Shen Ling stared at the words “Xie Zhen was here” and was completely dumbfounded.
So this was the legendary grand prize?
Hugging the empty golden egg, he looked over the little note again and again, then picked up the small square seal made of jade. Other people carved dragons or tigers on their seals, but he had carved a… QQ penguin.1Translator’s Note: The QQ Penguin The QQ penguin is the iconic mascot of QQ, a popular Chinese instant messaging service developed by Tencent and launched in 1999. The penguin, usually depicted wearing a red scarf, became one of the most recognizable symbols of early Chinese internet culture. Beneath it were the words “Xie Zhen’s seal.” It looked completely unserious, like he was just messing around.
He couldn’t help laughing. Xie Zhen’s personality was completely different from what he’d imagined. What a cheeky guy.
He stroked the Golden egg, then met Li Sui’s gaze and presented him with the golden egg in both hands. “Your Majesty, look. Is there anything you want?”
Li Sui glanced at the note and the little seal, then quickly looked away. “You solved the puzzle. The gift is yours.”
Shen Ling asked cautiously, “Your Majesty, don’t you want to keep something as a memento?” After all, it had been left behind by Li Sui’s White Moonlight. He could keep it as a memento and think of him whenever he saw it.
Li Sui’s expression suddenly changed. He fixed his eyes on Shen Ling, a trace of ill intent in his gaze. “Looks like I really do need to hurry up and appoint an Empress.”
Shen Ling was baffled. “What does that have to do with appointing an Empress?”
Li Sui took Shen Ling’s hand and sighed. “There’s no one else in the world as kind and magnanimous as Tingting. You’re always calling me ‘Gege’ and ‘husband,’ yet you don’t mind in the slightest. They say a prime minister’s belly is big enough to sail a boat in,2Translator’s Note: “A Prime Minister’s Belly Is Big Enough to Sail a Boat In” This is a humorous Chinese expression based on the saying 宰相肚里能撑船 (zǎixiàng dù lǐ néng chēng chuán), which literally means “a prime minister’s belly is big enough to hold a boat.” It describes someone who is exceptionally magnanimous, tolerant, and broad-minded—someone capable of overlooking others’ mistakes and petty grievances. The prime minister in the saying represents a person of great status and virtue, whose figuratively spacious belly symbolizes a generous heart. but I think Tingting’s is even bigger. You’re just the person to be the Empress.”
Shen Ling: “……”
His brain short-circuited. He stared at Li Sui’s face and listened to his nonsensical words, which sounded a little jealous and a little sarcastic. He had no idea what was going on in the emperor’s head. Did he miss his White Moonlight or not? Could it be that spending so much time together had made him fall for his stand-in?
At the thought of true feelings, his eyes suddenly widened, and he regarded Li Sui with rare astonishment. Then he saw the emperor lower his head until they were looking straight at each other. The warmth in Li Sui’s expression faded, and a malicious teasing glint appeared in his eyes. “Does Tingting want to be Empress?”
Shen Ling: “…” All right, that had all been an illusion. How could a man like the emperor, who flirted with everyone and kept looking for stand-ins, have any true feelings?
He closed the eggshell and hugged it to his chest, then pressed himself against Li Sui’s side and rubbed against him, acting coy. “Oh, Your Majesty, don’t praise me anymore. You’re making me blush. Even if I have no title or status, I’d be perfectly happy just to stay by Your Majesty’s side as a servant.”
Li Sui sighed. “Tingting, you love me so much. I truly don’t know how I ought to treat you.”
“Just kiss me, Your Majesty.” Shen Ling leaned his face toward him. “I’m easy to please.”
Li Sui didn’t kiss him. He only stroked Shen Ling’s cheek, his expression half amused, half mocking. “You’re all pretence.”
Shen Ling protested, “My heart is perfectly sincere.”
The two of them sat in the room, flirting with one another half in earnest and half in jest, unaware that the entire street outside was packed with people. Countless onlookers were admiring the poems, copying them down, and reciting them. The literary world of Great Yu was in an uproar, and some people even tried to climb up to the private room in the restaurant, hoping to meet the “great Confucian scholar” inside who had written the poems.
