Chapter 92: Caring for a Weak Xiao Wan
Eastern Capital, Luoyang.
The Posthouse.
Xiao Ji paced outside. Soldiers guarded the door, keeping it tightly shut and refusing any visitors. He had no choice but to pull up a stool and sit.
The bitter scent of medicine wafted through the air.
It was afternoon. Inside, Wei Wanlan lay curled up, covered in a cold sweat.
Military doctors and famous physicians from the city came in waves. They all said the same thing: it was internal exhaustion caused by excessive worry and pent-up emotions. There was no sign of improvement; only the one who caused the distress could resolve it.
All they could do was give him slices of ancient ginseng, nearly human-shaped in its potency, to keep him alive for now.
But there was a risk of complications—temporary delirium, talking nonsense, acting erratically. He needed careful nursing.
Careful nursing? That went without saying.
Su Jingzhi had brought Wei Wanlan into the Eastern Capital to recuperate, not even bothering to change his own robes. Instead, he personally changed Wei Wanlan into comfortable clothes, patiently washing his hands and face.
The Regent King felt Wei Wanlan’s little dragon claws were thin and weak. No matter how much he washed his small face, the sickly pallor remained. Su Jingzhi’s heart ached with an indescribable soreness.
He lifted Wei Wanlan, letting his chin rest on his shoulder, both of them sitting on the bed. He gently patted Wei Wanlan’s back, remembering how Little Wan had secretly shared after drinking the truth serum that he liked this position…
So he held him and patted him gently.
Sure enough, Little Wan settled down a bit.
He half-opened his doe-like eyes, nuzzling into his embrace, murmuring stickily about feeling unwell, and vaguely calling out “Fu Jun.”
The Regent King could only interpret it as “Husband.”
“I’m here.”
“Don’t go.”
“Mm. I’m with you. I won’t go.”
Wei Wanlan clutched his clothes even tighter.
Knowing this little fool couldn’t accept someone sacrificing themselves for him made it even harder. Yet Su Jingzhi still couldn’t reveal that he was “Fu Jun.”
Because Wei Wanlan had seen Fu Jun poisoned and blind with his own eyes.
Fu Jun was just a fake identity. It didn’t matter if he went blind or got poisoned. But the Regent King of Great Wei could not.
Before he completely let go of this world, there were many things to handle, loose ends to tie up for Wei Wanlan. He couldn’t have any weaknesses, not even to Little Wan. He had to remain invincible in front of everyone.
So even though the Regent King’s heart was breaking, he hadn’t figured out how to confess. For now, he had to keep it hidden.
People always say deep love leads to a short life.
Then he must count as a deeply devoted lover, right?
Knowing Little Wan vaguely realized he had feelings for the identity of Fu Jun, he couldn’t acknowledge it. Of course, part of it was his unwillingness to admit that one day he would become completely useless. He hoped that day would come later. He had too many helpless circumstances.
But now, he wanted to block out all helplessness.
Just for this moment, return to the present.
He didn’t care who Wei Wanlan thought he was right now, nor did he want to think about his inevitable death in the near future, or that perhaps he was destined never to be anyone to Wei Wanlan. He just wanted to be good to him now.
An Ruyi used to compare them to a shell and a pearl, but Su Jingzhi thought that was wrong. A pearl was just a grain of sand that fell into the flesh of the shell, grinding against it until it transformed.
Little Wan shouldn’t be a grain of sand, nor should he be ground down by anyone.
From the moment he confirmed his feelings for Wei Wanlan, Little Wan was his beloved, the master of the world, deserving of the gentlest treatment.
“Little Wan.”
Wei Wanlan seemed to be babbling, nodding against Su Jingzhi. He was very well-behaved; having found Fu Jun, he wouldn’t let go.
He gripped Su Jingzhi tighter, his knuckles turning white, but his voice was soft and gentle, like the warm afternoon sun and falling blossoms outside the Luoyang posthouse.
“Little Wan… is here too.”
Wei Wanlan clung to Su Jingzhi’s shoulders from behind, then shifted forward. He looked up, his eyes as innocent as a fawn’s. Suddenly, he freed a hand to touch Su Jingzhi’s brow and eyes. Even though the disguise had long been removed, he was too dazed to notice.
“Eyes, are they okay?”
Su Jingzhi’s breathing hitched at the touch on his brow.
After a long while, he opened his lips and said, “So-so. I can see clearly now.”
He didn’t expect Wei Wanlan to lean in closer, lightly pecking his lips.
Wei Wanlan’s nose was still sweating, but the tip was cool. Their breaths mingled, lips touching.
Wei Wanlan became even more innocent, blooming into a breathtaking smile that completely dazed Su Jingzhi.
Wei Wanlan said, “Don’t worry. Little Wan can detoxify you.”
Saying this, Wei Wanlan pecked him again.
This action made Su Jingzhi’s blood boil. His reaction was almost instinctive. Then Wei Wanlan was enveloped in his favorite woody scent.
Afternoon.
By the window near the peach tree at the posthouse.
Xiao Sheren stood on a stool, climbing the tree. Although the tree wasn’t very tall, its crown was perfectly aligned with the large room where Wei Wanlan was resting.
Xiao Ji felt he must be crazy.
Why else would he, a dignified high official of Great Wei, do something that even a mischievous child would get beaten for?
…Worried. He was truly worried.
Since Wei Wanlan was carried into the room by the Regent King and locked inside, neither of them had come out. Xiao Ji had waited outside with his stool for a long time, but the soundproofing was good, and he couldn’t hear anything. The guard, Li Jiucheng, was a die-hard loyalist of the Regent King, so he couldn’t get any information out of him.
