Edited: 11.19.2023
Gu Yan brought Ye Zi back to his bedroom, gently put him back on the bed, and helped him remove his shoes and socks.
Ye Zi was disturbed, murmured something indistinctly, and half-opened his eyes. He glanced at Gu Yan and then closed his eyes mindlessly and continued to sleep, allowing Gu Yan to move him around.
Gu Yan helped Ye Zi change his clothes before sitting down at the edge of the bed.
Ye Zi slept like he was exhausted.
Gu Yan stared at Ye Zi’s sleeping face and was full of helplessness.
To think he was worried about this little fool for so long. His self-healing ability was really amazing, it was no wonder that this person was always so confident about his own body.
Ye Zi slept until the afternoon before waking up. He opened his eyes in a daze and vaguely heard someone’s voice coming from outside the door. Ye Zi’s brain was drowsy and he couldn’t hear clearly what was being said outside. After a while, the voices outside the door stopped.
Gu Yan pushed open the door with a bowl of medicine in his hand. Ye Zi quickly closed his eyes, turned his head, and pulled the quilt to cover most of his face.
Gu Yan’s footsteps slightly paused, pretending not to see that person’s superfluous action.
Ye Zi turned his back to Gu Yan and heard the person slowly walk to the bedside. He pulled over the low table beside the bed and placed the bowl of medicine down. Ye Zi didn’t dare to utter a single breath as he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.
But Gu Yan had plenty of patience. He sat at the edge of the bed without moving as he quietly looked at Ye Zi.
Ye Zi felt the hairs on his body stand up from being stared at, like ants crawling all over, and it was too unbearable. He finally couldn’t bear it anymore and pretended to wake up.
Gu Yan’s lips curled up: “Awake?”
“Y……Yeah.” Ye Zi responded sheepishly, his body unconsciously shrinking inward, “I’m still sleepy, I need to sleep again.”
Gu Yan ignored him, picked up the medicine bowl next to the bed and checked the temperature: “Drink the medicine and then go back to sleep, the temperature is just right at this time.”
Ye Zi’s face immediately scrunched up: “Can I not drink it?”
Gu Yan glanced at him calmly: “Nope.”
Ye Zi weakly resisted: “But I’m fine……”
The medicine was bitter and astringent and smelled even worse than the tonics Gu Yan had poured onto him when he was still unable to transform into a human form. The last time he was caught by Gu Yan using his leaves to make medicine for him, Gu Yan forced him to drink medicine for more than half a month. For a long time after that, the smell made him want to vomit.
“But you hurt your vitality.” Gu Yan took a cushion and placed it behind Ye Zi. After helping him sit up, he picked up the bowl of medicine and handed it to him: “Drink the medicine quickly, otherwise……”
Ye Zi blinked: “Otherwise what?”
Gu Yan was silent for a moment before he suddenly raised the medicine bowl and took a sip. He leaned forward to kiss Ye Zi on his lips. The bitter decoction was poured into Ye Zi’s mouth. Ye Zi couldn’t get away and could only swallow it obediently. But Gu Yan didn’t let him go. Instead, he became more and more aggressive, kissing Ye Zi until he couldn’t breathe.
Gu Yan straightened up and said with a calm expression: “Are you going to drink the medicine or not?”
Ye Zi couldn’t bear Gu Yan suddenly treating him like this. He blushed and gasped a few times, whispering: “Fine……I’ll drink it.”
“Mnn.” Gu Yan answered and helped Ye Zi sit up again, staring at him as he obediently finished the bowl of medicine.
After Ye Zi finished the medicine with a bitter expression, Gu Yan took the bowl and put it aside. He took out a small piece of caramel from his pocket and fed one to Ye Zi.
Ye Zi used the sweetness to ease the bitter taste in his mouth and asked: “Who were you talking to just now?”
“Someone sent by Pei Ge.” Gu Yan answered: “In the morning, A Chu’s mother has already taken the medicine and her symptoms have been relieved so far. We will observe her for another night. If nothing goes wrong tomorrow, it should prove that the medicine is not a problem.”
“That’s great.” Ye Zi said, “In that case, won’t the medicine be distributed to the people soon?”
Gu Yan nodded: “That is the plan.”
Ye Zi looked at Gu Yan’s face and asked: “But you don’t look like you’re very happy, what’s wrong?”
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Gu Yan lowered his eyes, straightened the quilt for Ye Zi, and whispered: “Maybe I’m worrying over nothing, but I always feel that things have gone a little too smoothly this time.”
Ye Zi was silent for a moment and held Gu Yan’s hand: “Don’t worry, I’m here. No matter what happens, I’ll face it with you.”
Gu Yan gathered Ye Zi’s long hair hanging in front of him and smiled lightly: “Okay.”
“Lie down for a while longer, don’t get up.”
“But I’ve already slept through the whole day……”
“……”
“Okay, I’ll sleep.”
Early the next morning, Gu Yan went to Pei Ge to inquire about the progress of the trial medicine. Ye Zi had been lying in bed all day and finally was allowed to move around. However, Yi’an was now under a city-wide curfew. Without Gu Yan by his side, Ye Zi couldn’t go anywhere. He could only stay in the room and read the files that Gu Yan had been investigating in the past few days.
After some unknown time, someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Ye Zi’s vitality had not yet fully recovered and he was reading some files in a drowsy state. He rubbed his eyes and raised his voice: “Come in.”
The door of the room was pushed open and it was A Chu.
When A Chu saw Ye Zi sitting at Gu Yan’s desk and flipping through the confidential files, a few hints of surprise couldn’t help but show in his eyes.
He quickly collected his expression and came forward: “Mister.”
