Chapter 154
As the flowing, graceful notes from the zither spilled from his nimble fingers, the fragrance grew stronger.
As a man who had someone served intimately before, the emperor naturally understood what was happening.
The young boy before him was a Xiao Langjun, and naturally, he also had his monthly cycle.
The emperor’s heart stirred with waves of emotion as he realized that Zong Yuan’s scent of desire was exactly the same as Pingwu’s.
Although a Xiao Langjun’s scent was not strictly defined, there were usually subtle differences.
When Pingwu first became aroused in front of him, it was this same fresh, bamboo-leaf-like fragrance.
For a moment, he became disoriented and even called out his name aloud: “Pingwu… Pingwu, have you come back?”
In his eyes, the youth’s form automatically shifted into that of Yin Pingwu—under the plain white robes, a small sprig of fresh ink bamboo.
He, too, appeared as pure and ethereal as bamboo leaves, otherworldly and delicate like a celestial being.
Zong Yuan’s face displayed a triumphant smile. He knew exactly the purpose for which he had been groomed and understood why he had agreed to Eastern Sea’s request.
Eastern Sea was a tiny defeated nation, often subjected to divine punishment.
Fire dragons and earth dragons ravaged the land, and the people suffered greatly.
His foster father had said: Great Zhao possesses such vast lands—why cannot the people of Eastern Sea enjoy them as well?
He didn’t care about these matters; whether Eastern Sea could secure Great Zhao’s favor was their own concern.
His own destiny, however, had long been set on a proper course.
So Zong Yuan loosened his robes, stepped forward, wrapped his arms around the emperor’s neck, and whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, I feel unwell. Please… help me.”
The emperor’s eyes darkened with desire, deepening further, and he suddenly lifted the beautiful youth into his arms.
The fragrance in the room intensified, and the heart-pounding induced by the drug made control nearly impossible.
Zong Yuan became a little unrestrained. He pressed a kiss to the emperor’s lips, only to feel the other stiffen slightly.
In the next instant, the emperor forcefully pushed Zong Yuan away, his expression turning extremely displeased.
Zong Yuan sat up, confused, staring at the emperor. “Your Majesty… what’s wrong? Did Zong Yuan do something… wrong?”
The emperor’s face grew darker by the second. He inhaled the lingering fragrance in the room but still felt powerless.
He grew anxious, glancing at the handsome youth in front of him, and instinctively cast a glance downward at himself.
A hint of bewilderment crossed his eyes. Have I really grown old?
He was barely in his forties—how could he be so… unable?
Zong Yuan, meanwhile, could no longer bear the torment. His breathing had become erratic as he leapt forward, clutching the emperor and pleading desperately: “Your Majesty, since Zong Yuan has been given to you, he is yours. You… must take responsibility. Your Majesty, I… I feel so unwell, please… save me… quickly!”
The emperor also wanted to help him. Such a stunning youth, if it were in the past, he would have drawn his weapon instantly.
Never mind that he resembled Yin Pingwu—any ordinary Xiao Langjun in this situation would overwhelm nearly any normal man.
But he simply could not. At this moment, he did not experience the uncontrollable impulses that Pingwu had once stirred in him many years ago.
Even when he smelled the intoxicating scent, he only perceived it as an ordinary fragrance, tinged with a faint repulsive undertone.
Why the revulsion?
A man’s inability to act in front of a flawless beauty was undeniably humiliating.
Now, he had completely exposed his weakness before Zong Yuan.
Watching the boy in pain, performing some extremely unseemly movements, the emperor’s disgust deepened.
If it were Pingwu, he would never have allowed such embarrassment.
Pingwu had endured similar awkwardness only because, during the period of taking the medicine, he could not act on his desires. Pingwu had suffered silently for several days without revealing even the slightest clue.
The emperor watched Zong Yuan struggle for a moment, then calmly stepped forward and rendered him unconscious with a single palm strike.
After dressing Zong Yuan in the scattered clothes, he opened the door and instructed the senior palace maid outside: “Summon Chief Physician Lin”
Aunt Liu bowed to the emperor and went to fetch Chief Physician Lin.
She turned a corner on her way out and stopped briefly at the side gate of Chenxi Pavilion to relay a message.
Soon, the senior palace maid near Imperial Concubine Rong, Er Ya, personally left the palace as well.
That evening, when Yuwen Min received the news, Lu Hanzhi was discussing matters regarding the charity school.
Lu Hanzhi wanted children from impoverished families to attend school for free and, after graduation, have their wages repay the tuition.
Teaching a man to fish was better than giving him fish. If it were entirely free, it might just breed a bunch of lazy freeloaders.
After hearing Er Ya’s report, Yuwen Min lightly nodded and said, “Leave the charity school to Hanzhi. If there’s anything you need me for, just say the word.”
Lu Hanzhi said, “That won’t be necessary. Whatever you can do, Second Sister-in-law can do as well. After all, you both are princes; everyone has the same rights.”
Yuwen Min: …
He was rendered speechless.
Still silent, Yuwen Min said, “The plan you suggested before… it worked.”
Lu Hanzhi looked puzzled. “Huh?”
Yuwen Min smiled. “You said the only way to prevent all that from happening was to make the emperor… impotent, yes? Well, the medicine has worked. Even Zong Yuan’s fragrance had no effect on him.”
