I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Chapter 67

Huang Gonggong followed closely behind the palace servants. When he saw that Cui Lingjing had already entered the study, he had no choice but to stop outside. He quickly scanned the room with his eyes and spotted Xueya by the bookshelf. Immediately, he gave Xueya a look, signaling him to come out.

Xueya, however, didn’t notice Huang Gonggong at all. Startled by Cui Lingjing’s sudden appearance, he tried to hide behind the bookshelf. Fearing that any loud movements might catch Cui Lingjing’s attention, he moved extremely slowly, almost like a snail.

He Xulan glanced towards the bookshelf from the corner of his eye, noticing Xueya’s actions. He pressed his lips together slightly, suppressing the smile threatening to appear.

Cui Lingjing waited for a moment, but when He Xulan didn’t respond, he turned to Huang Gonggong and commanded, “You, close the door.”

Once the door was closed, Cui Lingjing lowered his voice and said, “Godfather, asking for rain is mysterious and unpredictable. If I personally go to pray and it doesn’t rain, won’t the common people start whispering among themselves?”

“You are the Son of Heaven. As long as Your Majesty is sincere, the Heavens will naturally protect Li Dynasty,” He Xulan responded calmly.

But Cui Lingjing was clearly dissatisfied with this answer.

Ever since he ascended the throne, natural disasters had been frequent. First, there was a snowstorm, and then a drought. Moreover, Cui Lingjing had no children, which had already stirred some murmurs among the people.

Cui Lingjing couldn’t help but think, if the rain prayers failed, wouldn’t it confirm that the problem laid with him as emperor?

“I cannot personally pray for rain,” Cui Lingjing said irritably. When he caught He Xulan’s gaze, his tone softened a bit, sounding more pleading, “Godfather, didn’t you once pray for rain?”

He Xulan had indeed prayed for rain, back when he was seventeen, the year after he had become the youngest top scholar in Li Dynasty history.

He Xulan came from a prestigious family and was known for his striking appearance. At that time, everyone in the capital who saw him would respectfully call him “Young Master He.” Whenever he was out with friends, his arms would be filled with scented handkerchiefs, while his friends carried none.

Though his friends teased him, they all believed he deserved the attention.

Back then, He Xulan was in his prime—young, carefree, and full of confidence.

In his second year in government service, Li Dynasty faced a severe drought. The previous emperor was unwell and unable to lead the rain prayer, so he sought a minister to replace him. He Xulan was chosen for several reasons: his family was pure, with three generations of officials free from scandal; he was unmarried and maintained a clean lifestyle, which was thought to be more favorable to the gods; and his talent was undeniable.

As a person believed to be especially favored by Heaven, it was expected that the gods would answer his prayers. Because of He Xulan’s involvement, a large crowd gathered to witness the ceremony. On that scorching day, the people hoped to see a miracle—and a miracle occurred. It rained on the day He Xulan prayed.

The rain continued for three days, easing the drought significantly.

From that moment on, He Xulan’s fame grew even greater.

Though He Xulan wasn’t arrogant, he secretly believed that sneaking away from his parents to take the imperial exams had been the best decision of his life.

As a child, He Xulan had been sent to a temple for spiritual cleansing after a wandering Daoist told his father, “This boy is too clever for his own good. One day, his brilliance may bring calamity upon him. To avoid this fate, send him to a distant temple or Daoist monastery and only allow him to return after he turns twenty-four.”

Although He Xulan’s parents believed the Daoist’s words, they couldn’t bear to send their beloved son too far away, so they sent him to a temple on the outskirts of the capital, bringing him home for holidays.

***

When Cui Lingjing brought up the rain prayers, He Xulan’s expression darkened. “That was many years ago. At that time, the previous emperor was gravely ill, and I had no choice but to take on the responsibility.”

Cui Lingjing understood the implication, but he pretended not to. “Godfather, please do this for me. Think of it as helping the people.”

“With Your Majesty in good health, the people will naturally prosper. If I take your place again, it might displease the heavens. Besides, with Your Majesty being well, wouldn’t the people find it strange for me to perform the rain ceremony?”

He Xulan’s words left Cui Lingjing speechless for a moment. His visit had been kept secret, not even Yin Qingxuan knew about it.

After a long pause, Cui Lingjing hesitated before speaking again, “What if… I claim to be gravely ill?”

He Xulan frowned slightly. “Does Your Majesty wish to make the people even more anxious about the future of the dynasty? You have not yet reached adulthood, and if rumors spread that you are too ill to pray for rain, it will only fuel more speculation.”

This wasn’t an option either, further increasing Cui Lingjing’s frustration.

Just then, a noise came from the direction of the bookshelf.

