Chapter 90 [VIP]

Today is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, His Highness's birthday. Lu Xuejin suddenly recalled the day she first met His Highness, which was almost a year ago. At that time, Shengjing also experienced a heavy snowfall. His Highness was kneeling in front of the Golden Palace. He saw her as he passed by and asked Ziyan to bring her an umbrella.

“I went to take a look yesterday. There are many animal temples in Lidu. Are those human figures with animal heads and human bodies brought from the Hu tribe?” Wei Ning asked, and he finally came to his senses.

He replied, “The Hu people worship mountain gods and use animals as male concubines. This place is close to the Hu people, and the two tribes have built many temples based on their respective customs.”

“In that case,” Wei Ning said thoughtfully, then looked at him again, “when do you plan to take His Majesty back?”

“I originally came here to find the divine physician. That physician, Qiu Ji, is in Fugou City, near the capital. Now that His Majesty has come to the capital, I must go to the physician to treat my brother,” he said.

As he spoke, he glanced at Xue Yi, who was fast asleep on the bed. The light from the latticed window cast a multicolored halo, enveloping Xue Yi's face and falling on his eyelashes, like a beam of light shining through a forest, colorful and vibrant.

He had originally intended to travel south to seek medical help for his elder brother, but on the way, he had presumptuously promised His Highness that he would stay, which triggered His Highness's hysteria. He hadn't yet found the divine physician, and was now separated from His Highness. His brother's illness worsened, and he traveled south to find him. After all this wandering and circling, he had ultimately returned to where he started.

Thinking about this, he didn't know whether to lament the cruel twist of fate or the unpredictability of life.

Wei Ning: "Are you talking about Physician Qiu? Changyou... I forgot to write to tell you about this. Physician Qiu heard that you wanted to see him, so he brought his daughter all the way from the south to Shengjing. After hearing this, Song Zhao specially went to invite the physician to treat Xue Yi. Xue Yi fell seriously ill after you left, and Physician Qiu managed to save him. But he went back again after all that trouble... It wouldn't hurt for you to see him again; only Physician Qiu could do something about it."

Lu Xuejin responded, looking down at Xue Yi's fluttering eyelashes.

Xue Yi's face was pale, his handsome face showing a pale, deathly white color, but it was enhanced by his weak breathing. His sickly body was still struggling to hold on. After hearing his words, he felt slightly better and a weak blush appeared on his face.

"Yes, I will discuss this matter with my brother after he wakes up."

"He has been unconscious for nearly two days. Has he woken up in between?" Wei Ning asked. She looked at the light falling on Xue Yi's face through the latticed window and subconsciously reached out to touch him. Just as she was about to touch Xue Yi's face, the sleeping man opened his eyes.

Wei Ning and Xue Yi's eyes met, and the air suddenly fell silent. She looked into his long, narrow eyes, where the pupils were dark and deep. Xue Yi's forehead was covered in sweat, and he looked perfectly awake, not like someone who was unconscious. She reacted almost immediately and covered Xue Yi's eyes with her palm.

Lu Xuejin said from behind her, "She woke up several times yesterday, perhaps she's still angry with me, which is why she didn't want to wake up."

"Cough cough..." Wei Ning coughed, casually withdrawing her hand. As soon as she withdrew her hand, Xue Yi closed his eyes again, looking no different from before.

“Are you two still children? What's there to argue about between brothers? If Xue Yi wakes up, you should pass on my message. We finally got here, and if you get angry again, you might ruin your health. Xue Yi, look at you... Chang You can't do anything with you when you're sick. Chang You has already decided to go back with you, so don't be angry anymore.”

After Wei Ning finished speaking, he said to Lu Xuejin, "Changyou, please don't mind him. His personality has become increasingly strange since he fell ill. Sometimes he shows signs of being young and becomes fragile and sensitive."

After saying this, Wei Ning looked down and saw the bracelet on her wrist. The clear, lustrous jade bracelet, its shimmering surface visible in the light, was a beautiful color like lake water, a gift from Murong Qing. Looking at the bracelet, she involuntarily pulled down her sleeve, touching its cool surface, and an indescribable emotion welled up within her.

"Take good care of Xue Yi. I'm going to check on General Xiao again." Wei Ning stood up casually.

Lu Xuejin was behind Wei Ning. He saw the thoughts that appeared when Wei Ning lowered his eyes. Seeing that Wei Ning was about to leave, he turned to look at him and said to Wei Ning, "You've worked hard. Don't worry about us. You escorted the Emperor all the way here. When your brother wakes up, he should thank you."

Wei Ning: "No need for thanks. If he is willing, it would be a blessing for Great Wei if he recovers soon."

Seeing Wei Ning leave, the hall fell silent once more. No one made a sound, except for the cold wind whistling through the paper windows. The wind grew closer from afar, but by the time it reached them, it couldn't penetrate the brick and tile hall; it could only swirl around them, whipping up snowflakes that swirled towards the sky.

