Chapter Forty-Three: Say That Again

Page 1 of 3

“Young master! What did you say?” Mo Cai exclaimed in shock. Now that A-Liu had left, how could the young master be sending him away as well?

Yu Hualiang sighed. “Mo Cai... you should go. Leave the Seventh Prince’s residence and return to the Yu family.”

Mo Cai dropped to his knees and pleaded, “Young master, I can’t go. If I leave, there will be no one left to look after you here in the Seventh Prince’s household.”

Yu Hualiang grasped the teacup on the table and smashed it to the ground in a fit of anger. “When I tell you to leave, you leave! Enough with the nonsense.”

It was the first time Mo Cai had ever seen the young master lose his temper at him like this. He was so frightened he couldn’t move, but he also couldn’t bring himself to leave Yu Hualiang so easily. If he did, how could he ever face Master Yu?

“Young master, if I’ve done something wrong, then punish me—just don’t bottle it up inside.”

Looking at Mo Cai’s earnest face, Yu Hualiang’s heart ached all the more. He could almost see the miserable fate that might befall Mo Cai because of him. Better for Mo Cai to leave as soon as possible. At least for now, the Seventh Prince wouldn’t kill him. And once the prince tired of him, it would be easier to escape alone.

With an icy gaze, Yu Hualiang said again, “I told you to go. I told you to return to the Yu family.”

Mo Cai had no idea what he’d done to offend him. He didn’t dare beg, but he couldn’t stop himself either. In his desperation, he grabbed Yu Hualiang’s leg and clung to it. “Young master, no matter what you say, I won’t leave.”

“Let go of me!” Yu Hualiang tried to wrench his leg free, but Mo Cai held on so tightly that he ended up dragging him along as he walked.

Yu Hualiang tried to shake him off, but his footing slipped; he fell, his head striking the table hard enough to leave him dizzy and dazed.

Terrified, Mo Cai immediately released him to check on his condition. “Young master, are you all right? This is all my fault.”

“Ziliang....” The Seventh Prince appeared at the door, watching as Yu Hualiang clutched his head.

He stepped forward to help him up, but Yu Hualiang shook him off.

The Seventh Prince turned to Mo Cai. “What happened here?”

Mo Cai stammered in fright, “It was—”

“I lost my balance,” Yu Hualiang interrupted, steadying himself against the table as he rose.

The Seventh Prince’s voice was filled with concern. “Let me see—where were you hurt?”

Yu Hualiang’s tone was cold. “No need to trouble yourself, Your Highness. It’s just a minor injury; it’ll heal soon enough.”

The Seventh Prince could see his mood was foul. He asked, “Ziliang, are you angry because I sent A-Liu away?”

Yu Hualiang let out a cold laugh and said nothing. Turning to Mo Cai, he declared, “This servant is of no more use. I ask that Your Highness send him back to the Yu family.”

Mo Cai pleaded, his brow deeply furrowed. “Young master, I’ll do better next time, please don’t send me away!”

The Seventh Prince didn’t much care about the servants, but he knew Yu Hualiang was not such a heartless and ungrateful person. This servant had followed him for so long; how could he just cast him aside?

To get to the bottom of it, the Seventh Prince asked, “What’s really going on, Hualiang?”

Yu Hualiang’s brow creased even deeper. Suddenly, he turned, grabbed the prince by the collar, and fixed him with a cold stare. “Didn’t you say you liked me? Why won’t you grant me even this small request?”

Only Yu Hualiang would dare seize the prince by the collar and question him so boldly. The Seventh Prince, too, had never seen him so furious and so assertive.

He smiled, then pulled Yu Hualiang into his arms. Yu Hualiang resisted with every fiber of his being, wanting to break free, but the Seventh Prince’s embrace was like a cage, trapping him inside.

“Mu Zicheng! Let me go!”

After holding him for a moment, the Seventh Prince whispered in his ear, “I’ll do whatever you wish.”

Mo Cai, upon witnessing this scene, was dumbstruck. With A-Liu gone and now the Seventh Prince here, he, a lonely single man, truly couldn’t bear such heartbreak.

Page 2 of 3

In the end, the Seventh Prince yielded to Yu Hualiang’s wishes, and Mo Cai was unceremoniously expelled from the Seventh Prince’s residence.

Mo Cai pounded on the door, crying, “Young master! Young master! I was wrong! How can you manage without someone to look after you?”

The gatekeeper grew irritated from the noise, came out, and shooed Mo Cai away. “Off you go, hurry up and leave. Thrown out of the Seventh Prince’s estate and still want to get back in? Dream on!”

Mo Cai sat dejectedly at the gate, refusing to leave. The gatekeeper, seeing his gloom, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. “You really ought to be more careful in choosing your master—getting cast out just like that. Remember that next time.”

“Young master isn’t that kind of person!” Mo Cai retorted. The gatekeeper, annoyed by his persistence, snapped, “I don’t care. Knock again and I’ll break your legs, you hear me?”

Once the gatekeeper had gone inside, Mo Cai slumped back down, racking his brain to figure out what he had done to displease the young master. With the young master’s temperament, he’d never send him away without good reason. Something must have happened.

The more Mo Cai thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. If he returned to the Yu estate, he’d have no way to explain himself to Master Yu. Only one person could help him now.

He gathered his things and headed south, toward the palace gates.

After Mo Cai left, Yu Hualiang spent the whole time massaging his aching head, pondering his next move. Now that Mo Cai was gone, his next priority was to help Cao Zhiling find an antidote. That way, he could finally run away.

The Seventh Prince, in good spirits that day, said, “Ziliang, come with me to the garden.”

Yu Hualiang snapped out of his thoughts. Remembering that Cao Zhiling was still in his chambers, he couldn’t let the prince linger, so he agreed.

