MTCCP Chapter 22

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After a good night's sleep, the days quickly became busy again.

The tea ceremony, the return visit—everything proceeded according to plan.

They tacitly agreed to postpone their honeymoon for now, choosing to stay in the palace instead of traveling.

After all, they were just ordinary friends—friends who happened to share the same bed and the same blanket at night. Going to a romantic vacation spot and indulging in activities meant for married couples would be far too awkward.

As the week passed, they somehow got used to it.

—It was just a marriage certificate, after all. Getting married didn’t mean growing an extra leg or sprouting a tail.

After dutifully greeting each other morning and evening, Yue Yiwan finally let out a breath of relief and suddenly remembered something.

They had been married for seven days already.

Which meant Hua Muzhi hadn’t updated in seven days?!

His readers were probably waiting impatiently.

Thinking of this, he set down his magazine and headed to Baopu Hall.

Hua Muzhi was replying to letters. Seeing Yue Yiwan enter, he only lifted his eyebrows slightly. "What’s the matter?"

"Am I disturbing your work?" Yue Yiwan realized he had barged in a bit abruptly and quickly explained himself.

The palace attendant standing nearby brought over a chair and pushed it directly next to the office chair.

"Sit."

Yue Yiwan glanced at the distance between the two chairs. They were married already—what was there to be shy about? With that thought, he sat down generously.

Opening his laptop, he logged into his Jinjiang account. While typing in his password, he casually explained, "I took a leave of absence, told them I was on a business trip for a few days."

As soon as the author dashboard loaded, a yellow system message popped up.

"Hello! I'm Xiaoxiao, an editor from Jinjiang. We'd love to help more readers discover your work—would you be interested in signing a contract with us? If so, please contact me via QQ: 123XXXXX456."

Both of them froze, then instinctively looked at each other.

A contract?!

Yue Yiwan let out a cheerful shout and immediately hugged Hua Muzhi tightly. "See? I told you! You’re amazing!!"

The nearby palace attendant tactfully pretended not to notice, quietly placing down tea and pastries before slipping away.

Hua Muzhi’s mind went blank. He even reread the message three times.

He hadn’t realized he was smiling. A mix of emotions surged within him.

So… the editor from this website wanted to sign him?

Had he been recognized?

"Add her on QQ!" Yue Yiwan covered his face excitedly. "You're about to become a contracted writer! How cool is that?!"

"But… I…" The Crown Prince hesitated. "Am I really good enough?"

"Just chat with her first!"

At Yue Yiwan’s urging, Hua Muzhi hesitated briefly before adding the editor’s QQ number.

Yet his mind was full of doubts.

Could it be that his father had discovered his hobby?

Did they truly want to sign him because they liked his writing?

Did this editor… know his real identity?

To his surprise, the friend request was accepted almost instantly. The editor typed quickly.

"You're finally back! Have you thought about the contract?"

Hua Muzhi felt a little nervous. Meanwhile, Yue Yiwan was practically ready to grab some snacks and watch the conversation unfold like a drama.

A series of documents were promptly sent over—contract details, author guidelines, and platform policies—everything he needed to review and understand.

If he signed the contract, his novel could apply for ranking lists, get promoted, and even start earning money through paywalls.

His novel had originally only had six or seven readers. But in just a week of inactivity, the bookmark count had surged past thirty, and the comment section was bustling.

What once had only four or five lonely comments was now filled with twenty-plus messages, with some readers even leaving gifts.

   ["A medieval transmigration story?! I’ve never seen this before—instantly bookmarked!"]

   ["Author, please come back and update!! I’m turning into a rock from waiting! TUT"]

   ["Wait… did the Pope burn him at the stake?! That’s how they dealt with witches back then!"]

   ["Are you sure this wasn’t arranged by the royal family?" Hua Muzhi still had his doubts.]

—If his father had secretly hired people to create accounts and leave comments, that would be unbearably awkward.

He wasn’t ready for his family to know about this.

Yue Yiwan chuckled and shook his head. "Why would they? Your writing is genuinely fun to read."

Both of them sipped their tea as they carefully examined the contract, line by line.

At least ten thousand words per year. A minimum contract term of five years…

The terms were fixed—no room for negotiation—but they were fair.

After raising a few concerns and discussing them with Editor Xiaoxiao, Hua Muzhi suddenly spoke up. "I think I want to sign."

"For the ID issue, we can ask Chief Steward Cao to make a new one with a slightly altered name," he said, turning to Yue Yiwan, eyes alight with excitement. "If this works out, I’ll officially have a second career."

Something he had never dared to dream of was now becoming a reality.

—A second profession, a completely separate identity from the royal family, a space where his imagination and voice could be heard.

It all felt like a dream.

Yue Yiwan was fully supportive, of course.

He had watched Hua Muzhi gradually shed his burdens and restraints, becoming happier and more open.

So they printed the contract, took office photos, and filled out the necessary documents right in the Crown Prince’s study.

