Chapter Sixty-Five: Love Unchanged Through Time

Princess Xuan looked at him and suddenly laughed. “Yu Hualiang, I’m telling you! A life for a life when you kill!”
Yu Hualiang’s face was expressionless. What on earth was this woman trying to do?
Princess Xuan produced an ancient fire-striking stick, then flung it nonchalantly onto the pile of tangled straw and broken furniture.
Flames sprang up rapidly. Only then did Yu Hualiang realize why she had chosen this spot to end her life!
“Hey!” Yu Hualiang grabbed the teapot from the table and dashed the contents onto the flames, stomping several times before finally extinguishing the fire.
He had just put out the blaze when he turned to see Princess Xuan lighting the floor in several other places with the flame from a candle.
Behind him, a sea of fire erupted. Princess Xuan’s laughter grew more twisted, her wild dance illuminated by the swirling firelight—Yu Hualiang thought he saw tears in her eyes.
“You’re mad!” Yu Hualiang cursed, striding forward to drag her away—the fire hadn’t grown too fierce yet, so he had to get her out quickly!
Princess Xuan’s expression chilled when she saw him approach. She shoved him aside. Yu Hualiang stumbled, tripped, and fell to the ground.
Dazed from the fall and with the flames advancing, he had no choice but to flee for his own safety.
Cao Zhileng, seeing the fire, wanted to rush in and save them, but Jin He held him back tightly. Only when Yu Hualiang emerged did Cao Zhileng breathe a sigh of relief.
Princess Xuan’s maid, upon seeing the flames, called for help at once.
As she ran, she shouted that both Master Yu the painter and Princess Xuan were trapped in the fire, and word soon reached the Seventh Prince.
When he arrived, he saw Yu Hualiang snatch a bucket of water from the rescuers and douse himself, then head back into the inferno.
The Seventh Prince was momentarily stunned, watching helplessly as Yu Hualiang was swallowed by the flames, powerless to intervene.
Yu Hualiang was in such a hurry that he barely registered someone calling his name. He plunged into the fire to rescue Princess Xuan.
The heat was suffocating, and the water on his clothes was almost gone. He kept low, searching. Fortunately, Princess Xuan’s red dress made her easy to spot.
But she had already fainted. Yu Hualiang dragged her out by sheer force.
As soon as he emerged, the crowd rushed to help, whisking Princess Xuan away. Before Yu Hualiang could catch his breath, he was seized from behind in a tight embrace.
The warmth in the arms that held him was reassuring—the Seventh Prince pressed close and would not let go.
“I’m fine…” Yu Hualiang whispered, grasping the Prince’s hand, wanting to share this joy of surviving disaster.
Suddenly, the Prince spun him around and gripped his shoulders: “What were you doing! Didn’t you know it was fire? Why did you run inside? Do you want to die?”
Chastened by the outburst, Yu Hualiang smiled apologetically. “Sorry…I had to save her.”
Then, held tightly again by the Seventh Prince, Yu Hualiang began to cry.
So what if they called him a “cut sleeve”? He liked the man—let the world say what it would!
He snuggled deeper into the Prince’s arms, breathing in his scent at last able to rest peacefully.
The Seventh Prince, feeling Yu Hualiang grow weak in his embrace, hastily checked his breathing. After calling softly to him several times, he hurriedly carried Yu Hualiang away.
Once the Prince had gone, Cao Zhileng emerged from the shadows and punched Liu Yu.
“This is your so-called plan?”
Liu Yu peeled off his now-loosened mask, revealing his true face. Wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, he said, “I’m helping you!”
Cao Zhileng’s eyes were cold as he drew a dagger from his sleeve. “You want him dead? This is your plan?”
“He’s alive, isn’t he?” Liu Yu replied with a light laugh.
“Enough! I will not allow him to be in any danger!”
Liu Yu mocked him, “Why? Is it because he once saved your life?”
Cao Zhileng said nothing, head bowed in warning. “Go! I don’t want to see you again.”
“Cao Zhileng, remember—your life is in my hands!”
Liu Yu drew out a black command token engraved with the character for “shadow.” Cao Zhileng’s eyes widened; it matched the one that man carried exactly.
“Who are you?” Cao Zhileng said warily.
“One of the Twelve Imperial Shadow Guards.”

