Chapter 53: The Heir Feels a Little Weak

Chapter 53: The Heir Feels a Little Weak

Rumble—

In the pitch-black night, lightning flashed and thunder roared as fierce winds howled past, causing the candlelight to flicker and cast distorted, mottled shadows.

Shang Yuzhou walked over to close the window, muttering, "Autumn is almost here; the weather is about to change."

Fang Changgong stood respectfully by his side. "Your Highness, news has come from Chancellor Li that the Crown Prince and his advisors are planning to make their move at the hunting grounds."

Shang Yuzhou closed the window and latched it. "Oh?"

Fang Changgong flattered with a smile. "It was still Your Highness's brilliant plan to have Chancellor Li feign allegiance to the Crown Prince, inciting him to rebel. Once the Crown Prince makes his move, we can eliminate him, avenging your mother's death. We'll remove one of our thorns."

Facing the window, Shang Yuzhou listened to the raging storm and the rustling leaves outside.

A sudden flash of lightning illuminated Shang Yuzhou's cold, stern face, but not clearly.

Then, thunder boomed in their ears.

Fang Changgong saw no trace of excitement or anticipation on Shang Yuzhou's face, only indecision.

Confused, he asked, "Your Highness?"

As the Third Prince's companion since childhood, he knew how much Shang Yuzhou hated the Crown Prince, wishing for years to skin him alive.

Why, then, was he not excited now that their plan was about to bear fruit?

Shang Yuzhou turned to walk back into the room, saying calmly, "Changgong, tell Chancellor Li to temporarily cancel the plan for the Crown Prince to rebel. Whether that fool lives or dies doesn't affect our plans. Killing him is just a matter of time. When I hold power firmly in my hands, I will torture him slowly."

Fang Changgong said mournfully and urgently, "Your Highness, we've planned this for so long. How can you cancel it now? After the autumn hunt, when will there be another chance for the Crown Prince to rebel? If too much time passes and he and his advisors realize they've been manipulated, the consequences will be unimaginable..."

The autumn hunt was approaching, and if the Crown Prince wanted to act, it was the best opportunity. After all, the entire court would be at the hunting grounds, and the Emperor's escort consisted of the Imperial Guards, which were not a significant threat. As long as they were well-prepared, once the Crown Prince raised his banner in rebellion, the capital's defense forces would immediately apprehend him. At that point, the charge of treason would be established, and even if the Emperor wanted to protect him, he couldn't.

After all, the crime of treason was punishable by death or, at the very least, demotion.

They had worked hard for a long time to finally instigate the Crown Prince's desire to rebel. Now, on the brink of action, Shang Yuzhou was hesitating.

Shang Yuzhou's attitude brooked no refusal. "I have my reasons."

Fang Changgong argued, "Your Highness, you should at least consider Young Master Ran."

Shang Yuzhou looked at Fang Changgong.

That name stirred his emotions.

Fang Changgong said calmly, "Young Master Ran has toiled for five or six years for you, from North City to the capital. The plan to force the Crown Prince to rebel was his idea. You can't just abandon it without considering him."

Lifting his eyes, Shang Yuzhou said calmly, "I am doing this for him."

Ever since Ran Qinggu risked his life to retrieve that blood jade ring, Shang Yuzhou knew he was going to leave him.

Ran Qinggu had survived the battlefield of hell, knowing how difficult it was to save his own life. Therefore, he never made any unnecessary sacrifices and cherished his life dearly. Otherwise, he wouldn't have struggled so hard to live like a normal person.

For someone who valued his life so much to risk it to retrieve an inexpensive ring...

Did that mean the ring was more important than his life?

Ran Qinggu had always given him promises.

He promised to help him kill the Crown Prince, willing to plot for him.

But now that the Crown Prince was about to die, did that mean he was leaving him?

Once the Crown Prince fell, there would be nothing left to bind Ran Qinggu to him.

