MLIAM Chapter 65

Chapter 65: Drinking Wine and Idling

Chapter 65: Drinking Wine. It’s harmless to keep him company when you’re idle…

Yu Shuli felt his scalp tingle as he watched Dong Siwen and Wei Yan conversing fluently. “Siwen, don’t tell me you’re actually interested in the storybook business…”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Dong Siwen’s eyes turned affectionate as she looked at Wei Yan. “So the entire Da Liang storybook business is in Prime Minister Wei’s hands? You should have said so sooner.”

Her smile was eager. “I wanted to ask, about that story of the emperor and the horse groom that appeared in the twenty-second issue, is there a real historical basis or prototype for it?” She rubbed her hands together. “I’m especially into that one, but when I associate it with His Majesty’s age, ugh… it’s a bit disgusting.”

Wei Yan gave a strange smile. “There is a prototype, but it’s not His Majesty. If Miss Dong is interested, I can take you to meet them in person.”

Dong Siwen “Ah”-ed, then turned her head, staring straight at Yu Shuli.

Wait… why is this sister’s smile so unsettling?

Yu Shuli retreated repeatedly. “You… what are you doing?”

“There’s no time like the present; I think you should have writing materials here.” Dong Siwen grabbed Yu Shuli, brooking no argument. “Quickly write a few autographs for Prime Minister Wei.”

She pulled him away, briskly walking as she muttered, “How much effort does it take to sign a few names? Besides, it won’t expose your identity; they’re all pseudonyms in the book.”

Yu Shuli’s legs were numb. He glanced back at Wei Yan as if seeking help, and only after seeing the other’s lingering smile did he grit his teeth with resentment and follow Dong Siwen away.

After the two left, Wei Yan said to someone in the shadows, “Cang Xu, guard those people well and bring them back to the Capital City in one piece.”

Cang Xu acknowledged the order, then asked, “The previous plan…”

“Put it on hold for now.”

Cang Xu pursed his lips, seeming somewhat unwilling. “My lord, we’ve waited so many years, why suddenly abandon the throne and continue to support the Second Prince? Wasn’t the cooperation already terminated? That throne, you could have had it so easily…”

“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.” The expression on Wei Yan’s face became lighter. “Cooperating as we did before may not be bad. If he can treat Ji’an well, he can sit on this throne without any issue. Besides, do you think sitting on this throne is so great?”

His eyes were dark. “It’s lonely at the top. Once you’re up there, you can’t touch the ground anymore.”

“My lord! Who wouldn’t want to be emperor!” Cang Xu said anxiously, “Do you know! If the Second Prince ascends the throne, he’ll definitely cleanse the old officials of the previous dynasty, and you’ll be the first to be targeted!”

“Besides, you’ve already drunk the poison, used the self-inflicted injury scheme; wasn’t it all to win over the Junior General to abandon his foolish loyalty and stand on your side? Now you suddenly change your mind…”

“Cang Xu, you’re overstepping.” Wei Yan said faintly, “Go down. I know what I’m doing.”

What Cang Xu didn’t know was that the Second Prince had a long talk with Wei Yan in Quzhou that day.

Eight years ago, they first cooperated to save their lives, pulling down Minister of Revenue Chou Wanshan.

At that time, the Second Prince guaranteed to protect Yu Shuli’s family, while Wei Yan entered the game, lurking by the old emperor’s side for more than ten years. The original plan was for the Second Prince to take back the throne and then abdicate to Wei Yan.

Because Wei Yan knew a secret of the Second Prince.

He had fallen in love with a farmer—a country bumpkin.

If he ascended the throne, the two would inevitably go their separate ways.

The Da Liang imperial family could not accept a man as emperor.

And no love can remain intact under imperial power.

Zhao Lan was very clear and sober about this, so he didn’t want the throne.

But Wei Yan needed this throne.

His grandmother, mother, his aunt in the palace, and Yu Shuli, whom he wanted to protect the most, all had to rely on this throne to be safe.

The interests of Wei Yan and the Second Prince did not conflict, but because they were both intelligent and cautious, it was difficult to truly trust each other.

Their cooperation looked solid, but it was very superficial, so no one could guess that the two had known each other for a long time.

The Second Prince on the surface was keen to provide disaster relief outside and never participated in political struggles; the Prime Minister Wei on the surface was loyal to His Majesty and would certainly be a good dog to support the Crown Prince in the future.

