How To Survive as a Villain

Seeing that Yan HeQing didn’t hide and confessed, the courtyard suddenly buzzed in excitement; everyone was surprised, amazed and secretly happy about it.

“Ah?” Xiao YuAn was surprised, “Where do you practice the sword when your wing-room is so small?”

Yan HeQing replied: “In the courtyard.”

Xiao YuAn said: “The courtyard is also quite small, did you cut down the trees so you will have more space?”

These two questions were really weird. The group of people around the courtyard couldn’t understand what was going on. Yan HeQing was also stunned for a little bit before nodding affirmatively.

“Hong Xiu.” Xiao YuAn waved at her.

“This maidservant is here.” Hong Xiu immediately saluted him.

“This is too much! I can’t bear it, I truly can’t bear it!” Xiao YuAn was bitter and gritted his teeth in anger.

“Your Majesty, calm your anger, this maidservant understands.” Hong Xiu quickly appeased Xiao YuAn.

Xiao YuAn took a deep breath and calmed down, before he continued: “If he wants to practice the sword, then he will practice the sword, but how can he cut down a tree! The earth is my home, and the greening depends on everyone! The potable water and the green mountains are invaluable assets! You will change him into a bigger courtyard! So he can no longer cut down the trees!”

Hong Xiu was stupefied: “Ah?”

The rest of the people were confused as well: “Ah?”

Xiao YuAn, who was pretending to be as confused as everyone else: “Ah?”

Accompanying one’s sovereign can be like accompanying a tiger¹. As a maidservant that has been with him for five years, she understood the meaning behind Xiao YuAn’s words in time: “Your Majesty, you want me to change him into a bigger courtyard where he can peacefully practice the sword?”

“Yes.” Xiao YuAn nodded happily.

Although this order was contradicting the past one, the Emperor’s commands were as high as the heavens, Hong Xiu suppressed her thoughts, and saluted in response: “I will do as His Majesty wishes.”

Ignoring the group of people inside the courtyard that were speechless and dumbfounded, Xiao YuAn believing the problem has been solved, returned to continue his meal. After all, he came here in such a rush, he didn’t have the time to fill his stomach!

Xiao YuAn raised his foot and took a few steps, but suddenly turned around after remembering something, walked back to Yan HeQing’s side and asked him strangely: “What kind of sword do you have?”

Yan HeQing replied: “A long wooden stick.”

Xiao YuAn bowed his head and thought for a few moments, whispering to Yan HeQing: “I will come to see you tomorrow morning. There’s something important I need to show you.”

Yan HeQing nodded, expressing that he heard him.

Xiao YuAn exchanged glances with Hong Xiu, and left feeling at ease.

Seeing the Emperor leaving, Hong Xiu exhaled a slow breath, and then glanced at the audience: “All of you, go back to your duties.”

The male concubine that spread the gossip was reluctant and wanted to argue against it. Qin Yu grabbed his sleeve and pulled him back, he laughed in anger and lowered his voice: “Didn’t you hear His Majesty? What else do you want to say? Have you lost your mind?”

The male concubine was dissatisfied: “But…”

Qin Yu looked at him coldly: “I’m kind enough to save you, restrain yourself.”

After talking, Qin Yu went away indifferently.

“Huh, you still believe you’re His Majesty’s favorite? Sooner or later you will be killed by someone that holds a grudge against you.” The male concubine muttered in a low voice.

In this grand Palace, rumors spread like wildfire. And just like that, half a day later, one person whispered to another ten, then ten people passed the news to a hundred. Before long, everyone knew about how the Prince of the Southern Yan Kingdom had the unique favor of the Emperor.

When Steward Feng heard about this, he immediately went to inform Eunuch Zhao.

Eunuch Zhao made a meaningful sound, and said no more.

Steward Feng wondered: “Eunuch Zhao, aren’t you worried?”

“Don’t worry, since he’s willing to become a male concubine, he’s now a dog that broke his spine². There’s nothing to be afraid of. I told you that the maidservant Hong Xiu had her ways.” Eunuch Zhao replied leisurely

At this time, Hong Xiu was worried: “Your Majesty, although I know that you’re working in the strategy of winning his heart, I’m still worried that if you continue to indulge Yan HeQing with practicing the sword, he will hurt His Majesty sooner or later. In case he has any murderous intention, what should I do?”

Xiao YuAn, who was almost strangled to death by Yan HeQing, said: “Don’t worry about it, I have everything in control. By the way, this morning I’ll go to Jing Yang Palace. So don’t send any Imperial Guards to follow me.”

Hong Xiu doesn’t need to ask who Xiao YuAn was looking for: “Is Bodyguard Yang not going with you?”

Xiao YuAn: “No, I’ll go by myself.”

Hong Xiu tried to persuade him: “But Your Majesty! In case…”

“Everything will be alright.” Xiao YuAn soothes Hong Xiu with a soft voice.

Xiao YuAn’s perseverance made Hong Xiu speechless. After breakfast, Xiao YuAn went to Jing Yang Palace alone. Hong Xiu was always very hardworking; after what happened just the day before, Yan HeQing was moved to his new wing-room today.

In the early winter morning, the warm sun melts the snow. Probably because it was too early in the morning, the Jing Yang Palace was really quiet. Xiao YuAn, worrying about whether it was too early, knocked on Yan HeQing’s door regardless. After a short moment, the door was opened.

From top to bottom, he was covered in a white warm light. Yan HeQing’s eyebrows were sharp like swords, and his eyes were calm as the water, his black clothes were neatly tied making him look extremely handsome.

Xiao YuAn smiled at him lightly: “Put on a robe, I will take you somewhere.”

Footnotes:

Footnotes

1. 伴君如伴虎 bàn jūn rú bàn hǔ; It’s a Chinese idiom, it means that accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger, you can be killed at any time. It refers to the fickle arrogant moods of a leader, that can bring someone else’s misfortune. It’s often used as a derogatory or neutral term between Monarchs and Ministers, is also used to describe the relationship between superiors and subordinates in officialdom and in the workplace. It reflects the negative relationship between power and human nature, in which power can amplify the ugly side of human nature. From 《说呼全传》第四回 (“shuō hū quán chuán” dì sì huí); The fourth chapter of “The History of Talking”. Written by an anonymous author from the Qing Dynasty [1644-1911].
2. 就已断脊之犬 jiù yǐ duàn jǐ zhī quǎn; It refers to someone that flatters and works for someone else. A broken spine doesn’t mean the literal spine but the ability to support someone else’s integrity (spine). A dog with a broken spine is a dog slave that gives the person who they follow the tendency of seeing themselves as superior.