Ye Zi raised his eyes to look at him and smiled: “So it’s A Chu, what’s the matter?”
A Chu walked to the table and placed a few things wrapped in plain white silk in front of Ye Zi. The silk was thin and light and he could vaguely see the light green color coming from inside it. It was most likely the green leaves Ye Zi gave him that day.
Several days had passed but the color of the green leaves was still as fresh as before, as if it had just been picked.
Ye Zi’s body ached at the sight of these leaves, but he more or less guessed A Chu’s intention of coming here. Ye Zi was silent for a moment and smiled: “What are you doing?”
A Chu said: “Dr. Pei just told me that my mother is out of danger and will be cured in a matter of days.”
Ye Zi nodded: “In that case, I would like to congratulate you.”
“Many thanks.” A Chu smiled and said in a low voice: “Since my mother has already been cured, I no longer need these, so please take them back.”
Ye Zi pondered for a moment. He didn’t say anything more and took the silk wrap.
A Chu looked at the leaves and seemed hesitant for a moment, as if he wanted to say something. Ye Zi noticed that he looked like he had something to say and asked: “What’s wrong?”
A Chu pursed his lips and asked in a low voice: “Can I ask where you found these herbs from?”
Ye Zi smiled disinterestedly: “Why are you suddenly asking this?”
“Just a little curious.” A Chu said, “This should be something extremely precious, since Mister was willing to give me so many, A Chu was a bit fearful.”
Ye Zi tilted his head and thought for a while, then made up a lie casually: “It was rewarded to me by the Prince. He said that it was some kind of nourishing herb that was sent as a tribute from a foreign region, nothing too serious. However, there aren’t many of these herbs in total, so it couldn’t be used to save everyone’s life.”
A Chu nodded and thoughtfully said: “His Majesty……treats you really well.”
Ye Zi was stunned for a moment and then came back to his senses.
This person didn’t know his identity and thought he was just a lover who followed Gu Yan around. Gu Yan’s kindness to him in the past few days had been obvious to all and had indeed far exceeded that of an ordinary person. Ye Zi tilted his head, thinking that maybe he should remind Gu Yan to pay more attention outside.
However, he didn’t correct A Chu’s thoughts and only nodded: “His Majesty indeed treats me well.”
A Chu lowered his eyes and said softly: “I really envy you……”
Ye Zi hesitated: “A Chu, you……”
“Sorry, I just suddenly remembered something from the past.” A Chu looked up at him and Ye Zi realized that this man had a pair of particularly attractive eyes, with long eyelashes and upturned eyes. There was also a natural charm between his brows and eyes.
No wonder Lord Ge would keep him in the residence and wanted to give him away as a gift.
A Chu said: “Mr. Ye may not know, but I was sold to Lord Ge at a young age because my family was poor. He got someone to teach me carefully and treated me quite well. But I understand what the price of all this is. He treats me well just so that he can give me away as a gift in the future, I can’t escape becoming a plaything in my future.”
“A Chu, don’t think like that.” Ye Zi raised his eyes to look at him: “Now that Lord Ge can’t do anything to you anymore, if you’re still worried, I can ask His Majesty to help you redeem your servant contract so that you can regain your freedom and be saved from such a fate.”
A Chu was stunned and lowered his head: “Mister, you truly are kind-hearted, no wonder you were able to win His Majesty’s heart.”
He paused for a moment and then added: “I can tell that His Majesty really likes you. In fact, I felt a little strange ever since the banquet that day. Even if the Prince really didn’t care about me at all, he wouldn’t have acted like that way on that occasion. He resisted and didn’t even want to touch me. It wasn’t until I bumped into you guys in the courtyard that I realized, it turned out to be because of your presence.”
Ye Zi’s brows furrowed slightly: “A Chu, what exactly are you trying to say?”
A Chu was silent for a moment and truthfully answered: “I……just want to know, where exactly did I fail?”
He spoke in a low voice: “I have been taught how to win a man’s favor ever since I was a child. But the first time I made a move, I was knocked to the point of confusion. I don’t understand what I did wrong…….”
Ye Zi’s heart suddenly flooded with a wave of pity. He sighed softly, walked around to this teenager’s side, and lowered his head: “You didn’t do anything wrong. You have done well enough.”
“That night, it wasn’t Lord Ge who sent you, right? You were the one that came on your own will.”
A trace of surprise flashed through A Chu’s eyes and he lowered his head without answering.
Seeing this reaction of his, Ye Zi knew that he was probably correct.
Ye Zi said: “Lord Ge was scolded by His Majesty at the banquet so he wouldn’t dare to let you approach him. You appeared there on purpose and coquettishly made a pitiful appearance of being forced in front of me and the Prince. Were you still thinking of having His Majesty take you in?”
“I…… ” A Chu’s eyes clouded with a layer of water and his voice sounded with a few choked sobs: “I really didn’t have any other way, Lord Ge was going to drive my mother out of Zenkong Temple, I could only…….I could only approach His Majesty. I’m sorry……”
Ye Zi sighed: “Everyone wants to live a better life. I can understand where you’re coming from. You used us to put pressure on Lord Ge and now that you have achieved your goal, I will not forget what I promised you. I will ask His Majesty to find a way to redeem your servant contract. As for how you want to live afterward, it’s up to you.”
A Chu looked up at him hastily: “I……don’t know how to repay you, I……”
“Repayment is not necessary.” Ye Zi lifted his face and gently wiped away the teardrops on his face, “A Chu, I am not a generous person. It is impossible for me to be unmoved by those little thoughts you played in front of His Majesty.”
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Ye Zi paused and faintly said: “I can forgive you once on account of the fact that you had a reason. But please remember, if you dare to think anything about my man again, I won’t let you off this easily.”
