9

If there's anything more terrifying than childhood words being brought up after growing up, it's when the subject of those childhood words is sitting right in front of you and your childhood words just happened to be audacious fantasies about them.

Jing Xuan felt that the downfall of an emperor right at this moment didn’t seem so bad.

But he swore he had never harbored any improper thoughts about Gu Fang!

It was just that, when he was young, a person a few years older than him, perfect in every way, and exceptionally kind to him had suddenly appeared in his life. Naturally, it led to the kind of admiration that children usually had.

If it weren’t for Xue Qingshu reading romance stories every day, constantly talking about marriage this and marriage that, he would never have uttered such outrageous, heaven-striking nonsense about making Gu Fang his empress.

But the most important thing was that, while he had never had improper thoughts about Gu Fang, Gu Fang might one day take a liking to his beauty! If Gu Fang took those words seriously, wouldn’t that be a complete disaster?!

Jing Xuan immediately turned back and, feeling guilty, snapped angrily, “Nonsense! I was only five or six years old back then, too young to understand anything! I said some ridiculous words that deserved to be struck by lightning. How does that count as having feelings for you? In my heart, you’re not even… not even… not even as good as a dung beetle!”

His face turned red, and after racking his brain, he finally came up with what he thought was the most vicious insult.

After saying it, he still felt unconvincing. He widened his eyes, bared his teeth like a fierce tiger, looking utterly aggressive.

Yet, he wasn’t even as intimidating as the little stray kitten he had recently picked up at the palace.

Gu Fang found it amusing and let him go, calmly continuing to pick out the coriander from his side dishes. “Getting to see Your Majesty’s sacred face every day in the palace is, of course, a supreme honor. I wouldn’t dare to compare. But if we’re only talking about wanting to marry me, that can hardly be considered outrageous nonsense. After all, in Chang’an, the number of men and women who want to enter my residence isn’t exactly countless, but it’s definitely more than a few. Don’t you think so, Your Majesty?”

After speaking, he gracefully lifted his sleeve and placed the neatly picked-out side dish in front of Jing Xuan.

Jing Xuan: "...."

You old man pushing thirty—what nonsense are you talking about?!

“If so many people want to marry you, then why don’t you just pick one? Otherwise, you wouldn’t still be an old bachelor at your age.”

Jing Xuan gritted his teeth and said sarcastically.

Gu Fang, however, remained as composed as ever. “But haven’t I already?”

Jing Xuan: “...?”

Gu Fang looked at him. “My beloved concubine is currently sitting here in palace attire, dining with me. As for whether they can be promoted to main wife… that all depends on Your Majesty’s decree.”

His expression was calm, his tone completely serious, as if he meant every word.

Jing Xuan: “…”

You bastard, go to hell!

Jing Xuan stomped on the bench, slammed the table, and grabbed a chopstick, ready to stab Gu Fang.

Xue Zhan’er quickly intervened, trying to mediate. “Oh my, Your Majesty, why are you two fighting again? When you were kids, you got along like honey in water. How did you both grow up and start bickering every time you meet?”

Even though their relationship had now turned into a full-on battle of life and death between sovereign and minister, their monthly trip to Xue Zhan’er’s wonton stall had never been skipped.

Only, every time they ate, they somehow ended up fighting. Sometimes, if Xue Qingshu was present, it would even turn into a three-way brawl, causing Xue Zhan’er so much stress that her hair had started turning gray.

But Jing Xuan, overwhelmed with shame and frustration, wasn’t listening at all. He clenched the chopstick. “Did you hear what he just said?! Is that something a person would say?!”

Gu Fang, on the other hand, leisurely moved aside anything Jing Xuan might accidentally knock over. “Everything I said is for the nation, all from the bottom of my heart.”

“The bottom of your heart, my ass! What ‘for the nation’?! You just want me to dress as a woman to help you investigate a case. Why don’t you just tell me to drop dead instead?!”

“Oh dear Your Majesty, why must you keep saying ‘die, die, die’ all the time? Quickly, eat your wontons while they’re still hot!”

"Indeed, Your Majesty shall live for thousands of years."

"As long as you're here, I will never live for thousands of years!"

Inside the room, the dim candlelight flickered, the aroma of food was warm, and the camaraderie that had existed since their time in the northern lands diluted the oppressive weight of power struggles, leaving only noise and liveliness.

Then, someone gently knocked on the door amidst the cold night wind, speaking in a weak and frail voice:

"Shopkeeper, may I buy two wontons with a single coin? My grandchild is truly starving and can't bear it any longer. If you think the money is too little, I can work in exchange."

