Jiang Yun slept restlessly tonight.
The dream was upside down and confusing. Sometimes it’s the beautiful palace with the sound of the zither. Sometimes it’s that low and gentle, “Does it still hurt?”
He had a rare dream of the palace, which was made of gold and jade, like a magnificent prison, and had a beautiful name like the Heavenly Moon Palace, the Guanghan Palace. At a young age, he eagerly awaited the end of his studies every day and sneaked outside the palace to listen to the zither. The palace attendants secretly say that the Empress is a demon who can use the sound of the zither to bewitch people and is a disaster star sent from heaven to the Jiang Empire.
But he knew that it was not the case. He had seen him through the window. He was very beautiful, elegant, and even had a fairy-like and noble appearance, reminiscent of the moon in the sky and the white snow on the mountains.
The palace attendants dare not approach this palace because those who approach will be executed by his Emperor Father. But he was not afraid because he misses his mother too much. Even if he has never hugged him or said a word to him, as long as he knows that his mother really exists, just in that palace, he also has his own mother like his elder brother, and he is satisfied.
The screen flipped, and he seemed to hear the gentle and deep “Does it still hurt?”
That was the first time he heard his voice and felt the strange feeling of being held by him.
That year, he fell seriously ill with a persistent high fever. Despite the efforts of the imperial physicians, they were unable to reduce his fever. As a young boy, he felt the approaching energy of death for the first time.
Drowsy and enduring the agony of ice and fire, he felt a pair of icy hands pick his body up, gently caressing the scars on his body and asking, “Does it still hurt?”
The sound was as pleasant as fairy music.
He miraculously broke his fever and woke up because he couldn’t wait to see his face and tell him that he missed him very much. But when he opened his eyes, there were only the anxious faces of the imperial physicians and palace attendants around him, not the figure he had been longing for.
The hands and the sound seemed to be just his illusion.
He was disappointed in his heart and refused to believe it. During his recovery period, he lay in bed, pretended to read, opened his eyes night and night until dawn, and drove all the palace attendants outside the palace, hoping to wait for him to come again. But he never appeared again.
Perhaps he never appeared from the beginning, it was just his illusion.
Despite recovering from his injuries, he still secretly ran outside the palace to listen to the zither. As long as he could hear the sound of the zither, it was certain that he was still in a corner of the palace, silently accompanying him, and he could still recover his spirits.
Because the Grand Tutor said that as the Crown Prince, he bears the responsibility of the country and the people of the world and cannot indulge in personal affairs. A Crown Prince who only misses his mother every day cannot achieve great success.
However, the scene in the dream eventually turned into that big fire.
He stood outside the burning hall with cold hands and feet, watching the palace guards rush frantically to extinguish the fire and seeing his emperor father rush into the sea of fire like a mad emperor. He felt something in his heart, just like the white jade palace, which was burned to ashes. He knew that he would never hear his zither again.
Jiang Yun woke up in a cold sweat, staring blankly at the top of the bed for a moment before realizing where he was.
There was a familiar smell of blood between his teeth, and he calmed down. When he opened his eyes, he realized that he was biting a finger between his teeth.
Shu Heng’s finger.
He tasted a salty taste on the tip of his tongue, and needless to say, he must have bitten him again.
Jiang Yun loosened his teeth and said, “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Sui Heng touched his forehead and wiped the sweat off it with an ice wrapped handkerchief. He asked, “You have a nightmare again?”
In Sui Heng’s eyes, Jiang Yun was now a fragile porcelain, and he was very worried that he would encounter new problems. Moreover, Jiang Yun’s love of nightmares was a problem that Sui Heng had discovered as early as when the two of them first met and fell off the cliff.
Although Sui Heng was not familiar with medical theory, he also understood that ordinary people could not have nightmares so frequently and produce intense reactions in their dreams.
The physical condition of his little lover was probably even worse than he imagined.
He really wished he could take him back to the Sui camp now, pamper him so well, and not let him suffer any more injustice or suffering.
Jiang Yun sat up, took the water handed over by Sui Heng, and took a sip.
The warm tea slid into his throat, making it much more comfortable.
He actually rarely dreams of his childhood anymore. Perhaps it was because he mentioned that dusty past in front of him tonight that he inexplicably had this dream.
