Chapter 85: The Victory Parade

Lu Yao's single sentence plunged the already silent hall into absolute stillness.

Countless gazes fell upon him, but Lu Yao seemed oblivious, standing ramrod straight, his eyes slightly downcast.

The most stunned of all was actually the Minister of War, Lu Youwei.

He had previously hosted Lu Yao at a banquet, where the young man had been humble and polite, appearing deferential and perceptive. He gave the clear impression he was not opposed to, and even somewhat inclined toward, the Lu family.

But what was this now?

How could he lead with "the scourge of the noble families"?

Lu Youwei stared fixedly at the young man, his expression cold.

If he still couldn’t see that Lu Yao’s true loyalties lay with the imperial court, and that his politeness toward the Lu family had been merely superficial courtesy, then he had no business remaining in his position.

He couldn’t help but recall the details of the banquet. The more he thought about it, the more alarmed he became. Lu Yao’s strategic depth was truly immeasurable.

From start to finish, he had never explicitly expressed a desire to align with the Lu family. Instead, he had skillfully guided them into assuming it.

An extraordinary prodigy!

Lu Youwei’s feelings were deeply conflicted.

He felt both humiliated at having been fooled, yet he also longed for how wonderful it would be if Lu Yao could stand with the Lu family.

He truly desired such a talent.

Qin Xiao’s gaze swept across the hall, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.

Chu Jiubian’s expression remained unchanged as he watched Lu Yao, saying nothing.

Lu Yao continued, "As previously mentioned by the agricultural student Zhang Er, the seizure of land by powerful gentry and landlords is a frequent occurrence. The land and assets held by noble families and influential officials largely originate from such practices."

"These individuals collude with local officials, falsify household and land registries, and devise schemes to alter land classifications—recording fertile land as inferior land to exchange their own poor-quality plots for the people’s fertile fields. They even falsify annual tax records, shifting the taxes they ought to pay onto the common people, forcing them to pay unjust levies while evading their own tax obligations."

These were common tactics employed by noble families and powerful gentry, an open secret to everyone. But this was the first time someone had laid them bare in the imperial court, before all the officials, without leaving any room for ambiguity.

Everyone’s expressions turned grim.

Even the Minister of Rites, Wang Zhiyuan, who had already pledged his allegiance to the court, closed his eyes and let out a silent sigh.

The Wang family, as a major noble house, held an incalculable amount of land.

While these lands were ostensibly acquired through legitimate purchases from the people, only they themselves knew how many secrets lay hidden beneath the surface.

Lu Yao’s audacious statements in court were not due to his youth or ignorance of bureaucratic intricacies.

On the contrary, he understood them all too well.

He knew he was a man of the court, a protégé of Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao, and a subject of Baili Hong. Everything he said now was a calculated reflection of the emperor’s intentions.

If those in power wished to take action against the noble families, he would serve as their sword.

At that moment, everyone’s perception of Lu Yao shifted.

The acumen and daring displayed by this young man, not yet twenty, were beyond ordinary measure.

Prince Dingbei, Baili Yu, tilted his head slightly, his eyes scanning the young man before settling on his face.

The youth had a very handsome face, with traces of baby fat still visible on his cheeks.

Yet the demeanor he exhibited was far beyond that of a typical young man his age.

Baili Yu gently rubbed the jade pendant at his waist, a slight smile curling his lips.

Interesting.

The capital had become truly fascinating.

Not far away, Prince Huguang, Baili Yue, also studied Lu Yao, a faint look of regret on his face.

Such a talented scholar, so young—who knew what achievements he would attain in the future?

How could such a figure have fallen into the hands of Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian? If only he could be of use to him...

Ah, what a pity.

Like Commander An Wuji, such talents in the hands of others were not a good thing.

If possible, it would be best to find a way to eliminate him.

Tan Yuzhu sat in the seat next to Lu Yao, her peripheral vision catching the sky-blue hem of his robe, identical to her own.

