HXC Chapter50

The sun rises and sets like rolling pearls, tracing its path alongside the moon. The bright golden morning sun flew into the eaves of the Shen family home, staining the black tiles like sheets of gold leaf. On such a beautiful new day, it was only fitting to go out.

 

Right after Shen Yanqing left, Ji Zhen wanted to go out in the carriage. Yu He, adhering to Shen Yanqing’s instructions, feared that Ji Zhen might encounter trouble again. Unable to persuade him otherwise, he had no choice but to trail closely behind.

 

He found it strange. Yesterday, Ji Zhen looked utterly heartbroken, but this morning he said he wanted to go to the street to eat the famous old-brand crab roe buns. The change was so drastic that it was bound to arouse suspicion. He looked and looked but couldn’t find anything amiss on the faces of the master and servant pair in the carriage. Still, he didn’t dare to let his guard down.

 

It was morning market time, and the streets were bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. The three of them stood in front of a stall steaming with white vapor. Ji Zhen’s palms were slightly sweaty, and he tried his best not to let his expression show any sign of abnormality.

 

The emerald green jade bracelet on Xiao Moli’s wrist was custom-made by a craftsman for his elder brother. The bracelet was crystal clear, and inside it contained a small piece of cotton wool that looked like a crescent moon, said to have the effect of absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. His elder brother had worn it for many years before he came of age. This was the only one in the world, and he would never be mistaken.

 

If Xiao Moli could get his elder brother’s bracelet, then his elder brother must be nearby. But when he had tested Shen Yanqing, the other party had still tried to fool him with a letter, even lying that his elder brother was about to arrive in Ningzhou…

 

“Young Madam, here are your crab roe buns.”

 

Yu He took a piece of oiled paper from the stall owner and handed it to Ji Zhen. Ji Zhen smiled slightly and said thanks. He looked at the chaotic street anxiously. He had deliberately chosen a stall quite far from the Shen Mansion. He had been paying close attention the entire half-hour journey, hoping his elder brother would appear before him, but so far, everything had been calm.

 

Ji Zhen’s mind wasn’t on the food. He absentmindedly took a bite of the bun.

 

Yu He was about to help him into the carriage, but he said indistinctly, “I want to walk for a bit.”

 

“Young Madam, there are too many eyes and is crowded here; it’s safer to go back to the mansion.”

 

Ji An scoffed protectively, “My Young Master can go wherever he wants. It’s not up to you to decide.”

 

Stung by the retort, Yu He’s face fell. “That’s not what I meant.”

 

In the years they had been at the Shen Mansion, Yu He was different from the others. He had always respected Ji Zhen and often bickered with Ji An. Seeing this, Ji Zhen couldn’t help but feel a little happy and chuckled, “Have you two not had enough of arguing even after five years?”

 

Ji An knew he would soon be leaving with Ji Zhen. Hearing this, he remembered Yu He’s kindness. In the days he was locked up by Shen Yanqing, if Yu He hadn’t brought him food, he didn’t know how hungry he would have been. He had to repay the kindness of a meal with a crab roe bun. Ji An grabbed a juicy bun and shoved it at Yu He, “Just eat your bun.”

 

The two were like brothers, often quarreling over trivial things but always mindful of the bond they shared. Their disputes were resolved within moments.

 

While they were eating the crab roe buns, several teenagers suddenly ran from the direction of the city gate, shouting as they ran, “This is bad, this is bad! The city gates are about to be breached!”

 

Upon hearing this, the crowds in the morning market stopped in their tracks with their faces drained of color. They began to shout, and in an instant, the entire street was a chaotic mess of people running east and west, as if an army had just broken in.

 

Ji Zhen stumbled as the crowd jostled him. The oiled paper in his hand slipped, and the crab roe buns all fell to the ground. Yu He, afraid he’d get lost, held onto his hand tightly and shouted, “Hurry, let’s go back to the mansion!”

 

But Ji Zhen stood motionless.

 

“Young Madam?”

 

Yu He immediately felt that something was wrong. He yelled for the guards protecting Ji Zhen to come forward, but even after several calls, the guards were still nowhere to be seen. By the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late. A bag of tranquilizer was held to his mouth from behind. Yu He’s eyes widened, and he made muffled sounds before quickly losing consciousness.

 

A strange young man said to Ji Zhen, “Young Master Ji, please come with us.”

 

Ji Zhen guiltily looked at Yu He lying on the street. He whispered, “Yu He, I’m sorry.”

 

The two, master and servant, followed the stranger through the chaotic streets and alleys to a more open area. Ji Zhen was helped onto a horse, leaving the bustling capital behind without a single look back.

