Chapter 60 Frank Talk
After giving his crucial diagnosis, Master Zhao picked up his barely touched medicine box, bowed, and left with an air of nonchalance.
Cen Yan went to see Zhuang Dongqing, only to find that the man's chin was almost touching his chest, making him look very awkward.
Cen Yan laughed. After Zhao Ye walked away, he didn't tease Zhuang Dongqing anymore, but just reached out to him: "Go back and take a nap."
Zhuang Dongqing: "..."
Zhuang Dongqing: "Okay."
Even though he knew that taking a nap wasn't just about sleeping, he didn't want to point it out at all.
Liu Fu opened the window inside to let in some fresh air, and the smell became much fresher.
However, this refreshing feeling probably won't last long.
Neither of them spoke, and they tacitly undressed.
Zhuang Dongqing was actually a little embarrassed. He was usually waited on by others, and it was rare for him to do things himself. He kept making mistakes, but fortunately, he didn't manage to make a complete mess like he did last night.
After finishing, Zhuang Dongqing realized that Cen Yan was still relieving himself. Overjoyed, she quickly buried herself under the covers.
As soon as he lay down, he found that Cen Yan had finished in a flash.
He belatedly realized that the other person seemed to have been waiting for him.
"..."
Very good, being able to read the air is very important, not bad.
Leaving only her inner garments on, Cen Yan wasn't in a hurry. He first went to close the windows, plunging the room into complete darkness. When Zhuang Dongqing came up, Cen Yan also lowered the bed curtains, plunging everything into darkness.
Cen Yan came over and reached out to hug him.
Zhuang Dongqing obediently snuggled closer.
With a large hand placed on his protruding lower abdomen, Cen Yan asked softly, "Is it more noticeable than before?"
Zhuang Dongqing whispered, "Yes."
Feeling a gentle pat, Cen Yan asked, "It shouldn't be too big, right?"
"Master Zhao said he couldn't, what's wrong?"
It's nothing serious, but it would require surgery; it's too big and would cause the person a lot of pain.
But Cen Yan didn't voice his thoughts. He simply measured it again with his hand, and slowly lowered it.
When she was wrapped up, Zhuang Dongqing froze.
Are you feeling unwell?
Zhuang Dongqing's voice became more nasal as she mumbled, "A little."
It just won't go away, and I feel a little uneasy about it.
"Is there anything else bothering you, Qingqing?"
If Cen Yan's hand doesn't move, it should be gone. Zhuang Dongqing twisted and turned, but couldn't break free. Her voice became even more indistinct as she said, "No, it's gone."
"I stayed up too late yesterday, is it okay to leave it like this now?"
"……good."
Zhuang Dongqing buried her face in her hands, feeling hot.
Cen Yan continued slowly, "If you feel unwell, just say so..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhuang Dongqing bit his shoulder impatiently, her voice trembling with tears, "Then hurry up..."
A soft laugh rang in his ear, making Zhuang Dongqing's suffering even more. A kiss landed on his ear, and Cen Yan said, "Okay, young master."
When Cen Yan got out of bed to wipe his hands, Zhuang Dongqing stared blankly.
The restlessness was calmed, and the drowsiness from not having slept enough gradually rose up.
A little while later, Cen Yan returned, and Zhuang Dongqing instinctively leaned into his arms, feeling a warm embrace.
Cen Yan's scent was still there, but it was less noticeable, carrying a faint, pleasant aroma that wasn't overpowering.
"How about you sleep a little longer?"
"I hadn't slept for very long to begin with."
Cen Yan gently stroked Zhuang Dongqing's back and whispered words of advice.
Okay.
Zhuang Dongqing closed her eyes to the rhythmic beat of his hand.
Once Cen Yan felt that Zhuang Dongqing's breathing had evened out, he placed his hand on Zhuang Dongqing's waist and patted him gently.
Zhuang Dongqing was fast asleep.
Cen Yan hadn't actually slept for long. After thinking for a moment, he closed his eyes and rested for a while.
*
On this rare occasion, Zhuang Dongqing and Cen Yan had breakfast together.
After the meal, Master Zhao sent over a prescription. It wasn't medicine, but something to regulate her body, because he was worried that Zhuang Dongqing had been too depleted these past few days.
Zhuang Dongqing pretended not to hear and let Cen Yan and Liu Qi give their instructions.
While they were taking a walk to digest their food, Zhuang Dongqing realized that Cen Yan hadn't gone to his post and asked in surprise, "Isn't he going to the Dali Temple?"
