Chapter 67 Cousin… Wept

Chapter 67 My Cousin...Cried

"Did you all see it yesterday?"

"See what? Yesterday, a human head rolled right in front of me, eyes wide open in death, covered in blood and glaring at me. I had nightmares all night; it really did a number on me..."

"Who's talking about that? I meant His Majesty and that Marquis of Dingbei!"

They exchanged glances, their voices dropping even lower.

"I saw it."

"I saw it too."

"His Majesty used his own sleeve to wipe the blood off the Marquis of Dingbei’s face, right in public without any hesitation, and it was the Dragon Robe! Truly—"

"Scandalous!"

Someone spat out scornfully, and the others quickly voiced their agreement.

"Completely shameless and improper. His Majesty’s actions show no regard for his own dignity or that of the court."

"Exactly. His Majesty’s eyes were practically glued to the Marquis of Dingbei, without a trace of imperial bearing left. I’ve long thought there was something off about them. Last time at Pingchuan Valley, I saw with my own eyes how the Marquis of Dingbei rushed straight to the imperial presence and embraced His Majesty, also in broad daylight!"

"Is the Marquis of Dingbei aiming to become an imperial favorite? How dare he act like this! His Majesty’s repeated defiance of our admonitions must be because he’s been led astray by him!"

"These military types are so crude! Haven’t you seen him draw his sword repeatedly in front of His Majesty? He’s truly arrogant and reckless! If this continues, His Majesty, deceived by his flattery and seduction, will grow more deluded and become his puppet. Soon there’ll be no place for us to speak in the court, and this empire will eventually answer to the Xies!"

"This is absolutely unacceptable!"

"Didn’t the Marquis of Dingbei marry a male husband? His Majesty personally gifted him the Count of Anding’s heir. What does their current behavior mean then?"

"Perhaps the Count of Anding’s heir is just a front to cover up His Majesty’s shady dealings and hidden romance with the Marquis of Dingbei."

"His Majesty is becoming more and more unreasonable..."

After a round of lamentations, someone spoke up mysteriously, "Actually, that’s not the case."

"After all this time, has any of you actually seen the true face of the Count of Anding’s heir? Haven’t you ever doubted whether such a person really exists?"

This bombshell remark left everyone dumbstruck.

"How could he not exist? We all attended the wedding at the Marquis’ residence that day..."

"But no one saw the face of the Marquis’ wife. Didn’t he always wear a phoenix veil?"

"Speaking of which, ever since the Count of Anding gained this son, he’s been greatly favored by His Majesty. His wife, who came out of nowhere, is the Prince of Weinan. After that, he joined the cabinet and became a provincial governor. His Majesty values him greatly. There’s something strange about this whole family’s identities!"

"I'll give it to you straight," said the one who spoke earlier, stroking his long beard. "There never was such a person as the Count of Anding’s heir. I’ve heard reliable news—it was His Majesty himself!"

Whoa!

This was even more explosive news than the rumor of His Majesty stealing another’s husband for a secret affair.

"Is this true?!"

"It fits. At the wedding banquet at the Marquis’ residence, I saw from a distance that the figure of the Count of Anding’s heir looked quite familiar. I never imagined it was His Majesty himself."

"This... this is truly too shocking. How could His Majesty dare to do such a thing?"

"Is there anything our Emperor wouldn’t dare to do? His Majesty’s actions have disgraced the imperial dignity, and we are also shamed by association. It’s just a matter of whether any of us has the courage to confront His Majesty face-to-face."

Similar gossip was taking place in every corner of Qingjiang Prefecture, and the rumors spread rapidly.

Xie Xiao had been tasked by imperial decree to overhaul the local guards during this period. He led troops to the surrounding areas and paid no attention to these rumors. It wasn’t until the day before Yan Weichu’s birthday that he returned to Qingjiang Prefecture.

Coincidentally, his former subordinate Cao Rong was still there and came out of the city to greet him. Xie Xiao had been busy ever since arriving, and Cao Rong had few opportunities to invite him for a drink.

Xie Xiao still had no time, saying he needed to rush to the imperial lodge to report to His Majesty.

Cao Rong looked at him strangely. "It’s already evening, Marquis. Shouldn’t you wait until tomorrow to report? How can you disturb His Majesty so late at night? I’ve already prepared a banquet..."

Xie Xiao still refused. "Really, I can’t."