Lu Yao truly lived up to his first-place ranking in the Metropolitan Examination.

His clear voice echoed through the hall as he continued, "Land is the foundation of the people and the foundation of the nation. Therefore, I believe that land must be resurveyed, and new household and land registries must be created."

"During the resurvey, those who have concealed land holdings may report them voluntarily without penalty. Those who continue to conceal them will be fined three times the value of the hidden assets under Great Ning law."

"Afterward, through the 'land equalization and restriction' policy, land seized by noble families and powerful gentry should be redistributed to the people according to established quotas, ensuring that those who farm have land to till."

"Additionally, a maximum limit on land ownership for noble families should be set. Any land exceeding this limit will be purchased and reclaimed by the court, then sold to the people at low prices."

This was a direct attack on the foundation of the noble families. The court officials nearly rose to their feet to protest, "I object!"

But this was the palace examination, not a morning court session. Lu Yao was merely answering questions and presenting his views as a student. They could not openly oppose him now—it would make them appear petty and unreasonable.

After all, Lu Yao was only speaking. Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had not yet declared their intention to implement these measures. If they protested too vehemently, wouldn’t that be admitting to concealing their own land holdings?

Thus, they could only listen in frustration as Lu Yao continued speaking eloquently and at length.

"After the land resurvey is completed, I believe the tax system should also undergo changes," Lu Yao said. "The court should shift from taxing based on population to taxing based on land and assets. Those with more land pay more; those with less land pay less; those without land pay nothing..."

Chu Jiubian’s eyes lit up.

Taxation based on land.

Currently, many people in the regions had insufficient land but large families, resulting in heavy tax burdens.

Noble families and powerful officials, on the other hand, had abundant land and even more people, but they often concealed their true population numbers, paying fewer taxes.

With the implementation of "taxation based on land," these noble families and powerful officials who occupied vast tracts of land would no longer be able to evade taxes by hiding their population numbers. Since taxes would be levied based on the land they owned, regardless of the number of people, they would be unable to reduce their land tax payments.

If Lu Yao’s proposals on land and taxation were implemented, noble families and powerful gentry would not only lose vast amounts of land but also face significantly increased tax burdens.

Although the prominent families in the capital, especially the Four Great Families, have already developed additional revenue streams, land and taxation remain their foundation.

If these ideas were to be implemented, even the Four Great Families would have their hands full.

"Furthermore, I believe the root cause of these local issues lies in local officials' disregard for the well-being of the common people, prioritizing collusion with powerful gentry and families. Therefore, the court should also reform local governance."

Lu Yao showed no signs of stopping; after discussing how to attack the economic foundation of the great families, he immediately turned his attention to local officials.

Currently, local officials are often appointed to serve near their ancestral homes, where they have pre-existing connections with local gentry and landowners. This is why common people often find nowhere to turn for help.

Moreover, many of these officials are, to varying degrees, connected to the major families in the court—through disciples, former subordinates, or even direct familial ties.

For example, the "Boss Qiu" mentioned earlier by Zhang Er, who seized his land, was a member of the Qiu family.

The local county magistrate also came from a powerful local clan and was in cahoots with the Qiu family.

Lu Yao stated, "I believe the appointment of local officials should be entirely managed by the Ministry of Personnel, and high-ranking officials such as Prefects and Prefecture Deputies should be personally appointed and removed by His Majesty."

Currently, officials like county magistrates and deputies are mostly nominated by local commanderies and merely approved by the Ministry of Personnel.

This process involves various backdoor dealings and the buying and selling official posts, all serving as means of profit.

The former Vice Minister of Personnel, Zhao Qianhe, who was exiled, profited precisely through such methods.

As a result, many local officials are incompetent and corrupt, fostering an environment where graft and corruption thrive.

Lu Yao's proposal would effectively cut off the corruption pipeline and the sale of offices for officials in various commanderies and counties.

