AEOGA CH16

Lu Xuechao slept more peacefully than ever before. Since falling into the cycle of reincarnation, he had always been haunted by nightmares, dreaming of everything that happened while Xie Chongjin was not in control of his own actions. Occasionally, he would have a sweet dream where Xie Chongjin regained his freedom, but upon waking to the cold reality, a deeper despair would inevitably follow.

But this time, he dreamt of his childhood, a memory he hadn’t revisited in ages. On a stiflingly hot summer night, unable to sleep, Lu Xuechao had tossed and turned. Xie Chongjin had fanned him, humming a lullaby in a childish voice, which always lulled him into a tranquil sleep.

For some reason, though Xie Chongjin appeared as a child in the dream, the singing he heard was the deep, resonant voice of an adult man.

It was comforting all the same.

The next day, Lu Xuechao woke up. For a moment, his gaze was vacant, but as his eyes landed on the familiar face of Xie Chongjin beside him, and the arm he had been using as a pillow all night, his heart finally settled.

Xie Chongjin was already awake. Seeing Lu Xuechao stir, he smiled and whispered, “Qingshu.”

Lu Xuechao sat up, noticing the imprint on Xie Chongjin’s arm. Had he really been using it as a pillow the entire night?

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Lu Xuechao rubbed his brow. “Isn’t your arm sore?”

“It’s still early; I wanted you to sleep a while longer.” Xie Chongjin lifted his arm naturally. “Have I not been your pillow often enough? If I couldn’t be your pillow these past years, I’d have found it quite strange.”

Lu Xuechao’s sleeping posture was poor. In the early years, when their friendship was still strictly platonic, they would sleep on the same bed separated by a metaphorical “river of Chu and Han,” so rigid and careful not to touch. The result was always the same: Lu Xuechao would become bolder as he slept, eventually occupying the entire bed and leaving Xie Chongjin with nowhere to go. Maintaining the demeanor of a gentleman, Xie Chongjin would retreat step by step until he ended up on the floor.

After ending up on the floor more times than he could count, Xie Chongjin finally earned a legitimate identity that allowed him to be “improper.” Poor sleeping posture? He would just sleep directly on top of him, and he wouldn’t have to give up his spot anymore.

After speaking, Xie Chongjin rose and dressed in his court robes himself, without calling for servants. Having experienced a life where he was controlled at every turn, Xie Chongjin was now passionate about doing things himself; he would never entrust his actions to others.

The feeling of having control over his own movements was truly wonderful.

As he dressed, Xie Chongjin said, “I have to go to court. Liu Yansheng and the others will come to pay their respects to you shortly. You are the master of the Central Palace; them coming to bow before you is proper etiquette.”

“The common consorts were sent out of the palace last night. Treat the remaining ones merely as partners required by the ‘plot’—do not consider them my consorts.”

The Emperor, now fully dressed in his regalia, emphasized, “I have only one consort: the Crown Princess, who is now my Empress. So when you see them… do not let your thoughts wander.”

As he spoke, he leaned down and kissed Lu Xuechao on the corner of his mouth.

Lu Xuechao turned his head away. “Enough. Do you really think I would be jealous? Go to court with peace of mind; I will handle it.”

Whatever grudges remained were of the past. Now that he knew everyone had been a puppet played in the palms of others, and that Huaiyun had never truly betrayed him, how could he possibly be jealous of others?

Over the many lifetimes they had endured, it wasn’t as if Lu Xuechao hadn’t become friends with other consorts. Setting aside their status, the harem was indeed a hidden treasure trove of talent; mutual appreciation was perfectly normal, and they had even “internally digested” a few pairs.

It was just that not a single one of them had fallen in love with the Emperor.

After all, Xie Chongjin, when controlled by the “players,” was truly a fatuous and promiscuous ruler. Unless one were blind or out of their mind, one would never fall in love with him.

Xie Chongjin cast a lingering, reluctant glance at Lu Xuechao before heading off to the morning court.

