Chapter 68: Trading Insults

Chapter 68: Trading Insults

A quick calculation revealed that these hostages had been in Immortal Spirit for several months now. Of the hundred days, ninety-nine were spent in the dungeon. With winter waning, it was as if an entire year had passed.

Yet, this year was not a good one.

Shang Junning stood outside the courtyard wall, watching the icicles hanging from the eaves drip water. When the seventy-sixth drop fell, Lu Yan finally emerged, looking disheveled and defeated.

Seeing this, Shang Junning's eyelids flickered slightly, his tone cool with a hint of mockery. "Well, did His Highness achieve his heart's desire and manage to speak with them?"

Lu Yan thought more than just speaking; he almost got beaten up. Pointing at his wrinkled collar, he moved closer, aggrieved. "Look, torn by Zhao Yuzhang."

Shang Junning frowned unconsciously. "For no reason, why would he tear your clothes?"

Lu Yan told the truth. "This Prince saw that Crown Prince Yuzhang didn't touch the dishes on the table, thinking they might not suit his taste. I said that I'd invite him to our wedding feast someday. Who knew he would suddenly rush over to hit me? Fortunately, the guards intervened."

Shang Junning was speechless.

Shang Junning retracted his gaze indifferently and turned to walk back into the house. "Nonsense deserves a beating."

Lu Yan followed unhurriedly. "How can it be considered nonsense? There are examples of male marriages in Immortal Spirit. When the time is right, this Prince will beg the Emperor for a marriage decree and marry the Chancellor. How about that?"

Hearing this, Shang Junning paused, glancing at him sideways. His fox-like eyes lifted slightly, revealing dissatisfaction. "Why should you be the one marrying and me the one being married? Why not the other way around?"

Lu Yan touched his face, his tone worried. "Chancellor, you're penniless now. This Prince is as beautiful as a flower. I'm afraid you can't afford the dowry."

Shang Junning choked, unable to find a retort, and could only let out a cold laugh before sweeping away.

Lu Yan's words could be sweet or cutting, always striking at the heart's sore spots. Late into the night, Zhao Yuzhang lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Everyone else was thinking of their parents, but he was cursing his in his heart. Shang Junning was also wide awake, sitting alone in the courtyard drinking.

As the night deepened, the dew thickened, dampening his clothes.

The bright moon hung high, bare branches bearing snow, making the wilderness seem even more silent.

Shang Junning inexplicably recalled the times when he fought on the frontier, the moonlight as clear as tonight. But the cries of battle were long gone, leaving only bones buried under the yellow sand.

His old comrades died at Bright Moon Crossing.

His power and glory remained in Witch Cloud City.

All that was left was a broken body and a heart full of hatred.

Shang Junning drank a mouthful of wine expressionlessly. Then, a ghostly, elderly voice came from the roof, thin and revealing a feminine tone. "Chancellor Shang's wounds have not healed. It's best not to drink, or His Highness will be heartbroken when he sees you after his bath."

Shang Junning's gaze was icy as he spoke with an unclear meaning. "Wouldn't my death fulfill your Immortal Spirit Emperor's wish?"

Shang Junning was well aware of the Emperor's wariness towards him, so he never entertained thoughts of returning home. Even now that he was with Lu Yan, there was no guarantee he wouldn't be silently killed one day.

Eunuch He sat cross-legged on the eaves, his whisk blown messily by the wind. His drooping eyelids betrayed his age, despite his high martial arts skills. "It's said that love extends to all things associated with the beloved. If His Majesty loves Prince Fengling, how could he harm someone the prince cherishes?"

"Ancestral stories often fall short with descendants. If Chancellor Shang can stay by His Highness's side and wholeheartedly assist him, helping Immortal Spirit expand its territory and protect the ancestral legacy, it wouldn't be a bad path. At that time, the glory would surely not be less than when you served in Witch Cloud."

Hearing this, Shang Junning tipped his head back and drained the last mouthful of wine from the jar, then threw it away. It rolled in the snow, making a muffled sound as it shattered quietly.

He leaned against the corridor pillar and stood up, perhaps drunk, as a low, unrestrained laughter escaped his throat. He asked mockingly, "Glory? I've seen the most glorious moment of being a minister. Back when I was appointed Chancellor, I was second only to the emperor, and even he had to give me half a bow. If I wanted glory, I would have rebelled when I held military power. Perhaps the current royal family of Witch Cloud would already bear the surname Shang!"

