Chapter 58

Wen Biesang was a person who focused entirely on the present moment. Although extremely curious, when it was time to sleep, he went to bed obediently.

After recovering his health, Chen Yun returned to his habitual early morning sword practice.

Every morning, Wen Biesang could not find him anywhere.

He got out of bed as usual, first had Pang Qi help him tidy up, and while waiting for Chen Yun to return for a meal, he walked back to the bed and lifted Chen Yun's pillow.

There was nothing underneath the pillow.

Wen Biesang then lifted the mattress as well, still failing to find yesterday's book.

Instead, he discovered a hidden compartment underneath. When he pried it open, a small locked box lay inside.

Without a key, it could not be opened.

He lifted it to weigh it in his hands when he suddenly heard a sound from outside—Chen Yun had returned.

Holding the box, Wen Biesang turned around, looking at him openly without hiding or evading, and asked, "What is inside this?"

"Nothing good." Chen Yun walked over, took it from him, and asked deliberately, "Why did you suddenly lift the mattress?"

Wen Biesang remained silent.

Chen Yun probed, "What are you looking for?"

"..." Still silent.

Chen Yun smiled, took his hand, and said, "Let's eat."

Wen Biesang was led to the table by him, and thinking that Chen Yun had almost forgotten the previous question, he finally spoke up, "If it's not a good thing, what kind of thing is it?"

As a result, Chen Yun had not forgotten at all: "What were you looking for when you lifted the mattress?"

Wen Biesang was slightly startled, opened his mouth to bite into a jujube pastry fed to him by Chen Yun, and then lowered his head to focus on eating again.

Ask a question, and get complete silence in return.

While feeding him, Chen Yun voluntarily confessed, "Those are all my dreams inside."

Chewing on his celery, Wen Biesang was startled once more, and after a moment said, "I want to read yesterday's book."

This was clearly tit-for-tat on his part.

Chen Yun put on a look of surprise and said, "Why didn't you call me?"

Wen Biesang continued eating.

Chen Yun said, "I've basically told you all my dreams, nothing rare about them. If there's anything fun in the future, I'll definitely let you know first."

Wen Biesang sat up straight, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and said, "I want to read it through once myself first, then consider whether I want to read it together with you."

"But I've been waiting to read it with you."

Wen Biesang stared at him, a hint of suspicion in his expression.

Chen Yun hadn't felt anything wrong with his own words initially, but under that gaze, he suddenly felt as though he had ulterior motives... although he indeed had other intentions...

Yet Wen Biesang didn't even blush after sneaking a peek himself, so why should he feel any shame?

Chen Yun met his gaze calmly and said with a steady expression, "What is it?"

"Do you really, really want to consummate our marriage?"

Conversing with him required an exceptionally strong heart. With slightly flushed ears, Chen Yun maintained his calm demeanor and answered, "Yes."

Speaking these words was not enough; Chen Yun continued, "I like you, so naturally I want to share more intimate moments with you. It is only because you don't like me that you constantly weigh this and consider that."

The last sentence was intentional.

Wen Biesang was still dwelling on the portrait he had drawn of his parents, and upon hearing this remark, he sat even straighter, his eyes widening slightly.

He hesitated over whether he should respond to this grievance.

In the past, he naturally wouldn't have cared, but now things were different.

"I'm done eating." Chen Yun put down his bowl, looked toward him, and said, "Shall I wait for you in the study?"

Chen Yun did not lose his temper with him, even though he looked thoroughly displeased at the moment.

"I'm finished too." Wen Biesang stood up, took the initiative to hold his hand, and said, "Let's go to the study."

On the way to the study, Wen Biesang kept holding his hand all along, and Chen Yun naturally saw no reason to pull away.

"I don't dislike you as much as I used to." After a moment of thought, Wen Biesang slowly began, tilting his head to observe Chen Yun's expression as he said, "Moreover, I'm starting to like you a little bit."

