CH 43

Ch 43 “The world is big, but there is no place for me.”

The weather gradually turned warmer in February and most of the flowers on the estate were in bloom. Xie Chaoling would go out every day and pick some bright and cheerful ones to decorate the house, and his days in the estate were monotonous but not dull. 

Xie Chaoling was arranging flowers in the house, and Xie Chaoyuan was standing on the porch outside the door, listening to someone’s report.

“King Xun received a report from the spy in King Xing’s mansion. King Xing plans to make a move when you go to Yeling to pay homage to Empress Li with His Royal Highness in five days.”

Xie Chaoyuan’s eyes moved, and he asked, “What is Old Three going to do? Bamu didn’t send any news?”

“He did, it’s consistent with the news from King Xun’s Mansion. They also plan to go to the imperial mausoleum to attack, and they probably want to take advantage of Langjun being alone.”

Xie Chaoyuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

In a few days it will be the death anniversary of Empress Li. A few years ago, Xie Chaoling, her own son, went to Yeling to pay homage. Now that the crown prince is “seriously ill”, Emperor Qianming ordered Xie Chaohui and Xie Chaoyuan to take care of it.

It can also be seen from this that although Emperor Qianming was annoyed with Xie Chaohui for the previous matter, he still valued Xie Chaohui more than other people. As for calling Xie Chaoyuan to go with him, he obviously didn’t care about his background and wanted to lift him up too.

“How is Princess Shurou?” Xie Chaoyuan asked again in a deep voice.

“She went back to live in the palace two days ago. It is said that she is harboring something in her mind. During this period of time, worrying too much, it seems that the situation is not very good.” 

When the voice fell, Xie Chaoling in the room turned his head and looked out the window. Their eyes met, Xie Chaoyuan restrained the emotion in his eyes, stepped forward and entered the door.

Xie Chaoling lowered his head, fiddling with the flowers in his hands absently. Yesterday morning, Xie Huizhen came to this villa again under the pretext of asking for some snacks. When Xie Chaoyuan went out to help him pick flowers, he told him about the outside affairs. Something happened to the Shen family and it was not trivial.

There was constant turmoil in the court, and the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue and the Guangchu Division were in a frenzy. When everyone was in danger, the Shen family was finally pushed to the forefront. Zhou Siming, the left official of the Ministry of Revenue, seemed to want to make up for the lack of care in checking the accounts before. After finding out the old accounts of the Ministry of Revenue ten years ago, it was discovered that the Baoquan Bureau had been engaged in smuggling of copper coins since then. At that time, it was still Shen Zhongdao who was the minister of Revenue and it was also revealed that at that tragic battle in the northwest, he took a lot of money unreasonably that was supposed to be for food and military supplies, which killed 100,000 soldiers in Daliang.

The whole court was in an uproar.

Xie Chaoling’s grandfather and two uncles died in that battle, and Xie Fengzhen’s legs were also crippled at that time.

When Xie Huizhen talked about this matter, he seemed to be afraid of touching Xie Chaoling’s grief, so he hesitated: “There is evidence that the military expenditure was indeed taken away by Chief Shen at that time, and it is not important for Baoquan to reveal this matter at this juncture. Chief Shen has already committed this crime, so now he will be the biggest scapegoat for these things.”

It would be better if Shen Zhongdao was still alive, at least he could refute. If he was still alive, no one would dare to push this matter on him, but he died, dying of an illness a year ago, and the Shen family had no successors, so they can only be slaughtered. At other times, Emperor Qianming might still protect the Shen family, but these disputes in the court needed to be stopped. As an emperor, he cannot bear the biggest blame, so he can only let Zhongdao and the Shen family bear it.

And the people around, whether it was other families who used to share the same spirit with the Shen family, or those who are attached to the Shen family, all chose to acquiesce to this result. No one came out to speak for the Shen family. They also needed the Shen family to carry the blame so that they may absolve themselves.

So the Shen family collapsed overnight. Even though Zhongdao was dead, it still affected the whole family; dozens of members of the family were sent to prison, except for Princess Shurou and her few children who were taken back by Emperor Qianming. 

Xie Chaoling was silent for a long time after listening. Xie Huizhen thought that he was shocked to know the truth of the matter, so he was hesitant and felt it difficult to make a choice.

Xie Chaoling being able to sit on the position of the crown prince, the Shen family contributed a lot. But if things were true back then, Zhongdao was the chief culprit who killed his grandfather and uncle, so would he go back to save the Shen family? Xie Huizhen wanted to ask him but when the words came to his lips, he felt that it was not for him, a child, to ask.