He had promised to visit his little husband every day, but official duties kept him busy. He had been stationed in surrounding prefectures and counties for half a month. Now that he had finally returned, if he didn’t go to see His Majesty first but instead went drinking with others, his little husband would throw a fit.

Cao Rong was a blunt man, accustomed to speaking his mind. He had heard many rumors during this time and was bursting with questions, so he asked directly, "Marquis, you and His Majesty—could it be true, as the rumors say, that His Majesty is the Count of Anding’s heir you married?"

Xie Xiao was taken aback, his voice deepening. "Who told you that?"

"Who else would?" Cao Rong said bluntly. "It’s spread so widely that even three-year-olds know about it. There’s even a children's rhyme: ‘The dragon retreats, the phoenix rises; the Son of Heaven marries down.’ It’s all very detailed."

He went on and on about the various rumors outside. Xie Xiao listened silently, his expression stern, neither admitting nor denying anything.

Finally, Cao Rong slapped his knee and laughed. "Back in the capital, I said you might as well marry in place of the young lady. It turns out I was right! You actually married His Majesty. This has really been an eye-opener."

Xie Xiao ignored him, saying only, "Don’t go spreading nonsense outside," before spurring his horse and riding off alone toward the imperial lodge.

Yan Weichu was also asking about the matter. Those summoned before him were all trusted aides in the entourage who knew his identity.

"Who was it that let the secret out that I am the Count of Anding’s heir? Don’t you all owe me an explanation?"

The first to step forward and accept blame was Cui Shao. Many in the Imperial Guards knew about this, and he didn’t think any of his subordinates were traitors who would betray them. However, during this period, they had been busy both protecting His Majesty and investigating and interrogating officials and gentry colluding with the pirates. They had indeed neglected this matter, allowing it to spread until it became common knowledge. It was their dereliction of duty.

The Qilin Guard was largely in the same situation. Zheng Shize and Yan Biao both strenuously denied it was them. They had heard these rumors from others long ago but assumed Yan Weichu had intentionally spread the news to prepare for establishing an empress. They had simply treated it as entertainment.

They didn’t dare say this in front of His Majesty now.

They were tight-lipped and certainly wouldn’t go around spreading rumors outside.

The only one left present was Wan Xuanju. Although Yan Weichu had never explicitly revealed his identity to him before, he knew Wan Xuanju was fully aware of it.

However, the Eastern Depot had been investigating matters in the north until recently, and Wan Xuanju had only arrived in Qingjiang Prefecture a couple of days ago upon imperial summons. This matter had nothing to do with him.

Wan Xuanju did know something and reported to Yan Weichu, "On my way here, as early as half a month ago in the north, I heard people privately discussing this. The news likely didn’t spread from Jiangnan; it seems more like it came from the capital."

"From the capital?"

Yan Weichu frowned deeply, his expression darkening.

The only one in the capital who knew his identity was the Dowager Duchess of Zhenguo, but it couldn’t be her. The old lady was hanging on by a thread, and the Duke of Zhenguo’s residence was under strict surveillance by his people. There was no way such news could have been leaked from there.

He wasn’t overly bothered by people knowing he was the Count of Anding’s heir, but he detested those who would exploit his relationship with his cousin to make a big issue out of it and stir up trouble.

The blood on the execution grounds outside hadn’t even dried yet, and some people were already itching for trouble.

"Your Majesty," Liu Zhu advised him, "no matter who spread this, it’s already out there. It wouldn’t be wise for you to take harsh measures over it now. It’s hard to stem the tide of gossip, especially since those outside are only gossiping. Perhaps it’s better to wait and see what they plan to do next."

Yan Weichu let out an impatient "Mm," holding back his frustration.

Someone entered to report that the Marquis of Dingbei had returned and was requesting an audience outside.

A flicker of delight instantly cut through Yan Weichu's tense expression. "Admit him!"

He waved for everyone to withdraw. Before Xie Xiao could even enter, Yan Weichu eagerly hurried out the door to greet him personally.

Xie Xiao walked forward and saw his little husband waiting for him by the palace door. He strode over and scooped Yan Weichu up into his arms.

Yan Weichu dutifully wrapped his arms around Xie Xiao's neck, studying his face intently. After another half-month apart, his cousin seemed a bit tanned, with a hint of stubble around his mouth.

He leaned in and kissed the rough stubble gently.

Xie Xiao carried him into the hall and laid him on the daybed.

Yan Weichu grasped his hand. "I don't care what other duties you have. You must stay here with me tonight."

