LNTSWJLY Chapter 56

As autumn arrived, two pieces of happy news came from the palace one after another.

The Third Prince was getting married to Miss Rong.

The marriages of the Fifth Princess and Sixth Princess had also been settled.

But why was there no mention of the Fourth Princess?

According to the rumors, the Fourth Princess was in poor health and unsuitable for marriage.

Just how weak did she have to be to be considered too ill to marry?

Was she truly so weak that she could not perform the rites of the bridal chamber? Or was the problem not her health at all, but her ability to bear children?

With Noble Consort Gui guiding the rumors from behind the scenes, talk of the Fourth Princess having a short lifespan or being unable to have children soon spread throughout both the inner palace and the imperial court.

Those who had hoped to marry the Fourth Princess in order to gain a connection to the imperial family began backing away.

If they really brought her home as a wife, she might not live very long anyway.

They might as well wait a few more years. Once the younger princesses grew up, they could consider their options then.

In any case, His Majesty was still in the prime of his life, and there were still many years ahead of him.

Now that the Third Prince was married, he would have to move out of the palace. This also symbolized that he was now capable of standing on his own and had officially come of age.

Memorials from the civil and military officials of the court, urging the Emperor to establish a Crown Prince, piled up across his desk.

The Emperor did not even bother to look at them. He simply ordered someone to throw them into a corner.

His face darkened.

“These people are in such a hurry. Do they think I am already terminally ill and in the twilight of my life?”

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!” The chief eunuch hurriedly knelt down and tried to persuade him. “Your Majesty is blessed by Heaven and destined for a long life!”

The Emperor gave a cold snort.

How could he not know that ‘destined for a long life’ was nothing more than a polite expression? Who in this world could truly live forever?

But he could not stand these people staring at the throne beneath him all day long.

When he had been forced to ascend the throne back then, no one had asked whether he wanted it. It had taken him years to finally gain complete control of the imperial power, only for him to then face ministers supporting his own sons and coveting his position.

Emperor, Emperor… Was this power, or was it a curse?

“Back then, when the court officials submitted memorials accusing the Yu family of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, demanding that I punish them severely, the scene was just as impressive.”

Because of the Fourth Princess, the Emperor had been thinking of the Empress often these days. Now, seeing this pile of memorials, he was reminded once again of how the Yu family had been subjected to baseless accusations.

Back then, when they had wanted to force him to abandon his wife, those people had risen up together and attacked her from all sides.

Now, when they wanted to force him to establish a Crown Prince, they were doing exactly the same thing, swarming him all at once.

The difference was that he was no longer the Emperor who could not even protect his wife and her family.

“Pass down my order. The Third Prince has just married and should naturally spend more time with his new wife. I hereby grant him one month of leave.”

“In addition, the Seventh Prince is learned and talented, and devoted to filial piety. He is sincere and upright, and should rightfully help share my burdens. Effective immediately, have him enter the Ministry of Revenue to observe government affairs and take part in its administration.”

The chief eunuch’s heart tightened.

“Yes!”

The Third Prince had just finished his three-day wedding leave. He changed into his court robes and entered the palace, only to be stopped and given this verbal decree.

In front of all the court officials, the Third Prince managed to keep his expression from looking too unpleasant. He turned around and entered the inner palace.

However, although he thought he had remained completely calm and composed, in the eyes of the court officials, he was brimming with hostility, his sharp edge fully exposed.

One court official watched him and shook his head with a sigh.

“He is still too young.”

He had also had things go far too smoothly. He had never had a truly formidable opponent to sharpen him, so although the Third Prince was capable enough when it came to handling government affairs, his temperament was still somewhat lacking.

Someone quietly thought it over for a moment and decided to see how the Seventh Prince, who had just entered the Ministry of Revenue, would perform.

If the Seventh Prince did better than the Third Prince, then perhaps the choice of Crown Prince could still be changed.

After all, the two brothers shared the same mother and had the same interests. Supporting either one of them would make little difference.

Ying Qingzhu received the news in the palace and knew that his imperial father still harbored some reservations.

They were biological father and son, and the Emperor had once placed great hopes in this son. Yet when it came time to become wary of him, he could do so without the slightest hesitation.

A faintly mocking curve appeared at the corners of Ying Qingzhu’s lips.

“Continue with the plan.”

“Yes.”

Quite a few of the people who could not be seen openly at Yangliu House had already been withdrawn. Only the matron and the others who operated there publicly remained.

The Third Prince had secretly investigated the place several times before but had never found any evidence. He had already concluded that there was probably nothing seriously wrong with Yangliu House itself.

Most likely, the problem lay not with Yangliu House, but with the people who came there.

After he left, a small number of people gradually returned to Yangliu Residence. It was still their base, but its usefulness had been greatly reduced.

Ying Qingzhu had not been there for quite some time, but he did not know that this chance visit would bring him an unexpected ‘gift’.

He frowned as he looked at the few young women standing before him, then turned to the madam.

“Auntie Hong, what are you doing?”

The matron stepped forward and said seriously, “Master is already this old, and even the Third Prince has gotten married. Even if you have no intention of considering marriage, you should at least think about having a child or two.”

They had followed Ying Qingzhu for many years and watched him grow up. Now that he had reached the age when the next generation should begin, they could not help feeling emotional.

But beyond those emotions, she was also deeply concerned about certain matters.

The atmosphere around Ying Qingzhu grew so cold and oppressive that even the matron could not help shrinking back.

“If you don’t like these women, Master, I can find some better ones for you next time. What type do you prefer?”

The matron sent the women in the room away.

These women had all been trained by their people. They were trustworthy and reliable, so there was no need to worry about them leaking information.

“No need.”

Ying Qingzhu refused outright.

“Master, you may not have any plans for now, but you should still leave behind an heir. At least give your subordinates some peace of mind,” Auntie Hong pleaded earnestly.

The struggle for the throne had always been bloody since ancient times. The road was difficult and dangerous. If he succeeded, then all would be well. But if he failed…

Ying Qingzhu understood what she meant. He only gave a soft laugh.

“If I fail, are you saying I should make my child bear the consequences of my failure as well?”

“Auntie Hong, most of you followed me because my mother and her family once showed you kindness. But if that debt is repaid in one generation, then let it end there. Do you really have to repay it for all generations to come?”

The matron froze, tears welling up in her eyes.

Ying Qingzhu only said, “If I win, naturally, all of you can rise to the heavens in a single step and receive your rewards. But if I lose, you will have nothing at all. You will lose both what you had and everything you invested in me. Why start all over again?

One matter should be settled in the generation in which it arises.

Ying Qingzhu did not want other people to be like him, burdened with the mission and responsibility left behind by those who came before them, and forced to devote their entire lives to it, even paying the price across several generations.

Even now, one could still hear people talking about the bloodline of the previous dynasty, or how remnants of the former imperial family still remained.

Great Chu had been separated from the previous dynasty for more than two hundred years. Several generations of common people had already come and gone. Even if they were descendants of the former imperial family, their blood ties had long since grown distant. By all rights, this should have been put to rest long ago, yet peace still eluded them.

Was bloodline really such an important thing?

Most of the time, it was nothing more than a shackle fastened around a person’s life.

If Ying Qingzhu’s unconventional and rebellious views were ever made public, the people of the world would certainly condemn and oppose him. So he did not speak of them.

He simply acted.

“From now on, there is no need to mention this matter again.” Ying Qingzhu’s expression was calm.

“If I lose, leave on your own. Forget my mother. Forget me. Go back to living as ordinary people in peace.”

Most people in this world were burdened by their pursuit of fame and profit, yet they did not understand…

Happiness and peace were often found in ordinary life.

After hearing this, it was impossible for Auntie Hong not to be moved. But once that emotion passed, another thought still came to her.

“Master, are you doing all this because of the Prince Ying’s Heir?”

Ying Qingzhu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Auntie Hong had seen and experienced much in life. From Ying Qingzhu’s reaction alone, how could she fail to notice something was wrong?

She should have figured it out long ago.

Ever since her master had married the Prince Ying’s Heir under the name ‘Ying Feng’, yet refused to fake his death and sever all ties with him, she had already begun to suspect the truth.

Now, she was merely confirming it.

“Master, if you have no desire for children because of the Prince Ying’s Heir, will he feel the same way?”

“The same.”

Ying Qingzhu’s answer was calm and firm.

“I have one more question, Master. You said that if you fail, your subordinates may leave on their own. But what about you? If you lose and leave, what should the Prince Ying’s Heir supposed to do?”

Ying Qingzhu fell silent.

He… had never thought about it.

He had considered the possibility that he might fail, but he had never thought about what would happen to Yu Zhi if he did.

Had he subconsciously assumed that Yu Zhi was so capable that nothing could possibly happen to him, and that he would surely remain safe?

Or had he assumed that Yu Zhi would simply let him go and live out the rest of his life in peace?

The former was still uncertain.

But as for the latter…

His heart instinctively told him that he did not want that. He had never once thought of it that way.

His eyes narrowed slightly, a sharp glint suddenly flashing through them.

“I will not lose!”

Auntie Hong felt a wave of relief.

She was a clever woman. How could she fail to sense how much her master resisted the struggle for the throne?

She had watched this child grow up. She had watched him learn the truth about his mother’s death. She had watched him realize how precarious his own safety was. And she had watched him carry the hopes of so many people on his shoulders.

His burden of responsibility was simply too heavy. He had carried it for more than a decade, and by now, he was already utterly exhausted.