Cui Lingjing immediately turned his head, “Who’s there?”

He Xulan calmly responded, “Just a servant cleaning the bookshelf. You entered in such a hurry, there wasn’t time to dismiss them.”

On any other day, Cui Lingjing wouldn’t have minded this remark. But today, already in a foul mood, he felt as if He Xulan’s words implied everything was his fault, worsening his frustration.

With others present, Cui Lingjing didn’t want to say more and simply left, flicking his sleeves as he departed. After walking some distance, he abruptly stopped and turned back toward the study.

Even though it was just a servant cleaning, that servant had overheard his conversation with He Xulan.

On a typical day, Cui Lingjing would have ordered his men to take care of the servant discreetly, but today, his anger was boiling over, and he needed a target for his outburst. There was also an element of wanting to undermine He Xulan’s position.

Huang Gonggong, surprised by Cui Lingjing’s return, hurriedly asked, “Has Your Majesty forgotten something? I can retrieve it for you.”

“Get out of my way!” Cui Lingjing snapped. Huang Gonggong had no choice but to retreat, though he signaled to his apprentice.

However, Cui Lingjing was determined to assert his authority today. Guessing that the servants might alert He Xulan, he immediately ordered everyone to stay put.

“Anyone who dares to move today, watch your head. Don’t forget who your true master is,” Cui Lingjing barked, striding forward alone.

As he approached the study’s entrance, the door opened, and someone emerged. Cui Lingjing was startled when he realized it was Xueya.

His gaze immediately fell upon Xueya’s face, which was now pockmarked and peeling.

Xueya hadn’t expected to run into Cui Lingjing and, in a panic, instinctively glanced back at He Xulan inside the study.

Earlier, his legs had gone numb from crouching behind the bookshelf, and as he stretched, he accidentally bumped into it. His heart nearly jumped out of his chest when Cui Lingjing asked who was there, but fortunately, Cui Lingjing left after hearing He Xulan’s explanation.

After such a tense moment, Xueya was parched and feeling stifled, so he had gone to the small kitchen to get some iced dessert. Little did he know Cui Lingjing would return.

“What… what happened to your face?” Cui Lingjing was genuinely startled.

Xueya had spent half a year in the laundry department, where his hands and feet had suffered from frostbite, but his face had remained smooth and delicate. In fact, as he grew, his features became even more striking.

But now, after only two months in Ningfu Palace, his face had been completely ruined. Cui Lingjing, recalling He Xulan’s earlier words, couldn’t help but imagine that Xueya had suffered greatly in Ningfu Palace.

At this point, He Xulan also approached the doorway. Seeing Xueya frozen in place, he calmly said, “You may leave. This doesn’t concern you.”

Xueya nodded quickly and ran off without a word.

He had grown accustomed to comfort in Ningfu Palace and had long forgotten the habit of bowing.

Cui Lingjing, noticing how obedient Xueya was to He Xulan and how he fled in panic without even offering a proper bow, became even more convinced that Xueya had suffered. His imagination of Xueya’s hardships grew more vivid.

Perhaps what Yin Qingxuan had said was true.

He Xulan really wasn’t as kind-hearted as he appeared.

Feeling overwhelmed and not wanting to stay in Ningfu Palace any longer, Cui Lingjing hurriedly muttered, “I thought I left something behind, but I didn’t,” before leaving.

Meanwhile, Xueya ran to the small kitchen and sat on a small stool, eating a large bowl of iced dessert to calm his nerves. Before leaving, he asked the kitchen staff to pack some for him to take.

The kitchen servant asked, “Aren’t you going to eat it here? Ice melts quickly.”

Xueya shook his head, “It’s not for me. I’m taking it to the Empress Dowager.”

“The Empress Dowager’s stomach isn’t well. She shouldn’t have cold foods,” the servant replied awkwardly.

Xueya was momentarily stunned. “Then is there anything else I can take?”

The servant glanced around, even more flustered. “Right now, everything we’re making is for you. Ever since the Empress Dowager returned from disaster relief, her appetite has been poor, and she hasn’t been taking any snacks in the afternoon.”

After a moment of indecision, Xueya didn’t want to return empty-handed, so he asked the servant to pack a small portion of crispy pastries.

These pastries were tiny, bite-sized, fragrant, and sweet.

Even though it was nearly evening, Xueya, whose face was peeling from the sun, avoided walking in the sunlight and stuck to the shade. As he passed by the quarters where the palace servants lived, someone suddenly blocked his path.

Distracted by the aroma of the pastries, Xueya had been walking while staring at the food container. It wasn’t until a moment later that he realized someone was standing in his way and slowly lifted his head.

The food container slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.