Chapter 48: CH 39

After many years of suffering, Zhong Wan originally thought he had become immune to such things since long ago. But today, after not paying attention, he cut his hand with porcelain shards. And the shixiong he met earlier had, in one word, pierced his heart.

Zhong Wan stood in the cold winds of the start of spring, pressing the sore area in his chest where his lungs sat. Smiling in a mocking manner to himself, he said, “Shixiong, don’t say a thing if you can see through it.” 

Tang Ming also smiled. A sigh. “I didn’t want to say anything at the start, and accompanied you in acting out this show. But all along, you’ve been avoiding me. There’s no harm in Shidi guarding against me. However, it’s best not to delay your own matters.”

Zhong Wan used the carriage for support as he adjusted his breathing. In a low voice, he said, “So Imperial Preceptor had long since—”

“At his old age, what could Teacher not have seen before? After instructing you for many years, what could he not see through? He merely kept quiet.” Tang Ming sighed. “Since we’re already talking about this, I won’t stand on ceremony and say a little more, alright?”

Having been exposed, Zhong Wan did not have anything to hide anymore. “May Shixiong speak.” 

“These words were actually those that Teacher entrusted me to say, as I watch over you to the best of my ability.” A long while passed before Tang Ming continued, “These words require me to start from the beginning… You should know that the day you were put in prison, Teacher wanted to redeem you.”

Zhong Wan said in a hoarse voice, “Imperial Preceptor didn’t care about his reputation?”

“Why would Teacher care about that? Moreover, you were Teacher’s last disciple. Who in this world didn’t know? Teacher planned out a great strategy. Unfortunately…” Tang Ming was left speechless for a moment. “For the past many years, he had been poor and his family as well. He couldn’t compete with the extremely wealthy Young Prince Yu.”

Zhong Wan couldn’t help but lower his head and smile.

Tang Ming sighed once more. “To have his other disciple slap his face with gold angered him to the extreme that day.

“Teacher knew your intention. He watched as Young Prince Yu redeemed you and feared that it was the mysterious and inexorable Will of the Heavens. And he stopped interfering. Later on, Prince Ning’s matters had been settled. Prince Ning’s children were sent to Qian An. Originally, Teacher thought that nothing else would happen. Every side had received their outcome. Afterward, everyone’s fate would come from one’s hands. Never had he imagined…”

Tang Ming’s gaze fell upon Zhong Wan. A sigh escaped his lips. “Never had he imagined that you already ran away.

“Because he knew your intention, after he heard that you ran away, Teacher felt even more… pity for you.” Tang Ming’s gaze was complicated. “Shidi is loyal and righteous. Shixiong admires this. Teacher was also clear on that fact. Shidi, why didn’t you think that when you left for Qian An that day, it was evident you would not return? On his deathbed, why did Teacher not only miss you this much but also arrange these things for you?” 

Tang Ming said in a soft voice, “Teacher had long since realized that there was someone you could not let go of, and would return sooner or later.”

Zhong Wan turned his head to the side. All of a sudden, the wind blew his eyes red.

Voice dry and rough, Zhong Wan said, “It’s me that was useless. Imperial Preceptor had worked out a strategy for me up until now, yet I never returned to send him off. I…”

“How could you have returned?” consoled Tang Ming. “His body had been unhealthy all along. He passed in his sleep without pain. To live one year longer than the Sage Confucius should be considered dying in old age.” 

Zhong Wan nodded. Bowed to pay respects. He reluctantly boarded the carriage. After he let go of the curtain, he sat with his back straight for two hours before relaxing his posture. Zhong Wan reclined into his seat. Used a lot of energy to reach out and pull his cloak over to him. He covered his face with it.

After the carriage drove for another hour, Zhong Wan gradually relaxed. He wiped his face. Expended a lot of energy to sit up. He rubbed at his sore shoulders and fell into a daze, not a word leaving his lips.

If what Tang Ming had said was true, then many things made sense.

