Chapter 204 Hidden Sword: I will follow you in life and die with you.
Ajiu flicked her wrist and brought the Twin Dimples Sword close to her eyes. "Is it really that useful? Mu Chenbi wasn't lying."
"Is the Crown Prince alright?" Luo Yichen asked anxiously.
Ah Jiu turned her head and put her cheeks behind her back. "You just knelt before me, and now you're forcing me to ask questions? Your attitude changed a bit too quickly."
Luo Yichen stroked his beard and said indignantly, "I'm the one kneeling before His Highness the Crown Prince. You... you're just benefiting from the Twin Dimples Sword."
"Twin Dimples Sword..." A-Jiu's words were meaningful. She beckoned to Luo Yichen with her finger, remembering that she still hadn't been able to pry any information about the Crown Prince out of this man, so she had no choice but to obediently move closer. "This name, was it given by Mu Chenbi?"
"Um."
Ah Jiu asked again, "Why is it called this name?"
"How would I know?" Luo Yichen retorted angrily. "Your Highness can call me whatever you like. As your subordinate, why should I keep asking?"
"Mu Chenbi really likes Guan Ye, huh?"
"Of course, my prince likes it..." Luo Yichen covered his mouth. Ajiu was so cunning, asking this indirectly, "What does this have to do with you?"
"Don't you want to know if Mu Chenbi is alright?" Ajiu brandished her twin-dimpled swords.
Luo Yichen dusted off his armor. "If you can joke with me here, my prince must be doing very well. Besides, he's probably with Miss Guan most of the time. That's why you're asking me all these random questions. Are you afraid?"
"Don't you want to know where he is?" Ah Jiu asked again.
Luo Yichen almost laughed out loud, "Since you're with Miss Guan, then for Your Highness it's the best place in the world, so why should I need to know?"
"Hahahaha." A-Jiu laughed loudly, "Looks like you're not so stupid after all. Enough, I'm not joking with you anymore. Your prince is alright, but not exactly well." A-Jiu pointed to her face as she spoke, "He was injured and disfigured, so it's inconvenient for him to return to the palace for the time being..."
"Your Highness is injured?" Luo Yichen exclaimed in surprise. "How serious is the injury?"
Ajiu frowned, wishing she could slap him. "You'd better shout even louder, shout it out of the East Palace, shout it to Cui Jin and the Emperor's ears, shout it until everyone knows."
Luo Yichen realized he had lost his composure and clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your subordinate was wrong."
Ajiu continued, "It won't be fatal; it will be over in a few days. While he's away from the palace, I... am Crown Prince Chenbi."
Luo Yichen was stunned, seemingly realizing something. The Crown Prince wasn't there, so Ajiu was the Crown Prince. However, Luo Yichen raised his eyes and stared directly at Ajiu's left eyebrow, which was hidden by a strand of black hair. Ajiu had a scar on her brow bone. As long as she saw the scar... she could recognize it as Ajiu and not Chenbi...
Ajiu seemed to have guessed what Luo Yichen was thinking. She swept open her clothes and took a few steps closer to him, raising her eyebrows slightly, which made Luo Yichen unable to help but look at her again.
"Chief Luo... what did you see?" Ajiu smiled mysteriously.
Luo Yichen wanted to see his brow bone more clearly. Ajiu's head came closer, and Luo Yichen reached out to stroke his hair, but as soon as he touched it, he recoiled as if pricked by a needle. He... even though he knew that the person in front of him was Ajiu, he still didn't dare.
It's not the Crown Prince, it's just A-Jiu. What's there to be afraid of looking at? Luo Yichen mocked himself inwardly, reaching out to stroke it again, but his hand suddenly stopped halfway... as if he had suddenly realized that the Crown Prince was nowhere to be found, and A-Jiu had the same appearance as him. As long as no one exposed him, he was indeed the Crown Prince Chen Bi. Apart from the Emperor, who would dare to personally verify the Crown Prince's authenticity? Even the Imperial Advisor Cui Jin... without the Emperor's permission, he would never dare... to stroke His Highness the Crown Prince's hair.
“My strength alone is somewhat weak, but with Chief Luo by my side to help me, I am more confident,” Ajiu said. “Help me get through these next few days, and turn the tide for Guan Ye, for Mu Chenbi… for everyone.”
Luo Yichen looked at Ajiu in disbelief: "You mean..."
Ajiu gestured for Luo Yichen to stop talking. "But why?" Luo Yichen still couldn't figure it out. "If it wasn't the execution ground where the Crown Prince was arrested... then... it could only be you."
Ajiu smiled slightly: "So what if it's me? Am I the kind of person who dares to do something but not to take responsibility?" Seeing that Luo Yichen seemed to understand but not quite, Ajiu gently patted his shoulder, "If you can get through this, it all depends on your Highness."
