Gay Harem

Lover Number 7.5

PART TWO OF DOUBLE UPDATES~

Li Jie pondered Hong Tao's words, the weight of their implications heavy on his mind.

It was a conversation that had haunted countless monarchs before him, the balance between ambition and benevolence, cruelty and compassion.

The cold winds of the palace gardens seemed to echo with the whispers of past emperors and their deeds, both noble and nefarious.

"Then what would be the difference between me and all the incompetent emperors before me?" Li Jie mused, his voice tinged with a mix of resignation and irony. He didn't feel elated, but a twisted humor welled up within him, compelling a laugh.

Hong Tao kicked at the dirt beneath his feet, a telltale sign of his discomfort. "No matter how good an emperor is," he began, "us nobles know well that there will always be a dark history behind them. It doesn't matter if you start by throwing dirt all over the country, it doesn't matter if you sacrifice your innocence over it—the end is what matters."

Li Jie's gaze turned contemplative, drifting across the moonlit courtyard. He found solace in the cold, unfeeling stones that had borne witness to generations of palace secrets.

"As long as you're a wise ruler who would lead this kingdom to its glory," Hong Tao continued, "then no one will look back at what you've done before. Public opinion is something that can be easily swayed by pain and comfort."

Hong Tao smiled, a bitter twist of his lips. "You can make people desperate with pain," he said softly, "then you can be the knight in shining armor who gives them the comfort they need."

Li Jie's bitter smile mirrored Hong Tao's, and he couldn't help but admire the depth of thought behind the young noble's words.

I'm already doing that, Li Jie admitted to himself, his thoughts running wild. But does that make me a wise ruler? Or am I just as foolish and blind as my father?

The question lingered in the air, a profound uncertainty that gripped his heart.

The sun continued its watch over the courtyard, a silent sentinel to their shared turmoil.

"I thought you didn't know anything about politics," Li Jie finally remarked after moments of contemplative silence. He changed the subject swiftly, the weight of their previous conversation still heavy in the air. "You were crying just a few minutes ago. It's hard to believe that you're the same person who's giving advice even better than Shi He."

Hong Tao grinned, his features suddenly appearing much younger than his actual age. "I said I never learned about politics in my household," he replied. His eyes sparkled with newfound wisdom. "But it's not difficult for nobles like me to pick up things, even after spending just one day inside the palace walls."

Li Jie finally released a genuine laugh, the melodious sound echoing in the quiet night. "That... makes sense," he admitted, a brief respite from the weight of his responsibilities.

"Were the tears fake?" Li Jie questioned, his voice carrying a sense of melancholy.

"No," Hong Tao chuckled warmly. "Nothing related to my lover will ever be fake."

The conversation took a different turn, one that Li Jie didn't expect. "What would you have done if I was actually the kind of person you thought I was?" Li Jie's exhaustion was evident, his frustrations and complexities laid bare. "If I had asked you to accompany me to my bed?"

Hong Tao let out another laugh, a weight lifted from their shoulders as the walls between them crumbled. "I would have cried, and I would have tried to run away," he confessed. "I'm a coward when it comes to love, and I would have chosen death if I thought I wouldn't make it out."