Even if Ran Qinggu wanted to leave him and go to Shang Rongyu's side, Shang Yuzhou had no right to stop him. After all, the debt of saving his life had already been repaid.

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

He didn't want Ran Qinggu to leave, even if it meant clinging to that meager bond, that thread-thin sentiment of gratitude. He just wanted him by his side.

Fang Changgong was taken aback.

He suddenly remembered the agreement between Ran Qinggu and the Third Prince.

Ran Qinggu had said that before helping the Third Prince kill the Crown Prince, his life belonged to Shang Yuzhou.

Shang Yuzhou was likely trying to use this method to keep Ran Qinggu under control.

He exploited Ran Qinggu's sense of honor and loyalty, keeping him firmly in his grasp.

Otherwise, Ran Qinggu, with his ruthless nature and lack of attachments, living like a walking corpse, could only be retained by Shang Yuzhou through that insignificant act of saving his life. What else could he use to keep him?

Indeed, a foolish man.

Stupid, utterly stupid.

Shang Yuzhou said calmly, "Tell Chancellor Li that the Crown Prince's life will be spared for now. Have him find a way to dissuade the Crown Prince from rebelling. From now on, focus our efforts on dealing with the Second Prince."

Fang Changgong neither nodded nor shook his head, stepping out into the courtyard. "I'll take my leave then."

The Third Prince nodded, and Fang Changgong opened the door, walking out.

One of the Third Prince's guests held an umbrella open for Fang Changgong, who strode into the rain. The water splashed against his clothes as the raindrops pelted down.

Under the dark night sky, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. The tree shadows swayed and stretched, while the fierce wind howled, carrying fallen leaves in its wake.

The retainers and Fang Changgong treaded through puddles and fallen leaves, heading out of the courtyard.

At that moment, a pigeon stood under the veranda, drenched to the bone, cooing softly.

Fang Changgong walked onto the corridor, raised his hand, and the pigeon flew onto it.

He stroked the rain off the pigeon's body, lost in thought as he watched the raging storm.

The retainer respectfully said, "This is the Prime Minister's homing pigeon. I'll fetch paper and pen for you, my lord."

Fang Changgong called out to him, questioning, "Why do you need paper and pen?"

The retainer was utterly perplexed, "The Third Prince said..."

Fang Changgong interrupted him coldly, "The Third Prince didn't say anything. Things will proceed as planned; I only need to ensure the safety of the Third Prince on the hunt. As for the rest, we'll discuss it after the Heir falls from grace."

The retainer hesitated, "But..."

Fang Changgong: "There are no 'buts'. This time, the Heir must fall. We've worked so hard for this, we can't let it all go to waste."

As he spoke, he flicked his wrist, sending the pigeon back into the storm.

==

Ran Qinggu couldn't fathom why the Heir suddenly decided not to rebel?

Today, returning from outside the manor, he encountered one of the Third Prince's informants. The Third Prince had sent someone to tell him that the Heir was temporarily holding his forces in check, thus the plan to incite the Heir's rebellion was put on hold.

The Third Prince had only recently turned Li Xiang against the Heir, and Li Xiang had reached an agreement with the Heir.

One didn't want to be controlled by others, another sought vengeance for the woman he loved, one was cunning and experienced, and the other held a position of power and influence, capable of rallying hearts and minds. Externally, there was the relentless pressure from the Second Prince, who wouldn't let go.

Now that the Second Prince was under house arrest, it should have been the perfect opportunity for them to act. Yet, they remained completely still.

Even just a few days ago, he'd received word that there was movement on the Heir's side. How long had it been since then? Not even a spark had ignited before news came that the Heir suddenly wasn't planning to rebel anymore?

His meticulous calculations had come up empty?

There was no reason for the Third Prince to lie to him. If he said the Heir wouldn't rebel and Li Xiang couldn't be persuaded, it meant that perhaps the Heir still didn't want to hurt the Emperor's heart, considering how much the Emperor had done for him...

Or perhaps the Heir had come to terms with his situation. Though he had lost his regency position and was being suppressed by the Second Prince, the Emperor never intended to depose him. In due time, his regency would be restored.

It seemed that inciting the Heir to rebel was not going to work.

Shang Rongyu stood atop the century-old plum tree, watching Ran Qinggu slowly return from outside the manor, aimlessly meandering past pavilions and corridors to the rear garden.

Presumably, this man had met with the Third Prince.

Was he really leaving the manor?

His father's spies had also detected recent movements from the Heir.

Presumably, these matters were all orchestrated by Ran Qinggu. That day, when he pushed open the door, Ran Qinggu was in the midst of plotting with the Third Prince.

He remembered that day when the Third Prince told Ran Qinggu that once the matter with the Heir was settled, he should leave the manor.

He saw clearly Ran Qinggu nodding behind the screen.

Though he had demanded a dowry the Third Prince couldn't afford, if Ran Qinggu truly intended to leave, there was nothing he could do to stop him.

Ran Qinggu was a stubborn man. Once he made up his mind about something, he would pursue it relentlessly, regardless of the consequences.

When Ran Qinggu came to his senses, he found himself standing beneath the century-old plum tree without realizing it.

As usual, he looked up.

To his surprise, Shang Rongyu was standing on the tree.

He was momentarily disoriented, thinking he might be seeing things.

Their eyes met, and he felt a brief moment of confusion.

Shang Rongyu sneered, "What? After communicating with your lover, you don't even recognize your husband anymore?"

A strange expression flashed across Ran Qinggu's eyes, "The Heir jests."

After saying that, he searched for a topic to ask, "What is the Heir looking at?"

Shang Rongyu gazed into the distance, "The scenery of the capital."

Something occurred to him, and he extended his hand toward Ran Qinggu, "Would you like to come up and see?"

Ran Qinggu was taken aback.

He recalled the dream he had before.

In his dream, Shang Rongyu stood on the plum tree, offering him a red plum, while the Third Prince frantically brushed away snow, repeatedly urging him not to get cold.

As he hesitated, Shang Rongyu leaped down from the tree.

He wrapped his arm around Ran Qinggu's waist, leading him up to the highest branch, carefully placing him on it. Then, he smiled, "This is the tallest tree in the entire capital, from here you can see the entire landscape of the capital. Over there is West Street, and over there, the Sishui Riverbank..."

Since the age of twelve, Ran Qinggu rarely climbed to such heights.

The branch beneath his feet swayed, and he barely managed to steady himself by clinging to Shang Rongyu.

Before his eyes lay the entire view of the capital, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys, boats gliding on the Sishui River, the bustling prosperity of the four main streets, and distant mountains where birds returned to their nests at dusk...

Suddenly, he caught sight of a place and pointed, "Over there... that's my home."

Shang Rongyu followed the direction Ran Qinggu's finger pointed. It was in the outskirts, and indeed, there seemed to be a mansion, but it appeared to have been abandoned.

"The pear tree has grown so well, it's still alive and even taller than before." Ran Qinggu spoke softly, "My mother planted it."

The recent days of violent storms had stripped many trees in the Prince's manor of their leaves, but that pear tree remained verdant, its leaves lush and vibrant, seemingly unaffected by the autumn thunderstorm.

This was the first time Shang Rongyu heard Ran Qinggu mention his home.

In the past, he only liked to stand on this plum tree and daydream, never realizing that from here, one could see the residence of Marquis Dingbei.

When Ran Qinggu spoke of his home, his expression was equally understated.

Yet, his gaze would become soft, warm, yet tinged with sorrow.

He smiled and asked, "Such a towering pear tree, visible even from the Prince's manor, must be beautiful when in bloom, right?"

Ran Qinggu hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No, that pear tree attracts pests easily. My skin isn't very resilient; once bitten, I tend to get infected and develop rashes. My brother loved that pear tree, so every time he taught me swordsmanship, we would do it under that tree. After each session, I would end up with seven or eight bug bites. He would laugh at me. And my mother would often stand under the tree with a plate of glutinous rice cakes, scolding him…"

"Under the pear tree is a pond filled with koi fish, which my sister-in-law brought with her when she married into the Marquis Dingbei's residence."

Shang Rongyu was taken aback. "Huh?"

Ran Qinggu gave a bitter smile. "My sister-in-law raised a pond full of koi fish at her maternal home. After marriage, she couldn't bear to part with her beloved koi, so she had them scooped out and transported to the Marquis Dingbei's residence. To make the koi feel at home, she even brought over the lotus mud from her maternal home's pond."

Shang Rongyu laughed aloud. "Your sister-in-law is indeed unique. Why not just buy new ones?"

Ran Qinggu replied, "Bought ones aren't the ones she raised herself. She only wanted the ones she personally cared for. She loved to laugh and enjoyed joking around… After marrying into the Marquis Dingbei's residence, she became the source of joy for the entire household."

This was the first time Shang Rongyu heard so many anecdotes about Ran Qinggu's family.

If not for what happened later… This person before him might have been a prime minister or a marquis, riding proudly and dressed in finery. Why should he, like now, wear women's clothing, tread carefully, and scheme relentlessly?

"Qinggu," he suddenly called out.

He had never known how to call out this name.

He had tried many times, often stopping short just as he was about to say it.

It felt as if calling out this name meant acknowledging that his Heir Princess wasn't really his Heir Princess, that he shared a complex history with another person…

This was the first time he addressed him this way, his voice slightly hoarse.

It didn't sound as bad as he thought, nor was it as difficult to say as he imagined.

Ran Qinggu was stunned.

This was the first time Shang Rongyu called him by his name.

He had once thought that Shang Rongyu would never say it.

After a moment of hesitation, Shang Rongyu asked, "After the Crown Prince dies…"

What he really wanted to ask was whether Ran Qinggu would leave after the Crown Prince's death.

But he dared not ask.

He feared that if he asked, Ran Qinggu would say he was leaving.

He also feared that if he asked and Ran Qinggu said he wouldn't leave, he might still depart in the end.

He feared even more that if he asked and Ran Qinggu said he wouldn't leave, it was actually because he wanted to go.

After pondering it over and over, he finally rephrased it: "I will help you kill the Crown Prince. Afterward, do whatever you want, pursue what you enjoy."

This was the second time Shang Rongyu told him to do what he liked.

Ran Qinggu hesitated for a moment before nodding.

He knew what he had to do, but he never knew what he truly wanted to do.

In his youth, he had many desires.

He wanted to climb the pear tree to pick a pear, but his father told him that a gentleman must always conduct himself with propriety.

On a sunny afternoon, when he didn't want to read and just wanted to take a nap, his brother told him that perseverance could penetrate stone, and time was precious.

He wanted to explore all the flowers of the capital in a single day, but his mother told him that as someone born into nobility, destined to be a pillar of the nation, he couldn't act recklessly…

…

But now, he didn't know what he wanted, what he liked.

Suddenly, there was someone who twice told him to do what he liked, to pursue what he wanted.

He suddenly realized why he envied and even liked Shang Rongyu so much.

The gap between him and Shang Rongyu was akin to the distance between the netherworld and the celestial realm.

What he envied, yearned for, and aspired to…

Shang Rongyu had achieved.

People often desire what they lack, and Shang Rongyu, to him, seemed distant.

"Heir, do you want to eat glutinous rice cakes?" Ran Qinggu suddenly asked.

Shang Rongyu chuckled. "Glutinous rice cakes?"

Ran Qinggu nodded. "Yes, my father loved them, so my mother learned to make them. The ladies in the residence followed suit…"

As soon as he said this, he noticed Shang Rongyu's brows furrow, as if he understood something—domestic strife was common in every household.

Ran Qinggu's expression dimmed for a moment before he smiled. "The concubines in the Marquisate are different from those in the Prince's Mansion or other households. They were all women displaced by the border wars who admired and cared for my father. So, my father took them as his concubines. Those concubines are all good people. They learned to make glutinous rice cakes not to vie for favor but because they knew that when my father went to war, he would bring four or five bags of glutinous rice cakes for his soldiers to eat. My mother couldn't handle it alone, so the concubines all learned how to help her. Even when the Marquisate of Dingbei fell, none of them were willing to betray my father to save their own lives. They all..."

Shang Rongyu quickly changed the subject. "You don't have to praise one while belittling another like that. The Heir should treat you to a feast today. Where shall we go?"

Ran Qinggu: "Let me down first."

Shang Rongyu laughed. "It's not that high. Can't you get down yourself?"

Ran Qinggu: "I'm disabled. Kindly assist me."

Shang Rongyu snorted coldly, wrapped his arm around Ran Qinggu's waist, and instead of jumping off the tree with him, leaped onto the wall. They jumped down from the wall of the Prince's Mansion, landing steadily outside.

"Where are we going to eat?" Shang Rongyu asked again.

Ran Qinggu was surprised. "Why did you take me out of the Prince's Mansion?"

Shang Rongyu was puzzled. "Didn't you say you'd take me to eat glutinous rice cakes?"

Ran Qinggu: "We could have eaten them in the mansion. What I meant was, I can make them."

Shang Rongyu: "…"

Why didn't you say so earlier!

Ran Qinggu looked at the wall. "I'm disabled. I trouble the Heir…"

Shang Rongyu pursed his lips. "What trouble? Walk back yourself. This wall is so high. I can climb up by myself, but if I carry you, we'll definitely fall. I can't manage it."

Ran Qinggu sighed helplessly. "Alright then."

Shang Rongyu saw the look in Ran Qinggu's eyes that said, "The Heir isn't very capable, a bit weak," and defended himself. "It just rained, the green tiles on the wall are slippery. I'm afraid I might trip and hurt you. You're really something else. It's only a short distance, and you've been lying around for half a month. You should be getting some exercise."

This courtyard wall was in the back garden of the Prince's Mansion, stretching endlessly.

The nearest gate from here was the back gate, but it was too far from the kitchen, so they had to use the front gate.

To get from this courtyard wall to the front gate of the Prince's Mansion would take at least two quarters of an hour.

They had no choice but to return to the mansion through the main entrance.

The servants of the Prince's Mansion thought these two were crazy, jumping over the wall for no reason and now having to walk a big circle back to the main entrance.

==

Ran Qinggu also felt he was crazy. For no reason, he had to mention glutinous rice cakes. His hands hadn't been used for many years, and now they were disabled. When kneading the glutinous rice dough, it was very strenuous. With each knead, pain shot through where his tendons had been severed. Soon, sweat was breaking out on his forehead.

Seeing him like this, Shang Rongyu pushed him aside and said, "Are you trying to starve your Heir to death? Go mix the syrup and jam, I'll handle this thing. Do I need to knead it until it's very elastic?"

Ran Qinggu picked up a cloth and wiped his hands. "Yes."

The two spent the entire afternoon finally making a pot of glutinous rice cakes.

The moment they lifted the lid, Shang Rongyu's face was full of excitement. His fists clenched, his eyes instantly brightened, and he genuinely exclaimed, "What the hell is this thing? How can it be so ugly? My perfect, beautiful, gorgeous, indescribable glutinous rice cake? This ugly thing must not have come from my hands…"

Several petal-shaped glutinous rice cakes had already collapsed and stuck together, their original shapes unrecognizable.

Originally, purple jam was supposed to be on top, red jam on the bottom, with white and black sesame seeds dotted inside. Now, the red and purple had collapsed into a mess, and the white and black sesame seeds looked like pimples and blackheads on a girl's nose…

In short, it was as ugly as it could be.

Shang Rongyu poked a piece with chopsticks and took a bite. His eyes suddenly lit up. "It tastes pretty good, my god, it's worthy of you, Qinggu."

