Finale

Kisses, fine and dense kisses, many kisses.

Like being separated by a layer of window paper, skin pressed against skin, separated by a thin layer of clothing, nothing could stop it.

Xiao Shao absolutely loved that teardrop mole, dotted lightly at the corner of his eye, innocent and pitiful. When the little Tanhua's eyes glanced about, the teardrop mole would move along with them. Whenever its righteous and elegant master implicitly restrained all his suffering, that mole would tremble precariously, as if holding back words that wanted to be spoken.

Whenever this happened, Xiao Shao couldn't help but reach out to touch it. He couldn't tell if he wanted to do something even more excessive to make the mole's master tremble even harder, or if he wanted to coax him with gentle words so he wouldn't be sad.

Now, he finally had the chance to kiss it, and kiss it again.

Xiao Shao kissed very lightly, as if testing the waters. Qi Yan finally caught his breath; he pushed his elbow against Xiao Shao and asked helplessly, "Your Majesty?"

Xiao Shao: "Did you just say that you covet me?"

Qi Yan choked, subconsciously looking up at his expression. Then he heard Xiao Shao say, "Imperial Mother said it's time for me to start a family and establish an Empress."

When Empress Dowager Li brought this up, Xiao Shao had subconsciously felt displeased and vaguely brushed it off. However, in his previous life, he had been on the throne for many years, and officials constantly submitted memorials mentioning taking concubines and establishing an Empress. At that time, Xiao Shao had mostly felt impatient, not displeased. Thinking back on it later, the problem most likely lay with Qi Yan.

Xiao Shao loved beauties. Back then, when he was riding his horse and looked back, he had seen this top-tier beauty, and from then on, he could no longer look at anyone else.

This matter should have been taken slowly, testing the waters carefully to avoid turning his affection into oppression due to the huge disparity in their statuses. But since the little Tanhua shared some of those unclear, ambiguous thoughts with him, he might as well bring it out into the open to avoid wasting time.

After all, in another half a month, this year's spring would be over.

Qi Yan didn't understand what he meant by this. Bringing up the Empress out of nowhere made his body stiffen. Ignoring their current posture, he just smiled stiffly: "The empire has just been settled. It is indeed fitting to have a gentle and proper Empress to serve as an example for the world."

Xiao Shao: "A gentle and proper one like you?"

The little Tanhua's etiquette was impeccable, and his usual demeanor was unbelievably gentle and reserved. Xiao Shao looked at him from left and right, and no matter how he looked, he liked what he saw.

Qi Yan froze, not knowing how the topic had suddenly shifted to himself. Before he could speak, Xiao Shao leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Little Tanhua, be my Zitong, alright?"

The alternative name for an Empress was Zitong.

Qi Yan was initially dazed, then felt it was absurd. He wanted to get off the bed and escape this overly intimate posture. But when he didn't speak, Xiao Shao kept repeating it over and over in his ear.

"Be my Zitong, be my Zitong, be my Zitong. Alright, alright, alright?"

He looked like he absolutely wouldn't give up until he achieved his goal.

The hot breath on his ear raised a patch of goosebumps behind it. Qi Yan didn't even dare to look up at Xiao Shao. He just kept his body taut, wanting to say "it's against the rules" and "it's contrary to etiquette." But when the words of rejection reached his lips, they somehow retreated. As if bewitched, he ultimately remained speechless.

This was truly a rebellious and morally perverse proposal. As a minister, he should sternly refuse and assist the emperor in returning to the right path. But as a human being...

He nodded very lightly.

He was attached to Xiao Shao's scent, just as he was attached to the person himself.

So the kisses fell once more.

One after another, fine and dense, long and lingering. By the time he was limp from this excessive intimacy, drunk without drinking, completely dizzy and oblivious to the world around him, Xiao Shao stroked his sash. "May I?"

Naturally, he could.

So Xiao Shao kissed him again.

He pulled open the sash, peeling the little Tanhua from the layers of clothing, and kissed his way down the collarbone. But when his fingers passed over his lower abdomen, the other person suddenly paused, then stiffened all over.

"No..."

Qi Yan reached out to push him away, tearing Xiao Shao's hand off his body. He hastily retreated, his back pressing against the headboard, his fingers curling up uncomfortably. "...Wait... wait for me to turn around."

Turn around?

That teardrop mole vaguely began to tremble again. He hastily brought his legs together, as if trying to hide something.

