Chapter 12

The Crown Prince’s temperament is surly and haughty. Gu Chen also had a great deal of pride, coming from a noble family full of dragons and phoenixes. Even after becoming a couple, two men with such different temperaments, it is impossible for their relationship to be without friction or dispute…

He Ziming initially deliberately catered to Gu Chen to make him fall in love, but he naturally couldn’t cater to him forever. If he did, he’d be no more than an accessory to Gu Chen’s life, something that Gu Chen kept around because it made him feel good.

His constant catering may cause Gu Chen to have a fondness for him, and perhaps Gu Chen even believes he loves the crown prince. He respects him with a refined, qin se he ming kind of love(TN: a Chinese idiom about two lovers, one famous for playing a zither, the other famous for playing the guqin. It refers to a quiet, harmonious marriage) for a lifetime, but He Ziming will never reach the point of becoming unforgettable to Gu Chen.

He Ziming has always believed that deep love is not this catering, simpering harmony. Rather, two people, who are aware of their differences, who may fight, experience conflict and collisions, but still refuse to let go, refuse to leave their lover. Lovers should run after each other, equally compromising and changing. That is true love.

And what he has to do now is guide Gu Chen’s feelings towards him in this direction, little by little–

Recently, there has been a great deal of friction between Gu Chen and He Ziming. Between their political disagreements, the clash of their temperaments, and He Ziming’s identity as the crown prince, He Ziming has caught Gu Chen in a complete cold war that makes Gu Chen firmly believe that it would be better for the lovers to separate. However, in the end, Gu Chen couldn’t bring himself to decisively break up, and break this cycle of fighting and making up.

He Zisheng, whose blackening value was online, began to stir up trouble between them. He Ziming knew this but pretended not to, and indulged He Zisheng’s behavior.

He needs someone to sharpen the conflict between him and Gu Chen.

He Zisheng is quite scheming. As He Ziming’s beloved brother and Gu Chen’s best friend, he knows just how to speak to each of them to quietly manipulate their feelings. In front of He Ziming, whom he knows values Gu Chen, he will never say bad things about Gu Chen, instead praising him to the sky. But in front of Gu Chen, as his free-spirited friend, he can poke his soft underbelly.

“Ziqing, what’s the matter with you? Did you quarrel with my elder brother again?” Seeing Gu Chen, who had come to him with an enormous frown and asked him to drink wine together, He Ziming guessed that He Ziming and Gu Chen had argued for the first time.

Gu Chen didn’t say a word. He poured a cup of wine and drank it.

He Zisheng sighed, but said consolingly: “My elder brother is accustomed to being the pride of the very heavens. I’m afraid that it has given him an arrogant and aggressive temperament. In addition, with his handsome face, he treats everyone else as a slave beneath him… but you know this, having worked by his side for so long. Originally, I thought that if he took a wife, she could temper his arrogance as a crown prince, molding him into an emperor that will bring endless glory to the people. “

“I didn’t expect it to be you who fell in love with him, Ziqing.” He said from the standpoint of Gu Chen’s friend.

Gu Chen looked up at him in amazement: “Chang’an, what are you saying?”

He did not expect He Ziming to have such an evaluation of He Ziming in front of him today. After He Ziming was drunk on that day, He Zisheng had never again said anything bad about He Ziming before him.

He thought He Zisheng had already changed his views on He Ziming.

“Oh, of course, I don’t mean to say that my elder brother is no good. I know that in his heart he is good-natured, and that he is the best person among all my brothers. He has never had any bad intentions towards people… but his temper is really…” He Zisheng was aware of Gu Chen’s unhappiness towards the Crown Prince, but also understood that no one likes to hear others say bad words about their lovers. He quickly changed his stance. ” The pride of the emperor is naturally higher than those beneath him, and we must all become accustomed to it. Even if it is unintentional, I believe he will never learn to respect others. In front of him, you must remember that this companion is like a tiger, and you have to learn to tolerate it. If Ziqing is uncertain, than I think that the relationship is not good…”

“But, Ziqing …” He cut himself off, and sighed, falling into silence.

Gu Chen who had listened in silence, sighed, and said, “… In fact, His Royal Highness’s temper is really not so bad.”

Although He Ziming has a fierce temper, he is really not so kind to him …

If he was, Gu Chen would not have the opportunity to quarrel with He Ziming.

He also remembers that He Ziming once protected him with his own dragon body.

“All I can do is just to persuade you to say a little less in the future.” He Zisheng sighed sadly, looking like a very good friend: “Yes, Ziqing, do you know that father intends to arrange my elder brother’s marriage? “

Gu Chen clenched his hand tightly around the wine cup, his brows caught in a deep frown.

Seeing Gu Chen’s expression, He Zisheng immediately said: “It seems that my elder brother has not told you, and I’ve said too much … I think my brother must not have wanted to make you sad, so he hesitated to tell you.”

“What’s going on?” As soon as He Ziming acted as if he wanted to swallow his words back down into his throat, Gu Chen couldn’t wait to ask.

He Zisheng sighed and hesitated, before leaning forward, as if he finally made a decision to side with Gu Chen, his best friend. He said, “The other party is the di daughter of the head minster in charge of the Ministry of Education. The Ministry of Rites have approved her, saying she would be an excellent mother of the world. When the emperor proposed it, my elder brother did not explicitly reject it… it seems that the emperor might soon hand down the marriage decree.”

Gu Chen’s heart sank to the bottom instantly, and his face was very ugly.

“When I heard it, my heart ached for Ziqing. My elder brother is the crown prince, and it is impossible for him not to marry and carry on the bloodline, but… Ziqing, what will you do?” He Zisheng sighed…

He Zisheng knew that Gu Chen had planned to not marry as long as He Ziming lived.

Gu Chen’s eyes were bottomless.

He Zisheng glanced at him, then went on to say: “My elder brother himself is getting married, but because of his love for you, he will never let you marry. If you are also willing to never marry for the length of his life, what will happen to your noble family? You can refuse to marry in the short term, but after a two years, or three, or ten years… Someone will notice that you’re so intimate with the emperor, and that you’ve never married or taken a woman, and will figure out your relationship. At that time, the rumors and gossip will swirl through the court, and I’m afraid that Ziqing will have to live as an infamous adulterer who lives only to serve the monarch.”

“Meanwhile, the Gu family will be left childless and besmirched by gossip. How can you face your mother and father at that time?” He Ziming seemed to worry about Gu Chen’s future very much.

Gu Chen was silent.

He Zisheng could see that his remarks had hit his weakness.

He Zisheng took a sip of tea, and said with a sad heart, “I still have something to say, but I don’t know if it’s inappropriate of me to say this…. Perhaps I should mind my own business.”

“You’re my brother, Chang’an, whatever you want to say, just say it. Is there anything we’ve ever hidden from each other?” Gu Chen frowned slightly. Although he was greatly stimulated, he still maintained his dignity.

He Zisheng said in a deep voice: “I just want to remind you that you’ve been fighting with my elder brother for days. It’s been a long time since you’ve seen him and talked calmly, let alone spent time alone together.”

“So, don’t let people take advantage of your fight. At least for now, my elder brother still doesn’t have another lover, and is still with you,” he reminded.

Gu Chen suddenly sharpened: “What do you know?”

“I heard that after my elder brother quarreled with you, he would visit an actor. I know that elder brother is probably just doing it to make you jealous. After all, there’s no way a humble opera singer could compete with you. My eldest brother would never be interested in that little singer.” He Zisheng leaned forward, whispering, “But no one knows what the actor is plotting. Sometimes, we have to guard against such small characters. Ziqing, remember this advice.”

Gu Chen nearly crushed the cup of wine in his hand, his face was ugly.

He Zisheng saw his terrible expression, and was inexplicably happy in his heart. After pretending to act as a good friend, He Zisheng took out a number of scrolls and handed them to Gu Chen. Shifting the topic, he said, “Only Ziqing can help me in this matter.”

“… Chang’an, what’s going on?” Gu Chen was shocked after scanning the documents.

He Zisheng looked at him calmly and said: “I want to expose elder brother’s faults in front of the father and show my own talent. In the end, I am also a prince, Ziqing. I also have to think about my own future, and that of my mother…I can’t keep being a dog eating the scraps of the crown prince.”

“Then why don’t you tell Changfeng about this to his face?” Gu Chen frowned.

He Zisheng persuaded: “Zi Qing, I can only secretly hide this matter from my elder brother. My brother’s temperament is very erratic. I dare not speak of this with him, and I dare not let him know my mind. Who knows what he’ll choose to do after discovering it? I can only hide and speak this matter later, in front of witnesses…”

“But …” Gu Chen wanted to say something.

He Zisheng interrupted him first: “I know my brother treats me very well, and I should be grateful, but how can I not worry when the enmity between us can never be solved… Would he truly like to see me flourish? I’ve already followed him for many years. While his nature is callow and capricious, he has still paved the way for many followers, advancing their careers, giving them opportunities… but never for me.”

“I still have so long to live. I can’t just remain obscurely in the shadows. This is my only chance. Ziqing, please help me. I don’t know my brother’s mind, but I know that you are the only person who can help me conceal this matter from my brother’s eyes.” He Zisheng held Gu Chen’s hand tightly and begged, “This is not a big problem for the crown prince, just a little embarrassment. I know my elder brother won’t blame you. This is the only hope for me, Ziqing, please help me.”

After thinking about it, Gu Chen thought that the matter truly was not a big deal. Surely, if he hid this, He Ziming wouldn’t blame him even if he did become angry.

He closed his eyes and said, “Chang’an, don’t beg, I’ll help you.”

“Thank you, Ziqing! You have to remember that before this matter is settled, you must never let my elder brother know even an inkling about it… I’m really…really frightened and unsure of his mind.” He Zisheng was grateful to tears, and repeatedly advised.

Gu Chen’s head was full of thoughts of He Ziming, and he couldn’t care about other things. He promised: “Okay.”

Looking at his tired expression, the corner of He Zisheng’s lips rose into a strange smile.

Chapter 11

He Ziming doesn’t want to hate He Zisheng anymore.

Regardless of whether he was the original crown prince, or the current He Ziming … Now that the story has come to this point, he paused for a moment, and made a choice. On behalf of the original owner’s feelings, He Ziming cut off the grudge.

In the end, He Zisheng is the younger brother he once loved.

He Zisheng was so happy that he almost wanted to dance, but he seemed to suddenly think of something, freezing him on the spot. After a moment, his expression became complicated. He looked at He Ziming and asked: “My brother’s change towards me … is it because of Ziqing? “

He Ziming has been entangled in the contradiction between love and hate for so many years, unable to find release so his sudden change in attitude must have a reason.

Although he had dreamed of reconciling with He Ziming and regaining his older brother from back then … but if He Ziming’s change came because of Gu Chen …

It didn’t make him happy at all.

“Whether you’re right or not, what’s the difference?” He Ziming asked ambiguously.

Is that so?

He Zisheng’s heart seemed to sink to the bottom instantly.

“When I was young, I was unkind and unreasonable. I blamed you for many things that were not your fault. Now I admit that I was wrong, Chang’an. I made you suffer for so many years…” He Ziming with a heavy heart, apologized with the sweet words He Zisheng . “It’s my fault, I’m sorry…”

He Zisheng had been just a little child at the time, he hadn’t known anything. The original He Ziming should not have vented his anger on him, no matter what the root of his resentment was.

He Ziming apologized, both on behalf of the original owner, but also because he wanted to test whether the favorability could still increase after reaching 100 points …

Looking at the kind and beautiful He Ziming, He Zisheng only felt his emotions become very distorted. He could only mumble, repeating: “Then, Ziqing…”

He desperately wanted to know if the person who changed He Ziming was Gu Chen.

