After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 112

The gray-clad figure followed closely behind Lao Shen, walking through the corridors. The person was somewhat short, requiring larger strides to keep up. As they neared the alley, a gust of wind lifted the hem of their robe, revealing an intricately embroidered skirt underneath.

 

The gray-clad figure moved swiftly, taking a roundabout path to reach what they thought was their destination: the most neglected courtyard within the Duke’s mansion. Deep within the courtyard, flickering firelight could be seen, coming from a brazier where someone was burning paper.

 

“You’ve come,” a low voice spoke.

 

It was a woman’s voice—an elderly woman’s voice. The flames licked at her skirt, revealing large embroidered flowers.

 

The skirt in the wind looked as if flower petals were rolling.

 

“I didn’t think you would come.” This was another voice, an old man’s voice.

 

The woman chuckled softly, then raised her head after a long pause. “You thought I wouldn’t come? It’s been forty years—forty years since he died, on the third day of the new year. He was a traitor to the country, but once, I believed he would be… my future husband.”

 

The old man fell silent. The woman sighed, saying, “It’s been forty years. When he was still alive, we often met here… Time flies. Even my child is now twenty-six.”

 

The old man lowered his head, sighing, “Yes, time flies, Fukan.”

 

The woman’s face appeared in the half-light of the fire. Looking at the man before her, she suddenly smiled, “This is our first meeting in ten years since that incident. You didn’t dare see me again. But why feel guilty? Brother Liu, you did nothing wrong. The one at fault was Li Zhiwei, your senior. He betrayed the country, and you had to kill him. It was between him and the court. He fled to the Northern Wei with intelligence, and you intercepted him midway. Although the intelligence leaked, the Northern Wei suffered a major defeat. The Northern Wei has been weakened ever since, and even their occasional counterattacks have failed. Liu, you did the right thing. The one in the wrong was him, your senior.”

 

“…But I still dream. I often dream of when we were young, and you were a little girl chasing butterflies here, using a pole to knock down dates.” The old man said, “I was young too, and my senior was still alive. We stood here together…”

 

He paused, then added, “Sometimes I think, if only I hadn’t taken the position of the Black Robe Envoy, how wonderful it would have been. Originally, this position should have belonged to us both…”

 

The woman smiled, “Yes, we were young, wandering around the capital. I remember the emperor had you both study under a master. You two were like brothers. He learned fast and always mocked you. You learned slowly and always got angry at him… You say you miss those days. Who doesn’t? But—”

 

“Brother Liu, stop pretending. The emperor has summoned you back to take over as the Black Robe Envoy’s commander, hasn’t he? The matter in the Western Continent has been investigated. The Northern Wei bribed the Great Shaman to poison the water, interfering… So you’re going back, aren’t you?”

 

“Fukan, you…”

 

“I don’t intend to say much, but I hate this position, hate your work. You said you wanted to leave it all behind… But who can truly leave it behind? Li Zhiwei is gone, and the little girl chasing butterflies is also gone…”

 

“I thought of grooming someone. He resembles my senior… The emperor distrusted my senior, so he left in anger. But this person won’t. Originally, the position of Black Robe Envoy should have gone to my senior. If not for my senior…”

 

The woman shook her head gently, “I never understood why, after Zhiwei’s betrayal, the emperor didn’t punish the Duke’s mansion. Even the news of his defection was never made public… Was it because the affairs of the Black Robe Envoy are destined to remain in the shadows? I truly hated the emperor for knowing yet still allowing it…”

 

After saying this, she laughed at herself, “Forget it. It’s been a long time.”

 

The old man was silent. Fukan’s smile and sorrowful expression, their shared memories of three, seemed to dissolve his defenses.

 

“Nothing like this will happen again.” He said softly, “Things will only get better.”

 

Fukan asked, “After all these years, do the remnants of the Black Robe Envoy still live?”

 

“They are now… in the Northern Wei… The emperor may have some plans…”

 

The two continued their low conversation. These were their private matters—perhaps involving a third person who had already passed away, yet whose presence lingered like a shadow over them both.

 

Today, the third day of the new year, marked the fortieth anniversary of that person’s death. Their name lingered on the lips of the two, an unspoken taboo. This was why Fukan suddenly changed her mind and visited the Duke’s mansion after ten years. Lao Shen, too, changed his plans upon hearing of Fukan’s visit.

 

In this secluded corner, they finally lowered their defenses and began to speak of those past events.

 

The gray-clad figure stood on tiptoe, hidden in a corner, eyes fixed on the two. Holding his breath, he listened intently, memorizing every word…

 

Until…

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

Zhou Xun’s voice, like a shard of ice, pierced his ears.

 

Caught off guard, the gray-clad figure felt Zhou Xun’s hand on his shoulder. Zhou Xun demanded coldly, “Who are you? Why are you following Shen Shoufu?”

 

The gray-clad figure remained silent. Zhou Xun’s voice grew colder, “Answer me!”

 

As he spoke, Zhou Xun tightened his grip, forcing the figure to turn. The sensation surprised him—the figure’s resistance was unexpectedly weak, even though they were clearly trying to resist.