Xiao Shao let out a shallow sigh.

That unjust case had made his little Tanhua suffer too much.

Xiao Shao stopped his turning motion and kissed down his neck, causing Qi Yan to shudder as if struck by lightning.

He didn't care about the etiquette between emperor and minister anymore. Pressing his knees against Xiao Shao, he shook his head and said, "No... Your Majesty..."

Xiao Shao touched him, softly comforting, "Don't be afraid, it's okay. I don't mind."

The little Tanhua had suffered so much. Xiao Shao's heart ached for him; how could he mind?

The corners of his eyes gradually reddened. Tears rolled down his cheeks and were tenderly kissed away, that precarious dampness kissed dry.

Last night the rain was sparse and the wind was fierce, shaking loose countless fallen red blossoms.

System 55 sat on the windowsill watching the begonias swaying outside. As a System with morals, he deliberately blocked his hearing and just looked at his performance log, ticking a checkmark on it.

He thought about it, then added a stroke over the checkmark, turning it into a half-check.

Hmm, although the raid was improvised and the torture was sloppy, based on his knowledge, a fever was definite this time, and being bedridden was highly probable.

Coupled with the scattered plot points from earlier...

System 55 looked worriedly at the performance log.

Sob, would they pass this time?

If they failed again, they would be punished and downgraded.

He had heard stories from some seniors: if efficiency remained constantly terrible, no resources would be allocated, and even communication and choices with the host would be restricted. Then performance would get even worse, leading to a vicious cycle...

System 55's already sparse electronic hair suffered an even worse fate.

Qi Yan indeed intermittently suffered from a mild fever, and was subsequently bedridden for almost half a month.

It wasn't that he was in pain. Xiao Shao had been quite gentle; there was no bleeding or injury. He had mostly recovered after lying down for three days, but Qi Yan was forcefully kept in bed by His Majesty for almost half a month.

Xiao Shao was mainly feeling guilty.

Although he didn't believe in supernatural beings, a square, weird-looking little thing had been flying around right in front of him for so long, so he still had his concerns. Just in case this inconspicuous little guy really had some bizarre abilities, he had to consider the future.

Therefore, on an already absurd foundation, he forcefully reeled the plot back a little.

Half a month later, the Jinshi of that year's imperial examination with average rankings were dispatched to provincial posts or assigned to various departments. The remaining cream of the crop, the most outstanding few, entered the Hanlin Academy as scholars.

Qi Yan was among them.

According to custom, the Hanlin Academy held no actual power but was prestigious and noble. To climb the ranks and enter the Grand Secretariat, one had to enter the Hanlin Academy first and endure the loneliness of studying the sages' texts for a couple of years before considering promotion and dispatch. Passing the Jinshi examination previously also followed this process.

After several years, returning to this old place, the surrounding scenery felt both foreign and familiar. He organized manuscripts, read classics, and wrote policy essays. That occasionally aching heart gradually calmed amidst the pine ink. The days were comfortable and leisurely, possessing somewhat of the elegance of ascetic cultivation.

—And what broke this elegance was His Majesty the Emperor, who came to inspect from time to time.

Xiao Shao was utterly miserable reviewing memorials. He just wanted to immediately transfer Qi Yan into the Wenyuan Pavilion to help him read the memorials openly and aboveboard. But the procedures still had to be followed. Now that the little Tanhua was outside the palace and couldn't be seen all the time, Xiao Shao used the excuse of an inspection to commit the act of stealing jade.

Whenever this happened, Xiao Shao would first chatter with the Chancellor about this and that—Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, and the writings of sages—putting on a facade of being eager to learn and diligently studying. Yet, under the cover of the desk, he would secretly touch the little Tanhua's leg, resting his own against it.

Qi Yan was originally serving by the side, grinding ink and listening to the Chancellor discuss literary allusions. Touched by Xiao Shao, he nearly threw the inkstick away.

...This was too weird.

Above their heads were portraits of the sages, with couplets hanging on both sides containing sentences meant to warn the world and encourage learning and self-cultivation. But he and the emperor were behaving indecently, doing... doing things he didn't know how to describe.

So Qi Yan, also using the desk for cover, lightly stepped on Xiao Shao's foot.

He shot the emperor a reproachful glare, then felt it was inappropriate and buried his head in grinding the ink. Xiao Shao looked at him and saw that, sure enough, his ears and neck were flushed red all over, looking completely unable to withstand teasing.

