UCTOOT CH43

In the end, Shi Shu stayed, lying in Xie Wuchi’s bed. He pulled the covers over his face, leaving only the top of his head exposed. A teapot was placed in front of Xie Wuchi, who sat in a chair sipping tea while reviewing account books.

…

Just as the dark night was about to give way to dawn, the Heir Apparent, Chu Wei, arrived at the door, announcing loudly, “Wuchi, I’ve found the thing you wanted.”

The Heir Apparent and two of his advisors entered the room. Xie Wuchi looked up and walked out to meet them.

Their figures were blurred behind the beaded curtains. Xie Wuchi instructed his attendants, “All of you, leave.”

Chu Wei laughed heartily. “This ledger contains my imperial brother’s birth date and time, along with anecdotes and interesting stories from his childhood. I spent the last few days in my residence questioning the old women who looked after him and compiled it all into this secret dossier. I guarantee it will be useful!”

“Take a look!”

The voices woke Shi Shu. Through the curtain, he watched as the Heir Apparent, Chu Wei, handed over the secret book. Xie Wuchi did not take it immediately. He first dragged out an old bronze basin before accepting the dossier from Chu Wei.

“You’re going to burn it?”

“Speculating on His Majesty’s intentions is a taboo. This secret book cannot be kept. Please, have a seat, Your Highness.”

Shi Shu was groggy. Behind the beaded curtain, the light of a fire flickered. After reading each page, Xie Wuchi tore it out and threw it into the bronze basin to burn to ash. The orange flames illuminated his cold, sharp brows and the bridge of his nose.

“Chu Xun, raised by his wet nurse, a Mrs. Zhang, in his early years. At eleven, he fell from a mulberry tree while eating its berries…”

“He has a sweet tooth, enjoys milk, and likes fine clothes…”

“While still a prince, he favored a beautiful maidservant. After ascending the throne, he suffered from kidney yang deficiency and has been without an heir for ten years…”

“He dotes on Consort Yu, following her every word…”

“Consort Yu is Feng Lu’s adopted daughter and calls him ‘godfather’…”

“…”

Xie Wuchi read a page and burned a page, his expression grave.

Shi Shu was drowsy. The voices reached his ears, but he couldn’t make out the words clearly. However, the shadow of the figure in the firelight danced on the wall, like a phantom.

Although Shi Shu didn’t know what was happening, he had a vague feeling that a major political storm was about to break.

The voices of the men in their secret discussion were not loud. Shi Shu didn’t hear clearly and fell asleep. He woke once in the middle of the night to find them still full of energy. Someone was hurriedly copying something onto paper, sleeves rolled up. The Heir Apparent was also pacing back and forth, deep in thought.

As for Xie Wuchi, he still wore a contemplative expression, as if considering something.

When Shi Shu woke again, it was already bright daylight. Xie Wuchi was seeing his guests out and emptying the ashes from the bronze basin.

“You’re awake? Wait a bit, breakfast is coming.”

Shi Shu rolled over to make room on the bed. “Are you guys made of iron? What could you possibly be discussing in the middle of the night? You should sleep. I’m getting up to go to the pharmacy.”

Xie Wuchi replied, “I’m not sleeping. I have to supervise work in the garden today. They need me early in the morning.”

Someone brought hot water from outside. Xie Wuchi washed his face and tidied up, then went behind a screen to change.

Shi Shu’s gaze followed him. “Did you evolve your sleeping genes away?”

Behind the screen, Xie Wuchi took off his outer robe, revealing the upper half of his back. As he lowered his head slightly, his shoulder blades stood out, the muscles and bones beneath creating a tense, powerful line. The skin there was the color of mature wheat.

“…” Shi Shu averted his gaze and took a sip of water.

Xie Wuchi emerged, adjusting his collar and sleeves. “I’ll take you to the pharmacy. Also, I have a few things to ask.”

Xie Wuchi plunged into a period of intense activity, leaving early and returning late. The room he had promised to prepare was not yet ready. Every day when Shi Shu went to sleep, Xie Wuchi was usually dozing in a chair outside. They were both busy with their own tasks.

