The Salted Fish’s Political Marriage - Chapter 8

It is absolutely insane! How could His Highness, the Prince of Qi, ever say such things?

Liao Wenbai coughed, “Pff, cough, cough, cough!” He silently wiped the spilled wine off the table with a silk handkerchief and moved a little further away from Mu Yanzhou.

I really do not want to understand this one, he thought.

Across the table, someone muttered in a low voice, “Bizarre.” It is said that the Western Regions are rich in gu-poison. Could it be that the Prince Consort, who claims to be from Lanyi, has cast some sort of love spell on the Prince of Qi? Otherwise, how could a perfectly normal person suddenly become like this?

Mu Yanzhou’s words were so strange that the group did not know how to respond. In the dead silence, someone initiated a new topic: “However, it is not impossible for His Highness to consider taking a side consort.”

Liao Wenbai recovered his senses. “Exactly! One should not hang oneself from a single tree.” In his view, one must walk through ten thousand flowers without letting a single petal touch them; His Highness simply has not seen enough of the world. As it happened, someone had entrusted him a while ago to test the waters with the Prince of Qi.

Liao Wenbai picked up his cup and said, “Your Highness, I heard that Minister Kang of the Ministry of Rites intends to form an alliance through marriage with you by offering his second daughter.”

Unexpectedly, before he could finish his sentence, he saw a flash of astonishment in Mu Yanzhou’s eyes. Mu Yanzhou slowly looked outside the boat and muttered in confusion, “…My beloved consort?” While speaking, he unconsciously hid his wine cup to the side.

Beloved consort?

Everyone’s gaze followed Mu Yanzhou’s, slowly landing in front of the Yueyin Boat. The rain had just stopped, and a faint, thin mist was floating on the water. In front of the stone boat, Song Mingzhi, dressed in a sparrow-blue robe with narrow sleeves, crossed the small bridge and headed toward them. The greenness of the entire lake seemed to have condensed solely onto him.

Liao Wenbai was stunned on the spot. I, I think I understand now! He is blinded by beauty!

With his face alone, it was indeed enough for His Highness to endure the pain, study until midnight, and utter such baffling words. It is no wonder the Prince of Qi is confused. Seeing that Song Mingzhi had already stepped onto the Yueyin Boat, Liao Wenbai had not yet managed to greet him when, remembering Mu Yanzhou’s previous descriptions of Song Mingzhi’s “transgressive and rude” behavior, a dissolute young noble, emboldened by alcohol, stepped forward and said, “The Prince of Qi is a royal highness! He only wants to have a meal here today! Whatever the Consort wants to do!” With that, he blocked his path.

Mu Yanzhou quickly regained his composure and pushed that person aside. Then, he cleared his throat and said to Song Mingzhi, “Don’t worry, my love. I have no intention of marrying a side consort; they are just talking nonsense.”

Everyone stared in confusion. Brothers are like clothes, but the consort is like…

Song Mingzhi thought, I should not interfere with the matter of the side consort. But Minister Kang of the Ministry of Rites is cunning, deceitful, and treacherous—a well-known villain of this dynasty who has committed every evil deed. How could His Highness get involved with such a person?

Song Mingzhi walked up slowly and bowed to the Prince of Qi. He then turned to look at the others, being transgressive to the end: “Young Masters, please do not mention the matter regarding Minister Kang’s second daughter again.”

Liao Wenbai nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, of course!” He could finally see that the two people before him were of one mind. Not only would he gain nothing by urging the Prince to take a side consort, but he might even offend the Prince Consort and perhaps even the Prince himself. No, it would harm the Prince! It would make the Prince’s life even more miserable once he returned to the manor.

As his voice trailed off, Song Mingzhi, under the admiring gazes of the group, sat in the empty seat next to Mu Yanzhou. “His Highness has always suffered from stomach ailments. I was just worried, so I came to check on him. I hope you all do not mind.” His movements were smooth and fluid, without a hint of hesitation.

Approaching noon, the sun grew hotter. The lake water beneath the Yueyin Boat was brushed by the spring breeze into layers of fish-scale-like ripples.

“Phew…” As a spy under that person, the Consort truly did not let the Prince get involved with an influential official. Yuan Jiu let out a long sigh of relief and looked at the boat with newfound respect. If he had not known that the Prince was deliberately saying these things for the Consort and the group of dissolute nobles to hear, even he would have been fooled and thought the Prince was serious. What an actor!

