Troublemaker Prince Chapter 13
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 13
You Yusui couldn't help but gasp upon hearing these words, then leaned his body slightly backward. He reached out to touch Huo Xiling's cheek, carefully feeling his forehead, and only after confirming the temperature was normal did he breathe a sigh of relief and say, "You don't have a fever either, so why are you saying such foolish things?"
Huo Xiling grasped You Yusui's hand, gazing at him intently as he said, "Wasn't it Your Highness who asked me if I was willing?"
Huo Xiling had thought it through—if the other person was the Crown Prince, he would be willing. When he had initially agreed to the Crown Prince's request, wasn't it precisely because the Crown Prince was the Crown Prince?
Being stared at by Huo Xiling like this, You Yusui felt that Huo Xiling was coaxing him again. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve into a smile as his fingers gently traced across Huo Xiling's cheek before he spoke, "What's so good about being my wife?"
Would you rather endure three years of lonely widowhood? Or face a life where frost, swords, and blades press harshly upon you?
Huo Xiling didn't know how to respond, but since You Yusui had asked, he simply followed his heart and answered. If it meant being with the Crown Prince day after day, Huo Xiling thought that wouldn't be bad at all.
"Weren't you a wild, untamable little wolf cub? How did you become so pitiful in front of me now?" You Yusui said with a low laugh, "Don't worry, at most three years, and you'll be free."
He would give Huo Xiling everything he wanted, and Huo Xiling would coax him for three years. In You Yusui's eyes, this was nothing more than a transaction. He had never believed that a wild wolf cub like Huo Xiling would truly fall in love with him, and he himself was merely coveting momentary tenderness and pleasure, destined to offer no promises. They were simply taking what they each needed.
"Your Highness doesn't keep his word," Huo Xiling stared at You Yusui and said word by word. His gaze was like blazing fire, and in his eyes was the very concern that You Yusui most wanted to obtain.
You Yusui blinked, very satisfied with the care in Huo Xiling's gaze, and his mood became somewhat pleasant.
"If you stay by this prince's side as Crown Princess, you won't be able to go to the battlefield to establish military merit. Not only that, you'll also have to take over all the affairs that Fubao manages, you'll need to review the Eastern Palace's accounts, handle miscellaneous duties, and serve and attend to me." You Yusui observed Huo Xiling's expression as he spoke.
Sure enough, upon hearing You Yusui's words, Huo Xiling's expression stiffened for a moment.
"So, obediently go be your little general, or get out of the Eastern Palace right now," You Yusui said threateningly, the corner of his mouth curving upward.
The next moment, Huo Xiling buried his face in You Yusui's lap, wrapped his arms around You Yusui's waist, and nuzzled against You Yusui like a puppy, saying, "But serving elder brother, I would gladly do so."
Hearing this, You Yusui lowered his eyes, thinking that Huo Xiling was truly skilled at coaxing people.
"Take this and play with it," You Yusui casually pulled off a jade pendant from his waist and stuffed it into Huo Xiling's hand. The banquet earlier had truly exhausted You Yusui's mental energy, and after talking with Huo Xiling for so long, he was tired as well.
After speaking, You Yusui turned over and lay on his side on the bed with his back to Huo Xiling.
Huo Xiling stood up holding the jade pendant in his hand, his gaze dark as he looked at You Yusui lying on the bed, then glanced at the jade pendant in his hand, feeling somewhat powerless in his heart.
It seemed that no matter how many sincere words he spoke, You Yusui would always think he was coaxing him. Who could blame him for having impure motives during their first meeting? It was only natural for His Highness the Crown Prince to regard their relationship as a transaction.
Huo Xiling lowered his head and couldn't help but caress the jade pendant that still carried You Yusui's body warmth with his fingertips, then couldn't resist touching it lightly with his lips.
Actually, Crown Prince elder brother was right—he couldn't stay in the deep palace, as this would instead prevent him from protecting him and would become a burden. Only by truly mastering power could he avoid fearing the loss of what he treasured.
Thinking this way, Huo Xiling carefully placed the jade pendant in his bosom, then pulled down the bed curtains for You Yusui and lit the incense commonly used in the Eastern Palace to help You Yusui sleep more peacefully.
Meanwhile, Emperor You Fengyun had actually summoned Minister Wang of the Taiyuan Wang clan to Xuande Hall after leaving the banquet.
Minister Wang, who came from a prominent family background, was summoned to Xuande Hall after finishing his afternoon meal, completely bewildered. Had he made an error in his work? Or had someone from the Censorate accused him? Surely it couldn't be that some nephew in his family had caused trouble.
After Minister Wang anxiously followed the little eunuch into Xuande Hall, he never expected that His Majesty would ask about his grandson!
In fact, three years later, the matter of the Wang family's foolish child would spread throughout the city. You Yusui, having been reborn more than ten times, had simply revealed this matter ahead of time, unexpectedly causing Minister Wang to imagine that the Emperor was monitoring the prominent families, and that their every move was under the Emperor's watchful eye.
"I've heard that Minister Wang has been blessed with a grandson, but it seems he's a foolish child. Is this true?" You Fengyun asked with interest.
Upon hearing this, Minister Wang's face turned pale. Ever since discovering that the child his daughter-in-law had given birth to was somewhat foolish, he had kept this news secret. How did His Majesty come to know of it? Could it be that there were the current Emperor's spies among all the prominent families? Was the Emperor summoning him today to warn him?
Minister Wang dared not continue thinking and immediately knelt down to answer, "Your Majesty, this is indeed true."
"Zhen heard that your son and daughter-in-law are cousins," You Fengyun continued to inquire.
