MTCCP Chapter 17

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Little Machine Gun Qingzhi, once he put on that double-breasted coat, looked as if he had just walked out of a Milan Fashion Week runway show. His demeanor and style were impeccable, and his tall, slender frame made him incredibly photogenic.

Even though the coat had been hastily altered the night before his arrival at the palace, it fit him perfectly, as if it were custom-made.

The young prince strutted off to find a mirror after putting on the coat. When he returned, he was brimming with pride and paraded around his older brother, asking, “Brother, don’t I look dashing in this?”

Hua Muzhi was silent for a few seconds before replying, “It looks good.”

The young prince had a quick temper but was equally quick to let things go. Within days, he had turned into Yue Yiwan’s shadow, following him everywhere.

He had come back early specifically to attend the royal wedding and planned to return to France after the celebrations were over.

Hua Muzhi, as Yue Yiwan’s intended husband, was naturally cautious and self-disciplined, always speaking and acting with care. Hua Qingzhi, on the other hand, was entirely different.

He was like a little squirrel, eager to gather up all the good things around him.

“Sister-in-law! I want a little blanket too! Can you bring Toto over for me?”

“Sister-in-law! Knit me a scarf too! You’re the best!”

Yue Yiwan was busy practicing his craft and had laid out several unfinished projects in the main hall of Xi Qing Pavilion. He didn’t mind Hua Qingzhi picking through them at will.

Although the young prince was just a sixteen-year-old high schooler, he had already shot up to 178 cm tall, towering several centimeters above Yue Yiwan.

……Why is it that everyone in their family is so tall?!

He frequently wandered into Xi Qing Pavilion, trying on this suit one moment, then testing a cowboy hat that Yue Yiwan had crafted in the past. No matter how casually he dressed, he always looked so striking that no one could take their eyes off him.

Yue Yiwan didn’t dare to ask the Crown Prince to model for him, but he had a lot of fun with the young prince instead. Hua Muzhi watched them with a smile and let them be.

He was processing documents in Bao Pu Hall when Attendant Huoyu hurriedly approached.

“Your Highness, the Grand Empress Dowager has returned.”

“She returned early?” Hua Muzhi was a little surprised.

“The Grand Empress Dowager said she’s weary from the journey and doesn’t require others to pay their respects. She only wishes to see you privately.”

Hua Muzhi paused for a moment, then slowly stood up, letting Huoyu drape a robe over his shoulders.

Looking down at the two playing with Toto, he nodded slightly.

The Grand Empress Dowager, now over eighty, was still relatively healthy. She had just returned from the royal spa retreat and was staying in the east wing of Wen Qing Palace. Her arrival demanded respect; even the Empress Dowager had to personally attend to her, while the Empress, though excused from such duties, waited respectfully in the outer hall.

Hua Muzhi hadn’t seen his great-grandmother in three or four months, so he made his way promptly. Upon entering, he noticed his mother was also present. They exchanged a brief nod without speaking.

An old nanny emerged to inform him that the Crown Prince was to meet with the two empresses alone.

Steadying himself with a deep breath, Hua Muzhi entered.

Sitting in the main seat was a white-haired elder, her eyes sharp and her spirit vibrant, though her hands were lined with countless wrinkles. In three or four years, she would celebrate her ninetieth birthday—a figure who had weathered many storms over the generations.

The usually outspoken Empress Dowager sat respectfully at the side, her demeanor notably subdued.

After Hua Muzhi completed the ceremonial greetings and exchanged auspicious words, silence fell over the hall. No one gave him permission to rise.

Remain kneeling, Hua Muzhi realized there was something to be discussed.

“I hear you plan to marry the youngest son of the Yue family?”

“Yes,” Hua Muzhi replied.

“I know what your father is thinking.” The elderly woman cast a glance at the Empress Dowager, who promptly nodded in acknowledgment.

“To ensure the union is suitable for both families, elevates the royal status, and conveniently supports several businesses at once.” The Grand Empress Dowager chuckled coldly. “No matter whether you’re marrying a man or a woman, it’s just a transaction in the end.”

A chill ran down Hua Muzhi’s spine. He lowered his head, not daring to speak.

He knew this was the truth from the beginning.

Even outside the royal family, marriages among the upper class and corporate elites of neighboring nations were also transactions, always balancing the interests of all parties.

As the eldest son and designated heir, sacrificing in this regard was inevitable.

“Your father married a commoner’s daughter back then and lived a peaceful, comfortable life. Why is it that with you, things have become so calculated?” The elderly woman’s tone was calm, without anger, yet it sent shivers down one’s spine.

“Grandmother...” Hua Muzhi knew she was concerned about him and softly replied, “Father didn’t arrange this for me. Everything was decided after the Flower Moon Banquet.”

In modern times, at least there was no need to adhere to overly rigid honorifics. Addressing her as “Grandmother” eased the atmosphere for the two elder women considerably.

“Not arranged?” The Grand Empress Dowager frowned, clearly unconvinced. “Have you thought it through? Once married, you’ll spend decades together. Regrets will be difficult.”

