Chapter 249: What Goes Around Comes Around, He’s Fallen Into His Hands!

Xiao Yang and Rong Yin were having a rare, quiet moment to enjoy the scenery.

A wooden platform had been set up on an open meadow, laid out with wine, food, and snacks.

From their high vantage point, they looked down upon grassy slopes, small creeks, and mountain streams, all under a blue sky with white clouds as a cool breeze drifted by.

Many of the officials and their families who had come for the autumn hunt were present, but upon seeing the Emperor, they all consciously kept their distance, not daring to disturb her.

This corner of the world fell silent, so much so that even small birds dared to land on the ground to look for food.

"Winter is coming soon. There won’t be many more comfortable days like this."

The New Year is cold, and busy.

In truth, things were already getting busy. It was only because she had so many capable ministers that she could afford to slack off and enjoy a few more carefree days.

Rong Yin said, "The weather is indeed fine. Why aren’t you hunting, Your Majesty?"

Xiao Yang replied, "I’ve had my fill. I just wanted to scratch the itch."

She was not a bloodthirsty person by nature; fresh blood brought her no pleasure.

After they spoke, another long silence fell between them. Finally, Rong Yin spoke, his voice somewhat strained, "Your Majesty... have you already decided on the Imperial Consort?"

His voice was a little cool, and his suppressed calm made it impossible to discern his true emotions, as if he were discussing something trivial.

Xiao Yang replied, "Yes, I have."

Rong Yin gazed at the lush, green mountains, but found the sight glaringly harsh.

"Li Wei’s martial arts are superb. He commands the three armies and holds sway over the court. Mu Yunlian manages the empire’s finances, and his coffers are overflowing. Although Xu Xingchen hails from the scholarly Xu Family, his methods are not gentle, making him unsuitable to preside over the central palace. If Your Majesty favors him, you must reconsider."

He analyzed the situation carefully, speaking as a courtier, like an elder, but decidedly not as a lover.

However, having been with him for so long, how could Xiao Yang not understand him?

’This supposedly calm, detached tone of his is actually about to shatter into a million pieces.’

Xiao Yang feigned confusion. "It sounds like I have many options. But among all these choices, why isn’t the Regent King one of them? Do you not count as one of my people?"

Rong Yin tightened his grip on his wine cup. Only after drinking its contents did he reply, "By the grace of the Grand Ancestor, your servant was added to the Royal Jade Butterfly as a child."

Xiao Yang couldn’t help but laugh. "You’ve been depressed these past two days all because of this?"

Some topics, after all, had to be faced eventually.

Rong Yin looked at her. "Your servant will never leave Your Majesty. But to watch Your Majesty marry another... your servant cannot help but be jealous."

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be close to Her Majesty these past few days; it was that he was afraid if he got too close, he wouldn’t be able to contain his jealousy and resentment.

When Xiao Lv got married, he was indeed envious and wanted the same for himself. But it was just a wish; he knew full well it was impossible.

The courtiers clamored to make him the Imperial Consort only because they didn’t know Rong Yin’s name had long been entered into the Royal Jade Butterfly. Besides Prince Jing and Grand Tutor Xu, almost everyone else who knew was dead.

’Prince Jing and the others won’t speak recklessly and displease Her Majesty. I know she doesn’t want to marry, so I let them associate my name with the title of Imperial Consort, indulging in that small, secret delight.’

’But a secret like that can’t be kept forever.’

’The moment the Emperor marries and the genealogical registry is opened, everyone will know about my self-deceiving cover-up.’

Xiao Yang: "..."

She couldn’t empathize with Rong Yin’s troubles. In fact, she had the cutting thought, ’You’re just making problems for yourself.’

’Is this really such a difficult problem to solve?’

"I recall that every emperor revises the Jade Butterfly to add or remove names. And since Xiao Lv has taken a wife, it’s about time we had Prince Jing and the clan elders add Xie Liuzheng’s name to it."

Xiao Yang said this as if it had nothing to do with Rong Yin’s worries, but her words held a deeper, hidden meaning.

Xiao Yang continued to admire the scenery, but Rong Yin’s mind had already drifted away, unable to take anything in.

