Chapter 44 [VIP]

"Come here, little one. Look, is this a red bean or a mung bean?"

A bean was placed in front of Murong Yue, and the old man pointed to it as a red bean. Murong Yue said it was a mung bean, and now it was the old man's turn to stare with wide, beady eyes.

"This person hasn't woken up yet. They don't seem very bright. Take good care of them when you get back, and make sure they eat plenty of fish to help them develop their brains," the doctor said.

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin looked at the boy. The boy sat properly opposite the doctor, holding the bean in his palm. When he stood up, the bean was in the center of his palm.

"Brother, go buy some fish," Murong Yue said, glancing at his wrist several times.

"Whether it's red beans or mung beans, it's just a matter of Your Highness's word. Such a distinction is rather hasty," Lu Xuejin said.

“That’s true,” Murong Yue grinned, revealing two tiger teeth. “However… people are all the same, most of them think too highly of themselves. What does it matter if you can distinguish between them, or not? Dividing this matter into two extremes seems to make those who can distinguish between them seem more powerful than those who can’t.

“Once we distinguish between mung beans and red beans, gray beans and blue beans, purple beans and white beans… everyone is a bean, and there’s always comparison. It’s not just about color or size. When there’s no difference in color and size, then it starts comparing when they were born and when they conceived. As long as there’s a slight difference, someone will always value it. All this comparison is just to be different from others, to satisfy a base and arrogant heart.” Murong Yue held the red bean through the sunlight, opening one eye to examine its luster.

"..." Lu Xuejin listened from the side and exclaimed in admiration, "Your Highness is so wise... I should learn more from Your Highness."

“Why do you want to learn from me, brother? I am the little gray bean, and you are the red bean among the beans. The red bean can’t see its own soft and tender texture, and always feels that it is not as good as the gray bean.” Murong Yue said beside him.

Hearing this nonsensical analogy, Lu Xuejin couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips. "Where did this gray bean come from? Your Highness is certainly not a gray bean. If we're really comparing, I think it's only a matter of character and likes and dislikes. Your Highness is more like Xueyuan... who, with her eyes open at night, can always see the vulnerabilities of others."

Murong Yue: "Xue Yuan is a bird. I don't like birds; flying around is too tiring. I want to be a little fish, swimming freely in clear water."

They passed a shop selling ornamental fish. The shop had used a special technique to create a glass-like material; the fish tank was huge and transparent, containing gray muddy water and lotus roots, layered with clear green lake water above. Small fish with red tails could be seen through the tank, weaving among the lotus leaves.

Lu Xuejin happened to pass by and saw it. He stopped in front of the fish tank and noticed that Murong Yue was staring at it. The boy walked to the fish tank, his features appearing through the water, meeting Lu Xuejin's gaze through the murky clear water. A fish's tail gently touched a lotus leaf, creating ripples that spread across the boy's cheek.

The crimson koi carp with white markings and the red lotus blooming among the lotus leaves create a lifelike painting.

Lu Xuejin: "Your Highness likes it...would you like to buy it?"

He asked, and notices were posted throughout the streets and alleys, with soldiers patrolling among them. The people bustled about, discussing the Qiu family case. Qiu Xiongcai's crimes were exposed throughout the land, and he was sentenced to death and beheaded. Qiu Fuze was considered an accomplice for protecting and condoning him, and all of Qiu's saltworks were confiscated, with the proceeds going to the national treasury.

“I won’t buy it. I won’t squander your money,” Murong Yue said, withdrawing his gaze and lowering his eyes, his fingertips touching the reflection of the young man behind him.

When the little fish touched the young man's face, it looked like it was kissing the young man's cheek, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Aren't we going to see Sister Wei Ning? Has she arrived yet?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the figure of a masked woman appeared at the entrance of a restaurant along the commercial street. Because of Wei Ning's attire, it became fashionable throughout the capital; now, masked women could be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, their faces completely hidden, making them difficult to identify. Only their tokens could reveal which family's young lady they were. This made Wei Ning's movements much easier, and she easily shook off the guards watching her.

Lu Xuejin noticed the person behind Wei Ning.

She seemed impatient, but the person behind her continued to walk slowly. The man behind her had disheveled hair, a hunched back, and a frail, haggard appearance. His skin was unusually pale from spending so much time indoors, and his hair almost completely obscured his eyebrows and eyes, concealing his naturally pitiful brows and melancholic, drooping eyes; only the dark circles under his eyes were visible. Every two steps, he would stop, cover his face with his sleeve, rub his eyes, and they would redden.

Lu Xuejin and Murong Yue heard Wei Ning's roar from across the street.

"Can you walk faster!"