Why no matter what Yu She did, Emperor Chongan and Prince Yu tried their best to protect him. 

Why young Yu She suddenly grew suspcious of his own background.

Why Princess Royal indulged him so much back then.

She had felt guilty.

At the start, Zhong Wan thought to borrow Princess Royal Anguo’s power. But now, it seemed like it couldn’t be done. 

Back then, just who arranged for all of this?

After Princess Royal Anguo realized she would not have a child, she agreed to recognize Yu She as her own son.

For the Princess Royal Anguo of that time, that transaction was not disadvantageous.

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For this reason, when she had pampered Yu She back in those years, it was probably sincere. She wholeheartedly considered Yu She as her own son.

It wasn’t until someone harboring ill intentions told her that when she became pregnant in June during the forty-seventh year of the Taiyu Era, it was her blood-related elder brother, Emperor Chongan, who schemed to have her miscarry.

One would fear that on that day, Princess Royal Anguo had even wanted to commit regicide.

However, she could not do anything to Emperor Chongan. Therefore, she placed the full extent of her hatred on the then-sixteen-years-old Yu She. 

What’s most hopeless about it was that the whole thing was fake. There was only a tiny bit of leeway. After Princess Royal Anguo calmed down, she was able to discover this bit of truth.

Ever since Princess Royal Anguo and Yu She became at odds with each other, there was no one in the world who was somewhat sincere toward him.

The person who first poisoned her with those thoughts had started their plan like this, intentions so evil, even others could not imagine them.

On that day, when Princess Royal Anguo, a person Yu she always depended on, suddenly treated him coldly and punished him to kneel at the ancestral hall of Prince Yu’s estate, what went through his mind? 

Wasn’t that akin to the sky falling?

As Zhong Wan thought this, his chest hurt. He drew his brows tightly together, forcing himself not to think of this.

How did Imperial Preceptor Shi see through all of this?!

Pressing a hand to his chest, Zhong Wan said to himself, for so many years I have stopped myself from acting from emotion due to keeping up propriety. If on that day, I couldn’t continue living in Qian An, I would absolutely not say those things aloud. Zhong Wan believed he was able to hide it well. Especially before Prince Ning encountered mishap, he was in a daze toward those things. How could Imperial Preceptor not know? 

There were many things he could not recall. All of a sudden, he remembered something important.

Back then, when he studied with others, there was a time when Zhong Wan was muddle headed, and forgot that Imperial Preceptor Shi wanted him to practice his handwriting. And he did not tell the people in the study to prepare a large brush in advance for Xuan Rui and himself.

Zhong Wan had been careless, and said he would be Xuan Rui’s reading partner. Usually, it was Xuan Rui who reminded him of what they had to do. But on that day, they both forgot. Left with no options, Zhong Wan went to ask for forgiveness from Imperial preceptor Shi, wanting to borrow his brushes. Imperial Preceptor Shi had always cared about Zhong Wan, and had lent him paper and brushes in the past. Originally, Zhong Wan found no harm in asking. Who would have known that on that day, Imperial Preceptor Shi would be furious? He reprimanded Zhong Wan as careless with his work. He not only refused to lend him brushes and paper, but also…

Zhong Wan could not bear to remember. After Imperial Preceptor  scolded him for a long time, he told him to borrow from Yu She. 

Dizzy from being scolded, he actually shamelessly went to borrow the items from Yu She.

This was the first time Zhong Wan took the initiative to talk to Yu She. Contrary to expectation, Yu She had a good temperament. After being slightly startled, he lent his brushes to Zhong Wan.

Looking back now…

Imperial Preceptor Shi was too naughty. 

Just before the night curfew, as the curfew warning drums sounded, he returned to the estate. After that, he called for a servant, ordering them to investigate Tang Ming first.

Tang Ming indeed was his senior fellow student from the same master. The words he spoke were all reasonable. However, Zhong Wan still could not completely trust him.

