Chapter 181

I Truly Am Not a Wise King!

The Eastern Depot.

Wen Xiaochun returned from the deep prison after visiting the Fifth Prince.

Following Qu Dubian's instructions, he had moved in a batch of novels and left behind brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones for the Fifth Prince to pass the time.

As he passed the cell where the Second Prince had once stayed, he happened to see the jailers clearing things out.

The table used by the Second Prince was being carried out. Wen Xiaochun caught sight of a character on the corner of the table.

Wait, he called out.

The jailer stopped. Lord Director.

Wen Xiaochun walked over and turned the table. On the corner, there were marks left by someone scratching with a small stone.

The character for Four had been written with a casual stroke.

The force of the cross was deep, the scratches slow, appearing very hesitant. One could almost imagine the person who made them, brow furrowed in deep thought.

Wen Xiaochun had personally inspected the items the Second Prince brought into the prison. This table had been clean; the writing appeared later. In other words, the Second Prince had written it.

Lord Director, is there a problem?

For some reason, staring at this character made the hair on the back of Wen Xiaochun's neck stand up.

He said, Don't take this table away yet. Leave it.

The jailer replied, Yes, Lord Director.

-

The journey to Lingbei continued.

The further north they went, the more mountain paths they encountered.

Towering mountains and rugged peaks stretched out, filled with the bleakness and desolation of winter.

It was now the end of January. In the capital, there were signs of the weather warming, but the further north they traveled, the colder it became.

Because it was so cold, and without internal energy to protect himself, Qu Dubian felt his poisoned body would give out halfway. So, he stopped the simulation of the bone-shattering toxin.

He would remain blind regardless; outsiders wouldn't casually check his pulse anyway.

He had experienced the full ordeal of being poisoned to the fullest. After submitting three research papers on it, he had no desire for more and never wanted to experience it again.

His broken meridians returned to their original state, and gentle true qi flowed through them once more. The bone-chilling cold vanished instantly. Qu Dubian, feeling as free as a bird, cast off his fox fur cloak, wanting to look as dashing as Yi Shier—

Only to be restrained by Ye Xiaoyuan and forced to swallow two pills meant to clear the eyes.

Xi Zixing was a master at watching the fun and was keen on writing travelogues.

He recorded everything they did and ate each day.

He had no internal energy. Even though the carriage was insulated and warm, his hands would grow stiff and cold after writing for a long time.

Qu Dubian's advice was useless, so he let him be, only providing a hand warmer for him to hold while he wrote.

Without their children pestering them, the two dogs went completely wild in this northern territory.

In the vast lands of Lingbei, Yidianbai seemed to have found a second youth. From time to time, he and Jinlai would find a place to frolic, or they would huddle together sweetly, watching the mountains, the water, and the world.

Qu Dubian was a worrier when it came to his people and his dogs. Fearing the elderly dog couple would catch a chill on their bellies by lying on the ground, he put on the dog clothes he had prepared before the journey.

When passing through villages and towns, they would stop at small inns to rest for a couple of days, giving the waiter some money to hear about local curiosities and specialty foods.

Leisurely, they finally arrived in Lingbei.

The released members of the Shu family, led by Minister Shu, had returned to their ancestral lands to slowly recover and develop.

The Eldest Prince was still serving as a centurion. He had a son and a daughter. The daughter took after Shu Wenxin, possessing a quiet, intelligent, and elegant nature. The son took after him, born with a few screws loose, running around all over the place.

When they arrived, heavy snow was falling, and there was no time to find a separate house.

Qu Dubian stayed temporarily at the Eldest Prince's home.

The Eldest Prince's courtyard in Lingbei was much smaller than the one in the capital, but it was cozy and warm. He chose a small courtyard for Qu Dubian's group and lit the floor heating.

It got dark very early here. He brought a plate of freshly sliced meat and two jars of wine to Qu Dubian's small room.

Qu Dubian was sitting cross-legged at a small table, cracking melon seeds and watching Liuliu, Xi Zixing, and Ye Banban drink.

When the Eldest Prince entered, no one bothered with formal etiquette. He sat directly on the edge of the table, placed the wine and meat down, and grinned. Is this courtyard of mine grand or what?

Qu Dubian replied, It's wonderful. Your life here is even more comfortable than in the capital, Big Brother.

The Eldest Prince thoroughly agreed. Indeed.

He sniffed the wine Yi Shier and the others were drinking and looked at it with disdain.

Hah, the wine you're drinking has no kick. Come, try Lingbei's finest—Fire in the Snow.

Qu Dubian was curious and silently raised his hand. I want some too.

The Eldest Prince said, You've only ever drunk sweet wine since you were a child. This wine is too strong. I'll pour you just a little bit.

Qu Dubian received half a cup of wine. He lowered his head to sniff it but couldn't smell much. He took a tiny sip. A stream of icy air rolled down his tongue, passing through his esophagus and stomach, and instantly turned into a scorching fire.

He coughed several times.

Ye Xiaoyuan patted his back, saying helplessly, You knew it would make you cough, yet you still had to try.

Qu Dubian exclaimed, It's so warm!

The Eldest Prince said, Of course. People in Lingbei rely on this to get through the harsh winter.

Qu Dubian sipped it bit by bit, and the sliced meat the Eldest Prince brought became the perfect accompaniment to the wine.

It's not bad here, is it? the Eldest Prince sighed. When I first came, I was complaining about everything and couldn't adjust.

Qu Dubian agreed, It is quite good.

The Eldest Prince laughed heartily.

After a few rounds of drinks, the floodgates of conversation opened.

The Eldest Prince drank cup after cup until his cheeks and the corners of his eyes turned red.

He hooked his arm around Qu Dubian's shoulder.

