Read Novel Full Chapter 27.2
Chapter 27.2
“I’m laying it out here today. If you insist on causing trouble, don’t consider me your father!” Father Rong took a long breath and left with a flick of sleeves.
Rong Xiao was left alone in the study, gritting his teeth. Hadn’t he thought about this question? How could he not?
The paper in his hand was squeezed tightly. Thinking of what His Royal Highness Prince Yu had told him, Rong Xiao secretly made a decision.
So what if the Emperor supported him? If the Emperor himself was in danger, who would care about a mere Li Shu?
Qi Mingxuan’s schemes unfolded one after another, starting from embezzling disaster relief funds, dragging in wave after wave of people. Some were implicated by “allies”, while others were already found by Qi Mingxuan and made to confess, including those affiliated with the Eldest Prince and the Fourth Prince.
As the investigation deepened, even long-buried old cases were dug out. At first, everyone thought it was a mistake, until a dismissed official mentioned a certain matter. Coincidentally, this matter directly pointed to the Mu family case from years ago.
At this time, some began to realize something was wrong. There was a hidden secret to what happened back then, and it was far less simple than the outside world knew. Unaware that Prince Qin was orchestrating these events, those in official positions found their efforts to stop the further investigation futile.
It was well-known that Prince Qin’s inability to ascend the throne was primarily due to the Mu family. What significance did the Mu family hold in Great Zhou? They were great heroes who had helped establish the dynasty, war gods with illustrious achievements, guardians stationed at the border for the stability of Great Zhou—a huge force not to be touched.
The Mu family remained loyal for generations, faithfully fulfilling their duties. Each generation sacrificed at least half of their members on the battlefield, a family inseparable from the annals of heroism. How could such a family, a pillar of the nation, be accused of colluding with external forces? The common people, who had been sheltered by the Mu family for a century, found it unbelievable. The Mu family shed blood and sacrificed their lives for the country, how could they commit such an act?
The power of the common people, though significant yet inconspicuous, was useless in such matters. What’s the use if they don’t believe in this kind of thing? As long as those in influential positions believed, it became an established fact.
Who was to be blamed for this situation? The only reason was that the interests were so attractive. The Mu family had held a high position for too long, to the extent that the people at the border knew of the Mu family but not the emperor. For so long, its existence had hindered the development of certain families, therefore, the Mu family had to disappear.
So, they joined forces, using the cruelest schemes to topple the Mu family. In pursuit of this plan, they sacrificed an entire well-equipped army, opened their doors to external enemies, and used the blood of the city’s residents to smear the Mu family’s name. To ensure the success of this plan, they abandoned conscience and sacrificed everything expendable around them.
The moment they decided to act against the Mu family, they had no retreat. Regardless of the cost, this operation had to succeed.
After the events, they tacitly buried everything they had done deep in their hearts. Gradually, the Mu family, like all past events, were relegated to the depths of history. People tend to forget, and twenty years later, how many would remember the Mu family from that time? Perhaps the older generation still recalled, but in the eyes of the younger generation, all the Mu family’s merits no longer existed. They only remembered the Mu family being beheaded for treason. The Mu family, who had served the country loyally, would forever bear this an undeserved crime until the court changed and time flowed away.
In this world, no one would bother to pay attention to a family that had been disgraced by history, except for Qi Mingxuan. He carried half of the Mu family’s blood, and for him to grow up safely, countless lives were sacrificed. Otherwise, how could a powerless child survive in the cutthroat palace?
He bore the blood debts of his mother, the Mu family, and those unfortunate soldiers at the border. He was born for revenge. Before meeting Li Shu, Qi Mingxuan had thought revenge was the only thing in his life.
What happens after revenge?
He didn’t know.
Now it was different. Now he had the life he wanted, a future to look forward to, and someone he wanted to walk alongside. For these, his plan must not have any loopholes.
“Your Highness, it seems like you’ve been in a good mood these days?” In the study, the old man in gray poured himself a cup of tea and asked casually.
At the words, Qi Mingxuan’s hand paused slightly, “Huh?”
“Your Highness might not have noticed, but these days, you’ve been smiling quite often.” It wasn’t a superficial smile, it was genuine joy from the heart. The gloominess that once lingered in his eyes was replaced by the vitality typical of a young person.
That’s how it should be. Young people should have the appearance of young people. What’s the use of an old man’s mentality in a young man’s body?
“Is that so?” Qi Mingxuan touched the corner of his mouth. Did he really smile often these days? “It’s probably because what I have been seeking these days is about to come true.”
“Does Your Highness believe that? You might fool others with that statement, but you can’t fool an old man like me. Your Highness’s good mood is probably because of something else, like that person you mentioned before, isn’t it because of them?”
The old man smiled kindly, and Qi Mingxuan couldn’t refute a single word he said. Indeed, his good mood wasn’t from those things that were a foregone conclusion but because, after those matters, the obstacles between him and Li Shu would be diminished. With the troublesome people removed, he could get closer to the young man.
