Those Years In Quest Of Honour Mine

CH 79

Yu She grew up in the imperial palace. When he fell ill occasionally, the top imperial physicians, who usually looked after the princes and princesses, would of course examine him.

Later on, when he grew up, it was inconvenient for him to stay in the palace. So he moved out. There was a place for him in both Prince Yu’s estate and Princess Royal Anguo’s estate. Whenever he grew ill, it was Princess Royal Anguo’s trusted imperial physician who examined him.

And after that, Prince Yu and the princess severed ties, and Yu She stayed in the side courtyard all year round. He didn’t trust anyone, and switched out all his imperial physicians, choosing a few that he had personally promoted and had clean backgrounds.This imperial physician was one of them.

Before he switched to exclusively being on call for Yu She, this imperial physician had serviced many members of the nobility and royalty. He had treated similar cases of bedroom problems.

Getting it all out of his chest, the imperial physician said, “Actually, this is normal. This mostly happens to middle-aged men who don’t have enough energy. So they cannot keep up with their bed partners. They can only ask doctors for medicine that can help them last. This is indeed the first time this physician has encountered someone like Heir who needs this kind of medicine..”

Steward Feng did not want to hear such words. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting? How could Heir not be able to keep up?! Heir has never even done it before!”

Yu She glared at Steward Feng. How could he say those things aloud? Didn’t he realize it’s embarrassing for him?!

The imperial physicians was overwhelmed with shock.?He’s never done it before?

In a flash, Yu She no longer had any interest in this topic. He rose to his feet and said angrily, “I’ll go check on Zhong Wan. You people.. prepare that whatever tea. It’s better than nothing.”

The two watched as Yu She made for the inner courtyard. The imperial physician cautiously asked in a soft voice, “He really didn’t?”

Like he was closely guarding a secret, Steward Feng shook his head.

In Zhong Wan’s courtyard, Yu She and Zhong Wan ate dinner together.

Zhong Wan’s fever had already subsided. The dishes that were prepared for dinner were all the ones he liked. Due to Yu She’s urging, he ate a lot.

After finishing his meal, Zhong Wan rubbed his belly. He didn’t want to sleep so early. Just when he was about to talk to Yu She about Xuan Rui, Steward Feng came in delivering a pot of tea. He told them that it was made specially for Zhong Wan.

Zhong Wan smiled. “It’s fine. I ate too much just now, and I’ve got no room to drink anything.”

Embarrassed, Steward looked at Yu She. Yu She met his gaze. Once Steward Feng had set down the items, he left. Yu She personally poured a cup of tea for Zhong Wan and handed it over. In a low voice, he said, “Drink a little.”

Zhong Wan lowered his head and sniffed it. “It’s sweet and greasy smelling.. What is this? And he even said it’s made specially for me? What does it treat?”

It treats the frightful lewd demon in your heart.

But Yu She kept his thoughts to himself, and said in a vague manner, “It’s good for you.”

So, Zhong Wan could only drink it in a well-behaved manner. “Did things go smoothly today?”

At first, Yu She wanted to hide this: that he had wanted to use an excuse to have Zhong Wan under Cabinet Minister Sun’s care. However, he told Zhong Wan in the end.

“Then that’s settled.” A wave of relief washed over Zhong Wan. “If no problems occur, would the Imperial Clan Court send Xuan Rui away tomorrow?”

Yu She nodded.

Zhong Wan hesitated, before saying, “Previously, Lin Si said he wanted to personally escort Xuan Rui back to Qian An, but..

“But then he’d be gone for a few months. I want him to remain in the capital. It’s better to have him and Xuan Jing make up earlier.” Zhong Wan flashed Yu She a smile. “May I trouble Heir to dispatch some people to do this task instead of him?”

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One of Yu Mucheng’s advisors said softly, “Should we have the Imperial Clan Court do something?”

“It’s useless.” Yu Mucheng shook his head. “Although the emperor did not give an official decision yet, that memorial has already appeared before the emperor. And that memorial had been approved by the cabinet. It’s basically the same as an imperial edict.. It’s too late.

Yu Mucheng threw the copy of the memorial on the desk. Sighed. “The emperor relies on the cabinet. And that’s because every member of the cabinet is a trusted aide of the emperor. At first, Fourth Highness and Fifth Highness learned politics from them. Fourth Highness stayed there for half a year. Fifth Highness forced himself to stay there for less than two years. For two years, he couldn’t even make friends with those cabinet ministers. Ziyou has only been there for more than a month, yet Cabinet Minister Sun is actually eagerly attentive in helping him.”

