Volume 1, Chapter 49: Collision (1)

Although he had gone to bed late last night, Shen Ran still woke up before dawn, driven by a childhood-bred, almost harrowing routine.

He had a mild headache from the hangover, but the alcohol had completely worn off.

Not wanting to wake Xue Wu, he silently slipped on a robe, stepped out of bed, and walked out the door.

The imperial guards stationed outside immediately bowed and paid their respects to Shen Ran.

Shen Ran pointed at the door and made a silencing gesture. Understanding instantly, the guard followed him a short distance away to speak.

This guard, named Lu Qingyun, was a direct disciple personally trained by Li Jiuxiao. Before leaving for Changzhou, Li Jiuxiao had recommended him to Shen Ran, guaranteeing his absolute loyalty. Thus, when sneaking out of the palace this time, Shen Ran had brought him along.

Shen Ran asked, "Have you found out what I told you to look into?"

Lu Qingyun replied, "It has been looked into. Xue Nian's room is not far from the Empress's quarters."

After a brief pause, he added, "However, Xue Nian did not return to his room last night."

Shen Ran let out a soft, inquiring "Oh?" with a rising inflection that clearly invited more detail.

Lu Qingyun said, "The Grand General made him kneel in the ancestral hall the entire night. I suspect it was roughly because of the drinking matter with Your Majesty."

Hearing this, Shen Ran could not help letting out a light chuckle. "This Xue Yuandao is something else. Even I've let go of such a trivial matter, yet he's still holding grudges and refusing to let up. How on earth did a man of his temperament manage to raise a son like Xue Nian? Never mind, you stay here and guard the Empress; I'll go take a look."

Lu Qingyun was slightly startled. "How can Your Majesty go alone? At the very least, you should take a couple of guards."

"No need."

At the thought of that unbridled and flamboyant youth in red, a hint of ambiguous pleasure surfaced in Shen Ran's voice.

Lowering his gaze to his own fingertips, he slowly said,

"With too many people around, it wouldn't be any fun."

The ancestral hall was supposedly where the punishment of kneeling took place, but upon arriving, Shen Ran did not see Xue Nian anywhere inside. He only saw two sleeping household servants at the main entrance, presumably assigned to keep watch over Xue Nian.

Pity they hadn't managed to keep watch at all.

Standing inside the ancestral hall, Shen Ran felt not a shred of surprise. Xue Nian's inborn rebellious streak extended far beyond merely defying imperial authority. If he deemed Xue Yuandao's punishment unfair, even if he didn't openly resist, he would still pay lip service while doing whatever he pleased behind his father's back.

At that very moment, a soft "creak" came from a nearby window.

Shen Ran instinctively looked toward the sound, and a rush of fiery red met his eyes.

One inside the room, one outside.

As they faced each other across the window frame, both men froze for a moment.

A split second later, Xue Nian cleanly and decisively vaulted over the windowsill, landing straight before Shen Ran.

The two stared at each other for a moment, and then Xue Nian gave a casual, indifferent smile. "Is Your Majesty here personally to inspect whether this subject has been taking his punishment seriously?"

With no one else around, he even omitted the kneeling.

Shen Ran said leisurely, "Why can't you interpret it as Your Majesty cherishing talent and making a special trip to care for you?"

Xue Nian let out a dry laugh.

Arching a brow, he retorted, "Your Majesty sleeps on soft beds with pillows and holds beauties in your arms, while this subject was dragged away by my father in the middle of the night to kneel in the ancestral hall. Now that you've deigned to drop by in broad daylight, you call this care?"

Shen Ran curved his lips. "Then what should it be called?"

"Charity."

***

As Xue Nian spoke, he walked to the center of the ancestral hall and knelt down, unceremoniously asking, "Does Your Majesty think this subject looks like a beggar?"

"So arrogant?"

Shen Ran said indifferently, "Aren't you afraid I'll tell Xue Yuandao about all this?"

"Afraid, of course. There are plenty of things this subject is afraid of."

"Not only am I afraid of this..."

"This subject is also afraid of pain, and afraid of death. Yet, when whips are due, I still take the lashes, and I've yet to see anyone escape suffering just because they fear enduring it for all eternity. So what use is fear?"

A trace of devilish, roguish arrogance flickered in Xue Nian's eyes. "Since it is the sovereign's command that a subject must die, this subject has no choice but to comply. Since my life is already in Your Majesty's hands, how you wish to play with it is entirely up to your pleasure, wouldn't you say?"

"Such a pitiful way to talk."

Shen Ran looked down at his fingertips, a faint, mocking glint flashing across his eyes. "If I want you to die, will you bare your neck and await the executioner's blade?"

"Naturally."

Xue Nian agreed without the slightest hesitation, smiling with utmost sincerity. "Hasn't this subject always been utterly loyal, ready to shed blood and sacrifice my head for Your Majesty?"

"Clang—!"

As his voice trailed off, the sound of a blade being drawn from its scabbard rang out. Shen Ran leaned forward and snatched the curved saber hanging continuously at Xue Nian's waist.

