Chapter 57

Chapter 57

The Young Marquis’s brows furrowed slightly. “You again?”

Last time it was his birthday, this time it was the Fan Tower on Qixi Festival—talk about bad luck.

The worst part was, he had just fallen into the arms of his sworn enemy, and in his panic, he had even clung tightly to the other… Thinking of it now, he might as well have just hit the ground. As for these clothes, he absolutely could not keep them after tonight.

He hadn’t intended to insult someone to their face, but in the end, he couldn’t hold back, muttering softly, “The Prime Minister truly is a persistent ghost.”

The moment he recognized the other, Luo Qianyu instantly let go, but the man did not. So the youth was still being held, nearly embraced in his arms. The Young Marquis instinctively glanced elsewhere and, seeing people looking their way, froze, his expression hardening as he gritted his teeth and said, “…Let go.”

Lin Jingyan’s expression wasn’t his usual self, his gaze fixed on him. “Qianqian… how did you get yourself into such a state?”

The man’s gaze looked past the youth, directly toward the door at the top of the stairs behind the Young Marquis, his voice deep as he asked, “Who is in that room?”

Luo Qianyu’s heart jolted, his body suddenly tensing.

As expected of the main villain—without asking a single question or revealing anything himself, he could see through everything that had happened at a glance. It was truly terrifying upon closer thought.

Only, Lin Jingyan must have also misunderstood, thinking that he had been the one to make advances on the person in the private room.

But that didn’t stop the Young Marquis from growing tense, putting him on high alert, a sense of danger flooding him.

What kind of person was Lin Jingyan? The original work had already portrayed him vividly enough—not only was he deep and scheming, but he also held great power. By the later stages of the book, he even rivaled the emperor, contending for power and vying for the throne, battling for the world.

As the saying went—

“Whatever the heart desires, he will scheme a hundred ways to obtain it.”

Anyone Lin Jingyan wanted, whether through gentle pursuit or force, would inevitably end up in his arms.

This was also why the main villain’s “stock” remained unshaken until the end. Aside from his eventual disability, Lin Jingyan’s character was simply too powerful, with hardly any rivals to be found. It was hard to imagine him losing to anyone else.

Letting Lin Jingyan go in now would be no different from inviting a wolf into the house!

The reason Wen Yu had come to the Fan Tower, even getting drunk, was because he had arranged the meeting on his own initiative. If he couldn’t bluff his way through this and allowed this top-tier villain from the book to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state, he would truly become a sinner for the ages!

“No one, where does Your Excellency get such an idea?” The Young Marquis’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he suppressed his racing heart, speaking calmly, “Tonight, this Young Master was in the mood to climb the Fan Tower alone and enjoy the fireworks. I came alone and already find it too bustling and bothersome. Who does Your Excellency think should be here?”

But Lin Jingyan asked, “Where is your Personal Guard?”

Luo Qianyu replied without blushing or his heart racing, “I gave him the day off to return home and visit his mother.”

Lin Jingyan’s expression remained unchanged as his thumb brushed over Luo Qianyu’s temple. “If you came alone, why is Qianqian so nervous?”

The Young Marquis jumped, avoiding his hand, and stubbornly said, “I’m not nervous.”

Seeing the man’s expression grow colder as he took a step toward the stairs, Luo Qianyu quickly blocked his path. His heart pounded like a drum in his chest, but his face remained haughty as frost. “Your Excellency seems very curious about what I’ve hidden in my private room?”

“If you truly have doubts, Your Excellency may investigate for yourself. I won’t stop you.” Luo Qianyu looked up at him, his tone resolute, and blurted out: “Only, Your Excellency has repeatedly disregarded propriety and overstepped your bounds. After seeing this, I hope Your Excellency will draw a clear line between yourself and me, as well as my Personal Guard—henceforth, even if we cross paths, let us act as strangers, pretending not to know each other, and please refrain from sending any more ‘grand gifts’ that a junior like me cannot bear.”

The so-called “grand gifts” referred to the crossbow bolt meant to assassinate him.

Luo Qianyu truly feared he might resort to other methods to eliminate rivals, but with the situation urgent, he had no choice but to take this risky move. On one side was the beauty he had longed for but not yet tasted; on the other was the potential opportunity to torment a rival.

