“Not a single thing resembles it.” Ignoring Ji Junze’s probing gaze, Fu Xian raised his arm. “Minister, please.”
Strolling along the corridor, Ji Jun looked at Fu Xian's thin, paper-like back and asked, "How has Master been all these years?"
The emotion in that voice was handled exquisitely, neither offensive nor insincere, like water about to overflow—just right. Yet, even so, Fu Xian felt no emotion whatsoever; instead, he felt a chill in his heart, for he knew this man all too well.
Ji Sange is not good at controlling his emotions, according to Mr. Yiyu—Lao Jiu.
Back then, this person offended the young master of the Xiao family because he didn't know his place. Now, however, he can accurately grasp the complex emotions of a long-awaited reunion, and the more accurate the grasp, the more ruthless this person appears. Thinking of this, Fu Xianping said, "My master is currently in seclusion and cannot receive guests."
Sensing the distance in his voice, Ji Jun frowned, then relaxed. "Seclusion?" he asked, seemingly out of curiosity.
“My master has been devoted to Taoism in recent years, and he fasts for several days every winter solstice.”
Ji Jun was genuinely surprised: "Back then, the late emperor was obsessed with the path to immortality, and my master risked his life to write 'Xu Fu Seeking the Medicine' to mock him. How come he has instead devoted himself to this path?"
People change.
One sentence silenced Ji Junze. Fu Xian pushed open the door to the main hall, his indifferent eyes cold. "Please."
A new charcoal brazier had been lit inside, and it wasn't until Fu Xian asked, "Is Your Excellency cold?" that Ji Junze realized he had pulled his cloak tighter around himself.
“No, just right.” Ji Jun let go of her hand and took off his heavy clothes. “But Brother Xian has always been sickly.” He pushed the brazier toward Fu Xian with concern.
"Are you warm now?" He looked up seemingly casually, his eyes sweeping over Fu Xian before finally settling on the painting "A Hundred Entertainments in the Marketplace" in the hall.
"Who painted this?" Ji Jun asked in amazement.
"What do you think, sir?"
Ji Jun then pretended to ponder for a while. "Although the paintings are different, the spirit remains the same. Could it be the work of that junior brother?"
"Your Excellency has truly discerning eyes."
The compliment sounded familiar and perfectly timed; Fu Xian's compliment was natural and appropriate, causing Ji Jun to frown involuntarily.
Seeing his displeasure, Fu Xian smiled gently and said, "It seems that you don't like this pretense either. Let's get straight to the point. What brings you here today, Minister?"
"Brother Xian, do you think I came here with ulterior motives? Can't I even come to see my master?"
"Just to see my master?" Fu Xian raised an eyebrow. "Third Brother Ji would, but Minister Ji would never. May I ask, sir, is the man before me Third Brother Ji or Minister Ji?"
Ji Jun was taken aback.
"So now you understand, my lord? You were not only deceiving others, but also deceiving yourself. No wonder you can be so in control," Fu Xian continued. "When you heard that your master had saved you, you might have been moved, but once you calmed down, that feeling turned into calculation. After all, with your current power, you still need General Xun's support to control the imperial succession. You do have ulterior motives, so why deceive yourself?"
“Brother Xian, you’re much sharper than before.” Ji Jun looked at him with a deep gaze.
People always change.
Nodding slightly, Ji Jun seemed to be sighing, his voice even a little hoarse: "Where are Seventh Brother and the others? I remember the five of you have always been close, why haven't I seen them?"
"After the winter solstice, the ninth and tenth princes led the righteous army to Yongping." Seeing his surprise, Fu Xian laughed, "What? Is it really because of the imperial power that Yongping has not been conquered? If it weren't for the imperial court's vow to kill the famine victims of the two rivers and their selfless sacrifice, the capital would probably have been trampled by the Northern Di cavalry before you could be exonerated. As for the eighth prince, he was captured by General Xun and taken to the camp. He is just waiting for the imperial decree to be issued before setting off for Yongping. Is there anything else you want to know, sir? I will tell you everything I know."
Ji Jun seemed overjoyed and grasped his hand firmly. "With your talents, why don't you enter the court? As long as we brothers are of one mind, how difficult would it be to revive the Great Wei!"
“My lord, you must have misunderstood. I have no desire to be an official.” Fu Xian looked at him warmly and slowly withdrew his hand. “There are countless ways to care about the world. You have chosen to reside in the high halls of power, while I have chosen to wander the world. I understand very well how difficult it is for you to be immersed in officialdom, and I also understand your transformation from Third Brother Ji to Minister Ji. After all, only by using their own methods can you fight them back. If you do not learn to be ruthless, you will find it difficult to achieve your grand ambition of revitalizing the Great Wei.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Jun showed a look of surprise and delight.
