Chapter 111 – Extra 4
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Fu Nian had been in the royal residence for several years, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the age of twenty.
His birthday was calculated based on the day he was picked up, but his actual age should have been a bit older.
According to the rules, Fu Nian should return to his master’s sect.
It had been many years since he last saw his Senior Brothers, especially Senior Brother Nineteen, whom Fu Nian knew loved those scholarly pursuits. He was planning to ask for half a day off in advance to go out and buy some writing materials.
“Your Highness, I will be setting off the day after tomorrow. May I request half a day off in advance?” Fu Nian asked as he saw Chu Zhaoyi stop writing and began to grind ink, taking the opportunity to inquire.
“What are you going to do?”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my Senior Brothers, especially Senior Brother Nineteen. I was thinking of selecting some things to bring back.” Fu Nian replied truthfully and then smiled innocently.
“I told you to be cautious around your master. If you don’t want to listen, you can get out of the royal residence.” When Chu Zhaoyi heard Fu Nian mention his master, his grip on the pen tightened, and he showed his impatience without restraint.
Fu Nian pondered for a moment before answering cautiously, “I remember Your Highness’s words. But I want to bring something for my Senior Brothers.”
“Not allowed. Besides what you’re supposed to do tomorrow, add an extra hour of martial training.” Chu Zhaoyi interrupted abruptly.
Fu Nian responded with a simple “Yes, Your Highness” and didn’t say anything else.
Normally, the young prince treated him very well, and he had never received such care from anyone else. But sometimes, he could be even more temperamental than today.
Fu Nian had gotten used to it.
After all, he was a pampered young prince who had the right to have a temper. Besides, Fu Nian liked it when Chu Zhaoyi was fiery. After all, Chu Zhaoyi was the first person to treat him so well.
The next day, after completing his regular duties and an additional hour of martial training, Fu Nian finally rushed out of the royal residence as the day was turning dark. He quickly bought some books and writing materials for his Senior Brother.
When he returned to the royal residence, Fu Nian decided to put away these items first before meeting with the prince.
“Why are you late?”
“Your Highness, I just went out for a while…” Fu Nian’s voice got lower as he spoke, and he stared at the hot gaze, adding, “You said I was allowed to go out freely.”
“What did you buy for your good Senior Brother?” Chu Zhaoyi asked.
“Just some ordinary books and writing materials. I also bought some ink for Your Highness,” Fu Nian replied honestly and took out a roll of ink from his sleeve, presenting it.
Chu Zhaoyi glanced at the items wrapped in oiled paper but didn’t touch them. “Did you buy these as an afterthought, or did you specially select them for me?”
“I selected them. Just like my Senior Brothers, they are the best from the shop,” Fu Nian replied, feeling uneasy about Chu Zhaoyi’s tone.
The next moment, Chu Zhaoyi grabbed the items Fu Nian had brought, walked towards the courtyard, and tossed the roll of ink into the pond. With a stern face, he returned to the room.
Fu Nian stared in shock at what had just happened.
Realizing there were still koi fish in the pond, he jumped in and retrieved the roll of ink.
After changing his clothes, Fu Nian carefully washed the ink off his hands. He didn’t understand why the prince was angry again.
Perhaps he didn’t like the gifts Fu Nian had chosen.
After all, the standards of living in the royal residence were second only to the palace, so it was normal for Chu Zhaoyi not to be accustomed to these things. It was his own lack of consideration.
“Little Nian, go and apologize to your master. Your master won’t chase you out of the sect.”
“I’m leaving of my own accord.”
The coming-of-age ceremony this time was… almost indescribable in words for Fu Nian.
He kept his head down, absentmindedly listening to what his Senior Brother Nineteen was saying, but his mind was filled with his master’s words and actions.
He was an orphan, and no one’s kindness towards him was unconditional, including his master. It all came with expectations, heavier than life itself, beyond mere morality.