Although this would grant the Ministry of Personnel greater authority, with Chu Jiubian currently in charge and Xiao Huaiguan being incompetent, it would not be problematic for the ministry to wield more power in the short term.

Moreover, having high-ranking officials directly appointed by the emperor would further bolster Baili Hong's authority, bringing these court officials closer to the emperor and enhancing imperial control over the regions.

"Additionally, local officials should not serve in their places of origin, and each official should have a fixed term, perhaps three or five years, to prevent excessive collusion between local officials and powerful local families," Lu Yao added.

Chu Jiubian involuntarily glanced at Qin Xiao. Meeting the man's gaze, he blinked lightly before turning his attention back to Lu Yao.

Qin Xiao smiled silently.

These ideas Lu Yao was presenting were exactly what the two of them had discussed just a few days prior.

While the two of them felt exhilarated to have such talent under their command, everyone else was growing numb.

How much more did this Lu Yao have to say?

Was he determined to suppress all the prominent families and powerful clans into the ground?

Hidden in the shadows, Qin Chuan watched the young man speaking eloquently in the hall, his expression thoughtful and complex.

Having spent so much time together, he was well aware of Lu Yao's capabilities.

Yet, today's performance still took him by surprise.

Lu Yao, his throat dry from speaking, licked his lips and swallowed, revealing a momentarily vacant look, much like his usual self.

Qin Chuan raised an eyebrow and smiled silently.

Meanwhile, Lu Yao continued, clearly outlining his methods for suppressing the great families. Even though he laid out his plans openly with the court, there was little they could do to resist.

Because everything Lu Yao proposed could be implemented with just an imperial edict.

However, the influential elites were not particularly alarmed. Issuing decrees was one thing; implementing them was another matter.

Unless Qin Xiao, Chu Jiubian, or this Lu Yao personally traveled to every region to survey land and create registries themselves.

But with only three of them—and given that Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian could not leave the capital—even if they did, it would be impossible for just three people to accomplish such a task.

Little did they know, however, that not long after, the decree on "land measurement and land tax reform" was indeed issued.

And it was fully implemented, even remarkably smoothly.

This smooth implementation was largely due to the soldiers under Qin Xiao's command. After the Qin Family Army was dispersed, these soldiers were dispersed across the nation.

But Grand Marshal Qin was not one to take a loss lying down. His agreement to disperse the Qin Family Army was not only to reassure the Emperor Yingzong but also for this very moment.

Many of his dispatched soldiers had long since infiltrated various commanderies and counties, gaining command of local segments of the City Defense Force.

Moreover, those who had risen to the rank of Commandant, such as the two who had previously delivered messages and placards to Zhang Er and Tan Yuzhu, as well as General Hu Fang, who followed Qin Xiao to the northwest to fight the Sai kingdom, commanded significant forces.

Chu Jiubian also ordered the spreading of the word among the common people in simple, understandable language, disseminating the news that "the court is taking land back from the great families and powerful gentry to return it to the people," and explaining that taxes would henceforth be based on land ownership. This created unprecedented solidarity among the people, who rallied to support the court's decrees.

Thus, with the support of these armed forces and the people's mobilization, the decree was successfully implemented.

The personnel dispatched by the court to measure the land included not only mathematics scholars from the Imperial College but also capable officials selected by Vice Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi from the Ministry of Revenue.

The Ministry of Revenue was now subtly divided into two factions.

One faction was led by Minister Su Sheng and Vice Minister Wang Pengyi, including members of the Su and Wang families, as well as officials loyal to the court.

The other faction was a disjointed group, consisting of officials with complex ties to the other three great families.

For this land measurement effort, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao dispatched only those loyal to the court, but they used personnel recommended by Wang Pengyi without consulting Minister Su Sheng.

This clearly isolated Su Sheng, indicating that Chu Jiubian and the others had become suspicious and distrustful of him, no longer viewing him as a completely loyal official.

