LNTSWJLY Chapter 53

The vast grassland stretched as far as the eye could see. The wild wind howled around them and rushed straight into their faces, yet it still could not blow away the confusion in Ying Qingzhu’s mind.

So what was the point of having sex outdoors?

Why was it that this usually calm and reserved man was laughing so shamelessly, as though he had just seen something completely new and hilarious?

Was having sex outdoors really that funny?

Of course, there was nothing funny about having sex outdoors.

What Yu Zhi found funny was the person himself.

He truly had not expected Ying Qingzhu to be so innocent.

He had originally thought that someone who could casually carry impotence drug around and use it as a seasoning for his drinks should, even if he had never been involved with women, know quite a lot about such matters.

But after thinking about it carefully, he understood.

Ying Qingzhu often spent time around Yangliu House, so it was inevitable that he would encounter some improper people. That impotence drug was probably something he used both to protect himself and to punish those people.

He was focused on his career, so he probably had no interest in studying matters of the bedchamber.

Understanding that was one thing, but it did not stop Yu Zhi from finding it amusing.

The racecourse in the western suburbs was enormous. Riding horses at full speed here was exhilarating and carefree, and even one’s mood felt much more open and relaxed.

However, Ying Qingzhu did not believe that Yu Zhi had brought him here just to ride horses.

“Of course, that’s not all,” Yu Zhi said naturally.

He held Ying Qingzhu’s hand with one hand and led the horse with the other. The gentle white horse obediently followed beside him. It was quite different from the other one beside him, which looked well-behaved on the outside, but who knew what was going on inside its head?

“I already told you. Naturally, I brought you out so you could meet some people.”

Yu Zhi held Ying Qingzhu’s hand and gestured for him to look in a certain direction.

“See them?”

Ying Qingzhu raised his eyes and looked over. In the distance, a group of young men and women were curiously looking in their direction.

His eyesight was quite good. Even from this distance, Ying Qingzhu could tell that the group consisted of some of the capital’s well-known young masters and young ladies. Among them was even the future Third Prince’s Consort he had heard about before.

The moment he saw her, Ying Qingzhu could not help frowning.

Since she was here, did that mean the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince were here as well?

“Isn’t that the Prince Ying’s heir up ahead? What a coincidence that we happened to meet today. Would you care to join us for a ride, Young Master?” someone called out loudly.

The former Prince Ying’s heir had never had this much face. Although no one had bullied him, he had never been particularly popular either. The fact that people were now taking the initiative to invite him over was naturally because of the other person beside him.

Ying Qingzhu asked, “Why aren’t you going?”

Yu Zhi asked in return, “Why should I go?”

Ying Qingzhu was stunned. “Weren’t you the one who said you were bringing me out to meet people?”

Could this man have gone stupid already?

Yu Zhi, however, smiled.

“I brought you here so that everyone would know that you are my wife, not so that you could walk over there and let them gather around to look at you.”

“For people you aren’t familiar with, simply letting them catch a glimpse of you at just the right moment is enough.”

With that, Yu Zhi mounted his horse and pulled Ying Qingzhu up behind him.

The next moment, the fine horse galloped away, rushing past the group of young men and women. By the time everyone came back to their senses, all that remained in the air was a faint, elegant fragrance, and for a moment, no one could even tell which of the two had left it behind.

The horse moved with powerful grace, its red and white-clad riders’ sleeves fluttering in the wind. The two of them were like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan, leaving a deep impression of breathtaking beauty in the hearts of these favored sons and daughters of Heaven.

Rong Yunchang felt someone tug twice at her sleeve, bringing her back to her senses. She turned toward the young woman beside her, who asked in a daze, “M-Miss Rong… did you see what those two looked like just now?”

For a moment, Rong Yunchang did not know whether she should nod or shake her head.

She had seen them, yet it was almost as though she had not.

That scene had been like immortals appearing in a painting, while those two seemed like people who belonged in the heavens.

“So… so that Ying Feng actually looks like that. No wonder the Prince Ying’s heir fell for him at first sight!” someone murmured.