Fu Nian finally understood the childhood puzzles: why some Senior Brothers, when they grew up, would become sworn brothers with their master, or even consider their master as their foster father. He also probably understood how his Eldest Senior Brother had broken his legs and how his master had treated him all these years.
“Little Nian, don’t be stubborn!” Fu Nineteen said when he saw Fu Nian’s silence.
Fu Nian didn’t say anything.
Senior Brother Nineteen was different from others; he had been branded since childhood. Fu Nian didn’t know if Fu Nineteen had gone through what other disciples experienced when they received the brand… no, Fu Nineteen was only four or five years old at the time, too young.
“When our Senior Brother came of age, what did our master…. give you as a gift?”
“At the time, my mission was in Yunnan, and our master didn’t say anything. But before setting out, he gave me two pieces of gold, saying it was a gift. There were no other disciples’ rituals, and he wouldn’t give me any extras.” Fu Nineteen didn’t understand.
So, Fu Nineteen really didn’t know.
Fu Nian breathed a sigh of relief; that was good.
“Little Nian, when you return…”
“If you mention the Distant Moon Sect again,” Fu Nian had initially thought to say, “Don’t blame me for taking action.”
But then he thought better of it; his Senior Brother was innocent, and he couldn’t vent his resentment towards his master on his Senior Brother.
“Say it again and I’ll pierce my ears to become deaf.”
Fu Nineteen laughed.
“I won’t mention it anymore. Once you’ve figured it out in a few days, remember to write to the sect.”
Fu Nian didn’t respond.
After a long silence, he finally asked, “Senior Brother, is everyone’s kindness towards you not unconditional?”
“Of course not. My parents’ kindness to me is unconditional. Although our master raised me to use me when I grew up, when he saved my life back then, it was at least from the bottom of his heart. Little Nian, why do you ask such a thing?”
Fu Nian “…”
He had forgotten that Senior Brother Nineteen had parents. Even if it was only for a few years, it was enough to make him envious.
“Nothing, just a question from a book I read.”
On the day he returned to the royal residence, it was sunset, and Fu Nian walked to the gate with a dejected look. He happened to see a royal carriage from the palace parked at the entrance. Judging by the standard, it should have been used by the eunuch in waiting.
It seemed that Chu Zhaoyi had received an imperial decree.
He hurried inside, and he could just hear the eunuch’s voice coming from the backyard.
“The princess from the Northern Kingdom is as beautiful as a celestial being. It’s because His Majesty remembers that you haven’t taken any concubines for many years that he’s willing to arrange this marriage for you.”
“Isn’t it because the Crown Prince doesn’t want her and decided to give her to me?” Chu Zhaoyi’s voice sounded discontented.
“Prince, His Highness the Crown Prince already has someone in his heart. How can you say that?”
“I have abstained for many years, I fear that I would disappoint my father’s good intentions. I will not accept the decree…”
Fu Nian noticed someone looking in his direction, so he discreetly withdrew his ears.
Chu Zhaoyi was getting married.
Well, getting married was only a matter of time. With a wife and concubines, and eventually children… Fu Nian thought of that phrase again: “Nothing is given freely.”
Chu Zhaoyi’s exclusive care for him would probably be diluted several times once he had a wife.
Fu Nian sighed; misfortunes never come singly.
He didn’t listen to the rest of the conversation; after this coming-of-age ceremony, his world view of the past twenty years had been completely overturned, and he would definitely no longer be loyal to his sect.
In the evening, Fu Nian was summoned and brought in a bathtub to the bedroom.
It seemed that serving Chu Zhaoyi during his bath had also become his task, he realized.
However, Fu Nian was willingly doing this task.
Chu Zhaoyi’s robust muscles were incredibly pleasing to the eye, not to mention the opportunity for physical contact. Fu Nian patiently squatted on the ground, replenishing water for Chu Zhaoyi.