 

This place was so remote, so desolate, that the disturbance was bound to alert Shen Shoufu and Princess Fukan. Though it was not ideal to disturb them, Zhou Xun’s instincts told him this gray-clad figure had no good intentions, especially since their conversation involved the Black Robe Envoy.

 

But before he could speak out, he saw the face beneath the gray hood.

 

A scarred face—yet one whose features struck Zhou Xun like lightning.

 

“You…”

 

In that moment, the gray-clad figure broke free, fleeing into the distance!

 

“You!”

 

Zhou Xun found himself speechless, his mind blank. The gray-clad figure ran swiftly, seemingly more familiar with the terrain, their figure darting through the low walls and quickly disappearing. Zhou Xun, recovering from his shock, gritted his teeth and gave chase.

 

He ran, ran fast, without a word, without calling for help. He darted through the garden, chasing the gray figure.

 

Around a corner, Zhou Xun collided with someone…

 

“What are you doing?” the person yelled.

 

It was Li Miao, standing with Xu Mingrui and another person. Zhou Xun ignored them, continuing his pursuit.

 

The other person hastily helped Li Miao up, “What’s with him?!”

 

Li Miao, clutching his sore shoulder, watched Zhou Xun’s fleeting figure, then told the others, “Forget it, you go ahead.”

 

“Go ahead?”

 

“I have something to do.” He said hurriedly.

 

Li Miao wasn’t sure why—seeing Zhou Xun run, he followed. He convinced himself it was for Zhou Cai—to see what Zhou Xun was up to.

 

Zhou Xun ran fast, but after two years of turmoil and the winter season, his health wasn’t great. He could have run faster. Corridors extended and unfolded before him, flowers and trees appeared and changed around him. He chased the gray figure, never speaking a word.

 

He chased the figure through the Duke’s mansion, out to the streets, through many streets, until he reached a bustling district.

 

A bustling district with many people walking about.

 

Zhou Xun crouched down, wiping sweat from his brow, hands on his knees, panting heavily. He looked at the street, thinking he had lost the trail.

 

His gaze remained fixed, scanning the street, watching the people, every familiar and unfamiliar face, every shop door, every possible hiding place for that person…

 

He heard the sound of his heart pounding as if it were about to explode, and the even more painful sensation in his brain, which felt as if it were on the verge of bursting—

 

The face beneath the gray clothes, despite being aged, somewhat unfamiliar, and different from how it used to be, was…

 

A woman.

 

A woman he was all too familiar with.

 

His… mother… his mother who was supposed to be dead… Lin Yan!!

 

He had seen his mother’s empty tomb with his own eyes, heard the news of her disappearance in a mountain flood with his own ears, and had even seen the partially mudslide-buried villa. His mother was dead, that was beyond doubt.

 

But he never thought…

 

…that the person in gray clothes, sneaking around the Duke Protector’s mansion to eavesdrop on Princess Fukan and Lao Shen’s conversation…

 

…could look so much like his mother?

 

Was this a coincidence? Zhou Xun’s mind was a mess. Could this be a coincidence? Is there such a thing as coincidence in this world?

 

If it wasn’t a coincidence… if he just regarded her as a stranger, who else would secretly eavesdrop on Princess Fukan and Lao Shen’s conversation? And then turn and run upon seeing him?

 

He stood under the gloomy sky for a long time until snow began to fall on his shoulders—covering him completely. In this vast bewilderment, someone suddenly patted his shoulder.

 

“What are you doing here?! You ran so fast just now, did you see a ghost?”

 

Li Miao had chased after him all the way. He couldn’t quite understand why he ran after Zhou Xun in the first place—especially during his grandfather’s seventieth birthday celebration. Now that he had finally caught up to Zhou Xun, the latter was standing at an intersection, lost in thought, looking completely different from his previous arrogant and domineering demeanor.

 

Li Miao didn’t like seeing Zhou Xun standing there like this. He thought he hated Zhou Xun but didn’t like seeing him like this.

 

Sure enough, when Zhou Xun saw him, his coldness returned: “What’s it to you?”

 

…Damn, he didn’t even use an honorific! Li Miao fumed inwardly.

 

“What’s it to me? You are a guest at the Duke Protector’s mansion, suddenly running out into the street like a madman, how can it not concern me?” Li Miao retorted, “What did you see just now to make you run like that?”

 

But Zhou Xun didn’t answer. He just lowered his lashes and after a while, calmly said, “Nothing.”

 

Li Miao: “Nothing??”

 

Zhou Xun: “I was just tired of sitting and wanted to run a bit.”

 

“Damn!!”

 

The perfunctory tone in Zhou Xun’s words made Li Miao’s scalp tingle with anger. He, the dignified heir of the Duke Protector, had good intentions… well, maybe not good intentions, but had followed Zhou Xun out. As a disciple of Mr. Shen… okay, as Zhou Xun, shouldn’t he give him a reasonable explanation? A reasonable explanation filled with wit and excuses…

 

“Who are you trying to fool?” Seeing Zhou Xun walking back, Li Miao let out a cold laugh and followed, “‘Just tired of sitting and wanted to run’? Do you think anyone would believe that?”