A Chu was stunned: “You-……Your man……”
The corner of Ye Zi’s eye curved into a smile: “Isn’t he my man?”
A Chu lowered his head and gently responded: “I understand.”
Ye Zi didn’t say anything else. A Chu bid farewell to Ye Zi and left. After leaving the courtyard where Ye Zi was staying, he sighed and took out a green leaf from his sleeve. He hadn’t returned all the green leaves that Ye Zi had given him.
After all the trouble from before, even if his mother’s illness was cured, A Chu would not be able to stay here any longer.
In order to cure his mother’s illness, the few silver taels left in his family had been all used up, how was he supposed to survive?
A Chu looked down at the small crystal clear green leaf in his hand with a complicated expression.
If this thing was really like what Ye Zi said, a strange herb from a foreign land, he might be able to find a place to sell it and get some silver.
——At least, that was what he originally thought.
But he didn’t expect that person to be so kind-hearted that he was even willing to help him redeem his servant contract.
In comparison, his behavior was really bad.
But he didn’t dare to tell the truth. If he admitted the truth now, would that person have a grudge against him and be no longer willing to help him?
Looking at the person’s nonchalant look, he might not have noticed the missing green leaf.
A Chu pinched the green leaf in his hand and walked across the courtyard with heavy thoughts in his mind. Because of a moment of inattention, he bumped into someone who was coming towards him.
A Chu was not prepared for this and took a few steps back before falling to the ground. Raising his eyes to see the person in front of him, A Chu quickly fell to his knees: “Please forgive me, Prince Jing.”
Gu Yi, however, did not look at him.
He bent down and picked up the green leaf that happened to fall by his feet.
Gu Yi held the leaf at his fingertips, scrutinized it for a moment, and asked with interest: “Little one, where did you get this thing from?”
After Ye Zi sent A Chu away, he returned to the table to look through the files. This time, however, he couldn’t calm down his heart.
People were born with compassion, but sometimes, compassion happens to be the most useless thing. Ye Zi understood this, but he couldn’t change that bad habit.
Ye Zi kept thinking about A Chu. After an unknown amount of time, the door was pushed open again.
It was Gu Yan.
Gu Yan walked into the room with a container of food: “Are you hungry? I had someone make you some food.”
He opened the container and unhurriedly brought out the food. Several simple and exquisite small dishes were placed all over the table, all of which Ye Zi loved to eat.
Ye Zi didn’t feel hungry at first, but when he smelled the delicious aroma, his stomach immediately growled. He quickly dropped what he was doing and walked to the table.
Gu Yan poured him a bowl of soup and handed it to him, asking: “I heard the guards say that someone had come over just now?”
“It was A Chu, he came to tell me that his mother was out of danger and wanted to return the leaves to me.” Ye Zi pointed to the silk wrap on the table that hadn’t even been opened: “Look, it’s right there.”
Gu Yan frowned: “It is something that should be taken back. You know that the leaves on that body of yours are rare and a cure-for-all. Only you would give such a precious thing away so casually.”
Ye Zi bit his chopsticks and said vaguely: “It’s just a few leaves. They will grow back soon. If you don’t believe me, just look.”
His eyes moved and a few small verdant green leaves slowly grew between the hairs on top of his head.
Those small green leaves were shyly hidden between his hair and they trembled with Ye Zi’s voice: “Look, I told you they grow back very fast. I just pulled them out two days ago and they have already grown back.”
Gu Yan didn’t respond. He looked at the green leaves above his head with interest and reached out his hand to gently touch the delicate leaf.
The tip of that leaf trembled and Ye Zi’s complexion suddenly changed.
Seeing his reaction toward that green leaf, Gu Yan became even more interested and couldn’t help but wrap his fingers over the leaf and gently rub it a few times.
Ye Zi’s face flushed red and after holding back for a while, he couldn’t hold back anymore and pulled Gu Yan’s hand away: “D-Don’t touch it anymore….”
Gu Yan was stunned for a moment, and then he noticed Ye Zi’s abnormality.
He vaguely realized something and asked: “A Zi, this part……”
Gu Yan didn’t finish his sentence and started poking at the leaves with his fingers more vigorously.
Ye Zi whimpered and a tingle spread from his spine to the back of his head. His body felt like jello and he couldn’t sit still anymore.
He just wanted to show Gu Yan the new skill he had just discovered. Who knew those leaves would be so sensitive?
Ye Zi gave up and buried his head on the table. He wanted to cry but had no tears, and his entire neck was red.
……So shameful.
Seeing that he really couldn’t bear it, Gu Yan had to reluctantly retract his hand. Having been teased so vigorously without stopping, Ye Zi’s leaves trembled gently in the air. He lay on the table for a while and finally retracted those leaves back with difficulty.
Ye Zi buried his face in his arms, turned his head to look at Gu Yan, and accused angrily: “You’re so mean…..”
Gu Yan cried and laughed: “You were the one who wanted to show them to me.”
Ye Zi was aggrieved: “Did I say you could touch them?”
“Fine, it’s my fault, I was wrong, okay?” Gu Yan stroked Ye Zi’s back soothingly: “Get up first and finish eating.”
Ye Zi nodded. Pretending to be calm, he picked up the chopsticks again and no longer thought about what just happened.
Gu Yan’s eyes glanced at the top of Ye Zi’s head from time to time. Ye Zi’s back was numb from his stare and he quickly changed the topic: “By the way, why are you back already? How is the situation at Zenkong Temple?”