“Prince, on my way back today, I found a Persian cat, long-haired, like those from the Persian region.”
“Can you please refrain from telling me everything you encounter every day? Even a three-year-old child wouldn’t say such things; it’s childish.”
His words were interrupted, and Fu Nian’s hand hesitated for a moment, and he obediently kept quiet.
Indeed, Chu Zhaoyi didn’t like him talking too much. Chu Zhaoyi often criticized Chu Yao for being too noisy.
As he began to attend to Chu Zhaoyi during his bath, Chu Zhaoyi finally spoke, “By the way, Father has arranged a marriage. Tomorrow, a eunuch will come to the mansion to paint my portrait and sculpture, and you’ll be there to receive him. Say that I’m indisposed and unable to meet anyone.”
“Prince… Are you really getting married?”
“Perhaps,” Chu Zhaoyi said indifferently. “For now, I have to go along with it. If I can’t avoid it… I get a headache just thinking about women.”
Fu Nian listened silently and continued to attend to Chu Zhaoyi until he finished his bath. Finally, he couldn’t keep quiet and asked again, “Prince, are you really getting married?”
Chu Zhaoyi impatiently repeated, “I just told you, if I can’t avoid it due to Father’s wishes, I will marry. Otherwise, I won’t.”
Fu Nian…
He wasn’t deaf.
He didn’t want Chu Zhaoyi to get married. He even wished that Chu Zhaoyi wouldn’t have any desires for women, so that no matter what happened in the future, only he could take care of Chu Zhaoyi.
No one would be closer to him than he was.
“….Do you have something to say?” Chu Zhaoyi belatedly realized that something was amiss.
Normally, Fu Nian spoke candidly, sometimes even annoyingly so, but he rarely hesitated like today.
“…”
“If you have something to say, say it. If you don’t want to say it, then don’t say it from now on.”
“This time, returning to the sect, it is as the prince said. Master… In the future, Fu Nian will be loyal to the prince and obey your orders.” After thinking for a long time, Fu Nian finally said something slightly meaningful.
Chu Zhaoyi’s face remained calm, as if he wasn’t surprised at all.
“What else.”
“What else?” Chu Zhaoyi asked.
“I have also overstepped… I have inexplicably developed thoughts of not wanting you to marry. I deserve to die. I…” The rest of the words remained unspoken by Fu Nian.
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Chu Zhaoyi seemed to have figured it out first, “What, is your heartbeat racing so fast that it’s overwhelming your rationality?”
Fu Nian was stunned.
Indeed, he could hear the excessively fast heartbeat and the impulsiveness in his mind.
“Fu Nian, you like me,” Chu Zhaoyi said, making his words even more explicit when he saw Fu Nian lower his head and remain silent.
Fu Nian lowered his head even more.
He almost tacitly accepted Chu Zhaoyi’s words.
After a long while, Fu Nian still didn’t say anything. He hastily bowed and prepared to leave.
However, before he could walk out the door, he was pulled back.
Even though he fell onto the carpet, it didn’t hurt much.
This time, Chu Zhaoyi didn’t use his foot to step on him.
Instead, he bent down, grabbed the collar of his robe with one hand, and stared at him intently.
Fu Nian was confused, and suddenly felt something heavy in his hand.
He lowered his head to look, and it was a small blade.
“Since you like me and are willing to be loyal to me, why don’t we make a formal pact here. Take an oath, and promise that you will never go back on it in this lifetime. This is a token, called the ‘Fuguang blade,’ keep it safe.”
“Pact?” Fu Nian looked at the blade in his hand, which had the small words “Fuguang” engraved on it.
“Yes. But you have so many senior brothers and junior brothers, making a pact as brothers is meaningless. How about we make a pact as husband and wife instead? That way, you’ll have to be loyal to me for the rest of your life, and you can never escape.”
Fu Nian was a bit stunned.
