The laughter gradually stopped, and He Anchang's gaze fell on Xie Jingsheng's back. He said, "This is the first time I've seen someone speak like this after doing something so presumptuous. Lord Xie, is your integrity still intact?"

Xie Jingsheng was wondering if his nose would bleed. He touched the tip of his nose, glanced at He Anchang, and said, "It's firmly held between my legs."

He Anchang was truly numb with shock by that mouth of his, and just cursed, "Nothing but expletives from a scoundrel's mouth."

"I find it strange too." Xie Jingsheng put on his boots, stretched out his long legs, leaned back, and still tilted his head to ask him, "Lord He usually speaks and acts with the utmost caution, so why is it that whenever you meet me, you become so charming and provocative?" The eyes that glanced over were full of mischief. Seeing that He Anchang didn't reply, he answered himself, "Don't underestimate yourself."

He Anchang's mind was wandering elsewhere, and upon hearing this, he subconsciously said, "What?"

Xie Jingsheng lightly brushed his finger across He Anchang's eyelashes, then stood up and said, "I'm complimenting you on your good looks. I just came to see you today. There's nothing else now, so I should go back." With that, he pulled a porcelain bottle from his bosom, tossed it to He Anchang, looked around the room, and said, "Get some more braziers tonight."

He Anchang took the bottle, turning it in his hand. The faint pain in his knee disappeared completely. He pursed his lips, then coldly raised his head, "Who allowed you to leave?"

Xie Jingsheng folded his arms, smiling, "Greetings, my lord. This humble one hasn't left yet, has he? Anything you need?"

He Anchang was silent for a moment, then raised the porcelain bottle, a cold expression on his face, and said nothing. Xie Jingsheng froze, released his arms, squatted beside the couch, clutching the bed edge, his gaze moving from He Anchang's hand to his face. He said with considerable surprise, "You want me to come over?"

He Anchang looked at Xie Jingsheng, "Are you coming or not?"

Xie Jingsheng's eyebrows slightly twitched. He took the porcelain bottle from He Anchang's hand and said, "Do you want me not to come so you can find someone else? Stretch your leg over here."

The boots were removed. Though the hands were strong, they massaged his calf comfortably, not causing pain. The robe was lifted, and the trousers rolled up, all the way to the knee.

He Anchang stared at Xie Jingsheng's tall, robust figure crouching at his feet, frowning, "You, what are you trembling for?"

Xie Jingsheng was holding the trousers of He Anchang's other leg. His hand trembled, and he looked up, saying, "I'm excited, understand?" He then pushed the trouser leg up and said, "I'm doing proper business here, don't kick me even if it tickles."

"How promising."

"Just this little bit of promise." Xie Jingsheng squeezed the side of He Anchang's knee, "Does it hurt?"

He Anchang said, "Nonsense." Xie Jingsheng rubbed the area for him, his palm chafing the fair skin until it turned red, making He Anchang feel a bit hot.

"I'm afraid you'll have lingering cold." When Xie Jingsheng spoke seriously, his features were sharp and proper, but at this moment, they held a softness, and his sharpness had diminished by more than half. He said to He Anchang, "Wear an extra layer when you go out tomorrow. This leg must not get cold again; you need to take good care of it." His palm, rubbing the medicinal wine, tightened. He then scolded He Anchang fiercely, "You wear just this one layer in the dead of winter? I'll tell your old madam one of these days and let her give you a good scolding."

He Anchang lowered his gaze and said, "You talk too much."

"You can't even get out a few words, and you won't let me talk a lot?" Xie Jingsheng said, taking his foot in one hand. It was actually damp, and he immediately scolded, "Are you trying to keep it warm by wearing it like this?"

He Anchang let him remove his sock, staring blankly at Xie Jingsheng's forehead.

Xie Jingsheng said a lot without a response. He looked up and saw that the lord was still spacing out. A heap of words was stuck in his throat; he couldn't curse, and praise was impossible, so he swallowed them hard. He just said, "Tell someone to bring hot water."

He Anchang said, "Troublesome."

Xie Jingsheng reached out and felt the bed, then suddenly pulled up the quilt, wrapping He Anchang's legs and feet, which he had just applied medicinal wine to. He said, "Ancestor, can we just go with the flow?"

He Anchang maintained a cold expression, so Xie Jingsheng softened his tone. He hugged the wrapped legs and feet and rubbed them for a bit, saying, "Ruxu, how about some hot water? It's freezing outside, and climbing over the wall wasn't easy for me. Please give me some hot water, huh? I've even called you 'Ancestor,' so please, bestow this favor on me."

He Anchang's mouth twitched. He lifted both feet and, through the quilt, kicked Xie Jingsheng square on his straight nose bridge. "If you talk like that again, crawl back."