Her voice was filled with envy, though it was impossible to tell whether she was more envious of Ying Feng or of the Prince Ying’s heir.

Rong Yunchang thought the same.

She had originally assumed that the heir’s appearance at Yangliu House and his entanglement with one of its courtesans must have had many hidden reasons behind it. Perhaps he was secretly plotting something, trying to fish in troubled waters and take advantage of the chaos.

Yet after seeing the two of them today, most of the suspicion in her heart disappeared in an instant.

Someone like that really did possess the kind of beauty capable of making a person fall in love at first sight.

But if Yangliu House had someone like him, why had he never become famous before?

He had even allowed rumors that he was ugly to spread without ever explaining or denying them.

Just as Rong Yunchang was deep in thought, she heard a familiar voice calling her.

“Miss Rong, our master would like to see you.”

The man approaching her was dressed as a guard. Coincidentally, Rong Yunchang knew him.

He was one of the Third Prince’s personal attendants. In her previous life, she had seen him many times. Later, he had died for the Third Prince.

Remembering how loyal this man had been to the Third Prince, Rong Yunchang treated him with considerable courtesy.

“Thank you. Please wait a moment. I’ll be there shortly.”

The two people who had just dazzled everyone were now riding around the racecourse. After making one full circuit, they finally stopped beside a small stream.

The big white horse lowered its head to drink water, while the two of them remained seated on its back.

The breeze from the stream brushed against their faces, cool and refreshing. Ying Qingzhu seemed to feel the breathing of the mountains and rivers, the rhythm of life itself.

“Did you see it?”

Yu Zhi’s voice came from behind him, reaching his ears.

Ying Qingzhu swept his gaze around, wondering what Yu Zhi had brought him here to see.

Before long, his eyes stopped on a certain spot.

Two people were standing there. His future Third Sister-in-law and his Third Brother, who had only recently returned to the capital.

The two seemed to be arguing about something. Rong Yunchang looked anxious as she hurriedly explained herself, while Ying Yao kept a stern expression, his face showing little change.

“Why did you bring me here to see them?” Ying Qingzhu already knew that the Third Prince had learned that Rong Yunchang had once had feelings for the Seventh Prince. He had not expected Yu Zhi’s people to move so quickly.

“To strike a snake, you have to hit it seven inches. A little thing wouldn’t hurt them enough to matter. Good steel should be used where it counts.”

Yu Zhi spoke slowly.

Ying Qingzhu frowned, unable to understand what he meant for a moment.

Does he know what I did? Is he lecturing me? Does he think I shouldn’t have done it this way?

He was so irritated that he actually laughed.

“Husband, do you still remember whose side you are on?”

Yu Zhi held his hand and teased, “So, in my wife’s heart, I already belong to her?”

Ying Qingzhu was left speechless.

For a moment, he genuinely did not know how to respond.

“Stop changing the subject,” he said angrily.

Yu Zhi stopped teasing him and became serious instead.

“I’m not saying that what you did was wrong. I simply wanted you to see a person’s weakness.”

Ying Qingzhu was still confused.

Before long, however, the sound of something cutting through the air suddenly came from ahead.

An arrow shot toward them at incredible speed, flashing into view before anyone had time to react.

In the next instant, the Third Prince, who had still been wearing a cold expression, suddenly frowned. He swiftly pulled Rong Yunchang behind him, then reacted with lightning speed and cut the incoming arrow in two with his sword.

But the attacker had clearly come prepared.

When the first arrow failed, another followed.

In an instant, arrows flew toward them from every direction like a flurry of feathers.

The Third Prince pulled Rong Yunchang tightly into his arms, mounted his horse, and shielded her with his own body. He had no time to worry about himself, and by then, several arrows had already struck him.

Rong Yunchang burst into frightened tears. She wanted to help him, but she had no idea where to begin.

The two of them fled at full speed, and before long, their figures disappeared from sight.

Ying Qingzhu’s palms were sweating.

“…Was it you?”

Yu Zhi could not help sounding wronged. “Wife, is that really the kind of person you think I am?”

