Good Night, Mr. Ghost - Chapter 103

After finishing their meal, the Prince Regent advised Jiang, “Chenyi, if you ever feel bored, feel free to wander around the palace. Rest assured, I’ll have someone accompany you.”

“Alright,” Jiang Chenyi replied, still feeling a bit dazed and unable to fully process everything.

The uncle and nephew left together, heading towards Wankang Palace. On the way, the young emperor couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle, why do you like him?”

To him, Jiang Chenyi didn’t seem particularly outstanding in appearance or talent, even as a storyteller. His uncle wasn’t the type to be distracted by trivialities. So why choose him?

Meng Loudi paused, seriously contemplating the question, and then said, “I don’t know either, but from the first glance, I was deeply drawn to him.”

When he first saw Jiang Chenyi, something within him stirred restlessly. Prince Fu’an smiled, saying, “Perhaps he is my moon.”

The young emperor was taken aback, falling silent. The moon? Just like the strange prophecy given to Meng Loudi ten years ago? But it seemed that after Jiang Chenyi came into his uncle’s life, his uncle had changed, becoming more harmless…

When Meng Loudi walked into Chang’an Palace Hall under the moonlight, the young man was still sitting on the divan, staring blankly. Prince Fu’an chuckled, stepping forward and calling, “Chenyi.”

“Oh, Prince, you’re back?”

“Yes, what were you thinking about so deeply?” The Prince Regent sat beside him, asking.

Jiang Chenyi turned his head and asked, “Was there ever a male Prince’s consort before?”

“Not in the Song Dynasty, but historically, yes,” Meng Loudi answered his question.

The young man swallowed, saying, “Prince, this goes against propriety.”

This was not right.

Meng Loudi listened, amused, his lips curling with a mocking smile as he leaned closer to the young man, asking in a deep voice, “Chenyi, can you tell me how the people of this world view me?”

Jiang Chenyi hesitated, “I… People say that because of Prince Fu’an, the world is peaceful; because of you, Your Majesty can sit securely on the throne, and the people can live peacefully in a prosperous era. You are an extraordinary presence.”

Meng Loudi laughed, pinching the young man’s cheek, “Are you afraid I’ll be upset, so you’re only telling me the good things?”

“No.”

“What do you mean, no? The ambitious Prince Fu’an, the audacious Prince Fu’an, the cunning Prince Fu’an, the cold-hearted Prince Fu’an-aren’t they all me?” Meng Loudi gripped his shoulders, his smile tinged with madness.

“I’ve slaughtered thousands on the battlefield, hung the heads of enemy generals on the city walls to show those fools what they truly are. I’ve killed my own blood relatives, supported my nephew to ascend amidst a sea of corpses, and forced countless ministers to their deaths, washing the grand hall’s floors with their blood. Jiang Chenyi, haven’t I done all these things? Jiang Chenyi, there are many things you don’t know; what you’ve heard is only the tip of the iceberg. How many sordid deeds remain unknown to you?”

Prince Fu’an breathed heavily, leaning close to the young man’s ear, whispering, “Do you think I don’t know what kind of person I am?”

He was very aware of what he truly was.

Listening to those words, the young man’s initial panic gradually faded. He reached out, embracing the other, leaning against his shoulder, saying:

“But it was you who led our army to defeat the invading Xiongnu, surrounding the borders; it was you who saved the crumbling empire, preserving the imperial bloodline; it was you who reformed the Song Dynasty’s system, reducing the taxes and labor burdens on us common folk. Without you, how many people would be living in misery now? Meng Loudi, you’ve done many good things, why focus on those?”

He closed his eyes, saying, “I admire you, from the very beginning.”

Despite being of the same age, he was different from the start. Meng Loudi was like the blazing sun hanging in the sky, radiant and impossible to ignore.

Prince Fu’an’s lips curled, his voice still cold, “No need to comfort me like that. From the start, I wasn’t a good person-think about it, what kind of person can kill their own brother without hesitation?”

Jiang suddenly pushed him away, his brown eyes meeting the surprised black ones, saying righteously, “But that was out of necessity! Isn’t it said that the imperial family is heartless? Your brothers weren’t good people either, weren’t they the ones who disrupted the peace of the Song Dynasty in their fight for the throne?”

The young man lowered his gaze.

“And besides, Loudi, you never wanted the throne, did you?”

From the beginning, Meng Loudi had no intention of vying for the throne; he was merely dragged into the mire, unable to escape.

The Prince Regent kept a cold face, looking at him, “Yes, I’m not interested in the throne.”

He lifted the young man’s chin, forcing him to look up slightly, “Right now, I’m only interested in you.”

The young man’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

The Prince Regent’s fingers pressed against the small protrusion, softly saying, “I just wanted to say, I’m already infamous, so why would I care about having a male Prince’s consort? Besides, I don’t need to pass on my lineage.”

Not being an emperor meant not needing an heir.

Meng Loudi’s eyes smiled as he looked at the other, “Now, Chenyi, do you understand my feelings?”

Jiang Chenyi blinked, countless thoughts swirling in his mind.

So, Meng Loudi belittled himself to prove that someone like him wouldn’t mind marrying a man?

Suddenly, he felt touched.

Prince Fu’an watched the young man’s sudden realization, licking his teeth, “Alright, now, let’s rest, Chenyi.”

The man’s voice carried a hint of seduction.

The young man looked at him, dumbfounded, and nodded after a moment.

Since Meng Xiujin met Jiang Chenyi, after the initial shock faded, the young emperor realized this was a great opportunity!

As long as his uncle stayed in Chang’an Palace Hall, the storyteller would remain there. He could go listen to stories!

So, Meng Xiujin frequently visited.

Meng Loudi turned a blind eye to the boy’s actions, simply telling Jiang Chenyi, “Let this boy understand what it means to be an emperor.”

Incorporating the way of ruling into stories was no ordinary skill. But Jiang accepted the task.

It was trust.

And Meng Loudi had been very busy lately, too busy to even manage Jiang.

In Chang’an Palace Hall, the young emperor lay on the divan, listening to Jiang Chenyi finish a story, tilting his head.

“Why didn’t those people help the little beggar?” He frowned, his expression resembling Meng Loudi’s, showing confusion.

Meng Xiujin was still young, but his appearance was already exceptional, exuding elegance.

Jiang Chenyi’s eyes curved with a smile, “Because they were too busy with their own lives to spare any sympathy for a beggar unrelated to them.”

“What is the life of the common people like?” the young emperor asked.

Born into the imperial family, he had always been surrounded by luxury, even after the upheaval, his uncle took him away and cared for him well.

“This kind of thing, if I tell you, you’ll only understand a part of it,” the young man smiled, “If you want to know, Your Majesty, go see for yourself. The world now is different from a few years ago; the people live happily, everywhere is joyful, even street beggars won’t starve.”

“Yes, I understand, and it’s all thanks to Uncle,” the young emperor said, looking up.

He asked again, “Aunt, why doesn’t Uncle want to be emperor?”

His gaze was clear as he looked up.

“Being emperor is great, isn’t it? Truly above all, the master of the world, holding the power of life and death, many people want to be emperor, don’t they?”

Jiang Chenyi sat beside him, smiling, “Yes, being emperor is great, but it’s also tiring. Xiujin, when you become a true emperor, please do what you can.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say, be a good emperor. It felt tragic to place the fate of the world on a child not yet of age.

He shouldn’t be like this. He should have ample time to grow.

The young man’s expression carried melancholy.

Meng Xiujin was surprised to hear someone tell him to do what he could.

The ministers in the court all hoped he would be a wise ruler, dedicating himself to the country until death.

The young emperor looked at the sorrowful young man, perhaps understanding why his uncle liked him so much.

This Jiang Chenyi was different from ordinary people.

He softly said, “Aunt, do you know? Someone once made a prophecy about Uncle.”

“Prophecy?”

“Yes, a prediction made at the cost of life,” the young emperor said, swinging his feet.

“Better not tell me, it doesn’t sound like a good thing,” Jiang Chenyi smiled.

Meng Xiujin was taken aback.

The young man stood up, asking, “By the way, Your Majesty, do you know what the prince has been doing these days?”

“Uncle? He’s preparing for the wedding. It’s a big event, he wants to do it himself,” Meng Xiujin said with a grin.

Then, Jiang Chenyi saw his parents and siblings.

The four stood nervously in front of the palace, the Prince Regent smilingly said, “Please wait a moment, I’ll go fetch Chenyi.”

Jiang Da nodded, flustered, “Alright, alright.”

Meng Loudi stepped into the palace.

The Jiang family looked around, eyes filled with bewilderment.

They were country folk, never having seen such grandeur, standing here felt unreal.

Meng Loudi entered the palace, Jiang was reading historical texts.

To tell stories to Meng Xiujin, he delved deeper into history.

“Chenyi.”

“Hmm, what’s up?” Jiang looked up.

“Your family is here.”

Jiang Chenyi stood up abruptly, “What?!”

“My father-in-law and mother-in-law are waiting outside,” the Prince Regent said with a smile.

Jiang Chenyi walked out, seeing his family looking refreshed, his heart swelling with emotion, “Father, Mother…”

“Chenyi!”

The family reunited, embracing each other.

The Prince Regent stood inside the hall, watching the reunited family, his lips curling, eyes narrowing, a gleam in his dark eyes.

After the Jiang family reunited, the Prince Regent had them taken away.

Jiang sat in Chang’an Palace Hall, looking at the table full of his favorite dishes, then at Prince Fu’an.

“Loudi.”

“Hmm? Do you have something to say?” Meng Loudi asked with a smile.

“Why did you bring them here?” the young man gripped his chopsticks.

The Prince Regent picked up a piece of cauliflower, chewing it, “Well, when we get married, your elders should be present, otherwise how can we pay respects?”

“Is that so?” Jiang sighed in relief.

“But from now on, your Jiang family will stay in Yanjing City, I won’t let them leave,” the Prince Regent said, placing a shrimp at the young man’s lips.

“After all, it’s a good way to keep you in line, isn’t it?” Meng Loudi said with a grin.