A birthmark or a mole?
Song Mingzhi could not help but knit his brows, pondering the question carefully. He had never paid much attention to his own body. After a moment, he finally answered hesitantly, “There seems to be a mole on the left side of my waist.”
Before his voice had even faded, Mu Yanzhou’s finger had already lightly rested on that very spot. At the same time, he tapped twice in a slow, unhurried rhythm: “Right here, is that correct?”
“!”
Song Mingzhi forced himself to endure and replied, “Yes.”
Mu Yanzhou smiled and asked him again, “Are there any others in places you cannot see, such as your back?”
Song Mingzhi had been born with a handsome appearance. Back when he was at Zuiying Pavilion, his mother had urged him to always keep a distance from others. In the life of a secret agent, there was not much room for privacy, but because of his mother’s words, Song Mingzhi, who had grown accustomed to solitude, had never bathed with his colleagues over the years. He had no idea if there were any marks hidden on his back.
A thousand-mile-long dike can be destroyed by an ant hole.
Worried that this might affect Mu Yanzhou’s grand plan, Song Mingzhi’s tone inevitably grew tense. He paused for a moment and finally shook his head gently. “I am not entirely sure about that.”
Mu Yanzhou smiled. “Very well.”
He shifted his gaze back to the paper and said casually, “No matter, we will discuss this later.”
Upon hearing this, Song Mingzhi nodded immediately. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
Although he did not understand that foolish ruler well and was unsure if this was necessary, he secretly resolved to find an opportunity to examine himself in a mirror. He absolutely could not become a stumbling block for the Prince.
The hour passed more quickly than expected. In the blink of an eye, the carriage had traveled far from Chongjing and stopped steadily within the Lianyun Palace.
The eunuch’s voice pierced through the carriage wall and fell into Song Mingzhi’s ears: “His Highness, the Prince of Qi, has arrived!”
As the words fell, the gold-embroidered curtain was slowly pulled aside by the servants. Just as the eunuch was about to step forward to assist, Mu Yanzhou had already stepped on the footstool and climbed out of the carriage himself. Once he stood firm, he turned around, reached out a hand gently toward Song Mingzhi, and said:
“Come, Ah Zhi.”
The clothing Song Mingzhi wore was the standard Shulan style; a bright red narrow-sleeved robe with gold trim and adorned with pearls and jade. Even the slightest movement produced a crisp clicking sound, making it quite inconvenient to move around.
Song Mingzhi carefully placed his hand into Mu Yanzhou’s palm. “Thank you.”
The tips of his ears were flushed with a faint, light red.
Mu Yanzhou smiled and lowered his eyes. “Be careful.”
He led Song Mingzhi by the hand down from the carriage, not forgetting to whisper in his ear, “It is alright, walk slowly.”
Song Mingzhi whispered, “Yes.”
The eunuchs and palace maids in Lianyun Palace could not help but steal glances at Song Mingzhi. The bright red sleeves slid down a few inches with his movements, revealing a patch of snow-white skin on his wrist and the purplish-blue bruises hidden beneath the sleeves.
One could faintly see the marks of fingers.
The Prince Consort’s movements were not very easy. He not only leaned more than half of his body against the Prince of Qi, but even his steps were incredibly slow. One look and it was clear that the two must have been outrageously indulgent yesterday.
Everyone: “!”
The maids and eunuchs in Lianyun Palace were no strangers to the world. A brief glance was enough for them to grasp the situation. After seeing Song Mingzhi’s appearance, they all kept their eyes downcast, following closely behind the pair, not daring to say a word for fear of disturbing the Prince of Qi’s leisure.
At this moment, Song Mingzhi was walking slowly, pretending to be curiously admiring the scenery around him.
In his previous life, he had been here once. During the final years of the dynasty, the national treasury was empty. The Lianyun Palace was overgrown with weeds, and the walls were blackened by the smoke of charcoal braziers, appearing utterly dilapidated. Re-visiting the old site, Song Mingzhi was so stunned at first glance that he did not recognize that this magnificent palace compound was the same Lianyun Palace from his memories.
