“Second Brother, what should you do if your younger brother got… slept with?”

Second Brother threw down the iron hammer he was swinging and pulled out a fine-looking sword.

“Third Brother, look at this great sword I just got…”

I shouted louder, “Second Brother! Your little brother was slept with!”

Only then did Second Brother react, instantly enraged.

“Who dares bully my Third Brother? I’ll…”

I quickly gained confidence. “It’s that bastard Xiao Ce!”

Second Brother suddenly calmed down. “Third Brother… I think maybe you can endure this one.”

Endure? How could I endure this?

Under my probing gaze, Second Brother guiltily averted his eyes. “This morning, His Majesty sent me this sword… Maybe there’s some misunderstanding between you two.”

A misunderstanding… What kind of misunderstanding? I’ve already been slept with!

So, unsatisfied, I went to find my eldest brother.

“Eldest Brother, what should you do if your little brother got slept with?”

Eldest Brother, who was reading some documents, put down his scroll and placed a meaningful hand on my shoulder.

“Ze’an, you’re a man. Whether you sleep or are slept with, it’s the same. You should take responsibility like a man.”

Me: “…”

Though Eldest Brother always carried himself like a gentleman, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

I quietly argued, “But he’s a man too, and he…”

Before I could finish, a sharp voice echoed from outside the courtyard.

Xiao Ce’s head eunuch appeared, grinning, followed by a group of palace attendants carrying gifts. “Prime Minister Lu…”

Eldest Brother stood tall, elegant as jade. “Eunuch Li.”

The head eunuch smiled ingratiatingly. “Prime Minister Lu, His Majesty regrets not marrying the Fourth Lady of the Lu family. As an apology, he has conferred upon her the title of County Princess and gifted her three hundred acres of prime land.”

Eldest Brother cupped his hands. “Many thanks to His Majesty.”

The eunuch then summoned another group of attendants, lowering his voice. “These are personal gifts from His Majesty to you. There are ancient books you’ve been searching for, and this fine zither… His Majesty said, as the Emperor’s brother-in-law, you deserve these.”

Great! Now he’s not even being subtle about it.

I knew it—Xiao Ce’s a master of currying favor. First, he sent gifts to Second Brother, making it hard for him to act. Now, he’s showering Eldest Brother with gifts, truly shameless.

I pulled on Eldest Brother’s sleeve in desperation.

“Eldest Brother, we have plenty of good things in the Lu family! Don’t really sell me off to that dog Xiao Ce!”

Eldest Brother, with his hand as white as jade, covered my lips and then, with a polite nod to the eunuch, replied softly, “Ahem, ahem… Ze’an is still young and doesn’t understand. Please don’t mind him, Eunuch Li.”

Then, his tone grew cold, still gentle but firm. “It’s a bit early to call me the Emperor’s brother-in-law. Ze’an doesn’t accept it, so I’m not considered part of the imperial family yet. Eunuch Li, you may go.”

After the eunuch left, I nervously tugged at Eldest Brother.

“Are you sure this won’t cause any problems?”

Eldest Brother coughed lightly, reassuringly patting my shoulder. “Remember this, Ze’an. No matter what happens…”

“The Lu family will always be your support.”

For half a month after that, I avoided Xiao Ce like the plague, running the moment I saw him.

When I couldn’t avoid him, Xiao Ce would call out “Scholar” several times, but I pretended not to hear and dashed away.

Then one day, the envoy from the Turkic Khaganate arrived in the capital.

It was said to be an envoy, but everyone knew that the Turkic princess had come to find a match.

In the capital, the only eligible bachelor of age was the Emperor, and everyone knew she was here for him.

So when Xiao Ce asked her who she’d like to show her around the city, the princess pointed straight at me, shocking everyone in the court—including me.

“This princess feels that young Lord Lu is most suitable.”

Xiao Ce’s eyes darkened. “He is not suitable.”

But the princess was straightforward.

“Why not? He’s unmarried, I’m unmarried—why not give us a chance to get to know each other? If it doesn’t work out, this princess won’t insist.”

Before I could process it, the princess grabbed my hand and pulled me out.

I hesitated, knowing how petty Xiao Ce could be. Would he mark me down for leaving early today? The princess flashed me a sly smile. “Brother Lu, don’t you remember me?”

Huh? She’s…

Looking at the Turkic princess, I finally remembered.

She had come to the capital as a child for study, and we had learned together with Xiao Ce in the palace.

Since Xiao Ce was a stickler, she and I had the most fun together.

The Turkic princess took me around the capital.

“Brother Lu, play with me for a few days, and I’ll grant you one request. You have no idea how boring people in the capital are—you’re the only one who’s interesting.”

I scratched my nose, laughing awkwardly.

It was the first time anyone had ever praised me like that.

Just then, I looked up and met Xiao Ce’s deep, shadowy gaze as he stood on the city wall, his eyes fixed on our intertwined hands.

I was so startled I immediately let go.

What’s going on? Why does he always pop up out of nowhere?

---

Not long after, trouble struck.

Someone poisoned the Turkic princess.

The princess didn’t like the dish, so she handed it to me to eat instead.

And, well, after I ate it, I collapsed.

When I woke up, I was back in Xiao Ce’s bed.

More terrifying than the poison itself, it was lights out for me.

After the imperial physician gave me the antidote, Xiao Ce insisted I stay in the palace to recuperate.

When I finally awoke, Xiao Ce’s face was cold, and his tone was icy.

“…Lu Ze’an, why do you eat everything?”

I was immediately displeased and spoke up angrily.

“I didn’t know! How was I supposed to know the envoy’s food would be so poorly checked? It’s not even my fault.”

I felt wronged for no reason.

I’m a grown man—he slept with me and now he’s scolding me? Even my eldest brother never said such things!

Xiao Ce quickly realized he had let his concern cloud his judgment and hurried to coax me.

“It’s not your fault. It’s my fault.”

He finally coaxed me out of the bed, and through my tear-filled eyes, I looked up at his handsome face.