From CEO to Concubine-Chapter 222: Little Truths

"...atchoo!"

Beyond the smoke rising from the steamy waters of the beautiful bathing pool of Aiyun Palace, through the hazy veil of tantalising crimson silks that fluttered down from the ceiling to flirt with the clear waters beneath, a pale, slender beauty let out a rather unbeauteous sneeze.

By his side, his ever-faithful servant knelt, soaking a hot towel to prop on his head. This young eunuch took to his task with all the severity of a Taoist priest creating a talisman that could ward off the evil chill.

"Master, you’re going to take ill at this rate." The admonishment in Xiao De’s tone was only rivalled by his worry.

Yan Zheyun tilted his head back until it rested against the cool, sculpted marble (1). He brought a hand up to rub at his temples, uncertain whether the throbbing headache that had commenced shortly after he’d left Liu An’s palace had more to do with the dilemma the little prince had created for him or his Lin Daiyu (2) disposition.

"Did you get the chance to speak to His Majesty directly when reporting the incident?" he asked tiredly.

Xiao De shook his head. "His Majesty was preoccupied with receiving his cabinet ministers. I only managed to speak to Head Eunuch Cao."

"..mm. I will need to have a word with your brother later on."

"This servant will be sure to bring him over."

Yan Zheyun stared vacantly up at the resplendent ceiling, his eyes trailing over the paintings depicting poetic scenes without really processing. It was far from his first time seeing them but he was usually accompanied in this pool by Liu Yao and otherwise too distracted by pressing matters to appreciate art. Today, he was preoccupied with a different problem.

His thoughts flew back to his conversation with Liu An. He supposed the biggest redeeming factor of the entire situation was that the little prince had at the very least enough presence of mind to wait until they had been alone in his study before falling to his knees in front of Yan Zheyun to perform a full kowtow.

"This student has disappointed Teacher."

The young boy’s sudden display of maturity wasn’t so much of a slap to the face because Yan Zheyun’d had some forewarning. Nevertheless, it did give rise to some complicated feelings that still warred within him.

"This palace daren’t claim the honour," Yan Zheyun had replied neutrally. To avoid hurting Liu An’s feelings, he sidestepped the kowtow by walking over to a nearby tea table to prepare them both a strong cup. That had been sorely needed to wash down the foul medicinal concoction the harried imperial physicians had made them both drink. Yan Zheyun had also forced Liu An to change into dry attire as soon as possible but there had been none suitable for a grown man of noble status in the vicinity. Yan Zheyun had dripped water all over the carpeted floors and ordinarily, the servants would have been fawning over him with almost overbearing zeal. But today, Liu An’s entourage was under arrest and Yan Zheyun’s could sense a palpable tension in the room. Wisely, they had heeded the command to step outside, shutting the doors cautiously behind them like they were guarding the most precious of secrets.

"A day as a teacher is a lifetime as a father (3)."

Yan Zheyun had raised his eyebrow at that. "The boy can be taught (4)." The Liu An he’d spent months patiently going through lesson materials with over and over again was much slower, far less glib, and far less patient. He’d been fantastic at acting like a child, at inviting pampering and mollycoddling. Similarly, he had concealed his perseverance, his mettle, his strength, so much so that Yan Zheyun had worried that he was not suited for the throne. Liu An had been such a natural that Yan Zheyun had seen him more like a baby brother than a student, a sentiment that he’d believed Liu An had shared; he’d never once addressed Yan Zheyun as ’Teacher’ before.

As though sensing the unspoken reproach, Liu An had visibly shrunk in on himself but his gaze remained steadily trained at a respectful height as he’d said, not without a hint of stubborn determination, "This student wishes to apologise for my wrongdoing."

"And what is this wrongdoing you speak of?"

The boy’s lips had flattened, his unease growing under Yan Zheyun’s steely watch. He’d adjusted his kneel to face Yan Zheyun directly and that time, Yan Zheyun hadn’t shifted away.

"Confucius says, ’A son and brother ought to be filial at home, ought to be fraternal outside, mind his speech and be worthy of trust, forge relations with the benevolent. Only when he has achieved all of this, can he apply himself to his studies’. This student was unfilial, untruthful, and as such, undeserving of Teacher’s cultivation."

The pause following Liu An’s explanation had stretched for what felt like infinity. At last, Yan Zheyun had put down his tea and sighed.

"If Your Highness were of any other status, this teacher would have accepted your bow."

Liu An’s smooth little brow had furrowed. It was such a foreign expression on a familiar face that Yan Zheyun had felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.

"Why should it be any different just because this student is a prince?"

"Is that what Your Highness truly thinks? That you’re just a prince?"

It had become Liu An’s turn to fall quiet.

There had been no point in beating around the bush after that.

"Your royal big brother has had three teachers in his life, the grand preceptor, the grand tutor, and the grand protector. One of them, he’d had sent to the execution block. The remaining two might be alive and well but in the event of a disagreement between Your royal big brother and them, who do you think should apologise?"

Liu An’s fists had clenched and unclenched over his knees as he’d ruminated on the question.

"Big Brother...if he’s in the wrong..."

Yan Zheyun had shaken his head. "Whether it be Grand Preceptor Du or Grand Tutor Lu, they would go out of their way to provide your big brother with a flight of stairs (5) to avoid your big brother having to admit to a mistake and apologise to them. Do you know why Grand Protector Li had to die?" Without waiting for a response, he had carried on. "Because if your big brother was in the wrong, Grand Protector Li would have held it over his head, used it as collateral to force his hand and give in to unreasonable demands."