Most people would choose the former, but Lin Jingyan was no ordinary person.

He was the main villain from the original book who would eventually have his own legs broken.

The next moment, the Young Marquis’s eyelashes trembled, his shoulders sinking slightly as a cloak was draped over him by the other, covering his neck and collar completely.

“I’ll have someone escort you back to the Imperial Academy,” he heard the man’s voice.

Hearing this, Luo Qianyu was startled and quickly grabbed the man’s sleeve, his fingers tightening. “Wait! You come back with me… and your attendants, all of you.”

But Lin Jingyan merely looked at him, his gaze deep, staring at him as he slowly said, “If Qianqian is still uneasy, you may send people to keep watch.”

It didn’t seem like a lie… Luo Qianyu felt suspicious but at least relaxed a little.

He didn’t dare return to that private room, but that didn’t stop him from stationing people at the door to prevent any unscrupulous individuals from taking advantage of Wen Yu’s drunken state.

.

Luo Qianyu returned to the Imperial Academy that night.

Not only did he not return to his own dormitory, but he also couldn’t bring himself to go confront Su He about the plot. He practically fled in panic to the Crown Prince’s dormitory.

The servants sweeping the courtyard lit a fire, and soon the hot spring pool warmed up. The Young Marquis soaked in the water, sinking down until only his eyes and nose were visible. The warmth gradually heated his limbs but also flushed his face red, like a white jade dumpling painted with vermilion dye.

…

What exactly had happened tonight?

Was this part in the original book? Did Wen Yu’s first kiss go to the Mysterious Guest?

Although the original book differed from reality, major events were still unfolding one by one. Even when he intentionally went against them, they proceeded in an orderly manner… He had always thought Wen Yu had already kissed and embraced the Young Marquis, yet in reality, it had never happened.

But counting carefully, the Mysterious Guest only appeared two or three times in the original text, with so little screen time that the comment section was filled with cries and pleas for just one more appearance. Such an important first kiss was actually with the Mysterious Guest?

And not with any of the other male leads vying for affection?

Now, such a crucial scene had occurred right under his nose without warning. Not only was the Mysterious Guest impersonated by him, but Wen Yu had also kissed the wrong person. One wrong step led to another, and now he was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place!

The more Luo Qianyu thought about it, the more confused he became. His heart was in turmoil, and he could no longer analyze things calmly from an observer’s perspective.

No, he needed to lay low for a while.

Although Su He wrote his story slowly, recently, under his constant urging to update, he had developed the habit of letting him preview new chapters as soon as they were written. Over time, he became more productive. Young Master Su went from writing sporadically and slacking off to updating weekly with stable releases, occasionally even dropping extra chapters.

But at least they were no different from the plot direction he remembered, with only minor deviations in certain details. He could recall the general outline with a little effort.

But now, it was like a runaway horse, completely beyond his control.

It was all his fault for acting on his own initiative. To satisfy Wen Yu’s selfish desires and avoid him becoming too persistent and risking exposure, he had arranged this meeting.

In the end, it was that jug of wine that caused the trouble.

If he had known it would turn out like this, he might as well have let Wen Yu meet him sober… No, from start to finish, he shouldn’t have used repaying Zhi Heng for saving his life as an excuse to arrange for Wen Yu to meet the Mysterious Guest. Ultimately, that decision was a mistake.

The private room at the Fan Tower had been reserved by him. Once Wen Yu sobered up, he would probably leave and return to the Imperial Academy to look for him.

Tonight, he could be said to have fled in panic, quite disgracefully. But the truth was, he still hadn’t figured out how to face Wen Yu, in what state or with what expression. His heart felt unsettled and adrift, as if stepping on cotton, impossible to calm down no matter what.

In the end, it was just a kiss—why should he be affected?

“…”

No, he had been pinned down and kissed by Wen Yu.

Not just once, and not just a light peck.

The Young Marquis felt defeated, his resolve crumbling once more. He remained in the hot spring pool until the water had gone completely cold, unable to muster the will to get out.

