Speaking of this, Yu She’s teeth itched with anger. Just now, he had?held his nose?to pay respects to Emperor Chongan. As if he had been expecting this, Emperor Chongan had called two senior cabinet officials and a few imperial clan relatives over early on.

Yu She no longer superficially went through the actions with a cold countenance like he usually did. Expression solemn, he obediently kowtowed and paid his respects to Emperor Chongan. Emperor Chongan intended to test Yu She, thus didn’t allow him to get up. In front of everyone else, he made Yu She kneel on the cold stone floor for a whole thirty minutes. He first asked about how things were now that Yu She was listening in on political discussions with the senior cabinet officials. Then, he gave Yu She a proper scolding. After showing off a father’s power, he softened his tone and asked Yu She if he felt tired or if he was having a rough time recently. If this were in the past, Yu She would’ve stood up and left, but this time, he didn’t.

Though Yu She’s expression couldn’t be considered respectful, he was still kneeling properly. He also answered all of Emperor Chongan’s useless questions one by one without a hint of perfunctoriness. This caused those watching to become bewildered. They didn’t know why Yu She’s personality had suddenly changed.

From start to finish, Emperor Chongan refused to let Yu She get up. In the end, it was an old imperial clan relative who couldn’t bear it anymore and jokingly started talking about family gossip. He brought up Zhong Wan.

The old imperial clan relative glanced at Yu She in amusement. He asked, “I heard there’s a?joyous occasion?at Prince Yu’s estate? Quickly get up, Ziyou, and tell the emperor about it.”

Emperor Chongan was perplexed. The old eunuch beside him hurriedly scooted close and quietly shared the news that had originated from the?Cabinet?with Emperor Chongan. For a long time, Emperor Chongan was speechless. He couldn’t tell what Zhong Wan was playing at, so couldn’t help looking at Yu She. “Guiyuan..What is he trying to do?”

Yu She’s liver hurt from anger as he knelt on the ground. How much time had passed? Rumors were already so detailed. They had even determined the sex of the child already.

Yu She cussed Zhong Wan out in his heart and coldly replied, “The servants at the estate were confused. They sent the wrong message.”

A thought struck Emperor Chongan. He smiled and said, “So someone else is pregnant? The?bedwarmer in your room?is pregnant?”

Disgust flashed through Yu She’s eyes. A few years ago, because he refused to get married, there had been a period of time when Emperor Chongan and Princess Royal Anguo had taken turns trying to stuff?people?into the side courtyard of Prince Yu’s estate. Yu She hadn’t wanted a single one of these people and had sold them all.

Upon realizing that they couldn’t stuff anyone in, this pair of siblings then started persuading Yu She to take a few concubines. At worst, he could even take a few bedwarmers. Things had been fine before they had mentioned this; after they brought this topic up, Yu She dismissed all the of-age female servants on his estate. He only kept a few old women over the age of fifty and a little girl under the age of ten who didn’t have a home to return to. Even now, when the side courtyard of Prince Yu’s estate occasionally needed to receive guests, they could only rely on a ten year old little servant to maintain appearances.

Emperor Chongan knew about this too. He asked, stumped, “Aren’t the servants in your estate all quite young?”

Yu She felt annoyed in his heart. “Nobody’s pregnant.”

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongan shook his head. He said, “Then wasn’t all this happiness for nothing? How about I pick out a few nice girls for you. You don’t like the ones from rich and powerful families, I know. What about some girls from poor families? This way, you’ll have someone to serve you every morning and night..”

Yu She thought to himself,?as expected.?These people were all like this. If you conceded one step, they would take one step forward.

Recently, Emperor Chongan had given Yu She quite a few benefits. Those benefits had all been marked with price tags. Yu She needed to repay Emperor Chongan with something of equal value.

For example, these days, he needed to do his best to hold himself back from throwing a fit, to pretend to be a “normal person.” For example, the way he needed to obediently kneel here right now so Emperor Chongan could show off to everyone else.

Yu She understood this game of checks and balances quite well, but he wasn’t prepared to concede too much.

“Thank you for your concern, Emperor, but there’s no need.” Hatred flashed through Yu She’s eyes. “These days, I’ve just started listening in on political discussions. I don’t have the energy to deal with someone in my room.”

Emperor Chongan coughed a few times while smiling. “How much energy could this take you? It’s nothing more than having a few more people serving you. Don’t worry, I know that your rules are strict. I won’t force anyone upon you. Go choose a few yourself. Pick ones you like, ones that attract you. No matter who they are, I’ll give them to you.”

