Volume Two: Spring At The Royal Palace
“What are you two doing?”
The moment it hit nightfall, a carriage took a shortcut and quietly drove back to the palace. It was stopped at the White Tiger Gate白虎門 White Tiger that guards the North.. When the coachman showed his wooden token, the guard was shocked and quickly knelt down to salute before letting them through.
Operating a carriage is prohibited within the palace grounds, unless the emperor is sitting inside.
Wei Lian opened the curtain and looked out. It was late, and there were a very small number of lights left burning in the palace. At a glance, it was a quiet night deep in the palace.
It was completely different from the bustling and flourishing market lights from before, like they were two different worlds.
The carriage stopped in front of Zhongling Palace. The coachman outside announced, “We have arrived at Zhongling Palace. Gongzi, please watch your step.”
Wei Lian turned to Ji Yue and said, “This subject will be leaving.”
Ji Yue replied, “All right.”
Wei Lian added, “Your Majesty, have a wonderful dream tonight.”
Ji Yue was stunned and then whispered, “You as well.”
The young man in green lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage. The spacious carriage felt empty with one less person inside.
Ji Yue couldn’t stop himself from opening the curtain to watch the other depart, and his eyes met with Wei Lian’s.
The two exchanged looks for a moment as a bright smile appeared on Wei Lian’s lips. Ji Yue suddenly felt that his hand was scalded by something as he hurriedly put down the curtain.
His face was burning hot and his heart was jumping rapidly.
It turned out that what the book said was true. No matter how noble your status is, no matter how cold your heart is, against someone you like, you will be no different from any young man in adolescent love.
As soon as Wei Lian entered the Zhongling Palace, Chang Sheng, who had been standing still inside, immediately came forward and greeted, “Gongzi.”
Chang Shou was sitting in a chair with one hand supporting his head, nodding from drowsiness.
Chang Sheng coughed with emphasis.
Chang Shou immediately sat up straight and complained discontentedly, “What now, Chang Sheng? I was dreaming of eating chicken legs…Ah! Gong-gongzi, you are back!”
The sleepiness in Chang Shou’s eyes disappeared in an instant as he hurriedly stood up.
“Indeed.” Wei Lian said, “Why aren’t you two resting?”
He went out for four hours, did that mean these two idiots waited here for him for four hours?
“We were waiting for Gongzi to return.” Chang Shou confirmed Wei Lian’s thoughts. “How could we sleep peacefully knowing you were dealing with the King of the Underworld?”
Wei Lian repeated softly, “The King of the Underworld?”
Chang Shou knew his tongue slipped again as he corrected in a weak tone, “The Qin Em-Emperor…”
“Don’t commit any more gaffes.” Wei Lian glanced at him. “If you do, I’ll have you find a needle and sew your own mouth shut.”
Chang Shou gasped out an “Ah” before muttering in grievance, “Gongzi, if this servant sewed his mouth, who will tell you jokes and amuse you in the future?”
Ji Yue could. That man could talk, and strangely, he liked to listen to the other man talk.
Wei Lian unknowingly smiled, contradicting what came out of his mouth, “It is better to be a mute than a dead man.”
When trouble really came from his servant’s loose tongue, it would be the kind of trouble that demanded a life in exchange.
Chang Shou: “...”
Gongzi’s tongue was really sharp.
“Huh?” Chang Shou suddenly noticed what Wei Lian was carrying in his hand. “Is that a rabbit lantern Gongzi is holding? It is so cute!”
Wei Lian held the rabbit lantern closer to his eyes, glanced at it and agreed in a whisper, “Yes, it is pretty cute.”
“Gongzi, you can give the lantern to this servant to put it away in the box.”
Wei Lian turned around and rejected, “No.”
Chang Shou was caught off guard and asked with uncertainty, “Are you going to hold it in your sleep?” You are going to smash it if you do.
Wei Lian pondered for a moment. “I want to hang it at the most noticeable place…hang it inside of the chamber then.”
Chang Shou reminded him, “You have already hung the ceramic glaze lantern in your chamber.”
