At once, everyone in Emperor Qingping’s bedchamber was stunned.
Emperor Qingping’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as he stared fixedly at Xue Yan.
Empress Jiang, standing nearby, was equally shocked. For a moment, she was too speechless to say anything.
Of everyone in the palace, Xue Yan himself was by far the calmest. Sitting in his chair, he met Emperor Qingping’s gaze without the slightest unease.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he said. “I’m not asking for your permission. I’m simply informing you.”
He looked up at Empress Jiang.
“I know a renowned physician in Jiangnan. I’ve already sent someone to fetch him. If he can cure you to whatever extent, then so be it. If he can’t, let one of your other sons take over.”
Xue Yan spoke so casually, as though the thing he wanted nothing to do with were not the imperial throne but merely two taels of silver that he could toss away without a second thought.
Having said that, he did not linger. He rose from his seat and looked at Emperor Qingping.
“I’m leaving.”
Then he turned and walked away without looking back.
Emperor Qingping’s chest heaved violently as he glared after Xue Yan. It was obvious that he was absolutely livid.
Seeing his reaction, Empress Jiang feared that something else might happen after Xue Yan left. She hurried after him and, without a second thought, stepped directly into his path.
Xue Yan stopped and lowered his eyes to look at her.
“Does Your Majesty have something else to say?” he asked.
Empress Jiang hurriedly said, “Prince Guangling, His Majesty is gravely ill. A country cannot go even one day without a ruler—you know that. As for who should assume the supreme authority in His Majesty’s place, that is not something you can decide alone. His Majesty must make the decision himself.”
Xue Yan frowned.
Empress Jiang glanced toward Emperor Qingping and lowered her voice as she tried to persuade him.
“Even if you truly have no intention of taking the throne, this is still the time when you must shoulder the burden. As for what happens afterward, why don’t you discuss it properly with His Majesty?”
Xue Yan still looked thoroughly impatient.
He could not be bothered to waste more words on Emperor Qingping.
He knew just how afraid the emperor was of dying, and how fiercely he clung to the position beneath him. Now that the emperor had narrowly escaped death but could no longer live as he once had, he would naturally want to see the throne passed to someone he trusted with his own eyes before he could rest easy.
And Xue Yan knew exactly whom the emperor trusted most.
He had fought for power before only because everyone else wanted him dead, while he happened to want to live. Now that those who had wanted to kill him had lost any chance of survival, he naturally had no desire to stay and concern himself with matters that had nothing to do with him.
Everyone coveted the imperial throne, but he was not among them.
For one thing, he had little interest in the affairs of the world. The only thing he wanted to do was help Prince Yan reclaim Yan Commandery.
For another, if he became emperor, even if he himself refused to do so, the court officials would find every possible way to fill his palace with consorts.
And when that happened, wouldn’t Jun Huailang run away?
Besides, he had no intention of making Jun Huailang sit in the position traditionally occupied by an empress.
Xue Yan’s expression made it clear that there was no room for negotiation.
Empress Jiang grew anxious. She glanced back at Emperor Qingping, then took Xue Yan by the arm and led him out of the bedchamber.
Xue Yan allowed himself to be dragged along, maintaining the attitude of someone who would cooperate with absolutely nothing short of force.
Once they had stopped beneath the covered walkway outside the bedchamber, Xue Yan spoke.
“Your Majesty, don’t try to persuade me. It won’t work.”
Empress Jiang, however, said, “Even if you don’t want to take the throne, shouldn’t you consider… consider the person you love?”
Xue Yan’s gaze paused. He turned to look at her.
Empress Jiang now knew that she had guessed correctly.
Lowering her voice, she continued, “If you simply walk away now, who among the princes in the palace will be able to help? Yunhuan is still young and has no talent for ruling. As for the ones who remain, whether it’s the First Prince or the Second Prince, do you truly trust either of them?”
Xue Yan frowned.
