Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Xie Qingfeng was stunned in place by these few words, unable to regain his composure for a long while.

The familiar voice was just like the day the little emperor had left for war, making Xie Qingfeng feel as if he had traveled through time, back to the past.

He hadn't sacrificed himself for his country, nor had he traveled to this completely unfamiliar era.

He was still the National Master of the Great Jing Dynasty, and the person before him was the monarch he had assisted, the little emperor he had promised to protect after taking over the position from his master.

But... how could this be possible?

This is the modern era, separated by a thousand years in time, and the little emperor before him looked familiar yet strange, as if aged by several years.

When he had sent the little emperor off to war, he was only eighteen, but now he looked like several years had passed.

More mature and composed, yet the smile, the expression, and the tone were unmistakably those of the little emperor he had known since childhood.

Unless... the little emperor had also traveled through time with him!

But the ages didn't seem to match.

For the first time, Xie Qingfeng felt his brain malfunction, staring blankly at the person before him, forgetting how to react.

Jing Xi's pale face maintained its smile, deepening, his eyes becoming more inscrutable, hiding all his emotions.

If it had been yesterday at the airport, he might not have been able to contain his emotions from their four years apart. But after one night, he had devised a strategy, keeping all his feelings hidden.

Back then, he thought one was the emperor, the other his subject, and they had plenty of time, let alone the divide of the Great Jing Dynasty. With the unstable foundation of his throne, he dared not take the risk.

But now... he would never let go of the person before him again.

Jing Xi's expression relaxed, speaking openly, "Is the National Master curious why I am here?"

His relaxation gradually eased the tension in Xie Qingfeng's nerves, as he had indeed considered many possibilities just moments ago.

Xie Qingfeng even suspected whether a mastermind was at play, having discerned his destiny and features, and then found someone identical to the little emperor to set a trap for him.

But to impersonate someone, even if the appearance could be similar, it would be impossible to replicate the voice, tone, and mannerisms perfectly.

Even though the little emperor before him appeared a few years older, he was indeed the real one.

Xie Qingfeng, reassured that it wasn't an impersonation, relaxed a bit: "…Yes." He was indeed curious; his soul had accidentally traveled to this world after dying for his country. Although this person resembled him, the age and voice didn't match.

How did the little emperor know it was him?

Most importantly, he had once read the little emperor's fortune, which did not indicate an early demise at this time.

Not to mention, the person before him was in modern clothes and of an inconsistent age.

He indeed had many questions but hesitated to ask, as the person before him was the monarch he had once served. Despite their acquaintance since childhood, their actual interactions had been few, and later, the distinction between emperor and subject limited their communication.

Jing Xi lifted his hand to show the two jade rings on his thumb: "Because of these."

Xie Qingfeng followed his gesture and realized why the rings looked familiar. Now, up close, he was certain that one of them was similar to the ordinary jade ring he had recently acquired.

The other one seemed like the ring he had hastily chosen from the small treasury to absorb spiritual energy, which had turned into waste jade after exhausting its power.

But now, this ring looked as if it had never lost its spiritual energy.

Xie Qingfeng was momentarily astonished: "These two rings seem like…" He paused, unsure how to explain the matter of the little emperor's treasury following his consciousness.

But the small treasury belonged to the little emperor, and he wouldn't reveal it to others. Yet, it was different with the emperor himself. After a moment's thought, he slowly began: "Your Majesty's former treasury…"

A deeper yet more helpless smile appeared in Jing Xi's eyes: Indeed, it's still the National Master.

Jing Xi completed his sentence as he began to speak: "Now follows the National Master."

Xie Qingfeng's voice abruptly halted, and he looked up in surprise, his eyes wide with astonishment.

Such an expression, Jing Xi noted, had not been seen for years since Xie Qingfeng's cultivation grew and he became more detached; he knew it would be so.

Jing Xi absorbed his varied expressions with an obsessed gaze before calmly stating, "Is the National Master curious why I possess the jade rings from the treasury he took with him?"

To confirm, Xie Qingfeng mentally accessed his small treasury; instantly, two similar jade rings appeared in his palm.

However, one of Xie Qingfeng's rings had become worthless jade.

Jing Xi's theory solidified: "The National Master must be puzzled by my appearance. In fact, four years have passed since the National Master left until my arrival here."

Even with his suspicions, Xie Qingfeng fell silent upon confirmation.

Jing Xi, fingers gently caressing the jade rings, speculated, "How long has the National Master been here? Your appearance seems younger than before, perhaps as the Grand Taoist Master guessed, your soul traveled to another world."

