After the Crybaby Married the Disabled Villain - Chapter 15

“Xiao Yu? Is what you said true?”

Lu Shiyan’s expression darkened. Mo Han had already slipped out of the room, heading swiftly toward King Xiao’s guest house.

“Your Highness, trust me. The Empress’s family originally came from the North; the whole world knows this.”

“In the fifth year of Hongchang, after the eldest son of the Yuwen family passed the imperial exams, the entire family moved to the capital. However, only the eldest son and the eldest daughter went. There was no mention of the illegitimate son who was already becoming famous in the North at that time. The eldest son of the Yuwen family pursued civil service, while the illegitimate son pursued the martial arts.”

An Yu took a deep breath. “The eldest daughter entered the palace and was titled Consort Yu within a year, while the eldest son also rose steadily through the ranks. Gradually, everyone came to believe the Yuwen family did not have a second son. But now, Yuwen Qing is the military advisor for King Xiao. If nothing goes wrong, the Second Prince has already met with him.”

Having blurted out everything he remembered in one go, An Yu felt his throat was parched. He picked up a cup of water and drained it, only then feeling a bit of relief.

“Young Master, how is it that you know the events of twenty years ago so thoroughly?”

A long list of old secrets left the group with heavy expressions; Yun Liang was the only one present who remained leisurely.

An Yu’s answer was as smooth as flowing water, his tone suggesting it was common knowledge: “Naturally, I learned it from my father.”

To An Yu’s surprise, Lu Shiyan did not press the matter further.

“Is Xiao Yu tired? Why don’t you go back and rest? How about joining me for breakfast in my room tomorrow morning?”

Lu Shiyan’s sudden, tender concern left An Yu in a daze. Was now really the time for sleep?

Given that it was now almost certain that the Second Prince, Lu Youqi, was in league with Beiming—and that he had framed Xi Chen and was doing everything possible to pull the Crown Prince down with him they were currently in a state of being besieged from all sides.

The confusion in An Yu’s voice was obvious to anyone: “Your Highness?”

“Xiao Yu, sleep peacefully. I will handle it, alright?”

As if casting a hypnotic spell, Lu Shiyan rubbed An Yu’s head. His already slightly messy hair became even more of a disaster. Lu Shiyan’s intention had been to tidy it up, but he only made it worse.

“Xiao Yu, rest assured.” “Then… Your Highness, be careful.”

With that, An Yu stood up and walked toward the door step by step, frequently looking back. He felt that Lu Shiyan was very unlike himself tonight.

Once the door was completely closed, the person in the wheelchair no longer held that tender, water-like expression. The cold frost on his face seemed to have turned into something tangible.

“Qin Feng, Qin Su. Until tomorrow morning, keep a close watch on Young Master An. If I am not in the manor before breakfast, tell him to go nowhere.”

“Yes, your subordinates obey.”

Two figures vanished from the room. Only Lu Shiyan, Mo Ying, and Yun Liang remained in the quiet study.

“General, do you suspect the Second Prince will make his move tomorrow morning?” Mo Ying frowned, his face and expression filled with unease.

“Since Second Brother has already colluded with Beiming, he will not give me any room to breathe. The Emperor being struck by an arrow was merely his first move.”

“So, Xi Chen is just a smokescreen. Regardless of whether Your Highness attempts to rescue Xi Chen, the final blame will be shifted to you.”

The atmosphere was as heavy as it had been in the palace at noon; for a moment, no one spoke.

“Mo Ying, gather everyone in the manor to conduct a thorough search. Once you find the arrows bearing the Xiliang seal, deliver them all to King Xiao. This is my return gift.”

“Yes.”

After a night of restlessness, An Yu’s heavy dark circles gave Xiao Zhi a fright when he woke up. The servant quickly prepared a towel soaked in hot water to apply to An Yu’s eyes.

“Young Master, have you had something on your mind lately? It isn’t even light out yet. Why are you up?”

An Yu had barely managed an hour or so of sleep last night, which was hardly different from staying up all night. The hot towel felt exceptionally comfortable on his eyes, and he began to feel a bit dazed and sleepy.

No.

Whether Lu Shiyan could avoid his first great calamity depended on today. If he couldn’t even help him avoid this first disaster, what was the point of him being here?

Thinking of this, An Yu snatched the towel away. “Xiao Zhi, was there any commotion in the manor last night?”

“Does Young Master mean Lord Mo Ying?” “Mo Ying?”

“Indeed. After Young Master fell asleep, around the hour of the Rat (midnight), Lord Mo Ying led all the servants and guards in a search for something. It took nearly four hours before they found it.”

“Searching for what?” “This, your servant does not know.”

An Yu was worried to begin with, so he washed up in a hurry. Just as the sky was beginning to turn gray, he went to Lu Shiyan’s room.

As he neared the main courtyard, a tall, lean figure blocked his path. “Young Master, up so early?”

“Physician Yun?” “I am here to administer acupuncture to His Highness.”

Only then did An Yu remember that Lu Shiyan underwent treatment at this hour every day. Yesterday had felt like half a month had passed; he was now somewhat disoriented about time.

“May I watch from the side?”

“It is best if Young Master goes back for now. His Highness still does not wish for you to see him in such a wretched state.”

An Yu lowered his head as if in silent agreement, waiting until Yun Liang had bowed and walked away before he began to wander aimlessly.

Since he had already come out, An Yu didn’t intend to go back. He planned to take a good look at the General’s Manor in the pre-dawn hours as it prepared to welcome the sunrise.

He had almost never seen the manor at this hour. The eastern sky was gradually gaining a yellow glow, and the surrounding clouds lingered between pale blue and faint yellow.

Sparrows were already chirping on the treetops. The early morning air was exceptionally chilly. An Yu hadn’t felt the cold when he was rushing over—he had even broken into a light sweat—but now that he had slowed down, the sweat had evaporated, and the coldness of the wind became increasingly obvious.

It was rare to have the opportunity to see such an authentic, ancient-style building. In the modern world, ancient villages had long been turned into tourist attractions; regardless of whether it was a holiday, they were always crowded with tourists, making it impossible to feel the desolation of history.

What should I do after helping Lu Shiyan change his tragic fate? An Yu thought about the future as he meandered along the wall.

He still didn’t know how he could go home. Other people who traveled into books at least had a “System” to tell them they could go home after completing a task. He, however, was only “generating electricity for love,” with no idea if he could find a way back even if he succeeded.

If there was no way back for the time being, then he would go to the North first to tour the snowy villages, and then go to Jiangnan—the land of misty rain described by so many poets as a paradise on earth.

As his thoughts reached their end, An Yu actually felt a sense of anticipation.

Unknowingly, the sky had grown fully bright. Perhaps the sun was hidden behind the clouds; although the sky was bright, not a single ray of sunlight could be seen. Only then did An Yu realize he had wandered into the Great Hall.

A place that should have been empty at this hour suddenly echoed with the sound of footsteps. Looking up, An Yu saw the male lead he had been mulling over all night: Lu Youqi.

An Yu didn’t have time to think of anything else and performed a proper salute: “Greetings to Second Imperial Brother. I wonder what urgent matter brings Imperial Brother here so suddenly?”

Lu Youqi wore his trademark smile, though his words made An Yu curse his ancestors in his heart: “Young Master An, there is no need for such politeness. This Prince wished to see my Imperial Brother. After the banquet ended yesterday, Imperial Brother left directly. Was he frightened, or—”

“Was he returning to his manor to do something unspeakable?”

Though his anger almost reached the top of his head, An Yu still smiled. “What are you saying, Second Imperial Brother? My Prince is physically weak. He was already exhausted by such a grand banquet yesterday, so he returned to the manor to recuperate.”

“But This Prince heard that after the Crown Prince returned yesterday, a vegetable farmer visited the manor. That farmer said after returning that he saw weapons bearing the Xiliang seal in the General’s Manor. Therefore, This Prince has brought men to search today. If they are found, I hope Imperial Brother can give an account to Father Emperor and the people. If they are not found, it will clear Imperial Brother’s name.”

Lu Youqi sat in the primary seat of the Great Hall, his gaze fixed on Lu Shiyan, who had appeared behind An Yu at some unknown point.

“Imperial Brother is here. Surely you heard everything?”

He still spoke with the tone of an elegant gentleman, which stood in stark contrast to his expression.

