The corner of Feng Xuanyi’s eye twitched, and his expression instantly returned to its usual cold, unreadable mask. “Have you been with him this entire time since leaving the imperial palace?”
“My affairs need not trouble Your Majesty.” Nalan Xuan smiled provocatively. “But I wonder what Your Majesty thinks of this little performance. Brothers fighting one another, blood relatives turning their blades upon each other—isn’t that the kind of drama your imperial family excels at most? Give him even a little power and he will make full use of it. Look, your own house is already burning. I wonder whether this generous gift of mine is to Your Majesty’s liking?”
“I am asking you whether you have been with him ever since the day you left the imperial palace! Was even that leap from the palace wall nothing more than a performance the two of you arranged together?!” A faint red appeared around Feng Xuanyi’s eyes. His hands clamped around Nalan Xuan’s arms so tightly that it seemed he might crush the bones beneath them.
“I already told you that my affairs need not trouble Your Majesty!” Nalan Xuan used all his strength to throw off Feng Xuanyi’s restraint and turned to leave, only to be dragged straight back into his arms.
“Whatever you want, forget a few cities—even this entire realm, I can give it to you. You only need to say the word and I will give it!” Feng Xuanyi stared fixedly into the pair of phoenix eyes that haunted his dreams, searching desperately for some trace of the person he remembered, yet finding only coldness. “Tell me. I came here to find you without the slightest defense, while you carefully plotted to put me to death. Is that right?!”
Nalan Xuan had never before thought Feng Xuanyi capable of understanding him quite so perfectly. They were practically of one mind. He smiled gently, affection seeming to gather around his brows and eyes. His lips parted, and he answered one syllable at a time. “Of course.”
Feng Xuanyi froze for the briefest instant before abruptly throwing back his head and laughing, utterly unconcerned that the wild sound might attract the Xiliang troops searching the mountain.
“Good! Very good! Then I have no need to hold back either!”
His hand rose and fell. Before Nalan Xuan could react, darkness swallowed him once again.
“Master, how should we handle things from here?” Xuan Guang, who had not dared make a sound until now, finally asked.
“If he wants it, then it is only Bitong Pass. Give it to him.” Feng Xuanyi said it casually, but Xuan Guang’s heart jolted.
“Bitong Pass is the vital fortress guarding our dynasty’s northwest. Once it falls, Xiliang’s troops will be able to invade our territory almost as though entering an undefended land. From there they can march eastward directly toward the imperial capital. Master, please reconsider!”
“My decision is made.” With a single sentence, Feng Xuanyi blocked every argument Xuan Guang had been waiting to make. “I said that whatever he wants, even this realm itself can be offered to him with both hands. Bitong Pass is only one fortress. I can afford to give him that much.”
“But, Master—”
“Enough. Send someone back to the imperial capital first with my decree. Order Prince Yu to proceed immediately to Bitong Pass and negotiate with Xiliang over the cession of territory.”
In Feng Xuanyi’s eyes, the lives and deaths of others had never carried much weight. War itself was little more than another arena in which to compete for victory. The price of winning or losing had never entered his calculations. His innate nature as a ruler merely meant that he had never grown accustomed to, or perhaps never even learned, the meaning of the word “defeat.” So now, the loss of a battle and the cession of territory—or, more accurately, surrendering territory without resistance—might represent catastrophe to a nation and to common people who had suffered through war only to find themselves suddenly transferred to another ruler, but Feng Xuanyi did not care in the slightest. At this moment, the only person capable of provoking his rage and occupying all his calculations was the man he had lost and recovered, now lying in his arms.
The pendulum of time raced forward and the years flowed like water, yet sometimes memory had no choice but to turn back. One month earlier, in the imperial palace of Hua’s capital—
Feng Xuanyi suddenly sat upright. Through the layers of bed curtains, only the faint glow of candlelight could be seen. His head ached fiercely, as though needles were piercing it, and the person asleep beside him was not the one he wanted. His first reaction was that this was not Moon-Embracing Palace. After thinking for a moment, he almost laughed at himself. Nalan Xuan was the empress now. Feng Xuanyi had fulfilled his promise and granted him the highest possible position. At this hour, he should naturally be resting in Fengyi Palace.
“Mo Yan.”
“This servant is here.” Mo Yan swiftly came around the folding screen and entered the inner chamber. However elevated and intimidating he might appear before others, he remained scrupulously restrained in Feng Xuanyi’s presence. Yet for some reason, something felt wrong today. He could not explain it. A low, oppressive atmosphere seemed to hang over everything, and what Mo Yan felt was less respectful caution than genuine fear.
Feng Xuanyi frowned almost imperceptibly but said nothing about it. “What time is it?”
“The second quarter of the Yin hour. This servant was just about to come in and help Master dress.” Mo Yan bent at the waist with his head lowered. The emperor’s countenance represented supreme majesty; staring directly at it would itself be a serious offense.
Elio’s Notes: The Yin hour spans approximately 3:00–5:00 a.m.; the second quarter would be around 3:30 a.m.
Feng Xuanyi secretly exhaled in relief. At least he had not overslept and delayed morning court. Yet for some reason, his mind remained unsettled. Recently, he had spent no small amount of thought on Nalan Xuan and had yielded to him again and again, yet that man refused to appreciate any of it. Feng Xuanyi had drunk several extra cups the previous night because of his frustration and had expected he might sleep too long, but instead he had been unable to rest properly at all.
The moment he thought of that man, Feng Xuanyi found himself wanting to see him despite knowing perfectly well that Nalan Xuan would only oppose him and cause him endless irritation. Still, Feng Xuanyi knew that now was not the right time. If he indulged Nalan Xuan endlessly and allowed him to become arrogant through favor, the man would only become harder to manage later.
He could forcibly control his own footsteps, but he could not stop the question that left his mouth almost instinctively. “How is the empress? Is he still unwell? Have the imperial physicians been attending him properly? After morning court, summon the physician on duty. I want to ask him exactly what kind of duty he thinks he has been performing!”
Mo Yan’s hands froze in the middle of dressing him. A servant was forbidden from staring directly at the emperor without permission, yet at this moment Mo Yan completely forgot such rules. He looked at Feng Xuanyi with the horrified expression of someone who had seen a ghost, his mouth hanging open.
Feng Xuanyi frowned in displeasure and pulled his own lapels into place. “What are you staring at?”
If Han Ruifeng and Nalan Xuan had not been close ever since their days in Prince Rong’s residence, Feng Xuanyi would never have selected Han Ruifeng’s tablet in the first place. Yet even after summoning Han Ruifeng, Feng Xuanyi’s heart still leaned toward Nalan Xuan. That man simply refused to understand it and constantly picked fights with him. The mere thought was infuriating.
“Your Majesty… you…” Mo Yan hesitated.
“If you have something to say, then say it!” Feng Xuanyi had always been irritable upon waking, and by his standards he was already showing considerable patience.
“The events of last night… Does Your Majesty not remember them?” After hesitating for a long time, Mo Yan finally forced himself to ask. Some things did not cease to exist merely because he refused to speak of them. The truth could never stay hidden forever.
“Last night?” Feng Xuanyi could not understand what he meant. Had he not simply summoned Noble Attendant Han? Why was Mo Yan acting as though Feng Xuanyi had lost his memory? He could not tell whether something was wrong with himself or whether Mo Yan had decided to irritate him first thing in the morning.