Ying Qingzhu did not actually think that of him.

But the timing was simply too perfect.

Seeing the way Ying Qingzhu was looking at him, Yu Zhi had no choice but to say, “It really wasn’t me. But I can probably guess who it was.”

It could only have been the Seventh Prince.

Ying Qingzhu thought about it carefully before shaking his head.

“No. If you didn’t know about it, then why did you bring me here today? How did you know something would happen?”

Yu Zhi naturally could not tell him that he knew from the original plot that these two would come to the racecourse, and that he had also given the Seventh Prince a little push behind the scenes.

“Then you can just assume that I was the one who arranged it.”

Ying Qingzhu gave him a look.

If you did it, then you did it. If you didn’t, then you didn’t. What do you mean, ‘just assume’ I did it? Are you acting like I’ve wronged you now?

“Let’s go. Otherwise, we might get caught up in this too.”

Hearing this, Ying Qingzhu wondered whether Yu Zhi genuinely meant it or whether he was simply saying it to make him stop being suspicious.

Before he could think any further, however, an arrow suddenly flew straight toward him.

Ying Qingzhu did not even have time to think about the fact that Yu Zhi really had nothing to do with what had happened. All he had time to do was anxiously shout,

“Be careful!”

Before the words had even left his mouth, a section of horsewhip swiftly wrapped itself around the incoming arrow.

Yu Zhi flicked his wrist, and the long arrow flew back in the direction it had come from.

A muffled groan came from the woods.

Yu Zhi tightened his legs around the horse. The horse shuddered beneath them, then accelerated into a full gallop.

Yu Zhi could not help sighing with amusement. “Today, it seems I really am going to share both hardship and danger with my wife.”

Ying Qingzhu was annoyed that this man could still joke around at such a critical moment instead of taking the danger seriously. He was just about to lose his temper when he suddenly felt the arm around his waist tighten.

The man’s voice came close to his ear.

Even with the fierce wind howling around them, his voice still reached Ying Qingzhu’s ears clearly.

“My lady, don’t worry.”

Ying Qingzhu’s heart stirred slightly.

He waited, listening closely, but Yu Zhi did not say anything more.

Don’t worry… about what?

That he will protect me?

Or that nothing will happen today?

Although Ying Qingzhu could more or less guess the answer, he still wanted to hear Yu Zhi say it himself.

As long as you say it, I’ll believe you.

I believe you… truly do have feelings for me.

However, after waiting for a long while, he still did not hear those words.

Perhaps this person had only wanted to say those four words so that he could put his mind at ease.

Ying Qingzhu felt a little disappointed.

Yet even he himself felt that this disappointment should not exist.

Why did he care whether this person had feelings for him?

Ying Qingzhu asked himself this question honestly, but he did not want to know the answer.

The black-clad assassins behind them were still in pursuit. However, their main targets were still the Third Prince and Rong Yunchang. Only two of them were chasing Yu Zhi and Ying Qingzhu.

Yu Zhi urged the horse to go faster, making sure the two assassins could not catch up. At the same time, the speed at which he blocked the arrows coming from behind was almost as though he had eyes in the back of his head; fast, accurate, and ruthless.

The two assassins were furious and shocked. They fired several more arrows in succession.

Yu Zhi’s skills were excellent, but even he did not have three heads and six arms. Although he did his best to dodge, an arrow still grazed his side, tearing away a strip of flesh and leaving blood behind.

As the distance between them grew, the two finally reached the area of the racecourse where there were more people. Seeing that they could no longer pursue them, the two assassins had no choice but to retreat.

Yu Zhi pulled on the reins and dismounted.

His steps were slightly unsteady.

Ying Qingzhu’s eyes flickered, and his palm unconsciously tightened.

“How are you?”

His gaze fell on the several tears in Yu Zhi’s snow-white brocade robe, and on the blood staining the fabric.

An obvious surge of anger rose in Ying Qingzhu’s heart.

But he knew very well that this anger was not directed at Yu Zhi.

It was directed at those assassins…

And at himself.

