“Dear Mountain King… No, that sounds a little awkward… Big Brother?… That doesn’t seem right either… Why does every form of address sound so awkward?” Mu Xueshi had barely come up with a single line before falling into indecision.
Poison Master Moru thought about it and teased, “Why not call him ‘Dear Husband’? After all, you two were already married.”
“No, no, absolutely not! If the Third Prince found out, he’d chop me to pieces.”
“Hehe… husband.” Sitting on the floor with a brush in hand, Su Ying immediately repeated the word.
Mu Xueshi spun around and pointed a warning finger at him.
“You’re not allowed to copy what other people say. Forget that word you just heard, understand? Don’t say ‘husband.’”
Ignoring the lesson completely, Su Ying marched over with a brush dripping black ink and viciously drew a line across Mu Xueshi’s clothes.
Enraged, Mu Xueshi shouted, “If you keep causing trouble, do you believe your uncle will spank you?”
Su Ying stared at him blankly for a moment, then his lips puckered as he muttered tearfully, “Not allowed to say husband… Uncle won’t let me say husband.”
“That’s right. Be good. Go play over there. Once Uncle finishes his work, I’ll take you to the market.” Feeling guilty about having spoken so harshly, Mu Xueshi gently patted Su Ying’s head.
The moment he heard the words “go to the market,” Su Ying brightened instantly and skipped back to his spot with the brush in hand.
“Sorry for the laugh. My nephew doesn’t listen.”
“Young Master Xue, you’re too kind.”
…
“Let’s skip the greeting and get straight to the point.”
“Alright.”
As Mu Xueshi paced around the room, he dictated to Poison Master Moru.
“Since leaving Miwu Mountain last time, I have thought of you often. Because it is inconvenient for me to leave the palace, I can only have Poison Master Moru deliver this letter to let you know that I still think about you. Have your injuries improved? Poison Master Moru was injured recently as well, so he was unable to cure your poison. I wonder whether the poison has caused you much suffering…”
“When that poison flares up, it’s extremely torturous,” Poison Master Moru interjected. “It strikes almost every day. Someone with a weaker constitution probably wouldn’t survive it.”
“Ah?”
Mu Xueshi found a chair and sat down, feeling miserable. Looking at Poison Master Moru, he almost wished the man would simply take him out of the palace so he could personally apologize to the Mountain King.
“Young Master Xue, you were speaking too quickly just now. I missed some parts. Could you repeat it?”
Only then did Mu Xueshi snap back to reality.
“Sure. I’ll tell you again from the beginning. I’ve been worried about you all this time—worried about your injuries and your untreated poison. But the Third Prince has restricted my movements, so I can’t go see you myself…”
“Wait a moment, Young Master Xue.” Poison Master Moru interrupted him again.
“What is it?”
“That’s different from what you said before.”
“Uh…”
Mu Xueshi immediately became embarrassed.
“That’s alright. Let’s go with what I’m saying now. I’ll read one sentence at a time, and after you finish writing it, I’ll read the next one.”
“That would be perfect.”
“Where was I just now?”
“You left off at ‘I have thought of you often.’”
“Right. Then we’ll continue from the part about not being able to leave the palace. Ahem…” Mu Xueshi cleared his throat and said solemnly, “Because I cannot leave the palace freely, I am unable to visit you in person and can only ask Poison Master Moru to deliver this letter. Let me say it again. Because I cannot leave the palace freely, I am unable to visit you in person and can only ask Poison Master Moru to deliver this letter…”
“…”
“During my time on Miwu Mountain, you took care of me like an elder brother. You took me out to have fun and even saved my life. I’m afraid I can never repay your kindness in this lifetime… Like an elder brother taking care of me—after that comes taking me out to have fun and saving my life… Have you written that down? Next is ‘I’m afraid I can never repay your kindness in this lifetime’… ‘I’m afraid I can never repay your kindness in this lifetime.’”
“…”
“Once my injuries are healed and the case is mostly resolved, I’ll definitely find an opportunity to visit you. Take good care of yourself.”
“…”
After writing three full sheets of paper, Mu Xueshi finally—and rather reluctantly—called a halt. He put on a show of reviewing them and discovered that Poison Master Moru’s handwriting was elegant and flowing, just like the man himself, prompting him to shower him with several more compliments.
“Young Master Xue, it’s getting late. I should take my leave now. If the Third Prince discovers this, I’m afraid the matter may be delayed.” Poison Master Moru spoke to Mu Xueshi with impeccable courtesy.
Hearing this, Mu Xueshi immediately replied, “Then hurry and go. Remember to jump out through the rear window. Be careful!”