After saying this, he slowly took a few steps back, looking up at the elder in black eunuch robes on the eaves. He said each word deliberately and solemnly. "But this Chancellor doesn't want it—"

How arrogant.

Shang Junning's robe fluttered in the wind, but his eyes were sharper and brighter in the darkness, making them hard to look at directly. He raised his chin, revealing a glimpse of the shadow of an unrivaled powerful minister:

"If he truly cares for me, I'll help him obtain whatever he wants. But if he betrays me, I won't care even if he offers me the throne."

"You should watch your flirtatious master instead of trying to persuade me. Tell him to be careful and not rub sand in my eyes."

Eunuch He thought that even in such a dire situation, Shang Junning was still so proud. It was normal for Prince Fengling, as the heir apparent, to have multiple wives and concubines. How did it become an unforgivable sin in Shang Junning's mouth? Did the prince prefer this kind of attitude?

Eunuch He wisely refrained from arguing. As a eunuch, how could he understand matters of love? He simply said, "His Highness's feelings for the Chancellor are genuine."

On the other side, Lu Yan was bathing in the warm jade pool. He closed his eyes, leaning against the pool wall, still pondering how to learn the sword techniques of the other three. The Emperor wanted to cultivate more Sword Sect masters, but Immortal Spirit's Sword Sect Heart Sutra was only passed down to the Lu imperial clan. He would never give it to outsiders to practice. He could only try to learn others' sword techniques. It was nice to get them for free, but unfortunately, it was a hot potato.

Lu Yan was lost in thought when a pair of icy hands silently landed on his temples, massaging them gently.

The person carried the scent of alcohol and the chill of melting snow, but it was quickly covered by the rising heat of the bathwater.

Surprised, Lu Yan opened his eyes and recognized the intruder immediately. "Junning?"

Shang Junning sat halfway on the pool steps, looking down at Lu Yan. His ink-black hair fell down, making his profile appear as cold as ice carved from snow. His tone carried a faint dissatisfaction. "You've been washing for too long, not coming out for half an hour."

Lu Yan didn't allow anyone to serve him while he bathed, and the maids waited in the antechamber. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't realize half an hour had passed.

Lu Yan was still his unserious self. Hearing this, he lazily looked up. "In this freezing weather, did the Chancellor come in to bathe with this Prince?"

Lu Yan usually couldn't tell much when dressed, but now, naked in the pool, his smooth muscle lines revealed that he wasn't as frail as he seemed. His handsome features became even more mysterious and unpredictable in the swirling mist.

Shang Junning frowned and looked away, staring at the nearby peacock bronze beast indifferently. "No, I was just worried that His Highness would drown in the bath."

As he spoke, he suddenly heard the sound of dripping water, like Lu Yan getting dressed. The man seemed completely unbothered by being seen naked, calmly dressing while cracking jokes. "Is the Chancellor worried about becoming a widow? Don't worry, this Prince won't let that happen."

As he spoke, Lu Yan had already put on his outer robe. He always wore his clothes loosely, yet his broad shoulders and narrow waist made every step a display of elegance.

Before Shang Junning could react, Lu Yan unexpectedly pulled him into his arms. Holding his waist, he sniffed his neck, finally frowning. "You've been drinking?"

Shang Junning was taken aback.

Lu Yan tugged at his collar, revealing the bandages wrapped around his chest. His brows furrowed even more. "Don't you know that serious injuries shouldn't be accompanied by alcohol? You have so many holes in your shoulder and chest. Drinking isn't pushing you closer to the gates of hell? Who gave you the wine? This Prince will break their legs!"

For some reason, Shang Junning suddenly remembered drinking outside earlier, with Eunuch He sitting on the roof, saying that the prince would definitely throw a fit when he saw him. Seeing Lu Yan really angry, he couldn't help but laugh.

Lu Yan looked utterly bewildered. "What are you laughing at?"

Shang Junning merely chuckled. "I got the wine myself. If you want to hit me, just break this prime minister's leg."

He was drunk; otherwise, he would never refer to himself as 'this prime minister.'

Seeing Shang Junning's shoulders shaking with laughter and barely able to stand, Lu Yan thought that despite how calm Shang Junning usually was, he too went on a drunken rampage when drunk. He bent down to scoop him up in his arms and strode towards the inner chamber. "You said it yourself. Don't beg this king for mercy later."

Back on the bed, he would beat him to death!

Leaning against Lu Yan's chest, Shang Junning felt his mind cloud over. Subconsciously, he wrapped his arms around the man's neck and muttered with his eyes closed, "Lu Yan, why are you angry that I'm drinking...?"

