Chapter 076
Chapter 76: The Male Lead’s Elder Brother Must Be Handsome Too
Yun Wan Ye’s lips curved with a quick flicker of amusement.
[Well then, the imperial harem has been empty for far too long—it’s about time it filled up again.]
[Oh? Speak of the devil, and the devil arrives. Not just the sacrificial wine master, but the male lead and all the supporting heroes have come too. With this many people crossing the bridge together, isn’t anyone worried it might collapse?]
At the sound of footsteps, Yun Wan Ye turned his head and saw a dense group of more than fifty people approaching across the bridge.
At the very front walked the two young and handsome imperial brothers. Following behind them were four guards and several elder ministers, and at the rear were elegantly dressed young lords and noble ladies. Among them, Wei Chao Hui, Zhu Yong Cheng, and several other young lords stood out prominently.
Those who had arrived early at the pavilion stared in stunned silence when they saw His Majesty the Emperor and Prince Qi. While it made sense for Prince Qi to attend—given the presence of a Yun family daughter—no one had expected His Majesty himself to come.
No one had told them the emperor would be present at the winter banquet.
Now that His Majesty was seated in the place of honor, how were they supposed to relax and enjoy themselves?
While the young men tensed with nervousness, the noble ladies secretly rejoiced.
His Majesty might be older in years, but the imperial harem had remained empty for so long. Every noblewoman in the capital coveted that position of empress.
To become the mother of the nation, revered above all others—who wouldn’t yearn for such glory?
Normally, His Majesty remained hidden within the palace walls. A mere glimpse of his face was as rare as starlight. Yet today, by some twist of fate, they could bask in his presence. Naturally, they had to seize this opportunity and perform at their best.
If they caught His Majesty’s eye—just once—it could mean ascending to the heavens in a single step.
The noble ladies quickly began tidying their hair and adjusting their gowns.
By the time Mo Yuan Lin approached, they surged forward in a flurry, crowding the steps with greetings and eager introductions.
Watching this scene unfold, Yun Wan Yao stood dumbfounded.
[Why are these women so wild over seeing His Majesty? Aren’t they afraid of him?]
Mo Zhao Zhao squinted toward the noble ladies clustering around Mo Yuan Lin and gave a dry chuckle: “A’Yao, do you see now? Among all the women in the capital, only you cower like a mouse before a cat when you see my imperial elder brother.”
Yun Wan Yao was speechless.
[Now that I think about it—she’s right!!!]
She had always believed that, as emperor, His Majesty would naturally inspire awe and fear. She had never imagined that she alone felt such terror.
On the other side, Su Qian Xue also lifted her brows at the ruckus and a flicker of suspicion crossed her eyes.
His Majesty the Emperor? Mo Yuan Lin?
Then this man was the male lead’s elder brother?
According to the book, this emperor was young and strikingly handsome, and remained unmarried until his death. She was curious what kind of man he really was.
If he was the male lead’s older brother, surely his looks couldn’t be far off.
Su Qian Xue craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse. But with the noblewomen crowding around, all she could see was a vague silhouette. She let out a soft scoff and casually withdrew her gaze.
[No rush. His Majesty will surely take the seat of honor. I’ll get a proper look at him then.]
Blocked on the steps by the crowd of eager noblewomen, Mo Yuan Lin narrowed his eyes. A dark glint flashed across his gaze as he stared coldly at the chattering women.
With the slightest lift of his hand, two guards stepped forward and unsheathed their yan-wing blades in a single sharp motion.
“His Majesty the Emperor is passing through. Those who block the path—die.”
A collective gasp rippled through the air.
The noblewomen froze, staring wide-eyed at the cold gleam of silver blades. Their bodies trembled as fear flickered across their faces.
No one dared to move.
Then someone—perhaps the first to come to her senses—hurriedly shuffled aside.
The others, startled back to reality, quickly followed suit, stepping to the sides and clearing the way.
Mo Yuan Lin stepped forward without sparing anyone a glance, striding toward the main platform. The guards and elder ministers immediately fell into step behind him.
At the back of the procession, the other young lords and noblewomen cast mocking looks at the embarrassed ladies who stood rooted in place, their faces burning with shame.
Their gazes were full of scorn, lips curled with open ridicule.
[Utterly ridiculous. Throwing themselves at His Majesty like that. Do they not realize that if the emperor truly wanted to take a consort, would the harem have remained empty all these years?]
In their eyes, there were only two possibilities: either His Majesty was physically incapable, or he simply had no interest in women.
And yet these fools still dared to be so shameless. No wonder they’d ended up disgraced.
Feeling the weight of all those scornful stares, the noblewomen flushed with humiliation. Their faces burned hot as fire, and some ground their teeth in fury, wishing they could gouge out the eyes of those who mocked them.
