Chapter 44 Imperial Birthday

Chapter 44: The Imperial Birthday

After this year's Imperial Birthday, Wei Yan would be nineteen. By his reckoning, Lu Jiming had already been back in this era for two years.

Two years had truly flown by. Before he knew it, he was standing on a path completely different from his previous life.

Lu Jiming had originally thought that breaking free from the Lu family and keeping to himself would be enough. But once he achieved that, he longed to stay by Wei Yan's side forever. And after rightfully standing beside Wei Yan, he pined for A-Luan.

"Your Highness, it's been a long time." Before the noon banquet for the Imperial Birthday began, Yan Huai spotted Lu Jiming from afar and walked over to greet him.

After Wei Yan ascended the throne, he no longer needed to attend the Imperial Study every day, so his three Study Companions naturally stopped entering the palace.

Yin Yuxie was older. Wei Yan had tried several times to offer him an official post, but he had always declined, choosing instead to travel far and wide. He had only just returned to the capital two days before the celebrations. Earlier, he had breezed by with a hasty greeting to Lu Jiming before disappearing into the imperial kitchens.

Lu Jiming saw more of Wei Yi, being Wei Yan's cousin. Lu Jiming had never liked him and especially didn't want him to have any contact with Ning Jia. Therefore, Lu Jiming treated him coolly, just being polite enough to get by.

As for Yan Huai, he was still young and not yet old enough to take up an official post. He had been staying at his residence, so Lu Jiming saw him less often, mostly seeing his father, the Marquis of Cheng'an, instead.

"What has Young Master Yan been doing these days?" Lu Jiming smiled at him, though his gaze fell on Ning Guo behind him.

Ning Guo was always inseparable from Yan Huai. He kept his head down, never drawing attention to himself, looking every bit the ordinary guard.

"Although I no longer need to enter the palace, my father says my studies must not be neglected, so I still have a tutor at home," Yan Huai said. "Your Highness, is there something wrong with Ning Guo?"

"Why do you ask?" Lu Jiming was taken aback inwardly. When he smiled, his eyes would narrow, making it impossible for others to tell whom he was looking at.

"You seem to have been staring at him," Yan Huai said.

Yan Huai was in a state of dawning awareness. He had begun to be overly focused on Ning Guo but hadn't yet fully understood what this attention meant. Therefore, he was particularly alert to everything concerning Ning Guo.

Lu Jiming smiled. "It's still early. There's about half an hour before the banquet begins. How about lending him to me for a while?"

Yan Huai, of course, was unwilling. But given Lu Jiming's status and the fact that he had made the request, Yan Huai couldn't outright refuse.

"It won't be long, at most the length of a cup of tea," Lu Jiming said. "Don't worry, this is the palace. Nothing will happen to you without him." Lu Jiming smiled again. "And of course, nothing will happen to him without you either."

Put that way, Yan Huai truly had no reason to refuse. He looked at Ning Guo. "Are you willing?"

Ning Guo nodded. "This subordinate follows the young master's orders." Yan Huai felt inexplicably annoyed that Ning Guo was so obedient, but deep down, he knew he was being unreasonable. After all, if even he couldn't refuse, how could Ning Guo?

After securing Ning Guo, Lu Jiming left his palace attendants behind and headed straight for Chongyuan Palace with him.

Ning Guo followed behind Lu Jiming, keeping a respectful distance, and didn't ask where they were going.

In his previous life, Lu Jiming had interacted with Ning Guo a few times. By then, Ning Guo had changed his name to Ning Zhifei and was no longer as proper and restrained as he was now. Instead, he had a playful, cheeky demeanor.

"There's someone you need to meet," Lu Jiming said.

Ning Guo, of course, couldn't guess whom Lu Jiming wanted him to meet. He remained with his head bowed and eyes lowered, saying, "As Your Highness commands."

Upon entering Chongyuan Palace, Lu Jiming went straight to the side hall where Ning Jia resided.

Ning Jia was just arranging wine jars when she saw Lu Jiming enter. She stood up to greet him. "Why have you returned, Father?"

Then, turning slightly, she came face to face with Ning Guo.

For a moment, Ning Jia didn't know what expression to wear or whether she should meet Ning Guo or if it would be better to hide.

"I'll step out first. You two talk." Lu Jiming closed the door and stood under the corridor, personally ensuring that no palace attendants approached.

It was already the end of May, and the weather was sweltering. After standing for a while, Lu Jiming felt something lodged in his stomach, like he was going to be sick. So he sat down on the corridor's steps and caught his breath.

There wasn’t much time left, and there wasn't much from the past for the siblings to talk about. Ning Guo soon emerged.

Upon seeing Lu Jiming, Ning Guo spoke up: "Elder Sister said that after she returns to Liao, she wants me to listen to Your Highness and take good care of you on her behalf. Give me any order you have."

"I don’t really need anything from you here, but since Jia’er has entrusted you to me and also entrusted me to you, then I'll consider you the same as Jia'er." The immediate priority was to get Ning Guo out of the Marquis of Cheng’an’s residence.

The Marquis of Cheng’an wasn’t raising Ning Guo just to feed him. Ning Guo was being groomed as Yan Huai’s deadly operative, and the hardships he had endured since childhood were no less than those Ning Jia had suffered.

Who knew whether in his past life, his service to Yan Huai was voluntary or forced...

After speaking, Lu Jiming stood up but felt his vision darken, dizzy and weak.

Ning Guo immediately supported Lu Jiming.

Lu Jiming thanked him and then asked, "The character 'Guo' means a fault or transgression, often an unintentional one. So what's your fault? Why such a name?"

This was the name Xiao Ningguo used, and Ning Guo didn’t know why his uncle had given his cousin this name. However, he couldn’t explain it clearly to Lu Jiming, so he just smiled and vaguely replied, "What a coincidence. A few days ago, the young master gave me a new name, called Zhifei, but I haven’t had the chance to change it yet. If Your Highness feels that 'Guo' is unsuitable, I can change it."

"It’s not necessarily bad, but Zhifei is also good," Lu Jiming said. After speaking, he entered the side hall and summoned Ning Jia.

"Jia’er, come with me to the banquet," Lu Jiming beckoned to Ning Jia. Ning Jia had always avoided others, probably afraid of running into Ning Guo. Now that they had reunited, there was no need to hide anymore.

Ning Jia didn’t refuse and went out with Ning Guo.

Lu Jiming noticed that the siblings actually looked quite alike. Their features carried an exotic charm, more sculpted than those of Central Plains people, with a unique kind of handsomeness. However, Ning Guo’s lips were thinner, and his features were more angular.

"Ning Guo doesn’t want to return to Liao with Prince Heng, so during the banquet, try to keep your head down and avoid drawing attention. It’s best to leave early to avoid raising Prince Heng's suspicions," Lu Jiming instructed.

Ning Guo nodded obediently, while Ning Jia seemed somewhat uneasy.

After parting ways with Ning Guo, Ning Jia quietly asked Lu Jiming, "Godfather, what if my uncle doesn’t intend to take me back?" What she really wanted to ask was, what if Prince Heng didn’t regard her as family?

"Then stay by my side. When things settle down for me in a few years, I’ll personally take you to Liao," Lu Jiming comforted her. In this life, Ning Jia didn’t have to suffer any grievances. If Prince Heng couldn’t be relied upon, there were still other options.

He could protect Ning Jia now.

The imperial couple sat together. Upon returning to the banquet, Wei Yan immediately asked him, "Where did you go just now? You look a bit pale."

Lu Jiming replied, "I thought that since it’s your birthday today, it wouldn’t be right without Jia’er, so I went to fetch her."

Lu Jiming had discussed with Wei Yan about having Prince Heng take Ning Jia back to Liao, and Wei Yan had already agreed, saying, "Tomorrow, I’ll have Prince Heng come to the palace alone. Let’s not have Ning Jia meet him yet."

"What do you mean, Shi Xia?" Lu Jiming had originally planned to have Prince Heng stay after the banquet today and meet Ning Jia.

"Let’s test the waters first. If it’s not suitable, we can’t let Jia’er go with him," Wei Yan said. Then, remembering something, he called out, "Xue Jun."

Chief Envoy Xue walked over, and Wei Yan said, "Have Xiao Shi change his disguise today, pretend to be a eunuch, and follow Prince Heng to assess his character."

Xue Jun accepted the order and left. Lu Jiming smiled and took Wei Yan’s hand, saying, "Thank you for planning for Jia’er."

"Our child—why say thank you?" Wei Yan said. "But I still think it’s not appropriate for Jia’er to go with him without a clear reason. Yesterday, I looked at a piece of land with the Marquis of Cheng’an called Fengpan. It’s not too large, but it’s close to the border between Qi and Liao, and the border trade makes it quite prosperous. Why not give it to Jia’er as a fief?"

In his previous life, he often regretted like mad that he hadn’t had a blood-related child with Lu Jiming before they parted.

He had fantasized about how he would dote on that child and imagined that child would be a lifeline for him in times of sadness and loneliness.

But Wei Yan now realized that as long as it was a child he and Lu Jiming shared, even without blood ties, he could treat them as his own.

Lu Jiming widened his eyes, looking at Wei Yan in disbelief. Ning Jia was merely an adopted daughter—her name wouldn't even go in the imperial registry, let alone count as royalty.

"How can a fief be given so casually?" Lu Jiming asked.

"Just make her a princess," Wei Yan replied, having clearly thought it through. "Jia'er is originally from Liao and skilled in martial arts. With her protecting the people of Fengpan, I can rest assured."

In his previous life, Lu Jiming had died early and never learned that Ning Jia eventually followed Prince Heng back to Liao, becoming a fierce general who won great glory fighting the Wuhuan.

With Lu Jiming in Great Qi, Wei Yan wasn't worried Ning Jia would defect to the Liao. Fengpan bordered the sea and was often troubled by Silla pirates. Ning Jia could handle it—it wouldn't be a waste of her skills.

Whenever Wei Yan thought about the time after Lu Jiming's death, his heart ached, and his eyes welled up despite himself. Just as Lu Jiming was about to thank him on Ning Jia's behalf, he turned and saw Wei Yan with reddened eyes, lowering his head in silence.

"What's wrong?" Lu Jiming asked with a smile. "Are you reluctant to part with Jia'er?"

Wei Yan shook his head and, disregarding the many people around, leaned his head on Lu Jiming's shoulder, murmuring, "I miss you."

Lu Jiming didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I'm right here. What are you on about?"

The banquet was about to begin, and everyone had already taken their seats—the place was packed. But seeing Wei Yan like this, Lu Jiming didn't have the heart to shove him off. He could only try to comfort him while making sure no one noticed.

"I don't know. I just felt awful all of a sudden," Wei Yan said, pressing closer to Lu Jiming, finding a bit of comfort. "I'm afraid you might leave one day too."

"I'm not going anywhere," Lu Jiming replied with a helpless smile. "Even if you grow tired of me, I'll cling to you and never leave."

Wei Yan kept pressing, "If I die first, only then can you die."

Seeing the talk grow more and more morbid, Lu Jiming could no longer bear it and pushed him away. "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll go back!"

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