QT: Don't fall in love with the Male Lead

Chapter 171: Don't be hand-fed

Xi Zirui gets dresses back in his imperial robes, doing his best to look like he wasn't just fucked ten ways into next week.

Han Yu fastens the sash around his waist with harsh tugs. "To ensure you won't disassemble," he says, when Xi Zirui asks him in a hiss if it's necessary to tighten it with so much force.

"Do you want me to go too?" Han Yu asks, knowing full well that if Su Xueyi saw them both emerge out his room with wet hair his mind would combust.

Xi Zirui whispers a threatening, "Behave," and then leaves to go meet Su Xueyi outside.

It's obvious Su Xueyi is confused as to why they're talking just outside Xi Zirui's door. His suit of rooms consist of more than a bedroom, and instead is comprised of several different rooms interconnected by a courtyard and discreet sliding doors in each area.

However, Xi Zirui doesn't trust anyone to step inside in the aftermath of his and Han Yu's passionate fuck fest.

"This Emperor is feeling unwell, and apologizes to minister Su for not being able to treat him to tea," Xi Zirui says, smiling wanly at Su Xueyi, who immediately bows.

"Ah, it is this lowly servant who apologizes for disturbing His Majesty's rest," Su Xueyi says, straightening himself back up and giving Xi Zirui a discreet once-over. "Although this humble official is glad to see that His Majesty appears to be in great health." 

Xi Zirui recognizes that for the dig that it is, but only nods.

Su Xueyi clears his throat and finally makes it to the reason he decided to show up and darken Xi Zirui's doorstep. "As his Majesty knows, tensions were high, during the time his Majesty was unconscious. Now that his Majesty has made a full recovery, by the grace of the heavens, it would be good to invite high standing officials, and noble families to a feast, to celebrate such a joyous occasion."

"This Emperor is confused as to why Minister Su didn't bring this up during court earlier," Xi Zirui asks, being careful not to sound too accusing.

Of course he does know why: because it just occurred to him.

The question is why? What prompted it? Or who?

He hopes Su Xueyi will forget himself enough to let that information slip.

"This one didn't want his Majesty to feel pressured to consider this silly suggestion seriously, it's just this humble official's idea of how to bolster morale among the people."

Xi Zirui fails to see how the "people" will feel a rush of morale by the existence of a feast, none of them will be able to attend.

"A meritorious idea, this Emperor will allow the feast and will trust minister Su to make the invitation arrangements."

For one, he's curious about who Su Xueyi is going to invite.

---

The Feast won't happen for another week, which is still extremely short notice, considering many of the noble families who live in far-flung imperial territories won't be able to attend. That means Su Xueyi has his sights focused close to home.

Or that the Feast is just an excuse for something else.

In the days since they first crashed loudly and violently into bed together, Xi Zirui and Han Yu have done precious little else but fuck.

Xi Zirui has only left his room to attend court, and even then he has made sure to keep it brief. He has a few afternoon lunches with Bai Mi, who tries to pry him for more information regarding Han Yu, and which he isn't dumb enough to disclose.

All their other sisters are married off, and Bai Mi worries that her turn is coming soon.

"The timing of this feast worries me," she says, sipping her tea with a sigh while looking out at the lush greenery of Xi Zirui's private courtyard.

"Older sister won't be married off until this brother gives his permission," Xi Zirui says, trying to ease her fears. 

She shakes her head. "Imperial Mother has mentioned it more than once now. Which means it's been occupying her thoughts."

"This brother will convince Imperial Mother that all suitors are below older sister," Xi Zirui says sipping his tea lazily and looking out at Han Yu laying down on the grass, the back of his head resting on his crossed arms and his eyes closed against the wan evening sunlight.

He's thinking about how much he'd like to join him there, which is probably why he doesn't hear Bai Mi at first.

"How long will younger brother be able to keep that up?" she repeats, all the amusement gone from her voice. "Sooner or later I'll have to marry someone, a princess is too big an asset for Imperial mother to ignore."