Looking at it this way, that mole no longer seemed like a tear, but instead was vividly adorable.

Xiao Shao nodded in satisfaction.

This bamboo plant, which had been lifeless when brought in, had finally been nurtured back to life by him.

Afterwards, Xiao Shao feigned his departure, then sneaked back in through the backyard. He made Qi Yan point out the peach blossoms in the Hanlin Academy, the pine tree he leaned against for his midday naps, and the pond blooming with lotuses in summer. They kissed under the peach blossom trees, kissed under the pine trees, and kissed by the pond. Eventually, Qi Yan couldn't take it anymore and pushed him back.

The little Tanhua straightened his expression and said, "The Hanlin Academy is a place for reading and studying. I won't be able to read in here like this."

Xiao Shao: "Can't you read after I leave?"

Qi Yan: "But I'll be thinking about..."

He abruptly cut himself off.

Thinking about what?

When reading under the peach blossoms, he'd think about Xiao Shao. When napping under the pine trees, he'd think about Xiao Shao. When cooling off by the pond in summer, he'd still think about Xiao Shao. This person's figure densely covered the entire Hanlin Academy. Qi Yan wouldn't be able to read here anymore in the future.

Xiao Shao seemed to have seen through something. He deliberately dragged out his tone, speaking slowly, "Oh, what will my little Tanhua be thinking about?"

Qi Yan: "!"

The next second, Xiao Shao was pushed out of the Hanlin Academy through the side door.

"..."

The noble and honorable His Majesty the Emperor looked at the tightly shut door and touched his nose.

Under the heavens, there is no land that is not the King's... Well, except for a certain someone's courtyard when he's angry.

Days flowed by like water. Xiao Shao never interfered with Qi Yan's official duties. Relying entirely on himself, Qi Yan was transferred from the Hanlin Academy to the Ministry of Works, heading to Jiangnan to manage flood control. He was then transferred from the Ministry of Works to the Ministry of Revenue, clearing and auditing the finances over the years. Finally, he was transferred from the Ministry of Works to the Ministry of Justice, setting out to overturn the cases of officials who were unjustly implicated by the Crown Prince and wrongfully killed back then.

The cases were voluminous and extensive. Qi Yan worked day and night without rest. In the end, dark circles formed under his eyes, and the flesh he had managed to gain wasted away again.

Xiao Shao's heart ached watching this, but he let him do it and didn't try to persuade him otherwise. He would simply light a lamp late at night, silently instruct the servants to simmer hot soup, and go to sleep first. When the little Tanhua returned in the middle of the night, he would wrap his long arms around him, locking him in his embrace.

When all the evidence was gathered and the accounts were complete, the Silver Case that had shocked the entire court and country was finally up for retrial.

On that day, the Three Judicial Offices conducted a joint trial. Endless streams of case files were presented on the desks, and the erroneous records were burned to ashes, replaced by brand new testimonies.

Qi Chen was no longer a guilty minister, and his child was no longer the descendant of a criminal. They were justifiably recognized as a pure faction from a humble background, loyal and filial ministers whose reputations would be sealed by history.

In the annals of history, there would no longer be any infamy attached to their names.

On the day the world finally understood the truth, Qi Yan was exceptionally happy. He went to his father's grave to pay his respects, placing many pastries from Tongxing Hall on it, and rambled on about a lot of things. After drinking a little wine, he became somewhat intoxicated.

For instance, he pulled Xiao Shao along, insisting on introducing him to his father, saying this was the Emperor of the Daqian Dynasty, his daughter-in-law.

...He wasn't even afraid that if the old man knew in the netherworld, he'd be scared to death all over again.

Xiao Shao sighed and corrected him: "It's your husband. If anything, I'd be the old man's son-in-law."

Qi Yan completely couldn't understand.

Xiao Shao didn't argue with the drunk. He simply brought the person home, wanting to order someone to brew a sobering soup. But Qi Yan's drunken fit wasn't over. Ignoring Xiao Shao's objections and his own exhausted body from staying up for days, he insisted on pulling at Xiao Shao's sash.

The drunkard's strength was terrifyingly great. Xiao Shao surprisingly couldn't pin him down. Caught off guard, his sash was pulled loose. Qi Yan stumbled, completely uncoordinated. Afraid of hurting him, Xiao Shao didn't dare use force and was pushed sideways onto the bed. Immediately, a fluffy head snuggled up, rubbing and sniffing messily against his shoulder.