The First Prince was mediocre in ability and hopelessly old-fashioned. Even the few times Xue Yan had dealt with him at court had been enough to make him thoroughly exasperated.
As for the Second Prince, Xue Yunsu, there was no need to say more. He was both vile and stupid. Xue Yan found the very sight of him repulsive.
Empress Jiang continued, “Even if you become an idle prince in the future, you and the person you love will still have to remain in Great Yong. His Majesty will never stop watching you. If you want to live freely, you must make some plans for your future.”
Xue Yan knew she was right.
And it was not just him. Jun Huailang would eventually enter government service as well. He would never spend his entire life living in obscurity.
If the First Prince took power, his rigid and conservative nature would inevitably lead him to obstruct Jun Huailang at every turn and make trouble for him.
As for Xue Yunsu… better not even mention him.
Xue Yan clicked his tongue and began cursing Xue Yunhong in his heart.
That useless bastard, cornered like a rabid dog. He couldn’t do anything right, and now, even on the verge of death, he still has to ruin my future!
Empress Jiang looked at him.
“Prince Guangling, why don’t you go back and discuss this carefully with His Majesty?”
Xue Yan gritted his teeth, but in the end, he did not refuse.
By the time peace had returned to the Duke of Yongning’s residence, the night was already deep.
Jun Linghuan had not seen her older brother for so long. Now that Jun Huailang was back, she clung to him all day long.
It was not until late at night that Jun Huailang finally coaxed her to sleep. Only then did he quietly slip out of her room.
The lights were still on in the main residence. It seemed his mother had not yet gone to bed.
There was something Jun Huailang still needed to discuss with her, so he did not return to his own room. Instead, he headed toward the main residence.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, a maid spotted him and hurried inside to announce his arrival. A short while later, she came back out and led him into the room.
When Jun Huailang entered, Madam Jun was sitting on the couch beside her bed.
Seeing him, she rose and guided him over to sit beside her.
“The day was so chaotic that I haven’t had a proper chance to look at you,” she said, taking his hand and smiling tenderly. “I haven’t seen my son for over a year. You’ve grown quite a bit taller, but you’ve also grown thinner.”
Jun Huailang sat down beside her.
“The food in Jiangnan is quite different from what we eat at home. It was novel at first, but after so long, I never quite got used to it,” he replied with a smile.
Madam Jun poked him affectionately on the forehead.
“I never expected that a trip to Jiangnan would turn you into such a picky eater. Tomorrow, I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare a whole table of your favorite dishes to welcome you home.”
Jun Huailang smiled and agreed.
Mother and son chatted about various trivial matters for a while. After some time, Madam Jun asked, “Huailang, you came to see me so late at night. There must be something you want to tell me, isn’t there?”
She naturally understood her own child. If it were not something important, he would never disturb her so late at night.
Jun Huailang paused, then nodded.
“There is something I need to tell you, Mother.”
Madam Jun nodded.
“Go ahead.”
Jun Huailang thought for a moment before saying, “It concerns His Highness Prince Guangling.”
Madam Jun acknowledged this with a soft sound.
“I was actually going to ask you about him today, but things were so chaotic that I never found the opportunity,” she said.
Jun Huailang nodded.
“Several months ago, I heard that Prince Guangling had been ordered to go to Jiangnan. I never expected that, with the capital in such turmoil, he would send men to our residence.” She paused. “Your father has always kept himself apart from political factions, so I imagine he has little connection with Prince Guangling. That made me wonder whether you had developed a personal relationship with His Highness during the time you spent with him in the palace.”
Jun Huailang hesitated.
His mother was not mistaken. However, the relationship she had in mind was rather different from the one he actually shared with Xue Yan.
When Madam Jun saw that he had fallen silent, she knew her guess had been correct.
She smiled gently.
