Chapter 129

Chapter 129

The palace banquet wrapped up satisfactorily.

Shen Anniang and Shen Bei both hit it off with new friends. Many ladies invited Shen Anniang to their parties, and Shen Bei had a good time playing with children his own age.

In Youyang, they were building their own network of contacts.

The performances of "Snow Disaster" and "Catching Demons" at the banquet were a hit, winning loud acclaim.

The people from Younan Country also watched with great interest; they were so thoroughly engrossed that they clapped until their hands turned red during the exciting parts.

Two plays in one evening brought a rollercoaster of emotions, from tears to laughter. After the banquet ended, everyone headed back to get some rest.

Before leaving, Xie Yulin told Li Xing to keep a closer eye on the movements of the Younan people.

He noticed that while the Younan people showed some interest in certain elements of "Catching Demons," they weren't overly so.

This was different from the North Country's situation back then, when they genuinely needed the things depicted in "Snow Disaster."

For the Younan people, these things were desirable but not essential.

They weren't absolutely necessary.

If they weren't essential, yet the Younan Grand Elder himself had come, then there must be something more significant hidden behind it.

Li Xing, aware of Xie Yulin's sharp instincts, nodded immediately, saying he would put more men on it.

Prince Rui did not attend the palace banquet.

He hardly ever attended or hosted any banquets.

If someone hadn't suddenly mentioned him in court recently, people might have almost forgotten that such a person existed within Youyang City.

That incident had made Xie Yulin more wary of Prince Rui.

Spies were limited in number; each one lost was one less, and it was difficult to plant new ones.

Gu worms wouldn't attract attention. Xie Yulin told Shen Ye about his suspicion that Prince Rui might use Shen Yuan against him and asked Shen Ye to have Little Black help keep an eye on Prince Rui's mansion.

After keeping watch for several days straight, Little Black hadn't heard anything useful.

News from the palace banquet reached Prince Rui's mansion. Just as Little Black was about to go back to sleep, it heard a commotion out of the ordinary.

A loud crash came from inside the room; a table was overturned, and papers and brushes were scattered on the floor.

"How dare they!"

"Send someone to bring up the matter of the iron mine in Qingyun County in court. Also, send more people to find Song Zijuan. He's the one holding the deed. Only by getting the deed from him will we have solid proof."

As long as they got the other copy of the deed, they wouldn't have to worry about the one kept by the Qingyun County office being destroyed, leaving no proof.

From Little Black's perspective, it couldn't make out the face of the speaking Prince Rui, but it could tell he was quite thin and somewhat tall.

"Send someone to tell Zhang Weiyuan to lay low these next few days. We'll get him out soon. As long as he waits quietly at home, we'll pay back every beating he took."

"Yes, Lord."

After eavesdropping a while longer from the wall, Little Black heard no more movement. It crawled back with its findings to find Shen Ye.

Insect and man communicated, and after the insect finished its report, Shen Ye understood Little Black's message. He wrote it down and quickly called for the shadow guard Xie Yulin had stationed in the Ghost Market. He handed the guard a small bamboo tube containing the information and told him to deliver it to Xie Yulin quickly.

Shen Ye, who had thought it was just about the discovery of an iron mine in Qingyun County and nothing major, was surprised to see Xie Yulin himself in the dead of night.

He even rubbed his eyes.

He knew how busy Xie Yulin was. For him to come personally to the Ghost Market must be related to the message Shen Ye had sent.

"Why are you here? Have a seat." Shen Ye felt somewhat uneasy.

Xie Yulin remained standing, a hint of weariness between his brows. Recently, the imperial court had been issuing new decrees nonstop. Xie Yulin also had a vast network of shadow guards to manage and preparations for the upcoming war...

Xie Yulin came personally to work with Shen Ye on how to get Shen Yuan completely clear of this matter.

Fearing an accidental leak if the message was intercepted, and being not too far away, he felt more assured coming in person.

"You said the mountain with the iron mine in Qingyun County is under Xiao Yuan's name?" Shen Ye was shocked. "If he knew there was an iron mine in the mountain, how could he not report it and even arrest people to mine it?"

Xie Yulin briefly explained the whole story. Shen Ye was furious. "Hah! That scoundrel Song Zijuan—how could he betray his friend like this when Xiao Yuan considered him a brother? If I ever see that kid, I'll definitely have Little Black bite him!"

