SMMW | Chapter 30

The Third Prince returned in great victory. For the merit of pacifying the borderlands, he had already been named Crown Prince by the Emperor. Wen Qing, too, was promoted because of his achievement in bringing urgent relief to the front lines, to Left Vice Minister of Revenue, which meant he was now the Ministry of Revenue’s second-ranking figure, second only to Minister Jiang.

Minister Jiang felt not the slightest sense of crisis at being caught up to by a subordinate. Instead, he carried a sort of reflected pride.

Because Wen Qing was his son. Since his own son was firmly the Crown Prince’s trusted confidant, then naturally his own prospects could not possibly be small either.

As for how he had previously helped the First Prince delay the grain shipments?

No, no, no, that had been because the First Prince pressured him, so he had no choice but to lend secret assistance. Look at the transport authorization Wen Qing held, did it not still bear the ministerial seal?

As expected of his own child, his eye was sharp. He had picked the winning side in one stroke.

The only imperfection was that he and the Third Prince… the Crown Prince, were far too close. But that was not really a serious matter. After all, both of them would marry in the future. A bit of entanglement between them was nothing.

Minister Jiang summoned Wen Qing over and, beaming, showed him an album of portraits. “These are all families interested in forming a marriage tie with you. You’re busy, so they all came asking me, your superior. Take a look. See which one you like, and I’ll help advise you too.”

Wen Qing did not want to deal with it. Coldly, he said, “Many thanks for Your Excellency’s concern. This official has no plans for marriage.”

Minister Jiang advised, “As the saying goes, first establish a family, then establish a career. You are still young, and already a fourth-rank vice minister. It is time to consider marriage.”

“No need for you to trouble yourself.” Wen Qing still looked completely impervious.

Minister Jiang wanted to lose his temper, but once he thought of Wen Qing standing behind the Crown Prince, he forcibly suppressed it. “Marrying a wife and having children, these are ordinary matters. Even someone as exalted as the Crown Prince, is he not also being urged by His Majesty to choose a Crown Princess?”

Wen Qing appeared unmoved, but Minister Jiang had sharp eyes and saw him tighten his grip on the armrest of the chair.

Minister Jiang felt pleased with himself and continued fanning the flames. “It’ll be these next few days. First he’ll marry the principal consort, then later there will be side consorts and serving concubines, and then a few little imperial grandsons. Only then can the dynasty truly be said to have heirs to continue it…”

Before Minister Jiang could finish, Wen Qing abruptly stood up. “This official still has duties unfinished, so I will not keep Your Excellency company in idle chat. I take my leave.”

After speaking, he did not wait for his superior’s reply and walked straight out.

“Hahaha…” Minister Jiang was not angered by Wen Qing’s discourtesy. Instead, he leisurely took a sip of tea.

It was right for him to be unable to bear it. In a few days, once the Crown Prince married, Wen Qing would definitely feel even worse. Given enough time, he would know what he ought to do. In the end, would not his marriage still have to be arranged by me? Could he really expect the Wen family to marry him off to a few village girls? Ai, but what can be done, I am his father after all.

Wen Qing knew that in the end Yuan Hao was still going to marry a wife. But when the day truly came, it still felt somewhat unbearable.

Why only somewhat?

Wen Qing gave a self-mocking smile. Marrying a wife was better than hearing news that he had died on the battlefield.

So it was still all right. As long as he was alive, that was enough.

Wen Qing touched his chest. There, hanging against him, was the jade pendant Yuan Hao had pawned to him. He had clearly come to repay the money, yet forgot to take it back. Who knew when he would remember.

When Wen Qing returned home, he saw a carriage parked at the entrance. A servant told him, the Crown Prince has come, and is currently in your study.

Had he come to reclaim the jade pendant? He was going to give it to his future Crown Princess.

The jade pendant had been worn close to the body for so long that it had taken on warmth. When Wen Qing removed it, his nose turned sour, and the feelings he had kept suppressed surged against his eyes.

Don’t be so pathetic. It was never yours to begin with.

He held the jade pendant in his hand, then stood by the door for a very long time, composing himself, before he finally dared walk into the study.

Inside the study, Yuan Hao was looking at the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall. Around his waist was a jade belt, and on his body was an apricot-yellow Crown Prince robe woven with gold and embroidered with silver. He was no longer that poor scholar in a patched blue robe, who had needed to copy books and gather herbs just to scrape together his schooling expenses.