Cen Yan simply said, "If there's no one at the government office, just send the documents to the Prince's residence; it'll be the same."
Zhuang Dongqing, without any suspicion, nodded.
The reaction started again at noon, and Cen Yan sighed as he watched.
This time, however, she didn't help him. She simply put her arm around him and said, "Bear with it, we'll talk about it tonight."
When I wiped my hands in the morning, the saliva was already quite runny; any more might be harmful to my health.
Zhuang Dongqing understood, but she felt inexplicably uncomfortable and tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep.
After trying to coax him for a while and seeing that it wasn't working, Cen Yan suddenly said, "Let me tell you about the things at the Prince's Mansion."
"Huh?" Zhuang Dongqing was also confused. "What, suddenly..."
Actually, it wasn't unexpected for Cen Yan.
The timing was precisely after Consort Tao entered the palace and received her title.
But he only said, "Didn't I say I'd tell you sometime? I'm looking forward to it..."
Zhuang Dongqing could see that he understood his feelings.
The rest, what needs to be said and what needs to be told, is best laid out now.
"That way you can think more about it and won't feel deceived later."
After a pause, Cen Yan said softly, "Actually, the Prince's Mansion isn't that great."
The story was brief in Cen Yan's words, but Zhuang Dongqing found every sentence thrilling.
After listening to the whole thing, I was completely absorbed, struggling to sort it out, and constantly marveling at it.
Zhuang Dongqing: "Then, so it's not that she doesn't like you?" The "she" here refers to Consort Tao.
"What did you say?"
"..."
Realizing he couldn't hide it any longer, Zhuang Dongqing told him everything Liu Qi had told him. Cen Yan listened in silence for a moment, then scoffed, "He's just asking for trouble. I wanted him to..."
He shook his head, stopping the conversation, and replied to Zhuang Dongqing, "She probably doesn't have these normal feelings for me. All along, she's been both surprised and terrified by my existence, mostly out of fear."
Yes, I'm scared.
And fear.
"Although she didn't tell her father in detail, everyone had a general idea. If it weren't for the emperor's instruction back then, how could she have so easily changed from a Jurchen princess to a Han Chinese, then infiltrated the ranks of palace maids, and been bestowed upon the Prince of Dingxi's residence?"
"Perhaps she always felt that she was just a pawn, thinking that the emperor wanted to use her status to weaken the power of the princes or completely eliminate the royal family."
Zhuang Dongqing: "Isn't that right?"
Cen Yan stared at Zhuang Dongqing for a moment, then slowly said, "Yes and no."
Do you know how His Majesty ascended the throne?
Zhuang Dongqing shook his head.
Cen Yan briefly explained: "The late dynasty was in chaos. The late emperor was seriously ill, and several princes were either sick or stupid, none of whom were capable of taking on important responsibilities. In the late emperor's later years, the Great Sheng Dynasty fell into chaos. At that time, Your Majesty was still a prince, with a power similar to that of the Prince of Dingxi, but there was one difference."
"His Majesty is still a member of the imperial clan, with the blood of the Li family flowing in his veins."
As a member of the imperial family, it was perfectly legitimate for him to raise an army to purge the court of corrupt officials and then ascend the throne after the country fell into chaos.
"So after the world was stable and he had secured his throne, he was very afraid that others would follow the same path."
"Over the years, the princes have either died or relinquished their power, and now only the Dingxi Prince's Mansion remains."
"My mother was given to my father as a gesture of goodwill while the war was still ongoing."
"At the time, this marriage relationship was naturally good; at least in His Majesty's eyes, it could guarantee Father's loyalty."
"But after the world is at peace, times have changed, and this marriage alliance may have taken on a different meaning in His Majesty's eyes."
It was said in a veiled way, but with the foreshadowing, Zhuang Dongqing could roughly understand it. He whispered, "It's because the Prince's Mansion has Li family blood, and in the future..." they might start a rebellion.
"That's one of the considerations."
Otherwise, when the Yuan family was being dealt with, why did the princess's two children specifically instruct the eunuch to give them poisoned wine, and to watch them die with their own eyes?
Isn't it because these two children are both boys, and they have the blood of both the Yuan and Li families flowing through their veins?
"So, when Tao Hui had me, it was actually a test for her father."
“Protecting her when His Majesty pretends not to know and exposes her identity demonstrates both his deep affection and loyalty, showing that he will not easily betray her. On the other hand, it also shows weakness to His Majesty, voluntarily handing over a handle to His Majesty.”