The topic was changed in a very abrupt manner. Gu Yan didn’t want to push Ye Zi too hard, so he followed his train of thought: “Pei Ge is taking care of it. It’s not a big deal, but I will be going back later to take a look. Since no one knows you’re the princess consort, it is inevitable that the servants will not pay attention to you. I will come back to have dinner with you.”
His words were so heartfelt that Ye Zi’s heart, which he had managed to calm down, suddenly started thumping up again. He calmed himself and stopped thinking wildly: “Is the cure ready? When will it be distributed to the people?”
Gu Yan gave Ye Zi some food: “I’ve already discussed it with Pei Ge and if there are no accidents, it should be distributed to the people of Zenkong Temple tomorrow. Only……”
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Ye Zi asked: “Only what?”
Gu Yan was silent for a moment, as if he was deliberating.
Ye Zi pursued: “What’s wrong?”
Gu Yan shook his head and said truthfully: “Earlier, Sixth Imperial Uncle gifted me a box of that medicinal powder. I asked Pei Ge and the box of medicinal powder should be able to save all the people of Yi’an.”
Ye Zi didn’t understand the deep meaning of his words for a moment: “Isn’t it a good thing to be able to save all the people in Yi’an? What’s the problem?…..”
As he said this, his words suddenly came to an abrupt end and he realized something.
Ye Zi looked up at Gu Yan and saw the same worry as his own in his eyes.
Gu Yan sighed: “But it’s not only Yi’an that is suffering from the epidemic.”
Ye Zi pursed his lips and said softly: “Prince Jing, he……”
“I’m afraid his true purpose lies here.”
They couldn’t find out what exact herbs Gu Yi had given them. After saving the people of Yi’an, they would inevitably fall into the same predicament again. If he wanted to continue saving people, he could only ask Gu Yi for the medicine.
A terrible thought flashed through Ye Zi’s mind. He placed his hand on the back of Gu Yan’s hand: “Is Prince Jing……”
Gu Yan patted Ye Zi’s hand and shook his head: “No matter what, when this is over, I must go see him.”
Ye Zi said without thinking: “I’ll accompany you.”
“You can’t go.” Gu Yan flatly refused: “The fewer people who know about this kind of thing, the better. I don’t want to get you involved.”
After lunch, Gu Yan had to go back to Zenkong Temple to continue his work. Ye Zi had nothing to do and went with him to help. In the following days, Gu Yan stopped mentioning Gu Yi again. The next day, Pei Ge officially handed out the formula for the cure. Everyone prepared the medicine according to the formula and distributed it to the patients in Zenkong Temple.
In less than two days, all the patients improved uniformly.
The news that there was a way to cure the epidemic spread like wildfire in the city and with the patients gradually recovering and leaving Zenkong Temple, the city of Yi’an quickly returned to its former bustle.
The people spontaneously put up lanterns and streamers to celebrate the recovery. The city changed from its usual dead silence and became lively for a while.
Gu Yan was sitting in a private room of a restaurant in the city. As he looked down at the crowd on the street, he couldn’t help but sigh.
“Zicheng is now a great hero in Yi’an. You have saved countless lives so why are you sighing?” Gu Yi’s voice sounded from behind him. Gu Yan turned around as the man folded his fan and slowly walked towards him.
Gu Yan hurriedly got up and saluted Gu Yi: “Sixth Imperial Uncle.”
Gu Yi quickly helped him up: “Isn’t today a family dinner between uncle and nephew, why be so polite?”
Gu Yan’s eyes moved slightly and he said nothing more.
The two sat down at the table.
On the eaves above their heads, a slender plant was carefully hooked to the beam with its petite flower bud poked out. Ye Zi huddled himself in the shadow under the eaves and glanced at the duo.
Gu Yan refused to bring him here and Ye Zi couldn’t argue with him. In the end, he had to comply with his wishes and didn’t follow him.
However, he definitely couldn’t just stay at the residence to wait for him either. After careful consideration, Ye Zi had no choice but to change into his original form and follow him secretly.
Fortunately, before Gu Yan left Chang’an, in order to prevent him from encountering any accidents, he had removed the silver bells from his wrist. Otherwise, let alone changing into his original form and following him, even if he got a little closer to Gu Yan, people would hear the tinkling silver bells on his body.
Inside the private room, Gu Yan poured a cup of wine for Gu Yi: “I heard that this wine is brewed locally in Yi’an and is very unique. How about giving it a try, Imperial uncle?”
The two raised their cups and toasted. Gu Yi drank a cup and mused: “It is indeed good wine and it lives up to its reputation.”
Gu Yan said: “If Imperial uncle likes it, I will have someone deliver a few jars to your residence some other day.”
Gu Yi laughed: “Zicheng, if you have something to say, just say it. You’ve suddenly become so solicitous, it’s unlike you.”
Gu Yan sighed lightly and put down his glass: “Can’t Imperial uncle tell what I want?”
“I sincerely implore Imperial uncle to give me medicine to save the people who are still suffering from the epidemic.”
There was a moment of silence in the private room before Gu Yi said: “I thought it was something important, but it turns out medicine was simply running low. To be honest, I went out in a hurry this time and only brought so much with me. If Zicheng wants more, I will send someone to fetch it after we leave Yi’an.”
Gu Yan said: “Many thanks then, Imperial uncle.”
“No need to thank me, it’s something I should do.” Gu Yi played with the glass in his hand and laughed lightly: “But Zicheng, if I do you this favor, could you also do Imperial uncle a favor?”
This was not outside of Gu Yan’s expectations. He paused for a moment and said in a warm voice: “Imperial uncle, please speak.”
Gu Yi raised his eyes to look at him and his voice was low and clear: “I want you……to help me rebel against Emperor Jinghe.”
