Chapter Two

Ye Shu opened his eyes.

The sky had not yet fully brightened. A faint, pale light filtered in, scattering across gossamer curtains threaded with gold.

Ye Shu stared up at the gauze canopy overhead, his mind adrift.

Where exactly... was he?

The air was suffused with a cool, gentle warmth, and beneath it lingered the faintest trace of wine — so faint it was nearly imperceptible. Ye Shu braced against the soft mattress beneath him and pushed himself upright, and as he did, he heard his joints crack under the strain, one after another.

A dull ache flared through his lower back, and he collapsed back down.

"Hss..."

Ye Shu let out a low, contemptuous click of his tongue.

The memories of the previous night were not entirely clear to him.

From the moment he had entered the forest, his body had grown hotter and hotter, more and more desperate to be touched. But there had been no one. He had wandered through the deserted woods for who knew how long, until at last he heard the sound of footsteps.

His mind had been burned to a fog by the tide of desire, and in his daze, he had remembered only one thing: he must not let anyone see his face.

And so he had casually torn off a strip of someone's hem, blindfolded the stranger with it, and thrown himself at them.

After that...

Frenzy. Loss of control. A complete and utter delirium.

Ye Shu covered his face with his hands, not daring to think any further.

He had only gone there to ask for help. How had it come to this...

Heaven and earth as his witness — yes, he did like men, and yes, he was the one on the bottom, but that didn't mean he was willing to just let any man sleep with him.

Let alone a man who was so... rough.

Ye Shu rubbed his aching waist, and found himself feeling, inexplicably, a little aggrieved.

This was nothing like the gentle, tender, unhurried first night he had imagined.

Honestly, a terrible experience all around.

After quite a while, Ye Shu finally managed to pull himself upright, steadying himself against the edge of the bed.

He had already been changed into a clean inner robe — the fabric was soft and comfortable, though the size was off, the sleeves hanging a good half a length too long. Ye Shu rolled them up carelessly, letting them drape loose and slack around his wrists.

He quietly lifted one corner of the gauze curtain and peered out.

This appeared to be a bedchamber in a palace.

The interior was adorned with opulent and exquisite furnishings, yet without any hint of vulgarity. Every ornament, every carved detail had been arranged with meticulous care, and a single glance made it clear that each piece was worth a fortune.

...This wasn't good.

However little Ye Shu understood of this world, he could see plainly that whoever lived here was extraordinarily wealthy and powerful — far beyond the reach of any ordinary wealthy household.

Surely he hadn't gone and slept with someone from the imperial family?

Wasn't the man last night a member of the imperial guard???

"...I can't be that unlucky," Ye Shu muttered under his breath, and was just about to climb out of bed when footsteps suddenly sounded beyond the door.

Ye Shu shot back like lightning, yanked the covers over himself, and pulled them tight until he was thoroughly buried.

Someone pushed open the door and entered.

There was more than one person. Ye Shu lifted his head from under the blankets and peered out through the gap in the curtains.

The figure walking at the front wore robes of deep black. From Ye Shu's angle, he could not make out the man's face — only the hem of those robes, trimmed with gold.

"Why isn't he awake yet?" The voice that spoke was low and unhurried, and Ye Shu's scalp instantly prickled.

It was the man from last night!

Ye Shu instinctively gripped the thin blanket tighter, held his breath, and heard a second person speak.

"In reply to Your Majesty — the gentleman is physically frail. It is likely he has simply been worn out. A little more rest and he should be fine."

Your — Your — Your — Your Majesty???

Ye Shu froze in place as though struck by lightning, and for a long moment could not come back to himself.

His memories of the original host were fragmentary and unclear, and last night had been such chaos that even if he had glimpsed the other man's face, he would have had no way to place him.

He had actually slept with Jin Wang???

Wait, wait, wait...

The ancients always set great store by such things — a day as husband and wife carries the bond of a hundred days, or so the saying went. He had been thoroughly wrecked by Jin Wang last night; perhaps he could use this to bargain for his life.

At that very moment, Jin Wang's voice rang out, cold as ice: "Get out the needles. Wake him up with them."

Ye Shu: "..."

This man was insane!