“You can’t hide anything from your teacher.” Having been seen through, Qi Mingxuan decided to no longer conceal it and openly admitted it.
“How could a teacher not understand his own student? The person who can stir the heart of the distinguished Great Zhou war god must be exceptional.” Seeing his disciple act like this, the old man realized that the person his disciple had fallen for wasn’t an ordinary woman in the capital.
“He is indeed outstanding,” hearing his respected teacher praise his beloved, Qi Mingxuan felt even happier than receiving compliments himself. When he talked about Li Shu, it seemed like there were countless stars in his eyes. “He is very capable, has a good heart, and even gives his achievements to me. He understands me…”
Wait, there was something wrong here. The more the old man listened, the more puzzled he became. His disciple’s description didn’t sound like a woman from the capital at all. What kind of person had his disciple fallen for?
However, the disciple was too absorbed in praising his sweetheart and was completely oblivious to the increasingly puzzled expression on his teacher’s face.
After quickly taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves, the old man hesitated before asking, “The person Your Highness likes is…”
“It’s a man,” Qi Mingxuan didn’t beat around the bush. His teacher was the person he was closest to, and he wouldn’t lie to him. “But I don’t know if he’ll agree to be with me.”
As he said this, Qi Mingxuan’s expression resembled that of any young person in love—nervous, shy, and unconcealed joy.
Seeing his disciple in this state, the old man’s words of advice were blocked in his heart. This disciple of his hadn’t experienced a single good day since childhood, and carried an unimaginable burden. Now he can finally take off this heavy burden and can live for himself, why become a new obstacle on his disciple’s path to love at such a moment?
“I won’t interfere in this matter, what kind of person you like is your own business. But relationships are always a matter of mutual consent. If you’re sincere, don’t complicate things at this time.” Although he had decided not to meddle in his disciple’s love life, he still had to give some advice where needed.
Feelings couldn’t be forced. He didn’t want his disciple to ruin this relationship by using the wrong methods. As for the matter of a male partner, it wasn’t that important. Such arrangements weren’t new in Great Zhou among aristocratic families, and certainly among commoners. However, his disciple’s status posed a significant issue.
His disciple hadn’t even pursued the person yet, so it was too early to think about this now.
“I understand. Thank you, teacher, for understanding.” His teacher was the elder he respected the most, and having his support lifted a huge weight off Qi Mingxuan’s shoulders.
“You are my direct disciple. If I don’t support you, who will?” The old man stroked his beard and smiled. “Speaking of which, you have another junior brother, whom I took in a few years ago. He’s around your age, and his talent and character are good. He endured hardships willingly, and within half a year of studying under me, he passed the provincial examination. A promising talent.”
“Teacher, you took time off your busy schedule and secretly took in another disciple? This junior brother of mine must be exceptionally gifted.”
“It’s not like that,” the old man waved his hand. “That child had some talent, and I took him in as a favor to an old friend from the past. He left to recuperate from an illness and was later taken away by his family. We lost contact after that.”
During that time, he used a false identity, and the child used a false name. With the child’s intelligence, he might have guessed something, just as he, an old man, knew the child’s identity was extraordinary. Both parties tacitly continued their relationship without explicitly acknowledging it, behaving as an ordinary master and disciple.
Hearing this, Qi Mingxuan’s thoughts stirred. “Does the teacher want to find that disciple? If my junior brother really passed the provincial examination, it should be easy to locate him.”
“No need. Everyone has their own path to follow. My connection with him only lasted half a year, and things are fine as they are now.” Having lived for many years, he understood that forcing things never ended well.
Qi Mingxuan had studied with the old man since he was a child, and he knew the old man’s temperament very well. If not for the lingering concern in the old man’s heart, he wouldn’t have brought up this matter. Qi Mingxuan noted it in his mind and decided that after resolving the current issues, he would send someone to find this junior brother.
Currently, the most crucial matter was the court affairs. As expected, once the Mu family case was involved, the resistance during further investigation increased almost exponentially. Those with guilty consciences no longer cared about anything else and focused solely on stopping this revelation.
The absolute truth must not be exposed to the world; otherwise, they would become sinners through the ages.
For a while, the already chaotic court became even more chaotic. Some were restless and anxious, others took advantage of the chaos to seek maximum benefits, while some schemed to right the wrongs for the Mu family… Various factions clashed, and one bad news followed another. In a fit of rage, the Emperor fell ill.
“Your Majesty, calm down! The dragon body is important!” Eunuch An knelt by the Emperor’s feet and kept urging him.
“They… are they trying to infuriate Us to death?!” The Emperor was so angry that his face turned red and his neck thickened, and the veins on his forehead bulged high. Opening one envelope after another, each letter contained memorials advocating for the exoneration of the Mu family. He felt his eyesight darken and nearly fainted.
