Chapter 3

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

The musician in the royal capital (3)

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty!” Imperial consort Dan’s maidservant, Lianxin, quickly ran inside. She drew herself near to imperial consort Dan’s ears and whispered: “A commoner musician just randomly appeared and played one tune for His Highness the crown prince, His Highness actually woke up! The physicians said that the crown prince’s condition is much better now!”

“Really, the heaven has eyes.” Dan Hui creased her eyebrows, saying congratulatory words on the outside but with a cold glint in her irises.

“Ai, younger sister, how is it good.” Dan Lan – her older sister, who had just entered the palace for a visit – felt a sense of apprehension upon hearing the maidservant’s report: “Younger sister should be making meticulous preparations for the second prince instead…”

Dan Hui had birthed a boy, who was turning thirteen this year. He was ranked second among the emperor’s sons.

“In truth, I kind of want to see how talented this musician is. Don’t tell me he has three heads and six arms?” With a humph, Dan Hui said: “Let’s go, I want to go to Yuan Heng palace and visit the empress and the crown prince for a while.”

“Your Majesty, please don’t!” Lianxin advised urgently: “An-gonggong said that that musician has a peculiar personality, he fears women the most! As long as a woman approaches him, he’ll be unable to play his guzheng. If Your Majesty arbitrarily goes there, disrupting his playing, what will happen if the emperor blames you?”

“There’s such a weird person in this world? I don’t believe it.” Incredulous, Dan Hui mentally envisaged, devising a scheme: “Lianxin, order a servant to go and inform imperial concubine(1) De that His Highness the crown prince is awake. If that musician really is suffering from a disease that makes him fear women, there’s no need for further discussion.”

“Younger sister, this is a brilliant plan.” Dan Lan clapped her hands, chuckling loudly: “This imperial concubine De is simple-minded and does things in a vulgar manner. Upon hearing that His Highness the crown prince has awoken, for the purpose of flattering the empress, she’ll definitely visit Yuan Heng palace to speak her congratulations! As long as she meets that musician, tch tch… If the emperor intends to blame someone, he can only blame imperial concubine De, he won’t be able to find out younger sister’s role in this matter! Even if he does, it’s because a servant carelessly revealed this piece of news.”

Yuan Heng Palace.

The sun gradually rose, the dark sky lightening.

“System’s warning: Right now you’re acting extremely duplicitous.” The system was happy to see calamity befalling people.

Still need your reminder? Li Yuebai was furious, his blood boiling.

The young group of eunuchs attentively gave him a fox fur carpet and a brocade blanket. He sat next to the crown prince’s bed, which at first glance appeared to be highly comfortable; however, he had been sitting on the ground with his wrists aggressively seized by another person for an entire two hours! Was it possible not be annoyed? Was it possible not to fake his expression?

During this period, he was also re-reading the original content so as to revise the web of relationships between the characters.

The original novel also did not write that Yun Weizhi developed “romantic love” for Mu Rongnan. He only considered Mu Rongnan as a friend, a younger brother, when caring for him.

After Yun Weizhi died, Mu Rongnan truly loved him to the point of dying and reviving, turning deranged and searching for a bunch of replacements. It was merely that when Yun Weizhi was still alive, Mu Rongnan, who was still young and used to the infighting inside the palace, had not fallen in love; or perhaps he had but was unaware of the fact.

Originally, when the two separated at the Ning titled lands, they fought fiercely.

Understanding the brutality of the imperial palace, Yun Weizhi advised Mu Rongnan to stay away from it.

Mu Rongnan, on the other hand, wished to return to take revenge and snatched back all of his entitled possessions. He considered Yun Weizhi too apathetic a person, being unable to understand his feelings and tolerate his personality.

It was said that the two went their own ways, but had in fact left in unpleasantness.

The single dog Li Yuebai was truly unclear about how their relationship had developed till this stage. The more he contemplated, the more bewildered he felt.

At present, a woman’s voice sounded: “This concubine greets Your Majesties the emperor and the empress. This concubine has heard that the crown prince’s condition has improved, and thus specially came here to visit.”

Seeing that the emperor had nodded, the women entered the room, bringing her maidservants.

“Imperial concubine De arrives so early.” An-gonggong jokingly mocked.

