Chapter 80

Chapter 80

The Crown Prince's son was a child with a unique personality. Calling him by his formal name elicited no response; only calling him "Maomao" would make him look up.

This applied not only to You Nan but also to the Emperor, the sovereign of the realm.

The Emperor stared at the little one nestled in You Nan's arms and began to question whether the name he had chosen was inadequate.

"I will reconsider when I return and strive to give my treasured grandson a name he likes," the Emperor thought. For his only doted-on grandson, everything had to be the best.

He rarely admitted fault and was unwilling to blame his grandson.

You Nan, of course, couldn’t let the Emperor truly reflect on this—he was no fool. It was only thanks to the Emperor’s fondness for his son Maomao that the child could remain by his side.

You Nan curved his eyes in a smile. Recently, he had been eating well, sleeping soundly, and feeling content, his demeanor now exuding a touch of regal grace.

"Father, perhaps Maomao simply hasn’t heard his formal name enough. I will call him by it more often in private. Over time, the little Crown Prince's son may grow accustomed to it."

You Nan carefully avoided mentioning anything inappropriate.

The Crown Prince, standing nearby, remained silent, his gaze fixed solely on You Nan’s face.

He refused to spare even a glance at the little child in You Nan’s arms.

You Nan pretended not to notice his dislike for Maomao.

"You Nan has worked hard," the Emperor said, pleased with You Nan’s response. He wanted to hold his beloved grandson, and You Nan handed him over.

Maomao, still very young, showed no fear when transferred to another person’s arms—his courage was remarkable.

His eyes stared intently at the Emperor, without any shyness.

As the child had grown a little, his features had become more distinct. Maomao’s eyes and brows were exceptionally beautiful, even more striking than the beauties in the Emperor’s harem.

The Emperor adored him, praising his son and daughter-in-law for producing such a child.

Fu Lingtan, who had just returned to his senses: "..."

He finally turned his attention to the little thing in his father’s arms, scrutinizing it with a highly critical gaze.

But he had to admit, the child was fair-skinned and lovely, more attractive than several of his much younger siblings born in recent years.

He resembled You Nan by about thirty percent, while the remaining seventy percent was a mystery.

Fu Lingtan forced himself to look away.

He feared that if he continued looking at the child, he might not be able to resist the urge to kill him.

Unaware of the danger around him, the child pursed his plump little lips and blew bubbles at his "Imperial Grandfather," making his "Imperial Grandfather" laugh heartily.

You Nan watched from the side, his heart still uneasy.

The Emperor’s affection for Maomao stemmed solely from the belief that Maomao was Fu Lingtan’s child. That was why he doted on him and gave him the best of everything.

But if Fu Lingtan were to reveal the truth to the Emperor, both he and Maomao would face certain death.

You Nan bit his lip to steady himself, his resolve firming.

The Emperor did not stay long in the Eastern Palace. Burdened with countless affairs of state, he could only spare time every two days to visit—a clear sign of his affection for the Crown Prince's son.

After the Emperor left, however, the Crown Prince remained.

As the Crown Prince approached You Nan, You Nan signaled to the senior palace maid beside him to quickly take his son away.

The senior palace maid was adept at reading her masters’ intentions. She had noticed the Crown Prince’s dislike for the Crown Prince's son earlier and, though puzzled, assumed it was simply because the Crown Prince disliked children.

So whenever the Crown Prince approached the Crown Prince's son, she would step in to take the child away without waiting for You Nan’s instruction.

But she couldn’t keep him away for long.

The Crown Prince's son was extremely attached to You Nan. Separating them for a quarter of an hour was manageable, but beyond that, the little master would throw a tantrum that no one could soothe.

The senior palace maid and the other eunuchs and maids in the Eastern Palace were worn out from attending to the little master.

You Nan disliked being around Fu Lingtan. The man carried a heavy air of menace, and though You Nan had grown somewhat accustomed to it over time, he still felt uneasy.

But now, with his and Maomao’s lives in the Crown Prince’s hands, You Nan had no choice but to maintain appearances.

You Nan lifted his face, smiling as he looked at the man.

His fair and radiant face, paired with bright, dark eyes that were clear and transparent, gave him an air of gentle warmth, perhaps due to becoming a parent.

Coupled with the composed demeanor cultivated through recent days of luxury, he was a world apart from the person he had been when he first entered the palace.

