CH 20

cw: death, gore from “At that time,…” to “Jun Huailang personally prepared…”

In the previous banquet, according to family and hierarchy Jun Huailang and Jun Linghuan were seated together. But this year Jun Linghuan lived in Consort Shu’s palace, so Consort Shu took her to sit with the harem. Jun Huailang had peace and quiet, but he was not used to having one less person to take care of. Along the way, Xue Yunhuan chattered noisily so it didn’t feel dreary.

As they reached the gate to Yongle Hall, there was a sudden gust of wind behind Jun Huailang. He couldn’t dodge in time, and an arm hooked over his throat and caught him.

“Ha! Ge,[1] we haven’t seen each other for two years, did you miss me?”

The bright and clear voice of the young man was slightly rough, like a young eagle hovering in the grassland, bringing vigor and sharp vitality.

“…… Xiaowu?” Jun Huailang called out in surprise.

He actually forgot that although he had not attended the Thousand Years Banquet in his previous life, his far-roaming brother Jun Xiaowu had come all the way from Yumen Pass[2] to attend.

Jun Xiaowu was the second son born to his mother. His personality had been lively since childhood, completely different from Jun Huailang. In the previous life, he was wholeheartedly devoted to martial arts. Father did not permit him to study it, so he ran away from home. At only twelve or thirteen years old and taking only a few servants, he traveled thousands of li[3] to Yumen Pass.

Jun Huailang’s mother was born to a military family, and his uncle was the general guarding Yumen Pass. When Jun Xiaowu ran to him, Jun Chengyuan had no choice but to let him stay and train there for the past two years.

Jun Xiaowu had returned this winter just a few days after Jun Huailang moved into the palace.

Jun Huailang hardly dared recall the previous life’s memories of his younger brother. 

Back then, once Jun Xiaowu returned to Chang’an, he never went back to Yumen Pass again. Yet he did not neglect his martial arts and became a high-ranking officer of the Imperial Guard at a young age.

The Imperial Guards were the Emperor’s personal guards who defended the Imperial City, their importance could not be overstated.  In the previous life, the Chang’an guards defected when the King of Yunnan rebelled. Only his younger brother was left guarding the capital. Jun Xiaowu led 800 Imperial Guards against the King of Yunnan for more than half a month, until finally, on the eve of Xue Yan’s reinforcement, he died fighting. [skip]

At that time, Jun Huailang’s parents had long since passed. He, who had inherited the title of Duke Yongning, personally went outside the city to collect his younger brother’s corpse.

He had died on the city wall with wounds all over his body. Thousands of arrows pierced his heart and nailed him to the tower. The surviving Imperial Guards told him that General Jun had been grievously injured in his final few days. He hadn’t been able to stand so he had braced his back against the shaft of a halberd to command the soldiers. After a few days, the halberd had stabbed a bloody hole through his back.

>>Jun Huailang had personally prepared his body and buried him. The sight on the city wall that day had often entered his dreams and made his heart ache unbearably.

Fortunately in this life, nothing had happened yet.

Jun Huailang turned and looked at the young man holding his shoulders. Jun Xiaowu was smiling, revealing a pair of canine teeth and faint dimples. During his two years stay in Yumen Pass, his complexion had darkened a lot. His eyes were especially bright, like a pair of shining stars. 

Jun Huailang’s eyes suddenly became hot. The energetic youth in front of his eyes was not the corpse riddled with holes on the city gates of the previous life…… perfect. 

“I…… I forgot you were back.” Jun Huailang’s voice was a little choked up.

Jun Xiaowu was smiling at first, but he was startled hearing Jun Huailang’s voice. “Ge? What’s wrong, did I hurt you just now?”

Jun Huailang sucked in a quick breath and choked the emotions back down.

“…… No,” he said. “I only missed you a little.”

Jun Xiaowu chuckled. “After two years, who would’ve thought your speech has become so sarcastic.”

Hearing what he said, Jun Huailang also laughed.

Everything in the previous life had not yet happened. He still had a chance to protect the people close to him.

Next to him, Xue Yunhuan was also happy to see Jun Xiaowu. He punched Jun Xiaowu’s shoulder and said, “Didn’t you go to Yumen Pass to become an important general? Why did you come back after two years?”

Jun Xiaowu immediately began to fight Xue Yunhuan.

“I can come back and still be a general! Old Six, let’s have a go! Have your martial arts skills regressed in the past two years?”

The two of them quarreled noisily as they continued into the hall. Jun Huailang followed beside them beaming.

So in this palace banquet, the person sitting next to Jun Huailang became Jun Xiaowu. The two of them hadn’t seen each other for two years, and for Jun Huailang they had also been separated by life and death. There was a lot to talk about.

Jun Xiaowu had a very lively personality. As the banquet started and the nobility began feasting, he couldn’t sit properly anymore. He complained that his back ached, his waist was sore, and his butt hurt. He hooked an arm around Jun Huailang’s shoulders and leaned on him.

