It’s over! I’ve been discovered!
This was the first thought that sprang to Jiang Jingyue’s mind upon hearing the voice. Almost reflexively, guilt gnawed at him, and he immediately crouched to hide.
However, given the already precarious state of his footing, this sudden move made him lose balance. He felt the world spin under his feet and with a soft thud, he tumbled downward.
Ah—!
Before he could voice his shock, he reflexively covered his mouth with his hand. Amidst a series of clattering noises, he and the unstable pile of chairs crashed to the ground in a heap.
Gu Weizhou, who had been playing the zither so harmoniously, felt a piercing gaze coming from the entrance, making him deeply uncomfortable. Without thinking, he had shouted and turned his head, only to spot a man in luxurious attire who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
However, before he could guess the identity of this lavishly dressed man, he heard the clattering noise from next door, as if someone was forcibly demolishing something.
What on earth is that mischievous boy next door up to now?
His thoughts lasted but a moment. Fixing his eyes on the man at the entrance, Gu Weizhou with a sharp and dangerous gaze, icily remarked, “…This place doesn’t welcome outsiders.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Huaijin smirked, “In this inner palace, is there any place that dares not to welcome this prince?”
Noting the title the man used, Gu Weizhou’s expression grew colder. Had it not been for Da Ao, he would still be the esteemed prince of Yunzhan. But now, he was merely a prisoner.
Gazing at the frosty face of the man in white robe, Jiang Huaijin’s eyes held an unmasked intense interest.
His original intent today was to confront Jiang Jingyue, who had gotten him reprimanded. However, upon approaching the entrance, he heard the melodious zither music emanating from within. After a brief inquiry to the servants, he learned the identity of the master of this side hall – Yunzhan’s hostage, Su Qingli.
As the prince of Da Ao, Jiang Huaijin had often heard the name Su Qingli. Rumors said that on the day of his birth, there were supernatural signs in the sky of Yunzhan and all birds hailed the phoenix. He had been gifted and intelligent since childhood, and his zither skills impressed even the best musicians of Da Ao.
But what he heard most about was Su Qingli’s incomparable beauty. It was said that one look at Su Qingli’s face, and both men and women would be irresistibly charmed, with every gesture and smile surpassing the world’s most beautiful scenery.
For Jiang Huaijin, who had loved beautiful people since childhood, he had to see for himself this Su Qingli, who was rumored to have a face like an immortal.
Yet, such a casual glimpse left him so astounded he forgot to breathe.
The man playing the zither under the tree had an aura as cold as ice, an aloof expression, and features so exquisite that they seemed unparalleled in all his life. Whether it was a gentle gaze or a frosty countenance, he appeared as though he stepped out from a painting.
Seeing the increasingly intense emotions in the man’s eyes, Gu Weizhou’s face grew colder. Knowing his sensitive status, there was no benefit in engaging in pointless banter with this stranger. Picking up the ancient zither from the stone table, he turned to walk into his personal chamber.
However, as he walked away, he couldn’t resist delivering a parting jab, “Who would have thought the prince of such a vast nation would be nothing more than a common street ruffian?”
Hearing this crisp voice laced with icy sarcasm, not only was Jiang Huaijin not angered, he inexplicably felt pleased.
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.
Dflcu atf mtliv bo atf fwqfgbg’r ojnbglaf mbcrbga jcv tjnlcu yffc ogjli rlcmf mtlivtbbv, Aljcu Lejlplc kjr ijnlrtis vbafv bc ys atf fwqfgbg jcv tfiv lc tlut gfujgv ys atf fcalgf qjijmf. Pc jii tlr sfjgr, cb bcf tjv fnfg rqbxfc ab tlw lc remt j wjccfg, ifa jibcf rb ygjhfcis vlrgfujgv tlw.
This man was unlike anyone he’d ever met before, intriguingly different and extremely novel.
Of course, what was even more significant was that the man had a face that was exactly to Jiang Huaijin’s liking.
Just because Jiang Huaijin didn’t mind, didn’t mean his attendants felt the same.
Upon hearing Gu Weizhou’s unapologetically mocking words, one of Jiang Huaijin’s attendants instantly grew furious, shouting at the retreating figure, “Bold! How dare you speak to our Fourth Prince like that! Do you think…”
Thud—
With a swift kick, Jiang Huaijin sent the chattering attendant flying, his face shadowed with menace. “Who gave you the nerve to speak?”
“I’m sorry, This slave knows his mistake, This slave knows his mistake…” The chastened attendant repeatedly apologized.
Growing more irritated with the noise, Jiang Huaijin ordered the man behind him, “Silence him. Feed him to the dogs.”
“…Yes.” Immediately, another person stepped forward, muffling the attendant’s mouth and nose. Amidst the struggling and tear-streaked face, the man was dragged away.
After issuing the distasteful command, Jiang Huaijin’s gaze returned to the large doors that had been closed moments earlier.
“Su Qingli, remember my name: Jiang Huaijin. In the future…” He smirked with a look of determination, “I will be your master.”
Inside the room, hearing those words, Gu Weizhou commented, [He surely hasn’t outgrown his teenage delusions.]
[…I think so too,] another voice chimed in, a rare moment where both the man and the system were in agreement.
Feeling somewhat amused by the recent events, Jiang Huaijin decided not to bother with Jiang Jingyue anymore. Signaling his men, he grandly took his leave.
Over on the other side, Jiang Jingyue had just taken a noisy tumble. He Yue, who was busy in the back kitchen, heard the commotion and rushed out. Upon seeing the scattered chairs and Jiang Jingyue amidst the mess, she hurried over in alarm.
“Young Master… Little Prince, are you alright? What happened?”
