Happy Three Person World
Yan Ge returned to the Tenglong Palace after work and immediately noticed four solved Rubik’s Cubes on the royal dining table—a pair of 2×2 cubes, a 3×3 cube, and a 4×4 cube.
“Back already?” said Huangfu Yuchen, wiping his hands.
Yan Ge pointed at the Rubik’s Cubes, his hand trembling slightly. “Did you solve these?”
“The 2×2 cube on the right was solved by the Crown Prince, and I solved the other three. Why?” Huangfu Yuchen looked at him with confusion, observing his trembling fingers.
Yan Ge stared at him for a moment, feeling frustrated, and then let his hand down.
Unbelievable.
If it weren’t for his knowledge of solving Rubik’s Cubes, he wouldn’t have been able to solve the 3×3 and 4×4 cubes. But Huangfu Yuchen and Huangfu Yunxi had never been exposed to them. Could it be that the people in the imperial family were not human?
“What’s wrong?” Huangfu Yuchen asked, puzzled, as he touched his forehead.
Yan Ge replied, “Tomorrow, I’ll bring back a 5×5 cube and a 6×6 cube!”
Huangfu Yuchen instantly understood and chuckled softly. “Okay. By the way, what about the reward for solving the Rubik’s Cubes?”
“No, no,” Yan Ge waved his hand. “You obtained the cubes before I posted the announcement, so you are suspected of cheating. It doesn’t count!”
“You cheapskate,” Huangfu Yuchen sighed. “The Crown Prince only solved the 2×2 cube. He said he’ll come to see you tomorrow night.”
“No problem,” Yan Ge said. Solving the 3×3 and 4×4 cubes was challenging for the Crown Prince, but as long as it sparked his interest, it was considered half a success.
Later on, Huangfu Yuchen effortlessly solved the 5×5 and 6×6 cubes, leaving Yan Ge feeling defeated. But that’s a tale for another time.
The next day, Yan Ge heard that Zhao Dingshan accidentally killed his concubine and poisoned others under the orders of Zhao Yun. The evidence collected by the authorities was irrefutable. Both father and son were sentenced to death, and their reputations were tarnished. Even their Brush Writing Store went out of business. The Zhao family had no place left in the capital.
At this point, those watching and waiting finally understood that they should absolutely not provoke “Young Master Qin.”
Despite all this, Yan Ge remained calm. He purchased a large piece of land in the outskirts of the capital and began working secretly. The merchants watched him closely, noticing the excavation of numerous underground rooms, the felling of many trees, and the construction of identical houses. However, they couldn’t figure out his true intentions. Eventually, the area became restricted, with workers residing and eating inside. They couldn’t gather any useful information.
Before long, the capital became lively with the arrival of many foreign guests. Emperor Huangfu Yuchen’s birthday was approaching, marking his first Longevity Celebration since his ascension to the throne. Surrounding Kingdoms with friendly relations sent their congratulations.
The First Company seized the opportunity to make a fortune. However, Yan Ge believed that Emperor Huangfu Yuchen made even more profit. The cheapest toothbrush now cost 20 coins (previously 4 coins), toothpaste was priced at 100 coins per box (previously 10 coins), and a pen was sold for 100 coins (previously 20 coins).
The foreign guests marveled at these never-before-seen products but found the prices to be extortionate. They contemplated buying only one or two samples and then replicating them once they returned home. However, they soon realized they didn’t know how to make toothpaste or the material of the pen nib. Helpless, they had to spend a considerable sum to buy a large quantity. Deep in their hearts, they had one question: Why had the Great Han Empire undergone such significant changes? The new Emperor should not be underestimated!
Although Huangfu Yuchen’s birthday had nothing to do with Yan Ge, many envoys had been entering and leaving the palace during this time. In case someone noticed a consort leaving the palace freely, it wouldn’t reflect well. To avoid unnecessary complications, Yan Ge hadn’t left the palace these past few days. He either stayed in Luoxue Palace, drawing various design sketches that neither Wan Xiang nor Xiao Chuanzi could understand, or spent time with the young Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince had completely changed in front of Yan Ge. He had been captivated by the endless stream of new and fascinating ideas and toys, always wanting to go to the Tenglong Palace. Yan Ge heard from him that the Empress had realized his fondness for the Tenglong Palace was due to Yan Ge’s presence, so she intentionally restricted him.
