Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Mu Jian Shu raised his hand to still his wildly beating heart.

The youth's phoenix eyes reflected the light of the lamp, brilliant as the sun, his whole being bathed in radiance, exuding tenderness.

And he, like a devout believer, wished he could offer himself up, beseeching the deity to stay, a believer on the verge of madness.

They stood at either end of the door, gazing across the small distance at each other.

Shadows of the lantern flickered, and the noise of the crowd filled the air.

The reflection of his younger self in his eyes suddenly broke into a smile, thunderous in its clarity.

Xue Fuguang approached slowly, his crimson robe fluttering with the dance of the lantern's shadow: "Today is my birthday."

Mu Jian Shu’s lips trembled with thoughts of insubordination, "This subordinate wishes his lord a birthday as joyous as today, year after year, era after era, blessed with peace and prosperity." And forevermore, may you be as happy as you are this very day.

Xue Fuguang extended the lantern to him, his red lips parting: "Bought from the street, a gift for you." He didn’t ask Mu Jian Shu about the conditions in the palace, "You knew of my birthday today, so have you prepared a birthday gift?"

Mu Jian Shu accepted the lantern, holding it carefully in his hands, nodding: "It’s on your lordship's desk."

Xue Fuguang went to look at the item on the desk.

It was a finely crafted dagger, just longer than the span of his hand. Drawing the dagger, its cold, sharp edge silently testified to its lethal sharpness.

Xue Fuguang inquired, "What made you think of gifting a dagger?"

Mu Jian Shu replied, "For the young master, for self-defense."

Initially, he had wanted to present the blade that beheaded the crown prince as Xue Fuguang's birthday gift. But at the last moment, he had a change of heart and commissioned the forging of this new dagger instead.

A dagger stained with the crown prince's blood should not become Xue Fuguang's birthday gift.

And Xue Fuguang need not be tainted by such bloodshed.

Even though he would take particular pleasure in the blood of the crown prince's faction.

Xue Fuguang closed the dagger, which emitted a faint, metallic chime.

He turned his head, instructing others, "That will be all for today. You may retire early, no need for further attendance here."

Shao Jing immediately responded, closing the door gently behind him.

Xue Fuguang pressed one hand on the dagger atop the desk: "After you executed the crown prince, the Emperor of Ying intended for you to deal with me next. When were you planning to act?"

Mu Jian Shu's expression changed: "I would never lay a hand on my lord."

Xue Fuguang turned to face Mu Jian Shu directly.

Only then did Mu Jian Shu notice the smile on his face.

Xue Fuguang said, "What if I told you that if you hadn't dealt with those spies today, not only would they have not left the palace, but you wouldn't have been able to leave either?"

"Did you feel the urge to kill?"

Mu Jian Shu was still wearing a mask.

Xue Fuguang reached out, unfastening it, and said, "From now on, do not wear a mask in my presence."

With the mask removed, Mu Jian Shu's drowsy expression came into view.

He actually let out a sigh of relief.

Not for himself, but for the sake of Xue Fuguang's well-being.

Xue Fuguang was also momentarily taken aback.

He had guessed that Mu Jian Shu would not harbor any murderous intent towards him.

He could somewhat guess that Mu Jian Shu probably wouldn't even get angry at him.

But he had not anticipated such a reaction from Mu Jian Shu.

To actually feel relief and quiet celebration over this.

Mu Jian Shu's sharp features softened, his brows and eyes relaxing, almost as if relieved that Xue Fu Guang had finally eased up, "The prince is very thorough, more so than I expected."

Only in such a way could Xue Fu Guang protect himself effectively.

Xue Fu Guang blinked and asked, "Don't you feel disheartened by this?"

Of course, Mu Jian Shu wouldn't.

He had said his life belonged to Xue Fu Guang, and he would do anything he asked.

And his life was no exception.

But watching Xue Fu Guang's emotion-filled eyes, he keenly detected a flicker of surprise and delight, "Prince, do you wish for me to be angry?"

