After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 36

Chu Yun’kuo saw the scene in the imperial study, and seeing both men look up at him, he spread his hands and laughed awkwardly, “Is this, uh, not a good time for a commoner to be here? I’ll just…”

“No, no, come in,” the Emperor quickly adjusted his expression and coughed, addressing Chu Yun’kuo.

Chu Yun’kuo’s timing was unfortunate, arriving at the crucial moment of Zhou Xun and the Emperor’s conversation. Zhou Xun felt a bit annoyed.

However, Zhou Xun, being always cold and reserved, rarely showed any emotional fluctuations. This annoyance only lasted a brief moment before he swept it away.

Never mind, there will be opportunities in the future. He looked at the Emperor’s “hehe” smiling profile and thought to himself.

What did it matter if the Emperor was a deity or an otherworldly being, or what past destinies they might have shared… If the Emperor truly didn’t want to speak, Zhou Xun wouldn’t ask. But if the Emperor wanted to talk, he would get to the bottom of it.

“If Your Majesty has an esteemed guest to see, this commoner will take his leave first.” Thinking this, Zhou Xun bowed to the Emperor, “This commoner…”

“Hey, hey, don’t be in such a hurry to leave. Stay,” the Emperor said hastily, as if he were a boyfriend in a cinema rushing after his partner who was leaving, holding popcorn and two sodas.

Seeing Zhou Xun stop, the Emperor noticed Chu Yun’kuo’s inquisitive gaze and coughed, saying sternly, “This is Mr. Zhou, my secretary-general. He assists me during deliberations by taking notes and offering advice.”

Chu Yun’kuo suddenly understood and bowed to Zhou Xun, “Mr. Zhou, I’ve heard so much about you! A pleasure, a pleasure.”

Zhou Xun was slightly taken aback, but still politely responded, “You’ve heard of me, sir?”

“I heard about you from His Majesty. The first time I met His Majesty was at my family’s jade market. While chatting, His Majesty mentioned you and said you like jade. I happened to have a fine white jade carving at home, so I brought it today as a gift for His Majesty.” Chu Yun’kuo clapped his hands, signaling a servant to bring the jade carving.

The Emperor looked at the jade carving and said to Xiao Li, “Place this in Mr. Zhou’s room.”

Xiao Li obeyed.

Leaving the imperial study, Xiao Li entrusted the task to the maid serving Zhou Xun. The maid accepted the jade carving and carefully asked Xiao Li, “Where should I put this item, Eunuch?”

Xiao Li waved his duster, “Just find an empty spot and place it there.”

The maid hesitated, “But the side hall is already filled with things. If we add more, it will be…”

Xiao Li impatiently replied, “Then just squeeze it in. There’s always room if you try.”

Seeing the maid’s puzzled look, Xiao Li sighed, “Time and space are like water in a sponge. If you squeeze, there’s always more.”

The maid asked, “Who said that time is like water in a sponge, Eunuch Li? And what is a sponge?”

Xiao Li glanced at the imperial study and said, “The Emperor said it, quoting from Mr. Zhou’s writings.”

The maid, puzzled, said, “Mr. Zhou’s writings again. But what is a sponge…”

“Why do you ask so many questions? Go place the item.” Eunuch Li replied impatiently, “There are many things related to Mr. Zhou. Understanding all of them isn’t easy.”

“Yes, sir!”

The maid obeyed, carrying the jade carving away. What she didn’t know was that as she passed a palace gate, a dark shadow disappeared swiftly from behind a large tree.

The shadow followed the palace path to Zhongcui Palace. Guards were posted at the entrance, as the mistress of the palace was under house arrest inside.

The shadow, a little eunuch under Noble Consort Zhao, expertly found an unguarded low wall and agilely leapt over it. The imposing Noble Consort Zhao, who was sitting by the table, looked up with a gloomy face and asked, “Is it done?”

The shadow, the little eunuch, bowed respectfully and said, “Mistress, it’s done.”

Hearing this, Noble Consort Zhao’s face immediately showed a bit of joy. He stood up, looked around, and said eagerly, “Where is the item?”

“The Emperor has been resting in the main hall instead of the side hall these days. Mr. Zhou rests in the side hall. They have never shared a bed,” the little eunuch reported. “Recently, the Emperor has been exceptionally diligent, spending most of his day in the imperial study, either reading or discussing matters with ministers. Today, the second young master of the Chu family brought a jade carving into the palace, and the Emperor…”

Noble Consort Zhao, growing more impatient, interrupted, “I asked you, where is the item?”

Sensing his urgency, the little eunuch felt a chill and stammered, “The Emperor ordered it placed in the side hall, where Mr. Zhou resides. Mr. Zhou’s quarters are filled with treasures, so there wasn’t much space. Eunuch Li told the maid to find space, saying that time and space are like water in a sponge; there’s always more if you squeeze.”

Noble Consort Zhao: “…”

“Stop with all that nonsense!” Noble Consort Zhao fumed, “I’m asking about the item! Didn’t I tell you to bring back the important item?!”

