Chapter 60
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This chapter’s title is the Chinese idiom 水到渠成 shuǐ dào qú chéng that translates to “Water reaches its own level” or “Things will naturally fall into place.” It implies that when conditions are right or when things are done properly, success will naturally follow without much effort. I asked ChatGTP some English idioms centered around that but, make it romantic, and it suggested the one I used among others. “Love conquers all” was a cute choice too but I liked this one best. Enjoy! —Bambi
Allow time to pass me by
I only care about you
Willingly and eagerly to be drowned by your scent
How often can one be bestowed with a soulmate
I beg of you
Don’t make me leave you
No one else can make me feel
The slightest trace of love, except for you
Teresa Teng, I Only Care About You
The body followed the mind.
When Yinzhen put his arms around Yinyou, it seemed as if the entire courtyard fell silent. No footsteps, no birds chirping, nothing; only his own heartbeat, thump-bump. The sound of it was so strong his brain went blank. He only knew that the person in his arms was not as soft as a woman, but still felt incredibly comfortable.
“Fourth Lord, Master. Fu Jin has prepared some snacks for this servant to bring in.” Outside the room a small eunuch’s voice broke the silence in the room.
Yinzhen suddenly came back to his senses and let go of Yinyou. He couldn’t help but apprehensively look at the other party’s expression.
“Bring it in,” Yinyou headed toward the door. The tip of his ears were slightly red, but his face remained unperturbed. Yinzhen could not guess Yinyou’s emotions.
Hate, suspicion or anger… he wouldn’t known.
The little eunuch walked into the room and saw his Master sitting lazily on the table, while the fourth prince was sitting obediently next to his Master with his back bent, looking dejected and somewhat like… the big dog in the steward’s yard when it didn’t get the bone?
Realizing he was being disrespectful to the fourth prince, the little eunuch broke into a cold sweat. He silently put down the teapot, the dim sum plate and buried his head to exit the door.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/4bf3551365bd514f7dfb722f8bb44fef/8fe74f7aae8aac18-2c/s540x810/3fd3a51e33ab25b14a868ab7d558b640a9ff5467.gifv
Ka-cha, the sound of the lid being lifted, and then the sound of the teacup being put down. Yinzhen still did not dare to look at Yinyou’s face.
Yinyou reclined, propping his chin on his hand, while casually observing Yinzhen’s rare display of guilt and unease. Smiling, he twisted a piece of dim sum. The taste was a little too sweet and greasy so he had to put it down, and drank a mouthful of tea. He slowly began to speak, “Fourth brother, you…”
Yinzhen clenched his fists, and the cloth of his robe was pinched until wrinkled.
Yinyou saw this and reached out to hold Yinzhen’s wrist, this touch allowed him to notice that Yinzhen’s hand was trembling, a clear indicator of Yinzhen’s fear. Yinyou did not know whether it was genuine or not but he felt both warm and amused. Such a proud man would once experience fear for something like this. Was he afraid of losing him?
To later generations, Emperor Yongzheng was deeply scheming, with an iron-fist, a cold-blooded emperor. But to Yinyou’s eyes, Yinzhen was the man who cared for him, attentively watched over him, and who secretly loved him.
“Hehe,” Yinyou couldn’t help but be delighted. He raised his eyebrows and teased, “Fourth brother, what are you thinking about?”
Yinzhen lifted his head to look at Yinyou, only to see affection and amusement in his eyes. The heat coming from the back of his hand made the uneasiness in his heart gradually dissipate. Some kind of incredulous speculation lingered in his mind. He reached out and held Yinyou’s hand, pulling him close, until he settled Yinyou onto his lap.
“Do you know?” Yinzhen rested his head in the crook of Yinyou’s neck, the warm breath causing the person in his embrace to blush a little more.
“Um?” Yinyou did not resist, just smiled and reached out to pull the braid behind Yinzhen’s back.
He wondered how the Aisin Gioro imperial family had developed their sense of aesthetics. With so many attractive hairstyles to choose from, why stick to this unappealing one? They even dragged others into the ugliness with them1 Dorgon introduced the policy of forcing all Han Chinese men to shave the front of the heads and wear their hair in queues just like the Manchus. Source. / Dorgon was born in the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan as the 14th son of Nurhaci, the Khan of the Later Jin dynasty (the precursor to the Qing dynasty). He lost the battle for the throne to his ninth brother, Hong Taiji. When his half-brother died, Dorgon fought for the throne with Hong Taiji’s eldest son, but they couldn’t decide and eventually settled in giving the throne to Hong Taiji’s five-year-old son, Fulin, who then became the Sunzhi Emperor. Dorgon then became the Regent. He reigned as a quasi emperor from 1643 to his death in 1650, a period during which the Qing conquered almost all of China. / The Sunzhi Emperor was Kangxi’s father. I think this timeline really highlights how new the imperial family rule was to China and Han men. Also highlights this was their golden first years as an empire. . Thinking about how Europeans in later centuries had stereotyped Chinese people as backward because of their braids and saying they had “pigtails”, Yinyou felt like letting out a long sigh.
When the Manchus conquered, they thought that by making Han Chinese shave their heads, they had subdued them. Unfortunately, this was the most reckless and disastrous approach. Throughout the Qing Dynasty, there were more Han Chinese than Manchus. How much blood debt did the Manchus accumulate in order to enforce head-shaving? And there were those unjustifiable cases of persecution, the Manchus’ arrogance, the unequal status between Manchus and Han Chinese. It was no wonder that many Han Chinese wanted to “restore the Ming.” In fact, what the Han Chinese wanted to restore was not the Ming Dynasty but their own right to rule.
Even until the late Qing Dynasty, the discord between Han Chinese and Manchus persisted, showing that ethnic tensions were ever-present2Tsien-Hsin in Quora, 2022: “Han chauvinism is decidedly not supportive of the Qing and Manchus in general, seeing them as the main causators of the Century of Humiliation, one of the things that defined Chinese political thought for most of the 20th century (and to an extent, is still somewhat talked about nowadays). To the extremists among these guys, Manchus are the “Jews of China” in that they think the Communist Party of China (the CCP) is a conspiracial, puppet organisation run by Manchus to suppress the Han majority as an extension of continued Manchu rule! The main rationale behind this is that Manchus, like Asians and Jewish people in the West, generally enjoy above-average incomes and tend to be socio-economically advanced, but unlike Asians in the West, enjoy overrepresentation in government, at least, on the low to middle levels of the Party. One of the big pillars of “evidence” supporting this is the 1 child policy from which minorities, including Manchus, were exempt, which the extremists take as an attempt to suppress the Han majority of China.. And the step in history that brought shame to the nation was during the Qing Dynasty: The Opium Wars3 The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts in the mid-19th century between China and Western powers, primarily Britain. These wars were fueled by tensions over trade imbalances, particularly the British export of opium to China. The resulting military confrontations led to significant territorial and economic concessions by China to the Western powers, marking a significant shift in global power dynamics and China’s relationship with the West., the humiliating treaties4The term “Unequal Treaty” refers to a series of agreements imposed on China by Western powers during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These treaties, characterized by coercion and imbalance, granted Western nations significant advantages at the expense of Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity. They profoundly influenced China’s modern history and international relations. Source., the Qing government’s weakness and incompetence, and the policy of isolationism5 The Haijin, or sea ban, enforced during the Ming and early Qing dynasties in China, aimed to curb Japanese piracy and control coastal regions. Despite efforts, it led to rampant smuggling and piracy, ultimately hindering domestic trade and contributing to economic stagnation. The ban’s lifting in 1567 saw a modified version under the Qing dynasty, which later led to the Canton System and opium smuggling, culminating in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Similar policies were adopted in other East Asian countries before their eventual opening to foreign trade in the mid-19th century. Source.. These successive missteps caused too much bloodshed and tears for the common people, leaving behind too much regret. It even led to the country being perceived as backward and ugly for a long time by other nations.
Realizing his thoughts had wandered too far, Yinyou continued to tug on Yinzhen’s braid without saying a word.
“Yinyou.”
For Yinyou to play with his hair, this kind of impolite behavior, Yinzhen was completely blind to it. He was now standing on the edge of the cliff and only Yinyou could decide to let him his heart break into pieces, or let his heart off the cliff and back to the safe place.
“We’ve been together since I was six years old when I first held your hand, and now it’s been almost seventeen years.”
Yinyou’s hand playing with Yinzhen’s braid paused. So much time has passed, and he has long forgotten many things of his past life. He has been living whole-heartedly this life and the person who spent the most time by his side was only Yinzhen. Only know he realizes so much time has passed. He has pretended to be stupid, fought on the battlefield and schemed, and the most relaxed he has even been was when he stayed by Yinzhen’s side.
“When E’niang died and I couldn’t eat due to my sadness, you cheered me up by drawing little dolls, but Huang Ama found out and punished you with two hours of kneeling.
Later you insisted on sleeping with me and secretly covered me with a blanket. When the ninth brother scolded one of my eunuch you stood up for me, earning ninth brother’s resentment.
When I got married, you secretly checked on the other brothers for any hidden dangers.”
Yinzhen gently stroked Yinyou’s back, chuckling softly. “I know all of this.”
Yinyou felt a bit bitter. He thought his investigations of the other brothers were discreet, yet Yinzhen knew. What kind of capable individuals did this man have under his command? He angrily bit the fabric of Yinzhen’s shoulder only to suddenly feet he might’ve bitten too much.
“You helped me ease the relationship between me and Consort De, making me closer to the fourteenth brother, even neglecting Nara shi 6 He’s talking about the first Fu Jin Yinyou married. Please check chapter 51. for my sake. Everyone says I treat you well, but they don’t know you also secretly treat me very well.” Yinzhen tightened the person in his arms slightly. “Yinyou, stay by my side for a lifetime. I don’t wish for you to plot on my behalf or become tainted by any wrongdoing. Rather, I simply want you throughout every step of the journey, regardless of its beauty or ugliness. Even during the most embarrassing moments, I wouldn’t mind it if you were to witness them, as long as you were with me. Would you like to?”
Listening to Yinzhen confessing his love in a calm tone, Yinyou released the fabric he was biting, feeling a sense of inevitability. It was as if they had walked together for so many years and through such a long journey and now, it was natural they should be together, witnessing each other’s glory and embarrassment, and then walking together to the end.
“Yes, I would.”
What’s wrong with being together with the most important person in his life? Yinzhen had a deep scheming mind, yet he was unwilling to scheme against him. This person was cold-blooded, but always treated him with caution and care. In this lifetime and the past one, who else has treat him so well? And who else could make him relax, let go of all concerns and be willing to accompany him for a lifetime?
Hearing his agreement, Yinzhen felt like something was being stuffed into his heart, slowly about to overflow. He lifted his head and kissed Yinyou’s lips carefully.
Yinyou’s lips weren’t as rosy as a woman’s, but they were warm and soft, making him want to be wild but also careful.
Everything seemed to flow naturally. The two tongues entangled, exchanging their breaths, as one hand tightly held the other.
After a long time, Yinyou caught a hand that wanted to sneak into his clothes, grinning while saying, “Fourth brother, it’s getting late, you should go back to your mansion.”
Then he twisted his waist, and was only satisfied when he heard a heavy gasp near his ear7 Yinzhen’s hard, cough, if you know what I mean. *wink*.
