Leaving the Palace

Su Xun stared at Qi Yunheng's retreating figure, momentarily stunned.

Then he turned abruptly toward Xiao Yu, a flicker of guilt in his eyes.

"Should we go after him?" he asked cautiously.

Xiao Yu did not look up. He waited until he had swallowed his food,

then said indifferently, "You drove him off. What's the point of chasing him?"

Splash-

Su Xun poured himself several cups of wine and drained them all.

"Who knew he had such a temper?" he muttered sheepishly.

Then he asked, "What's going on between you two, anyway?"

Xiao Yu paused, raised his cup, and took a sip as well.

Only after a moment did he reply, "We barely know each other."

Su Xun was immediately displeased by his answer.

He pursed his lips. "Who are you trying to fool?"

"The way he looks at you is hardly how someone looks at a stranger."

He paused, then looked at Xiao Yu. "More like a resentful husband you abandoned."

Suddenly, Su Xun seemed positively fired up.

With inexplicable excitement, he said, "Come on, tell me! What utterly heartless things did you do to him to make him love and resent you like that?"

Xiao Yu's chopsticks froze as he reached for some food.

His eyelid twitched wildly.

He raised his eyes to Su Xun. "Watch your mouth. Keep talking nonsense,"

"and I'll tell Maternal Grandfather you brought me to Drunken Spring House again."

Su Xun instantly went rigid.

He hurriedly grabbed Xiao Yu's arm and begged for mercy. "My dear cousin, I was wrong, all right?"

"Could you really bear to let your beloved older cousin starve and freeze in the ancestral hall?"

"Yes," Xiao Yu said flatly.

Looking at the hand gripping his arm, he said in a slightly cold voice, "Let go."

Su Xun silently withdrew his hand and muttered, "Sure enough, love always fades."

"Just three years ago, you were still chasing after me, calling me Brother Su Xun. Now you're so cold to your brother. How heartbreaking."

Xiao Yu's eyelid twitched. "Enough."

Su Xun fell silent and waved everyone out of the room.

His expression lost its earlier flippancy.

Looking at Xiao Yu, he said earnestly, "Qi'an, you're eighteen now. Grandfather asked me to find out what you intend to do next."

Xiao Yu was slightly taken aback.

After a moment, he replied, "First, I'll request permission to leave the palace and establish my own household."

"You said that three years ago."

Su Xun added, "And that tyrant still kept you here for another three years."

"Prince Yu's Residence is finished," Xiao Yu replied. "He has no reason to keep me here anymore."

"What do you mean, no reason? Doesn't he still intend to make you his ideal son-in-law?" Su Xun's seriousness lasted less than three seconds.

"Mind your words," Xiao Yu warned. "She's still a little girl. Don't damage her reputation."

Su Xun said, "I know, I know. I'm only saying it in front of you."

"Not even in front of me," Xiao Yu said.

"All right. I'll remember," Su Xun said solemnly.

Seeing that he had agreed, Xiao Yu let the matter drop.

"Brother, when you get home, tell Maternal Grandfather I know what I'm doing. He needn't worry about me."

"All right," Su Xun said.

The imperial palace.

The Imperial Study.

Emperor Jinyuan's eyelid twitched as he looked at Xiao Yu.

He suppressed the ominous feeling rising inside him.

"It's so late already," he asked. "What couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

He had been about to retire for the night when Xiao Yu barged in.

Xiao Yu stepped forward and said earnestly, "Elder Imperial Brother, I'm eighteen now. It's time I moved into Prince Yu's Residence."

[Actually, I'd rather ask whether I can return to the Southern Border. I miss Father, Mother, Elder Sister, and everyone else.]

[But I doubt Elder Imperial Brother would agree if I asked... Forget it. I'll get out of the palace first.]

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless.

How would you know whether I'd agree if you don't ask?

Though he certainly would not agree.

In the past, he had kept Xiao Boy here because he feared the Prince of Zhennan might harbor disloyal intentions.

Now it was because the princes had all grown up.

There were too many uncertainties.

He needed someone he knew inside and out, someone capable of keeping everyone in check and stabilizing the court.

Besides, his intention was to abdicate in favor of the Crown Prince in another two or three years, leaving Xiao Boy in the capital to assist him.

Then he would take Wanwan traveling through the mountains and rivers.

He looked at Xiao Yu. "Qi'an, are you certain you want to move out?"

"If you find the Eastern Palace uncomfortable, you can move to another palace."

"Besides, Little Xiyue is already three. In another twelve years, she'll come of age, and you can marry her."

The corner of Xiao Yu's mouth twitched.

[Elder Imperial Brother, enough... Could you please stop trying to make a pervert out of me?]

[I really do see Little Xiyue as a daughter, or at most a younger sister. Give up on anything else.]

"Don't worry, Elder Imperial Brother," he replied. "Little Xiyue's future husband has already been born... He'll be a better match for her than I am."

Emperor Jinyuan was speechless. He could not bear the thought of his little princess marrying anyone but Xiao Boy!

But seeing how determined Xiao Boy was, he could hardly force him.

"All right," he replied. "I won't bring it up again."

"Elder Imperial Brother, about leaving the palace and establishing my household?" Xiao Yu prompted.

Emperor Jinyuan's expression darkened.

He shot Xiao Yu a sidelong glance. "Are you really that eager to move out?"

Xiao Yu replied calmly, "The sooner I move out, the fewer grounds the censors will have to impeach me, won't they?"

"It is against the rules for me to keep living in the palace, after all."

Emperor Jinyuan said nothing more.

He had lost count of how many memorials he had suppressed over the years accusing Xiao Yu of violating propriety by living in the palace.

At last, he replied, "Very well. You may move out of the Eastern Palace after the autumn hunt."

"Thank you for granting my request, Elder Imperial Brother." Xiao Yu's eyes lit up.

"Then, Elder Imperial Brother, if there's nothing else, may I return to the Eastern Palace?"

"Go."

Watching Xiao Yu leave so happily, Emperor Jinyuan fell into a brief daze.

"Your Majesty," Dequan asked, "if you hate to part with him, why not tell His Little Highness?"

"Hmph. Keep someone too long, and affection turns to resentment. Didn't you see how happy he was when he left?"

A trace of nostalgia crossed Emperor Jinyuan's eyes. "I still remember Qi'an's first visit to the capital for an audience. Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. How time flies."

Back then, Xiao Yu had constantly called him a tyrant and a damned emperor.

Though it angered him, he could never bear to punish the boy.

He made people want to draw close to him.

Now even the Crown Prince could scarcely get through a few sentences without mentioning his little imperial uncle.

The Eastern Palace.

Xiao Yu lay on the roof, gazing at the stars and the moon.

"Little Imperial Uncle, what are you doing on the roof so late at night?"

The Crown Prince came outside, spotted the figure on the roof, and hurried over until he stood before him.

With his hands tucked behind his head, Xiao Yu replied, a hint of delight in his voice, "Enjoying the breeze. The moon is especially bright tonight."

Seeing the smile on his face, the Crown Prince's lips curved upward as well.

"Has something good happened, Little Imperial Uncle?" he asked.

Xiao Yu turned his head, his eyes gleaming. "Elder Imperial Brother has agreed to let me move into Prince Yu's Residence."

The Crown Prince stiffened.

Then he suddenly lowered his eyes, a flicker of disappointment passing through them.

"Little Imperial Uncle..." he said dejectedly. "Can't you stay in the Eastern Palace forever?"

Xiao Yu abruptly paused.

Then he replied solemnly, "Crown Prince, I can't stay in the Eastern Palace forever. It would be against the rules. Besides-"

He sat up and glanced down at the person below. "Crown Prince, it's time you took a Crown Princess."