LNTSWJLY Chapter 49

The warm sun rose in the east, and the hot wind blew gently.

Even Yangliu House itself likely never expected that one day it would receive an imperial decree besides being raided and confiscated by imperial order. The courtesans who were still sleeping were forcibly woken up. Before they could even get angry, they heard the news outside.

An imperial decree?

An imperial decree!

Hearing this, who would dare be angry anymore? They hurriedly got themselves presentable in panic, rushed downstairs in a mess, and knelt on the ground to await the decree.

Everyone was both confused and unsettled, not knowing what the decree meant. Could it be that Yangliu House had become too high-profile recently and angered the authorities, leading to its closure? If so… what would happen to them?

Their hearts were full of fear and unease.

Until the eunuch delivering the decree raised his unpleasant voice and announced loudly:

“Receive the decree for Ying Feng of Yangliu House—!”

“Is Lady Ying Feng present?”

Ying Feng?

Everyone immediately remembered the romantic rumors from some days ago, becoming even more shocked and uncertain. From the eunuch’s tone and attitude, he seemed to treat Ying Feng with considerable respect, so it likely was not bad news. Many of them quietly sighed in relief and finally let go of their tension.

Yet others inevitably felt envy and jealousy rise within them. Ying Feng was just like them, a mere courtesan, so how had she been so fortunate as to gain the favor of a noble patron?

They had originally thought she would suffer disaster, or be abandoned without mercy, but all of those expectations had been slapped in the face. Naturally, they were unwilling to accept it.

But since there was an imperial decree, and such an attitude accompanying it, it did not seem like anything bad at all.

The matron hurried over with Ying Qingzhu, kneeling down before everyone else at Yangliu House.

“Ying Feng is here.”

Ying Qingzhu pretended to look confused, helpless, and timid. In truth, his performance was three parts genuine and seven parts fake.

The eunuch delivering the imperial decree gave him a discreet once-over. There was a hint of disdain in his heart, but more than that, he was simply puzzled.

Although the heir of Prince Ying was neither particularly virtuous nor talented, he was at least a handsome young man with excellent looks. Yet this woman named Ying Feng was a lowly woman who could not even apply her makeup properly, let alone had any sense of aesthetics.

The eunuch truly could not understand what had made the heir of Prince Ying fall for her, much less why he had insisted on requesting an imperial decree to marry her.

Since this was a marriage, it should ordinarily have been arranged through the parents’ wishes and a matchmaker’s formal proposal. However, the heir of Prince Ying had neither parents nor elders in the capital. The only person who could make the decision to arrange his marriage was the emperor, the father of all under Heaven.

That was also why Yu Zhi had insisted on obtaining an imperial marriage decree.

With the decree, their marriage would be completely legitimate and above reproach. No one could deny it, not even the Prince Ying and his wife, who were far away in Liyang.

The eunuch delivering the decree took the imperial edict out of its box and raised his voice as he read it aloud to everyone.

At first listen, the words all sounded wonderful and auspicious. But if one listened carefully, especially to the parts praising Yu Zhi for being “equally accomplished in civil and military affairs” and Ying Feng for being “beautiful on the outside and intelligent within,” it became obvious just how little effort had gone into writing the decree. Alternatively, it might simply have been deliberate mockery.

Either way, it proved that this marriage was not being taken seriously at all.

It was treated like a child’s game.

Like a joke.

Yu Zhi, however, did not care.

As long as he could bring the person he wanted legitimately to his side, he had no interest in what outsiders thought.

Ying Qingzhu stared blankly as he accepted the imperial decree, looking utterly stunned and overwhelmed with joy, as though he had yet to recover from the shock.

Even the eunuch delivering the decree was sent away only after the matron discreetly slipped him a gift.

The others also rose from the ground. They stared at the imperial decree in Ying Qingzhu’s hands with envy, jealousy, and resentment.

They were all low-status women who had been touched by countless men. So why was this person so lucky?

Just because she had won one man’s favor, she had been able to escape her lowly status in a single stroke and transform from a sparrow into a phoenix.

Why couldn’t it have been them?

Yet the person in question was right there.

They could neither bully Ying Feng nor dare to do so in front of Yu Zhi.

All they could do was stew in jealousy for a while before angrily retreating to their rooms.

If they couldn’t see her, at least they wouldn’t have to be bothered by her.

Yu Zhi walked over to Ying Qingzhu.