On a bright, sunny day, Shi Shu had just moved herbs from the warehouse to sun them and was wiping sweat from his forehead. Lin Baihe suddenly tapped his shoulder and handed him a packet of herbs. “Take this Epimedium, Cistanche, and Poria to the Princess Consort’s courtyard.”

Shi Shu took it. “This is quite a large amount, isn’t it?”

“Stick to the shade on your way there. It’s hot, and more and more people have been getting heatstroke lately. We’re running low on the medicine for scraping therapy,” Lin Baihe tutted.

Shi Shu agreed and was about to leave when Lin Baihe suddenly remembered something. “Has your brother not been home much recently?”

Shi Shu said, “Yeah, he and the Heir Apparent’s advisors have endless things to do every day.”

“Endless things to do, or endless wine to drink? That group banquets every day, and after the banquets, they go out carousing,” Lin Baihe sneered. “Someone even came to me today to get treated for a venereal disease!”

“Huh? Why would you think my brother is carousing?”

Lin Baihe looked around and whispered, “Yesterday, your brother sent someone to quietly ask me what herbs are good for virility and strengthening the kidneys. I’m afraid he’s weakened himself from all the carousing.”

“…………”

Virility? Strengthening the kidneys? Xie Wuchi?

Lin Baihe tilted her chin. “Just take some of the herbs in your hand, go back, and make a soup for your brother to help him recover.”

Shi Shu’s mood instantly became very complicated. As he walked, he thought, “Impossible. Xie Wuchi wouldn’t go carousing. Besides, even if he really did sleep with someone, he’s not the kind of incapable man who’d be so spent after a few days that he’d need Chinese medicine.”

The memory of him touching Xie Wuchi that night was vivid. It was firm and strong, definitely not the equipment of a man who finished early.

“He’s sick in the head,” Shi Shu thought, his face flushing, “If he’s not suffering from kidney deficiency, why ask about aphrodisiac soups and tonics?”

Lost in thought, Shi Shu carried the packet of herbs through winding corridors and arrived at the Princess Consort’s rear residence.

Shi Shu wasn’t sure if it was the main gate or a small courtyard, so he called out at the entrance, “Is anyone here? Hello?”

He then heard a “Cluck cluck cluck cluck—cluck cluck—” from the courtyard. Several maids and male servants were busy slaughtering chickens, while others flew about the yard. The chickens were plump and strong, with glossy, pure black feathers. A maidservant adorned with gold and silver waved a handkerchief. “Don’t scare the chickens! The Princess Consort had these bought from a farmer for a high price. If they get scared, the meat won’t be good. This is for a soup she’s making for His Majesty personally, so be careful!”

Another asked, “A soup for His Majesty?”

“Of course. When His Majesty was young and lived in the Prince’s mansion, he always loved the chicken soup the Princess Consort made. Now that he’s visiting, she’s preparing to make it for him again.”

“It’s been a long time since His Majesty visited, hasn’t it?”

“…”

Shi Shu handed over the herbs and repeated Lin Baihe’s instructions. “You don’t need a large amount for the chicken soup. Soak the herbs for half an hour before adding them to the soup. Bring to a boil for fifteen minutes, then simmer on low heat. The herbs are potent, so don’t use too much, in case it’s too strong to digest.”

After speaking, he ran out of the Princess Consort’s courtyard and headed back. It was the height of summer. As Shi Shu walked past the Lotus Wind Pavilion, he saw the high, pointed eaves of the gazebo rising before a sea of green lotus leaves. A hanging wind chime tinkled.

The pond was full of lotus leaves. Some servants were using saws to cut large, steaming blocks of ice and putting them into the lotus pond.

“Hurry up, the ice is melting.”

“How’s the water temperature? Is it enough? If not, have someone get more from the icehouse. If that’s not enough, go borrow some from the other mansions.”

“Oof, it’s really cold.”