“I’m fine.”
“Would you like to come over and take a nap?”
Jiang Yun noticed that the ice in the jade bowl had been used up, and while he slept, Sui Heng had been applying compresses to his face.
If someone treats him like this in the world, even the greatest injustice and sadness can be forgotten.
Moreover, he has long reconciled with everything in the past, without the sadness and grievances that only breed when he was young and helpless.
He can do whatever he wants with his own strength, including his own dowry.
Sui Heng said no, he was very energetic. Although he stayed up all night, his eyes were sharp and full of energy.
“Your mother was still in the Qi Kingdom now?”
Sui Heng suddenly asked a question.
Qi Kingdom.
Jiang Yun paused and shook his head.
“I’m not sure, maybe he has moved elsewhere.”
Seeing Sui Heng pondering, Jiang Yun was afraid that he would go crazy again and help him find his mother. He quickly said, “It was all because I was young and ignorant back then. He didn’t do anything wrong, he didn’t even know I had been there.”
“Moreover, if I could be more mature, I shouldn’t have rashly sought him out. He must have had a hard time evading my Emperor Father’s pursuit, and my impulsiveness could have put him back in danger.”
Sui Heng said, “You always think for others, can’t you think for yourself?”
Sui Heng actually wanted to ask, Don’t you feel aggrieved?
But as soon as these words were spoken, it was bound to involve his sad past again, and Sui Heng swallowed them back.
Jiang Yun naturally knew what he meant and said, “When I was a kid, I feel aggrieved, but now, I won’t anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because I met someone who liked me and was kind to me. He liked me more than anyone else.”
Sui Heng’s heart pounded.
He deliberately asked, “Who did you meet? How come Gu doesn’t know?”
Jiang Yun put down his tea cup and said, “Your Highness, come over. I’ll tell Your Highness quietly.”
“……”
But Sui Heng was happy to play this game with him, so he really leaned in.
“Speak up, Gu is listening.”
A pair of hands gently climbed up his neck with a unique warm and soft touch.
Jiang Yun whispered in his ear, “Because I have met Your Highness.”
“Your Highness will always spoil and indulge me in the future, right?”
Sui Heng had a loud bang in his mind, and his heart was about to jump out of his throat.
In this world, there is nothing more satisfying and joyful than mutual affection.
He felt as sweet as honey in his heart and said, “Really shameless.”
Jiang Yun pestered him, “I’m happy.”
But Sui Heng quickly became wary and said, “You shouldn’t be playing any tricks or schemes against Gu again, right?”
Jiang Yun gently raised his eyes and said, “My conspiracies and schemes cannot be concealed from Your Highness. Even if I escape to the ends of the world, won’t I still be caught back by Your Highness?”
“Good that you know.”
Sui Heng was once again blown away.
Then he said, “But Gu won’t forgive you for lying to Gu before. When things are over here, Gu will make sure to set the rules for you properly.”
Jiang Yun kissed him once.
“Then Your Highness can’t be too harsh.”
Sui Heng put on a cold and ruthless expression. “If it’s not harsh, how can you remember?”
“Don’t worry, this time Gu will make you too ashamed to even see your advisors and generals.”
After embracing each other for a moment, Jiang Yun asked, “How has our little one been lately? Have you taken good care of him?”
Sui Heng said sourly, “Don’t worry, with my Emperor Father personally taking care of him, there won’t be any problem. Now, my Emperor Father only has that little thing in his eyes. While me, this son was like being picked up on the roadside.”
Jiang Yun couldn’t help but smile.
Sui Heng admired his smiling face.
He thought to himself, If he can see him smile like this every day from now on, he’ll do more than just spoil him, he was afraid that he’d want to worship him as if he were an ancestor.
He has to thank Jiang’s family for being stupid and allowing him to pick up such a rare treasure.
That night, Emperor Jiang also woke up in a dream.
He dreamed of the assassination again, it was the surging assassins and a piercing “Emperor Father.”
He had a splitting headache and sweat all over his forehead while sitting inside the bed curtains.
Liu Gong lightly handed over a cup of hot tea and invited him to drink it.