“The item?” The little eunuch, frightened by the shout, wore a tearful expression and said, “The… the mistress instructed me to bring back important information, so I brought back the Emperor’s whereabouts!”

“Who the hell cares about the Emperor’s whereabouts! That dog of an Emperor doesn’t come to the palace for ten or fifteen days at a time. Why would I want his whereabouts?” Noble Consort Zhao angrily slapped the table and stood up. “I told you to go to the imperial kitchen and steal some meat back!”

The little eunuch: “Ah…?”

Noble Consort Zhao: “Meat! I want to eat meat! Damn it, that wretched Emperor has had me gnawing on bitter melons for half a month!”

“When I entered the palace, it was for the promise of all the good things the palace had to offer, everything within my reach!” Noble Consort Zhao collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed with sorrow. “But now, there’s no wealth or luxury, and I can’t even get a bite of meat…”

Seeing his master in tears, the little eunuch also felt a surge of sorrow. He looked at the dark and dismal Zhongcui Palace, then at the guards outside who were keeping them under house arrest…

In that moment, he thought of the many dramatic palace intrigue stories he’d heard and couldn’t help but place himself within them.

Friendships easily change with the passage of time. The once noble and passionate consort, now defeated by some innocent or seductive face… imprisoned and confined, while Mr. Zhou was simply younger!

With tears in his eyes, the little eunuch looked at his master. Despite nearly jumping out of his own fantasy upon seeing his master’s fierce face, he quickly steadied himself and said, “Master, you can’t stay down like this. You must pull yourself together!”

“But what can I do now?” Noble Consort Zhao said angrily, “I’ve already…”

“Master, there are many methods for palace intrigue. I’ve heard…” The little eunuch suddenly had an idea and whispered in Noble Consort Zhao’s ear.

Noble Consort Zhao stared at him suspiciously. The little eunuch whispered a few more words, “I’ve heard there’s something in the palace called Tenderness Wine…”

Noble Consort Zhao’s eyes lit up, “But… do you have the recipe for Tenderness Wine?”

He thought for a moment, then his gaze became determined, “Since I was young, my father taught me that those who fight will win. Go find the recipe in the palace and make that Tenderness Wine. Whether we remain imprisoned or are released, our fate rests on this!”

Noble Consort Zhao pondered and then revealed a sly smile.

In the imperial study, the three of them were already seated. Chu Yun’kuo sat on one side, while the Emperor and Zhou Xun sat on the other. Chu Yun’kuo toyed with the jade ring on his finger, observing the Emperor and Mr. Zhou, sensing something peculiar between them.

The peculiarity wasn’t about any bedroom-related or romantic oddness, but another type. When Chu Yun’kuo stepped into the imperial study and saw the blue-clad young man, he knew this was the person the Emperor had inadvertently mentioned before, referred to as his “beloved.”

Of course, “beloved” was a term Chu Yun’kuo had deduced himself. From the way the Emperor spoke about him—reverent, loving, deeply moved—anything less than “friend” would be too shallow; less than “subordinate” would be lacking in respect; less than “mentor” would be too young; and less than “lover” wouldn’t convey the same emotional intensity. The term “beloved” seemed fitting, as no other word could describe the importance of this person to the Emperor. Surely the Emperor didn’t see him as a father or a son.

But what he saw today… their interaction was smoother and subtler than he had imagined. Chu Yun’kuo’s gaze shifted to the blue-clad “secretary-general.”

This Mr. Zhou looked unfamiliar. The Chu family, being imperial merchants with extensive connections, had allowed Chu Yun’kuo, as the second son, to meet all notable and distinguished individuals in the capital. Yet, this Mr. Zhou seemed entirely unfamiliar.

Mr. Zhou had very fair skin and handsome features, exuding a cold, snowy aura. Even Chu Yun’kuo, who had seen many beauties, had to admit that this man had an exceptionally good appearance. But…

Why did he seem vaguely unpleasantly familiar?

Zhou Xun, sitting beside the Emperor, sensed Chu Yun’kuo’s scrutinizing gaze. The man squinted at him, seemingly puzzled by his appearance.

He didn’t remember ever meeting Chu Yun’kuo, so the reason for his scrutiny… Zhou Xun narrowed his eyes.

Probably because he resembled Zhou Cai.

Chu Yun’kuo wanted to take a closer look. Zhou Xun was sitting a bit far from him, so he leaned his neck forward slightly…

And suddenly, the Emperor’s face filled his view.

Chu Yun’kuo: ??

He clearly remembered the Emperor wasn’t sitting there just now. How did he suddenly appear?

But since the Emperor was right in front of him, Chu Yun’kuo gave up on observing Zhou Xun further. He said to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, you previously mentioned the ‘Silk Road’. After careful consideration, I recall that a hundred years ago, Dajing indeed traded with the Western Regions. However, during Emperor Zhao’s reign, the Northern Wei and Daliang dominated the area, frequently ravaging the borders. Combined with harassment from nomadic tribes, less than one in ten caravans returned safely. The border chaos allowed many enemy spies to infiltrate Dajing… Thus, during Emperor Zhao’s reign, Dajing ceased trading with the Western Regions, and the original trade routes were closed…”