BLPSG Chapter 29: Trust and affirmation

Spring in the Yongdu always flashes by in an instant.

 

Just a few days ago, the air was still bone-chillingly cold, but today, even the wind has become warm.

 

The soft and fragile feeling of the baby resting on his arm hasn’t dissipated even as he stepped out of the Huixin Palace.

 

And when Xie Bufeng closed his eyes, he could almost… recall the sensation of Wen Qingci getting close to him, and the familiar bitter fragrance he smelled.

 

A gust of warm wind blew, ruffling the boy’s long, black, slightly curly hair.

 

Xie Bufeng subconsciously looked to his side.

 

After confirming that the moon-white figure is still there, he finally remembers to lift his hand and tuck his long hair behind his ear.

 

It is only then that the young man realizes.

 

At the corner of his lips, a faint, unfamiliar smile has somehow appeared.

 

*

 

Yongdu, the capital of the Wei Dynasty, is located in the north, where, logically, the Yinchuan Grand Canal should not reach.

 

But more than a decade ago, Xie Zhaolin insisted on extending the Grand Canal with a small detour to the outskirts of Yongdu, connecting it to the Yong River that circles the city, to magnify the imperial city’s grandeur.

 

This section cost a fortune, and the construction period was delayed by several months as a result.

 

Two months later, the day of the southern tour arrived.

 

As Consort Lan said that day, Wen Qingci indeed followed the Emperor.

 

After transmigrating into the book, Wen Qingci had never traveled so far.

 

Thus, along the way, he couldn’t help but look around more than usual.

 

The ferry port on the outskirts of Yongdu city had been crowded with people for several nights.

 

The last time there was a Fengshan ceremony, it was solemn and dignified.

 

Thick curtains were even drawn up on both sides of the official road, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach.

 

But this time was completely different.

 

The current emperor has a reputation for virtue, and in the eyes of most people, he is also very approachable in his dealings.

 

The Yinchuan Grand Canal is one of Xie Zhaolin’s achievements since ascending the throne, initially built to “connect the north and south, for the convenience of the people.”

 

Therefore, this time, the royal family deliberately did not set up curtains at the ferry port, specifically to share joy with the people.

 

Hearing the news, the surrounding commoners all rushed over, everyone wanting to take this opportunity to catch a glimpse of the emperor and the nobles of the palace.

 

“…Wen Xiansheng, it’s time to board the ship,” a young eunuch said softly outside the carriage.

 

“Alright.” As the words fell, a slender and somewhat pale hand slowly lifted the carriage curtain.

 

Wen Qingci stepped down from the carriage and walked slowly towards the ferry port.

 

Accompanying the emperor on a tour is an extremely solemn affair, and several weeks ago, the palace had someone tailor a ceremonial robe for him.

 

This robe was still moon-white, but the material was different from what Wen Qingci usually wore.

 

As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, the satin robe shimmered with a cold light.

 

It made Wen Qingci’s already delicate and cool features seem even less worldly.

 

Even with a smile on his lips, he still appeared cold and distant.

 

The crowd watching from afar quieted down a bit, and someone, not sure who started it, suddenly threw a bouquet of flowers over.

 

—Although Wen Qingci has a bad reputation, to these commoners, he is more like a character from a storybook.

 

Seeing him descend like a deity, they instantly put those matters out of their minds.

 

What does this mean?

 

Wen Qingci himself was the first to be puzzled.

 

Although it’s said to be “approachable,” the distance from the carriage to the ferry port is only seven or eight steps.

 

But in an instant, the moon-white figure disappeared from everyone’s sight.

 

After Wen Qingci got on the boat, he no longer thought about the ferry. However, Xie Bufeng, who had got on the boat a few steps earlier than him, saw this scene from afar and frowned involuntarily.

 

There was a vague sense of displeasure in the young man’s heart.

 

…

 

This southern tour used a total of sixty huge pleasure boats.

 

As a Hanlin scholar, Wen Qingci naturally boarded the largest one.

 

However, essentially, Wen Qingci is just the emperor’s private secretary, usually not needing to attend court or participate in formal national affairs discussions.

 

After boarding the ship, he temporarily became idle.

 

After a simple stroll on the ship, Wen Qingci returned to his room to read medical books until it was time for the evening banquet.

 

The Pleasure boat built according to the maximum navigation limit of the Yinchuan Grand Canal could accommodate as many as a hundred people in a single banquet hall.

 

The interior is decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, which is very exquisite.

 

Wen Qingci sat down and hadn’t had time to take a closer look around when the banquet began.

 

“…Your Highness really put a lot of thought into this southern tour and made all the arrangements. I, an old minister, am ashamed of myself.”

 

“That’s right!” Another person echoed, “Your Highness is very thoughtful and far superior to his peers!”

