In the Yuanqi nation, inside the Qing’an Palace.
A voice drifted from behind the ornate screen.
“How was the task assigned to you carried out?”
A woman sat upon a chaise lounge, possessing an exceptionally stunning appearance. With her eyes half-closed, she languidly held a porcelain teacup, sipping from it slowly.
“Your Ladyship… none of the men sent out have returned. It appears they were completely wiped out…”
A man knelt on one knee, his head bowed until it practically touched the floor.
“Wiped out!”
The woman’s tone turned abruptly severe. The teacup in her hand shattered against the floor, and a shard of porcelain went flying, piercing deep into the man’s cheek.
Drop by drop, fresh blood dripped onto the ground, yet the man did not dare to move, forced to maintain his posture.
“Yes… and the means used were exceptionally ruthless and venomous. Not a single corpse was left behind.”
The woman stood up, her face twisted in a fierce, enraged snarl. “What a pack of useless trash! What use does this Palace have for the likes of you? You couldn’t handle a single person in the palace, and you couldn’t handle one outside either. What on earth are you good for?”
Startled by the outburst, a maidservant nearby trembled, causing a hand fan to slip from her fingers.
Clack. With a sharp sound, the maid was struck across the face by the woman’s palm, dropping instantly to her knees in trembling terror.
“Send more men! This Palace refuses to believe that his life is truly that indestructible!”
“Yes…”
Before the man’s words had fully faded, his figure vanished entirely from the grand hall.
“And you, get out of my sight as well.”
Clutching her swollen cheek, the maid wept as she scrambled out of the room.
“Xiaolan, what happened to your face? Why is it so swollen?”
An elderly wet nurse was trimming plants nearby. Seeing the girl emerge, she asked with deep concern.
Resentment flickered in Xiaolan’s eyes. “Her Ladyship’s attempt to waylay and assassinate the Crown Prince failed, so she is in a foul mood…”
To be so dead set on eliminating her own biological son after all these years, she still hasn’t succeeded.
His Highness is someone blessed and protected by the gods; how could that woman possibly succeed?
The elderly nurse laid down her pruning shears. “Ah, what a sinful business. Come, let me take you to apply some soothing ointment to your face, or your complexion will be ruined for good.”
After all these years, Her Ladyship has still not let go.
His Highness is also a pitiful soul. What more can we servants say about it?
“Mother!”
Mu Chengyu had just finished his lessons at the imperial academy and ran straight to Qing’an Palace clutching his books.
“Yu. Come here quickly and let Mother see if you’ve grown taller.”
Affection radiated from Liu Zhaoran’s features, making her look like a completely different person from moments before.
As Mu Chengyu stepped inside, he caught sight of a pool of blood on the grand hall floor. Dropping his books in a panic, he rushed over. “Mother, are you injured?”
“No, it’s not mine. A maidservant accidentally dropped a cup just now, and cut her hand while picking up the pieces. It’s not me.”
Liu Zhaoran gazed lovingly at her son.
This was her only precious treasure; no matter what means she had to use, she would ensure he ascended the throne as Crown Prince.
Mu Chengyu awkwardly scratched the back of his head. “Mother, you must be careful in the future and avoid getting hurt. Otherwise, I’ll worry. And if I’m worried, I won’t be able to concentrate on the tutor’s lectures at the academy, and then I’ll end up at the bottom of the written exams again and I’ll have to blame you for it.”
Liu Zhaoran was amused by her son’s words. “If Yu says it like that, would placing last in his exams actually be Mother’s fault?”
“Of course it is! So, you must protect yourself well.”
Mu Chengyu nodded earnestly. The only people who had ever truly treated him with kindness since childhood were his mother and his eldest brother; he only wished for the two of them to be safe and well.
He was merely a mediocre prince who only wanted to fulfill his filial duties by his mother’s side.
“Mn, Mother will protect herself well. You must protect yourself, too.”
