The Sickly Beauty Substitute Called It Quits

The visibly throbbing Adam's apple indicated Shang Junlin's thoughts, and without a word, he kissed Shen Yu passionately.

The intermingling of the blue and black robes was tumultuous and eyecatching.

In the end, Shen Yu paid a heavy price for his provocative initiative.

Shang Junlin lay back on the grass, and Shen Yu lay on top of him. Two horses, one black and one white, leisurely grazed not far away, occasionally rubbing against each other affectionately.

Shang Junlin's arm wrapped around Shen Yu's waist, while his other hand gently stroked his soft, flowing hair. Shen Yu bit his lower lip, his eyes reddened, and his body trembled slightly.

"Are you alright?" Shang Junlin asked in a hoarse voice.

Shen Yu shook his head, overwhelmed by the lingering sensations, unable to handle the stimulation.

Sensing something, Shen Yu widened his eyes. "Your Majesty, you..."

"Didn't Ah Yu say that today we would be at my mercy?" Shang Junlin exerted a slight force, restraining Shen Yu's attempt to pull away.

"But we just..." Shen Yu suddenly stopped and slowed his breathing, speaking in a steady voice, "The ground is dirty."

The man chuckled and leaned closer, biting Shen Yu's flushed earlobe. "Rest assured, Ah Yu. Like this, we won't get dirty."

"Couldn't we wait until we go back?" Shen Yu breathed heavily.

"Ah Yu himself said, on horseback, under the open sky. I must fulfill Ah Yu's desires," Shang Junlin replied.

Keeping his word, when they returned, Shang Junlin had grass clippings tangled in his hair and stuck to his clothes. Only a few grass fragments clung to the ends of Shen Yu's fallen hair.

After changing clothes, Shen Yu lay half-propped on the bed, looking at the slightly disheveled Shang Junlin, and laughed, "I did say it would be dirty."

Shang Junlin took his time washing up, sat by the bed with damp hair, and said, "Cleaning up will make everything clean, won't it?"

Shen Yu lifted Shang Junlin's hair and inspected it before nodding. "Indeed, it's clean."

"Your Majesty, do you believe that it was destined, even then, that you would spare me? If it had been someone else who appeared back then, would you have let them go as well?" Shen Yu withdrew his hand and rested his chin on it.

Shang Junlin fixed his gaze on him. "Perhaps. I'm glad I didn't do anything back then."

Based on his personality at the time, once he discovered a suspicious person, regardless of their gender or age, he wouldn't let them go.

During that period, he was surrounded by danger. If he had left Shen Yu, a semi-grown child, by his side, it would have undoubtedly exposed his weakness to the world. While Shen Yu had escaped from the Zhenbei Marquis Manor, he would have fallen into an even more dangerous situation.

Now, things were different. Shang Junlin had grown up, and he had the ability to protect Shen Yu from harm in the face of multiple dangers. They had met each other at just the right time, neither too early nor too late.

"I find it incredible to think that between you and me, there was hidden fate for so long."

"Isn't that a good thing? At one point, I even thought that if I had met Ah Yu earlier, but I never imagined that we had already met," Shang Junlin stroked Shen Yu's hair. "Ah, Yu grew up in the Zhenbei Marquis' estate, which was much safer than being by my side. Those people who chased you, did they never appear again?"

"No, in my memory, they only appeared that one time." Shen Yu even suspected at one point that the experience was just a dream, with no pursuit or the warmth that descended from the sky.

"Do you have any leads on the origin of those people?" The people had long been dealt with, and it was a matter from many years ago. Even if there had been clues left behind, it would be difficult to investigate now.

"At first, I suspected it was someone related to my aunt, but after probing, I found out it wasn't. I was too young at the time and didn't have anyone I could use. I couldn't find any information and had no choice but to let it go." This was also one of the reasons Shen Yu suspected it was just a dream.

At that time, Shen Yu had no knowledge that the person had already been dealt with by Shang Junlin. He only felt that these individuals appeared out of thin air and then suddenly disappeared, leaving no trace.

"I remember that those people, like the others who tried to assassinate me, were trained assassins. It couldn't have been because they held a grudge against the Zhenbei Marquis that they targeted you."

"It's unlikely. Everyone knows that the Zhenbei Marquis has no affection for me as his son. I only have the status of the eldest son in my name. If they wanted to retaliate against the Zhenbei Marquis, it would be better to target my mother and her son directly."

Before Shen Yu entered the palace, the management of the Zhenbei Marquis Manor's internal affairs had always been under the control of his mother, the concubine. With the Zhenbei Marquis's favoritism towards her, her position in the manor was comparable to that of the legal wife. It was well known to the public that the Zhenbei Marquis doted on this concubine. If it weren't for the constraints of the law, she would have long been elevated to the status of a legal wife.