Xie Xiao looked at him, his gaze intense and serious, and nodded. "Alright."

After being in the south for so long, this was the first night they truly made love.

In the bathing pool, held by Xie Xiao, Yan Weichu cupped his face in his hands and asked curiously, "Cousin, how can you be so patient?"

It was the same before—he could resist kissing him for so long. And now, again, holding back until today when Yan Weichu had to take the initiative to undress himself and insist he stay.

Xie Xiao kissed his neck and murmured softly, "I didn’t want to dishonor Your Majesty."

Yan Weichu found this statement very strange. "There’s no such thing."

Xie Xiao chuckled at him. "Who was it that said me touching you was defiling the emperor?"

Back then, he thought it was just the little rascal spouting nonsense, but actually, he had almost spilled the secret.

Yan Weichu played dumb. "Then I’ll let you defile me now."

Xie Xiao hooked one of Yan Weichu's legs to wrap around his waist, his touch always gentle. His desire not to defile was genuine.

The more he felt for Yan Weichu’s hardships as emperor, the more he wanted to be better to him. Even in moments like this, he couldn’t bring himself to "bully" him.

But Yan Weichu was dissatisfied. This was too agonizing; he was left wanting more...

"Cousin—"

"Mm?" Xie Xiao paused, nibbling on his lip. "Are you uncomfortable somewhere?"

Like this, Yan Weichu couldn’t utter his complaints. "I want you."

Xie Xiao brushed his wet hair behind his ear, his movements growing even softer, but Yan Weichu only felt more teased and unsatisfied.

...Is Cousin unable to perform anymore?

He didn’t have the heart to ask; it would be too hurtful to his pride.

But Xie Xiao also lasted exceptionally long with him today, from the pool to the bed, without stopping.

Later, Yan Weichu could no longer tell whether his cousin was capable or not—he himself was the one who was overwhelmed, exhausted to the point of falling asleep in Xie Xiao’s arms.

Xie Xiao stopped moving, lowered his head quietly for a moment, let out a heavy breath, and withdrew from Yan Weichu’s body.

His desire still unfulfilled, he was accustomed to restraint and endurance.

In the middle of the night, Yan Weichu turned over and, in his drowsiness, couldn’t find the familiar warmth beside him. Frowning, he peeked open his eyes and glimpsed Xie Xiao’s still figure sitting on the edge of the bed in the darkness.

In a drowsy state, Yan Weichu moved closer, pressing against Xie Xiao’s back and wrapping his arms around him.

Xie Xiao hadn’t slept at all, deep in thought when the warm, soft embrace came from behind. Turning, he saw Yan Weichu half-awake and gently stroked his face. "A Li..."

Yan Weichu responded in his sleep. "Mm."

"Will I end up harming you?"

Xie Xiao’s question was more like he muttered to himself.

Yan Weichu had fallen deeply asleep again. Xie Xiao sighed softly, lay down, and drew him into his arms.

*

The next day was the emperor’s birthday, observed right there in the temporary palace.

Officials paid their respects, followed by a grand birthday banquet.

Besides local officials, prominent local gentry who had survived the purge were also invited to the palace. As long as they were obedient and knew their place, Yan Weichu hadn’t intended to wipe them all out.

After the officials offered toasts, there were various entertainment programs. The relationship between the monarch and his subjects, which had been shrouded in gloom for many days, finally eased somewhat.

Yan Weichu didn’t drink today; Xie Xiao had arranged for the wine to be replaced with fruit nectar beforehand. He noticed with the first sip and glared sideways at Xie Xiao, who was seated just below him to the left.

Xie Xiao acted oblivious, remaining motionless and steady.

The local gentry had also arranged a dance performance, specially for the emperor’s birthday.

Those flower-bud-like beauties of Jiangnan danced gracefully in the hall. The officials who had accompanied Yan Weichu on his southern tour watched, utterly enchanted.

Yan Weichu himself had no interest at all. His gaze fixed on Xie Xiao—his cousin was also watching the beauties dance, and with exceptional seriousness.

...What nonsense. These girls might be pretty, but were they more beautiful than him?

Yan Weichu grew angry, flicked his sleeve, stood up, and returned to the back hall to change clothes.

Zhao Anfu came over and reported quietly, "Your Majesty, the officials below say that if any of those beauties catch your eye, they are willing to offer them to you."

"Tell them to get lost," Yan Weichu said irritably. "Get as far away as possible. Once those girls finish dancing, have them taken away immediately. They are not to appear before my cousin again."