“Pah! Have you even looked at yourselves in the mirror? Always dreaming of becoming a phoenix on a high branch. Do you really think His Majesty would look twice at a bunch of cheap, painted faces like you?” Zhu Yong Cheng spat with disdain, merciless in his insult.
The noble ladies snapped their heads toward him, eyes blazing with fury, some visibly itching to scratch his face to pieces.
One couldn’t hold back and shot back in a low voice, “Yes, we might be cheap and painted, but we’re still better than you. We might not dream of His Majesty, but you think you can?”
“And you have the gall to tell us to look in the mirror? Have you looked at yourself? If you had, you’d never have dared leave the house today with a face like that.”
“You really should be proud. Your shamelessness is astounding. Do you even know what you look like, yet still have the nerve to mock others?”
The moment she spoke up, the others joined in one after another, voices laced with sarcasm as they tore Zhu Yong Cheng apart.
By the end, they claimed even stray dogs on the street were more dignified than him.
Zhu Yong Cheng fumed, ready to roll up his sleeves and fight them right then and there. Wei Chao Hui, watching in despair, quickly grabbed his arm and hissed, “Enough, enough! Yong Cheng, Second Young Master is over there—and I think he’s holding something. Let’s go check it out.”
Wei Chao Hui was nearly losing his mind with frustration.
These noblewomen had already humiliated themselves; everyone was already laughing at them silently. Yet this brute just had to open his mouth and make it worse, saying such harsh things that it stirred them into open retaliation.
No wonder they snapped back so viciously.
These noble daughters were pampered from birth—when had they ever been insulted like this?
And when he couldn’t out-argue them, the man actually wanted to fight them? Did he have no sense of decency or dignity?
The moment he heard “Second Young Master,” Zhu Yong Cheng’s bluster immediately faded. He snorted coldly and dropped the argument altogether.
“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go, or Second Young Master will be kept waiting.”
The rest of the young lords, who usually hung around with him, all rolled their eyes.
This guy—reckless, arrogant, afraid of no one—yet the only one he listened to was Yun Wan Ye.
No one knew how Yun Wan Ye had managed to tame him.
They still remembered clearly: when the two first met, Zhu Yong Cheng had openly mocked Yun Wan Ye, calling him a pretty-boy at every turn.
Then one day, Yun Wan Ye asked him out for a private conversation.
After that day, Zhu Yong Cheng’s attitude did a complete about-face.
At the pavilion, all the young lords came forward to greet Mo Yuan Lin and Mo Yuan Hao with respectful bows.
Yun Wan Ye, carrying Yun Wan Ning in his arms, also approached.
Mo Yuan Lin dismissed their bows with a gesture, but his gaze lingered on the child in Yun Wan Ye’s arms. A flash of curiosity flickered through his eyes.
“A’Ye, why have you brought Fourth Young Miss out today?”
The little one was still so young, and with such a large, chaotic crowd—wasn’t he worried something might happen?
The moment he spoke, all eyes turned toward the bundle in Yun Wan Ye’s arms.
When he’d arrived earlier, everyone had already noticed the swaddled baby he carried. But because Second Young Master Yun was known for his difficult temperament, no one had dared approach to ask, even though their curiosity had been piqued. They had only whispered among themselves in secret.
Now, that curiosity surged anew.
Only Su Qian Xue narrowed her eyes, glancing between Mo Yuan Lin, Mo Yuan Hao, and Yun Wan Ye.
Tsk. That man beside His Majesty must be the male lead, right?
These royal brothers were outrageously handsome—far more stunning than any ancient-style comic male character she had ever imagined through AI.
And then there was the Second Young Master of the Yun family.
She had never expected that he too would be so devastatingly beautiful. In fact, he was even more enchanting than the male lead in a way that was hard to describe.
She had never seen such an alluring, breathtakingly delicate youth. It was a pity he was still so young, not yet fully grown. In a few more years, who knew what kind of fatal charm he would possess?
Looking at Yun Wan Ye, Su Qian Xue suddenly found herself unusually interested in the eldest son of the Yun family—the very one who had broken off their engagement.
If the younger brother looked like this, surely the elder brother wouldn’t fall far behind?
Though Su Qian Xue had inherited the original host’s memories and knew all the plotlines, for some reason, she had no clear recollection of certain characters the original host had met.
There wasn’t a single image of their faces in her mind.
Take for instance the Prince Qi, the male lead—according to memory, the original host had seen him several times and even pursued him for a while. They ought to be quite familiar.
Yet today was the first time she truly recognized his appearance.
That was a little odd.
[See, you don’t get it. Second Brother and Big Sister understand me best—that’s why they brought me out.]
[If they hadn’t taken me, how could I have watched the excitement unfold?]
[Sure, I’ve learned to release spiritual power outward now, but it can’t stretch this far yet. Once I refine it more, I’ll be able to sit at home and observe the whole world…]
[Wait, why does His Majesty’s complexion look different than last time?]
