Wu Yingyue's breath stilled.

"Eunuch Yun, Make Crown Prince kneel outside the hall for his carelessness."

Eunuch Yun bowed low. "As Your Majesty commands."

He stepped forward towards Wu Yingyue,

"Your highness,"

"No need, this son will follow his majesty's wishes."

Wu Yingyue pushed himself up from the floor, the lingering pain in his knees remained sharp but he ignored it.

Eunuch Yun hesitated for a brief moment but quickly stepped aside. The guards followed closely as they escorted the Crown Prince out of the imperial study.

The cold struck him the moment the doors swung open. A cough almost tore through his throat, but Wu Yingyue clenched his jaw and suppressed it, his fingers tightening beneath the folds of his sleeves.

He would not show weakness.

Not here.

He knelt down on the cold snow, taking a deep breath of cold air to elevate the pain.

The emperor had cast him out into the cold. But it was not the first time.

And it would not be the last.

Wu Yingyue's raised his hand and wiped blood from his forehead, lips curled into a faint, bitter smile.

"I wonder, Imperial Father... will you regret not killing me when you had the chance?"

He looked at the sky, which was dull, oppressive gray, and covered with thick clouds. He didn't remember how many times he had kneeled down like this.

To the point that even walking hurts. The Imperial Physician said it was an old injury, and if taken care of, it could improve, but Wu Yingyue doubts it.

If he were even a bit like Xiao Ming, would he also be adored by everyone? Even father liked Xiao Ming when he was little, before he became what he is.

Maybe if he smiled a bit more, maybe if he was a bit softer, a bit kinder like the sunshine in spring, rather than the gloom he is.

Wu Yingyue frowned and shook his head. It was always in times like this that he had random thoughts.
...well, at least they help him ignore the pain in his knees and head.

A harsh gust of wind cut through the courtyard, sending a fresh layer of snow swirling around him. His fingers twitched beneath his sleeves. If he closed his eyes, he could almost hear a distant voice from years ago,

soft, warm, full of concern.

"Ying ge, does it hurt?"

Wu Yingyue swallowed, his throat felt heavy more painful than any physical pain on his body.

Time passed.

How long has it been? An incense stick(1)? Two?

Suddenly, the sound of slow steps crushing the snow came from afar. Wu Yingyue was very familiar with that, which is why it surprised him.

'Is this his majesty's new scheme?'

He gritted his teeth,
Who betrayed him? Does the Emperor know something he should not know?

But the moment his gaze flickered past the courtyard gates, catching a glimpse of the approaching figure, all calculations in his mind stilled.

Wu Yingyue let out a quiet breath, a curl of frost escaping his lips, and he quickly reached up, brushing away stray strands of hair that had fallen out of place making sure to cover the wound. His fingers ghosted over his face, adjusting the tilt of his chin, softening the crease between his brows, trying to give himself the look of 'lazy and fragile' beauty.

And then, as if nothing at all was out of place, he smiled and turned to upcoming figure.

"A-Shu. What a surprise."

Zhou Wangshu did not respond immediately. His expression remained cold, but his fingers curled slightly.

Wu Yingyue tilted his head slightly. "Have you come to admire the scenery? It's really a beautiful day."

"Is it? From where I stand, all I see is an idiot kneeling in the snow."

Wu Yingyue knew it's not a situation in which he should laugh, but a soft chuckle escaped from his mouth.

Suddenly his expression paused as a thought crossed his mind, 
"Do you regret spending that night?"

The words left him before he could stop them. He didn't even know why he asked. it might be because he was feeling sentimental, or he remembered some part of his late teenage years. Or maybe—just maybe—he wanted to know. Just a little. Just enough to see how deep Zhou Wangshu's hatred ran for him now.

Zhou Wangshu stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest, the burning rage in his veins made his frozen expression crack.

He clenched his jaw and kneeled down on one knee near Wu Yingyue's level.

"I never regretted it," He paused as if giving Wu Yingyue time to have hope, a glimmer of light. He continued in a cold voice, shattering it all.

"Instead, I feel disgusted every time I think about it."

"Lord Duke, His Majesty permitted you to go inside."

Zhou Wangshu straightened, his gaze lingering on Wu Yingyue for a moment longer.
"I see,"

Just as he was about to rise, a tug on the corner on his sleeve stopped him. He turned his head, hearing a soft voice, barely above a whisper, ask,

"A-Shu, if someday I will die, would you feel the same?"

Zhou Wangshu tugged the corner of his mouth and sneered. A sour feeling rose from his chest as he looked at the man as if meeting him for the first time.

Wu Yingyue, when did you become so calculative and manipulative?

From pretending to unintentionally ask about that night after everything happened in Eastern Palace to now even blackmailing him with his death.

How conveniently he always hid himself in the facade of a friend to use him however he wanted?

He had enough of these mind games!

"If you want to die, go die, just don't die in front of me." With a flick of his sleeve, he stood up and left the man kneeling in the snow.

Wu yingyue looked at back of man and helplessly smiled,

'It seemed like A-Shu had gotten sharper.'

It would be a lie if he says he didn't have ulterior motives asking everything. It has become a habit to calculate every word he says. It just that before Zhou Wangshu didn't really keep his guard up against him so it was

easier.

But now...

Wu Yingyue lowered his gaze,

It seemed A-Shu had truly changed.

He had learned not to trust him.

Wu Yingyue wasn't sure why that realization made his chest feel so tight. Obviously, this is the outcome he was expecting,

That one day when everything came to light, he would let Zhou Wangshu go.

Hours passed bit by bit, but no one emerged from the study. Wu YingYue, who already made hundreds of calculations, started to get anxious.

The emperor would not kill Duke Zhou. That much was certain.

Then what was taking so long?

Just as he thought his leg numb and cold penetrating to his bones, the doors to the study finally creaked open. Zhou Wangshu stepped out. His hair was damp with cold sweat. He didn't pause, didn't look down at the man kneeling in the snow instead passed by him as if air.

Wu Yingyue lowered his head and looked at his blue and stiff hands remembering a saying his mother used to say,

"When done on both sides it's love but when done on one side it's absurd."

A chuckle escaped his throat followed by a fit of cough.

(1)In traditional Chinese settings, a single incense stick (一炷香, yī zhù xiāng) is often used as a rough measure of time, generally equivalent to half an hour (around 20 to 30 minutes).

Hey there ,I made a little art of out ML, hehe,

Hope you like it and take care! <3<3