SBMT Chapter 49

Shen Ziqin felt he wouldn’t be able to sleep, but he couldn’t let Chu Zhao just stand there staring at him.

 

First, it made it even harder to calm down, and second, while he could sleep in tomorrow, Chu Zhao couldn’t-the emperor would surely summon him to the palace for questioning.

 

Hugging his pillow, Shen Ziqin said, “Your Highness, while it’s still dark, you should hurry back and get some rest. You have a busy day tomorrow.”

 

“Actually, I have a lot I want to say to you,” Chu Zhao replied, wanting to properly educate this young comrade about valuing his life.

 

Seeing Chu Zhao’s intense gaze, Shen Ziqin grew nervous and said stiffly, “W-what can’t wait until later? There’s no rush.”

 

Wait a minute-was Chu Zhao about to confess his feelings? Ah!?

 

Shen Ziqin couldn’t help misunderstanding; Chu Zhao’s gaze was so heavy. In the flickering lamplight, with just one person filling his vision, being looked at like that gave the illusion of being deeply cherished.

 

Chu Zhao saw him shrink back anxiously and assumed Shen Ziqin knew what he wanted to discuss-after all, they were usually so in sync.

 

The little marquis’s eyes darted around nervously; clearly, what Chu Zhao had said at the hunting grounds had had an effect, and he was reflecting on it.

 

Somewhat satisfied, Chu Zhao nodded: “You’re right, it’s late. You should rest first.”

 

Hearing this, Shen Ziqin let out a huge sigh of relief.

 

Thank goodness… If Chu Zhao had insisted on confessing tonight, his brain still hadn’t figured out how to perfectly reject him without hurting his feelings.

 

Better to delay it a day if possible.

 

Shen Ziqin thought he was safe, but then saw

 

Chu Zhao holding out his hand.

 

 

Shen Ziqin: ?

 

What did that mean?

 

His bedroom was right here, so Chu Zhao couldn’t be asking him to come along. Was he trying to give him something? But Shen Ziqin didn’t have anything to hand over either.

 

Or maybe, now that tonight’s business was done, Chu Zhao wanted a high-five?

 

Although a flat, outstretched palm didn’t look much like a high-five gesture, Shen Ziqin, a firm believer in “when you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,” hesitantly reached out and lightly slapped Chu Zhao’s palm.

 

Then he raised those beautiful, expressive eyes, lashes fluttering, as if carefully asking Chu Zhao: Is this okay?

 

Chu Zhao: “…”

 

His heart was about to melt.

 

How could someone be so brilliant yet so endearingly clueless about the simplest things?

 

Chu Zhao took a gentle breath and, as Shen Ziqin’s eyes gradually widened, slowly reached toward him, and then-pulled the pillow from his hands.

 

Shen Ziqin, his arms suddenly empty: “…”

 

He’d completely forgotten the pillow existed.

 

When Chu Zhao’s hand had moved toward him, his heart nearly jumped out of his throat, but in the end, Chu Zhao had just wanted the pillow he’d been hugging. Come to think of it, it was probably from the tent, and he’d been hugging it the whole way.

 

Chu Zhao wanted the pillow, but Shen Ziqin had just reached out and slapped his palm.

 

Slapped his palm.

 

Shen Ziqin’s face exploded crimson in an instant!

 

Help-

 

Forget about a hole in the ground; he’d squeeze through the eye of a needle if he could!

 

Embarrassment so severe you could carve out a three-bedroom apartment? He could carve out the entire imperial palace right now!

 

But Chu Zhao seemed not to notice the little marquis’s distress. He took the pillow and walked out. Only when he reached the outer room did Shen Ziqin finally hear his delayed laughter.

 

Shen Ziqin closed his eyes in despair, laid flat on the bed with his arms spread, and thought: I’m dead.

 

Chu Zhao laughed heartily, as if he hadn’t encountered anything this amusing in years. His laughter was so carefree that as Shen Ziqin listened, thinking of his own foolishness, he was somehow infected by it and started laughing too.

 

Ah, being amused by his own stupidity-what a state.

 

Lying on the bed, Shen Ziqin laughed. His face was still flushed from embarrassment, and due to the late hour and lack of sleep, tears soon formed at the corners of his eyes. In the lamplight, the beauty’s smile was like flowers with dewdrops. His snow-white wrist rested resignedly on the headboard. When he’d laughed enough, he said helplessly, “Your Highness.”

 

Chu Zhao had also finished laughing and gave a light cough: “I’ve stopped, I’ve stopped. I wasn’t laughing at you, really.”

 

Shen Ziqin hummed: “You just thought of something happy, right?”

 

“The little marquis knows me so well.”

 

This ordinary exchange might become a meme in some timeline thousands of years later-funny, isn’t it?

 

Chu Zhao turned and glanced back into the inner room, and as he did, his grip on the pillow suddenly tightened.

 

Shen Ziqin was lounging on the bed, lazily smiling at him, a stretch of his jade-white arm exposed, so delicate it was dazzling. His eyes and face still had a tinge of red, spreading like rouge.

 

Spring breeze filled with emotion-nothing disturbs the heart more.

