Chapter 37 [VIP]
Where the water meets the sky, lotus leaves bloom in summer, but when the wind and rain come, they turn the lake into a lake of withered lotus.
People came and went all around, vendors came and went, and the sky was gray and overcast. Murong Yue didn't come back to his senses until his elder sister called him from the side.
"Xiao Jiu, what are you thinking about?" Murong Qing asked, leaning closer.
Murong Yue fell into deep thought, only remembering that he had arrived here by boat. On the boat, the boatman remained silent as they crossed a dead river, eventually reaching this city on the edge of the clouds. There was no sun here; the sky was perpetually gray. Although it was summer, it wasn't hot; instead, the temperature was chillingly cool.
“No… I just feel like I’ve forgotten something important,” Murong Yue said, looking at the red lotus in his palm.
Passing by the lotus pond, he couldn't resist picking one. The lotus, which had just been in the pond like a watercolor painting, was now withered in his palm.
“Since it’s something important, you’ll remember eventually. Just think about it slowly,” Murong Qing said to him, glancing at him with her phoenix eyes. “Let’s go back first. Father and Mother are waiting.”
He snapped out of his reverie and followed behind his elder sister. He stared at Murong Qing's profile; his elder sister was exceptionally beautiful, and although there was no sun here, seeing her felt like seeing the blazing sun. The woman in front of him suddenly turned her head and smiled at him.
“Your father and mother have been missing you. Since you’ve come all this way, why don’t you stay a few more days?” Murong Qing asked him.
Stay a few more days... He came from who knows where. Father, mother, and elder sister are here; have they already arrived in the underworld?
"I..." Murong Yue began, but found it difficult to speak, as if his throat was blocked, preventing him from agreeing.
"Elder sister, is this place alright?" he asked.
“Of course. I’m doing well here… A calm mind brings peace, while a restless mind makes everything difficult,” Murong Qing said.
He followed Murong Qing through Guxiang Lane, where many spider lilies grew on the walls on both sides. Red flowers bloomed in the cracks of the walls, growing alongside dark mushrooms and damp moss. They passed through layers of alleys and arrived at a secluded courtyard. There were many flowers in front of the courtyard, the spider lilies arranged to face people, exuding a hint of vitality.
The courtyard gate was then pushed open, revealing the faces of a man and a woman inside. King Liang and Consort Li remained as they were in life, smiling as they looked at the two of them, as if they were just ordinary people living in an alley.
"Yue'er. My good Yue'er, let your mother take a look." Consort Li had a kind face. When he walked up to his mother, she smiled and touched him all over.
“My son has lost some weight recently. Has he been eating well in the mortal realm? What is troubling you so much?” Consort Li asked.
King Liang, watching from the side, said, "Perhaps you are troubled by karmic difficulties. Since you are already here, let's not bring up the past. Today is a day for family reunion, so come and try your mother's cooking."
The aroma of food wafted from the courtyard, and Murong Qing brought out the dishes he had prepared. Today, his mother had cooked twelve dishes from the Hu ethnic group, and he stared at them intently before sitting down next to his elder sister.
“Your father is right. Yue’er, if you have worries, just don’t think about them. You’ve finally seen your father, mother, and sister, so be happy.” His mother pinched his cheek and made him smile.
He smiled, recognizing his reflection in the soup bowl. His dark, fan-shaped eyes opened, but they were lifeless, devoid of color. Feeling utterly lost, he touched his temples, a suppressed aura plunging him into despair.
"Xiao Jiu." His wrist was then grasped. Murong Qing spoke, holding his wrist and saying, "Eat well. Look at this sugar flower cake, it was all made for you by Her Majesty herself."
A plate of pastries was placed in front of him. His mother had shaped the pastries into tigers, each with a different posture, looking fierce yet piercing.
"After you finish your meal, go and see what you think of the article I wrote," Murong Qing asked.
His attention was drawn by the words, and he took a bite of the sugar tiger dessert. The dessert was sweet, but for some reason, it tasted bitter. The bitterness seemed to rise from deep within his throat, and the taste of the dessert could not mask the bloody bitterness.
"My elder sister's article...is it here?"
Murong Qing: "There are no books, no documents, and no order here. Fortunately, there is still pen and ink, and what is written can only be seen by a few people. As long as my consciousness has not died out... I can still record my thoughts."
Consort Li: "That's right. Look at the articles your eldest sister has written. Your eldest sister has no worries here now and has written quite a few things, but unfortunately, I don't know how to appreciate them. With Yue'er here, she can at least keep Qing'er company."
"You should stay here and rest well," said King Liang.
Murong Yue finished his meal amidst gentle laughter and chatter. Afterward, he followed Murong Qing to the calligraphy studio. There were no books available, so his elder sister memorized all the poems she had read before and placed them one by one on the bookshelf.