 

Zhou Xun kept walking. Li Miao, unwilling to give up, said, “You…”

 

Zhou Xun stopped.

 

He stopped and pointed to the words on the white wall to his right: “Look for yourself.”

 

Li Miao:…

 

He looked to the left side of the wall, which had a new slogan painted on it: “Knowledge is power, listen to it.”

 

He looked to the right side of the wall, which had another slogan painted on it: “Night running extends life, it’s the ultimate sport.”

 

Further down was a garbage collection point. The slogan there read: “Garbage must be sorted.”

 

Li Miao:…………

 

Fine, he remembered these slogans were part of the emperor’s campaign in this pilot civilized neighborhood, promoting lectures and daily exercises quite enthusiastically and effectively.

 

Li Miao held back and held back, but in the end, he couldn’t say a word. The two of them, one behind the other, returned to the Duke Protector’s mansion. Seeing Zhou Xun about to head towards the small gate, Li Miao pulled his sleeve.

 

Zhou Xun turned to look at him.

 

“You want me, the heir, to accompany you through the small gate? What a joke?” Li Miao said impatiently, “Come on, let’s go through the main gate.”

 

In the courtyard of the Duke Protector’s mansion, a few people were chatting.

 

“The heir naturally dislikes Zhou Xun; after all, Zhou Cai was his friend.” Wei Yuanzhou sneered, “What Zhou Xun did…”

 

He stopped here, remembering the black-clad men sent by the emperor who had visited his home days ago. After a pause, he continued with a suppressed breath, “Forget it, anyway, Zhou Xun is not a good person.”

 

“I think I saw him leaving through the small gate just now,” someone said, “Maybe he felt snubbed and couldn’t bear to stay here any longer?”

 

“Probably.” Wei Yuanzhou laughed, “So what if we deliberately ignored him just now? He shouldn’t have been here in the first place.”

 

Those gathered there were all friends of Wei Yuanzhou, a small group united by their mutual dislike of Zhou Xun. They were there just to gossip.

 

Hearing a silvery laugh in the distance, they looked over, feeling somewhat restless. One of them said, “Wasn’t that Miss Fang laughing just now?”

 

“I think it was Miss Chu.”

 

“Miss Chu is beautiful, but her family is in business…”

 

“Miss Chu’s beauty is enough; we don’t know who she will marry yet!”

 

They chatted quietly. In the nearby garden, a dozen or so girls dressed in pink and purple were walking around, all of them well-dressed and mostly renowned noblewomen of the capital.

 

Men and women were not allowed to interact privately. Therefore, birthday banquets and flower-viewing parties became occasions for young noblemen and noblewomen to see each other. The Duke Protector’s mansion, allowing young people to play in the garden, undoubtedly intended to create opportunities for them to catch a glimpse of each other from afar.

 

Where people gathered, relationships formed quickly. Where relationships formed quickly, rumors spread quickly. So soon…

 

“Li Miao and Zhou Xun walked back through the main gate together?”

 

“Li Miao personally welcomed Zhou Xun back through the main gate?”

 

“I heard Zhou Xun got angry at the banquet, left, and Li Miao personally brought him back!”

 

“Li Miao invited Zhou Xun to tour the garden…”

 

In no time, exaggerated news spread to everyone’s ears. And Wei Yuanzhou saw with his own eyes…

 

Li Miao personally leading Zhou Xun back into the garden.

 

Wei Yuanzhou:…

 

But compared to their small group that disliked Zhou Xun, there were more people who knew nothing of the inside story, only that Zhou Xun was favored by the emperor and was Mr. Shen’s beloved student. To appear sophisticated, some had their servants set up a frame resembling a plum tree branch, fetched many flower cards, wrote poems about plums and snow on them, and stuck them to the branches as “ten thousand plum blossoms.” Seeing Zhou Xun arrive, they started coaxing him to compose a poem.

 

“Today’s theme is plum blossoms. Mr. Zhou, would you care to compose a poem?”

 

Seeing this, Li Miao, who had been holding back his anger, taunted Zhou Xun, “Can you compose a poem as well as your brother? Back then, Ah Cai stood out among many talents in Jiangzhou with a single poem and earned the prince’s appreciation…”

 

He intended to provoke Zhou Xun, but Zhou Xun ignored him. He just smiled faintly and socialized gracefully, as if what he saw at the intersection earlier was an illusion.

 

He picked up a pen and wrote a poem, earning applause from everyone—even Li Miao, despite his bias, had to admit that he was not as good.

 

But looking at the handwriting and wording of that poem… for some reason, Li Miao felt a sense of familiarity. He frowned and thought for a long time, but couldn’t recall.

 

Inside the house, the Duke Protector, having finished socializing and resting for a while, heard about the “plum blossom” activity outside and laughed, “These kids are really interesting.”

 

After a while, he said, “Speaking of which, it’s the third day of the New Year. Rong Fen is still… forget it, he likes poetry and literature. When the event ends, gift that ‘tree’ to him as a New Year present.”