Would the poor little emperor be abused?
The little emperor had once confided in him that he slept with the Regent King and that pulling his clothes could cure all illnesses.
Xiao Ji had thought it was strange at the time, half-understanding, but his political mind only thought of “Su Yan controlling the puppet emperor day and night,” nothing else.
But today was too strange.
He hadn’t seen Su Yan handle any court affairs. Nor military affairs. The captured Turks hadn’t been interrogated. Yuan Xizai’s treasury hadn’t been inventoried, let alone arranging where the silver would go.
Su Yan, usually busy to the point of madness, had stayed in a room for an entire afternoon, and likely the whole night.
This made Xiao Sheren extremely curious—what threat could a delirious, semi-conscious little emperor pose? What was there to monitor?
So Xiao Ji had to resort to this bad plan.
He climbed the tree.
The peach tree was sturdy.
It was covered in pink and white blossoms.
Luoyang was truly a city that loved planting trees. The peach blossoms in the city were as magnificent as those in the Imperial Villa.
Xiao Ji stood on the stool, hugging the trunk with his arms and pushing up with his feet. His stamina wasn’t great, so he couldn’t hold on for long. Climbing just two or three feet above the stool, his breathing became uneven, sweat beading on his forehead, panting heavily.
But for Wei Wanlan, Xiao Ji always felt uncontrollable concern.
So even though he wasn’t good at climbing, he used both hands and feet, scrambling up like a koala.
In front of Xiao Ji were layers of pink and white flower shadows.
He climbed into the crown. The slanted branches were sturdy enough, and his slender frame wouldn’t break them. But occasionally, he would shake down a shower of peach blossom petals. If anyone happened to be under the tree, it might attract attention, but he couldn’t control it—there were too many flowers.
Xiao Ji moved carefully along the branch, aiming to get close to the window, either to push it open a crack or poke a hole.
Getting closer to the window of the large room where Wei Wanlan was…
The window was papered.
It wasn’t very soundproof.
Before Xiao Ji could poke a hole in the paper, he frowned, hearing a faint whimper. Like the little emperor’s hum.
The sound scratched at Xiao Ji’s heart, making it itch inexplicably. He swallowed, extended a fingertip, poked a hole in the paper, and peered inside.
But the angle wasn’t great. He didn’t see the little emperor on the bed. The hole was too low; he only saw the Regent King’s feet.
Xiao Ji paused.
It wasn’t that Su Yan’s long, firm legs were worth looking at. He had legs too—not as long, but decent.
He noticed something wrong with Su Yan’s boots.
Those black boots matched his royal robes, but they weren’t the ones he usually wore at the Grand Secretariat. They lacked the embroidered python pattern. These boots were light and tight, tucking the pants in snugly—a style worn by martial artists for ease of movement.
Martial artist…
—Fu Jun!
The Regent King is Fu Jun!
To disguise his identity, he changed his clothes, but he didn’t change his shoes. Perhaps Su Yan thought no one would notice his boots, forgetting that Xiao Ji had walked with him all the way.
Xiao Ji had never expected that the most impossible deduction would turn out to be the truth: Su Yan had disguised himself to accompany the little emperor into the Imperial Villa.
Why would he do that…
Rumors in the court said their relationship had improved, but the Regent King was unapproachable, and the little emperor’s words revealed he was very afraid of him.
Xiao Ji’s fingertip touched the window paper again.
He hesitated for a moment, steeled himself, and poked further in. His finger paused again:
“Is this joke funny?”
“Not funny. Your joke is too cold. Sing for Little Wan.”
What’s going on?
Xiao Ji clearly heard the little emperor’s weak and abnormal voice. This wasn’t a sober little emperor.
But something even more shocking happened.
Through the window paper, he actually heard Su Yan singing.
Xiao Ji felt his eyes were about to pop out. He had known Su Yan for at least twenty years. In this lifetime, he had never heard him sing.
Who could make him sing?
The Regent King of Great Wei was singing in the room for the puppet emperor! Have they both gone silly???
The Regent King, defined as silly, stiffly exercised his vocal cords:
“Dragons soar to the nine heavens, phoenixes fly a thousand ren. The king’s plans are eternal, virtue is long-lasting. Strumming the qin and singing long, waiting for a prosperous and peaceful age.”
Outside the window paper, Xiao Ji’s mouth twitched. This song taste stopped at banquet elegance.
The more Xiao Ji listened, the more shocked he became. He wet his finger with saliva and poked the hole bigger. The scene he saw next was even more shocking…
He saw the bedding in disarray, piled haphazardly in the corner of the bed. Su Yan was coaxing the little emperor like a child, holding Wei Wanlan’s two dragon claws with both hands, letting Wei Wanlan sit facing him on his lap.
The little emperor seemed to be playing with him.
When tired of playing, he hung onto the Regent King’s shoulder, eyes open, hanging there silently for a long time.
Xiao Ji was startled.
He lost his footing, and a twig snapped with a crisp sound.
He was filled with disbelief and an inexplicable sourness rising in his heart.
He knew no powerful official would treat a pawn in their hand like this. This wasn’t crossing a line or treating a captive well. Even describing it as lecherous felt inappropriate.
Could it be, Xiao Ji thought, that the Regent King’s feelings for the little emperor were… love!?
Something that couldn’t be made public, couldn’t be spoken aloud.
Su Yan has a heart???
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