Chapter 82 The Substitute Chapter: I'll Scare You to Death by Bringing Out a Grandson.
The Empress Dowager's decree arrived very quickly.
Xie Changyu arrived at Cining Palace with trepidation. To his surprise, there were very few people in the palace. There were no maids or eunuchs attending to him at the entrance, and there were hardly any people outside either.
He became even more nervous.
The head eunuch only escorted him to the palace gate and then left. The one who came to pick him up was the Empress Dowager's head maid, who looked no younger than herself. It was said that she had grown up with the Empress Dowager and entered the palace, and they had a close relationship.
"Young Master Xie has arrived." The head palace maid's face was gentle, not as serious as he had imagined. Xie Changyu's tense heart eased slightly. He hummed in response, "I've come to visit the Empress Dowager. Is Her Majesty awake yet?"
Song'er smiled gently, "Your Highness has been waiting for you. Please come in quickly; it's cold outside."
Waiting for him?
Xie Changyu swallowed hard. Was the Empress Dowager and his mother really that close? Afraid of wasting time, he quickly followed Song'er inside.
Cining Palace was deserted, with only a few palace maids cleaning occasionally. It seemed to be in a different world from the imperial palace. Xie Changyu's heart was beating a little fast. He didn't know what to do when he met the Empress Dowager. After all, he had never met her before and was a complete stranger to her.
As their footsteps slowed, Xie Changyu faintly smelled the scent of incense. The curtain was gently pulled open, and Song'er tilted her head and smiled, "Young Master Changyu, we've arrived."
We've arrived? Xie Changyu pursed her lips, feeling nervous.
The area hidden by the curtain was gradually revealed, and he finally saw the current Empress Dowager, who had a kind face and smiled very gently when she saw him.
"Your Majesty." Song'er walked to the Empress Dowager's side.
The Empress Dowager nodded, her gaze fixed on Xie Changyu. She beckoned, "Come here, Changyu."
Xie Changyu walked over obediently. He was dressed very warmly today, with round eyes and a rosy face, looking like a New Year's picture doll. The Empress Dowager was delighted to see him. She took his hand and patted it, "Good child, are you getting used to living in the palace?"
Xie Changyu saw that the Empress Dowager was not as imposing as he had imagined, but rather very kind and gentle, just like his own mother, which made him feel very close to her. So he relaxed and nodded obediently, "Your Majesty, Changyu is doing well."
The palace is great, of course. The only bad thing is that damned emperor; he's like a persistent ghost.
The Empress Dowager's smile deepened. "Since you're staying so well, why not stay a few more days and spend more time with this old woman?"
ah?
Xie Changyu exclaimed in surprise, "The Empress Dowager?"
"Don't worry, your mother and I are as close as sisters. As the Empress Dowager, I will definitely protect you."
The Empress Dowager's words implied that she wanted to protect him, as if she were assuring him that he didn't need to be afraid of anyone.
However, Xie Changyu simply didn't want to see that tyrant anymore. He was afraid that if he continued to stay here, it would shorten his lifespan. He originally thought that today was just a simple greeting, but he didn't expect that the Empress Dowager would be so kind and not put on any airs. She seemed to like him very much and even wanted him to keep her company.
Xie Changyu wanted to refuse, but looking at the Empress Dowager's face, he remembered that she had just returned from worshipping Buddha at the temple and must be very lonely, which was why she wanted him to keep her company. He also felt that the Empress Dowager and his mother had a special relationship, so he softened and agreed.
He nodded, "Changyu obeys the decree."
The Empress Dowager patted his head and sighed repeatedly, "Good boy."
Xie Changyu smiled obediently, thinking to himself that now that he had the Empress Dowager's backing in the palace, he no longer needed to fear that tyrant. Although the tyrant had murdered his father and killed all his brothers and sisters, the Empress Dowager was his biological mother and should still have some authority.
hope.
As if on cue, a commotion suddenly erupted in the deserted palace. Well-trained palace maids and eunuchs surrounded the area, and when the curtain was pulled back, a face as cold as ice was revealed.
He is a tyrant.
"Mother." A cold voice rang out, interrupting the conversation between the Empress Dowager and Xie Changyu. Upon hearing this voice, Xie Changyu unconsciously stepped back, trying to crouch behind the Empress Dowager.
