The Great Tang Never Sleeps City.

As the golden sun dipped in the west, the last rays of twilight vanished below the horizon. The heavy night had yet to settle in when the sudden burst of lights pierced through, igniting the streets one by one. From above, it looked like silver ribbons swirling, dazzling and bright.

Zhuang Dongqing stepped into a patch of light and found his thoughts as enchanting as the colorful lights. He patted his head, feeling a bit dazed. Three beers were still too much for him.

“Didn’t lie to you, isn’t it beautiful?”

Zhuang Dongqing nodded.

“Let’s go to Guangyue Tower,” said Lao San.

“My uncle runs it.”

“I said I’d treat everyone to good food and drinks, and I keep my word!”

The cheers from the other two roommates echoed, but they sounded fuzzy, as if coming from behind a layer of mist. Zhuang Dongqing shook his head, trying to clear his mind.

Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulder as Lao San wrapped an arm around him. “Qingqing, don’t think about anything. Just have fun here for the next few days.”

“Treat this place like your home.”

“Oh right, didn’t you say before taking a break from school that you wanted to date? Coincidentally, I have a buddy who also likes guys. I’ll introduce you two tonight…”

“Not to mention, he’s quite a looker…”

The older brother chimed in, “That novel you were pushing before wasn’t good, I haven’t heard you mention it. But I found another one recently, it starts with a golden core and flying to immortality, it’s a blast!”

Lao San swayed Zhuang Dongqing as they walked, and the older brother’s rambling became a blur.

…

After downing two more beers, the lanterns at Guangyue Tower seemed to double in Zhuang Dongqing’s eyes. The alcohol didn’t give him courage, and before Lao San’s friend arrived, Zhuang Dongqing felt like he might just run away.

On the way back, he nervously fidgeted with his hands, muttering to himself: be generous, act appropriately, don’t be nervous, just think of it as meeting a friend…

His left hand suddenly punched into his right palm. “Right, just think of it as meeting a…”

Before he could finish his resolute words, he suddenly felt his feet slip.

The wooden stairs loomed larger in front of Zhuang Dongqing.

Thud.

Ouch, that hurt.

*

The full moon hung high, casting a bright, clear light over the world.

In the Great Sheng Dynasty, at the capital, inside Guangyue Platform.

In the grand hall on the first floor, a famous performer sat high, half concealing her face with a pipa. As she played to a crucial point, she quickly swept the strings, accompanied by the soft, flexible movements of the dancer, bending and spinning. The music grew more urgent, the tempo faster, and suddenly, a sound like a stone breaking through the sky erupted, the long water sleeves fluttering like flowers, singing and dancing, the lingering sound echoing endlessly.

Cheers erupted from the audience.

Tables of guests were also caught up in the lively atmosphere, toasting, playing drinking games, composing poetry, having a great time.

“Good.”

A young man in splendid attire in a second-floor private room clapped his hands.

As he praised the performance, everyone at the table quickly echoed him, a chorus of compliments filling the air.

Only the man in black across from the young man, though he also clapped a few times, wore a faintly indifferent expression.

“Are the dishes to your liking?” the young man turned to ask him.

“Your Highness is joking. How could there be anything lacking at a banquet from the East Palace?” the man in black replied, his tone neither servile nor overbearing. Though he said it was good, there was no smile on his face.

The young man, who was the Crown Prince of the Great Sheng, didn’t take offense and continued amiably, “As long as you think it’s good. Who doesn’t know that King Dingxi Jian is in the Emperor’s favor? It’s not easy for you to be invited this time.”

The hint of reproach in his words made many guests exchange glances, looking at the man in black. The currently powerful King Dingxi, Cen Yan, though they didn’t dare to say anything outright, their gazes carried a hint of ungrateful reproach.

Cen Yan pretended not to see.

After a few pleasantries, the music and dance in the hall rose again, drawing the Crown Prince’s attention back.

As everyone immersed themselves in the performance, Cen Yan beckoned to his attendant, whispering a few words. The attendant’s pupils contracted, but his expression remained unchanged as he bowed respectfully and stepped back. When he returned, he took the opportunity to rearrange the wine cups on the table.

Before long, Cen Yan left his seat.

He hadn’t walked far when his attendant followed him out.

Leaving the private room, instead of going to the main hall, he quickly headed upstairs to the guest rooms. Turning a corner, he spotted a tall figure hiding in the shadows. As he approached, he recognized the high nose and deep-set eyes of Cen Yan.

The attendant hurried forward, “My lord!”

The candlelight flickered dimly. Cen Yan stood in the shadows, his face still expressionless, but the faint red on his cheekbones, illuminated by the night, betrayed a hint of his current discomfort.

It was clear something was wrong.

“Master Zhao has already gone to the private room. He has sent a fast horse back to the manor to fetch someone, and he has the wine cup as well. Are you alright, my lord?”

As he spoke, he reached out to support him.

Cen Yan waved his hand to brush him off, his voice hoarse, “It’s fine, lead the way.”

Along the way, the attendant kept glancing back, whispering, “Can you tell what kind of poison it is?”

Indeed, at the banquet, Cen Yan had told him nothing else but “the wine is off, it’s poisoned.”

Cen Yan shook his head, urging, “Hurry up.”

The attendant had no choice but to quicken his pace.

Upon entering the private room, the doctor from the royal manor, Master Zhao, had already lined up silver needles, waiting for Cen Yan to sit down and check his pulse to identify the poison.

Cen Yan extended his hand, and Master Zhao pressed on his pulse, listening intently, his brow gradually furrowing.

“Where’s the substance used for the medicine?”

“Here, this.”

The attendant pulled out the wine cup. Master Zhao held it to his nose to sniff, then brought it closer to the candlelight for a detailed examination.

After a moment, he took a silver needle and dipped it in a bit of the wine. The attendant saw that the needle’s color didn’t change: “No poison?”

Master Zhao only shook his head.

He then held the wine cup over the candle flame, and after a moment, the remaining wine was burned, releasing a faint scent of burnt feathers.

“This…”

Master Zhao’s brow tightened as he asked Cen Yan, “Do you feel dry in your mouth, your body hot?”

Cen Yan nodded, “It feels like something is burning in my dantian.”

Master Zhao picked up the silver needle and pricked several points on Cen Yan’s body. The needle that had rolled in the wine showed no discoloration, but the needle taken from Cen Yan’s body turned black as soon as it was heated.

The attendant panicked, “Master Zhao, what is it?”

Master Zhao’s face had already scrunched up. After pulling out the remaining needles from Cen Yan, he finally spoke, “If I’m not mistaken, it’s a type of aphrodisiac.”

The attendant was speechless.

Cen Yan’s cheekbones had turned deeper red. Hearing this, he wasn’t surprised; he must have already guessed from his body’s reaction. He only asked, “Then prepare some cool water?”

Aphrodisiacs usually only affect the body, and once the effect wears off, it’s fine.

“Absolutely not!” Master Zhao stopped him. “This is not a simple aphrodisiac. If I’m not mistaken, this is made from the powdered venom of southern region insects. Its effect, while not as sinister as the insects themselves, if not… if it’s not all released, I’m afraid it could harm your lifespan.”

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Master Zhao suddenly knelt down, “My lord, your health is the priority. Call someone to serve you!”

The attendant also knelt down in a hurry.

Cen Yan closed his eyes, sitting upright, and remained silent for a while.

Having been in a high position for many years, his demeanor was consistently calm and unhurried. But if one looked closely, aside from the flush on his cheekbones, in just this short time, beads of sweat had begun to form on his forehead and temples, clearly indicating the drug was still taking effect.

Seeing him unresponsive, the attendant grew anxious, “Should we return to the manor first?” That would make it easier to find someone.

Cen Yan replied, “If they choose this moment to strike, what will the Crown Prince think if we suddenly leave?”

Especially since he had already pushed the Crown Prince three or four times before. This time, he couldn’t find an excuse to avoid it.

The attendant was at a loss for words.

Since last year, the relationship between the Emperor and the Crown Prince had become increasingly delicate. This year during the festival, the Emperor publicly reprimanded the Crown Prince. All the princes were now older, and in the past six months, they had been picking up on the rumors, engaging in open and covert struggles, with various small actions constantly occurring…

But the Emperor had not yet grown weary of the Crown Prince. As a close attendant, Cen Yan could not recklessly speculate on the Emperor’s intentions or neglect the East Palace.

Leaving… was not an option.

Cen Yan said, “But we need to find someone. Whoever poisoned you may have a backup plan…”

If it was a chain scheme, one link connected to another, they had to be cautious.

Knowing Cen Yan had some cleanliness issues, and there was not a single warm bed in the manor, it was clear he wasn’t a lecherous person. Master Zhao was still pondering how to persuade him when he heard a hint of concession in Cen Yan’s tone and quickly said, “This is easy. Let Hao San go find someone. There are plenty of courtesans at Guangyue Tower. Just buy the one you like.”

With people in the royal manor, they wouldn’t be able to pull any tricks.

Cen Yan exhaled, his breath feeling scorching.

After a moment of silence, he finally nodded.

He added, “Find a man.”

Thinking Cen Yan wanted to eliminate any future heirs, Master Zhao and the attendant didn’t think much of it.

Both had followed Cen Yan for many years and knew he loved cleanliness. He definitely wouldn’t want anyone to see him in a state of drug reaction. After discussing it, Master Zhao and the attendant Hao San immediately stepped out.

“I know the prince doesn’t like people getting too close, but no matter what, you must handle this matter well tonight,” Master Zhao reminded Hao San at the door before they each went their separate ways.

*

Meanwhile, at another part of Guangyue Tower—

The incident happened too quickly. Looking at the figure in blue that had fallen down the stairs, everyone was momentarily speechless.

“What are you standing there for? Hurry and help him up!”

Someone shouted, and the seemingly frozen scene suddenly came to life.

In an instant, people rushed to help, while others blocked the way.

Five or six hands reached out to Zhuang Dongqing, helping him to his feet. He felt a wave of darkness before his eyes, and a buzzing in his ears.

After standing up, he swayed several times before finally stabilizing himself.

Zhuang Dongqing instinctively wanted to pat his head but was stopped.

“Zhuang Gongzi, are you alright?”

“I’ll take a look. Ouch, I hit my forehead, but there’s no bleeding. It looks fine…”

“It hurts.” Zhuang Dongqing gritted his teeth, feeling surrounded and trying to hold back the embarrassing tears.

“You drank too much today,” a nearby voice remarked.

Zhuang Dongqing nodded.

Five beers were indeed too much.

After such a fall, the dormant effects of the alcohol seemed to have been triggered, leaving his thoughts hazy, the voices around him muddled, and the scenes before him blurry and indistinct.

Zhuang Dongqing blinked hard, despairingly realizing the lanterns in the building had doubled again.

“I’ll help you to rest…”

“Our young master has already arranged everything. Tonight, you’re here for our young master…”

“Be careful! Watch your step.”

Dazed and confused, Zhuang Dongqing was helped along.

Once he started moving, the dizziness was unrelenting. His head throbbed painfully, and he couldn’t make out what the people around him were saying. He pressed his hand to his forehead, trying to endure, but couldn’t hold back. He discreetly wiped his eyes with the wide sleeves of his Hanfu.

As long as no one saw, it wouldn’t be embarrassing.

He hadn’t felt like he had walked far when, on the way back, the combination of a headache and drunkenness hit him hard, his health bar dropping to zero. It was a struggle to maintain a straight path, and in his dazed state, he felt like the server had changed midway. Another wave of dizziness hit him, and he stumbled, hearing someone say they had arrived.

Creak—

The intricately carved wooden door was pushed open.

Zhuang Dongqing blinked again, shaking off the pain from his head, and his vision became slightly clearer.

Would the carvings in the private room change…?

Lost in thought, he felt a gentle push on his back, and Zhuang Dongqing stumbled into the room.

With another creak of the door closing, a soft voice rang out simultaneously.

“Who?”

With no one to lean on, Zhuang Dongqing staggered several steps, grabbing onto the edge of a screen to find some support in the spinning world. He exhaled a breath of stale air, trying hard to steady himself.

His head still throbbed, and he felt an inexplicable heat rising in his body. Zhuang Dongqing groggily touched the injury, and his eyes suddenly welled up again.

The soft voice sounded again, the same words, now free from any distracting noise, becoming clear.

Just one word, the tone not impatient, but carrying an undeniable authority.

Zhuang Dongqing secretly wiped his eyes with his sleeve, “I… I’m here, Qingqing.”

His words were slurred, muddled, and carried a hint of a whimper.

It sounded like he was acting cute.

Zhuang Dongqing himself was taken aback.

The inner room fell silent.

Zhuang Dongqing’s toes dug into the ground, covering his entire face with his sleeve.

“Come in.”

The voice from inside spoke again.