Chapter Six

Gu Chen looked at He Ziming, who was very arrogant on the surface, and then looked at He Zisheng on the side, covered with bruises. He was swirling with emotions. Previously, he thought that He Ziming was violent, and that even the way he protected He Zisheng under his wings was humiliating. He felt that the crown prince was not only unreliable, but also a very surly and perverted master, whereas He Zisheng is very pitiful and dear to his heart.

But after what He Ziming drunkenly said after the banquet that day, Gu Chen’s view of He Ziming changed overnight …

He Zisheng had concealed the matter, and they had never discussed the drunken truth of the Crown Prince. But just looking at He Zisheng’s attitude towards his elder brother since that night, Gu Chen knows that those words were true. The death of the Empress Yuan is truly related to He Zisheng’s mother, Rong Fei.

Gu Chen would not take the initiative to look into what He Zisheng didn’t want him to investigate, so he truly didn’t know much … Even if he heard a few clues entangling the concubine with the death of Empress Yuan, he never thought of it as anything more than a harem dispute for favor. Gu Chen is completely ignorant about the deeper aspects of the conspiracy, and He Zisheng’s true identity.

It’s just about He Ziming …

Gu Chen’s view of him has changed greatly. He no longer finds him violent, but starts to feel that while the crown prince is arrogant and aggressive, he has a soft heart hidden beneath his bad temper… After all, He Ziming only had to say one word to the emperor to end both the feud and the lives of Rong Fei and He Zisheng. And yet, the crown prince concealed everything, keeping it in his heart silently, and was even so good to He Zisheng…

Yes, he was so good.

In the past, Gu Chen was almost blinded like He Zisheng. He could only see He Ziming’s treatment of his brother as humiliating and cruel. But having seen the second prince’s true humiliation and bullying of He Zisheng, Gu Chen was shocked to see his beloved treated no better than a stray dog. While He Ziming may berate and insult He Zisheng, the crown prince had never touched a hair on He Zisheng’s head, let alone left him bloody, bruised, and battered on the ground.

As for He Ziming’s insulting words to He Zisheng … who can blame a young man who is only acting to suppress the murderer of his mother?

Gu Chen looked at He Ziming’s stern face, and inexplicably felt that the crown prince seemed a bit lonely and pitiful. He even felt a strange and unclear sense of distress on behalf of He Ziming: “Your Royal Highness …”

“He Zisheng, remember this prince’s words! This prince did not teach you to be a sniveling coward who can be suppressed by others! It was disgraceful, you have lost face not only for yourself but for this prince as well. If you force this prince to watch you be beaten while you don’t even dare to resist, then do not follow this prince! The Crown Prince cannot afford to have such a useless person as his man. “He Ziming didn’t look at Gu Chen. He only stared at He Zisheng fiercely, as if he really felt ashamed and uttered harsh words.

He said verbatim: “The people who follow this prince, only this prince has the right to beat and scold. There is no reason to be scolded by anyone else!”

“Yes, elder brother …” Obviously his words were cold, but He Zisheng inexplicably felt a little warm. He responded in a low voice, feeling very touched to see He Ziming awkwardly showing his care and support.

Gu Chen eyes also warmed as he stared at He Ziming, feeling as if he had only understood the surly crown prince for the first time today.

He Ziming looked at the eyes of both of them staring at him like he was a holy father. He felt it to be unbearable. Immediately, he turned around and sternly left, but even as he stormed away, he thought that he would send someone to bring He Zisheng some medicine. Let them stabilize the image of He Ziming as a proud yet endearing person in their hearts.

“Ding!” The moment he turned around, the system prompt sounded diligantly again: “You have increased the favorability of He Zisheng by 5 points. The character’s current favorability towards the host is 80 points.”

He Ziming was too lazy to reply to the system, but he still wondered, how can this son of destiny be so easy to brush! He brushed up his feelings so easily and quickly.

The system prompt sounded again, smashing through He Ziming’s musings: “Ding! The host as increased the favorability of the target, Gu Chen, by 2 points. At present, the target’s favorability towards the host is 20 points. Please continue to work hard!”

It’s useless to have such high degree of favorability from the son of fate … It is too difficult to brush the favorability of his mission target!

Gu Chen is an extremely indifferent person. Even while He Ziming exhausted all his energy, from the time of crossing into this world to the present, he has only managed to brush Gu Chen’s affection for him from -35 to 20. Worse, his favorability only increases by tiny drips and drabs, not at all like the generous protagonist. The favorability is still no where near the needed 100 points that will make him unforgettable to his target.

Moreover, while observing Gu Chen, He Ziming found that he wasn’t like this only to the crown prince… even to He Zisheng, who Gu Chen had loved quietly for his entire life, silently guarding and assessing him, Gu Chen had only ever felt 60 points of love…

He Ziming strongly doubted that such an unfeeling person can really reach 100 points of affection. Is he even capable of deep feeling?

But even if in doubt, as a professional transmigrator, his life and work must continue …

So, in the following period, He Ziming ignored the son of destiny, and began to earnestly and firmly try to raise Gu Chen’s favor.

At this time, the aging emperor happened to send He Ziming south to inspect the counties suffering from drought.

He Ziming felt that this was a good opportunity to enhance their relationship, so he brought Gu Chen and started a journey of tolerance.

As the heir carefully cultivated by the old emperor, Prince Li had a bit of real knowledge in his stomach, but in the previous life, Prince Li had become jaded and had been reluctant to go deal with these disgusting officials. Also, because of his sexuality, he was filled with self-loathing and disgust towards his desires, and frightened others would also find him revolting. His nervous and self hating personality, combined with his pride, made him arrogant and unwilling to engage with those he considered outsiders. This attitude had led to him gaining a reputation as surly wastrel.