Helping the wincing boy to his bed, He Yue’s heart ached as she rolled up his sleeve to reveal bruises and abrasions in various shades of blue and purple on his arm.
“Young Master, bear with me. I’ll fetch the medicinal salve.” Biting her lip, He Yue turned to retrieve the wine from a nearby cabinet. Meanwhile, Jiang Jingyue, leaning against the head of the bed, had something else occupying his mind.
I hid so quickly; he probably didn’t see me, right?
But… what if he did?
The mere thought of the latter possibility made Jiang Jingyue’s face scrunch up in worry. What if the other person thought of him as a frivolous loafer?
He Yue, returning with the medicinal salve, saw his grimaced expression and mistook it for pain. She quickly reassured him, “It won’t hurt once the medicine is applied, Young Master. Just bear with it a bit longer.”
The feeling of her fingers massaging his arm brought Jiang Jingyue back to the present. Thinking about the elegant man he had seen earlier, he couldn’t help but ask, “Aunt He Yue, who is staying in the palace next door?”
Without pausing her ministrations, He Yue replied, “I heard he’s the proton from Yunzhan.”
“Yunzhan?” Jiang Jingyue, who had seldom ventured beyond the palace and was strictly forbidden by his father, Jiang Lianbi, from touching any military texts or related materials, took a moment to register the name.
In Jiang Jingyue’s understanding, aside from his own empire, Da Ao, he only knew of three other superpowers that once stood shoulder to shoulder with Da Ao. Yet, none of these three superpowers was named Yunzhan.
Seeing his bewildered expression, He Yue felt a pang of complexity. She was well aware that the prince, ever since Jiang Jingyue was young, had raised the young master in a direction far from any serious endeavors. This was merely a gesture to show the emperor that Jiang Lianbi had no intentions of betrayal or ambitions of supremacy; he only wished for the safety of his small family.
However, Jiang Lianbi might have overestimated the emperor’s trust. He departed this world, leaving behind an innocent young master who viewed the emperor as family.
With no basic knowledge of inter-nation relations, how long could such a naive, guileless young master last in the vicious imperial palace?
Thinking of the queen who once kindly saved her life, thinking of the respected King who did not die in battle but ironically died at the hands of the emperor he loyally served, thinking of their only child, at this moment, He Yue seemed to have made a very important decision deep in her heart.
Lifting her head once more, her expression was as composed as ever. She said, “Yunzhan used to be a vassal state of Fengyi. Due to their defeat, talented and significant princes would be sent to the victorious country as tokens of surrender, and they are called ‘protons’.”
“The prince in the palace next door is the most legendary prince of Yunzhan, his name is Su Qingli. Not only were there celestial signs during his birth, but he also excels in both music and medicine. He is well-versed in various military strategies and stands out as the most outstanding among his generation of young talents…”
Jiang Jingyue had never listened so intently about anyone else’s accomplishments other than his father’s. Yet, today, he found himself engrossed in Su Qingli’s tales until the stars dotted the night sky.
In the pitch-black room, Jiang Jingyue lay with his eyes wide open, staring at the simple mosquito net overhead, reminiscing about the conversation he had with Aunt He Yue. A restless stirring, like a fervent heartbeat, filled him.
It was the palpitation of passion and an exhilarating envy.
To have been on battlefields during one’s youth, to have commanded armies and achieved victories at such a young age.
On the emperor of Yunzhan’s birthday, Su Qingli played the “Birds Paying Homage to the Emperor,” attracting countless birds to celebrate, astonishing the entire realm.
Back then, when Yunzhan was on the brink of annihilation, it was he who single-handedly stood up, challenging the mighty vassals under his father’s command with just his words, ultimately securing a lifeline for Yunzhan.
…
Each story, each account, uncontrollably filled young Jiang Jingyue’s heart with boundless admiration and irrepressible impulses.
He too wanted to become such a person, someone so dazzling.
However, more than that, he aspired to become the one who held the fate of the world in his hands.
In the darkness, Jiang Jingyue looked at his slightly chubby palm.
If he were to become the one controlling the destinies of all, he wouldn’t be without a home to return to; he wouldn’t be confined here; he wouldn’t be coldly scrutinized by that group of heartless individuals; he would truly hold his own life and death in his hands, staying in the palace every day, being with his mother daily.
Tightly clenching his fingers, in the pitch-black night, the eyes of the young boy shone with newly kindled ambitions and aspirations.
Devoid of tangled interests or thirst for power, at this moment, there was only pure-hearted intent.
…
Meanwhile, in a side chamber, Gu Weizhou was in the midst of a bath, completely undressed and soaking in a wooden tub. Not far away, his white robes lay on the ground, stained with streaks of gray and black, looking incredibly disheveled.
After using the scoop of water to wash the soot off his immortal-like face until it was completely clean, Gu Weizhou recalled how he had almost burned down the entire kitchen while boiling water. He felt rather dejected.
Other hostages at least had servants to order around, but he had nothing. He had to cook his own meals, boil his own water, and even empty his own chamber pot.
Imagining himself, with his cool and noble appearance, emptying a chamber pot, Gu Weizhou frequently felt the urge to gouge his own eyes out.
[I feel that in a few more days, I might end up killing myself.] Eating undercooked food, drinking half-boiled water.
[Why don’t you just stop showing off?]
[God gave me such a beautiful face to show mortals what a true immortal being should be like.]
[…Immortals don’t have to empty their own chamber pots.]
[Shut up, don’t keep reminding me of that.]
No. 001 with a smile on his face, […]
After long contemplation, Gu Weizhou said, [I need to think of a solution.]
[Mmm…?]
[Find someone to do the work for me.]
[…] As for who that person might be, I probably don’t even need to guess.
Thank you for the chapter!