Times had changed, and the world had changed. So it had already been that long.

Wen Qing bowed respectfully. “This subject greets the Crown Prince.”

When Yuan Hao saw him, he smiled and helped him up. “In private, just call me by my name.”

“Yes.”

“I came this time because there is something I want to ask you.”

“…What is it?” Wen Qing tightened his grip on the jade pendant in his hand, already prepared to hand it over.

“I came to ask,” Yuan Hao said in an easy tone, as though casually chatting about the weather, “would you like to be my Crown Princess?”

“…”

Wen Qing rubbed his ears, thinking that his own infatuation had given rise to wild delusions and left him no longer clear-headed.

“What?” he asked again.

Yuan Hao repeated with good temper, “Would you like to be my Crown Princess?”

Wen Qing was still dazed, feeling as if he were dreaming. Confused, he looked around, and like someone talking in his sleep, let out a few drifting syllables. “Why?”

“Because you are the most suitable person in my heart.”

What did most suitable person mean?

Family influence? His family was only a merchant household.

Money and wealth? Why would the Crown Prince lack money? And even if he did, there were plenty of extremely rich and powerful families waiting.

Long years of affection? Not to mention that they had never openly exchanged feelings, but why marry a man as the principal wife at all? The Emperor and the imperial clan would certainly object.

“Do you agree?” This was the third time Yuan Hao asked.

He would not keep asking forever. Should he agree or not? This was too strange. It could not be explained by ordinary logic. Wen Qing’s mind was already overloaded. The scene before him was so complicated and bizarre that he did not know where to begin thinking.

“All right.”

Wen Qing heard himself agree. His body had made the decision a step ahead of his mind.

“But I have one condition.” Reason could not suppress impulse. It rushed forward and seized the chance to speak the second sentence.

Yuan Hao asked, “What is it?”

“…You may only marry me.”

If this was a dream, then let it be a little madder. If he could have him, then he wanted all of him.

Yuan Hao did not answer immediately. He merely stood there thinking.

Wen Qing did not know how long he thought, but to him it felt like a very, very long time. All kinds of possible outcomes played out in Wen Qing’s mind, chattering away and splitting into different factions.

For a man to have three wives and four concubines was normal to begin with. All the more so for a Crown Prince, who must continue the bloodline. Really, this is greed without end.

Take the chance and quickly change your words. Later, you can work at it slowly, little by little.

Just because you have feelings for him, does that mean you must keep giving ground? There is no such logic.

He only mentioned it casually, and you actually agreed, and even made demands. Ridiculous.

…

“Yes.” Yuan Hao said.

Wen Qing stood there blankly and abandoned rational thought altogether.

Yuan Hao had agreed. He would become Crown Princess, Yuan Hao’s only wife. Everything felt like a dream.

It really did feel like a dream.

No one objected. It was as though a man could naturally marry another man in the first place.

The Ministry of Rites came to proclaim the decree. It was an edict naming him Crown Princess, and the wedding date was fixed as well.

His family, too, was full of joy, preparing his… dowry?

There were still some setbacks, of course. For example, the wedding robes delivered by the Ministry of Rites were tattered and shabby. Yuan Hao threw them away, then took him to the embroidery workshop to try on one set after another, until they bought the most beautiful one, and the most expensive one too.

On the wedding day, amid all the music and clamor, they paid respects to elders and received guests. He moved into the Crown Prince’s residence and sat in the bridal chamber, filled everywhere with red silk. On the table stood a pair of dragon-and-phoenix wedding candles as thick as wrists.

In the candlelight, Yuan Hao, dressed in the same wedding robes, entered his field of vision.

Even now, Wen Qing still felt dazed.

He watched Yuan Hao sit beside him, take his hand, and say, “From now on we’re husband and wife, so we ought to address each other more intimately. What would you like me to call you?”

“Qingqing.” After thinking for a moment, Wen Qing shyly spoke this childhood name.

“Qingqing~” Yuan Hao immediately tried calling him that once. Wen Qing did not dare look at him, and only nodded in response.

“And you? What should I call you?” Since it should be mutual, Wen Qing had to ask him as well.

Yuan Hao thought for a while. The pause was a little long, and it stirred Wen Qing’s curiosity.

At last, Yuan Hao said, “Baishu.”

“?”

What a strange name. Was it some sort of countryside nickname given to children, like Gou Sheng or Mao Mao?

Or was it perhaps… his true form was a sweet potato, and he was a sweet potato spirit?

