Chapter 65 Chasing Wife
After confirming that Liu Xiao was most likely his own flesh and blood, Xiao Ziran's mentality changed drastically.
He knew very well that he owed Liu Jin and his son too much, and only by showing great sincerity and patience could he make up for it.
His "daily pursuit of his wife" was extremely unscrupulous and fully combined the resources and personal characteristics of an emperor:
Xiao Ziran no longer just sent rare supplements, but began to precisely attack Liu Jin's personal preferences.
He sent people to search all over the world and found the owner of the wonton stall in the alley where Liu Jin had secretly sneaked out of the palace to eat his favorite food when he was still a prince.
He was invited to come out of retirement with a large sum of money and opened a small kitchen in the embassy, where he cooked the food Liu Jin remembered in different ways every day.
Small wontons with fresh meat, crab soup dumplings, plum blossom cakes... Then he would personally deliver them to the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation while they were still hot, without even going in.
I handed it to Fuan and said only one sentence: "Eat it while it's hot, it will hurt your stomach if it's cold."
At first, Liu Jin had someone take it out and throw it away with a cold face, but after a few times, looking at the familiar hot steam and smelling the aroma that brought back memories, he finally couldn't help but tasted it.
This bite seemed to instantly bring him back to his carefree youth twenty years ago when he dared to love and hate, and the softest part of his heart was deeply touched.
Xiao Ziran rediscovers the skills of his youth.
Knowing that Liu Jin loved calligraphy, he collected some long-lost copies of ancient calligraphy.
It "happened" to be placed in a place where Liu Jin could "accidentally" discover it on the route he had to pass.
He would even play Liu Jin's favorite song "Feng Qiu Huang" in the dead of night in an abandoned palace pavilion not far from the Yangxin Palace, where they often met secretly in their youth.
The mournful sound of the flute, carrying endless longing and regret, floated into the window lattice of the Yangxin Palace.
Whenever Liu Jin heard this, he would become upset and throw the memorial away, but he could not help but stop and listen, with mixed feelings in his heart.
Xiao Ziran completely put down his airs as Emperor Nanyue and became Liu Jin's "shadow".
Whenever Liu Jin went for a walk in the Imperial Garden, he would always "accidentally" run into him, and then he would naturally follow him and chat about flowers and plants, or the interesting scenery of Nanyue, never mentioning any feelings, just accompanying him.
Whenever Liu Jin was late in reviewing memorials, a cup of ginseng tea at just the right temperature would always be delivered to Fu'an by an attendant from Nanyue.
Even once when Liu Jin caught a mild cold, Xiao Ziran ignored the advice and personally made ginger soup in the embassy's kitchenette and brought it to him. He was stopped outside the palace by the guards.
He stood in the cold wind for half an hour until Liu Jin reluctantly asked someone to take the bowl of ginger soup which might not be of much use.
Towards Crown Prince Liu Xiao, Xiao Ziran brought the dual emotions of "guilt" and "real father" to the extreme.
He no longer just gave gifts, but began to truly care about Liu Xiao's preferences and needs.
Liu Xiao was interested in water conservancy, so he sent someone to deliver precious ancient books and atlases on flood control in Nanyue.
When Liu Xiao encountered a bottleneck in his martial arts training, he unexpectedly found a gentle internal martial arts technique that was passed down secretly by the Nanyue royal family and was suitable for his physique.
He would even remember that Liu Xiao casually mentioned that he liked a certain Nanyue snack, and he would take it out like magic the next time they met.
His concern was natural and in line with the rules, full of the kindness of an elder. Although he felt it was fatherly love, it made the gradually recovering Liu Xiao feel more favorable towards him.
Sometimes he would even say a few good words for him in front of Liu Chen: "Father, the snacks His Majesty Nanyue sent today are delicious. Would you like to try them?"
This is simply a fatal blow to Liu Jin!
Faced with Xiao Ziran's all-round, no-dead-angle, and continuous "pursuit", Liu Jin's heart is not made of stone, how could he remain calm?
He still had a stern face and still often scolded Xiao Ziran for being "unbecoming" and "disgraceful to the country", but he returned things less and less frequently and tacitly allowed him to accompany him for longer and longer periods of time.