However, He Ziming, as a transmigrator, is not like this. Although he set up a mask of prickliness and mediocrity in front of outsiders to keep the prince’s image from falling apart, in front of Gu Chen, he acted casually. He Ziming pretended to inadvertently reveal many interesting opinions on the crisis, drawing Gu Chen’s dazzling attention to himself. After a few in-depth discussions, Gu Chen almost found He Ziming irresistible…

The two strategized as they rode south, and the conversation was very enjoyable, causing their feelings to improve a great deal on the journey.

The scenery of the southern Yangtze River is excellent. He Ziming and Gu Chennan toured there at the invitation of the Governor. While they were very busy, there were still scattered moments where they could take a break. One afternoon, they took out a boat and enjoyed the scenery of Jiangnan Lake and the surrounding mountains.

“The scenery here is very good, and I have rarely seen it’s like.” Gu Chen looked at this beautiful scenery with great interest, saying: “His Royal Highness, let’s both compose a poem about the unique taste of the lake and mountains. you and I would each give a poem inspired by the lake and mountains, what do you say?”

Gu Chen was very excited.

He Ziming, whose face appeared calm and serene, screamed in his heart: “System!!! Come out, come out again, he’s doing it again!”

With a face like Zhilan Yushu and the noble demeanor of Guanyu (TN: Guanyu is a legendary historical Chinese general renowned for his loyalty and bravery, and Zhilan Yushu is an idiom meaning like orchids and jade trees, aka, beautiful) , Gu Chen really seemed to be perfect everywhere in He Ziming’s eyes. He was completely a fairy-like figure.

But the only flaw is that this fairy-like creature is really too immortal, and since Gu Chen now believes that He Ziming is talented, he treats He Ziming familiarly. Whenever they encounter something, he will invite He Ziming to compose a poem on the spot, which he will then match with his own composition.

At first, He Ziming focused on the task and favorability points, and used the system as a golden finger to help write a poem…. But for a month and a half of traveling, Gu Chen had asked for several poems every single day, until even the system went on strike.

No matter how He Ziming called, the system played dead in He Ziming’s mind, forcing He Ziming to burst into tears inside his heart. If the system had a body, He Ziming would kneel at its feet, hold its thigh and call it daddy.

“This prince said earlier, Ziqing doesn’t have to be so formal with me. If you truly treat this prince as a friend, you must call me Changfeng privately…” He Ziming grasped the negligence in his words and corrected it, attempting to shift the subject away from poems.

Changfeng is the intimate name of the prince, and a few days ago He Ziming had asked Gu Chen to call himself by his name.

Gu Chen was also very refreshing, and easily changed his words: “I have neglected Changfeng …”

Then his eyes eagerly looked at He Ziming again.

“Mary is next door(TN: this is a way of cursing to get around Chinese censorship), he hasn’t forgotten yet.” He Ziming screamed a thousand mud grass horses in his mind (TN: A way to say fuck that is compliant with Chinese censorship), but he still maintained his princely demeanor. Pretending as if he had suddenly thought of something, he sighed softly: “Now the state treasury is empty, and the disaster in the northeast is unsolved, the people are in distress and the country is unstable. Even if I see such a lovely landscape, where can I find the mood to sing poetry?”

Really can’t do this again, he can’t hold the act, brother …Without the blessing of the system, He Ziming cannot bear your sudden friendship.

Listening to him, Gu Chen immediately put down his tea cup and complimented him quickly: “His Highness is worried about the country and the people. Even facing the beauty of the lakes and mountains, he never forgets the common people, and loves them like his own children. It’s really a blessing for the country.”

“Changfeng.” He Ziming corrected him again.

Although Gu Chen was not accustomed to calling him Changfeng even after a month and a half, he was still willing to follow He Ziming’s lead and correct himself, saying: “Changfeng …”

The pair quickly changed the topic, and began speaking about current affairs and politics, and the plight of the common people. He Ziming has not only wandered this world, but has traveled through many worlds, meeting many different types of people. Therefore, he had many novel ideas that did not belong to this world. Gu Chen listened intently to He Ziming’s thoughts, not speaking until he was finished.

Gu Chen looked at He Ziming but praised: “Changfeng is such a talented person, and he will be Emperor in the future. It is the luck of the world and the ministers to have a future ruler like Changfeng.”

“Zi Qing has praised me, but what kind of virtue this crown prince has, he is clear.” He Ziming sighed slightly, but smiled bitterly.

Gu Chen saw this and said quickly: “Changfeng does not need to be modest.”

Although he didn’t know why He Ziming had hidden his talent before, or where the rumor of the prince’s incompetence had sprung from, after their close contact Gu Chen had discovered that He Ziming was truly talented. If he had not already sworn his loyalty to He Zisheng, He Ziming would truly be an emperor worth following.

It really is a pity……

“I am not being modest, but rather I am clear in my heart about who I am.” He Ziming seemed to be slightly dazed with drink. ” I seem tyrannical on the outside, but inside I’m a cowardly and timid person. I don’t want to make myself uncomfortable and fight with others for power. I feel too deeply for my enemies, and I cannot ruthlessly deal with betrayal. The country continually suffers from chaos, and someone like me, who is as forgiving and indecisive as a woman …. About me, people may be barely able to say that I am not a bad person, but in the future I am destined to be unfit to be emperor…”

This is the true feelings of the original Crown Prince.

Even though Gu Chen betrayed the original owner, even until the last moment of his life, he had never hated Gu Chen …

TN: Gu Chen you scum!!!!