Yu She’s tone was calm. “I don’t like anyone.”

The smile on Emperor Chongan’s face dimmed a bit. This half a day, Yu She had been quite well behaved. He hadn’t expected for Yu She to start being stubborn again after bringing up the matter of taking a concubine. Emperor Chongan wasn’t actually in too much of a rush about this, but since he was testing Yu She and wanted to completely tame him, he couldn’t let the other do everything of his own accord anymore.

Emperor Chongan leaned against his cushions. His tone became colder. “We’re only talking about taking a concubine now. What about your eventual marriage? If you don’t like anyone, you’re not going to get married? Ziyou..you’re not young anymore. Don’t say such childish things again. It doesn’t matter that you don’t like women, but don’t you want a child in the future? Quit fooling around. Go pick some out yourself..”

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Yu She lowered his gaze and didn’t say anything else.

What did he want? Right now, he only wanted to live on. To live on with Zhong Wan.

But if he had somebody else, then had a child with that somebody else, could that still be considered living on with Zhong Wan?

No.

That would be him and his wife living on, in addition to a strange advisor who didn’t have an official title. What kind of bullshit life would that be?

If this were truly the case, it would be better if he simply died with Zhong Wan. They’d be able to reincarnate earlier into a pair of untamed lovers.

Emperor Chongan gazed at Yu She in confusion. He didn’t know why the other was suddenly throwing a fit. Hadn’t he spoiled Yu She enough in the past few days? Right now, he only wanted him to take a concubine. Was this a big deal?

Emperor Chongan held his anger in. He coughed several times before asking, “Why are you blanking out again?!”

Yu She didn’t explain. They simply weren’t the same type of people. Explanations were useless.

Emperor Chongan felt slightly embarrassed, so wanted to redeem himself. However, he was also worried that he would get an opposite reaction from Yu She if he pushed the other too hard. In his hesitation, an imperial clan relative made a timely interruption. “Ziyou is worried about delaying official business. Nevermind, then. In my opinion, Emperor simply adores Ziyou too much. If you tell him to choose several at once, he won’t be able to handle them all. How about meeting in the middle and only choosing one?”

Emperor Chongan reluctantly acquiesced to the imperial clan relative’s suggestion. He looked at Yu She.

Yu She furrowed his brows. His heart was filled with annoyance that he couldn’t resist blaming on Zhong Wan. Things had been fine, but the other had been adamant about mentioning a happy pulse. Now, all these random issues were being dragged into the mess.

Yu She knelt on the ground and closed his eyes. He thought to himself,?Zhong Wan, you were unjust to me first, forcing me into this predicament. Thus, don’t blame me for being unrighteous to you.

“What are you thinking about? You keep blanking out.” Zhong Wan, who didn’t know the truth, looked at Yu She in confusion. “Did the emperor say something unpleasant? Or did you kneel for too long and feel tired now?”

Yu She more or less felt a bit guilty. He turned his face away so he wasn’t looking at Zhong Wan. “It’s late. Sleep.”

“I’m not sleepy though,” Zhong Wan said. “Is there something troubling you? Tell me.”

“It’s nothing.” Yu She got up. “You sleep. I’ll go sleep in the study.”

Zhong Wan was speechless. What was wrong?

A few days ago, Yu She had still stood guard by his bed, not even?bothering to undress. Now, Zhong Wan hadn’t even completely healed from his illness yet, so why was Yu She suddenly ignoring him?

“This is..” Then Zhong Wan dryly stated, “You’re about to become an imperial prince, so I’m not qualified to sleep next to you anymore?”

Yu She: “..”

With no other option, Yu She said, “Sleep.. I’ll stay with you.”

Zhong Wan laid back in bed. For a long time, he couldn’t fall asleep.

There was guilt in Yu She’s heart. He couldn’t fall asleep either.

Zhong Wan felt like Yu She’s expression hadn’t looked right. He was worried in his heart, so thought over everything again for Yu She. As he thought, he started remembering the plot of the storybooks. Consequently, he became even more sure that he had a hard life. As of now, not even had he not received any actual benefits, but it appeared that Yu She’s affections for him were slightly declining because he wasn’t as?handsome?as before.

If Yu She ascended the throne and became emperor in the future, he might only allow Zhong Wan to sleep in the imperial kitchens.

Well, the imperial kitchens weren’t bad: he wouldn’t have to worry about food and water, at least. Additionally, if he didn’t like someone, he could pee in their food. If Yu She married an empress or imperial consorts in the future, he would stand by the stove everyday to pee, ensuring this family of?white-eyed wolves?would consume his urine with each meal.

But..

Zhong Wan bitterly said, “I think the urine of a virgin is also a type of medicine. What a win-win situation for you guys.”

Yu She’s back had been facing Zhong Wan. Once he heard this, his eyes shot open. “What are you sleeptalking about?”

“Nothing,” Zhong Wan pitifully said. “Heir, do you know?Xue Pinggui?”

Yu She was stupefied.

Yu She flipped over. “What strange things are you thinking about again?”

“Thinking about how you’re ungrateful..” Zhong Wan quietly said. “Heir, if I pee in the imperial kitchens in the future, does that mean I won’t even get to stay in the imperial kitchens anymore? And then I won’t be able to get enough food? You and your harem of wives and concubines will eat in your room, while I’ll only be allowed to squat outside the window and eat grass due to extreme hunger. After I eat all the leaves of the bonsai trees, I’ll even get scolded. Then, I’ll only be able to drink lake water. When the lake freezes over in winter, I won’t even have any lake water to drink anymore..”

Yu She was struck speechless. Then he did his best to calmly ask, “Did you not have your fill at dinner?”

Zhong Wan shook his head. “I had my fill, but you know how it is with meals. Might not get the next meal after a previous one.”

Yu She closed his eyes. He didn’t want to respond to Zhong Wan, but also couldn’t help sitting up. “What do you actually want to do?”

“Nothing,” Zhong Wan bitterly said. “I just feel like I don’t have a good life.”

Yu She was speechless.

You don’t have a good life, but I do?!

Yu She was originally going to scold Zhong Wan a bit to get him to quickly go to sleep, but Yu She had wronged Zhong Wan in the palace today. Thus, he didn’t feel confident enough to throw a fit. He could only hold his anger back and say, “There’s much to be done tomorrow. I need to go to the cabinet and you need to go see Xuan Jing. Hurry and sleep.”

Zhong Wan’s eyes were bright. “I suddenly have a lot of thoughts in my head, so I can’t fall asleep..”

Yu She squeezed out from between his teeth, “Can you truly not fall asleep or do you just want me to touch you?”

Zhong Wan closed his eyes and laughed.

“The imperial doctor said that you’ve fallen ill consecutively and that you’ve practically spent all your energy. I can’t be intimate with you.” Yu She’s body was pulled taut. He lowly said, “If you can’t fall asleep, simply recite the ‘Heart Cleansing Mantra’ or ‘The Annals of the House of Chen She’.. anything. Recite it many times and you’ll be able to fall asleep.”

Pitifully, Zhong Wan truly started reciting the “Heart Sutra.”

He was very confident. And his voice was very loud.

Yu She: “..”

Yu She didn’t even have a temper anymore because of this torment. “It’s the middle of the night.. Are you trying to keep the entire estate awake?”

Yu She couldn’t bear it anymore. He flung open the blanket and flipped over, then covered Zhong Wan’s mouth with his own.

“The soldier bought a fish back to cook. In the belly of the fish..wu..”

“We can kiss a bit. Then, let’s go to sleep.” Yu She slightly lifted his head. He looked down at Zhong Wan. His voice was very soft. “Okay?”

Yu She’s breath brushed against Zhong Wan’s face. Zhong Wan felt like his bones had gone soft. He instantly started behaving. After a moment of hesitation, he quietly asked first, “Then can I.. move around?”

Yu She paused. “Yes.”

Zhong Wan lifted his chin and planted a kiss on Yu She’s lips.

The next day, when Zhong Wan got out of bed, Yu She had already left. While eating breakfast, Zhong Wan saw Steward Feng return from outside. The other’s expression looked extremely relieved. Zhong Wan asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Steward Feng walked forward to pour Zhong Wan a cup of tea. “I just heard about how the emperor was planning on giving Heir a concubine yesterday. Gave me a scare.”

Zhong Wan froze for a moment. He swallowed the porridge in his mouth. “He’s g-going to take a concubine?”

“That’s right,” Steward Feng said. “He was originally going to. But..”

Steward Feng scanned Zhong Wan up and down. He said, “But Heir told the emperor that you, Young Master, get.. e-easily jealous and that you’re very clingy. If Heir even takes an extra glance at anyone else, you’re capable of crying all night. Additionally, y-you.. have a dark heart and are prone to evil methods.

“The emperor worried that you would go blind from crying and was also scared that you would kill someone, so didn’t bring up this matter anymore.”