How could Steward Feng dare to let Yu She personally do those things? He rushed to serve him. But Yu She was stubborn. “Go away.”

Steward Feng truly could not understand. Why he wasn’t qualified to look at Zhong Wan’s blood?!

Then had he not been supposed to see the blood flowing from Zhong Wan’s head last night too?

However, he couldn’t win against Yu She in stubbornness, only able to retreat full of worry.

Yu She rationalized his thoughts. He somewhat rejoiced that at least it was Zhong Wan and not someone else.

After Steward Feng had stepped through the door, Yu She turned around and carelessly pulled the quilt. But because he used too much strength, he tore a hole in it by accident.

With great difficulty, he had pulled open the covers, and in an absentminded manner, Yu She squished it into a bundle and tossed it under the bed. Then he picked up that piece of inner garment again

There was a bloodstain on it.

Originally, Yu She had not wanted to throw it there, but he thought it would be inappropriate for the servants to wash such an intimate thing. After a moment of thought, Yu She prepared to gradually dip the inner garment into the basin of water meant for washing his face.

It was inappropriate for outsiders to see that, and he also could not let Zhong Wan clean it. So, the task could only fall into his own hands.

Yu She didn’t have enough time to make himself presentable. He just walked in front of the water basin barefoot. Hair loose. He rolled his sleeves up and slowly scrubbed the inner garment.

For a son of an influential family to do something like this for the first time, he would inevitably be clumsy in his actions. Fortunately, Yu She was patient and serious.

Fearing that the inner garment wouldn’t be clean enough, Yu She also grabbed a bar of face-washing soup. He applied it to the bloodstain, lightly scrubbing it.

Yu She had just recovered from his shock, but he couldn’t help but keep thinking, were ordinary married couples like this, the husband helping the wife wash the clothes that were worn next to the skin?

Yu She gripped the inner garment, closing his eyes as he thought carefully..

He truly couldn’t remember anything.

He only remembered that he kept trying to mend that clay figurine last night, but it was in vain no matter how long he tried to fix it. He simply had no impression of Zhong Wan returning.

Zhong Wan and his first time passed in such a dubious manner.

Quick and bloody.

Yu Shu simply didn’t dare to think about how the shocking and dreadful bloodstains, which he had seen after tearing open the quilt just now, had arisen.

Although Yu She had never been intimate with other people, he had read a lot of books, and understood a bit about male-male relationships.

In some of the storybooks, the first time was painless.

But in others, Zhong Wan bled profusely

In worse cases, the bridal chamber looked like the scene of gruesome murder.

Yu She had always thought the storybooks had been exaggerating, that it varied from person to person. As long as he himself was gentle enough, it was unlikely to really make Zhong Wan suffer. But never had he expected the thing he was most worried about to actually occur.

Nevertheless, such a thing had happened while he was not there mentally.

And it was in this room last night that Zhong Wan bled so much, unable to escape from Yu She’s beastly desires.

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Yu She unfolded that inner garment covered in suds and hung it. With great difficulty, Yu She scrubbed clean the inner garment. After carelessly combing his hair, he left the room.

Yesterday, the servants of the estate had heard that imperial decree. Their gazes held reverence and fear as they looked at him. They only dared to salute him. They were afraid to talk too much.

Yu She was absentminded and did not pay them much mind. He made his way to the doorway of Zhong Wan’s courtyard, then stopped in his tracks.

One would feel anxious when approaching one’s hometown after many years.

The only little servant girl in Yu She’s side courtyard came out of Zhong Wan’s room. Brows furrowed deeply, Yu She called out to her and said, “Is.. Young Master Zhong present?”

Cowering, the little servant girl said in a soft voice, “He’s been feverish the entire time and doesn’t have an appetite. The imperial physician is afraid that medicine would harm Young Master’s digestive system, so is applying acupuncture at the moment.”

Yu She hesitated. Asked, “Did he.. say anything?”

The little servant girl shook her head. “He didn’t say anything. Oh, no, he did. He told us to be more attentive. That when Heir wakes up, we must tell Heir he returned last night.”

