Translator: ChiFu
Throughout the dreamless night, they slept soundly until dawn.
When he awoke and opened his eyes, he had already jumped over to the new year.
The first thing to do in the new year was to sleep in.
Wen Mingyu got up after a full night of sleep.
Since New Year was a holiday, Mu Zhan didn’t get up early and awoke alongside him.
After washing and getting dressed, it was time to have breakfast.
What Wen Mingyu couldn’t have imagined was Mu Zhan unexpectedly taking out a red packet from his sleeve pocket and handing it to him, greeting him, “Happy New Year.”
“… Wow.”
When he was a child in the welfare institution on New Year’s Eve, although a charity organization would visit them and distribute red packets, that kind of red packet was clearly very different from the one in front of him, and the feeling when receiving it was even more so.
Wen Mingyu held the red packet fondly in his hands, turning it over and over several times, and was plenty happy enough without even knowing what was filled inside.
It took a while before he looked up at Mu Zhan. He cupped his hand and smiled as he said, “May you have a prosperous New Year, and may all your wishes be fulfilled!”
Mu Zhan smiled back.
Then, without glancing at the sumptuous meal that was on the table, the ever-gluttonous Wen Mingyu cried, “Wait, wait,” and scurried off to the side, not knowing what he was secretly working on.
When he returned, Wen Mingyu hid his hand behind his back and, in a 100-meter sprint, pounced in front of Mu Zhan and stuffed a red packet into his hand. He blessed him with a curved smile in both eyes: “Your Majesty, Happy New Year!”
Mu Zhan assumed that he would go stow the red packet away babyishly, but he never imagined that he would also be given a red packet. It was too strange for him. It had been a very long time since he last received a red packet—something that was given uniformly by his father, the emperor. It was nothing special. As the beloved prince and princess acted coquettishly in front of the emperor to please him, he stood in the corner and watched them in silence.
For a brief while, Mu Zhan was motionless, his expression was indescribably complex. Then, after composing himself, he said with a raised brow, “Do you take this one as a child?”
Wen Mingyu rightfully said without a second thought, “Neither am I, ah. Even then, Your Majesty still gave it to me, and seeing as I can accept it, there is obviously no reason why Your Majesty can’t.”
Saying that, he deliberately made a circle in the air with his hands. “This is my first time that I’ve ever wrapped a red packet for someone—one this big.”
Mu Zhan felt the red packet in his hand. He could feel that in addition to the colored strings threaded through the dragon-shaped New Year money, there were also a lot of silver notes. It was indeed a heavy, stuffed red envelope.
He couldn’t help laughing. “Then I am grateful for the young master’s reward. In any case, I have taken the young master’s first time.”
… Why does that sound, well, so strange?
But Wen Mingyu didn’t mention anything, otherwise he would get the feeling that he had walked into a pit.
Only after exchanging red packets did the two of them begin eating.
In general, the New Year’s money must be given by the elders to their juniors on New Year’s Eve, prior to the zero hour of the new year, as it symbolizes fending off evil spirits and ghosts and blessing peace.
However, none of them watched New Year’s Eve last night and had long since retired to bed. Additionally, this dynasty’s custom stated that when men and women started getting married after the age of sixteen, they were no longer eligible for their yearly monetary gift.
Just like Mu Zhan said, they were no longer children. Unexpectedly receiving a red packet, though, the mood was beyond words.
The morning meal was as wonderful and mouth-watering as ever. Mu Zhan waved his hand and rewarded the imperial kitchen. On the first day of the new year, the imperial kitchen earned a bonus, which astonished and delighted them and motivated them to work harder. Yesterday was the banquet for New Year’s Eve, and the banquet for the first day of the lunar year was equally significant.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Therefore, not long after having breakfast, preparations for the New Year’s Palace Banquet had begun. Palace servants were already waiting on Wen Mingyu and Mu Zhan to change into their exquisite and luxurious formal ceremonial robes.
The early morning hours went by quietly.
When an opportunity presented itself, Wen Mingyu curiously opened the red packet Mu Zhan had given him. There inside was the most common New Year’s money threaded up by colored strings and a good number of stores… eh?
He bowed to take a careful look, only to realize he had read it correctly. There included a bookstore, a fabric store, and a restaurant, all in conspicuous locations; all were gifts from Mu Zhan. That bookstore, in particular, was the very store where he printed his novels for sale. They were all his now. He had gone from being a partner to being a big boss.