Lu Xuejin said quietly, "Now that you're awake, why pretend to be asleep?"

As soon as he spoke, Xue Yi on the bed fluttered his eyelashes and opened his eyes. His deep pupils regained their tranquility as he gazed at him, his gaze mirroring the moon reflected in the water. The rippling lake obscured the moon, making it impossible to discern his emotions.

"Did you hear my conversation with Wei Ning just now, brother? Before we return to the capital, we need to go to see Physician Qiu."

“…cough,” Xue Yi tried to get up, but coughed again as soon as he moved, and said to him, “Just listen to Changyou…cough.”

Hearing the commotion, Lu Xuejin rushed over to help him up. As soon as he touched Xue Yi's wrist, Xue Yi suddenly stopped, and Lu Xuejin's movements also came to a halt. The two of them remained frozen in mid-air.

“I’m so grateful to Changyou for staying by my side all this time. He hasn’t slept for days,” Xue Yi said after a moment of silence. “I can get up by myself.”

"To see Doctor Qiu... Shall we go now?"

Lu Xuejin withdrew her hand and said to Xue Yi, "There's no rush, brother, please rest well first. How are you feeling?"

Xue Yi: "It's all better now, it's nothing serious."

Lu Xuejin stared at the beads of sweat on Xue Yi's temples. He sensed an unspoken tension brewing between them, an atmosphere like a fog that blurred their features. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

"Brother..."

"Changyou..."

They both spoke at the same time, but Xue Yi stopped talking and said to him after a moment, "I have something to discuss with Xiao Qi. Changyou, why don't you go back and rest first?"

He met Xue Yi's dark pupils and always felt that once the other person concealed his emotions, those emotions became unfathomable, and the thoughts of the person in front of him became as unfathomable as before, which invisibly widened the distance between them.

“…” Lu Xuejin said, “I understand. I will send someone to summon General Xiao. Brother, just wait.”

Xue Yi: "Thank you for your help, Changyou."

As Lu Xuejin left the palace, she watched the figure disappear. Xue Yi sat on the edge of the bed, the veins on his temples bulging. A metallic taste rose in his throat as he barely suppressed the pain and tried to calm himself down.

"Your Majesty!" Xiao Qi immediately entered the hall and saw Xue Yi sit up, then knelt down on one knee.

Xiao Qi: "Your Majesty! How are you feeling? I noticed that Lord Lu is ill again. If seeing him upsets you, I will come and take care of you."

"I've made my ministers worry about me; it was all my fault... I kept thinking of seeing him on the way, and once I saw him, I couldn't control my emotions. I don't know what to do," Xue Yi said.

"My long illness... may have damaged my brain. Every time I see him, I can't remember anything, and I can't think about state affairs. I worry that if he asks me for something in the future, I might actually grant it."

Xue Yi: "I summoned you here because I have two matters to discuss. The first is that scourge; the Ninth Prince must be eliminated, for he will surely come to attack me in the future. I trust you with this matter. The second matter… after you have dealt with matters concerning leaving the capital, proceed to Wuling. After I return to the capital, I will instruct Lady Cui, Lady He, and Xiao Shen that I will inquire about their wishes. If they wish to remain in Shengjing, I will hand them over to Prince Bingliang. I will send Lady Cui and Lady He to Wuling. You shall guard Wuling with peace of mind and are not to return to the capital without my decree."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Qi sensed something was amiss and couldn't help but ask, "What does Your Majesty mean? Are you worried about me and my family? I am a general of the Wei Dynasty. Even if the Ninth Prince were to survive, and even if the Hu tribes and the surrounding ten kingdoms were to attack, I would still protect Your Majesty. No matter what... I will not abandon Your Majesty."

“That’s not the case,” Xue Yi broke out in a cold sweat. He recalled the expression on Lu Xuejin’s face that day. Her gaze was etched into his heart and could not be erased, like a cold, sharp cone suddenly piercing his heart.

"Xiao Qi. I have always been cautious in my actions. Although I am now ill and my health is declining, I have spent my youth in constant danger. Perhaps this is a talent bestowed upon me by Heaven, for my premonition has never failed me. Since coming to the capital this time, after seeing Changyou, I have felt uneasy, as if everything is about to slip out of my control. I am a dying man, and I must make the worst-case scenario plan... If the Wei Dynasty falls, I am not too worried about Song Zhao's character, as he is capable of protecting himself... If you stay in Shengjing, I am afraid your fate will be grim. I do not intend for you to resign from your post. You only need to stay in Wuling. If it does not come to that, I will summon you back to the capital if I need you."

Xiao Qi finally understood what was meant. He was slightly taken aback when he saw his lord's weak and emaciated appearance. Right now, only his lord could command him... but if they returned to the palace, perhaps someone else could command him.

