Ying Chengqi continued reading as he said with complete indifference,
“Ale, you don’t need to ask on my behalf, and you certainly don’t need to defend me. Mother has already explained what happened back then on the ruler of Northern Di’s behalf countless times. There is nothing to ask.”
“But Mother explaining it can never be the same as Aunt Zhenzhu explaining it herself.”
Ying Chengqi said with extraordinary calm, “Ale, you know I don’t care.”
[Aaaah, Mother, I really tried my best. The mission you assigned is way too hard!!!]
Ying Changle took Ying Chengqi’s book and hugged it to his chest. He said softly,
“Don’t read anymore, okay?! I don’t care. You just can’t read today. You can read another time.”
[I mean, you can read a book any time. It doesn’t matter if you don’t forgive Aunt Zhenzhu, but don’t spend this moment reading.]
Ying Chengqi merely said, “Ale, stop making trouble. Give it back.”
“No! Reading can wait a little while!”
Ying Chengqi turned and reached toward the bookshelf behind him for another book.
The small bookshelf sat directly on the couch, making the books easy to reach. Originally, there had been a storage cabinet there, but after Yu Huan saw how much Ying Chengqi loved reading, she had specially ordered craftsmen to convert the cabinet into a bookshelf.
Ying Changle hurried over, spread his arms wide to block it, and became so anxious his words came out jumbled:
“Aqi, don’t read, okay? Aunt Zhenzhu finally got to come this once. After she leaves, it’ll be hard to see her again. You’ll definitely regret it. Good Aqi, don’t read anymore, all right…?”
Seeing his younger brother so anxious that he was panting between words, Ying Chengqi immediately sat upright on his knees and stroked his back to soothe him.
“Don’t get worked up, Ale. I won’t read.”
Ying Ding and Ying Shenchu had long since noticed that Ying Chengqi was only comparatively at ease when he was with Changle and would unconsciously make such intimate gestures toward him.
In this family, the first role Ying Chengqi had adapted to was that of an elder brother. His meticulous care for his little brother was already no less thorough than theirs.
Ying Changle finally realized that he had taken too much for granted and had been far too impatient.
Aqi was naturally an exceptionally reserved person. Even after living with the family for so long, he remained distant with everyone. No matter how good Aunt Zhenzhu was, even if she was his birth mother, there was no way they could become close the very first time they met.
He pulled Ying Chengqi back to sit and leaned close to whisper in his ear,
“I was wrong just now. I shouldn’t have gotten impatient with you. Aqi, it’s okay. There’s no rush. If there’s something you want to say but you don’t know how, secretly tell me and I’ll say it for you, okay?”
Ying Chengqi only gave a quiet “Mm.”
[Aaaah, why are you suddenly so stingy with words even when talking to me? Do you have to pay a tax every time you speak? Is that why you can’t bear to use them??? Forget it. I need to be patient. I can’t rush. Mm!]
Ying Chengqi: …
When Yelü Zhenzhu and Yu Huan came out of the bedchamber, they happened to see the two brothers whispering together. The women exchanged smiles and said at the same time,
“They really are just like biological brothers.”
The two sat back down on the couch together, and Yelü Zhenzhu smiled.
“The two children are so close. Ah Huan, how about this? From now on, when we are at home and no outsiders are present, let both children call me Mother and call you Mama. What do you think?”
Yu Huan had been thinking the exact same thing and immediately clapped her hands.
“We really did have the same idea!”
Ying Ding: Are you two pretending I don’t exist??? Did you ask for my opinion? I’m Ale’s biological father! What Mother and Mama? I hate children calling people whatever they please!
Ying Changle immediately took Ying Chengqi’s hand and said,
“Yay, yay! Aqi, say it with me. Greetings, Mother. Greetings, Mama.”
Ying Chengqi said in an unusually calm tone,
“Greetings, Mother. Greetings, Mama.”
Yelü Zhenzhu was already perfectly satisfied. She said gently, “Mm, very good. Ale, come to Mother.”
Ying Changle froze. Although Aunt Zhenzhu felt as kind as his own mother, this was still their first meeting, and Aunt Zhenzhu was a sovereign. The pressure of her authority was too strong, and he was a little afraid.
Yu Huan scooped up her youngest son and laughed. “You little rascal, so even you know how to feel shy?”
