Shen Xiabai: So, those in prison have no right to make choices.
The Crown Prince said, “Rest assured, I won’t discuss state affairs. Just casual drinking and idle chat.”
“…Prince An doesn’t discuss state affairs when he comes either.”
In other words, there’s no point talking politics with him now either.
After all, he was currently a murderer.
Shen Xiabai propped his head on his hand, his face calm, silent and unmoving.
Having fallen to this state, not one of them would let him be.
The Crown Prince initially just kept pouring drinks. Maybe after drinking a bit too much, he finally spoke, “Brother Shen, tell me, how did I end up here today?”
“Since childhood, I’ve been diligent and hardworking, determined to be a worthy heir to the throne. I obeyed my mother, followed my father’s teachings, did whatever they said was right.”
“I wanted to be a worthy Crown Prince, a worthy son. Was I wrong?”
Shen Xiabai held his head with one hand, eyes slightly closed, as if he hadn’t heard a word.
The Crown Prince took another gulp of wine and continued, “Qingwan and I grew up together. She believed in me, supported me. She was my wife. And I, the dignified Crown Prince, couldn’t even protect my own wife and child. I let her down, made her despair. She faced those schemes alone, lost our child, and now lies ill in bed.”
"I wanted to protect her, make it up to her, but I could barely hold the bigger picture together. In the end, I failed as a husband, failed as a son. It all came to nothing."
He hung his head and smiled bitterly, his voice a little choked.
Ever since Tang Qingwan’s miscarriage, he had been forcing himself to stay strong.
“Brother Shen, I’ve been a pathetic Crown Prince.”
Always trying to have it both ways, but in the end, getting neither.
Qingwan hated him, his father even wanted to depose him, and his mother was disappointed, despairing.
Shen Xiabai: “…”
He finally opened his eyes and glanced at the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, did something upset you today?”
Xiao Chen shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks.
“Yes, but it was expected.”
He knew it was coming, but when the truth was laid bare before him, it still hurt.
There was anger and resentment inside him, a desire to confront, but it was all drowned out by heartache.
Before her month of recovery had even passed, his Crown Princess had already started drinking all kinds of medicinal concoctions again.
Shen Xiabai looked at him and said, “Actually, the best person for Your Highness to drink with would be Prince An.”
After all, they shared the same suffering, though their ways of letting off steam were completely different.
One pours out his grievances, the other sneers. Better they stab each other than take turns venting at him.
The Crown Prince chuckled, “We share the same blood, so in theory, we should be the closest of kin. But we’re also the least likely to open our hearts to each other.”
So, they both came to bother him?
Had Cui Yunchu been enduring this for so many years too?
Her little cleverness and occasional mischief suddenly made sense.
The Crown Prince drank jug after jug, his words growing more and more numerous. It was exhausting to listen to. Shen Xiabai squinted, propping his head up for a quick nap.
“Brother Shen has never married, so he doesn’t understand this kind of pain,” the Crown Prince said after finishing his wine.
“…”
“Actually, I might prefer Prince An a bit more.”
At least that was more like a man-to-man thing. Rather than getting drunk with the Crown Prince and weeping, he’d rather spar verbally with Prince An—it felt more dignified.
After all, every man has his own grave to cry over.
But maybe infected by the Crown Prince’s gloom, the jailer brought new wine after just a few rounds of persuasion, and the two of them drank through the bars of the cell.
The unhappiness Shen Xiabai had been suppressing was stirred up by the Crown Prince and the wine.
Shen Xiabai was, on the whole, less talkative than the Crown Prince. Most of the time, he just drank in silence while listening to the Crown Prince talk.
Time trickled away. The Crown Prince was long past any semblance of royal dignity. He pushed aside his chair, sat on the ground, clinked his wine jug with Shen Xiabai’s.
“This is a good day,” the Crown Prince said.
Shen Xiabai was slightly tipsy as well. “Your Highness has finished pouring out his troubles. It’s time to leave.”
