Xie Shiguan had a day off today, but for some reason, he couldn’t sleep deeply and woke up at a quarter past the hour of the dragon (around 7:15 AM). Not seeing Shen Que upon waking, he asked the woman who was helping him with his hair, “Where’s Shen Que?”

“Your Highness, you forgot. The gentlemen have to be at the training ground for morning drills at the hour of the rabbit (around 5 AM),” the woman replied respectfully. “They start their duties at a quarter past the hour of the dragon, so he should be back by now.”

On his days off, he usually woke up late, so it was rare for him to be awake at this time. Xie Shiguan looked into the bronze mirror and noticed a faint handprint on his cheek. Because there was a mask covering it last night, only a light mark was left.

The women and maids in the room had already noticed it and were wondering who was so bold as to dare to slap the Prince’s face. But seeing that Xie Shiguan didn’t mention it, they pretended to be blind and didn’t dare to glance at his face again.

Xie Shiguan probably found it unsightly, so he frowned and asked the maids to bring some face cream to rub on the handprint. The maids carefully covered it up, barely managing to hide the mark.

Finally, Xie Shiguan got up to go to the side hall for breakfast. Before leaving, he paused slightly and warned the people in the room, “If I hear any gossip, I’ll cut out your tongues.”

The women and maids quickly fell silent, knelt down, and repeatedly agreed.

As soon as the Prince arrived, a bowl of soft lamb noodles and a plate of fried white sausage were placed on the table in the side hall. Xie Shiguan had no appetite, took a bite, and then put down his chopsticks.

At this moment, Shen Que shook the snow off his body at the entrance of the side hall and then came in carrying a lacquered red food box. After saluting, he noticed the breakfast already set in front of Xie Shiguan and was a bit stunned.

“What’s in the box?” the Prince asked.

Shen Que quickly opened the food box and took out the steaming chicken soup dumplings. He didn’t know Xie Shiguan would wake up so early today, so he hurried back, thinking he could catch him for breakfast.

Xie Shiguan recognized these dumplings. Not long ago, Shen Que had bought them for him as a late-night snack. Although he didn’t say he liked them, he ate more than usual. Shen Que probably thought they suited his taste, so he went out of his way to buy them.

The snowy roads were difficult to walk on. Shen Que had to be careful not to spill the soup and hurried back to keep the dumplings warm, working up a sweat in the process.

Seeing that Xie Shiguan didn’t seem displeased, Shen Que took out the sugar cake he had in his pocket and offered it to him in a somewhat ingratiating manner.

Xie Shiguan glanced at the cake. The sugar grains on it had melted slightly from Shen Que’s body heat. It was still warm but a bit squashed and not very appealing.

The Prince gave him a look, then reluctantly accepted it and placed it on the table.

Shen Que saw him take a sip of the chicken soup without frowning or putting down the spoon, and he finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.

“Who told you to buy the dumplings?” Xie Shiguan asked casually. “You didn’t know to time it right, wasting the breakfast prepared by the kitchen.”

He didn’t like it, and this breakfast was going to be thrown away anyway, but he said it on purpose to bully the mute.

Shen Que lowered his head slightly, like a child who had done something wrong. “I thought I could make it in time…”

Fortunately, Xie Shiguan didn’t seem genuinely angry. He tapped his finger lightly on the table and ordered, “Bring him a wooden chair.”

Shen Que was slightly taken aback, looking a bit at a loss.

The chair was quickly brought over, and Shen Que heard him say, “Considering your hard work, this breakfast is a reward for you.”

Shen Que was flattered, both nervous and grateful, and quickly waved his hand. He was a slave bought by the Prince’s Mansion, not even worthy of a rank, and didn’t dare to elevate himself to sit at the same table as the Prince.

“You don’t want it?” Xie Shiguan gave him a cold sideways glance. “Do you look down on the breakfast I’ve used?”

Shen Que immediately knelt down. “I wouldn’t dare. I know my lowly status, unworthy of such favor from Your Highness. Eating at the same table as Your Highness would be too much for me.”

