CH 34

Chapter 34 Shuo Ye

“I forgot to tell the Prince, I know who murdered your elder brother is.” 

These words were like sparks, and the accumulated gunpowder was instantly lit. 

Liu Zhongming suddenly jumped over like a cheetah hunting its prey. Before Bai Shiyan could stop him, his hand had already grabbed Qu Chenzhou’s neck. 

“Who is it?!” 

Qu Chenzhou tilted his head back slightly, looking at him with a smile that was not a smile. 

Sure enough, all the attention of Zhongming was always on his dead brother, and a little bit of teasing would ignite the emotion that could not be suppressed. 

But the direction of such efforts was wrong. 

This kind of Zhongming is far from mature enough. 

He held Liu Zhongming’s wrist and laughed and said, “You dare to kill me? Do it, my Lord!” 

Liu Zhongming didn’t dare, so he could only sternly scold: “Who is it?!” 

“Prince, I can guarantee that if you strangle me, there will be no second person to tell you the truth, or do you expect the murderer to confess to you?” 

“Zhongming, calm down.” Bai Shiyan hurriedly stepped forward and separated the two. 

“The Prince behaving like this… can it be considered mature?” Qu Chenzhou sneered: “If the Prince becomes this irritated just from a mention of your brother’s matter, should I consider whether I need to find another Master?” 

Liu Zhongming was pulled back a few steps, his eyes seemed to burn through the person: “Speak, who is it?” 

Qu Chenzhou touched his throat and shook his head: “If I say it straight, won’t the Prince grant me death and wouldn’t I die unjustly? If you want to know the answer, it will depend on the Prince’s intent.”

After being blocked by Bai Shiyan, Liu Zhongming gradually calmed down. 

His fierce reaction just now had already explained one thing-in their confrontation, he was at a disadvantage and the other party seemed to really understand all his weaknesses, and every arrow hit his heart, gradually weakening his defense. 

“What do you want?” 

“I want to cooperate with the Prince, and give him suggestions so that the Prince can get revenge. And the Prince naturally has to ensure my safety.” 

“Just that?” 

“Of course it’s more than that, I have three requests.” 

Liu Zhongming stared at the other party silently and did not immediately agree. Although the other party said that Qu Chenzhou could only tell the truth, he always felt that there were many traps hidden within. 

Qu Chenzhou raised a finger and said to him: “First, the time is ripe for Concubine Liu to give birth to a Prince. After the Prince inherits the crown prince position, please abolish the Dayu slave statuses.” 

The last part of the first request. In the request, the first three parts were already difficult to achieve. But Liu Zhongming was even more surprised as he did not expect Qu Chenzhou to state these challenges but have the goal that he most wanted to achieve, actually to abolish slavery. 

At this moment, he couldn’t tell whether the person speaking in front of him was Qu Chenzhou or the soul from the future, or whether the two were already merged into one. 

“Why?” 

“The Prince doesn’t need to ask more.” Qu Chenzhou lowered his gaze slightly: “I know it’s difficult. I am willing to advance and retreat with the Prince. If we succeed, we will succeed. If we don’t, we’ll die together. How about that?” 

Liu Zhongming pondered for a long time. 

If the previous remarks were taken seriously, the hidden meaning behind this request was…if his sister did not give birth to a prince, the Liu family will also “die if they fail”? 

“Prince, those who dare to do something to your brother are not common bandits.” As if to affirm his thoughts, Qu Chenzhou added one more sentence. 

“Okay.” Liu Zhongming didn’t hesitate anymore. 

“Secondly, everyone in Huai Wang’s residence must be exterminated.”

“Huai Wang?” Now even Bai Shiyan was surprised: “Why?” 

Nowadays, it was Qi Wang and Ning Wang secretly mixed in the muddy waters of court. Huai Wang, admiring the scene, would occasionally get involved, but most of the time, he did his duty conscientiously, and was also humble. He had a good reputation among courtiers. 

If they had to stand on someone’s team in the end, they might have even optimistically considered Huai Wang. 

“Private grievance.” Qu Chenzhou didn’t explain much: “So how about it?” 

