Chapter 93 – If I Hadn’t Married You

Chapter 93 - If I Hadn't Married You

The Second Prince watched in disbelief as Shi Wu rushed into the palace hall.

Imperial Concubine Zhen's expression changed as well. How could this be? Hadn't she already helped the Second Prince gain control over the imperial city? Could it be... that it was all just her assumption?

It was over.

Her face turned ashen.

Empress Rou remained seated beside the Emperor, and now she smiled gently, pouring a cup of water for the Emperor with her delicate hands to soothe his throat.

The Emperor drank from the cup she held, looking at her with particularly tender eyes. Seeing that she seemed to still be in shock, he gently patted her hand as a sign of comfort. Empress Rou's face immediately flushed red, and she lowered her head, remaining seated without moving.

The Emperor looked at his second son, who was being held down on the ground. "Do you know what to do now?"

The Second Prince's teeth ground together audibly. "Father Emperor... Father Emperor knew all along!"

All the control he thought he had over the situation was merely an illusion. In reality, the Emperor had anticipated everything and made preparations ahead of time. Shi Wu, his trusted aide, wasn't weak or easily captured; he was merely going along with the flow, secretly monitoring the situation, ready to respond at any call!

Now, all his manpower and prearrangements were exposed. His factions within the court, both those openly displayed and those secretly cultivated, were revealed through that one act of requesting the title of Crown Prince. Even his private secret forces... which had shown signs during his previous assassination attempt, were now fully exposed, mostly within the palace.

His trump cards and killing moves were all gone.

"Why bother..." his face twisted in anger, "Father Emperor knew I intended to rebel, why didn't you stop me?"

Why did you have to expose me at this moment, making things awkward for everyone?

The Emperor was also furious. "I wanted to give you a chance to repent, but you didn't cherish it."

He had originally planned to handle the celebration of his longevity well. If his son didn't listen, he would deal with him slowly afterward. He had monopolized power for decades and never encountered a situation he couldn't control. If someone dared to rebel, they would be killed. However, in a rare oversight, he hadn't accounted for the effects of that drug, allowing the Second Prince to reveal his illness!

Silence fell over the hall.

The entire court of ministers hadn't expected the situation to change so quickly.

The Second Prince suddenly took action, appearing confident and overwhelming, controlling the situation, establishing his reputation, and even influencing the harem. With a few words, he drove away the opposing Third Prince, seemingly on the verge of success, needing only to deal with Prince Jian. But before Prince Jian could even speak, the situation changed again. The Emperor's men entered! They swiftly controlled the situation, apprehending the Second Prince, and it appeared they had been prepared and coordinated beforehand. Did they know the Second Prince was planning to rebel?

The Second Prince's plan was meticulous, aiming for a smooth transition, a dignified reputation, and even exaggerating others' threats, claiming that only he could resolve the crisis on the scene... but it was all an illusion. None of his goals were achieved. The only thing accomplished was revealing the Emperor's illness, indicating he didn't have much time left.

But despite the limited time, the Emperor was still the Emperor, having wielded absolute power for decades. This unexpected turn of events was still within his grasp.

The Second Prince's dream of becoming the Crown Prince was now unattainable. However, after this, the Emperor might struggle to maintain control. Since he didn't have much time left... wouldn't the position of Crown Prince still need to be filled? Otherwise, the ministers and the common people would become restless.

Everyone feared the Emperor's accumulated authority and means, but a monarch nearing the end of his reign was less appealing than the prospect of the next ruler.

The promise of contributing to the rise of a new dragon was always a powerful allure.

Everyone's thoughts couldn't help but turn. Would the future Crown Prince... fall into the hands of the Third Prince, who had just left? He was the most prominent rival to the Second Prince in terms of power and influence. He had performed admirably earlier, displaying a temper but also a soft heart and filial piety...

But was this certain?

The Third Prince wasn't a pushover either. If the Emperor discovered the Second Prince's rebellion, wouldn't the Third Prince, who knew his opponent deeply, also be aware? Was he choosing to 'not know'?