"Then how do you want me to speak?" Xie Jingsheng turned his face, hugged the legs again, and continued in a strained voice, "Ruxu, the weather outside is so cold it makes my heart ache. Please grant me some water."

He Anchang struggled a bit, but his legs didn't budge. He said, "Understood!" His averted eyes softened, but his mouth only said, "One should bathe in the evening anyway." After he spoke, he saw Xie Jingsheng stifling a laugh. He said, "What are you laughing at?"

Xie Jingsheng said, "I only wanted to watch you soak your feet, but you insisted on making me think of bathing. Hot water—" A pillow came flying at his head again. He took the direct hit but still couldn't stop laughing.

He Anchang's chest felt itchy from the laughter. He said, "Filthy thoughts!"

"Eh." Xie Jingsheng's gaze traveled from He Anchang's legs up to his waist and hips, enjoying himself immensely. He then said nonchalantly, "One doesn't fantasize about a spirited youth without reason!"

"...Get out!"

Only after the hot water had been brought into the room did Xie Jingsheng take his leave. He deliberately didn't use the door. He pushed open He Anchang's window, stuck his head out, looked around, and said, "Although I know your family's conduct is upright, I'm still worried some audacious pervert might peek at you."

He Anchang's hand, unbuttoning his clothes, paused. He said, "There just happens to be one on the window. Take him out on your way; quick and clean."

Xie Jingsheng climbed out, clinging to the window, and said to him, "Close the window tight before you undress."

He Anchang walked over. Xie Jingsheng whistled at him, like a ruffian, "I'll say one last thing, listen carefully: He Anchang, your legs are long and firm, and feel excellent to the touch. This humble one thanks Lord He for the pleasure of touching your legs!" With that, he did a backflip and darted into the now dark night, vanishing without a trace.

He Anchang snapped the window shut and stood facing it for a while, his ears still burning hot.

After a few more uneventful days, Kang Fu found an excuse to conduct a major clean-up of all the eunuchs and palace maids within the palace. Regardless of whether they were palace maids or eunuchs, anyone who fell into his hands was beaten to death with a rod. Everyone tacitly understood that His Majesty had recovered his spirits and intended to start with the eunuchs involved in the gunpowder incident that day. The year-end had already passed, and no one in the local areas could remain. Prince of Tang was the first to leave the capital. When parting, he specifically sent someone to the Court of Judicial Review to find Xin Yi to say farewell.

Xin Yi couldn't speak, so he simply listened the whole way. When it was time to leave, Prince of Tang held him and spoke another long, earnest piece, but never mentioned the comments made that day. He only told Xin Yi to be careful and stay out of trouble in the capital on his own, and to serve His Majesty dutifully.

After Prince of Tang left, Xie Jingsheng and Xiao Yan were next to depart. Xin Yi and Xiao Jin saw them off together.

The horses had already left the city when Xiao Yan suddenly said, "The person on the city wall looks remarkably like my father."

Xie Jingsheng looked back and saw a figure in a green robe and wide cloak standing on the city wall, facing the wind and snow. He kept looking, not forgetting to say to Xiao Yan, "My dear sister, please don't shout nonsense. That's not your father; that's my elder, my ancestor, my young master, my dearest."

Xiao Yan raised her horsewhip and lashed her horse. As she rode past this person full of sickening sweet talk, she said, "What dear sister, this old lady's got goosebumps all over."

"But that's what I should call you, isn't it?" Xie Jingsheng cupped his hand to his mouth and, taking advantage of the strong wind and heavy snow, yelled up at the city wall, "My dearest!"

The person on the city wall suddenly coughed violently.

On his horse, Xie Jingsheng let the wind and snow ruffle his hair, but he still gazed fixedly at that person through the wind and snow for a moment. Finally, he smiled, his hand sliding from his waist to his lips. Although the gesture was ordinary, in that person's eyes, it undeniably appeared flirtatious. He silently mouthed to that person: "You wait."

He should have turned his horse and galloped off, but unexpectedly, the person on the observation deck raised a hand and gave him a pinky finger gesture from afar.

"Get lost."

Xie Jingsheng burst into laughter, turned his horse around, and galloped through the snow. The person on the observation deck stood for a long time until the wind and snow blurred his vision, and he could no longer see anything.

"Let's go." Xiao Jin pulled Xin Yi, "What are you looking at?"

Xin Yi slowly smoothed his sleeve, turned back, and said, "Watching the world go by."

Xiao Jin shivered, "Speak in plain language."

"You can shut up now."

"Brothers forever." Xiao Jin rubbed his hands and said, "My sister's finally gone. When she's not back, I miss her terribly, but when she is back, she treats you like a younger brother. And what about me, this little bok choy in a winter field, do you know what bok choy is? Hey, wait a minute, should we go to Xiaoxiao Restaurant?"

"No." Xin Yi mounted Chiye and said to Xiao Jin, "It's not time for me to return yet; my teacher is waiting."

