"You always lie, A-Ying!" A boy in black hanfu said between hiccups as he dipped a small towel in cool water and gently placed it on the forehead of another boy who lay weakly on the bed.

"A-Shu(1), it's dripping all over my pillow," the child on the bed replied nonchalantly, a hint of helplessness in his tone, even though his body burned with fever.

"And whose fault is that, huh? Why do you always have to lie!? Why didn't you tell me and Xiao Yan(2) that you weren't feeling well? Now look—you're in pain and have to drink bitter, bitter medicine!" Emphasizing the word "bitter," the boy quietly wiped his eyes as he sniffled.

Wu Yingyue, also called A-Ying by the smaller boy, couldn't help but chuckle, but his dry throat burned, sending him into a fit of coughing that left him lightheaded.
Watching him cough his lungs out, Zhou Wangshu hurriedly brought a glass of lukewarm water to his lips and helped him drink it in small gulps.

"It's okay, everything will be fine. A-Shu will be here for you. Now go to sleep, A-Ying," he said gently, continuing to pat his chest as he softly hummed the lullaby his mother used to sing when she was alive.

Wu Yingyue smiled, closed his eyes, and relaxed his body. The soft humming comforted his mind, even though the pain was so intense that he could hardly breathe.

The next day, when Wu Yingyue opened his eyes, he glanced at the boys sleeping peacefully beside him, their soft breaths filling the quiet room.

"You're awake, Your Highness!" Eunuch Guang Ze hurried to his side and gently helped him sit up.

"Did A-Shu not return all night, Guang Ze?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Guang Ze replied with a soft smile, bringing a bowl of medicine. "It might be a bit bitter, Your Highness."

"It's fine," Wu Yingyue said, his voice weak, but his tone steady as he drank the medicine in one swift motion, as if to push away the bitter taste and the lingering weakness that clung to him.

"What about the Empress Mother and the Emperor Father?" he asked, his gaze distant as if he already knew the answer but couldn't stop himself from asking.

The room fell into an unnatural silence, thick and heavy. No one dared to meet his eyes, as if the very air around him had turned colder. Eunuch Guang Ze's hands trembled slightly as he adjusted the empty bowl, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Wu Yingyue's gaze flickered toward the shadows that gathered in the corners of the room, as though seeking answers in the dark. His body, still burning with fever, felt strangely cold, and the silence seemed to stretch on, suffocating.

"Your Highness," Guang Ze began, his voice carefully controlled, "The Empress... and the Emperor... are busy with matters of the court." His words were careful, but his eyes avoided Wu Yingyue's.

Wu Yingyue's hand gripped the edge of the bed, his knuckles pale. A low bitter laugh escaped him, sharp and hollow, but no one dared to acknowledge it.

"A-Ying," a soft murmur came from beside him. Wu Yingyue turned his head, and his gaze landed on the small figure, like a little dumpling wrapped in a red blanket. The boy's round, watery eyes were fixed on him, wide and unblinking.

"A-Ying, is your fever, okay?" the child asked, his voice small, trembling from just waking up, as his tiny hand reached out toward Wu Yingyue's sleeve.

The icy atmosphere of the room relaxed as Wu Yingyue turned his head toward the soft dumpling and smiled. "I am fine, A-shu."

After breakfast, Zhou Wangshu waved goodbye to Wu Yingyue as he returned to the General's residence.

Wu Yingyue looked at the small figure in the distance and, without turning his head toward the old eunuch serving him tea, asked, "Who poisoned me this time?"

Wu Yingyue's eyes narrowed, and the air in the room seemed to grow colder as he waited for an answer. Guang Ze, though his posture remained respectful, couldn't hide the slight hesitation in his voice. He had served the palace long enough to know that such revelations weren't to be spoken lightly.

"The spies have sent word, Your Highness..." Guang Ze began carefully, lowering his voice as if the walls might have ears. "It is... the favored concubine of the palace. The one who was visited twice this month by His Majesty."

"A concubine." Wu Yingyue's voice was low, "She dares..."

His fingers tapped on the hard wood of the table. Despite being only eight years old, the old eunuch didn't dare to look up, knowing he could lose his head, even though the eldest prince had always been kind to him.

"She seems to like going to the Wind Palace in the north during the summers."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"I also heard that there is a very dense forest on the way, where many dangerous animals reside." He finally turned toward the old eunuch.

"You know what to do, right, Guang Ze? Nip the bud before it blooms."

Wu Yingyue's lips curled into a faint smile, though there was no warmth in it. "Make sure there are no witnesses."

"As you command, Your Highness." Guang Ze said, bowing deeply, but no kindness flashed in his eyes.

Once the eunuch had left, Wu Yingyue allowed himself a brief moment of solitude.

That was close.

This time, the cup with poison had been served to his young brother, but thankfully, he had noticed.

He sighed and looked off into the distance, wondering when he could be free from these responsibilities.

(1) A- is a common prefix to Chinese first names when used in an informal way, e.g. between friends, or in an endearing manner like parents calling out to their children

(2) "Xiao" (小) is commonly used as a term of endearment or to indicate something small or young. It's often added before a person's name as a sign of familiarity or affection. It can also be used to refer to a younger person, like a younger sibling or a child.