HNYWEF -Chapter 90 Awkward

In the third year of Zhenguan, second month, fifth day.

Two-Hall Palace.

Li Shimin sat at his desk, holding a memorial. He had been looking at it for a long time without turning a single page.

Fang Xuanling stood below, waiting for instructions.

After a long while, there was still no response.

Fang Xuanling lifted his head and glanced up.

Li Shimin was staring at the memorial, eyes fixed, as if lost in thought.

Fang Xuanling gave a soft cough.

Li Shimin snapped back to attention.

He looked at Fang Xuanling and set the memorial down.

“Xuanling, let me ask you something.”

Fang Xuanling cupped his hands. “Please speak, Your Majesty.”

Li Shimin leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.

“Do you think… my eyesight is getting worse?”

Fang Xuanling froze slightly.

He looked at Li Shimin’s eyes—clear and bright, sharp as ever. No sign of any problem.

“Why would Your Majesty say that?”

Li Shimin didn’t answer.

He stood up and walked to the window.

He stared outside for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

“Recently, I’ve been going to the Zhou blacksmith shop quite often.”

Fang Xuanling nodded.

He knew about it. The emperor had been going there every few days lately—sometimes with attendants, sometimes alone. He didn’t really do anything there, just sat, drank tea, and watched the forging.

Li Shimin continued, “Every time I go, I always ask one more question.”

Fang Xuanling waited.

Li Shimin turned back to look at him.

“Are you Zhou Sheng or Zhou Hong?”

Fang Xuanling blinked.

Li Shimin said, “I ask it as soon as I enter. I asked today, I’ll ask again tomorrow. I’ve never missed a single time.”

Fang Xuanling suddenly burst out laughing.

Li Shimin didn’t mind. He walked back and sat down.

“Today I went again.”

He paused.

“Walked in and asked—are you Zhou Sheng or Zhou Hong?”

Fang Xuanling waited for what came next.

Li Shimin said, “Zhou Sheng didn’t say anything.”

Fang Xuanling asked, “And then?”

Li Shimin looked at him.

“He just looked at me.”

Fang Xuanling waited.

Li Shimin said, “Just one glance.”

Fang Xuanling didn’t know what to say.

Li Shimin leaned back and stared at the ceiling beams.

“That look… I’ve seen it before.”

He paused.

“It’s the look someone gives when they’re already annoyed.”

Fang Xuanling stood silently.

Li Shimin suddenly chuckled.

“He didn’t scold me.”

He sat up slightly.

“He just looked at me.”

He imitated Zhou Sheng, narrowing his eyes and staring at Fang Xuanling.

Fang Xuanling felt a bit uncomfortable under that gaze.

Li Shimin withdrew his eyes and laughed again.

As if something that should have happened, didn’t.

“Then he said Zhou Hong was in the back chopping firewood.”

Fang Xuanling blinked. “That’s it?”

Li Shimin nodded. “That’s it.”

Fang Xuanling thought for a moment.

“So… that one was Zhou Sheng?”

Li Shimin said, “Yes.”

Fang Xuanling asked, “Your Majesty recognized him?”

Li Shimin looked at him.

“I didn’t recognize him.”

Fang Xuanling froze. “Then how did you know?”

Li Shimin said, “He told me himself.”

Fang Xuanling opened his mouth slightly.

Li Shimin leaned back again and rubbed his eyes.

“I asked him, ‘Are you Zhou Sheng or Zhou Hong?’ He said Zhou Hong was chopping firewood in the back.”

He looked at Fang Xuanling.

“I stood there for three breaths, stunned.”

Fang Xuanling couldn’t help it and smiled again.

Li Shimin noticed.

“If you want to laugh, just laugh.”

Fang Xuanling shook his head. “This minister would not dare.”

Li Shimin said, “Didn’t you already laugh out loud earlier?”

Fang Xuanling said nothing.

Li Shimin leaned back, staring at the ceiling again.

“I don’t even know what I’m asking anymore.”

Fang Xuanling said softly, “Your Majesty is afraid of mistaking them.”

Li Shimin glanced at him.

“So what if I do? Mistaking one for the other is normal—they’re brothers, they look alike.”

Fang Xuanling remained silent.

Li Shimin rubbed his eyes again.

“I just don’t understand why I keep asking it every time.”

He lowered his hand and looked at Fang Xuanling.

“After I ask, I already know who it is. Then what?”

Fang Xuanling waited.

Li Shimin continued, “Then I drink tea, talk, do what needs to be done. Whether it’s Zhou Sheng or Zhou Hong—what does it matter to me?”

Fang Xuanling was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke.

“Your Majesty cares about that person.”

Li Shimin froze slightly. “What?”

Fang Xuanling said, “Your Majesty cares about Zhou Sheng. You’re afraid of mistaking him, afraid of treating Zhou Hong as Zhou Sheng… afraid of saying the wrong thing.”

Li Shimin looked at him.

Fang Xuanling did not avert his gaze.

Li Shimin suddenly laughed.

“Xuanling, that mouth of yours.”

Fang Xuanling lowered his head. “This minister spoke out of turn.”

Li Shimin waved his hand.

“Enough. Go down.”

Fang Xuanling cupped his hands and withdrew.

The hall fell quiet.

Li Shimin sat at the desk, looking at the pile of memorials.

After a while, he rubbed his eyes again.

Then he picked up the brush and began to write.

Halfway through, he suddenly set the brush down.

Leaning back in his chair, he gave a light laugh.

A very soft one.

“I really am… getting more and more strange.”

He murmured to himself.

Then he continued reviewing the memorials.

Outside, rain began to fall—fine and steady—drumming softly against the eaves.

He glanced out the window.

Then lowered his head again.

Kept writing.