But before Xie Huizhen left, Xie Chaoling said to him: “Have King Xing get ready.”

Xie Chaoling was still looking at the flower in his hand. Xie Chaoyuan stopped in front of him, and asked in a low voice: “What’s so good about it? “

“It is naturally beautiful. As it is budding, it is delicate and beautiful.” After Xie Chaoling finished speaking, he casually inserted it into a vase on the table.

He said again: “It’s a pity that no matter how beautiful things are, they won’t last long, same as people.”

After Xie Chaoling sighed, seeing Xie Chaoyuan’s expression sink, he smiled: “Your Highness, please sit down, don’t keep standing.”

Xie Chaoyuan looked at him silently. Xie Chaoling stretched out his hand and pulled the man to sit down: “What was Your Highness doing outside?”

“Nothing.” Xie Chaoyuan said calmly, picking up the teapot.

There was a fleeting disappointment in Xie Chaoling’s lowered eyes, but Xie Chaoyuan didn’t see it.

Something happened to the Shen family, and Princess Shurou was implicated, but Xie Chaoyuan didn’t intend to tell him.

This person didn’t care about anyone’s life or death at all, except him.

“I’m going out for two days in a few days. Linlang is here alone, so don’t go around.” Xie Chaoyuan poured him tea and reminded him.

“Where are you going?”

Xie Chaoyuan raised his eyes to look at him: “On the anniversary of Empress Li’s death, His Majesty ordered me to go to Yeling with King Xing to worship.”

“Can I go with Your Highness?” Xie Chaoling asked.

Paying homage to Empress Li, Xie Chaoling will definitely follow, everyone thought so.

But Xie Chaoyuan refused: “The journey is long and bumpy, driving back and forth for two days is meaningless, Linlang should not go.”

“What if I must go?”

“Why must you go?” Xie Chaoyuan said in a deep voice, “Is there any reason why you must go?” 

Looking at each other in silence for a moment, Xie Chaoling untied the dagger from his waist and put it on the table in front of him: “I’m tired of staying here. If Your Highness insists on locking me up like this and not letting me go out, why don’t you knife me and make me feel better.”

Xie Chaoyuan’s eyes fell on the short knife, and he paused for a while: “Are you trying to force me with death?”

Xie Chaoling smiled: ” Learning from His Highness.”

After a brief stalemate, Xie Chaoyuan picked up the knife, moved closer to him, and helped Xie Chaoling hang it back on his waist.

“Don’t take off the things that this king gave you casually.”

When Xie Chaoyuan sat up straight, Xie Chaoling suddenly exerted strength, grabbed his shoulders and pushed him down on the couch.

Xie Chaoyuan didn’t move. Xie Chaoling had already leaned on him, and the unsheathed dagger was pressed against his neck.

Xie Chaoyuan looked at him calmly, without any panic in his eyes. At that moment, Xie Chaoling even thought that he might as well just send the knife down, kill this person, and cut off his chaotic thoughts that shouldn’t be there.

“Your Highness, aren’t you afraid that I will really kill you?”

“The people outside are all this king’s people,” Xie Chaoyuan reminded him, “You can’t escape.”

“You think I’m afraid?”

Xie Chaoyuan raised his hand and stroked his temples: “Death is okay, if I can turn into a ghost and follow you after death, then there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“You really aren’t afraid?”

“I’m not afraid of death, is Linlang afraid?” Xie Chaoyuan asked him back.

This person was really unreasonable. Xie Chaoling let go, threw the knife away, and Xie Chaoyuan grabbed him tightly, turned him over, and pressed him down followed by a kiss.

Xie Chaoling bit down hard, and tasted blood in his mouth, but Xie Chaoyuan didn’t let him go, he still pressed him down and kissed him deeply, entangling his lips and tongue until the tip of his tongue became numb and he couldn’t breathe.

“Enough…” Xie Chaoling turned his face away.

Xie Chaoyuan pinched his chin, and slowly licked away the saliva drawn from the corner of his mouth.

Xie Chaoling’s hands were tied with silk again.

Xie Chaoling didn’t try to struggle, but only looked at Xie Chaoyuan coldly: “Is this all your highness is capable of?”

“Don’t try to provoke me.” Xie Chaoyuan whispered in his ear.

“So how long is Your Highness going to tie me up like this? How long can you tie me up for?” Xie Chaoling asked him provocatively.

Xie Chaoyuan narrowed his eyes: “The world is big, out of Daliang, Linlang will be nothing.”

