Chapter 216 Past Events Like Smoke
Princess Yan Ya, gazing at the Phoenix Crying Zither, was shrouded in deep sorrow, and even the surrounding air seemed heavy.
After a long while, Princess Yanya seemed to pull herself out of her memories and smiled shyly.
Mu Xi's heart skipped a beat: "The princess has helped and saved me many times. I wonder what our connection is?"
Upon hearing this question, Princess Yan Ya's memories seemed to drift far away. After a long while, she stood up and sat down beside Mu Xi's bed: "Alas, the past is too painful to recall, but since you asked... you should know that the Mu family were former officials of the Yan Kingdom, right?"
Mu Xi's heart trembled. The reason she had hesitated to ask for so long was simply because she was afraid of bringing up this topic.
Princess Yanya smiled gently: "Don't be nervous, I have no intention of settling scores. Time has passed, and if you don't ask, I don't want to bring it up. Just like just now, Gao Quan was also a former official of Yan Kingdom, but you see, when I met him, I acted as if nothing had ever happened."
"He's probably not worthy to be mentioned to the princess." Mu Xi already knew that Gao Quan's sudden arrival today wasn't to search for the assassin, but simply to make things difficult for her?
Princess Yan Ya continued, "There are some things you need to know that start from the time your brother was born..."
Mu Xi composed herself and listened quietly.
The past is like smoke, and Princess Yan Ya's voice is also like a wisp of smoke, telling the story in a gentle and detailed way: "Back then, General Mu... I'm talking about your grandfather Mu Huan, who was the number one general in my Yan Kingdom. His sister, Lady Mu, was my father's concubine. My father and mother had no children for many years, but Lady Mu gave birth to a son first, and you have seen him."
Mu Xi knew that Princess Yan Ya was referring to the former Zhu Mingjun, Xi Cong.
Princess Yan Ya probably didn't want to mention this person either, and casually glossed over it: "When the eldest prince was three years old, General Mu Huan sent his eldest and second sons to the palace to be his study companions. The following year, my mother gave birth to my elder brother, who later became the crown prince. I wonder if you know this?"
Mu Xi smiled wryly: "If I say I know nothing, will the princess believe me?"
"I believe you." Young Master Yan Ya was neither surprised nor doubtful. "If Lord Jin Fang didn't tell you anything, that would be understandable. Xi Hao is Crown Prince Yan, and also my own brother..."
Princess Yan Ya continued speaking on her own initiative, and Mu Xi was happy to listen as well.
"According to the rules of our Xi family, children begin their education at the age of three. When my brother was three years old, at a palace banquet, Madam Mu took the initiative to suggest that one of the two companions of her son be given to my brother, saying that the companion, being a few years older, would be better able to take care of him and would also benefit him more." Princess Yan Ya recounted this story, though she hadn't witnessed it herself, yet it seemed as if it were vivid in her mind. "As a result, my brother somehow caught sight of Mu Zhen, who was the same age as you, and so your father became my brother's companion and a lifelong friend."
Only then did Mu Xi learn the details of her scumbag father Jin Fangjun's relationship with the former Crown Prince of Yan.
Princess Yan Ya's gaze drifted into the distance again as she spoke: "They were probably destined to be together. They became playmates in a single day, and later classmates. One studied literature and martial arts, one became the Crown Prince, and the other became General Mu. They knew and trusted each other deeply. Even later... when the hatred of the destruction of the country and the family was over, my brother never hated your father, and your father never doubted my brother."
"These two should be sworn brothers," Mu Xi couldn't help but sigh.
The three sworn brothers of the Peach Garden Oath were just like that.
Princess Yanya didn't answer, paused for a moment, and then continued: "Later, the Yan Kingdom was destroyed, my father and mother died for their country, and my brother fled with me and my pregnant sister-in-law. After my sister-in-law gave birth to the child, she also died for her country with my brother, and I..."
At this point, Princess Yan Ya finally couldn't continue.
“If the princess is troubled, there’s no need to continue.” Mu Xi felt apologetic, but this kind of thing couldn’t be resolved with words, so she could only change the subject. “The princess should know that Mu Xun…”
Princess Yan Ya took a deep breath and said, "I was captured by your father and taken back to Mo Yang, where I was presented to General Mu Huan, who had already established his own kingdom at the time."
"Huh?" Even though Mu Xi was half-lying and half-leaning on the bed, she still almost fell off. "Bring it back?"
Princess Yan Ya didn't surprise Mu Xi for long. She smiled sadly, "Back when our kingdom fell, my father and mother died for their country. I was supposed to die with them, but my brother insisted on taking me with him. Before that, I was secretly engaged to your father, and we were just waiting for the betrothal ceremony. After the events, the ceremony never took place. But in my brother's heart, Mu Zhen and I were childhood sweethearts, and I was his betrothed. He wanted to entrust me to him as a token of his affection and to save my life. Unfortunately..."
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on us.
Mu Xi was able to predict what would happen next.
"Unfortunately... when Mu Zhen nominally led troops to pursue the Han Hai Army, but secretly went to see my elder brother, he had already married the daughter of Shen Mao, the former prime minister of my Yan Kingdom and later the Duke of Yong of Yu Kingdom. My brother, wanting to one day avenge the destruction of his country and family and clear the Xi family's name, even entrusted his newborn child to your father. After my brother and sister-in-law died for their country, I had nothing left to hold me back. I took the initiative to ask your father to 'capture' me and bring me back, which would be a meritorious deed and would also gain the trust of the King of Yu at the time, wouldn't it?"
"I see... But..." Mu Xi thought of the current Prince Yu, Mu Ji.
Princess Yanya smiled proudly: "It's nothing. Prince Yu didn't really have feelings for me. It was just a prophecy from back then. But now I belong to no one. If he wants the world, he can just guard his world."
Mu Xi then thought of Mu Xun: "So you knew Mu Xun's identity from the very beginning, then..."
Speaking of this, I suddenly remembered that our first meeting was at Daoming Temple near Princess Yunying's tomb. Princess Yanya was there at that time, probably hoping to "accidentally" meet Mu Xun or Mu Zhen.
It was quite remarkable that she managed to keep her face perfectly dry at that moment.
Princess Yan Ya withdrew her gaze and then fell on the Phoenix Cry Zither: "When I fled back then, I only took this Phoenix Cry Zither with me in my haste. This zither was a gift from the Great Shaman Phoenix Cry when I was born, and it also bears the prophecy from that time, which is why King Yu never dared to touch it. In fact, since the Mu family successfully usurped the throne, the prophecy must no longer be true. But in the end, this zither was left behind, and I never expected it to come in handy today for scaring people."
Mu Xi showed no interest in the zither or the prophecy, so she asked again, "Since the princess knows Mu Xun's... no... Xi Xun's identity, it's too cautious of her not to acknowledge him. Now that he's recuperating here, perhaps you two, aunt and niece..."
“No need,” Princess Yanya interrupted, her face revealing neither joy nor sorrow. “Since you know some of the inside story, he must know it too. Time has passed, and neither he nor I would want to bring up the past again. Besides, he was raised by your father and is truly your father’s son. All Xi Shi can offer him is a surname and perhaps nothing more than trouble. Why bother?”
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