AYM Chapter 81

Besides the canal filled with painted pleasure boats, there was also a small river winding through the capital like a jade belt. The Jade Belt River was like a boundary line. To the east of the river was the bustle of ordinary life, and once you crossed the bridge you could faintly see the towering walls of the imperial palace, where the Son of Heaven resided.

 

Although it was still some distance from the palace, from the west side of the bridge onward there were no more households, and at night it became especially quiet and dim.

 

At this moment, a seemingly ordinary carriage had stopped suddenly in the middle of the stone-paved road. Hanging from the carriage frame was a dark, indistinct object. It was the shadow guard from just now.

 

Yan Yihuan was still clutching at his chest tightly, trying to gasp for breath to ease the pain, but suddenly the world spun around him. At the same time, a large hand firmly covered his mouth and nose, silencing his instinctive cry.

 

When he came to his senses, he was already lying on the floor of the carriage. Darkness enveloped him, the emperor had already shielded him beneath his body, protecting him tightly.

 

All of this happened in an instant. Just as the two had lain down, an arrow whistled through the carriage window. With a dull thud, the arrowhead lodged straight into the seat where they had just been sitting.

 

Yan Yihuan’s eyes widened abruptly, but before he could recover from the shock, a second arrow whistled past. This one shot directly toward the spot where they lay.

 

Although Li Xuanming had already anticipated the arrow’s trajectory, if he moved to dodge, Yan Yihuan would be completely exposed. Or rather, Li Xuanming had never even considered avoiding it himself.

 

Everything happened in a flash. As the arrow pierced the carriage, Li Xuanming’s arms tightened around Yan Yihuan, pulling him beneath him. The space inside the carriage was far too cramped for two grown men. Even though Li Xuanming tried his best to move away and protect his vital points, the arrow still drove viciously into his arm.

 

Entirely enveloped beneath him, Yan Yihuan felt as if his bones were about to be crushed by the tight grip.

 

Yet the sound of the sharp arrow, piercing flesh, pushed his fear to its peak. He suddenly realized that the one protecting him was also just an ordinary human, made of flesh and blood.

 

He could be injured, and he could die!

 

It felt as though all the blood in his body had been drained in an instant, and the pain in his chest was so intense it was about to burst. Yan Yihuan didn’t know how to protect the already injured Li Xuanming. He could only struggle to pull his arm free from underneath him, using all his strength to hold Li Xuanming tightly, almost instinctively trying to turn over and shield him instead.

 

Li Xuanming’s brows knit tightly, a groan slipping from his throat. Yan Yihuan was using too much force, pulling at his wound and sending a sharp wave of pain through him.

 

“It’s fine, just my arm.”

 

“A… arm…” Yan Yihuan murmured. His wide eyes had already gone dry from strain. Only after confirming that the arrow had indeed struck the arm did he finally release the breath he had been holding. Yet he still held on tightly, letting Li Xuanming lean against him, carefully resting the injured arm over his shoulder in the hope of easing some of the pain.

 

Sounds of fighting had already begun outside, buying a brief moment of calm within the carriage. Li Xuanming lowered his head, finding those lips drained of all color, and gently pressed a kiss to them.

 

“Don’t be afraid. Guards have arrived.”

 

From the first arrow that killed the shadow guard to the one that struck his arm, it had taken three arrows before the guards arrived. Li Xuanming knew this was unusual. It was very likely the guards had been diverted or partially withdrawn.

 

But now was not the time to think about that. The clash of weapons outside rang out without pause, the sharp clangs already right next to them. No one knew if a sharp blade would pierce through the carriage in the next moment, plunging straight into their bodies.

 

Yan Yihuan endured the pain in his chest, biting down hard on his lower lip to keep from making a sound. The dim light inside the carriage obscured his pained expression and the sweat-soaked hair on his forehead. He didn’t understand why his chest had been hurting so often lately, but there was no time to think about it now. His eyes happened to fall on the half-exposed arrow, and the warm, sticky sensation at his fingertips along with the smell filling his nostrils told him the wound was still bleeding continuously.

 

“Your Majesty…” After enduring another wave of stabbing pain, Yan Yihuan spoke in a trembling voice, “If the blood keeps flowing like this, you… you won’t die, will you?”

