Chapter 57

At five and a quarter hours of the Tiger hour, the morning bell rang.

The sky was still dark, and all twelve city gates of Shengjing were wide open.

Several fast horses rushed into the city, heading straight for the Beilin Mansion in the east market.

The visitors dismounted at the mansion’s gate and were escorted to Xie Tingzhou’s study by the guards.

After a night of riding, they were covered in a thin layer of sweat. The leading guard wiped the sweat off his forehead, taking large strides.

“It’s only the fifth watch, we might disturb His Highness’s rest. We should report to him after he wakes up,” one guard said.

“The Prince has been awake,” the escort responded.

The visitor didn’t understand and was about to ask when the guard added, “He just returned from Zuiyun Tower, still not sober from the alcohol.”

“Has something big happened in the capital?” the visitor inquired.

The guard shook his head, “No, you may go in yourself.”

The atmosphere inside Qingpuju was very oppressive, and no one liked to approach unless necessary, fearing they might make a mistake.

When the news was reported, Xie Tingzhou was leaning against the couch, his temples throbbing. He was playing with a bottle of top-grade wound medicine, his dim eyes lost in thought.

He had spent two days at Zuiyun Tower. Although he was slightly intoxicated, his mind was clear. The more he drank, the more he understood what he wanted.

Glancing at the window, he asked, “What time is it?”

“Six and a quarter hours of the Tiger hour,” the guard replied.

Xie Tingzhou rubbed his temples, “Let him in.”

As the guard entered and reported, it was evident that the task had not been completed.

He explained the situation while paying close attention to Xie Tingzhou’s expression, his heart hanging in the balance.

“When we arrived, it was already too late. The other villagers were unharmed, but the old man…”

“At that time, he was still holding on, asking me to pass on a few words…”

The guard recalled the scene.

The old man lay in a pool of blood, barely hanging on, saying, “Tell them not to blame themselves. I… have been alone for so many years, it’s been a long time since… since I’ve had such a lively time.

I’ve been wanting… to go and see my wife and child. I’m leaving… happily, just… there’s one thing I can’t let go.”

The snow outside the window had just fallen yesterday, weighing down the golden bamboo, bending them low.

Xie Tingzhou walked to the window, his breath slightly catching in his throat. He hadn’t expected that these past few days of ease and comfort would become the old man’s executioner.

“Is there more?” he asked calmly.

“The old man asked me to pass on a message to Xiaoyu, but I don’t know who Xiaoyu is,” the guard said.

“You may proceed.”

“The old man said that although his house is nothing special, it’s still a shelter from wind and rain.

He left it to Xiaoyu, telling him that if he ever has nowhere to go, he can stay there.

The old man entrusted the dog to me, asking me to find a suitable family for it.”

The guard finally finished conveying the old man’s message.

“What about the dog?” Xie Tingzhou asked.

The guard dared not raise his head. “Following the old man’s request, I buried it beside his relatives’ graves. I’m not sure how Your Highness plans to dispose of the dog, so I took the liberty to bring it back.”

Xie Tingzhou flicked the snow on the window sill with his finger, then thought for a moment, “You’ve done well.”

“And the dog, what should be done with it?” the guard asked boldly.

“Bring it here.”

The guard left, but as he reached the door, Xie Tingzhou changed his mind after some thought, “Wait. Give the dog to Xi Feng and have him take it to Xiaoyu.

I have a blue eagle in the courtyard, and Yellow will probably become its meal within an hour of entering.”

Moreover, the dog is very afraid of him, always cowering in his presence, but it becomes very joyful every time it sees Zuiyun Tower.

As the dawn broke, it added a layer of gold to the snow.

Xie Tingzhou finished a calligraphy piece but still couldn’t calm his mind.

When he left the village, Xiaoyu had tears in his eyes. Now, hearing about the sudden passing of the old man, he didn’t know how Xiaoyu would react.