 

As the Second Prince, Xie Guanzhi is different from Xie Bufeng in every way, and the emperor can’t really not give him “real work” to do.

 

So, during this southern tour, Xie Guanzhi also took on part of the work.

 

At the banquet, ministers praised Xie Guanzhi with exaggerated tones.

 

Wen Qingci sipped tea while his gaze fell on the emperor.

 

He saw that after hearing the minister’s words, Xie Zhaolin also nodded his head in satisfaction.

 

He looked no different from any father who has expectations for his son.

 

Seeing that the emperor seemed to be in a good mood, the minister who spoke earlier said, “The Second Prince is outstanding, and given time to rotate among the six ministries, he will surely—”

 

He hadn’t finished speaking when the huge pleasure boat suddenly shook, and the rest of his words were blocked by the jolt.

 

It took the older minister a long time to steady himself.

 

“Yes… uh.”

 

Just as he was about to continue, he saw that the emperor had already turned around at some point and started talking to someone beside him.

 

Clearly, Xie Zhaolin was not interested in waiting too long for him.

 

The minister had no choice but to give up and swallow the rest of his words.

 

Everything that just happened seemed very natural.

 

But Wen Qingci, who had been around the emperor for so long, noticed something was off at a glance.

 

—Xie Zhaolin’s fingers were slowly tapping on his knee.

 

This was a small gesture he only made when he had a headache or was impatient.

 

The minister just now was hinting to Xie Zhaolin that it was time to give Xie Guanzhi some real power.

 

Throughout history, there have been few emperors who have not appointed a crown prince at Xie Zhaolin’s age.

 

The court officials couldn’t urge too obviously, so they could only subtly remind him.

 

And the emperor pretended not to hear the implied meaning and pushed the matter away again.

 

The river water gently rocked, and the sound of the waves was incessant.

 

With the sound as a backdrop, the banquet was not quiet from the start.

 

A row of palace maids in green dresses came up, holding thin, lotus-shaped deep porcelain plates, and knelt at the edge of the table.

 

Inside was warm water soaked with flower petals.

 

The Wei Dynasty had the custom of washing hands before a banquet, and it had developed into something even more elegant among the nobility.

 

Xie Bufeng casually lifted his hand.

 

But the next second, he abruptly withdrew it.

 

The palace maid kneeling in front looked up at him, somewhat puzzled.

 

—Before washing his hands, Xie Bufeng carefully removed a milky white cord bracelet from his wrist and placed it on the other side of the table.

 

After ensuring it wouldn’t get wet, he put his hand into the porcelain plate.

 

After washing and carefully drying his hands, he cautiously tied the cord bracelet back on.

 

…It seems the Crown Prince cares a lot about that cord bracelet? But it looks quite ordinary.

 

The palace maid left with full confusion.

 

The banquet hall on the pleasure boat was not large, and even sitting in the corner, Xie Bufeng saw everything happening around the emperor.

 

Xie Zhaolin had not drunk a few cups of wine when another minister came up to praise Xie Guanzhi.

 

Seeing this, Xie Bufeng suddenly sneered.

 

His eyes were full of disdain.

 

“Fools!”』

 

“One by one, only knowing how to annoy me—”

 

The young man slowly turned the teacup in his hand and smiled at the person on the throne.

 

—Xie Zhaolin was clearly very upset inside, but as the “wise ruler,” he could only suppress his anger and nod with a smile.

 

“Haven’t you said enough? I am in my prime, and with a divine physician by my side, why the rush to appoint a crown prince!”

 

Hearing this, the mocking smile in Xie Bufeng’s eyes disappeared.

 

The words “divine physician” made his gaze turn cold in an instant.

 

Finally, the young man picked up his teacup and took a light sip.

 

And used it to cover the complex emotions in his eyes.

 

Perhaps on this painted boat, only Xie Zhaolin himself believes he can live a long life.

 

Xie Bufeng, who spends all day in the Imperial Medical Bureau, is very clear that although Xie Zhaolin’s body seems not bad, it’s all built up by the handfuls of pills and prescriptions Wen Qingci has been giving him recently.

 

It’s just a castle in the air.

 

If one day he truly dies, the court officials will surely push Xie Guanzhi to the throne at the first opportunity.

 

Even Xie Zhaolin, burdened with the reputation of a “wise ruler,” might succumb to the pressure of the court and establish Xie Guanzhi as the Crown Prince.

 

…Xie Bufeng, who is determined to seize power, will not allow such a thing to happen.

 

Sometimes being too wise is not a good thing.

 

For instance, Xie Zhaolin is already frustrated, but not a single person on the pleasure boat noticed his thoughts, continuing to incessantly praise Xie Guanzhi around him.

 

The waves on the Yinchuan Grand Canal are somewhat large, and to ensure the emperor hears him clearly, the speaking minister unconsciously raises his voice.