Qi Yan had said he couldn't drink, that he would get drunk immediately, and that he was a bad drunk who would talk nonsense. It was actually true.

The little Tanhua's raven-feather-like long hair was rubbed frizzy. Xiao Shao supported him, raising an eyebrow high. "No, little Tanhua, tell me the truth. Do you actually like me, or do you just like my scent because my scent keeps you from having nightmares?"

Although Qi Yan said he coveted him, when Xiao Shao reviewed the events afterwards, he always felt that what Qi Yan coveted wasn't him, but the scent on his clothes.

The drunkard was already incapable of understanding human speech. Without making any preparations whatsoever, he aimed and was about to get right on it, scaring the living daylights out of Xiao Shao. He hurriedly blocked him, in a panic: "Wait, wait, wait, let's wait a minute!"

When he finally managed to guide the little Tanhua through the preparations, Qi Yan straddled him, and then... stopped moving.

He just simply held him, without any other movements. He rubbed against Xiao Shao, looking drowsy and ready to fall asleep.

Veins popped on Xiao Shao's forehead: "Qi Yan!"

No matter how good one's self-restraint was, it was impossible to hold back at this moment.

But Qi Yan obviously couldn't read his anger. He just rubbed against him again and muttered softly, "Like you."

Xiao Shao was just about to take drastic action, thinking, 'You're the one who started this, can't I make a move?', but was stunned by those words. So he shook the drowsy Qi Yan. "Explain clearly, why do you like me?"

Qi Yan's entire body was limp. Like a wooden puppet, he bobbed up and down as he was shaken, but just wouldn't speak.

Xiao Shao found himself stuck; to do it was wrong, not to do it was wrong, to ask was wrong, and not to ask was wrong. So he shook him even harder. "Speak, little Tanhua. I command you, speak!"

Qi Yan opened his eyes with difficulty and muttered, "You are a good person."

Xiao Shao: "?"

They were maintaining a bizarre posture. Xiao Shao was holding his breath amidst this half-finished stimulation, but was unexpectedly branded a "good person." He was truly furious beyond words. "What the hell? Explain it to me clearly."

If Qi Yan couldn't give a proper explanation this time, don't blame him for taking drastic, steady, and forceful measures.

"If... if it weren't for you... I wouldn't have, wouldn't have been able to find the grave today."

Xiao Shao: "?"

Qi Yan spoke intermittently: "...My father... only you were willing... to collect his body."

Then, he spread his hands, hugged Xiao Shao tightly, and stopped moving altogether.

Xiao Shao frowned, however, and began to think carefully.

He seemed to know what Qi Yan was talking about.

On the day of the beheadings for the Silver Case, Caishikou was packed with people. The little Tanhua knelt behind his father, watching the executioner's blade fall.

The head rolled off the execution platform, tumbling onto the ground. Qi Chen's eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the sky, as if to say that he was wronged, that he could not rest in peace.

The body should have been taken away and buried by family members. But the entire Qi family had been imprisoned; there were no relatives left to collect the corpse. So it was to be wrapped in a straw mat and tossed in the outskirts of the city.

Xiao Shao happened to pass by.

At that time, he was just a playboy who spent his time teasing cats and dogs. He didn't understand the ins and outs of the Silver Case, nor was he clear on the intertwining interests and complications involved. It was just in his nature not to like seeing such things, so he sighed. "A person's death is like a lamp going out. This isn't a good look. Put him in a coffin and bury him."

With the prince giving the word, a solitary grave appeared in the outskirts of the capital.

Xiao Shao: "So you had a good impression of me since then?"

Qi Yan: "No, no... earlier."

Xiao Shao sat up: "Earlier?"

Qi Yan: "...From when you were up in the singing pavilion... and te... teased me."

The prince, traveling in disguise, held a folding fan and spoke with a brilliant smile. He was truly noble beyond words.

Xiao Shao was left speechless.

Thinking about it carefully, his own fondness for the little Tanhua had actually begun from that very first glance.

The young man, riding the crest of success in the spring breeze, glancing about with flying spirits, a spring flower pinned at his temples, riding his horse through Chang'an Avenue—what an untrammeled and joyous sight.

After going around in circles, it turned out that their destiny had been sealed so early on.