Happy 100th chapter!!!!
Thank you to Tomiki for the ko-fi~
Regardless of whether this incident was a manifestation of divine intervention or the work of someone meddling, the Emperor couldn’t turn a blind eye to it.
Others might not know, but since turning fifty, numerous ailments accompanying the aging of his body had troubled him. He even began to harbor doubts about the legendary path of immortality.
This was a taboo among the civil and military officials. The downfall of the previous dynasty was attributed to the obsession with these elusive legends. The Emperor naturally couldn’t let others know his thoughts. The more he kept this mix of belief and doubt to himself, the more he felt there might be some truth to it.
As the matter couldn’t be easily spread, investigations had to be conducted discreetly. However, in the end, the Emperor searched the entire palace and couldn’t find anyone named Wei Xu Shen.
On that day, everyone from the hall was placed in Hua Chengyun’s residence. Hua Chengyun specifically instructed them, “Do not leave the residence without a reason. If it’s necessary to go out, seek my approval first.”
The group of people nodded in silence.
Hua Chengyun brought Zong Yuan to his courtyard. The residence of the Third Prince was vast, but Zong Yuan didn’t see a single servant on the way. “Did you send them away?”
“I told them not to disturb me for now,” Hua Chengyun said, “A’Yuan, about that turtle shell…”
Zong Yuan brushed aside the hair that the wind had tousled over his ear and said casually, “The world is full of wonders. Something that only leaves traces when exposed to hot water indeed took some effort on my part.”
His straightforward words left Hua Chengyun unsure when, but eventually, he could only smile wryly and say, “Look at you, making such a grand gesture to deceive my father. If you had even the slightest ill intention, how much trouble would you have caused in this world?”
Helplessly, he continued, “But, who let you be A’Yuan?”
How could I harbor suspicions against A’Yuan?
Zong Yuan’s eyes were unusually dry. He licked the dry skin on his lips and opened his arms to Hua Chengyun, saying, “Baby, come let your husband hold you.”
Nervously, Hua Chengyun approached and embraced him. Zong Yuan buried his head in the crook of Hua Chengyun’s shoulder. His tall figure seemed to bend with a hint of distress, yet it inexplicably conveyed a sense of reassurance and warmth. It was as if he had found a resting harbor or a person to support him throughout life.
Hua Chengyun gently patted Zong Yuan’s back, his eyes filled with tenderness, “A Yuan, what is a husband?”
Zong Yuan kissed his fair and slender neck, licked it, leaving a faint red mark. “A husband is a husband, and a baby is a wife.”
Hua Chengyun smiled slightly after silently repeating those words many times in his heart, “Husband.”
The term “husband” sounded exceptionally wonderful even just saying it.
Zong Yuan paused, made a sound of acknowledgment, and lifted his head from the crook of Hua Chengyun’s neck, maintaining the perfect distance for a kiss. He earnestly asked, “Your Highness Hua Chengyun, may I kiss you?”
Hua Chengyun blushed, nodded casually, “Of course, you can.”
“No, you should say no, and then I’ll proceed to kiss you forcefully. Forceful kisses are quite intriguing,” Zong Yuan suggested.
Hua Chengyun thought for a moment and agreed. He loosened his belt, tugging it slightly to reveal a small portion of his jade-like shoulder. He firmly rejected, “In broad daylight, we shouldn’t indulge openly. You certainly cannot kiss me.”
So Zong Yuan forcefully kissed him.
The ancient air was refreshingly pure, yet Hua Chengyun felt like he couldn’t catch his breath. The man’s attack was fierce, like a starving wolf that hadn’t eaten or drunk for days, taking away all the oxygen in his lungs. He could only helplessly emit muffled sounds of “Um, hmm.”
So, this was what a kiss was?
His legs felt weak, and his lips were numb.
Despite not having a drop of alcohol, there was a slight intoxication.
Zong Yuan whispered, “This is the husband’s ability, and there’s something even more powerful. Do you want to try it?”
Declining was intriguing, so Hua Chengyun, in a soft and yielding manner, said, “I don’t want to.”
“Hmm?” Zong Yuan sighed, “What a pity.”
He seemed genuinely unwilling to continue.
Hua Chengyun felt anxious and blurted out, “I want you to share the bed with me!”
Zong Yuan shook his head and, with an especially gentlemanly demeanor, tidied up Hua Chengyun’s clothes. “Be good, wait patiently.”
