[This part is set somewhere in time within the story.]
Today's weather is fine, perfect for outings. The sky is a lot brighter than Xu Zhengming's future but not as bright as Prince Yin Wenyan's gentle face. And so, Prince Yin Wenyan asked Xu Zhengming out for lunch. The prince heard about a restaurant that serves delicious dishes yet the prices are not too expensive. He thought this is a good time to ask him out because he's worried that his eunuch might be bored to death inside the imperial palace.
They are now waiting for their order that is currently being prepared in the restaurant's kitchen. As usual, Xu Zhengming ordered the most expensive dish that their cook can offer without knowing what kind of dish it is. He didn't even bother to look at their menu. Yin Wenyan on the other hand ordered a bowl of wonton noodle soup, some spring rolls, and dumplings.
[Fun fact: The triplets' favorite food is Wonton Noodle Soup.]
It became their favorite food since they're ten years old (back when Xu Zhengming's father treated the three of them in a cheap restaurant). For them, it was the first-ever 'delicious' food they have eaten and could never get enough with it.
"What are you reading, Eunuch Xu?" Yin Wenyan asks with a smile as gentle as ever.
He's been staring at Xu Zhengming for some time now with his hand supporting his cheek. He swears to himself, he can stare at him for an entire day. He can't stop himself from smiling sweetly even though the silly eunuch isn't paying attention to him.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhengming reads the book he just brought to the town square. It's entitled . He asked the vendor for the best-selling novel and recommended him this book he's currently reading with knitted eyebrows. He can't deny that this novel is good but for some reason, it's strange.
"It's a novel." Without looking away from the book, he replies. "Honestly, I find this book interesting but it's somehow strange."
The smiley Yin Wenyan slightly tilted his head. "Hmm? How so?"
Xu Zhengming finally lifts his head to look at the other on the opposite side of the table. "This genre is not so common. In fact, this is the first time I've come across this concept."
"I see. Can you tell me about it?"
The truth is, Prince Yin Wenyan isn't interested in literature unless it's Xu Zhengming's work. He's not interested in the book that the other is reading either. He's just being an attention seeker, nothing more, nothing less.
Xu Zhengming introduces casually, "It's actually about romance, love triangle to be exact. Nothing strange about it, except for the fact that the ones involved are men."
Prince Yin Wenyan suddenly got curious about the story itself. "Oh? That's indeed something else."
The little eunuch nods, "Exactly! I'm not into this kind of thing actually. However, the author's style of writing is just superb. The author can make the readers visualize this pile of words effectively. Even the smallest details are well expounded. I have to learn from this author."
"What happened in the story?" He asks. Even he isn't certain if it is because he wants Xu Zhengming to pay more attention to him or is it out of curiosity.
"Basically it's about the main character named Ming Zheng." He starts telling what he has read so far. "Then the other main roles are Shu Ren and Yan Wen."
"Hmm... their names sound familiar. Ming Zheng, Shu Ren, Yan Wen...." Prince Yin Wenyan puffs a laugh and said to the other, "Let me guess the author's pseudonym. It's Lan Xiu, am I wrong?"
Just by hearing the characters' names, Prince Yin Wenyan immediately knows who's the person behind this 'interesting and strange' novel. His sister really is something in terms of naming. It's just an upgraded version of 'Friend A', 'Girl B', 'Boy C', etc. In all honesty, Yin Wenyan is torn between face palming and feeling relief. He isn't sure anymore if he should be thankful that Xu Zhengming is dumb in some ways.
"Have you read this novel already? Or is it that you know this author?!" The silly eunuch got excited over the things he didn't see through. His eyes glimmer and are filled with hope. "Renshu my friend, can you introduce me to him? I want to be this person's disciple."
Now, this is a little sad for the prince's side. He's being reminded that he's just a shadow of his brother. Well, Yin Wenyan had thrown away his name for quite a long time now. Xu Zhengming calling him with his brother's name wouldn't hurt, right?
Okay, let's stop fooling ourselves here. Prince Yin Wenyan is clearly pained with this. He wants Xu Zhengming to know him more than anyone else but is that even possible? No, of course not! So let's just stop thinking about it. Yin Wenyan is trying to eliminate what he truly feels inside so let's not be sad for him.
"No, no. You got it wrong, Eunuch Xu." Yin Wenyan laughs. He regrets that he can't make Xu Zhengming happy this time but he just can't say that it's actually their names' characters being placed upside down, can he? "Well, how would I say this? Let's just say I guessed it right."
Xu Zhengming of course can't find any sense of it. However, he didn't question him any further and just shrugged. He then continues, "Okay, so let's continue."
