“Why did he enter the palace?”

At the pavilion, Fifth Prince, Xuan Qiong, grasped the banister. Impatience lacing his voice, he said, “And he even wants me to wait for him? What kind of rules are these?”

“Yes. It truly isn’t proper,” said his attendant. “However, it’s not that His Majesty is giving Zhong Wan face. At this moment, he is asking about Prince Qian An’s condition.”

“How baffling.” Once Xuan Qiong mentioned Zhong Wan, immense unhappiness settled in his heart. “It’s fine if Imperial Father is biased toward Elder Cousin. But he just has to attach so much importance to Zhong Wan. In the past, when we had studied together..” He sighed. “Gifted Scholar Zhong was very arrogant. Other than Xuan Rui, he did not speak to anyone. He even accompanied the Crown Prince to study. Only he had that honor.”

The attendant smiled. “No matter how arrogant he was, isn’t he just a slave now? Back then, Master had been benevolent. Otherwise, Master could have purchased him and beat and killed him at will. What a pity.. Young Prince Yu had purchased him.”

“What Young Prince Yu?! He still hasn’t inherited the position.” Xuang Qiong was vexed. “It would be great if he had inherited the position early on.. Right now, he is neither high nor low in status. It agitates me.”

Yu She’s background and birth was a mystery. Since early on, Xuan Qiong had held suspicions. Not a day went by when he didn’t worry Yu She truly was Emperor Chongan’s bastard son. And in the future, block his own path. His attendant also understood this fact. Lowering his voice, he said, “The walls have ears.”

“Isn’t there no one around right now?” Although Xuan Qiong had said this, he did not continue on this topic of conversation anymore. He switched to a smile. “Did you hear that yesterday, Elder Cousin went to Prince Qian An’s estate? Ha.. He probably went to see Zhong Wan.”

The attendant also laughed softly.

“Zhong Wan indeed is a sight for the eyes. I caught a glimpse of him from afar. And he is even more handsome than in the past. However..” A smile blossomed on Xuan Qiong’s lips. “Contemptible.”

Near whisper, the attendant said, “Didn’t he belong to Young Prince Yu in the past? Now, he has met his old master. Who knows how he curried favor with him behind our backs?”

“Speaking of which, I had also wanted to purchase him that year. But Mother did not allow it. Uncle was also unwilling.” Xuan Qiong sneered. “It truly is interesting. At that time, Uncle kept watch on me tightly, and said not to touch the matters concerning Prince Ning. Yet he couldn’t control his own son, letting Yu Ziyou purchase Zhong Wan.”

“Oh alas, who can control Young Prince Yu?” The attendant smiled. “On the other hand.. The more one loves someone, the stricter one would supervise them. Prince Yu loves your honored self deeply. That’s why he supervises you to such a high degree. As for Young Prince Yu.. He’s just there as a pretty decoration.”

“That’s right..” It was uncertain what Xuan Qiong had just thought of, but he suddenly smiled. He turned his head to his attendant and whispered a few words. Laughter broke out between them. Xuan Qiong ordered, “Block his path. You must definitely block his path! Once he leaves the palace, he will be a slave!”

The attendant hesitated for a long time, before advising, “Let it be. Zhong Wan isn’t a good thing.

“Qtja lrc’a j ubbv atlcu? Tbe..” Wejcu Hlbcu ijeutfv ibkis. “Po Sivfg Jberlc gfmflnfv tlw, tf kbeiv vfolclafis obiibk Sivfg Jberlc bea.”

Ktf jaafcvjca ralii kjcafv ab jvnlrf tlw. Dea Wejc Hlbcu bcis rwlifv bcmf wbgf. “Vb ktja? P’ii bcis yf gfwlclrmlcu klat Itbcu Qjc. Ljtj.. Snfc lo kf jguef ijafg, vb sbe atlcx Fcmif kbeiv qgbafma wf bg Sivfg Jberlc? Ct.. Fcmif kbeiv qgbyjyis kjca wf ab wjxf Sivfg Jberlc ibrf wbgf ojmf!”

Dry laughter escaped from the attendant’s lips. “That naturally would be the case. Who doesn’t just give Young Prince Yu face on the surface, but dislikes him behind his back?”

The more Xuan Qiong thought of this, the more he found reason in those words. “Haha.. In a little while, when Zhong Wan sees me, his face hahahaha..”

Below Guanjing Pavilion, Yu She listened expressionlessly.

He stared at the pond’s water with his head lowered, still wanting to walk into it, still wanting to submerge to the depths and end it once and for all.

If he died, then he didn’t have to see those people anymore. To hear those words anymore.

Once Yu She took two steps into the water, above in Guanjing Pavilion, Xuan Qiong and his attendant left on the other side.

