Chapter 98

Proofreader: Mim

Li Zhi had just tried to withdraw her hand, but Xie Lanxu clasped it even more firmly in return.

Xie Fengshao watched the intertwined hands of the two, his expression dimming. Without saying a word, he turned to leave.

“Where is Prince Feng hurrying off to?” Xie Lanxu asked with a smile, his voice casual yet tinged with mischief.

Xie Fengshao stopped in his tracks.

Standing in the light drizzle, he turned slightly away from Xie Lanxu and Li Zhi, unwilling to let his gaze linger any longer on the intimate pair.

“…To see Father Emperor,” Xie Fengshao replied tersely, his tone cold. “If there’s nothing else—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Xie Lanxu removed his own outer robe and draped it over Li Zhi’s head. Then, taking the oiled paper umbrella in his hand, he walked over to Xie Fengshao.

“The road is long, and the rain is cold. Prince Feng, traveling alone, you should at least take an umbrella.” Xie Lanxu smiled as he lifted the umbrella toward him.

As he extended the umbrella, his wide sleeve slipped down, revealing a string of milky-white shell bracelets that clashed oddly with his refined, elegant attire.

Xie Fengshao’s pupils contracted sharply.

He stared at Li Zhi in disbelief, his gaze filled with hurt and sorrow.

Li Zhi lowered her head and offered a respectful bow toward him. Then, frowning slightly, she turned to Xie Lanxu and said, “Your Highness, if you are not in a hurry to leave, this servant will take her leave first.”

“Don’t rush,” Xie Lanxu said with a smile. “After all, it’s not every day that you run into Prince Feng. Don’t you want to exchange a few words with him? After all, you once shared such a deep connection—”

“Xie Lanxu, don’t go too far,” Xie Fengshao interrupted him sharply, unable to bear hearing the story of his beloved and another man recounted from Xie Lanxu’s lips. “Whatever quarrel exists between you and me, leave unrelated people out of it.”

“Unrelated?” Xie Lanxu feigned surprise. “How could there be unrelated people here? Li Zhi is just like another version of me, is she not? Prince Feng, feel free to speak your mind.”

Xie Fengshao, who had grown up smooth-sailing and filled with youthful pride, had never endured such mockery.

He glared fiercely at Xie Lanxu, the veins on his forehead bulging as he struggled to suppress the anger surging in his heart.

“Xie Lanxu, don’t think that your moment of triumph will last forever—”

“You misunderstand me, Prince Feng,” Xie Lanxu interrupted with a sly grin. “I’m merely concerned about your health. I heard you haven’t shown yourself at the palace in several days.”

“I don’t need your concern.”

“How could I not be concerned? We are both sons of the imperial family, after all. Shouldn’t we care for each other?” Xie Lanxu smiled pleasantly. “You know, back when Li Zhi and I were at Mingyue Tower, huddled around a fire to keep warm, I was seriously ill, and Li Zhi stayed by my side, tirelessly caring for me—”

“Enough!”

In the blink of an eye, Xie Fengshao, unable to contain his fury, struck Xie Lanxu with a powerful punch.

Xie Lanxu staggered backward, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

It all happened in an instant. Li Zhi had barely taken a step forward when Xie Lanxu had already wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand.

Smiling through the pain, he looked at the enraged Xie Fengshao and said, “Green bamboo reflects our love, and pomegranate blossoms symbolize new bonds. Li Zhi and I have made a promise. When the day of great joy arrives, we sincerely hope the Prince Feng will grace us with his presence.”

[Note: “day of great joy” is a way of referring to the wedding day]

Xie Lanxu’s repeated provocations pushed Xie Fengshao beyond his limits.

If it had been anyone else, Xie Fengshao might have let it slide.

But—

But—

“What right does someone as scheming and self-serving as you have to win her favor?”

Grabbing Xie Lanxu by the collar, Xie Fengshao slammed him forcefully against the palace wall.

He couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t accept that someone like Xie Lanxu had taken his place!

