Chapter 46 [VIP]

The awning boat rocked gently. Lu Xuejin lifted the curtain and stepped out. Not far away, a boy wearing a pig-face mask stood, his sharp eyes shining through it. The splashing water seemed to express his resentment, and the lotus leaves, sensing the boy's anger, curled up in disarray.

A low cough came from inside the boat. Lu Xuejin glanced at it, then walked up to the boy. As she approached and stepped into the boy's territory, an undisguised anger and gloom emanated from her.

"Look at this. I told you not to let His Highness come over, and now you're arguing with this poor little boat?" he sighed.

He touched the boy's hand, which was holding Chuan Song's hand and had many wrinkles on the back. As soon as he touched the person, the boy gently pulled forward, and he was pulled forward. The boy immediately caught him, and he bumped into the person's arms.

Water splashed near his ear, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the candlelight inside the awning boat. He couldn't help but stare, his cheek brushing against the ugly pig-face mask. The rope came loose, revealing a handsome and aloof face beneath. The young man had deep, dark eyes, and a red earring by his ear drifted to the center of the lake. He had one arm around him and the other hand bracing the boat.

"Let's go back and ignore him," Murong Yue said unhappily.

"When I saw him touch Brother, I wanted to kill him on the boat."

“In that case, if Your Highness takes action,” Lu Xuejin said, “Your Highness can see the guards on the shore behind the boat. We will be surrounded by them soon. Perhaps we can escape by chance, but Ziyan, Tengluo, Wei Ning, and Lord Cui are still in the capital. Your Highness and I will spend our whole lives hiding and hiding, and we will only implicate them.”

Murong Yue raised his eyebrows and said, "Even if we leave the capital in the future, we may have to hide from each other for the rest of our lives. If you don't want to, go and tell him now, tell him that I am hiding here."

“…What are you saying in anger?” Lu Xuejin touched the rope behind the boy’s ear and put the mask back on him.

"A lifetime is too long. Right now, Your Highness's safe departure from the capital is the most important thing," he said in a low voice.

As he withdrew his hand, it brushed against the boy's ear. A glimpse of crimson tassel flashed by, catching Murong Yue's eye. He wondered what he had said to anger the other. The cool mask pressed against him, and the hand at his side exerted a little force, causing him to lose his balance and stumble forward. The boy caught him, and then lowered his head to bite his lip.

The awning boat passed deep into the lotus blossoms, where the emerald green lotus leaves and flower shadows reflected each other, and koi carp swam among them.

He bumped into the mask on the boy's face, and the boy's tiger teeth bit through his lip. Jealousy was transmitted to him through the pain, and the raging fire in his eyes seemed to burn away his calm, plunging him into a lonely bitterness. His breath swept over every inch of him, his teeth, lips, and tongue were about to be swallowed up, becoming playthings to be eroded by the boy.

His breathing became slightly erratic, simply because he was no longer calm. The boy, on the other hand, calmed down and kissed and licked his ear, whispering in his ear.

“Brother, go take care of him. He doesn’t look like he’ll live much longer. I won’t fight with a dead man.”

Such vicious words. The boy's eyes still reflected innocence, his little tiger tooth flashing as he smiled at him. His true colors were revealed whenever he was jealous.

The coughing in the inner room grew louder and louder, so Lu Xuejin returned to the boat awning. As soon as he entered, he saw a large pool of blood that Xue Yi had vomited; his illness had never been this severe before. Under the moonlight, the blood reflected his and Xue Yi's faces like a mirror.

He was overcome with grief and became slightly lost in thought, as if he saw the figures of his father and mother in the scene.

"Changyou... Yanli is not in good health, you should be more considerate of him."

“He is our family.”

His father's words echoed in his ears. He took off his outer robe to cover the bloodstain and couldn't help but ask, "...When did it get so serious? Why did you vomit so much blood?"

“It’s nothing serious,” Xue Yi said. “Imperial Physician Jia changed my medicine. This is a side effect of the medicine. It looks scary, but I’m actually getting better.”

Despite wearing rough, dark clothes, Xue Yi's inherent charisma was still undeniable. Xue Yi's eyes reflected his stunned expression, his damp, cold hair clung to his temples, and his hand touched his cheek.

"Changyou, don't worry. The scenery is beautiful, it's just a pity that my health is ruining the atmosphere."

Lu Xuejin glanced over, took a handkerchief and wiped away Xue Yi's blood, saying to the others, "Not at all. This beautiful scenery, just sitting here with my brother and lighting a candle, makes me feel much better."

“However… let’s go back first today. We’ll come out to see him again another day when he’s feeling better. I’m still worried about him after he’s vomited so much blood… let’s go back to the palace.”

His concern was genuine, which drew frequent glances from Xue Yi. He felt a strong pull on his wrist and said to the man, "Brother, don't worry. I will accompany you to see the imperial physician in the palace."

