Li Qing flipped through the book casually; it was quite meaningless.
“Your Majesty!”
Gao Yuan ran to the entrance in a panic, bowed, and blurted out: “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has arrived at the gates of Huiyu Palace!”
Feng Yanzhou stood up abruptly. “Wasn’t she supposed to arrive tomorrow? And why was I not notified that the Empress Dowager was returning to the palace today?”
Gao Yuan shrank his head, not daring to speak. No one had expected the Empress Dowager to pull such a stunt. If it hadn’t been for his godson’s sharp eyes, he wouldn’t have recognized that the person dressed as a palace maid was actually the Empress Dowager!
Li Qing was worried that He Zhangying might come into conflict with the Empress Dowager. “Let’s go see!”
Huiyu Palace.
“What!? That brat actually abducted someone for an entire night!”
Tao Wan whispered, “Did they share a bed?”
He Zhangying shook her head, glanced cautiously to the left and right, and leaned into her ear. “Qing’er’s health is poor; Imperial Physician Qin is still treating him, so it’s not allowed for now.”
“Who is on top and who is on bottom? Do you know?”
“Master Feng said that day that he is on the bottom, but I always feel… Qing’er doesn’t seem like…”
The two were in the middle of their secret conversation when Feng Yanzhou led Li Qing through the door. “Mother/Mother…”
The four of them stared at each other; the awkwardness was palpable in the air. Feng Yanzhou and Li Qing exchanged a glance why were the two of them holding hands? Did they know each other?
Half an incense stick later, the four of them sat around the stone table in the courtyard, with Feng Yanzhou and Li Qing forced to listen to their mothers’ “love story.”
Tao Wan was the daughter of a general and had often roamed the jianghu disguised as a man in her youth. She had accidentally met He Zhangying in the Yun Kingdom. The young lady, who had always lived deep within the walls of a mansion, had instantly fallen for the unrestrained and carefree “young gentleman” she encountered. Sadly, upon discovering He Zhangying was actually a woman, her sincere heart had nowhere to go, and the two gradually became close friends. After Tao Wan left the Yun Kingdom, they maintained contact through letters. Fearing it would cause other issues, Tao Wan never revealed her true identity until He Zhangying entered the palace as a concubine, at which point they lost contact completely.
This time, having heard about the Yun Kingdom’s Sixth Prince, Tao Wan had carefully questioned the servants sent by the officials to the Imperial Mausoleum. Through what they reported, she had deduced He Zhangying’s identity and decided to return to see her.
Seeing a dear friend they hadn’t been in touch with for twenty years, they had too much to say, only to be interrupted by these two “grown-up sons.”
“Grown-up son” Feng Yanzhou took Li Qing by the hand and left. “You two talk; we won’t be an eyesore here.”
The court officials had originally assumed that with the Empress Dowager’s return, they would have a supporter. To their surprise, the Empress Dowager immediately approved the marriage and ordered the Ministry of Rites to find an auspicious date for the investiture ceremony.
The officials were left in a state of disarray. “…” How is this different from what we imagined?
Feng Yanzhou looked at the few remonstrating officials who were preparing to die for their cause. He pulled a sword from beside the dragon throne and tossed it onto the ground. “Don’t bother knocking your heads against the pillars; the carvings are too complex, they’re a pain to clean. Just take the sword and slit your throats. But be careful not to splash blood too far. Guards, seal the main hall. Anyone who dies here today will have all records of their life erased; their families and relatives will be sent back to their original hometowns, forbidden from taking the imperial examinations for three generations, and barred from entering the capital! You lot want to be remembered in history for this I’m afraid that won’t work out!”
The group preparing to die: “…” All our escape routes have been blocked!
No one dared to object to the appointment of a male Empress again. As for the thoughts of the common people, they only cared about whether the person on the throne could keep them fed and warm; whether Feng Yanzhou liked men or women didn’t matter to them.
The Ministry of Rites calculated several dates, but Feng Yanzhou chose the earliest one. Qin Lang flatly refused: “No, Li Qing’s health isn’t fully recovered; Your Majesty needs to abstain from indulgence.”