Shang Junlin was quite knowledgeable about the situation in the Zhenbei Marquis Manor and knew that what Shen Yu said was true. Several of the Zhenbei Marquis's concubines, including Shen Yu's mother, had been in the manor for a long time. Even some of the older servants who had served for a long time were evasive when it came to discussing Shen Yu's mother.

"I initially thought that it was because my mother had committed some taboo, which is why they dare not mention her. But now, it seems that it's not the case."

"If those people are indeed connected to your mother, then her identity must not be simple."

"Your Majesty, I want to visit the Zhenbei Marquis estate." Shen Yu sat up, supporting himself with his body. He had to find out what had happened during that assassination attempt.

Because of this matter, the two of them appeared unexpectedly at the Zhenbei Marquis Manor the next day.

"Master, the eldest young master has come to the manor."

The Zhenbei Marquis was in the middle of discussing matters with his trusted aides. He had sent messages to the Yu Zhang Palace several times but received no reply, which made him worry. The Zhenbei Marquis Manor had encountered some problems recently, and if Shen Yu was willing to stand on their side, many issues could be easily resolved.

"Are you sure it's the eldest young master?" The Zhenbei Marquis stood up abruptly.

The servant didn't understand why the Zhenbei Marquis reacted so strongly but nodded. "It's the eldest young master."

The eldest young master had spent more than ten years in the manor. Even though he had been away for a few months, he wouldn't mistake someone.

"Besides the eldest young master, is there anyone else?" The Zhenbei Marquis paused suddenly, placing a hand over his chest and taking a deep breath. Once his emotions calmed down, he continued walking forward.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." The Zhenbei Marquis dismissed all the servants and respectfully saluted.

Seeing the person, the Zhenbei Marquis felt a great weight lifted from his heart. During the time when he didn't receive any reply, he had been feeling quite restless. Shen Yu had left the manor after a disagreement, and he realized that he had neglected his eldest son. He had intended to mend their relationship on Shen Yu's birthday, but as time passed and there was still no definite response from the Jade Court Palace, the Zhenbei Marquis began to doubt whether Shen Yu truly had no interest in the affairs of the Zhenbei Marquis Manor. Shen Yu arrived at the manor with Shang Junlin.

"Master, there's no need for formalities." Shang Junlin spoke in a calm voice.

This time, they didn't come with the grandeur of royalty, as they had done last time. The Zhenbei Marquis understood their intentions with just a glance at their attire. They didn't want to expose their identities in front of the servants.

"I have neglected you in the past and had intended to do something for you on your birthday..." The Zhenbei Marquis wanted to mend his relationship with Shen Yu but was interrupted.

"I didn't see you caring much about it in the past at the manor, so from now on, you don't have to worry about these small matters. I came here this time because I have some questions for you regarding my mother." Shen Yu noticed the momentary change in expression on the Zhenbei Marquis's face as he uttered the last sentence.

"Your mother passed away many years ago, and there's nothing much to say. Let the departed rest in peace," the Zhenbei Marquis said with a complex expression in his eyes.

"I want to know my mother's identity. As her only child, I believe I have the right to know her true identity, don't I?" Shen Yu deliberately emphasized the pronunciation of the word "true."

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, but I also don't know," the Zhenbei Marquis sighed. "Your mother never told me herself."

Shen Yu was skeptical. "How could a prominent figure like the Zhenbei Marquis marry a woman with an unknown background?"

"I'm not lying to you. I only know that her identity was extraordinary, but I don't know the specifics," the Zhenbei Marquis said, wiping his face.

"Then, is it true that she died? How did she die?"

"She fell ill. After you were born, she suddenly fell seriously ill. I sought renowned doctors throughout the capital, even the imperial physicians, but we couldn't save her."

This information aligned with what Shen Yu knew, but he couldn't be certain if the Zhenbei Marquis was lying or not.

"Then why has no one in the manor ever mentioned anything about my mother? After all, she was the mistress of the manor."

"That was your mother's request. I know there are people around you who were left by your mother. Think about it, did they also rarely speak of your mother?"

Shen Yu thought for a moment and realized that it was indeed the case. It seemed that with her passing, all traces left by her had vanished as well.

Shen Yu asked a few more elderly servants who had served in the manor for a long time, as well as the maids who had been there for an extended period. However, the information he obtained was scant.

This visit to the Zhenbei Marquis Manor not only failed to dispel Shen Yu's doubts but also caused the various suspicions to snowball.

On the way back to the palace, Shen Yu attempted to recall the details of the assassination attempt. But no matter how hard he tried, his memories of that day remained blurry. He didn't know when the assassination started, how long he had escaped, or how he had returned to the Zhenbei Marquis Manor.

And there was Zhu Wang's inexplicable remark.

"Your Majesty, why do you think Zhu Wang orchestrated such a grand scheme and made Zhu Wang believe in that particular statement? What was the purpose behind it?"

Author's Note:

There will be a second update. Please provide some nourishment!

Translator's note:

wait a damn minute. Shen Yu is not the Marquis' son? or am I missing something here?

just gonna left you a cliffhanger hehe :P