Edited: 11.19.2023
Gu Yan brought Ye Zi back to his bedroom, gently put him back on the bed, and helped him remove his shoes and socks.
Ye Zi was disturbed, murmured something indistinctly, and half-opened his eyes. He glanced at Gu Yan and then closed his eyes mindlessly and continued to sleep, allowing Gu Yan to move him around.
Gu Yan helped Ye Zi change his clothes before sitting down at the edge of the bed.
Ye Zi slept like he was exhausted.
Gu Yan stared at Ye Zi’s sleeping face and was full of helplessness.
To think he was worried about this little fool for so long. His self-healing ability was really amazing, it was no wonder that this person was always so confident about his own body.
Ye Zi slept until the afternoon before waking up. He opened his eyes in a daze and vaguely heard someone’s voice coming from outside the door. Ye Zi’s brain was drowsy and he couldn’t hear clearly what was being said outside. After a while, the voices outside the door stopped.
Gu Yan pushed open the door with a bowl of medicine in his hand. Ye Zi quickly closed his eyes, turned his head, and pulled the quilt to cover most of his face.
Gu Yan’s footsteps slightly paused, pretending not to see that person’s superfluous action.
Ye Zi turned his back to Gu Yan and heard the person slowly walk to the bedside. He pulled over the low table beside the bed and placed the bowl of medicine down. Ye Zi didn’t dare to utter a single breath as he closed his eyes and pretended to sleep.
But Gu Yan had plenty of patience. He sat at the edge of the bed without moving as he quietly looked at Ye Zi.
Ye Zi felt the hairs on his body stand up from being stared at, like ants crawling all over, and it was too unbearable. He finally couldn’t bear it anymore and pretended to wake up.
Gu Yan’s lips curled up: “Awake?”
“Y……Yeah.” Ye Zi responded sheepishly, his body unconsciously shrinking inward, “I’m still sleepy, I need to sleep again.”
Gu Yan ignored him, picked up the medicine bowl next to the bed and checked the temperature: “Drink the medicine and then go back to sleep, the temperature is just right at this time.”
Ye Zi’s face immediately scrunched up: “Can I not drink it?”
Gu Yan glanced at him calmly: “Nope.”
Ye Zi weakly resisted: “But I’m fine……”
The medicine was bitter and astringent and smelled even worse than the tonics Gu Yan had poured onto him when he was still unable to transform into a human form. The last time he was caught by Gu Yan using his leaves to make medicine for him, Gu Yan forced him to drink medicine for more than half a month. For a long time after that, the smell made him want to vomit.
“But you hurt your vitality.” Gu Yan took a cushion and placed it behind Ye Zi. After helping him sit up, he picked up the bowl of medicine and handed it to him: “Drink the medicine quickly, otherwise……”
Ye Zi blinked: “Otherwise what?”
Gu Yan was silent for a moment before he suddenly raised the medicine bowl and took a sip. He leaned forward to kiss Ye Zi on his lips. The bitter decoction was poured into Ye Zi’s mouth. Ye Zi couldn’t get away and could only swallow it obediently. But Gu Yan didn’t let him go. Instead, he became more and more aggressive, kissing Ye Zi until he couldn’t breathe.
Gu Yan straightened up and said with a calm expression: “Are you going to drink the medicine or not?”
Ye Zi couldn’t bear Gu Yan suddenly treating him like this. He blushed and gasped a few times, whispering: “Fine……I’ll drink it.”
“Mnn.” Gu Yan answered and helped Ye Zi sit up again, staring at him as he obediently finished the bowl of medicine.
After Ye Zi finished the medicine with a bitter expression, Gu Yan took the bowl and put it aside. He took out a small piece of caramel from his pocket and fed one to Ye Zi.
Ye Zi used the sweetness to ease the bitter taste in his mouth and asked: “Who were you talking to just now?”
“Someone sent by Pei Ge.” Gu Yan answered: “In the morning, A Chu’s mother has already taken the medicine and her symptoms have been relieved so far. We will observe her for another night. If nothing goes wrong tomorrow, it should prove that the medicine is not a problem.”
“That’s great.” Ye Zi said, “In that case, won’t the medicine be distributed to the people soon?”
Gu Yan nodded: “That is the plan.”
Ye Zi looked at Gu Yan’s face and asked: “But you don’t look like you’re very happy, what’s wrong?”
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Gu Yan lowered his eyes, straightened the quilt for Ye Zi, and whispered: “Maybe I’m worrying over nothing, but I always feel that things have gone a little too smoothly this time.”
Ye Zi was silent for a moment and held Gu Yan’s hand: “Don’t worry, I’m here. No matter what happens, I’ll face it with you.”
Gu Yan gathered Ye Zi’s long hair hanging in front of him and smiled lightly: “Okay.”
“Lie down for a while longer, don’t get up.”
“But I’ve already slept through the whole day……”
“……”
“Okay, I’ll sleep.”
Early the next morning, Gu Yan went to Pei Ge to inquire about the progress of the trial medicine. Ye Zi had been lying in bed all day and finally was allowed to move around. However, Yi’an was now under a city-wide curfew. Without Gu Yan by his side, Ye Zi couldn’t go anywhere. He could only stay in the room and read the files that Gu Yan had been investigating in the past few days.
After some unknown time, someone suddenly knocked on the door.
Ye Zi’s vitality had not yet fully recovered and he was reading some files in a drowsy state. He rubbed his eyes and raised his voice: “Come in.”
The door of the room was pushed open and it was A Chu.
When A Chu saw Ye Zi sitting at Gu Yan’s desk and flipping through the confidential files, a few hints of surprise couldn’t help but show in his eyes.
He quickly collected his expression and came forward: “Mister.”
