1.16: Under the cherry blossom rain

That night, Bai Yu came back from the banquet with complicated thoughts in his mind.

He was still at a loss at the sudden revelation about his relation with the general. So the first thing he did after coming back was...

"Little Star, how's your work as a spy going on? Found anything interesting?"

Sitting on a round back wooden chair, Bai Yu drank the cup of warm water that Xiao Mo prepared for him. He didn't even glance at Little Star who was sitting on the table, sleepy.

Little Star blinked twice and reacted to his question slowly. With an 'ah' sound, he reported. "Master, I've been keeping my eyes on the officials and nobles who are close to the third and fifth princes. Because of the small commotion caused in the court before, they have been trying their best to lay low so it's quite hard to find anything."

"Hmm," Bai Yu twirled the cup in his hand and looked at the little guy's silly yet cute sleepy face then sighed. He couldn't help but feel his heart soften for him every time. "You've worked hard. Rest for tonight. I have more work for you tomorrow."

At his words, Little Star's face brightened a little but he was too sleepy so he just answered with a muffled "Yes, master!" then went into rest mode.

Shaking his head, Bai Yu smiled helplessly then set the cup down on the table. His smile slowly faded away.

With the matters now in its current state, he could slowly but steadily chip away the support the two princes had in the court but that wouldn't mean he'd get any supporters by doing that. He didn't need to have many followers but just one with both power and status would be enough as more will follow on their own after. And his most qualified candidate was none other than the young general, Qin Feng.

But the matters have become a bit complicated after what he had discovered in the banquet.

How come his plans were going so smoothly this time? Was this just a coincidence?

But then remembering what Qin Feng said right before he left the banquet...

["If your highness needs any help in the future, please remember to look for me. I will definitely be of great help."]

Although it sounded like he was just being polite, his intention was clear to him.

But why would he want to help him? Even with the excuse of being relatives, they weren't close enough. And wasn't the general known as someone very loyal to the throne and forever neutral? I was even planning to scheme against him or blackmail him somehow to become my follower in case he didn't accept my proposal...

No matter how he thought about it, he still couldn't understand what was going through that man's head. So he just sighed and set it aside for now.

Since he had presented himaelf to his doorsteps on his own accord, he wasn't foolish enough to reject this offer that was clearly full of advantages for him. Even if something did go wrong later, it wouldn't matter as he would've already completed the task.

Right, everything's going as it should so there's no point in worrying about it so much.

He must now focus on the hidden task and get more clues about the 'truth'.

He had a hunch that it was somehow related to the late empress' death but that needed further investigations to prove this conjecture. From tomorrow, Little Star will have more work on his plate.

Thinking about this, He lit up a candle for Little Star.

'Little Star, fighting.'

....

The next day, Little Star, who had woken up fully refreshed and energised, was shocked to hear that Qin Feng and Long Ji Wei were actually cousin brothers! He had completely missed out this important information during his investigation of the story plot. It was really a shame on his name as a hardworking and diligent system!

When Bai Yu saw how devastated he looked, he consoled him by giving him more work to do with the mindset of working harder to not repeat this small mistake again.

The simple-minded Little Star was touched by his host's 'kindness' and quickly gathered up his determination and swore to work harder and never do such mistakes again.

Bai Yu:...Too simple ah.

Now with the matter settled for the time being, Bai Yu spent his days leisurely with some constant 'night visits' by a certain general in the name of 'deepening their brotherly love' and 'keeping him company in his recuperation'. As they spent their days interacting with each other, they gradually formed a sense of understanding and were already 'good friends', at least for Bai Yu.

He had to admit that the rumours about the general's brilliance and strength wasn't a bit exaggerated. He had both brains and brawn as well as power and wealth. He was the best choice among all the important figures in the nation. If he could have him pledge his loyalty to him then everything else would be easy as a cake.

While Bai Yu was being happy with the smooth development of his plans, Qin Feng was also quite delighted with their growing affection but as days passed and he spent more time with Bai Yu, he slowly discovered that his feelings for him weren't quite right.

Whenever he was with Bai Yu, his heart would beat faster and his eyes would involuntarily follow his every gestures as if completely enchanted by his extraordinary charms. He only had some doubts at first but he came to finally admit that the affection he felt towards Bai Yu had long crossed the line of brotherly love or friendship. It came to him so suddenly that he was caught off guard and had to stop visiting Bai Yu for a while to think over his feelings carefully.