Suddenly, Xue Fu Guang pulled Mu Jian Shu towards him and bit his lip fiercely, "You should be the one who's angry."

A spark ignited between the two restless beings, burning and melting into one in a fervent entangle.

Xue Fu Guang was the instigator.

He pressed on Mu Jian Shu's most vital spot, his voice hoarse, "I have one more thing to tell you."

Mu Jian Shu couldn't look away, his gaze intense and tangible on Xue Fu Guang, his chest filled with a tumultuous roar, "What is it?"

Xue Fu Guang leaned in, biting Mu Jian Shu's Adam's apple, "I believe I might be in love with you. Just as you love me."

Mu Jian Shu suddenly turned over and sealed Xue Fu Guang's mouth fiercely, preventing him from taking back his words.

……

Tears streaming, Xue Fu Guang asked, "Is your real name Qu Jian Shu?"

Mu Jian Shu held him close, his chest enclosing Xue Fu Guang's back, his voice trembling, "No. My real name is indeed Mu Jian Shu. Only Qu Wu bears the surname Qu."

Xue Fu Guang responded, "Okay."

……

The Crown Prince was assassinated, and when the news reached the Emperor's ears, he was still shrouded in the haze of a chaotic dream.

It was only upon seeing the Crown Prince's severed head, apart from his body, that he clutched at his chest and collapsed suddenly to the ground.

The Empress fainted the moment she heard of the Crown Prince's demise.

The imperial palace was thrown into utter chaos.

With the Crown Prince dead, the Eastern Palace was a river of blood, bodies strewn everywhere.

The Sixth Prince, seated beside the Emperor's dragon bed, clenched his teeth as the imperial physician dressed the wound on his shoulder, his pallid face etched with worry, "How fares the Emperor's health?"

The imperial physician, sweating profusely, replied, "His Majesty has been struck by a severe shock. He should regain consciousness in a few hours. Your Highness need not fret."

The Sixth Prince simply let out a deep sigh.

He played the part of a filial son worried for his father to perfection.

When his wound was dressed, Consort Hui arrived with the other concubines in tow.

And there was the visibly distraught Twelfth Prince.

Consort Hui threw herself beside the Emperor's bed, clutching at the imperial physician with a barrage of questions before finally releasing him to attend to the Emperor herself.

The Twelfth Prince cautiously snuggled up to the Sixth Prince, grasping his sleeve and looking anxiously at his wound, "Brother, does it hurt much?"

The Sixth Prince reassured him, "It's nothing serious, it will heal soon. You needn't worry, Twelfth."

The Twelfth Prince eyed the fresh blood seeping through the bandage, opening his mouth then closing it, hesitating several times before asking again in a low voice, "Brother, I heard... the Crown Prince was killed by an assassin, is it true?"

The Sixth Prince's eyes darkened, and he whispered, "Yes. Remember, Twelfth, when the Emperor awakens, do not mention this matter in front of him. You should return to your quarters with the palace staff shortly."

The Twelfth Prince turned to look at the crowd filling the hall, fiddling with his chubby fingers, "With the Emperor ill, as his son, I should stay and tend to him."

The Sixth Prince replied, "The Emperor is not in grave danger and will awaken soon. You are still young, and no one will fault you. It will be too chaotic later; Caiyi will take you back."

Having said this, he looked up and instructed the senior maid beside the Twelfth Prince, "Take the Twelfth Prince back to the palace later."

Caiyi promptly responded, drawing close to the Twelfth Prince and whispering persuasively, "Your Highness, the Emperor has the Sixth Prince and the consorts by His side. Let us return for now. Otherwise, the Sixth Prince will have to look after you as well, and you wouldn't want to burden him, would you?"

After much thought, the Twelfth Prince realized that staying was indeed of no use, and he reluctantly followed Caiyi out.

The Emperor did not remain unconscious for long.

Upon opening his eyes, his first outcry was, "The Crown Prince! Where is my Crown Prince!"

