acfr chapter 21.1

Gu Chen’s complexion changed from green to red and then to purple. He practically wasn’t thinking, he just jumped on He Zisheng and drove his fist into He Zisheng’s face: “He is your brother, he is your elder brother! How can you do such a thing without regard for human relations[1]! “

He never thought that He Zisheng had such thoughts towards He Ziming.

He Zisheng spit, wiped away the blood on the corners of his mouth, and laughed mockingly: “What about it? In this world. the weak are prey to the strong, and the strong are the most respected … Love between men is offensive to society, but we are the Son of Heaven, and the whole world is ours. Yes, even if we don’t care about human relations[1], who can do something to us? “

“In this world, as long as we want it, it’s all ours, including people. Isn’t that so? Gu ‘Ai’qing[2].” He pushed Gu Chen away, like pushing away some rubbish, and looked at him rather mockingly.

Inside and out, all of his words pointed to the great disparity between his and Gu Chen’s identity.

Letting Gu Chen know that he wasn’t even qualified to compete with him.

The first day Gu Chen and He Ziming got together, that wasn’t the first day that he hated Gu Chen so deeply, he felt it in his bones.

“You—” Gu Chen looked at him in disbelief, only to feel that the person in front of him was a stranger, and there was no trace of the Chang’an he was familiar with before.

He Zisheng looked at him with a disdainful smile: “Furthermore, you know that he is my elder brother. He was mine, and you were the one who came in later and shouldn’t have appeared.”

He detested Gu Chen.

He Ziming was supposed to be just his elder brother, his elder brother alone!

What qualifications does Gu Chen have to intervene between them?

“You—you did it on purpose.” Gu Chen felt that his mind was a mess. Like seeing electric connections form, many things and details that happened in the past came to his mind, and he glared hatefully at He Zisheng with red eyes. He only squeezed out such a sentence without a preface: “You did it intentionally. All the misunderstandings between me and Changfeng were all deliberately designed and incited by you, it was all on purpose!”

Recalling He Zisheng’s submissive and docile behaviour in front of He Ziming in the past, extremely attentive and completely different from the face in front of him, who sowed dissent between them.

Gu Chen felt like his heart was being cut with a knife. This time, if he didn’t understand that he was following He Zisheng’s designed plans for him, he would be a giant fool.

“Even if it was intentional, what can you do to me?” Standing at the highest peak of Daxing, He Zisheng was now fearless. The corner of his lips lifted in a contemptuous arc, and He Zisheng looked at him with unconcealed ridicule.

When He Zisheng personally acknowledged his involvement, something Gu Chen’s brain snapped. He didn’t know how to face He Ziming at all.

He shook his fist and threw himself towards He Zisheng like an out of control beast, almost wanting to put him to death. He frantically hit him, beating him up, and continuously asking: “How could you do this? How could you do this? He Zisheng, I took you as my best brother. He Zisheng, what did I ever do to you? Why are you doing this? “

He thought that the estrangement between him and He Ziming was just one of life’s trials, but he wasn’t able to expect that it was He Zisheng’s deliberate incitement…

Every single thing, it was all He Zisheng’s active plot to drive a wedge between them.

“Why can’t I do this? I was just putting you against each other, nothing more. You were the one who only listened to my side of the story, and chose to betray him without hesitation. The one who didn’t even give my brother a chance to explain was you, wasn’t it?” He Zisheng looked at him disdainfully and, with red eyes, fought with him: “You don’t even have the most basic trust. You don’t deserve my elder brother. How can you have the face to compete with me and interrogate me now?”

Gu Chen’s brain collapsed, and he roared: “You——”

Although he knew clearly in his heart that everything He Zisheng said was true, but his fists and feet uncontrollably came towards He Zisheng …

He was unwilling, extremely unwilling.

For men, nothing can surpass their deep hatred for the one who killed their father, and their hatred for the one who stole their spouse. Now, he hated He Zisheng as the one who stole his wife. He was itching to chop He Zisheng’s whole body up, mince him to pieces, and then get rid of him quickly.