Unfortunately, with the upcoming Longevity Celebration, the Empress was also busy. As a result, the young Crown Prince got a chance to sneak into the Tenglong Palace.
When Huangfu Yuchen returned to his chambers, he found Yan Ge and the Crown Prince playing a battle dice game. Yan Ge had already taught the Crown Prince Arabic numerals. The deck consisted of cards, each displaying a number from 1 to 10 and the two players rolled the dice to determine the card’s value.
For example, if Yan Ge rolled a 4 and the Crown Prince rolled a 6, the Crown Prince would draw the sixth card from the top and the sixth card from the bottom, performing addition, subtraction, and multiplication calculations respectively. Only when both calculations were correct could they move forward six spaces on the game board. The first to reach the opponent’s territory would win. Yan Ge had adapted this game based on real-world battles specifically for the Crown Prince.
He had already taught the Crown Prince multiplication mnemonics, which would enhance his memory and problem-solving abilities.
The Crown Prince stood up and saluted Huangfu Yuchen promptly. “This son pays respects to Father Emperor and wishes Father Emperor good fortune!”
“No need for formalities,” said Huangfu Yuchen, sitting next to Yan Ge, his arm around his waist. He glanced at the board and asked, “Who’s winning?”
The Crown Prince spoke up, ”Father, it’s me!”
Huangfu Yuchen looked at Yan Ge disapprovingly.
Yan Ge leaned in and whispered in his ear, “The little one has already lost five times. Let him win occasionally to boost his confidence.”
Huangfu Yuchen patted his waist, gesturing for him to move aside, and then looked at the Crown Prince. “Shall I play a game with you?”
The young Crown Prince’s face lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. “Yes, thank you, Father Emperor!”
Poor little guy. Yan Ge looked at him sympathetically and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl. He leaned against Huangfu Yuchen’s shoulder, ready to enjoy the show. He was sure Huangfu Yuchen would crush the Crown Prince mercilessly.
The two of them started by rolling the dice to determine who would go first. The Crown Prince got lucky and rolled a five. Huangfu Yuchen rolled a one.
“Hahaha…” Yan Ge burst into laughter.
Huangfu Yuchen turned his head and took a big bite of his banana.
At the next turn, the Crown Prince rolled a three. He drew the third card from the top and the third card from the bottom, which turned out to be eight and two.
The Crown Prince, eager to impress his father, exclaimed, “8 plus 2 equals 10, 8 minus 2 equals 6, 8 multiplied by 2 equals 16!”
“Not bad,” nodded Huangfu Yuchen.
The Crown Prince excitedly moved his chess piece forward by three spaces.
In the second round, the Crown Prince rolled a six, and Huangfu Yuchen rolled a two. The Crown Prince drew a nine and an eight from the deck. “Eight, nine… eight, nine…” The Crown Prince struggled to remember.
Impatient, Huangfu Yuchen said, “Taking too long, next round.”
“The Emperor is being mean,” Yan Ge felt sorry for the young Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked at Yan Ge in grievance, and Yan Ge pretended not to notice. The Crown Prince nodded silently, not daring to protest.
This time, Huangfu Yuchen rolled a six and drew a nine and another nine. All calculations were correct…
The game ended with Huangfu Yuchen reaching the finish line while the Crown Prince had only made it halfway. The Crown Prince stared at the chessboard, his eyes turning red.
“Don’t make him cry!” Yan Ge coughed lightly. Huangfu Yuchen smiled and looked back at the Crown Prince with indifference.
The young Crown Prince showed his resilience, taking deep breaths to hold back his tears. He picked up the paper with the multiplication table that was placed upside down nearby. “Father Emperor, I will continue to memorize.”
The Crown Prince walked to the corner of the curtain, facing away from them, reciting the multiplication table quietly. Yan Ge couldn’t help but feel heartbroken at the sight of his small figure. He turned his head to glance at Huangfu Yuchen, ready to say something.
Huangfu Yuchen sealed his lips with a kiss, sealing his words.
The Crown Prince was still there, and Yan Ge felt tense, trying to push Huangfu Yuchen away.
Huangfu Yuchen opened his eyes, teasingly glanced at Yan Ge, and kissed him even more deeply. He continued until Yan Ge had difficulty breathing before releasing him.