The shimmering light swayed with the wind, falling into Song Mingzhi’s eyes. Those water-blue eyes seemed to ripple along with it. With such a beauty at his side, the dissolute nobles suddenly became self-conscious about their images. After a few moments of casual chatter, they somehow began to pontificate on state affairs in a pretentious manner.

Song Mingzhi had come to look for clues, so he held his teacup and quietly pricked up his ears. As a person from a later era, Song Mingzhi’s understanding of this time came entirely from history books. He was not entirely sure what the true political situation was like. The dining table was lively, with one person after another holding the floor. Before long, a young man in a red robe said excitedly, “In a little while, it will be His Majesty’s birthday. My father said that lately, the imperial court has been busy preparing for the Longevity Festival at the end of the month while discussing the appointment of the Crown Prince.”

The appointment of the Crown Prince was the biggest matter in the court recently. Normally, such a matter is significant and highly sensitive; it should not be discussed recklessly outside. However, the person speaking was clearly unaware of this. Like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube, he spilled everything he had heard: “The people in the court say that since His Majesty has been on the throne for twenty years, the court cannot be without a Crown Prince. They also say the First Prince is the oldest and already has several heirs, making him the most suitable candidate.”

The First Prince appeared upright but engaged in debauchery behind the scenes, and he had always been at odds with this group of dissolute nobles. Immediately, someone asked with wide eyes, “And then?” The ministers actually recommended the First Prince? Song Mingzhi gripped his teacup tightly. In history, that foolish ruler did not follow the ministers’ recommendations to make the Prince of Qi the Crown Prince until years later. Currently, both the timing and the events were all wrong.

The midday sun made Song Mingzhi’s skin look as white as paper, and only his fingers holding the teacup turned a pale red. Mu Yanzhou slowly lowered his gaze to his hands. He really is listening intently. Seeing everyone looking at him, the red-robed noble cleared his throat: “His Majesty was extremely displeased after hearing it. My father said that His Majesty does not like to be forced into doing things, and therefore, he even grew resentful toward the First Prince.” After he finished speaking, the group burst into laughter.

Song Mingzhi slowly lowered his eyes. So that is how it is. Treacherous officials have always flocked to the First Prince’s side. The Kang family wanting to form a marriage alliance with the Prince of Qi’s manor at this time is likely just hedging their bets.

Just as Song Mingzhi thought of this, a noble suddenly looked at Mu Yanzhou: “Hey, I say! How come no one is recommending the Prince of Qi?” Immediately, someone echoed, “Exactly! Although the Prince of Qi is the Third Prince, he is the Empress’s only son. Furthermore, the Prince’s grandfather once had the merit of following the dragon. If it had not been for his troops, how could the Emperor have?”

Everyone knew that the current Emperor relied on the military power in the hands of the Empress Xianping’s father to kill his older brother and seize the throne through a palace coup. Although this was all factual, the noble suddenly realized it was inappropriate before he finished his sentence. He forcefully swallowed the rest of his words.

However, just as Song Mingzhi let out a sigh of relief, Liao Wenbai picked up his wine cup again. He sighed, “It is a pity that the Prince has no heirs, and unlike the First Prince, he clearly likes men, yet pretends to be upright on the surface. Tsk tsk, it is as if he thinks others do not know about his private affairs.”

Song Mingzhi thought, Please, just shut up! Appointing the Crown Prince is not a topic that can be discussed carelessly. Worried that this group might say something else they should not, he immediately raised his hand and drank the now-cold tea. Then, as if casually, he poured a fresh cup and held it in his hand. The scalding sensation pierced through the thin wall of the cup like needles, and the heat instantly spread from his fingertips. Song Mingzhi gasped softly and placed the teacup back on the table with a heavy “Clang!”

What is going on? The boat became silent in an instant. The few people who were just talking loudly stared at each other in confusion. Before they could react to what had happened on the table, Mu Yanzhou had already frowned and said solemnly, “What is it? Did the tea burn your fingers?”