Fortunately, the shopkeeper of Baiweiju kept a strict watch and had the private room firmly locked. He didn’t let in so much as a single fly, sparing them from having their identities exposed.
Only when Shen Ling saw the crowd growing larger and larger did he realize something was amiss. He tugged at Li Sui’s sleeve and reminded him, “Your Majesty, there are too many people around. Why don’t we leave? My brother went to pay respects to Father today and nearly fainted along the way. I need to bring him some food, or I’m afraid he’ll starve to death at home.”
Li Sui glanced out at the scholars surging toward them, then smoothed Shen Ling’s bangs. “So many people like these poems. Doesn’t Tingting want to go out and take a look? If you show your face at the window today, by tomorrow the second young master of the Shen family’s astonishing talent will be known throughout Great Yu. You’ll become the literary leader, surpassing Ruan Zanxue, and the Shen family’s standing will rise with yours. This is a rare opportunity.”
Shen Ling had no desire to pass himself off as a literary genius. He could recite poems written by people from the past, sure, but he couldn’t bring himself to claim someone else’s work as his own.
“I’m just a messenger. I don’t have that kind of talent. Why pretend to be someone I’m not and invite trouble?” Shen Ling’s lips curled up. “Your Majesty, my strengths lie elsewhere.”
Li Sui raised an eyebrow. “Where?”
Shen Ling shamelessly replied, “In bed. I learn bedroom skills really fast. Isn’t Your Majesty the one who knows that best? Come to think of it, it’s been days since we last saw each other. Have you missed me lately?”
Li Sui: “…………”
Shen Ling’s ears turned red, but he still went on saying shocking things. “I’ve missed Your Majesty so much. The nights have been so lonely. I learned a new trick a few days ago, and I think we should try it out tonight.”
Li Sui fell completely silent. He just gripped Shen Ling’s arm, his hand heavy.
Shen Ling didn’t notice at all, assuming he’d managed to seduce Li Sui again. He quietly slipped out to find the owner and settle the bill, only to be told that as long as he carried Xie Zhen’s personal seal, he could eat, take whatever he wanted, and come and go without paying at any Xie establishment—shops, trading companies, escort agencies, or shipping firms. They would automatically give him the highest level of assistance, too.
Holding the seal, Shen Ling suddenly felt that this gift was almost too much to handle.
He’d heard Shen Mei say that the Xie Clan’s trading business had branches all across Great Yu, with arrangements even among the barbarians in the north and in Yingzhou to the south. If that were true, this really was an incredible gift.
Senior! Senior, you’re such a good person!
Shen Ling was deeply moved. From this moment on, Xie Zhen was going to be his White Moonlight, too. Sob, what an absolutely amazing person!
The shopkeeper of Baiweiju showed them a back way out. Shen Ling took Li Sui by the hand, and the two of them sneaked out through a side gate like a pair of lovers meeting in secret.
The main street was too crowded for a carriage, so the two of them took a detour through the back alleys. Hand in hand, they jogged along like a young couple who’d snuck out to enjoy the lantern fair on Mid-Autumn night.
Once they were far from the main street, the commotion over the poems faded into the distance. A cool breeze carrying the damp scent of water brushed their faces, and Shen Ling only then realized that, without noticing, they had come near the moat.
Lotus lanterns bearing people’s wishes floated downstream one by one. Their lights gathered across the water, forming what looked like a river of stars on the earth.
“Your Majesty, you rarely leave the palace. Is there anywhere you’d like to go?” Shen Ling patted his chest and showed off his little purse. “Your Majesty helped me copy so many poems today without a single mistake. You must have worked hard. I have to treat you properly.”
Li Sui replied impassively, “You taught me well.”
Shen Ling really was a good teacher. When he helped Li Sui memorize the poems, he’d picked out the difficult characters in advance, like a teacher highlighting the key points, and written them down on the side for Li Sui to copy. He couldn’t have been more thorough.
“Not at all. You’re the one who writes so beautifully, Your Majesty. Each character is worth its weight in gold.” Shen Ling showered him with praise without holding back. “Shall we go release river lanterns together? Or sky lanterns? Or watch the fireworks? Want some mooncakes? Actually, I don’t think mooncakes taste all that great. I saw a pitch-pot game at the other end of the street. Your Majesty’s so good at archery, I bet you’d be great at pitch-pot, too. Shall we have a look?”
