By the time Shangchuan Hong caught up with the motorcade of Lubei, dusk had already deepened. The fading glow of the sunset cast across his profile, accentuating the weariness in his expression as well as his usual calm detachment.
From inside the carriage, Hao Lin leaned out slightly and called,
“Why not come up?”
Shangchuan Hong shook his head gently, a faint smile on his face.
“No need. Riding like this suits me well enough.”
The corners of Hao Lin’s thin lips curved upward. In the next instant he leapt down from the carriage and mounted another horse, bringing his steed alongside Shangchuan Hong’s.
“Your Majesty, what is this…?” Shangchuan Hong said, appearing flattered on the surface, though his heart remained utterly calm.
He understood Hao Lin too well—this act of riding beside him was merely a pretext to question him about Mu Xueshi.
Not wishing to make Hao Lin waste words, Shangchuan Hong spoke frankly.
“This humble subject has already examined Young Master Xue’s appearance. Just as Your Majesty suspected—his beauty is extraordinary.”
Hao Lin replied indifferently,
“We will camp here tonight. At dawn tomorrow we depart again and arrive in the imperial capital of Yunxi, Shaya, at the appointed time.”
Shangchuan Hong felt a flicker of surprise but revealed nothing. Seeing Hao Lin’s gaze pressing upon him, he quickly bowed and said,
“Then this subject will instruct the men to set up camp so we may rest here tonight.”
Hao Lin pressed his lips together, his expression complicated. Just as Shangchuan Hong turned to leave, Hao Lin suddenly caught his arm.
“There is no need for you to trouble yourself with such matters. Send a servant to handle it. Tonight… rest well.”
“Your Majesty, I—”
“I have said before—when we are alone, you need not address me as ‘Your Majesty.’ You and I are like brothers. Why bother with such formalities?”
Hao Lin deliberately emphasized the words like brothers.
When Shangchuan Hong looked at him, Hao Lin’s expression remained composed and natural.
Yet for some reason, meeting that gaze stirred an inexplicable sense of guilt within Shangchuan Hong.
He knew well enough that Hao Lin was an emperor, and an emperor’s words could be both true and false. Even so, one could not help but believe them. Perhaps that was simply the difference between ruler and subject.
Shangchuan Hong closed his eyes and drew a deep breath.
In his mind, the clear and lively smiling face appeared again—
Then he ruthlessly erased it.
At dawn, the eastern sky above the imperial capital flared with rising sunlight.
Against that brilliant glow stretched an endless sea of banners. Cloud-patterned standards and five-colored canopies surged forward like a rolling tide of color toward the capital. A thousand-man honor guard escorted two magnificent imperial palanquins at the center.
The front palanquin was enormous, borne by sixteen carriers. Its lacquered redwood frame gleamed, painted with golden cloud-and-dragon motifs.
Behind it followed a smaller dark-red palanquin, delicate and ornate, its sides decorated with floral carvings.
When the procession reached the moat, it gradually halted.
Crowds of commoners gathered on both sides of the road, their faces filled with excitement and curiosity as they watched this rare spectacle.
Riding a tall horse beside Hao Lin’s palanquin, Shangchuan Hong saw another vast cavalry formation already lined up along the road ahead. He bowed toward the palanquin and reported:
“Your Majesty, the welcoming delegation of Yunxi has arrived. The Third Prince himself has come to receive you.”
Hao Lin narrowed his phoenix-shaped eyes. With the help of a young and handsome eunuch, he stepped down from the palanquin. His entire bearing radiated the untamed authority of a sovereign.
Descending alongside him was his younger sister, Princess Wenyang.
She was still young, her face fresh and graceful. When she smiled, two shallow dimples appeared, giving her a gentle and charming air.
At that moment, the Third Prince dismounted from his horse in a single graceful leap and strode forward. Raising his hands respectfully, he bowed and said,
“Ye Lu Jue, on behalf of my imperial father, has come to receive Your Majesty. The visit of the Emperor of Lubei to Yunxi is a great blessing for our nation. Please accept our welcome.”