“When I was young, Father Emperor was even stricter. There was no ‘Yan Ge’ around to keep me company.”
Yan Ge teased him, “Are you jealous of your son?”
“I’m just a little jealous,” Huangfu Yuchen kissed his face and gradually moved to his neck, sucking firmly. When he saw the mark left behind, a satisfied expression appeared on his face.
Yan Ge smiled at him and embraced his shoulder, leaning in for a kiss.
After a moment of hesitation, Huangfu Yuchen said, “I have to appear with the Empress at the grand banquet the day after tomorrow.”
The smile faded slightly from Yan Ge’s face, but he nodded. When he decided to be with Huangfu Yuchen, he had already anticipated these possible situations. But now that the moment had arrived, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of bitterness.
Huangfu Yuchen held his hand against his chest and said, “The grand banquet starts at the eighth hour of the evening. I will go to the Empress’s Yongyi Palace a quarter of an hour earlier. It only takes a moment to go from Yongyi Palace to the Hall, and there won’t be any time for anything else to happen.” Yan Ge was concerned, but at the same time, he felt relieved. It proved that Huangfu Yuchen cared about him.
Yan Ge made a clicking sound and his eyes curved up again. “Alright. I’ll keep an eye on you!”
Huangfu Yuchen smiled and his tone became more relaxed. “If you don’t want to attend, you don’t have to go.” According to etiquette, only the heads of the three palaces and six courtyards were qualified to attend the Emperor’s birthday banquet. Of course, there were exceptions: those favored by the Emperor could also attend, even if their status was not sufficient.
“Why wouldn’t I go?” Yan Ge replied openly. “I will definitely accompany you on your birthday.”
“Why not go?” Yan Ge said calmly. “For your birthday, I will definitely accompany you.”
Huangfu Yuchen held him tightly. “In the future, I don’t plan to have grand celebrations. We’ll celebrate privately.”
“Father Emperor, I’ve memorized it,” the young Crown Prince ran over.
“Recite it for us. If it’s done well, there will be a generous reward.”
Yan Ge looked at the two of them and suddenly remembered: it seems that Song Ruhao is also a palace head?
Happy Three Person World
Yan Ge returned to the Tenglong Palace after work and immediately noticed four solved Rubik’s Cubes on the royal dining table—a pair of 2×2 cubes, a 3×3 cube, and a 4×4 cube.
“Back already?” said Huangfu Yuchen, wiping his hands.
Yan Ge pointed at the Rubik’s Cubes, his hand trembling slightly. “Did you solve these?”
“The 2×2 cube on the right was solved by the Crown Prince, and I solved the other three. Why?” Huangfu Yuchen looked at him with confusion, observing his trembling fingers.
Yan Ge stared at him for a moment, feeling frustrated, and then let his hand down.
Unbelievable.
If it weren’t for his knowledge of solving Rubik’s Cubes, he wouldn’t have been able to solve the 3×3 and 4×4 cubes. But Huangfu Yuchen and Huangfu Yunxi had never been exposed to them. Could it be that the people in the imperial family were not human?
“What’s wrong?” Huangfu Yuchen asked, puzzled, as he touched his forehead.
Yan Ge replied, “Tomorrow, I’ll bring back a 5×5 cube and a 6×6 cube!”
Huangfu Yuchen instantly understood and chuckled softly. “Okay. By the way, what about the reward for solving the Rubik’s Cubes?”
“No, no,” Yan Ge waved his hand. “You obtained the cubes before I posted the announcement, so you are suspected of cheating. It doesn’t count!”
“You cheapskate,” Huangfu Yuchen sighed. “The Crown Prince only solved the 2×2 cube. He said he’ll come to see you tomorrow night.”
“No problem,” Yan Ge said. Solving the 3×3 and 4×4 cubes was challenging for the Crown Prince, but as long as it sparked his interest, it was considered half a success.
Later on, Huangfu Yuchen effortlessly solved the 5×5 and 6×6 cubes, leaving Yan Ge feeling defeated. But that’s a tale for another time.
The next day, Yan Ge heard that Zhao Dingshan accidentally killed his concubine and poisoned others under the orders of Zhao Yun. The evidence collected by the authorities was irrefutable. Both father and son were sentenced to death, and their reputations were tarnished. Even their Brush Writing Store went out of business. The Zhao family had no place left in the capital.
