The Sickly Seedling Dresses Up As An Unfortunate And Muddled Monarch - Chapter 37

Due to the severity of Qiu Jingming’s injuries—since it’s often said that a bone injury takes a hundred days to heal—Qiu Junyao worried that the heavy punishment he received would require a long recovery. If no one took care of him, his condition could easily worsen, so he arranged for him to stay in the Lanzhu Palace, right next to the Pixiang Palace.

 

At first, Qiu Junyao was concerned that this move would bring Qiu Jingming too close to Yin Yuan, but later, he realized he was overthinking things—

 

It was clear that Qiu Jingming spent far more time clinging to him than to Yin Yuan.

 

Having witnessed Qiu Junyao’s thunderous fury, Qiu Jingming now feared him more than he respected him. He was constantly cautious around Qiu Junyao, and this overly careful attitude made Qiu Junyao a bit uncomfortable, feeling uneasy on all sides.

 

Perhaps it was the Qiu family’s unique constitution, but what normally required half a year of bed rest took Qiu Jingming less than three months to heal. Though he still wasn’t fully mobile, at least he could walk without any issues.

 

During these two months, his relationship with Qiu Jingxiu had also grown closer. They ate, lived, and slept together like true brothers, showing brotherly respect and affection. Regardless of what they were each truly thinking, the scene was enough to move Qiu Junyao.

 

…If only Qiu Jingming weren’t so afraid of him, if only he didn’t look at him with such fear and hesitation, it would be even better.

 

“Your Majesty, the wind is picking up.”

 

One day, Qiu Junyao was flying kites in the Imperial Garden with Qiu Jingxiu. As the afternoon approached, Yin Yuan, followed by a procession, came over from a small path and smiled as soon as he saw Qiu Junyao:

 

“I’ve been looking all over for you.”

 

“Ah-Yuan, you’re here.” Qiu Junyao handed the kite string to Qiu Jingxiu, then waved Yin Yuan over, smiling:

 

“The weather is perfect for kite flying, and Jingxiu is having a lot of fun.”

 

After saying this, he quickly prodded Qiu Jingxiu, fearing that Yin Yuan might scold him for being childish:

 

“Isn’t that right, Jingxiu?”

 

“Yes!” Qiu Jingxiu, being Qiu Junyao’s most beloved youngest son, instantly understood his meaning and responded crisply, “Mother, it’s so much fun!”

 

“…” Yin Yuan didn’t scold Qiu Junyao after all. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he squatted down and pinched Qiu Jingxiu’s sweaty little face, feeling like he was squeezing a freshly steamed jade dumpling:

 

“You’re having fun here, but your brother is still waiting anxiously for you and your father at Lanzhu Palace to have dinner together.”

 

“Ah…” Qiu Jingxiu hesitated. “He could come and play too.”

 

“Not while your father is around; he wouldn’t dare.” Yin Yuan glanced at Qiu Junyao. “He’s terrified of your father now.”

 

“…” Qiu Junyao sighed. “I punished him for his own good, not to make him afraid of me.”

 

Yin Yuan sighed too. “Children are like that. If the punishment is too light, they don’t learn; if it’s too heavy, they don’t stay close to you.”

 

“Our Jingxiu is the best, always sticking close to his father.”

 

Qiu Junyao picked up Qiu Jingxiu, bouncing him slightly on his little bottom, and laughed:

 

“Are you afraid of Father?”

 

“No.” Qiu Jingxiu hugged Qiu Junyao’s neck and laughed. “Father is the best daddy in the world. Jingxiu loves Daddy the most!”

 

“Father loves Jingxiu the most too.” Qiu Junyao, taking advantage of the fact that Qiu Jingming wasn’t around, shamelessly displayed his favoritism:

 

“Alright, let’s go back and eat. Jingxiu must be hungry, right?”

 

“Yes!” Qiu Jingxiu replied eagerly, “Father, I want to eat jade dumplings!”

 

“Okay, I’ll have the small kitchen make a special batch just for you.”

 

Qiu Junyao carried Qiu Jingxiu as they walked back, with Yin Yuan following beside them. Watching them playfully interact, Yin Yuan suddenly sighed for no apparent reason.

 

That night, after retiring to their rooms, Qiu Jingxiu took his blanket and ran off to sleep with Qiu Jingming. The palace was quiet, with only the faint crackling of the candle at Qiu Junyao’s desk breaking the silence.

 

Qiu Junyao was still holding a pen, reviewing memorials. Whenever he encountered something he didn’t understand, he circled it, planning to ask Yin Yuan or his father about it the next day.

 

Yin Yuan, having removed his makeup and changed into a loose gown, walked over to Qiu Junyao and gently placed his hands on his shoulders:

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

“Hmm? What is it?”