This jealous hatred[3], how laughable.

Two years ago, he couldn’t imagine that between him and He Zisheng, whom he had secretly admired, there would be such envious hatred[3].

But now, Gu Chen and He Zisheng grapple with each other, treating the other party as their own enemy whom they cannot live under the same sky with, and wanting to get rid of the other party quickly …

The two of them were unwilling to part, wrestling each other, almost making each other dead.

“Okay, enough. Both of you, hands off!” Just as they were about to kill each other, He Ziming took a step forward, yelled, and separated the two.

Seeing He Ziming, the two people anxious to put each other to death stopped their hands: “Brother …”

“Changfeng …” He looked at him at a loss.

He Ziming looked at them both indifferently and stopped talking.

Under the disagreeable and arrogant appearance of the crown prince, he had actually hid a heart that could not be more holy than the Father …

Gu Chen looked at him, not knowing there were tears in his eyes, completely unaware of how to face the person in front of him, and what he could say to him.

“I arranged Slave He, and the night you broke up was also deliberately designed by me. Those traces on my brother were made by me. That night, nothing happened between him and Slave He.” He Zisheng looked at Gu Chen, unconsciously moving his lips, but told the original truth.

He didn’t know why, he just felt that since things have become like this, he should return He Ziming’s innocence.

He shouldn’t let Gu Chen go down misunderstanding him anymore.

He wants to let Gu Chen know that he was the person who has never been worthy of He Ziming … his elder brother has never let him down at all …

Although the truth has been known for a long time, He Zisheng’s words still undoubtedly made Gu Chen feel like he was slapped several times, for his distrust of his lover, for his betrayal that he never had a chance to explain.

He Zisheng is right, how can he be worthy of He Ziming, and how can he beg for his forgiveness …

Remorse and guilt were intertwined, so much that Gu Chen could no longer support his body. With a “plop,” he knelt down in front of He Ziming, his voice unusually hoarse: “Changfeng, I’m sorry …”

“Ding! Reminding the host that the target Gu Chen’s favorability score has reached 100 points, and He Ziming is unforgettable. The task is completed, asking the host to pay attention.” Gu Chen was regretful and ashamed. Under such complex intertwined feelings, his affection for He Ziming finally escalated again and reached a hundred points. At the same time as his apology, the system’s task completion prompt sounded in He Ziming’s mind.

He Ziming looked at him indifferently: “You don’t need to say sorry, I said that everything has long passed. Including everything between me and you.”

“But …” Gu Chen suddenly looked up. Even then, he hadn’t forgotten the purpose of entering the palace.

He is here to help He Ziming get out. He cannot let He Ziming stay trapped here by He Zisheng forever…

He Ziming looked away and stopped looking at him: “You go, don’t enter the palace again in the future.”

He knew that Gu Chen wouldn’t be able to save him. At this moment, Gu Chen fighting He Zisheng would be tantamount to hitting a rock with an egg, so he didn’t want to do something meaningless and implicate Gu Chen. 

Gu Chen looked at He Ziming in a daze.

He Ziming no longer looked at him.

He Zisheng laughed suddenly and approached He Ziming, a bit of teasing between his words: “Let him go? Eldest brother doesn’t seem to have asked my opinion yet. Gu Chen has disguised himself and sneaked into the palace in a conspiracy against the date. Intention to assassinate is a capital offence. “

“He Zisheng, you—” Gu Chen looked just as He Zisheng’s palms unintentionally clenched into fists.

He Zisheng didn’t even bother to look at him, his eyes only focused on He Ziming.

He Ziming unconsciously took a step to the side, drew a little distance from him and did not answer.

“Actually, it’s not impossible for big brother to convince me to let Gu Qing’s family go.” He Zisheng has long been accustomed to He Ziming’s refusal to acknowledge his love, and his smile did not change as he talked to himself: “It’s just, I am very worried. What should I do if my elder brother becomes depressed and goes to kill himself[4] as soon as Gu-qing’s family leaves?”