Jun Huailang knew that his younger brother had never been able to sit still. Not to mention the etiquette of a palace banquet was complicated. Before the banquet could start, it had taken more than two hours just for the sacrificial rites in which all the officials were required to sit still and upright. For Jun Xiaowu, this could be considered torture. 

In this life, Jun Huailang was quite indulgent towards his martyr younger brother. When Jun Xiaowu leaned into him, Jun Huailang did not stop him, just sat still and let himself be embraced.

“To be a general, you have to sit upright and act properly,” Jun Huailang said with a smile.

Jun Xiaowu tsked impatiently. “That’s too troublesome. Generals lead troops to fight and serve the country, what’s the use of having the ability to sit steadily?”

If Jun Huailang did not have memories of his previous life, he might have thought this kid was just bragging and making excuses. But he knew Jun Xiaowu could do it and had done it. He smiled and said nothing, only listening as Jun Xiaowu chattered about entertaining stories at the border in his ear.

But in a deserted corner of the princes’ seating area, the atmosphere was especially heavy.

Jinbao carefully served Xue Yan dishes. At the same time, he kept his eyes and ears peeled, taking note of Xue Yan’s mood.

It is said that being close to a lord could be as perilous as lying with a tiger. With Jinbao, it was like serving a fierce and temperamental wolf. He was already quick-witted, after serving under Xue Yan for so long, he was also forced to develop some ability to guess Xue Yan’s thoughts.

For instance, he could sense that his master’s mood was especially gloomy today.

And as for the reason?

Jinbao raised his eyes and saw his master inadvertently glancing in a certain direction countless times.

Sitting precisely in that direction was the heir of Yongning, the little bodhisattva who lived in Consort Shu’s palace.

The heir was sitting with a tall and handsome young man at the moment; the two of them were laughing and talking. The young man was even sitting askew, leaning against the heir of Yongning. The heir was not annoyed, on the contrary, he allowed the young man free rein with a tender and indulgent smile on his face.

Jinbao took another cautious look at his master. He met those wolf-like, cold eyes by accident.

“M- Master…”

“What are you looking at?” Xue Yan asked icily.

Obviously at the person you’ve been staring at, Master!

Jinbao didn’t dare say it out loud, he had a strong desire to live. He smiled nervously and said, “This servant didn’t see anything. I just have never seen such a grand occasion, so naturally I was taking a look at the excitement.”

Xue Yan glanced at him coldly and turned away.

But Jinbao saw that his eyes fell again, by accident or design, on Jun Huailang. He screwed up his courage and carefully said, “Lord Heir has such a good relationship with his younger brother.”

Xue Yan paused. “Younger brother?”

Jinbao knew he’d conveyed the point with those words. As a servant, the most important skill was being well-informed in gossip. He immediately responded, “Yes! That person is the Lord Heir’s younger brother by blood. A few years ago, he went to Yumen Pass alone to find General Shen. He only came back two days ago. I heard he hurried back especially for His Majesty’s Thousand Years Banquet.”

Xue Yan hummed indifferently in acknowledgment.

Jinbao couldn’t help complaining inside. This ancestor is so overbearing, he eats vinegar[4] when that person makes friends.

In that case, why avoid seeing that person every day…….

At that moment, Xue Yan suddenly rose from his seat.

“Master?” Jinbao, who was kneeling in front of the table, hurried to his feet.

“You don’t have to follow,” Xue Yan said. “I’m going out to get some air, don’t bother me.”

Given this cold shoulder, Jinbao did not dare speak. He could only comply and return to his original position.

As a result, Jun Huailang looked around during a break in the banquet, and noticed that Xue Yan’s seat was vacant. Only Jinbao waited there all alone.

Jun Xiaowu was much more quick-witted than Xue Yunhuan. He noticed that his brother glanced over there a few times since the banquet started, so he couldn’t resist asking, “Ge, who are you looking at?”

Jun Huailang jumped and spoke honestly, “Did you know that our aunt has recently been raising a prince by her side?”

Jun Xiaowu nodded. “I heard on the way back. They say our aunt isn’t fond of him?”

“Yes, it’s him,” Jun Huailang nodded.

“Oh, so you were looking at him? Why? Do you have a good relationship with him now?”

Jun Huailang had no reply to this. The relationship between them? In the previous life it had clearly been the relationship between mortal enemies.

But in this life, that person had him all confused. His circumstances were dismal and his situation pitiful, like an abandoned little puppy. At the same time, he was extremely reticent and acted tough. Jun Huailang had only been kind to him a few times, but he silently and wholeheartedly repaid that kindness. Jun Huailang couldn’t stop thinking about him. 

He hesitated, wondering if he should tell his brother about it. 

At that time, an eunuch hurried in.

“It’s terrible! It’s terrible, Lord Heir!” He ran straight to Jun Huailang and gasped for breath.

Jun Huailang was taken aback. “What’s the matter?”

The little eunuch hastily replied, “The little mistress of Yongning is gone! The Emperor, Empress, and Consort Shu have all sent people to look for her!

“The- the eunuchs serving in the imperial gardens said that the Little Miss was following the Fifth Prince to the imperial gardens, but now she’s disappeared!”

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