Hao Lin smiled as he looked at the man before him.
The Third Prince’s attire differed from the day before. Today his hair was bound high in a formal crown of gold and jade. His garments were resplendent, every gesture exuding noble grace and exceptional elegance.
A ripple of excitement surged through the crowd.
Originally they had gathered to glimpse the visiting emperor and princess, but now that they beheld the man known as the most beautiful man in the world, they stared without blinking, afraid to miss even a moment.
“Miss, look! That’s the Third Prince! We’re so lucky to see him in this lifetime!”
“That princess is said to have come for a political marriage—to be wed to the Third Prince…”
“The Emperor of Lubei is actually so young and handsome! I thought he would be about the same age as our emperor…”
Hao Lin accepted the ceremonial object offered by the Third Prince and passed it to a servant. Then he stepped forward, clasped the prince’s arms, and said warmly,
“Third Prince, please rise.”
The Third Prince lifted his head expressionlessly and brushed away Hao Lin’s hand from his arm, his gaze cold and indifferent.
Princess Wenyang slowly approached him. Her cheeks flushed as she spoke shyly,
“Princess Wenyang greets the Third Prince.”
The Third Prince merely glanced at her and replied in a flat tone devoid of emotion,
“Ye Lu Jue greets the Princess.”
Wenyang immediately felt her heartbeat quicken. Flustered, she glanced at Hao Lin for help, but seeing no intention of rescue, she pouted slightly and hid behind him.
Hao Lin burst into laughter and ruffled her hair teasingly.
“What’s this? Our fearless Princess Wenyang can blush too?”
Instead of helping her, his teasing only embarrassed her further. Anger flickered across her face.
A maid beside her hurriedly whispered,
“Princess, don’t be angry here. If you’re angry you won’t look beautiful. The Third Prince is watching you…”
Wenyang did not dare look at the Third Prince directly, but hearing that made her secretly delighted.
“Really?” she whispered.
The maid glanced nervously at the prince before replying,
“Y-yes… he’s looking at you…”
Princess Wenyang immediately brightened. Her face glowed with joy. Earlier, when she first heard Hao Lin intended to marry her off here, she had quarreled with him fiercely.
But now that she had seen the Third Prince in person, all her complaints vanished.
At this moment, Minister Liu, the Director of the Ministry of Rites, was helped down from his horse and approached Hao Lin. Bowing, he said:
“Please allow the Emperor of Lubei and the Princess to rest briefly within the imperial city. His Majesty has prepared a banquet and is presently waiting at the gates of Taihe Hall to welcome the honored guests.”
With those words, the two delegations began moving again toward the palace.
The Third Prince rode at the front, followed by Yunxi’s elite guard and ceremonial musicians. Behind them came the magnificent thousand-man honor guard of Lubei.
The procession stretched like a dragon through the streets of the capital, filling them completely.
When Mu Xueshi woke up, the Third Prince was no longer beside him. His head felt somewhat heavy and muddled.
Forcing himself up, he walked toward the outer chamber, only to be stopped by Qingya and Qingzhu.
“Young Master Xue!”
Seeing their smiling faces lifted his spirits a little. He was still wearing his night clothes, his hair slightly disheveled.
Normally these two maids were not responsible for his morning routine. Why had the Third Prince allowed them into the inner chamber today?
“Where’s the Third Prince?” Mu Xueshi asked, craning his neck to look around.
Qingya’s smile faltered slightly. Holding out a neatly folded set of clothes, she said,
“The embroidery workshop has just finished this new robe for you. The patterns were stitched by Qingyun herself—every stitch by hand.”
Mu Xueshi’s attention shifted to the clothes.
“Really? I already have too many clothes to wear, but since Qingyun made it herself, I’ll wear this from now on.”
He carefully unfolded the robe, then glanced awkwardly at the two maids.
