Zhao Bi Xuan was dumbfounded, finally understanding why the Emperor suddenly started snubbing her and the Second Prince. So he already knew everything, and was merely biding his time. She didn't want to listen to the words he was going to say, because they were bound to hurt. While she was thinking that she could start over with this man, he had already rejected her a long time ago, and even arranged for everything to happen today. He destroyed Qi Jin Yu, and simultaneously ruined her.
Zhao Bi Xuan understood all that she wanted to, she shook her head while struggling to climb up.
Zhou Yun Sheng strode away from Feng Yi Palace, coldly saying, "Zhao Bi Xuan, every time I see you, I instantly feel like vomiting. Since you like Qi Jin Yu so much, I'll grant your wish."
The next day, Hui Yi Imperial Consort and the Empress Dowager both had medical emergencies. The Empress Dowager's life was saved, but her lower body was paralyzed, however, the Hui Yi Imperial Consort's luck was not as good, and she passed away the next day. She didn't receive a posthumous title, and wasn't enshrined, only wrapped in a blanket and buried in the capital's suburbs, not even given an honorable tombstone. The Gong Prince had his title and properties stripped from him for rebelling against the emperor, and was reduced to a commoner. Plus, because he didn't get timely treatment, there was some festering, so he would be bedridden for a very long time. Zhao Xuan had personally traveled to Gong Qin Mansion to issue the imperial decree, then he instructed his men to carry the half dead Qi Jin Yu to a dilapidated building in Yan Wei alley, and delivered the slave girl the Emperor had gifted him.
That female slave was covered in a cloak, her face concealed, and in her arms was an infant baby, crying piteously for nursing. As Zhao Xuan walked away, what sounded like a tea cup breaking echoed from the house, and sounds of the incessantly crying woman and baby. The courtiers saw the Emperor quietly taking care of the matter, not indiscriminately killing innocents or taking out his anger on bystanders, and felt that the Emperor was even more benevolent.
The capital already knew that because of the title dispute, Duke Yu Guo had cut all ties with Hui Yi Imperial Consort, and whenever the Empress Dowager gathered courtiers to try and set up the Second Prince as heir, the usually silent in the imperial court Duke Yu Gou would always strongly express his opposition, saying that the Second Prince was not the eldest nor the child of a first wife, so he couldn't be appointed. Because of this, Yu Guo Duchy was not implicated in Hui Yi Imperial Consort's rebellion, but Marquess Wen Yuan was. As the saying goes, old age does not guarantee virtue, the Emperor casually convicted him and stripped away his title, seizing his family property.
That day, Old Marquess Yuan Hou disregarded all dignity, chasing after Fang-shi to beat her to death. If she hadn't raised that sort of shameless daughter, how could he be in this situation today? Finished, he actually remembered the Li-shi that he himself had driven out of the house, and sullenly ran to her for help. Worrying about saving face, Li-shi let him in, but when Zhao Xuan returned that night, he mercilessly drove him out, threatening that if he dared come back, he would have his legs broken.
Old Marquess Wen Yuan wanted to use filial piety to pressure him, but Zhao Xuan blocked his argument with a sentence, "If you think I'm unfilial, by all means, go to the government office to report me, let's see how the Emperor rules ."
How could Old Marquess Wen Yuan have the face to speak in front of the Emperor? Even when he passed a familiar-looking noble on the street, he would hang his head and shrink into the wall, hating that he couldn't turn into a wisp of smoke and disappear. He wiped his face and hobbled away, thinking of his monstrously powerful eldest son, but also thinking of his fallen into ruin eldest daughter, suddenly regretting his past decisions.
When Qi Jin Yu woke up from a sharp pain, the Gong Qin Mansion was already surrounded by the capital's guards. Catching sight of his blood drenched lower body, he immediately sunk into madness, hammering the bed's pillar, shouting himself hoarse. He was now neither man nor ghost, rather than clinging to a worthless life, it was better to just die. On several occasions, he tried to run into the imperial guards' swords, but they always moved out of the way in time.
After his suicide attempts failed, Qi Jin Yu could only mutilate himself, but when he saw that the Emperor had sent Zhao Bi Xuan to him, he was convinced that his current situation was all this slut's fault. If she hadn't seduced him, he would still be the untouchable Gong Prince, how could he be reduced to this point? So he began torturing Zhao Bi Xuan in various ways, not only beating her, he even used foreign objects to invade her privates, not stopping until she was badly mutilated. Zhao Bi Xuan struggled and begged for mercy, bawling pitifully.
