After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 130

Zhou Xun didn’t bother to pursue who had exposed his relationship with the Emperor to the Grand Princess. After all, his relationship with the Emperor was an open secret within the entire palace. Even without Xiao Li, there were always other servants who could let the Princess catch snippets about him and the Emperor.

“Young Master Zhou, there’s no need to deny it. I’ve never seen my royal brother care so much about anyone as he does about you,” the Grand Princess winked at him, “It seems that ever since Young Master Zhou arrived, my royal brother has changed a lot because of you.”

Zhou Xun smiled wryly, “Indeed, he has changed a lot.”

“I accept this gift,” the Grand Princess said, holding the sleeve of the red wedding dress, “April 28th, just three days away? How exciting.”

April 28th was indeed an exciting day, whether for the manipulator behind the scenes or for those basking in their contentment within the trap. On April 26th, Zhou Xun was originally playing chess with Lao Shen at home when someone brought an invitation. The invitation was adorned with gold and colorful patterns, written on red paper, and faintly fragrant. Lianrong brought the invitation in and whispered, “It’s an invitation to Zhou Cai and Miss Yan’s wedding.”

“I didn’t go looking for him, yet he comes to me. A banquet set to trap me?” Zhou Xun laughed as he held the invitation, “But I knew long ago that my brother would never let me, the spectator, miss his grand day.”

“The Yan family also sent me an invitation, but I don’t plan to go—I never attend such occasions,” Lao Shen placed a piece on the board.

“Why?” Zhou Xun asked, “Does Master not like such noisy places?”

“It’s the newlyweds’ happy day. I, an old man nearing sixty and still alone, shouldn’t go and bring bad luck,” Lao Shen’s tone was light. He picked up another chess piece, seemingly pondering.

“Then…” Zhou Xun placed his piece and looked at Lao Shen, “Will Princess Fukang go?”

Rain pattered gently outside. The room remained silent for a long time, only the faint fragrance of tea lingering. After a while, Lao Shen laughed again, “What a killer move.”

After thinking for a long time, he placed his piece, “She won’t go either. She doesn’t like going out or attending such events.”

Zhou Xun nodded, “Oh.”

Outside, the rain continued to fall softly. They played chess to the rhythm of the raindrops. After a long time, Lao Shen said, “I haven’t had the chance to congratulate you on becoming the top scholar. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Master,” Zhou Xun smiled, suddenly becoming serious. He spoke softly, “Master, I’ve heard the Emperor say something.”

“Hmm?”

“All happiness has a price. Have you heard this saying, Master? But in my view, it’s not a price but a reward from the happy one to the selfless person,” he said.

“Let’s talk about your business,” Lao Shen paused for a long time before saying, “Do you plan to go? Although not going might seem disrespectful, if you wish to feign illness, it’s no big deal. After all, to others, you have no ties to the Yan family.”

“A true chess player should watch from behind the board, but unfortunately, I’m not a qualified chess player—you’ve said this before, Master.” Zhou Xun smiled as he spoke, looking like a child who had succeeded in a prank, “Hiding behind the board is good, but wouldn’t it be a pity not to see such a grand scene?”

“You have a wild streak,” Lao Shen shook his head.

At dusk, Lao Shen left Zhou Xun’s residence. A servant lifted the curtain of the carriage for him. Lao Shen sat in the carriage, silent.

Inside the carriage, a trusted aide reported to him, “Master, the details of that matter from back then are still deeply buried. We can’t find a single trace.”

Since that day at the Marquis of Huguo’s residence with Fukang, Lao Shen had been reminded of his old nightmare. In his dream, he stood at the border between Da Jing and Northern Wei. His senior brother lay on the white grass, with an arrow shot by his attendant piercing his chest.

In that dream, there were the voices of the attendants.

‘The letter is not on him…’

‘It’s too late! He has already sent the message out!’

‘The dogs of Northern Wei have taken his body…’

And the voice of the late Emperor.

‘It’s come to this… the battle is imminent, the Marquis of Huguo is exempt, let it be.’

## And Fukang’s Heart-Wrenching Cries

“You said you would bring Zhiwei back, so why did he die in Northern Wei? You are his junior brother, so why did you kill him?”

At the end of the dream, there was always a narrow alley filled with jujube flowers. It was Youhuang Alley from decades ago. A faceless person sat there, speaking to the young man who hugged his knees in frustration, unable to surpass him due to his limited talent: “Let me tell you a story. Actually, I was never a so-called child of destiny. My mother was not the main wife of the Marquis of Huguo but a prostitute. A prostitute thrown into a mass grave, whom I had to dig out myself and forcibly bury in the Li family ancestral tomb. It wasn’t until the day she died that I knew that the haggard and humble woman who used to sneak into the Marquis’s residence to dump slop just to see me twice a month was my mother… You see, even so-called geniuses have their lowest points. So, Xiaoliu, can we be friends now?”