Yinzhen held onto Yinyou’s waist to prevent himself from getting more excited. As he helplessly stared at the smile on the other’s face, Yinzhen’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible grievance. “It’s hard.”
Yinyou stretched out his hand to caress something8He’s touching Yinzhen’s hard-on, lmao. Yinyou Power Bottom!!, still smiling, “It’s okay, since it’s cold outside, I brought a hand stove. Should I help you out?”
Provoked by Yinyou’s deliberate teasing, Yinzhen almost peeled him off his clothes and went further, but seeing the gentle and elegant smile on the other’s handsome face, he didn’t dare to do anything else, and could only reluctantly hug the person in his lap. “No need.”
“Good!” Yinyou lightly patted Yinzhen’s head, then kissed him affectionately on the bright forehead, “Before things have settled down, you should cultivate your patience. When I’m in a good mood, we can discuss training your skills9Yes, he means those skills! *winky face* So many innuendos…. For now, copy more scriptures and practice mindfulness, it’s good for your health.”
After speaking, he jumped off Yinzhen’s lap and hands behind his back, he swaggered out the door.
Yinzhen looked down at the place which Yinyou had affected and touched the forehead that had been kissed. He silently began to recite, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form10It’s the “Heart Sutra” which appeared in the last chapter. / As for why… ChatGPT: “Reciting the sutra might be a way to regain composure and maintain a sense of calmness and equanimity in the face of provocation. It serves as a reminder of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism, promoting detachment and non-reactivity to external circumstances.” .”
The seventh brother’s lips were very soft, and his tongue was very agile, it really felt like…
Form is emptiness, emptiness, emptiness!
That night, when Xiao Luzi helped his Master change his clothes, he found a small hole on his Master’s shoulder11 Yinyou was biting Yinzhen’s shoulder moments before Yinzhen confessed. So, Yinyou made that hole with his teeth.. He said, “Master, there seems to be a hole in your robe. Let me throw it away for you.”
“Hmm?” Yinzhen looked at the hole that looked like a mouse bite, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “No need, wash this robe clean and take good care of it. Tell the person washing it to be careful and keep this hole intact for me. No one should touch it.”
“Understood.” Xiao Luzi obediently didn’t question his Master’s strange behavior. After thinking for a moment, he decided to let someone trustworthy do the washing. If they accidentally ruined this hole, the Master would probably be unhappy.
Not long after, several princes heard some news. It was said that the fourth prince suddenly became fond of Buddhist scriptures, especially the Heart Sutra.
Upon hearing this news, the eldest prince sneered disdainfully.
The Crown Prince nodded approvingly upon hearing the news.
The third prince started considering whether to find a venerable monk to present to the fourth prince, to help with his Buddhist practices.
The eighth prince, after learning about it, opened a Buddhist scripture, laughing coldly. The fourth brother’s acting skills were indeed getting better and better. His appearance of indifference and non-competition, who was he trying to fool?
Only Yinyou remained the most indifferent. Winter had arrived, and it had started snowing in the Forbidden City. Yinyou instructed Fu Duo, “Xiao Luzi from the fourth brother’s house said that there were many fresh fruits sent to the mansion today. Since it’s snowing heavily today, I won’t go. You go get some for me.”
“Aye,” Fu Duo hadn’t turned around yet when he heard the voice of a little eunuch outside the door.
“Master, the Fourth Prince has arrived, and he brought many fresh fruits.”
Fu Duo couldn’t help but feel emotional. Fourth Prince, you must be blind, why did you put such deep brotherly affection on my master, who was such a lazy person?
It’s really lamentable, lamentable!
The translator has something to say: KYAAAAA—!
Also, I love how Yinzhen becoming Buddhist is a both an internal joke between the couple BUT also a political scheme. Some chapters later Yinyou will explain why he won’t let them take the last step (sex, cough) yet. Please exert some patience, trust me, it does happen! Nothing too explicit though. As for the epigraph, I love Teresa Teng and really wanted to include music and her, so I simply added a little quote which I think fits with Yinzhen’s mood this time around!
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
This chapter’s title is the Chinese idiom 水到渠成 shuǐ dào qú chéng that translates to “Water reaches its own level” or “Things will naturally fall into place.” It implies that when conditions are right or when things are done properly, success will naturally follow without much effort. I asked ChatGTP some English idioms centered around that but, make it romantic, and it suggested the one I used among others. “Love conquers all” was a cute choice too but I liked this one best. Enjoy! —Bambi
Allow time to pass me by
I only care about you
Willingly and eagerly to be drowned by your scent
How often can one be bestowed with a soulmate
I beg of you
Don’t make me leave you
No one else can make me feel
The slightest trace of love, except for you
Teresa Teng, I Only Care About You
The body followed the mind.
When Yinzhen put his arms around Yinyou, it seemed as if the entire courtyard fell silent. No footsteps, no birds chirping, nothing; only his own heartbeat, thump-bump. The sound of it was so strong his brain went blank. He only knew that the person in his arms was not as soft as a woman, but still felt incredibly comfortable.
“Fourth Lord, Master. Fu Jin has prepared some snacks for this servant to bring in.” Outside the room a small eunuch’s voice broke the silence in the room.
Yinzhen suddenly came back to his senses and let go of Yinyou. He couldn’t help but apprehensively look at the other party’s expression.
“Bring it in,” Yinyou headed toward the door. The tip of his ears were slightly red, but his face remained unperturbed. Yinzhen could not guess Yinyou’s emotions.
Hate, suspicion or anger… he wouldn’t known.
The little eunuch walked into the room and saw his Master sitting lazily on the table, while the fourth prince was sitting obediently next to his Master with his back bent, looking dejected and somewhat like… the big dog in the steward’s yard when it didn’t get the bone?