To take one step back was to step straight into an abyss.

Auntie Hong had always remembered the kindness Ying Qingzhu had shown them. But she could not bear to watch this child lose his will to fight, so she deliberately used the Prince Ying’s Heir to provoke him a little.

The effect was obvious.

Even as she relaxed, Auntie Hong could not help giving a bitter smile as she thought: So, in my master’s heart, the Prince Ying’s Heir has already become more important than the Empress’s final command?

Then again, it made sense.

A young man in love was supposed to burn this fiercely, like a raging fire spreading across the wilderness.

………………

At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the Emperor hosted a grand celebration at Chonghua Hall, inviting his officials to share in the festivities. All the high-ranking officials and nobles of the capital were among the guests.

As the only representative of the Prince Ying’s Residence, Yu Zhi could not be absent unless he was seriously ill.

He represented the Prince Ying’s Residence in showing their attitude toward the Emperor. Although Yu Zhi had never intended to conceal anything on behalf of Prince Ying, he would still enter the palace.

After all, his wife, who had learned how to sneak off at night to steal kisses, was also in the palace.

Ever since that night when they had studied together, this man had been diligently studying every night, traveling back and forth between the imperial palace and the Prince Ying’s Residence.

He not only studied history and discussed the present with Teacher Yu, sitting together with him to discuss the principles of the world, but also burned the midnight oil with his fellow student Yu, studying until late into the night. Only then could they barely finish one volume of an illustrated book on romance and erotic matters.

After entering the palace, Yu Zhi followed a palace maid’s directions to his seat. The officials and nobles had also already taken their places.

Yu Zhi’s seat was fairly close to the front, giving him a good view. When he looked up, he saw the Emperor leading a group of consorts and imperial children into the hall.

“We subjects pay our respects to Your Majesty!”

“All of you may rise. Today, I am here to celebrate and enjoy the festivities with you. There is no need for such formalities.”

Everyone thanked the Emperor and took their seats.

Yu Zhi looked up and saw that person walking slowly toward him, dressed in blue-green robes.

Their eyes met.

In the slightest lift of their brows and the corners of their eyes, both of them revealed the stirrings of love in their hearts.

The blue-green sleeves of his wide robe swept past the table, carrying with them the faint, elegant fragrance of medicinal herbs that filled Yu Zhi’s nose.

When the officials gathered for a banquet, there was naturally no shortage of singing and dancing to liven up the festivities. Some watched with great interest, while others sat there absentmindedly.

The Emperor’s gaze swept over the people below before settling on his sons, his eyes growing slightly deeper.

With an idle glance, he happened to notice Yu Zhi eating and drinking alone.

“Why didn’t the Prince Ying’s Heir of  bring his wife?”

Having been called upon, Yu Zhi had no choice but to stop what he was doing and rise to answer.

“Your Majesty, my wife is not feeling well and is unable to leave the residence.

“You have been married for some time now, yet the Heir’s Wife has been ill for so long. This could hinder you from having children. Why don’t I grant you another principal wife?”

“Your Majesty, I love my wife and wish to follow the example of Duke Tang.”

Duke Tang was a famous scholar from the previous dynasty. He had been deeply devoted to his principal wife. After she died in childbirth, he never remarried or took a concubine for the rest of his life, and eventually died without an heir.

By saying this, Yu Zhi was making it clear that he would rather remain childless than marry another woman or take a concubine.

Whether his words were sincere or not, the fact remained that the Emperor was pleased to hear them. He laughed twice.

“It seems I have played the villain this time. Since that is the case, I suppose I should not force you.”

However, if these words reached Prince Ying’s ears, Yu Zhi’s standing in the Prince’s heart would likely decline.

Still, the Emperor found Yu Zhi pleasing to the eye when he was like this. As long as Yu Zhi remained in the position, the position of Prince Ying’s Heir would always belong to him.

Yu Zhi had no interest in listening to the Emperor exchange polite and insincere pleasantries with the people below. Instead, two things caught his attention.

First, the Emperor had granted a marriage between the Seventh Prince and the legitimate youngest daughter of the Marquis Anping.

Second, the Third Prince announced that his Consort was pregnant.

Marquis Anping had originally been a military commander in his younger years. Later, when there were no longer any wars along the borders, he was transferred back to the capital to remain there permanently.

Although his military authority had been taken back, Marquis Anping still commanded 20,000 troops stationed at the capital’s outskirts, entrusted with guarding the vital areas surrounding the imperial capital.

The Emperor’s move showed that he truly intended to support the Seventh Prince and have him compete with the Third Prince.

Meanwhile, the Third Prince was not at a disadvantage either. He announced that his consort was pregnant and that he would soon have an heir.

Children held considerable importance in people’s eyes, especially when born into the imperial family. This meant that even if the Third Prince fell, his son could inherit his power and forces and continue his cause. This move reassured those who had thrown their support behind the Third Prince.

Rong Yunchang watched the situation unfold, her heart filled with uncertainty and suspicion.

In her previous life, the Seventh Prince had clearly never shown himself. He had always made his plans in secret, and the Emperor had never openly supported him. Why had so much changed in this life?

Prince Ying, who should have raised an army by now, was also holding his forces back.

And she still had not found the person who had always been hiding in the shadows.

Could she really have everything go smoothly this time?

Her unsettled state of mind even caused her to accidentally pick up the Third Prince’s wine cup. If he had not reacted quickly and warned her, drinking that cup of wine might have harmed the fetus, which was not yet stable.

“What is wrong with you? Why are you so distracted?” the Third Prince asked with a frown.

Rong Yunchang gave him a reassuring smile.

“I am just a little worried, that’s all.”

Seeing the concern and worry in her eyes, the Third Prince’s heart warmed. He pulled her into his arms and whispered softly beside her ear, “Don’t worry. Leave everything to me.”

His Seventh Brother had not even found his footing yet, and already wanted to learn how to walk and then run. But that would depend on whether he actually had the ability to do so.

The banquet was not even halfway over when Yu Zhi excused himself on the grounds that he could not hold his liquor and left the hall to sober up.

Not long after he left, the invisible Ying Qingzhu also quietly slipped away, with no intention of returning.

The Fifth Princess, sitting beside him, secretly rolled her eyes.

She thought to herself that this Fourth Sister really was useless, just as everyone said. She did not even know to look around at a few of the young men at the banquet and make some plans for her own marriage.

Hmph. Who cares? Her own marriage has already been settled. Even if Ying Qingzhu never marries for the rest of her life, what does that have to do with her?

She might as well keep watching the singing and dancing.

Yu Zhi left Chonghua Hall and walked all the way outside. He did not stop until he reached an osmanthus tree.

The full moon hung high in the sky, with countless stars spread across the heavens. In the quiet corner, the sound of approaching footsteps gradually emerged.

They were very light, but Yu Zhi did not fail to notice them.

“Is the Heir using the osmanthus tree to sober up?”

Ying Qingzhu’s voice as the Fourth Princess was different from the voice she used as the Prince Ying Heir’s wife.

As the Prince Ying Heir’s wife, she had been raised at Yangliu House, and her voice was soft and alluring. The Fourth Princess, who had spent years living in the imperial palace and was essentially an invisible person, had a low, calm voice.

Listening to it, Yu Zhi felt that this sounded much more like her real voice.

He could not help wondering just how much hardship this person had endured in order to disguise himself as a woman.

“Not quite. I am using the stars and moon to sober up.”

Yu Zhi looked up at the sky. The heavens seemed to hang low overhead, and the countless stars appeared close enough to reach out and touch.

He smiled and invited her, “I wonder if the Princess would care to join me?”

Ying Qingzhu quietly looked up at Yu Zhi beneath the canopy of stars.

He was dressed in white cloud-patterned silk, with a jade crown and a long hairpin. Beneath the radiance of the stars and moon, he seemed to glow.

Yet even more dazzling than the light itself was Yu Zhi’s beautiful appearance and his gentle, refined smile.

At that moment, he seemed like an immortal who had descended from the Moon Palace, surrounded by an ethereal aura, unlike any ordinary mortal.

Ying Qingzhu instinctively held his breath, as though the following line had truly come to pass—

“I dare not speak aloud, for fear of disturbing the immortal above.”

After a moment, he quietly lowered his gaze. His eyes fell upon Yu Zhi’s outstretched palm, its skin as luminous and white as jade.

The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile, carrying the same gentle breeze-like ease as Yu Zhi’s flowing sleeves.

Yu Zhi took Ying Qingzhu by the hand and led him to sit on the ground beneath the osmanthus tree. He stretched out his long arm, and the two leaned comfortably against each other.

With only the slightest lift of their heads, they could see the stars and moon filling the heavens. It was as though the earth were their mat and the sky their blanket, leaving only the two of them beneath the vast heavens.

“Does the Heir know about astronomy and geography? Do you know the names of the countless stars in the sky?”

For some reason, as Ying Qingzhu tilted his head back and gazed at the vast, boundless canopy of stars, an inexplicable happiness rose within him.

Some people watched the stars to read the signs of Heaven.

Some watched them for the sake of the people.

And some gazed at the stars and moon, entrusting their longing to them.

But when Ying Qingzhu looked at those stars, all he felt was a quiet happiness.

A sense of peace rose naturally from within him, as though a lonely traveler had finally found the road home, and even the scenery along the way had suddenly become beautiful and peaceful.

Yu Zhi shifted his shoulder so that Ying Qingzhu could lean against him more comfortably. Only then did he slowly say,

“Which star would you like to know?”

The stars in the sky did not necessarily all have special names. Most were identified by names that were more like designations or codes.

But that did not matter.

Who said they could not give those stars names of their own?

As long as he was willing, he could freely give any star he liked a name that belonged solely to the two of them.

The stars glittered across the sky, dazzling and brilliant.

Yet Ying Qingzhu gazed at them for a while before saying, “Most people are drawn to the brightest stars because they are brilliant and dazzling.”

“But there are far more stars that quietly go unnoticed. It is precisely their stillness and silence that make the other stars appear even more brilliant.”

His gaze wandered across the canopy of stars for a long time, yet he still could not settle on a single one.

There were simply too many; so many that it was almost impossible to tell one from another.

Yu Zhi patiently waited.

In the end, all he heard Ying Qingzhu say was, “Forget it. We have never known them, so how could we casually give them names based on experiences we have never shared with them?”

Yu Zhi suddenly felt a little guilty.

“How do you know I was going to give them random names?”

Ying Qingzhu looked at him strangely.

“If you weren’t going to name them, then what? Did you ask them their names and have them answer you?”

Yu Zhi was left speechless.

He could only laugh helplessly. “You’re right.”

Yu Zhi knew that different worlds had different systems of energy, and in some worlds, the stars were actually planets.

In other worlds, the stars belonged to entirely different kinds of existences.

They might be immortals.

They might be dormant conglomerations of power.

They might simply be lifeless, mindless physical objects.

Or they might even be mirages existing only within an illusory realm.

Although they might look similar on the surface, they could actually be completely different.

Looking up at the sky, Yu Zhi suddenly could not help wondering—

Which star from which world was the person beside him?

“The court has been unsettled lately. Be careful and stay safe,” Yu Zhi reminded him.

“Yu Zhi.”

Ying Qingzhu suddenly spoke.

“Hmm?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever asked you this before. Do you want me to take that position?”

Ying Qingzhu looked at him seriously, as though he genuinely wanted to see the sincere answer in Yu Zhi’s eyes.

Yu Zhi was startled. Then he gave a helpless smile.

“Princess, if I remember correctly, you already knew that I don’t care who takes the throne.”

“If someone else can do it, then so can you. I have never been unwilling to see you do it.”

“Is that so?” Ying Qingzhu continued asking. “Even if I have to face many temptations and many difficult problems? For example, choosing an heir and selecting consorts?”

Yu Zhi’s expression changed slightly.

It seemed he truly had never thought about this question before, because in his eyes, it had never been a problem.

Over the countless years he had lived through, he had undertaken many missions. Naturally, some of those missions had even required him to become an emperor.

After experiencing countless worlds, reaching their peaks, and falling to their lowest points, he had gradually learned to look at things with a calmer state of mind.

In short, being an emperor was nothing more than an ordinary profession to him.

But for someone who had been born and raised in an ancient world, things were different.

And only now did Yu Zhi remember that the lover before him had lived in this era for more than a decade. He had no memories of his previous lives, and perhaps… he too could be influenced by the world around him.

Faced with a lover who had been changed by his surroundings, could Yu Zhi still follow him and remain by his side?

Yu Zhi wanted to smile, but his facial muscles felt stiff. He could not bring himself to smile.

Feeling the atmosphere around him grow heavy, Ying Qingzhu became uneasy.

Was this question really that difficult to answer?

How could Ying Qingzhu have known that Yu Zhi was not thinking only about this world? He was also thinking about the countless worlds that would come after it.

One or two worlds changing might not mean much.

But what if things kept changing, again and again?

Yu Zhi asked himself honestly, from the bottom of his heart, and he knew he could not force himself to accept that.

Perhaps the final result would simply be a bittersweet sigh before they went their separate ways.

But the Ying Qingzhu standing before him had not changed.

He could not use a future that had never happened to speculate about the person in front of him now.

“In my eyes, there is not much difference between an emperor and an ordinary commoner. If you become blinded by all the splendor and luxury, you will not want to know what I would do.”

But Yu Zhi did not say what that meant.

Ying Qingzhu could still guess.

The mere thought of this person leaving him filled his heart with panic, and his instinct to survive suddenly flared up. He immediately said again and again, “I won’t! You have to believe me.”

“I have believed you this many times. You should believe me, too.”

No matter how long the future was, no matter how far the road ahead stretched; if I have not changed, then you cannot leave me behind.

Yu Zhi felt the tension in his heart ease. He smiled slightly.

“Mm. I believe you.”

His emotions were still in turmoil, so Ying Qingzhu did not even ask what Yu Zhi would do if he failed, or even… died.

For some reason, he simply felt that if he asked that question, Yu Zhi would either become angry or be hurt.

Ying Qingzhu neither wanted to make Yu Zhi angry nor, even more so, wanted to hurt him.

As time passed, Ying Qingzhu estimated that the banquet should be nearing its end. Yu Zhi also knew that it was time for him to leave.

Before leaving, he said to Ying Qingzhu, “Didn’t you have a question before that you couldn’t figure out? Today, I can demonstrate it for you personally.”

Ying Qingzhu was puzzled at first. Then he thought of something, and the tips of his ears immediately turned red. He kept a serious expression and said, “There is no need to trouble the Heir. It is already late. The Heir should leave the palace.”

“No rush. After all, you and I are both insignificant people in this capital. Disappearing for half the night won’t matter,” Yu Zhi said with a smile.

“It matters.”

Ying Qingzhu hurriedly stood up, practically afraid to remain curled up in this man’s arms any longer.

This man was becoming more and more skilled at taking off his clothes. If he was not careful, perhaps the clothes on Ying Qingzhu’s own body would be gone before he even realized it.

He was always talking about wild fighting, but in the end, he had never actually put it into practice. Leaving aside the awkwardness and embarrassment he would feel, the timing and setting were completely inappropriate anyway. At the very least, there would have to be…

There would have to be what?

It wouldn’t work at any time!

“The palace gates are about to be locked. Heir, hurry and leave the palace,” he urged.

“No rush. Since it is the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet today, the palace gates will be locked one hour later than usual.”

Yu Zhi stood up as well and dusted the dirt from his clothes.

“You’re not in a hurry, but I am. I’m leaving.”

Ying Qingzhu spoke hurriedly.

Yu Zhi began to wonder whether he had teased the man too much, to the point that he had completely ruined his image in Ying Qingzhu’s eyes and made himself seem like some kind of perverted man who had no sense of occasion whatsoever.

Watching Ying Qingzhu’s retreating figure as he hurried away, Yu Zhi could not help laughing.

But after laughing for a while, his thoughts inevitably returned to the question from earlier.

After thinking it over for a moment, Yu Zhi finally realized that he had simply been worrying over nothing and making trouble for himself.

Once his heart relaxed, he put everything aside again.

He stood with his hands behind his back and looked up at the sky.

The starry sky was beautiful, just like him.

……………… 

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the struggle between the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince was completely brought into the open.

The clever officials remained loyal to the Emperor and kept themselves out of trouble, protecting their own interests.

The bold ones chose whom to support, placing their bets in the hope of winning.

The foolish ones tried to keep both sides happy, intending not to offend anyone, not realizing that neither side liked people who tried to please everyone.

In just one short month, several unfamiliar faces had appeared in the imperial court, which was enough to show what was happening.

Yu Zhi could see Ying Qingzhu’s hand in it.

He had accurately gauged the Emperor’s thoughts. The Emperor wanted to see his sons fight each other, but at the same time, he wanted to suppress and weaken both of them.

So, through the Emperor’s authority, Ying Qingzhu had the people whom the Third Prince and Seventh Prince relied on in several important positions removed and replaced with people who were dependent on neither of them.

Obviously, men like these made the Emperor feel more at ease.

The number of people under the Third Prince gradually decreased, while the number under the Seventh Prince gradually increased.

When the two sides had become more or less evenly matched, the Emperor stopped supporting the Seventh Prince. Instead, he began talking to his two sons about the deep affection between father and sons and the brotherly bond between siblings.

The Third Prince sneered inwardly.

The Seventh Prince gritted his teeth in secret.

Both of them maintained pleasant expressions on the surface. But the moment they left the palace gates, they went their separate ways.

After returning to his residence, Rong Yunchang came out to welcome him. The Third Prince stepped forward, took her hand, and led her inside with him.

“How was your appetite today?”

“Quite good. The baby has been very well-behaved.”

Rong Yunchang’s heart was filled with joy. In her previous life, she had also had a child with the Third Prince. However, she had not wanted to give birth, so she deliberately caused a miscarriage while pretending that she had accidentally fallen. This had only made the Third Prince dote on her even more. When Noble Consort Gui later tried to send him concubines, he had firmly refused.

She regretted it deeply.

Now, she treasured the child in her womb as though it were something precious that she had lost and been given back. She cherished it dearly.

“It’s a good thing he knows how to behave,” the Third Prince said with a cold snort.

The two entered the study, and the Third Prince told her about his recent struggle with the Seventh Prince.

He had originally thought that suppressing his Seventh Brother would be easy. Who would have thought that the other man was no fool either? The Seventh Prince knew how to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses. Since he was not familiar with government affairs, he simply asked others for advice more often, and he was actually doing quite well.

On top of that, his sincere appearance of showing respect for talented people and treating them with courtesy had attracted quite a few followers.

Even his mother, Noble Consort Gui, had begun treating the Seventh Prince better.

Rong Yunchang had an idea. She could drive a wedge between the Seventh Prince and Noble Consort Gui.

She leaned down and whispered something into the Third Prince’s ear.

The Third Prince pulled her into his arms and laughed.

“Thank you, Chang’er. A wise wife truly is a blessing to a household.”

Not long afterward, Noble Consort Gui heard a piece of news from one of her trusted confidants.

The earlier request to establish a Crown Prince had actually never been about establishing a Crown Prince at all.

It had been a bargaining tactic, meant to pressure the Emperor into making her Empress!

Whether the news was true or not, the moment Noble Consort Gui heard it, a sharp pain went through her heart.

The Empress…

The Empress!

All her life, she had pursued the position of Empress.

When she was still a young woman in her family home, she had believed that she would marry that handsome and distinguished Crown Prince. Who would have thought that the Crown Prince would die?

Later, her family wanted to marry her to the Crown Prince’s younger brother, who was now the Emperor.

Yet who would have thought that the new Crown Prince would trample on her dignity for the sake of some woman who was inferior to her in every way?

Even after that woman died, the Emperor still refused to make her Empress.

Now that an opportunity that had once been right in front of her had somehow slipped away because of a series of unfortunate twists and turns, how could Noble Consort Gui not regret it deeply?

When she remembered that the person who had ultimately benefited the most from the previous Crown Prince appointment was her younger son, Noble Consort Gui instantly developed resentment toward him.

She simply could not control herself.

For the next several days, whenever the Seventh Prince went to pay his respects to Noble Consort Gui, all he received was the response that Noble Consort Gui was resting.

He began to grow anxious.

At this point, one of his advisers offered a suggestion.

“Although Noble Consort Gui loves the Seventh Prince, she is, after all, also the birth mother of the Third Prince. And now that the Third Prince’s Consort is carrying her first grandchild, the conflict between the two of them has also been greatly reduced. Your Highness, you should start making plans for yourself.”

“What does Sir suggest?”

“This humble one has found a beauty whom I originally intended to offer to Your Highness. But seeing the danger Your Highness is facing now, I wish to use her to help resolve your predicament.”

The news reached Ying Qingzhu’s ears.

He was speechless for a long while.

“He has already become estranged from Noble Consort Gui, yet he is still offering a beauty to the Emperor. Is he trying to make sure Noble Consort Gui becomes even more distant and angry with him?”

Yu Zhi shook his head.

“Most likely, it wasn’t his idea.”

“The Third Prince is about to make his move. I’m afraid something may happen to the beauty he sends into the palace. You need to be careful.”

Ying Qingzhu was puzzled. He did not understand what kind of major problem could arise.

But not long after he returned to the palace, he learned that the beauty had won considerable favor from the Emperor with her skill in creating fragrances.

The Emperor even ignored the objections of everyone else and insisted on elevating this beauty, who had neither virtue nor merit, directly to Zhaoyi, the highest rank among the Nine Consorts.

Fragrance blending?

The moment the word reached Ying Qingzhu’s ears, he took notice.

His mother was highly skilled in medicine, so Ying Qingzhu also knew more than most people about such things.

He had already formed a vague suspicion about what this particular fragrance might be used for.

After his people secretly obtained a small amount of the fragrance and examined it, they frowned in confusion.

There was nothing unusual about it.

Ying Qingzhu frowned.

“Keep a close eye on them.”

By “them,” he meant the Emperor and the Zhaoyi.

“Yes!”

One night, he secretly brought some of the fragrance back to the Prince Ying’s Heir Residence. He wanted Yu Zhi to take a look and see whether there was really anything wrong with it.

He had not expected much. He was simply bringing it along while telling Yu Zhi about the matter, taking the opportunity to have him examine it.

However, after smelling it, Yu Zhi said, “There really is nothing wrong with it.”

This not only meant that the fragrance truly had no problem, but also showed that Yu Zhi understood fragrances.

Ying Qingzhu could not help himself. He tilted his head and rested it on the writing desk, watching Yu Zhi.

The gesture made him look somewhat dazed. Combined with Ying Qingzhu’s habitually cold, expressionless face, it made Yu Zhi unable to hold back his laughter.

He reached out, removed the pearl hairpin from Ying Qingzhu’s hair, and loosened his hair.

The strands fell freely, soft and smooth, with a pleasant feel beneath his fingers.

“Are you really that surprised?”

“Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”

Ying Qingzhu looked at him quietly. After a long while, he finally let out a long breath and said, “Yu Zhi, sometimes I really wonder whether you are actually Yu Zhi at all. Or rather, whether you are really the Heir of Prince Ying.”

At his words, there was no panic on Yu Zhi’s face, and his heart remained as calm as still water.

He had not brought any cheat-like advantage from outside this world with him. His agreement with the original host and the department had also been settled with this world itself. His existence had been permitted by the world.

