Chapter 81
Emperor Chongan was suspicious of Yu Mucheng . On one side, he suppressed the rumors . On the other, he had people investigate them . After a few inquiries later, everything pointed to Prince Yu’s estate .
The more suspicious Emperor Chongan grew, the less likely he would ask Prince Yu why he did what he did . Yu Mucheng wanted to explain, but had no openings to .
Of course, he would not resign himself to death . At first, he suspected that Yu She wanted mutual destruction . After two days of investigation, he discovered something fishy from Princess Royal Anguo’s estate . Before he could question her, his subordinates found out something else . The first round of news came from Imperial Consort Yu’s palace .
The moment he had found this out, Yu Mucheng truly wanted to kill her .
“The emperor simply did not trust Yu She! He left Fifth Highness around because he still held hesitation in his heart!”
In Imperial Consort Yu’s palace, Yu Mucheng tried his best to suppress his anger . Voice trembling, he said, “Victory and defeat is still undecided . There’s still a chance to win . Just what are you trying to do? Why are you so impatient?!”
In the imperial palace, rumors were everywhere . Emperor Chongan used this as an excuse, delaying the selection of an auspicious date to confer Yu She the title of First-Ranked prince . Imperial Consort Yu thought this was all due to her own contributions, and as such, grew more confident . But she still blamed Yu Mucheng . Still felt that her own eldest brother’s position was swaying . Frigid, she said, “Why am I so impatient? Now, I’m afraid I’m the only one anxious for Qiong’er, right? If I still don’t make a move, I’m afraid no one would care even if Qiong’er dies”
Yu Mucheng laughed in spite of himself . “Are you truly helping Fifth Highness?”
“Aren’t I?” Imperial Consort Yu sneered . “If the emperor has the ability, then he can continue supporting that bastard! If the emperor dares to confer him the title of First-Ranked prince, then I dare to make a huge fuss . The rumors would only grow more and more unpleasant to the ears . I actually want to know if the emperor would still be willing to spare that bastard a glance after hearing that many rumors . ”
“Do you really think you can make the emperor and Yu She at odds like this?” Yu Mucheng was in disbelief . “You’re just pushing him to Yu She’s side! Why are you still unable to understand? Even if you want to bring those past matters to light, that’s not the way you should go around it! Why are you so stuck on exposing the identity of Yu She’s birth mother? Even if other people believed it, that his birth mother was indeed the previous era’s Little Imperial Consort Zhong, so what? Isn’t he still the emperor’s son? Are you throwing dirty water on Yu She, or are you throwing it on the emperor?!”
Imperial Consort Yu fell into a daze . Stubbornly said, “What’s the difference?! If his background is dirty, don’t tell me that’s not a taint on him?”
Yu Mucheng was so angry that he collapsed onto his seat . He had already arranged for the old servants of Little Imperial Consort Zhong to enter the palace . Now, he was just watching from the sidelines . He and Emperor Chongan had shared a monarch and subject relationship for decades . As such, he understood the emperor’s way of thinking the most . Understood that the emperor had yet to make a decision . He merely wanted to keep around a trump card . If Emperor Chongan truly conferred Yu She the title of crown prince, and then Prince Yu exposed his background before diverting the focus on Yu She’s birth father… And if he then made the imperial clan members and court officials suspect Yu She was born from Little Imperial Consort Zhong and another man, using her old servants as a weapon, using the terrible rumors as a weapon… one pierce and Yu She wouldn’t be able to escape death .
But right now… Yu Mucheng looked at Imperial Consort Yu, discouraged . All those years of effort, which existed as the blade to stab Yu She with, had been taken by Imperial Consort Yu ahead of schedule . And to merely cut Yu She’s hand at that; it didn’t even tickle him .
Yu Mucheng self-restraint was decent . He was so angry that even his internal organs had shifted, yet did not scold her . He supported his chest and slowly said, “That I’m not impatient to act doesn’t mean I don’t worry about Fifth Highness . And it also doesn’t mean I want to turn around and defect to Yu She’s side . It’s because it’s not the right time… Do you really think Yu She’s position is that stable?
“He does not respect the emperor in his heart . How long can the emperor support such a filial son? Alright, first, let’s not talk about whether or not he can coax the emperor . Doesn’t Yu She himself already have a lot of problems?
“In previous years, he ate cold-food powder and harmed his organs, and would occasionally go crazy . But he’s very good at hiding it . We need to make it so he cannot hide it anymore! How hard is that?