At this point, those watching and waiting finally understood that they should absolutely not provoke “Young Master Qin.”
Despite all this, Yan Ge remained calm. He purchased a large piece of land in the outskirts of the capital and began working secretly. The merchants watched him closely, noticing the excavation of numerous underground rooms, the felling of many trees, and the construction of identical houses. However, they couldn’t figure out his true intentions. Eventually, the area became restricted, with workers residing and eating inside. They couldn’t gather any useful information.
Before long, the capital became lively with the arrival of many foreign guests. Emperor Huangfu Yuchen’s birthday was approaching, marking his first Longevity Celebration since his ascension to the throne. Surrounding Kingdoms with friendly relations sent their congratulations.
The First Company seized the opportunity to make a fortune. However, Yan Ge believed that Emperor Huangfu Yuchen made even more profit. The cheapest toothbrush now cost 20 coins (previously 4 coins), toothpaste was priced at 100 coins per box (previously 10 coins), and a pen was sold for 100 coins (previously 20 coins).
The foreign guests marveled at these never-before-seen products but found the prices to be extortionate. They contemplated buying only one or two samples and then replicating them once they returned home. However, they soon realized they didn’t know how to make toothpaste or the material of the pen nib. Helpless, they had to spend a considerable sum to buy a large quantity. Deep in their hearts, they had one question: Why had the Great Han Empire undergone such significant changes? The new Emperor should not be underestimated!
Although Huangfu Yuchen’s birthday had nothing to do with Yan Ge, many envoys had been entering and leaving the palace during this time. In case someone noticed a consort leaving the palace freely, it wouldn’t reflect well. To avoid unnecessary complications, Yan Ge hadn’t left the palace these past few days. He either stayed in Luoxue Palace, drawing various design sketches that neither Wan Xiang nor Xiao Chuanzi could understand, or spent time with the young Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince had completely changed in front of Yan Ge. He had been captivated by the endless stream of new and fascinating ideas and toys, always wanting to go to the Tenglong Palace. Yan Ge heard from him that the Empress had realized his fondness for the Tenglong Palace was due to Yan Ge’s presence, so she intentionally restricted him.
Unfortunately, with the upcoming Longevity Celebration, the Empress was also busy. As a result, the young Crown Prince got a chance to sneak into the Tenglong Palace.
When Huangfu Yuchen returned to his chambers, he found Yan Ge and the Crown Prince playing a battle dice game. Yan Ge had already taught the Crown Prince Arabic numerals. The deck consisted of cards, each displaying a number from 1 to 10 and the two players rolled the dice to determine the card’s value.
For example, if Yan Ge rolled a 4 and the Crown Prince rolled a 6, the Crown Prince would draw the sixth card from the top and the sixth card from the bottom, performing addition, subtraction, and multiplication calculations respectively. Only when both calculations were correct could they move forward six spaces on the game board. The first to reach the opponent’s territory would win. Yan Ge had adapted this game based on real-world battles specifically for the Crown Prince.
He had already taught the Crown Prince multiplication mnemonics, which would enhance his memory and problem-solving abilities.
The Crown Prince stood up and saluted Huangfu Yuchen promptly. “This son pays respects to Father Emperor and wishes Father Emperor good fortune!”
“No need for formalities,” said Huangfu Yuchen, sitting next to Yan Ge, his arm around his waist. He glanced at the board and asked, “Who’s winning?”
The Crown Prince spoke up, ”Father, it’s me!”
Huangfu Yuchen looked at Yan Ge disapprovingly.
Yan Ge leaned in and whispered in his ear, “The little one has already lost five times. Let him win occasionally to boost his confidence.”
Huangfu Yuchen patted his waist, gesturing for him to move aside, and then looked at the Crown Prince. “Shall I play a game with you?”
The young Crown Prince’s face lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. “Yes, thank you, Father Emperor!”
Poor little guy. Yan Ge looked at him sympathetically and grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl. He leaned against Huangfu Yuchen’s shoulder, ready to enjoy the show. He was sure Huangfu Yuchen would crush the Crown Prince mercilessly.
The two of them started by rolling the dice to determine who would go first. The Crown Prince got lucky and rolled a five. Huangfu Yuchen rolled a one.
“Hahaha…” Yan Ge burst into laughter.
Huangfu Yuchen turned his head and took a big bite of his banana.
At the next turn, the Crown Prince rolled a three. He drew the third card from the top and the third card from the bottom, which turned out to be eight and two.
The Crown Prince, eager to impress his father, exclaimed, “8 plus 2 equals 10, 8 minus 2 equals 6, 8 multiplied by 2 equals 16!”
“Not bad,” nodded Huangfu Yuchen.
The Crown Prince excitedly moved his chess piece forward by three spaces.
In the second round, the Crown Prince rolled a six, and Huangfu Yuchen rolled a two. The Crown Prince drew a nine and an eight from the deck. “Eight, nine… eight, nine…” The Crown Prince struggled to remember.
Impatient, Huangfu Yuchen said, “Taking too long, next round.”
“The Emperor is being mean,” Yan Ge felt sorry for the young Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked at Yan Ge in grievance, and Yan Ge pretended not to notice. The Crown Prince nodded silently, not daring to protest.
This time, Huangfu Yuchen rolled a six and drew a nine and another nine. All calculations were correct…
The game ended with Huangfu Yuchen reaching the finish line while the Crown Prince had only made it halfway. The Crown Prince stared at the chessboard, his eyes turning red.
“Don’t make him cry!” Yan Ge coughed lightly. Huangfu Yuchen smiled and looked back at the Crown Prince with indifference.
The young Crown Prince showed his resilience, taking deep breaths to hold back his tears. He picked up the paper with the multiplication table that was placed upside down nearby. “Father Emperor, I will continue to memorize.”
The Crown Prince walked to the corner of the curtain, facing away from them, reciting the multiplication table quietly. Yan Ge couldn’t help but feel heartbroken at the sight of his small figure. He turned his head to glance at Huangfu Yuchen, ready to say something.
Huangfu Yuchen sealed his lips with a kiss, sealing his words.
The Crown Prince was still there, and Yan Ge felt tense, trying to push Huangfu Yuchen away.
Huangfu Yuchen opened his eyes, teasingly glanced at Yan Ge, and kissed him even more deeply. He continued until Yan Ge had difficulty breathing before releasing him.
“When I was young, Father Emperor was even stricter. There was no ‘Yan Ge’ around to keep me company.”
Yan Ge teased him, “Are you jealous of your son?”
“I’m just a little jealous,” Huangfu Yuchen kissed his face and gradually moved to his neck, sucking firmly. When he saw the mark left behind, a satisfied expression appeared on his face.
Yan Ge smiled at him and embraced his shoulder, leaning in for a kiss.
After a moment of hesitation, Huangfu Yuchen said, “I have to appear with the Empress at the grand banquet the day after tomorrow.”
The smile faded slightly from Yan Ge’s face, but he nodded. When he decided to be with Huangfu Yuchen, he had already anticipated these possible situations. But now that the moment had arrived, he couldn’t help but feel a tinge of bitterness.
Huangfu Yuchen held his hand against his chest and said, “The grand banquet starts at the eighth hour of the evening. I will go to the Empress’s Yongyi Palace a quarter of an hour earlier. It only takes a moment to go from Yongyi Palace to the Hall, and there won’t be any time for anything else to happen.” Yan Ge was concerned, but at the same time, he felt relieved. It proved that Huangfu Yuchen cared about him.
Yan Ge made a clicking sound and his eyes curved up again. “Alright. I’ll keep an eye on you!”
Huangfu Yuchen smiled and his tone became more relaxed. “If you don’t want to attend, you don’t have to go.” According to etiquette, only the heads of the three palaces and six courtyards were qualified to attend the Emperor’s birthday banquet. Of course, there were exceptions: those favored by the Emperor could also attend, even if their status was not sufficient.
“Why wouldn’t I go?” Yan Ge replied openly. “I will definitely accompany you on your birthday.”
“Why not go?” Yan Ge said calmly. “For your birthday, I will definitely accompany you.”
Huangfu Yuchen held him tightly. “In the future, I don’t plan to have grand celebrations. We’ll celebrate privately.”
“Father Emperor, I’ve memorized it,” the young Crown Prince ran over.
“Recite it for us. If it’s done well, there will be a generous reward.”
Yan Ge looked at the two of them and suddenly remembered: it seems that Song Ruhao is also a palace head?
