LNTSWJLY Chapter 47

Crimson lips and fragrant cheeks, with sweet nectar lightly held between them.

After the initial shock and stunned pause, it was quickly replaced by raging anger. The young maiden struggled and struck at this bold, shameless libertine. What made it worse was that, to avoid exposing his identity, he could not use real strength. He could only cry like a girl being taken advantage of—tears streaming, appearing to resist, but in truth unable to break free, reduced to putting on a show for the other’s amusement.

At that moment, Ying Qingzhu, who had been momentarily dazed by beauty, suddenly became clear-headed, his anger flaring up. This man actually dared…

But no matter how angry he was, the only thing Ying Qingzhu could do was cry. He could not fight back.

Under the shock of being taken advantage of, he even forgot that he had swallowed the tea from Yu Zhi’s mouth— the very tea he himself had drugged.

Yu Zhi was using the kiss to ease the complicated and overwhelming emotions in his heart. After a long time, he suddenly tasted a trace of salt.

It was tears.

In a daze, he finally came back to his senses from that wild, lost state. Slowly opening his eyes, he saw the young maiden with a face smeared like a palette, silently crying.

To be fair, calling it not good-looking would be far too mild.

It wasn’t just unattractive, it was almost shocking to look at.

But Yu Zhi did not care at all.

He raised his hand to touch Ying Qingzhu’s face, wiping away his tears, only for his fingers to be stained a deep red

In a low, gentle voice, he said, “Don’t cry.”

His fingertips softly brushed across Ying Qingzhu’s face. Ying Qingzhu accidentally met his gaze, and in that instant, his heart pounded like a drum, and he quickly looked away.

“My behavior was improper. I treated you lightly; it was my fault,” Yu Zhi said softly. His face was pale, yet his lips and eyes were flushed red.

The former was from that intense kiss just now.

The latter… came from emotions too complex to describe.

He hadn’t been able to hold back.

He really… truly couldn’t hold back.

The moment he thought of the entanglements and missed chances from his previous life, regret surged uncontrollably, crashing into his heart.

Yu Zhi had never thought he would feel regret. All along, he believed that if one made a mistake, one should fix it and make up for it. Regret was the most useless kind of emotion.

But this time, he truly experienced what it meant to be unable to control regret.

Even knowing it was useless, even knowing he shouldn’t, he still could not control his heart.

Ying Qingzhu looked frightened on the outside, but inside, he was full of confusion.

Why was this Prince Ying’s heir acting like this?

The emotions in those eyes, ones he himself could not clearly understand, made Ying Qingzhu feel inexplicably unsettled. A strange feeling flashed through his heart, but he forcefully suppressed it.

“I… I wouldn’t dare…”

“It was I who accidentally pushed you and made you cough blood. It’s all my fault. I only beg that you spare me this once…”

His voice was hoarse, soft and delicate. His lips were slightly swollen, so much so that he did not even want to touch them, as if pretending that the part of him that had been violated and handled by this man simply did not exist.

Yu Zhi tried hard to steady his emotions. Not wanting to frighten the other, he restrained the feelings in his eyes as much as he could, though his voice remained extremely gentle.

“The blood I coughed up is due to my own condition. It has nothing to do with you. I do not blame you.”

Joy burst into the young maiden’s eyes, his happiness barely concealed.

“Th-then… could you let me go, noble sir? I am truly afraid!”

At this moment, Ying Qingzhu set aside any thoughts of revenge for the time being. If he truly wanted revenge, there would be plenty of chances in the future.

But his heart and his instincts were telling him one thing:

Stay far away from Prince Ying’s heir.

Otherwise, great disaster might fall upon him.

Although he did not know why, Ying Qingzhu had always trusted his own instincts.

In truth, his instincts were not wrong. The unfathomable heir before him spoke gently and softly:

“Of course I will not blame you. It is because I like you. I wish to marry you as my wife. Are you willing?”

Ying Qingzhu: “……”

Ying Qingzhu was stunned.

