The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

"Ah… This one has been rude." The man bowed slightly and apologized. "This one's name is Yan Zheng. My sincere apologies."

Yan Zheng was handsome, and his peach blossom eyes gave his every glance an indefinable air of affection. He was dressed in a wide-sleeved indigo robe, and all of his gestures and mannerisms revealed a certain charm and elegance.

Shen Yu looked at him for a while. When he felt the increased strength of the arm on his waist, he averted his gaze.

Da Huan had always had open customs, and there was nothing unusual about a man being with another man. Yan Zheng quickly adjusted his expression and looked past Shen Yu and Shang JunLin. "Were the two gentlemen traveling this way? I thought I heard another carriage just now."

"Yes, our carriage is back there," Shen Yu said. "We heard some kind of commotion, so we came over to have a look. What's going on?"

At that moment, Minister Fang, who was dressed in civilian clothes, also walked over. He saw that Shen Yu didn't intend to reveal their identities, so he didn't speak much.

"There was a problem with my carriage, and I collided with another party." Yan Zheng smiled bitterly. "I don't know what happened, but this road is suddenly full of potholes."

Shen Yu looked at the road ahead of them. It was even worse than the portion they'd just traveled. "It was fine when we passed by earlier. That was hardly an hour ago. How did it suddenly become like this?"

Shen Yu remembered that when he left the palace with Shang JunLin, this part of the road wasn't this bad. He didn't know what happened to the road in the past hour.

"To tell the truth, it's not the first time I've encountered this kind of thing. I'm afraid both of you have run into trouble because of me. If I hadn't taken this road, I doubt this would have happened." It wasn't the first time Yan Zheng had seen something like this. He didn't know whether it was just bad luck or someone was making trouble for him.

While they were talking, the servants of the two families finished dealing with the carriage accident.

Yan Zheng apologized by inviting both groups to dinner. As it happened, Shang JunLin wasn't busy today. When he saw that Shen Yu had no objection, he agreed to come.

Coincidentally, Yan Zheng invited them to Yingxing House. When the waiter saw them, he was enthusiastic and hurried up to them.

"Are all of you together? What would you like to order?"

Shen Yu pointed at Yan Zheng to the side. "We're all together. He's the host today. Just ask him."

Yan Zheng was familiar with Yingxing House. He asked for a private room and ordered the restaurant's signature dishes. Then he turned to the other three people. "I ordered a few things at random. If you want anything else, please order it directly."

There was already a lot of food. Shen Yu and Minister Fang thought there was plenty. Shang JunLin, who hadn't spoken much, ordered a few more things.

When Shen Yu heard the names of the dishes, his eyes flashed. They were all his favorite foods.

Madam Fang and Young Lady Fang were female dependents, so Yan Zheng thoughtfully requested a private room for them next to theirs.

Madam Fang, who'd been married for many years, had met Shang JunLin before. She hardly dared to breathe until she was inside the private room.

Fang JiaYi poured a cup of tea for her mother. "Mother, why are you so nervous?"

"It's the first time I've seen that man in regular clothes. I'm not used to it." Madam Fang took a sip of tea and slowly calmed down.

Madam Fang spoke openly, thinking that Fang JiaYi had already met His Majesty and the noble monarch. She didn't know that when Fang JiaYi met them, they were using a disguise.

Based on Minister Fang's attitude, Fang JiaYi had some suspicions, and Madam Fang's words verified her guess. The people she saw again today were indeed His Majesty and the noble monarch.

"It seems the rumors are true. That person genuinely adores the child of the Shen family." Madam Fang was an old hand and could tell true feelings from false ones at a glance. His Majesty's love and care for the noble monarch and the affection in his eyes when he looked at Shen Yu were no sham.

"They really are a perfect couple." Fang JiaYi had seen that before, but she couldn't help feeling surprised by His Majesty's attitude towards the noble monarch.

She didn't know how things worked in the palace, but when they were outside, the noble monarch vaguely seemed to be in charge.

