Chapter 33: Go, Handsome Warrior

Chapter 33: Go, Handsome Warrior

—There's no going back to the Northern City; keeping it would only make Yu'er homesick. It's better to burn it and cut off all thoughts.

Shang Rongyu rubbed the small piece of paper between his thumb and index finger with force.

The small piece of paper was soon rubbed into nothingness.

Cut off all thoughts?

What thoughts?

The thoughts of fleeing far away with his cousin, living together in bliss?

Ran Qinggu saw the cold light in Shang Rongyu's eyes as he looked at him, like a beast whose prey had been taken, his teeth grinding audibly.

He didn't understand how he had provoked this person again.

Shang Rongyu sneered. "It's good to cut off thoughts, Heir's Consort. You'd best cut off the thoughts you shouldn't."

Ran Qinggu: "..."

How did this happen out of nowhere? Could it be that Shang Rongyu discovered something?

Could it be that the first group sent to investigate was dispatched by Shang Rongyu?

Normally, the injury on his hand was covered by powder and long sleeves with jade bracelets, so he never exposed it, and others wouldn't notice his wrist...

Only Shang Rongyu lay with him night after night.

Ran Qinggu suddenly remembered the day when Shang Rongyu forced him to change clothes in front of him.

Could it be that he discovered something that day?

Shang Rongyu walked to the bed and spread his arms. "Come here, help me change."

Ran Qinggu walked over and slowly untied Shang Rongyu's waistband.

Suddenly, Shang Rongyu pressed down on Ran Qinggu's hand. "Heir's Consort, this Heir has too many enemies. To prevent someone from taking their hatred for me out on you, my Heir's Consort, next time, send the family letter to me first. After I check that there's no poison on the letter, I'll give it to you. If you want to write a family letter, you must also let me see it first, to prevent anyone from tampering with it during delivery."

Wasn't this clearly an attempt to see the content of his family letters?

Shang Rongyu indeed suspected him.

Ran Qinggu lowered his eyes and nodded obediently. "Yes."

Shang Rongyu smiled in satisfaction. "Taozi seems to know little about the etiquette of the Prince's Mansion, she's too wild. Why not send her to my mother, the princess, to learn some manners before sending her back to the Heir's Consort?"

Ran Qinggu was puzzled. "Huh? Why? She hasn't done anything wrong..."

The warmth in Shang Rongyu's eyes cooled, replaced by an endless, dangerous chill.

"What? You're reluctant? Because she's your cousin's maid?"

He indeed suspected him.

Ran Qinggu pondered.

If Taozi were sent to the princess, given Taozi's personality and the princess's emphasis on rules and etiquette, Taozi would have a hard time.

But he couldn't refuse.

He couldn't reveal himself yet.

Hesitation?

This was lingering affection.

You're this Heir's Heir's Consort, lying in this Heir's bed, yet thinking of another man. Do you know that women like you, who don't abide by the ways of virtue, would be drowned in pig cages?

Shang Rongyu suddenly pressed Ran Qinggu's head and bit down on his lips, biting until blood flowed from the corner of Ran Qinggu's mouth.

"Does it hurt?" Shang Rongyu asked.

"It hurts." Ran Qinggu answered.

Shang Rongyu: "If it hurts, remember this. This Heir is your husband, and my demands, you can only answer 'yes' to."

Ran Qinggu: "Taozi has been with me since childhood..."

Shang Rongyu said coldly, "Following your cousin, right?"

Ran Qinggu sweated.

This person was indeed investigating him.

He indeed suspected him, even checking who Taozi followed.

But why did he grind his teeth when mentioning "cousin"?

Could it be that he already suspected his identity?

To dispel the flaws in his words and the suspicion, Ran Qinggu said, "I grew up with my cousin, Taozi following him means she was also following me."

Shang Rongyu's tone turned colder. "So, you and your cousin are this close, you and I are indistinguishable?"

Ran Qinggu: "..."

