Damn it!
When Yu Jinnian groggily opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by darkness, so quiet that even his breathing seemed loud, as if the sound of dust rolling on the ground was amplified by the empty room. He realized he wasn’t in bed again, with a slight stiffness in the back of his neck. He sat up to stretch, but suddenly his arm was stuck in midair.
Yu Jinnian sighed and lifted himself up, releasing a thin silver chain, allowing him to finally stretch. The chain was likely put on him by Yan Chang, as no one else would have such a bizarre hobby. It was long enough for him to walk from one end of the room to the other, yet short enough that he could only gaze longingly at the stairs leading to the exit without being able to touch them.
He relied on his instincts to find a table, wanting to drink some water, but halfway there he tripped over a table leg and fell hard to the floor beneath the bookshelf. As he got up, he used the bookshelf for support but didn’t notice it was old and poorly maintained, causing it to topple over, sending everything on it crashing to the ground. Yu Jinnian tried to shield himself with his arms, but he still got hit a few times. Amidst the chaos, he suddenly felt something sharp scrape against his forearm.
When the surroundings fell silent again, Yu Jinnian felt around on the floor and quickly found an iron object with sharp edges—it was an arrowhead. He frowned, intending to throw it away, but he hesitated and quietly tucked it into his pocket. Then he got up, slowly made his way to the table, and after considerable effort, he finally found the teapot and poured himself a couple of sips.
Ugh, today it wasn’t plain water but red date soup, sweetened with who knows how much sugar, making it taste sickeningly sweet. Yu Jinnian forced down a few gulps and quickly set it aside.
This place was darker than on the ship, dark enough to induce panic.
No wonder Yan Chang called it the “Mute Room.”
When he was thrown in here, he was unconscious and didn’t see the room’s full layout or what was inside. Consequently, he had suffered a lot on the first day, with bruises still lingering on his calves and sides from hitting the corners and edges of furniture. Yet he was not the type to be honest; even with a sore back and legs, he couldn’t help but explore every nook and cranny. In what usually would be a small room he could assess at a glance, it took him several hours to figure things out.
From this, he experienced the feeling of a blind person trying to touch an elephant.
There were several bookshelves filled with various scrolls; a spacious, solid wooden table scattered with what seemed to be writing implements; a luohan bed with a small low table and a pair of cushions in front of it.
Apart from that, there was nothing else.
No light, and even less sound.
On the first day, Yan Chang didn’t come. For the following days, he only came with the servant delivering meals, taking a brief glance at him. During these moments, Yu Jinnian was only able to catch a glimpse of the feeble candlelight accompanying the exquisite dishes. Each grain of rice he swallowed evoked a sense of cherishing, but each time Yan Chang left, he took that little glimmer of light with him, leaving Yu Jinnian in total darkness.
Yu Jinnian could only count his heartbeats, listening to the blood coursing through his veins, or fidget with the silver chain on his wrist, waiting for the next arrival of Yan Chang.
Based on Yan Chang’s frequency of bringing meals, he guessed he had only been locked up for a few days, but these days felt like years, as time in his perception was stretched without reason and mercilessly.
He felt his senses becoming sharper, yet also duller, as if everything around him had frozen, leaving him as the sole living creature, breathing, sleeping, and talking to himself alone. Things he wouldn’t ordinarily fear were magnified in his mind—empty imaginations, hollow echoes, and boundless loneliness.
Yu Jinnian prided himself on not being a pessimistic person, yet at this moment, he found himself instinctively fearful of the darkness. His hope had diminished significantly, and he even had a fleeting thought of asking Yan Chang to leave behind a piece of candle stub, no matter how short, just to illuminate this terrifyingly silent box… Though he knew these were merely instinctive reactions to his physical and psychological state, exactly the results Yan Chang desired. If he opened his mouth to ask, it would fall right into that bastard’s trap.
After gulping down a few mouthfuls of cold water, he felt drowsy again, so he lay down on the luohan bed, futilely staring at the dense darkness before him. At that moment, he suddenly thought, why was Ji Hong afraid of the dark?
Ji Hong seemed never to have directly answered this question. From his fragmented words, Yu Jinnian could only guess that he must have been trapped somewhere in the past, leaving him with lasting psychological trauma, certainly when he was very young and had no concept of fear.