Liu Zhongming stared at him without blinking, remembering the day when Qu Chenzhou shrank in the corner and nearly collapsed out of control when Huai Wang came to the inner courtyard to look for him. 

“Okay.” 

If he wanted to help his nephew ascend to the throne, no matter whether there were private grievances or not, the other Wang Ye’s cannot be kept, let alone people like Huai Wang. 

“Thirdly……” Qu Chenzhou thought for a moment: “The third requirement, when the Prince succeeds, it won’t be too late to bring it up then.” 

Liu Zhongming sneered: “If I allow that, at that time, wouldn’t you be able to choose anything and everything” 

“Prince is worrying too much. For the last request, it will only relate to myself. I don’t want fame or fortune, I don’t want to occupy any territories and I won’t ask for a penny. I won’t take anyone’s life and I won’t make it difficult for the Prince. The Prince at that time can call the wind and rain, so why would you be afraid of my small request?” 

Bai Shiyan reminded softly from the side: “Zhongming, be cautious.” 

“Okay.” Liu Zhongming quickly agreed. 

At that time, once the dust had settled and his brother’s grievances had been avenged, he didn’t believe that the other party could restrain him. 

If it was possible, he can agree, if not, even if he refused, what can the other party do?

“Have you finished your requests?” 

After receiving an affirmative nod, Liu Zhongming asked again: “Since you will be for my use,  I want to test you with a question. You said that Qu Chenzhou’s eyes can see the unknown, and so can you. Then tell me, what is the next thing I want to do?”

Even without these eyes, Qu Chenzhou knew. Liu Zhongming couldn’t be indifferent to him, no one could resist this temptation. 

He was unpredictable and full of temptation, and if he wanted to control such a dangerous person, some means were necessary. 

Liu Zhongming, with the Bai family’s support, what items can be used? 

He closed his eyes, as if seeing Concubine Liu who was in dire straits looking at him coldly. 

“Qu Sitian, do you know what you just drank? It’s…” 

He gently moved his thin lips, as if overlapping with the voice in his memory, and uttered two words: “Shuo Ye…” 

“You really are amazing. I’m really starting to believe you more and more.” Liu Zhongming’s palm was holding a silver bead: “Since you know Shuo Ye, you should also know that you can’t escape after swallowing it.” 

Qu Chenzhou knew. 

If there was no antidote for each new moon, his body would feel like ten thousand ants eating him, his insides would be burning like a raging fire, and the pain would be worse than death. 

But apart from him, no one would know— that he needs Shuo Ye very much. 

Those were the thorns he had to walk through to get rid of his shackles. 

“I granted you three requests, now it’s your turn. Do you dare?” The silver bead moved closer to him again. 

Qu Chenzhou raised his eyes and smiled— Did he dare? For Zhongming, what else did he not dare? 

“I naturally dare, Prince, this is my sincerity.” 

He picked up Shuo Ye, placed it in his mouth, and swallowed it with his head up. 

“I am willing to go through fire and water for the Prince, hundreds of deaths, without regret.” 

***

“Zhongming, do you think his words are true?” 

Liu Zhongming and Qu Chenzhou were speaking between themselves so Bai Shiyan did not intervene in Liu Zhongming’s decision. It wasn’t until Qu Chenzhou was led out and there were only two people left in the room did he feel that there was no heavy pressure in the air. 

This person was really terrifying. He obviously looked harmless before, with low brows and a pleasant appearance. Yet, once he became aggressive, he had such an aura.

Prior to this, although Zhongming had considered the possibility of bringing the other party over to their side and asked him to bring Shuo Ye over, he did not expect that such a sensational secret was hidden in this person. 

He couldn’t believe it, but he had to admit that only such a secret could explain all the doubts he had before. 

“I don’t know, it’s the first time I have met someone who borrowed a corpse to resurrect.” 

Facing Bai Shiyan, Liu Zhongming had no choice but to tell the truth. He heard so many things, he could not fully accept it for a while and was a little tired. 

“Since he had swallowed Shuo Ye, he can’t escape. We can observe him slowly. Both him and Du Quan said that Qu Chenzhou was a spiritual speaker and cannot lie. Just listen. If it is false, I don’t believe he can keep pretending.” 