Yelü Zhenzhu took Changle and held him in her arms, gently patting his waist and back as she coaxed him,
“Ale, don’t be afraid. Mother is the same as your mama. It has simply been a long time since I personally cared for a child, so I’m out of practice. If anything feels uncomfortable, tell me.”
Yelü Zhenzhu’s way of holding him was somewhat stiff, but Ying Changle was extremely good at finding a comfortable position for himself and soon adjusted.
[Wow, what an incredible face. So close, so close! Heavens, can someone really be this perfectly beautiful?!
Is she actually real? She looks like a face sculpted for a video game. Her skin is amazing too—whiter than snow, not a single flaw. Even this close I can’t see the tiniest wrinkle…
But if I count it out, Aunt Zhenzhu is only in her thirties. Still, still, this is absurdly good maintenance! If she didn’t have such overwhelming sovereign majesty, I’d believe you if you said she’d just turned eighteen!!!]
Ying Ding:
Little brat. All day long you spout nonsense. What on earth is a “game-sculpted demon face”?
Hmph. So what if she’s beautiful? Only Ah Huan and I have biological children together. Biological!!!
Yu Huan: Mm. That is not wrong.
Ying Changle became so fascinated by looking at her that he forgot his fear. His eyes full of curiosity, he asked, “Aunt Zhenzhu, can I touch your face? Are you real? I’m not dreaming, right?”
Yelü Zhenzhu laughed. “Of course you may, but Ale must remember to change how you address me.”
Only then did Ying Changle remember. He gently touched her face and nodded as he said,
“Oh, oh, oh, I forgot. Mother—wow, you’re real!”
[Aaaah, how is this any different from getting to touch Catherine the Great’s face? Heavens, I am completely satisfied!]
Ying Ding: What dynasty and country did this “Great” sovereign come from? Why have I never heard of her? This child invents baffling dynasties and kingdoms all day long.
Yu Huan: Sigh. If your brother Aqi were even half as lively and cheerful as you, we wouldn’t have to work ourselves into such a state over him.
Yelü Zhenzhu burst out laughing. She stroked the child in her arms with extraordinary tenderness and affection. Then she fell into thought and sighed,
“What a good child. Ale, do you know? I have three children, yet not one is close to me. I truly have become a solitary sovereign. Thinking about it, rulers since ancient times have all been much the same.”
Yelü Zhenzhu had many male favorites, but counting Ying Chengqi, she had only three children in total.
The other two, as heirs to the Northern Di throne, had received extraordinarily strict instruction from childhood and were not permitted a single misstep.
Yelü Zhenzhu was far too busy as a sovereign and rarely spent time with those two children. Whenever they did meet, she mostly reprimanded or punished them. Naturally, there was no possibility of closeness.
Seeing her so melancholy, Ying Changle felt for her. They had not spent much time together, but his mother had spoken about Aunt Zhenzhu so often before this that he had long since grown emotionally attached to her.
He instinctively threw his arms around Yelü Zhenzhu’s neck and said in his soft childish voice,
“Mother, Mama, we all love you. They just don’t know how to say it, so I’ll say it for them. Mama is super amazing! You’re a sovereign, a great ruler—anyway, you’re super-duper unbeatable amazing!”
Yelü Zhenzhu instantly burst into laughter and hugged the child in her arms even tighter, utterly unwilling to let go.
Yu Huan took her youngest son back into her own arms and deliberately steered the conversation toward Ying Chengqi, but no matter what they said, Ying Chengqi only responded with a few extremely brief words or a nod.
[Sigh, sigh. You really are hopeless. Whatever. If you don’t want to talk to Aunt Zhenzhu, then don’t. As long as you’re happy. I’m not you. I can’t decide for you that you’ll regret it.]
Yu Huan: Ale, good child, you’ve already done very well. Your brother Aqi’s stubborn temperament is exactly like your Aunt Zhenzhu’s when she was young. No one could do anything with her either.
Ying Ding: Mm. In my opinion, you can’t blame the boy for not being close to her. If you two spent less time reminiscing and let her spend more time with the child, wouldn’t that solve it!
Seeing that idle chatter was having little effect, Yu Huan immediately said,
“Aqi is shy by nature. With so many people here, he inevitably feels constrained. We’ll go to the outer room and let the two of you speak privately for a while.”
Yelü Zhenzhu had been thinking the same thing and nodded. “Mm, that would be good.”