Madam Fang agreed with this and smiled. "I never imagined that person would behave this way with a sweetheart. I wonder if you noticed that they get along with each other regardless of their rank. That person acts like an ordinary man who's fallen in love."

Shen Yu had no idea that Fang JiaYi and her mother were discussing Shang JunLin and himself next door. Yan Zheng was a cordial host, hospitable and well-mannered. Thanks to his efforts, Shang JunLin wasn't as quiet as usual.

It was a small banquet, but both the host and the guests enjoyed themselves.

After the meal, Shen Yu and Shang JunLin took their leave.

Minister Fang got up and left not long after.

Yan Zheng stood by the window, watching the man gently lift the younger man into the carriage. Unreadable emotions filled his eyes.

"If the young master likes Young Master Yu, why not…"

"Careful what you say," Yan Zheng interrupted. "The two husbands are deeply in love. Why should I become a villain and disturb them?"

The man's affection for Shen Yu wasn't lost on Yan Zheng. He could admit to himself that he had certain unspoken thoughts about the person, but those thoughts had now been discarded.

He quietly observed them throughout the meal. The way the man took care of his partner wasn't deliberate or staged but more like a naturally formed habit. The principle of attending to his young husband was deeply engraved into the man's bones. Yan Zheng came to the capital to do serious work. A romantic affair would add some interest, but in the final analysis, it wasn't a priority.

"But…"

"Don't worry." Yan Zheng tapped the servant boy's head with his fan. "What about the things I asked you to do?"

"Everything's done, young master. Are we really not going to return in the future?"

"Why, is there someone back there you can't live without?"

"Young master, don't make fun. It's just that you're worthy of so much more. The young master is clearly… I don't understand why."

Yan Zheng laughed softly. "If I wanted to do it, I would, but what's the point? Why are you worrying about these things at such a young age? Have you ever seen your young master suffer a loss?"

Yan Zheng looked at the distant carriage. Based on the temperament of those two men, he was afraid their identities weren't that simple.

In the carriage, Shen Yu leaned against the window. "Does Your Majesty know who dug up the road?"

Shang JunLin: "Few people travel on it. Such a thing wouldn't happen without a reason. What's more, we spent at most an hour at the dark prison. If someone wanted to do something, an hour would be enough."

Shen Yu: "Was it directed at Yan Zheng? Or us?"

Shang JunLin: "If it was aimed at us, it wouldn't make sense to merely dig up the road. Most likely it was aimed at Yan Zheng."

Shen Yu felt the same way. When he thought about the road, what came to mind was something Shen QingRan produced in his previous life—cement. The ratio for producing this material was described in detail in the book Shen Yu read after his death. He decided that after he returned to the palace he'd write out the formula and see if he could try to recreate it.

Compared with the current road, a cement road would be much more convenient.

No sooner said than done, after Shen Yu returned to the palace, the first thing he did was sit down at the desk and write down what he remembered.

After his death in his previous life, he remained in the empty space for a long time. Reading that book was the only way to pass the time. Shen Yu read through it several times. He was especially interested in the knowledge that didn't belong to his world, and he took note of all the details.

Back then, Shen Yu didn't know he would be reborn. He remembered these things purely because he was curious about them. He was intrigued by the world Shen QingRan transmigrated from. According to the vague mentions in the book, it wasn't difficult to infer that it was filled with wonders.

After he sorted out the formula, Shen Yu packed it in a small box. The big question was how to give it to Shang JunLin.

Of course, before it could be officially put to use, it had to be tested.

Shen Yu thought about the formula a little more and wrote down some precautions, then called for Mu Xi.

"Give this recipe to the people in the estate. Tell them to make it according to the instructions."

"Yes." Mu Xi didn't ask any questions. She tucked the box into her sleeve.

"How's the situation at the Zhenbei Marquis' residence?"

"The lord marquis is still making trouble for the King of Yue's people. I'm not sure what happened, but Shen QingRan angered the Zhenbei Marquis. This time, not even Aunt Ru can visit him."