Lu Xuejin: "I won't leave as soon as I return to the palace."

He sat down beside Xue Yi, as if transported back to his childhood. As a child, he always sat by Xue Yi's sickbed, and this small bed was exactly the same as the one in his memory. Only back then, his shoes couldn't touch the ground, and he had to struggle to climb onto the bed, and even sitting down required some effort. Now he was an adult, and this awning boat felt like a narrow box to him; he could easily touch the top of it.

Xue Yi coughed up blood and became much weaker. Moonlight shone on the lotus leaves, and a weight settled on his shoulder as he collapsed against one of them. He touched the coarse cloth clothes and looked at Xue Yi, who had his eyes closed and looked fragile. This person was like a delicate flower branch, which would shatter at the slightest touch. Yet, from his youth until now, he still struggled to piece himself back together, like a withered branch.

A pair of black boots came into his sight, and Murong Yue lifted the curtain. Murong Yue saw that the person had fainted, and a dagger appeared in his palm. The dagger gleamed coldly in the silver light and pressed against Xue Yi's neck.

For a moment, Lu Xuejin seemed to see the dagger piercing Xue Yi's neck. He and Xue Yi were still playing chess, but halfway through the game, Xue Yi's shogi piece automatically shattered. Without a general, there can be no army; with the shogi piece dead, the game naturally ceases to exist.

He had imagined Xue Yi's death many times. From childhood to adulthood, every time he was in a hospital bed, he worried that Xue Yi would die. The taciturn boy, weak and pale, lurking in the shadows, would fall and shatter with a gentle push. Blood would splatter from Xue Yi's body, sprouting into a large patch of peonies tinged with ink.

“...No.” he said.

Murong Yue sheathed his dagger. He placed the person on the small bed, which was just right for Xue Yi. In the small, dark cabin of the awning boat, Xue Yi's breath was faint.

He stayed by the bedside until the awning boat returned to shore. The guards on the shore were watching him intently. He handed the man over to a guard and said, "His Majesty vomited blood and fainted. Where is Physician Jia now?"

As he and Xue Yi had agreed, he watched the imperial physicians bustling about in Xiyuan Palace. He stood guard to one side, and when he grew drowsy, Murong Yue, disguised as a guard, quietly came to his side and touched his cheek with his palm, waking him up. His mind, which had been preoccupied with his sickbed, was now preoccupied with worrying that His Highness would be discovered.

The boy treated the palace as his own home, coming and going as he pleased. Then he realized that it was originally His Highness's home, and His Highness knew this place like the back of his hand.

He stayed up all night and left before dawn.

Before dawn, many more guards appeared at the palace gates as they left. Xiao Qi had brought her personal guards; she had been drunk the day before, and given the regular schedule in the military camp, she had risen before daybreak and was chatting with them at the palace gates. By sheer coincidence, they bumped into Lu Xuejin, who was also leaving the palace.

Xiao Qi: "When that brat Hu comes over, I will definitely show him the might of our Great Wei soldiers. You all must perform well then and not embarrass him."

Soldier A: "Yes, sir!"

Soldier B: "Yes, sir!"

"The palace forbids drills, but we can't abandon our military traditions. Come on, follow me and warm up. Three, two, one, two, three. A good soldier doesn't slack off; those who eat the Wei people's rations are soldiers. Hee-ha-hee-ha-hee-ha... What's that Hu kid's name again? Ye-lu-ge-han?"

“Hehe,” the soldier followed Xiao Qi’s movements and said shyly, “General, I don’t know either.”

"You still have the nerve to laugh, you son of a bitch!" Xiao Qi kicked the man, nearly sending him crashing into the carriage. He quickly grabbed the man, startling the soldier.

The carriage slowly came to a stop. Xiao Qi stared intently at the plain carriage with his narrow pupils. Seeing that the guards did not stop him, he spoke up from the side, "Wait."

"There has been no imperial decree from the palace. Who is this person... treating the palace as their own home? Coming and going in so casually, let this general see for himself." Xiao Qi slowly lifted the curtain.

The curtain was suddenly thrown open. Lu Xuejin had met Xiao Qi a few times, and his impression of this person was that he was much more difficult to deal with than Song Zhao. Although he seemed like a warrior, he was very meticulous and his actions were unpredictable and hard to fathom.

Upon seeing him, Xiao Qi immediately stopped and apologized, saying, "So it's Lord Lu. My apologies. I've been drinking too much and completely forgot that Lord Lu is still in the palace."

As Xiao Qi spoke, she glanced at the coachman in front of her, revealing her bright white teeth. "Lord Lu, please don't blame me. Please forgive this rough fellow. We haven't seen each other for a long time. I will definitely visit you in person to apologize another day."

“It is I who should pay a visit,” Lu Xuejin said. “General Xiao, you are too kind. I am no longer in the palace. I just returned from seeing His Majesty off and am about to leave the palace… General Xiao, could you please do me a favor?”

