Yu Yan was almost choked to death by a sip of tea.

It took a long time for him to regain his calmness before staring fiercely at Qing Jue.

"I'm doing this for your own good." Qing Jue looked back at him innocently. "Alphas' reproductiveness are outrageously high. I don't know how many little omegas were accidentally conceived by them, and then from then on, trapped."

He paused, and then said, "Speaking of which, doing so many times, you might already be..." While speaking, he looked at Yu Yan's abdomen thoughtfully.

Yu Yan was ashamed and annoyed. He couldn't bear it anymore. "You shut up!"

Yu Yan couldn't listen anymore, pulling Mu Yungui to leave. Before leaving, Qing Jue was still inciting the rowdy situation, fanning it brighter. "Your Highness, don't take any chances. If there is really something, remember to seek medical treatment in time. It's really impossible to tell accurately."

Yu Yan was so angry that he pulled off a piece of jade pendant and threw it into the room.

Qing Jue was not annoyed. He picked up the jade pendant that fell on the ground and gave a silky smile. "Thank the young master for the reward. Come again next time!"

.

Yu Yan left the brothel in a fit.

Mu Yungui was still holding the bottle of contraception medication. He was unsure what to do. He wanted to speak but he paused and looked at Yu Yan. Seeing the other party still fuming and angered, he dared not speak, only shutting his mouth up.

The carriage arrived at the front of the two. Yu Yan was about to board but was held back by the person.

Yu Yan looked back.

Mu Yungui calmly stated, "Master hasn't had enough fun here. Why not head to another place for leisure, better than heading home with disappointment?"

"How could I–"

Yu Yan was still in his midst of anger, and almost didn't understand the sentences. His mind churned and he came back to his senses.

Jiang Du was a city with intentions. It was not a secret when he entered and exited the palace gate. There were probably many people following him overtly and secretly. Today, he stayed in the brothel for far too short. Heading back like this would inevitably make people suspicious.

It seemed that Mu Yungui noted someone following him.

"You are right. We're just finding entertainment. Here's boring. Let's go to another." Yu Yan's expression eased a little, and he instructed the coachman, "You return first. Come back to pick us up when it reaches xu shi."

Coachman: "Understood."

The coachman drove away. Yu Yan led Mu Yungui to the market. He lowered his voice. "How many people?"

"Detected five. There might be more."

Yu Yan was expressionless. "Dispose of them."

Mu Yungui paused.

Master today is... really fuming ah.

He saluted Yu Yan, was heading out before being suddenly stopped by him. "Wait. Give... give me the medicine."

Not waiting for Mu Yungui's response, Yu Yan snatched the medicine bottle from his grasp.

Mu Yungui glanced at the other's red ears, and finally said nothing. His figure disappeared in a narrow alley.

Yu Yan retracted his gaze, and his tight expression gradually eased.

If he knew, he wouldn't have brought Mu Yungui along today.

That damn Qing Jue. Speaking such nonsense.

This prince won't give birth to any children. Even if there was a child, it would also be someone else birthing for him.

Yu Yan thought so, but subconsciously placed his palm on the flat lower abdomen.

Qing Jue's words were also not groundless. He heard that Ye Shu's first time had also...

In the half month of his return trip, the times he and Mu Yungui did were minimally five, six, seven, eight...

Yu Yan: "..."

No... Impossible...

Yu Yan was so frightened by his own guessing that he was in a cold sweat. Without caring much, he quickly found a teahouse to enter. He asked for a pot of tea and immediately took a pill with the tea.

It should be okay now.

Yu Yan held the medicine bottle, laid it on the table, and let out a long sigh of relief.

What's with this happening?

Yu Yan suddenly caught a glimpse of a small figure standing by his table.

A four or five-year-old girl, hair tied in a pair of buns with her big and bright eyes, blinked at Yu Yan and asked suddenly, "Brother, are you not feeling well?"

Just. Too. Cute.

Yu Yan stared at the soft little dumpling in front of him, saw the little girl stretching out her hand, and on the fleshy palm, was a wrapper of sugar coated caramel. "Treat you to a candy. Get better soon?"

Yu Yan's heart quickened by seeing that cute look.

Yu Yan rubbed the little girl's head and took the candy. "Then I won't stand on ceremony."

"En en!"

"Yuan'er, what are you doing again?" A tall man walked behind the girl and said to Yu Yan, "Sorry, this kid always likes to run around. Hope she didn't trouble this young master?"

"No worries." Yu Yan said.

The man nodded to Yu Yan, picked up the little girl, and turned to leave.

