Langhua: The Codependence of a Prince and His General

Xuanyuan Yao

The nondescript carriage stopped outside the large crimson doors. When the guards looked up, Xuanyuan Lang flashed his insignia as proof of his identity. Any other doubts the guards might have had were quickly quelled at the sight of their drunken master. After that, Hua Yuheng helped Xuanyuan Lang carry Xuanyuan Yao through the doors of the Second Prince's residence.

Along the way, they rejected any help from the flustered servants who ran over in response to the whispered commotion. Xuanyuan Yao was still delirious, and Xuanyuan Lang did not want anyone else to overhear his drunken murmurs. The consequences of this incident would likely be disastrous enough as-is.

As a favored imperial prince who had come of age and who had a family of his own, Xuanyuan Yao had a residence outside the imperial palace. It would not be appropriate for Hua Yuheng to go in any further into the inner chambers, so he had to reluctantly leave the whole burden to Xuanyuan Lang at the door. The Seventh Prince grunted under the weight, but he was determined not to fall flat on his face and embarrass himself.

Step by step, he carried Xuanyuan Yao to the latter's room.

Xuanyuan Yao's concubines gasped when they saw the brothers and tried to take their husband from Xuanyuan Lang. He turned them away with a hard look. Xuanyuan Yao no longer smelled so strongly of alcohol and perfume, but there was nevertheless no need for them to see him in such a state.

Once Xuanyuan Lang settled Xuanyuan Yao in his room, the youngest prince took a seat by the bed and waited in silence. It was almost sundown.

By the time he finished lighting the lamps in the chambers, he turned around to see Xuanyuan Yao looking at him, eyes weary but alert.

"Are you feeling better, Second Brother?" Xuanyuan Lang calmly took a seat. "I understand you would rather be alone right now, but it's been a long time since we've talked like this."

And if this matter was raised to the imperial court tomorrow, they might not get another chance in the near future.

"...It seems I've shown you an embarrassing side of myself." Xuanyuan Yao raised a hand with some difficulty and put it over his eyes. "Thank you for escorting me back."

"Don't mention it." Xuanyuan Lang poured out a cup of tea from the set one of the maids had brought in. "Have some tea. It'll help alleviate the inevitable hangover."

After a moment, the Second Prince reluctantly sat up while Xuanyuan Lang continued,

"You knew it was a trap, didn't you? So why did you walk into it?"

Xuanyuan Yao's hands paused slightly before he accepted the cup. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Has anyone told you you're a bad liar, Second Brother?" Xuanyuan Lang never thought he would see the day when he passed the Empress' words to him over to someone else, but it truly seemed as though Xuanyuan Yao had not improved much in the years since. It was quite impressive, in its own way.

"What are you getting at?" Xuanyuan Yao put the cup down on his bedside drawer after he drained it. His voice sounded unbelievably weary. "I'm tired, Seventh Brother. I'm not in the mood for riddles and games."

"Fair enough." Xuanyuan Lang laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them. "Then I'll get to the point. Three years ago, why didn't you tell the Noble Consort about my letter?"

It was a long time ago, but Xuanyuan Lang had not forgotten. After that incident, his relationship with Xuanyuan Yao had gone from relative apathy to frosty hostility, so he had not had the chance to ask. Now was as good a time as any.

Xuanyuan Yao frowned. "What letter?"

"Don't you remember? I received a letter from Master Hua, and you threatened to burn it. Later, our correspondence was used to frame General Hua, eventually culminating in Ding Jin's death as well."

Xuanyuan Yao stiffened when Xuanyuan Lang said Ding Jin's name. The latter was watching him carefully, so he did not miss the flash of emotion in Xuanyuan Yao's eyes.

"Your mother the Noble Consort was undoubtedly involved in the ploy, but you were not the one who told her about the letter, were you? It was First Brother instead."

"Nonsense," Xuanyuan said, his voice chilly. "Of course I did it. Like you said, my mother was behind the whole thing. Why wouldn't I help her?"

Yet a moment ago, he did not seem to remember a thing.

Xuanyuan Lang looked at Xuanyuan Yao fixedly, reading every shift in his expression. After a while, he sighed and stood up.

"If that is where you choose to stand, Second Brother. I'll take my leave now, you should rest early and try to recover as much as you can."

He was most likely going to need that energy for tomorrow. No matter how discrete Xuanyuan Lang had tried to be, he did not doubt that news of Xuanyuan Yao's unbecoming behavior at the brothel had spread.

Xuanyuan Lang had been in the center of a public trial like that before, with his reputation and innocence on the line. He had started on his knees in the middle of the imperial court and gradually climbed his way up, such that he would be able to attend the session tomorrow less than a dozen paces away from the throne. But Xuanyuan Yao was different.

The higher they climb, huh.

When Xuanyuan Lang returned to the carriage, he found Hua Yuheng sleeping inside.

"Ah Heng?"

"The Young Master has not been getting much sleep lately," the carriage driver said suddenly. "He has been spending his days busying himself with investigations and preparations for the succession war, so he has had to burn the midnight oil for his studies."

Now that he mentioned it, Xuanyuan Lang could see the dark circles under Hua Yuheng's eyes. Had he been too occupied with recent matters to notice before? Xuanyuan Lang swept the hair away from Hua Yuheng's face and took off his coat, carefully tucking it around the sleeping boy.

The nights were getting colder.

After he drew the curtains and closed the carriage door, he turned to look at the driver again. It seemed that this servant had been paying close attention to Ah Heng's habits. "I haven't seen you before, have I?"

Now that Xuanyuan Lang had a closer look, he realized that the carriage driver was younger than he had first thought. The man was probably slightly under twenty years old, his limbs long and lanky. There was something unassuming about his features—He was not exactly plain, per se. One could even call him fairly pleasant to behold. But he was just another face that could easily be lost in a crowd.

When Xuanyuan Lang addressed him, he lowered his eyes and bowed. His posture was similarly unexceptional, neither atrocious nor outstanding. At the very least, he would not embarrass his master. "No, Your Highness. I am Jiang Cong, Young Master Hua's new retainer. I've only been working with him for a few days, so perhaps my master had not found the time to inform you yet."

Xuanyuan Lang's eyes narrowed. The man knew his place well, and he seemed to have a good grasp of Xuanyuan Lang's relationship with Hua Yuheng. For some reason, that irked him.

"It's getting cold. Send your master back at once, and if he tries to study tonight, tell him he'll have to answer to me in the morning."

"Yes, Your Highness."

As Xuanyuan Lang watched the carriage drive away into the night, he recalled what Hua Yuheng had said earlier that day about building up forces of his own. Was Jiang Cong part of this initiative as well? Add that to the storm clouds that had already gathered around Xuanyuan Yao, threatening to unleash their fury on him in court tomorrow...

Xuanyuan Lang clenched his hands into fists.

The cogs were already turning. Perhaps it was time for him to act as well.