MLIAM Chapter 24
by Volare“This prince promised someone else not to tell,” the Second Prince teased him, “Young Master Yu wouldn’t want this prince to break his promise, would he?”
Yu Shuli indeed didn’t ask anymore.
The Second Prince couldn’t help but laugh heartily, “Yu Shuli, you truly are a treasure.”
Yu Shuli was holding his breath, but the more he thought about it, the more terrified he became. He asked, “If Your Highness doesn’t say, I can ask questions, right? Let me ask first, it’s not Princess Jiangning, is it? Let’s make this clear… Your Highness wants me to use my looks, fine, but not with Jiangning.”
“Jiangning?” The Second Prince frowned. “Why would you think of her? Of course, it’s not her.”
“It’s good it’s not her.” Yu Shuli breathed a sigh of relief.
Only then did he remember that he hadn’t explained to the Second Prince the reason for falling off the cliff.
So he recounted how he was tricked by Jiangning to Broken Cliff Ridge during Wei Yan’s coming-of-age ceremony.
When he heard Yu Shuli say that he was worried about something happening to Wei Yan, and still went into the mountains knowing it might be a trap, the Second Prince revealed a meaningful smile: “It seems, Wei Yan is very important to you.”
“Of course.” Yu Shuli patted the carriage frame with his hands, which were wrapped like two rice dumplings, “This time, Wei Yan owes me big time! That Jiangning, what a vicious heart.”
“Have you ever thought about why she would target you like that?”
Yu Shuli shook his head: “She’s the Emperor’s adopted niece. Although Qiu Wanshan has fallen, Marquis Xunyang is now on the rise again. I don’t even know her, let alone provoke her.”
The Second Prince gave him a forehead flick with a look of disappointment: “Could it be that she’s acting against you for someone else?”
Yu Shuli nodded: “Maybe…” He then said with confusion: “But I asked, she said it wasn’t arranged by my father for a marriage proposal…”
“Sigh… hopeless.” The Second Prince turned sideways and held his forehead.
“Could it be that she admires Wei Yan and is jealous of you for being with Wei Yan all the time?”
Yu Shuli’s eyes lit up, and he suddenly understood: “Ah… you’re right.”
“How can you be so quick-witted in other matters, but so slow and timid when it comes to matters of the heart?” The Second Prince said, “Jiangning is clearly treating you as a rival.”
“A rival?” Yu Shuli made an exaggerated expression and pointed at himself with his dumpling-like hand: “Me? Me?”
“Yes.”
“But I’m a man?” Yu Shuli felt ridiculous: “I’m a man, and she’s jealous?”
The Second Prince glanced at him: “Who told you men can’t be a couple?”
“Ah?!” Yu Shuli seemed to open the door to a new world, “But men can’t have children.”
“Bang!” Another clear and loud forehead flick, “So feudal.”
Yu Shuli muttered, “I’m not as feudal as your family.”
“Birth is not my choice, but if it were up to me…” The Second Prince was silent for a moment, and then said: “If there is love, what does it matter if there are no descendants?”
“Hiss… Your Highness, don’t have such dangerous thoughts…” Yu Shuli hurriedly got up to stop him: “His Majesty will not agree to you being with a man.”
The Second Prince’s smile froze. He coughed lightly and pushed Yu Shuli back down to lie down: “We’re talking about you now, what does it have to do with this prince? Don’t change the subject!”
Yu Shuli still wanted to persuade him: “Your Highness…”
“Shut up and listen to me.”
Only then did Yu Shuli pout: “Oh.” He muttered again: “Having a high position is really amazing… Actually, being with a man isn’t impossible. When Your Highness becomes Emperor, you can change the rules however you want…”
The Second Prince frowned: “What are you muttering about?!” He lifted the carriage curtain to take a look: “We’re about to enter the Palace Gates. Remember, first, you’re not going to save Wei Yan, you’re going to pick me up, and you were injured accidentally while saving me. Second, don’t tell Wei Yan about Jiangning for now.”
“Why?” Yu Shuli felt an inexplicable displeasure in his heart, raised his dumpling hand, and asked: “First question, why can’t I mention Wei Yan? Second question, why can’t I tell Wei Yan about Jiangning?”
“Why do you have so many whys?” The Second Prince had a headache.
Yu Shuli sat upright, his eyes showing a thirsty and eager-to-learn look, not at all like he was about to get up and leave.
The Second Prince sighed: “Fine, I give up to you.”
“First question, are you stupid? Now that a great opportunity to enter the officialdom is in front of you, don’t you want to take advantage of the situation to ask His Majesty for credit? Do you want to be a commoner for the rest of your life? Are you willing? Is your father willing? With the reputation of saving me, you can get a position in the military camp, and you can climb this ladder to success. This prince doesn’t have much power now, and this is all I can do for you. The rest depends on you.”
“Second question, don’t you understand Wei Yan’s personality? He’s protective and stubborn. If he knows you’ve been wronged, wouldn’t he go crazy looking for Jiangning? He can barely protect himself now, why let him wade into this muddy water? Next is the Imperial Examination, and he can’t afford to make any mistakes.”
Yu Shuli was stunned: “I understand the first question… but…” But the second question, saying that Wei Yan is protective and stubborn… he didn’t see it at all.
Wei Yan looks quite upright and gentle. He’s a noble son from a prestigious family. Even if his family is in decline, he wouldn’t lose his integrity.
Yu Shuli couldn’t imagine Wei Yan going crazy at all.
Therefore, the brain-deficient Yu Shuli could only blink at the Second Prince, pretending to understand so as not to appear ignorant: “Your Highness, I understand, you must think Wei Yan and I are too close, so you’re dissatisfied and want to make things difficult for him, right?” He squirmed and patted the Second Prince’s shoulder like a good brother: “Don’t worry, my sincerity in assisting you will not change.”
“Alright, alright…” The Second Prince didn’t expect Yu Shuli to fully understand. For him, it was a great help if Yu Shuli could refrain from causing trouble.
“You’re not in this race. Strive to be a good junior general, and helping this prince seize military power is your primary task. Don’t think too much about this, and listen to this prince, you’re not wrong. Just go back to your residence and recover from your injuries, and then wait for the conferment banquet. Xizhao is about to be in turmoil, and when His Majesty needs people, it will be your day to take off.”
The Second Prince was just trying to find something for him to do and didn’t expect Yu Shuli to really be able to climb to a high position against the odds. After all, the Crown Prince’s side had placed many people in the military camp. Yu Shuli had no power or influence, and it would be good if he wasn’t bullied.
But what was unexpected was that…
One month later, Yu Shuli’s name appeared in the centurion roster.
Three months later, Yu Shuli, who had already been promoted to captain, set off with the army to the border.
A year later, Xizhao was repelled, Yu Shuli achieved fame and truly fulfilled his promise to the Second Prince.
All the memories flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.
Yu Shuli stood up and walked in front of Jiangning.
“What are you doing? Do you want to hit me?” Jiangning cowered.