The Crown Prince blinked at Chu Xinian as if subtly hinting at something, wanting him to help him with a solution. However, Chu Xinian lowered his head and fixed his robe, pretending not to notice.
Xie Jingyuan could not find a solution immediately. Although he had soldiers at his disposal, he could not force others to donate by putting a knife to their necks. This kind of task was known to be ungrateful and could easily offend people.
Xie Jingyuan frowned and said, “You should go back first. I’ll let you know when I come up with a plan.”
The Crown Prince touched his nose, “I didn’t expect you to come up with anything…”
He was looking for Chu Xinian.
Hearing this, Xie Jingyuan narrowed his eyes and smiled pretentiously, “A beggar like you finds food unpalatable. Then don’t expect anything from me. Go door to door to raise funds yourself.”
The Crown Prince thought this would not do; he did not want to become a beggar, “Why can’t I have a cup of tea before I go?”
Xie Jingyuan scoffed, “Sure, have your tea. When you finish, leave. I’ll keep an eye on you while you drink.”
As a result, the three of them sat around the table, staring at each other.
Chu Xinian pondered the Crown Prince’s earlier request. Fundraising was certainly a delicate matter, but if managed well, it would be a great achievement. The Court officials were shrewd and cunning; they would find fault with their plan. Thus, they could only take advantage of those merchants and traders.
In an instant, a plan came to Chu Xinian’s mind. However, he did not know whether he was intentionally mocking the Crown Prince or not, but he remained silent, watching the Crown Prince gulp cup after cup of tea without a word.
Under the table, Xie Jingyuan nudged Chu Xinian, sounding displeased, ”Hurry up and think of a way to throw him out.”
Otherwise, the shameless Crown Prince might end up spending the night in his mansion.
Chu Xinian squeezed Xie Jingyuan’s hand and reassured him, “Good ideas take time. General, don’t worry; there will be a solution.”
Xie Jingyuan gritted his teeth, “If you keep thinking, it will end up emptying this General’s mansion.”
Chu Xinian instinctively looked up and saw that the Crown Prince had finished all the tea. He was now admiring the antique ornaments in the room. He remarked that they were no doubt relics of the previous dynasty, worth quite a lot of money if sold. He handed one to his aides, claiming it was a donation from General Xie.
But why did he take one after another? The Crown Prince now looked at a peacock statue and exclaimed in amazement, “Hey, it’s an exquisite, realistic, and skilfully crafted piece. General Xie’s Mansion possesses many treasures. I will accept it as a gift.”
After speaking, the Crown Prince was about to resort to his usual trick and tried to slip something into his aide’s arms. However, his hand was suddenly stopped by a slender, elegant hand. To his surprise, it was Chu Xinian.
Chu Xinian smiled ambiguously and said, “This Buddha statue is beautiful. To sell it would be sacrilege to divine beings. How would you handle divine punishment?”
Xie Jingyuan, on the other hand, was more direct, looking mockingly at the Crown Prince and saying, “Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?”
After speaking, he snatched the Buddha statue directly from him.
The Crown Prince found his hand empty, feeling ashamed, “Since all civil and military officials are obliged to donate money and grain, I will consider what you have taken as a donation in advance. Look at you, so stingy.”
Xie Jingyuan lifted his robe and sat back down, saying, “Even if I empty the entire manor, I’m afraid it still won’t fill the hole of the locust disaster in the northern region.”
The Crown Prince, “Those old men hoard treasures of gold and silver. They would even stuff them in their coffins if they could. Today I’ll send secret guards to rob them from house to house. Let them steal as much as they can!”
Chu Xinian clapped his hands in amusement, enjoying the spectacle, “Your Highness, that’s a clever idea.”
Xie Jingyuan’s tone turned cold, “It’s a bad idea. If he behaves recklessly, that’s his own business, but you shouldn’t join in the fun.”
Was it appropriate for a prince to go around stealing things?
Chu Xinian then retracted his smile, leaned back lazily in his chair, and leaned his head back, saying, “I have a plan that can not only make the officials and merchants throw in money but also secretly trip up Prince Jin. Would you like to hear it?”
The Crown Prince immediately leaned forward with a smile, “Tell me, tell me! I am all ears.”