 

Coincidentally, just as he begins to speak, the sound of the wind and waves outside the boat suddenly diminishes.

 

As a result, the minister’s voice becomes particularly grating: “…From Yongdu to Songxiu Prefecture, this journey passes through several major towns of our dynasty, each with its own climate. The coordination of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation along the way is by no means a simple matter. It’s truly fortunate for the court that the Second Prince has such great ability at such a young age!”

 

“Heh.”

 

The irritable Xie Zhaolin unconsciously looks past the group of officials, who lack any insight, to the corner of the banquet hall, seeking leisure and comfort.

 

He immediately spots Xie Bufeng, the eldest prince, sitting in the corner.

 

Xie Zhaolin had thought that Xie Bufeng, always a thorn in the side, would show a disdainful expression or ignore the words of those people.

 

But the reality is… Xie Bufeng’s gaze fell on Xie Guanzhi’s seat.

 

His look can hardly be called gentle, yet it’s not filled with disdain as Xie Zhaolin imagined.

 

…Xie Bufeng’s expression is excessively calm.

 

So calm that it seems he has already accepted the court official’s words and believes the Second Prince’s succession is only natural.

 

Even Xie Bufeng feels so?

 

Seeing this, an alarm immediately goes off in the emperor’s heart, and his complexion suddenly changes.

 

“Could it be that Xie Guanzhi really has such prestige in the court?”

 

The emperor, who was just a bit annoyed, suddenly feels a surge of panic.

 

…After all, years ago, the emperor himself was “the people’s choice” to ascend to the throne.

 

His inner thoughts do not escape Xie Bufeng’s ears.

 

The youth who enjoyed “teasing dogs” slowly lifted the corners of his lips.

 

The man in bright yellow suddenly got a headache while thinking.

 

“Physician Wen,” the emperor, not knowing where he got it from, swallows a Fuxuan Pill and almost subconsciously looks towards Wen Qingci, asking with a smile, “What do you think, my dear subject?”

 

What does he think?

 

The emperor’s question today is really quite absurd.

 

The main perspective of the novel “Supporting the Ming Hall” focuses on the harem, with not much description of the struggle for succession in the former court.

 

Moreover, the final boss Xie Bufeng relies on a military coup to ascend.

 

Although Wen Qingci doesn’t get much useful information from the original work, this sentence from Xie Zhaolin still puts him on alert.

 

In the original work, the emperor is also a loving father in front of the Second Prince… but didn’t Xie Guanzhi easily die in the palace intrigue later on?

 

From this perspective, the emperor definitely does not have the trust and expectations for his most beloved son that everyone imagines.

 

Even Xie Zhaolin never thought of establishing him as the Crown Prince.

 

The emperor had not directly answered the minister’s words until now.

 

His sudden utterance, unsurprisingly, drew everyone’s attention.

 

The people on the pleasure boat unanimously turned their gaze towards Wen Qingci.

 

He hadn’t expected the emperor to suddenly throw the trouble his way.

 

…Following the ministers’ words to praise Xie Guanzhi would obviously anger the emperor, who would then make things difficult for him.

 

But by now, most people have already gotten used to his role as the “spokesperson.”

 

If he stubbornly sings a different tune from them, it would not only seem overly rigid, but it might also damage the emperor’s reputation as a wise ruler… and might even accidentally expose Xie Zhaolin’s true intentions.

 

At this moment, all Wen Qingci can hear is the sound of the canal waves slapping against the boat.

 

He, who usually doesn’t get seasick, suddenly feels a stabbing pain in his temples.

 

What to do?

 

Wen Qingci tightly grips the medicinal jade on his wrist.

 

Due to the excessive force, his left hand, which was injured a few months ago, suddenly goes numb.

 

The words of the minister just now echo in Wen Qingci’s mind again.

 

—The Second Prince has such great ability at such a young age.

 

Wen Qingci: “…”

 

He slowly releases the medicinal jade in his hand, smiles at the highest-ranking person, and says softly, “I only understand medicine, not how to coordinate a southern tour… However, I believe that not only the Second Prince, but if given the opportunity, the First Prince could also do well.”

 

Wen Qingci’s tone is calm, as if stating a fact.

 

As soon as the imperial physician’s words fall, the minister who had been continuously praising Xie Guanzhi is momentarily stunned, then suddenly agrees, saying: “Yes, yes, yes! What Physician Wen says is true—each of the princes is extraordinary, all possessing great abilities!” His tone is exceptionally sincere,

 

A good father will have a good son. What he said was actually to flatter Xie Zhaolin.

 

And Xie Zhaoqin, sitting in the highest position, also started to smile.

 

If anyone else at the scene, other than Wen Qingci, had said this, they might have been ridiculed for dreaming and wishful thinking.