The hall fell into absolute silence, and Ye Shu could hear nothing but his own rapid heartbeat. Then, swiftly, someone drew back the curtain. A hand settled over the back of his own, lifted his fingers—

Ye Shu could no longer pretend to be asleep.

"Don't!" One second before the silver needle could pierce his skin, Ye Shu yanked his hand back with full force and shot upright.

He had moved too fast and without restraint — and tumbled clean off the edge of the bed.

"Ugh..."

The fall wrenched at the dull, aching place at his back, and his eyes stung red at the corners.

A pair of black brocade boots stepped to a halt in front of him.

Ye Shu raised his head. His gaze traveled upward along the man's magnificent black robes, until it met a pair of fine, handsome eyes, bright with amusement.

Jin Wang lowered his head, his voice almost — almost — gentle and solicitous: "Did my beloved subject sleep well?"

The hall was rich with the fragrance of tea. Ye Shu emerged from the inner chamber fully dressed, and at once caught sight of Jin Wang seated in the place of honor, savoring his cup.

He shuffled meekly over. "Your Majesty."

Jin Wang took a sip of tea and spoke at a leisurely pace: "Last night... you gave me quite a pleasant surprise, beloved subject."

The mockery in those words was far too thick to ignore. Ye Shu's ears flushed warm; he dropped his gaze and said nothing.

Jin Wang did not seem to mind in the slightest. He set down his tea cup and gestured toward the objects arranged before him. "I have prepared a few gifts for you."

Three finely crafted wooden boxes sat on the floor, arranged in order from smallest to largest.

Jin Wang's brow arched slightly. "Open them."

Ye Shu had an instinctive feeling that none of this would be anything good — yet he dared not refuse. He walked forward and opened the first box.

Inside lay a sealed letter.

Ye Shu's heart lurched.

The seal on the letter was unique to the original host — utterly impossible to forge.

This was a secret correspondence: proof that the original host had been in private contact with foreign enemies.

With this, the charges of treason and attempted assassination were as good as confirmed.

What was he supposed to do now?

A cold sweat broke out across Ye Shu's back.

He frantically searched the scattered remains of the original host's memories, his thoughts thrown into confusion, and on reflex reached out and opened the second box — the slightly larger one.

"Ah!"

Ye Shu's hand jerked. The lid dropped back down with a heavy thud, snapping shut.

Inside that box was a severed hand, drenched in blood.

Ye Shu had not yet recovered from the shock when he heard Jin Wang speak, in a tone of idle tranquility: "This belonged to the commander of my imperial guard. Regrettably, he has since been flayed until there is little flesh left — only this hand remains. This hand accepted a great deal of money from you. Do you still recognize it?"

Ye Shu's stomach heaved in wave after wave of nausea. A bead of cold sweat slid down his cheek.

Was this man a psychopath???

But Jin Wang only said, in a flat voice: "The third one. Open it."

Ye Shu looked at the last wooden box, the tips of his fingers trembling in a way he could barely perceive.

The final box was the largest of the three. Its lid was fitted flush and tight, revealing nothing of what lay within.

Ye Shu steeled himself, strode forward, and wrenched the lid open.

Resting at the bottom of the box was a human head.

Both eyes had been gouged out, leaving two hollow, black voids that stared back at him in silence.

"AAAAHHH—!" Ye Shu stumbled back several steps and fell to the ground.

Jin Wang watched him, his voice utterly unruffled: "This is one of the assassins who took part in the attempt on my life last night. He was only captured a short while ago. There are still more than ten others outside who have yet to be executed. Would my beloved subject care to come and observe the proceedings with me?"

Ye Shu's face had drained of all color, his head a roar of white noise.

He stared blankly at Jin Wang, watching the man's lips move — yet hearing nothing at all.

In the depths of his terror, Ye Shu's vision at last went dark, and he lost consciousness.

The young man on the bed lay pale-faced, his brow drawn tight, his sleep visibly uneasy.

Jin Wang sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers toying idly with the other man's earlobe. "Well?"

The imperial physician finished taking his pulse and set Ye Shu's wrist back on the mattress. "Only a fright. Perhaps a touch of hemophobia as well. He will wake shortly."

"Hemophobia..." Jin Wang lowered his gaze and gave Ye Shu's cheek a casual pinch. "Still as useless as ever."