 

Qiu Junyao was still absorbed in the Minister of Revenue’s proposal to raise taxes due to the depleted national treasury. He looked up slowly at Yin Yuan’s serene and beautiful face:

 

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

 

“I can’t sleep.” Yin Yuan leaned down, embracing Qiu Junyao from behind. The scent of magnolia on him wafted into Qiu Junyao’s nose:

 

“I want Your Majesty to keep me company.”

 

“…” Qiu Junyao thought to himself, *Why is everyone so clingy? First Qiu Jingming and Qiu Jingxiu, now you.* But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he grabbed Yin Yuan’s smooth wrist and pulled him onto his lap:

 

“What’s the matter with you? You’re not usually this clingy.”

 

Yin Yuan stared at Qiu Junyao for a moment, then leaned in, embracing him tightly, and whispered:

 

“I’m scared.”

 

“Scared of what?” Qiu Junyao set the book aside and began gently stroking Yin Yuan’s back, as if soothing a small cat:

 

“Who bullied you?”

 

Yin Yuan shook his head, slowly raised his eyes, and said, “Your Majesty, you mustn’t favor Jingxiu so openly.”

 

He continued, “The calamity with the elderflower poison happened because of Father’s love for Jingxiu. As an emperor, Your Majesty cannot let others see how much you dote on Jingxiu, or there will be rumors and instability in the empire. The issue of the crown prince could become uncontrollable.”

 

Qiu Junyao frowned at these words, pausing his gentle strokes on Yin Yuan’s arm. He then said, in an unreadable tone:

 

“What if I want to make Jingxiu the crown prince?”

 

Yin Yuan’s heart skipped a beat at this, but his expression remained unchanged. “Your Majesty, please be careful.”

 

He continued, “Jingxiu is still young, lacking both talent and virtue. He has no influence in the court. If he ascends to the throne, I fear he won’t be able to bear such favor.”

 

“But isn’t that why you’re here?” Qiu Junyao looked at Yin Yuan. “You and your father, your uncles…”

 

“Your Majesty, letting a consort’s family control the government is never a good idea.”

 

Yin Yuan knew this all too well, “When Your Majesty married me, although it was under the pretext of a celestial omen, I knew it was because you were wary of my family’s power and wanted to keep it in check.”

 

“Now that Jingxiu is being raised in my care, if he ascends the throne, the influence of the Ying family will only grow stronger. No one dares oppose us now, but if Jingxiu doesn’t grow into a capable ruler and there’s no one in the court to check the overwhelming power of the Ying family, it’s inevitable that one of my relatives will seize power and attempt to rule.”

 

Yin Yuan’s heartfelt analysis, every word considering the imperial family’s hold on power, made even Qiu Junyao, who initially dismissed the idea, take it seriously.

 

He stared at Yin Yuan for a moment, then sighed softly:

 

“Ah-Yuan.”

 

He said, “You don’t need to be like this.”

 

“I’ve given you power; just use it wisely, without fear.”

 

“However, what I desire is not power,” Yin Yuan gently lowered his eyes, feeling Qiu Junyao’s palm brush through his hair as he softly said, “Your Majesty should know what it is I want.”

 

Yin Yuan stopped speaking at that point, saying no more. He didn’t clarify, and Qiu Junyao couldn’t quite grasp the full meaning of his words. Qiu Junyao pondered for a moment, then slowly embraced Yin Yuan, tilting his head to kiss his smooth shoulder, causing a slight tremor.

 

“Alright, I will do as you wish.”

 

“As for the matter of the Crown Prince, I will give it more thought.”

 

“Then Your Majesty must not continue to neglect Jingming, Jinghe, and Jingyue,” Yin Yuan cupped Qiu Junyao’s face and earnestly said:

 

“I do not ask for Jingxiu to become the Crown Prince; I only want to ensure that he can grow up safely and happily, with no one harboring ill intentions toward him.”

 

“I understand,” Qiu Junyao replied. “Rest assured, I will handle it appropriately.”

 

.

 

Having promised Yin Yuan, and because Qiu Junyao also wanted to improve his relationship with Jingming, he began racking his brains for a solution.

 

But it was clear that Qiu Jingming had been frightened, as he would tremble whenever he saw Qiu Junyao. He spent his days either locked up in the Lan Bamboo Hall recovering or occasionally strolling in the Imperial Garden to exercise. If he happened to encounter Qiu Junyao, he would run faster than a rabbit.

 

Qiu Junyao was also troubled, but as luck would have it, just when he needed it most, someone brought a pillow for his drowsiness. It was April, the time for the annual spring hunt of the Da Duan Dynasty.

