Chapter 43: Chapter Forty-Three Letting Those Clowns Perform a Monologue

Chapter 43: Let the Clowns Have Their Stage

"Are you certain?"

The Old Emperor rose, incredulous. The imperial guard, delivering the message, reiterated, "The Virtuous Prince's horse was found in the forest, along with a corpse. Its limbs were severed, a victim of countless blade strikes. Approximately twenty feet down the broken cliff, the cloud-patterned waist pendant the Virtuous Prince wore today was discovered."

That unique pendant, bestowed upon the Virtuous Prince by the Old Emperor during his capping ceremony, was unmistakable.

The Old Emperor's vision blurred, and he swayed precariously. Zhao Fu, quick as a flash, steadied him, anxiously urging, "Your Majesty, guard your imperial health. Do not let anger consume you."

As he spoke, he deftly produced a porcelain bottle, poured out three pills, and fed them to the Old Emperor, helping him sit down to rest.

After the medicine, the Old Emperor slowly regained his composure. Gripping Zhao Fu's wrist, he commanded, "Go, you must find Seventh."

"Alive or dead, I demand to see him!"

His voice, hoarse with emotion by the end, betrayed a profound regret.

Zhao Fu, sensing his master's distress, assented, "This humble servant will dispatch men to search thoroughly. They will surely bring the Virtuous Prince back."

***

At the base of the cliff, Wei Zheng and Wei San rested briefly before leaving the cave. Yesterday's incessant rain had left the muddy ground strewn with decaying branches and leaves. Occasionally, a centipede would emerge from the detritus, narrowly escaping being crushed underfoot.

"The trees at the bottom of this cliff grow astonishingly tall," Wei San remarked, gazing up at the canopy, dozens of meters high, almost entirely obscuring the sky. A thought then struck him: "If we could reach the very top of these trees, we might find a way out of this ravine."

To see far, one must stand high. Wei Zheng wholeheartedly agreed with the suggestion.

Deeming it feasible after a quick discussion, they immediately sprang up, climbing branch by branch. It took them roughly the time it takes half an incense stick to burn to reach the canopy's summit.

With the foliage no longer obstructing their view, the entire cliff bottom lay exposed before them. The sky was a pristine blue, and the orange-red sun hung high, its blinding brilliance almost painful to the eyes.

Wei San squinted uncomfortably, feeling a dizzying sensation from the glare.

Wei Zheng placed a hand on his shoulder, pointing. "See there? The trees grow sparser in that direction. Heading that way should undoubtedly lead north."

North of the hunting grounds lay just beyond the capital's outskirts.

Having confirmed their direction, they descended to the ground. Unlike their previous aimless wandering, they now advanced with a clear objective: north.

On one side of the broken cliff, Duan Lin had just rendezvoused with Wei Er, who guided him down to the cliff bottom via a path discovered the previous night. Following the tracks left by Wei Zheng and Wei San, they quickly located the cave.

Inside, clear signs of recent occupation remained. The fire had long since died out, with only a few embers faintly clinging to life.

Duan Lin paused before a stone pot, squatting to pick up a pinch of herb residue and sniff it. "These are herbs for dispelling cold and reducing fever."

Either his master or Wei San must have fallen ill, necessitating their overnight stay.

Their timing was unfortunate—they had arrived too late. The master and Wei San had already departed. Judging by the state of the extinguished fire, they had been gone for about an hour and a half. If they pursued at full speed, they might still catch up.

Duan Lin immediately rose. "Everyone, follow me."

***

After two hours of relentless travel, the vegetation around them grew increasingly sparse. Not far ahead, they glimpsed a river. After a brief discussion, they decided to rest by the riverbank.

The riverbank was dotted with ripe, tart berries. Autumn fish were plump, and though salt was absent, smearing berry juice on them made them barely palatable.

Wei San, fighting the urge to vomit, managed only a palm-sized fish before refusing more. He did, however, eat a few extra berries.

His fever had broken, but the lingering effects of the cold persisted. The stabbing pain in his lower abdomen grew increasingly noticeable. The physician had advised rest and avoidance of strenuous activity, yet from yesterday until now, he had repeatedly disregarded this. It was no wonder the child in his belly was restless.

His physical discomfort was evident on his face. His right hand unconsciously rested on his lower abdomen, his brow furrowed in a frown.

Indeed, being pregnant was far too inconvenient. A mere rain shower had left him this weak. If this had happened during a mission in the past, he would have died countless times over.

He made a silent decision: once back, he would find a way to terminate this pregnancy.

As he pondered, Wei Zheng, who had been observing his changing expressions, tossed aside the half-eaten roasted fish and pulled him closer by the shoulder.

Wei San looked up in confusion, only to hear Wei Zheng sigh and say, "You look terrible. If you're unwell, don't push yourself. Rest in my arms and sleep."

The tips of Wei San's ears reddened slightly. He wanted to protest, to say they should focus on traveling, but Wei Zheng had already laid him down without argument. The next moment, a warm palm covered his eyes.

"Sleep."

As if coaxing a stubborn child, Wei Zheng gently stroked his back.

Wei San rested his head on Wei Zheng's thigh, his heart pounding like thunder.

Perhaps he was truly exhausted, for Wei San didn't even realize when he fell asleep.

Sleeping in the open made one susceptible to cold. Wei Zheng removed his outer robe and draped it over Wei San, taking the opportunity to give him a light kiss.

It wasn't driven by any particular ulterior motive—Wei Zheng wasn't so unprincipled as to take advantage of an invalid. He simply felt like doing it and acted on impulse.

When Duan Lin found the two, the joy of locating them was momentarily overshadowed by the scene before him.

He hesitated, feeling that their appearance might be ill-timed.

What if they interrupted the master's mood? Would the master have them killed to ensure secrecy?

As it turned out, Duan Lin worried needlessly. Wei Zheng noticed the group but said nothing, merely gesturing for silence.

Duan Lin and Wei Er exchanged glances. Since they had found their master, who appeared unharmed, the heavy stone of anxiety in their hearts finally settled.

Duan Lin ordered the other assassin guards to remain here while he approached.

He intended to bow, but his gaze fell on the peacefully sleeping figure in Wei Zheng's arms, and he changed his mind.

Instead, he sat cross-legged on the ground opposite Wei Zheng, making as little noise as possible.

In a hushed tone, he reported to Wei Zheng all the developments since his fall from the cliff, including the incident where the Fifth Prince was severely injured and fell into a coma while saving the Old Emperor.

Wei Zheng scoffed, remarking casually, "Stabbed through the gut and still alive? Fifth brother has incredible luck."

He then asked, "What about the Crown Prince's reaction?"

Duan Lin replied, "No significant movement. He’s been acting the devoted son, keeping the Old Emperor company every day."

Wei Zheng was not surprised. He lowered his gaze, lost in thought, idly twirling Wei San's long hair as devious schemes brewed in his mind.

"Duan Lin, find a residence outside the capital. I won’t be returning to the capital for now."

Let the clowns perform their solos for a while.