There was no way to communicate anymore.

Shang Rongyu's anger surged, and with a forceful shove, he pushed Ran Qinggu against the bed, tearing off his clothes before pouncing on him.

He did not overstep any boundaries, merely biting down on Ran Qinggu's neck, collarbone, and lips.

Each bite was delivered with intensity.

Ran Qinggu let out muffled cries of pain several times but managed to endure them.

A few bites were better than having his clothes torn off.

"If the Heir dislikes that girl, I can transfer her outside the estate to manage the sundries shop. Otherwise, I fear her wild nature might upset the Princess Consort."

Only then did Shang Rongyu raise his head. Seeing the red blood marks he had left on Ran Qinggu's neck and collarbone, a pang of regret momentarily struck him.

Since the Heir's Consort had conceded, he could not be too demanding. After all, he could not allow his Heir's Consort to feel inferior to his cousin. Thus, he said, "It's up to you."

With that, he lay down on the bed and, in a manner akin to friends chatting, asked, "What kind of person is your cousin?"

If it weren't for the Emperor's arranged marriage, the current Heir's Consort would likely have already been living an ordinary life with that unremarkable cousin, rather than being embroiled in palace intrigue within this vast mansion, sharing a bed with a man she disliked.

He believed he treated the Heir's Consort well enough.

Despite his family background and appearance, he had not swayed the position his cousin held in the Heir's Consort's heart.

How deeply must she love her cousin? What kind of person was he?

He refused to believe that the Heir's Consort could remain fixated on a plain, unaccomplished invalid.

Ran Qinggu lay fully clothed and replied indifferently, "He isn't in good health."

The moment Shang Rongyu heard his Heir's Consort speak about her cousin's condition, irritation arose, yet he had no choice but to listen: "I know that much; tell me something else."

Ran Qinggu continued, "His life is dull, revolving around eating, dressing, maintaining his health, reading books..."

And scheming.

Shang Rongyu was surprised. "That's it?"

Ran Qinggu nodded. "That's it."

His existence was inherently monotonous, repeating these tedious tasks day after day.

Shang Rongyu changed his approach. "Then what aspect of him attracts you the most?"

After some thought, Ran Qinggu responded, "There is nothing about him that attracts me."

If he were a woman, he would never fall in love with someone like himself, akin to a walking corpse.

Alive, yet as good as dead.

If given a choice, he would never choose to be a person like himself again.

In the boundless expanse of his life, everything was shrouded in darkness.

Shang Rongyu found himself confused about his Heir's Consort.

Her cousin sounded utterly dull and devoid of charm, unremarkable without any standout qualities.

So why would the Heir's Consort remain chaste for such a person?

Could it be that...

He, Shang Rongyu, had simply missed his timing — meeting the Heir's Consort later than her cousin, lacking a shared history of fond memories...

==

On the Double Ninth Festival, also known as "Farewell to Green" or "Autumn Treading," ladies from various estates would visit temples to pray for longevity and climb mountains to "ward off disasters."

At dawn, the carriages of the Prince's estate were prepared with exquisite osmanthus cakes, rice wine, and incense for their journey to the outskirts to Zhongming Temple.

Zhongming Temple was situated on Nan Shan, the highest mountain in the outskirts of the capital. Every autumn, the chrysanthemums in the mountain bloomed splendidly in a myriad of colors, while the mountain's dogwood grew lushly, its fruits a vivid red. As a result, many ladies would gather dogwood berries to make sachets to ward off evil and disasters for their loved ones.

By noon, they had arrived at Zhongming Temple, where the incense burned profusely, and countless noble families passed through.

Ran Qinggu accompanied the Princess Consort for a simple vegetarian meal and some osmanthus pastries provided by the temple. The pastries here were not particularly tasty, and he only took a few symbolic bites.

The Princess Consort smiled. "I understand that young people enjoy climbing high places to admire chrysanthemums and osmanthus flowers. Since we've come out today, there's no need for you to stay by my side. Go find Rongyu. A few days ago, he accompanied the Emperor to Nan Shan for the autumn hunt and is still at this temple."

Ran Qinggu nodded. "Yes."

In the Da Su Dynasty, literature and martial arts were equally esteemed.

During the spring hunt, the sons and daughters of nobles would accompany the Emperor, with hunting being just one activity among many, primarily serving as an opportunity for court families to travel together, enjoying the scenery and flowers.

However, the autumn hunt was exclusive to noble sons, a genuine test of horsemanship and archery skills.

Spring was a time of rejuvenation, when animals mated, making it a season for rest and recuperation.

But if it were merely an outing, it would lack excitement, so hunting was included as a minor activity, with a limited scope, mostly for entertainment.

The autumn hunt, however, was different.

Only noble men could participate in the autumn hunt, which was a real battle of skill and strength on horseback.

The autumn hunt had taken place a few days prior, also in Nan Shan.

Leaving the temple's quarters, Ran Qinggu headed toward the rear mountain.

Many people were there, with numerous young women picking the bright red fruits of the dogwood bushes, while others strolled leisurely, admiring the flowers and maple leaves.

Hardly taking a few steps, Ran Qinggu encountered the Third Prince, Shang Yuzhou.

In his hand, Shang Yuzhou held a large bunch of bright red cornelian cherry fruits, smiling as he offered them to Ran Qinggu: "This fruit wards off evil and dispels misfortune. Princess Heir, you should gather more; next year will surely be one of favorable weather and abundant harvest."

Ran Qinggu did not accept them, saying coolly, "Thank you, Third Prince, but you should keep this for yourself."

The sunlight was not intense at the moment, yet beads of sweat dotted his forehead. Despite this, he still wore a white silk cloak that covered him tightly from the neck down.

Shang Yuzhou remarked indifferently, "It is indeed cooler in the mountains at night, but it's rather hot now. Aren't you afraid of the heat?"

Ran Qinggu shook his head. "Not at all."

Shang Yuzhou feigned a loud inquiry. "Are you looking for the Heir? He's on the back mountain. I'll take you to him."

Ran Qinggu bowed. "I'm indebted to you, Third Prince."

As they walked to a less crowded area, the two began to discuss serious matters in hushed tones.

Ran Qinggu: "The Crown Prince has lost his power. The Second Prince will undoubtedly rise with the wind. We must not act rashly; we should simply watch from the sidelines."

Shang Yuzhou was puzzled. "Since the Crown Prince has lost his power, why don't we make our move now?"

Ran Qinggu's expression remained calm. "If you act now, you will be the first to die."

Shang Yuzhou frowned, his brows furrowed with confusion.

Ran Qinggu continued, "The Crown Prince only appears to have lost his power, but the Emperor will certainly allow him to rise again. No matter how much the Second Prince fights with the Crown Prince, the Emperor will turn a blind eye because they are his two beloved sons. But you cannot do the same. If you make your move now, you will inevitably reveal your true intentions, and years of your disguise will be undone."

"At that point, in the Emperor's eyes, he will see you as a wolf in sheep's clothing, plotting against the Crown Prince to seize power and usurp the throne. You will be the instigator of this strife. At that time, it won't be the Crown Prince or the Second Prince who wants you dead, but the Emperor himself. If he considers father-son affection, you might be able to save your life, but you will spend the rest of your days in the Royal Clan Temple. If he shows no mercy, your life will be over. Therefore, we can only hold our ground now, wait for the right opportunity, and strike to kill in one blow."

Shang Yuzhou clenched his teeth, his expression darkening. "There is no father-son affection in the royal family."

Ran Qinggu shook his head and sighed. "There is, just not for you."

Within the King's palace, he had seen the interactions between King Cheng and Shang Rongyu. Although Shang Rongyu often caused headaches for King Cheng, the king's scolding always carried an undertone of indulgence. And whatever Shang Rongyu did, he always had a sense of propriety, maintaining a perfect balance.