“A, gonggong, was it not because I care about Her Majesty the empress and His Highness the crown prince? I ran here as soon as I heard the news.” Smiling, imperial concubine De said: “Is the sir musician who is capable of reviving people really inside?

Upon seeing imperial concubine De’s face after turning his head, Li Yuebai was straight away paralyzed for a second.

Indeed, the character’s established personality is “one hundred percent frightened of woman”!

In order to avoid meeting the empress, he had devised such an excuse. Therefore, he was protected relatively carefully, the surrounding people being all eunuchs without a single female servant. It truly was lonely without a beauty; upon seeing one however, he had to instantly begin acting.

Crashing noise sounded – Li Yuebai had smoothly and unhesitatingly fainted.

“Imperial concubine De, you have come in goodwill, but this really isn’t the right moment.” An-gonggong appeared to be outwardly smiling but was in fact not feeling cheerful at all: “This sir musician, his personality is a bit unusual, he fears women…”

“A? You mean I scared him to the point of fainting?” Imperial concubine De glared at him furiously. Quickly realizing that she had just caused a calamity however, she promptly kneeled and confessed: “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this concubine didn’t do it intentionally, this concubine really doesn’t know!”

The emperor’s expression was extremely pale. He had initially thought that that peculiar personality was a mere excuse. Unexpectedly, it was real – this person had immediately fainted upon meeting a woman. Yet, it was impossible to blame him.

After examining Li Yuebai’s pulse, the physician said not to worry.

Imperial concubine De weep maudlinly and was brought outside by An-gonggong. Since he also had official matters to tend to, the emperor ordered Guan Tie and his group of people to stay and protect the crown prince, leaving afterwards.

Momentarily, Xuan Heng Palace, which was at the outset quite big, only had Li Yuebai and Mu Rongnan remain except for the physician, eunuchs and guards. These two were even in a coma.

With Guan Tie nearby, Li Yuebai felt truly secure. Furthermore, the fox fur was both soft and warm, the brocade blanket light and velvety. This body, being inherently weak as well as having been subjected to a few nights of nonstop travelling, had soon become unbearably exhausted. As such, he quickly fell into a slumber.

When he had awoken, crimson rays of dusk covered the room.

Li Yuebai stretched his waist, his body aching.

Turning sideways, he saw – His Highness the crown prince lying next to him.

Since there was a bed available, why would the crown prince moved to sleep on the ground? His sleeping posture was not good, hence he fell down onto the floor, right?

There was fortune in misery though – His Highness the crown prince had finally released his grasp on his hands. Li Yuebai rubbed his body, which was nearly filled with purple bruises due to being pressed upon, and let out a sigh.

Then, the crown prince was roused by him.

Mu Rongnan opened his eyes. Li Yuebai felt as if he was watching a 3D fiction movie, the type that included a monster and a princess. The latter was immeasurably beautiful with wide, glittering eyes and fluttering eyelashes akin to butterfly wings. The monster, on the other hand, was extremely horrifying, and opening his eyes would make the person in front feel as if they were in hell… As a teacher, every day, Li Yuebai would require his students to read more books so as to build their vocabulary and earn a higher score on the literature test. Yet, upon glancing at Mu Rongnan’s eyes, his abundant vocabulary instantly became impoverished. The only thought in his mind was – this kid was undoubtedly a monster melded into a princess!

Mu Rongnan’s jet black eyes were a bottomless ocean, exceedingly mesmerizing. Li Yuebai stared at them unblinkingly. That pair of eyes appeared to be a vortex capable of dragging him within – did they really belong to a seventeen-year-old teenager? Even if he had grown up watching the unceasing conflicts in the imperial palace, such eyes could not be so unfathomable, could they?

He had no time to think of anything to say before Li Yuebai experienced an intense earthquake – His Highness the crown had not been cordial at all in pinning him down, thin lips slightly curved upwards with a trace of merriment.

Uhm, truly seventeen years old, this smile was remarkably alike that of high school students madly in love.

“Fourty-two.” Mu Rongnan looked straight into Li Yuebai’s eyes, solemnly uttering a number.

“What… what?” Li Yuebai was completely ignorant, was voicing out a number upon waking up a habit of the court nobles?