The Second is gone, the Third is ruined, the Fifth and Sixth... let's not even mention them. The Eldest Prince shook his head and clinked his cup against Qu Dubian's. In the end, the Fourth, who never fought or snatched, is the biggest winner.

Qu Dubian said, Fourth Brother has worked hard.

The Eldest Prince paused, then laughed. You use the words 'worked hard.' True. All that fighting we did... it was just a lot of hard work for nothing.

The longer I live, the more I feel that some things belong to whoever they're meant for. Even if someone else steals it, it will eventually come back in one way or another.

You can't dodge it, you can't escape it...

But you can escape it, Qu Dubian thought.

He had succeeded.

Following what he had always pursued in his heart, he had left that city, smelled the free wind outside, and seen the desolate frost and snow of the wide world.

Qu Dubian said, Big Brother, you're drunk.

The Eldest Prince turned to look at him and grinned.

You're drunk too.

The first among them to be titled a Prince, his cheeks were flushed with red. No wonder he only drank sweet wine; strong liquor went straight to his head.

Little Seven had been handsome since he was a child, and the way his face flushed when he drank was quite captivating.

The Eldest Prince showed a rare moment of concern. You're almost eighteen. Aren't you considering starting a family?

At those words, Ye Xiaoyuan, Yi Shier, and Xi Zixing all looked over, waiting to hear what Qu Dubian would say.

Qu Dubian: ...

I'm an idol! How can an idol fall in love? My love and affection are all for the fans!

After this thought popped into his head, he realized he truly was drunk. Tonight, with friends by his side and such a wonderful atmosphere for drinking and chatting, he had momentarily forgotten what year it was.

Under the soft glow of candlelight, His Highness Prince Yong, his face flushed from the wine, cleared his throat under the watchful eyes of the group.

"I'm not considering it."

The Eldest Prince was utterly bewildered. "You’ve reached the age to start a family. If you don't marry, do you plan on becoming a monk instead?"

As if remembering something, he added out of the blue, "In the military, life is hard for the soldiers. Many lack the means to hire a matchmaker to find a girl for marriage, so they find their closest brothers and become covenant brothers, supporting each other for a lifetime. It’s a way to live."

"Big Brother is telling you this to say that if you happen to be a 'cut sleeve,' it’s no big deal."

Qu Dubian: "..."

Yi Shier covered the corner of his mouth with his wine cup and added, "I can select candidates for Your Highness." His secret networks could gather information on ordinary people very quickly.

Xi Zihang slapped his leg in amusement. Back when he was writing pamphlets, why hadn't he realized the Eldest Prince was so entertaining?

The Eldest Prince was a typical traditionalist who couldn't quite grasp why someone would choose not to start a family.

Ye Xiaoyuan asked, "Does Your Highness truly have no one in mind?"

Qu Dubian replied helplessly, "Truly, no one."

In truth, he always remembered that he was not of this world. When those close to him eventually passed away and his ties vanished one by one, that would likely be the time for him to leave this world.

The person who would walk through life hand-in-hand with him would have to be his most intimate companion.

Without a resonance of soul and thought, without the ability to be completely honest with one another, why settle? Why burden someone else’s entire life?

Furthermore, he did not want to forge new, deeper attachments here.

No one could understand his occasional bouts of loneliness—the solitude of a person who had crossed through time and space, standing alone in an era thousands of years in the past, looking back toward an origin he might never reach again.

"Come, come, Big Brother, you're drunk. Have some more wine to help you sober up." Fearing that the Eldest Prince was getting addicted to playing matchmaker and might say something even more earth-shattering, Qu Dubian stuffed his mouth with food and wine.

Aside from Qu Dubian and Ye Xiaoyuan, who were only slightly buzzed, everyone else at the table was quite intoxicated.

Yi Shier usually never touched a drop of alcohol because he had to remain at Qu Dubian’s side, and drinking could lead to mistakes. But now they were safe and on an outing, so he had allowed himself to drink freely for once.

Even when drunk, his face didn't flush and his heart didn't race. He sat perfectly upright, looking as though nothing were wrong.

However, he became completely compliant, doing whatever he was told. Qu Dubian had already made him sing several songs.

To be fair, Liuliu sang beautifully. His voice was soft, and with the alcohol, it became slightly husky, sounding gentle and magnetic.

Normally, getting him to say more than a few words was a challenge; this continuous singing service was a treat only available when he was drunk.

Qu Dubian lay on the rug beside the low table, feeling drowsy as he listened.

His mind felt light, his thoughts fluttering about, when he suddenly blurted out, "Actually, I have someone I love deeply..."

Except for the sound of Yi Shier’s singing, all other noise came to a screeching halt.

Ye Xiaoyuan silently covered Yi Shier’s mouth. The latter realized what was happening a moment later, his eyes clearing for an instant as he looked at his drunken Highness on the floor.

The fires of gossip ignited in the Eldest Prince’s eyes.

He said he didn't have anyone while sober, but now that he's drunk, he says he does. It must be someone he loves to the core but couldn't be with. That’s why Little Seven is like this! Just who is this mysterious person?

In the silence, Xi Zihang asked, "Who is it?"

Qu Dubian murmured, "When I left, she was seventy-five years old..."

While the others realized he was talking nonsense, the Eldest Prince was stunned.

She? Or he?

The Eldest Prince, in his drunken state, realized this wasn't just a matter of gender. He broke down in tears, crying out, "No, you can't! You can't!"

"Brother, please love someone younger!"

Qu Dubian was already half-asleep and completely oblivious to the commotion, only feeling that his ears were very noisy.

He rolled over on the rug, resting his head on Ye Xiaoyuan’s lap to find a comfortable position.

"I love her deeply..."

My Motherland.