Hearing his senior brother's name, Xie Qingfeng's eyes showed a flicker of emotion, his demeanor softening a bit: "Almost two months." He paused, then couldn't resist asking, "How are my senior brothers doing?"

Surely something had happened for the little emperor, a sovereign, to resort to using a formation to come here.

After all, Xie Qingfeng himself had arrived here by chance, accepting his fate, and the dangers of the formation were well known to his senior brother, unless there was a reason more dire than death to leave.

Jing Xi's eyes fell, concealing his emotions: "Before I left, I had secured a way out for the Taoist Master and the others."

Xie Qingfeng sighed in relief, but looking at the person so close to him, he still asked, "Why did Your Majesty resort to using the formation to come here?"

Jing Xi sighed with a mixture of truth and pretense, his voice tinged with loneliness, reminding Xie Qingfeng of their first meeting outside the cold palace: "As the National Master knows, I am not the Empress Dowager's son. She never believed in me. These four years... stabilizing the court was not easy."

Xie Qingfeng, focused on cultivation, was not well-versed in court affairs but had heard rumors, never realizing the apparent harmony between mother and son was fraught with such intrigue.

He had guessed as much, but as the National Master, his duty was not in court affairs, so all he could do was protect the Great Jing Dynasty for the little emperor.

Jing Xi continued, "Although the situation stabilized over four years, my health deteriorated, making it impossible for me to remain there." His words were not entirely false; his health had indeed suffered, at least his heart was no longer there.

Xie Qingfeng had already envisioned the struggles the young emperor endured over the past four years, battling against the factions of the rebels, the Empress Dowager, and the Imperial Uncle. Although victorious, it had taken a toll on his health, leaving him with a short life expectancy.

Staying would likely mean not even his remains would be left, so... why not take a chance and gamble?

Xie Qingfeng looked up at the young emperor's pale face: "Your Majesty, your current health..."

Jing Xi calmly met Xie Qingfeng's gaze: "There shouldn't be any major issues. However, what's strange is that although this body won't die, it's been getting weaker day by day since arriving here two days ago. At first, I didn't understand, but yesterday I guessed a possibility."

Xie Qingfeng had already reached out to check the young emperor's health but paused mid-action upon hearing the latter part: "What is it?"

Jing Xi: "The Grandmaster might not be aware, but I knew you were still alive in another world because the small treasury you took with you is connected to the one in the Great Jing Dynasty's palace."

Xie Qingfeng: "What?"

Jing Xi: "After returning from the campaign, I discovered in the small treasury that one of the jade thumb rings on the shelf had disappeared, then reappeared, and soon after, there was an additional one."

Xie Qingfeng felt a flush on his face upon realizing the Jing Emperor knew he had used the imperial treasury. Despite maintaining his usual indifferent demeanor, the Jing Emperor's gaze made him feel uneasy. "When I first arrived, my body had no cultivation. To save someone, I used items from Your Majesty's treasury. I shall repay Your Majesty in the future..."

Jing Xi approached closer, "Repay? How does the National Master plan to repay me?"

Xie Qingfeng replied, "I have started earning money to buy jade. I will return items of equivalent value to the spiritual energy consumed."

Jing Xi shook his head solemnly, "Does the National Master think that's sufficient?"

Xie Qingfeng, puzzled, asked, "What does Your Majesty imply?"

Jing Xi leaned forward, his hands on his knees, his handsome features magnified in front of Xie Qingfeng. His dark, deep eyes almost let Xie Qingfeng see his own reflection in them.

Xie Qingfeng was momentarily stunned, but the next words from Jing Xi left him completely frozen in shock.

Jing Xi spoke earnestly, "National Master, the items in this treasury were personally selected by me as gifts for my future empress. Now that you have taken from my private treasury, does it not signify... that you accept being my empress?"

Xie Qingfeng: ??

Regaining his senses, Xie Qingfeng stepped back in shock, unable to maintain his usual composure.

Jing Xi couldn’t help but laugh, covering his eyes as his shoulders shook gently. Xie Qingfeng had never heard such a lighthearted laugh from the usually solemn emperor.

Xie Qingfeng blushed, realizing the young emperor had played a trick on him: “Your… Majesty!”

What kind of scare was that?

Jing Xi finally ceased laughing, helplessly looking up, “How could the National Master actually believe that? I’m not inclined that way.” He wasn’t deceiving Xie Qingfeng; he simply happened to fall for a man.