Chen Yun's eyelashes fluttered slightly, his heart skipping a beat in silence, though his tone remained calm: "You're definitely just humoring me."

"Mm." Wen Biesang did not deny it. He tightened his grip around Chen Yun's fingers and said, "But isn't humoring you precisely because I care about you?"

"..." There was simply no refuting that.

Upon arriving at the study, Chen Yun directly spread out the paper. Wen Biesang thoughtfully ground the ink for him and remarked, "Your painting skills are truly wonderful."

"If you want to praise me, wait until I've put brush to paper." Annoyed, Chen Yun dipped his brush into the ink, but Wen Biesang did not blush at all, replying candidly, "It's not like I haven't seen them before."

"Indeed, nowadays I can only rely on this to please you."

Wen Biesang first smiled faintly, then slightly reined in his expression, saying, "When you finish painting, we'll go read the book."

With that, he tilted his head again. Though standing, his body leaned sideways in an arc, his head nearly touching the tabletop, until Chen Yun shot him a sideways glance, at which point he finally settled down, satisfied.

Having the experience of the previous painting, Chen Yun worked quickly this time. It was essentially just a slight adjustment in posture, and the bustling market of Junzi City gradually sprang to life on the paper.

Treating it like a precious treasure, Wen Biesang couldn't bear to put it down, talking endlessly about the affairs of Junzi City.

Outside, the spring sunshine was brilliant; inside, a warm and cozy painting was spread across the table. The Crown Prince supported his head with one hand, his expression gentle, occasionally letting out a soft laugh as he reached out to stroke Wen Biesang's cheek or lingeringly brush against his lips.

As the sun set in the west, Wen Biesang cherishedly put away his parents' portraits and stepped out of the study with him.

Since they had agreed to read together that evening, the sun somehow seemed to set much slower than usual.

As they passed through the moon gate, Pang Qi's figure suddenly appeared ahead, quickening his pace the moment he spotted the two of them.

Sensing that he had something to report, Wen Biesang and Chen Yun stopped in unison.

"My lord." Pang Qi approached closely before lowering his voice to say, "When I went to clean the dungeon just now, I found a letter left behind by Shen Yuerong."

Wen Biesang immediately took it and unfolded the letter.

——Chang Hezhu mentioned these past two days that I am nearly ready to leave.

After much deliberation, I still decided to leave you a letter.

I have been imprisoned in Liang for twenty-three years, and my youth can no longer be reclaimed. I originally thought to end my days here quietly, which is after all the destiny of an undercover agent.

Never did I expect that with one foot already in the grave, I would once again receive news of your mother.

You should have already guessed that she is the daughter of Taishu Wendao. Back then, your maternal grandfather caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people by inventing the God of Fire Cannon. Finding the karmic debt too heavy, he chose to resign from office, leave the capital, and live in seclusion.

Later, due to the repeated coercion of Great Qi, he was forced to flee secretly into Liang, thereby incurring the wrath of the Son of Heaven. To prevent him from being controlled by Southern Liang, Taishu's entire clan and the imperial household of Great Qi dispatched countless death-sworn guards to encircle, kill, and intercept him.

I had several encounters with your grandfather in Great Qi previously. He saved my life and imparted the arts of thunder and fire to me, making him the master I acknowledge for this lifetime. When I came to Southern Liang to establish the Spider Silk network, apart from paving the way for Shen Rufeng, it was also because I wished to use this opportunity to protect the lives of that father and daughter.

Pity that I fulfilled Shen Rufeng, yet failed to save your maternal grandfather. The vicious wolf I raised with my own hands has consumed twenty-three years of my youth and further harmed the daughter of my benefactor.

With this departure, there will presumably be no chance of meeting again. I am notorious, frail and broken in health, and have nothing to send you.

Your maternal grandfather left behind a volume of handwritten notes stored in the Song Family's pawnshop in the private vault, numbered one-five-seven. You may retrieve them for your own use.

……

After finishing the letter, Wen Biesang immediately said, "Go find Song Qianfan!"