Ye Zi raised his eyes to look at him and smiled: “So it’s A Chu, what’s the matter?”
A Chu walked to the table and placed a few things wrapped in plain white silk in front of Ye Zi. The silk was thin and light and he could vaguely see the light green color coming from inside it. It was most likely the green leaves Ye Zi gave him that day.
Several days had passed but the color of the green leaves was still as fresh as before, as if it had just been picked.
Ye Zi’s body ached at the sight of these leaves, but he more or less guessed A Chu’s intention of coming here. Ye Zi was silent for a moment and smiled: “What are you doing?”
A Chu said: “Dr. Pei just told me that my mother is out of danger and will be cured in a matter of days.”
Ye Zi nodded: “In that case, I would like to congratulate you.”
“Many thanks.” A Chu smiled and said in a low voice: “Since my mother has already been cured, I no longer need these, so please take them back.”
Ye Zi pondered for a moment. He didn’t say anything more and took the silk wrap.
A Chu looked at the leaves and seemed hesitant for a moment, as if he wanted to say something. Ye Zi noticed that he looked like he had something to say and asked: “What’s wrong?”
A Chu pursed his lips and asked in a low voice: “Can I ask where you found these herbs from?”
Ye Zi smiled disinterestedly: “Why are you suddenly asking this?”
“Just a little curious.” A Chu said, “This should be something extremely precious, since Mister was willing to give me so many, A Chu was a bit fearful.”
Ye Zi tilted his head and thought for a while, then made up a lie casually: “It was rewarded to me by the Prince. He said that it was some kind of nourishing herb that was sent as a tribute from a foreign region, nothing too serious. However, there aren’t many of these herbs in total, so it couldn’t be used to save everyone’s life.”
A Chu nodded and thoughtfully said: “His Majesty……treats you really well.”
Ye Zi was stunned for a moment and then came back to his senses.
This person didn’t know his identity and thought he was just a lover who followed Gu Yan around. Gu Yan’s kindness to him in the past few days had been obvious to all and had indeed far exceeded that of an ordinary person. Ye Zi tilted his head, thinking that maybe he should remind Gu Yan to pay more attention outside.
However, he didn’t correct A Chu’s thoughts and only nodded: “His Majesty indeed treats me well.”
A Chu lowered his eyes and said softly: “I really envy you……”
Ye Zi hesitated: “A Chu, you……”
“Sorry, I just suddenly remembered something from the past.” A Chu looked up at him and Ye Zi realized that this man had a pair of particularly attractive eyes, with long eyelashes and upturned eyes. There was also a natural charm between his brows and eyes.
No wonder Lord Ge would keep him in the residence and wanted to give him away as a gift.
A Chu said: “Mr. Ye may not know, but I was sold to Lord Ge at a young age because my family was poor. He got someone to teach me carefully and treated me quite well. But I understand what the price of all this is. He treats me well just so that he can give me away as a gift in the future, I can’t escape becoming a plaything in my future.”
“A Chu, don’t think like that.” Ye Zi raised his eyes to look at him: “Now that Lord Ge can’t do anything to you anymore, if you’re still worried, I can ask His Majesty to help you redeem your servant contract so that you can regain your freedom and be saved from such a fate.”
A Chu was stunned and lowered his head: “Mister, you truly are kind-hearted, no wonder you were able to win His Majesty’s heart.”
He paused for a moment and then added: “I can tell that His Majesty really likes you. In fact, I felt a little strange ever since the banquet that day. Even if the Prince really didn’t care about me at all, he wouldn’t have acted like that way on that occasion. He resisted and didn’t even want to touch me. It wasn’t until I bumped into you guys in the courtyard that I realized, it turned out to be because of your presence.”
Ye Zi’s brows furrowed slightly: “A Chu, what exactly are you trying to say?”
A Chu was silent for a moment and truthfully answered: “I……just want to know, where exactly did I fail?”
He spoke in a low voice: “I have been taught how to win a man’s favor ever since I was a child. But the first time I made a move, I was knocked to the point of confusion. I don’t understand what I did wrong…….”
Ye Zi’s heart suddenly flooded with a wave of pity. He sighed softly, walked around to this teenager’s side, and lowered his head: “You didn’t do anything wrong. You have done well enough.”
“That night, it wasn’t Lord Ge who sent you, right? You were the one that came on your own will.”
A trace of surprise flashed through A Chu’s eyes and he lowered his head without answering.
Seeing this reaction of his, Ye Zi knew that he was probably correct.
Ye Zi said: “Lord Ge was scolded by His Majesty at the banquet so he wouldn’t dare to let you approach him. You appeared there on purpose and coquettishly made a pitiful appearance of being forced in front of me and the Prince. Were you still thinking of having His Majesty take you in?”
“I…… ” A Chu’s eyes clouded with a layer of water and his voice sounded with a few choked sobs: “I really didn’t have any other way, Lord Ge was going to drive my mother out of Zenkong Temple, I could only…….I could only approach His Majesty. I’m sorry……”
Ye Zi sighed: “Everyone wants to live a better life. I can understand where you’re coming from. You used us to put pressure on Lord Ge and now that you have achieved your goal, I will not forget what I promised you. I will ask His Majesty to find a way to redeem your servant contract. As for how you want to live afterward, it’s up to you.”
A Chu looked up at him hastily: “I……don’t know how to repay you, I……”
“Repayment is not necessary.” Ye Zi lifted his face and gently wiped away the teardrops on his face, “A Chu, I am not a generous person. It is impossible for me to be unmoved by those little thoughts you played in front of His Majesty.”