“A gift for you.”

While Wen Qing was still letting his thoughts run wild, Yuan Hao somehow produced a coral ornament from somewhere, a bright red crystal coral that was obviously a treasure at first glance.

“This is too valuable.” Wen Qing refused. He knew Yuan Hao had always been short of money, and had only just finished holding such a lavish wedding. Even with help from the imperial family, he surely could not be wealthy, so Wen Qing did not want to accept the gift.

“Take it. I bought it especially to give to you.”

Not allowing refusal, Yuan Hao placed the crystal coral into Wen Qing’s hands.

“All right.” Seeing how insistent he was, Wen Qing did not want to spoil his mood. The coral reflected the candlelight, colors flowing over it. In truth, Wen Qing liked it too.

“Qingqing~” Yuan Hao called him by that intimate name. Just hearing him say it was enough to make Wen Qing shy. Then Yuan Hao said, “Give me a kiss.”

Yuan Hao turned his face to the side and waited for him to kiss him.

This was somewhat too much. Only now did Wen Qing truly realize that they were married, and that meant they were supposed to be intimate. He had been completely unprepared for that. Subconsciously, he had thought that marriage meant simply eating together and living together, just like when Yuan Hao had lived next door to him before the metropolitan examination.

Husband and wife were supposed to do intimate things. That was normal.

Though he told himself it was normal, Wen Qing already felt as if he had been boiled through. He froze in place and did not dare move at all.

And Yuan Hao did not urge him either. He kept that sideways posture and waited quietly, as though waiting for Wen Qing to be ready.

Wen Qing encouraged himself. His hand trembled somewhat as he held Yuan Hao’s shoulder, then slowly leaned his lips over and gave the lightest touch to the side of Yuan Hao’s face, before quickly retreating.

Because it had been so light, he could not even remember what it had felt like, and was not even sure whether he had truly kissed him at all.

Whether he had kissed him or not, he could not endure any more. He wanted to run away, run to some place where Yuan Hao was not, and hide himself under a quilt. But unfortunately, his legs had gone soft, and he had no strength at all.

“Qingqing~” Yuan Hao called again.

Wen Qing gave a shiver, and somewhat regretted having told Yuan Hao that childhood name. If his family used that nickname again later, he might immediately recall this moment.

Fortunately, he was grown now. His family gave him face and used it rarely. The one his mother most often called him was still “Jianjian.”

Yuan Hao said, “Come here and hug me.”

Yuan Hao opened his arms and waited for him to come over.

This was simpler than kissing, and besides, Wen Qing was just worrying over where he might hide.

Wen Qing took the initiative to sit a little closer, then reached out and wrapped his arms around Yuan Hao’s waist. He also hid away his burning-hot face, burying it in the hollow of Yuan Hao’s neck.

Yuan Hao tightened his arms in return, giving him an answer, and even freed one hand to slowly stroke his hair.

Feeling that hand, Wen Qing suddenly wanted to cry a little.

Whether it was real or false no longer mattered. If this was a dream, then let me keep sleeping forever.

“Qingqing~” Yuan Hao called by Wen Qing’s ear.

Wen Qing trembled slightly, waiting uneasily yet expectantly for what he would say next.

Because they were embracing, the sound felt especially close, as though he could sense the flow of breath brushing past his ear. “Let’s sleep.”

Buried in Yuan Hao’s arms, Wen Qing nodded.

Did sleep just mean sleeping? Between two men, would they… what would they do?

Wen Qing hugged him a little tighter.

But Yuan Hao was already moving. He lifted Wen Qing up in his arms and laid him inside the bed, then lowered the bed curtains.

The light inside the bed dimmed, and Wen Qing nervously clutched the quilt.

As long as he just listened to Yuan Hao… that should be enough, right?

He felt Yuan Hao pull back the bedding and lie down beside him, and after that came gradually even breathing.

So it really was just sleeping.

Wen Qing let his heart settle back into place. Turning onto his side, he looked at Yuan Hao by the dim light and did not dare fall asleep for a long time, afraid that once he awoke from a dream, he would still be in the Wen residence, while Yuan Hao had already married someone else.

But in the end, this day had been too tiring. His consciousness gradually blurred, and his eyelids kept opening and closing, almost about to stick together. In the moment before he fell asleep, he grabbed Yuan Hao’s sleeve, like a child clutching a sweet he could not bear to put down.

Red candles, warm curtains, and a good night’s sleep.