After a chaotic period that lasted more than half a month, things finally started to show signs of clearing up, and everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
But when they saw how obedient the crown prince was in front of Xu Yin, everyone felt complicated, especially the Queen.
As they left the room, the second prince softly asked, “Mom, are we really going to let my brother stay with Xu Yin like this?”
The Queen’s face showed hesitation.
“When my brother regains his senses and returns to normal, he might realize he needs to keep a distance from Xu Yin. But there’s also a chance…” The second prince paused, “After all, spending such an intimate period together, he might truly be influenced, right?”
But he is the heir to the throne. How could he be with another man?
Of course, there have been Kings in history with male companions, but in Jun Yuzhou… it just doesn’t seem likely for him.
Seeing the Queen’s solemn expression, the second prince held her hand gently and sighed, “Maybe it would be best to have another talk with the Xu family. What do you think?”
*
After being dismissed from the room, You Yuan didn’t linger. He straightened his clothes, lowered his head, and quickly made his way outside.
Currently, a member of the Xu family, named Xu Shu, serves as a court illusionist in the royal palace.
Old Master Xu, who was You Yuan’s grandfather and Xu Yin’s paternal grandfather—Xu Rusu—had used his influence to enter the palace shortly after You Yuan and Xu Yin left, waiting just outside.
He spoke quietly with Xu Shu, and beside them stood a middle-aged man and woman, both looking uneasy. Unlike the calm and composed Xu Rusu and Xu Shu, the two appeared anxious, nervously wringing their hands and glancing down the hallway.
These two were none other than Xu Yin’s parents. When the old master left, they already knew his destination and insisted on following him.
At this moment, Xu Rusu continued his conversation with Xu Shu, occasionally casting an indifferent, faintly displeased glance at the couple.
Noticing the old man’s expression, Xu Shu quietly chuckled to himself. After all, within the Xu family, Xu Yin and his parents were almost a laughingstock.
Xu Yin’s father had never shown much talent; the old master had least favored this son since childhood. And, as if to add insult to injury, his son had produced a grandson with even poorer abilities!
To the old master, this was surely a disgrace to the family.
Yet now, due to the King’s impulsive decision, Xu Yin had managed to slip his way into the palace. Who knew what kind of embarrassment he might be making inside right now?
Xu Shu shook his head.
If Xu Yin truly made a fool of himself in there, the old man’s reputation wouldn’t be able to take it.
Just as he was thinking this, he saw You Yuan walking quickly toward them with his head lowered.
Xu Shu and Xu Rusu both froze for a moment, and when You Yuan got closer, they noticed his expression was grim.
“What’s going on?” Xu Rusu immediately frowned. “Why are you alone? Where’s Xu Yin?”
“Yeah, where’s Yin Yin?” Xu’s mother asked anxiously as she stepped forward, eager to know if Xu Yin had shown any promise inside.
Seeing Xu’s mother reminded You Yuan of what had just happened in the room, and his expression grew even darker.
Noticing this, Xu Rusu’s face hardened. “Did Xu Yin actually cause trouble?”
You Yuan pressed his lips together, hesitant to speak.
Xu Rusu’s face darkened further. “What on earth did he do?”
You Yuan opened his mouth but couldn’t seem to find the words.
—Then Xu’s mother gave him a hard push and urged, “Why aren’t you saying anything? Hurry up and tell us. Have you gone mute?”
You Yuan staggered from the push, his expression almost shattering with frustration!
Xu Rusu shot a glare at Xu’s mother, clearly irritated by her behavior. Still, he, too, was anxious to know what had happened inside, so he held back his criticism and simply focused his gaze on You Yuan, waiting.
You Yuan felt utterly humiliated, especially with Xu Yin’s parents right there. He’d always looked down on this family, so how could he bring himself to admit that he couldn’t handle the crown prince’s situation, but Xu Yin somehow could?
While he hesitated, the Queen and the second prince emerged from the room, following behind him.
The Queen nodded at Xu Rusu. “I knew you’d come by.”
Old Master Xu was a frequent visitor to the palace, so his arrival wasn’t unexpected. Given that You Yuan and Xu Yin were both here today to treat the crown prince, it was only natural that he’d be concerned about the outcome.