Ying Chengqi said directly, “Mother, there truly is no need.”
Yelü Zhenzhu naturally did not force him. Seeing that it was already very late and that she had other matters to handle urgently, she took her leave at once, saying she would return to visit in a few days.
After that, Ying Changle kept waiting for Yelü Zhenzhu to visit again at night, but she never came. When he asked his brother and parents, they only said she would come when she had time, and naturally he believed them.
On this day, the Emperor was in high spirits and invited the rulers of Northern Di and the Turks to tour Black Tortoise Lake and admire the lotus blossoms, with the court officials accompanying them.
After touring for a while, the Emperor found everything dull. In the end he sent Ying Shenchu to fetch both younger brothers into the palace.
By the time Ying Changle and Ying Chengqi reached the “Pavilion of Pure Breeze,” where the Emperor had arranged the banquet, the rulers of Northern Di and the Turks had already boarded a painted pleasure boat to tour the lake and admire the lotus blossoms.
Only the two foreign sovereigns, their respective accompanying envoys, and their guards were aboard. The Emperor had deliberately created an opportunity for the two sides to negotiate privately and had sent no court officials to accompany them.
The Emperor sat upright on the dragon throne at the center of the waterside pavilion, while the officials took their seats according to rank.
Ying Changle was naturally held by his elder brother. Ying Chengqi sat beside Ying Shenchu, while Ying Ding and Yu Huan occupied the seats above them.
The painted boat had not yet gone far. Ying Changle could clearly see the rulers of Northern Di and the Turks standing together at the bow.
They seemed to be having a fierce argument. The Turkic ruler was aggressive and imposing, but the ruler of Northern Di’s steady composure clearly had the upper hand.
[Wow. Aunt Zhenzhu is completely different from when she was at our house. She’s practically a different person.
Mm… she was imposing at home too, but much more affectionate. Now she’s super-duper domineering. Even the Turkic ruler is completely being overwhelmed by her!]
Court officials: Hehe. Anyone could guess with their toes that the ruler of Northern Di secretly visited the Marquis of Xuanping’s residence to see her son. His Majesty must have tacitly allowed it too. We’ll see how much longer His Majesty can tolerate that mother and son. There should be quite a show ahead.
[Hiss. This Turkic ruler, Banbur, is so tall and muscular, and he has a face full of beard. Could he really have been a male favorite in the past? Someone’s tastes were that intense?
No, no. Let me check the Gossip System. Ohhh, Banbur was a beautiful young man in his teens!
Tsk. Foreigners really do have a short flowering season. Banbur is only in his early thirties now, right? And he already looks like this?
I mean, Banbur may be taking the pursuit of muscularity a little too far. Jason Momoa playing that horse-lord guy in Game of Thrones would look like a little brother beside him!
Is it because his childhood trauma made him especially obsessed with having an invincibly powerful body?
Hmm. It isn’t that he’s ugly. He just doesn’t really fit Eastern standards of beauty.]
Emperor: Who is this “horse lord” now?!
Ying Changle suddenly thought of an idea. He immediately leaned to Ying Chengqi’s ear and whispered,
“I want to go boating too. Come with me, okay?”
Ying Chengqi did not need to guess what his younger brother was planning. He immediately said, “I’m not going, and neither are you.”
[Sigh, sigh. Aunt Zhenzhu doesn’t even have time to visit you. I’m trying to think of a way to help, and you still won’t go. Fine, don’t go. I’m not the one in a hurry.
But even if she’s busy, can she really not squeeze out any time at all to see her son? Time is like a sponge—if you squeeze it, there’s always some!
I’m certain of it. Aunt Zhenzhu, this is your fault. Just wait and see what I say about you in a moment!]
Ying Chengqi: …
Court officials: Sovereigns have always been coldhearted. How much do you think the ruler of Northern Di truly cares about this son? She merely feels guilty. Once she becomes busy, how could she possibly spare him a thought?
Ying Changle tried again. “Aqi, I want to go. Please come with me, okay?”
Ying Chengqi simply stopped speaking.
[Ah, fine. I admit I’m the king of impatience. Stupid brain, think! How can I make him go? Aaaah, Ying Chengqi, you really are a block of wood!]
Court officials: What king? This little rascal wants to become a king now?
Emperor: Little brat, where are you trying to go make trouble now?
Yu Huan: Ale, good child. Mother knew you would think of something.