Yu Zhi covered his chest. “The arrows weren’t poisoned. They’re only minor flesh wounds.”

The pain was bearable. His unstable breathing was mainly because the high-speed ride and the exertion of his strength had left him short of breath.

This body…

Yu Zhi did not want to say too much about it.

Instead, he smiled and deliberately shifted Ying Qingzhu’s attention.

“At least I protected you.”

Ying Qingzhu suddenly raised his head.

He fell straight into those eyes that seemed to hold so much, yet at the same time seemed to hold nothing at all.

His heartbeat suddenly became fast and chaotic.

His fingers curled unconsciously.

He believed him.

He believed that this person truly had feelings for him.

The white robes were the proof.

The scent of blood was the witness.

“Yu Zhi, can you smell it?”

“What?”

“Your blood. It smells sweet.”

You smell sweet.

I want to eat it.

The news of the Third Prince being assassinated quickly spread throughout the capital.

However, Yu Zhi and Ying Qingzhu, the two people who had been caught up in the incident, were not known to as many people.

The Third Prince and Rong Yunchang, however, were among those who knew what had happened.

When the emperor questioned him, the Third Prince could not help but suspect a conspiracy.

“Father, why did I happen to encounter the Prince Ying’s heir today when I was attacked? There may be some hidden scheme behind this.”

The Third Prince still remembered what his fiancée had told him.

There was something wrong with Yangliu House, and this Prince Ying’s heir and his wife might not be as simple as they appeared on the surface.

At the mention of those two, the emperor’s brows briefly furrowed.

“I understand. Go and interrogate those assassins. I don’t care whether they live or die. Find out as much as you can.”

The emperor instinctively felt that they would not be able to get much information from the assassins, so he left the matter to the Third Prince to investigate himself. If he could not get anything out of them, then no one could blame him.

The Third Prince immediately agreed.

“Yes!”

He truly did not hold back.

He had the assassins subjected to every form of severe torture, but they still refused to talk.

In the end, the only answer the Third Prince got was one that was obviously meant to be a scapegoat.

The assassins claimed that they had been sent by the powerful aristocratic families of Huizhou to assassinate him and teach him a lesson.

Huizhou…

The Third Prince had just returned from Huizhou after investigating a case involving false reports of disaster conditions. He had offended quite a few of the local aristocratic families and powerful clans in the process.

With that as their reason, the explanation was actually quite plausible.

But the Third Prince knew that it might not really be the truth.

Rong Yunchang had once told him that another force was stirring beneath the surface in the capital. They were deeply hidden, and if they were not exposed, there would be endless trouble in the future.

Unfortunately, despite investigating for a long time, he had found nothing.

Yet whenever he remembered how firmly Rong Yunchang had spoken, he was unwilling to doubt her.

After thinking for a long time, the Third Prince finally became angry.

Whoever they are, it doesn’t matter.

If one comes, I’ll kill one. If two come, I’ll kill both!

After being the most favored prince for so many years, the throne was practically his for the taking. It was almost within his grasp.

As the two people caught up in the incident, Yu Zhi and Ying Qingzhu were naturally questioned as well. They answered truthfully, though whether others believed them was another matter.

The two of them had unusual identities, and they were victims in the incident. The authorities could not make things difficult for them. They even sent officials to question them personally at the Prince Ying’s Residence.

After Yu Zhi said that he would have to call a physician to calm Ying Qingzhu’s nerves after the shock, the officials tactfully took their leave.

Before leaving, they could not help taking a few more looks at the married couple.

Putting everything else aside, simply looking at the two of them was enough to put anyone in a better mood.

After all, who in this world did not like beautiful people?

“Are you really certain you didn’t leave any traces behind?” Ying Qingzhu asked with concern again once there were only the two of them in the room.

Yu Zhi smiled.

“My lady, you should trust me.”

Trust him.

This person seemed to really like saying those words.

When they first got married, he had told him to trust him.

When he said he had feelings for him, he had told him to trust him.

And now, when asked about the assassination attempt, he was still telling him to trust him.