As Yu Jinnian pondered, he fell asleep again, as only sleep could temporarily free him from his current predicament.
The door to the Mute Room was pushed open silently, and amidst the light and shadow, someone entered with a small oil lamp, slowly making their way down.
Zhou Feng, with his left hand bandaged and noticeable injuries on his face, stood silently guarding the Qihui Courtyard for Yan Chang. The people in the manor only knew that a favored servant of the master lived in this courtyard, but no one had ever seen what he looked like. When Zhou had come to choose someone to serve the master of the Qihui Courtyard, everyone pointed out that it was a good opportunity, yet it turned out to be a difficult task. Not only could they not leave the courtyard, but they also had not seen any rewards from the master.
Most importantly, no one knew that behind the master’s bedroom, there was a secret room, and they didn’t know when it was built. Even the chief steward, Hu Bo, was unaware of its existence.
Those who had been down were all steeling themselves to go again. It wasn’t that it was terrifying down there; it was just that the secret room was dug very deep, making it too quiet, with no windows, so each footstep felt like it was stepping on their own hearts. Inside the room was a handsome young man, who was also very quiet, spending most of his day sleeping, occasionally cursing when he woke up, but he would not make things difficult for the servants.
No one knew why the master had locked him up, but looking at the situation, people could only imagine a bad relationship, a secret affair between the two that couldn’t see the light of day. Yet every time the King of Yue went down, he stayed for a very short time, often just sitting and waiting for the young man to finish his meal before bringing the food box back up, which was hardly enough time for anything more.
This was puzzling.
Today, Yan Chang also brought a food box. As he descended the stairs, he didn’t hear the familiar cursing, realizing that the young man was asleep. He lightened his steps, almost soundlessly approaching Yu Jinnian’s bedside.
Yan Chang placed the oil lamp and food box on the table, checked the teapot, and then turned to look at Yu Jinnian. The luohan bed was not very large; the young man had one hand resting on his waist, sleeping deeply, unaffected by the flickering light of the oil lamp. Yan Chang sat down in front of him, not waking him, instead picking up a scroll to read. Though the Mute Room was called so and was buried underground without sunlight, it was still the place Yan Chang had loved to stay in since he was a boy.
At that time, the royal mansion was not yet the King of Yue’s mansion but the Twelfth Prince’s Mansion, bustling with people. To escape the intrigue and conflicts outside or the injustices he had suffered, he would hide in here. There was no deceit or manipulation, he didn’t have to speak, let alone care about others’ expressions; as long as he didn’t go out, no one could find him.
Later, trapped in a whirlpool, he became bound and changed; the Mute Room was abandoned, now it had become a place of confinement for Yu Jinnian.
The books in the Mute Room had all been read by him; at this moment, reading them was merely a way to pass the time.
After sitting for a while, the young man on the bed stirred slightly, his lips moving as if murmuring something in his dreams. Yan Chang put down the scroll and reached out, gently resting his hand on the young man’s palm that hung by his side, as if stealing something that didn’t belong to him.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he touched Yu Jinnian, the latter’s hand responded, gently grasping his. Yan Chang lowered his eyes, quietly glancing at their entwined hands. A smile appeared on his lips, and the small bit of displeasure he had harbored was pushed down. He suppressed his breathing, slowly leaning down, using his other hand to trace the young man’s tightly closed brows and eyes.
For some inexplicable reason, he leaned in even closer, wanting to kiss those lips that had scolded him countless times.
He didn’t succeed.
Perhaps it was because he had just returned from outside and had washed his hands with cold water, his hands still carrying a hint of chill, which woke Yu Jinnian instantly. He watched as the young man stirred awake in a daze, his gaze shifting from confusion to clarity and finally to glaring distaste. Even the hand that had rested over his quickly withdrew, coldly pushing aside with annoyance, “Why is it you?”
“Why is it you?” indicated that the figure in his dreams was not him.
Yan Chang straightened up, naturally retracting his hand, and chuckled, “Miss me?”
Yu Jinnian ignored his tease, slowly sitting up against the wall of the luohan bed, rubbing his temples as he retorted, “Why am I so tired all the time?” Remembering the water he had to drink every day, he added, “You, Yan, don’t push your luck!” He raised his wrist, shaking it, “Look at me like this, do you really need to make it so complicated?”