“Ziqing has persuaded me a lot in these last few days. He is your best friend and my…” He Ziming hesitated, and then continued, saying: “I had a bad attitude towards you, and he finds it very difficult to be pulled between the two of us. I don’t want to make Ziqing sad anymore, and I don’t want to mix up right and wrong the way I did in the past. Chang’an, can you forgive your elder brother?”

He Ziming did not answer He Zisheng’s implied question, but his words clearly hinted at his unusual relationship with Gu Chen.

He Zisheng heard He Ziming say what he had always dreamed of him saying, but suddenly felt that the blood in his body was ice cold. He couldn’t even move.

“How can Chang’an blame elder brother? My elder brother will always be my elder brother. Without you, Chang’an would long ago have… it would not have been possible for Chang’an to survive in the palace until today.” After a while, He Ziming replied dimly.

He Ziming stepped forward with relief, and patted his shoulder: “So you don’t blame Ge Ge … That’s great. Ge Ge will treat you well from now on.”

Now he didn’t want to be an enemy with the protagonist.

He Zisheng suddenly grabbed his hand and asked, “Ge Ge… you and Ziqing?”

He hadn’t heard those words from He Ziming’s own mouth, and he was still unwilling to believe it.

“Ziqing and I … we’re together, and in love.” He Ziming chuckled, then said.

His words matched perfectly with Gu Chen’s. Hearing it from He Ziming’s own mouth made all of the blood in He Zisheng’s entire body freeze…

He Zisheng’s eyes suddenly became a little wet and he almost felt that he wanted to cry. He resisted the urge, and said only, “Really? Then I’m very happy for Gege and Ziqing. Gege is my only family, and Ziqing is my best friend. I am so happy for you.”

He Ziming patted his shoulder and said nothing more.

He Zisheng’s hand clenched into a fist unconsciously, and I didn’t know how much strength he exhausted to suppress himself …

On what basis?

On what basis? He really wanted to ask–

He Ziming is obviously his elder brother! Since he was young, no matter whether He Ziming acted lovingly or cruelly, his attention was still entirely wrapped around He Zisheng. All of the complicated feelings, all of the love and hate belonged to He Zisheng alone.

Why did Gu Chen suddenly break in and intervene between them?

On what basis?

He Ziming is obviously his elder brother.

He Zisheng wanted to question him, but in the end, he said nothing. He acted just like a cute younger brother and a good friend, and sincerely blessed He Ziming’s relationship with Gu Chen.

“Ding! The host has caused the character He Zisheng to exceed 100 points of favorability. The blackening value is now online. He Ziming’s blackening value is now 25 points, the system asks the host to please pay attention.”The mechanical voice of the system rang again in He Ziming’s mind.

It’s just that this time the system isn’t notifying him of favorability, but of an increased blackening value…

He Ziming was surprised by this: “Huh, so a character’s favorability is full at 100 points, and then the blackening value increases. Hmmmm….. I wonder, what will happen if I keep raising the blackening value?”

“Well, system, do you think that since He Zisheng ’s favorability increased so quickly, that his blackening value will increase quickly? Suddenly I want to give it a try! Let’s find out if I can increase He Zisheng’s blackening value to 100. I wonder what the consequences are? “He Ziming is a very curious young man.

The system’s voice reminded his host dully: “Host, please don’t do these messy things! You’re playing with fire!”

“Am I playing with fire? Oooh, I’m so scared.” He Ziming listened to his warning, but didn’t care: “Well, if the blackening value gets close to 100, will he suddenly imprison me in a little black room? Yeah, although it’s a little scary, it’s also so exciting! I look forward to it. “

He Ziming’s preferences are a bit different from ordinary people’s.

System:”……”

I don’t have a host like you. I don’t know you!

——

After He Ziming firmly established his relationship with Gu Chen, no matter how hard he worked, Gu Chen’s affection for him always stayed around 65 to 70 points. He Ziming exhausted his brain thinking of strategies, but it still remained unchanged.

He Zisheng, who’s blackening value was now online, now began to provoke problems in the Gu Chen and He Ziming’s new relationship.

He Ziming was notified by the system the very first time that He Zisheng began to stir the pot, but because Gu Chen’s feelings were too fixed, he chose to allow He Zisheng to provoke misunderstandings, in the hope of creating ripples in Gu Chen’s heart. With He Ziming ignoring, even indulging He Zisheng’s behavior, there is no way to resolve the misunderstandings that began to crop up.

The system asked him why, and He Ziming responded: “Gu Chen’s feelings are too fixed, like a lake of calm water, completely without turmoil. If I continue down this path, I suspect that even after living with him until death, his affection will still be no higher than 70 points. It will never reach the point where Prince Li becomes the unforgettable moonlight in his heart.

“Sometimes, proper misunderstanding and the regrets it causes can help deepen the relationship.” He Ziming spoke from his own experience.

However, the system did not trust him very much: “Really? But, host, Gu Chen’s affection has fallen for you again, all the way back down to 64! If it continues to fall like this, I suspect that he’ll totally lose any feelings he has for you.”

“It’s okay. We’re arguing now. We’re walking down the road to a major misunderstanding. It’s normal for me to lose favor with him.” He Ziming was indifferent: “The final effect I want to achieve is for Gu Chen to realize that I’m not perfect, and like everyone else, my body has flaws. I intend to make Gu Chen, this perfectionist, love the flawed me to death, so that he’ll even kneel and lick my feet. Now that is considered an unforgettable love.”

He said primly, “Relax, this favorability will rise back up later.”

He is a professional.

Chapter 10

Hearing Gu Chen’s words, He Ziming stumbled, and could not regain his spirit for a long time: “By… together…you mean?”

He really can’t understand what Gu Chen means about being together.

“Yes, I’m sorry Chang’an, I hid it from you before. I am a cut sleeve, and the crown prince is as well. So, we are together… in the way that a man and woman can be together.” Gu Chen had loved He Zisheng for a long time, and felt that he had to hide his sexuality because of it. But now that he only sees He Zisheng as a friend, he can calmly reveal his identity as a cut-sleeve.

He Zisheng still hadn’t recovered from the news: “Cut…sleeves???”

The concept that men could fall in love with each other and be together is entirely new to him… he had never even considered it before.

How exactly can men be together?

“Yes, I like men by nature.” Gu Chen hesitated, and worriedly asked, “Chang’an… you won’t be disgusted by this? You’ll still recognize me as your friend? You won’t treat me like a stranger?”

Having grown up together since childhood, even Gu Chen, this cold, unfeeling person, still cherishes his friendship with He Zisheng very much.

He Zisheng was stunned for a long time, before recovering. Although he was a little embarrassed, he patted Gu Chen’s shoulder suddenly, and said, “How could that be? You and I grew up together, and forged our friendship through years of trouble. Why should I dislike you for such a trivial matter? It’s just, Ziqing, you really shouldn’t have hidden this from me for so long.”

“I always used to ask why you were so uninterested in being close to a woman. It turns out you’ve always liked men!” He teased Gu Chen.

Gu Chen looked at him with relief, feeling that he no longer had to worry about losing his friendship with He Ziming.

He Zisheng paused, and then tentatively asked again, “Then… you and my elder brother?”

“We love each other romantically. I intend to stay with His Royal Highness forever.” He knew he couldn’t hide it from He Zisheng, so Gu Chen didn’t bother to try.

He Zisheng repeated: “You really love him, and intend to stay together?”

“Yes!” Gu Chen said.

He Zisheng asked again, “I … does elder brother also feel this way?”

“… It should be.” Gu Chen frowned slightly, a bit uncertain.

He Zisheng pondered for a while, and as a friend, advised, ” Since your heart is set, I won’t try to persuade you, but it won’t be easy for two men to stay together their entire lives. You’re the Gu family’s only son, and my elder brother is the crown prince… I know you’re passionately in love now, and don’t want to hear this, but as a friend I still have to try to persuade you not to devote yourself too much. You have to leave yourself a way out.”

“My eldest brother is the crown prince. He is loved and supported by the emperor, and because of this always has a back path to take. But you… if you’re too involved with him and something goes wrong, you’ll be finished, Ziqing.” He said carefully.

Gu Chen was hit hard by his words, and fell into thought.

The two discussed the matter for a long time. Gu Chen eventually saw how late it was, and bid goodbye to him. .

He Zisheng stared at Gu Chen’s back. One moment, he seemed to be a gentle and caring friend, and the next his entire demeanor abruptly changed. His face was gloomy, and his aura became pitch black. He clenched his hands into fists, the nails unconsciously digging into the flesh of his own palms. He didn’t even notice when it started to bleed.

“Together?” He murmured, dumbly repeating Gu Chen’s words that had a strong impact on him.

A moment later, he snapped his fingers to summon a shadow guard from his Heaven’s Eye organization.

Shadow Guard Wei respectfully greeted him with a salute: “Master.”

“Wei, how can a man and a man be together?” He Zisheng asked something almost inexplicable.

As a steel-straight son of destiny, he really doesn’t know anything about this.

Therefore, that evening, Shadow Guard Wei quietly brought an incognito He Zisheng to a very special kind of brothel owned by Heaven’s Eye in order to gather information. There, He Ziming found a room to watch two men enjoy a lively spring night together.

He Zisheng only then discovered that two men could really be together just as a man and a woman can be together…

It really can be so …

So then…how exactly does He Ziming enjoy his spring nights with Gu Chen?

He Zisheng licked his chapped lips. While there were no waves revealed on his face, in his heart he was very moved.

“Ding! Host has increased the favorability of the character He Zisheng by 25 points. At present, the character’s favorability towards the host is 100 points, achieving deep, unforgettable love. Asking the host to please continue paying attention.”

He Ziming was lying in bed lazily, playing a game from the system in his mind, when suddenly the system prompt for an increase in favorability sounded in his mind.

It’s just that the person whose favorability increased isn’t the target, but He Zisheng, the protagonist…

“Du, are you sure you aren’t mistaken? The person filled with unforgettable love for me is He Zisheng, not Gu Chen? Are you sure that you don’t have a bug?” He Ziming was shocked by the notification, and immediately cried out, “I haven’t done anything recently! I haven’t even met with He Zisheng in days. How could he suddenly reach 100 points all at once? Even before Gu Chen, who I’ve given ‘Drunken Spring Night’ so many times…”

He felt really incredible.

The favorability of this son of destiny is too senseless, its completely without scientific basis.

The small mechanical voice of the system emotionlessly asked: “…Who is Du?”

“You, I named you Du.” He Ziming answered without thinking.

The system immediately exploded in He Ziming’s mind, and instantly let He Ziming’s soul feel his scorn and disdain for He Ziming in his mind.

He Ziming’s soul was a little dazed for a moment: “…”

“Please don’t give me a random nickname, please refer to me as system. Thank you.” The system waited for him to sober up before he made a solemn statement in He Ziming’s mind with a cold mechanical voice.

He Ziming immediately corrected himself: “Fine, system, but that isn’t the main point just now. The point is, are you really sure you don’t have a bug? Do you need to receive factory maintenance?”

“Otherwise, how is it that I used ‘Drunken Spring Night’ on Gu Chen so many times, but he still only has 65 points of favorability? Especially while He Zisheng, who I’ve done nothing to at all, could suddenly reach 100 points and be deeply in love! Impossible, I clearly remember that when he saw me the other day, he was still at 75 points and his feelings were classified as brotherhood! Why did he suddenly fall deeply in love?” He Ziming was puzzled and could only think that the system needed to be repaired.

