The sweet soup he was given in Chapter 31 was actually Wei Xuan's...
Half an hour later, the embroidered handkerchief was tied to the branch of a forsythia tree, bathed in sunlight.
The young man in purple turned away and disappeared into the depths of the alley.
As night fell, the night wind rose, and the embroidered handkerchief was battered by the gale and fell to the ground again.
A carriage passed by, its wheels crushing Yi Jianxi deeper into the mud.
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
Wei Zhang lifted his robe and stepped down.
"Yun Jian, please wait!"
At this moment, Shen Jinglan followed closely behind on horseback.
Before even removing his court robes, he arrived at the Duke's residence, his face showing worry. "Did you see clearly His Majesty's condition during court today?"
Shen Jinglan was originally a personal guard by the emperor's side. He followed the emperor from childhood to navigate the turbulent affairs of the harem and accompanied the emperor all the way to the throne.
The Emperor trusted him, and he had a childhood bond with the Emperor that others shared, so no one cared about the Emperor more than him.
Today, noticing that the Emperor seemed distracted during court, he specifically consulted the imperial physician.
"The imperial physician said that His Majesty is overwhelmed with worry and has not slept for twenty hours. If this continues, his health will surely be damaged." Shen Jinglan followed Wei Zhang's steps toward the flower hall.
"Do you have any leads on the matter of capturing the former crown prince?"
"There will definitely be progress in the next two days," Wei Zhang said calmly.
Shen Jinglan also knew that the former crown prince had probably already arrived in the western border. It would not be easy to capture the rebels in a day, and it was too much to ask Wei Zhang to accomplish this in three or five days.
He didn't want to put too much pressure on him, so he asked instead, "What do you think about His Majesty's words in court today that he would recognize Prince Qi as the Righteous Emperor's uncle?"
This matter is quite unbelievable.
Looking across Dayong, no emperor has ever recognized a prince as his godfather.
His Majesty's move is tantamount to giving Prince Qi the status of an emperor emeritus, which is disrespectful to the late emperor.
Today, in the imperial court, all the officials are in a great uproar. Many ministers have offered their remonstrances, but the emperor still insists on going his own way.
After all, His Majesty's mother died early, and his father disliked him. He was bullied when he was young, and it was always Prince Qi who held him, comforted him, and stood up for him.
His Majesty is troubled by the matter of the late Crown Prince and has thought of this uncle again, hoping that the spirit of Prince Qi in heaven can protect him.
Shen Jinglan shook his head. "If His Majesty insists on doing this, the historians and the people will likely be unforgiving in their writings. Aren't you going to try to dissuade him?"
The two have returned to the flower hall.
Wei Zhang sat on the couch, fiddling with the fish tank on the low table.
He has stopped poking at the fish lately and started grinding fish food himself. As he put the grayish-white granules into the mortar and pestle to grind them, he said casually, "Let him accept it. As long as His Majesty is happy."
How can a foolish person listen to advice?
Shen Jinglan couldn't let the emperor have his way, but he was at a loss, so he came to Wei Zhang for advice.
Seeing that Wei Zhang didn't care, he became even more anxious and paced back and forth in the flower hall. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.
"If we can find the murderer who killed Prince Qi back then as soon as possible and comfort his soul, it will be a way for His Majesty to do something for Prince Qi. In this way, His Majesty will feel more at ease and perhaps the matter of recognizing a godfather will be dropped."
Wei Zhang paused in grinding the fish food.
Shen Jinglan lifted his robe and sat down opposite Wei Zhang, pondering deeply. "The murderer back then was far too ruthless, wiping out the entire Qi Prince's household without leaving a single witness. It's truly difficult to solve."
"However, I have learned a secret that may help in finding the murderer," Shen Jinglan said mysteriously in a low voice.
Wei Zhang slowed down his grinding motion.
Shen Jinglan simply moved his medicine mortar and pestle aside, facing him directly.
"I heard that the day before Prince Qi died, he went to the late Crown Prince's palace, seemingly having discovered some secret of the late Crown Prince's faction, and entered the palace that night to meet the late Emperor."
