"Uh..." Li Jin was unaccustomed to the feeling of being touched, his back stiffening immediately. He then explained, "I'm not leaving. I was just going to ask the guards outside to bring a basin of clean water to wash your wound."
Ying Yuan shook his head. "Last time you also said you would come to see me. I waited and waited, but you never came."
"I was..."
"I don't blame you. I know you didn't come because you were sick," Ying Yuan interrupted Li Jin. "But you should have sent someone to tell me. I could have given them gold beans."
Ying Yuan knew that those palace maids and eunuchs would deliver messages for people as long as they were given money.
"You have gold beans?"
Li Jin raised his eyebrow in surprise.
Based on the terrible situation Li Jin had seen before, Ying Yuan's days before being adopted by Gu Rushuang were not good. Those eunuchs who bullied their master would not have allowed Ying Yuan to keep any money.
"Father Emperor gave me many gold beans. I hid some where they couldn't find them."
Ever since escaping Lan Xiwu's malicious intent, Ying Yuan had been forced by his environment to learn to read people's expressions. He even knew that the eunuchs in the palace would greedily snatch away the New Year gifts he had just received every year. So, Ying Yuan secretly hid some away. Over the years, while it was far less than what the other princes had, compared to the palace servants, he had accumulated a modest amount.
"Your Highness, we've only known each other a short while, and you're telling me this. Aren't you afraid I might steal your gold beans?"
Li Jin's gaze as he looked at Ying Yuan grew increasingly complex.
For some reason, looking at Ying Yuan now reminded Li Jin of his own circumstances in the modern era—similarly unwelcome, yet secretly finding his own ways to survive as best he could.
In the Da Xia dynasty, gold beans were typically used to reward servants. For Ying Zhengjing to give them as a New Year's gift to a prince showed just how little he regarded Ying Yuan.
"You wouldn't. But if you want them, I can give them all to you."
Ying Yuan shook his head vigorously.
Someone who was not afraid of Ying Zijun and saved him from Ying Zijun's hands, someone who had all the eunuchs who bullied him arrested, someone who he bit so hard yet never pushed him away or looked at him with disgust—how could such a person want to steal his gold beans?
Li Jin curled his lips. "Good. I will remember those words of yours."
"Mm." Ying Yuan nodded solemnly. But before long, seeing that Li Jin still intended to go out, he panicked. "Wait, you promised you would stay. Why are you still leaving?"
"Come with me, then. You and I will go together."
Li Jin issued the invitation.
Ying Yuan's eyes widened, and he agreed without a second thought. "Okay."
"However, I will still have to leave later. After all, I am only a subject and cannot stay in the palace indefinitely. I beg Your Highness the Seventh Prince to understand." Li Jin could see that Ying Yuan was happy to hear he would stay, but he still decided to state the unpleasant truth upfront.
"......"
Ying Yuan fell silent.
He could not think of any words to refute Li Jin.
Last time Li Jin had to leave, he said the same thing.
This time it's the same thing. What must I do to make Li Jin stay in the palace?
"Your Highness the Seventh Prince?"
"Li Jin, is there any way to make you stay, so you don't have to leave?"
Ying Yuan voiced the question in his heart.
Li Jin pressed his lips together. "Well..."
"There isn't?"
Thinking Li Jin couldn't think of a way, Ying Yuan lowered his head in disappointment.
Yes, rules are rules. It's impossible...
"If you can become the emperor, then anything is possible." Li Jin interrupted Ying Yuan's pessimistic thoughts, unhurriedly giving his answer. Then he proactively took Ying Yuan's hand, and they walked together towards the door.
Li Jin said this to plant the seed of ambition in Ying Yuan's heart, hoping he would eventually contend for the throne. He knew that as a prince, even avoiding the struggle for power would not lead to a good end. The tragic fates of the princes who had failed in his past life served as the clearest proof of this.
As long as I can become the emperor?
While allowing Li Jin to lead him, these words were deeply branded into Ying Yuan's mind.
____
Xuanqing Palace
Yang Shaochuan reported with utmost respect to Ying Zhengjing, "Your Majesty, His Majesty the Empress has already announced before the assembled consorts, as you instructed, that Heir Apparent Li will be the study companion for the Seventh Prince."
Ying Zhengjing stopped reviewing the memorials and looked up at Yang Shaochuan. "How did Consort Shu and Consort Chun react?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, the two consorts did not look well after hearing it, and also..." Yang Shaochuan did not dare conceal anything, truthfully telling Ying Zhengjing everything he had secretly witnessed from the sidelines that day.
Ying Zhengjing then asked, "Good. Did the Empress afterwards ask you anything in private?"
"He did not."
"Mm. The Empress is good in this regard. He knows what matters should be pursued and what matters should not. Not like certain self-righteous people who always think they can hide things from Us."
Ying Zhengjing nodded and continued reviewing the memorials.
"Your Majesty, those two consorts are secretly forming connections with court officials..."
Ying Zhengjing said expressionlessly, "Pay it no mind. Let them continue fighting. But there is one thing you must watch closely for Us. The moment they try to secretly befriend the Prince of Jingnan or the Prince of Pingxi, have the spies report back immediately."
"As you command."
Yang Shaochuan nodded and withdrew.
After Yang Shaochuan left, Ying Zhengjing put down his brush and rubbed his aching forehead.
The reason Ying Zhengjing had Yang Shaochuan deliver the order to Gu Rushuang today was precisely because Helian Yu and Shen Qianxue had touched upon Ying Zhengjing's bottom line. They had secretly instructed their family members to befriend the new Princess Consort of Dingbei, hoping to use this new Princess Consort to first win over the Prince of Dingbei, one of the Three Feudatory Princes. It was this that prompted Ying Zhengjing's decision.
Appointing Li Jin as Ying Yuan's study companion was both a warning to them and a move to temporarily tie the Prince of Dingbei's mansion to the Empress, thereby cutting off their hopes. In other words, Ying Zhengjing could tolerate the princes currying favor with court officials in their struggle for the position of Crown Prince, but he could not tolerate them reaching for things that could threaten him.
____
Elsewhere.
"Why would His Majesty agree to such an absurd matter? Could it be... His Majesty found out that I had Father secretly trying to win over the Prince of Dingbei's mansion? Impossible, it should be impossible. I discussed this matter personally with Father, His Majesty couldn't possibly know. Since His Majesty doesn't know, then what could be the reason?"
Helian Yu paced back and forth in her palace, furious and anxious, trying to figure out why Ying Zhengjing would agree to make Li Jin Ying Yuan's study companion. Unfortunately, no matter how much she thought, she couldn't come up with a reason.
Bang bang.
Helian Yu's personal palace maid, Mo'er, knocked on the door. "Mistress, a letter has arrived from Lord Helian."
"Father's letter? Quick, bring it in quickly."
"Yes, Mistress."
Mo'er hurried in and handed the letter to Helian Yu.
Helian Yu took the letter and immediately opened it to read. "Good, good, good, good. I knew Father would have no problem with this campaign. Once Father returns triumphantly to the court in a few days, Hui'er's position as Crown Prince will be secure."
Helian Yu couldn't help but laugh heartily, completely immersed in the joy of Ying Zihui smoothly ascending to the position of Crown Prince.
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