Chapter 104 "Do you think he'll choose Cui..."

It was almost autumn, and a thin layer of frost covered the bluestone bricks along the palace wall. When Yan Jiarou arrived at Chang Le Gate, the copper bells on the eaves were ringing in the autumn wind.

The black armor of the Imperial Guards shone against the pale sun on the horizon. She gazed at the empty Danfeng Street, her skirt embroidered with peacock feathers billowing in the wind like a fluttering butterfly.

"We'll depart at 1:15 AM," the gatekeeper said respectfully. "It's windy outside; Your Highness, please return early."

A wave of bitterness welled up in her heart, and she clenched her sleeves tightly.

Suddenly, a sense of bewilderment washed over me: Had my second brother's jade crown been removed? A prisoner exiled three thousand miles could only wear a thorn crown and ochre robes, with iron chains fastened around his ankles. The journey must have been incredibly arduous.

"Jiarou."

A warm and familiar voice came from behind. Yan Jiarou was startled and looked up to meet his gaze—it was Xiao Jue.

A faint smile played on his lips as he slowly walked towards her.

Yan Jiarou was taken aback when she bumped into Xiao Jue here. She was slightly startled and subconsciously asked, "Brother Crown Prince, are you here to see Second Brother off too?"

Only after he finished speaking did he realize that the two of them were mortal enemies. Although they were born of the same mother, there was no brotherly affection between them. For a moment, he wished he could bite off his own tongue.

Sure enough, Xiao Jue coldly replied, "No."

Yan Jiarou nodded with an awkward smile, about to find an excuse to leave, when Xiao Jue suddenly spoke, his dark eyes fixed on her, saying only, "I came to see you, my royal sister."

Yan Jiarou was stunned for a moment: "Me?"

“Yes,” Xiao Jue smiled slightly, but the smile was only superficial, so it did not feel friendly at all, but instead added a chilling sense of a mask: “Your Highness has not come to the East Palace to see me these past few days. Are you very busy?”

"I..." She had been busy coaxing Xiao Che these past few days and had indeed neglected him somewhat, so she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. She lowered her head and said, "I... I have indeed been quite busy..."

As if to prevent him from overthinking and hindering his recovery, Yan Jiarou looked up and tried to smile: "It'll be fine once this busy period is over. I originally wanted to visit you, Crown Prince, these past two days, but I didn't sleep well yesterday and I'm a bit tired now, so I'd like to go back and rest first. Crown Prince, I'll visit you in a couple of days. You should take good care of yourself first."

After saying that, she tried to leave, but he grabbed her arm as she passed by.

Yan Jiarou was somewhat taken aback: "...Crown Prince brother?"

Xiao Jue slowly turned his head, a sinister smile on his face: "Royal sister, why do you want to leave as soon as you see me?"

Yan Jiarou flinched. This version of Xiao Jue was so unfamiliar that it frightened her. She instinctively tried to leave, but her wrist was firmly held by him, and she couldn't break free at all: "Crown Prince, I..."

Xiao Jue snorted coldly, and with a slight exertion of force, pulled her close. The two were now very close, and Xiao Jue immediately noticed the warm, red marks on her neck and chest, clearly caused by being bitten. They were proudly branded on her snow-white skin, as if in defiance, and particularly glaring.

Xiao Jue took a deep breath, feeling his blood rush to his head. He tightened his grip on her wrist and gritted his teeth, saying, "Didn't sleep well last night? How did you not sleep well? Was it because Xiao Che... you were with her all night, that's why you didn't sleep well?"

“Yan Jiarou, look at the state he’s made of you! Don’t you value your life? If you continue like this, he’ll kill you in bed sooner or later. It was one thing when you were outside the palace, but now that you’re back, it’s still the same. You dare to act recklessly even in the palace, you have such audacity…”

"Didn't you promise me you'd stay by my side? It's only been a few days, and you're already hanging out with him again?!"

"I..." Yan Jiarou frowned, feeling extremely tired. She could only coax him, "I'm sick because... because I've had another attack, that's why... Brother Crown Prince, I'm not married to him yet, so I'm already by your side. Don't think too much about it. Just focus on getting better. Getting better soon is the most important thing."

Xiao Jue stared at her in a daze upon hearing this. The young girl was beautiful, and now the naivety in her eyes had faded, giving her a unique charm.