The voice was so fragile and powerless, like a dying candle about to be extinguished.

Jing Xuan turned his head, momentarily stunned.

Xue Zhan'er also reacted quickly and hurriedly opened the shop door.

In the dark alleyway, an elderly man with a hunched figure, thin as bones, stood clutching the hand of a frail child who looked about five or six years old. He held a few copper coins, long stained with oil and grime, and spoke in a Jiangnan accent, smiling apologetically yet warmly.

"I shouldn't be disturbing you, shopkeeper. We traveled all the way from Jiangnan, and her mother is gone. The child is truly starving. As we passed by, she smelled the wontons, and her stomach kept growling. It pained me so much that I thought… perhaps I could beg for some charity. Please don’t worry we won’t ask for much, just two, only two."

At Xue Zhan'er's stall, a bowl of wontons cost three coins, with twenty pieces, all made with the finest ingredients. In a city as expensive as Ancheng, it was certainly not considered costly—in fact, it was the most popular spot for common folk.

Yet even such humble food had become an unattainable luxury for this 2 people.

The little girl stood quietly, not making a fuss. Even though she was already so thin that her cheeks were sunken, her eyes remained round and bright. She obediently held onto her grandfather’s hand, her gaze fixed on Jing Xuan’s bowl of wontons. She pursed her lips hard, as if trying to stop herself from swallowing her saliva.

For some reason, at that moment, Jing Xuan felt as though something deep within him was struck—not with a sharp pain, but with a heavy, muffled blow, like an iron fist wrapped in cotton.

Sour. Stifling. Painful.

And along with it, an overwhelming sense of shame spread uncontrollably, growing wildly like vines.

Hurriedly straightening himself, he concealed his emotions and quietly said to Xue Zhan'er, "Uhm... let them in. Serve them two large bowls of wontons, a cup of milk for the child, and a bowl of millet porridge for the elder. Put it all on my tab."

"This..."

The old man outside raised his head and looked into the shop, as if he had just seen a celestial being.

But before he could refuse, the little girl spoke in a soft, childlike voice, "Big sister, are you a goddess? Grandpa said my mother became a goddess in heaven. Have you seen her?"

She asked seriously, her eyes as clear as dewdrops trickling off the tip of a lotus leaf in early summer.

Jing Xuan had never liked being mistaken for a girl. Since childhood, his features had been delicate and feminine. Even as he grew older and gained some of a young man's heroic presence, he was still mocked by military officials, who said he lacked the domineering aura of the late emperor.

But at this moment, he didn’t mind at all.

He crouched down, gently patted the little girl's head, and, in the softest voice of his life, said, "Yes, I am a goddess. I saw your mother in heaven. She is very beautiful and living well. She even asked me to give you this."

He placed a few pieces of broken silver into the child's hands—not too much to attract unwanted attention, but enough for the two of them to have full meals for a few days.

"This is your mother's celestial blessing. You must keep it safe and not let anyone else see it."

The little girl held the silver tightly, as if it were the most precious treasure, and tucked it carefully into her pocket.

Only then did Jing Xuan stand up and say gently to the old man, "My husband and I have reconciled today and in this moment of joy, we ought to do good deeds. There’s no need to refuse. Three days from now, there will be a relief effort in the western outskirts of the city—people will be giving out food and money. Please spread the word among your neighbors so they don’t miss it."

With that, Jing Xuan nodded slightly and returned to his seat. He lowered his head, as if nothing had happened, and resumed eating his now-cold wontons.

The thick opera makeup on his face concealed any trace of emotion.

The old man looked at his back, wanting to say something, but after hesitating for a long time, he ultimately said nothing. He only solemnly bowed, cupping his hands, lowering his head, and with a trembling voice, said, "A great kind woman, a life-saving grace."

Jing Xuan lowered his head even further, and the rouge at the corners of his eyes deepened in color.

Gu Fang asked in a low voice, "Playing the role of my favored concubine, does Your Majesty not feel wronged?"

Jing Xuan stuffed the last wonton into his mouth, not raising his head, only saying, "I am the Son of Heaven; I must be willing to sacrifice for my people."

That night, Chang'an City welcomed the first autumn rain of the eighth year of the Minghe era.

That night, their emperor became a lone and fearless wind.

He left in a hurry and returned just as hastily. The rain in Chang'an became the witness and companion to his journey beneath the stars, racing past Zhangtai Alley, skirting around Zhuque Street, passing through Yintai Gate, and finally ascending the heights of Zichen Hall.

