Chapter 36

Early the next morning, Lian Ai was still asleep when Bu Nian got up and dressed to leave.

Still drowsy, Lian Ai murmured, “You’re heading out…?”

Bu Nian fastened his belt and gave a final tug at his collar and cuffs. He responded with a quiet sound of acknowledgment.

As Lian Ai shifted in his sleep, a bare shoulder slipped out from under the blanket. Bu Nian frowned, stepped over, and pulled the quilt back over him. Before leaving, he reached out and rubbed his hand lightly over the top of Lian Ai’s head.

“Go back to sleep. It’s still early.”

Lian Ai was already half-asleep. The touch pushed him deeper under. He gave a barely audible reply and soon fell into soft, steady breathing.

There was a calmness in that sleeping face. Bu Nian looked at him for a long while, then withdrew his hand and turned to leave.

Lian Ai didn’t wake until the sun was high. When he finally sat up, still wrapped in warmth, he stretched out his arms with a long yawn.

“You were lying to me.”

The voice came without warning. Lian Ai froze, still mid-stretch. He jerked his head toward the direction of the voice.

Zuo Lingyu had been sitting there in silence, like a faded shadow, dull and motionless. The moment Lian Ai saw his face, he scrambled to cover his upper body with the blanket. His skin was still marked with the traces of last night.

His voice shook. “Why are you here?”

Zuo Lingyu had been sitting there for who knows how long, like a shadow without light. His presence felt sunken and cold.

“I came this morning to ask if you wanted to walk the streets again,” he said slowly. “And I saw Bu Nian walking out of your room.”

Lian Ai was used to seeing him with a smile. Zuo Lingyu had always been cheerful, childish, even a little pampered. This quiet seriousness didn’t suit him, and it unsettled Lian Ai more than he expected.

He opened his mouth, ready to brush it off with some excuse, but Zuo Lingyu cut him off with one sentence that left him speechless.

“You were the one who told Bu Nian about the leaked exam, weren’t you?”

Though framed as a question, his tone was certain. Lian Ai’s eyes widened, and a tension surged through his body.

Zuo Lingyu’s gaze flickered. Hurt flashed across his face, his eyes red at the rims. “I’m not as clueless as you think. Xiao Ai, don’t treat me like I’m stupid.”

There were things he had understood for a long time. He had only chosen not to see them.

Lian Ai wanted to deny it. His lips moved, but no sound came out. It was as if he had lost the ability to speak. Faced with Zuo Lingyu’s hurt and disappointment after learning the truth, the weight of having broken someone’s trust felt far heavier than he had imagined.

“Some things aren’t as simple as you think…” Only now did he truly understand how Helian Qiufeng must have felt when he had said those words to him. He hadn’t wanted Zuo Lingyu to get involved, and part of him wanted to explain. Even knowing it was pointless.

Zuo Lingyu gave a cold laugh, bitter at the edges. “That’s the same excuse all of you use. My sister said it. Now you’re saying it too. Maybe I really don’t understand what Gan Yan and Bu Nian are fighting over. What’s so wrong about living freely? What’s so wrong about being ordinary? My sister is like that. You’re like that too. Why do both of you fall for men like that?”

He stared at Lian Ai. “You were happy in Zhongzhou. Why come back to all of this?”

Lian Ai already knew the answer. But he couldn’t say it. The board was set, and they were already in the endgame. Everyone was part of it now. No one could afford to stay clean.

“Xiaoyu…” His thoughts tangled. There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn’t know where to begin.

Zuo Lingyu raised a hand to stop him. He didn’t want to hear any more explanations.

“That’s enough. You don’t have to waste your breath trying to come up with excuses.” He turned his head away and stood. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell my sister. I won’t get involved in whatever this is between you all.”

He turned and left, walking straight into the bright daylight. His back looked stripped of its usual spirit, quiet and solitary. When he spoke, his voice had lost all its lightness.

“Goodbye. We’re not friends anymore.”

Lian Ai stood there in silence. He had never expected that the first real friend he ever had would walk away just like that, without a goodbye he could prepare for.

After Zuo Lingyu left, the room fell quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Lian Ai let out a long breath, drew his knees up to his chest, and buried his face into the soft quilt.

—

Several days later, Helian Qiufeng arrived in the capital. The first thing he said to Lian Ai was, “Come home.”

“The year is almost over. You should go home and spend time with Father and Mother. They miss you.”

That reason alone made it difficult for Lian Ai to refuse. But still..

“I’m not leaving.” His tone left no room for negotiation. “I know you’re trying to get me out of the capital, but this is the most dangerous moment. I can’t leave you here alone.”

Helian Qiufeng saw he was being stubborn beyond reason. He had already started thinking about knocking him out and sending him back to Zhongzhou by force.