Unfortunately, the late emperor caught a cold that day and was unable to see him. Who knew that the next day Prince Qi would die mysteriously, and the paintings and calligraphy would also vanish without a trace.
As Shen Jinglan spoke, she suddenly realized, "So, if we find that painting and calligraphy and find out the reason why Prince Qi met with the Emperor, the question of who the murderer is will be easily answered?"
Wei Zhang remained silent for a long time, then a mysterious smile flashed across his lips. "Lord Shen is extremely perceptive."
"You agree?"
“Of course, let’s investigate the motive for the murder. Perhaps it will broaden Lord Shen’s horizons,” Wei Zhang said.
These words further solidified Shen Jinglan's resolve, so he bowed and took his leave, leading the Imperial Guards to the former residence of Prince Qi.
Behind Wei Zhang, Ying Qihou listened with trepidation, "Could Lord Shen have really found out something?"
"He rose from a bodyguard to the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; he must have been an ordinary person."
Does the young master mean... that it's possible for Lord Shen to follow the clues and uncover some truth?
Ying Qi glanced at the young prince, who was leisurely scattering fish food, and wondered, "With the situation so dire, is the young prince just letting him do as he pleases?"
"It is still unknown who is in dire need of help."
Wei Zhang continued grinding the fish food. "It's been very humid lately, so I'm taking the paintings and calligraphy out of the storeroom to air them out."
He exhaled softly.
A cool breeze, like wisps of wind, gently swayed the beaded curtain in front of the door.
The shimmering light on his face flickered, making his ambiguous smile appear and disappear.
As evening approached, the sky was obscured by dark clouds.
As Qingyang passed by the window, he almost didn't see the people under the gloom.
"Why didn't you light a lamp for the young master?" Qingyang entered the room, lit a candle, placed it on the low table, and glared at Yingqi, scolding him for being so dazed.
"The young master didn't say anything about lighting lamps."
"The young master hasn't even told you to eat, drink, or relieve yourself yet, are you not going to..."
"I've been holding it in!" Yingqi scratched the back of his head. "I've been holding it in all day."
"you!"
Qingyang glared at his silly younger brother, signaling him to go downstairs to eat, drink, and relieve himself.
Since the prince hadn't mentioned a meal, he was just foolishly focused on driving the horse and didn't bother with anything else, leaving not only himself hungry but also the prince hungry.
Qingyang wiped the sweat from his forehead. "There's porridge simmering in Chong'an Hall. Would the young master like some?"
Wei Zhang was so busy with official duties that he didn't feel hungry.
There was no rush to return to Chong'an Hall at this point.
"Is the play over?"
We should give Xue Lanyi some space and see how she tries to cause trouble.
Qingyang shook his head. "Auntie has been staying in the courtyard embroidering all day, and there's been nothing unusual about her. Miss Ayin hasn't done anything unusual either."
"oh?"
This time, it wasn't as extravagant as the last time when they scattered flowers on the mountaintop.
But Wei Zhang didn't believe she could hold back. "How's the old house?"
“Nothing seems amiss.” Qingyang thought for a moment, “However, Doctor Zhang just came to deliver medicine to the young master, half an hour later than usual.”
The doctor Zhang at Yong'an Hall is no less skilled than the imperial physicians. The only problem is that he loves drinking and gambling, so it's not unusual for him to come late to see the eldest son.
Qingyang didn't take it to heart.
Wei Zhang stopped grinding the fish food, his eyes gazing leisurely.
A chilling aura swept over him, causing Qingyang's heart to skip a beat. He immediately became alert, cupped his hands in greeting, and quickly retreated.
After a short while, Qingyang grabbed Doctor Zhang by the back of his collar and threw him at Wei Zhang's feet.
This person truly reeks of alcohol.
Wei Zhang frowned and kicked him in the shoulder. The kick wasn't very strong, but Doctor Zhang was so frightened by being suddenly dragged over by the Crown Prince to interrogate him that his legs went weak and he tumbled into the leg of the desk.
