When Xia Qing heard about the lantern banquet, he was in the middle of searching for something, with a half-eaten candied fruit stick in his mouth, flipping through things with his left hand, saying, “So, during the Ling Guang City’s lantern banquet, it will be quite lively, right? Will there be fireworks? With a name like ‘lantern banquet,’ will the streets be filled with lanterns at night, making it as bright as day? Just thinking about it, it seems quite beautiful.”
Lou Guan Xue didn’t answer him, only asking, “What are you looking for?”
Xia Qing took the candied fruit stick out of his mouth with his left hand, feeling frustrated, “I’m looking for my lantern. Hearing you mention the lantern banquet reminded me of it. I remember I stuffed it here last time, but why can’t I find it now?” He stuffed the candied fruit stick back into his mouth, bent down, adopting a particularly inconvenient and awkward posture, and used his left hand to reach inside, saying, “Let me search again.”
After observing for a while, Lou Guan Xue calmly remarked, “Is your right hand broken?”
“…Damn.”
Only then did Xia Qing realize that he was struggling because his right hand was currently holding the bone flute— he has forgotten to let go of it again!
He silently tossed the flute onto the table, then bent down, rummaging through boxes and cabinets.
Before long, he found the Lingwei flower lantern in the corner of the dark cabinet.
Xia Qing breathed a sigh of relief, “So it was here.”
Lou Guan Xue lowered his gaze, “Do you really like this flute?”
Xia Qing tinkered with the flower core, scoffing at his words, rolling his eyes, “Like it? What’s there to like? It just bends with the wind and is afraid of tough situations. Why would I like it?”
“!!”
The bone flute flew over to Lou Guan Xue’s side in anger.
Lou Guan Xue chuckled, “Then why are you reluctant to let go of it?”
Xia Qing didn’t even lift his head, “It’s just my personal habit, it has nothing to do with whether I like it or not.”
Lou Guan Xue paused for a moment before lazily remarking in a teasing tone, “You seem to have quite a few personal habits, like staring at people randomly and not letting go of things once you’ve taken them.”
Xia Qing: “…”
Lou Guan Xue propped his chin up, suddenly thought of something, and smiled, “Xia Qing, were you a thief before?”
Xia Qing: “…………”
Damn it…
He was so angry that smoke seemed to be coming out of his head.
Lou Guan Xue analyzed, “Staring at people is actually scouting for prey, stealing something and refusing to let go.” He winked at Xia Qing. “Does that make sense?”
“No! Get lost!”
Xia Qing crunched on the candied fruit stick, took out the stick, and after some thought, still feeling dissatisfied, he said coldly, “Oh, according to this logic, I think you were a fairy in your past life. Not interested in worldly affairs, no curiosity about others, with refined tastes, even your emotions can’t be guessed in a normal way. What do you say, fairy?”
Without waiting for a response from the fairy, Xia Qing turned away, stifling a laugh.
Taking a deep breath, Xia Qing told himself not to reason with lunatics, and buried himself in setting up his flower lamp.
Later that night, Xia Qing was really bored and decided to go out to play the flute and get some fresh air. He dragged the reluctant bone flute behind him, attached the lit Lingwei flower lantern to its tip, and wrapped it with red rope a few more times, ready to go out and pretend to be a ghost to scare people.
However, his attempt to scare others as a ghost didn’t frighten anyone; instead, he felt like he was the one seeing a ghost.
He encounters Wen Jiao again!
What uncanny fate is this?
In a secluded corner of the palace.
Wen Jiao stood there with a pale face, clutching his sleeve with delicate fingers, stuttering in response to a eunuch’s inquiry.
The eunuch raised an eyebrow and asked, “Was this medicine really given to you by that guard in private?”
Wen Jiao looked frightened, his lips trembling. “Yes, he gave it to me in private. I don’t know where it came from either.”
The eunuch, who was older, scrutinized him for a while with narrowed eyes, then said ambiguously, “We couldn’t tell, but it turns out that guard likes to use back channels.”
