Chapter 9
Just who was making such a fuss?
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The fully-grown Yu She stood two to three inches taller than Zhong Wan . He was also surprisingly strong . Zhong Wan couldn’t break free of his grasp at all . He had no choice but to attempt to nauseate Yu She . “Of course I have to make a fuss… I want everyone who entered the palace today to know what you’re doing . Then that’ll be great . Young Prince Yu, your honored self has probably forgotten how I survived these past few years . ”
Yu She dropped his gaze . From his eyes, it was hard to tell if he were happy or sad . “Of course I remember . ”
Zhong Wan tried his best to speak softly . “There are so many eunuchs outside . If we truly make a lot of noise, do you think they won’t hear us?! If other people find out, you… For the rest of your life, you may never be able to marry a Princess Consort Yu!”
Yu She stood there, shocked . But then a smile actually graced his lips . “That would be for the best . ”
It rendered Zhong Wan nearly speechless . “You…”
Yu She tightened his grip on Zhong Wan’s wrist . Voice barely above a whisper, he asked, “If you obtain your self-selling contract, would you truly be able to leave without a problem and never return to the capital?”
Zhong Wan really wanted to bludgeon Emperor Chongan, this old thing, to death in one blow . He could not help Zhong Wan even a little, and even angered Yu She . “It wasn’t me who wanted this… Even if I did, would you give it to me?!”
Yu She thought for a moment, loosening his grip just a hint . “So you actually have some brains,” he softly said .
Zhong Wan couldn’t imagine how Yu She declined Emperor Chongan’s offer . He powerlessly said, “You… told him directly that you didn’t agree?”
Yu She grunted in acknowledgement .
Zhong Wan broke into a smile .
“You think I’m acting too unreasonably, right?” Yu She slightly turned his head towards him . Caught sight of Zhong Wan with his eyes half lid . “I can actually be even more unreasonable… Zhong Wan, you’re worried I can’t get married, aren’t you?”
Yu She leaned toward him a small degree, his voice near-whisper as he said into his ear, “Speaking of which, you can help me with my marriage matters . Do you want to help me?”
Zhong Wan’s fingers trembled just a hint .
In his heart, he chanted the Clear Heart Mantra two times, before closing his eyes . He tried his best not to pay attention to the Yu She behind him . Told himself not to think nonsense .
In a low voice, Yu She said, “Will you help me?”
Zhong Wan sucked in a deep breath and gritted his teeth . “Just what are you trying to say?”
“Give me Xuan Congxin’s hand in marriage,” said Yu She in a casual manner . “She would most likely listen to you, right?”
“You dare!” The pleasant feelings in his heart vanished in an instant . Fury lacing his words, he said, “Yu She, you…”
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Once again, Zhong Wan struggled to get away . But Yu She’s grip was vice-like . A smile blossomed on his lips . “Why are you angry? Although she can still technically be considered part of the imperial clan, the estate of Prince Qiang An has already declined . This marriage can be considered…marrying up for her . ”
“Yes…” Zhong Wan was so furious, his face paled . “Congxin is still young . Her natural endowments have yet to be determined, and she did not have a mother teaching her in her youth . In the future… I’m afraid she cannot support the gate of Prince Yu’s estate . May Your Highness… have mercy on her . ”
Yu She narrowed his eyes . “She grew up by your side… Could it be that you want to marry her?”
“How old is she?” fumed Zhong Wan . “What kind of person do you think I am?!”
“You truly have no intention of marrying her?”
Zhong Wan was already drained of energy at this point . He leaned against the bookcase, panting as he said, “Your Highness…What status do I currently hold? What status does she have? I’ll marry her? Do you really think that’s possible?”
Not a word left Yu She’s lips .
If the incident from the past had not occurred, with how much Prince Ning doted on Zhong Wan, the former truly would have given him her hand in marriage .