 

The pillow was nearly crushed in Chu Zhao’s grasp. He fled in disarray, hurriedly closing the door behind him.

 

Shen Ziqin didn’t notice anything odd about his departing figure. After laughing so much, both his worries and his energy were spent. Though he’d expected another sleepless night, drowsiness unexpectedly washed over him.

 

In short, while there was chaos outside, Shen Ziqin slept soundly.

 

Outside, it really was chaotic. The case was too big; many couldn’t sleep at all. Forget sleeping-they were still kneeling, with the imperial study brightly lit and everyone trembling in fear.

 

None of this affected Shen Ziqin’s good night’s sleep.

 

The next day, when Shen Ziqin woke up, Chu Zhao was already gone from the residence. As he ate breakfast, he listened to a guard relay the message Chu Zhao had left for him.

 

The Minister of Rites and several high officials had been imprisoned. The minister’s letters implicated many, and Emperor Cheng’an had unleashed his fury on the Deputy Grand Secretary last night, who had knelt until midnight and fainted. The emperor had him carried away and placed under house arrest.

 

As for the assassins, the imperial guards had caught two in the hunting grounds, but they committed suicide on the spot-clearly they were death squads. They looked like Great Qi people, and no useful evidence was found on them.

 

But a coroner said their pupils were different from ordinary citizens of Qi, suggesting they might be mixed blood with another nation.

 

The foreign nation associated with the Minister of Rites was the northern Eagle Tribe. Their delegation wept and claimed the minister had approached them first, threatening them with his position as an official of Great Qi to extort treasures.

 

This could still be argued, since the letters kept by the Minister of Rites were from the Eagle Tribe, and some content was written ambiguously. What the minister actually wrote to the Eagle Tribe had no hard evidence; it was all word against word.

 

“It’s not advisable to completely fall out with the Eagle Tribe right now,” Shen Ziqin said, stirring his soup. “The White Wolf Tribe is rising too quickly, but they have a blood feud with the Eagle Tribe. We need to keep the Eagle Tribe around to check them.”

 

The spoon lightly tapped the bowl’s edge, and a hint of cunning flashed in Shen Ziqin’s eyes: “But we can still take advantage of the situation.”

 

The guard smiled: “The prince said the same thing.”

 

Xiao Zhen sighed: “The situation has become too dangerous lately.”

 

The prince and the marquis had even been targeted for assassination.

 

Yesterday, worry and fear had overshadowed everything else. They’d been relieved just to see the prince and marquis safe. But today, in this calm environment, recalling how the prince had protected the marquis in that moment, they could finally appreciate the tenderness after danger.

 

Going through a crisis together would only make their bond stronger!

 

Xiao Zhen firmly believed this.

 

While he was here, thinking their relationship was stronger than gold, Shen Ziqin, well-rested and well-fed, had already come up with the first step in maintaining proper boundaries.

 

That was to reduce his alone time with Chu Zhao.

 

When Chu Zhao sought him out, it wouldn’t be appropriate to appear deliberately distant-that would hurt the prince’s feelings. So it was better to start with their daily dinner time.

 

During dinner, even when they weren’t discussing important matters, servants were nearby. Though it didn’t look like they were alone, the others didn’t actually sit at the table with them, staying quiet and minimizing their presence, which wasn’t much different from being alone.

 

He needed to introduce another person at the dinner table.

 

Shen Ziqin wiped his mouth: “Go tell Dongning to come study with me in the afternoons. I’ll check on his schoolwork while we’re at it.”

 

After studying together, it would be natural to have Dongning stay for dinner. With his “little sister” present, Chu Zhao surely couldn’t steer the conversation in strange directions?

 

Shen Ziqin: Plan successful.

 

When Dongning heard that Shen Ziqin would personally review his studies, he was naturally delighted. Coming every day was no problem! As soon as the time came in the afternoon, he eagerly brought his books to Mingyue Pavilion.

 

Though Shen Ziqin never left the residence, he didn’t miss a single piece of news from outside.

 

Including the report that Emperor Cheng’an’s anger had been so intense that when he stood up, he felt dizzy and nearly fell. He summoned the Imperial Preceptor and the royal physician, but fortunately, the problem wasn’t serious-just the result of his great anger.

 

Not serious…

 

The current Imperial Preceptor who made elixirs for Emperor Cheng’an actually had real skill-real medical skill.

 

That’s why the older the emperor got, the more nervous the Imperial Preceptor became. He knew his “immortality pills” were just tonics-how could they possibly grant eternal life?

 

If the emperor continued to age and eventually fell ill beyond recovery, the first person he’d kill before dying would be the Imperial Preceptor.

 

Shen Ziqin’s finger traced the line on the small note. The Imperial Preceptor could be useful, but now wasn’t the right time to approach him. No rush-let him panic a bit more on his own.

 

“Royal sister-in-law,” Dongning came over with his papers, “I’ve finished my essay.”

 

Shen Ziqin came back to himself: “Good, let me see.”

 

Shen Ziqin only needed to manage the timing to ensure Dongning reasonably stayed for dinner. When Chu Zhao returned and saw Dongning, he didn’t notice anything unusual.

