# Chapter 17: Helplessness
A major incident finally occurred in the Duke's household. The eldest son, Qu Xue, silently eloped with that courtesan, leaving the city of Yuanliao. Qu Zhenlie was devastated and furious, while Jian Hui wept endlessly, regretting that she should have agreed to her son in the first place—perhaps she should have allowed the courtesan to marry into the family.
Meanwhile, at the Marquis of Guangling's residence, the red banners and colored lanterns had all been taken down and replaced with black mourning cloth and white silk. The eldest miss of the Shen family had been missing for two days before she was finally found in an abandoned well in the rear courtyard of the marquisate.
In truth, many in the city had guessed the reason, but facing the grief-stricken Shen family, no one dared expose the truth. Everyone kept to themselves and guarded their own safety, afraid of bringing disaster upon themselves.
When Wei Yang heard the news of Shen Mu's death, her vision swam and she fainted.
In Rongxi Garden, dark red silk curtains swayed as mournful wails echoed until midnight. A figure appeared in the rear garden, paused for a moment, then, step by step, approached the woman he both loved and feared.
The door was pushed open.
At the familiar footsteps, Wei Yang's entire body trembled. "You... don't come any closer."
Man Cheng ignored her desperate cries and quickly stepped forward, pulling her into his embrace.
Wei Yang's sobs grew quieter, and her trembling gradually stopped. After a long while, she sobbed, "I'm... I'm so scared. Man Cheng, why did you kill Shen Mu... why! Was it for Zhong Shan? Do you... do you love him that much?"
"..."
Not hearing his answer, Wei Yang pushed him away with all her strength, crying, "You love him so much, why come to me! Get out, get out!"
Man Cheng froze, then said coldly, "You asked for it."
Wei Yang gazed at him, feeling heartbroken. Gritting her teeth and steeling her resolve, the words "we're over" were about to spill from her lips when Ying Shan rushed in, panicked and whispering, "Your Majesty, His Majesty the King is here."
Wei Yang's pale face instantly filled with terror and despair.
Man Cheng glanced at her, then stepped out.
Soon after, the stern monarch appeared at the doorway. He walked to Wei Yang's bedside and took her hand.
A profound sense of guilt like a thousand-fold silk net bound her heart and lungs. Wei Yang dared not meet his eyes, weakly leaning against the pillows, tears streaming down her face.
"Don't grieve so." Zhang Zhou spoke in a low, solemn voice. "Your health is paramount. I'll summon the imperial physician to examine you."
Wei Yang stole a glance at his exhausted face and felt even more guilty, unable to speak. She could only nod lightly.
The man who had stepped out had not left Rongxi Garden. He stood silently by the pavilion window, gazing toward the distant Yaoji Hall, defeated and yet calm.
Before long, someone ascended the pavilion and embraced him from behind.
"Man Cheng..." That familiar yet almost unfamiliar call rang in his ear.
Dark clouds obscured the moon outside the window. The pavilion was shrouded in complete darkness.
The person holding him was silent for a long while before finally speaking through gritted teeth, "Man Cheng, I... I won't allow you to do this again..."
The man facing the window shuddered all over.
The person behind him lowered his voice and continued, "She's carrying your child."
Man Cheng's eyes flew open, but all he saw was pitch darkness.
Zhang Zhou leaned close to his ear and issued a stern command—
"Listen carefully to me. I want this child. If anything happens to her, I will never forgive you."
As Man Cheng exited through the rear gate of Rongxi Garden, a figure stood there, dressed in dark clothes that nearly blended into the night. He heard footsteps and turned to look.
"You..." Man Cheng raised his blurred, tear-filled eyes to meet his gaze, breathing lightly, and asked, "Have you come to blame me too..."
Zhong Shan, don't scold me. If you say even one harsh word, I will fall apart.
Zhong Shan stirred.
Man Cheng's heart clenched: Zhong Shan, if you turn and walk away, I truly won't be able to hold on.
He walked forward toward Man Cheng, his lips parting slightly, but no words came out.
Man Cheng looked into his sorrowful, conflicted eyes and felt a sudden, inexplicable fear rise within him: Zhong Shan, you can scold me if you want, just... please don't leave me.
I'm begging you!
"Man Cheng..." He stepped forward and tightly embraced Man Cheng, his voice trembling, "Your crying is breaking my heart..."
Man Cheng tightly closed his eyes, clutching him close. All the suppressed grief and fear he had sealed away, melted and dissolved within his embrace...
"Zhong Shan..." Man Cheng used every ounce of his strength to suppress his sobs, pleading, "Zhong Shan, you... please never leave me..."
He responded with infinite tenderness, "Didn't I promise you long ago..."
"I'm... I'm still so scared. I've been deceived too many times..."
He smiled bitterly, gently kissing Man Cheng's hair. "When have I ever deceived you? When have I ever hurt you?"
