Scheme: The Prince Regent's Beloved Part 1

The first rays of morning sun in Xufang City pierced through the window paper, shining into a high-class guest room in the Guiyuan Inn.

Tingxia had been knocking on the door for a long while. Exhausted, his mouth dry, he said weakly, "You, surnamed Chu, are you awake or not? If you don't open this door, I'm breaking in!"

Seeing there was still no movement, he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and charged forward, actually forcing the door open.

The two wooden doors creaked behind him. Tingxia remained in his charging posture for a long time. Hearing no one around, he quietly peeked open one eye.

On the bed with its curtains drawn low, a figure could be vaguely seen sitting up. He wore only his inner clothes, his exposed skin as fine and white as porcelain, gentle and lustrous. One hand supported his forehead, his long hair was in disarray, spilling onto the bed. Under the strands of hair covering his forehead, only his left eye and a line of crimson lips were visible as he frowned in their direction.

The look of fatigue had not yet faded from the Prince Regent's face. Whether it was because he was cranky from being woken up or for some other reason, Tingxia instinctively felt that he was in a bad mood.

"..."

Tingxia played his get-out-of-jail-free card: "You told me last night to come at this hour..."

Chu Jin's face remained grim and he said nothing, as if he hadn't yet returned from his dream.

'What's wrong with him?' Tingxia was mystified. He studied Chu Jin's expression for a moment, then had a sudden realization. "You... had a nightmare?"

Look at him, covered in a cold sweat, pale, and looking like his soul had left his body—exactly like himself when he had nightmares! Though sometimes, he'd be so scared he'd cry.

Chu Jin didn't even raise his head. "So noisy."

A hint of irritation was etched between his brows, and he looked very impatient, yet he was too stubborn to admit he'd had a nightmare. Having stepped on a landmine, Tingxia pouted and said, "I'll shut up."

He shut his mouth, but something else piped up. A rustling of feathers was heard, and a green-feathered parrot descended from the sky, landing squarely on Tingxia's shoulder and making him tilt.

Before Tingxia could curse, he saw the creature's beady black eyes dart around. Then, it began to recite pretentiously, "To know my longing after we part, I only wish for the jade branch to frequent my dreams—"

"..."

Longing.

Entering a dream.

Tingxia understood. He realized. He was stunned, frozen on the spot. This poor student, whose literary achievements were a considerable headache, had never wanted to be illiterate so badly. He had no idea where this bird got its nerve!

Sure enough, Chu Jin lowered his hand and looked over. The impatience, the gloomy irritation—it all vanished. He was still for a second, and then, as if provoked by something, he gave the tyrannical Imperial Censor on Tingxia's shoulder a slight smile.

To be honest, the smile was exceptionally pleasing to the eye, but a chill ran down Tingxia's spine, and he began to mourn for the Imperial Censor.

"Gained some confidence. Gotten bold," Chu Jin said unhurriedly. "You fat bird are quite good at finding a backer."

"Don't think you can do whatever you want just because he raised you. I am your master."

The gap between the real master and the temporary one was too vast, one in heaven and one on earth. The Imperial Censor couldn't help but cry out, "Senior Brother! Senior Brother!"

Chu Jin said coldly, "Tingxia, stew it."

Tingxia had long found this fat bird an eyesore. He immediately grinned, grabbed the Imperial Censor as it tried to flee, and threatened, "Behave! Let me think... steamed or braised?"

Chu Jin glanced at him and said bluntly, "You get out too."

This meant he wouldn't be punished along with the bird. Tingxia was overjoyed and immediately swore, "Don't worry, boss, I won't take a single word that stupid bird said seriously!"

"Mm," Chu Jin said. "What it said is true."

Tingxia's hand trembled, and he nearly dropped the bird.

"...?!"

'Even if it's true, you shouldn't say it out loud! What if you regret it later and decide to kill me to silence me?!'

Chu Jin paid no mind to his shocked expression, instead asking, "Didn't you guess long ago?"

Although he had indeed guessed some of it, hearing the man himself admit it left Tingxia with very complicated feelings. "I didn't dare to think any further."

Who could have imagined that the current perverse and cold-blooded Prince Regent actually had a beloved—and not only was he a man, but he was also his nominal Senior Brother!!!

"No wonder you were so expressionless when all those daughters of court officials tried to show you their affection." He realized. "And that Xue Ning, the number one beauty of Great Qin! You didn't even spare her a glance."

