CH 3

Prime Minister Yun said exactly what Yun Qingci wanted to be said. It’s just that he didn’t expect that his father would present his crazy nonsense as an accident, and direct the accusations at Li Ying.

In his previous life, his father had always been humble, even cautious, in front of Li Ying. His back was always slightly crouched.  They were obviously a ruler and it’s minister, a teacher and a student, but they looked rather like a servant and a master.

Thinking about it now, perhaps his father had hoped that Li Ying would look at his submissive attitude and would treat his disappointing child a bit better.

It’s a pity that Li Ying not only failed to treat Yun Qingci better, but also never stopped being vigilant against the Yun family. His father did everything he could but did not succeed in either matter and felt angry and aggrieved, while Yun Qingci was obsessive and stubborn, madly in love with Li Ying.

In his previous life, his father had never straightened his back in front of Li Ying.

The knuckles of Li Ying’s fingers pinching the teacup turned white. He finally looked away from Yun Qingci’s face and faced Prime Minister Yun: “Teacher, don’t be angry. Lord Empress being hurt yesterday, it was indeed my fault.”

“Your Majesty is too serious.” Prime Minister Yun clasped his hands and said. “It was the old minister who couldn’t teach their child properly, angering His Majesty and damaging the royal face. Now that the child is back at home, this minister will strictly discipline him and will never let him do anything that would bring shame to his status as Lord Empress. ”

If one wanted to talk about what Yun Qingci did to bring shame to his status, it was nothing more than to love Li Ying too much in spite of everything.

Yun Qingci lowered his eyelashes and pursed the corners of his mouth.

So, this is the feeling of having the support of his father. If he could wake up earlier in his previous life, he would get close to his father and brothers, and far from the Empress Dowager. Even if he just kept a proper distance from both parties, he would not fall into the trap.

Prime Minister Yun’s refusal was obvious enough. He was dissatisfied that the Emperor injured Yun Qingci and sent him back unconscious. Not only did he not notify the Prime Minister’s mansion in advance, he also did not make any proper etiquette arrangements for Yun Qingci’s return, clearly expressing his dissatisfaction.

In the past, Yun Qingci was happy to forget about it, as if everything was fine. But now that Yun Qingci had made a move to resist, the Yun family was undoubtedly his biggest backer.

Moreover, protecting him from returning to the palace at this moment was a far cry from kneeling and begging in the previous life. This time, he had a good reason and position, as well as sufficient confidence and dignity.

Li Ying pursed his mouth a bit. He had never softened his attitude towards anyone. Just with a glance at his expression, Yun Qingci knew that the Emperor must be at a loss at the moment.

He was even more confused. Why did Li Ying come for him at this time? What made him change his temper? Was he also reborn? Even if he were reborn, with his temperament, it was impossible to behave so humbly in front of the Yun family. Yun Qingci knew him too well. In his eyes, only the Li family’s country and its great cause mattered. Everyone else was just a pawn in his hands.

Some of the concubines in the harem were used by the emperor to manipulate Yun Qingci, with the purpose to make Yun Qingci entangle in harem battles and have no time to pester him; while others were the daughters of the ministers Li Ying planned to get rid of and served to restrain those ministers.

Therefore, if Li Ying was given a second chance, he wouldn’t need to listen to the Empress Dowager’s words. He would definitely take this opportunity to sever ties with Yun Qingci, using the methods and the information he had. Throwing away Yun Qingci, he could quickly take over the Prime Minister’s mansion, cut off the wings of the Yun family, and make Prime Minister Yun powerless.

Yun Qingci directly ruled out this possibility; his only doubt was whether Li Ying was brewing a bigger conspiracy.

Liu Ziru deserved to be considered the most caring person at the Emperor’s side. He smiled and said: “Master Yun should consider the overall situation. The harem shouldn’t be left without supervision even for a day.”

“Concubine Ning is the daughter of an official and has both talents and learning. She should be able to temporarily take charge of the palace.”

Li Ying’s face darkened.

Liu Ziru was a little embarrassed. This time, the Lord Empress and the Emperor had such a big conflict because the emperor did not refuse Concubine Ning’s invitation the night before. Yun Qingci was ready to do anything for Li Ying; the only thing he couldn’t accept was the emperor getting close to others.

