The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

With a clatter, Jiang HuaiQing's chopsticks fell onto the table.

The young man's mouth sagged open, and he uttered a meaningless syllable.

Shang JunLin's hand also paused.

Only Hè ChengYu, who'd already guessed the relationship between the two, remained as usual.

Shen Yu looked at Jiang HuaiQing, who was obviously shocked to the core. "Why, are you surprised?"

"Not really." Jiang HuaiQing smiled awkwardly. "It's just a little unexpected."

During the short time they spent together, the man's possessiveness towards Shen Yu was unconcealed, and Shen Yu clearly indulged his every move. Jiang HuaiQing could see their relationship wasn't ordinary. What he didn't expect was…

"So you're already married."

Shen Yu blinked. "There was no other way. Our families insisted."

Jiang HuaiQing was still stunned. "The two of you don't seem like people who'd be at the mercy of your families…."

Shen Yu smiled but didn't say anything.

During the second half of the meal, Jiang HuaiQing ate without tasting his food.

After they finished, Jiang HuaiQing got up to leave with Hè ChengYu. He was still trying to digest what he'd heard.

Shen Yu didn't try to keep him. There was no hurry to get acquainted.

Shang JunLin took a handkerchief and slowly wiped his hands. "Ah Yu seems to have a good impression of that Young Master Jiang."

"Is it that obvious?"

"You haven't been like this to anyone else." Shang JunLin lightly pointed out the truth.

"Your Majesty doesn't like me meeting this…" Shen Yu deliberately paused. Seeing Shang JunLin's body gradually tense, he said the last two words, "Young master?"

"It's enough for the noble monarch to have this emperor." Shang JunLin concluded with a counterexample: "It wouldn't be good to turn into the King of Yue."

"Hahahaha." Shen Yu cracked up. "Why, is Ah Lin comparing me to the King of Yue? Do you think I'll be like him and collect one of every color?"

"I didn't mean that." He didn't want to see Shen Yu surrounded by Young Master Jiang and Young Master Hè for some reason.

"I know." Shen Yu wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Ah Lin can rest assured. I don't have any interest in opening a dye workshop."

Speaking of dye workshops, Shen Yu remembered the woman dressed in pink who scolded the King of Yue so hard he couldn't answer back.

"Does Your Majesty know anything about that young lady of the Fang family?"

Shang JunLin was vigilant. "What do you have in mind?"

"What does Your Majesty think?" Shen Yu was amused. "I just think it's a shame she's unable to contribute to Da Huan."

"But she's a woman." Shang JunLin frowned. Although Da Huan was more open than other dynasties and had fewer restrictions on women, there was no precedent for a woman to become an official.

"Wouldn't it just take a word from Your Majesty?" Shen Yu thought for a moment. "Of course, we'd have to ask this Young Lady Fang for her opinion first."

Shen Yu knew that in the era Shen QingRan came from, women were able to live independent lives. Since ancient times, there'd been more than a few women with immense talents. It was truly a waste to make them remain in the inner courtyard.

The idea of giving the court a batch of fresh blood was still on Shang JunLin's mind, and he seriously pondered the feasibility of doing something along those lines.

Elsewhere, Young Lady Fang returned to the Fang family home under the escort of the imperial guard.

Minister Fang was startled when he saw the well-trained imperial guard enter the gate of his house.

"What's going on?"

"Father, don't worry. This daughter didn't cause any trouble. They only escorted me back. Please help me receive them." After saying this, Young Lady Fang quickly ran back to her room.

"Young lady, you're finally back. Next time you go out, don't leave this slave at home. This slave really can't deal with the madam," her serving girl said.

"I know, I know," Young Lady Fang said to appease her. "Come on, get me a change of clothes. Not one of those fancy ones, either."

"But isn't this pink dress beautiful? It suits the young lady so well," the maid said.

Her young lady was good at everything, but when it came to dressing up, she didn't act much like a young lady. Other girls liked beautiful dresses with bright colors, but not her young lady. She chose colors and styles that weren't suitable for a young woman her age.

Young Lady Fang wanted to return to her usual style. "Don't show me that dress in the future."

The maid couldn't argue with her, so she put away the pink dress.

