"Second Prince, I fail to grasp your meaning."
At the mention of Song Shihuan, an icy aura radiated from Emperor Yuanyou, so intense that even Wu Qi, who stood nearby in attendance, couldn't suppress a shiver.
This Second Prince of Dayue truly had a death wish—daring to set his sights on Princess Fu'an.
Rong Sheng's heart pounded nervously, but for the sake of that royal secret, he mustered his courage and spoke again, "If Princess Fu'an takes a liking to Dayue, our kingdom would always welcome her."
"If I recall correctly, your father has eight princes under him, and even the youngest is already married with children. How do you propose to accommodate my Ah Huan in Dayue?"
Those familiar with Emperor Yuanyou recognized this as the tone he used before unleashing his fury.
But Rong Sheng mistook it for a sign of opportunity.
Eagerly, he pressed on, "My eldest legitimate son is around Princess Fu'an's age. If she finds him agreeable, I swear that boy will have no one else in his household for the rest of his life but her."
To recruit Song Shihuan to his side, Rong Sheng was willing to sever all other romantic prospects for his son.
Emperor Yuanyou's expression turned inscrutable, and his tone shifted:
"Ah Huan's matters must be decided by her father. As her grandfather, it would be improper for me to overstep."
The emperor paused, fixing Rong Sheng with a penetrating gaze. "If you are truly sincere, you may try your luck with her father."
A glimmer of hope flashed in Rong Sheng's eyes.
It seemed the Emperor of Daqi wasn’t opposed to Princess Fu'an marrying into Dayue.
......
Song Yu was urgently summoned to the palace.
Before long, the sound of crashing and shattering echoed from the Zichen Hall, making Wu Qi's heart tremble with dread outside.
Inside the hall.
Song Yu's face flushed red with rage, his neck veins bulging. "What kind of nonsense is Rong Sheng spouting, daring to lay a hand on Ah Huan?"
As he spoke, he panted heavily, his eyes even growing slightly moist.
His Ah Huan was only ten years old, and already someone was coveting her.
How was this any different from taking his life?
Emperor Yuanyou was equally furious, his criticism blunt and scathing. "That Rong Sheng seems to have a chamber pot for a head! And his son? He really thinks he’s something special!"
One was an emperor who rose from humble roots, the other a prince who emerged from a life of indulgence.
The two traded insults back and forth, cursing so fiercely that Rong Sheng sneezed repeatedly in succession.
"Father, we can’t let them return to Dayue unscathed. We must teach them a lesson."
Song Yu spoke through gritted teeth. If he didn’t drag Rong Sheng’s name through the mud, he wouldn’t deserve to call himself a father!
"I told Rong Sheng that Ah Huan’s marriage is your decision, so he’ll likely come to you." Emperor Yuanyou’s eyes glinted with calculation. "Yu’er, when he does, string him along. Then take him to indulge in all sorts of frivolous pursuits—flirting, cockfighting, cricket fights—everything."
The old emperor struck where it hurt most.
"Slap the label of a wastrel on him and spread the news to Dayue."
Song Yu caught on and nodded at Emperor Yuanyou.
At this critical juncture of the succession struggle in Dayue, exposing Rong Sheng’s debauched nature would all but crush his hopes for the throne.
And all because of his audacity to propose a marriage between his son and Princess Fu'an.
......
As Emperor Yuanyou predicted, the very next day, Rong Sheng arrived at the Qin Prince's Mansion.
At that moment, Song Shihuan was practicing her swordsmanship, wielding none other than the Lingxiao Sword.
Her strikes were sharp and precise, slicing several leaves cleanly in half within a few moves.
"Your Highness, Princess, the Second Prince of Dayue has arrived."
At Liuxi’s words, Song Yu’s smile vanished instantly. "Understood."
"Father, why has Rong Sheng come to our mansion?"
Song Yu hadn’t told Song Shihuan about Rong Sheng’s marriage proposal, deeming such words unfit for her ears.
Instead, he forced a strained smile. "Perhaps he’s here for Rong Lan. I’ll go see him."
With that, he left the courtyard with Liuxi in tow.
Song Shihuan watched her father’s odd behavior, her brow furrowing. "Yingchun, find a chance to ask Liuxi what’s going on."
Front courtyard.
The moment Rong Sheng laid eyes on Song Yu, an involuntary shiver ran down his spine. Though they were of similar age, Rong Sheng’s presence inexplicably paled in comparison.
"Second Prince, to what do I owe this visit today?"
Rong Sheng repeated his marriage proposal, carefully observing Song Yu’s reaction. Seeing no outright rejection, he exhaled imperceptibly in relief.
If Song Yu wasn’t refusing outright, there was still hope.
But instead of answering directly, Song Yu smiled amiably. "Ah Huan is the jewel of my life. I’ll only marry her into a family I truly resonate with. But you and I aren’t well acquainted—how can I know if we’re compatible?"
Song Yu’s expression remained neutral. After all, whether they were "compatible" or not was entirely up to him.
Rong Sheng quickly responded, "If Your Highness is willing, I’ll accompany you day and night in the coming days to prove my sincerity."
"Excellent. Then I can judge for myself."
Song Yu stood. "Let’s go."
Before Rong Sheng could react, he was whisked away to the Yingchun Pavilion.
......
Surrounded by women closing in on him, Rong Sheng’s temples throbbed. If his brothers found out he’d visited a brothel—
The thought alone made him restless. He rose, ready to leave.
But Song Yu yanked him back down. "I’ve always been fond of the ladies here at Yingchun Pavilion. Don’t tell me you don’t like them?"
"I do."
Rong Sheng ground his teeth, desperately searching for an excuse to cover up this disaster.
But his ordeal was far from over.
No sooner had they left the brothel than Song Yu dragged him to a cockfight, thrusting a bag of silver into his hands to place bets.
"My eye for this is nearly infallible. Let’s see how skilled you are, Second Prince."
Rong Sheng, who had never bet on a rooster in his life, was utterly lost.
For the next several days, Song Yu led him through every vice befitting a wastrel.
To win Song Yu’s favor—and thus secure Song Shihuan for his son—Rong Sheng endured it all, swallowing his pride.
Five days later.
Rumors began spreading inexplicably through the capital: the Second Prince of Dayue was a debauched wastrel. The people even worried he’d lead Song Yu, who had only recently reformed, back into corruption.
The rumors grew wilder, spreading farther, until they reached Dayue itself.
When Rong Sheng learned of this, fury burned through him.
But thinking of Song Shihuan, he suppressed his rage and returned to Song Yu with a forced smile.
"Prince Qin, after these days together, surely you find us compatible?"
Song Yu’s face turned cold, his smile vanishing without a trace.
"Compatible? You and I couldn’t be further apart."