Chu Jin gave him an indifferent look. "How is it that you can't seem to remember your history books, yet you remember so clearly who shows me affection?"

Tingxia shuddered and immediately dropped the subject. "So you dreamed of him? That should be a good dream, so why do you look so terrible?"

Hearing this, the smile on Chu Jin's lips faded.

The figure in his dream was indistinct, like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water, like passing smoke and clouds. After so many years, he could still clearly remember the expression on the other's face—indescribable, beyond words, utterly broken. A single glance from him was enough for a dense pain to climb up his bones, breeding a poison called regret in his very blood and marrow.

Year after year, it became a nightmare that he could never shake off.

He lowered his eyes.

"I dreamed of some things from the past."

The dream he'd been woken from was only half-finished, yet it had left him mentally and physically exhausted. After listlessly washing up, he took Tingxia out onto the streets.

The streets of Xufang City mostly ran north-south, following the Qiu Jiang. It was daytime and crowded with pedestrians. Being among them saved the two the trouble of concealing themselves.

"The Autumn River Ritual is tomorrow."

Chu Jin's gaze wandered casually over the dazzling array of goods. Though he was speaking of the painted boat affair that had thrown all of Great Qin into a turmoil, his tone was as casual as if he were making small talk, seemingly not worried in the least.

The bustle of the market perfectly concealed his voice. "It's not yet known what Li Sheng will do. But just to be safe, I've left a little something in place."

Tingxia asked, "What is it?"

The other man simply smiled faintly and said nothing. He led Tingxia on a tour of the city like an ordinary tourist, finally turning into a deserted alley and heading straight into a tailor's shop.

The shop was mostly empty and quiet. A few clerks dozed in a corner, with only the crisp clacking of an abacus breaking the silence.

Chu Jin walked up to the shopkeeper who was busy with the abacus and asked casually, "Is the Pearl-Silk Garment I ordered ready?"

At these words, the man's hands paused. He finally looked up and glanced at the two of them. He gave a respectful smile, nodded, and said, "It's ready. I'll go get it right now."

While he was gone, Tingxia asked in a low voice, "What's this Pearl-Silk Garment?"

Chu Jin said, "A human-skin mask."

"This is your measure?"

"Mm." Chu Jin paused, looking at the shopkeeper returning from the storeroom with a faint, unreadable smile. "But I hope it won't be needed."

The "Pearl-Silk Garment" was in a square sandalwood box. Chu Jin opened it, gave it a cursory glance, and closed it again. When the two went outside, they saw that the previously crowded street had suddenly cleared as pedestrians scattered to the sides, making way for a carriage that was slowly approaching.

A Black Jade Lotus hung from each eave of the carriage, and its roof was carved with a cloud-dragon motif—the very symbol of the Prince Regent of Great Qin.

The person in the carriage did not show their face, but its appearance had already caused a great stir on the street.

"That's the Regent's Manor's carriage! Has His Highness come to Xufang?"

"I heard about the Qiu Jiang Painted Boat affair a few days ago. I thought it was just a rumor, but now it seems it must be true!"

"He's really going to hold the Autumn River Ritual! Doesn't that mean the high officials from the court will have to come too?"

"Xufang City is going to be lively now..."

The pedestrians continued to discuss it tirelessly, but the two men in the corner were not surprised in the slightest.

Tingxia knew it was just an empty carriage, a decoy to confuse Li Sheng. The real Prince Regent had already arrived in Xufang in secret several days earlier and had meticulously prepared an unforgettable painted boat tour for them.

He casually scanned the crowd and suddenly noticed several unusual figures. They were dressed ordinarily, but their movements were well-trained. They exchanged glances with each other while covertly following the Prince Regent's carriage.

He immediately looked at Chu Jin. "Someone's following it."

"I see them." Chu Jin's gaze swept over the men with little concern, his tone casual. "The only one with this kind of leisure must be our Lord Censor."

"What does he want?" Tingxia thought for a moment. "To watch you?"

The carriage turned into an alley and disappeared at the end of the street. The men following it went after it.

"If he wanted to watch me, would he need to find so many people and make such a big show of it?" Chu Jin looked as if he were watching a good play. "That would be far too conspicuous."

Following the carriage, but not watching him... what could it be? Tingxia was stunned.