Without hesitation, Wei Lian ordered, “Then change it. Put the ceramic glaze lantern into the storage.”
Confusion filled Chang Shou’s face.
An eight gems coloured glass lantern that was invaluable compared to this rabbit lantern…that didn’t look like it cost more than ten copper coins?
Was there something wrong with the Gongzi’s view of an item’s worth?
Wei Lian could particularly see the question marks on his servant's face as he gave the other man a ‘You’ll never understand’ stare with, “What do you know? This is priceless.”
This rabbit lantern was proof of the Chang Emperor of Qin’s thirteen years and fifteen days of ruling. It had a great commemorative significance, a priceless treasure.
Chang Shou immediately felt a deep veneration for the rabbit lantern and very carefully accepted the priceless item. “Understood.”
It appeared he really made an error in his judgement. The rabbit lantern must be a national treasure, it was just he was too ignorant to see it.
Chang Shou watched his every step as he carried the rabbit lantern, the newest national treasure, into the chamber.
Chang Sheng finally opened his mouth, “Gongzi, when do you plan to leave?”
Wei Lian smiled slightly. “Leave?”
Chang Sheng frowned, feeling restless. “Are you really willing to stay in the Qin Emperor’s palace, be Qin Emperor’s—”
In the end, he couldn’t say the words ‘pampered pet’.
Such a filthy and lowly description of words that would only defile Gongzi if he said them out loud.
“This place can never trap me in the first place.” Wei Lian replied faintly, “Chang Sheng, I am staying here willingly.”
Chang Sheng did not expect that.
In a short while, he asked with a complicated look, “Did you…fall in love with the Qin Emperor?”
He really could not think of any other reason that could make his proud Gongzi willing…willing to stay in such a lowly position.
Wei Lian denied, “No.”
After Chang Sheng left out a breath of relief, Wei Lian added calmly, “But I like him.”
Chang Sheng almost choked himself to death.
Was there a difference?!
“There are not that many people that I like, so when I meet one that I do, I do not want to lose it.” Wei Lian turned to the other. “I have discretion.”
“This servant is only afraid that you will find it hard to extricate yourself if you fall too deeply.” Chang Sheng whispered, “If the Qin Emperor turns his back on you…”
Wei Lian smiled. “Then I will immediately leave.”
There had never been anything in the world that Wei Lian could not let go.
There had never been anyone that he could not let go.
Chang Sheng finally gave a shallow bow and left in silence.
When Wei Lian entered his chamber, the rabbit lantern had been hung on the wall. He stared quietly at it for a moment as he sat down at the table.
Taking out a small porcelain bottle from his robe, he poured out a pill.
He picked up the pill with two fingers, put it near the tip of his nose and sniffed it gently. A look of surprise appeared on his face.
“Jiuzhuan huanhun九轉還魂丹 Nine refinement reviving pill or soul restoring pill. The number of refinements for a pill determines its value, one being the lowest and nine being the highest. pill?” He whispered, “A priceless find.”
At a glance, he could tell there was something wrong with the woman in purple. In the previous dynasty, the Liang Empire was the South Border. People there were masters of the art of poison. When Wei Lian studied medicine, he also studied hundreds of South Border poisons.
In the end, he memorised them all from boredom.
Wei Lian was a master when it came to poison.
For him, it was obvious at a glance that her silver jewellery was glazed with poison, her lips were coated with poison, traces of poison were hidden under her nails, even her belt was a poisonous snake in disguise.
The woman had trained her body to be immune to hundreds of poisons.
This kind of poison user must have carried an antidote on her, one that could treat the majority of odd poisons she possessed.
Myrna coveted Wei Lian’s yang energy, but Wei Lian wanted her antidote more.
Since her sights were on him, she couldn’t blame him for doing the same, it was him beating her at her own game, merely a counterattack.
It was that he didn’t expect to find huanhun pill as the antidote.
Huanhun pills had existed only in legends. There were many factors to this, hard to find the formulation, even if one learned how to refine it, it was also hard to gather the ingredients. Even if you gathered all the required materials, there was also the matter of successfully refining the pill.