Fortunately, arriving even earlier than Wen Yu was a young eunuch from the palace come to deliver an oral decree from the Emperor.

The usually avoided, mad emperor now seemed like a lifeline. The Young Marquis scrambled out of bed, hastily throwing on his robes while hurriedly responding, "I'll go! I'm going right now!"

In the blink of an eye, he was impeccably dressed, bowing respectfully to the eunuch delivering the decree. "I thank His Majesty for his grace."

The young eunuch blinked, forgetting to even sway his horsetail whisk. Had the Young Marquis undergone a change of character today? In the past, he would always find excuses to delay or refuse such summons. Why was he so prompt today?

This was likely the last audience with the Emperor before the metropolitan examination.

Before leaving the palace, the youth was in no hurry to depart. Instead, he wandered around the palace grounds. With the Crown Prince's jade token on him, no one stopped him. He moved with familiar ease, not venturing too far, simply stalling to avoid returning too early.

Without realizing it, he found himself at a relatively secluded courtyard located in the northwest corner of the palace complex. Overgrown with weeds, it appeared somewhat desolate, likely long uninhabited and rarely maintained.

The back courtyard gate was half-open. In a corner stood a massive wooden enclosure, not fully walled, its corners seemingly reinforced with metal, though now heavily rusted with age.

As the Young Marquis passed by, he suddenly heard a low, mournful whimper. He paused, focusing his gaze, and saw a grey shadow curled up in the shadows of the pen.

The animal sensed his approach and slowly lifted its head... it was a wolf.

The wolf looked clearly aged, emaciated to skin and bones, its left foreleg visibly deformed, curled and unable to straighten.

But what caught Luo Qianyu's attention most were its eyes. The pupils held weariness, but more so fear. Even sensing a gaze upon it, it avoided direct eye contact.

"Young Lord Luo?"

A voice came from behind. Luo Qianyu turned to see a eunuch approaching, carrying a food box.

Luo Qianyu recognized him; this was the same young eunuch who had guided him during his punishment kneeling and his second visit to the palace.

"Eunuch, this was the residence of the late Third Prince. Why is his wolf still kept here?" Luo Qianyu asked curiously, pointing at the one in the enclosure.

"Sir, be careful not to dirty your robes," the eunuch said warmly with an apologetic smile. "You are quite right. This wolf was originally kept by the late Third Prince. Now, of the pack, only this one remains. As moving the wolf enclosure is difficult, it was left here. We take turns feeding it on schedule." As he spoke, he poured the raw meat from the food box into a worn, chipped ceramic bowl inside the pen.

Only then did the old wolf stir, but it did not immediately eat. Instead, it cautiously watched Luo Qianyu, its gaze intense and wary.

The Young Marquis, having frequented the palace since childhood, was no stranger to this wolf enclosure.

In his youth, he had accompanied his father into the palace and once glimpsed the Third Prince with a retinue of attendants amusing themselves with the wolf pack here. At that time, the enclosure housed over a dozen wolves with glossy coats.

They would constantly pace within their iron cages, their low growls deep and terrifying, enough to disturb the palace servants' sleep.

However, the Third Prince was deeply favored by the Emperor back then. Even though keeping wolves violated palace regulations, the late Emperor often turned a blind eye, indulging him repeatedly.

Relying on his powerful maternal clan and the Emperor's favor, the Third Prince acted arrogantly and tyrannically within the palace. His direct contrast was the current Emperor—then the Twelfth Prince.

Of lowly birth and with no relatives to rely on in the palace, he was routinely bullied and humiliated by the other princes. The Third Prince, particularly haughty, looked down on him the most.

Not only did he frequently hurl vicious insults, but he also often ordered attendants to drag the Twelfth Prince to the wolf enclosure. They would seize his collar, push him into the midst of the wolves, and watch the child struggle in terror, finding amusement and endless mockery in his plight.

The Emperor likely harbored deep-seated hatred for these vicious wolves. It was surprising to the Young Marquis that, with only this last one remaining, it had not been tortured and killed.

However, what truly shocked the serial novel's readers, making them exclaim about the Emperor's mad and compelling character, wasn't just his methods of winning beauties, but also his terrifying deeds from the time he was the Twelfth Prince, before ascending the throne.