Every time King Cheng scolded Shang Rongyu, although he seemed furious, Ran Qinggu could tell that the king truly regarded Shang Rongyu as his pride and joy.

His father treated both his elder brother and him similarly.

But neither he nor his elder brother would provoke their father to the extent that Shang Rongyu did.

Yet, Shang Yuzhou lacked these experiences.

To the Emperor, he was nothing more than a dog, demanding loyalty in exchange for scraps and beating him without reason when displeased. If he wanted him to live, he lived; if he wanted him to die, he died.

Sometimes, Shang Yuzhou was worse off than a dog.

At least some dogs, after showing loyalty and playfully wagging their tails, could earn a glance from their owners. But the Emperor had never looked at Shang Yuzhou with anything resembling respect.

Shang Yuzhou said urgently, "I know all of this, but I can't let you stay in the palace for too long. The longer you stay, the more dangerous it becomes."

If he could kill the Crown Prince sooner and take his place, then he could free Ran Qinggu from his current predicament earlier.

Ran Qinggu interrupted him. "That's precisely the problem. You're too eager for quick success. Some things in life only offer one chance, and if you act, you must succeed. In this regard..."

His words trailed off, caught in his throat.

Why did he think of Shang Rongyu at this moment?

But it was true. In this aspect, Shang Yuzhou fell short compared to Shang Rongyu, even falling behind Shang Rongque, Shang Rongyu's elder brother.

When it came to temperament, Shang Rongyu was truly unparalleled.

No matter who he faced, he could handle situations with ease, twisting black and white to his advantage.

Confused, Shang Yuzhou asked, "What?"

Ran Qinggu replied, "Nothing..."

As they walked, his cloak got caught on a wild thorny vine by the roadside. As the vine pulled, the cloak fell off.

Ran Qinggu hurriedly bent down to pick it up, but Shang Yuzhou beat him to it, retrieving the cloak.

As he handed it back to Ran Qinggu, he noticed the marks of bites and bruises on Ran Qinggu's neck and collarbone.

Some were fading, while others still glowed red, scattered across his pale skin in a pattern that was both decadent and strangely alluring, evoking vivid imaginations.

These were left by Shang Rongyu half a month ago, when he inexplicably insisted on biting him, leaving marks that lingered for ten days or more due to his lack of blood color.

Ran Qinggu hastily reached for the cloak, but Shang Yuzhou held onto it firmly, asking, "Was this done by Shang Rongyu? He's nothing but a ruffian. How could he treat you like this..."

Ran Qinggu pulled the cloak away. "Rest assured, he hasn't done anything to me yet. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here unharmed."

Shang Yuzhou cursed angrily. "That ruffian, daring to force himself on you like this."

Ran Qinggu fastened the cloak. "Have you ever considered that, in a way, he's a man of integrity? When I refused to consummate our marriage, he didn't force me. Yet, I am his Princess Heir, and serving him is my duty."

Confused, Shang Yuzhou asked, "Why are you defending him? Do you know what kind of person he is? A killer without hesitation, acting without regard for consequences, defying norms, violent and unruly, chopping off limbs and cutting out tongues... Perhaps there has never been such a tyrant in a thousand years, and you've unfortunately crossed paths with him."

Ran Qinggu spoke calmly. "But I think it's good that he lives this way. When I was young, my father and brother always taught me to be a certain kind of person, to be a pillar of the nation, a great scholar, to leave a name in history, to be remembered for generations, to excel in both literature and martial arts... But no one ever told me to do what I want. He was the first person to say that to me."

