ADWMCES Chapter64

Thank you.

Chu Fengqing stared at him and said silently. Just then Ji Yujin looked over as if he had sensed something, and their eyes met. Ji Yujin didn’t know what was going on, and subconsciously tilted his head towards him and curled his lips.

In an instant, time stood still, the sun was silent, and only dust was left dancing in the beam of light.

Chu Fengqing’s eyes widened slightly, and after a moment he shook his head, with a hint of a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Life is like this. When you think you are doomed to fail, one more move may lead to a brighter future.

Chu Fengqing raised his eyes, looking at the spirit tablet with a twinkling gaze. Big Brother, this chess piece accompanies me as I place my moves one by one, constantly surrounding me. Can I sink?

Or maybe he had already run out of options and had already sunk into it.

After paying homage to his elder brother, Chu Fengqing took Ji Yujin to his room. The room was not magnificent but it was decorated very elegantly. Ji Yujin’s room was nothing compared to this one. His room resembled one scavenged by a beggar, containing nothing at all except an empty shell.

Ji Yujin looked at the room curiously. This was the house where Chu Fengqing had lived for more than ten years. He was eager to know his past, so he didn’t want to miss any inch of it, and his eyes moved bit by bit.

“Now I feel really sorry for having you living in that room of mine.”

Ji Yujin said with great self-awareness, every corner of this place had been meticulously arranged, with careful thought given to where each item should be placed. It can be seen that the owner of this place loves life very much.

As no one had lived there for a long time, dust had settled on the place. He touched it, and his hands got dirty. Ji Yujin rubbed his fingers together to shake off the dust, then looked into the inner room.

The room was divided into an outer room and an inner room, separated by a landscape screen. He took a step to go into the inner room to take a look but was stopped as he took a step.

“Ji Yujin… there’s nothing good to see inside.” A trace of embarrassment flashed across Chu Fengqing’s cold face.

Ji Yujin was curious, “What’s hidden inside? Why don’t you let me take a look?”

Chu Fengqing frowned, then thought about it. The bed was also inside, he would have to go in sooner or later. He hesitated for a moment and then relaxed, “Forget it, just go in if you want.”

Ji Yujin was frightened as soon as he entered. His eyes widened, and he couldn’t even believe that this was Chu Fengqing’s room.

“Chu Fengqing, is this really your room?”

The inner room was not big to begin with and was cluttered with all kinds of books. There were also some dried herbs hanging on the wall, and rice papers on the desk were also placed randomly.

In short, it was a mess. Ji Yujin let out a “Tsk”, “You usually seem so meticulous, always dressed neatly. Who would have thought your room was such a mess? If this got out, the girls who adore you would probably have their dreams crushed.”

Chu Fengqing glanced at him. He seemed relatively calm at the moment. He usually liked to study herbs and medical books. Sometimes he would study until late at night. It was cold at those hours, and he didn’t want to walk that road at night, so he simply brought some herbs into the room.

His inner room had a special structure, with floor heating underneath. In winter, the whole room was as warm as March when the floor heating was on. So, except for going out to see patients, he spent the rest of the winter here.

Facing Ji Yujin’s questioning, Chu Fengqing explained, “These are all useful things…”

He didn’t know what to say, so he dodged the question by saying, “You don’t understand.”

Ji Yujin laughed angrily. While scolding him, he rolled up his sleeves and picked up the objects on the ground, including a pestle, mortar, and even a small knife. His eyebrows twitched, thinking that it was God’s blessing. If he had stepped on it when getting up at night, he would have felt very uncomfortable.

“Look at yourself. You are already so big. Can this be put on the ground?”

Chu Fengqing piled up the medical books that covered the table and stared at them expressionlessly. Why hadn’t he noticed that Ji Yujin could be so nagging before? He just pretended that he didn’t hear anything…

After the room was cleaned up, Ji Yujin sat down on a chair carelessly. No one had lived here for a long time, there was no fire, and there was not even a cup of hot tea.