It wasn't his body that was hurt.

Lu Yan retorted, "Then what are you laughing at?"

The corner of Shang Junning's mouth curled up. "I laugh when I'm happy."

Lu Yan countered with his own words, "This king gets angry when I'm not happy."

The inner chamber was adorned with curtains made of jade beads. Behind them was translucent gossamer silk, which under the dim candlelight, cast a dazzling glow. Lu Yan pushed aside the silk canopy, bent down to place Shang Junning on the bed, and then undressed him—removing his outer robe and boots—

How could he really break Shang Junning's leg?

This beautiful person had already suffered enough. He couldn't bear to see him suffer more.

Lying on the bed with his eyes closed, Shang Junning let Lu Yan do as he pleased. Only when Lu Yan removed his boots did he slightly startle for a moment. After all, this wasn't something a prince should be doing.

But Lu Yan did it without any psychological burden. Sitting by the bedside, he leaned over to examine the wound on Shang Junning's shoulder and muttered to himself, "You don't cherish your own body. What will you do in the future..."

Shang Junning had devoted all his limited energy to the court and the country. It wasn't that he didn't care for himself, but beneath the high position were piles of bones. To climb up, one had to pay a price.

A prime minister who came from a common background, without the support of a noble clan, and was less than thirty years old—there was only one such person in Wuyun.

Whether Shang Junning was pretending to be drunk or truly was, he saw the look of concern that Lu Yan wore under the flickering light. His fingertips, calloused from hard work, gently caressed the other's smooth cheek. Suddenly, he asked in a tone devoid of emotion, "What if I gave you this broken body of mine?"

Lu Yan paused.

Staring at him, Shang Junning thought that some people were naturally favored by gods and buddhas. Noble birth, the affection of others, and stunning beauty—Lu Yan undoubtedly possessed all of these. But there seemed to be something else about him, something even more bewitching.

"If I give you this body of mine, will you cherish it for me?"

Shang Junning leaned close to Lu Yan's ear and blurted out these words as if possessed. His mind was flooded with intoxication, and his heart, once cold like ashes, ignited with a faint spark, yearning to reignite on this cold winter night.

Lu Yan didn't say anything. He lowered his head to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. "You've always been this king's..."

Ever since their first meeting in the dungeon, he had been so certain.

Years later, Shang Junning could still recall that night at Fengling Manor. Lu Yan held him tightly on the bed, kissing him deeply. His body was so hot that it seemed to melt him, much like the melting snow dripping outside. The only barrier between them was the bandages wrapped around his wounds.

Considering his injuries, Lu Yan didn't go all the way. They simply huddled together under the quilt, holding each other tightly. Shang Junning felt as if his very soul was trembling.

Having heard of the fairy-like scenery for so long, another spring arrived.

Xianling was an extremely extreme place. It was bitterly cold in winter and scorchingly warm in spring. Recently, it had seen a bit of sun, and the flowers in the garden had sprouted new buds, creating a scene of vibrant spring.

Guards often patrolled outside the Zifeng Courtyard. After the morning shift change, Gongsun Wuyou stood eagerly below the courtyard wall, waiting. Soon, a familiar figure appeared on the wall. Although he was a guard, he disliked wearing armor. With his hair tied back in a neat ponytail, his face was fresh and bright.

"Chen Yingqi!"

Gongsun Wuyou's eyes lit up upon seeing him. Excitedly, he waved his hand. "I'm here!"

Chen Yingqi leaped off the wallhead, his movements as agile as a swallow. He took out a package wrapped in oiled paper from his chest and handed it to Gongsun Wuyou with a smile. "Here, I bought glutinous rice cakes while on duty this morning. They're still warm. Eat them quickly."

Gongsun Wuyou had two canine teeth, making him look like a little beast when he smiled. He stuffed the rice cake into his mouth and his eyes curved into crescents, easily content. "It's delicious, just like what my mother makes. Chen Yingqi, it's lucky you were reassigned to guard here. Otherwise, I wouldn't know when I could eat it again."

Chen Yingqi teased him for being silly. "In the palace, the pastries you eat must be exquisite. These are just glutinous rice cakes that can be bought for a dozen coins on the street. How could they be the same as what your mother makes? Perhaps you've forgotten the taste because you haven't eaten them for too long."

Gongsun Wuyou scratched his head in confusion. "Is that so? Maybe."

