On the journey from Yuanhui Palace back to the small courtyard, Mu Xueshi yawned countless times. It had only been two short days, yet he already felt extremely tired, as if his mind had been somewhat overdrawn. It was probably because he rarely used his brain much on ordinary days.
Mu Xueshi now had the urge to lean against the Third Prince’s shoulder and rest with his eyes half closed. Another whole day had passed without seeing him, and he had no idea what the Third Prince was busy with from morning to night.
Sitting inside the sedan chair, Mu Xueshi’s upper and lower eyelids kept fighting. Afraid that he would catch a cold if he fell asleep like this, he reached out and lifted the gauze curtain behind the little window, letting in some breeze to wake himself up.
Unexpectedly, the moment he pulled it aside, Mu Xueshi saw a scene that caught him completely off guard.
There were two people standing by the lake. Just from the back view alone, Mu Xueshi immediately recognized that one of them was the Third Prince. The other looked somewhat familiar, but he could not be sure who it was.
Mu Xueshi ordered the bearers to stop the sedan chair, then got out himself and signaled for them to carry the sedan directly back, saying that he wanted to admire the scenery here.
After the bearers left, Mu Xueshi quietly hid behind a rockery and looked in that direction. The Third Prince and the other person also seemed to be admiring the scenery. Otherwise, why would they come to the lakeside in broad daylight? It could not possibly be to throw themselves into the lake…
Feeling that he still could not see clearly enough, Mu Xueshi moved from behind the rockery to behind a tree, getting closer and closer to those two people. He could also faintly hear them talking.
Mu Xueshi was still not satisfied. From behind that tree, he moved directly to hide behind a railing very close to the two of them, crouching on the ground and curling himself into a ball as he listened to what they were saying.
In the end, just as Mu Xueshi had hidden himself properly, he saw those two suddenly walk onto a little bridge and stand at the head of it, looking into the distance. The atmosphere was extremely suited to lovers murmuring sweet words to each other.
Mu Xueshi felt as though a fire was burning in his heart, and above that fire was a rack, and on that rack was a pot, and inside the pot was boiling vinegar, so full it seemed about to overflow.
Mu Xueshi ground his teeth, then slowly crept closer to the two of them while crouching, tiptoeing all the way until he reached the stone lion beneath the bridge. Hiding behind it, he stared over there with his large, round eyes.
“In dreams, this concubine never leaves the river waters; people say my beloved is on Phoenix Mountain…” Yu’er sighed toward the glittering lake.
After hearing this, the Third Prince glanced at him lightly and said with a sigh, “A good poem. Unfortunately, it does not match Noble Consort Yu’s current state of mind. Phoenix Mountain is inherently illusory, while Noble Consort Yu’s lord should be right beside your pillow. Why sigh in empty sorrow here?”
Yu’er shook his head with a bitter smile. “Your Highness simply does not understand.”
The Third Prince’s expression remained cold. After a short while, he asked Yu’er, “Noble Consort Yu brought me here, surely not merely to compose poetry and exchange verses?”
Seeing the Third Prince react this way, Yu’er’s handsome and enchanting face showed a slight hint of disappointment.
“Of course not. How would Yu’er dare waste Your Highness’s time? Is His Majesty’s birthday not approaching? This time is His Majesty’s fiftieth birthday, so the palace will hold a grand banquet. Your Highness knows that His Majesty’s birthday is always the liveliest time in the palace each year, all the more so this year. At that time, civil and military officials, princes, and princesses will all compete to present gifts, and naturally, we cannot be lacking either. Yu’er would like to give His Majesty a surprise at the banquet, but I will need Your Highness’s assistance. When the time comes, it can be considered a shared gesture of sincerity from the two of us.”
On what grounds?!… Mu Xueshi nearly cried out from behind the stone lion. You are a noble consort by the Emperor’s side, and the Third Prince is the Emperor’s son. What is it supposed to mean for the two of you to present a gift together?!…
Because of what had happened last time, Mu Xueshi had originally already dispelled his hostility toward Yu’er, but after hearing these words this time, his heart once again became indignant.