Before Shang Yuzhou could express his astonishment, Ran Qinggu continued. "Like you, your edges have been smoothed. Like me, my limbs have been broken. Like the high officials in the court, they've been forced into shells. Like the Emperor, burdened by the weight of the empire. Like the Crown Prince, bound by the power of the throne... There isn't a single person in the world who lives as freely and extravagantly as he does, doing whatever he pleases... He embodies the life that so many people dream of but cannot have, the life I most want to live... If I could choose, I would also want to live freely. Sometimes I wonder if princes and descendants of royalty can all live like him. Later, I realized I was wrong. It seems that only he alone in the entire world can live that way. Sometimes, I really envy him. He's like a favored child of heaven..."

Shang Yuzhou scoffed. "You're the first person to say such things about him."

Ran Qinggu remained noncommittal. "Rong Yu, isn't that the Heir's Consort?" Lu Yunshen called out, "Look at the Third Prince, so elegant and graceful, he picked such a large handful of red beans, that handful is at least twice as big as what an average person would pick, and he wouldn't even let the Heir's Consort carry it, afraid it might burden her... And look at you..."

Lu Yunshen scanned him up and down, his eyes filled with disdain: "If I were the Heir's Consort, I'd immediately have an affair, even if it meant being drowned in a pig cage, I wouldn't look back."

"Are you blind? Those are clearly cornelian cherry fruits, not red beans, red your father." Shang Rongyu crossed his arms, glaring fiercely at the two striking figures in the distance.

This woman was indeed a magnet for men, quite skilled...

Eating from one pot while still thinking about the previous one, now she had found another pot outside.

Was he raised on food from a hundred households, having to meddle with every pot?

Did she really take him, Shang Rongyu, as a mere decoration?

Could it be that he had been too good to her, allowing her to become so arrogant and presumptuous as to dare dye his hat green? Not just any green, but twice as green!

Lu Yunshen tutted twice: "Still, the Third Prince is considerate, knowing that red beans are poisonous and could easily harm the body when worn, so he used cornelian cherry fruits instead."

He casually plucked a wild chrysanthemum from the roadside and stuffed it into Shang Rongyu's hand: "Brother can only help you this far, go on, handsome young warrior!"

Shang Rongyu threw the wild chrysanthemum in his face: "Go your father."

He strode down the steps, walking up to Ran Qinggu and Shang Yuzhou, and pulled Ran Qinggu over to kiss her in front of Shang Yuzhou.

Lu Yunshen clicked his tongue.

Why hadn't the Heir's Consort divorced Shang Rongyu yet?

If his brother dared to kiss his sister-in-law like that in public, his sister-in-law would have exploded long ago.

A lady spent a lot of time putting on makeup before leaving the house.

Lip makeup was the hardest to apply and the easiest to smudge off, once smudged, the entire makeup would appear old-fashioned.

Therefore, his sister-in-law hardly touched her chopsticks when entertaining guests outside.

And here was Shang Rongyu, kissing and licking her outside, not gentle or considerate at all.

Ran Qinggu's lips were left glossy and moist by Shang Rongyu's kiss. After the kiss, Shang Rongyu asked with a smile, "You didn't even tell the servants to notify me when you came, I could have come to pick you up."

Ran Qinggu smiled: "I was actually coming to find the Heir."

Shang Rongyu looked at the large handful of red cornelian cherry fruits in Shang Yuzhou's hands and laughed in an unusually ambiguous manner: "Yu'er, if you want to give me a sachet, just do it, why make the Third Prince pick cornelian cherries for you? You're not being obedient at all."

Saying this, he snatched the cornelian cherry fruits from Shang Yuzhou's hands: "Thank you, Third Prince."

Shang Yuzhou: "..." Could you at least pretend to be affectionate more convincingly?

Ran Qinggu: "..."

He couldn't sew sachets at all, when did he say he would give one?

Shang Rongyu pulled Ran Qinggu a few steps away, then remembered something and took out an oiled paper package from his chest.

The oiled paper package was soft, easily dented with a light squeeze.

Glancing at it, it was a glutinous rice cake.

It should have been a modified glutinous rice cake.

Ordinary glutinous rice cakes were much harder than this one, this one was soft and sticky, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus and honey.