“That’s true.” Bai Shiyan also agreed. Not only his identity, but his ability to control people inside. Many things can be thought over for a long time: “Zhongming, the people who are with the emperor all year round… Who do you think he was? Yu Gonggong?” 

Liu Zhongming felt a chill on his body: “Impossible, how do you think his movements look like Yu Gonggong’s!” 

This was something he had just been thinking about. Although he wasn’t very familiar with the people in the palace, but the people around the emperor, it is impossible for him to have never made contact with them. Yet, no one had the tolerance of Qu Chenzhou. 

Before Shi Yan joked about sending Little Brother Qu into the palace, he had felt that this person would not survive for half a day in the palace. 

So how could this be? 

“Didn’t he say that he died more than ten years later? Maybe it’s someone who hasn’t entered the palace yet. Just pay attention.” 

“He now has Little Brother Qu’s body, so where did Little Brother Qu go? Where is the current him?” Bai Shiyan kept asking questions since it was his first time encountering such a thing. 

Liu Zhongming was still thinking about what happened to his sister and brother, and endured his irritation: “You can ask him these questions directly. If you can find out, I will kowtow to you!”

Bai Shiyan could only stretch his hands, expressing his helplessness. Just when he was planning to go out, he soon turned back. 

“What’s the matter!” Liu Zhongming’s mind was in a mess, and he spoke in an unpleasant manner. 

“Where is the person? Do you want me to take him away?” 

Bai Shiyan thought about how fishy Liu Zhongming was a few months ago and felt uneasy. If it weren’t for Madam Liu sending the person away, he didn’t know what it would have become by now.

“No, I want to watch him carefully.” As if remembering the two months he was deceived before, Liu Zhongming added: “Don’t worry, I will pay attention.” 

“…okay, if anything happens, send someone to tell me. If you can, you’d better take him to the monastery and let the abbot take a look.” 

Liu Zhongming felt that Bai Shiyan was panicking and was treating everyone as an enemy, but with his concern he had to nod his head: “I will do as you say.” 

After Qu Chenzhou left last time, for a long time, he had dreamt of many vague and inexplicable situations. 

In the dream, there were always many people running around in a panic or full of roars and screams in the cold. He couldn’t see what was happening and woke up in a cold sweat every time. 

After going to the monastery, the abbot chanted for him all night, using clean water to dab his forehead. Before leaving, he stroked his head and sighed: “If the Prince meets the devil of temptation again, there is no harm in resolving it through meditation—— Was Zhou a butterfly in his dream or did the butterfly dream of being Zhou?” 

Liu Zhongming knew that this was the story of Zhuang Zhou’s dream of a butterfly. Is it true that he was in a dream where he became a butterfly, or was he a butterfly that became Zhuang Zhou.

Was the real him in the dream or when he woke up after the dream?

He never understood why the abbot had him interpret the language in this story by himself. 

Vaguely, as if pointing to his dreams. 

But after that time, the nightmare gradually blurred, until it retreated, like a monster sneaking into the dark again, silently preparing for the next bite. 

He couldn’t help smiling in his heart. Liu Zhongming always said to people, “A child does not talk about strange powers”. When he was a child, he even said to his brother that the emperor “didn’t ask the common people, but asked the ghosts and gods.” 

Now retribution was coming. He couldn’t help being led by the nose. 

The man’s words seemed to have a fatal temptation. They sounded gentle, but left no room for him to choose.

——Is the thing about his sister true? Is he really not strong enough for his sister to rely on? 

——What about his older brother? Was the vicious murderer really hiding in the court, leaving him with nowhere to go? 

There was a voice in his heart that answered him so naturally: you already know the answer, but you are reluctant and dare not face it. 

Liu Zhongming’s breathing heaved heavily, and suddenly he lifted his foot and kicked the empty chair against the wall.

That person was right. He was indeed not mature enough and was not qualified to stand in the same arena with the others. 

The author has something to say: That is the thorn he must step on to get rid of the shackles. Is anyone willing to guess what Xiao Qu’s shackles are? It has nothing to do with Liu Zhongming, but it is a big obstacle to his future career.