Chapter 22 Con… Confession?

Chapter 22: A... Confession?

"Ah?"

Jiang Wang stood frozen, his thoughts processing haltingly for a long time before he let out a belated "Ah?"

If his brain had experienced a brief short-circuit in front of Zhong He earlier, then now, in front of Xiao Yan, it was suffering a complete and prolonged shutdown.

*Why was Xiao Yan here?*

The problem was not only that Xiao Yan had come, but he had also heard all those things Jiang Wang said.

Those words were merely a performance for Zhong He's benefit, intended to bluff his way through. He never genuinely meant to praise Xiao Yan.

And now, not only had he been caught red-handed by Xiao Yan, but he was also being asked to repeat those words directly to the person himself.

Help, what an excruciatingly awkward spectacle was this!

If he said it, would Xiao Yan even believe him? Moreover, the upward lilt in Xiao Yan's voice clearly indicated he was here to watch the show.

But if he didn't say it, wouldn't that prove he had just lied?

Not to mention Zhong He would become suspicious; lying to the Emperor was the crime of deceiving the sovereign, punishable by beheading!

Jiang Wang forced out a strained smile, trying to change the subject. "Y-Your Majesty, what brings you here..."

Xiao Yan lifted his chin, emitting a noncommittal "Hmm" through his nose.

Following the gesture, Jiang Wang looked and only then noticed that plates of delicious food had somehow already been laid out on the table, emitting an enticing aroma.

So Xiao Yan really *had* come with food.

He'd come yesterday, and here he was again today.

Jiang Wang averted his gaze and swallowed hard. Not out of craving, but out of worry.

Earlier, he had mistaken the figure outside, thinking Xiao Yan wouldn't come today, which was why he dared to "spout such nonsense" so recklessly.

Who knew he'd walked right into it!

Now, should he say it... or not...

Jiang Wang sneaked a sidelong glance at Xiao Yan, who was propping his head on one hand on the table, watching him with evident amusement, then peeked at Zhong He standing worriedly to the side, and finally made up his mind.

By the looks of it, there was no changing the subject; Xiao Yan was staring right at him.

Say it! It's just flattery! He'd say it!

It wasn't like he hadn't done it before, only today the flattery needed to be laid on thicker!

To avoid giving himself away in front of Zhong He, and for the sake of his own little head, he was going for broke!

In a flash, Jiang Wang raised his head, his eyes filled with determination.

He cleared his throat and finally opened his mouth.

"Your Majesty's grace towards this humble official is as high as the heavens and as deep as the seas. Thanks to Your Majesty's rescue, this official did not become a homeless insect. To receive such profound favor and immense kindness from Your Majesty is a blessing accumulated over several lifetimes! This official can only repay even a ten-thousandth of Your Majesty's grace by dedicating himself entirely and exhausting all efforts to alleviate Your Majesty's burdens!"

Though it was just a few short sentences, Jiang Wang felt as if several years had passed.

His voice remained steady, but the redness spread visibly from his neck all the way to his ears, and even his face felt warm.

His hands, hidden beneath his sleeves, had unknowingly been pinched until marks appeared, and his feet had already dug out a dreamy Barbie castle in embarrassment.

Jiang Wang himself felt it was all too awkward, to the point where he even felt utterly ridiculous.

He could actually say such things...

The full determination from earlier seemed to vanish along with the utterance of these "sincere feelings." Now, with his head lowered, he dared not look at anyone, like an ostrich wanting to bury its head in the sand.

However, in the eyes of outsiders, his lowered head took on another meaning.

Although Cen Maoshi had been standing outside the door, he had been keeping a close watch on everything inside, his eyes constantly darting in.

The sight filled him with joy.

Lord Jiang's apparent display of genuine emotion, his bowed head was clearly a gesture of loyalty to the Emperor! How deeply moving!

Moreover, Lord Jiang was fair-skinned and delicate-featured, and the Emperor had a great appreciation for beauty. Who could resist this? There was bound to be a handsome reward!