All the way, the Seventh Prince simply followed him, while Yu Hualiang wandered aimlessly, not even knowing where he was going.

Looking up, he realized the lotus leaves in the warm lake had already sprouted sharp green tips. A cabbage white butterfly paused upon a leaf, then fluttered off into the distance.

Watching the butterfly dance over the water, the sunlight glinting in scales across the lake, Yu Hualiang’s heart suddenly felt lighter and more open.

He turned around and, looking at the Seventh Prince who had been trailing him, asked seriously though with an air of ease, “If one day Your Highness tires of me, will you kill me?”

The question caught the Seventh Prince off guard. In three quick strides, he pulled Yu Hualiang into his arms. “Ziliang, what nonsense is this? You are the only one I, Mu Zicheng, have ever truly loved. In this life and the next, I will never grow weary of you.”

Expressionless, Yu Hualiang pushed him away. “I told you, stop holding me without reason.”

In the Seventh Prince’s eyes was reflected Yu Hualiang’s image—the look of someone who, deep down, did not love him.

With Mo Cai gone, the prince wanted to use the excuse that no one was there to care for Yu Hualiang, hoping to persuade him to move into his own quarters, but Yu Hualiang refused. Having no other choice, the prince brought Yu Hualiang to choose a new servant.

The new servant, Qingzhang, looked honest and capable. Yu Hualiang seldom needed him, so he let him roam about the courtyard freely.

Who could have guessed that Qingzhang would soon be exchanging flirtatious glances with a young maid who brought food, and that the two would become lovers? Their nightly trysts were so noisy that Yu Hualiang couldn’t sleep.

Cao Zhiling, who slept nearby, suddenly sat up. “Shall I go teach them a lesson?”

Yu Hualiang dragged him back down and, eyes closed in exasperation, said, “Leave it be. I’ll remind him tomorrow.”

Once pulled back, Cao Zhiling found himself unable to sleep, gazing at Yu Hualiang’s jade-like features. He got up, saying, “I can’t sleep. I’ll take a walk.”

With that, he slipped out. Yu Hualiang, growing drowsy again, was just about to fall asleep when the sounds of the maid’s moaning rose and fell unceasingly. No matter how he tossed and turned, he couldn’t sleep. At that moment, he found himself missing Mo Cai—at least that boy never made such a racket.

Meanwhile, Cao Zhiling sat on the roof to cool himself in the night breeze. Suddenly, he heard footsteps below. Peering over the edge, he spotted a figure in black, sneaking toward the Seventh Prince’s bedchamber.

Ye Fang brought a robe to the Seventh Prince, who was still engrossed in memorials late into the night. Being the regent was truly exhausting.

There was a disturbance outside. Ye Fang guessed it must be the expected visitor. He opened the door, and the man entered, bowing deeply to the prince before presenting him with an object.

He said, “Fourth Prince instructed me to remind Your Highness to be especially cautious.”

Page 3 of 3

The Seventh Prince glanced over the paper that had been delivered, then handed it to Ye Fang to burn.

“You may go,” the prince commanded.

The Fourth Prince had confirmed that with the Qingming Festival approaching, the Emperor would soon leave the palace to pay respects at the late emperor’s tomb and would stay for a few days somewhere outside, likely at the Seventh Prince’s residence. The Fourth Prince warned him to be vigilant.

If the Emperor was coming, Lin Tang would surely accompany him. Yu Hualiang had saved Lin Tang’s life—best to make sure he didn’t discover Yu Hualiang’s true worth, to avoid complications.

Everything else could be managed.

Noticing the prince’s troubled look, Ye Fang asked, “Your Highness... what’s the matter?”

“The Emperor is coming.”

“And Lin Tang?” Ye Fang asked, worried.

The Seventh Prince sternly replied, “Don’t even think about touching him. Without my command, you are not to act on your own!”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Ye Fang answered.

Without Lin Tang, no one could approach the Emperor. Besides Lin Tang, the twelve shadow guards were formidable. Attacking the Emperor was impossible. For the Fourth Prince’s plan to succeed, he would need the help of the foreign kingdom. Although the Fourth Prince appeared idle, he had close ties with foreign powers beneath the surface.

As regent, the Seventh Prince could take charge of all court affairs, and with the two of them working together inside and out, rebellion was within the realm of possibility.

Though the court was divided between loyalists and traitors, the Seventh Prince had won the trust of both factions. Finding allies among them would not be difficult.

Everything was within the Seventh Prince’s control.

Yu Hualiang barely slept that night. He awoke with a weary face, coldly watching as Qingzhang brought him water to wash up.

True to his name, Qingzhang had a long, horse-like face and a tall, sturdy build. He looked honest, but in reality, he was far from it.

Seeing Yu Hualiang’s sullen expression, Qingzhang cursed inwardly, “What’s wrong with this damn catamite, acting like someone owes him money.”

But outwardly, he wore a bright smile. “Master Yu is awake. The water for your morning wash is ready. Would you like anything to eat? I’ll ask the kitchens to prepare it.”

Yu Hualiang nodded for him to set the things down, then said, “Any man knows how hard it is to endure loneliness. But I recall you have a family, don’t you?”

At this, Qingzhang’s heart skipped a beat. Did Yu Hualiang already know about his affair with the maid? But then, wasn’t it obvious? The maid made such a racket; she practically wanted the whole world to know.

When Qingzhang stayed silent, Yu Hualiang sighed, “Think of your wife—don’t behave like this.”

Qingzhang muttered under his breath, “Damn catamite...”

His voice was low, but Yu Hualiang heard it clearly. Though things between him and the Seventh Prince were complicated, he hadn’t sunk so low as to be despised. And who was this mere servant to speak ill of him?

Yu Hualiang turned, fixing him with a cold stare. “Say that again.”