Три мандариновые утки и полторы пары

Глава 33

Was the person the Empress was talking about really that devilish prince Zhu Yu? She... no, she's so different from everyone else's perception. In the eyes of a "mother," her actions towards her "son" are nothing short of blind, utter indulgence!

"It is not that I hope Yu'er will not marry a royal concubine in the future, thus ending the family line and also ending your family line, Su Shaochu. However, right now, these rumors have spread like wildfire throughout the city, and coupled with Yu'er's demeanor in public, it is not a good idea to let this matter continue to go unchecked."

"What does Her Majesty the Empress wish Shao Chu to do?"

"With your intelligence, here's what you can do: If you can't make the Third Prince give up on you, then you should follow him and stay by his side. If my son never loses his feelings for you, then you should stay with him for life. If you don't want things to turn out this way, then find a way to make my son lose his feelings for you."

Su Shaochu, kneeling on one knee in the ceremony, watched as the Empress's robes brushed against the green grass as she walked back and forth, occasionally pausing as if in resignation before continuing her pacing. It was clear that this decision had caused the Empress considerable hesitation; to ask a man to accept his fate and follow her son was indeed a heavy burden.

"I hope you will take the opportunity to encourage the Third Prince to marry. My son is over thirty years old and still indulging in debauchery. You must find a way to ensure that his family line continues. Once the Third Prince has an heir, I will take care of your future lineage, Su Shaochu."

Well, it's probably not her place to carry on the Su family line anyway, and she herself isn't really interested in that kind of thing right now.

Alas! A mother's heart is filled with so many worries. The Empress's move is quite obvious. Unable to persuade her dissolute son to marry and have children, she sends his favorite person to get close to him, even if that person is a man, as long as the ultimate goal can be achieved.

"Su Shaochu," the Empress suddenly called out.

"yes."

At the Empress's signal, Su Shaochu raised her head and saw a stern face looking down at her. The other person's expression was one of regret and complexity as they scrutinized her once again.

"In truth, given the relationship between me and the matriarch of the Su family, I shouldn't be asking a man like you to do this. If you were a woman, everything would be fine; otherwise, I would be extremely satisfied with you."

Meeting the Empress's eyes filled with regret, Su Shaochu flashed a radiant smile, a charming smile that no girl could resist. Sure enough, the Empress was also taken aback.

"Shao Chu also felt helpless. Although he was a man, he was moved by the Empress's motherly heart."

Yes, even if it comes to this point, she would rather die than reveal that Su Shaochu is a woman, otherwise she would be immediately betrothed to Zhu Yu, this monstrous son of the imperial family.

"In a few days, I will be going to Qianruo Temple to participate in a grand prayer ceremony, fasting and worshipping Buddha for fifteen days. The Princess will also be accompanying me, along with the two girls, Wuyou and Wuchou. Although they are usually noisy, they are quite pleasing to me."

Wuyou and Wuchou are Zhu Yu's illegitimate daughters. Last year, they were recognized by their ancestors and have become princesses.

"The two girls are very fond of you, always chattering and clamoring to go see you. To avoid any unforeseen consequences..." The Empress sighed deeply, truly disliking the troubles caused by this Fourth Young Master Su's charm. "I do not wish for the scandal of three men vying for the same man to spread in the palace. In the future, I will keep them by my side as much as possible."

I tried my best to keep my lips straight, very straight, so as not to burst out laughing. So far, there haven't been any rumors like this. It seems that the power of rumors in the capital city has room to grow.

"I sincerely hope that in half a month, these things and these rumors will have a result or a beginning. Either my son will give up on you and stop the rumors, or my son will get his wish. I don't want to see the prince's painful expression of losing his composure in public again."

"Shao Chu respectfully obeys the Empress's decree."

While saying "I obey the decree," she prayed in her heart that her second sister, who had married the Crown Prince as a concubine, would not fall out of favor with him, and that her other siblings who were by the Crown Prince's side or serving as officials in the court would continue to hold on, otherwise their younger sister's future would be very, very dark.

I never imagined that being born as the sixth son would be the misfortune of the imperial family. I didn't enter the palace when I was young, and when I grew up, it was as if the imperial family would decide my fate again.

Chapter Three

The crescent moon hangs alone in the night sky, and the sound of the flute is slow and lingering. In the stars and moon, there seems to be a sense of melancholy, as well as a touch of leisure, until the long flute is put down and a sigh is murmured.

"The new moon unfolds its brow once more, for whom does this flute melody play?"

On the lake in Huafang, various lotus varieties are planted. At the right time of year, the blooming lotus flowers are in full bloom, displaying their delicate beauty. They are pale purple, pinkish-white, and purplish-pink, and even the calyxes have a unique charm that is both gentle and alluring. The lotus leaves of different sizes spread out on the lake, and the greenery sets off the flowers, making their beauty even more striking.