Cen Maoshi even lightened his breathing, pricked up his ears, listening intently to the sounds from inside the room.

But no sound came from inside the room; it could even be described as extremely quiet.

Cen Maoshi was puzzled. Based on his understanding of the Emperor, when a palace dancer performed a piece to his liking, he would reward them generously with gold and silver. The Emperor couldn't possibly have no reaction to Lord Jiang.

Unconsciously, he edged closer to the doorway, his neck stretched out a bit more, and even his heartbeat began to quicken slightly.

He was nervous for Jiang Wang.

He had placed all his bets on Jiang Wang; Lord Jiang must not let him down...

After what felt like an eternity, Cen Maoshi's neck was starting to ache. Just as he couldn't resist peeking again, he suddenly heard a light chuckle from inside.

It was Xiao Yan.

"Lord Jiang's confession here has moved me deeply," Xiao Yan chuckled, his tone quite gratified. "Minister Jiang truly lives up to being my most trusted official. A reward of three thousand taels of silver."

"Con... confession?"

Jiang Wang was a bit dazed.

Where did he confess? Did those words just now count as a confession?

Wasn't that just plain flattery...

Could it be that his emotions were so overwhelmingly sincere that Xiao Yan actually believed this spiel?

Or did the word "confession" in this dynasty indeed mean "expressing feelings"? Could it be used even between ordinary friends or between superiors and subordinates?

Jiang Wang was still frowning, pondering what Xiao Yan actually meant, when suddenly someone pinched his chin.

That hand carried a faint scent of ambergris, the fingertips warm and slightly rough.

As his chin was lifted, Jiang Wang felt a flash of anger.

He was thinking, and thinking about matters concerning his life! Who was so annoying as to interrupt him at a time like this!

But when the tip of his nose caught that warm, mellow fragrance, Jiang Wang's mind suddenly came to a halt.

Within the palace, only one person would use such a fragrance.

Xiao Yan.

So now... Xiao Yan was stroking his chin?

After reaching this conclusion, a "boom" exploded in Jiang Wang's mind, leaving a ringing in his ears.

In just this one noon, Jiang Wang's mind had gone blank three times, each instance more intense than the last.

This time, Jiang Wang not only lost control over his thoughts but also over his body.

Xiao Yan barely exerted any force, merely moving his arm slightly toward himself, and Jiang Wang obediently leaned closer—so close that each could see the other's reflection in their eyes.

"What is Minister Jiang thinking about? Why didn't you hear me calling you, hmm?"

The upward lilt in Xiao Yan's voice snapped Jiang Wang's drifting thoughts back.

Calling him?

When had Xiao Yan called him? He really hadn't.

Now that he thought about it, it must have been while he was pondering whether the word "confession" had broader uses and meanings.

Jiang Wang felt a twinge of regret. He shouldn't have overthought it.

He should have just accepted whatever Xiao Yan said. Perhaps "confession" really did have another meaning. If he hadn't been distracted, he wouldn't be in this situation now.

Head to head, face to face, the scent of ambergris made Jiang Wang's face turn even redder.

Perhaps because the distance between them was too close, his heart was beating a little too fast.

Jiang Wang swallowed and tentatively spoke up, "Y-Your Majesty, I... I'm a bit hungry."

In truth, he wasn't hungry at all. He just desperately wanted to escape this predicament of having his chin held. The sight of the table full of dishes out of the corner of his eye was the best excuse his still-sluggish mind could come up with.

"Alright, eat then."

Xiao Yan was also quite agreeable, seemingly unwilling to dwell too much on why Jiang Wang hadn't heard him calling.

He withdrew his hand, giving Jiang Wang a "way out." He feared Jiang Wang's face would continue to redden and perhaps even burn up.

However, beneath his wide sleeves, Xiao Yan subtly rubbed his thumb and index finger together.

The sensation of Jiang Wang's face was unlike anything he had ever touched before.

Smooth as silk, yet far more delicate and soft, almost addictive.

His thumb had even brushed against Jiang Wang's lower lip—pink, moist, and burning like fire against his fingertip, still warm even now.

