Chapter 60

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

The system decides it needs to remind its host of something, that is, the mission of influencing the antagonist isn’t progressing much.

Yang Chongyin does look as if he has been ‘rehabilitated,’ but that’s just because it’s the wishes of the host. For him, it’s like an imposed mission… Has the antagonist’s core conflict been addressed? Not yet.

That means, the dangerous aspect of him isn’t yet pacified.

Bai Lianhua “…”

Fine. Even if it’s a depressing thought, but that’s the truth… Even without the system’s reminder, he has felt it himself somewhat.

Even if he is doing as he previously promised, doing his best to fulfil all that Yang Chongyin would desire of him, but sometimes when he examines Yang Chongyin’s expressions looking at him, he still seems lost and saddened, as if telling him it’s not enough yet.

Even Bai Lianhua himself would feel as if something is amiss when thinking over his interactions with Yang Chongyin.

Bai Lianhua feels a bit lost as well. He doesn’t know what else he could do. It feels like everything is going as optimally as possible. Yang Chongyin is doing his best to make his wishes come true, and he is trying his best to fulfil his wish as well… Yet, they’re at an impasse.

The system shakes its hands in front of itself, deciding to help to be a wingman to both its host and the antagonist, “it’s precisely because it’s too mundane, so mundane that even when it comes to more intimate interactions you and the antagonist would still feel like it’s just normal shixiong-shidi interaction.”

The host has failed to completely realise his affections.

So, in a rare gesture, the system changes to a serious attitude, pointing out the issue for Bai Lianhua as a bystander would see it, “it is true that, host, you treat the antagonist with goodwill, but he can’t feel his importance to you in it… It’s really like you’re roleplaying. Even if your actions and expressions all seem normal, but it will make Yang Chongyin feel as if there is a distance that exists making him unable to retain that kindness of yours forever.”

Bai Lianhua nods, and has a bitter smile, “yet, it is precisely Yang Chongyin who is most sensitive to these things due to his extreme desire for genuine affection.”

Unlike the many antagonists before who are happy to simply be accompanied, Yang Chongyin, having been forcibly stripped of emotions and interactions with the world, would be much less ‘satisfiable’ than them.

If Yang Chongyin only wanted someone to care about him, then he can easily soothe that insecurity of the antagonist. This is far from Yang Chongyin’s true extent of his desires, though, and it is overwhelming for him.

He did overestimate himself before. He is unable to reciprocate Yang Chongyin’s boiling emotions.

The system disses him, “which means, host, your acting still needs improving. You need more training.”

Bai Lianhua’s head hurts, “it’s not a matter of acting skills… Hey, system, maybe you can look at which world before I had stronger emotions towards the antagonist, and unlock that for me, so that I can sample it?”

Every time he detaches from a world the system would forcibly seal up his emotional fluctuations, which makes it feel like watching a movie in fast-forward when he recalls those memories. He might feel lost and melancholic about it, but he is unable to empathise strongly.

To be honest though, Bai Lianhua isn’t sure if the system unlocks that seal, how he would actually feel… Perhaps it’s worth a try?

The system firmly rejects this proposal, with the same reason as always, “no can do. It’s bad for the host’s emotional wellbeing.”

——Why must it allow Yang Chongyin of this world a cheat when the antagonists in the other worlds all strongly resonated with the host emotionally with their own powers alone? It will be unfair.

Besides, it’s sure the antagonist would never be satisfied with this status quo. He is probably charging up for a formidable plan.

Oof. Better wait and see.

…

The worried Bai Lianhua doesn’t know what the system is expecting in secret, but what he definitely knows is that he’s in some deep waters.

Emm… the situation being, he’s currently being bombarded every day with petitions from the court officers to designate an imperial consort, host a debutante ball to select concubines and fill his harem.

——It’s been half a year since his ascension, and Bai Lianhua is still by himself. This is quite enticing to all those families of the court officers with bachelorettes of an appropriate age. When Bai Lianhua has just landed on the throne, it was chaotic and many people were of a mind that they would wait and see first, therefore nobody pushed for his marriage. Now that the situation has calmed down and it seems Bai Lianhua is quite likely to sit on the throne for a long time to come, the idea to take advantage of the situation has latched onto the minds of some.

Given the new emperor has the looks and the gentle personality to go with it, which is quite rare a trait to find in emperors, and that he seems to be fond of kids which can be seen from the way he treats the young ones of his royal family when there was a family gathering hosted earlier despite his relative indifference to most of the people present. He would be quite patient when the young ones try to appeal to him and he doesn’t seem annoyed at all.

It can’t be helped that the opportunistic of the crowd would think that since Bai Lianhua can already treat his juniors in the royal family so, then if they could send someone in who gives him a son or a daughter, then wouldn’t that newborn Prince or Princess be quite treasured by this new emperor, and by extension, the mother of the child, and by extension , the mother’s family?

And it’s not just one or two that think so. In fact, they’ve even reached a preliminary agreement on the title that their noble-born daughters could be conferred in the imperial palace in the future based on each other’s court rank and faction power. But first… uh, they’ll have to have the new emperor agree to it, won’t they?