Three years ago, factional strife in the previous dynasty intensified, making even surface-level peace difficult to maintain. During the palace coup, rebel troops flooded into the imperial palace like a tide. For a time, the sounds of killing and wailing shook the heavens. Chaos reigned within the palace; princes died or were maimed, consorts and princesses were not spared—either violated by the rebels or driven to suicide—a scene of utter misery.

At that time, resistance was out of the question; merely preserving one's life was a challenge. No one would have imagined that the usually timid, cowardly, and bullied Twelfth Prince would hide in the place he feared most—the wolf enclosure.

When Luo Qianyu read this part in the original work, the imagery was very strong. It was also a highlight moment for the "Emperor stock" early on.

The wolf pack, catching the scent of a stranger, bared their fangs, roaring as they lunged at the youth. No one knew how the Twelfth Prince ultimately survived inside that wolf enclosure. But even if he didn't die by wolf fangs, emerging would surely mean death.

Flames lit up the sky, the sounds of killing drawing near, then fading into the distance... No one would think to search the wolf enclosure, a place that struck fear into the hearts of both princes and palace servants alike.

When Imperial Uncle Que Xilan and the old Marquis led reinforcements to arrive, the palace was already strewn with corpses and rivers of blood. The wolf enclosure was the last place searched. From afar, they saw only wolf carcasses littering the ground, and outside the enclosure, blood had stained the earth a dark red.

Inside the enclosure remained only a youth and a wolf, covered in wounds, curled up in a corner.

... The Twelfth Prince had miraculously survived.

Though his clothes were in tatters and his body covered in wounds, later folk rumors suggested the reason this wolf was spared was that the Twelfth Prince, as a precaution, intended to keep it as a potential last resort for food.

Who could have imagined that from a bullied, destitute prince, he would become the Emperor ruling over all under heaven.

The Young Marquis silently reviewed the plot in his mind. Bored, he picked up a stick, speared a piece of meat, and still had no desire to return to the Imperial Academy.

To be precise, he still didn't know how to face Wen Yu.

So, he spent a while teasing the old wolf with the meat. At first, the wolf was wary of him, eating while stealing glances. Later, annoyed by his antics, it stopped eating altogether, lying down by the fence and sighing.

Only when the palace gates were about to be locked for the night did the Young Marquis reluctantly get up and head out of the palace.

*

Back at the Imperial Academy, Luo Qianyu stood outside the door of his dormitory in the outer quarters for a long time, unable to bring himself to enter.

A night had passed; Wen Yu must have woken up.

Not only awake, but he had also most likely returned from Fanlou to the Imperial Academy. Even now, he hadn't figured out how to face Wen Yu... Should he act as if nothing happened, or be open and forthright? Or simply pretend complete ignorance and proactively ask Wen Yu what he discussed with the Mysterious Guest last night?

But thinking carefully, why did he need to avoid Wen Yu?

That's right. He wasn't the one who got drunk and kissed people randomly. Why was he hiding and worrying? It was just being held down and kissed for a while.

Strictly speaking, the person Wen Yu kissed wasn't the Young Marquis, but that never-seen "Mysterious Guest."

Wen Yu didn't even know he kissed the wrong person. What was he embarrassed about?

Having done this mental preparation, his feet remained very honest, hesitating to step inside.

"Little Fox, what are you looking around for?"

The voice was right by his ear, somewhat low.

Luo Qianyu's heart jumped. He instinctively turned his head and saw Guan Mingyang standing behind him. Guan Mingyang even tilted his head, following Luo Qianyu's line of sight as if trying to see what he was looking at.

"You've reached your dorm but won't go in. Who are you hiding from?" The man's voice paused, then he chuckled lightly. "... Could it be Young Master me?"

The Young Marquis, having been startled over nothing, felt a wave of speechlessness. He turned his head away, completely ignoring the newcomer. "Mind your own business."

"..."

Guan Mingyang gritted his teeth, fuming with anger, and sneered coldly. "Luo Qianyu, you're getting more and more arrogant lately. What, now that you have a bodyguard, have you forgotten how I used to bully you?"

