After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 78

The emperor had no idea he had bought a book that “completely matched his description of the vendor,” yet the content was entirely different. Back in the palace, after dealing with the matters of Chancellor Lu, he was increasingly troubled.

Zhou Xun was still outside the palace and not by his side. The emperor stretched in his chair, and Lu Yao, who had come in to refill his tea, noticed his furrowed brow and asked, “Your Majesty, are you troubled by something?”

Lu Yao was the emperor’s personal maid. She knew that Chancellor Lu had just left. After considering the emperor’s usual demeanor and activities, she thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, I have something to say. I’m not sure if I should.”

In the past, she would never have spoken this way to the emperor. However, after the emperor had allowed her sister, who had turned twenty but was unable to leave the palace due to offending the eunuchs, to marry, she now felt she could speak more freely.

The emperor glanced at her and said, “Speak.”

Lu Yao said, “Your Majesty, some things in this world may be destined to be unattainable. The Empress Dowager and the Fifth Prince are mother and son, blood relatives. Even if Your Majesty persistently seeks it, you may not achieve a favorable result. Relationships and fate between people are matters of destiny and timing.”

After saying this, Lu Yao felt a bit regretful, thinking she had overstepped.

Indeed, it was the emperor who came first… Whether it was birth, being the child of the Empress Dowager, or being raised by her… But why did it turn out this way?

The emperor’s brows were tightly knitted. He seemed to be listening to Lu Yao but also appeared lost in thought. After a long while, he finally sighed and said, “Why did it turn out this way?”

Lu Yao said, “…Your Majesty.”

“Why do all these people want to harm my Xun’er?” the emperor said indignantly. “I just want him to be happier! What wrong have I done? What wrong has Xun’er done?”

Lu Yao: ??

“The heavens have wronged me! If I don’t become an immortal, I will become a demon!”

Lu Yao: ???

“Follow my own path, let others say what they want! In the dictionary of Dragon Ao Tian, there are no words for failure!”

Lu Yao: ??????

“Everything I’ve lost, I will personally take back!”

Lu Yao: ??????

“Phew, I’ve wanted to try these villainous lines for a while.”

For some reason, Lu Yao felt that after saying those lines, the emperor seemed to become very happy very quickly.

“Your Majesty,” Xiao Lizi hurriedly entered from outside, “There… this servant has something to report…”

The emperor waved his hand and said, “Bring me that ‘Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms’.”

Xiao Lizi said, “Yes, but Zhou Cai and Zhou Hanlin are outside asking to see you.”

The emperor replied, “Don’t see them, don’t see them.”

Xiao Lizi whispered a few words to the emperor, and he reluctantly agreed.

Lu Yao nervously exited the imperial study. She saw that Zhou Cai had finally entered, with blood on his forehead. They seemed to talk for a long time in the study.

From outside, she occasionally heard voices coming from inside.

“Your younger brother was just a bit reckless, and I naturally agree he should face some discipline, but he has never experienced hardship…”

“That’s just right. I’ve given him a completely new experience.”

……

“For these past few days, my parents have been unable to eat or sleep well, and I don’t understand why Your Majesty has taken such measures…”

“You said you wanted to distance yourself from Zhou Xun? I’ll personally help you sort out the assets.”

……

“The friendship I’ve had with Your Majesty for so many years, are you really discarding it like an old rag?”

“You shouldn’t, we’re just ordinary colleagues—have I ever owed you any wages?”

……

“Does Your Majesty really want my family to be unable to survive?”

“Really? After so many years, doesn’t your family have any savings? It’s just a few months’ salary being fined. I’m telling you, overspending is not good. Look, if you’re a spendthrift, you have no risk resistance.”

……

“I don’t know why, but from that day on, Your Majesty changed. You became so unfamiliar… It’s like you became a different person.”

When this was said, the emperor finally fell silent.

“I am unpredictable, and I change as I please. You should have understood by now, I am a cold and heartless man.”

……

“What is so good about Zhou Xun? Your Majesty, you don’t understand the person’s heart, just a few days, and you are…”

“Few days? The bond between me and Zhou Xun is something you can’t comprehend.” The emperor sneered. “I owe him, and I am willing to be good to him. Whatever he was at the beginning, I want him to return to that state. Since I have harmed his fate, I once treated him like this… now, I will make up for it, let him return to his original self.”

“As for what kind of person Zhou Xun is? That’s none of your concern. I see him as much more real than you do. I’m really wasting my breath with you here.”

……

“Your Majesty, you must…”

“You think I’ve kept you alive until now for what reason?”

When the emperor’s cold voice rang out, Lu Yao quickly retracted her neck. She saw that Xiao Lizi beside her had the same expression.

They knew that there were some things you could hear and some things you could not. Even if you heard them, you had to pretend not to know.

“Lu Yao.”