“When I tell you to sit, you sit,” Xie Shiguan said. “If you don’t want to sit, then just keep kneeling.”

Shen Que lowered his head in embarrassment, then gritted his teeth, kowtowed to Xie Shiguan, and then timidly sat at Xie Shiguan’s side.

He didn’t even dare to sit properly, cautiously eyeing the soup in front of him. Just thinking that the Prince had touched it made him blush with embarrassment, hesitating to pick up his chopsticks.

Seeing him hesitate, Xie Shiguan didn’t even look at him and said, “What, you find it distasteful?”

Shen Que quickly shook his head, then took out a pair of bamboo chopsticks from his pouch, carefully picking up two strands of noodles and slowly putting them into his mouth, afraid of making any noise.

Xie Shiguan didn’t have a rule against talking while eating, but sitting with a mute didn’t leave much to say. If he spoke, Shen Que would have to put down his chopsticks and respond in sign language, which would kill the mood.

The two of them finished the meal in silence. Shen Que had something on his mind and wanted to speak several times but didn’t dare to move his hands.

Xie Shiguan was a bit annoyed by his behavior, so he said, “If you have something to say, say it.”

Only then did Shen Que start to gesture, “I want to ask for a leave of absence from Your Highness.”

“Leave of absence?” Xie Shiguan raised an eyebrow slightly. “For what?”

Shen Que had been with him for so many years and had never asked for leave for personal matters. Even when he had a cold and fever, as long as he was conscious, he would cover his face with white gauze and still manage to handle tasks for him.

He was like a loyal dog, always there for Xie Shiguan, as if he was born and lived solely for him.

Xie Shiguan couldn’t think of any personal matters Shen Que would need to attend to.

Since the Prince asked, Shen Que didn’t dare to lie, so he answered, “I want to go to the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple to pray for blessings.”

“You’ve been with me for so long, and I never knew you were a devout Buddhist,” Xie Shiguan said skeptically. “Besides, who are you praying for, and what blessings?”

He thought of that little spy who had sneaked into the Prince’s Mansion, assuming Shen Que still couldn’t let her go. Even though she was dead, he wanted to pray for her, fearing she wouldn’t have a smooth journey in the afterlife.

Shen Que keenly sensed the hint of anger in Xie Shiguan’s words. The Prince never meditated or believed in daily vegetarianism and chanting. To him, whether they were big monks or small monks, they were all just bald donkeys eating grass.

Only clean and pretty monks might barely count as people in his eyes.

“Shen Luo is leaving for Western Sichuan tomorrow,” Shen Que answered honestly. He never lied to Xie Shiguan. “It’s a dangerous journey, and I want to get him a peace amulet.”

For some inexplicable reason, Xie Shiguan felt a bit unhappy, even though he knew it wasn’t for that little maid.

“What use is a piece of paper?” Xie Shiguan asked coldly.

Shen Que was truly straightforward, never hiding or making excuses. He could have easily said he was praying for Xie Shiguan and getting a peace amulet on the side, and no one would have known.

But he insisted on telling the truth, even if it displeased others.

Shen Que rarely asked for leave, and it had taken a lot of determination to speak up. Hearing Xie Shiguan’s cold question, he felt a bit flustered but remained firm. “It might be useless, but I want peace of mind.”

He paused, then continued sadly, “Shen Luo has helped me a lot, and I want to do something for him.”

There was a long silence, so long that Shen Que thought the Prince was going to get angry again.

Then he saw the man in brocade clothes and a jade belt wave him off. “Go.”

Shen Que was stunned, staring blankly at Xie Shiguan, only to hear him say, “The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple isn’t far from the capital. I’ll only allow you half a day off. I want to see you back by dusk.”

Shen Que knew this meant he had agreed, so he knelt and kowtowed before slowly retreating.

Watching his back, Xie Shiguan subconsciously touched his still slightly swollen cheek, his gaze filled with a mix of annoyance and a meaningful smile.

For the debt of that slap, he was determined to torment him again tonight.