“First of all, I’m certain that I don’t have a bug and I don’t require factory maintenance. Secondly, as the greatest AI of this century, my data is incapable of errors. Therefore, I don’t know what the stupid host did to permanently fix Gu Chen’s affection at 60 points. Further, I don’t know what the stupid host did to make He Zisheng’s feelings of brotherly love turn into true, abiding love… but the data is correct! It shows that the characters feelings towards He Ziming match the projections!” The system used calm and righteous words to coldly refute He Ziming’s theory.

He Ziming: “…”

Well, if you insist so much, I will believe you once.

Who made you my system?

In order to explore what is wrong with He Zisheng, that he would suddenly change his affection from a brother’s admiration to eternal love, He Ziming found time to summon He Zisheng.

However, after seeing him, He Ziming increasingly felt that his system was probably bugged and needed to be returned to the factory for repair.

He Zisheng is still gentle and quail-like in demeanor. He is a quiet and obedient teenager. He doesn’t display any major talents, and he can’t see any hidden plots in He Ziming’s actions.

“This minister sees… His Royal Highness Crown Prince.” He Zisheng looked awestruck. He subconsciously started to call He Ziming brother, but immediately changed his address halfway through speaking.

He Ziming squinted at him acting like this, and felt like he was bullying a child.

But in order to maintain the original’s character, he still glared at He Zisheng grumpily: “What the hell do you mean, ‘His Royal Highness Crown Prince?’ Do you think this country has a second crown prince?”

He Zisheng immediately turned pale and looked at He Ziming, pitifully, making people feel that he would burst into tears any second.

“Apologies, Your Royal Highness, it was this minister who spoke in error.” He immediately and sincerely apologized to He Ziming.

Seeing him like this, He Ziming’s heart was weak. He helplessly waved his hand and said, “If you want to call me elder brother, I will permit you to do so.”

He has set up the world’s plot almost identically to the original storyline, but He Ziming doesn’t want to make things too difficult for the protagonist.

“Yes, elder brother …” He Zisheng heard him say it, and immediately rejoiced.

He paused, wondering why He Ziming would casually think to allow him to call him his brother. He Zisheng asked quietly, “… I…can I call you Ge Ge?”

He doesn’t know why, but looking at the current He Ziming, he suddenly thinks of how his elder brother would carry him on his back when they were young. He would take him out to play, always gazing at himself with a gentle and indulging look, until He Zisheng was completely spoiled by his brother’s attentions. He thought that these memories would blur with age but…

Somehow, after finding the soft heart He Ziming hid beneath his fierce mask, He Zisheng’s memories of his childhood and the way He Ziming used to treat him became clearer and clearer.

He wanted to call He Ziming Ge Ge again.

He Ziming watched him for a while.

He Zisheng held his breath, motionless, as if he frightened that if he didn’t perform well enough He Ziming would change his mind.

“Just call me that if you want, as you please.” A moment later, He Ziming closed her eyes, but replied.

He Zisheng was overjoyed, and immediately called out: “Ge Ge…”

He Ziming opened his eyes and looked at him for a while, before saying, “He Zisheng, I don’t want to hate you anymore.”

TN: Shadow Guard Wei is the MVP for this arc. He may only be here for two paragraphs, but he certainly gets things done.

Chapter 9

After the two made their relationship clear, Gu Chen changed his previous attitude towards He Ziming. He became a thousand times more intimate with the Crown Prince than before. Strangely, Gu Chen’s favorability towards He Ziming stayed constantly at 60 points, the same value as He Zisheng in Gu Chen’s heart. No matter how He Ziming worked, it never rose.

He Ziming thought about it, and then decided to ask the system to give him a special cheat to use on Gu Chen- ‘Drunken Spring Night.’

“Host, are you sure you want to use ‘Drunken Spring Night’ on Gu Chen? If you use ‘Drunken Spring Night’ on a target, you will have to always use it on him in the future. You won’t be able to have a relationship with him.” Hearing He Ziming’s decision to use ‘Drunken Spring Night’ on Gu Chen, the system promptly issued a reminder.

‘Drunken Spring Night’ is a system prop that gives characters in the target worlds the illusion that they have had a physical relationship with the host, when in fact nothing happened.

However, this path has a disadvantage, that is, once it is used, the host can only continue to use ‘Drunken Spring Night’ for that character, and the host cannot have a true relationship with the character.

Some hosts fail to complete their task, or are unwilling to leave after completing their task … For as long as they stay in the world, the host is able to completely replace the original owner, living out their natural lifespan. The Jinjiang Fast Wear Bureau is a compassionate organization, and allows its transmigrators to fall in love and even marry characters in the three thousand worlds. Hosts are allowed to have relationships and live the original body’s lifespan with their chosen loved one. However, the host can only choose one character in each world to enter into a relationship with, and cannot stand on multiple boats.

Therefore, for each transmigrator that chooses a person as his partner and begins a relationship with them, but no regret is allowed. They can live a lifetime with them in the world, but they cannot cheat on their chosen lover.

By using ‘Drunken Spring Night’ on Gu Chen, He Ziming eliminates any possibility of a relationship between the host and this soul, for the entirety of the host’s lifespan in the world.

“Again, I don’t believe the Crown Prince sold his soul in order for Gu Chen to fall in love with me. How cruel would it be for another soul to use his body to spend a lifetime with his loved one? The mission was to engrave He Ziming into Gu Chen’s heart, so that even thinking of He Ziming pains him, not for us to slowly grow old together.” He Ziming had a clear and deep understanding of his task.

The system listened to him and no longer tried to persuade him, just saying, “Well, I thought that the host liked Gu Chen very much.”

Like the original crown prince, the system knows that its host is also a gay man. In some of their previous worlds, he had also chosen to fall in love with a favorite man.

He Ziming’s men in the previous worlds were all the protagonists of the world. He spent a lifetime with them, with a love as steady and deep as the sea, until they were old and gray.

After his lover died of old age and He Ziming left the world, he would totally cut off his feelings. While he would treat the memories of those worlds fondly, his emotions were completely empty.

“I don’t necessarily want to fall in love in every world.” He Ziming smiled and shook his head: “Besides, Gu Chen is not the type I like…”

He Ziming’s system is an extremely curious system: “What type does the host like?”

It does not see any difference between the men of the previous worlds and Gu Chen. Where is he worse?

He Ziming had previously loved men of all types, seeming not to care whether they were a “plump Han or slender Yan(TN: An old Chinese idiom about two famous concubines, both with very contrasting appearances, but both still famed for their beauty) .”The system didn’t believe that his host had any type of fixed preference, especially one that would exclude a handsome man like Gu Chen.

“… I would need Qi Da to live well.” (TN: Qi Da is apparently an ancient Chinese medicine meant to improve one’s blood and qi, preventing impotence. I think the author here is making a sex joke by implying that He Ziming can’t get hard for Gu Chen.) He Ziming shyly said, after he thought for a moment.

He paused, looking at the stunned system, adding: “Gu Chen really isn’t good. He’s too weak. He may be a fairy as beautiful as a flowering orchard, but when in bed, he definitely won’t be able to satisfy me….”

System: “……”

So, this is the real reason the host chooses to use ‘Drunken Spring Night’ instead of sleeping with Gu Chen…

I really misread you. You turned out to be such a host …

He Ziming chose to use ‘Drunken Spring Night’ a month later, on a dark, moonlit night. Gu Chen and He Ziming had both ended their day’s official business. The two drank together in the garden of the crown prince’s palace, admiring the flowers and the moon. Lit only by candlelight and the moon, the atmosphere was excellent.

He Ziming drank a few more cups of wine, his face slightly flushed. He suddenly grabbed Gu Chen’s hand, pulled him into his arms, and repeatedly called his name: “Ziqing, Ziqing …”

“What’s the matter? Changfeng?” Gu Chen watched his red lips glistening with water and wine, and held his extremely hot hand. Gu Chen’s heart jumped in his chest, and he looked away, afraid to meet the prince’s flushed gaze.

He Ziming looked at him with very bright eyes, as if devouring him with his gaze: “Let’s be together, Ziqing.”

He Ziming captured Gu Chen with his attractive eyes, and his heart and soul belonged to He Ziming.

“… Okay.” After a long time, he quietly whispered to He Ziming.

When the love is strong, fire is easy to kindle.

Gu Chen has lived a clean life with a pure mind. However, as a cut sleeve who loves men, he isn’t without curiosity or interest in bedroom matters. Now that he and He Ziming are in love, how can he refuse him?

Just in the past, when Gu Chen imagined being with a man, he was pictured himself as the man on top. This time… his lover was the distinguished crown prince. Gu Chen feared that he would be the one pressed down.

However, he decided it doesn’t matter … he and He Ziming are in love, he doesn’t need to worry about who will be on top or bottom…

As long as he can be with He Ziming, anything is fine.

Gu Chen is very nervous, and had to quickly do a great deal of psychological preparation for himself. The two entangled in the inner room, shedding their clothes. He Ziming looked at Gu Chen and asked, panting, “Ziqing, do you want me?”

Gu Chen’s nose bled slowly as a burst of blood rushed into his head.

Drunken Spring Night.

After spending all night drunk on spring, Gu Chen’s favor increased a little each time. Finally it stopped at 65 points, an increase of 5 points after a night of work.

The system recounted Gu Chen’s increasing favor for him in He Ziming’s mind, while He Ziming laid on the couch pretending to sleep. His body was coated with ambiguous marks created by the system, and there were even some tears still hanging in the corners of his eyes. He looked as if he had been ruthlessly used.

Gu Chen had a healthy and set routine, and the sun was only just dawning when he awoke.

He looked at the sleeping He Ziming, but he couldn’t bear to move, even holding his breath, for fear of awakening him. Gu Chen watched He Ziming for a long while, before pressing a gentle and loving kiss on his face. Gu Chen decided he must pity his poor, hardworking lover, and carefully attend his needs.

He saw He Ziming begin to wake from his sleep.

“Zi Qing?” He Ziming pretended to be dazed, and called him dreamily.

Gu Chen looked at him with burning, passionate eyes: “Changfeng … Changfeng, I will not disappoint you in the future.”

He never thought that He Ziming, the crown prince, would be willing to lay down beneath him… Gu Chen will cherish him for all his life.

“… Okay.” He Ziming whispered and smiled, looking at him.

Since that night, He Ziming has used ‘Drunken Spring Night’ very frequently.

The spirit and flesh of the couple are in complete harmony, and the atmosphere between each other is becoming more intimate, visible even to outsiders. Gu Chen was even distracted from his official duties sometimes, he was so enchanted with gazing at He Ziming. The couple unintentionally revealed lingering and affectionate glances.

How could He Zisheng, who is so close to both of them, not notice?

“Ziqing, what’s happening between you and my elder brother?” He Zisheng found a chance to pull Gu Chen aside and privately inquire. He noticed that the atmosphere between his best friend and his elder brother has been very strange recently.

After Gu Chen and He Ziming got together, Gu Chen’s affection for He Zisheng had remained at 60 points. But it changed from secret love to treasured friendship.

Gu Chen didn’t intend to conceal anything from him, and he answered straightforwardly: “Chang’an, Changfeng and I … Well, I’m together with His Royal Highness.”

TN: Slightly Spoiler-y Note:

Spoiler: This novel is 1v1, there has been and will be only 1 ML ever. Just in case anyone is bothered by MCs past lovers, I just want to reassure you that MC only has ever loved the ML. More about He Ziming’s past lovers will be revealed in later chapters, as you learn more about the male lead.