"Why did you change into that gray thing again?" When Madam Fang heard her daughter was back, she hurried over. "Isn't the pink one lovely? Why, it's not good enough to meet people in?"

Madam Fang knew her daughter had dressed up specially to see someone off.

"Don't say another word, Mother. That man is a scumbag. Besides me, he had an entire room full of young masters and young ladies. Skinny, plump, all types. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought he was drafting concubines. I won't meet him in the future, it's tempting fate."

Madam Fang sighed. "As long as you're sure."

After speaking with the imperial guard and learning what happened, Minister Fang hurried over also. He patted his daughter on the shoulder. "Everything is the King of Yue's fault. His Majesty won't look kindly on that man in the future."

Young Lady Fang thought of the only two people who dared to confront the King of Yue after his identity was exposed. "Can Father tell this daughter about His Majesty and the noble monarch?"

"Why are you asking about them?"

"I heard His Majesty is deeply in love with the noble monarch. Your daughter needs to hear some moving love stories to heal my wounded heart."

The corners of Minister Fang's mouth twitched. He could tell that his daughter's face was full of excitement, without the slightest trace of sorrow. However, this was about his daughter's feelings. He felt distressed for her, so he didn't refuse.

One by one he related each thing he knew.

He didn't notice his daughter's thoughtful eyes.

"Young Lady Fang might have guessed who we are, Your Majesty." Shen Yu was walking behind Shang JunLin.

Shang JunLin stopped and waited for Shen Yu to catch up. He took the hand hanging in Shen Yu's sleeve and said, "Hmm."

Shen Yu let the man lead him by the hand down an unfamiliar alley. "Where is Your Majesty taking me?"

"To the house we're going to live in for a while."

It couldn't be denied they had unique identities. Whether it was for safety reasons, peace of mind, or anything else, it was best they lived in their own residence.

Shang JunLin was worried this would make Shen Yu unhappy. He thought for a moment, and then added, "If Ah Yu likes Yingxing House, we can go back tomorrow."

The evening sunlight wasn't harsh, but it had a warm and mellow feeling. Shen Yu squinted his eyes. "When did Your Majesty prepare this place?"

Shang JunLin was relieved that Shen Yu didn't express dissatisfaction with his arrangements. "I had some people prepare it after we watched fireworks last time."

"It seems that Your Majesty also wanted to leave the palace to have fun with me," Shen Yu teased.

"True, I want to be together with Ah Yu."

The two strolled down the bluestone alley. Green branches and leaves of various plants surrounded them, along with the faint sound of people's voices. Occasionally, a few songbirds called out. Spring was in the air.

They crossed through the alley and eventually reached a vermilion gate.

Meng Gonggong, who'd been waiting inside for a while, opened the gate. "The two masters have returned. Everything at home is ready."

Shen Yu walked inside curiously.

The courtyard wasn't large, but every detail of it was charming. A small path meandered like a ribbon through vibrant greenery.

Shen Yu looked around and was satisfied with their small temporary residence.

Later in the evening, Meng Gonggong brought in the official reports that Shang JunLin wanted to review.

Shen Yu sat opposite Shang JunLin with his cheek resting in his hand. "Does Your Majesty have to work on business even when you came here to have fun?"

Shang JunLin was distracted from talking with Shen Yu as he read through the memorials submitted by the ministers.

"If not, the pile will grow even larger after we return to the palace, and some might become urgent." Shang JunLin picked up the next memorial and paused slightly. "This one is from Minister Fang."

"It's not about the King of Yue, is it?" Considering what happened earlier that day, Shen Yu thought the timing was too much of a coincidence. "Your Majesty, take a look at it."

"Noble monarch, come over and read it with this emperor," Shang JunLin invited.

Shen Yu was really curious about the contents of the memorial. He accepted Shang JunLin's invitation and sat down next to him. "This couch isn't as comfortable as the one in the palace."

Due to space limitations, the couch was smaller than the one in the palace, too. Shen Yu had to move closer to Shang JunLin when he sat down.

The two were next to each other, close enough to feel each other's body temperature through their clothes. After sitting there for a while, Shen Yu felt warm, which quickly changed his opinion of the couch.