Xiao Yan cleared his throat, coughed once, and gave him a cue to leave.

"It's already noon. Shouldn't Minister Zhong go for his meal?"

Help, there was actually a third person present besides him and Xiao Yan.

Jiang Wang had completely forgotten about Zhong He's presence and naturally had no idea how to face him in this situation.

Leaving such a strange and awkward impression on their first meeting—would they even be able to be friends in the future?

Jiang Wang didn't look at him, focusing only on piling food into his own bowl, trying to bury his head in the sand and ignore everything that had just happened.

"Yes," Zhong He bowed with clasped hands. "This humble official takes his leave."

However, before leaving, he glanced at Jiang Wang, who was "devouring his meal with single-minded focus," as if he had something to say but held back due to the inappropriate setting.

Everyone present had their own thoughts, but only Cen Maoshi wore an irrepressible smile on his face.

Although he had been standing at the door, he had observed every move of the people inside clearly.

Especially Jiang Wang and Xiao Yan—he had watched them with utmost attention.

The earlier interactions between the two were self-explanatory, but when it came to Xiao Yan pinching Jiang Wang's chin, he nearly cried out in excitement.

Betting on Lord Jiang was the smartest move he had made since the emperor ascended the throne.

Although Xiao Yan enjoyed food, drink, and entertainment, and loved watching beautiful dancers, he was always fickle—sometimes losing interest even before a dance was finished.

Cen Maoshi had a strong desire to curry favor but never found the right opportunity.

Now, it seemed Lord Jiang was the perfect choice.

If he couldn't find a beautiful wife or concubine, the emperor's favorite minister would do just fine.

He had never seen Xiao Yan show such great and lasting interest in anyone before.

If he could keep Jiang Wang happy now, how could future benefits possibly exclude him?

Cen Maoshi beamed as he peered inside, eager to help, and what he saw next was even more astonishing.

The emperor hadn't even picked up his chopsticks yet—how could Lord Jiang start eating first?!

He was about to step forward and advise against it but stopped himself.

If the emperor hadn't said anything, who was he to interfere? If he spoke up, he might ruin the emperor's plans instead.

Cen Maoshi simply tucked his hands into his sleeves and stood steadily outside the door, waiting for the emperor to summon him.

Without being called, he would never easily step through that door.

*

This meal featured dishes that were the same as before, if not better, but Jiang Wang couldn't enjoy it any more than before. It felt like chewing wax, and he didn't even notice when Xiao Yan left.

He reached up and touched his chin, especially the spot that had just been pinched, then abruptly pulled his hand back.

Jiang Wang glanced around guiltily, relieved to see no one had noticed.

He hadn't done anything wrong, yet now he was acting like a thief, sneaking around.

Seriously, what exactly did Xiao Yan mean by all this?

Not only did he send him meals every day, but he also pinched his chin.

In his opinion, his relationship with Xiao Yan wasn't close enough for such gestures.

Ahhhhh, this is so annoying!

In stark contrast to Jiang Wang's gloomy mood, Xiao Yan seemed quite relaxed.

Xiao Yan returned to Cangwu Hall with a bright smile, where he encountered Fang Fengshi, who had been waiting inside for quite some time.

"You're finally back! Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting!" Fang Fengshi whined, looking aggrieved. "We agreed to have lunch together—where did you go!"

But Xiao Yan showed no sign of guilt, merely gesturing to have a new table of food brought over.

Soon, Cen Maoshi led a few young eunuchs to set the delicacies on the table, unable to hide his joy.

He spoke up for Xiao Yan: "Young General Fang, don't be upset. His Majesty naturally had important matters to attend to."

Fang Fengshi scoffed: "During the Yuanzheng holiday, His Majesty still has important matters? I bet he went to meet some beauty in secret."

Though his tone was dismissive, his expression wasn't frivolous. Instead, after his eyes met Xiao Yan's, they held a confident look, like a fisherman who's got a bite.

[Author's aside:]

Jiang Wang: "Accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger"—this saying really holds true (with a serious face. jpg)