Chapter 7 The Great Injustice

Zhuang Dongqing wanted to sleep.

I can't sleep, I just can't sleep.

When I first woke up, I was still a little groggy. But as I lay back down, the scenes in my dream became more and more vivid and detailed.

No, no, no, it's not a dream.

It's all...true...

Ugh.

I jokingly dreamed about it, but I actually saw it in my dream!

In my dream!

It was still the dream he imagined!

Good heavens!

Zhuang Dongqing pulled the blanket over her head, her whole face turning bright red.

As he recalled the events of the day, he desperately wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

After regaining his memory, the details of that night continued to fill his mind: the hot, humid breathing, the low whispers, and the sensation of the cold red agate beads on his body—all seemed so vivid, making him dig out a dream castle with his toes.

How could this be?

Where are the friends that Third Brother was supposed to introduce to him?

Where is the guy I was promised, the one I could date if I just clicked with him?

How did he suddenly become the Prince of Dingxi?!

Zhuang Dongqing felt bitter; no wonder he was in pain all over when he woke up the next day.

He thought it was because the original owner of this body was drinking too much. Ugh, he was so naive and stupid!

This isn't some beautiful dream about someone whose appearance matches his preferences; it's clearly a horror story.

The Prince of Dingxi must have recognized him.

Recalling the brilliant speech she had seen in her dream, Zhuang Dongqing covered her face tightly with the blanket.

So embarrassing, so embarrassing, so embarrassing!

Help!

When Zhuang Dongqing crawled out from under the covers again, her face was flushed red, as if she were lacking oxygen.

I can't sleep at all.

I simply wrapped myself in the blanket and sat up, turning into a small mound on the bed.

I was completely out of it, and the CPU burned out!

Good heavens, why did he have to remember this? Wouldn't it have been better to just treat it as a dream forever?

How did his brain manage to remember that...?

Reboot failed, and in despair, I retreated back into the covers...

After going crazy twice, I've finally calmed down a lot.

Thinking back on their meeting today, Zhuang Dongqing realized that while he hadn't noticed it during the day, Cen Yan's gaze had been almost entirely focused on him the entire time, and he hadn't said much... the other man was sizing him up. Throughout the entire meeting.

A chill ran down my spine, and I felt a strange sense of dread.

He...didn't say anything wrong, did he?

I think not.

These are all meaningless remarks, not related to politics, and it's wrong to think they're wrong.

So, why did Cen Yan look for him?

Should he be held responsible?

Hmm, it doesn't seem like that's the case today.

Then he... of course he wouldn't dare to have one.

The only non-royal prince in this dynasty, the number one evil god in the whole story, he only provoked the other party because he was tired of living.

You must know that the bloody storm that swept through the capital recently, and the three ministers who died, were all killed by Cen Yan himself!

That... that...

Just pretend this never happened, and get it for free?

*Gulp.* Zhuang Dongqing swallowed hard.

That's right.

Since neither party intends to pursue the matter, can we simply pretend it never happened?

That is absolutely necessary and definitely possible!

that's all!

Qingqing caused this trouble, what does it have to do with Zhuang Dongqing of the Zhuang family!

Having made up her mind, Zhuang Dongqing felt a sense of relief.

Sleepiness then crept in.

I rubbed my eyes and lay down, feeling groggy and like I'd forgotten something, but I was too sleepy. I figured I'd deal with it tomorrow.

Muttering to himself, Zhuang Dongqing closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

*

Fortunately, I slept relatively soundly.

Unfortunately, when he woke up the next day, some of the blood clot in his brain had dissipated.

Zhuang Dongqing not only remembered what happened between him and Cen Yan at Guangyuetai, but also sorted out all the plot points related to "Master Qing" in his mind.

*

Master Qing makes his first effective appearance, and the story is already halfway through.

By then, the crown prince had been deposed, and the competition for the throne among the adult princes was intensifying. Several younger princes were also coming of age, further complicating the struggle for the throne.

The male protagonist went south to provide disaster relief, but got trapped there and lost contact with the capital.

When everyone was at a loss, Master Qing volunteered to lead people and food south, relieving the protagonist's urgent need. He also offered advice and strategies, seized the corrupt official's dirt, dealt with a large group of cunning officials, and helped the protagonist get a great job.