Thinking about the great fire in Qingyun that Xie Yulin mentioned, where Shen Yuan led people to rescue others from the flames, Shen Ye felt a heavy ache in his heart.

Such a massive fire, with fire oil too—a single misstep could have meant no way out.

That dog Song Zijuan wanted Xiao Yuan's life!

Not just then, but he also had follow-up plans to control him.

As he pondered, Shen Ye began to feel something was off.

His nephew was capable, yes, but ultimately, he had no power or influence. No matter how Song Zijuan tried to use the Cuiyun Mountain deed to threaten him, he couldn't gain much more from his nephew.

At most, he could use the stories to spread some information, but as far as he knew, story content had to undergo strict review before publication.

Shen Ye fixed his gaze on Xie Yulin, his tone unfriendly. "Song Zijuan was fighting with you, and Xiao Yuan got caught in the crossfire, right? When it comes down to it, it's still your fault."

Seeing Xie Yulin's icy stare, Shen Ye stiffened his neck. "What? Just because you're older means I can't call you out? Xiao Yuan is my junior. Since you're involved with Xiao Yuan, your seniority should be lower than mine. Can't I call you 'kid'?"

Xie Yulin didn't speak, merely shifting his gaze away calmly.

"You came to me because you want me to do something." Shen Ye returned to the main topic.

Xie Yulin said, "The people sent to Westmoon to find Song Zijuan reported that he had already left. I suspect he has come to Wu Country. If I were him, creating this deed from the start was to secure a way out for himself. He would use this deed to come to me and demand conditions."

Shen Ye snorted. "The name on it is Xiao Yuan's. If you don't agree, the deed is just a worthless piece of paper to you. How could it threaten you?"

"Precisely because his name is on it, it can threaten me."

Xie Yulin's voice remained cool and detached. Hearing this, Shen Ye lowered his eyes, his attitude softening considerably.

"Tell me directly what you need me to do."

"I have already obtained the deed from the Qingyun County office. Now, as long as we get the one in Song Zijuan's possession, it's fine. Prince Rui's side knows about this matter and plans to make it public, but they don't know about Song Zijuan's existence. Shadow guards have found some clues about him. I want Little Black to sting Zhang Weiyuan. We need to divert Prince Rui's attention to better search for Song Zijuan; otherwise, he will surely notice something."

Shen Ye was somewhat confused. "Why not sting Prince Rui? I've heard a bit about that Zhang Weiyuan; he's not an important figure. Would Prince Rui be so panicked by his trouble that his focus would entirely shift to him?"

"Currently, we suspect they have a father-son relationship," Xie Yulin reminded him. "This matter isn't confirmed yet; there are still some unresolved mysteries. However, it's certain their relationship is indeed very close. Their relationship is a secret. It cannot be revealed for now."

Shen Ye took a bite of the juicy royal gossip, nodding repeatedly. "Got it, got it. My lips are sealed."

After thinking for a moment, Shen Ye added, "But I also have some news related to Prince Rui. He’s actually infertile, and it seems he prefers men. The ghost market is a mixed bag where all kinds of rumors circulate. Though the source is unknown, I can guarantee it's reliable. The wives and concubines in Prince Rui's mansion have never shared a bed with him."

To be more precise, Shen Ye adjusted his wording. "At least not in recent years. Prince Rui has been involved with the attendants and guards around him. Or rather, the male concubines he keeps are disguised as attendants or guards."

Xie Yulin, coming from a noble family, was well aware of the unsavory affairs within powerful clans. He was puzzled. "It's not uncommon for the wealthy and powerful to keep male concubines. If he wants them, why go to such lengths to hide it?"

Shen Ye heard him and his eyes widened. "What do you mean? Do you keep male concubines too? If you ever dare to wrong Xiao Yuan, I'll drag you down with me even if it kills me."

"I don't," Xie Yulin said tersely, his expression serious. Shen Ye had never truly believed Xie Yulin was sincere.

A man like him—where would sincerity come from?

But his nephew liked him, so there was nothing to be done.

Shen Ye didn't truly believe Xie Yulin's words and asked, "When do we act?"

"In four hours."

"So soon?" Shen Ye exclaimed in surprise.

