Chapter 183 [Alien] An obsession that shouldn't exist
There was no candle lit in the room, and it was dark outside, but Zhu Yingyan had good eyesight. He suddenly noticed two black marks on Mu Chi's neck, and he moved forward.
"What's wrong with your neck?"
Mu Chi was so scared that he quickly covered his neck and leaned back.
"Nothing, but my cultivation was sealed at that time, and I was bitten by a mosquito."
"Then you have to apply the medicine properly. Is it poisonous?"
"Well, it's alright now."
Zhu Yingyan sat back in his seat and said, "Tell me, when our Master told us about this formation before his immortality, did he know that this day would come?"
"You want to get in touch with Master? But so many years have passed, and Hidden Valley has been searching for him, but there's no news at all. It's as if he's vanished from the face of the earth."
"Too……"
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the house, and both of them looked towards the door at the same time.
The one who pushed the door open and came in was the dusty Marquis of Zhenbei.
"Xingzhou," Zhenbei Hou brushed off the rain and walked forward. "Fang Caijin came to tell me you were back, but I didn't believe it. Where have you been for the past half month? Why did you suddenly disappear?"
"It's okay, Dad. There was a little accident."
The Marquis of Zhenbei caught a glimpse of another person out of the corner of his eye.
"What are you talking about in the dark?" Zhenbei Hou said as he lit the candle halfway, almost burning his hand. "Who is this?"
"He is my fellow disciple, Zhu Yingyan," Mu Chi stood up and introduced, "Yanying, this is my father, my biological father."
Zhu Yingyan: "I already know."
"In the past few days since you came back, I've never heard of your past. Dad just wants you to leave as soon as possible and stay away from the disputes. Eh..."
During the days when Mu Chi was missing, Hua Jin brought Zhu Yingyan to his house and explained everything to him. Mu Chi came back to eliminate the demon, not to compete with Mu Xiuwen for the position of the prince.
"During the days since you disappeared, forces within the city have surged, all leaning towards His Majesty. Many ministers have now gathered. If His Majesty makes any move, the autumn hunt will be the best time. Dad can only help you up to this point." The Marquis of Zhenbei took a closer look and changed the subject, "What's wrong with your hand? Why is it bleeding?"
After he said this, Zhu Yingyan also looked over.
Just now, Mu Chi was hiding in the quilt and he didn't even notice.
When Mu Chi heard what Zhenbei Hou said, his first reaction was to hide his arms behind his back.
"It's okay, just a minor injury."
Although Hua Jin treated his wound simply, he did not apply medicine because it was bleeding. He might have pulled the wound and caused the bleeding. It was not a big deal.
"It's late, I... I want to rest, you guys go..." Mu Chi turned his back. The lights were bright now, and he was afraid that if they stayed any longer, they would see the marks on his neck.
"Okay, take care of your wound yourself." Zhu Yingyan left first.
Zhenbei Hou wanted to say something, but after looking at Mu Chi's back, he finally left.
Mu Chi heard the door close, he sat down on the bed, thought for a while, and used magic to cover up the marks on his body. He walked to the desk, picked up a pen and drew on the paper.
The Heart-Illuminating Array that he had seen was drawn by his master. He drew it based on his memory and wanted to find the center of the array, but as he looked at it, he found that the array was incomplete.
In other words, his master didn't fully understand this formation, and perhaps he learned it from somewhere.
The sound of rain outside grew louder and louder. He frowned slightly, his uneasiness growing stronger with the sound of the rain. He stared at the incomplete formation diagram, his fingertips gently stroking the paper.
The next morning—
Most of those who participated in the autumn hunt were military generals from aristocratic families, such as the Marquis of Zhenbei.
The day before the autumn hunt, each family must first familiarize themselves with the venue, and today is the day to set off.
Mu Chi looked at the large and small packages filling up the carriage. He asked the butler in confusion: "So many things, what are these?"
