This journey was far more arduous than Xuanzang's pilgrimage to the West, which was fraught with difficulties. Qi Qi felt that his rudimentary skills had perhaps advanced to a more advanced level.
The moment I stepped back onto the shore, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
As soon as he set foot on this long-lost land, several people whom Qi Qi vaguely remembered came up to him with smiles and said, "Eunuch Qi, welcome back to the palace."
Qi Qi: "...No, how did Your Highness know I was here?"
On the ship behind him, several sailors also came ashore with Qi Qi and saluted him.
Qi Qi silently looked at Qi Da.
Qi Da was also shocked: "We clearly checked everywhere and no one was following us!"
Qi Qi kicked him: "What are you checking behind you for? Check the ship!"
Qi Da lowered his head dejectedly.
Okay, okay.
After more than half a year away, he returned still a young man.
Qi Qi straightened his clothes and followed the others into the palace, which was even more desolate than before.
It wasn't until he realized the road was wrong and asked a few questions that the eunuch said, "Your Highness, His Highness has gone to court, and it would be inconvenient for him to stay in the Phoenix Palace. He has now moved to the residence of the princes."
The princes' residences are nice, but generally no one lives there. It's estimated that there were some in the previous dynasty, but the emperors of this dynasty have fewer children. Consorts who have princes generally have high ranks. The higher the rank, the bigger the palace, and the more money they have. They can take their princes and princesses with them and raise them.
Before seeing Huangfu Jue again, Qi Qi was still very guilty. He thought and thought, and his head lowered even more. He thought that Huangfu Jue used to be very nice to him but not to outsiders. But after this incident, he would definitely scold him, and he would definitely scold him very badly.
But then I thought, let them scold me, but they definitely won't be punished. They ran away and came back, doesn't that prove their brotherhood?
Qi Qi's back stopped again, and he remained completely calm.
"Um, young eunuch, are you new here? What's your name? What do you think of His Highness's temperament?"
Upon hearing this, the young eunuch leading the way immediately shuddered, and something flashed across his face. In any case, he didn't seem to think Huangfu Jue was a good person. Qi Qi's heart began to pound.
Then he immediately said, "Your Highness, Your Highness is a very good person with a good temperament. He never scolds or beats his servants. Except for those who do not follow the rules, Your Highness is always very good. Eunuch Qi can call this servant Xiao Hai."
Qi Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
Yes, this is still the same bratty younger brother he knows.
"By the way, Xiaohai, how are Aunt Chunyu, Grandpa Deshun, and Grandpa Xiaofuzi?"
Xiao Hai said, "All my aunts and fathers-in-law are very kind, and they often miss you."
Qi Qi felt a little sad again. He should have sent more letters. They must miss him a lot after he'd been gone for so long.
As soon as he stepped through the large, red gate, several familiar faces rushed towards him from the doorway. Qi Qi was embraced and punched lightly: "You bastard! You bastard! Why are you so late! Don't you know how much we missed you!"
Just as Qi Qi was about to offer some comfort, several tearful aunts pulled him over, cradling his head and examining him closely: "Does your head still hurt? Do you still remember us?"
Qi Qi asked in bewilderment, "Wh-what?"
Xiao Xizi's eyes reddened, and her lips trembled: "It's over, his amnesia hasn't gotten better yet!"
Amnesia???
Like brushing fleas off a baby monkey, six or seven people surrounded Qi Qi's head, looking him over again and again: "This child has suffered."
Qi Qi: "?"
De Shun Gonggong said, "Didn't you write to say that you were kidnapped by bandits a few days ago and that your amnesia has only just gotten better these days? Could it be that you haven't fully recovered yet?"
Qi Qi suddenly realized that it must have been Huangfu Jue who said it. Hmm... it certainly sounded much better than the story that he and Huangfu Yi ran away.
"Sigh, it's a long story... so I'll stop here for now. I'm all better now! I missed you all so much..."
After a while of chatting and laughing together, Qi Qi suddenly remembered and asked, "Where is His Highness?"
Everyone fell silent. Pointing to the path inside, Xiao Fuzi said, "His Highness has been suffering so much these days, busy with everything, he's exhausted... and he doesn't like to talk anymore. You should go and see him."
The group chatted amongst themselves, discussing assassination attempts, being targeted by certain ministers, and setbacks. They hadn't even properly celebrated their birthdays last winter, and they had no one to talk to. They only ate a bite or two at a time, spending all their time either sleeping or working. Their study was piled high with documents, making it difficult to move. The more Qi Qi listened, the more heartbroken he felt.
Finally, he lifted his foot and walked inside.
When he turned around, everyone gave him encouraging looks and then dispersed.
Qi Qi: "..."
In short, after walking for a while, passing through the gate guarded by guards, and entering, Qi Qi saw Huangfu Jue with his head down, writing something, through the wide-open study window.
He was dressed in a black casual suit, and his eyebrows had grown longer, still exuding that refined, noble, and aloof air, only now he was even colder.
It's strange, the older these people I know get, the more they seem to resemble a cold, aloof guy.
Qi Qi watched for a while before he put down his pen. He glanced over, his face expressionless, his eyes dark and unfathomable, carrying a fierceness he had only seen in Huangfu Yi before, unconsciously giving people a sense of oppression.
He had lost a lot of weight, his eyes were sharp, and he looked like an adult, but Qi Qi only felt that he was already very tired.
She gave him a bittersweet smile, but Huangfu Jue only glanced at her once before coldly lowering his head to continue writing.
Qi Qi's heart skipped a beat, and he was stunned: "..."
Huangfu Jue, Huangfu Jue is ignoring everyone...
Qi Qi didn't know what he was feeling. All the assumptions he had just made were now invalid. He quickly turned around and walked outside, wanting to calm down first.
If you don't stay calm, tears will well up, and you'll feel completely lost.
That's the gist of the matter. Even Qi Qi himself found it utterly baffling, completely inexplicable. There was no reason for him to want to cry, even though it was his fault… no, from Huangfu Jue's perspective, it was definitely his fault, so his anger was understandable…
He had only taken two steps when a cold voice came from inside: "Where are you going! Come back!"
The noise was so loud that two security guards nearby rushed over to check. Seeing that nothing was wrong, they went back to guard the gate.
Qi Qi stood there, sniffed, then lowered his head, turned around, and walked back. When he entered the room, Huangfu Jue's cold gaze was still on his face. Qi Qi didn't look up, but walked a few steps toward him under that gaze and stopped.
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