On the day of departure, Su Lan hosted a banquet to bid farewell to Prince Ning. All the officials in Yangzhou came to pay their respects, except for Lin Zongqing, who excused himself under the pretense of being busy familiarizing himself with new administrative duties.
Though Lin Zongqing didn’t attend, Prince Ning didn’t let it slide. He sent over a plaque inscribed with the words “Diligent Governance for the People” and added a pointed remark: “Minister Lin is strict with himself and truly an example for all officials.” This gesture served two purposes: first, to show his own magnanimity by not holding a grudge against the elder official, and second… well, as Li Shi glanced at the fearful row of minor officials below him, he could imagine their frustration. Lin Zongqing’s absence might be excusable as diligence, but it made everyone else look like they had abandoned their posts irresponsibly.
Su Cen could only hold his forehead in exasperation. Prince Ning had already confiscated 3,000 taels of illicit gold from Yangzhou during his stay, and now, before leaving, he managed to irritate Lin Zongqing one last time. Su Cen could almost picture his teacher fuming over that plaque.
After several rounds of drinks, Prince Ning—having freeloaded at the Su residence for so long—offered to grant Su Lan a favor. Standing up and bowing respectfully, Su Lan said:
“Your Highness’s presence has already brought great honor to my humble home. I dare not ask for much. However, there is one matter I hope Your Highness can assist with. My younger brother has been so focused on his studies over the years that he has neglected matters of marriage. Now that he is of age, I would like to ask Your Highness to arrange a suitable match for him.”
Su Cen abruptly looked up in shock.
His elder brother had never interfered in his personal life before and had even encouraged him to follow his heart rather than conform to traditional expectations of arranged marriages. This sudden request could only mean one thing—his brother had noticed something and was trying to force Li Shi into giving an explanation.
The other officials began teasing lightly, saying that someone as accomplished and talented as Su Cen surely wouldn’t lack suitors. Yet at the head of the table, Prince Ning set down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, his expression visibly darkening.
The room fell silent.
Su Cen coughed lightly and tried to smooth things over. “I’ve only recently arrived in the capital and am still settling in. There’s no rush for such matters.”
“Among the three great unfilial acts, failing to produce heirs is the worst,” Su Lan said sternly, glaring at his younger brother. “Our parents are growing old; if you won’t think for yourself, at least think of them.”
Feeling the tension rise further, Su Cen stole a glance at Li Shi and immediately felt uneasy. Sensing trouble brewing, he hurriedly tried to interject: “Brother, I—”
Before he could finish, Li Shi spoke up. “You are indeed at the right age. Do you have anyone in mind?”
Su Cen snapped his head toward Li Shi.
Li Shi met his gaze directly without flinching. There was even a faint smile on his lips as he wiped his hands with a handkerchief and asked casually: “What about Minister He Zhongqing’s youngest daughter? How do you find her?”
“I…” Su Cen bit his lip. “I don’t like her.”
“Oh?” Li Shi raised an eyebrow. “Then what about Grand Censor Sun’s granddaughter?”
“I don’t want her either.”
“Zi Xu…” Su Lan called out warningly.
“You’ve got quite the high standards,” Li Shi said with a laugh. “What then? Are you aiming for a princess?”
“There’s no need for Your Highness or my brother to worry,” Su Cen finally said after exhaling slowly. “I already have someone in my heart.”
Everyone: “…”
Su Cen continued, “But that person is of royal blood, noble and unattainable for someone like me.” Without shifting his gaze, he stared directly at the man seated above. “I have no one else in my heart. When the day comes that I give up, I’ll consider other options.”
He bowed deeply to everyone. “I’ve had enough to eat. I’ll take my leave.”
The crowd watched in stunned silence as Su Cen straightened his back and walked out, daring to leave the banquet before Prince Ning had risen. Yet, instead of anger, Prince Ning’s face held an unreadable expression as he watched Su Cen’s retreating figure.
Once outside, Su Cen wandered aimlessly until he reached the pond where Li Shi often fished. He asked a servant for fish food and squatted by the water to feed the fish. In winter, with fewer water fleas and duckweed, the fish eagerly surfaced for food, creating a lively commotion.
As Su Cen fed them, he sensed someone approaching. Turning around, he froze for a moment. “Is the banquet over?”
“It is,” Li Shi replied, hands behind his back as he approached. “I sent them off to focus on serving the people.”
Su Cen smiled faintly.
Li Shi asked, “What’s wrong? Feeling troubled?”
Su Cen lowered his head and continued feeding the fish. “Not exactly troubled.”
“Then why did you leave?”
After some thought, Su Cen tossed the remaining fish food into the pond and stood up, brushing off his hands. Watching the red carp and white crucian carp below, he said, “You see, my feelings are like these fish—hidden at the bottom of the water, never seeing daylight. But suddenly being forced to bring them out into the open for everyone to see… it’s unsettling.”
As the fish finished eating and returned to the depths, Su Cen smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. I know my place. I’ll bury those thoughts deep again where they belong and never let them surface. My refusal to marry isn’t about proving anything; it’s just that… it’s just…”
His voice faltered as he choked up. Only then did Su Cen realize how tightly wound he had been; his entire body trembled slightly.
He knew deep down that no matter how much he gave, Li Shi would never reciprocate equally. Perhaps there would be promotions or wealth—or even a good marriage—but never a rightful place by his side. It was a transaction he had taken seriously while the other party remained detached.
Li Shi sighed and pulled him into an embrace. “Alright, I understand.”
But Su Cen shook his head and insisted on finishing his sentence.
“It’s just… my heart has no room for anyone else.”