It was all related to the King of Yue.

For Shen QingRan, the King of Yue was the last straw he could clutch to save himself. There was no way he'd break off their relationship easily. He secretly revealed the Zhenbei Marquis' actions to the King of Yue's people, which caused the Zhenbei Marquis to suffer a tremendous loss. When he found out Shen QingRan was behind it, the marquis almost died of anger.

The Zhenbei Marquis was so angry his face turned red. "After raising this beloved son for more than a decade, not only did he side with the enemy, he actually told them about our weaknesses. I might as well have strangled him from the start!"

"Lord marquis, please calm down. QingRan didn't mean it. He's still young. This concubine will teach him!"

Aunt Ru grabbed the hem of the Zhenbei Marquis' robe, but he kicked her away.

"Still young?" The Zhenbei Marquis laughed angrily. "Look at Shen Yu. He's about the same age, but Shen Yu is sensible. He hasn't brought disaster on his family, has he? Now look at your dear son. What did he do?!"

Not only were the losses enormous, the foundations of the marquisate itself had been shaken. The Zhenbei Marquis valued his title more than anything. How could he tolerate it?

"This marquis seriously regrets sending away my good di son and keeping a white-eyed wolf." The Zhenbei Marquis gave Aunt Ru a cold look. "This is my order. From now on, without the permission of this marquis, no one is allowed to see that wretched son!

"If this marquis finds out that he's been communicating with the King of Yue's people again, don't blame this marquis for being cruel!"

After driving away Aunt Ru, the Zhenbei Marquis summoned his advisors.

"The lord marquis needn't worry. As long as the eldest young master is around, the marquis' residence will be fine."

"It's best not to bother Shen Yu if we don't have to. It's not easy for him in the palace. The first thing we have to do is solve the mess that Shen QingRan made."

If you said the problem was big, it was big, but you could also say it was small. The Zhenbei Marquis could deal with it himself, but it would cost him a pound of flesh.

When the matter reached the court, Shen Yu heard about it from Shang JunLin.

"This emperor has people keeping an eye on it, in case he decides to come to you for help. If you want someone to deal with it, just tell this emperor. There's no need for you to come forward personally," Shang JunLin said in a low voice. He was playing with a lock of Shen Yu's hair that had fallen to his chest.

"Your Majesty doesn't have to bother with him." Shen Yu leaned lazily in Shang JunLin's arms. "He won't come to me to beg."

"Then this emperor will listen to Ah Yu." Shang JunLin lifted the lock of hair to his lips and kissed it.

"Your Majesty will really listen to me? About everything?" Shen Yu came to his senses. He rolled on top of the man and faced him.

As if anticipating what Shen Yu was going to say, Shang JunLin lifted Shen Yu's chin and planted a kiss on his lips. "Everything but this."

TL Notes:

peach blossom eyes – 桃花眼 – Eyes shaped like a peach blossom petal. Perhaps the most seductive eye shape, it's commonly found in shous and seducers. The upper lid is rounded, and when the person smiles, the eyes look like crescents. The corners of the eye are parallel; a similar shape with an upturn on the end is a fox eye (狐狸眼) or maybe a "hanging eye" (上吊眼). However, those terms are used less frequently in literature and don't have their own Baidu page, which suggests to me that most people would just call them peach blossom eyes (Baidu)

a romantic affair – 风花雪月 – wind, flower, snow and moon — romantic themes; wind, flower, snow and moonlight — to waste money in houses of ill repute

white-eyed wolf – 白眼狼 – A common idiom which means a thankless wretch or ingrate

wretched son – 孽子 – unfilial son / unworthy son / illegitimate son / concubine's son

cost a pound of flesh – 伤筋动骨 – to suffer serious injury (idiom); be injured in the sinews or bones; have a fracture

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

this one – 在下 – under / myself (humble); "I" – A humble way to refer to oneself

Yan Zheng – 严铮

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