This guy is really persistent; he's back again.
The Empress Dowager's smile faded slightly. She patted Xie Changyu's hand reassuringly, "The Emperor has arrived. What brings you here to see me today?"
Wei Yuehua didn't care about the Empress Dowager's attitude, as if he was used to it. He waved his hand and chased away the chief eunuch who had followed him in. Soon, only the Empress Dowager, Xie Changyu, Song'er, and he were left inside.
He casually found a seat, and Song'er took the fox fur coat he had taken off from him, asking in a light voice, "Is Mother unhappy?"
The Empress Dowager sighed, "I'm so happy! I've been a Buddhist for many years, and as soon as I return to the palace, two children come to chat with me. How can I not be happy?"
She turned her head and gestured, "Song'er."
Song'er nodded and then left as well.
Xie Changyu looked up at the man opposite her, only to meet his cold, icy eyes again, which were quite frightening.
He shuddered and immediately turned around to look at the Empress Dowager. With the Empress Dowager present, this guy certainly wouldn't dare to do anything.
Xie Changyu's position was quite delicate. The Empress Dowager was positioned in the very center at a high position, and he was to her left. His position had shifted slightly upwards during the conversation, while the Tyrant was positioned below him. He was sitting between the Empress Dowager and the Tyrant.
The pressure on me is too much.
The Empress Dowager held Xie Changyu's hand the whole time, chatting with the tyrant as she did so, "I heard that you killed the ministers who opposed your marriage yesterday?"
The tyrant in his black robes took a sip of tea. "Mother, you should listen to less of this kind of thing; it's not good for your health."
The Empress Dowager frowned. "How could you, as the ruler of a country, commit such atrocities? If this continues, can this empire be preserved?"
The mother and son's conversation was so explicit that Xie Changyu dared not listen. However, he became even more certain of the Empress Dowager's special status. Sure enough, clinging to the Empress Dowager's coattails was effective.
The tyrant chuckled, "Mother, you actually worry about such things? When I murdered my father, you didn't say a word. Now that you're firmly in the position of Empress Dowager, it's best to refrain from interfering in the affairs of the court to avoid getting burned."
"What a clever way to get yourself into trouble!"
The atmosphere between the mother and son became tense. Xie Changyu, who was standing next to them, dared not breathe. His eyes darted around, and he wished he could immediately go deaf after hearing how the mother and son had killed the late emperor.
Is he not going to live much longer? Otherwise, why would these two be so comfortable letting him hear this?
He immediately became restless, wishing he could disappear from the spot. The two most noble people in the world were arguing, and he, the son of a high-ranking official, could only become cannon fodder.
Strangely, the two did not continue arguing. The Empress Dowager looked at him as if her expression had changed and said with concern, "Changyu has been kept here chatting for a long time today. He must be tired. Let's chat again next time."
Upon hearing this, Xie Changyu felt as if he had been liberated and immediately nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.
The Empress Dowager smiled and called Song'er in, "Send Changyu back."
"yes."
After leaving Cining Palace, Xie Changyu felt that the air outside was much fresher. He turned his fox fur coat around, revealing his fair face, and opened his mouth slightly to relieve the heat he had just felt inside. Cining Palace was really hot.
Song'er stood beside him and asked, "Where does Young Master Changyu live? The Empress Dowager specifically instructed me to escort you."
Xie Changyu mentioned the name of a palace, and then noticed that Song'er was looking at him strangely. He asked her what was wrong, and Song'er shook her head and said it was nothing.
The road was very quiet. Song'er didn't ask any questions and simply escorted him to Shaoyang Palace.
"We've arrived. Young Master Changyu, please go inside. This servant will return now."
Xie Changyu nodded.
No one knows what the Empress Dowager and the tyrant said afterward, but he didn't see him again for a month in the palace.
This allowed Xie Changyu to live a very unrestrained life in the palace. With the Empress Dowager backing him up, he could do whatever he wanted in the palace. The only tyrant who could restrain him was nowhere to be found.
However, Xie Changyu wasn't curious, since he wished he could never see that tyrant again.
That day, Xie Changyu had just returned from paying his respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager finally agreed to let him leave the palace and go home. As he walked, he almost jumped up. The weather gradually warmed up and the snowflakes melted.