If he was also part of the act, not genuinely kind-hearted, and today's performance was a display of using force against force... then some things became unclear.

Prince Jian, on the other hand, was intriguing.

Wen Ruan found the changing expressions of the court ministers interesting and couldn't resist looking around. It wasn't until Zhu Yan squeezed his hand gently that he realized something and turned his head.

Zhu Yan's gaze was gentle, and his voice was low. "Be more reserved."

Wen Ruan immediately understood. He needed to keep a low profile. Watching the drama unfold was fine, but he shouldn't compromise himself.

"Guards, take those who requested the appointment of a Crown Prince and execute them!" The Emperor was clearly enraged.

However, the Palace Guard didn't move immediately, hesitating slightly.

Almost half of the ministers had requested the appointment of a Crown Prince. Executing them all... would leave the court empty in the future, not a pleasant sight for conducting affairs.

These ministers immediately knelt, trembling. "We deserve death, Your Majesty, please spare our lives..."

The Second Prince's contorted face relaxed as he accepted his fate, bowing his head and kneeling to plead. "Please, Father Emperor, spare them! All the mistakes are mine alone. Why punish the innocent?"

At this point, he had no choice but to accept his fate. He probably wouldn't have a good outcome, but those who had mistakenly aligned themselves with him would naturally suffer some misfortune. However, it wasn't necessary for them all to die. Only a few of his closest aides had truly served him. Many of his connections weren't that deep, and there was no need for such brutality.

Imperial Concubine Zhen glanced at her son, removed the hairpin from her head, letting her hair fall, and knelt on the ground, bowing deeply. "I am willing to guard the imperial mausoleum to atone for my unfilial son's sins!"

Saying she would guard the imperial mausoleum was akin to sacrificing herself, not seeking survival. Although she knew the risks when she decided to act, she still felt a pang of sadness at this moment.

"The ministers in the court were misled by my son. They momentarily strayed. In truth, many of them aren't inherently bad. What if the Emperor first detains them for thorough investigation? Many should be able to redeem their crimes with meritorious service."

"Please, Your Majesty, show mercy!"

"Please, Your Majesty, show mercy!"

Perhaps feeling sympathy for the fallen, not only did the Second Prince's faction beg for mercy, but the ministers who were previously uninvolved and hadn't spoken up also followed suit, kneeling to plead. Even Empress Rou joined in, curtseying and interceding on their behalf.

Whether she was genuinely kind-hearted or acting for the benefit of the Third Prince was another matter. Everyone else's response was consistent: they believed the impact was too broad, and there was no need for such bloodshed. However, the Emperor wouldn't listen.

"Anyone who pleads for mercy will be executed as well! I'll say it again. Those who requested the appointment of a Crown Prince, disrespecting the divine authority and defying the Son of Heaven, shall all be put to death! Their properties shall be confiscated, males above ten years old shall be granted death, and those below ten shall be sent to the border. Women shall be sent to the Imperial Music Bureau!"

That night, the imperial city was stained with blood.

The number of secret agents the Second Prince had cultivated wasn't small, all young and strong. Their blood, mixed with that of half the court ministers, dyed the steps of the imperial city red. The palace servants trembled as they cleaned for three days, but they couldn't completely wash away the stains.

The Second Prince's maternal grandfather and Imperial Concubine Zhen's family were also implicated. They were massacred, exiled, and their properties seized, sparing none. All officials who had closely associated with the Second Prince suffered the same fate.

The subsequent problems were evident. Too many people had been killed, reducing the number of officials attending court by more than half. Administrative orders required people to carry them out. Without enough personnel, how could the work be done?

The Emperor actually had a way —

Granting an Imperial Pardon!

It didn’t matter if there were fewer people; finding a batch of new talents to supplement the ranks would mean there were people to use. He had already done this before, so doing it again wouldn’t be much different!

Moreover, it could quickly shift the focus of public attention. Once this news came out, everyone’s eyes would be on the scholars about to enter the examination hall. Who would still care whether he killed or not, or whether the Crown Prince was appointed?

Wen Ruan was impressed.

"Our Emperor is quite skilled."

This way, they could continue to delay. A Crown Prince needed to be established, but how and when to do it, whether to conduct an assessment, where to find the officials for the assessment… weren’t all these things important?

Zhu Yan nodded. "Indeed."

Wen Ruan thought, "The Third Prince should be anxious now. You have to be careful of any underhanded tricks he might play."

Zhu Yan replied, "We also need to be cautious elsewhere."

He had previously kidnapped Wen Yu and learned from him that another Imperial Pardon would be granted. It was indeed added now, but the timing was somewhat off. Wen Yu hadn’t mentioned that the Second Prince would rebel at this time. Was it because Wen Yu had concealed it, or did he not know either?

Wen Yu had indeed hidden some things, but there were also many things he genuinely didn’t know. People changed, the events they encountered changed, and the situation they pushed forward would also change. For example, the Second Prince’s rebellion was something he truly didn’t know about.

The same went for the Imperial Pardon. He remembered that it wasn’t added at this time, nor for this reason. What he knew was… he seemed to not know why the Imperial Pardon was added. He only knew that such an event existed.

Unable to figure it out, he decided not to think about it anymore. The opportunity was seized!

Wen Yu encouraged Jing Yuqing, "Brother Qing, you can’t miss this chance again. You must pass!"

Jing Yuqing held his book tightly, frowning impatiently. "Do you think I don’t know that?"

Wen Yu didn’t want to provoke him at this moment or argue with him, so he spoke gently. "Then, Brother Qing, study well. I won’t disturb you and will take good care of you, preparing everything you need."

Jing Yuqing said, "I will pass."

Wen Yu responded, "Hmm?"

"You don’t have to pretend to be so cautious," Jing Yuqing stared at Wen Yu, his eyes gradually turning gloomy. "As if the reason I don’t pass isn’t your fault, and I can’t cause you any trouble."

Wen Yu replied, "That’s not what I meant…"

After failing twice in a row, Jing Yuqing’s mood became increasingly unstable. On the surface, he appeared calm, but in reality, he was sensitive and suspicious, moody and very irritable. Where was the composure, confidence, and gentlemanly elegance of his previous life? Anyone would sigh at the sight of such a handsome statesman’s demeanor?

Why had he changed?

In fact, he didn’t have much confidence in his heart. His previous certainty about predicting fate and his expectations and affirmation of Jing Yuqing had unknowingly turned into unease and anxiety.

The person was still the same person. Even if fate had small variables, their talent wouldn’t be different, right? They shouldn’t fail…

Time passed quickly. The lively Imperial Pardon was held in the capital and ended just as lively. When the imperial list was revealed, Jing Yuqing’s name was not on it.

He failed again!

It was hard for Wen Yu not to be disappointed. What had gone wrong! He lived again, knowing the future, and many of the things he saw had come true. Why was it that only Jing Yuqing was off, lacking everything he should have!

"Are you coming to ask me why I didn’t pass again?" Jing Yuqing leaned against the headboard, awake but not getting up. His chin was full of stubble. Looking at the person who had come, his eyes were dark. "Do you still think you haven’t done anything wrong!"

Wen Yu was baffled. "What did I do wrong…"

Yes, he had made a mistake. He shouldn’t have married this person, shouldn’t have had any expectations of this person!

Jing Yuqing glared at him with a sinister gaze, his words filled with resentment. "If I hadn’t married you, how could I have wasted my time like this, failing three times in a row!"

He recalled the dream he had just had, one he wanted to indulge in for the rest of his life, never wanting to wake up from.

Or perhaps, it wasn’t a dream. That was the life he should have led.

There, he vaguely saw another version of himself, his name on the golden list, a third-place laureate, his career flourishing, walking all the way to becoming a powerful minister, second only to the Emperor, above ten thousand others, his career going smoothly, and his home life also going smoothly.