"There's one more thing I forgot to tell you. There's a River Styx outside this city, the boundary between Yin and Yang. If you go to the river between dawn and night, you can glimpse things in the mortal world. Whenever someone is reading, I always go to take a look and copy some poems."
Murong Qing took out a book, and when it was opened, the handwriting was extremely sharp.
As he read it, he learned that the book told a story about a hero. According to his elder sister, the protagonist was a seventeen-year-old boy who, after the deaths of his parents and the massacre of his family, lived alone under the protection of his enemies.
In her elder sister's description, the young man was determined, confident, resilient, and extremely patient, and was described in a way that was both comforting and charming in her gentle words.
As he looked at his elder sister's handwriting, he felt as if a haze had appeared before his eyes. His throat tightened, making it difficult to speak; the words felt like sharp knives stuck in his throat, gradually obscuring his vision.
Murong Qing: "The only regret is... that I can't speak up here. If Xiao Jiu encounters him in the future, please pass on my message. Tell him... that in my heart, he is already a great hero."
The courtyard outside the palace.
Lu Xuejin was heading to the criminal trial committee when he met Murong Yue's gaze. The boy stared at him intently, the bowl of medicine in it terribly bitter. He fed it to the boy, who silently swallowed it.
"Your Highness." He had barely opened his mouth when Murong Yue seemed to know what he was going to say. The boy screamed and gripped his wrist tightly, his empty eyes filled with fear.
"..." He put down the soup bowl and said reassuringly, "Your Highness, I need to go out for a while. Would you like to come with me?"
Upon hearing this, Murong Yue immediately fell silent. The boy sat quietly beside him, their fingers intertwined, his fan-shaped eyelids open as he looked at him, his grape-like black eyes shining, radiating a joyful aura because of his words.
Besides the disordered language, the boy became more sensitive to emotions. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt like he was being watched, and that his words and actions could be predicted by the boy's observation.
Just like before, he originally intended to say he was going out for a while. Now it seemed inappropriate, so he had no choice but to take the boy with him. He asked Ziyan to find him a set of clothes, which were the clothes of a guard, and along with the clothes, a mask.
He went to get his clothes, and Murong Yue followed behind him. After he took the clothes, Murong Yue turned around and called out "Brother Changyou" beside him, watching him do things like a curious child.
"..." Lu Xuejin looked over and saw that she had truly become a clingy cat, a lost cat, who only knew to stay by his side and didn't care about anything else.
“Your Highness needs to change your clothes before going out, and you must be careful... avoid touching your wounds on the way,” he said.
Murong Yue didn't respond, but he understood and quietly changed his clothes. After changing, Murong Yue touched his head and called out, "Brother."
He ignored it, but his wrist was grabbed. Murong Yue touched his forehead again and looked at him curiously.
"Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Brother. Changyou."
Lu Xuejin realized he couldn't fool the child, so he leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. The kiss silenced the hall. Murong Yue smiled at him, nuzzling his lips against Lu Xuejin's head twice.
"Chang. You. Brother."
He put a mask on Murong Yue, dressing him as a guard, with only the boy's eyes showing. He said to the others, "Your Highness, you must stay by my side and not speak, okay?"
Murong Yue seemed to understand and called out "Brother," following closely behind him.
He led the man, and after taking only two steps, he smelled blood and stopped abruptly. Beneath the mask, Murong Yue's face was pale, yet he still insisted on following behind him, his eyes fixed on him as if he might disappear in the blink of an eye.
"Ziyan." He called someone over.
A moment later, Ziyan brought over the medicine again, and he fed it to Murong Yue. After taking the medicine, Murong Yue obediently fell asleep. Before falling asleep, he was still holding onto him. Seeing the boy's state, he couldn't bear to leave.
Ziyan watched thoughtfully from the side, then said to Lu Xuejin, "Young Master, please rest assured. If His Highness wakes up, I will immediately send someone to inform you."
Even though Ziyan said that, Lu Xuejin quickened her pace on the way, riding at breakneck speed to the Criminal Trial Council. Back in the palace, Xue Yi was seriously ill this time; the entire Imperial Hospital hadn't slept for two nights. His illness had never been this severe before. Xue Yi's absence from court gave Qiu Fuzhe an opportunity to maneuver.
He originally thought he would have to wait for Song Zhao, but he didn't expect that Song Zhao was already waiting for him there.
Song Zhao has already collected all the evidence, including witnesses and physical evidence. All that's left is for Xue Yi to issue an imperial decree, and the case will be closed.
"His Majesty is critically ill... Aren't you going to the palace to see him?" Song Zhao hesitated for a moment, but finally asked.
Lu Xuejin: "The imperial physician should be more useful than me. I haven't had much time lately, so I'll have to ask Lord Song to take care of my brother."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao gave him a questioning look and explained, "I recently got a cat... It's injured, and I need to take care of it."
His serious expression as he spoke made Song Zhao frown. Song Zhao said to him, "In that case, the cat is indeed more likely to capture Lord Lu's attention."
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now. If His Majesty wakes up, Lord Song can send me a message,” Lu Xuejin said, rising to her feet.
Song Zhao: "Wait a minute. We've already found the person in Wei Ning's place. They're on their way and will arrive in the capital tonight."
"Really?" Lu Xuejin sat back down. "What did she say in her letter?"
To avoid arousing Song Zhao's suspicion, Wei Ning did not communicate with him directly, but instead sent a message to Song Zhao. Seeing his expression, Song Zhao, noting it seemed genuine, said to him, "Wei Ning has found the Bi brothers. Both brothers are disabled…it's said to be a hereditary condition, a disease that has existed for a hundred years. They know the salt-making method and are willing to come with Wei Ning."
Lu Xuejin stayed at the criminal trial committee until evening. He would glance at the time from time to time, thinking of Murong Yue, and would unconsciously fumble with the side of his palm in a daze.
They met the people at night. Wei Ning had driven there, arriving in the capital in a dusty and weary state. From his departure to Yancheng, and then back with the men, it had taken him three days and three nights. He had barely slept for three days; his eyes were bloodshot. He gripped the reins of the carriage in his hand, and when he saw the two of them in the distance, a smile crept onto his lips, a carefree and joyful laugh.
"Hey! Changyou! Song Zhao! Distinguished guests have arrived! Quickly summon the best doctor in the capital."
The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the two men, and the two Bi brothers alighted. Both young men were in their early thirties, with simple features and dark skin. One had dull, lifeless eyes, and the other was born with a missing finger. Upon seeing them, the two brothers knelt before them.
"This humble citizen from Bijie greets the two esteemed officials."
"This humble subject, Bi Jian, greets the two esteemed gentlemen."
"Please rise quickly." Lu Xuejin and Song Zhao bowed at the same time, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if they had rehearsed it. Realizing what was happening, they stopped again. Wei Ning, watching from the side, burst into laughter.
Wei Ning: "In ancient times, there was Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi; today, there is Master Song imitating the manners of others."
Song Zhao looked at Wei Ning expressionlessly and withdrew his hand.
Lu Xuejin didn't seem to care and said to the two, "It must have been hard for you two to travel all the way to the capital. I'm sure Wei Ning already explained it to you before we came... Are you both familiar with the salt-making process?"
Bijie: "Yes. Our salt-making method was developed through research on fragments left by our ancestors... Although the technique is crude, it ensures that the salt produced is delicate and mild. We have never told anyone about this method."
“That’s right,” Bi Jian said. “We first demonstrated our salt-making method in town, but then someone came to threaten us, and my brother and I have been on the run ever since. If our salt-making method catches your eye, sirs… could you please keep our secret?”
Upon hearing this, Song Zhao said, "If you truly know how to make salt, you will be meritorious officials of the Great Wei. I will personally advise the Emperor to grant you rewards and titles."
The two brothers exchanged a glance, quite surprised, and then knelt down again.
"Thank you, sir."
Wei Ning said from the side, "Tell His Majesty not to forget the contributions of Changyou and me."
Lu Xuejin looked at Wei Ning, observing his expression, and said in a low voice, "Have you not slept for several days? Even if it's urgent, it's not so urgent that you need to stay up all night. Your health is the most important thing."
"After all, this is for the benefit of the people, and I am also a citizen of the Great Wei. If this matter succeeds, I will have Xue Yi bestow upon me the title of Grand Master another day," Wei Ning said.
The two brothers were handed over to Song Zhao, who then arranged for them to stay at his residence. Wei Ning yawned upon seeing this. With Song Zhao present, she couldn't say much to Lu Xuejin, so she said to the two of them, "I'll head back now. See you later."
Lu Xuejin: "Song Zhao, see you later."
After the three parted ways, Lu Xuejin walked a few steps away, and as expected, Song Zhao had his guards follow him. He and Wei Ning went home separately without meeting.
Back in the courtyard, he saw Ziyan in the small hut next door, the room brightly lit, while Murong Yue was still asleep in the hall. He had been keeping watch in the hall when Ziyan came and knocked on the door in the middle of the night.
"Young Master." Ziyan, who had been sewing all night, brought over the finished product.
In Ziyan's arms lay a doll that looked exactly like him. The doll was made of fabric, with refined and ethereal features, eyes sewn with amber gemstones, dressed in a white robe resembling his own snow crane, and a gentle smile on its lips. Its head was large while its body was small. The embroidery was exquisitely lifelike, like a miniature version of him in Ziyan's arms.
Ziyan held the rag doll and said to him, "This is a little prince that I sewed for Your Highness. If the prince leaves in the future, Your Highness will not be so lonely."
Lu Xuejin: "..."
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