Chapter 59

After seeing off Feng Xingzhou, Chu Zhaoyou looked solemnly at the Regent Prince. “I don’t think you know where Lu Jinghuan is.”

Xiao Heng pinched Chu Zhaoyou’s cheek. “Fine, I don’t know.”

Chu Zhaoyou remained concerned. “Even if Feng Xingzhou uses other means or anything else to trade for Lu Jinghuan’s whereabouts, you cannot agree to it.”

“You’re defending him like this?” Xiao Heng spoke plainly. “Can’t you see that Feng Xingzhou likes Lu Jinghuan?”

“I don’t see it. Even if he does, he should express it properly and not force him.” Chu Zhaoyou raised an eyebrow, provoking him. “What, does the Regent Prince think that as a powerful official, anything goes?”

Can a powerful official still be called a powerful official if they can’t do as they please?

The once domineering Regent Prince spoke firmly, “Of course not. It’s only good when both parties are in agreement.”

The bold can have an intimate hour, while the honest and modest can’t even touch hands. There was nowhere to reason, only to endure.

“So, in my absence, you are not allowed to meet Feng Xingzhou alone. Otherwise, it will be considered collusion, and you’ll be banned from my bed for two years,” Chu Zhaoyou threatened fiercely.

Xiao Heng felt that Chu Zhaoyou inexplicably hated Feng Xingzhou. To avoid being implicated, he decided to keep his previous acquaintance with Feng Xingzhou a secret.

Chu Zhaoyou repeatedly urged the Regent Prince not to disclose it, not just for Lu Jinghuan’s sake but for his own.

Feng Xingzhou might have sensed that his soul had switched bodies, intentionally discussing the alteration of the fate. Feng Xingzhou wasn’t one to meddle unnecessarily, but if this information could exchange Lu Jinghuan’s whereabouts, Chu Zhaoyou believed he would unhesitatingly disclose it to the Regent Prince.

He could only count on Xiao Heng to insist he didn’t know, to avoid this topic.

However, charlatans like Feng Xingzhou were skilled in sweet talk. He felt the Regent Prince might not hold out for long.

He pondered for a moment and urgently informed Lu Jinghuan.

Lu Jinghuan’s expression turned pale, and he nearly crouched under the table. “Are there secret passages in the palace?”

Chu Zhaoyou replied, “In theory, there are, but I haven’t seen one myself.”

In the hopeful gaze of Lu Jinghuan, Chu Zhaoyou called for Eunuch Xue, “Where in the palace are there secret passages?”

Eunuch Xue hesitated for a moment. The palace didn’t have hidden passages. Founders of dynasties hoped their reigns would last for eternity and thus avoided constructing secret passages in the palace to prevent their exploitation by thieves.

“We don’t have secret passages, but there’s a hidden cellar beneath the side hall,” Eunuch Xue quietly informed Chu Zhaoyou. This was a secret shared by the head eunuch of the previous emperor before leaving the palace, a tradition he would pass on to the next head eunuch without incident.

Chu Zhaoyou asked Lu Jinghuan, “Do you want to hide there?”

“Yes!”

Eunuch Xue lifted two bricks under the side hall’s bed, revealing a cellar large enough to accommodate a bed.

Bending down and squinting, Chu Zhaoyou inspected the cellar. It had a musty smell, but thankfully, it wasn’t entirely dark. A pillar, the size of a person’s embrace, was embedded in the wall, hollow inside, connecting to the cellar at one end and leading to the roof at the other. Unless hung from a beam, it was difficult to discern any clue about the pillar.

“Are you sure you want to hide here?”

Lu Jinghuan had already descended the stairs. The cellar wasn’t deep, only about the height of one person.

Chu Zhaoyou handed the teapot and snacks from the table, extending them into the cellar. “Don’t force yourself. If you get hungry, climb out on your own. Even if he finds you, as long as you don’t want to leave, there’s always a way.”

Eunuch Xue stood guard outside as Chu Zhaoyou crouched by the entrance, holding his stomach. Suddenly, he looked distressed. “I’m also feeling like I want to hide inside. What should I do?”

Lu Jinghuan made room, “There’s quite a bit of space.”

“Just talking.” Chu Zhaoyou helped cover the entrance with the bricks, stood up, and muttered to himself, “I think I can still salvage the situation.”

He called Eunuch Xue into the bedchamber, dismissing everyone else. “Eunuch Xue, I’m going to ask you some questions next, and I expect honest answers.”

“Your Majesty, please go ahead.”

