We won’t let you go.

On the bed, Ji Yue put his hands behind his head on the pillow and recalled the scene of fighting with the man in black on the roof over and over again. 

His opponent’s every attack and every move.

He had already ordered a thorough investigation, but if the person could escape from him, there was no way that his palace guards would find anything.

What bothered him most was the debris found in Wei Lian’s room.

Wei Lian did not know light movement skills. He even carried the young man up to the Zhaixing Tower, who was too afraid to open his eyes.

How could he be the same man in black who fought with him, exchanged countless moves on the roof…

Ji Yue did not dare to believe, but he had to believe.

He was too familiar with Wei Lian.

He hugged him, kissed him, helped each other, slept together, and did even more intimate things.

He should know this.

He actually…knew this.

But he just refused to believe it for the moment.

The most hurtful thing was the deception from his most beloved. Ji Yue tried to give out his heart for the very first time in his life, but now he could not determine how much real or fake feeling he received in return, and he did not know how many sweet moments in the past were just acting. This impact was inevitably hard to take in. 

Complex feelings haunted his heart and mind, as they swirled around and around. Ji Yue turned to his side, feeling more irritated. 

If Wei Lian was really the man in black…

He thought carefully and found that what invaded his heart the most was not anger or disappointment, but concern and self-blame. 

If Wei Lian was really the assassin, how much pain was he in right now from his injuries?

Because of the strange origin of those wounds, Wei Lian could not summon an imperial physician to get them treated. He would need to endure the pain himself.

How could he stand this!

Ji Yue immediately sat up, not feeling the slightest drowsiness. 

As long as the thought that Wei Lian was suffering now and alone plagued his mind, Ji Yue would continue to feel like he was dying inside.

How could he…hurt Wei Lian?

Ji Yue removed the quilt over him, put on his robe and planned to visit the other to have a look.

When he came to the door, he suddenly stopped himself and calmed down, placing his hand on the door frame.

No, he could not go.

Wei Lian did not want him to know.

Wei Lian had been keeping this from him. The younger man must not want him to know. If he were to go now, Wei Lian could only endure the pain and pretend like everything was all right, asking him why he came back.

Just like before.

If he recklessly sought the truth from the other directly, would Wei Lian…

Not want him anymore?

Ji Yue put his hand down and listlessly turned back inside.

Returning back under the quilt, he lowered his eyes to quietly reorganise his thoughts. 

As a smart individual, he could figure out the reason behind Wei Lian’s action. It was not difficult to guess what Wei Lian was thinking from putting him in the other’s shoes. 

After a long silence, Ji Yue came up the following points—

1. Wei Lian is a very powerful martial artist, one that is no less inferior than himself. 
2. Wei Lian has always left himself room for manoeuvre and could leave at any given time.
3. If Wei Lian wanted to leave, Ji Yue could not stop him. 
4. If the truth was out, Wei Lian may leave.
5. He could not bear the possibility that Wei Lian would leave, even one in ten thousand.

Conclusion: He should pretend not to know. 

All right, after thinking, time to sleep.

Ji Yue lay back down again.

Before sitting up again in a flash.

No, Wei Lian had not been treated yet!

He is hurt!!

Wei Xiao Lian must be piteously and helplessly licking his wounds alone right now!!!

Ji Yue wished he could move the whole imperial medical centre to Wei Lian, but he did not have a reason.

If the imperial physicians were summoned to treat Wei Lian, would it not just be telling Wei Lian that he already knew his secret that he worked so hard to conceal?

Ji Yue pondered for a moment and came up with a brilliant plan.

“Shou Feng朔風 North wind. .” Ji Yue called.

A dark shadow appeared before Ji Yue and half knelt on the ground. “Master.”

All the emperors of the dynasty had a division of shadow guards, which was specifically responsible for doing tasks for the emperor that had to be done in the dark. They were also responsible for protecting their Master’s personal safety as well.

Like today’s assassin. The shadow guard was supposed to take action in theory. However, because Ji Yue and Wei Lian’s light movement skills were superior, none of the shadow guards could keep up…

“Go and pretend to be an assassin.” Ji Yue ordered.

