Eternal Night - Chapter 68
Yongye stood up and turned around. She saw Prince Duan and Li Tianyou enter. Her brows furrowed slightly and then relaxed. She smiled and said, "Father! Why did you come with His Highness?" She saw Prince Duan standing behind Tianyou glaring at her. Then she saw Li Tianyou's gentle face. Her heart skipped a beat and she wanted to burst out laughing.
Her father not only opposed Yuepo, but was also very wary of Li Tianyou. Fortunately, she knew her mother's charm; otherwise, she might have suspected that Prince Duan had fallen in love with her.
Yongye's smile was as beautiful as the light purple silk robe she wore, ethereal and dreamlike. Li Tianyou's heart skipped a beat again. Why had he only realized today that Yongye was more beautiful than any woman? His gaze swept over the Prince Duan beside him, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of doubt. His mind raced, and he blurted out, "Yongye truly looks like a figure from a painting today... Hey, she looks so radiant!"
He quickly shut his mouth, chuckling awkwardly as he looked at Yongye. The more he looked at her, the more he thought her features were exquisite; even the top courtesan of the Peony Courtyard, Moyu Gongzi, paled in comparison. Qiangwei's beauty rivaled Yuxiu's, and she had admired Yongye since childhood, yet she avoided him. Yesterday, he heard that she had gone to meet Moyu Gongzi of the Peony Courtyard with great fanfare. Could it be that she preferred that kind of handsome young man?
She had been treated for half a year at the Reincarnation Clinic in Youli Valley… Li Tianyou’s face immediately darkened. The Reincarnation Clinic’s disciple, Yongye, definitely knew Yuepo! But Prince Duan said she didn’t know martial arts, and since she and Yuepo had private dealings, she would definitely know about the poison in the study. She couldn’t be that black-clad assassin, yet she didn’t recognize Yuepo when she saw her—clearly, they had a secret affair!
Li Tianyou's mind flashed back to Yue Po's handsome and otherworldly appearance in a white robe, and his mood was instantly like a jumbled mess of emotions, leaving him unsure of what to feel.
"I came to see if you were alright. I'll go and fetch Yue Po back to the manor to deal with her now. Yong Ye, do you want to come back to the manor with me? So we can vent our anger?!" As he spoke, Li Tianyou had already put away those frivolous thoughts, and a humble smile appeared on his face.
Should she agree or not? Prince Duan glanced at Yongye, indicating that she didn't need to go.
Yongye pretended not to see it and laughed, "Severed hands and feet are too bloody, Your Highness, please don't frighten Yongye too much."
"Am I such a cruel person? Considering that he used a centipede to bite me and even dared to hold you hostage, I just had to get revenge and teach him a lesson."
“Your Highness is so eager to avenge me, it would be disrespectful for you not to go. Father, I’ll be right back.” Yongye hesitated for a moment before deciding to go. She was still worried.
Prince Duan was extremely helpless and felt a little regretful. Yongye had been too kind to that boy. However, since the words had already been spoken, he could not stop him. So he called out, "Yihong, get another cloak and take good care of the young master. Go early and come back early. We will be setting off for Chen in two days. You promised me that you would spend more time with your mother in the manor."
"I will never forget what I promised." She lowered her head, not daring to look into Prince Duan's eyes. She had promised to let Yuepo leave Anguo and have nothing to do with him anymore. But, would she never see him again? A sudden pang of reluctance arose in Yongye's heart. She then thought that if Yuepo could safely leave Youli Valley, he could open a clinic and live a peaceful life with his medical skills; that wouldn't be a bad thing. Thinking of that handsome face and his always protective nature, a gentle emotion stirred within Yongye.
Life is like a play
It is still the waterside pavilion of Prince You's Mansion.
They still sent Yue Po into the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
As before, Yongye and Li Tianyou sat across the water.
Rows of willows line the lake shore, their branches drooping like ribbons, swaying lightly as if unable to withstand the wind. Their verdant foliage is reflected in the blue lake water, bringing the trees to life. They resemble a group of dancing women, their waists swaying like snakes, their long hair flowing in the wind, embodying the essence of grace and beauty in a poetic dance.
What kind of show is she watching today? Yongye felt she knew it even without seeing it. She took a sip of tea and said hatefully, "As long as Yuepo is neither crippled nor dead, you can do whatever you want. Let's see if my heart is harder or yours is more ruthless."
“Life imitates art!” Li Tianyou sat elegantly, intently watching Yongye. His gaze moved from the delicate nape of her neck revealed as she lowered her head to her slightly parted lips as she swallowed tea, and he suddenly asked, “Yongye, have you ever sung in operas?”
Yongye raised an eyebrow, indicating his confusion.
"After watching so many plays, I can't help but hum along. If Yongye likes it too, we can even swap costumes and put on a show. But you're more suited to playing female roles."
Yongye chuckled softly: "It's fine for Your Highness to say this in private. But the Emperor hates actors the most. I heard that the previous Emperor Kanghe was so obsessed with them that he neglected state affairs, which attracted the covetous eyes of other countries..."
Before she could finish speaking, Li Tianyou's expression suddenly changed. He picked up his teacup and brushed away the tea foam to hide his shock: "Yes, otherwise, I wouldn't have been expelled from the palace just because three eunuchs in charge of punishments died."