He felt that someone who was the Imperial Court Scribe of the previous emperor for more than ten years could not be simple.

Investigating Tang Ming was easier than investigating Yu She. Zhong Wan’s people sent him a letter the next day. 

From start to finish, Zhong Wan read the records of Tang Ming’s life. Everything was clean. There was nothing odd about them.

He did not have a reason to serve Prince Yu’s estate or Xuan Jing.

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Once again, Zhong Wan picked up Tang Ming’s complicated and very tricky genealogical record. And after reading over it, he suddenly found something fishy.

Tang Ming’s birth mother had a surname of Zhong. 

Zhong Wan was speechless. Could Tang Ming be related to him?

There were many people with the surname of Zhong in the royal capital. Zhong Wan was unsure. Moreover, Zhong Wan was from the side branch of the Zhong clan. Even if Tang Ming’s mother was from the Zhong clan, he could not be certain he was related to that elderly lady.

Just because of this familial connection that was separated by five degrees, would Tang Ming take more care of Zhong Wan?

Or was it because Imperial Preceptor Shi had entrusted that task to Tang Ming? 

Zhong Wan burned the few sheets of papers in his hand in a candle’s flame, falling into a daze.

Although he did not dare to completely trust Tang Ming, Zhong Wan believed about seventy to eighty percent of his words.

Once again, Zhong Wan felt like seeing Yu She. Unfortunately…

As he tended to the injury on his right hand, he was angry to the point of grinding his teeth. “There’s still six days left.” 

However, tomorrow would be the start of Xuan Jin’s fifth seven-day set. He might encounter him.

On the first day of the fifth seven-day set, Zhong Wan and the others arrived at Third Prince’s estate early in the morning.

The moment they entered the estate, they came across Princess Royal Anguo.

And Yu She was following behind her. 

In the past, Xuan Yu had met Princess Royal Anguo a few times. He had always been quick-witted. Now, he didn’t need anyone to tell him to perform a ceremony of paying respects in a composed manner.

Princess Royal Anguo took good care of her health. As a result, she only looked in her forties. Her identity was noble. Someone with the status of Xuan Rui would never enter her attention. However, she would not slight him. The corners of her lips curved. She allowed Xuan Yu to stand. Her words and intonation were unhurried, distinctive of those of high-ranking and distinguished people. She slowly asked him if he was cold, if he had been tired the past few days.

Xuan Yu replied appropriately. Princess Royal Anguo nodded. Took her time saying, “Her Highness Imperial Consort Xian misses Third Prince dearly. At present, she is still in tears. Don’t go inside yet to kowtow, otherwise both parties will not appear decent… It’s already the fifth seven-day set. The day the unfortunate person returns. So let her cry to her heart’s content.”

Princess Royal Anguo seemed exhausted. She had taken care of Imperial Consort Xian for many days. In the beginning, she could still cry a little. But after a while, she had long since grown annoyed of it. Just now, Imperial Consort Xian went mad, crying to the point where her hair went into disarray and her clothes grew disorderly. Princess Royal Anguo did not bother consoling her, impatiently leading Yu She outside. 

As Xuan Yu replied to her questions, Zhong Wan stood behind him. Naturally, Princess Royal Anguo did not so much as glance at him. She only treated him as a regular servant.

Zhong Wan also did not pay attention to Princess Royal Anguo. His focus was on Yu She.

Just now, the two met gazes. In a flash, they looked away. But Zhong Wan was still able to guess what Yu She was thinking: five more days. Don’t look too much.

Still standing behind Xuan Yu, Zhong Wan lowered his head. The corners of his lips tilted up a hint. 

Inside, Imperial Consort Xian’s sobs grew more and more miserable. Everyone waited outside in the mourning hall.

Princess Royal Anguo said in a soft voice, “Word has it that you slept early for the past few days?”

Princess Royal Anguo’s voice had become more amiable. It was evident she was talking to Yu She.

Zhong Wan kept his head down. He only heard Yu She grunt in acknowledgement in a careless manner. 

“That’s very good. You also have to pay attention to what you eat and eat healthily.” She smiled. “I heard that the other day, you suddenly wanted to eat pastries? I had people come up with some new designs. They have already been sent to you a while ago. Once we return, remember to eat them.”

Annoyance flashed through Yu She’s eyes. Quick as lightning, he glanced at Zhong Wan. He furrowed his brows. “Who said that? I don’t want to eat them.”

The smile on Princess Royal Anguo’s lips stiffened. She glanced at Xuan Yu out of reflex.

Then her smile vanished. “Nevermind then…” 

It seemed Princess Royal Anguo was discontent with Yu She being disrespectful toward her in front of outsiders. After a moment, she said with indifference, “I don’t know how long Imperial Consort Xian would be crying. Let’s not stand and wait here. Go kneel in the shelter.”

Not caring, Yu She grunted his acknowledgment, turned around, and left.

Although she had said it unconsciously, Zhong Wan felt unhappy at the words “go kneel.”

Zhong Wan lightly touched Xuan Yu’s hand. Xuan Yu quickly said that he had to go outside. Princess Royal Anguo nodded. Then Xuan Yu and Zhong Wan went outside. 

Xuan Yu had to look for the other imperial clan members. As usual, he let Zhong Wan find a place to take a break. Zhong Wan watched as he followed the people from the Ministry of Rites, before turning around.

He followed the other servants away. After coming here for so many days, he was already familiar with this place. He was dressed in the usual mourning attire, extremely inconspicuous. Wherever he went, he could mix in with the other people. Shortly after, he found Yu She.

Yu She was in the mourning shelter that Zhong Wan had been in the other day. And he was actually kneeling.

Zhong Wan looked at Yu She’s back. Felt like he was looking at a Yu She that was a lot younger. 

The sixteen-years-old youngster Ziyou had a pale face, a few red scratches on his face, as he knelt in the ancestral hall of the Yu clan. For consecutive days, he was unable to eat or drink.

That person… How could they treat him like this?

Yu She sensed someone behind him, and turned around all of a sudden. After catching sight of Zhong Wan, he stared blankly for a moment. “Why are you here?”

Yu She rose to his feet. Looked at Zhong Wan’s right hand and frowned. “What happened to your hand?” 

“I cut it by accident.” Zhong Wan approached. Pursed his lips. Distracted, he asked, “Does your face hurt?”

Baffled, Yu She stared at Zhong Wan.

Zhong Wan took a deep breath. Striving his hardest to suppress his pounding heart, he said in a hoarse voice, “I… Can I kiss you?”

Yu She was speechless. 

Incredulous, he looked at Zhong Wan, lip twitching.

Zhong Wan snapped back to his senses. He wished he could slap himself on the face. When would his bad habit of saying whatever that came to mind once he’s upset and indignant disappear?!

Zhong Wan feared that Yu She would call for his guards to beat him up, rushing to clear his throat. “If it won’t do, then it’s fine. I’m leaving.”

Zhong Wan retreated two steps, before forcing himself to explain, “I didn’t know you would be here. There’s still five days left, right? I’ll leave first…” 

“You…” Yu She’s expression worsened after he had heard Zhong Wan’s words. He stared at Zhong Wan with disbelief flashing in his eyes. “Can’t you read the atmosphere?!”

Zhong Wan also didn’t know what was up with him earlier. He felt very awkward, bowing before leaving. Before he could even stand, Yu She yanked him over.

Fidgeting, Yu She stared at Zhong Wan. His breathing grew rushed and brief, as if he was furious due to Zhong Wan offending him.

Zhong Wan really wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. But before he could think of what to say, he suddenly heard Yu She fuming with rage through gritted teeth as he warned with a chilling voice, “This time, you’re not allowed to use your tongue.” 

All of a sudden, Zhong Wan widened his eyes. Before he could respond, Yu She kissed him

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