Chapter 720
Chapter 720
Brother?! Hearing that word, Shen Lang, Xixuan, and Yinghan were all taken aback. It was incredibly rare for the little princess to simply call someone ‘brother.’ She had many brothers, of course, but she would either call them Crown Prince Brother or add ‘brother’ after their name. Thinking back, they could hardly recall a time she had ever addressed someone so directly as just “Brother.” Seeing their expressions, the little princess stuck out her tongue.
“Isn’t this the brother who treated me? What’s his name?”
Shen Lang finally relaxed. Princess Xixuan told her his name.
“This is Shen Lang.”
“So you’re Shen Lang.”
It seemed she had already heard of him. She looked Shen Lang up and down for a long moment.
“Everyone said you and Zhu Hongxue are the two most handsome men in the State of Yue, but in my eyes, you’re more handsome. I feel a closer connection to you.”
Shen Lang offered a faint smile.
“Brother Shen Lang, thank you for saving me. I don’t think I’ll live for long, but I want to at least pass away after my grandmother.”
The words pained everyone who heard them. She knew her grandmother wouldn’t be able to bear the blow of her death, so the granddaughter wished to see her grandmother pass away naturally, without the shock of losing her.
“Young Master Shen, thank you for treating my sister.”
Princess Xixuan said to him, and Shen Lang knew it was his cue to leave.
“I will take my leave now.”
“Brother Shen Lang, can’t you stay a little longer and talk with me?”
The little princess tried to hold him back as he was about to leave.
“Young Master Shen is a very busy man.”
At Princess Xixuan’s words, the little princess’s eyes widened, and she spoke in a wheedling voice.
“Please, just for a little while.”
In the end, Xixuan couldn’t help but nod.
“Sister, please leave us.”
Xixuan gave the little princess a doting look before exiting the room. Soon, only the little princess and Shen Lang were left in the spotless chamber.
“Brother Shen Lang, is my sister prettier? Or is your wife prettier?”
“My wife.”
Objectively speaking, Xixuan, Yinghan, and the transformed Jin Mulan were all on par with one another, each possessing world-class beauty. The little princess asked again.
“Oh, why aren’t you writing any more books?”
“I’ve been too busy to write.”
“I’ve read all the books you’ve written. I like *Journey to the West* the best, and I often talk about it with my grandmother.”
The little princess chattered on. Having clearly been sheltered her entire life, her heart was exceptionally pure and beautiful. Everything she said was kind and innocent, yet tinged with a sense of pessimism. It was subconscious, of course; the words that came from her lips were as lovely as sunshine. But there was an underlying feeling that every day was her last, that she might not see the sun rise the next morning.
Only then did Shen Lang realize that this little princess was a beauty who could only be hidden away in a fine house. From the moment she was born, she could not go out into the world—let alone outside the palace—and couldn't even stay in the garden for too long. Her body was so fragile that the Emperor had built three palaces just for her within the imperial grounds. These palaces were jointly constructed by several transcendent powers, designed to maintain a sterile, dust-free environment. She had to stay indoors at all times and couldn't even be exposed to the sun for too long. Since the Emperor and Empress couldn't always be by her side, her grandmother was her constant companion. She was truly a treasure to be handled with the utmost care, one who might shatter at the slightest misstep.
For the past two years, the little princess had grown even weaker. The Emperor, feeling sorry for her being cooped up inside every day, had a small, mobile palace built for her, which required over a hundred people to carry. Only then was she able to leave the imperial palace for the first time. What a heartbreakingly fragile girl she was.
“Between Qiu Yao'er, my sister Xixuan, and Yinghan, who do you think is the most remarkable, Brother?”
The little princess’s questions were all unpredictable and strange. Shen Lang thought for a moment, then smiled and asked back.
“Who does Your Highness think is the most remarkable?”
“I think Qiu Yao'er is the most remarkable. She carved out a territory across the sea and liberated so many people. Many former slaves not only call her their queen but also their mother.”
“She yearns for a life of freedom, but in the end, she is bound to be constrained.”
“My sister’s martial arts are also very impressive, but she said that Qiu Yao'er’s skills are the strongest now, surpassing both her and Yinghan. In the last two years, Qiu Yao'er has become very, very, very formidable. Brother Shen Lang, who do you think is stronger, Li Qianqiu or my sister?”
Shen Lang was taken aback.
*How would I know that?*
“I think my sister is stronger.”
*Alright, you’re cute, so whatever you say goes.*
“Oh, Brother, do you know where Aunt Xue Yin went?”
Shen Lang then remembered that Xue Yin also had connections to the imperial family of the Great Yan Dynasty. He recalled that the Great Yan Dynasty had once sent her to infiltrate Jiang Li’s side as a spy.
“Why bring up Xue Yin all of a sudden?”
“A few years ago, Aunt Xue Yin fought with my sister, and my aunt lost.”
*They fought a few years ago? And she lost?*
Princess Xixuan’s martial arts were clearly formidable. A few years ago, she would have only been in her early twenties; she must be even more powerful now.
“They fought, and then Aunt Xue Yin went west, and her whereabouts have been unknown for a long time.”