Emperor Jiang ordered him to open the window, and the cold and piercing night wind from the north entered the hall, blowing away his cold sweat and making Emperor Jiang sober up a lot.
Emperor Jiang has been seriously ill these years and often wakes up in his sleep.
Liu Gong dared not ask about the content of the Emperor’s dream, but he vaguely guessed that it was inseparable from some old events. Everyone thought that His Majesty had come for King Chu, but Liu Gong knew that Emperor Jiang had received news of the fall of the beacon tower and rushed to Muyun Pass overnight. In the month when the Crown Prince fell off the cliff and disappeared, His Majesty was also like this. He often woke up in the middle of the night and sent all the Silver Clothes Guards to the border of the Chen Kingdom.
“Zhen dreamt of the hunting grounds that year.”
Emperor Jiang suddenly spoke up.
Liu Gong was taken aback for a moment, somewhat hesitant to answer.
“Wang Xiao told Zhen that the assassins’ arms have a Lindens tattoo.”
“Zhen really hates him too much. Zhen was obsessed and thought that those assassins, who must be related to him, would definitely not hurt the Crown Prince.”
“At that time, Zhen could have had the Silver Clothes Guards kill all those assassins, but Zhen didn’t.”
Emperor Jiang’s eyes lit up with fierce expression.
“Zhen wants to find him and bring him back!”
“Zhen deliberately let those assassins take the Crown Prince away, hoping to follow the clues and find his hiding place… But when Yun Er was really abducted, Zhen suddenly felt scared as Zhen looked at the empty Crown Prince’s carriage.”
“Zhen suddenly thought, ‘What if those assassins had nothing to do with him, or if the Lindens tattoo was just an accident?’ Zhen regretted it at the time.”
“Halfway through the tracking, the Silver Clothes Guards suddenly lost track of the assassins, and Yun Er. Zhen was really panicked, really panicked…”
Emperor Jiang tightly clasped his knees and shirt, his knuckles turning white and veins bulging on the back of his hand. After many years, he could still clearly feel the pain in his heart.
These countless days and nights, the pain gradually turned into poisonous thorns, often piercing his heart repeatedly in the quiet night, stabbing his heart bloody.
“Your Majesty.”
Liu Gong quickly approached and grabbed Emperor Jiang’s hand.
With a trembling voice, he said, “Fortunately, His Little Highness has finally returned safely, hasn’t he?”
“Your Majesty, there is still a chance to compensate.”
“Compensate…”
Emperor Jiang murmured these two words.
Suddenly he said, “But today, Zhen couldn’t resist and hit him again. Zhen also said that Zhen would never love him, and will only love King Chu. Zhen even promoted King Chu.”
“He will definitely blame Zhen.”
“King Xian.” Emperor Jiang suddenly pursed his lips coldly and said, “What does that fool have anything to do with the word ‘Xian’? Pass on Zhen’s decree, abolish the title of King Xian, Jiang Lang, demote him back to King Chu.”
**
In a remote area outside the Sui army camp, the musician led a Daoist-like figure to Chen Qi.
Chen Qi stood with his hands on his back, completely concealed in a black cloak, and asked, “You know Zheng Xian?”
The Daoist nodded. “The humble and Zheng Xian entered the temple to practice at the same time and have been living in the same room. About a year and a half ago, he said he had an urgent matter to go out, and he never came back.”
Chen Qi said, “He’s already dead.”
The Daoist was taken aback, showing an expression of surprise and sadness.
“Sure enough, the humble had already advised him. Nowadays, the world is treacherous, so don’t go out and cause trouble. He just doesn’t listen and always fantasizes about getting rich and prosperous, just like those high-ranking officials, surrounded by servants…”
Chen Qi asked, “Did he give you anything before he left?”
The Daoist came all the way under the musician’s pressure, knowing that he had no choice, and said, “Before he left, he did hand over a letter to this humble, saying that the content of the letter involved his family and life, and that the humble must keep it properly.”
“Later on, when he disappeared, this humble was afraid, so this humble concealed the name and changed to another Daoist temple to practice. Unexpectedly…”
The Daoist glanced at the musician and said, “I was still found by the two nobles.”
Chen Qi said, “Stop talking nonsense. I’ll give you a lot of benefits. What about these things?”
