DCPRT Chapter 66

The flooding in Hedong Commandery that had destroyed fertile farmland had already occurred while the Crown Prince was gravely ill and unconscious. Upon receiving news of the disaster in Hedong Commandery, You Fengyun had immediately organized personnel to carry out relief efforts, and had mobilized grain reserves from neighboring commanderies and counties to aid the disaster-stricken people of Hedong Commandery. It had taken over a month of work before the flood was finally brought under control.

However, more than three months after the incident, an urgent report arrived from Hedong Commandery and exploded onto the court like a bombshell — one could well imagine how furious You Fengyun was on the inside. At the same time, it also reflected just how powerful the local magnates were in Dayang County, and how closely intertwined they were with the local government.

And You Yusui, who sat in a chair listening to court affairs, knew even more clearly that the Governor of Hedong Commandery had countless entanglements with the Li family. Any investigation would inevitably implicate a great many people — the entire Hedong Commandery would need to have its officials replaced. Moreover, countless assassins were lurking in the shadows, waiting for whoever took on the case.

Besides, You Yusui had no intention of involving himself in this matter. Getting involved would mean being marked by both the Prince Yan faction and the Prince Wu faction, who would think he was stealing their credit.

And so, when You Yuyi and You Yushan came forward to offer their services and relieve the Emperor of his burdens, You Yusui broke into a heavy fit of coughing. His slender fingers clutched desperately at the fabric over his chest, and the Crown Prince, sitting in his chair to hear court affairs, grew increasingly pale, the redness at the corners of his eyes growing ever more vivid — clearly an abnormal appearance.

You Fengyun’s gaze was quickly drawn to You Yusui. He looked at You Yusui and said, “What is the matter with the Crown Prince?”

Meanwhile, You Yuyi and You Yushan, kneeling to the side, shot unfriendly glances at You Yusui. It was supposed to be their moment to compete for the right to investigate the case — what did the Crown Prince think he was doing, pulling everyone’s attention away?

You Yusui wiped away the blood he had drawn by biting the tip of his tongue and said, “This son was so moved to anger upon hearing this matter that it has injured his lungs. I have made a spectacle of myself before everyone.”

Hearing this, You Fengyun frowned deeply and turned to the young eunuch at his side, saying, “Help the Crown Prince to the side hall and summon the imperial physicians.”

“Many thanks, Father Emperor.” You Yusui rose unsteadily to his feet.

Shortly afterward, You Yusui followed the young eunuch out and left for the side hall.

You Yusui had barely lain down on the small couch in the side hall when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps, and in the next moment, his slightly cold hand fell into Huo Xiling’s warm, dry hands.

“Is Your Highness all right?”

Given Huo Xiling’s official rank, he was not permitted to enter Xuande Hall to attend court. He had no idea whatsoever what had happened to cause You Yusui to suddenly collapse.

“This prince is fine,” said You Yusui, opening his eyes.

But Huo Xiling said, “Your Highness, one day I will be able to stand at the place closest to you, and it will not be like this” — not knowing anything at all.

Just at that moment, Imperial Physician Cui and the Head Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Courtyard, who had been urgently summoned, also arrived at the side hall of Xuande Hall.

As practiced as he was, Cui Yan had barely exchanged a glance with You Yusui before he knew You Yusui was feigning illness. He set down his medicine box and asked, “Has Your Highness been moved to anger?”

You Yusui nodded. Cui Yan then placed one hand, a needle pinched between his fingers, on You Yusui’s arm, and used his body to block the Head Imperial Physician’s line of sight, before inserting the needle into an acupoint on You Yusui’s wrist.

“Is it angina?” Cui Yan continued to ask.

(TL: Angina (short for angina pectoris) is a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart.)

You Yusui nodded obediently. Whatever Divine Physician Cui said, went — so long as he made it sound serious enough, You Yusui wanted nothing to do with the troubles in Hedong Commandery.

“Indeed, that is the case,” said Cui Yan after taking You Yusui’s pulse, then stepped aside to let the Head Imperial Physician take the pulse in turn.

