Chapter 8: Qingyou is Unwilling, Clouds Congeal and Suffer

  "Your Majesty, the king has not yet married the youngest daughter of the Liu family and is already so disrespectful to reason and law. How can this be explained to Prime Minister Liu?" The king's attendant sighed anxiously.

  "I also thought so." Ah, Ye... Do you have to use this method to inform all the women in the world that they can get married, but only you, the fifth prince, cannot?

  How can I let you have your way again...

  "Summon Prime Minister Liu into the palace." The golden imperial robe fluttered with a gentle curve. In this era of great peace and prosperity, Ye, you no longer need to toil so hard. For your happiness, even if all the secrets of these years were revealed to Prime Minister Liu, what would it matter? Would the foundation that we have built together be shattered by just a few words?

  How many nights have I gone without sleep now? It seems like it's been a long time... Li Yu, why haven't you come back yet?

  Liu Qingyou stood beside the small window of her own attic, the morning wind was slightly cool, blowing on her face would bring a sense of coolness, she lowered her eyelashes, covering a faint shadow.

  "Second Master, you haven't slept again?" Little Bamboo walked in with the breakfast and washing utensils, only to find her family's young master standing by the window sill once more, probably having stood there all night. Her heart ached at the sight of Liu Qingyou's increasingly pale and thin appearance. How had their family's young master changed so much in just these few days?

  "Little bamboo, it's not that I don't want to sleep, but I just can't fall asleep! That damned bastard, I'd rather die than marry her!" She snapped back to reality, completely unlike the previous moment, and looked like a frantic little cat, as if she wanted to tear people apart.

  "Second Master, it's possible that the prince might treat you well too." Little Bamboo said softly. What other thoughts could these men have besides marrying a good wife? After all, he was a prince.

  "Xiao Zhu, when did you become so muddle-headed? Can that person really be the one to entrust your life to?" Her beautiful eyes were full of anger, and only Liu Qingyou would get angry for no reason early in the morning.

  "But is there still room for maneuver now?" Xiaozhu muttered, this was an imperial marriage decree! Why did the Prime Minister go to propose the marriage that day but ended up with Second Young Master marrying the Prince... He's stupid and can't think clearly. But he also couldn't bear to see Young Master getting thinner and paler every day.

  Liu Qingyou also pursed his lips, he too knew it was irretrievable. In a few days, Li Yu would follow the general back to the capital, and in a few more days...

  "Is what His Majesty said true?" Minister Liu stood below, but her heart was shocked by the news she had just heard. She wasn't being overly suspicious, it's just that this was really too unbelievable.

  The king... she... is actually...

  "Am I still going to deceive you?"

  "But You'er already has someone in his heart... Even if Your Majesty tells me, I don't know what to do." Although she was shocked by the true face of the king, this is after all You'er's matter, sigh...

  "In that case, let them figure it out for themselves?" Zi Yanran's phoenix eyes flickered as she stood in front of Liu Chengxiang, smiling.

  "They say that two people who are mutually delighted and understanding, but they have not yet met, how can they be delighted? " Zi Yan stretched out her hand and patted Liu Chengxiang's shoulder, comforting him to say, "So, General, don't worry too much."

  The emperor told her not to worry about it anymore, what else could she say? Liu Chengxiang forced a stiff smile and responded with a few words before taking his leave.

  "Young Master Yu, didn't you stay up all night again last night?" Minister Liu asked the servants in the manor as soon as he returned to his residence. Young Master Yu had been like this for several days now, and if this continued, he was afraid that his body would not be able to take it.

  "Yes, last night I saw that the light in Second Master's room was on until dawn...". The servant hastily reported what he had seen the previous night to Minister Liu. Seeing Second Master like this also made these servants' hearts ache.

  "Take me to see." Minister Liu sighed slightly, it seems that he needs to have a good talk with You'er. Xiao Zhu was taking out breakfast, crystal buns, white rice porridge, and small salty dishes were all untouched, Minister Liu saw the slight frown and asked softly, "You'er hasn't eaten again?"

  Xiao Zhu shook his head, "The second young master only took one bite and never touched the chopsticks again." He heated up the food for him again and again, but the second young master still didn't eat.

  Liu Qingyou heard the voice of the Prime Minister in the house and hurried out to greet her, even though her face was slightly pale, she still smiled "Mother, why come so early? I heard from Xiaozhu that you were summoned by the Emperor?" Holding Liu's hand, she led her to sit on a bamboo chair and poured tea.

  "Could Your Majesty have called off this marriage?" The expectant gaze fell on Prime Minister Liu, as the Emperor rarely summoned his mother, and it was possible that he might indeed say something like that.

  "Yu'er... how can the words of gold and jade be changed?"

  I heard that Liu Qingyou's expectant expression changed to one without anger in an instant. Is it really still no good?

  "Young master, perhaps you should get in touch with Master Ye more often, after all, you two are about to get married..." Minister Liu wanted to say something but hesitated, and finally spoke out.

  "What's good about being with her! The child doesn't want to see that loser at all!" Liu Qingyou said indignantly, he didn't want to see her now, if it wasn't for her, how would he be so heartbroken.

  "Young master! Don't spout nonsense!" Was it because she had been too indulgent towards him all these years?