He actually led people directly to Concubine Ning’s palace and held her down in front of the emperor.

Concubine Ning yelled for help. The emperor drank some wine, his expression slightly inebriated, as he comforted lightly: “I’m here just for a drink, I’m not going to spend the night.”

“In that case, Ah Ying will follow me back to the palace.”

“I’ll go later.“ The emperor looked at the trembling Concubine Ning, took a few breaths in silence, showed a relaxed attitude and said, “Let her go first.”

There was always trouble between them for this reason. In the past two years, Yun Qingci had caught him visiting others more than once, and he had made trouble every time. He was extremely dissatisfied with Li Ying’s behavior.

Liu Ziru could see clearly: Yun Qingci took a step forward, approached Li Ying who was sitting at the table, and pierced a drug-dipped silver needle into the emperor’s arm. The emperor didn’t defend himself at all and immediately lost consciousness. Yun Qingci gently pressed the emperor’s head to his abdomen, ignoring Liu Ziru’s dissuasion, and ordered his people to carry the emperor back to his bedroom.

He stood tall and elegant, his expression overflowing with murderous intent: “Whoever dares to touch my Ah Ying is trying to dig out my heart, and I will make her die.”

Concubine Ning never could imagine that Yun Qingci was so insolent, she could only shrink aside, pale-faced and trembling.

The rumor was that after Yun Qingci returned to his palace, he also ignited some dream-inducing incense. The Son of Heaven was delirious and wild… cough, in other words, the more obedient the emperor was that night, the angrier he was when he woke up.

According to Liu Ziru’s thoughts, in this matter it was Yun Qingci who did wrong. After all, it was the body of the Son of Heaven. How anyone could be allowed to tease and humiliate the Emperor like this, let alone these actions could actually be regarded as an assassination attempt.

Therefore, Li Ying just splitting Yun Qingci’s forehead and kicking him out in the morning, instead of directly crushing him to pieces, was already a great grace.

But now Prime Minister Yun was saying that Yun Qingci didn’t understand the rules and his domineering and wayward ways angered His Majesty. He couldn’t teach his son and he had no choice but to discipline and teach him since His Majesty sent his child back. It was hard to say whether Yun Qingci would really be strictly disciplined, but in the end, Prime Minister Yun didn’t want to let him go back to the palace.

Li Ying was probably also aggrieved. He lowered his eyes for a moment and said, “I want to say a few words to the Lord Empress alone.”

He came up to Yun Qingci, grabbed his uninjured arm and dragged him directly out of the front hall.

Yun Qingci frowned. Even through the thick clothes he felt pain from the emperor’s excessive strength: “Your Majesty…”

His waist hit the guardrail of the corridor. Li Ying stepped forward and trapped him between his arms. At the sight of Yun Qingci’s pale face, his impatience and anger slightly reduced. He calmed down his emotions and said restrainedly: “Do you really want to stay in your family’s mansion?”

Both Yun Qingci’s wrists hurt now. He lowered his hands, his fingertips trembling slightly, and said: “My father is right. Concubine Ning can take care of the harem…”

“Enough,” Li Ying interrupted him, “Yun Qingci, do you really think you have done nothing wrong? Is it just my fault?”

He has come to pick him up, he was ready to forget the past wrongs, but what was Yun Qingci’s reaction? 

This was too far from what he had expected. Yun Qingci shouldn’t be like that.

Unless… no, that was impossible, he couldn’t accept it.

“Of course, I was wrong,” Yun Qingci said piously. “Your Majesty’s body is worth ten thousand gold, and I was bold and reckless. If Your Majesty thinks that I still don’t understand my guilt and still hates me…”

He paused for a moment and suggested: “Prick me with a needle, too?”

“What attitude is that now…”

“I’m sorry.” Yun Qingci sighed and said, “It’s my fault. Please, Your Majesty, calm your anger.”

He still had that calm attitude, neither blaming nor complaining. Li Ying’s turbulent mood seemed to have no effect on him.