But later…

Later, the Second Prince was suddenly forced to give up this relationship, and the farmer disappeared.

Wei Yan and Yu Shuli severed their relationship.

The two eventually came to stand on opposite sides of their own thoughts.

So, the Second Prince won over the person Wei Yan most wanted to win over, while Wei Yan was always unable to use any means against Yu Shuli.

Therefore, he could only poison himself to gamble on Yu Shuli’s heartache.

Fortunately… he won the bet.

Yu Shuli not only felt sorry for him but also gave in step by step to his increasingly demanding requests.

But… everything was wrong.

The planned forceful plunder did not work because the amnesiac Yu Shuli trusted him too much. So much so that the two got married… and even consummated their marriage.

This was something Wei Yan had never dared to imagine before.

Yu Shuli no longer treated him as he used to, and gradually developed some petty tempers, relied on him, and even knew how to act coquettishly and flirt.

This foreshadowed that Yu Shuli’s feelings for him had finally blossomed.

Wei Yan was secretly pleased for a long time, almost intoxicated by it.

Wei Yan knew the consequences of a naturally indifferent person indulging in tenderness. But he didn’t want to escape at all.

His long-cherished wish had finally come true, and he was much happier than Zhao Lan.

He suddenly understood Zhao Lan’s feelings back then.

What was so important about the throne?

If it could be exchanged for this person’s peace and happiness, it would be fine even if he didn’t become emperor.

If he eventually became emperor and forcibly tied Yu Shuli to his side, the two of them would probably not have true happiness except for physical entanglement.

Before Yu Shuli lost his memory, the two had been like strangers.

He didn’t want to go back to those days.

Wei Yan’s obsession over the years was nothing more than wanting Yu Shuli to return to his side again. However, Yu Shuli’s character has always been one to yield to softness but not to force. If he were to rely on becoming emperor in the end and then forcibly seize him, he could only be a resentful couple for the rest of his life.

Now Zhao Lan had figured it out himself and was no longer pursuing his confused love. In fact, wasn’t it a good thing for Wei Yan?

The cooperation between the two could continue.

It was just that someone else would sit on the throne.

The most important thing was that Zhao Lan was also sincerely good to Yu Shuli.

Therefore, even if he ascended the throne, Yu Shuli’s life would definitely be safe and worry-free.

Zhao Lan was a gentleman and would certainly not make things difficult for his grandmother and mother, and his aunt would also be properly taken care of.

As long as he didn’t become emperor, everything would turn out well.

It was just… it was just that the original young heart that wanted Yu Shuli to be forever free, forever able to do whatever he wanted, and be unscrupulous, could not be settled after all.

He had worked hard for half his life with his own life. And others only needed to rely on their background to easily overwhelm people.

“My lord.” After a moment of absent-mindedness, Thirteen stood outside, hesitant to speak.

Wei Yan raised his eyes. “What is it?”

“That Miss Dong just took the Junior General out.”

Wei Yan’s face turned cold. “Wasn’t she going to get autographs?”

“She did.” Thirteen took out a few storybooks from his arms and awkwardly handed them to Wei Yan. “This is what the Junior General wanted his subordinate to give you.”

Wei Yan took it, glanced at it, curled his lips, and showed a rare gnashing smile on his face: “He’s gone too far.”

Thirteen peeked at it and saw a flamboyant signature of Yu Shuli, labeled “Amazing,” lying on top of the signature of the Prime Minister Wei character, with a note next to his pseudonym: “Amazing.”

He also labeled Wei Yan with: “Average level.”

Thirteen’s mouth twitched, and he didn’t dare to look any further.

He took out a folded painting from the storybook and said, “This is what the Junior General ordered to be put in the storybook as an illustration, and he wanted his subordinate to give it to you.”

Wei Yan took it, only glanced at it, and laughed again in anger.

The two people in the painting were very ugly. It could barely be recognized as him and Yu Shuli, but the poses of the two on the bed were obviously reversed.

Wei Yan tasted this vulgar and unsightly painting, and his fingers gently caressed the page, wondering what expression he had when he painted this painting.

Dong Siwen shouldn’t have been watching, right?

If she was watching…

Wei Yan’s heart itched badly. If he dared to let others watch, then he shouldn’t think about getting out of bed when he came back today.

The painting was not very elegant, but the specific positions were still clearly visible.

Yu Shuli was thinking too much.

