It's going to rain, and my mother is getting married.
Rong Ji gently stroked the orchid bracelet on her wrist, her mind filled with images of Li Lingyan. A hint of a smile gradually appeared on her usually cold face. "Lingyan, if this succeeds, we can finally meet again. It's been over twenty years... it's time for us to meet."
At this moment, Li Yunrui was sitting upright in the East Palace, listening to several court officials chattering about recent events. Since the East Palace was completed, Li Yunrui had moved in with his daughter, Lin Xiaomei. Firstly, it was convenient for attending court, and secondly, as Lin Xiaomei's pregnancy progressed, his mother could help care for her if he was too busy. Although there had been many matters to attend to in court these past two days, fortunately nothing major had occurred, and he could manage to keep things under control, finally able to catch his breath. This morning, before he even got out of bed, he heard ministers offering advice, thinking it was something important, but it turned out to be just trivial matters. However, Li Yunrui couldn't send them away, so he had no choice but to sit in his study all morning, feeling awkward. "Your Highness, Lord Shen requests an audience outside." Hearing the servant's words, Li Yunrui breathed a sigh of relief, glanced at the chattering old ministers, and smiled slightly. "Gentlemen... I have important matters to discuss with you..."
"Then we will not disturb you any longer." One of the older ministers, understanding the implication in Li Yunrui's words, quickly rose, bowed deeply, and led the others out of the room. Shen Qinghang stood at the door, watching the ministers leave one after another, then looked at Li Yunrui sitting upright at the table, and chuckled, "It seems I came at the wrong time." "Perfect time, perfect time." Li Yunrui rubbed his stiff back, supporting himself on the table as he stood up. "They're all here to sow discord first thing in the morning. Look at the flood in Lianghu, bringing up things from three years ago, and... and the grain shortage in Xiling a couple of years ago. The worst part is, they want me to take a concubine." Li Yunrui had been in a good mood these past few days. Ever since Lin Xiaomei named their child with him that day, he didn't know if it was because of the child or something else, but his somewhat oppressive life had gained some hope. Seeing Shen Qinghang arrive, he began to complain. Seeing Li Yunrui's helpless expression and glancing at the memorials scattered on the ground, Shen Qinghang bent down to pick them up and said, "Those are old ministers, probably trying to put you in your place and test you. I think you'd better just accept it." Li Yunrui noticed Shen Qinghang's low spirits and assumed it was because he had been preoccupied with trivial matters recently and had scolded him, and was now throwing a tantrum. The Shen and Yan families had been on good terms for generations, so Shen Qinghang had been Li Yunrui's study companion since childhood, and the two had practically grown up together in the palace. Later, as Li Yunrui and Li Yunheng secretly competed, Shen Qinghang naturally became Li Yunrui's right-hand man. More than twenty years had passed since their first meeting in the palace. "What? You seem rather down. Was I a bit too harsh on you recently? I was preoccupied with trivial matters those days and simply couldn't control my temper," Shen Qinghang said, shaking his head seriously after hearing the apology, "You are the Crown Prince, and I naturally won't take a few words of criticism to heart. However... Consort Xiao..."
Li Yunrui felt a headache coming on at the mention of Xiao Wan'er. He sat down, leaning on the table, rubbing the fabric on his sleeves with his hands, and asked in a deep voice, "I heard... the palace maid who came to deliver the message committed suicide." "Yes, but I am incompetent. I have investigated thoroughly, but I still haven't found out anything. It's just that the person did it too cleanly." Seeing Shen Qinghang lower his head and avoid looking at him, Li Yunrui didn't press the matter further. "Forget it, a palace maid probably can't amount to anything. Let it go!"
"I've come today not to discuss the palace maids, but to speak of Wen Yunsheng of Changnan." Li Yunrui was taken aback, thinking he had misheard, and asked again, "Wen Yunsheng? The Wen family of Changnan? What brings him here?" Changnan is located south of Yanyun and west of the Tengli River. Because of its proximity to the river, it has always relied on transportation for its livelihood. Coincidentally, Changnan is rich in medicinal herbs, which need to be transported to various places, thus supporting a group of medicine merchants in Changnan. The Wen family is one of them. Through generations of business, the Wen family has become a large and powerful family in Changnan. The old master, Wen Mao, is also a highly respected old doctor in Changnan. Therefore, Wen Yunsheng, as the eldest son of the Wen family, held an undeniable position in Changnan. "It's not what he's here for, it's what the Third Prince summoned him for," Shen Qinghang said in a deep voice, seeing Li Yunrui's somewhat confused expression. "Don't you understand? The Third Prince... he's plotting to seize the throne!" Li Yunrui looked at the serious-faced Shen Qinghang, remained silent for a long time, then gave a bitter smile. "Is this all you came here to tell me today?"