Shuo Feng: “?”

Shouldn’t they, the shadow guard, be catching the assassin?

What did it mean to pretend to be an assassin?

“You just need to appear near Zhongling Palace and be noticed by the imperial guards. Let people think and know that you hurt Wei Lian. Cause enough racket.” After Ji Yue finished his order, he added, “But you cannot really hurt him, and you are not to be caught. Otherwise, we can’t guarantee your safety.”

Then he had the reason to summon the imperial physician to Wei Lian, it was perfect.

Shou Feng: “...?”

This had to be the strangest order he had ever received.

But the first rule of the shadow guard’s code was absolute obedience, so he did not ask for more details and took the order with, “Understood.”

* * * 

In Zhongling Palace, Wei Lian was applying medicine on his wound. When suddenly he heard a loud shout of,  “Catch that assassin” outside and paused. 

Assassin…did they mean him?

“The assassin went that way!”

Wei Lian’s eyes darkened when he heard the sound.

There were other assassins tonight?

Hearing the sounds getting closer and closer, it seemed to be coming in his direction. Wei Lian focused and planned. 

He quickly put away the bloody bandages back into the medicine box, hid it under the bed and made fresh wounds on his leg and neck.

He could not only be injured on his right shoulder and left arm, it would only cause Ji Yue to suspect. 

Only when he had other injuries would the other believe it was caused from this encounter.

Wei Lian actually never expected that Ji Yue would figure everything out and specially arrange for someone to stage this play, just to find a reason to send the imperial physicians his way. This operation was too miraculous for Wei Lian to think of it. 

Wei Lian was at his limit but would adapt to the situation, using what was available to use this assassin to clear his name.

If this was not Ji Yue’s doing, then Wei Lian’s plan to frame the other would have been perfect. 

As soon as Wei Lian finished hurting himself, Shuo Feng dressed in night clothes broke through the door and was slightly surprised to see Wei Lian already with blood stains on the bed. When a group of imperial guards followed in closely behind the assassin, they saw their target jump out of the window and escape. 

One of them saw Wei Lian was covered in blood and was shocked, “Not good! Gongzi is injured!”

“Send words to the physician!”

In the middle of the night, Physician Wang and Physician Xu, who were forced out from their beds, rushed in immediately.

Wei Lian: “...”

Why did he keep thinking things went too well?

* * *

Inside of Yangxin Palace Hall…

“Master, the task is completed.” Shuo Feng reported, cupping his fist.

Ji Yue stood in front of the window and whispered, “When you saw him…was he hurt?”

Shuo Feng respectfully replied, “Gongzi has a wound on his neck, right shoulder and left arm. The injury on his left arm looked very serious, but this subordinate clearly could not see the rest.”

Ji Yue’s hand twitched.

He closed his eyes and ordered, “You are dismissed.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Shuo Feng was gone, the whole room turned dead silent.

Ji Yue was quiet for a moment, suddenly clenched his teeth and snapped in a low tone, “Wei Lian!”

You would rather hurt yourself than let me know!

He was holding on to this fluke mentality, thinking that the man was not Wei Lian, that Wei Lian was safe and sound, and that Wei Lian would never lie to him about something like this.

Now it was certain that Wei Lian lied to him. He even preferred to add more wounds to himself rather than let him know the truth.

And the most painful thing was.

He really hurt Wei Lian.

* * *

Ji Yue looked down at his hands. It was these hands that stabbed Wei Lian’s arm and broke Wei Lian’s wrist tonight.

Wei Lian never gave a cry of pain.

The man really…could bear more than he thought.

Ji Yue laughed at himself. Without hesitation, he drew a deep line on his left arm with the short sword he had picked up, broke his arm with so much force that he dislocated the joint as well before putting it back, like he was abusing himself.

He was hit with this unbearable pain before he tossed the sword to the ground. Nothing was showing on his face.

He only felt this coldness inside.