Sometimes when I hear the flute sound of "The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix", I will even subconsciously walk to the window.
He would stare at the bowl of steaming wontons in a daze, drink the cup of ginseng tea, and even... subconsciously look forward to the next "chance encounter".
The court officials were not blind, and this strange and ambiguous atmosphere between the two emperors soon aroused discussion.
Some old-fashioned people were deeply distressed and believed that Emperor Nanyue had ulterior motives and intended to use the "honey trap" to confuse Your Majesty;
Some speculators were secretly observing and wondering whether they should establish good relations with Nanyue in advance;
Of course, there were also a few old ministers who had experienced what happened back then, and they sighed in their hearts when they saw this scene.
The second prince Liu Cong had the most complicated feelings.
He was happy to see his father's knot resolved, but he was also wary of Xiao Ziran's motives, especially his extraordinary concern for the prince, which always made him feel uneasy.
He stepped up his surveillance of the Nanyue delegation, paying particular attention to the mysterious shadow guard.
As Crown Prince Liu Xiao's health gradually recovered, he felt more and more clearly that Emperor Nanyue was being a little "too" kind to him.
It wasn't just guilt, it was more like... a deep, even slightly flattering affection? This confused him.
Once, Xiao Ziran watched him practicing calligraphy, his eyes focused and gentle, and he subconsciously murmured:
"This pen-holding posture is quite similar..."
"What did you take after?" Liu Xiao looked up curiously.
Xiao Ziran snapped back to his senses and quickly covered it up, "Ah, it's nothing. I meant that with your writing skills, given time, you will surely surpass this year's top scholar."
But the panic and deeper regret that flashed across his eyes were caught by Liu Xiao.
Another time, Liu Xiao accidentally scratched his finger, and Xiao Ziran's reaction was faster than the eunuch next to him.
He practically rushed over to grab his hand to check it, and he looked so nervous and distressed, as if he had hurt himself.
These subtle anomalies planted the seeds of doubt in the mind of the intelligent Liu Xiao.
Why is His Majesty Nanyue so special to me?
At the same time, the shadow guards sent by Xiao Ziran also made further progress in their investigation.
They dug up a key figure - an old maid who had served in the palace and later left the palace due to injury.
The shadow guard went to great lengths to find her, and under coercion and inducement, the old lady revealed a shocking secret:
Back then in the nursery, she had accidentally seen a eunuch with a scar on his brow secretly swapping two children!
One of the children was wrapped in an ordinary swaddling cloth and seemed to have been handed over to an accomplice by the eunuch... As for where the other child went, she didn't know. She was so scared at the time that she didn't dare to say anything.
This information is completely consistent with the "baby swap" mentioned by Cui Jun, the second master of Weiyuan Marquis Mansion, when he collapsed, as well as Master Hu Qing's memories!
The shadow guard immediately passed the message back.
The real prince of the Marquisate who was replaced is probably Hu Qing who is now wandering around the world!
He is now in urgent need of finding the eunuch Wu De with the scar on his brow bone, so that he can finally solve all the mysteries.
He ordered the shadow guards to continue tracking Wu De's whereabouts and looking for Hu Qing at all costs.
While Xiao Ziran was madly pursuing his wife and secretly investigating her life experience, his relationship with Liu Jin was also subtly heating up.
One afternoon, Liu Jin was taking a nap in the imperial study, and Xiao Ziran "happened" to come again to deliver snacks. This time it was the Nanyue Rose Pastry that Liu Jin had praised as delicious when he was young.
Liu Jin was seen leaning against the back of the chair, with a faint blue color under his eyes. He seemed to be sleeping very uneasily with a frown on his face.
For some unknown reason, Xiao Ziran did not wake him up, but walked over gently, picked up the cloak that had slipped off the side, and carefully covered him with it.
His movements were extremely gentle and full of love. Just as he lowered his head to gaze at Liu Chen's sleeping face, Liu Jin suddenly opened his eyes.
Their eyes met, the distance was so close that they could hear each other's breathing.
Time seems to stand still at this moment.
A trace of panic flashed in Liu Jin's eyes, and he suddenly tried to sit up.
