"It's not my cat," ChengSangJY said flatly as he appeared at the doorway.
ChengSangMo turned to see his brother standing there, looking more gaunt than ever. The sunlight streaming in from behind him cast a long shadow on the floor, emphasizing his frail frame. Even though his clothes weren't particularly loose, it was evident how his shoulder blades jutted out prominently. The black belt around his waist highlighted how thin he had become.
The little kitten, noticing someone new had arrived, jumped off ChengSangMo's shoulder and scampered off towards the back hall.
"What brings you here today, brother?" ChengSangJY asked, no longer addressing him as MoLan Prince.
ChengSangMo observed him for a long moment, thinking to himself, "In just a few days, JY's eyes have lost their usual light, his expression is even more somber, and there's a pervasive sense of melancholy and coldness about him."
"My caravan just returned from outside the city and brought back some fine stones. I picked out a few to bring to you. If you like any of them, I can have them carved and sent over," ChengSangMo said, gesturing to the boxes beside him.
ChengSangJY walked over without a word and looked at the stones. They were indeed the types and colors he usually favored.
"How do you like them?" ChengSangMo asked.
ChengSangJY's face remained impassive. He simply nodded and said, "I like them."
Hearing that JY liked the stones, ChengSangMo smiled in relief. He walked over and pointed to the stones, saying, "I'll have them carved for you then. What would you like? Seals? Paperweights? How about this one for a teacup? And this one, it's amethyst."
"A bracelet," ChengSangJY said quietly, looking at the amethyst.
"A bracelet?" ChengSangMo was momentarily taken aback but quickly understood why JY wanted a bracelet. He nodded immediately, "Alright, a bracelet it is."
JY nodded without a change in his expression. In the past, such an attentive gesture from ChengSangMo would have delighted him for days, but now, he felt nothing. It was as if everything was happening to someone else, and he was merely going through the motions.
"Is there anything else, brother?" ChengSangJY suddenly asked.
ChengSangMo was taken aback, momentarily lost for words. He awkwardly responded, "No, nothing else."
"If there's nothing else, I'll return to my study. Please make yourself at home," JY said, bowing slightly before turning to leave.
"JY," ChengSangMo called out suddenly.
JY stopped and turned, bowing again, "Is there anything else, brother?"
ChengSangMo frowned, puzzled by JY's coldness. He realized that JY wasn't just cold to him but had distanced himself from everyone, even ShangGuanCY, who had always cared for him deeply. He didn't like seeing JY like this and said, "JY, you must know that no one will blame you for being close to me now."
The implication was clear. With XiaoRui gone, no one would scold JY for his actions, and ChengSangMo himself wouldn't be implicated by their closeness. There was no need for JY to be so strict with himself.
JY stood still, eyes downcast, his face void of any emotion, like a wooden post. ChengSangMo's words didn't stir a single ripple in his gaze.
ChengSangMo, unable to bear this indifference, reached out and grabbed JY's thin arms, shaking him gently. His eyes filled with concern and a hint of desperation, he said, "JY, it's all over. Everything has ended. You can be yourself now. Do whatever you want. No one will blame you or punish you or intimidate you anymore. Never again."
JY's body, so thin it seemed like a late autumn leaf, swayed lightly in ChengSangMo's grasp. His jawline was sharper than before, his cheekbones more pronounced, his face paler. His eyes remained downcast, dark and cold like stones in the moonlight.
ChengSangMo looked at JY's current state, unable to comprehend why JY, who had been treated so poorly by XiaoRui, would torture himself over her death.
"JY, don't you understand? I endured for years, deliberately distancing myself from you, hoping that one day you would be free. I wanted you to live like other people, to raise flowers, birds, and kittens, to buy the books you liked, to carve to your heart's content, or to travel outside the palace. Anything you wanted. I wanted you to be happy, to live like an ordinary child without constantly walking on eggshells, without living in fear and strict rules. Don't you understand?"
JY turned his head slowly, his eyes still devoid of emotion, his voice cold and calm as he asked, "Endured? Distanced? An ordinary child's life? So, this is why you killed my mother?"
ChengSangMo's pupils contracted sharply. His hands froze mid-air, and he felt as if the blood had drained from his body. He took a step back, struggling to control his breathing, his eyes wide with shock. After a long moment, he managed to stammer, "What?"
JY finally lifted his head, his eyes colder and more mature than ever before. Staring straight at ChengSangMo, he repeated, "Did you kill my mother because you thought she restricted my freedom?"
ChengSangMo pointed at himself in disbelief, asking, "You think I killed XiaoRui?"
JY's expression remained indifferent as he nodded slightly, then looked up at ChengSangMo again, his eyes filled with sadness and doubt, "Isn't that so? Whether it was you or ShangGuanCY, what does it matter? My mother was just a pawn in your political struggle. Now that the greatest power in the court has been removed, who's next? Is it me?"