Thus, a few months later, the household's funds slowly dwindled, in order to get money to survive, and also pay to treat his festering wound, Qi Jin Yu would often call the local ruffians and rogues into the house, after money was exchanged, he would pick up the child and go for a stroll in the sun. Zhao Bi Xuan's desperate cries and mournful screams would echo from behind, but he never looked back.
At the same time, the imprisoned Qian Fangfei passed away, and a widow named Qian Tu traveled to the Northwest's frontier with many tall and burly bodyguards, and vast wealth. Because she had the Northwest King's care, in just a few years, she became Da Qi's most famous fur merchant, and after recuperating for a few years, she got remarried to a local vice-commander, and gave birth to a chubby son. Her days seem to be filled with satisfaction.
————
The Emperor calmly and quietly settled a scandal that should've shaken up all levels of society. Although the Emperor didn't forbid speaking of it, everyone wished to erase their memories of that day. Thus, when all was still calm a year later, some courtiers suddenly noticed that the Emperor's heirs were unusually sparse, and the harem was empty, so they quickly submitted a request for a harem draft.
When the person putting forward the request was finished talking, Zhou Yun Sheng clearly felt Zhao Xuan's knife sharp eyes land on him. He pretended to ponder for a moment, then said in a gloomy tone, "I'll comment on this matter later, the court is dismissed."
Seeing the Emperor's slumped back as he departed, like he had a thousand worries hanging on his shoulders, the courtiers felt distressed for him. Don't look at the Emperor's calm performance, his heart must certainly feel shaken, after all, he lost his beloved woman of three years. Master Li really doesn't have any sense, carelessly poking the Emperor's sore spot. Even if the Emperor's heirs are thin and the harem is empty, at least wait for the Emperor to recuperate before bringing it up ah!
Master Li also realized his faux pas, just as he turned the corner, he accidentally bumped into Duke Yu Gou, and was cut by his sharp, ice-cold eyes.
"Master Li, watch where you walk, careful not to fall." Zhao Xuan said, putting on a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Li Master repeated apologized and quickly left the palace, riding off on his horse. However, just as he reached his house gates, his horse was suddenly spooked, and it ruthlessly threw him off, stomping on his right leg, breaking the bone. He was bedridden, unable to move about for at least three or five months.
Zhao Xuan hurried back home and called over his subordinates.
"Is it done?"
"Yes, he was seriously injured, and won't be able to attend imperial court for at least three months."
"Good, deliver this message to beyond the Great Wall so they can start moving, I'm going back to the Northwest."
"General, you're finally going back?! This subordinate will make arrangements right away!" The subordinates were overjoyed, after a short discussion, they left to perform their tasks.
Half a month later, the court suddenly received a war report, the barbarians in the Northwest were behaving unusually, it seems that they were gathering forces to invade again. As the person in charge, Zhao Xuan immediately kneeled, asking for directive.
Zhou Yun Sheng noticed that Zhao Xuan was eager to leave the capital, perhaps he was still upset about the previous draft suggestion? He wanted to go, so Zhou Yun Sheng didn't block it, because he knew that this man was inseparable from him, and would come back sooner or later. Taking the memorial, he wrote "Accepted" in bright red, apparently not planning to urge him to stay. Zhao Xuan kneeled and thanked him for his favor, his eyes glowing a cold light.
Zhou Yun Sheng personally accompanied the army ten miles outside the city gate, watching the majestic troops disappear into the distance, his eyes slightly misted, unexpectedly feeling somewhat melancholy. Now that he thinks back on it, his previous-self really was still too naïve. An animal like Zhao Xuan, how could he ever throw a cowardly "Running away to a foreign land" tantrum? He was a self-destruct program- destruction and plundering was his nature, meaning, even if he reincarnated tens of thousands of times, and took on tens of thousands of different identities, his instincts would never fade.
So that night, after Zhou Yun Sheng went to bed, he was secretly carted out of the palace by a few shadow guards, and delivered to Zhao Xuan's carriage. In order to prevent his sweetheart from suffering bumps on the journey, Zhao Xuan had his men prepare the extremely rarely used luxury carriage, and had the interior compartment lined with thick quilts and pillows. Pulling the other man into his arms, caressing and kissing, Zhao Xuan played with him all night, and fell asleep with the rising sun.
Zhou Yun Sheng found that his chest felt very heavy, like a large stone was pressing down on him, and his hands and feet felt very weak, in fact, his whole body felt weak. Plus, he was obviously awake, but he couldn't even open his eyes. He licked his dry lips and shouted with difficulty, "Water, I need a drink of water."