“It’s exactly because it’s dangerous that I have to send you back. If something happens to me, at least you’ll still be alive. You can carry on for me.”

He had thrown out his final card. If even that didn’t work, he would have no choice but to act.

“Brother…” Lian Ai looked at him, helpless. He had even started saying such ominous things just to convince him. “If one of us really had to leave, it should be you, not me. After all, you’re the real son of the Helian family. I’m just a stand-in.”

Helian Qiufeng froze, stunned. His mouth hung open. “You…” His face was full of disbelief. Lian Ai’s sudden confession had completely caught him off guard.

Lian Ai gave him a soft smile. “I’ve known from the beginning that I wasn’t born into the Helian family. A life like that was never meant for me.”

Helian Qiufeng hadn’t imagined that the boy he had called his brother had known the truth all along. The shock was layered on top of more shock. It took a long moment before he could speak again.

“I thought Father and I had hidden it well. Turns out, you hid it even better.” His voice was heavy. He let out a long breath and pulled his robe aside to sit at the table. He poured himself a cup of water.

After taking a sip and clearing his throat, he continued. “My real brother died a long time ago.”

Lian Ai froze. His eyes widened. “He’s dead?”

Helian Qiufeng nodded. The real second young master of the Helian family had died when he was only two years old, having fallen into a deep well in the courtyard due to the wet nurse’s carelessness. By the time they pulled him out, he had been dead for some time.

“Mother couldn’t handle the shock. She fell seriously ill, and afterward, her mind never fully recovered. It was as if she had completely forgotten he had died.” A shadow passed through Helian Qiufeng’s eyes. “We told her he had gone missing while outside. While pretending to search, we tried to keep her calm.”

Lian Ai hadn’t known any of this. It explained everything, including why Lady Helian had always treated him with such care, as if he truly were her lost son.

“I see.” Only now did it all make sense. Lady Helian had never been acting. She truly believed he was her child.

He sat down across from Helian Qiufeng and, after a moment’s thought, said, “Even if we’re not related by blood, from the day you called me your brother, I’ve treated the Helian family as my own. Whether it’s Father, Mother, or you, you’re all my family. I’m not fighting this war just for the General. I’m doing it for the Helian family too.”

Helian Qiufeng felt both moved and reassured. He had made the right choice in acknowledging this younger brother. He had never been more grateful that he listened to Bu Nian’s suggestion back then and brought Lian Ai home.

“Are you sure about this?”

There was no telling how this battle would end. Life and death would be left to fate.

Lian Ai lowered his gaze slightly, as if thinking, though there was no expression on his face.

After a moment, he looked up, his tone firm. “I am.”

—

The young emperor swung a wooden sword as he listened to the eunuch behind him recount stories of the general slaying enemies on the battlefield.

“The Huayue were vile. They stood at the front lines, shouting insults at the Son of Heaven. But at only sixteen, General Bu broke through their ranks and shot their commander dead with a single arrow…”

The child mimicked the scene, raising the sword high and slashing downward. “Serves them right.”

Just then, Bu Nian stepped in from outside. The emperor spotted him and rushed over, dragging the sword along with him.

“General Bu!” He skidded to a stop right in front of him, face bright. “What will you teach me today?”

Bu Nian dropped to one knee. “Today, this subject shall teach Your Highness a move… the Moon-Sweeping Form.” He took the wooden sword from the boy’s hand, stepped back and demonstrated the basic form. His movements were precise, fluid, and striking in their arc.

His graceful, powerful form held the boy spellbound. When Bu Nian finished the motion, the emperor immediately burst into applause.

He had admired Bu Nian since his days as a crown prince. After ascending the throne, he grew even more reliant on him.

The young emperor favored military strength over scholarship, and Bu Nian was the one he trusted most. By right, he should have been closer to Gan Yan, his imperial uncle. But Gan Yan interfered too much. The boy felt less like an emperor and more like a shadow puppet, every move pulled by strings.

“General Bu, you’re amazing. You’re the War God of Great Qi!” The young emperor offered his praise without the slightest hesitation. “Will you protect me forever?”

Bu Nian knelt before him once more, holding the wooden sword in both hands as he returned it with reverent care.

Looking straight into those young, innocent eyes, he said in a low voice, “Yes. This subject will forever protect Great Qi and Your Majesty.”

—

“This is this month’s dose.”

Zuo Lingxue held a small pill suspended in midair. Lian Ai knelt before her and raised both hands to receive it.

It was a tiny thing, weightless in his palm, but he held it with careful deliberation.

He had never told anyone that he had been dosed with Mianmian. Not Bu Nian. Not Helian Qiufeng. He didn’t think it was something worth bringing up. Mianmian wasn’t fatal, and the antidote was available. Even if he chose not to remove it, taking one pill each month would be enough to suppress it. It wasn’t a big deal.

