Chapter 49: Sovereign and Subject

Chapter 49: Sovereign and Subject, Superior and Inferior

Metropolitan Prefecture

The advisor had come to the backyard for who knows how many times:

"Sir, the eldest son of Duke Meng's household has already come three times. He's now drinking tea in the front courtyard and doesn't seem to have any intention of leaving. Why don't you go see him?"

Wang Duan, ever since witnessing the scene the day before where Marquis of Jingbian received the decree and made as if to slit his throat, had returned home and ordered the physician to prepare medicine to calm his nerves. He drank three bowls in a row. That morning, he even pleaded illness and refused to see anyone. Hearing his advisor's words, he felt like smashing the teacup in his hand against the man's head:

"Have you lost your mind? Duke Meng was humiliated at the hands of Marquis of Jingbian yesterday. What do you think his eldest son is here to see me for today?"

He had heard early on that Duke Meng had joined forces with several court officials to submit memorials to impeach Marquis of Jingbian. The intention of Duke Meng's eldest son was written all over his face. Wang Duan had no desire to get involved in this mess.

The advisor, however, leaned in and whispered:

"Regarding the recent epidemic in the capital, our Metropolitan Prefecture Office has contributed both manpower and resources. Yet, the imperial decree was given to Marquis of Jingbian. In the end, if things go well, we get no credit—all the benefits go to Marquis of Jingbian. If Marquis of Jingbian is punished, wouldn't you also gain some credit in His Majesty's eyes? Moreover, I heard that Marquis of Jingbian was caned in the palace yesterday. Marquis of Jingbian has always been arrogant and domineering in his actions. It seems his behavior yesterday went too far, and His Majesty intended to reprimand him. Why not also submit a memorial, sir? Perhaps it would align with His Majesty's wishes."

Wang Duan put down his teacup and turned around, looking at his advisor as if seeing him as a fool for the first time:

"Short-sighted! Yesterday, he was indeed arrogant, but when it comes to going too far, does punishing a few negligent Centurions outweigh defying an imperial decree? Ling Yehan defied an imperial decree—a crime punishable by beheading—yet His Majesty only confined him for a few days and gave him a light punishment. Not only was his title not revoked, but his official position was restored in less than a month.

And yesterday, when His Majesty ordered him to slit his throat, he promptly obeyed, but Commander-in-Chief Xing stopped him. What does that mean? It means His Majesty was just furious, and the decree was merely to make Marquis of Jingbian submit. Today, even if no one saw Marquis of Jingbian being caned yesterday, even if His Majesty did indeed punish him, have you ever seen anyone who was beaten one day and able to work like nothing happened the next? A mere caning has made those outside think Marquis of Jingbian has fallen out of favor? How absurd."

The advisor’s face tightened, filled with trepidation. Wang Duan looked at him and said:

"Let me tell you, the matters between His Majesty and Marquis of Jingbian are like immortals fighting in the heavens. It’s best for us minor officials to stay far away. Tell everyone under us: as long as Marquis of Jingbian is handling affairs at the Metropolitan Prefecture Office for even a day, they must be fully attentive and serve him well. In short, whatever the Marquis wants, we provide. Send this Buddha away properly, and we won’t suffer any losses."

But before these words could be relayed, a servant rushed in from outside, looking flustered:

"Sir, the Marquis has arrived. He ran into the eldest son of Duke Meng’s household in the main hall."

Wang Duan sprang to his feet.

Ling Yehan had made his rounds in the morning, thinking he would hurry to the Metropolitan Prefecture Office in the afternoon to handle necessary matters before returning to accompany Xiao Chen. But as soon as he entered, he ran into Meng Chao, the eldest son of Duke Meng’s household, with whom he had a confrontation just the day before. He snorted coldly. He could guess with his eyes closed why Meng Chao was here.

"Eldest Young Master Meng, what a coincidence. What brings you here?"

"Marquis, aren’t you overstepping? Where I go is none of your concern."

"I recall issuing an order: during this epidemic, unless necessary, no one is to leave their residences. What urgent matter brings you, Eldest Young Master Meng—a titular official with no real duties—to see Sir Wang Duan?"

Wang Duan emerged just in time to see the two men in a tense standoff. He quickly stepped in to mediate, fearing that this noble lord might once again cause a scene on the premises of the Metropolitan Prefecture Office, perhaps even striking the eldest son of the Marquis’s household. To his surprise, today’s Ling Yehan was a far cry from the mad Marquis of Jingbian of the previous day. After just a few words of persuasion, Ling Yehan actually yielded gracefully, waving his hand lightly:

"Fine, discuss your matters. I won’t keep you. Once you’re done, return to your residence promptly."