Lu Xuejin spoke politely and with impeccable manners, leaving no room for criticism. Even when Xiao Qi slighted her, she did not show any resentment.

“Of course. Of course. Since Lord Lu has spoken, how could it be inconvenient?” Xiao Qi stepped back slightly, and the young man in the carriage thanked her gently. He watched the man leave, and the carriage became a small black dot.

The smile on his face disappeared only after the person left.

Xiao Qi: "Didn't they get married? The Emperor allowed him to leave the palace... He's really confused."

The guards remained silent. It was no secret in the palace that the two were only superficially affectionate. Outsiders were unaware that Xue Yi had married, but those in the palace, watching the newlyweds, knew that while there had been some affection between them before the marriage, it had now grown increasingly distant.

"Go, you two go and follow him, see where he goes. The coachman who's with him looks unfamiliar, check him out too," Xiao Qi instructed.

As soon as they left the palace, Lu Xuejin noticed something was wrong. They took several detours and shook off the people sent by Xiao Qi.

"Brother, are you troubled by this matter?" Murong Yue asked, leaning closer to him.

“Not really,” Lu Xuejin said. “It’s just that he saw Your Highness today, so Your Highness must not reveal any flaws in front of him in the future. It’s best not to show yourself in front of him.”

"I understand, Brother Changyou. I'll hide if there's any danger, don't worry," Murong Yue said.

"Brother, I have something to do today and need to go out."

This was the first time Murong Yue had mentioned going out. Lu Xuejin was silent for a moment, then instinctively wanted to ask where he was going. He looked at the boy, who smiled at him. Only then did he realize that the boy rarely confided in him when he had something on his mind. He couldn't help but sigh, but after watching him for so long, he was both worried and didn't want him to leave his sight when he mentioned going out.

"Is Your Highness going to see someone?"

"I'll go for a stroll by myself, don't worry, Brother Changyou, I'll be back tonight," Murong Yue said.

"Is it because you can't bear to part with me, brother?" Murong Yue leaned closer to look at him, his eyes almost touching his eyelashes. He was not swayed by the boy's approach. The boy's breath fell on his cheek, and he blew on him as he had done before.

“...Your Highness, please return soon,” he said.

Murong Yue responded, put on his mask, and left the courtyard, disappearing in an instant.

The streets and alleys were bustling with activity. Murong Yue left the small courtyard. This place was specially chosen by Lu Xuejin; it was not easy to be discovered and was hidden deep in the alleys. The surrounding courtyards were all inhabited by Lu Xuejin's personal guards.

Since the fall of the Qiu family, salt prices are now controlled by the imperial court and have dropped by more than half. The people have been celebrating this, and statues of the Salt Granny have appeared on the streets, illuminated by red lanterns. Salt products are everywhere. Salted eggs, salted duck eggs, and pickled chicken, fish, and meat are neatly arranged. These pickled items used to be very expensive, but now their prices are much lower. A large character "Wei" hangs under the eaves.

Murong Yue went to the place where Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin often frequented. Between the moats of the capital city, there was a Yin-Yang Bridge, bustling with vendors on both sides, remaining lively even at midnight. The capital's night market was vibrant, with pedestrians weaving through it, their reflections shimmering in the lake. The bridge truly seemed to be a boundary between Yin and Yang, its reflection mirroring the shadowy figures below.

He had been waiting for a while when he spotted the young man and woman. After hearing that he had disappeared from the palace, Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin had searched for him several times. He passed through the crowd, appearing briefly before the young man and woman wearing a pig-face mask, leaving them both stunned.

"You all go elsewhere first, Miss Yue and I have something to say." Xiao Shen reacted very quickly, immediately shaking off the guards.

Yue Lanxin understood and said to the maids, "None of you are allowed to listen."

The two were childhood sweethearts. The accompanying maids and guards assumed the young couple were trying to get close secretly and didn't want them to see, so they didn't follow them. However, with so many people around, they disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin followed the pig-faced mask to a secluded spot. Once the surroundings quieted down, the boy removed the mask in front of them, revealing his true face.

"Your Highness!" Xiao Shen exclaimed, and Yue Lanxin was also very surprised.

"It's been a long time." Murong Yue stepped forward and hugged both of them at the same time, as if he had really missed them. They were all the same age, and the three young men and women hugged each other. Xiao Shen and Yue Lanxin had never been so close to anyone before, and their faces turned red when they looked at each other.

“You…you’re still alive,” Xiao Shen said incredulously. “Lan Xin and I were worried about you for days after we heard you died. We even built a grave for you behind the academy.”

Yue Lanxin noticed something unusual and asked, "Ninth Prince, aren't you afraid we'll expose you now that you're here before us?"

“In my opinion, you two are trustworthy people. The palace is a prison for me,” Murong Yue said. “I have come here to ask you for a favor. I hope you can help me.”

A note from the author: