Burning with Jealousy

The day after the exam results were announced, Wen Ying was invited to attend the Deer's Call Banquet.

He was the Jieyuan and a guest-retainer of Prince Yu's Manor, naturally making him the center of attention. The moment he appeared, countless pairs of eyes fell upon him.

Led forward to pay respects to the inner and outer curtain officials, Wen Ying's expression remained composed. Although he had an air of pride, because he was exceptionally handsome, no one held it against him. Instead, they felt that with his looks and talent at such a young age, a bit of arrogance was to be expected.

The chief examiners arrived last. As the announcement sounded, all the provincial graduates turned their gazes towards the main gate. They consciously stepped forward according to their ranks to greet the examiners, addressing them as "mentor."

This time, the chief examiner of the provincial examination was a scholar from the Hanlin Academy. This person had passed the examination in the same year as Director Lin and was also a good friend. He had long heard Wen Ying's name mentioned, so upon meeting him this time, he couldn't help but say a few more words to Wen Ying, asking about his family situation and offering some encouragement.

There were also those who looked down on Wen Ying. When Wen Ying greeted one of the deputy chief examiners, the man's expression was very cold. He only gave a dismissive "en" and did not engage in further conversation.

This deputy chief examiner was also an official of the Hanlin Academy, a very lofty individual. He likely disdained Wen Ying for throwing in his lot with Prince Yu's Manor, not to mention that Ling Qiyan's reputation was not very good.

Wen Ying paid it no mind. He had never cared what others thought of him.

Quite a few people shared the same thoughts as this deputy chief examiner. When the wine was flowing freely, someone even bluntly asked why he had become a guest-retainer of Prince Yu's Manor.

The one who asked was a scion of a noble family, also a student of the Imperial Academy. Wen Ying glanced at him calmly and said, "His Highness is a good person. He doesn't look down on my humble origins and is willing to treat me with sincerity and courtesy. Naturally, I must repay His Highness."

The noble scion said with a smirk, "That's true. With Brother Wen's looks and talent, it's no wonder you've gained Prince Yu's favor."

Although this person's rank was lower than Wen Ying's, he was still among the top. He was considered accomplished among the children of meritorious and noble families, and was thus very arrogant. He held obvious contempt and hostility towards Wen Ying, his words laced with ridicule and sarcasm. He deliberately emphasized the word "looks," as if to imply to everyone that this new Jieyuan was one who served with his body and flattered the powerful.

Wen Ying's expression grew even more indifferent. "His Highness has a heart that cherishes talent. He values me and is willing to be my patron. I am endlessly grateful."

His expression was so frank that the provoking noble scion found it boring. He even felt a bit more annoyed at being outmatched in bearing. But in front of all the examiners, he ultimately restrained himself and said no more.

The rest of the people were all surprised to hear Wen Ying say this. No one had expected him to defend Prince Yu so openly in public. Even the chief examiners and the Prefect of Shangjing Prefecture, who was hosting the Deer's Call Banquet, all had subtle expressions. Perhaps they were thinking that this Jieyuan was, after all, young. Though his knowledge was profound, he was clueless about court affairs, which was why he was so unguarded about his association with Prince Yu. Once he was branded as Prince Yu's man, his path after entering officialdom would likely be difficult.

How could Wen Ying not know what these people were thinking? He poured the wine into his mouth without a change in expression and said no more.

Ling Qiyan, on the other hand, went to the palace today. The Empress Dowager had specially summoned him. Ling Qiyan guessed it was probably about his marriage, and sure enough, he had just sat down and eaten some tea and pastries when the Empress Dowager directly brought it up. She handed him a portrait of that young Lady Lin and asked with a smile, "Is she beautiful? Your grandmother has already taken a look for you. This girl is pretty, so fresh and delicate. Her temperament is good too, poised and generous. She's not spoiled nor overly reserved, a very interesting person."

With a pastry in his mouth, Ling Qiyan gave it a casual glance. The young lady in the portrait was indeed very beautiful and quite to his liking, but...

"Grandmother, this young lady is from Duke Jing's Manor. With a family of that status, if I marry her, won't it be conspicuous? I don't want to be pushed into the eye of the storm."

The one who would find it most conspicuous would probably be His Highness the Crown Prince. Six months ago, the Emperor had personally chosen a Crown Princess candidate for Ling Qiyu. She was the granddaughter of the Vice Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, only thirteen years old. They were just waiting for another two years, and when the young lady turned fifteen, they would be married.

But now, the Empress Dowager wanted to marry the legitimate daughter of a century-old aristocratic family to him. What would Ling Qiyu think?

The Empress Dowager dismissed his concern. "What status? So what if her family status is high? It can't compare to yours. You are the Emperor's eldest legitimate son, the most noble under heaven."

"But Imperial Father won't agree either..."

"I've already sounded out your Imperial Father. He has no objections."

...That's a lie, right?

