Mu Xueshi didn’t notice anything strange about Sun Ye’s expression at all and continued urging him, “Hurry up, help me back onto the bed.”
The voice was the same, the body was the same—only the face… it could be said it had only changed a little, yet that tiny difference made this face worlds apart from the previous one.
Seeing Sun Ye staring blankly at him, Mu Xueshi also looked himself over, trying to figure out what was causing such a strange reaction. His clothes were worn rather loosely, and his chest was still exposed. Knowing that men in this country cared a lot about appearance, he quickly pulled his clothes together again. But when he looked back at Sun Ye, the expression on his face still hadn’t changed.
Mu Xueshi had only slightly strained his abdomen. Now that the pain had subsided, he finally had the energy to think back on what had just happened. Remembering Su Ruhuan earlier, Mu Xueshi couldn’t help but shiver.
“Sun Ye, what do you think is wrong with my master?” Mu Xueshi asked, habitually leaning closer and even draping an arm over Sun Ye’s shoulder.
Sun Ye shook his head stiffly, as if shocked by electricity, and quickly shrugged Mu Xueshi’s arm off.
“What’s wrong with you now?” Mu Xueshi asked, a little annoyed. He had just woken up, and suddenly everyone was acting strangely.
Seeing that Sun Ye wasn’t helping him back to bed, Mu Xueshi struggled to straighten himself and slowly shuffled step by step to the bedside. He pressed his hand against the bed, then carefully lifted his leg, finally managing to sit down.
After Sun Ye rushed in and didn’t make a sound for a while, Qingya and Qingzhu outside couldn’t stand it anymore and followed him in. The moment they rushed to Mu Xueshi’s bedside and saw the person sitting there, they froze on the spot.
“What’s wrong with all of you?” Mu Xueshi asked anxiously, as agitated as a restless monkey, scratching at his small ears.
Qingzhu was the first to snap out of it. Her voice trembled as she said to Qingyun, “Th-this… whose young master is this…?”
Qingyun swallowed and replied faintly, “Is… is this even human?”
“Let’s not talk. If we scare him and he flies away, that would be such a pity,” Qingzhu said, her eyes shimmering like water.
At this moment, the two maids had completely forgotten about Mu Xueshi. They didn’t even question why this person was in his room, wearing his clothes. They were utterly captivated by this unreal, breathtaking beauty—so much so that they nearly went weak at the knees.
They had thought the Third Prince was already the most handsome man they had ever seen—anyone standing before him would pale in comparison. But upon seeing this person, it felt as though all the men in the world had become blank, indistinct figures. Such a person was beyond imagination.
Only Sun Ye retained a trace of reason. He looked at Mu Xueshi on the bed and asked, “Young Master Xue… your face…”
“My face?”
Mu Xueshi touched it, still not fully understanding. After all, he had often had masks put on and removed before, so he had lost track of the sensation.
Qingzhu suddenly screamed, her face pale as she asked Sun Ye, “Y-you’re saying this is Xue… Young Master Xue?”
At that moment, Sun Ye had already brought over a basin of water and walked toward Mu Xueshi. His heart began to race uncontrollably, and he quickly turned his head aside, pretending to look elsewhere.
Mu Xueshi glanced at his reflection and realized he wasn’t wearing the mask. Just as he was about to explain, he suddenly remembered what the Third Prince had once told him—that this face must not be seen by anyone, or it could bring deadly consequences.
He let out a faint, self-deprecating laugh. Whatever—if it brought death, then so be it. Better to die early and be done with it.
“Before, His Highness put a thin layer over my face. At that time I was a prisoner, so maybe he was worried it would cause trouble,” Mu Xueshi explained. In truth, even without it, everyone would have recognized him anyway—only now did he realize that.
The two maids naturally understood why the Third Prince had hidden this face. Even the most powerful emperor would likely worry about losing someone like this if they kept him by their side.
Sun Ye naturally assumed that Su Ruhuan’s earlier loss of composure was simply because he couldn’t help himself upon seeing Mu Xueshi. Not just him—even Sun Ye himself couldn’t claim to be unaffected now.
The two maids finally snapped back to reality and rushed to Mu Xueshi’s bedside, their faces filled with excitement.
“Young Master Xue, is it really you?”
“Young Master Xue, the one we’ve been serving is actually this beautiful?! Heaven, am I dreaming?”
“If His Highness hadn’t hidden Young Master Xue all this time, he would’ve been snatched away long ago. What princess? Compared to our Young Master Xue, she’s not even worth a toe…”
“Qingzhu, what are you even saying…”
“I’m just too excited…”
The noise in the room drew in even more maids. At first they peeked in from the doorway, but once they saw Mu Xueshi, they all rushed inside. In an instant, the entire room felt like a fan meeting for a superstar—their excitement and frenzy no less intense than devoted fans.
If this had happened a few months ago, when Mu Xueshi had first arrived, he would have felt his vanity greatly satisfied. But now, no matter how much they praised or admired him, he felt nothing at all.