But there was little Su Sheng could do. On the surface, he was still loyal to the emperor and thus had to comply with the court's decrees.

Observant individuals, however, noticed his precarious position and began to suspect that he might not be entirely loyal and could have other loyalties.

These events, however, were yet to come. For now, during the palace examination, Lu Yao spoke at length.

He elaborated on plans to further develop the imperial examinations, establish government schools for the common people, and painted a vivid picture of a thriving and prosperous Great Ning.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao did not interrupt him.

Today's discourse by Lu Yao would not only be recorded in full by historians hidden in the shadows but would also spread throughout the land, reaching the ears of all the people of Great Ning.

They wanted the people to know that the court was not solely composed of powerful families and elites but also included individuals like Lu Yao, Tan Yuzhu, and Zhang Er, who worked for the benefit of the common people.

Moreover, by the coming year, Hexi Commandery would begin cultivating high-yield sweet potatoes, and the southern borders would start growing cotton for warmth. After the harvest in the first half of the year, the court could use these successes to promote these crops in other regions, making them more readily accepted by the people.

Coupled with the land measurement efforts, by the end of the year, the people would have adequate food and clothing.

The common people are both complex and simple: whoever treats them well will earn their loyalty in return.

Thus, if the court treats them well, they will remain loyal to the court and hold the emperor in high regard.

This is public sentiment, and this is also reputation.

In this way, when civil war eventually erupts, the people will be more inclined to root for the court's victory.

Because they knew only the court would give them a good life, giving them opportunities to have enough food and clothing, to have land to farm, schools to attend, and official positions to hold.

Great Ning was full of common people everywhere, and obstacles abounded, making it difficult for other rebellious forces to make progress.

Not everyone could foresee what might happen next, but the more astute ones, such as Prince Huguang, Prince Dingbei, and other vassal princes, as well as ministers like Su Sheng, Qiu Heng, and Lu Youwei, had already caught glimpses of the coming changes that would take place in Great Ning in the future.

They also saw that if they remained inactive, it would become increasingly difficult to oppose the court.

With heavy hearts, they watched coldly as Lu Yao finally sat down.

The palace examination consisted of two rounds: one for skill assessment and the other for court interview, which was a question-and-answer session.

Earlier, Chu Jiubian, along with Baili Hong and Qin Xiao, had prepared ten questions, but by now, they were essentially finished.

Chu Jiubian turned to look at the dragon throne, where Baili Hong had long been "conquered" by Lu Yao and the scholars. The young emperor's eyes were particularly bright.

Chu Jiubian smiled, knowing Baili Hong had no further questions. The young emperor was surely eager to end the court session so he could have time to chat with these impressive scholars.

He bowed toward the throne and said, "Your Majesty, please review the examinations and determine the rankings."

Baili Hong immediately replied, "Very well, My minister, please wait a moment."

He already had a plan. Moreover, when his uncle, Chu Jiubian, and mentor, Qin Xiao, had Eunuch Hong deliver the answer sheets earlier, they had provided a general ranking.

Soon after, just as Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had taken their seats, the imperial edict was freshly prepared.

Eunuch Hong descended the steps with the edict and handed it to Wang Zhiyuan, the Minister of Rites.

The imperial examination was typically the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, but for this first occasion, Chu Jiubian had to handle it personally.

However, the final proclamation was entrusted to Wang Zhiyuan, showing the emperor’s trust in him.

Wang Zhiyuan had already received word from the palace that he would be announcing the rankings. After receiving the edict, he respectfully thanked the emperor and then walked to the center of the hall, facing the scholars, vassal princes, and officials.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian stood up, and the other vassal princes and officials followed suit.

Everyone stood quietly and solemnly as Wang Zhiyuan’s calm voice echoed through the hall: "By the decree of Heaven and the mandate of the Emperor, it is proclaimed—In the second year of Jingrui, the palace examination has selected three first-class scholars, twenty second-class scholars, and forty-two third-class scholars."