In an instant, a freezing, piercing glare flashed before their eyes.

Shen Ran praised, "Truly a fine blade."

The chilling aura of bloodshed could easily rival the sword hanging in his own imperial study.

Xue Nian said casually, "It was merely something I carried around to amuse myself. Since it pleases Your Majesty's eyes, it is the saber's honor. Please do take it as a gift."

The curved saber pressed against the side of his neck, the blade sinking into his skin.

A fraction of a slip, and it could pierce flesh and draw blood at any moment.

A smile hung on Shen Ran's lips, a playful glint dancing in his eyes. "You'll just hand it over because it pleases my eyes? How very generous of you."

He lowered his gaze, locking eyes with Xue Nian, and said offhandedly, "Yet, does Ziqi not know what pleases my eyes even more?"

The height difference between the one standing and the one kneeling generated an overwhelming sense of oppression.

Yet Xue Nian showed no distinct reaction.

Even while kneeling, he only ever looked as though he were performing a ritual out of respect, entirely devoid of servility.

He met Shen Ran's gaze just as quietly.

The Xue Nian of the present might harbor lingering resentment, but for the most part, he remained submissive.

Otherwise, he would not have allowed the blade to press against his neck.

Or perhaps, Xue Nian actually faced the same dilemma as Zhao Yuanzhuo; the entire Xue family, and everyone he cared about, served as his constraints.

Otherwise, given his capability and daring, he wouldn't have endured through his past life until after Xue Yuandao was fatally injured before finally deciding to lead his troops away in resolute defiance.

In a flash, an intensely frantic thought crossed Shen Ran's mind.

For someone this dangerous, perhaps apart from trying to win him over, he could also strike first before the other party developed any substantial rebellious intent.

Of course, Xue Wu would certainly blame him, or even hate him.

Given how deeply she cared even for Zhao Yuanzhuo, how could she possibly not care about her own twin brother?

However, he could spend the rest of his remaining years coaxing her. Just as he had given Zhao Yuanzhuo a chance, he could also give Xue Wu a chance, to see whether, after all of this, she would truly have the heart to kill him.

A cruel excitement flashed rapidly through Shen Ran's eyes.

***

Xue Nian's voice rang out at that very moment.

Devoid of any emotion, his tone sounded as if he cared not a whit: "If Your Majesty finds it pleasing to the eye, you may take it just the same."

With his rationality gradually pulling back, Shen Ran's hand paused.

Reborn once, he could not afford to repeat his past life.

Moreover, Xue Nian had weaknesses.

As long as the Xue family remained, as long as Xue Yuandao was safe, and Xue Wu was well, those weaknesses would always persist.

There was no need for him to go to such extremes at this juncture.

And even less necessity to kill Xue Nian with his own hands.

Shen Jianning feared a blade that was too sharp, but he was not Shen Jianning.

Discarding a blade simply because it was dangerous was like giving up eating for fear of choking.

Shen Jianning was an emperor of an era of peace, which was why he feared danger and dreaded all unknown things.

Yet he walked along the edge of a cliff every single day—did he really fear a blade turning back on its master?

The more dangerous and fierce the blade, the more interesting it was to him.

His slender, pale hand tightened around the hilt of the curved saber, and Shen Ran slowly withdrew it, then reached out his other hand toward Xue Nian.

The meaning needed no elaboration.

Xue Nian's tone remained calm, yet he made no move to take his hand. "This subject is undergoing punishment."

Shen Ran curled his lips with a humorless smile, his attitude turning somewhat sharp. "Do you care?"

Xue Nian's expression did not change.

He answered with absolute finality: "Naturally. Otherwise, why bother kneeling here?"

Just as Shen Ran was about to remind Xue Nian of the fact that "he hadn't even been in this exact spot a moment earlier," he abruptly heard several cat meows drifting in from the very window Xue Nian had vaulted through.

First, two meows.

Then, three meows.

Followed by two more.

Xue Nian froze.

Shen Ran did not bother walking over to the window to inspect; instead, he raised an eyebrow and remarked, "Not bad. Truly worthy of the Grand General's estate—not only does Xue Yuandao maintain strict military discipline, even the cats in his mansion keep better rhythm than anyone else's."

Xue Nian twitched his brows imperceptibly, pretending not to catch the sarcasm veiled in Shen Ran's tone.

The next moment, cloud-like sleeves cascaded downward, and a slender, jade-like hand extended before his eyes once more.

Shen Ran said calmly, "You can choose to try trusting me, or choose to continue kneeling right here."

"Only, I wonder if you truly aren't in a rush."

"Or perhaps..."

Lowering his gaze in a display of slight weariness, Shen Ran looked down at him, his slightly curved thin lips carrying a trace of an elusive, mocking sneer.

"Even the upright and brilliantly radiant Xue Ziqi, in the eyes of everyone else, has secrets he cannot share with others?"

Xue Nian: "..."