On the lakeside, a long, winding bridge stretches from the shore to the pavilion "Yingyue Yazhu" in the heart of the lake. At night, the pavilion is brightly lit, and pale green and snow-white gauze flutters on the long, dark brown pillars, reflecting the rippling starlight in the lake water, creating a dreamlike scene.

This is the villa of Su Shaochu's other married sister's husband. It is usually managed by a specialist. Last year, when she was injured in the Jade Pavilion while disguised as Zi Fei Shuang Yue, she recuperated here for a month or so.

"It's rare to see you so sentimental," a gruff voice asked from inside the room. "Who, and what, could have triggered such feelings in you?"

The person standing in front of the pavilion turned around, his elegant demeanor exuding a composed grace, and the corners of his lips curled into his usual teasing smile.

"On a moonlit night, I think of an old friend. When we meet again, I only recognize his face from my memories, but I cannot understand the feelings in my heart." The long flute in one hand gently taps the other palm. "The person I long to see seems to have come to the capital. For a moment, I am filled with many emotions."

"You, Su Shaochu, can have such feelings too!" Upon hearing this, Fu Yaofeng, the burly and solemn-faced martial arts master, paused, seemingly amused, as he was about to drink the wine in one gulp.

“Alas! Brother Fu, you make it sound as if I lack such feelings. I have always been a man of deep affection and loyalty. Where have I not given enough affection and loyalty to make you feel this way?” Su Shaochu sat down in front of him again, asking with a guilty expression.

Fu Yaofeng glanced at the gentle and handsome face before him, his usually stern and unsmiling expression captivating. His warm demeanor and elegant bearing were enough to charm anyone who met his gaze. Unfortunately, he knew all too well that beneath this deceptive exterior lay a playful and mischievous nature, a heart full of wicked schemes.

"I wanted to advise you, Fourth Young Master Su, that it's best not to be so sentimental right now." After drinking another bowl of wine, he said, "Don't forget, you did something earth-shattering at the end of last year, choosing the wrong person and having to get another one of your clones to handle the matter. I think you, Miss Su, haven't forgotten that there is another threat to your true identity."

Fu Yaofeng deliberately emphasized that Su Shaochu's taboo and hidden identity and gender were revealed: the sixth son of the Su family, and a woman whose true identity could not be openly revealed.

Back then, when the matriarch of the Su family was pregnant with her sixth son, she gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. To prevent her children from becoming victims of court intrigues, the siblings were sent to live outside the Central Plains from a young age. Furthermore, under the protection of the family, Su Shaochu was not allowed to appear as a man. By chance, the existence of a seventh son, Su Xuechu, was also concealed.

As the sixth son of the Su family, Su Shaochu was repeatedly warned from a young age to be careful about his identity and secrets.

To outsiders, Su Shaochu always appears as a man. Because of the playful interactions between her siblings in childhood, and according to the seniority of the male members of the Su family, "she" is the fourth son, so outsiders often refer to her as the Fourth Young Master.

"From what I hear, Brother Fu is referring to the Third Prince, Zhu Yu."

Last year, when Su Shaochu faced off against the Third Prince Zhu Yu, his long-hidden identity and secrets were exposed.

"With your talent, Su Shaochu, is there anyone else in the capital who can threaten you?"

Zhu Yu's noble status and his skill in manipulating power and human nature create a dynamic that clashes with Su Shaochu's cunning and strategic approach. The contrast between their outward appearances and the subtle differences in their positions often make their interactions full of sharp exchanges and witty banter.

"I am truly grateful to Brother Fu for his kindness towards my abilities." Su Shaochu raised an eyebrow and smiled, offering him a cup of wine.

"To be honest, I won't make a judgment on who between you and Zhu Yu is more like a demon who has cultivated to the point of enlightenment, regardless of personality or scheming. But after what happened last year, I've only come to one conclusion: the 'intentional' win on the surface, while the 'unintentional' win on the substance."

"It's rare for Brother Fu to have such insightful thoughts on this matter. May I ask who is the one with ulterior motives and who is the one without?"

Fu Yaofeng is resolute and taciturn, with a tough and unyielding character. He rarely engages in deep discussions, but he is always loyal and righteous, readily offering his support to friends and brothers in times of trouble. However, this loyalty and righteousness cause him to face internal struggles several times when dealing with Su Shaochu!