The Empress Dowager poked Ling Qiyan's forehead, lecturing him, "Do you know why your Imperial Father didn't betroth this girl from the Lin Family to your second brother? Why he chose that Grand Secretary Zhang's granddaughter instead? A prestigious family like the Lin Family has too much power in court. Although your Imperial Father values them and must use them, he also has to be wary of them. Naturally, he wouldn't let their daughter become the Crown Princess. That Grand Secretary Zhang came from a humble background, climbing step by step to his current position. Your Imperial Father wants to use this to win over the common-born scholars of the world and balance the power in court."

Ling Qiyan mumbled softly, "Then why do you want me to marry the Lin family's daughter?"

The Empress Dowager sighed. "In the past, I always thought that choosing a less conspicuous marriage for you would let you live in peace. The previous two, one was the daughter of a declining Marquis's manor, the other was an official's daughter whose father only held an honorary title. But I don't know if it was your bad luck or theirs, neither of them worked out in the end. Those two young ladies passed away, and it even dragged you down with the reputation of being a wife-jinx."

"That's why this time, I decided to just choose the very best for you. Xihua was originally a good choice. If you had married her, in the future, Qiyu would have to give your paternal aunt face no matter what and show you mercy. It's a pity you don't get along with that girl, and your aunt herself wasn't willing either."

"The status of this Lin family girl is indeed more eye-catching, but being eye-catching has its advantages. I know you don't like getting involved in these matters and just want to live a leisurely life. After a few more years, when Grandmother is old and can't move, I'll tell your Imperial Father to let you go to your fiefdom early. Once you're far away, you won't be an eyesore to others, and no one will be thinking about you. Perhaps Qiyu will be able to let you off the hook in the future. If you marry the Lin family's daughter, even if he wants to deal with you, he'll have to think twice."

"Your Imperial Father might not be thinking differently. You are his son, after all. Back when he made Qiyu the Crown Prince, he promised me that he would protect you no matter what. Even if he thinks you're a disappointment, he will still find a way to ensure your future safety."

"As for those outside officials, there's even less need to care about what they mutter. Duke Jing's Manor has stood for a hundred years; they must know what's what. They won't harbor improper thoughts just because you married one of their daughters."

The Empress Dowager chattered on for half the day. Ling Qiyan felt uneasy listening, a very unpleasant taste in his heart. He lowered his head and buried it in the Empress Dowager's lap, saying in a muffled voice, "Grandmother dotes on me. In the future, Grandmother should really come with me to the fiefdom."

The Empress Dowager raised a hand to pat his back. "Such foolish words. Grandmother can say them when I'm angry with your Imperial Father, but you cannot. Otherwise, if your Imperial Father hears it, he will be even more annoyed with you."

Ling Qiyan snorted softly. 'Let him be annoyed. As if my Imperial Father is rarely annoyed with me.'

Finding it pointless to continue this topic, Ling Qiyan sat up straight and casually mentioned to the Empress Dowager that the guest-retainer in his manor had achieved the rank of Jieyuan. The Empress Dowager was quite happy to hear this. "That boy is only sixteen, and he's already a Jieyuan?"

"Isn't that right," Ling Qiyan was extremely proud, his face lighting up as he spoke, as if he were the one who had become Jieyuan. "If he can take first place in the Capital Examination, that would be five consecutive first places, a first in the Great Cheng Dynasty. At that point, Imperial Father would have to give him the title of Number One Scholar."

"Taking first place in the Capital Examination isn't that easy," the Empress Dowager was not so optimistic, reminding him with an amused smile. "There's always someone better out there. Those provincial graduates from the south are very formidable. They've taken first place in the last few Capital Examinations. Your guest-retainer is only sixteen, does he really have that kind of ability?"

Ling Qiyan was unfazed. "Grandmother just has to wait and see. Your grandson believes he has this ability."

"Alright, alright," the Empress Dowager laughed cheerfully. "You believe in him, so Grandmother will believe in you."

After spending the entire day at the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, Ling Qiyan finally took his leave in the evening. Just as he stepped out the door, he unfortunately ran into Ling Qiyu, who had come to pay his respects.

Ling Qiyan didn't want to deal with him and started to walk away, but Ling Qiyu blocked his path.

Ling Qiyu's voice was tinged with coldness. "I heard that Grandmother intends to betroth the Lin family's daughter to Elder Brother?"

"You certainly hear a lot," Ling Qiyan said with an indifferent face. "Does it have anything to do with you?"

Ling Qiyu looked at him coldly. His gaze made Ling Qiyan extremely uncomfortable. Then he heard the boy say eerily, "Then this one shall congratulate Elder Brother in advance."

Ling Qiyan couldn't be bothered to waste any more words with him and walked straight away.

He and Wen Ying returned to the manor one after the other. Wen Ying had just returned from the Deer's Call Banquet and had drunk quite a bit. However, he was never one to get drunk. It was just that the expression on his stern face was tighter, and his eyes were brighter, which Ling Qiyan found particularly interesting.

"Master Jieyuan, how much did you drink at the Deer's Call Banquet? Why can't you even speak?"

