A faint, subtle fragrance drifted through the air, gradually replaced by the smell of books.
“Fourth Prince, Fourth Prince.”
It was the height of summer, and the osmanthus trees had yet to bloom; their branches and leaves were lush and vibrant. He laid on a sturdy branch of the thousand-year-old osmanthus tree, a strategy book covering his face, as he heard someone softly calling out to him.
He heard it but didn’t want to respond. If possible, he wished he could hide here among the dense leaves forever, even becoming one of them.
A faint rustling came from below, and a small figure deftly climbed up.
This tree was enormous, its canopy wide enough to block out the sun, and its branches were thicker than the waist of an adult. For a child, it was especially formidable.
The child tilted his face up to look at him, then slowly, very slowly, moved closer.
Now that he’d been found, there was no more hiding.
He removed the book and turned his head to look.
It was a beautiful face, still carrying a trace of childhood innocence, yet already hinting at the allure it would hold in the future.
“Sorry,” the child said. “Did I disturb you?”
It had, indeed, disturbed him.
Jiang Wu thought this to himself, but he kept a gentle expression on his face. “No.”
Relieved, the child asked, “Has Your Highness been busy lately? Why haven’t you gone to the Academy?”
There was a slight accent to his words that slipped out now and then. Jiang Wu straightened slightly, smoothing the hem of his robe as he replied, “My mother arranged for a private tutor.”
“Why did you need a separate tutor?”
Sunlight filtered through the overlapping green leaves, casting dappled shadows on his face as a breeze stirred them. Jiang Wu thought for a moment and replied, “There are many students at the academy, and the overall pace is slower. I can learn faster on my own.”
The child asked nervously, “Is it because I can’t seem to learn the official language well enough…”
“Not at all,” Jiang Wu said. “You’re already speaking it quite well.”
The child lowered his head and, after a moment, couldn’t resist a bit of boasting. “Today, my teacher even praised me, saying I’ve been improving quickly and that my pronunciation is much clearer than before. He even asked if I’d been secretly seeing a tutor.”
“You have a natural talent. As long as you dare to speak, you’ll improve.”
“Your Highness is the best teacher.”
Jiang Wu smiled faintly.
His perspective seemed to split in two—one part of him was sitting here, next to the young Yin Wuzhi, while the other looked down from above, observing the two of them as if with a god-like detachment.
This was his former self.
Thanks to the subtle fragrance, he once again dreamed of his past self, this time with young Yin Wuzhi beside him.
It was his former self who taught Yin Wuzhi the official language. Lazily, without much care, he watched as the fragrance carried him through time to a scene a few days later.
His former self was walking along the winding corridors of the palace, listening to two people beside him engaged in lively conversation. He walked quietly, appearing attentive, though his mind had already drifted far away.
“Ah Wu.” From his former self’s memory, Jiang Wu recognized that the one who pushed him was King Qi, Jiang Ming. “What are you thinking about, so lost in thought? Did you hear what I was just saying to our Crown Prince brother?”
Jiang Wu raised his face and unconsciously tucked the arm that had been pushed behind him. “Yin Shu hit Zuo Haoqing.”
“So, you did hear.”
“Mm.” It seemed he’d developed a reflex. Even if his mind was elsewhere, his body instinctively blended into this world. “What else?”
Jiang Yuan chuckled lightly. “See? I knew it; he’s always listening.”
Jiang Ming circled around to Jiang Wu’s other side and teased, “Yin Shu hit Zuo Haoqing. You know what the Madam is like—by afternoon, she’ll surely march to King Dingnan’s estate to demand an explanation. Want to come watch the commotion?”
Jiang Yuan glanced at Jiang Wu’s expression. “Ah Wu’s not like us; he doesn’t enjoy crowds.”
“He’s still young,” Jiang Ming said, throwing an arm around Jiang Wu’s shoulders. “Lighten up! After watching, I’ll treat you to something tasty.”
Jiang Wu’s face paled, and Jiang Yuan quickly reached over to pull Jiang Ming’s arm away. “Alright, alright, stop teasing him. You know how strict the Noble Consort is. Don’t get him into trouble.”
“Alright.” Jiang Ming withdrew his hand, then suddenly pinched Jiang Wu’s cheek. “You really won’t go? Should I bring you some flatbread when I come back?”
“Thank you, Third Brother.”
“Good boy.” Jiang Yuan patted his head.
They went their separate ways, and even after walking far, King Qi was still talking. “Should we call for Old Five to join us?”
“Come on, do you really think we’re just going to watch the commotion? Father wants us to observe carefully and see if we can analyze the officials’ personalities and approaches to handling things based on their conflicts.”
“It’s exhausting. Being the youngest is the best.”
“We have plenty of brothers. If we work together, there’s nothing to fear.”
The original self, stood in place, watching them disappear into the distance. He raised his hand and rubbed the cheek that had been pinched.
