Crown Prince You Yusui was already seventeen years old. The Empress Yuan had been dead for seventeen years. In the imperial harem, besides the elderly servants who had served by Empress Yuan’s side and Crown Prince You Yusui, hardly anyone still remembered the death anniversary of the late empress.
Therefore, the arrogant Su Hewan had completely forgotten that what she had torn apart in her anger was the late empress’s relic. A concubine damaging the late empress’s belongings was, no matter how one explained it, a crime of great disrespect.
Meanwhile, You Yusui looked at Su Hewan with a sorrowful expression. Only when he lowered his gaze did a flash of coldness appear in his eyes. With his understanding of Su Hewan gained through more than ten reincarnations, he knew this woman was not intelligent and was even impulsive and quick-tempered. The reasons she had become the Imperial Noble Consort were, first, that she had given birth to the emperor’s eldest son, and second, because his father emperor still needed to use Prime Minister Su, who came from a humble background, to suppress the imperial relatives and aristocratic families.
Therefore, he had long anticipated that Su Hewan would tear up the late empress’s relics, and he had been waiting for an opportunity to expose this matter in front of everyone. He hadn’t expected this opportunity to come so quickly.
“The relics left by the late empress have benefited me greatly. May I ask the Crown Prince to let me keep them for a few more days,” the Imperial Noble Consort struggled to squeeze out a smile and said, “I only hope that I can act as gracefully as the late empress did.”
After saying these words, the Imperial Noble Consort felt sick to her stomach. The person she had resented most since entering the palace was the late empress. Even though that woman had been dead for over a decade, she still harbored a deep hatred for the late empress. If she ever became the Empress Dowager, she would definitely throw that woman’s spirit tablet out of the ancestral temple.
Now, the Imperial Noble Consort had to say words about learning from the late empress—how could she not feel disgusted?
“But in three days, it will be the death anniversary of my royal mother. If the Imperial Noble Consort likes the manuscripts left by my royal mother, I can have them copied and sent to you. Perhaps the Imperial Noble Consort could return my royal mother’s relics to me first?” You Yusui looked at the Imperial Noble Consort, his face full of weakness and pity, as if he didn’t understand why she wouldn’t return his mother’s relics to him.
“I…” Where could she find the late empress’s relics to return to the Crown Prince? On the day the Crown Prince had sent those manuscripts of the late empress, she had already torn them into pieces. Now there wasn’t even ash left.
“Why is the Imperial Noble Consort hesitating? Could it be that you cannot produce my royal mother’s relics?” You Yusui interrupted the Imperial Noble Consort’s words and then looked at her with cold eyes, asking, “Could it be that the Imperial Noble Consort has destroyed my royal mother’s relics?”
“I have not!” Su Hewan shouted loudly. At this moment, she suddenly realized that all of this might be a trap set by the Crown Prince.
At this point, Su Hewan couldn’t help but look toward the emperor sitting behind the desk. She saw that the emperor’s eyes were watching the two of them with interest, as if watching an entertaining show.
“Since the Imperial Noble Consort has not damaged my royal mother’s relics, then please hand over my royal mother’s relics now.” You Yusui began to press harder, his aura growing sharper. However, his face was pale, his teeth tightly biting his lips, as if he was forcing himself to stand, and might collapse at any moment.
After speaking, You Yusui resolutely knelt before You Fengyun and said, “Please, Father Emperor, do me justice.”
At this point, You Fengyun understood that You Yusui had shown joy when the Imperial Noble Consort arrived earlier. Perhaps the reason he had crawled out of his sickbed today was for this very moment.
You Fengyun looked at the bewildered Imperial Noble Consort and narrowed his eyes. How could that old man Su Lie produce such a stupid offspring? Perhaps the favor he had shown was too much, making her conceited.
“Can the Noble Consort produce the late empress’s relics given to you by the Crown Prince?” You Fengyun asked.
“Your subject cannot,” the Imperial Noble Consort knelt on the ground and said with her head lowered.
You Fengyun glanced lightly at the two people kneeling on the ground and softly said: “Since that is the case, the Imperial Noble Consort has lost the late empress’s relics. She will be confined for three months, fined half a year’s salary, and must copy the Rebirth Sutra three hundred times to atone for her sin.”
Upon hearing this, You Yusui inwardly cursed. Dog father is still a dog father. With one light sentence, he had changed “damaging the late empress’s relics” to “accidentally losing the late empress’s relics,” and turned what could have been stripping the Imperial Noble Consort of her title and demoting her to an ordinary concubine into a mere fine and confinement.
At the same time, it proved that Prime Minister Su was still useful, and the current emperor did not wish to alienate his ministers.
After announcing the punishment, You Fengyun also had his personal attendant, eunuch Anhai, select several fine items from his private treasury to give to the Crown Prince as consolation.
Having obtained his result, You Yusui was unwilling to stay in Xuande Hall any longer. He took the gifts from You Fengyun, bowed hastily, and retreated, as if there were dogs chasing him from behind Xuande Hall.
