Yu Gong Zhao Ye led his horse into the back alley of Wan Hong Tower. Not long after, Wei Fu arrived in a light, graceful manner. The moment he saw him, he smiled and asked, “Well? Is it beautiful?”
The alley was dim, and the flickering glow of fireworks occasionally illuminated his high, straight nose bridge. His features were sharp yet refined, bright eyes and smiling lips, gentle and elegant like jade—indeed, he was beautiful.
The moment Yu Gong Zhao Ye saw him, his thoughts drifted slightly. Lowering his gaze, he gave a soft “Mm.” Wei Fu turned to glance at the sky and said casually, “Fireworks under the moon have their own charm. Now that the weather has turned cold and all vegetation has withered, there’s been a lack of scenery. Tonight’s display fits the occasion perfectly.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye thought to himself that it was extravagant and utterly useless indulgence, but when the words reached his lips, they somehow became: “During Mid-Autumn, the merchant ships of Longsha set off fireworks by the sea. When you arrive at Bihan City, you can go take a look.”
Wei Fu snapped his head back toward him, a subtle smile spreading across his brows and eyes. “Will Your Highness take me there?”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “…Alright.”
His somewhat uneasy gaze fell on Wei Fu’s neck, tightly wrapped by his collar. Perhaps it was the lighting, but the patterns on his robe seemed slightly blurred. “Were the fireworks arranged by you?”
Wei Fu smiled faintly. “Originally, Prince Yidu was hosting a banquet, and I received an invitation. Last night, after receiving Your Highness’s message telling me to prepare personnel in advance in case of contingencies, I thought that recently the most eye-catching event in Fengdu was the Han Hua Gathering. It might become the next target of the Ten Aspects Sect, so I made some preparations beforehand.”
“Is Prince Yidu alright?”
“After receiving word from Your Highness’s side just now, I first had His Highness relocated. However, there are many guests in the tower tonight. If the Egret Guards rushed in to search, it might cause chaos and alert the enemy. So I arranged for people to set off fireworks outside. While the guests went out to watch, we captured Li Song in one move and, incidentally, cleared out the thunder-fire bombs hidden inside the building.”
His way of handling matters had always been tactful and thorough—this had already been evident in the case of Tongshi Pharmacy. Yu Gong Zhao Ye said, “They still have remnants lying in ambush around Wan Hong Tower, preparing to assassinate Prince Yidu. After the plan failed, they’ll likely blend into the crowd. Don’t let those people slip away.”
“Mm, Your Highness can rest assured. The Egret Guards have already sent agents to investigate secretly.” Wei Fu asked, “Did everything go smoothly on Your Highness’s side?”
When Yu Gong Zhao Ye stepped out and saw the fireworks, his confusion was no less than Gu Pingchuan’s. Worried that something might happen at Wan Hong Tower, he hadn’t waited for the Egret Guards to finish arresting people. He had simply removed his disguise and rushed over on horseback. But saying that outright would sound like he didn’t trust Wei Fu, so he merely nodded vaguely. “The mastermind and accomplices have all been captured. The rest will be left to you. We will not interfere further.”
For some reason, those few words struck a sensitive chord in Wei Fu. His brows furrowed slightly. “Earlier, Your Highness insisted that Bihua no longer exists. If Your Highness handled those people personally, at most this would remain an unsolved case. Even if suspicion fell on Bihua, there would be no evidence. Why inform the Egret Guards in advance? Although His Majesty has granted me discretionary authority, once the Egret Guards are mobilized, it’s equivalent to bringing the matter directly before the Emperor. Isn’t Your Highness afraid of inviting trouble?”
“The matter is too significant and involves too many parties. If we extend our reach too far, it will only expose us. Better to do your Emperor a favor—considering that a major disaster has been prevented, he will not pursue it too deeply.” Yu Gong Zhao Ye glanced at him, uncertain what weighed so heavily on his mind. “Besides, when the Ten Aspects Sect assassinated envoys in the streets before, it shook the realm. We must give your side an explanation.”
With a tone as casual as ordering dishes, he brushed aside both credit and hardship, indifferent to who might praise him or whether he would be repaid.
Outside, fireworks filled the sky, and the streets shone as bright as day. Yet he stood quietly in the dark alley behind the building, unnoticed by anyone.
Wei Fu looked at him steadily. For a moment, he could not tell whether what he felt was bitterness or softness. So he deliberately dragged out his tone and complained, “What do you mean ‘you’ and ‘we’? I thought that when Your Highness encountered trouble, you would come to me first—that you had already considered me one of your own. It seems your heart still draws clear boundaries.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “……”
When he had first met Wei Fu, the latter had still been mute. To express himself, he had to write on Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s hand, taking a long time for a single sentence. Thus he was often concise, appearing quiet—almost pitiful.
Later, when Yu Gong Zhao Ye first saw Wei Fu again in Fengdu, he had not immediately connected him to the person from his past precisely because of that sharp-tongued, socially adept manner. It was completely different from the impression in his memory.
Seeing that he did not respond immediately, Wei Fu clicked his tongue and pressed further. “See? I guessed right. Is Your Highness thinking about how to argue your way out of this?”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye thought, when you were mute you didn’t talk this much. Then he relented, letting out a soft breath. “I was worried I might be overstepping with Young Master Wei. Now my life is in your hands—what more must I do to prove my loyalty?”