"But my lord, those who walk different paths cannot make plans together. Although Fu Xian understands this, he finds it difficult to agree."
“Agree?” Ji Jun frowned, puzzled.
"Third Brother, this is the last time I'll call you that." Fu Xian looked at him with unwavering eyes. "Master saved you because of old feelings, and the brothers saved you because your conscience wasn't completely dead. Seventh Brother says he's not familiar with you, but I know he's admired you since childhood, and it's not just Seventh Brother." Recalling the past, Fu Xian smiled amusedly, then looked at him again. "The brothers may be disappointed in Minister Ji today, but as long as Minister Ji still has a trace of Third Brother, we will not be heartless. The official path is difficult, we only hope that you, sir, will not lose Third Brother's heart."
"Brother Xian..."
Seeing that the emotion in Ji Junze's eyes was genuine, Fu Xian couldn't help but look away.
What's gone can never be retrieved. Calling out "Third Brother" is merely to stir up a little guilt in this person's heart. Because he knows that Ji Junze's reinstatement will surely bring him immense power, while they are nothing but insignificant commoners. If they want to live peacefully and smoothly, they will have to rely on this great man's leniency.
This time, he's the one playing mind games.
A faint bitterness welled up in Fu Xian's heart. He knew that if he were to become an official, he would be no less tainted by corruption than Ji Junze, which was why he refused to go to court. Fortunately, he had this man's example to learn from.
A flicker of relief crossed his sparse brows. He raised his eyes with a gentle gaze, but the genuine emotion in Ji Junze's eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by a calculating look at the painting "A Hundred Entertainments in the Marketplace." Fu Xian's melancholy vanished abruptly. His feelings were as indifferent as water; he looked calmly into the hall.
Ji Jun stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked to the painting. "A casual chat about my trip to Jiangdu in the second year of the Shengde era," he read the inscription on the painting. "My junior brother went to Jiangdu two years ago? What a coincidence, I was also in Jiangdu two years ago."
Fu Xian remained calm and listened to him continue.
"'The city is filled with the sound of sand flying, Yangzhou is filled with the clear singing, the opera is performed on a towering pole, quiet. Flower boats float in the market, books are discussed on the Broken Bridge, fireflies are caught in the holes of the melon lanterns, bright.' What a fine painting and words! Junior brother, your brushwork is truly exquisite, and you are very talented. You are indeed like His Highness."
“The painting was done by the eleventh prince, but the poem was not,” Fu Xian said.
"oh?"
Fu Xian avoided answering and walked to the painting. "Eleventh child was carefree and playful, had no patience for reading and writing, and loved new things since he was a child."
“Even the most mischievous child will behave when they meet their master,” Ji Junze remarked.
"No, Master didn't discipline Eleven."
"Impossible." Ji Junze's eyes widened. Although his master was soft-hearted, he was a well-known strict teacher.
“People always change, sir,” Fu Xian said meaningfully. “Master thinks that being 'happy' is far more important than being learned. Since Eleven has no interest in studying, let him be. Look, sir, isn’t this painting very good?”
"It's good, but it's a pity," Ji Jun sighed softly.
"pity?"
"He is clearly a dragon that can command clouds and rain, yet he is confined to a small fish within a three-foot-wide painting. Isn't that a pity?"
"My lord, you are not a fish, how can you know the joy of fish?"
“The fish’s joy lies in not knowing its smallness. If it knew, would it have any joy?” Ji Jun replied. Seeing that the other party did not answer, he probed, “How can an infant bear the weight of the Great Wei? It is time for the Heavenly Dragon to return.”
"Are you so sure that Eleven is Tianlong?" Fu Xian looked at him with amusement.
A faint shadow caught his eye on the window, and Ji Jun's thoughts raced. He sighed deeply. "Whether it's Tianlong or Xiaoyu, I think His Highness the Crown Prince hopes his legacy will be carried on by future generations. After all, reviving the Great Wei is His Highness's unfulfilled wish." The faint shadow trembled slightly, a smile playing on his lips. He continued, "If His Highness knew that his only son would rather abandon a vast empire for a mere painting on paper, how could His Highness rest in peace?"
Hearing him suddenly mention the deceased Crown Prince Minhuai, Fu Xian felt a little suspicious, just as he heard someone outside the window say something.
"Eleven, what are you doing sneaking around like this?"
"Seventh...Seventh Brother..."
"Why are you blocking the door? Are you afraid I'll come in?"
"No...no..."
Seeing Eleven's eyes darting around, unable to hide his guilty conscience, Rong Ye's well-maintained handsome face twisted slightly. He pushed Eleven aside and entered through the door.
