BLPSG Chapter 92: His Majesty is showing off

Wen Qingci’s face was so red it looked as if blood might drip from it.

 

He held his breath, afraid to disturb Xie Bufeng.

 

In the silence, his senses became painfully sharp.

 

His body felt as if a faint current had passed through it, instantly draining all strength.

 

Wen Qingci instinctively let his gaze fall aimlessly into the darkness.

 

In contrast to Wen Qingci, who barely dared to move, Xie Bufeng’s movements suddenly grew reckless.

 

Wen Qingci’s outer robe had slipped off his shoulder at some point.

 

As Xie Bufeng kissed his forehead, he gently untied the ribbon and let it fall down.

 

The moon‑white brocade, faintly shimmering with cool light, slipped from his shoulders in an instant.

 

Like moonlight melting onto the floor.

 

At this moment, Wen Qingci’s outer robe had fallen, his long hair was loose, and his eyes showed rare tension.

 

Every faint sound near his ear was magnified endlessly.

 

Wen Qingci saw that the side hall’s main door was only half‑closed.

 

A thin crack allowed light from the courtyard to spill in—  

someone could push the door open at any moment…

 

Wen Qingci’s mind went blank. He clenched the fabric at Xie Bufeng’s chest, trying to push him away.

 

But his resistance was so light it was negligible to Xie Bufeng.

 

Just when Wen Qingci thought he would ignore his struggle, Xie Bufeng unexpectedly went against instinct—  

while struggling to steady his breath, he slowly loosened his hold.

 

After a few seconds, he buried his face in Wen Qingci’s loose hair, greedily inhaling that faint bitter scent.

 

“Go out…” Xie Bufeng said in a muffled voice, suppressing his desire as he whispered in Wen Qingci’s ear.

 

Wen Qingci didn’t react at first.

 

Then a soft laugh sounded beside his ear. Xie Bufeng’s low voice, tinged with restraint and helplessness, drifted to him:  

“If you don’t leave now, my beloved minister… you are trusting me far too much.”

 

Wen Qingci: “……!”

 

The flush on his face spread across his entire body.

 

As an adult, Wen Qingci naturally understood what Xie Bufeng meant.

 

He immediately stood, grabbed his medicine box, and prepared to leave.

 

But the next moment, twenty years of medical instinct made him pause—  

he almost reminded the still‑poisoned patient of something. “Then Your Majesty…”

 

He stopped mid‑sentence, snapping out of his daze as his mind finally began functioning again.

 

He must be out of his mind—how could he speak so casually at a time like this!

 

In all his years of living, this was the first time Wen Qingci wanted to call himself stupid.

 

“No—nothing. This minister will leave now.”

 

Wen Qingci practically fled.

 

Just as he was about to exit the side hall, Xie Bufeng’s voice sounded again.

 

“Zhen will handle it myself.”

 

“Beloved minister need not worry.”

 

The echo of the hall blurred his tone.

 

But in Wen Qingci’s ears, the words sounded… pitiful.

 

The hall doors slowly closed, and everything inside…along with the scent of dragon musk…temporarily vanished from Wen Qingci’s world.

 

He had left in such a hurry that he hadn’t picked up his outer robe.

 

Now he wore only a thin summer garment; the breeze chilled him instantly.

 

Wen Qingci bit his lip and hurried toward the small courtyard with his medicine box.

 

But even after returning to his room, he remained unsettled.

 

His mind kept circling back to Xie Bufeng’s final words—  

wondering exactly how he intended to “handle it himself.”

 

* * *

 

Song Junran had already guessed that Wen Qingci being discovered by Xie Bufeng was likely connected to Eunuch Zhao.

 

But having learned from his mother how powerless palace servants were, he did not blame Eunuch Zhao. Instead, he simply added this grievance to the account he kept against Xie Bufeng.

 

Though not related by blood, Eunuch Zhao was like an uncle to Song Junran.

 

After the ancestral visit, Eunuch Zhao invited him to stay at his residence.

 

Song Junran did not refuse.

 

“Please try this, young master. I imagine nothing like it grows near Songxiu Prefecture.”

 

Eunuch Zhao smiled as he took the fruit plate from a servant and set it on the table.

 

Song Junran followed his gaze downward.