While waiting for their meal to get ready, Xu Zhengming sincerely tells what he has read so far, and even took some time to appreciate Princess Yin Xiulan's writing style.
The story begins when the Heavenly Crowned Prince named Shu Ren is undergoing a heavenly calamity that every god has to go through once in every century. It's more like a test if a God is really worth calling as a God or whatsoever. Since his attribute is fire, his Heavenly Calamity takes place in an area where erupting volcanoes are. Hot flowing lava can be seen everywhere.
So in the middle of the Heavenly Calamity, things are going tough for Prince Hu Ren. Worried, his brother named Prince Yan Wen came to look over the struggling prince despite the warnings that no one should get near since it's very dangerous. The author emphasizes that the two princes have a deep bond with each other since they're still kids and so, what Prince Yan Wen did is only 'rational'.
"Wait, they're brothers but they have different surnames?" Prince Yin Wenyan interrupted the storytelling.
"It says they're half brothers." Xu Zhengming answers.
Prince Yin Wenyan tried to suppress his laughter and throws several questions all at once. "Half brothers? Since they have different surnames, they must be brothers with different fathers, right? And since they're both princes, is the Heaven Realm ruled by a woman or what?"
Xu Zhengming starts to get irritated. He forced a smile to the other and said, "Renshu my friend, why are you asking so many questions? You should ask the author, not me."
"Okok. Sorry." The prince puffs a laugh. "Please continue, Eunuch Xu."
And so, Xu Zhengming continues the story.
While spectating, Prince Yan Wen noticed a suspicious person in the area. He immediately headed to the said individual to confront. To his surprise, the strange person suddenly got defensive and throws attacks at the approaching prince. Fortunately, Prince Yan Wen is on guard and easily dodged the attacks. With that, the prince knew that this person is an enemy. They exchanged blows after blows. It is a formidable opponent for the prince. In fact, they almost have the same strength. As the one-on-one battle continues, Prince Yan Wen's sword slipped from his hands when he tried to block a powerful attack. The enemy took this chance and picked up the prince's blade and used spiritual powers to control it. He made it fly in full speed towards the struggling Prince Shu Ren. Because of this, the prince got injured severely by his brother's sword and so the heavenly calamity got him and failed the test.
Failing the heavenly calamity also means that a god is not worth calling a god anymore. And so, a black hole opened near Prince Shu Ren and sucked him in. Before his consciousness fades, he saw his brother's blade pierced through his abdomen withdraw within him.
"Shu Ren!" Prince Yan Wen yells. He tried to stand from the ground but the last blow he blocked was too strong, thus, preventing him from moving freely.
"Yan Wen... why..." The last thing that Prince Shu Ren saw is his brother's hand stretching towards him with a terrified look on his face.
The black hole brought Prince Shu Ren into the mortal realm. Coincidentally, another god undergoing a heavenly calamity found and rescued him: It's the God of Love and Marriage, Immortal Ming Zheng.
"Why are you laughing?" Xu Zhengming's eyebrows knitted.
"Sorry, please don't mind me. Continue, continue." Yin Wenyan said as he tried to stop laughing. He just can't help it. It's too tacky. He personally believes that "God of Arts and Literature" suits him more.
And so, Xu Zhengming continues again.
This Immortal Ming Zheng's heavenly calamity is taking place in the mortal realm where he has to be reborn as a human being without any powers that Gods possess. He has to live for a lifetime and experience the difficulties and pain of a human. However, time flows a lot faster in the mortal realm compared to the heavenly realm. It may be a lifetime in the mortal world but it's only more or less two weeks in the heavenly realm.
Rebirth, hunger, the pain of failure, love sufferings, old age, sickness, and death. These things are essential for a God of Love and Marriage to understand so that he can become a better god. Of course, after being reborn as a human, his memories in the Heaven Realm got erased and can only be retrieved after the heavenly calamity. The result of his test, like other Gods undergoing heavenly calamity, will be judged by the Heavenly Empress if it is a success or a failure. In Prince Shu Ren's case, it's obviously a failure but since there is an interruption while his test is ongoing, the result is still not certain.
Immortal Zheng Ming as a human being is a respectable scholar by day but a hoodlum by night. He only earns a little with writing but he has a lot of orphans to feed. The money he gets in writing is not even enough to sustain his needs but he pities the starving street children, and so he got no other choice but to do evil things such as robbery and stealing. He doesn't have the money to start a business. In addition, he got a weak body so no one likes to hire him as a worker. It's not that he wants to do such bad things, it's just 'poverty is not only a state of mind'.
Little did he know, Gods of high ranks are observing him from a magical mirror.
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Realm, Prince Yan Wen is the prime suspect to the incident about the crown prince's heavenly calamity. He's under interrogation with his mother, the Heavenly Empress.