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Ye Zi paused and faintly said: “I can forgive you once on account of the fact that you had a reason. But please remember, if you dare to think anything about my man again, I won’t let you off this easily.”
A Chu was stunned: “You-……Your man……”
The corner of Ye Zi’s eye curved into a smile: “Isn’t he my man?”
A Chu lowered his head and gently responded: “I understand.”
Ye Zi didn’t say anything else. A Chu bid farewell to Ye Zi and left. After leaving the courtyard where Ye Zi was staying, he sighed and took out a green leaf from his sleeve. He hadn’t returned all the green leaves that Ye Zi had given him.
After all the trouble from before, even if his mother’s illness was cured, A Chu would not be able to stay here any longer.
In order to cure his mother’s illness, the few silver taels left in his family had been all used up, how was he supposed to survive?
A Chu looked down at the small crystal clear green leaf in his hand with a complicated expression.
If this thing was really like what Ye Zi said, a strange herb from a foreign land, he might be able to find a place to sell it and get some silver.
——At least, that was what he originally thought.
But he didn’t expect that person to be so kind-hearted that he was even willing to help him redeem his servant contract.
In comparison, his behavior was really bad.
But he didn’t dare to tell the truth. If he admitted the truth now, would that person have a grudge against him and be no longer willing to help him?
Looking at the person’s nonchalant look, he might not have noticed the missing green leaf.
A Chu pinched the green leaf in his hand and walked across the courtyard with heavy thoughts in his mind. Because of a moment of inattention, he bumped into someone who was coming towards him.
A Chu was not prepared for this and took a few steps back before falling to the ground. Raising his eyes to see the person in front of him, A Chu quickly fell to his knees: “Please forgive me, Prince Jing.”
Gu Yi, however, did not look at him.
He bent down and picked up the green leaf that happened to fall by his feet.
Gu Yi held the leaf at his fingertips, scrutinized it for a moment, and asked with interest: “Little one, where did you get this thing from?”
After Ye Zi sent A Chu away, he returned to the table to look through the files. This time, however, he couldn’t calm down his heart.
People were born with compassion, but sometimes, compassion happens to be the most useless thing. Ye Zi understood this, but he couldn’t change that bad habit.
Ye Zi kept thinking about A Chu. After an unknown amount of time, the door was pushed open again.
It was Gu Yan.
Gu Yan walked into the room with a container of food: “Are you hungry? I had someone make you some food.”
He opened the container and unhurriedly brought out the food. Several simple and exquisite small dishes were placed all over the table, all of which Ye Zi loved to eat.
Ye Zi didn’t feel hungry at first, but when he smelled the delicious aroma, his stomach immediately growled. He quickly dropped what he was doing and walked to the table.
Gu Yan poured him a bowl of soup and handed it to him, asking: “I heard the guards say that someone had come over just now?”
“It was A Chu, he came to tell me that his mother was out of danger and wanted to return the leaves to me.” Ye Zi pointed to the silk wrap on the table that hadn’t even been opened: “Look, it’s right there.”
Gu Yan frowned: “It is something that should be taken back. You know that the leaves on that body of yours are rare and a cure-for-all. Only you would give such a precious thing away so casually.”
Ye Zi bit his chopsticks and said vaguely: “It’s just a few leaves. They will grow back soon. If you don’t believe me, just look.”
His eyes moved and a few small verdant green leaves slowly grew between the hairs on top of his head.
Those small green leaves were shyly hidden between his hair and they trembled with Ye Zi’s voice: “Look, I told you they grow back very fast. I just pulled them out two days ago and they have already grown back.”
Gu Yan didn’t respond. He looked at the green leaves above his head with interest and reached out his hand to gently touch the delicate leaf.
The tip of that leaf trembled and Ye Zi’s complexion suddenly changed.
Seeing his reaction toward that green leaf, Gu Yan became even more interested and couldn’t help but wrap his fingers over the leaf and gently rub it a few times.
Ye Zi’s face flushed red and after holding back for a while, he couldn’t hold back anymore and pulled Gu Yan’s hand away: “D-Don’t touch it anymore….”
Gu Yan was stunned for a moment, and then he noticed Ye Zi’s abnormality.
He vaguely realized something and asked: “A Zi, this part……”
Gu Yan didn’t finish his sentence and started poking at the leaves with his fingers more vigorously.
Ye Zi whimpered and a tingle spread from his spine to the back of his head. His body felt like jello and he couldn’t sit still anymore.
He just wanted to show Gu Yan the new skill he had just discovered. Who knew those leaves would be so sensitive?
Ye Zi gave up and buried his head on the table. He wanted to cry but had no tears, and his entire neck was red.
……So shameful.
Seeing that he really couldn’t bear it, Gu Yan had to reluctantly retract his hand. Having been teased so vigorously without stopping, Ye Zi’s leaves trembled gently in the air. He lay on the table for a while and finally retracted those leaves back with difficulty.
Ye Zi buried his face in his arms, turned his head to look at Gu Yan, and accused angrily: “You’re so mean…..”
Gu Yan cried and laughed: “You were the one who wanted to show them to me.”
Ye Zi was aggrieved: “Did I say you could touch them?”
“Fine, it’s my fault, I was wrong, okay?” Gu Yan stroked Ye Zi’s back soothingly: “Get up first and finish eating.”
Ye Zi nodded. Pretending to be calm, he picked up the chopsticks again and no longer thought about what just happened.
Gu Yan’s eyes glanced at the top of Ye Zi’s head from time to time. Ye Zi’s back was numb from his stare and he quickly changed the topic: “By the way, why are you back already? How is the situation at Zenkong Temple?”