Not daring to cry out in pain, she crawled tremblingly to a spot not too far from Wei Zhang and knelt down.
"What are your orders, Your Highness?"
Wei Zhang ignored him and gave Qingyang a wink.
Qingyang understood and examined the medicine pot that Doctor Zhang had brought. "I report to Your Highness that there is nothing unusual."
Doctor Zhang then realized that the prince suspected him of tampering with the medicine.
He didn't have the guts, and repeatedly kowtowed, saying, "Your Highness, I personally supervised the brewing of the medicine sent to the eldest son. Everything was done according to Your Highness's instructions, and there were absolutely no mistakes!"
The Crown Prince's order was: neither let the eldest son die, nor let him live.
Such requirements necessitate strict control over the dosage; how could Dr. Zhang dare to be careless?
Qingyang put a foot on his shoulder, "You talk a good game, but what brings you to drinking and gambling again today?"
"Oh dear, Lord Qingyang, you've wronged me." Doctor Zhang said with a fawning smile, patting the dust off Qingyang's shoes. "How could I dare to gamble while working for the Duke's mansion? I just had some diarrhea today, which is why I was delayed for a while."
As he spoke, his stomach rumbled.
The sound was exceptionally clear in the empty room.
Knowing that he had overstepped his bounds, Dr. Zhang felt a chill run down his spine and bowed even lower: "I think... I think it was my wife's cooking that was unclean, which upset her stomach and caused the delay."
"But don't worry, Your Highness. I only had her watch the stove for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, and I checked the dregs and the medicinal liquid one by one. Please take a look, Your Highness, there's absolutely no problem!"
Doctor Zhang confidently handed the medicine bowl to Wei Zhang.
Overwhelmed with fear, the porcelain jar and spoon clanged together, and a drop of medicine splashed onto Wei Zhang's index finger.
Wei Zhang gently rubbed the slightly viscous liquid and gestured to Doctor Zhang, "Try the medicine."
"This...it's really no problem!" Doctor Zhang didn't dare to be careless; he had already tasted the medicine before delivering it.
But the prince insisted, and under his heavy gaze, he had no choice but to scoop up several spoonfuls and swallow them whole.
After drinking about half a bowl of the herbal medicine, I realized, "It's a bit sweeter than usual."
When Dr. Zhang is preparing medicine, he will occasionally grab a handful of longan and red dates, depending on his mood.
He didn't pay attention, but the Crown Prince was clearly very concerned about the sugar stains in the soup.
Doctor Zhang shuddered, his tongue slurring, "It must have been my wife meddling and throwing in the longans and dates. Women are so soft-hearted, they even feel sorry for those other men! I'll definitely give her a good beating when I get back, teach that itchy-skinned good-for-nothing a lesson. Your Highness, please calm down, Your Highness..."
Wei Zhang's eyes narrowed slightly, and the flames on the table flickered.
His elongated figure pressed heavily on Doctor Zhang.
"Shut your dog mouth!" Qingyang knew that these words had offended the young master's ears, so he sternly rebuked, "Miss Yin is, after all, someone close to the old lady. Even if she has made a mistake, the old lady and the young master will decide. How dare you run wild like this?"
"You failed in your duties and are now using a woman to avoid trouble?" Wei Zhang's words were a reminder to Doctor Zhang not to go back and cause trouble.
The noise and commotion will inevitably become public knowledge.
"I know I was wrong! I know I was wrong!"
Doctor Zhang respectfully prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to say another word.
Wei Zhang continued to casually grind the sugar stains on his fingertips.
Xue Lanyi went to such great lengths, both offering a kiss and deliberately injuring herself to call a doctor.
After much deliberation, it all turned out to be just to deliver a bowl of sweet soup to the old man at the family home.
She was willing to offer herself up just to give that person a taste of sweetness.
That's really thoughtful.
Wei Zhang tapped the fish food on the table. "Put this into the medicine too."
"Here you go!"
Doctor Zhang knelt down and stepped forward, scooping a spoonful of the grayish-white powder from the mortar and pestle, intending to put it into the medicine bowl.