Lu Hanzhi: ???
You acted that fast?
Now he felt a twinge of regret and stammered, “Did we… act a bit too harshly?”
Yuwen Min said, “It’s only a temporary effect. Chongyun said it should last over half a year. During this time, at least nothing untoward will happen. If, within half a year, we haven’t removed this hidden threat, we can administer it again. I believe that within six months, we can calm everything. By then, the emperor can take the antidote at any time, or wait for the effect to wear off naturally.”
Lu Hanzhi thought that such miraculous medicine did exist, and it was indeed a clever solution.
The emperor was stubborn and headstrong. Others’ admonishments were useless, and remonstrances from ministers could only add to his annoyance.
Yet he couldn’t just stand by and watch someone sneak in a termite without taking any action.
This approach would only temporarily prevent Great Zhao from producing the Twelfth Prince.
The Yuwen family already had plenty of descendants; it wouldn’t be a problem if the Twelfth Prince wasn’t born immediately.
Moreover, in the original story, the emperor indeed had only eleven sons.
After all, he had already passed away during Yuwen Mingji’s succession struggle.
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Has Su Wan’ning shown any signs of movement recently?”
Yuwen Min replied, “No sign at all. She stays in her room every day, and reportedly hasn’t even stepped outside her door.”
“So obedient?” Lu Hanzhi didn’t really believe she had been cowed by the earlier confrontation.
Since her ambition was so great, hiding within the Crown Prince’s residence likely meant she was plotting an even bigger scheme.
Yuwen Min continued, “I heard that Zong He visited the Crown Prince and even prepared lavish gifts for the young prince.”
Lu Hanzhi thought for a moment and said, “Oh? Zong He doesn’t seem to favor either side—he pays a visit to each individually.”
Yuwen Min said, “That’s not important. What matters is that Zong He met Su Wan’ning alone.”
Lu Hanzhi: ???
He stared in disbelief. “Even… even Zong He… has been… taken under Su Wan’ning’s pomegranate skirt?”
Yuwen Min said, “Well… that can’t be confirmed yet. They were together only for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, then Zong He left.”
“A cup of tea?” Lu Hanzhi said, his tone full of disdain. “Zong He is quick! Compare that to Yuwen Mingji, who would take at least the time of one incense stick.”
Yuwen Min: …
Yuwen Min sighed helplessly. “Hanzhi, can you clean out all the nonsense in your little head?”
Lu Hanzhi discarded the useless thoughts in his mind and nodded. “Fine. Let’s drop that for now. Can we send someone to tail Zong He? See what he does every day.”
Yuwen Min said, “No need for you to ask. He’s already being followed, but most of the time, he’s at the martial training grounds and hasn’t been running around elsewhere.”
“The martial training grounds?” Lu Hanzhi asked. “Why would he be there?”
“Waiting to fight second brother,” Yuwen Min replied. “He issued a challenge to him.”
Lu Hanzhi: …
With his brother’s temper, he probably wouldn’t enjoy fighting anyone.
“Did second brother accept?” Lu Hanzhi asked. “A little sparring wouldn’t hurt.”
Yuwen Min shook his head. “No. Second Brother is afraid that if he loses, Zong He might get angry and commit seppuku.”
Lu Hanzhi’s lips twitched. Speechless, he said, “Tell Second Brother to go! Who told him that Eastern Sea warriors randomly commit seppuku?”
It was nonsense spreading for no reason.
Ah Chan came running over, holding a wooden pinwheel, making a clattering sound.
He crawled into Lu Hanzhi’s arms. “Daddy! Look! The wheel!”
Lu Hanzhi took the pinwheel and asked, “Oh? Who made this for you?”
He tried to lift Ah Chan, but after struggling for a while, he gave up.
Ah Chan had gained weight since his birthday, and strangely, his one-year-old frame already looked like a two-year-old’s.
Looking back at Yuwen Min’s tall, imposing figure, he marveled at the wonders of heredity.
It was likely that Ah Chan would grow to be just as tall and strong, at least judging by his current appetite.
Lu Hanzhi asked, “Who made it for you?”
Ah Chan replied, “A Bu!”
Lu Hanzhi could do nothing. Even now, he couldn’t correct Ah Chan’s pronunciation.
Well, he was still young, so it didn’t matter.
Ah Shu, on the other hand, had recently, under Sacred-Handed Lin’s careful care, begun to communicate in simple ways.
Lu Hanzhi had tried to make her remember people and events from the past, but had failed.
Thinking about it, he had to focus on the mission. His foundation had been laid over the past few days; once Second Sister-in-law’s building materials arrived, he could raise a skyscraper from the ground.
He didn’t fully understand the system’s purpose, but if it required him to do this, there had to be a reason.
He roughly understood that the ten-story building itself wasn’t the main point—the important part was the building materials generated during construction.
Ordinary commoners in Great Zhao lived in mud-brick homes. Not only were they vulnerable to earthquakes, but even a few days of rain could cause them to leak.
Building houses was, indeed, a matter of livelihood.
Furthermore, having comfortable homes and good living conditions could motivate people to strive harder.
Lu Hanzhi set Ah Chan down and sent him to find Xiao Liuzi, while he went to see Second Sister-in-law.
At the Crown Prince’s residence, Su Wan’ning had just seen Zong He off, a faint smile finally appearing on her face.
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
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