After that, Master Qing appeared more frequently among the retainers.

But they were mostly written incidentally.

There is very little description of him personally. All Zhuang Dongqing could remember was that he looked pale and gloomy, was in poor health, and had a child who was also in poor health, taking medicine year after year. The medicine he used was not cheap, as it was supplied by the Prince's Mansion. Ginseng and deer antler were also included. In the early days, he was even criticized by other guests.

He was the one who took the hits and bullets from behind, mainly serving as a meat shield. He wasn't described much and took a long time to recover from his injuries.

Next comes the storyline of Li Yang joining forces with the Prince of Dingxi.

By this point, Master Qing had become the team's strategist. He initially tried to win over Cen Yan, but failed. He then attempted to eliminate him, but he met his match and failed to do so either.

After several exciting exchanges, the male protagonist was about to give up when Master Qing revealed his trump card.

—The child was born to him.

—The child belongs to the Prince of Dingxi.

—In her early years, she shielded the male protagonist from banned drugs and had a brief affair with Prince Chunfeng of Dingxi.

Perhaps it was the love-hate relationship that blossomed into affection, coupled with the child's intelligence and cuteness, that led the male protagonist to win over the Prince of Dingxi, overturn the case against Master Qing's family, and make him the prince's wife as the son of an official.

A man. To give birth.

In this article, it's... not surprising.

This story has a fantasy tag, and the world is bizarre and fantastical, with creatures like the Gu witches of the Southern Frontier and ancient sacred beasts existing.

but,

Master Qing, forbidden drugs, having a child, Prince Dingxi.

When these four keywords were combined, Zhuang Dongqing felt completely numb.

Thinking back on that night, Cen Yan's behavior was unusually urgent. His whole body was burning hot, and he could only feel some coolness when he was close to the other person...

She shielded the male lead from banned drugs in her early years.

In his early years...

Her trembling hand slowly pressed down on her lower abdomen.

*Gulp.* Zhuang Dongqing swallowed hard.

His eyes were lifeless.

His eyes were vacant.

I'm numb, completely numb.

He checked his own breath with his other hand; yes, he was still breathing.

This perfectly describes a phrase used to describe Mr. Lu Xun:

Some people are alive, yet they are already dead.

*

Zhuang Dongqing, contrary to his usual behavior, spent the whole day sprawled on the bed.

I had no appetite for lunch.

I didn't have an appetite for dinner.

But with Liu Fu's encouragement, Zhuang Dongqing finally got up.

Nothing else, I just opened up a new way of thinking.

Since the original owner of the body in the story is going to change his identity, the Zhuang family must be involved in the imperial examination cheating case of the deposed crown prince. So, who knows whether the confiscation of the family property or the child will come first tomorrow?

Once Zhuang Dongqing thought about it this way, she couldn't help but feel relieved.

The cards I was dealt were absolutely terrible.

What could be worse?!

Eat, you must eat.

He's never had a good day since he arrived. He'd rather starve than die as a ghost. He's stubborn!

*

After finishing his shift, Cen Yan returned to his residence and handed the horse reins to Liu Qi, who was there to greet him, casually asking, "Did anyone come today?"

Liu Qi: "Two civil officials have sent invitations..."

Seeing Cen Yan's brow furrow with impatience, Liu Qi knew that this wasn't what he wanted to hear, so she changed her words and said, "Young Master Zhuang hasn't been here."

Cen Yan lowered his eyebrows.

After entering the mansion, he asked again, "How many days is it?"

Liu Qi: "It has been seven or eight days since the Spring Festival banquet ended."

Cen Yan fell silent.

Liu Qi followed cautiously, keeping his eyes down and his mind focused.

After that day, Cen Yan did not attend the Spring Banquet for two days. Coincidentally, Young Master Zhuang also claimed to be ill and did not attend.

The Sixth Prince is here every day, but it's unclear whether he's attending a banquet or looking for someone.

The information obtained at the banquet was only in general terms. After returning to the manor, Liu Qi had someone investigate the young master's situation in detail. His past words and deeds, poems and articles, and his situation in the Zhuang manor were all reported to his master in great detail.

Cen Yan had read it and shared the same feeling as Liu Qi: the person in the message and the person they met didn't seem to be the same person.

Liu Qi wanted to investigate further, but Cen Yan stopped her.

"What's the rush? If they want something, they'll come back. Just wait. Why panic?"

And so, the wait has come to this day.

Strangely, the person didn't show up.

My master is always clear-headed. Could it be that no one is behind this? Or is it just a coincidence?

Liu Qi didn't believe it.

Cen Yan: "Have the examiners for this year's imperial examinations all been decided?"

Liu Qi: "There is still one chief examiner and one deputy examiner position left vacant, and His Majesty has not yet made up his mind."

Cen Yan thought for a moment and said, "Then let's wait a few more days."

Two days later, an imperial edict summoned Cen Yan to the palace to accompany the emperor. After playing a game of chess with the emperor, the emperor personally appointed the last chief and deputy examiners for the imperial examination and ordered Cen Yan to leave the palace before him.

The Emperor released Cen Yan only after the palace gates were locked.

Upon returning to the residence, the news had indeed spread throughout the capital.

Before Cen Yan could even ask, Liu Qi shook his head the moment they met.

The person still hasn't come.

Cen Yan stood at the door for a while watching the sunset. The afterglow spread everywhere, the red and crimson sky bathed him in its light.

"They're not coming."

Cen Yan said calmly.

It's actually a good thing, but for some reason, I can't say I'm happy; it just feels bland.

"The weather is about to change again."

The orange sun is about to set.

However, considering today's imperial edict, Liu Qi did not think that Cen Yan was only talking about the sky.

Cen Yan let out a soft breath, feeling no fear, only annoyance.

"Please allow me to go out for some fresh air."

As these words fell, the sun sank in the west, the afterglow dimmed, and shadows completely engulfed Cen Yan and his group.

*

The following day, amidst the watchful eyes of the court officials, the Prince of Dingxi requested permission to handle the case.

This case is complicated. One party is a member of the imperial family, and the other is a woman from a prominent family. The trial has been going on for some time at the Dali Temple, but there is still no result. Then the woman committed suicide, causing a death. Scholars all over the country are condemning the case, almost stabbing the imperial family in the back. These days, His Majesty will definitely ask about it in court.

Unexpectedly, Cen Yan stepped forward and took the blame.

After further consideration, the officials concluded that there was indeed no better candidate to preside over the case than the Prince of Dingxi.

Even officials of the fourth or fifth rank have been killed by the emperor, so a mere member of the imperial clan cannot shake the Prince of Dingxi's position in His Majesty's heart.

However, with the imperial examinations approaching, and this case being outside the capital, why is the Prince of Dingxi willing to leave the capital?

Weren't the chief and deputy examiners recommended by the Prince of Dingxi?

Regardless of what others thought, there was indeed no one more suitable to preside over the trial than Cen Yan, and the Emperor immediately agreed.

After the court session, Cen Yan and his entourage left the capital that same day.

*

The Zhuang Mansion.

Zhuang Dongqing has been preparing for the imperial examinations lately.

He was actually worried, but as an illegitimate son, he had no say in the family affairs, so he could only take it one step at a time.

Aside from being down for a day at the beginning, Zhuang Dongqing came to a realization later that she might not be so unlucky after all.

That was the only time. He even had a fever afterwards. Given that situation, it's not certain that he could have a child.

What if, right?

Clinging to this hope, Zhuang Dongqing had been living a relatively peaceful life until one day, after finishing copying the scriptures he had memorized, Liu Fu called him for dinner, and Zhuang Dongqing enthusiastically scooped up a bowl of chicken soup.

Because the imperial examinations were approaching, Master Zhuang had high hopes for him, and their meals had improved during this time.

Not much, but at least we can see some meat.

After taking a sip, Zhuang Dongqing's expression changed drastically.

By the time Liu Fu caught up with him, he had already run to the side and vomited up all the soup.

"Young Master, are you alright?"

Zhuang Dongqing's face turned deathly pale.

Undeterred, he ate a few more bites of chicken, then vomited it all up again.

Once he calmed down, Zhuang Dongqing closed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Liufu, find a doctor privately."