Mo Han stood behind Lu Shiyan. Seeing the wind was strong, he draped a cloak over him. Lu Shiyan, sitting in his wheelchair, cooperatively coughed a few times. When he spoke, he sounded clearly lacking in strength: “Cough… Since Imperial Brother is acting according to the law, I will naturally cooperate. Cough, cough.”

“Search!”

With a single command, the dozens of guards standing by Lu Youqi’s side moved at once, rushing toward the back courtyards.

“Cough, cough. Xiao Yu, why are you wearing so little? Are you cold?”

Lu Shiyan touched An Yu’s sleeve. The youth’s clothing was quite thin; there was no telling how long he had been standing in the chilly morning wind.

“I’m cold.” “Come, put this on.”

Lu Shiyan produced a cloak from somewhere. It was very similar to the one he was wearing, though this one was clearly smaller. It fit An Yu perfectly.

An Yu looked at the cloak, satisfied with its length and size. The grievance of standing in the cold wind dissipated significantly. “Did Your Highness have this made for me?”

“Mhm. I noticed Xiao Yu has very few clothes. I had a batch made early on; they were just finished this morning, so I brought one along. I didn’t expect it to come in handy so soon.”

How is this “bringing one along”? How did you know I was out here in the Great Hall catching a draft?

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

The two of them talked to each other as if Lu Youqi didn’t exist. To everyone present, the scene looked exactly like a pair of newlywed, doting spouses.

“The relationship between Imperial Brother and my Brother-in-law is truly good; it makes This Prince quite envious.”

The sudden interruption was an eyesore. An Yu curled his lip but didn’t speak.

This male lead must be sick. His face was full of a gloom that suggested he might kill someone the next second, yet he could still speak in a gentle, scholarly tone. If An Yu hadn’t looked up to see his expression, he might have actually believed the man was envious.

An Yu sat in the chair to Lu Shiyan’s left. From this angle, his view of Lu Youqi was very similar to his view of Emperor Hongchang yesterday.

The man in the high position arrogantly picked up his cup to drink tea, his gaze unclear—it was impossible to tell if he was looking at the tea or at the insignificant ants on the floor.

“Second Highness.”

One by one, the searching guards returned to the Great Hall, kneeling on one knee in rows.

Lu Youqi’s face had been calm, but when he saw that everyone had returned empty-handed, he immediately frowned.

“Was anything discovered?”

The leader of the guards looked around frantically, saying timidly: “Reporting to the Second Highness… nothing.”

“Nothing at all?” “Nothing at all.”

After the second inquiry, the result remained the exact opposite of Lu Youqi’s plan. He stood up abruptly and walked to the guard in two steps.

The guard was already trembling. With his head pressed against the floor, he saw the embroidered boots in front of him and shut his eyes in terror, breathing heavily.

Lu Youqi’s foot was already braced for a kick, but he suddenly pulled it back. The word “Useless!” hung suspended in his chest.

He turned and sat back down. “Imperial Brother truly does not disappoint me. You are indeed the Great General.”

Lu Shiyan’s face practically read “as it should be” as he lowered his head with a smile. “It is my duty.”

Lu Youqi waved his hand, and the kneeling guards quickly stood and lined up to the side as they had upon arrival.

“Imperial Brother knows that with Father Emperor recently being assassinated, This Prince was simply too anxious to avenge him. Any slight disturbance makes it hard for This Prince not to make a grand scene.”

The man suddenly took on a face full of sorrow again, perfectly playing the role of a devoted subject.

Is the male lead schizophrenic? An Yu wondered.

“Since that is the case, This Prince shall take his leave.”

However, just as those words left his mouth, a guard rushed in from outside the manor. “Second Highness! This morning, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies received an anonymous secret letter claiming there were Xiliang arrows in King Xiao’s guest house. The Minister immediately led men to search.”

Looking up to scan everyone’s expressions, the guard continued: “They discovered dozens of Xiliang arrows.”

Lu Youqi’s eyes widened suddenly. He took several heavy breaths and turned to glare fiercely at Lu Shiyan.

“It seems the mastermind is now clear,” Lu Shiyan said smoothly. “Imperial Brother had better go to King Xiao’s guest house and take a look.”