Returning home after a month, Xie Changyu felt as if a year had passed. The scenery outside the palace seemed completely unfamiliar, and she felt like crying.
"Mom! Dad! I'm back!"
A loud noise startled everyone at the entrance of the Minister's residence. Soon, maids and guards gathered around, exclaiming, "Young Master is back!"
"Quickly inform the master and madam!" "Young master, you're finally back!"
Surrounded by people, Xie Changyu felt like he was about to be crushed. He looked up and shouted, "Alright, alright, make way!"
With a little more space, Xie Changyu straightened his clothes. "I know you all miss me, but I need to go to my mother's place now. Please take me there quickly."
"Yes, young master."
Xie Changyu walked lightly towards his mother's house. As soon as he reached the door, he pushed it open and shouted, "Mom, I'm back!"
Upon hearing the sound, Madam Xie immediately stood up. She caught Xie Changyu as he rushed over and said gently, "It's good that you're back."
In a tender moment, Madam Xie pulled him to sit down and asked softly, "Did you have fun in the palace? Did the Emperor make things difficult for you? Was the Empress Dowager kind to you...?"
She asked a lot of questions at once, leaving Xie Changyu unsure which one to answer first. He chuckled sheepishly and said, "Mother, why are you asking so many questions?"
He added, "Don't worry, I'm doing well in the palace. The Empress Dowager treats me very well, and I haven't seen the Emperor much."
He answered each question one by one without any impatience, as if he had become his mother's obedient child at that moment.
Mrs. Xie smiled with relief, "I'm glad you had fun."
She tapped Xie Changyu's nose. "Did the Empress Dowager send you back today?"
"Yes."
Xie Changyu asked, "Mother, how much longer will I have to stay in the palace?"
This time, he was only granted permission to leave the palace for one day. He had already been in the palace for a month. The Empress Dowager had previously said that he could only stay for a few days, but he had stayed until now. It was only because his mother said she missed him that she let him out.
Madam Xie hugged him and comforted him, saying, "His Majesty will be getting married next month. The Empress Dowager will leave after watching His Majesty's wedding, and then you can come back."
"Hasn't the Empress Dowager been very good to you? Staying in the palace for another month won't hurt."
Since his mother had said so, Xie Changyu didn't say anything more. After all, the palace was indeed very fun. It was just that he couldn't leave the palace at will. With the Empress Dowager protecting him, he was practically lawless in the palace, and no one could control him. He was having a great time.
After spending some time with his mother and then running into his father who had just returned to the mansion, Xie Changyu finally felt satisfied. He called his servants, thinking that since he had finally managed to get out of the mansion, he should go out and have some fun.
With his mother's and father's permission, Xie Changyu finally managed to take his men out.
He can only come out for one day; he has to go back to the palace tomorrow. He has to have a good time.
Xie Changyu thought of Fu Jing. He had just wanted to send someone to call Fu Jing over, but he heard that Fu Jing was no longer in the capital and had been sent to another place by Fu Shuqing, and he didn't know what Fu Jing was doing.
So in the end, Xie Changyu wandered around for a while and then went back.
When they returned to the palace the next day, Madam Xie looked reluctant to part with Xie Changyu. She touched Xie Changyu's face and instructed him, "You must eat well in the palace and not starve yourself."
Xie Changyu chuckled a few times, "Don't worry, Mother, there's plenty of delicious food in the palace."
He felt that his mother was worrying too much; she hadn't shown any reaction yesterday, so she was probably just too worried about him.
So Xie Changyu hugged his mother and rubbed his face against hers, "Mother, don't worry, you can come to the palace to see me if you miss me."
Madam Xie nodded, then sighed, "Go on, this is all I can do for you, Mother."
Xie Changyu nodded and followed his father away in the carriage.
Back in the palace, he felt the long-lost feeling of being confined. Although the palace was fun, there were no peers to play with. He had already exhausted all the fun places. The only thing that comforted him was that the Empress Dowager would occasionally bestow some valuable gifts upon him.
As the emperor's wedding approached, the entire palace gradually took on a festive hue. The contrast between the snow-white silver flowers and the red dyes created a unique atmosphere, and Xie Changyu's mood brightened accordingly.