ChengSangMo finally understood why JY had been so indifferent. To JY, he was just another pawn in a power struggle, an inevitable sacrifice. That realization pained ChengSangMo deeply.
"No, JY, it's not like that," ChengSangMo said, desperately trying to find the right words. He wanted to explain the complex situation, but he didn't know where to start. All he could do was reach out to JY, trying to comfort him, but his hand stopped mid-air. The person before him was both familiar and strange—familiar in appearance, yet foreign in the coldness of his eyes.
ChengSangMo's eyes reddened slightly. His years of patience and planning had been misunderstood by the one person he most wanted to protect. Now, JY might be the one who hated him the most in this world.
"霁云, the situation isn't what you think it is," ChengSangMo pleaded, clinging to his last hope of explanation.
ChengSangJY suddenly lifted his face, his lips curled into a bitter smile. The expression on his face shifted from sadness to anger as he gritted his teeth and lowered his voice to ask, "The way I see it? What does my esteemed brother think I see? What I see is a bloodthirsty massacre to silence dissent; what I see is a selfish desire for the throne; what I see is a power struggle I once loathed, reducing me to a motherless, father-rejected outcast, the laughingstock of the entire capital. I may not be involved in politics, but I, ChengSangJY, am no fool. What exactly are you fighting for? This title of Crown Prince, this heir apparent position—you can have it if you want. Why go through such elaborate schemes?"
ChengSangJY's voice grew increasingly agitated, eventually escalating to a furious roar. Tears uncontrollably streamed down his face, each drop striking ChengSangMo's heart like a hammer.
"JY, what's wrong?"
Hearing the commotion, LinHuaichu and LiLuoning hurried over, arriving just in time to see the two princes facing off in the room.
ChengSangMo hadn't expected JY's emotions to be so intense, nor had he anticipated such accusations. Seeing the others arrive, he quickly concealed his sorrow, composed himself, and said, "The Crown Prince must be tired. I'll visit another day." With that, he walked past JY without sparing a glance for LinHuaichu and LiLuoning, and swiftly left.
ChengSangJY's body trembled slightly. Closing his eyes in distress, he felt as though his heart was being weighed down by molten gold, searing and unbearably heavy.
"JY, what's going on? Why were you two arguing? Are you crying?" LinHuaichu asked, concerned, as he approached.
"It's nothing." JY quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, feigning composure. He seemed eager to change the subject and asked, "Huaichu, I recently went out with Zhiyue and met a new friend named Cui Yi."
LinHuaichu nodded, replying, "I've heard from the teacher. He even sent an invitation to the Lin residence a few days ago, inviting us to a housewarming banquet. I brought the invitation for you this morning and left it in your study."
JY forced a smile, his voice gentle, "Come with me. I'll introduce you."
"Sure! Teacher, why don't you join us, and we can invite Zhiyue too," LinHuaichu suggested excitedly.
LiLuoning, initially worried about JY, felt reassured seeing his initiative to socialize. Smiling, he shook his head and said, "I have some matters to attend to, so I won't join you this time. Introduce us later. Zhiyue has received the invitation too. I'll make sure she joins you."
A few days later,
The carriage slowly came to a halt. LinHuaichu was the first to alight, followed by JY and Huazhiyue. Cui Yi stood at the gate, welcoming the arriving guests.
"Cui Residence, sounds like 'debt collection'," LinHuaichu remarked, glancing at the plaque above the gate with a playful grin.
"Don't talk nonsense. That's his surname. What else could it be called?" Huazhiyue retorted.
Standing between them, JY smiled lightly and looked up to see Cui Yi approaching.
"JY, Zhiyue, thank you both for gracing my humble abode," Cui Yi greeted with a formal bow.
JY returned the bow, saying, "Today is your housewarming celebration. Zhiyue and I wouldn't miss it for the world. This is LinHuaichu, the second son of the Lin family, whom I mentioned."
Cui Yi turned to LinHuaichu, bowing again, "So this is LinHuaichu. I've heard much about you. They say, 'Like father, like son.' Indeed, you are impressive."
LinHuaichu, basking in the compliment, beamed and returned the gesture, "Cui Yi, you're too kind. We brought some small gifts, a token of our esteem." He motioned to a servant who carried over two boxes stacked together.
"The smaller one on top is from me. The larger one underneath is from JY," LinHuaichu explained, pointing to the gifts.
A steward stepped forward to accept the boxes. Cui Yi expressed his gratitude repeatedly, guiding the guests into the residence. "Thank you, thank you. Please, come inside. I'll have the steward show you around. Most of today's guests are business associates, but after the banquet, I've prepared a special meal for us to enjoy together."
At Zhuyuan, the steward reported,
"Master MuJinling, there's someone at the gate seeking an audience."
MuJinling, seemingly expecting the visitor, had already prepared tea on the table. Without asking further, he instructed, "Let them in," and tapped his pipe on the side of the table rhythmically. "Everyone else, leave until the lanterns are lit."
As soon as he finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent, only the faint sound of footsteps drawing closer.