Chapter 8

At the end of their tour of the south, as they made their way back to the imperial capitol, a mudslide occurred at the foot of a mountain. The debris from the hillside fell sharply, roaring as it rolled towards their convoy.

“Your Royal Highness, a mudslide …”

“Your Royal Highness, run, run!”

He Ziming was seated inside the carriage. He first heard the sound of a boulder rolling down and striking the roof, and then the sound of the guards panicking.

“Your Royal Highness?” Gu Chen frowned tightly, startled.

He Ziming seemed to be infected by the guard’s panic, and couldn’t care about courtly manners. He seized Gu Chen’s hand and pulled him from the carriage.

They watched as the turbulent and stone rushed across the ground, overwhelming anything in its path.

The whole earth shook under the power of the mudslide.

He Ziming no longer cared about the others and held Gu Chen’s hand, pulling him as they ran to distance themselves from the destruction. Gu Chen was taken aback at the prince’s closeness, but the danger of their situation made him no longer care about anything else. He ran subconsciously, holding He Ziming’s hand, running like hell, as if they could run to the ends of the earth.

But in the end, they were a step too slow.

When the mudslide caught up to them, He Ziming reflexively pulled Gu Chen into his arms, protecting him. He turned his back to the rocks, withstanding the impact of the stones and mud.

“Your Royal Highness–” Gu Chen looked at him with amazement.

He knew that He Ziming was interested in him, but Gu Chen never thought that in such a crisis, He Ziming, whose rank was so much higher than his own, would sacrifice himself to protect him.

Taking care of his body like this, how could he allow He Ziming to treat him like this?

Gu Chen helped support He Ziming, but before recovering from the shock of the first strike, the two of them were completely engulfed in mud.

Tribulation reveals truth. Suffering is the easiest way to engender love, especially if one of the pair protects the other at the risk of his own life.

Gu Chen woke up in total darkness, and anxiously called for the crown prince, panicking: “Your Royal Highness! Your Royal Highness-” He was afraid that something happened to He Ziming.

“Zi Qing woke up, I was alone for so long.” Fortunately, however, he soon heard He Ziming’s low answer.

Gu Chen moved his hands, and realized that He Ziming still firmly gripped his hand in his own. Although he could not see the crown prince in the darkness, he could feel that they had never separated.

Gu Chen breathed a sigh of relief, only a little sigh of relief, before realizing that they seemed to be trapped beneath the mudslide, stuck in a narrow gap with no light.

“Your Royal Highness, are you badly hurt? Are you wounded? Does it hurt, can you still move?” Gu Chen suddenly thought of something and asked anxiously.

He still remembers that He Ziming blocked the rubble with his own body to protect him before they lost consciousness …

After such a violent impact, it is almost impossible for He Ziming to be uninjured now.

“I’m okay, I’m just a bit cold, I really want to sleep …” He Ziming was awake, his speech completely clear, so Gu Chen was relieved for the moment, but He Ziming’s voice became weaker and weaker.

Gu Chen was frightened to hear him say this. He quickly pinched He Zimeng’s hand, fearing that he’d fall asleep: “Your Highness, you mustn’t sleep!” ,

Gu Chen was unsure just how injured the crown prince’s body was.

In the worst case, if He Ziming were to sleep … maybe he would die.

“… Okay, I won’t sleep.” He Ziming responded to Gu Chen immediately but his voice sounded weak and thin. It made the listener feel that he could fall asleep at any moment.

Gu Chen didn’t know how to keep He Ziming awake. He gripped his hand tightly and kept repeating: “Don’t sleep, there should be someone to save us soon, very soon.”

“……okay.”

The long wait in the dark is very difficult, and it is easy for tired, injured people to drift off.

Gu Chen listened to He Ziming’s increasingly weak voice and responded to his shorter and shorter words. Afraid that he would fall asleep, Gu Chen began to chat with He Ziming, trying to force him to be alert.

“What did Your Highness mean by his actions? Why would you block such a huge rock for me?” Despite their chatter, Gu Chen’s voice became weaker and weaker. Hearing this, Gu Chen suddenly surprised him with the question that had been bothering him since the mudslide.

He Ziming’s body became agitated. He bit his own tongue, tasting the blood filling his mouth, forced himself to wake up a bit, and then whispered: “There is no reason, no thought. My body just moved…you should already know the reason why I would be like this. If you don’t know, this prince doesn’t know how to answer you.”

His answer was very bland, but Gu Chen was shocked.

After being personally protected by He Ziming, he almost didn’t know how to face He Ziming’s affection …

“Can Ziqing call my name?” Just then, He Ziming asked quietly in the darkness.

Gu Chen froze.

He Ziming then added: “Sincerely, not just… to follow an order. Like the way you call Xiao Shengzi.”

Gu Chen’s hand tightened unconsciously around He Ziming’s.

“I originally thought that I still had a lot of time with Ziqing, to earn Ziqing’s sincere feelings. To become Ziqing’s true friend, until he would willingly call me Changfeng from his heart… but now it seems that I no longer have that much time.” He Ziming’s voice quietly sounded in the darkness.

Before his words finished echoing, Gu Chen reacted, calling firmly without any hesitation: “Changfeng…”

“Zi Qing is finally willing to call my name. Good, good.” He Ziming was so happy he wanted to laugh. but his injuries quickly turned the laugh into severe coughs. “I thought I would never hear Ziqing call my name so sweetly in my life. I didn’t expect to die so soon. But now that I’ve heard Ziqing say it, even if I die it’ll be worth it… Cough, cough, but in this situation, I only fear that Ziqing will be killed here with me…”

He suddenly thought of something and asked Gu Chen: “I just worry that if Ziqing and I died together, no one would find our bodies. Wouldn’t it be regrettable?”

“We won’t die, neither Changfeng nor I. We will survive well, neither of us will die.” This time, Gu Chen had interrupted him firmly, before his words could finish falling.

He Ziming listened to him, fell silent for a moment, before smiling and echoing: “Okay, okay, Ziqing said that we will not die, then I believe that we will not die. Ziqing is always so good, how can heaven not help him.”

In the darkness, the two breathed with each other.

“I know Changfeng loves me. I didn’t know how to respond to Changfeng before. But now, I have already thought about it. If Changfeng and I can go back alive, I will give Changfeng a response.” “Gu Chen suddenly thought of something, and spoke resolutely.

The system prompt in He Ziming’s mind sounded almost synchronously: “Ding! The host has increased the favorability of the character Gu Chen by 15 points. At present, the character favorability towards the host is 60 points. Gu Chen now romantically likes the Crown Prince. Asking the host to please work hard!”

“I … you …” He Ziming was so excited that his whole body came awake. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Zi Qing doesn’t have to do this. I saved Ziqing out of my own selfishness. I don’t want to force Ziqing to give me a response out of gratitude.”

Before his words fell, Gu Chen interrupted him: “Changfeng doesn’t need to overthink it. I made this decision based on careful thought, and it is not an impromptu impulse or to repay kindness. Changfeng takes care of me so, how can it not move my heart? “

“If you and I can go out alive, I will give Changfeng an account after I go out.” He was very decisive.

Gu Chen is not an ungrateful person. The reason why He Ziming of the previous life did not move him, despite becoming lovers, was not because Gu Chen is cold, but rather he had never believed in the indecisive and sloppy prince from the beginning. He never felt that the irascible and arrogant prince had sincerely loved him…. but now, having seen how He Ziming protected himself, having seen his true nature in a crisis, Gu Chen cannot doubt the sincerity of the prince’s feelings.

Gu Chen naturally couldn’t leave him hanging, and felt he must give a response to He Ziming.

“Okay … everything will wait until you and I escape.” He Ziming whispered to Gu Chen, but it sounded more like he didn’t think they could go back alive.

Gu Chen did not make anymore promises to appease him. Gu Chen decided to prove himself through his actions, not his words.

As the crown prince, local officials and the Royal Guard rallied on a large scale to find him as soon as the mudslide ended.

Not long after, they were discovered by the rescuers.

Gu Chen was hardly injured. After the officers and men moved away the giant wood pressing him down, he immediately stood up and was able to move.

But He Ziming was in a coma.

He had many wounds on his body, and his clothes were filthy with mud and blood. There was a huge wound on his back almost a foot long, and his hair was matted with blood.

In order to impress Gu Chen, He Ziming did not let his golden finger, the system, heal his wounds. A high fever ravaged He Ziming’s body because of the dirt ground into his many open wounds.

“His Royal Highness!” Seeing his ghostly appearance shocked the Prince’s guards and officials who came to rescue them.

If the most beloved prince dies here, they will be all be killed!

However, Gu Chen responded very quickly. After testing the pulse and breath of He Ziming, and confirming he was alive and merely unconscious, Gu Chen immediately ordered: “Immediately go prepare a doctor for the crown prince, have him ready with medicine to attend the prince as soon as we arrive!”

“Yes!”

He Ziming’s men were in chaos, and Gu Chen ignored court protocol and immediately took charge of the men. Following his orders, a guard jumped on a horse and galloped away.

Several clumsy guards came forward to lift He Ziming, but their rough actions seemed to hurt the comatose He Ziming, and made him cry out in pain.

Gu Chen immediately kicked them away.

“Master Gu?” The Crown Prince’s guard were startled.

Gu Chen directly hugged the muddy He Ziming to his chest and said, “I’ll carry him!”

The best doctors in the city were on standby at the gate, and all wounds on He Ziming’s body were treated properly. Although there were many wounds on He Ziming’s body, none of them were fatal.

Gu Chen personally wiped He Ziming’s mud-covered body, and changed his clothes.

Gu Chen had never paid attention to He Ziming ’s looks before. He only felt that he was arrogant and difficult to get along with. Now when he looks at him with clear eyes, he finds that He Ziming is naturally good looking. Although different from He Zisheng ’s delicate and youthful beauty, he has strong eyebrows and dark eyes. He even has a solid set of very manly eight-pack abs… He possessed a sexiness unique to an adult man.

Gu Chen already liked men …

Taking care of He Ziming’s body, Gu Chen suffered two nosebleeds.The unconscious He Ziming had no way of knowing this…

He Ziming was unconscious for five days before waking up from the lethargy caused by a high fever.

He had just struggled to sit up, when Gu Chen hurried to his bed and sat down, embracing him: “Changfeng …”

Although he didn’t speak, Gu Chen’s answer to He Ziming was clear …

Chapter 7

Gu Chen frowned slightly. He never expected that the Crown Prince would speak of himself like this: “Your Royal Highness…”

He Ziming put down his cup of wine and gave him a deep look.

“Changfeng …” Gu Chen was surprised and obediently changed his manner of speaking again.

Although He Ziming’s self-evaluation was a bit strange coming from his own mouth, Gu Chen had to admit that what he said was true …

People like He Ziming are not suitable to be the emperor.

Although Gu Chen is happy that He Ziming is so very good to He Zisheng, even from this matter he can see one or two weaknesses… He Ziming is not good at courtly tricks and cannot capture the hearts of his courtiers. Although he has done so much in the dark for He Zisheng, he chooses to hide it, when instead he could earn He Zisheng’s gratitude and love by exposing the matter…

But He Ziming didn’t choose to do that.

But no matter how much he agreed with He Ziming’s self-assessment, Gu Chen, as his courtier and right-hand man, could not openly agree with such self-deprecating and condescending words. Gu Chen could only be silent in front of the Crown Prince’s self-disgust.

He Ziming picked up his wine again, took a sip, and drunkenly squinted his eyes at Gu Chen: “Why is Ziqing not talking anymore? Changfeng thought that Ziqing would give a few words of comfort to this lonely orphan.”

Gu Chen froze.

