ISWTDB Ch74

Chapter 74: The Secret Guard Is Mentally Ill (13,14)

Huangfu Zhaohong might have been affected by the previous Ying Ning incident, as he hadn’t gone to the Marquis Household to bother Ying Zhao for quite a few days, which made Ying Zhao feel much quieter around him.

Since the incident involving Ying Ning happened close to The eldest princess’s residence, it quickly reached The eldest princess’s ears. The eldest princess unprecedentedly harshly reprimanded Ying Ning.

Ying Ning looked at his mother with a face full of grievance, his eyes red from crying. Seeing Ying Ning like this, The eldest princess eventually couldn’t bear it, sighed, and waved her hand for him to sit down.

In The eldest princess’s eyes, the Second Prince Huangfu Zhaohong was originally the only choice to inherit the throne, as he was also Huangfu Yu’s only son.

Now that the old emperor was seriously ill and about to ascend the throne, The eldest princess felt that it was only natural for her son to align himself with the Second Prince, aiming to become a male consort.

However, she did not expect that her son would be so impatient and make such a foolish move of seducing others. What’s more, this incident had been witnessed by Huangfu Zhaohong himself.

Although Ying Ning explained to The eldest princess that he had no interest in Huo Yi, the useless person, and only did it to anger Ying Ziyang, the result had already been caused. The eldest princess could only help Ying Ning come up with a solution.

Recently, Ying Ning had been trying to visit Huangfu Zhaohong’s residence every day to explain himself, but the guards who had never stopped him before now blocked him outside the door and even spoke to him coldly, showing no compassion.

The attitude of these guards was naturally directed by the Second Prince, which made Ying Ning feel very wronged. He had prepared a lot to say, but was unable to get through.

Ying Ning was anxious, feeling that he absolutely could not let Huangfu Zhaohong truly dislike him. Otherwise, not only would the position of male consort be at risk, but even if he could eventually enter the harem, he would be neglected and not favored.

So, after much thought, he finally came up with a malicious idea together with The eldest princess. They planned to say a few words to Huangfu Zhaohong when the opportunity arose, hoping that he might believe them.

However, just thinking that this idea would involve Ying Zhao made a trace of gloom flash in Ying Ning’s eyes. If there was one thing he most did not want, it was for Ying Zhao to have any connection with Huangfu Zhaohong.

Although he constantly told himself that Ying Ziyang was dull and lacked charm and that once gained, he couldn’t hold a man, after all, Ying Zhao was too excellent, a world apart from him.

Even if it’s just temporarily using Ying Zhao, it would still ruin his reputation. Ying Ning was worried that Huangfu Zhaohong might accidentally develop a genuine infatuation with Ying Zhao and be constantly thinking of him. But given the urgency of the situation, he couldn’t be too concerned.

A few days later, The eldest princess suddenly organized a grand birthday banquet. Normally, with the emperor being seriously ill, such a grand affair would be inappropriate.

However, The eldest princess used the excuse that since His Majesty’s illness had not improved, more festive occasions were needed to dispel the gloom of sickness.

Moreover, the various consorts in the palace were all deeply worried about His Majesty’s condition, so it was hoped that this event would provide them with a chance to relax a bit, which would help them take better care of the emperor.

With this reason, no one had much to say. The eldest princess was the emperor’s most favored sister, so naturally, no one would refuse to give her face.

On the day of the banquet, the place was bustling with guests, and countless high officials came with their families. Even the Empress and Consort Shu showed great support and attended the Marquis Household.

The eldest princess enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention, and at this moment, felt quite pleased. Although the Second Prince Huangfu Zhaohong was not fond of Ying Ning, he still had to attend the banquet to show respect for The eldest princess.

Ying Ning had been waiting anxiously at the entrance of the Marquis Residence early in the morning. When he saw the Second Prince arrive, he immediately greeted him with joy, but the Second Prince completely ignored him.

Ying Ning looked at the arriving guests and didn’t want to say much to Huangfu Zhaohong there. He could only grit his teeth and think that it wouldn’t be too late to find another opportunity to speak.

The sudden grandeur of The eldest princess’s birthday banquet was indeed unusual, and Ying Zhao naturally noticed something was amiss. However, he wasn’t too concerned, as dealing with such situations was something he was quite accustomed to.

Although he was someone’s male spouse, his current status was still the heir of the Marquis Household. Thus, Ying Zhao did not stay indoors and directly went outside to watch the event.

What he did not expect was that even the reclusive Empress had come to the Marquis Household. The eldest princess was taken aback and surprised to see the Empress.

Although The eldest princess usually had closer relations with Consort Shu, it was due to Consort Shu being the mother of the Second Prince Huangfu Zhaohong and the future Empress Dowager.