Xiao Lizi’s voice came to Lu Yao’s ear, and she looked at him in confusion.

“Once upon a time, the emperor could kill ten people with a headache,” Xiao Lizi said, looking straight ahead but clearly addressing her. “The current emperor is what you see.”

“…Yes.”

“You should understand that we are working for the emperor. Our lives are tied to his. If the emperor is well, so will we be.” Xiao Lizi looked at the distant trees. “If we can walk a broad path, why seek a narrow one?”

His words were profound, but Lu Yao quickly understood.

She smiled faintly and said, “Naturally. The emperor has matured a lot after going through so much. However, it’s not surprising that people change.”

Just then, Hong Ling approached from a distance, holding a tray. She turned pale upon hearing that Zhou Cai was arguing with the emperor.

“…Hong Ling is younger than us by a few years and is still innocent,” Xiao Lizi sighed. “Lu Yao, please take care of her.”

Lu Yao nodded quietly. “Of course.”

Eventually, Zhou Cai came out again. This time, he left in a hurry, glancing briefly at a few people before departing.

Xiao Lizi re-entered the study and then told the guards, “Inform the entire palace that Zhou Cai is no longer allowed to enter.”

After giving this order, he signaled Lu Yao to talk to Hong Ling. Lu Yao understood and gracefully left.

“Your Majesty…” Xiao Lizi entered the hall cautiously and said, “Your Majesty, are you in need of some reading material today to lift your mood?”

He recalled the books the emperor had brought back and mentioned a few titles in his mind, saying, “Would Your Majesty like to read ‘The Flower Appreciation Treasure Book’ to relax?”

The emperor replied, “What flowers and plants? I’m annoyed.”

Xiao Lizi said, “Oh… then perhaps ‘The Sand Sculpture Heroes’? I heard it’s a well-known and interesting book…”

“No need,” the emperor waved his hand. “Bring me that book… about how to comfort others and get along better with people.”

Xiao Lizi: ?

“…

Just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable. Zhou Xun must be even more distressed than I am.” The emperor rubbed his temples. “Just let it be.”

Xiao Lizi withdrew. Before leaving, he heard the emperor staring at the ceiling and murmuring, “If I could start over, I would never have let his fate become like this… Sigh, if only I had arrived sooner.”

“…Not being an emperor would be fine too.”

……

The emperor put the book back on the shelf, carefully hiding it. He was too embarrassed to let anyone find out he was reading such elementary books.

…How could someone of his stature still need to read books to figure out how to make others like him better?

“But why did Zhou Xun’s expression look so strange just now? According to the timing, he shouldn’t have been able to read the contents of the book so quickly…”

The emperor thought, scratching his head, feeling somewhat guilty. For some reason, he felt Zhou Xun’s expression earlier… was odd.

…Hopefully, he didn’t see it.

After thinking for a while at the desk, the emperor decided not to dwell on it. The day was getting late, and it was time to rest in his bedroom. He called Xiao Lizi in.

Xiao Lizi entered at the sound. Before the emperor could speak, he said obediently, “Do you wish to inquire about Master Zhou?”

The emperor: …

The emperor nodded vaguely. Xiao Lizi said, “Master Zhou has returned to the side hall. I noticed he left in a hurry, not like his usual manner.”

The emperor: …

He scratched his head, feeling uneasy, and warned Xiao Lizi, “You must keep the matter of me buying books on social skills confidential. Don’t reveal it to anyone!”

Xiao Lizi quickly nodded. The emperor remembered Xiao Lizi’s bad habits and added, “Especially not to Master Zhou!”

“Oh, Your Majesty, am I someone who leaks information so easily?” Xiao Lizi immediately swore, “And even if I were to leak something, it definitely wouldn’t be to Master Zhou!”

The emperor nodded in satisfaction. Xiao Lizi added, “After all, who in the palace doesn’t know that Your Majesty bought this book specifically for Master Zhou?”

The emperor: … That’s a rather odd way to put it.

The emperor then said to Xiao Lizi, “A few days ago, I had someone investigate your hometown—”

Xiao Lizi immediately looked up.

“Your sister was separated from you during the Qinghe famine. She was four years old and was sold to someone to exchange for food. My people found out that she was bought by a trafficker, who later took the children to Xiliang—” the emperor said slowly. “In Xiliang, our people found it difficult to act, so the investigation will be slower.”

“Your Majesty!” Xiao Lizi immediately knelt and kowtowed. “Your Majesty’s great kindness will surely be repaid with loyalty! My only family in this world is my sister. If I can find her, even if it’s just her remains… I will be satisfied with my life!”

“I said I would help you find her, so I will see it through.” The emperor waved his hand. “Go rest!”

At this moment, Zhou Xun, in the side hall, was tossing and turning in bed, contemplating the secrets he had discovered.