Standing in the corner, Xue De remained silent, though his mind raced with questions his tongue dared not ask.
The investigation proved that the 'rot' was not contagious. Yet despite that, His Majesty ordered Lord Yue sealed in a coffin.
Was it resentment? Did the Emperor hate the son because of the father?
He sighed, shaking his head at the cruel fate of Lord Yue Jingyuan.
But no one knew that in his own twisted way, the Emperor had granted Jingyuan exactly what he longed for.
By sealing him in the coffin, he had pulled him from the web of schemes, house of betrayal and blood-filled battlefields, giving him one thing that any common man takes for granted—a day of undisturbed rest and dreamless sleep.
.......
The meat on top of Yase's bowl sat untouched, and the rice inside had long since gone cold. The low fire on the ground reflected the shadow behind him.
Sitting on the edge of the carriage, Lord Yue had his legs dangling freely. Holding the rich, delicious meat, he forgot etiquette and aggressively tore into the flesh with his teeth, driven by the insatiable hunger of the rot.
To him, the sight was more alluring than any wonder of nature.
Usually, Yase lived for this proximity and would be content with looking at the Lord's shadow. But today, a bitter taste lingered in his mouth as he stared at that shadow. Lady Mei Lanying's words stirred a strange emotion deep in his chest. She spoke of Lord Yue not as a masterpiece or a monster, but as a companion she truly knew.
It was a closeness that he, a mere gravekeeper who had never dared to look into those silver eyes, could never claim.
He let out a long, weary sigh and took a sip from the wine he bought in Luan. He felt his throat burn at the taste, his frown deepening before he found his voice.
"My Lord."
Lord Yue ceased his movement, his attention turning to the man sitting on the ground with his back to him. He waited, but when the silence stretched too long, he rasped, "Speak."
"Does my Lord know Lady Mei Lanying?" Yase asked, the words escaping his mouth before he could stop them. He immediately bit his tongue.
The audacity. A mere gravekeeper had no right to pry into his lord's private life. Just as he opened his mouth to stammer an apology, Lord Yue let out a thoughtful hum.
"Mei Lanying? Never heard of that name before." The Lord answered nonchalantly before returning to his meal.
He spoke as if Lady Mei were just one among the thousands of faces he had passed on the street, completely oblivious to the way Yase's heart hammered in relief.
Yase took another sip from the bottle, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Lady Mei worked as a top courtesan in the Pear Blossom Pleasure House. She found us in Luan," he continued, his voice low and hoarse from the wine.
"Lady Mei is very protective of your name, my Lord, and she gave me words to deliver once you woke."
Lord Yue's movements slowed. He did not remember the name Mei Lanying, but the Pear Blossom Pleasure House was not unheard of. It was the most popular brothel in the capital and also a den for many secret dealings.
Now that Yase mentioned it, he did recall a top courtesan. He had once accepted a minister's 'hospitality' only to gain access to the brothel's restricted wings. He had stayed just long enough to lull the minister's guards into a false sense of security before swapping with his double and slipping away to complete his true mission.
Lord Yue paused, the hunger of the rot momentarily replaced by human curiosity. It felt strange—that a courtesan he had barely exchanged a few words with now stood as a sentry to his honor. He remembered the day. The room had been thick with the scent of incense, meant to stir any man's desire.
But he, a man long exposed to such lures, possessed a better control over it. Moreover, behind that woman's brave and flirty demeanor he saw a frantic fear and bitter sting of humiliation. So he offered his help if she wished to leave the pleasure house. But before he could exchange a few more words, his double arrived and switched the place.
When he left, he had sent his word to his people to take care of her. To him it was one among hundred in his line of duties. But who knows, his fleeting moment of pity would be the very thing that ensured his honor was guarded even after the world wrote him off as a corpse.
"What did she say?" Lord Yue asked, his silver eyes resting briefly on the gravekeeper's back before flickering toward the burning flame.
Yase tossed another log into the fire, ensuring the chill did not reach his lord. By now, they should have reached Shilin Town, but their encounter with Lady Mei had delayed the journey, and he had chosen to stop at the outskirts of Luan.
Thanks to Lady Mei's people, they had enough to fill their stomachs for the night.
"I became neither silk nor the blade that cuts it. I became the stain that refused to wash away."
Lord Yue froze. His chewing stopped completely. He remained still, processing Yase's words.
When the sound of chewing ceased, Yase was about to turn his head, but the silence was suddenly shattered.
His ears tingled, then burned, eventually turning red like cherries beneath his unkempt hair.
Amidst the dense shrubs on Luan's outskirts, only Yase, the weary horse, and the unwavering night breeze bore witness to the rich, beautiful, melodious laughter of Lord Yue—
a sound far too alive for a man meant to rest in a coffin.