Chapter 1: Bent To A Point Of Frustration

In the thirteenth year of Qiyuan, the late sovereign Emperor Hong passed away, and the eldest son, Crown Prince Fang Rui, ascended the throne.

Speaking of this crown prince, he was a legendary figure: his mother held the rank of concubine, but because the empress had no children, he was taken under the empress’s name and became the legitimate eldest son.

Fang Rui was young but extremely learned, with imperial bearing and natural talent.

In his eight years on the throne he pacified internal unrest and quelled external threats, leaving behind a legend.

The night was deep, the moon bright as a mirror.

Sobs came from outside the Great Yuan Hall, but inside it was so quiet it seemed deserted. One might even hear a pin drop.

Fang Rui lay on his bed, his emotions complex. He, as emperor for eight years, had been made ‘bent’ for the entire eight years.

For the whole eight years he had been bent harder than a hook, and now on his deathbed he realized the person he had secretly liked was a…woman!

“Back then, my father died from a fall off a horse before he could get married. My mother was actually one of his maids and was already pregnant. My grandmother had locked my mother in the firewood storeroom and prepared medicine to induce miscarriage. But when news of my father’s death returned to the residence, my grandfather suffered a stroke and never stood again. The Shen family could not be without an heir, so to help my grandfather get through this, my grandmother told him that my mother was pregnant. But when I was born, my grandfather was in great despair and refused to accept reality, which is how we came up with such an absurd idea.”

Fang Rui was speechless. He felt that he must be hallucinating.

“Your Majesty, I know my crime is unforgivable. I have deceived you for so long. I only beg Your Majesty to be lenient with the Grand Guardian’s Residence. Whatever punishment you mete out to me, I will have no complaint.”

Fang Rui looked at Shen Yu, kneeling beside the bed, and with an apparently calm expression said, “My trusted aide Shen, could you pour me a cup of tea?”

Fang Rui was not calm at all! He really needed a cup of tea to steady himself.

Shen Yu, kneeling, was slightly startled but rose and went to pour tea for Fang Rui.

Shen Yu moved to the side. The hall was extremely quiet, only the sound of tea pouring into the cup could be heard. For a moment the tea’s fragrance mingled with the medicinal scent that filled the hall, but soon the tea aroma was overwhelmed by the strong smell of medicine.

Shen Yu stood by the bed holding the tea, but Fang Rui did not take it. Perhaps seeing him staring fixedly at her, she anxiously called, “Your Majesty…”

Fang Rui’s gaze fell on Shen Yu’s face, her rosy lips were very pleasing to the eye. Eight years had passed in a flash, and Shen Yu still looked like the young man from his memory.

But things were different after all…

This was by no means that young lad from years ago! It was a young woman! A woman with red lips and white teeth!

“Cough cough cough!” He coughed violently a few times. His chest hurt so badly. For eight years he had believed he didn’t like women, but that he liked men!

“Your Majesty!”

He raised his hand, shook it twice, and after a long while steadied, asking in a low voice, “Trusted aide Shen, why did you tell me about this?”

It would have been better to keep it hidden forever, to hide it until he had been laid in a casket. Now… with only his last breath left, how could he accept that the one he’d been furtively attracted to was a woman!?

When he first realized he liked a man, he began to doubt his life. He had barely accepted it, and now this!

Shen Yu bowed his head, bit her lip so that the formerly rosy color deepened, and said, “Your Majesty has risked your life to save me many times. I am uneasy in my heart and truly cannot hide it any longer.”

Uneasy in her heart… You should have just died!* If** I’d had known you were a girl back then, what would I have worried about? I feared you might be unable to bear the** humiliation and might take your own life, so I held back from bringing you into the palace. If I’d known, he would have long ago taken you by force!*

Telling him the truth now? He was already paralyzed on the bed. Even if he wanted to take her by force, he couldn’t!

Fang Rui spat a mouthful of blood! He was utterly exhausted and helpless.

Looking at Shen Yu, regret appeared in Fang Rui’s eyes. He said, “My beloved, beloved aide Shen, do you know how much I have liked you these past eight years?”

No sooner had Fang Rui spoken than Shen Yu’s hand trembled slightly, causing some of the filled tea to spill onto the quilt. Where the dark quilt absorbed the tea, the stain darkened even more.

Fang Rui weakly waved his hand. “Enough, enough, I won’t live long anyway. What use is saying these things?” He knew his own condition.

The poison had already corroded his organs so medicine could do no more. What was the point of speaking? He was about to die, so he let go of these thoughts.

Fang Rui looked at Shen Yu, who dared not meet his eyes. Seeing her bowed brows, he promised, “I will not punish you, nor will I punish the Taibao Residence. But there is one matter I need you to handle.”

Shen Yu was probably shocked by his sudden confession and stood stunned for a long while before recovering. “Your Majesty, please instruct me.”

Shen Yu had frightened him, and he had frightened Shen Yu in return. Perhaps this was what the phrase “to return the favor that others showed you” meant.

“There is a wooden box beneath my bed. Fetch it for me.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu crouched down, closer to the bed, and looked under it. He could still smell the faint fragrance on Shen Yu’s body. It was odd. His five senses had long since failed him, yet he could still detect this light scent.

The scent hadn’t changed. Once he had teased Shen Yu about it, asking if she hid a beauty somewhere in his house in order to have that fragrance.

Indeed, a beauty had been hidden. It was herself!

After a while, Shen Yu fished a wooden box out from beneath the bed. Fang Rui stared at the box cupped in Shen Yu’s hands.

There was a touch of reluctance in his gaze.

Over the past eight years—nearly three thousand days and nights—whenever he thought of Shen Yu and suffered unbearable longing, he would take out the contents of this box to ease his yearning.

“Deal with the things inside the box for me, you must not let a third person know.” These were treasures he had collected over the years. He couldn’t bear to throw them away, but it would be worse if others were to know they belonged to him!

Fang Rui did not want, even in death, to be the object of the world’s mockery. The items in the wooden box were paintings he had bought over the years from secret bookshops during southern tours.

Paintings with vividly lifelike paintings…

Paintings of two men…

Paintings of two men without a scrap of clothing…

Paintings of two men, one on top of the other, in many different positions…

He would never admit that over these eight years he had imagined the men of the paintings as himself and Shen Yu.

Shen Yu, not yet knowing what was in the box, was merely frightened by Fang Rui’s sudden confession. Forcing herself to stay calm, she answered, “I will obey the decree.”

After one last glance at the person he had longed for these eight years but never obtained, Fang Rui barely had the strength to speak, “Take your leave. Let Rong Tai enter.”

“I…take my leave.”

Whether it was an illusion or not, when Shen Yu looked up, Fang Rui seemed to see her eyes slightly redden.

He even felt that Shen Yu must have had some affection for him as well. After all, he was more than outstanding and had protected Shen Yu for so many years.

Watching Shen Yu’s figure leave the hall, the candlelight seemed to dim, and his vision slowly blurred.

After Rong Tai, who had been by Fang Rui’s side for twenty years, entered, Fang Rui gave his final instructions, “Rong Tai, you have been by my side for twenty years, you are the person I trust most.”

Rong Tai was now the head of the Department of Prudence and people said the man was cold and merciless, unmoved even if the sky fell. Yet even with his failing eyesight, he could see moisture in Rong Tai’s eyes.

His voice choked, “Your Majesty, your servant has failed to protect you.”

Fang Rui shook his head. “Twenty years is enough. I now give you one last order: after my passing, protect my beloved aide Shen.”

“Your servant… will obey.”

Fang Rui took a deep breath. He was not afraid of death. He feared more that after he died no one would protect Shen Yu. Over the years Shen Yu hated evil fiercely and had provoked many ministers, so indeed many wished to see her fall.

“Also, after I am gone, promulgate the edict I have prepared.” Fang Rui knew his time was short and had already drafted proclamations and an imperial edict.

The proclamation transferred the throne to his imperial uncle while the edict ensured Shen Yu’s safety.

Whoever ascended must treat the Grand Guardian’s family well and not sentence them to death under any charge.

This edict was, without doubt, a golden ticket of immunity from death.

The candlelight in his eyes dimmed more and more until everything was dark.

“The lamp has gone out…”

Silence fell over the hall. After a moment, Rong Tai said, “Your Majesty, yes, the lamp has gone out.”

Fang Rui’s mouth twitched into a smile. If it was out, then it was out. If a lamp was extinguished it could be relit, but if a person died… that was the end.

Who could have expected eight years ago that the newly enthroned, full-of-vigor emperor would, eight years later, die at the hands of the Empress Dowager. Worse still, at the hands of his own biological mother?

No one could have imagined it, himself included.

The doors and windows were closed, yet an eerie wind suddenly rose from nowhere. The candle wicks flickered a few times and finally went out for real.

Nine bell tolls rang through the palace.

The emperor had passed away.