The bird-boned boy sways in place, clutching a handkerchief to his face, as if the effort of speaking out is too much for his frail body and might expire on the spot.
His act is so refined that two male guests rush to his side, ready to support his meager weight were he to keel over from the extreme anemia he seems to suffer from.
Su Xueyi finds it in himself to sober up somewhat. "What is Shen-fei insinuating?"
Bai Mi gets up from her divan, making a show of her pregnancy by holding herself up on one of the servants, and resting one hand over her round stomach. "The hour is getting late, and this Empress believes the newlywed couple should retire to their residence."
Li Siqi opens her mouth as if she wants to protest this, but Bai Mi shoots her a glare that silences her quickly.
"It would also be for the better if our esteemed guests also retired for the night. Any issues affecting this Empress's household should be discussed in private among family members."
King Diming, of course, has issues with that. "And what about the marriage alliance?"
Su Xueyi smiles amenably at him. "This Emperor spoke rashly, these things take some time to plan, the very wedding we're attending took weeks. Therefore it's better if King Diming returns to his people and we discuss the details of the wedding via letter. This Emperor will have paintings and natal charts of all the Princesses sent to King Diming."
Diming doesn't strike Xi Zirui as someone who cares about astrological compatibility all that much but some of his hostility still deflates.
"I'll hold his Majesty to that," he says, and bows deeply to Su Xueyi and in the direction of Bai Mi, almost an entire room away.
He leaves the room followed by an entourage of his personal guard, but not before shooting Xi Zirui a wink that makes his spine crawl.
Su Xueyi turns to Shen Yun, who averts his eyes and grips his silk handkerchief tighter, and says, "Let the implicated parties move to the throne room so we can discuss this matter in private."
Before Bai Mi can say anything, Su Xueyi adds, "Yes, Her Royal Highness may come as well."
"Imperial Father, this Prince will be joining too," Han Yu says. A statement not a question.
Su Xueyi acknowledges him with a disinterested nod, eager to resolve what he believes to be nothing but a typical case of jealousy among the harem.
People start filing out of the main hall, and Xi Zirui takes advantage of the commotion to hold back Han Yu by the sleeve. "What is Han Yu doing? He shouldn't get involved."
Han Yu briefly covers Xi Zirui's hand with his and shakes his head. "I'm not going to abandon Zirui. We face this together."
His words bring Xi Zirui a modicum of comfort despite the dreary situation they find themselves in.
It's extremely unlikely things will turn out well for any of them if they don't manage to prove their innocence, but Xi Zirui is comforted by Han Yu's presence all the same.
'Han Yu's mother in this world, I'm sorry for making his life difficult, " Xi Zirui thinks to himself, wondering if she would sympathize with him or decry his selfishness.
Xi Zirui lets go of Han Yu's sleeve, Han Yu lets go of his hand, and together they walk into the throne room, ready to face their destiny.
---
Despite clearly finding the whole thing a clear waste of his time, Su Xueyi still climbs up the dais to sit on his throne, to observe the discussions from above.
Shen Yun is accompanied by a few members of the harem, who all stand around him in a protective circle in case his blood pressure drops, Xi Zirui assumes.
"Host is being really mean to Shen Yun, he was a sickly child growing up, which has left him with a fragile constitution. He has to be careful and stay indoors during the winters," Ni Ni says, sounding like a card-carrying member of Shen Yun's fan club, and not at all like she's in any way worried for Xi Zirui's well-being.
At the moment, Xi Zirui can't really find it in himself to extend Shen Yun any sympathy considering the sickly little bastard is trying to get him axed.
Su Xueyi interrupts his acidic train of thought. "Shen-fei gathered us all here, so he should go ahead and clarify his aspersions upon Xi-fei's character."
Eyes demurely lowered Shen Yun makes his way to the front of the dais with measured steps. "It pains this consort to say this, but His Majesty is being betrayed by not one, but two people he holds dear to his heart."
Xi Zirui shrinks into himself. How the fuck is he going to get himself out of this?
Han Yu's steadying hand over his shoulder blade grounds him to reality, but they can't afford to stand that close or look that intimate.
Not right now.
Su Xueyi frowns and his eyes dart quickly to Xi Zirui. "Proceed," he tells Shen-Yun.
"This consort has stumbled on irrefutable evidence that Xi-fei and First Prince have entered into a sexual relationship."
Not even the breeze stirs after those words leave Shen Yun's pale lips.
It's uncertain who is going to act first, until Bai Mi's crystalline laugh rings through the quiet room. Fanning herself leisurely with the kind of masculine folding fan she favors, she makes her way towards the front of the dais to stand next to Shen Yun who she levels with a pitying look.
"This Empress knows little brother is feeling wronged after his former residence has been assigned to Xi-fei, but he shouldn't let petty jealousy cloud his judgment. His Majesty is very busy, we shouldn't waste his time with pointless gossip."
Su Xueyi clears his throat. "The Empress speaks wisely. This Emperor will favor the concubines and consorts he finds the most desirable and the other members of the harem will respect that choice and not make nuisances of themselves."
Xi Zirui is almost shaking with barely suppressed relief. He can't believe that Bai Mi, out of everyone jumped to his defense first.
He guesses she wasn't lying about wanting to help him.
"Now that this matter has been settled, this Prince would like to talk with Imperial Father about the matter of King Diming and his demands," Han Yu intervenes, casually stepping around Xi Zirui without a second glance at him and making his way towards the dais.