Xie Chaoling understood what he meant, this little beast really wanted to send him away.

Xie Chaoling sneered: “Unless you gouged out my eyes, cut out my tongue, and broke my legs, or send me to the sky, I have a way to come back, and I will definitely come back.”

Xie Chaoyuan didn’t answer again. Slowly leaning over, his slightly dry lips touched the tip of his nose.

Xie Chaoling didn’t move.

“Don’t say such things,” he heard Xie Chaoyuan say in a hoarse voice, “You know I don’t want to.” 

Swallowing all the words on his lips, Xie Chaoling stopped cursing, closed his eyes, and softened his voice: “Your Highness, take me with you, I promise I will stay by your side every step of the way and will not cause you any trouble.”

Xie Chaoyuan ignored him, grabbed his hand, and slowly kissed him one finger at a time.

Xie Chaoling was unhappy and even more disappointed.

From then on until nightfall, there was a stalemate the entire time. Xie Chaoyuan didn’t let go, Xie Chaoling held his breath, no one wanted to feel at ease.

There were only a few bites taken from dinner, then Xie Chaoling put down the chopsticks, drank another half cup of tea, and went back to the back room.

Xie Chaoyuan followed, and Xie Chaoling was covering his face with a hot handkerchief, ignoring him.

Xie Chaoyuan stepped forward and took off the veil from his face.

Xie Chaoling looked at him still coldly, Xie Chaoyuan asked: “Are you angry?”

“I don’t dare.” Xie Chaoling’s voice was cold.

“You’re angry.”

“Don’t be angry.” Xie Chaoyuan’s voice was lower, and he helped him loosen his hair tie, and took a comb to smooth his loose long hair, so that he would relax.

Xie Chaoling looked at himself in the bronze mirror in front and Xie Chaoyuan behind him, his expression was indeed full of displeasure, and Xie Chaoyuan, with lowered eyebrows, concentrated on helping him comb his hair, as if he was careful and serious.

This person was always like this, having him hang on one breath, can’t get up or down, can’t even want to vent.

The comb in Xie Chaoyuan’s hand was still slowly running along his long hair, Xie Chaoling closed his eyes and didn’t say a word.

“Although it’s been warmer these days, it’s going to be cold in the next few days, and it’s easy to catch colds. Yeling has not been completely repaired, and there is a section of the road that is very bumpy. It will take a whole day to drive there. I’m afraid you will feel uncomfortable.” Xie Chaoyuan said. 

Slowly, he put down the comb, bent down and hugged him.

After a moment of silence, Xie Chaoling finally said: “Your Highness wants to send me away, what about Your Highness? Are you going too?”

He had never forgotten this man’s ambition, even though he was not the emperor’s own son, he was coveting the position that he should not covet, and perhaps more.

Xie Chaoyuan whispered in his ear as if he was talking: “The world is big, but there is no place for me.”

Xie Chaoling was startled.

Suddenly some indescribable complications arose in his heart, and he understood the meaning of Xie Chaoyuan’s words.

He was King Ke, the sixth prince of Daliang, but he was a b*stard. Once his real background is revealed, he will only die here without a burial place. As for the Bailing people, they are only greedy for the benefits that his status as the Prince of Liang can bring them. Whether it is Daliang, Xirong, or Bailing, there was no place that really belonged to him. He can only fight for it by himself. Only by standing at the top can he be invincible and get what he wants.

Xie Chaoyuan doesn’t trust anyone, including him.

After the night completely fell, there seemed to be a wind blowing outside, Xie Chaoyuan called someone to close the windows, and made an extra charcoal basin, afraid that Xie Chaoling would be cold at night.

Xie Chaoling kept curling up and facing the direction of the bed, closing his eyes and not moving. Xie Chaoyuan simply washed up and asked people to turn off the lights and leave, sat on the bed, laid down and embraced him.

Their bodies were close together, and the temperature and breath of each other blended.

Xie Chaoyuan asked in Xie Chaoling’s ear: “If I take you there, will you come back?”

Xie Chaoling’s voice was vague: “Does Your Highness think that I will run away from you and never return?”

“Will you?”

” No. “

After a long time, the person behind him patted the back of his hand and held him tighter: “Linlang, don’t lie to me.”

It was almost exactly the same conversation as before, when Xie Chaoling spoke the truth, but this time…

Xie Chaoling turned over, faced Xie Chaoyuan, and buried his head between his shoulders and neck.

He never opened his eyes, even in the dark, he didn’t want Xie Chaoyuan to see the deception hidden in his eyes.