He couldn’t understand why everything had suddenly turned upside down.

Seeing that the situation was spiraling out of control, Li Zhi could no longer stand by. She hurried to the two men, intending to pull them apart.

“What’s so wrong about someone like me?” Xie Lanxu sneered, the corners of his mouth curling into a mocking smile. “If you lost to me, then what does that make you?”

Xie Fengshao clenched his fist and swung it with all his might!

“Stop! Stop it! Do you want everyone to see this disgraceful scene?” Li Zhi’s face had turned pale with anger.

But Xie Fengshao, blinded by rage, paid her no mind. In the span of a single sentence, Xie Lanxu had already taken several heavy blows to the face.

Blood began to trickle from the corners of Xie Lanxu’s mouth and nose.

A few palace attendants passing by screamed in shock at the sight.

Although it appeared to be a scuffle, in truth, it was a one-sided beating—Xie Fengshao mercilessly pounding on Xie Lanxu, who did not fight back.

Li Zhi doubted that Xie Lanxu had any good intentions in refraining from retaliation.

A fight breaking out between Prince Feng and a Minister within the palace walls was a scandal far more sensational than the discovery of long-lost treasures from the former dynasty.

Almost at the exact moment the palace attendants finally managed to separate Xie Fengshao and Xie Lanxu, a resplendently dressed Noble Consort Yi arrived in her sedan chair, her phoenix-shaped hairpin gleaming in the drizzle.

“What nonsense is this! What are you two doing?”

Even though Noble Consort Yi had witnessed the scene with her own eyes, she was utterly shocked, unable to believe that her son would engage in a brawl within the palace.

Xie Fengshao stiffened, his anger not entirely subsided, and performed a stiff bow to Noble Consort Yi. His tone was curt and hard as he addressed her, “Mother Consort.” Then, he fell silent.

Xie Lanxu, on the other hand, slowly straightened his posture, leisurely brushing the dust off his clothes. The bruises and blood on his face didn’t seem to bother him in the slightest.

Both Prince Feng and Prince Langya stood with the confidence of men who had nothing to fear.

Only Li Zhi, as a servant, had to bow respectfully to Noble Consort Yi.

“…This servant greets Noble Consort Yi.”

On her way here, Noble Consort Yi had already heard bits and pieces of the incident from the palace attendants.

Recently, Prince Langya had been making waves. Although Noble Consort Yi didn’t concern herself much with court politics, she had heard from Prince Feng’s faction that the Emperor seemed inclined to support Prince Langya as a counterbalance to her son.

Even so, when she heard about the fight, Noble Consort Yi didn’t think it was about political rivalry.

She understood her son. If it were purely a matter of power, Xie Fengshao would never resort to physical violence. Two men and one woman—how could this not be seen as a love triangle?

Just as others would pick soft targets, Noble Consort Yi was no different.

Her phoenix-like eyes narrowed as she issued a stern command: “I want the truth! Li Zhi, did Prince Feng and Prince Langya quarrel because of you?”

Li Zhi hesitated, but before she could respond, Xie Fengshao cut in.

“Mother Consort, this has nothing to do with her! Don’t interfere!”

The moment Xie Fengshao spoke, the matter was essentially settled.

“You are my son! How can I not interfere? Protecting her… does it mean what I think it means? You’re being reckless! How could you—” Noble Consort Yi bit back harsher accusations, mindful of the people present. “If this gets out, won’t it make us a laughingstock?”

Xie Fengshao stood stiffly, his expression frustrated. “This is my affair. I will handle it myself. Mother Consort, please return to your chambers!”

Prince Feng, who was usually obedient and filial, was now openly defying her. Noble Consort Yi’s dislike for Li Zhi only deepened.

“No matter the cause, you, as the Palace Administration Bureau Chief, failed to prevent a prince and a minister from fighting within the palace. That is gross dereliction of duty!” Noble Consort Yi declared sharply. “Guocui, punish her!”

