Chapter 72 [VIP]
The sketchbook hidden under the pillow depicted a man who looked exactly like him. He never expected that His Highness would have someone paint his likeness. Several storybooks, each telling his story, sometimes portraying him as a gentleman, sometimes as a god of light, and sometimes as a seductive enchantress.
He looked at the corner of the book that His Highness had touched; the pages were intact and undamaged, with a letter written by the painter tucked inside.
The artist must have a carefree and leisurely personality, as the handwriting is also rounded at the bends, appearing very relaxed.
The story you requested has been drawn. I'm going on a long trip soon, I'll contact you again then.
His Highness had somehow created book covers, and each picture book was wrapped in one, treated like a precious item by a child. He added some spices, making the picture books appear quite delicate.
He flipped through the picture book, and even when he saw some indecent images, depicting him in such a grotesque way, he frowned as he looked through them. If he were to actually take them away, the boy would probably start crying and making a fuss again.
He placed the picture album untouched under His Highness's small pillow.
A rain fell as night fell. The courtyard gate opened hastily, and Murong Yue, wearing a bamboo hat and a dark blue robe, was almost hidden in the night. Behind him followed Lord Yin, dressed in official robes. The newcomer, a middle-aged man, with shifty eyes and a twitching goatee, followed Murong Yue with uneven steps, bringing in a mess of mud and water.
Murong Yue: "Brother, I brought the person back. Isn't it a coincidence that Lord Yin was also looking for us, saying that someone wants to see us?"
When Lu Xuejin saw the person enter, Yin Yuze was about to kneel down, but His Highness waived the formality.
"Just get to the point, no need for formalities," Murong Yue said.
“Your subject has met with Lord Lu,” Yin Yuze said. “I hope Your subject will forgive you for seeing such a desolate scene in the city. That Li Miaosuo is connected with the Emperor’s former Shadow Guard Six Armies and is acting as an accomplice in our small city. I am weak and powerless and unable to resist him.”
"I have come to see Lord Lu today to deliver a message. Although I hold an official seal, I cannot control the soldiers. The soldiers in this city are all under the command of the Shadow Guard. However, I have a way to help Lord Lu leave the city... all you need to do is accompany me to meet someone. This person is Li Miaosuo's seventh son, named Li Yunhuo. Although Li Miaosuo has abandoned him, he is knowledgeable about the deployment of the Six Armies in the city and can help Lord Lu leave."
Lu Xuejin: "I have never heard of Li Miaosuo having a seventh son, only her daughters. Even if such a person really exists, why would he want to see me?"
"This..." Yin Yuze broke out in a cold sweat, wiped it from his brow, and suddenly glanced at the young man beside him. He said to them, "My lord, you may not know this, but Li Miaosuo only wants daughters. She raises all her daughters to her liking, using them to manage the southern forces through marriage. However, because her youngest child is a boy, she abandoned him. If it weren't for the kindness of his older sisters, he probably wouldn't have survived. The child is a good child, and my wife couldn't bear to part with him, so she raised him under my name. To be honest, he heard that you came to the capital and insisted on seeing you. I... I have no choice. He's the only one in the city who can mobilize troops. He's on good terms with the city's elite guards, and his sisters are willing to make an exception for him. If he helps you, Lord Lu will surely be able to leave the city smoothly."
Murong Yue said from the side, "Brother Changyou, let's go see him and see what kind of trouble he can cause."
"Hey, old man, your excuse is so far-fetched. As the prefect, how can you have the audacity to say that your jurisdiction is not under your control? We have already written to the Emperor and notified the troops stationed in Suzhou. If anything happens to my brother, I guarantee your whole family will lose their heads."
Upon hearing this, Yin Yuze nearly dropped his official hat, quickly straightened it, and replied, "I will naturally ensure Lord Lu's safety, so please rest assured, Lord Lu."
Lu Xuejin pondered for a moment, then for some reason recalled what Li Miaosuo had said earlier: "It's a long story." He noticed that Prefect Yin looked troubled but also expectant, as if afraid that he would refuse.
He asked, "Where is Li Yunhuo now?"
"It's not far from here. He prefers peace and quiet, so my wife has arranged a separate residence for him. Please follow me."
Lu Xuejin and Murong Yue boarded the carriage together. The rain outside was pattering softly, and their straw hats were damp with water droplets. Murong Yue sat beside him, while Prefect Yin across from them kept looking out the window. Suddenly, a warm touch came from the side of his hand. He turned his head and saw that the prince's fingers, hidden in his sleeve, were hooked around his, and there was a smile in his dark eyes.