"Remember this: you are not to return to the capital without my summons."

Xiao Qi was filled with mixed emotions, and Xue Yi's figure was reflected in his vision. He had grown up in a butcher shop and later went to the army camp, always having a straightforward and rough nature, but now he was slow to notice those emotions. His internal organs felt like they had been pickled, and the festering wounds inside were aching from the sores.

The image of the young man who had just brushed past him flashed through his mind. This man had traveled south, and in every city they passed through, the local prefects and garrison commanders had spoken highly of him. If Lu Xuejin dared to rebel, he feared that no official in their Great Wei would dare to disobey.

"Your Majesty, I understand. I have already located the Ninth Prince's whereabouts. You may leave this matter to me. Your Majesty... please take good care of your health."

Xiao Qi left the main hall with a heavy heart. His soldiers had already left the city, and he intended to search the entire capital. Even if the Ninth Prince was dead, he had to see the body and make sure it was completely cold.

As soon as he stepped out of the main hall, he encountered Lu Xuejin, who was guarding outside the hall.

Lu Xuejin had been waiting outside the main hall. When she bumped into him, her glassy eyes softened with a gentle emotion as she apologized, "General Xiao, thank you for your hard work. Has His Majesty gone to sleep?"

A wave of unease washed over him. The thought of his lord's heartbreak over someone else's death made the young man before him look rather unfriendly. He sneered inwardly and replied, "If I were Lord Lu, having already decided not to return to the capital, I should have kept quiet. Lord Lu has come all this way to meet the Emperor, and I see that although you haven't spoken, you've already made your intentions clear: you're hypocritical!"

Lu Xuejin remained calm, enduring his humiliation, and said quietly, "I am traveling south on His Majesty's orders. Why must you make things difficult for me, General? If General Xiao does not wish His Majesty to see me, he should stop His Majesty in the palace. Otherwise, I will cause His Majesty to fall seriously ill on the way here."

"My whereabouts are irrelevant; it is General Xiao who should remember his elder brother's words."

Lu Xuejin brushed past him as she entered the hall, and only then did he notice that the young man was dressed in red today. His already superior appearance was like that of an immortal, his glassy eyes shimmering with light and shadow, and a gentle smile playing on his lips. The golden threads of the flying snow cranes drooped down, casting a blood-red shadow on the flowing red robe.

Xiao Qi was furious at Lu Xuejin's words, which implied that she had overheard their entire conversation. Just as her anger was about to erupt, a strange feeling arose in her heart as she looked at the falling blood-red shadow. She felt that the young man before her still had the same appearance, but he no longer seemed like an immortal; instead, he exuded a chilling, ghostly aura.

He spat out a curse and walked past the people.

Outside the capital city.

Before Murong Yue even entered the city, he spotted the soldiers blocking his way from afar. Having served in the Lidu military camp before, he could tell these soldiers didn't seem to be from Lidu. He hid in the bushes and, as the soldiers passed by, noticed the overturned token with the words "Wuling" on it. It belonged to Xiao Qi's Wuling Army.

Even if he was slow to realize, he would eventually understand that Xiao Qi had besieged the capital city, which was why Lu Xuejin wouldn't let him go back.

He's managed to survive... but what about my brother? What will happen to him?

If the King of Wei already knew that Changyou had hidden his whereabouts, he would definitely have Xiao Qi bring him back.

The thought of Changyou going back made his chest feel so tight he could hardly breathe. He had finally managed to hope that someone would stay…

Is this his fate? He can only watch helplessly as his brother is taken away, forced to live a life of ignominy here.

This was his fate.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but clench the withered branch that was sticking out from the dead tree beside him.

"Who goes there!?" The tree branch he had crushed made a sound, and the soldiers heard the noise. They used their longswords to push aside the bushes, and his figure was immediately exposed in front of them.

"It's the Ninth Prince! Capture him!! The general will reward anyone who can take the Ninth Prince's head handsomely!"

A group of soldiers charged towards Murong Yue, their cold swords cleaving through withered branches. Murong Yue dodged the attack, knocking the soldiers unconscious with his bare hands, snatched the swords from their hands, and engaged the remaining soldiers in combat.

He used his longsword to cut off the soldier's head, and blood gushed out, hot blood falling onto his cheeks and wetting his eyes.

Upon witnessing such a brutal scene, the soldiers stood still in place.

Murong Yue opened his fan-shaped eyes, and the warm blood made his gloom suddenly surface. His pupils turned to the same color as blood. He was surrounded by a group of soldiers, but he showed no intention of retreating.

The sharp canine teeth protruded, and Murong Yue licked away the blood from his lips.

"Come on then. If your general cannot kill me today, I will hang his corpse on the walls of Wuling City in the future."

A note from the author: