Chapter 97: Your Feelings for Your Highness Are More Than Gratitude

Chapter 97: Your Feelings for His Highness Are More Than Gratitude

"I know you two are in love!"

Liu Qinghe stated with absolute certainty.

Liu Qingci was naturally thin-skinned, and his sister bringing this up so bluntly made him embarrassed again.

"You can say that to me, but don't go spouting nonsense everywhere!"

Liu Qinghe was lively by nature and wasn't the least bit afraid of Xiao Yan.

He was afraid Liu Qinghe would say something foolish to Xiao Yan…

Liu Qinghe muttered, "I told you I'm not talking nonsense."

"Brother, why don't you admit it?" she asked curiously.

"Alright, Qinghe, stop asking."

Liu Qingci tried to put on the airs of an elder brother.

But his tactic had no effect on Liu Qinghe.

Her eyes darted around and she dropped another bombshell: "Is it because His Highness Prince Yu is a man?"

"Did you never expect to like a man? So you refuse to admit it? Or are you afraid that Father and Mother won't approve? Or… do you think there are too many obstacles between you and His Highness?"

Liu Qingci's eyelid twitched sharply. "Qinghe! How do you know so much at your age?!"

"I read it in storybooks!" Liu Qinghe said with utter confidence.

"Brother, don't worry. Mother and Father have always been open-minded. Besides, our Liu family still has me!" She patted her chest confidently. "I like men too, heehee. I can carry on the family line for the Liu clan!"

"What kind of nonsense is that, little girl? Don't you have any shame?" Without anyone noticing, Madam Liu had come up from the corridor and lightly tapped the back of Liu Qinghe's head.

"Mother!" Liu Qinghe covered her head, but she wasn't scared at all. Instead, she grinned and leaned in. "When did you get here?"

Madam Liu gave her a helpless look.

"It's New Year's, and you're standing out here in the cold wind spouting nonsense?"

Liu Qinghe stuck out her tongue. "I was just sharing secrets with Brother."

"Hurry inside. Don't catch a cold."

Liu Qinghe obediently skipped away.

Madam Liu looked at her son, worry creasing her brow. "Qingci, about you and His Highness Prince Yu…"

"Mother!" Liu Qingci quickly interrupted her. His expression was tense as he explained, "What Qinghe said about me and His Highness isn't true. Please don't misunderstand."

Madam Liu simply looked at him quietly.

Liu Qingci suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

He lowered his gaze, avoiding his mother's eyes.

"…Really, it's not like that," he repeated, his voice much softer, as if to convince his mother, or maybe himself.

"Qinghe is young and doesn't know better. She reads those storybooks and lets her imagination run wild." He spoke faster and faster. "His Highness Prince Yu treats me… it's just, it's just…"

He couldn't finish the sentence.

Madam Liu watched him and sighed softly.

"Qingci," she called. "Mother didn't ask you anything."

Liu Qingci looked up.

Madam Liu said gently, "No matter what, His Highness Prince Yu has helped us a great deal. He is a benefactor of our Liu family."

Benefactor…

Liu Qingci's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Madam Liu stepped closer and gently took his hand.

"But Mother can see…" She paused. "Your feelings for His Highness are more than just gratitude."

"…Mother." Liu Qingci's voice was hoarse.

"Alright, Qingci. Mother knows what's on your mind." She patted the back of his hand and said softly, "Your father will be back from the northern border soon. After that, your relationship and status with His Highness Prince Yu can be different."

Madam Liu had heard things about her son recently.

People said that Prince Yu had forcibly taken Liu Qingci into his residence as a male favorite. She had also heard many rumors about Prince Yu.

But rumors were just rumors. Only by seeing things with one's own eyes and feeling them with one's heart could the truth be known.

Although Madam Liu had only been at Prince Yu's residence for two days, she could tell that how Prince Yu treated her son was nowhere near as bad as people said.

And she understood this situation was undoubtedly a source of unease for Liu Qingci.

So once Chancellor Liu gets his position back, Liu Qingci could restore his own status as well.

Then he could be on equal footing with Xiao Yan.

On the first day of the lunar new year, the imperial palace conducted the Heaven Worship Ceremony.

As a prince, Xiao Yan entered the palace before dawn.

The officials stood in rank order. Xiao Yan stood at the front of the imperial clan, gazing listlessly at the three-tiered white marble altar before him.

The ritual master chanted, music played, and incense smoke curled upward.

They knelt three times and bowed nine times, presented incense, jade, and silk.

Xiao Yan went through the motions, kneeling, bowing, and reciting the prayers—though he didn't understand a word of them.

After the ceremony, the traditional palace banquet ensued.

Hundreds of low tables lined the Hall of Supreme Harmony, set up from inside the hall to the corridor outside.

The imperial clan members sat in the front rows, in order: the emperor's sons, the imperial princes, the commandery princes, followed by the civil and military officials.

Xiao Yan's seat was not far from the imperial throne.

The emperor was speaking with several high-ranking ministers, a controlled smile on his face.

The eunuch beside him kept refilling his cup, and he drank one cup after another.

Xiao Yan watched for a moment, then suddenly said in a low voice, "Imperial Father, drink a little less."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor was startled, then became somewhat emotional, tears welling up in his aged eyes.

"Alright, alright! I won't drink anymore. I won't!"

He waved his hand as he spoke, signaling the eunuch to remove the wine jug.

He knew this son of his had once been the one who always had a wine cup in hand, spending his days in a drunken stupor!

Now he could actually say such words, telling his old father to cut back on drinking.

The Emperor looked at Xiao Yan, his eyes reddening.

"Xiao Qi has grown up," he repeated, as if proclaiming to the surrounding ministers, "He really has grown up."

Several high ministers quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty is right. His Highness, Prince Yu, has grown more composed."

"Yes, yes, during the earlier sacrifice ceremony, His Highness was meticulous in his ceremonial duties and thorough in every detail."

"It just shows that His Highness is a wise man playing the fool..."

Xiao Yan: "..."

He had only spoken one sentence.

"Host, why did you say that?" Little K appeared out of nowhere and blurted out, "You're not trying to change the plot again, are you?!"

Xiao Yan: "...I just mentioned it casually."

Little K: "You know perfectly well that in the original plot, Xiao Jing rose to power by poisoning his Imperial Father's wine, and yet you tell him not to drink?"

Xiao Yan frowned, but he said nothing.

Xiao Jing rose to power because he poisoned the Emperor's wine with a slow-acting toxin.

That poison wouldn't kill immediately; it would only make the Emperor weaker day by day, eventually leaving him bedridden, unable to speak or write, becoming a puppet at the mercy of others.

And Xiao Jing took this opportunity to gradually take control of the court.

Little K: "Host! You're not thinking of changing this plot, are you?! This is the core setting of the original novel! Xiao Jing's rise, Prince Yu's death, Liu Qingci being locked up—all started with the Emperor being poisoned!"