Only two days after they returned from Chuyun Temple, the scout who had gone to investigate Ye Boru returned with news.
Ever since Ye Yunting realized that Ye Boru truly harbored ulterior motives toward Li Fengqi, he had started paying closer attention to the matter. The people who had gone to investigate previously had been sent by Li Fengqi, but this time, when the scout returned, it was Ye Yunting who listened most intently.
The scout hadn't been able to uncover much, just some basic information.
The Duke of Qi's residence publicly claimed that Ye Boru and his mother were being raised somewhere outside the capital, but they never said exactly where. People assumed they were living at some estate or residence somewhere beyond the city. However, according to the scout, Ye Boru and his mother had actually been staying in a town not far from the capital.
Madam Feng had always claimed publicly that Ye Boru's father was away on business trips and that she was living in the town with her son by herself.
As the saying went, there is always gossip surrounding a widow's household. Although Madam Feng was not actually a widow, she lived alone with her son. She did no work and yet never seemed short of money, so there was no shortage of rumors about her in the town.
Ye Zhili would occasionally go to the town to visit Ye Boru and his mother, but his visits were discreet. Ye Zhili occasionally visited to check on Ye Boru and his mother, but his visits were discreet. Neighbors reported seeing a carriage pull up to the rear entrance of Madam Feng's house every few months. Many speculated that Madam Feng must be the kept woman of some wealthy household.
“Putting them so far away, was he afraid the Madam would find out?” Li Fengqi snorted. “The Duke of Qi really knows when to bend and when to stretch.”
Ye Yunting, however, noticed something else. “Why is Madam Feng still staying in the town?”
“The story Madam Feng has been telling people is that her husband, who supposedly went away on business, has returned and is going to bring mother and son back to the capital. Since they have a lot of luggage, Ye Boru left ahead of her, while Madam Feng stayed behind to pack.” The scout hesitated slightly before continuing. “But I think there's something strange about Madam Feng. Her maid went to the medical clinic several times, but she neither saw a doctor nor bought any medicine. She hurried there and hurried back. I watched her for several days, but couldn't find anything unusual. So I'm wondering if perhaps I'm simply overthinking it.”
The information gathered thus far seemed unhelpful. Ye Yunting thought for a moment. “Then keep watching. Report back if you learn anything new.”
The scout acknowledged the order and left.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Li Fengqi looked at Ye Yunting again and again before slowly drawing out his words.
“Why has the Eldest Young Master suddenly become so concerned about Ye Boru?”
There was a faint smugness in his heart.
Could it be that he's really jealous?
On the day they returned from Chuyun Temple, Li Fengqi had been pinched several times in succession. At the time, he hadn't fully understood what was happening.
But the more he thought about Ye Yunting's behavior over the past two days, the more convinced he became that—
Ye Yunting had been jealous.
The Prince of Yong'an was secretly delighted.
He completely forgot about the pain in his waist and became even more playful.
Ye Yunting's eyelashes flickered slightly. He glanced sideways at him.
“What is it? Is the Prince unhappy that I want to deal with him?”
“!!!” Li Fengqi dared not respond directly; after all, there was still a bruise on his waist from their last encounter that hadn't completely healed.
"How could I be unhappy?" He quickly affirmed his loyalty. "I think he didn't suffer enough last time. An elder brother is like a father. If the Eldest Young Master wants him to suffer a little more, that's only right!”
With a soft snort, Ye Yunting looked away and returned to reading his book.
Li Fengqi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
He became even more dissatisfied with Ye Boru.
It's one thing to get himself into trouble, but now he's even dragging me into it.
At this time, Ye Boru, having suffered a minor setback at Chuyun Temple, temporarily stopped appearing in front of Li Fengqi and Ye Yunting.
That day, he had traveled all the way back to the capital through the wind and snow. Upon arrival, he developed a fever. Fortunately, his father had summoned an imperial physician to treat him with acupuncture, and only then did the fever subside.
But he had ultimately fallen ill, and his spirits had been poor for the past two days. He was still taking medicine every day.