“I used to address the Regent Prince as Uncle, right?” Chu Zhaoyou furrowed his brow, suppressing his usual sharpness and respectfully, yet fearfully, called out with pursed lips. “Uncle.” He looked at Eunuch Xue. “Does it seem familiar?”

Eunuch Xue, seeing a completely transformed demeanor in the Emperor, was shocked. Unconsciously, he had almost forgotten what the Emperor used to be like when he saw the Regent Prince. “Yes, it does,” Eunuch Xue stammered. He didn’t understand why he felt compelled to agree with Chu Zhaoyou. They were the same person, after all.

Chu Zhaoyou explained, “Before my disappearance, I hit my head on a table pillar and had forgotten many things. I thought I was a performer and ran away. Later, I encountered many people outside the palace. I inadvertently saved the Regent but didn’t recognize him. It was only after returning to the palace that I gradually remembered.”

Eunuch Xue had a vague understanding of Chu Zhaoyou and the Regent Prince’s situation and hadn’t quite figured out all the details. Today, after hearing Chu Zhaoyou speak, he finally had no doubts.

“I’ve never dared to tell anyone about my memory loss. After all, the Empress Dowager and the Regent were pressuring me from both sides. I was defenseless, yet I’ve managed to live until today. I suspect I might be holding some important leverage,” Chu Zhaoyou fabricated an excuse, and if this story could pass with Eunuch Xue, it should be acceptable with the Regent Prince as well.

“If someone were to find out that I’ve lost my memory and forgotten the leverage, my life would be in danger,” Chu Zhaoyou’s face displayed genuine fear and concern, as if recounting real memories.

There truly was leverage—the He Xin Gu—but only the Regent was aware of it, and even the original owner was unaware.

Bringing this up now served as indirect confirmation of Chu Zhaoyou’s words.

It was perfectly normal for a puppet emperor to be suspected of holding some leverage, having lived to this day. Without the He Xin Gu, the Regent might have truly allowed the Empress Dowager to torment the original owner rather than using it to deter her and maintain a facade of peace.

Eunuch Xue’s eyes welled up. “This old servant had no idea Your Majesty bore such great concerns upon returning to the palace.”

“It’s all in the past. But I still can’t remember many things. If possible, it’s best not to let the Regent know, to avoid stirring up old troubles.”

Chu Zhaoyou said, “From now on, I’ll study my previous behavior. Please point out any discrepancies, as this is crucial. Let’s intensify our efforts.”

Intensify the rehearsal.

Chu Zhaoyou applied the same earnestness he had when learning acting. According to Eunuch Xue’s recollections, he gradually molded himself to fit the former emperor’s persona.

The original owner had a habit of nervously rubbing his fingers, deliberately walked with theatrical steps, and preferred a simpler diet compared to Chu Zhaoyou…

Facing Feng Xingzhou, Chu Zhaoyou dared not let his guard down. He could only prepare for the worst.

Pretending to have amnesia and aligning his behavior with the original owner’s persona was the best strategy.

If Feng Xingzhou exposed him, he would truthfully admit to the soul switch, which was the middle course.

In truth, he wasn’t too worried about admitting either to the Regent. He felt that Xiao Heng could handle the knowledge, just as he managed to bear the burden of being cuckolded. Accepting new information should be within his capacity.

But in everything, there’s always a chance.

He could switch bodies, become pregnant—fulfilling all kinds of ancient fantasies about the supernatural and the extraordinary.

In case… Chu Zhaoyou closed his eyes. If someone tried to drive him out of this body and succeeded, that would be great. But if they didn’t and continued to torment him, what would he do?

At this moment, if he could pretend to be the original owner and escape punishment, it would be the most ideal solution among the less favorable options.

—

Regent Prince’s residence.

Xiao Heng was handling state affairs in his study when a covert guard reported the discovery of the sweet potato vines.

“Very well,” Xiao Heng didn’t even raise his head. “Continue the investigation, bring back a few leaves for His Majesty to identify.”

“As you command.”

The covert guard left through the window, and suddenly, a figure in white darted into the room.

Xiao Heng, expressionless, swept his palm, sending the inkstone flying directly at the person.

“Snap—”

Feng Xingzhou caught the inkstone and tossed it back onto the table, leaving a palm-sized ink stain on his pristine white clothes.

“I have some information to trade with you.”

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Heng’s eyes. Feng Xingzhou was seeking a deal with him, and Chu Zhaoyou had guessed it correctly.

“I’m quite busy.”

Though curious, he was already bearing guilt, and he couldn’t go back on his promise to Chu Zhaoyou, or one year would become two.