"First class, first place: Lu Yao, styled Lu Zicheng, from Ruihai County, granted the title of Jinshi with honors!"

"First class, second place: Gu Fang, styled Gu Chiheng, from Chuanxi County, granted the title of Jinshi with honors!"

"First class, third place: Tan Yuzhu from Baxian County, granted the title of Jinshi with honors!"

The top three came as no surprise, matching the results of the previous Metropolitan Examination.

The first place in the second class was Zhang Er from the agriculture discipline, followed by Yuan Xueyi from the needlework discipline, and Yan Rui from the engineering discipline...

After the proclamation, everyone knelt and kowtowed to the emperor, hailing, "Long live the Emperor!"

Even the vassal princes had to do so, but Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian only bowed.

No one thought this improper.

The palace examination concluded around noon, ending the morning court session.

Officials and vassal princes left the palace, while Chu Jiubian ordered the scholars to be taken to a specially arranged rear hall for lunch.

Baili Hong wanted to eat with them, but Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao did not allow it.

The emperor was the emperor. He could be close to his ministers and even share family meals with them, but only when he was strong enough to command respect. Otherwise, the emperor’s authority would be diminished.

Weren’t these scholars their own people?

Baili Hong did not fully understand, but he knew his uncle and mentor must have his best interests at heart. Though he couldn’t grasp it now, he would come to understand later.

So, he happily returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation with his uncle and mentor to eat.

As winter days ended early, by the time the scholars finished lunch and changed into the red robes with gold patterns Chu Jiubian had ordered the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to prepare, the sun had already begun to set.

News of the "scholars' parade" had spread throughout the capital, but no one knew what it meant—not even the court officials.

It wasn’t until the palace gates opened and the sixty-five scholars, dressed in crimson robes, emerged and mounted the sixty-five tall horses led by the Imperial Guards outside the palace that people began to understand.

An Wuji led his men, with two teams flanking the scholars and sixty-five others assigned to walk alongside them, holding the horses’ reins to handle any emergencies if the horses were startled.

However, the horses had been trained and were gentle, accustomed to the sound of drums and music.

So, when the drum and gong teams at the front and rear began to play, the horses remained calm, but the scholars were somewhat nervous.

At the front, Lu Yao wore a black gauze hat and a large red flower on his chest, looking confident and happy, yet his expression was somewhat blank and naive.

He wasn’t embarrassed—in fact, he didn’t really understand what embarrassment felt like.

He simply followed the drum corps obediently, riding forward.

Seeing his calm demeanor, the others behind him also calmed down and followed the procession quietly.

Baili Hong, held by Qin Xiao, stood on the high palace walls, watching the procession slowly move into the distance.

Qin Xiao had the child in his arms, but he could still watch over Chu Jiubian.

However, Chu Jiubian felt it was unsafe and did not go up. Instead, he stood at the foot of the wall, arms crossed, looking up at the uncle and nephew.

"Wow," Baili Hong exclaimed, clinging to his uncle’s neck and pointing at the receding procession. "Uncle, it’s so lively!"

"Indeed," Qin Xiao responded.

Baili Hong craned his neck to watch the procession until it was almost out of sight but never asked to follow.

He knew it was dangerous outside the palace. As a small child, leaving would mean his uncle would have to constantly watch over him, which was unsafe.

Moreover, as the emperor, leaving the palace arbitrarily seemed wrong.

Qin Xiao glanced sideways and saw the clear expectation tinged with unspoken disappointment on the child’s round face.

At such a young age, he had never left the palace or witnessed the excitement and prosperity beyond the palace.

From birth, he had been confined within these high walls surrounding him.

Chu Jiubian looked up at the child, feeling a sudden pang in his heart.

He paused, raising a hand to his chest.

Was he feeling pity for the child?

It had been a long time since he had felt such an emotion so clearly.

"Qin Xiao," Chu Jiubian called out.

The man turned his head toward the person below the wall.

The young man, dressed in court attire, looked up at him with a clear brightness shining in his eyes.

"Let's go take a look together," he said.

Previously, there had been no opportunity to take the child out, but now, in broad daylight and with such a lively event like a parade honoring officials, there was no reason why everyone else should get to watch while Baili Hong, as the emperor, could not.

Moreover, times had changed. Their power had steadily increased, and it was appropriate to let the young emperor relax a little.

After all, they no longer needed to be so cautious in the palace—they could even climb walls openly with Baili Hong—so spending an afternoon outside wouldn’t be a problem.

Baili Hong’s face lit up, and he quickly glanced at his teacher, then at his uncle.

Clutching his uncle’s lapel with his small hand, Baili Hong wanted to whine but was afraid of causing trouble, so he could only gaze at him pleadingly.

Qin Xiao remained silent for a moment before saying, "You can go out to play, but you must finish today’s lessons when you return."

"Okay!!" Baili Hong nodded vigorously. "We can do it!"

Qin Xiao then leaped down from the wall with him in his arms, landing in front of Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian gave the man an extra look.

Truth be told, that move just now was pretty cool.

Qin Xiao set the child down and met the young man’s slightly suggestive look.

He raised an eyebrow: "Did you enjoy the show? Should I do it a couple more times?"

Chu Jiubian: "...No need."

The child tilted his head up, curiously watching the two adults.

His uncle and teacher had been acting weird lately, always saying things he understood the words of but not the meaning.

"Alright, the procession has already moved far ahead," Chu Jiubian said. "Have someone prepare the carriage."

A guard hidden in the shadows immediately left to find Xiao Yuzi.

Xiao Yuzi had been making the bed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, preparing for His Majesty’s afternoon nap. Upon hearing that His Majesty wanted to leave the palace, he hurriedly prepared the carriage and rushed to the palace gate.

Only the emperor’s carriage was allowed to move freely within the palace grounds.

Xiao Yuzi had run all the way there, still catching his breath, and quickly bowed to the three.

Baili Hong waved away his bow, then hesitated before turning to Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao, saying quietly, "Teacher, Uncle, can we bring Xiao Yuzi along?"

Like him, Xiao Yuzi had been in the palace since childhood and had never been outside.

The nursemaids who served him had days off to go outside the palace, and the palace maids could leave the palace once they turned twenty-five.

Hong Fu and Xiao Xiangzi now worked in the Directorate of Ceremonial, and Xiao Jinzi and Xiao Yinzi from Yaotai Residence often helped there as well, making them support staff—so they had opportunities to leave the palace when needed.

Only Xiao Yuzi was different—he couldn’t leave.

Hearing His Majesty’s words, Xiao Yuzi felt touched.

But he knew his place and had never allowed himself to hope for such things.

To his surprise, the next moment, he heard Chu Jiubian say, "If His Majesty wishes to bring him, then let him come along."

Xiao Yuzi’s heart skipped a beat.

Really? Could he really follow His Majesty out of the palace?

He had been sold into the palace when he was about the same age as the emperor and had long forgotten what the outside world was like.

Baili Hong was so happy he almost jumped for joy right there but managed to restrain himself.

"Get in the carriage," Qin Xiao said.

Baili Hong was lifted into the carriage, and then Qin Xiao turned to Xiao Yuzi: "You ride inside with His Majesty."

There was only one carriage. If Xiao Yuzi didn’t get in, all three dignitaries could sit comfortably.

But Xiao Yuzi didn’t dare disobey Qin Xiao, so he complied with a "Yes" and boarded the carriage.

Baili Hong lifted the curtain and leaned out: "Uncle, Teacher, aren’t you coming up?"

The carriage wasn’t very large—fitting four would be too crowded—but Baili Hong thought they could squeeze in. He was small, so it would be fine.

"No, we’ll make our way there separately," Qin Xiao said, turning toward a shadowy spot along the palace wall. "You watch over His Majesty."