Realizing he was being disrespectful to the fourth prince, the little eunuch broke into a cold sweat. He silently put down the teapot, the dim sum plate and buried his head to exit the door.
https://64.media.tumblr.com/4bf3551365bd514f7dfb722f8bb44fef/8fe74f7aae8aac18-2c/s540x810/3fd3a51e33ab25b14a868ab7d558b640a9ff5467.gifv
Ka-cha, the sound of the lid being lifted, and then the sound of the teacup being put down. Yinzhen still did not dare to look at Yinyou’s face.
Yinyou reclined, propping his chin on his hand, while casually observing Yinzhen’s rare display of guilt and unease. Smiling, he twisted a piece of dim sum. The taste was a little too sweet and greasy so he had to put it down, and drank a mouthful of tea. He slowly began to speak, “Fourth brother, you…”
Yinzhen clenched his fists, and the cloth of his robe was pinched until wrinkled.
Yinyou saw this and reached out to hold Yinzhen’s wrist, this touch allowed him to notice that Yinzhen’s hand was trembling, a clear indicator of Yinzhen’s fear. Yinyou did not know whether it was genuine or not but he felt both warm and amused. Such a proud man would once experience fear for something like this. Was he afraid of losing him?
To later generations, Emperor Yongzheng was deeply scheming, with an iron-fist, a cold-blooded emperor. But to Yinyou’s eyes, Yinzhen was the man who cared for him, attentively watched over him, and who secretly loved him.
“Hehe,” Yinyou couldn’t help but be delighted. He raised his eyebrows and teased, “Fourth brother, what are you thinking about?”
Yinzhen lifted his head to look at Yinyou, only to see affection and amusement in his eyes. The heat coming from the back of his hand made the uneasiness in his heart gradually dissipate. Some kind of incredulous speculation lingered in his mind. He reached out and held Yinyou’s hand, pulling him close, until he settled Yinyou onto his lap.
“Do you know?” Yinzhen rested his head in the crook of Yinyou’s neck, the warm breath causing the person in his embrace to blush a little more.
“Um?” Yinyou did not resist, just smiled and reached out to pull the braid behind Yinzhen’s back.
He wondered how the Aisin Gioro imperial family had developed their sense of aesthetics. With so many attractive hairstyles to choose from, why stick to this unappealing one? They even dragged others into the ugliness with them1 Dorgon introduced the policy of forcing all Han Chinese men to shave the front of the heads and wear their hair in queues just like the Manchus. Source. / Dorgon was born in the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan as the 14th son of Nurhaci, the Khan of the Later Jin dynasty (the precursor to the Qing dynasty). He lost the battle for the throne to his ninth brother, Hong Taiji. When his half-brother died, Dorgon fought for the throne with Hong Taiji’s eldest son, but they couldn’t decide and eventually settled in giving the throne to Hong Taiji’s five-year-old son, Fulin, who then became the Sunzhi Emperor. Dorgon then became the Regent. He reigned as a quasi emperor from 1643 to his death in 1650, a period during which the Qing conquered almost all of China. / The Sunzhi Emperor was Kangxi’s father. I think this timeline really highlights how new the imperial family rule was to China and Han men. Also highlights this was their golden first years as an empire. . Thinking about how Europeans in later centuries had stereotyped Chinese people as backward because of their braids and saying they had “pigtails”, Yinyou felt like letting out a long sigh.
When the Manchus conquered, they thought that by making Han Chinese shave their heads, they had subdued them. Unfortunately, this was the most reckless and disastrous approach. Throughout the Qing Dynasty, there were more Han Chinese than Manchus. How much blood debt did the Manchus accumulate in order to enforce head-shaving? And there were those unjustifiable cases of persecution, the Manchus’ arrogance, the unequal status between Manchus and Han Chinese. It was no wonder that many Han Chinese wanted to “restore the Ming.” In fact, what the Han Chinese wanted to restore was not the Ming Dynasty but their own right to rule.
Even until the late Qing Dynasty, the discord between Han Chinese and Manchus persisted, showing that ethnic tensions were ever-present2Tsien-Hsin in Quora, 2022: “Han chauvinism is decidedly not supportive of the Qing and Manchus in general, seeing them as the main causators of the Century of Humiliation, one of the things that defined Chinese political thought for most of the 20th century (and to an extent, is still somewhat talked about nowadays). To the extremists among these guys, Manchus are the “Jews of China” in that they think the Communist Party of China (the CCP) is a conspiracial, puppet organisation run by Manchus to suppress the Han majority as an extension of continued Manchu rule! The main rationale behind this is that Manchus, like Asians and Jewish people in the West, generally enjoy above-average incomes and tend to be socio-economically advanced, but unlike Asians in the West, enjoy overrepresentation in government, at least, on the low to middle levels of the Party. One of the big pillars of “evidence” supporting this is the 1 child policy from which minorities, including Manchus, were exempt, which the extremists take as an attempt to suppress the Han majority of China.. And the step in history that brought shame to the nation was during the Qing Dynasty: The Opium Wars3 The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts in the mid-19th century between China and Western powers, primarily Britain. These wars were fueled by tensions over trade imbalances, particularly the British export of opium to China. The resulting military confrontations led to significant territorial and economic concessions by China to the Western powers, marking a significant shift in global power dynamics and China’s relationship with the West., the humiliating treaties4The term “Unequal Treaty” refers to a series of agreements imposed on China by Western powers during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These treaties, characterized by coercion and imbalance, granted Western nations significant advantages at the expense of Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity. They profoundly influenced China’s modern history and international relations. Source., the Qing government’s weakness and incompetence, and the policy of isolationism5 The Haijin, or sea ban, enforced during the Ming and early Qing dynasties in China, aimed to curb Japanese piracy and control coastal regions. Despite efforts, it led to rampant smuggling and piracy, ultimately hindering domestic trade and contributing to economic stagnation. The ban’s lifting in 1567 saw a modified version under the Qing dynasty, which later led to the Canton System and opium smuggling, culminating in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Similar policies were adopted in other East Asian countries before their eventual opening to foreign trade in the mid-19th century. Source.. These successive missteps caused too much bloodshed and tears for the common people, leaving behind too much regret. It even led to the country being perceived as backward and ugly for a long time by other nations.