“Fourty-two.” Mu Rongnan repeated. He further used his beautiful eyes to stare fixatedly at Li Yuebai, the emotions within intense enough to spark a fire.

System OMG where are you! Need help immediately! What’s the deeper meaning behind fourty-two? Go online quickly, it’s an emergency!

“Today is the forty-second day after Mu Rongnan and Yun Weizhi separated.” The system, which was enjoying itself upon seeing misfortune befalling others, explained.

F*ck f*ck f*ck, this kid Mu Rongnan, his math was a little too excellent wasn’t it! Not forgetting to practice counting even when in a coma! Li Yuebai was in tears.

In this type of situation, need to stay calm, stay calm, Yun Weizhi should have the aura of a male god, and definitely should not be looked down upon.

“Forty-two days of not meeting each other, is Your Highness still fine?” Li Yuebai, pretending to smile in a gracefully indifferent manner, spoke softly.

“Fine?” Mu Rongnan’s expression turned frigid: “Without you, how can I be fine?”

WTF, what’s wrong with this kid? Wasn’t he wholly dedicated to returning to the palace and exerting revenge before?

“Your Highness, please restrain yourself. Many people are looking.” Survival was the ultimate. Li Yuebai had no time to take care of this kid’s glass heart. If news spread out that they were in a gay romance, his crime would not be solely putting a green hat on the emperor’s head anymore; seducing the crown prince would be added to the list. He hurriedly reminded: “If this matter is spread, your reputation will be negatively impacted.”

In actuality, there were not a lot of people surrounding them; only a few eunuchs were present, and not a female servant was here.

“Don’t be afraid, they won’t dare to speak of it.” Mu Rongnan not only did not release his hands but also went a step further, tightly hugging Li Yuebai and putting his head on the latter’s shoulder.

Heavens above where is the author? Author come here, let us discuss the issue of the relationship between these two characters! Paralyzed, Li Yuebai wanted to cry but no tears came out. Was it not clearly stated that “Only after Yun Weizhi’s death did Mu Rongnan discover that he was fervently in love with the former”? Seeing his current form, if the author maintained that no such fervent love existed, who the heck would believe it?

Moreover, His Highness the crown prince was somehow crying.

In a short time, heated tears had soaked Li Yuebai’s shoulder entirely.

Li Yuebai also wanted to cry. For what reason was a single dog like him being subjected to such a frightening situation?

Fortunately, his rescuer quickly arrived.

The person outside knocked the door and said in a respectful tone: “Your Highness, it’s time to drink to medicine.”

The voice belonged to a young eunuch. Li Yuebai remembered him – Dingxian, one of the people by the crown prince’s side.

Mu Rongnan reluctantly released Li Yuebai.

Dingxian deferentially brought a tray inside. On the tray lied a cup of medicine, an empty bowl along with a silver spoon to test for poison.

Items used by royalty must always be tested for poison several times. Obviously, this bowl had also been repeatedly checked. Dingxian poured half of the cup out and personally drank this portion before stirring the remaining liquid with the silver spoon. He only offered the crown prince the cup after finishing everything.

“No need, I’ve already recovered.” Mu Rongnan’s voice abruptly turned cold: “This cup of medicine, bestow it to brother Yun.”

WTF!!!!!

Li Yuebai never suspected such a change in situation.

During his previous interaction with the crown prince, he had displayed too aloof an attitude. His Highness the crown prince was obviously feeling aggrieved. To have refused the medicine and forced Li Yuebai to drink it in his place in his irritation, this person was truly still a child.

Hmph, in any case his condition had already improved. It did not matter if he disliked drinking the medicine, this medicine wasn’t harmful regardless, the worst case scenario was a little pain. Drink!

Not caring about the young eunuch’s stupefied expression, Li Yuebai accepted the cup and finished it in one gulp.

He immediately regretted it afterwards.

The pain hadn’t come, it’s mainly that this medicine… Goddammittttttt this seemed to be aphrodisiacs!

Footnotes

(1) Originally 昭容 (zhaorong). I translated it as imperial concubine according to the Tang dynasty system of rankings. Other dynasties also have the same title but may rank it differently.

Like this:Like Loading...