The crack in the doorway was pushed shut by the night wind.
The lights went out.
The system panel popped up in front of Gu Moran's eyes.
[ Su Yao's emotional tag updated: budding trust.]
[Decreased self-esteem defenses.]
Gu Moran looked at the last line and pressed down on Su Yao's shoulder.
"Hmm..."
The dragon soars in the abyss, she is in the clouds; their union is fraught with separation and reunion, their entanglement lasting all night.
The next day.
Su Yao lay beside Gu Moran, her hair falling onto the pillow, her breathing still erratic.
The old marks on my neck haven't faded, and a few more have appeared on the back of my neck.
She buried her face in the soft pillow, her throat feeling like she had swallowed a stone pillar.
Gu Moran.
"Um."
You said you should try your best to be a good person.
"I have already restrained myself."
Su Yao turned her face away, half of her face was covered by her hair, and her ears were still red.
Do you have a misunderstanding of the word "restraint"?
Gu Moran reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. His fingertips touched her burning earlobe, and his palm paused for a moment.
If this continues, she really won't be able to leave the house this morning.
He only touched it once before pulling away, his smile utterly irritating.
" Madam Su has come to stay in my room, so it's perfectly reasonable for me to charge her a small fee."
Su Yao propped herself up on her elbows, trying to sit up. As soon as her waist left the blankets, her brows furrowed.
Gu Moran reached out to support her.
She glanced at his hand, then at her waist where he was supporting her, and her expression tightened further.
"Let go."
Are you sure?
"Sure."
Gu Moran her grip.
Su Yao sat down halfway before falling back onto the pillow.
The bed curtains swayed gently, the lingering sweetness of last night's white fungus soup still clinging to the table, mingling with the lingering fragrance of white plum blossoms in the room.
Gu Moran picked up the teacup and brought it to her lips.
"Have a drink of water."
Su Yao didn't answer.
"I can do it myself."
"OK."
He placed the teacup beside her.
Su Yao sat up, supporting herself on the edge of the bed, her movements much slower than usual.
When she served the tea, her wrist ached a little, the rim of the cup touched her lips, and she only managed to drink half a sip of water. Swallowing hurt, and her cheeks also ached.
Gu Moran sat on the edge of the couch watching her.
She looked up.
What are you looking at?
"Look at the eldest daughter of the Chancellor's Residence, she can't even walk straight."
Gu Moran.
"Exist."
"Shut up."
Gu Moran chuckled, then got up and went behind the screen to retrieve her outer robe.
The fabric draped over her arm, carrying the fragrance of plum blossoms that had lingered the night before.
He handed over the clothes, his gaze falling on the window paper.
It was still dark.
At this hour, the maids in Clear Frost Courtyard had not yet gotten up, and Uncle Fu would not ask any further questions.
It will be safe to take her home.
I could deliver it in person, but that would make her lose face.
Gu Moran draped his outer robe over her shoulders.
"I'll have the people at the back door clear out; you can go back through the west corridor."
Su Yao paused in tying her sash.
"You've already thought this through?"
"I'm not a fool."
She looked at him, the steam from the tea spreading across her face.
"Is this how poetry gatherings are too?"
Gu Moran took the hairband from her.
What do you mean?
"You didn't answer last night, and you still won't answer this morning?"
"I see that Madam Su's voice is still alright. Shall we return to the couch and continue questioning her?"
Su Yao pulled the hairband from his hand.
"Shameless."
You've used this word before.
"That's what you deserve."
Gu Moran helped her down from the bed.
Her toes had barely touched the ground when her knees buckled.
He reached out and put his arm around her waist, inhaling the faint fragrance of her hair.
Su Yao grabbed his sleeve, but didn't push him away immediately after regaining her balance.
Gu Moran straightened her collar for her.
"From now on, when you come to interrogate me in the middle of the night, remember to ask your Younger Sister Ling'er for some throat lozenges first."
Su Yao was stunned for a moment, then became furious and embarrassed.
She raised her hand to hit him.
He didn't dodge.
The palm landed on the shoulder, with light pressure.
Su Yao withdrew her hand, hiding her fingertips inside her sleeve.
Gu Moran.
"Um."
You're better than before.
That was said very lightly.
Gu Moran looked at her.
Su Yao turned her face away, her ears turning red again.
"Oh."
"What do you mean, 'oh'?"
"It's all because my wife is too charming."
"Shut up."
Gu Moran smiled and pushed open the door. A breeze came in from the corridor, carrying the coolness of the morning.
Su Yao put on her coat and went out, her steps slower than when she came, her back still straight.
Gu Moran back to her room and took a nap.
He had already entered the study when sunlight streamed through the paper window.
Gu Moran took out a piece of paper folded into thirds from the drawer and unfolded it on the table.
Uncle Fu brought in hot tea, his gaze lingered on the side of his neck for a moment, then he placed the teacup on his right.
Gu Moran looked up.
What are you looking at?
Uncle Fu lowered his head.
"This old servant observes that Your Highness appears to be in good health today."
"Speak your mind."
" Clear Frost Courtyard requested hot water this morning, as well as throat lozenges and anti-inflammatory medicine."
Gu Moran, his hand holding the teacup still.
" Uncle Fu."
"This old servant is here."
"You're getting old, you don't need to be so good at hearing."
"This old servant will do his best."
Gu Moran took a sip of tea, the heat suppressing the bitter taste on his tongue.
"Any news from Boss Zhao?"
Uncle Fu took a slip of paper from his sleeve.
"Arrived half an hour ago."
Gu Moran took it and read it by candlelight.
The note contained three things.
First, Zhou Wenyuan wrote a memorial overnight, entitled "Memorial on the Fairness of the Poetry Gathering Review," and made two copies this morning. One copy will be submitted to the Censorate, and the other will be kept by himself.
Secondly, Xu Wenli's servant left before dawn, circled two alleys in the east of the city, and entered the Second Prince's Residence through the back gate.
Third, Ye Qingyun's pageboy, Shuhe, was spotted by spies on a side street in the south of the city this morning. He circled around an abandoned martial arts school twice before leaving.
Gu Moran placed the note near the candlelight; the corner of the paper curled up, and the flame swallowed the ink stains.
" Zhou Wenyuan's memorial was probably written at the behest of the second son."
Uncle Fu nodded.
"If the Second Prince invites Zhou Wenyuan and Xu Wenli to the luncheon today, the ghostwriting issue can be brought up again. Your Highness should prepare accordingly."
Gu Moran used the tea lid to stir away the dust.
Don't worry, it won't fetch high prices.
Uncle Fu didn't respond, just waited for him to continue.
Gu Moran pushed the ashes into the wastepaper basket.
" Qian Muzhi accepted the poem, Han Heting nodded, Xie Huai'an avoided suspicion, and Feng Shouzheng made a note of it."
" Zhou Wenyuan submitted the memorial to the Censorate. Whom did the censors ask first?"
Uncle Fu asked, "Was it written by Madam Xie on her behalf?"
Gu Moran frowned and looked up at him.
Uncle Fu immediately changed his tune.
"The first thing to ask Zhou Wenyuan is why he is questioning the head of the Hanlin Academy."
Gu Moran pushed the teacup away.
That's more like it.
Uncle Fu looked at the ashes, thought for a moment, and then asked.
"Since he can't make money from it, why is the Second Prince still making him write?"
Gu Moran walked to the window. Outside the window paper, the sounds of vendors calling out their wares from the morning market drifted in through the wall, carrying the steam of soy milk and steamed buns.
"You still haven't seen it clearly; the second son isn't after Xie Wanqing."
Uncle Fu asked, "Who is it that we're talking about?"
Ye Qingyun.
Uncle Fu raised an eyebrow.
"But Ye Qingyun just lost face yesterday."
"It's only useful if you lose face."
Gu Moran turned around and pointed her finger at the location of Azure Cloud Inn on the map of the capital.
He lost the poetry contest; his pride was wounded.
What does someone who values their self-esteem above all else need most right now?
"Think about it, if someone stands up for him and speaks up for him right now, he will definitely remember it."
"The Second Prince wants to take him in?"
"It can't be stopped."
"What's his motive?"
"Just to make a good impression."
Gu Moran drew a short line next to Azure Cloud Inn.
"Someone like Ye Qingyun would consider giving him money vulgar."
"If you offer him an official position, he'll complain that you're using your family background to pressure him."
"He's afraid of owing you anything, so he gives you a favor."
"But if you stand by and say a fair word, he will remember it."
Uncle Fu said, "The Second Prince didn't bring him into the mansion, but only wanted him to know that there are still people in the capital who respect him."
"Your Highness is right."
The image of Ye Qingyun holding up the marriage certificate on the poetry platform flashed through Gu Moran's mind.
The room was filled with the aroma of tea, the scent of ink, applause, and that yellowed old paper.
" Zhou Wenyuan's memorial, on the surface, was a questioning of Xie Wanqing."
"If this reached Ye Qingyun's ears, it would mean someone was speaking up for him."
Uncle Fu glanced at Gu Moran.
"Your Highness exposed his attempt to gain fame by exploiting the old treaty yesterday; he will hate you even more now."
"Does he need yesterday to hate me?"
Gu Moran put down his pen and smiled casually.
"I think I have my own page in his little ledger, and I've always been number one."