 

The spring breeze felt like a soft hand caressing his cheek. As he felt the morning dew and the new sun, his mood, which had been gloomy for months, began to brighten, like clouds parting to reveal the moon.

 

The trees south of the capital had all grown new branches, with tender green shoots emerging from the boughs.

 

Ji Zhen’s horse slowed to a stop. He carefully, as if afraid of waking from a dream, gazed at the figure with his back to him under the green trees.

 

The tall, slender figure in a blue robe turned around. He stood with his hands behind his back and had a pair of eyes that was even gentler than the spring rain.

 

Ji Zhen’s eyes widened, and tears welled up like a spring, instantly soaking his cheeks.

 

This was the very definition of crying tears of joy.

 

Ji An covered his mouth and stammered, “Young Master, that’s…”

 

Ji Zhen leaped off his horse and ran forward like a returning southern goose. Because he was so excited and eager, he stumbled and staggered, almost falling to the ground when he reached Ji Jue.

 

Ji Jue caught him and pulled him into an embrace, hearing Ji Zhen’s cry, laden with grievance: “Gege.”

 

“You’ve waited a long time, Zhen Zhen.”

 

—

 

Shen Yanqing arrived at the city gate just as the riot was winding down. As soon as he appeared, he was grabbed by Yi Zhi.

 

Yi Zhi’s face was full of anxiety. “Are you out of your mind? One time wasn’t enough, so you arranged a second one? The Third Prince was furious.” He paused, then said in shock, “No, wait, you’re supposed to be in Jinzhou. What are you doing back here? Go back!”

 

Shen Yanqing gritted his teeth and said, “It wasn’t me.”

 

“If it wasn’t you, then who was it?” Yi Zhi hurried to catch up. “What exactly are you trying to do?”

 

Shen Yanqing’s face was bloodless. “Have any unusual people entered the city recently?”

 

“The city gates have long been sealed off. Any normal carriages that need to travel would go from the south.”

 

“The south…”

 

Before he could finish, Shen Yanqing abruptly pushed Yi Zhi away, turned his face, and violently coughed into the white cloth. When he lowered the cloth, it was stained with blood.

 

Yi Zhi was shocked. “What’s wrong with you?”

 

Shen Yanqing took two steps back, not allowing the other party to come closer. He swallowed the metallic taste of blood. “It’s a long story.”

 

He untied the reins of a sturdy military horse and said, “I’ll borrow this.”

 

As soon as he was on the horse, a city guard hurried over. “Lord Shen, the Third Prince requests your presence.”

 

Shen Yanqing looked up along the high city wall. Li Muhui was standing on top while looking down on him with disdain. He gazed back at him from a distance for a moment, then swung his whip and headed south.

 

Even Yi Zhi believed he had instigated this riot, not to mention Li Muhui, who was already unhappy with him. Shen Yanqing was a smart person and knew his best option was to follow the city guard to see Li Muhui and clear himself of any involvement in the riot. But he willingly acted foolishly, disregarding the consequences.

 

A carriage extended a token that allowed it to leave the city. Without having to show himself, the city guards in the south immediately let them pass.

 

Ji Zhen leaned against his elder brother. Only when the carriage had completely left the city’s boundary did he ask, “That token?”

 

Ji Jue didn’t hide anything, but he didn’t say much either. He just said concisely, “It’s been planned for many months. There are still loyal and righteous people in court.”

 

Ji Zhen gazed at his elder brother’s chiseled jawline and said in a low voice, “The journey these past few months must have been long. Gege has lost a lot of weight. You must have suffered a lot. I heard that you had contracted the plague the other day. If not for Xiao Moli visiting me with the jade bracelet, I would have thought it was true already.” His eyes were red. “Where is Xiao Moli now?”

 

“I’ve arranged for him to be temporarily settled in the countryside.” Ji Jue took a beautifully designed emerald cufflink from his pocket. “He asked me to give this to you.”

 

Ji Zhen took it and found it very familiar. After a moment of thought, he remembered it belonged to Jiang Yunyu. He was stunned.

 

When he was sixteen, he and Jiang Yunyu had a small argument at Huangyin Tower. While they were playing around, Jiang Yunyu lost a cufflink. What was strange was that no matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t find it. Because of this, Jiang Yunyu pretended to be angry with him for two days. He never would have thought that Xiao Moli had picked it up.

 

Ji Zhen silently put the cufflink away and said seriously, “I’ll make sure to deliver it to him.”

 

Seeing that his elder brother kept looking at the scar on his neck, Ji Zhen was reminded of the terrifying experience at the Third Prince Mansion. Not wanting his elder brother to worry, he instinctively covered the mark with his hand and said quietly, “It’s nothing serious…”

 

Fortunately, his elder brother didn’t ask any more questions.