And these stores were all tended to. He didn’t need to fret about the businesses at all. So to speak, he could just sit back and wait for the money to be collected.
After reading it, he put the red packet back in its place. When he looked at Mu Zhan again, his eyes were sparkling with light. Suddenly, he found Mu Zhan to be especially attractive and dashing. The whole person was radiating light—probably the radiance of money, heh.
At noon, the palace banquet started.
Mu Zhan and Wen Mingyu took their seats in the center as the ministers saluted. Some of them were familiar faces, such as Wei Yingwu and Wen Changlan who had both returned for the New Year.
Wen Mingyu saw them and couldn’t help but smile a little. They also noticed his gaze and returned the smile.
The entire palace banquet had a predetermined flow that was followed all the way down. Indeed, it was full of life, but it was also a little dull and tedious. Wen Mingyu almost wanted to doze off after a while.
“Shall we go back?”
The courtiers downstairs were watching the show. Mu Zhan wasn’t looking and asked Wen Mingyu this.
Wen Mingyu hurriedly shook his head and shoved a piece of dried fruit—whose tart flavor was mildly reviving—into his mouth.
Mu Zhan then said nothing more. But he had some superfluous procedures trimmed down, allowing the banquet to be shortened.
It was still bright outside after dinner, but as the sun began to sink in the west, the glorious evening sun began to dye the clouds into warm pumpkin ones.
The palace banquet came to its conclusion without incident, with the crowds parting from their seats in successive waves.
There were regulations for leaving the table as well, which had to be followed in order of precedence. Naturally, Mu Zhan and Wen Mingyu were the first to leave their seats. If not, no one else would have been able to leave.
But when they came out, they didn’t immediately go back. Wen Changlan and Wei Yingwu had some matters to report after returning from the border.
Wei Yingwu was only skilled in combat. Further planning specifics were beyond his scope of understanding, and it was a headache for him to listen. So he just frolicked in the snow to the side with Wen Mingyu. Having not seen him for months, Wei Yingwu naturally missed his friend, not to mention the fact that Wen Mingyu was so much like his favorite rabbit that he was happy to see him.
They casually built their own snowman. Frolicking with snow was something that a child would do, but Wei Yingwu pinched the snow bunny very solemnly and didn’t feel childish at all.
Wen Mingyu also built a snowman that was slightly larger than his bunny. He completed the body and added finishing touches by inserting two branches into the top of the snowman’s head.
Wei Yingwu was puzzled and asked him, “Are you making a deer?”
The brown branches sticking up on top of the snowman’s head resembled two antlers.
Wen Mingyu, however, froze momentarily, as if he himself could not quite understand how he could stick a branch on the snowman’s head. He looked at it for a while and replied with a smile. “Not a deer.”
Wei Yingwu was increasingly puzzled. “What is it, then?”
Instead of answering, Wen Mingyu said, “I’d like to ask you something. Is it okay?”
Wei Yingwu nodded unhesitantly. “You ask.”
“It’s just that—I have this friend…” Wen Mingyu paused as soon as he said this, feeling guilty.
Fortunately, Wei Yingwu was supportive and patiently waited for him to continue, seemingly oblivious that the general excuse ‘I have a friend, so and so’ was actually them talking about themselves.
Wen Mingyu continued with great difficulty “He thinks he probably fell for someone.”
Not far away, Mu Zhan and Wen Changlan were discussing some official matters. Just as they were about to finish, Wen Changlan raised his head and saw that Mu Zhan’s gaze had settled to that side again, watching someone. He had been acting this way since earlier, as though he couldn’t control his sight. Even though the official matters were not delayed and Mu Zhan was attentive to everything he reported and could pick up on it, Wen Changlan still felt a bit choked up, like he had eaten beyond his fill.
The report was virtually finished anyway. Wen Changlan simply went along with it and said what His Majesty desired to hear. “This subject apologizes for his rudeness, but Your Majesty and Wen-gongzi have talked it over, I presume? This subject has observed and detected the changes in the atmosphere. Before, it seemed to be separated by a layer of something, but now it is extremely intimate.”
When Mu Zhan heard this, he barely withdrew his eyes and looked toward Wen Changlan, asking flatly, “How is it different? Where did you see it?”
Smiling gently, Wen Changlan responded truthfully. “The eyes. The expression between Your Majesty and Wen-gongzi, which I have witnessed in my parent’s eyes before, was evident at a glance; it was a natural outpouring of fondness.”