"The faster, the less likely A-Yuan gets involved," Xie Yulin frowned. "Prince Rui is a liability. Wu Country cannot afford more internal strife. Resolving it early and preventing further trouble is better for the people as well."

Shen Ye thought it made sense. "Should we tell Xiao Yuan about this?"

"No need." Xie Yulin gently rubbed his brow. "The affairs of the Storytellers' Union and writing all those stories already take up all his time. These matters would only add unnecessary worry. We can tell him after it's resolved."

How could it be the same?

One is sharing the burden.

The other is resolving everything, shielding the person behind you, and sheltering them from the wind and rain.

Shen Ye looked at Xie Yulin, catching a glimpse of fatigue as he rubbed his brow.

Considering Xie Yulin's powerful position and the pile of tasks he had to handle, even Shen Ye could sense how tired he was.

Truly not a moment's rest, unable to pause.

"Even if my brother were alive, he couldn't do this much for Xiao Yuan," Shen Ye admitted, somewhat impressed. "You're something else. But aren't you afraid that shielding Xiao Yuan from hardship might actually be detrimental to him?"

Xie Yulin shook his head.

"I'm certain A-Yuan has the mental strength and ability to face life's storms. The things I shield him from are simply not necessary for him to confront for the sake of so-called 'tempering,'" Xie Yulin's brow twitched slightly. He had never spoken of this to anyone. "Shen Ye, you haven't seen A-Yuan struggling desperately to support his younger siblings."

"He almost died once. After recovering, it was as if he became a different person. But his vitality grew even stronger. From such dire circumstances, he carved out a brilliant path for himself. The storms along the way couldn't topple him; he has the absolute capability to overcome them and even protect others."

"My heart just aches for him. I want him to be able to do what he loves happily on this path."

If not for experiencing life and death, how could one's nature change so drastically?

Shen Ye had noticed the change in his nephew's personality.

But he had been away from home for years, and even before that, busy with making a living and working the fields, they rarely communicated.

He only knew his nephew used to be rather quiet.

It wasn't just his eldest nephew who changed; the other three had changed too. Their temperaments were different from before, all for the better.

Xie Yulin's words made Shen Ye understand why his nephew liked this man.

He himself had thought Xiao Yuan needed more trials to face future storms. But he forgot the hardships the boy had already endured were enough. When one can live well, there's no need to seek out suffering unnecessarily.

Someone sees you, cares about you, aches for all you've been through, and because of that, wants to love you, protect you, and walk alongside you.

That is rare.

Shen Ye still had worries in his heart.

After all, they were two men.

After all, Xie Yulin's status was so high it was hard to believe his feelings were genuine.

But Shen Ye also couldn't think of anyone else who could do this much for his nephew.

Finally, as Xie Yulin was about to leave after leaving behind a handkerchief for Zhang Weiyuan, Shen Ye said, "You seem cold, but you're very responsible. Whatever the case, it's a good thing for the people of Wu Country to have a Prime Minister like you."

A responsible person is responsible toward everyone and everything.

Shen Ye didn't want to explicitly approve of the relationship. Even speaking in such a roundabout way, he still awkwardly turned his head away, not looking at Xie Yulin nor letting Xie Yulin see him.

...

Little Black had just slept for a while before having to go out to work.

It flicked its tail, asking Shen Ye for food.

Shen Ye thought, since the little one was going out to handle important business, it wouldn't be right not to feed it. However, Elder Tan had said that as a Gu worm, Little Black was really too plump.

Being too fat wasn't good for a worm; it needed to lose weight.

Shen Ye took a tiny piece of meat, feeding it while complaining, "Blackie, your dad is almost out of money for meat. Let's eat more greens later and eat less, okay?"

Little Black was very perceptive. If told there was food but it couldn't have any because it needed to diet, its tail would flick angrily and it would insist on eating three big pieces of meat to feel better.

But if he complained about hardships, the child would feel sorry for its father and agree.

Sure enough, Little Black hesitated for a moment, but in the end, only took a tiny bite of the meat.

It made Shen Ye's heart ache, but for Little Black's health, he resisted feeding it more.

If Little Black hadn't been in a hurry to go and return, slipping away after one bite, Shen Ye really might have given in and fed it another piece.

Following the scent from the handkerchief, Little Black quickly found the place.