 

Observing Chu Zhao’s expression, Shen Ziqin nodded secretly: Good, subtle and imperceptible-the first step was successful.

 

“The Deputy Grand Secretary has been placed under house arrest. Today his mansion was also searched. Though the emperor hasn’t imprisoned him yet, he’s had people surround his residence-the message is clear.”

 

Since Shen Ziqin had said there was no need to avoid serious topics around Dongning, Chu Zhao spoke freely about the day’s events at the dinner table: “Court officials who were once close to the Deputy Grand Secretary now avoid him like the plague, fearing trouble.”

 

Shen Ziqin sighed: “When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.” He asked, “Are there no local officials implicated?”

 

“Orders have already been issued to arrest people in the provinces. The emperor commanded they be brought directly to the capital for questioning.”

 

How could the Grand Secretary and Deputy Grand Secretary control such large factions at court without having roots in the provinces? Some local officials lived even more freely than regular court officials-far from the emperor’s reach, they dared to do anything, and all were filthy rich.

 

Chu Zhao set down his chopsticks: “As you said, after this, the Deputy Grand Secretary has no chance of recovery.”

 

Dongning, listening to their conversation, said: “The emperor believes in checks and balances. If the Deputy Grand Secretary is gone, the seemingly victorious Grand Secretary might not have an easy time either?”

 

“How clever,” Chu Zhao said with surprise. He turned, not to Dongning but to Shen Ziqin: “You taught her this too?”

 

Shen Ziqin had finished eating and was leisurely sipping tea: “If he can understand, I teach.”

 

“I heard you’ve been pestering the guards to learn martial arts,” Chu Zhao said to Dongning with a smile. “In my household, there’s no rule that girls can’t learn martial arts. If you like it, learn it-just be careful not to hurt yourself and listen to your teacher.”

 

After his mother passed away, Dongning had felt that the Empress Dowager was his only relative. From her, he mostly received “strictness” rather than warmth. But with Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao, he received so much affection that his cautious heart found a safe place to rest.

 

His royal brother and sister-in-law were truly wonderful people, warming Dongning’s little heart.

 

Seeing that Dongning had also put down his chopsticks, Chu Zhao asked: “Finished eating?”

 

Dongning nodded: “Yes!”

 

“Then let the maid take you back,” Chu Zhao said. “Your royal brother needs to discuss some adult topics with your royal sister-in-law.”

 

Adult topics… Dongning recalled how the two had previously steered the conversation toward subjects not suitable for children. He stood up quickly, not waiting for Shen Ziqin to speak, and gracefully but swiftly took his leave: “Royal brother, royal sister-in-law, Dongning will leave first. Please continue your conversation!”

 

Caught off guard, Shen Ziqin couldn’t even say anything to make him stay. Dongning and his attendants vanished from Mingyue Pavilion in the blink of an eye, so quickly that Shen Ziqin was left in the dust.

 

Wait, what topics do we have that Dongning can’t hear?

 

Shen Ziqin felt a bit panicked but maintained his composure on the surface.

 

Only his hands didn’t quite obey, slightly trembling as they held the teacup.

 

Shen Ziqin simply put it down, mentally preparing himself for whatever Chu Zhao might say.

 

Chu Zhao: “Let’s talk about what we didn’t finish last night.”

 

Shen Ziqin’s heart leapt to his throat: Please don’t confess, please don’t confess…

 

Perhaps his constant prayers worked, because Chu Zhao said: “About how you don’t take care of yourself.”

 

-So that’s what it was.

 

Shen Ziqin’s suspended heart returned to its place, settling safely. He sighed in relief, feeling both helpless and touched: Chu Zhao truly cared about him.

 

“Though you said you’d remember, words alone aren’t enough.”

 

Shen Ziqin: “Then I can-”

 

“Let’s draw up a written agreement.”

 

Shen Ziqin swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

 

A written agreement? For this? Was this a joke or…

 

Seeing Chu Zhao’s serious expression, Shen Ziqin understood: Well, not a joke.

 

Though the terms proposed by this “Party A” were quite fanciful, it wasn’t difficult to comply, so Shen Ziqin happily accepted.

 

Shen Ziqin: “All right, what are the terms?”

 

Chu Zhao had clearly already thought it through: “If in the future I find you not valuing yourself again, you’ll be punished.”

 

With a relaxed attitude, Shen Ziqin grew curious: “What’s the punishment?”

 

Chu Zhao: “Copying books.” His gaze swept over Shen Ziqin’s slender wrists. “Just one copy for each offense.”

 

He couldn’t make Shen Ziqin stay up late copying books-if the punishment was too severe, he’d be the one who’d feel bad.

 

Just that? So easy. To put Chu Zhao’s mind at ease, Shen Ziqin agreed readily: “I’ll do as Your Highness says.”

 

Of course, by the time he discovered that copying books-especially copying them together-wasn’t so simple, that would be a story for another day.

 

So, whenever you make a written agreement, little marquis, don’t sell yourself too early!

 

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(advanced chapters available on kofi)