Chapter 14
Yan Yunhe initially had no intention to look at Yu Qin after saying those words, but he couldn’t resist. His gaze slowly drifted from the man’s hand, frozen in the air, to his face.
Yu Qin’s expression was somewhat blank, as if he hadn’t immediately grasped what Yan Yunhe had said. Surely the dignified commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard wouldn’t take his words seriously. Yu Qin was no fool; he simply hadn't reacted yet.
Before long, Yu Qin withdrew his hand. Unlike the time he lost his composure in the face of Zhao Yi’s insults, he was unnervingly calm. He didn’t draw his saber either, as he had done on previous occasions when Yan Yunhe provoked him.
Yet in this dilapidated temple, this calmness carried a hint of desolation. It seemed Yu Qin was used to hearing such comments, or perhaps he couldn’t be bothered to fight with Yan Yunhe again, not after receiving that flatbread from him.
Regardless, Yu Qin offered no response to Yan Yunhe’s remark that he was “tainted.” He merely rose, picked up the dust-covered flatbread, and gently brushed off the dirt.
The oppressive weight in Yan Yunhe’s chest grew heavier as he watched dust gather on Yu Qin’s pale fingertips. Even getting punched again would have been easier to bear.
“What are you doing?” Yan Yunhe called out loudly.
Yu Qin silently broke off the soiled portion of the flatbread and tossed it into the fire. “Being wasteful goes against the ancestral precepts.”
Yan Yunhe had never heard of the Yu family’s ancestral precepts, but he could surmise that Yu Qin’s actions in the imperial court likely violated them all. Yu Chang’en had been a renowned loyal official, fiercely devoted to the late emperor. Yu Qin, however, had not only become a treacherous official but also openly defied His Majesty at every turn.
Since you already strayed from the right path, why do you care about such useless matters?!
Yan Yunhe’s temples throbbed. He snatched the flatbread from Yu Qin’s hand, devoured it in a few quick bites, and took a swig of liquor from the waterskin. The fiery drink burned down his throat, cutting through the tightness in his chest.
He roughly wiped his mouth with his sleeve, his eyes bloodshot. “I’m going to sleep first. You keep watch.”
With that, he lay back, facing away from him again.
Despite his notoriously thick skin, Yan Yunhe was absolutely mortified. One moment, he had rejected a flatbread that he claimed was tainted. The next, he had eaten that very same flatbread after it rolled on the ground so that Yu Qin wouldn’t have to.
Had he known the flatbread would end up in his stomach anyway, he wouldn’t have been so impulsive.
He closed his eyes tightly, struggling to fall asleep. Just as he was drifting off, he thought he heard a soft chuckle. It was faint, as if it came from a dream. Even when he woke up to take over the night watch, Yan Yunhe couldn’t tell if it had been real or just his imagination.
Yu Qin didn’t lie down to sleep. Instead, he leaned against the temple’s altar with his eyes closed, clutching his sword.
Keeping watch was inherently boring, and Yan Yunhe hadn’t brought any books to pass the time. He looked around the temple, but there was nothing worth seeing; the most captivating sight was right in front of him, sleeping peacefully.
At first, Yan Yunhe dared not stare so brazenly, but soon he couldn’t help it.
Yu Qin was very still as he slept against the altar. Even his breaths were silent. Were it not for the subtle rise and fall of his chest, he would resemble an exquisitely crafted statue.
Yan Yunhe recalled how, back in Donglin Academy, countless students had composed poems, painted portraits, and written essays about Yu Qin, each more creative than the last. For a moment, he wondered what on earth was wrong with the male students of Donglin Academy. Why were they all so inspired by one man?
What’s worse, even You Liang showed Yan Yunhe one of their masterpieces: a booklet that contained a collection of pictures of Yu Qin.
The first few pages were fairly normal—he had already seen Yu Qin in his scholar’s robes. But as he flipped through the pages, he discovered the artist had the audacity to depict Yu Qin dressed in women’s attire. He was so shocked he nearly dropped the booklet.
At the time, he sighed and said to You Liang, “Headmaster Zhou shouldn’t have confined those students for so long. They’ve all gone mad.”
You Liang chuckled slyly. “And get this, that book sells for the highest price.”
“Really? How much?” Yan Yunhe asked, curious.
You Liang wrote an astonishing sum in the air, to which Yan Yunhe exclaimed, “That much?!”
“The portraits are very lifelike. It’s only natural it’s this expensive,” You Liang explained.
They were chatting in the academy’s corridor when Yu Qin happened to return from the teacher’s quarters. The moment Yan Yunhe saw him, the booklet in his hand became a hot potato. He fumbled frantically to shove it into his robes, but it slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
Yu Qin didn’t notice, nor did he look his way. It was Zhao Yi, who was walking beside him, who first spotted something amiss with the booklet.
From that day forward, a rumor began to spread throughout Donglin Academy: Yan Yunhe, the prodigal son of the Marquis of Yong’an’s manor, dared to harbor improper thoughts about Yu Qin—truly despicable.
It was utterly unfair! He had not drawn those pictures, nor had he bought that booklet. Why was his reputation tarnished? Those who had secretly circulated the booklet were the ones with improper thoughts.
During that period, Yan Yunhe was so embarrassed that he even started avoiding Yu Qin. He couldn’t bear to imagine Yu Qin’s expression upon seeing those pictures, or what he might think of him.
Even now, recalling those past events made Yan Yunhe’s scalp tighten.
Having humiliated himself far too many times in one night, he had grown numb. When Yu Qin opened his eyes and met his gaze with a cool stare, Yan Yunhe said calmly, “Why aren’t you sleeping? If you’re too tired to travel tomorrow, I won’t wait for you.”
“Lord Yan, would you mind looking away?” Yu Qin replied.
“I’m bored. I need something to pass the time,” Yan Yunhe retorted righteously.
Yu Qin said nothing more and, like Yan Yunhe earlier, turned to lie on his side, resting his head on his bundle.
Yan Yunhe’s lip twitched, thinking how dull he was.
The night passed without incident. Afterward, they pressed onward. Yan Yunhe prioritized speed over food and lodging, focusing solely on making good time.
He bought two fur coats along the way. Though inferior to the ones bestowed by the imperial palace, they were thick and warm.
When he handed one to Yu Qin, Yu Qin once again said, “Put it on my account.”
Yan Yunhe was tired of hearing that sentence and paid it no mind. In fact, he made more spontaneous purchases for Yu Qin.
Young Master Yan was generous by nature. When he mingled with other young nobles, he was always the one footing the bill. But this wasn’t quite the same as back then. Now, there was an odd sense of satisfaction. Especially since Yu Qin was already exceptionally good-looking, the fluffy fur collar framing his face only enhanced his beauty.
However, he attracted unwanted attention from lecherous men, whom Yan Yunhe beat up until they were scrambling for their teeth.1
When Yan Yunhe started to lose his patience, he bought a fox mask from a street vendor and held it out to Yu Qin. “Put this on, or this will never end,” he said. “We can’t get arrested before we even reach Yunzhou.”
Yu Qin frowned at the mask in disdain. Then, he turned his face away and led his horse farther from Yan Yunhe, who hurried after him, mask in hand. They led their horses at a slow pace through the crowded street.
“Yu-gongzi, I’m begging you. Put it on,” Yan Yunhe insisted, still clutching the mask. “It’s your fault for attracting bees and butterflies.”2
Just then, a scented handkerchief fluttered down from the sky, nearly landing right on his face. He caught it and looked up, only to see a charming face smiling coyly at him. She wore the hairstyle of a married woman.
In Great Jin, women were not only allowed to hold official positions, but also to divorce their husbands and remarry. Yan Yunhe had been particularly popular among the local married women when he was stationed at the frontier. As to why, some speculated that since he had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he must be quite “capable.”
Yan Yunhe clutched the silk handkerchief, momentarily distracted by this sudden interruption. When he finally snapped back to reality, he looked ahead and found that Yu Qin hadn’t gone far.
Yu Qin gazed at the handkerchief in his hand with a half-amused, half-mocking smile. “It seems you also picked some flowers yourself,3 Yan-gongzi.”
Yan Yunhe tossed the handkerchief aside, ignoring the woman’s crestfallen gaze. Feigning composure, he said, “It’s not the same. No matter how bold a woman may be, she wouldn’t try to snatch someone in broad daylight.”
He offered the fox mask to Yu Qin again, and to his surprise, Yu Qin actually took it.
Yan Yunhe felt that the fox mask suited Yu Qin perfectly. Even the outer corners of their eyes curved up exactly the same way.
Just as he was about to see what Yu Qin looked like with the mask on, the man flipped it over and pressed it onto his face. His cold fingertips tied the straps and slid down to Yan Yunhe’s earlobe, leaving an inexplicable flutter in his heart.
In his daze, he felt Yu Qin’s finger tap lightly on the mask’s forehead. “Yan-gongzi, if you wish to correct others, first correct yourself.” Then he added, “Looks can be concealed, but your eyes are far more striking.”
Yan Yunhe blinked beneath the mask. “Yu-gongzi, are you saying my eyes are pretty?”
In response, Yu Qin turned and walked away without a second glance.
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