Xiao Ziran subconsciously pressed his shoulders, his voice hoarse and low: "Don't move... Sleep a little longer, you are too tired."
The heartache and natural concern in his tone were something he hadn't seen in twenty years.
Liu Jin was stunned and forgot to push him away.
The two of them maintained this ambiguous posture, and there was an indescribable tension in the air.
Finally, Liu Jin was the first to lose, and turned his head slightly, his ears slightly red.
"...How dare you. I don't need you to worry about me."
Xiao Ziran slowly released his hand, a smile in his eyes: "I overstepped my bounds. But your Majesty's health concerns the lives of all people in the world. How can I not worry about it?"
He took a step back and put the snack down. "Rose pastry, remember to eat it."
After saying this, he looked at Liu Jin deeply, turned around and left with brisk steps.
He knew that he had taken another small step forward today.
Prince Liu Xiao became increasingly curious about this elusive and overly enthusiastic "Mr. Xiao".
He occasionally asked his father about it, but Liu Chen always frowned and changed the subject.
He went to ask his second brother, Liu Cong, but Liu Cong's expression turned even colder. He simply said sternly, "This man has evil intentions. Your Highness, stay as far away from him as possible."
Liu Cong's vigilance towards Xiao Ziran has reached the highest level.
Not only did he guard against any possibility of Xiao Ziran approaching the East Palace, he even began to secretly investigate Xiao Ziran's purpose of staying in the capital.
And how his secret guards broke through the palace guards time and time again.
He discovered that Xiao Ziran's secret guards were extremely skilled at concealment and infiltration, which made him even more uneasy.
Once, Xiao Ziran finally found an opportunity, bypassed Liu Cong's tight defense, and "accidentally" met Liu Xiao who was taking a walk in a corridor.
"Your Highness!" Xiao Ziran's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward and pulled out an exquisite mechanical bird from his arms. "This was made by a skilled craftsman from Nanyue, and I'm giving it to Your Highness to play with."
Liu Xiao looked at the lifelike wooden bird, and his youthful spirit was aroused. Just as he was about to take it, Liu Cong suddenly appeared like a ghost and blocked his way.
His eyes were as cold as a knife: "Mr. Xiao, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince should not come into contact with things of unknown origin."
Xiao Ziran's smile froze. Looking at Liu Cong's protective mother hen attitude, he felt a little unhappy. He deliberately said
"Why is Second Prince so nervous? I... I just want to get closer to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. After all..."
"What after all?"
Liu Cong's eyes were sharp, and he interrupted him without giving in.
"Mr. Xiao, it's best for you to stick to your duties. The Imperial Palace is a very important place, not a place where you can get 'close' to anyone at will."
He deliberately emphasized the three words "anyone" to indicate something.
Their eyes met in the air, sparks flying. Liu Xiao, watching from the side, was baffled, feeling the tension was high.
Finally, Xiao Ziran took back the mechanical bird in dismay, muttering, "Young man, don't be so angry..."
Then he showed Liu Xiao a loving smile, "Your Highness, if you are free next time, I have a lot of interesting things..."
Before he could finish his words, he was "invited" away by Liu Cong.
Liu Xiao looked at Xiao Ziran's leaving back, then looked at his second brother with a sullen face, and his doubts deepened.
Although Xiao Ziran's "pursuit" drama seemed a bit improper, the undercurrent in the court never stopped.
Emperor Liu Jin did not relax his investigation into the "Owl Feather" organization.
The investigation into insider factories and shadow institutions has made new progress.
They followed the clues and found that "Owl Feather" had close ties with several old princes and nobles from the previous dynasty who had been stripped of their titles and dismissed. These old princes seemed to be secretly providing funds and shelter for "Owl Feather".
More importantly, there are signs that the core members of "Owl Feather" may be lurking in an extremely prominent mansion in the capital, but because of their identities, they have never been suspected!
This news made Liu Jin feel even more depressed.
The enemy is right under our noses, but it is difficult to find it. It feels like a thorn in the back.
At the same time, urgent military reports came again from the southern border.
Although General Han Feng fought bravely and quelled most of the banditry, there were still a few elite bandits who broke up and fled into the mountains.
They came out to harass us from time to time, and their tactics were extremely tricky. They seemed to know the local terrain and the deployment of the defenders very well.
What is even more disturbing is that the military newspaper mentioned that among these bandits there seemed to be masters with excellent skills and training, who were not like ordinary bandits. Their fighting style was vaguely similar to the records of the "Shadow Owl Guards" back then!
"Owl Feather"'s hands have stretched so far. What on earth do they want to do?
Is it simply to restore the previous dynasty? Or is there a more terrifying purpose?
Liu Jin looked at the military newspaper with a frown on his face.
He couldn't help but wonder, was Xiao Ziran's choice to stay in the capital at this point in time really just to "chase his wife"?
This thought instantly dispelled the slight hesitation that Liu Jin had in his heart towards Xiao Ziran, and was replaced by deeper vigilance and suspicion.
That night, Liu Jin handled government affairs until very late and was exhausted both physically and mentally.
He waved away the palace maids and sat alone in the empty bedroom, facing the flickering candlelight, feeling an unprecedented loneliness and pressure.
The heavy responsibility of family and country, enemies in the dark, and a sticky candy that cannot be shaken off...all of this makes him feel suffocated.
Suddenly, there was a very light knocking sound on the window frame.
Liu Jin was instantly alert: "Who?!"
Xiao Ziran's low voice came from outside the window: "Brother Jin, it's me, open the door."
Liu Jin's anger flared up again: "Get lost! I don't want to see you!"
There was silence outside for a moment, and then Xiao Ziran's rare serious voice echoed: "I'm not here to bother you. I have serious business to attend to. My people have found something about the banditry in Southern Xinjiang and 'Owl Feather' that you might need to know."
Liu Jin was stunned and hesitated for a moment.
Finally, concern for border security overrode his personal feelings, and he walked to the window and opened it a crack.
Xiao Ziran came in swiftly, his face no longer smiling as usual, but with a hint of solemnity instead.
He quickly and concisely informed Liu Chen that his secret guards, while assisting in the investigation of the banditry in southern Xinjiang, had discovered a special communication code and weapon system used by the bandits.
It is extremely similar to a mysterious rebel group that was wiped out in Nanyue more than 20 years ago, and it is said that the forces of the previous dynasty were behind that rebel group.
"I suspect that 'Xiaoyu' may have been laying out plans in Nanyue a long time ago, and may have even infiltrated our Nanyue military."
Xiao Ziran said solemnly, "They are now causing chaos on the border. I'm afraid it's not just to harass the Celestial Empire, but more likely to disrupt the situation and seize something important on the Nanyue border, or... they are preparing for a larger conspiracy."
This news corroborated the intelligence Liu Jin had, forcing him to take it seriously.
He looked at Xiao Ziran's profile, which looked extremely serious under the candlelight, and felt a little complicated.
This person is sometimes extremely annoying, but when it comes to serious matters, he has the sensitivity and responsibility that a monarch should have.
"Why are you telling me this?" Liu Jin asked, his voice still cold.
Xiao Ziran sighed and looked at him with deep eyes.
"Liu Jin, I know you hate me and don't trust me. But no matter how bad I am, Xiao Ziran, I can still distinguish between public and private matters. 'Owl Feather' is a common threat to both countries. They've toyed with our lives. I must settle this account with them. By helping you, I'm also helping Nanyue itself."
He paused, lowered his voice, and held a hint of self-mockery.
"And... even if I wanted to get you back, I wouldn't use the safety of my country as a bargaining chip. I stayed in the capital, of course, for selfish reasons, but I also wanted to help you investigate the matter of 'Owl Feather'. I owe it to you... and to that child."
Hearing him mention the "child", Liu Jin's heart suddenly tightened, and immediately all the thorns on his body stood up again. He said in a cold voice: "I have received the message, you can leave now."
Xiao Ziran looked at his guarded expression, a hint of hurt flashing in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and returned to his somewhat shameless appearance:
"Okay, okay, now that we've finished our business, I'm leaving. Brother Jin, you should get some rest early. Don't be too tired, or I'll feel bad..."
As he said this, he took the opportunity to touch Liu Chen's hand, but Liu Chen rudely slapped it away.
Xiao Ziran dodged nimbly, chuckled, and went out of the window again, disappearing into the night.
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