Chapter 0308: The Persistent Guo Tianheng and the Blushing Limited Edition Shen Yuan

Guo Tianheng’s sudden shriek startled Zhang Yuheng so badly that the paper in his hand trembled and fell.

Fortunately, Xie Chengze retracted his head quickly enough—otherwise, he might have suffered a minor soul-scattering at best, or gotten his head stuck irretrievably at worst.

He turned to Guo Tianheng with an artificially innocent smile. “Ti Ling Guo, what a coincidence! Are you sleepwalking in the middle of the night too?”

Guo Tianheng: ???

You’re the one sleepwalking! Don’t think you can fool me like this!

No, that’s not the point.

Guo Tianheng strode over, glancing at Zhang Yuheng before focusing on the Heavenly Decree.

“Did you just open the Heavenly Decree?”

Zhang Yuheng clasped his hands behind his back, lowering his head in a nod that demonstrated excellent repentance.

Xie Chengze quickly interjected, “Ti Ling Guo, please don’t punish him. I was the one who insisted on bringing them both in.”

“We’ll discuss that later.” Guo Tianheng shot a glance at the usually well-behaved Su Qinghe, surprised he’d joined these two in their mischief. “You all go out first.”

Xie Chengze obediently pulled Zhang Yuheng and Su Qinghe out. At the doorway, he couldn’t resist asking, “Ti Ling Guo, should I leave the door open for you?”

“Close it!” Guo Tianheng said exasperatedly.

Xie Chengze immediately complied, shutting the door properly.

Once the door was closed, Guo Tianheng reached to open the Heavenly Decree again, but found it impossible to pry open. He even got flicked by the threads on its surface.

Wincing in pain as he withdrew his hand, he wondered, “Could Zhang Yuheng be the true Ti Ling of the Directorate of Celestial Observation that Master mentioned?”

It seemed his idea of grooming Zhang Yuheng as the next Ti Ling wasn’t mistaken after all. The boy showed remarkable talent in astronomy and geography.

But…

Had the Second Prince seen the Heavenly Decree page about him being a lucky star?

Probably not… The Second Prince’s expression had seemed perfectly normal earlier. If he had seen it, he definitely wouldn’t have remained so composed.

With this reassurance, Guo Tianheng set the matter aside.

Before leaving, he made one last stubborn attempt to open the Heavenly Decree, only to get flicked by the threads again before finally giving up.

——

Outside the secret door.

“Is Ti Ling Guo angry?” Su Qinghe asked guiltily, since Guo Tianheng had always treated him well.

“He didn’t seem angry.” Of course, it might also be because of his status as State Preceptor that Guo Tianheng hadn’t shown it, Xie Chengze thought. It seemed he’d have to try building an astronomical telescope to appease the Ti Ling.

Xie Chengze felt immensely grateful that in his modern life, he’d been a rich second-generation heir who’d cultivated many expensive hobbies.

Like that time with the gunpowder explosions…

That professor was completely unreasonable. Seeing his chemical talent, he’d even taught him the “shit-brewing” secret formula, leaving him with an indescribable feeling every time he used the toilet for days afterward…

With this thought, he couldn’t help glancing at Zhang Yuheng again.

Zhang Yuheng: …?

“Your Highness, did you see that last Heavenly Decree poem about you?” Su Qinghe recalled the final decree and couldn’t resist asking Xie Chengze.

Xie Chengze’s expression faltered momentarily before he smiled with narrowed eyes. “Yep~ It was written really well~”

“What did it say?” Su Qinghe asked, unable to contain his curiosity, imagining it must have been an exceptionally good poem.

“Ahem… cough, cough,” Xie Chengze cleared his throat before reciting, “When heaven sends a lucky star, shower it with affection, lest the celestial efforts go in vain. Heaven-born Chengze has his purpose~ Though gold is spent, it shall return tenfold!”

Su Qinghe tilted his head, pondering the meaning. “Are you saying you’re a treasure basin?”

Zhang Yuheng pulled out his notebook. “Sounds about right~”

The Second Prince went to Yi Province, spent all his silver, then returned and confiscated the Ministry of Revenue’s assets, becoming wealthy again; he went to Liaozhou, spent all his silver, returned and seized the properties of rebellious ministers, becoming wealthy again; he went to Pingcheng, spent all his silver…

Zhang Yuheng rubbed his chin. Huh, is another confiscation coming next?

“Alright! Time to head back and sleep!”

Xie Chengze urged, pushing the two toward the bedchambers. “See you tomorrow!”

After seeing them off, Xie Chengze turned and left the Directorate of Celestial Observation.

He didn’t need to stay at the Directorate, after all, he had to accompany Xie Jinyu to sleep every night—though with five days on and two off, he did have some freedom. These two days he would be sleeping in Cheng Huan Palace.

Today, Wuhen had brought him here and was waiting below the celestial steps of the Directorate. Seeing Xie Chengze emerge through the door, he leaped onto the steps and quickly landed before him.

Xie Chengze closed the gate and skillfully climbed onto Wuhen’s back. “Home~”

Wuhen reached back to support his thighs, and with a light leap, they vanished into the night.

The summer breeze blew cool and refreshing against Xie Chengze’s skin. Gazing at the starry sky, he suddenly lowered his head and whispered near Wuhen’s ear, “Wuhen, do you have any dreams? Or something you deeply desire?”

Wuhen’s boots landed silently on the palace roof tiles, the black blindfold tied over his eyes swaying gently in the wind, giving him a true martial arts aura. He tilted his head slightly. “Your Highness living a long life is this subordinate’s dream.”

Xie Chengze paused faintly.

He tried to smile but stopped halfway, his gaze drifting into the distance as his arms unconsciously tightened around Wuhen’s neck.

“Honestly, living that long isn’t all that interesting,” he murmured. “By the time I’m sixty, I’ll be full of aches and pains, complaining here and there. Not only would I have to hold my nose drinking bitter medicine every day, but I’d keep getting uglier…”

Wuhen considered this seriously. “Then how about living disease-free until sixty… sixty-one?”

Xie Chengze chuckled softly.

“Besides that?” he asked. “Don’t make it about me—it should be a wish for yourself.”

But his entire existence was centered around him.

Wuhen thought to himself, he only wished for His Highness to be well and never leave again.

After thinking for a long while, Wuhen finally said, “This subordinate wishes to eat dumplings made by Your Highness’ own hands every New Year.”

That wasn’t difficult.

Xie Chengze made a mental note. “What else?”

Could he make another wish?

Wuhen had struggled to come up with that one and couldn’t think of a second. Finally, he ventured a small request for himself and Wuji. “Could Your Highness spare one day from your eight monthly rest days for Wuji and me?”

Xie Chengze: “…”

Why does everyone like hugging people to sleep?

What kind of habit is this?!

Seeing Xie Chengze remain silent, Wuhen quickly added, “This subordinate was just speaking idly.”

“Not entirely impossible…” Xie Chengze was well aware that Wuhen and Wuji had few worldly desires. For Wuhen to make such a request, it must represent their one true wish.

No matter, there were still seven days left!

——

Now only five days remained.

Since Xie Chengze didn’t need to attend court when there were no major state affairs, he waited outside the palace hall after court dismissal to intercept Xie Shoujun and Xie Zimiao while Xie Jinyu went to the Imperial Study to review memorials. By chance, he also caught the regularly working version of Shen Yuan.

The four arranged to drink outside the palace. When the topic of wishes came up, Xie Zimiao immediately exclaimed: “Second Brother! Could you spare me one of those eight days?”

Xie Chengze: ?

Xie Chengze couldn’t help but turn to Xie Shoujun, hoping for a different answer.

Xie Shoujun: “Same here.”

Xie Chengze: …

Day after day.

Whether intentionally or not, Xie Chengze glanced at Shen Yuan and casually remarked, “Lord Shen wouldn’t want to sleep with me too, would you?”

“Pfft—cough cough cough!”

Shen Yuan, who had just taken a sip of wine, choked immediately. He raised his sleeve to cover his face as he coughed. When he lowered his arm, his handsome, noble face was flushed red from coughing.

Ah, it’s the blushing limited edition Shen Yuan.

The phrase flashed through Xie Chengze’s mind.

“This subject has no great wishes.” Shen Yuan drank some tea to soothe the burning in his throat, then said calmly, “I only hope the Imperial Advisor doesn’t give away those two days.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Zimiao slammed the table and stood up, exclaiming, “Shen Shilang, you’re so shameless!”

Shen Yuan slightly raised his cup, his expression unchanged. “Not as much as you two Highnesses making reckless wishes without any regard for the Imperial Advisor’s position and reputation.”

The Imperial Advisor sleeping in the current Emperor’s bedchamber, Funing Hall, could still be excused as discussing state affairs. But the Imperial Advisor sleeping in the Prince Gong’s residence and Prince Rui’s residence—what excuse could there be?

Discussing state affairs?

That would clearly be rebellion.

“Second Brother~ Look at him!” Xie Zimiao began acting coquettishly again.

Meanwhile, Xie Shoujun held his cup, sipping wine while smiling at the commotion.

Thanks to Shen Yuan’s efforts, the five-day leave was eventually restored to seven days. Xie Zimiao’s wish changed to having Xie Chengze visit him and Xiao Bai more often, while Xie Shoujun’s wish became receiving belated birthday gifts for the past ten years.