What he wanted was a guarantee from He Ziming.

He Ziming looked at him coldly and said, “The emperor can just rest assured, my life is given to me by my parents. This distinguished son’s life, unless the emperor want this subject to die, otherwise this subject’s resolution will not be short-sighted[4].”

Prince An, Prince An …

He never for a moment forgot that the emperor wanted him to live a peaceful life.

He did not hesitate to declare this sentence, so that He Zisheng felt relieved, and Gu Chen felt relieved…

“With elder brother’s words, I feel more at ease.” He Zisheng smiled, laughed, and kissed his lips: “We will do whatever brother has says. We will let Gu Aiqing go, and we will never let him enter the palace again!”

He looked at Gu Chen provocatively. He was the final winner of this emotional contest …

His elder brother, after all, couldonly be his.

Gu Chen watched the indifferent He Ziming and the euphoric He Zisheng who was embracing him, and clenched his fists with a crack. He secretly vowed in his heart that he would never let He Zisheng go on this way. One day, he would save He Ziming and free him.

Seeing the development of the situation to this point, the system asked He Ziming: “Does the host want to stay in this world with He Zisheng for a lifetime?”

Now that the mission has been completed, it seemed that He Ziming had the option to stay with He Zisheng for the rest of his life.

“No, I’m leaving …” Unexpectedly, He Ziming shook his head.

The system no longer wanted to arbitrarily guess this person’s thoughts, and only asked: “When will we leave?”

“The tyrannical crown prince scattered his soul for Gu Chen, so I will also die for Gu Chen. Only in this way can I let him live the rest of his life, feeling pain deep in his heart and regretting his past deeds whenever he thinks of He Ziming.” He Ziming said verbatim.

After reading the story of the original host, He Ziming had always wanted to do a little more for the original host; to let Gu Chen remember him, remember him more deeply.

The system obediently replied: “Okay, I see.”

Facing such a serious host, he stayed obedient like a serious AI.

“In the next world, can I exchange my points to meet him again there, and stay with him for a lifetime?” He Ziming paused, and suddenly spoke again.

He really wanted to compensate this person and walk with him for the rest of his life.

Even if the other party was just a bunch of data, he could recognize him and love him …

The system failed to react for a while: “Who?”

He Ziming didn’t speak again this time.

“… Oh, okay, I can ask for you.” The system reacted to it after a while, who He Ziming spoke of.

——

After Gu Chen was let go by He Zisheng, he didn’t do anything on the surface. He began to learn from He Zisheng’s previous set of behaviours and made an appearance of submission before He Zisheng, but secretly colluded with Prince Cheng with the intention to rebel and overthrow He Zisheng.

In this life, the young emperor and virtuous official of the past life began to fight openly and secretly for He Ziming, as incompatible as fire and water.

Originally, the two that existed side by side and played their parts, now started to hurt each other and themselves …

“Brother, Gu Chen’s recent movements have not been small. He wants to force us to abdicate?” He Zisheng had also been very abnormal recently, particularly in bed; he had become extremely fierce : “How about you? Brother, do you want to get out? Do you want to leave me and go back to Gu Chen?”

He Ziming did not answer him.

He Zisheng sneered, and became more and more vigorous: “Even if you want to leave me, I won’t let you leave me. Even if you die, you can’t.”

“If I were to kill Gu Chen, would you hate me?”

“Brother, do you hate me? Even if you hate me, I want you to always stay with me.”

“If you don’t love me, I will do it until you love me.”

He Ziming was tormented over and over directly on the bed and until he passed out.

The next day, He Ziming learned through the system’s cheats that war between He Zisheng and Prince Cheng could happen at any moment because of Gu Chen’s coordination with King Cheng in the Capital.

He Zisheng was determined to kill Gu Chen. On the wall where Gu Chen left the city, archers were arranged to take his life.