"Your Highness," You Nan spoke first, inviting Fu Lingtan, "It’s almost noon. Would you like to dine with me here?"

Fu Lingtan did not refuse and agreed.

A young eunuch nearby immediately hurried off to relay the order to the Eastern Palace’s imperial kitchen.

Fu Lingtan sat down beside You Nan, his gaze falling on You Nan’s hands resting on his lap. A feeling akin to a cat’s paw gently scratching his heart arose—a restless itch.

He wanted to take those hands and feel their texture, but he quickly suppressed the impulse.

"This child seems to have won my father’s favor," Fu Lingtan remarked, causing You Nan’s eyelids to twitch abruptly.

You Nan maintained his gentle smile. "It’s only natural. The Emperor loves you, Your Highness, and that love extends to Maomao."

You Nan subtly flattered Fu Lingtan.

Fu Lingtan’s lips curled slightly. "Keeping this child in the palace is not sustainable. He doesn’t resemble me, nor does he look like my father or mother. Eventually, someone will notice."

You Nan’s heart tightened.

It was true. The palace was full of people, and many of them were shrewd and observant.

You Nan nervously clenched his hands, feeling flustered by Fu Lingtan’s words.

He ventured cautiously, "What does Your Highness plan to do?"

"Fake his death and send him away."

Fu Lingtan’s tone was calm, as if discussing the weather.

To You Nan, the words were like a thunderclap out of nowhere.

Fake death?

What if it became real?

Fu Lingtan had never been fond of Maomao, and he made it obvious to everyone in the Eastern Palace to see, including the Emperor.

The Emperor hadn't always been this way—now he repeatedly praised Maomao in front of Fu Lingtan and bestowed gifts upon the child.

The Emperor also wanted to express his fondness for Maomao to his son.

Upon hearing Fu Lingtan's words, You Nan couldn't help but let his thoughts run wild.

Maomao was still so young—how could he fake death? It would have to be through medicine, but a child so young taking a fake-death potion—what if it hurts him? Would the drug have any side effects? Would Maomao wake up after taking it?

None of this could be known.

You Nan didn’t dare let Maomao take such a risk.

You Nan forced a slight smile, trying to keep his voice calm as he proposed to Fu Lingtan, "Since Your Highness has already made a decision, why not let You Nan leave the palace with Maomao?"

Fu Lingtan’s gaze immediately snapped to You Nan’s face, staring intently at him.

You Nan pretended not to notice. He stood up and was about to kneel before Fu Lingtan, but the other man grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

Fu Lingtan pulled him close. His strength was great, and You Nan, unable to steady himself, ended up sitting directly on the man’s hard thighs.

You Nan’s entire body stiffened.

"What did you say?"

Fu Lingtan gripped You Nan’s chin, lifting his head to force him to meet his eyes. "Say it again to my face."

The man’s gaze was as sharp as a blade.

You Nan quickly averted his eyes, looking instead at the beams of the room, and spoke the words he had long prepared.

He had been thinking about this for a long time—even before Maomao was born, he had already made up his mind.

"Your Highness, originally you wanted to marry the courtesan of Qichun Pavilion, not You Nan. You Nan has held this position for over a year and managed to raise my child to this age only by Your Highness’s grace."

You Nan stiffened his neck and continued, "Your Highness’s kindness toward You Nan, I dare not forget. If not for Your Highness’s mercy, You Nan would have died on the first day I entered the palace. How could I have the life I have today?"

"But after all, You Nan is not Your Highness’s true match, and Maomao is not Your Highness’s biological child. There are too many people in the palace who want to bring you down. You Nan does not want to give them any leverage because of me and my child, nor do I want the Emperor to blame you because of us."

"So the best solution is to send both You Nan and Maomao out of the palace."

As he spoke, You Nan steeled himself and turned his gaze to meet Fu Lingtan’s eyes.

He saw the man’s faintly red, fierce gaze, and his heart sank. He felt that today might not end well.

You Nan didn’t want to die. If he died, what would happen to his child? To this day, he still didn’t know who the child’s biological father was. Aside from him, no one would truly care for Maomao.

"Your Highness, I beg you. Maomao is still young. If he’s sent out alone, even if someone takes care of him, how could they compare to me? Besides, he can’t be without me now."