Baili Hong curiously looked in that direction, assuming it was one of his uncle’s hidden guards.

But instead, emerging from the shadows was a man dressed in black, wearing a bamboo hat and a mask covering half his face.

He obviously wasn't a typical guard, yet strangely, Baili Hong found him familiar and felt an unexplained feeling of safety and familiarity.

The man walked up to Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, nodded slightly, then approached the carriage and bowed respectfully.

He didn’t speak.

But hidden guards usually didn’t talk, so Baili Hong didn’t mind and excused him from the formalities.

As the man straightened up, he couldn’t help but glance up at Baili Hong.

The child’s soft, childish face still showed his youth, but his features already bore hints of the Qin family.

Baili Hong met his gaze and was momentarily startled.

However, before he could ponder further, the man had already turned and taken his seat on the carriage driver’s bench.

The coachman also climbed up, informed Baili Hong, and then set the carriage in motion.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao stood side by side, watching the carriage depart.

Chu Jiubian glanced sideways and noticed a clear sadness in the man’s eyes, momentarily lost in thought.

He thought he could understand Qin Xiao’s perspective a little better now.

The man was pining for Qin Chuan, and even more, he was blaming himself.

Despite sharing the same origins, the two brothers had vastly different lives—one openly experienced family bonds and now spent all his time with his only nephew.

But Qin Chuan couldn’t even use his real name. In the martial world, he could only go by his style name, Mingce, without anyone knowing his true surname was Qin.

And his only nephew was completely unaware of his existence—let alone letting him hold him, letting him be affectionate with him, or addressing him as uncle.

These things came so easily to Qin Xiao, yet Qin Chuan had never had them.

Yet, what fault did Qin Xiao have? Why should he blame himself?

Everyone has their own unavoidable reasons.

Chu Jiubian disliked seeing Qin Xiao like this—his compassion and sincerity made Chu Jiubian feel even more different from him.

He didn’t like this feeling.

It made him feel... unworthy of standing beside someone as vibrant as Qin Xiao.

His first instinct was to pull away.

But when he looked up and saw Qin Xiao’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to abandon him there.

As he hesitated, he suddenly felt an arm wrap around his waist, and a deep, low voice sounded in his ear: "Pardon the intrusion."

Chu Jiubian froze. The next moment, he was swept off his feet in a firm hold around his waist.

His legs went weak instantly.

Instinctively, he clung tightly to the man’s neck, burying his face against his chest.

The procession for the honor parade would first pass through the public streets of the East Market, then circle through the busiest and most bustling streets of the West Market, finally stopping at Qingyun Tower.

This process would take a long time, likely not ending until evening.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao weren’t in any hurry; they only had to wait at Qingyun Tower.

So Chu Jiubian didn’t understand why Qin Xiao was "whisking him through the air"—there was no need to hurry.

Besides, in the middle of the day, dressed in their dark purple official robes, what if they were seen?

But Chu Jiubian didn’t speak, nor did he lift his head.

Just like that night when Qin Xiao carried him through the city, waves of weightlessness kept hitting him, his heart racing with each movement.

Back then, Chu Jiubian had buried his face against the man’s neck, his mind empty of everything else—only the sound of the wind whistling past his ears, the wild pounding of his heart with each leap, and the warm, solid, muscular frame of the man beneath him.

And now, there was another sound in his ears—

Qin Xiao’s heartbeat.

Pounding heavily and fast.

Suddenly, the wind in his ears quieted, and the weightlessness faded.

Chu Jiubian drew back a little from Qin Xiao’s embrace and realized they had arrived in an unfamiliar courtyard.

But Qin Xiao didn’t stop, carrying him straight into the main house of the courtyard, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Chu Jiubian: "?"

The door closed behind them, and Qin Xiao finally let him down.

But what followed was a crushing embrace from the man and a fierce, sudden kiss.