"My son, I do not know why you are there in the area when it is forbidden to anyone to enter in the first place." The heavenly empress said with her chin up and her eyes staring down at her kneeling son coldly. "I cannot justify for you, even I doesn't know if you have malicious intent against your brother." This statement of his own mother pained him. He knows the heavenly empress at least cares for him in little ways but it's obvious that she favors his brother than him.
"The evidence against you is too strong. It's your very sword who injured Shu Ren. In addition, you are a formidable candidate to be the next ruler of the Heaven Realm. Do you know what I mean?" She lifts the prince's chin with the tip of her scepter to make him meet her gaze, "Others will think that you intentionally interrupted your brother's test to dispose the crowned prince and become the crowned prince yourself."
She withdraws her scepter and turns her back on her son and said in a cold and indifferent voice, "Even I would believe this."
"Mother..."
Without looking back to her son, she added, "I will give you a month to resolve this matter. If what you said about a trespasser is true, you ought to prove it. Or perhaps you can find your brother in the entire three realms and make him your witness. I believe this span of time is more than enough."
Truth be told, Prince Yan Wen doesn't know if he could clear his name within this span of time. However, he knows very well that he could not ask his mother for more.
"Here's your order, good sirs. Thank you for waiting!" The waiter finally served their lunch. Yin Wenyan got his bowl of Wonton Soup, spring rolls, and dumplings.  Meanwhile, Xu Zhengming received a luxurious bowl of fine sauced beef brisket, the restaurant's specialty: Braised Beef!
Days passed in the mortal world, Prince Shu Ren finally got his consciousness back. He found himself in a small cottage. His clothes are already replaced with a cheap yet clean robe. His wounds are cleaned and dressed as well. However, the prince cannot deny the fact that it still hurts every time he moves.
It's not too long before Ming Zheng got back from picking medicinal herbs from the backyard.
"You're awake." He said
Everything included in the scope of Prince Shu Ren's vision seems to slow down. The person who made his entrance in this small cottage is just the very definition of the word gorgeous. His pair of almond-shaped eyes seem to have a glint of light. The mole under his left eye added to his overall facial charm. His long inky black hair tied in a half ponytail sways in his every move. He pursed his thin and pink lips before he smiles at the prince.
"Based on the description, I can picture it as you." Yin Wenyan commented with a sweet smile.
"Really?" Xu Zhengming laughs. "I thought so too! As I read, I convinced myself that this Ming Zheng must be as good-looking as I am! And he got a mole under his left eye as well!"
Mingming continues to read the novel to his companion. He got hooked by the novel that he forgot he's hungry even the food is in front of him.
Prince Shu Ren did not recognize this God because Ming Zheng, as the famous God of Love and Marriage, is actually aloof and rarely goes out of his hall in heaven so they don't see each other often.
Ming Zheng comes closer to the stranger to check his temperature and pulse. To his surprise, the prince pulled him by the wrist and pinned him on the bed.
"Oh?" Prince Yin Wenyan's pair of phoenix eyes slightly narrowed.
Xu Zhengming got his eyebrows raised as well but continues to read anyway.
"And then Prince Shu Ren leans closer to the other and..."
"And what?" Prince Yin Wenyan got his eyebrows knitted as he slightly frowns.
Xu Zhengming continued to read it silently as his face gets closer to the book. The longer he reads the novel, the more complex his face becomes.
He whispers in an audible volume, "Already? Isn't it too early for this scene?"
This comment made Prince Yin Wenyan more restless and curious. "Just what happened after?"
"..." Xu Xhengming ignores him and reads the book seriously.
Realizing Xu Zhengming is not willing to read it to him aloud again, he reaches for the book.
"Aiyah. Let me read it myself then."
"No!"
Prince Yin Wenyan only got to touch the book with his fingertips but Xu Zhengming is being overprotective and held it closer to his chest.
Now, the prince is certain that there must be something wrong with the novel since his eunuch is refusing to continue. He told himself to talk to his sister about this matter when he goes back to the Lotus Hall.
With a hint of an authoritative tone, he demanded, "Give it to me. I'm confiscating that. It's rude to keep the food waiting."
He extended his hand to Xu Zhengming asking for the book. However, Xu Zhengming just stared at it for a good while. He's hesitating whether he should give this book to his majesty. He might read the next events himself. In the end, he got no choice but to surrender the book to the emperor.
And Mingming didn't get it wrong. Yin Wenyan indeed reads the next happenings in the story. The prince's serious face got even darker every after sentence.
"Nonsense!" He closed the book annoyingly. He then looks at Eunuch Xu, "You need not read this novel." He closes the book and laid it beside him.
He swears to himself that he will talk about this with his sister.