"..." The last time Lu Xuejin saw Wei Ning like this was more than ten years ago. A melancholy divorced gentleman came to the capital, spending his days in tears because of his separation from his wife. Wei Ning spent his days talking badly about the gentleman to him and Xue Yi, and became much more unruly in class. However, as far as he knew... later the gentleman received love letters from his students, and he glanced at one by chance, noticing that it looked like Wei Ning's handwriting.

When Wei Ning roared, the man behind him trembled, wiped his face several times, and carefully walked only on Wei Ning's shadow.

That was Cui Ruhao. He looked melancholy and downcast, as if he would sink into a crevice at the slightest sound. Yet his writing was unbreakable, and his will was extremely firm. He had hidden Cui Ruhao in the palace for nearly half a year. Although the two of them had never met, he had heard bits and pieces of what happened. For some time, to avoid Xue Yi's search, Cui Ruhao spent two months in a dark room less than twenty feet wide. In that dark room, he ate stale steamed buns for half a month, burying himself in writing and never complaining about his living conditions.

"...Changyou? Jiu...Xiao Jiu?"

Hearing this, Cui Ruhao looked over, and the two of them locked eyes. Across the crowd, Lu Xuejin sensed that many things had vanished—a strange feeling, like the essays they admired in their youth being placed together by their teacher. It was like exchanging glances with a classmate with whom she had never met before, their souls resonating through each other's writings, gently pulsating together with the harmonious melody of the poems.

“Look. Your mentor is here. Why don’t you thank me for giving you the opportunity to see him in person?” Wei Ning said.

“…Long, long ...

Murong Yue watched from the side; this was his brother's follower. On the cobblestone ground, a disheveled man knelt, clutching a corner of Lu Xuejin's robe. Touching that patch of white, he seemed to have touched something precious in broad daylight, and burst into tears.

"Lord Cui Lingjie, please rise." Lu Xuejin, oblivious to the ink stains on his clothes, respectfully bent down and helped Cui Ruhao to his feet. Cui Ruhao leaned against him, tears streaming down his face like shimmering lake water, a suppressed sob rising in his throat. Lu Xuejin's heart was moved, and he personally wiped away Cui Ruhao's tears.

“While I was in the palace, I was often worried about Lord Lingjie. If I were in Lord Lingjie’s situation, I don’t have the confidence to persevere… But Lord Lingjie did it, which is truly admirable. I have also read your articles; Lord Lingjie’s talent and natural integrity are rare in this world,” Lu Xuejin said in a low voice.

Cui Ruhao: "I...I...I merely imitated Lord Lu's handwriting, but I could not capture his refined humility. I heard those rumors in the palace and was deeply worried about Lord Lu. In my eyes, Lord Lu is my mentor, not someone's wife or husband. The thought of Lord Lu's name being associated with someone else makes me...I can't help but shed tears...I shouldn't be like this."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin was slightly surprised, then his eyebrows curved into a smile. He helped up Cui Ruhao, who was crying bitterly, and his palm touched those tears, which were hot and bright, like scattered flames.

"In that case, Lingjie should be my confidant."

Wei Ning watched from the side and saw Cui Ruhao crying uncontrollably because of Lu Xuejin's words, as if he was about to cry all the tears he had in his life.

"Alright, alright. Go inside and stop crying. You'll never stop crying all the time," Wei Ning said.

Murong Yue looked at the young man's lowered head, passed by the restaurant's mirror, tried to open his eyes, touched his eyelids, and tried to pull them open, but he couldn't cry. He hadn't cried when his mother spanked him when he was little. If he could cry, his brother would like him even more.

He touched his eyelids, stared at himself in the mirror, and was about to poke his eyeball with his finger when Lu Xuejin in front of him turned her head to look at him.

Lu Xuejin: "Your Highness... what are you doing?"

He then withdrew his hand and said to the young man, "I got a flying insect in my eye, brother, can you take a look?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xuejin immediately stopped, while Wei Ning and Cui Ruhao went inside first. He walked over to look at the boy's eyes. The boy, standing two steps below him on the stairs, leaned closer, looked up at him, and pointed to his own eyeballs.

"Brother Changyou, take a look, are there any bugs?"

"..." Lu Xuejin leaned down and touched the child's eyelids. The child's clear black and white eyes reflected his image. He didn't see any flying insects, but their breath seemed to linger around him as they got closer. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late. Murong Yue's innocent expression was overflowing as he looked at him with a smile. His little tiger teeth popped out as he leaned in and bit Lu Xuejin's lip.

"Your Highness." He looked at the person after being bitten, without blaming him. Murong Yue looked at him with a grin, and then said, "Brother, Sister Wei Ning and your followers are waiting for us. Let's go in quickly."

Lu Xuejin sighed and couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, where did you learn this title? How can you call someone a believer?"

He couldn't tell whether the boy had recovered or not; he only felt that the boy was eccentric, sometimes clever, sometimes chaotic, and sometimes uncontrollable, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

Murong Yue: "I understand. You should call him Lord Cui."