The two stayed in the room for a while and then went to Chu Zhengyin’s study, but because he was in the capital all year round, the study was useless and there was nothing inside.

Chu Fengqing used the key to open the small box. Inside the box were two thick account books. The two looked at each other. Is this the origin of the Chu family’s nightmare?

Chu Fengqing pursed his lips, picked up the account books, and began to read it carefully. Ji Yujin, who was sitting on the side, also took a few glances at it. He was not surprised at all by the names on it.

The more Chu Fengqing looked at it, the gloomier his expression became. The sunlight outside gradually moved westward. Although he knew that this was something that was enough to destabilize the entire court, but he did not expect that it involved such a wide range of issues and such a large amount of fortune.

After he finished reading one book, he put it into the box.

Ji Yujin leaned back lazily in his chair, eyeing Chu Fengqing, and asked, “Were you scared?”

Chu Fengqing didn’t say anything, so Ji Yujin also remained silent and waited for him to digest it. After a long while, he asked softly, “He is the Crown Prince, and the throne will be his sooner or later. Why is he doing this?”

The account books recorded that the Crown Prince, Zhao Huating, privately lifted the maritime ban, withheld border taxes, and maintained private soldiers. Each and every one of them is a capital crime. It could be said that the Chu family, aware of all this, was fortunate that the Crown Prince was merciful and did not annihilate the entire family. Their ancestral graves should be filled with green smoke¹Green smoke coming out of ancestral graves is a Feng Shui saying that refers to something good that happens..

Or perhaps it should be said that the old emperor lived up to his status as emperor for so many years as he had kept everything in reserve.

Ji Yujin smiled and said, “Does the old Emperor only have the Crown Prince? Also, can you predict how old the old Emperor will live to be?”

Ji Yujin seemed to be used to it, without much emotion, he said, “You have to understand that there’s no cat that doesn’t steal fish. When I raided his house, I discovered he had dug a cellar in his backyard as large as a house, filled with gold, silver, and jewels. I had never seen such wealth in my life, it truly opened my eyes.”

“The man kneeled before the pile of gold and begged for mercy. His head was covered in blood. The funny thing was that there was a large painting of ‘Having Clean Hands’ hanging in his study. He had always been regarded as an honest official because he never wore silk or satin, never ate delicacies from land and sea, and each meal could not exceed three bowls of vegetables or three cents of meat. He lived an extremely simple life.”

He spoke slowly, his tone very calm. “Even when he kneeled before the mountain of treasure and begged me, he was still wearing patched clothes. At that time, I was thinking why? What was gained in exchange for so much wealth and so many lives? Just to put it in the basement for appearance?”

“Later, I realized that everything boils down to the word ‘desire.’ Few can truly control it. If you lack desire, you will crave more, and over time, it becomes uncontrollable.”

“The supreme throne lay before him. He had been the Crown Prince for over ten years, yet the position always seemed just out of his reach. If the old Emperor can live another ten years, he will have to be the Crown Prince for another ten years. The position of Crown Prince is no easy feat; at times, it feels almost worthless.”

“After so many years of being out of reach, his heart has long been in turmoil.”

Chu Fengqing didn’t know how much effort his father had invested in obtaining this evidence, but he feared that these account books alone might not be enough to overthrow Zhao Huating. Everything depended on the emperor’s will.

Ji Yujin narrowed his eyes. During the winter hunt, Zhao Huating tried to assassinate the emperor. The first time, he asked Li Yu not to leave any of them alive. This gave Zhao Huating a chance to assassinate him a second time. Two assassinations were enough to let the old emperor realize how much his son wanted to kill him.

The old emperor is selfish. If this evidence is brought forward again, not even the immortals could save him.

Ji Yujin talked to Chu Fengqing about it, but Chu Fengqing’s face became even uglier. “Ji Yujin… let’s break the prison, I won’t overturn the verdict.”

Ji Yujin was stunned for a moment. “Why?”