Word spread from Ruyi Palace that the Queen was expecting an heir, and gifts and congratulations poured into Rongxi Garden. Ladies and young misses came to pay their respects without end. Finally, when things had somewhat settled, Wei Yang couldn't bear it any longer and forced her weak body to go to Zhongbi Manor.
Lan Xing saw the Queen and immediately fell to her knees to offer congratulations, though in truth she was blocking the path.
Wei Yang shot her an irritated glance, skirted around her, and hurried toward Man Cheng's quarters. Lan Xing followed behind, calling out, "General, Her Majesty the Queen is here!"
The door opened and Man Cheng stood at the threshold, smiling at Wei Yang. "What's so urgent, Your Majesty? Lan Xing, you may withdraw."
Wei Yang entered his room, forgetting the resentment from that day, and said joyfully, "Man Cheng, I'm pregnant. Did you know?"
Man Cheng said coolly, "The whole world knows. Congratulations, Your Majesty."
"It's your child!" Wei Yang cupped his face, studying his expression closely, but found not a trace of joy. "Man Cheng, aren't you happy?" Wei Yang frowned, disappointed.
"I figured it out long ago. I'm overjoyed."
"Really?"
"Of course. You don't believe me?"
Man Cheng smiled, a smile that could topple cities—how could anyone not believe him?
Wei Yang clung to him, weeping with joy, speaking incoherently, "Fortunately Zhang Zhou didn't suspect! What do we do, I'm so happy but also so scared, what do I do? Man Cheng, we'll have to be careful from now on. I feel so guilty—Zhang Zhou seems so happy, I feel so sorry for him. Man Cheng?" She rambled on, then noticed Man Cheng wasn't responding. She released him, puzzled. "What's wrong with you?"
"You, since you're pregnant, take good care of yourself." Man Cheng took her hand, helping her to sit, and said gently, "Don't rush about like you did just now."
Wei Yang smiled playfully, joy evident on her face. "Got it, I'll be more careful from now on!" Then worry returned. "Man Cheng, are you afraid?" She touched her belly and sighed. "Will Heaven punish us? Our child is... an illegitimate one. If Zhang Zhou finds out..."
"He's the illegitimate one." Man Cheng said carelessly, the words slipping out suddenly.
Wei Yang thought she'd misheard, staring in astonishment. "What did you say?"
"Nothing." Man Cheng's expression didn't change. "I was just talking. Rest easy and take care of your health. With me here, you have nothing to fear."
Wei Yang gazed into Man Cheng's gentle eyes, deeply moved, and gathered her courage to ask, "Man Cheng, do you truly love me?"
Man Cheng knelt on one knee, resting his cheek against her leg, and slowly said, "I love you."
Wei Yang listened to those words and was intoxicated. "Man Cheng, for the sake of those words, I fear nothing!"
After a long while, she reluctantly stood, a hint of regret on her face. "I must protect our child. From now on, let's be careful when we meet. I should go."
Man Cheng nodded, watching her look back three times as she left the courtyard. His gaze grew distant.
A figure emerged from behind the screen, silent for a long moment before asking, "What are you thinking about?"
Man Cheng turned and glanced at him somewhat awkwardly. "Nothing."
"From now on, I should come here less often. If the Queen catches us again, upsetting her wouldn't matter, but upsetting your child would be terrible."
Man Cheng frowned. "Zhong Shan, what do you mean by that?"
Zhong Shan smiled brilliantly. "I hope she can safely give birth to the child. I look forward to it immensely."
Man Cheng shot him a look, then said curtly, "I'm going to check if Mandu is awake," and left the courtyard.
---
**Prior Events**
A young man strode quickly out of Zhongbi Manor. The moment he stepped through the gate, he ran straight into Qu Zhenlie.
Zhenlie clapped a hand on his shoulder, asking with a smile, "Young Prince, where are you headed?"
"To find my sister."
"Oh..." Zhenlie let out a knowing cry, gazing at him with an expression that was half amusement, half mischief. "Then I'll tell my sister not to come running to Rongxi Garden so often. Wouldn't want to interrupt you two siblings."
Zhang Shun slapped his hand away, laughing and cursing, "Mind your own business! Don't ruin my good thing."
"Got it," Zhenlie teased, "Young Prince, how long are you and my sister going to keep sneaking around? My old man is already arranging matches for me."
Zhang Shun furrowed his brow. "My father-king's three-year mourning period hasn't even ended. My eldest brother hasn't even taken a queen consort—how would I dare defy the world? Why are you more impatient than me?" He snickered wickedly. "If you're so impatient, you can start calling me 'brother-in-law' right now."
"Tch, how dare I!" Zhenlie cringed, saying, "Last time I called her that, I nearly got beaten to death! My sister isn't your average fiery woman. Once you marry her, you'll have a fun life ahead."
Zhang Shun gave him a light kick. "Then get out of the way! If I keep her waiting, my good life is over!"
