The Aloof Noble Son Feeds His Body to a Wandering Soul - Chapter 2

At the deepest hour of the night, the darkness was desolate and profound, and the world was plunged into a silence so absolute that the sound of a fine needle dropping could be heard with perfect clarity.

Upon reaching the gates of the Prince Ji estate, Shu Fuyan came to a halt.

Bright red lanterns hung from the wooden beams above the gate; their candle flames were weak, barely illuminating the path for those returning home. The household servants were already asleep, leaving only the gatekeeping domestics.

The servant stepped forward to open the gate and nodded to Shu Fuyan to signal him to enter.

Shu Fuyan’s eyes were filled with weariness as he whispered, “Thank you.” Folding his blue silk umbrella, which had been drenched by the rain, Shu Fuyan stepped over the threshold and entered the courtyard.

He walked straight through the water pavilions and stone terraces, passing directly through the winding and zigzagging corridors.

A mischievous cat crawled over the dark tiles, leaped onto the city wall, and stared at Shu Fuyan. Its round, deep pupils emitted an eerie green glow in the night, looking somber and ghostly.

As Shu Fuyan took a step, the cat jumped to follow him. Its green pupils moved with the cat’s body, closing the distance between them.

Shu Fuyan turned his head, staring at the little creature following him. Suddenly, Shu Fuyan stopped, set down his umbrella, and walked over, his tone natural. “Xianchan, it’s late; why haven’t you gone back to rest?”

The black cat let out a “meow” and continued to follow him.

Shu Fuyan felt helpless. He brought his hands together and spread them wide, preparing to catch it. “Xianchan, come here.”

The black cat blinked, licked its front paw, and let out a few high-pitched cries before leaping into Shu Fuyan’s arms without hesitation.

The cat, which usually loved to bare its fangs at people, seemed to have a particular fondness for Shu Fuyan.

It rolled over, rubbing its snow-white belly against Shu Fuyan’s clothes, inadvertently shedding a few tufts of fur that clung to his lapels. The messy cat fur was blown away by the wind, fluffing about like willow catkins before settling on his green robes, softening the aloof and cold aura that usually clung to Shu Fuyan.

Shu Fuyan laughed softly, gently kneading the cat’s head. “You rascal.”

His actions drew a purr from the cat.

He placed a large palm over the cat’s belly to stroke it, only to find its stomach overly flat—his fingers sank deep into the hollow as he pressed down. “So, you were hungry. What was Li Niang doing?”

Shu Fuyan spoke calmly, yet his words carried a trace of underlying displeasure.

Shu Fuyan patted the cat’s fur-covered back and said softly that he would come to see it later before releasing it.

Approaching the study, Shu Fuyan did not delay any longer and walked toward the depths of the darkness.

Inside, the lights were ablaze; the person within the study had not yet gone to bed.

The candlelight flickered, casting heavy shadows of people onto the window paper, making the atmosphere feel somewhat grave.

Shu Fuyan stood before the door and called out respectfully, “Your Highness.”

The person inside paused in his writing. Hearing Shu Fuyan’s voice, he turned toward the door but did not reply immediately.

After a moment, the man inside loosened his tone, and a robust, deep voice emerged: “Come in.”

Upon entering the study, a map marking mountains, rivers, lakes, and territories caught his eye.

Shu Fuyan felt a brief moment of distraction. He shifted his gaze away without a sound, assuming a humble posture, and offered a bow. “Your Highness, Xidezhe has sent good news: the Marquis of Dinyuan’s deputy general has already surrendered.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Shu Fuyan retrieved the dark iron token from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

Prince Ji’s jaw tightened, unable to hide his joy, as his fingertips trembled while he hurriedly accepted the token.

After scrutinizing it carefully for a long while, Prince Ji suddenly let out a hearty laugh. “Good, very good! With the deputy general’s surrender, capturing the Marquis of Dinyuan is only a matter of time.”

Yuanzhou was a strategically vital territory; it connected to the barbarian kingdoms in the north and led to Shangjing in the south. To consolidate his rise to the throne, he had to secure Yuanzhou to prepare for any contingency.

Prince Ji stood with his back to Shu Fuyan, his gaze scanning the map repeatedly. Three of the seven provinces had been settled, while the princes of various regions sat on the sidelines, afraid to take a side.