Yu Mucheng sighed deeply. Said in a low voice, “Could there really be a thing like destiny?”

Another advisor rushed to say, “How could there be something like destiny? It’s merely a string of coincidences! Back then, when Fifth Highness entered the cabinet to listen to them, His Majesty was in good health. He controlled the court politics firmly. Which of the cabinet ministers would dare to make friends with the princes? But now.. who wouldn’t make a backup plan for themselves?”

Yu Mucheng laughed. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I’m looking for a backup plan to my backup plan, right?”

Another trusted aide still had something to say, when someone came into the room. He knelt and said softly, “Your Highness, there are movements in the side courtyard.”

Yu Mucheng said, “Speak.”

“Our Heir secretly ordered the family soldiers,” said the spy in a low voice. “He said it’s not necessary to escort the former Prince Qi An back to his fief. Merely sending him out of the capital is enough.”

Everyone looked at each other.

Even if they expended all their efforts, they would not be able to succeed. When they had no hopes left, they actually found light at the end of the tunnel.

What kind of logic was this?

Yu Mucheng dismissed his subordinates. But the advisors could not understand his reason for doing this.

An advisor said softly, “Your Highness, this lowly one has an idea. Would Heir’s personal handling of this matter.. be merely all talk and no action?”

Another person asked, “Who’s he doing this for?”

“For Prince Ning’s adopted son, Zhong Wan,” said the advisor near whisper. “From what this subordinate knows, during the time our Heir surrounded the traitors in the suburbs of the capital, he almost killed the former Prince Qian An. Would he sincerely want to help the former Prince Qian An?”

Another person shook his head. “This has nothing to do with whether or not he’s sincere or whether or not he’s willing to help them. Heir already guessed that our prince might use Xuan Rui as a pawn. It’s just that he’s unwilling to let Xuan Rui ascend the throne before him.”

“All of them are the grandsons of the former emperor. One is the eldest legitimate son of Prince Ning. One is the son born out of incest from the current emperor and the emperor’s stepmother. Whom the imperial clan members and court ministers would choose is hard to guess. How could Heir allow him to stay here?”

The first advisor who had spoken clapped. “The trap is right here. Since Heir does not want to have Xuan Rui stay in the capital, would he be at ease if he sent Xuan Rui to Qian An?”

A strange light flashed in Yu Mucheng’s eyes.

But there was still someone who didn’t understand. “If he doesn’t escort Xuan Rui back to Qian An, then isn’t he just giving Xuan Rui to us?”

The person around him saw that he still did not understand, and couldn’t help but say, “Stop dreaming. Heir intends to kill Xuan Rui. He’ll have the former Prince Qian An killed on the way back to his fief. Then he’ll just blame us or the Imperial Clan Court as he pleases.”

Frightened, the advisors looked at Prince You one after another.

Yu Mucheng sat down. A good while later, he said in an unhurried pace, “This time, Ziyou was too greedy.”

“Heir truly has a great scheme. One one hand, he doesn’t want to be at odds with Zhong Wan, and wants to pretend to love him. On the other hand, he purposely delivers Xuan Rui to our doorstep, taking drastic measures to deal with a situation.” The advisor was astonished. “We underestimated Heir in the past. He acted unscrupulously these past years. We thought he only seemed ruthless on the surface, and never once thought he was more frightening than anyone in stabbing people in the back.”

The advisors looked at Yu Mucheng. “Your Highness, this.. Should we just pull back? So as to avoid failing to rope Xuan Rui to our side, and give Heir something to use against us, throwing the crime of killing Xuan Rui over our heads.”

Yu Mucheng stayed silent. Quite a while later, he said, “No.

“Whatever Ziyou wants, I’ll give to him,” said Yu Mucheng in an unhurried pace. “If he wants Xuan Rui to die, fine.. I’ll grant his wish.”

An advisor quickly tried to advise Yu Mucheng against that, but someone next to him whispered, “A fake death.”

After a moment of thought, realization struck that advisor. He bowed. “Your Highness is wise.”

“If Ziyou absolutely wants Xuan Rui’s death, then merely after he hears that Xuan Rui is dead, he would be at ease. I’ll put on this show for him,” said Yu Mucheng in a low voice. “Add more people to those who would be escorting Xuan Rui. His fake death must seem real. After you save Xuan Rui, we must hide him well. If there’s a day that..”

The advisor smiled in a secretive manner. “If there’s a day that we truly get to that point, would Xuan Rui trust Your Highness, his benefactor, or Ziyou and Zhong Wan, who personally stripped him of his noble title?”

Yu Mucheng said in a low voice, “We don’t have to wait until then. Once the Zhong Wan who was duped discovers this, he would want Ziyou’s life.”

But an advisor still couldn’t help but worry. “Your Highness, what if we guessed incorrectly? What if Heir truly doesn’t care about Xuan Rui?”

Yu Mucheng smiled. There actually seemed to be some kindness to his gaze. “Then as his foster father, I’ll have to guess my child’s thoughts, and ‘kill’ Xuan Rui for him.”

Finally, the advisor completely relaxed. He kept laughing. “Your Highness is truly thorough with your schemes. At that time, Heir and Zhong Wan would break ties. Maybe we won’t even need to do anything, and Heir would completely go crazy. How could a lunatic ascend the throne?”

Another person said, “Heir is pretty lucky. He obviously was sick with madness since early on, yet pretended that he merely had a bad temperament. Up until now, the emperor actually still does not believe he is truly insane. Truly lucky.”

“His illness is indeed not that serious. He also restrains it. So His Majesty was truly deceived by him.”

“No. His illness won’t be the death of him. Ziyou, this child..” said Yu Mucheng, disappointed and frustrated. “Rather, it’s his greed that would kill him. He wants the throne but also wants Zhong Wan. Why has it not crossed his mind that since ancient times, no one would be that lucky and always get what they want?

“He wants everything, so inevitably, he would get nothing.”

Early the next day, after Yu She had learned that the Imperial Clan Court wanted to escort Xuan Rui back to Qian An as soon as possible, his trusted aides and family soldiers once again came to confirm with him whether they truly just needed to send Xuan Rui out of the capital.

Nodding, Yu She said, “Yes.”

The family soldiers were very hesitant. Yu She smiled. “Do you know what interested me the most recently?”

A family soldier asked out of reflex, “What?”

“It’s..” said Yu She in a relaxed manner. “After I’ve been crazy for so many years, now these people don’t know what I truly want. So many people use their own disgusting way of thinking to guess my thoughts.”

After hearing those words, the family soldier was even more confused. Yu She thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No, except for Zhong Wan. Guiyuan still understands my thoughts..”

The family soldier didn’t quite catch that. “What?”

“Nothing,” said Yu She without batting an eyelid. “Go now. It’s nothing.”

However, the family soldier still did not leave. Steward Feng rushed over in a ball of energy. Yu She frowned. “What happened?”

Steward forced himself to smile. “Heir, bad news. I don’t know who was the blabbermouth who let Young Master Zhong find out..”

Yu She paid it no mind. “There’s no need to hide any of my matters from him. If he finds out, then he finds out. So what?”

Steward Feng swallowed. “It’s that tea. For some reason, Young Master Zhong found out what it’s supposed to treat. He said he wouldn’t drink any of it and also said, and also said..”

Yu She’s expression turned stiff. “What did he say?”

Steward Feng said in a low voice, “Young Master Zhong said, Heir wants to make him impotent!”

At the sound of those words, Yu She had a headache. “When did I..”

He rose to his feet, wanting to find Zhong Wan, when the family soldier, who was supposed to escort him to the palace, came inside the room. “Heir, it’s getting late. We should head for the palace for court now.”

Yu She removed his black gauze hat and rushed outside the room. “I’m not going today.”

“Not going?” said the family soldier, incredulous. “Then what excuse should we give them?”

Yu She found him not smart enough. He also feared that other people wouldn’t know the wasn’t going to court because of Zhong Wan. Vexed, he said, “Why should we lie? Or could I not say the truth in front of the court? Just tell it as it is!”

Then Yu She made for the inner courtyard to look for Zhong Wan. Innocently, the family soldier looked at Steward Feng. “Then just what.. should I say?”

Steward Feng analyzed Yu She’s words. Sighed. “Just say our estate’s Young Master Zhong had a nightmare last night, and is still afraid after waking up today. He’s clinging to Heir and not letting him leave.”