Mu Yanzhou held Song Mingzhi tightly, whispering to him from time to time as they walked into the veranda of the Lianyun Palace: “Mind your step.”
Song Mingzhi snapped out of his daze. “I will.”
He could not help but secretly admire Mu Yanzhou in his heart. He had not explained specifically how he had gotten the wounds on his body, but by now, Song Mingzhi had pieced together a rough idea based on history and Mu Yanzhou’s brief remarks:
Yan Yuanbo’s men were all vicious, treacherous, and cowardly. Therefore, although their martial arts were not top-tier, they were extremely skilled at firing hidden arrows and using concealed weapons. At the same time, their ability to flee for their lives was first-rate.
The Prince of Qi’s leg injury was most likely caused by one of their concealed weapons while he was pursuing them. The injury was located right by the meridians, which was why his walking speed had slowed down.
Thinking of this, Song Mingzhi felt a renewed sense of respect. Just moments ago, Mu Yanzhou had not only taught him at the carriage how to sit and stand in front of others but also urged him to slow his steps and lean in close. In doing so, he could slow down their walking pace and hide the fact that he was injured.
Seeing the people around them looking as normal as ever, Song Mingzhi could not help but secretly think to himself:
“As expected of His Highness, the Prince of Qi!”
The current Emperor always stayed up late and woke up late. Although it was already noon, there was still some time before the palace banquet began. Song Mingzhi and Mu Yanzhou were in no hurry to meet the Emperor and, led by a eunuch, headed toward the “Chaolu Hall” where they would be resting for the next few days. The Lianyun Palace was built into the mountainside and had many stairs. Thinking of the injury on Mu Yanzhou’s leg, Song Mingzhi could not help but slow his pace even further.
On the other side of the veranda, Mu Yanzhou’s eyes sparkled with a smile. He found that having a Prince Consort was not bad at all.
The eunuch led the two all the way into the Chaolu Hall.
Song Mingzhi had naturally been here before. But the Chaolu Hall at this moment was completely different from his memories:
The hall was hung with red gauze; one glance made it look even more like a bridal chamber than a bridal chamber. On a red palace lantern not far away, a pattern of mandarin ducks with their necks intertwined was painted. The spring breeze blew through the window cracks into the hall, and as the red gauze fluttered, a hot spring pool filled with steaming vapor was vaguely revealed.
Song Mingzhi had just followed Mu Yanzhou to the edge of the bed. Then, he heard him say with a casual laugh:
“The preparations in the Chaolu Hall are truly thorough.”
Mu Yanzhou said this while gently pinching Song Mingzhi’s fingers, whispering to the person beside him: “Do you agree, Ah Zhi?”
Although Mu Yanzhou’s movements were subtle, they were seen clearly by everyone around them. His voice was also slightly hoarse.
“Preparations are thorough?”
Song Mingzhi paused, then finally saw:
There was only one bed in the deepest part of the hall, and on the bed sat a tray of ointments, soft jade, and all sorts of bedchamber implements he could not name.
Truly worthy of being the domain of that foolish ruler.
Song Mingzhi shifted his gaze away.
At the same time, he said somewhat unnaturally, “Your Highness, do not speak nonsense.”
Mu Yanzhou’s exploits over the past few days had already spread throughout Chongjing. Everyone knew that the Prince of Qi not only liked this Prince Consort from the Western Regions but was also exceptionally “obedient” to him, even giving up the wine he loved most because of him.
Now that the relationship between the two had changed, their mode of interaction could not change drastically overnight.
Mu Yanzhou immediately cleared his throat, cooperating with him: “Very well, I will say no more.”
At the same time, he reached out and wrapped his arm around his shoulder.
The servants immediately understood: The Prince Consort is feeling embarrassed!
Unlike the Feng’an Palace in the capital, the overall structure of the Lianyun Palace was more delicate. For example, the size of the Chaolu Hall was not much different from the main room of the Zhuohua Courtyard where Song Mingzhi usually lived. At this moment, a group of people crowding inside was truly a bit cramped.