Poison Master Moru curved his lips into a smile and thought to himself, Third Prince, I won’t tell you personally, but I’d wager you’ll find out anyway. You made me drink a whole vat of jealousy, so you ought to have a taste of it yourself…
With a light leap through the window, Poison Master Moru disappeared from Mu Xueshi’s sight.
Mu Xueshi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Opening the door he had kept shut, he peeked outside.
“Why isn’t the Third Prince back yet? It’s already noon…” Mu Xueshi muttered to himself. “He’s probably off whispering secrets with that Noble Consort Yu again. Wasn’t the whole purpose of court today to set them up to work together? Hmph… What’s so great about him? Good-looking but useless.”
“Hmph! Good-looking but useless…” Su Ying echoed, widening his eyes before running over to Mu Xueshi and stretching out his arms to be picked up.
Hearing Su Ying help him curse, Mu Xueshi’s mood immediately improved, and he scooped the child up. Only after lifting him did he realize what a state Su Ying was in. His entire little face was so smeared with ink that it was impossible to tell where his nose ended and his eyes began. Even his rosy little lips had turned black.
“Hahaha… This is too funny!”
Mu Xueshi admired Su Ying’s sorry appearance over and over, completely unaware that he himself looked little better.
The servants outside began coming in to tidy up. Mu Xueshi had just set Su Ying down and was preparing to change into clean clothes when a tall figure stepped through the doorway.
Immediately afterward, the eunuch at the entrance announced the newcomer. Everyone in the room dropped to their knees in salute. Even Su Ying instantly became obedient and knelt down. Only Mu Xueshi remained standing there in a daze.
The Third Prince dismissed the formalities and swept his gaze across the room before stopping on Mu Xueshi. His eyes settled on the pink bite marks on Mu Xueshi’s neck.
Had those marks not been there, he would have assumed Mu Xueshi’s disheveled appearance was merely the result of his usual antics. But seeing him like this now, the anger in his heart surged uncontrollably.
“What have you been doing while I was away?”
Mu Xueshi bit his lip. All the complaints he had been muttering moments ago vanished instantly, leaving only a few words of explanation.
“Nothing… I was just playing with Su Ying. That’s how I ended up looking like this.”
Step by step, the Third Prince approached him and lifted his chin to face him.
“You really didn’t see anyone else?”
“N-No. If you don’t believe me, ask the servants outside. Who saw anyone come in?… Qingzhu! Qingzhu, come in!”
Somewhat flustered, Mu Xueshi hurriedly explained, “Qingzhu never lies. Even if she does, she can’t hide it.”
A moment later, Qingzhu entered the room. After bowing to both the Third Prince and Mu Xueshi, she stood quietly to one side.
“Qingzhu, did anyone else come into this room?”
Qingzhu blinked and shook her head.
“Replying to Your Highness, aside from the young master remaining here the entire time, no one else entered.”
“See? I wasn’t lying.” Mu Xueshi silently wiped away a bead of sweat.
The Third Prince then turned his gaze toward Su Ying. Seeing the child’s miserable state, his tone became even sterner.
“Su Ying, besides you and Uncle Mu, did anyone else come into this room?”
“Yes,” Su Ying answered obediently.
Mu Xueshi was instantly alarmed. He quickly turned toward Su Ying, silently signaling him not to say anything foolish.
“Who was it?”
After receiving Mu Xueshi’s warning and then seeing the Third Prince’s icy expression, Su Ying sniffled and whispered, “Not allowed to say husband… Uncle won’t let me say husband.”
The Third Prince’s face immediately darkened.
As for Mu Xueshi, he nearly collapsed onto the floor.
Why did Su Ying have to say that at a time like this? Had he done something in a past life to deserve divine punishment?
After a long silence, the Third Prince finally forced two words through clenched teeth.
“Husband?”
“There’s no husband! That was just a game Su Ying and I were playing… A game, right? Su Ying, tell your Third Imperial Uncle. Weren’t we just playing house?”
Su Ying shook his head honestly.
“No.”
The hand that had been holding Mu Xueshi’s chin instantly moved to his neck. Just as the Third Prince was about to tighten his grip, he noticed several more reddish marks there.
“What are these?”
Mu Xueshi hurriedly explained, “Su Ying bit those. I’m absolutely not lying about that.”
Pouting, Su Ying looked pitifully at both Mu Xueshi and the Third Prince.
“No. Su Ying didn’t bite. Su Ying didn’t bite those.”
“You little brat, how can your memory be so… so bad…!”
The Third Prince’s grip made stars burst before Mu Xueshi’s eyes. He was so anxious he felt as though he might die.
The Third Prince’s eyes were red as well.
From the moment he entered the room, he had sensed the presence of a stranger lingering within. Then he saw Mu Xueshi in this state.
How could he possibly remain calm?
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment