When the Deposed Crown Prince Was Reborn as Troublemaker - Chapter 87

Without Consort Xian’s guidance, You Yushan — who had always been one to speak bluntly — directly exposed the embarrassing thing You Yuyi had done right then and there.

At that moment, everyone who knew about the matter looked at You Yushan as though they were looking at someone truly audacious. Prince Wu really dared to say anything.

Meanwhile, You Yuyi, standing to the side, showed a trace of confusion. Wasn’t he Prince Yan? How could he possibly have been so short of money that he had to go and pawn his own wife’s dowry?

As for Father Mo, standing at the very edge of the group, he couldn’t help but feel some doubt stir within him. How could a dignified Prince Yan ever go and pawn his principal consort’s dowry? Still, Father Mo remained without particular worry — after all, You Yuyi was Prince Yan, and no matter what, a starved camel was still bigger than a horse.

“I believe there must be some misunderstanding in all of this,” You Yuyi spoke up. “Perhaps it was my Princess who personally pawned the dowry without my knowledge?”

“Ha. If you say there is, then there is.” You Yushan gave a cold laugh. Who in all of Chang’an didn’t know that His Highness the Prince Yan had secretly pawned Princess Yan’s dowry to build the Zhiyuan Book Pavilion?

You Yusui watched the two of them going at each other and had no inclination to smooth things over. He offered a brief reminder that it was time to set out, then turned and left.

With the Crown Prince gone, there was naturally no one left to watch the show. You Yushan let out a cold huff and climbed into his own carriage — out of sight, out of mind when it came to You Yuyi. If it weren’t for You Yuyi dragging him down, he wouldn’t have fallen off that cliff and wasted all that time, letting the Crown Prince claim all the credit.

“Husband.” Mo Shanshan watched as everyone departed and couldn’t help but call out softly.

You Yuyi stared at the backs of his two departing brothers, hating only that he had lost his memory and didn’t know how to argue back, leaving himself at a disadvantage.

“Get in the carriage. We’re leaving too,” You Yuyi said.

Only after You Yuyi and Mo Shanshan had boarded the carriage did the Crown Prince’s convoy and the two princes’ convoys formally set off.

With You Yuyi and You Yushan present, You Yusui couldn’t very well drag out the journey by crawling back to Chang’an at a snail’s pace, nor could he accept bribes along the way.

When Cui Yan learned of You Yusui’s thoughts on the matter, he couldn’t help but say, “Does Your Highness truly believe the Twin Corrupt Officials of the Crown Prince’s Eastern Palace is real?”

You Yusui glanced at Cui Yan, who had just finished taking his pulse, then reached out and idly played with the red coral bracelet on Huo Xiling’s wrist. “But it really does bring in good money.” 

From Chang’an to Dayang County in Hedong Commandery, the bribes You Yusui had collected along the way were enough to build half of Lingchuan Grand Academy.

Cui Yan gave a cold laugh upon hearing this. “I’m afraid the memorials impeaching us were sent to His Majesty long ago.”

You Yushan pulled the small blanket draped over him a little higher and said, “This prince is ill.”

He was ill — how would You Fengyun dare come looking for trouble? The fact that he hadn’t made You Fengyun move all the fine things from Xuande Hall into his Eastern Palace was already doing You Fengyun a favor.

Cui Yan: ……

Then You Yusui smiled again and said, “The memorial this prince submitted to request that the Mo family’s daughter be officially established as Prince Yan’s secondary consort should have reached Xuande Hall by now.”

Cui Yan gave a soft “oh.” He reckoned His Majesty was probably fuming right now over the first prince having married himself off on his own initiative.

Something that had never once happened in the entire history of the You family had now happened!

At the same time, Cui Yan couldn’t help but steal a glance at You Yusui. The possibility of the Crown Prince marrying himself off wasn’t entirely out of the question either — if that day ever came, His Majesty would likely be so enraged he’d suffer a cerebral hemorrhage.

Noticing that Cui Yan had been staring at him, You Yusui immediately became alert. “Why are you staring at this prince?”

Cui Yan: …… I’m estimating the probability of you leaving His Majesty paralyzed in bed from sheer rage.

****

At that moment, inside Xuande Hall, You Fengyun had just finished his evening meal. With the fine hours of the evening stretching before him, he hesitated momentarily over which consort’s chambers to visit for the night.

While You Fengyun was still deliberating, An Hai entered, carrying a memorial.

“Your Majesty, wonderful news — His Highness the Crown Prince has sent a memorial!” An Hai’s voice carried a note of delight.

That very morning, His Majesty had muttered on about His Highness the Crown Prince — saying that he himself had recovered, the corruption case had been concluded, both brothers had been found, so why hadn’t a single letter been sent back. And now, just a short while ago, the Crown Prince’s memorial had arrived at the palace.

“Oh?” A look of pleasure crossed You Fengyun’s face. “So he was willing to write something and send it back to the palace. I thought his heart had gone completely wild out there.”

He had already heard from the shadow guards — just a few days ago, the Crown Prince had gone fishing with Lord Xie, picked lotus flowers and gone boating, having a thoroughly wonderful time with not the slightest sign of wanting to return to Chang’an.

An Hai smiled upon hearing this, then said, “His Highness the Crown Prince is Your Majesty’s own son — how could he not think of you? He threw himself wholeheartedly into carrying out his duties outside, and this corruption case was handled most brilliantly. The follow-up work was done with great thoroughness as well. The common people all praise Your Majesty’s sagely wisdom.”

The smile at the corners of You Fengyun’s mouth deepened. He opened the memorial in his hands. The opening two lines were You Yusui’s greetings to him, written in proper and unremarkable fashion — yet You Fengyun felt his mood lift pleasantly all the same.

What followed was You Yusui’s report on the corruption case, and then a mention that he had not failed his father’s expectations and had found both his imperial brothers — only that there had been a slight problem with the eldest imperial brother.

In exceedingly tactful language, You Yusui informed You Fengyun that the eldest imperial brother had not only lost his memory, but had also married himself off to another person — a proper, legitimate marriage, at that — and had already been married for nearly a full month. The young woman he had married was the one who had saved his life. Although this young woman was of somewhat humble standing, she was nonetheless the one who had saved the eldest imperial brother’s life, and it was only right to make her a secondary consort of Prince Yan, so as not to chill the hearts of those who had shown kindness.

As You Fengyun read the final portion of the memorial, his expression twisted. An Hai, standing to one side, held his breath and dared not speak carelessly.

The next moment, You Fengyun slammed the memorial hard onto the floor and shouted, “Wretched creature!”

An Hai was so startled by the outburst that he immediately dropped to his knees. Out of the corner of his eye he stole a glance at the memorial on the floor, catching only the words “eldest prince,” “married,” “woman,” and “secondary consort.”

You Fengyun had long known that You Yuyi was no great material, but he had never imagined You Yuyi could be so utterly spineless and disgraceful — to have actually married himself off to someone else.

You Yuyi had gone missing two months ago, which meant that within a mere half month of his disappearance — perhaps even less — he had married into another family as a son-in-law. How You Yuyi had managed to marry himself off without so much as a second thought in that half month, You Fengyun did not know. But You Fengyun could say with certainty that at the time, You Yuyi had been looking for a person to depend upon for his future.

A dignified imperial prince marrying himself off to a village girl was the height of absurdity. You Fengyun could already picture the various princes in their fiefdoms laughing at him.

Useless wretch — couldn’t handle the case, then after losing his memory, rushed to marry himself off for the sake of a comfortable future. You Fengyun cursed inwardly.

“All right — Zhen is not angry anymore.” You Fengyun glanced at An Hai, who looked as though he wished he could flatten himself against the floor. “Quickly pick up the memorial.”

“Yes.” An Hai swiftly picked up the memorial and handed it back to You Fengyun, then quietly asked, “Your Majesty, how shall this matter be handled?”

You Fengyun took a sip of tea to tamp down his anger and said, “Do as the Crown Prince suggested — grant the Mo family’s daughter the title of Prince Yan’s secondary consort, bestow upon her one hundred gold, and do not let the world think kindness goes unrewarded.”

“Yes,” An Hai replied.

You Fengyun let out a sigh. His son was a disappointment, and he still had to spend money on top of it.

“Where have they reached on their journey?” You Fengyun asked.

“Your Majesty, in another three days they should arrive in Chang’an,” An Hai answered.

You Fengyun pondered this for a moment and said, “Have someone send things to the Eastern Palace — food, items for enjoyment, all of it — and send all the fine medicinal herbs from the storehouses to the Eastern Palace as well.”

“Yes,” An Hai replied.

After An Hai had departed, You Fengyun sighed. “Raised with such careful attention, and yet who knows how long he can live.”