Xie Qingfeng awkwardly shifted, unable to deny his original body’s preference for men. His subconscious had come to accept this, especially after misleading Bai Daolong previously, leading him to momentarily believe it.

Regaining composure, Xie Qingfeng felt a headache. Was the emperor’s private nature so mischievous that he’d make such jokes?

With a straight face, Xie Qingfeng offered, “Since Your Majesty has arrived here, the treasury within my consciousness can’t be returned, but I can retrieve the antiques and jade to compensate.”

However, Jing Xi declined.

Xie Qingfeng, perplexed, added, “Your Majesty, since you’ve come here, and I overheard your agent mentioning your debt, these can be used for repayment.”

Jing Xi shifted the topic, “Before my last expedition, I promised a gift to the National Master. Do you remember?”

Xie Qingfeng nodded lightly, vividly recalling the earnest expression of the young emperor at that time.

Jing Xi’s gaze softened, “The National Master saved my life. Without you, there would be no me. Over the years, I’ve pondered how to repay that debt. Learning of your need for spiritually enriched jade for cultivation, I collected superior jade, intending to gift it once the collection was complete.”

Xie Qingfeng realized Jing Xi’s intention, guessing that place was…

Jing Xi’s voice rose, “That very treasury. Perhaps it was fate that it belonged to the National Master. Also, the treasury in your consciousness is there for your use, with another still existing in the Great Jing Dynasty’s palace. So, don’t worry, what’s in your mind now is solely yours.”

Xie Qingfeng, rendered speechless, felt almost persuaded, yet he shook his head, “But…” He couldn’t accept such an extravagant gift.

Anticipating this, Jing Xi reasoned, “In the Great Jing Dynasty, the treasury remains. If it were still there, I’d reclaim it. But now, centuries later, I am Jing Xianfeng, and you’re no longer the National Master, just Xie Qingfeng. Or, would you prefer to continue serving me?”

Xie Qingfeng certainly did not.

His duty began when he accepted the position from his master, committing selflessly.

Yet, his mission ended with the Great Jing Dynasty. No longer the National Master, he was simply himself.

He longed for freedom and naturally didn't wish to be bound by others.

Jing Xi's eyes sparkled with a deeper amusement, "It seems the National Master has come to a realization. Our ties as sovereign and subject end in the past. From this moment, you are you, and I am I. Our relationship... starts anew."

Xie Qingfeng, not catching the underlying meaning in Jing Xi’s words, was relieved yet felt it unfair to Jing Xi.

Jing Xi spoke again, “Of course, if the National Master indeed feels indebted, I do have a favor to ask.”

Xie Qingfeng instinctively nodded, “What is it?”

Jing Xi explained, “Since arriving here, my body has had no issues, but it weakens more each day.”

Xie Qingfeng had heard this and intended to examine him.

Jing Xi continued, “But I noticed a time yesterday when my body felt much better, which was when the National Master visited the Zhao residence in this villa area. At first, I was unaware, until mysteriously, a jade tiger appeared in my hand.”

Xie Qingfeng looked up sharply, “A jade tiger?” He recalled his jade tiger disappearing from the treasury shelf and then reappearing.

So the jade tiger had been in Jing Xi’s possession then?

Jing Xi raised his hand, “It must relate to these two jade rings. I wore them when activating the array, hoping to reach your location. It seems they did connect. The jade tiger, a Zhao family heirloom, revealed that the master resolving their issues was indeed the National Master.”

Xie Qingfeng finally understood how Jing Xi knew it was him; it was all connected.

“What about the real Jing Xianfeng? Hasn't the agent suspected you?” Xie Qingfeng, recalling the agent's earlier words, frowned in concern.

Jing Xi recounted the speculation of the Grand Taoist Priest, omitting his true reason for coming: “Jing Mianfeng must have gone to the other side. This agent Liang hasn't seen him in two or three years, and lately, he never even left his room. When I arrived, he was seeking death, so the agent mistook me as a second personality born from Jing Mianfeng. So even though I lost all my memories and abilities, he didn't suspect me.”

Xie Qingfeng's expression grew more somber, realizing that even if there's no suspicion now, prolonged time might lead to doubts about Jing Xi's identity, with unimaginable consequences.

Especially since they are in close contact daily, and the agent is forcing a comeback.

