Eternal Night - Chapter 40
Li Yannian wanted me to help the First Prince, saying that Youli Valley wanted to support Li Tianyou to ascend the throne. He said Li Tianyou had no background and was gentle and weak. But I looked at him from all angles, and this First Prince was far more cunning than the Second Prince. I didn't need to help him; he was already far superior to the Second Prince. The Emperor's concerns were nothing more than the Empress's position and the Second Prince's status as the legitimate son; he probably preferred the First Prince.
If that's the case, what is Youli Valley's true intention? Does he want me to become too close to the First Prince, so he can frame me and completely eliminate the First Prince? What does Youli Valley want most? Is it to support the Second Prince or the Third Prince?
Yongye thought about it for a long time. Over the past year, his relationship with the eldest prince had deepened, and they seemed to have become allies. However, in private, he expressed his loyalty to the second prince. How could the second prince refuse the Prince Duan's goodwill? Naturally, he cooperated.
If Youli Valley is on the side of the First Prince, then he certainly won't let Youli Valley get what he wants.
Regardless of who Youli Valley supports, Li Tianrui has achieved his goal of sitting on the throne of Crown Prince, and Youli Valley will definitely take further action. Will Li Tianyou let this go? Will Li Tianxiang accept it? Yongye is eagerly anticipating the outcome.
He yawned, turned around, lifted the sheet, looked at it again and again, and smiled when he saw the flower on the sole of his foot.
After spending five days lying in bed, Yongye felt very happy.
The beautiful princess doted on him like a puppy. She gave him food and drink whenever he wanted, and without him even having to rush to her, she would pull him into her arms. Inhaling her warm fragrance, Yongye felt that the princess's embrace was his paradise.
"Your Highness, Steward Li requests an audience."
Princess Duan kissed Yongye's face, a gentle smile blooming on her lips: "He's probably sent you medicine for your injuries again. The medicine he sent is quite good; it won't leave any scars. It wouldn't be good if it left any scars. Mother will go and see him... Tomorrow... you should move back to Wanyu Courtyard!" She finished speaking as if she was extremely reluctant to part with him, and couldn't help but shed a few tears.
Yongye sighed. If things were like this even in the same mansion, what would happen in the future...? He dared not think about it and nodded obediently, "I understand. I can't stay with Mother for long either, Father will be unhappy."
The princess turned around and scolded angrily, "What are you thinking?! You're so young but so precocious, who knows who will be able to control you in the future!"
Seeing the princess cover her mouth and laugh at him, Yongye snorted and said, "If I could slap someone and be as thick-skinned as my father, I would be convinced!" As he spoke, he blushed and pounded the bed, signaling the princess to hurry up and deal with Li Yannian, while he listened intently to the conversation outside.
Li Yannian was very anxious. For the past few days, Yongye had been staying in the Princess's inner chambers, refusing to let anyone see her. Emperor Yujia had appointed the Second Prince, Tianrui, as Crown Prince, and the First Prince had left his residence to establish his own government office. A series of events had disrupted his plans. At this moment, he secretly cursed Prince Duan for being ruthless and Yongye for being foolish, while hoping that Yongye would recover soon.
That night, Prince Duan slept in his study. The inner courtyard, where the princess's bedchamber was heavily guarded, was too dangerous for him to risk coming here. He could only get news of Yongye when he delivered medicine.
"Steward Li's medicine is excellent. Yongye's injuries healed extremely quickly without leaving any scars. Steward Li has gone to so much trouble, and the Prince said he must thank Steward Li properly." Princess Duan was always gentle and kind.
Li Yannian replied with a smile, "I am content as long as Your Highness is healed, and I do not ask for any reward."
The princess's gaze shifted, her expression darkening. She sighed softly, "Even so, his father went too far. The external wounds have healed, but he's still coughing up blood today. I'm afraid his internal organs have been damaged. He just needs to rest and recuperate. This child... has always been plagued by illness..."
"Princess, please don't worry. The young prince is still young. With proper care, there won't be any problems. I will go and fetch the divine physician to bring him back to the manor. We must cure the young prince no matter what," Li Yannian comforted her gently.
Princess Duan forced a smile: "It would be best if we could invite the divine physician... By the way, I've always said I'd betroth Lan Cui to you, let's hold the wedding this autumn."
"Thank you, Your Highness. However, the young master is not well. It would be better to keep Lan Cui to serve him for a while longer until he is fully recovered, then we can hold the wedding ceremony." Li Yannian thought to himself that the happy occasion should not be held at this time. He also wanted to keep Lan Cui to give him more reasons and excuses to enter the Wanyu Courtyard.
“Alright, Lan Cui has taken care of Yong Ye since he was little. Let him get married after he recovers. It’s just that we’ve delayed you two, and the Prince and I feel very bad about it. By the way, let Yong Ye move back to Wanyu Courtyard to recuperate tomorrow. The Prince has a lot of things to do in my courtyard, and there are always people coming and going.”