Seeing the two acting intimate, no one dared to disturb them. The lead eunuch bowed to Mu Yanzhou: “The time is still early, please rest well, Your Highness and Prince Consort. In a short while, this slave will come to invite you to the luncheon and to see the Emperor.”
After saying this, he finally led everyone out. They were terrified of disturbing the two.
The doors of the Chaolu Hall slowly closed, tightly locking in the room’s atmosphere of romance and ambiguity.
Mu Yanzhou raised his hand and brushed past Song Mingzhi’s long hair.
The two figures disappeared little by little behind the carved wooden doors of the Chaolu Hall.
Almost the instant the hall doors closed, Mu Yanzhou let go, releasing Song Mingzhi from his arms and stepping back half a step.
He said to the other party with utmost solemnity: “My apologies, I was rude just now.”
“The Prince of Qi’s conduct was indeed impeccable.”
Song Mingzhi could not help but be moved. He immediately bowed solemnly, stepped back half a step as well, and said, “Your Highness need not be formal.”
The red silk in the hall danced lightly in the wind.
The sound of the eunuch’s footsteps had completely vanished.
There was no time to delay. Mu Yanzhou was not entirely sure when the eunuch would come to call them for the banquet. Today, Song Mingzhi wore a jade crown, which made his already delicate facial features appear even more distant and unreachable.
But in Mu Yanzhou’s view, his hairstyle was a bit too tidy.
“Wait, Ah Zhi.”
Before Song Mingzhi could react, Mu Yanzhou had already raised his hand and removed his hair crown. His light golden long hair poured down onto his shoulders.
Song Mingzhi: “!”
Mu Yanzhou tousled his hair, which had been neatly tied behind his head. He used a hair stick to fix it back behind his head.
Then, he laughed in a low voice: “This looks more like what it would look like after some fooling around.”
Lianyun Palace, Main Hall.
A string of pearl curtains divided it into inner and outer halls.
The eunuchs bowed and brought the two into the hall. At the same time, they raised their voices and turned to report to the inner hall: “The Prince of Qi and the Prince Consort have arrived!”
The palace servants behind the pearl curtain also began to bow.
The sharp voice passed through the pearl curtain and fell into the hall. After a long while, there was finally movement in Song Mingzhi’s ears. He heard a muddy, hoarse male voice come from behind the pearl curtain: “Oh, announce them in.”
As the words fell, the eunuch immediately pushed aside the pearl curtain: “Your Highness and Prince Consort, please this way.”
“Very well.”
The main hall of the Lianyun Palace was not large, but it was filled with luxury everywhere. The bricks in the hall were all made of white jade. At this moment, the old foolish Emperor was sitting behind a screen, only faintly revealing a bit of his figure.
The palace banquet had not officially begun. Song Mingzhi and Mu Yanzhou had deliberately arrived a little late.
Song Mingzhi saw from his peripheral vision that the main hall was already seven-eighths full of people. If his guess was not wrong, these people should be the civil officials responsible for accompanying the Emperor in eating, drinking, and playing. Besides them, Mu Sian, the Prince of Liang, whom he had seen last night, was standing on the Emperor’s right, speaking to him timidly.
Upon seeing the two, he stopped suddenly.
Mu Yanzhou sneered coldly at Mu Sian from afar. He then turned around and said: “My love, let us sit.”
Mu Yanzhou’s move just now could be considered a lack of ritual in front of the Emperor. However, the old Emperor behind the screen was not only not angry, but he laughed and said casually: “Never had any proper form since he was a child.” It sounded like an ordinary father doting on his child.
Song Mingzhi: “…”
This was not an attitude a proper Emperor should have. The struggles in the Great Chu palace were always complex. Although the old Emperor was currently addicted to wine and lust, he had not been entirely unreliable when he was young. Song Mingzhi did not believe that he would not know how to instruct his imperial sons. He was clearly deliberately indulging the Prince of Qi.
Song Mingzhi and Mu Yanzhou sat down together. The main hall of the Lianyun Palace was not large, so the seats in the hall were also small. Eunuch Tao, who was beside the Emperor, led the two to their positions. Almost the moment they sat down, their bodies pressed tightly against each other.