Yu Yan smiled and watched the father and daughter leave, banishing a lot of the previous boredom.

In fact, it's not bad to have a child. Even better to have a daughter.

He thought. Then he heard the little girl's voice from the end of the corridor, "Daddy!"

Yu Yan followed the sound, and happened to see the little girl smack her lips onto the face of a handsome and beautiful young man. The young man's limbs were slender, only a slight raised arc could be seen in his abdomen.

Yu Yan: "..."

Still... still better not ba.

The man held his daughter in one hand, and then clasped the young man, and the family slowly went downstairs. Yu Yan stared in that direction for a long time, until another tall figure blocked his vision.

"Master, this subordinate is back." Mu Yungui called out.

Yu Yan calmly retracted his gaze and nodded: "All dealt with?"

"Yes."

"Sit."

Mu Yungui took a seat in front of Yu Yan.

Yu Yan sighed silently.

Whether Qing Jue was talking nonsense or not, now was not the time to think about it.

In front of his eyes, there were more pressing issues.

If the suppressant incense had really expired, in order to continue to hide his identity, he must find someone to cooperate with.

Throughout the past and present, there were actually no rules that an omega could not be the emperor.

But the way it was now, there were pedantic people like Meng Changzhou in the courts — who care about his origin and don't want him to inherit the throne.

If they knew his omega identity, things would only become more troublesome.

His identity cannot be known by anyone.

At this current moment, he really has no better candidate than Mu Yungui.

Yu Yan took a sip of tea, and softly said, "Yungui, I have something to discuss with you."

In the atrium of the tea house, there was a storyteller who was recounting stories to the guests. At the climax, the atmosphere turned enthusiastic. Yu Yan deliberately chose the most innermost position. There were no people nearby, no need to worry that the conversation would be heard.

He simply informed Mu Yungui of Qing Jue's conclusion told today, and then stated his intentions.

"...It won't be too long, at most... at most one or two years. As long as our plan succeeds, we won't need these any longer."

"When the dust settles, no one will know about this, and it will not affect your future."

"I know this matter may be a bit embarrassing for you. If you..." Yu Yan raised his head and glanced at Mu Yungui, continuing with difficulty, "If you don't want to, then I too will..."

He can't say any further.

Yu Yan curled his hands under the table slightly, a little nervous.

He doesn't know where this tension was coming from. Living in the imperial city since he was a child, he has seen many intrigues and conspiracies. But even in the face of those, he was not as nervous then as he was now.

Mu Yungui didn't answer for a long time. Yu Yan couldn't bear the silence, and opened his mouth, "Well, if you really don't want to, then I—"

"This subordinate isn't unwilling." Mu Yungui interrupted him softly.

Yu Yan was stunned.

Mu Yungui's eyes were as gentle as ever, and he slowly explained, "Master is willing to trust this subordinate. It's this subordinate's fortune."

"This subordinate is willing to do anything for Master."

Yu Yan's heart was slightly moved. Then, it jumped up.

Mu Yungui was a shadow guard. Yu Yan had heard such words of loyalty many times, but not once like how it was now.

The other party's gaze was sincere and ardent. He stared steadily, and his solemn tone was not the same as when he had received Yu Yan's order in the past.

This was just... more like a promise.

It was like, even if Yu Yan made more excessive demands, he would still do them.

For example... a full marking.

In fact, when Qing Jue proposed a complete marking, Yu Yan's first reaction was that it was ridiculous.

Too ridiculous.

The alpha's mark could only be given to one omega. After which, when the alpha's heat or the omega's estrus occurred, the partner must be each other. Until one of them died, it would never be eliminated.

This was a decision that would affect a lifetime.

How could he force Mu Yungui to do such a thing for him?

But from another angle, if he really needed the mark of an alpha, if that person was Mu Yungui...

Yu Yan raised his eyes and quietly looked at the opposite person.

Mu Yungui sat back straight and rigid, his visibly powerful wrist was defined under the cuffs. His upper body was wrapped in ink-colored clothing, his figure was slender and straight, and every inch of his body was just right.

It was just that the handsome and deep face was a bit aggressive, too cold and serious that people dared not approach.

If this wasn't the case, by walking on the street, he would probably receive more flowers than Yu Yan.

But at this moment, even the usual cold expression completely faded away.

Under the gentle delicate rays of the setting sun, those slightly pale eyes had Yu Yan's appearance reflected within.

He's a goner.

Yu Yan thought in his heart.

There was no sense of rejection.

Not a single bit.