Ji Fei’s mouth tasted bitter, as if he had swallowed a gall. The bitterness coursed down his throat into his stomach, then surged from his stomach straight to his head. He forced a smile. “Your Highness exaggerates!”
Eunuch Huang sneered. So what if Yu Chengxuan had been pampered in Da Li? Once they reached Lin Yuan, even a dragon had to coil and a tiger had to crouch. Much less Yu Chengxuan, a captive from a defeated nation. And this subordinate dared to be dissatisfied?
Indeed, Ji Fei’s expression was interpreted as dissatisfaction by Eunuch Huang.
“Heh heh, then please ask the Seventh Prince to come out!”
Eunuch Huang’s voice grew sharper, his laughter laced with a hint of sarcasm.
Ji Fei pretended to tap on the door with his knuckles. “*Dong dong~ Dong dong~*” No one answered. Ji Fei leaned closer to the door and whispered, “Your Highness, Your Highness?”
Seeing no response from within, Eunuch Huang glanced sideways at General Liu. Liu Zizheng frowned slightly, strode towards Ji Fei, and asked with feigned concern, “Official Ji, has something happened to the Seventh Prince?”
As he spoke, he reached Ji Fei’s side.
Before Ji Fei could reply, Liu Zizheng placed his hand on the door. “Seventh Prince, are you within? Forgive my intrusion!”
Liu Zizheng asked only as a formality. The next second, he directly pushed open Yu Chengxuan’s door.
He stepped inside and turned to Ji Fei. “Official Ji, you said just now that the Seventh Prince was still in the room?”
Ji Fei was momentarily startled. He quickly entered the room and, seeing it empty, his eyes widened in feigned surprise. He walked in, placed the meal tray on the table, and then said to Liu Zizheng, “When I left just now, His Highness was indeed still in the room.”
Ji Fei revealed no flaws.
Liu Zizheng nodded at Ji Fei and turned to leave. He called over the Imperial Guards waiting outside the courtyard. “Has the Seventh Prince left the courtyard?”
“Reporting to the General, no!”
If he hadn’t left the courtyard, he must still be within it?
“You few, go search for the Seventh Prince. Search the courtyard inside and out. If you find him, escort him here!”
He emphasized the word “escort,” and the Imperial Guards immediately understood his meaning.
If the other party cooperated willingly, it was an escort. If not, it was an arrest!
“Yes, my subordinates…”
“Oh, why is it so lively here?”
Hearing the voice behind him, Ji Fei almost wept with joy. Heaven knew how nervous and panicked he had been when Liu Zizheng ordered the search of the courtyard. Ji Fei no longer cared why His Highness had suddenly appeared; he only knew that the heart he had been holding in suspense had finally returned to his chest.
It beat again, sustaining his vital signs.
Liu Zizheng turned his head and saw Yu Chengxuan, fan in hand, leisurely strolling towards them from the courtyard corridor.
“Seventh Prince!”
His appearance was the best possible outcome. Liu Zizheng had truly feared the prince would disappear. If that happened, not only would the people of Da Li suffer, but he, a deputy general of the Imperial Guard tasked with protection but actually surveillance, and the entire Imperial Guard, would be in deep trouble.
Yu Chengxuan emerged from the corridor and walked gracefully to Liu Zizheng’s front. He gave a slight bow to Liu Zizheng and greeted him, “General Liu…” Then, his gaze fell upon the eunuch beside Liu Zizheng.
A significant amount of time had already passed, and Eunuch Huang feared the Emperor’s reprimand. He skipped the introduction and directly addressed Yu Chengxuan. “The Emperor has decreed that the Seventh Prince be summoned to the palace for an audience. Seventh Prince, please!”
With that, Eunuch Huang gestured for Yu Chengxuan to follow.
Yu Chengxuan gave Ji Fei a subtle glance and, going along with the flow, followed Eunuch Huang out of the post station and into a carriage.
The carriage drove towards the imperial palace and stopped outside its gates.
…
Inside the imperial palace.
Ji Hong held a white piece, staring at the chessboard, momentarily at a loss.
Ji Jinmo rested his arm on his knee, his forearm hanging naturally. His well-defined hand dipped into the bowl of black pieces, index and middle fingers holding a black piece. His phoenix eyes were slightly closed, waiting in silence.
Ji Hong pondered deeply and finally placed a piece.
Ji Jinmo, unhurriedly, placed a piece, instantly capturing twelve of Ji Hong’s white pieces.
Ji Hong: “…”
As he removed Ji Hong’s white pieces, Ji Jinmo remarked, “Impatient!”
Ji Hong’s heart was too eager.
Ji Hong simply gave up playing. He tossed the pieces into the bowl, picked up his teacup instead.
He had ordered Eunuch Huang to go to the post station to summon Yu Chengxuan to the palace for an audience. At this hour, the Imperial Guards at the post station must have discovered Yu Chengxuan’s escape. Now, the commander of the Imperial Guard should be on his way to beg for forgiveness.
Outside the Imperial Study, a eunuch announced, “Your Majesty, Eunuch Huang is here to report.”
Ji Hong turned sharply, looking at Ji Jinmo. Ji Jinmo put down his chess piece, stood up, and walked towards the bookshelf. “This Prince shall excuse himself for a moment.”
“Imperial Uncle…”
“Observe carefully. I am most curious to see which of these two Yu Chengxuans is real, which is fake, or if both are false!”
Compared to Ji Hong’s astonishment, Ji Jinmo’s expression was calm and collected, as if he had known this outcome all along. As he spoke, he opened a secret passage and disappeared into the Imperial Study.
“Announce!”
Ji Hong ruined the chessboard, casually swept the pieces back into the bowl, closed the lid, and then walked to the dragon throne and sat down before summoning Eunuch Huang.
Eunuch Huang hurried into the Imperial Study. “Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince of Da Li is waiting outside the hall.”
“Mm!”
Ji Hong acknowledged that he knew.
Eunuch Huang retreated with merit. Ji Hong summoned Yu Chengxuan for an audience.
“Xuan pays his respects to Your Majesty!”
Yu Chengxuan bowed respectfully.
“Seventh Prince, you are excused!”
Ji Hong did not display his imperial authority. He smiled, telling Yu Chengxuan not to be so formal, and then said to the eunuch outside the door, “Bring a seat!”
A eunuch brought a chair and placed it beside Yu Chengxuan before quickly withdrawing.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Yu Chengxuan expressed his gratitude and sat down, then asked, “May I inquire why Your Majesty summoned Xuan?”
Ji Hong’s hand rested on the imperial desk, his upper body leaning slightly forward. He looked at Yu Chengxuan and smiled, “The Prince must have heard the victory report from Huaicheng, yes!”
“Yes, Xuan has heard!”
“What are the Seventh Prince’s thoughts?”
“Xuan is a prince of Da Li. Hearing of the great victory at Huaicheng of Lin Yuan, where the Demon Hunting Army annihilated our generals, fills Xuan with grief and unquenchable anger.”
Ji Hong’s smile faded. He uttered a soft “Oh,” a glint of ferocity in his eyes. “You are so candid, are you not afraid I will have your head severed?”
“Your Majesty will not!”
“Why?”
Yu Chengxuan stated with certainty, “Because Your Majesty is a wise and enlightened ruler.”
Ji Hong let out a cold laugh.
Yu Chengxuan was unfazed by Ji Hong’s reaction. He gazed into Ji Hong’s eyes, withstanding the imperial might pressing down from above, and continued calmly, “Your Majesty is wise, and therefore will not do as my father desires.”