It crawled and crawled, making its way into the room.

"Mother, I miss you so much."

Zhang Weiyuan held a small jade pendant in his hand, staring at it, lost in thought.

"Mom, when will you show yourself again? The people of Youyang City all bully and take advantage of me. I wish you would appear to me like last time, to help me and make everyone respect me so they'd never dare bully me again."

"Mom, all these years, why haven't you appeared again..."

Zhang Weiyuan was full of hurt and resentment. His birth mother was the first wife, but she had passed away shortly after he was born. His father took a second wife, and everyone in the family treated him poorly.

They ignored and bullied him.

One autumn day, he fell into the water and came down with a high fever.

He felt he was about to die.

Unexpectedly, on the verge of death, he saw his mother.

Though he couldn't see her face clearly, Zhang Weiyuan knew it was her.

He hugged his mother and cried for a long time. She kept stroking his head, comforting him gently.

In his haze, he heard her say she would no longer let anyone bully him.

Thinking it was just a figment of his imagination in a dream, he never expected that after he recovered, everyone in the Zhang family would show him great respect.

Zhang Weiyuan knew his mother had made her presence known.

She had always been protecting him.

Unfortunately, she had left him nothing to remember her by.

Fortunately, he had made a similar jade pendant based on the pattern he remembered.

"Ouch—" Zhang Weiyuan felt a sharp pain in his neck and immediately raised his hand to cover it, turning his head while grumbling, "What bit me?"

Before he could see clearly, his vision began to blur, and moments later, he passed out completely.

Little Black emerged, its two small black beady eyes fixed on the jade pendant in Zhang Weiyuan's hand.

Human jade means money, money means meat, meat means food.

Having figured it out, Little Black extended its tail and hooked the jade pendant away.

Thinking it had done a good deed, Little Black happily wagged its tail on its way back, wanting Shen Ye to use the pendant to buy meat.

Unexpectedly, it ended up getting told off...

Angered, Little Black flicked its tail and curled up in a corner, sulking.

It wasn't easy dragging it back without damaging it!

"Why did you go and snatch something, child?"

Shen Ye had been waiting at home for Little Black to finish its job. He finally saw the child come back, only to find it had brought something along.

This jade pendant looked expensive, and the worn cord showed it was either frequently used or held special meaning, cherished deeply.

Now that the pendant was in his hands, Zhang Weiyuan would definitely search for it once he realized it was missing.

Originally, the incident could have been passed off as just a venomous bug bite, but with this, there would be a thorough investigation.

It was no secret that he possessed Gu worms, and a careful investigation could trace it back to him.

Sensing Shen Ye's anxiety, Little Black stopped being angry and guiltily lay on the ground, slowly wagging its tail.

It had only wanted money for meat, but it seemed it had done something bad.

Shen Ye told Xie Yulin about this right away. Upon receiving the message, Xie Yulin instructed him to give the jade pendant to the hidden guards to deliver to Jingyuan, and not to worry about anything else.

Xie Yulin had the subordinate who'd planted the venomous insect at the Zhangs' place stage a theft.

Since Zhang Weiyuan was poisoned, the courtyard was in disarray, and it was normal for things to go missing.

Zhang Weiyuan's jade pendant was delivered to Xie Yulin. Initially planning to just set it aside, Xie Yulin felt a sense of familiarity when he saw it.

Upon closer thought, the pattern looked very familiar.

It looked like something he had seen before.

Moments later, Xie Yulin remembered where.

The County Deputy Magistrate surnamed Wang in Qingyun County had once given A-Yuan a jade pendant, claiming it was a gift from Prince Rui.

A-Yuan had later shown him that pendant. The jade quality was ordinary, and the carving wasn't particularly fine. However, since it was something used by a prince, it was still better than what commoners used.

To say that pendant was lacking was only in comparison to Prince Rui's status—it was indeed quite ordinary.

It was just an insignificant item casually given as a token.

The pattern on this jade pendant was similar to that one, but not exactly the same. The craftsmanship and carving style were also different. It could only be said that the designs shared the same origin, with modifications made to the same base pattern.

From this, it seemed there was even more evidence of the relationship between Zhang Weiyuan and Prince Rui.

Perhaps Zhang Weiyuan really was Prince Rui's son.

