Chapter 1546: Regent Prince Dotes on Me Too Much, What Should I Do 15

That day, Jin Chen spoke of his fondness for male beauty at the Long Moon Pavilion, intending to use the Heavenly Hidden Guard to tell Xie Zhiwei, but he never expected Mu Zhengzheng to keep the matter in his heart.

That day he rarely attended morning court, and when he went to the Imperial Study with Xie Zhiwei, he saw Gao Kun with a complex expression leading over two delicate and cute youths.

"Your Majesty, this is the person the Commandery Prince said you wanted; he has sent Shengsheng over for you."

Jin Chen startled, "My person?"

Yu Huayao stepped forward to salute, seeming to have recovered from his illness, his lotus-pink robe making him look lively and obedient, "Your servant pays his respects to Your Majesty; after parting in the Imperial Garden that night… the Commandery Prince said you wanted me to enter the palace to serve, which is indeed my fortune."

Jin Chen: "……" So you've been waiting here!

The green-clad youth behind Yu Huayao was even more restrained, performing a modest salute and saying, "Your servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Jin Chen did his best to ignore the deadly gaze beside him and asked, "And who are you?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, your servant is named Yun Xiao, the legitimate second son of the Minister of Rites."

Wow, a first-rank Grand Tutor and a fourth-rank Minister of Rites—Mu Zhengzheng's speed is truly fast.

Just as Jin Chen was about to speak, he heard Xie Zhiwei's reprimanding voice.

"Impudent! The palace has strict rules, the Commandery Prince is unrestrained, and you, as sons of officials, are using those outside tactics on His Majesty!"

Yun Xiao's face paled slightly, and he immediately dared not act rashly again.

But Yu Huayao, spoiled since childhood, even if he feared the Regent Prince, still remembered his father's instructions and immediately looked pleadingly at Jin Chen.

"Your Majesty… your servant doesn't know what he did wrong to provoke the Prince's such great anger."

Seeing him still daring to act coquettishly toward Jin Chen to seek favor, Xie Zhiwei's inner resentment and killing intent could drown a person, "Prince, do I still need a reason to reprimand you? His Majesty hasn't even taken an empress yet—how dare you corrupt him!"

"Young Imperial Uncle," Jin Chen interrupted him without expectation, his face somewhat sinking, "It is I who like male beauty; if you say so, then you want to punish me as well."

Xie Zhiwei was startled and lost his composure for a moment, "I did not mean that."

But is His Majesty interceding for this person? He bit his tongue tip, feeling the pain, then spoke softly, "Your Majesty, this will inevitably be bad."

"Listen to your servant; after… the empress is chosen, letting a favored attendant enter the palace to serve is not too late."

Xie Zhiwei forced his tone to be calm; heaven knows how much effort he needed to suppress the sticky, yin-cold resentment coiled like a snake around a pillar in his heart, and his gorgeous, cold eyes unconsciously showed a hint of grievance.

Jin Chen's heart softened a bit; he lowered his eyes and smiled faintly, "No problem—since it's someone sent by my paternal cousin and also a son of an official, sending him out of the palace would be the bad influence."

"Grant both of you the rank of Consort; since you know each other, you shall reside together in Yangyun Palace."

Yu Huayao's heart leapt with joy; already pleased that His Majesty had helped him out of his predicament, hearing this made his delight even stronger, and he said in a crisp voice, "Your servant thanks Your Majesty."

Yun Xiao became even more cautious, furtively glancing at the Regent Prince's solemn face, respectfully accepting the order in a low voice, daring not to show happiness.

Watching the two youths' backs as Gao Kun led them to the inner palace, Xie Zhiwei drew a deep breath, his fingertips digging into his palm before he could barely restrain himself from ordering their immediate execution.

"Young Imperial Uncle."

Jin Chen softly called him, "Not going to the Imperial Study anymore?"

Xie Zhiwei gently stroked the four-clawed golden python embroidery on his cuff and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty has become increasingly disobedient lately."

"Young Imperial Uncle, I am twenty this year."

Xie Zhiwei: "……"

Yes, the age of the cap, and he has shed his former frailty and fear.

With such an emperor's heroic bearing, he must have already secretly attracted many admiring noble ladies.

"Come on," Jin Chen suddenly took his hand, his tone inexplicably softening considerably, "No matter how old I am, you remain my most important elder."

Elder.

Elder……

Xie Zhiwei suddenly went limp, letting Jin Chen pull him toward the Imperial Study, showing no trace of his inner collapse or the last wall about to be torn apart.

"Imperial Uncle, you are far older than I; do you still have no one who suits you by your side?" As Jin Chen eyed the approaching Imperial Study, he suddenly asked the handsome prince whose hand he held, sparing no effort to break the last thing he guarded deep inside.

Xie Zhiwei first frowned, then remained silent for a long time.

In his youth, his mind held only survival and climbing upward; after mastering a unique cultivation method, he stood firm in this imperial city whose people's hearts were like hell, and with his power influencing him, he became pure-hearted and desireless, never having felt anything.

Except that night……

Xie Zhiwei's fingers curled slightly in Jin Chen's tight grasp, and he hoarsely said, "I…… am not suited to have a beloved."

"Also."

Jin Chen had no doubts about him; upon entering the Imperial Study he paused his steps, facing Xie Zhiwei he raised a hand to brush away the fallen blossoms on his shoulder, "Regardless of the past, Young Imperial Uncle, I have never hated you."

"Before, it was merely because I was young… too fearful."

Xie Zhiwei's heart stirred slightly; inexplicably, these words made his heart itch, and the gloomy, bitter depths of his eyes gradually warmed as he lightly touched Jin Chen's cheek, "It is my fault for not doing well; your fear is also understandable."

"As long as you don't hate me……"

The last sentence was almost a murmured whisper; Xie Zhiwei knew that merely wanting Jin Chen not to hate him was already rare.

What talk…… of love?

This Regent Prince of his, even compared to those fox-like beauties taken into the inner palace, at least can cling to Jin Chen night after night without leaving.

——

That night.

Clad in thin middle garments, Xie Zhiwei sat alone in the courtyard; the luxurious courtyard had only the lonely moonlight for company, so quiet that even footsteps could be heard.

Not long after, the Heavenly Hidden Guard returned from the inner palace to deliver a message.

"Reporting to my lord, His Majesty tonight summoned Consort Yu to the Azure Splendor Hall, and he has not come out all night."

Boom——

Xie Zhiwei's wine cup slipped from his hand; he clenched his fists and raised his hand to signal the Heavenly Hidden Guard to leave.

He just sat there silently under the moonlight, his hair disheveled, and when the wind lifted it, his gorgeous countenance, cold as a ghost, was revealed; now it also took on a pallor, and in the hazy moonlight there was a weary, icy beauty.

"Yu Huayao……"

Xie Zhiwei lowered his gaze to his brows and eyes; his narrow phoenix eyes gradually filled with gloomy killing intent, "Quite good."

「Secret investigation。」

A black shadow appeared in the courtyard, like a ghostly shadow.

「Bring Han Zhou back, this prince has something to ask him。」

「Yes。」

Even without investigation, Xie Zhiwei knows that Yu Huayao is a person sent by Mu Zhongzheng into the inner palace; I originally wanted to keep Han Zhou, whose heart had been moved, by my side a little longer, waiting to gather more before destroying Mu Zhongzheng.

But now, he can't wait for Mu Zhongzheng to lose something.