Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Upon returning to the prince's mansion with Xue Hongwen, it wasn't long before their father made his way to Xue Fuguang’s courtyard.

Xue Fuguang greeted him with a smile, "Rest assured, I haven’t breathed a word to big brother."

The Prince of Gong's expression did not ease at this reassurance, but instead, he fixed Xue Fuguang with a look, "Tell me truthfully, is that Xiu Jin the Crown Prince called to the palace the root of the trouble?"

Clearly, he was already aware of the day’s events at the Imperial Academy.

The news had indeed spread swiftly.

Xue Fuguang replied, "Yes and no."

The Prince of Gong had no patience for such ambiguity, his eyebrows shooting up in annoyance, "You whelp! Don’t play coy with your father!"

Xue Fuguang clarified, "Xiu Jin is involved, but he is not the sole reason."

His father, puffing his beard and glaring, left after a moment to continue investigating the matter of the Crown Prince.

Xue Fuguang rose to see him out of his Tingzhu Xuan. Passing by the apricot tree in the courtyard, he said indifferently, "Have someone cut down this tree and plant bamboo in its stead. If the pavilion is named for listening to bamboo, why harbor an apricot tree?"

The servants agreed, and soon the tree was felled, its wood hauled into the kitchen to be used as firewood.

Shao Jing was puzzled, "Young master, did you not favor this apricot tree, praising its blossoms’ beauty? Just yesterday, even ill, you donned your robe to come out and admire it."

Xue Fuguang, flicking a tea leaf afloat in his cup, didn’t lift his gaze, "Preferences change. The apricot’s flowers and fruit are both delicate and bitter, unlike bamboo, which is humble and easy to nurture. Once it lives, none can cut down its roots completely."

He took a sip of tea, set down the cup, and called out languidly, "Qu Wu."

A figure silently emerged from behind the screen, startling Shao Jing with a shiver.

Mu Jian Shu bowed before Xue Fuguang, "Master, your command?"

Xue Fuguang, lazily lifting his eyelids to look at him, spoke in a languorous tone, "Raise your head. In my presence, you are forbidden from bowing it."

Without any discernible disturbance in emotion, Mu Jian Shu obediently raised his head at the words, yet still did not meet Xue Fuguang’s eyes directly.

Winning favor needs a delicate touch; too much eagerness can seem desperate.

Xue Fuguang inquired, "Do you remember the person who was with me at Fengyue Tower the day before yesterday?"

Mu Jian Shu replied, "I remember."

Xue Fuguang said, "Bring the one you suspect the most to me at the third quarter of the 'Hush' hour. I'll wait here." His tone was so indifferent, and Mu Jian Shu nodded without hesitation in agreement, making Shao Jing feel as though he had misheard.

By the time Shao Jing snapped back to reality, Mu Jian Shu had vanished again, and Xue Fuguang continued sipping his tea. In a flurry, Shao Jing rushed out, dispersing most of the people in the courtyard, claiming that the young master was in a foul mood and found the crowd bothersome. They could return to their duties once the young master's mood improved.

His heart was a tumult of emotions, yet the young master's composure was so unsettling that he didn't dare speak more for fear of annoying him further.

The sky turned a deep twilight blue, and though the moon was invisible in the inky night, the stars were exceptionally abundant.

As the appointed time neared, and Mu Jian Shu had yet to appear, Shao Jing couldn't help but ask, "My lord, what if Qu Wu is captured? If he implicates you, the prince will surely punish you severely, and the crown prince might even take this chance to harm you..."

Xue Fuguang replied calmly, "Isn't it not yet the third quarter of the 'Hush' hour? Stay calm and wait. Go outside and check on the bamboo they've planted."

With a sense of grievance, Shao Jing went out.

Xue Fuguang stood up, lifted the lampshade, and adjusted the wick, casting a grotesquely large shadow on the window.

He turned to see Mu Jian Shu carrying the unconscious Gao Deshen: "My lord, I have captured the man."

Xue Fuguang's eyes narrowed. He thought he saw a pair of fervent eyes, but in the flickering candlelight, the sight was unclear, as if he were mistaken.

He did not dwell on it, as his attention was quickly drawn to Gao Deshen, and a smile of intrigue surfaced: "Drop him on the floor."