“Wait for what?” Hua Chengyun frowned.
“Third Prince, Third Prince!”
Someone came to report from behind, “The Emperor requests your presence, asking you to bring the necessary people with you.”
Zong Yuan blocked Hua Chengyun, helping him re-tie his belt. Hua Chengyun hid behind Zong Yuan and replied with a muffled voice, “Got it, let’s go.”
The Emperor seeking them out was naturally related to the matter of the turtle shell.
Finding a person in the vast palace wasn’t easy. With thousands of eunuchs and palace maids, not to mention the numerous palaces on both sides of the inner court, the investigation was challenging.
At this moment, the Emperor sat wearily on the dragon throne, looking at them and saying, “In this palace, there seems to be no one named Wei Xu Shen.”
Hua Chengyun, expecting this outcome, wasn’t surprised. However, others showed signs of anxiety and secretly gritted their teeth. Knowing of the person’s existence but being unable to eliminate the potential threat was frustrating.
There was a moment of silence. Suddenly, Zong Yuan said slowly, “Your Majesty, what if this Wei Xu Shen is actually three people?”
Everyone was stunned, but upon closer consideration, they found the idea very reasonable!
Even the Emperor was taken aback, murmuring, “Three people, three people…”
Makes sense!
The Emperor’s expression softened a bit. After whispering a few words to the attendant, he looked at Zong Yuan, “Oh, I remember you. You have a good relationship with my Yun’er. Your name is Zong Yuan, right?”
“Yes,” Zong Yuan continued, “Zong Yuan dares to speak, I’d like to share a few words with Your Majesty.”
The Emperor said, “Go on.”
In the current court, speaking out was not a crime.
Zong Yuan said, “Your Majesty, there’s no need to be anxious. Instead of alerting them prematurely, it’s better to wait for these three individuals to come to you. The surnames Wei, Xu, and Shen are countless in the world. How can Your Majesty be sure they are the three mentioned in the prophecy? Furthermore, even without Wei Xu Shen, there are still Zhao, Qian, and Sun. As long as Your Majesty is confident, no matter how many traitors come, there is nothing to fear.”
The Emperor sighed and found it somewhat amusing, “You are bold to say such things.”
The implication from this young man was clear: the biggest mistake lay with himself. If the prophecy came true, although Wei Xu Shen was at fault, it couldn’t compare to his own errors.
Hua Chengyun’s palms sweated. He casually smiled, “It seems to be the case, Father, we don’t need to alert them. The people of the world know that you are a wise ruler, and such things will not be tolerated.”
The Emperor, having read numerous admonitions, often losing sleep from anger, maintained a calm expression, “Alright, let’s do it this way. Hua Chengyun and Zong Yuan, stay. The rest of you may leave.”
The doors closed behind the departing attendants, and the atmosphere in the hall became quiet again. The Emperor suddenly sighed, “I said I would reward you. Have you thought about your requests?”
Zong Yuan and Hua Chengyun exchanged a glance. Hua Chengyun spoke first, with solemnity, “As your son, I wish to marry someone.”
The Emperor, his interest piqued, asked, “Who is the daughter of which family?”
Hua Chengyun silently glanced at Zong Yuan and then at the Emperor.
The Emperor subconsciously misinterpreted it as “marry” instead of “be married.” Curiously, he asked, “Which family’s daughter do you want to marry?”
Hua Chengyun, with a clear and resonant voice, said, “As your son, I want to marry Zong Yuan.”
…
“Ridiculous!” The Emperor was so furious that his beard stood on end. He glared at Zong Yuan with eyes that seemed ready to kill him on the spot. “Say that again?!”
Hua Chengyun enunciated each word deliberately, “I want to marry him!”
In this era, expressing a preference for the same gender was not entirely taboo. In fact, there were instances of same-sex unions in many provinces, and common people did not consider it a big deal. However, in the imperial family, especially stating a desire to marry… Hua Chengyun was unique.
No wonder the Emperor was so angry that he wanted to beat Zong Yuan with his stick.
Zong Yuan added, “Your Majesty, the commoner’s request is the same. I want to marry the Third Prince.”
The Emperor sternly declared, “I do not agree!”
Hua Chengyun immediately knelt down, pleading, “Father!”
Zong Yuan also followed suit, kneeling down as if meeting the parents of a loved one, shamelessly joining in, “Father, Hua Chengyun and I are a perfect match by nature.”
