Speaking again, RongCheng knew clearly that the Empress Dowager was exceedingly fond of Shang Yuan; therefore, after many days of explaining, in the final analysis she also agreed to fulfill and accomplish the marriage affair, permitting RongCheng with rightful title and proper standing to solemnly invest Shang Yuan as Male Imperial Consort, along with a promise of an entire lifetime loving, cherishing, and taking care of the person, absolutely not letting the person suffer disadvantage, loss, or grievance.
The Empress Dowager at that time solely said: "Solely requiring Ah Yuan to be willingly content and pleased to marry Cheng'er, then this old woman here also possesses no reason to object."
Shang Yuan along with RongCheng gently looked at one another…
After that, both simultaneously knelt down beneath the feet of the Empress Dowager, each person taking hold of one of her hands; Shang Yuan said: "Empress Dowager, this servant truly wishes to become his wife; hoping Grandma fulfills and accomplishes the marriage affair for us."
Hearing thus, she solely let out a sigh, patting upon Shang Yuan's hand, saying: "Very well… very well; solely requiring Ah Yuan to live well, then it is fine and good."
Because in the final summary, she also solely wished for Shang Yuan to obtain peace, tranquility, and happiness, that was all.
The story of former years had closed; albeit having passed through many winds and waves, and the future knew not what would continue to occur, nevertheless RongCheng knew his very self would never let go of the person's hand one further turn.
...
Meanwhile, from the moment Yan Si returned to the palace, he was no longer harassed by Liú Yu; seemingly that fellow knew the illicit affair between him and RongCheng had collapsed, and at this time coming to threaten was also in vain.
During the time RongCheng traveled far away, Yan Si day by day was anxious, worried, and sorrowful, inside his heart premonitioning something exceedingly foul.
"Knew not at this hour where the person is residing?" He felt missing him exceedingly much, solely wishing for time to be able to turn back so that the person would treat him well as in former times. Devoid of RongCheng, his life was truly lonely, sorrowful, and aggrieved.
At this place, there was solely that foolish dog Mao Zi; it knew not how to perform anything outside of playing disruptive pranks. As for Xiao Yi, he solely fulfilled completely the duty of a servant, never displaying closeness or familiarity… His attitude was lukewarm, clearly no longer as in former times.
Recently, after countless foul affairs occurred, Yan Si felt as though Xiao Yi seemed not to like him... Yet speaking thus was to be feared still light; solely fearing inside his heart he extremely looked down upon him, yet dared not speak directly out. Yan Si felt his very self truly lonely and despairing; losing RongCheng, then the sole reliance he possessed was also considered as collapsing.
Better off that the person had not brought him back, had not granted him to know affection and love, know joyfulness, know happiness, then right now how would he have to live inside a plight of despair to this degree?
Throughout life burying his frame in a place of a cold cavern, he was also accustomed to being thus; solely requiring not to think toward his very self being an entity cast aside, then he could live exceptionally normally; yet right now it could no longer be done.
Once his heart still beat, the silhouette of the person still engraved deep inside his mind along with how much passionate affection and love, how could one dispel away this heartbreak and agonizing longing?
Pray the person be not so cruel…
Was it that the person was cruel, or was it his very self here? After an entire series of chain-destroying events, along with those days and months living inside the torment and gnawing of conscience, Yan Si seemed to in part see the wrong actions of his very self, yet right now knew not by what means to correct them further already.
Across more than half a month, in the final analysis RongCheng also brought Shang Yuan back to the palace; looking upon the affection between the two people, it was even more close and bonded than former times.
The moment of hearing mention that the two people returned to the palace, Yan Si thereupon ran over to meet them, nonetheless was incapable of approaching them. Solely requiring seeing him appear, the bodyguards instantly stood out to obstruct and then chased him to turn back; even RongCheng, albeit knowing he arrived, did not bother to look even one turn.
Yan Si stood blankly like a wooden statue, his heart all of a sudden aching sharply without cease; in the end, awaiting until the two people vanished from view, only then did he forlornly withdraw his steps to turn back.
In the afternoon, RongCheng sent someone over requesting him to arrive at the pavilion at the lotus pond.
Hearing the person spoke of wishing to meet himself, Yan Si was immensely glad and joyful, instantly running off.
The moment of catching sight of RongCheng, Yan Si hastily stepped forward to embrace him from behind, in a lowered voice calling: "Eldest brother, the person has returned."
RongCheng instantly brushed him off completely, pushing him out, in a cold voice saying: "Call me not eldest brother! This Prince possesses no unbenevolent adopted brother like you! That year, because of seeing you gentle, kind, good, brave, steadfast, and chivalrous, pitying you alone wandering amidst the cavern, I only then brought you back here, by my very self seeing that I had never treated you poorly; nevertheless, your house of wolf and jackal returned hatred for grace, with a calculating mind employing medicine to frame and harm, lacking a small bit and I would have truly been ruined in mental senses by you… You deserve to die very much!"
Every single word of RongCheng was absolutely fatal, causing the entire frame of Yan Si to tremble and collapse down beneath his feet… The matter of employing medicine to ruin the person's mental senses was his fault; he still knew he ought not to perform thus… solely being at the end of the road thinking blindly… Yet throughout many days and months of close intimacy, the person nevertheless wiped it entirely clean; as expected, passing across the stage of satisfying the physical frame, then not a shred of affection was retained.
Throughout the past time, Yan Si knew not what his very self performed further, continuously thinking that solely requiring to utterly dedicate and offer to let him be satisfied, then he would obtain the care and concern of the person; turned out… it was a false illusion: "No… no… how could it be thus…"
The person now spoke words distant and estranged, his attitude full of disgust and contempt without a shred of affection remaining, causing Yan Si to tremble in fear; he still stubbornly clung to the hand of the person, saying: "I know I was wrong, Your Highness… pray eldest brother forgive me one turn; toward afterward, absolutely I dare not further! Eldest brother pulled me onto this road, solely because of being excessively afraid of the person abandoning me, so I only then… pray eldest brother…"