Seeing that those people had stopped talking, Song Mingzhi hurried to shake his head and whispered to Mu Yanzhou, “It was my own carelessness, Your Highness, there is no need to worry.” As he spoke, he slowly pulled his fingers back. Only a tiny red mark remained on his fingertip. It would likely fade within a few breaths. Seeing that Song Mingzhi’s expression was normal, Liao Wenbai, the host for the day, glanced over without paying much mind. Unexpectedly, just as he shifted his gaze, he saw Mu Yanzhou turn around and instruct the maid from his own manor, “Go and get some burn ointment.” The maid responded in a panic, “Yes, Your Highness!” She quickly saluted and exited the stone boat, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Burn ointment? Liao Wenbai thought, No, isn’t this a bit too exaggerated? It was just a finger being scalded slightly red; is it worth using burn ointment? He is blinded by beauty, truly blinded by beauty!

After such a scene, the group led by Liao Wenbai finally had no heart left to discuss great state affairs. Liao Wenbai dejectedly picked up his chopsticks and said silently, “Forget it, let us eat; everyone, please, hurry and eat.”

Song Mingzhi let out a long sigh of relief. He was just about to pick up the teacup again, but he saw Mu Yanzhou’s wrist suddenly tremble slightly. Because he was holding ivory chopsticks, this tremor became particularly obvious. Song Mingzhi spoke instinctively, concerned, “Your Highness?”

Mu Yanzhou rubbed his wrist, touched his wine cup silently, and winked at him, “It is nothing, it is just that my craving for alcohol is acting up. Let me drink a cup to suppress it, and it will be fine.”

No sooner said than done. At this very moment, Song Mingzhi became immediately alert, “Your Highness.” Before the words fell, his fingers had already lightly pressed onto Mu Yanzhou’s wrist. Song Mingzhi said firmly, “You cannot drink.”

The manor did have a bit of a wine collection, but the Prince of Qi had always been self-disciplined; how could he have an addiction? Furthermore, if the Prince truly had an addiction, using alcohol to suppress it would be nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst.

Mu Yanzhou lowered his eyes and smiled softly, “Alright, since my consort is concerned, I will not drink.” Saying this, he withdrew his hand with extreme cooperation.

Noble A, B, and C watched in silence. As expected.

Mu Yanzhou tormented the dissolute nobles for most of the day. After being well-fed, he finally boarded the carriage to return to the manor along with Song Mingzhi. The city of Chongjing was built in the previous dynasty, and the roads were all rammed earth, stone, and other materials. Even after the rain, there were no muddy or difficult conditions on the city roads. The carriage used by the royal family was very spacious inside. Although Song Mingzhi was in the same carriage as Mu Yanzhou, he still maintained a distance.

Mu Yanzhou had read books all night; as soon as he sat in the carriage, he fell asleep. Song Mingzhi held his breath, carefully organizing the information he had just heard. The words those nobles had just spoken were not entirely without merit: to be an emperor, while the inner manor is far less important than the front court, it is still very important. In history, the year the Prince of Qi ascended the throne, the original owner had long since passed away. Therefore, although he had no heirs, he also had no male consort, or even the unconventional male empress.

Song Mingzhi thought silently, It is over. Could I become a stumbling block that hinders His Highness from ascending the throne?

The carriage sped along, passing through the streets toward the Prince of Qi’s manor. Suddenly, it ran over a pebble, making a soft creak. On the other side of the cabin, Mu Yanzhou slowly opened his eyes. Finally, he smiled, “What is my beloved consort thinking about? Why are you so serious?”

Song Mingzhi thought, !

The afternoon sunlight shone through the thin carriage curtains directly onto Song Mingzhi’s face. Mu Yanzhou had woken up entirely too suddenly. Song Mingzhi, who had not been able to hide his expression in time, had no choice but to tell him the truth, “In reply to Your Highness, I was thinking about today’s events.”

Mu Yanzhou tapped his finger on the wall of the carriage twice with ease, “What about today?” After saying that, he slowly closed his eyes again.

Since the topic had reached this point, Song Mingzhi decided to declare his intentions so that he would have no worries for the future. Although this marriage originated from that foolish ruler, it concerned the two countries and was by no means child’s play; it could not be entered or ended on a whim. The civil and military officials might be struggling with this, which is why they did not fully support His Highness as they did in history.

This marriage might need to be ended early!

Worried that the Prince of Qi would be held back by him in the future, Song Mingzhi immediately spoke implicitly, “At any time, as long as Your Highness needs a divorce, whatever it takes, I will fully cooperate with Your Highness. I will never delay Your Highness’s important business.”

The carriage passed a high building, entering into the shade. The cabin suddenly grew dark. On the other side of the carriage, Mu Yanzhou, who had been leaning against a soft pillow, suddenly opened his eyes.

Need a divorce?

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