Wei Lain knew the formulation as well as having the ability to refine the pill, but he lacked the resources to gather the ingredients. Just naming a few ingredients that would be hard to come by for any common folks. Tears of the sea ruin, flaming hibiscus in the grassland, and spring water from the desert crescent moon just to name a few.
Wei Lian almost reached the peak with his medical skills. Naturally, he wanted to craft a huanhun pill to prove his mastery, breaking his last bottleneck. However, he wisely gave up on his pursuit after his careful research.
To describe how insane the ingredients were, using the prior three as examples.
Tears of the sea ruin: There is a ruin in the East Sea which could only be seen during an extraordinarily low tide, one that occurred only by chance. It was said that in the ruin lived mermaids, who could form pearls with their tears.
Flaming hibiscus: It would only blossom in a place where the grassland goddess, Dolma, fell in love with Chief Batu.
Spring water from the desert crescent moon: A desert oasis shaped like a half moon. Many called this oasis a mirage. Legend had it that someone once had a taste of this legendary spring water.
* * *
He didn’t know what the other people’s thoughts were, but Wei Lian said to Shifu after reading, “Shifu, is this an immortal pill?”
Shifu replied, “...Although it sounds like an extraordinary pill existing only in the immortal realm, since there is a record of it, it means that it existed in this world before.”
Wei Lian questioned, “But this is the first time I see a pill formulation that is like reading a heavenly book…are the detailed explanations of these ingredients real or a myth?”
If he really took it upon himself to find them, he may gather everything in a decade. However, he did not have that type of energy to set off on such a long and difficult trek.
It was obvious what kind of people could refine the huanhun pill. They must be someone of great resource, strength, wealth, and motivation.
It was by no means something an ordinary person from Liang could have.
Which meant the woman’s identity was not simple.
Considering that envoys from various lands were scheduled to arrive one after another during this time, Wei Lian concluded that the woman in purple had to be a member of the Liang Empire envoys with an extraordinary status.
But it had nothing to do with him.
He just wanted to get rid of the poison inside of him.
This pill could counteract hundreds of poisons in this world. No matter what poison Ji Yue made him take, it would be no issue for this pill.
What he said last night about leaving Ji Yue if the old man turned his back on him was no empty threat, he really has the ability to leave as soon as he made up his mind.
However, Wei Lian studied the pill and pondered for a long time. He still put the pill back into the bottle and sealed it, deciding not to take it.
The huanhun pill was too precious. Taking it now would be a real waste, he must not abuse a priceless treasure.
He was going to stay with Ji Yue anyway. He just needed to take the antidote twice every month, and the real cure to the poison was also in Ji Yue’s hand, it was not going anywhere.
Why use such a rare pill for his current poison? It was better to keep it when time really called for it.
Wei Lian succeeded in persuading himself.
After a night of good dreams, it was a new day when he woke up.
“Why do I feel it is more lively today.” Wei Lian sat in front of the mirror while the palace worker combed his hair.
The young man in the mirror had these lazily droopy eyes, looking as if he hadn’t fully woken up.
“Gongzi is correct.” The servant replied, “The Liang Empire’s envoys arrived and stayed at the staging post last night and are here this morning to meet his Majesty. His Majesty had arranged the envoys’ stay in the palace. This servant also heard that the Chu Empire should arrive tomorrow.”
In previous years, several empires came from far away, so there were bound to be early birds and late arrivals. Those who arrived early would stay in Yongping for a few days. Most of the entourage they brought stayed at the staging post, while the envoys settled in the palace. The state banquet would start once all the representatives were present.
“It seems that the palace is going to be livelier for a few days.” This finally piqued Wei Lian’s interest, even if it was a little bit.
In the past when he was still in the Chu palace, although the days were boring, at least he could enjoy the concubines and princes clawing each other’s eyes out to pass the time. When he arrived at the Qin palace, there were no concubines or princes, there was nothing entertaining to watch—so dry and dull that made him want to pull his hair out in anger.
Now that six envoys were coming, all having their own discord and were less than peaceful, he wondered how many shows he could watch.
The more Wei Lian thought, the more interested he got.