Realizing his thoughts had wandered too far, Yinyou continued to tug on Yinzhen’s braid without saying a word.
“Yinyou.”
For Yinyou to play with his hair, this kind of impolite behavior, Yinzhen was completely blind to it. He was now standing on the edge of the cliff and only Yinyou could decide to let him his heart break into pieces, or let his heart off the cliff and back to the safe place.
“We’ve been together since I was six years old when I first held your hand, and now it’s been almost seventeen years.”
Yinyou’s hand playing with Yinzhen’s braid paused. So much time has passed, and he has long forgotten many things of his past life. He has been living whole-heartedly this life and the person who spent the most time by his side was only Yinzhen. Only know he realizes so much time has passed. He has pretended to be stupid, fought on the battlefield and schemed, and the most relaxed he has even been was when he stayed by Yinzhen’s side.
“When E’niang died and I couldn’t eat due to my sadness, you cheered me up by drawing little dolls, but Huang Ama found out and punished you with two hours of kneeling.
Later you insisted on sleeping with me and secretly covered me with a blanket. When the ninth brother scolded one of my eunuch you stood up for me, earning ninth brother’s resentment.
When I got married, you secretly checked on the other brothers for any hidden dangers.”
Yinzhen gently stroked Yinyou’s back, chuckling softly. “I know all of this.”
Yinyou felt a bit bitter. He thought his investigations of the other brothers were discreet, yet Yinzhen knew. What kind of capable individuals did this man have under his command? He angrily bit the fabric of Yinzhen’s shoulder only to suddenly feet he might’ve bitten too much.
“You helped me ease the relationship between me and Consort De, making me closer to the fourteenth brother, even neglecting Nara shi 6 He’s talking about the first Fu Jin Yinyou married. Please check chapter 51. for my sake. Everyone says I treat you well, but they don’t know you also secretly treat me very well.” Yinzhen tightened the person in his arms slightly. “Yinyou, stay by my side for a lifetime. I don’t wish for you to plot on my behalf or become tainted by any wrongdoing. Rather, I simply want you throughout every step of the journey, regardless of its beauty or ugliness. Even during the most embarrassing moments, I wouldn’t mind it if you were to witness them, as long as you were with me. Would you like to?”
Listening to Yinzhen confessing his love in a calm tone, Yinyou released the fabric he was biting, feeling a sense of inevitability. It was as if they had walked together for so many years and through such a long journey and now, it was natural they should be together, witnessing each other’s glory and embarrassment, and then walking together to the end.
“Yes, I would.”
What’s wrong with being together with the most important person in his life? Yinzhen had a deep scheming mind, yet he was unwilling to scheme against him. This person was cold-blooded, but always treated him with caution and care. In this lifetime and the past one, who else has treat him so well? And who else could make him relax, let go of all concerns and be willing to accompany him for a lifetime?
Hearing his agreement, Yinzhen felt like something was being stuffed into his heart, slowly about to overflow. He lifted his head and kissed Yinyou’s lips carefully.
Yinyou’s lips weren’t as rosy as a woman’s, but they were warm and soft, making him want to be wild but also careful.
Everything seemed to flow naturally. The two tongues entangled, exchanging their breaths, as one hand tightly held the other.
After a long time, Yinyou caught a hand that wanted to sneak into his clothes, grinning while saying, “Fourth brother, it’s getting late, you should go back to your mansion.”
Then he twisted his waist, and was only satisfied when he heard a heavy gasp near his ear7 Yinzhen’s hard, cough, if you know what I mean. *wink*.
Yinzhen held onto Yinyou’s waist to prevent himself from getting more excited. As he helplessly stared at the smile on the other’s face, Yinzhen’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible grievance. “It’s hard.”
Yinyou stretched out his hand to caress something8He’s touching Yinzhen’s hard-on, lmao. Yinyou Power Bottom!!, still smiling, “It’s okay, since it’s cold outside, I brought a hand stove. Should I help you out?”
Provoked by Yinyou’s deliberate teasing, Yinzhen almost peeled him off his clothes and went further, but seeing the gentle and elegant smile on the other’s handsome face, he didn’t dare to do anything else, and could only reluctantly hug the person in his lap. “No need.”
“Good!” Yinyou lightly patted Yinzhen’s head, then kissed him affectionately on the bright forehead, “Before things have settled down, you should cultivate your patience. When I’m in a good mood, we can discuss training your skills9Yes, he means those skills! *winky face* So many innuendos…. For now, copy more scriptures and practice mindfulness, it’s good for your health.”
After speaking, he jumped off Yinzhen’s lap and hands behind his back, he swaggered out the door.
Yinzhen looked down at the place which Yinyou had affected and touched the forehead that had been kissed. He silently began to recite, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form10It’s the “Heart Sutra” which appeared in the last chapter. / As for why… ChatGPT: “Reciting the sutra might be a way to regain composure and maintain a sense of calmness and equanimity in the face of provocation. It serves as a reminder of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism, promoting detachment and non-reactivity to external circumstances.” .”
The seventh brother’s lips were very soft, and his tongue was very agile, it really felt like…
Form is emptiness, emptiness, emptiness!
