I, The Substitute, Am With The Main Character Chapter 87

Xueya finally snatched a few pieces of dessert, two corn rolls, and some fruit for after dinner—a small pear—from Yi Yefeng. 

Once his stomach was somewhat satisfied, Cui Lingjing finally returned to the palace. After Cui Lingjing left, Xueya followed He Xulan back to Ningfu Palace. As soon as they arrived, He Xulan had someone prepare a meal. Xueya knew this meal was for him, and he initially wanted to decline. However, on second thought, if he said he wasn’t hungry, He Xulan would certainly ask why. Then the truth that he had snatched food from Yi Yefeng would come out.

He had stepped on Yi Yefeng’s foot tonight and stolen his food. What if He Xulan thought he was a bad person?

No, he couldn’t let that slip.

So, Xueya ate another meal. While he was eating, there was a knock at the door, accompanied by the voice of Huang Gonggong, “Empress Dowager.”

He Xulan put down his chopsticks, which he had been using to serve Xueya, and said, “I’ll step out for a moment. You continue eating.”

Xueya was already full, but hearing He Xulan tell him to continue, his eyes darted, and he quickly grabbed He Xulan’s sleeve. “I want to go with you, Brother.”

He tried to use this as an excuse to avoid eating.

But to his surprise, He Xulan thought for a moment, then called for Huang Gonggong, “Let him come here.”

Just as Xueya was silently lamenting that he would have to keep eating, Huang Gonggong brought someone in—it was Yi Yefeng. As soon as Yi Yefeng entered, he saw Xueya eating. His steps didn’t pause, but his gaze lingered on Xueya for a brief moment.

Noticing Yi Yefeng’s look, Xueya feared he would tell He Xulan what happened. He kept his head down and ate quickly. He Xulan, seemingly unaware of the subtle tension between them, simply reminded Xueya to eat slowly before inviting Yi Yefeng to sit behind the screen at the tea table.

“Are there many guards watching over Lei Qiurong?” He Xulan poured Yi Yefeng a cup of tea.

“There are five guards stationed there, plus four more soldiers from the army. The chains on Lei Qiurong’s legs weigh fifty pounds. It would be difficult for him to escape from the dungeon,” Yi Yefeng replied.

He Xulan frowned slightly at this and asked about other matters, “Did His Majesty say anything when he summoned you privately?”

Yi Yefeng thought for a moment. “He said a lot.”

“Oh?”

“He said I should marry soon.”

He Xulan looked up. “Did he have someone in mind?”

Yi Yefeng lowered his voice. “His Majesty mentioned Princess Kangman.”

“Kouniang?” He Xulan tapped his fingers on the armrest thoughtfully. “It seems she’s coming of age this year. Does His Majesty intend for you to become her consort, or…?”

“His Majesty’s plan is not to establish a separate residence for the princess. Instead, she would be married into the Yi family with the same ceremony as a noble’s daughter.”

Princess Kangman was Cui Lingjing’s only unmarried sister, but as his half-sister, she was not favored. She was almost invisible within the palace. He Xulan was not surprised by Cui Lingjing’s plan. This way, Yi Yefeng would become his brother-in-law and still remain a general.

“I met Kouniang a few years ago. She’s a quiet and well-behaved girl,” He Xulan said, sipping his tea. “What do you think?”

Yi Yefeng was about to respond when a crash came from behind the screen. He Xulan immediately got up to check, and Yi Yefeng followed after a moment’s hesitation.

When he reached the other side, he saw He Xulan lifting Xueya, who had fallen, onto a chaise lounge. Xueya’s face was pale, and he clutched his stomach, crying out, “Brother, my stomach hurts.”

He Xulan pressed lightly on Xueya’s stomach, and Xueya immediately gasped, his eyes turning red with pain and discomfort. He pitifully complained about the pain. He Xulan, noticing something, glanced at the table full of food, as if connecting the dots. He then called for Huang Gonggong. “Bring some digestive medicine. I believe there’s some in the palace.”

To Yi Yefeng, he said, “Go wait for me in the study. I’ll join you soon.”

After taking the medicine, Xueya’s stomachache gradually eased, but he still felt too embarrassed to face anyone. He tried to bury his face, but He Xulan wouldn’t let him. Holding his face, He Xulan asked, “Did you eat something else?”

“I… no,” Xueya muttered, his cheeks squished.

He Xulan let go of Xueya, saying, “If you don’t want to talk about it, fine. Go bathe. I need to go to the study.”

Seeing He Xulan’s tone suddenly grow cold, Xueya quickly grabbed his sleeve again. “Brother, I’ll tell you. I… I ate some other things earlier at Shuixi Hall.”

“Did Tongtang bring it to you?”

Xueya wanted to nod but realized that if He Xulan asked Tongtang, his lie would be exposed. So, he told the truth, “No, I got it from General Yi.” Seeing He Xulan’s gaze change slightly, he quickly defended himself, “I didn’t take much, really! Just a little. He wasn’t going to eat it anyway. It would’ve gone to waste! That’s not bullying, right?”

He Xulan, watching Xueya nervously explain, pulled him onto his lap. “Xueya, what have I told you? I don’t like it when you lie to me. If you were already full, you should have told me. I want you to be honest with me. I don’t want you hiding things from me.”

Xueya bit his lip and obediently admitted his mistake, “Brother, I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”

“If you were wrong, what should happen?” He Xulan asked.

Xueya’s face fell. He looked at He Xulan pitifully. “Brother, can you not fine me gold this time? Can’t you punish me another way?”

He Xulan shook his head. “Only this way will help you remember.” He let go of Xueya. “Go bring me a piece of gold.”

With a heavy heart, Xueya handed over a piece of gold. Even after his bath, he still felt miserable. He had been spoiled by He Xulan lately and had forgotten that making mistakes still meant giving up gold.

He had just eaten a bit too much, yet He Xulan had fined him. So unfair!

No, it wasn’t the food. He Xulan must’ve been upset because of Yi Yefeng.

Hmph! Next time he teased Yi Yefeng, he’d be more discreet.

“Xueya, a piece of warm jade fell out of your clothes,” came Tongtang’s voice from outside.

Warm jade?

Ah, he almost forgot about the warm jade.

“Just place the jade on the table outside,” Xueya replied.

After finishing his bath, Xueya quickly put on his clothes and rushed out of the bathhouse. The warm jade laid quietly on the table. He picked it up, carefully inspecting it for a moment. Seeing that it was indeed the piece that Yin Qingxuan had taken and that it was undamaged, he put it back around his neck.

When He Xulan entered the room, Xueya showed him the jade. “Brother, look.”

He Xulan’s expression shifted slightly when he saw the warm jade around Xueya’s neck. “How did it come back?” he asked as he sat down on the bed.

“I ran into Yin Qingxuan at tonight’s banquet, and he returned the jade to me. Brother, isn’t he strange?” Xueya said, noticing that He Xulan seemed ready to touch the jade. He tilted his neck upward, but suddenly felt the weight lift from his neck.

He Xulan had removed the warm jade and, after studying it for a moment, stood up. “Don’t wear it anymore,” he said.

Xueya was startled. “Why?”

He Xulan didn’t explain. “If you like warm jade, I’ll have another one made for you.”

“But… isn’t this the one your mother made?” In Xueya’s mind, anything made by someone’s mother was the best in the world. For He Xulan to give him something made by his mother was a gesture of deep affection, yet now He Xulan wanted to take it away.

“Xueya, there must be a reason why he suddenly returned it to you. I’m worried he may have tampered with it. So, for now, let’s not wear it, alright?”

Hearing this, Xueya had no choice but to agree, though he still felt a bit reluctant—he really liked that piece of jade.

After He Xulan finished his bath and returned, Xueya still hadn’t fallen asleep. He remembered hearing that He Xulan was injured and pressed him about it. Unable to dodge his questions, He Xulan finally took off his shirt, revealing his back.

Xueya had only touched He Xulan’s front before and had not expected such a long scar on his back. Though the wound had mostly healed, it was clear that it had once been severe.

“That must have hurt a lot, right?” Xueya didn’t dare touch the scar.

“It was alright, only hurt for a while,” He Xulan replied, glancing at Xueya. Seeing the redness in his eyes, He Xulan pulled his shirt back on. “It doesn’t hurt at all now.”

Xueya sniffled and hugged He Xulan tightly.

After much comforting, Xueya finally believed that He Xulan wasn’t in pain. The two laid down in bed, but Xueya, having eaten too much, couldn’t sleep. Suddenly, he thought of something else. “Brother, I overheard you talking with General Yi earlier. Is he really going to marry a princess? Is that man princess pretty?”

“He’s not getting married. He said he has no intention of marrying,” He Xulan replied, gently patting Xueya’s back to lull him to sleep.

Xueya lifted his head slightly, surprised. “Not marrying a princess? Is he stupid?”

He Xulan looked at Xueya.

Xueya continued, “I heard from the storytelling teacher that marrying a princess takes a lot of good fortune built up over three lifetimes.” He laid his head back on He Xulan’s chest. “And I heard the princess’s dowry is filled with gold.”

He Xulan, now understanding, played along. “Yes, it’s all gold.”

Xueya blinked and lifted his head again. “Brother, if you weren’t the Empress Dowager and were a princess instead, that would be better.”

He Xulan smiled slightly. “Even if a princess marries, her dowry still belongs to her. The princess consort can’t touch it.”

“I wasn’t saying he should touch it. Only bad men touch their wife’s dowry,” Xueya said as he laid back down. But not long after, he raised his head again, this time looking nervous. “Brother, will you get married?”

He suddenly remembered that when He Xulan became the emperor, he would likely take consorts, just like Cui Lingjing. Could he still stay by He Xulan’s side then? What if the consorts didn’t like him?

“I’m the Empress Dowager. How can I get married? Sleep now, it’s late,” He Xulan pressed Xueya’s head back down, but Xueya squirmed and raised it again. “But what if you get the chance to marry someday? I mean, what if?”

He Xulan stared at Xueya for a moment before answering with a single word, “Yes.”

Hearing this, Xueya’s heart sank. This time, he obediently laid down.

“What are you thinking about?” He Xulan asked suddenly.

Without thinking, Xueya blurted, “I’m thinking about how many times a month you’ll be able to come to my room.”

After all, with the emperor’s harem filled with beautiful women, could he even see He Xulan once a month?

No, once a month wasn’t enough. If he could, twice a month would be better.

Wait, twice might still be too little—could it be three times?

Wait, how many times is three times a month in a year?

Xueya began counting on his fingers. He Xulan watched as his fingers moved and asked, “Xueya?”

“Shh, don’t interrupt me. I’m doing math,” Xueya replied with a serious expression.

He Xulan fell silent, but soon noticed Xueya had fallen asleep, his fingers still moving as if counting. Helpless, He Xulan smiled, tucking Xueya’s hand back under the blanket.

Cui Lingjing decided to execute Lei Qiurong, with the beheading set for next month. At the same time, another matter arose— Empress Lei had disappeared, leaving the imperial harem without a mistress. Cui Lingjing needed a new empress, and thus the capital began preparing for a selection process.

This selection wasn’t just for Cui Lingjing; everyone knew that he also intended to find a wife for Yi Yefeng.

However, none of this had anything to do with Xueya. Ningfu Palace seemed to return to its usual tranquility. As the days grew colder, Xueya donned his thick winter clothes. One day, feeling spontaneous, he decided to pick plum blossoms to brew tea and unexpectedly ran into the head eunuch.

When the head eunuch saw Xueya, he smiled and greeted him, “Xueya.”

Xueya hugged the wooden basket in his arms tightly and greeted him respectfully. Tongtang, who was nearby, quickly said, “It’s freezing here. Why don’t you join me for a cup of hot tea, Gonggong?”

The head eunuch, however, was clearly trying to get rid of Tong Tang. “Go fetch me a cup of hot tea,” he ordered.

Tongtang, quick on his feet, responded, “Xueya, did you hear that? Go get some tea for the Gonggong.” Then, he turned back to the head eunuch, “Were you here to admire the plum blossoms? They’re blooming beautifully this year. You should take some back to brew tea.”

Seeing Tongtang deliberately blocking the head eunuch’s view, Xueya seized the moment and quickly slipped away. But just two days later, he encountered Little Pingzi, who had been quite friendly with him back at Fengrui Palace.

Little Pingzi seemed to have something on his mind. Since he had always treated Xueya well, Xueya didn’t push him away.

“What do you want to say?” Xueya asked.

Clearly nervous and uneasy, Little Pingzi hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Xueya, are you going back to Fengrui Palace? The Gonggong wants you to return to serve there.”

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