He couldn’t deceive himself; he was worried.

Another hour passed, and suddenly the study door opened.

Xie Tingzhou strode out and said, “No need to follow.”

Xi Feng halted, and the white feathers under the eaves fluttered up, circling in the air before diving down towards Xie Tingzhou, landing on a tree branch by the road.

The branch, when stepped on by the bird, caused the snow to flutter down.

The road to Lu Ming Xuan was quiet. Servants were sweeping, and when they saw him, they immediately kneeled.

As he approached Lu Ming Xuan, the sound of dogs barking became clearer, occasionally accompanied by the sound of claws scratching at the door.

Xie Tingzhou’s expression grew stern, quickening his pace. He pushed open the courtyard gate, and Da Huang dashed out from inside.

The dog had a good memory; Da Huang recognized him and circled around him before running to the door of a room, barking urgently.

Xie Tingzhou sensed something was wrong. Da Huang was barking so loudly, yet Xiaoyu hadn’t come out.

The door was half open, only leaving a crack through which Da Huang squeezed out.

Pushing the door open, the light streamed in, falling on the figure lying on the bed, causing Xie Tingzhou’s gaze to freeze.

Throughout the journey, he had pondered a lot, how to face him, how to confront the sordid thoughts he had towards him.

He had restrained himself, but still desired to possess him.

But he never expected to see such a scene.

Xiaoyu was lying on the bed, his cheeks flushed, and his pale lips cracked.

Xie Tingzhou touched his forehead; it was burning hot. He softly called out, “Xiaoyu, Xiaoyu?”

Shen Yu was in pain all over, especially on his back. Someone was calling him, but he couldn’t open his eyes.

Xie Tingzhou saw his lips move, so he leaned closer to hear, but he didn’t hear him speak. He only heard the hot breath panting in his ears.

There was a teapot on the bedside table, intending to give him a drink, but it was empty inside.

“Someone!” Xie Tingzhou called out loudly.

No one responded outside the door for a long time.

Xie Tingzhou’s anger grew, and he strode to the courtyard gate. “Someone!”

The maid who was sweeping quickly discarded her broom and hurried to the courtyard gate. “Your Highness.”

Xie Tingzhou’s heart was burning with anger. “Where are the servants of Lu Ming Xuan?”

The maid trembled, “When Your Highness was not in the capital before, Lu Ming Xuan had not arranged any servants.”

Xie Tingzhou fell silent for a moment. “Send for the doctor and bring another pot of water. Also, call Xi Feng and Chang Liu over.”

He returned to the room. Da Huang was unusually docile, lying weakly by the bed. When he heard footsteps, he looked up, then lay back down.

Xiaoyu’s breathing became more rapid, his forehead burning, but he wasn’t sweating.

Once external wounds were mishandled, they could easily lead to infection and fever. Since the beating, he didn’t know how long he had been lying here alone.

Xie Tingzhou stared blankly at him, for the first time regretting the decision he had made.

How could those twenty lashes have beaten him like this?

He reached out, grabbing his collar. After a moment of hesitation, he carefully pulled it open.

His shoulders were narrower and paler than an average man’s, even whiter.

As his clothes slowly slipped down to his waist, the scars on his back were fully revealed.

The crisscrossing whip marks were distributed on his back, but there was a gap in the middle about the size of a palm.

Xie Tingzhou approached in confusion, his gaze sweeping over the back, but suddenly froze there.

Beneath that slender body lying prostrate, there were beautiful curves pressed against both sides of the chest.

Xie Tingzhou’s mind exploded like thunder, the string in his mind suddenly snapped.

His gaze moved from there to Xiaoyu’s face.

After sharing a bed all this time, he hadn’t realized that she was a woman!

What did his pain and struggle these days mean now?

It could only be considered laughable.

The wall in his heart had already begun to crumble, ready to accept that part of himself, but reality had given him a new path.

At this moment, he didn’t know whether to be sad or happy.