Ran Qinggu frowned. "Really?"

Shang Rongyu nodded. "It's really quite good. Try it."

He handed a pair of chopsticks to Ran Qinggu, who picked up a piece and took a bite, frowning.

The glutinous rice texture was very rough, as if it hadn't been kneaded properly, nor had it been pulled to develop elasticity. It seemed the fermentation wasn't complete either, leaving a sour yeast flavor, like swill.

The jam hadn't been mixed evenly; the sour parts were too sour, and the sweet parts were too sweet. The honey and flower jam added hadn't infused well, making the taste indescribable.

When Shang Rongyu saw him take a bite, he burst out laughing.

Ran Qinggu frowned and swallowed what was in his mouth. "I knew I couldn't count on the Heir."

Shang Rongyu was not convinced: "I followed your method to knead the dough. This is clearly a problem with the jam."

Ran Qinggu: "The jam was kneaded into the glutinous rice by you, and you didn't mix it properly."

Shang Rongyu: "Clearly, you didn't stir and pull it enough. What does it have to do with me…"

…

The people in the back kitchen of the Prince's Mansion finally sent these two troublemakers away.

The back kitchen had been left in a mess by these two troublemakers, with flour and jam everywhere, and even the stove was almost bursting with firewood.

Not having eaten what they made, they ran to Sanyu Vegetarian to buy a portion. Shang Rongyu picked up a glutinous rice cake and remarked, "The taste is just so-so."

Ran Qinggu gave him a cold look.

Shang Rongyu laughed and handed him the oiled paper package. "It's not as good as mine. Next time, I'll make it for you again. I've already grasped the essence of making glutinous rice cakes."

Whether Ran Qinggu would stay after the Crown Prince's matter was unknown.

Would there be a next time?

Perhaps by then, Ran Qinggu would have already left the Prince's Mansion with Shang Yuzhou.

Ran Qinggu silently took the oiled paper package, took out a glutinous rice cake, and said faintly, "Better not. Some people's hands are kissed by heaven, but the Heir's hands must have been gnawed on by the heavens…"

Shang Rongyu argued, "It's clearly because yours was bitten, dragging me into it."

The evening breeze tugged at their clothes...

The two of them, laughing and chatting, slowly walked down the East Main Street with a bag of glutinous rice cakes in hand. Around them, wisps of smoke rose from cooking fires, while by the Sishui River, girls played and washed their light silks, and in the distance, weary birds returned to the forest one after another...

A candy figurine maker on the street corner captured this scene.

He molded two figurines based on Shang Rongyu and Ran Qinggu's appearances; one held an oiled paper package, and the other looked at the first with a smile. The gentle breeze blew, causing their clothes to flutter.

Much later, he encountered a very peculiar customer.

The customer wore dark yellow brocade robes, with intricate silver thread embroidery at the collar, and everything he wore was extraordinary, each item worth a fortune.

As he rode past the candy figurine stand, he caught a glimpse and dismounted, striding over.

The candy figurine maker was flattered and surprised; his shoddy figurines were meant to deceive children, never expecting such a distinguished guest.

The customer glanced at the candy figurine stand, picked up the third figurine from the first row and the last from the fourth row, placing them together, and said in a voice clear as the moon, "From now on, these two must be placed together. Even if you sell them, they cannot be sold separately; they must be sold as a pair. They must always be together, no one can separate them, not even you."

He had never seen such an impolite request.

He would casually stick his finished candy figurines onto the stand, waiting for passersby to buy them.

Thus, all the figurines were sold individually, never as a pair.

Moreover, he couldn't even remember where these two figurines came from...

After saying that, the man threw him a bag of silver coins and turned around gracefully, "If I see them separated again, I'll make sure your hands are separated from your body."

That was more money than he could earn selling candy figurines for ten years.

Facing the back of this strange customer, he thanked him profusely, "Yes, thank you, sir. This humble one will certainly follow your instructions."