This is the wedding of a king, a general amnesty, a celebration for the whole country. Yesterday, when he was in the restaurant, he saw many foreigners, who were said to be from neighboring small countries, all there to celebrate the tyrant's wedding.
At the same time, Xie Changyu also received new clothes, made of red fabric with many golden glitters that shimmered on the surface. Wearing them made him look very festive and made his appearance even more striking.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
He ran into the Cining Palace, shouting as he ran. His lack of manners did not offend anyone. Instead, the Empress Dowager, the head of the palace, smiled at him and told him to slow down so he wouldn't fall.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" Xie Changyu stood before the Empress Dowager, a smile playing on his lips. He turned around to show her, "The clothes you gave me are so beautiful! I love them!"
The Empress Dowager looked at him kindly, "If you like it, that's good."
Xie Changyu said a few words and then left in a hurry. He stayed in the palace for a month, and the Empress Dowager had gotten used to his temperament and did not blame him at all.
This attitude made the chief eunuch in the palace even more cautious about the scene. He muttered to himself, "Not only does the Empress Dowager have such an attitude, but the most esteemed one, although her thoughts are not clear, already shows her special status just by not having any thoughts."
After all, apart from Xie Changyu, he had never seen anyone in the palace who could be so lawless and get away with it.
As the wedding approached, Xie Changyu's curiosity about the wedding gradually increased. He spent more time wandering around, and apart from the Qiankun Palace where the tyrant stayed, he went to all the other places. He would also deliberately avoid the time after court to avoid running into that tyrant.
He was wandering around that day when he ran into someone he didn't really want to see.
"Changyu".
Fu Shuqing, dressed in black, stood not far from him and called out to him. The color of the clothes made Xie Changyu imagine a tyrant. He only recognized the person after taking a closer look.
He greeted him politely, "Brother Shuqing."
As Fu Shuqing approached, Xie Changyu resisted the urge to back away. He clenched his fist and asked in a low voice, "Brother Shuqing, is there something you need?"
His aloof demeanor, so different from before, did not deter Fu Shuqing from approaching him. He was still as handsome as ever, and his voice was as gentle as ever, "How have you been doing in the palace these days?"
While remaining vigilant about the tyrant's appearance, Xie Changyu replied, "I'm doing very well; the Empress Dowager treats me very well."
He glanced at the other person and saw that Fu Shuqing had obvious bluish-gray marks under his eyes, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept well.
He bit his cheek and said in a muffled voice, "Fu Shuqing, you're getting married soon, you must be very busy these days."
Fu Shuqing avoided the question, vaguely replying, "It's alright."
"Xiao Jing went to Jincheng these days, and he asked me to give you this letter."
Long, slender fingers pulled a neatly written letter from his sleeve and handed it to him. As Xie Changyu took it, he complained, "Why doesn't he come to the palace to see me? It's so boring being alone in the palace."
"Xiao Jing has been too busy these days. I'll tell him when he gets back."
"That's good."
After they finished talking, they suddenly fell silent. Xie Changyu didn't dare to talk to him anymore, afraid that the tyrant would suddenly appear out of nowhere, afraid that her little thoughts would be seen through, and thought that it would be better to part ways.
Before he could even say goodbye, Fu Shuqing suddenly reached out. Xie Changyu's pupils dilated slightly, and he froze, unable to dodge.
A warm, slightly cool sensation came from the right side of my cheek.
"You've lost weight," Fu Shuqing said calmly, withdrawing her hand.
Xie Changyu's eyes widened instantly, and he covered his face. "How could I have lost weight? My mother even said I've gained weight."
Fu Shuqing smiled slightly and did not refute.
Xie Changyu suddenly felt a pang of sadness, her voice hoarse, "I..."
He rushed up and hugged Fu Shuqing, burying his face deep in his clothes. He didn't say anything, but his back was patted repeatedly.
After he calmed down, he asked in a low voice, "Are you really going to get married?"
……"Um."
"I won't help you if you get bullied by a tyrant in the future," he said, his little face looking very aggrieved.
She was held tightly in a hug, and the last thing she heard in her ear was, "I'm sorry, I made you sad."
When Xie Changyu returned to Shaoyang Palace, he belatedly realized the foolish thing he had done and was terrified.