Playfully quarrelling, Zhang Shun mounted his horse, cracked the whip, and rode toward Ruyi Palace.
The pavilion at Rongxi Garden had just been completed. A girl dressed in simple attire stood by the window, gazing silently into the distance. Her gaze lingered on Yaoji Hall for a long while without shifting.
In the pond below, as far as the eye could see, lotus flowers were in full bloom—a breathtaking sight.
In the pavilion at the center of the lotus pond, another girl wore a pink floral gauze dress. She sat in a chair, swinging her legs impatiently, then suddenly stood up and leaned over to pluck a lotus from the water. Suddenly, her eyes curved into happy crescents. The lotus in her arms made her fair, rosy smile appear even more radiant.
She stamped her foot. "How could you make me wait so long!"
The young man beside her smiled apologetically. "I can't be blamed! When I was leaving, your brother cornered me and I had to chat with him for a bit."
"What did he say?"
"He said his old man is arranging matches for him. Ouch—" Zhang Shun dodged repeatedly. "Qu Nuo, stop pinching me! I wasn't the one who said it! Ouch ouch ouch—"
The girl in the upper pavilion watched the two little troublemakers below bickering again and couldn't help but laugh. She called out, "Zhang Shun, Qu Nuo, it's so hot down there! Come up and have some fruit."
Qu Nuo shot Zhang Shun a glare, then ran up to the pavilion.
Zhang Shun followed, grabbing her hand. "Why are you running? Wait for me."
Qu Nuo's face flushed. She tried to shake him off a few times, but when she couldn't, she simply let him lead her.
Zhang Shun, with his shameless grin, tightened his grip on his beloved's hand and pulled her up to the pavilion. "Sister!"
Qu Nuo also called out, "Sister Yun Yao."
Yun Yao smiled, glancing at the two of them. "Holding hands and pulling and tugging—aren't you afraid people will laugh?"
Qu Nuo's face grew even redder. "Hurry and let go!"
Zhang Shun not only refused to let go but leaned even closer, with an expression that said, "What are you going to do about it?"
"Alright, alright, come sit." Yun Yao beckoned the two. "Look at you two, covered in sweat. Aren't you hot?"
Zhang Shun half-dragged, half-guided Qu Nuo over, sitting beside his sister. He picked up a string of loquats and handed them to Qu Nuo.
"No." Qu Nuo pushed the loquats away. "Too hard to peel. After eating a few, my fingernails turned yellow."
Zhang Shun smiled. "I'll peel them for you."
Yun Yao and Qu Nuo exchanged a glance, both suppressing smiles.
Qu Nuo accepted the peeled loquats from Zhang Shun and fell laughing into his arms. "Look at how you peel them—like a dog chewed them..." Despite her words, she popped them into her mouth without the slightest嫌弃.
Zhang Shun was about to peel more when Qu Nuo snatched them away, rolling her eyes at him. "Watch me." She picked up a silver spoon and scraped it across the loquat, easily peeling off the skin.
Zhang Shun exclaimed in admiration, "You're so clever."
"You just don't know how."
"I never had to peel them myself. Someone always peeled them for me."
"Who peeled them for you?"
"The maids, obviously. Who else?"
Qu Nuo snorted. "Who believes that! My brother gallivants around with flowers and willows all day long. Don't let him corrupt you."
"You wrong Zhenxiao! I begged him to take me to the pleasure quarters and he refused—" Ouch! Ouch! Zhang Shun dodged frantically. "I'm joking! Are you trying to murder your husband? Ouch! It hurts! Sister! Save me!"
Yun Yao, watching this pair of childhood sweethearts, was already doubled over with laughter.
A call rang out from below— "His Majesty the King arrives."
The three in the pavilion immediately stopped smiling. Zhang Shun pulled Qu Nuo and hid behind the screen. Qu Nuo whispered, "Why are we hiding?"
Zhang Shun covered her mouth, frowning. "He imprisoned my second brother. I'm getting more and more afraid of him."
Heavy footsteps slowly ascended the pavilion. Then, someone softly called out, "Yun Yao."
Yun Yao respectfully knelt and performed a full bow.
He sat to one side. After a long while, he slowly said, "How long will you kneel? Rise."
Yun Yao stood up.
"You... sit."
Yun Yao took a few steps and sat on the chair furthest from him, head bowed in silence.
The young monarch, supreme and all-powerful, wore an expression of sorrow and helplessness. He gazed at his sister, remembering the close, inseparable years they had shared, feeling as if it were only yesterday.
The two of them sat in wordless communion, as if time had stopped flowing.
Behind the screen, the two huddled together peacefully, exchanging glances from time to time,甜蜜地冲对方笑一笑, wishing this moment could last forever.
Time passed—half an hour, an hour, perhaps two hours—until Yun Yao finally spoke—
"Farewell, Your Majesty. Yun Yao cannot see you off."
Then came the same heavy footsteps, fading away from the pavilion.