HNYWEF -Chapter 67 Ennoblement

The full moon banquet was over.

Most of the guests had already left. In the courtyard, only the servants cleaning up the mess remained. Lanterns had been lit, their dim yellow glow falling over the scattered cups and plates.

Zhou Xiong stood at the edge of the courtyard, waiting.

He did not know what he was waiting for.

But someone had not allowed him to leave.

Li Shimin walked over from beneath the corridor.

He walked quickly, the hem of his robe almost cutting through the wind.

Behind him followed Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and two palace attendants standing far away, not daring to come too close.

Li Shimin stopped in front of Zhou Xiong.

He looked at Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong looked back at him.

The two men held each other’s gaze for a moment.

Li Shimin spoke first.

“Come inside. We’ll talk there.”

Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He simply followed him inward.

They passed through the corridors and entered a side hall.

It was not large. Tables, chairs, desks—everything that should be there was there. Candles had already been lit, making the room bright.

Li Shimin sat down in a chair. Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui stood on either side of him.

He pointed to the seat beside him.

“Sit.”

Zhou Xiong did not sit.

He just stood there, looking at Li Shimin.

Li Shimin did not mind.

He looked at Zhou Xiong and spoke.

“What do you think about what happened today?”

Zhou Xiong did not answer.

After waiting a breath, Li Shimin continued:

“The Zhou family smithy has already been exposed to the court and the public.”

Zhou Xiong nodded.

Just once.

Looking at him, Li Shimin suddenly did not know how to continue.

How was this man so calm?

He had expected Zhou Xiong to curse him out.

To complain that he had caused trouble.

But Zhou Xiong said nothing.

He simply stood there, looking at him.

Li Shimin took a deep breath.

“There may be trouble in the future. The people trying to curry favor, the ones testing you, the ones wanting to know why you deserve this—they’ll all come.”

Still, Zhou Xiong said nothing.

Li Shimin waited a while.

Seeing no response, he asked again:

“What are your thoughts?”

At last, Zhou Xiong spoke.

His voice was hoarse.

“I brought this on myself.”

Li Shimin froze for a moment.

Had he just admitted fault?

Zhou Xiong spoke again.

“You handle it.”

This time, Li Shimin understood.

He had handed the decision back.

Zhou Xiong’s meaning was simple—he had dragged himself into this mess. As for how to clean it up, he did not know either.

Li Shimin sat there, looking at Zhou Xiong.

Three breaths passed.

Then he nodded.

“Fine.”

He stood and walked to the window.

He looked into the night outside.

For a while.

Then he turned around.

Looked at Zhou Xiong.

“Then I’ll make you a marquis.”

Zhou Xiong narrowed his eyes.

Just slightly.

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui also turned sharply toward Li Shimin.

Li Shimin did not notice. He continued:

“I’ll give you a title, make it official. If anyone asks in the future, they can be told you were ennobled by me personally. No one will dare say nonsense.”

After speaking, he looked at Zhou Xiong.

Waiting for him to answer.

Waiting for him to nod.

Waiting for him to say “fine.”

Zhou Xiong spoke.

The words squeezed out through his hoarse throat—

“Li Er.”

Li Shimin froze.

He knew that opening line.

Last time he heard it, he got scolded.

The time before that, he got scolded too.

He took half a step back.

Zhou Xiong took one step forward.

“You’ve only been emperor for a few damn years and your brain’s already gone bad?”

Li Shimin’s mouth opened.

Zhou Xiong gave him no chance to speak.

“Ennoble me? You want to make me a marquis? For what? I just came to drink at a banquet and suddenly you’re giving me a noble title?”

He took another step forward.

Li Shimin retreated another half-step.

“What do you expect those people to think? They suffered for decades to climb to where they are. What about me? On what grounds? Just because I’m your friend? Just because you said I’m family?”

Li Shimin opened his mouth again.

Zhou Xiong stood there, staring at him.

“This isn’t you helping me avoid trouble—”

He paused.

“This is you giving me even bigger trouble!”

The hall fell silent.

The candle flames flickered.

Li Shimin stood there, looking at Zhou Xiong.

At last, expression appeared on that face.

Not empty.

Not cold.

It was more like—

frustration at someone failing to live up to expectations.

Zhou Xiong looked at him.

Three breaths passed.

Then he turned around.

And walked toward the door.

After two steps, he stopped.

Without turning back:

“Think about it yourself.”

Then he continued walking.

“Wait!”

Li Shimin stopped him, looking at him.

For a long time.

Then suddenly he laughed softly.

Very softly.

Fang Xuanling was completely confused.

“Your Majesty?”

Li Shimin said nothing.

He looked toward the doorway.

For a while.

Then he spoke.

“He’s right.”

Fang Xuanling froze.

Li Shimin turned around, walked back to his chair, and sat down.

He leaned against the backrest, looking up at the beams overhead.

For a while.

Then he laughed again.

This time more obvious than before.

“Ennoblement…”

He muttered the word to himself.

“That really was stupid.”

“Wait a little longer. Let me think it through…”

Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui stood to the side, not knowing what to say.

They were finally beginning to understand what Wei Zheng had endured that day.

The hall fell silent once more.

Only the candle flames flickered.

And flickered again.