Bai Yu also noticed the sudden change in Qin Feng's frequent visits but he didn't think much of it and just thought that he was busy with his matters as the general. His plan was going very smoothly and he had even gained some supporters with the help of Qin Feng's meddling as well as his own machinations. Little Star was also working hard and had even gained some faint clues about the hidden task.

Just as everything was peaceful and relaxing, Bai Yu was greeted with the arrival of a person whom he had nearly forgotten in his mind.

"Wang ye, Long Huo is back!"

The first thing in the morning he saw was an excited Xiao Mo who could barely suppress the happiness and relief in his voice. Startled by his shout, Bai Yu, who had just finished dressing up and was still in a bit of a daze from just waking up, nearly jumped from his spot in shock.

Realising his mistake, Xiao Mo gasped and apologised to him incessantly making him not know whether to laugh or cry.

Bai Yu calmly and patiently pacified the agitated and apologetic Xiao Mo. He finally noticed that there was an additional man standing at the door separated by the curtain. He could somehow feel that the man was staring at him through the curtain but he simply erased that strange feeling.

Turning to Xiao Mo again, he asked in a low voice. "Did someone come?"

Xiao Mo finally realised that he had forgotten his true purpose in coming here for a moment and hurriedly answered. "Right, wang ye! I came here to notify you that Long Huo has finally come back safely! He is waiting outside for your permission to get in."

So that silhouette is Long Huo's?

Bai Yu glanced at the door again and said, "Let him come in."

"Yes, wang ye!" Xiao Mo happily went back to tell Long Huo to get in and stayed outside to stand guard.

Soon after, the sound of the man's footsteps got closer and the curtain separating the two was lifted by a hand. What came in Bai Yu's sight was a tall handsome man dressed in black. His hair was tied up in a high ponytail with his bangs resting softly on his cheeks. Half of his face was hidden by a golden mask but it only made him look mysteriously attractive. His dark eyes that occasionally shined a shade of green in the light were looking at Bai Yu with deep emotions that could make anyone who saw it drown in its depth while his thin lips were curved into a warm smile.

Long Huo opened his mouth and finally called out in a soft voice. "...Wang ye, I have returned."

Saying that, he knelt down on one knee and looked at him with a gentle gaze that hid deep affection and longing inside.

Since the moment he stepped inside and showed up before him, Bai Yu had fallen into a daze. When his eyes fell upon his face, he felt a deep sense of familiarity as if he had known him for a very long time. His heart clenched and then started to pound in his chest, overflowing with a very strange bittersweet feeling. It came to him so overwhelmingly that he couldn't react until the other had already knelt down before him.

With a palpitating heart, Bai Yu met his eyes full of longing and felt his breathing stop for a second. With slightly trembling lips, he tried to remain calm as he opened his mouth to speak. "...It's good that you have returned safely."

A bright smile, that seemed to light up the whole room, bloomed on the man's face. He, almost in a worshipping manner, took Bai Yu's hand and kissed the back in a nearly devout way. Bai Yu almost couldn't keep his calm facade as he felt his heart beat faster and his ears flushed into a light pink without his awareness.

"Wang ye, I have brought back the medicinal herb as I had promised. I can finally cure the poison that had been troubling you for so long." His voice filled with affection, Long Huo took out a porcelain bottle from his chest pocket and handed it over with both hands.

Bai Yu finally came to himself and looked at the porcelain bottle on the other's hands. Little Star, who was silently scrutinising the man, quickly scanned the bottle and nodded at him, indicating that it was indeed the antidote for the snow-lotus poison.

At his confirmation, Bai Yu accepted the bottle as he showed a deeply moved yet keeping calm look on his face and said, "You have worked hard. Long Huo, thank you."

Receiving his praise, Long Huo smiled brightly like a child who got his candy. Bai Yu almost had an illusion of him wagging his tail excitedly like a dog which made him smile unconsciously.

"Wang ye, you do not have to thank me. I only did it because I don't want to see you suffer anymore. Because of the poison, you had to go through so much pain and couldn't show your true brilliance to the world, and had to endure the disdainful looks from those bastards outside. I just want to see you happy, that's all."

Hearing his sincere confession, Bai Yu felt his heart, that he had barely calmed down, get stirred up again. This overwhelming emotion didn't belong to Long Ji Wei but instead Bai Yu, himself. He had no doubt about it.

The person whom he had been looking for all this time, the only person who could move his heart and long for him, he had finally found him.

And that person was now right before him, kneeling on his knee with overflowing tenderness and love in his gentle eyes as his eyes only held him(BY) inside.

Bai Yu finally smiled gently after determining several times in his heart that this wasn't just a delusion of his.

'Finally...I found you.'