Even so, the Empress’s position remained unshakable. Though the Empress was no longer young and looked less favored compared to Consort Shu, the Emperor still held the Empress in high respect. Moreover, the Empress’s maternal family was the general’s family of the Dayu Kingdom. They had guarded Dayu for generations and controlled nearly all of Dayu’s military power.

The Empress’s family was fortunately loyal. Otherwise, with a little manipulation, Dayu could have been turned upside down.

Fortunately, the Empress had always been very gentle, graceful, and courteous, much better than Consort Shu, who came from a minor family.

The Empress also had not been without children. Before Huangfu Zhaohong, there was a Crown Prince, who was born to the Empress.

However, when Crown Prince Huangfu Ao was three years old, the Empress took him out of the palace to offer incense and encountered a band of wandering refugees. The Empress’s party was scattered by the refugees, and the Crown Prince disappeared.

Despite extensive searches, the Crown Prince was never found. Since then, the Empress was deeply affected and almost stopped involving herself in the inner palace affairs, focusing instead on religious practices.

As a result, the inner palace matters were mostly managed by Consort Shu, and the Empress did not mind.

Ying Zhao looked at the Empress, who was wearing a green Buddhist prayer bead bracelet and splendid clothes but could not hide her weariness, and was taken aback. He had not expected the Empress to come today.

Though she appeared older with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, she still could not hide the grace of her youth. At that moment, the Empress was being assisted by an elderly maid and walked towards Ying Zhao.

Seeing the Empress, Ying Zhao was momentarily stunned, but he composed himself and performed a grand courtesy. The Empress smiled and nodded at him, kindly saying, “I remember you are the little heir Ying Ziyang from the Marquis Household. You’ve grown up; I held you when you were very small.”

The Empress had not been involved in worldly affairs for many years but had heard that this child was forced to marry as a male spouse due to the Emperor.

She had seen many of the palace’s dirty dealings and knew that this was probably just The eldest princess trying to eliminate a thorn in her side.

Although the Empress did not concern herself with others’ private matters, seeing Ying Zhao now, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of pity and a trace of compassion.

Ying Zhao also understood the emotion in the Empress’s eyes. Although he felt he did not need others’ sympathy, he still felt the Empress’s kindness.

So, he responded to the Empress with a gentle smile and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for remembering. It is a blessing for our entire Houfu that you have come to the Marquis Household.”

The Empress nodded at Ying Zhao’s gracious demeanor. She then glanced at Ying Ning, who was also greeting her but clearly not focused, and frowned slightly.

Although both were legitimate children of the Marquis Household, with Ying Ning being The eldest princess’s son, his manners and conduct were far inferior to those of Ying Ziyang.

Ying Zhao suddenly remembered that it was rumored that the Empress, when young, was a free-spirited general’s daughter, who had even secretly left the general’s residence to venture into the world.

Her becoming the Emperor’s wife was due to the Emperor’s sincere pursuit when he was still a prince, which led to her marriage into the royal family.

But ultimately, the deep palace is the most heartless, and the Emperor’s affection is beyond one’s control. He wondered if the Empress had ever regretted the years she had spent in the palace.

But Ying Zhao only pondered this briefly. As The eldest princess’s banquet began early, the guests had arrived early, and now the women in the back courtyard were gathered chatting.

As for the male guests in the front courtyard, they were naturally hosted by Marquis of Anping, Ying Shiwei. Ying Shiwei, who always enjoyed poetry and painting, was quite familiar with such social events and easily arranged the guests properly.

On the other side, Ying Ning finally found the opportunity to approach the Second Prince Huangfu Zhaohong. Although Huangfu Zhaohong had a poor opinion of Ying Ning, it was The eldest princess’s birthday today. With so many people around, he couldn’t afford to be too dismissive of Ying Ning.

Ying Ning seized the moment and approached Huangfu Zhaohong, whispering, “Your Highness, what you saw that day was not exactly how it happened. Everything had its reasons.”

Huangfu Zhaohong, upon hearing Ying Ning’s words, snorted and said, “I saw the whole event from start to finish. It’s clear you were up to no good. There’s no need for you to explain further.”

However, Ying Ning showed a very aggrieved expression upon hearing Huangfu Zhaohong’s harsh words. He bit his lip and said, “Your Highness, this isn’t a good place to talk. Please, let’s move to a quieter spot. Everything I did was for Your Highness! Didn’t Your Highness always want to be with my brother, Ying Ziyang?”

Huangfu Zhaohong, who initially felt furious upon seeing Ying Ning, was immediately stirred upon hearing Ying Ziyang’s name. He furrowed his brows, scrutinized Ying Ning up and down, and finally nodded.

Seeing that Huangfu Zhaohong had agreed, Ying Ning was pleased on the surface but felt even more resentful towards Ying Zhao.