"Your Majesty, that is correct," Minister Wang replied.
You Fengyun looked at Minister Wang with sympathy, then instructed Anhai to bring out gold and silver rewards for Minister Wang, and watched as Minister Wang left Xuande Hall with unsteady steps.
"Anhai, have our people investigate how many foolish or disabled children have been born to cousin marriages in Chang'an City," You Fengyun said.
Today, You Yusui's words had made You Fengyun realize that marriage between close relatives was not a good thing, especially since the current popular practice of "strengthening family ties through marriage" was prevalent among the common people. If most of the children born had problems, this could shake the very foundation of the nation.
The shadow guards raised by You Fengyun moved swiftly, visiting most of the households in Chang'an City where cousins had married as husband and wife almost before nightfall. Most of the children had disabilities or were foolish, with only a small portion being normal. Even prominent families were not exempt from this.
Thus, that very day, an edict was issued from Xuande Hall prohibiting marriage between relatives within three degrees of kinship.
When the edict was issued, Consort Xian nearly fainted. Even though she knew that when the Emperor said "this matter will be discussed later," it basically meant there would be no follow-up, now there wasn't even the slightest room for maneuvering.
Compared to the heartbroken Consort Xian, Imperial Noble Consort burst into laughter. Who told Consort Xian that her efforts were like drawing water with a bamboo basket—all in vain?
"The Crown Prince has ruined the marriage between the Third Prince and the Commandery Princess. How wonderful," Imperial Noble Consort threw down the brush in her hand and laughed heartily. "However, His Majesty has allowed the Crown Prince to personally select his Crown Princess. We must act first."
"What does Mother mean?" The First Prince looked at his mother consort's expression, having a vague guess in his heart.
"I think the girls from the Empress Dowager's maternal family are all quite lovely, and being from the Empress Dowager's maternal family, their status is also suitable. Having one of them as the Crown Princess wouldn't wrong the Crown Prince," Imperial Noble Consort said with a smile. "Moreover, given the status of the Empress Dowager's maternal family's daughter, if she were to lose her chastity to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince would have no choice but to marry her."
This way, if the Crown Princess's maternal family were to support the Third Prince, they couldn't provide assistance to the Crown Prince.
Very unfortunately, the now-calmed Consort Xian had the same idea as the Imperial Noble Consort.
"Regarding the candidate for Crown Princess, we must also make early plans," Consort Xian said while drinking the clear tea in her hand. "Doesn't the Crown Prince most favor those from humble backgrounds with clean reputations? Give him a Crown Princess from such a background, and I imagine the Crown Prince would be extremely willing."
The candidate Consort Xian had chosen was the intended First Prince Consort that Imperial Noble Consort had prepared for the First Prince. If this First Prince Consort favored by Imperial Noble Consort truly became the Crown Princess, who knew which side Prime Minister Su's right-hand man would lean toward.
Different from Consort Xian and Imperial Noble Consort, Consort Hui in the harem also had her own ideas.
"Consort, I don't understand why you want to help the Crown Prince," the little palace maid beside Consort Hui said.
Consort Hui was the first consort to step forward and send gifts to the Crown Prince, and such actions had probably already earned Consort Xian's resentment.
Hearing this, Consort Hui smiled and said, "Ah Zhu, since the Crown Prince awakened, how many things have happened in this palace?"
The palace maid named Ah Zhu was stunned, not understanding what her mistress was saying.
"Imperial Noble Consort was confined, the power over the six palaces was taken away, the marriage between the Third Prince and the Commandery Princess's fell through—the Crown Prince's hand was behind all of this, and His Majesty's attitude toward the Crown Prince is extremely indulgent," Consort Hui turned to look at the palace maid. "This is a signal."
The palace maid looked completely confused, while Consort Hui handed a family letter to the palace maid, saying, "A daughter of the Lanling Xiao clan is more than suitable to match His Highness the Crown Prince."
The Lanling Xiao clan was already in decline; otherwise, how could a daughter of a prominent family end up in the rear palace? For them, a better path would be to marry into another prominent family.
Therefore, to revive the Xiao family, Consort Hui decided to have her family take a bold gamble. Success would mean the merit of following the dragon and rising to great heights; failure would mean retreating temporarily and waiting for the next opportunity.
"Go, deliver this family letter to my father and brothers," Consort Hui said.
At this time, You Yusui still didn't know that after the family banquet, everyone was making plans regarding his marriage.
The next day, You Yusui got up early, and after washing and dressing, he prepared to leave the palace with Huo Xiling.
"Your birthday is in a few days. How can you not have new clothes to wear on your birthday?" You Yusui put on his usual casual clothes and said to Huo Xiling with a smile.
Huo Xiling couldn't help but frown, "Your Highness has already bestowed enough clothes upon me."
"No, this one is different," You Yusui said mysteriously. "It's made from bird feathers and will emit beautiful luster in the sunlight. To make one piece, probably all the birds in Chang'an wouldn't be enough."
"It sounds like women's clothing," Huo Xiling said with a frown.
What You Yusui was referring to was precisely the feather skirt that the Commandery Princess had been longing for, worth a million coins. However, You Yusui had now decided to modify it into a cloak for Huo Xiling to wear.
"Oh~ So would you be willing to wear women's clothing for this prince?" You Yusui tilted his head to look at Huo Xiling.
Huo Xiling was stunned for a moment, then looked at You Yusui and said, "Has Your Highness decided to choose me as Crown Princess?"
"Oh, not a chance," You Yusui said coldly. "I'm just taking you to bully a little girl."