Zhao Yuzhang sat in the corridor, basking in the sun. Seeing this, he called out from afar, "Chen Yingqi, why do you only bring pastries for him? Don't you have any for us?"

Liu Que'dan was originally reading a book. Hearing this, she shook her head slightly and closed the book with a smile.

Chen Yingqi took out another oiled paper package from his chest and tossed it to Zhao Yuzhang. Inside were four large meat buns. "Fortunately, I'm on duty every five days. Otherwise, if I brought snacks for you every day, my monthly salary wouldn't be enough."

Zhao Yuzhang stood at the bottom of the steps, accurately catching the oiled paper package with one hand. As he ate the bun, he searched his body, seemingly looking for something valuable to repay the favor. Unfortunately, he found nothing and awkwardly withdrew his hand.

"Look at you. We're friends. Why are you calculating over two meat buns? Besides, I eat less than Gongsun Wuyou. He hasn't paid you yet."

Hearing this, Gongsun Wuyou licked the remnants of the pastry from his fingertips. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly pulled off a blood-red pendant from his neck and handed it to Chen Yingqi. "I'll give you this jade pendant."

Zhao Yuzhang choked at the sight, his face swollen from embarrassment. "Didn't you say that jade pendant was given to you by your mother? You refused to sell it for money when we were at the hostage residence. Why are you giving it away now?!"

Gongsun Wuyou's mouth was stuffed full. "Anyway, when I return to Tianshui in the future, my mother will give me another one. I won't eat for free."

In other words, Zhao Yuzhang was the one eating for free.

Chen Yingqi didn't accept it. He picked up a long branch from the ground, skillfully twirled it around his fingers, and casually demonstrated sword moves. "A few pastries aren't worth much. I was joking with you. Since it was given to you by your mother, keep it well and don't lose it."

Gongsun Wuyou might seem timid, but he was a straightforward person. He shoved the jade pendant into Chen Yingqi's hand and frowned seriously. "That won't do. I said I'd give it to you, so it's yours. This Blood Soul Jade has been enshrined in the temple of Tianshui for a long time. Mother said it can ensure safety."

After saying this, he seemed afraid that Chen Yingqi would refuse and added, "If you don't accept it, I won't dare ask you to bring pastries next time."

Hearing this, Chen Yingqi paused in his refusal and had no choice but to accept it. "Alright, I'll borrow this jade pendant for a few days to admire it. I'll return it to you when you go back to Tianshui."

Gongsun Wuyou nodded with a smile. "Remember to come find me in Tianshui in the future."

Every time Chen Yingqi was on duty, he practiced swordsmanship on the empty ground beside the courtyard. Anyway, according to what he said, after winning the martial arts competition against Wan Pijiang, he was targeted by the chief envoy of Longquan Division, He Jian'shuan. Fearing retaliation, he used his connections to become a guard at Fengling Manor. Anyway, he had many sworn brothers, and changing positions was a trivial matter. No one would bother him even if he slacked off.

But that was Chen Yingqi's story, not Lu Yan's thoughts.

He practiced swordsmanship under the peach tree in the courtyard, his moves agile and somewhat similar to Dong Li's Dan Qing Sword Technique, but he intentionally left several openings, making it painful to watch.

Seeing this, Liu Que Dan finally put down the letter from home that he had been rubbing until it was yellowed and curled at the edges. Unable to resist, he offered a few pointers, pointing out the disjointed parts between each sword move and correcting them. Perhaps mindful of Chen Yingqi's life-saving grace, he instructed in great detail, holding nothing back, even telling him the countermeasures.

Chen Yingqi followed his guidance and practiced again, feigning pleasant surprise: "With your guidance, it's indeed much more coherent."

Liu Que Dan shook his head slightly: "Your swordsmanship is already remarkable; even if I didn't say anything, you would have figured it out in a few days."

Seeing Zhao Yuzhang watching intently, Chen Yingqi smiled and said, "Crown Prince Yuzhang, I've heard that your Wu Yun's Goddess Sword Technique is also exquisite. Why don't you give me a few pointers?"

Zhao Yuzhang crossed his arms and leaned against a pillar under the veranda: "You said it yourself, it's the Goddess Sword Technique. How can a man like me practice it? But if you really want guidance, I can find a master swordsman to teach you."

Chen Yingqi guessed who it might be but still asked deliberately: "A master swordsman, who?"

Zhao Yuzhang tilted his chin, gesturing behind him: "Well, speak of the devil, there he comes."