This Su Shaochu, who loves to play the field and has an elegant and refined appearance, definitely has the inner strength to be ranked number one on the list of cunning swindlers. She often sets up clever traps that leave people with no way out, and then pushes them into the trap with a smile, shielding Su Shaochu from the flames while she leisurely watches the show. She also often makes Fu Yaofeng, who has fallen into her trap, grit his teeth and take action for her.

"The Third Prince was too kind to you, but he only gained worldly possessions. You were also kind, but you had no interest in worldly possessions. That is the difference between you winning and losing."

“Worldly possessions, huh?” Su Shaochu rested his chin on his hand and asked with a smile, “Brother Fu, if you’re so inclined to talk about it, then please explain!”

“It’s just…” Fu Yaofeng suddenly blushed and stammered, unable to speak. He ate several large pieces of meat with his chopsticks and then drank a large bowl of wine before clearing his throat and saying, “A woman’s… chastity, flesh, body, and feelings between men and women—everything that the world considers is completely outside of your considerations. It should be said that you, Su Shaochu, regard these things as external things like money. If they can get rid of the entanglement of nightmares, what’s wrong with giving up external things? In that interaction, whoever fell in love was the loser. Obviously, Zhu Yu lost.”

A cheerful laugh echoed in the pavilion. Su Shaochu picked up a folding fan from the table, playing with the folds of the fan. He said with a mix of idleness and sigh, “Brother Fu is truly insightful. It’s just a pity that the nightmare hasn’t been truly eliminated, which means I’m destined to be a loser. Especially since I’m in the Central Plains and in the capital, facing Zhu Yu, who has all the power in his hands, even if I win this battle, I’m afraid… it will only bring me greater disaster.”

In the past, she would keep a low profile and avoid Zhu Yu, but now even if she wanted to avoid him, Zhu Yu wouldn't let her. His fiery and piercing eyes clearly told her that she, Su Shaochu, was his prey that he was determined to have!

"You brought this upon yourself, whether it be good fortune or misfortune. If you dared to set a trap for Zhu Yu, you should have considered the consequences if it failed." He ignored her drawn-out sigh. "Also, if you continue to avoid the Third Prince, be careful something bad might happen!"

"This... I will keep that in mind," Su Shaochu chuckled dryly.

"Be careful!" It's time to think of a solution. "I don't need to remind you, but the rumors about your ambiguous relationship with the Third Prince have spread like wildfire throughout the capital and the imperial city. Even the Empress summoned you to the palace the other day. It must be related to this, right?"

Before Su Shaochu was summoned, the second daughter of the Su family, who was married to the Crown Prince as a concubine, the palace maids who often had contact with the Third Prince, the court officials, and even Yan Pingfei, the chief steward of the Third Prince's residence, were all summoned by the Empress. The questions all revolved around everything between the Third Prince and Su Shaochu. It was very clear that this matter had become so serious that the royal family could no longer ignore it.

If Su Shaochu hadn't presented himself as a teenager, and the story between him and Zhu Yu had become public knowledge, the emperor would have already issued an edict to grant them marriage.

"I have truly experienced the power of the royal family. In official terms, the Empress cares about the Third Prince and has finally inquired about me; in layman's terms, this mother and son are birds of a feather, so we should deal with them and not offend them."

"It seems that after the Third Prince, there's another important figure you need to deal with." Fu Yaofeng raised his bowl to toast, appearing quite self-conscious.

"Brother Fu seems to be observing from a distance," Su Shaochu raised an eyebrow.

"We are powerless. Especially since the Third Prince showed a terrifying attitude at that flower festival the other day... no one dares to interfere."

That day, Zhu Yu seemed to have taken some kind of wrong medicine, completely disregarding the presence of the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince, and all the civil and military officials. From the moment Su Shaochu appeared, his eyes were fixed on him fiercely. Apart from toasting the Emperor and Crown Prince, he dismissed every official who wanted to toast him, openly "locking down" Su Shaochu with his eyes. Calling it locking down was no exaggeration. Zhu Yu made everyone witness firsthand how, after fixing his gaze on someone, he would unleash a murderous aura!

Their eyes held a fierce glint, an undisguised desire, and a clenched teeth; their attitude was so obvious that no words were needed, everyone knew that these two were definitely up to something!

Zhu Yu was always one to keep his emotions hidden. Although his private life was dissolute and he treated "beauty" like food, he did not spare either men or women. There were countless absurd rumors and cruel acts that happened to him, but the Third Prince himself never reacted. The rumors would always simmer for a while and then disappear. This time, Zhu Yu made it clear to everyone that Su Shaochu, the sixth son of the Su family, had a close relationship with him and was one of the Third Prince's men.

Rather than saying Zhu Yu lost his composure, it would be more accurate to say that he placed a "no contact with others" declaration on Su Shaochu.