The Crown Prince grunted in response but didn’t move.
When Yu Feng returned, he saw the wine jugs rolling on the floor, the Crown Prince drunkenly muttering nonsensically, and his own master, eyes closed, possibly asleep. The sky might as well have fallen.
The jailer standing by said helplessly, “The Crown Prince and Master Shen were drinking quite harmoniously. I didn’t dare interrupt.”
“…”
“Call Prince An over. They might as well all get together and drink,” Yu Feng muttered, ordering someone to report to the Eastern Palace.
That night, the Dali Si (the Court of Judicial Review) was bustling with activity. Even the court's chief magistrate was summoned.
He thought he’d already been keeping a low profile these days, letting anyone who came to visit Master Shen come and go freely.
But still, there was no peace.
Looking at the Crown Prince lying drunk on the ground, the old man could only tremble as he hoisted him up and slowly carried him out of the cell.
Before Yu Feng could finish his work, another figure appeared at the prison gate—a man in black robes and black trousers, his entire face covered. He looked like an assassin.
“Who are you?”
The man stood still for a few seconds before speaking. “Little uncle’s life in prison is pretty good, huh? Got wine to drink.”
He’d wasted all this time worrying, unable to sleep at night.
…
When Cui Yunchu got back, she immediately wrote a letter to Cui Yunfeng.
“Your husband is truly a piece of shit.”
Cui Yunfeng stared at the piece of paper repeatedly. Her displeased gaze fell on Prince An, who was already lying in bed.
Xiao Yi had just finished bathing. His undercoat was slightly open, revealing a small patch of firm, strong chest. He leaned on one hand, watching Cui Yunfeng. “It’s late. Time to rest.”
When his phoenix eyes weren’t wild, they carried a natural charm, especially when the corners tilted slightly.
Quite pleasing to the eye.
But Cui Yunfeng didn’t budge. She stared at him coolly. “Your Highness seems to be in a good mood today.”
Ten to one, he’d gone to torment her elder sister again.
As soon as the title “Prince” left her lips, Xiao Yi sat up a little straighter, his sharp eyes immediately fixed on the letter in Cui Yunfeng’s hand.
“Yunfeng, I’m your husband. We should be the closest to each other,” he said, getting out of bed, his clothes still half-open, and moving toward her.
But Cui Yunfeng abruptly stood up, pushed him out the door, and said, “Xiao Yi, you really are a piece of shit.”
The door slammed shut with a bang, and all the lingering romantic thoughts were blown away by the wind.
“…”
Xiao Yi stared at the closed door for a long time before letting out a long breath. Yun’er, standing nearby, didn’t even dare lift her head.
“Where did that letter come from?” Xiao Yi asked.
Yun’er pretended to be confused. “Your Highness, what do you mean? Your servant doesn’t understand.”
Xiao Yi’s gaze fell on Yun’er, sharp and penetrating.
Everything had been going well. They were about to sleep together…
“The letter you gave the Princess Consort—where did it come from?”
Yun’er stammered, “It… it was sent by Xing’er, the servant of Eldest Miss Cui. She said it was urgent and the Princess Consort had to read it tonight.”
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have interrupted His Highness and the Princess Consort’s time.
Xiao Yi sneered. “Very urgent.”
Afraid that if it came a moment later, it would mess up Yunfeng’s plan to throw him out.
“Eunuch Liu, from now on, everything related to Cui Yunchu must be reviewed by me first.”
Eunuch Liu said, “…But… the one in charge of the household now is the Princess Consort.”
It would be impossible to hide this from the Princess Consort. If she found out, he would be kicked out again.
The Eldest Miss Cui was far away, and he had failed in his duties—he’d be nothing more than a convenient punching bag.
Xiao Yi fell silent.
He shot a cold glare at Eunuch Liu.
Then he began knocking on the door. “Yunfeng, open the door. Let me explain.”
Silence.
He turned to Yun’er. “What did the letter say?”
“This servant… doesn’t know.”
Xiao Yi fell silent again.