Xi Zirui doesn't know how to convey to her that he'll make sure none of that happens, mostly because he still isn't sure how exactly he's going to do it.

As always, his attention span takes a sharp dive the moment he gets in bed with Han Yu.

Which, incidentally, is where he wishes he was, instead of having this dispiriting conversation with Bai Mi.

"It's unfair, I'll be married off to some brute and there's nothing I can do about it," she says, downing the rest of her tea.

Xi Zirui pats the back of her hand comfortingly. "That will never come to pass, this brother will have older sister taken somewhere safe before anyone can marry her to a person she doesn't want to."

"It's still not fair, I would like to make that choice for myself."

Xi Zirui chances another furtive look at Han Yu sprawled out on the grass. "So would I."

---

Bai Mi's complaints give Xi Zirui ideas. 

A few days after ruminating on them, he shares his thoughts with Han Yu.

"You think your sister facilitated my infiltration in the palace?" Han Yu asks, looking down at Xi Zirui who is lying across his legs, slowly chewing the lychee Han Yu has just fed him.

Xi Zirui swallows and nods.

Han Yu doesn't look very convinced.

"Our women are brave and cunning warriors, but all the Xin women look so dainty and breakable, as if the breeze alone could scatter their bones." He shakes his head. "This King can't see that spoiled princess masterminding anything beyond a tea party."

Xi Zirui scoffs. "Underestimate her at your own peril."

Han Yu shuts him up with another lychee.

"Do you have any of the letters your secret benefactor sent you?" Xi Zirui asks after he's done chewing the lychee.

Han Yu shakes his head in denial, as Xi Zirui feared he would.

He's referring to how Han Yu was contacted by "someone" who according to their own words "was positioned high in the palace hierarchy", and contacted him exclusively through letters, with detailed instructions on how he could make his way inside.

All the way up to the original's poisoning.

But it hadn't worked, had it?

Was it because of the Transmigrator's 4000 influence, or because he poison was never lethal to begin with?

"The poison wasn't strong enough," Han Yu says, sure of it. "The benefactor promised reinforcements the moment I acted, instead you didn't die and I was captured."

So it was a set up.

That only reinforces in Xi Zirui the idea that Bai Mi is behind it. It would be her style to move the pieces around a chessboard, unseen by everyone else, pitying factions against each other for her own benefit.

"I think my sister fancies herself the next Emperor," Xi Zirui says, smiling a little to himself as he absent-mindedly plays with a lychee pit.

Han Yu frowns. "I thought you Xin dogs didn't have female Emperors."

According to Ni Ni's brief, they don't.

"I'd wager she wants to be the first," Xi Zirui says.

Han Yu whistles. "If you are right about that, maybe I'm in bed with the wrong sibling." 

Xi Zirui tries to elbow him somewhere sensitive but Han Yu dodges in just the nick of time, laughing at his angry face. "I could be drawing up treaties with her right this second as I help her secure her position. That is if you are right and she really isn't just planning the next court lady's gathering."

Xi Zirui is fairly confident he's right, and even more so that Bai Mi doesn't need Han Yu to fulfill her plans. He was only a pawn to her, what happened to him after he played his part was probably inconsequential for her.

But Xi Zirui doesn't yet see what her goal was with helping Han Yu infiltrate the palace to nearly kill Xi Zirui. Wouldn't it be better for her if he had succeeded and just killed him outright?

Except she couldn't risk that before her position was cemented.

She's laying down the stones on the board, but Xi Zirui can't see what play she's trying to make.

That conversation in the courtyard about marriage, one way or another it relates to that.

"What are you going to do if your sister means to depose you?" Han Yu asks, feeding another smooth-skinned lychee past Xi Zirui's lips.

Xi Zirui takes the fruit into his mouth and Han Yu's fingers too, sucking them softly. He swallows when Han Yu's gaze grows heated.

"I intend to let her," he says, lifting himself up on his elbow to wipe away Han Yu's look of confusion with a languid, lychee-flavoured kiss.