That night, when Xiao Luzi helped his Master change his clothes, he found a small hole on his Master’s shoulder11 Yinyou was biting Yinzhen’s shoulder moments before Yinzhen confessed. So, Yinyou made that hole with his teeth.. He said, “Master, there seems to be a hole in your robe. Let me throw it away for you.”
“Hmm?” Yinzhen looked at the hole that looked like a mouse bite, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. “No need, wash this robe clean and take good care of it. Tell the person washing it to be careful and keep this hole intact for me. No one should touch it.”
“Understood.” Xiao Luzi obediently didn’t question his Master’s strange behavior. After thinking for a moment, he decided to let someone trustworthy do the washing. If they accidentally ruined this hole, the Master would probably be unhappy.
Not long after, several princes heard some news. It was said that the fourth prince suddenly became fond of Buddhist scriptures, especially the Heart Sutra.
Upon hearing this news, the eldest prince sneered disdainfully.
The Crown Prince nodded approvingly upon hearing the news.
The third prince started considering whether to find a venerable monk to present to the fourth prince, to help with his Buddhist practices.
The eighth prince, after learning about it, opened a Buddhist scripture, laughing coldly. The fourth brother’s acting skills were indeed getting better and better. His appearance of indifference and non-competition, who was he trying to fool?
Only Yinyou remained the most indifferent. Winter had arrived, and it had started snowing in the Forbidden City. Yinyou instructed Fu Duo, “Xiao Luzi from the fourth brother’s house said that there were many fresh fruits sent to the mansion today. Since it’s snowing heavily today, I won’t go. You go get some for me.”
“Aye,” Fu Duo hadn’t turned around yet when he heard the voice of a little eunuch outside the door.
“Master, the Fourth Prince has arrived, and he brought many fresh fruits.”
Fu Duo couldn’t help but feel emotional. Fourth Prince, you must be blind, why did you put such deep brotherly affection on my master, who was such a lazy person?
It’s really lamentable, lamentable!
The translator has something to say: KYAAAAA—!
Also, I love how Yinzhen becoming Buddhist is a both an internal joke between the couple BUT also a political scheme. Some chapters later Yinyou will explain why he won’t let them take the last step (sex, cough) yet. Please exert some patience, trust me, it does happen! Nothing too explicit though. As for the epigraph, I love Teresa Teng and really wanted to include music and her, so I simply added a little quote which I think fits with Yinzhen’s mood this time around!
This chapter's title is the Chinese idiom shu do q chng that translates to Water reaches its own level or Things will naturally fall into place. It implies that when conditions are right or when things are done properly, success will naturally follow without much effort. I asked ChatGTP some English idioms centered around that but, make it romantic, and it suggested the one I used among others. Love conquers all was a cute choice too but I liked this one best. Enjoy! BambiAllow time to pass me byI only care about youWillingly and eagerly to be drowned by your scentHow often can one be bestowed with a soulmateI beg of youDon't make me leave youNo one else can make me feelThe slightest trace of love, except for youTeresa Teng, I Only Care About YouThe body followed the mind.When Yinzhen put his arms around Yinyou, it seemed as if the entire courtyard fell silent. No footsteps, no birds chirping, nothing; only his own heartbeat, thump-bump. The sound of it was so strong his brain went blank. He only knew that the person in his arms was not as soft as a woman, but still felt incredibly comfortable.Fourth Lord, Master. Fu Jin has prepared some snacks for this servant to bring in. Outside the room a small eunuch's voice broke the silence in the room.Yinzhen suddenly came back to his senses and let go of Yinyou. He couldn't help but apprehensively look at the other party's expression.Bring it in, Yinyou headed toward the door. The tip of his ears were slightly red, but his face remained unperturbed. Yinzhen could not guess Yinyou's emotions.Hate, suspicion or anger he wouldn't known.The little eunuch walked into the room and saw his Master sitting lazily on the table, while the fourth prince was sitting obediently next to his Master with his back bent, looking dejected and somewhat like the big dog in the steward's yard when it didn't get the bone?Realizing he was being disrespectful to the fourth prince, the little eunuch broke into a cold sweat. He silently put down the teapot, the dim sum plate and buried his head to exit the door.https://64.media.tumblr.com/4bf3551365bd514f7dfb722f8bb44fef/8fe74f7aae8aac18-2c/s540x810/3fd3a51e33ab25b14a868ab7d558b640a9ff5467.gifvKa-cha, the sound of the lid being lifted, and then the sound of the teacup being put down. Yinzhen still did not dare to look at Yinyou's face.Yinyou reclined, propping his chin on his hand, while casually observing Yinzhen's rare display of guilt and unease. Smiling, he twisted a piece of dim sum. The taste was a little too sweet and greasy so he had to put it down, and drank a mouthful of tea. He slowly began to speak, Fourth brother, youYinzhen clenched his fists, and the cloth of his robe was pinched until wrinkled.Yinyou saw this and reached out to hold Yinzhen's wrist, this touch allowed him to notice that Yinzhen's hand was trembling, a clear indicator of Yinzhen's fear. Yinyou did not know whether it was genuine or not but he felt both warm and amused. Such a proud man would once experience fear for something like this. Was he afraid of losing him?To later generations, Emperor Yongzheng was deeply scheming, with an iron-fist, a cold-blooded emperor. But to Yinyou's eyes, Yinzhen was the man who cared for him, attentively watched over him, and who secretly loved him.Hehe, Yinyou couldn't help but be delighted. He raised his eyebrows and teased, Fourth brother, what are you thinking about?Yinzhen lifted his head to look at Yinyou, only to see affection and amusement in his eyes. The heat coming from the back of his hand made the uneasiness in his heart gradually dissipate. Some kind of incredulous speculation lingered in his mind. He reached out and held Yinyou's hand, pulling him close, until he settled Yinyou onto his lap.Do you know? Yinzhen rested his head in the crook of Yinyou's neck, the warm breath causing the person in his embrace to blush a little more.Um? Yinyou did not resist, just smiled and reached out to pull the braid behind Yinzhen's back.He wondered how the Aisin Gioro imperial family had developed