Chu Xinian slightly raised an eyebrow, smiling as he asked, “Your Highness, aren’t you afraid that I might be a spy sent by Prince Jin?”
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.
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Both he and Xie Jingyuan were people who walked the same path. The Crown Prince, not particularly intelligent, had witnessed his father strangling his mother to death.
Chu Xinian’s attention to Xie Jingyuan was so intense that he sometimes forgot that the Crown Prince was not much better off; he had seen his mother murdered by his father.
Oblivious to what was going on between them, the Crown Prince squatted in front of Chu Xinian, looking curiously at him and then at Xie Jingyuan. He did not understand why the two of them had suddenly fallen silent.
The Crown Prince was naturally expressive, showing his emotions on his face, but he had no idea that he would later fail in his rebellion, be imprisoned in the Eastern Palace, and die under his own hands.
Chu Xinian saw the Crown Prince wearing a bright yellow python robe with a dragon pendant around his waist. For a moment, he found it hard to imagine the future desolate state of this arrogant prince. Deciding not to tease him anymore, Chu Xinian whispered his plan to the Crown Prince, “….Officials care about their reputation, merchants pursue fame and profit, and noble families have high self-esteem. In the end, even if you do nothing, they will rack their brains to send you money.”
The Crown Prince’s eyes sparkled with excitement, but he still couldn’t quite believe it, and asked, “Will they send me money?”
Xie Jingyuan raised his eyelids beside him, “I don’t know whether they will send it or not, but one thing is for sure, this will have positive results.”
Elated by the brilliant plan, the Crown Prince wanted to act immediately. He said to Xie Jingyuan, “I have known that you are an uncompromising iron cock. I will not argue with you for now. I will settle the account with you after collecting the funds.”
After expressing his thanks to Chu Xinian, the Crown Prince turned around and hurriedly left.
Xie Jingyuan’s face changed as expected, and he coldly sneered at Chu Xinian, “You shouldn’t have helped him.”
The courtyard was deserted, and silence filled the air. Chu Xinian reached out and pulled Xie Jingyuan into his arms, removing his mask, as the setting sun cast a rosy glow over the two figures, adding a touch of grandeur.
“The one who asked me for ideas was the General, and the one who asked me not to help was also the General. What should I do in the end?” Chu Xinian’s finger caressed his lower lip, with a touch of inexplicable charm.
Xie Jingyuan was about to say something when Chu Xinian’s fingertip suddenly slipped between his lips, gently teasing.
“Hmm… Chu Xinian…”
Xie Jingyuan’s Adam’s apple rolled as he wanted to push it away. This sort of thing was enough once, but Chu Xinian kept coming back to it.
“Shhh…” Chu Xinian whispered in his ear with a smile, “General more…”
His fingertip fiddled with Xie Jingyuan’s soft tongue, deftly and nimbly, then slowly increased to three fingers, until they were thoroughly wet, before gently pulling them out.
Xie Jingyuan gagged a little, and his mouth reddened slightly due to staying open for a long time. He grabbed Chu Xinian’s wrist as if finally giving up, and after a long while, he reluctantly said, “Use the things in the box.”
Chu Xinian flicked his fingertip, “General, what do you mean, the scented balm?”
Xie Jingyuan felt he was intentionally tormenting him, “Isn’t that the only thing?”
“Alright.”
Chu Xinian finally stopped tormenting him, smiled, carried Xie Jingyuan into the inner room, and gently placed him on the bed. The box of scented balm that had been gathering dust on the bedside table finally found its purpose.
Chu Xinian took out a piece of scented balm and used it skillfully. He saw Xie Jingyuan panting uncontrollably and asked with a smile, “General, does this item work well?”
“…”
Xie Jingyuan couldn’t find words to describe it. He was restless and empty. He urgently kissed Chu Xinian’s lips and tongue, then tightly hugged his waist, silently urging him to go faster.
The temperature rose sharply.
And his eyes gradually reddened.
Xie Jingyuan’s body tensed, and his muscles became defined and smooth. Due to the sensory stimulation, his eyes trembled uncontrollably, and his eyelashes became moist with tears. His rapid, heavy breathing was evident.