The next morning, their group boarded a ship at Yangzhou’s pier to return to the capital.
Unlike their journey to Yangzhou, this time they traveled on an official vessel. Though regulations since the dynasty’s founding had limited official ship designs due to past abuses, this was undoubtedly one of the finest ships available.
The three-story ship featured comfortable cabins rivaling Yangzhou’s best inns. It had a study room, tea room, and even an observation deck on top where one could take in sweeping views of the river—the vast waters stretching toward the sunset in breathtaking grandeur.
Surrounding their main vessel were four guard ships heavily armed with soldiers to ensure safety and prevent merchant ships from approaching.
Su Cen couldn’t help but sigh. No wonder the previous dynasty fell because of a single canal. Every move they made on this ship cost a fortune. This journey alone required an astronomical amount of silver, and imagining the scene of a thousand dragon boats sailing together was beyond comprehension.
As night fell and the wind picked up over the river, Su Cen descended from the observation deck. He happened to see a young eunuch hurrying past with a tray, not even greeting him.
Clicking his tongue twice in disapproval, Su Cen thought, Where did they find such servants? No manners at all. However, he decided to let it slide, thinking himself magnanimous. Just as he was about to turn away, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
After some thought, Su Cen turned back and followed.
The young eunuch, thinking he had escaped notice, strolled leisurely toward the kitchen. He took a piece of hibiscus pastry from the tray and was just about to pop it into his mouth when a voice called out sharply from behind: “Stop!”
Startled, the eunuch dropped the tray and ran. Behind him came an unhurried voice: “Go ahead and run. If you do, I’ll tell Qi Lin there’s an assassin on board and have him come catch you personally.”
The eunuch hesitated before turning around with a sheepish grin. “Brother Su…”
It was none other than Qu Ling’er.
Su Cen frowned. “Come with me!”
Once they were back in the room with the door closed, Su Cen sat down at the table with the air of someone about to interrogate a suspect. He demanded, “Weren’t you supposed to stay in Yangzhou to recover? Why are you here?”
Qu Ling’er’s peach blossom eyes darted around as he said sweetly, “Brother Su, I couldn’t stop worrying about you! The capital is full of dangers, and you don’t know martial arts. How could I not come to protect you? And I missed Ah Fu—it’s been so long since I’ve seen him.”
Su Cen tapped his finger on the table with a cold expression that clearly said, Keep going—I’d like to see how much more nonsense you can come up with.
Qu Ling’er sighed, knowing his tricks wouldn’t work on Su Cen. “Actually… it’s your fault,” he said as he sat across from Su Cen. “I was all set to stay in Yangzhou when I accidentally found out that you docked Brother Qi’s salary for two months!”
Su Cen: “…”
Qu Ling’er looked indignant. “Tell me, how is Brother Qi supposed to eat? He doesn’t seem like someone with much savings. This whole thing started because of me—I can’t just let him go hungry for two months! And Brother Qi is so honest—if I didn’t come back, what if you bullied him behind his back?”
Honest? My foot! Su Cen rolled his eyes. From head to toe, there wasn’t a single thing about Qi Lin that screamed “honest.”
Oblivious to Su Cen’s thoughts, Qu Ling’er continued earnestly: “Brother Su, this time you’re really in the wrong. You can’t just bully us honest folks because you’re smart! I think you should apologize to Brother Qi. If you’re too embarrassed to do it yourself, I can help explain things for you—and make sure to pay back those two months’ wages.”
So not only do I get no thanks for my trouble—I also have to cough up two months’ salary? Su Cen felt so furious that his chest hurt. He seriously considered whether it was still possible to wrap Qu Ling’er up and throw him into the river.
Qu Ling’er grinned cheekily and leaned closer. “Brother Su, now that you’ve caught me, can I take off this outfit?”
Su Cen glanced at Qu Ling’er’s borrowed eunuch uniform and sneered. “It suits you—keep it on.”
“I won’t! This outfit is unlucky—it makes things disappear!” Qu Ling’er protested as he began tugging at the clothes. “Brother Su, help me find something else to wear!”
Su Cen tossed a robe to Qu Ling’er and asked, “Where did you get that outfit?”
Qu Ling’er replied while putting on the robe, “I snatched it off a young eunuch. Originally, I wanted to find a guard’s uniform, but all the guards on these four surrounding ships are from the Huaiqing Army. They move in groups of five, eat, drink, and sleep together. Plus, with Brother Qi patrolling every day, I was afraid I’d get caught and be thrown overboard as an assassin.”
Su Cen gave him a sidelong glance. “And no one noticed you dressed as a eunuch?”
Qu Ling’er’s face turned red as he muttered, “They said I looked delicate and effeminate—like I was born to be a eunuch. They even told me to remember them when I gain favor in the future. Me? Delicate? I’m full of masculine energy! Those eunuchs must be blind!”
No wonder Qu Ling’er hated the outfit so much. Su Cen laughed heartily for a while before stopping to say, “But have you thought about this? Why couldn’t you board any of the guard ships but managed to get onto Li Shi’s main ship?”
Qu Ling’er froze before jumping up in alarm. “Are you saying Brother Qi knows I’m on board?!”
T/N: The term 指婚 (zhǐ hūn) refers to an ancient Chinese practice, particularly during the Qing dynasty, where the marriage of royal family members was determined by the emperor. The emperor would personally approve and designate the marriage, which was then reported to the relevant authorities before being formalized.
Also Happy Chinese New Year everyone!!🎊🎊
![Flying Dust [Fei Chen]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/9k.png "Flying Dust [Fei Chen]")
LMAO Qu Ling’er is such a dummy