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墨書 Inktalez
Several hours ago, within the Imperial Hall.
The sound of a heavy object crashing to the ground echoed throughout the vast palace.
"Still can't find him? Three years, three years, and you—" Sima Rui's usually calm eyes widened in anger, his expression twisted, instilling fear in Chen Wen, who knelt on the ground. A chill crept from his feet to the top of his head, leaving him feeling icy all over.
"Your subordinate knows he is guilty and asks for your punishment," Chen Wen said respectfully, lowering his head.
Sima Rui snorted lightly. "Do you think I wouldn't dare?" In the next moment, a chilling gust of wind from his palm hovered above Chen Wen's head. If he hadn't stopped in time, he would have surely met a gruesome end.
Chen Wen shut his eyes, cold sweat trickling down his back. Sima Rui stared at him expressionlessly before retracting his hand and coldly stating, "Such a useless person does not deserve to die by my hand. I only want to know where he is."
"Jun Jin Villa is even more difficult to deal with than I imagined. I couldn't gather any information; I couldn't even infiltrate it. It's like a fortress, completely sealed off from the outside world. I've tried every method but found no trace at all. Those people are far more loyal and reverent towards their master than any subject would be towards an emperor." Chen Wen furrowed his brow, unable to grasp the nature of that person. What kind of man could earn such favor from the Emperor and such unwavering loyalty from his servants and the Second Prince? Even under threats or temptations, no useful information could be extracted. Moreover, that person's movements were so mysterious that only the current Vermilion Bird King Mai Qi and the recently surfaced Xuanwu King Qingci might know who he truly was and where he was hiding. But so far, aside from identifying who the frequently appearing Vermilion Bird King was, they still had no idea who the Xuanwu King was.
Sighing inwardly, Chen Wen wondered why he had taken on this arduous task. For three whole years, he had been using secret channels to search for Jin Gongzi, but now everyone knew about their existence. This was in direct conflict with the purpose of the secret channels that had been upheld for centuries. He looked up at his master, whose lips were tightly pressed together and whose expression was uncertain. For some reason, this once-mighty emperor now seemed unfamiliar to Chen Wen—so unfamiliar that he dared not speculate how important that person was to him. Because Chen Wen saw pain buried deep within the emperor's eyes, along with loneliness.
Since ancient times, emperors have always been lonely. Standing too high up creates a chill that makes it impossible to find a confidant—someone without barriers or ulterior motives in their heart. Was his master missing that one true confidant?
For reasons unknown, Chen Wen felt a twinge of sympathy for his master. He knew such feelings were unnecessary and unforgivable, yet this time, his master had revealed his hidden loneliness and pain for the first time—abandoning the pride of an emperor and earnestly hoping for that person's return. But greater hope only led to greater disappointment.
In these three years, he wondered if his master's heart was bleeding as if it were being slowly tortured—painful enough to willingly sink into despair and painful enough to feign indifference and distance in front of others during daylight.
Ah, who says that emperors are devoid of love?
"Go search again! I refuse to believe that after scouring every inch of Jin State I cannot find him! Write to Xianbei Princess; perhaps she knows where he is. Tell her that as long as she informs me of his whereabouts, I will grant her the land in the Southwest that Xianbei has long desired. I will never go back on my word."
Chen Wen was shocked; that piece of land had always been contested by various small nations along the border. Due to Jin State's strength, they had never dared take action until now. Yet here was his master willing to give it away for him? That land was crucial for military strategy; what a joke! Without it, the border would be perpetually at risk—an inevitable crisis loomed over them. At this moment, Chen Wen could only hope that Xianbei Princess did not know where he was; otherwise—
Chen Wen didn't dare think further.
Suddenly, a long sigh escaped Sima Rui's lips above him. Each time Chen Wen reported on the progress of tracking down that person, Sima Rui appeared older with each disappointment. After a long pause, he said softly, "You may leave."
"Master—" Chen Wen's expression faltered slightly as if struggling with whether or not to speak up. He feared delivering inaccurate news would only lead to further disappointment for his master. But—
"What happened?" Sima Rui looked at him.
"Ah," Chen Wen said, throwing caution to the wind. "I received news that Jin Gongzi might participate in this year's Martial Arts Prosperity held at Sword Sage Villa."
Sima Rui's face lit up with joy. "Is it absolutely certain?"
Chen Wen stammered, "I only heard this rumor in the martial world; I don't know if it's true or not. It might just be gossip." The last part was difficult for Chen Wen to say.