With that, he chuckled and entered the duty room nearby. Just before stepping inside, he turned back and added:

"Oh, and when you return, tell your father that if he wants to impeach me, he’d better gather more people. It’d be less boring that way."

Meng Chao’s face instantly turned pale.

Shortly after Ling Yehan entered, Cheng Baobao rushed in, looking frantic. As soon as he stepped inside, he said:

"I have something to discuss with the Marquis. Everyone else, leave."

Once the attendants had exited, Cheng Baobao darted around to the back of the desk and reached to lift the hem of Ling Yehan’s robe. Ling Yehan quickly pressed it down:

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?"

In the commotion, Cheng Baobao caught a whiff of medicinal ointment. His heart sank:

"You really were caned yesterday, weren’t you?"

Ling Yehan saw no reason to hide it:

"Yeah, just ten strokes. It was nothing, hardly painful. I’m fine now."

Cheng Baobao’s expression grew even darker:

"Do you know what people are saying outside?"

"What are they saying?"

Cheng Baobao was so anxious he felt like turning a somersault on the spot, though he didn’t know how:

"They’re saying you’re arrogant because of His Majesty’s favor, that your actions are too domineering and reckless, and that you’ve displeased the Emperor. Hanhan, you can’t go on like this. You may call His Majesty ‘brother,’ and your relationship is special, but there’s a distinction between sovereign and subject, superior and inferior. Why can’t you understand that?"

Ever since Ling Yehan had defied the imperial decree, Cheng Baobao had been on edge, fearing every day that Ling Yehan would cause another incident and end up executed by the Emperor.

Cheng Baobao poured out a torrent of words, but the only phrase that stuck with Ling Yehan was "sovereign and subject, superior and inferior." After hearing that, his mind drifted away, until Cheng Baobao nudged him:

"Are you even listening to me?"

Ling Yehan snapped back to attention:

"I heard you. Sovereign and subject, superior and inferior. I understand."

Just as Ling Yehan was growing weary of the lecture, a guardsman in uniform entered:

"Marquis, Chief Zhang instructed me to deliver this to you."

He handed over a small note. Ling Yehan unfolded it, read it, and immediately stood up to purchase the items mentioned in the note. Cheng Baobao followed him out in a rush, grabbing his arm, his face even more alarmed:

"Hanhan, the Chief Zhang he mentioned just now—was that Zhang Fu?"

Ling Yehan nodded as he walked. Seeing the nod, Cheng Baobao felt half his heart turn cold:

"You’re out of your mind! Who is Zhang Fu? He’s the Emperor’s personal attendant. How can you be so close to him? And using the imperial guards to deliver notes? If this reaches the Emperor’s ears..."

Cheng Baobao shuddered violently. He felt it wouldn’t be long before Ling Yehan brought about his own downfall.

Ling Yehan thought to himself that the note had been sent by the Emperor through Chief Zhang. He threw an arm around the poor guy’s shoulders and patted him:

"Don’t worry. I’m going to the palace now to apologize to His Majesty."

Ling Yehan no longer cared whether his backside hurt or not. He mounted his horse and rode straight to the cabbage noodle shop in the alley. The small shop was not too crowded in the evening. The noodles were delicious largely because of the rich, savory broth simmering in a large pot. At that moment, the broth was thick, milky-white, and boiling vigorously. Fresh cabbage added to it made it even crisper and more tender. Next to the broth was pear soup, simmering over a low heat, its unique fragrance filling the alley as soon as one entered.

Ling Yehan watched as the vendor prepared two large portions, packed them into earthenware pots, and paid double the usual tip.

He then hurried to the neighboring fruit shop and bought several types of fruits and pastries that Xiao Chen had liked in the past. Before leaving, he also grabbed two sticks of candied hawthorn before mounting his horse and returning to the palace.

Hurried footsteps echoed through the Zichen Hall. Ling Yehan spotted Chief Zhang waiting outside the door at a glance:

"How is His Majesty? Was he unwell today?"

"His Majesty had some abdominal pain this afternoon and summoned the imperial physician. Fortunately, there was no bleeding. He remained in bed all afternoon and didn’t eat much for lunch. Please be careful when attending to him, Marquis."

Ling Yehan looked worried. He nodded and entered the bedchamber quietly.