Fury had flashed in Liu An’s eyes. "How dare he!" the little boy had exclaimed, some of his usual spirit finally returning.

"Exactly. How dare he." Yan Zheyun had looked Liu An straight in the eye then. "Now, knowing what you know, and now that this teacher is aware that you know a lot more than you let on, please allow me to say once more, that I daren’t claim the honour of accepting your bow."

Liu An had revealed his biggest secret to Yan Zheyun. Yan Zheyun could respect that by being honest in return. It was lonely at the top and Liu An would have to get used to it the same way Liu Yao did.

After a long pause, during which the tears that had swum in Liu An’s eyes brightened up with genuineness, Liu An mumbled, "Liu An understands what is expected of me...but Big Brother Yan...you’re both family to me." The words had come out with much difficulty, like there was a lump lodged in their path, and Yan Zheyun could see how the boy’s hands trembled in a way that probably had nothing to do with the cold.

Yan Zheyun had sighed and placed a hand on his head. "This big brother is soggy at the moment," he’d said, gesturing deprecatingly at his damp attire. "I’ll give you a hug later, all right?" He’d met Liu An’s hopeful gaze with a reassuring one of his own. The little prince might be quite the polished actor but that didn’t mean they ought to love him any less. Rather, it was hard not to feel guilty for being unable to provide an environment where he felt safe enough to be himself.

A warm hand grasped Yan Zheyun’s chin gently, breaking him out of his reflection.

"How much longer is this sovereign’s zitong going to stew in here?" Strong, elegant fingers tilted Yan Zheyun’s head back to rest as a hot mouth slotted itself over his own, perfectly soft and with just the right amount of insistence that Yan Zheyun’s troubled thoughts hastened to school themselves into a peaceful silence. At some point, Xiao De had left and Liu Yao had taken his place, still clad in his formal court attire, although the heavy crown that weighed upon his head was missing, presumably tossed on the corner of his desk with such pointed negligence that it never failed to stress poor Head Eunuch Cao out.

Despite himself, Yan Zheyun felt the corners of his mouth lifting as Liu Yao’s lips caressed his with gentle, teasing nips. He forced it back down even as he raised a hand to cup the back of Liu Yao’s neck, holding him in place for a proper, firm kiss.

"Isn’t that the whole point of these baths?" he panted out, once they finally parted. Liu Yao’s face was handsome even upside down and Yan Zheyun couldn’t tell whether it was because he was just biased or because Liu Yao could withstand even the punishing ’death angle’ of poorly-taken selfies. "To boil myself to just the right amount of tenderness so that Your Majesty can enjoy a delicious meal after?"

There was a divan in the background that they often frequented when their shared baths became just a bit too steamy. Sex in an oversized tub might be kinky in fiction but Yan Zheyun had quickly realised that in reality, he had the rather embarrassing tendency to get light-headed once his body heated up past a certain temperature and Liu Yao didn’t quite have somnophillic tendencies so it did quite ruin the mood that one time he wilted away into a dead faint and woke up in the dragon bed with a cooled towel on his forehead and a couple of very embarrassed imperial physicians tactfully advising His Majesty to, er, tone it down a little.

Today, however, Liu Yao didn’t seem ready to initiate any further intimacy. Instead, he tucked Yan Zheyun’s hair behind his ears and planted a kiss on his forehead, soft with apology. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell Ah Yun about that little rascal earlier."

Yan Zheyun shook his head. "I know why you didn’t."

"Mm. Be that as it may, it’s understandable for you to feel hurt regardless." Liu Yao sighed. "A secret is a secret. But I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to affect your interaction with Number Nine. Ever since his mother died, he’s had few opportunities to form a genuine bond with anyone and I could tell that you felt for him like he was your actual kin."

Yan Zheyun caught Liu Yao’s hand and pressed the back of it to his cheek. "I know," he repeated. "You’re right, I wouldn’t have been able to hide that I knew the truth and watch him continue to act in front of me. This way is..." he breathed out heavily and closed his eyes. "Less awkward. More shocking, but ultimately less painful for all of us involved."

"I do not doubt that he loves you," Liu Yao said. "Just as I do not doubt that his arithmetic is as abysmal as you think it is."

Quiet laughter escaped from Yan Zheyun’s lips. "I’m not sure that’s as comforting as you intend for it to be."

"At least, Ah Yun is more comfortable with our plan now?"

Yan Zheyun sank deeper into the water, allowing Liu Yao’s hands to prop him up in a safe, cosy cradle. Ever since he’d regained all his memories, he’d often felt himself torn in all directions. Liu An had been but a toddler when his life as Ziyu had met an abrupt end. He hadn’t known the boy well back then and had gone on to experience the modern 21st century with all the liberties it took for granted. Now, it was hard to hold Liu An to the same standards that everyone else in this world, including his beloved older brother, would.

"I have more confidence that he would be a good crown prince," was his wry answer. "Is that satisfactory?"

Liu Yao’s smile was morose but not by much. They were both aware that this was the only way they would all survive the upcoming clash. If Liu An didn’t succeed to the throne, whoever did was not going to allow him to live to adulthood. As his big brothers, all they could do was smooth the path out for him so that even if he stumbled and fell multiple times on the rocky climb to the top, it would hurt less. Just little enough that he would still have the grit to forge on.