A Thousand-Mile Exile, An Encounter with an Old Friend - Chapter 21

Li Zhen opened his mouth, but before he could speak, the soldier guarding them made a silent prediction. He was certain the Prince was about to reprimand Zhu Qinghou, throw him out of the study, and forbid him from ever setting foot inside again.

To his shock, Li Zhen merely explained in a flat voice, “It is set aside as official grain to be sold back to the common people.”

The guard remained stoic on the outside, but his heart was in a state of upheaval. While this wasn’t exactly a state secret in the Yongzhou bureaucracy, the fact that His Highness was willing to explain it to Zhu Qinghou spoke volumes. The Prince didn’t seem to resist Zhu Qinghou’s involvement in governance at all. In fact, the winds of change were blowing through Yongzhou.

Zhu Qinghou knew next to nothing about the livelihoods of commoners. Yongzhou was a barren, destitute place where the people relied on their meager livestock and crops to survive. The desk was piled high with these mundane yet complex administrative matters.

He read and asked questions simultaneously, trying to untangle the threads of power and find an opening to intervene in the local political landscape.

For some reason, Li Zhen was exceptionally patient. He answered almost every query, teaching Zhu Qinghou how to navigate the web of government decrees step by step.

By the time they finished, Zhu Qinghou felt quite light-headed. It seemed that over the past four years, Li Zhen had spent his days herding cattle, tending sheep, and worrying about grain.

Thinking of the adolescent Li Zhen—the silent, ethereal boy who had once seemed untouched by the mortal world—now bearing the burden of an entire province’s survival, Zhu Qinghou felt a strange, complicated pang in his heart.

Before he could analyze the source of that feeling, Li Zhen issued a dismissal. “It is late. Go back for now.”

Zhu Qinghou tilted his head toward the window. The twilight was deepening, and the horizon was a hazy blur of sunset. He had actually stayed in the study for hours.

“Then I’m heading back.”

Zhu Qinghou pulled his heavy cloak tighter and stood up to leave.

Li Zhen sat quietly in his place, listening to the sound of retreating footsteps. He maintained his slightly tilted sitting posture, unmoving.

As expected, Zhu Qinghou is a heartless creature, the Prince thought. Once he gets what he wants, he discards people without a second thought—

The footsteps sounded twice, then abruptly stopped. Based on the noise, it seemed the young man had turned back.

Zhu Qinghou looked at Li Zhen and said, “Let’s go back together.”

Years ago, after their lessons at the Imperial School, he and Li Zhen would head back together. Their paths from the school to the palace gates overlapped for a short distance.

Li Zhen’s messy thoughts were interrupted by that light, casual sentence. His face showed nothing, but he replied flatly, “Mm.”

He picked up his walking stick and stood up. The little braids near his temples hadn’t been undone yet, and they tinkled softly with every movement.

Zhu Qinghou caught the edge of Li Zhen’s sleeve and walked out with him, complaining, “What does ‘mm’ mean? You always make people guess.”

Under the fading light, the two walked out of the study, carrying a lantern as they entered the deep, winding gallery.

The soldiers on duty found the sight bizarre. How could the Prince be so indulgent toward that criminal slave?

Zhu Qinghou paid no attention to the gazes hidden in the shadows. He reached out his hand, seeking the warmth of the lantern Li Zhen was carrying.

The prison had been damp and freezing, and the recent soak in icy water had left him even more susceptible to the cold. Even though it was already the Spring Equinox, he felt a persistent chill.

Li Zhen couldn’t see, but he was more sensitive to the stares of others. He tilted his head slightly, “looking” left and right. The eyes fixed on Zhu Qinghou immediately vanished, retreating into the darkness in fear.

The Prince lowered his eyes and inconspicuously moved the lantern closer to Zhu Qinghou, asking softly, “Are you still cold?”

“Cold,” Zhu Qinghou muttered, wrapping his cloak tighter. He reached over to take the lantern from Li Zhen and leaned in close, pressing against the Prince’s side. “So cold.”

Li Zhen reached out, his fingertips searching the air as if looking for something. Zhu Qinghou casually tucked his hand into the Prince’s, and it was immediately caught in a firm grip.

Li Zhen’s fingers were long and his knuckles slightly prominent; his palm was large enough to almost entirely envelop Zhu Qinghou’s hand.

As their palms met, the coldness from Li Zhen’s hand seeped into Zhu Qinghou. He shivered and tried to pull away, but the Prince wouldn’t let go.

“I’m going to the study every day from now on,” Zhu Qinghou said casually as they walked, resigning himself to the iron grip on his hand.

“Mm,” Li Zhen replied noncommittally.

Since he didn’t refuse, Zhu Qinghou took it as a “yes.”

Encouraged, he pushed further. “I want to participate in the council meetings, too.”

A draft blew through the gallery, causing the bells in Li Zhen’s hair to let out a few short, ethereal tinkles before falling silent once more.

It took two heartbeats before Li Zhen replied, “Mm.”

Another emotionless “mm.” It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Zhu Qinghou was used to this silent, indifferent attitude. He didn’t mind and kept babbling, “The official price of grain is too low. Where is your silver coming from? It would be better to find ways to increase revenue. We should send merchants beyond the border to open trade with the Wei people.”

He paused, then asked, “Did the ‘Two Hearts as One’ parasite also come from beyond the border?”

This time, Li Zhen’s silence lasted longer than before. The parasite had indeed been found beyond the border, as had the method for its removal.

Zhu Qinghou is suddenly bringing up foreign trade… is he that desperate to remove the parasite?

…What is he plotting now? Another escape?

Li Zhen’s voice grew even colder and more distant. “I do not know.”