Xu Rusu, wasting no time, greeted the queen with a slight bow and asked, “Might I inquire about the crown prince’s condition?”
“Didn’t You Yuan tell you?” The Queen looked surprised.
It had been a little while since he came out, after all.
“Oh, he’s been mumbling and hasn’t said a word about it, leaving us all in the dark!” Xu’s mother jumped in, “Your Majesty, did our Yin Yin manage to help at all?”
Xu Rusu’s face turned dark—his daughter-in-law, born into poverty and coarse in manners, only had a pretty face to her name. He’d thought that after all these years of marriage, she would’ve learned some decorum, but here she was in the palace, speaking to the Queen in such a blunt manner!
The Queen, too, looked a bit uncomfortable at Xu’s mother’s straightforwardness, but after hearing her words, she cast a rather meaningful glance at You Yuan.
You Yuan’s face turned red with embarrassment.
Xu Rusu, however, missed the subtle exchange and only responded solemnly, “Your Majesty, if Xu Yin caused any trouble, I beg your forgiveness. That child lacks talent and is a bit too ambitious for his own good. Honestly, I didn’t want him to come today, but as soon as he heard he could enter the palace, he insisted on coming along—”
Hearing this, Xu’s mother bristled. “Dad, what are you saying? I’ll take responsibility for this! It was my idea to let him come since such a… well, such a rare opportunity came along. That child was only worried about disappointing you!”
Xu’s father added, “Exactly, Dad. This has nothing to do with Yin Yin—Your Majesty, please don’t misunderstand. Our Yin Yin is the most grounded of kids; there’s no ambition in him! Dad, you hardly ever spoke to him growing up, so if you don’t know him, maybe it’s best not to misjudge.”
Xu Rusu felt his anger rising to the point of almost fainting!
—A child’s naivety was one thing, but parents who lacked sense were another. And these two were undermining him right in front of the Queen!
The Queen hadn’t expected Xu Yin’s parents to be quite this… outspoken, and she was a bit taken aback.
But having seen much in her life, she cleared her throat lightly and said, “Alright then, since You Yuan hasn’t told you, let me explain.”
Her gaze briefly lingered on You Yuan, who lowered his head in embarrassment.
The Queen continued slowly, “Yuzhou has always refused to let anyone get close to him. This has been the most challenging aspect of his treatment, as you may already know, Uncle Xu.”
Xu Rusu nodded.
As the head of the Xu family, he had been briefed several times by the court illusionists about Jun Yuzhou’s condition.
The Queen added, “Fortunately, we finally made some progress today.”
Xu Rusu and Xu Shu both sighed in relief, casting appreciative glances at You Yuan.
Xu’s mother and father eagerly asked, “Which illusionist was able to treat the crown prince?”
Xu Shu couldn’t help but smile, amused by the couple’s naivety—were they truly clueless, or just pretending?
He patted You Yuan on the shoulder in a meaningful way, unaware of how tense You Yuan had become.
Then he and Xu Rusu heard the Queen turn to Xu’s parents with a warm smile and say, “It was your Yin Yin who did it. He was incredible.”
Xu Rusu and Xu Shu’s smiles froze on their faces.
Both Xu Rusu and Xu Shu’s expressions changed instantly.
Xu Rusu exclaimed in shock, “Xu Yin? It was Xu Yin?”
The Queen nodded calmly. “Yes, up until now, he’s been the only one able to calm Yuzhou.”
Xu Yin’s parents were stunned for a moment—then joy lit up their faces. “Our Yin Yin? Our Yin Yin did it?!”
They had only sent their son to the palace as a last-ditch effort, never expecting he’d actually succeed!
The two exchanged a glance, barely containing their urge to cheer, if not for the Queen’s presence.
Xu Rusu stood in disbelief, glancing over at You Yuan. Seeing his rigid expression, Xu Rusu finally pieced things together.
Still incredulous, Xu Rusu protested, “Xu Yin? How could he possibly have done it? Your Majesty, are you sure there’s no mistake?”
“I saw it with my own eyes. What mistake could there be?”