The Emperor pointed at him, unable to express his anger, “You, you, you!”
Hua Chengyun knocked his head against the ground, “Father, I beg you.”
Hua Chengyun, who had been spoiled for many years since childhood, had never used the word “beg” with anyone, including the Emperor.
Seeing his son, who had been pampered for so many years, kneeling before him with a mixture of sorrow and expectation, the Emperor’s face grew colder as he sat down, “Kneel if you wish, I’ll see how long you can kneel!”
He pretended to be angry and sat down, ignoring the two as if he were handling routine state affairs behind the desk.
However, the chief eunuch serving beside the Emperor noticed that the Emperor’s hand holding the pen did not move for a long time.
The chief eunuch thought to himself, fearing that the Third Prince could not endure kneeling for long. A prince who had grown up with luxury and comfort, how could he endure such punishment?
However, contrary to everyone’s expectations, Hua Chengyun and Zong Yuan knelt until it was dark.
The Emperor, upon seeing them still kneeling, was angry. After all this time, his son looked pale and shaky, while the man who deserved punishment was spirited, occasionally warming Hua Chengyun, rubbing his knees in front of the Emperor. If not for him, Hua Chengyun probably couldn’t have knelt for the entire afternoon.
Truly cunning!
Hua Chengyun’s brothers came to persuade the Emperor as well, regardless of the authenticity or motives behind their persuasion. Hua Chengyun felt grateful in his heart. He and Zong Yuan clasped hands tightly, unwilling to let go.
The Crown Prince leisurely remarked, “Marrying a man is nothing unusual. I suppose the point Father has difficulty accepting is the Third Prince leaving to get married?”
The Emperor snorted coldly.
The Crown Prince understood in his heart. Hua Chengyun’s endurance was nearing its limit.
He felt distressed.
Zong Yuan and Hua Chengyun, still clasping hands, spoke without hesitation, “Yes.” “No!”
Zong Yuan was stunned, looking at Hua Chengyun.
Hua Chengyun, pale and sweating, gazed at the Emperor directly. “Father, I want to marry him! I won’t marry anyone else, just him.”
The Emperor’s face turned grim. “I’ve already compromised. What else do you want?”
Hua Chengyun fell silent for a moment and spoke softly, “Father, Zong Yuan is a true man. If he marries me, how will the people see him? How will the monks at the Dabao Monastery view him? Will they think he’s climbing the social ladder or scheming for something? I can’t bear it. He is a precious treasure in my heart. No matter what anyone says, I’m willing to fight for him. I’m different. My bad reputation is known throughout the world. I have a noble identity and a reputation for being licentious. Only by marrying Zong Yuan can I show the world that I genuinely love and protect him. I want the world to know…” Hua Chengyun lifted the hand entwined with Zong Yuan’s, placed a cherished kiss on Zong Yuan’s hand, and smiled brightly into Zong Yuan’s complex gaze. “He is my treasure.”
Zong Yuan looked at him, from his forehead down to his chapped lips, and suddenly couldn’t bear to look anymore. As a grown man, he felt a tingling sensation in his heart, moved by his lover in front of so many people.
0046 recorded all these precious moments.
The Emperor hadn’t expected him to say such words. “Well, then…”
Zong Yuan suddenly stood up, bowed deeply with clasped hands, and loudly declared, “I request Your Majesty to grant the marriage!”
Hua Chengyun’s brothers joined in persuading, “Requesting Father Emperor to grant the marriage!”
The Emperor locked eyes with Hua Chengyun through the crowd, sighed deeply, and waved weakly, “Go down, I… agree.”
Joy erupted from their eyes.
Zong Yuan led Hua Chengyun, slowly walking out of the grand hall.
“A’Yuan, my legs are a bit weak.”
“I’ll support you, walk slowly.”
“I thought you would say to carry me.”
“When you’re old and can’t walk, I’ll carry you for a lifetime.”
…
Hua Chengyun’s nose tingled, eyes reddened, “Naturally, it’s for a lifetime.”
“As for Father Emperor and those three…”
“We’re all here, united we stand, divided we fall. Don’t worry.”
When Hua Chengyun had walked ninety-nine steps, Zong Yuan lifted him, “For eternity, you’ve finished your journey, now let me walk this path.”
“Husband…”
“Be good.”
— Be good, I’m here.
Always here.
Author’s note:
Farewell, Yun’er! Off to the next adventure!