Ling Qiyan deliberately teased him, reaching out to pinch his chin. Wen Ying, sitting on the floor in front of Ling Qiyan's couch, pulled his hand down and held it gently. "Your Highness is concerned for me. I am fine."

"Was the Deer's Call Banquet fun?"

"It was not interesting. Not as interesting as playing with Your Highness."

The way Wen Ying looked at him was exceptionally fervent. Ling Qiyan was amused and ordered someone to bring him sobering soup.

After Wen Ying finished drinking, Ling Qiyan pulled him onto the couch, lay down with his head pillowed on his legs, and squinted his eyes contentedly.

Wen Ying lowered his eyelids, staring at him intently, his fingers gently stroking the hair at his temples.

Ling Qiyan rubbed against his palm and said casually, "This Prince went to the palace today. The Empress Dowager said she's going to arrange a marriage for this Prince. The imperial edict should be issued before the end of the month."

The hand Wen Ying had on his temple paused. His throat tightened. After a moment of silence, he asked in a hoarse voice, "...Is that so? Which family's young lady?"

Ling Qiyan yawned. "Duke Jing's Manor, have you heard of it? That girl Xihua's husband is also from that family."

"Is Your Highness happy?"

"There's nothing to be happy or unhappy about. I have to get married sooner or later anyway. The one Grandmother chose for this Prince is probably a good one." Ling Qiyan laughed as he spoke. "I heard the young lady is good-looking and has a nice temperament. As long as she's not boisterous like Xihua and gives this Prince a headache, it'll be fine."

Wen Ying didn't reply. Ling Qiyan continued to rest on him, mumbling a few random things. After a while without hearing a sound from Wen Ying, he sensed something was off. He raised his eyes to see that Wen Ying had already leaned back, his eyes closed.

Ling Qiyan poked his chest with a finger. "We haven't had dinner yet. How could you fall asleep?"

He poked a few more times before Wen Ying caught his hand. Before he could say anything else, the man suddenly flipped over and pressed down on him. His breath came close, his nose touching Ling Qiyan's. Ling Qiyan could almost smell the scent of alcohol on his slightly heavy breaths.

Wen Ying's eyes were dark and bottomless, hiding emotions Ling Qiyan couldn't comprehend. It inexplicably made him a little uncomfortable, so he snapped fiercely, "...You're not allowed to look at this Prince like that."

Wen Ying's hand kneaded his waist. Every time he kneaded this spot, Ling Qiyan would go soft.

Ling Qiyan raised his leg to kick him. "Let go of this Prince! It's not even dark yet, and this Prince is still hungry. You're not allowed to touch this Prince."

Wen Ying tried his best to suppress the dark thoughts in his heart that were about to break free from their restraints. He clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them. Closing his eyes for a moment, he got off Ling Qiyan.

Ling Qiyan took the opportunity to kick him again. "Bastard."

So inexplicable.

Night fell. After helping Ling Qiyan change and wash up, Wen Ying took his leave. Just as he was about to go, Ling Qiyan grabbed him. "What are you running for? It's still early. What time is it?"

Wen Ying told him coolly, "I have to start studying again tomorrow. I need to go to bed early."

"It's still very early now. This Prince forbids you to sleep. You will stay and accompany this Prince." Ling Qiyan said this with a look of utter self-righteousness.

Wen Ying didn't reply, just looked at him expressionlessly.

Noticing the coldness in his gaze, Ling Qiyan's expression gradually darkened. "Do you dare disobey this Prince?"

After a moment of stalemate, Wen Ying suddenly asked him, "In Your Highness's eyes, am I just a tool for your amusement? Would it be the same with anyone else?"

Ling Qiyan snapped, "What's wrong with you again? Are you deliberately trying to upset this Prince? Why are you asking so many pointless questions?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but frown again. '...Anyone else? No, better not. How could he, the dignified Prince Yu, let just anyone take advantage of him.'

"Your Highness is about to be married, yet you still indulge in such debauchery all day, messing around with me. Does Your Highness think this is appropriate?"

Accused of debauchery, Ling Qiyan was instantly enraged. "Insolent! How is this Prince debauched? This Prince doesn't even have a single serving maid to warm the bed! You are this Prince's only intimate guest, and you're the one who does this Prince, yet you still dare to call this Prince debauched!"

The more Ling Qiyan thought about it, the more wronged he felt. Without waiting for Wen Ying to speak again, he kicked out, accusing him, "You're the debauched one! Every time this Prince tells you to stop, you refuse! You're like a beast, how dare you say that about this Prince! You bastard..."

After the world spun around him, Ling Qiyan was hoisted onto Wen Ying's shoulder. He was startled and struggled instinctively, only to be thrown onto the bed by Wen Ying.

Ling Qiyan came to his senses, both furious and annoyed. He kicked and thrashed nonstop, cursing loudly, "What audacity! How dare you treat this Prince like this! This Prince will never forgive you!"

Wen Ying's eyes were filled with a cold ferocity. Without a word, he forcefully pulled off his sash, tore open his clothes, lowered the bed curtains, and pressed down.