their sense of aesthetics. With so many attractive hairstyles to choose from, why stick to this unappealing one? They even dragged others into the ugliness with them1 Dorgon introduced the policy of forcing all Han Chinese men to shave the front of the heads and wear their hair in queues just like the Manchus. Source. / Dorgon was born in the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan as the 14th son of Nurhaci, the Khan of the Later Jin dynasty the precursor to the Qing dynasty. He lost the battle for the throne to his ninth brother, Hong Taiji. When his half-brother died, Dorgon fought for the throne with Hong Taiji's eldest son, but they couldn't decide and eventually settled in giving the throne to Hong Taiji's five-year-old son, Fulin, who then became the Sunzhi Emperor. Dorgon then became the Regent. He reigned as a quasi emperor from 1643 to his death in 1650, a period during which the Qing conquered almost all of China. / The Sunzhi Emperor was Kangxi's father. I think this timeline really highlights how new the imperial family rule was to China and Han men. Also highlights this was their golden first years as an empire. . Thinking about how Europeans in later centuries had stereotyped Chinese people as backward because of their braids and saying they had pigtails, Yinyou felt like letting out a long sigh.When the Manchus conquered, they thought that by making Han Chinese shave their heads, they had subdued them. Unfortunately, this was the most reckless and disastrous approach. Throughout the Qing Dynasty, there were more Han Chinese than Manchus. How much blood debt did the Manchus accumulate in order to enforce head-shaving? And there were those unjustifiable cases of persecution, the Manchus' arrogance, the unequal status between Manchus and Han Chinese. It was no wonder that many Han Chinese wanted to restore the Ming. In fact, what the Han Chinese wanted to restore was not the Ming Dynasty but their own right to rule.Even until the late Qing Dynasty, the discord between Han Chinese and Manchus persisted, showing that ethnic tensions were ever-present2Tsien-Hsin in Quora, 2022: Han chauvinism is decidedly not supportive of the Qing and Manchus in general, seeing them as the main causators of the Century of Humiliation, one of the things that defined Chinese political thought for most of the 20th century and to an extent, is still somewhat talked about nowadays. To the extremists among these guys, Manchus are the Jews of China in that they think the Communist Party of China the CCP is a conspiracial, puppet organisation run by Manchus to suppress the Han majority as an extension of continued Manchu rule! The main rationale behind this is that Manchus, like Asians and Jewish people in the West, generally enjoy above-average incomes and tend to be socio-economically advanced, but unlike Asians in the West, enjoy overrepresentation in government, at least, on the low to middle levels of the Party. One of the big pillars of evidence supporting this is the 1 child policy from which minorities, including Manchus, were exempt, which the extremists take as an attempt to suppress the Han majority of China.. And the step in history that brought shame to the nation was during the Qing Dynasty: The Opium Wars3 The Opium Wars were a series of conflicts in the mid-19th century between China and Western powers, primarily Britain. These wars were fueled by tensions over trade imbalances, particularly the British export of opium to China. The resulting military confrontations led to significant territorial and economic concessions by China to the Western powers, marking a significant shift in global power dynamics and China's relationship with the West., the humiliating treaties4The term Unequal Treaty refers to a series of agreements imposed on China by Western powers during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These treaties, characterized by coercion and imbalance, granted Western nations significant advantages at the expense of Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity. They profoundly influenced China's modern history and international relations. Source., the Qing government's weakness and incompetence, and the policy of isolationism5 The Haijin, or sea ban, enforced during the Ming and early Qing dynasties in China, aimed to curb Japanese piracy and control coastal regions. Despite efforts, it led to rampant smuggling and piracy, ultimately hindering domestic trade and contributing to economic stagnation. The ban's lifting in 1567 saw a modified version under the Qing dynasty, which later led to the Canton System and opium smuggling, culminating in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Similar policies were adopted in other East Asian countries before their eventual opening to foreign trade in the mid-19th century. Source.. These successive missteps caused too much bloodshed and tears for the common people, leaving behind too much regret. It even led to the country being perceived as backward and ugly for a long time by other nations.Realizing his thoughts had wandered too far, Yinyou continued to tug on Yinzhen's braid without saying a word.Yinyou.For Yinyou to play with his hair, this kind of impolite behavior, Yinzhen was completely blind to it. He was now standing on the edge of the cliff and only Yinyou could decide to let him his heart break into pieces, or let his heart off the cliff and back to the safe place.We've been together since I was six years old when I first held your hand, and now it's been almost seventeen years.Yinyou's hand playing with Yinzhen's braid paused. So much time has passed, and he has long forgotten many things of his past life. He has been living whole-heartedly this life and the person who spent the most time by his side was only Yinzhen. Only know he realizes so much time has passed. He has pretended to be stupid, fought on the battlefield and schemed, and the most relaxed he has even been was when he stayed by Yinzhen's side.When E'niang died and I couldn't eat due to my sadness, you cheered me up by drawing little dolls, but Huang Ama found out and punished you with two hours of kneeling.Later you insisted on sleeping with me and secretly covered me with a blanket. When the ninth brother scolded one of my eunuch you stood up for me, earning ninth brother's resentment.When I got married, you secretly checked on the other brothers for any hidden dangers.Yinzhen gently stroked Yinyou's back, chuckling softly. I know all of this.Yinyou felt a bit bitter. He thought his investigations of the other brothers were discreet, yet Yinzhen knew. What kind of capable individuals did this man have under his command? He angrily bit the fabric of Yinzhen's