The Head Imperial Physician’s fingers had barely settled on You Yusui’s wrist before his brow furrowed deeply. He said, “If Your Highness does not take proper care of himself, I fear that…”

The old Head Imperial Physician left his words unfinished, but those around him already understood what he meant to say.

Meanwhile, Cui Yan quickly finished writing a prescription, then handed it to the old Head Imperial Physician for a look and added, “This junior intends to combine medicinal herbs with acupuncture to stabilize His Highness’s condition. I wonder if the Head Imperial Physician finds this acceptable.”

“It is acceptable,” said the old Head Imperial Physician, looking at the prescription and unable to help but feel admiring.

And so, in the side hall of Xuande Hall, You Yusui was once again turned into a pincushion by Cui Yan.

You Yusui: …I suspect he is taking the opportunity for personal revenge.

Meanwhile, in the main hall of Xuande Hall, the court officials were still arguing heatedly over which prince should be sent to investigate the case, with no resolution in sight.

You Yuyi in particular was desperate to seize this opportunity. The things that had happened earlier had dragged his reputation to rock bottom, and although Li Xiyue had been continually attending various flower-viewing banquets on his behalf to clear his name, the effects had been minimal.

Watching the Crown Prince surpass him in every regard and bask in the Emperor’s favor, You Yuyi could not help but feel a creeping unease. If he could not produce some achievement of his own, he feared his Father Emperor would sooner or later grow tired of him.

And so this opportunity — he had to fight for it at all costs.

The third prince’s faction, too, was unwilling to relinquish the right to investigate. The Governor of Hedong Commandery had numerous ties to their side, and it was unclear whether he had been involved or not. If he had been involved and the first prince’s faction uncovered it, that would be deeply troublesome.

They had, after all, witnessed the first prince’s faction hounding the Grand Princess without mercy, and so they could be quite certain: if the Governor of Hedong Commandery was implicated in this matter, they would likely lose a layer of skin over it.

And so the third prince’s faction was determined to support You Yushan going personally to investigate the case, so that anything incriminating could be swiftly destroyed.

Both sides had their own calculations, and the court fell into an argument that could not be resolved.

You Fengyun’s earlier fury gradually receded, and his fingers tapped lightly on the desk as his gaze fell upon the quietest person in the crowd — Xie Tan.

Xie Tan. Of the Xie family. His official post was Junior Minister of the Court of Judicial Administration — a position that placed him well outside the political center of power. Moreover, he was the Crown Prince’s maternal cousin, and the Crown Prince had just fallen ill, which made it certain this matter would not land on his head. Thus Xie Tan had become the only bystander amid the dispute between the two factions.

“Dear minister Xie,” You Fengyun spoke, “Which prince do you think Zhen should send?”

When the strikingly elegant young man in the crimson official robes was called upon by You Fengyun, he replied with a calm expression, “This official believes it would be better to send both Your Highnesses together.”

To speak plainly, Xie Tan did not believe either of them would uncover anything of substance in Hedong Commandery. He even thought it would be a stroke of sheer luck if they made it back alive. Yes — that was how little regard Xie Tan had for them.

And so Xie Tan intended to send both of them away together.

No one could have imagined that behind such a refined and dignified appearance, this man’s thoughts were entirely occupied with how to send his younger cousin’s rivals packing.

You Fengyun had clearly not expected this answer from Xie Tan, and so he turned to the assembled officials and asked, “What does everyone think of this?”

They thought nothing of it — naturally!

The first prince’s faction felt that the credit that belonged to them should not have to be shared with anyone else.

The third prince’s faction felt that if the first prince’s faction was present, the third prince would have difficulty acting, and the risk of exposure would increase greatly.

Yet continuing to argue would yield no result, and You Fengyun would not allow them to keep at it. And so You Yuyi and You Yushan were promptly packed off by You Fengyun.

Furthermore, You Fengyun ordered them to travel light, conceal their identities, go deep into Hedong Commandery, and investigate the truth.