“I’m not blaming you, my child. Prince Guangling is very powerful now, and he has even saved our lives. There is nothing wrong with you having a personal relationship with him…”
But Jun Huailang interrupted her.
“Mother,” he said. “We are together.”
Madam Jun’s words stopped abruptly.
For a moment, a deathly silence filled the room.
Jun Huailang lowered his eyes to the teacup on the table, while Madam Jun stared at him in stunned disbelief. Neither of them spoke.
After a while, Madam Jun forced a smile.
“What do you mean by ‘together’? I’m sure you get along well, like brothers who are as close as family. That sort of thing is quite common…”
Jun Huailang, however, silently raised his eyes to meet hers.
Then he stood and knelt before her.
“Your son knows that this decision goes against the kindness and care with which you and Father raised me. But my mind is made up, and I cannot change it,” he said. “I ask Mother to punish me.”
He knelt without holding back at all. His knees struck the floor with a dull, heavy thud.
Madam Jun said nothing.
A moment later, she began to sob quietly.
“How could you be so foolish?”
Jun Huailang remained kneeling without moving.
Madam Jun wiped her tears, but the more she wiped, the more they flowed. After several attempts, her handkerchief was completely soaked. She finally laid it on her lap and continued.
“Putting aside the fact that you are both men, how will you establish a household? How will you have children? What will the world say about the two of you? And then there is Prince Guangling himself. Do you even understand what sort of person he is? Do you truly know what he feels for you? What will you do when he grows bored of you one day, or decides that he wants an heir?”
Jun Huailang did not raise his head. His voice was calm, but his tone carried absolute conviction.
“He won’t.”
After a brief pause, he added, “And neither will I.”
Madam Jun let out another series of quiet sobs.
“Wasn’t he supposed to become crown prince, then emperor?” By this point, she no longer cared about such taboos and said the words outright. “What will become of you then? Will you become one of his consorts, entering his inner palace alongside all the women?”
If Jun Huailang had been a woman, then even if she entered the imperial palace, she could still live peacefully so long as she was careful, whether she gained or lost the emperor’s favor. She could enjoy the palace’s wealth and splendor and receive the obeisance of others.
But what about her own child?
Madam Jun knew all too well how terrifying public opinion could be. Even if he could endure it for a while, he could never endure it for the rest of his life.
And what if Xue Yan turned out to be fickle and heartless? What would happen to Jun Huailang after they had been together?
By then, Xue Yan would be the emperor. Whatever he did would be considered beyond reproach, while her own child would be left among a harem of women, enduring their contempt and mistreatment.
The more Madam Jun thought about it, the more heartbroken she became. Her sobs grew increasingly intense.
“How could you be so foolish? Of all the people in the world, why did you have to fall in love with him? Why did you have to be with him? Even if you had fallen for a country girl, your mother would never have refused to let her marry into our family!”
Jun Huailang remained kneeling, perfectly still, and repeated with unwavering certainty, “Mother, he won’t.”
He knew that by now, every civil and military official in the court—and perhaps the entire city of Chang’an—believed Xue Yan was about to inherit the throne.
But he also knew that Xue Yan would never allow him to end up in the predicament his mother described.
He was an independent person with his own principles and boundaries. He would never truly do the sort of thing his mother feared.
Hearing this, Madam Jun grew even angrier.
“How can you guarantee that? If Xue Yan truly has those intentions, then let him come here and say so himself!”
Madam Jun was so furious and heartbroken that she no longer cared about the proper courtesies between subject and sovereign.
Although she came from a distinguished family and had been raised as a proper young lady since childhood, at that moment, seeing her stubborn son kneeling before her, she could barely contain her anger and anxiety.
What sort of spell had Xue Yan cast over her child? How dare he take advantage of her son’s kind heart and gentle temperament to treat him this way!
From now on, even if Xue Yan became emperor, she would still have to bow to him according to the rites between ruler and subject. And every time she did, she would privately roll her eyes at him several times just to feel a little better.