However, why he was raised by the Heisei Commandery Prince and who his birth mother was still needed further investigation.

Soon, the hidden guards sent another message: Prince Rui had sent someone to bring Zhang Weiyuan to the prince's residence.

He wasn't trying to hide it at all.

Even if outsiders hadn't speculated about their relationship, at least everyone now knew Prince Rui's attentive attitude toward Zhang Weiyuan.

Prince Rui's Residence.

After examining the pulse, the imperial physician respectfully confirmed to the slender man sitting nearby, "Based on Young Master Yuan's pulse, he is indeed poisoned. Observing the wound on his neck, it appears to be caused by a poisonous insect bite. If we knew the specific insect, recovery would be faster with the right medicine."

Prince Rui wore plain white robes without adornment. His long hair was casually tied with a silk ribbon, and his thin face lacked color, giving him a sickly appearance.

Due to an old throat injury that left a scar, he always wore a silk band to cover it. His voice was hoarse, his speech slow.

"If we don't know, is his life in danger?"

The physician replied, "There is no danger to his life, but recovery will be slower."

Knowing his life was not at risk, Prince Rui looked past the physician toward the person lying on the bed and slowly nodded.

After everyone left, Prince Rui sat by the bedside, staring at the bite mark on Zhang Weiyuan's neck.

He had just mentioned using Shen Yuan's matter to warn Xie Yulin, and now Zhang Weiyuan had been bitten by a venomous insect.

Could there really be no connection between the two?

Xie Yulin had a covert guard unit, exceptionally large and elusive. The spies he planted everywhere were also countless; it was possible there were Xie Yulin's spies in Prince Rui's mansion and Zhang Weiyuan's residence.

It's just that when the plan was discussed, aside from loyal servants, there were no others around.

Could there have been an error with the official handling the matter?

But why target Zhang Weiyuan?

How much does Xie Yulin know exactly?

Prince Rui rubbed his temples, his brow tightly furrowed, his expression dark and unreadable.

If not for Li Xing and Xie Yulin, Wu Country would long since have been within his grasp.

One step behind, forever behind.

The impending military conflict between Wu Country and the North Country was a certainty; this time, no matter what, he would not fall behind again.

A look of resolve suddenly flashed in Prince Rui's eyes. Meanwhile, in the imperial court, arguments had broken out.

"Your Majesty, an iron mine has reportedly been discovered at Cuiyun Mountain in Qingyun County. To my knowledge, that iron mine apparently has an owner."

"Official Xu claims the iron mine has an owner? How is that possible? Everyone knows that privately owning an iron mine is considered treason, punishable by extermination of nine clans."

"Just as Official Wang says. With the law being so strict, there are still those who hoard iron mines privately. Their motives are highly suspect and they deserve death!"

"Could there still be such audacious people in Wu Country?"

Officials Wang and Xu played off each other, putting on an act as if completely ignorant.

The two occasionally glanced at Xie Yulin and Emperor Li Xing on the throne, but both remained as if they hadn't heard anything, showing no reaction at all.

Li Xing, especially, upon hearing about the privately hoarded iron mine, was as calm as if discussing the weather—utterly unperturbed.

Given his fiery temper, knowing someone had privately hoarded an iron mine, he would have drawn his saber and shouted, demanding to know who the culprit was.

Yet, there was absolutely no reaction from him.

Could Prime Minister Xie have informed Emperor Wu about this matter in advance?

Impossible.

Mentioning such a thing would arouse suspicion regardless. If Emperor Wu had known earlier, would he still trust Prime Minister Xie so much?

Seeing that no one rose to ask who it was, and their act was faltering, they abandoned their performance.

Official Xu suddenly knelt on the ground with a loud thud, with an air of fervent patriotism and a posture willing to die for the country, and declared loudly, "I denounce State Preceptor Shen for hoarding mines, sowing chaos, and plotting rebellion—a crime punishable by death!"

A murmur first ran through the court, but they saw the Emperor remaining silent, and Xie Yulin, who had recommended Shen Yuan, also showed no reaction.

The whispers gradually subsided until one could hear a pin drop.

When they heard it was about the North Country borrowing grain, the officials became alert.

Mishandling this could lead to war and required careful consideration.

"Your Majesty, in your subject's humble opinion, it would be better to lend the grain."