"Isn't this a big enough issue, Your Highness?" Shen Qinghang looked at Li Yunrui in disbelief, unable to understand what Li Yunrui was thinking. For a moment, he couldn't see through him. "It's like the sky is going to rain, or a mother is going to remarry. What can I do?" Li Yunrui poured himself a cup of tea, took a sip, and continued, "In the end, I owe him. I don't blame him." These words stunned Shen Qinghang. How could someone who had only won half the throne hand it over to another? Even brothers couldn't do that! Just as Shen Qinghang was about to say "think it over," Li Yunrui spoke up, "Do you know? Empress Xiao has gone mad. I had only heard about it before, but I saw it for myself that day. You and my younger sister are right, it's always good to do someone a favor, how could I not know that? But how many people are watching my position? If I make a mistake and give them leverage, I will become a laughingstock for the whole world. But then again, I have wronged the third brother. Although Empress Xiao was at fault first, her eventual madness was partly my fault. So I'm not surprised at all that Yun Ye is plotting to seize the throne."
"Are you just going to let him run rampant like this?" Shen Qinghang frowned, his voice trembling slightly. "Your Highness, you're raising a tiger to cause trouble!" "The third brother... he can't stir up any trouble," Li Yunrui said after gazing at the scenery outside the door for a long time. "It's been a long time since we've sat down for a proper chat. In court, we are ruler and subject, but after court, we are brothers. Stay and have a simple meal." Shen Qinghang dared not refuse and quickly said, "I will stay. But I dare not accept the title of brother."
As winter approaches, a thin layer of frost has already settled on the stone steps outside the door. Li Yunye sat outside drinking tea, looking at the peach tree with only bare branches, and sighed to himself, "I originally planned to go to Lanxi to see the snow, but it seems I won't be able to this year. If only I could brew a pot of plum wine with the first snow, that would be wonderful." "Brother Yunye, you are mistaken. Although Lanxi has beautiful scenery, Xiling has fine wine." Hearing the voice, Li Yunye turned his head and saw a scholar standing at the door, wearing a light blue scholar's hat, his hair hanging lazily over his shoulders, his eyes slightly closed, and his lips upturned in a smile. Wearing a beige overcoat with a plain inner lining, he appeared extremely simple. "Yun Sheng? Come, come, have a seat. I didn't expect you to come today, even though I just sent you a letter a while ago." Li Yunye was also pleased to see Wen Yunsheng. He had visited Changnan during his travels and met the Wen family there, thus forming a connection with the eldest son of the Wen family. "I just wanted to come. How many times in a lifetime can you encounter the struggle for the throne? My father even warned me to be careful when I left home, and he's already prepared a coffin for me." Wen Yunsheng ignored Li Yunye who was walking towards him and went straight to the stone table, touching the teapot. "Eh? The tea's cold? Why don't you get me another cup?" Li Yunye frowned and walked up to Wen Yunsheng, his voice low and stern. "Keep your voice down! You can't use such a taboo word as 'struggle for the throne'! Do you hear me? I mainly want you to help me this time. If I don't become the crown prince, my mother will never escape that cage. Once I succeed, wealth and glory will naturally follow, and you and the Wen family will be rewarded."
Wen Yunsheng tilted his head, his eyes, which had been slightly closed, suddenly opened. Unlike normal eyes, they weren't dark; instead, they were as if veiled in mist, lifeless. Yet, he stared intently at Li Yunye, and said seriously, "I don't care about wealth and status, nor does the Wen family. But have you asked your brother if he's comfortable in that seat?" Li Yunye was momentarily stunned, and before he could think of a reply, Wen Yunsheng spread his hands and burst into laughter, "Hahahaha, just kidding! What does it matter to me whether you sit in that seat or not? I only care about whether I'm having fun!"
Li Yunye frowned at Wen Yunsheng. If he hadn't been alone, he would never have called this troublemaker to interfere. "Oh, why are you frowning? What's wrong? Getting all high and mighty?" Wen Yunsheng sat on the stone bench, took a sip of Li Yunye's tea, and then asked, "Where will I stay?" Li Yunye pointed to the room next to the study. "You'll stay in the Prince's mansion for now! But I need to make this clear! Don't talk about the succession struggle in the Prince's mansion anymore, or the walls will hear you."
Wen Yunsheng curled his lip indifferently, "What a nuisance. You're a prince, after all. If your servants are gossiping, just kill them. What kind of decorum is this, trying to cover it up? Oh, by the way, I want to go out tomorrow. I've never been to Xiling before. Won't you come with me?" Li Yunye looked at the smiling Wen Yunsheng, knowing full well that if he didn't agree, Wen Yunsheng had plenty of ways to make him give in. So he could only reply, "If you want to have fun, of course you can. Where do you want to go?"
"Hmm..." Wen Yunsheng couldn't think of where he wanted to go for a moment. After a long silence, he seemed to have thought of something and waved his hand. "Never mind, you're a busy person, forget it! I'll just wander around by myself." Li Yunye was also completely baffled, but he didn't say anything. After all, Wen Yunsheng was the kind of person who changed his mind frequently, so he just let him be.
The next morning, Wen Yunsheng, fanning himself with a folding fan, wandered the streets, asking around until he arrived at the gates of the Prince Duan's residence. "What a blue sky!" Wen Yunsheng exclaimed, looking up at the sky above the residence. "It's just a pity some people are about to lose their sight." "How dare you! Who dares to linger before the Prince's residence!" Binghu stood at the gate, looking down at Wen Yunsheng, a long sword already pressed against his neck. Wen Yunsheng remained calm, cupping his hands in a slight bow and softly saying, "This humble one, Wen Yunsheng, has come to pay respects to Your Highness!"
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