The candlelight flickered on the spoon.
Doctor Zhang had only just seen the powder's appearance when his pupils dilated instantly, and he froze on the spot. "Your Highness, this...this..."
"how?"
"N-nothing..." Dr. Zhang's breathing was short and labored, his pupils staring blankly at the spoon, unable to even blink.
They simply mechanically sprinkled the powder into the medicine container.
Rather than saying it was spilled, it's more accurate to say that his hand was shaking so badly that the powder was out of control, falling into the medicine jar and mixing with the black medicine liquid.
For a long time, Doctor Zhang was still in a daze, and he blankly performed the kneeling ceremony and left.
Silence fell over the flower hall.
Qingyang's expression was also not good. After the outsiders left, he stammered and asked Wei Zhang, "Does the Crown Prince really intend to do this..."
"Show no mercy?" Qingyang, having grown up alongside the two young masters, couldn't help but ask, her voice growing softer and softer.
"Shouldn't it be?"
Since his woman is so caring, he should also provide his brother with some comforting gifts.
Wei Zhang slowly poured the rest into the fish tank.
The red-scaled fish, which had been floating on the surface of the water and was about to die, swallowed the powder. Immediately, its body straightened up and its eyes regained some vitality.
However, the once-proud red scales gradually dimmed and lost their luster, like a puppet on a string, weakly wagging its tail, following the medicinal powder, yearning for a sliver of favor.
All the affections in this world are sweet as honey.
Hesitation will only bring trouble upon oneself.
He understood this principle long ago, and his wife should have understood it sooner as well.
“I’m doing this for their own good; they should thank me.”
Wei Zhang tapped the fish tank lightly, then walked away with his hands behind his back.
The thin, translucent glass jar trembled with a cold sound, making the night even colder.
Chong'an Hall.
Xue Lanyi was sitting on a daybed by the window, casually peeling longans, when she suddenly heard a melodious flute tune.
Looking in the direction of the sound, there was no moon tonight, only a few sparse stars twinkling.
That faint light was enough to illuminate her eyes.
The flute music was a secret signal that Su Yin was sending her.
Ah Yin should have successfully added the nourishing soup and jujubes to the medicine pot, and Wei Xuan should have already drunk the medicine.
Wei Xuan loved sweets since he was a child. Despite his imposing presence on the battlefield, when he was sick and needed to take medicine, he would always add some red dates and longan to coax him to drink it.
Xue Lanyi then specially instructed Su Yin to add a few more jujubes and longans, partly so that he could taste a hint of sweetness amidst the bitterness, and more importantly so that he could feel that she was of one heart with him even though they were separated by a wall.
Wei Xuan's current physical condition is probably not something that can be cured by a bowl or two of ginseng soup.
I only hope that these few candied fruits can heal his heartache and keep him going until the moment of reunion.
Xue Lanyi closed her eyes slightly as she watched the shooting star streak across the distance, silently praying in her heart.
"What are you doing?"
A cool breath fell behind my ear.
Xue Lanyi suddenly opened her eyes.
Wei Zhang appeared behind her without her noticing.
Cold pine resin unexpectedly entered Xue Lanyi's nostrils.
His scent filled every breath, completely filling the space without leaving a single gap.
Xue Lanyi's body immediately tensed up and froze for a moment.
Wei Zhang looked in the direction where she had been lost in thought.
A few shooting stars streaked across the sky, falling into the boundless darkness.
"There's a shooting star!"
Xue Lanyi was afraid he would read her mind, so she forced a smile of delight and pointed out the window: "Yunjian, look, it's so beautiful!"
Her eyebrows curved into crescent moons, and her smile was very captivating.
However, the curvature still looks a bit too fake.
Wei Zhang saw her genuinely overjoyed expression.
Back then, after celebrating her birthday at the bamboo pavilion by the Qin River.
Everyone was quite drunk and fell asleep sprawled out in the pavilion.
When Wei Zhang woke up groggily, he could not see her and his brother, but could only hear the distant howls of wolves.
Amidst the night-covered mountain ranges, a faint green light flickered.