“What’s all this commotion about?”

A deep voice came from the palace path behind them. The palace attendants dropped to their knees on either side of the path like a tide parting. Noble Consort Yi hurriedly knelt as well, facing the source of the voice.

“Father Emperor.”

“Your Majesty.”

Xie Lanxu and Xie Fengshao also knelt immediately.

“Enough with the grand display,” Emperor Xie Shencong said as he stepped down from his imperial sedan chair, waving his hand to dismiss the formality. Consort Lu, who had accompanied him, followed closely behind and descended as well.

Seeing Consort Lu, who not only accompanied the Emperor but shared the same sedan chair, Noble Consort Yi’s expression turned even more sour.

The once-spacious palace path now felt crowded with the Emperor’s arrival.

Xie Shencong glanced at Li Zhi, who was draped in Xie Lanxu’s outer robe, then turned his gaze to Xie Fengshao and Xie Lanxu. Amused, he said, “You two aren’t children anymore. What’s this, fighting in public?”

“Your Majesty—”

Noble Consort Yi’s voice was sharp, ready to launch into a complaint, but Xie Shencong raised his hand, furrowing his brow slightly, a clear sign of displeasure. Noble Consort Yi immediately fell silent, like a bird with its neck caught in a snare.

“Well then, what happened?” Xie Shencong asked, his tone mild as he looked at the three of them.

Behind him, Gao Shan, his ever-loyal shadow, stood silently with his hands clasped, his expression blank, blending into the background like an invisible presence.

“…It was a minor verbal dispute between Prince Langya and me, Father Emperor,” Xie Fengshao said, lowering his head. “I was too impulsive. Please don’t worry.”

Xie Lanxu cupped his hands and added with a slight bow, “Your Majesty, it was indeed a minor conflict between Prince Feng and myself. Noble Consort Yi felt that Palace Administration Bureau Director Li Zhi failed to intervene and was just about to order Guocui to punish her by striking her mouth.”

“You—” Noble Consort Yi’s face twisted in anger.

She hadn’t even said the words yet!

How could Prince Langya accuse her of something she hadn’t said? He was utterly unreasonable!

“There’s no need for that.”

Xie Shencong chuckled, his tone light as he smoothed things over. Had Li Zhi not known his true nature, she might have mistaken him for a benevolent and approachable ruler.

“Fengshao looks perfectly fine. Why is it that only your face looks so miserable?” Xie Shencong asked Xie Lanxu with a teasing smile.

Without batting an eye, Xie Lanxu replied, “Letting Prince Feng vent his frustrations is no harm done. If I had fought back, it would have disrupted the harmony between kin.”

Xie Fengshao stared at him in disbelief, his gaze practically screaming the word “shameless.”

“It’s commendable that even in conflict, you remembered your shared blood ties,” Xie Shencong remarked with mock sincerity. “Fengshao has a fiery temper. I trust you’ll be patient with him in the future.”

“Your Majesty!” Noble Consort Yi’s eyes widened in outrage.

But Xie Shencong ignored her protests entirely.

“It’s my duty, Your Majesty,” Xie Lanxu replied, bowing gracefully.

Li Zhi watched coldly as Xie Lanxu played the part of a loyal subject, all while pretending to be magnanimous.

The storm stirred by Prince Feng and Prince Langya, combined with the Emperor and Noble Consort Yi’s involvement, had rendered her an insignificant pebble swept into the maelstrom.

In the eyes of these powerful figures, she was no different from a stone on the roadside.

“Disperse. You’re blocking my way back to Ziwei Palace,” Xie Shencong said, waving his hand dismissively.

The group remained in their bowing positions until the Emperor’s sedan chair disappeared at the end of the palace path.

With the Emperor’s decree, Noble Consort Yi didn’t dare lay another finger on Li Zhi. She merely shot her a venomous glare before leaving with Xie Fengshao and her attendants in tow.

