After the Ostracized Beauty Lost Heart - Chapter 1

Legend has it that during the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty, the First Emperor, Shizu, engaged in so many wars that the heavens were enraged by the excessive bloodshed and sent down a divine punishment. The women of Great Liang were stricken with a strange malady that made it difficult to conceive, leading to a dwindling lineage and a kingdom on the brink of collapse. Panic gripped the people.

To preserve the national foundation, Emperor Shizu performed sacrifices at the Altar of Heaven daily, and his sincerity was clear for all to see. Moved by his devotion but still harboring lingering wrath, the heavens sent down a bolt of lightning. This phenomenon caused a tiny minority of men to become capable of conceiving and bearing children just like women. They were called Ger.

Physically, a Ger appeared no different from an ordinary man, save for a more refined and elegant countenance. For many years thereafter, the lineage of Great Liang was sustained by the breeding of Ger. It was not until after the death of Emperor Shizu that women were able to give birth once again.

For a man to bear children was, in the end, seen as neither fish nor floral. It was often unclear whether he was marrying out or taking a wife; consequently, life was exceptionally difficult for Ger in society.

The strange thing was that in the history of Great Liang, there actually rose a Ger who became Emperor. This was the Yongxi Emperor, Xiao Qi.

And who was this Xiao Qi? How could a Ger ascend the dragon throne? To answer that, we must start from the very beginning.

In the twenty-first year of the Jiande era, during the early afternoon, the Yi Xiang Pavilion, the largest brothel in the capital, resounded with continuous peals of flirtatious laughter. Red silk streamers tied to the rafters fluttered, making the young male hosts and courtesans at the door appear even more beautiful and pitiable as they beckoned guests.

Upon entering, one was met with a waft of cosmetic powder and perfume. Inside the hall, profligate young masters with flushed faces groped the beauties in their arms who were casting amorous glances. After several rounds of drinks, they began to boast and chat with reckless abandon.

One dandy, cuddling a singing girl, spoke leisurely: “Today is quite rare; the Yi Xiang Pavilion is even livelier than usual.”

The beautiful lady giggled and replied, “My Lord, you have a short memory. Today is the day the Second Prince gets married. Such a grand occasion naturally calls for the whole capital to celebrate.”

“It’s simply the height of absurdity,” someone chimed in from the side. “As a Prince, he is actually willing to submit to another. It’s truly laughable.”

“Eh, why say it like that?” A young master from an official family, who was in the know, said slowly, “Do you know who this Second Prince is marrying?”

“Stop keeping us in suspense, out with it!”

“Your news is truly ill-informed,” the man tsked, then intentionally exaggerated. “The one he is marrying is the son of the Vice Minister of Works, the top scholar personally appointed by His Majesty, Yan Qushan!”

The mention of this name caused a stir in the surroundings. This Young Master Yan was famous for his talent and possessed a face as beautiful as carved jade. Not long ago, when he paraded through the streets on horseback as the top scholar, he was full of smiles and elegance, becoming the dream lover of countless young women.

Furthermore, by law, those who became imperial relatives could no longer serve as officials. However, the Emperor cherished talent so much that he made a special exception, allowing him to enter officialdom.

As the saying goes, “In the high spirits of spring, the horse’s hooves move swift; in a single day, one sees all the flowers of Chang’an.” Having just become the top scholar and being a favorite of the Emperor, Yan Qushan was truly the object of great envy.

“Even if he is in the spotlight, the Second Prince is a Ger, but he is still a man. It shouldn’t be marrying out; he should be taking a wife.” Someone hesitated for a moment before adding, “It would be one thing for a Ger of the common folk, but must a Ger of the Royal Family yield and compromise to such an extent?”

The official’s son waved his fan. “You are mistaken! What you don’t know is that the imperial decree for this marriage was personally requested by the Second Prince himself. Yan Qushan, on the other hand, was very unwilling. I heard the Second Prince has been infatuated with Young Master Yan for a long time!”

“Whoa!” The others were amazed. “It’s not strange for a top scholar to marry a Princess, but marrying a Prince is unheard of. I heard the Second Prince is most arrogant, yet he could go to such lengths for his beloved.”

“How could he not?”

The young master shook his head with an air of self-importance. “If he hadn’t struck first, I’m afraid the top scholar would have asked the Emperor to fulfill his union with the Fourth Prince instead.”

The Fourth Prince was the legitimate son of the Empress. Although he was also a Ger, he was deeply loved by the Emperor and Empress and was raised with the doting care usually reserved for a Princess. He was vastly different from the Second Prince, who was born to a discarded concubine and had an eccentric temperament.

“I heard the Fourth Prince resembles the Empress. His face is like a bright moon, and his temperament is tranquil. He is a rare beauty. If you put it that way, it was actually those two who loved each other, and the Second Prince snatched him away!” someone exclaimed, clapping their hands.

A lecherous man among them began to smirk crudely. “Talk about suffering grievances? To go to such lengths, I say this Second Highness cannot wait to toss and turn in pleasure under Yan Qushan every day! I wonder what a royal Ger tastes like.”

Another snorted coldly. “You certainly aren’t a picky eater. That Second Prince thinks so highly of himself yet can do something as shameless as stealing his younger brother’s love. It is clear his character is atrocious.”

“Indeed,” everyone chimed in. “Since Yan Qushan resists him so much, his appearance must be as hideous as a demon, unbearable to look at.”

“Hmm? Is that so? But I heard the Second Prince’s birth mother, Consort Lan, was the number one beauty in the capital back then.”

“That was ages ago. If she were truly a beauty, how did she become a discarded concubine? How can rumors be taken seriously?”

The crisp sound of a teacup clicking against a saucer pulled Zhu Li’s attention back. Realizing his lapse in decorum, he looked at the man beside him and lowered his head: “Master.”

The man sitting there wore a silver crown inlaid with jade and a robe with gold-trimmed vine patterns on cloud sleeves. His features were sharp and his appearance was handsome. As he moved, the jade pendants at his waist jingled, and his sleeves fluttered like an immortal descended to earth.

Yan Qushan cast a sidelong glance at him. “Your neck is stretched quite long. Did you enjoy what you heard?”

That look carried a faint chill. Zhu Li did not dare to respond, but after standing for a while, he could not help but speak up: “But he is a member of the Royal Family after all. Shall we just let those thick-skinned people talk about him as they please?”

“Since you know they are thick-skinned, why bother with them?” Yan Qushan said dismissively.

Zhu Li dared not speculate further on his master’s thoughts and stood quietly by Yan Qushan’s side, continuously pouring wine to serve him.

The brothel was full of sensual charm, with courtesans and young male hosts frequently approaching. Zhu Li could not help but feel worried: “Master, it is already mid-afternoon. If we stay any longer, I fear we will miss the auspicious hour.”

Yan Qushan had been drinking alone, but hearing this, he seemed to find a sudden burst of energy. He curled his lips into an ambiguous smile and no longer rejected the beauties pressing close, letting them lean against him with their soft, boneless grace to curry favor.

Zhu Li sighed in his heart. Although Yan Qushan was the master and he was the attendant, at this moment, he could not help but think: what kind of groom is this? On his wedding day, he leaves his soon-to-be wife waiting and runs off to a flower house to dally with prostitutes.

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