"I still don't understand." Luo Yichen put away his sharp edge and looked puzzled. "We are willing to go through fire and water for Your Highness, and we would not hesitate to die ten thousand times. Why did Your Highness choose to risk your life yourself rather than let..." Luo Yichen suddenly realized something and stared blankly at Ajiu.
Ajiu raised her twin-dimpled sword. "At the New Year's Eve palace banquet, he was the one who switched my sword first. Does he really want to be my shadow? How ridiculous. Since he wants to, let him be my shadow for a few more days. Your Highness will return to the Eastern Palace sooner or later. You can guard it for him."
Luo Yichen's beard twitched. He looked at Ajiu but didn't say anything more. The night was dark and the sky was covered with thick clouds. Anyone familiar with Rongdu's weather knew that when thick clouds rise, snow accumulates, and another heavy snow is about to fall.
Royal Palace, Lakeside Retreat
Since returning to the palace, Cui Jin has been drinking alone in the lakeside pavilion for a long time, leaving only Lou Cangyu in the pavilion. The seat opposite Cui Jin is empty, but Lou Cangyu does not dare to covet it. If things had gone well today, it would have been fine to sit opposite him. Unfortunately, the remnants of Xingguo Ward escaped, and although Lou Cangyu wanted to sit there, it was still not the right time.
The guard strode in, whispered a few words in Cui Jin's ear, and then hurriedly left. Cui Jin's face twitched, and he turned to look at the frozen lake, his expression inscrutable.
Lou Cangyu was a little far away and didn't know what the newcomer and Cui Jin were talking about. Seeing that Cui Jin's expression was not right, he was curious but dared not ask.
"Crown Prince Shen Bi has returned to the palace."
Lou Cangyu raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Impossible."
"impossible?"
"The Crown Prince was injured by me, his face covered in blood. This is irrefutable evidence that he went to storm the execution ground. Does he dare to return to the palace?" Lou Cangyu shook his head fiercely. "It's impossible for the Crown Prince to return."
Cui Jin turned and glanced at Lou Cangyu, his single eye sweeping over her with a sinister look, making Lou Cangyu tremble. Lou Cangyu mustered her courage and asked, "How is the left eyebrow bone of the person who returned?"
Cui Jinru looked at Lou Cangyu as if he were a fool and sneered, "Go to the East Palace now and have the Crown Prince show you his brow bone so you can see it clearly, how about that?"
Lou Cangyu was stumped by the question, "The Imperial Preceptor is acquainted with the Crown Prince. When he sees the person who has returned, the Imperial Preceptor will surely be able to identify him."
Cui Jin found it increasingly amusing. The young man in front of him had a clever face, but his mind was far less sharp than his face. Lou Cangyu immediately realized what was happening and knelt on one knee, saying, "Cangyu was in a hurry and misspoke. Please forgive me, Grand Preceptor."
"Youthful temper, it's nothing to worry about," Cui Jin said calmly. "Are you sure you injured Mu Chenbi? And not someone else?"
“It was Mu Chenbi.” Lou Cangyu addressed the Crown Prince by his name. “When my sword pierced him, I heard Guan Ye shouting, ‘Mu Chenbi, be careful.’ Guan Ye would never mistake him for someone else; the one I stabbed must be him.”
Seeing Cui Jin remain silent, Lou Cangyu stood up and said, "Give me three days, and I will turn Rongdu upside down and find them and bring them back to the Grand Preceptor."
"What should we do with it after we bring it back?"
Lou Cangyu regained his composure and said, "They have committed heinous crimes. What other path do they have but death?"
"You want me to kill the Crown Prince?" Cui Jin peered at Lou Cangyu's expression with his single eye. "If I kill the Crown Prince outside, what will happen to the other Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace?"
Lou Cangyu's lips curled into a smile, "That person impersonated the crown prince and committed treason, so he shouldn't have survived."
“But what if…” Cui Jin’s tone suddenly changed, “…he doesn’t necessarily have to die?”
Lou Cangyu dared not speculate too much on Cui Jin's thoughts and hurriedly said, "Everything is under the control of the Grand Preceptor. If the Grand Preceptor wants him to live, he will live; if the Grand Preceptor wants him to die, Cangyu will definitely not let him live."
Cui Jin laughed with satisfaction, and the tattoo on his face gradually faded. "I will give you a hundred Eagle Guards. Within three days, I want to see you alive or dead. Not one of you can be missing."
"Cang Yu obeys the order; not a single one will be missing."
Chengen Hall
Outside Cheng'en Hall, just as A-Jiu was about to step inside, Luo Yichen couldn't help but raise his arms to block her, "No one is allowed to enter Cheng'en Hall without an imperial edict, and His Highness has never been inside before..."
Ajiu said calmly, "Have you forgotten who I am? I've been to Chengen Palace many times."
“But,” Luo Yichen insisted, “you are now His Highness.”
Ajiu pressed down on his arm, "Who I am is up to me."
"Your Highness, Your Highness... You mustn't..." Changlu followed behind Ajiu. The palace door opened, and he staggered to the threshold. "The Emperor is still inside. Don't disturb the Emperor."
Mu You, leaning against the couch with his eyes closed, lazily raised his eyebrows without even opening his eyes. "Let him stay. The rest of you, leave."
The palace doors closed, leaving only Mu You and his son in the vast Chengen Hall. Mu You reluctantly opened his eyes, scrutinized his son's dark hair that was covered by his clothes, and let out a mocking laugh as expected.
"After holding back for so many years, I finally couldn't resist coming to see for myself." Mu You twirled the jade thumb ring on his left thumb. "Didn't your mother tell you what's in Cheng'en Palace?"
Ajiu remained calm and composed, "In Mother's eyes, there is only Father Emperor in Chengen Hall, so how could she see anyone else?"
Mu You gestured for his son to come closer. Ajiu calmly stepped forward. Mu You sat up straight, his deep-set eyes fixed intently on Ajiu's left eyebrow, which was hidden by his black hair. Ajiu reached out to smooth his hair, but Mu You stopped him with a low shout, "No need!"
Ajiu slowly lowered her hand. "Father, do you want to confirm who your son is?"
Mu You chuckled dryly, "Since you were able to sneak into Chengen Palace at night, of course I know who you are. Now that you're here, ask whatever you want to know."
"Xingguo Ward, why has it come to this?"
The night was deep and the atmosphere was heavy. Chang Lu knew that Mu You had been feeling unwell and had been experiencing chest tightness recently, so he had left a crack in the window for ventilation. The winter wind blew through the crack, and the candlelight in Cheng'en Hall flickered. Mu You stared at his son's face, which was sometimes bright and sometimes dim, and the familiar and unfamiliar parts of his face made him feel a little dazed.
"Is it because of Ajiu?" Ajiu was drawn to the old sword hanging on the wall.
Mu You followed his gaze and nodded, saying, "Take it off."
Ajiu took down the sword hanging high above, its sharp blade unsheathed, and fixed his gaze on the two characters "Chaoge". Mu You no longer concealed himself. He looked at his son, whom he had personally taught, with great interest, or rather, he was curious about how much his son could see and guess, and thus estimate how far his long-hidden scheme had been revealed.
Seeing his son's somber gaze, Mu You couldn't help but guide him, "You are passionate about casting techniques. I know you've frequented the abandoned Tianhu Workshop. What, you can't remember?"
"Chaoge." Ajiu sheathed her sword. "Of the three thousand swordsmen in Jin, Chaoge was initially the best. It was her, Lu Chaoge. Is this the Chaoge sword?"
Mu You seemed quite satisfied with his son's answer, stroking his beard and praising, "Your interest in swords is not in vain; you can recognize the Chaoge sword. Since you are skilled at judging swords, take a closer look and see what you think of this sword."
Ajiu examined the old sword in his hand. Having been around Guan Ye for a while, he had learned a little about sword appraisal. After a long period of appreciation, Ajiu said calmly, "The sword has an ancient style, the same style as the swords worn by Jin generals many years ago. It's a black iron sword. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary sword, but..." Ajiu held the sword close to the candlelight, examining the unusual patterns on the blade. Mu You twirled his beard and watched the person in front of him make every move, remaining silent.
"Ancient texts record: Swords without patterns are defective. This sword has unique patterns that are seamless, densely interwoven and clear. It is not like it was forged, but rather like it was hand-painted. Without even testing it, one can tell that it is an extremely rare and fine sword. The craftsman's skill is superb. He even managed to engrave his own name on it, which shows that this sword is not only technically proficient, but also full of emotion."
"What kind of affection could forge such a sword?" Mu You asked in a low voice.
"A bond of sharing honor and disgrace, following in life and dying together." Ajiu put down the Chaoge sword. "This bond is precious, which is why Father Emperor kept her hidden deep in Chengen Palace, giving her unique favor, to return the affection entrusted to him by his deceased friend."
A hint of satisfaction flashed across Mu You's brow. His son, whom he had personally taught, indeed possessed extraordinary insight. Unfortunately, Mu You sighed inwardly, knowing too much was not always a good thing.
“Chen Bi already has the answer in his heart.” Mu You slowly coaxed him, “Tonight is long, and there is no one else in Cheng’en Hall, no emperor or ministers, only you and me, father and son. Why don’t we have a heart-to-heart talk? It has been a long time since your father has talked with you all night long.” As he spoke, he opened his arms and waved his sleeve to the side, “Sit.”
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