 

On the white porcelain plate lay a cluster of small, jewel‑like fruits, washed clean and glistening like amethyst.

 

Eunuch Zhao was right…he had never seen such a thing.

 

Curious, Song Junran picked one up. “What is this?”

 

Eunuch Zhao did not answer directly. “Taste it first.”

 

As a man of the jianghu, Song Junran had no habit of false modesty.

 

“In that case, I won’t hold back.”

 

Already curious, he placed the fruit in his mouth and bit down.

 

A burst of sweet‑tart flavor filled his mouth instantly.

 

His eyes lit up. “Is this a Yongdu specialty?”

 

“Not quite,” Eunuch Zhao shook his head. “This is an imperial gift. At present, only the palace has them. Hardly a ‘local specialty.’”

 

…So it was something Xie Bufeng had sent.

 

Suddenly, the fruit in Song Junran’s mouth no longer tasted sweet.

 

Having lived in the palace most of his life, Eunuch Zhao immediately noticed the disdain in Song Junran’s eyes.

 

He sighed and finally got to the point.

 

“I know what troubles you, young master.”

 

“So Eunuch Zhao is here today as a mediator?” Song Junran said bluntly, showing no mercy. “I suppose even the ancestral visit was part of your plan.”

 

His junior brother was skilled in medicine, but when it came to human relationships—especially matters of the heart—he was utterly clueless.

 

How could he possibly be a match for Xie Bufeng?

 

“No, no,” Eunuch Zhao waved his hands quickly. “His Highness did not send me. What I said earlier was entirely my own intention.”

 

“Very well. Then I won’t be coy.” Song Junran took a sip of cold tea. “You may not know my junior brother well, but I grew up with him. I know exactly how stubborn he is.”

 

Eunuch Zhao nodded.

 

“Xie Bufeng is the emperor. If he grows tired, he can walk away at any time. But Qingci cannot. And… you know better than I how foul the palace can be.”

 

At this, Song Junran gritted his teeth. “Besides, the things he’s done—no normal person would do such things!”

 

The scene at the Yin River Canal was carved into his memory, a lifelong shadow.

 

Eunuch Zhao slowly shook his head. “…His Majesty does think differently from ordinary people. But that is understandable. He grew up in the imperial mausoleum, without the restraints of ritual or propriety. He has always acted according to his heart.”

 

Song Junran remained silent.

 

Eunuch Zhao picked up a grape and chewed thoughtfully.

 

He closed his eyes and said softly, “In my view, His Majesty has never regarded himself as emperor in front of Mister Wen.”

 

Song Junran finally looked up. “What do you mean? Then what does Xie Bufeng see himself as?”

 

“…In His Majesty’s eyes, he is still that boy whom Mister Wen once took in at the Medical Bureau.”

 

In front of Wen Qingci, he seemed to forget entirely that he possessed overwhelming power.

 

And he could never be as cold as an emperor—  

never someone who could simply walk away.

 

“They lived together for so long, and from the very beginning they were mortal enemies,” Eunuch Zhao’s cloudy dark‑brown eyes slowly turned toward Song Junran. In his slightly hoarse voice, he asked, “Young master, do you think Mister Wen wouldn’t know who His Majesty is, or how dangerous he can be?”

 

After a moment of silence, Song Junran suddenly lowered his gaze with a faint smile and popped another grape into his mouth.

 

Although Xie Bufeng refused to let him see Wen Qingci…afraid he would “steal” Wen Qingci out of Taishu Palace again like before…he had not sealed off information.

 

Thus, Song Junran naturally heard about what had happened in the Medical Bureau.

 

The sweet‑tart juice filled his mouth.

 

He swallowed it, remained silent for a long time, and finally said:

 

“Life is short.”

 

“…I haven’t even figured out my own life. How could I make decisions for someone else?”

 

Song Junran tossed another grape into his mouth. As he slowly chewed, his gaze drifted toward the courtyard outside.

 

“No one can stop my junior brother from doing what he wants. If he chooses to stay, not even the gods could change his mind.” He paused for a few seconds, then added, “If he doesn’t want to stay here, I can take him home. And no one will ever find him again.”

 

His words immediately reminded Eunuch Zhao of Wen Qingci’s revenge.