Yu Zhi glanced at him and was just about to tell him to go and rest when a servant knocked on the door.

“Noble Heir, Madam, the physician is here.”

Ying Qingzhu’s eyes lit up immediately. He got up and went to open the door.

“Quickly, show him in.”

Yu Zhi watched his retreating back and helplessly curled his lips into a smile.

His lover was stubborn with his words but soft at heart.

There was nothing Yu Zhi could do but wait.

Wait until the day his lover was no longer so stubborn about admitting what was in his heart.

The physician was Doctor An, whom Yu Zhi had summoned earlier.

After entering and saluting them, he immediately asked Yu Zhi to sit closer so he could take his pulse, then examined the wounds as well.

“There really is no poison on the arrows, and there’s no dirt or other contamination either.”

Doctor An was visibly relieved.

A superficial wound was easy enough to treat.

But this man’s condition was far more complicated than mere superficial injuries.

Doctor An was thinking about how to put it more tactfully when he happened to meet Yu Zhi’s gaze.

His heart tightened.

He immediately understood what Yu Zhi meant and said no more.

After hearing the physician’s words, Ying Qingzhu was clearly relieved as well. If Yu Zhi had been seriously injured because of him, he would have felt terribly guilty.

This was much better.

“My lady, you can take this prescription and have someone get the medicine and boil it.”

Doctor An wrote out a prescription for an internal medicine to replenish the blood and handed it to Ying Qingzhu.

Ying Qingzhu glanced at Yu Zhi.

“I’ll go.”

Only after there was no one else in the room did Yu Zhi speak to Doctor An.

“Thank you for helping me, Doctor An. I don’t want my wife to know the truth and only make him worry and grieve unnecessarily. I hope you can continue to keep this matter from him in the future.”

Doctor An had lived for many years and naturally seen all kinds of people.

Seeing Yu Zhi act this way, he could only sigh before comforting him.

“Noble Heir, please don’t belittle yourself. If you take good care of your health from now on, you may still have another ten years.”

Yu Zhi smiled faintly.

“Thank you, Doctor An.”

Doctor An smiled as well.

“With such an open and broad heart, Noble Heir, you are sure to have good fortune in the future.”

He had seen many young people whose limited lifespans had caused unnecessary misunderstandings between them and the people they loved.

This young man knew that he was unlikely to live a long life, yet he still wanted to spend his life with the person he loved.

Perhaps from the other person’s perspective, such behavior could be considered somewhat unfair.

But Doctor An genuinely admired it.

And looking at the Prince Ying’s heir, it seemed that he himself did not take his physical condition to heart at all.

The openness of his mind could be seen clearly enough from that alone.

Yu Zhi’s eyelashes moved slightly, but he did not raise his eyes.

He had never expected this body to be damaged so severely that, in this lifetime, he might once again have to leave this world far too soon.

Even so, he was unwilling to give up.

He would rather pretend to be a stranger and remain by Ying Qingzhu’s side, watching over him from afar.

The experiences of his previous life had taught him that once he had chosen someone, he must not hesitate or waver.

Otherwise, all that would remain in the end would be regret.

Perhaps they would have another lifetime.

Perhaps…

There would be no next life.

“Someone, come and see Doctor An out.”

Doctor An took his leave and carried his medicine chest toward the door.

Only when he reached the entrance did he suddenly slap his forehead.

He had forgotten to prescribe medicine to help Yu Zhi recover and maintain his health!

Treating an illness was a gradual process, after all. Naturally, a patient could not keep taking the same medicine indefinitely.

Doctor An quickly took out some paper and a brush and wrote another prescription. He handed it to the maid who had escorted him out.

“Remember to have the heir take this medicine once a day. And reassure him that the two prescriptions will not interfere with each other.”

The maid did not dare delay.

She hurriedly took the prescription and ran back, only to collide with Ying Qingzhu, who had just returned to the main courtyard.

The maid fell hard onto the ground.

“What has you in such a rush?”

The maid quickly offered the prescription to him with both hands.

“Doctor An prescribed this medicine for the Noble Heir. He said it is to help regulate and restore his health.”