"Otherwise, given the prestige of the Prince of Dingxi's mansion and His Majesty's increasingly uncontrollable suspicion, the situation would not be what it is today."
Like a hidden thread in the grass, its influence extends for miles.
Suddenly, many plot points that I couldn't understand while reading the novel had a reasonable explanation.
For example, why did Emperor Shengwu trust Cen Yan so much and not fear that he would rebel?
Why is Cen Yan so decisive in his actions, and why is he not afraid of being discarded by His Majesty after he has served his purpose?
Because it's unnecessary.
If Cen Yan dares to rebel, then Emperor Shengwu can simply publicize Tao Hui's affair. There is no need for any other actions. The Jurchens and Han Chinese are sworn enemies. After years of fighting each other, the Jurchens were finally destroyed during Emperor Shengwu's reign, but the hatred has not disappeared. Cen Yan has Jurchen blood... When the time comes, once it is announced, everyone in the world will have the right to kill him.
Emperor Shengwu would probably never find a better knife than Cen Yan.
Moreover, the knife's flaws are firmly in my control; it can be shattered with a single blow at any time.
The Prince of Dingxi's mansion had already become so powerful that there was no hope of succession. All he needed to do was to [illegible characters] and do his job honestly.
even……
Zhuang Dongqing: "Don't you actually hope that the Prince of Dingxi's Mansion will be defeated?"
Excessive indulgence and extravagance are not good things for a subject.
Cen Yan smiled faintly, touched Zhuang Dongqing's hair, and said softly, "Perhaps."
But we've come this far.
Assumptions are meaningless; we can only move forward.
Zhuang Dongqing hesitated: "These...only a few people know about them, right?"
"At most, His Majesty, Mother Consort, Father Dowager Tao, and my three siblings and I are aware of it."
"Liu Qi and the others will serve you closely. As for Hao San, forget about him; he's always been brainless. Liu Qi and Xu Si should be able to guess the general idea, but they probably don't have the guts to think too deeply about it."
Zhuang Dongqing: "You..."
Is it okay to tell him this big thing like this?
Cen Yan replied calmly, "Yes, I did say I would tell you."
"and……"
"This isn't just my problem."
As he spoke, he touched Zhuang Dongqing's stomach, and Zhuang Dongqing realized, "Oh..."
That definitely needs to be discussed with him.
Cen Yan's voice was very soft, "Currently, there is a balance between the Prince of Dingxi's Mansion and His Majesty, but I cannot guarantee that this balance will not be broken before the new emperor ascends the throne."
The Yuan family's power had been constantly shifting, and they had even accepted the princess and pledged allegiance, but... their fate was not good.
Moreover, as Emperor Shengwu grew weaker, his desire for control, contrary to his physical condition, was expanding inexplicably.
"But the Prince's Mansion is not a pushover like the Yuan family."
The southwest region has always been home to many tribes, making them difficult to control. The royal family also raised troops in their fiefdoms and adapted to the strange climate of Yunnan. Even if they did not rebel, it was enough for them to be enfeoffed as kings. The capital's troops could not adapt to the miasma and could not do anything to them.
Moreover, the Han people's set of etiquette and the hatred between the Han and the Jurchens did not extend to the various tribes.
“I wanted to say I could keep you safe, but…” Cen Yan smiled, then gave a wry smile, “Until the very last moment, there’s no absolute certainty in these things, and I don’t want to lie to you.”
"All I can say is that I will do everything in my power to protect you..." He paused, his gaze slid down, and changed his words to, "you all."
"If you trust me, then stay."
"If you don't believe me, or if you have other considerations..."
After a pause, Cen Yan slowly lowered his eyes and said, "Then we are not destined to be together."
"My mother hated the foreign blood in me, and Tao Hui was forced by Emperor Shengwu, so neither of them lived a happy life."
"If possible..."
"I hope you never change,"
"So I just think about eating and drinking every day."
"Just live the life you want to live."
Those light-colored, mixed-race eyes stared at Zhuang Dongqing, and she said calmly yet solemnly, "Even if you don't want to stay."
"With this one child in the family,"
Having spent this time together,
"It can also be considered a positive connection."
The words the abbot of Daci Temple used to persuade him were ultimately used by him to persuade himself.
Zhuang Dongqing's heart pounded.
Realizing it only after the fact—
It was as if Cen Yan had laid his heart bare for him to see.
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