Lu Xuechao sat lazily under the covers for a while before reluctantly crawling out to wash up. Although he didn’t want to get up, he couldn’t keep his old acquaintances waiting.

Outside the Zhongxue Palace, a group of men with distinct and striking appearances began to gather.

The news of the Empress’s restoration had long since spread throughout the harem. Since the Central Palace now had a master, it was only fitting that the consorts come to pay their respects.

There had been two major disturbances in the palace yesterday: first, the Emperor claimed in court that he had been cursed and announced the restoration of the Empress; second, that very night, the Emperor issued another decree disbanding the vast majority of the harem.

With these two edicts, everyone believed that the Emperor had indeed been cursed—otherwise, why would he dissolve the harem the moment he was cured?

The affection between the Crown Prince and his consort had been legendary. After the coronation, his sudden coldness toward the Empress had been strange, but the “curse” explained it perfectly. Since the cold treatment was involuntary, this restoration was surely an act of guilt and compensation, and disbanding the harem was simply the expected course of action.

Besides, he hadn’t disbanded them all—he had kept a few.

These remaining few were now gathered outside the Zhongxue Palace, waiting to be received.

Leading the group was a man in a long, verdant robe, standing straight as a pine, with the grace of a gentleman like bamboo. Even among a group of striking men, he stood out for his exceptional beauty.

This was the Noble Consort, Liu Yansheng. His ability to become a favorite consort was naturally due to his character design being the most aesthetically pleasing, the one players loved to “select” the most. If Lu Xuechao was a red plum in the snow, he was the pine and cypress of the cold winter.

Beside him, the refined man in white was the Nobleman Shen Hezhou. His appearance was handsome, his temperament ethereal; among ordinary people, he was undeniably outstanding.

Liu Yansheng was the master of a palace, living in the main hall of the Cuiwei Palace, while Shen Hezhou lived in the side hall. Both were from noble families and knew each other before entering the palace; in fact, Liu Yansheng had only entered the palace because of Shen Hezhou.

They were childhood sweethearts, just like the current Emperor and Empress. They were at the age of marriage, and Liu Yansheng was preparing to propose to the Shen family when Shen Hezhou stepped out of his house and happened to encounter the Emperor on a secret visit. Among the crowd of “generic” faces, Shen Hezhou’s ethereal white robe and handsome features had been so stunning that the “player” had seized him on the spot, ordering the Shen family to send him into the palace.

The Shen family did not dare defy the imperial decree, and so Shen Hezhou entered the palace, and the engagement was broken.

Shen Hezhou’s life in the palace had not been easy. His looks, though outstanding among commoners, were not the most striking in the harem. The player had snatched him into the palace only to forget him instantly. Shen Hezhou was gentle and disliked conflict, so he was often bullied by more arrogant consorts.

Liu Yansheng had simply requested to join the harem through the selection process, quickly climbing to the rank of Noble Consort with a face that eclipsed all others. He asked the Emperor to allow Shen Hezhou to move into the side hall of Cuiwei Palace so he could protect him personally. The players, unaware of this backstory, assumed they were merely two consorts with a close friendship, keeping the harem harmonious.

In the game’s plot, players could trigger the “Liu Yansheng and Shen Hezhou Affair Event,” catching them in bed together in Cuiwei Palace. At that point, there were four options: execute Liu Yansheng, execute Shen Hezhou, execute both, or let them go.

Players soon discovered that no matter which one they executed, the other would commit suicide out of grief, cutting off two consort story routes at once. Choosing to let them go increased both consorts’ favorability toward the Emperor significantly, allowing the player to continue the “conquest” route.

The trope of “rivals becoming lovers” was a popular one. Many players enjoyed the thrill of both lovers falling for the “rival” who had broken them apart, so these two characters had high popularity.

Of course, whether a player conquered Liu Yansheng or Shen Hezhou, the factual outcome was always that Liu Yansheng and Shen Hezhou ended up together. The players didn’t know this, but Xie Chongjin did, and he silently permitted it.