Unconsciously, he walked along the railing, his gaze falling on the shimmering water. Occasionally, koi—some red, some blue—would swim by, their tails splashing small droplets of water.
The fleeting water droplets suddenly made him feel the passage of time was slow and endless.
“Plop!” A loud splash echoed. He looked up and saw someone struggling in the water, and shouts from the servants followed, “Someone’s fallen in the water!”
He didn’t check who it was or whether he could save the person. He simply threw aside the book he was holding, leaped over the railing, and plunged into the water.
“It’s the Fifth Prince… no, it’s the Fourth Prince! The Fourth Prince has fallen in too!”
Chaos erupted on the bridge.
As he moved his arms, he could feel the resistance of the water. Like a fish, he reached the person and firmly grabbed them by the waist, lifting them upward.
He pushed the other person out of the water, but Jiang Wu remained still, holding them up from beneath while opening his eyes underwater.
His long hair floated like seaweed, with a few strands drifting in front of his face.
The koi, which had been far away, were now close, swishing their tails as they swam past him.
Jiang Wu reached out, and one bold fish even pecked his fingertip.
In the dream, he watched the original self from two different perspectives, trying to understand what he was thinking. But he soon realized that the original self wasn’t thinking anything.
He could have easily surfaced, but instead, he quietly emptied his mind in the water, staying still until the last bit of air in his lungs was used up.
Time lost its meaning in the dream.
Jiang Wu saw Yao Ji’s tear-streaked face. “When you jumped in to save someone, did you think of your mother? If something happened to you, how would I survive? How can you be so thoughtless…”
“Jump.” The scene froze, then scattered like dust in the wind.
Jiang Wu saw a man.
He had appeared in earlier dreams—pale-skinned, dark-haired, and youthful-looking.
“Wu Er, after you take your medicine, have a candied fruit. It won’t taste as bitter. Come, try it.”
The man offered a candied fruit to his mouth.
Jiang Wu realized this was shortly after Empress Dowager Wen entered the palace. The original self had just escaped Yao Ji’s control and was now in Empress Dowager Wen’s residence.
His father, the former emperor, looked very kind. When he smiled, it was gentle and warm.
Empress Dowager Wen also said, “Wu Er, your father personally brought this for you. Have one, dear. I even tasted it myself just now—it’s very sweet. You’ve just had your medicine, and this will help.”
But the original self didn’t eat the candied fruit. “It’s too sweet, Father. I’m not used to it.”
Empress Dowager Wen’s expression faltered, and she instinctively glanced at the emperor’s darkened face. She quickly said, “Wu Er, what are you saying? Apologize to your father.”
“Let it be,” the emperor interrupted her. “It’s my fault for Wu Er’s condition. Rest well. I’ll come to see you again tomorrow.”
He turned to leave, and Empress Dowager Wen hurried after him. “Your Majesty, Wu Er is still young and doesn’t understand…”
“He throws a tantrum because he still sees me as his father. Why would I be angry with him?” The emperor turned back, but the bed curtains had already been lowered over Jiang Wu.
Empress Dowager Wen forced a smile, her anxious expression easing slightly. The emperor added, “This child is different from the others. Be more patient with him.”
Empress Dowager Wen nodded quickly. Nearby, a familiar voice called, “Your Majesty, Noble Consort Yao has summoned you to Ziyun Palace…”
The voices faded, becoming inaudible.
It was only then that Jiang Wu realized Qi Haimiao, the person he had met in his dreams, was in fact the trusted confidant the emperor had left behind for the original self.
He wondered what the emperor had gone to Ziyun Palace for. After coaxing his son, had he gone to placate his wife as well? But he could only stay in the bedchamber with the original self, silently watching him lie there.
Truth be told, his appearance lying in bed didn’t quite capture the essence of true apathy.
But then again, this person wasn’t truly apathetic either.
The emperor began visiting Empress Dowager Yao’s palace frequently, and besides him, another person also came by often.
It was, without a doubt, young Yin Wuzhi.
The first time he came, his eyes were red as he asked Jiang Wu, “I heard the Fourth Prince fell into the water while saving someone. How are you now?”
The incident with the water had happened not long after the needle injury, and with Yin Wuzhi being young and slow to get news, it made sense he had just found out.
The original self said, “I’m fine now.”
Yin Wuzhi wiped his tears. Back then, he was much shorter than he was now. When he crouched by the bed, he could easily rest his chin on it. At that time, his legs weren’t long enough to bend fully, making his pose look a bit comical with his backside half-raised.
Jiang Wu glanced at him curiously, and the original self seemed to notice this too. “Stop crying. Come sit here.”
Yin Wuzhi stood up a bit straighter and asked, “Can I sit on the bed?”
“Yes.”
Yin Wuzhi, overjoyed, quickly climbed onto the bed, sitting opposite Jiang Wu obediently, his shiny black eyes staring at him. “Will the Fourth Prince return to the Imperial Academy?”
