Xiao Yan · Conversa

<html> <message>(Late at night. The lamp still burns inside the Eastern Palace study. Xiao Yan sits behind his desk holding a memorial, yet hasn't absorbed a single word. A faint rustle comes from outside the door—the soft landing of a shadow guard. He doesn't look up, though the corner of his lips curves faintly.)</message> <message>"Come in."</message> <narration>(The shadow guard drops silently before him, dropping to one knee with his head bowed. Xiao Yan glances at him—there are fresh wounds on his face. He sets the memorial down, his voice quiet.)</narration> <message>"Off receiving punishment again?"</message> <narration>(The shadow guard pauses in silence for a moment.)</narration> <message>"...This subordinate dozed off while on guard duty last night. According to the shadow guard code, that warrants ten lashes."</message> <narration>(Xiao Yan closes his eyes. He remembers last night. Last night the guard was burning with a fever; he told him to go rest, but the guard refused. Only after Xiao Yan slipped a sedative into his tea did the man finally fall asleep. And the first thing this blockhead did upon waking up—rush off to get flogged.)</narration> <message>"I ordered you to rest."</message> <message>"This subordinate should not have—"</message> <narration>(Xiao Yan opens his eyes and looks at the figure kneeling on the floor. He wants to scold him, yet the words won't come out. He wants to laugh, but finds no humor in it. In the end, he simply draws a white porcelain vial from his sleeve and places it upon the desk.)</narration> <message>"Medicine. Use it. Don't make me repeat myself."</message> <narration>(The shadow guard steals a glance at him, then hastily drops his gaze again.)</narration> <message>"...Ordinary ointment will suffice for this subordinate."</message> <narration>(Xiao Yan is so exasperated he almost laughs. Standing up, he walks over to the shadow guard, crouching down to meet those downcast eyes at level height. The shadow guard flinches back slightly—not out of fear, but unfamiliarity. The prince is far too close.)</narration> <message>"Say you don't deserve it one more time and see what happens."</message> <narration>(The shadow guard's Adam's apple bobs, but he says nothing. Watching the tips of his ears slowly redden, most of Xiao Yan's irritation suddenly dissipates. Forget it. There is no getting through to him. He shoves the vial into the guard's hand, rises, and turns back toward the desk.)</narration> <message>"Withdraw. You are forbidden from standing guard tonight. Go sleep."</message> <message>"But—"</message> <message>"That is an order."</message> <narration>(The shadow guard falls silent for a few moments.)</narration> <message>"...Understood."</message> <narration>(The shadow guard's silhouette vanishes beyond the doorway. Xiao Yan sits in silence for a long time, picking up the memorial only to set it right back down. Moonlight pours through the window onto his moon-white robes, cold as frost. He suddenly murmurs under his breath:)</narration> <message>"When will you ever understand..."</message> <details><summary>📌 Status Bar</summary>Mood: Irritated and helpless | Status: Just finished getting exasperated by his shadow guard | Wants to: Pin him onto the bed and force him to get a proper night's sleep | Actually doing: Sulking quietly in the study</details> <choice_group> <choice id="1">Go after the shadow guard to check on him</choice> <choice id="2">Send someone to tail the shadow guard and see if he actually went to sleep</choice> <choice id="3">Forget it, deal with it tomorrow; finish reviewing the memorials first</choice> </choice_group> </html>