As long as he did not reveal the existence of his mission or the Administration Bureau to the people of this world, everything else was allowed.

Even if someone discovered that he was not the original host, it would not matter.

Besides, Ying Qingzhu was only saying it casually. There was far more joking than seriousness in his words.

So Yu Zhi joked back, “Perhaps before long, I really won’t be the Heir anymore.”

Ying Qingzhu narrowed his eyes.

“If you’re not the Heir, then what will you be? The Crown Prince? Or the Emperor’s Consort?”

Yu Zhi: “…”

Could he have neither?

Becoming the Crown Prince was impossible. Not to mention whether Prince Ying could successfully rebel, even if he did succeed, Yu Zhi would never make him Crown Prince.

As for becoming the Emperor’s Consort…

If he became the Emperor’s Consort, then what status would Lady Ying Feng have?

No matter what, he placed great importance on this marriage with his beloved. Even if it was only a disguise identity, he was unwilling to dissolve it.

“If you don’t want to become the Emperor’s Consort, then you can only become his lover.”

Ying Qingzhu looked at him as he said this.

To be honest, he did not want to erase the identity of Ying Feng either.

Ying Qingzhu could be Yu Zhi’s beloved. He could be his lover. He could even become an imperial prince, a princess, or the future Emperor…

But only Ying Feng was the wife who truly belonged to Yu Zhi, the wife he could openly and legitimately marry and bring home in an eight-bearer bridal sedan chair.

He could not bear to give that up.

Yu Zhi smiled as his fair, slender hand held Ying Qingzhu’s. The temperatures of their hands were completely opposite to their personalities.

Yu Zhi looked gentle and warm, yet all ten of his fingers were cold.

Ying Qingzhu looked cold and distant, yet his palm was remarkably warm.

One was cold and one was warm. They complemented each other perfectly.

But Ying Qingzhu was not thinking about how well matched the two of them were.

Instead, he said, “Your health…”

Yu Zhi’s smile paused for a moment, but he soon continued naturally, his voice gentle.

“I’m already taking care of it. You have to trust me. With my wife here, I naturally have to think about our future.”

“I also want to stay by your side for a hundred years.”

However, his body was not completely under his control, and he had no choice in the matter.

Ying Qingzhu had always trusted him. Hearing him say that he was already taking care of his health, Ying Qingzhu naturally believed that if he recuperated slowly, he would eventually recover.

After thinking for a moment, Ying Qingzhu suddenly got up and searched around on the bed.

He found the booklet he had bought so that he could study matters of romance and intimacy with his fellow student Yu Zhi, and promptly confiscated it.

“Since your health is weak, you shouldn’t indulge too much. I’ll put all of these away for now. When a physician says that you are as strong and healthy as an ordinary person, we can continue studying them.”

Yu Zhi: “…”

You’ll never get to wait for that day in this lifetime.

He widened his eyes and stared at Ying Qingzhu for a long while.

Finally, unable to take it anymore, he spat out a few words.

“Are you serious?”

Ying Qingzhu frowned, displeased by his attitude.

Would he really joke around or lie about something related to Yu Zhi’s health?

“Are you saying you doubt that I care about you?”

“…No. I just think you really… care about me too much.”

He was being cared for so much that he felt both guilty and speechless.

Actually, it would be fine if Ying Qingzhu cared a little less. There was really no need to be so cruel to himself by planning to abstain for the rest of his life or anything like that…

However, because of someone’s concealment and deliberate misdirection, Ying Qingzhu had absolutely no idea what his words just now actually meant. He was simply thinking about what was best for his beloved.

He wanted to stay with his beloved for a long time. What did a period of abstinence matter in comparison?

Yu Zhi thought about it for a moment, hesitating over whether he should tell Ying Qingzhu his own well-intentioned lie.

He was not particularly attached to this matter. After all, he had lived for an unknown number of years, so there was no need to mention how much self-control he had.

But in this lifetime, Ying Qingzhu was genuinely a young man who had only just begun experiencing such desires. Having urges was perfectly normal.

To think that, because of something he had said, Ying Qingzhu was now planning to abstain indefinitely…

Even hearing it made Yu Zhi feel sorry for him.

“Actually, you can ask the physician. I think he’ll tell you that an appropriate amount of intimacy between husband and wife is also beneficial to your health.”

He struggled to persuade Ying Qingzhu from another angle, hoping to make him abandon the idea.

Ying Qingzhu frowned as he looked at him.

“Why do you care so little about your own health? Never mind that I haven’t seen you drink a few extra bowls of medicine. You don’t even have this much self-control?”

He thought his beloved was far too driven by desire and did not know how to take care of his own body.

That was not good.

He absolutely could not indulge him.

Yu Zhi, who had just been judged to have no self-control: “…”

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