Chapter 135 (Chapter 135) ...
Chapter 135 has arrived.
"Heh." Gong Jiu sneered, "Do I need to explain to you what I'm doing here?"
Gongzi Yu wanted to say something more, but Ling Hao pulled her away. "Yu, come on, let's go see that iron-eating beast. Look how round and chubby she is, so cute!" She had already found out that the giant panda in this animal park was a female.
All she could see now was the giant panda. She sat there eating bamboo, her whole body round and chubby, looking absolutely adorable. As for Gong Jiu? Unimportant; the giant panda was more important right now.
Gongzi Yu let her pull him along, but turned back and smiled at Gong Jiu. His smile wasn't the cold sneer he'd given before; it was more of a smug and boastful one. His Ah Hao was always watching him, always wanting him by her side.
Unlike Gong Jiu, who only had the rebellious Shaman by his side and was mostly feared by others, the two of them were completely different.
Just thinking about this made Gongzi Yu very proud. He had his Ahao, but Gong Jiu had nothing, and he wouldn't bother arguing with someone who had nothing. Although Gongzi Yu only smiled and didn't say anything, he believed that the other party would understand his meaning.
Gong Jiu truly understood the meaning behind Gongzi Yu's smile. Because he understood, his heart was filled with resentment. It wasn't like this before; he was the one who was loved before, but now he had nothing, while Gongzi Yu had everything.
This is so unfair! I really want to see it all ruined. Thinking this, Gong Jiu immediately hatched countless schemes in his mind.
But as Gong Jiu watched Gongzi Yu and Ling Hao's departing figures, his mind drifted back to the time he spent with them as children. They looked down on other people's intelligence, and as long as they could meet, they would definitely be together.
They would talk about things that others weren't interested in, and they would cause trouble together. They were brothers, and friends. But then things happened so suddenly that their connection was severed, and they were never able to reconnect when they met again.
They were no longer brothers, no longer friends. When they met, they would either mock each other or slap each other, as if they could only get along by doing so. But clearly... clearly they were brothers.
Perhaps sensing something, Gongzi Yu turned back to look at Gong Jiu again. But it was just a glance, and there was nothing particularly special about it.
As for Gong Jiu, no matter how much turmoil he felt inside, his face remained as pale and indifferent as a dead man.
The two exchanged only a fleeting glance before going their separate ways.
Gong Jiu left the Beast Garden and headed towards the Imperial Palace.
Gongzi Yu also withdrew his gaze, focusing all his attention on Ling Hao. The moment he looked at her, his gaze softened.
“Ayu.” Linghao reached out and placed her hand in Gongzi Yu’s hand. “If we’re in Kyoto in the future, we’ll come to see her often, okay?” She pointed with her other finger to the giant panda on the hillside in the distance.
“Okay.” Gongzi Yu nodded. “If Ahao likes it, how about we raise one in the future?” He could see that her love for the iron-eating beast had reached an almost fervent level. In that case, raising one wasn’t out of the question.
"No, thank you." Ling Hao shook his head. "They should live in the mountains and forests." The giant panda in front of us is already used to being fed by humans, but those giant pandas that originally lived in the mountains and forests should continue to live there.
"Really don't want it?" Gongzi Yu asked again.
"No." The second refusal was difficult to say, but Linghao still refused. Only after refusing did she truly feel heartbroken.
Seeing her like this, Gongzi Yu couldn't help but laugh. He winked at Ling Hao, "Since A-Hao is unwilling, then so be it. But this is the only chance; there won't be another one."
He was just teasing her. He would do anything for her, anything she wanted, and offer it to her with both hands.
"Hmm." Ling Hao was taken aback. If she wasn't mistaken, the expression he had just shown was exactly the kind of look that only Mingyue would have.
Mingyue started making all the little gestures that Ayu would make, and Ayu began to show the same expressions that Mingyue had. Were they... beginning to merge? Linghao's gaze fell on the giant panda, but her heart was heavy.
She always believed that Ayu and Mingyue were two separate people, and she had always treated them as two separate individuals. But were they truly two independent people? They were born from the same source, perhaps even the same person? If they were indeed the same person, how should she treat them?
Thinking about this, Linghao began to feel regretful. If only she had studied psychology, she wouldn't be so helpless now. Sigh.
Gongzi Yu sensed Ling Hao's frustration, but because she was staring intently at the iron-eating beast, he mistakenly thought she was upset because she couldn't keep it. Unwilling to go against her wishes and unwilling to capture an iron-eating beast without permission, he could only hold her hand tightly, trying to comfort her with his actions.
Actually, after she rejected him, he felt a surge of joy. He could endure anything for Ah Hao, but he still disliked anything that occupied her attention or heart. Whether it was a person, an object, or even a beast, he didn't want anything like that.
If she wants it, he'll endure it. But if she doesn't want it, he'll naturally be delighted.