Oh no, oh ...!
He actually hugged Fu Shuqing, right in the palace, right when they were about to get married.
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no!
If the tyrant finds out, I'm doomed.
This is the imperial palace, and the entire palace is full of the tyrant's spies. It's bound to be discovered. Xie Changyu had a bitter face, looking like he was about to be dragged out and beheaded. He spent the whole night in fear.
He fell asleep tormented by fear and anxiety, but when he woke up the next day, the tyrant was nowhere to be seen, and his worries turned to joy.
Xie Changyu only felt completely relieved on the eve of his wedding.
Generally speaking, the wedding ceremony of a monarch is very grand, but Xie Changyu was still a little disappointed. It wasn't as grand as he had imagined, but it was still better than many other weddings.
The wedding ceremony was also very complicated. During the day, he was too tired to watch, so the Empress Dowager let him go back to his palace to rest and sleep until night.
That evening, Xie Changyu saw many acquaintances, but this was no ordinary palace banquet and he couldn't move around freely, so he only exchanged glances with Fu Jing before turning his attention back to the wedding favors.
The Empress Dowager was seated at the highest point. The two newlyweds had not yet entered. He turned around a few times and found many unfamiliar faces, many of them from different races. For some reason, those people from different races looked very familiar to him.
But Xie Changyu thought he had just misread the words because he had drunk too much.
The wedding ceremony continued, but he couldn't bear to watch any longer. His frustration grew, and he drank the wine in sips. No one could stop him; they could only watch helplessly as he drank.
I didn't pay attention and fainted. My last memory was of my mother's face.
When Xie Changyu woke up, he found that the sky had changed.
"Cough cough cough..."
When he woke up and looked at the unfamiliar palace in front of him, he felt a wave of darkness. When he struggled to get up, he found that his whole body was sore and weak.
He sat up while coughing, each cough louder than the last.
What's going on? Where am I?
Xie Changyu's originally pale face suddenly flushed red. He was feeling extremely unwell; he had drunk too much alcohol the night before and had fallen asleep.
etc.
Xie Changyu's pupils widened. He actually passed out drunk?! At the tyrant's wedding banquet, it's all over, all over, all over, all over, all over.
He tried to stand up, but he didn't have the strength.
In the end, he simply lay down and pretended to be dead.
Not long after, his mother and father arrived, followed by the Empress Dowager.
"Chengyu!"
Xie Changyu suddenly stood up, looking at his mother in his undergarments, "Mother!"
Madam Xie hugged him tightly, her eyes filled with relief and mixed emotions, murmuring, "It's good that you're alright, it's good that you're alright."
Xie Changyu was confused. He looked at his father standing beside him and saw that his father was also looking at him with the same complicated expression. "Father?"
Father Xie sighed, then cupped his hands to the Empress Dowager and said, "Thank you for your care these past few days, Your Majesty. I will take Changyu with me now."
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and nodded, "Good."
Xie Changyu put on his clothes, which had been thrown around in a mess, and was finally taken back to the mansion with a confused look on his face.
When he returned to his residence, he learned what had happened in the palace the previous night.
A foreign tribe, along with the surviving princes, colluded with court officials to plot a rebellion. General Fu and the tyrant used a marriage scheme to lure everyone out...
Xie Changyu summarized it this way. He didn't understand much of it, but he realized the seriousness of the matter. After hearing that all the rebels were killed on the spot, he anxiously asked, "Mother, how did I end up in that place today?"
Madam Xie also sighed, "You disappeared after getting drunk last night."
"Disappeared without a trace?!"
"There's something wrong with the wine you drank. It had some tainted medicine in it. The Empress Dowager brought me here this morning."
Xie Changyu asked anxiously, "Did I do something?"
Madam Xie looked at him with heartache, "When the Empress Dowager found you, you were lying in the same bed with a young master."
"What!" Xie Changyu touched his body and muttered, "No wonder I feel so uncomfortable."
"I shouldn't have put you in the palace." Madam Xie held back her emotions for a long time, and finally shed tears. "I'm so sorry, Chengyu."
Actually, Xie Changyu didn't mind this matter much. After all, he didn't have much memory of it, and it wasn't the first time he had slept with someone. It was just a matter of things getting a little complicated. But seeing his mother's desperate look, he couldn't bring himself to say what was on his mind. He could only continue to comfort her in a gentle voice.