Wen Jiao was stirred by the insult in his words, his eyes reddening again. But he was very afraid and dared not refute, lowering his head.
The last time he visited Fu Chang Sheng to ask for grasshopper, he happened to be out of gold leaves. So, he thought he’d take some valuable items with him to pay his respects to Aunt Bai He. Fu Chang Sheng wasn’t around. As a result of his careless search for the grasshopper and valuable things, he stumbled upon a piece of top-quality jade ointment from the Imperial Pharmacy hidden under the straw mat.
He was overjoyed, thinking that Fu Chang Sheng had specially prepared it for him, so he naturally took it away.
After all, everything Brother Chang Sheng did in the palace was for him. He could even sacrifice his life for him, so this was nothing.
But to his surprise, as soon as he handed the grasshoppers to Aunt Bai He, he was informed that it wasn’t something beloved by the Emperor; it was just something thrown away by the young man around the Emperor.
After Aunt Bai He learned the truth, she angrily squeezed the grasshoppers into a ball, drank several pots of tea, and sat there fuming, “The Queen Mother has always warned me to keep an eye on that young man. But if I could get in touch with someone favored by the Emperor, why would I bother climbing up with these people around me?!”
Wen Jiao blushed indoors, wishing he could find a hole to hide in.
He cried for a long, long time after he went back.
As if that wasn’t enough, the little eunuch who lived with him, seeing how quickly his wound healed, took advantage of his absence to rummage through his cabinet and found the green jade cream. The little rascal, feeling empowered, clamored to the eunuch in charge, accusing him of stealing.
After all, this jade ointment was priceless, exclusive to the imperial family, and even ordinary nobles in Ling Guang had no qualifications to use it, let alone a small eunuch like him.
Unable to defend himself, Wen Jiao was both anxious and aggrieved.
Before the steward eunuch, with a stern face, could drag him away to be punished, he was extremely afraid and immediately implicated Fu Chang Sheng.
He even brought the steward eunuch over.
“He, he’s inside, you can ask him, I really don’t know anything.”
Wen Jiao cried uncontrollably.
The steward eunuch glanced at him lightly, flicked his dust whisk, and led the people inside.
Xia Qing, watching nearby, was momentarily lost in thought, thinking that Wen Jiao really cried a lot.
He had seen him cry four times, and each time his eyes were red and tears flowed incessantly.
He hadn’t fully transformed into a pure merman yet, otherwise, with his crying style, he might really cry himself blind…
Xia Qing’s strange feeling towards Fu Chang Sheng was quite indifferent, and even less so towards Wen Jiao. Just holding the bone flute and carrying the lantern, he looked at the end of the road for a while, lifted the lantern a little, and his gaze fell on the red mole on Wen Jiao’s forehead.
Blood-red, sinister and enchanting, like a small open wound.
Xia Qing frowned imperceptibly.
His loose gray robe billowed in the wind, resembling a ghost wandering in the deep palace.
“Take him away!” The eunuch’s sharp voice rang out.
In no time, several young eunuchs escorted Fu Chang Sheng out of a dilapidated house.
Fu Chang Sheng couldn’t reveal his martial arts, so he didn’t resist and went along with them. As he saw a group of eunuchs rush in to arrest him, his mind raced with a thousand thoughts, considering various possibilities and analyzing everything he had done recently.
Which word, which action was wrong, or perhaps contacting someone exposed himself.
But he couldn’t find the answer. He was meticulous, and in the Chu Kingdom’s Palace, he was always cautious, never foolish enough to let anyone discover his weaknesses. He even set up traps in this room, so only Wen Jiao could enter when he wasn’t around.
So who could it be?
He calmly asked, “Sir, may I know the reason for my arrest?”
Eunuchs always harbor a twisted malice towards regular men, and upon hearing this, they immediately sneered sarcastically, “You still dare to ask for the reason from us? Don’t you know that stealing in the palace is a grave crime? You, ignorant fool, stole the jade ointment, and there’s no escaping death for you!”