——Speaking of which, why is their new emperor this celibate? Perhaps the new emperor is quite different from his detachment of the world as someone who has joined a sect, not even knowing the pleasurability of romantic advances?

Then if someone could actually make this new emperor fall in love, then wouldn’t they be guaranteed to become the target of his affections? Such a new emperor with a blank emotional slate for one to draw on however they wish would probably even more easily fall in love than emperors who are surrounded by beauties before they even succeeded the throne.

They might not know about the sayings of ‘white moonlight’ or ‘ vermillion mole ,’ but it doesn’t stop them from understanding the core of these ideas and feeling enthusiastic about putting it into practice.

Yang Chongyin finishes his divination for the day, and happens to hear about this for the first time. He goes quiet.

At night, when he meets with Bai Lianhua, he hesitates for quite some time before still biting his lips and asking, “shidi, would you want to be married?”

This is a question he always avoided and didn’t dare to ask… He wants to trap Bai Lianhua in this deep, inescapable imperial court, one of whose side effects would be this unavoidable question.

He doesn’t want anyone else by Bai Lianhua’s side. In fact, he does have many methods he can use, like threatening him with the matter of the national fortune, or scheming so that Bai Lianhua would back off of his own volition… Yet, he doesn’t know how to make a move.

And now, it’s finally time Bai Lianhua would come face to face with this question head-on.

Bai Lianhua, currently enjoying his after-dinner desserts, almost chokes.

You hear that? Yang Chongyin has even decided to reemploy this ‘shidi’ form of address. It’s been almost half a year, and despite him making himself clear time and again, Yang Chongyin would still avoid using ‘shidi’ as much as possible even in private.

The system goes, “hehe, it feels weirdly like your first wife getting jealous… Have fun explaining, host, so that antagonist wouldn’t get tainted… Think about it, he’s worked so hard for you, then one day he suddenly hears about how there are all these court officers who have already planned out the list of your harem from the imperial consort to ‘ fei ‘s and even to ‘ gui'ran ‘s. It sure is a thorn ploughed right into his sides.”

Bai Lianhua “…” Hey, are you messing about on purpose?

“Though, think of this another way. It’s precisely because the antagonist cares about this that it’s a good opportunity to influence him? Good luck, host!”

Bai Lianhua does agree with this latter statement of the system. He thinks the same.

So he tells Yang Chongyin with a serious tone, “no. I will not marry, nor will I host debutante balls.”

Yang Chongyin stares at him, “but you like kids.”

“Is shixiong referring to the deal with the family gathering earlier? I didn’t expect shixiong to also hear rumours about that… I was only taking the chance to see who among the juniors in the royal family would be suitable to be raised as the future emperor, in preparation for the future successor of the throne.”

“I did promise shixiong, so of course I will not go and break the promise by mingling with others. I devote all my emotions to shixiong. I belong to shixiong alone.”

Bai Lianhua thinks a bit, and does his best to say something even he feels embarrassed about, “does shixiong not want to possess me completely? You want me to set up a harem?”

He lowers his head, appearing to be extremely sad, “I thought doing this would make shixiong happy.”

——Looking completely like someone having a saddened, pitiful expression not receiving the praise they were expecting.

It’s just embarrassing acts of performance. I can do this too.

The system remarks, “it’s quite emotionally powerful. Quite embarrassing too.” Though the antagonist does buy that, so you know. Ignore the feeling of the weirdly wild plot development; as long as it’s useful.

As expected, Yang Chongyin seems stunned over there.

He didn’t expect Bai Lianhua to have already considered so much. When he was still anxious over what Bai Lianhua will choose, he has not only already made up his mind, he’s even thinking about how to solve the problem.

He murmurs, “that you think that, of course I’m happy.”

Yet… Yang Chongyin bites his lips, and swallows the rest of his words.

As Bai Lianhua seems to have been encouraged and shoots back up with glinting eyes, “speaking of, I feel like the noble-born first son of my fifth older brother imperial prince is good. He’s well-suited to be a crown prince.”

The former fifth prince, the current Prince Ruiping already has four ignoble-born sons when he was young. Yet, the two noble-born sons from his first wife came really late in comparison, being born after quite a long while. The older one is only 9 years old right now, quite appropriate to be crowned crown prince, not too old nor too young.

“What does shixiong think?”

Yang Chongyin instead asks him, “… will shidi not regret this later?”

Bai Lianhua chuckles, “naturally.” He sounds so confident as if this isn’t even a question worth considering.

“Shixiong, you haven’t told me what you think of the kid yet.”

Yang Chongyin seems to pause before sighing, “as long as you want, then it’s all good… Plus, his father should have been the emperor in the first place, and due to my machinations and the ex-emperor’s bias, he lost his set fate. Now giving it back to his son would be good for concluding this set of causality; I did see the kid once, and he does have the regal purple aura about him. He’ll make a fine emperor.”

If the fifth prince did succeed back then, the child would have been the crown prince as well.

Bai Lianhua smiles lightly, “then that’s settled then.”

He asks the system quietly whether his performance was touching for the antagonist.