The lantern light flickered and swayed, casting shadows across the young Prince’s face. He looked regal and aloof, as pristine as carved ice.

Zhu Qinghou knew Li Zhen too well. He wondered if someone had offended the Prince to make him so unhappy.

He didn’t dwell on whether the parasite came from the border or not, instead pressing on: “What about sending merchants for trade? Are you even listening to me?”

Currently, the Wei state was split in two and plagued by internal conflict—a stroke of luck for the Jin Dynasty. Since the Wei were too busy with their own problems, they had no time to invade.

The border was relatively peaceful. They should seize this chance to trade for the resources the people of Yongzhou lacked.

Based on his tone, one would think Zhu Qinghou considered Yongzhou his own territory. He was enthusiastically planning its future.

Behind the white silk, Li Zhen’s eyelashes lowered. His mood was impossible to read.

“Are you truly doing this for the sake of Yongzhou?”

Zhu Qinghou patted his chest and replied, “Of course. If Yongzhou prospers, only then can I…” gain more power to overturn the case.

He didn’t finish the sentence.

He only hoped Li Zhen would behave and follow his lead. He wanted the trade initiative launched immediately so he could produce results and stun everyone with his brilliance.

Besides, if the border had interesting things like the “Two Hearts as One” parasite, it surely had other things as well…

Li Zhen said nothing, refusing to engage. Zhu Qinghou was undeterred and continued his chatter: “Trade is a good thing for both the state and the people. Why not do it? Xianpu?”

Li Zhen finally seemed moved by his words and began to speak.

Zhu Qinghou waited for him to agree.

“We are here,” Li Zhen said flatly. He let go of the other man’s hand and, leaning on his stick, stepped onto the long flight of stairs leading to the hall alone.

Zhu Qinghou was left standing there, holding the lantern and looking dazed for a moment before he hurried after him. “Xianpu, listen to me…”

Seeing the usually clever young man stumble before the Prince was a novelty for Uncle Cui, who was waiting at the hall. He stepped forward and whispered, “Your Highness.”

Curious as he was, he didn’t dare ask what had happened.

Li Zhen gave a low instruction: “Watch him. Do not let him have contact with anyone else.”

Watch him?

Uncle Cui was stunned.

Your Highness, do you realize how many secret guards are already assigned to him? Between those in the light and those in the dark, there are over a hundred. How much more ‘watching’ can we do?

Uncle Cui pondered this for a moment, then waved his hand. He decided to simply add more guards.

The secret guards who received the order: “…”

If we add any more people, the tree branches outside the palace will be overcrowded.

Zhu Qinghou, trailing behind, was oblivious to this. He hurried to catch up. “Why are you walking so fast?” He was a mess of flailing limbs, holding the lantern in one hand and clutching his cloak with the other.

Li Zhen turned around on the stairs, leaning on his stick. The glazed palace lanterns hanging above cast a soft, warm glow over the blind young man. He looked lofty and imposing, a vision of snow and ice.

Zhu Qinghou, standing a few steps below him, dazed for a moment.

Years ago, at a banquet in the Zhu manor, amidst the gold and silver and the elaborate pavilions, a young prince who had just reached his capping ceremony stood in simple robes, framed by the shimmering light.

His eyes still held a touch of youth and a faint, smiling warmth as he looked down at the wine cup.

“Xiao Yu, I have never drunk wine before.”

“Today is my birthday. Just take a sip and try it.”

Plink.

Dew fell from the eaves, splashing on the ground.

Zhu Qinghou snapped out of his dream. He gripped his hem, pulled his cloak tight, and walked up the steps to Li Zhen. “Xianpu,” he urged, “Why are you standing here like a statue? Let’s go inside.”

Uncle Cui glanced at Zhu Qinghou. He assumed the Prince was standing there because he had further instructions. Surely he wasn’t just waiting for the boy?

“Mm,” Li Zhen turned and walked into the hall.

Uncle Cui: “…”

Zhu Qinghou followed Li Zhen inside, still rambling: “Did you actually listen to anything I said? Trade between the three regions is a good thing, logically and practically…”

Before he could finish, the figure in front of him stopped dead. Zhu Qinghou nearly collided with his back. The lantern in his hand swayed, and the candle flickered out, plunging the surroundings into darkness.

“Xianpu?”

The hall was pitch black. The furniture and decorations were mere silhouettes in the gloom. The overlapping outlines looked like mysterious, shifting shadows.

Zhu Qinghou blinked, his eyes struggling to adjust. He lifted the lantern and puffed out his cheeks, trying to blow the spark back into a flame.

As he was blowing, a voice as cold as jade came from in front of him: “Go back.”

Li Zhen was telling him to leave.

Zhu Qinghou was busy with the lantern and ignored him. This was Li Zhen’s chamber, and the bed belonged to Li Zhen. Further inside was the inner palace where Zhu Qinghou actually stayed.

But so what? He would sleep wherever he pleased.

The silence lasted for a heartbeat.

The Prince seemed unable to do anything with him.

Zhu Qinghou didn’t care. Just as he managed to get a tiny glow back into the wick, Li Zhen—still with his back turned spoke again. His tone was even colder and more detached than before: ” Take him back.”

Take who back?

Zhu Qinghou put the lantern down and looked around in confusion. In the blink of an eye, several secret guards in black appeared from nowhere. Without a word, they carefully but firmly restrained him, preparing to lead him away.

The lantern, which had just produced a tiny flame, tumbled to the ground.

Zhu Qinghou was dragged away, struggling and shouting after the Prince: “Xianpu? Xianpu! What are you throwing a tantrum for now?”

In the darkness, Li Zhen remained with his back turned, never once looking back.

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