Wrapped tightly in a bulky padded coat, he gloomily brooded what had happened that day.
Only now was he forced to admit that the Prince of Yong'an truly showed him no courtesy whatsoever.
Yet this indifference only fueled his determination all the more.
He did not believe that in a mere few months, the Prince of Yong'an could become completely devoted to Ye Yunting. After thinking for a long while, he decided that Li Fengqi was still wary of him.
And that made sense.
He had saved the Emperor's life during the battle of the Zaohe River. Given the Prince of Yong'an's nature, trust wasn't something he would grant easily.
After considering the matter for a while, Ye Boru took his identification token and entered the palace to seek out Li Zong.
It seemed that if he wanted the Prince of Yong'an to let down his guard, he'd need to demonstrate some genuine intent first.
Taiqian Palace
Taiqian Palace was filled with beautiful women, while languid music drifted through the air.
Although it was the dead of winter outside, Taigan Palace was as warm as spring.
Li Zong was dressed only in a thin robe, barefoot and reclining on a couch, a wine cup in hand. Cui Xi stood beside him, holding a white jade decanter, occasionally pouring him more wine.
Ever since he had placed Han Chan under house arrest and thrown a fit in Taihe Hall, sending half the officials into the Dali Temple prison, he had stopped attending court. Instead, he remained in Taiqian Palace every day, drinking and indulging himself, drowning in wine and pleasure.
One official after another had been implicated and dragged into the Dali Temple prison. The Minister of Works and the Chief Assistant had sought an audience several times, but Li Zong ignored them all.
Cui Xin was pouring him another cup when an attendant hurried in from outside and whispered something into his ear.
"Your Majesty," Cui Xi said, bowing. "Minister Ye requests an audience."
Li Zong took a moment to react before remembering that Ye Boru was now a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. With a listless wave of his hand, he said, “Let him in.”
Ye Boru was led inside by an attendant.
He paid no attention to the decadent scene in the hall and slowly walked before Li Zong, clasping his hands in salute.
“Does Minister Ye have something to report?”
Li Zong took a sip of wine and lifted his eyes to look at him.
His hand inside his sleeve, however, tightened slightly.
In addition to assigning Ye Boru his position in the Ministry of Personnel, Li Zong had also entrusted him with overseeing the residence of Imperial Tutor Han.
“Yes.” Ye Boru lowered his eyes. “According to reports from below, Imperial Tutor Han has not eaten for four or five days.”
Li Zong's hand stopped.
After a long silence, he said, "So he thinks he can play that card, too?"
Ye Boru pretended not to hear the bitterness in his words and carefully tested the waters. “Would Your Majesty like to go and see him?”
“No.” Li Zong gritted his teeth. “I refuse to believe he can actually starve himself to death.”
After returning from the Imperial Tutor's residence, he had figured everything out.
The Ruan brothers had merely been a smokescreen Han Chan had dragged out. At the time, he had been so flustered that he had fallen for it. But after returning to the palace and regaining his composure, he had realized that he had fallen into Han Chan's trap once again.
Han Chan had merely used the Ruan brothers to conceal his true intentions.
Since Han Chan refused to speak, Li Zong would simply confine him inside the Imperial Tutor's residence. No matter how many schemes Han Chan had, he couldn't carry them out from there.
Li Zong was determined to make him bow his head and beg for mercy.
“But…” Ye Boru hesitated. “I heard that Imperial Tutor Han has always struggled with poor health, and that he seems to have fallen ill these past few days. Perhaps I could go in Your Majesty's place and take a look, just in case…”
When Li Zong heard the words fallen ill, the hand holding his wine cup trembled almost imperceptibly.
Ye Boru lowered his head, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly.
He knew that his objective this time was already within reach.
He understood the relationship between the Emperor and the Imperial Tutor very clearly.
All he needed to do was make use of it.
Then he could enter and leave the Imperial Tutor's residence openly. Once he found a clue leading to the antidote and delivered it to the Prince of Yong'an, he refused to believe that Li Fengqi would remain unmoved.
Li Zong was silent for a long time, seemingly hesitating. For a while, the only sounds in the hall were the bells worn by the dancers and the strains of music.
At last, Li Zong drained his wine. “Go and take a look in my place.”
After a pause, he added: “Just don't let him die.”
Ye Boru softly acknowledged the order and withdrew.
Cui Xi picked up the wine vessel and refilled Li Zong’s cup. “Your Majesty still thinks of the old days.”
“He taught me for seventeen years.”
The fingers around the wine cup tightened slightly.
Thinking of all those years Han Chan had accompanied him, Li Zong gave a bitter, mocking laugh.
“I may dwell on old ties, but his heart is cold as iron, impossible to warm no matter how hard I try.”
He drank another cup of wine and murmured:
“He truly wants me dead…”
---
After leaving the palace, Ye Boru went straight to the Imperial Tutor's residence.
The Shence Army guards at the entrance saw him and opened the sealed gates.
Ye Boru brushed the snow from his shoulders and entered at an unhurried pace.
The Imperial Tutor's residence was desolate and decayed. One could still vaguely make out the grandeur of its former halls and painted beams.
Ye Boru walked around the front courtyard once.
He did not go to see Han Chan.
Instead, he headed straight for the study.
He needs to find a clue to the antidote.
Since Han Chan was the one who had administered the poison, he must have an antidote.
Ye Boru searched the study thoroughly, but discovered nothing. Unfazed, he paused briefly to gather his thoughts before heading towards Han Chan's bedroom.
The Imperial Tutor, who had once stood below only one person and above all others, sat beside the bedroom window.
His face was pale and weak, but his expression remained as cold as ever.
When he saw Ye Boru arrive, he merely lazily raised his eyes for a glance before turning his gaze to the scene outside, unmoving like a statue.
Ye Boru was well aware of Han Chan's position in the Emperor's heart, so he maintained impeccable outward courtesy. “I heard that Imperial Tutor Han has not eaten for several days. His Majesty is concerned about you and specifically ordered me to come see you.”
Han Chan lowered his eyes, offering no response.
Ye Boru couldn't be bothered to waste effort trying to warm up to someone who was giving him the cold shoulder.
He looked at Han Chan once, then allowed his gaze to sweep around the somewhat empty bedroom, searching for somewhere the antidote might be hidden.
Normally, something this important would either be hidden in a heavily guarded study or inside the bedroom.
“What are you looking at?” Han Chan suddenly spoke. His gaze was sharp as he looked at Ye Boru.
Although his complexion was now pale and there were signs of illness on his face, he still radiated an oppressive presence from head to toe.
Ye Boru appeared respectful on the surface, but was secretly surveying the room.
“I was only thinking that this bedroom is rather cold. Would the Imperial Tutor like a few more braziers?”
“No need.” Han Chan refused without hesitation, disgust visible in his eyes. “You can leave.”
Throughout their exchange, Han Chan's expression barely changed.
Yet Ye Boru inexplicably developed the feeling that Han Chan did not want him to remain here for very long.
The Imperial Tutor's bedroom had naturally been a place that no one could easily enter or leave in the past.
If something important were hidden here, it certainly wouldn't be easy to discover.
Ye Boru's eyes flickered.
He smiled and clasped his hands.
“I'll return to report to His Majesty. His Majesty is extremely concerned about the Imperial Tutor's health. Please take care of yourself.”
---
Once he left the bedroom, the smile disappeared from Ye Boru's face.
After pondering for half a moment, he returned to the palace to request another audience.
He had gone and returned so quickly that Li Zong didn't bother complaining about his interrupted enjoyment.
“How is he?”
“I went to the Imperial Tutor's residence and saw him.” Ye Boru carefully chose his words. “The Imperial Tutor's condition is truly poor. The maid responsible for delivering his meals said that he has not eaten for four full days. When I went to see him, he was sitting motionless beside the window, his complexion frighteningly pale. There wasn't even a charcoal brazier in the room…”
He adopted an expression of genuine concern.
“If this continues, I'm afraid it won't end well.”
Li Zong fell silent again.