After finally managing to get through the matter, he belatedly realized that Fu Shuqing's marriage was actually a lie. Thinking back to how he had acted in front of him in the palace, he felt a pang of regret, but at the same time, he was secretly delighted.
Xie Changyu was confined to his residence, forbidden from going out or having anyone else visit him, which made him extremely bored.
Until one day, his mother mysteriously called him over.
Xie Changyu asked curiously, "Mother, what's wrong?"
Madam Xie presented him with a portrait and said, "You look to be getting on in years. How about I arrange a marriage for you?"
"ah?"
Xie Changyu jumped up in surprise, pointing exaggeratedly at his face, "Me? Talking about marriage??"
"Mother, are you serious?" he wailed, his face full of disbelief.
He hoped his mother was joking, but instead he was met with her serious face and her earnest words.
"Take a look and see if you like it. If you don't, choose another one."
Xie Changyu looked aggrieved and said angrily, "I won't look. I don't want to get married. I won't look at any young lady, no matter whose family she is."
No sooner had he said that than his mother asked in a strange tone, "Who said it was a young lady?"
Xie Changyu was even more surprised, "Could it be a man?"
Madam Xie's expression calmed down. She took a sip of tea and said, "Seeing that you weren't very averse to men the other day, I thought you liked them."
"I don't like it!" Xie Changyu declared confidently. "I don't like it at all."
"Then why did you keep calling out Fu Shuqing's name when you were drunk that day?" Madam Xie's words were a fatal blow, leaving Xie Changyu speechless. He could only mutter softly, "What? How could that be? No way."
"Mother knows you like Fu Shuqing, but," Madam Xie said seriously, "these two brothers from the Fu family will absolutely not marry into our Xie family."
"Who said that!" Xie Changyu retorted. Although he didn't know Fu Shuqing, he felt that if he let Fu Jing marry into the family, Fu Jing would definitely agree.
"I said it."
"Wh-what? Mother, why?"
Madam Xie did not answer, but simply asked him to open the portrait, "Take a look, it will definitely suit your aesthetic taste."
Xie Changyu's thoughts were thrown into disarray, and he could only look down at the portrait. The scroll was slowly unfurled, and what came into view was a familiar face.
His breathing became rapid. "Mother, who is this?"
"This is your mother's nephew who lives far away in Qingcheng. He is also your cousin. Do you think he looks about five points like Fu Shuqing?"
"impossible!"
Xie Changyu stood up. "I've seen him before."
This portrait clearly depicts Qingya; it's exactly the same. He couldn't possibly be mistaken. How could a courtesan suddenly become his distant cousin?
"Mother, are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Madam Xie was now curious. "Why do you say that?"
"I've seen this person at Changyuefang. He's a courtesan named Qingya."
"Really?" Madam Xie frowned. "My nephew has always been raised in Qingcheng and has never stepped out of Qingcheng. It was your uncle who handed me a portrait and asked me to arrange a marriage for him."
"I'll have your dad look into it."
Xie Changyu could only relax and wait for the final result.
He returned to his room, still feeling quite dissatisfied with the arranged marriage. He felt he was still very young and didn't want to be tied down by anyone.
The investigation yielded results quickly. It turned out that his aunt had given birth to twins. One of them had gone missing when she visited relatives years ago, and she had searched for it for many years without success. Xie Changyu's words had actually led to the discovery of his cousin who had been missing for many years.
My uncle specifically asked that no one should reveal that my cousin had worked as a male prostitute, for fear of damaging his reputation.
Xie Changyu agreed, after all, he was his cousin.
After figuring things out, Madam Xie took the initiative and brought over the cousin who was supposed to be her fiancé. By the time he realized what was happening, his cousin was already living in the Xie residence.
The incident occurred one morning when Xie Changyu was about to leave the mansion with his men when he unexpectedly bumped into someone.
He crashed directly onto the person, making a hissing sound as he was pressed down.
Xie Changyu looked at the person beneath him with annoyance, wondering where this person came from. But upon closer inspection, he recognized the face and blurted out, "Qingya?"
The man beneath her, who looked exactly like Qingya, called out softly, "Cousin, I am Feng Ling."
"Feng Ling?"
The two were helped up. After Xie Changyu steadied himself, he scrutinized the person opposite him, squinting as he asked, "Are you my cousin?"
"Yes."
"Is Qingya your older brother or your younger brother?"
"Replying to my cousin, Qingya is my younger brother."
"Oh, I understand?" Xie Changyu was still quite interested in this face. He had previously been more disgusted with Qingya, but he had a rare fondness for Feng Ling, who was innocent.
It must be admitted that his mother's behavior was quite correct; he was indeed not averse to the face that resembled Fu Shuqing by about 50%.
An idea popped into his head. He looked at the person opposite him with a wicked smile and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Now that you've come to the manor, we should definitely get to know each other better. How about this, you come out with me."
Feng Ling looked up curiously, "Where to?"
Xie Changyu's smile deepened, "Of course, we'll go to fun places."
He took Feng Ling to Changyue Ward, intending to use this face to scare the people inside. Qingya had been redeemed some time ago, and the people in the ward had been silenced.
When a face exactly like Qingya appeared at Changyifang, the madam trembled.
Xie Changyu looked at the extremely frightened woman with a puzzled expression. He glanced at the madam, then at Feng Ling, and asked, "Does he look strange?"
The question was directed at the madam, who shook her head. "It's not surprising, it's not surprising, it's just that she looks too much like Qingya."
Although my intention was indeed to scare them, I didn't expect it to work so well, it was almost strange.
"Is it really that scary to look like Qingya?"
The madam mustered her courage and asked, "May I ask, Young Master Xie, who is this person who looks exactly like Qingya?"
Xie Changyu casually replied, "My fiancé."
Feng Ling, who was standing nearby, blinked slightly upon hearing this.
"That's good, that's good." The madam was relieved. "As long as it's not a ghost turning into a human."
Xie Changyu looked surprised. "What do you mean?"
“Qingya died the night he was redeemed,” the madam said. “He had been here for a long time, caught a disease, and died of a fever not long after.”
...
When Xie Changyu returned home, he immediately shunned everyone else and went straight to his mother, calling out, "Mother!"
"mother!"
"What's wrong?" Madam Xie asked, curious as she saw him rushing around.
"Qingya is dead!" Xie Changyu looked like he was eager to be explained.
"He died the night he was redeemed. How did you know?"
Madam Xie put on a stern face, "You went to Chang Le Fang again." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"I'm afraid you'll be sad. You still have some feelings for Qingya," Madam Xie explained.
Xie Changyu exclaimed in surprise, "Mother, why do you think like that? I would never have such thoughts about a male prostitute."
Although this person was his cousin, he still honestly expressed his inner thoughts. However, Madam Xie did not say anything, which seemed to confirm his idea. "So Mother called Feng Ling over."
“He has a clean background and a clean reputation, and he looks five points like Fu Shuqing. This person is the most suitable for you.”
Unusually, Xie Changyu did not refute, "I just spent some time with Feng Ling."
How are things going?
"It's really good, very obedient."
Madam Xie smiled. "A mother's judgment is never wrong. So you agree?"
"...Hmm." Xie Changyu thought it was a good idea. "Let's listen to Mother's arrangements."
That evening, he saw Feng Ling in his room.
"What are you doing here?" Xie Changyu crossed his arms, looking fierce. "Do you need something from me?"
Feng Ling blushed, "I..."
"I don't like being so hesitant and timid."
Feng Ling's face turned pale, and she hurriedly explained, "My aunt sent me here."
"My mother? What does my mother want you to come here for?" Xie Changyu found a seat and sat down, his expression finally softening a little.
Feng Ling sat down as well, her voice very soft, "Auntie said you agreed to our marriage."
Xie Changyu felt a little uncomfortable when this topic came up suddenly. "Yes, I agreed."
"Today you went out again and said I was your fiancé."
Xie Changyu's face turned red. He had just said it offhand, but who knew this person would remember it, even though it was indeed true now.
He tugged at his collar, using impatience to mask his unease. "Can't I just say?"
"No." Feng Ling was dressed very lightly, and when he lowered his head slightly, his fair neck was revealed. His voice was very shy. "I like it very much."