"Hey, Seventh Brother."
The atmosphere was a bit tense; it was the first time Eleven had ever seen Sixth Senior Brother with such a fierce expression.
"Your Excellency has such a heavy heart," Fu Xian said, glaring at Ji Junze.
Ignoring him completely, Ji Jun looked at Eleven with a kind expression and asked, "Junior Brother, do you remember your father?"
"Come over here on the 11th," Fu Xian shouted.
Ji Jun glanced at him. "Who was it that just said to let things develop as they are? Does Brother Xian intend to go back on his word?"
Seeing his sixth brother slightly out of breath from anger, Rong Ye pulled Eleven to his side and scolded, "Whether we let things develop as they are or go back on our word, this is a family matter of our Tianlong Sect. Ji Junze, you are meddling too much!"
"Brother Rong!" Ji Jun couldn't help but be displeased by his harsh words.
"Brother Rong? You still have the nerve to call yourself an elder brother?"
Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, Fu Xian called out, "Seventh Brother."
Rong Ye snorted coldly.
"Eleven, come here." Fu Xian suppressed a heavy cough.
"Sixth Brother, don't be angry." The baby-faced man looked a little lost.
Fu Xian shook his head. "You heard everything just now."
"Sixth Brother, I was wrong. I shouldn't have eavesdropped."
“Who said you were eavesdropping?” Fu Xian said.
The baby-faced girl looked up in surprise, only to be firmly captured by those pale eyes.
"Eleven, how do you think we can keep the secret?"
“Once the youngest brother says it, it’s no longer a secret.”
Fu Xian nodded in satisfaction: "That's right. Since you intend to reveal it, there's no need to eavesdrop."
Sixth Brother means... this lord noticed him behind the door from the very beginning, and those hurtful words were intentionally said to him? Why did he have to let him hear them? He doesn't even know this lord.
Seeing this, Fu Xian spread his hands and looked at Ji Junze. "My lord, you see, my junior brother can't even see through your little trick. How can he possibly rule the country?"
“Brother Xian, you are mistaken. Junior Brother is so intelligent. If you study diligently, it would be easy for you to dominate the world.”
"Oh, you're going to study it diligently?" Fu Xian smiled, then turned and asked, "Are you interested in studying it during the Eleventh Month?"
Seeing that Eleven was stunned, Ji Jun assumed that he dared not disobey his senior brother and said, "If Your Highness intends to become the Heavenly Dragon of Great Wei, why should you care about other people's opinions?"
These words were very easy to stir up emotions, and Rong Ye couldn't help but worry. He was about to speak on behalf of Eleven when Fu Xian gave him a look.
Let your junior brother decide for himself? Sixth brother, don't you realize that this kid actually believes in making money from planting crops? With his simple-minded little brain, how can he possibly outmaneuver that ingrate?
Rong Ye was glaring back when he saw Eleven put down the teapot in his hand. "What Great Wei Heavenly Dragon? Eleven is a coward. Please don't mention such treasonous words again, sir."
The baby's face was full of trouble, which made Ji Junze both annoyed and resentful, but he had no choice but to patiently say, "Your Highness need not worry, as long as..."
"My lord, do I look like a dragon?"
Ji Jun was stumped by the question.
"Look at me, I'm no better than my senior brother in literature, no better than my junior brother in martial arts, and I don't even have a single scale on my body. How could I possibly be the Heavenly Dragon of the Great Wei?" Eleven laughed self-deprecatingly. "When I was little, I didn't like studying. I would fall asleep as soon as I heard classical Chinese. My master could only teach me by telling stories. I remember my master once said that there was an emperor in the previous dynasty who was proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In the common people's eyes, he would definitely be called a 'talented scholar,' but sitting in the imperial palace, he could only be considered a tyrant. My lord, guess what lesson this story taught Eleven?"
"A person should know his own worth," Eleven said solemnly. "That emperor wasn't a bad person; he just chose the wrong position. Although Eleven is foolish, he wouldn't abandon a talented man to become a tyrant."
Somewhat surprised, Ji Jun pressed further, "Has Your Highness truly thought this through, or is it just a spur-of-the-moment decision?"
He laughed heartily. "What 'Your Highness'? It sounds awkward to me. If you don't mind, please just call me Eleven. As for which path to take, I've already discussed it with my junior brother. It's not something I decided on a whim." He was clearly immersed in his own masculine pride, completely oblivious to Ji Junze's face turning blue with anger.
"eleven."
It's rare for him to perform so well. Is Sixth Brother going to praise him? Praise him, praise him! The puppy's ears perked up.
"The tea's cold." Fu Xian didn't even look up.