Shoutout to Tachibanaswife for the commission!
As soon as I shut my mouth, Qi Sheng also stopped speaking. The carriage fell silent again, so I could only gesture toward him. “Please, go ahead.”
Qi Sheng looked at me rather unexpectedly and said, “Yang Yan’s father, Yang Yu, was originally the eldest son of Marshal Mai. He was adopted by Marshal Mai for the Loyal and Martyr Duke Yang Mo. Because the Loyal and Martyr Duke died early, although he was adopted, he still grew up under Marshal Mai. Later, for some reason, he became connected with the Cui family of the Northern Desert. In his early years, Yang Yu also caused some trouble, but when the late emperor was alive, he favored him greatly, so no one could do anything about him.”
I found it strange, not because Yang Yan’s background was so complicated, but because I wondered why Qi Sheng had the patience to tell me all this.
Qi Sheng continued, “Yang Yan is Yang Yu’s youngest son. He had always been in Jiangbei before and only came to Shengdu at the end of last year. Somehow, he ended up mixing with Old Nine.”
Because of “Eighteen Touches”? I guessed.
As the saying goes, friendships between men are forged in a few ways: first, studying together; second, going to war together; third, visiting brothels together; fourth, sharing stolen spoils together.
The first, second, and fourth were all ruled out, so it was probably the third.
Qi Sheng stopped and looked at me.
I opened my mouth but said nothing.
Seeing my expression, Qi Sheng thought I had some concern and said calmly, “If you have something to say, just say it. No need to worry.”
I opened my mouth again but still didn’t dare.
Qi Sheng frowned, simply picked up his book, lowered his head, and stopped looking at me.
I watched him and thought about how exactly I should talk to him. Should I be tactful, or direct? Should I use a gentle teaching tone, or a blunt strike-to-the-head approach?
Which method did he prefer?
Sigh, I’m not very good at persuading people.
I cleared my throat and asked, “Do you… have anything else to say?”
Qi Sheng didn’t answer and continued reading.
I sat upright and put on a formal expression. “Then it’s my turn.”
Qi Sheng still didn’t react, though his eyebrow lifted slightly.
Fine, I’ll assume you’re listening. I quickly ran through what I wanted to say in my mind, then asked very seriously, “Do you still want to become emperor or not?”
Qi Sheng finally looked up at me.
I waited for him to say, “What if I do? What if I don’t?”
But after waiting for a long time, nothing came.
So I had to continue seriously, talking to myself: “If you still want to, then listen to my advice. If you don’t, then step down early and let someone else owe you a favor.”
Qi Sheng’s eyes moved slightly. At last he reacted a bit, still in a calm tone. “What do you have to say?”
I said solemnly, “Your current situation is already very difficult. Externally, powerful nations are eyeing you; internally, your brothers are fighting for the succession. One wrong step and you’ll fall into irreparable disaster.”
Qi Sheng didn’t speak. Worried that I had been too vague, I continued more directly, “A true man should focus on his career. There are plenty of flowers everywhere, why obsess over just one?”
Qi Sheng smiled faintly. “Oh? And then?”
“Put Lady Jiang aside for now,” I said. “Especially those foolish words about ‘one life, one partner.’ Is that something a future emperor should say?”
Qi Sheng looked at me silently, his gaze complicated.
I pressed on while the iron was hot. “Do you know what this world has the least shortage of?”
This time Qi Sheng cooperated and asked softly, “What?”
I slapped my thigh. “Women! You’re going to be emperor. Three thousand beauties in the imperial harem, slender, plump, charming, enchanting, whatever type you want! Why hang yourself on a single little willow tree? With your conditions, you could hold your silver spear daily and be a new groom every night!”
Qi Sheng’s lips twitched slightly, but he still said nothing.
Seeing he remained unmoved, I changed tactics and decided to speak from the heart. “Actually, if you really like Lady Jiang, that’s easy, just coax her a bit, deceive her a bit. Women must never be overly spoiled. Spoil her for one day and she’ll act cute; spoil her for two days and she’ll start throwing tantrums; spoil her for three days and she’ll climb onto the roof and tear off the tiles. Besides, you’re still the Crown Prince, and Lady Jiang is Zhao Wangfei. Even if you like her, what can you do? People will only use it against you and drag you down from the position of Crown Prince! Only when you become emperor will all the women in the world belong to you. So what if she’s your brother’s wife? Find an excuse to transfer Zhao Wang elsewhere so he can’t return for a year or so, then wouldn’t Zhao Wangfei be completely at your disposal? Just one thing: calculate the timing carefully. If Lady Jiang’s belly starts to grow, quickly summon Zhao Wang back for a visit. Even if you can’t fool Zhao Wang, at least you can fool outsiders…”
Qi Sheng’s face darkened.
I hurriedly changed direction. “If you truly can’t let go of Lady Jiang, then simply have Zhao Wang die in the line of duty. After that, Lady Jiang can pretend to follow him in death. Then hide her somewhere else for a year or so, and later present her to the palace as the niece or granddaughter or adopted daughter of some regional governor. That way even her status is solved, Noble Consort, Virtuous Consort, Pure Consort, whatever title you like! Once you’re emperor, who would dare object?”
Qi Sheng’s face grew even darker.
I wondered, could it be that none of this matched his thinking?
So I added quickly, “But I still advise you, it’s best not to bring Lady Jiang into the palace. Once a woman enters the household, everything changes…”
“Bang!”
Qi Sheng suddenly slammed the book onto the low table and looked at me with an ashen face.
See? I really don’t know how to persuade people.
Qi Sheng asked coldly, “Who exactly are you?”
That question startled me into a cold sweat. I might not have experience transmigrating, but I’ve read enough transmigration novels. Even little girls who transmigrate know to hide the truth, how could I, a grown man, tell him I’d transmigrated?
What, was I supposed to say: actually, I should be the real Lady Zhang. Originally I used Lady Zhang’s body, while Lady Zhang used mine; now I’m using the body she used for more than ten years, and she’s using the body I used for more than twenty years. Calculated this way, I even used her body longer and gained quite an advantage.
Even if I could explain all that clearly, would Qi Sheng understand?
People are most likely to make two mistakes:
First, overestimating their own intelligence.
Second, overestimating other people’s intelligence.
…
Qi Sheng was still staring at me coldly.
I quickly used both hands to support Lady Zhang’s proud breasts and said softly, “Your Highness, I am your Crown Princess.”
Hey! They feel quite heavy, if I keep not wearing a bra, sooner or later they’ll sag!
Qi Sheng let out two cold chuckles but said nothing.
Sweat began forming on my forehead as I tried to keep my expression calm.
Qi Sheng stared at me for a long time. Perhaps he didn’t see anything suspicious. He sneered, leaned forward, opened a drawer in the carriage wall, took out a book, and tossed it to me. “Memorize it as soon as possible.”
I opened it, and inside were short biographies of more than ninety members of the Zhang family, from the eldest to the youngest!
I looked up at Qi Sheng, then down at the biographies, then back up at Qi Sheng…
Had I misjudged him? Or had I made a third mistake?
Underestimating Qi Sheng’s intelligence?
Qi Sheng fixed me with a sharp gaze and said coldly, “If you make even the slightest mistake during this trip, after we return I will have no choice but to keep you confined again.”
I quickly nodded. “Alright.”
Qi Sheng added, “If one day I become emperor, you will be my empress. If I fail to become emperor, you…”
I immediately continued, “I’ll be a widow!”
Qi Sheng’s mouth twitched, and in the end he said nothing.