Better to destroy ten temples than one marriage. The evil deeds committed by the players had to be reconciled by him.

Lu Xuechao was also aware of these star-crossed lovers. In the consort route, there was even a plot where Liu Yansheng and Shen Hezhou planned to fake their deaths and elope. The reason this plan could even be considered was that Lu Xuechao, as the master of the harem, turned a blind eye.

But while Lu Xuechao might let them go, the players might not. If a player on the consort route happened upon their conspiracy, they could choose to report them. The two would be executed, and the player would be promoted for their “meritorious service.” If they didn’t report them, the two would succeed in their plan, living out their lives in anonymity and freedom outside the palace.

Players, of course, chose to report them; in their eyes, the existence of this couple was merely a tool to climb the ranks.

“Yansheng,” Shen Hezhou said as he looked at the closed doors of the Zhongxue Palace. “I heard the Emperor summoned an imperial physician last night. Her Highness the Empress is unwell; perhaps he will not see us today.”

Liu Yansheng replied in a low voice, “Coming to pay respects is protocol. Her Highness may choose not to see us, but we cannot choose not to come.”

Shen Hezhou said worriedly, “Do you think Her Highness will dislike you?”

After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Liu Yansheng was the most favored Noble Consort; it would be perfectly normal for the Empress to dislike him.

“Although I have never met Her Highness, I have heard of his renown. He is a gentleman of reason and fairness; do not worry about him making things difficult for me,” Liu Yansheng reassured him.

On the other side, a man in pink robes, with a face like a blooming flower and a charming demeanor, rolled his eyes ungracefully, his expression still full of flirtatious allure.

Showing off their affection again, again, again. My eyes are going blind.

Liu Yansheng and Shen Hezhou were not blatant—at least in front of others, they maintained the courtesy of “gentlemanly friendship” and avoided overly intimate gestures.

But Hua Yan had been raised in the pleasure quarters. Though he was still a virgin (as the Emperor had purchased him at his first-night auction), he had seen enough pretense and fleeting romance to spot a deep secret the moment he entered the palace.

People said the Emperor frequented the harem and was obsessed with beauty, but from Hua Yan’s perspective, the entire harem seemed to consist of virgins…

The only ones who weren’t were the two in Cuiwei Palace, who had joined hands to cuckold the Emperor. Their courage was truly commendable.

Before entering the palace, Hua Yan had been a high-class entertainer. Because of his outstanding beauty, he was dubbed “The Peerless Flower.” His “brothel father” had begun letting him receive guests once he turned sixteen.

Hua Yan wasn’t a man of rigid virtue; he had been raised by his father, and it was only right for him to earn money for him. However, he was a severe “aesthetic addict” with one requirement: his guest could absolutely not be an ugly man.

His father had agreed.

He was very lucky. The person who purchased his first night was not only not ugly, but a peerless beauty—someone who looked even better than he did.

It was just that the man’s brain might have been a little broken.

That night, the guest didn’t even touch him. He only ordered him to play the Song of Serenity all night. His fingers were about to break from the playing, and when he playfully asked, “Could you let this servant rest a while, milord?” the guest finally showed mercy and said, “You may.”

Hua Yan thought, At least this man understands a little pity.

Then the man added, “Now sing the Great Compassion Mantra.”

Hua Yan: “…” Why are you in a brothel? Why aren’t you at a Buddhist temple?

Truly unromantic! A waste of such a beautiful face!

After that, the man frequented the brothel to find him, throwing gold like dirt, sending him expensive gifts, and inviting him to view the moon and cruise the lake. Everyone envied him, saying he had met a noble patron who was rich and handsome, and who might eventually redeem him.

Hua Yan was listless, unable to muster any spirit. What “eventually”? I haven’t even been “had.”

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Moon, the patron invited him on a lake cruise and even released a whole lake of lanterns for him. He had almost been moved.

