Chapter 94

Chapter 94 - One Word Is Enough

“Ah, splendid. Our family's Literari Star can finally be utilized,” Huo Yiloong lauded with a hint of malice.

Yin Xu regarded Huo Yidao with a peculiar glance. This man claimed to impart lessons on etiquette and fraternity? Truly absurd.

Huo Yidao's disposition bore no resemblance to his namesake. He neither resembled a scholar nor a warrior.

Yet, within this Taoist Jianghu, he possessed remarkable charm. Check out latest novels at novelhall.com

“Many thanks,” Yin Xu uttered insincerely before departing the room, following the butler.

“Seventh Young Master, the courtyard I've arranged for you is quite distant. I hope it meets your approval.”

Yin Xu stifled a yawn, having had little sleep the previous night. “I'd best rest; it won't be for long anyway.”

Huo Qin smiled but remained silent, finding the Seventh Young Master intriguing—a scion of such a prestigious family aspiring to be a renowned male companion.

Yet, perhaps, as he claimed, he had genuinely fallen for the Third Prince.

Reflecting, who else but someone in love would make such an irrational choice?

Still, Huo Qin couldn't fathom. Could this love truly outweigh wealth and power? Was it worth more than a lifetime of prosperity?

Huo Qin escorted him not to his chambers but handed him over to a servant. After all, the household staff were his superiors.

The servant nodded deferentially, concealing his disdain. As soon as Huo Qin left, his sycophantic grin vanished, replaced by a sneer.

“Seventh Young Master, follow this servant. Our Huo Mansion is grand; don't stray,” he instructed before walking away with feigned dignity.

A wealthy and influential family always boasted servants accustomed to asserting superiority.

Yin Xu, low on energy, idly twirled the horsewhip in his hand.

The courtyard allocated to him was indeed remote, requiring an entire incense's duration to traverse.

“Here we are. This is it. I'll be taking my leave now,” the attendant grumbled, his displeasure evident.

“Wait.”

The attendant halted, turning back to face him, waiting indifferently for further instruction.

Yin Xu produced a handful of gold coins from his pouch and tossed them, eliciting a bright smile from the attendant.

“Thank you for your advice, Seventh Young Master. If there's anything you require, please don't hesitate to inform me. It's getting late; you should rest, young master.”

Yin Xu nodded, swiftly wielding a whip from his raised right hand, catching the other party off guard as the next lash struck their body.

“Ah... Seventh Young Master...”

“Pah!” Another resounding crack echoed, mingled with the attendant's cries, resonating from the desolate courtyard.

Writhing in agony, the attendant rolled on the ground, evading Yin Xu's whip while pleading for mercy.

Startled by the commotion, onlookers rushed out, witnessing their young master's disciplinary actions before retreating.

Ceasing after twenty lashes, Yin Xu tossed an exquisite white pouch to the wounded attendant.

“Consider it your reward!” Discarding the whip, Yin Xu left the attendant with the pouch, now silent in pain, and entered the courtyard.

“Young Master, did that lad provoke you?” Wu Sheng massaged his arms, shuddering at the memory of the whip's sting.

“I haven't felt this invigorated since I arrived at this estate.” Yin Xu, a proponent of might, disdained strategic maneuvering.

Despite his prowess, challenging the entire Huo Family meant certain death, compelling them to maintain their dealings with them.

Fortunately, unlike Huo Zhengquan, most of the Huo Family members were tolerable, sparing Yin Xu from undue hardship.

Surveying the temporary residence, Yin Xu found it satisfactory, albeit slightly off-center in location.

The young eunuch delivering the food knelt, trembling, baffled by the Empress's ire.

On this day in years past, despite harboring grievances, everyone maintained decorum.

“Empress, what troubles you?” After dismissing the attendants, a palace maid personally knelt to clean the mess.

Imperial Consort Yun sat, sulking, clutching her chest. “The Emperor still harbors thoughts of that woman! And you're still concerned about someone long deceased!”

“Impossible, Empress. Don't dwell on it. Isn't this His Majesty's routine every year? It's merely for show.” The palace maid offered consolation.

“No, it's different. I understand him best. It's not just a show. I wouldn't have reacted this way if it were. I wouldn't have allowed that wretched girl to copy. He regrets it!”

Imperial Consort Yun hurled the cups to the ground bitterly. “I knew it. I knew back then he wasn't acting for my sake.”

The palace maid remained silent. Some truths were better left unspoken.

“Haha, his words sound good, but I believe him. Yet, over these years, he still hasn't granted me a title. Feng Yi'er still isn't crowned. He targeted Liu Ru'er to deal with the Liu Family!”

Imperial Consort Yun muttered to herself, losing composure when matters of the heart arose, despite her intellect.

“Empress, His Majesty surely didn't mean that. Look at your impeccable management of the palace affairs all these years. None can rival you.”

“What does that matter? In the end, I pale in comparison to a corpse!”

“Empress jests. What merit lies in a dead person? Even if His Majesty is fixated, can she return to vie for your favor?”

“No, you don't grasp it. Once the emperor's feelings shift towards that woman, the outcome changes. If he begins to repent, what will become of me, his accomplice?”

“When one loves, they overlook faults. When plans succeed, he praises intelligence; when methods work, he lauds ability. But when love fades, strengths turn to weaknesses.”

“Impossible. Your Highness, you're overthinking it. His Majesty merely spoke casually. Please remain composed.”

“A single utterance suffices.” Imperial Consort Yun struggled to conceal her disappointment. “One sentence reveals his true thoughts. Perhaps, he himself is unaware, his mind subject to change.”

While the Emperor had previously acted with consideration for others, this year marked a departure. Future scenarios might differ.

Nearly thirty years of marriage endowed her with unparalleled insight into the Emperor's character. From youth, she understood his aspirations.

Her actions proved prescient. Over time, she garnered his respect and remorse, emotions maturing into love.

Yet, she erred as well. Forgetting the fickleness of a man's heart, a change of mind rendered all efforts fleeting, every deed a potential source of regret.

Intimately acquainted with male psychology, these conjectures might not manifest immediately, but they inevitably would.

Imperial Consort Yun delicately wiped blood from her fingers. “Tomorrow, during our departure for the hunt, arrange for Brother to join us. I have matters to discuss with him.”

“Understood.”

In the northwest corner of the imperial palace stood a lofty tower. Teng Yu sat atop its highest floor, surveying Shengjing and pinpointing the Huo Family's location.

In such moments, he longed for that person's presence.

...

Wu Sheng: “Your Highness, Young Master sent me to retrieve his blanket!”

Teng Yu: “His blanket? Is the Huo Family still short on blankets for him?”

Wu Sheng: “Young Master mentioned he prefers his own bed at home.”

Teng Yu: “Wait a moment...” With that, he shut the door and busied himself inside. After an hour, he emerged with a blanket for Wu Sheng.

That night, Yin Xu sensed something amiss as he covered himself with the blanket.

“Such a familiar scent.” Despite missing the comfort of his home quilt, it shouldn't have been this thick.

He scrutinized the quilt under the light repeatedly until he discovered a suspicious white stain. Beside it, a small note read: “If you miss me at night, just smell it.”

Struck dumb, Yin Xu exclaimed, “Teng Yu, you're shameless!”