Chapter 152 My Heart is Fond of Him

Chapter 152: I Have Feelings for Him

Xiao Jing looked dazed, as if he was just talking to himself, not genuinely curious about the answer to his question.

"Host, based on the system's assessment standards for human psychological states, I detect that Xiao Jing's data falls within the category of severe mental disturbance."

Xiao K pulled up a set of data, projecting a wildly fluctuating graph into Xiao Yan's mind.

Xiao Yan was silent for a moment.

"Are you saying... he's already lost his mind?"

Xiao K scrolled through the data and continued, "His current condition, in system terminology, is called 'role identity collapse.' Simply put, his brain is in a state of extreme chaos."

"As a human, his mind can't handle this, so... he's really gone mad."

Xiao Yan stood outside the prison door, gazing at the figure curled up in the corner.

Sunlight streamed in from a high window, falling upon that once gentle and refined face.

Now, that face was pale as paper, lips cracked, eyes sunken deep, as if something had hollowed him out inside.

He watched for a moment, then turned away.

Xiao K asked cautiously, "Host, don't you... feel sympathy for him?"

Xiao Yan's steps did not pause.

"No, I don't."

"Why?"

Xiao Yan looked at the prison door that was drawing nearer.

"Because if he'd won, I would be the one lying in here. And he would stand outside, looking at my corpse, and say with a laugh... 'Worthless.'"

This morning's court session had dragged on for a long time.

Though he knew there were many affairs to handle, Xiao Yan was growing impatient.

He stood in the corridor outside the Golden Throne Hall, having been there for nearly two hours.

The morning light shifted from oblique to direct, shining on the white jade steps, blindingly white.

He leaned against the railing, one leg slightly bent, his posture lazy, but beneath that laziness was a growing pile of impatience.

It wasn't that he was worried about what was happening in court.

He was anxious about Liu Qingci.

Since yesterday morning, Liu Qingci had been running around everywhere—from the Liu mansion to the tavern to meet Zhao Chongwu, from the camp outside the city to the palace gates—without a wink of sleep all night, not even a sip of water.

After all this time, he now had to stand in court dealing with those tedious formalities.

Xiao Yan leaned against the railing, shifting to bend the other leg, his gaze fixed on the hall's doors as if he was trying to burn a hole through them.

Just as he was thinking this, a eunuch hurried out from inside, bowing and smiling: "His Highness Prince Yu, there's news from court."

Xiao Yan straightened up.

The eunuch lowered his voice, with a hint of flattery: "His Majesty just issued an edict in court. Master Liu, for his merit in suppressing the rebellion, for his loyalty and bravery, is granted a thousand gold taels, five hundred bolts of silk, a hundred acres of fertile land, and a mansion. Additionally, Master Liu is appointed as a junior third-rank chancellor of the Hanlin Academy, starting right away."

The eunuch added, "His Majesty also said this post is noble and clean, free from disputes, just right for Master Liu. Moreover, the Hanlin Academy is close to the imperial study, so His Majesty can call on him easily."

The corners of Xiao Yan's mouth curved up, and held it for a long time before pressing it down.

"Got it," he said to the eunuch.

The eunuch bowed and withdrew.

Xiao Yan thought of something and couldn't help chuckling softly.

Xiao K asked, "Host, you're very happy, aren't you?"

"Of course," Xiao Yan said with deep feeling. "He has finally embarked on his rightful official career."

In the original story, Liu Qingci was locked up in the palace by Xiao Jing, like a bird with a broken wing trapped in a golden cage. All his talent, ambition, and aspirations were locked away in that dark side hall, gradually ground away to nothing.

But now, everything is different.

Approaching noon, the heavy doors of the hall were slowly pulled open at last from inside by the eunuchs.

Officials filed out, walking in twos and threes, some whispering, most with expressions of relief after barely escaping death.

When they saw Xiao Yan standing in the corridor, they stopped to bow.

Xiao Yan waved his hand, signaling for them all to leave.

Until a familiar figure appeared in his sight.

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and he was about to dash over.

"Host, control yourself, control yourself!"

Xiao K reminded him as Xiao Yan ran.

His fevered mind barely managed to regain some sanity, and his running steps slowed.

By Liu Qingci's side was Liu Wenyuan, who was leaning sideways and talking to him.

Liu Qingci listened with downcast eyes, nodding from time to time, as obedient as a fledgling being led home by an old bird.

Xiao Yan had to stop and stand some distance away.

Liu Wenyuan was instructing his son about his new official duties.

But he noticed his son was suddenly distracted, his eyes wandering to the side, as if something had caught his eye.

Liu Wenyuan followed his gaze and his eye twitched.

He quickly stepped forward a few paces and bowed: "This old minister pays respects to His Highness Prince Yu."

His voice was neither high nor low, his posture just right, neither lacking courtesy nor being overly familiar.

Liu Qingci, half a step behind his father, also bowed, eyes downcast.

"No need for formalities," Xiao Yan said, made a gesture of helping him up, but his eyes subtly kept drifting to his son.

"Ahem,"

Liu Wenyuan might be a bit older, but his eyesight was still sharp.

He could see the two of them making eyes at each other right in front of him, though he had no idea what message they were conveying.

“Your Highness Prince Yu, this item…” Liu Wenyuan pulled out something and handed it to Xiao Yan. “In the grand hall, I picked it up. Now… I return it to its owner.”

Xiao Yan looked—wasn't this the jade ring he had tossed out in desperation?!

Last night, when he used that jade ring to knock down Xiao Jing's sword, he had thrown it with considerable force. He had thought it would shatter, but instead, it only had a few small chips and cracks on the edge.

Xiao Yan instinctively glanced at Liu Qingci.

Liu Qingci looked at the jade ring that had appeared in his father's hand, clearly confused about what was going on.

But upon hearing his father's words about returning it “to its owner,” he quickly pieced it together. Like a young maiden caught in a secret exchange of tokens by an elder, his ears instantly turned crimson.

That same person had faced thousands of troops on the Golden Throne Hall last night without flinching. Now he was so flustered he wished he could just vanish on the spot.

Xiao Yan hurriedly took the jade ring, then cleared his throat somewhat unnaturally. “Ahem… Thank you, Lord Liu.”

“This old minister should be thanking Your Highness for saving my life. Last night in the Golden Throne Hall, if not for Your Highness's intervention, this old life of mine would have been lost.”

Liu Wenyuan didn't know what connection his son had with Prince Yu, but the life-saving debt was undeniable.

With that, he began to kneel before Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan had anticipated this.

Just as Liu Wenyuan's knees began to bend, Xiao Yan caught him. “Lord Liu, you must not.”

Only Xiao Yan found this familiar scene amusing.

Liu Qingci, on the other hand, was completely preoccupied with two thoughts: the life-saving grace and that his father had discovered the love token, leaving no room for anything else.

Xiao Yan noticed the weariness on Liu Qingci's face and his heart ached for him.

Though he had originally thought to find an excuse to keep him aside for a few words, that thought faded. All he wanted was for Liu Qingci to go home and rest.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then Liu Wenyuan took his leave with Liu Qingci.

At the palace gate, father and son got into the Liu family carriage.

Having been trapped in the palace for an entire day and night, the feeling of stepping out again was as if an entire lifetime had passed.

The carriage began to move, its wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement with a soft rumble.

Father and son sat facing each other, neither of them speaking.

Liu Qingci kept his eyes down, but he could still feel his father's gaze on him, as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.

He felt somewhat embarrassed, but he knew it was inevitable.

So he took the lead and said, “Father, ask me whatever you want to ask.”

Liu Wenyuan let out a long sigh.

He had too many questions—he didn't know where to start.

Why had Liu Qingci gotten in touch with the black-armored guards at the border so early? Why had he appeared in the palace so promptly? How had he known that the ailing Emperor was recuperating in the imperial retreat? Had he rushed to the palace only to save his old father? And… when had his frail, bookish child become so tough?

In the end, he finally asked the question he was most curious about.

“Qingci… what is your relationship with His Highness Prince Yu?”

Liu Qingci wasn't surprised by the question at all.

He had been wrestling with it the entire time.

So when his father asked, the answer had hovered on the tip of his tongue countless times.

He spoke it solemnly, his voice shy yet clear.

“Father, my heart belongs to him.”