 

Ji Jue told Ji Zhen that they were heading to the Northern Desert and would meet up with Jiang Yunyu, after which they would act according to the situation. But Ji Zhen knew that his elder brother had long had a plan. He also vaguely sensed that the Crown Prince’s faction was on the verge of a comeback.

 

He suddenly remembered Jiang Yunyu’s words in the abandoned temple, “Help the Crown Prince usurp the throne,” and his heart pounded fiercely, his palms becoming clammy.

 

If that were the case, he would follow his elder brother to the death. Whether they succeeded or failed, he would never back down.

 

The group was disguised as a merchant caravan, with five people traveling on either side. After traveling for about half an hour, a scout from the back galloped over. “Lord Ji, someone is catching up about five li away.”

 

In an instant, Shen Yanqing’s face appeared before Ji Zhen’s eyes. The last time they were in the suburbs, when he wanted to go to the Northern Desert with Jiang Yunyu, Shen Yanqing had also stopped him just like this.

 

Ji Jue remained calm. “How many people are there?”

 

The scout replied, “Just one.”

 

Even Ji Zhen found it hard to believe and couldn’t help but glance back.

 

“My Lord, should we kill him?”

 

Ji Zhen’s pupils moved, and he lowered his head to look at his tightly clasped hands on his lap.

 

Ji Jue patted his hand reassuringly and said, “Just keep going.”

 

A carriage carrying people and goods was no match for a swift horse. Less than two quarters of an hour later, Ji Zhen heard the followers outside draw their blades with a metallic screech, and the wheels of the carriage stopped rolling.

 

He heard Shen Yanqing’s low voice. “Lord Ji, it’s been a while.”

 

Ji Jue looked at the tightly pressed lips of Ji Zhen, lifted the curtain, and stepped out.

 

Shen Yanqing’s face was stern. When he saw Ji Jue, his brow furrowed deeply. He then stared intensely at the fully covered carriage, seemingly determined to go forward no matter what.

 

A guard raised his blade to block Shen Yanqing.

 

Ji Jue raised his hand. “Shen Yanqing, I came back to the capital today to take Zhen Zhen with me. He doesn’t want to stay in the capital.”

 

Shen Yanqing gripped his Wild Goose Feather Sword, swallowing the ache in his throat. “I want to see Ji Zhen.”

 

“He doesn’t want to see you.”

 

As if he couldn’t understand, Shen Yanqing closed his eyes, raised his sword, and began to fight with the highly skilled guards. He was already at his limit, weakened by his illness and the exhaustion of his journey. Yet, driven solely by his longing to see Ji Zhen, he swung his sword.

 

Amidst the clang of steel, a sharp blade sliced through his sleeve. In an instant, blood soaked half of his arm. His face was covered in a cold sweat, yet he seemed not to feel the pain, dismantling the moves of his opponent with a murderous intent. His voice was no longer clear but hoarse, as if he had swallowed crushed stones. “Ji Zhen, come out and see me!”

 

Inside the carriage, Ji Zhen listened to the sounds of the fight and Shen Yanqing’s desperate calls and painfully covered his ears.

 

This should be the end of it.

 

Ji Zhen’s teeth ached from clenching so hard. Suddenly, he drew back the curtain and stepped into the daylight.

 

In the swirling dust, he saw Shen Yanqing’s deathly pale face, his hair disheveled. The hand holding the sword trembled slightly, and thick blood ran down his fingertips, over the blade, and dripped into the soft ground.

 

The moment Ji Zhen appeared, Shen Yanqing’s focus broke. A fierce sword strike came at him, and he was too late to dodge. His hair ornament was cut off, and his neatly tied ink-black hair fell half over his body, making him look wretched.

 

A faint, rusty smell hung in the air. Shen Yanqing took two slow steps toward Ji Zhen.

 

Ji Zhen’s pupils trembled. His hands hidden in his sleeves were numb from clenching. After several deep breaths, he said with a mix of sorrow and determination, “Shen Yanqing, let me go.”

 

Shen Yanqing’s body stiffened, and he froze in place.

 

It was exactly as the poem said: “From the distant ridge comes a cry. Being apart from you, my heart sheds a river of tears.”

 

The author has something to say:

Zhen Zhen: Yan Zi[mfn]“Yan” here means goose, it was also the “Yan” in Shen Yanqing’s name, probably a nickname Ji Zhen gave him[/mfn], will we ever meet again? Yan Zi, there is no more me in your world, but it’s alright, you have to find happiness on your own!