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There was no one particular incident that caused Jingyan to snap. It was more an accumulation of things: the early autumn chilliness of the study in the Su Residence in the evening, the way Mei Changsu’s shivers made the papers rustle, and then Commander Meng getting up to fetch him a cloak, draping it around him, and suddenly drawing back in embarrassment - this after weeks, no, months, of the two of them sharing meaningful glances, Meng turning up to meetings before Jingyan or leaving later, even the fact that it was Meng who’d picked this house. Somehow it was all suddenly more than Jingyan could bear. “Please,” he said, “there is no need to be restrained because I am here. I consider you both my friends.”
He had thought of Commander Meng as a friend for a long time; since the days when he’d been one of Xiao Shu’s circle, even if they’d spoken less in the years since the doom of the Chiyan Army. That thought had been confirmed for him the day Meng had found the tunnel and pledged his loyalty. Though - ha - Jingyan now doubted he’d found it at all. Mei Changsu must have told him about it. And Mei Changsu’s friendship had come later: after the fall of Xie Yu, and his pledge to devote all his brilliance to justice for the Chiyan case and the Lin family. Jingyan had not expected ever to esteem him this highly; but now he could not imagine things otherwise.
These companionable evenings of planning and discussing with them both were some of the best Jingyan had known in years. It made it painful that they felt they had to keep secrets around him. So Jingyan smiled at them to show he meant what he said.
They stared at him.
“I am honoured by your highness’s friendship,” said Mei Changsu after a moment. “But I am not sure what you are talking about.”
Jingyan rolled his eyes a little. “I mean that there is no need to be secretive,” he said. He nodded at Meng, who was looking both confused and alarmed. “It is unkind of you, Sir Su, to force Commander Meng to tell lies; it makes him very uncomfortable.”
“It doesn’t!” said Meng at once. “I mean, it does! I mean, it would, if I was, but I’m not telling any lies for, ah, Sir Su, so - everything’s fine!”
Jingyan found himself exchanging a speaking glance with Mei Changsu.
“As I was saying,” he said. He went on briskly, “I am not unfamiliar with these matters; I am a man who has seen something of the world, after all. Both of you are my friends. You do not need to hide the fact that you are lovers.”
There was a moment of dumbfounded silence.
“Ah,” said Meng, “Prince Jing - ah, your highness - you’re quite mistaken. Sir Su and I are, well, we’re very good friends - well, I mean, we’re moderately good friends, a natural amount of good friends under the circumstances, since we haven’t known each other all that long, really! Isn’t that right, Sir Su?” He turned to Mei Changsu and gave him a desperate grin.
Jingyan folded his arms.
Mei Changsu eyed him for a moment. Then he smiled.
“It’s no use, Brother Meng,” he said. “We’ve been caught.”
Meng’s mouth fell open in shock. He looked at Mei Changsu, and then at Jingyan, and then at Mei Changsu again, and he said, slightly high-pitched, “But!”
Mei Changsu shook his head to shut him up. Now he was not playing the proper strategist anymore he did not conceal where the upper hand lay between the poor scholar and the commander of the guards. Jingyan himself would never treat Meng so imperiously. “You are quite correct, your highness,” he said, still smiling that amused little smile. “The relationship between Brother Meng and myself is indeed somewhat closer than most people would naturally assume.”
Jingyan was starting to feel slightly sorry for Meng, who resembled nothing so much as a goldfish with the way his mouth was opening and closing over and over. “Please, it was not my intention to make either of you uncomfortable,” he said.
“As you quite rightly pointed out, it is telling lies which is most uncomfortable for a person who is among friends,” Mei Changsu said. He very deliberately levered himself to his feet, walked the few feet to Meng’s side, and sat down again right next to him. “Brother Meng, it’s cold in here,” he said pointedly, when Meng plainly didn’t know where to look.
“What?” said Meng.
Mei Changsu met his eyes. They shared a long stare. Meng’s expression twitched into several different grimaces while Mei Changsu’s remained absolutely level except for the bright spark of something unknowable that shone in his eyes. Jingyan didn’t look away. It wasn’t the first time he’d seen them having a conversation this way, but normally they tried to do it behind his back. He preferred this. Of course he did.
“Oh!” said Meng at last, and put his arm around Mei Changsu’s shoulders. Mei Changsu smiled more broadly - a little wickedly, too, perhaps - and picked up the spy’s report he’d been discussing with them earlier.
Before he could speak Meng frowned, announced, “You are freezing,” and tugged Mei Changsu tight against his side. He fussed with the cloak for a moment too. This time Jingyan did look away.
This was better, he told himself. Better that lovers should be comfortable together, and that Mei Changsu should not sit half frozen for lack of a strong arm around him. Meng was still wearing a slightly nervous grin as Mei Changsu started speaking, but it faded away as he listened. They made a slightly odd pair - Jingyan had thought about it before, how peculiarly mismatched they seemed: but then sometimes that was the way with opposites, wasn’t it? Before long they had relaxed against each other as Mei Changsu spoke, and Jingyan too had almost stopped noticing how close together the two of them were.
Almost.
Later Jingyan left first, glad that he didn’t have to listen to Meng struggling to come up with an excuse to linger. Before he was even fully out of the room he heard Meng erupt behind him in a loud whisper, “What -“
“Don’t be upset, Brother Meng,” said Mei Changsu in a normal tone of voice. “Prince Jing is not a stupid man; he was bound to notice that we were keeping secrets from him.”
“But -“
“What’s the matter? Does your affection for me not stretch this far?”
“Of course it does!” said Meng. “It’s just -“
“Then don’t worry about it any more,” said Mei Changsu, and then there was a telling moment of silence, and Jingyan realised abruptly that he was eavesdropping and fled.
_
Meng stumbled backwards, wiping his mouth.
“That got rid of him,” said Xiao Shu with satisfaction.
“Is this really necessary, Xiao Shu?” said Meng plaintively. Xiao Shu’s eyes were bright in a slightly alarming way, and Meng was remembering all at once that he had actually been a little bit relieved to be transferred out of the Chiyan army and away from being in the direct line of fire for Young Marshal Lin’s sense of humour.
“It’s perfect,” said Xiao Shu, confirming all his most alarming suspicions. “Now we have an excuse to talk in private if we need to. Don’t worry, it’s only for Jingyan’s benefit. You don’t have to do anything anyway. Just follow my lead.”
“Oh no,” mumbled Meng, but Xiao Shu just ignored him.