Chapter 27

Wen Biesang emerged from the pool and changed into a simple undergarment. The clothes had been prepared by Pang Qi, but they were not made of the exceptionally comfortable fabric from last time. Feeling a slight sense of regret, Wen Biesang put them on and poked his head out from behind the screen.

There was no one in sight.

He walked barefoot across the wooden floor, which was kept warm by the underground heating system, moving forward inch by inch. Pushing aside a hanging beaded curtain, he finally spotted the figure of Crown Prince Chengyun sitting on the long couch against the wall.

Wen Biesang pulled back, causing the beads to collide with a crisp, melodic sound.

The person on the couch did not react.

Clutching his dagger, Wen Biesang pondered his chances of a successful counter-kill should Gong Wuchang become enraged.

...They were close to zero.

He had managed to injure Gong Wuchang last time only because the man had been unaware he was carrying a weapon, and because he had fired the explosive projectiles at extremely close range. Even then, Gong Wuchang had still managed to dodge two of them. The final one, which he had aimed at the man's face, had only struck his shoulder, which was proof enough of the man’s formidable martial prowess.

"It shouldn't be like this..."

The sound of the beads had not disturbed the Crown Prince. He seemed burdened by many confusions and questions, completely lost in his own thoughts.

"Clearly, there should have been a fierce battle first, followed by a slap..."

Wen Biesang strained his ears, barely able to hear clearly.

He plucked up the courage to walk a bit closer, and suddenly, Chengyun stood up from the couch.

"It should be this long couch." The Crown Prince shifted the soft cushions, his voice low. Wen Biesang could not hear the words, his gaze fixed on the movement of the man's lips. "The cushions should be arranged like this—no, they should be on the floor..."

Chengyun tossed a cushion onto the floor, then suddenly picked it back up. "That's not right either. It should have been kicked off during the fierce battle, so it ought to be on the couch right now..."

"Why..." He stroked his own face, murmuring to himself, "Only a slap, no fierce battle..."

"There should have been a fierce battle on the long couch first, followed by bathing behind the screen. Something must have happened during the bath to warrant this slap..."

Chengyun was still searching for an answer. "Now the slap has arrived as promised, but where is the fierce battle?"

He paced around the long couch, repeatedly adjusting the position of the cushions, seemingly searching for the scene from his memory. "Unless they weren't the same dream—but there has never been a situation where two dreams occurred in separate parts in one night. The order is all wrong..."

The cushions were shifted left and right on the couch, but he seemed unable to be satisfied with any arrangement.

Crown Prince Chengyun eventually sat down cross-legged, as if giving up. His shoulders slumped, his wide sleeves gathered between his legs; he looked incredibly disappointed.

The room fell into a brief silence.

Wen Biesang could no longer hear what he was saying, but he understood some of it from the movement of his lips.

A fierce battle? A slap? A dream?

The slap must refer to the one he had just delivered, but how could Gong Chengyun have made a prior agreement with a slap?

Wen Biesang looked at his own palm and flexed his fingers.

An agreement with his slap in a dream?

Why would one make an agreement with a slap?

And what was this "fierce battle"? With his high level of martial arts, would he even have time to engage in a "fierce battle" with him?

Wen Biesang was completely baffled.

Chengyun sat quietly for a moment, then, as if struck by a thought, stood up and walked into the inner chamber.

Wen Biesang followed instinctively. After two steps, the Crown Prince looked back at him.

"..." Wen Biesang stopped, hiding the dagger behind his back. "I'm sorry."

The Crown Prince remained expressionless, clear finger marks visible on his fair face.

Wen Biesang paused and said, "Actually, I don't have much strength in my hands. Your skin is just too delicate, so it looks scary, but it's nothing to worry about."

—"It's just that your skin is too fair, which makes it look a bit frightening, but it's nothing serious."

The words from the past echoed in his ears.

Chengyun pressed his lips together and said, "You are not to speak of this to anyone."

Wen Biesang was not stupid. Slapping the Crown Prince was a grave crime; even if Chengyun hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have gone around talking about it.

"Understood." He felt grateful for the Crown Prince's mercy. "Let me apply some medicine for you."

The Crown Prince seemed momentarily stunned, but appreciative of his consideration, and replied, "Very well."

If he could get rid of the marks quickly, no one would find out.

Each harboring their own secrets, each accommodating the other.

Following his instructions, Wen Biesang retrieved a medicine bottle from the cabinet in the southeast corner.

Chengyun struck a fire-starter and lit the candle in the inner chamber, then sat down beside the wooden steps in front of the bed.

Wen Biesang walked over and sat next to him. Suddenly remembering something, he moved a small table to place it between them. "I won't sit too close to you, so you don't lose control."

"..." Chengyun remained expressionless.

When applying the medicine, Wen Biesang kept his distance, stretching his arm out as far as it would go to dab the ointment on.

After finishing, he put the bottle back and asked, "What you didn't finish saying earlier... can we talk about it now?"

Chengyun said coldly, "Those are all secrets. I fear there are ears behind the walls."

"What about your mask?"

"What would I need a mask for?"

"If you cover your face, we can talk closer to each other."

"...Why don't you be the one to cover yours?"

"That works too."

*Clang!*

Chengyun opened a secret compartment under his pillow and tossed the mask in front of him.

Wen Biesang put on the mask, sat close to him, and whispered, "You said it was suspicious..."