As Shen Ling went on listing more and more activities, Li Sui pointed toward several empty boats moored along the riverbank. “Let’s take a boat downstream into Xuanwu Lake. We can watch the fireworks or release sky lanterns there. The view is the best, the most open.”
Shen Ling said that His Majesty was truly a local, and really knew how to pick the perfect spot. Then, golden egg in hand, he climbed aboard. Li Sui followed and tossed a gold ingot to the boatman, signaling that he needn’t come along. He took up the punting pole himself and pushed the boat away from the shore. It glided away from the shore and drifted with the current.
It was a very small boat, just big enough for the two of them. It had probably been prepared especially for Mid-Autumn Festival: inside the cabin there was osmanthus wine and a plate of mooncakes. Shen Ling touched neither. He only leaned over the side of the boat and reached into the river.
The icy water submerged his wrist. A little fish even swam over and slipped between his fingers.
Li Sui sat at the other end and said nothing. Everything around them was quiet, as though only the two of them remained in all the world, and a sense of loneliness arose for no reason.
Shen Ling was most afraid of being lonely.
“Your Majesty.” Shen Ling rolled over and looked up at the full moon, squinting as he spoke softly. “There’s no one around. Want to tell me what’s on your mind?”
They’d written so many poems and seen so many things left behind by old friends that night. Even Shen Ling had been moved. Li Sui’s feelings must have been even more complicated.
Unfortunately, Li Sui was a closed book. Resting his head on one hand, he poured himself a cup of wine and downed it in one go. Then he fixed his eyes on Shen Ling with a half-smile. “What about you? Does Tingting want to tell me what’s on his mind?”
Shen Ling sat up and smiled at Li Sui, showing a row of small, white teeth. “What would Your Majesty like to know? Ask whatever you want. I’ll tell you everything I know, and hold nothing back.”
“Really?” Li Sui turned his wine cup in his hand. He watched Shen Ling’s striking, exquisite features and those clear, transparent eyes, then slowly said, “Shen Ling, second young master of the Shen family. He had a high fever as a child that wouldn’t break, and afterward was left a fool. He was illiterate and could barely communicate with others. Last year, Censor Shen was framed by the He clan. To prove his innocence, he dashed himself against a pillar and died. The Shen family was exiled, and when they reached Yingshan, they were attacked. Every prisoner exiled with them was killed.”
Shen Ling’s eyelid twitched.
Then Li Sui continued, “Six months ago, you appeared at Prince Jing’s residence. By then, you’d recovered. You could speak eloquently, and you were lively and restless.”
Crack! A spark burst, molten iron scattered, and the sky blossomed with fiery trees and silver flowers. Perhaps the auspicious hour had arrived: countless sky lanterns began rising slowly from the lakeshore. Their lights were reflected in the water, and Shen Ling felt as if he were surrounded on all sides by lanterns.
Across from him, Li Sui’s eyes were half lowered. His unusually long lashes hid his gaze, making it impossible to see what was on his mind.
“Those sixty-six poems weren’t something the second young master of the Shen family could have recited. And the things you say to me every day aren’t things he would have said, either.”
“Are you Shen Ling? Or are you something else?”
For a moment, Shen Ling’s heart leapt into his throat, then dropped heavily back into place. Clutching the gift Xie Zhen had given him, he looked at the emperor, his expression unreadable in the shadows. Then, abruptly, he leaned closer, crawling toward him on all fours like an animal, and breathed softly against him. “What if I’m not?”
Li Sui’s eyebrows lifted slightly. Just as he was about to say something, Shen Ling touched his lips with a finger and whispered furtively, “I’m a fox spirit who returned to life through a borrowed corpse, and I came down from the mountain especially to seduce Your Majesty and bring ruin to the country.”
“Are you afraid, Your Majesty?”
Shen Ling felt uneasy.
After a long while, he heard Li Sui laugh in the darkness. Then he felt a hand settle on his tailbone.
“Turned into a fox? Then where’s Tingting’s tail? Let me have a look.”
Author’s Note:
Shen Ling: I’m not human, you know!
Li Sui: It’s not like I can’t be attracted to furries.
