HXC Chapter47

The Third Prince Mansion was located in the most bustling part of the capital city.

 

Ji Zhen knew it was a tiger’s den, but he still clutched his unease as he arrived at the gates. He only had to show the purple jade, and a servant granted him entry, leading him through the waterside pavilions, rockeries, and verandas. All the way, he tightly gripped the purple jade, leaving deep imprints on his palm, until they finally stopped at a courtyard door.

 

“His Highness has been waiting for a long time. Please, enter, Young Master Ji.”

 

Ji Zhen glanced at the half-open door. Everything here was elegant and exquisite, but he felt it was no different from a gaping abyss. One wrong move, and he would be shattered to pieces.

 

He kneaded the thin strip of paper and, facing the low sun, took a step into the study.

 

Behind a screen with an ink-wash mountain landscape, a hazy figure could be seen. The person was tasting tea, and as if certain Ji Zhen would come over, they didn’t rush him, and just leisurely adding tea to the porcelain cup.

 

Ji Zhen suppressed his fear and finally revealed himself before Li Muhui, but he only stood by the screen, not daring to step forward.

 

Li Muhui’s narrow eyes lifted slightly as he placed the porcelain cup on the table. “This is excellent Duyun Maojian tea. Have a taste.”

 

The other party’s tone was relaxed, as if they were meeting a friend.

 

Ji Zhen took a deep breath and said bluntly, “Your Highness, since you’ve led me to your mansion, you must have your own considerations. I hope you won’t beat around the bush and will tell me the truth about my elder brother’s situation.”

 

Li Muhui sized up the composed Ji Zhen. “The plague is rampant, and banishment is a bitter ordeal. No matter how tough Ji Jue is, he can’t escape the illness. This highness knows you’re concerned about your elder brother, so this highness kindly informed you of Ji Jue’s recent condition. Do you think this highness is deliberately deceiving you?”

 

Ji Zhen couldn’t help but take two steps forward. “Then how is he now?”

 

“He’s naturally afflicted with sickness and suffering immensely.”

 

Ji Zhen’s vision went black. After getting a definite answer, he turned to run out of the study, but before he could leave, he saw two armed guards blocking the courtyard gate. He stopped dead in his tracks and looked back at the leisurely Li Muhui. After swallowing a few times, he forced himself to say, “Why don’t you just tell me your purpose for bringing me here?”

 

Li Muhui chuckled softly. “You’re not as foolish as this highness has thought.” He beckoned with his hand. “Come over here and talk.”

 

Ji Zhen hesitated, only moving forward with heavy steps when he saw the smile on Li Muhui’s face gradually replaced by impatience.

 

Li Muhui continued to watch him as his gaze sweeping over his legs. Ji Zhen understood the implication but stood with his back straight, refusing to kneel.

 

“Do you know that this highness has known Shen Yanqing for a full seven years?” Li Muhui picked up the porcelain cup filled with tea and, with a subtle flick, threw it directly at Ji Zhen’s knees. Ji Zhen cried out in pain and fell to his knees with a thud. The purple jade in his palm hit the ground, and fragments of stone embedded themselves in his skin. He let out a muffled groan and heard Li Muhui continue, “If you refuse the toast, you’ll have to drink the penalty wine[mfn]Figuratively, it warns that if someone doesn’t accept kindness or a polite offer, they’ll end up facing harsher treatment or consequences.[/mfn].”

 

He looked up, glaring at Li Muhui. The other party had already risen and came to him, grabbing his jaw and saying coldly, “For these seven years, Shen Yanqing has been considerate in everything, never overstepping, yet because of you, he has repeatedly wavered, causing a rift between our master and his subject relationship. This highness has thought long and hard about it. You’re worthless in every way, except for this face you use to bewitch people.”

 

Li Muhui leaned closer and hissed, “You little fox.”

 

Ji Zhen was unjustly accused and fumed in anger. He secretly thought that if he was a fox, then Li Muhui was a cold, venomous snake. He struggled to push away the large hand gripping his face, glaring fiercely at Li Muhui.

