Chapter 53

Chao Yan withdrew his hand and said to Meng Zhao, "Commander Ning should be back soon."

Meng Zhao said, "Commander Ning wasn't serving at Your Highness's side? How does he perform his duties?"

Chao Yan said, "I sent him and the men under him out to search for a snake."

"A snake?" Gu Jun looked at Chao Yan, his eyes full of surprise.

Chao Yan said, "When Commander Ning and I went to the apothecary, I heard the shop owner's son had acquired a yellow python with red stripes, with a large bump growing on its head. I found it rather interesting and thought it might be an auspicious omen. I thought if I presented it to my Imperial Father, he might be pleased, and perhaps his illness would improve. Many ailments stem from the mind. I asked the owner to see the snake, but unexpectedly, the snake escaped from its box.

"Judging from the tracks on the mud, it hadn't been gone long, so I sent them to search for it.

"Later, the shop owner's son came back to inform us that the snake had been found in a water channel. I was just about to go to the channel when he mentioned that when he passed by the courier station on his way back, he heard a commotion inside. I guessed something had happened, so I rushed back. Midway, I met our men; indeed, something had happened."

Chao Yan furrowed his brow, then quickly relaxed it.

"It's good that everyone is unharmed. I've already ordered people to search the surrounding area. We must capture that bandit and cut him into a thousand pieces!"

Meng Zhao said, "The rain is heavy. I fear it will be difficult to catch them. Your Highness, if today's search finds no one, let's leave it be. Returning to the capital is the priority. Before we set out, I already heard some rumors." Having said this, he glanced at Gu Jun.

Chao Yan lowered his fingers to feel the teapot's body, lifted the teapot, and handed it to Gu Jun, saying, "Go out and ask someone to change the pot of tea. The tea has gone cold."

Gu Jun thought: If you didn't want me to hear, you could just tell me to go out directly. Why go through this roundabout way? Gu Jun took the teapot, turned, and went out.

Chao Yan lightly tapped the armrest of the chair. His gaze fell on Meng Zhao, and he said, "Speak."

Meng Zhao said, "In the capital, rumors have spread saying your injury is worsening day by day and that you may not have much time left. The various princes, suppressed by His Majesty, are not allowed to visit. They've been making small moves in private. I hear they are uniting with closely allied princes and high ministers to jointly petition, demanding you come out and take a walk to dispel the rumors in the capital and reassure the people. My father told me that the rumor was very likely spread by Prince Yan. He has suspected from the start that something happened to you and is always goading the Second Prince and the Sixth Prince to violate the imperial decree and enter the Eastern Palace to visit you."

Chao Yan, upon hearing this, laughed quietly.

Meng Zhao looked at him, puzzled.

Chao Yan stopped laughing and said, "The capital is truly chaotic. Very well, let's do as you say and return to the capital soon. Don't let these troublesome matters entangle our hands and feet."

Meng Zhao said, "Your Highness is wise."

Chao Yan said, "You and I both sustained blade injuries. You keep using those medicines of mine for now. When I left, I already ordered the shop owner's son to pack up the medicines we prepared and deliver them here."

Meng Zhao expressed his thanks and added that the lady had already sent over some of the medicines you use.

"That's good then." Chao Yan was unstinting in his praise, "He is always thoughtful, putting my mind at ease."

Meng Zhao lowered his head, quietly echoing in agreement.

Chao Yan stood up and said, "Sanlang, rest well. I'll take my leave first."

Meng Zhao, sitting on the bed, raised his hand slightly and said, "This subject respectfully bids Your Highness farewell."

Gu Jun had already gotten someone to change the tea. He held a tray with the teapot, standing outside watching the situation. If Chao Yan didn't call him in, he wouldn't enter.

Chao Yan came out and glanced coolly at the attendant standing to the side.

Gu Jun observed his expression. Sensing he was about to reprimand the attendant, he quickly freed a hand to pull him over, simultaneously handing the tray to the attendant, gesturing for him to deliver it inside.

"I figured you wouldn't be talking for long, so for convenience, I held it myself. It's nothing to do with them," Gu Jun explained.

Chao Yan pulled him along, walking out of the small courtyard. He said, "Have you not had enough suffering?"

Gu Jun paused briefly before reacting. He said calmly, "I am not nobler than them."

Chao Yan said, "You are my person."

Gu Jun said, "Not yet, Crown Prince!"

He retorted, then felt it was wrong; he shouldn't have. Pressing his lips together, he proactively grasped the other's hand, trying to divert the topic so the other wouldn't pursue the crime of talking back.

"How big was that python exactly?"

The rain pattered sparsely onto the umbrella surface. In the pitter-pattering sounds, Chao Yan halted his steps. He took the plain umbrella Gu Jun had just opened from his hand, lowered his eyes, and quietly looked at him.

Gu Jun thought: This is bad. His mind raced, trying to avoid this disaster.

The other party preempted him, opening his mouth to say, "Where did you grow up? You are different from anyone I've ever met."

Gu Jun's gaze wavered for a moment. He said, "I grew up just here, in the Xuan Dynasty. I'm different from them, probably because since childhood, I've had some whimsical thoughts. I think all people should be equal..."