“Jade ointment?” Fu Chang Sheng’s expression flickered slightly, his fingers involuntarily curling.
As he walked out and saw Wen Jiao, his eyes red from crying in the moonlight.
Fu Chang Sheng froze, feeling like a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, his face turning pale. He slowly lowered his head, silently mocking himself, wondering why he made things so complicated…
“Wen Jiao, is it him?”
The steward eunuch ordered someone to force Fu Chang Sheng to kneel.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Wen Jiao stepped back in fear, trembling like a drifting leaf, her voice timid, “Yes, it’s him, sir. He gave me the jade ointment. It’s nothing to do with me.”
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Wen Jiao, with red eyes, even looked a bit anxious, as if urging him to confess quickly.
Fu Chang Sheng felt the taste of blood in his throat. His soul sank deeper and deeper, sinking into the depths of the sea, into eternal confinement without escape, where there was no daylight, only his own culpability.
His hands trembled with whiteness, he chuckled briefly, and finally said hoarsely, “Yes, I admit.”
Wen Jiao breathed a sigh of relief, sniffing back his red nose. He had cried so hard just now, but now he had recovered enough to hiccup.
The steward eunuch heard his confession and said coldly, “Take him away! Hand him over to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for disposal!”
The other two eunuchs escorting him were young and had just been purified. They harbored even more hatred towards men like Fu Chang Sheng. One of them was the one who exposed Wen Jiao, his face contorted.
His pointed chin seemed capable of piercing people, walking on the palace road, he couldn’t help but sneer sarcastically, “Stealing such a good thing and giving it all to Wen Jiao, Fu guard really has deep feelings for Wen Jiao.”
Fu Chang Sheng remained expressionless. When he was silent, the kind of chilling coldness cultivated on the battlefield always made people fearful.
The face of the young eunuch contorted even more—just a prisoner in the dock, what right did Fu Chang Sheng have!
He had long been displeased with Wen Jiao. He thought he could finally get rid of Wen Jiao this time, but unexpectedly, someone is rushing to take the blame for him! Damn, how unlucky!
The venomous anger in the young eunuch’s heart coiled like a snake. After a long time, he chuckled softly and said, “I’ve always been curious about one thing. Fu guard, can you really enjoy yourself with someone like Wen Jiao who cries and gasps for breath just from doing a little something? I bet he feels so wronged after a few moves from you.”
The person beside him also burst into laughter. Their eyes, full of mocking and ambiguity, looked him up and down like a snake eyeing its prey.
Fu Chang Sheng ignored them completely.
The young eunuch became even more annoyed. He had to trample on Fu Chang Sheng’s dignity as a man to alleviate the twisted pain caused by his own physical deformity.
“Well, that’s not right. Fu guard must cherish him so much, he must hate to see Wen Jiao feeling wronged.” He changed his tone, his voice lighter and more malicious, “Maybe it’s Fu guard who’s underneath. Wen Jiao told me that you’re willing to die for him, such a loyal dog, eager to please its master—ah!”
A stone flew over from a distance, hitting him directly and almost knocking out one of his teeth.
“Ahhhh!” The young eunuch covered his mouth, in pain, half crouching on the ground.
The chief eunuch ahead immediately reacted, questioning ominously, “Who?!”
The gray-robed youth, holding the bone flute, emerged from the end of the alley. The ice-blue flower lantern illuminated his expression, as cold as frost on a sword edge.
Xia Qing was about to turn around and leave, but what a great guy!
The protagonist and his deeply devoted loyal dog really won’t let him down!!
What kind of foolish and regrettable act of sacrificing dignity to take the blame for him is this?
It was enough to make anyone dumbfounded.
Utterly absurd and speechless.
Xia Qing was extremely annoyed, scratching his head, wanting to leave but unable to.
He sighed softly, waiting for the turmoil in his heart to subside before turning to the old eunuch and asking, “What are you doing?”
When Xia Qing, as an outsider, observes the affairs of others, he rarely intervenes, especially in matters of love.