Meanwhile, Shen Que, who was walking away, was completely unaware of the gaze behind him. He reached for the money pouch hanging at his waist, worried he hadn’t brought enough silver.

Leaving the mansion, he headed straight for the East Market, renting a donkey cart from a boy on the roadside. Due to the snowy roads, the rental price had doubled recently, but Shen Que didn’t haggle and silently sat in the cart.

The accompanying driver was talkative, asking as he drove the donkey, “Judging by your attire, are you an official?”

Shen Que couldn’t gesture behind the driver’s back, and even if he did, the driver might not understand, so he remained silent.

“There have been several heavy snowfalls recently. The roads are slippery when it snows, and muddy when it melts,” the driver said, perhaps feeling awkward and trying to make conversation. “Sometimes, even if you pay extra, you can’t get a ride. You came at the right time today.”

Shen Que coughed a few times. The driver glanced back at him, and Shen Que met his gaze, then pointed to his throat.

The driver didn’t know if he understood, but he nodded and turned back, not speaking again.

The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple wasn’t far, and the long steps were swept clean of snow. The cold weather had frozen the bricks and stones, probably to prevent noble guests and pilgrims from slipping, so the young monks had sprinkled a layer of soil on the steps.

He arrived late, and the temple was already filled with incense smoke. However, the young monk at the courtyard gate saw him coming, noticed his honey-colored full-length warm robe with a landscape painting at the hem, and assumed he was an official.

But seeing he had no attendants, the young monk wasn’t sure.

The young monk approached with hands clasped together. “May I ask what brings you here, sir?”

Shen Que gestured, and the young monk didn’t understand but quickly realized he was mute, so he bowed slightly. “I’m a foolish monk. There’s a master inside who understands sign language. Please follow me.”

Shen Que followed him inside. When they arrived, the master was sweeping snow under a tree. Hearing footsteps approach and stop, he didn’t look up.

It wasn’t until the young monk tugged at his sleeve that the master raised his head.

The young monk left him there and returned to the courtyard gate to greet other pilgrims.

“I’ve come to pray for blessings and ward off disasters for my family,” Shen Que gestured first. “I want to request two peace amulets and offer a long-burning lamp.”

The master nodded and gestured back, “Please follow me.”

This master’s name was Mingchen, and he was both deaf and mute. Perhaps because there were few people like him in the mountain temple, he was lonely by the green lamp, so he spoke a few more words with Shen Que.

Master Mingchen was fifty-six this year, thirty years older than Shen Que. Despite the age difference, they surprisingly got along well, like old friends.

It was Shen Que’s first time offering incense. Kneeling on the prayer mat, he looked up at the compassionate eyes of the Buddha, the sea of lotus lamps reflecting in the golden body of the Buddha.

The first bow, he wished for his Highness to have a smooth life and good health.

The second bow, he wished for his senior brother to have a safe journey and return safely.

The third bow…

It was his turn, but he had nothing to wish for himself. After a moment of silence, he finally bowed.

The third bow, he wished to be like the tiles on the eaves, the clothes on his body, the soil on the snow, and the stars in the night, accompanying his Highness for all eternity.

This was his only private wish.

Shen Que didn’t seek divination or fortune-telling, only requested a long-burning lamp and two peace amulets, and finally donated some incense money.

With Xie Shiguan’s words about returning before dusk on his mind, Shen Que bid farewell to Master Mingchen, tucked the peace amulets into his sachet, and hurriedly left.

As he walked, his head slightly lowered but his eyes on the road, he suddenly saw a pair of black leather boots in front of him. Looking up, he saw a crimson crane cloak and a gold-threaded jade belt at the waist.

He wasn’t sure if it could be called a waist. To Shen Que, it seemed like it would take two people to embrace it fully.

Looking further up, he saw a pair of eyes filled with hatred, glaring at him fiercely. The man had a short stubble beard, with drooping skin around his eyes, and deep lines around his mouth even when he wasn’t speaking.

Shen Que recognized him. This was Miao Zongping, the brother of Miao Taihou, who had always been at odds with the Yan Prince’s faction.