Rbalmlcu Te Vtf’r rlifcmf, Itbcu Qjc uglaafv tlr affat bcmf wbgf . “Tbecu Uglcmf Te… P tjnf cfnfg lwjulcfv remt j atlcu . P bcis kjca ab gjlrf atfrf akb vgjubc jcv qtbfclz aklcr kfii . Mbg Wejc Te ab tjnf tlr bkc tberftbiv jcv obg Jbcuzlc ab wjggs j ubbv wjc bo j rlwlijg juf jr tfg . Vtf lr jirb j vfrmfcvjca bo atf lwqfglji mijc . Gbc’a alf tfg… klat rbwfbcf ilxf wf, jigluta?”
Yu She fell silent for a while . Then he nodded . “Okay . ”
A wave of relief washed over Zhong Wan’s form . After calming down for a little while, he regretted losing proprietary .
Yu She, this crazy person…
How could he wed Congxin?
Let’s not talk about how incompatible their statuses were if this marriage were to occur . Even if he wanted to wed Princess Huiyang, Emperor Chongan would be angry to the point of keeping Yu She under house arrest . Congxin… was also surnamed Xuan .
It was evident that Yu She had been teasing him . In a soft voice, Zhong Wan asked, “Are you using this as an excuse to make a point?”
Yu She’s inner thoughts had been uncovered . Yet he only smiled . “As long as you’re clear on what I’m trying to say, then my point has been made . ”
I’ve never thought of asking you for my self-selling contract, thought Zhong Wan .
Yue She turned his head to him . “Just now, were you so stressed to the point of wanting to cry?”
“Cry about what?” Zhong Wan stilled . “The last time I cried was because my parents died… I don’t cry easily . ”
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Yu She fell into his thoughts, recalling the past… He in fact had never caught Zhong Wan crying .
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Knowing that Xuan Congxin was safe, Zhong Wan relaxed . And he longer bickered with Yu She . He had just recovered from a long bout of illness, and did not have much energy . He didn’t think over his words anymore as he said, “My wrists really hurt . ”
Yu She froze .
Zhong Wan attempted to lightly pull his arm away, and unconsciously said, “Are there red marks already?”
Yu She looked down . Pulled up Zhong Wan’s sleeve just a bit . Indeed… a few finger marks marred his wrist .
After a moment of silence, Yu She commented, “You said it wrong . ”
“What?” said Zhong Wan, drawing his brows together .
“You said it wrong . ”
Zhong Wan suspected that he had caught another fever, burning his brain to mush . Just what did he say incorrectly?
Yu She released his hold on Zhong Wan . “What you should have said in the first place was, ‘heir, my wrist really hurts . Help me massage it . ’”
Zhong Wan was dumbstruck . Have I gone mad?
“After that, I stopped paying attention to you, and continued to hold you . Then you said, ‘heir, it truly does hurt . Please lighten your grasp . ’”
Zhong Wan still could not find his words .
He finally let Zhong Wan go, and Zhong Wan felt even more frightened now . Restless and anxious, he stared at Yu She . This… Was he the one who’d gone mad, or was it Yu She?
Yu She sat down . His face devoid of expression . “I said, ‘stop pretending to be coquettish . I’m not using much force . ’”
Zhong Wan’s silence stretched even further .
“Then you said, ‘you don’t know your own strength . Hurry and check it for me . Blow on it for me . ’”
The hairs on Zhong Wan’s arm all stood erect . Yu She… Had he been possessed by dirty things?
Yu She glanced at him, taking out a book from his sleeve . He threw it toward Zhong Wan’s chest .
Confused, Zhong Wan flipped open the book—
“Pretty Brother Zhong’s Tryst With the Heir in the Study . ”
Zhong Wan really couldn’t speak now .
So he hadn’t gone mad . Yu She was merely reading aloud the lines of a book .
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But he still found this matter quite shocking .
There’s actually such a novel circulating in the capital?
Was the culture in the north this open?
The emperor, Princess Anguo, Prince Yu…Any one of them…
They didn’t rectify this matter?
Why did Yu She read this book?
And why was he even able to repeat it verbatim?!!
Zhong Wan struggled to say, “Young Prince Yu… You bring this cut-sleeve book into the palace every day… Don’t you find something wrong about that?
“Or perhaps… you brought it specifically for me to read?” he said probingly .
“It wasn’t prepared for you . ” Yu She’s expression was natural . “I brought it for myself to read . ”
And Zhong Wan was back to being speechless .
Noticing Zhong Wan’s complexion, Yu She smiled . “When it comes to books regarding our relationship, I’ve read all the ones that are at least slightly famous . ”
Zhong Wan really wanted to bury and hide himself in a hole . Once again, he fought hard to say, “You… What are you actually after?”
“Just looking for something that makes me happy . ” Yu She smiled . “I really had a hard time these past few years . The only thing of joy was reading books about you and me . I found them very fascinating . ”
“What made life unsatisfactory?” asked Zhong Wan in a sensitive manner .
A moment of silence . Following that, Yu She broke into another smile . “The things that made life unsatisfactory had nothing to do with you… This is the truth . ”
Zhong Wan did not want to press him any further . Before he could say anything else, Yu She said, “The prose of this book is decent . Beautiful but not tacky . I’m quite fond of it . ”
Once he had laid eyes on the book’s title, Zhong Wan was so ashamed that he wanted to die . He truly did not want to read what was inside .
Yu She noticed his intention . He deliberately said, “I’ll give it to you . What do you say?”
Embarrassed, Zhong Wan replied, “Since this is Young Prince Yu’s most cherished item, I don’t dare to accept it . ”
Yu She narrowed his eyes dangerously .
In an instant, Zhong Wan knew he had misspoken . He changed the theme of his words forcibly . “But… I also really want to read it . May Young Prince Yu… part with such a cherished possession?”
Yu She nodded . “Yes, I’ll give it to you . ” He tone proved gracious .
A sigh of relief left his lips . Zhong Wan slipped the book into his placket, preparing to burn it once he stepped foot outside the imperial palace .
“You’re going to throw it away once you exit the palace gates, right?” One glance, and Yu She saw right through him . Cold enough to freeze, he said, “Are you just playing along to handle me?”
With a guilty conscience Zhong Wan lowered his head . “I don’t dare . What Your Highness has given me… definitely needs to be read every day . ”
“There’s no need to read it every day . ” Yu She poured a cup of tea for himself . Took a sip . “Just read it once here, from start to finish . ”
Zhong Wan stilled . Then he asked, “Are you serious?”
Yu She nodded . “After you finish reading it, I might let you go . ”
His threat was very obvious . “You know, I can keep you imprisoned in the palace . ”
Zhong Wan almost collapsed on the floor . He pulled out the book and flipped a few pages . Even his heart felt chilled…
This book was purely about romantic affairs…
Little by little, the corners of Yu She’s lips tilted upward .
Zhong Wan wanted to say something but stopped himself before he could . “Young Prince…”
“It’s fine if you don’t want to read it,” Yu She took his time saying . “I’ll just kill Lin Si today . ”
Zhong Wan took a deep breath . Seven years . Lin Si had stayed in the capital for seven years and lived a good life, eating to his full and having a good night’s rest every day . But ever since Zhong Wan had arrived at the capital, the pitiful mute was thrust into dangerous situations daily…
He clenched his teeth . “I’ll read it . ”
Yu She nodded . “Don’t speak too softly as you read . Put some emotion in it… Now start . ”
The evil one brought on oneself was the hardest to bear .
Zhong Wan sat down . Flipped to the first page . And his eyes started to darken .
He cleared his throat . “Today, let’s talk about X Dynasty in X Era . There was a gentleman with a surname of Zhong . An extremely passionate fellow…”
Muddling along without any aim, Zhong Wan started to wonder if he had just been thinking too much regarding Yu She’s background .
What insider information? What bastard children…? Even a good person’s temperament would greatly change after many years of reading such things…