The sun felt so comfortable on her skin that Xiao Yang closed her eyes, feeling drowsy. When she woke up, she was back in her quarters, and the sky had already turned dark.

She had just finished washing up when Prince Jing came storming in to report, "Your Majesty, a rat in the Imperial Ancestral Temple knocked over an oil lamp and accidentally set fire to the Jade Butterfly! And isn’t this fire strange? It didn’t burn the beginning, it didn’t burn the end, but it burned the two middle pages to a crisp!"

Prince Jing’s words were clearly laden with insinuation.

Others might not know what was written on those two pages, but how could he not?

He was cursing them for their absurdity.

Xiao Yang chuckled, her attitude exceptionally pleasant. "Those rats certainly are a nuisance. It seems I’ll have to trouble you to handle it, Uncle. And since Liu Zheng’s name needs to be added to the Jade Butterfly anyway, you can take care of it all at once."

Xiao Yang had Prince Jing stay for dinner, and Rong Yin arrived just in time.

This time, Rong Yin was very reserved and did not sit next to the Emperor. Instead, he kept half a body’s length away, making it seem as if Prince Jing was actually sitting closer to her.

He proactively raised his wine cup. "I heard you hunted a snow wolf today, Elder Brother. Your keen eye and stamina are truly admirable. This cup is to congratulate you on your bountiful return. I wish you good health, and may every year be even better than this one."

Prince Jing looked up at the sky.

Xiao Yang asked, "What are you looking at?"

Prince Jing snorted. "I’m checking if hell has frozen over. To think the Regent King would actually speak so pleasantly to me."

’Who was it that was staring at me like a ghost before?’

’Who was it that couldn’t stand the sight of me no matter what?’

’Now the tables have turned, and he’s fallen right into my hands!’

Prince Jing’s chin was raised so high it was practically pointing at the sky, the very picture of a petty man who has just come into power.

Rong Yin, needing a favor, knew there was nothing he couldn’t endure. He raised his cup again. "I have offended you in the past, Elder Brother. I hope you can be magnanimous."

Another cup.

Rong Yin downed five cups in a row.

Only then did Prince Jing’s expression finally soften. He wasn’t giving face to Rong Yin; he was giving face to Her Majesty.

"Young man, knowing your mistakes and correcting them is a good thing. This Prince is not such a narrow-minded person."

After speaking, he looked at Xiao Yang. "Regarding the matter of the Jade Butterfly, your servant will ask the clan elders to help restore it. As for those unsavory characters, your servant will also clean up one or two of them..."

Rong Yin maintained his composure, his expression aloof and cold. ’I am definitely not the ’unsavory character’ Prince Jing is talking about. I refuse to assume he’s referring to me.’

Prince Jing might not be shrewd in other matters, but he couldn’t be fooled when it came to this.

He knew how the Jade Butterfly had been destroyed. After all, burning just those two pages was simply too deliberate.

Rong Yin wanted to be removed from the Jade Butterfly and re-added under a different status, and it seemed the Emperor approved.

Although he had been bullied by Rong Yin a few times, he didn’t try to obstruct him on this matter.

’If I do this one thing, then for the rest of my life, I’ll never have to walk on eggshells around Rong Yin again. Instead, I can be the one giving him a piece of my mind!’

’This is my chance to turn the tables! From now on, I can hold my head high!’

’Besides, right now on the Jade Butterfly, Rong Yin is of the same generation as me. If his name is written on it again, he’ll be of a younger generation.’

’Haha, he’ll never be able to get one up on me again!’

’This deal is a bargain!’

Prince Jing was so overjoyed that he drank every toast Rong Yin offered and ended up getting himself drunk.

When Xiao Lv came to pick him up, he was already delirious. He leaned against Xiao Lv with a bizarre smile on his face, letting out a villainous "HEH HEH HEH" cackle.

It was as if he were possessed.

Xiao Lv took a deep breath. ’This is my biological father. This is my biological father!!!’

’If I had known, I wouldn’t have come to get him.’

’My father is the one who’s drunk, but I’m the one who’s losing face!’

He clamped a hand over Prince Jing’s face and mouth and called to the guards, "Quick, quick, quick! Carry him away for me!"