Chengyun rested his forehead on one hand, sounding drained. "If Zhou Cangshu truly loved his son, he would have handed your mother over to the Stability Bureau. In that case, your father would only have tried every possible way to prove her innocence from elsewhere, rather than dying to protect her... Can you please stop crying?"

"Understood."

"..." Chengyun sighed. He reached out to remove the mask, wiped Wen Biesang's face with the soft sleeve of his inner robe, and continued, "Suspected of being a spy, she would have been detained at the Stability Bureau at most. Of course, if the suspicion was grave, torture would have been inevitable, but Zhou Cangshu is already the Chancellor of Great Liang; if he wanted to maneuver, it wouldn't have been impossible."

Wen Biesang nodded, listening intently.

"Even if she were confirmed to be a spy, handing her over to the Stability Bureau would still have been the most proper and least controversial method. Zhou Cangshu has served in the court for nearly forty years and has been a powerful chancellor for twenty. He has always been deep and inscrutable, never acting rashly. To kill someone directly is neither consistent with state law nor human sentiment. If this had been done by my short-tempered maternal grandfather, it wouldn't be surprising, but coming from Zhou Cangshu, it appears extremely... bizarre."

"To kill a spy at the cost of his own son, just to gain a reputation for sacrificing family for the greater good? That is not a profitable trade."

Wen Biesang nodded. "And so?"

"...And so." Their foreheads leaned together unconsciously, and Chengyun’s voice dropped to a whisper. "There must be an inner story."

"What?"

"There must be an inner story."

"...I can't hear you." Wen Biesang pulled away slightly, staring at his lips. "Say it again."

Chengyun paused, then asked, "You... can't hear?"

Wen Biesang pointed to his left ear. "Broken."

Then he pointed to his right ear. "Too quiet, I can't hear."

Chengyun studied him for a moment, then repeated, "Zhou Cangshu having your parents beaten to death was definitely not an impulsive act."

Wen Biesang was silent for a long while before asking, "Is there proof?"

"No," Chengyun said, "but we can investigate."

Wen Biesang gazed at the candle flame beside him.

Chengyun slowly stood up from the bed, his gaze sweeping over the man's ears.

His eyes were dark, his tone restrained. "What do you intend to do next?"

"Blow up the Chancellor's residence, kill Zhou Cangshu."

"Zhou Lianqiong is dead. The birthday celebration has turned into a funeral; all your plans will be disrupted." Chengyun said, "Do you not want to clear your parents' names?"

"It's too difficult," Wen Biesang said. "I don't know how to investigate cases."

"I can help you investigate," Chengyun replied. "Ever since I learned you would be discovered by the city guards, I have been thinking about how to rescue you from them. For that reason, I reviewed all the case files from those years. There is definitely an inner story to this, and it likely involves quite a lot."

"You knew I would be discovered by the city guards?"

"...A guess." Chengyun felt slightly guilty. "Zhou Cangshu is far more capable than you think. He could never allow a dangerous individual like you to remain in Shengjing; he would definitely find a way to kick you out."

Wen Biesang lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "I'll blow him up anyway."

"Your parents suffered a false accusation. Do you truly not want to restore their innocence?"

"They're dead. What good is innocence?" Wen Biesang said. "It only affects the descendants. Once I kill Zhou Cangshu, I will go to the City of Gentlemen; no one there cares about such things."

"But you still asked."

"I asked to be more certain that he deserves to die."

Wen Biesang straightened his body, his tone calm. "Even if my mother really was a spy, he killed my mother, so I must kill him."

These words sounded like those of a wild mountain beast, unbound by the ways and sentiments of the world.

Chengyun stood behind him, his voice low. "You don't trust me."

It wasn't that he didn't want to find the truth, but that he didn't believe it could be found.

Wen Biesang remained silent, as if in agreement.

"Your Highness, it is time for a meal."

Pang Qi's voice broke the silence in the room.

The meal was soon prepared. Because the Crown Prince was not in a state to be seen due to the injury on his face, he had it served in the bedchamber.

Wen Biesang hadn't eaten since morning before being blocked by Zhou Lianqiong; he was starving and sat down to eat first.

Chengyun dismissed all the servants before sitting opposite him, bearing the finger marks on his face.

Wen Biesang's emotions came and went quickly. Once his tears were dry, he focused intensely on his food.

Chengyun's gaze kept drifting to his left ear.

Wen Biesang noticed and looked up, puzzled.

Chengyun lowered his eyes.

Wen Biesang raised his hand, unconsciously fidgeting with his ear.

His slender white fingers and soft earlobe—once, twice, three times...

It moved back and forth, looking exactly like the way it had been licked by something slick and wet in his dream.

"Stop that."

Wen Biesang stopped his movements and heard him say, "Eat your meal properly."

"You keep staring at me."

"I..." Chengyun picked up some food for him. "You've lost weight. Eat more."

Wen Biesang held out his bowl to catch it. "You've become really good lately."

Chengyun promised, "I will be this good from now on."

Wen Biesang nodded, picked up a chopstick of venison, and said, "I like eating this."

Chengyun smiled, an affectionate look on his face.

Wen Biesang picked up a chopstick of tenderloin. "I like this."

Chengyun smiled again, dotingly.

Until Wen Biesang dug a fish eyeball out of a fish head...

—"Venison, want some? I won't give you any."

—"You haven't eaten for ten hours straight, you're starving, aren't you?"

—"Does it smell good? You can't have any."

—"How about this? Do you want to try it?"