"Alright, Xin Yi." Xiao Jin stroked his chin, "Even Prince of Pingding hasn't been hanging out with you much lately, has he? You're almost living at the Court of Judicial Review."

Xin Yi smiled, "The Lord will definitely wait for me to return home; living at the Court of Judicial Review is out of the question. You know best about comfort and hardship. I heard the Capital Guards Bureau hasn't installed underfloor heating yet. Good brother, be sure to add more blankets at night."

Xiao Jin scoffed, but Xin Yi's horse had already galloped away. Xiao Jin was left with a sour expression. He turned and saw He Anchang in his green and white wide cloak walking towards him. He finally recalled the fear of being dominated by this person. His calves trembled, and he immediately wanted to run.

"Is there nothing to do at the Capital Guards Bureau?" He Anchang had already seen him. As soon as he spoke, the little rascal tucked his tail and head in, standing obediently before him.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Xiao Jin clenched his fist, "There's a ton to do, so much that my neck is almost bent from leaning over my desk."

"Most likely, the Crown Prince pushed it over to avoid suspicion." He Anchang mused slightly, then said to him, "If there's anything you can't solve, come find me."

Xiao Jin paused, then said blankly, "This, this wouldn't be good, would it?"

He Anchang was currently a core figure of the Left Faction. It was evident his momentum was about to overshadow Zhang Taiyan. For a Capital Guards official, who was close to Bai Jiu's side, to constantly seek him out wouldn't be good.

He Anchang said indifferently, "It's fine."

With that, he walked away. After a few steps, he looked back at Xiao Jin and said, "What are you doing standing in the snow? Go back."

Xiao Jin tried to suppress the joy bubbling up inside him. His smile was already on his lips and eyebrows, but he still had to imitate He Anchang's reserved demeanor, nodding his agreement busily.

He Anchang nodded and turned away.

The next morning, the snow fell heavily. He Anchang braved the snow, commuting between the imperial palace and the Zhang Manor. He had to manage the Left Faction's affairs and also look after his teacher. After this recent imprisonment, Zhang Taiyan, who had always maintained a composed expression, now showed weariness.

Today, He Anchang also stood guard by the couch. Zhang Taiyan conversed with him about the recent situation from the couch. Zhang Taiyan was speaking when he suddenly fell silent. He Anchang quietly waited. He had knelt for several days in front of the Hall of Heavenly Purity recently, and his knees hadn't fully recovered. Kneeling so upright by the couch was inevitably painful, but he had always been a strict observer of propriety towards his teacher, so he endured it.

At some point, Zhang Taiyan coughed a few times, then spoke in a muffled, hoarse voice, "When you were young, you followed Marquis of Huiyang and developed a clear, calm, and composed nature. You should have followed Marquis of Huiyang's inclinations and become a free and unconstrained wanderer of the martial world. Unfortunately, in your youth, you met this old man, and I forcibly stuffed your free spirit into a tiny official career, making you grow into a person dedicated to propriety. I, an old man, have bowed in the imperial court my whole life, longing for the distant martial world, yet unable to abandon my responsibilities to the nation. It's a pity for you, to be confined by me in this small capital."

He Anchang's eyes lowered slightly. He calmly said, "To be born and establish oneself in the world, to serve the people and the sovereign—this is what studying is for, and it is also Ruxu's ambition."

Zhang Taiyan lowered his voice, "Then, what is the reason behind you and Xie Jingsheng now?"

He Anchang's gaze was calm, but his face revealed a hint of desolation. That night of the gunpowder, he knew he couldn't escape his teacher's sharp eyes.

"A gentleman is broad-minded and composed." Zhang Taiyan had evidently pondered this matter bitterly for many days in his heart. He didn't want to hurt his beloved disciple, nor could he let him sink deep into trouble. This matter was not easy to discuss. For days, the words had been on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to say them. Now that Xie Jingsheng had left the capital, he wouldn't return next year unless there was a major event. As the saying goes, separation by distance makes it easier to cut ties cleanly. So he said, "The 'cut sleeve' tendency is not openly displayed in the current court. You are the legitimate son of your family, and Old Lord He would never tolerate such a thing. Ruxu, as your teacher, I advise you to give up this person."

He Anchang remained silent.

Zhang Taiyan sighed deeply, "What kind of background does he have? In recent years, his actions have been comparable to Bai Jiu; he has already acquired the demeanor of the King of Hell, a person outwardly warm but inwardly cold. If you insist, how will you proceed on your future path?"

"Ruxu." The old fox also revealed a dim weariness. "Your teacher is already nearing the grave. You still have to walk this path alone. If, for the sake of this person, you add more hardships, then in the afterlife, your teacher will resent him too."

He Anchang's thin lips trembled slightly, and his eyes grew even colder and more desolate.