Just as the emperor’s ceremonial procession departed, the students felt a profound sense of relief and scrambled to their feet to tidy up their appearances.
A flash of gloom flickered in Chu Yi’s eyes as he picked up the book from his desk and prepared to leave. Chu Yue bolted over from behind, both hands tightly gripping Chu Yi’s wrist with an uncontrollable, forceful grip.
Chu Yi turned back, his head filled with complete confusion as he looked at the unfamiliar face before him. That face was matchlessly handsome, a pair of almond eyes shimmering with raw emotion, looking at him with deep affection.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Chu Yue choked out, “Chu Yi!”
Frowning in pain, Chu Yi forcefully shook Chu Yue’s hand off. He looked at Chu Yue’s hand with disgust, as if gazing at something filthy, and then brushed off the spot where Chu Yue had touched him.
“And you are?”
Though Chu Yi wore a smile and spoke with humble courtesy, his actions contrasted sharply with his words.
Having been shaken off like that, Chu Yue sobered up a considerable bit. With so many eyes and ears about, and wearing someone else’s face to boot, he could only offer a deep bow. “I was too abrupt, please forgive me, Your Grace!”
Only then did Chu Yue recall what Chu Yi had just said, to his surprise, Chu Yi was now an heir apparent.
“Young master is?”
“I am Mei Lingze, son of the Imperial Academy’s Libationer, Mei Huaixian.”
Clenching his hands into fists as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, Chu Yi nodded. “So it is Young Master Mei. My apologies for the discourtesy.”
Chu Yue closely sized up the young man before him. He had grown spirited and imposing, standing taller than Chu Yue back in the day, yet the arrogance radiating from between his brows was an exact replica of Xing Li’s from years past!
“When did Young Master Mei come to know this heir?”
Chu Yue’s behavior implied they were well-acquainted, but try as he might, Chu Yi couldn’t recall where he might have crossed paths with this Young Master Mei.
Chu Yue chuckled. “The Heir may not know me, but I have long heard of the Heir’s renown.”
“I dislike physical contact with others, hence my previous discourtesy. I trust Young Master Mei will forgive me.”
Chu Yue was utterly astounded by the genuine sincerity in Chu Yi’s words; the formerly aloof younger brother had actually grown so smooth. He remembered that in his childhood, Chu Yi wouldn’t listen to anyone except him, possessing a rather volatile temper and a rash disposition.
He never imagined he would mature this much over the span of a few years.
That Chu Yi disliked physical contact with strangers was something Chu Yue knew well, though he had forgotten it in his sudden agitation.
“The Heir is too polite. I merely felt an instant affinity upon meeting the Heir and acted too abruptly. I wonder if the Heir might have some leisure today to grant me an opportunity to make amends and apologize?”
Hesitating for a moment, Chu Yi replied, “Why not have Young Master Mei visit my Prince Cheng’an Heir’s residence? I also feel an affinity with Young Master Mei, so why not come over as a guest?”
Hearing this, Chu Yue’s heart blossomed with joy. “Then I shall not refuse your kind invitation!”
Upon learning that Chu Yue had come to the Imperial Academy to study today, Zhao Jun had rushed straight to the Biyong Hall the moment the emperor departed, coincidentally running right into the conversation where Chu Yue and Chu Yi agreed to meet at the heir’s residence.
Once Chu Yue and Chu Yi finished chatting and parted ways, Zhao Jun dragged Chu Yue toward a secluded garden.
“Brother Zhao, why on earth do you need to come to such a remote place?”
It was broad daylight, and for two grown men to be pulling and tugging at each other was already awkward enough, why on earth were they diving into a small grove!
Noticing the area was sufficiently secluded, Zhao Jun released his grip, turned around, and said, “Naturally, it’s because of a very important matter!”
“What happened to your face?” Before he was yanked away, Chu Yue hadn’t had a chance to look at Zhao Jun. He now noticed a large, red palm print on Zhao Jun’s left cheek; half his face was swollen, dragging down his mouth, and his eye was puffed up as well, one could only imagine how furious the person who hit him must have been.
“Did your old man beat you?”
Judging by intuition, Chu Yue guessed it was the Marquis of Changxin’s handiwork. Aside from his own old man, there were very few people in the capital daring to strike him, and anyone who dared was someone Zhao Jun wouldn’t dare provoke either.
“How did you know?” Zhao Jun gently cradled his face. “Did I have ‘My dad hit me’ carved across my forehead?”
“Carved words, no,” Chu Yue’s outer eye corners lifted. “However, that palm print looks rather familiar. It’s frequently carved onto your face, so of course I’m familiar with it.”
Zhao Jun pouted. “Hmph, you haven’t been beaten any less by your own dad! You have the nerve to laugh at me.”
“Mm-mm,” Chu Yue crossed his arms, nodding in profound agreement. “So, why did your dad beat you?”