Eunuch Tao saw that the Prince Consort’s hair had clearly been re-combed.
As he sat down, he naturally used his forehead to rub against Mu Yanzhou’s shoulder. The Prince of Qi turned to his side and whispered a couple of things into his ear. Then, the two of them laughed together. The main hall of the Lianyun Palace was rowdy, but these two seemed not to care at all.
Eunuch Tao silently withdrew his gaze and stood up.
Mu Sian, who was sitting on the old Emperor’s right, gritted his teeth at this moment: “My child, my child… has spent the whole night searching the entire city of Chongjing, not missing a single house! But…” When he got to this point, he could not help but lower his voice guiltily, “But, I still have not found any trace of the criminals from yesterday. I suspect they must have been protected by someone.”
Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by Mu Yanzhou: “Was there any need for the Prince of Liang to say that?”
Mu Yanzhou was exceptionally righteous. One could not hear any connection between him and the matter from his words. Song Mingzhi, who knew some of the truth, could not help but admire him silently in his heart.
The farce at the Prince of Qi’s manor last night had already spread throughout Chongjing. Everyone present knew that Mu Sian had not only searched the Prince of Qi’s manor but had also “accidentally” ruined Mu Yanzhou and the Consort’s good night, causing a significant conflict with the other party. Therefore, although Mu Yanzhou was always lazy and did not participate in court affairs, no one was surprised when he spoke up this time.
Mu Sian glared at Mu Yanzhou fiercely: “Shut up!”
Mu Yanzhou seemed not to understand what he meant and picked up the wine cup on the table, continuing: “Besides, does the Prince of Liang really have time to spot-check the entire city of Chongjing house by house after delaying half the night at my manor?”
Mu Sian gritted his teeth: “I did not delay half the night.”
Mu Yanzhou competed with him: “I do not know how careful the Prince of Liang was when searching other places. I only know that when the Prince of Liang sent people to search my Huiming Hall, he did so with great interest. In fact… if I had not been in the Zhuohua Courtyard, the Prince of Liang would probably have searched the Prince Consort’s residence as well.”
If you want to provoke him, you can, but Mu Sian should not have bullied his Prince Consort.
Mu Yanzhou placed the wine cup to his lips as he spoke. However, before he could drink, Song Mingzhi had already lightly raised his hand and placed it on his wrist: “Your Highness, do not drink.”
Mu Yanzhou raised his lips slightly.
He put down the wine cup and said: “I will listen to Ah Zhi in everything.”
As he spoke, he gently pulled Song Mingzhi into his arms, and the anger from moments ago seemed to have been washed away in an instant.
Mu Sian still wanted to say something: “I—”
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the old Emperor: “Yesterday, Chongjing was under martial law. Every citizen in the capital knew about the bloody case at the Feng residence. You failed to catch the criminal but wasted time turning the Prince of Qi’s manor upside down. Is this how you use the Imperial Guard?”
Everyone in the main hall of the Lianyun Palace was instantly as silent as cicadas in winter.
Everyone in the court knew that the current Emperor doted on the Prince of Qi, the son of his first wife, beyond measure, while also valuing the Prince of Liang, Mu Sian, quite highly. Before this, apart from those useless young nobles, everyone surrounded Mu Sian, regarding him as the future Crown Prince. But ever since someone mentioned the idea of crowning Mu Sian as the heir a while ago, the Emperor’s attitude had suddenly changed.
The most obvious point was: he started picking faults with Mu Sian everywhere.
For a time, no one dared to step forward to say a word for Mu Sian.
Mu Sian’s face turned pale.
He immediately fell to his knees: “Father, I, I…”
Although he had been valued by the Emperor, he was essentially a fool. After stammering “I, I” for a long time, he could not form a complete sentence.
Mu Yanzhou naturally wanted to sue him, but he was never one to be anxious. Hearing the impatience in the Emperor’s voice, Mu Yanzhou lowered his head and smiled, following the Emperor’s will: “I think you should speak less so as not to spoil Father’s mood again.”
Although the Emperor had been dissatisfied with Mu Sian recently, the majority of the court officials were still pro-First Prince.
