Chapter 67: Even if not twisted, one would still get depressed

Cheng Xi returned from Ghost Street, looked at the person squatting before the gate of their own residence, and wore a look of surprise on their face, "Your Highness Prince Jing?"

Prince Jing looked at Cheng Xi with some unease, struggling to squeeze out a smile, "I heard you are betrothed to the Regent, congratulations."

Cheng Xi:...

"Would Your Highness like to come in for a cup of tea?"

"May I?"

"Naturally, you may."

Cheng Xi led Prince Jing through the door; the youth's stature was only a little taller than Cheng Xi's, their face still quite youthful, and the disappointment in their eyes was almost overflowing.

Cheng Xi personally brewed tea and poured a cup, placing it before Prince Jing.

Baohua suddenly darted out, jumped onto the stone table, and stared at Prince Jing; Prince Jing was so startled that they stumbled and nearly landed on their bottom.

Baohua put their hands on their hips and made a laughing gesture; it was fortunate they could not yet speak, or they would be even more arrogant.

Cheng Xi grabbed their little braid, tossed them off the table, and reached out a hand toward Prince Jing.

Prince Jing looked at Cheng Xi's fair, delicate palm, their face flushing slightly; they braced themselves against the ground to stand up, the embarrassment on their face nearly burying them.

"Is there something you wish to ask, Your Highness, by coming here this time?"

Prince Jing shook their head subconsciously, but after hesitating for a moment, they slowly nodded again, "I... I know, you should already be aware of the matter regarding me begging the Empress Dowager to grant a marriage."

Cheng Xi was amused, "Yes, I am aware."

Prince Jing met Cheng Xi's gentle and innocent smile, and their nervous heart slowly calmed down, "I think you can probably guess as well; my motives were actually impure, I wanted to drag you into the water."

"When a person lacks the ability to protect themselves, wanting to borrow the strength of others is not a shameful thing."

Prince Jing was taken aback, "You won't be angry?"

"Even if you had mentioned this matter to the Empress Dowager, it did not come to pass; furthermore, even if the Empress Dowager had granted the marriage, I could have refused, and even if I could not refuse, I have other ways to make the Empress Dowager retract her decree."

"Just like how you got betrothed to the Regent, to make the Empress Dowager retreat in the face of difficulties?"

Cheng Xi looked at Prince Jing, "You aren't wrong to think that way."

Upon hearing this, the expression on Prince Jing's face was very strange; their brows were tightly furrowed, and their whole person appeared in a twisted state.

Cheng Xi looked at them, just waiting quietly like this.

After a long while, the tea in the cup was nearly cold, and Cheng Xi heard Prince Jing say, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to use you, I just... I just wanted freedom too much."

Cheng Xi was stunned for a moment, "Are you not free?"

Prince Jing met Cheng Xi's gaze, which held a hint of concern amidst the surprise, and suddenly felt a desire to confide; and indeed, they spoke it out.

"There is a deep rift between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor..." Speaking to this point, Prince Jing's brows furrowed even more severely, "The Empress Dowager's doting on me is not just compensation; it is actually more of a form of utilization. She wants to use me to keep the Emperor in check. I don't want to implicate the family of Feng Taiyi, so I can only obey the Empress Dowager's words. I actually don't want to go against the Emperor at all..."

But they were not the master of their own actions; they were powerless to resist the Empress Dowager, which was why they had set their sights on Cheng Xi.

Because they discovered that the Empress Dowager held an indescribable wariness toward Cheng Xi.

If they married Cheng Xi and had Cheng Xi's help, perhaps they could escape the current predicament.

"I know you wouldn't fancy me, which is why I acted despicably and went to the Empress Dowager to beg for the marriage." Prince Jing squeezed out a smile, "I came today just to apologize to you and thank you for not holding it against me."

It made their despicable and shameless behavior appear even more pronounced; they were simply restless in front of Cheng Xi, like an ant on a hot pan.

Seeing the Prince Jing before them, Cheng Xi could not help but think of the original owner; the original owner was somewhat similar to them, also living so cautiously, weighing everything, and seemingly using all their strength for every step forward.

Cheng Xi sighed inwardly; clearly, they were a villain, so why, after transmigrating, was there always a feeling of being forced to act as a good person?

"Do you want to get rid of your current life?" Cheng Xi asked.

Prince Jing was startled at first, their eyes filled with a hint of confusion, "Can I? How could that be done?"

They were the Empress Dowager's son; the Empress Dowager would not let go of them.

If she let them go, what would the Empress Dowager use to contend with the Emperor?

"If you were to give up your wealth and status, abandon your current identity, and start from scratch, requiring you to endure much hardship, would you be willing?"

"I don't know what kind of hardship 'much hardship' is, and I don't know if I can endure it. When I was at the Imperial Physician's residence, I often went into the mountains to pick herbs and grind them for preparation; I don't know if that counts as hardship?"

"Probably; it's about the same." Cheng Xi thought that if one were to be an Alchemist, it was actually mostly doing work like that.

"Then that's fine; I have followed my father—followed Feng Taiyi—to study medicine since I was young, and I really like healing the sick and saving people." Prince Jing's eyes were bright when talking about things they were familiar with.

"I am lacking a medicine boy by my side; are you interested?"

"A medicine boy? Me?" Prince Jing pointed at themselves, looking at Cheng Xi in disbelief.

"Yes, being a medicine boy is indeed a grievance for a Prince, but I can only offer you a position as a medicine boy right now."

Cheng Xi thought of the original owner upon seeing them and could not help but want to give them a hand, unwilling to watch them eventually head toward the original owner's ending.

With Prince Jing's temperament, if they spent a few more years under the Empress Dowager, they would likely end up depressed if not twisted.

With the Empress Dowager meddling, the Emperor would not only fail to be close to this younger brother but would instead be wary and disgusted; as time went on, brothers turning against each other would surely hurt one of them.

"It is no grievance, I am willing!"

Prince Jing was stunned; this was a golden pie falling from the sky!

Others might not know, but how could they not?

Cheng Xi was an expert capable of summoning a Thunder Tribulation!

"If one day I want to leave Jindu, you will have to go with me; are you willing to part with everything?"

Talent they had cultivated themselves could not be given away to others.

"To a very far place?"

"Probably."

"If I miss my family, can I come back to see them?"

Cheng Xi felt the family they spoke of was likely the family of Feng Taiyi; they thought about it seriously, then said, "It should be possible."

If they worked hard, this wish would not be difficult to realize.

"Then I will go beg the Empress Dowager tomorrow."

"What if the Empress Dowager does not agree?"

"Then I will keep begging her."

Cheng Xi looked at Prince Jing, "You know clearly in your heart, if you cannot move the Empress Dowager, she will not let you go."

"Do you have a way?"

Cheng Xi nodded and whispered a few words to Prince Jing; Prince Jing's expression changed again and again, and the look in his eyes as he watched Cheng Xi could be described as truly remarkable.

Cheng Xi smiled faintly, "Those who achieve great things do not fuss over trifles."

Prince Jing understood; the reason he had been able to live so spinelessly indeed had a cause: first, his skin was too thin, and second, his skin was still too thin.

Prince Jing left the Du Mansion with staggering steps, and Cheng Xi clicked his tongue while watching his back.

I really want to see what kind of expression the Empress Dowager will have when she finds out Prince Jing is acting as a medicine boy for me; it will surely be extremely spectacular.