…Cough, yes he appeared like someone who wished for the whole world to be in chaos, but do not doubt that he truly wished for world peace.
“Where are the Liang Empire’s envoys being arranged?” Wei Lian asked.
The woman in purple from last night flashed through his mind.
He needed to confirm.
“They are staying in the Bixia碧霞館 Bluish green of clouds at sunrise or sunset. Hall.”
Wei Lian nodded.
Bixia Hall...
Myrna thought over the entire night and she still could not swallow her anger. “Aslan, can we request the Qin Emperor to help us find the thief? He is the Emperor, and he can catch that thief with one command!”
Aslan countered expressionless, “Was your brain eaten by insects? We are here to pay tribute, not as guests. The less trouble we make here the better, so why must you cause trouble with the Qin Emperor?”
Myrna was fuming, “But that’s my huanhun pill! It took Lao Lao’s underlings two decades to gather materials to make one! How could I forget about it?”
Aslan’s tone turned cold, “You only have your stupidity to blame.”
Myrna huffed, “...I should not have asked you for advice!”
She stomped out in rage.
But she was faced with a beautiful figure from every angle as soon as she stomped out.
Dressed in white and standing very tall, thick, long dark hair poured down like a waterfall. Reddened lips without rouge, dark eyebrows without the enhancement from umber-black dye, looking perfectly like a painting from a distance.
The warm sun in early spring softened his eyes, a beauty that could not be described with words.
But from this familiar outline, Myrna thought of the young man with a similar temperament last night. “It’s you.”
Wei Lian showed confusion. “Does the young lady know me?”
“Stop pretending. I can recognise you even if you stood before me in your ashes!” Myrna became more and more determined. “Give me back what you stole from me!”
Wei Lian frowned. “Could the young lady mistake me for another?”
With this frown, he appeared more like a willow branch trembling in the wind, which was completely different from the man in green last night.
Myrna’s determination wavered.
Could she really have the wrong person?
The man from last night was hateful and a two-face, and was definitely a peerless expert. Really different from the extremely delicate man standing in front of her.
That hateful man was, after all, wearing a mask. There would be too many possible candidates if she was to use only the outline resemblance to judge.
Myrna asked, “Who are you?”
“Shouldn’t the young lady introduce herself first,” Wei Lian slowly stepped forward, “Before asking that question?”
“There are so many rules…I’m the Saintess of the Liang Empire, Myrna, you—wh-what are you coming so close to me for? Step back!” Myrna panicked.
Although she was able to play any virtuous man like a fiddle, being recently pickpocketed of her huanhun pill no less, she was not going to lower her guard to anyone. What was more, she knew not a single thing about the man in front of her. He just appeared here, so she did not know his status or if he was someone she could provoke.
Wei Lian approached step by step, when he finally stopped within arms reach, he covered his face with a fan and whispered into her ear, “His Majesty despises purple the most. It’s for the best if the young lady changes her outfit.”
The Qin Empire’s last Empress Dowager liked to wear purple clothes the most, Ji Yue hated her deeply, including everything she liked.
He had earned such a big fortune, so he did not mind telling the other party this piece of information.
Besides, he did not want Ji Yue to see things the older man considered an eyesore, it would only make the other man unhappy.
“What are you two doing?” A slightly cold voice appeared.
Li Fuquan felt that his lifespan had shortened.
He glanced carefully at his Majesty beside him whose face sank like a stone in the water.
Then back at the young man in white and the woman in purple not too far away from each other. Lian Gongzi’s face was blocked by his fan, looking like they were kissing.
Looking like the ideal couple of a talented man and a beautiful woman.
Li Fuquan felt as if he was about to ascend to heaven.
He had long heard of the Liang Empire’s Saintess being a fickle and unrestrained woman, but he did not expect she would capture Young Master Lian’s heart on day one!
It was over, it was all over!
Good thing that he didn’t take that pill. Just imagine he really leaves one day, then he can take it and get rid of the poison. (But why do I feel that he will use it on JY in the future? lol)
Yup, tsun tsun can be okay but just if it isn’t too much tsun (for me).
Thx for the ch ٩( >ヮ<)۶