When Han Zhen caught up to them, Li Xuanjing was holding both of Yan Yihuan’s hands, guiding him as he drew his small bow to the fullest. The arrowhead was aimed straight at a wild rabbit crouched in the grass, he didn’t dare to even breathe loudly.
But the sound of hooves came rapidly from the distance, not only startling the birds into flight, but also spooking the rabbit. With a push of its hind legs, it vanished in an instant.
Seeing the prey he had almost caught escape, Yan Yihuan slumped his shoulders in frustration, disappointment written all over his face. He turned his head with deep resentment, and when he saw it was Han Zhen, he froze for a second before remembering that he had just run off without asking for the emperor’s permission. Han Zhen was probably here to bring him back.
However, Yan Yihuan really didn’t want to return empty-handed. He turned around then clasped his hands together and looked at Han Zhen with pleading eyes, it was clear he wanted to try again.
Seeing him like that, Han Zhen swallowed the words urging him to return. He pulled back on the reins and soothed his horse. The horse, unusually responsive, immediately came to a steady halt and even its neighing ceased.
Li Xuanjing cast a sidelong glance at Han Zhen, then suddenly lowered his head and whispered in Yan Yihuan’s ear,
“It hasn’t gone far, just over there.”
The warmth against his ear made Yan Yihuan instinctively flinch, but he was blocked by the arm wrapped around him. A sense of oppression hit him instantly. Already no stranger to such matters, he frowned slightly and leaned forward a bit, subconsciously trying to put some space between himself and Li Xuanjing.
Yan Yihuan cursed himself inwardly for overthinking it. Jing ge treated him like a younger brother, yet in that fleeting moment, he’d actually compared him to the emperor and even entertained such shameful thoughts.
In truth, the reason Yan Yihuan didn’t want to go back was also because he didn’t know how to prevent a meeting between Li Xuanjing and his brother, but disobeying an imperial order wasn’t an option either. He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, caught in an impossible dilemma.
“Jing ge.” Yan Yihuan suddenly came up with an idea and whispered, “Can you not go hunting with my brother?”
“Why?” Li Xuanjing was just about to take his hand again to help him draw the bow and couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
“Jing ge, you’re so amazing, you’ve got to take first place this time.” Yan Yihuan said, “My brother already won once. It’s fine if he doesn’t this time.”
After he finished speaking, Yan Yihuan was genuinely impressed with himself. How did he manage to come up with such a perfect excuse.
Li Xuanjing was clearly pleased. Straightening up, he narrowed his eyes and drew the bow again. With a sharp twang, before Yan Yihuan could even react, the arrow had pierced the wild rabbit.
“Alright, I promise you. I’ll definitely take first place!”
“You’re amazing, Jing ge!” Yan Yihuan beamed and bent down to take the prey Li Xuanjing handed over. After a pause, he reminded him again, “But you really mustn’t hunt with my brother. You’ve got to go after that tiger by yourself!”
Receiving Li Xuanjing’s nod, Yan Yihuan finally looked more at ease. He reached out, and Li Xuanjing instinctively supported him.
The next second, Yan Yihuan swung himself down from the horse. Startled, Li Xuanjing quickly caught him. “Why are you getting off? Just ignore him.”
Yan Yihuan let out a soft sigh and thought to himself, ‘You can ignore him, but what about me? It’s not you who’ll be punished for angering the Emperor.’
“I’m already happy with this rabbit. I’ll head back first,” he said as he walked over to Han Zhen and reached up for help onto the horse. Turning back, he held up the rabbit, “Thanks, Jing ge. Good luck!”
Li Xuanjing gave him a smile, but the moment Han Zhen spurred the horse and took him away, the smile vanished completely. He hadn’t missed the way Yan Yihuan’s body had tensed the instant Han Zhen appeared, nor had he failed to see the hesitation and fear in his eyes.
When he thought of how Yan Yihuan was being threatened by Li Xuanming, and how powerless he was to protect him now, Li Xuanjing felt a suffocating pain in his heart. He hated that he couldn’t just take him away immediately.
As he rode off with Han Zhen, Yan Yihuan’s heart was both anxious and elated. He thought to himself that although he’d left without informing the emperor, he’d at least succeeded in something big, which protected both his brother and Jing ge. Even if he got punished for it, it was worth it.
The moment Han Zhen’s horse appeared, Li Xuanming’s eyes locked onto Yan Yihuan. It was nearly noon, and the sunlight was no longer as soft as before. It poured down in golden brilliance, spilling across his figure, lighting up the fine satin of his robe with a silken glow.
Noticing Li Xuanming watching him, Yan Yihuan couldn’t help but lift the prey still pierced by an arrow in his hand, chin tilting up ever so slightly in proud display, and the corners of his lips curled with unconcealed delight.
The hostility in Li Xuanming’s eyes faded in an instant, softened by that proud little expression. His gaze grew gentle as he watched Yihuan dismount and walk straight up to him.
“Your Majesty, look, I shot this.”
Yan Yihuan shamelessly showed off. In fact, he had come up with this idea on the way back, hoping to use it to divert the emperor’s attention and avoid being seriously punished.
Seeing how happy he was, Li Xuanming had initially wanted to let it slide for the moment. But as he drew closer, he caught sight of the arrow. The force behind it had been so great that, if not for the feathers at the tail, it likely would’ve gone clean through.
“You really shot this yourself?”
Han Zhen wouldn’t have joined him in hunting, so it was obvious who had shot the rabbit. But the small arrow was undeniably one of the ones Yan Yihuan carried with him.
Seeing that he was exposed, Yan Yihuan gave an embarrassed smile.
“Even though I didn’t shoot it on my own, it’s pretty much the same. His Highness the Crown Prince guided me. We did it together!”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the originally relaxed atmosphere instantly tensed. Even Yan Yihuan sensed something was wrong, but he couldn’t understand why the emperor’s previously gentle expression had turned cold as ice in an instant.
“How exactly did he guide you?”
A flicker of guilt rose in Yan Yihuan’s chest for no reason. Was His Majesty angry because he’d lied and tried to take all the credit when someone else had clearly helped him?
“On the horse, His Highness was holding my hand. He held the bow, and pulled the string,” Yan Yihuan mumbled, head hanging low, not daring to look up. “I… I just posed for it.”
Li Xuanming wished he could immediately throw him into the bathing pools and scrub him clean, inside and out, to wash away every trace of Li Xuanjing’s presence. Yet all he could do now was remain seated firmly on the dragon throne, simmering with a fury that even Yan Yihuan himself didn’t understand the cause of.
“Li Jiang!”
“Your servant is here.”
“Give it to him.”
Give what? Yan Yihuan’s expression shifted slightly when he saw what Li Jiang brought over. It was the little writing board and ink bottle he’d been carrying with him every day for the past couple of days.
“Didn’t you say I could skip writing for a few days?” he muttered, yet still had no choice but to obediently take the board and sit right by Li Xuanming’s side, not daring to stray even half a step.
By noon, people had begun returning one after another for lunch. Li Xuanming turned his face slightly, only to see Yan Yihuan craning his neck, gazing eagerly into the distance with wide, expectant eyes. Even Li Xuanming had never seen him look so eager before.
All of a sudden, Li Xuanming stood up. Shen Zhaoqian reacted instantly, lifting an arm to support him, but instead, the emperor grabbed Yan Yihuan’s wrist. Startled, Yan Yihuan quickly drew back.
“Careful! The ink bottle!”
Yan Yihuan didn’t dare move for fear the ink bottle would spill. Holding his breath, he watched as Li Xuanming’s hand reached toward his belt. Li Jiang, sharp-eyed as ever, swiftly stepped in and removed the ink bottle tied there.
With that obstacle out of the way, a strong grip seized Yan Yihuan’s arm. Before he could react, Li Xuanming had pulled him into a private chamber reserved for the emperor, behind the raised platform.
The light behind him suddenly dimmed. Yan Yihuan turned his head and when saw the closing door, he couldn’t help but widen his eyes. Everyone would be gathering here soon, surely the emperor wasn’t thinking of…
Yan Yihuan thought to himself that they shouldn’t be doing this. He looked up, opened his mouth and was just about to say something, when his slightly parted lips were suddenly covered, and his knees gave out in an instant.
Author’s Note:
Li Xuanming: An idiot is an idiot. You really couldn’t tell what Li Xuanjing was thinking?!
Little Yihuan: I didn’t see any hidden intentions from him, but when it comes to you, I could see it even with my eyes closed!