After the Imperial Noble Consort Su Hewan was also escorted back to Jujiu Palace by palace servants, You Fengyun, sitting behind his desk, said to eunuch Anhai beside him, “It seems the Crown Prince has made some progress.”
He now knew how to set traps for people and was no longer obsessed with acting like a gentleman, though it was still not enough.
Eunuch Anhai heard this and bowed, saying, “If Your Majesty thinks the Crown Prince is good, then he is good.”
You Fengyun snorted lightly upon hearing this, then lowered his head to continue reviewing the memorials.
So on this day, the emperor saw his son’s progress, You Yusui gained benefits while kicking his enemy when she was down, the bystander Noble Consort Xian gained the power to manage the six palaces, and only the Imperial Noble Consort was hurt in this world they had created.
On the palace path, after walking beyond the range of Xuande Hall, Eunuch Fu Bao, who accompanied You Yusui, couldn’t help but say, “How dare they willfully damage the Empress’s relics? How dare they?”
Sitting in the palanquin, You Yusui stared at the exquisite hand warmer in his hands and sneered. “Who do they think they are?”
The late empress’s relics that You Yusui had sent to the Imperial Noble Consort’s palace were actually written by himself, imitating his mother’s handwriting as a way to remember her. However, trading a fake relic of the late empress for the Imperial Noble Consort’s three-month confinement was not a bad deal.
Afterward, You Yusui poked the carved hand warmer with his slightly sweaty fingers, and a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth. Who should he target next?
Just at this moment, the palanquin carrying You Yusui tilted, and the hand warmer slipped from his palm. His entire body also leaned to one side.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
What he heard was Eunuch Fu Bao’s terrified cry.
Just as You Yusui thought he was going to fall to the ground, a hand grabbed him and steadied him on the palanquin that had landed on the ground.
You Yusui looked up and met a handsome face stained with blood. Those black eyes were like stars in the sky. The young man before him was in a sorry state, but his whole being radiated an untamed aura, like an injured wild wolf. At that moment, he was grabbing You Yusui’s hand as if clutching at a lifeline.
“Save me, Your Highness!” the young man in front of him said.
You Yusui: … You almost knocked me over, and you want me to save you?
At the same time, You Yusui suddenly realized, looking at the young man’s face, that he had never seen him before. Having been reincarnated more than ten times, if he had met someone so beautiful, he would never have forgotten.
At this moment, the crowd chasing the young man had caught up. Leading them was the Sixth Prince, accompanied by sons of nobles and officials. These people were all somewhat injured.
You Yusui suddenly understood why the young man in front of him was asking for his help. Having beaten a prince, wouldn’t he need saving?
The Sixth Prince, You Yuliu, was born to Consort Ning. Mother and son had relied on Noble Consort Xian to establish a foothold in the palace. Therefore, the Sixth Prince was Noble Consort Xian’s man.
The young man in front of him had beaten Noble Consort Xian’s man. You Yusui wanted to say, well done!
“Second Brother Crown Prince, hand over that person,” Sixth Prince You Yuliu arrogantly said, holding a whip. His gaze wandered over You Yusui’s crown prince’s court robes, as if he wanted to strip off these robes and put them on himself.
After speaking, he looked at the young man beside You Yusui. Princess Chang and Noble Consort Xian had told him to teach this Huo fellow a good lesson. He hadn’t expected this guy to be such a good fighter and even run to the Crown Prince for help.
You Yusui laughed. The resentment that had accumulated earlier in Xuande Hall was instantly released. What kind of dog was this, daring to command him?
You Yusui sat back in the palanquin and threw the hand warmer directly at You Yuliu’s feet.
“Sixth Imperial Brother, is not paying respects to the Crown Prince the rule taught to you by the teachers in the Imperial Study?” You Yusui looked lazily at You Yuliu and said, “They say the eldest brother is like a father. If your manners are not good, then let me teach you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, You Yusui stood up. The black and red crown prince’s court robes looked slightly large on him, and the fox fur made him appear even more pale.
You Yusui took the whisk from Fu Bao’s hand and walked step by step toward You Yuliou.
A flash of panic appeared in You Yuliu’s eyes. Being stared at by You Yusui, he couldn’t even generate the thought to escape.
“Today, Imperial Brother is doing this for your own good, to prevent you from losing your manners and being laughed at by the world,” You Yusui said, standing in front of You Yuliou with the whisk.
As he finished speaking, the handle of the whisk struck You Yuliou hard.
“Disrespecting an elder brother, this is the first mistake.”
You Yuliu, hit by the whisk, couldn’t help but grunt. He hadn’t expected the sickly crown prince to have such strength.
Before he could recover from the pain, the second blow came.
“Not knowing the relationship between ruler and subject, this is the second mistake!”
“Gathering to fight and bullying the weak, this is the third mistake.”
As he finished speaking, the whisk in You Yusui’s hand broke with a sound. Only then did everyone react to what had happened.
The next moment, the eunuchs and sons of nobles and officials who had been following You Yuliu immediately surrounded them.
“What? I am the Crown Prince. Do you still want to disrespect me?” You Yusui coldly looked at the people surrounding him and said, “As study companions and attendants, when your master makes a mistake and you do not dissuade him but instead assist in wrongdoing, you shall all be dragged out and given twenty strokes.”
Not only were the people beside You Yuliou stunned, but even Fu Bao was stunned. Since when had the Crown Prince become so fierce?
“Can’t you hear what I said?” You Yusui played with the token symbolizing his status.
Soon, palace guards came to drag away the people beside You Yuliu for punishment.
Not wanting to hear the wailing of these people, You Yusui sat directly on the palanquin ready to leave. Before leaving, You Yusui looked at the young man who had almost knocked him over and said, “You come with me too.”
You Yuliu, standing to the side, shouted, “Huo Xiling! If you have the guts, don’t leave the Crown Prince’s side!”
Upon hearing this, You Yusui immediately turned to look at You Yuliu with a smile and said, “From now on, he will be the Crown Prince’s attendant, eating and living with me. I’m afraid he cannot leave my side.”
After that, You Yuliou watched as the Crown Prince and his entourage disappeared from his sight.
After all this commotion, by the time You Yusui returned to the Eastern Palace, the sun had already set. The palace servants of the Eastern Palace immediately surrounded You Yusui to change his clothes, and Huo Xiling was also taken away by palace servants for a bath.
During this time, Fu Bao also investigated the young man’s identity. He was the younger brother of General Liu’s deceased wife. After his sister’s death, he had no blood relatives left and was raised in the General’s mansion. Princess Chang, who had recently married General Liu with her daughter, saw him as a thorn in her side, which was why the Sixth Prince had tried to bully this young man.
By the time You Yusui was sitting in a chair soaking his feet and about to fall asleep, Huo Xiling was finally brought in by the palace servants.
At this point, Huo Xiling had the leisure to carefully examine the Crown Prince’s appearance. It was said that the Crown Prince was kind and approachable, as gentle as jade. Now that he saw him, he found the Crown Prince to be rather arrogant, with an extremely enchanting appearance, though his body was too weak, exuding a fragile porcelain-like quality.
“Hurry and kneel down!” Eunuch Fu Bao said with displeasure. If it weren’t for this boy, His Highness wouldn’t have almost fallen from the palanquin today.
Huo Xiling knelt down upon hearing this. As he lowered his head, his gaze happened to fall directly on the Crown Prince’s feet soaking in hot water. The steam had tinted the snow-white feet with a layer of light red. The delicate ankles looked as if he could grasp them with one hand. Even the toenails were particularly round and lovely, like peach blossom petals.
“What’s your name?” You Yusui opened his eyes and asked.
“Huo Xiling,” Huo Xiling answered with his head lowered.
“Sounds familiar,” You Yusui felt he should have heard this name somewhere, but he couldn’t remember clearly.
Just when Huo Xiling thought You Yusui was going to say something more, a bare foot lifted his face.
The touch of this foot was just as smooth as jade as he had imagined. If the timing hadn’t been inappropriate, he would have wanted to hold it properly in his hands to play with.
You Yusui, sitting in the chair, leaned back lazily and said to Huo Xiling, “I like your face.”
Huo Xiling’s breath caught upon hearing this. The Crown Prince liked his face?
You Yusui, seeing Huo Xiling’s stunned expression, chuckled and said, “I know you are a wolf that is difficult to tame, but I don’t want to play a game of wolf training. I want your face. As for what you want, take it from me yourself.”
“Of course, if you’re unwilling, then get out.” As he finished speaking, You Yusui’s foot kicked toward Huo Xiling’s chest.
Huo Xiling quickly grabbed You Yusui’s foot and said, “This subject is willing!”
This was possibly his only chance to escape the control of Princess Chang and the bullying of her subordinates in the palace. How could he not be willing? Moreover, the person in front of him was ‘him’.
You Yusui smiled upon hearing this. Just then, a small eunuch came in and whispered something to Eunuch Fu Bao, who then whispered something to You Yusui.
You Yusui, after hearing Fu Bao’s words, couldn’t help but brighten his eyes. He pointed at Huo Xiling, who was still kneeling in front of him, and said, “You, carry me into the inner chamber.”
Huo Xiling was stunned. So quickly? He was not very experienced in doing this kind of thing for the first time, but his body honestly picked up You Yusui.
Holding You Yusui in his arms, Huo Xiling’s mind wandered for a moment. He felt that the incense on the Crown Prince smelled particularly good, as sharp as a cold plum blossom yet with a faint bitter taste.
Eunuch Fu Bao led the way, and Huo Xiling carried You Yusui, following behind Fu Bao.
After entering the inner chamber, multiple curtains were drawn, and a coffin made of nanmu wood with gold threads appeared in front of Huo Xiling.
“Put me in there,” You Yusui pointed at the coffin.
Huo Xiling was stunned on the spot.