"It's caused everyone I've been in contact with lately, from royalty and court officials to lovely palace maids, to be on edge. And many lovely young noble ladies and young royalty are being prevented by their elders from accompanying me on my lake excursions." He sighed helplessly, pressing his folding fan to his lips.

"Without the lively and lovely carefree and worry-free girl around to keep me entertained, life really feels a bit bland."

"Is this the time to be bothered by this?" Fu Yaofeng was never pleased with her attitude. "Since you know the truth, Zhu Yuyi should just deal with him and not offend him. Whether he's obsessed with you, genuinely in love, or sees you as prey, given his personality and methods, avoiding him will only cause trouble!"

She used to avoid it because she was afraid that Zhu Yu would find out about her gender, but after she took the initiative to choose Zhu Yu last year, the situation no longer allowed her to avoid it.

"Sigh! Although I have no intention of getting too involved with the royal family, I will definitely not avoid the Third Prince. After all, things have come to this point, and if I avoid him, it will only make things worse." At this point, Su Shaochu could only smile bitterly. "I can only say that the cause of this whole thing was a series of unfortunate coincidences. Later, Shanshan stirred things up, spread rumors about Zhu Yu, and was very jealous, which led to... how things turned out like this!"

“Yan Shanshan.” When talking about this woman who was on the same level as Su Shaochu in his mind and was on the same list of cunning and treacherous people, Fu Yaofeng shook his head. “She’s married to Lu Mingchao and is a mother now, but she’s still so spoiled and willful.”

“Shanshan has always been like this, and that’s part of her charm. In the end, she’s just angry that I went through danger alone last year, and she’s deliberately messing with me.” Su Shaochu, who is always gentle and tolerant towards girls, is absolutely protective of the girls around him. “When she’s throwing a tantrum, just go along with her.”

Yan Shanshan, with her stunning beauty and haughty demeanor, is the young mistress of the Lu family. She has been pampered by those around her since childhood and is Su Shaochu's close confidante.

"Sometimes I really think it's a pity you weren't born a man. Even men don't treat girls with the same patience as you do."

Especially when sitting among the chattering young girls, she listened to everyone with a smile. Even when she encountered a wealthy young lady who was throwing a tantrum at her, she never lost her temper and patiently and gently coaxed her. Fu Yaofeng could only admire her immensely.

But when she shows that same smile to the men around her, that's when she begins to plot against them.

It can almost be said that anyone with martial arts skills or abilities, whether brothers, siblings, or friends, is often a pawn in her hands, used by Su Shaochu after she embarks on thrilling adventures and challenges.

"Even if it was Mrs. Lu who caused trouble, if you, Su Shaochu, were willing, you should have met Zhu Yu. Why did you keep avoiding him all the way afterward!"

She was still leisurely enjoying her wine while fanning herself, basking in the tranquility of the moonlit lake.

"Perhaps the Third Prince's sense of conquest is temporary, and the passage of time can fade this stubbornness," she replied with a shrug.

"If Zhu Yu's feelings of conquest weren't just a passing fancy, time and distance would have eroded his patience. The Third Prince's ruthless methods could unleash a bloodbath on the four great families. I don't need to elaborate on the implications of this!"

"Hmm, that sounds like it." Su Shaochu rubbed her nose and nodded in agreement.

"Zhu Yu's mentality cannot be judged by common sense. Logically speaking, his temper and emotions have been provoked to this point, and he should have taken some action."

“You’re right, you’re right, we share the same view.” She poured him another full bowl of wine.

"The Flower Festival and the Empress's summons may both be part of his scheme. I really can't predict how the Third Prince will make his move." He sighed deeply, extremely worried.

"Brother Fu, don't worry so much. Good people are always protected by heaven." He quickly put two more pieces of fish on his plate to go with his wine. "Try this grilled fish. Brother Fu praised it highly last time. Eat more before it gets cold."

He slammed his large hand on the stone table, shaking his head in bewilderment.

"How can I be in the mood to eat when my brother is in trouble!"

"No matter how bad you feel, this problem won't just disappear on its own," she quickly comforted him. "Your body isn't made of iron, you need to take care of yourself and not overthink things."

"You shouldn't overthink it." A thick eyebrow rose to one side, and a heavy voice came from clenched teeth. "I said, this is about your business, Brother Shaochu, why are you acting like it's none of your concern?"

She even shook her head and swayed to him, as if she were listening to someone else's story.

"Well, actually, seeing how much Brother Fu values brotherhood and worries about his brothers' safety, I am deeply moved and can't help but want to tell you something else!"

"Wait!" Fu Yaofeng immediately raised his hand to stop her from speaking, and asked, "Is it related to the Third Prince?"