Chapter 48

If he wanted to find a place that had truly mattered to the original host — a place that held deep, formative memories — it wasn't the Chancellor's estate. It was… the cold palace.

From the time the original host and Jin Wang first met to the time Jin Wang ascended the throne, ten full years had passed.

In Jin Wang's early years, his mother consort had once enjoyed great imperial favor. But imperial hearts were fickle — Jin Wang's mother was quickly framed and fell out of favor, and was banished to the cold palace, where she eventually died of illness.

Leaving only the original host and Jin Wang to depend on each other.

They had lived in the cold palace for a full five years — five years of scheming and waiting — before finally finding the opportunity to restore Jin Wang's status as a prince and leave.

"You've been distracted since just now — what are you thinking about?" Jin Wang led Ye Shu slowly along the path in the back courtyard of the Ye estate, his voice gentle.

Ye Shu came back to himself with a start and looked up, meeting Jin Wang's handsome eyes.

He opened his mouth — but suddenly stopped.

In that moment, he found he strangely didn't want to share his conclusion with Jin Wang.

It was a feeling like dreading the return home — he was the one who had suggested investigating, and he was also the one who was afraid of what might be found.

Jin Wang also stopped walking. He raised a hand and brushed the loose strands of hair from Ye Shu's temple. "Are you in a bad mood because we didn't find anything?"

Ye Shu lowered his eyes. "I…"

"Take it slowly — there's no rush." Jin Wang said. "Didn't I say — you don't need to give me an answer so quickly."

He took Ye Shu's hand and continued walking.

Jin Wang said: "I intend to have this place properly restored sometime soon."

"Why?"

"You should have somewhere outside the palace to call home." Jin Wang gave a small smile. "If I upset you again one day, coming here beats running off somewhere random."

Something stirred in Ye Shu's chest. He turned his head. "That's not necessarily so — I could also go find little Changyuan. Word has it he's opened his shop and business is going rather well."

Jin Wang's brow gave a faint crease.

Ye Shu was about to walk on when Jin Wang caught his wrist and drew him in with a smooth pull. He pressed Ye Shu against a tree by the roadside, narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Someone's feeling bold lately, are they? Daring to mention other qian-sovereigns in my presence."

Ye Shu had been so thoroughly indulged by Jin Wang these past few days that he had grown increasingly reckless, and was not particularly afraid of him. "That's right — I could also go to Huainan to find Xiao Huan, or go to Dayan to find Yu Yan, or——"

Jin Wang kissed that irreverent mouth shut.

A moment later he drew back a fraction and bit lightly at Ye Shu's lower lip. "And where else were you planning to go?"

Ye Shu's lips were stinging red. "Are you a dog?"

"You've called me that so many times — don't I deserve to live up to it at least once?" Jin Wang scraped his teeth teasingly along Ye Shu's lips. "You're not going anywhere."

"Where would I even go?" Ye Shu said helplessly. "Is there anywhere in the capital you couldn't find me? And as for leaving the capital entirely — with this little one in there, I can't last even an hour in a carriage. How would I get anywhere?"

Jin Wang looked into Ye Shu's eyes and nodded. "Mm. I know all that."

"Then why do you still——"

"I just wanted to hear you say it." A sly gleam lit Jin Wang's eyes. "Say that you can only stay by my side."

"…" Ye Shu looked away. "Childish."

Jin Wang was surprised. "Your ears have gone red?"

"No they haven't!"

Jin Wang said with great seriousness: "Your face is red too."

"Jin Wang!"

Jin Wang burst out laughing.

Now Ye Shu was genuinely embarrassed. He shoved Jin Wang aside and tried to walk away.

Jin Wang laughed and reached to pull him back. "Hey — wait——"

His voice cut off abruptly.

The sound of a blade slicing through the air.

Jin Wang swiftly pulled Ye Shu close and turned. A short arrow cut through the snow-laden branches, skimmed past both of them, and buried itself deep into the tree trunk.

Assassins.

"Are you alright?" The courtyard had gone completely silent. The assassin was hidden in the dark, but Jin Wang's first instinct was to look down at Ye Shu. "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

Ye Shu's face had gone pale. He gave a nod.

The sovereign of Changlu would naturally never go out alone — but the assassins had clearly come prepared. A rain of short arrows flew toward the two of them from all directions. Several close-guard attendants appeared seemingly from nowhere, deflecting the arrows one by one.

One of the guards dropped to one knee. "Your Majesty — the assassins number many. Please take shelter inside at once."

Jin Wang: "Very well."

Several guards escorted the two of them rapidly toward the nearest outbuilding.

The arrows at the front had not yet stopped. And so no one noticed — in the dark branches at the side of the building, one arrow with a cold glint of steel had quietly taken aim at the direction they were moving.

The arrowhead was pointed directly at Ye Shu's completely unguarded back.