Luo Qianyu found him irritating. The guy was bulky and looked more agreeable when serving as a punching bag during training. Having no patience to deal with him, not only did Luo Qianyu not respond, but he also pushed Guan Mingyang's face away. "You smell awful. Stay away from me."

Guan Mingyang's face turned livid, his voice turning cold. "What? Say that again if you dare."

Since having Wen Yu as a teacher, the Young Marquis's combat prowess had skyrocketed. He wasn't afraid of taking on several people alone and clearly no longer regarded the Young Prince with any fear. Without changing his expression, he repeated, "I said you stink, like a big dog."

The youth didn't forget to repeat the earlier line: "Stop meddling in your father's affairs."

Guan Mingyang reached out, intending to grab Luo Qianyu's shoulder, but the other dodged swiftly—not only evading but also counterattacking.

"!" A familiar, dull ache throbbed in his head. Guan Mingyang suddenly recalled the time he'd been blindsided. He raised his arm to block, yet still let out a pained grunt.

His gaze fixed intently on the other's hand, and sure enough, he spotted a gold folding fan clutched between those slender fingers.

In an instant, the fan vanished back into the youth's sleeve.

"So it really is this fan!" Guan Mingyang halted his movements, gritting his teeth. "Well, well! So this is what you used to hit me last time! I've been complaining everywhere to no avail—turns out this is your secret weapon! Hidden so deep, and now I've finally found you out!"

The Young Marquis naturally wasn't afraid. Even if the tutors caught him, this fan wouldn't be confiscated... no, they wouldn't dare confiscate it.

This was a gift from the Former Crown Prince. No one with a sense of self-preservation would dare.

"All you do all day is complain. What, is the Young Prince still on his mother's milk?" the Young Marquis taunted sarcastically.

Guan Mingyang crossed his arms and sneered, "Who's the one not weaned? You learned your martial arts from your bodyguard who's a top scholar, didn't you? Going on and on about your bodyguard this, bodyguard that—when the imperial exams come, are you going to have him enter the examination hall and write the answers for you?"

He added, "I heard you're taking the spring exams. You've been claiming illness and skipping school for two years—who do you think you're fooling? Why not go home and cry to your father, beg His Majesty for a hereditary sinecure? That way, when you eventually inherit the title, you won't run the family fortune into the ground."

The Young Marquis was stunned.

After a moment, his eyes suddenly cleared, as if a lightbulb went off, and he murmured softly, "That actually makes sense."

Young Prince: "?"

Back when he had taken Wen Yu as his Personal Guard, over time, he'd only remembered that he had exceptional martial prowess, unparalleled in the world. He'd almost forgotten that Wen Yu wasn't just skilled in martial arts—his literary talents were peerless too.

Wen Yu was the top scholar of the imperial examinations three years ago, personally selected by the late emperor as the Zhuangyuan, the highest honor.

He already knew the exam questions in advance, and he had a top scholar right by his side. What difference was there from having an unbeatable edge?

Guan Mingyang was furious. "You're ignoring me again!"

The Young Marquis replied like a broken record: "What right do you have to criticize me? At least I'm a provincial graduate. What are you? Good-for-nothing."

Seeing this person as a nuisance, Luo Qianyu completely gave up on the idea of returning to his dorm. Maybe he should go to the Crown Prince's dorm instead—lay low for the night... Wen Yu surely wouldn't be waiting for him there.

He turned to leave, but Guan Mingyang wrapped an arm around his waist and scooped him up.

Caught off guard, the Young Marquis found his feet dangling in the air. "What are you doing?!" he shouted.

The Young Prince said coldly, "Come spar with me at the training grounds."

Luo Qianyu hadn't expected that in this day and age, a punching bag would deliver itself to his doorstep.

Luo Qianyu: "I have no time for this!"

"How do you not have time? Every day after school, you disappear. Don't think I don't know—you've been going to the upper-class dorms every day. The Crown Prince's dorm has a hot spring, so you get all cleaned up and then dare to think you're too good for me." Guan Mingyang looked down at him, veins bulging on his forehead in anger, and sneered, "Those who practice martial arts train outdoors in all weather—who isn't drenched in sweat and stink? You say I stink? You think you smell like roses?"