Chief Steward Cao, despite appearing to be an ordinary old man, managed to produce a near-perfect fake ID by the end of the day. The name on it: Huang Muzhi.

For something as simple as signing a standard contract, the whole process felt surprisingly sacred.

Hua Muzhi had written countless official documents in his life. But when he picked up the pen to sign this one, his hand trembled slightly.

It felt as though he were finally breaking free—stepping into a completely new world.

The contract had to be mailed overseas. Fortunately, X-Express now had efficient East Asian shipping routes.

The editor confirmed receipt quickly and asked a few follow-up questions.

"Is your day job busy? Will you be able to update consistently?"

Day job?

As the Crown Prince, his duties included monthly liaison banquets with senior government officials, occasional foreign visits, as well as small gatherings with the royal family and charity-related events…

Hua Mushi thought for a moment and replied, "It's okay, I'll try my best to update daily."

"Keep it up~"

During his time studying abroad, Yue Yiwan had read quite a few novels, and now he considered himself a seasoned reader. He taught Hua Mushi how to use author forums and where to find author guidelines.

In between his own tasks, he even made a rather stunning cover for Hua Mushi.

The four words "Silver Scepter" were designed in a gothic medieval style, with a distant river and a church visible in the background.

So far, only 10,000 words had been serialized. Once it reached 30,000 words, he could sign a contract and get on the rankings, marking the beginning of a new journey.

His Highness the Crown Prince had to extend his working hours, finishing his official duties early each day before returning to Baopu Hall to write his novel.

It was during one of these breaks that Yue Yiwan's good friend, Luoluo, called.

"Your Highness the Crown Princess!" The other person's laughter was teasing. "How have you been lately?"

"You should be calling me His Highness Prince Yong," Yue Yiwan said lazily, lounging in a rocking chair while watching Hua Mushi flip through documents and type. "What's up?"

"Have you seen the latest issue of YUSH? The schedule for the YHY competition is out," Luoluo said excitedly. "The theme for the preliminary round and the application form are inside the magazine!"

"What—" Yue Yiwan sat up, controlling his volume. "I was so caught up in the wedding that I forgot!"

He hurriedly informed Mushi, then took a carriage out of the palace to buy the latest issue of the magazine at a newsstand.

The submission deadline for the first round was December 15th!

YUSH was one of the world’s top fashion magazines, and every year it partnered with multiple luxury brands to host fashion shows.

Not only that, but they also organized the YHY Global Fashion Design Competition, with the main event scheduled for January next year!

Anyone, even those without a formal degree in fashion, could submit their completed designs along with an application form.

YUSH would carefully review all entries and provide detailed feedback in later competition programs.

Winning the YHY championship meant direct access to multiple luxury fashion houses, a $200,000 cash prize, and an exclusive editor position at YUSH!

No way—he had to start working like crazy! He needed to finish his preliminary round submission before December!

Clutching the magazine like a shepherd cradling a newborn lamb, Yue Yiwan returned to the palace, his mind overflowing with ideas.

He had grown used to sitting beside Hua Mushi and watching him write, but now he had to shift back into work mode.

I am absolutely—an outstanding designer!

He tore open the thick magazine’s plastic wrap. On the cover, a cool-faced supermodel leaned against a birdcage, showcasing a mermaid-tail gown. The YUSH logo shimmered like liquid silver.

Yue Yiwan’s heart pounded as he pulled out the application form and the preliminary round schedule.

[Preliminary Round Submission Requirements]

Theme: "Minimalism"

Required Attachments: Hand-drawn design sketches + pattern drafting + completed garments

Quantity: Four pieces in the same series, different styles

Submission Deadline: December 15, 2030

Participant Guidelines:

Once selected, the designs will be featured in the reality show Fashion Emperor: YHY Grand Prix, where they will be critiqued and auctioned to brands. Selected participants will be notified via email to finalize contracts.

At the same time, in adjacent office buildings (?), the two of them unknowingly started working overtime.

Previously, they might have dozed off together by 10 PM. Now, it was common for them to meet in the Chaoming Hall at 11:30 PM, sharing a late-night snack before bed.

The Emperor and Empress, along with the two Dowager Empresses, had no idea what was going on, but they found it amusing.

The young couple had just married, and they were already inseparable, staying holed up in the Eastern Palace without even taking walks in the garden. Their relationship seemed quite strong indeed.

Since switching to "deadline mode," Yue Yiwan spent entire days drawing, dreaming about revising sketches even in his sleep.

One night, he woke up groggily, thirsty and looking for water.

…He really shouldn’t have eaten that extra lüdagun (glutinous rice roll).

As he shifted slightly, he suddenly realized something felt off.

He was being held—surrounded by warmth and softness.

A faint pear blossom scent filled the bed, and above him was the sound of familiar, gentle breathing.

Yue Yiwan blinked. His drowsiness disappeared instantly.

Why… am I sleeping in Hua Mushi’s arms?!

_____

Author’s note:

Hua & Yue couple: Balding from stress.jpg

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