He still wanted to turn over and be on top?

There were also intimate notes on the side of the painting, such as a drop of essence is worth ten drops of blood, three times a night is not enough to satisfy, and so on.

The words were full of disdain for him, Wei Yan.

Wei Yan’s tongue hooked over his teeth, his smile gentle but cruel.

It was said that he, Wei Yan, was a traitorous official, and his ambitions were not limited to this.

Now that he had given up the throne for one person, he had to get something back anyway.

The marriage was done, and he had even tricked him into bed. In the future, even if Yu Shuli regained his memory and disliked him again, Wei Yan would not let him escape.

He carefully put away the painting, hid it in his heart, and said to Thirteen, “I know, did your Junior General say where he was going?”

Thirteen shook his head, choked his neck, and his voice became lighter and lighter: “He only said… to drink wine.”

“That’s good, at least he reported it to me.” Wei Yan was rarely calm. He waved his hand and let Thirteen go: “You go, I will pick him up later.”

“Yes.” Thirteen fled as if escaping.

*

There are not many places in Quzhou where you can drink wine.

The theater was closed, and the only slightly better music workshop in the entire city was called Hongshao Pavilion.

Dong Siwen and Yu Shuli swaggered in, not intending to hide it at all, so it didn’t take Wei Yan much effort to find them.

As soon as he entered the door, the boss greeted him with a smile.

“Yo, this lord, are you looking for someone, or are you looking for fun? We are all good people! We don’t do that kind of business!”

Wei Yan frowned and glanced at himself before remembering that he hadn’t changed out of his official uniform.

He smiled faintly: “I’m looking for a cat. The little cat at home is disobedient and ran away. I heard that your music workshop is big and easy to hide in.”

The boss smiled knowingly and cooperated: “The music workshop is big, but the little cat doesn’t have any bad intentions, right? Our place is also a serious place and doesn’t have any flesh business, so that little cat is probably just teasing you, sir.”

“I naturally know he’s teasing me. It’s harmless to keep him company when you’re idle.” Wei Yan stepped in and followed the boss’s guidance all the way, directly finding the warm pavilion on the second floor.

“The seats reserved by the honored guests are all in the private warm pavilion. You just looked around in the hall downstairs and didn’t see him. I thought the noble son you were looking for should only be in this area.” The boss smiled apologetically: “I still have to do business…”

She didn’t want to disturb the honored guests.

Wei Yan nodded and didn’t embarrass anyone: “I know, you go down, I’ll find someone myself.”

The boss said “Eh” twice and opened an empty warm pavilion for Wei Yan: “You sit down first, warm up your body. Later, when the second round of music starts, the guests will open the windows of the warm pavilion. Then you can look for him.”

Wei Yan glanced at the furnishings in the warm pavilion and saw the kettle on the table. His eyelashes moved.

Yu Shuli and Dong Siwen listened to the music for a long time, and he was a little annoyed. He fiddled with his hair in boredom.

“It’s really rare. Didn’t you always love listening to music? It hasn’t been long today, and you’re already tired of it? And today you don’t even have the heart to get to know those beautiful sisters.” Dong Siwen supported his arm and looked at him, jokingly saying: “Could it be that your heart has already flown to our Prime Minister Wei?”

Yu Shuli was stubborn: “I didn’t! I’m just worried that he will punish me after seeing the painting, so I’m not in the mood.”

A trace of curiosity appeared in Dong Siwen’s eyes: “Speaking of which, what did you paint that you wouldn’t even let me see?”

“Very…” Yu Shuli pursed his lips: “Very that content, anyway, you are not suitable to see it.”

Dong Siwen “Oh”-ed meaningfully: “I’m afraid it’s content that will get you fucked, right?” She smiled lightly: “No wonder you wanted to drag me to escape, then I’ll wait and see the show.”

Yu Shuli bit his lip and was about to argue when the door of the warm pavilion was suddenly knocked.

“Who is it?” he said.

“Delivering hot water.” The voice outside deliberately lowered a little. Yu Shuli didn’t care, glanced at the hot water on the table, and slowly went to open the door, muttering as he opened it: “Didn’t you just come to deliver it? You people who serve others are really diligent.”

The door was opened, and the sound of Dong Siwen’s ridicule behind him stopped.

Yu Shuli noticed the abnormality and suddenly raised his eyes.

He collided with a pair of smiling eyes: “Caught you.”