His voice was fragmented, and unconsciously, he bit his lower lip, speaking in a nasal tone, “Chu… Chu Xinian…”
“What does the General want to say?” Chu Xinian gently nibbled Xie Jingyuan’s earlobe from behind. He liked his body very much: too much would be too much and too little would be too little. It was just what he needed.
Xie Jingyuan’s mind was in chaos. When he was overwhelmed by emotions, he didn’t know what he was doing. He unconsciously uttered a lot of vulgar words. Back in the army, he had heard a lot of obscene words, but he didn’t expect it to be useful today.
In the end, Chu Xinian seemed to have heard enough. He lowered his body, muffling the moans coming from Xie Jingyuan’s lips, and smiled contentedly, “In front of me, you can say whatever you want, but not in front of others.”
Xie Jingyuan was pressed down and couldn’t speak, so he could only nod with red-rimmed eyes, his eyelashes soaking wet.
“Good boy.” Chu Xinian kissed his eyes affectionately.
In the end, they used up almost all the last box of scented balm, and hardly any was left.
Finally, they went to sleep.
Xie Jingyuan was so exhausted that he could barely keep his eyes open. However, thinking about the matter of the Crown Prince’s fundraising, he still asked, “Is your plan effective?”
They held each other in an embrace and did not separate at any time.
Chu Xinian heard the question and silently opened his eyes in the darkness. From behind, he pulled Xie Jingyuan closer, and somehow, it caused Xie Jingyuan to let out a low moan.
Chu Xinian sighed softly, with a meaningful touch in his words, “General, tell me, do you think it has been effective?”
Xie Jingyuan could not understand how Chu Xinian could speak those words while looking as enchanting as a moonlit night. Even if he was not too strict with manners, his face could not help but blush with embarrassment. He looked at Chu Xinian, “Who asked you about this?”
Chu Xinian smiled and said, “Does the General mean the Crown Prince? Naturally, it will be effective.”
Chu Xinian was hatching a grand plan, one that would not only corner Prince Jin but also overthrow Emperor Yan. Today’s incident of the Crown Prince’s fundraising was just the beginning.
He would quietly weaken Prince Jin’s power, starting with his reputation, then his financial resources, and finally eliminate his advisors one by one.
Once these matters were done, the scheme could be wrapped up, and Xie Jingyuan’s revenge would naturally be taken.
“Lan Ting…”
Chu Xinian suddenly called out to Xie Jingyuan, then turned his head and kissed him.
Xie Jingyuan said nothing and leaned back into Chu Xinian’s embrace. At this moment, he felt that the hatred in his heart had diminished a little, and he didn’t have that feeling of utter destruction.
Probably too exhausted by today’s events, Xie Jingyuan fell into a deep sleep and dreamt of the events of the past. The Xie Family was annihilated, and hundreds of family members escorted them out of the city, but in the end, none survived.
It was a bare and desolate hillside, but after a fierce battle, the ground was covered with corpses, and blood flowed, staining the parched ground dark.
Xie Jingyuan had also killed people, but he was exhausted and could no longer fight. He struggled to hold on with his sword, firmly protecting his mother behind him. Although he had a young and youthful face, his eyes were as fierce as those of a wolf.
An armored general saw him and gestured to his subordinates to stand down. He sighed and said, “General Xie has shown kindness to me, and if I were to exterminate you today, I would be ungrateful. But if I spare you, I would be betraying the Imperial Order. Madam Xie, please don’t make it difficult for me.”
Madam Xie suddenly seemed to lose all her strength and fell to the ground. She used to be a noble lady, but now she knelt on the muddy ground, weeping and kowtowing, “My husband has been wronged and died unjustly. Only Lan Ting is left, General, please have mercy. In my next life, I will be a cow or a horse and I will never forget this kindness.”
The general pondered for a long time and only said, “Good.”
The cold sword glow flashed, pointing directly at Madam Xie, making his intentions clear. Today, only one person could live.
“Madam Xie, I have no choice. Rest assured, I will take care of Young Master. His Majesty said that the collateral descendants of the Xie Family will be spared.”
Hearing this, Xie Lanting pulled Madam Xie tightly, his eyes bloodshot, “Mother, don’t beg him! I’m not afraid of death!”
Slap!
Madam Xie suddenly slapped him hard, shouting, “But I am!”
Whether the slap was too hard or Xie Lanting was exhausted from fighting all night, he fell to the ground and couldn’t get up for a while.
Madam Xie ran to him and hugged him tightly, with tears falling continuously, “Lan Ting…. Lan Ting… my child…”
She hugged Xie Lanting tightly, her fingertips seeming to sink into his flesh. Her expression was tender, and she stroked his face gently and sweetly. After a while, she closed her eyes in pain. Slowly, she pulled a golden hairpin out of her hair, and her scalding tears fell on Xie Lanting’s face, “You must remember what Mother says… leave the Capital… don’t participate in Court… don’t take an official position… go as far away as possible…”
Xie Lanting did not know what he was going to do and stood still, not daring to move. Until, suddenly, Madam Xie used the hairpin to make a deep cut on his face, he was startled and struggled.
Xie Lanting’s voice was panicked, “Mother!”
Madam Xie hugged him tightly and kissed his forehead firmly, not letting him move. Her tears mixed with blood, ran down her face, “Lan Ting, Lan Ting, don’t move! It’s Mother’s fault. You’re the one I love the most…”
She pressed her hairpin against Xie Lanting’s forehead and continued to slash at him, causing his face to be covered in blood. She cried out in pain, “Lan Ting, Mother doesn’t want this, Mother doesn’t want this…”
The hairpin cut into the skin, leaving hideous scars, and fresh blood slowly flowed down.
Xie Lanting opened his eyes in despair, his body twitched and tensed from the pain, but he dared not push his Mother away until his vision blurred due to the blood, and everything turned red.
“Mother…”
He cried out in a daze, half of his face already numb. He wanted to touch her, but Madam Xie held his hand tightly.
The woman’s hand was cold and trembling, holding him tightly, “Lan Ting, this is the last time Mother calls you that. In the future, forget your name… forget your identity and live well…”
She lovingly kissed Xie Lanting’s forehead again and finally let him go. Xie Lanting watched her get up and take a step back, giving him a sad smile. Then she picked up his sword from the ground and thrust it into her neck forcefully.
Everything was dyed bright red.
“Mother!”
Xie Jingyuan suddenly woke up, sitting up abruptly from the bed. As he became aware of his surroundings, he saw that he was in his mansion. His chest heaved, and he closed his eyes, trying to calm his restless emotions.
The morning light was dim and slanted into the room, casting rays of light on the flower-patterned carpet. Layers of gauzy curtains hid the dancing dust.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Chu Xinian woke up too. He looked up at the increasingly bright sky, got up, and dressed. He poured a cup of tea and handed it to Xie Jingyuan with concern, “Drink some.”
Xie Jingyuan drank the tea in silence. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t speak when he looked at Chu Xinian.
Seeing his silence, Chu Xinian paused, “What’s wrong?”
Xie Jingyuan lowered his head and absently touched his face, “It’s nothing.”
Chu Xinian lifted him out of bed, “It’s not early. Get up and change. The fundraising people from the Eastern Palace will be here soon. The General can watch the show.”
Chu Xinian liked to wear white clothes, and the color suited him. Xie Jingyuan was a soldier used to marching and fighting, so he quickly put on his clothes. He leaned against the door, watching Chu Xinian take his time, and suddenly smiled, “I liked wearing white too. I looked better than you.”
Chu Xinian was puzzled, not understanding why Xie Jingyuan was comparing himself to him so early in the morning, “How could you know?”
He also thought he looked very good.
Xie Jingyuan put the silver mask on the right side of his face and turned around to leave, “Isn’t it obvious?”
A young man from the northwest dressed in white swiftly mounted his horse and flew wild and free. By day, it was a dazzling sun, and by night, the bright moon on the yellow sandy beach. He crossed thousands of mountains and rivers to reach the Capital and was still full of vigor. Dressed in white and mounted on a spirited horse, no one could match him.
Leaving the room, he left Chu Xinian alone, looking at himself in the mirror for a long time. He touched his face thoughtfully and asked himself, was he ugly in white?
Chu Xinian 😭😭 Quite the opposite really, the General is just reminiscing!!