“Don’t follow me. Go and prepare first,” said Xuan Qiong, trying to hold back his laughter. “You must act convincingly. Right! Did Elder Cousin enter the palace today? Ha.. How convenient! Go dress up as his attendant. Zhong Wan definitely won’t be able to tell the difference. Then at that time..”

All of a sudden, Xuan Qiong stopped in his tracks. Startled, he stuttered, “E-elder Cousin..”

Yu She stood in the corridor, expression gloomy.

Xuan Qiong did not know how much Yu She had heard. Mind chaotic, he dryly laughed. “Why is Elder Cousin here?”

Yu She’s gaze grew red, his lips pale. In the first place, Xuan Qiong was afraid of him. Right now, his heart was in even more unease. Anxiously, he said, “W-why..”

Yu She stared him straight in the face. Out of the blue, he said, “You’re hoping I die, right?”

Xuan Qiong forced a smile. “Why.. Why do you say this?”

“You’re scared that if I die too early, no one would help you balance out Xuan Jing,” Yu She thought aloud. “But in your heart, you also hope that I will meet with an accident, right?”

Xuan Qiong was frightened to the point where he couldn’t listen to Yu She’s words clearly. He only found Yu She’s current appearance terrifying. He opened and closed his mouth, wanting to explain, but in the end he could not utter a word.

Yu She turned his head to the side, looking at the pond. “If I jump in right now, would you be happy?”

Xuan Qiong’s entire body trembled. “J-jump in?”

“I’ve attempted su*cide many times..” Yu She looked down at Xuan Qiong, voice hoarse. “How is this any strange?”

Coming to the conclusion that Yu She had overheard them earlier, Xuan Qiong’s attendant forced himself to calm. “Y-young Prince.. our Prince was only joking before. We didn’t actually want to do anything to Zhong Wan.”

“Zhong Wan..” Yu She had a splitting headache. He lowered his head and furrowed his brows. “Zhong Wan is at Qian An..”

This wasn’t the first time Xuan Qiong had seen Yu She’s crazed appearance. He tried his best to compose his heart. Stammered, “Yes. We were only.. joking around. I didn’t say that I wanted to do anything to Zhong Wan. Just.. Just that I wanted to tell him to come over and jest with him.”

“Zhong Wan..” Soft laughter spilled from Yu She’s lips. “It’d be best if I died.. Then Zhong Wan would belong to you, right?

“It’d be best for everyone.. if I died. Then everyone would be clean..”

Once more, Yu She turned to look at the pond. He muttered, “Everyone hopes for my death..”

Yu She nearly frightened Xuan Qiong to death. He worried that Yu She would spread the words he and his attendant had spoken previously. He was so worried, his heart felt as if it were on fire. He hardened his heart and said, “Indeed.. Dying would make everyone else clean.”

Yu She’s gaze remained on the pond. The deep depths seemed to be luring him in, wanting to free him.

“It’d be clean, but..” Evil tendencies filled Yu She’s eyes. Suddenly, he turned to Xuan Qiong. “Why should I become clean for you people?”

Xuan Qiong almost fell to his knees from fear. In one step, Yu She grabbed his collar. Laughed lowly. “You also want him, don’t you? Your Uncle as well, right? You all hope that I die early, right..?”

Countless images zipped through Yu She’s mind, increasing his headache where his head almost felt like exploding. Yu She’s voice trembled as he said, “You’re hoping that I jump into the pond. You’re hoping that I go down there..”

After Yu She had gripped Xuan Qiong’s collar, he suddenly recalled that yesterday, he had also gripped Zhong Wan like this.

Zhong Wan had leaned against his chest, as if he had been aroused.

Once more did low laughter escape Yu She’s lips. “But right now, I suddenly don’t feel like dying.”

Due to how afraid Xuan Qiong was, he hiccuped. Yu She lowered his head and gazed at Xuan Qiong’s face, a face still pale from fear. And at that moment, he felt repulsed.

“You want to copy him?!” Disgusted, Yu She shoved? Xuan Qiong all the way into the pond. Cold and filled with rage, he said, “If you want someone to die, go die first!”

The moment Xuan Qiong hit the water, he squealed like a pig sent to slaughter. In the first place, he did not know how to swim. So to abruptly fall into an ice-cold pond, he submerged to the bottom.

Xuan Qiong’s attendant was scared frozen. Never had he expected that, out of nowhere, his master would fall into the pond. As if he had gone mad, the attendant shouted. Immediately, guards rushed over.

Standing at the side, Yu She adjusted his sleeves, not caring about the deafening noise around. At that moment, he felt a lot more comfortable. His mind was no longer unclear as well.

He sucked in a deep breath. And he left with a neutral expression.

What had Xuan Qiong said before?

If he left the palace right now.. he could catch up to Zhong Wan?