In the instant before the two of them reached the door, the short arrow flew through the air.

The next moment, Jin Wang turned and stepped in front of Ye Shu.

Blood sprayed out, splashing across Ye Shu's snow-white fox fur.

"Your Majesty!"

Footsteps and shouts erupted everywhere. The assassin who had fired the arrow was quickly seized. More people surged forward, surrounding Jin Wang and ushering him toward the building. But Jin Wang's hand still gripped Ye Shu's tightly. Ye Shu stumbled, and was helped inside by someone as well.

It was a small woodshed at the back of the estate, already stripped completely bare — not even a place to sit.

Jin Wang sat down on the floor. The bloodied arrowhead had passed through his shoulder blade. Blood was pooling on the ground before him.

Every one of the sovereign's guards was well-trained. Several of them quickly pressed acupoints to slow the bleeding. Jin Wang only turned his head, still holding tightly to Ye Shu's hand with the one unaffected arm, and raised it to cover Ye Shu's eyes. "Don't look."

He was afraid of blood — looking would only upset him.

But Ye Shu took hold of Jin Wang's hand and gripped it tightly.

Ye Shu's hands were even colder than Jin Wang's.

He suddenly remembered — this incident had also been in the novel.

At the start of the new year, a faction with foreign ties at court had finally been unable to hold back, and sent assassins after the sovereign.

But in the novel, Jin Wang had not been hurt at all.

It was his fault.

If not for him being so hesitant and tangled up in his own head, insisting on coming here to find some so-called truth. If not for him having no martial ability and only being a liability. If not for Jin Wang trying to protect him…

"Don't cry." Jin Wang's hand gripped his in return. "I'm fine. Nothing is wrong."

His reassurance had zero persuasive power. The arrow wound was dangerously close to vital points. The guards didn't even dare pull the arrow out freely. If Jin Wang hadn't had a foundation in martial training, he would likely already have lost consciousness.

If it had been even slightly off center…

"…Why are you crying even harder now — you little crybaby." Jin Wang's complexion was going pale from blood loss. He raised the one arm he could still move and wiped Ye Shu's tears. "Really — what is this."

The fighting outside had not yet ended. Inside the room there were also several people crowded around. Ye Shu turned his face aside and scrubbed at his eyes, then asked quietly: "Does it hurt?"

"It doesn't." Jin Wang paused, then changed his answer. "Actually, a little."

His complexion was getting worse and worse. He managed to smile at Ye Shu. "Kiss me once and it won't hurt anymore."

Ye Shu laughed through his tears. "You…"

Jin Wang's words had pulled at his wound, and he sucked in a sharp breath of pain.

He could feel his strength draining faster and faster, his body growing gradually cold. Jin Wang leaned against the wall and slowly closed his eyes.

Then — a soft, cool touch settled on his lips.

Ye Shu had kissed him.

Jin Wang's eyes opened slightly. He gave a faint smile, pressed his hand against the back of Ye Shu's head, and deepened the kiss.

Bitter with tears and faintly metallic with the smell of blood — the kiss was brief and deep. Very soon, Jin Wang's hand fell limply to his side.

But Ye Shu didn't let go.

He pressed his lips to Jin Wang's, kissing him gently, slowly.

Even as Jin Wang's strength reached its limit and his consciousness grew hazy and could no longer respond.

But Ye Shu knew — Jin Wang could still feel it.

The crisis came fast and passed fast. The assassins outside were all apprehended in short order. But because Jin Wang's wound was dangerously close to vital points, he needed to be sent back to the palace immediately for treatment.

The guards helped Jin Wang to the carriage. Ye Shu carefully let Jin Wang lean against his shoulder.

He was about to give the order to depart when one of the guards called up from below the carriage. "Young Master — how shall we handle the captured assassins?"

Ye Shu's mind was entirely on Jin Wang. He said offhandedly: "Hold them for now. We'll question them once His Majesty has recovered."

The guard's expression was hesitant.

Ye Shu: "What?"

"These people — just now…" the guard paused, then said plainly: "They identified themselves as remnants of Chancellor Ye's faction."

"…"

Ye Shu's instinct was to turn and look at the person beside him.

Jin Wang's lips were pale, his eyes tightly shut. It was unclear whether he had heard.

The Left Chancellor Ye Shu's followers had been swept clean during the original investigation into the treason. Either someone was trying to use that name as a cover — or the original host truly had remnants who had never been found.

Ye Shu lowered his head and asked quietly: "Do you still trust me?"

Jin Wang didn't answer.

After a moment, he raised his hand and drew a command token from inside his robe, placing it in Ye Shu's hands.

The token still held Jin Wang's warmth. Its white jade surface was stained with blood — a startling sight.

Ye Shu gripped the token tightly and gave a quiet smile. He turned and gave the order.

"Bring them back. I'll question them myself."