Chapter 63

If it were any other woman, she might have panicked long ago, but Nian Nuer wouldn’t. Even in the face of the man’s fiery gaze, she maintained a clear mind.

"Let’s talk about this later. Please give me some time to think, alright? Besides, what status would I have if you take me back now?"

From Nian Nuer’s words, Zhao Yougong sensed a hint of unusual pride, a pride that shouldn’t exist in a courtesan. There was one thing Zhao Yougong had to admit: Nian Nuer made a lot of sense. Bringing a courtesan home before his official marriage would put his future wife in an awkward position. Of course, this was just the commoner’s perspective. Zhao Yougong had no such qualms. If he really brought a courtesan home, wouldn’t his imperial uncle be even happier? The only reason he didn’t do it was that he hadn’t fully understood Nian Nuer yet. His offer to redeem her was just a test, and as he had expected, Nian Nuer was no ordinary woman.

Even if she were the top courtesan, if a prince wanted to redeem her, she would surely be delighted. Zhao Yougong thought that if Nian Nuer were Li Shishi, Shishi would definitely agree.

"Alright, if you don’t want to talk about it, we won’t. But let’s be clear, if you still flirt with others, I’ll beat them up one by one. Don’t say I ruin your reputation then!"

"Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you. Besides, I’m just a faded flower now. Those men all go to Cui Ying’s room; who would still pay attention to me?"

"… That’s best!" Zhao Yougong chuckled. He felt that the current Nian Nuer was very similar to Yurou, who had fallen from the top courtesan’s throne and become a minor figure. If there was a difference, it was that Zhao Yougong was a bit partial to her. If he often visited Yurou’s room, even Mama Li would treat her well.

Nian Nuer caught the fleeting tenderness in his eyes and smiled sweetly. She turned slightly and whispered, "Are you thinking of that fox Yurou, my lord?" Her tone was playful, but there was no hint of jealousy, just a pretense.

Zhao Yougong wasn’t affected by Nian Nuer’s provocation. He wasn’t angry either. He leaned down and pecked her on the lips, "I am a bit, but if Yurou is a fox, then you must be even more so."

"Hehe, I’m willing. Would you be unhappy, my lord?"

The two were whispering and teasing each other. Zhao Yougong, with his experience in the pleasure quarters and his modern knowledge, told one dirty joke after another, making Nian Nuer giggle uncontrollably.

"During the Tang Dynasty, a family had just married a new bride. Not long after, the new bride was harassed by her father-in-law. Angry, she went to her mother-in-law to complain. The mother-in-law, upon hearing this, was furious and grabbed a kitchen knife to confront her husband. She said, 'You old man, you’re just like your dead father!'"

Another dirty joke. Nian Nuer, with her quick wit, immediately caught the meaning. She tugged at Zhao Yougong’s embroidered robe and pouted, "My lord, you’re so annoying. Why do you say such things?"

"Hmm? My lady, I didn’t say anything. The mother-in-law was just scolding her husband for stealing carrots. It’s your mind that’s wrong, thinking of such things."

"Stealing carrots?" Even though Nian Nuer had been in the pleasure quarters for a long time, she still didn’t understand. "What for?"

Zhao Yougong put on a serious face and said, "Well, let me explain. The son often had to go out on business, leaving the new bride alone. She had to make do with carrots. The old man had a hidden ailment, and the mother-in-law also needed carrots. Now that all the carrots were given to the new bride, she couldn’t help but be upset."

Nian Nuer listened carefully and finally understood. The carrots were for that purpose. Her face turned red, and she couldn’t lift her head, nestling in Zhao Yougong’s arms like a kitten.

"My lord, where did you hear this… Don’t say it again. How can carrots be used like that? Nonsense, all nonsense…" Nian Nuer was both embarrassed and angry. Now, all she could think about were carrots and women, and she couldn’t shake the images from her mind.

Zhao Yougong chuckled. He thought Nian Nuer would be angry, and indeed, after a moment, she lifted her face, pouting, "My lord, you’re teasing me again. If the old man had such an addiction, how did the son even come to be?"

"Ha ha ha… This is not for outsiders to know. It can only be understood, not spoken of…"

He blinked, his expression as mischievous as ever. Nian Nuer pouted and playfully punched him.

As they were playing, Xiao Tan returned with a pottery basin. She sniffed the air, filled with a rich aroma. Deer meat was indeed delicious. She placed the basin down and glanced at the two, almost fleeing, "Prince, Sister Cui, please enjoy your meal. I’ll see if there are any other dishes…" She ran off, looking as if someone were chasing her.