“Noble Consort Yu means that before His Majesty’s birthday arrives, we should finish developing the cannon and bring it into the main hall as a gift for him.”
After hearing this, Yu’er smiled, and his lustrous lips gave off a faint glow.
“Not only that. Yu’er also wishes to perform a dance with Your Highness for His Majesty. Your Highness’s sword dance is exceedingly beautiful. Why don’t we perform a decorative sword dance together at that time?”
After hearing this, the Third Prince appeared completely unmoved, but he also did not open his mouth to refuse.
Seeing that there seemed to be hope for this matter, Yu’er hurried one step forward and said to the Third Prince, “If Your Highness finds it inconvenient, Yu’er can play the qin for Your Highness while Your Highness performs the sword dance. I believe the civil and military officials would all very much like to see Your Highness dance with a sword. Yu’er heard from the Prime Minister that five years ago, it was precisely because Your Highness performed a solitary sword dance at His Majesty’s birthday banquet and captivated everyone that you came to be called the most beautiful man under heaven.”
“This matter can be decided later. For now, put the cannon first. As long as this thing remains undeveloped for even one day, Imperial Father’s heart will be unable to settle for one day. This is the true knot in his heart.”
“Your Highness is right. Those craftsmen who refine iron have already begun forging the cannon mold, and the refined materials and ingredients have also been placed into the furnace for casting. The cannon we are casting this time is more than twice as large as the one from Lubei Kingdom, so its power should be even greater. When His Majesty sees it then, he will surely be so delighted he cannot close his mouth.”
The Third Prince was silent for a moment, then said to Yu’er, “Noble Consort Yu, I should go pick up Xueshi. I imagine his matters should be more or less handled by now.”
Yu’er’s expression changed slightly. As he walked down from the bridge, he said, “Does Young Master Xue still need Your Highness to personally pick him up and see him off? Your Highness looks down on Young Master Xue too much. With so many elite soldiers and guards by his side, how could Your Highness need to worry? Though, considering his innocent nature and his playful, restless temperament, he has caused no small amount of trouble.”
“My going to pick him up has nothing to do with whether he causes trouble or not.”
When the two reached the bottom of the stone bridge, Mu Xueshi quickly shifted position and hid on the other side of the stone lion.
“The Grand Tutor Mu case is also a knot in His Majesty’s heart. I wonder how matters are progressing on Young Master Xue’s side. If the true culprit can be thoroughly found before His Majesty’s birthday, I imagine that would also be a very satisfying matter.”
“I’m afraid it is not so simple. That case is very complicated, and there are few clues. Even if he cannot solve it, no one will say anything. It was a headless case to begin with.”
“Your Highness is right… However, this third-rank Judicial Affairs Minister personally appointed by His Majesty is known throughout the entire imperial capital. If he cannot even solve the first case he takes on, who in the court and the realm will be convinced by His Majesty’s decision back then?”
“…”
Once their voices gradually moved farther away, Mu Xueshi also stood up. The blood in his entire body seemed to flow backward. Only one thought kept flashing through his mind: They look down on me. All of them look down on me…
As Yu’er and the Third Prince walked back, the palace maids, guards, and eunuchs all turned their heads to look. His Highness the Third Prince and Noble Consort Yu had been growing closer and closer recently. Ever since they had accidentally glimpsed Mu Xueshi at the banquet last time, they had completely forgotten his appearance, and afterward, they had never seen him again. Instead, this Noble Consort Yu had become the dazzling presence who accompanied the Third Prince every day.
They simply had not expected that their wish would be fulfilled in the blink of an eye.
While the Third Prince and Yu’er were walking back, Mu Xueshi suddenly came toward them from the front. His expression was calmer than usual, and most importantly, he had lifted his hat veil.
In an instant, everything around them fell silent. Even the birds that had just been fluttering about chaotically now landed on the branches.
“What a coincidence.” Mu Xueshi smiled elegantly at the two of them.
Yu’er reacted first and also smiled at Mu Xueshi, asking, “Why is Young Master Xue here? I remember Your Highness just said he was going to pick you up.”
Mu Xueshi suddenly let out a strange burst of laughter. “Pick me up? Do I still need him to pick me up? With one somersault, I can travel one hundred and eight thousand li. I’m afraid that by the time he finished preparing the horse, I would already be back.”