The system also quietly replies that of course it was, and it was effective as well. Sadly, the mission progress bar still needs further pushing… There’s about 1/3 left? It thinks as it looks at the bar.

Bai Lianhua feels slightly defeated and grows a bit unenergetic, feeling like his brain hurts.

Though, he doesn’t know that Yang Chongyin also sighs in relief lightly himself.

He’s surprised and touched by Bai Lianhua’s thoughts and his actions, but in the end, that’s still not the reward he wants.

While he’s touched, he can’t help but feel disappointed——He doesn’t want to hear that ‘I will make good on my promise,’ what he wants, the most prized response of all is just simply ‘I like you, so I don’t like anyone else nor want anyone else.’

Bai Lianhua is still dense regarding him.

…

After confirming it with Yang Chongyin, when there’s another joint petition from the court officers telling him to marry, besides rejecting it like he always does, he even completely stops the delusions dead in their tracks with a clear declaration.

He asserts that, having been detached from the world, he is uninterested in marrying. Yet, to calm the people of the realm, to ensure there is no chaos in the succession of the throne, he decides he will have one of the junior members of the royal family be the crown prince.

And among all the juniors, he views Prince Ruiping’s noble-born son Bai Chongyuan the most favourably.

Prince Ruiping doesn’t seem to object, even promising Bai Lianhua that he doesn’t feel anything for the throne even if Bai Chongyuan is now the crown prince.

He’s been depressed for so long he has become sick. True, the throne is part of what’s making him sick, but he’s long given up on himself sitting on it. Now that his son could perhaps succeed that throne, he even feels like that grudge in him is clearing up… His brat has way better luck than his father did.

The little crown prince Bai Chongyuan is raised well by Prince Ruiping. He’s obedient and capable, and also quite close to this new kind, gentle ‘father’ of his named Bai Lianhua. After he is told to change his form of address, all those ‘ fuhuang ‘s sure make his heart swell. There’s just one thing though, the kid seems really frightened of Yang Chongyin.

Bai Lianhua can’t help but ask, “what is it that you’re afraid of regarding the State Oracle?”

In the culture of this world, children at the age of the crown prince would usually be really curious about Yang Chongyin whose surrounded by this immortal-like aura, instead of feeling like avoiding him no matter what.

Yang Chongyin also doesn’t have a terrifying appearance, does he?

The young crown prince hesitates for a while but doesn’t lie to Bai Lianhua. He speaks with his soft, fluffy voice, “the people all say the State Oracle is concerned for the well-being of the world and people, as pure in mind as snow. He would spend his days secluded in divinations to help the realm through its many calamities while thinking of the innocent populace… Yet, I feel as if the State Oracle actually doesn’t pay any attention to us besides fuhuang in his mind.”

It’s like everyone in the world is an insignificant speck to him, not worthy of fitting into his mind. They’re not worth a single sigh of his even if they pass away right in front of him.

He’s terrified of this feeling of an inapproachably extreme distancing.

Bai Lianhua is stunned that he is able to notice this… It seems this kid has extremely sharp senses?

He can only pat him on the shoulder and cheer the little guy up dryly, “don’t worry. Chongyin… State Oracle Yang isn’t a bad guy. He is only normally a bit expressionless, and doesn’t know how to express himself.”

Bai Chongyuan nods obediently, “mm.”

He understands. The State Oracle isn’t harsh, and instead, he always has this calm expression. Just… it feels like there’s this really great barrier——Only when he is looking at his fuhuang that the State Oracle has a gentle expression on.

Still, since he is capable of smiling gently, then perhaps as his fuhuang said, the State Oracle is a good person at heart?

…

Concerned about what Bai Chongyuan told him earlier, after finishing his stuff early for the day, Bai Lianhua looked for Yang Chongyin to discuss with him his attitude towards Bai Chongyuan.

Like perhaps he can smile at the little crown prince and have a gentler attitude? Since if Bai Chongyuan always avoided Yang Chongyin it wouldn’t be a good thing; rumours that the crown prince has a bad relationship with the State Oracle would be the last thing he wants.

Then, when he reaches Yang Chongyin’s annexe, he discovers that Yang Chongyin isn’t sitting casually in the building like he normally is at this hour. The room where he usually divines, meanwhile, has its doors shut.

Perhaps he might have come too early today, and Bai Lianhua doesn’t want to interrupt Yang Chongyin, so he decides to wait quietly outside. Yet, when the skies darken, and it’s way past the hours Yang Chongyin would finish his divinations, Bai Lianhua furrows his brows somewhat. Something is off.

He knocks on the door, before Yang Chongyin replies weakly, “what?”

The word is spoken really softly, sounding like he’s without power.

Bai Lianhua can’t help but feel worried, “shixiong, it’s me, what’s wrong?”

When Yang Chongyin realises Bai Lianhua is outside, he pauses before telling him, “… nothing. Just wait there for me a bit.”

——Who’d believe it when you say that nothing is wrong!

Bai Lianhua pushes at the door forcefully himself without having the time to call for others. While the system is yelling at him about “this is not what a white lotus should be doing, host, stop,” he manages to force the door open.

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