“And then there’s also the matter of him being a homosexual . The emperor is turning a blind eye to it . Fine . Let’s drop this topic first .
“But he’s already this old . And he’s still unwilling to marry a wife? Last time, the emperor wanted to bestow him a concubine . And he used an ill-founded excuse against it, causing the emperor unhappiness . Isn’t just this enough to censure him?”
Yu Mucheng was incomparably exhausted . “There’s so much information that can be used against him . It’s good enough if you just randomly chose one . Why must you push this specific one ahead of time?”
Imperial Consort Yu’s stupidity and arrogance angered others . “Since Eldest Brother knows this so well, you should also know that his background is the most heavy-hitting out of the other points . I want to destroy him . Naturally, I’d have to choose the sharpest sword . ”
Yu Mucheng itched to roar, you’re just using my sword ahead of schedule!
All of a sudden, Yu Mucheng lost all his energy . He didn’t want to utter a word to Imperial Consort Yu .
He looked at his stubbborn and stupid younger sister . At that moment, he thought, discouraged, I used all my energy, and now greatly offended the emperor, risking my life even more for Xuan Qiong . In the future, if Xuan Qiong truly ascends the throne, then what happens?
His younger sister suspected him right now, and was unwilling to follow his arrangements . What would happen once she became the empress dowager? Imperial Consort Yu was young . In the future, she would definitely intervene with politics .
Ubkfg kjrc’a ktja kjr oglutafclcu . Ejatfg, atf rmjglfra atlcu kjr ktfc raeqlv qfbqif tjv qbkfg .
Yu Mucheng anxiously thought, and even more frightening is that Xuan Qiong and Imperial Consort Yu are similar .
Te Zemtfcu mbeiv cba tfiq yea atlcx bo atf Wejc Eel ktbw Te Vtf tjv rfca bea bo atf mjqlaji .
Yglulcjiis, Te Zemtfcu tjv mbcrlvfgfv Wejc Eel jr tlr ijra kjs bea . Aera j ktlif jub, tf vlv cba atlcx tf kbeiv fnfg cffv ab erf tlw .
His own blood-related nephew was still around . So he would never need to use this blockhead .
But now, as he looked at Imperial Consort Yu, Yu Mucheng suddenly held hesitation .
Although Xuan Rui did not have any relationship with him, at the very least he did not have a stupid mother who like to give out orders .
Yu Mucheng’s heart floated in deep confusion . However, his expression remained normal . He sighed . “Fine . Since you’ve already acted, I won’t say any more . There’s just one thing . Consider it as me begging you . Stop focusing on Yu She’s birth mother! The emperor is already on guard and will find clues that point to you very quickly . Aren’t you afraid?”
Imperial Consort Yu’s pupils trembled . Looked elsewhere in unease .
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“Even though the emperor is suspicious of me, I still came to visit you today . It wasn’t to argue with you,” said Yu Mucheng, sincere . “If you can’t sit still and just have to do something, fine . Just use another of Yu She’s bad habits, okay?”
Imperial Consort Yu pondered deeply for a moment . Unresigned, she nodded . “Understood . ”
Revealing a bit of his exhaustion, Yu Mucheng used the chair as support to get up . Laughed bitterly a couple times and left .
Imperial Consort Yu sat down for a long time, thinking over what Yu Mucheng had said again and again . A while later, she summoned her trusted aides .
“Just a while ago, Eldest Brother said that the last time His Majesty wanted to bestow Yu She a concubine, he rejected it,” she said in a soft voice . “And it made the emperor unhappy . Do you know how he rejected him?”
The trusted aide whispered their response .
Imperial Consort Yu said loathingly, “A bastard is a bastard . It’s whatever that he fools around with a man . But he actually dared to say it to the emperor . ”
After she thought for a long while, the corners of her lips rose a hint . “Eldest Brother was right about one thing . ”
The trusted aide asked, “What?”
“Everything must go according to what the emperor likes and wants . This would only push the emperor farther away,” said Imperial Consort Yu softly . “His Majesty wants Yu She to take a concubine, right?”
The trusted aide muttered, “Yes . ”
“Then that’s good . What do you think is the best way to act according to what the emperor wants, and also cause trouble for Yu She?”