Inside the room, Wei Ning sat down, and Cui Ruhao sat down next to him. Wei Ning complained, "Do we have to be so close? Aren't you hot?"

Despite being scolded by Wei Ning, Cui Ruhao didn't budge an inch. He felt incredibly safe being enveloped by Wei Ning's shadow. He lingered next to Wei Ning, smiled sheepishly at Lu Xuejin, then lowered his eyes and helped Wei Ning serve tea and water.

"Xiao Jiu, come here and sit here with your sister," Wei Ning said, patting the side of her.

"Sister Wei Ning." Murong Yue immediately called out sweetly and sat down between Lu Xuejin and Wei Ning.

Wei Ning: "Didn't you say you were coming to my place to see my cooking skills? I haven't seen you guys come here."

Lu Xuejin replied, "I came today."

“You should be careful,” Wei Ning said, looking at his injured wrist. “If Xue Yi hadn’t arrived in time, do you know how dangerous it would have been for you at the Qiu residence?”

Lu Xuejin recalled that when His Highness was beside him, he didn't feel much danger. While Wei Ning was speaking, Cui Ruhao took out paper and pen from his sleeve, dipped them in tea, and began drawing small pictures.

"I know what I'm doing, so don't worry," he reassured Wei Ning.

Wei Ning: "I can't put my mind at ease. I've summoned you here today because I have important matters to discuss. Xue Yi is determined to take Your Highness's life, so Your Highness cannot stay here any longer. Since you're going to Liancheng, why don't you leave the capital with Your Highness? I have two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear?"

Cui Ruhao said from the side, "Bad news."

"I didn't ask you to answer." Wei Ning nudged the man with his elbow, and the form that Cui Ruhao had painstakingly worked to take shape just fell apart.

Cui Ruhao put down his pen.

Lu Xuejin laughed: "Listen to Lingjie. Bad news."

"The bad news is that Xue Yi has summoned Xiao Qi back to the capital. If you want to leave the capital, the difficulty is... about the same as ascending to heaven. The good news is that it is said that the King of Hu has come to visit the King of Wei and is now on his way to the capital."

Lu Xuejin: "King Hu?"

Cui Ruhao: "His original name was Yege, and his surname was Akelu Khan. He was the youngest son of the former King Hu, and it is said that he was also the only son. He ascended the throne three years ago. The previous emperor had never visited the capital. Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, the timing is just right... His visit has given us an opportunity."

"You know quite a lot," Wei Ning said with some surprise, glancing at the man beside him. "You usually don't leave your house, yet you know the name of the King of Hu?"

Cui Ruhao replied, "It's written in the book."

The Hu people have been a nomadic people since ancient times. Originally a branch of the northern tribes, they migrated to the southwest after the northern ice melted several hundred years ago. Over the centuries, they drew a clear line between themselves and the Liang and Wei dynasties at the border with the capital. The Hu people had a history of many conflicts, but since the old Hu king took office and quelled the internal strife, they have been relatively quiet for a long time.

Lu Xuejin: "...Akelu Khan. The new king doesn't seem to be very old. I wonder what his purpose is in visiting Wei now."

Wei Ning: "Speaking of which, Your Highness, did you meet the King of Hu while you were in Lidu?"

"..." Murong Yue said quietly, "I have never seen him. Entering the capital at this time, he must be a person who does as he pleases."

"Ye, Yege, Ge is twenty-eight years old this year and has not yet married. The letter he sent to the King of Wei was that he heard the King of Wei likes to play chess and wanted to go to the capital to play chess with the King of Wei. He also said that he has an eighteen-year-old nephew... to come and see if he is still alive."

“It sounds like he’s really doing whatever he wants,” Lu Xuejin said. “If he really has distant relatives in the capital, why didn’t he care before, but suddenly brought it up now? It’s probably to cover things up.”

"...When will Xiao Qi arrive in the capital?"

Wei Ning: "Tonight."

In the palace.

The news of General Xiao Qi's impending arrival in the capital caused a stir in the palace, but Xiyuan Palace remained eerily silent. All the officials were waiting for Xue Yi, who collapsed beside the bed, vomiting a whole basin of bloody water.

Imperial Physician Jia: "This is a lingering effect from the banned drug last time. Your Majesty's body will become addicted to the drug... Your Majesty must be careful. This drug must never be used again."

Xue Yi leaned against the side of the bed, frail and sickly, his long, narrow eyes dark and unfocused, sweat dripping down his hair, his illness leaving him on the verge of death. Blood stained his lips and the corners of his eyes, making him look like a ghost, as if he had crawled out of the swirling air of death.

"...Changyou."

He read out the young man's name, and a nauseating stench of blood poured into the basin, staining the name along with the color of life and death, a color called obsession.

A note from the author: