Chapter 7
**Chapter 7: Avoiding Favor, Provoking the Prince's Anger**
As the spring rain finally ceased, the next day, Wang Ye (Prince) Yan and the Crown Prince headed to the Ministry of Revenue to participate in the "Qin Geng Li" (Ceremony of Tilling the Soil).
Every spring, the Emperor organizes the "Qin Geng Li," where he symbolically uses a hoe to till the soil and plant seedlings, demonstrating his emphasis on agriculture.
However, due to the Emperor's prolonged illness over the past two years, he could no longer rise from his bed. Naturally, the Crown Prince had to take his place in the ceremony.
“Crown Prince, Second Brother, the censors are watching us closely. We must dig seriously,” Wang Heng said with a mocking grin, reveling in the misfortune.
Born of the favored concubine, Wang Heng had always been at odds with the Crown Prince. The Censorate was Wang Heng's territory, and most of the censors were his loyal supporters.
Today, their eyes were glued to the scene, ready to record any mistakes made by the Crown Prince and Wang Ye Yan during the tilling, ensuring their blunders would be remembered for posterity.
The Crown Prince cast a subtle glance at Wang Heng, a flicker of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.
“Crown Prince, please don’t look at me like that. I’m quite frightened,” Wang Heng said, shaking his white jade fan with a sarcastic smile.
As the ceremonial music began, the "Qin Geng Li" commenced. The freshly rained soil in the prepared field was damp. Dressed in ceremonial robes, the Crown Prince stepped into the mud and nearly slipped. Fortunately, Wang Ye Yan was quick to react, catching him just in time to prevent a comical fall.
But the Crown Prince began to cough violently, spitting blood.
He had suffered a severe illness during winter, and his health had not improved since spring; he could not withstand the strong winds.
Seeing this, the chief eunuch sent by the Emperor hurried back to the palace to seek orders. The Emperor's decree soon arrived, instructing Wang Ye Yan to take over the tilling duties from the Crown Prince.
Wang Heng gritted his teeth in secret.
He understood that this was the Emperor's warning—if the Crown Prince could not ascend the throne, Wang Ye Yan was still a capable alternative. As for him, Wang Heng, he would never be emperor.
“Brother, you should rest. Leave this to me,” Wang Ye Yan said, helping the coughing Crown Prince to the side.
The Crown Prince grasped Wang Ye Yan's hand, “Yuanjing, you’ve never tilled before. Can you manage?”
Wang Ye Yan recalled the vegetable garden in Fangfei Garden, where he had recently planted a good number of seedlings. That bright and lively girl had even taught him the proper techniques for planting.
Shen Wei never imagined that in her quest for favor, she would inadvertently win Wang Ye Yan's deeper affection.
Wang Ye Yan's thin lips curled into a reassuring smile, “Brother, don’t worry.”
As the ceremonial music played, under the watchful eyes of the officials, Wang Ye Yan took the Crown Prince's place for the "Qin Geng Li." The censors widened their eyes, missing no detail, eager to catch any mistakes Wang Ye Yan might make.
But they were all disappointed.
Wang Ye Yan held the hoe with perfect form. He dug the earth and planted the seedlings, executing every action flawlessly.
The officials were astonished, filled with admiration for Wang Ye Yan, the virtuous prince!
The frail Crown Prince watched his brother tilling the soil, his heart swelling with relief.
He knew his body wouldn’t hold out much longer; the vast livelihood of the people in the kingdom would have to be entrusted to Wang Ye Yan.
As the music ceased, the "Qin Geng Li" concluded perfectly.
With no mistakes to criticize, the censors had no choice but to begrudgingly write praises for Wang Ye Yan.
Wang Heng was seething, his eyes dark with frustration.
...
As dusk fell, a cheerful Wang Ye Yan returned to the palace and shared dinner with the princess. The day's ceremony had gone smoothly, thanks to Shen Wei's assistance.
He was eager to see Shen Wei tonight, to check if the little bok choy and radishes he had planted had sprouted, and to indulge in some tender moments with her.
He could hardly wait.
“Your Highness,” the princess gently reminded him at the dinner table, “while Shen from Fangfei Garden is delightful, don’t forget to attend to your old flame. Liu Ce Fei fell into the water yesterday; you should show her some proper care.”
Wang Ye Yan set down his jade chopsticks and looked at the princess, “I don’t need you to arrange my affections.”
Wang Ye Yan was displeased with the princess's tone.
As a prince, he should decide where to stay and whom to favor on his own. Yet, the princess sometimes spoke to him as if she were giving orders, not like a wife, but more like a mother.
It was overstepping, and it irked him.
The princess felt a chill run down her spine, realizing her transgression. She quickly stood up, “Your Highness, I know I was wrong.”
Wang Ye Yan rose and left the princess's courtyard.
The princess's knees weakened, nearly causing her to fall. She grasped the hand of Mama Liu for support, her eyes filled with sorrow and despair.
The intimacy between them had grown increasingly distant; the prince was growing colder towards her.
All men in this world are heartless.
...
Leaving the princess's courtyard, Wang Ye Yan headed straight for Shen Wei's Fangfei Garden.
As he walked, memories of his childhood friend Liu Qiao'er surfaced, the beautiful moments they had shared flooding his mind.
