Futile Devices Scans

Wei Fu and Yu Gong Zhao Ye strolled leisurely through the crowds, wandering about at their ease and turning a border crossing into “stealing half a day of leisure from this fleeting life.” After eating and drinking their fill, they swaggered straight into Zhong Yi’s residence.

Under Wei Fu’s direction, Yu Gong Zhao Ye casually grabbed an innocent Egret Guard from some corner and sent him into the palace to notify the master of the residence.　

By the time Commander Zhong arrived in haste with His Majesty in tow at this mansion that even he rarely visited, the two bandits were busy playing with the large-eared hunting dogs kept on the estate, and the entire courtyard was filled with ear-piercing barking.

Having almost forgotten about those two, Mu Heng was so annoyed by the noise that he nearly turned around and left. Zhong Yi hurriedly stopped him and spent a good deal of effort persuading him otherwise. “Since we’re already here, it’s not easy for Your Majesty to leave the palace. Besides, haven’t you been worried about Shuchen after being apart for more than half a year? He was injured!”　

Mu Heng ruthlessly exposed the truth. “He’s the one having the most fun. Listen to how vigorous his voice is. He’s laughing louder than the dogs.”

“…”

Zhong Yi thought to himself that since Your Majesty had personally come out of the palace to visit him, there was no point pretending to be detached. If Wei Fu were actually carried in on a stretcher, half dead, His Majesty would not have liked that either. However, as the eternal scapegoat caught in the middle, he absolutely could not suggest driving the pair away, so he racked his brains trying to provide His Majesty with a graceful excuse. “Then… then the hunting dogs were a gift from Your Majesty. Why not consider it an inspection to see whether this subject has taken good care of them?”　

Mu Heng snorted coldly and refused to take the offered step. “You’re one of the people I keep in the palace, yet you’re raising dogs too. Do you even remember which way the front gate of your own house faces?”　

Zhong Yi was at his wit’s end. “Exactly. It’s been so long since I’ve been here. At the very least, let me reacquaint myself with the place.”

That helplessly soft remark somehow managed to tread on some especially sensitive and suspicious nerve of the emperor’s. Mu Heng’s expression darkened, and he sneered. “Once you remember the way home, you’ll have even more reason not to return there, won’t you?”　

The “home” he referred to was naturally not the vermilion gates, pavilions, and towers before them.

“How could that be?” Zhong Yi replied sincerely. “I’m only worried that if one day Your Majesty finds me troublesome and decides he doesn’t want me anymore, I’ll at least have somewhere to go instead of rolling up my bedding and ending up homeless on the streets.”　

Mu Heng: “…”

Every word was humble and respectful, yet put together, the little bit of temper hidden between the lines was practically poking His Majesty in the face.

Growing up alongside the prince did not mean Zhong Yi was soft-tempered and without pride. If his disposition were truly that agreeable, he could never have become the head of the Egret Guards. The two stubborn mules raised by Mu Heng each had their own brand of obstinacy; neither was easy to deal with.

Caught off guard by that retort, Mu Heng finally abandoned his fault-finding attitude. He pointed at Zhong Yi in mock reproach and was just about to speak when Yu Gong Zhao Ye, having already noticed the commotion at the doorway, emerged from the hall together with Wei Fu to greet them. Mu Heng swallowed his words and shot Zhong Yi a meaningful glare.

Zhong Yi merely smiled unconcernedly, his expression perfectly normal, and said to Wei Fu, “It’s been a long time. You two have come from afar, and yet you certainly know how to pick your destinations.”

Deeply moved, Wei Fu hurried forward and bowed all the way to the ground. “Greetings, Your Majesty. I knew that coming here to find Commander Zhong would be faster than requesting an audience outside the palace gates, hahaha!”

Everyone: “…”

Mu Heng glanced at Zhong Yi, and his expression improved slightly. “No need for formalities. Let’s go inside and talk.”

Wei Fu rose and led the way. Zhong Yi and Yu Gong Zhao Ye instinctively fell half a step behind, allowing the emperor and Wei Fu to walk in front. As the distance opened up, a faint yet familiar scent of gentian drifted past from beside him. Zhong Yi’s nose twitched, and he thought to himself that His Majesty’s intuition truly seemed to have some basis after all.

After entering the main hall and taking his seat, Mu Heng first asked Wei Fu, “The reports said the poison in your body was severe. Why aren’t you resting properly? Can your body withstand all this traveling?”

Wei Fu quickly thanked His Majesty for his concern and patted his chest as he assured him that he had recovered almost completely. Mu Heng saw that although he appeared somewhat thinner than before, his complexion was excellent, his spirits high, and there was not the slightest trace of gloom between his brows. He knew Wei Fu was not lying. He had only just grunted in acknowledgment when Wei Fu eagerly stepped forward and personally offered him a cup of hot tea. “Everything here was dug out from Commander Zhong’s house and originally bestowed by Your Majesty. This humble subject dares to borrow flowers to present to the Buddha. Please enjoy it, Your Majesty.”

Mu Heng immediately sucked in a sharp breath.

