The chaotic voices stopped abruptly.
All eyes focused on Murong Yi at once.
Murong Yi felt his throat constrict, as if he were back to that banquet many years ago, when all eyes turned to him in that moment—that drowning sensation of suffocation returned.
Oppression, anger, flickering lights and shadows, everything hazy.
Consort Baoxiang’s somewhat shrill voice pursued him again: “Speak!”
From his seat above, Prince Da’an stared at that nearly perfect face, his eyes flickering slightly, and raised his chin to indicate he should speak.
Murong Yi spread his hands with a look of difficulty and embarrassment.
The brothers around him stared at him—some with amusement, some with cold smiles, some expressionless, some with burning gazes.
Prince Da’an waited a while. The faint smile in his eyes showed no suspicion as he looked at Consort Baoxiang with gentle good humor and said, “Lady Wang, don’t tease Little Sixteen. How could he understand these things?”
Consort Baoxiang struggled for a long moment before saying with difficulty, “Great Prince, this is your eighteenth son, your youngest son. This concubine’s surname is Sun.”
Prince Da’an showed no embarrassment, paused quietly and said, “This Prince remembers you as an honest person, but today you seem to be boasting.”
Consort Baoxiang’s scalp exploded with fear. She quickly left her seat, grabbed Murong Yi’s sleeve, and said in a low voice, “You speak, speak! I know you understand how to answer! Don’t just think about getting revenge on me! If Father Prince gets angry, none of us can handle it!”
Mu Si stood by the door, wishing he could stick out his foot in a twist and kick her to death. Murong Yi looked down at his mother’s face, taut with nervousness, and suddenly remembered another similar but aged face, thinking of that person’s kindness and earnest instructions before departure. Finally he silently softened his shoulders.
He smiled and peeled Consort Baoxiang off his arm, then said to Prince Da’an, “Father Prince, Mother Consort loves her son dearly and always thinks everything about her son is good. But you understand what I’m capable of—how could I have any insights? It’s just that since we owe someone gratitude, morally we’re already three parts weaker. For ordinary people, being in a weak position doesn’t matter, but a Prince must be a moral exemplar—otherwise how can he govern Liaodong with benevolent and virtuous policies? Yet we absolutely cannot let gratitude override law and principle—otherwise how can we control Liaodong with legal statutes?”
Fourth Prince Murong Xin snorted coldly, “Still the same empty words as the rest of us.”
“Not at all, not at all. You’re too kind.” Murong Yi replied.
An advisor behind Fourth Prince quietly tugged at him.
When your mouth can’t compete, why drag things out?
Murong Yi then said to Prince Da’an, who seemed not to have seen this exchange, “Your son suddenly remembered something from childhood. The Grand Minister’s favorite subordinate Tuhun committed a capital crime. But Tuhun had once carried the Grand Minister out of Western Rong’s Ice Hell Cave—it was a life-and-death bond. How this matter was finally handled, your son only heard teachers mention the background, but forgot the outcome. Does Father Prince still remember?”
The whole hall fell silent.
This matter was very long ago, but once mentioned, everyone remembered.
The Grand Minister, that is Qiu Wujiu, was Liaodong’s Chancellor. Not long after the Tuhun incident came to light, the Grand Minister found Tuhun’s wife and son who had been separated for many years since leaving their Western Rong homeland. After going through enormous hardships to bring them back, he brought them to the prison to see Tuhun once.
That very night, Tuhun died with a smile by suicide.
This incident didn’t damage the Grand Minister’s reputation at all, and even left behind a beautiful tale of gratitude and friendship between kindred spirits.
To avoid owing someone a favor, use an even greater favor to cover it.
As for how such a greater favor so conveniently arrived when needed, that was something the parties involved understood in their hearts.
During their earlier meeting in the corridor, the old fox’s eyes had been sharp as knives, clearly already suspicious of him. Now was the critical period when he wanted to return to Western Rong—he might well use this suspicion to bargain with the Prince for his freedom.
Since Murong Yi had been forced to speak, he naturally had to block all possibilities first.
Providing the Prince with a way to counter Qiu Wujiu was one move; bringing up that the old incident had underhanded elements to make Prince Da’an wary of Qiu Wujiu’s scheming was another. This way, even if Qiu Wujiu told the Prince he suspected Murong Yi had a dual identity, the Prince might not believe it.
Before swords were even drawn, the killing had already begun on the battlefield.
The fingers that Prince Da’an had been tapping on his knee went from slow to fast then slowed again—this meant he was thinking. After a moment he smiled and said gently to Consort Baoxiang, “Don’t keep standing. Please sit.”
Joy exploded in Consort Baoxiang’s eyes. She looked at Murong Yi with satisfaction and gracefully returned to her seat.
Prince Da’an didn’t mention this matter further, continuing to discuss studies and family affairs as usual. Only today, because of Murong Yi’s answer, he specifically pulled out Murong Yi’s assignment from the very bottom.
Opening the title page—a vast white land, truly clean.
The corner of Prince Da’an’s eye twitched. He quickly flipped to the last page.
The back cover had a pig’s head drawn on it, bearing a striking resemblance to the teaching master.
Prince Da’an snapped the scroll shut with a slap and fixed his gaze on Murong Yi.
Murong Yi wore a look of panic and regret.
Prince Da’an stared at him for a long while but said nothing, tossed the assignment back, said “That’s all for today,” and got up to leave.
Everyone in the room stood to see him off. Murong Yi eagerly stepped forward to help him over the threshold. As he turned his face, Prince Da’an happened to see his pierced earlobe.
A flash of disgust passed through Prince Da’an’s eyes. He unobtrusively avoided Murong Yi’s hand and walked out on his own.
Murong Yi straightened up and, amid a room full of mocking gazes, smiled easily.
Author’s Note:
This is truly the book where the male and female leads meet latest, because of the setting—they simply can’t meet early. But it’s coming soon, and I can guarantee that after they meet, their scenes together will be really plentiful and sweet!