Then, slowly, he crouched down in front of him, bringing himself face-to-face with Ying Qingzhu, who was still kneeling on the ground and seemed to have completely forgotten to get up.

“Did I scare you?”

He took Ying Qingzhu’s hand.

His hands were not as slender and delicate as a woman’s. Instead, they were full of strength. Although they looked fair and pale, they already had thick calluses on them.

Ying Qingzhu looked at Yu Zhi as though he still had not recovered from his shock.

When Yu Zhi stopped him from remaining on his knees and pulled him to his feet, Ying Qingzhu parted his lips, bit them lightly, and hesitated for a long while.

“You…”

“Why is the heir so determined?” he finally asked. “Marrying Ying Feng will only give people another reason to laugh at you.”

He genuinely could not understand it.

Why had this famously flirtatious and dissolute heir suddenly changed his ways?

Why had he fallen in love with him at first sight?

And why did he even want to marry him?

Ying Qingzhu tried to find an excuse for this man’s behavior.

Perhaps Yu Zhi had noticed something suspicious about him and was plotting against him.

Or perhaps his taste was simply unusual.

Or perhaps he had hit his head and something had gone wrong with his brain.

Ying Qingzhu kept finding excuses for Yu Zhi.

He refused to believe that Yu Zhi had truly fallen for him at first sight, that he had become completely smitten with him, and that he was even willing to ruin his own reputation simply to marry him.

It was almost as though, if he could convince himself of that, he could completely ignore and forget the strange flutter in his heart when he and Yu Zhi had locked eyes upstairs earlier.

Then he could calmly continue scheming against and making use of Yu Zhi.

Yu Zhi gave the matron a look.

The matron could only smile bitterly in helpless resignation. Yet she still obediently arranged a room for the man who was about to take her own master away.

The two entered the room.

Yu Zhi pulled Ying Qingzhu into his arms, pretending not to notice how stiff and tense his entire body was.

After a while, Ying Qingzhu gradually relaxed.

“Do you like it?”

Yu Zhi glanced at the imperial decree sitting inside its box as he asked.

Ying Qingzhu hesitated, then nodded.

Ying Feng should like it, right?

A courtesan with no family and nowhere to rely on, drifting through life in a brothel, when faced with an imperial decree granting her a marriage and allowing her to leap from a lowly status to become a person of honor, how could she possibly not feel happy?

But to Ying Qingzhu, it brought nothing but trouble.

“If you like it, then keep it safe. I’ll marry you and bring you home soon.”

Yu Zhi smiled as he spoke.

Ying Qingzhu, meanwhile, was already thinking hard about what other ways he might have to escape this situation.

For now, it was only an imperial marriage decree. There should still be some time before the actual wedding.

He needed to get rid of the identity of Ying Feng during that time.

Just as he was thinking about it, Yu Zhi asked again, “When do you think it would be appropriate for us to get married?”

‘The later, the better, of course!’ Ying Qingzhu thought.

Yu Zhi said, “How about three days from now?”

Ying Qingzhu: “…”

Damn you… If you want to get straight to the wedding night, just say so! Three days? You even want the Three Letters and Six Rites? A proper, formal marriage? There wouldn’t even be enough time to dream about it!

“I’ve already prepared the Three Letters and Six Rites. Everything can be completed in one day. We can hang the red decorations on the second day and prepare the wedding banquet on the third. Naturally, it can be done.”

Yu Zhi had clearly come prepared.

If he delayed any longer, this person might simply flee without a second thought. By then, he would never find another Ying Qingzhu disguised as Ying Feng to bring home as his wife.

Ying Qingzhu: “…”

This man…

This man…

His heart was both panicked and anxious. He was completely at a loss before Yu Zhi, as though there was nothing he could do except surrender himself to his fate.

“You don’t like it?”

Yu Zhi gently rubbed his hand, lingering over the calluses for a moment longer before casually moving his hand away.

He knew that this legitimate eldest son, who had been forced to disguise himself as a woman, had suffered greatly since childhood. He had survived with difficulty while concealing his true identity.

It seemed that, in several of their lifetimes, he had always ended up as such a pitiful person.

Yu Zhi could not bear to continue watching him struggle on his own.

“Ying Feng would not dare.”

Ying Qingzhu was genuinely a little angry.

Yet even he could not tell whether he was angry because Yu Zhi’s eagerness had ruined his plans, or because, as he listened to Yu Zhi calmly going through all the arrangements for their upcoming marriage, an inexplicable sense of happiness had risen in his heart.