“But I know Xu Yin’s abilities well. If even Yuan couldn’t manage, it’s impossible Xu Yin could succeed,” Xu Rusu replied firmly. “Your Majesty, please allow me to go inside and see for myself; otherwise, I’m concerned Xu Yin might actually be causing trouble.”
Xu’s mother immediately protested, “Dad, what are you saying? Of course the Queen has the court illusionists watching over them. If they see no problem, why are you so sure there is one? Are you saying you could spot issues they can’t? You only stepped down from the court illusionist position because age caught up with you!”
Xu Rusu’s eyes widened, nearly spitting blood from the frustration. “You—”
The Queen watched this scene with a frown, clearly displeased.
With Yuzhou’s evident closeness to Xu Yin, the Queen had considered that perhaps it might be wise for the court illusionists and the Xu family to remain involved, if only to prevent certain risks. Yuzhou’s condition couldn’t be neglected any longer, and gathering all available skilled illusionists for his treatment was ideal—making the Xu family’s participation essential.
Most members of the Xu family were currently spread across distant regions, and coordinating with Old Master Xu was necessary to bring them together.
However, observing Xu Rusu’s attitude and You Yuan’s earlier actions, she began to question the wisdom of this approach.
You Yuan, despite having received the very best of the Xu family’s resources since childhood, had initially tried to prevent Xu Yin from participating and even attempted to claim credit for Xu Yin’s success.
And Old Master Xu, clearly biased toward You Yuan, had been quick to belittle Xu Yin. Just as Xu’s parents had pointed out, Xu Yin had never shown arrogance or ambition. What risk could his treatment pose? The two court illusionists on duty—both highly skilled and of equal standing to Old Master Xu—had observed the entire process and would have intervened at any sign of trouble.
Xu Yin was currently calming Yuzhou perfectly well—was involving the Xu family really necessary?
The Queen couldn’t help but recall that when You Yuan had forcibly tried to intervene earlier, it had triggered Yuzhou’s aggression again.
If Old Master Xu were intent on promoting You Yuan, prioritizing his interests over proper treatment for Xu Yin, it could end up worsening Yuzhou’s condition.
In that instant, the queen weighed the choice between her son potentially marrying a man and her son possibly being doomed to madness if left untreated. Her decision was swift.
At that moment, the second prince, with a slight frown, suddenly spoke up. “Grandfather Xu, please don’t worry—Xu Yin is very skilled. My brother has already calmed down and regained his human form without any issues.”
Old Master Xu still found it hard to believe.
Xu Yin could accomplish what You Yuan could not?
He glanced at You Yuan, whose face was flushed with shame and anger.
The second prince continued, “As capable as Xu Yin is, however, relying on him alone to fully cure my brother might still be challenging. We do have an entire team of court illusionists, but if we could also have the support of your family—”
“There’s no need for that,” the Queen interjected, cutting off the second prince.
The second prince paused, surprised.
Just as Old Master Xu grasped the second prince’s intention, he tried to adjust his expression but froze in place.
The Queen spoke with a calm tone, “I just came by to personally inform you, Uncle Xu, that Xu Yin will likely be staying at the palace for some time.”
Xu Yin’s parents quickly responded, “Oh, of course, of course! There’s no issue at all. It’s his honor to stay by the crown prince’s side!”
Old Master Xu hesitated for a few moments before speaking, “…It may not be entirely appropriate—”
Xu Yin’s parents eagerly interjected, “Your Majesty, please take good care of our Yin Yin while he’s here! He’s not the sensitive type, so he won’t cause any trouble.”
The Queen smiled at them. “I can see that—he’s very well-behaved and composed.”
Xu Yin’s parents beamed, “Yes, yes! He’s always been so well-mannered and hardworking. He doesn’t have much natural talent, but he’s worked so hard over the years and has become truly capable!”
The Queen chuckled softly, “Indeed, he’s very skilled.”
Her gaze shifted subtly, and she continued with a meaningful look, “Sometimes, hard work matters more than talent. If we only value talent, we might miss out on many promising individuals.”
The Queen gave Old Master Xu a slight smile, seemingly oblivious to his mortified expression, and after nodding to Xu Yin’s parents, she turned and left.
