Inviting the Wolf Indoors

After the Lantern Festival, the Emperor issued a decree, keeping Prince Jing in the capital to hold office.

Prince Jing had been at the Northwest border for over a decade. He had suffered an arrow wound to his knee in his early years, which would ache dully on damp and rainy days. The Emperor was probably too embarrassed to throw his brother out to suffer again. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager was getting on in years and her health had been poor for the last two, so he kept Prince Jing in the capital to fulfill his filial duties.

But someone still had to be sent to the Northwest.

The new Khan of Balindun was not an honest and compliant man. The Great Cheng court had previously accepted their peace offer because pushing deeper into Balindun's heartland would be costly in troops and had no great chance of success. Weighing the options, they could only temporarily call a truce. The Northwest border would not be peaceful from then on; a reliable general was still needed to go and garrison it.

But when it came to choosing the right person, the Emperor was at a loss.

Most were unwilling to go. Not to mention that the Northwest was a bitter and cold land, going at this time would not earn them any major military merits. At the border, there were often roving soldiers from Balindun coming to pillage, making it impossible to guard against everything. Successfully defending the border was one's duty, but one slip-up that caused a major incident would earn the blame of His Majesty and the imperial court. It was a completely thankless task.

Just as the military officials were all shifting the blame and secretly praying not to be singled out by the Emperor, to everyone's surprise, Wen Ying, who had always been a man of few words, actually stepped forward during the court assembly and volunteered to take over for Prince Jing in guarding the Northwest border.

The entire court was in an uproar.

Seated high on the throne, the Emperor's expression was unreadable, but Ling Qiyu's face visibly darkened.

He had only just been released from confinement and absolutely did not dare to interfere or pull any tricks in this matter. But he had not expected Wen Ying to voluntarily offer to go to the Northwest.

An ordinary prince could lead troops in the outer territories, but it was absolutely impossible for him, the Crown Prince. Not only was it impossible, but he also couldn't have any hand in military power. The mere thought of this made Ling Qiyu so resentful he could almost spit blood. He dared not admit to the ever-growing fear and unease that had been hidden in the depths of his heart since this man's return to court.

Twenty years ago, his father, the Emperor, had relied on the military power in his hands to defeat the others and ascend the throne. Even though he was the Crown Prince now and had more chips than others, an opponent like Wen Ying was perhaps far more difficult to deal with than his father had been back then.

Ling Qiyu regretted countless times that he had not managed to intercept and kill Wen Ying when he had left the capital in disgrace as a nobody. By the time he heard the man's name again, Wen Ying had already killed the Khan of the Cilie Tribe on the battlefield, earning the highest merit. At that time, he had always thought of him as just a fifth-rank military official, completely unworthy of fear, someone who could be easily knocked back down to his original state upon returning to court. He never imagined that Wen Ying would transform and return as his own brother.

Now, even his father, the Emperor, valued this son he had picked up halfway more. How could he not be filled with hatred?

The Emperor did not state his position for a long time and declared the court session over.

Wen Ying was kept behind alone. When asked, he answered frankly, "Your son wishes to go out and gain more experience. For the past few years, your son has been fighting on the frontier and has grown accustomed to it. Since no one is willing to go, your son will. What Fifth Imperial Uncle can do, your son can do as well."

The Emperor looked at him deeply, as if assessing something. Wen Ying kept his eyes lowered, his expression calm, remaining composed and candid throughout.

After a long silence, the Emperor let out a long sigh. "So be it. If you wish to go, then go. Gaining some experience is good as well."

He saw the ambition in this son of his, but he was happy to see it come to fruition.

As long as it didn't threaten his throne, if Wen Ying truly had the ability, he would be more than willing to replace the Crown Prince.

Having received the Emperor's approval, Wen Ying took the opportunity to bring up another matter, saying that before he left for his post in the Northwest, he wanted to first return to Jizhou to pay respects to his adoptive father.

"You'll leave tomorrow?"

"Yes. I ask for Father Emperor's permission."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor felt as if something was caught in his throat. His own son was going to pay respects to a country bumpkin. It was truly...

After Ling Qiyan's "sudden death," Lady Yun had also been sent to a nunnery in the capital's suburbs to practice Buddhism and atone for her sins, as arranged by the Empress Dowager. But that hunter Wen was innocent; not only was he innocent, he had also done a service to the imperial family.

To complete Wen Ying's backstory, the official story was that he was raised by a country squire with the surname Wen in Guang County, Jizhou. In gratitude for his merit in raising a prince, the Emperor had even posthumously granted him the title of marquis. Of course, this marquisate was only nominal and could not be passed down to his son; it was nothing more than a nice-sounding title.

Therefore, even though the Empress Dowager had someone return Ling Qiyan's household registration to that hunter Wen's name, Ling Qiyan was still a commoner.

No matter what the Emperor thought, he could not object to Wen Ying's request to pay respects to his adoptive father, neither in terms of sentiment nor reason. He had to pretend to be magnanimous and say, "It is as it should be. You may go."

"Thank you, Father Emperor." Wen Ying accepted the grace with accommodating ease.

After coming out of Xingqing Palace, he made another trip to Prince Jing's Manor. Prince Jing had specifically sent someone to summon him.

In Prince Jing's study, the uncle and nephew did not beat around the bush. Prince Jing cut straight to the chase and asked Wen Ying if he wanted to contend for the position of Crown Prince.

Wen Ying answered him calmly, "I just want to take back what should have been mine."

The bellyful of admonitions Prince Jing had been about to speak was instantly caught in his throat.

The ancestral rule of the Great Cheng Dynasty was to establish the eldest son of the primary wife as heir. Wen Ying was both the eldest and the son of the primary wife, and was clearly the most accomplished and capable of all his imperial brother's children. If he had not been switched at birth, the position of Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace would indeed have been his.

When he first met Wen Ying in the border city that day, he knew this son was no fish in a small pond, and his future prospects would be limitless. It was truly not surprising that Wen Ying had such ambition.

Prince Jing sighed inwardly. "What are your plans? This is no simple matter."

"I will proceed slowly. As a prince who returned halfway, my position at court is awkward. It's better to stay away. I need more military merits," Wen Ying said bluntly.

Although he had once shot and killed the Khan of the Cilie Tribe on the battlefield, he was only a low-ranking military officer in the army at that time. Now, his status was different. He needed to make more people believe in him and pledge their loyalty. He had to establish his prestige in the army as a commander and accumulate bargaining chips. This was his only chance to win against Ling Qiyu.

"Although things are not peaceful in the Northwest, the court has just reached a truce with Balindun. There shouldn't be any major wars in the short term, you..."

Prince Jing trailed off. When his gaze met Wen Ying's exceptionally calm and confident eyes, he understood. When his nephew went to the Northwest, he probably would not be like him, single-mindedly holding his ground and seeking stability.

This was fine as well. Everyone had their own ambitions. Perhaps Wen Ying could do a better job than he had.

"Forget it. Since you think this way, I won't try to persuade you any longer. ...You and the Crown Prince are both my nephews. I will not favor either of you. You must be careful. This is not a simple matter. Since you've decided to walk this path, you must bear the consequences yourself, whether it be life or death."

Wen Ying thanked him. In any case, Prince Jing had already helped him a great deal, and he had never intended to involve him.

Prince Jing said no more and clapped him firmly on the shoulder.

After leaving Prince Jing's Manor, Wen Ying did not rush back to the palace. With a rare opportunity to be out, he went to Director Lin's home.

As luck would have it, Director Lin was on leave today and was at home. Upon hearing the report of his arrival, he immediately led his entire family out to welcome him.

Seeing Wen Ying, Director Lin was about to perform a grand salute but was stopped by Wen Ying. "Forgive my uninvited visit, Teacher. I have disturbed you."

Director Lin was too emotional to speak and welcomed him inside.

Wen Ying had come today to repay the silver. The double repayment Director Lin had spoken of that day, he had indeed repaid him double.

Director Lin did not refuse. He held the four hundred taels in silver notes, filled with a myriad of emotions. Back then, he had only said it was a loan because he was afraid Wen Ying would be too embarrassed to accept it. He never thought he would remember it to this day. Three years. This student's status had been turned upside down. Such a turn of fortune was not something an ordinary person could encounter.

Even so, he had not forgotten him, even deigning to visit personally.

Wen Ying did not stay long. After some catching up, he drank half a cup of tea and rose to take his leave. His status was different now, and it was not good for him to get too close to these officials.

On his way back to the palace, he passed by the former Prince Yu's Manor. The place was now completely deserted and desolate, its name plaque already taken down.

Wen Ying told his men to stop the carriage, pushed open the window, and watched silently for a moment before casually asking, "What happened to the servants who used to serve in Prince Yu's Manor?"

"Replying to Your Highness," the eunuch accompanying the carriage explained, "Prince Yu's Manor is no more, so those people have naturally dispersed. The eunuchs and palace maids who originally came from the palace with His Highness Prince Yu would naturally be reassigned elsewhere. As for those who were later bought into the manor, they were simply given a sum of silver as a reward and sent away."

Wen Ying said no more and instructed in a flat voice, "Let's go."

Palace of Tranquil Longevity.

Ling Qiyan was in the main hall talking with the Empress Dowager. He was due to leave the capital in half a month. The Empress Dowager had already ordered people to start packing his things over the past few days. Worried about forgetting this or that, she had people come to confirm things over and over again. She also brought it up with Ling Qiyan every day, often starting to wipe her tears as she spoke.

She was still reluctant to part with this grandson. Once Ling Qiyan left, she didn't know if she would ever have the chance to see him again in this lifetime.

Ling Qiyan comforted her, "If Grandmother misses me, you can come to Jiangnan to see me. It's very fast by waterway. Grandmother hasn't been back in many years either. It would be good to go and see."

"Alright, alright." The Empress Dowager nodded, choking back sobs.

The grandmother and grandson spoke for a while before Wen Ying came to pay his respects.

Hearing the announcement, the Empress Dowager dabbed her tears with a handkerchief. Ling Qiyan was about to leave, but then he thought that if he left now, he would surely run into that fellow, which would be too deliberate. So he simply sat down with composure.

Wen Ying entered, first paid his respects, and exchanged a few words with the Empress Dowager. He mentioned that he would be leaving for Guang County, Jizhou, the next day to pay respects to his adoptive father, and that he had already received the Emperor's approval. The Empress Dowager was very happy, saying with gratification, "You are a good child. You should. You should indeed go back for a trip. Remember to bring plenty of things, and make sure the Wen Family is well-settled. And your teachers, remember to visit them as well."

Wen Ying agreed to each point.

Then he asked the Empress Dowager, "Grandmother, could you let Prince Yu go with me?"

The Empress Dowager was taken aback. Only then did she remember that Ling Qiyan, the Wen family's biological son, was the one who should go even more. Before she could say anything, Ling Qiyan himself nodded first. "I'll go."

He glanced at Wen Ying. Although he vaguely felt this fellow was doing it on purpose and that traveling with him would likely be troublesome, he did indeed want to see that Xiayao Village.

The Empress Dowager was a little worried about them going together, but she couldn't say anything else. After some thought, she had no choice but to agree, reminding Ling Qiyan, "Go and come back quickly. Rest for a few days after you return, and then I'll have someone send you to Jiangnan."

Ling Qiyan obediently replied, "Okay."

After accompanying the Empress Dowager for dinner, the two of them excused themselves from the main hall together at nightfall. Ling Qiyan didn't even want to greet Wen Ying and turned to leave, but Wen Ying grabbed his wrist and yanked him back forcefully.

"What are you doing?" Ling Qiyan frowned in annoyance.

A crowd of servants kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, all pretending not to see.

Just as Ling Qiyan was about to curse him out, Wen Ying asked first, "Want a drink? Good wine from Mobei. You can't get it in the capital."

"...Yes."

The moment he heard there was wine, Ling Qiyan's craving was stirred, especially for this strong liquor from beyond the Great Wall. He had tasted it once years ago and had never forgotten it. After he went to Jiangnan, he was afraid he would never have the chance to drink it again.

Wen Ying released his hand. Ling Qiyan rubbed his wrist, muttering a few curses under his breath, and allowed Wen Ying to go with him to the side hall.

In any case, on the Empress Dowager's turf, no matter how audacious this person was, he wouldn't dare to really do anything to him.

Wen Ying had already ordered someone to bring the wine from Yong'an Palace. The two of them sat on the couch and had someone bring a few side dishes. They hadn't really eaten their fill earlier in the main hall with the Empress Dowager.

Smelling the rich aroma of the mellow wine in his cup, Ling Qiyan's face showed an intoxicated expression. "This is the taste. That little prince from the Cilie Tribe back then, what was his name?... Ugh, I forgot. Anyway, it was him. The wine he sent me had this taste too. It made me yearn for this wine for years. A pity that the war with the Cilie Tribe went on for three years after that, and I never had a chance to drink it again."

After his rambling speech, Ling Qiyan tilted his head back and drained the wine in his cup. Finally, he set the cup down and licked his lips, still savoring the taste, as if greatly enjoying the aftertaste.

Wen Ying watched his exceptionally bright face under the lamplight in silence. His gaze then fell on his glistening red lips, stained with wine. Pausing for a moment, he also poured a cup of wine into his own mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing.

He refilled Ling Qiyan's cup. Ling Qiyan happily picked it up and continued to pour it into his mouth.

An hour later, Ling Qiyan was draped over Wen Ying's lap, hugging a spittoon and throwing up half the wine he had drunk. He kept hiccupping from the alcohol, complaining with hazy eyes, "Poor scholar, how are you not drunk? You drank so much, don't you feel anything at all?"

Wen Ying silently helped him by rubbing his stomach.

After his years of training in the army, this amount of alcohol was nothing to him. But this kind of strong liquor was not something a pampered person like Ling Qiyan could handle.

After throwing up, Ling Qiyan continued to rest his head on Wen Ying, rubbing his face against his lower abdomen, unwilling to move.

"...This wine is pretty good. It's a waste for me to guzzle it down like an ox. Do you have any more? When I go to Jiangnan, can you give me two jars? I'll take them with me to drink slowly."

Ling Qiyan finished speaking with narrowed eyes. After waiting for a long while without a response from Wen Ying, he hummed with his eyes closed, "Fine if you're not willing to give it. Stingy. I remember now. That little prince from the Cilie Tribe seemed to have said he had a merchant friend whose ancestral home was in Jiangnan. I wonder if I can find that person to help me buy this wine when I get there. That little prince also said he'd send me more in the future. What a pity I'll never have the chance again."

Wen Ying's eyes darkened. He lowered his head and sealed the man's chattering mouth.

"Mmmph, mmmph..."

Caught completely off guard, Ling Qiyan subconsciously twisted his head desperately to dodge, raising a hand to slap Wen Ying across the face.

He actually managed to hit him this time, but he truly couldn't muster any strength. It was no different from a cat scratching someone. His hand was quickly caught by Wen Ying and pressed down, unable to move.

Furious, Ling Qiyan kicked out with his foot. Wen Ying flipped him over and pinned him down, restraining all four of his limbs as he kissed him deeper and deeper, not at all gently.

After being kissed fiercely by Wen Ying, only being let go when he was out of breath, Ling Qiyan was mostly sobered up. He raised a hand to wipe his mouth forcefully and glared at him with red eyes, "Why did you kiss me again! Are you part dog?!"

Although he put on a fierce and threatening display, he truly lacked any imposing presence, especially in his current state with his hair disheveled and clothes in disarray, lying beneath Wen Ying.

Wen Ying stared at him fixedly. A moment later, he lowered his head and captured his lips again.

Ling Qiyan struggled, punching and kicking in rejection, but the difference in their strength was too great. No matter how he pummeled him, Wen Ying only deepened the kiss, even pulling off his belt with one hand, then tugging open his outer robe and kneading the most sensitive spot on his waist through his middle layer of clothing.

Unable to resist, Ling Qiyan's body went completely limp from the caresses. Tears began to fall involuntarily. He regretted it immensely. He shouldn't have invited the wolf indoors just for a drink.

When he was let go again, Ling Qiyan didn't even have the strength to curse anymore. Wiping the moisture from his face, he said listlessly, "...Are you satisfied now? Get lost."

Wen Ying pinched his chin, forcing him to look up. Ling Qiyan squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to acknowledge him no matter what.

His lips were covered in tiny cuts from being bitten. Wen Ying's gaze faltered slightly. He pressed the pad of his thumb against them, stroking gently.

"Go bathe and sleep early. I'll come get you tomorrow."

Whispering by Ling Qiyan's ear, Wen Ying's voice seemed to have returned to its calm state, no longer carrying any of the uncontrollably heavy panting from when he was holding Ling Qiyan down.

Ling Qiyan still refused to acknowledge him.

Wen Ying said no more. He held him quietly, staring at the last crackling wick on the candlestick, unnoticed by the tightly shut-eyed Ling Qiyan.

After a while, Wen Ying released the person in his arms, called for someone to come and serve him, then got up and left.

When the footsteps had faded into the distance, Ling Qiyan opened his eyes and slapped himself across the face.

...Idiot.