On the other side, Gong Jiu met the emperor.
"What is it?" The emperor was still preoccupied with state affairs. Ah, that's what being an emperor is like; there are always endless things to do and endless court matters to handle. Sometimes it can be quite frustrating.
Of course, the emperor might be annoyed, but if she were really taken away from the throne, she wouldn't be happy at all. She was joking; this was the throne she had risked her life and everything to seize, and she absolutely couldn't give it up.
"Wu Ming has arrived," Gong Jiu said.
"Hmm?" The emperor finally looked up from the memorials. "So fast?"
Gong Jiu said, "The water in Kyoto is too murky now. He's worried that if he's late, someone else will beat him to it, so he's naturally anxious."
Imagine having something you've been longing for, almost getting it, only to have someone else snatch it away the next moment—anyone would be furious. If this is just about things, imagine the throne—it might drive you to your death with rage.
Gong Jiu imagined Wu Ming driving himself to his death in his mind and chuckled.
emperor:"???"
Why did you suddenly laugh? Oh well, Gong Jiu and A Yu are alike; their minds are a little different from normal people. Trying to figure it out won't work, so let's just give up.
The emperor happily abandoned his speculation about Gong Jiu's thoughts and said, "I previously ordered Prince Taiping to return to the capital to report on his duties, and he will be arriving in the capital soon. In this way, you have even more reason to take action."
Gong Jiu remained silent for a moment before nodding and humming in acknowledgment that he understood.
emperor:"……"
Sometimes I really don't want to talk to people who don't talk much; it's so troublesome to have to guess what they're talking about.
However, Gong Jiu wasn't simply quiet; he just didn't know what to say, especially when it came to Prince Taiping. He had considered Prince Taiping his enemy for over a decade, and during those years, he had constantly wished he could kill Prince Taiping to quell the hatred in his heart.
Now he knows that Prince Taiping didn't kill his mother at all, and all his hatred stems from another person's concealment and deception. While Gong Jiu's greatest desire is to kill Wu Ming, he doesn't so easily let go of his grudges against Prince Taiping.
If he could let it go so easily, what would his hatred of more than ten years amount to?
When the emperor saw that Gong Jiu was silent again, he neither urged him nor sent him away, but simply lowered his head and continued to review the memorials.
“I saw Gongzi Yu today. He and Ling Hao went to the Beast Garden.” Gongzi Yu suddenly spoke, his voice echoing in the Imperial Study.
"So?" The emperor thought to himself as he reviewed the memorials. "Ah Yu does have some sense of romance; she knows to take her sweetheart out for walks and sightseeing." He sighed. "Sigh, I was worried before that my younger brother would be unwanted and I'd be stuck with him. Now that someone's willing to take him, I'll definitely pay more attention to him."
Gong Jiu looked at the emperor and asked, "Will they get married?"
"I think so." The emperor placed one memorial aside and picked up another. "I know A-Yu's character; he's a persistent person. Once he's made up his mind, he won't let go. As for A-Hao, I think she's also a very affectionate person. As long as they continue to have feelings for each other, marriage should be just a matter of time."
So, shouldn't she prepare a dowry for A-Yu? A-Yu is a person without a surname or origin. If she marries into Ling Hao's family, then she will have a place to belong. How wonderful! As the emperor thought about it, he felt even more strongly that he should prepare a dowry for his younger brother.
As the saying goes, a larger dowry means you can stand tall when you get married.
"That's wonderful," Gong Jiu said softly.
"Hmm?" The emperor sensed something was amiss, but when she looked up, Gong Jiu was nowhere to be seen. She recalled his earlier words and felt a nagging feeling that something was wrong. "Someone come here."
A figure suddenly appeared before the emperor. He was silent, as if he were a shadow.
"Go tell A-Yu about what happened today," the Emperor said. Although he didn't know how things would develop, he couldn't afford to be complacent or think it was nothing. If something truly went wrong later, today's apparent indifference would become a poison, constantly corroding his heart. Therefore, it was best to tell him.
"Yes." The figure disappeared from the imperial study.
Thirty miles outside Kyoto, dozens of fast horses galloped forward, raising clouds of dust.
“Your Highness,” the lieutenant said, turning slightly to avoid swallowing sand, “it’s getting late, and there’s a post station just ahead. Shall we rest for the night?”
"No... alright, let's rest for the night first." Prince Taiping was about to refuse, wanting to suggest that they hurry back to the capital, but then he remembered that their horses couldn't withstand such a journey.
A person can endure not resting, but that will hurt the horse. Thinking this, I'd better rest for the night. Anyway, we'll set off at dawn tomorrow and reach Kyoto quickly.
I don't know him... Sigh. Prince Taiping looked towards the capital, his eyes filled with worry.
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Author's Note: My new novel next door, "[Wuxia Crossover] Starting by Killing the Heartless One," has already started! If you're interested, check it out and add it to your favorites! Mwah!
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