Li Jie recoiled in mild surprise as he crossed paths with Counselor Shi He, his finely arched eyebrows betraying a subtle air of suspicion. “Ah, I was merely indulging in a leisurely stroll,” Li Jie responded, attempting to cloak his nerves beneath a veneer of confidence. “The weather is rather pleasant today.” Despite his effort to exude assurance, his voice faltered, revealing the underlying anxiety.
“Merely a stroll?” Shi He scrutinized him with a gaze steeped in doubt. “Are you certain?”
The absence of his dear friend for three long days, coupled with the knowledge of Huang Yiming’s likely anguish, compelled Li Jie to employ any means to swiftly reach him, despite detesting such tactics.
“Counselor Shi He,” Li Jie concealed his trembling hands within the folds of his wide sleeves, summoning a semblance of authority. “As the crown prince, I trust there’s no need for me to elaborate on my intention to roam within my own palace.”
Li Jie detected a flicker of amusement in Shi He’s countenance. However, instead of the usual discomfort and unease, annoyance welled up within Li Jie at the man’s arrogance.
With Shi He now announced as one of the consorts, Li Jie’s darker side couldn’t help but relish the increased control he now held over him, at least for the moment. While confident that Shi He posed no significant threat, given Li Jie’s higher rank and various advantages, the emperor’s occasional behavior seemed to imbue Shi He with an illusion of power, initially fueling Li Jie’s negative sentiments towards him.
“Of course, Your Highness,” Shi He acquiesced, bowing with a smirk playing upon his lips, his eyes harboring an inscrutable sentiment. “You may proceed as you wish. I shall not intrude further.”
Something about Shi He’s irritating smirk, coupled with his unyielding aura, and Han Yasheng’s prior encouraging words, fueled Li Jie’s audacity. The confinement of his friend and Shi He’s meddling spurred him to confront the counselor with a bolder demeanor than he usually adopted.
“Counselor Shi He,” Li Jie smiled with gentleness, delicately sweeping an imperceptible hint of dusk from the taller man’s shoulder—a subtle gesture that caught both Shi He and even Li Jie himself off guard. The only distinction lay in Li Jie’s ability to conceal his surprise, honed through a lifetime of political upbringing, while the ex-general’s countenance unwittingly unveiled his emotions.
Despite the recurrent address as ‘counselor’, Shi He’s origins in war, a realm far removed from the intricacies of Li Jie’s daily political training, became increasingly apparent. In the realm of political maneuvering, while Li Jie may not have boasted extensive experience, he remained more acquainted with its nuances than Shi He.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Declaring this, Li Jie briskly walked away, cutting off any further words from the ex-general. Part of it was also due to Li Jie having expended all his stamina merely to articulate those words. Without sparing another glance, he strode past Shi He, heading in the opposite direction of the royal mausoleum, a desperate move to dispel any suspicions harbored by the ex-general.
Exhaling a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Li Jie redirected his steps only when enough time had lapsed since Shi He faded from view. His unwavering determination propelled him towards Huang Yiming’s location.
Even after that brief surge of courage, Li Jie couldn’t openly confront others with his power.
At least not now, he comforted himself. It’s not like you’re doing nothing.
With those reassurances, Li Jie dismissed all other thoughts, concentrating solely on the path ahead, ensuring that no prying eyes would bear witness to his covert journey.
Approaching the royal mausoleum, Li Jie’s smile refused to fade, his cheeks flushed with a medley of emotions. Overwhelmed with joy at reaching his destination undetected, Li Jie nearly let out an exuberant shout. It wasn’t just the prospect of meeting Huang Yiming; it was also the satisfaction of having spoken up, even if in a small way.
Fix your expression, Li Jie reminded himself, swiftly replacing the sinister smile with the genuine one people were familiar with.
Grinning with a hint of melancholy, he stealthily approached Huang Yiming, who knelt with unwavering posture before the mausoleum. Swiftly and silently, Li Jie covered his friend’s eyes with his hands, preventing Huang Yiming from seeing or hearing him.