The weak appearance from before, acting so very lifelike. 

So you are able to bear this kind of pain.

“Your Majesty, Wei Gongzi—Your Majesty! What happened to you!” Li Fuquan came in to report Wei Lian encountering the assassin. When he saw the blood flowing down from Ji Yue’s arm, he was immediately shocked and turned pale. “Physician! Call the physician!”

Fortunately, the medical centre was already on alert as the speed they came to handle Ji Yue’s injury was very quick.

It was just to be able to hurt the Emperor, this could not be overlooked. 

His Majesty had experienced many battles and was excellent in martial arts. How could a mere assassin hurt him?

“Your Ma-Majesty, what happened?” Li Fuquan was scared out of his wits.

“We met an assassin and brought him to justice.” Ji Yue said calmly, “What happened to Wei Lian?”

Li Fuquan then remembered his reason to come here, “Wei Gongzi also encountered an assassin…”

Ji Yue became quiet before getting up. “Ready our carriage.”

* * *

When Wei Lian leaned on the bed and silently accepted the treatment of the imperial physician, he saw Ji Yue rushed in.

When the imperial physician was about to salute, he was stopped by Ji Yue. “Continue to treat him.”

Wei Lian lowered his eyes. “Your Majesty.”

Ji Yue gazed at the residual bloodstains on Wei Lian’s arm and said stiffly, “Hmm.”

Ji Yue’s mood was amiss. He sat on the side and said nothing else. There was a frightful aura surrounding him. The imperial physicians bandaged their patient while trembling. During this period, every time they accidentally touched Wei Lian’s wound, the aura around Ji Yue intensified.

After they finally finished bandaging, one of the imperial physicians gave a set of advice. When he gave advice on best not to leave the bed to walk around with the leg injury, Ji Yue’s aura turned even colder. 

That’s great, Wei Lian was much crueller to himself than he first thought. 

“You are dismissed if you have nothing else to add.” Ji Yue ordered.

Faced with such heavy pressure, the imperial physicians immediately got out of there. 

Ji Yue got up once the physicians left, went to the bed and sat down, looking down at the young man.

Wei Lian’s complexion was very pale, with a bandage wrapped around his wrist and a bloody mark on his neck, it made him appear more shockingly fragile.

Especially the one wrapped around his arm. It was a devastating sight.

Ji Yue kept his head straight and held back the moisture in his eyes.

“Does it hurt?” Ji Yue suppressed his emotion and asked in a whisper, “Why don’t you know how pain feels?”

Wei Lian wanted to say something back but he suddenly saw a wound hidden under Ji Yue’s wide sleeve.

His expression changed, “What happened to your hand?”

Ji Yue mumbled, “We encountered the assassins as well.”

Wei Lian: “...”

How was this possible? He was clearly very careful and never injured Ji Yue.

Could it be the assassin from before? Someone actually had the ability to hurt the Qin Emperor?

Wei Lian said in disbelief, “There is someone in this world that could touch you?”

Ji Yue sniffed and whispered, “No need to worry. The assassin has been killed. We were just…hurt during a moment of distraction.”

Wasn’t there one before him?

Wei Lian, only you can hurt me.

Wei Lian was stunned. “Ji Yue…”

Why are you crying?

Ji Yue turned his head and avoided the topic. He looked at the white jade medicine bottle on the table, went over and poured out a pill, whispering, “It’s almost time. Take the antidote.”

Wei Lian flattened his lips.

This had always been his sore point.

Without being completely free from the poison, he did not dare to be honest with the other person.

Wei Lian suddenly asked, “How long do you plan to control me?”

This was a rare moment when he asked bluntly.

Ji Yue turned his back to Wei Lian and blinked quickly, trying to force his eyes to dry.

So you really want to leave, don’t you?

How long do you plan to lie to me?

Ji Yue did not answer.

Wei Lian, we are afraid of you.

We learned today how despicable a person we are. 

We paid you back for the injuries we caused you, we will accompany you in the pain.

But we will not hand the antidote to you.

We won’t let you go.