Yan Chang shook his head, “If you sleep, it won’t be so hard to endure. You should thank me instead.”
What a load of nonsense.
Yu Jinnian glanced over Yan Chang and spotted a small oil lamp on the table he longed for, as well as the food box. The lamp’s dim light seemed intentionally set to accommodate his eyes, which were not suited for brightness. Leaning against the wall, he felt an urge to sleep physically but mentally resisted it, thus lacking the vigor to curse him as he had in previous days, sounding somewhat weary, “You, Yan, are really driving me crazy. What do you want from me?”
Yan Chang smiled, his hands clasped on his knees, half-seriously saying, “I said I want to have you, you know?”
What filthy words were those? Yu Jinnian froze for a moment upon hearing it. Was that something a noble could say? It was worse than what a common thug would utter! Even thugs knew to say something like “play with me,” yet he suddenly blurted out that… It was as if he didn’t care for a shred of dignity!
Yu Jinnian got off the luohan bed to fetch some water but suddenly remembered there was something in the water and had to hold back. Instead, he sat at the table, looking at the lamp. He knew Yan Chang was just joking; that bastard had been teasing him these past few days. The angrier he got, the more satisfied Yan Chang seemed. Moreover, if he really wanted to do something, he could have done it while Yu Jinnian was asleep earlier; there was no need to ask for his opinion first.
Did he really expect mutual affection?
“I’m serious,” Yan Chang said, “Can’t you let me have what I desire just once? You’re not some innocent girl; once or twice, nobody will notice. Even if you go back to that Ji fellow later, at least I can say I’ve had you.”
Yu Jinnian turned back in shock, glaring at him, “Are you even speaking human language? Is this how nobles are raised?”
Yan Chang stood up and walked over to open the food box: “I grew up mingling in the army; having this kind of upbringing is already a result of my efforts.” He took out several small plates from the food box; surprisingly, today’s offerings weren’t the usual lavish dishes but rather exquisite pastries. After laying everything out, he sat down, brushing off his robe, and asked, “Will you let me? If you do, I’ll send you back.”
“Think again! In your dreams!” Yu Jinnian matched his rudeness.
Yan Chang wasn’t done yet: “Has that Ji fellow had you before?”
Yu Jinnian’s temper flared, “Can’t you drop that word? I used to think you were a bit perverted, but at least somewhat cultured.”
Yan Chang laughed at Yu Jinnian’s use of “cultured”: “I’ve killed enough people to fill this room, and the blood I’ve spilled could let you swim in it. Unlike your beloved, who probably hasn’t even shed a drop of mosquito blood. Cultured? That word has nothing to do with me.”
What kind of talk about heads and blood was that? Trying to scare him with such things was a huge miscalculation. Yu Jinnian retorted, “So I take back my words; you’re not only perverted but also just blabbering useless nonsense.”
Yan Chang chuckled: “You say I lack upbringing, but look at you, tossing around vulgarities.”
“I enjoy it! You’re not my man, so what’s it to you?” Yu Jinnian glanced over the few plates in front of him, reached out, and grabbed a piece of pastry to eat. However, as soon as his teeth grazed the edge of the pastry, Yan Chang’s expression changed, and he suddenly grabbed Yu Jinnian’s wrist tightly.
“Don’t eat that.”
Yu Jinnian was furious to the point of laughter, “You brought these pastries, and now you’re saying I can’t eat this one or that one? What the hell is wrong with you?”
What was wrong? Yan Chang had painstakingly opened the pack of golden milk pastry Ji Hong had given him and mixed it with eighteen other milk-flavored pastries, putting them in the food box for Yu Jinnian. Who would have thought Yu Jinnian would be so sharp-eyed, so in tune with Ji Hong? Out of all the pastries, he picked that particular piece of golden milk pastry!
Yu Jinnian narrowed his eyes suspiciously, “This isn’t something you brought?”
Yan Chang didn’t want him to catch on, suddenly letting go of his wrist, allowing him to eat, but his eyes were burning with fire.
