Troublemaker Prince C30 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 30.2
Soon, the matter of the Crown Prince being so happy about attending court and listening to governance that he injured his heart meridian and collapsed spread throughout the imperial palace. The First Prince, You Yuyi, was originally angry about this matter because of You Fengyun's favoritism toward the Crown Prince, but when he heard the Crown Prince had collapsed from being too happy about this, he couldn't help but laugh mockingly.
"A sickly seedling—probably has fortune but no life to enjoy it." The First Prince said sarcastically while copying the Analects in his hand.
In three more days, he would have his grand wedding. He could leave this palace and then salvage his image.
"Your Highness is the one chosen by heaven. After Your Highness's grand wedding, you will surely shine brilliantly in the court." The young eunuch who had followed You Yuyi since childhood hurried to flatter him.
You Yuyi snorted coldly, then nodded, satisfied with this bit of flattery from the young eunuch. Once he went to court, with his maternal grandfather's help, he would surely accomplish several great things and make Father Emperor change his impression of him.
Just as the First Prince was full of ambition wanting to accomplish great things in the court, You Yusui heard that the matter of him being too happy and injuring his heart meridian was being spread everywhere. He suddenly sat up from the bed.
"Your Highness?" Huo Xiling, who was caring for You Yusui at his side, asked.
"Who spread this?" You Yusui said through gritted teeth. Collapsing from being too happy—if this got out, would he still have face?
Huo Xiling couldn't help but lower his head and laugh softly. "Is Your Highness angry?"
Hearing this, You Yusui reached out and flicked Huo Xiling's forehead. "Knowing this prince is angry, why aren't you hurrying to coax me?"
You Yusui's whole being radiated "hurry and coax me, if you don't coax me I'll keep being unhappy."
"Your Highness, don't be angry anymore, all right?" Huo Xiling held You Yusui in his embrace, smoothing his feathers.
Though You Yusui had a tall figure, his body was very thin and didn't look awkward being held in Huo Xiling's arms.
You Yusui smelled the osmanthus fragrance he had given Huo Xiling on him. This effectively soothed his emotions.
"Where did the news come from?" You Yusui asked, nestled in Huo Xiling's embrace.
"Xuande Hall." Huo Xiling answered.
The only people who had heard the illness Cui Yan made up were people from the Eastern Palace, people from Xuande Hall, and that Head Imperial Physician from the Imperial Medical Courtyard.
Most of the people in the Eastern Palace were the current Emperor's people, but the Eastern Palace had strict rules. Under Fubao and Xie Ling's management, no one dared to speak about Eastern Palace matters outside. Imperial physicians never disclosed the palace masters' illnesses to outsiders. So it could only be Xuande Hall, and it was also likely under You Fengyun's orders to spread it outside.
You Yusui was very speechless after hearing this. Was it really necessary?
Indeed, emperors were all very petty. You Yusui had used feigning illness to return the favor of You Fengyun forcibly stuffing him with the power to attend court and listen to governance. After You Fengyun sent imperial physicians to investigate and discovered You Yusui was truly ill, unable to punish him, he could only spread the embarrassing news about the Crown Prince being so happy about attending court and listening to governance that he injured his heart meridian to annoy You Yusui.
You Yusui buried his head in Huo Xiling's embrace. "Isn't he afraid of making me sick from anger again?"
"Wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?" Huo Xiling asked in return. Then he held You Yusui tighter. "Your Highness, I hope you will never suffer from illness your entire life."
You Yusui was slightly stunned. But he could only live three more years at most. Huo Xiling's wish would probably come to nothing.
"All right, it's already late at night. Won't Xiling sleep with this prince?" You Yusui said with a laugh from Huo Xiling's lap.
"Your Highness!" Huo Xiling's ears turned a bit red.
"Hurry to sleep." You Yusui got up and moved to the innermost part of the bed.
After returning from the hot spring villa, You Yusui had been sleeping in the same bed as Huo Xiling. After that, Huo Xiling never had nightmares again, and You Yusui, who often woke from slight disturbances, could also sleep until dawn.
After Huo Xiling lay down beside You Yusui, this wide bed no longer made You Yusui seem lonely and desolate.
"Your Highness." Huo Xiling called softly.
"Mm." You Yusui responded softly.
"Tomorrow is a rest day. I want to return to the General's Mansion once." Huo Xiling said.
Hearing this, You Yusui opened his eyes. As the Crown Prince's Attendant, Huo Xiling had rest days and didn't need to follow him every day like Fubao. Before this, Huo Xiling had never mentioned rest days, and You Yusui had always been happy to have Huo Xiling follow him closely without leaving his side.
At this moment, You Yusui's heart was shocked. So he was no different from You Fengyun—he had actually been exploiting Huo Xiling for so long!
And moreover! Huo Xiling wasn't even angry!
Just as Huo Xiling thought You Yusui wouldn't let him go, You Yusui suddenly said, "This prince grants you three days' leave."
Huo Xiling was stunned. What would he do with three days' leave? The General's Mansion had long been occupied by the Eldest Princess. He wanted to return this time also to bring away all his things, especially the jade pendant he had grabbed during his full-moon ceremony.