Feng Yanzhou indicated he could endure it.
Qin Lang didn’t believe him. “Are you sure?”
Feng Yanzhou: “…” Not entirely sure.
In the end, they chose the latest date possible. Feng Yanzhou waited in agony. Under Qin Lang’s treatment, Li Qing’s physical condition gradually recovered to just slightly below that of an average person. Finally, the day of their wedding arrived.
The Wedding Night, Longqi Palace.
Feng Yanzhou’s voice was hoarse, deep, and strained. “Qingqing… is it okay? Qingqing? Answer me…”
Li Qing: “…” Given the current situation, how is he supposed to answer?
He reached out to block the “Little Feng Yanzhou.” “Don’t touch him…”
“But the books say this will make you feel good… I also said I would teach you everything in that trunk of books. Teacher Feng is going to give a lecture, so behave and listen!”
Li Qing bit his shoulder tightly, his fingers leaving several claw marks on Feng Yanzhou’s back.
“Mmph… Feng Yanzhou, go to hell… ah-ha—”
After shouting that out, Li Qing bit his other shoulder and asked awkwardly: “It won’t… be heard by people outside, right?”
“Let them hear it. Who doesn’t know you’re mine!”
“Wuwuwu… how am I supposed to face people tomorrow!”
Feng Yanzhou gave a low laugh, leaning into his reddened ear. “Qingqing, why would you think that? You won’t… be able to leave the house tomorrow! Or perhaps for much longer!”
“Mmph-ah-ah-ah…”
Feng Yanzhou laughed, kissed the corner of his mouth, and coaxed him softly: “The first book is finished, let’s start the second!”
“Ah? Is it not over yet? I think I’ve had enough.”
Feng Yanzhou’s face darkened. “Qingqing, what are you thinking? You’re happy, but I’m still uncomfortable. Little Scholar Li isn’t studying seriously, so Teacher Feng will have to teach you properly!”
“Don’t…”
“Wuwuwu…”
“It hurts… Feng Yanzhou! Go to hell—”
This academic study lasted a very, very long time…
Feng Yanzhou’s assessment of Li Qing was correct: Li Qing did not leave Longqi Palace for seven full days. Li Qing lay on the bed while Feng Yanzhou fed him, scolding him with every bite he took.
Feng Yanzhou was helpless. “Finish eating before you scold me, don’t choke.”
“Cough, cough, cough…”
Feng Yanzhou hurriedly patted his back. “Slow down, Qingqing, don’t rush.”
Li Qing wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and threw it at him. “Jinx!”
Feng Yanzhou continued to coax him. “Where did you learn all those insults, Qingqing? You’ve been scolding me for so long with hardly any repetition. You truly are learned.”
Li Qing: “…” Is that how “learned” is used?
Feeling less uncomfortable, Li Qing strolled slowly out of Longqi Palace. When he went to Huiyu Palace to hang around, he was met with two pairs of gossiping eyes. He drank tea endlessly until he eventually made an excuse to leave.
Tao Wan did not stay in the palace for too long. A month after her son’s wedding, she returned to the imperial mausoleum to stay, occasionally coming back to the palace to visit He Zhangying. Time flowed slowly and happily…
Two years later, news arrived from the Yun Kingdom.
He Zhangzhi had picked the wrong side in a power struggle, and the First Prince, Li Yan, eventually ascended the throne. The entire He family was sentenced to execution. He secretly wrote to Li Qing, begging him to rescue He Yunyun. Li Qing did not refuse his request and traveled to the Yun Kingdom with secret guards to save her.
Yun Kingdom Imperial Prison.
“Uncle, if you need me to, I can take you with me.”
He Zhangzhi was in shackles, his hair graying, his voice weary.
“No need. The winner is king, and the loser is the villain; this is what I deserve! I only ask that you… take good care of Yunyun in the future, and your mother as well. Please tell her I am sorry for her; for all these years, I have not fulfilled my responsibility as a brother…”