A hollow laugh left the trusted aide’s lips . “Your Highness, even if we want to have Young Prince Yu take a concubine, that responsibility does not fall under Your Highness’ hands . ”
She laughed . “Of course I don’t want to manage that . Go… We will go pay respects to the empress . ”
But the trusted aide still felt this wasn’t a good idea . “Your Highness, isn’t this a bit too deliberate?”
“Don’t worry, I won’t send someone to him directly . I’m not stupid,” she said in a low voice . “First, I’ll ask Her Majesty to bestow a concubine to Qiong’er . I’ll say that this child has no one taking care of him . As for Yu She… I’ll have the empress send those people to the emperor, and have her say she chose two good maidens . That she would give one to Qiong’er and the other to Yu She in passing .
“From the start, the emperor wanted to have Yu She take on a concubine . He would definitely agree . ” Imperial Consort Yu sneered . “Isn’t Yu She unwilling? I will insist on him taking one . ”
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The side courtyard of Prince Yu’s estate . The Zhong Wan who was almost all recovered, and whose fever had completely subsided, suddenly felt a bit anxious .
Between laughter and tears, Zhong Wan looked at the picture scroll that was hung in front of the bed .
Ever since the day the picture scroll had been hung, Yu She had not been intimate with Zhong Wan .
Steward Feng feared that Zhong Wan would quarrel with Yu She, so he came to chat with him when he had spare time . “You really shouldn’t blame Heir . The imperial physician said your health is not good . ”
Zhong Wan brushed up his bangs . He looked into the copper mirror, at his forehead wound that had yet to heal . Sighed . “Alright, I won’t blame him . You don’t have to tell me several times a day that I can’t get it up . Any man would not want to hear that…”
Steward Feng smiled dryly . “Isn’t this just me being scared that Young Master would misunderstand Heir? Young Master, you don’t know, but Heir has been very busy these past few days . Every day, when he returns to the estate, he never forgets to ask the imperial physician about your condition . First, he asks what medicine you ate that day . Then, if you recovered a bit… He really cares about you . ”
Zhong Wan licked his lip . Smiled softly . “Yes, I also care about him . ”
Meanwhile, in the cabinet, Yu She received some news and laughed coldly . Not a word escaped his lips .
The little eunuch, who had followed Yu She into the palace, looked around . He didn’t dare to speak too loudly, and lowered his head . “Heir, His Majesty saw the people the empress chose . When Heir returns to the estate with this woman, what’s to be done?”
“Nothing,” said Yu She, head lowered as he read the memorial . “I just need to reject her . ”
The little eunuch felt awkward . “That… How can we do this? The emperor has already approved it . He said she would follow our carriage back to the estate . ”
Yu She didn’t even raise his head . “Then throw her away . ”
“Throw?” Such words frighted the little eunuch to the extreme . “How could us slaves dare?”
Yu She no longer paid him attention .
The little eunuch suffered from unspeakable misery . Caught in a bind, he retreated .
Yu She was very clear on the fact that Emperor Chongan wouldn’t fall out with him just because of such a trivial matter . At most, he would just grow furious again . He wouldn’t force Yu She to do anything .
At most at most, even if Emperor Chongan was unhappy, and used this matter to force him to do something else, it wasn’t a big deal .
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As long as he didn’t have to take a concubine, he was fine with doing anything else .
Yu She was very confident about this . Until he left the cabinet in the evening, and caught sight of an extra servant next to his carriage .
In a flash, Yu She’s complexion changed .
This time, Emperor Chongan would not make any concessions .
Yu She’s gaze proved ice cold . He looked at the lanterns hanging from his carriage from afar, beside himself in panic .
He had kept persisting against this, so why wouldn’t those people let him go?
Yu She stood in front of his carriage, his expression so poor that it frightened others .
“Return,” said Yu She coldly . “Wherever she came from, I will have her sent back . ”
Yu She pulled the reins on the carriage . Lifted the curtain in one swift move…
Inside, Zhong Wan was wrapped in a quilt, leaning against the window dead asleep .
Yu She was startled .
Zhong Wan… How could he be here?
Where’s the concubine? Did Zhong Wan drive her away?
And then he just waited for Yu She here?
Yu She couldn’t hold back his laughter .
He climbed onto the carriage . Looked down at the sleeping Zhong Wan . All of a sudden, he understood why others were fond of taking concubines .
If it was a concubine like this, then they were still acceptable .
He looked at Zhong Wan . His heart, which had been discouraged, warmed in an instant .
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