Just as the old man in the dream said—Suffering arises from one’s own actions, like waves in the ocean of bitterness.
In the human world, greed, anger, ignorance, and resentment are nothing but these.
Desires and attachments are all cocoons spun by oneself.
For example, all the entanglements with Wen Jiao were the karmic consequences that Fu Chang Sheng brought upon himself, willingly swallowing the bitter fruit.
– But why did they have to encounter him!!
Xia Qing became agitated again. He grabbed the red thread on the bone flute.
He couldn’t bear to see Fu Chang Sheng’s despicable attitude.
It wasn’t sympathy, but more of a sense of dissonance.
He doesn’t know where the dissonance came from!
After failing to find an answer about himself, Xia Qing chose to ignore it as usual.
“What jade ointment?”
Xia Qing spoke calmly.
The chief eunuch, who had never seen him before, could still guess who he was.
This was probably the young man the Emperor kept in the palace.
He paused for a moment, his eyes lighting up with joy. Immediately, he changed his expression and put on a pleasing smile, ingratiatingly saying, “In response to Young Master, this thief stole the special jade ointment supplied to the royal family from the Imperial Pharmacy. This servant was just taking him to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for punishment.”
Xia Qing remained calm and composed, his temper quite good. “Fu Chang Sheng, did you lose the token I gave you? Are you just going to let others slander you like this?”
Wen Jiao, who had been pretending to be dead and silent with his head lowered, immediately stiffened after Xia Qing said these words. He lifted his head abruptly, his eyes looking towards Fu Chang Sheng, a hint of panic surging in his heart. He blurted out, “Brother Chang Sheng…”
Xia Qing curled his lips, telling himself: Forget it, let it go, this will be the last time.
Next time, don’t wander around the palace for no reason, circling around Wen Jiao and Fu Chang Sheng.
Really, please.
Except for Zhang Shan, it was the first time Xia Qing had been so afraid of two people.
Zhang Shan was purely full of filthy thoughts, smiling at him meant he wanted to send that person to his bed, which frightened Xia Qing and left him with psychological trauma.
And these two… Fu Chang Sheng was poisonous, really not to be trifled with.
Fu Chang Sheng sighed inwardly. He was not moved by others’ ridicule or humiliation, but being caught in such an embarrassing situation by this teenager unexpectedly brought about some discomfort.
He clenched his fist, not even daring to look at the calm hazel eyes of the young man… feeling like he shouldn’t be like this in front of him.
He pursed his lips, his voice hoarse. “I didn’t lose it.” He took out the token from his sleeve, spreading it out in his scarred hand, and explained, “If I said this belonged to His Majesty, they wouldn’t believe it anyway.”
Xia Qing: “Oh.”
He earnestly said to the steward eunuch, “Actually, the token was given by me, and the jade ointment was given by the imperial medical officer in the Imperial Pharmacy. It wasn’t stolen. Can you release him now?”
The steward eunuch, eager to please him, smiled with wrinkles all over his face like a flower. “Of course, of course, with Young Master’s testimony, we wouldn’t dare to wrongly accuse anyone.”
Xia Qing softly said, “Thank you.”
“Oh my, Young Master, you’re too kind.”
The steward eunuch showed his face and flattered Xia Qing, feeling refreshed. He waved his feather duster and reprimanded, “Hurry up and release Guard Fu!”
“Yes, yes.”
The few of them hurriedly untied Fu Chang Sheng.
The little eunuch who was hit by the stone was covering his mouth, trembling with fear, forgetting to cry—who could have thought that a low-ranking guard like Fu Chang Sheng could be involved with someone by His Majesty’s side!
He trembled, afraid of how Xia Qing would handle him.
Fortunately, the young master by His Majesty’s side seemed unwilling to stay here for another moment. With a look as if he had seen a ghost, he helped Fu Chang Sheng prove his innocence and turned to leave.
But after taking a few steps, Xia Qing remembered something and turned back to Fu Chang Sheng. After a moment of thought, he said directly, “There was something I wanted to say last time, but I thought it wasn’t necessary. Now, it seems very necessary.”