Wei Zhang immediately took a lantern and headed deep into the mountains.
He searched and stumbled through the dark bamboo forest for about an hour, until his voice became hoarse from shouting.
They finally found the two people on the south side of the mountain.
At that time, the hillside was covered with lush grass, and only a century-old tree stood in the wilderness.
They sat on the branches of an old tree, the girl's legs dangling in the air, swinging back and forth, and the branches swaying gently up and down with her.
She stood shoulder to shoulder with her brother, their movements perfectly synchronized, even the direction in which their clothes fluttered and their hair swayed was identical.
Suddenly, thousands of meteors streaked across the sky, illuminating half the heavens.
The two seemed to be in a sea of stars, bathed in the radiance of countless stars, their light dazzling.
Wei Zhang stood in the grass not far away. Just by looking at their backs, one could tell that they were the most perfect and dazzling pair of pearls in the hearts of the people of Dayong.
Xue Lanyi, in particular, wore a pale yellow dress with gold trim, and the gold hairpin in her hair reflected a golden light as she danced.
She stood on a tree branch trying to reach the stars, but she was already surrounded by starlight, making it impossible to look away.
"Meteor shower! Ah Xuan, look at the meteor shower!"
The usually eloquent girl was so excited that she couldn't utter a complete sentence.
Wei Xuan placed his hand behind her waist at a comfortable distance, letting her fuss and laughing along with her. "Yiyi, don't forget to make a wish!"
"Oh, right!"
Xue Lanyi then calmed down a bit, sat back on the tree branch, clasped her hands together, and looked up at the sky.
Starlight shone on her fair and delicate face, and even the wind blowing through her hair felt so gentle.
Wei Xuan subconsciously reached out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear, but when his finger touched her cheek, he realized it was inappropriate and withdrew it, instead silently moving closer to her.
Until he felt her hair brush against his shoulder, intertwining with his own.
The boy touched his nose and smiled smugly.
Perhaps feeling guilty, he cleared his throat and tried to start a conversation, "What did you wish for?"
"Um……"
Xue Lanyi pouted, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping herself.
After a long pause, he said in a muffled voice, "It's the wish that Zhou Yu mentioned."
They did not want Wei Xuan to be adopted into the Prince Qi's household.
Wei Xuan was taken aback, then his ears turned red, and he stammered, "Is it because of the reason Zhou Yu mentioned that you don't want me to go to Prince Qi's residence?"
After arriving at Prince Qi's residence, the two of them wanted to discuss marriage...
"No, that's not true!"
The girl wrinkled her nose, blushed, and stammered, "No, I don't want you to go to Prince Qi's mansion because we and Prince Qi will definitely be at odds in the future. We are good friends, and I don't want you to die."
Prince Qi had a huge slave market under his control, from which he made a fortune every year.
If the new policy is implemented and the status of "lowly" is abolished, it will definitely affect his source of income.
Therefore, he was the leader of the ministers who opposed the new policies.
In the future, the struggle between the old and new parties will inevitably be a life-or-death battle.
Xue Lanyi sighed with worry, "If you are adopted, and we have any disputes with him in the court in the future, wouldn't he be able to come back to the mansion and take his anger out on you at any time?"
Looking further ahead, if the new policies succeed and the Prince Qi's mansion falls into ruin, you and the Prince Qi's mansion are inextricably linked; if one suffers, the other will suffer, and your future official career will inevitably be affected. If the new policies fail and the Crown Prince becomes weak, he will surely settle scores with you later.
"To be adopted into the past is a certain death sentence."
Xue Lanyi bit her lip and met his gaze. "I don't want you to die. Can you not go?"
Xue Lanyi knew that Wei Xuan was the most mischievous and clever person, and if he didn't want to go, he would definitely find a way to prevent him from going.
She gazed at him with her clear, watery eyes, a look that left no room for refusal.
Wei Xuan's gaze softened for a moment, "Fine~, if you don't want me to go, I won't go."
"Really?" Xue Lanyi was skeptical.
Seeing that the girl was truly gloomy and distressed, Wei Xuan firmly promised her, "I promised you, and I absolutely won't go!"
He further explained, "Doesn't Prince Qi just want a son? We'll find a way to give him a son instead."
He leaned closer and whispered to Xue Lanyi, "Tomorrow is the royal horse race. Prince Qi will definitely mention to the Emperor that he wants to adopt a young man with excellent horsemanship. At that time, I will have Lie Feng deliberately run slower, so that the prize will go to..."
The wind was too strong for Wei Zhang, who was far away, to hear clearly.
All he heard was, "Give Prince Qi a different son."
He instinctively gripped the lantern tighter, his hand constantly stroking the handle.
I want to listen, but I'm afraid to listen.
Ultimately, they were like snakes and rats scurrying about in a dark meadow.
He held his breath and moved closer to them.
On the branch, the girl asked, "Will he agree to be adopted in your place? Is he really willing to leave his parents and recognize someone else as his father?"
In the shade of the tree, Wei Zhang's heart was in his throat.
But from the tree, his elder brother said rather leisurely, "He'll be willing. Anyway, his parents dislike him at home, and his brothers and sisters don't like to be close to him. Why force him to stay at home and be disliked by everyone?"
Wei Zhang flicked his wrist, and the lantern he had brought them for lighting fell to the ground.
It's off.
Xue Lanyi finally smiled and agreed with Wei Xuan, "That's right, it's the best choice for both of us if he goes in your place."
"This time I can only be a little selfish, as long as Ah Xuan doesn't go to the Dragon Pool Tiger Cave." Xue Lanyi rested her hand on a tree branch, which happened to touch Wei Xuan's hand.
Her pale pinky finger gently hooked Wei Xuan's finger behind her back.
Wei Xuan also quietly hooked his finger with hers, interlocking their little fingers. "There's no need to feel guilty. He's useless staying in the manor. It's better for him to go to Prince Qi's manor. Maybe he'll achieve great things in the future."
“We’re doing this for his own good; he’ll thank us.”
The young men and women stood on a high platform, bathed in starlight. They were high above, redeeming all beings, untouched by worldly dust.
They readily decide the fates of others, fully aware of the perilous situations they face, yet they smile and claim it's for the good of others.
How hypocritical!
They probably never imagined that one day their fate would be in the hands of others.
Wei Zhang snapped out of his daze, lifted Xue Lanyi's chin, and admired her forced smile.
Whether her smile was genuine or feigned, she had to please his eyes.
This was her duty as his woman.
Wei Zhang traced her outline with his fingers, stroking her lips and eyebrows inch by inch, erasing the gloom and melancholy he disliked, and adjusting them into the curves he preferred.
Like polishing a fine piece of porcelain.
Xue Lanyi was forced to raise her head, adjust the smile on her lips and eyebrows, and feel his cold thumb ring moving across her cheek.
She felt a strong resistance in her heart and disliked being treated as a mindless object.
But she couldn't disobey Wei Zhang, so she tried her best to recall herself over the past three years and managed to put on a gentler smile that he preferred. "Yun Jian, why are you so late today? I'll go and get some dinner."
Only now did she vaguely recall the Xue Lanyi who, during her amnesia, was completely devoted to her lord.
Wei Zhangfang released her.
Xue Lanyi felt as if she had been granted a pardon. She picked up the fruit plate on the low table and said, "I said I would make honey-glazed cheese for you today. All the ingredients are ready. Wait for me for half an hour."
Xue Lanyi got off the ground, intending to go to the kitchen to catch her breath.
As they passed each other, Wei Zhang grabbed her wrist, his gaze falling on the porcelain plate.
The plate was piled high with various fruits; the red dates were peeled, and the longans were pitted and made translucent.
This kind of affected way of eating is not Wei Zhang's habit.
It's in the style of Wei Xuan.
So, the reason she asked for golden jujubes and Lingnan longan this morning was actually to prepare medicine for Wei Xuan.
The so-called honey-glazed cheese was just what Wei Xuan had left over for him.
He'll always only deserve to eat what Wei Xuan leaves behind, right?
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