You Nan struggled to free himself from Fu Lingtan’s embrace, but before he could move much, he suddenly noticed something and his eyes widened in shock.

He felt something burning pressed tightly against him.

Both were men, and some things didn’t need to be said—they both understood.

You Nan’s lips parted, but no words came out.

Fu Lingtan was seething with anger.

From the moment You Nan said he wanted to leave the palace with the child by faking their deaths, he wondered if he had misheard.

He pulled You Nan into his arms and confirmed it again, only to find that You Nan didn’t even look at his expression and repeated the same words without changing a single one.

He was trampling all over his bottom line.

It seemed he wasn’t afraid of death at all.

Fu Lingtan really wanted to lower his head and silence You Nan’s mouth, which kept saying things he didn’t want to hear.

But he quickly regained his composure and stopped himself before his body could act.

"You’d better think carefully about what you say."

Fu Lingtan narrowed his eyes. "You are my Crown Princess, the one I begged His Majesty to grant me in marriage. If you fake your death and leave with your son, what face would I have left?"

If he couldn’t even protect his wife, wouldn’t that be humiliating?

You Nan felt a surge of bitterness, almost overwhelming him.

Fine, you’re bringing up the past.

You Nan gritted his teeth. "Since Your Highness said so, it’s even more reason to send me away!"

"Your Highness doesn’t even like me. I’m just an impostor. If this gets out, it would be a crime of deceiving the emperor, and I wouldn’t have enough heads to pay for it. Why must Your Highness insist on keeping me in the palace? Does Your Highness really want my life?"

Fu Lingtan didn’t speak.

But You Nan’s heart raced, terrified by the expression on Fu Lingtan’s face.

Fu Lingtan’s expression was dark, and You Nan had no doubt that the man wanted to strangle him.

You Nan was terrified and instinctively shut his eyes tightly.

He knew Fu Lingtan would never let him off.

He might escape today, but not forever.

This past year had already been stolen time.

He was already content.

"Your Highness, if you want to kill me, then do it. You Nan now has only this life and my child. Since Your Highness is taking my child, take my life as well."

You Nan refused to back down.

Fu Lingtan released his grip on You Nan’s chin and moved his hand to his neck.

You Nan unconsciously held his breath, waiting for death.

But he waited and waited, and the other never acted.

The pain he expected never came.

Fu Lingtan set You Nan down, and You Nan immediately opened his eyes, watching him warily.

Fu Lingtan didn’t look back at him but strode out decisively.

"Since I’ve made my decision, there’s no room for regret. I will handle matters with His Majesty."

"I can't eat today; you eat without me."

You Nan's heart sank like a stone; he collapsed onto the bed, then quickly jumped up to chase after Fu Lingtan.

You Nan shouted loudly, "No, please! Your Highness, have mercy on him!"

"Sending him out of the palace is fine, but don't let him stage a fake death. He's so young—he couldn't survive that medication!"

"Your Highness!"

Hearing the voice behind him, Fu Lingtan walked even faster.

You Nan couldn't catch up; two palace eunuchs hurriedly blocked his path. Struggling was useless, and he could only watch helplessly as Fu Lingtan walked out of the courtyard gate.

You Nan's legs gave way beneath him; if not for the quick reflexes of the young eunuchs, he would have fallen to the ground.

The head maid hurried over, carrying the crying little prince. You Nan heard the child's cries, and his vacant eyes showed life. He rushed toward the child, tears flowing freely from his eyes.

You Nan held the child tightly, wouldn't let go.

He spent the entire afternoon staying on the bed with the child, not going anywhere.

But You Nan hadn't given up hope.

007 caught wind of what happened and hurried over.

"You Nan! What's wrong with you!"

You Nan shook his head at 007, and after thinking it through, when he looked up, his eyes showed more determination.

He had keenly sensed that Fu Lingtan had shown more patience with him.

Today, he had repeatedly brought up the past incident of the marriage substitution. Fu Lingtan had seemed furious, as if he wanted to kill him, but still hadn't acted on it.

The man's anger was directed at the child, but it hadn't been directed at him.

You Nan could see that Fu Lingtan disliked the child, but it wasn't that he disliked him.

You Nan drew a deep breath.

Fu Lingtan felt hostility toward the child because the child wasn't his. This was something Fu Lingtan had never made any secret of.

Now that the child was weaned and no longer needed nursing, Fu Lingtan had restrained himself until now—perhaps for his sake.

You Nan covered his face, hiding his expression, and let out a laugh tinged with bitterness and self-mockery.

007 watched such a You Nan with anxious frustration.

Its days in the Eastern Palace had been quite enjoyable; it often played with the child.

Because it was a tribute item and the treasured pet of both the big and small masters, it pretty much ruled the roost in the Eastern Palace.

It couldn't suppress its cat-like nature and rarely stayed in the Eastern Palace for long.

Long ago, through its own strength, it had dominated the entire imperial city.

With its focus mostly on "expanding its territory," 007 had paid less attention to the progress of You Nan's mission as before.

Anyway, the sound of Energy Points depositing into his back-end account every day never stopped.

This time, it was only because it heard the child's cries on the wind that it hurried back.

You Nan patted 007's adorable head, his decision was made.

He and the child would only stand or fall together; there was no possibility of them being separated.

Word of the palace events soon spread outside.

Chen Liangren, I mean, Chen Mingzhou heard the news.

The brush he was holding snapped instantly in two.

"Fake death?"

Chen Mingzhou remained outwardly calm and composed, but the subordinate before him dropped to one knee, his head nearly pressed to his chest, hardly daring to breathe.

Chen Mingzhou thought of the child he had seen, still an infant.

The child was the very image of him.

The child was only five or six months old now; not long ago, they had just celebrated the hundred-day banquet. That night, he had entered the palace and left a gift for him and You Nan's child. Later, it was worn on the child's chubby white wrist.

Thanks to Fu Lingtan's dislike of the child, he never gave him any notice and naturally didn't discover it. Even if he had, he would have assumed it was a gift from the Emperor.

And the people Fu Lingtan had placed around You Nan all thought it was given by the master himself, so no one asked.

The little white jade unicorn Chen Mingzhou gave his son remained openly on his son's body.

A case of hiding in plain sight.

Ever since Chen Mingzhou found out that You Nan had been forced into the wedding sedan sent to the palace by those under him, he had dealt with several disobedient and insubordinate underlings.

All were handled according to military regulations.

Madam and Hang Minyu were stripped of their positions, replaced by others who could understand orders and wouldn't act on their own clever ideas.

During that period, Chen Mingzhou's mood was very poor, and his methods toward the royal family grew increasingly ruthless.

Chen Mingzhou learned of You Nan's pregnancy from news in the palace.

At first, he thought the child in You Nan's womb was Fu Lingtan's, which nearly shattered him.

Fortunately, he didn't give up or lose hope.

Chen Mingzhou had interacted with Fu Lingtan a few times while pretending to be Chen Liangren and understood Fu Lingtan's temperament.

This man had no interest in romance; women and actors meant nothing to him.

Although he frequented Qichun Pavilion, it was mostly to mislead his siblings and keep up appearances.

He was just a tool.

A person couldn't be all shining qualities; self-deprecation often made others let their guard down.

Chen Mingzhou understood Fu Lingtan's arrogance—the other would absolutely not touch You Nan.

Sure enough, he soon received a diagnosis from Imperial Physician Li of the Tai Hospital.

Judging by the timing, Chen Mingzhou could confirm that child was his!

At that moment, Chen Mingzhou held the medical record from the Imperial Hospital, his mind completely blank.

He had always failed You Nan. To You Nan, he was a complete sinner.

He had acted impulsively toward You Nan and, due to his own mismanagement, allowed his subordinates to cause major trouble for You Nan.

All of this was his fault.

If Fu Lingtan hadn't released his grip, You Nan would have died on the very first day he entered the palace.

Chen Mingzhou could never forgive himself.

In truth, he had regretted it ever since that day.

If he hadn’t made that mistake, he and You Nan might have had a good start.

When Chen Mingzhou learned that You Nan was pregnant with his child, he was initially overjoyed, but soon snapped out of it.

He wanted this child dearly, but if it would bring trouble to You Nan, he would rather not have it. You Nan’s safety was his top priority.

Chen Mingzhou told his subordinates to pass word to all their spies in the palace: the safety of the Crown Princess Consort must come first, above all missions.

Chen Mingzhou was nervous about You Nan’s choice, but fortunately, You Nan chose to keep the child.

Chen Mingzhou was both joyful and afraid.

He was overjoyed by You Nan’s affection and care for the child, but afraid of the resentment You Nan might harbor toward him once the truth came out.

Chen Mingzhou never dared show himself before You Nan, only venturing into the palace to see You Nan and Maomao after You Nan had fallen asleep.

He had secretly held Maomao once.

That night, the child woke up suddenly, and father and son made eye contact. Chen Mingzhou froze, afraid that Maomao would cry.

But his son showed no fear of him. Upon seeing him, the child simply closed his eyes and boldly fell back asleep in his arms.

This left Chen Mingzhou both moved and surprised.

His men had told him that the young master was clever and always wary of strangers. Aside from those he recognized, anyone else who held him would make him cry uncontrollably.

That night, Chen Mingzhou sat by the bed holding the child, quietly held You Nan’s hand, his heart melting like spring water.

He couldn’t help but pour his love into this child.

But now, Fu Lingtan actually wanted to kill his and You Nan’s child!

Fu Lingtan had become interested in You Nan, coaxing him with talk of Maomao faking his death, yet never mentioning what would happen to You Nan.

They were both men—who didn’t understand each other? How could Chen Mingzhou not see through Fu Lingtan’s intentions?

You Nan, stuck in the palace, had no way of knowing whether the child was truly faking death or not. Everything depended on what Fu Lingtan told him.

Even if the child were really dead, You Nan would remain unaware.

Chen Mingzhou knew that Fu Lingtan intended to take Maomao’s life!

With this thought, Chen Mingzhou lost control of his strength and crushed a white porcelain cup.

“What is the Crown Princess Consort’s stance?”

Chen Mingzhou decided to first see what You Nan was thinking.

His subordinate replied, “The Crown Princess Consort has a plan. He intends to draw the attention of others in the harem to the young master’s uniqueness, using various means to counter Fu Lingtan and protect the child.”

Chen Mingzhou nodded, his face filled with concern. “In that case, we will cooperate.”

“Yes!” the subordinate responded immediately.

“But the Crown Princess Consort is putting himself at great risk by joining the fray. We must ensure his safety! Since he has made a decision, we cannot fall behind.”

Chen Mingzhou pondered, “We can mobilize all the covert agents we’ve planted before.”

“Fu Lingtan is not an easy opponent. Several factions have already been caught by him and been hit hard. We’ve also lost many people, so we must act with even greater caution.”

Chen Mingzhou quickly made a decision. “The Third Prince has already come to an agreement with us. If he learns of this news, he will likely be more than willing to protect the Crown Princess Consort and Maomao.”

“In a few days, it will be time for me to enter the palace and face off against Fu Lingtan.”

And to see You Nan again, to check on him.

Chen Mingzhou also wanted You Nan to get to know him. After all, You Nan had never actually met him.

The subordinate took note. “Yes!”

.

From the time You Nan entered the palace until the child grew a little older, he had almost always stayed in the Eastern Palace. He rarely went out.

And very few people had seen the child.

Most of the consorts, princes, and princesses in the harem had only seen Maomao during his full moon and hundred-day celebrations.

The child was held by the Emperor himself, and those below were too far away to clearly see Maomao’s face.

Perhaps some observant individuals noticed something unusual about Maomao, but no one dared to speak of it openly.

The Emperor’s favoritism toward Maomao was plain for all to see.

Even if they noticed something amiss, everyone pretended to be blind and mute, keeping their thoughts hidden.

Such valuable information was best saved for when the Crown Prince was about to fall or Maomao lost favor—only then would it be useful to kick them while they were down.

Although You Nan didn’t fully understand the intricate schemes within the palace, he had read enough about palace schemes to guess some of it.

Putting Maomao in the spotlight, letting those with ulterior motives see the child’s uniqueness—in the past, You Nan would have been terrified and done everything to keep it hidden.

But now, things were different. His son’s life was on the line—what was the point of hiding it?

He could only buy time, day by day.

There were so many people in the palace who despised Fu Lingtan and wanted him dead. What if, before Fu Lingtan could kill his son, someone else took Fu Lingtan down first!

You Nan didn’t think about what would happen to him and Maomao if Fu Lingtan died.

He had no time to think about that.

That was something to consider only after Fu Lingtan was dead.

What he needed to do now was make sure whoever wanted his son dead died first!