It's an effortless performance, and his lack of effusive denial lends credibility to the idea of the whole thing being nothing more than Shen Yun's jealous ramblings.
"The First Prince may stay, everyone else is dismissed," Su Xueyi says, motioning everyone out with a careless wave.
Shen Yun throws himself on the floor in a sort of aborted kowtow. He looks pitiful and small wrapped in his rich silk robes. His eyes are mired with tears when he looks up at the throne."This lowly consort only wants to alert His Majesty out of his immense love for him. Please, His Majesty, let this one prove the veracity of his words."
Su Xueyi's eyes narrow. He isn't so sure about what's happening now. "This Emperor wants Shen-fei to know that if his 'proof' turns out to be yet more rumormongering, there will be consequences."
Shen Yun tilts his pale neck forward. "Thanks to His Majesty for listening to this lowly consort."
Oddly springy for his sickly appearance, Shen Yun gets up to his feet and tells something to one of the concubines standing at his side.
That concubine leaves, and comes back shortly after in the company of someone whose presence makes Xi Zirui's blood freeze in his veins.
Granny Ma. Shoulders slumped and head bowed, gray hair coming out of the messy bun on top of her head. She doesn't look happy to be there.
But her presence pretty much seals Xi Zirui's fate. He closes his eyes and doesn't dare look in Han Yu's direction.
"This humble woman is Xi-fei's servant, Ma Ling. His Majesty can hear from her lips the things she has witnessed," Shen Yun says, gesturing to Granny Ma to come forward.
"Speak," Su Xueyi says, getting up from his throne to pace around the dais.
"Answering his Majesty: This servant served Xi-fei dutifully, and greatly admired his dedication to His Majesty. Certainly there wasn't a more devoted concubine in the entire harem," dramatic pause for effect, as directed by Shen Yun's stage cues, "Or so this servant thought. This servant noticed that Xi-fei would start leaving his residence and only coming back hours later. He would do this in secrecy and leave this one's nephew in charge of keeping other servants out of his rooms."
Su Xueyi eyes dart briefly over Xi Zirui who keeps his own eyes lowered and his hands demurely folded over his waist.
Granny Ma continues her tale. "This humble servant didn't pry into Xi-fei's matters, until one day this servant found out from her nephew's calligraphy practice that he had seen Xi-fei and First Prince kissing, shortly before Xi-fei left on one of his outings."
That of course is completely fictional, as Han Yu never came around the Spring Chrysanthemum pavilion during the day. So is a great deal of what Granny Ma is saying. Unfortunately for Xi Zirui it might not matter because enough of it is true.
"This lowly servant worried that First Prince might be accosting Xi-fei and followed after them." Abruptly she kowtows on the floor, her forehead bumping against the smooth wood. "What this servant saw weights heavily on her heart until this day. Xi-fei and First Prince locked in the most carnal of embraces at the Fragrant Spring Winds pavilion."
There are shocked gasps from the few in attendance.
Han Yu glares at Shen Yun. "This is outrageous, calunious slander, Imperial Father can't belie-"
"Silence!" Su Xueyi's voice thunders through the throne room, rendering it silent once again.
He comes down from the dais and stands in front of Shen Yun, his head held high and his nostrils flaring with indignation. "This Emperor hopes Shen-fei can back up his claims."
Shen Yun nods demurely and takes out a folded piece of paper from within his sleeve, crudely folded and stained with ink.
Su Xueyi rips it from his hands, and reads it aloud. "Beautiful Xi-fei under the plum tree. First Prince on his knees, kissing Xi-fei's ring. A beautiful and harmonious scene in the courtyard."
His fingers bent into claws, Su Xueyi almost tears through the paper when he waves it in the air. "What is this?"
"This is Ma Ling's nephew's calligraphy practice. When his aunt instructed him to write a poem inspired on a beautiful scene he had seen recently, this is the crude attempt the boy, Xiao Gou, came up with."
Even at a distance, Xi Zirui can tell that the calligraphy on the paper is childish, matching both Shen Yun's and Granny Ma's version.
However, Xi Zirui knows it's impossible for Xiao Gou to have written something like that, because it never happened.
Now it's Xi Zirui's turn to throw himself on the floor in abject prostration. "This lowly concubine has never engaged in the acts these people are accusing him of, this concubine begs his Majesty seek justice."
He's sweating profusely under his robes, hoping his voice sounds steady enough to lend his words some credibility.
Su Xueyi doesn't acknowledge his pleas.
"There's an easy way to solve this," he says, turning to the guards gathered there. "Bring the servant Xiao Gou here."
The bottom of Xi Zirui's stomach drops. What is Su Xueyi planning?
It doesn't take him long to find out, when two servants bring a crying Xiao Gou into the throne room.
"Xi-fei, what's happening?" he asks as soon as he spots Xi Zirui still prostrated on the floor.
Su Xueyi grabs Xiao Gou by the arm and drags him in front of Xi Zirui.
Pushing down on Xiao Gou's slim shoulder he forces him down on his knees. The boy is crying freely now, fat tears rolling down his chubby cheeks.
Su Xueyi takes the sword out of the scabbard of one of the palace guard's and angles the sharp blade towards Xiao Gou's neck.
"Xi-fei is going to tell this Emperor if any of the accusations leveled against him are true. If Xi-fei lies, this child will pay with his life."