It must have been made by a chef who ground glutinous rice flour and rice flour into powder, mixed with osmanthus and honey, and steamed it overnight on a stove.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be so soft and sticky.

Shang Rongyu smiled: "The vegetarian dishes on this mountain aren't very good, you probably haven't eaten much, so I had someone buy you a glutinous rice cake from the foot of the mountain, your stomach has been bad recently, softer food is easier to digest. When we get home tonight, I'll have someone cook you something delicious."

Ran Qinggu was stunned, her eyelashes trembled, her lips slightly quivering, she subconsciously asked.

"—Where are we going?"

"Home, what's wrong with you? The mansion, home. Why have you been acting so silly lately?" Shang Rongyu chuckled, taking Ran Qinggu's hand, "When we get home tonight, I'll take you to eat something delicious, the food on this mountain is almost all fit for pigs, I don't know how Empress Dowager managed to eat it, dragging you up to the mountain to suffer."

In Ran Qinggu's ears, it seemed as though Shang Rongyu's words from that day in the Eastern Palace echoed.

—"I've come to take you home."

An extremely ordinary sentence.

But to him, it was subtle.

A man like him, who had walked through mountains of corpses, stepping on piles of bones, his hands stained with endless blood...

Suddenly, someone said they would take him home, he was very unaccustomed to it.

"The Heir is really good to Yu'er." Ran Qinggu replied politely.

Shang Rongyu raised his eyebrows: "Of course, you're my Heir's Consort, it's only right that I treat you well, the most you ever say to me seems to be 'you're really good to me', don't you have anything else to say to me, like 'Husband, pamper Yu'er'?"

Ran Qinggu lowered her head bashfully.

She didn't know what Shang Rongyu had been up to lately, always saying strange things to her.

Shang Yuzhou seemed to see a smile in Ran Qinggu's eyes.

It was a smile that came from the heart.

He had never seen Ran Qinggu like this before.

Ran Qinggu's most frequent words to Shang Rongyu were, "You're so good to me."

But Ran Qinggu's most frequent words to him were, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will repay the life I owe you. The Crown Prince's life, I will certainly offer before my death."

- Your Highness, rest assured, I will repay the life I owe you.

- The Crown Prince's life, I will certainly offer before my death.

Shang Yuzhou's ears were filled with this clear and calm voice.

At first, his relationship with Ran Qinggu was merely a transaction; he saved Ran Qinggu's life, and Ran Qinggu would return it to him.

When he said he wanted the Crown Prince's life, Ran Qinggu didn't even ask how difficult it would be, simply agreeing.

But as they continued their transactions, he suddenly didn't want to transact anymore.

When did this start?

Shang Yuzhou reminisced in a daze.

It seemed to have begun when he was very young.

His mother was a singer from a folk acrobatic troupe, who caught the eye of Emperor Shang Qianxian while he was incognito on the streets. Shang Qianxian took a fancy to her and had his way with her. When he heard she was pregnant upon returning to the palace, he took her into his harem.

After entering the palace, she was neglected by Shang Qianxian within days.

How could a commoner understand the intrigue of the imperial harem? She had no powerful family to rely on, no solid backing in the palace, and not even the Emperor's favor.

After being framed, her rank was repeatedly demoted, from a Fifth Rank Noble Consort to a Seventh Rank Lady-in-Waiting.

Later, the Emperor never asked about them again. They moved from Cheng'an Hall to a courtyard near the Cold Palace.

It was just a garden away from the Cold Palace, essentially exiled there.

The two eunuchs and maids serving them saw no future in them and sought various ways to be transferred elsewhere.

From then on, the remote, cold, small palace courtyard was where only the two of them lived, mother and son, relying on each other for survival.

The eunuchs and maids of the Imperial Household knew that his mother was out of favor. Each time, they either deducted food or money for coal and firewood.

Later, even their monthly rations ceased. Mother and son ate worse than the lowest-ranking eunuchs and maids.

Eunuchs and maids had monthly stipends, which they could earn more of by working harder. But they had nothing.

They split a steamed bun in half, sharing a bowl of clear soup mouthful by mouthful.

In the depths of winter, the two huddled under thin blankets, shivering from the cold as they watched the snowflakes through the broken window.

When summer arrived, they slept outdoors in the courtyard to cool off.

Without incense, the courtyard was swarmed with mosquitoes in summer, enough to drain a person dry.

His mother stayed awake all night to swat mosquitoes and fan him, but still, he was bitten all over. Scratching the bites would break the skin, leading to infection, ulcers, and pus.

Later, at four years old, he was malnourished and small. His mother gave him all the food so he could eat his fill.

At that time, he envied the eunuchs in the palace the most. Eunuchs could eat warm, whole steamed buns, something he had never tasted.

He even told his mother that when he grew up, he would become a eunuch so that both of them could have enough to eat.

She told him that he was a prince, and princes couldn't become eunuchs.

He was heartbroken and upset for quite some time, lamenting the unfairness of fate. Why could others become eunuchs, but not him?

Afterwards, to ensure he could have warm buns, his mother began helping eunuchs and maids wash clothes, sweep courtyards, and trim the palace flowers in exchange for a little money.

Every time she found work, she was delighted, despite the meager earnings.

He was also happy because they could finally have a full meal.

At that time, his entire world revolved around his mother.

He didn't know his identity or what a prince did. Even when he went out to play, he stayed close to the small courtyard, for if he wandered too far, eunuchs and maids would come to their door and bully him and his mother.

During the winter of his fifth year, it was particularly cold.

Massive snowflakes fell incessantly, covering houses, ground, and trees with icicles. It was said that countless people froze to death outside the palace walls.

In previous winters, they could at least huddle together for warmth, but this winter was clearly going to be unbearable.

His mother said she would go to the Imperial Household to beg for some coal, after all, he was a prince.

Over the years, whenever she mentioned that he was a prince, her expression was relaxed and proud, as if he were a great hero destined to save the world.

He watched his mother leave, wrapped in an old, thin robe, braving the wind and snow. When she returned, she was covered in snow, her hands empty.

That night, his mother fell ill. She was drenched in cold sweat, her teeth chattering, her body frighteningly hot.

He called out to her, but she didn't respond, her eyes tightly shut, her face ashen.

If not for her shivering from the cold, he would have thought his mother was already dead.

He couldn't let her die like this.

He ran out, seeking help from those outside.

That was the first time he saw his father, the Emperor.

It was also the first time he understood what it meant to be a prince.

As he rushed out, he spotted a man in splendid yellow robes with prominent brows and starry eyes. This man blocked his path, forcing him to the ground where he knelt, pleading for help for his mother.

The man frowned, accompanied by two or three children dressed in luxurious garments, their features as if carved from jade. Compared to them, his own emaciated and sickly appearance was akin to an ant's insignificance.

He noticed how the palace maids and eunuchs treated these children with utmost respect, addressing them as "Crown Prince," "Second Imperial Prince," and "Sixth Imperial Prince."

His mother had told him that he was the Third Imperial Prince.

The towering, handsome man with prominent brows and starry eyes glanced at him disdainfully, asking irritably, "Where did this child come from? How could he be in the palace?"

The palace attendants exchanged glances, while he trembled and said, "My name is Shang Yuzhou. My mother says I'm the Third Imperial Prince. Please, kind sir, save my mother."

The emperor's eyes widened in shock, his expression turning sour as he kicked the boy away. "Impudent! How can you, a prince, dress like this? It disgraces the royal family."

He glared at the maids and eunuchs. "Which palace has been raising the Third Imperial Prince? How could they let him become like this?"

The maids and eunuchs were terrified, not daring to admit that they had bullied Wang Baolin due to her lack of favor. They lowered their heads and explained, "The Third Imperial Prince is the son of Wang Baolin. She couldn't bear to part with her son, so she raised him herself, but little did she know…"

Then a graceful woman spoke a few words, and the emperor ordered Consort Mei to take him back.