"Nian Nuer, what’s wrong with Xiao Tan?"

Zhao Yougong rolled his eyes, and Nian Nuer poured him a cup of wine, "Can’t you tell? The girl must have snuck a taste. Why else would she run so fast?"

"Ha… This girl. I went through so much trouble to get the deer meat, and she got to taste it first!"

With the deer meat and Nian Nuer’s company, Zhao Yougong enjoyed a delightful meal, which lasted until evening. Since Nian Nuer wasn’t feeling well, Zhao Yougong couldn’t stay, so he left with Xiao San and returned to the prince’s mansion.

That night, Zhao Yougong secretly entered the side courtyard after putting the twin sisters to sleep.

"Sister Su, deer meat!"

Ying Ruo wrinkled her nose, suspicious, "Where did you get it?"

"From the Garden of Gengyue. Sister Su, just enjoy it. You’ve been worried for the past few days. Eating some deer meat will be a way to get back at that dog emperor!"

"Ah, since you’ve brought it, I’ll take it. But Ling, don’t come here unless necessary. Let’s keep things as they were before, alright?"

Zhao Yougong understood Ying Ruo’s meaning. The more they interacted, the harder it would be to hide their feelings. So, it was best to come less often.

He nodded and stood up to leave, "Sister Su, take care!"

"Um-hum!"

Outside the window, all traces of Zhao Yougong were gone. Ying Ruo touched the small pot, deeply inhaling its scent, as if hugging Zhao Yougong. She was happy to see the young prince’s success. As long as he was well, she would endure any hardship.

Several days passed, and Kaifeng City experienced a heavy rain. Every day in the capital was bustling. Without experiencing the bustling Moon Arch Bridge, one could never fully appreciate the vastness and grandeur of the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."

During the Song Dynasty, the economy was incredibly strong, with the national economy being more than eight times that of the later Ming Dynasty. However, such a robust economy failed to support a powerful army, a tragic and infuriating fact.

Fanning himself with a folding fan, his hair tied with a silk ribbon, and dressed in a purple brocade robe, Zhao Yougong, though not as handsome as Pan An, could easily rival Tang Bohu.

He wobbled toward the mansion gate, but just then, a group of imperial guards arrived, and the leading eunuch brought a royal decree.

After the messenger left, the twin sisters immediately surrounded Zhao Yougong, laughing. Even Mao Wenyu led a group of imperial guards to congratulate him.

Even now, Zhao Yougong was still in shock. Emperor Huizong had appointed him as the Prefect of Kaifeng. Who had suggested this?

Taking over as the Prefect of Kaifeng with the title of prince was a great honor, but Zhao Yougong felt no joy, only a deep sense of danger. This was not a plum assignment but a sword hanging over his head. The power of the Prefect of Kaifeng was immense.

Some might think the position was nothing special, but that was a naive view. If a fourth-rank official took the position, no one would care. In the capital, a fourth-rank official was not a big deal. But a prince taking the position was different. According to Song Dynasty rules, a prince was a first-rank official, meaning he could do many things without the constraints that officials like Bao Zheng faced. This was why the position was often held by the crown prince.

The more power one had, the more likely one was to develop ambitions. Zhao Yougong wasn’t sure if he could resist the temptation, let alone avoid making any major mistakes.

Using power as a weapon to strike down the powerful was a ruthless strategy.

Zhao Yougong realized he had underestimated the world. He thought his advanced knowledge would ensure smooth sailing. He was wrong, terribly wrong. The incident with Ying Ruo had already given him a warning, and this time, it was a heavy blow to the heart.

Emperor Huizong couldn’t have come up with such a strategy. Cai Jing might have, but Zhao Yougong doubted it. There must be a mastermind behind Emperor Huizong and Liang Shicheng.

The road ahead would be even more dangerous. Any slight mistake could be seized upon by others.

He was terrified inside but had to show joy on his face. He hugged Mu Chun and jumped around, completely losing his princely dignity, shouting, "Did you hear that? I’m an official now, the Prefect of Kaifeng! Hahaha…"

"I heard! Our prince is finally successful!"

Mu Chun was overjoyed. With the prince’s success, their status would rise. Noticing that Mao Wenyu and others were still bowing, she whispered, "Prince, shouldn’t you give out some red envelopes for such good news?"

"Oh… right… right, give out some big red envelopes. I’m so happy today, ha ha…"

Waving the royal decree, Zhao Yougong almost ran into the inner room, leaving the task of distributing the red envelopes to the twin sisters.

Once inside, Zhao Yougong took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. How should he handle this position as the Prefect of Kaifeng?