“Fu Chang Sheng, if you want to survive, leave Wen Jiao.”
As he spoke, he didn’t even glance at Wen Jiao, who was swaying beside him, his tone calm.
Xia Qing was certain that Wen Jiao would eventually kill Fu Chang Sheng.
And Fu Chang Sheng had the ability to leave entirely on his own, without needing anyone’s help. It was just a matter of whether he wanted to or not.
Fu Chang Sheng stared into the young man’s eyes, letting his words sink in.
For some reason, the first emotion he felt was amusement.
It felt like having a younger brother who hadn’t grown up yet suddenly showing concern for him one day.
But that feeling was quickly dispersed by the cold wind.
With the dense pain permeating his body, Fu Chang Sheng also felt a hint of confusion in his eyes, thinking about the things he had done… Who is the one truly awake between him and Xia Qing?
Protecting Wen Jiao had almost become something engraved into his soul after the downfall of the country.
Out of gratitude.
Out of loyalty.
Perhaps also out of many indescribable and inexplicable emotions.
He knew Wen Jiao was looking at him with a shocked, frightened gaze. Perhaps even calling out to him softly as “Brother Chang Sheng” with an unprecedented tone of fear.
But when faced with Xia Qing’s clear gaze, the constraints in his heart began to unravel bit by bit, and Fu Chang Sheng gradually smiled. “Alright.”
Xia Qing glanced at him, said nothing, and turned to leave.
The steward eunuch led the others away.
Soon, only Wen Jiao and Fu Chang Sheng were left in this secluded place.
Unable to hold back any longer, Wen Jiao rushed over, his delicate face flushed, eyes and nose red with disbelief. “No, Brother Chang Sheng, what did you just say? Brother Chang Sheng, what did you just say?”
Fu Chang Sheng still couldn’t face his tears, but the agonizing pain had long subsided. He lowered his gaze and softly asked, “Your Highness, why didn’t you tell me you took my things?”
Wen Jiao’s mind was filled with that one word, “Alright.” Tears streamed down his cheeks like broken strings. Ignoring propriety, he rushed forward and embraced him, nearly sobbing uncontrollably, “I’m sorry, Brother Chang Sheng, Wen Jiao knows he’s wrong. Brother Chang Sheng, I’m sorry. Please don’t leave me. I’m really scared. In this Chu Kingdom’s palace, I only have you. I can’t go on without you.”
Fu Chang Sheng thought calmly in his heart, My Highness, how can you not go on without me?
You fear pain and suffering so much.
But he didn’t say this. Almost instinctively, he comforted him softly, “Your Highness, it won’t happen. No one can’t go on without someone else.”
Wen Jiao completely broke down. “Is it because of that young man? Is it because of him that you don’t want me? Do you like him?”
Fu Chang Sheng closed his eyes. Those words were extremely harsh, igniting a sudden surge of anger within him. He pushed Wen Jiao away and stood up, speaking earnestly and coldly, “Your Highness, I don’t like men.”
Wen Jiao couldn’t comprehend his words, being pushed to the ground and covering his face, crying out in pain, “Why? Why him?”
Long before hearing that His Majesty brought back a youth from the Feng Yue Tower and elevated him to the heavens with favor, jealousy had been burning fiercely in his heart, even harboring resentment that something of his own had been usurped. After hearing Bai He’s words, jealousy completely consumed his reason.
With a hoarse voice, Wen Jiao exclaimed, “Why? Why him? Why does he get His Majesty’s favor and still take you away from me?”
Fu Chang Sheng looked at him coldly as he raved, but calmly replied, “Because he’s better than you, a bit better than His Highness.”
“Better?” Wen Jiao repeated softly, lifting his head, his eyes as red as a rabbit’s. “Just because he gave you a token to fetch medicine and spoke up for you today?”
