19 Tacit Understanding

At first, Qin Duo still clung to the faint hope that he had misheard, until their eyes met and he saw the unmasked desire in Qin Xuanxiao’s gaze.

Darkness descended before him, and anger flared up along his spine.

His ears burned red and hot.

Fulfill your duty as my lord’s favorite!

Qin Duo’s teeth itched with hatred, his anger urging him to strike, his hand rising only to be forcibly restrained, fists clenched as he lowered his arm.

He shoved the man aside, stood up swiftly, and took a deep breath, forcing his fury-fueled mind to calm.

Coldly, Qin Duo bowed to the Chief Astronomer with a trace of personal resentment. “I cannot save you. Accept your fate—better to die early and find peace sooner.”

The Chief Astronomer blinked in confusion.

“Are you angry?” Qin Xuanxiao’s lips curled into an amused smile as he propped his head on his hand, tilting it to observe Qin Duo’s expression.

“Not at all,” Qin Duo replied lightly without looking at him, then left his seat and walked to the foot of the dais. He respectfully performed the formal audience bow to the emperor, then lowered his head to stand beside the Chief Astronomer.

The smile vanished from Qin Xuanxiao’s face as he asked, “What do you mean by this, my minister?”

Qin Duo ignored him and looked down at the Chief Astronomer kneeling on the floor. In a low voice he said, “Will you not say something of value now? If you remain silent, once the head is severed from the body, some words will rot with the corpse.”

“Wait, wait, Minister Wen,” the Chief Astronomer scrambled and crawled forward, clutching Qin Duo’s robe. “If I speak, can you guarantee my life before His Majesty?”

Qin Duo squatted down and gestured with his fingers. “There’s about an eighty percent chance.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll speak.” The Chief Astronomer swallowed nervously and spilled out everything he knew. “The matter of the stars is true, but the interpretation is not entirely so. The emperor’s lack of heirs is true, but the claim that ministers usurp power is false. The omen of twin stars appearing together could also symbolize the revival of the realm… but everyone knows that the observatory’s celestial interpretations are believed only if one chooses to believe.”

“Get to the point. Who instructed you to alter the meaning of the stars to speak before the court?” Qin Duo interrupted.

“No one. No one instructed me. It was my own impulse to urge the ministers to persuade His Majesty to abandon his keeping of male favorites.”

Qin Duo sneered. “So you won’t tell the truth, huh? The Chief Astronomer of the observatory, not serving the emperor, instead seeking to ease the ministers’ burdens—has he become their lapdog?”

The Chief Astronomer shivered under Qin Duo’s gaze, as if all his thoughts had been laid bare.

Qin Duo stood and extended his hand, commanding, “Black-Clad Guard, bring the blade.”

His natural aura made every word sound like a true imperial command.

A Black-Clad Guard handed over a long sword.

Qin Duo took it, gripping the hilt. With a sharp sound, the blade slid from its sheath, gleaming coldly across the hall.

The sword’s tip pointed directly at the Chief Astronomer’s neck.

“Let the head fall now. No need to drag it out in prison and risk someone rescuing you.”

The Chief Astronomer’s face went pale instantly.

The cold blade pressed against his neck. He trembled, staring at Qin Duo, unable to speak.

Facing this sharp-edged man before him, fear welled up—he who had just tried to save his life before the emperor was now the one about to kill him.

His feelings towards Qin Duo swayed wildly—from disdain to gratitude to terror—like plunging off a cliff, his soul nearly scattered.

“Three.”

“Two.”

Qin Duo began to count down, blade touching skin.

Before he could say “one,” the Chief Astronomer shouted, “I cannot speak!”

“Why not?” Qin Duo slightly withdrew the blade.

“If I speak, my parents, wife, and children will be harmed because of me!”

Qin Duo frowned slightly. Looking down at the completely collapsed man, he sensed no falsehood.

He then lifted his head and cast a distant glance toward the dais, locking eyes with the phoenix-like gaze watching the scene.

Qin Xuanxiao caught the look and understood. He raised his hand and ordered outside the hall, “Black-Clad Guard, protect the Chief Astronomer’s family.”

Outside, the guards responded immediately.

Seeing this, Qin Duo sheathed his sword, crouched down gently, and said in a soft voice, “Your family is safe now, Minister. Do not be afraid. The emperor and I will stand for you. Being forced is no excuse to lose your life for others, right?”

The Chief Astronomer lifted his tear-streaked face, glanced at the guards outside, then looked up to the dais, seeing Qin Duo’s actions fully endorsed by the emperor.

He nodded slowly and cautiously revealed the mastermind’s name. “It was Minister Zhou. Tonight, Minister Zhou sought me out, hoping to use the celestial omen to persuade His Majesty to…”

He paused, carefully reading Qin Duo’s expression, and upon seeing no change, continued, “to have Minister Wen killed.”

After speaking, the Chief Astronomer bowed his head deeply.

“From the Ministry of Personnel?” Qin Duo racked his mind and recalled. Because of him, the original Ministry official Zhou Shuyi was transferred to the Ministry of Works as Vice Minister—a promotion, yet removed from the center of power.

His resentment was understandable, but the swiftness of the move surprised Qin Duo.

“Very well, I understand.” Qin Duo nodded. “However, to avoid alerting the snake, the Chief Astronomer must remain imprisoned for several days to maintain appearances. As for the charge of deceiving the emperor, I will persuade His Majesty to be lenient.”

Qin Xuanxiao sat behind the imperial desk, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Qin Duo, offering no objection.

Silence was consent.

The Black-Clad Guards then followed Qin Duo’s instructions and took the Chief Astronomer to the Secure Punishment Department for temporary confinement.

The hall fell silent, leaving only two figures.

Qin Duo paced slowly back to the desk.

Suddenly, a soft laugh broke the silence.

“Your acting skills are quite impressive, my minister.”

Qin Duo replied, “Your Majesty’s performance is truly astonishing.”

More than astonishing—it was enough to frighten one’s ancestors.

Recalling the sensation at his fingertips moments before, Qin Duo felt his earlobes flush with heat.

A play is a play, but this one was too thorough; he even suspected at one moment that this little brat might be attempting to make the act real.

After all, that thing standing up was not a fake.

Qin Duo felt something amiss but couldn’t pinpoint it.

Regardless, he sensed a peculiar unspoken understanding between himself and this boy—the staged scene with the Chief Astronomer had not been rehearsed, yet with a glance and a couple of subtly suggestive words, they were perfectly in sync.

Their plan was to put the Chief Astronomer on a precarious seesaw between potential rescue and execution.

Either he would reveal the mastermind or die.

Everything hinged on a single thought.

So at the moment their eyes met, Qin Duo understood.

What remarkable tacit understanding.

Meanwhile, Qin Xuanxiao thought the same.

But he harbored a secret motive.

He had intended to use this as a test, but after seeing Qin Duo’s distant demeanor, he felt displeased.

He realized he must proceed gradually.

No haste—scaring him off would spoil the fun.

“Why don’t you come back to sit?” Qin Xuanxiao watched with interest as Qin Duo moved slowly beneath the hall.

Qin Duo hesitated.

He didn’t want to go—but not going would seem guilty.

He reconsidered and, feeling no shame, decided to return.

He stepped up, and with a sharp clack, threw the long sword he carried onto the imperial desk, then sat on the couch.

The action made Gou Hongyang’s eyelid twitch.

One man calmly slammed a weapon in front of the emperor, who didn’t even flinch—tolerant to a degree unbefitting an emperor.

At worst, this could be considered attempted regicide.

Yet both gentlemen acted as if nothing had happened.

“It can’t be only Zhou Shuyi involved,” Qin Duo rolled up his sleeves and picked up his brush again. “How could a mere Ministry of Personnel official have such power to threaten an entire minister’s family?”

Qin Xuanxiao sat beside him, holding the imperial brush, fingers caressing the shaft, tapping lightly on the desk.

A servant brought a jade tray, which Gou Hongyang accepted, placing a tea cup on the table.

“Your throat is hoarse, minister. Have some tea to soothe it,” Qin Xuanxiao said, passing the cup.

Only then did Qin Duo notice his voice was slightly hoarse from speaking too much again. He accepted the tea, sipping lightly, eyes brightening.

“Dian Nan white tea?” Qin Duo took another sip. “This must be the latest harvest. Excellent tea.”

“You like it?” Qin Xuanxiao’s hand paused on the brush.

“Dian Nan white tea is clear and sweet, with floral and fruity fragrance. Of course I like it.”

Suddenly, Qin Xuanxiao’s phoenix eyes fixed intently on him.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Duo noticed the expression and set down the cup.

Qin Xuanxiao averted his gaze, eyes flickering, lowering slightly, revealing an inexplicable sadness. “Nothing. Your words sounded familiar; I have heard someone say the same.”

Huh?

Qin Duo was surprised—someone else shared his taste for sweet tea. He only wished to know who it was.

That this child revealed such a sorrowful expression…

The shock from moments before vanished from Qin Duo’s mind. Unable to resist, he reached out and gently ruffled the young emperor’s hair.

Second time’s a charm. Qin Xuanxiao allowed it quietly, waiting until the gesture ended, then told Gou Hongyang, “Find all the new Dian Nan white tea tribute this year. I bestow it to Minister Wen.”

No reply.

Both men looked up in puzzlement, seeing Gou Hongyang’s face split with shock.

Only after Qin Xuanxiao repeated the order a second time did Gou Hongyang manage to regain composure and stagger out.

Touching the dragon’s head! Can this servant’s eyes survive?!

When Qin Xuanxiao diverted the conversation with tea, Qin Duo had understood his meaning. Now that the hall had been cleared, he continued.

“Your Majesty, your court is like a sieve, full of holes.”

Qin Xuanxiao was speechless, feeling unjustly scolded.

“Do you think I want this?” Qin Xuanxiao sneered. “The late emperor’s court was like a colander. I executed a batch of them to barely patch it together like this.”

Qin Duo’s vision darkened.

Oh, my great Wei.

He must find time to stop reading just the brief histories and learn what the emperors after him did.

Infuriating.

But there were more urgent matters.

“The Chief Astronomer said the twin-star omen was observed only tonight. How could Zhou Shuyi, a mere Ministry official, get inside information from the observatory so quickly and use it against me?” Qin Duo pointed out the flaw.

“The Zhou clan of Si Shui, with three grand ministers in four generations, regard such power as trivial,” Qin Xuanxiao replied lightly after finishing the last memorial.

Aristocratic clans.

Qin Duo understood.

His great Wei had already changed its flavor.

“Zhou Shuyi is merely a foot soldier,” Qin Duo spoke decisively.

Qin Xuanxiao nodded and rose. “I have assigned someone to watch Zhou Shuyi. No need to rush. Let us retire for the night.”

Qin Duo nodded and asked, “Which chamber shall I stay in?”

“Won’t you sleep with me?” Qin Xuanxiao sounded slightly surprised.

Qin Duo pointed at himself, then at Qin Xuanxiao, at a loss for words.

“I’d better not overstep,” he said. Before, he wouldn’t have cared, but after that discovery, he felt uncertain.

He recalled feeling uneasy even during medicinal baths.

Suddenly Qin Xuanxiao’s tone turned playful. “Didn’t you say you’d talk with me about everything under heaven until midnight, then sleep with feet touching? Come, touch feet.”

Qin Duo was speechless.

His voice strained, “Your Majesty, though you watch me and I know you watch me, and you know I know you watch me, and I know you know I know you watch me, isn’t it a bit awkward to say this so openly?”

Suddenly, the world spun as Qin Xuanxiao swept him up and tossed him onto the bed.

“Minister Wen, your throat is sore. Don’t speak too many twisted words.”

The candle was snuffed out with a snap, plunging the chamber into tender darkness.

Rustling sounds.

In the dark, Qin Duo felt Qin Xuanxiao climb onto the bed and pull the covers over them both.

“If your body is unwell, rest early.”

Warm breath whispered by his ear.