Those cries and narratives entwined him like a nightmare, merging into the pale face of that young man, merging into the flames of war in Northern Wei and the great defeat from decades ago, robbing him of sleep. Now in his sixties, sitting in the carriage, he still seemed to see the blood on his hands—the blood of the young man who once smiled and pulled him and little Fukang together when they were arguing.

“After forty years, it’s still the same result, huh? No explanation, no reason, he remains the traitor who betrayed Dajing with the military defense plans out of jealousy for his general brother, dying in the white grass at the border due to his ambition, killed by his junior brother. And such a clever person, by a stroke of fate, only obtained an outdated defense plan, ultimately leading to the defeat of Northern Wei he sided with, harming himself and others. But he was always smarter than me, how could he make a mistake I could catch?” Lao Shen smiled bitterly, turning the thumb ring on his finger, “Besides the late Emperor, who else knows the truth of this matter? It seems it indeed has to rely on my disciple.”

The trusted aide whispered, “I never understood why you suddenly took Young Master Zhou as your disciple. He is indeed intelligent…”

“He is very intelligent. When did he discover my relationship with Fukang? Even I don’t know. I’m old. In my youth, I ran everywhere to overturn the case for General Shen. Now I don’t want to take my senior brother’s story to the grave, but I lack the drive and strength. Yet in Jiangzhou, when I saw Zhou Xun personally dig up his mother’s burial clothes, I knew he was the right person. And he has an unparalleled advantage—the Emperor trusts him,” Lao Shen said slowly, “Many historical records say that the late Emperor was self-disciplined and benevolent. I have a premonition that the true truth will tarnish the late Emperor’s reputation. Thus… the Emperor’s attitude is crucial.”

The trusted aide remained silent for a moment, then said, “But will Young Master Zhou be willing?”

“He has long known I have an agenda, just waiting for me to speak. He seems indifferent, but he is a passionate and righteous person at heart. Just now in the chess room, he was hinting that now he is the top scholar and can start completing what I want to accomplish. Living as transparently as he does, calculating everything so clearly, is very exhausting. But he is actually very reluctant to owe anyone anything,” Lao Shen smiled wryly, “I feel a bit ashamed. I know that someone like him, if you treat him well, even a little sincerely, he would be willing to die for you, to burn for you. Perhaps that’s why the Emperor loves him so much? That’s why he doesn’t want him to get involved with the Spies, fearing he would burn himself out. When clever people act foolishly, it’s more terrifying than when fools do.”

The carriage finally arrived at Youhuang Alley. Instead of bamboo, the alley was filled with jujube trees. As Lao Shen got off the carriage, he suddenly said, “Never mind, he’s my disciple after all. As a master, I should take care of my disciple. Now he has finally become the top scholar and found someone he loves. These old bones of mine can live another decade or so, no need to rush repaying the favor! As a master, I should act like one.”

“More importantly,” the trusted aide said, “we’ve found some hidden clues about Northern Wei.”

“What clues?”

“In recent years, Northern Wei spies have infiltrated Dajing, especially the capital. Their presence in the capital is closely linked to their ‘General.’ The ‘General’ appeared two years ago. Over these years, we have been tracing his clues, making portraits. The ‘General’ should have an extreme hatred for Dajing, especially its rulers. He should be from Dajing, talented, and not unknown. Simultaneously, his origin should be illustrious yet fallen, possibly related to the court, and in adulthood, he must have suffered persecution from the court, especially from the royal family. Such a person should not be hard to find, yet we’ve found no trace of him—not even a hint. And now we discovered…” The trusted aide lowered his voice, “‘The General’ might be a woman!”

“A woman?” Lao Shen was startled.

He was about to say more when he vaguely saw a flash of cold light in the distance.

Lao Shen managed to dodge just in time, the arrow meant for his heart only grazing his left arm.

An assassin!

## …

April 28th was a sunny day and a grand day in the hearts of everyone in the capital.

The two major events of April 28th: the first was Zhou Cai and Miss Yan’s wedding. Their wedding, uniquely held on a decorated platform in the Zhou residence, where the groom would walk step by step up to the platform to take the hand of his bride, symbolizing their steadfast love.

This unique design by Zhou Cai moved countless young women in the capital. They were deeply touched by Zhou Cai’s romantic gesture and fantasized about this romantic wedding in their boudoirs.

The second event was the auction of Lin Mingxi’s posthumous works at Duobao Pavilion.

Perhaps by coincidence or chance, the unveiling of Lin Mingxi’s posthumous works happened exactly two hours after Zhou Cai and Miss Yan’s wedding began.