The scent of medicine mixed with the heavy aroma of mugwort lingered persistently in the imperial bedchamber. Ling Yehan, carrying the items, tiptoed softly into the inner chamber. Through the sheer gauze curtains, Xiao Chen glanced up and noticed the figure moving cautiously outside, catching the familiar smell of the cabbage vermicelli he had been craving all afternoon.

"Like a cat, come here."

Only then did Ling Yehan realize he was awake. Setting down the things in his hands, he lifted the curtain and stepped inside. The person behind the curtain lay on his side on the couch. Over the past two months, Xiao Chen had been prone to sweating and detested the sticky feeling on his skin. He had changed into a light tea-colored, sheer silk sleepwear. For better ventilation, the sleeves were slightly wider than before. With one hand resting protectively over his abdomen, the loose sleeves subtly outlined the rounded outline of his belly. A closer look revealed a drowsy, languid expression in his eyes, as if he had just woken up. The sight alone was enough to make Ling Yehan unable to look away.

He squatted by the couch like a devoted dog, Ling Yehan gently placed his hand on the other's stomach.

"Zhang Fu said you had abdominal pain this afternoon. Are you feeling better now? What did the imperial physician say?"

Although Xiao Chen had slept through the afternoon, he still felt weak upon waking. The usual sharpness in his imperial gaze was softened, replaced by a rare gentleness.

"The child is growing, so some pain is normal. As long as there's no bleeding, it's fine."

Ling Yehan looked up abruptly.

"Was it like this before too?"

Xiao Chen knew what he meant by "before."

"Mmm, it was alright. Did you bring the food?"

Seeing his lack of energy, Ling Yehan said,

"Don't rise. Would it be alright to eat on the couch?"

Xiao Chen had never been fond of eating on the couch. Instead of answering, he tried to push himself up from the bed. Knowing it was futile to persuade him, Ling Yehan couldn't bear to see him exert any effort. He half-held him in his arms, supporting him as he rose. The collar of the sheer silk sleepwear loosened slightly, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone. His dark hair cascaded over his chest. Naturally, Ling Yehan knelt to help him into his shoes before wrapping an arm around his waist to steady him.

Once seated, Xiao Chen finally noticed the spread of food on the table.

"You bought quite a lot."

Ling Yehan smiled and sat beside him. The palace attendants, following protocol, inspected the food. Only then did Ling Yehan lift the lid of the clay pot. The rich aroma of the vermicelli cut through the medicinal smell in the room. Xiao Chen's attention was completely captured by the vermicelli, and for once, he felt a genuine appetite.

"The fruits and candied haws are for later if you get hungry. Try the vermicelli first."

In a white porcelain spoon, light green cabbage and translucent vermicelli coated in rich broth slid smoothly into his stomach, momentarily soothing the bloated, acidic discomfort in his abdomen.

The only drawback was that it had taken some time to bring the food into the palace, so the vermicelli had become overly soft. Ling Yehan noticed it too.

"The vermicelli is a bit too soft. Tomorrow, if you still want to eat it, I’ll make sure you have fresh vermicelli soup."

Xiao Chen had surprisingly eaten more than usual—not only finishing a bowl and a half of vermicelli but also trying two pieces of fruit and two candied haws. The feeling of fullness made it impossible for him to sit or lie down comfortably. It was rare for him to feel so restless from overeating.

Ling Yehan supported him as they slowly walked two circles around the bedchamber. When they reached the outer chamber, Xiao Chen pointed to a stack of memorials on the imperial desk.

"Those are all impeachment memorials against you. Go read them yourself. I can’t be bothered."

Ling Yehan recalled his encounter with Duke Meng at the Capital Magistrate's office and Cheng Baobao’s fear that he would be beheaded by Xiao Chen over the impeachments. He couldn’t help but laugh. Wrapping his arm around the other’s waist, he leaned close to Xiao Chen’s ear and whispered,

"Just before I entered the palace, Baobao came to see me. He specifically told me that Duke Meng has gathered many people to impeach me. He was afraid you’d read those memorials, think I don’t understand my place or that I’m too insolent, and have me beheaded—to make me know the hierarchy between ruler and subject."

He leaned in closer, almost deliberately, his breath brushing against Xiao Chen’s sensitive ear. Xiao Chen’s body stiffened slightly as a familiar surge of desire began to flow through his limbs like a stream. Just as he was about to raise his hand to push this dog away, his earlobe was captured in the other’s mouth.