Chapter 2

What exactly did she want to do?

Afterwards, he only felt a slight stinging pain below.

Gu Qi gritted his teeth. No matter how bad his reputation was, he was still an innocent young man after all. Young men were most easily aroused, which was why all men in the Youzhao dynasty wore chastity locks from a young age.

The so-called chastity lock consisted of three iron hoops. Two hoops were on the thighs, while the middle one, with a rough inner wall, was fastened around the genitals. Even the slightest movement would cause unbearable pain, like being fried in oil or roasted over fire.

He understood now. Yu Yunji wanted to punish him this way.

Now his eyes were red with pain as he clutched the jade hairpin he had just taken out of the brocade box. He saw Yu Yunji turn around, dressed in fresh clothes as if nothing had happened.

“How is it?” she asked.

To use such a despicable method. He swallowed the painful groan stuck in his throat.

Gu Qi took a deep breath, trying hard not to look too disheveled: “It’s not… not even half as good as His Highness the Respectful Prince…”

“What?” Yu Yunji looked slightly surprised. “…I was talking about the jade hairpin.”

Gu Qi gripped the hairpin in the brocade box tightly.

She was doing this on purpose. How despicable.

Seeing his poor complexion, Yu Yunji asked with concern: “Why do you look so unwell? Should we summon the imperial physician to take a look?” She seemed completely unaware. Did she not know what her actions just now meant to him, given that she frequented brothels all day?

Summoning the imperial physician now would be a complete insult to him – how could others witness such intimate matters?

Yu Yunji was about to ask further, when she saw him pull out a silver dagger from his sleeve with a humiliated expression, pointing it straight at her brow.

“Yu Yunji, don’t push me too far. Even if you are the Emperor’s most beloved princess, I, Gu Qi, am not afraid of you.” Gu Qi stared into her eyes and said fiercely, “At worst, we’ll both perish. If you dare…”

The cold sensation on her brow was real. Yu Yunji hadn’t expected him to be armed, but she didn’t dare move.

Gu Qi was like a cat on high alert. She was afraid of provoking him and losing her life as a result.

He always had that… look of being humiliated.

“Alright, alright. You’re not afraid of me, I’m afraid of you,” Yu Yunji probed.

Gu Qi’s beautiful face flushed red. Her tone, as if coaxing a child, was the greatest insult to him!

“Your Highness, how can you be late on the first day? You…”

With a sigh, Gu Qi glared at her and put away the dagger.

The old nanny didn’t say anything more, just sighed quietly.

Since the Male Empress passed away, Her Majesty had cherished this youngest daughter like the apple of her eye. Everyone knew Her Majesty’s heart was full of the Male Empress, so naturally she indulged the Lily Princess like this. Even if she was late by a few hours, what could be done? As just a nanny, she couldn’t say much.

Last night, the two had made such a commotion. If they acted strangely today, it might arouse suspicion.

Yu Yunji took the opportunity to grasp Gu Qi’s hand, ignoring his resistance, and interlocked their fingers as they walked out.

“You!” Gu Qi couldn’t break free and shouted angrily.

Yu Yunji said calmly: “Divorce.”

…Although Gu Qi’s face looked extremely unwell, he compromised again.

This was good enough. She had thought Gu Qi truly had no concerns, which would have been troublesome. But since he wanted so badly to marry the Respectful Prince, unless absolutely necessary, there was no need to truly do anything with her.

He just liked her elder sister, didn’t he? Beauty may be good, but life was more important. She could back off.

—

In Xuanzheng Hall.

The old Emperor rubbed her brow, saying wearily: “Still not here?”

“Your Majesty, at this hour, I’m afraid…” the female official hesitated to continue.

How dare she say anything about the Lily Princess in front of the Emperor? The Emperor could search the world for dragon liver and phoenix marrow for the Lily Princess. If she dared say anything, it would be courting death.

Years ago, when an old official publicly criticized the Lily Princess before the court officials in the great hall, Her Majesty disregarded his merits and relationship, banishing him to Yuzhou. Let alone her, just a palace maid.

She wisely closed her mouth. The old Emperor sighed: “Indeed, at this hour Xiao Mi is probably still sleeping. She just got married yesterday, perhaps still feeling the novelty of it all.” Mentioning the wedding, she began to berate: “That old fool Gu Shucheng actually pulled a bait-and-switch on me. To think Xiao Mi even agreed to it. How will the position of Male Empress be handled in the future…”

Yue Wan bowed her head and said: “Your Majesty, don’t worry. Princess Lily will grow up eventually.”

Having served by the Emperor’s side for so many years, she naturally knew that in her heart, she had already decided to pass the throne to Princess Lily.

A mother’s love for her daughter makes her plan far ahead.

But with Princess Lily’s behavior like this, forget about the common people, she might not even pass the hurdle of the court officials. The Emperor was naturally worried, but she was also conflicted, unwilling to let Princess Lily suffer even a bit of grievance.

“I can’t just behead all the civil and military officials,” the old Emperor sighed again and again. “When will my Xiao Mi grow up…”

“Your Majesty, the Respectful Prince has arrived,” reported the eunuch.

The old Emperor’s sigh had not yet fallen when the eunuch spoke again: “Ah, Princess Lily and her husband have also arrived.”

Yue Wan’s eyes widened in disbelief. She desperately made eye signals to the eunuch, who nodded with a bitter expression.

It was truly… unbelievable.

The old Emperor’s face was full of joy as she glanced towards the sky, smiling: “Yue Wan, I don’t see the sun rising from the west today. How is it that Xiao Mi has risen so early?”

She seemed somewhat proud. Yue Wan smiled and said: “Didn’t we say Her Highness has grown up?”

Yu Yunji walked hand in hand with the displeased Gu Qi, their fingers interlocked. When an apricot yellow figure appeared in the distance, Gu Qi’s pace suddenly quickened.

His previously gloomy face became as radiant as it could be. Even without thinking, Yu Yunji knew who the figure before them was.

“Elder Sister,” she called out to that figure.

Yu Zhiyuan turned to look at her, revealing a gentle smile: “Yu Mi.”

“Your Highness the Respectful Prince.” The voice beside her was as gentle as could be.

Yu Yunji turned to look at Gu Qi, only to see him now completely in the demeanor of a gentle and refined young master from a noble family. Where was any trace of the crazed, disheveled appearance from the residence?

Yu Zhiyuan nodded in return and said to her: “You’re quite early today.”

“I’m a married woman now, naturally I can’t be like before,” Yu Yunji smiled obediently.

The original owner was used to acting cute in front of her elder sister. Yu Zhiyuan didn’t say anything, just smiled and said: “Is that so? I’m afraid your husband woke you up.”

Yu Yunji instinctively looked at Gu Qi beside her.

In the original book, he had never stood so gracefully before her elder sister. She had thought that when they met, Gu Qi might do something shocking, and she was prepared to stop him. Unexpectedly, he was so well-behaved.

Yu Yunji was satisfied in her heart and couldn’t help but look at him a few more times. As expected of a villain with heavy ink strokes piled on him, even putting on this submissive appearance was extremely handsome.

Yu Yunji had no desire to make things difficult for him and smiled along: “If not for my husband, I couldn’t have gotten up so early.”

Her face was calm, but in her heart she was recalling the plot she had read last night.

She regretted not finishing that book, only hearing others talk about the general direction, not even getting halfway through the plot.

With so many examples of people transmigrating into characters with the same name right before her eyes, she hadn’t memorized more lines because she was too tired. Now Yu Yunji was at a loss for words.

When they reached Xuanzheng Hall, Yue Wan came to welcome them: “Your Highnesses, Your Lordship, please come in quickly.”

It seemed Mother Emperor was getting impatient.

Yu Zhiyuan asked: “Aunt Yue Wan, how is Mother Emperor today?”

Yue Wan replied as they walked: “Her Majesty is in a very good mood today, just waiting for the two of you to come and dine together.”

Yu Yunji was still holding his hand tightly, not letting go. Yue Wan teased: “Your Highness and your husband are so affectionate. When Her Majesty sees this, she might be able to eat an extra bowl of rice.”