Although it was certainly improper to say such, he was quite confident that His Majesty would not be upset and instead be in a good mood.
Mu Zhan indeed didn’t feel upset, yet he did not smile either. But with a tinge of seriousness, almost like an earnest scholar learning, he asked him. “What do you think is ‘like’?”
Wen Changlan went still. He had been displaying a light and calm demeanor, but in fact, he was also a single man who had never been in romantic relationships. Nevertheless, he didn’t panic and said, “To have only him in your eyes and heart, to be happy for him and worry for him, and to want to be with him all the time, this is ‘like’.”
There were no slight changes in Mu Zhan’s face. He gave a hummed response, as if he were just asking a casual question and didn’t care about the answer, nor would he change anything because of it.
On the other side.
Wen Mingyu spoke about his “friend” with a guilty conscience, yet his expression was unusually earnest. “He often wants to kiss someone. That’s ‘like’, right?”
Wei Yingwu frowned, somewhat perplexed. He responded directly, “Well, of course it is! If he wants to kiss anyone he sees, he’s a scumbag!
His voice, which was already thunderous to begin with, became even more powerful when he said the word ‘scumbag’, scaring Wen Mingyu into tugging at him. They squatted down as he whispered like a thief, “Keep it down, keep it down! My friend doesn’t want anyone to know about this.”
Wei Yingwu immediately gave an apologetic look and shut up in panic.
Wen Mingyu peeked over at Mu Zhan’s side and was relieved to find that they seemed to be engaged in a serious and crucial conversation and were not paying attention to this side.
When Wen Mingyu came to his senses, he couldn’t help but have a mini-heart when he remembered Wei Yingwu’s earlier use of the word “scumbag”. Of course, he was not a scumbag. He had only ever imagined kissing one person, and that was the first time he thought about it that way too. It’s just, well, maybe a bit too frequent…
Wen Mingyu coughed dryly to cover it up. He looked down at the snowman, rested both hands on his knees, and asked himself aloud as if he were speaking to himself. “Should he confess?”
Wei Yingwu’s tanned head leaned forward, and he couldn’t help but whisper, “He should, of course. Go ahead if you like them. There’s no time for acting timid. By the time the person likes someone else, it’s too late for regrets.”
Wen Mingyu was startled by the big face in front of him. He then laughed and said, “… You’re right.”
Nodding vigorously, Wei Yingwu added, “You must hurry and tell your friend. There was a soldier under me who harbored feelings for a girl but lacked the bravery to express them. As soon as he hurried back home, he discovered that the girl had already wed and that the child would call her his mother. He cried for a long time.”
Wen Mingyu nodded gravely.
When he talked with Wei Yingwu about this, he wasn’t really seeking any advice. He only wanted to reiterate what he had already decided in his heart to solidify his thoughts and give him more confidence to take this step.
He became aware that he seemed to like Mu Zhan about a month ago, when he found himself staring at him often. After confirming it himself, he wondered whether Mu Zhan liked him. Given how kind Mu Zhan was to him, there should be a bit more to it, right? But what if it was just because of his pheromones? Mu Zhan was kind to him since his pheromones could make him sleep peacefully.
If his confession was turned down, what would he do?
Wen Mingyu thought a lot. He was afraid of being rejected and looking like a fool… yet he couldn’t help but want to try. He couldn’t withstand bottling it all up. Say it, he thought. Regardless of the outcome, he only wanted to declare his feelings to Mu Zhan.
He had given careful consideration to how exactly he was going to declare his love. He did write novels and plots of romantic confessions, but when it came to himself, he was not at all content and yearned for the ideal way to express it.
When the fireworks set off yesterday, the atmosphere was just perfect. He had the urge to confess, but the fireworks were so deafening and many palace servants were present that he ultimately chose not to say anything. He wanted to create a suitable setting, ideally for the two of them.
He had made up his mind. The sooner he said it, the better, as he didn’t want to waste time.
We’ll confess on the way back later!
On the way out of the palace, Wen Changlan reflected on their recent chant. Then, with a pause in his footsteps, he realized—Wait, they haven’t made it official yet?
Even though it had been so long that spectators could see at a glance, they were still… too clumsy.
On second thought, it made sense that His Majesty, who was only about to turn nineteen, would be a little clumsy with his feelings.
Wen Changlan shook his head and couldn’t help but laugh.