Dropping his swaggering dandy facade, Zhao Jun said solemnly, “You must absolutely not go to the Prince Cheng’an Heir’s residence!”
A chill struck Chu Yue’s heart. “What does this have to do with you getting beaten?”
“Didn’t I go to the teahouse with you yesterday to look for Xing Li? I got beaten the moment I went back.”
Frowning in incomprehension, Chu Yue asked, “Did Xing Li offend your household?”
“No,” Zhao Jun shook his head. “Whose household hasn’t Xing Li offended? He doesn’t give face to anyone.”
Chu Yue figured that was true.
Zhao Jun continued, “Didn’t I run my mouth at the teahouse about all those amusing anecdotes between myself and Chu Yue? Ah, I mean Crown Prince Duanhui!”
Chu Yue: “And then?”
Turns out he wasn’t as popular as in storybooks after all; the court still harbored reservations about him.
“My dad said that by loudly proclaiming in a teahouse that I am on good terms with Crown Prince Duanhui, I was essentially broadcasting to everyone that our household stands on the side of the Prince Cheng’an Heir. Right now, the battle for the succession between the Prince Cheng’an Heir and the Prince of Yong’s Heir has only just begun.” Tensing up as he cast a cautious glance around, Zhao Jun lowered his voice. “The current situation remains unclear. The Prince of Yong’s Heir is already pushing thirty and has deep-rooted ties in the court spanning many years. Meanwhile, the Prince Cheng’an Heir was only just brought back to the capital by the Empress Dowager and holds zero foundation in court. This battle is far too difficult to fight!”
As Zhao Jun’s mouth rapidly flapped open and closed while he soberly analyzed the political landscape of the court,
Chu Yue felt a stifling tightness in his chest, making it hard to breathe. His chest rose and fell violently, accompanied by a splitting headache. The massacre of the Prince Cheng’an household at Zhijishan mountain five years ago remained vivid before his eyes! Those souls lost under the blade still wandered Zhijishan to this day.
Out of a full two hundred and thirty lives, only Chu Yi remained alive.
And now, he was being hauled onto the execution block once more, just like himself back then, becoming a pawn of the emperor, destined to be discarded later!
With his liver and gallbladder feeling as though they were tearing apart, Chu Yue’s legs went weak, causing him to stagger and drop to a single knee. One hand clutched his suffocating chest while the other propped him up against the ground, veins bulging on his forehead as beads of sweat rolled down.
Not wanting to scare Chu Yue to this extent, Zhao Jun hurried forward to support him. “Why are you so cowardly? You’re not like your usual self. Can’t you just refuse to go to the appointment? Just come up with some excuse!”
“Just say you have a stomachache, a headache, there’s an emergency at home.”
Grabbing Zhao Jun by the shoulder, Chu Yue possessed the natural physical strength of a martial artist, which he had diligently practiced recently with exceptionally high comprehension. His martial arts had progressed by leaps and bounds.
Caught in such a grip, Zhao Jun nearly cried out, but fearing to draw attention, he could only grit his teeth and endure.
“What are they fighting the succession for? How is it their turn! Isn’t there the Crown Prince!” Chu Yue demanded urgently, desperate for an answer.
“Aiyo! Have you lost your mind in your sleep? The Crown Prince passed away two years ago!” Zhao Jun tugged at the wrist with which Chu Yue was gripping him, but it didn’t budge an inch, leaving him to plead, “Have mercy, great hero! You’re going to squeeze the life out of me!”
“Dead?” With crimson eyes and a look of bitter revulsion, Chu Yue asked, “How could he just up and die?”
Zhao Jun’s tears pricked from the pain as well. “He died of smallpox!”
“Died of smallpox!” Chu Yue muttered, repeating the words in his mouth. “Dead? He died just like that?”
Furious, Chu Yue demanded to know why death came so easily! His Prince Cheng’an household was wiped out because of the Crown Prince’s birth, and now they were being dragged back into court politics because of the Crown Prince’s departure!
With his simple-minded, single-track-record disposition, how could Chu Yi possibly stand as a match for these masters steeped in power play! The Empress Dowager wasn’t pampering Chu Yi out of fondness; she simply refused to resign herself to seeing imperial power fall into the hands of a collateral branch! Chu Yi was merely a pawn in her contest for the throne!
He had naively imagined that within that man-eating imperial palace, at least the Empress Dowager held genuine affection for them, but it turned out to be utterly worthless in the face of the throne!
What familial affection! What imperial throne! They were all illusory, vaporous things.
Staggering to his feet, Chu Yue threw his head back and laughed wildly, laughing at how heaven played tricks on his Prince Cheng’an household, laughing at how his entire life was trapped in the imperial palace and reduced to a sacrifice of imperial power, and laughing at why his royal father had to be born into the imperial family.