“I’ll… change by myself. If you watch, I’ll feel embarrassed.”
Qingzhu giggled.
“Young Master Xue must be used to having the Third Prince dress him—”
Qingya abruptly squeezed Qingzhu’s hand and shot her a warning glance. Qingzhu immediately stuck out her tongue in regret.
Almost reflexively, Mu Xueshi asked again,
“Right—where is the Third Prince? Why haven’t I seen him since early morning?”
“Come, Young Master Xue,” Qingya said quickly. “Put on your clothes first. The kitchen has prepared delicious food for you. Since you returned, you haven’t properly eaten anything. These pastries were made by the best imperial chefs—”
“Hmph!”
Mu Xueshi slapped the table, glaring.
“That little trick won’t fool me. Don’t change the subject. Tell me—where did the Third Prince go? If you keep talking about other things I’ll… I’ll…”
His confidence faltered when he saw the two maids start crying. Panicking, he grabbed the wrinkled handkerchief from his bed and handed it to Qingya.
“Uh… don’t cry… we can talk calmly… what’s wrong?”
Qingzhu stopped her performative crying almost immediately, but Qingya’s eyes remained red.
“The Third Prince went to receive the princess from… that other empire,” Qingya said softly. “I heard people in the palace say he’s going to marry her.”
Her expression darkened.
“I also… don’t want another princess moving into this courtyard,” Qingzhu added. “They say that princess is famously domineering.”
Qingya quickly slapped her hand.
“Stop talking.”
“But you just said it too!” Qingzhu protested.
“Because you never know when to stop.”
“Enough,” Mu Xueshi said casually. “What’s the big deal? If the Third Prince becomes emperor one day, there’ll be three thousand beauties in his harem anyway. They’ll all have their own palaces—they won’t live here.”
Qingya still looked unconvinced.
“We’re not worried about that. We’re worried about you, Young Master Xue… afraid that you might…”
“Afraid the Third Prince will drive you away!” Qingzhu finished.
Qingya glared at her again.
Mu Xueshi hurriedly covered his embarrassment.
“What do I have to worry about? I’m a man. Do you think I’d fight with women over affection?”
“That’s good then,” the two maids said with relieved smiles.
Mu Xueshi forced a smile that looked worse than crying.
“I’ll change first. Go prepare the snacks.”
They left happily.
Mu Xueshi remained standing there for a long time.
Suddenly his head throbbed violently. It felt as though heavy stones were pressing down on it. While talking earlier, he had already felt waves of strange sensations—like something scraping against his scalp.
No… I shouldn’t care this much… he muttered.
Even if I felt unhappy, it shouldn’t affect my body…
“Ah!”
Mu Xueshi collapsed to the ground.
It felt as if a rope were tightening around his body, squeezing harder and harder until he could barely breathe. He tried to call for help but no sound came out.
The terror he once felt returned again—
only this time the Third Prince was not beside him.
Gradually, Mu Xueshi could no longer hear his own breathing. The objects around him began to blur and scatter.
His body slowly rose… then fell…
A sudden tearing pain struck him, and he realized—
he had separated from his own body.
“No!”
He grabbed desperately at his hair, but not a single strand moved.
I can’t leave like this… I haven’t even said goodbye to the Third Prince…
And without the silver coin… where would I go…
His mind suddenly became frighteningly clear.
He knew with certainty that his time here was running out.
The Third Prince’s face… the silver coin he had seen the other day… both seemed so real.
Suddenly everything slammed downward again.
Mu Xueshi gasped and opened his eyes.
It had all been a dream.
His arms were still attached to his body, perfectly intact.
But just as he sighed in relief, he realized he couldn’t move them at all—no matter how hard he tried.
The complete loss of control nearly drove him mad.
Qingya’s bell-like laughter echoed near his ears.
The world flickered between light and darkness like a dream.
Again and again he woke, thinking he was finally conscious—
only to fall back into confusion the very next moment.
Futile Devices Scans 
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