“Fine, I’ll go check on Mingyue Courtyard first,” Wang Ye Yan decided, changing direction.
Fu Gui went ahead to announce his arrival, and Liu Ce Fei nervously stepped out to greet him. She had cried several times, her eyes swollen like walnuts, her complexion haggard.
“Qiao'er, I’m late,” Wang Ye Yan said, stepping forward to take Liu Ce Fei's hand.
Looking at the handsome man so close, Liu Ce Fei felt cold sweat trickle down her back. Despite Wang Ye Yan's striking looks and gentle demeanor, his methods after ascending the throne were truly terrifying.
In her past life, Liu Ce Fei had been falsely accused of infidelity and framed for harming a prince; the way Wang Ye Yan looked at her then was more terrifying than the abyss.
Men are heartless creatures!
Dangerous men are to be avoided!
Wang Ye Yan grasped Liu Ce Fei's delicate hand, which was clammy with sweat, making him feel displeased, yet he did not let go as they walked into the room.
Liu Ce Fei nervously poured tea for Wang Ye Yan, stammering, “Your Highness, I... I’m still unwell. I’m afraid I can’t serve you tonight.”
Seeing his woman, Wang Ye Yan knew that their time together didn’t have to be solely about intimacy; they could simply share a blanket and talk.
Wang Ye Yan replied, “I’m just here to keep you company tonight.”
Over the years, Wang Ye Yan's feelings for Liu Ce Fei had faded considerably, but there was still some affection left. After all, he had shown her some care after her accident, which counted as a bond.
Upon hearing this, Liu Ce Fei felt even more terrified.
She knew her allure; if she wanted to, the prince would surely favor her. But the terrifying experiences of her past life loomed vividly in her mind.
She couldn’t afford to stand out again!
“Your Highness... I truly feel unwell. Please, go elsewhere,” Liu Ce Fei mustered her courage to refuse Wang Ye Yan once more.
Wang Ye Yan's expression darkened.
He looked deeply at Liu Ce Fei, who trembled under his gaze. Wang Ye Yan, being astute, could easily see her deliberate distancing.
A person's tolerance has its limits.
Wang Ye Yan cared for Liu Qiao'er, and naturally, he hoped for a response from her.
But Liu Ce Fei's actions had completely eroded the last remnants of his feelings for her.
Wang Ye Yan stood up, his tone unreadable, “Since you’re unwell, take care of yourself.”
With that, he swept out of the room.
Liu Ce Fei trembled as she saw him off.
At the courtyard gate, her close maid, puzzled, asked Liu Ce Fei, “Mistress, why did you send the prince away? He’s heading towards Fangfei Garden. Shen is currently in high spirits; we should dampen her enthusiasm.”
Liu Ce Fei's lips curled into a sneer, “Though Shen is thriving now, she will only fall harder in the future.”
As long as she, Liu Qiao'er, was willing, she could easily win back Wang Ye Yan's heart.
Her years of affection with Wang Ye Yan wouldn’t vanish because of a newcomer like Shen Wei.
Liu Ce Fei remembered clearly that in her past life, the impoverished Shen Wei had also received Wang Ye Yan's favor, but it lasted only a month.
Even without Liu Ce Fei's intervention, Shen Wei wouldn’t enjoy her glory for long.
...
After leaving Mingyue Courtyard, Wang Ye Yan grew increasingly furious.
He had not been unkind to Liu Ce Fei; during her two years of illness, he had even sent palace doctors to treat her.
Now that Liu Ce Fei had recovered, she had become so ungrateful!
As a prince, born into nobility, he was being disrespected by a mere concubine. His eyes darkened as he ordered Fu Gui, “Reduce the provisions for Mingyue Courtyard, and send them according to the standards for a concubine.”
Fu Gui hurriedly replied, “Yes, I’ll make a note of it.”
Inwardly, Fu Gui sighed.
Liu Ce Fei must have lost her mind; the prince was the master of the inner palace. The living conditions of the women in the palace depended entirely on him; he was the very foundation of the Wang residence.
How dare Liu Ce Fei disrespect the prince?
She was courting disaster.
After leaving Liu Qiao'er's courtyard, Wang Ye Yan turned towards Fangfei Garden. The carp lanterns at the entrance had been replaced with jade rabbit lanterns, glowing warmly under the night sky.
Seeing the two exquisite jade rabbit lanterns, Wang Ye Yan's mood lightened a bit as he strode into Fangfei Garden.
Shen Wei had not yet fallen asleep; she was on a ladder, returning a fallen swallow to its nest. Wang Ye Yan stood in the courtyard, looking up at Shen Wei under the night sky.
She wore a light green ru skirt, her face free of makeup, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, her profile radiant and beautiful. The little swallow chirped incessantly as she placed it back in its nest, as if expressing its gratitude.
“Your Highness, you’re back!” Shen Wei exclaimed, surprised to see him below as she hurriedly climbed down the ladder.
In her haste, she accidentally (though it was intentional) missed a step.
Shen Wei let out a shriek.
Wang Ye Yan was quick on his feet, catching her securely. Shen Wei trembled in fright, like a startled deer.
After carefully surveying her surroundings and realizing she was unharmed, Shen Wei let out a heavy sigh of relief, gazing at Wang Ye Yan with admiration, “Your Highness, you’re amazing! Thank you for saving me!”
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