The imperial physician looked toward Jin Wang, something evidently on the tip of his tongue.

"Say what you mean," said Jin Wang.

The imperial physician bowed low, pressing his forehead to the floor. "This minister dares to ask — how does Your Majesty intend to deal with Lord Ye?"

Jin Wang's eyes narrowed slightly.

The physician felt as though a cold blade had been pressed to his back. He did not dare raise his head, yet forced himself to press on: "Your Majesty is a Heaven-granted Qian Sovereign — one in ten thousand. The mark of a Qian Sovereign may only be given to a single Kun Sovereign. Once the mark is placed, the resonance fragrances of both parties fuse together, and even the... the mating season becomes exclusive to that one person alone. Unless the Kun Sovereign dies, it cannot be removed or transferred."

Jin Wang asked lightly: "What are you trying to say?"

The physician steeled himself and spoke plainly: "Your Majesty has, on this occasion, left a disaster to fester!"

Jin Wang was silent for a long time.

The physician's shoulders trembled. Beads of sweat slowly gathered on his brow.

The sovereign of Changlu was a man of volatile temperament — though he never let it show on his face.

Whether rewarding or punishing, he always wore the same manner: easy, unhurried, gracefully composed. Yet there was one circumstance in which this changed.

When he fell silent.

When Jin Wang went silent, there was only one possible reason: he was contemplating which method of death to bestow upon someone.

The longer the silence stretched, the greater the danger.

The atmosphere in the hall had frozen to absolute zero. The physician finally could bear it no longer: "This minister—"

"You are not wrong," Jin Wang said at last, quite softly. "Ye Xiang has already harbored treasonous intent. He cannot be spared."

"But I do not want him to die."

The imperial physician looked up, startled.

Jin Wang fixed his gaze on the man, cold and unwavering, and repeated each word slowly and deliberately: "I said — I do not want him to die."

The physician shuddered from head to toe and knocked his head against the ground. "This minister is overcome with terror!"

Jin Wang said nothing more.

He walked to where the physician knelt and reached down to help him up. "Old Feng has reached a venerable age. Do not kneel for so long."

The physician did not dare let Jin Wang truly support him and hastened to his feet. "This minister thanks Your Majesty."

Jin Wang walked the physician to the hall entrance and lowered his voice: "I am aware of a medicine that can temporarily suppress the resonance fragrance so that it does not manifest..."

The imperial physician understood at once: "This minister understands. I will see to it immediately."

Jin Wang gave a slight nod, his expression still composed and mild. "Old Feng is a minister who has served three dynasties, and once saved my life — I have always held that in my heart. However... what was said today, I do not wish to hear spoken a second time."

"Yes."

The palace doors eased shut, sealing out every sound from the outside world.

Jin Wang returned to the bedside. He saw Ye Shu's lashes flutter lightly — it seemed he was about to wake.

The corner of his mouth lifted. He began to slowly lower his head.

At the very moment he was about to brush Ye Shu's lips, the figure beneath him suddenly turned away, retreating to the far side of the bed.

Ye Shu pulled the blankets over himself and wrapped them tight, curling into a bundle, and asked with wary suspicion: "What are you trying to do?!"

Jin Wang was in excellent spirits. He turned the question around: "Am I really so frightening?"

Ye Shu was just about to nod, then caught himself and shook his head quickly.

Jin Wang laughed. "You were never so afraid of me before."

Ye Shu had half his face buried in the blankets, and said in a muffled voice: "Oh, is that so?"

"Mmm." Jin Wang sat down at the edge of the bed. "You used to call me a foolish ruler to my face in open court. Don't you remember?"

Ye Shu: "..."

The original host really was something else.

Jin Wang lowered his eyes. "Enough. Let's speak of other things."

"...Stop showing me severed heads!" Ye Shu protested.

"I won't." Jin Wang's tone was quite mild. "Now that it has been confirmed that this matter was your doing, things are rather more straightforward."

"Your associates have been imprisoned. The others implicated in this affair — I will investigate each of them in turn, and deal with them according to the law."

"As for you..."

"You are the principal offender. According to the law, treason is punishable by death by a thousand cuts."

Jin Wang looked at Ye Shu, unhurried, and asked: "...Is there anything else my beloved subject wishes to say?"