"To answer your Excellency, this is what you're used to. Those used outside aren't as good as those used at home." The butler continued softly, "You're going on the autumn hunt. As a Crown Prince, you should naturally use the same things he does. However, the Marquis has other plans, so he can't go with you."
"Well," Mu Chi looked around and asked, "Where are Xiao Jin and Guard Zhu?"
"Master Hua Jin went out early this morning, but he told you not to wait for him, as he would catch up later. However, I don't know where Guard Zhu has gone."
After a while, a servant came over with a horse. Mu Chi jumped on the horse and wanted to wait for Hua Jin for a while.
But Zheng Hao said, "Prince, let's go. You have been missing for many days. It's time to tell them that you are back."
When he arrived at the hunting ground, he dismounted, gave the horse to the groom, and went in.
He held his head high and walked into the hunting grounds with steady steps. A number of people had already gathered at the entrance, mostly military commanders and noble sons from various aristocratic families. They were dressed in gorgeous attire, chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere was lively and bustling.
"Prince?" Someone recognized him, with a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Didn't you say that the Marquis of Zhenbei is missing?"
Soon, everyone's eyes were focused on him and whispers arose.
"If the prince comes, how can we take the first place?"
Mu Chi smiled faintly, ignoring the surrounding discussions. He walked straight to the center of the hunting ground, where a high platform had been built for viewing the game, and Ye Hean was resting inside.
"Your Majesty brought the newly appointed Consort Shu with him this time. Consort Shu is also very honored. Your Majesty dotes on her so much and leaves the Empress alone. I wonder what kind of beauty she is."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Hao stepped forward and whispered in his ear, "The Concubine Shu is indeed the Crown Prince. Your Majesty has been hiding her and never revealed her face. Now that he has openly brought her out, has the Crown Prince already..."
"Go and have a look."
Mu Chi reached the platform but was stopped by the guards.
"Who are you? You are not allowed to enter without the summons of His Majesty."
"Look carefully, my young master is the son of the Marquis of Zhenbei, Mu Xiuwen." Zheng Hao said.
The two guards looked at each other and said, "No one is allowed to enter without being summoned!"
At this time, Mu Chi realized that something was wrong. The prince of Zhenbei was very famous, and he could feel it from the first day he entered the palace. How could these two gatekeepers not know it?
"Zheng Hao, let's go."
A corner——
"There's something wrong with those two guards."
"The Imperial City's Royal Guards have been completely replaced, and now they are all new, yet they are so tactless. Do they think they can be so disrespectful just because my Lord is under house arrest?"
Mu Chi didn't say anything. He had observed when he just came here and found nothing wrong in the vicinity, and no signs of formation. Could it be that... they were not going to take action today?
Then why do everyone say that tomorrow is a good time to take action?
And Zhu Yingyan is missing, and Xiao Jin has been delayed for so long...
————
Inside the high platform.
The real Mu Xiuwen was lying on the dragon couch, and Ye Hean was combing his hair.
After a while, Mu Xiuwen woke up. He lay there, feeling weak all over.
"Ye Hean, what do you want?"
"Why is Xiuwen so angry when he wakes up? I have already found out everything even if you didn't tell me. Ying'er sneaked into the Yangxin Palace yesterday and cast a spell on you, which made you remember everything." Ye Hean leaned over and touched Mu Xiuwen's cheek with pity. "You are so disobedient. Even if you haven't recovered your memory, you still want to run away. Do you like Qiu Rou so much and hate me so much? But I don't dislike you at all. On the contrary, I admire you. But you always hide from me and refuse to serve as an official in the court. Even when I invited you to the palace banquet and invited you to travel together, you refused one by one. This is really driving me crazy, hahaha——"
"You and I are cousins, and we both have wives and children. How could you do this? You Lun!"
"I don't care. There are three thousand beauties in the harem, even the Crown Prince. None of them are my favorites, and none of them are my wives! You said you wanted to marry, and I didn't agree. Then you went to ask the Queen Mother for permission. You... you are the truly cruel one!"
Ye Hean's greatest obsession throughout his life was the days when he was a student with Mu Xiuwen. At that time, he was just a prince and didn't have to worry about so many things.
"But it doesn't matter anymore. After tomorrow, you and I will both live forever, as long as the sky and as bright as the sun and moon. Our lives will be tied together. Even if you don't have me in your heart, I will keep you by my side. Even if you hate me, I will make you mine."
The despair in Mu Xiuwen's eyes was revealed. He wanted to get up, but was held down by Ye Hean and could not move.
"I took you as my concubine. You didn't want to, and I didn't want to force you. I gave you half a month. It's time for you to fulfill your duty as my lord's servant, Concubine Mu Shu."
"You're crazy!" He struggled desperately, but his body seemed to be bound by invisible shackles and he couldn't move at all.
Ye Hean's expression became more and more crazy. He moved closer to Mu Xiuwen, his eyes full of twisted possessiveness.
"Xiu Wen, stop struggling. This is fate. I've waited so many years, and finally this moment has arrived. You can't escape."
"If you dare, I will die!"
Ye Hean laughed, and laughed crazily.
"Don't worry, I won't give you this chance. When the formation is completed and I become immortal, even if you feel disgusted, you have to live with me!" As he said that, he gave her a kiss.
Mu Xiuwen clenched his teeth tightly, and the smell of blood instantly exploded in his mouth.
Ye Hean smiled softly as if he had tasted honey, wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with his fingertips, and then leaned over to lick it.
"Madman..." Mu Xiuwen's voice was hoarse, and the corners of his eyes turned red.
"Yes, I'm crazy." Ye Hean rested his forehead against his, his voice as gentle as a lover's whisper, "I've been crazy since you were sixteen and blocked an assassin's sword for me by the Taiye Lake."
When Crown Prince Ye He'an was assassinated at Taiye Lake, it was 16-year-old Mu Xiuwen who blocked the fatal blow. As blood splattered on the young prince's face, he realized: The only person in the world who would sacrifice his life for him was Mu Xiuwen. This "uniqueness" became his obsession—not "I love you," but "You must belong only to me."
Suddenly, a breeze blew past the hall, and the candle flame jumped violently. Ye Hean stood up, and his wide sleeves brushed across Mu Xiuwen's face, like a cool snake scale sliding across it.
"Tomorrow during the autumn hunt, I will publicly announce that Mu Xiuwen, the son of the Zhenbei Marquis, was assassinated in the hunting grounds." He paused, his fingertips tracing the unhealed teeth marks on Mu Xiuwen's collarbone. "And you will remain by my side forever as 'Shufei'."
Mu Xiuwen's pupils suddenly shrank.
"As for the evidence of treason against the Zhenbei Marquisate, I have already obtained it. The entire clan will be implicated. As for you, Queen Mother, I will allow him to go to the Huguo Temple to copy scriptures and chant Buddhist scriptures for the Mu family."
The moment the palace door opened, the night rain slanted in, blowing out half of the candles.
In the darkness, Ye Hean's voice mixed with the sound of rain could be heard: "Xiu Wen, get a good night's sleep. After tomorrow, you will never see the sun again."
The door closed, and the chain made a crisp sound.
The moment the palace door closed, darkness enveloped Mu Xiuwen like an airtight net.
He lay on his back on the dragon couch, his limbs tied, only his fingertips could move slightly.
The candlelight was half extinguished, and the residual light reflected the fresh teeth marks on his lips, like a brand of shame, so bright and glaring.
"...Madman." He repeated in a low voice, so soft that it seemed as if he was talking to himself.
Mu Xiuwen closed his eyes, but all he could think about was Ye Hean’s last words: “After tomorrow, you will never see the sun again.”
Ye Hean is too crazy. He has been chasing me for as many years as I have been hiding. This obsession should not have existed, let alone developed to this point.
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