“I will.”
“Then, Fourth Prince, can you teach me how to play chess?”
“You don’t know how?”
“A little.” Yin Wuzhi quickly replied, then added in a small voice, “Not very well.”
The original self said, “Alright.”
Just as he was about to lift the blanket, Yin Wuzhi jumped off the bed quickly. “I’ll go get the chessboard!”
That year, Jiang Wu was ten, and Yin Wuzhi was eight. Jiang Wu was slightly taller than Yin Wuzhi. The two sat cross-legged on the bed, with the black and white chess pieces spread between them. Little Yin Wuzhi would occasionally sneak glances at him.
Jiang Wu: “…”
“Fourth Highness,” Yin Wuzhi said, “would you like to eat a flower cake?” He held up a piece of the cake to Jiang Wu’s mouth.
In his mind, Jiang Wu began to picture a much larger hand, one far bigger than Yin Wuzhi’s small hand.
That large hand had once fed Jiang Wu before.
Jiang Wu decided to skip over this memory.
Suddenly, a figure burst in from the front. It was King Xiang, who also lived in Empress Dowager Wen’s palace. “Yin Shu, get away from my Fourth Brother!” he shouted.
The flower cake fell onto the chessboard, and Yin Wuzhi was pulled away, soon getting into a scuffle with King Xiang.
Jiang Wu thought to himself that the next time he saw Jiang Rui, he should reward him handsomely… yes, whatever Jiang Rui wanted, he would reward him with it.
The last time Jiang Wu saw Yin Wuzhi was over a year later. When Yin Wuzhi entered the room, he moved slowly, his eyes slightly red.
Jiang Wu was sitting in front of the chessboard and looked up at him. “I heard you’re going to Southern Jiang again with King Dingnan.”
“Yes.” Yin Wuzhi sat down across from him. Jiang Wu looked at him for a moment and said, “You don’t want to go? If you don’t, you can stay in the capital.”
“My father named me Yinshu with the intent for me to guard Southern Jiang. I can’t betray his wishes.”
Jiang Wu lowered his gaze and said, “You can also do what you want. You don’t have to live just for others.”
“But I want to be someone useful in the future, like the Fourth Highness.” Yin Wuzhi said gloomily, “And it’s not that I don’t want to go, it’s just that… I’ll miss Your Highness.”
Jiang Wu paused.
“I’ve heard that the Fourth Highness is known for his benevolence and is often called a ‘little sage.’ I also want to be like Your Highness, to become a sage.”
Jiang Wu’s pale fingers placed a piece on the chessboard as he said, “You can’t become a sage by copying me.”
Yin Wuzhi was confused, having grown up in Southern Jiang and not having read many books. He instinctively asked, “Then how can one become a sage?”
“A sage does nothing, so there is no failure. Without attachment, there is no loss.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do nothing at all. Do not develop attachments to anything or anyone.”
Yin Wuzhi didn’t quite grasp it, but he quickly found a way around it. “If I become a sage like the Fourth Highness, and we both ascend to immortality, living forever, wouldn’t that mean we can always be together?”
His bright black eyes sparkled as he stared expectantly at Jiang Wu, who after a long pause responded with a simple, “Yes.”
Before he left, Yin Wuzhi turned back to Jiang Wu, cheerfully saying, “No attachments, no loss. From now on, I’ll change my name to Yin Wuzhi. Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Who gives themselves their own name?”
“I’ll just say it was bestowed by the Fourth Highness.” Yin Wuzhi said confidently, “When I grow up and learn some skills, I’ll come back to serve Your Highness for life.”
“No need to change your name.”
“But I like it. I like it… because it was bestowed by Your Highness.”
The autumn wind blew, carrying the sweet scent of golden osmanthus. Yin Wuzhi stared at Jiang Wu for a long time until…
“Jump.”
“What?”
“Jump.”
Yin Wuzhi, now awake: “…”
He hesitated but then lifted Jiang Wu into his arms.
The emperor was mostly useless, full of strange whims, and now he wanted to be carried around and jumped with early in the morning.
Yin Wuzhi frowned as he jumped from one side to the other, and then back again.
Jiang Wu was jolted awake.
The first thing he saw was the red mole at the corner of Yin Wuzhi’s eye.
Jiang Wu: “…”
His head fell back, his lifeless eyes staring blankly, like a corpse that died with unfulfilled wishes.
Outside, Qi Hanmiao’s joyful voice could be heard. “The Great Empress Dowager has decreed that the Buddha has blessed the Emperor with a recovery from his illness. We are to prepare immediately to return to the palace tomorrow.”
His smiling face vanished as soon as he entered the room.
Qi Hanmiao walked over slowly, carefully lifting the emperor’s head. But since he did it too lightly, the head fell back down, swaying slightly.
“….How did this happen?” He lifted the emperor’s head again, heartbroken. “Your Majesty, what’s wrong now?”