Hua Muzhi wanted to speak up for Yue Yiwan but hesitated, fearing the elder might misunderstand. He only nodded.

“If he’s willing and hasn’t backed out at this point, then he should at least learn proper decorum.” The Grand Empress Dowager’s tone grew frosty. “If a man wants to become the Crown Princess, he must show humility. At the very least, that dyed hair of his should return to its natural color.”

Hua Muzhi was taken aback but firmly replied, “I’ve already promised him otherwise and cannot go back on my word.”

The elderly woman cast him a suspicious look and continued, “Then his behavior must be more restrained. No need for him to travel abroad anymore, and those questionable places should be avoided.”

The Empress Dowager, watching from the side, grew anxious, wondering how her clever grandson could appear so muddled and hesitant.

“Grandmother...” Hua Muzhi tried hard to defend him, saying, “I can bear the burden of those formalities on his behalf. There’s no need to adhere to rules from fifty years ago, is there?”

The Grand Empress Dowager suddenly chuckled, tapping her chair. “Yi’an, what did I tell you? This boy is clearly smitten!”

The Empress Dowager massaged her temples, sighing, “He can’t even hide it. The moment that Yue boy is mentioned, he gets all flustered.”

Hua Muzhi froze, realizing the two grandmothers had been testing him.

“You like him, don’t you?” The Grand Empress Dowager leaned in slightly, her tone sharp and probing. “But he hasn’t realized it yet, has he?”

This...

You just got back and are already gossiping—is this really appropriate?

Hua Muzhi found himself at a loss for words. After a long pause, he managed to mutter, “It’s hard to explain.”

“That's not how you should think about it.” The Empress Dowager, still making him kneel, sipped her tea leisurely and said, “Before the two of you get married, you’d better think this through.”

“There’s a difference between men and women.” She glanced at the nearby Empress Dowager, her tone unhurried. “For some men, love is one thing, and marriage is another. They can separate feelings and marriage clearly.”

“If you and that Xiao Yue are seeking different things, it’s best to clarify it in advance.”

Hua Muzhi already understood these principles, but hearing her lay them out so plainly felt like something in his heart was sinking.

He and Yue Yiwan had originally thought the same way.

They didn’t have high expectations for marriage, merely wanting to find a suitable partner to fulfill this duty.

But if, in the future, he couldn’t help falling for the other person while they remained indifferent, would he have to endure decades of unrequited longing?

“It’s better to make things clear,” the Dowager said gently, “to prevent misunderstandings from turning into misplaced hopes. In the end, the one who will be hurt will be you.”

Hua Muzhi raised his head and, after a long pause, murmured his agreement.

Lately, Yue Yiwan had been teaching Toto to play dead. With a simple command and a raised hand, the big white dog would flop over, roll onto its back, and stay motionless, performing quite convincingly.

Meanwhile, Hua Qingzhi was choosing a new tie nearby, clearly reluctant to leave. His sister-in-law had said he could pick four from the sixty-plus options, but they all looked so good it was hard to choose.

Amid the playfulness, a palace attendant suddenly approached and reported, requesting Yue Yiwan to come alone.

Hmm, could it be that a new novel had been finished?

Yue Yiwan’s eyes lit up, and with the clatter of his wooden clogs, he made his way to the Baopu Hall.

Hua Muzhi didn’t know how to broach the subject. He paced back and forth upstairs, mulling it over for a long time, feeling a sense of resistance.

But as the sound of footsteps grew closer, it seemed that the weight in his heart grew heavier.

“Your Highness?”

“Sit down,” Hua Muzhi said, looking at him. “There’s something… I need to discuss with you.”

He laid everything out plainly, recounting all of it.

“I’m just an ordinary man. There are some things I may not be able to control well.” Hua Muzhi didn’t dare meet his gaze. He had never been in love before and didn’t know what it felt like to be moved. But, suppressing his shyness, he confessed everything he needed to.

Yue Yiwan hadn’t expected such a straightforward discussion and was momentarily at a loss for words.

He stayed silent for a long while before finally speaking.

“First of all, if I truly marry you, I would absolutely never cheat.”

“The Yue family cannot afford that disgrace. If I dared to mess around, my dad would beat me black and blue with a mop.”

After taking a deep breath, he continued.

“But what you said makes sense.”

Hua Muzhi frowned slightly, not wanting to hear what came next.

“My mother ran off with our gardener when my brother and I were eight.”

“Not only did she secretly have an affair, but she also turned around and accused my father of domestic violence, suing him and walking away with over a billion in assets.” Yue Yiwan spoke in a calm and slow voice, as if recounting someone else’s family history. “The whole ordeal became a public scandal—you might’ve read about it in the news.”

“She drained my father’s resources so severely that his funding chain broke. We almost ended up homeless. For more than ten years afterward, he single-handedly raised and educated us.”

After a long silence, Yue Yiwan finally voiced the thoughts he’d kept buried.

“I witnessed my father’s love and trust for her with my own eyes, and I also saw her destroy it all.”

“So, I must shamefully admit something to you.”

"I'm sorry, I don't dare to love anyone."