Hearing this, Yu Yunji also silently prayed that Gu Qi wouldn’t act up at this moment. If he displeased Mother Emperor and was punished, it would likely accelerate the process of his descent into villainy.

Gu Qi’s originally cold hand had been held by her the entire way and was now filled with her warmth. Yu Yunji had no intention of letting go.

“Mother Emperor.”

She met the loving face of the old Emperor and clearly felt herself enveloped in a spring of maternal love. Contrary to expectations, when Mother Emperor looked at Gu Qi beside her, she was obviously not as warm.

At least it wasn’t the cold face from the original book.

Fortunately, she had communicated in advance. Otherwise, if she had let Gu Qi approach the Respectful Prince like in the book, today would likely have been unavoidable.

The old Emperor smiled at her: “Mother only thought you would come later today. I didn’t expect you to come together with your elder sister.”

The old Emperor’s gentleness made her relax a bit. Yu Yunji’s worries retreated somewhat, and she spoke with some of a daughter’s cheerfulness: “Xiao Mi is a married woman now, naturally I can’t be like a child anymore.”

Normally, the imperial family’s requirements for female offspring were extremely strict. Even young girls couldn’t behave like this.

But Yu Yunji was favored, after all.

“That’s true,” the Emperor changed the subject, her sharp gaze piercing towards Gu Qi, “My Xiao Mi is so sensible. This newly married husband should pay his respects with tea. Why is he just standing there?”

Yu Yunji instinctively looked at Gu Qi.

Although he was born into a great family and was the eldest son, it was said that he was almost kidnapped to a brothel as a child. His personality changed drastically after that, and his birth father also passed away at that time. His situation in the Gu family wasn’t very good.

The old Emperor’s repeated targeting was nothing more than for this reason.

Throughout the history of the Youzhao dynasty, women were valued over men. For so many years, with her father gone, the old Emperor had been both mother and father to her, unwilling to hand her over to others. How could she tolerate such a mistake in her marriage?

A sharp pain transmitted through her fingertips. Gu Qi had tightened his grip, fiercely pinching her rounded fingertips.

The soft fingertips immediately turned white from the pressure, while Gu Qi’s thumb sank deeper and deeper.

“Mother Emperor,” Yu Yunji hurriedly stood in front of him, holding her breath as she said, “I really like Yinzhi very much. Please don’t say anything more about him. Besides, it’s also Yinzhi’s first time getting married, so it’s normal to forget.”

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If she couldn’t protect Gu Qi today, her own life would also enter a countdown.

The old Emperor looked at her with doting eyes: “You little rascal, are you already protecting him so much on the first day?”

“If I can’t even protect my own husband, what kind of woman would I be?” Her eyes were bright and beautiful.

Gu Qi was stunned for a moment and turned his head to look at her profile.

The woman before him was wearing a brilliant smile, lightly excusing his fault. She even called him by his childhood name.

But why?

His reputation was extremely bad, and his behavior was improper. He was such a madman that the people of Youzhao would all avoid him and curse at him.

Last night, Yu Yunji had tied him to the foot of the bed and he had fainted from anger. Recalling everything that had happened between them, Gu Qi had no way to explain her current behavior.

At this moment, she should be bitterly criticizing his outrageous behavior to the Emperor before them, then letting him receive punishment. The Emperor’s manner just now clearly showed she was going to punish him.

Gu Qi slowly lowered his head. The stinging pain in his fingertips became increasingly apparent.

What kind of person was the Lily Princess? She was most adept at coming up with torturous ideas. Perhaps she was brewing some evil scheme at this moment, or maybe she just didn’t want to lose face in front of the Respectful Prince. After all, women cared most about saving face.

“Alright, alright,” the old Emperor waved her hand helplessly. “I won’t argue with you, you little rascal. Yue Wan, bring the tea to the Lily Prince Consort.” Normally, prince consorts had to brew the tea themselves when paying respects. The Emperor actually ordered her personal palace maid to bring it to him herself.

This was an exceptional privilege.

But Gu Qi was absent-minded at the moment. When he took the teacup, he didn’t hold it steady. His hand slipped, and the steaming hot tea spilled onto the ground. There was a hair-raising crisp sound as the teacup shattered in front of the Emperor.