The handsome young emperor in the prime of his twenties reached out with a trembling hand and grabbed Zhong Yi, dragging him before his eyes. Through clenched teeth and in a low voice, he demanded, “And you still say it isn’t that? Then what exactly is he doing right now?”　

Zhong Yi could feel His Majesty’s hand shaking. He immediately gripped it firmly in return to steady his emotions while, with malicious delight, raising his voice and saying, “Your Highness Yu Gong, it seems His Majesty would like to drink the tea you serve him.”　

Wei Fu: ?

Mu Heng: “…”

Yu Gong Zhao Ye was perhaps the only honest person present. Though he had no idea what was going on, he cooperated completely. He took the tea from Wei Fu’s hands, carried it over to Mu Heng, and solemnly said, “Please enjoy, Your Majesty.”　

As his sleeves shifted, the unmistakable fragrance of gentian drifted through the air. In that instant, Mu Heng’s face turned green.

Wei Fu suspiciously examined the undeniably bizarre scene before him. Exchanging a glance with Zhong Yi, who was struggling desperately not to laugh, inspiration suddenly struck him like lightning, and he finally understood the silent exchange the two had been carrying on.

By the time Mu Heng managed to force down that cup of painfully awkward tea, Wei Fu had already arranged his features into the most innocent and harmless expression of his entire life. A gleam sparkled in his eyes as he asked with hidden meaning, “Your Majesty, are you satisfied?”

Mu Heng slowly exhaled and replied pointedly, “Acting first and reporting later—your courage has grown. Go on, what is it you came back for?”

Wei Fu answered, “Your Majesty’s blessing.”

Mu Heng: ?

Zhong Yi: “Pfft—”

Mu Heng turned to Yu Gong Zhao Ye in confusion. “Prince Yu Gong, you call this cured?”

Yu Gong Zhao Ye replied, “…Your Majesty, please hear me out. He was already like this when you handed him over to me. You can’t shift the responsibility.”

Wei Fu curved his bright peach-blossom eyes into a smile as gentle as a spring breeze. “Everyone, if you keep failing to watch your tongues, I’m really going to cough up blood for all of you to see.”

Zhong Yi remarked faintly from the side, “The wrath of a common man…”　

Mu Heng scolded, “Stop egging him on! Is that an auspicious thing to say?!” Then he turned and reprimanded Wei Fu. “Wasn’t it you who started this in the first place?”

Zhong Yi and Wei Fu each sat down sheepishly with soot on their noses, while Yu Gong Zhao Ye received an approving glance from His Majesty, as if to say, See? We’re all like this. Since you’ve already chosen, there’s no backing out now.　

“Enough. Let’s talk business,” Mu Heng ordered, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. “I finally managed to get out of the palace for once. I didn’t come all this way just to listen to dogs bark. Say something useful.”

Very soon, however, he realized that the barking dogs had actually been the mildest part of today’s conversation. Leaving out the matter of the Earth Mirror Map, Wei Fu briefly recounted the entire sequence of events, while Yu Gong Zhao Ye filled in the details from the side. Yet even though he did his utmost to restrain himself and narrate everything as plainly and unemotionally as possible, silence still descended over the hall.

To them, Jiang Feng Xun and her husband were distant strangers. If they approached the matter solely from the perspective of emperor and Egret Guard commander, what ought to concern them were the schemes hidden behind the scenes and the secrets that had yet to come to light.

Yet no one pressed for answers.

This silence arose from another relationship beyond that of ruler and subject. The one who had accompanied Wei Fu to the end of his regrets was Yu Gong Zhao Ye, but the people who had accompanied him through those regrets for more than ten years were Mu Heng and Zhong Yi.

Zhong Yi gently patted his back in comfort. Mu Heng rose directly from his seat, crossed the room, wrapped an arm around Wei Fu’s shoulders, and pulled him into a firm embrace. “At least you finally saw her. All these years of waiting weren’t for nothing. It’s been hard on you.”　

In truth, he had not said very much, yet Wei Fu’s eyes suddenly burned. The faint lychee-sweet fragrance lingering on Mu Heng’s robes washed over him, and he nearly burst into tears.

Xie You Lan would never have hugged him. The two of them rarely even touched each other; if they were not throttling or fighting one another, that already counted as friendship. As for Wei Xiu, there was even less to say. The one who had truly occupied the role of elder brother all these years had always been Mu Heng.

From childhood onward, he had steadfastly chosen this little mute. Through wind and rain, they had supported one another all the way to the present day. Mu Heng might not always indulge his wishes, but he had tolerated countless acts of stubbornness and willfulness.

Within Mu Heng, the solemnity of a ruler and the reliability of an elder brother fused into a calm steadiness beyond his years. Like heaven and earth themselves, he had supported Wei Fu without wavering, becoming a pillar he could rely upon despite sharing no blood relation, and giving him the courage to set out toward distant horizons.

