After walking his grandfather back to his room, Ling Zhang returned to the palace. The guards on duty at the gates, seeing him come back at such a late hour of the night, were briefly stupefied and then hastened to respectfully let him through.
Ling Zhang directly made towards the consultation hall. At the sight of the candlelight streaming from the windows of the hall, he came to know that Yuwen Tong, as expected, hadn’t gone back to turn in.
He entered the hall in haste. His footsteps were not heavy, but Yuwen Tong in the hall had put down his writing brush and looked squarely in his direction.
Yuwen Tong could divine who was coming just by listening to the footsteps.
Yuwen Tong’s eyes carefully raked Ling Zhang from head to foot. After confirming that Ling Zhang was fine, he asked, “Why did you come back here at such a late hour? Did something happened?”
Ling Zhang first threw a glance at the tall stack of memorials to the throne on the desk, gauged how many memorials Yuwen Tong had to deal with, and then answered, “Nothing special. I sat there talking with my maternal grandfather, my paternal grandfather and some others for the whole night. We drank some wine, too.”
“You didn’t go out into the street?” Yuwen Tong asked him.
Yuwen Tong should’ve been unaware of their stroll down the street, but now that he was asking about it, it meant he knew everything that Ling Zhang had done.
Ling Zhang was not really surprised to hear this. Miao Shiba who had been staying by his side was Yuwen Tong’s personal bodyguard, and it was a normal thing that Miao Shiba had been reporting his whereabouts to Yuwen Tong. Besides, now the situation in the capital city had changed, and so had Yuwen Tong’s status. Staying more informed of the activities in the capital city was something Yuwen Tong ought to do.
“I was recognized, and it was inconvenient for us to continue the stroll, so we went back, though we had barely walked out of the street corner,” answered Ling Zhang.
A flicker appeared in Yuwen Tong’s eyes. He had a hunch that this had been the very reason why Ling Zhang chose to come back to the palace at such a late hour of the night. “I want to hear more details.”
Ling Zhang had originally had some thoughts and feelings to share with Yuwen Tong, but since Yuwen Tong was bringing this up, he gave Yuwen Tong an account of what had happened on the street. “Actually there isn’t anything special about the chain of causality, but it was only at that moment that I got a different feeling about the change of my identity. On the day we went to the city gates to meet my grandfather and the others, I told Maomao that in the future a lot of people would be keeping watch on every act and every move of the Ling family, that he needed to be more careful and shouldn’t go out to play unaccompanied. I was lecturing him, feeling that I’d already adapted myself to the changes, but in fact I hadn’t. I failed to prepare well enough, which caused the Clan Leader’s and the others’ enjoyment to be spoiled.”
As a matter of fact Yuwen Tong had guessed the reason when he came to know it had been because Ling Zhang was recognized that he ended their stroll at the night market early. He had no intention of imposing any constraints on Ling Zhang. He wanted Ling Zhang to enjoy as much freedom as he used to do, but since their identities had changed, there were some restrictions they had to face up to.
At this time, Ling Zhang added, “So from this day on, when we want to go out into the street, we should have Guard Yao disguise us first, so that we’ll be spared these troubles. I’ve thought about it. If we wear some simple disguise and are not followed by too many guards, common people would never be able to recognize us. I think it’ll be quite interesting, but right now we both have our hands full, and we probably have to wait until all this is over to get a chance to go to a night market.”
Yuwen Tong, who had come up with quite some words of comfort, was briefly astonished at these remarks. Seeing that Ling Zhang’s face didn’t register any dejection but was etched with an itch to have a go, he couldn’t help but give an inward smile. “No matter how busy we are, I think it’s within our power to spare one night for a stroll down the street. I’ve been cooped up in here for several consecutive days, and I barely know anything about how the lives of people out there are progressing, so I think maybe going out to take a look would do some good.”
Ling Zhang’s eyes brightened. “When are we going?”
Yuwen Tong’s heart melted somewhat at the earnest gaze from Ling Zhang’s sparkling eyes. He had an urge to suggest that they do it right now, but it was late at night and the night market had some time ago ended. After giving it some thought, he answered, “Tomorrow night.”
A beam instantly spread across Ling Zhang’s face, his eyes narrowing slightly, gleaming delightedly like stars, which for an instant sent Yuwen Tong’s mind wandering.
Ling Zhang didn’t really have any feelings that he had to go to the night market. He was not among those who were confined to the palace most of the year, and he had no obsession. He just wanted to relaxedly have a walk with Yuwen Tong, because after all it had been a long time since the last time they’d done that. More importantly, Yuwen Tong had been working flat out lately and scarcely had any spare time. He hoped to have Yuwen Tong get some rest, even if it was just an hour or two.
At this time, Yuwen Tong reached out a hand, drew him over to let him sit on his lap, held up his chin and kissed him on the lips.
Ling Zhang’s vision blurred fleetingly and when things came back into focus again, he found himself sitting on Yuwen Tong’s lap, his chin raised, Yuwen Tong’s smell enveloping his whole being. Soon he started feeling giddy from the kiss.
…
Yao Yi and some others, who had been on guard duty outside the consultation hall, wasn’t paying attention to the sound from inside the hall, so right now they were unaware that their two masters were in a vigorous lip-lock. They were listening to Miao Shiba who had just begun to casually relate what had happened on the street earlier this night.
“There’s an unduly high chance that the Marshal and Childe Ling would be recognized if they go out into the street. Childe Ling said that from this day on, they would disguise themselves first before going out,” said Miao Shiba.
Yao Yi observed, “That’s easy. Actually I think we’re partly to blame for it. Childe Ling would have had a good time at the night market had we thought of that eventuality earlier.”
Arms folded over his chest, Miao Shiba said, “It was my fault, but… apart from Childe Ling, we also haven’t adjusted to the changes in his and the Marshal’s identities. This was just a minor mistake. Had it been anything serious, even my death wouldn’t be enough to atone for it.”
Yao Yi inclined his head. “You’re right. It seems that I need to talk to our brothers and remind them to be more discreet.”
After saying this, Yao Yi shifted his gaze to Miao Shiba and added, “You’ve been staying by Childe Ling’s side all along lately. Did you find out anything about the matter that the Marshal wants you to look into?”
Miao Shiba shook his head. “No. Childe Ling looks perfectly normal. I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary no matter how hard I try. And Childe Ling’s relations with his family members seem very normal as well. Also, Master Ling has been behaving no differently than before when interacting with Childe Ling. I’m even beginning to suspect that…” He gave a cough and continued, “Anyway, it strikes me that Childe Ling is not concealing anything.”
Yao Yi, however, fingered his chin. “The Marshal wouldn’t have instructed you to do that if he hadn’t noticed something. Think back carefully – has there been any particular changes in Childe Ling’s tone or facial expression when he was talking with his father?”
Miao Shiba raised his head and started searching his brain, mumbling “Um” repeatedly in spite of himself from the effort of racking his brains. “Well, not to be pedantic, but does a minor change in the way Childe Ling addresses his father count?”
Yao Yi immediately inquired of him, “What kind of change?”
Miao Shiba answered, “Previously when Childe Ling was talking to his father, he would directly use ‘you’, but recently he’s begun to use the honorific form of ‘you’. He’s not doing it in an affected fashion. It seems to be a very spontaneous change of attitude. People wouldn’t observe this change unless they spend a lot of time staying by Childe Ling’s side and listen to his conversation with Master Ling, so at first I didn’t pay any extra attention to it, but earlier tonight, when we were drinking, I saw Childe Ling pour Master Ling’s wine and offer him more food, and he looked at Master Ling from time to time, as though counting the times Master Ling sipped the wine. When Master Ling drank a little too fast, he would stare at Master Ling and Master Ling would stop. It strikes me that they are now closer to each other than before, but you wouldn’t be able to feel it unless you notice this detail.”
Yao Yi said, “This should be a clue. Remember to report it to the Marshal later.”
Miao Shiba replied, “All right.”
“But, Captain, it shouldn’t be a bad thing that Childe Ling and his father are closer to each other than before, right? It’s understandable that previously Childe Ling felt a little estranged from Master Ling, what with the separation of over ten years. After all, they are father and son. It’s a natural thing that they became close again after they broke the ice,” added Miao Shiba.
Yao Yi said, “You’ve got a point, but you still have to tell it to the Marshal. He’ll know what kind of decision to make.”
Miao Shiba said, “I know. Don’t worry.”
“Was there anything else apart from this?” Yao Yi looked at him.
Miao Shiba shook his head. “For the moment, nothing else. Childe Ling doesn’t leave the palace to go to the Ling Mansion very often, but maybe he’ll do it again in a day or two. That Ji Yanlai guy has just arrived, and both Childe Ling’s and the Marshal’s attitudes towards him seem to be different from the ones they have towards others, so I think Childe Ling wouldn’t just leave him in the Ling Mansion and ignore him. I’ll observe more carefully when I have the chance.”
Yao Yi said, “Okay.”
…
In the hall, Ling Zhang’s head was still spinning because of the caress from Yuwen Tong, so he naturally couldn’t hear the conversation between people outside who had deliberately lowered their voices, but Yuwen Tong’s internal energy was uncommonly powerful and equaled by very few, so he had heard each and every word that Yao Yi and Miao Shiba had said.
He was fully aware of the reason why Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowu had been more polite than close to each other, and previously he had predicted that barring accidents, the relations between Ling Zhang and Ling Zhaowu would remain in this state for a very long time, because after all, some wounds could be healed by nothing but time, and the father and son needed time to nurse their damaged bond, which was a fact that wouldn’t change any time soon, but now it had changed…
This was definitely anomalous. There was no doubt that something had happened, something he didn’t know of, something that could explain why Ling Zhang had become much clingier than he used to after he returned to the palace on that day.
It seemed that going out of the palace for a walk with Ling Zhang was very necessary, and maybe he would be able to find out something about it by talking with Ling Zhaowu personally.
These thoughts flashed across Yuwen Tong’s mind in an instant and he soon buried them fathoms deep. After all, right now nothing could make him crazy as enjoying this romantic moment with his darling in his embrace could.
Ling Zhang was unaware of what kind of decision that the one kissing him had made instantly. He just felt his waist and legs going limp from Yuwen Tong’s fondle, and eventually he still failed to keep Yuwen Tong from carrying him back to the Infinite Fortune Palace…
Thus, naturally, Yuwen Tong for the second time ignored a pile of memorials to the throne on the desk.
After hours of sex, Ling Zhang fell into a heavy sleep. Yuwen Tong stayed with him and they slept for a very long time. It was noon already when they woke up the next day.
None of the courtiers had come to hurry Yuwen Tong. They were all conferring with each other on state affairs in the consultation hall, as though they all found it understandable that Yuwen Tong could use some extra sleep after so many hectic days, so none of them went to disturb him.
The corners of Ling Zhang’s mouth twitched for a few moments when he got up. “You haven’t acceded to the throne yet, and we’ve been acting like this already. If word gets out, I’ll be terribly disgraced.”
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