"Oh." Sima Rui's hopeful expression suddenly darkened.
"I understand now. You may leave."
"Your servant takes his leave." Chen Wen bowed and was about to exit.
For some reason, as he reached the door, Chen Wen suddenly blurted out, "Master, will you go?"
The response was a gentle smile from Sima Rui. "Of course I will. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will not let go."
Chen Wen was so startled that he nearly collapsed on the spot. Was this still the cold and ruthless emperor who could easily manipulate anyone?
As Chen Wen walked away, he heard the noble man inside suddenly command the waiting eunuch, Chief Steward, "Gao Lu, go fetch ten jars of hundred-flower green plum."
Gao Lu replied, "Yes, Servant will prepare it right away."
Drowning sorrows in wine only deepens them. Chen Wen thought this phrase inexplicably popped into his mind. It was more important to attend to serious matters.
"Who is he?" Suda asked, looking at the guy sprawled on my bed, completely drunk.
I wiped the sweat off his forehead with a damp towel and replied irritably, "A friend."
"A friend?" Her expression grew serious. I knew that in this world there was a notion of propriety between men and women. She must have been worried about being discovered and the trouble it would bring me.
I patted her shoulder casually and said, "Don't worry, in this desolate place where no one comes, no one will find out."
Suda looked at the man lying on the bed with his eyes tightly shut. His thin lips were pressed together in discomfort, and there was something familiar about his face. Suddenly, an impossible thought flashed through my mind: "Could it be that he is—?" Suda looked at me in surprise.
I didn't lift my gaze and asked nonchalantly, "Who is he?"
"White-Robed Young Master Huan Wen." Suda's expression was somewhat agitated, a mysterious blush creeping onto her face.
Hearing that familiar yet seemingly distant name, I couldn't help but chuckle, "Yeah? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing at all." Her gaze darted away, unable to meet mine.
I looked at her as if I had discovered a new continent and said teasingly, "Little girl, you better give your lord a serious explanation; otherwise—" I reached out my hand to scare her.
She ignored me and continued to tend to the sleeping man.
"Hey, don't think that just because you’re not saying anything, I don’t know. You," I said mischievously while eyeing her, "are you secretly in love with him? Oh, White-Robed Young Master and a beautiful lady—what a perfect match. Hehe."
Her face flushed bright red, even her ears turning pink. She looked shy and incredibly beautiful.
"You've hit the nail on the head; you've hit the nail on the head," I laughed exuberantly.
"You, you—I'm not talking to you anymore!" To my surprise, the usually indifferent Suda showed a feminine side I never expected.
I held her shoulders and looked into her beautiful eyes seriously. "He’s a good man. If you two can be together, I would be very happy for you."
Her expression shifted from joy to sorrow in an instant. After a long pause, she said coolly, "How could it be possible for me and him? Not to mention whether he would like me or not; I am the emperor's woman. Even if I am cast into the Cold Palace, I still am. This life is destined; what more can I hope for?"
I embraced her tightly. "Su, you don't have to be so dejected. Trust me; in the future, I will definitely give you your freedom. Absolutely. So you can be with the person you love."
She shook her head silently.
Noticing her silence, I changed the subject. "By the way, how did you meet Huan Wen? Let me guess," I pretended to speculate, "you were one of his past admirers."
"What are you talking about?" She lowered her head, her face reddening once again.
"When I was thirteen, I went to a temple with my mother to pray. I happened to see him standing there, graceful in his white robes, calmly competing with a group of wealthy young men who were teasing respectable women. Those men lost convincingly. That day, he was charming and elegant, like a tall tree swaying in the wind, and I remembered him. Later, I saw him at many noble banquets, still radiant and handsome. And then—" She cast a complex gaze at me.
I smiled lightly. "Then rumors spread that he fell in love with Fourth Miss Xie. Am I right? After that, you resigned yourself to your parents' wishes and entered the palace, didn't you?"
"How did you know?" She looked somewhat astonished.
I rolled my eyes dramatically; this was a standard trope from television dramas—anyone could guess it would turn out this way.
Ignoring her surprise and questions, I yawned ungraciously and said, "I'm tired; I'm going to sleep. You can take care of him. Goodnight." Without waiting for her response, I lazily lifted my leg and walked away.
I couldn't believe she would leave him there all alone. Heh heh, it was time for me to play matchmaker and help the lovers connect. After all, I had nothing better to do. Ha ha.
I truly couldn't bear to let Xiao Wenwen be by himself, so—heh heh.
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