Before we even started talking about it, they were already acting like a couple. What would it be like if they actually got together?
As twilight descended, night fell.
Inside the Imperial Palace, the lamps have been lit, dangling in the eaves beneath the glazed roof tiles, and on the branches of the trees, candle flames hazily transmitted a soft light through a layer of gauze, while the goose-yellow tassels at the foot of the lamps waved gently in the breeze.
They strolled through the snow, leaving long strings of footprints.
Clutching a gilt-carved hand warmer in his hand, Wen Mingyu kept repeating in his head what he was going to say. His palms were perspiring from nervousness, and he unconsciously tightened his hold on the stove.
“I like you.”
Wen Mingyu halted in disbelief, believing he had blurted out the words unintentionally. His first line was not that!
But the following second, he realized it wasn’t.
His wrist was seized, and then he was made to turn around to meet Mu Zhan’s deep eyes.
“I can live with you not liking me for now. I won’t pressure you or hurry you. You must not, however, like other people.”
Wen Mingyu was motionless and in a slight trance. He even suspected that Mu Zhan had been swapped. It didn’t sound like something a tyrant would say.
Mu Zhan stared at him and continued, “I have heard that certain animals, if their courtship is unsuccessful, will devour the object of their wooing out of extreme dejection and despair.”
Wen Mingyu: “…”
He spoke some extremely outrageous words, but somehow, Mu Zhan said them as if they were the norm.
Wen Mingyu’s prepared confession was preempted by Mu Zhan before he had a chance to say it. Or perhaps the impact of this kind of confession, which could be qualified as a threat, was a bit overwhelming for him.
He was just about to speak when Mu Zhan interrupted him once more.
Back at Taiji Hall, Mu Zhan took out a scroll and handed it to Wen Mingyu. “Can you accept getting married first?
It was a damask brocade made of fine silk with jade shafts at either end—an imperial edict. The subject of the writing in the scroll was about the crowning of an empress: the appointment of Wen Mingyu as the empress. It was inscribed with the imperial jade seal as well. Anytime, it could be ready to be made known to the land beneath the heavens.
Wen Mingyu was stunned. He realized that Mu Zhan had not just beat him when declaring feelings first but rather—proposed!
ChiFu: OMG this is 11 pages long and I wanted to make sure everything is nice and clean, though if you find anything wrong, just let me know! Thank you for reading! I can’t believe we’re at this stage already ~ we have 30 chapters(extras excluded) left! kyaaa and sorry for my lack of updates, I can’t promise anything. but ChiFu is trying her best! mwah~
I like you: (」,,,> ♡ <,,)」
…don’t like other people…. rejection means getting eaten, sometimes… let’s get married….
What a roller coaster of a proposal
That getting eaten part was a real humdinger in the middle of everything 😳
HAHAHAHHAHA HE NOT ONLY CONFESSED BUT HE TOLD TO WEN MINGYU TO MARRY HIM BEFORE HE REJECTS HIM LOLOLOL DOING EVERYTHING BACKWARDS
I DIDNT EVEN REALISE THEY HAVENT CONFESSED YET,
I can only imagine the discussion Wen Changlan and Wei Yingwu might have had on their way home 😆 except that Wei Yingwu thinks Wen Mingyu has a friend who likes a deer 😂.
Thank you, this chapter was wonderful 😌
These two are so juvenile and then the reminder that he’s only 19… even in medieval feudal times that’s still an idiotic teenager.
Hahaha so true!
Lmaooo what a way to confess mu zhan XD straight up marriage proposal is the way to go 👍🤭
AAAAAAAAAAAAA MARRIAGE!!!!! I DREAM ABOUT IT THIS WHOLE TIME
Thank you for your translation ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Oh those two~
Thank You for the new chapter (´,,•ω•,,)♡
Thank you for the translation ❤️❤️❤️❤️
AHHHHHHH WE’RE HERE FOLKS!!! I SO LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR WEDDING!!! 😆💖🩷💖🩷
Thank you!
Thanks for the chapter
Thanks for the chapter! Ahhhh they finally figured out they like one another (kinda)… Wen Mingyu, don’t forget your confession and say yes to the proposal!
I would love to attend their wedding 🙂 Thank you for the update.
Almost on the same page…except for the carnivorous rejection possibility… lmao! Thanks for the update 🤣❤️🤣❤️🤣😳
Thank you for the update ❤️💯