  "Mother!" Yu Qingyou bit his soft lips, like cherry blossom petals. Although his mother was strict, she had never scolded him before. Now, just because of Zi Ruoye, she actually scolded herself. Yu Qingyou's dissatisfaction with Zi Ruoye grew even more in his heart.

  "Now that you're going to marry into the royal family, it's already a done deal. Why not try to accept it?" Minister Liu Xiang advised, hoping that Liu Qingyu could listen to his words.

  "The child is a bit unwell, I'm afraid I won't be able to accompany Mother anymore." Yu Qing said lightly and then turned around and walked into the inner room without coming out again.

  Zi Ruoye! I hate you! It's all because of you! It's all because of you!

  Liu Qingyu lay on the bed, her tears wetting the quilt in an instant. Because he was a man, she had no right to choose for herself, and she refused to accept it.

  While Zi Ruoye was still dazed from drinking, she returned to the Wang Fu in the early morning, unaware that Zi Yanran had summoned Liu Chengxiang at dawn. All she remembered was someone gently touching her forehead during her daze, and then she fell asleep again.

  The purple leaf that was blank just a second ago smiled faintly, this time she had drunk a bit too much... After all, she was very hard to get drunk. Faintly, as if smelling the scent of peach blossoms, the tip of her nose was filled with a refreshing and elegant fragrance, calming the mind.

  "Hmm..." What time is it now? The outside has already darkened, with a black curtain accompanied by twinkling stars, but no bright moon. However, this makes the starlight even brighter, and the small stars stand out prominently on the vast canvas.

  Zi Ruoye sat up, her clothes reeking of alcohol had been changed, and she was only wearing a thin undergarment. Her head still throbbed slightly, yesterday she really did drink for an entire night, it seemed like she was becoming more and more unrestrained. From outside came the sound of the watchman's drumbeat, signaling that it was already the third watch of the night...

  It's already late at night... looks like she slept for a whole day...

  "Your Highness, are you uncomfortable?" The concerned voice came from beside her ear, and Ziyue Ye only then discovered that Yun Cong had been standing there all along. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked dazed and defenseless, with a mark on her face from sleeping with it pressed against something...

  "Yun Cong, have you been here all along?" Was it Yun Cong who had been taking care of her since she came back that morning?

  Looking at the faint fatigue between his eyebrows, even his eyelashes seemed to be stained with sleepiness, lightly hanging down. The light peach blossom fragrance floated into her nostrils, and it was only on Yun Cong's body that she could smell this kind of peach blossom fragrance, not too strong or too weak, but always making her feel at ease and calm.

  "This morning, I saw that the king was drunk and in a bad state, so Yun Qing took it upon herself to enter the king's chambers...," Yun Qing said in a low voice. Except for the king's official wife, no one else was allowed to stay overnight in the king's quarters without permission. Today, seeing the king looking uncomfortable, she had taken it upon herself to care for him, but at the same time, she was afraid that the king would think her a petty person taking advantage of the situation, and her heart was filled with anxiety about how to explain herself."

  But unexpectedly, Zi Ruoye smiled softly and gently bumped her forehead against Yun Cong's, "Don't be nervous, don't worry, thank you."

  His fingers lightly brushed over Yun Cong's small face, and as his fingertips moved, even the skin tone turned pale pink. "You've taken care of me for a day, you must be tired too." He immediately got out of bed, picked him up in Yun Cong's bewildered gaze, and put him on the inner side of the bed, ignoring the beauty's cry of surprise.

  "Sleep. You're tired too."

  Yun Cong lay beside the bed, it was not his first time sleeping with Wang Ye, but today he was extremely nervous. He hadn't expected Wang Ye to keep him by his side, and just as he was about to leave, he was scooped up in Wang Ye's arms. His body trembled slightly as he leaned sideways, with a faint warmth still lingering on his forehead. Even the skin that had been touched by Wang Ye's fingertips was tinged with a faint ache, it hurt, but also felt sweet.

  She could feel the tension in the small body beside her, and she didn't dare to disturb it. For several days, she had been staying overnight at Penglai Pavilion, although she was sleeping alone, but every night she couldn't help thinking, was what she was doing really right?

  There's still a month left until the wedding. Looking at the person beside me, I've accompanied her for a year now. Perhaps she shouldn't be so persistent. Maybe her illness will get better?

  After a long silence, Ziyue Ye pursed her lips and asked softly, "Yun Cong... are you asleep?"

  "No, Yun Cong hasn't fallen asleep yet." He knew that Wang Ye had slept for a whole day and must be unable to sleep, so he didn't dare close his eyes either. He felt very tense and had a slight expectation, but he didn't dare speak out loud. His small hands tightly grasped the quilt, and his palms seemed to be sweating slightly.

  "Nothing... go to sleep." How could she have such thoughts, just now she actually thought of letting Yun Cong marry her, now that she already has a marriage arrangement in place, how can she promise him a lifetime of happiness?

  A faint, gentle voice replied, but Zi Ruo Ye didn't detect the desolation in the tone. She silently closed her eyes, and this time she was indeed just imagining things. The king had let her sleep, probably because tomorrow he would continue to maintain his reputation as a lustful king...

  For a moment it was as if I had eaten honey-glazed lotus seeds, but these lotus seeds didn't have their cores removed, both sweet and bitter...

  Digression

  Sorry everyone, Fish is updating. Busy cleaning at home, will come back to repay debts after finishing cleaning... Bowing.