The Third Prince was not moved in the slightest, nor did he show any intention of accepting it. He merely gave a soft laugh and continued walking.
That was exactly the reaction I was hoping for! It would’ve been such a waste if you’d actually eaten it. If I weren’t trying to curry favor with you, I never would’ve pretended to offer it in the first place. Mu Xueshi followed behind him, secretly chuckling and praising himself for handling the situation so cleverly. He had conveyed his goodwill without suffering any loss.
As the Third Prince walked ahead, he clearly heard the sound of something being bitten behind him. A moment later, Mu Xueshi darted in front of him, sticking out his tongue and looking utterly miserable as he begged for help. He had taken only one bite before an unbearable bitterness filled his mouth, leaving his entire tongue numb as though it had been electrocuted.
The Third Prince had not expected him to actually eat it and was once again baffled. Even if Mu Xueshi had never seen this fruit before, should he not have exercised some caution? Was he not afraid it might be poisonous?
The look in Mu Xueshi’s eyes when he had offered the fruit to him resurfaced in the Third Prince’s mind, stirring an unfamiliar feeling within him. He had assumed Mu Xueshi was trying to play a trick on him, only to discover that he had truly eaten it himself. Could Mu Xueshi really have gone to all that effort to pick the Zaoying Pod because he sincerely wanted the Third Prince to taste it?
The Third Prince took a breath-freshening medicinal pill from his sleeve and handed it to Mu Xueshi. Mu Xueshi immediately popped it into his mouth, and the bitter numbness quickly eased. He then thanked the Third Prince over and over.
The Third Prince soon recovered his indifferent expression, his emotions once again sealing themselves away. Mu Xueshi could not possibly be so kindhearted. Even if he had truly picked it for the Third Prince, he must have had some ulterior motive.
Before long, the two arrived at Lingzi Lake. The lake before them was not particularly large and had the shape of an irregular polygon. Pale blue whetstones of varying sizes were embedded unevenly into the inner walls sloping down from the shore, creating a strangely harmonious beauty. Wisps of mist curled above the surface, while five-colored aquatic vines intertwined beneath the water. Even without any wind, the water continued to churn, flowing steadily in waves toward a single direction.
Mu Xueshi’s eyes widened into perfect circles. His legs trembling with excitement, he crouched beside the lake and studied the direction of the waves, searching for the source of the current. Yet even after observing it for a long time, he could not resolve his confusion.
He leaned his head over the bank, wondering whether there might be some unusual motor or device hidden beneath the surface. Instead, he discovered that the water was crystal clear all the way to the bottom. Apart from aquatic vines and rocks, there was nothing there. Everything appeared entirely natural. If so, what force was causing those surging currents?
Mu Xueshi frowned in thought, unaware that the Third Prince had already walked up beside him. He saw the Third Prince’s reflection in the water and immediately prepared to turn around and question him. At that moment, however, he clearly saw another unfamiliar face reflected in the lake. Mu Xueshi was stunned by the stranger’s appearance and swiftly looked around, yet there was no one else nearby. When he turned back again, the person in the water happened to turn his head at the same time. Mu Xueshi jolted so violently that he nearly fell into the lake.
“This… this…” Mu Xueshi was too overwhelmed to form a complete sentence.
Although the person in the lake possessed beauty capable of toppling a kingdom, it was still easy to tell that he was male. Mu Xueshi removed the hairpin securing his long hair, and the reflected man’s hair immediately spilled down over his shoulders. Mu Xueshi now believed it completely. That breathtakingly handsome, flawless face was actually his own. But was he not supposed to be hideously ugly? Had his face not been covered in pits and wrinkles?
“The water of this lake is naturally formed and sacred. Anything reflected in it reveals its true appearance. That is why the black paste on your face does not appear in the reflection.”
The Third Prince clearly assumed Mu Xueshi was astonished because the black paste had vanished from his reflection. Mu Xueshi himself, however, had long forgotten all about it. Only now did he remember to touch his face, and sure enough, it was still uneven and bumpy.
Mu Xueshi anxiously turned toward the Third Prince and asked, “May I ask Your Highness how I can remove this face mask immediately? It’s been on for so long—it should be time to peel it off, right?” As he spoke, he continued gazing reluctantly at the person reflected in the lake, secretly marveling that the Third Prince’s palace was filled with treasures. Even a face mask could produce such miraculous results.
In less than a day, the Third Prince had already grown accustomed to Mu Xueshi’s peculiar remarks. He merely gestured toward the lake with his chin, indicating that the water could wash the grime from his face.
Leave a Reply