What did he just hear?

This heir, known everywhere for being a carefree libertine, was actually confessing his feelings to him, a mere brothel woman, and even saying he wanted to marry him as his wife?

A noble marrying a brothel girl?

If word got out, people would laugh their teeth off.

And this man, whose reputation for indulgence only grew stronger by the day, was now suddenly saying he wanted to marry him?

This had to be a scheme.

It had to be.

Using the alias Ying Feng, Ying Qingzhu shook his head frantically, waving his hands. “I am of a lowly status. I would never dare to dream of someone like you! Y-you are putting me in an impossible position!”

Yet no matter how firmly he refused, Yu Zhi remained resolute.

“Since I like you, why would I care about your background? My sincerity toward you can be witnessed by the sun and the moon. If you do not believe me, I can swear an oath. If I ever betray you in this life, may Heaven punish me for eternity, life after life.”

His tone was as gentle as ever, but his words were firm, leaving no room for doubt.

This sudden oath left Ying Qingzhu stunned for a moment. By the time he came back to his senses, Yu Zhi had already given him no chance to refuse.

“Enough. I will have someone bring silver to redeem you. Once I report to the Emperor, I will marry you properly as my rightful consort!”

If it were an ordinary woman, even one who was not from a brothel, hearing such sincere and heartfelt words from Yu Zhi might not make her fall deeply in love, but she would at least be moved.

But at this moment, Ying Qingzhu only felt bitterness filling his mouth. He even suspected that Yu Zhi had tasted something bitter earlier and somehow passed that bitterness to him during the kiss.

Why hadn’t he slipped away earlier? Why did he insist on acting out of spite and seeking revenge?

He had not even succeeded in taking revenge yet, and already trouble had latched onto him. A trouble that would be hard to shake off.

Ying Qingzhu should have smiled, but right now, he truly could not.

He could only pretend to be frightened and overwhelmed. “Noble sir, how could someone like me possibly deserve this…”

Yu Zhi looked at him, his beautiful eyes seeming to hold only him alone.

“As long as I like you, then you are worthy.”

Ying Qingzhu was going numb. This man simply would not listen to reason, completely stubborn and willful!

He did not listen to a single word.

In the past, Ying Qingzhu had always thought that foolish people did foolish things, and that was why they attracted trouble.

Now it seemed he had been too narrow-minded. Clearly, it was people who were willful and reckless who were best at doing foolish things and creating trouble!

Yet because he could not reveal his identity, he had to continue acting like an ordinary brothel woman in front of this man. And an ordinary brothel woman would never refuse such a great temptation as becoming the heir’s consort!

Unless… she died.

But judging by this man’s level of stubbornness, if Ying Feng were to die, there was no guarantee he would not turn Yangliu House upside down. If that happened, many of the establishment’s secrets would likely be exposed.

Ying Qingzhu was caught in a dilemma, afraid to act rashly for fear of consequences.

Yu Zhi did not give him time to think of a plan. Supporting his still-injured, weakened body, he got out of bed and pushed open the door.

“Call your matron over. I have a business deal to discuss with her,” he said to the brothel attendants.

The matron had already been keeping an eye on this room. As soon as she heard she was being summoned, she tidied herself and hurried over.

“Oh my, Your Heirship! Ying Feng is clumsy and failed to serve you well. Let me find you a few more capable girls, beautiful as flowers, gentle and attentive, the best at taking care of people…”

She had prepared a long string of persuasion, all to make Yu Zhi let Ying Qingzhu go and rescue her master. But the moment she arrived and heard a single sentence from this heir of Prince Ying, she froze on the spot.

“W-what?!”

“I want to marry her. As for the money to redeem her, you can go to Prince Ying’s residence to collect it.”

The matron instinctively wanted to glance at Ying Qingzhu, but held herself back, not daring to reveal anything unusual.

All kinds of conspiracy theories sprang up in her mind, the foremost being that her master’s identity had been exposed, and that this man was pretending to be mad, trying to fish in troubled waters!

However, recalling how this heir had behaved in Yangliu House before, she found it hard to believe that this pretty-faced but useless wastrel could actually hide his abilities and pretend to be incompetent.

Forcing a smile, she said, “Your Heirship must be joking. Ying Feng is a brothel woman and of lowly status. How could she receive such a blessing?”

But Yu Zhi was not asking for her opinion, he was informing her.

For the heir of a powerful prince, even if he was merely a political hostage left in the capital to reassure others, obtaining a brothel woman was an easy matter.

Ying Qingzhu’s identity placed him at a disadvantage.

He dared not reveal himself, and thus could not openly refuse.

Yu Zhi’s goal was to bring him under his wing. First, to create more opportunities to be together; second, to protect him.

Ying Qingzhu is the only bloodline of the late Empress of Great Chu. To preserve his life, his identity had been hidden since childhood, and he had been raised as a girl.

Fourth in birth order, he was known as the Fourth Princess.

Because he was not favored by the Emperor, he had been a near-invisible figure within the royal family since childhood. He was without favor, without notable talent, often bullied by others, yet still managing to grow up safely. Now, at eighteen years of age, he remained unmarried.

In the original storyline, his identity was that of a hidden antagonist. He once had the chance to contend for the throne, but in the end, he lost under the protagonist’s halo f the male and female leads and met his defeat.

Yu Zhi did not care how the mission would unfold. He only wanted to protect him and give him everything he desired.

A princess was not easy to marry, but a brothel woman faced far fewer obstacles. Surely, many people would be happy to see such a match happen.

Yu Zhi lowered the darkness in his eyes and said to the matron, “Let Ying Feng remain here for two more days. Once I have prepared everything, I will come to take her away. Before that, if she suffers even the slightest harm, you’d best watch your Yangliu House.”

He cast a casual glance, looking at the matron with cold disdain, the threat in his eyes undisguised.

This was exactly how the original owner of the body behaved, so when Yu Zhi acted this way, no one found it suspicious.

After speaking, he turned and took Ying Qingzhu’s hand.

“You’ll have to endure a few days of hardship for now. Once I am ready, I will surely marry you properly. You should trust me.”

The way he looked at Ying Qingzhu was full of deep affection, so genuine that not a trace of pretense could be seen.

Ying Qingzhu’s heart seemed to stop for a brief moment. When he quickly came back to his senses, he saw that the man had already turned and was walking away.

Ying Qingzhu returned to the room with the matron. The latter anxiously asked, “Master, what should we do now?!”

Ying Qingzhu narrowed his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them. “For the sake of face, the Emperor will not agree to something this absurd.”

But the matron said, “That person might not agree to Prince Ying’s heir marrying a brothel woman, but he cannot stop the heir from insisting on taking one into his residence as a concubine!”

Ying Qingzhu choked. He had truly been led astray by Yu Zhi, focusing only on the idea of marrying him as a wife, he had forgotten that while marriage could be stopped, taking a concubine could not.

“Then… should we have Ying Feng suddenly die?” the matron suggested.

Ying Qingzhu frowned. “If we do that, Yangliu House will not survive.”

The matron thought again. “Then… should we deal with Prince Ying’s heir…” She made a slicing motion across her throat, the meaning was obvious.

Ying Qingzhu still shook his head. “No. If he dies, it would give Prince Ying both a reason and an opportunity to rebel.”

This wouldn’t work, that wouldn’t work, soon the matron ran out of ideas. After thinking it over, she hesitated and said, “In that case… should we ruin the heir’s body so he can never… perform again?”

Ying Qingzhu’s expression stiffened.

The matron noticed something was off and asked with concern, “Master, what’s wrong?”

Ying Qingzhu shook his head. “Nothing. Let me think about this first. We’ll discuss it later.”

He absolutely did not dare admit that he had already drugged the man and in trying to harm another, he had ended up harming himself as well, accidentally drinking the tea.

For the next ten days or so, he would be completely incapable.

How could he possibly tell anyone something so embarrassing?!

As for whether Yu Zhi would notice something strange and suspect him?

Hah. That sickly man who coughed up blood from just one push, could he even manage anything? Perhaps the drug would be completely useless on him!

Yu Zhi walked along the street, dressed in fine robes and a jade crown, neat and elegant, his appearance strikingly handsome, his temperament refined, drawing the quiet attention of countless men and women alike.

Yet Yu Zhi paid none of it any mind.

He walked almost without direction, like a wandering soul.

At this moment, he still had not fully shaken off the aftereffects of his previous life.

Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw that person in the sea, silent and unmoving.

If not for his strong will, he would have long lost control of his emotions, his body collapsing again into unconsciousness.

This body he now inhabited was indeed too weak, any surge of emotion was enough to overwhelm it.

Even so, the original owner had spent his days indulging among women; the fact that he hadn’t died from it was perhaps the greatest achievement of his life.

The original owner of this body was the legitimate eldest son of Prince Ying, the only prince in Great Chu not of the imperial surname. From a young age, he had been granted the title of heir and sent to the capital as a hostage.

Under Prince Ying’s deliberate indulgence, and with the Emperor’s subtle guidance, the original owner had become a complete wastrel; skilled in eating, drinking, gambling, and visiting brothels at a young age.

Prince Ying treated him as a discarded piece, while the Emperor treated him as a chess piece. One is to stabilize imperial concerns, the other to build reputation, each playing along with the situation.

The original owner truly was a polished fool, so much so that when Prince Ying eventually rebelled, the Emperor tried to use him as a threat. When that failed, he was killed out of anger.

A useless and short life ended just like that.

Because of this, the original owner’s wish was simply to become a useful person. As for how to be useful, there were no specific details.

But at this moment, Yu Zhi felt that the most important thing was not to study that wish, but to have someone examine his body.

He could feel the weakness inside him. It seemed the original owner was not only empty-headed, his body was also as frail as rotten cotton, and it was unclear how long he could last.

If the rebellion in the original storyline did not even arrive, the original owner might still die early, becoming the very trigger for Prince Ying’s uprising.

Yu Zhi went to a nearby medical clinic and asked a physician to check his pulse.

The physician had never seen such a handsome man before and treated Yu Zhi with great courtesy.

However, once he began taking his pulse, he immediately regretted it.

What kind of inner-house scandal had he stumbled into this time?

Though he did not want trouble, now that trouble had found him, he had no way to avoid it. He could only say,

“Young master, you should be careful with your diet. Some things that seem harmless become harmful when combined… over time, this may shorten your lifespan.”

The physician spoke tactfully, but he did not miss any key point.

He was referring to consuming incompatible foods together over a long period, which had damaged the body, likely leading to an early death.

For the physician to say this much already showed goodwill.

But… an early death?

Yu Zhi’s gaze darkened slightly, his thoughts unknown.

As he paid the consultation fee and prepared to leave, the physician hesitated, then added with some guilt,

“Young master, your body has mistakenly ingested a certain… private kind of medicine. I’m afraid for the next ten days or so , you must abstain from desires. However, given your weak condition, such restraint will actually help you cultivate your health.”

Yu Zhi: “……”

For a moment, he thought he had misheard. But seeing the physician’s serious expression, he realized he had not.

The physician meant he had taken the wrong medicine… and would now be forced into abstinence?

Although he had not intended for things with his lover to develop so quickly in a physical sense, wanting it and being willing to accept it were two different matters.

So the question was how exactly had he been drugged?

Yu Zhi replayed everything that had happened since he arrived in this world, step by step, in his mind. In the end, all clues pointed precisely to one person.

Yu Zhi: “……”

Yu Zhi could not help but feel both amused and helpless, though beneath it all there was still a trace of sadness.