shoulder only to suddenly feet he might've bitten too much.You helped me ease the relationship between me and Consort De, making me closer to the fourteenth brother, even neglecting Nara shi 6 He's talking about the first Fu Jin Yinyou married. Please check chapter 51.for my sake. Everyone says I treat you well, but they don't know you also secretly treat me very well. Yinzhen tightened the person in his arms slightly. Yinyou, stay by my side for a lifetime. I don't wish for you to plot on my behalf or become tainted by any wrongdoing. Rather, I simply want you throughout every step of the journey, regardless of its beauty or ugliness. Even during the most embarrassing moments, I wouldn't mind it if you were to witness them, as long as you were with me. Would you like to?Listening to Yinzhen confessing his love in a calm tone, Yinyou released the fabric he was biting, feeling a sense of inevitability. It was as if they had walked together for so many years and through such a long journey and now, it was natural they should be together, witnessing each other's glory and embarrassment, and then walking together to the end.Yes, I would.What's wrong with being together with the most important person in his life? Yinzhen had a deep scheming mind, yet he was unwilling to scheme against him. This person was cold-blooded, but always treated him with caution and care. In this lifetime and the past one, who else has treat him so well? And who else could make him relax, let go of all concerns and be willing to accompany him for a lifetime?Hearing his agreement, Yinzhen felt like something was being stuffed into his heart, slowly about to overflow. He lifted his head and kissed Yinyou's lips carefully.Yinyou's lips weren't as rosy as a woman's, but they were warm and soft, making him want to be wild but also careful.Everything seemed to flow naturally. The two tongues entangled, exchanging their breaths, as one hand tightly held the other.After a long time, Yinyou caught a hand that wanted to sneak into his clothes, grinning while saying, Fourth brother, it's getting late, you should go back to your mansion.Then he twisted his waist, and was only satisfied when he heard a heavy gasp near his ear7 Yinzhen's hard, cough, if you know what I mean. *wink*.Yinzhen held onto Yinyou's waist to prevent himself from getting more excited. As he helplessly stared at the smile on the other's face, Yinzhen's voice carried a hint of imperceptible grievance. It's hard.Yinyou stretched out his hand to caress something8He's touching Yinzhen's hard-on, lmao. Yinyou Power Bottom!!, still smiling, It's okay, since it's cold outside, I brought a hand stove. Should I help you out?Provoked by Yinyou's deliberate teasing, Yinzhen almost peeled him off his clothes and went further, but seeing the gentle and elegant smile on the other's handsome face, he didn't dare to do anything else, and could only reluctantly hug the person in his lap. No need.Good! Yinyou lightly patted Yinzhen's head, then kissed him affectionately on the bright forehead, Before things have settled down, you should cultivate your patience. When I'm in a good mood, we can discuss training your skills9Yes, he means those skills! *winky face* So many innuendos. For now, copy more scriptures and practice mindfulness, it's good for your health.After speaking, he jumped off Yinzhen's lap and hands behind his back, he swaggered out the door.Yinzhen looked down at the place which Yinyou had affected and touched the forehead that had been kissed. He silently began to recite, Form is emptiness, emptiness is form10It's the Heart Sutra which appeared in the last chapter. / As for why ChatGPT: Reciting the sutra might be a way to regain composure and maintain a sense of calmness and equanimity in the face of provocation. It serves as a reminder of the fundamental teachings of Buddhism, promoting detachment and non-reactivity to external circumstances. .The seventh brother's lips were very soft, and his tongue was very agile, it really felt likeForm is emptiness, emptiness, emptiness!That night, when Xiao Luzi helped his Master change his clothes, he found a small hole on his Master's shoulder11 Yinyou was biting Yinzhen's shoulder moments before Yinzhen confessed. So, Yinyou made that hole with his teeth.. He said, Master, there seems to be a hole in your robe. Let me throw it away for you.Hmm? Yinzhen looked at the hole that looked like a mouse bite, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. No need, wash this robe clean and take good care of it. Tell the person washing it to be careful and keep this hole intact for me. No one should touch it.Understood. Xiao Luzi obediently didn't question his Master's strange behavior. After thinking for a moment, he decided to let someone trustworthy do the washing. If they accidentally ruined this hole, the Master would probably be unhappy.Not long after, several princes heard some news. It was said that the fourth prince suddenly became fond of Buddhist scriptures, especially the Heart Sutra.Upon hearing this news, the eldest prince sneered disdainfully.The Crown Prince nodded approvingly upon hearing the news.The third prince started considering whether to find a venerable monk to present to the fourth prince, to help with his Buddhist practices.The eighth prince, after learning about it, opened a Buddhist scripture, laughing coldly. The fourth brother's acting skills were indeed getting better and better. His appearance of indifference and non-competition, who was he trying to fool?Only Yinyou remained the most indifferent. Winter had arrived, and it had started snowing in the Forbidden City. Yinyou instructed Fu Duo, Xiao Luzi from the fourth brother's house said that there were many fresh fruits sent to the mansion today. Since it's snowing heavily today, I won't go. You go get some for me.Aye, Fu Duo hadn't turned around yet when he heard the voice of a little eunuch outside the door.Master, the Fourth Prince has arrived, and he brought many fresh fruits.Fu Duo couldn't help but feel emotional. Fourth Prince, you must be blind, why did you put such deep brotherly affection on my master, who was such a lazy person?It's really lamentable, lamentable!The translator has something to say: KYAAAAA!Also, I love how Yinzhen becoming Buddhist is a both an internal joke between the couple BUT also a political scheme. Some chapters later Yinyou will explain why he won't let them take the last step sex, cough yet. Please exert some patience, trust me, it does happen! Nothing too explicit though. As for the epigraph, I love Teresa Teng and really wanted to include music and her, so I simply added a little quote which I think fits with Yinzhen's mood this time around!