Zhao Anfu: "..." They clearly meant to offer the beauties to Your Majesty.

He didn’t dare say that out loud.

Yan Weichu knew perfectly well. If he showed even the slightest interest, the person would be left in his temporary palace tonight.

His own birth mother, Consort Zheng, had ended up in his father’s bed exactly like that.

These beasts! Seeing him disobedient, they couldn’t wait for him to sow his seed. With an heir, they could replace him sooner. What a pipe dream!

In the front hall, Xie Xiao was thinking about the same thing.

Watching those beauties, each with her own charm, he thought about how more such beauties might continuously be sent before the emperor in the future. He couldn’t even muster anger.

Many people below had been observing him. Seizing the opportunity while the emperor was absent, they exchanged glances. Someone spoke up and asked, "What does the Marquis of Dingbei think of these girls’ dancing? How would it be if these beauties were offered to His Majesty?"

Xie Xiao glanced at the person and said coldly, "Not impressive."

The man chuckled and said, "I find these beauties quite pleasing, but I wonder if His Majesty would take a liking to them. Marquis of Dingbei, you are close to His Majesty—what do you think?"

Xie Xiao set down his wine cup, his tone growing even colder. "His Majesty's affairs should be directed to His Majesty himself. Why ask me?"

More eyes turned toward him, and another person feigned curiosity to ask, "Speaking of which, we see the deputy commanders of the Qilin Guard every day, but where is your wife, Marquis of Dingbei? Why has he never made an appearance?"

Before Xie Xiao could respond, Yan Biao, seated nearby, couldn't hold back and snapped at the gossipy old man, "What business is it of yours? You talk too much. Why should our Commander have to show himself to you?"

The other man’s face flushed red with anger at the insult, but he dared not retort—after all, this was Prince Shun. Still, he inwardly sneered, thinking that military men were nothing but crude, ill-mannered brutes, even when ennobled.

"What? Do you disagree with what this prince says?" Yan Biao’s fiery temper easily picked up on the man’s shifty, judgmental look. He despised these so-called refined scholars who put on airs of righteousness but were full of scheming and nasty ideas.

"Not at all," the other replied stiffly. "Your Highness must be joking."

Someone else tried to smooth things over: "Minister Zhong was merely curious. We all attended the wedding banquet at the Marquis’s residence but never actually met him. That’s why he asked."

Another chimed in: "Indeed. Since he has earned His Majesty’s trust and been appointed Commander of the Qilin Guard—with even Prince Shun under his command—we are naturally curious about what exceptional talents he possesses."

Yan Biao was about to curse again, but Xie Xiao spoke first, his voice calm and detached: "My wife fell ill. Not long after leaving the capital, she caught a chill and returned alone to recuperate at the Marquis’s residence in the capital. She is not here."

"What a pity," said one of them, clearly unconvinced. The same man who had first provoked Xie Xiao added, "I’ve heard my wife is from Yunling. Yunling isn’t far from Qingjiang Prefecture. Strange—I was chatting with officials from Yunling earlier, and none mentioned any branch of the Count of Anding’s house residing there."

The local officials from Yunling, who were present, forced smiles and said, "Perhaps we are poorly informed. We truly haven’t encountered any clansmen of the Count of Anding in this region."

Someone laughed: "Then where did the Count of Anding find this distant relative to adopt? Marquis of Dingbei, you haven’t been deceived, have you? Moreover, your wife is the heir to an earldom. If his origins are unclear and he obtained the title fraudulently, that could be accused of deceiving the Emperor!"

"Enough," Yan Biao slammed his hand on the table impatiently. "Stop beating around the bush. If you have something to say, spit it out! What exactly are you trying to imply?"

"Your Highness' language is rather crude," retorted the man who had been insulted earlier, unable to resist provoking him. "It’s just that there have been so many rumors lately about the Marquis of Dingbei’s wife. We merely wished to confirm the truth with the Marquis."

Yan Biao snapped, "That’s the Marquis of Dingbei’s family affairs! What does it have to do with any of you?!"

A censor spoke up: "If the rumors are true, and the Count of Anding’s heir is actually His Majesty, then it naturally concerns all of us. Advising His Majesty to turn back from error is our duty as subjects."

Censors—they were always involved in stirring up trouble. Most of them were former Six Divisions officials. Since the emperor merged the Six Divisions into the Censorate and stripped them of their power to reject imperial edits, these men had taken to nitpicking and provoking the emperor at every turn.

