At this time, You Yusui was lying in bed recovering from illness. His ink-black long hair was spread across the bedsheet, his face pale, and his lips completely devoid of color. The tear-shaped mole at the corner of his eye was the only splash of color on his face, like a red plum blossom in snow—cold yet beautiful.
He still didn’t know what decree had been issued from Xuande Hall. He had just sent away the palace maids and eunuchs, disposed of the tonic prescribed by Imperial Physician Cui, and then slipped back under the covers pretending to sleep, planning to avoid confrontation before Fu Bao returned.
However, Eunuch Fu Bao, returning from Xuande Hall, didn’t bother with such matters after learning the Emperor was willing to see the Crown Prince. He directly woke You Yusui and delivered the news.
“Your Highness, His Majesty said to come to Xuande Hall to see him once your illness is better,” Eunuch Fu Bao said with a hint of delight.
In his view, the Crown Prince had lost his mother at a young age and had no one to speak for him to the Emperor. Over the years, the Crown Prince and Emperor had grown increasingly distant, while those illegitimate princes had developed close relationships with the Emperor. This was concerning, so it was certainly good for the Crown Prince to have more audiences with the Emperor.
You Yusui painfully opened his eyes. In truth, he had no deEunuche to see his dear father emperor.
Moreover, to ask a sick person to come see him—how could anyone say such a thing? Indeed worthy of being his father emperor, a standard imperial monarch: harsh, ungrateful, ruthless, and cold-hearted.
“I am… gravely ill,” You Yusui said with difficulty, clutching his chest.
“This…” Eunuch Fu Bao looked at You Yusui lying in bed with sympathy.
You Yusui gave a bitter smile and said, “Besides, Father Emperor has never liked me. Why would he want to see me at a time like this?”
Fu Bao couldn’t hold back his tears. The Crown Prince’s fate was bitter—not only had he lost his mother as a child, but he was also born into a royal family devoid of emotion.
While Fu Bao was immersed in his sorrowful emotions, and just as You Yusui thought he could avoid seeing his father emperor for a while longer, the voices of whispering palace maids and eunuchs came from outside the door.
Instantly, Fu Bao’s grief disappeared, replaced by harshness. He said, “These servants are becoming increasingly disrespectful. It seems yesterday’s lesson wasn’t enough. Today this servant will establish rules for them. Your Highness, please don’t stop me.”
“As you wish. I won’t intervene,” You Yusui replied indifferently. He had no intention of being a lenient Crown Prince anymore.
Fu Bao walked to the door with a grim face, opened it, and began scolding, “Impertinent creatures! Don’t you know the master is resting inside? How dare you make such noise!”
Fu Bao’s voice was shrill and sharp, like a keen blade scraping against the ear. The maids and eunuchs outside immediately knelt down, begging for forgiveness and swearing they would never do it again.
“You dare speak of a next time?” Fu Bao’s voice rose, his gaze like a knife. “Take them all away and give them each a beating with the plank.”
“Please spare us, Eunuch! Please spare us! We were only discussing how His Majesty has transferred the Imperial Noble Consort’s palace management powers to Consort Xian,” a small eunuch repeatedly kowtowed, trying to explain himself.
Fu Bao was also surprised by this news, but quickly composed himself and said, “Go receive your punishment. Let there be no next time.”
“Thank you, Eunuch! Thank you, Eunuch!”
Fu Bao ignored them and turned to go back inside to attend to the Crown Prince.
However, little did Fu Bao expect that the previously sickly Crown Prince was now sitting up in bed, full of energy, staring at him with those beautiful, intense eyes.
“Your—Your Highness?” Fu Bao exclaimed in shock.
You Yusui had already heard what the eunuch outside had said—the Emperor had given the Imperial Noble Consort’s power to manage the six palaces to the Consort Xian.
Though he didn’t know why, You Yusui now wanted to immediately go see the Imperial Noble Consort’s miserable state.
Moreover, based on You Yusui’s understanding of the Imperial Noble Consort from his dozen or so previous lives, he believed that once she received the news, she would immediately put on a pitiful act and go apologize.
So, in order to witness the Imperial Noble Consort’s misfortune and enjoy himself, even if he was seriously ill, too sick to get up, and about to die from his illness, You Yusui wanted to see her wretched appearance and make her even more miserable.
“I’ve realized something,” You Yusui said, grabbing Fu Bao’s hand.
“Realized what?” Fu Bao asked somewhat fearfully.
“Father Emperor and I are connected by blood. If Father Emperor wishes to see me, there’s no need to wait until I recover. Even if I’m so ill that I’m about to die, I must go see Father Emperor,” You Yusui said with profound emotion.
Fu Bao felt somewhat dazed. He didn’t think the Crown Prince needed to go this far; the Crown Prince’s health should be the priority.
“Quickly, prepare my Crown Prince’s court robes,” You Yusui stared at Fu Bao and said, “I want to formally meet Father Emperor.”
Everyone in the palace, whether the imperial consorts or his brothers, extremely hated the sight of You Yusui in his Crown Prince’s court robes. Now You Yusui wanted to parade around in front of them wearing these robes.
If possible, You Yusui would have worn his Crown Prince’s court robes every day.
Thus, under the Crown Prince’s insistent demands, Eunuch Fu Bao began preparing for the outing.
When You Yusui’s long hair was tied up with a gold-inlaid jade crown, his beautiful face was fully revealed, carrying a hint of sharpness and flamboyance. The Crown Prince’s court robes, primarily in black and red, made him appear dignified and noble, like an unsheathed precious sword.
After arranging You Yusui’s court robes, Fu Bao said with some heartache, “The Crown Prince has lost weight; the clothes don’t fit well anymore.”
Then Fu Bao draped a fox fur over You Yusui and placed a hand warmer in his hands.
After ensuring You Yusui wouldn’t catch cold, Fu Bao helped him onto a palanquin and headed toward Xuande Hall.
Sitting in the palanquin, the spring sunlight fell upon You Yusui, and the breeze was fairly mild, causing him to narrow his eyes. But before long, his expression fell.
“It’s getting a bit hot,” You Yusui murmured softly, looking at the hand warmer and the cloak around him.
His voice was so quiet that it scattered in the wind, and almost no one heard what he was saying.
The next moment, You Yusui pulled the fox fur tighter and clutched the hand warmer closer. His body was weak and couldn’t withstand the wind.
After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, You Yusui finally arrived at Xuande Hall. After dismounting from the palanquin, he began coughing softly, appearing very unwell.
After being announced, Eunuch Anhai quickly walked out from Xuande Hall. When he saw the emaciated Crown Prince, he was inwardly startled.
“The Crown Prince has arrived. Please follow this servant inside,” Eunuch Anhai said with a humble demeanor.
You Yusui looked at the head eunuch who had accompanied his father emperor for many years. This was indeed a shrewd individual; otherwise, he wouldn’t have survived working for his father emperor for so long.
“Thank you, Eunuch,” You Yusui coughed a few times, then said weakly.
Upon entering Xuande Hall, one could smell the sandalwood burning in the incense burner, while his father emperor sat behind his desk, looking down at him from above.
The emperor’s appearance was extremely handsome, with long eyebrows sweeping into his temples, eyes like cold stars, a high, straight nose, and thin, tightly pressed lips that commanded authority without anger. He could be any wise monarch from any dynasty you might imagine.
“This son greets Father Emperor,” You Yusui bowed formally.
The emperor on the throne glanced at You Yusui and then said, “Didn’t you just wake up yesterday? How is it that you come to see Zhen today?”
The emperor asked casually before lowering his head to attend to state affairs, but You Yusui was determined to answer seriously.
“As soon as this son woke up, this son heard that Father Emperor wished to see this son. This son and Father Emperor are connected by blood, and this son truly couldn’t bear to let Father Emperor suffer the pain of missing a family member. So even if this son had to crawl, this son would crawl to see Father Emperor!” You Yusui spoke with genuine feeling, his eyes filled with undisguised worship and admiration.
However, upon hearing these words, You Fengyun’s hand paused, leaving an ink blot on the clean and neat memorial. You Fengyun then looked deeply at his legitimate son, whom he had never paid much attention to. Somehow, he felt that You Yusui’s words made him feel disgustingly cloying.
At this moment, You Fengyun could fully understand how the Imperial Noble Consort felt when she heard the servants relay the Crown Prince’s words.
All that talk of “love me, pity me,” establishing with one stroke that you truly care for him, and then using that to disgust you in various ways.
“The Crown Prince seems to have changed somewhat since recovering,” You Fengyun put down his brush and looked at You Yusui standing not far away, his gaze burning.
You Yusui was not intimidated at all and met You Fengyun’s gaze, saying, “After experiencing life and death, one tends to see things more clearly.”
You Fengyun laughed lightly at these words, then said, “Zhen has heard about the matters in the Eastern Palace. Since you have your own ideas, you may decide on the officials for the Eastern Palace yourself.”
Upon hearing this, You Yusui couldn’t help but look at his dear father emperor. Could such a good thing really be happening? You’re not deceiving me, are you?
But indeed, this good fortune had fallen upon You Yusui’s head. As for what the emperor above was thinking when he delegated this power, only he himself knew.
After You Fengyun approved two more memorials and looked up to see You Yusui still standing in Xuande Hall, he couldn’t help but ask with his eyes: Why haven’t you left yet?
Since the Imperial Noble Consort hadn’t arrived yet, how could he leave? So You Yusui pretended not to understand the eye signals and began saying how good his father You Fengyun was to him, and that once this son recovered from his illness, he would certainly share his father’s burdens.
Of course, his illness would never fully recover, so he would never be able to share You Fengyun’s burdens.
Just as You Fengyun was about to become so annoyed with You Yusui that he wanted to tell him to leave immediately, the Imperial Noble Consort finally arrived at Xuande Hall, bringing pastries she had made herself.
As an emperor, You Fengyun keenly sensed a flash of joy from You Yusui. He put down his brush and said, “Let her in.”
Soon, the Imperial Noble Consort entered, carrying small cakes she had made herself. She wore fewer gold hairpins than usual, and her attire made her appear more delicate.
She had come to apologize to the emperor, but she never expected You Yusui to be there.
“Why is the Crown Prince here?” Imperial Noble Consort Su Hewan was surprised to see You Yusui. Did she have to beg for the emperor’s favor in front of the Crown Prince?
You Yusui said weakly, “The Imperial Noble Consort has arrived at just the right time. I heard that the Imperial Noble Consort is no longer in charge of palace affairs.”
Imperial Noble Consort Su Hewan’s face froze. The Crown Prince had touched on her sore spot.
“So, can the Imperial Noble Consort now return my mother’s manuscripts and belongings to me? After all, the Imperial Noble Consort has no use for them anymore,” You Yusui looked pitifully at the Imperial Noble Consort. “In a few days, it will be the anniversary of my mother’s death.”
At this moment, Su Hewan wanted nothing more than to strangle You Yusui to death.