"Here's the water, drink slowly."
Soon, he found himself in a familiar warm embrace, the husky voice Zhao Xuan used when disguised as the black-dressed man whispering in his ear. Zhou Yun Sheng bit his tongue to make sure he was truly awake, then ruthlessly cursed in his heart: Mother fucker, kidnapped again!
"Where are you taking me?" He avoided the cup and asked.
"I'm your man, naturally you go where I go, why ask?" Zhao Xuan chuckled and pinched his jaw, pouring the cup of water into his mouth, then he lowered his head to kiss him, teasing with his tongue, reluctantly backing away after seeing his sweetheart's breathless and flushed, seemingly about to asphyxiate, appearance.
"Don't you know that I'm Da Qi's Emperor? As they say, under the heavens, every soil is the Emperor's land, to the borders of that land, every individual is the Emperor's subject. Even though you kidnapped me, where can you escape to?" Zhou Yun Sheng didn't expect his lover to do such an insane thing, disregarding all consequences.
Zhao Xuan laughed out loud, caressing his still unable to open eyes, he kissed his thick eyelashes and whispered, "Da Qi's Emperor is now in the palace, you don't have to worry about."
"You're planning to steal my throne?" Zhou Yun Sheng's tone suddenly became sharp.
"No, I won't let an imitation occupy your seat. After a few days, he will die, and the First Prince will become the next Emperor." As for the turmoil that would ensue in the imperial court after the First Prince ascended the throne, Zhao Xuan didn't care.
The First Prince was only five years old this year, how could he bear the responsibility of Da Qi's throne? Even if Zhou Yun Sheng wanted to abdicate, he still needed to wait for the prince to be over fourteen, if not, the imperial court would fall into disorder and the common people would suffer as a result. Hating that he couldn't hang Zhao Xuan upside down and flog him, Zhou Yun Sheng used all his strength to roar, "Zhao Xuan you fuck, send me back right now!"
Zhao Xuan was speechless, taking almost half an hour to snap out of it, he asked disbelievingly, "How did you know it was me?" His voice instantly returned to normal.
"Of course I know! Since the first time I dragged you into bed, did you really think I was mistaking you for someone else? Your rough face is not even slightly mistakable for Zhao Bi Xuan's. The one I always wanted to get close to was you, your body left a deep imprint in my mind, I instantly recognized you, if not, why would I constantly condone your insolence? Of course it's because I fucking love you. You don't need to bind me, and you don't need to drug me, if you just tell me you also love me, I'd be happy to be with you."
Zhao Xuan didn't speak for a long time. Zhou Yun Sheng waited for nearly half an hour, and finally felt a cup of medicinal smelling water pressed against his mouth. He drank slowly, and gradually felt his body gaining strength, and he could even open his eyes slightly.
Zhao Xuan's tense face and blood shot eyes appeared in front of him, he looked terrible.
"You said you always knew it was me?" He asked in a heavy voice.
"Ay." Zhou Yun Sheng lazily acknowledged.
"You said that you love me?"
"Ay."
"You said you'll happily be with me?"
"Have you recently gone deaf? Or are you just unable to understand human language?" Zhou Yun Sheng raised an eyebrow, his expression arrogant.
This finally made Zhao Xuan feel a sense of reality, he pushed the other man down into the quilt and frantically kissed him, his expression overflowing with ecstasy, excitement, anxiety and other contradictory emotions. He pinched the Emperor's jaw, forcing the Emperor to meet his eyes, saying, "Okay, I'll send you back."
Maybe these were lies his sweetheart were saying in order to bait him into bringing him back to the capital, maybe as soon as he stepped into the palace, he'd be skewered by a thousand arrows, but in order to hear his sweetheart's "I do", even if mountains of daggers and seas of flames, dragon lakes and tiger caves were in the front of him, he wouldn't hesitate to gamble.
"Good boy. [A positive compliment when used to describe a child. When used for an adult, the word is often disparaging.]" Zhou Yun Sheng smiled, then hooked his arms around his neck and laughed, "I'm not in a hurry to go back. I finally have my strength back, didn't you have something planned?"
Zhao Xuan's anxiety instantly soothed, he laughed, pulling the other man into a tight embrace. He now knew that he'd win his gamble. If he wasn't sincere, if he didn't deeply love him, how could Da Qi's dignified Emperor willingly lay under him? As it turns out, this love wasn't a one sided pursuit, but two people's secret mutual love.
Of the world's happiest things, nothing could surpass having your beloved person love you back.