 

“All right, all right,” Eunuch Zhao blinked in surprise, then slowly nodded. “Young master is right. All he needs now is time. From what I’ve seen, His Majesty toward Mister Wen—”

 

He stopped mid‑sentence and glanced uncertainly at Song Junran.

 

“That’s enough,” Song Junran grabbed a handful of grapes, giving Eunuch Zhao a half‑smile. “If you want to speak well of Xie Bufeng, you don’t need to beat around the bush.”

 

“For him to make you willingly defend him… that’s quite a skill.”

 

Although palace eunuchs interacted with nobles daily, their salaries barely allowed them to survive in Yongdu.

 

Eunuch Zhao’s residence on the outskirts of the capital was small but newly renovated.

 

This was not something he could have afforded on his own.

 

And it wasn’t just Eunuch Zhao’s residence.

 

Only in the past few days…when he revisited old places on a whim…did Song Junran discover:

 

After he closed his medical clinic in Yongdu, Xie Bufeng took it over.

 

He hadn’t changed a single thing inside.

 

Instead, he carefully maintained it, preserving its original appearance.

 

Song Junran also knew… Xie Bufeng was using imperial authority to spread word of Wen Qingci’s deeds in Lianhe, subtly guiding the public to accept them.

 

Under the push of the most powerful hands in the world—

 

Many people had begun to take interest in Wen Qingci’s theories.

 

This was indeed what his junior brother desired most.

 

Anything related to Wen Qingci was always held close to Xie Bufeng’s heart.

 

As emperor, he was doing everything possible to keep Wen Qingci.

 

Yet he didn’t dare say it aloud, afraid of startling him—

 

“…Why aren’t you speaking? How is the medicine?”

 

“Did something go wrong?”

 

Seeing Wen Qingci staring blankly at the decocted medicine without saying a word, the young physician delivering it grew uneasy.

 

Unable to hold back, he reached out and gently tapped Wen Qingci’s shoulder.

 

“…Hm?”

 

Wen Qingci finally returned to himself.

 

Because of the veil, the physician couldn’t see his expression.

 

So he asked again, “You’ve been staring at the medicine without speaking. Was it not prepared properly today?”

 

“No, I was just distracted… thinking about something else.” As he spoke, Wen Qingci took the bowl from the food box and set it on the tray.

 

His sleeve slid down with the movement.

 

The next second, both he and the young physician saw it—  

the tips of his fingers were faintly red.

 

“Ahem.” Wen Qingci coughed lightly and hid his hand in his sleeve.

 

“All right, as long as the medicine is fine.” After a pause, the young physician packed up the empty food box and added meaningfully, “You’ve been distracted quite often lately.”

 

“Is it because of His Majesty?” he suddenly leaned closer, asking with a hint of gossip.

 

Yesterday, when he delivered medicine, he happened to run into Xie Bufeng.

 

The emperor was not wearing his usual wide‑sleeved robe, but a dark narrow‑sleeved round‑collared one.

 

The clean, off‑white wool bracelet stood out sharply against the dark fabric.

 

Impossible to ignore.

 

…The old, worn bracelet had held extraordinary meaning for Xie Bufeng.

 

And now, he has replaced it.

 

Did this mean His Majesty no longer saw this colleague from Songxiu Prefecture as a mere “substitute,” but had developed genuine feelings?

 

The side room fell silent.

 

Wen Qingci’s heart trembled slightly at the physician’s words.

 

He lifted the tray and…almost involuntarily…nodded.

 

The next moment, he froze completely.

 

Wait! What did he just do?

 

But unlike Wen Qingci, the young physician didn’t seem surprised at all.

 

“I knew it!” he said, sounding excited.

 

Though he had worked with “Physician Wen Qingci” for a long time, they had only been acquaintances.

 

Back then, perhaps only Yu Guanlin and Wen Qingci were familiar with each other.

 

But he and the colleague before him had survived life‑and‑death together.

 

Naturally, his loyalties leaned toward someone he knew.

 

Realizing this, the physician couldn’t help feeling happy for him.

 

But he also couldn’t help worrying.

 

After hesitating, he whispered, “I know His Majesty treats you well, and it’s understandable you’d fall for him. But… as someone who’s been in Taishu Palace for years, I must remind you.”

 

Wen Qingci turned, puzzled.

 

Remind him?