Shi Shu slowed his pace and stood watching, unable to help but think of their time in Shukang Prefecture. He thought, “Back then, the weather was so hot that many people’s wounds were festering, but our requests for ice were never approved. Why is this Prince’s mansion using so much ice?”

Curiously, Shi Shu asked, “What’s all this ice for? Why are you pouring it into the water?”

“You see, from where you’re standing, looking out from the Lotus Wind Pavilion, the view of those plump lotus buds is the best. See them? They’re about to bloom, but there’s still time before His Majesty’s visit. We’re cooling the water first to delay their blooming by a few days.”

“…………”

Shi Shu’s smile vanished. Speechless, he kicked a piece of crushed ice away and left the scene. While wine and meat rot behind vermilion gates, the bones of the frozen lie on the road. The Prince’s mansion was wealthy and powerful, and the emperor was of imperial blood, but Shi Shu had never liked or accepted inequality.

He continued walking along the shaded path. As he rounded a corridor, he came upon a lush green grove. A hot wind rustled the treetops, and cicadas chirped chaotically. Shi Shu drew a bucket of water from a well to wash his face. He dunked his head into the water and held his breath. A moment later, unable to stand the cold, he lifted his head and wiped the sweat from his face. Suddenly, a figure in a stone-blue long robe came into view.

Xie Wuchi stood tall and elegant, sitting in the pavilion drinking tea. His hair was tied up high, and his fingers caught a glint of sunlight.

“Xie Wuchi—”

Shi Shu was about to call out.

But then, through the cover of the branches and leaves, he saw that another person was sitting in the pavilion, dressed in red and green—clearly a woman.

“…………”

Shi Shu felt that the woman looked familiar, but being caught intruding was more awkward than anything else. He choked back his shout and turned, fleeing from the pavilion.

“Waaah, what is Xie Wuchi doing? Is he on a date?”

“He’s been leaving early and coming back late. Could he have been going on dates?”

“What’s going on? Is he discussing business or falling in love?”

“He met someone new and didn’t even tell me?! Are we even brothers!”

Shi Shu sprinted away, his mind buzzing with heat until he finally calmed down, his back cold and drenched in sweat.

Working in the Prince’s mansion had led to many strange encounters lately. Shi Shu kept a calm facade, but over the next few days, he carefully observed Xie Wuchi to see if he had truly, as Lin Baihe suggested, picked up a bad habit. However, with the coordination of thousands of people in the mansion, he often returned only in the early hours of the morning and was up and out again at the crack of dawn.

Even if Xie Wuchi was naturally energetic, the excessive work made his expression gloomy when he had a moment of leisure. He seemed to be busily running around for some matter, often with large amounts of paperwork to handle. Several times, Shi Shu saw him fall asleep with his chin propped in his hand, only to open his eyes and continue working the moment someone came looking for him.

The high-intensity work left dark circles under his eyes. He often smelled of alcohol from social engagements, but never of perfume. With the Prince of Liang’s birthday approaching, an air of festive excitement filled the mansion, like a drumbeat urging everyone to work even harder without relaxing.

In the courtyard.

Shi Shu was stewing medicinal herbs over a small stove. As he was choking on the smoke, Xie Wuchi returned, dressed in a crisp, pale white robe that made his shoulders and back look exceptionally straight and proper. As he entered, hand on the doorframe, his sharp gaze quickly swept the room.

Shi Shu fanned the fire from time to time. “Xie Wuchi, you must be exhausted lately, right? I’ve brewed some medicine for you.”

“This is what it’s like, bustling about for personal gain. It’s fine.”

When Shi Shu lifted the lid, the strong medicinal aroma filled his nostrils. He ladled a bowl of the dark brown liquid and set it on the table, snatching his fingers back from the heat. “Hiss—hiss—it’s really hot. Xie Wuchi, don’t drink it yet. Drink it when it’s cooler.”

Xie Wuchi lowered his gaze and sat down in a chair. “It’s been hot lately, and I happen to be feeling a bit of internal heat. Did you make a soup to clear heat and detoxify?”