While grumbling, Yu Jinnian bit into the golden milk pastry. He paused for a moment and then slid his hand over to another piece of golden milk pastry, hesitating briefly before picking up a different pastry and nibbling on it. Seeing this, Yan Chang felt a little better and asked him how it tasted, wanting to emphasize it compared to the golden milk pastry.
Yu Jinnian, however, asked, “Do you actually like me?”
Yan Chang remained silent for a long while, looking at him in the lamp’s glow, but the carefree smile he had earlier vanished, replaced by a more sardonic expression: “I didn’t like you before, but now… it’s just that you’re amusing.” Suddenly, he stood up, not waiting for Yu Jinnian to finish eating, and began to clear the plates. He took the lamp and dropped a line, “I’ll take you out tomorrow.”
And then he left.
The Mute Room returned to silence. Yu Jinnian, using the last flicker of light in his vision, returned to the luohan bed. Listening to the sound of the door being locked outside, he spat out a thin silver piece from his mouth, casually pulling the blanket over to wipe it, slowly tracing the patterns on its edge with his fingertip.
The pattern was simple, one he was quite familiar with.
Yu Jinnian lay back down on the bed, holding the silver piece up. Even though he couldn’t see anything in front of him, he examined it earnestly as if he could see every detail. Finally, he tucked the silver piece into his bosom, his face lighting up as he complained, “Wrapped in the filling, aren’t you afraid I’ll just swallow it whole?”
Yan Chang walked out of the Qihui Courtyard, his expression darkening. Seeing the injured Zhou Feng, he frowned even more. He tossed the food box he was holding at Zhou Feng and, as Zhou Feng bent down to pick it up, he unexpectedly kicked him.
Zhou Feng fell to the ground, quickly getting back up and claiming it was his own failure.
The person named Zhang Wenqing had been abducted from Princess Ruyu’s residence yesterday, along with the princess herself. Zhou Feng had gone to investigate. Although there were some clues, they were deliberately left for him, and the kidnapper hadn’t hidden his identity, leading him into a nearby alley for a fierce struggle.
In the end, he was outnumbered and returned injured.
The abduction of the princess was a significant matter, and the reason he didn’t dare to report it was that the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War had appeared in the princess’s room late at night… It was too complicated to explain.
“Get lost.” Yan Chang couldn’t be bothered to scold Zhou Feng, just issuing the command made him actually leave.
Yan Chang glanced back at the Qihui Courtyard and suddenly threw the still-burning oil lamp to the ground. The lamp shattered, and the oil spilled out, igniting a patch of grass at the entrance. Without looking back, he strutted away, leaving a group of servants rushing in to put out the fire.
—
The next day, shortly after the hour of the snake, a small carriage stopped in Beet Sugar Alley, a place filled with impoverished people who did the lowest kinds of work. For any household to own a donkey was something neighbors would envy for an entire year. Yet today, a carriage had come.
The onlookers watched as people unloaded a huge box from the carriage and moved it into an empty house. Afterward, the carriage quietly left, while the two porters remained stationed at the door.
Before long, the carriage of the King of Yue arrived at the foot of the Xifeng Building.
Ji Hong sat on the second floor by the window, patiently brewing a pot of Pu’er tea. Just as the tea was boiling and its aroma was wafting perfectly, Yan Chang pushed the door open and entered. Ji Hong looked up at him, finally furrowing his brow. Yan Chang casually lifted his garment, sitting down without courtesy and pouring himself a cup from the freshly brewed tea. “What are you looking for, Ji Gongzi?”
“Bring out the dishes.” Ji Hong did not answer.
Before long, several dishes were brought up, all glistening with bright red oil, which made Yan Chang, a man who had spent many years in the South, unable to look directly at them. Even before taking a bite, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, as if these dishes were weapons Ji Hong had prepared for him!
Ji Hong raised his chopsticks, picking up a piece of fish. “King Yue, would you like to try? This is the signature dish of Xifeng Building—fish head with diced chili.”
Yan Chang stared at the dripping red oil from his chopsticks, his expression turning sour.