“The shadow guard of the Emperor of Mu?”
Only then did Cao Zhileng recall that the Seventh Prince had ordered them to kill someone—who turned out to be the Emperor of Mu’s shadow guard?
No wonder the Emperor had suddenly attacked Fanhe.
The Seventh Prince was Regent, yet wanted this shadow guard dead… Was he planning a coup?
Cao Zhileng suddenly smiled. “So you’re here today…to take my life?”
Liu Yu replied, “No…I only want your face.”
“What are you really after?”
“To be honest…I am one of the Twelve Shadow Guards, but all I want is the Emperor’s face.”
Cao Zhileng found this Liu Yu more and more baffling.
“That little fellow is formidable—how did you manage to hurt him?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Whether he lives or dies is none of my concern. Give me your face, and I’ll help you return to Fanhe. Who do you think benefits more?”
Cao Zhileng frowned. “If you try to hurt him again, don’t blame me for turning on you!”
Liu Yu feigned surprise. “Oh? Does Cao Zhileng also have feelings for Yu Hualiang…?”
“Shut up. He only once saved my life!”
“Oh? And who wanted you dead?”
Cao Zhileng frowned deeper, shooting him a look not to ask further. If he revealed it was the Seventh Prince, how would the Prince return to Fanhe?
Once the Prince was in Fanhe…there would be no fear of not being able to kill him.
“You want my face, right? Take it!”
Yu Hualiang slowly regained consciousness—only to see Wang Ruosheng’s face again.
He looked at him with distaste. “You again?”
Wang Ruosheng sighed. “I’m the one who should be surprised…I might as well become your personal physician.”
Yu Hualiang sat up, glanced around—it was the Seventh Prince’s bedchamber. He saw Wang Ruosheng, who was writing a prescription after checking his pulse, and asked, “Where’s the Prince?”
Wang Ruosheng replied, “He’s gone to see Princess Xuan.”
“She’s all right, isn’t she?”
Wang Ruosheng looked unconcerned. “How would I know? My father’s gone to treat her. What happened to you? How did you get into such a mess?”
“You might not believe it,” Yu Hualiang said, getting out of bed and biting into an apple at the table. “Princess Xuan tried to kill me.”
“What?” Wang Ruosheng was shocked. “She tried to kill you? Why?”
Yu Hualiang took a couple more bites. “I’m not who I seem…The Prince…she’s not happy about it.”
Wang Ruosheng snickered. “The Prince dotes on you so much, of course his wife is jealous…but the Prince is deeply in love with you…”
Yu Hualiang coughed. “How do you know everything?”
Wang Ruosheng smiled at him. “Who wouldn’t see it?”
“Let’s not talk about it. I should go check on her, too.” Yu Hualiang put on his clothes. Wang Ruosheng looked at him, troubled.
“What is it?” Yu Hualiang asked.
“It’s a serious matter. I saw that Lord Xuan is here as well. Even though you saved the Princess, her misfortune is also related to you.”
Yu Hualiang sighed and sat back on the bed. “So I just have to wait?”
“That’s the best plan,” said Wang Ruosheng.
“Princess Xuan is truly a handful,” Yu Hualiang muttered.
Princess Xuan had been in the fire too long and was still unconscious. Lord Xuan watched her anxiously. “Your Highness…what exactly happened!”

The Seventh Prince stood behind him, face cold. “I have investigated. There was a fire in the residence last night. Siran was trapped inside and was saved by my court painter.”
“How could Siran…how could she have ended up in that fire!” Lord Xuan exclaimed.
“Who knows what tricks that woman is up to now!”
Lord Xuan was furious. “Your Highness, what do you mean by this? Look at the state Siran is in! Are you saying she did this to herself?”
The Seventh Prince gave him a frosty look. “Lord Xuan, you know your daughter’s temperament better than anyone…”
Lord Xuan was silenced. His daughter was indeed a bit spoiled and willful, but she had never caused such trouble before.
At that moment, Ye Fang entered. After bowing to Lord Xuan, he reported, “Your Highness, the maid has confessed.”
“What did she say?”
“She said that last night Princess Xuan lured Master Yu to the ruined hall. Shortly after Yu Hualiang went in, the fire broke out.”
Lord Xuan looked at him. “Master Yu? Summon him at once!”
Ye Fang hesitated, glancing at the Prince before lowering his head.
The Prince’s face darkened menacingly. Lord Xuan noticed this strange reaction and suddenly recalled that the Prince had recently hired a painter from the Yu family’s art academy.
It was also rumored the Prince was unusually close to the painter.
He looked at the Prince and spoke slowly: “Your Highness…this Master Yu?”
The Prince replied, “He saved Siran, but he was injured and hasn’t woken.”
“So…what really happened?” Lord Xuan pressed.
“Please, Lord Xuan, wait until they both awaken before we discuss further.”
Lord Xuan forced himself to calm down. Though anxious, he dared not anger the Prince. Luckily, Siran was not gravely harmed. He could only wait as the Prince advised.
The Seventh Prince returned with composure. Ye Fang followed, still worried, for the Prince rarely showed such anger.
“What about Ziliang’s maid? Still missing?”
Ye Fang replied, “We found the charred corpse of a woman in the fire, but cannot confirm if it is Jin He.”
The Prince suddenly halted, then strode back to the room. When the door opened, he saw Yu Hualiang had already awakened, and his tense heart finally eased.
Wang Ruosheng, seeing the Prince return, bowed and withdrew.
“How do you feel, Ziliang?” the Prince asked with concern.
“I’m all right. How is Princess Xuan?” Yu Hualiang asked.
The Prince’s expression darkened. “What on earth happened between you and her?”
Seeing the Prince’s grave demeanor, Yu Hualiang felt uneasy and answered hesitantly, “Princess Xuan…last night, she tried to kill me.”
The Prince was shocked, stepping forward to examine him closely. “Are you hurt, Ziliang?”
“No,” said Yu Hualiang. “She tried to take her own life, and wanted to take me with her.”
Saying this made Yu Hualiang feel aggrieved.
“What?” the Prince was incredulous. “Why?”
Yu Hualiang sighed, “You would have to ask yourself, Your Highness.”
“What have I done?”
“She resents you for treating her coldly…she’s jealous of me…ah.” Yu Hualiang was helpless. He was the most innocent victim of all!
Now the Prince understood—it was his own actions that had harmed them both. Embracing Yu Hualiang tightly, he said in a deep voice, “It was I who wronged you…”