Shi Shu replied, “Nope. I made a soup to boost virility and strengthen the kidneys. I see you’ve been busy socializing every day, it must be pretty tiring—”

Before Shi Shu could finish, Xie Wuchi’s expression turned grim, his icy gaze landing on top of his head. “To boost my virility?”

“No need to be embarrassed! Lin Baihe secretly told me you were asking about medicine. You look healthy and strong, but I’ve seen you leaving early and coming back late with the smell of alcohol on you. Drink this to replenish yourself.”

Xie Wuchi said, word by word, “Perhaps one day I’ll be spent, but not now. Are you that bored? Come here.”

Shi Shu asked, “Huh? Where are we going?”

“Back to Liushui Nunnery. I have something to tell you.”

“Okay, okay! Before we go, are you going to drink this virility soup or not? If you don’t, I will. Don’t let it go to waste.”

With a displeased look, Xie Wuchi reached out to grab Shi Shu’s bowl. His hand was strong, but Shi Shu had already bent over the bowl, blowing on the surface of the soup before taking two large gulps with a “gurgle” of his throat. Xie Wuchi snatched the white porcelain bowl, sniffed the remaining soup, and the emotion in his eyes softened slightly. “This is ginseng and astragalus root soup, specifically for over-exhaustion.”

Shi Shu clapped his hands and grinned. “Fooled you, didn’t I? I never said it wasn’t. But how did you know just by smelling it? I heard you went to the pharmacy to get a prescription for a virility tonic.”

“I have my reasons.”

After saying this, Xie Wuchi grabbed Shi Shu by the collar. “I can walk on my own, don’t drag me!”

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Shi Shu was led by him straight to the Heir Apparent’s residence. The Prince’s mansion was quieter at night than during the day. Xie Wuchi’s wide sleeves billowed in the clear breeze of the moonlit night, and he remained in deep thought as he walked with his head slightly bowed. Shi Shu, meanwhile, skipped alongside him, jumping up to grab leaves from tree branches, looking carefree and at ease.

At the gate of the Liushui Nunnery courtyard, Laifu was wagging his tail. The nunnery, uninhabited for just a few days, was already covered in a thick layer of dust. Shi Shu wiped a surface and stared at his blackened palm with a tut. Behind him, Xie Wuchi was opening all the wardrobe doors. “Pack up all your clothes.”

Shi Shu asked, “Pack for what? The few clothes I have at the Prince’s mansion are enough for washing and changing.”

“We’re not going back to the Prince’s mansion. Just pack.”

“Then where are we going?” Shi Shu had very few belongings. For boys like them, a few shirts and two pairs of trousers could last a year. Counting carefully, he had only four or five outer garments, some pants, two pairs of shoes, a face towel and a bath towel, and Laifu’s toys. There was nothing else. Shi Shu packed his clothes into a bundle and knelt on the bed to tie the cloth into a knot.

Xie Wuchi turned his head and saw Shi Shu’s simple luggage. “The money is in the cabinet. You’re young, you should buy some gold and jade to wear.”

Without looking up, Shi Shu said, “No need, I don’t use it. Besides, this is your money. Back home, I might have chased trends with the money my parents gave me, but here, I can just make do. I can’t be bothered.”

Xie Wuchi said faintly, “You want to draw such a clear line between us?”

Shi Shu replied, “Taking things from people puts you in their debt. To avoid having to listen to you, I need to be self-reliant.”

Xie Wuchi didn’t speak. He packed away the money box as well. Seeing that Shi Shu’s clothes were neatly packed, he said, “Let’s go. Call Laifu.”

Shi Shu carried his bundle and followed behind him, with Laifu trailing after. They walked to the street but didn’t head in the direction of the Prince’s mansion. It was dark at night. They walked along the street to a quiet spot where a hired carriage driver was waiting. Only then did Shi Shu realize. “Xie Wuchi, are we moving? Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?”

“It was a last-minute idea. I asked a friend to arrange for a courtyard for us. You go stay there first, and I’ll come find you when I’m free. I have things to attend to at the Prince’s mansion, so I have to go first.”