 

“His Majesty’s feelings for the former Physician Wen are deep—everyone knows it. Now he meets you, and after only a few days he treats you so well. At first glance, it looks like genuine affection, which is good. But if you think carefully, you should still stay calm.” The young physician clearly regarded Wen Qingci as one of his own; his words were heartfelt.

 

Wen Qingci instinctively asked, “How do you know His Majesty has… genuine feelings for me?”

 

His voice grew softer as he spoke.

 

The physician asked, “Did you also give His Majesty a bracelet?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The physician’s tone immediately lifted, and he clapped his hands. “Then that explains it! Yesterday I saw His Majesty wearing a narrow‑sleeved robe for the first time. And he wore the bracelet over the sleeve. If that’s not showing off, what is?”

 

So Xie Bufeng changed clothes… because of that?

 

Wen Qingci realized he truly was slow when it came to social matters.

 

And instead of calming him, the young physician’s words only made his cheeks burn hotter.

 

Growing excited, the physician forgot to lower his voice.

 

The next second, his words echoed through the courtyard—  

and he suddenly broke into a cold sweat.

 

“…Tell me, was I speaking too loudly just now?”

 

“It was indeed not quiet.”

 

A low voice came from outside the courtyard.

 

This time, the one answering him was not Wen Qingci—

 

but Xie Bufeng, dressed in a dark narrow‑sleeved robe.

 

The physician instantly turned pale as death.

 

How much had His Majesty heard?

 

Had he only caught the last sentence, or had he heard everything?

 

It was over. His Majesty’s change of affection might have been fast, but toward Physician Wen…and toward this colleague…his feelings were absolutely genuine.

 

No matter how much he heard, what he had just said was enough to offend the emperor.

 

Xie Bufeng’s expression was blank, his tone calm, scaring the young physician half to death.

 

But Wen Qingci saw… a hint of amusement in Xie Bufeng’s eyes.

 

The side room was small, and once Xie Bufeng entered, the space felt even more cramped.

 

The young physician didn’t dare breathe loudly.

 

He clutched the food box handle, wishing he could bury his face in the ground.

 

After an unknown amount of time, Xie Bufeng finally spoke again:  

“Standing here…are you waiting for a reward?”

 

His tone was icy, clearly not directed at Wen Qingci.

 

“Ah—!” The young physician froze, then couldn’t help sneaking a glance at Xie Bufeng.

 

In that instant, he finally realized…His Majesty did not intend to punish him.

 

“Y‑yes, this minister will take his leave—!”

 

Still unsure how he had survived this disaster, the young physician fled as fast as he could.

 

Only two people remained in the room.

 

Wen Qingci was about to lift the medicine from the tray to hand it to Xie Bufeng, but the emperor’s movement interrupted him.

 

Xie Bufeng slowly reached out and removed Wen Qingci’s veil.

 

Looking into his eyes, he lowered his voice:  

“I was showing off.”

 

As the emperor of a nation, Xie Bufeng’s voice carried a hint of childishness that appeared only before Wen Qingci:  

“If my beloved minister would give me more gifts, so I could show off even more… that would be wonderful.”

 

He lifted Wen Qingci’s long hair and tucked it gently behind his ear.

 

Xie Bufeng’s tone was serious—he was not joking.

 

…Even with the wealth of the world, he still wanted something from Wen Qingci’s hands.

 

Xie Bufeng lacked nothing.

 

He simply wanted more ties…more connections…to Wen Qingci.

 

…

 

Wen Qingci never learned how much of the conversation Xie Bufeng had overheard.

 

Nor did he know whether Xie Bufeng had heard the earlier part about him “being distracted.”

 

Wen Qingci couldn’t help replaying the conversation in his mind over and over.

 

He never found an answer.

 

The only thing that became clearer with each recollection was this—  

he had been distracted because of Xie Bufeng.

 

*

 

The front courtyard of the Medical Bureau wasn’t exactly bustling, but people still came and went regularly.

 

At some point, rumors about “the physician from Songxiu Prefecture” and the emperor had spread throughout Taishu Palace and even all of Yongdu.

 

In Huixin Palace, the Empress Dowager sat behind a table, sipping tea.

 

Beside her sat several rare visitors.

 

“I heard His Majesty’s health is poor, so I brought a Buddha statue from the temple. I came today to pay my respects…”  

The speaker was the former Consort Hui.