“Your Majesty, should we send some charcoal over?” Ye Boru spoke as though the suggestion had occurred to him casually. “I caught a chill the day before yesterday after being exposed to the cold and was ill for two days. If the Imperial Tutor continues like this, the exposure to the cold could seriously jeopardize his health.”
“Have people send some over.” Li Zong instructed without further hesitation. “It doesn't need to be top-quality. As long as he doesn't freeze to death.”
Ye Boru smiled. “I understand.”
After leaving the palace, Ye Boru immediately dispatched someone to purchase charcoal.
Once the charcoal braziers were lit, this coal would naturally need regular replacement. He merely needed to bribe one of the maids, and then he would have a perfectly legitimate reason to enter Han Chan's bedroom and search it.
If he could obtain the antidote first, wouldn't the Prince of Yong'an be completely at his mercy?
Sitting inside his carriage, Ye Boru gazed toward the Imperial Tutor's residence in the distance and smiled calmly.
The coachman drove toward the Duke of Qi's residence.
But halfway there, he heard Ye Boru say:
“Don't go back to the Duke of Qi's residence yet. Go to the Prince of Yong'an's residence instead.”
The coachman raised his whip and turned the carriage toward the Prince of Yong'an's residence.
---
When the gatekeeper came to announce that Ye Boru had arrived to pay a visit, Li Fengqi immediately furrowed his brow and distanced himself from any involvement before Ye Yunting could even respond.
“Why is he here again? Go close the main gate. Just say that I’m not home with the consort.”
The gatekeeper was about to leave when Ye Yunting spoke. “Invite him in.”
He wanted to see what sort of trick Ye Boru had come up with this time.
“...?” The gatekeeper paused.
He quickly looked between the two masters of the household.
Recently, he had heard the other servants say that the residence was now essentially run by the Wangfei.
After only a brief hesitation, he turned toward Ye Yunting and clasped his hands.
“Yes, Sir.” Clearly, he was going to follow Ye Yunting's instructions.
Seeing the gatekeeper hurry away, Li Fengqi snorted. “These servants certainly know how to read the wind.”
Ye Yunting smiled. “Then you can call him back, Your Highness.”
Li Fengqi immediately became serious. “I was merely praising him for having good judgment. He's much smarter than Zhu Lie. He deserves a reward!”
His abrupt change of tune caught Ye Yunting off guard, eliciting an involuntary smile despite himself.
Thus, when Ye Boru was led inside by the servant, he saw both men smiling.
They took seats around the table, where a small stove kept wine warm at its edge. Ye Yunting sat near the brazier, a plate of pine nuts resting beside him. In front of Li Fengqi was another dish, this one filled with pine nuts that had already been shelled.
Ye Boru quickly swept his gaze over the scene. “Your Highness,” and “Eldest Brother.”
Li Fengqi said nothing. He simply lowered his head and ate the shelled pine nuts one by one.
Ye Yunting looked at Ye Boru. “How does Second Brother have time to visit today? I heard you caught a chill a few days ago. Shouldn't you be taking care of yourself?”
"..." Ye Boru thought, Why do you think I caught a chill? Don't you know? Still, he maintained a proper smile. “Thank you for your concern, Eldest Brother. I'm already mostly recovered.”
“You should still be careful. If your cold hasn't completely cleared up, don't go running around everywhere…”
Ye Boru was just about to say, It's already fine, when Ye Yunting leisurely continued, dragging out the final part of his sentence:
“…You wouldn't want to pass your illness on to someone else.”
His expression remained unchanged as he looked directly at Ye Boru.
“Don't you agree, Second Brother?”
“…” Ye Boru's expression stiffened slightly. “Eldest Brother is right. However, I came to see the Prince today because I have something important to discuss.”
He secretly ground his teeth.
This Ye Yunting isn't as timid as the rumors claim.
He's actually quite sharp-tongued.
But that's probably all he has—nothing more than clever words.
=== Author's Notes ===
Tingting:
Who says I don't know how to practice tea artistry?
77: (The old little one has changed.)
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