Once the palace path fell silent again, Xie Lanxu nonchalantly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

This farce was orchestrated as a public display of vulnerability—an exposed weakness. The Prince Feng was merely the perfect person, appearing at the perfect time.

Fighting openly with the Emperor’s beloved son, Xie Lanxu had no fear of the old Emperor’s wrath.

He understood well that for Xie Shencong, the founding Emperor who had crossed into his fifties, what was truly intolerable wasn’t petty schemes or mediocrity—it was perfection.

To see him tangled in love, bickering over a disgraced minister’s daughter with no family backing, would allow Xie Shencong to sleep soundly for quite some time. Perhaps, it would even improve his appetite.

Feeling satisfied, Xie Lanxu’s lips curled upward as he picked up the paper umbrella from the ground.

Li Zhi gazed at Xie Lanxu—battered, humiliated, yet inexplicably pleased—and partially guessed the purpose behind his carefully designed drama.

“Are you happy now?”

Xie Lanxu wasn’t fazed by the sharpness in her tone. Smiling with his bruised and cut lips, he asked, “What do you think, Banban?”

He was happy. Li Zhi could see that clearly.

Not only had he achieved his political goal, but he’d also put on full display the intimacy between the two of them.

If he could, Xie Lanxu would gladly have their relationship proclaimed on an imperial decree, posted across the realm for all to see.

“Why didn’t you wear the robe properly? Look at you—your hair is wet.”

Xie Lanxu stepped in front of her, positioning two-thirds of the umbrella over her head. Gently, he brushed aside the strands of hair clinging to her face, wet from the rain.

His rain-dampened fingers felt like a cold serpent slithering across her skin.

Xie Lanxu gazed at her with tender affection.

His pupils were darker than most, deep and glistening. In those captivating, soulful eyes, her reflection was trapped like a prisoner in a cage. That endless blackness seemed to entwine not just him, but also the one ensnared by him.

“What would Banban do without me?” he asked softly.

Li Zhi did not respond.

Once they exited the palace, the two boarded a carriage.

On their way back to Li Zhi’s residence, Xie Lanxu called for the carriage to stop. It seemed he’d spotted something interesting—a street vendor.

The vendor stood on tiptoes, holding up a small puppy high enough for Xie Lanxu to see clearly from inside the carriage, eagerly hoping to seal the deal.

“It’s a purebred sighthound! Once it grows, it’ll be an excellent hunting companion!”

Xie Lanxu patted the puppy’s head and pulled out a silver ingot from his robe, handing it to the vendor.

As the carriage set off again, the chubby little puppy, as if aware it had a new owner, obediently nestled on Li Zhi’s lap.

“Why place it on me if it’s Your Highness who bought it?”

“It’s a gift for you,” Xie Lanxu said with a smile. “You can name it ‘Shendan.’”

Li Zhi looked down at the little dog on her lap, its eyes dark and round. After a long silence, she said, “Shendan is no longer here.”

Xie Lanxu studied her for a moment before suddenly saying, “From now on, we won’t lose anything again.”

Li Zhi was startled. She looked up at him, surprised by his words, which even he seemed unaware were so strange.

“Do you realize you’re trying to comfort me?” Li Zhi asked.

Xie Lanxu froze for a moment, clearly not having realized the consoling nature of his own remark.

“Sometimes, I really can’t figure it out,” Li Zhi said softly, lowering her eyes again to stroke the small dog on her lap.

“What can’t you figure out?”

Do you even have a heart?

Li Zhi didn’t voice the question, knowing that Xie Lanxu likely didn’t have the answer himself.

“Soon, it will be the Emperor’s birthday banquet,” Li Zhi said, suddenly changing the topic.

Xie Lanxu hadn’t expected the shift in conversation but continued to listen.

“On that day, I’ll give you a surprise.”

“What kind of surprise?”

Turning her gaze to meet Xie Lanxu’s, Li Zhi smiled and said, “You’ll find out when the time comes.”

She wanted to see for herself—

Whether or not he knew the pain of losing something.