Ever since their meeting in the palace that day, Wei Fu had vaguely sensed that Yu Gong Zhao Ye was deliberately keeping his distance, thinking perhaps he had been frightened by Mu Heng’s words. But seeing him today, he discovered that the clear sense of detachment Yu Gong Zhao Ye once carried—even when expressing gratitude—had suddenly melted away. His attitude had become exceptionally gentle, to the point that without any coaxing, he yielded almost effortlessly.
“Something’s not right.”
“What is it?”
Wei Fu narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Your Highness is acting a bit strange today.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s heart suddenly skipped a beat for no reason. He feigned composure. “Am I?”
“Your Highness is being far too docile,” Wei Fu said. “You’re being so respectful it’s like I’m your great-grandfather.”
“… ”
A great-grandfather is still a kind of revered elder—so the description wasn’t entirely wrong. Yu Gong Zhao Ye replied, “More or less.”
Wei Fu: “Very much not!”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “…I didn’t say you actually are.”
Wei Fu really wanted to grab him and knock on his head to see what was inside that wooden brain of his. “Your Highness, are you—”
Before he could finish, Yu Gong Zhao Ye suddenly staggered as if he had lost his footing. He reached out into the air to steady himself but didn’t even touch the wall. Fortunately, Wei Fu reacted quickly and caught him. “What’s wrong?”
Just moments ago, Yu Gong Zhao Ye had only felt that his vision was slightly blurred. Now a wave of dizziness hit him, and everything before his eyes dissolved into layers of indistinct shadows. His limbs felt as heavy as if filled with lead, and even his temples throbbed painfully.
“Your Highness, Your Highness!”
Fortunately, Wei Fu’s voice at his ear was still clear—just noticeably panicked. The arm holding him trembled slightly, gripping so tightly it felt like it might squeeze the breath out of him. A cool, dry touch landed against his cheek.
“Your Highness, can you see me? Can you hear me?”
He focused for a moment and realized it was Wei Fu’s fingers.
“It’s fine… it’s fine. Don’t panic.” Yu Gong Zhao Ye forced himself to grasp Wei Fu’s wrist, leaning against him for support. In a low voice, he explained, “I took an antidote pill from a quack doctor. The aftereffects are too strong. It’ll wear off in a few hours.”
Wei Fu broke out in a cold sweat from the fright. After hearing this, he froze for a moment. “What did you run into? Why did you even need to take an antidote pill?”
“I was bluffing Gu Pingchuan—can’t catch the wolf without sacrificing the bait.” Yu Gong Zhao Ye, having suffered an unexpected setback, almost laughed in frustration. “It’s my first time using it. That idiot who compounded it said the common side effect is weakness in the limbs. The rest varies by person. Didn’t expect to turn into a sparrow.”
“Next time, throw more money at him and have him improve the antidote,” Wei Fu said, still holding back harsher words out of courtesy. Then he casually asked, “Why a sparrow?”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye: “Night blindness.”
Wei Fu: “…”
When he should be considerate, he’s as blunt as a cudgel—but now he suddenly decides to be witty!
Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s gaze was unfocused, the usual sharp and imposing aura gone. By all rights, a pale and fragile beauty should evoke sympathy, yet the slight curve of his lips at this moment made him inexplicably irritating—and strangely captivating.
Wei Fu took three deep breaths before managing not to hit him. He squeezed Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s palm firmly. “You can’t go back to the inn like this. Looks like you’ve fallen into my hands—come home with me.”
“The Duke Zhenguo’s Residence?” Yu Gong Zhao Ye said calmly. “You might as well just send me straight into the palace.”
Wei Fu: “…”
“It’s the house where Your Highness once tripped up,” he said, gripping Yu Gong Zhao Ye by the waist and effortlessly lifting him onto the horse in one smooth motion. Leading the reins, he walked out of the alley. “Sit steady. It’s just a short distance—don’t fall off.”
Yu Gong Zhao Ye fell unusually silent, veins standing out on the back of the hand gripping the saddle. Watching him maintain a stiff, expressionless face, Wei Fu could barely suppress his gloating smile—he had probably never imagined that one day someone would casually lift him up like that. He was clearly stunned.
Yu Gong Zhao Ye was more than stunned—he even wanted to slap Wei Fu. But lacking strength and feeling even more disoriented once on horseback, he barely managed to suppress the urge.
Even in his shock, he wondered why it was “just a short distance,” since Liuzhi Alley was some way from Wan Hong Tower. Yet as the steady rhythm of the horse’s movement continued, the dim world before his eyes gradually brightened. The cold wind, the scent of dust, the bustling noise of vendors and voices—all rushed into his remaining senses in a clear yet chaotic flood.
They were on the busiest street in front of Wan Hong Tower.
The stirrup suddenly dipped as Wei Fu mounted behind him, spreading his cloak to wrap him completely within his arms. With one hand, he flicked the reins and urged the horse toward the old residence.
The warmth of Wei Fu’s body instantly shut out the cold wind, filling all his senses. Unlike that brief embrace when they had leapt from the carriage before, this time the hold was looser—yet somehow more inescapable.
Yu Gong Zhao Ye was enclosed in front of him, maintaining a rigid posture that required considerable restraint. Even with little strength left, he forced himself not to lean fully into Wei Fu’s embrace. “Aren’t you afraid of being seen?”
“If people see, then they see. What’s the big deal? Two people riding one horse isn’t against the law.” Wei Fu lowered his head, his voice close to Yu Gong Zhao Ye’s ear—gentle, with a hint of coaxing. “Your Highness, just lean on me. At a time like this, don’t worry about so much.”
“After all… it’s not the first or second time.”
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