(five)
Even the most foolish person could figure out that these extra pearls in the East Market were deliberately placed there. As for their purpose, Wen Su didn't know, but it was probably related to the letter he received last night.
He was cautious last night, only asking questions related to the pearl, and did not mention that he had found or remembered anything related to it. However, it is estimated that the person who plotted to stop him must know something to do so.
Who is it?
Who is the person who doesn't want Zhou Ziqiu to go back?
Who is the person who doesn't want Zhou Qinghe to remember everything?
It was too late for that person. Wen Su looked at the crystal-clear pearl with the naturally formed crane in another box, and then at the pile of pearls in this box that were also crystal clear but with the crane carved on later. That person must have thought himself a fool.
Everything is ready now, except for the final push.
Wen Su reached out and locked the box, preparing to go to the restaurant to find Xie Xingzhou, but was stopped by Wen Niang when he passed the front hall.
Since that day when she spoke out, Wen Niang still treated Wen Su the same as before, as if he really was her child from this world. But although she didn't say it, Wen Su could guess that she was missing her real son, so he stopped taking the initiative to approach her.
"Where to?" Wenniang asked.
"A restaurant," Wen Su said.
"Oh, okay." Wenniang didn't say anything. "Go and come back soon."
Wen Su nodded and stepped across the threshold.
When he arrived at the restaurant, Xie Xingzhou was already sitting on the second floor waiting for him. Seeing that he was late, he immediately filled his cups with three more, a habit of urging others to drink that he had somehow learned.
"Wenlang, let me tell you, I bought something nice in the East Market and I'm going to give it to Ahe as a gift."
Xie Xingzhou said mysteriously.
What is it?
"Hehe, I won't tell you, but it's good stuff."
Wen Su rolled his eyes at Xie Xingzhou.
Days passed by like flowing water, and it was soon the day before Zhou Qinghe's birthday banquet.
That evening, Wenniang went to Wensu's room to give him instructions on the precautions for attending the banquet the next day. She had thought it was nothing serious and hadn't told Wensu before, but it turned out to be a joke on the day of the palace banquet, so now she was explaining it to Wensu in detail.
Wen Su listened attentively, feeling helpless, and interrupted while Wen Niang was drinking tea, saying, "Mother, I know all of this."
“Of course I know you know,” Wen Niang said calmly. “I’m disciplining you on behalf of my other self from another world.”
“…” Wen Su sighed, “Okay.”
The following day was the Second Prince's birthday banquet.
Everyone in the country knew that the Second Prince was even more favored than the Crown Prince. The government even decorated the streets with lanterns and colorful decorations in advance, inviting the public to celebrate together. The palace was also filled with joy, and court officials wore brightly colored clothes to attend the banquet.
After all the officials had arrived, the host of the banquet also arrived.
As Wen Su bowed in worship, he secretly glanced at Zhou Qinghe again. Today, Zhou Qinghe had changed his clothes again. The bright red robe made his skin look fair, and the pattern on it had been changed to a large cluster of peonies.
When Zhou Qinghe noticed Wen Su's gaze, he nodded at him.
The birthday banquet was nothing special, just song and dance performances and gift presentations. Wen Su gave Zhou Qinghe a brocade box containing the precious pearl, and Xie Xingzhou also gave Zhou Qinghe a brocade box, the contents of which were unknown.
After the banquet, Wen Su returned to the Wen residence with Wen Niang, leaving everything else to Zhou Ziqiu.
Back in the palace, Zhou Qinghe couldn't wait to summon a servant to open the brocade box that Wen Su had sent, but Zhou Ziqiu stopped him from picking up the precious pearl: "Are you ready to face everything?"
"Of course," Zhou Qinghe agreed without hesitation.
“If you’re just going to watch this for the sake of watching, I suggest you don’t pick up this precious pearl.” In the air, Zhou Ziqiu stared intently at Zhou Qinghe, but unfortunately, Zhou Qinghe couldn’t see him.
"Why? You make me look for it, but you won't let me see it."
Zhou Qinghe questioned.
“Because for you it’s just a story, a story that happened to someone else, even if the protagonist of that story is another version of you.” Zhou Ziqiu’s tone was somewhat cold. “But for me it’s not. I’m the one who experienced it firsthand.”
"...oh."
Zhou Qinghe withdrew his hand again.
After Zhou Ziqiu said that, he dared not look anymore.
"Fine, you see," Zhou Ziqiu sighed again. In any case, this "him" was created in the illusion and wasn't the real him. As long as the illusion was broken, that would be fine.
Zhou Qinghe puffed out his cheeks and reached out to pick up the precious pearl.
The moment his finger touched the pearl, a wisp of black energy emanated from it. Zhou Qinghe followed the black energy upwards and met the gaze of an eye without pupils. Startled, he retreated several meters and screamed.
"ah--!!"
"Qinghe!!"
A loud shout suddenly came from outside the door, followed by footsteps. Zhou Qinghe and Zhou Ziqiu in the air both looked towards the door, only to find that Zhou Gushan had led a young man in.
"...Your Majesty, Grand Preceptor."
Zhou Qinghe spoke weakly.
Zhou Ziqiu frowned deeply. He reached out and picked up the precious pearl from the box first, to prevent Zhou Gushan or the Imperial Preceptor from snatching it away.
When Zhou Gushan and his companion entered the room, they saw the scene inside. Zhou Gushan's pupils contracted, and he shouted, "Imperial Preceptor!"
Although the imperial advisor was young, his skill was considerable. He reached out and threw a talisman at Zhou Ziqiu, shouting, "Evil spirit, stop harming people!"
Zhou Ziqiu was too surprised to know why Wen Su couldn't use talismans while the Grand Preceptor could. Unable to summon his long sword, he had no choice but to use Yin energy to resist, but even so, he was still struck by the golden light and fell to the ground with a scream.
Don't hurt him!
Seeing that things were not going well, Zhou Qinghe quickly stepped in front of Zhou Ziqiu, separating the Grand Preceptor from Zhou Ziqiu.
He was only frightened by Zhou Ziqiu's ghostly appearance, but now that he had come to his senses, he saw that Zhou Ziqiu had the same face as him and the wound on his neck, and he knew that Zhou Ziqiu was not lying to him. He immediately spoke up to stop Zhou Gushan and the Imperial Preceptor.
"Qinghe, he is evil and wicked, don't believe his nonsense!"
Zhou Gushan reached out and pulled Zhou Qinghe away, and asked the Grand Preceptor to make another move, but the pearl in Zhou Ziqiu's hand was continuously transmitting Yin energy to him, and for a time the Grand Preceptor was unable to do anything about it.
A dense aura of yin energy enveloped Zhou Qinghe, pulling him away from Zhou Gushan's grasp. Zhou Gushan, his eyes bloodshot, refused to let go, saying, "You evil spirit, don't harm my brother!"
Even though he knew that Zhou Gushan here was not his own brother, Zhou Ziqiu's heart was still bleeding as if cut by a knife—I was killed by you, yet you call me evil.
Even so, the Yin energy surrounding Zhou Qinghe did not cause him any harm.
Suppressing his grief, Zhou Ziqiu placed the precious pearl in Zhou Qinghe's hand. To his surprise, nothing happened. Instead, the Imperial Preceptor took the opportunity to disrupt his form and forced him to release Zhou Qinghe.
Zhou Qinghe was being pulled along, but when he suddenly lost his strength on one side, his body fell to the other side. In doing so, he accidentally knocked over another brocade box that Xie Xingzhou had given him, and another blood-red pearl rolled to the ground.
How can there be two precious orbs?!
Zhou Ziqiu was the quickest to react, and he immediately understood the reason. It was likely that Wen Su had found the real pearl, while the one Xie Xingzhou sent was the one needed to break the deadlock.
Zhou Qinghe also reacted quickly, because Zhou Ziqiu had told him everything that had happened. He immediately tried to reach out and grab the rolling pearl, but was suddenly pulled back by Zhou Gushan.
Now, Zhou Gushan's eyes were truly bloodshot, and he shouted again, "Imperial Preceptor!"
Seeing that the Imperial Preceptor was trying to snatch the pearl, Zhou Ziqiu immediately used his Yin energy to entangle the Imperial Preceptor and threw the pearl at Zhou Qinghe, shouting, "Zhou Qinghe!"
Zhou Gushan reached out to grab the pearl before Zhou Qinghe could, but Zhou Qinghe bit him in his haste, causing him to release his grip in pain. Zhou Qinghe then managed to grab the pearl.
Almost instantly, a flood of memories swirled around the four of them like a videotape. The memories surged into Zhou Qinghe and Zhou Gushan's minds like a tidal wave. Zhou Qinghe immediately cried out in pain and completely shook off Zhou Gushan's hand. His falling body was caught by Zhou Ziqiu.
But Zhou Qinghe had no time to thank them; tears streamed down his face.
He saw it, he saw it, what Zhou Ziqiu said was true.
He saw his joy, his pain, his suffering, and his struggles.
"Qinghe!"
Zhou Gushan anxiously grabbed Zhou Qinghe's hand, but Zhou Qinghe shook it off—"Don't touch me!"
Zhou Qinghe glared at Zhou Gushan with hatred: "You killed me, I hate you."
Zhou Gushan's body seemed to have lost all strength. Ghost patterns appeared on his face, and red spots spread from his neck, but he seemed unaware of it. He looked at Zhou Qinghe with grief, at his beloved younger brother: "Hate me if you want... hate me... yes, you should hate me."
The imperial advisor, standing to the side, sighed.
Now, how could Zhou Ziqiu not know what had happened? He looked up at the standing Imperial Advisor and called out to him in a cool voice, "Imperial Advisor."
"Tell me, is this a trick between you and Zhou Gushan?"
"Why are you looking for me all of a sudden?"
Wen Niang smiled as she watched Wen Su comb her hair. As the saying goes, no one visits a temple without a reason, so Wen Su's sudden attempt to please her must mean he wanted something.
Wen Su opened his mouth and said, "Mother."
Wen Niang chuckled: "What's wrong? You're dawdling like a little girl. Does that person like you like that?"
Sensing that his soul was about to leave his body, Wen Su smiled and said, "I've come to say goodbye."
Wen Niang froze, and in the flickering candlelight, tears welled up in her eyes. She turned her head away from Wen Su and said in a light tone, "Really? So you can be with that person now."
"I hope so." Wen Su smiled. The reunion these past few days had already given him immense satisfaction. He even considered whether he should stay here indefinitely. It was so good to stay here; he had relatives and parents, and Zhou Ziqiu. If he went back, he would have none of that.
But he can't do that.
There is no way to have it all in this world.
"Of course he will." Wenniang smiled, but her voice involuntarily choked with emotion. "My son is a good man, he will like you."
"...Mmm." Wen Su combed his hair one last time and hugged Wen Niang from behind. "Mother, Wen Su will be filial to you."
18:58:59
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