, his mind filled with images of Pei Xingjian. Summoning great resolve, he slowly let his other hand slip under his waistband...

When Lin Ting finally emerged from his room, he wandered absently into the courtyard.

Zhang Ji, who had been waiting nearby, was startled. "My lord, did you not sleep well again last night?"

The word "again" filled Lin Ting with despair. He shook his head. "It's nothing. It's on me." That hand felt tainted now.

Suddenly, he recalled how Pei Xingjian had once held that very hand...

Ugh, stop it! He couldn't dwell on this any longer.

After calming himself for a long while, Lin Ting finally felt like himself again.

He turned and ordered, "Go buy every love story book available in the market." He needed to study how to figure out this thing with Pei Xingjian—and how to make a getaway that would make Pei Xingjian chase after him.

With so few real-life examples, he had no choice but to seek theories from books.

Zhang Ji's hands trembled on the water jug. "E-every single one? B-but, my lord, reading too many of those will harm your health!"

Lin Ting waved dismissively. "I'm buying them for serious research. Don't question it—just go."

Zhang Ji left, half-skeptical.

By the afternoon, Zhang Ji and the servants had brought in a huge pile of love story books into the study.

Lin Ting eagerly flipped through them. Today, he would crack this.

Seeing his master so engrossed that he forgot to eat or rest, Zhang Ji hesitated to speak up and quietly closed the door behind him.

Lin Ting was lost in the books when a servant announced, "The Fourth Prince of Yelang is here to see you."

Without looking up, Lin Ting replied, "What does he want with me? Tell him to get a 'permit' from His Majesty first."

The servant, unfamiliar with the term "permit," relayed the message verbatim.

"A permit?" Ye Shizhuo chuckled. "Your master really said that?"

The servant nodded. "His exact words."

Ye Shizhuo's smile widened. "Understood."

As the gates of the Lin residence closed, one of his guards fumed, "This man is just a mere official of Great Yong, yet he dares to speak so arrogantly, disregarding even the Fourth Prince!"

The Fourth Prince smirked. "This isn't just some official. Have you located Ye Shilang?"

The guard bowed his head. "Ye Shilang was imprisoned in the Dali Temple dungeon for jailbreaking. The area is guarded by three rings of armored guards—our men can't get in."

"Nonsense. If you could, the Emperor of Great Yong wouldn't have leaked the news. Clearly, he intends to use the Second Prince as bargaining chips."

"Then... are we really rescuing the Second Prince?"

Ye Shizhuo's eyes darkened. "The Crown Prince has made it clear—he must return, but not in one piece."

...

Lin Ting stayed holed up in his residence for several days. Ye Shizhuo visited repeatedly but received the same response each time.

Though he couldn't assist the Emperor directly, at least he wouldn't be a burden.

After days of obsessive research, Lin Ting finally figured out a plan from hundreds of convoluted strategies.

The bottom line was: He had to run away just right, out of nowhere, and in a way that left Pei Xingjian chasing after him.

He grabbed paper and pen, scribbling out two full pages of plans in one go. He flicked the pages, deeply amazed by what those old writers knew.

So this was how to do this wordless romance thing.

.

Meanwhile, the court was a mess.

Despite Yelang's defeat two months prior, their envoys acted like they hadn't lost. Instead, they came with ridiculous demands during negotiations, setting the whole court raging.

Great Yong threatened with Ye Shilv, but Yelang refused to acknowledge him as their prince, even saying Great Yong could do whatever with him. The two sides went at it nonstop.

After court, Pei Xingjian headed back to Chonghua Palace, headache pounding.

Zhao Dehai entered with a bowl of hot soup. "Your Majesty, please drink some warm soup to settle your stomach. Don't skip meals."

Pei Xingjian initially refused but, seeing it was pigeon soup, accepted and drank it.

As he handed the bowl back, he asked casually, "What is he doing?"

Zhao Dehai replied, "Lord Lin has been shutting himself in his residence these past few days. Even Ye Shizhuo's repeated visits were ignored—he told him to obtain some 'permit' from you first."

Pei Xingjian tapped the table, his expression grave. "Hmph. Knowing he can't gain anything from me, he's now going after people close to me."

He summoned the Tianxuan Guard. "Dispatch more men around the Lin residence. Have the City Patrol post a squad outside."

The Tianxuan Guard saluted and left.

That night, Lin Ting completed some serious business weighing on his mind and turned in, satisfied.

In the middle of the night, he woke up bleary-eyed, needing to piss. Before he could even sit up, he heard tiles shifting overhead.

He glanced at the ceiling. Was it Zhuo or Qingshan on his roof?

But no Tianxuan Guard would be that clumsy?

He dressed and got up, his eyes darting up again—only to make eye contact with a black-clad figure.

Lin Ting: "..."

"You've gotta be kidding me—again?!"