Chao Yan dismissed the attendants following behind them and interrupted his words with a gentle tone, "Ruler and subject, father and son, superior and inferior, noble and base, rich and poor—each stratum should abide by propriety and law. Propriety and law are the order of heaven and earth. If lost, yin and yang become imbalanced, and the state's foundations become unstable."

So annoying, so annoying, so annoying.

"...", but actually letting his mind go blank, letting it in one ear and out the other.

Chao Yan stared at him for a moment, then said helplessly, "Can you tell me why you don't agree with propriety and law? Is it because the current court is too corrupt?"

Gu Jun thought: If I told you, you'd treat me like a demon. Gu Jun... "changed, but my hair hasn't dried yet. Come quickly, I'll wipe your hair for you."

Chao Yan quietly agreed.

Arriving at the destination, Chao Yan closed the umbrella and handed it to an attendant... side. His fingers, like snow-white segments of scallions... hand... a well-proportioned, fine-boned look.

He reached out to grab them, but the other party walked inside. His hand brushed past the other's hand, only managing to grasp a piece of supple, smooth clothing.

He suddenly had a feeling that the other party was very far away from him.

A beautiful, intelligent being—was he unworthy of possessing it? If he was unworthy, who else in the world was worthy?

"What's wrong?" Gu Jun noticed his action and turned his head back to look.

Chao Yan's expression was heavy. He said, "Step back."

Gu Jun was puzzled. After hesitating for a few moments, he slowly retreated backward.

Chao Yan released his sleeve and extended his hand towards him.

Gu Jun looked at him, then looked at himself. He raised his hand, like a cat pawing open a flower, spreading his five fingers and pressing them onto the other's palm. After a moment, he slid them into the gaps between the other's fingers and gently clasped his hand.

Gu Jun looked up and saw the damn Crown Prince's expression go from cloudy to clear, revealing a trace of a smile.

"Very obedient," the damn Crown Prince said, firmly fastening his hand around his and pulling him inside. "When you arrive at the Eastern Palace, you don't need to be constrained. Treat it as your own home."

.

After the two returned to the courtyard, Meng Zhao ordered someone to bring a kang table. On the table were spread the four treasures of the study. His personal attendant ground the ink. Meng Zhao lifted the brush, dipped it in ink, pondered for a few breaths, and set the characters down on the paper. Once written, he used a ruler to cut away the blank portions of the paper, carefully rolled it up, stuffed it into a thin, short bamboo tube, sealed it, and handed it to his personal attendant.

"Send it to the township association hall. They have messenger pigeons there that can send it to the Prime Minister's residence."

The personal attendant took it and hurriedly left.

Meng Zhao leaned against a pillow and lay down, looking at the ceiling, muttering to himself.

"Who exactly wants to kill me?"

"Who wants to kill you?"

By now it was the next day. The rain had lessened significantly, like fine ox hair.

Chao Yan had not taken that carriage but was riding a horse. As he rode along, he slowed his pace, came to the left side of the carriage where Meng Zhao was, and asked casually.

Meng Zhao was injured and temporarily couldn't ride a horse, so today he was riding in a carriage. This wasn't the carriage they had purchased when they set out, but one provided by the courier station. Its level of comfort was comparable to the one they had purchased.

Hearing this, Meng Zhao lifted the carriage curtain completely, cupped his hands in salute, and said, "Young Sir, my foolish mutterings have reached your ears and truly sullied them."

The horses clip-clopped along. Chao Yan smiled and said, "Sanlang, if that mouth of yours isn't treated for three days, it will be beyond fixing. Commander Ning, just listen to him—what kind of talk is this?"

Commander Ning was leading the way ahead. Hearing this, he said, "Young Sir, Sanlang, I'm just a rough fellow—I truly don't understand what you're saying!"

"Commander Ning, don't play dumb," Chao Yan said.

Ning Fu chuckled heartily.

Chao Yan joked for a moment, then said to Meng Zhao, "Sanlang, you've always been clever. How come you're the one confused now?"

"I don't understand. I request Young Sir to clarify," Meng Zhao said.

Chao Yan gently shook his head and said, "You serve as the Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review. How many people have you tried? How many have you offended? Do you still remember?"

Meng Zhao said, "Countless."

Chao Yan said, "Yet some people, though convicted and sentenced, remain in the capital. These people see you, the chief culprit, alive and kicking. How could they let it go? This time, your departure from the capital on official business gave them just the opportunity." He paused here and gave a derisive laugh. "They are also stupid. Had they injured me, you would never have escaped blame." Finishing, he flicked the whip and urged his horse forward.

He came beside Gu Jun's carriage, lifted the curtain, glanced inside. Seeing the person was asleep, he gently secured the wide-open curtain and went to the front of the convoy.

Meng Zhao, left behind, thought carefully about Chao Yan's words. After pondering for a moment, something occurred to him, and his gaze turned slightly cold.

.

Setting off before dawn and resting only late at night, eight days after leaving Zhuyang County, they finally arrived at the capital.