Chapter 56 - The Truth
Yu Tang’s parents were abroad, and only his sister and brother, as well as the housekeeper, were at home.
The sky had already turned dark, and little princess Yu Miao had already gone to sleep, since mom said that girls only became pretty when they slept a lot. With no adults at home, little friend Yu Lin had begun to proclaim himself emperor, and still hadn’t gone to sleep.
When Song Xiao walked into the living room, the first thing he saw was a small dango sitting on a large sofa. Both his hands were placed imperiously on pillows that had been piled up, and he looked like he was holding court. His legs were too short and couldn’t reach the edge of the sofa, even when stretched out, so he sat cross-legged, a bucket of snacks in his hands.
Hearing movement, the little fellow immediately turned his head and saw that his older brother had returned. Picking up the remote and turning off the TV, he got up with a ‘gulu’ and wanted to make a run for it.
Yu Tang strode forward two or three steps on his long legs. He grabbed his little brother, who was trying to escape, and lifted him in his hand.
Song Xiao walked over and looked at Yu Lin’s innocent expression, then raised a hand and turned the TV back on. It was still on the previous channel, which wasn’t showing a cartoon, but ‘Romantic Emperor Jinghong’, a TV drama that had become popular recently.
“The emperor… you’re actually the emperor…” In the show, a woman dressed in a delicate and beautiful ancient costume looked tearfullyat the unusually handsome man before her.
“The emperor is also a mortal, and can be moved.” The man smiled, allowing the maid at his side to change him into beautiful and elegant attire. Picking up a fan and tapping it on his palm, he slowly walked towards the woman, who blushed.
Then, the episode ended as the poignant music for the end credits played.
It was said that Great Yu Dynasty’s Emperor Jinghong was very handsome, and a master at both the pen and sword. He was also free with his ardour, and was the polar opposite of his incomparably faithful older brother. This drama was adapted from popular legends and unofficial history, but it was mostly fiction, so what was filmed was entirely inaccurate.
This TV show had been filmed with the money Xinghai Entertainment had borrowed from Dayu Capital. Song Xiao had also watched a few episodes, because he really couldn’t imagine the child whom he had raised himself becoming such a dissolute person. Even though the script was rather ridiculous, and the props were completely unlike what was found in Great Yu, the show ratings were still very high.
The problem was… could little Yu Lin, who had just turned three, understand such a sentimental love story?
Song Xiao and Yu Tang looked at each other, and upon tacit agreement, brought didi upstairs.
Yu Lin pulled in his neck, then turned his head to look pleadingly at Song Xiao. “Saozi…”
Song Xiao looked at Yu Lin’s glistening, large eyes and his protruding ears. No matter how he looked, he was really cute. Song Xiao couldn’t help reaching out and rescuing him from his evil older brother, bringing him into his embrace.
“Saozi!” Yu Lin hugged Song Xiao’s neck and rubbed his head against his nape.
Song Xiao held the soft dango in his embrace and couldn’t help the way his eyes curved. In his last life, he had personally taught this child, giving up everything he had learned in his life to instruct him. He had only hoped that he could become a great emperor like his older brother. After understanding Yu Jintang’s intentions, he treated this imperial little brother even more like a son.
“Yu Lin!” Seeing his little brother’s actions, Yu Tang’s face instantly darkened. He grabbed the fellow, who instantly stiffened, by the neck and pulled him away, before throwing him onto the small bed.
After getting the nanny to leave, Yu Tang sat next to the bed expressionlessly and stared at his brother.
Yu Lin rolled over in the bed and speedily crawled into the quilt. He then said, “Goodnight, gege,” and closed his eyes.
“Pretend, keep pretending.” Yu Tang sneered, and reached out to grab his brother’s jug ears.
“Wu…” His brother’s pinches hurt, and Yu Lin pursed his lips, wanting to cry.
Song Xiao looked at Yu Lin and felt that something wasn’t right. He watched as Yu Lin cried loudly without any tears, and stole glances at Song Xiao all the while. Chuckling, Song Xiao rescued this little brother’s ears. “Xiao Lin’r, what do you think of ‘Romantic Emperor Jinghong’?”
Yu Lin sniffled. “It’s good.”
“You really took in 72 imperial concubines? What did I teach you?” Song Xiao’s expression cooled as he glared at Yu Lin.
“I didn’t!” Yu Lin’s eyes widened. He had only accepted 36 for an auspicious number.
When Yu Jinlin was young, Song Xiao taught him that an emperor mustn’t indulge in women and had to attach the most importance to the nation. He really had only been just a little frivolous, and he definitely hadn’t neglected the country for a pretty face. Saozi absolutely couldn’t believe that made-up history!
After his righteous denial, little Yu Lin froze.
Song Xiao looked at him meaningfully, and pulled Yu Tang, who had a “just you wait” expression on his face, away. Yu Lin slowly buried his head in his pillow. He had broken down at the first sight of saozi – all his efforts, gone because of a petty thing. How was he going to live from now on?
