# Chapter 19: Shame
After the young prince's untimely death, as everyone had anticipated, the Yuanliao King issued an edict for a grand repainting of the coffin and opening of mourning. The entire city was draped in white silk, with spirit money scattered everywhere.
Xiuyi entered Rongxi Garden and happened to encounter Zhang Zhou heading out, so she asked, "How's Weiyang?"
"She was only frightened, and the fright affected her pregnancy. After resting for two days, she's much better." Zhang Zhou hesitated, then asked, "What about the city?"
"Don't you have eyes to see for yourself?"
Zhang Zhou said calmly, "You have things well in hand there with the funeral arrangements, so I won't go over."
"That's true." Xiuyi sarcastically jabbed him, "Mancheng has people who care for him anyway, doesn't need you. Oh, Zhongshan is such a good child. Unlike someone who's heartless and faithless, who forgot his old love the moment he found a new one."
Zhang Zhou's heart clenched painfully. He forced a smile, turned to leave, then suddenly remembered something and called after Xiuyi, lowering his voice, "Word came from the Deng Kingdom. Jinyin heard about Mancheng's death and fell ill."
Xiuyi frowned and asked, "You mean she won't be coming back for a while?"
"She won't return this year. The news also said she's carrying the Deng King's child. He wants her to stay in the palace to rest and won't let her travel." As Zhang Zhou said this, his expression softened a little.
Xiuyi's face lit up with joy, her eyes filling with tears. "That's wonderful."
Zhang Zhou nodded silently. Just as he was turning to leave, Xiuyi grabbed him and asked in a trembling voice, "Zhang Zhou! Are you really not going to see Mancheng?"
Zhang Zhou froze.
Xiuyi shed tears as she spoke. "Zhang Zhou, Mancheng has suffered so much. I can't bear to watch anymore." She glanced around Rongxi Garden and lowered her voice even more. "Ever since Weiyang arrived, you've grown even colder toward Mancheng. If you despise him so much, why were you ever with him in the first place?"
"I... I don't despise him."
"Lies!" Xiuyi glared at him with resentment. "You think I don't know what you're thinking? You selfish bastard! You've ruined Mancheng's entire life! If you don't love him anymore, tell him clearly! Let Zhongshan take Mancheng away from here!"
Zhang Zhou's lips trembled. His eyes suddenly reddened.
Xiuyi shot him a withering look and entered Rongxi Garden.
"Mmph..." Mancheng opened his mouth and vomited all over Zhongshan.
The flowing filth slid down Zhongshan's neck. Zhongshan smiled and gently asked, "Do you feel better now that you've thrown up?"
"N-no..." Mancheng wiped his mouth on Zhongshan's back. "No, I still feel awful..."
"If you feel awful, then drink less. It's always like this," Zhongshan said with心疼, urging him gently. "You're hurting yourself like this."
Mancheng rolled his eyes and slurred, "Hurt then! It's not like I'm going to live much longer anyway!"
"You're fine right now, aren't you? Stop thinking such things."
"You're all telling me I think too much! The men in our Xia family only live to around twenty-something years at most. It's true, every single one of them. It's really true, Zhongshan. Didn't you say you believed me..." Mancheng murmured, then suddenly bit Zhongshan's ear.
"Ouch!" Zhongshan quickly begged for mercy. "I believe you! Let go!"
"Hurk..." Mancheng retched and vomited onto Zhongshan's shoulder again.
Zhongshan slowed his pace. "Is it because I'm walking too fast, jostling you?"
"Hurk... cough..." After Mancheng finished vomiting, he pressed his face against Zhongshan's cheek and asked, "You believe me, so why doesn't he?"
"If he believed you, what then?"
"...If he believed me, he wouldn't make me hurt people anymore. He'd take me away from here. He'd spend whatever time he has left loving me. He'd..." As Mancheng spoke, he couldn't help but burst into sobs.
"You know you're fooling yourself, don't you? He won't do any of that."
Behind them, the person's crying continued endlessly.
Zhongshan carried him forward in silence.
In the sky, heavy clouds hung low. The air around them was stifling, making it hard to breathe.
They entered Zhong Bo Manor and suddenly noticed a figure seated on the stone bench.
Zhongshan's eyes filled with hostility as he stared fearlessly at the person.
Mancheng suddenly realized the swaying had stopped. He opened his eyes slightly and saw in the darkness before him a figure slowly rising.
"Zhang... Zhou..."
Zhongshan heard him whisper this name and nearly suffocated on the spot.
"Zhang Zhou!" Mancheng finally confirmed the person before him. He struggled to climb down from Zhongshan's back and stumbled a few steps.
Zhang Zhou strode forward quickly. When he saw Mancheng covered in vomit, the stench overpowering, he couldn't help but frown.
Mancheng noticed and immediately pulled his hand back. "Don't... you'll get dirty."
Zhang Zhou's heart ached unbearably. He scooped Mancheng up in one motion, turning to carry him inside.
Zhongshan stood rooted in place, unsure whether to feel sorry for himself or to laugh. His eyes grew hot and tears spilled out.
The rain began to fall, drop by drop.
From inside the house came Mancheng's hoarse crying, gradually drowned out by the sound of the rain.
The person standing in the rain had his heart thoroughly soaked.
Inside the house, the person inside cried until exhausted, slowly drifting into sleep. Even in his dreams, he kept hearing the patter of rain against the window and the leaves outside.
The rain lasted so very long. At some point, it stopped. Blinding sunlight poured into the room. Mancheng opened his eyes, feeling as though his head might split open. But when he saw the person who had sat by his bedside all night without closing his eyes, his heart ached even more.