Li Xing looked at him, committing his face to memory, and asked, displeased, "Reason."

The official replied, "Years of warfare have greatly depleted the people. Only in the past two years have we had respite. Wu Country's internal situation remains unstable. If we don't lend and the North Country forcibly seizes the grain, we might face internal troubles and external threats. Not to mention, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. If the North Country were to attack Wu Country with all its might, and Wu Country has no external allies, or if the North Country allied with other countries to attack Wu Country, then Wu Country's situation would be unimaginable."

Hearing such pedantic talk made Li Xing's teeth ache and his head hurt, but what the man said was also right. His Younger Brother Xie had told him all this.

"Such a situation with the North Country is rare. You must know, once this opportunity passes, there won't be another. If you want to fight later, you might as well think about how to ascend to heaven—that would be easier than fighting the North Country."

After all, it was for the country's sake. Even if their political views differed, Li Xing didn't curse at him.

Hearing Li Xing's words, the court officials began to grasp the meaning: their Majesty wanted to fight.

Thinking carefully, fighting wasn't necessarily impossible.

It depended on how to fight.

They also had to consider the surrounding countries; otherwise, they might accidentally be attacked from both sides.

As this concerned the very foundation of the state, everyone began to discuss it. As for Official Xu kneeling on the ground, aside from Prince Rui's faction, practically no one paid him any attention.

Official Xu was drenched in cold sweat. He had imagined various scenarios: Emperor Wu would be furious about the privately hoarded iron mine, would suspect Xie Yulin, would reward him, or might even, despite knowing, still favor his long-serving minister and shield Shen Yuan, whom Xie Yulin had recommended.

Whatever the reaction, he had prepared a countermeasure.

He had never considered being ignored.

They acted as if they didn't see his existence, as if his voice had never been uttered. No one cared, no one responded.

Everyone was discussing other matters; no one looked at him.

He knelt alone like this. The sounds around him went from clear to chaotic, the scene became distorted, and he felt isolated by something invisible.

Being neglected to this extent filled Official Xu with a sense of shame and a hidden panic. After gathering his courage multiple times, he finally managed to shout, "Your Majesty!"

Li Xing's gaze swept over him quickly, not lingering, and continued asking about preparations if they were to fight.

The autumn harvest was approaching; this matter needed to be decided quickly.

The court officials' attention had to return to this matter.

Furious, Official Xu wanted to speak again, but his strength seemed completely drained. The sweat on his forehead seemed to increase. Hearing the strange tones around him and seeing the bizarre environment, he couldn't help but wonder: Should he not have helped Prince Rui with this matter?

Thinking carefully, State Preceptor Shen hadn't done anything bad.

On the contrary, because of him, he had brought many changes to Wu Country.

Earlier, everyone thought paper was invented by Prime Minister Xie. Later, they learned that the paper recipe came from a dream State Preceptor Shen had.

In the past, the North Country wasn't even willing to sell paper to Wu Country; those of noble status rarely used paper anyway.

Now, among their aristocratic families, who doesn't use paper?

All kinds of stories and dramas have also made life more interesting, and the food appearing in the stories is also delicious. There are also accessories, clothing, etc., equally beloved.

Time passed so slowly. Was court assembly time always this long?

*Thud—*

As his eyes closed, Official Xu heard exclamations by his ears, "Oh no! Official Xu has fainted!"

Li Xing had the man carried away and summoned the imperial physician to attend to him, then continued discussing matters concerning the northern territories.

He had long been aware of the incident at Cuiyun Mountain in Qingyun County.

Speaking of which, Shen Yuan’s wrongful accusation today was also his and his sworn brother Xie's doing.

Back then, they had used her to force Song Zijuan out. However, no one expected that his buddy Xie would end up falling for her himself.

But regardless, Li Xing wasn’t buying any of this—Prince Rui’s intentions were practically written all over his face.

He couldn’t understand it: if he wanted the throne so badly, why didn’t he take it when he had the chance to ascend back then?

Could it be that only what belongs to others is worth having, and he just loves snatching things?

What a weird habit.

Admittedly, his buddy Xie’s tactic of giving the cold shoulder worked quite well. Li Xing had almost lost his temper and started cursing halfway through, but he managed to hold back.

Not bad—I should remember that trick for later.