Either way, he was angry.

“You have to understand how desperately I want to marry you,” Yu Zhi said deliberately.

“Ying Feng,” he called softly.

Ying Qingzhu’s heart stirred.

Hearing those two words spoken in that voice felt like something lightly brushing across his heart, leaving behind an unbearable itch.

For a brief moment, an indescribable thought seemed to flash through his mind.

He wanted to hear this man call him by his real name in that voice.

Not Ying Feng, the courtesan.

But Ying Qingzhu.

The next moment, however, he shook his head hard, trying to throw that inexplicable thought out of his mind.

Yu Zhi chuckled softly.

“I want to see what you look like wearing wedding clothes for me.”

For me.

Wear wedding clothes.

The two conditions were both indispensable.

He had not been lying.

He really did want to see it.

After everything they had been through, they had never truly gotten married.

If they could succeed this time, this would be their first wedding across their three lifetimes.

Even if there were countless more weddings in the future, none of them would be this one.

For some reason, Ying Qingzhu’s heart stirred again.

His fingers curled slightly, and somehow, this man’s words had actually made him nervous.

“I’ll do as the heir says.”

What else could he say?

Earlier, Ying Qingzhu had been thinking about killing himself and faking his death right in front of this man. But now that the imperial decree had been issued, if he insisted on seeking death, not only would it be a terrible idea, it would also seem suspicious and make it easy for people to start watching him closely.

He could only marry him.

He had to marry him.

Ying Qingzhu suppressed that faint stirring in his heart and stubbornly told himself that this was not something he wanted. He was only marrying this man because he had no other choice.

He had not been looking forward to it.

He was not happy about it either.

They say that when you want to deceive someone, the first person you have to deceive is yourself. Only now did Ying Qingzhu realize that he had never learned the true essence of deception.

He could not even deceive himself.

Hearing those words from him, Yu Zhi felt reassured.

He knew that Ying Qingzhu had made up his mind and would not run away again.

Yu Zhi, who had gone to such great lengths to arrange everything, was very satisfied. So he decided to give Ying Qingzhu three days off, allowing him time to deal with everything that would follow once Ying Feng was married.

For these three days, Yu Zhi would not come to disturb him.

And he hoped that, three days later, Ying Qingzhu would take his breath away.

After seeing Yu Zhi off, the matron came back in with a bitter expression.

“Master, are you really going to marry this man?”

Ying Qingzhu lowered his eyes, his expression calm and restrained.

“It isn’t me. It’s Ying Feng.”

The one getting married was not Ying Qingzhu.

It was Ying Feng.

The Fourth Princess, Ying Qingzhu, had never married.

The madam thought to herself: What’s the difference? Aren’t you the same person?

“You’re a man!” she blurted out. “Getting married means having a wedding night and sleeping in the same bed. What are you going to do if your identity is exposed?!”

Ying Qingzhu also thought about this problem.

After a moment, he said, “Ordinary people do consummate their marriage on their wedding night, but……

“What if he isn’t normal?”

Madam: “???”

Ying Qingzhu did not explain.

But in his heart, he was already thinking that he should prepare more of the impotence drug, so that after the heir of Prince Ying married him, he would be able to look but not touch.

Perhaps this could even become a reason for him to eventually escape Yu Zhi while continuing to live under the identity of Ying Feng.

So…

The more impotence drug, the better.

The moment Yu Zhi returned to his residence, the household steward and servants all came rushing over.

Every one of them wore a troubled expression, each eager to say something to Yu Zhi.

Yu Zhi knew exactly what they wanted to say.

He sat down in a chair, leisurely drinking his tea.

“What does everyone want to say?”

The steward was the first to step forward.

He felt that his life was truly miserable.

He had originally been doing perfectly well working beside the Prince Ying. Who could have known that he would be assigned to accompany the heir to the capital and act as an inside agent?

But no matter how difficult things had been back then, he had finally managed to endure it.

Unfortunately, his good days had not lasted long.

The heir had suddenly gotten himself involved in something major. Something the steward could not possibly resolve himself, and something that even the Prince could not stop if he were told about it.

Getting married would have been fine.

But getting married also cost money!

For a mere courtesan, they could simply send her through the gates in a small bridal sedan chair and be done with it.

But the heir, who had apparently lost his mind, insisted on holding a grand wedding. Everything had to be the best.

An eight-bearer bridal sedan chair.