The two stared at each other in silence. After a long while, Mancheng shook off the hand Zhang Zhou had held all night and struggled to sit up.
"Mancheng!" Zhang Zhou reached out to help him.
"Get away!" Mancheng shouted lowly. Then, as if Zhang Zhou didn't exist, he murmured to himself, "Ugh, this stinks." He stripped off his filthy clothes entirely, revealing his emaciated back and a body covered in kiss marks.
Zhang Zhou flew into a rage and blurted out, "Stop being with Cheng Zhongshan!"
"Tch." Mancheng coldly laughed. He rushed to the door and shouted outside, "Lanxing, I need a bath!"
Lanxing responded, "Young master, you're awake? The water's been ready for a while."
Just as Mancheng was about to go out, Zhang Zhou grabbed him. "Did you hear what I said?"
Mancheng also grew angry. He pushed Zhang Zhou away and挤出几个字 from between his teeth: "Since when do you have any say in my life?"
Zhang Zhou shouted, "The whole Yuanliao City knows about you two! You don't even bother to be discreet! Do you have no sense of shame?!"
Mancheng's eyes blazed with murderous intent. He grabbed Zhang Zhou by the collar, his fist tightening.
Zhang Zhou neither flinched nor dodged, gazing coldly at him.
After a tense standoff, Mancheng released Zhang Zhou. He tilted his head slightly,露出一丝浅笑, captivating as ever. "I am someone with no shame! Yang Daochun from before, now Cheng Zhongshan— they're all shameless people. Who's like His Majesty, so noble and proper, acting all innocent in front of everyone, but when it's time to sleep with me behind closed doors, you're the most desperate one of all!"
"You—"
Mancheng gave him a contemptuous glance and walked out without looking back.
---
# Background
Qu Zhenlie ducked into the tent with a grin. "Oh, brother-in-law, ready to head back first?"
Zhang Shun jumped up, lowering his voice. "Are you trying to get killed? Keep your voice down!"
"Aww, it's been half a year already. I'm so bored!" Zhenlie deliberately raised his voice. "Some people can't take it anymore and want to—"
Zhang Shun lunged forward to cover his mouth. "What are you doing?"
Zhenlie put on an pitiful expression. "Take me with you. My old man probably won't hit me if it's for your sake."
Zhang Shun gave him a few kicks and punches, laughing as he cursed, "Get lost! I'm going back this time to propose. If I anger your father, I'll be finished."
"Tch." Zhenlie scratched his ear. "Anger him? My she-devil of a sister is about to become princess consort. My old man will be grinning from ear to ear! Take me back and I'll put in a good word for you."
Zhang Shun kicked him away. "That's a good insult. I'll go tell Qu Nuo what her precious little brother calls her!"
Zhenlie put on a long face and begged even harder.
With a cry of "Young Prince!" Qi Biao pushed open the tent flap and entered.
Zhang Shun exchanged a glance with Zhenlie and said with a apologetic smile, "General Qi, is there something wrong?"
"Young Prince, why is your personal guard so especially excited today?"
Zhang Shun didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He could only plead, "General Qi, please have mercy on me. The Yizhou army has all withdrawn to the Yuan River. What's there to do in Liqi? Why are we still stuck here? Zhenlie and I have been catching birds on the mountain every day..."
"Exactly, exactly," Zhenlie nodded vigorously beside him. "The birds on this mountain are nearly extinct!"
Qi Biao said seriously, "I was just making casual conversation. So you want to go back?"
Zhang Shun and Zhenlie were both struck dumb.
Qi Biao smiled, turned, and left the tent.
Zhang Shun glared at Zhenlie. "It must have been you, talking too loudly!"
Zhenlie frowned. "How was I supposed to know he has ears like a dog? So what do we do?"
"What do you mean what? We slip away when it's dark and foggy..." Zhang Shun suddenly stopped speaking.
Zhenlie grinned from ear to ear.
Zhang Shun froze. How did it become "we"? Damn it. I've fallen into this little rascal's trap.
Footsteps sounded outside the tent.
Qi Biao had returned.
The two inside the tent were like startled birds, exchanging looks of alarm. He could even hear that?
"Young Prince!" Qi Biao rushed in with a panicked expression. "Something major happened in the city!"
Zhang Shun breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Second Prince rebelled. The King captured him and executed him on the spot."
Zhang Shun's eyes went wide. He thought he must have misheard.
Zhenlie's face also changed.
Qi Biao continued, "The Empress Dowager has also been imprisoned in the Cold Palace..."
Zhang Shun blankly said the first thing that came to mind, "My brother... he's gone insane?"
Zhenlie's face turned ashen. He dryly said, "Probably driven crazy by your sister in secret."
"Lies!" Zhang Shun's eyes bloodshot, he roared, "Does that bastard have no shame! He actually wants to marry his own sister. My sister has been locked in Rongxi Garden for so long..."
Qi Biao's expression turned even grimmer. "Young Prince... Princess Yunyao hanged herself."
Zhang Shun's vision went black. When he came to, he took two heavy breaths, then burst out of the tent, seized a horse, and rode straight for the city.
Zhenlie stood there, mouth agape, unable to speak.
"Young General Qu," Qi Biao said with a bitter smile, "no— from now on I should call you Brother-in-Law."
"Huh?"
"The day after the princess died, the King sent the phoenix crown and bridal attire prepared for the princess to your family..."
"Huh?"
"You silly boy, stop saying huh. Your sister is now the Queen of Yuanliao!"
Zhenlie's mouth hung open for a long, long time.