Li Wuting stared at his tightly clasped hands, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something but he swallowed his words.

Ning Rushen was still close by, eagerly listening.

De Quan sneaked another glance and saw Ning Rushen covering his ear to listen to His Majesty’s whispers, and he couldn’t help but laugh inwardly:

He didn’t wait for Li Wuting to speak, and just as he was about to turn his head, a tingling warmth brushed across the back of his hand. A deep voice vibrated through the hand, tickling his eardrum:

He couldn’t resist, and turned his face to correct, “It’s clearly His Majesty—”

Turning his head, he almost bumped faces.

His heart skipped a beat, and he leaned back hurriedly, his waist bumping against the edge of the desk as he continued, “Always about your servant’s ear, three…”

“Three what?”

Li Wuting looked at him closely, his eyes deep.

Ning Rushen shivered and retracted the words “over and over again” that were about to slip out, “…three visits to the thatched cottage.”

A chuckle fell:

“How so, am I desperately seeking your ear?”

“…”

Ning Rushen still felt the lingering sensation, hearing words about seeking and thirsting felt subtly awkward. Especially since the speaker seemed perfectly serious and oblivious.

He quickly changed the subject, “Wasn’t Your Majesty about to clear up some doubts for your servant?”

Li Wuting hadn’t planned to speak the truth, but on a whim, seeing Ning Rushen still on alert, he casually said,

“It seems like Minister Ning doesn’t want to hear, so I won’t say it.”

Ning Rushen: …

Was this a negotiation?

He swallowed. Between a “brief shudder” and “scratching heart and liver for a lifetime,” he deliberated for a few seconds and chose the former as if resigned to his fate.

After all, he had shuddered so many times already.

What was one more time?

Thinking this, Ning Rushen closed his eyes and offered his already warming ear, “Your Majesty, please speak, your servant is ready.”

There was a brief silence by his ear.

Then came a voice, “Minister Ning really is…”

The warm breath didn’t brush past his earlobe.

The next second, a hand was placed on his shoulder, pushing him slightly away. Ning Rushen turned his head: ?

Li Wuting stood up, did not answer the question, and no longer teased his ear.

Ning Rushen puzzled: …Was this a flop?

Just as he was about to ask, a voice suddenly came from outside, “Your Majesty, the commander of the Royal Guard, Yin Zhao, requests an audience!”

Li Wuting, “Let him in.”

Ning Rushen temporarily gave up and stood aside.

Soon, Yin Zhao walked in briskly. His golden-red ceremonial robe was imposing, and the embroidery knife at his waist was cold and merciless.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, there’s progress in the case.”

Li Wuting gestured, “Speak.”

“Yes, the tribunal has obtained confessions, leading to a case of selling fake exam papers. Moreover, a candidate named Xie identified a jade pendant shown by the seller, which has been found in a room at the Moon Fairy Inn—”

Yin Zhao paused, “Due to the unusual nature of the matter, I took the liberty of securing the evidence from the tribunal.”

Ning Rushen: …

You Royal Guards are still so rash.

Yin Zhao presented a jade pendant, “Please, Your Majesty, make a decision.”

The jade pendant was presented before the Emperor.

Ning Rushen first felt the material familiar, then suddenly, he spotted a character at the corner of the pendant: Xuan

It was a token of Prince Xuan.

His heart skipped a beat, shocked: With Prince Xuan’s lazy nature, why would he sell fake papers???

Yin Zhao reported, “The tribunal is in uproar, demanding justice.”

Li Wuting frowned with a headache, “I told him to leave the capital soon…”

Ning Rushen watched his expression:

From the tone, Li Wuting seemed to know something. And he didn’t intend to punish Prince Xuan.

“Based solely on a jade pendant, it can’t be used as evidence of guilt. But to silence the critics, order Prince Xuan to be confined to his residence.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Moreover…” Li Wuting’s tone slowed, “Keep a close watch on Prince Xuan’s mansion, not allowing any servant to leave.”

Yin Zhao’s eyes flashed with understanding as he took his leave.

Ning Rushen watched his departing figure.

The sound of the desk being knocked brought his attention back, “What are you looking at, Minister Ning?”

Ning Rushen withdrew his gaze, “Another galaxy.”

He seemed to have seen a glimpse of Commander Yin’s thoughts.

Li Wuting, “……”

Ning Rushen tentatively spoke, “Your Majesty, I don’t think it was Prince Xuan.”

He was too shocked earlier to react.

Thinking about it now, that jade pendant seemed too deliberate.

Li Wuting did not respond directly.

Only tapped the jade pendant as if he didn’t take the evidence seriously, “Regardless, we still need to detain him for a while to calm the situation.”

Ning Rushen hummed in agreement.

Li Wuting thought for a moment, then said to him, “Although it’s his fault, Prince Xuan has been wronged. It’s inconvenient for the palace to intervene directly, so I grant you a reward, and you take half of it to Prince Xuan’s mansion to console him.”

Ning Rushen’s cheeks flushed slightly, “This, how could I! I haven’t done anything, why should I take half the reward…”

“Your smile is too wide, Minister Ning.”

“…”

Ning Rushen embarrassedly pursed his lips: indeed, joy is hard to hide.

He asked, “Which items should be shared with Prince Xuan?”

Tonic gifts, brocade, large coral?

Li Wuting had started dealing with official documents, “You pick as you like, just give him something that looks good but is useless.”

Ning Rushen greatly admired: Your brotherly love is indeed profound.

·

The fake exam paper case implicated Prince Xuan.

Prince Xuan, Li Yingtang, was ordered to be confined.