Just by a hair.

After all, born to a lowly fate and raised in a brothel, he had no expectation of receiving sincerity, and no one would go to such lengths for him. To have a patron pursue him so ardently, treat him with such respect, not covet his body, and most importantly, look so beautiful—it was hard not to be moved.

Men like to “save” those in the pleasure quarters, and the “saved” easily fall for their benefactors.

He did not know that what he took for love was merely a sweet, special event in a conquest route, nor did he know that his own burgeoning feelings were just the result of a “player” grinding his affection levels.

The moment Xie Chongjin finished the special event of viewing the moon with Hua Yan, his attitude changed on the spot.

One second he was saying with deep affection, “My heart favors you,” and the next, he said stiffly, “It was all just a show; don’t take it seriously.”

Hua Yan: “…?”

Truly a scumbag in the clearest sense. He wouldn’t even let his sweet talk last more than one night?

Then he saw the man, who had just been so gentle and doting, sitting at the prow of the boat, expressionless, even looking somewhat sad.

Xie Chongjin was silent for a moment before looking up at the moon. “Tonight, I should have kept an appointment with someone else. I promised him that every Mid-Autumn night, I would accompany him.”

Hua Yan’s little spark of feeling shattered instantly. He had seen many scumbags who claimed to have a “true love” while still visiting brothels, but he never expected the man in front of him to be one. What’s the use of feeling guilty now? If you had the ability, you shouldn’t have come to find me.

But on the surface, he still played the role of the gentle, understanding confidant: “Milord can go find him.”

Xie Chongjin smiled bitterly. “If only I could.”

He looked down at the reflection of the moon in the lake. “He is like this flower in the mirror, this moon in the water—so close, yet so far away.”

Hua Yan didn’t understand.

Xie Chongjin continued to leave the palace to find Hua Yan, triggering a sweet plot each time. After each one, he would tell Hua Yan the story of his “true love” and “white moonlight,” causing Hua Yan, who had just begun to feel his heart flutter due to the sweet plot, to lose interest immediately.

Very well. I am certain: I will never fall in love with this person in this lifetime.

Not even if he looked that good.

Though he didn’t understand why the man wouldn’t go find his “white moonlight” and instead kept looking for him. Does he look a lot like that white moonlight? Is he using me as a substitute?

Or is the white moonlight already dead?

Hua Yan felt very regretful. After all, the story of him and his “white moonlight” was truly beautiful—from childhood sweethearts to young spouses, sweeter than any storybook he had ever read. He even secretly “shipped” them.

Although he didn’t believe he could meet true love, he truly envied those who possessed it.

One time, the guest told him, “Thank you for listening to my stories. I can redeem you, let you live a life without worry, and you won’t have to stay in the brothel—but I am sorry, I will not love you, nor will I touch you.”

Upon hearing this, Hua Yan thought: There’s such a good thing? And agreed immediately.

Only after Hua Yan was brought into the palace did he realize his guest was the Emperor. And the “true love” he spoke of was the Empress who had been cast into the Cold Palace.

Hua Yan could not understand. You speak of loving him with undying devotion in your stories, missing him until it makes you sick, yet in reality, you cast him into the Cold Palace, refuse to see him, and surround yourself with a harem full of birds and flowers???

A man’s mouth is a deceiving ghost. Anyone who believes an emperor is a fool.

After realizing that the entire harem consisted of virgins, Hua Yan even speculated that perhaps the Emperor was impotent, and precisely because he lacked something, he wanted to prove he was capable by pretending to be a rake and spreading such a reputation.

It wasn’t until yesterday that he heard the Emperor had been cursed three years ago.

The sweet stories Hua Yan had heard in the past, combined with reality, suddenly transformed into a harrowing tragedy.

He looked at the celestial palace before him, which felt like the home of an immortal. If he remembered correctly, this place was called the Cold Palace just one day ago.

The Emperor hadn’t lied to him.

The Emperor truly loved his moon.