Hearing Mu Yanzhou say this, someone immediately followed up: “Yes, yes, the time is getting late. Your Majesty should also have lunch… please do not let this matter ruin your mood. Such trifles can wait until after lunch.”
Mu Ningxing was not a wise ruler. Now that there were major affairs in the court yet to be decided, he had left the entire government behind to come to the retreat palace to celebrate his birthday. Such a person would naturally not delay his enjoyment.
Song Mingzhi saw…
That foolish ruler raised his hand and called Eunuch Tao to his side.
In just a few seconds, a burst of music rang out in the hall.
Song Mingzhi felt it sounded a bit familiar.
However, before he could remember what it was, he saw a bloated petty official dressed in brocade robes walk forward, bow to the foolish ruler, and say: “His Majesty has always cared about the people, has been busy with government affairs lately, and has not had a moment of leisure. So I thought… I would bring some folk music to His Majesty, to let His Majesty listen!”
As the words fell, a musician with Western Region features, holding a pipa, walked slowly into the hall.
At this moment, she was bowing to the person behind the screen: “This commoner A-He pays respects to Your Majesty—”
Mu Ningxing had ignored court affairs for years, only caring about enjoyment, and had very high standards for this, changing his ways of eating and drinking every day. According to the original plan, he was not supposed to arrive at the retreat palace for another few days. Therefore, the people under him had not prepared a program for today.
After receiving the news that the current Emperor would arrive at the retreat palace early, the petty official before him immediately had a bright idea and called a large group of people from Zuiying Pavilion to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday, perform art, and create a lively atmosphere.
Sure enough, the person behind the screen immediately became interested: “Oh? Folk music? I really haven’t heard it much.”
The petty official was encouraged: “Then, then should I call them up now?”
The Emperor said: “Announce them.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The pipa sound in the hall gradually grew louder.
Mu Yanzhou, with great interest, followed everyone else and cast his gaze outside the palace doors.
He saw that, following this music, several musicians in Western Region attire walked slowly into the hall. And behind them, there was actually a man wearing magnificent clothing and covered in gold and jade ornaments.
He looked like the boss of Zuiying Pavilion, Jialuo.
The petty officials around the Emperor had found Zuiying Pavilion; naturally, he would also come here to present his own gifts.
Mu Yanzhou slowly gripped the wine cup in his hand, and the smile in his eyes scattered little by little.
There were many witnesses to the incident at Zuiying Pavilion that day.
Now that the matter had not only spread throughout the entire capital but had been embellished by others, telling several different versions, even Jialuo, who was originally behind the scenes, had made a name for himself in Chongjing.
At the moment, there were officials who often frequented Zuiying Pavilion who recognized his identity.
At the same time, they silently shifted their gaze toward Song Mingzhi and Mu Yanzhou. This time, there would be a good show to watch!
Hearing the music and the movement around him, Song Mingzhi lightly placed his hand on Mu Yanzhou’s arm and looked up to ask him: “What is wrong, Your Highness?”
Mu Yanzhou gently set down the wine cup: “It is nothing.”
At the same time, he cast his gaze toward Jialuo.
He slowly narrowed his eyes, appearing quite guarded.
The people around that foolish ruler were not proper officials. Accompanied by a burst of whispering, half the people in the hall already knew the visitor’s identity. The people from Zuiying Pavilion also walked into the hall with the music at this moment.
At this time, they were heading toward the location of Song Mingzhi and Mu Yanzhou.
Everyone cast their gaze toward Mu Yanzhou in unison, wanting to see what his reaction would be.
In the main hall, drums and music were deafening.
In the blink of an eye, the group walked to the center of the hall.
Before Song Mingzhi, who was half-leaning in Mu Yanzhou’s arms, could see clearly what was happening in the hall, his field of vision suddenly darkened.
The moment Jialuo walked over with the crowd from Zuiying Pavilion, Mu Yanzhou lightly raised his hand.
In front of everyone, he covered Song Mingzhi’s eyes.
Then, he whispered quite childishly in his ear: “Ah Zhi, do not look at him.”