 

Though now a Dowager Consort, she dressed as brightly as ever—perhaps even more so. Clearly, her life had been comfortable.

 

The official day of appointment had not yet arrived, but the news that Xie Bufeng intended to name Xie Guanzhi as Imperial Younger Brother was already widely known.

 

Dowager Consort Hui had always been adaptable. Now, her words were full of sincere concern and respect.

 

The Empress Dowager believed she wasn’t pretending.

 

Xie Guanzhi had not yet been formally appointed, and Dowager Consort Hui was likely the person most afraid of Xie Bufeng suddenly meeting with misfortune.

 

Xie Guanzhi, who had come with her, also nodded.

 

But his purpose differed slightly from his mother’s.

 

He had heard many rumors about Xie Bufeng and the physician.

 

He believed that if Xie Bufeng had the energy to stir up so many stories, his health couldn’t be too bad.

 

Thus, Xie Guanzhi’s real reason for entering the palace was to see for himself who this physician was.

 

Thinking of this, his expression darkened.

 

…Wen Qingci had been dead for barely a year, and Xie Bufeng had already fallen for someone else?

 

Had all that devotion before been nothing but an act?

 

The thought made Xie Guanzhi feel indignant on Wen Qingci’s behalf.

 

Hearing Dowager Consort Hui’s words, the Empress Dowager paused, slowly setting down her teacup.

 

Her expression was slightly strange.

 

Unlike the mother and son who knew nothing, the Empress Dowager had already guessed who the physician was—and sensed that the emperor’s “illness” was anything but ordinary.

 

That was why she had not visited the “ailing” Xie Bufeng.

 

Sitting beside her, little Princess Xie Fuyin tugged at her sleeve. “Mother, I want to see my brother too.”

 

The Empress Dowager sighed softly.

 

Xie Bufeng bringing back an empty coffin had been far too extreme.

 

She feared he might do something even more reckless, endangering the realm—or worse, use imperial power to dig up the Divine Medicine Valley.

 

After much struggle, she had chosen to tell him about Eunuch Zhao.

 

But that didn’t erase her private guilt.

 

…The Empress Dowager had always felt remorse toward Wen Qingci.

 

That guilt gnawed at her heart day by day, leaving her sleepless.

 

“Mother?” Xie Fuyin tugged again.

 

“All right.” The Empress Dowager gently took her hand and smiled. “Let us go see His Majesty.”

 

At the same time, she clenched her other hand tightly.

 

Though Xie Bufeng was her son, there was a thirteen‑year gulf between them.

 

She could not be sure she truly understood him.

 

There were no rumors in the palace, but she had seen firsthand how frighteningly extreme he could be.

 

She couldn’t help worrying…

 

Would His Majesty do something harmful to Wen Qingci?

 

If he did, then even at the cost of her life, she would stop him.

 

The Empress Dowager bit her lip, making up her mind.

 

“All right!”  

Unlike her troubled mother, Xie Fuyin’s eyes lit up.

 

Her mother had forbidden her from disturbing her brother these past days, so she hadn’t seen the rabbit at the Medical Bureau for a long time.

 

Children didn’t fully understand what “illness” meant.

 

Hearing she could visit Xie Bufeng, she was excited to see her brother—and eager to feed the rabbit.

 

“Sister Mingliu,” Xie Fuyin tugged the Empress Dowager’s hand and turned to the maid, “can you prepare some hay for me?”

 

Xie Guanzhi, as the future heir, naturally had serious matters to discuss with Xie Bufeng.

 

And if Xie Bufeng truly did something to Wen Qingci, such a scene should not be witnessed by Xie Fuyin…

 

Better to let her play with the rabbit in the courtyard.

 

The Empress Dowager nodded to Mingliu. “Prepare some for the princess.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

The palace road leading to the Medical Bureau had never been so lively.

 

As daylight faded, dozens of palace lanterns lit up one by one, forming a long fiery dragon that illuminated the evening.

 

After the time of one incense stick—

 

A eunuch’s sharp voice pierced the quiet of the Medical Bureau, carrying clearly to everyone present, including Wen Qingci:

 

“Her Majesty the Empress Dowager arrives—  

 

His Highness Prince Heng arrives—  

 

Dowager Consort Hui arrives—”