Chu Fengqing glanced at him and said, “Although I’ve never paid much attention to court affairs, I still know that the Second Prince and the Crown Prince are the only two families wielding power there now. If you overthrow the Crown Prince, the Second Prince will no longer have any political enemies.”

Then the next person who could threaten the Second Prince would be Ji Yujin.

The Second Prince looked gentle and peaceful, but he knew that it was all fake.

Ji Yujin didn’t expect that he could think of this and was really surprised. In fact, when he was planning to save Chu Zhengyin, Li Yu had already advised him once.

The Xichang was originally created to balance the power in the court. The old emperor granted him such privileges only because he needed such a powerful governor of Xichang.

Ji Yujin stroked his chin, raised his eyes, and looked at Chu Fengqing, his gaze was burning hot. “Do you want to sit in that position?”

Although Ji Yujin did not say it explicitly, but Chu Fengqing understood it instantly. His pupils shrank slightly. Although he was surprised, he did not think that Ji Yujin was daydreaming. He even felt that he must be somewhat confident as well.

But Chu Fengqing thought about it, shook his head, and said seriously, “No.”

Now it was Ji Yujin’s turn to be stunned. As he regained his composure, he looked at Chu Fengqing with even greater intensity, curling his lips and asking, “You believe everything I said?”

Chu Fengqing looked at him straight, “If you say so, I believe it.”

Although Ji Yujin looks cynical, but he is not the kind of person who talks big.

“Uh…” They were silent for a moment, and then Ji Yujin suddenly burst out laughing, his red robe shaking as he laughed wildly. “Forget it! If you don’t want to sit on it, then I won’t either.”

If Chu Fengqing nodded at this moment, then he would risk his life to fulfill his long-cherished wish. He had long known that the Xichang was not something that needed to exist forever, and sooner or later the Xichang would be abolished. After all, the court could not remain unchanged.

Over the years, he has been paving the way for his future. The old emperor used him, and he was also using the old emperor. Power is sometimes really a good thing, and this is true in all aspects.

The sky gradually darkened. Ji Yujin did not agree to Chu Fengqing’s request. It was impossible for him to break the prison. He wanted the Chu family to live in this world with a clear conscience.

The Chu Mansion had not been cleaned for such a long time that it was not suitable for living, so the two went to the inn again, and they still shared a room. Chu Fengqing was a popular guy now, and no matter where he went, there would likely be several pairs of eyes staring at him. No matter what Ji Yujin said, there was no way he would let him have a room of his own.

The two of them ate something casually, as they would have to rush back to the capital tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.

At night, just after the night watchman finished the third watch call, the words “Be careful with fire” gradually faded into the distance. Ji Yujin rested his hands behind his head, and beside him was Chu Fengqing, who had already fallen asleep.

Ji Yujin narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the person, uncertain of what he was thinking.

After a while, he moved and slowly approached Chu Fengqing.

The slight friction sound of the quilt made Chu Fengqing’s eyebrows and heart skip a beat, but his breathing was not disordered at all. He felt the heat approaching him little by little, and the hot breath touched his skin.

Chu Fengqing’s adam apple moved slightly. In fact, he had not slept well these past few days. He would be woken up by any slight movement. So he knew everything Ji Yujin did. He was awake when Ji Yujin kissed him, but Ji Yujin didn’t notice…

Ji Yujin’s eyes were surprisingly bright even at night. He slowly approached Chu Fengqing, and just like those nights, he kissed him. The moment their lips and teeth touched, his pupils shrank slightly.

Because he caught it.

Although barely noticeable, Chu Fengqing’s breathing did change, just for a moment, but he still caught it. He opened his eyes and looked at Chu Fengqing carefully, and found that not only was his breathing disordered, but Chu Fengqing’s eyelashes were also trembling slightly, with a small amplitude, as if they were blown by the wind.

Ji Yujin’s red lips were slightly curled, and his pair of fox-like eyes were very attractive.

Sure enough.

Chu Fengqing was awake, he had been awake for the past few days.

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  Green smoke coming out of ancestral graves is a Feng Shui saying that refers to something good that happens.