A Bitter Heart (Part 6)

Not long after, Prince Duan and his party entered the Capital, and Fang Tianchong and the others were imprisoned to await trial.

Wei Ming returned to the palace to report. This time, he had decisively eliminated Fang Tianchong and his faction, handling a major case that shocked the entire court. Emperor Qiansheng was particularly attentive, keeping him in the palace for nearly two hours to discuss the case details.

Who could have imagined that just six months ago, Wei Ming was merely an obscure, ignored little prince who diligently cultivated immortality on Mount Ying? The total number of words he had spoken to Emperor Qiansheng in the past ten years was less than what he had spoken today.

Emperor Qiansheng thought of how Wei Ming had mentioned in his letter that Fang Tianchong had openly ordered his subordinates to kidnap and assassinate the imperial envoy, and how he had used himself as bait to cover for He Guan and the others as they escorted the witness back to the Capital. He then specially comforted Wei Ming with kind words, bestowed generous rewards, and ordered him to rest for a few days before returning to the Dali Temple to continue presiding over the trial of this case, ensuring that all of Fang Tianchong's crimes over the years were brought to light.

His willingness to continue entrusting this case to Wei Ming, whether it was an intentional promotion or simply a matter of convenience, was a tacit acknowledgment of the rivalry between Prince Duan and Prince Kang. Once the news spread, the court officials would observe the political climate and begin to choose sides. Some matters, once they have a beginning, will move forward on their own without needing a push.

Wei Ming, however, didn't have the mind to think so much. The urgent matter at hand was not choosing sides, but the glittering auspicious creature in his own Prince's Manor. Its family retainers had already come knocking; a decision had to be made about whether it would stay or leave.

As soon as Wei Ming entered the gate, he heard wailing that filled the entire courtyard. Wanyue and Yangzhi were kneeling in the courtyard, kowtowing loudly and begging for forgiveness. The Chestnut Tiger was so scared it shrank into Chunzhi's arms, not daring to touch the ground. Gui Heng stood by with his arms crossed, making sarcastic remarks: “Kowtow a few more times. Let your little master see the sincerity of your repentance. If not for His Highness's kindness in taking it in, it would have probably been stewed in a pot long ago.”

Chestnut Tiger: “...”

Chunzhi turned her back to him, very displeased. “Ah Hu, don't pay him any mind. Our precious baby can't hear such words.”

Gui Heng scoffed, “Can you not be so doting? When it scratched a whole room of people to death, why didn't you say that a little cat shouldn't do such things?”

Chunzhi retorted righteously, “How can that be the same? It scratched people to protect the Prince's Manor. It usually can't even bear to kill a mouse. Our Ah Hu has his reasons for doing things. You should mind your own business when it comes to the little cat's affairs!”

Facing Ah Hu's ferocious glare, Gui Heng muttered under his breath, “Is it that it can't bear to kill? It clearly just doesn't know how...”

Wanyue wiped his tears and said earnestly, “Young Master, you've been away from home for so long, the family must be worried about you. We should go back...”

Ah Hu pretended not to understand him, mewing and rubbing its head into Chunzhi's embrace. Chunzhi quickly said, “There, there, don't be afraid, don't be afraid... Prince! You're finally back! What are we going to do if they take Ah Hu away? Boohoohoo...”

Wei Ming was now the true backbone of this household, the one who really called the shots. When Chunzhi saw him, it was like seeing her own father. Her lips twisted, and she was about to start wailing. Wei Ming quickly said, “Don't cry just yet. Everything can be discussed. One at a time. Ah Hu and Wanyue, follow this Prince to the study.”

Pushing open the study doors, the person in white standing before the bookshelf heard the sound and turned, greeting softly, “His Highness.”

Wanyue and Yangzhi were taken aback and hurriedly bowed to him. “Greetings, Immortal Lord.”

Wei Ming, however, showed little surprise and even complained to him without reservation, “It's chaos outside, and you're just hiding in here watching the show, not even helping to mediate.” He sat down at the desk and invited everyone to sit as well. “It's perfect that the Grand Preceptor is here to be a witness. This Prince will be direct. Ah Hu... no, I should say, Water Lord Xifeng, please reveal your true form for a talk.”

Xifeng knew he couldn't hide today. He could only let out an aggrieved meow. All the fur on his body stood on end, emitting a faint golden light as he transformed into a dark golden dragon body. He spoke in a human voice, “His Highness, Immortal Lord Chi Lian.”