Yun Wan Ning’s attention instantly locked onto Mo Yuan Lin’s face, her round black eyes filled with seriousness. The longer she stared, the more puzzled she became.
[Last time, his skin had that deathly bluish-purple hue, like he had one foot in the grave—why does he look almost normal today?]
[Am I seeing things?]
[Or is this world truly that fantastical? Has everyone gained self-healing powers now?]
[Big Brother is one thing, but even His Majesty looks like he’s on the verge of full recovery?]
[Aaaaah, can someone please explain what’s going on?]
[I’m going mad! At this rate, His Majesty might not die at all. And if he doesn’t die, how is the male lead supposed to ascend the throne?]
[The whole world might collapse—just crumble into dust!]
[If the world collapses, all life inside might be wiped out…]
[…]
Yun Wan Ye’s expression tensed slightly as he listened to her last few heart-voice murmurs. He couldn’t help but feel a chill.
No way… it can’t be, right? The world might collapse?
She had to be exaggerating… didn’t she?
He didn’t dare keep listening and forcibly shut out her inner monologue, turning instead to look at Mo Yuan Lin.
“Hm. Little Sister hasn’t really been out since she was born. I didn’t have anything urgent today, so I thought I’d bring her out for some fresh air.”
Everyone: “…”
The Duke Ning family’s little girl just had her full-month celebration last month, right?
She’s barely two months old, and he’s already taking her on a long outing?
People had long heard that Second Young Master Yun was wild and unrestrained. Seeing it now, it seemed his reputation was well-earned.
Who in their right mind would bring such a tiny baby this far, just to “see the outside world”? Especially considering Duke Ning Manor was over twenty li from Moon Shadow Lake.
Su Qian Xue’s gaze flickered, and her lips curved in a faintly scornful smirk.
So this Second Young Master Yun was indeed dangerously beautiful, enough to ruin a nation—but why did everything he said sound so… idiotic?
A baby this small does nothing but eat and sleep. What’s the point in dragging her outside?
What a complete waste of time.
[Wait a second, why do I suddenly sense something weird in the female lead’s brainwaves?]
[Second Brother, I think the female lead is judging you.]
[She wasn’t before, but after you said that, her brainwaves totally changed.]
Yun Wan Ye: “…”
Seriously?
Could Little Sister really sense things like that?
She couldn’t possibly be bluffing… but then again, she didn’t even know he could hear her thoughts. So how could she bluff him?
Which meant—it had to be true.
That female lead really was judging him!
But why? What did he even say?
That girl’s brain must be full of holes.
“May I hold her for a moment?” Mo Yuan Lin’s eyes softened as he glanced at the swaddled child in Yun Wan Ye’s arms. The memory of that porcelain doll face from their last encounter floated into his mind. She had been adorable.
[No way, not again.]
[Your Majesty, didn’t you already hold me once last time?]
[Am I really that huggable? Why do you want to hold me again?]
[Second Brother, don’t let him! What if I pee on him? That could be the end of me.]
[Oh wait, I almost forgot—royal decree can’t be defied. Second Brother probably doesn’t have a choice.]
Yun Wan Ye couldn’t help but laugh. Little Sister’s inner thoughts were always so vivid.
His Majesty wasn’t nearly as frightening as she imagined.
And he himself… wasn’t nearly as useless as she thought.
“Your Majesty, perhaps another day would be better. It’s rather chaotic today, and before we left, Mother specifically ordered me not to let go of Little Sister for even a moment. Otherwise… she’d deal with me using the family rod.”
[Second Brother is lying. No wait—he’s deceiving the emperor. Mother never said that!]
[Wow, Second Brother, you’re so bold! You actually lied to His Majesty!]
[But I gotta admit, Second Brother looks really cool when he’s lying like this.]
Yun Wan Yao: “…”
As Yun Wan Ye approached, their distance shortened, and she could now hear Yun Wan Ning’s heart voice clearly.
Hearing all this made her chest tighten.
Little Sister was right—what Yun Wan Ye just said… if taken seriously, could be considered a crime against the throne.
How could he be so reckless?
He dared to lie directly to the emperor—was he not afraid of death?
Yun Wan Ye’s brow twitched slightly. Thank goodness no one else could hear Little Sister’s inner thoughts. With the way she aired his secrets so effortlessly, even ten lives wouldn’t be enough to survive her.
“Very well, I was thoughtless,” Mo Yuan Lin said gently, offering a warm smile. His indulgent tone only made the surrounding young nobles burn with envy.
Among all these young lords present, who else dared deny the emperor a simple request?
His Majesty had lowered himself to ask, and yet this Second Young Master Yun had refused him.
Everyone else here would risk life and limb for a royal favor like that.
No wonder Yun Wan Ye acted so wildly. With this kind of imperial indulgence behind him, even a dog might strut with arrogance.