 

Under normal circumstances, such words would be enough to warrant immediate execution. Yet this treasonous question sent a shiver down Li Xuanming’s spine. Even when faced with an assassination attempt, his heartbeat had not faltered, but now it fell into chaos, pounding like a drum.

 

“I won’t. Don’t worry.”

 

Just a few simple words, his tone as steady as ever. Yan Yihuan’s mind immediately settled, and strangely, the pain in his chest began to ease as well.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

Han Zhen’s voice came from outside the carriage, making those inside stir. It seemed the situation outside had already been brought under control. Li Xuanming stopped Han Zhen, who was about to enter and check on them.

 

“Return to the palace first.”

 

The next day, the officials who came for court were once again met with disappointment. Shen Zhaoquan said that His Majesty had been overworked lately and had suddenly fallen gravely ill the previous night, and would likely be unable to attend court for some time.

 

The matter was sudden. Even Grand Chancellor Cui Yan, who wished to pay a visit, was stopped by Shen Zhaoquan. The officials naturally began to murmur among themselves, their attention turning toward Ming Zhang.

 

“Lord Ming, how is His Majesty? You should know, shouldn’t you?” One impatient official had already stepped closer, asking in a low voice.

 

Ming Zhang glanced at the empty dragon throne and replied calmly, “If I knew, why would I be standing here early in the morning with all of you, waiting in vain?”

 

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for those nearby to hear. The official who had asked forced an awkward smile, his tone carrying a hint of malicious mockery as he teased,

 

“So there are things even Lord Ming doesn’t know.”

 

Ming Zhang did not respond. Instead, he gave a slight nod in farewell and, contrary to what others expected, did not go to visit the emperor but turned and walked straight out of the palace.

 

“Did you see that? Something’s off about him.”

 

“Of course. With that arrogance he used to have, acting like no one was worth his notice, wasn’t it all because of his relationship with the emperor…” The official glanced around, then lowered his voice again. “You know about Grand Historian Yan, right?”

 

“I’ve heard some rumors. Could it be true?” At the mention of this, the man’s eyes lit up. He quickly pulled the official a few steps away from the crowd. “That’s King Yan’s most treasured son. Would King Yan even agree?”

 

“What’s there to agree or disagree about? Once he’s in the palace, how could it still be up to King Yan, far away in Linjing? Besides…”

 

“Besides what?”

 

“Besides, as a feudal king, sending his young son to the capital… No need for me to say it, you should understand what that means.”

 

The officials gradually dispersed. These two were naturally not the only ones gossiping in private, but the center of their discussions was almost always this Grand Historian Yan, who had seemingly taken the favor once bestowed upon Grand Secretary Ming. However, this Grand Historian Yan did not feel favored at all. Instead, he was holding a bowl, feeding Li Xuanming, whose left arm was injured, spoonful by spoonful, doing the work that should have been left to the palace attendants.

 

“Hm?” Li Xuanming lifted his chin slightly, his gaze falling on the soft cloth by the couch. Yan Yihuan was quick to catch on, immediately picking it up to wipe the corner of his mouth, not finding it strange at all that a man with only a flesh wound on his left arm could very well have gone to the table to eat on his own.

 

If before he had been like a cat, reluctant and unwilling in everything he did, then the current Yan Yihuan was obedient to an excessive degree.

 

“Go on, what is it you want?”

 

“I don’t have any requests.” Yan Yihuan smiled, “I misunderstood Your Majesty, which is why I left the palace. Because I left, Your Majesty went out of the palace. And because of that, Your Majesty was injured. The responsibility lies with me, so naturally I should bear it.”

 

He had rehearsed these words countless times in his mind, just waiting for the emperor to ask. He had already decided that no matter what others said in the future, he would not believe them. The only one who could save the Yan family now was himself.

 

But flattery and ingratiation could not come out of nowhere. Putting it this way made everything perfectly reasonable. As he spoke, Yan Yihuan swallowed quietly, unconsciously moistening his lower lip with the tip of his tongue.

 

“Your Majesty, if you have any other needs of me, it’s not impossible…”