They feared nothing, not even death—after all, dying for a cause could secure their names in history. As censors, they considered it their purpose!

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. Countless eyes fixed on Xie Xiao, waiting for his response.

Yan Weichu had just reached the entrance of the hall and paused in his steps.

Then they heard Xie Xiao’s calm, unruffled voice: "No. My wife is my wife. Claiming he is His Majesty—don’t you find that absurd?"

"If that’s the case, then what is the meaning of those ambiguous interactions between you and His Majesty?" the censor pressed bluntly. "Marquis of Dingbei, do you intend to become an imperial favorite?"

"Enough!" Yan Weichu strode into the hall. "Who gave you permission to press him like this? If you have questions, ask me! I'll tell you myself: Bian Chun, heir of the Count of Anding, is me. I was the one who married the Marquis of Dingbei that day. Are you satisfied now?"

The emperor’s words fell like water into a boiling oil pot, setting off an uproar.

The censor exclaimed in outrage, "Your Majesty! You have read the books of sages and practice the way of emperors. As the exalted Son of Heaven, how could you overturn the natural order and debase yourself by marrying down? Such a perversion of human relations—what regard do you have for ancestral laws and Confucian teachings?! Where does this leave the dignity of our great Dajing’s past emperors and ancestors?!"

Yan Weichu’s face turned ashen. Xie Xiao stepped forward, positioning himself before him, and spoke solemnly to the crowd, "This has nothing to do with His Majesty. It was I who used military power to force him into this disgraceful act. There is no need to question His Majesty."

Whether this was true or false didn’t matter. But since Xie Xiao had said it, he had given others a pretext to criticize him.

The censor jumped and shouted curses, desecrating imperial authority, sullying the sacred person of the emperor, usurping power, disrupting the court, leading the ruler astray, being a scourge upon the state—each accusation worse than the last.

Xie Xiao let him rant, offering no defense for himself.

Yan Weichu swept a cold gaze over the varied expressions in the hall, his eyes finally settling on Xie Xiao’s profile, calm and profound like an abyss. There was no anger or grievance on Xie Xiao’s face, only an all-or-nothing determination to shield him from everything.

His cousin had clearly contributed greatly to the state, having given his blood and tears for Dajing’s realm. He had never wronged anyone. Never.

Just because of their relationship, his cousin had to stand here and endure these unfounded accusations and humiliations. Why?

He was the emperor, yet even protecting the person he loved was this difficult.

Yan Weichu’s hand, clenched behind his back, twitched as he struggled to suppress the raging fury in his heart.

He could not kill anyone. If he harmed anyone here today, all the blame and condemnation would afterward fall on his cousin. He could not allow that.

"Enough."

The censor was still cursing when Yan Weichu raised his voice: "I said enough!"

He closed his eyes and opened them again, stepping out from behind Xie Xiao. Facing the officials, he forced himself to speak calmly, "Today is my birthday banquet. Must you choose such an occasion to ruin my celebration? Leave. All of you, leave."

The crowd below looked at one another. Someone stepped forward and pulled back the censor, who was still eager to berate the emperor.

After so long, they had finally gained advantage against the emperor. His Majesty was clearly showing weakness and retreating—why not know when to stop? In any case, this matter was far from over. They had plenty of opportunities to continue their struggle with the emperor.

So, with one leading the way, soon everyone bowed and withdrew. The once noisy hall fell completely silent.

Xie Xiao followed Yan Weichu back to the bedchamber.

Yan Weichu walked ahead in silence, Xie Xiao following quietly behind him. Once inside, all the servants discreetly withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the chamber.

Yan Weichu turned to look at Xie Xiao, his voice filled with heartache and anger, "Why did you say those things in public? Do I need you to shoulder all the responsibility? I was the one who deceived you. I lied to you, saying I was the heir of the Count of Anding. I said I would help you solve your troubles, and that’s why you agreed to marry me. Instead, I brought you this colossal trouble. Why did you still shoulder all the blame?"

Xie Xiao lowered his eyes and remained silent for a long time. When he finally looked up, his voice was hoarse as he asked, "Then what about you? Why did you openly admit you were the heir? According to what you said, having the heir meet an early death would have saved more trouble, wouldn’t it?"

Yan Weichu was stunned. In the flickering light of the palace lanterns, he saw Xie Xiao’s eyes redden, a film of tears glazing them.

His cousin… was crying.

Author's Note:

Young Emperor: So he really is a crybaby (.