Liu Zhaoran affectionately ruffled the youth’s hair, a warm current surging through her heart.
The Song nation…
Along a serene, quiet path, a troop of horses was galloping forward at great speed.
“Your Third Highness, Sunset City is just ahead. They should have already arrived.”
Song Jinxuan, draped in blue robes, sat tall upon his horse, his dark hair flying in the wind.
“I’ve long heard that the Crown Prince of the Yuanqi nation is a peerless talent, but alas, heaven is not always merciful, and he has been reduced to a good-for-nothing. I must take a good look for myself to see what extraordinary qualities this Crown Prince actually possesses.”
“Sunset City… Gege, are these three characters read as ‘Sunset City’?”
Jun Xun pointed at the three large characters inscribed above the city gate and asked.
Mu Chengyan nodded with a pleased, gratified smile. “That’s right. To think Ah-Xun actually recognizes these characters. It seems teaching you to read these past few days has yielded some results.”
Though Ah-Xun was a little beggar, he was exceptionally smart. Anything he was taught, he mastered immediately, and he could even carve little wooden figurines that looked identical to him.
“Gege… teaches very well. It is just that I am too slow-witted and still cannot recognize many characters.”
Mu Chengyan raised a hand to stroke the youth’s hair; it was soft and felt quite nice to the touch.
“It doesn’t matter. To have learned so many characters in just a few days already makes you very clever.”
Like a child who had just been rewarded with candy, Jun Xun beamed with suppressed joy.
Seeing how intimate the two of them were being, Yueying let out a cold snort. His Highness is treating this little beggar better and better by the day. Didn’t he say he wanted to give him away to someone else? There hasn’t been any movement on that front yet. Once we enter Sunset City this time, I must find a way to get rid of this little beggar. Otherwise, if he stays by His Highness’s side, my own position will be in jeopardy.
Guchen remained as detached as ever, trailing quietly behind them like an invisible shadow.
They had just stepped through the city gates when a woman came rushing straight toward them. Dressed in vibrant red bridal robes and riding a white horse at breakneck speed, she was headed on a direct collision course with Mu Chengyan!
“Gege!”
With a sharp narrowing of his eyes, Jun Xun swept an arm around Mu Chengyan’s slender waist and pivoted to dodge out of the way.
“Catch her! Don’t let her get away!”
A massive troop of pursuers thundered after her, majestic and endless, stretching for hundreds of meters.
Looking anxiously at the person in his arms, Jun Xun asked, “Gege… are you alright?”
Mu Chengyan wore a rather unnatural expression, his gaze dropping to the hand still resting upon his waist. “Ah-Xun… please… let go… let go of me…”
Mu Chengyan had never engaged in such close physical contact with anyone else, and his speech faltered slightly.
Jun Xun snapped his hand away immediately, a dark, intense glint flashing across his eyes as he retreated a safe distance away, terrified that Mu Chengyan might despise him.
Yueying pointed straight at the youth’s nose and let loose a furious tirade. “You little beggar! Who gave you permission to touch His Highness? His Highness is a person of noble birth is he someone a mere beggar like you has any right to touch?”
Frowning slightly, Mu Chengyan stepped forward and pulled the youth back to his side.
“Yueying, Ah-Xun acted with good intentions. Besides, Ah-Xun is no longer a beggar; he has even learned several characters.”
Ah-Xun was both smart and sensible; if possible, he wanted to keep him by his side.
Jun Xun stared at the lips speaking those words, his gaze growing even deeper and darker.
“Hmph, that still doesn’t change the fact that he’s a beggar.”
And this beggar is up to no good! To dare touch our Crown Prince if he dares to do it again, I’ll chop off his hands!
“I… I didn’t mean to, Gege. I really didn’t mean to.”
Jun Xun raised his head, looking earnestly as he offered his defense.
With a gentle smile, Mu Chengyan smoothed down the stray lock of hair on the youth’s forehead.