****

The Eastern Palace received yet another batch of imperial gifts — a sight that filled the Imperial Noble Consort with jealous eyes and resentful bitterness. She had also just heard that her son was to take a commoner woman as a consort, which only deepened her indignation.

Fubao and Xie Ling, keeping watch at the Eastern Palace, exchanged a glance. Fubao spoke first, “The Eastern Palace has received another batch of gifts. There must be someone grinding their teeth with envy.”

Xie Ling smiled. “That’s only because His Highness the Crown Prince has the ability.”

Fubao added, “Unlike His Highness the Prince Yan — going out to handle a case and somehow ending up with a beauty in his arms.”

As the words fell, the great gates of the Eastern Palace closed, and Fubao and Xie Ling both burst out laughing.

****

By now, every household in Chang’an knew: the eldest prince, having fallen on hard times, had married into a farming girl’s family, and was now being brought back to be established as a secondary consort.

The gossip reached Prince Yan’s residence, and one of the servants waiting upon Prince Yan’s principal consort couldn’t help but say, “My Lady, are you not angry?”

Li Xiyue, who was seated before the mirror having her hair done, raised her eyes and said, “Why should I be angry?”

She had long felt nothing but hatred for You Yuyi — not a shred of love remained. However many women surrounded You Yuyi, she would feel no pain. She only wished he would drop dead this very instant.

“My Lady is magnanimous,” said the young maidservant attending her.

Li Xiyue gave a faint curl of her lips upon hearing this. Could she afford not to be?

Besides, the Imperial Noble Consort didn’t necessarily welcome this commoner-born daughter-in-law either — just as Li Xiyue herself had taken a position through a political marriage, this woman would occupy a place as well, yet her family would be of no use to anyone.

“Once my hair is done, let’s go. We mustn’t be late for Madam Zheng’s flower-viewing banquet,” Li Xiyue said.

Ever since she had been able to leave Prince Yan’s residence, Li Xiyue attended every inconsequential banquet she could, even with the Imperial Noble Consort’s people watching her from behind, even though her body was still quite weak. She was determined to keep going out. She feared that one day she might die quietly and without a trace inside this Prince Yan’s residence.

****

Three days passed quickly. The Crown Prince and the two princes returned to the palace without incident, and You Fengyun’s imperial edict arrived right on time — conferring upon Mo Shanshan the title of Prince Yan’s secondary consort. For a time, the entire Mo family was filled with a sense of shared honor.

“Husband, Imperial Physician Cui said that I am already with child,” Mo Shanshan spoke up at the right moment.

An Hai, who had come to deliver the imperial edict, said, “Congratulations! His Highness the Prince Yan, this is truly a double blessing!”

You Yuyi, who had by now recovered his memory, had no smile on his face. A secondary consort — granted just like that to a commoner girl. His heart was bleeding.

Just then, Li Xiyue emerged from the main gate. She had dressed herself in her finest attire to come and welcome You Yuyi back to the residence.

When You Yuyi caught sight of Li Xiyue, he couldn’t help but say, “You’ve become far more gentle.”

“Your Highness has taught me well.” With that, Li Xiyue raised her head to look at Mo Shanshan. “You must be Sister Mo — come with me in a moment. I’ve already arranged your quarters.”

Mo Shanshan instinctively looked toward You Yuyi, who told her to follow Li Xiyue.

“My daughter is already with child — I ask that the Princess Consort take good care of her,” Father Mo, standing to one side, spoke up.

Li Xiyue glanced at Father Mo and said, “The servants in the Prince’s residence are not kept for nothing — why would I need to see to her personally? I know nothing of medicine, and are the imperial physicians in the palace merely ornaments?”

With that, Li Xiyue turned and walked away. Mo Shanshan had no choice but to grit her teeth and follow.

“You are a secondary consort — all your allowances will be provided according to the secondary consort’s standard in full. If the servants bully you, deal with it yourself. It is not my place to manage it,” Li Xiyue said coolly.

She herself was nothing but a figurehead in Prince Yan’s residence. It was enough that she had managed to stay alive. Matters beyond that were not her concern.

“Consort, my father, my child…” Mo Shanshan looked at Li Xiyue, her heart filled with an inexplicable dread.

Li Xiyue smiled and said, “I know what your father has in mind. But I will say only this — your family has climbed toward the wrong branch in search of a high perch.”