After saying this, even Mu Xueshi felt guilty. That boast was a bit too big.
Sure enough, Yu’er burst into a laugh, his eyes curving with countless charms.
“Young Master Xue truly knows how to amuse people.”
“I’m not amusing anyone. I took Sun Wukong as my master,” Mu Xueshi said solemnly.
Yu’er revealed a surprised expression. “Sun Wukong?”
Haha… So there are things you don’t know too. Mu Xueshi stood there looking at Yu’er with a smile that did not reach his eyes.
The Third Prince had long since seen through Mu Xueshi’s thoughts, and the tenderness spilling from his eyes was something he had not revealed for the entire day.
Seeing that Yu’er still had not left, Mu Xueshi cleared his throat and said to him, “Noble Consort Yu, what are you doing here?”
Yu’er thought Mu Xueshi was asking about what had just happened, so he said, “Yu’er was just discussing His Majesty’s birthday with His Highness the Third Prince.”
Mu Xueshi sucked in a cold breath. His brilliant, sparkling eyes turned around the surroundings before finally stopping on Yu’er’s face. His tone was somewhat strange as he said, “In such a scenic place, the two of you were actually only discussing His Majesty’s birthday? Wouldn’t composing poetry and exchanging verses be more romantic…”
Yu’er was somewhat stunned and hurriedly replied, “Young Master Xue, what are you saying?”
Mu Xueshi sighed and said to Yu’er, “Nothing. I was simply struck by feeling and suddenly remembered two lines of poetry: ‘Having once known the boundless sea, all other waters pale; except for clouds over Wu Mountain, no clouds are clouds.’”
Yu’er was stunned for a moment after hearing this and could not help praising, “What fine poetry.”
Even the Third Prince was slightly surprised when he heard it, unable to believe that these two lines of poetry had come from Mu Xueshi’s mouth.
You think you’re the only one who can recite poetry! Mu Xueshi snorted coldly in his heart. “I’ll explain them for you. What these two lines mean is that someone who has once seen the vast sea will find all other waters inferior. Other than the gorgeous, colorful clouds of Wu Mountain, no other clouds can be called clouds.”
After saying this, Mu Xueshi smiled faintly, walked to the Third Prince’s side, and said, “Let’s go back.”
The Third Prince gave Yu’er a salute, then walked back together with Mu Xueshi.
“Were those lines of poetry truly composed by you?”
Although Mu Xueshi felt somewhat guilty, he still said, “Of course. This is nothing to me at all. If you want to hear more, I can still recite them for you.” Mu Xueshi pretended to think for a moment, then recited, “I know full well that while I live, this love will remain; I gaze wistfully at the riverhead, listening to the river’s sound… In heaven, let us be birds flying wing to wing; on earth, let us be branches twined together…”
The Third Prince listened line by line, and the way he looked at Mu Xueshi grew even more doubtful.
“You can compose elegant lines as soon as you open your mouth?”
Mu Xueshi shrugged adorably. “What is this? To me, it is as simple as eating.”
“Then for Imperial Father’s birthday, why don’t you compose the inscription?”
“Uh…” Mu Xueshi laughed awkwardly twice. “You should do it. I don’t want to steal your spotlight.”
“…”
Once the two had walked far away, Mu Xueshi looked back. Yu’er had completely disappeared from sight. Only then did he put away the graceful manner he had thought so elegant just now and change into a furious expression.
“Carry me back on your back. I’m tired.”
The Third Prince naturally knew where Mu Xueshi’s temper had come from and did not explain anything. He directly swept Mu Xueshi up by the waist and flew toward the small courtyard.
“I told you to carry me on your back and walk step by step. Why are you holding me!” Mu Xueshi deliberately picked a fight.
The Third Prince’s expression suddenly changed as well, and one hand pinched Mu Xueshi’s cheek.
“Who allowed you to take off your hat veil? You will stand as punishment when we return.”
This time, Mu Xueshi stopped speaking and buried himself in the Third Prince’s arms, pretending to have fallen asleep…
Futile Devices Scans 
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