At that moment, Feng Zhang, the most upright and incorruptible Supervising Censor, stepped forward and said respectfully,
“Your Majesty, if this subject remembers correctly, Grand Princess Qinghe should be confined within her princess residence. How is she able to attend today’s banquet?
“Not long ago the Grand Princess openly traveled to Xianyang again for a private rendezvous with the Dowager Consort. Every civil and military official knows of it, yet Your Majesty insists on pretending ignorance. How can that command the respect of the realm?
“This subject has submitted memorial after memorial impeaching her, and Your Majesty has done nothing but delay. Since all the officials are present today, I beg Your Majesty to punish Grand Princess Qinghe for secretly carrying on with the Dowager Consort and bringing disorder to the imperial house!”
Feng Zhang knocked his head against the ground with a muffled thud, clearly prepared to remonstrate to the death if the Emperor refused to punish her.
He had calculated that the Emperor would not want the imperial family to lose face before foreign rulers and therefore would certainly settle the matter before the northern foreigners returned from the lake. So long as he refused to yield, His Majesty would no longer be able to shield her.
The Emperor rubbed his temples, feeling as if his head were splitting.
Grand Princess Qinghe was the Emperor’s most beloved younger sister.
Back when they were fighting to establish the realm, the Emperor and Princess Qinghe had once been pursued by enemy troops with only a single horse on which to escape. With both of them riding, the horse could not run fast enough.
Princess Qinghe resolutely dismounted and jumped into a river, allowing the Emperor to escape with his life. The princess was swept away by the torrent and only survived by extraordinary luck.
Given the life-and-death bond between brother and sister, even if Princess Qinghe rebelled, the Emperor might have tried to excuse it by saying she had been deceived by villains, much less something that merely damaged her private morality.
[Heavens, this ancient old gossip actually has a sequel? Princess Qinghe still hasn’t forgotten the Dowager Consort? Are you two really trying to become Princess Taiping and Shangguan Wan’er?
But the young Dowager Consort only entered the palace when the old Emperor was about to die. It doesn’t really count as that kind of incestuous mess, right? Just let the two of them be together!]
Emperor: …Even We do not dare think that way, yet you certainly do.
Seeing someone else take the lead in remonstrating to the death meant they themselves need not die and could still share in the reputation of loyal ministers. One official after another stood up, demanding that the Emperor punish Princess Qinghe.
Senior Grand Secretary Gu said gravely, “Princess Qinghe has committed such a filthy act. Where does that leave the late Emperor?”
Grand Princess Qinghe had followed the late Emperor into war since childhood and still commanded a large military force. This was an excellent opportunity to remove her.
In truth, the officials were deeply dissatisfied with a princess holding such great power. How could a woman take part in government?
Yu Huan could be tolerated because her military achievements were exceptional and her present authority was limited, but Princess Qinghe had to be removed, or her wolfish ambition would only continue to grow!
[Hehe. You have the nerve to call the princess filthy? When you used a “beauty paper,” why didn’t you think you were filthy? You made a beautiful woman use her tongue as toilet paper to wipe your butt. Ah, I can barely bring myself to say it!]
Court officials & Emperor: ???!!!
Ying Changle had already been in a poor mood today, and he had even less patience for these sanctimonious old fossils putting on performances of loyal ministers.
Senior Grand Secretary Gu was ruthless. Ying Ding did not want his youngest son to make such a deep enemy of him, so he hurriedly stepped forward and said, “I beg Your Majesty to punish Princess Qinghe!”
[Ah, Father, why are you confused too? You’re not this kind of old fossil at all. Or can you simply not stand seeing two women being close?
Ohhh, I know! Yelü Zhenzhu pursued Mother before, and you’ve been holding a grudge all this time, right?
Ever since Aunt Zhenzhu came to the capital, you and Mother have argued countless times, haven’t you? Last night Mother even drove you to sleep in the outer study. That had to be because you were jealous!]
Emperor & court officials: ???!!!
Yu Huan: …
Ying Ding instinctively hurried to cover his youngest son’s mouth.
Court officials: What is wrong with Ying Changle today? Who provoked him? Why is he attacking everyone he sees? He has gone completely berserk, biting whoever he catches—even his own biological father is not spared.
Feng Zhang: They have weaknesses, but I don’t. Even if I die, I’ll make sure Grand Princess Qinghe is punished.