Jing Xi noticed his worried look and sighed, his voice tinged with loneliness: “It's alright, though. I'm penniless now and owe a large debt. According to Agent Liang, my appearance is marketable, and I should be able to repay it quickly by returning to the spotlight. My body seems to recover when near the National Master, probably due to your abundant spiritual energy. If I can't endure, I might need to trouble the National Master occasionally until I find a solution. Then, I won't disturb you.”

Xie Qingfeng didn't want to be a burden, but hearing Jing Xi's desolate tone, and considering their unique reunion after a millennium, he couldn't ignore him.

Xie Qingfeng firmly stated: “Even if we're no longer sovereign and subject, I can't just stand by and do nothing, especially since the treasury appeared because of you.”

Jing Xi continued to shake his head.

Xie Qingfeng decisively said: “You can't stay with this agent. It's only a matter of time before you're discovered. I'll find a way to convert the spiritually potent jade from the treasury into cash to repay your debts.”

He felt relieved with this plan, unwilling to use those items otherwise.

Though the most straightforward solution was to sell those items directly for cash, doing so would mean losing them forever.

Those items were proofs of their past existence.

Moreover, knowing Jing Xi's character, he suspected that once given away, Jing Xi would never take them back.

Jing Xi looked up, his expression filled with reluctance to disrupt Xie Qingfeng's peaceful life: “But... the debt is substantial.”

Xie Qingfeng firmly replied: “Most of the spiritual energy in the jade of the treasury is still intact. So, in reality, I'm still benefiting from your generosity.”

Jing Xi said, "But I have no memories. I don't know anything about this place and have to learn everything anew."

Xie Qingfeng thought about his own memories, how Jing Xi had recklessly come to this unfamiliar time and space, knowing nothing and being exploited by his harsh agent and oppressive company, feeling extremely pitiful.

This reminded Xie Qingfeng of the first time he met the pitiful young Jing Emperor. Seeing the person sitting there now, lost and lonely, his initial soft-heartedness returned. His eyes softened as he reassuringly affirmed, "Until Your Majesty adapts here, I'll teach you everything you don't know."

Jing Xi said, "This villa is going to be sold. I’ll have nowhere to live, which could be troublesome."

Xie Qingfeng, realizing he also had nowhere to stay, thought of postponing buying jade to purchase a house instead, "It's alright, Your Majesty can live with me."

Jing Xi looked up, his eyes filled with trust and realization, "Really? Can I?"

Xie Qingfeng nodded firmly, "Yes."

Jing Xi stepped forward and took Xie Qingfeng's hand, blinking gently, "National Master... I’ll work and earn money for our household with you."

Xie Qingfeng, not noticing anything amiss in the statement, reassuringly patted his hand, "Alright."

Half an hour later, Hao Jixin, having received a message from Xie Qingfeng, entered the villa's hall, muttering: "Master, you don’t know, but the manager left halfway through a phone call, saying there was an emergency. He even told me to relay to Mr. Jing to consider his previous words and that he would transfer the money after it’s over."

"What kind of manager is this? So unreliable, right?"

"At least shouldn’t he listen to the results of the fate reading?"

After finishing, Hao Jixin looked up, freezing in place at the sight before him.

It wasn’t that he lacked experience, but the scene before him was too stunning and beautiful.

Two exceptionally outstanding figures stood not far away, bathed in the sunlight streaming through the hall's floor-to-ceiling windows. Their indescribably exquisite features captivated anyone who saw them, making it impossible to look away.

Hao Jixin, accustomed to the master's stunning appearance, couldn't help but be amazed again, but the man beside him was equally mesmerizing.

Especially his jet-black hair, which instead of causing ambiguity, balanced his aura of lethal coldness and dignity, making him even more dazzling, almost unreal.

"Is this... Jing Xi after four years?"

"Wow, what's that agent thinking? Even if he's just a pretty face, he's already a sure win."

His gaze shifted, noticing the clothes bag Jing Xi was carrying, with a glimpse of bright yellow, and how close Jing Xi was standing to the master.

Xie Qingfeng then spoke: "We'll leave soon. Let's call a car here for the three of us."

He and Hao Jixin wouldn't attract attention, but Jing Xi appearing here could.

Wearing a mask elsewhere wouldn't be conspicuous, but with agent Liang living here, Jing Xi's reappearance could raise questions.

Hao Jixin, puzzled: "Three of us? Who's the third?"

Looking between Xie Qingfeng and the calm Jing Xi, he guessed: "Is Jing Xi... coming with us?"

Xie Qingfeng, after a thought, nodded: "From now on, Mr. Jing will live with me."

Hao Jixin's shock slowly turned into a gaping mouth: "??"