 

In the past, Qiu Junyao had been engrossed in alchemy and was often unwell, so he generally did not attend or even hold the event. This time, however, after some thought, he unexpectedly agreed and even appointed Qiu Jingming, Qiu Jinghe, Qiu Jingyue, and Qiu Jingxiu to accompany him.

 

It was the first time the brothers had all been summoned together by Qiu Junyao, and when they received the decree, they were somewhat dazed.

 

“Second Brother, I thought Father would only bring Qiu Jingxiu this time.”

 

At the time, Qiu Jingyue was in the Second Prince’s residence sparring with Bai Mo when he received the decree. Though his martial skills were poor, he was both terrible and fond of playing. Every time he visited Qiu Jinghe, he insisted on fighting Bai Mo before feeling satisfied.

 

Of course, nine times out of ten, he would lose, and the few times he won were when Bai Mo, out of respect for his status as a prince, would secretly go easy on him.

 

Qiu Jinghe was also surprised that Qiu Junyao would personally attend the spring hunt and bring them along. But after a moment, he composed himself, took a sip of tea, and said with a vague expression:

 

“The winner of this spring hunt will be rewarded handsomely. I wonder who will receive the prize.”

 

“Of course, it will be mine,” Qiu Jingyue boasted shamelessly. “Qiu Jingming has just recovered from his injury, and Qiu Jingxiu is just a brat. Second Brother, you…”

 

He paused, then with a mischievous grin, nudged Qiu Jinghe’s arm with his shoulder.

 

“Second Brother, you won’t compete with me, right?”

 

Qiu Jinghe glanced at him, leisurely smiled, and said, “That’s not certain.”

 

“Huh?” Qiu Jingyue’s face immediately fell as he began to pout, “Second Brother, how could you do that?”

 

“I said it’s not certain, but it’s not me competing with you,” Qiu Jinghe replied, half exasperated, half amused. “Qiu Jingxiu is so favored, even if he doesn’t win, Father might still find a reason to award him the prize. Don’t you think?”

 

“…” Qiu Jingyue suddenly understood. “That makes sense.”

 

He deflated, plopping down on the floor, his head resting on Qiu Jinghe’s lap, mumbling, “It’s good to be Father’s favorite.”

 

Qiu Jingyue sniffled, feeling like crying. “Although my mother’s family is powerful, she passed away long ago. Second Brother, even though your mother, Consort Hui, is still alive…she’s been secluded in her palace for years, devoting herself to prayer, and doesn’t even see you… Honestly, we’re worse off than Qiu Jingming. Although his mother has left the palace, at least he used to see her often, unlike us, who can’t even meet ours.”

 

Hearing this, Qiu Jinghe lowered his lashes slightly, gently stroking Qiu Jingyue’s hair as he quietly asked, “Jingyue.”

 

He said, “Do you miss your mother?”

 

“Of course I do. How could I not? But she’s dead, and I’m not as lucky as Qiu Jingxiu, whose mother passed away, only for Father to find him a new Empress as his stepmother.”

 

Qiu Jingyue looked up at Qiu Jinghe, his expression bored. “Forget it, there’s no use talking about it… The only thing I want now is for you, Second Brother, to become the Crown Prince soon, then kill both Qiu Jingming and Qiu Jingxiu, and let that woman be my stepmother. Heh.”

 

“…” Hearing this childish yet somewhat amusing remark, Qiu Jinghe couldn’t help but smile with a hint of helplessness.

 

“Jingyue, walls have ears.”

 

“Who’s there to worry about in your residence?”

 

Qiu Jingyue turned over, lying on Qiu Jinghe’s lap, looking up at him seriously.

 

“Second Brother, my good Second Brother.”

 

“You know I admire you the most, and I know you can do anything.”

 

“Although Qiu Jingming’s maternal family holds military power, their influence is not impregnable. One day, I will find a way to counter them and help you ascend to the position of Crown Prince.”

 

Qiu Jingyue confidently said, “During the April spring hunt, Qiu Jingxiu will definitely be there, and given how much Father dotes on him, he’ll surely have the Left and Right Vice Ministers of the Ministry of War to guard him. If we could provoke a wolf pack to attack, we might kill two birds with one stone, eliminating Qiu Jingxiu and reshuffling the Ministry of War, replacing them with our people.”

 

Qiu Jinghe listened to Qiu Jingyue’s words without immediately responding. He gripped his fan tighter, pressing it down slightly, but Qiu Jingyue caught it and gently pulled it away.

 

“Second Brother, the spring hunt in April is a rare opportunity,” Qiu Jingyue said, holding Qiu Jinghe’s hand. “Don’t hesitate any longer. We…are running out of time.”