“Hey?” Shi Shu grabbed his sleeve. “What are you doing! What is this? You better explain it clearly, or I’m not going.”

“Speak!”

Xie Wuchi’s dark eyes shifted away. He lifted the curtain with one hand and sat in the carriage with him. “It’s better if I see you there. We can stay at the Heir Apparent’s residence temporarily, but it’s not a permanent home. Who knows when they might kick us out. It’s best to have our own house.”

“Oh?”

The carriage traveled for half an hour before stopping. They were no longer in the eastern part of the city where the Heir Apparent’s and Prince’s mansions were, but in the southwest. Shi Shu jumped down from the carriage. A standalone courtyard house was veiled by the night. Upon entering, Xie Wuchi took out a flint and lit a lantern that was placed behind the door.

With a “click,” he bolted the door.

The weeds in the courtyard had just been cleared, and the ground was clean. This courtyard was much larger than the one at Liushui Nunnery, with flying eaves on the three sides of the house. On the left was a patch of barren land where small melons and seedlings could be planted. The wooden platform under the eaves was wide and flat, and it had been washed clean inch by inch with a rag.

Shi Shu exclaimed, “This courtyard is beautiful!”

“It used to be the residence of a secretary from the Ministry of Revenue. He was demoted and left the Eastern Capital, so the house became empty. The name on the deed is yours.”

Xie Wuchi pushed open the door to the house; the furnishings inside were like new. Shi Shu, following behind him, suddenly caught his words. “The deed, the name on the deed, huh?! Why is my name on it?”

Xie Wuchi took the contract from his robes and placed it on the table. “I have something to do in the next few days. There’s a high probability of success. But it’s also possible it won’t succeed, in which case I’ll either be killed on the spot or have to flee the capital. I’ve set you up with a place to live, just in case.”

Shi Shu demanded, “What is it? Explain clearly.”

“The Heir Apparent plans to use His Majesty’s visit to impeach Feng Lu. Feng Lu controls the court’s propaganda, and Consort Yu, who shares the Emperor’s bed, is his goddaughter. They protect each other. We can only take advantage of the Emperor’s trip out of the palace to first sow discord between Consort Yu and Feng Lu, and then between the Emperor and Feng Lu, and hope they fight to the death. If Feng Lu doesn’t fall, it will be difficult for me to survive.”

Shi Shu understood at once. “So after all this, you’re making arrangements for me in case you die?”

“It’s not that serious. It’s the Prince’s birthday, so there probably won’t be a threat to my life. But if we fail, I’ll be useless to the Heir Apparent. This courtyard is our escape route.”

Xie Wuchi looked up and surveyed the furnishings in the room, his eyes distant and ethereal, lost in thought. Perhaps he was contemplating the celestial palaces of success, or perhaps the fate of a stray dog should his plan fail.

“Do you like it?”

“…………”

Shi Shu said, “Bro, you…”

Shi Shu re-examined the entire courtyard, feeling a different kind of emotion. “Don’t do this. I can live in the house for now, but when you come back, you have to change the name back to yours. I can’t handle such a huge favor. I can’t repay it.”

Lin Baihe’s words resurfaced in his mind: If there was a man, and you played with him, and he gave you money, would you be willing? Although he wasn’t “playing” with him now, how was this different from being kept by him!

Brothers for life.

But a brother is someone who gives you a hand; a man who gives you a few tugs is gay.

A breeze blew a strand of hair across Shi Shu’s fair face. He thought again of the time Xie Wuchi had kissed him. He couldn’t get over it. It would be pretty difficult to actually spend a lifetime with Xie Wuchi.

Xie Wuchi said, “In any case, the key is here. You stay here. I’ll be back when I’m done.”

The courtyard walls were painted gray-green. A huge pagoda tree danced in the night wind. Outside the walls, the neighboring area was a bustling market, nothing like the gloomy, ghostly atmosphere of Liushui Nunnery. Looking up, he could see a sky full of twinkling stars. To be honest, it was an excellent location with a great environment.

