~ The Cold-Faced Clingy One ~
Mu Yunyao smiled brilliantly and, borrowing Yue Wang’s strength, nestled into his embrace. “Fourth Master, a person’s life is only a few short decades. The most important thing is to live happily. No matter what you decide in the end, I will walk with you to the very end.”
Yue Wang wrapped his arms around her. The confusion and loss in his eyes gradually dispersed. “Yao’er, I didn’t sleep at all last night. I thought about it for a long time. I don’t have much ambition. All those years of building power… it was only so I’d have the ability to investigate the true cause of Imperial Mother’s death. Now, even that obsession is gone. It feels like something important inside me has been ripped away, leaving me empty. Fortunately, I still have you. Yao’er… are you willing to become my new pillar?”
He grew up in the Cold Palace, which made him painfully lonely. He’d long since learned the chill and warmth of human nature. If not for Grand Princess Yide’s efforts to correct him, he feared he would have become an “oddity” in everyone’s eyes. Later, he learned to disguise himself—he knew what face to wear, what emotion to present, depending on the moment. Yet to him, those so-called emotions all felt the same—cold and dull. He didn’t mind, since it didn’t matter whether he truly felt them or not.
Not until he fell for Mu Yunyao. Bit by bit, someone else took up space in his heart. His thoughts began to be pulled in another direction. His eyes slowly took on a different light. Only then did he understand how vital feelings could be to a human being.
Mu Yunyao looked into Yue Wang’s eyes, and for a moment her thoughts raced. His gaze was so intense that she suddenly understood he wasn’t using the word “pillar” lightly. He truly wanted her to be his reason for living.
“Fourth Master, binding your life to someone else… don’t you feel wronged?”
Seeing the complexity in her eyes, Yue Wang knew she had grasped his meaning, and his joy only deepened. “If it’s you, then everything is worth it.”
Mu Yunyao burst into laughter, brighter than ever, dazzling and radiant. “Alright. Then let me be the pillar in the Fourth Master’s heart. I can protect myself—I won’t be harmed and forced to leave you so easily. I also have plenty of silver, enough to accompany the Fourth Master in doing whatever you wish. Most importantly, I like Fourth Master. I want to spend my entire life with you.”
Yue Wang blinked, forcing down the sour ache in his chest, yet his eyes still reddened. “Yao’er… am I the most important person to you?”
“If you really calculate it,” Mu Yunyao said thoughtfully, “Mother and Grandmother are first. You should be second.”
Yue Wang felt wronged. Yet when he thought of Madam Huiyi and Grand Princess Yide, he couldn’t help but deflatten. Against those two, he truly couldn’t compete. Fine—second was second. It could still be counted as “most important,” more or less. Even so, he remained dissatisfied. He pulled Mu Yunyao into his arms and rubbed his cheek against hers, shamelessly clingy. “Yao’er, in my heart, you’re the most important. No one can compare.”
Mu Yunyao’s lips curved. “Mm.”
Yue Wang hugged her tightly, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. Feeling that warm, soft, jade-like touch against his chest, he held her even closer. “Yao’er, what do you plan to do next?”
“Fourth Master, you should have seen it clearly. The Li family isn’t just targeting Yu Wang. They’ve included Grandmother and us in their scheme as well. The Li family’s ambitions are not small. They want Ling Wang to ascend the throne—and they also don’t want to leave behind a Grand Princess who can still exert great influence over the Dali Dynasty. In that case… we can’t exist alongside the Li family.”
Yue Wang lowered his lashes, hiding the icy killing intent in his eyes. “Good. I know what to do.”
Mu Yunyao stayed to accompany Yue Wang for breakfast, then started packing the food box, getting ready to go.
“Fourth Master will be leaving the palace later, won’t you? After you go out, don’t forget to stop by Ni Yun Fang and see how my wedding dress is coming along.”
“Alright.”
“Then… Fourth Master, I’m going?”
“Mhm.”
Mu Yunyao turned back and looked at Yue Wang, a bit helplessly. “Fourth Master, you agreed to everything. Why are you still not letting go?”
Yue Wang had been holding her sleeve. Upon hearing that, he simply seized her wrist instead, cradling it in his palm and stroking it as though cherishing treasure. “Yao’er, I’m going to speak with Imperial Father in a moment. I feel my mood is still very low. I think I need to stay in the palace a few more days before I recover.”
Mu Yunyao couldn’t help laughing. “Alright. Then Fourth Master should be properly low-spirited.”
Yue Wang still refused to release her. “I want qiao mo—steamed buns shaped by hand—made into a rabbit. Long ears, red eyes, steamed until it’s plump and white.”
Mu Yunyao smiled at him. “Does Fourth Master have any other instructions?”
Yue Wang pulled her into his arms again and hugged her tightly. “I still haven’t decided what I want for dinner. Once you accompany me to finish the midday pastries, I should have decided by then. Yao’er, don’t be in a hurry.”
Mu Yunyao could only give a wry smile. “Then take your time to decide.”
Yue Wang helped straighten her sleeves and skirt, then let her go, though he was clearly reluctant. “Remember to come at noon.”
“I know.”
On her way back to Yuhua Palace, Mu Yunyao couldn’t stop smiling.
Jin Lan walked beside her, smiling as she spoke. “Miss seems to be in especially good spirits today.”
Mu Yunyao’s smile deepened. “I am. Later, go tell the kitchen that I’ll make today’s midday pastries myself.”
“Then this servant will be bold enough to ask for some too, so I may enjoy a taste.”
“Fine. None of you will be left out.”
“This servant thanks Miss.”
After Mu Yunyao left, Yue Wang pondered for a while before instructing Yu Heng to fetch food from the kitchen.
“Your Highness,” Yu Heng said in surprise, “Didn’t you just finish the breakfast the Princess delivered?” Was he not full?
“Who says so? I didn’t eat what the Princess brought. And what you bring back later, I won’t eat either.”
Yu Heng’s mind turned, and understanding dawned. “Fourth Master… are you going on a hunger strike again?”
“Mhm. A hunger strike.”
For the next two days, Mu Yunyao delivered meals and pastries to Yue Wang three times a day, always on time, while Yu Heng also went to the kitchen to collect meals at the proper hours. On Mu Yunyao’s side, it was a food box—no one knew what was inside. On Yu Heng’s side, the containers were carried out and returned exactly as they were. After two days of this, rumors spread through the palace once more: Yue Wang was refusing to eat.
His Majesty had already been burdened with guilt. Seeing Yue Wang like this only made him more worried, and he summoned him at once. “Fourth. I’ve heard that these past few days, you haven’t been eating properly again?”
Yue Wang’s mood was low. “Imperial Father, your son feels wretched. When I feel wretched, I can’t stomach anything at all.”
The Emperor sighed. “You… you’re still thinking about your Imperial Mother?”
“Yes and no.” Yue Wang lifted his eyes to His Majesty. “Imperial Father, after the banquet, you told me that Imperial Mother was the best mother in the world, the only wife in your heart. After hearing that, I thought about it for a long time. Back in the Cold Palace, your son harbored countless resentments—hated that Imperial Mother left me so early, hated Imperial Father’s coldness, hated that you left me in the rear palace for years without asking or caring. Yet later, every time I saw Imperial Father… while you were cold to me, you were also silently looking after me. It is your son who has been unfilial, misunderstanding Imperial Father all along.”
To support us, kindly donate through our website. Thank you. 💕
0 comments:
Post a Comment