Consort Hui, wiping her tears, said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince, he has passed away!"

The Emperor, enraged, demanded, "The assassin! Seize him! Let none escape!"

The Sixth Prince coughed weakly, "Father, those men have already been executed on the spot. Rest assured."

Only then did the Emperor notice the Sixth Prince's pallid complexion.

His brows knitted in concern, "How come you were at the Eastern Palace?"

The Sixth Prince coughed several more times, a flush of color briefly crossing his pale face before fading again, leaving him even whiter, "Your servant had caught the Crown Prince's beloved eunuch and thought, perhaps bringing him to bid a final farewell to the Crown Prince might clear his lingering regrets, and wake him. Unexpectedly, it coincided with the assassination."

Consort Hui added, her voice breaking, "Your Majesty, by sheer chance, the Sixth Prince narrowly escaped death in the Eastern Palace. Had he not been there, not only would the assassins have fled, but the Crown Prince's body might have been desecrated by those villains who didn’t even intend to leave a whole corpse!"

She was sobbing uncontrollably.

To the unaware, one might almost believe that she was the Crown Prince's own mother.

The Emperor also noticed the wound on the Sixth Prince’s shoulder.

The bleeding had just stopped, with some seepage still evident, the bright red very striking to the eye.

The wound was dangerously positioned; a few inches higher and it could have pierced the heart chamber, resulting in certain death.

At that moment, he realized he could have lost not just one, but two adult sons.

The thought made the Emperor's beard tremble.

He lifted his hand, patting the Sixth Prince's arm, "My dutiful Chonghe, you've suffered greatly. Go and rest. Heal well."

The Sixth Prince managed a strained smile, "It's nothing. Seeing Father awake eases my mind."

No sooner had he finished speaking than his body suddenly swayed, and he pitched forward from the armchair.

The imperial physician paled with shock, and everyone in the hall also cried out in alarm.

Fortunately, after a thorough examination, the physician exhaled in relief: "His Highness has fainted due to excessive blood loss. He was just holding on, and now that he has finally relaxed, he has collapsed. With proper rest and recovery of his vital energies, there should be no serious issue."

The fact that he fainted only now, after having held on for so long, clearly showed for whom his concern had been hanging by a thread.

The Emperor's gaze softened as he watched the Sixth Prince, ordering the eunuchs to carefully carry him to the nearest side palace of the Nurturing Heart Hall for recuperation.

This was the only son he had left who was sensible.

Next in line was the Twelfth Prince, too young to bear the weight of such responsibilities.

The Emperor felt as if he had aged years overnight, a sense of powerlessness creeping over him.

This provoked his deep anger.

His voice heavy with command, he ordered, "Instruct the imperial guards to search thoroughly; seal the imperial city. Spare no corner. For an assassin to infiltrate the palace, there must have been a premeditated plan. We must root out the traitor within!"

"Yes!"

All present failed to realize that they had collectively forgotten someone.

That someone was Xiujin.

The Sixth Prince subconsciously felt that, as weak as he was, Xiujin must surely be dead by now.

His body thrown into the mass burial ground along with the corpses of the maids and eunuchs in the Eastern Palace.

However, Xiujin had already taken advantage of the chaos to flee the palace.

When he ran out of the Eastern Palace, the palace gates had already been locked.

Thus, he spent a night full of terror hiding within the palace walls until the gates were opened the next day, managing to slip out hidden amongst the carts used for hauling refuse.

He mingled on the streets and in the alleys with the beggars.

Xiujin hugged his knees, tears welling up as he watched the cool-faced soldiers patrolling the streets.

Author's note: Goodnight, my dears!

A heartfelt thank you to all the angels who cast their King's Votes or nourished me with Nutrient Solutions during the period from 23:59:50 on December 13, 2021, to 23:59:37 on December 14, 2021!

Special thanks to the angel who dropped landmines: Mountain Hermit with 2 landmines;

I'm deeply grateful for everyone's support, and I will continue to work hard!