Chapter 31 Origins

Chapter 31: Origins

Lu Jiming had been by Wei Yan's side for two lifetimes, but this was the first time he learned of Wei Yan's origins and the royal family's unspeakable secrets.

Consort Xie was the child of the emperor's wet nurse. The two grew up together and were wed by decree of the previous emperor when the current emperor was still the crown prince. Due to Consort Xie's ordinary family background, she was only made a secondary consort.

Her and the emperor's relationship was more like that of siblings than lovers. For a long time, the emperor only saw Consort Xie as a sibling.

As for how the emperor and empress ended up together, Wei Yan, as their son, did not know the details. He only knew that the empress originally came from a prominent family that later fell into decline.

The emperor had been infatuated with the empress since his youth but hesitated and never pursued her, hiding his feelings and only treating her as one of the guys.

The empress, on the other hand, developed feelings over time for a young master from another family. Both were aware of their mutual affection, with only a window paper left between them, yet unbroken.

But later, for reasons unknown, the emperor became pregnant with Wei Yan, forcing the empress to give up her beloved and marry into the royal family.

Their marriage was never harmonious. The empress resented the emperor, believing he had deliberately schemed to separate her from her beloved. The emperor, full of resentment, could not get a word in edgewise.

Their conflicts escalated to the point where the emperor suffered complications during childbirth, nearly dying along with the child. The rift between the emperor and empress deepened further.

After Wei Yan was born, the empress took little interest in him, so he was raised under her care.

Later, when the second prince was born, Consort Xie had her own biological child, making Wei Yan feel even more like an outsider—it seemed as though they were a family of three, while he was an unnecessary presence. Although Consort Xie was the picture of perfection on the surface, Wei Yan could still sense the difference in how she treated him compared to his younger brother.

As Wei Yan grew older, he gradually came to understand that, after all, his birth had nearly cost his father his life. Consort Xie's feelings toward him were always conflicted.

Later, Consort Chen, then a young general, fell in love with the emperor and willingly gave up her future to enter the palace. Soon after, the third prince was born.

Consort Chen had a straightforward temperament, with her heart and eyes set only on the emperor. As a result, she could not stand the empress, who frequently argued with the emperor, and on several occasions, they nearly came to blows.

A few years earlier, the emperor became pregnant with the fourth princess but went into premature labor during an argument with the empress. The fourth princess died soon after birth. Since then, the emperor's health had steadily declined, and the two consorts wished they could tear the empress to pieces.

The emperor completely lost hope, while the empress shut herself away day and night. As the son of both, Wei Yan found himself in an even more awkward position in the palace.

Although he knew the emperor genuinely loved him—even felt guilty that Wei Yan had lacked a father's love growing up and doted on him doubly—and understood that Consort Xie and Consort Chen did not blame him for the empress's actions, he walked on eggshells, trying to win the favor of every adult.

Wei Yan glossed over the fears and sorrows of his youth with a few light words. After all, he was no longer truly seventeen, and these matters felt distant to him, no longer causing him pain.

But precisely because he understood the grievances and enmity between his parents' generation, after his rebirth, even knowing the emperor's days were numbered, he rarely stayed by his side.

After all, in his final days, the emperor likely wanted to spend time with his truly beloved partner and their children. Wei Yan's constant presence would only remind the elders of past sorrows and pain, serving little other purpose.

"Your Highness, you are your own person. Your father's actions are his own," Lu Jiming said. "Don't blame yourself for your father's mistakes." Lu Jiming's heart ached as he listened, and he wanted to hug Wei Yan. But with so many people in the palace, Lu Jiming restrained himself.

He finally understood why Wei Yan, who held the world in his hands, was someone so afraid of loneliness.

Because Wei Yan always felt superfluous, always feeling alone in this lively, bustling family.

Other brothers had the love of both parents, but only he had a father whose very existence was like an indelible stain. Even if everyone pretended not to see it, it was always there.

Moreover, in the future, when Wei Yan ascended the throne, he would have to honor her as Empress Dowager. Countless eyes in the court would watch him, forcing him to show her respect and affection.

"So, Xuping, to me, you are special," Wei Yan said. "You are my Lecturer-in-waiting, my subject, and you treat me with all your heart. The happiest thing for me is that my father brought you to my side."

These were the words the seventeen-year-old Wei Yan had wanted to say but never truly conveyed. At that time, Lu Jiming had not yet needed to choose between the Lu family and Wei Yan, and Wei Yan had once had Lu Jiming, whose eyes were only on him.

But it was fleeting.

Yet after all these years, once the hatred faded, Wei Yan only remembered the kindness Lu Jiming had shown him back then.

Lu Jiming looked at Wei Yan, his heart beating fiercely. He had never heard such words from Wei Yan before. This was almost a confession.

"So, Your Highness has me in your heart?" Lu Jiming asked.

Wei Yan smiled. "What a silly question... Do you know how happy I was when the State Preceptor said he would choose you?"

Lu Jiming thought, but it wasn't necessarily me. If it had to be me, why would he have allowed the State Preceptor to select a crown princess? But he was already content.

"Then why did Your Highness say there was no one you fancied?" Lu Jiming teased, a mischievous thought crossing his mind.

Wei Yan knew he had contradicted himself, as if speaking thoughtlessly. He quickly thought it over and said, "I don't know why, but I always feel uncertain, as if once I say it, you'll leave me... as if I've had such a dream."

Lu Jiming was startled, wondering if Wei Yan had dreamed of something from their previous life. Could it be that he sensed something in the depths of his soul?

As they spoke, they walked back to the Eastern Palace. Ning Jia was still monitoring Yin Yuxie's movements and had not yet entered the palace, remaining at the Lu residence for the time being. Only Lu Guanguan had entered the palace to serve.

Eunuch Chen had already made all the arrangements, preparing a courtyard for Lu Jiming and assigning maids and eunuchs.

"Young Master, you're finally here. I was so worried I thought I'd die of fright," Lu Guanguan said dramatically, clutching his chest when he saw Lu Jiming.

Knowing Lu Guanguan's temperament, Lu Jiming didn't take it too seriously. "What, are there ghosts in this palace that want to eat you?"

Lu Guanguan shook his head. "I was afraid Eunuch Chen would drag me into the castration room at night."

Lu Jiming couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you still thinking about that? He was just joking with you. His Highness said you can stay by my side for now, get used to things for a year or so, and then he'll find you a proper job."

"Young Master, His Highness is so good to me," Lu Guanguan said with a silly grin. "And to you too." Lu Jiming had nothing to say and patted Lu Guanguan on the head, telling him not to stand in the drafty doorway or he'd swallow cold air and have a stomachache in the middle of the night.

After the first three days of the wedding, Wei Yan resumed his normal studies and government affairs. He rose at mao hour (5–7 a.m.) every day, even earlier on days when he had to attend court, and would not return to the Eastern Palace until after noon.

After lunch, Wei Yan would nap for half an hour, then, as before, study in the study with several study companions while Lu Jiming taught. After the afternoon lessons ended, Wei Yan still could not rest, as he had to review memorials on behalf of the emperor until late at night.

Thus, Lu Jiming did not see Wei Yan much each day. But Wei Yan would visit his courtyard every night, and the two always slept in the same bed.

Wei Yan would consult Lu Jiming on government affairs. Having served as prime minister for over a decade in his previous life, Lu Jiming was an expert in his field and handled many matters with great efficiency.

Delighted to have found a solution to a problem that had troubled him for half a day, Wei Yan hugged Lu Jiming and said with uncontrollable emotion, "My dear Xuping, in the future, when the two of us govern the world together, why can't we bring about peace and prosperity, reviving the golden age of the Wen and Xuan eras?"

By the faint moonlight filtering through the bed curtains, Lu Jiming looked at Wei Yan's excited eyes and suddenly felt a long-lost surge of passion in his heart.

He remembered many years ago, when he was truly young and had just entered the Eastern Palace, he had thought the same way—to assist the ruler and govern the world together.

He hadn't expected Wei Yan to bring it up again, stirring the ideals that had lain dormant in him for years. He believed that now that he no longer had to worry about the Lu family or act as a defender of a decaying clan, and could truly stand on the same side as Wei Yan, everything would be different.

Perhaps the future Wei Yan envisioned would no longer be a luxurious dream in this life.

He took the initiative to grasp Wei Yan's hand, pulling himself closer. Wei Yan, at an age where he was easily stirred, seeing Lu Jiming take the initiative, reached out to undo his sash.

Naturally, there were many things that night that could not be spoken of.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was the twelfth month. The sun hid all day, and the sky was gloomy. That night, snow began to fall, and when Lu Jiming opened his eyes again, the Eastern Palace was covered in a silver blanket, with snowflakes still fluttering down.

This day in the seventh year of Zhaohe was destined to be different for everyone.

In their previous life, on this day, Wei Yan had caught a cold and canceled the afternoon lessons, so the study companions did not need to enter the palace.

That day, Lu Jiming had not received the news and still entered the palace. He saw Wei Yan lying disheveled on the sickbed, asking him questions.

It dawned on Lu Jiming belatedly that Wei Yan was no longer the child from his memories—he had grown sturdy muscles right before his eyes. Lu Jiming’s face flushed, the reaction coming slowly, his mind growing hazy as if he had forgotten everything.

After leaving the Eastern Palace, he slapped himself across the face as punishment for the flutter in his chest.

That same day, the Crown Prince’s Study Companion, Yin Yuxie, went to the newly opened Tangdi Pavilion and met a silent end in a well.

In this life, Ning Jia had been tailing Yin Yuxie for nearly half a year, but aside from discovering that someone else was also tailing him, she found nothing unusual. Lu Jiming had no choice but to believe that Yin Yuxie’s death back then truly was an accident.

But today, he had to stop this accident.

After breakfast, Lu Jiming planned to find Wei Yan. He had prepared an excuse, hoping to persuade him to allow him to leave the palace.

Unexpectedly, Wei Yan returned first, coming to Lu Jiming’s courtyard and saying to him, “Xuping, it’s snowing today—a rare and beautiful sight. Why don’t we go out for a stroll?”

“Why does Your Highness suddenly want to leave the palace?”

Wei Yan’s expression remained normal as he replied, “You’ve been cooped up in the Eastern Palace for so long, and I haven’t been able to accompany you. Besides, our adopted daughter seems to still be running wild outside the palace. Why not bring her back? She could help keep you entertained.”

“Alright,” Lu Jiming said. “A few days ago, I heard Third Young Master Yin mention that a new restaurant called Tangdi Pavilion has opened in the capital—it’s quite novel. Why don’t we go take a look?”

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Author’s Note: The next chapter is mostly from Yin Yuxie’s perspective, but rest assured—once this matter is resolved and the debt from Sanhuo’s past life concerning the Imperial Consort is settled, there will hardly be any scenes involving Yin and Huan from then on.