Chapter 55 The Storm is Coming
In the Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, the second master Cui Jun was completely plunged into dire straits.
The terrible speculation that his mother, Madam Zhou, might have bribed the eunuch Wu De, who had a scar on his brow, tormented him day and night like a nightmare.
He couldn't eat or sleep at night, and would break out in cold sweats at the slightest sign of trouble.
He didn't dare look into his elder brother Cui Yan's eyes, always feeling that those eyes could see through the fear in his heart.
He didn't even dare to enter or exit through the main gate of the mansion. He always felt that there were countless pairs of eyes outside the door staring at him, ready to rush in at any time to lock him up and interrogate him.
He became suspicious and wary of everyone around him.
Even when his trusted servant brought him a cup of tea, he would stare at the other person's hands for a long time, suspecting that there was poison in it.
He woke up in the middle of the night countless times, dreaming that his mother, Old Madam Zhou, was bleeding from all seven orifices and demanding his life, and dreaming that the emperor, with a ferocious face, ordered the execution of the entire marquis's family!
This extreme fear was about to drive him crazy.
He rushed to the door of Cui Yan's study several times, wanting to tell him everything he knew and begging his elder brother for advice.
But every time his hand touched the door knocker, the potential disaster made him lose all courage.
"I can't tell you... If I tell you, it'll all be over... My mother is dead, there's no evidence... Yes, as long as I don't tell you, no one will know..."
He repeated these words over and over again like Xianglin Sao, his eyes were dull, and his whole body quickly became haggard and emaciated.
Everyone in the Marquis' Mansion noticed the Second Master's abnormal behavior, but they just thought that he was frightened by the recent turmoil and looked down on him even more.
Only Weiyuan Hou Cui Yan, looking at his brother's appearance, felt more and more doubtful and uneasy.
He vaguely felt that Cui Jun's fear was not groundless, and seemed to be hiding some more terrifying secret related to the past.
But every time he tried, Cui Jun dodged like a frightened rabbit and spoke incoherently, which made Cui Yan feel even more depressed.
The sky above the Marquis' Mansion seemed to be shrouded in an lingering dark cloud.
Compared with the gloom in the Marquis' Mansion, the Crown Prince Liu Xiao of the Eastern Palace is growing rapidly under pressure and tests.
With the emperor's trust and the second prince Liu Cong's almost ironclad protection, he was able to devote all his energy to the study and practice of government affairs.
He became more and more sophisticated in handling memorials, and his insights often surprised the cabinet elders;
He also became more adept at coordinating the affairs of various departments, and by combining kindness and severity, he gradually acquired the dignity of a crown prince.
The emperor was very pleased to see his son's progress, and he sent rewards to the East Palace like water.
But the exaggerated behavior of "flooding you with material things" has gradually become less frequent, and has been replaced by more substantial empowerment and guidance.
The father and son often discussed state affairs in the imperial study until late at night, and their relationship became increasingly close and stable due to their shared philosophy of governing the country.
However, there was always a knot in Liu Xiao's heart, and that was the second prince Liu Cong.
That day in the Yangxin Palace, he swore his life without hesitation, and that night in the East Palace study, he said in a low and gentle voice, "Don't be afraid. I'll take care of everything."
And that lightning-fast embrace around the waist... These images often flashed in his mind, bringing with them inexplicable palpitations and confusion.
There is no doubt that the Second Emperor's kindness to him even surpasses that of ordinary brothers...
But sometimes, Liu Xiao could keenly catch a flash of extremely strong yet suppressed emotion in Liu Cong's deep eyes when he looked at him.
That made him feel unfamiliar, even... a little indescribably panicked.
He tried to be close to Liu Cong as he had in the past, sharing his ideas and difficulties.
Liu Cong would still listen patiently and give accurate advice, but he would always maintain a proper distance as a subject.
That sense of distance formed a strong contrast with the emotions occasionally revealed in his eyes, making Liu Xiao even more confused.
That day, after discussing a thorny canal transport corruption case with Liu Cong, Liu Xiao couldn't help but sigh: "If all the officials in the court could be as dedicated and loyal to the emperor as my brother, why would we worry about the world not being governed well?"
Liu Cong's hand, which was drinking tea, paused almost imperceptibly.
He put down the teacup, his eyes fixed on the rising steam, and said calmly, "Your Highness, you are too kind. Everything I have done is not for the sake of the world, but simply for..."
He paused, as if weighing his words, and finally said slowly, "...fulfill the duty of a subject and protect those who should be protected."
His tone was still respectful, but Liu Xiao could hear something unusual in it.
"Protect those who should be protected"? The word "should" seemed to carry too much weight that he couldn't fully understand.
Liu Xiao looked at Liu Cong's drooping eyebrows. His angular profile seemed a little distant and... lonely in the light and shadow.
He suddenly wanted to ask, "Brother, why do you treat me like this? What is the emotion in your eyes?"
But he didn't ask in the end.
An inexplicable intuition told him that the answer might break the current dangerous balance.
He just nodded, suppressing the throbbing and confusion back into his heart.
Liu Cong felt Liu Xiao's gaze, and his heart felt like it was boiling water.
Didn't he want to take off all his disguises and tell the person in front of him about his surging emotions?
That would only scare him, destroy him, and even destroy himself.
He could only guard the boundary he had drawn, called "brothers and ruler and subject", and endure the longest longing at the closest distance.
The abandoned commoner Liu Jue was like a trapped beast, anxiously waiting for news from outside.
The failure of his two plans seemed to make the mysterious master behind him really angry, and he severely reprimanded him for his stupidity and incompetence.
But after the reprimand, new instructions came. This time, the instructions were more concise and more vicious.
"The Emperor and the Crown Prince are now united as one, difficult to break through head-on. But their foundation is not without cracks."
The mysterious letter read, "Cui Jun, the second master of the Weiyuan Marquisate, has been acting suspiciously and fearfully lately. He must be aware of some unknown secret, perhaps even related to Wu De's case. His cowardly nature and fear of death make him a perfect target for attack."
"Find a way to pry his mouth open! No matter what means! Get a confession, or... have him die 'accidentally' and leave behind evidence that points to the Emperor or the Crown Prince for silencing him!
By then, no matter what the truth is, the Weiyuan Marquisate will be in chaos! The Crown Prince's background will be in turmoil again, and the Emperor's reputation will be damaged. Our chance has come!"
Liu Jue looked at the instruction, his eyes flashing with excitement and cruelty.
Even though he couldn't deal with the emperor and the crown prince, he still had a way to deal with the frightened Cui Jun!
He even began to enjoy the feeling of manipulating things from the dark and stirring up trouble.
He immediately contacted several desperate criminals lurking in the capital through secret channels, who were good at intimidation, kidnapping, and creating "accidents", promised them a large sum of money, and issued an order against Cui Jun.
An invisible black net was once again quietly spread towards the already precarious Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, targeting the second master Cui Jun who was on the verge of collapse.
On the surface, the capital seemed to have returned to its former order.
The emperor's investigation was carried out in secret at full speed. The second prince's guards were impeccable, and the prince's government affairs were handled in an orderly manner.
But everyone could feel that this was just the calm before the storm.
Wu De's clues were like a sword hanging over his head, and the abnormal reaction of the second master of the Marquis's Mansion was like a constantly flashing danger signal.
Beneath this tranquility, an undercurrent of emotions is surging.
Liu Cong used his iron will to suppress the love that was about to burst out of his heart, and transformed all the pain and desire into a more powerful protective force.
His eyes always followed the direction of the East Palace, like the most loyal guard or the most desperate prisoner.
Liu Xiao strives to grow amidst confusion and excitement.
He vaguely felt the surging emotions beneath his second brother's heavy gaze, but he didn't dare to delve into it.
I can only devote this inexplicably confused mood to endless government affairs and studies.
At this moment, several dark shadows had taken advantage of the night and quietly sneaked into the block where Weiyuan Marquis Mansion was located.
Their eyes were fixed on the second master Cui Jun, who was unable to sleep at night due to extreme fear and was drinking to drown his sorrows in the study.
The storm was finally about to land directly on the mansion where the prince was raised.
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