He married a wife, also a male wife, whose face he couldn’t see clearly, but whenever she spoke to him, he felt warmth. Whenever any major event occurred, he was willing to discuss it with this wife. She gave him many suggestions, each hitting the nail on the head. She would gently pour him tea, act capriciously and command him to coax her, occasionally bully him and belittle him, saying he was silly, but deep down, he understood that it was for his own good. Many of her words were also very reasonable, and many of her thoughts coincided with his own. It was difficult for him to refute them…

With such soulful compatibility, how could he not be willing to accept and get close to her? He even occasionally sought out trivial matters, insisting on sticking to his wife for even the smallest of things, and his mother had no objections at all.

His mother liked this daughter-in-law very much and handed over all household affairs to her to manage. No matter what decisions she made, regardless of what others said outside, his mother had never doubted her. Their relationship was better than the one between him and his mother.

All his matters, his wife would pay attention to and empathize with, caring deeply for him. It was a special kind of care, different from others, just like how he also cared deeply for this wife. Seeing her brought him joy, and not seeing her made him miss her. All matters concerning his wife, he inexplicably paid attention to, preferring her happiness over his own.

They took care of each other, paid for each other, and couldn’t live without each other. Each day was sweeter than the last…

When Jing Yuqing woke up, tears streamed down his face.

This was the life he wanted, the soulmate he desired.

In the dream, he couldn’t see the face of that person, didn’t know who that person was, but it was definitely not Wen Yu.

He had married the wrong person, thus missing out on the life he should have had.

Wen Yu was terrified. "What are you talking about…"

How did it seem like he knew about his past life?

Yes, he could live again, knowing the future, so why couldn’t others?

From the looks of it, Jing Yuqing didn’t know much yet, wasn’t that certain. If he knew nothing, he would surely want to kill him now!

Wen Yu was unwilling to believe that Jing Yuqing was a cunning person, ambitious but lacking in ability. After all, regardless of his past life or when he first approached Jing Yuqing, this man wasn’t like that. Why had he changed?

Perhaps, Jing Yuqing was actually a piece of unpolished jade, someone with potential, capable of moving in a good direction. This piece of unpolished jade needed refinement. In his past life, Wen Ruan could do it, but he, Wen Yu, couldn’t. Without proper refinement, the unpolished jade couldn’t become a fine object, growing darker and sinking into the mire, naturally losing even the slightest bit of brilliance it originally possessed.

Trapped by that predetermined future in his memory, had he confined himself and Jing Yuqing as well?

Wen Yu couldn't help but think so, for there was no other way to explain it; this was the only explanation he could come up with.

So in his previous life, Jing Yuqing wasn't inherently superior in strength, but rather, it was Wen Ruan's doing? He originally didn't possess such great capabilities, wasn't cut out to be a steady power behind the throne, but it was Wen Ruan who guided him step by step, pushing him forward?

How did Wen Ruan manage to do it? How could one awaken someone as sensitive, insecure, yet proud as Jing Yuqing!

Wen Yu began to regret.

He should have listened to Wen Ruan. Relying on others is never as reliable as relying on oneself. What he thought was a shortcut turned out not to be one at all, but rather a more arduous path. What he should have done from the start was to cultivate himself, enduring temporary hardship and fatigue for an immeasurable return in the future!

He ran out of the room, found a secluded corner, crouched down, hugged himself, and wept bitterly.

So what should he do now? Was it still salvageable?

Wen Yu began to seriously consider his own future.

He couldn't rely on Jing Yuqing anymore, and taking the imperial examination was out of the question, having long lost interest in it. What else could he do? Who else was there...

Biting his nails, he suddenly remembered someone.

The Tenth Prince!

The Tenth Prince would become the future emperor! This couldn't be wrong!

Since he couldn't rely on his husband, he would take matters into his own hands. He would do what Jing Yuqing was unwilling to do, earning some merit for himself, ensuring a lifetime of peace and security!

In his memory, it seemed that the Tenth Prince had faced a life-threatening crisis this year...

When exactly was it?

Think! Think hard! He must remember!