“Now it seems that Ziqing’s silence shows that Ziqing agrees with this prince, and also thinks that this prince cannot bear the responsibilities of his position?” He Ziming took another deep drink of wine and took it upon himself to raise the subject.

Gu Chen startled to his feet, gritted his teeth, and repeatedly demonstrated his loyalty to him by bowing: “Your Royal Highness, this small official has no such belief, this small minister is afraid, and asks that the Crown Prince does not suspect his loyal official.”

His companion is like a tiger, even if Gu Chen and He Ziming had become so intimate in the last month… But Gu Chen has not forgotten for a moment that the other party is the Crown Prince.

Nor did he forget how uncertain the temperament of He Ziming is.

“How many times has Changfeng told Gu Chen? Don’t call me by my title. Just call me Changfeng. It seems … Ziqing still has never considered me as a friend, like he treats Xiao Zisheng …” He Ziming made a low cry with a sad smile.

Gu Chen did not dare to speak in front of him, and instead repeated again and again: “This small official does not have this intention.”

“Even if you have this intention, it’s okay.” He Ziming looked at Gu Chen’s bewitching face for a moment, and said quietly: “Tonight, you and I are speaking the truth, not temptation or flattery. Gu Chen, the court, even I myself think that I am not suitable to be crown prince, or the future emperor.”

He followed Gu Chen’s words, saying quietly at last: “This Prince… No, I never wanted to be the emperor.”

He Ziming poured another full cup of wine.

The position of the crown prince was given to He Ziming at the moment of his birth by the emperor. No one has ever asked He Ziming if he even wanted the seat that everyone else in court fought for… Instead, they stripped him of his position by pushing him into a pit, forcing mistake after mistake onto the crown prince’s head.

Gu Chen froze, stunned that the crown prince would expose his heart to him like this.

After considering a moment, Gu Chen chose courtly manners over truth, and coaxed politely, “Your Highness is the future emperor …”

“It will only ever be the future, never the emperor. From the beginning, this position was given to me by my father. I don’t want it, and it’s not appropriate. Every brother of mine, including Zisheng, is much more suitable for the the throne. I have always thought they are much better than me.” He Ziming said.

Gu Chen paused slightly, but eventually chose to speak cliches, and said very politely, “Please do not be so modest.”

He came from a very cautious and prudent family. Even though He Ziming now seemed to trust him and deal with him fairly, he is afraid it is merely a trick, so Gu Chen chooses to maintain a cautious attitude with the crown prince. Not only did he not dare to speak of these sensitive issues with He Ziming, he won’t reveal even a fraction of the thoughts he keeps in his heart.

“I think, that after such a long time together, Ziqing has also realized how I feel about you, right?” He Ziming did not correct his title any more. Rather, he suddenly changed the subject and confessed to Gu Chen.

Gu Chen was startled: “Your Royal Highness?”

Although he knew that He Ziming probably liked men, and that he was interested in himself, He Ziming’s sudden shattering of all pretense shocked him. He didn’t know how to answer He Ziming’s confession.

“Your Royal Highness has had too much wine,” he said only a moment later.

Gu Chen wanted to escape, but He Ziming would not let him off.

He Ziming fixedly looked at him, his eyes burning: “Zi Qing should know that I love you.”

The Crown Prince’s sincere heart was revealed to Gu Chen.

Gu Chen hesitated for a moment and answered He Ziming very rigorously: “…this small official is very grateful.”

It is an honor for a subject to be loved by the royal family, and He Ziming is the crown prince. Even if Gu Chen hates He Ziming’s confession, he can’t show the slightest bit of disgust …

“Grateful but not moved. Gratitude is just gracious refusal. I understand your feelings.” He Ziming didn’t care about his polite rejection, and didn’t wait for him to finish his words. He Ziming interrupted him first, and poured another glass of wine, draining the cup as he smiled bitterly.

The crown prince’s expression was very lonely. Gu Chen also felt a twinge of heartache for the dejected prince, and unconsciously opened his mouth to comfort him: “Your Royal Highness…”

No one can hate someone who sincerely loves themselves, especially if that man is such a noble person as the crown prince.

“I like men, and have ever since I was young. Towards women … for me, it’s totally impossible.” He Ziming drunkenly treated Gu Chen as a hole in a tree, confiding: “I realized this when I was young. At that time, I was terrified and felt like I was cursed and abandoned by the gods and heaven. People like me are destined to have no offspring and be spurned by the world … I am a complete waste. “

Gu Chen was swayed by his words: “Your Royal Highness …”

As a member of a distinguished family, when he realized he was a cutsleeve, his mental journey was almost the same as He Ziming …

He Ziming’s words resonated with him.

He is not close to any women, and he doesn’t even keep a concubine or bedservant in the house. The entire court praises him for being clean and self-conscious. He is considered to be one of the best gentleman in the nobility, but no one knows that he actually likes men.

“Once, I even thought of self harm, thinking of wanting to reincarnate. After all, how can a person like me be a crown prince and become the emperor? I might as well die.” He Ziming smiled wryly.

“Later, when I thought about it seriously, I realized I was much luckier than most people in this world. My way of life, being born with a golden spoon, it would be much too ungrateful to throw it away. I’m afraid that Lord Yan would be disgusted and force me to reincarnate as a lowly beast in my next life.”

Gu Chen listened to him quietly, and his eyes completely reflecting the crown prince.

He Ziming said stutteringly, “But even if I like men, I … I don’t dare to mess around. In the end, I am still the crown prince, and I have to be decent, and I don’t want to harm others by forcing them to accept my attentions. I never met someone like myself until I saw you, and saw how you look at Xiao Shengzi… I suddenly thought you might be a person like me.”

“Your Royal Highness-” Gu Chen was startled, and his body tensed like a startled bird.

It never occurred to him that He Ziming actually saw that he was also a cutsleeve, and then became interested in him. Gu Chen immediately wanted to deny it.

The next moment, He Ziming interrupted him directly and gave him a way to step down, clearly not intending to out Gu Chen: “But perhaps I saw what I wanted to see, having never seen such a noble and handsome man as Gu Chen. Perhaps it was my own fantasy.” “

Gu Chen breathed a sigh of relief, and was extremely grateful to him.

“Moreover, even if you are a fellow person who likes men, I am not worthy of such a noble and good man.” He Ziming said.

Gu Chen had to comfort: “Your Royal Highness doesn’t have to be so humble.”

“Your Royal Highness, even now you still call me Your Royal Highness. However, it doesn’t matter … I won’t correct you anymore. I believe Ziqing will one day be willing to call me by my name.” He Ziming interrupted him directly.

Gu Chen fixedly looked at him, waiting for the drunk He Ziming to say what he wished to say.

He Ziming looked at him with a smile, and said: “Even if you can’t do that … I and Zi Qing share the same interests, I believe that we can become friends in the future.”

He Ziming’s eyes were too transparent, making Gu Chen speechless for a while.

In the past, He Ziming made many decisions that were poor and illogical in Gu Chen’s eyes, causing Gu Chen to always believe that the crown prince was stupid and incompetent. But today, He Ziming and Gu Chen spoke for a long time together, and after drinking, he talked candidly. Now, Gu Chen changed his belief that He Ziming didn’t know what to do to be the best. He Ziming was capable of seeing through people, of pleasing courtiers and earning a good reputation. Rather, he is disdainful and unwilling to do so.

He Ziming knew his worth, and was content to merely know the joy of fish from afar (TN: A Taoist saying about how one should experience the joy of fish swimming freely in a river by walking alongside the riverbank; it’s a philosophical point about choosing one’s own happiness) … He wasn’t a greedy or selfish person.

Ever since the drunken confession of that day, Gu Chen’s favorability towards He Ziming exploded, doubling from the previous 20 points to 45 points. Gradually, Gu Chen’s attitude even became clear to outsiders. In front of the crown prince, Gu Chen no longer spoke cautiously, but rather spoke freely and without fear.

He Ziming was very glad to see Gu Chen change his attitude. He felt Gu Chen’s feeling towards himself is becoming incrementally warmer. What is lacking now is an opportunity to deepen his relationship with Gu Chen again.

He Ziming secretly asked the system: “System, what kind of opportunity do you think I need to deepen my relationship with Gu Chen while maintaining the crown prince’s character?”

He just asked casually.

The system was annoyed with He Ziming, and ignored him again: “…”

He Ziming wasn’t speaking seriously. He did not expect that a heavenly disaster could arrive so quickly to brush his feelings with Gu Chen.

TN: This is one of my fav chapters in the arc. I love drunk He Ziming and his real talk.

TN2: The line about treating him as a hole in a tree is literally verbatim from the raws. I checked it through 3 different sources. Best guess is it’s the Chinese equivalent saying to the English saying about a tree in the middle of the woods with no one around to hear it.

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!!!!

Chapter 5

He Ziming listened to the system and realized that all of this turned out to be a beautiful misunderstanding.

The original Crown Prince did know that Empress Yuan’s death was somehow related to Concubine Rong, but in fact didn’t know much about the truth. Instead, the pot of the empress’s death fell on another concubine’s head. The original Crown Prince had only accidentally learned one or two clues related to the matter, and thought that Rong Fei was merely the pawn used by this other concubine. He didn’t know that this seemingly weak and timid woman was actually the culprit who killed the Empress, and that the concubine was just a scapegoat.

Therefore, he struggled a bit between his conscience and revenge, but ultimately did not want the young He Zisheng to be killed for his mother’s crimes, and so he concealed it. However, he could not totally give up his mother’s hatred for the sake of brotherhood.

As for He Zisheng not being the son of the emperor, but rather the only descendant of the executed prince, the original crown prince was totally ignorant … Otherwise, in the end, he would not watch He Zisheng sit on the throne without exposing these matters.

But while the original He Ziming didn’t know, He Ziming has read the world’s storyline and is clear. He is not a person of this world, and doesn’t care if He Zisheng is truly of the royal bloodline. He Ziming doesn’t want to prevent him from taking the throne. He knows that He Zisheng is the protagonist, and that he is destined to be the emperor.

And his attitude where he seems to know the truth but concealed everything, led to He Zisheng believing that He Ziming knew far more than he actually did… and caused him to believe that He Ziming acted this way because he truly loved him as a brother.

The current He Zisheng even thought that He Ziming was now a moody, violent man because he was torn between brotherhood and revenge. He believes that there are too many troubles in his heart, and that he cannot hide the conflict he feels, turning the crown prince into the man he is now. He truly was moved by He Ziming, and couldn’t feel more grateful towards him.

He Ziming: “…”

Although He Ziming clearly knew that the original owner did not know Rong Fei was murderor of Empress Yuan, nor did he know that He Zisheng was not of royal blood. Even the change in temperament from sunshine to surliness was only in small part because of his shame over protecting He Zisheng by concealing Rong Fei’s participation in the empress’s death. In fact, the main reason for the crown prince’s attitude change was his realization that he was a completely gay man, and worse, that he preferred to be the bottom.

However, as a transmigrator, since this effect has been achieved, He Ziming is unlikely to take the initiative to clear up the chaos. Rather, he intends to adapt his plan to make this beautiful misunderstanding deeper and deeper.

After discovering evidence of He Zisheng’s purge of the events of that year, He Ziming immediately participated in one mission to help the protagonist erase the fatal evidence. His actions confirmed that he had known everything and had concealed the evidence in order to protect He Zisheng.

The participation of the Crown Prince’s forces helped to destroy the evidence, which made He Zisheng’s subordinates much more efficient. As the owner of ‘Heaven’s Eye’, He Zisheng soon learned that the Prince’s forces were crucial in helping him destroy those who held the fatal evidence.