……
“Your Majesty, since Wenyang Palace is nearly completed, why not set the wedding date? That way, as her elder brother, I can finally be at ease.”
“How about the third day of this month? It is both an auspicious day and also the day my third son reaches adulthood.”
Hao Lin smiled faintly. “So in five days it will be His Highness’s twentieth birthday. Truly a double celebration.”
The Emperor nodded. “I didn’t expect twenty years to pass in the blink of an eye. Back when Consort Mu gave birth to my third son, I was still on the road returning to the palace. When I rushed to her chambers, the whole room was in an uproar, all praising how exceptionally handsome the child was.”
Recalling those past events, the Emperor seemed to relive that joy, a smile unconsciously appearing on his face.
At that moment, Hao Lin turned to Princess Wenyang and said, “Wenyang, in five days you will be married. According to the customs of Lubei, you must not meet your future husband in the five days before the wedding. That’s why I came—to take you back with me.”
“What?” Princess Wenyang’s previously radiant face immediately fell. Forget five days—even if the Third Prince was gone for a short while, she would feel uneasy. Unless that “Young Master Xue” was no longer in the courtyard—so long as he remained there, he would be a constant thorn in her heart.
Within these five days, she must eliminate Mu Xueshi. There was no way she could leave the courtyard.
Just as she was thinking of how to persuade Hao Lin, the Emperor spoke.
“Since Princess Wenyang is to marry a prince of Yunxi, she should naturally follow our customs. According to palace tradition, once Wenyang Palace is completed, she may move in directly. She simply must not leave for five days, nor may she meet my third son.”
The light that had just returned to Princess Wenyang’s eyes dimmed again. She muttered, “Not allowed to meet… not allowed to go out… isn’t that the same thing…”
Hao Lin, hearing this, knocked lightly on her smooth forehead and scolded, “You’re a young lady—how can you be so shameless!”
Her cheeks flushed red, and she almost burst into tears from grievance. The way she looked at Hao Lin carried a trace of resentment, blaming him for embarrassing her in front of the Third Prince.
Seeing the situation, the Emperor quickly smoothed things over. “Princess Wenyang has a childlike temperament and dares to speak her mind—that is rare in this palace. What I fear are those with crooked intentions, constantly scheming to ensnare others’ hearts. Someone as innocent and lovely as Wenyang is the most reassuring companion for my third son.”
“Crooked intentions…” The Third Prince silently repeated the phrase in his mind, his nerves tightening slightly.
“Your Majesty flatters me,” Princess Wenyang said with a bright smile.
“Still calling me ‘Your Majesty’?”
Princess Wenyang froze.
Hao Lin reminded her quietly from the side, “It’s time to change how you address him.”
Princess Wenyang immediately realized, but when the words reached her lips, she hesitated. Looking around at the people in the room, her flustered expression made her already beautiful face even more charming.
“Fa… Father Emperor…” Her voice was so soft only those nearby could hear. After saying it, she buried her face in Hao Lin’s chest.
“Hahaha…” Laughter immediately filled the room.
Princess Wenyang had already forgotten her earlier displeasure. That single address made the Emperor beam with joy—and filled her own heart with delight as well. As long as she could remain in the courtyard these five days, she was already satisfied. Even if she couldn’t see the Third Prince, the servants around her obeyed her like dogs—if she slipped out, who would even know?
During this time, the Third Prince’s gaze repeatedly swept over Shangchuan Hong… no, something felt off. Even though he stood still with an expressionless face, certain mannerisms and bearing were clearly different.
“Ah, speaking of Wenyang Palace reminds me—since we’re already here, how could we not take a look? Why not, Emperor Hao Lin, accompany me to see whether the newly built Wenyang Palace meets your expectations?”
“Haha… of course…”
Emperor Hao Lin had already cursed the Emperor several times in his heart. He naturally knew the customs of Yunxi—it was all just to bring up Wenyang Palace. Yet after mentioning it, the old fool seemed to forget entirely, focusing only on having his future daughter-in-law call him “Father Emperor.” It was unbearably vulgar.
As he spoke, Emperor Hao Lin stood up. His narrow eyes casually swept over the “Shangchuan Hong” behind him before he followed the Emperor toward the door.
The Third Prince glanced at Su Ruhan, who happened to be looking at him as well. Their eyes met, both carrying a hint of concern. Taking advantage of the crowd moving outward, Su Ruhan changed direction and hurried toward Chun Nuan Pavilion.
“This time, when building Wenyang Palace, I specially invited craftsmen from Lubei. Many of the designs imitate Lubei architecture. It’s to prevent Wenyang from feeling homesick—seeing familiar surroundings might ease her heart.”
The Emperor spoke as they walked, chatting with Emperor Hao Lin. The Third Prince and Princess Wenyang followed behind. Emperor Hao Lin responded attentively, but his mind was elsewhere entirely. As they approached Wenyang Palace—the former Linhan Palace—he wondered whether Shangchuan Hong and that beautiful young man had already arrived…
Futile Devices Scans 
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