Without missing a beat, Huang Yiming moved his hand to rest atop Li Jie’s, his eyes still shielded as he uttered, “Li Jie?”
Removing his hands from Huang Yiming’s eyes, Li Jie widened his smile. “Hello,” Li Jie greeted as he settled down next to Huang Yiming.
“Why have you come here?” Huang Yiming inquired with genuine concern but he was secretly elated that Li Jie had sought him out, a reminder of times long past.
“Three days!” Li Jie suddenly exclaimed, patting the young man’s knee with a sigh. “I have not laid eyes on you in that span, knowing you suffered on my behalf. And you’re freezing!” With that, he proceeded to drape his outer robe over Huang Yiming’s shoulders.
Huang Yiming’s throat tightened as he swallowed hard. In Huang Yiming’s eyes, Li Jie appeared oblivious to personal boundaries, seemingly unaware of the concept of personal space. Huang Yiming would bet his life that Li Jie had never even heard of it.
The truth was, Li Jie was merely maintaining the same dynamic he had with Huang Yiming, reluctant to alter their relationship. Simultaneously, Huang Yiming occasionally delved too much into gestures that, coming from anyone else, would be shrugged off.
Surprisingly, even then, Li Jie’s innocent and bold gestures felt oddly comforting to Huang Yiming, despite the potential discomfort they could cause due to his personal feelings. Huang Yiming couldn’t deny a part of him felt guilty, as if he were taking advantage of Li Jie’s innocence. Yet, this was perhaps the only time he could experience such closeness with his friend.
Unaware that Li Jie also grappled with guilt for different reasons, Huang Yiming asked, his voice slightly hoarse, “Did anyone see you coming here?”
Aware of the new rumors surrounding Li Jie and Shi He in the harem, Li Jie understood that word of their meeting, especially at that time, observed by even a single servant’s eyes, would swiftly circulate throughout the palace. He had to tell the truth now.
Of course, Li Jie couldn’t be straightforward about it. He had to maintain his naive demeanor.
In the final moments, Li Jie cast a concerned glance towards his friend. “I…” A brief pause hung in the air as Li Jie tried to showcase his palpable uncertainty.
Huang Yiming, claiming an intimate understanding of Li Jie’s inner workings, recognized the hesitation as a telltale sign of internal deliberation. “Just tell me the truth,” Huang Yiming insisted, his hand patting Li Jie’s hair in a comforting gesture.
Throughout their conversation, Huang Yiming had maintained his steadfast position, kneeling before the royal mausoleum.
“Okay,” Li Jie responded, a nervous edge to his demeanor. “I did run into someone, but don’t worry! I handled it perfectly! I evaded him so skillfully, I even—”
“You know I can tell when you’re lying,” Huang Yiming interjected, interrupting Li Jie’s seemingly anxious monologue. “Scratch that. Anyone can tell when you’re lying.”
Sure…
Li Jie, in response, puffed up his cheeks, leaning against Huang Yiming. “There’s no fooling you, is there?”
Huang Yiming bestowed a smile upon him. “Li Jie, you can’t fool anyone with that acting.”
“Hey!” Li Jie playfully punched Huang Yiming’s shoulder, though lacking genuine force despite his inherent strength.
Huang Yiming surmised that Li Jie had perhaps overanalyzed the situation, treating these three days as a monumental trial. Yet, Huang Yiming, disciplined since childhood and excelling in the military, considered enduring such conditions for merely three days a minor feat.
“Now, don’t change the subject,” Huang Yiming teased, pinching Li Jie’s cheek. “Who did you encounter that made you so nervous?”
Li Jie glanced at Huang Yiming, feigning reluctance to disclose the information. However, the guileless Li Jie would be easily convinced, remaining both truthful and sweet.
“Uh…” Li Jie scratched his cheek, avoiding direct eye contact. “I ran into… Counselor Shi He…”
The dialogue has a modern sensibility that is unexpected with the ancient times setting.