The topic was changed in a very abrupt manner. Gu Yan didn’t want to push Ye Zi too hard, so he followed his train of thought: “Pei Ge is taking care of it. It’s not a big deal, but I will be going back later to take a look. Since no one knows you’re the princess consort, it is inevitable that the servants will not pay attention to you. I will come back to have dinner with you.”
His words were so heartfelt that Ye Zi’s heart, which he had managed to calm down, suddenly started thumping up again. He calmed himself and stopped thinking wildly: “Is the cure ready? When will it be distributed to the people?”
Gu Yan gave Ye Zi some food: “I’ve already discussed it with Pei Ge and if there are no accidents, it should be distributed to the people of Zenkong Temple tomorrow. Only……”
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Ye Zi asked: “Only what?”
Gu Yan was silent for a moment, as if he was deliberating.
Ye Zi pursued: “What’s wrong?”
Gu Yan shook his head and said truthfully: “Earlier, Sixth Imperial Uncle gifted me a box of that medicinal powder. I asked Pei Ge and the box of medicinal powder should be able to save all the people of Yi’an.”
Ye Zi didn’t understand the deep meaning of his words for a moment: “Isn’t it a good thing to be able to save all the people in Yi’an? What’s the problem?…..”
As he said this, his words suddenly came to an abrupt end and he realized something.
Ye Zi looked up at Gu Yan and saw the same worry as his own in his eyes.
Gu Yan sighed: “But it’s not only Yi’an that is suffering from the epidemic.”
Ye Zi pursed his lips and said softly: “Prince Jing, he……”
“I’m afraid his true purpose lies here.”
They couldn’t find out what exact herbs Gu Yi had given them. After saving the people of Yi’an, they would inevitably fall into the same predicament again. If he wanted to continue saving people, he could only ask Gu Yi for the medicine.
A terrible thought flashed through Ye Zi’s mind. He placed his hand on the back of Gu Yan’s hand: “Is Prince Jing……”
Gu Yan patted Ye Zi’s hand and shook his head: “No matter what, when this is over, I must go see him.”
Ye Zi said without thinking: “I’ll accompany you.”
“You can’t go.” Gu Yan flatly refused: “The fewer people who know about this kind of thing, the better. I don’t want to get you involved.”
After lunch, Gu Yan had to go back to Zenkong Temple to continue his work. Ye Zi had nothing to do and went with him to help. In the following days, Gu Yan stopped mentioning Gu Yi again. The next day, Pei Ge officially handed out the formula for the cure. Everyone prepared the medicine according to the formula and distributed it to the patients in Zenkong Temple.
In less than two days, all the patients improved uniformly.
The news that there was a way to cure the epidemic spread like wildfire in the city and with the patients gradually recovering and leaving Zenkong Temple, the city of Yi’an quickly returned to its former bustle.
The people spontaneously put up lanterns and streamers to celebrate the recovery. The city changed from its usual dead silence and became lively for a while.
Gu Yan was sitting in a private room of a restaurant in the city. As he looked down at the crowd on the street, he couldn’t help but sigh.
“Zicheng is now a great hero in Yi’an. You have saved countless lives so why are you sighing?” Gu Yi’s voice sounded from behind him. Gu Yan turned around as the man folded his fan and slowly walked towards him.
Gu Yan hurriedly got up and saluted Gu Yi: “Sixth Imperial Uncle.”
Gu Yi quickly helped him up: “Isn’t today a family dinner between uncle and nephew, why be so polite?”
Gu Yan’s eyes moved slightly and he said nothing more.
The two sat down at the table.
On the eaves above their heads, a slender plant was carefully hooked to the beam with its petite flower bud poked out. Ye Zi huddled himself in the shadow under the eaves and glanced at the duo.
Gu Yan refused to bring him here and Ye Zi couldn’t argue with him. In the end, he had to comply with his wishes and didn’t follow him.
However, he definitely couldn’t just stay at the residence to wait for him either. After careful consideration, Ye Zi had no choice but to change into his original form and follow him secretly.
Fortunately, before Gu Yan left Chang’an, in order to prevent him from encountering any accidents, he had removed the silver bells from his wrist. Otherwise, let alone changing into his original form and following him, even if he got a little closer to Gu Yan, people would hear the tinkling silver bells on his body.
Inside the private room, Gu Yan poured a cup of wine for Gu Yi: “I heard that this wine is brewed locally in Yi’an and is very unique. How about giving it a try, Imperial uncle?”
The two raised their cups and toasted. Gu Yi drank a cup and mused: “It is indeed good wine and it lives up to its reputation.”
Gu Yan said: “If Imperial uncle likes it, I will have someone deliver a few jars to your residence some other day.”
Gu Yi laughed: “Zicheng, if you have something to say, just say it. You’ve suddenly become so solicitous, it’s unlike you.”
Gu Yan sighed lightly and put down his glass: “Can’t Imperial uncle tell what I want?”
“I sincerely implore Imperial uncle to give me medicine to save the people who are still suffering from the epidemic.”
There was a moment of silence in the private room before Gu Yi said: “I thought it was something important, but it turns out medicine was simply running low. To be honest, I went out in a hurry this time and only brought so much with me. If Zicheng wants more, I will send someone to fetch it after we leave Yi’an.”
Gu Yan said: “Many thanks then, Imperial uncle.”
“No need to thank me, it’s something I should do.” Gu Yi played with the glass in his hand and laughed lightly: “But Zicheng, if I do you this favor, could you also do Imperial uncle a favor?”
This was not outside of Gu Yan’s expectations. He paused for a moment and said in a warm voice: “Imperial uncle, please speak.”
Gu Yi raised his eyes to look at him and his voice was low and clear: “I want you……to help me rebel against Emperor Jinghe.”