Li Yannian could not hide his joy and readily agreed.
As the two were talking, Yongye coughed a few times, his internal energy causing him to choke. Li Yannian understood that Yongye was telling him he was alright, and a weight was lifted from his heart.
Yongye then listlessly recuperated at Wanyu Courtyard. Prince Duan had decreed that no one was to disturb him. In any case, Yongye had always recuperated alone before, so returning to his previous state wouldn't seem strange to anyone.
Deacon Li was an exception, of course. He wasn't there to bother the young master, but to visit his fiancée, Lan. Knowing that the young master enjoyed brewing tea, he always tried to find various famous teas to please him.
Sometimes, when Yongye was bored, he would keep Deacon Li around to keep him company while he brewed tea and chatted.
The aroma of tea wafts through the air, and the long night is filled with leisurely contentment.
Li Yannian's patience was getting better and better, Yongye thought to himself. In the past, he would have spoken up as soon as no one was around. Now, he wouldn't speak until he had finished the first cup of tea.
"Thank you, young master! Your tea-brewing skills are getting better and better. I know you love tea, and I heard that a new manager has joined the Peony Courtyard. He is quite knowledgeable about tea. You might want to go and take a look when you have time." Li Yannian squinted slightly, brought the teacup to his nose, and inhaled the aroma. The fragrance of the tea was invigorating. A satisfied expression appeared on his face.
Yongye also took a sip of tea, then suddenly chuckled softly, "Master didn't used to drink tea, has that changed?"
Li Yannian's face stiffened. He put down his teacup and said calmly, "People always change some of their habits."
Yongye looked very regretful: "Besides tea, I've always tried mixing drinks, hoping to one day make a fine brew for my master. Who knew that my master would prefer tea?"
Li Yannian's eye twitched: "But you've changed too much. After only a year or two back at the manor, your master can't figure you out anymore."
Yongye looked leisurely at the flowers and plants in the courtyard and said slowly, "Although I am ill, I have not severed my contact with His Highness Prince Youqin. Fortunately, no one can suspect that the ailing Prince Duan is the ruthless assassin Xinghun. I have always been loyal to Youli Valley."
"Back then, we asked you to side with Prince You and help him ascend to the position of Crown Prince. But the result was the opposite. Why did you choose to side with the Second Prince?" Li Yannian's calm tone masked a storm of emotions within him.
Yongye chuckled, showing no sign of guilt or fear. The cicadas chirped, and a thick, murderous aura permeated the dense foliage.
Li Yannian stared at the beautiful face opposite him, that smile, that smug demeanor—was he still Xinghun? He said, word by word, "Do you know that disobeying the orders of the valley means certain death?"
"Li Tianrui's position as Crown Prince was solely due to his status as the Empress's legitimate son and the influence of his maternal grandfather, Grand Tutor Luo. The Emperor wants to appoint Prince You, who has no power... on what basis? His gentle nature? His knowledge of literature and etiquette? Or the support of Youli Valley?"
Upon hearing the last sentence, Li Yannian snorted, his expression arrogant. He seemed to have great confidence in Youli Valley.
“I didn’t follow the plan in the valley to get close to Prince You. Instead, I sided with Li Tianrui and used three lives and a beating to make the Emperor decide to establish the Crown Prince. Prince You has difficulty developing his power in the palace, while Li Tianrui, who is now the Crown Prince, has become arrogant and complacent. I heard that he beat several servants to death in his Qingyuan Hall the other day. Li Tianrui is so cruel that he will be deposed sooner or later. Isn’t that the same as achieving the goal of assisting the Crown Prince to ascend the throne? Master, did I do something wrong?” Yongye spoke calmly.
Li Yannian did not hesitate and smiled: "The Valley Master is very wise. He guessed your thoughts and did not blame you. He just asked me to confirm it again."
Yongye let out a long sigh and laughed, "I knew the Valley Master would never suspect a good person. My master has been in the Prince's mansion all this time. If I made any unusual moves, how could he not have noticed with his wisdom!"
He successfully saw the smug look on Li Yannian's face. After all these years, he had finally grasped Li Yannian's characteristics. Proud and self-satisfied, looking down on others, although a steward of the Prince's mansion, how was he like a servant?!
"Star Soul,"
Upon hearing the name, Yongye smiled; another mission had arrived from Youli Valley. "Master, there's no need to be so serious. You and I both know that there's absolutely no one eavesdropping within a radius of twenty feet."
Youligu finally accepted his approach and followed his line of thinking.
He claimed to be ill in public, but secretly did things for them.
How much longer will it take before he can find the secret of the Wandering Valley from the slightest clues? Yongye is not in a hurry. He is young, while Li Yannian and his Valley Master will eventually grow old.
Perhaps now we are working hard to remove the stones blocking their path, but when the princes come of age, they will have the power to remove the stones themselves and make them lift the stones that will fall on their own feet.