Chen Yun reached out to take the letter, looked back at Pang Qi, and asked, "Has anyone else seen this letter?"

"No," Pang Qi replied instantly. "She specifically told me to clean the dungeon before she left. I went there from morning until evening, found this letter in a crack in the wall, and rushed to bring it to you, my lord."

"Saddle the horses!"

Taishu Wendao's handwritten notes—not only did Wen Biesang feel the blood in his veins surging violently, but Chen Yun too felt a sudden, heart-pounding thrill.

Although Taishu Wendao no longer served the Qi state, his peerless genius was undeniable. What kind of wondrous imaginations had he harbored during those years of exile? If those things were to manifest in the world, what kind of bloody storms would they provoke?

Wen Biesang's eyes shone brightly as he reached out to grab Chen Yun's hand, asking, "Do you think he ever thought about making a mechanical sparrow?"

Cautious, Chen Yun replied, "Perhaps."

By the time they reached the Drunken Immortal Tower, the sky was already growing dark.

Upon seeing their arrival, the maid guarding the door wore an expression that seemed hard to put into words. Chen Yun asked, "Where is Song Qianfan?"

"Young master..." The maid hesitated before saying, "You had better go and see for yourself."

Wen Biesang followed Chen Yun into the spacious hall where Song Qianfan had hosted him during his very first visit to the Immortal-Viewing Pavilion.

Several wine jars lay abandoned on the floor. Chang Xingzhu was slumped over a table, Qi Ping'an was sprawled across a couch, and Song Qianfan was sitting on a cushion, head tilted back as he violently chugged wine straight from the jar, his face completely flushed.

Wen Biesang walked over and shoved him.

"I'm nothing but good-for-nothing trash..." Song Qianfan's face and clothes were stained with liquor, and his face was red in a way that didn't look normal. Pushed twice by Wen Biesang, he barely managed to open his eyes and muttered, "You were right, I'm just trash..."

Wen Biesang looked left and right, his gaze landing on a jade cup frosted with beads of water. Reaching out to touch it, he found it was indeed chilled with ice.

Beside Chen Yun, the maid said, "The young master has been drinking here since yesterday, getting drunk, waking up, and drinking again..."

Before she could finish, Wen Biesang poured the plum juice from the jade cup directly onto Song Qianfan's face.

The freezing liquid abruptly shocked the young man into sobriety. Shivering, Song Qianfan straightened his body, staring wide-eyed at Wen Biesang.

Crouching down in front of him, Wen Biesang asked, "Are you sober now?"

Song Qianfan stared blankly at him. Wen Biesang continued, "You have no ability to leave Shengjing, no ability to leave your parents, and no ability to go to Junzi City on your own to find Xie Ninghong. And now, you've even lost the ability to stay sober?"

Chang Xingzhu, draped over the table, frowned as he looked toward them.

Qi Ping'an also struggled to lift his head.

Wen Biesang pointed to the jade cup on the other table and said, "Bring it here."

The words were spoken to Chen Yun. The maid was stunned for a moment, and just as she was about to step forward, the Crown Prince had already quietly walked over, picked it up, and handed it into Wen Biesang's hands.

Taking it, Wen Biesang splashed it onto Song Qianfan's face once more.

Song Qianfan blinked his eyes shut. With dark red liquid dripping down his face, he forced them open again, only to hear Wen Biesang say, "You really are trash. Drinking until your head is so muddled that two bowls of ice-cold water don't even provoke a reaction is proof enough that your capacity to even use your brain has vanished. You're doing just fine here, wallowing in self-pity and wasting fine wine made from so much grain. Meanwhile, Xie Ninghong is still on her way back to see her mother, whose life is hanging by a thread, and who will likely not hold out until she returns. Right now, she can only rush through the night under the stars; she certainly isn't eating well, and as for water, who knows? At midnight, the dew is freezing cold—who knows if she has any warm, fine wine like this to comfort her."