Although his dragon body had shrunk to about the size of a person to fit in the study, it still couldn't conceal its graceful and powerful form. He was a golden dragon with a majestic and stern aura. However, when he spoke, his voice was still that of an immature youth, even a little childish from being used to being a cat. “His Highness, I don't want to go back... I want to be with my sister.”

Wei Ming: “...”

He pressed the space between his brows and asked, “You can't even transform into a human form?”

Wanyue, his old face flushing with embarrassment, answered for Xifeng, “Replying to His Highness, the Dragon Race has long lifespans and has always matured very slowly. The young master can only transform into a cat for now. To transform into a human, he will need to wait another one or two hundred years.”

Wei Ming then said to Xifeng, “You are too young to have secretly run off to the Mortal Realm. Your family must be worried sick. Besides, the Mortal Realm is not a place for cultivation. Other than being a cat that eats and drinks, there is nothing for you to learn or experience. This will hinder your cultivation in the future.”

“No one is worried about me.” Xifeng showed no emotion or guilt, and even reasoned, “My father has more than twenty sons. Even if he saw one every day, it would take him over a month. Besides, he has never come to see me.”

“Although His Highness is also not home sometimes, I am with my sister every day, and Uncle Yi comes to see me every day too. I don't want to go back.”

Wei Ming tried to correct his misconception, saying helplessly, “Don't lump me and your father together... Also, I'm not home because I have to support the family. Otherwise, what would you all eat?”

Chi Lian added from the side, “What Water Lord Xifeng says is indeed the truth. I have heard that because the Dragon Race has numerous descendants and collateral branches, they don't pay much attention to the order of seniority and status, nor do they emphasize cultivation and education. They have always respected only the strong. They mostly raise their young descendants in a free-range manner, often giving them a fief and then washing their hands of them.”

Evidently, his one sentence was more effective than a hundred of Xifeng's whimpers. Wei Ming looked at him and asked for his opinion, “Then, what is the Grand Preceptor's meaning?”

Chi Lian said, “In the past, the Em... an Immortal Venerable once said their clan has major problems. There are too many internal disputes and turmoils, and they are wild and difficult to tame, holding little reverence for the Heavenly Court.”

There was a tacit understanding between him and Wei Ming, so he said no more on that topic. He started a new line of thought, saying, “It is a matter of fate that Water Lord Xifeng met His Highness. Besides, these two little spirits under him have a case to answer for. After they are punished, I fear there will be even fewer people to care for him. In the Mortal Realm, he can still serve as an auspicious omen for His Highness and deter those with ulterior motives. He is not entirely useless. Why not let him stay for now?”

Xifeng nodded frantically as he listened, his dragon whiskers fluttering and his tail wagging, clearly having etched the habits of a cat into his very bones. Wei Ming nodded and asked Wanyue, “What do you two think?”

Wanyue looked a bit troubled. “This old one is incompetent and failed to protect the young master. Now that the young master willingly stays to attend to His Highness, we naturally have no complaints. We are only afraid that if the Dragon Venerable asks in the future, it will be difficult to explain to the clan.”

Wei Ming said, “That's not difficult. Have your young master write a letter home, and have Gui Heng pass it to the Dragon Venerable. Just say that Xifeng owes a debt of gratitude in the Mortal Realm and can only return after repaying it, so as not to hinder his future immortal path.”

With Gui Heng as a channel to plead their case before the Dragon Venerable, Wanyue naturally agreed. Wei Ming gestured for Chi Lian to go help watch over Yangzhi and Xifeng as they wrote the letter, then said to Wanyue, “After Gui Heng takes you back to the Heavenly Court, just say that Gui Heng caught you robbing ships in the West Sea. Try to get a lenient punishment. Do not mention anything else. No matter who asks, act as if you have never met me or the Grand Preceptor. You must remember that your young master is still in my hands. If you say one wrong word, you can forget about ever seeing him again in this life.”

Wanyue hadn't interacted with them much, but he could guess that they were no ordinary people. He feared they were some deities from the Heavenly Court descended to handle affairs, who did not wish for their identities to be known. He quickly said, “We will follow His Highness's instructions. We will definitely keep our mouths shut and will not speak carelessly.”