Consort Mei gently held his hand, offering him a warm sleeve to keep his hands warm, and without minding his filthy state, she embraced him, calling him Zhou'er. She even took many fruits he had never tasted before from a nearby tray.

That night, he was taken back to Consort Mei's quarters, where she dressed him in beautiful and expensive clothes, gave him a hot bath, and prepared a feast for him.

Here, all the eunuchs and maids bowed and respectfully addressed him as the Third Imperial Prince.

No one dared to bully him anymore.

However, they forbade him from mentioning his mother or returning to find her. They made him call Consort Mei "Mother."

No one came to his aid; instead, they watched him closely, fearful that he would run off again.

Taking advantage of the dead of night, he stole all the food from Consort Mei's chambers, intending to bring it back for his mother to eat.

If his mother ate enough, she would get better.

But when he returned to the small courtyard, he found no trace of his mother. The cold wind howled through the window, sharp as a blade.

He hid the food under the bed in a secret compartment and set off to search for his mother in the places she often visited.

He searched for a long time, the thick snow illuminating his path.

Finally, he found his mother by the Rain Flower Pond.

The woman lay in the snow, her body covered in ice, her face pale. A thick layer of snow had settled on her, like a blanket.

In the deep snow, a small jade pendant was barely visible.

He picked it up and examined it.

It was the same jade pendant worn by the Crown Prince earlier that day.

Gripping the pendant tightly, he knelt by the Rain Flower Pond, wailing and calling out to her, but she could no longer hear him.

That night, he dragged his mother's body through the snow, five-year-old and unable to catch even a chick, yet he pulled her for hours until he collapsed in the snow.

It wasn't until he grew older that he discovered the truth: that night, when his mother didn't see him return, she became anxious and, despite her illness, ventured out to look for him.

She called him "Fatty."

Because she came from the common people, there was a folk belief that if you called out what you wanted, it would come to you.

She thought he was too thin and weak, wanting him to gain weight, so she called him "Fatty."

Little did she know that the Crown Prince had always been overweight and was deeply insecure about it, hating any mention of the word "fat" near him.

When his mother called out "Fatty" by the Rain Flower Pond, searching for him, she encountered the Crown Prince.

Enraged and humiliated, he believed she was mocking him and ordered his men to push her into the Rain Flower Pond.

The day he met Ran Qinggu was also marked by heavy snowfall, just like the night his mother died.

The Second Imperial Prince had committed a massacre, leaving him to clean up the aftermath.

The entire hillside was painted in only two colors—the red of blood and the white of snow.

Amidst the carnage, the snow fell heavily, pure, clean, and spotless…

It was amidst this snowy landscape that he saw him, much like his mother, lying on the snow, his face ghastly pale, his eyebrows, hair, and fingertips all covered in snow…

He stared in astonishment, hesitating to approach.

When the guards mentioned that he still had a pulse, he suddenly felt relieved, involuntarily looking up at the sky.

Was this Heaven finally feeling remorse, seeing him suffer for so long, and repaying him by taking away his dearest loved one? Or was it his mother, in her departure, arranging for someone else to take her place and stay by his side?

In this overlapping scene, he suddenly felt that fate was truly wondrous.

He lost one in the snow, only to encounter another in the snow, just like his mother, lying on the ground, covered in thick snow…

Shang Yuzhou was bewildered.

Watching Ran Qinggu and Shang Rongyu leave, a sense of indescribable unease filled his heart.

He had a nagging feeling that he wouldn't be able to keep this one either.

This person should have been by his side!

Suddenly, he didn't want the Crown Prince to die.

The Crown Prince isn't dead; there are still many ties between him and Ran Qinggu.

As long as the Crown Prince is alive, then Ran Qinggu owes him a life.

Should the Crown Prince die, what could he use to keep Ran Qinggu by his side?