There, in the court where undercurrents had long surged, he stirred up a storm of towering waves.

—

"You mean to say that last night, Prince Xiangding mobilized the Silver Crane Guards just to search for an escaped concubine? And after capturing that concubine, he even disregarded the prohibition, holding that woman in his arms while galloping through the bustling streets in broad daylight? The people in Prime Minister Shi’s residence immediately submitted a report overnight, enraging His Majesty who then issued an edict placing Gu Fang under house arrest for a month and revoking his authority over the Silver Crane Guards?!"

After a night of rain, officials across Chang’an woke up to the reports from their subordinates, all of them shocked and dumbfounded.

Minister Jiang Yue’s residence was in complete chaos.

"Prince Xiangding has always been the epitome of self-discipline and propriety, a gentleman of the highest order. How could he commit such an outrageous act? There must be some deception at play!"

Jiang Yue, still dressed in his inner robes, sat by his desk, slamming his tea cup down as he spoke with absolute certainty.

One of his aides quickly added, "Moreover, that escaped concubine was disguising herself as a man and was gambling extravagantly at Golden Jade Pavilion. From what the witnesses described.. peach blossom eyes, distant mountain brows, rouge-tinted lips, a face as fair as white jade. She bears a striking resemblance to our own Emperor."

"What?!"

Jiang Yue turned his gaze sharply.

Nearby, Golden Scale Guard Commander Zhao Wei immediately knelt on one knee and swiftly reported, "This subordinate can guarantee that His Majesty was drinking and cursing in the palace all night. He absolutely did not leave, nor did anyone enter!"

Jiang Tianren also confirmed, "The little eunuch we stationed outside Zichen Hall also sent word that drunken cursing could be heard from within the hall throughout the night. If it wasn’t His Majesty himself, no one would dare to insult Prince Xiangding with such... er, such richly varied vocabulary."

Jiang Tianren had chosen to put it rather tactfully.

Jiang Yue furrowed his brows.

Ever since the late emperor’s passing, Golden Scale Guard Commander Zhao Wei had defected to his side. Over the years, he had provided many reliable reports and had proven himself through numerous tests. There was no doubt about his trustworthiness.

As for the undercover eunuch, his entire family’s lives were in Jiang Yue’s hands. He would never dare to speak falsehoods.

So, if His Majesty truly hadn’t left the palace last night, then could it be that Gu Fang really did have such an escaped concubine?

And yet, Jiang Yue still felt that something was amiss.

Madam Jiang, seeing his hesitation, quickly said, "If my lord is truly worried, don’t forget we have someone who can confirm whether the person at Golden Jade Pavilion last night was actually a man or a woman."

"You mean... That’s right!"

Jiang Yue suddenly realized something and slammed the table as he stood up. "Take me to the woodshed immediately! I want to see whether Liu Chouer’s bones are really as tough as he claims!"

With that, he threw on a cloak and stormed toward the woodshed, kicking the door open with one foot.

"Liu Chouer, four hours have passed! Have you made up your mind? Will you obediently make medicine for me, or shall I break every bone in your body?!"

"Make medicine?!"

Liu Chouer, his face swollen and bruised, spat out a mouthful of blood. "You want me to help you commit murder for money? Dream on!"

"You—you—you! You’re nothing but a lowly drunkard and gambler! I saved your life and even offered you a hundred taels of silver. What reason do you have to refuse?!"

“Heh, teaching me about life?” Liu Chouer let out a cold laugh. “You killed my whole family and left only me alive. Is this what you call teaching me about life? The officials of Chang’an really do have a great sense of righteousness."

He then chuckled again. "But our Southwestern emperor isn’t any better. The powerful people in this world are all the same, corrupt. In the end, I don’t do business with people like you."

He turned his face away after finishing his words.

“You... you...”

Jiang Yue was furious but found himself at a loss for words. On top of that, Liu Chouer held the key to the poison bugs that he desperately needed to control, and it was impossible for anyone but Liu Chouer to use them. He could only swallow his anger.

"Fine. You don’t want to work for me now. I won’t force you. But you must answer truthfully. Was the person gambling with Xie Buzi at Golden Jade Pavilion last night a man or a woman?"

Jiang Yue was desperate for the answer.

Liu Chouer didn’t hesitate for a moment. "A woman."

"Nonsense!" Jiang Yue snapped angrily. "I was clearly told that the person was of similar height to Xie Buzi. Are you telling me that person was a woman?!"

