CH 19

The Eastern Depot was a huge complex with five buildings located on the easternmost side of the imperial city at Donghua Gate. The entrance facing outside the imperial city was open and all the people bustling in and out were subordinates of the Eastern Depot. The large swath of plum trees planted in the courtyard had budded. On a winter day, adorned in silver and white, the bright red specks were very beautiful.

The head eunuch, Director Duan Chong, sat on a wooden armchair in the main hall holding a cup of fragrant Lu’an green tea. He looked out the window at the red plum blossoms, and said with a smile, “This most beautiful scene can only be obtained on the coldest day.”

Sitting beside him was Wu Shunhai, manager of the Eastern Depot and previously, the personal eunuch of Xue Yan’s birth mother Consort Rong.

Wu Shunhai also smiled. “Who would say otherwise? The more people choose to be bystanders watching the commotion, the more likely they will abandon the tree when it topples.” [skip]

On the stone steps outside their door oozed a frightfully large bloodstain. It stained the white snow in starry specks and mirrored the red plum blossoms.

Less than an hour ago, a person had been skinned here. That person had not died until their entire skin was peeled off, and his screams had been audible throughout the Eastern Depot. 

Duan Chong glanced at the bloodstain and shook his head indifferently. 

>>“His Majesty still trusts that dog that wags its tail everyday by his side,” he said. “Although we leave no stone unturned in our work for His Majesty, how can it compare to someone who serves at his side every day?”

Wu Shunhai knew he was talking about Ling Fu, of course. In the last few years, more than a fourth of the Eastern Depot’s authority had been transferred to Ling Fu. From Ling Fu to his subordinates who served other nobles, every single one of them had become flushed with success. By contrast, the Eastern Depot had been ignored and grown dismal during the same few years.

In the past, the Eastern Depot still had the power of some nobility in the palace. The masters and mistresses who did not hold government positions all curried favor with the Eastern Depot in the hopes of lenient treatment[1] so their own affairs would run more smoothly.

Now, even those people fawned over Ling Fu. But Ling Fu was clearly still not satisfied. The person who had just been put to death outside the hall had been a spy he’d planted in the Eastern Depot.

Wu Shunhai said soothingly, “No need to worry, there’s always a way.”

Hearing this, Duan Chong took a sip of tea and asked, “I heard you sent someone into the palace to find the Fifth Prince the other day?”

Wu Shunhai replied, “Yes, this subordinate found him and revealed my identity to him.”

Duan Chong smiled. “That child is too pitiful. What did he say?”

“He may be pitiful but he is not reliable,” Wu Shunhai said, frowning.

Duan Chon raised an eyebrow and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Xiao Weizi came back and reported that although he was moved, he only wanted to talk about the past with me. When asked if he wanted vengeance, he said he did not know where to start and rejected the offer,” said Wu Shunhai.

Hearing this, Duan Chong laughed. “This unreliability makes him more useful. Our Eastern Depot is already effective, if he is too capable, he will cause trouble for us in the future.”

These words struck Wu Shunhai’s heart. He nodded repeatedly and said the director was wise. “Then, this subordinate will choose a date to meet him?” 

But Duan Chong shook his head. “Wait a little longer,” he said. “Have Xiao Weizi go to Wenhua Hall every day, same as before.”

Wu Shunhai did not understand. “This……?”

The Eastern Depot was currently in a difficult position. Ling Fu watched them like a tiger eyeing prey.[2] The concubine they once supported had turned her back on them. In the past, that concubine had done much for the Eastern Depot because her father and brothers were attached to the Eastern Depot. But that meant she also had a lot of information on them. As matters stood, why wouldn’t Director Duan be worried?

Duan Chong gazed outside the door. Standing on the steps below was a child no more than ten years old.

He was thin and frail, and had an extraordinarily indifferent expression on his face. This child had been the one to skin the spy. There was still blood splattered on his face as he calmly directed the servants in cleaning. It was as if he had only killed a chicken outside.

Duan Chong leisurely sipped his tea. 

“Humans, they must be at the end of their rope before you can send them coal on a winter day,”[3] he smiled meaningfully. “Only then will this person give you their undying loyalty and become your obedient dog.”

Jun Huailang didn’t expect he could say such words so confidently. He felt embarrassed after saying those words, lowered his eyes, and did not dare look Xue Yan in the eyes anymore. He thought to himself, once a man of character says something, he can’t take it back. Besides, this is what I actually think. There’s nothing wrong with saying it out loud and letting him know.

Although Jun Huailang was not in fragile health, it was difficult to recover quickly from occasional colds. Perhaps, he was not fully healed from the cold, or perhaps there was some hidden trouble from the rebirth. Whatever it was, it had nothing to do with Xue Yan and he absolutely could not be blamed.