"You're finally here, uncle," MuJinling said as he slowly turned around.
LiLuoning stood there, composed, and asked, "So, you are indeed Zhiyue's child."
"I am my mother's son. What's so strange about that? You knew from the first time we met," MuJinling replied, gesturing for LiLuoning to sit.
"You knew from the beginning," LiLuoning noted, surprised that MuJinling had been aware of his identity from their first meeting.
MuJinling shrugged, twirling his pipe and said, "The skills of ZhuYue Pavilion aren't unknown to you, uncle. After all, you were supposed to inherit the position of Pavilion Master. How did you end up as a teacher, then a Grand Tutor here? Should I call you Grand Tutor Li, Sima Sacrificial Wine, or by your true name, Li Lanxing?"
Li Lanxing was LiLuoning's real name, once renowned alongside his sister, Jiang Zhiyue, who could alter destiny, and Li Lanxing, who had a unique sense for rare treasures. After Jiang Zhiyue inherited the northern ZhuYue Pavilion, Li Lanxing vanished. Some said he left out of jealousy, but it was actually a plan they had made together: she would take over the pavilion, and he would start a new life under a different name.
Seeing that MuJinling had uncovered all these truths, LiLuoning decided to be straightforward, "What do you know about the Crown Prince's matter?"
MuJinling intertwined his fingers under his chin, pretending to ponder deeply before replying, "It's hard to say. It could be a lot, or it could be nothing at all. Where does uncle want me to start?"
Uncertain whether MuJinling was a friend or foe, LiLuoning at least knew that he didn't intend to harm ChengSangJY, given how thoroughly he had investigated LiLuoning's identity. If MuJinling had any ill intentions, he would have acted by now.
LiLuoning looked at the tea in his hands, his fingers gently rubbing the cup's edge, and said, "Then start with your mother's death."
At the Cui residence, the steward left after guiding the guests around.
A troupe had been invited to perform for entertainment. LinHuaichu and Huazhiyue went to watch the show, while JY, disliking crowds, wandered alone through the estate, intending to deliver the sutra to Cui Yi's study.
"Hey, have you heard? The top courtesan from Drunken Immortal Pavilion was bought by Prince ShangGuanCY and is now kept in a villa outside the city," one maid said, gossiping as they cleaned a room.
Passing by, JY stopped, intrigued by the mention of ShangGuanCY.
"Oh, that's why Prince ShangGuanCY hasn't married all these years. Turns out he likes men," an older maid commented.
"That's not it. I heard that MuJinling is the son of the former Minister of Personnel, MuJinXB. He and Prince ShangGuanCY knew each other from childhood. After MuJinling's family was executed, Prince ShangGuanCY saved him, making him the sole survivor of the MuJin family," another maid argued.
"MuJinXB..." JY thought for a moment, finding the name familiar.
"Speaking of the MuJin family, MuJinXB's wife was extraordinarily beautiful. Even the notoriously domineering Empress XiaoRui admired her. When Empress XiaoRui was pregnant, she was very irritable, but would calm down in MuJinXB's wife's presence, so she kept her in the palace for a year until the little prince was born," another maid whispered.
"And Empress XiaoRui was impressive too. It's said that she suffered a severe illness in her youth, with blood all over the Xiao residence. Everyone thought she wouldn't survive, yet she still bore a child for the royal family. Most women wouldn't be able to conceive after such an injury. She must have endured great hardship to give birth to the Crown Prince. No wonder she passed away so young," an older maid sighed.
When Empress XiaoRui was killed, ChengSangKing declared she had died of sudden illness, giving her a proper burial as empress to
save face for the royal family. The public remained unaware of the hidden seal or her suicide. This was ChengSangKing's final gesture of respect for her.
"My mother must have suffered greatly to give birth to me," JY thought, feeling a surge of guilt and sorrow.
"JY, what are you doing here?" Just then, Cui Yi, having seen off other guests, walked by and noticed JY standing there.
JY turned, awkwardly raising his hand in explanation, "Big brother, I wanted to deliver this sutra to your study, but your estate is so large I got lost."
As he spoke, JY handed the sutra to Cui Yi. Initially, he intended to include it in the housewarming gift, but Zhiyue felt that combining a celebratory gift with a funeral scripture was inauspicious, so JY brought it separately to give directly to Cui Yi.
"You're very thoughtful, JY." Cui Yi accepted the sutra, casually flipping through it when an envelope fell out.
JY picked up the fallen letter and exclaimed, "This... this is my mother's handwriting."
At ShangGuan's residence, ShangGuanCY was discussing matters with a court official when there was a knock on the door.
"Master, a new batch of Cloud Abyss Four Treasures has arrived." This was a code, indicating news about ChengSangJY.
"Understood." ShangGuanCY excused himself from the official, quickly making his way out of the study.
"What happened?" ShangGuanCY asked in a low voice.
The informant's words caused ShangGuanCY's expression to turn tense. He asked urgently, "Where is he now?"