Ying Qingzhu frowned as he accepted it.

Wasn’t there already a prescription? Why did he prescribe another one?

He read through it once, committing the contents to memory, then handed it back to the maid.

“You may go.”

“Yes.”

That night, Ying Qingzhu returned to Yangliu House.

He found someone and asked what the prescription was meant to treat.

The late Empress had been a physician, highly skilled in medicine, and many of the people she had taken in had some connection to the medical field.

After hearing the prescription, one particularly skilled physician pondered for a moment before saying, “Master, there is nothing particularly unusual about this prescription. It is simply meant to strengthen the body at its foundation, restore vitality, and improve overall health.”

The doubt in Ying Qingzhu’s heart had only just begun to fade when the physician continued.

“However, if we must say there is something unusual about it, then it would be that the medicine is rather strong.”

“Is there a problem with using such strong medicine?”

“For an ordinary person, strengthening the body and restoring vitality would normally be done through the gentlest methods, allowing the body to recover gradually. But judging from this prescription, the patient must be suffering from a long-standing and deeply rooted illness. His condition has likely worsened over a long period of time, to the point that mild medicines are no longer effective. Stronger medicine is the only option.”

“However, all medicine carries some degree of toxicity, and stronger medicine places an even greater burden on the body. Even if this prescription can make the patient’s condition improve in a short period of time, it would only be burning through the body’s own reserves of energy. His remaining lifespan would be a serious concern.”

Thud!

The cup struck the table heavily, knocked down by its owner without him even realizing it.

Ying Qingzhu’s expression remained calm.

Whether that calm was genuine or merely an act was impossible to tell.

“I understand.”

Late that night, Yu Zhi wondered whether that person would come back tonight.

After washing up, he went to bed.

As usual, he left two lamps lit in the room. He was just about to lie down when he saw a figure quietly enter.

In the blink of an eye, the person had reached the bedside.

The red clothes seemed to have carried in the cool night breeze, retaining a faint chill.

“I thought my wife was going to leave me alone in an empty bed again tonight,” Yu Zhi said with a faint smile.

“Wearing so many layers, aren’t you hot?”

There was ice in the room, but it was still nowhere near as convenient as modern air conditioning.

Yu Zhi reached out to help him remove his outer robe.

The two of them had already done more intimate things together, so Ying Qingzhu did not refuse such a familiar gesture from Yu Zhi.

Sure enough, the latter simply let him remove his clothes.

“There’s water in the bathing room. Take a bath before you sleep,” Yu Zhi said as he handed him a clean set of clothes.

Ying Qingzhu stared at the clothes the man was holding out to him.

He looked at them for a long time.

It was not until Yu Zhi noticed that something seemed off that Ying Qingzhu suddenly said, “Yu Zhi, did you owe me a lot in your previous life…?”

Yu Zhi’s eyes flickered.

“Money?”

Yu Zhi: “…”

“Why don’t you say I owed you a debt of love?” he asked helplessly, rubbing his forehead.

Ying Qingzhu replied naturally, “How could something as cheap as feelings be worth all the trouble of repaying?”

Yu Zhi’s heart skipped a beat.

He thought of the story surrounding Ying Qingzhu’s biological mother.

He did not know much about it, but what little he did know was enough to give him a glimpse of the situation. It also allowed him to understand Ying Qingzhu’s views to some extent.

But understanding did not mean he was not bothered by them.

“Are you saying that I’m cheap?”

Ying Qingzhu looked up with a laugh.

He looked at Yu Zhi seriously, at those eyes that held only him.

It was as though, in this entire world, he was the only person Yu Zhi had the right to hold in his eyes and in his heart.

“No. You are priceless.”

He stepped forward and kissed those lips that looked so inviting.

They were fragrant and soft.

In a daze, Ying Qingzhu seemed to catch that same sweet scent of blood again.

Their lips moved together, the kiss lingering and tender, filled with deep longing.

“So I can only repay you with something equally priceless.”

Warm, hazy breaths brushed against his ear and the side of his neck…