Mu Jian Shu complied without hesitation, carelessly throwing the man onto the ground, indifferent to the possibility of injury.

His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Shall I awaken him, my lord?"

Xue Fuguang, leaning against the couch with his wrist propping up his chin, scanning back and forth, queried, "Tell me, why did you bring him?"

Mu Jian Shu explained, "The night the master had the incident, everyone at the door was surprised to see the master, but this man, in addition to his surprise, showed a profound disappointment."

Xue Fuguang was noncommittal about this response and ordered, "Lock him up in the storage room and give him one meal a day."

As Mu Jian Shu mentioned someone's name and pushed the door open to leave, the startling sight nearly caused Shao Jing in the courtyard to cry out.

He saw Mu Jian Shu carrying away a person trussed up like a zongzi, then returning to their master's room. In haste, Shao Jing followed in asking, "You weren't discovered by anyone, were you?"

Qu Wu was incredibly rude, not even bothering to answer his question.

—Yet he was exceedingly obedient to the young master.

The young master said again, “Take off your clothes.”

Mu Jian Shu paused for a few moments, this time without the coy reluctance he initially displayed.

He removed his top, draping it over his waist, revealing a torso tightly muscled.

Xue Fuguang’s gaze rested upon him, quickening his pulse.

Xue Fuguang commanded, “Turn around.”

Mu Jian Shu's knuckles whitened as he turned his back to him.

Those fierce scars were still present; the lash marks on his back had healed into scabs, and beyond that, there were no fresh wounds.

Xue Fuguang’s eyes roamed over these scars, scrutinizing each one as if committing every detail to memory.

After a long moment, he said, “Come closer.”

Mu Jian Shu stepped back half a step towards Xue Fuguang, closing the distance between them by half a foot.

Now within arm's reach.

His muscles were tensed to the extreme—a fact Xue Fuguang discerned the moment his fingers touched those scars.

Xue Fuguang’s fingertips rested on the scabs, applying a bit of pressure: “Are you afraid of me?”

Mu Jian Shu’s voice was hoarse: “My regard for the young master… is one of respect, fearing to sully your hands.”

Xue Fuguang leaned back, propped against the cushion, and said indifferently, “Put on your clothes and leave.”

Mu Jian Shu's voice was raspy: “Yes.”

He pulled his clothing back on and quickly left this place of troubles.

Once the door was closed, Xue Fuguang asked Shao Jing, “Do you think someone who enters the Metropolitan Captain's estate so effortlessly could be a royal guard in disguise?”

Shao Jing stated as if it were obvious, "He was personally selected by the prince to protect the young master, naturally he's the best there is!"

Outside the door, the concealed Mu Jian Shu tensed.

*

Xue Fuguang fell into a routine of leaving early and returning late, attending lectures at the Imperial Academy given by the Grand Tutor.

So obedient that even Prince Gong found it odd.

After spending a few days together, the twelfth prince truly grew fond of Xue Fuguang.

He was so taken that he wished he could invite him to live in the palace and never leave.

As he watched Xue Fuguang and his servant depart, he pouted and said, “My brother, rumors don't hold truth; isn't the young master Xue a fine man? How can he resemble a tyrant?”

The sixth prince, uncharacteristically, did not argue: "Indeed, he does not."

They hadn't gone far when they suddenly overheard whispers coming from behind a rockery.

"Gao Deshen from the Metropolitan Captain's estate has vanished without a trace, and it was said he was very close to Xue Fuguang."

"This matter is quite frightening. Lord Gao reported it to the Prefect of the Capital, and even after a thorough search throughout the city, no trace was found. His servant claimed he disappeared into thin air from his room!"

"Do you think something unclean might have taken him? They say the body of a woman that night was witnessed by many, and Gao Deshen was among them."

"Tsk, if you ask me, isn't it too coincidental that right after Xue Fuguang was given the medicine, a woman died? Most likely, Gao Deshen was implicated by Xue Fuguang. Maybe it was Xue Fuguang who abducted him? Hasn't the culprit behind his drugging remained undiscovered to this day?"

"If what Brother Zhou says is true, Xue Fuguang might really be in trouble, huh? Otherwise, why would there be such deep grudges? Hahaha."

Author's note: Working so much I've forgotten the time of day...