Li Ying frowned and propped his arms on the guardrail, which allowed him to get closer to Yun Qingci. 

What went wrong? What made Yun Qingci throw a tantrum in front of him?

He restrained himself and said: “Yun Qingci, think clearly, I’m only coming to pick you up once.”

Things were out of his control, and he resorted to habitual threats. What Yun Qingci feared most was boring him and being abandoned by him. As long as Li Ying didn’t look for others, Yun Qingci would assume the most humble attitude and carefully please him, whether in public or in private.

As long as he hooked his finger, Yun Qingci would rub against him affectionately and lay down on his lap obediently.

He couldn’t find a better way to communicate with Yun Qingci for now, so he could only use this rotten method.

Yun Qingci lowered his head and didn’t answer.

There was a good smell on his body, which was unique to Yun Qingci. His face was exactly as it was in Li Ying’s memory – the face that made people unable to look away. If you look at it for a long time, it could make you lose your sense.

Li Ying’s Adam’s apple rolled, he couldn’t help approaching Yun Qingci.

Every inch of his skin was longing for Yun Qingci frantically. He missed Yun Qingci and almost went crazy with this longing. At night, the hairpin’s tip pressed against his heart. He always thought of the large cinnabar stain splashed in the snow, and the ice-cold body lying in it, its skin permanently losing its color.

Sometimes in his dreams Yun Qingci would suddenly open his eyes and ask gloomily: Li Ying, why didn’t you cherish me?

Yun Qingci moved his arms away and leaned back. He noticed Li Ying’s eyes gradually blurring and subconsciously turned his head away to avoid the kiss that almost fell on his lips.

Li Ying’s chin was raised, and the line from his lower jaw to his Adam’s apple looked like a beautiful arc. His expression could not be seen clearly.

Yun Qingci felt sick. This was his father’s mansion. As long as his father moved a bit, he would see them from the front hall, and his anger would surge.

He shrank and slipped out from under Li Ying’s arms. Turning away, he said, “I think I should indeed learn how to be a qualified Lord Empress.”

This should satisfy Li Ying. In his previous life, in the name of love, he clashed with Li Ying too many times. Li Ying would sometimes point at his nose and scold: how could there be such an arrogant and jealous Lord Empress in history that even His Majesty had to be careful as to whose place he would sleep.

But Yun Qingci could never forget the promise Li Ying made to him when they got married. Later, when concubines entered the palace, Yun Qingci was very afraid that Li Ying would love others. Li Ying comforted him then, saying that since he was the Lord Empress, the harem was just fake.

But everything changed. In the end, Yun Qingci was the only one who still remembered their love for each other and the so-called promise that was more precious than gold. He regarded Li Ying as an ordinary man, but Li Ying never forgot that he was the ruler of the country.

In this life, Yun Qingci would always remember the identity of Li Ying. If not necessary, it was best not to conflict with him.

With his hands propped on the guardrail, Li Ying straightened his back.

They stood close, their shoulders nearly touching, and the wind carried the snow into the corridor, swirling and sweeping it away.

Li Ying moved, and his tall figure passed by, leaving just a word: “Okay.”

He walked through the hall without looking back, and Liu Ziru hurriedly followed, raising his voice: “Your Majesty is going ba-”

“Shut up,“ Li Ying said.

Liu Ziru’s chanting stopped abruptly, he lowered his head and trotted to keep up with the Emperor.

Zhou Zhao watched the corridor in a daze, unable to believe that His Majesty was really here just to pick up Yun Qingci, let alone that he didn’t pick him up?!

Li Ying stepped on the ladder stool and got into the carriage, disappearing inside. The carriage hurried, as if fleeing.

The father and brothers of the Yun family bowed together in the wind and snow: “Seeing off His Majesty.”

Yun Qingci came to the front hall again. His father and elder brothers happened to come in one after another. Prime Minister Yun’s smile diminished slightly, as he sat down without saying a word and touched the teacup.

Yun Qingxiao’s expression was complicated, but Yun Qingsu directly asked Yun Qingci: “Why didn’t you go with him?”

“I…”

“The dignified monarch of the country comes to pick you up in person, how nice it is to make him run back and forth for nothing.” Yun Qingsu’s words were reprimanding, but his expression was full of flying energy, and he said deliberately: “Where does your courage come from – are you not afraid that he will not want you anymore?”

“Fourth brother,” Yun Qingxiao said softly. Yun Qingsu glanced at the appearance of his younger brother hanging his head. He raised his hand and touched his nose, and said, “Originally, didn’t you make a lot of noise yesterday? Tossing around, seeing who will be hurt…”

He closed his mouth under his father’s eyes.

Yun Qingxiao sat in silence. Even at home, he was always reserved and scrupulous.

Yun Qingsu stopped talking, and the atmosphere in the hall became a little awkward.

“Hey,” The old housekeeper of the Yun Family patted his thigh suddenly and said, “It’s lunch time now Master, shall we eat?”

Only then did Yun Qingci remember that he took the initiative to come out of his room because he actually wanted to have lunch with his father and brothers.

No one in the Yun family resisted. The old housekeeper arranged everything on his own initiative, and soon the family sat around the dinner table.

Yun Qingsu buried his head eating painstakingly, until he was suddenly kicked by his second brother. He choked on a grain of rice and said: “Lord Empress, when are you going back?”

In the next moment, the eyes of Prime Minister Yun and Yun Qingxiao focused on his face coldly.

If you cannot talk to ease the atmosphere, don’t talk at all.

“I’ll wait for my injury to be healed first.”

“Recuperate in the mansion?”

As soon as Yun Qingsu had finished speaking, Prime Minister Yun suddenly pushed away the dishes and chopsticks, got up and left the dining room. Before leaving, he gave Yun Qingsu another fierce look.

Yun Qingxiao pinched his chopsticks and said calmly: “You’d better eat.”

Yun Qingci raised his eyes in confusion and said: “Of course.”

The old housekeeper hurriedly followed the Prime Minister Yun’s footsteps and said: “They are not much different in age. The little master used to be like that before, so it is normal for the fourth young master to react like this at the moment. ”

The Prime Minister Yun frowned and said: “He still wants to go back.”

“I think the little master’s position was very clear today. Why don’t you just tell him that you want him to divorce?”

“No.” Prime Minister Yun waved his hand and said, “We don’t know what he thinks now. If I make this request rashly, he will hold a grudge again…”

“Do you think the little master is playing hard to get?” The old housekeeper sighed: “If this is the case, it will be difficult.”

***

As soon as the carriage returned to the palace, Li Ying got out and walked straight to the Jiangshan Hall. Zhou Zhao watched his whirlwind footsteps; His Majesty was obviously angered by Yun Qingci to the extreme.

Thinking of the Empress Dowager’s instructions, he hurriedly followed: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please calm down. You went to pick up the Lord Empress today but the Lord Empress doesn’t know what is good for him. With your permission, this slave will go to the Empress Dowager, and she’ll find a way…”

The lightning-fast footsteps suddenly halted.

Zhou Zhao glanced at Liu Ziru carefully; the latter looked at him as if he was a dead man. 

He reacted extremely quickly and knelt down: “This slave talks too much, this slave begs His Majesty for forgiveness!”

His pose was perfectly conforming to standards, but in his heart, he was actually unafraid. Among the three masters of the harem, only Yun Qingci was terrifying. The emperor was kind and magnanimous, and the Empress Dowager was even more amiable. And since the mother and son were disrespectful to Yun Qingci, it didn’t matter. 

Anyway, they never really regarded Yun Qingci as one of their own.

The mysterious boots embroidered with gold thread walked further away, and Zhou Zhao just breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly he heard a ’clang’ sound.

Li Ying pulled out a long sword hanging on the wall.

Headed by Liu Ziru, the people around knelt down.

Zhou Zhao was stiff all over, seeing the familiar boots come back and stop in front of him. The cold gleaming sword pressed heavily to his neck.

Big drops of sweat rolled down Zhou Zhao’s face.

“Your, Your Majesty…”

The voice was as cold as a sharp knife: “The Empress Dowager asked you to go to the Prime Minister’s Mansion. What did you say to the Lord Empress?”