He didn’t want anyone worrying about him. More importantly, he didn’t want to introduce cracks into a plan that had taken so much to construct.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for the medicine.” He lifted his chin and swallowed the pill.

He had feared that Zuo Lingyu might tell her something, but seeing that her attitude hadn’t changed at all today, he felt reassured again. He could only hope Zuo Lingyu would keep his word and stay out of the conflict. If not, the next time they met, they might have to face each other with blades drawn.

Zuo Lingxue owned a pair of twin blades. They were her weapons, and also part of her dowry. She wasn’t allowed to carry them around inside the prince’s residence, so she hung them on the wall of her chamber. Two black-sheathed curved blades crossed together, standing out sharply against the elegant decor of the estate.

She stood and walked over to them, running her fingers along the surface of the scabbards.

“This year, on New Year’s Day, the emperor will visit Tianfu Temple to offer incense. Will Bu Nian be taking you with him?”

Lian Ai already knew they planned to make a move. The most likely time and place was exactly when the emperor went to Tianfu Temple to pray.

He followed her movement with his eyes. “I’ll find a way to go.”

Zuo Lingxue’s fingers closed around one of the hilts. In the next moment, she drew the blade. The bright silver edge gleamed sharply in the daylight.

“It’s been a long time since I used them, they’re starting to rust.”

The glare of the blade caught Lian Ai’s eyes. He frowned and turned his face aside. “Those small fry aren’t worth Your Highness drawing a blade.”

Then came the sound of metal sliding back into its sheath. A moment later, the hem of her ornate dress entered his field of view.

“You think Bu Nian is small fry?” Her voice was cold.

Lian Ai looked up at her. The frost in her expression nearly froze the words in his throat.

“He’s… a tiger. A tiger going up against the dragon,” Lian Ai said, his throat dry. “But this land belongs only to the true Son of Heaven. It will never belong to a wicked tiger.”

Zuo Lingxue’s lips curved into a faint smile, though it held nothing warm. Whether she was mocking him or mocking Bu Nian, Lian Ai couldn’t tell. She pulled out a small paper packet from her sleeve and held it between two fingers in front of him.

“Find a way to slip it into Bu Nian’s food. If you fail again, the Helian family won’t have a future.”

Lian Ai lowered his head. He lifted both hands to receive the small paper packet.

He didn’t ask what was inside, and Zuo Lingxue didn’t say. Once he left the Prince Regent’s estate and returned to the inn, he tossed the packet into a corner. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be anything good.

He had just sat down when the inn servant knocked on his door.

“Sir, a carriage from the general’s estate has arrived. They said they’re here to bring you in.”

Helian Qiufeng had left for Tianfu Temple the day before. His stop in the capital was only to persuade Lian Ai to go home. His real destination had always been Tianfu Mountain, where the temple stood. Gan Yan had likely sent them ahead to prepare.

“I understand.” Lian Ai stood and headed outside.

He still had a sealed letter from Helian Qiufeng, meant for Bu Nian. But with time running short and things as tense as they were, he couldn’t risk meeting Bu Nian in secret. He had no choice but to ask someone else to hand it over.

The carriage rolled straight to the general’s estate. This time, Fen Zhi didn’t lead him to the study, but to Bu Nian’s personal chambers.

Lian Ai stepped inside and saw Bu Nian reclining on a wide luohan couch, completely absorbed in a book. His boots were still on. He hadn’t taken off his uniform. The way he sprawled there looked wild and unruly, with no regard for appearances.

“General,” Lian Ai said to announce himself.

Bu Nian didn’t look up. He simply waved him over. “Come here.”

Lian Ai obediently walked to the couch. When he reached it, he hesitated for a moment, then took off his shoes and climbed up.

“What are you reading?” Lian Ai leaned in.

Bu Nian replied, “It’s a popular story in the capital. A government official’s daughter falls in love with a poor scholar.”

“And do they end up together?”

“No.”

Lian Ai blinked. “Why not?”

Bu Nian looked at him with a smile. “Because the poor scholar was actually a woman. In the end, the two of them became sworn sisters.”

Lian Ai blinked, not quite catching it. “A woman?”

“Yes.” Bu Nian rolled the book in his hand and reached over to lift Lian Ai’s chin, like some lecherous rogue. “So what if it’s two women? The official’s daughter liked the poor scholar. When she found out the scholar was a woman, she immediately proposed they become sisters. If I were the poor scholar, I wouldn’t settle for being her sister.”

Sometimes, Lian Ai really thought Bu Nian was just like a child. He had a sweet tooth, liked reading pulp stories. None of it matched what a proper general should be like.

Maybe it was because the old general had suppressed him too much when he was young, and now it was all spilling out.

“So what would you do?” Lian Ai asked with a faint smile, letting him have his way.

Bu Nian leaned in close. “Naturally… we’d be husband and wife.” Then he kissed him.