He didn’t take Ji Hong’s offering and instead grabbed a side dish that looked a bit more palatable, chewing on it only to turn red and reach for the tea. No one would eat something this spicy; not even those from Sichuan would! Yan Chang realized this was clearly intended to humiliate him, yet he couldn’t lose his composure. He slammed his chopsticks down heavily. “Gongzi, let’s get straight to the point. As long as Ruyu and Zhang Wenqing—”
Before he could finish, Ji Hong also set down his chopsticks. He did so lightly, but the sound of silver against porcelain echoed neatly in the quiet room. He then spoke softly, “King Yue seems to have misunderstood; I, Ji, know nothing of this Lord Zhang and Princess Ruyu. Today’s meal is merely a welcome banquet that I’ve prepared for you.”
Indeed, from start to finish, Ji Hong had never mentioned that Zhang Wenqing was in his hands!
But it was evident that he was brazen, daring to kidnap the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War and the princess, yet still acting foolish in front of Yan Chang, claiming to know nothing!
What a load of nonsense!
Yan Chang felt like cursing, wanting to hurl back all the insults he had learned from Yu Jinnian over the past month. But his brain short-circuited; even if he used Yu Jinnian’s words against Ji Hong, it would only serve to facilitate their connection! So he endured, swallowing the bitter words back down.
“While waiting for King Yue, I happened to overhear an interesting argument downstairs,” Ji Hong said, drinking tea and narrating. “A guest came downstairs. He wanted to eat the restaurant’s signature fish head and another dish, pearl rice balls. But he had only two coins on him, so he could only order one. Thus, he asked the shopkeeper for half of each dish and ended up getting thrown out.”
Yan Chang discerned the underlying meaning and couldn’t help but squint.
Ji Hong asked, “What does King Yue think? In opening a business, shouldn’t it be mutually agreeable? Is there any reason to only take half?”
What a clever way of saying that one couldn’t have it both ways!
Ji Hong was telling him that he had to either give up Yu Jinnian or give up Ruyu and Zhang Wenqing. Trying to have both was impossible.
Ruyu was Yan Chang’s last connection to his family, while Zhang Wenqing was a useful ally. If he abandoned one, he might make a cruel choice—but who would have thought that Zhang Wenqing was involved with Ruyu! Whichever he chose, it would be like stabbing himself in the heart. Moreover, if the princess’s affair became public, the consequences would be dire.
Even if he could give up Zhang Wenqing, would the princess just stand by?
If he stubbornly clung to Yu Jinnian and the affair with the princess came to light, he would inevitably need to intervene. While this might seem like a mere royal scandal, the royal family cared deeply about their image. If things escalated, it wouldn’t be so simple; there were too many connections to navigate, and in the end, whether he could protect Ruyu remained uncertain. On the other hand, if he was ruthless and chose not to intervene, allowing the matter to develop, the emperor would be waiting to seize the opportunity, and once angered, he too would be in a precarious position.
Yet what about Ji Hong? The worst he faced was losing Yu Jinnian.
Yan Chang had worked hard to plan for years, and at this crucial moment, any slip-up could prove disastrous; he couldn’t afford to lose.
Ji Hong was clearly calculating this.
Yan Chang hadn’t directly brought Yu Jinnian today, intending to negotiate with Ji Hong. Yet now, he realized he had underestimated him. He clenched his fist under the table, and when he opened it again, crescent-shaped marks from his nails remained on his palm.
Everyone misjudged the so-called “Ji Jiaonu,” thinking she was clever and sharp-witted. In his view, it was Ji Shuluan who was cunning as a fox, deeply calculating. Even though it felt like a bone lodged in his throat, Yan Chang could only force it down. He smiled, “On my way to the capital, I happened upon a treasure. I’m sure the Gongzi will be fond of it. Today, I specifically brought it, currently placed in a nearby courtyard.”
Ji Hong replied, “King Yue is thoughtful.” He then left the table, not eating anymore, and as he took a few steps away, he suddenly turned back and summoned a waiter, instructing, “Take all the dishes from this table to the residence of Duke Li, especially that fish head—do not let it lose its shape. If the cold dishes are touched, they are to be discarded.”
Yan Chang: “…”
So today’s banquet wasn’t even meant for him!
Ji Hong exited, only to remember he had forgotten something. He turned back to look at Yan Chang, who was still sitting there, and politely said, “King Yue, would you care to come down with me?”
Yan Chang couldn’t help but mimic Yu Jinnian’s internal thought: Damn it!