Wen Jiao continued softly, “But, Brother Chang Sheng, all these privileges are bestowed by His Majesty. Without His Majesty, he’s nothing. He’s merely taking advantage of His Majesty’s favor to extend some small favors to you. Brother Chang Sheng… you’re willing to give me up for him like this?”
Feeling overwhelmed with injustice, Wen Jiao broke into tears, “Do you also think I’m bad, always crying at everything, unable to endure hardship or injustice? But, Brother Chang Sheng, it’s not my fault…”
He knelt on the ground, his lips trembling, “My father, the emperor, and the empress never taught me how to please others, how to endure hardship. They pampered me and raised me like this. What can I do? I can’t change. You can’t force me to do these things after never teaching me, nor can you lavish me with affection and then reject me.”
“And you comparing me to him—” Wen Jiao’s tears suddenly became more intense, and he cried out with a heart-wrenching scream, “—he hasn’t experienced everything I’ve been through! Why compare me to him!”
“I wasn’t like this before… I used to help many people too. When I was still the Ninth Prince of Liang Kingdom, many people praised my kindness and tolerance.” He kept wiping his tears with his sleeves, his voice filled with sobs, “If I were him now, enjoying His Majesty’s favor, I wouldn’t have to endure the sneers of those eunuchs anymore. I would also save you, I would even hire the best imperial physician to treat your injuries.”
“Why does he look at me like that! He hasn’t experienced everything I’ve been through!”
The more he spoke, the more aggrieved and angry Wen Jiao became. Wen Jiao cried hysterically.
In fact, Xia Qing’s gaze didn’t really focus on him, just briefly pausing as it swept past the crowd.
But that moment was enough to drive Wen Jiao crazy.
Clean, untouched.
No contempt, no disgust.
That youth looked at them indifferently, busy walking away. But the more he acted like this, the more it fueled Wen Jiao’s fury.
Wen Jiao’s breath began to tremble, “Why does he look at me like that? If one day His Majesty stops favoring him, if one day he lives the life I do—like me, living on the edge in the palace, being ridiculed and insulted every day, having to please others and calculate just to have a meal, can he still remain so kind?”
Wen Jiao’s fingers trembled as he pointed to himself, tears pouring down like rain: “If he had to live on the edge like me every day, forced to deal with countless villains, how could he possibly be better than me?”
He lifted his head, his eyes red, looking at Fu Chang Sheng.
He felt he was the unluckiest person in the world; he just wants to live a good life, so what has he done wrong?
If he had everything this young man had, he would definitely do better than him.
Be kinder and more upright.
When one has no worries about food and clothing, what’s so difficult about showing a little kindness?
Wen Jiao felt Fu Chang Sheng was momentarily out of his mind.
But when he finished speaking, and met Fu Chang Sheng’s gaze, he froze, feeling like he was in the depths of winter.
Fu Chang Sheng remained silent, standing in the moonlight, his gaze calm, yet as if he could see through flesh and blood, examining his soul thoroughly.
After a long while, Fu Chang Sheng chuckled softly.
“Your Highness, you simply don’t understand what I’m talking about.”
Fu Chang Sheng spoke each word very lightly and indifferently: “Your Highness, even if your roles were reversed now, and he had to experience everything you’ve been through, you wouldn’t have to experience anything. He would still do better than you.”
The trust that came inexplicably was nevertheless firm.
Fu Chang Sheng glanced at Wen Jiao again, observing his eyes, now clear and pure after being washed by tears.
There was a hint of irony in his heart; indeed, they were pure. Selfishness to the extreme could still give rise to such purity.
His Ninth Prince was never foolish.
Perhaps he acted foolishly, but his mind was never foolish; his thoughts were clear, every sentence logical and well-founded.
Wen Jiao’s expression was pale and fragile, his demeanor panicked. He could only call out in a hoarse voice, “Brother Chang Sheng…”
Fu Chang Sheng turned and walked away: “Your Highness, don’t come looking for me again!”
“Brother Chang Sheng!” Wen Jiao immediately stood up and rushed over, but was blocked outside the door.
He stood there in a daze, feeling like he could cry himself to death.