*Went west? Where did she go?*
“There are so many interesting places in the *Journey to the West* you wrote, Brother Shen Lang—the seas, the ponds, the mountains. It’s a shame I have to stay cooped up inside every day. This is the farthest I’ve ever been from home. Brother, is the world beyond the sea as fun and wondrous as you wrote in your book?”
“I wouldn’t know, as I’ve never been there.”
The little princess’s eyes widened as she spoke with innocent sincerity.
“Then you should go and see. Brother Shen Lang, after you go beyond the sea, write a book and show it to me. The books you write are more interesting.”
“No matter how interesting a book I write, I won’t make a name for myself.”
“Who says? A thousand years from now, even an emperor will be forgotten by most, but if you write a good book, people will remember you even after a thousand or two thousand years. That’s why I think you can only make a name for yourself by writing books, not by doing anything else.”
Shen Lang couldn’t help but laugh.
“You promised. You have to keep writing. Go far away, see a new world, and then write about it for me.”
“If I go far away, Your Highness won’t be able to read the books I write.”
“As long as you write a good book, the words will find their way across the sea, won’t they? Even if I’m no longer in this world, you can just burn the book to show it to me!”
Shen Lang fell silent. Just then, Xixuan entered and said to the little princess.
“That’s enough, you little rascal. You need to rest now.”
“Your Highness, I hope we meet again.”
The little princess waved at Shen Lang.
“Goodbye, Brother Shen Lang. Remember what I said. When you go to a faraway place and see a wondrous world, write a book about it and show it to me.”
***
After returning to his quarters, Shen Lang lay on his bed with his eyes closed, trying to sleep. But the little princess’s face kept appearing in his mind—her innocent, untainted gaze, and her words, as beautiful as sunshine yet tinged with a pessimistic air. Even now, her voice seemed to echo in his ears.
“When you go to a faraway place and see a wondrous world, write a book about it and show it to me.”
She truly was a cute and pitiful little princess.
***
The next day, the Emperor’s imperial envoy appeared before Shen Lang once again.
“Shen Lang, you’ve succeeded. The medicine you presented to the little princess has shown remarkable effects.”
Shen Lang smiled at the news, and the imperial envoy continued.
“Princess Xixuan asked me to convey that the imperial family will remember the debt they owe you.”
“There’s no need for that.”
“You don’t seem to understand the weight of that debt. You’ll have to stay here for a few more days. Once the effects of the medicine have been thoroughly verified, we will let you go. Understand?”
“Understood.”
***
Inside the King of Chu’s military camp.
A troop of Great Yan Dynasty cavalry galloped in and delivered a secret letter to the empire’s Prince Yan. After reading it, a complex expression flickered in the prince’s eyes.
“Go and summon the others.”
A short while later, the new King of Chu, Ning Qi, the Grand Tutor of Chu, Li Xuanqi, Chu Ren, and a dozen other ministers of Chu had all arrived. Prince Yan of the Empire began to speak.
“First, the assassination of the King of Chu has shocked the world, and His Majesty the Emperor is paying close attention to this matter. He dispatched two groups of imperial envoys to investigate this case thoroughly. After ten days of investigation, interrogating nearly a hundred witnesses, and examining hundreds of pieces of evidence, today, the truth has finally come to light.”
At Prince Yan’s words, everyone listened intently. They all knew the truth, so no one cared about the *real* truth. However, the final conclusion reached by the empire was crucial, as it represented the empire’s stance. Would Ning Qi take the fall, or would Shen Lang?
“First, the assassination of the King of Chu has nothing to do with Ning Qi, nor with Shen Lang or Ning Zheng. The culprits who assassinated the late King of Chu are Concubine An, An Liang, and the late king’s seventh son, Chu Ren.”
Hearing this, the King of Chu’s seventh son, Chu Ren, trembled as if struck by lightning.
*Me? I… what does this have to do with me? Why am I the culprit in the end? Other than delivering a letter under Shen Lang’s coercion, I didn’t do anything.*
Prince Yan of the Empire continued.
“Concubine An and Chu Ren were having an illicit affair. Fearing exposure and wishing to save their own lives, the two conspired to assassinate the late King of Chu. The poison they used was the Dark Fragrance of Mount Fudao.”
A high-ranking member of Mount Fudao stepped forward and said.
“Our investigation has confirmed that the secret letter Chu Ren delivered to the late King of Chu was indeed laced with the potent Dark Fragrance poison. We immediately checked our inventory and found that one vial of Dark Fragrance was missing. It is abundantly clear that someone within Mount Fudao privately sold the potent poison to an outsider. Although such incidents are difficult to completely eradicate despite repeated prohibitions, Mount Fudao bears an undeniable responsibility for the King of Chu’s death.”
“The Mountain Master has ordered a thorough investigation into this matter. He has commanded us to get to the bottom of this, and no matter who is involved or how high their position, those who must be dismissed will be dismissed, and those who must be executed will be executed. He stated that such a tragedy must never happen again and that Mount Fudao, as a transcendent power, must never interfere in the internal affairs of worldly kingdoms in any form. Your Majesty, the King of Chu, we will hand over the fifteen individuals involved in this case to be dealt with at your discretion.”