Who said the Crown Prince was gentle and polite, and his servants kind and tolerant? His mood changes faster than turning the pages of a book, and his grudge-holding capacity could be used to memorize classics for the imperial examinations. Yongye thought disdainfully, her face plastered with astonishment: "Father said that establishing an office outside the palace early would benefit the Crown Prince in cultivating his power. Look at the court now, divided into two factions like a watershed, how many officials are truly loyal to the Crown Prince? Could those three eunuchs in charge of punishments really be the Crown Prince…?" Disbelief was already evident in her eyes. She had instigated Crown Prince Tianrui to do this; didn't she know that? She just wanted to annoy Li Tianyou.
Li Tianyou was stifled by Yongye's words, but he remained calm and composed. Even the Emperor felt he had been wronged in the past, so he allowed the brothers to build their own power bases. He turned a blind eye as long as the foundation of the state remained intact. He knew in his heart that although they were allowed to cause trouble, with Prince Duan in charge of the court, no one could reach the Golden Palace.
Tianyou smiled faintly and said, "The truth will always come out eventually." He then clapped his hands.
The doors and windows of the pavilion in the middle of the lake were wide open, and Yue Po stood there just as she had that day, her white robe still stained with blood, two guards standing beside her.
"Eternal Night, how do you plan to teach him a lesson?"
"His Highness is naturally more adept at disciplining his retainers and establishing rules than Yongye. I'll just have to watch."
Li Tianyou smiled at her and said, "What do you think? Would it be good to tattoo the character 'slave' on his forehead so that he will always remember it?"
"Li Tianyou, if you dare do this, I'll carve the word 'turtle' on your face too, so you'll give up your dream of becoming emperor!" Yongye cursed inwardly, but couldn't help showing reluctance. A few lashes or a few strokes of the cane didn't matter; as for tattooing Yuepo's face, Yongye thought, she hadn't brought many hidden weapons today, just a few dozen throwing knives and a hundred steel needles.
A hint of reluctance flashed through Li Tianyou's eyes, igniting a surge of jealousy. A cruel glint appeared on his lips. His words seemed to be spat out between clenched teeth: "Yongye can't bear to part with his face? So you really do like handsome men!"
Yongye was startled. What was Li Tianyou saying? Did Li Tianyou recognize her as a woman? She thought of her past life; eighteen years had passed, and the feeling of being a man had completely vanished. All Li Lin had left her with were memories of the past and her ever-present experience as an assassin. Yongye coughed nervously, covering her mouth, her wide robe sleeves instantly obscuring half her face.
Li Tianyou suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, smiling slightly, "Since Yongye likes it, how could I do anything to make Yongye uncomfortable?"
"Your Highness treats Yongye so well." Yongye smiled, subtly trying to remove her hand. Li Tianyou tightened his grip, and she stopped moving, letting his fingers gently caress her wrist. For some reason, facing Li Tianyou's extremely gentle expression, she always felt as if a snake was flicking its tongue at her wrist.
"Yongye isn't in good health and rarely goes out, yet he has such great skin. Why are you getting goosebumps? Are you cold?"
Yi Hong immediately unfolded her cloak and draped it over Yong Ye, hoping to get the prince to let go of Yong Ye's hand.
Li Tianyou reached out and tied the knot for Yongye, then took Yongye's hand in his.
The delicate wrist bones and the smooth texture of his fingers suddenly gave him an urge to see what Yongye looked like naked. His gaze traveled from those slender hands to Yongye's half-closed face. Her forehead, eyebrows, eyes, lips, and jaw were all perfect, the only flaw being Yongye's complexion, pale and dull, which added to her sickly appearance.
Unfortunately… the son of Prince Duan, the Marquis of Yong'an bestowed by the Emperor, dared not. Li Tianyou reluctantly let go of her hand, suppressing the impulse surging in his heart, and looked at Yuepo standing in the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
Despite his injuries, blood-soaked body, and disheveled hair, his otherworldly elegance remained undiminished. He couldn't harbor any romantic thoughts about Yongye, so why should he?
Li Tianyou said coldly, "Throw him into the lake to sober up, and remember whose water you drank!"
Two guards lifted Yue Po up and threw her into the lake.
The moment she entered the water, Yongye noticed that Yuepo's feet were bound with heavy shackles. Was she afraid he would struggle if he floated to the surface? Yongye's heart skipped a beat, and she stared fixedly at the pavilion in the middle of the lake. She suddenly laughed, realizing how cold-blooded she had been, not even flinching.
Li Tianyou glanced at Yongye's face and saw a slight smile. He was deeply impressed. Qiangwei had treated Yongye so well, yet she hadn't shown the slightest emotion. Now, seeing Yuepo being tortured, she remained unmoved. Over the years, he had rarely seen her angry or distressed. Even when Prince Duan had beaten her unconscious with several strokes of the cane, she hadn't shed a single tear. Was she heartless towards Yuepo, or was she simply cold-blooded to begin with?
"Yongye, if you really like him, how about I let him be with you?" Li Tianyou cautiously probed.
"No need. His medical skills are superb, and his poisoning techniques are also excellent. I don't want to be on edge every time I eat." Yongye refused outright, but in his mind he counted to sixty-one. One minute and one second. A person who doesn't know internal energy can usually hold their breath for two to three minutes, and Yuepo is injured. Can he hold on?
Li Tianyou stared at her and smiled: "That's true, it was my oversight. If someone like that can't be loyal, it's really unsettling to keep them around."
He waved, and Yongye secretly breathed a sigh of relief. A guard pulled hard, and a white figure flew out of the water, splashing a large spray. Yuepo crashed heavily into the pavilion in the middle of the lake, a rope wrapped around her waist, her moon-white robe clinging to her body, coughing violently.