He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, letting the boy's warmth wash over him, a faint smile playing on his lips. The misty vapor washed over Dingzhou City, making the fog within the city heavy and damp.
"Lord Yin, since he is raised under your name... shouldn't he be considered your adopted son?" he asked.
Yin Yuze stammered and replied, "This... should be considered as such. My wife loves him dearly, and since it is the wife who is in charge of this household, I have no choice but to do so. He lives alone year-round and does not associate with others; I only see him a few times a month."
Lu Xuejin said thoughtfully, "He has been staying in Dingzhou and has never left?"
Yoon Yu-tsawa: "I went out a few years ago, but I failed the exam, and I've been staying at home ever since."
Lu Xuejin: "Are you married?"
“No,” Yin Yuze said embarrassedly when this was mentioned. “My wife and I have introduced him to many marriages, but although he is introverted, he is very stubborn. He will not marry someone he does not like.”
Lu Xuejin raised her eyebrows slightly, "So, you've already found someone you love?"
Under his gaze, Yin Yuze wiped his sweat again, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word. He could only give him an awkward smile, his brows furrowed with worry.
They headed towards the city center. Their small courtyard was on the edge, while Li Yunhuo's courtyard wasn't far away. Lu Xuejin observed that the road was very quiet, with few houses nearby. The courtyard walls were covered with purple morning glories and patches of yucca, and the poppies with their distinct stems and red petals were also visible. The various colored flowers made it seem as if they had stumbled into a garden, clearly showing the owner's love for plants.
Lu Xuejin: "What has he been doing at home all these years?"
Looking at the flowers, Yin Yuze said with embarrassment, "This... His sister gave him more money than he could spend in several lifetimes. He spends his days tending to flowers and plants, painting in the yard, reading leisure books, sometimes composing music, or building gardens for others. He makes some pretty little things, and many ladies come to him to buy the jewelry he makes."
Murong Yue chuckled and said, "In that case, you're an unemployed bum. You've done everything, yet you've done nothing at all. You just stay home eating, drinking, and having fun."
“This…” Yin Yuze, “My wife doesn’t have any expectations of him. He was sick a few years ago and his health was poor for a while. My wife doesn’t expect him to be successful; she just hopes he’s happy. That’s already very rare. Fame and fortune are actually quite dangerous for his personality. It’s a good thing that he failed the exam.”
"This is the first time I've heard of such a thing. There are actually families who don't want their children to take the imperial examinations. I'd like to see who this Young Master Li is," Murong Yue said.
Upon hearing this, Yin Yuze remained silent, only wiping his sweat again. His goatee twitched, and the carriage slowly came to a stop.
This villa in the city is like a paradise of flowers and birds. The vermilion walls are covered with flowers of various colors, which decorate the courtyard like stars. In the deep greenery, raindrops hang on the branches of camellias and hibiscus. Pedestrian paths separate the two sides, and the soil is full of mature Ruiyun Palace plants. The white silk threads hang out of the branches and fall down, making the soil look snow-white.
Lu Xuejin knocked on the door, which opened by itself upon contact. Prefect Yin, however, seemed unwilling to go in, waiting for them by the carriage. He glanced back and saw Murong Yue looking at the flowers, picking quite a few in no time.
The door creaked open, revealing a female statue in the center of the courtyard. A spring surrounded the statue, and the peonies, though past their prime, had already faded. An easel stood beneath a locust tree, shrouded in heavy mist. The tea table was a long, candlestick-shaped table made of white porcelain and jade, draped with white velvet. The easel was inlaid with jade, and the inkstone was made of jadeite. One of them came from a poor family, while the other, raised in the capital, was naturally carefree. Although they had seen many luxurious things, this was the first time they had witnessed such exquisite detail.
The female statue was made of white jade, with willow-leaf eyebrows and phoenix eyes, possessing a captivating beauty, and a haughty, goddess-like demeanor. It was a portrait of the eldest princess. The painting on the easel also depicted the eldest princess's likeness, and the man dressed in a jade-green robe standing before the easel was now looking at them.
The man stood tall, his face fair and smooth, his eyes lowered yet exquisitely beautiful, his features like finely sculpted jade, all inherited from his mother. Though a man, his appearance was exceptionally beautiful. Ancient texts described fairies born from cracks in rocks as possessing the best features of human beauties, and this was certainly true. His emerald green robes accentuated his red lips and white teeth, making him appear radiant and clear, as if he might disappear into a flower garden at any moment.
Lu Xuejin had never seen him before; his appearance must be that of a handsome young man described in romantic tales. He resembled the lover in those tales of romantic encounters, a heartbreaker who could bewitch a woman's heart. Just seeing his face, a woman would probably surrender.
His downcast expression in front of the easel suggested that something was troubling him, causing him such melancholy.
Murong Yue stared at it for a while, then turned to look at him. "Brother Changyou, the little figures from the storybook have come out. Are we dreaming?"
When Li Yunhuo saw them, he put down his paintbrush, his eyes reflecting their image. He noticed that their expressions suddenly changed, bursting forth with an indescribable emotion that made it difficult for them to remain calm.
"Lord Lu, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness. I am worried about this matter, and I am afraid that you two will not want to see me." Li Yunhuo walked up to them.
"Please come in, gentlemen. It is an honor to have you grace my humble abode with your presence from so far away." Li Yunhu laughed, a laugh that made even the flowers pale in comparison.
Li Yunhuo walked on Murong Yue's side. Lu Xuejin looked at the man, who knew the prince's identity. So... He looked at the goddess statue in the center and fell into deep thought.
Murong Yue remained calm despite his identity being exposed. However, the man kept sticking close to him, and whether it was his imagination or not, the man's smile seemed particularly solicitous. Looking at the portraits, he knew this man coveted his deceased elder sister and now needed to rely on him. He couldn't say anything.
"Your Highness must be tired from your journey. If I had known earlier, I would have gone to find someone to meet you. Don't worry, with me here, no one in this city will harm you."
Li Yunhuo's eyes were glued to Murong Yue, a fervent emotion reflected in his delicate eyes. Murong Yue noticed this emotion and felt an immediate sense of disgust. This man looked at him as if he were a freshly unearthed corpse, staring at him with a sticky, unpleasant gaze.
"Hey. Stay away from me." Murong Yue slapped Li Yunhuo's hand.
When he slapped him, the man beside him blushed. He watched as Li Yunhuo covered the spot he had hit with his fingers, trembling with excitement, his face flushed as if he had touched a long-awaited gem.
Murong Yue sensed something was amiss with this person and immediately hid behind Lu Xuejin.
"Brother Changyou, protect me." Murong Yue looked at the person with a gloomy look in his eyes, and immediately grabbed Lu Xuejin's arm.
Seeing this, Lu Xuejin noticed the boy hiding behind him. He heard the boy baring his teeth, clearly very displeased. Li Yunhuo, standing beside him, immediately apologized to them, realizing he had frightened them.
Li Yunhuo: "I'm sorry, Your Highness... I was just too excited. We hadn't met before, but Qing'er kept mentioning you to me. You are her only relative. As her brother-in-law, I was worried about your situation in the capital, but I was powerless to help. This matter has been on my mind. You weren't there when Qing'er and I got married. How could such a marriage be considered valid? I need Your Highness's witness to this matter."
Li Yunhuo walked ahead, glancing at Murong Yue as he spoke, his expression somewhat shy. He said softly, "Qing'er doesn't want to go out today, so I'll take you to see her. You two don't need to worry. I know the layout of the soldiers in this city like the back of my hand. Just stay here with me for a couple of days and spend more time with Qing'er. Then Qing'er and I will personally escort you two out of the city."
Lu Xuejin and Murong Yue moved in perfect unison. Seeing the man's crazed and delirious expression, they gradually slowed their pace.
"..." Murong Yue stared at the heavily fogged courtyard. Was he truly still alive? Or had he been possessed again? He could understand each word the man spoke individually, but together they made no sense. Was this man insane, wanting to become his brother-in-law? Did he truly not know that his elder sister was dead?
He wanted to beat the man up, but seeing the young man beside him remained calm, he felt a little relieved. He followed behind Li Yunhuo with Lu Xuejin.
Li Yunhuo: "Please come with me, both of you. Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality today. Qing'er is inside. She misses Your Highness terribly and wants to see you every day. Now she can finally see you."
Murong Yue: "...Brother."
Lu Xuejin looked at the furnishings in the courtyard. Every scene and every tree had been carefully arranged, some even modeled after the Wei Palace. Like this garden, it was like a dream, standing in a misty, ethereal realm. He glanced at the prince's face, gently shook his head, and pulled him inside.
The room door opened, revealing a screen adorned with delicate floral patterns, where landscapes and flowers were exquisitely detailed and dazzling, with elegant silk fabrics cascading down from the beams. Before the finely carved jade teapot and cups, and the gold-inlaid tea table, sat the stark white skeleton of a woman.
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