 

“This highness will absolutely not allow you to sow discord again. Now that Shen Yanqing has gone to Jinzhou to handle the plague, this highness will do what he should have done but couldn’t.” Li Muhui’s hand slowly moved downward, loosely gripping Ji Zhen’s neck. He bent down halfway, staring at Ji Zhen’s instantly rigid face, and said in a low voice, “Without you, Ji Zhen, Shen Yanqing can still have a great future…”

 

A strong killing intent enveloped Ji Zhen, making his hair stand on end. He had already prepared to die the moment he came here. But now, hearing Li Muhui’s words, he found them utterly ridiculous and couldn’t help but retort, “Whether it was me who caused the rift between Your Highness and Shen Yanqing or some other reason, Your Highness knows it perfectly well in your heart.”

 

He originally wanted to say that the hypocritical and tyrannical Li Muhui was not worthy of anyone’s loyalty, but he didn’t have the guts. Yet, the moment the words left his mouth, He saw Li Muhui as if he had been caught having a forbidden thought, and he laughed in exasperation. “Some other reason? You think too highly of yourself.”

 

Ji Zhen thought, ‘What does this have to do with me?’ and met Li Muhui’s gaze without flinching.

 

Li Muhui’s eyes were sinister, and the five fingers gripping Ji Zhen tightened—kill this troublemaker, and the lord and subject could be one again.

 

Ji Zhen’s breath was slowly cut off, and he finally felt immense fear. He instinctively clawed at Li Muhui’s hand, desperately trying to escape the grip that was about to take his life. His gasps became heavier.

 

But this time, Li Muhui was truly determined to take Ji Zhen’s life. He glared intensely at Ji Zhen’s face, which was gradually turning pale, his hand showing no mercy. “Blame it on the fact that your last name is Ji.”

 

A harsh, gurgling sound escaped Ji Zhen’s throat, and his strength slipped away like a fine silk thread. His eyes widened, and his pupils lost focus. In a trance, he seemed to see his elder brother with a gentle smile, reaching out a hand to him. The plague was rampant, and nine out of ten who were infected died. Perhaps his elder brother was already waiting for him in a place of blooming flowers.

 

Ji Zhen felt a little tired. The hands gripping Li Muhui slowly loosened, and he reached toward his elder brother, only for a slightly cool hand to suddenly pull him back with force.

 

“Reporting to Your Highness, something is very wrong! A sudden riot has broken out at the city gate, and the refugees were smashing the gate. Please, Your Highness, go and suppress them immediately.”

 

The fingers clamped around Ji Zhen’s neck suddenly loosened. He went limp and collapsed onto the ground. The air that had been blocked rushed into his lungs, and he choked violently while clutching his neck and coughing hard. Tears streamed down his face from the coughing, as if he was trying to cough out his heart and lungs.

 

Before he could catch his breath, Li Muhui fiercely grabbed the front of his robe, half-lifting him, and looked at him with a malevolent glare.

 

Having narrowly escaped death, Ji Zhen’s face was wet with hot tears, and he shrank back in terror.

 

Li Muhui stared at him for a long time, then threw him onto the ground and left with the guard who had come to report, keeping Ji Zhen confined within the Third Prince Mansion.

 

—

 

The city gate was in chaos.

 

The captain was in a frantic state. “Everything was fine just now; how did a riot suddenly break out?”

 

Yi Zhi was standing on the city wall while looking down. The city guards, clad in iron armor, were suppressing the refugees who were constantly trying to break through the gate.

 

Fifteen minutes earlier, Yi Zhi had noticed Yu He rushing over, drenched in sweat, so he silently opened the letter Shen Yanqing had left without a word. The letter instructed him to tie a red cloth to the third flagpole on the city wall. After Yi Zhi did so, someone among the refugees suddenly started making a scene and shouting loudly.

 

“Why should we wait outside the city gate to die? Are we not also citizens of the Great Heng Empire?”

 

“These officials don’t treat us as human beings, so we don’t have to be polite with them either.”

 

“Everyone, let’s charge in together!”

 

Refugees are the easiest to incite. With just a few words, the instigator raised the emotions of the crowd, leading to a riot.

 

Before long, the Third Prince, Li Muhui, who was responsible for appeasing the people, rushed to the scene.

 

With a prince on-site, the refugees who had been causing trouble changed their tune. “Your Highness the Third Prince has arrived! We’ll ask Your Highness the Third Prince to be our arbiter and wait together for the plague formula to be developed!”

 

Yi Zhi looked at the somber-faced Li Muhui and then at the red cloth tied to the flagpole. He remained silent with his heart heavy. He clenched his hands behind his back. Shen Yanqing ah, Shen Yanqing, the imperial family is the most heartless. Even blood relatives cannot avoid killing each other. I hope you don’t regret your decision today.

