Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 56

That day, Yan Huisheng was being hunted. His guards were scattered by the assassins, leaving him alone with no one to protect him. The two assassins pursued relentlessly, and he was utterly spent. In the desolate wilderness, he had resigned himself to the idea that the assassins’ intent, and the person behind them, would succeed. If he died, his father would no longer see him as a threat. Yan Huisheng wondered if his death would even cause the Emperor grief. 

Unexpectedly, fate took a turn. He saw a woman fishing by the river. Hearing the commotion, she turned to look at him. Yan Huisheng thought he would implicate her. If the assassins killed him, they would certainly not spare her, a witness. 

He never expected what happened next. The woman glanced at him, then swiftly pulled her fishing net from the river. Just as the assassins’ blades were about to strike, she flung the net at them. Her movements were so quick that the assassins, unprepared, were ensnared. 

Yan Huisheng snapped out of his daze, recognizing the rare opportunity. Summoning his remaining strength, he turned and struck with his sword, killing both assassins. 

Afterward, utterly exhausted, he slumped to the ground. He thanked her with a breathless, “Thank you, miss.” He still remembered how she remained calm, as if nothing extraordinary had happened. 

She simply asked, “Is there a reward for saving your life?” Seeing his stunned expression, she elaborated, “Something valuable you’re carrying will do as thanks.” When he didn’t respond, she pointed directly at his waist. “For example, that dagger of yours, it looks quite nice.” 

That dagger was one of his most treasured possessions. But no matter how much he loved it, it wasn’t as important as his life. Without hesitation, he drew the dagger and tossed it to her. 

She caught it, examined it for a moment, and seemed quite satisfied. Her voice carried a hint of amused delight. “Alright, I’ll take this as payment for saving your life. I’m leaving now. Take care of yourself.” 

And with that, she turned to leave. He was about to call out to stop her when he sensed someone approaching. Swallowing his words, he quickly rose to his feet, kicking the discarded fishing net and the assassins’ bodies into the river. He hurriedly cleaned up the bl00d on the ground. 

By the time he looked up, she was already far away. The new arrivals were his shadow guards, who urged him to leave, saying it was unsafe to linger. He had no choice but to depart. 

Thus, he didn’t get a closer look at her. It was nearing nightfall, and her face remained somewhat blurred in his memory. But even now, the recollection of that moment was vivid. At a time when he thought all hope was lost, she appeared, pirited and graceful. Was it so strange that she left such a deep impression? 

The Empress was left speechless. After a while, she finally spoke. “If you protect the person the Queen of Southern Chu wants dead, you risk angering her. She might shift her support to someone else. You know full well that the Eldest Prince, the Second Prince, and even the Fourth Prince harbor ambitions.” 

“Why does the Queen of Southern Chu want her dead? What kind of grudge is so severe that she would reach across thousands of miles, scheming through you to eliminate her? Is it because she doesn’t dare act openly within Da Liang? Or has she already tried and failed? Is that why she’s resorting to such roundabout methods?” Yan Huisheng asked. 

The Empress fell into thought. “This needs investigating.” 

“And the King of Southern Chu, does he know that his queen is plotting to kill a girl across such a great distance?” Yan Huisheng continued, “Mother, the Queen of Southern Chu is not to be feared. Even if she persuades the king to support me, it is only because he already intended to. If offending her truly changes his stance, then it means he was never on my side to begin with.” 

The Empress acknowledged the logic but had another concern. “And what about Zhou Gu?” 

Yan Huisheng fell silent. 

The Empress pressed, “You are the Crown Prince. Even without Zhou Gu’s engagement to her, you cannot marry her. Her status is too low. At most, she could be granted the position of a concubine.” 

Calmly, the Crown Prince replied, “Mother, you overthink. Given how Father suppresses me, he would never allow me to marry a high-born lady and gain further support. Perhaps her status is exactly what Father would find acceptable.” 

The Empress drew a sharp breath, her tension rising. “You’re truly considering marrying her? Zhou Gu has always been loyal to you. How could you take his fiancée?” 

Yan Huisheng didn’t respond immediately. 

After a long pause, he finally said, “What if he doesn’t want to marry her?” 

He looked at the Empress. “If Zhou Gu doesn’t want to marry her, would you then think it acceptable for me to marry her?” 

The Empress’ expression shifted. She countered, “Why wouldn’t Zhou Gu want to marry her? His engagement was arranged from childhood, and the Old Duke sent him to Jiangning personally, showing how much, they value it. Besides, if she caught your eye, how could Zhou Gu possibly not find her appealing?” 

Yan Huisheng said nothing. 

The Empress lowered her voice. “You cannot afford mistakes, especially not now. Personal feelings cannot outweigh your ambition. If you offend the Queen of Southern Chu and alienate Zhou Gu, potentially angering the Duke, your position as Crown Prince will be at risk.” 

Seeing his continued silence, the Empress raised her voice. “You’ve always been disciplined, virtuous, and highly regarded. You’ve worked tirelessly to build this reputation. But it only takes a single misstep to ruin everything. If you lose your position as Crown Prince, even if you marry her, can you protect her? History is clear, those who fail to ascend the throne rarely meet good ends. You cannot be foolish!” 

Yan Huisheng remained quiet. 

The Empress softened her tone. “There are countless women in the world. You are the Crown Prince now and will one day be Emperor. What kind of woman could you not have? Why fixate on one? After all, you’ve only met her once. How deep could your feelings truly be? If you give up now, it won’t be difficult. I trust you to make the right decision for the greater good.” 

When she saw he remained unmoved, her urgency grew. “Crown Prince!” 

Yan Huisheng finally spoke, rubbing his brow. “I can promise Mother that if Zhou Gu wants to marry her, I will not interfere. He and I share a deep bond. He has always been loyal, even accompanying me in the Eastern Palace as a companion reader. I am not so heartless as to steal his fiancée.” 

The Empress sighed in relief. “That’s for the best.” 

“But,” Yan Huisheng added, “if Zhou Gu refuses, or if their engagement is dissolved, I will pursue her. At that time, I hope Mother will not stop me. To be honest, I’ve had no interest in any of the palace maids or concubines you and Father have arranged for me.”