No, It couldn’t continue like this. Since the Mu family’s case was in the past, why bring it up again. Wasn’t this forcing him to apologize to the world. No, he was the Emperor; even if he had made a mistake, the one to apologize shouldn’t be him. No, something was wrong; he was the Emperor, and he couldn’t be wrong!
“I am the Emperor; how could I be wrong? I need to issue an edict…” Before he could finish speaking, a nauseating sweetness surged up his throat, and he vomited a large amount of blood. His eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.
“Your Majesty! Someone! Call the imperial physician! Quickly, call the imperial physician!”
The Emperor suddenly fell ill and there was no time for any follow-up arrangements. Without his suppression, the court became even more chaotic. The Eldest Prince and the Fourth Prince were busy seizing power, consolidating their forces, and paid no attention to the Emperor lying in bed. Only Qi Mingxuan maintained the façade of a good son and visited the palace every day.
The Emperor’s illness was aggressive. Even when he regained consciousness, he couldn’t get out of bed, speak, or even swallow properly. The biggest movement he could do was to roll his eyes.
Qi Mingxuan took the medicine brought by Eunuch An, sat beside the bed, and patiently fed the medicine to the emperor one spoonful at a time.
The Emperor couldn’t even swallow the most basic liquid. Medicine dribbled down the Emperor’s mouth, and Eunuch An quickly wiped it clean.
Such scenes occurred frequently these days, and people’s hearts were made of flesh. Who was sincere, and who was pretending? After these days, couldn’t they see it clearly?
Looking at the son in front of him, the Emperor’s mood was complex. The two sons he had carefully groomed only cared about seizing power during his illness. Even when they visited him, it was to extract more benefits from him. In contrast, this child, whom he had disliked since childhood and who had grown up overcoming obstacles on his own, was sincerely devoted to him during this time.
The child’s features were similar to hers. That woman he admired in his youth, genuinely pursued, and had once experienced tender moments with. He had also eagerly anticipated the arrival of this child like an ordinary father, even disregarding imperial dignity to play and frolic with the child on his knee. Twenty years had failed to fade these memories, on the contrary, time had crystallized them, making them even more vivid and enchanting.
Did he make a mistake?
If he hadn’t allowed all this to happen back then, could things be like how they were in his memories?
Unfortunately, there were no “ifs” in the world. The moment he made his decision, the future path had been laid out, whether strewn with sugar or thorns, there was no turning back.
“Did Your Highness visit the Emperor again? How is His Majesty’s health?” Li Shu did not have a high enough official position and was a focal point for the cautious ministers, so he couldn’t enter the imperial palace easily.
“The same as before.” Qi Mingxuan focused on his actions, his robe fluttering like dancing butterflies as he brewed tea and handed it to Li Shu. “Is the injury on your leg healing, Zi Shu?”
Li Shu reached for the tea, and whether intentional or not, Qi Mingxuan’s hand moved a beat slower, and his fingertips brushed the back of Li Shu’s hand. The very light touch caused a shiver.
Li Shu raised his eyes, but Qi Mingxuan had already withdrawn his hand and his face was calm, as if the small gesture just now had been unintentional.
Li Shu withdrew his gaze and drank the tea in the cup in one gulp.
In a place unseen by him, concealed by the wide sleeves of his robe, Qi Mingxuan lightly rubbed the finger that touched Li Shu’s hand just now. Looking at the young man’s eyes that were slightly drooping as he stared at the contents of the cup, he couldn’t help but wonder when he would be able to openly hold the young man’s hand.
The net around court had begun to tighten, and it was time to test the young man’s attitude. However, he couldn’t be too hasty, lest he scare the young man away.
He hadn’t considered what to do if Li Shu didn’t agree to be with him in the end.
“Does Your Highness have something to say to this official?” Seeing Qi Mingxuan staring at him and appearing hesitant to speak, Li Shu put down the tea cup and asked.
“I… Did Zi Shu pass the provincial examination three years ago?” He almost let slip what was on his mind and narrowly changed the subject.
“Yes, I passed it three years ago. Why do you ask?”
Seeing that Li Shu’s attention was diverted, Qi Mingxuan continued on this topic. “My teacher took in a disciple who participated in the provincial examination three years ago. However, he lost contact later. Recently, my teacher mentioned it and I thought of trying to help him find this young disciple.”
‘The male protagonist had a junior brother? The plot provided by the system completely omitted this part. It seemed the plot was indeed unreliable; many things were left out.’
“He’s the disciple my teacher took in while residing in Yunshan three years ago. I don’t know where this junior brother is now, but I hope he’s well.”
‘Wait a minute, Yunshan?’ If he remembered correctly, the original owner spent time recovering in Yunshan three years ago and even took a master there. So, the little junior brother that the male protagonist was looking for is himself?