Prince Ji longed to add fuel to the fire, to make the blaze of his ascendancy burn even brighter. The hotter the fire, the better it would be for his cause.

“Sir, in your view, the north is now within my grasp. When should we cast the net over the southern regions?”

Shu Fuyan felt Prince Ji’s eager heart to possess the world, and his heart sank.

Shu Fuyan stepped forward and advised, “Your Highness, please reconsider.”

Shu Fuyan took up a brush, dipped it in clear water, and marked a cross over the southern region on the map.

“Haste makes waste; Your Highness, please do not be impatient. Being overly conspicuous invites trouble.”

Shu Fuyan’s ambiguous answer was beyond Prince Ji’s understanding. The elderly Emperor had been bedridden for a long time; he was certain to die within two years. If they delayed any longer and failed to consolidate their power early, they feared they might stumble.

However, since Shu Fuyan had his reservations, Prince Ji naturally dared not take them lightly. After all, his progress to this point relied entirely on Shu Fuyan’s miraculous schemes.

He could doubt anyone, but he could not afford to distrust Shu Fuyan.

“If the Sir has any brilliant strategy, pray, speak your mind.”

Shu Fuyan lowered his head; a few strands of messy hair obscured his eyebrows and eyes, making his expression unreadable.

After a moment of thought, Shu Fuyan took up the brush, dipped it in black ink, and wrote the two characters “Shangjing” (Capital) on a blank sheet of paper.

The current situation was complex, and the key lay in Shangjing. Once Shangjing was controlled, and people could see that Prince Ji was the master of the capital, the other princes would scramble to curry favor and declare their allegiance.

Prince Ji’s thick brows knitted tightly, and his breathing grew heavy. The candlelight suddenly flared bright before fading into dimness.

Prince Ji suddenly realized the truth, as if waking from a dream. He patted Shu Fuyan’s shoulder as if in commendation and laughed loudly: “Having you as my advisor is like a fish finding water, like a tiger growing wings.”

Shu Fuyan lowered his head humbly. “Your Highness is too kind; to share Your Highness’s burdens is Shu’s honor.”

Currently, the forces in Shangjing were intertwined, with all parties watching like tigers eyeing their prey, waiting for the old Emperor to close his eyes so they could fight to the death.

If they were to form an alliance with the southern princes now, the Crown Prince and Prince Yu would undoubtedly take action. Those in the shadows coveting the throne would likewise counter their moves; if pushed too far, they might resort to ruthless tactics against Prince Ji.

After several rounds of confrontation, they would likely kill a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of their own. For Prince Ji, lying low and waiting for the right moment was the safest course of action.

Having finished reporting the matters, Shu Fuyan prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, Prince Ji detained him: “Sir, stay a moment.”

Shu Fuyan’s expression remained aloof and cold. Keeping a distance from Prince Ji, he said slowly, “Does Your Highness have further instructions for Shu?”

Prince Ji’s gaze was deep as he stroked his long black beard. In the reflection of the candlelight, he took down a painting hanging on the wall.

It’s him!

The fleeting glimpse from the rain replayed in his mind; the stunning moment they locked eyes left Shu Fuyan unable to forget. Fearing that Prince Ji might grow suspicious, Shu Fuyan dared not reveal his true feelings and hurriedly lowered his head, pretending to be indifferent.

“The Great General, Marquis of Zhenbei, returned to the capital today. Did you see him?”

Prince Ji did not rush to explain the task, but instead spoke mysteriously of Xiao Yi.

“I did. General Xiao’s appearance is extraordinary he is handsome, refined, and possesses… the demeanor of a divine general.”

Prince Ji looked surprised, staring at Shu Fuyan with deep eyes. “I did not know the Sir held Xiao Yi in such high regard.” After staring for a few seconds, Prince Ji let out a cold hum. “Xiao Yi is a tough nut to crack. If you suffer a loss at his hands, Sir, do not be discouraged; such is to be expected.”

Suffering a loss—Shu Fuyan’s heart trembled. Who would cause whom to suffer a loss remained to be seen.

“Xiao Yi wields an army of eight hundred thousand. Having campaigned for ten years, his soldiers are fiercely loyal. If we have Xiao Yi’s support, we need not worry about Shangjing.” Prince Ji’s voice was resolute; he had made up his mind to bite into this delicious piece of meat.

Shu Fuyan remained silent. Smart as he was, he had already anticipated Prince Ji’s intentions.