Ying Zhao had long known that The eldest princess’s birthday banquet was not simple, so he had instructed Xiao Bai to keep a close watch on Ying Ning. Seeing him sneaking around with Huangfu Zhaohong, he realized they were scheming something.

Huangfu Zhaohong followed Ying Ning to a rockery and looked at him coldly, impatiently saying, “Speak quickly. How does what you did relate to Ziyang?”

Hearing Huangfu Zhaohong mention Ying Ziyang right away made Ying Ning grind his teeth in anger. He had to speak softly and gently, “Your Highness, you’ve misunderstood. I’ve always known Your Highness has an interest in my brother and wanted to matchmake you two. But my brother is newly married and seems to have a good relationship with my so-called husband. I thought if I could make that clumsy Huoyi make some mistakes, it would make my brother disappointed in him. Then, when my brother is feeling sad, Your Highness could comfort him, and my brother would naturally recognize Your Highness’s virtues.”

Seeing Huangfu Zhaohong’s expression finally soften, Ying Ning quickly continued:

“How could someone as remarkable as Your Highness be compared to a rustic bumpkin? When I heard that Your Highness was looking for my brother and ran into Huoyi on the way, I thought to use some tricks to make him err, and then have some servants catch him in the act. I didn’t expect these actions to be seen by Your Highness, leading to this misunderstanding.”

As Ying Ning spoke, he looked at Huangfu Zhaohong with tears in his eyes. Huangfu Zhaohong, who liked to see Ying Ning’s gentle and affectionate demeanor, felt his past feelings quickly revive upon hearing that everything was done to benefit him.

Seeing that their conversation was taking place in a secluded spot with no one around, the Second Prince pulled Ying Ning into his arms and said softly, “So it turns out, Ning’er was helping me with my worries. I really misunderstood you. It’s clear that my Ning’er is the most gentle, understanding, and charming!”

Hearing this, Ying Ning gave Huangfu Zhaohong a flirtatious glance and said, “But this matter was indeed my own decision. If I had informed Your Highness beforehand, you wouldn’t have misunderstood me. But please rest assured, I will definitely help Your Highness achieve your desires!”

In reality, Huangfu Zhaohong didn’t fully believe what Ying Ning said, but at this moment, Ying Ning’s sworn promise to help him win over Ying Zhao made Huangfu Zhaohong’s heart burn with desire, and he didn’t care much about other matters. He looked at Ying Ning with eager eyes and asked, “Since you say so, you must have a plan.”

Ying Ning nodded and said, “Today is exactly my mother’s birthday banquet. I’ve thought it over. Huoyi is truly useless and cannot compare to Your Highness. My brother’s infatuation with Huoyi is only because he’s inexperienced. Once he experiences the joy of being with someone like Your Highness, he will naturally cast aside the rustic Huoyi. So, today…”

At this point, Ying Ning whispered a few words into Huangfu Zhaohong’s ear. Huangfu Zhaohong’s eyes widened in concern and said, “Using medicine like this seems a bit forceful, doesn’t it?”

But Ying Ning lightly tapped Huangfu Zhaohong’s arm and said reproachfully, “Your Highness! My brother is always rather rigid. Since Your Highness is so dashing, how could my brother not be moved? It’s just that he is constrained by societal norms. If we take decisive action and remove these superficial constraints, he wouldn’t have much to say. Once he experiences Your Highness’s virtues, he will naturally become attached to you!”

Huangfu Zhaohong, already arrogant and driven by lust, was thrilled at the thought of soon being able to embrace Ying Ning. His face immediately showed joy.

Seeing Huangfu Zhaohong’s reaction, Ying Ning, though seething with anger inside, managed to hide it.

Remembering the discussions with his mother, Ying Ning realized that today’s plan was not just to send Ying Zhao to Huangfu Zhaohong’s bed. It was also to expose the matter during the festive banquet, ensuring that even if things got messy, he wouldn’t be implicated. Besides, once the Second Prince got what he wanted, he would likely not blame him too much.

According to palace gossip, the old emperor’s condition was worsening day by day. If, in a few days, the emperor’s condition deteriorated further and it was revealed that Ying Ziyang, who was supposed to bring joy, had been involved with someone else, it would be unforgivable. If Ying Ziyang ended up losing his head over this, the position of heir to the Marquis Household would fall to him.

As for the Second Prince, there would still be some time before people rushed into the back courtyard. Ying Ning had already paid a large sum to bribe a servant who was willing to take his place and wait at the door.

That servant, who only had a sickly younger sister to depend on, was willing to die for the money. Ying Ning planned to use him to switch places.

At that time, everyone would believe that Ying Ning was mingling with the lowly servant, while he and the Second Prince would remain blameless.

