That night, Prince Wei climbed over a palace wall for the first time in his life.
This area must not have been his forte. From the grass clippings on his back, it could be inferred that he fell several times before succeeding. His clothes were even wet from the dew.
Linlang resisted a smile as she plucked the leaves from his hair.
To think that this noble son could have such an embarrassing side. It was too funny.
"Is it amusing?" The man pretended to be affronted and squashed her face between his hands. Her skin which felt like sheep-fat jade was too pleasant. Although Linlang groaned over the discomfort, he couldn't help but pull her in and lower his head for a kiss.
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The person's eyes were shimmering, like lights on the surface of the water. She was half-playful and half-reproaching when she said, "I don't want to be kissed by you. I sneezed several when I returned yesterday. Fortunately, I didn't fall ill. Being sick feels uncomfortable. I do not wish to drink concoctions."
This childish tone resembled a lady who never grew up.
Wei Yu laughed despite himself but didn't make any more moves.
His heart felt at ease just by holding her.
Given Linlang's appearance, it didn't seem that today's incident affected her.
Wei Wang breathed a sigh of relief then brought up another matter. "I'm leaving for Jiangnan in a few days to run some errands. Is there anything you want me to bring back?"
Jiangnan was a city known for talented people. It had an abundance of novelty goods and ingenious products such as cloud brocade. Their embroidery and paper cutting was famous, but things like oiled paper umbrellas, sandalwood fans, and miniature clay figures were popular among young women.
Wei Yu had already considered what to get her. He thought to himself, she was used to seeing pearls, jade, and brocade. There was no shortage of treasures in the palace, so a gimmick will probably be necessary to please her, right?
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Linlang's eyes flashed. An indescribable smile surfaced for a moment.
"Then I want a lean horse from Yangzhou!" She answered enthusiastically.
"Wh—what?" Prince Wei almost choked on his saliva. Does she know what that is?
"I heard that there are many beautiful and talented young ladies over there. It's a pity they were born in poverty. I want to take good 'care' of them." Linlang's expression was very innocent.
Wei Yu didn't know why a chill ran down his back.
He did his best to dispel her thoughts of raising a lean horse. She expressed her displeasure with a pout.
The man wiped a cold sweat and patiently placated her until her sweet smile returned.
"It's growing late, I should go back." Wei Yu estimated the time of day and reluctantly bid her goodbye. He will be gone for at least three to four months and felt empty inside whenever he thought of not seeing her for such a long time. It was a strange kind of discomfort.
He coaxed her to sleep first, tucked her inside the quilt then instructed her, "Don't kick the quilt off at night lest you catch a cold."
Linlang answered obediently, her clear eyes earnestly looked up at him.
Wei Yu placed his hand over her eyes with feathery light gentleness. His palm tickled from the fluttering eyelashes under it until they slowly calmed to a still. He stood up and gazed at her for a while before opening the veil to leave.
"Brother Yu!" A shout came from behind.
A pair of small feet treaded on the snow-white blanket.
"What's the matter?" Wei Yu looked at her through the curtain.
"Come here." She beckoned lightly.
He remembered the scene from the first time he called her over. The corner of his mouth twitched when he said, "Little villain, what tricks do you have this time?" The misery from back then was so great that he still had a lingering fear whenever he saw a body of water.
"Aiyah, come here already. What are you dawdling for?" Linlang said in a spoiled manner.
"All right, all right, I'll come over. Even if you make trouble, I shall concede." Wei Yu immediately compromised and stepped forward.
The goose-yellow veil was as light as raw silk. Under the reflection of the night pearl, the crab apple flower embroidery was faintly visible over her pale cheeks. They were like the shadows of petals falling, which added a perplexing quality to her beauty.
Linlang stood on tiptoe and kissed the man's lips through the veiling.
Ambiguous, charming, and sweet.
The material's cold surface was a sharp contrast to her warm kiss, making his heart soften in an instant.
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He had never heard sweeter words of love.
Wei Yu knew he was gradually falling into the enemy's hands and was aware of the danger of having his heart tied to a single woman's emotions. He could live and die by her words.
He didn't know when it started, but he was only sinking deeper.
Even when it came to Feng Sisi, his affection for her was nowhere near as soul-stirring as this, where he was willing to dedicate everything he had.
Wei Yu has never been an adventurous person.
Every move he made was decided after careful deliberation. He will carefully assess the risks then weigh the losses and benefits. Vain emotions were never something that clouded his judgment. In fact, he believed it was stupid to let them dominate one's mind.
He admits that Feng Sisi's unconventional character caught his attention to a great extent.