Gu Chen has also obtained the so-called “Evidence of He Zisheng’s Non-Imperial Bloodline” and together with the Prince Cheng’s forces, they settled a time and place to make it public, siege the capital, killing that bastard He Zisheng to drive him off the throne, and rescue Prince An.

When He Ziming woke up, He Zisheng was no longer there. It seemed that he was too keyed up and was preparing for the battle.

He Ziming let the system use a cheat. He Ziming, the former crown prince, borrowed Prince An’s forces in Beijing, escaped from the palace under the cover of loyal guards, and he hurried to Wuliting[5] outside the city without stopping.

He Zisheng’s archer laid in ambush nearby.

Gu Chen knew nothing at all…

“Wait a minute, Ziqing don’t go over.” He Ziming spurred his horse and hurried over.

When he saw him suddenly, Gu Chen’s unshaven face was a bit stunned: “Changfeng…”

He could no longer remember how long he had not seen He Ziming.

He Ziming got off his horse, stopping in front of Gu Chen and shielded him behind him: “Follow me, don’t move around!”

 “Changfeng…” Gu Chen didn’t know why at first, and then he realized. There were archers around him. If he took another step forward, his heart would be pierced with thousands of arrows.

Gu Chen immediately held his breath.

But the archers were still ready. They pulled their bows and pointed their arrows at them.

He Ziming knew that everyone could hear him. When Gu Chen was about to pull him behind him, he took out the gold medal of immunity l bestowed by the previous emperor and yelled, “I am Prince An, personally named by the previous emperor. With this gold medal in hand, who dares to stop me!”

“Prince An, is it really Prince An? Hasn’t Prince An not shown his face in many years? How did he come out now?” Some of the archers recognized him and the gold medal of immunity, and hesitated, unsure whether they should release the arrow or not.

As soon as He Ziming saw their hesitant appearances, he cautiously guarded Gu Chen and went out of the city: “Come out of the city with me, don’t make a sound!”

He Zisheng wanted to take Gu Chen’s life, so Gu Chen couldn’t stay in the capital.

Gu Chen stared blankly, but then followed behind He Ziming.

They walked out of the city with their backs against each other, hand in hand.

[ Previous | TOC | Next ]

---

TL Note

Sorry this is so late! I was getting kicked in the ass for school LOL

I had to split it off here, I didn’t know where else to split? this was a long ass chapter, it’s another 20 pages of mandarin! When it’s that long, I split it into two. I also read all your comments! it’s nice, but im rlly forgetful so I forget to reply 😛 MAYBE SOON.

Also, if lmk if you guys would rather i leave titles in pinyin. I like keeping pinyin, personally, but idk if others would want that. If you guys like pinyin, like me, ill keep it in for next arc! da-ge vs. elder brother/big brother/brother, qinwang vs. prince of the first rank/king, gongzi vs young master, etc!

Support me on Ko-fi! (Link if button doesn’t work: https://ko-fi.com/uhimgood)

Footnotes (just use ctrl+f or if u are on mobile, use the find word feature and input [#])

[1] “人伦” refers to a part of feudal ethics called “human ethics,” which referred to the ethics of interpersonal relationships. doesn’t even have to be feudal, its still fucked up today!

[2] This nickname is composed of two parts, “爱” (ai) and ”卿” (qing). Ai is the character for “love” and “qing” is a term used by the emperor towards his subjects.  So a possible translation is “dear subject.” However, qing is also used as a term of endearment between spouses, so it could also mean “beloved wife/husband or darling.”  Maybe it’s a play on both, so I left it as a nickname.

[3] “夺妻之恨” This is just “seizing wife hatred.”  I don’t tl it as wife bc hzm is not a girl, and having to read “hatred for the one who seized his lover” three times in a row is way too ugly.

[4] “短见” means “shortsighted” or “suicide,” and “自寻短见 ” means “to commit suicide.”

[5] “五里亭” is, character by character, “five li pavilion/kiosk.”  Li (里) is an ancient unit measure the length of 500m.  So it could also be called “2500 metre pavilion.”  It’s also a real place, but idk its its referring to that.