Hot flashes

Zhou Heng heard his breathing quicken, heard the shameful sounds he made, heard Xiao Jue calling his name over and over in his ear—

"Aheng...Aheng..."

Zhou Heng reached out, put his arm around his neck, and pulled him closer.

The candlelight flickered, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall, intertwined and inseparable.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Jue picked him up and carried him into the inner hall.

The bed was much softer than the imperial desk. Zhou Heng sank into the brocade quilt, and before he could even catch his breath, Xiao Jue pressed down on him again. This time, it was fiercer and more ruthless than before, as if he wanted to make up for the three months of separation in one go.

Zhou Heng bit his lip, trying not to make a sound. Xiao Jue lowered his head, kissed his lips, and swallowed his voice.

"Say it out." Xiao Jue's voice was muffled between his lips, incredibly low and hoarse. "I want to hear it."

Zhou Heng's face burned red, but Xiao Jue gave him no chance to dodge.

He could only let that person, let those voices escape from his mouth, one after another, intermittently, echoing in the empty back hall.

The candles were mostly burned.

After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Jue finally stopped.

He lay on top of Zhou Heng, panting heavily, sweat dripping down and onto Zhou Heng's chest.

Zhou Heng was so tired that he didn't even want to move his fingers. He just lay there, feeling the burning heat of the other person on his body and his heartbeat.

After a long time, Xiao Jue raised his head.

She placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Aheng," he called his name.

Zhou Heng opened his eyes and looked at him.

Reach out, put your arms around his neck, and pull him closer.

The next day, the morning court session.

Zhou Heng stood in the ranks of civil officials, with Shen Yu in front of him and several other officials whose names he did not know behind him. The bell at Chengtian Gate rang three times, and the officials filed in and stood in order of rank.

The throne is empty.

A moment later, the eunuch's shrill voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Xiao Jue emerged from the rear hall. Dressed in a black dragon robe and a twelve-tassel crown, he ascended the imperial steps and sat down on the throne.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The officials knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

Xiao Jue's gaze swept across the hall, lingering on Zhou Heng for a moment before moving away.

"Rise."

The ministers stood up.

Shen Yu was the first to step forward.

Holding his tablet, he bowed respectfully, his voice calm and steady: "Your subject has a memorial to present."

Xiao Jue looked at him.

Shen Yu said, "I impeach Zhou Heng, a Hanlin Academician, for abusing his power and arbitrarily killing an official of the court while in Jiangling, which caused local unrest and aroused public resentment. I beg Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly."

The hall fell silent instantly.

Zhou Heng stood in the queue, motionless.

Xiao Jue remained silent.

Shen Yu continued, "Zhou Heng, during his three months in Jiangling, overstepped his authority, arbitrarily implemented new policies, and disrupted local order. Even worse, without review by the Ministry of Justice or approval from the imperial court, he arbitrarily executed Zheng Mingyi, the prefectural judge of Jiangling, and eight of his subordinates. How is such behavior any different from treason?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several more people stepped forward from the queue.

"I second that opinion."

"I second that opinion."

"I second that opinion."

One after another, they were all prominent officials in the court. Zhou Heng recognized several of them—some from the Ministry of Revenue, some from the Ministry of Justice, and some from the Censorate.

They stood there, holding their tablets, their expressions solemn, as if they were truly worried about the discipline of the imperial court.

Zhou Heng looked at them and suddenly wanted to laugh.

The impeachment memorial took a full fifteen minutes to read. It listed more than a dozen charges, ranging from "abuse of power" to "arbitrary execution of officials," from "disrupting local order" to "undermining the foundation of the state," each charge more serious and frightening than the last.

After the reading was finished, the hall fell silent.

Xiao Jue sat on the throne, looking at the ministers who held tablets and spoke with righteous indignation, his face expressionless.

Then he spoke.

"Zhou Heng".

Zhou Heng stepped forward and knelt down.

Xiao Jue looked at him, his gaze calm.

"Did you hear everything they said?"

Zhou Heng lowered his head: "Your subject has heard."

Xiao Jue nodded.

Then he turned his head and looked at the ministers who had impeached him.

"Are you finished talking?"

Shen Yu bowed and said, "We have said all we have to say. We beseech Your Majesty for your wise decision."

Xiao Jue looked at him for a while.

Then he said, "Minister Shen, I have a question for you."

Shen Yu said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

Xiao Jue asked, "Who is Zheng Mingyi?"

Shen Yu paused for a moment, then said, "Zheng Mingyi, Prefectural Judge of Jiangling, a sixth-rank official."

Xiao Jue nodded.

"What crime did he commit?"

Shen Yu paused for a moment, then said, "According to Zhou Heng's report, Zheng Mingyi is suspected of murder to cover up a crime and colluding with a fugitive. However, this case has not been reviewed by the Ministry of Justice, and whether the evidence is conclusive remains to be seen—"

"I ask you," Xiao Jue interrupted him, "what crime did he commit?"

Shen Yu's voice trailed off.

Xiao Jue didn't wait for his reply. He turned his head and looked at the ministers who had seconded the motion.

"Did you know?"

No one answered.

Xiao Jue smiled.

"Zheng Mingyi killed people," Xiao Jue said. "Eight people. No, nine. One of them was a four-year-old child. Zheng Mingyi had oil poured outside her house and set it on fire. The mother and her two daughters burned to death inside."

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Xiao Jue's gaze swept across the faces of those officials one by one.

He leaned back on his throne, looking at those people with a detached gaze.

"I tell you," he said, "that Zhou Heng's killing of Zheng Mingyi was my order."

An uproar erupted inside the hall.

Zhou Heng suddenly raised his head and looked at the person on the throne.

Xiao Jue didn't look at him.

He simply looked at those shocked, terrified, and incredulous faces, and spoke slowly and deliberately:

"The new policies in Jiangling were implemented by Zhou Heng at my behest. The case of Zheng Mingyi was investigated by Zhou Heng at my behest. Zheng Mingyi deserves to die; that was my decision. If you have any objections, come and see me."

Shen Yu's expression changed.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

Xiao Jue looked at him.

"Minister Shen," he said, "you are my trusted advisor. Since I ascended the throne, I have listened to everything you say. But today's matter—"

He paused.

You're wrong about what happened today.

Shen Yu's face flushed red, then turned pale. He knelt down, his forehead touching the ground, unable to utter a single word.

Xiao Jue did not let him get up.

He turned his head and looked at the ministers who had seconded his opinion.

"And you? Is there anything else you want to say?"

Those people knelt on the ground, silent as cicadas in winter.

Xiao Jue waited for a while, then nodded.

"That's good," he said. "Court adjourned."

He stood up, turned around, and walked towards the back hall.

The hall was deathly silent.

Shen Yu remained kneeling. The ministers who had seconded his opinion also remained kneeling. No one dared to move.

After a long time, Shen Yu slowly stood up.

He glanced at Zhou Heng.

Then he turned around and walked out.

Zhou Heng stood there, watching his figure disappear outside the palace gate.

The people in the hall gradually dispersed. Some people lowered their heads as they passed by him, not daring to look at him. Some had complicated expressions, hesitant to speak. Some had no expression at all, but their steps were faster than usual.

Zhou Heng did not move.

He just stood there, in the empty hall, in the sunlight streaming through the carved windows.

After some time, a hand reached out from behind and grasped his hand.

Xiao Jue had returned sometime earlier. He wasn't wearing a dragon robe, but only ordinary clothes. He stood behind Zhou Heng, holding his hand.

"Are you stupid?" he said.