As Xie Tan watched You Yuyi and You Yushan set off with barely a dozen men, he could already see the words death knocking at their door written across their foreheads.

And so, when Cui Yan — who had just finished examining You Yusui’s pulse — encountered Xie Tan on the palace path after court was dismissed, he looked at Xie Tan and said, “What are you smiling about? It’s terrifying.”

Ever since Cui Yan and Xie Tan had known each other from childhood, he had rarely seen Xie Tan smile. If Xie Tan was smiling, it was certain that someone was about to suffer a terrible misfortune.

Xie Tan looked at Cui Yan and said, “I am in very good spirits today. I have gotten rid of two caterpillars that were eating my peonies.”

Cui Yan gave a murmur of puzzlement, feeling there was something more to Xie Tan’s words.

“How is Crown Prince’s condition?” Xie Tan asked.

Cui Yan replied, “His Highness the Crown Prince is more or less the same. But trust in my medical skills — keeping him safe and sound is not difficult.”

Given the Crown Prince’s sturdy-as-an-ox constitution, Cui Yan said nothing more — but living to seventy was certainly within reach, a lifespan that already far outstripped most aristocratic families in Chang’an.

“That is good to hear,” said Xie Tan with a nod, and then walked out of the palace along the palace path.

At that moment, in the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace, Huo Xiling had already learned that You Yusui had been feigning illness, and felt a pang of heartache knowing he had bitten his own tongue to do so.

And so, in the inner chamber where only the two of them were present, Huo Xiling carefully cupped You Yusui’s chin and said, “Your Highness, open up — let me see. I’ll apply medicine for you.”

You Yusui smiled and said to Huo Xiling, “My wound hurts so much. Xiling, can you kiss it better?”

The wound was on His Highness’s tongue. If he were to kiss it, he would have to…

Before Huo Xiling could finish that thought, his whole being felt as though it was about to burst into fireworks.

You Yusui watched Huo Xiling go completely rigid and leaned into his arms, saying, “Xiling, won’t you kiss me? It hurts so much. Won’t you make it better?”

“Mm.”

Then the bed curtains stirred slightly, and a few soft, low sounds escaped from You Yusui — the taste of blood spread between both their mouths, and in that moment, You Yusui felt that it was sweet.

With the Crown Prince ill, and the first and third princes absent from court, the court was remarkably peaceful for a few days. You Fengyun was greatly relieved — until his secret guards came with a report…

“Your Majesty! Both Prince Yan and Prince Wu have gone missing within Hedong Commandery — their whereabouts are unknown!”

This news struck the entire court like a thunderclap!

And what frightened the officials even more was the Emperor’s furious rage.

At once, every gaze in the court turned toward the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace.

“Has the Crown Prince’s health recovered?” You Fengyun asked.

Cui Yan, forced to face the Emperor’s imperial might, said, “He should be recovered by now.”

I am sorry, Your Highness the Crown Prince. This cannot be blamed on this official. If I said you had not recovered, your father would be the first to have me killed. Better a fellow Daoist die, not this poor Daoist — I trust Your Highness will surely understand, thought Cui Yan, entirely unbothered.

(TL: 死道友不死貧道 “Let the fellow Daoist die, not this poor Daoist.” = Better you than me)

And so You Yusui, who had been happily teaching Huo Xiling to read in the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace, received an imperial edict ordering him to proceed without delay to Hedong Commandery to investigate the case of the embezzled disaster relief funds and locate the two missing princes.

Upon receiving the edict, You Yusui was stunned on the spot. Only after the eunuch bearing the edict had left did he speak, “This prince’s two brothers have gone missing?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Eunuch Fubao replied earnestly at his side.

“Oh. So this prince must now go and fish those two good-for-nothings back, is that correct?” said You Yusui with an expression of utter indifference.

“Yes.”

You Yusui: …If you’re going to die, hurry up and do it somewhere else. Don’t die on my doorstep.