Chu Zhaoyi didn’t respond to his palpitations but instead suggested making a pact as husband and wife.
“Husbands are the foundation of wives, and masters are the foundation of servants. We are master and servant, you like me, so what’s wrong with us becoming husband and wife?”
Fu Nian scratched his head, unable to find anything wrong with it.
Before he could come up with a reason, a red cloth suddenly covered his vision.
***
The Imperial Palace’s Chengyuan Hall was blanketed in pure white.
Every day, a eunuch would bring exquisite meals into the side hall on time, and after an hour or so, the same dishes would be taken out.
“Lord Fu, please have a bite.”
Inside the side hall, Fu Nian listened to the eunuch’s helpless voice but remained unmoved.
The aroma of the food was rich, but he had no appetite.
It was because his left hand was shackled with an exquisite chain that hung in the air. Any struggle or slight movement would bring a painful feeling.
His prosthetic arm had been completely removed.
His legs and feet weren’t spared either.
“Lord, please have a bite.”
The eunuch pleaded again.
“Since your leg is injured, you should consume more medicinal food. You hardly eat anything, and your leg might deteriorate.”
Fu Nian came back to his senses and replied calmly, “Then, please, let go of my left hand, or I won’t be able to pick up the spoon, let alone eat.”
The eunuch hesitated and said, “The Emperor has ordered that it must not be released. I can feed you.”
“No need,” Fu Nian coldly refused.
He straightened up a bit so that the sensation of blood flowing in the wrong direction would lessen.
Chu Zhaoyi had ascended the throne several months ago.
He had helped Chu Zhaoyi kill the Crown Prince, the former Emperor, and other disobedient siblings, leading Chu Zhaoyi step by step to what he wanted.
However, now that he had injured his leg on a mission, he didn’t receive any praise. Instead, he was scolded for not being careful enough. When he said he was tired and wanted to leave, all he got in return was a cold reception. Even the cats and dogs were treated more kindly than him. And he had to endure Chu Zhaoyi’s daily apologies.
Chu Zhaoyi had changed completely from his previous habits of throwing things and scolding. Of course, his right to move freely had been taken away as well.
After a while, Fu Nian heard someone coming in.
Judging from the footsteps, he knew who it was. It was definitely Chu Zhaoyi, who came to see him in his leisure time after meeting with the officials.
The Imperial Palace’s grand hall was bathed in a pale light, making it look cold and empty.
Fu Nian watched as the slender figure gradually approached him, but he didn’t bother to raise his head.
“Ah Nian, why aren’t you eating or taking your medicine again? Didn’t I tell you that you need to eat and take your medicine to get better?” Saying this, Chu Zhaoyi picked up the freshly heated meal from the side, tested the temperature, and then brought it to Fu Nian’s lips.
Fu Nian paid no attention to it and simply shook his left hand, indicating his current predicament.
“Ah Nian, be obedient. I didn’t mean to treat you badly before. Do you remember when we first had our ceremony? You couldn’t even say a complete sentence and were so nervous when we exchanged tokens.”
“Hurts,” Fu Nian, without letting Chu Zhaoyi finish his sentence, bit down on the tender skin on Chu Zhaoyi’s wrist.
Chu Zhaoyi’s face changed slightly, but he quickly recovered.
“Why aren’t you talking? Didn’t you use to talk endlessly back then?”
Yes, how did it come to this?
Indeed, he remembered that during his youth, he had a special fondness for Chu Zhaoyi, and he found all his tantrums to be endearing.
“Yes, when we had our ceremony, you said you hated noisy people the most.”
After saying that, Fu Nian tried to wipe away the tears at the corner of his eye, but he couldn’t. The chains on his hands made a clear sound.
Just as he was feeling down, Fu Nian felt a porcelain spoon being offered to his lips, filled with soup.
Chu Zhaoyi still smiled and looked at him as if he wouldn’t be satisfied until he saw Fu Nian eat it.
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