Resting his forehead against Mu Heng’s shoulder, Wei Fu closed his eyes briefly. Clutching a fold of smooth, soft fabric, he swallowed down countless pangs of grief and choked-back sobs before quietly saying, “Her life wasn’t a good one… but at least… I got to see her…”

Mu Heng gently stroked his back, then glanced toward Yu Gong Zhao Ye and gave a slight nod. Yu Gong Zhao Ye inclined his head in return. Mu Heng then patted Wei Fu’s shoulder. “There are many inconveniences for you in Longsha. I’ll send people to arrange your father’s tomb. As for Tianxuan Mountain in Yanyuan, Longsha is not in a position to interfere, but I’ll have people find a way in and conduct a search.”

Wei Fu took several deep breaths, steadying his emotions. Lowering his head, he replied hoarsely, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Mu Heng waved a hand, indicating there was no need for thanks. “Earlier, Prince Yu Gong mentioned the Red Fever epidemic. The evidence is now conclusive. What measures do you intend to take next?”

Yu Gong Zhao Ye said, “According to what Madam Jiang told us, Yanyuan has at least one base on Yun Lake, but its exact location—and whether there are other bases—remains unknown. Further investigation is still required.”

Mu Heng said, “The Egret Guards interrogated those Ten Aspects Sect disciples who were captured last year, but unfortunately their knowledge was limited and far less detailed than what you two uncovered.”

Zhong Yi explained in detail, “They also confessed that Tianxuan Mountain was once a place where the Ten Aspects Sect cultivated medicinal herbs. Later, it was sealed off because of the spread of the plague, but they do not know exactly what happened. However, they did reveal the current location where the Ten Aspects Sect cultivates medicinal materials—in Kongming Valley deep within the Yan Mountains in southwestern Yanyuan.”

Yu Gong Zhao Ye nodded and committed it to memory before asking, “What exactly is Gu Ping Chuan’s identity, and why was he impersonating Su Lü Qing?”

Zhong Yi glanced at Mu Heng and only spoke truthfully after receiving his approval. “This ‘Gu Ping Chuan’ has quite a background. His real name is Su Lü Jing. His father is the sixth son of the Emperor of Yanyuan, Prince Dai, Su Lü Cong Xian.”

“After He Lan Zhen Jia died, the Ten Aspects Sect fell into chaos for a period of time. Two successive sect leaders took power, and both died in internal struggles. Three years ago, the current sect leader, Gu Tu Qing Chen, ascended to the position. It is said that he has a very close relationship with Prince Dai. Su Lü Jing serves as a Dharma Protector Elder of the Ten Aspects Sect, effectively helping Prince Dai draw a portion of the sect’s influence to his side. When he heard that Longsha was sending an escort to Xiling to receive the Assistant Chancellor, he wanted to make a bold gamble and secretly infiltrated Fengdu, plotting to assassinate the envoy in order to sabotage the alliance between the two nations.”

Since there happened to be an assassin king of a prince sitting right there, Su Lü Jing’s identity did not cause much surprise. Wei Fu even managed to shake off some of his gloom and said disdainfully, “What kind of insignificant nobody is he? Our Highness plays with him like he’s playing with a dog. Someone of his caliber should really stop making a fool of himself.”

“…” Yu Gong Zhao Ye coughed lightly and calmly asked, “How does Your Majesty intend to deal with him?”

“Yanyuan sent an envoy two days ago to discuss peace,” Mu Heng said. “They are willing to exchange a Substitute Golden Man for Su Lü Jing’s return. The court has discussed it, and we intend to add another condition: the Ten Aspects Sect must completely withdraw from Xiling and never set foot there again.”

Wei Fu lowered his eyelids listlessly, clearly dissatisfied. “A Substitute Golden Man? Is it solid or hollow? What he did was practically no different from directly declaring war. Letting him go after taking a bit of money is letting a tiger return to the mountains. He’s getting off too easily.”　

He was the greatest victim in this case, and the only person present who dared criticize the emperor’s decision so openly. Thinking about it, Yu Gong Zhao Ye felt that Wei Fu really had been badly frightened. Not being blown to pieces that day had been pure luck. Lingering fear was only natural. Thus he quietly comforted him, “It’s fine. We can always kill him after he gets back to Yanyuan.”

Mu Heng: “…”

He shot Wei Fu a cold glance, warning him that enough was enough and not to push his advantage too far. “Once the Substitute Golden Man arrives, we’ll melt it down and convert it into money. Then we’ll use all of it to buy specialty products from Lancang City in Longsha. Satisfied now?”

Wei Fu changed expressions as quickly as turning a page, immediately beaming with delight. “Satisfied. Thank you, Imperial Father.”

Through his sleeve, he lightly bumped Yu Gong Zhao Ye. Yu Gong Zhao Ye looked at him, then at Mu Heng. Wearing an expression that plainly said Do I really have to call him that?, he hesitated before saying, “Then I suppose I should also… thank you, Imperial Father?”　

It was as if heavenly thunder had crashed down from the Ninth Heaven, lightning striking from the crown of Mu Heng’s head all the way to the tip of his tail. He was instantly fried crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, frozen completely in place.

In the deathly silence that followed, where even a dropped pin could have been heard, Zhong Yi cautiously ventured, “Imperial Father, I would also like another hunting dog.”

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