He wondered if it was just his imagination, but she seemed to have blossomed into an even more beautiful and captivating woman, as if she had received some kind of nourishment.

He couldn't help but reach out and stroke her cheek, his eyes filled with infatuation.

He felt he must be crazy to feel a sense of relief after Yan Jiarou said those words... Although she and Xiao Che had gotten back together, at least she was willing to explain to him, even if it was just an excuse, and he was willing to deceive himself.

Moreover, he believed he understood Yan Jiarou. She wasn't the kind of woman who was outrageously promiscuous. The reason she would have messed around with Xiao Che in the palace, besides the fact that people from Lanling are inherently base and skilled at seduction and bewitching people, must be due to that strange illness.

It was after contracting that strange illness that Yan Jiarou changed her mind and betrayed Xiao Che for him.

If they can cure her strange illness, they can definitely go back to how things were before.

After figuring this out, he closed his eyes and finally found a moment of peace.

He pulled Yan Jiarou into his arms, resting his chin on her hair, and said almost with a sigh, "Jiarou, I know that your current infatuation with Xiao Che is all due to this strange illness."

"Perhaps even you can't tell now, but I know you, my Jiarou. You are definitely not the kind of person who is fickle. What you like is just his body, and that's only because of the influence of the strange illness."

"The people of Lanling are born with alluring looks and are quite talented in bed. Although they are despicable, I can't deny that. You're young, and he's the first person you've been with, so it's inevitable that you'll be bewitched and addicted to him. But it's not true love; it's just a craving for physical pleasure."

"The one who seduced you was Xiao Che. He was willing to go to such lengths, so the temptation must have been immense. Therefore, you can't entirely blame yourself. Don't worry, I will cure your illness, I will definitely cure it... Then, you can come back to my side. I will also heal my injuries as soon as possible, so that thing of mine can grow even better. At that time, I will satisfy you, and you will like me even more..."

Yan Jiarou was held in his arms, her cheek resting on his chest, listening to his gentle and powerful heartbeat, but her heart gradually became a tangled mess.

Is her infatuation with Xiao Che truly only due to the effects of her strange illness? Or is it simply because she likes his body?

She had always believed that she had liked Xiao Che for a long time, but she didn't know it herself. But even if she did like him, it should have been faint, otherwise how could she have not noticed it for so many years?

But now her love for Xiao Che has reached the point of obsession.

That kind of affection was like being bewitched, as the saying goes. As long as he put a little effort into her, she would completely lose control of herself.

For him, she violated many principles, endured moral torment, and even disregarded everything afterward. Is this really still her?

For example, just as Xiao Jue said, it was one thing when they were outside the palace, but now that they were inside the palace, and even though she was not ill and was of sound mind, she was with Xiao Che in Chenghuan Palace...

Even though she knew she had important business the next day, he kept pestering her, and in the end, she let him do whatever he wanted.

And it happened in Chenghuan Palace, the place where she had always lived, and she did that kind of thing with Xiao Che in such a place...

She really... couldn't do it.

Besides, they are not married yet. If Xiao Che comes to her bedchamber at night and... what does that mean?

She knew that those well-behaved noble ladies would never do such a thing, and other princesses would not have secret rendezvous and affairs in their palaces.

She felt extremely ashamed.

Xiao Che was on top of her at that moment, his fingers twirling a strand of her black hair, unable to resist teasing her: "Chenghuan Palace, little rabbit, how come even the name of your bedchamber is so alluring, hmm?"

"You, Chenghuan Palace, should rightfully submit to my pleasure. Little Rabbit, don't you agree?"

Yan Jiarou was so bullied that tears streamed down her face. She had no mind to argue with his fallacies and could only shake her head and sob.

When she was delirious, she couldn't even tell whether she was dreaming or in reality, because after being bitten by a wild fox, she frequently dreamed of Xiao Che. In her dreams, he treated her the same way, but he never actually gave her anything...

Even in his dreams, he would ask her again and again, "Royal sister, look carefully, who am I?"

"Do you want your elder brother, the Crown Prince, or... me?"

If she hesitated even slightly at that moment, he would suddenly become indifferent and then vanish in a wisp of smoke.