Thinking of this, a flash of venom appeared in Ying Ning’s eyes, but he pretended to be affectionate as he told Huangfu Zhaohong which room to go to and where it was located. They then hurriedly parted ways.

The eldest princess’s birthday banquet was scheduled for the evening, and most of the guests had arrived by the afternoon. Therefore, the Marquis Household had prepared a variety of snacks for everyone.

However, since the emperor was seriously ill and could not perform on the stage, only literary activities such as poetry and songs were allowed. There were no strict prohibitions, and people came and went freely.

Ying Zhao mostly interacted with other young masters and young ladies of similar age, while Ying Ziyang, as the heir of the Marquis Household, was not very old and sat aside with Lu San.

Ying Zhao was not very interested in these activities. He merely watched the young masters and young ladies who had not yet come out of their chambers, playing with riddles and composing poems, just to join in the fun.

Before long, Ying Ning also arrived in the courtyard. When Ying Ning saw Ying Zhao, a calculating glint flashed in his eyes, but he still respectfully greeted Ying Zhao.

He then sat not far from Ying Zhao and discreetly signaled a servant behind Ying Zhao. Soon, after Ying Zhao finished his tea, the servant attentively picked up the teapot to refill Ying Zhao’s cup.

Ying Zhao glanced at the servant, who immediately averted his gaze, looking guilty. But Ying Zhao showed no unusual reaction, pretending to be unaware, and squinted at the teapot.

When he picked up the teacup again, Ying Ning’s nerves immediately tensed.

The teacup itself was fine, and the tea he had previously drunk was also fine. The problem lay with the teapot.

Others did not know, but Ying Zhao recognized that the teapot was not an ordinary one. It was a special two-chamber teapot used to administer drugs. The handle had a mechanism; when triggered, the tea poured out was laced with substances.

This kind of teapot was extremely rare, and there were not even two in the entire Da Yu Kingdom. To have Ying Ning find one and use it on him was indeed a sign of disrespect.

Ying Zhao sneered inwardly. Without needing the system Xiao Bai’s detection, he could already sense that the tea had an unusual taste.

After Xiao Bai confirmed, it turned out that the tea contained not only a mild drug but also an aphrodisiac. It would make a person lose consciousness temporarily but still have some reaction, resulting in a state of heightened desire.

Ying Zhao knew well why he was being drugged. Hiding his sarcastic smile, he took a sip from the teacup.

As expected, he saw Ying Ning’s expression of relief. After a while, Ying Zhao frowned and closed his eyes, pretending to be uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Ying Ning quickly moved to Ying Zhao’s side and asked with apparent concern, “Brother, are you feeling unwell? If you’re uncomfortable, let me help you to rest.”

Ying Zhao opened his eyes and looked at his suddenly very considerate younger brother. He forced a smile and glanced at the somewhat nervous Lu San, subtly shaking his head.

He then smiled at Ying Ning and said, “I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel a bit dizzy. I should probably go rest quickly, otherwise, I might lose my composure at mother’s birthday banquet.”

Upon hearing Ying Zhao’s response, Ying Ning was delighted. Lu San, who was also worried, wanted to accompany Ying Zhao, but was kept behind by Ying Zhao.

Since Ying Zhao had always instructed Lu San to follow his orders, Lu San, seeing Ying Zhao’s gesture, held back and thought he would wait here to enjoy some snacks and check on his master later if needed.

Ying Ning, anxious, helped Ying Zhao to the back courtyard, walking in a hurried and somewhat disordered manner.

But halfway there, Ying Zhao suddenly frowned, pretending to be disoriented, and said to Ying Ning, “Where are you taking me? Shouldn’t we go to my own courtyard?”

Ying Ning immediately shook his head and deceived him, “Brother, your courtyard is too far from here. Seeing that you’re so unwell, it’s better to rest in a nearby room. If you need anything, I can have the servants do it.”

Ying Zhao took a deep breath, swaying slightly, and nodded to Ying Ning.

Seeing that Ying Zhao’s consciousness seemed to be fading, Ying Ning was even more thrilled. He quickly helped Ying Zhao into a room and closed the door behind him.

But as soon as he placed Ying Zhao on the bed and was about to leave to wait for the Second Prince, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his neck and lost consciousness.

Ying Zhao glanced at the unconscious Ying Ning on the floor, unfeelingly grabbed his clothes, and threw him onto the bed. He then took out an incense from his pocket, lit it in the room, and closed the door before leaving.

Not long after, the Second Prince, Huangfu Zhaohong, arrived hurriedly. The room was a very secluded side room of the Marquis Household.

It was poorly lit due to the lack of candles, making it very dim. Huangfu Zhaohong, already impatient, looked at the bed and saw a slender figure lying on it, thinking it was Ying Zhao.

He eagerly moved forward, but before reaching the bedside, he suddenly felt his head spinning and his body growing warm.