Shang JunLin was quite satisfied with this distance. He secretly thought about the possibility of exchanging the soft couch in the palace for a smaller one.

Before Shen Yu's arrival, all Shang JunLin said about the palace was to "make it comfortable and please the noble monarch". Meng Gonggong supervised the actual arrangements. After Shen Yu moved in, he changed some things according to his own preferences, transforming it into the Yuzhang Palace of today.

It had to be said that Shen Yu really knew how to live well. After Shang JunLin got used to Yuzhang Palace, he didn't want to go back to his own bedchambers at all. Of course, he wouldn't deny the primary reason was that Shen Yu was in Yuzhang Palace.

"After we return to the palace, would the noble monarch like to move into this emperor's chambers?" After saying this, Shang JunLin felt more and more that it was an excellent idea. When he thought of enclosing Shen Yu in his own territory, a deep sense of satisfaction welled up inside him.

Shen Yu didn't understand how the topic had suddenly jumped to this. "Why is Your Majesty suddenly mentioning this?"

"When the time comes, the noble monarch can decorate the palace according to your preferences. Is there anything about Yuzhang Palace the noble monarch is dissatisfied with?"

Shen Yu shook his head. He liked everything about Yuzhang Palace, not to mention…

"The ministers have already criticized me. If I move into Your Majesty's chambers, those people will probably make trouble again."

"The noble monarch doesn't look like the type of person who'd back down because of something like that. Where the noble monarch and this emperor live is our own private affair. This emperor doesn't think the ministers will make too many comments."

Shang JunLin's eyes darkened. "Even if they do, this emperor will make sure they don't dare to utter a word. When do they get to question this emperor's decisions!"

Shen Yu knew Shang JunLin would do as he said, but Shen Yu had no intention of moving into Shang JunLin's chambers at the moment. It was too close, far beyond anything he'd expected.

"Does Your Majesty dislike Yuzhang Palace?" Shen Yu leaned on Shang JunLin's shoulder. He reached out to open the memorial and changed the subject. "Your Majesty, look at what Minister Fang wrote."

The first half of the memorial was about official business. After that, the style changed. Minister Fang began to complain, castigating the King of Yue as a beast who'd cheated multiple women and made them shed tears over him.

The words were vivid and extraordinarily moving.

As Shen Yu read this denunciation of the King of Yue which didn't contain a single obscene word, he felt refreshed. "Minister Fang is quite interesting."

Shen Yu thought that if Minister Fang had been present at Yingxing House, the King of Yue would have suffered a double blow. Now he understood why Young Lady Fang was able to speak so eloquently. It turned out that she'd grown up learning such things from childhood.

Shang JunLin didn't care about the affairs of Minister Fang or his daughter. The only thing on his mind was packing up Shen Yu and bringing him into his own chambers when he returned to the palace.

He absentmindedly echoed a few words, then looped his arm around the lithe waist and rested his hand on Shen Yu's abdomen.

The man's palm was warm. Shen Yu felt cozy and comfortable, and he lazily let his entire body weight press against Shang JunLin.

Before he could say another word about Minister Fang's daughter, he heard the man's magnetic voice from above him.

"There's a baby in here. Doesn't the noble monarch think it's time to give the baby's father a name?"

Shen Yu："…"

I'm not going to get past this one, am I?

TL Notes:

ate without tasting his food – 食不知味 – lit. to eat without tasting the food / worried or downhearted (idiom)

cracked up – 乐不可支 – be overwhelmed with joy; as pleased as Punch; be beside oneself with happiness; be in raptures over

Skinny, plump, all types – 环肥燕瘦 – Huan plump, Yan skinny – Yang Yuhuan was plump while Zhao Feiyan was skinny — Describes the different forms of women, each with its own beauty. Also refers to the different styles of works of art, each has its own strengths

a beast – 不是人 – not being human

(give this baby's father) a name – 名分 – a person's status – legitimacy, a formal role, formal recognition, etc.

Transliterated names, places, and titles—new in this chapter:

daughter, this daughter – 女儿 – nǚ ér

Young Lady Fang – 方小姐 – Fāng xiǎojiě

Father – 父亲 – fùqīn

Mother – 娘 – niáng

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