He wanted to re-carve that jade pendant into the shape of a longevity lock, then give it to His Highness.
Seeing the stunned Huo Xiling, You Yusui deeply felt his own wickedness and immediately said, "Is it not enough? This prince will compensate you with a hundred gold."
Hearing this, Huo Xiling narrowed his eyes, then turned over and pressed You Yusui beneath him. "Why does Your Highness want to compensate me?"
You Yusui, suddenly pressed beneath the youth with an extremely strong aggressive presence before him, was dazed for a moment, unable to react. The beautiful-to-sharp features enlarged before his eyes. The eyes like cold stars were completely filled with his reflection. This made You Yusui feel immensely satisfied, as if this person's heart contained him.
"Your Highness still hasn't answered me." Huo Xiling looked at the dazed You Yusui.
You Yusui reached out and lightly hooked Huo Xiling's chin. "Grown capable now, actually daring to question this prince."
"Hm?" You Yusui tilted his head. "Want to be rolled off this prince's bed?"
You Yusui's phoenix eyes slightly upturned, the teardrop mole beneath his eyelids blood-red. He looked at Huo Xiling with an unrefusable gaze, his tone also becoming coldly arrogant.
"I don't." The youth who had just been extremely aggressive instantly weakened and then said softly, "I don't."
"Lie properly, don't press on this prince." You Yusui said.
"Oh." Huo Xiling obediently lay down, leaving a distance between himself and You Yusui.
You Yusui: ......
Finally, You Yusui sighed helplessly, "Come hold this prince."
"All right!" Huo Xiling's voice carried youthful excitement.
As expected, His Highness favored him most and wouldn't be angry with him. However, since His Highness had given him three days, then these three days couldn't be wasted. The scholars who received His Highness's favor at the last Qionglin Banquet—should they also choose their allegiance now?
Just like this, Huo Xiling held You Yusui and slept through the night, then in the morning was ruthlessly abandoned by You Yusui and could only silently recite calming mantras to himself.
After the hour of Chen, Huo Xiling, carrying the thousand gold You Yusui had previously rewarded him, bid farewell to You Yusui, then boarded a carriage leaving the palace heading toward the Grand General's Mansion.
Half an hour later, You Yusui, who was lying on the daybed by the window reading a storybook, suddenly said, "Xiling, carry me to the reclining chair outside to bask in the sun."
"Your Highness, Attendant Huo has already gone home. Look, do you want this cousin to carry you?" Xie Ling walked in holding processed documents, eager to try.
You Yusui expressionlessly refused. "This prince doesn't want that."
"All right, Your Highness, call me if you need anything." Xie Ling said helplessly.
He had originally thought he could hold the Crown Prince and then go home to show off to his family. Now it seemed it wouldn't work out.
"You are the Crown Prince's Chamberlain. Don't do these menial tasks." You Yusui couldn't help but say.
Xie Ling silently looked at him, then said, "Your Highness, does the Eastern Palace have matters for me to handle?"
Since refusing the memorials sent from Xuande Hall, Xie Ling, whose duty was to assist the Crown Prince in handling documents, indeed didn't have much to do.
"Then don't appear before me to obstruct my eyes." You Yusui covered his eyes with the storybook in his hand.
Xie Ling: ......Thoroughly disliked, wasn't he?
This day during the daytime, You Yusui called Huo Xiling's name countless times. Indeed, habit was a terrifying thing—he had already developed a habit of depending on Huo Xiling.
When it grew dark, You Yusui was seen leaning against the window. "First day without Xiling. Miss him."
Eunuch Fubao: "How about we call Attendant Huo back tomorrow?"
However, You Yusui said, "This prince cannot go back on his word."
He said three days' leave, so three days' leave it was, absolutely no discount. He wouldn't be like his Father Emperor.
"Therefore, this prince has decided." You Yusui looked toward Fubao and Xie Ling, who was acting like a wooden person on the side.
Decided what? Fubao and Xie Ling were full of question marks.
"Tomorrow, go to the Grand General's Mansion." You Yusui said. "This prince truly cannot be without Xiling. Without Xiling, this prince feels he cannot go on living."
Hearing this, Fubao was moved. "Your Highness and Attendant Huo have such a good relationship."
Xie Ling: ......Thanks, got nauseated by the mushiness.
On the other side, Huo Xiling, staying in his room at the Grand General's Mansion, had already completed carving the longevity lock. Touching the longevity lock made of jade, Huo Xiling revealed a smile.
He hoped His Highness would like this longevity lock, and that this longevity lock could lock His Highness in place, allowing His Highness to live a long life, a life without worry.
Finally, Huo Xiling put away the longevity lock, extinguished the lamp candles in the room, and went to sleep.
This time, having left You Yusui, Huo Xiling began dreaming again. However, this time the location in the dream wasn't the familiar imperial palace, but a beast-fighting arena he had never seen before.
In the cage on one side was confined a tiger that had been starved for three days. In the cage on the other side was confined a youth whose face was covered in scars and pus, with one leg broken—a youth so familiar it shocked Huo Xiling.
The moment the whistle sounded, both cages were opened simultaneously. The tiger, starved for so long, unhesitatingly pounced toward the youth on the opposite side.