Over there, Xifeng happily pressed his paw print on the family letter, transformed back into a cat, and slipped off the desk. With his large, squirrel-like tail held high, he ran to Chi Lian's leg and meowed to curry favor with him. Wei Ming caught this out of the corner of his eye and immediately said, “That's my person. Stop rubbing against him. Go find your sister. And while you're at it, call Gui Heng in for me.”

Xifeng: “...”

If he were in human form, he would have definitely spat at Wei Ming before leaving.

Wanyue and Yangzhi followed behind Xifeng and went out. Gui Heng pushed the door open and came in. Wei Ming handed him the family letter and gave concise instructions, “Three things. First, escort those two water spirits back to the Heavenly Court. Watch them and don't let them speak carelessly. Second, for the two spiritual artifact fragments you picked up in the sea, find out who the owner is. If you can't find the owner, store the fragments properly in Jiangxiao Palace. Those things are very useful. Third, deliver Water Lord Xifeng's letter to the Dragon Venerable. Tell him not to worry about his son, and while you're at it, earn a favor from him.”

Gui Heng took the letter, having long expected this day. He sighed, “I haven't enjoyed the happy days in the Mortal Realm for very long. I don't want to go back either...”

Chi Lian's brow twitched, and he was about to lash out when Wei Ming quickly raised a hand to stop him, placating gently, “You are still charged with the task of capturing Bai Hua and retrieving the Tantian Pagoda. You should go back and report clearly. If you delay for too long, you might attract other deities, and all of Chi Lian's efforts will be for naught.”

“Right now, you are the only one in the Heavenly Court who knows I am still alive. We are relying on you to cover our tracks in the Mortal Realm,” Wei Ming said. “At worst, if there are errands in the Mortal Realm in the future, you can volunteer for them. Although you can't stay for long, you can always come back for a look every now and then.”

Gui Heng was only complaining verbally. In his heart, he was well aware of the immense dangers behind Wei Ming reaching this point. Someone did not want Emperor Cangze to live. At this moment, they were no different from walking on a steel cable across a bottomless abyss; the slightest misstep would mean being utterly shattered. Chi Lian could defy heaven and change fate once, but he couldn't possibly be that lucky every time.

“His Highness, rest assured, I know what's important,” Gui Heng said resolutely. “When the Emperor returns, we can meet as many times as we want. Why be anxious about this moment? The future is long. I can afford to wait, and I will be able to wait.”

“Chi Lian.”

He gave the State Preceptor in white, who was standing quietly to the side, a deep look. “I'm entrusting him to you.”

Gui Heng bowed to Wei Ming again and was about to turn and leave when Chi Lian suddenly said, “I'll see you out.”

Gui Heng nearly tripped at the doorway. Chi Lian grabbed him by the back of his collar, hoisted him up, and carried him away without a change in expression.

Wei Ming: “...”

“Did the sun rise from my pocket today, or did the sky finally rain knives and poke open that blockhead of yours, making you finally learn to respect your senior brother?” Gui Heng chattered all the way, dawdling until they reached the gate of the Prince's Manor's deserted rear garden. “Hey, that's enough. Are you really planning to see me all the way to the city gates? Acting like a mortal has made your brain slow.”

Chi Lian stopped in his tracks, but he ignored the taunt. Instead, his gaze fell on Wanyue and Yangzhi, who were behind him.

His eyes were deep and cold, his face devoid of any extra expression. It was a look of scrutiny, as if weighing them up, like looking at fish on a cutting board.

Gui Heng finally realized something was wrong and pulled at him. “What are you going to do?”

The right hand hidden under his wide robe and long sleeves slowly opened. Anyone familiar with him would recognize this as the starting posture he always used to summon Dianjiang—

“Grand Preceptor!”

Wei Ming's voice suddenly came from a distant pavilion. Chi Lian abruptly retracted his hand and turned around, only to see him standing tall and elegant under the double eaves, waving at him from across the lush flowers and trees.

Whenever he stood, his bearing was always dignified and proper. He would never lean askew against a doorframe or pillar, feigning a frivolous or debauched attitude. Chi Lian sometimes felt he was like a mirror, not only spotless but also capable of seeing right through to a person's very soul.

“Seeing him out the front courtyard isn't enough, you have to go all the way to the back gate? I think you two might as well go out for dinner while you're at it,” Wei Ming mercilessly chided. “You don't have such a deep bond, so why are you putting on such a drawn-out farewell? Chi Lian, come here. Gui Heng, if there's nothing else, hurry up and go. Come visit often when you're free.”

Gui Heng: “...”