Hundreds of carts loaded with betrothal gifts and dowry.

Exquisite and luxurious wedding clothes…

Everything had to be expensive.

But how much silver would all of this cost?

Once the steward poured out his grievances, Yu Zhi casually replied without the slightest concern, “Over the years, Father has sent gifts every year, and His Majesty has also bestowed quite a few rewards on me. That should be more than enough to arrange a wedding.

“If it isn’t enough, I suppose I’ll have to go to the palace and ask His Majesty for help. I can have him send someone to take a look and see exactly how much money and property there is in the residence.

“Steward, what do you think?”

Cold sweat immediately began pouring down the steward’s forehead.

Was this heir deliberately hiding his abilities, or was he simply a fool who happened to have incredibly good luck?

With just a few casual words, he had effortlessly seized the steward’s weak spot.

The steward immediately dared not say anything more and hurriedly replied, “This servant understands. I will make sure everything is arranged properly for the heir!”

Yu Zhi nodded in satisfaction.

Then one of the servants said, “Reporting to the heir, Young Master Cao and the others have come to the residence looking for you. Would you like to see them?”

Normally, they would have simply let them in.

But after being thoroughly disciplined over the past few days, no one dared to make decisions on their own anymore. They consulted Yu Zhi about everything.

Young Master Cao was one of the original owner’s group of spoiled, wealthy friends.

Yu Zhi had not seen any of them these past few days.

They were, after all, the original owner’s friends. They might not have been sincere friends, but there was no doubt that they knew the original owner well.

Yu Zhi did not particularly mind if they discovered that he was different from the original owner.

However, with the wedding approaching, he did not want people who were particularly suspicious or calculating to start keeping an eye on him and cause trouble for the marriage.

“Go tell them that I’ve been busy preparing for my wedding these past few days and have no time to meet with them. Invite them to attend the wedding banquet three days from now. Their invitations will be sent over shortly.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

The servant hurried away to deliver the message.

Outside the residence, several young men who had received the news waved their fans in disbelief.

“This… It’s actually true?”

“What do you think is wrong with Yu Zhi? He actually wants to marry a courtesan?”

They had seen Ying Feng that day.

They could not really tell what she looked like beneath all that makeup, but the makeup on her face alone had been enough to horrify them and make them recoil in disgust.

Yet Yu Zhi did not mind it at all.

He actually wanted to marry her?

“Looks like that Ying Feng really has some skills. I wonder if she can satisfy Young Master Yu in bed.”

After Yu Zhi was injured, the group had hurried home and stayed hidden for several days.

Only after coming out again did they hear the rumors about Yu Zhi’s latest romantic entanglement.

When they first heard the news, naturally, none of them believed it. They knew exactly what kind of person Yu Zhi was. Did they really expect that guy to remain devoted to a courtesan?

What a joke!

But after waiting and waiting, they never got any denial of the rumor. Instead, they received news that an imperial decree had been issued granting Yu Zhi and Ying Feng a marriage.

The group: “…”

They immediately stopped hiding and hurriedly gathered together, all heading toward the Prince Ying’s residence.

They had originally wanted to see what Yu Zhi was up to.

However, they did not even get to see him.

In the end, they could only slink away in embarrassment and return home.

Yu Zhi personally took charge of the wedding arrangements, overseeing everything and urging the servants to get their work done.

Just as Yu Zhi had said, the entire Three Letters and Six Rites were completed in a single day.

By the second day, red silk and the character『囍』for double-happiness were already hung throughout the residence.

On the third day, they prepared the wedding banquet.

Yu Zhi had originally not planned to invite many people.

But quite a few idle people in the capital were eager to come and watch the spectacle. One after another, they decided they wanted to witness this marriage, which was practically shocking enough to cause an uproar.

So, to make sure there would be somewhere for everyone to sit, Yu Zhi prepared dozens of banquet tables, filling the entire courtyard used for receiving guests.

Once everything was ready, on the morning of the fourth day, the wedding procession set out to receive the bride.

Ying Qingzhu had been woken up in the middle of the night to get ready. He did not understand it. This was not a real wedding. Nor was it a marriage entered into out of genuine love.

So why was he taking it so seriously?

It was nothing more than an act.

At least, that was what he told himself.

However, he was surrounded by too many people at Yangliu House, and he could not risk exposing himself.

So, under the envious, jealous, and resentful gazes of the women at Yangliu House, he had no choice but to get up early and begin preparing.