“Master, you are so wise that even the Crown Prince’s forces can be used. Your skill is really high.” He Zisheng’s subordinates praised He Zisheng’s cunning.

He Zisheng watched the Prince’s forces take the initiative to help him cover up his non-royal bloodlines and remove the evidence of that year, and his heart was confused.

He Ziming’s affection for him … is it really so deep?

Since then, He Zisheng’s gaze towards He Ziming has become more and more complicated, his eyes focused like he looked at a rare flower.

“His Royal Highness …” He Zisheng called He Ziming unconsciously, wanting to ask why He Ziming should treat him so well and bear so much for him.

He Ziming looked at him fiercely: “What’s the matter?”

But in the end, He Zisheng couldn’t bring himself to ask, because he knew He Ziming would not answer him. So he just shook his head: “Nothing.”

“This prince deigned to respond to you, and yet you can’t speak? You really are rubbish, just as useless as when you were a child!” He Ziming scolded him, then lowered his head and continued working.

He Zisheng looked down at his focused face, but inexplicably felt calmer and more relaxed than he had in years.

“Ding! You have increased the favorability of the character He Zisheng by 5 points. At present, the favorability towards the host is 75 points.” The system’s prompt for increased favorability sounded again in He Ziming’s mind.

He Ziming didn’t react on the surface, but he excitedly said to the system, “Hey, in just a few days, He Zisheng has such a high degree of affection for me. It seems that the tasks in this world are quite easy, and I can quickly complete the task. “

He Ziming, who narcissistically loves himself, feels that his capability is getting higher and higher! Nobody can compare to himself.

“He Zisheng’s favorability towards you is really increasing by leaps and bounds, and is very high. But, stupid host, you need to know that your target is Gu Chen, not He Zisheng … Prince Li wants to become Gu Chen’s Bai Yueguang, not He Zisheng’s! “However, the system hit He Ziming’s face ruthlessly and broke his fantasy.

He Ziming: “…”

Yes, the target is Gu Chen, not He Zisheng.

“Of course I know that my target is Gu Chen, not He Zisheng. The son of destiny has such a high affection towards me, can the favorability of his suitor, Gu Chen, not be affected by his feelings? Surely an increase in his favorability isn’t far behind.” He Ziming was also worried about his own IQ for a second, but in order to maintain his dignified image in front of the system, he still pretended to have an inscrutable plan.

System:”……”

He Zisheng’s favorability is so high, can Gu Chen’s favorability be far behind? It’s an artificial intelligence, but even its brilliance can’t understand the causality and logic between these two sentences.

Gu Chen secretly loves He Zisheng. The stupid host brushed He Zisheng’s favorability so high, isn’t he worried about becoming the target’s love rival and being hated?

He Ziming didn’t talk to the stupid system any more, but started to make a plan for the next step in capturing Gu Chen.

The world’s plot has now progressed to the conflict in the court between the Crown Prince He Ziming and the second prince because of their conflicting political opinions. The second prince was resentful but did not dare to move directly against the crown prince, so he instead taught a fierce lesson to his running dog, He Zisheng. The fourth prince, without any support, was forced to endure a beating.

In order for He Ziming to brush a wave of goodwill from Gu Chen, he rushed to the fourth prince’s palace with Gu Chen. He Zisheng was being pressed to the ground by the second prince’s men, and the second prince was wantonly beating He Zisheng.

“Your Royal Highness, Fourth Prince …” Gu Chen was shocked when he saw this, and rushed to separate He Zisheng from the second prince and his entourage.

He Ziming’s reaction was much more exaggerated than Gu Chen’s. Gu Chen watched him rush forward and flatten the second prince to the ground with a vicious punch to the nose: “Fuck your mother, He Zizhang!”

He Zizhang nose was bleeding profusely and he was dazed from the punch. His guard recognized He Ziming as the crown prince, and no one dared to come forward and stop him.

He Zisheng was still a teenager who had just been cruelly beaten. As the bottom of the food chain among the royal princes, he couldn’t climb up off the ground for a long time.

Gu Chen helped He Zisheng up, supporting him. He Zisheng watched with amazement as He Ziming viciously punched He Zizhang. He never expected that He Ziming would give his political opponent in court such a handle by protecting him this way.

“Brother Huang, what are you doing?” He Zizhang had no idea that He Ziming would actually come forward to beat himself to protect He Zisheng.

He Ziming looked at the poor, beaten He Zisheng, and kicked the lower abdomen of He Zizhang, kicking the second prince far away: “Of course, what you do, I dare to return towards you.”

“Cough, cough, Emperor-Brother, He Zisheng was disrespectful to me. As his elder brother, I taught him a lesson, but it is too much for elder brother to treat me like this to protect him! My mother is Concubine Guo Guifei” He Zizhang coughed up a mouthful of blood and managed to stand up from the ground, saying,” Isn’t the Crown Prince afraid of being unsightly in front of the Emperor and the court? For your dog, you treat your true brother like this. It’s really ugly. “

After the death of Empress Yuan, the old emperor did not enthrone a new consort. Guo Guifei was the highest ranked concubine in the harem and ended up being placed in charge of the harem. Even if He Ziming was the crown prince, she was powerful with a strong political background, and beating her son in this way would surely harm He Ziming in court.

“Brother …”

“His Royal Highness …”

Gu Chen and He Zisheng both anxiously opened their mouths and wanted to persuade him.

“Shut up! Who are you calling brother? Did this dog eat the rules instead of learning them? Have you forgotten?” He Ziming stared fiercely at He Zisheng, who quickly knelt, before he turned his eyes to He Zizhang and said, “First, He Zisheng is listed on the clan’s family tree and is acknowledged as our Emperor-Father’s son. He is your brother. Second, this prince didn’t beat you to protect him, but because you did not respect this crown prince, and did not treat me as a brother. Naturally, I will give you a lesson, so that you will remember that a monarch and his subjects are different! “

He Zizhang asked: “Elder brother, why don’t you speak sense? Aren’t you afraid I will go seek justice in front of our father?”

“If you want to make trouble, you can make trouble. This prince would like to see if the Emperor-Father will stand on my side or yours! This prince isn’t afraid.” He Ziming sneered, truly fearless.

He Zizhang had to grind his teeth and swallow the bitter water into his stomach.

Given the love of the old emperor for He Ziming, He Zizhang knows without a doubt whose side the emperor will stand on.

“He’s just a dog of the Crown Prince. Doesn’t the Crown Prince himself often humiliate him? Why can Elder Brother teach him, but this prince, as the true brother of the Crown Prince, can’t educate this bastard of a cheap maidservant?” Being beaten because of the lowly fourth prince, He Zizhang’s heart was restless. He couldn’t help but glare at He Zisheng as he opened his mouth.

He Ziming glared at him fiercely, spitting out: “You know that he is this prince’s person. This prince can dare to teach him a lesson, but it does not mean that any other member of the court can dare to move against him.”

“The person who moves against the Crown Prince’s people has to pay the price, otherwise he is hitting the face of this prince… this time, this prince is just taking a tooth for a tooth, to teach you a lesson, but what will happen next time, this prince can not guarantee.” He threatened.

He Zizhang was not his opponent. He was wrong to raise his hands against the fourth prince, and it would not go well for him if this matter was to end up in front of the emperor. He had no choice but to swallow his teeth and blood down into his stomach, and left with only one sentence: “The green mountains will not change, the green river will flow for a long time, big brother, let’s see what will happen!”

He walked away with his own followers.

The previous Crown Prince had often done this kind of thing. He Ziming could even be said to be copying the original’s behavior.

However, the thoughts of people in different moods will naturally be different. He Ziming had also beaten the second prince in the last life. However, the past He Zisheng had believed that He Ziming only slapped He Zizhang to maintain the crown prince’s face. He Zisheng, who was beaten by He Zizhang and treated as a dog by He Ziming, hated the two elder princes even more after He Ziming defended him…

Now that He Zisheng believes that He Ziming’s fierce appearance hides a caring heart, he feels that the crown prince did it to protect him. He even feels moved that He Ziming did not hesitate to offend He Zizhang and Concubine Guo Guifei on his behalf.

“Brother Huang, you shouldn’t do this for me.The Guo family is very powerful in court. It is not good for you to hit the second prince …” He Zisheng stood up and walked to He Ziming’s side to coax him.

He Ziming shook off his hand rather impatiently: “Get away! You’re truly self-confident, who would offend the second prince and the Guo family for you? Guo family and the second prince dared to stand up against this prince, so this prince slapped him back into place. This prince did not move casually. The Guo family and the second prince cannot even enter this prince’s eyes.”

He couldn’t help but correct He Zisheng’s words.

He Zisheng looked at him acting like this, and suddenly grinned.

He used to feel that He Ziming had a disgusting face and treated him fiercely, but in fact the prince was just proud and treated him as lovingly as he was capable.

TN: Hashed this one out fairly quickly! Hope there aren’t too many typos. I also love that He Ziming’s performance as a tsundere. Tsunderes just have a special place in this bitter old lady’s heartttttttttt.

Anyone else out there weak for a good tsundere? I hope you are all staying safe and healthy!

Chapter 4

He Zisheng is not a naive fool who will believe anything he hears, especially not He Ziming’s drunken truths. Instead, he visited Rong Fei’s palace and asked the servants to retire, so he could ask his mother about the truth of that year.

“What’s the matter? Zi Sheng?” Rong Fei asked when she saw him stepping back and locking the door.

He Zisheng glanced at his mother with unfathomable eyes, but spoke straightforwardly: “Mother, is the death of the Empress related to you?”

He knew his mother, and knew that Rong Fei was not good at lying …

“How do you know, where did you hear that?” Rong Fei, who usually seemed so gentle and mild, was frightened to death when she heard He Zisheng’s words. Sputtering her words, she was clearly terrifed

He Zisheng was only tentatively probing the matter, he hadn’t truly believed He Ziming’s words. But when he saw Rong Fei’s demeanor, his heart sank. He knew that the his mother was truly entangled in the death of the Empress Yuan.

He Zisheng was very shocked by this amazing news, but he forced himself to suppress it. He became silent for a moment, and before he said coldly, “Who I learned it from is not important, what is important is that the Queen Mother and Crown Prince truly protected us and treated us well in those early years…Mother, why on earth would you do that? … “

He never thought that his mother, who always seemed to be gentle, had actually murdered the queen.

If another concubine had murdered the empress, he can reason they did so in order to earn favor or increase their power, but Concubine Rong Fei … Regardless of Empress’s presence or absence, the old emperor did not even view her as a pet. The emperor considered his visit to Rong Fei, who was a mere maid from a low-income family as the shame of his life. After it was revealed Rong Fei was pregnant from his drunken attentions, he gave her a title and a palace, but he never took a step into the palace and never looked at Rong Fei ever again…

At that time, if it were not for Empress Yuan, this mother and son would have died in the harem.

However, the facts now reveal that his mother, Rong Fei, had murdered the Empress… He Zisheng simply cannot accept this!

“I … I didn’t do it on purpose. I didn’t mean to kill the queen, but if the queen didn’t die… you and I would have been put to death” Rong Fei was almost driven mad by the secret that she had buried for more than ten years. Facing her son’s questions, she just mumbled and repeateQuestioning his son, he just mumbled and repeated such a sentence.

As for why the queen had to die for their family to survive, He Zisheng tried again and again to ask his mother. But Rong Fei just kept babbling madly, leaving He Zisheng to unable to question her.

Seeing her like this, He Zisheng no longer forced her to answer, but he clenched his fist unconsciously, and determined to investigate this matter himself.

Rong Fei’s only support has always been her son, and seeing his silence, she was afraid, and suddenly thought of asking: “Zi Sheng, where did you hear the news? His Royal Highness … the crown prince doesn’t know?”

She still hasn’t forgotten that her son was a follower of the prince, and the source of his information is most likely from the prince’s forces.

“This matter can never be heard by the crown prince’s ears. If even a little bit of the truth is heard, he will kill the both of us.” She anxiously cried.

He Zisheng scoffed and thought, “Not only has the crown prince known for a long time, but I even had to learn the news of my own family from him.”

But He Zisheng didn’t reveal anything to Rong Fei, saying only, “It doesn’t matter where I learned it, mother, you mustn’t be involved in this matter anymore. Your son has his own sense and will take care of this matter.”

As the son of destiny for this world, He Zisheng possessed a golden finger. Although, at this time, he was still pretending to be meek and powerless behind He Ziming, in fact he had secretly developed a great deal of power. He was even the master of the first spy organization “Heaven’s Eye” in the country…

After he became suspicious of the empress’s death and Rong Fei’s words, He Zisheng immediately followed this clue to investigate the events of the year.

Unexpectedly, he found out a truth that even he could not have guessed …

He turned out not to be the flesh and blood of the old emperor. Rather, Rong Fei was an assassin who had mixed in to the palace pretending to be a maidservant to assassinate the old emperor when he was a babe in her belly. Rong Fei’s master was no one else but the former prince who had failed in his bid for the throne. For this, he desired revenge and another chance for the imperial throne. However, the prince was arrested and executed after Rong Fei had mixed into the palace, but before she had a chance to execute the mission. Her former organization, “Heaven’s Eye,” was thrown into chaos because of their master’s execution. Rong Fei, realizing she was pregnant with the child of the former prince, plotted against the drunk emperor with the help of the remnants of the organization. She arranged a scene where it seemed that the drunken emperor had forced himself on her, and pretended that her child was born prematurely… …

There are so many concubines in the palace, and there are many children from different backgrounds. In addition, the old emperor only truly loved the Empress. He didn’t care about this new Concubine Rong, and never discovered the truth of the matter.

Unfortunately, the Empress had accidentally walked into Rong Fei’s meeting with her contact in the assassin organization in the palace in a complete coincidence. The assassin murdered her to ensure the Empress’s silence.

It is no accident that he himself will become the current owner of the “Heaven’s Eye” organization … but rather he is fated to become their master as the only son of the former prince.

He Zisheng was almost smashed by this sudden revelation. Finally, only one thought remained in his mind: he is not the son of the emperor. He and his mother murdered Empress Yuan. No wonder He Ziming would hate him so much, will humiliate him for so many years, will call him a bastard, and would not let him call him brother.

He Ziming must have known, that had he merely spoken a word of these matters, either of these crimes would immediately end in the death of himself and his mother …

But why did He Ziming know all and yet say nothing?

Is it because of him?

Is it because He Ziming really treats him as a loved one and as a younger brother? He wants to protect him and doesn’t want him to die. Therefore, he conceals these secrets, but can’t help hating him and humiliating him?

He Zisheng was deeply moved in his heart, remembering hazily that when he was young, He Ziming would carry himself everywhere, playing with him, poking his face so that He Zisheng would not call him the crown prince but instead call him elder brother. Thinking of the crown prince as a young boy, He Zisheng’s eyes filled with tears.

As the son of destiny, He Zisheng was very self-possessed. Although he was almost stunned by the revelations of his life’s secrets, he forced himself to be clearminded. He began to use his own power to destroy all the evidence and clues related to the incident of that year.

He knew very well that if these things broke out, they would be fatal for him … only when they were eliminated, could he and Rong Fei survive.

He Zisheng silently digested and swallowed this secret alone, not even revealing anything to Gu Chen.

As for the apparently narcissistic and incompetent Crown Prince, he actually clearly controlled He Zisheng’s life or death.

He Zisheng was full of interest in He Ziming, and he no longer blindly hated him, but instead quietly observed the man.

That day’s drunkenness was like a dream of Huang Liang (TN: I believe this is a reference to a famous cultural morality parable, A Sequel to the Yellow Millet Dream. Basically, it just refers to a dream that doesn’t truly happen, but still teaches the dreamer truths and morality), and the the sober He Ziming seemed to have no memory of the incident. He treated He Zisheng the same as before. If he caught the fourth prince committing eve a small mistake, he would throw things, splitting his head, covering He Zisheng’s face like he was training a dog. He even smashed the court documents into He Zisheng’s face, saying, “Fool, can’t even handle this matter? What’s the use of leaving you in charge?”

“I’ll give you another chance. Two days, two days. If you don’t handle the matter cleanly by then, you will pay yourself!” He Ziming deliberately found fault, and once again scolded him as a dog.

In the past, He Zisheng would be disdainful in his heart, and secretly vow to one day step on He Ziming and return all the humiliation that he had given him today.

But after knowing the truth, He Zisheng looked at He Ziming again, listening to his insults, but he didn’t even feel a bit disgusted or wronged…

His own life was given to him by this person. He Ziming knew the truth, and could easily take his life, but he finally chose to hide it all. For more than ten years, he said nothing.

Mother’s revenge?

Compared with that, he was merely scolded by him with a few words, how can he be so shameless as to count that?

“Yes, Your Royal Highness, this minister knows. Give this minister another chance, and this lowly official will definitely perform well.” Unlike the meek obedience that He Zisheng used to pretend when he was scolded by He Ziming in the past, this time He Zisheng was truly sincere. With a good attitude and a humble voice, he warmly responded to He Ziming.

He Ziming couldn’t find any stubbornness or fault in his demeanor, and had scolded enough, so he finally was ready to let him off.

He frowned, and immediately said to He Zisheng: “Get out!”

“Yes!”

He Zisheng very diligently took the official document and went out to work.

He Ziming coldly watched him retreat, but secretly his back was coated in cold sweat, saying to the system: “System, are you sure that the son of destiny in this world isn’t a shaking M? (TN: masochist) How is it that every time I call him over to scold him, the favorability starts to rise? It’s too high, look at it, it’s nearly at seventy! “

These days, the system it’s like the system is bugged. As long as he calls He Zisheng over to humiliate him, it’s like He Zisheng is a shaking m, and his affection for him just raises and raises. He scolded He Zisheng six times in the last few days, and each scolding He Zisheng’s favorability rose a huge amount. He abruptly increased the affection score from the initial -45 points to the current 70 points, terrifying He Ziming into thinking that the system was experiencing a total system failure.

“He isn’t a shaking m, he mistakenly thinks that He Ziming knows that he isn’t the blood of the royal family and that his mother murdered Empress Yuan, but still protected him and never told the truth… What is a mere scolding, even if you beat him up every day he just thinks of these two points that he misunderstands and can’t bear to blame you! “Just when He Ziming almost wanted to define the protagonist as a pervert, the system broke his obscene delusion cruelly and ruthlessly, telling him the truth: “That’s the hatred of a mother-slayer, stupid master.”

The system looked at the motionless He Ziming said: “Now He Zisheng almost feels that He Ziming really loves him, okay?”

TN: I meant to put out two chapters this weekend, but I ended up playing animal crossing all weekend… On the plus side, my island now looks gorgeous, but I have to apologize for neglecting this! I will work hard and try to get another chapter out tonight.

Chapter Three

He Ziming’s sudden humiliation made Gu Chen and He Zisheng’s faces ugly, but because of the situation, they had to tolerate their grievances.

“I have overreached myself, Your Royal Highness …” He Zisheng deserved to be the son of destiny. He had a courageous spirit, and even after being so humiliated, he quickly adjusted himself back to normal. He acted very obedient and changed his words

“It’s good to know your place.” He Ziming snorted coldly: “You don’t need to copy the book.”

He looked down at He Zisheng with a raised eyebrow, as if looking at something cheap: “However, remember this. The reason this prince pardoned you was not because your behavior was correct, nor because I was being mercifulon account of our brotherhood, but rather that Zi Qing pleaded for you, and and so I let you go. “

“If you dare to commit another crime next time, you will have to rely on your own power, and your father will teach you what is the etiquette of the royal family, and punish you severely.” He Ziming looked at He Zisheng with threatening eyebrows.

Even if he knew he was overbearing, as a lofty and perverse crown prince, he would never acknowledge his wrongs.

He Zisheng didn’t say a word, and he didn’t even dare to look up at He Ziming. He answered with a low bow: “Yes, this one thanks His Royal Highness for his generosity, and swears he will always bear in mind His Royal Highness’ teachings.”

It seems that he is accustomed to He Ziming’s humiliation and bullying.

“That’s right, Xiao Shengzi, you remember these words . In the future, unless you are in front of the Emperor, do not dare to call this prince your brother. If you do, this prince will be forced to educate you again. You deserve to be called Xiao Shengzi, and this prince cannot afford to be compared with you. “He Ziming spat out insult after insult to He Zisheng.

He Zisheng was acting was very good even at his young age. Even in the face of such humiliation, he endured it in silence, and responded very obediently: “Yes, this minister will remember the teachings of the Crown Prince.”

“Get out.” He Ziming glared at him with hatred, before turning his gaze and waving his hands dismissively toward He Zisheng.

He looked at Gu Chen and said, “This prince is not feeling well tonight, so he will not send Zi Qing out. Zi Qing shall leave with Xiao Shengzi.”

“This official obeys.”

They listened to He Ziming’s remarks before they breathed a sigh of relief. After resigning from his presence, they left the prince’s palace.

“Host, why don’t you take this opportunity to repair the relationship with the protagonist, hold his golden thigh, and change Gu Chen’s impression of you? Do you still want to follow the path of the original Crown Prince?” Gu Chen and He Zisheng walked briskly out of sight. The mechanized voice of this constantly-dragging-the-legs system sounded in He Ziming’s mind: “If this continues, Gu Chen will only hate you more and more. It is impossible for him to treat you as his Baiyueguang after his death. “(TN: Baiyueguang= white moonlight in his heart, or a love that can never be forgotten)

The system is very concerned about the career path of the host.

Facing the system’s doubts, He Ziming said, “Rest assured, I have a sense of proportion.”

“But …” the system wanted to say something more.

He Ziming raised an eyebrow, but said: “I think that the original Crown Prince did not chose to give up his reincarnation, his ten merits and the true dragon emperor’s destiny only to watch Gu Chen love someone else. The task is not to for me to capture Gu Chen’s heart, but for Gu Chen to never forget the original soul.

The system was silent.

“With such a high remuneration, I think … I will try to do this task as perfectly as possible and make Gu Chen fall in love with the original prince,” said He Ziming.

He thought for a while and added the sentence: “No, it should be said that from this moment on, I am the Crown Prince.”

He Ziming’s fighting spirit was high, but Gu Chen and He Zisheng had just left the Crown Prince’s mansion. As soon as he came out of the Crown Prince’s mansion, Gu Chen immediately looked at He Zisheng with worry: “Chang’an, are you okay?”

Chang’an is the name of He Zisheng, the son of destiny.

” Although He Ziming is violent, I am still a prince. While he has humiliated to me many times, he still has a bottom line and won’t be too rough, or make me suffer bodily … Instead, he just forced me to copy the book. Mental intimidation can’t deter me. I can withstand this ordeal. “He Zisheng arrived at his own palace and immediately swept the innocent, cowering look off his face, showing demeanor of a majestic young emperor, full of sneers .

It seems that he never saw the so-called humiliation that He Ziming gave him. Compared to the bitterness and suffering he had eaten since childhood, what is this?

It’s all trivial.

Gu Chen frowned, and said, “You have been wronged, Chang’an …”

He had watched the small and thin child who had never experienced love grow into this powerful, intelligent prince, but he still had to suffer such humiliation. Gu Chen was very distressed for his beloved.

“What kind of grievance is this?” He Zisheng sneered, gritted his teeth and said, “One day, I will step upon all those who have insulted me, and let He Ziming pay for everything he has done.”

Gu Chen frowned and tried to persuade him to let go of his hatred, but he didn’t know where to start.

“However, He Ziming often rebukes me lately, but it seems it’s not simply because of his hatred of me, but because of our friendship, Ziqing.” He Zisheng suddenly thought of something, but sneered.

Gu Chensheng was afraid that He Zisheng could see He Ziming’s intentions towards him, and quickly asked, “What does Changan mean?”

“Zi Qing is well-known in the world, and He Ziming’s desire to recruit Zi Qing is also well-known.” Unlike Gu Chen and He Ziming, who were mosquito-repellent incense(TN: Mosquito repellent incense is bent into a coil), He Zisheng, the son of destiny, is a straight man.

Regarding He Ziming’s sudden pursuit of Gu Chen, he never considered it to be romantic, but used his own thinking to treat He Ziming’s goodwill to Gu Chen as a monarch attempting to recruit talented people.

Gu Chen expressed a sigh of relief, and swore his loyalty to He Zisheng: “I grew up with Chang’an from an early age, and consider Chang’an my brother. As a child, I vowed that I would devote this life to Chang’an. . “

The implication is that no matter how well He Ziming treats him, he will not be swayed by He Ziming.

“Of course I believe Ziqing regards me as a brother.” He Zisheng patted Gu Chen’s shoulder. As a future monarch, his insightful eyes are outstanding: “But in fact, I have another idea.”

“What does Chang’an mean?” Gu Chen asked softly.

He Zisheng smiled softly.

He wanted Gu Chen to enter He Ziming’s forces, to become He Ziming’s confidant, and to become his undercover spy to pave the way for his future rise …

——

After that day, Gu Chen began to get closer to the crown prince by incremental steps. To outsiders, he seemed to be impressed by the crown prince’s recruitment, and joined the other party’s camp, becoming a crony to the crown prince. Only Gu Chen knew the true reason the Crown Prince had worked hard to bring him to his side.

The Crown Prince desired him, not as a ruler desires talented people to fill his court, but as a lover…

Because his icy loved one gradually melted and was moved by himself, He Ziming’s mood suddenly became very good, and his temper was no longer the same as before. He even looked at He Zisheng, who he always considered annoying, and found him pleasing to the eye. The court was thrilled to find that the moody crown prince had finally become dignified.

All the people in the Crown Prince’s forces were grateful to Gu Chen and thanked their lucky stars for the change.

He Ziming’s good mood lasted for several months and was not broken until a palace feast.

The reason for the break was that He Ziming felt that his plots were almost finished brewing, and it was time to wash clean the crown prince’s past …

The truth of some things, the deceased prince did not speak of even until his death, so He Ziming would tell He Zisheng and Gu Chen on his behalf.

The day of the palace feast was the death day of the crown prince’s birth mother, the former Empress. Although the banquet was set up in the palace, the feast was truly held in honor of the dead Empress.

The Empress Yuan and the old emperor were childhood sweethearts. Her status in the eyes of the old emperor is unparalleled, and she can be called his true love. Therefore, even if the only child left by the Empress Yuan is quite incompetent, and even a little dazed, the old emperor never thought about demoting the prince. After the death of the Empress, he was worried that other concubines would neglect or bully the only child his beloved wife left. Because of this, he personally raised He Ziming by his side, despite his busy situation.

His favor and attention to He Ziming are unmatched by other princes.

At such a banquet to commemorate the Empress Yuan, everyone except the old emperor and prince-in-law naturally became mere set pieces.

For the entirety of the palace feast, except for the father and son, who reminisced about the deceased Yuan queen, and wept bitter tears, the other guests could only were eat silently, not even allowed to speak.

Prince He Ziming has deep affection for his biological mother, and thinking of his prematurely deceased mother drank many cups of wine, quickly becoming drunk.

After the end of the palace feast, the depressed old emperor was supported out by his trusted eunuch, and He Ziming immediately wobbled and stood in an unstable manner, crying in sorrow: “Mother…”

“His Royal Highness.”

“Brother!”

He Zimeng stumbled, about to fall. He Zisheng and Gu Chen came forward immediately, and He Zisheng helped support He Ziming.

As soon as He Ziming saw He Zisheng’s face, he looked at him fiercely and bitterly, and threw away He Zisheng’s hand without leaving him any face.

He Zisheng didn’t flinch at his rude and violent behavior. He still supported He Ziming firmly, but said with lowered eyebrows: “Brother, you are drunk, let your brother help you back.”

Although He Ziming didn’t like He Zisheng to call him brother, he couldn’t stop him from calling him this in public…

He Ziming looked at He Zisheng for a long time. Perhaps because of his drunkenness, he did not hit He Zisheng’s face, but allowed him to escort him away from the lively and complicated palace banquet scene.

The three walked quietly together.

Perhaps because of the cold wind, when He Ziming walked to a relatively quiet, uninhabited palace path, He Zimeng suddenly stopped and retched.

He Zisheng was disgusted, but still came forward and patted He Ziming’s back gently. He served him like a little eunuch, and asked softly, “His Royal Highness, are you okay?”

He clearly remembered that they were already in private and he could no longer call him brother.

“Get off!” Who knows, at this time He Ziming suddenly raged, the wine scenting his breath blowing into He Zisheng’s face.

He Zisheng’s disgusted face was almost difficult to hide, but his actions were very thoughtful: “His Royal Highness, you have drunk too much, I will take you back.”

He hasn’t forgotten that he is still a dog under a fence, and he can only live by relying on He Ziming’s power.

No matter how He Ziming humiliates him, he must please the other party!

“I told you to go away, did you not understand? You bastard!” He Zisheng stepped forward again, but He Ziming kicked him to the ground suddenly.

He Zisheng was kicked fiercely, but He Zimeng was crazed with drink. He punched and kicked him, and finally strangled his neck as if he really wanted to kill He Zisheng, screaming: “Kill you, I’ll kill you, you bastard! “

“Cough—” He Zisheng’s body was still very weak at this time, and he was a teenager. He Ziming, who was already an adult man, completely overwhelmed him, strangling him as he struggled and writhed for air on the ground.

Seeing this, Gu Chen quickly stepped forward, and he ripped away the drunken He Ziming, and rescued He Zisheng from his hands.

As the son of Shang Shu, a soldier of the Ministry of Military Affairs who trained from an early age, Gu Chen was merely an official but still capable of martial arts. He had a lot of strength. He quickly pulled He Ziming away, and harshly accused: “His Royal Highness, the fourth prince is your brother, how can you treat him so? “

Gu Chen felt that the surly and mad crown prince was unreasonable to the extreme, but his rank is too high to compete with, born as the only son of the Empress. Otherwise, how could this drunk possibly compare to He Zisheng’s brilliance.

“He Zisheng, do you hate me?” He Ziming went madly to He Zisheng, stumbling drunkenly.

He Zisheng ignored him.

He Ziming pushed Gu Chen away, and he directly lifted He Zisheng up and asked again: “He Zisheng, do you hate me?”

“How could Chen Di hate His Royal Highness? For many years, Chen Di was able to survive in the harem thanks to His Royal Highness’ care. Chen Di is grateful to His Royal Highness, and could not be thankful. How could I hate His Royal Highness? “He Zisheng is indeed the son of destiny. Even at this time, while he hated He Ziming very much, and there was no hint on his face. Even if He Ziming was drunk and would not recall the conversation, he still acted out a play that he was grateful to the prince.

He Ziming praised the protagonist in his heart, but he twisted his face into a drunken stupor, and as if he had heard a joke began to laugh long and hard: “Hahaha, you don’t hate me. . “

“But I hate you, He Zisheng …” He swayed drunkenly.

Gu Chen saw on the spot that He Ziming was a bit abnormal. He intuitively felt that the other party would say something secret and was trying to persuade him: “His Royal Highness …”

“Mother, your son is not filial, your son is not filial.” He Ziming switched topics suddenly, bursting into drunken tears as he cried: “Today is your death day, and your son knows that Rongfei killed you, But he dares not tell this to the emperor, considering his brother, but his brother is also Rongfei’s son… how can I protect Rong Fei’s son … I am sorry for you, I am sorry, mother… “

He Ziming wept on the ground.

Gu Chen and He Zisheng were stunned on the spot.

Rong Fei is not a stranger. She is the base mother of He Zisheng. Rong Fei is not a concubine, but a slave, and she has no power in the palace. Because of her low birth, almost every other concubine in the palace can bully her. In the early years, she was taken care of by the Empress Yuan, and her life improved while the Empress lived.

Rong Fei’s temperament was extremely weak. After the death of Empress Yuan, everyone came to bully and insult her, and the emperor did not care about her life and death.

No one knew why, but the crown prince, He Ziming, often came to find Rong Fei and insult her …

He Zisheng deeply loves his cowardly mother, and while he can tolerate being bullied by He Ziming, it is because He Ziming has repeatedly insulted his mother that He Zisheng hates He Ziming so deeply.

But now, He Ziming said that such a cowardly woman as Rong Fei actually caused the death of Empress Yuan. Is this possible? is that true?

Is He Ziming drunk, talking nonsense, or…?

“His Royal Highness …” Both Gu Chen and He Zisheng were astonished.

He Ziming drunkenly stumbled to He Zisheng and grabbed his hand: “Chang’an, you are my younger brother, you are my favorite younger brother, your oldest brother loves you the most, you have saved his life … … but why, why are you Rong Fei’s son, the son of my mother’s murderer? Chang’an? “

The drunk He Ziming’s eyes were burning, and the thick brotherhood could almost overflow from his eyes. His hoarse voice was full of contradictions and deep feelings. No one would doubt that his feelings were false.

He Zisheng felt that his intense eyes were scorching his soul, and suddenly remembered that when he was young, he once had a good relationship with He Ziming, although it was because of He Ziming’s youth and his bullying at the hands of the other princes. The young He Zisheng was calculating, and deliberately plotted to win the favor of He Ziming, but the young crown prince truly loved the friendless fourth prince, and was a wonderful brother to him. Even his own name, Chang’an, was given to him by the crown prince.

He used to be very clingy with He Ziming … But when did all this change?

Oh, it started around the death of Empress Yuan.

Since then, the young man who was warm and sunny has disappeared and has become the imperious crown prince now.

“Brother …” He Zisheng recalled the past and couldn’t help but pull He Ziming’s sleeve, and called him.

But this made the drunken He Ziming go crazy. He shook off He Zisheng’s hand, and looked at him in disgust, as if he saw something filthy. He said sharply, “Go away! You bastard, you’re unworthy to call me your brother!”

He Zisheng released his hand, but this time he couldn’t be so relieved that he hated He Ziming.

He Ziming staggered a few steps, but suddenly fell down.

“His Royal Highness …” Gu Chen and He Zisheng rushed forward to support him.

Fortunately, He Ziming did not faint, but fell into a drunken sleep. After falling into Gu Chen’s arms, a short snoring sounded after a while …

“…” He Zisheng.

Gu Chen: “…”

He Ziming slept soundly, but after he revealed so many secrets and uttered the truth after drinking so much, the other two were destined to stay up all night without sleep.

TN: Finally done! Still trying to figure out how to add buttons and clean up the webpage, hopefully this weekend I will have time to make the site look better and add next and previous buttons to the pages.