When Emperor Wei took an interest in this woman, Wei Yu knew that his opportunity had arrived.
Although the two were brothers, their half-blood relationship made them as incompatible as fire and water. Emperor Wei was always looking for ways to get rid of his overly competent younger brother.
Not only was the promising Prince Wei prestigious in the imperial court, but he also had the imposing momentum of a man above a hundred ministers. He had an excellent reputation among the people, and no fault could be found in him.
Such a person was a difficult enemy for Emperor Wei. He was like a thorn that could not be plucked out, a threat that could kill the sovereign and take his place.
However, Wei Yu had no rebellious heart.
He had no interest in that dragon seat.
The trials and tribulations he underwent in his youth caused him to develop a strong hatred for his wayward father. He abhorred everything related to him, including that imperial power that impressed everyone.
Had this not been the case, he would have seized it when the late emperor passed away.
After all, in the minds of ministers back then, the third prince was intelligent and proficient in civil as well as military matters. He was the perfect candidate to be the crown prince. Many key figures pledged allegiance to him in private. Needless to say, his advantages were great.
Wei Yu was always trying to eliminate the emperor's suspicion and the sudden arrival of Feng Sisi who caught Emperor Wei's eye became the best pawn to attract firepower.
He demonstrated his affection for Feng Sisi to the point that he even engaged in subterfuge. Although Emperor Wei would be vexed by his behavior, Wei Yu's actions would lead him to believe that he was the kind of man that 'risked anything' for love. The emperor would then unconsciously lower his vigilance.
No matter how strong an opponent was, once they had a soft underbelly, they could be destroyed with a single blow.
The only thing he didn't anticipate was a crease in his seamlessly celestial robe.
He belatedly fell in love with his childhood playmate.
That unremarkable chess piece he abolished became a blood-red cinnabar mole in his heart, an existence that fused into his flesh and bones.
He was a schemer that could control people's hearts, but there actually came a day where he failed to control his own.
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Wei Yu stared at the crab apple flower seed in his hand.
"Is this dance not to Master Wei's taste?" The official sitting next to him asked cautiously. The dancing girls sang and danced elegantly. Slim waists twirled gracefully like willows, and their thin red dresses were flush on their bodies, revealing the indescribable temptation.
These women were the 'lean horses of Yangzhou' that Linlang spoke of. Due to financial difficulties, they were sold by their family members as a way to subsidize the household. Thanks to their natural beauty, the women were raised like daughters from eminent families, learning guqin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. They were then sent to wealthy merchants or officials to become concubines, or even playthings.
Many of the girls were first-beauties that could match Linlang, but Wei was not interested. The alluring imperial consort had a beauty that went down to the bones. Just a single smile from her could make him feel like everything about her was beautiful and charming.
Wei Yu recalled the veiled kiss that was as light as a dragonfly skimming on the water, yet it had touched his very heart.
As he was thinking of this, a cold glint was suddenly thrust towards his face.
Wei Yu reflexively tossed the fruit plate on the table, but the opponent was clearly a master and nimbly avoided his counterattack to pierce his shoulder.
"Ah—! An assassin!"
The surrounding women were scared to tears, throwing the pleasure boat into chaos as they fled and dove into the water.
The beautiful dancers from before were killers and launched a close-knit attack to cut off Wei Yu's escape.
It was obvious they were a trained group capable of killing without blinking.
What's more, they were all aiming for him.
Wei Yu sneered as he clutching his bleeding shoulder. The gushing bloody rapidly dyed his plain clothes.
Who in the world would spend so much money to take his life?
Is it someone he offended before?
Or a corrupt local official choosing to act first?
Or...is it Emperor Wei?
The guards accompanying him drew their swords and fought the killers. For a time, the seemingly endless clashing pierced the eardrums.
The reeking smell of blood smell was getting stronger.
"Master, I will cover you. You should leave first!" Wei Yu's trusted aide said anxiously.
These people were more difficult to deal with than they expected. Their moves were merciless, and it was clear they wanted their master's life!
"All right. Remember to catch up with me."
Wei Yu's wound made fighting difficult. He searched for an opportunity to jump into the river and escape.
The pain of the ice-cold water touching his shoulder wound was sharper than a blade. Wei Yu clenched his teeth and swam to the shore. He managed to drag his soaked and injured body into a cave hidden by weeds.
When he took off his upper body clothes to look at the wound, he discovered that his shoulder had already turned black.
The sword was poisoned.
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Wei Yu's expression hardened.
That person was very cruel.
Do they want him to die this much?