But now he is much more generous, giving it to her again and again. She had heard the noble ladies whispering among themselves that the Third Prince had half Lanling blood and was rumored to be exceptional in bed. He was said to be very impressive in bed, with a very impressive length and excellent talent, and was extremely seductive. She wondered if it was true or not, and who could handle it.

If I could spend a night with her, my life would not have been in vain.

She used to think these people were really bold when she heard them say such things. Although the people of Wei were open-minded, they were still too open! They were really shameless.

But now, looking at Xiao Che, who was lying on her body covered in sweat, Yan Jiarou couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

"…………"

How exactly did we get to this point? Sometimes, when I think back on it, it feels like a dream.

If it weren't for her pride, she would have really wanted to brag about her affair with Xiao Che to the noble ladies. She could imagine the heartbroken expressions on their faces. They had always thought that Xiao Che was indifferent to women and that no woman could get close to him, so he belonged to everyone. But it turned out that she had gotten close to him long ago, and many times at that. If they found out, they would be furious—who told them to always make her unhappy because of Xiao Che in the past?

Unfortunately, she still has a sense of shame.

However, they could never have imagined that the woman who would eventually share a passionate embrace with Xiao Che would be her.

After all, in everyone's eyes, she and he have always been mortal enemies. Xiao Che never gave those noble ladies a second glance, but always focused on her embarrassing moments and verbally bullied her. What else could it be but the most annoying thing?

This is what you call a matter of fate; no one could have predicted it.

She had tasted Xiao Che's flavor for them, and the rumors were indeed true; the experience was indeed unforgettable. The benefits were obvious to everyone, but there were some drawbacks that they might not be aware of...

For example, right now, he's been far too generous, and it's not something she can simply refuse...

She was so confused that she blurted out her thoughts in her dazed state: "Am I dreaming...?"

Xiao Che paused, raised an eyebrow, and joked, "What, did you always dream about doing this with me?"

Yan Jia gave a soft "Mmm," half-lifted her eyelids, glanced at him with a look of deep resentment: "But you never talk to me..."

Xiao Che's Adam's apple bobbed, and he stroked her lips with his thumb, his tone softening unconsciously: "It's my fault."

He lowered his head and touched her forehead to hers, slowly curving his lips into a smile: "It's alright that I ignored you in my dream, I'll make it up to you now."

He gently kissed the corner of her lips and said in a hoarse voice, "Then, as you wish."

Then came a new round of conquest. Yan Jiarou died countless times. Every time she was about to faint, she would remember the few words she had blurted out when she was out of her mind and wish she could bite off her own tongue.

When she came to her senses, she was still being gently embraced by Xiao Jue. Recalling the madness she had shared with Xiao Che the night before, it felt like she had just had a lewd and chaotic dream.

After hearing Xiao Jue's words, she was now somewhat confused about what kind of feelings she had for Xiao Che. Her indulgence, addiction, and loss of control, her abandonment of principles and betrayal of Xiao Jue for him, made her less and less like herself. Was it really just because she liked him too much?

Or is it because of that strange illness again?

However, none of that matters for now. What matters is that, for whatever reason, she is now completely infatuated with Xiao Che and cannot live without him. So, there seems to be no need to dwell on the reasons.

As for the real reason... unless one day her strange illness can be cured, then she will be able to truly see her own feelings.

Just as she was lost in thought, Xiao Jue suddenly asked from above, "Do you know why Xiao Che wouldn't let go of you yesterday?"

Yan Jiarou raised her head blankly.

Xiao Jue gently stroked her cheek, then suddenly smiled enigmatically: "Tell me, what brings you here today?"

Yan Jiarou, puzzled, replied truthfully, "I came to see my second brother off. What's wrong?"

"Oh, then why are you so late? Don't you know they set off at 1:15 AM?"

Yan Jiarou hesitated to speak, "I..."

"You don't need to tell me, I already know. Xiao Che kept you up all night, so naturally you couldn't get up. But do you know why he did that?"

Yan Jiarou shook her head blankly.

Xiao Jue said, "Because he doesn't want you to see him. Once you see Xiao Yan, he will tell you everything. Why do you think Xiao Yan has fallen to such a state? It's all thanks to his beloved third brother."

"Look, you've never understood Xiao Che. If he can turn against his closest brother today, who knows if he won't turn against you, his bedmate, tomorrow?"

"From beginning to end, it was all just manipulation; you were all just pawns in his game."

Yan Jiarou suddenly looked up, staring at him in astonishment: "You... what did you say..."

She shook her head and said, "No...no way...Second Brother's matter has nothing to do with Xiao Che. It was Second Brother who accidentally killed someone in Huaizhou and repeatedly harmed you, which angered Father Emperor and led to his current predicament. He brought this upon himself, so how can you blame Xiao Che?"

Xiao Jue looked at her and suddenly said quietly, "Do you know what happened in the court today?"

"Recently, rumors have been circulating that Xiao Che is not the Consort's biological son and that there is another secret about his background. At today's grand court assembly, he put on a good show of recognizing his ancestors."

"Do you know Jiang Yan? She's the mad concubine in the harem who's famous for her resemblance to the Imperial Concubine. Xiao Che has taken her in through this marriage."

"With witnesses and physical evidence, and with the Emperor himself as a witness, it was a flawless case. They even arranged a blood test to prove that she was Xiao Che's biological mother."

"There's another one named Jia Wei, an official from a humble background. He spoke quite a bit for Xiao Che in court today. I wonder when my good third brother won him over."

"Taking advantage of Xiao Yan's case, he first flattered the emperor, saying that 'Your Majesty handled Xiao Yan's case impartially and without any favoritism, which shows Your Majesty's love for the people and your wisdom and decisiveness. However, there is one more thing: we must not let those who have truly contributed to the country be buried in obscurity.'"

As he spoke, the image of Jia Wei kneeling in the main hall, forehead touching the ground, loudly presenting his memorial involuntarily flashed through his mind—

"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation, and dare to speak out."

"Your Majesty is wise and sagacious. We are of humble origins and have been granted the privilege of standing in the court by the grace of the Emperor. We should naturally prioritize the well-being of the nation and care for the common people. Today's matter concerns the very foundation of the country, and I dare not remain silent."

"The disaster relief efforts in Huaizhou are known throughout the land. The collection of relief funds and the establishment of soup kitchens were all thanks to His Highness the Third Prince's strategic planning and ingenious plans. If His Highness had not cared for the common people and personally taken charge, how could the people of Huaizhou have been saved? However, such merits have been attributed to others because His Highness was once mistakenly identified as a member of the Second Prince's faction. Although we are of low rank and have little influence, we dare not remain silent in our indignation."

"Furthermore, the establishment of the Xiuwen Academy and the compilation of the 'Geography Records' are both the culmination of Your Highness's painstaking efforts. Your Highness has widely recruited talented individuals and gathered scholars to open a window of enlightenment for students across the land and leave behind a classic text for future generations. How can such achievements be buried because of your status?"

"Now that the doubts about His Highness's bloodline have been cleared, Consort Jiang is from a noble family, and His Highness is also of legitimate royal blood, not a remnant of the previous dynasty. Your Majesty is wise enough to know that His Highness's talent and virtue should not be buried; His Highness's achievements should be seen by the world. Although we come from humble backgrounds, we know His Highness's love for the people and his ability to govern the country. We are willing to plead on His Highness's behalf and earnestly request Your Majesty to reconsider and give His Highness an opportunity to display his talents and bring peace to the world."

"I have said all I have to say. I humbly beg Your Majesty for your wise decision."

Following Jia Wei, many other officials from humble backgrounds echoed his sentiments.

Jia Wei's report was sincere and earnest, and every word was forceful and resounding; there was indeed not a single flaw in it.

Anyone who hears this will be moved.

But when he said he was giving Xiao Che a chance, it was clear to everyone what kind of chance he really wanted—

An opportunity to inherit the throne.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yuan of Wei leaned forward slightly, tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of his dragon throne, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly laughed loudly: "Excellent! What a fine 'pleading for the world'!"

He stood up, his steps steady, and walked down the imperial steps, personally helping Jia Wei to his feet: "Although you come from a humble background, you have the world in your heart and dare to speak out for the country. I am very pleased."

He added, “The Third Prince Xiao Che’s efforts in disaster relief in Huaizhou, the establishment of the Xiuwen Academy, and the compilation of the ‘Geography’ are all the result of his hard work. Although I live deep in the palace, I am not unaware of his contributions.”

"I will reward the Third Prince for his merits; I will also remember your loyalty. I hope you will take this as a lesson, serve the country faithfully, and speak out for the people, so as not to fail my trust."

Although Emperor Yuan of Wei did not explicitly say whether Xiao Che was capable of undertaking the great task, he praised Jia Wei extensively, clearly indicating that Jia Wei's words resonated with him.

In other words, he favored Xiao Che.

Needless to say, the group of commoners who echoed Jia Wei were also well-known. Some officials who were good at reading people and no longer held prejudices after Xiao Che cleared up the controversy over his bloodline, seeing that Emperor Wei Yuan still favored Xiao Che, and that the second prince had been deposed and the eldest prince was suffering from rumors of "serious injuries and inability to perform sexual acts," and seeing that there was no hope of seizing the throne, whether to curry favor with Emperor Wei Yuan or to avoid offending the future emperor, also stood up to speak well of Xiao Che and praise his achievements.

For a time, Xiao Che was the most popular figure in the imperial court.

As his memories returned, Xiao Jue took a deep breath, barely managing to suppress the rising anger within him.

When I opened my eyes, my peripheral vision still held a sinister glint.

He gently stroked Yan Jiarou's back, held her shoulders, and pushed her away slightly. Looking down at her, he said, "Jiarou, so now you know who benefited the most from my fall from the horse. Among the three princes, it wasn't Xiao Yan, and it certainly wasn't me, but Xiao Che."

Yan Jiarou's eyes widened suddenly.

Xiao Jue's fingers brushed across her cheek as he said softly, "I was seriously injured in a fall from my horse, and the rumors are getting worse. They all say that my position as crown prince is in jeopardy. Now it has been found that Xiao Yan was behind it, and he has also been deposed. Jia Rou, you see, the same thing can bring down two princes in one fell swoop. Who is the biggest beneficiary behind the scenes? Think about it carefully, and you will know."

Yan Jiarou felt a dryness in her throat and shook her head, saying, "No way... Xiao Che and Second Brother have such a good relationship, he wouldn't harm him... Second Brother and you have always been at odds, so it's not surprising that he would plot against you. How can you say it's related to Xiao Che?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jue sneered, "You've only slept with him a few times, how do you know his true nature? Why are you in such a hurry to defend him now, lest you be embarrassed later?"

"Not only is my fall from my horse related to him, but the murder committed by Xiao Yan in Huaizhou is probably also his doing. By blaming Xiao Yan for a murder, not only can he be rendered unable to recover, but his absurdity and disregard for human life can also be used to further highlight his achievements in Huaizhou. Killing two birds with one stone, isn't that exactly the kind of tactic my third brother always uses?"

"No, no... Your Highness, you have no evidence to support your claims..."

“Evidence? I heard it with my own ears. What evidence do I need? That day in the prison, Xiao Che told Xiao Yan what he said to him in order to let him die knowing the truth. I was hiding in the shadows and heard it all clearly.”

“If you insist on evidence, I can’t give it to you right now. But Jiarou, time will tell. Just wait and see. Xiao Che will reveal his true colors sooner or later. If you really can’t wait, why don’t you go back and ask him if he’s interested in that position?”

"As for you, do you really think he likes you? You are just like Xiao Yan, merely a stepping stone on his path to power. He knows I like you, knows how important you are to me, almost my pillar of support, so he deliberately seduced you, took you away from me, to completely destroy my mind, force me to make a mistake, and then seize on my mistake to make a big fuss, so that I end up like Xiao Yan, and then he can take my place."

"Otherwise, do you really think he can like you? What can you give him? Jiarou, although you are a princess, you are just an orphan with no support behind you. You can't give him anything. If he wants to reach that position, he needs other help. For him, the easiest way is to use women."

"You should know Cui Lingyi's background, right? But do you know that the person she actually loves has always been Xiao Che? Originally, it was only because of his Lanling bloodline that she liked him while looking down on him. But now that the bloodline controversy has been cleared up, and he is even very popular in the court, and is very likely to replace me as the next crown prince. And the Cui family has always only arranged marriages with the future emperor. So do you think she will go to Xiao Che again?"

“She is the eldest daughter of the Cui family, with Cui Shoujie and the entire Cui family as her backing. If Xiao Che marries her, he can save a lot of effort.”

Do you think he will choose you or her?