Chapter 139 Proof of Identity
Mu Xun shook his head groggily, "Nothing like that...nothing..."
"No?" Mu Xi pretended not to believe her and held a bowl of wine to Mu Xun's lips. "If not, drink another bowl to prove it."
Mu Xun suddenly wanted to drink, but his mind was already quite foggy, so Mu Xi made him drink another bowl.
Next, Mu Xi persuaded him to have several more bowls, using various excuses.
It wasn't until Mu Xun was completely dizzy that she realized something was wrong and stood up: "No... I can't... I'm afraid I'm drunk... I..."
Before he could finish speaking, he slumped back onto the table with a thud.
“Mu Xun? Mu Xun?…” Mu Xi pushed twice.
Under the bright candlelight, Mu Xun's profile was fair with a rosy glow. His eyes were closed, and his long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly, but he never woke up again.
Having succeeded, Mu Xi tiptoed around to Mu Xun's side and reached for his neck with both hands.
Ever since Jin Fangjun Mu Zhen left his dying wish to give the two halves of the golden lock to the two of them, Mu Xun has always worn the golden lock around his neck and has never agreed to open it in advance.
Mu Xi had no other choice but to resort to this desperate measure.
With a gentle tug, they managed to pull the crescent-shaped gold lock off Mu Xun's neck. But when they tried to remove it, Mu Xun held one end of the chain firmly in place, and they couldn't unlock it no matter what they did.
Mu Xi struggled for a long time, but was afraid of waking Mu Xun, and really didn't know what to do.
Just as he was sweating profusely with anxiety, a sudden idea struck him, and he cursed himself for being stupid.
Why not simply merge your crescent-shaped golden lock with the pattern of Mu Xun's golden lock and open it? Perhaps after seeing it this way, you can put it back "intact" without leaving a trace.
The inner room was completely quiet at this moment, and Mu Xi could clearly hear Mu Xun's breathing.
Mu Xi took out her half of the gold lock and, by the light of the candle, combined the two halves of the moon with their centers facing each other to form a full moon, their concave and convex patterns interlocking.
Take another deep breath and secretly twist your hands left and right with force.
With a "click," the golden lock was unlocked.
Before I could even feel happy, my wrist was grabbed.
"Who?" Mu Xun opened his eyes alertly, then paused upon recognizing Mu Xi. "No, I'm drunk, I have to go back to my room..."
As she spoke, she subconsciously let go and stood up, but was pulled by the neck, and only then did she realize what Mu Xi had done: "You are... no... you can't..."
Mu Xi's wrist had been loosened, but she still clung to the gold lock. Since she had been discovered, she didn't care about anything else and twisted it a couple more times: "Hey, don't be so old-fashioned."
Mu Xun grabbed Mu Xi's hand and the gold lock, pressing them down together: "No, do you intend to disobey your father's orders? That would be unfilial..."
"What's all this talk about filial piety? We'll see after we see." Mu Xi forcefully pulled him back.
Although Mu Xun was swaying unsteadily, the two were not on the same level of strength, so they couldn't budge him no matter what they did.
If you can't beat them in a fight, you can only resort to gnawing on them.
Mu Xi, looking down from her superior position, simply bent down and bit down with her upper teeth.
"Ah..." Mu Xun instinctively let go.
Mu Xi seized the opportunity to pull hard, trying to remove the gold lock from Mu Xun's neck.
Although Mu Xunren was stunned, his hands instinctively reached out to protect her: "Why are you like this? You weren't like this before..."
Mu Xi failed to remove it, but fortunately, she still held onto the golden lock in her hand, so she tried to pry and twist it.
Click—
Finally, the two halves of the golden lock popped open, revealing a handwritten note, as thin as a cicada's wing and filled with densely packed small characters, in each of the two chambers.
Mu Xun was stunned when he saw it.
Just as Mu Xi was about to make a move, Mu Xun stopped her again: "Are you really not going to honor your father's dying wish?"
Mu Xi's expression was resolute, and she brought her face close to Mu Xun's: "Either I bite you again, or you knock me out."
Their eyes met, and time seemed to stand still.
Mu Xun refused to let go.
Although Mu Xi could have taken another bite, she quickly came up with a cheeky excuse: "We're not related by blood now, and we're in the same room, so you probably don't want to..."
"I'm not..." Mu Xun jerked his hand away as if he had been electrocuted.
"Oh, what's the rush? I'm not blaming you." Mu Xi quickly took out the two handwritten letters and threw the gold lock in front of Mu Xun's chest. "Just pretend I'm going to die tomorrow, and let me fulfill your wish today."
Mu Xun was still under the influence of alcohol, and in his dazed state, he could only stammer.
Mu Xi ignored Mu Xun and took the letter to examine it by the candlelight.
First, carefully unfold the one inside Mu Xun's golden lock.
The handwritten material is exceptionally light and soft, almost transparent. When folded, it's no bigger than a rouge box, but when unfolded, it's twice the size of a letter. It's so thin that it seems like it could be scattered by the wind at any moment.
Not only is it covered with various handwritings, but in many places, it is also marked with vermilion seals and fingerprints.
Mu Xi couldn't tell at first, and after circling around, she finally found the beginning of the text:
In the forty-seventh year of the reign of Emperor Yanzhi, the year of the Autumn Fire star, the dynasty was on the verge of collapse and the state was in grave danger.
Prince Xi Hao, the last prince, should have died for his country, but he was left with only his unborn son. Now, Prince Xun was born on the third day of the twelfth month of the forty-seventh year of the Zhihua era, at the Shuoting Pavilion in Beihai. At that time, the country was in chaos due to the rebellion of traitors, and the country was destroyed and the family was destroyed. Fortunately, the Xi family bloodline continued and survived to the end.
This child is the offspring of me and my beloved Consort Meng. At that time, a celestial fire fell into the wilderness, and the shaman divined: "As long as the prince is alive, the nation's lineage will not be broken. There is a red mark on his right shoulder like the sun, and a star pattern is faintly visible on the sole of his left foot. These are signs bestowed by Heaven."
Now, I will divide the gold box in two, and use the handwritten blood-stained brocade as proof, and hide it inside the gold box. If the country is restored in the future, these two items will serve as evidence.
I am about to die, but the Xi family bloodline will not be extinguished; heaven, earth, and the spirits will protect me.
This round moon gold lock was originally called "golden box", and the thin, cicada-wing-like material inside was called "plain brocade".
Is this plain brocade a form of identification?
To prove Mu Xun's—no, now he should be called Xi Xun—royal grandson status.
But this name...
Mu Xi deeply doubted that changing "Xun" to "Xun" was a necessary step to follow the Mu family's naming convention. However, while "Xun" might reflect Mu Xun's original temperament, it was still unsuitable for a ruler who was restoring the country.
While my mind was wandering, I continued scrolling down.
Below are seals with the words "Donggong Xihao" drawn in cinnabar, and fingerprints made with blood.
Besides the seal and blood fingerprint of the former Crown Prince Xi Hao, there are several other blood handprints of different people in different shades and colors, with names and notes on them.
Witnessed by Taiwu Xian Gu, testified by Shaofu Gongsun Qiao, and inscribed by Zuoshi Shen Lun...
Was Shen Lun the Left Historian at that time?
Mu Xi finally found the words "General Mu Zhen of the Hanhai Dragon Guard" in one place, with a blood-red fingerprint on it.
These are all people who could prove Mu Xun's birth and identity back then. Since these people were willing to sign and affix their fingerprints to it, it proves that they all wanted to participate in the restoration of the country.
This is not just a certificate, but also a pledge of alliance for national restoration.
However, at this time...
Mu Xi's gaze returned to the head of the table.
Is Mu Xun's birthday the third day of the twelfth lunar month?
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