No, no, he couldn’t…
At this moment, Wen Jiao finally realized what despair meant. He leaned against the door, calling out to Brother Chang Sheng in a voice of grievance and helplessness, but it was like shouting into the void, with no echo.
Wen Jiao continued to cry, and as he wiped his tears, his fingers suddenly stopped at his eyelashes.
He suddenly remembered the instinctive reaction when he tried to seduce His Majesty in the study and almost got killed.
Illusionary pupils.
Yes… illusionary pupils.
After a long time, Wen Jiao whispered, “Okay, Brother Chang Sheng, I won’t come looking for you anymore. Could you come out to see me once?”
—-
The bone flute, which was well-versed in human affairs and enjoyed watching dramas, was particularly pleased when watching them, but was somewhat dissatisfied with why Xia Qing left so quickly.
Xia Qing felt as uncomfortable as if he had eaten shit. He returned to the bedroom and drank several cups of tea to calm himself down.
No, he can’t keep this to himself!
Xia Qing said, “Fu Chang Sheng must really have lost his mind.”
Lou Guan Xue smiled, “You went to see him again.”
Xia Qing took another sip of water. “Not only that, I also saw Wen Jiao again.”
Lou Guan Xue glanced at him indifferently. “I don’t want to hear it.”
Xia Qing: “…”
Oh well, he would just keep it to himself.
Lou Guan Xue raised his eyes, lashes fluttering like butterflies, and suddenly spoke. “You keep mentioning Fu Chang Sheng in front of me. Are you suggesting I go see him?”
Xia Qing: “???” When did he mention him every day?
Xia Qing: “Forget it.”
Whenever he went there, it turned into a battlefield with three people: the sickly emperor, the loyal general, and the spoiled brat. It was really chaotic, so he always avoided it when possible.
Lou Guan Xue smiled. “So, you do want me to go see Wen Jiao?”
Xia Qing: “…not really.”
“Hmm.” Lou Guan Xue lowered his head and resumed his work, writing distorted and strange characters on the parchment, resembling spell drawings.
He said, “Then don’t go out at night from now on.”
Xia Qing had no objections to this. “Don’t worry, I won’t go out. Even if you force me to, I won’t.”
He sat down beside Lou Guan Xue and pulled the Jingwei flower lantern off the bone flute, placing it conspicuously this time for his own convenience.
After playing with the Baguenaudier for a while and feeling his eyelids getting heavy, he said, “Forget it, I’m going to sleep first. Remember to turn off the lights for me.”
He still refused to get into bed and sleep with Lou Guan Xue, and he was already used to lying in a prone position.
After he fell asleep.
Lou Guan Xue extended his finger, his face expressionless, and flicked the wick of the lantern. His eyes were dark under his long lashes.
Before the lantern banquet, Xia Qing met with the Regent again. It was almost certain that Yan Mu would not be saved. The Regent looked like he had aged twenty years, his face contorted with hatred. His gaze towards Lou Guan Xue was filled with murderous intent, almost tangible.
Apart from the Regent, on another day, Xia Qing also encountered Song Guichen.
Fortunately, Song Guichen didn’t actually come to deliver a sword to him.
It was raining that day, and Xia Qing was bored, so he began to whittle wood with a knife.
“Aren’t you leaving?” Song Guichen had just come out from the Jing Xin Hall, dressed in purple robes with black hairpins, his smile gentle and clear.
Xia Qing: “It’s raining.”
Song Guichen thought for a moment and chuckled, “Forgot, you need an umbrella now.”
Xia Qing: “?” So, now I need an umbrella? Was I a fool who didn’t use an umbrella when it rained before?
Song Guichen was highly skilled in Taoist arts and had no need to avoid the rain, so naturally, he didn’t carry an umbrella. He sat with Xia Qing in the pavilion.
Outside, the heavy rain blurred the world, the misty air reflecting the gray sky.
Xia Qing smirked, choosing to avoid the hidden enemies of Lou Guan Xue. Without even glancing at him, he hugged the carved wood and walked straight into the rain without looking back.
