The man didn’t leave until dawn. Shen Que was on edge, terrified of being seen. He wrapped himself in a snow-white crane cloak and stood in the courtyard for a while, making sure no one was around before urging Lin Xie inside to hurry up and leave.

Seeing Shen Que so nervous, Lin Xie found it amusing. He slipped on his short boots, hooked an arm around Shen Que’s neck, and gave him a light peck on the cheek.

Shen Que hadn’t slept all night and was feeling listless. But that kiss sent a shiver through him, waking him up a bit.

They were in the courtyard now, in broad daylight, and Shen Que felt even more uncomfortable than when they were inside. Just as he was about to raise his hand to sign, he accidentally choked on his breath and turned his head to cough.

Lin Xie feigned a look of concern, pinching Shen Que’s cheeks to open his mouth. “Let me see, did I hurt your throat?”

Shen Que’s eyes were already red from coughing, and he was worried that Lin Xie’s voice might be overheard, which made him even more anxious, causing a pain in his chest.

Lin Xie teasingly rubbed Shen Que’s lips with his thumb, joking, “I was so gentle, didn’t even crack your lips, why are you being so delicate?”

Taking advantage of Shen Que’s slow sign language, Lin Xie continued, “Besides, I heard there’s a folk remedy… maybe if I do it a few more times, your voice might actually get better.”

What kind of remedy is that! This guy was clearly talking nonsense!

Shen Que stopped coughing, but his throat still itched. He pushed Lin Xie’s back to hurry him away.

Lin Xie was feeling a bit tired himself, so he stopped teasing and left through a side door in the courtyard, taking a long detour back to his sleeping quarters.

Once the troublemaker was gone, Shen Que dared to go back and wash up. Yuanzhi had been getting up early these days, and had already boiled water in the back courtyard. Seeing the figure leave, he brought the hot water inside.

Shen Que was grateful for his thoughtfulness and helped carry the hot water. Then he asked Yuanzhi to hold out his hand, placing a handful of pine nut candy in his palm, and slipped a few pieces of silver into his other hand.

“I was too busy around New Year’s to give you a gift,” Shen Que signed gently. “Take this silver for pocket money. Have Master Shiyi accompany you to buy some snacks or little trinkets from the nearby shops.”

Yuanzhi stuffed the entire handful of pine nut candy into his mouth, puffing his cheeks like a hamster.

Shen Que couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to ruffle his hair. “Eat slowly, what are you doing?”

After washing up, Shen Que changed into a clean official robe and forced himself to head to the Prince’s sleeping quarters. But he hadn’t even reached the koi pond when the Silla maid who understood sign language approached him.

“Master, please wait,” the maid said softly. “His Highness invited Master Yu over last night and just fell asleep not long ago. He probably won’t wake up until the afternoon. You should return for now.”

Shen Que was taken aback, nodded somewhat awkwardly, and turned to leave.

He had been tormented all night and hadn’t closed his eyes, so he felt dazed, his mind foggy, and his heart heavy with a touch of bitterness.

He couldn’t quite understand where this bitterness came from. Perhaps it started when the Yan Prince had his first bed partner. That night, with flickering candlelight, the room was filled with passion, while he waited inside, separated from the bed by just a screen.

Shen Que knew he had no right to feel sad. He was just a slave bought by the Prince, a mute, a freak. He wished for His Highness’s well-being with all his heart. Now that His Highness was growing up, he should be happy.

But he wasn’t made of stone. He was flesh and blood, with a heart that beat and felt. How could he not feel sad at all?

After all these years, he thought he had come to terms with it. But when he actually saw and heard it, Shen Que still felt dazed.

But after the daze, it was over. He knew he wasn’t worthy of His Highness. Being able to serve him closely, to watch him from nearby, he was already very content.

Back at Lan Sheng Courtyard, Shen Que secretly washed the silk handkerchief that Lin Xie had dirtied. He didn’t dare hang it out to dry, so he used the residual warmth of the charcoal brazier in the room to slowly dry it.

Who would have thought that just as it was half-dry, Shen Que heard a series of hurried footsteps. He turned to see Yuanzhi rushing over with a lacquered red food box in hand.

Shen Que quickly tucked the half-dry handkerchief into his sleeve.

Yuanzhi had become much more composed in his tasks lately. Even if there was something urgent, he wouldn’t dare run around recklessly in the inner residence.

When he reached Shen Que, he caught his breath before speaking, “Master, someone outside seems to be looking for you.”

He set down the food box. Shen Que hadn’t gone for morning practice today, so Yuanzhi had gone to the kitchen to get two pancakes, thinking to bring them back for Shen Que to fill his stomach. But he hadn’t expected to hear commotion from the outer residence. Curious, the child had watched for a while, only to find that the “commotion” was related to his master.

Shen Que was puzzled. Xu Sixian was dead, and he didn’t know anyone outside the residence now.

“The gatekeeper saw him dressed so poorly and was about to chase him away with a broom, but he insisted he was your father. When asked your name, he couldn’t answer, only saying you were a mute.”

“The gatekeepers wouldn’t let him in, so he refused to leave, shouting that he wouldn’t go until you came out to see him.”

Shen Que froze, disbelief written on his face. “What… what does he look like?”

Yuanzhi thought for a moment and answered slowly, “He’s very dark, skinny but tall, with a square face, wearing a tattered paper coat. Oh, and he has a noticeable black mole at the corner of his eye.”

He pointed to his temple, “I think it’s around here.”

Shen Que’s expression turned cold immediately.

That familiar yet unfamiliar shadow became clearer in his mind, as if he was back in that autumn day, starving and freezing, with his mother lying pale on the bed, unmoving no matter how he pushed her.

The cold memories flashed by, leaving his mind blank, filled only with boundless confusion.

Why was he here? What did he want? Hadn’t he sold him? Why was he looking for him now? How did he even know… that he was here?

Seeing Shen Que’s face change, Yuanzhi, already worried, asked softly, “Master, do you really want to see him?”

Shen Que didn’t want to see him. Just thinking about that man made him nauseous, his stomach twisting as if hands were pulling at his insides.

But he didn’t dare not see him. He knew all too well how shameless that man could be. If he really hid in the inner residence and refused to see him, that man would surely make a scene until everyone knew. If it reached the Prince’s ears… he didn’t even dare to think about it.

After a long while, Yuanzhi saw him raise his hand and sign lightly, “See.”

*

Inside the outer residence gate, several gatekeepers were holding back a middle-aged man with wooden sticks. The man was out of shape, showing signs of gaining weight, and was shouting at them with a flushed face, “I want to see my son! Call him out and tell him his father wants to see him!”

One of the gatekeepers eyed him coldly, “This is the Yan Prince Residence. You have no invitation and can’t even name the master. If you keep causing a ruckus, we’ll have to send you to the authorities. Go ask at the Di Ming Residence.”

Hearing the threat of reporting to the authorities, the man showed a hint of fear. But soon, he started shouting again, “His own father is here, and he’s just going to watch as I’m sent to the authorities? That’s unfilial! I’ll file a complaint with the magistrate, and I don’t believe he won’t come to see me!”

“He’s rich now, grown wings, and won’t even see his own father. That’s unkind and unfilial. How could I, Jiang Shaoxiong, have such an unfilial son?”

Just as he finished speaking, he saw a young man walking slowly from inside the gate. The man was dressed in casual clothes, a snow-white crane cloak, tall and slender, but walking slowly, almost laboriously.

The gatekeepers, seeing him approach, quickly bowed and greeted him, “Master Shen.”

Shen Que nodded slightly, then his gaze fell on the disheveled middle-aged man at the gate.

Jiang Shaoxiong unabashedly looked him up and down. Shen Que was no longer the dirty, skinny kid he used to be. Jiang Shaoxiong didn’t recognize him at all, assuming he was a steward of the residence.

So he approached with a fawning smile, mimicking their address, “Master Shen, I didn’t mean to cause trouble. My son left home over ten years ago, and I’ve only just found out where he is. I just want to see him. The heart of a parent, I beg you to help.”

Shen Que looked at him coldly, almost suppressing his nausea just to stand in front of him.

The psychological damage he had done to him was too great. Even now, he would occasionally dream of the fire tongs, the drunken man, the woman’s cries. These terrifying images intertwined, becoming nightmares he could never shake off.

“Master?” Jiang Shaoxiong looked at him with a fawning expression. “It’s just a matter of lifting a finger. I’m almost fifty, my hair is mostly white. If I can’t see my son today, I’ll regret it even in the afterlife.”

The more he spoke, the more nauseous Shen Que felt.

The gatekeeper couldn’t stand it anymore. He’d been on this job for over ten years and had never encountered such a brazen scoundrel. If it weren’t for him claiming to be Master Shen’s father, he would have been sent to the authorities long ago.

Now Shen Que was standing right in front of him, and he didn’t recognize him. So the gatekeeper assumed he was lying and causing trouble, spitting at him, “Open your eyes and look closely. This Master Shen is the ‘son’ you keep talking about. What kind of lowlife dares to provoke Master Shen?”

Jiang Shaoxiong, hearing this, stared at the young man in front of him, almost as tall as he was. After a brief moment of surprise, a complex light appeared in his eyes. He grabbed Shen Que’s hand, shouting, “Jiang Guan’er, you’re my Jiang Guan’er?”

Author’s Note:

There will be another update in the evening~ Thank you all for your subscriptions and support~~