Disregarding his aching shoulder, Zhao Jun felt certain disaster had struck, Mei Lingze had lost his mind! How could he suddenly go mad out of nowhere?
Fortunately, this place was remote and deserted. Just as Zhao Jun prepared to step forward and stop Chu Yue from descending further into madness, Chu Yue coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and wobbled backward.
Turning pale as a sheet, Zhao Jun caught him in his arms just as he was about to hit the ground, but the person in his arms had already passed out.
“Lingze! Lingze! Don’t you scare me!” Panicking, Zhao Jun’s tears started flowing again.
“What’s going on?”
Xing Li had originally been patrolling the perimeter when he heard someone crying and laughing in the woods.
Startled by the cold voice, Zhao Jun looked up to see Xing Li walking over at a steady pace.
Clutching at Xing Li like a drowning man grasping a straw, Zhao Jun pleaded, “Lord Xing, please save Lingze! I don’t know what happened to him, he threw up blood and passed out!”
Crouching down half-way in front of Chu Yue, Xing Li felt his neck, grabbed his wrist, checked his pulse for a brief moment, and stood up saying, “Fired up from suppressed rage.” Dropping those four words, he turned to leave.
“My lord, don’t leave!” Disregarding Xing Li’s corpse-like expression, Zhao Jun begged, “I beg you to save Lingze!”
Looking back, Xing Li was met with Zhao Jun’s stuttering plea: “I can’t carry him… can you…”
Lacking martial arts, Zhao Jun found Mei Lingze’s tall, slender build, though seemingly lean, packed with solid muscle. Zhao Jun himself was merely a scholarly young master with no strength to truss a chicken.
“No,” casting a disdainful glance at Zhao Jun, Xing Li departed gracefully.
Left in despair, Zhao Jun was surprised when, within the span of half an incense stick, two imperial guards arrived carrying a stretcher. Letting out a long sigh of relief, Zhao Jun silently vowed to retract every single curse he had just hurled at Xing Li.
Because the emperor’s imperial carriage had yet to depart, Xing Li had issued strict orders forbidding the news of Mei Lingze’s fainting to spread, lest it alarm the imperial carriage. Carried by the guards along an unmanned path, Chu Yue was brought all the way to the residential courtyard inside the Imperial Academy.
This area was prepared specifically for students whose homes were farther away or who needed to study diligently without time to return home. Naturally, students who disliked studying or lived close by would choose sedan chairs for transport instead.
Lying in bed with closed eyes and furrowed brows, Chu Yue remained trapped in lingering nightmares, a profusion of sweat beading on his forehead.
As Zhao Jun sat lost at the bedside, Xing Li walked in carrying a medical box.
Stopping beside Zhao Jun, Xing Li cast an imposing shadow that made Zhao Jun feel as though Mount Tai were pressing down upon him. Looking up, Zhao Jun offered a goofy, awkward smile. Xing Li tilted his face slightly, signaling for him to clear out and stop getting in the way.
Lowering his head submissively, Zhao Jun scrambled down off the bed.
Placing the box on the coffee table and opening it, Xing Li revealed a set of slender silver needles. Selecting one and inspecting it before his eyes, Zhao Jun felt a chill crawl down his spine, this fellow’s posture didn’t look like he was saving someone; it looked more like he was about to commit murder!
He watched as Xing Li pressed a silver needle straight into Chu Yue’s forehead, then retrieved another to pierce his crown. Within moments, more than a dozen silver needles had been planted across various spots on his head.
Sweat streaming down his forehead, Zhao Jun felt this Grim Reaper figure looked every bit like a life-taker. Damnation take it, why on earth had he believed Xing Li would save someone!
Scarcely had the thought crossed his mind when the brows of the person lying on bed gradually smoothed out, looking considerably more at peace. Zhao Jun quietly released half the tension in his heart.
Stepping up, Xing Li instructed, “When he wakes up, pull the needles out.”
“I… I pull them?” Zhao Jun pointed at himself. “What kind of skill do I have for that! Lord Xing, be a good man through and through and finish what you started…”
Zhao Jun slapped his own mouth a few times.
Catching nothing more than a glance from Xing Li, which left Zhao Jun feeling a bone-chilling, ghostly aura all around, he compromised with a grimace: “I’ll pull them, I’ll pull them alright!”
Just as Xing Li turned to leave, Chu Yue’s weak voice drifted out.
“You go, Xing Li. I never want to see you again.”
Stiffening in his tracks, Xing Li’s eyes widened instantly as he whipped his head around to stare at the sleeping figure on the bed.
“What did he just say?”
The question was directed at Zhao Jun nearby.
“He seemed to say… never want to… see you again!”
Voicing it like a timid mosquito while casting stealthy glances at Xing Li, Zhao Jun witnessed the sun rise from the west for real: a look of utter panic was actually plastered across Xing Li’s face!