Chapter 162 The Powerful Minister Returns to His Youth 16.

What is your opinion on Ye Zangxing?

Yu Shiqing's heart skipped a beat. He could barely understand the previous words, but this question was very strange; it was not something the Prince Yong would say.

Yu Shiqing's gaze fell on Prince Yong as if it were nothing unusual, and he replied, "His Highness is exceptionally intelligent and has an extraordinary demeanor; naturally, he is excellent in every way."

Behind the desk, Prince Yong's expression turned noticeably ugly for a moment. Yu Shiqing took this in, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"And what is your opinion of me, Mr. Yu?"

It's normal for Yu Shiqing to praise Ye Zangxing. They are good friends, and Prince Yong is Ye Zangxing's fourth brother. No matter what, he wouldn't scold Ye Zangxing in front of him, right? Long Ran comforted himself while trying to control his expression and voice, and continued to ask questions.

"Your Highness is a man of both virtue and talent, skilled in both literature and martial arts, a truly first-rate figure," Yu Shiqing replied with an honest and straightforward demeanor.

Long Ran's joy was immediately and visibly evident.

While "exceptionally intelligent and exceptionally graceful" are certainly good words, "possessing both virtue and talent, and being proficient in both literature and martial arts" is the true description of a wise ruler!

This comparison clearly shows that Yu Shiqing and many others in the court and the public think the same way: they all favor Prince Yong, the fourth prince who already has considerable power, to inherit the throne.

"Oh, Mr. Yu, you flatter me! I admire your talent and am eager to have someone like you! If you ever encounter any problems in the future, please come to me, and I will certainly do my best to help you!"

Long Ran laughed heartily.

"In that case... thank you very much for your high regard, Your Highness!"

Yu Shiqing was surprised for a moment, then smiled.

Afu stared wide-eyed at him silently: "[I tried to win over Mr. Yu before, saying so many things, but he refused. Now, Father, you've won him over with just a few words, and it seems like it's done? Do these annoying adults look down on children?]"

However… Father is indeed amazing!

Long Ran's ears twitched, and upon hearing Afu's thoughts, his chest puffed out even higher.

He said that the domineering aura he had gleaned from reading countless "cool" novels was extremely useful!

Yu Shiqing: "..." Although I couldn't hear any sound, the thoughts in your hearts were practically written all over your faces.

He shifted his gaze, sweeping over the strange father and daughter, sighed inwardly, but his smile remained unchanged as he continued his casual conversation.

The apprenticeship ceremony was hasty, and the details inside are unknown, but on the surface, it appeared to be a harmonious and joyful affair, with both host and guest enjoying themselves. The laughter and conversation in the study did not subside until nearly 7 PM.

When Yu Shiqing left the main courtyard, it was already very late at night. Following the instructions of Prince Yong, he went with the eunuch to the guest courtyard to stay for the night.

The guest courtyard was spotless and elegantly furnished, with a separate small study, clearly showing careful attention to detail. Yu Shiqing surveyed the courtyard while pondering the strangeness surrounding Prince Yong.

Like the young princess, is she a suspected reincarnated individual?

It doesn't seem like it.

Tonight's probing and attempts to win him over were like children playing house. While rebirth doesn't necessarily make one smarter, surely no one becomes dumber after being reborn? And then there were the subtle gestures and expressions of Prince Yong, and that strange sense of familiarity that I hadn't felt during the Danqing examination…

"Tranquility!"

A soft shout interrupted Yu Shiqing's thoughts.

He turned his head and saw the clothes fluttering and the hair ribbons swaying on the wall beside him. It was Ye Zangxing, who had silently climbed over the wall at some unknown time. Yes, the young boy, who had not yet been burdened by the title of Crown Prince, was not yet so particular about rules.

"It's so late, why aren't you resting yet?" Yu Shiqing reached out his hand. "It's slippery up there, hurry up and come down."

Ye Cangxing looked down and saw the delicate wrist bone that had slipped out from the cuff of his sleeve. The soft moonlight made it look as beautiful as a piece of jade bamboo with outstanding character.

He paused, his fingers curled up, but in the end he didn't use the strength of that hand. Instead, he braced himself against the wall and leaped down lightly.

Yu Shiqing's gaze faltered for a moment, but he quickly concealed it.

"I was worried about you, how could I sleep?" Ye Cangxing didn't notice Yu Shiqing's strange expression. He patted his clothes twice and said, "The people I sent in to call you were stopped. I wanted to go in myself, but when I secretly went to the door, I heard that you and Fourth Brother were getting along well, so I didn't go in."

"Are you alright?"

He leaned closer to look at Yu Shiqing.

Yu Shiqing smiled and brushed a stray leaf off Ye Cangxing's shoulder: "Don't worry, it's alright. I'm just a calligraphy and painting scholar. No matter what the prince does, he won't be angry with me. It's just that..."

Ye Zangxing had relaxed after hearing the first three words, but his heart jumped again when he heard them: "But what?"

“However,” Yu Shiqing paused, then said, “I observe that His Highness Prince Yong does seem somewhat strange, quite different from what I’ve seen before. Can an illness really cause such a person to behave this way?”

"Or perhaps..."

Ye Zangxing sighed, his brow furrowing slightly: "I understand what you mean, Danzhi. To be honest, I sometimes have the same feeling, but I've secretly consulted many famous doctors, Buddhist and Taoist practitioners alike, but they can't see anything. Even Master Shouxin of Huguo Temple shook his head, saying there was no evil spirit..."

Master Shouxin said there were no evil spirits.

Yu Shiqing frowned. In his memory, this old monk seemed somewhat mysterious. Could it be that, having been reborn, he had been thinking too much about these matters of possession and reincarnation, and had gone astray?

"So that means Prince Yong's headache is incurable?" Yu Shiqing asked.

Ye Zangxing's brows were filled with worry: "I hope that this search for renowned doctors will actually yield results. Fourth Brother and Afu both seem very confident, and I don't want Fourth Brother to suffer like this all the time..."

Sure enough, the search for a doctor was not simple.

Yu Shiqing sighed silently, then gently put his arm around Ye Cangxing's shoulder: "Do your best and leave the rest to fate, that's all there is to it. Alright, it's getting late, don't worry too much, go back and rest."

Upon hearing this, Ye Zangxing seemed to snap out of his reverie, his eyes widening slightly: "Oh right, I came to find you for another reason. Although this guest house has been cleaned, it has been deserted for a long time, and being by the lake, it is quite damp and cold, not as good as my place. Besides, we have known each other for so long, but we have never slept side by side together. How about you come stay at my place tonight?"

As she spoke, Ye Cangxing turned her head slightly, her flowing hair brushing against Yu Shiqing's neck, so close it seemed she was nestled in his arms.

In the shadows beneath his chin, Yu Shiqing's Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly.

"Sleeping side by side?"

Yu Shiqing's voice was clear and calm, no different from usual, "Why did Xuan Shu suddenly think of this matter?"

The young man raised his eyebrows and answered matter-of-factly: "Isn't this kind of late-night chat between close friends very popular in Jiangnan? I am not free in the palace, and my friends have all become distant. I have never experienced such a close relationship before."

"What, you don't want to?"

He opened his eyes wider and moved a little closer.

He was willing, of course he was willing. Such intimacy was something he longed for in his dreams, how could he not be willing?

only……

“I’m tired today. It’s probably not feasible for us to talk by candlelight all night and sleep side by side. How about we reschedule?” Yu Shiqing said.

In his past lives, he was often at the head and tail of the dragon bed, with the emperor in his arms, and he could still endure the hunger of a tiger or leopard. But in this life, being so close to him, he could not help himself, let alone share a bed with him.

He didn't want to scare him away.

It's rare for men to fall in love, and Ye Zangxing probably finds it hard to accept, so he can only proceed slowly...

"I see," Ye Cangxing pursed his lips, quickly concealing the disappointment in his eyes, and then smiled. "Come to think of it, after reading all day and making this trip at night, how could I not be tired? It was Danzhi's painting that piqued my interest, and I didn't think things through. Let's reschedule for another day."

"You should get some rest, I'll go first..."

"Wait a minute," Yu Shiqing pressed down hard on the boy's shoulders and back as he tried to break free. "Speaking of the painting, I was in such a hurry that I forgot to ask if Xuan Shu liked it."

“Of course I like it,” Ye Zangxing said, “but why did you paint me like that?”

"What?" Yu Shiqing asked.

Ye Cangxing glanced at him: "What could it be? I was a little drunk that day, but my face wasn't that red, was it? It looked like I had put on rouge, and I didn't grab your hand or hold your sleeve..."

Yu Shiqing lowered his gaze to the boy so close to him. The bright moonlight allowed him to see at a glance the secret joy and shyness hidden beneath the "dissatisfaction." He chuckled softly, "So, you still don't like it? It's alright, Xuan Shu, you don't need to accept this gift out of consideration for my feelings. If you truly don't like it, just give it back to me..."

"What do you mean 'return'? You gave it to me, so it's mine. How can you possibly take it back?" The Sixth Prince said domineeringly, his brows furrowed.

The scholar, Yu, was so frightened that he dared not speak, only laughing softly. The laughter boomed in his chest, making the boy's shoulders tremble.

Ye Zangxing shifted uncomfortably, looked at the ground, and then froze. The moonlight shone down, and the two figures on the ground were almost overlapping, nearly embracing each other.

His back stiffened, as if belatedly realizing the ambiguity of the position. His breath trembled as he silently inhaled, the man's fine, clear breath instantly filling his mouth and nose.

He felt as if he had fallen into a pot of boiling oil, and was immediately scalded.

"I..." Ye Cangxing's eyes trembled, and he took a step forward. "I'm not going to argue with you anymore. It's past 7 PM. Since you're tired, you should rest now. You have to go back to the academy early tomorrow morning."

"Let's go, I'll visit you at the academy another day!"

Yu Shiqing's palm fell empty, and the warmth of half of his embrace vanished in an instant.

The boy waved his hand, and like a nimble cat or a hawk, he quickly flipped over the low wall and disappeared, leaving only the fluttering arc of his hair ribbon across the bright moon, like a swaying willow branch.

It's always like this, coming and going in a hurry, bewitching people and then running away... just like a fox spirit.

Yu Shiqing lowered his eyes and gave a silent, satisfied yet lonely laugh.

...

Nothing was said that night.

The next day, before dawn, Yu Shiqing got up, washed and dressed properly, and left the guest courtyard to go to the outer courtyard to find Chief Secretary Fei, accompanied by the servant who led the way.

Yesterday, Prince Yong left a message that today, it was Chief Secretary Fei who would escort him back to the academy.

Once outside, the streetlights were dim, almost like nighttime, and apart from the servants coming and going, there was no other activity.

It was so quiet, but as we approached a side gate, a few sounds suddenly came from nearby.

Yu Shiqing glanced over instinctively and saw Ye Cangxing leading a horse, his face gloomy and cold, as he quickly rode away.