Baili Dong remembered how attentively Third Brother had treated him, and the goosebumps all over his body started dancing wildly.
Who would have thought Third Brother was that kind of Third Brother!
He was a man through and through. He had to keep his distance from now on!
System: [That's not even the half of it. His third brother couldn't have him, yet couldn't bear to destroy him, so he found a whole bunch of women. Some had eyes like his, others had noses like his. Every night, he gathered them together and felt as though Baili Dong were right beside him. What a cozy life.]
Jiang Shuyue inwardly marveled. Good grief.
Unable to have his beloved younger brother, he had simply assembled a jigsaw puzzle to satisfy his craving.
That was certainly one way to do it.
Jiang Shuyue: [Actually, they're both men anyway. As long as they don't share both parents, it doesn't seem like such a big deal. Plenty of cousins marry each other in this era. They aren't even afraid of having malformed children, so surely this little matter shouldn't bother them.]
Baili Dong was on the verge of tears.
It bothered him!
He was a man through and through, and he liked women!
Besides, doing that with his own older brother... even if they didn't share both parents, it was still out of the question!
System: [Host, your thinking is dangerous, but very progressive. I don't approve, but I understand.]
Jiang Shuyue: [But speaking of which, Baili Dong came to the Marquis's Residence as a concubine. What if it's his turn to attend the bedchamber...]
Jiang Shuyue let out a strange giggle. [I really want to see the Great Villain's reaction. It should be spectacular! Why don't I knock Baili Dong out tonight and deliver him to the Great Villain's room? That could really liven things up!]
Sneaking into the Imperial Palace as a maid was bad enough, but now someone wanted to knock him out and deliver him to the Killing God's room.
What kind of nonsense was this?
Baili Dong's scalp prickled. Wait, that's your man, at least! Aren't you afraid he'll be bent out of shape and turn gay?
Jiang Shuyue: Not at all. Friendship between men is pure!
Meanwhile, Zhou Yunshen received a report from his subordinate at the palace. It recorded every detail of Jiang Shuyue's inner thoughts.
Zhou Yunshen's face turned thunderous.
His wife was really something. She actually wanted another man to turn him gay.
Apparently, he hadn't taught her enough of a lesson.
The emperor roared with laughter. "This is hilarious! That little green tea minx even feasts on gossip in such a refreshingly unconventional way. She's truly one of a kind!"
Zhou Yunshen shot him an icy glare, and the emperor immediately covered his mouth.
It wasn't his fault he laughed so loudly. The gossip was just too entertaining. He simply couldn't help himself!
Zhou Yunshen said, "Your Majesty, did you send the Young Pavilion Master to my residence just to feast on his gossip? It seems you've had so little to do lately that your balls are aching!"
The emperor shuddered, then offered a sheepish grin and edged closer to Zhou Yunshen with an aggrieved air.
"Second Brother, could you please not speak to me in that tone? Every time you do, nothing good follows."
"And?"
"And of course I'm not doing it for the gossip. I'm doing it to root out these spies! What's the best way to identify spies right now? Send them to your wife!"
"Just look at all this gossip-pah, these secrets! Without your wife, who knows what year of the monkey and month of the horse I'd finally uncover them!"
He was clearly feasting on gossip, yet made it sound so righteous. Truly worthy of being emperor.
He could lie without blushing or missing a heartbeat.
"You clearly want Shuyue to get tangled up with a bunch of women so she can save up Green Tea Points for your younger brother, yet you dress it up so nicely. Do you take me for a fool?"
"Don't be angry, Second Brother. I've investigated all of them. Aside from Baili Dong, they're just a bunch of petty shrews. They pose no threat!"
"Besides, how many Green Tea Points can she earn just by going around staging encounters? Isn't it better for me to deliver the goods straight to your wife's door?"
Zhou Yunshen couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense. "So what does Your Majesty intend to do about the Fourth Prince?"
The emperor sighed. He was his son, after all, and currently the one he valued most.
Moreover, more and more people at court were siding with his fourth son, and his popularity among the common people was growing. Suppressing him now without any reason could cause serious problems.
The emperor was helpless too. "The palm and the back of the hand are both flesh. It would be best if you and my fourth son could coexist peacefully. If I truly must choose one, I still hope his life can be spared. And right now..."
Zhou Yunshen said, "I understand. Then please have a proper talk with the Fourth Prince first, Your Majesty. Don't let him go down a crooked path. After all, I'm straight."
The emperor thought, Second Brother, did you just make a dirty joke?
Zhou Yunshen rose and left. The emperor immediately summoned his personal eunuch. "Go. Send these things to my fourth son."
The Fourth Prince sat at home, picturing Zhou Yunshen as he slowly painted his portrait.
That nose, those eyes-utter perfection.
How could such a perfect beauty exist in this world?
"Your Highness, His Majesty has sent you some things, along with a verbal decree. You are to study them every morning and evening without neglect."
"Oh? What has Father bestowed upon me? Bring it here."
Blushing, the maids unfolded the scrolls and opened the illustrated books one by one.
The Fourth Prince's face alternated between red and white.
What... what was all this rubbish?
Those unbearably vulgar women actually dared to wear no clothes. Outrageous!
Holding back his fury, the Fourth Prince gritted his teeth. "Are you certain these are what Father bestowed?"
"Eunuch Li personally gave the instructions. There can be no mistake."
"Eunuch Li also said His Majesty mentioned choosing a Princess Consort for you. Her Highness intends to hold a banquet on her birthday and select a suitable Princess Consort for you."
Crack!
The brush in the Fourth Prince's hand snapped.
A Princess Consort? What he wanted wasn't any of those unbearably vulgar creatures, but...
Forget it. The time wasn't right yet.
Once he ascended the throne, who could he not have?
Patience. He had to be patient for now.
"By the way, there's another younger daughter in the Jiang Family, isn't there? I recall she's of marriageable age too."
"Yes. The Princess Consort was originally quite fond of her as well, but Lord Jiang was recently punished by His Majesty, so I'm afraid..."
"It doesn't matter. Jiang An is merely an insignificant man who married into his wife's family. What I value are the younger members of the Liu Family and the Jiang Family. Besides, isn't Jiang Shuyue the Marquis of Zhennan's wife? With that sort of support, Mother will be satisfied."
"Yes. I'll report to Her Highness right away."
The Fourth Prince picked up another brush and carefully traced Zhou Yunshen's brows and eyes.
A daughter of the Jiang Family had stolen his beloved, so he would steal the remaining daughter of the Jiang Family. One thing exchanged for another-that was fair enough.
A sneeze jolted Jiang Shuyue awake in bed.
"Meowdammit, I feel like someone's cursing me, but I have no proof."
System: [You're not wrong. Plenty of people are cursing you, and Jiang Liuli leads the charge. She's practically grinding your face into the dirt under her heel!]
Jiang Shuyue was speechless. [I haven't even provoked her lately. Why is she cursing me?]
System: [Consort Shu's birthday is approaching, and she sent Jiang Liuli an invitation. Jiang Liuli is working hard to attend the birthday banquet, but wasn't Jiang An punished? She has no money, so she's taking her resentment out on you.]
Jiang Shuyue first cursed Jiang Liuli a few times for being a rotten piece of work. Then something occurred to her, and she revealed a harmless-looking smile.
"Jiang Liuli is short on clothes and money, is she? Perfect!"
System: [Host, that smile doesn't make you look like a good person.]
Jiang Shuyue: [How could that be? I'm a wonderful person delivering perks to my rotten sister!]
Before you continue