The atmosphere between the two instantly changed.
Xie Changyu suddenly stood up and started to shoo people away, "Alright, you've finished talking, you can leave now."
The person sitting didn't move, but simply said, "I want to stay with you, cousin."
Hearing him call him "cousin," Xie Changyu felt he could hold out a little longer, and said helplessly, "Fine."
Then he realized that this person had become attached to him. No matter what he did, Feng Ling would always appear by his side. At first, she would appear two meters away from him, then slowly she would get closer to him, and finally she even dared to reach out and hold his hand.
By the end, Xie Changyu had gotten used to having someone sleep with him.
Habits are a terrible thing.
When Fu Jing finished dealing with the palace coup, he found the two people already in a sticky, affectionate state.
Fu Jing, dressed in black and red, arrived at the Xie residence. Looking at the person who was always clinging to Xie Changyu, he asked expressionlessly, "Who is this?"
Xie Changyu was still stunned when the person next to him answered first. Feng Ling held his hand tightly and smiled sweetly, "I am my cousin's fiancé."
"May I ask who you are?"
"...Fiancé?" Fu Jing's stern face was quite intimidating. His voice was deep, "Xie Changyu, is this true?"
Xie Changyu glanced at the two of them. He felt his hand being gripped tightly and realized that the people around him were just too nervous, so he readily admitted, "Yes, Feng Ling is my fiancé."
He looked at Feng Ling and introduced Fu Jing, "This person is my childhood friend, Fu Jing from the General's Mansion. You two happen to know each other—".
"Know him my ass."
Fu Jing rarely swore, the spirited young man with red eyes glanced at Xie Changyu and said, "I don't want to know any bullshit."
After saying that, he used his light-footed skill to leave.
Xie Changyu was stunned by what was said until he heard a soft apologetic voice in his ear, "Cousin, did I do something wrong?"
Xie Changyu got angry after realizing what had happened. He had kindly introduced his fiancé to Fu Jing, but the guy had given him the cold shoulder.
Great! Absolutely great!
"Cousin? Cousin?"
Xie Changyu turned his head and saw a wronged face. He said in a deep voice, "It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong. It's that guy who's sick."
"Are you out of your mind? You do look a bit like it," Feng Ling said innocently.
"Never mind him."
Xie Changyu stood up irritably, and Feng Ling also stood up, but Xie Changyu stopped her, "Don't talk to me yet, I need to talk to my mother about something."
"Okay, cousin, you go ahead."
Feng Ling's obedience greatly relieved his annoyance, making him feel even more that Fu Jing was out of his mind, daring to throw a tantrum at him.
He only regained his composure after he reached his mother's place.
"Mother, is there something you need from me?"
Xie Changyu sat down and took a sip of tea.
"The Empress Dowager has invited you to the palace to see her. He will be leaving the palace and going to the capital the day after tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Xie Changyu agreed, "Okay."
For some reason, Madam Xie seemed a little restless, as if she had something to say to him. "Mother, what's wrong? Speak your mind."
Madam Xie sighed, "What do you think of Feng Ling?"
"It's alright," Xie Changyu commented.
"I'm thinking of arranging a marriage for you two as soon as possible, what do you think?"
Xie Changyu slowed down her tea-drinking. "Mother, why are you in such a hurry? Feng Ling and I have only spent about ten days together."
"If there's no rush..." Madam Xie didn't finish her sentence, as if she had many concerns.
"Alright, Mother." Xie Changyu stood up. "Let's talk about the engagement later."
"I will go to the palace to visit the Empress Dowager tomorrow; it's too early for an engagement."
"If you say that, then Mother won't be worried anymore."
"Relax, are you in such a hurry to have a grandson?" Xie Changyu joked, but then added, "I don't want to have a child so soon, I don't want to become a father so soon."
“Men can only have children if they specifically eat the divine fruit; it’s not something you can just have whenever you want.” Madam Xie laughed along. “I’m not in a hurry to see a grandson; I just hope you can settle down quickly and stop being so restless.”
Xie Changyu chuckled, "Mother, are you disgusted with me?"
He went over and hugged Madam Xie affectionately, saying, "Be careful, one day I might give you a grandson and scare you to death."
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Author's Note: There are approximately 20,000 words left until the end.
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