Yu Tang had long known that his little brother had regained his memories, but Yu Lin wouldn’t admit it, no matter how he was teased. It was still his family’s empress who was the greatest, able to expose Yu Lin with just one sentence.
“Xiao Lin’r also has his memories. Why is that?” Back in Yu Tang’s room, Song Xiao frowned. If he and the emperor had given up their lifespans in order to be together again, then what was the explanation for didi and the secret guard?
“Maybe Yu Lin knows.” Yu Tang narrowed his eyes. In their group, his brother was the one who had lived the longest, and should probably know the most. However, this kid kept acting stupid, unwilling to admit it.
Yu Jinlin had followed them over as well, which made Song Xiao very happy. After he showered, he sat on the bed and chatted with Yu Tang.
“What’s the situation in the US?” Song Xiao dried his hair and got into bed. In the past year, Yu Tang had been very gentle in bed. He never went all the way, which made Song Xiao slowly lower his guard.
“Not so good.” Yu Tang leaned against the headboard, his expression somewhat grave. The family complications over in the US gave him the illusion that he had returned to his childhood in the imperial palace. If he wanted to bring Song Xiao along, he had to be thoroughly prepared.
Speaking of this, Yu Tang reached for the internal line at the head of the bed and called his brother’s room. The nanny answered the phone and said that the second young master had already fallen asleep.
“Tell him not to go out tomorrow morning, and to wait for me in the living room.” After Yu Tang said this, he hung up.
“He’s not willing to admit it, so why go through the trouble of forcing him?” Song Xiao smiled. For an emperor with a glorious reign, and who died at a ripe, old age, to suddenly become an infant and wear open pants in front of his older brother… no one would be willing to admit that they had their memories.
Yu Tang lifted his gaze and looked silently at Song Xiao. After a period of silence, he stuffed the book he was holding into Song Xiao’s hands. Yu Tang tapped on a paragraph. “Read it out.”
“Ah?” Song Xiao blinked, then lowered his head to read the book.
He was very familiar with this book. It was ‘Xiaotang Under The Moon’, but it was the thicker one that was in Yu Tang’s study. There were things in here that weren’t published in the version that Song Xiao had read. Yu Tang had him recite a paragraph; it was Empress Duanhui’s monologue, before he cut his throat open.
“What, you want to violate the contract?” Yu Tang’s body relaxed, and he leaned against the headboard. He looked at Song Xiao with cold eyes. “Clause 87: Party A has the right to order Party B to read memorials or books. Party B must not disobey, and must provide a ma.s.sage service at the same time.”
According to the ‘Love Guidebook’, graduation was the best time to increase their affections. He could use the excuse of romantic fiction to press his lover to say what he liked.
Song Xiao’s lips curled up. He then summoned his courage to begin reading: “When we first met when I was seventeen, I fell in love with you. Every day, with every look at you in the imperial court, this heart fell deeper. Now, I cannot extricate myself anymore. To marry you was the happiest thing in my life. But you left, just like that. How could you leave me on my own…”
Song Xiao read until he was flushed. Such frank words – how could he say them aloud?
Yu Tang shook his leg happily. On one hand, he felt very satisfied as he listened. On the other hand, his heart was upset: how was it possible for his top scorer minister to fall for him at the age of seventeen? Even when he forcefully married him into the palace and made Song Xiao stay with him, Song Xiao still hadn’t liked him much.
“Jintang, wait for me on the Naihe Bridge. From heaven to h.e.l.l, I will find you. I never told you… I, I like you. I really, really like you…” Song Xiao closed the book, his entire face red.
Yu Tang looked at him, and slowly raised a hand to take away the book. He sneered. “This book is really ridiculous.”
Song Xiao lifted his head and looked at him. Yu Tang was clearly laughing, but his eyes were filled with sadness. All of a sudden, Song Xiao understood why Yu Tang was so insistent on forcing his brother to talk. He laughed softly. “Yes, how ridiculous. How could I slit my throat just because of like?”
“Enough!” Yu Tang stopped him. He just knew it would be a merciless answer, but in his heart, he had always hoped that his brother would tell him something different. Yet, Song Xiao wanted to rip this b.l.o.o.d.y truth wide open.
Song Xiao looked at him. He also began to feel sad, but he still continued with an indifferent face, “You died, and I wasn’t sad at all… In any case, I didn’t intend to continue living…”
Yu Tang’s eyes turned red at first, the sorrow in them turning into insanity. However, when he heard the last sentence, he suddenly froze.
Little Theater
Fish Tang: My parents aren’t home, we can do shameful things
Didi: What shameful things?
Fish Tang: Have the empress recite a confession book for me ah!
Didi: (Lights candle)
Baobao Notes
Kinda cried a little when I translated that last part