Although Jun Huailang felt magnanimous, Xue Yan did not speak. It made Jun Huailang feel a bit uncomfortable. After a moment, Jun Huailang couldn’t stand it any longer. He cleared his throat and feigned indifference, “Anyway, my nightmares have nothing to do with you. You should only worry about living well here, there’s no need for you to take responsibility for things that are not your fault.”

After speaking he turned around and went into his room.

He did not look back, so he didn’t see the complicated, passionate but restrained emotions surging in the pair of amber eyes staring at him. He also did not know that when Xue Yan returned to his room that day, he didn’t speak for a long time.

Jinbao was used to his master’s deep reticence, but even he felt that it was a bit unusual today. He waited upon Xue Yan in the house, and just as he was about to withdraw, he heard Xue Yan’s voice.

“Does Buddha really exist in the world?” He asked.

Jinbao was taken aback. 

People said yes, Buddha existed, but as a lowly eunuch, how would he have the ability to see a real Buddha, and how would he know whether it was real or fake?

“This…… maybe yes?” Jinbao said hesitantly. 

Xue Yan sighed softly. “If the heavens are full of gods and buddhas, I don’t know which one could suppress the evil aura on my body,” he said. “…… might save me from hurting that naive little fool.”

Although his voice was low, there was a faint sense of helpless bewilderment in his tone, as well as a hint of fondness.

Jinbao was an idiot. He thought his master was the sort of person who would never be afraid of divine punishment. If Xue Yan was starting to believe in Buddhism, then he had surely been possessed by evil spirits and needed Buddha to manifest and exorcize him.

From that day on, Jun Huailang’s room was filled with the smell of incense. Every day, it lingered without dissipating.

At first he was very surprised. He didn’t expect this incense from Baoguo Temple could last for so long. It wasn’t until Fuyi, who kept vigil all night, told him that he knew why it lingered. In the morning, while he was still asleep, Xue Yan would come to Jun Huailang’s front hall alone to light incense for him. Xue Yan did this every day without fail.

As for Jun Huailang, who fell asleep to the fragrance of the incense every night, his nightmares actually became less frequent.

But he couldn’t talk to Xue Yan at all. Every day, Xue Yan was gone by the time Jun Huailang woke up. When he got to Wenhua Hall, Xue Yan kept to himself just like before and did not allow Jun Huailang to have contact with him.

Jun Huailang was so disturbed, he even realized that he was being too softhearted.

It was hard for him to maintain his vigilance and hatred towards a person who silently and wholeheartedly treated him well. Jun Huailang sometimes even preferred for Xue Yan to be a complete bastard. Then he wouldn’t need to be all twisted up like this and enjoy the other person’s care everyday.

Jun Huailang tried to suppress the strange feeling in his heart and went about his days as normal. Just like that, the days became colder and colder. More snow fell, and the day of the Emperor’s birthday banquet arrived.

Jun Huailang had not attended the Thousand Years Banquet in the previous life. He had caught a severe cold and had not recovered at the time of the banquet. His parents had been afraid that he could spread the illness at the banquet and spoil the auspiciousness of the Thousand Years Banquet, so they let him stay at home. However, now Jun Huailang resided in the palace. Naturally this life diverged from the previous life.

Jun Huailang rose at dawn on the day of the Thousand Year Banquet. The servants in the palace were very familiar with handling such events. Even though Mingluan Palace had three more people attending this year, they had all their formal attire and accessories in order.

When the time came and Jun Huailang was arranged satisfactorily, he heard the maids report that Xue Yunhuan was already in the front hall, waiting to go together with him.

Jun Huailang entered the front hall and saw Xue Yunhuan frowning. He wrinkled his nose and said, “What is this smell in your hall? It smells like a Buddhist temple.”

Jun Huailang was surprised, and only then did he notice the scent of sandalwood incense lingering around his body. After all these days, he had become accustomed to it.

Jun Huailang involuntarily looked out of the window. Across Mingluan Palace’s exquisite and beautiful garden was the west side hall where Xue Yan lived. They were both part of Mingluan Palace, but the west side hall seemed separate somehow. It had no visitors and even the servants took pains to avoid the hall.

The door of the west hall was currently tightly closed. Jinbao, who usually guarded the door, was absent. “He’s already gone,” Jun Huailang whispered to himself.

“What did you say?” Xue Yunhuan didn’t hear clearly so he leaned forward and asked.

Jun Huailang smiled at him. “It’s nothing. Any longer  and we’ll be late, let’s go.”

Xue Yunhuan replied with a slightly puzzled “oh.” As they left, he glanced in the direction Jun Huailang had been looking at. 

No one was there, what was Huailang looking at?