It was as if he could feel a heavy malice coming from the universe itself.

In the past, his lover had been the one chasing after him. Now, the situation had completely reversed, the other treated him as an enemy, not only guarding against him but even forming a grudge and secretly making a move against him.

Fortunately, the other still had some conscience and had not used a stronger drug. Otherwise, he might have been forced into abstinence for the rest of his life.

Being forced into abstinence for a short time did not bother him much, it was no different from his usual state anyway. However, Ying Qingzhu’s attitude toward him was something he could not ignore.

He had a feeling this lifetime would not go smoothly.

Upon returning to Prince Ying’s residence in the capital, servants immediately rushed forward to greet him.

“Young Master! You’ve finally returned! When Young Master Chang and the others spoke of it, we thought you had fallen ill!”

Yu Zhi walked in leisurely, strolling through the courtyard like he was taking a casual walk. Even though his body was weak, he did not deliberately act like a frail, beautiful invalid.

“They’re just talking nonsense,” Yu Zhi said after entering. “I was simply having a heart-to-heart talk with a beauty.”

The servant smiled with an ambiguous expression. “Oh? Then how did the conversation go? Which girl were you talking with?”

In his mind, he was already thinking that next time, if there was a chance, he would also go and try it out. After all, it was something even a nobleman had experienced.

Yu Zhi saw through his thoughts clearly. A trace of disgust flashed in his eyes, but he only said calmly,

“It went very well. I fell in love with him at first sight, and I came back precisely because of that.”

“First sight… love?”

The servant froze.

“Prepare everything. Send me to the palace. I will request the Emperor’s decree for marriage.” Yu Zhi spoke as casually as the original owner, decisive and impulsive.

The servants had not even recovered from his first sentence before the second one struck them like a thunderbolt, and they hurriedly tried to stop him.

But Yu Zhi moved quickly. Before even sitting down for long, he stood up again and headed for the imperial palace.

The servants: “!!”

………………

Inside the palace, the Emperor felt as if he were hearing things. Otherwise, how could he have heard something so absurd?

“Nonsense!”

He casually threw a brush, which landed at Yu Zhi’s feet.

“How could the heir of Prince Ying possibly marry a woman from a brothel as his wife?!”

The Emperor’s sharp gaze landed on Yu Zhi. As a normal man and an Emperor at that, his first thought was naturally to consider Yu Zhi’s intentions. Yet after thinking for a long time, he still could not find any benefit in this action.

Could it be… that this man had been hiding his true abilities and acting all along?

Faced with a perceptive ruler, Yu Zhi had no choice but to act even more convincingly.

“Your Majesty simply does not understand,” he said. “I truly love that woman. I am deeply in love with him and only wish to marry him as my wife. I beg Your Majesty to grant my wish.”

Since the original owner was a fool, even when speaking to the Emperor he showed little formality and referred to himself simply as “I.”

The Emperor did not want Yu Zhi to grow powerful enough to become a threat, but at the same time, due to reputation and face, he could not casually grant him a low-status marriage. So the matter had been delayed until now.

Now hearing this ridiculous request, the Emperor’s heart stirred slightly. In fact, he was not entirely opposed to it.

The dignified heir of Prince Ying being hopelessly devoted to a brothel woman and insisting on marrying her. If this spread, Prince Ying’s residence would become a laughingstock across the land.

“Do not bring this matter up again!”

The Emperor pretended to be impatient and dismissed Yu Zhi.

However, Yu Zhi already knew that as long as he mentioned it two more times, the other party would reluctantly agree in the end.

No rush, he could wait.

The spring sunlight was bright and radiant. Under the daylight, Yu Zhi’s face looked almost translucently pale.

Yet he was smiling.

At the same time, after just returning to the palace, Ying Qingzhu quickly received news from his informants that the heir of Prince Ying had entered the palace to request an imperial marriage decree.

So that man was not only serious, but also acting so quickly?

Could it be that he truly needed to give him another dose of medicine?

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