 

—

 

In Jinzhou, many people infected with the plague were gathered in front of the post station, crying out in misery.

 

Shen Yanqing and Lu Chen dealt with the local officials who were neglecting their duties and worked day and night to settle the plague victims. The imperial physicians also did everything they could to develop a cure. Things were starting to look up, but the number of infected people was endless. One group was settled today, and another group of plague victims will pour in from other areas tomorrow. The designated quarantine areas could no longer accommodate new people.

 

A constable arrived, panting. “Lord Shen, it’s chaotic outside. There are some troublesome people out there. It’s better if you don’t go out.”

 

Shen Yanqing’s footsteps didn’t stop. He said sternly, “This official came here to take charge for the people. If an official is afraid of the people, what right do they have to be called an official?”

 

His robe hadn’t been changed in two days, and his hair bun was no longer meticulous. He was wearing his arm protectors, and there was a tired look between his eyebrows. His appearance in front of the post station caused a commotion.

 

“My Lord, my son has been coughing up blood for two days already. When will you finally come up with a cure?”

 

“When will you put us up in an inn?”

 

“Are you just saying all this to trick us?”

 

Shen Yanqing took a few steps down the stairs and said loudly, “Everyone, please don’t worry. The imperial physicians are working tirelessly to develop a new medicine. Please give us a little more time…”

 

Someone cried out, “This sickness doesn’t wait for anyone! ‘A little more time, a little more time!’ My mother is about to die! What ‘more time’ is there to give?”

 

Crying and shouting were endless, and the constables couldn’t hold back the crowd of people rushing forward.

 

Just as Shen Yanqing was about to calm everyone down, a man with a mouth full of blood rushed at him. He didn’t want to harm the sick person and instinctively put up a hand to block it, but the person unexpectedly bit his arm. Pain shot through him, and Shen Yanqing’s brow furrowed sharply. He threw the person to the side and looked down to see a bloody teeth mark on his exposed forearm.

 

Lu Chen arrived just in time to see this scene and was horrified. “Lord Shen, quickly go inside and wash it with clean water.”

 

The plague victim who bit Shen Yanqing opened his bloody mouth and laughed crazily. “If there’s no medicine, and I die, you corrupt officials will also have to pay with your lives.”

 

“Lock him in prison, but don’t harm his life,” Shen Yanqing said in a deep voice while instructing, “Be careful.”

 

Lu Chen agreed.

 

Shen Yanqing returned to the post station to clean and bandage the wound. The imperial physician was shocked when he saw it. “My Lord, what is this…?”

 

Shen Yanqing tied the white cloth tightly and, after a moment, asked, “Where is the latest medicine that was brewed?”

 

The imperial physician brought over the dark medicine, sighing. “We will know the effect after the plague victims take it.”

 

Shen Yanqing took off his arm protector, covered the wound with his sleeve, and after sniffing the medicine, he unhesitatingly brought the porcelain bowl to his lips.

 

“Lord Shen!”

 

He drank the new medicine in one gulp and said faintly, “I’m fine. You all continue to develop the cure.”

 

Everyone nodded solemnly, and the post station remained a hive of activity.

 

Shen Yanqing spread out the border map and used cinnabar to circle the severely affected areas. He hadn’t slept a full night in days, and his vision was a bit blurry as he wrote.

 

By the end of the day, everyone in the post station was exhausted.

 

When the moon was high in the sky, a sturdy horse stopped outside the post station. “Report, there is an urgent letter for Lord Shen.”

 

Shen Yanqing strode out into the courtyard, pulled out the letter, and read it by the moonlight. After a long pause, he slowly closed his eyes.

 

Seven years of working together, for better or for worse, had finally come to an end.

 

The author has something to say:

Official:

1. The Third Prince does indeed have some feelings for Zhen Zhen, but more than wanting anything with him, he’d rather kill him.

2. As stated before, Lord Shen is loyal to the “sacred heart.”

3. To explain the Third Prince’s mindset: Imagine your partner of seven years, who you’ve been working with, says they’re going to marry your archenemy just to be a spy. You finally get a chance to completely ruin your archenemy, but your partner takes matters into their own hands and not only saves your enemy but also wants to be in perfect harmony with the enemy’s family. The more you think about it, the angrier you get…

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T/N: Why does the Third Prince seem more interested in Lord Shen than in Zhen Zhen to me lol