...

Half an hour later, Guan Mingyang watched in sullen silence as Luo Qianyu clapped the dust from his hands, found a clean cloth to wipe the sweat from his face and neck, and then tossed the used cloth onto his face.

Before leaving, the youth didn't forget to mock: "No good at your studies, and now you can't even match up in martial arts. Besides being big, what else can you do?"

Young Prince: "..."

Guan Mingyang scowled. He reached up, grabbed the cloth from his face, clenched it in his hand, and was about to throw it away when he paused.

Frowning slightly, he stared at the cloth for a long time, then brought it to his nose and gave it a cautious sniff.

...

It really was fragrant.

.

The training grounds were some distance from the dorms. Walking along the lake and willow trees, one had to pass two stone bridges. Beyond the bridges lay a sprawling rock garden.

Behind the rockeries were the dorms.

Just after crossing the bridge, Luo Qianyu suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. He glanced sideways and saw it was the plump little bird with its drooping tail feathers.

"It's you." The Young Marquis was startled, then his expression stiffened. He turned away and muttered, "...So he really is back."

But Wen Yu was his Personal Guard—where else could he go if not back to the dorm?

The youth reached out a finger and rubbed the little bird's head. "Where's your master?"

Little Bird: "Chirp."

Luo Qianyu spotted the rockeries in the distance and stopped. This was essentially a fork in the road: one path led to his own dorm, the other to the Crown Prince's dorm—two completely opposite directions.

After a long silence, he pulled out an oiled paper from his robe. Opening it, he revealed a piece of pastry he'd taken from the palace, now crushed into crumbs in his palm. The little bird loved this treat the most. It fluttered its wings, about to land beside his hand, but the Young Marquis closed his palm, not letting it eat.

The youth asked it, "Which way should I go to avoid running into your master?"

The little bird tilted its head, tail feathers lifting.

Luo Qianyu figured it wouldn't understand anyway, so he opened his hand and let it eat its fill. But he wouldn't allow it to perch on his shoulder. The little bird, too full to fly, would inevitably want to find a resting spot.

After circling for a while, he watched it fly toward the direction of his own dorm.

"..." The Young Marquis was speechless.

Thinking about it, it made sense—it was expected. Only he could come and go freely at the Crown Prince's residence. Unless Wen Yu was lying in wait for him, there was no reason for him to go there.

So he turned and walked decisively in the opposite direction.

After walking some distance, before leaving the rockery area, Luo Qianyu paused and slowly came to a stop.

Not far ahead, the rockeries thinned out, leaving only one exit leading to the Crown Prince's dorm.

And right beside that exit, leaning against the rockery, stood a familiar sword.

The tassel hung down, swaying slightly in the breeze.

Even sheathed, Luo Qianyu's gaze froze, instantly recognizing this extraordinary, famed sword.

—The Jade Spirit Sword.

True to its name, the entire sword seemed naturally formed. Holding it felt cool to the bone, a chill spreading from the palm as if grasping a handful of snow that would never melt—much like the sword's owner.

In the original story, the Jade Spirit Sword was Wen Yu's lifebound weapon—where the sword was, its master was.

If the sword was here, that meant...

The Young Marquis's scalp tightened, his heart sinking. Without a moment's hesitation, he turned and walked away, then broke into a run. The hem of his robe fluttered hastily in the night wind, the air rushing past his ears.

Sure enough, light footsteps echoed right behind him.

The boy's heart hammered in his chest, but before he could even clear the rockery, a figure had already landed before him, barring his way.

Luo Qianyu was forced to halt.

It was indeed Wen Yu.

...

That goddamn fat bird tricked him!!

He gave it food, and it repaid him by leading him into a trap!

After a day apart, Wen Yu looked just as he always did. The haze of alcohol had cleared from his eyes, replaced by a piercing, icy clarity. Under the moonlight, dressed in black, he was still devastatingly handsome.

Everything seemed the same as before, yet something had quietly changed.

Suddenly, Luo Qianyu recalled last night's drunken restraint, the kiss that pressed him down on the daybed, leaving him wanting to flee but unable to escape.

"Young Marquis, why run?"

He heard the other ask.