“Feng Xingzhou: “Do you know where Jinghuan is?”

Xiao Heng picked up a memorial document. “I don’t.”

Feng Xingzhou: “I have a secret about your country’s emperor, something he might have kept from you his whole life. Don’t you want to know?”

Suddenly, Xiao Heng understood why Chu Zhaoyou had forbidden him from meeting Feng Xingzhou.

He had always known that Chu Zhaoyou was keeping something from him, something related to those aspects he couldn’t comprehend. But he didn’t dare to ask, fearing it would upset Chu Zhaoyou.

Every time he sought an explanation from Chu Zhaoyou, it ended in discord. Now that Chu Zhaoyou was pregnant, he dared not ask even more.

“Since he doesn’t say, I don’t want to know,” Xiao Heng replied.

Feng Xingzhou: “What if I tell you it concerns his fate?”

His fate?

Xiao Heng set down the memorial, gritted his teeth, “You’d better not be here to sow discord.”

Feng Xingzhou understood some things more clearly than they did. The title of Grand Diviner wasn’t just for show.

Worried that Chu Zhaoyou might have been fated for some calamity, Xiao Heng ultimately compromised. If Feng Xingzhou dared to speak, there was probably an eighty percent chance of a solution. If not, he and Lu Jinghuan would stay in Great Chu and figure out a solution together.

He didn’t care whether Lu Jinghuan would be brought back.

The two of them opened two pieces of paper, wrote something, and then exchanged and read each other’s notes.

Xiao Heng, fearing he might break his agreement with Chu Zhaoyou, vaguely wrote: “Only within these mountains, the depths of the clouds remain unknown.”

He looked at the paper held by Feng Xingzhou, then suddenly clenched the brush in his hand and cast the paper into the brazier.

“Enough.”

Suddenly, he felt a strong urge to see Chu Zhaoyou and swiftly headed to the Hall.

As Feng Xingzhou followed him into the palace, Xiao Heng unceremoniously followed him into the inner court, snatching a token from Xiao Heng.

One in black, one in white, they parted ways in front of the hall, each seeking their respective emperor.

Anxious, Xiao Heng feared being stopped at the entrance. Without going through the main gate, he leaped onto the eaves and descended directly in front of Chu Zhaoyou’s bedchamber.

Just as he was about to knock, Eunuch Xue suddenly opened the door, holding an empty teapot as he went out to fetch water.

Chu Zhaoyou was diligently practicing how to resemble the young emperor more closely.

After two hours of practice, he had become indistinguishable from the real one, looking convincing at first glance.

Xiao Heng arrived just in time to witness this scene.

A timid and unfamiliar Chu Zhaoyou continued nervously fidgeting with his fingers, singing an off-key opera verse, appearing somewhat anxious, just like the emperor he had seen before court meetings half a year ago.

All that charisma, all that audacity seemed to have vanished.

It was as if he had become a different person in an instant.

Thinking about the eight words on the white paper, Xiao Heng suddenly felt unsteady and had to grasp the pillar for support.

Who was inside? Where was his Chu Zhaoyou?

Unaware of the presence outside, Chu Zhaoyou cleared his throat and said, “Being a genius like me, it’s quite challenging to sing opera beautifully.”

“Tsk, feeling a bit tired.” Chu Zhaoyou straightened up, wearing a distressed expression. “I have it tough, having to rely on learning from others just to survive.”

Was he pretending?!

A single phrase revived Xiao Heng outside.

For the first time, he was so on edge.

Witnessing Chu Zhaoyou’s indifferent demeanor, Xiao Heng was suddenly filled with anger after a moment of anxiety.

This person was clearly no longer the original young emperor, yet he still wanted to become someone else to deceive him!

Xiao Heng stared at Chu Zhaoyou’s stomach, attempting to calm his anger, but it was impossible to suppress.

Chu Zhaoyou was trying to make him mistake the person he loved. He almost never knew that the person he deeply loved was someone else. He was so cruel and selfish, not willing to give an ounce to the former young emperor, espousing the principle of “love the house and its crow.” He liked Chu Zhaoyou as he was now and was unwilling to give anything to the former young emperor.

After being exposed by Feng Xingzhou, Chu Zhaoyou was reluctant to confess right away, instead attempting to align himself with the former young emperor. Where did that leave him, the Regent?

He didn’t trust him at all. Was he still trying to pretend to be the former young emperor returned?

Releasing the pillar with five grooves he had clawed into it, Xiao Heng’s temper flared. He really needed to find the real reason behind the other person!

Author’s note: Chu Zhaoyou: I’m not, I didn’t, please—