Left alone in the pavilion, Song Guichen could only smile helplessly.
Xia Qing got caught in the rain.
Then he got a fever.
“……….!!!” He really lacked patience.
It was Lou Guan Xue who diagnosed him with the fever.
As Lou Guan Xue’s cool hand touched his forehead, Xia Qing slept in a prone position.
Subsequently, with rustling of clothing, he felt himself being lifted onto the bed by Lou Guan Xue.
As they drew closer, the desolate and chilling scent became even more palpable.
Despite his feverish haze, he didn’t resist.
His body had been fine before, although he always forgot to bring an umbrella, he had rarely been sick.
It was truly unfortunate that he fell ill the first time he got caught in the rain in this world.
Accompanied by that distant and lonely fragrance.
Xia Qing’s muddled brain felt as if the raindrops were dispersing the haze, and those intermittent, bizarre dreams resumed once more.
Continuing from last time, those words he couldn’t quite hear.
“Before I hand the sword to you, you must promise me one thing.”
It was still the same master, who liked to speak in a dragging tone, half alive.
When saying these words, there was an unprecedented seriousness and solemnity in his tone.
The mountain wind and the ocean waves howled together in the heavens and earth.
“What thing?”
Another voice, slightly immature and oddly curious, asked.
The master said, “From now on, no matter life or death, the sword never leaves your hand.”
“Huh?”
The master continued, “Once you take the sword, you cannot let go of it, do you understand?”
The boy was puzzled, “What does it mean that the sword never leaves your hand? Can’t you even put it down to eat and sleep?”
The old man replied, “No, you can’t.”
The boy chattered incessantly, “What about when it rains and I need an umbrella? What if I’m assigned to sweep the floor? And what about when I need to use the toilet? I only have two hands, you know.”
The old man was exasperated by his barrage of questions, “Figure it out yourself!”
The boy hesitated, stuttering for a moment, but couldn’t resist saying, “What about when I get married, Master? Do I have to hold the sword during the wedding night?”
The old man couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to pinch the boy’s cheek, “You’re still a kid with barely any hair, yet you’re thinking so far ahead.” Then, with a stern expression, he added, “No! Not even during the wedding night!”
The boy muttered in complaint, “…How is that even possible?”
As the old man spoke softly, his voice carried a hint of otherworldly wisdom, akin to that of an immortal. He said, “Nothing is truly impossible. It might take some time to adjust at first, but you are still young, and you have many years ahead of you. If one year is not enough, then try three years. If three years are not enough, then try ten, twenty, fifty, or even a hundred years. Eventually, you will adapt.”
“I’m entrusting you with the Ananda Sword, and all I ask of you is this one thing.”
“No matter when, you must never let go of the sword, understand?”
The boy was clearly just being argumentative, asking one more question than necessary, “What if I do let go of the sword?”
The old man, frustrated, snapped, “Nothing will happen, but I’ll hit you!!”
“…Okay.”
—-
Translator: this WJ… (ꐦÒ‸Ó)
Poor Fu…
Ohhh that’s probably where his habit of holding things absentmindedly comes from
So… what exactly happened to make him let go of the sword that he promised he wouldn’t let go of? O_o
Thank you for the chapter!
Wen Jiao, you snake! ( ｀ー´)
Xia Qing, I hate to be the one who breaks the news to you, but catching a fever in that way is pretty embarrassing 😭 Its ok
Pls don’t open the door!
If he get the sword back, his memories will return?
Thank you for the chapter!
Why I feel like I will hate that young master Wei, I think I will hate him if he foolishly help that Wen Jiao later
Wen jiao really gets on my nerve in the history of th emost annoying white lotuses there are… I seriously hope fu chang sheng can free himself from this conniving pos…
Feel sorry for Fu and Wei 🙁 the supporting characters that got more screen time and love from us, just gets turned into slaves by this awful thing
Wen Jiao is not a white lotus. He’s a selfish brat!