After Zhao Yuzhang finished speaking, he nimbly jumped down the steps and ran toward the figure at the courtyard gate: "Jun Nian!"

Shang Jun Nian had come over to check on Zhao Yuzhang but did not expect to see the young guard who often hung out with them as soon as he entered the courtyard. He couldn't explain why, but he always felt that this person harbored ill intentions.

Shang Jun Nian frowned and then retracted his gaze, placing the food box on the table: "I had some free time today, so I brought you some pastries. Eat them while they're hot."

At times like these, Zhao Yuzhang was particularly happy. After all, unlike Liu Que Dan, who had letters from home to remember, or Gong Sun Wuyou, who had parents to think about, only when Shang Jun Nian came to visit could he prove that he wasn't forgotten by anyone.

Zhao Yuzhang stuffed a piece of pastry into his mouth and pointed to Chen Yingqi not far away: "Jun Nian, his sword moves have hit a bottleneck recently. You were once the Sword Patriarch, can you give him some guidance?"

Shang Jun Nian took out a warmed pot of wine from the food box and calmly uttered two words: "No can do."

His answer was calm, without any thought, and he didn't even glance at Chen Yingqi. Fortunately, his voice wasn't loud, otherwise, the situation would have been somewhat awkward.

Zhao Yuzhang sat down beside the stone table, lifting his robe, and sighed: "Forget it, forget it. I knew you wouldn't agree. Can't you be a bit more tactful? He's a decent guy, often looking after us. Otherwise, I wouldn't have opened my mouth."

Shang Jun Nian thought that since Zhao Yuzhang had been a hostage of Immortal Spirit, how could he be regressing the older he got? His tone carried a faint sarcasm: "The heart of a man is separated by his belly, actions unknown to both. Even the closest people might betray you, let alone a guard you've known for a short time."

He paused and said, "You should avoid him, understand?"

Zhao Yuzhang laughed, albeit with a hint of self-mockery: "That could be said the other way around too. A guard I've known for a short time is willing to help me, yet my own parents push me into the fire pit. Isn't that interesting?

"Oh right, do you have any silver? Lend me some."

Shang Jun Nian frowned: "What do you need silver for? You can't spend it here anyway."

Zhao Yuzhang shook his sleeves, demonstrating his empty pockets: "You know very well that when you and I left Wu Yun, those people bowed to the high and stepped on the low, not letting us bring anything. And I don't have any jade pendants or amulets sent by my parents. I often ask Chen Yingqi to help me get things, and I feel bad about it."

In his early years, he was an unfavored illegitimate son, and even after becoming the crown prince, he wasn't favored much. When he was young, other brothers had already started learning to read and practice swordsmanship, but he couldn't even touch a decent sword. The Sword Patriarch's Heart Sutra was only passed down to the heir apparent, and before Zhao Yuzhang had the chance to learn the Goddess Sword Technique after becoming the crown prince, he was sent to Immortal Spirit as a hostage. Therefore, every time Chen Yingqi asked him for swordsmanship guidance, he would stammer and hesitate.

Hearing this, Shang Jun Nian subconsciously reached into his sleeve but found it empty. Only then did he remember that he hadn't touched silver for a long time: "I don't have any either."

He had no need to spend money, as Lu Yan prepared everything meticulously for him. Naturally, he wouldn't have something like silver.

"If you want to eat something, just tell the servants. They won't refuse. Why do you let a guard bring it for you?"

Zhao Yuzhang glanced subtly at Shang Jun Nian: "Just because you like sticking flowers in cow dung doesn't mean everyone else does. I just don't fancy the things from the Feng Ling Wang Palace. Is that wrong?"

Shang Jun Nian furrowed his brows: "He's not cow dung."

Even though Lu Yan had countless shortcomings in the eyes of others, since he had chosen to follow the other, he didn't like others insulting him like that.

Zhao Yuzhang thought that Shang Jun Nian was actually defending him. Already unhappy that his close friend had been taken away, seeing Shang Jun Nian's constant defense, his words couldn't help but carry hidden barbs: "If your cow dung treats you so well, why hasn't he given you a bag of silver?"

Shang Jun Nian's face darkened: "You!"

Chen Yingqi, originally standing far away and secretly peeking, suddenly noticed that the two of them were on the verge of a heated argument, as if they were about to quarrel. He hurriedly stepped forward to separate them:

"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on? You guys were fine just now, why are you suddenly arguing?"

Shang Jun Nian coldly swept a glance at Chen Yingqi, inexplicably hating this guard of unknown origin: "What's it to you?!"