"Up north, many women are as tall as men. Haven’t you, Minister Jiang Yue, heard of that?"

"You!"

Recalling that Gu Fang had indeed spent some time in the northern territories, Minister Jiang Yue forcibly held back his anger. "If that’s the case, how could the woman resemble His Majesty so much?"

"Heh," Liu Chouer sneered. "I’ve never seen His Majesty before, so I can’t say if they look alike, but what’s so strange if they do resemble each other?"

Minister Jiang Yue blinked in confusion.

"Everyone in the court knows that His Majesty and Prince Xiangding were once close friends, so close they would die for each other. But now, they’re at odds, sword drawn, as if they wanted to fight to the death. Why is that?"

Minister Jiang Yue asked seriously, "Why?"

Liu Chouer answered with certainty, "Because there was an illicit affair between them."

Minister Jiang Yue’s eyes widened. "What are you talking about?!"

He couldn’t believe it. After so many years of serving as an official, he never thought the problems he’d face would be related to these private matters of His Majesty. He couldn’t help but yell in frustration.

"You—You—You are simply too bold!"

Liu Chouer raised an eyebrow, thinking Minister Jiang Yue was stuttering again. It amused him to no end. He thought, as long as the Minister wasn’t angry, he was happy to fabricate more lies.

"How am I making things up? The palace maids and eunuchs who went out to buy goods yesterday have already spread the news. Prince Xiangding sent ten handsome men as tribute to His Majesty, and His Majesty immediately favored the one who resembled Prince Xiangding the most, granting her the title of ‘Beauty Fang’ That same evening, Prince Xiangding announced to the world that his beloved concubine had escaped, and the concubine just so happened to resemble His Majesty. Minister Jiang Yue, think about it carefully."

Liu Chouer spoke in a manner that was both confident and eloquent.

The Minister stood frozen, unable to speak. His mind began to ponder.

The source of this entire incident was when Jing Xuan had visited the Hua Manor and mentioned Liu Chouer who was well-known for his expertise in matters of love.

Then, it was revealed that Jing Xuan openly admitted his fondness for men, yet claimed that he didn’t like someone like Gu Fang.

So, Gu Fang sent beautiful people, and in the end, the one who was favored turned out to resemble Gu Fang.

Soon after, Gu Fang’s favorite concubine mysteriously escaped from the royal palace, causing a ruckus at Golden Jade Pavilion, and even raced through the streets, looking like Jing Xuan.

Finally, in a fit of rage, Jing Xuan punished Gu Fang, revoking his orders to the Silver Crane Guards.

If someone were to claim that all of this was connected in some way, even a fool would not believe it.

To say that Jing Xuan and Gu Fang teamed up to set a trap is absolutely impossible.

Because even though neither of them wants a successor, their interests are completely at odds.

Over the years, due to Gu Fang’s excessive power-grabbing and suppression, he forced Jing Xuan to ally with the aristocratic families from which he gained quite a bit of benefit.

Therefore, that ignorant and useless little emperor could never have such acting skills and depth of character.

Moreover, with Gu Fang’s lofty demeanor, he would never do something like what Beauty Fang did. Jing Xuan, with his proud character, would never allow Gu Fang to publicly declare "her" as his favorite concubine.

Thus, the only possibility for the relationship between these four people is...

"Love turning to hate, and they each find a replacement!"

Before Minister Jiang Yue could reach an answer, Liu Chouer quickly answered for him, then lightly snorted.

"Ah, human nature. People in this world love beautiful people but they love power and wealth even more. For the sake of power, riches, and future reputation, youthful affections can be thrown away without hesitation. In the end, love turns to hate, and they become deadly enemies, each wishing for the other's downfall."

Liu Chouer spoke casually, following the popular story tropes in the Southern Wind Pavilion in Zhangtai Alley. He lazily made up his words, then lay down on the firewood pile with a look as though he thrived on causing chaos.

As for Jiang Yue who gradually organizing his thoughts: "..."

No wonder Gu Fang has never taken a wife or had children all these years.

No wonder, even though recently Jing Xuan has been acting weird frequently, Gu Fang has never allowed the Prime Minister Shi to take such drastic actions against Jing Xuan.

It turns out it was because of what happened in the Northern Territories. There must have been a private affair.

Even if there wasn’t, he would never allow even the slightest chance for Gu Fang and the Jing Xuan to reconcile.

"The poison, that poison, I order you to immediately hand over the poison!"

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