A wave of relief softly washed over Yu She.

From Zhong Wan’s words, he shouldn’t be too angry.

But now that Yu She had thought of this, he felt even more sad.

He waved to dismiss the little servant girl. Just as Yu She was about to enter Zhong Wan’s courtyard, a family soldier rushed over to him.

Impatient, Yu She asked, “What is it now?”

The family soldier noticed that Yu She wanted to visit Zhong Wan, and knew he himself was being an annoying presence. Embarrassed, he said, “The palace has sent some people to summon Heir to the palace.”

“Tell them I’m sick and won’t go.”

“There’s more. There’s more,” blurted the family soldier. “People from the princess estate also arrived. Naturally, we followed the usual practice of having Steward Feng block them, but.. our people also have something to tell Heir.”

Yu She looked at Zhong Wan’s courtyard, before helplessly turning around and following the family soldier.

“Just as Heir has expected, after His Majesty summoned Fifth Prince into the palace, he flew into a terrible rage.”

With his thoughts wandering, Yu She said with agitation, “Get to the point!”

The spy bowed. “Yes, after His Majesty summoned Fifth Prince, at first, he did not mention.. did not mention the servants who attended to Little Imperial Consort Zhong. He only asked Fifth Prince why he kept making trouble with Heir. Was it because he was listening to what someone else had said?

“Fifth Prince could be considered smart. He never mentioned Prince Yu, denying that he had tried to frame Heir in the past. But the emperor did not believe him.. This subordinate thinks that the emperor doesn’t believe Fifth Prince has the capability to find the old servants of Little Imperial Concubine Zhong. He explicitly and implicitly questioned him for a good while. Interrogated Fifth Prince on whether Prince Yu had deceived him to do something. But no matter how His Majesty tried to push the blame onto Prince Yu, Fifth Prince said nothing.

“His Majesty lied to him, saying that he had already captured those previous servants.”

With admiration, the spy glanced at Yu She. “This move of Heir is wonderful. Fifth Prince truly was fooled. Therefore, he answered the emperor’s questions very poorly. This way, the emperor grew certain that Fifth Prince had arranged the matters within the palace. And the matters outside the palace had passed through Prince Yu’s hands.”

Yu She looked down. Said in a low voice, “It wasn’t my idea. It’s actually Zhong— Nevermind. What else?”

“The emperor was furious to the extreme. However, he did not hold Prince Yu accountable just yet. On the contrary, this is even more frightening.. The emperor already made a decision, and as such, he did not even bother asking Prince Yu.

“We subordinates remember Heir’s words. Yesterday, after Heir had left the palace, we went to the princess estate two hours later to pass on a message. That Heir angered His Majesty, and so us subordinates were requesting Princess to plead His Majesty for leniency for Heir. Once Princess Royal Anguo had heard those words, she rushed to the palace without waiting. And her timing was great: right when the emperor was questioning Fifth Prince intensely.”

Yu She said softly, “The emperor didn’t see her?”

The spy nodded, eyes shining. “He didn’t. But once he had heard that Princess was looking for an audience, he shoved the things on the desk to the floor in a fit of anger.”

Yu She sneered. “The emperor thought that once Princess had heard the news, she came to plead for leniency for Prince Yu.”

“Yes,” said the spy. “An old eunuch said the emperor was so angry that he gasped for breath. He even said.. even said ‘a woman’s heart is with her husband.’”

The corners of Yu She’s lips rose a shade.

“There’s one thing this subordinate is concerned about. Although Princess Royal didn’t meet with His Majesty, once she returns to her estate and hears the news, she would definitely know Heir schemed against her. Then.. From now on, we can’t ask Princess Royal for help?”

“From start to finish,” said Yu She quietly, “I’ve never hoped for her help. So what are we afraid of?”

The spy could not understand. Indifferently, Yu She said, “Furthermore, she’s clear in her heart that I would not mislead her. I will keep my promises to her. However, how I’d keep those promises and how I’d require her help would be up to me.”

Yu She believed that Princess Royal Anguo sincerely wanted to help him. But the affection between mother and son of those manys had already withered away. Yu She truly did not dare trusting her without reservation.

“My life is on the line. Only during the period when they are suspicious of each other can I have a chance,” said Yu She. “After this, the emperor would definitely grow suspicious of Princess. Prince Yu would also be suspicious of Princess putting on an act. Princess would blame me, hate me, but only in this way.. would she rely on me. She wouldn’t be able to count on anyone else.”

The spy finally understood, nodding. “That’s right. Although Princess has promised Heir many times, who knows if she’d break those promises? It’s better to ruin Princess’ plan of having a foot in each camp early on.”

Yu She said, “What about Xuan Qiong?”

“He’s been put on house arrest,” the spy rushed to say. “According to Heir’s orders, the eunuchs continued to plead for leniency. They asked the emperor to consider the emotions between father and son, and not to truly imprison Fifth Prince in the Imperial Clan Court. Otherwise, we won’t be able to proceed to our next step.”

The spy seized the opportunity to curry favor with Yu She. “Heir was truly thorough with the formulation of this plan.”

Yu She smiled grimly, not a word escaping his lips.

Just because of a few words from some old eunuchs, Emperor Chongan wouldn’t grow softhearted toward Xuan Qiong. Rather, he didn’t reprimand Xuan Qiong harshly because he wanted him to serve as a balance for Yu She.

“For the time being, there’s no need to do anything else,” said Yu She. “What ought to be done, we’ve already done. Too much is as bad as too little. For now, let’s first watch them fight each other. Spread this message: I’m ill and cannot leave the bed. They can quarrel all they want.”

Once the spy sounded his agreement, he left.

It had been difficult to kick out his spy. Yu She did not have enough time to drink some tea. He stood and made his way toward Zhong Wan’s courtyard.

Inside Zhong Wan’s courtyard, a small pot of medicine hung over a fire outside his room. The medicine was being simmered. There was not one person in the room; the imperial physician who had applied acupuncture had already left.

Yu She walked around a divider screen to the inner chamber. There, Zhong Wan lay on the bed with his upper body bare. And there were still more than ten silver needles upon his back.

Yu She lowered his head slightly for a glance.. Zhong Wan was asleep.

Yu She’s footsteps were light. He made his way before Zhong Wan’s bed and sat down.

Zhong Wan’s head was?wrapped in white silk.?After a moment of thought, Yu She understood.. Yesterday, after Zhong Wan had learned the inside story, he probably went into mourning for his family.

Yu She looked at him from head to toe. Zhong Wan’s strong, slender, and pale back did not have any scars. His visible cheek and side of his neck were clean.

No need for wishful thinking. There were definitely injuries at the bottom.

Yu She was worried from groundless fears. Although Zhong Wan usually seemed pretty uncaring, did he actually tell the imperial physician he was hurt?there?

Did the imperial physician see it?

Did he apply medicine there?

Yu She noticed a bottle of medicine by the side of the bed. He picked it up for a look. The label said “medicine for knife wounds.”

Yu She frowned. Could this kind of medicine for wounds.. truly be used for something like that?

Did this imperial physician know how to heal people or not?

Had Zhong Wan felt embarrassed, so just casually fooled the imperial physician?

When he recalled all those bloodstains, Yu She could not help but worry.

Yu She looked at Zhong Wan’s bare and thin lower back. He hesitated over and over, before setting down the medicine bottle.

He slowly lifted open the quilt covering Zhong Wan’s waist. Gently placed his slender fingers on Zhong Wan’s loose belt. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled the belt softly, undoing it.

Yu She grasped Zhong Wan’s indecent underwear, pulling it down a few?cun..

“Ziyou..”

Zhong Wan, who had woken up who knew when, grasped the waistband of his underwear with a blush. With much difficulty, he said, “I’m still sick.. What are you trying to do?”

Yu She’s ears were red. However, he had yet to release his hold. He endured for a moment, his tone carrying much regret and shame as he softly said, “I wanted to.. have a look.”

Zhong Wan was speechless.

Suspicious, Zhong Wan thought,?did I go completely muddleheaded from the fever?