The court began to speculate in whispers, watching the direction of the wind: wondering if the Emperor was going to act against his brother.

Ning Rushen, facing this storm, brought the load of superficially appealing but useless gifts to Prince Xuan’s mansion.

The Royal Guard at the gate of Prince Xuan’s mansion greeted him familiarly, “It’s been a while, Lord Ning.”

Ning Rushen hesitated, “Have we met before?”

“That night by the Huai Ming River, I saw your performance!”

“…”

He patted the man’s shoulder and entered.

The Royal Guard really liked to stir up trouble.

…

Inside Prince Xuan’s mansion, everything appeared leisurely as usual.

When Ning Rushen followed a servant to find Li Yingtang, the latter was climbing a tree. Seeing him, Li Yingtang immediately shimmied down, his sleeves fluttering in the wind like a giant moth.

“Lord Ning has arrived, this prince has been remiss in not greeting you from afar!”

Ning Rushen looked complexly at the tree top Li Yingtang had just climbed, “…no worries, it was far enough.”

Any further would be another world.

Li Yingtang saw the gifts on the stone table, “What’s this?”

Ning Rushen explained, “His Majesty couldn’t come personally, so he had me bring these consolation gifts to your highness.”

Li Yingtang rubbed his hands, “No problem, your presence is just as good.”

Ning Rushen: ?

“Never mind.” Li Yingtang waved his hand, then happily started rummaging through the pile of gifts, “Wow! Large agate!”

“…”

Ning Rushen saw his carefree attitude, “Aren’t you worried at all?”

“With His Majesty around, no problem.”

Li Yingtang suddenly uttered a sound, a few concerns surfacing, “I just hope the resolution isn’t too smooth, His Majesty might soon force me to leave the capital.”

Ning Rushen didn’t know what to say, only managed to squeeze out a comforting word, “The case is under the Royal Guard’s responsibility.”

“…” The two exchanged a look.

Both cut off their words, leaving it at that.

Seeing how carefree Prince Xuan seemed, Ning Rushen prepared to return to the palace to report.

Li Yingtang, seeing him about to leave, firmly pulled him down to chat.

Tea was served, and pastries brought out.

Ning Rushen hesitated for a half-second, then wavered and sat down, picking up a pastry and crunching away, “Your Highness, are you just bored because you can’t leave the mansion?”

Li Yingtang also crunched, “Bored to death.”

“…” It was obvious, he was climbing trees till they were bare.

Ning Rushen was pondering when he suddenly heard Li Yingtang ask:

“I won’t be able to enter the palace to play for a while, how are you and His Majesty lately?”

What did he mean by him and His Majesty?

Ning Rushen was puzzled, “We, we’re both quite healthy?”

“…” Li Yingtang, “Ah no, I mean…”

He carefully chose his words, subtly worrying for someone, “Like, hasn’t His Majesty been doing something recently?”

Ning Rushen, although confused, subconsciously touched his own ear, “Doing what?”

Li Yingtang’s eyes sharpened: Oh…

Satisfied with the gossip, he patted Ning Rushen, “Not bad.”

Ning Rushen: ?

After speaking, Li Yingtang thought for a while, then warmly invited, “Lord Ning, come sit at the mansion more often.”

Ning Rushen: …

Come to do what, watch you climb trees and me hit walls?

He responded, “Um, I’ll definitely come to sit next time.”

·

The fake exam paper case had extensive implications and would take some time to handle.

Prince Xuan’s confinement lasted five or six days.

Li Wuting, having finished the day’s last batch of petitions in the Imperial Study, thought of his brother: with Prince Xuan’s restless nature, a few days of confinement might drive him mad.

Still considering their fraternal bond, he summoned a Royal Guard to inquire, “How is Prince Xuan these days?”

The guard stationed at the prince’s mansion reported, “He looks very well.”

Li Wuting frowned, “What amusement has he found?”

“The prince has been furiously writing, locking himself in his room for three days and nights.”

“…”

It’s said that the dragon has nine sons, each different.

Among the late Emperor’s sons, Li Yingtang was the least fond of reading.

Li Wuting suspected Li Yingtang had gone mad from confinement, “What’s he writing?”

The guard replied, “A thick stack, I don’t know.”

“Find a chance to bring a few pages back for me to see.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The guard was efficient.

That evening, a stack of papers was brought before the Emperor, “Your Majesty, I took a few from the middle. It shouldn’t be noticed by the prince.”

Li Wuting hmm’d and picked up a sheet to read:

[Tinghai Floating Record]

“…Ning Lang leaned against the imperial desk (crossed out) bed frame, his face flushed, angrily covering his ears and glaring at Ting (crossed out) Ting Jun: You said you’d only touch, why did you start kissing?

Ting Jun held his waist, whispered: If you really didn’t want to, why did you embrace my (crossed out) shoulders?

Ning Lang immediately blushed: I didn’t embrace, it was my hand that hung there on its own.

Ting Jun then smiled: Next time, shall I tie up your hands so they can’t hang there by themselves?

The two whispered for a while, quickly entangling in the drapes hanging from the bed frame, a flurry of light gauze fluttering.

Even the moon outside the window blushed…”

Li Wuting, “…………”

Perhaps out of respect for imperial dignity, the entire piece used pseudonyms, but they were so thinly veiled that the real identities were obvious at a glance.

The Imperial Study was silent for a long while, until finally, a cold and detached voice fell from above:

“Close the case within three days, and clear Prince Xuan’s name.”

The guard shivered, “Yes!”

Li Wuting tossed the stack of papers onto the desk, “And then get him out of the capital as soon as possible.”