He still put on heavy makeup.

The layers of powder and cosmetics on his face felt as though they had turned into several airtight masks, leaving him stifled and uncomfortable.

His elaborate and beautiful phoenix crown and hairstyle were carefully arranged.

His magnificent, perfectly fitted red wedding robes were put on.

And once everything was finally in place, even though he knew perfectly well that this marriage was nothing more than a pretense, he still could not control the nervousness that quietly rose in his heart.

As if… as if all of this were real.

As if he and that person had always been a pair of lovers who truly cared for each other, and after breaking through countless obstacles, they had finally gotten what they wished for and become husband and wife at last.

For a moment, he seemed to feel a powerful blessing coming from somewhere unknown, slowly drawing closer and surrounding him. It was warm, sincere, and filled with genuine affection.

The bridal veil fell over his head, blocking his view. He sat on the bed, waiting for someone to carry him out.

Everyone else in the room had already been sent away. Ying Qingzhu was wondering who would carry him.

There was no suitable person at Yangliu House. It was all because of that Yu Zhi. If he wanted to marry him, he had not even bothered to change the place. He was simply having him leave Yangliu House as a bride. Was he not afraid of people pointing fingers and gossiping?

But then, on second thought, the moment this man married Ying Feng, he was destined to become the subject of gossip anyway.

What difference would a little more or a little less make?

Creak—

The door was pushed open. Steady footsteps approached him.

The person did not hurry, slowly making his way to the bedside.

“Who is carrying me out?” Ying Qingzhu asked when he heard no one speak. “Who is it?”

A long arm reached out and lifted him into a bridal carry. Ying Qingzhu immediately became displeased. He tried to struggle, intending to drive this silent person out and have someone else take his place.

“It’s me.”

That familiar voice entered his ears. Ying Qingzhu’s struggling stopped at once.

The man let out a muffled laugh, his voice clearly reaching him through the bridal veil.

“My lover. Naturally, I should be the one to carry you home.”

The words my lover fell into Ying Qingzhu’s heart, sending ripples across it.

Being held in Yu Zhi’s arms, Ying Qingzhu instinctively wrapped both arms around his neck.

Who is your lover?

Ying Feng?

Or Ying Qingzhu?

If you knew the truth, would you still think this way?

Ying Feng might be a woman from a brothel, but he was not even a woman. There was no soft, fragrant beauty, no tender affection or sweet romance. What kind of lover was he supposed to be?

Yet in the end, Ying Qingzhu said nothing. He simply continued to hold the man’s neck in silence. The lively wedding music surrounded them, while the congratulatory cheers Yu Zhi had arranged continued without end.

For a moment, Ying Qingzhu actually forgot everything. All he knew was that he was getting married to someone.

Today was their wedding banquet.

Today was their wedding day.

It was only after he left Yu Zhi’s arms and was seated inside the bridal sedan that he finally came back to his senses. He felt a brief pang of annoyance at himself, then reached out and pinched the edge of his sleeve.

Did he bring enough impotence drug?

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『 dapotaturs note 』

The Three Letters — 三书 T

1. 聘书 (pìnshū) — Betrothal Letter
   • The formal document confirming the engagement between the two families.
2. 礼书 (lǐshū) — Gift/ Ceremony Letter
   • A document recording the formal exchange of betrothal gifts and related arrangements.
3. 迎书 (yíngshū) — Wedding/Bridal Reception Letter T
   • he document used when the groom formally went to receive the bride and bring her to his household.

The Six Rites — 六礼

1. 纳采 (nàcǎi) — Proposal
   • The groom’s family formally proposes marriage, traditionally sending a matchmaker to the bride’s family.
2. 问名 (wènmíng) — Asking the Name
   • The families exchange the prospective bride and groom’s names and birth information, traditionally to determine compatibility.
3. 纳吉 (nàjí) — Receiving the Auspicious Omen
   • After determining that the match is favorable, the groom’s family formally informs the bride’s family that the engagement is auspicious.
4. 纳征 (nàzhēng) — Betrothal Gifts
   • The groom’s family sends the formal betrothal gifts to the bride’s family. This is essentially the official confirmation of the engagement.
5. 请期 (qǐngqī) — Choosing the Wedding Date
   • An auspicious date for the wedding is selected and formally communicated to the bride’s family.
6. 亲迎 (qīnyíng) — Personally Receiving the Bride
   • On the wedding day, the groom personally goes to receive the bride and bring her to his household

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