Xie Wuchi quieted down and suddenly said, “Shi Shu.”

Shi Shu replied, “What is it?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shi Shu became alert and quickly backed away. “The addiction is acting up again, isn’t it? Don’t come near me!!!!”

Before Xie Wuchi could say anything, Shi Shu let out a whoosh and ran off, clutching his head, to the innermost room of the house.

Shi Shu thought, “I give up! Is there a cure for this illness of Xie Wuchi’s? Is this happening every few days right?!” He hid in a wardrobe. It was pitch black in the small space, and he heard no movement, assuming Xie Wuchi had left.

Shi Shu breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he pushed the wardrobe door open, a presence and a movement descended upon him.

His chin was seized by a cruel, cold, and sharp grip. His lips were suddenly pecked.

Shi Shu’s eyelashes fluttered, stunned by the kiss. “Hey!!”

The moment he spoke, his lips were sealed again. All of Xie Wuchi’s recent anxiety seemed to be poured into this kiss. His warm, burning lips pressed against his, grinding and pecking inch by inch, before his tongue pried open his teeth and pushed inside.

Shi Shu couldn’t take it and tried to kick him, but his legs were pinned apart by a powerful knee, locked into an immobile angle. His mind ignited. He couldn’t see clearly, but the heat and the scent of gunpowder were palpable. He tried to slap him, but his hand was pinned against the door by a searing iron wrist. His head was forced to rest against the wooden panel behind him.

“Thump—” Shi Shu zoned out for a few seconds from the impact and disorientation. By the time he came to, his mouth was wet and sticky from being licked. Xie Wuchi liked and was skilled at this kind of French kiss, sucking on his tongue while constantly sweeping and teasing.

“…Ah, you madman.” Unable to bear this kind of kiss, Xie Wuchi licked with a lustful hunger, a frantic kiss full of desire and craving, sucking the fire from Shi Shu’s heart. His soul felt like it was being licked out of his body. Heat swirled between them, leaving only an uncontrollable physiological pleasure.

“Madman, Xie Wuchi, I hate you…”

Half of Xie Wuchi’s body was inside the wardrobe. Shi Shu’s two legs were spread apart outside, his well-exercised, healthy, and slender Achilles tendons and straight, fair calves pressed tightly against his waist, locking him in place.

“Xie Wuchi, do you think I won’t get angry! My patience has a limit…”

The kiss made Shi Shu’s head spin, the saliva in his mouth a complete mess. He tried desperately to kick and hit Xie Wuchi, but he was completely overpowered.

Shi Shu endured the kiss. When his consciousness returned, his wrists were still pinned against the wood panel. His tongue was no longer in his mouth, but sensuously intertwined and licking with Xie Wuchi’s, a string of saliva connecting them.

“Nn… ah…”

“Does it feel good?” a hoarse male voice asked.

The slick sensation of their tongues licking each other entered his awareness—the sharp, intense, and undeniable presence of a man’s lips and tongue, and Shi Shu was responding.

“What the fuck?! You!!” Shi Shu suddenly snapped awake. He tried to stand, but his head hit the palm that was cushioning it.

Only then did Shi Shu remember he was in the wardrobe. As soon as he moved, his chin was roughly caressed by calloused fingertips, and then his Adam’s apple was kissed before the presence withdrew.

Shi Shu crawled out of the wardrobe like a disheveled ghost from The Ring. “Xie Wuchi, you! I’m fucking straight! Straight! Don’t make me angry, or you won’t have a peaceful day in your life!”

“Consider it my debt to you,” Xie Wuchi said. “For the next three days, don’t leave the house. Just wait for my news.”

Shi Shu panted, “Fine, fine!”

You think you can control me! I’m leaving the second you’re gone!

As the man walked towards the courtyard gate, Shi Shu followed, unhappily giving him the middle finger. The moment the gate slowly closed, Shi Shu heard the “click” of a lock.

Shi Shu: “?”

“Fuck!! Xie Wuchi, you absolute madman!”

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