“How does Your Highness want me to proceed?” Shu Fuyan came straight to the point.

Prince Ji did not waffle, stating bluntly: “Xiao Yi must not side with the Crown Prince.”

Prince Ji took down the portrait and placed it into Shu Fuyan’s hands, urging him solemnly, “Keep a close watch on Xiao Yi and keep an eye on the military tally. If you can win him over, that would be best. Even if he cannot be brought into the Prince Ji estate, do not let Xiao Yi become our enemy.”

Shu Fuyan was stunned. The painting in his hands was light and weightless, yet he dared not take hold of it—it felt like a hot potato; if he touched it, his heart would be scorched by a blazing fire.

Shu Fuyan curled his fingers, pressing down on the curling edge of the portrait, a sense of annoyance rising within him.

For Prince Ji to want him to approach Xiao Yi was nothing more than a fear of the military power Xiao Yi held. Even if he brought Xiao Yi into their camp, Prince Ji would never fully trust him.

Shu Fuyan rubbed the scroll; a thought emerged that he did not want Xiao Yi to be used by anyone.

“Well? Is the Sir unwilling?” Seeing Shu Fuyan remain silent for a long time, Prince Ji’s suspicion grew.

Prince Ji’s gaze was like a torch; the oppression of a superior bore down upon the cramped space. The candlelight dimmed, and the night was so quiet it chilled the soul.

Shu Fuyan curved his lips, his tone filled with assurance: “Your Highness’s orders shall be fulfilled by Shu with his utmost effort.”

Shu Fuyan rolled up the scroll and held it to his chest. His peripheral vision swept toward the person on the scroll, and his depression dissipated; all he could think about was the silver-armored general riding on horseback.

With Shu Fuyan’s agreement, Prince Ji’s brows relaxed.

He had begged for this man’s service, after all. Prince Ji sighed and promised: “He who gains Xiao Yi gains the capital. Once we triumph over the Crown Prince and I successfully ascend the throne, the Sir shall be the head of the court the Chancellor, beneath only one and above all others.”

At the mention of becoming Chancellor, Shu Fuyan’s brow twitched. Memories of childhood humiliation surged forward, and his hand hidden beneath his sleeve clenched silently. The cruelty in his eyes grew deeper, with a latent tendency to erupt.

Shu Fuyan clutched the portrait tight, lowering his eyes in a submissive manner. “The night is late; Shu shall not disturb Your Highness’s rest.”

Prince Ji waved his hand, his voice weary. “Go.” Exhausted to the bone, Prince Ji sat in his chair, rubbing his temples, having no heart to pay further attention to Shu Fuyan.

Exiting the study and walking only a few steps, a group of people suddenly walked along the corridor.

Upon closer inspection, it was Prince Ji’s concubine, Lady Yu.

Lady Yu came over with two maids carrying lanterns. Seeing Shu Fuyan, she gave a slight bow and smiled softly: “Lord Shu.”

Shu Fuyan nodded, acknowledging her presence.

In this Prince Ji estate, aside from Prince Ji, who dared to give Shu Fuyan a hard time, everyone else had to respectfully address him as Lord Shu.

The night was thick, and the night sky, chilled by the cold rain, felt even more somber.

“It is late; it is time to feed Xianchan.”

Shu Fuyan walked toward the outer courtyard, hugging the portrait.

The black cat was hidden in a cave within the rockery, shaking its head and licking its paws, waiting for someone to feed it.

“Meow.”

Feeling a familiar scent, the black cat jumped down from the rockery and walked toward Shu Fuyan with light, rapid steps.

“Don’t be impatient; I will take you to find food now.”

Shu Fuyan had originally intended to hold Xianchan, but he lowered his head to look at the scroll, lost in a moment of distraction.

The young lord’s appearance was extraordinary, bearing the grace of a dragon and the majesty of a phoenix he was a person no one dared to desecrate. He himself dared not even touch him with his hands; how could he let a cat touch a portrait of such a noble person?

Between the scroll and the cat, Shu Fuyan knew which was lighter and which was heavier.

And so, one man held the portrait while walking in front, and one cat held its head high, following behind him.

The night was long, gentle enough to make one sink into a tranquility from which one would never wish to wake.

After tonight, two parallel lines would intersect, tangling into threads that could not be straightened or severed, ensnaring two people from different worlds.