 

But the imperial physician, who only reads medical books all day and doesn’t understand the coordination of tours, it’s not strange for these words to come out of his mouth so easily.

 

Wen Qingci may have just spoken off the cuff, but his words precisely hit the spot for Xie Zhaolin.

 

Yes, coordinating a southern tour is not a difficult task.

 

Not only can Xie Guanzhi do it, perhaps even that monster can!

 

Seeing the emperor smile, Wen Qingci silently breathes a sigh of relief… It seems he has passed this test.

 

But before he can fully relax, Wen Qingci suddenly feels a bit guilty the next second.

 

Although what he said was the truth hidden in his heart, and even conservatively spoken,

 

But…

 

What kind of person is he?

 

In order to protect himself, he accidentally dragged Xie Bufeng into this vortex.

 

What is this behavior called?

 

Betraying a teammate!

 

Xie Zhaolin is a person with particularly many thoughts.

 

If he ever remembers what he said and starts to trip up Xie Bufeng, then his crimes would probably be multiplied.

 

After the emperor’s attention shifts away, Wen Qingci finally picks up the already cold teacup on the table and drinks it all in one gulp, using the ice water to force himself to calm down.

 

His gaze crosses the crowd and falls on the waves outside the window, appearing calm and profound.

 

Out of place with the entire noisy pleasure boat.

 

Wen Qingci, desperately trying to divert his attention and telling himself not to be nervous, did not dare to look at Xie Bufeng, and thus missed the fleeting astonishment and even confusion in the youth’s eyes.

 

…Can I do it too?

 

Xie Bufeng can’t help but clench his fist.

 

The ministers crowded in the boat verbally agree with Wen Qingci’s words, but not a single one of them thinks so in their hearts.

 

Some even secretly laugh at Wen Qingci for not understanding the affairs of the court.

 

Xie Bufeng lets the words go in one ear and out the other, paying them no mind.

 

His thoughts are consumed by the sentence Wen Qingci had just spoken.

 

It’s not that Wen Qingci didn’t trust him before.

 

But things in the past were different from this.

 

This was an open and honest trust and affirmation, in front of countless court officials… even in front of the emperor.

 

Without a hint of jest.

 

In an instant, Xie Bufeng’s blood seems to boil, churning like hot water.

 

And it takes a long time to settle down.

 

In the latter half of the banquet, Wen Qingci sits as if sleepwalking.

 

The overly narrow cabin is filled with incense, the air hot and suffocating with a choking scent.

 

He can’t help but cough.

 

As soon as the banquet ends, Wen Qingci leaves in a hurry, going against the flow of people towards the open space at the stern of the boat.

 

Although he doesn’t know if others care about what he just said.

 

Wen Qingci, who feels like he has inadvertently sabotaged the protagonist again, grows more fearful the more he thinks about it.

 

He stands at the stern, taking deep breaths, and finally calms down slowly.

 

Unknowingly, night has fallen deep.

 

Moonlight pours over the long canal, wrapping around the earth like a ribbon.

 

The pleasure boat gently rocks, as if stepping on the ribbon towards the moon palace.

 

As the night wind blew, Wen Qingci’s brain finally became a little clearer.

 

The early summer night breeze carries a refreshing coolness.

 

Wen Qingci can’t help but walk a few steps forward, leaning on the railing at the stern, looking down at the canal, as if trying to capture something from the fragmented silver light.

 

After calming down for a while, Wen Qingci notices the full moon hanging behind him.

 

His shadow, elongated by the full moon, falls perfectly on the silver ribbon in the river.

 

Wen Qingci instinctively raises his hand, wanting to shatter the river’s silver light with his shadow.

 

However, just as Wen Qingci lifts his hand, before he can even shake it, his wrist is suddenly grasped by someone in the next second.

 

“What are you doing?!” The youth’s voice, tinged with anger, reaches his ears.

 

Wen Qingci instinctively tries to pull his hand back, but Xie Bufeng’s grip is immovable, like cast iron.

 

Having pretended to be calm for so long, it has become second nature to Wen Qingci.

 

A few seconds later, the physician in moon-white robes slowly turns around, lifting his eyes and smiling at Xie Bufeng, responding lightly, “Just bored, that’s all.”

 

Wen Qingci is truly speaking the truth this time.

 

But he didn’t know that he looked like he was about to fall into the water with the moonlight the next moment…

 

Or as if he’s trying to reach out and shatter this illusory reflection of the moon on the water.

 

Such behavior would be described as “odd” in others.

 

But on him, it seems as if he might ascend to immortality in the next moment, ethereal and beautiful.

 

So much so that the moment Xie Bufeng saw this, his heart suddenly felt empty.

 

Xie Bufeng finally lowered the arm he had been holding up.

 

But he still doesn’t let go of Wen Qingci’s hand.

 

Not until the person opposite him speaks up, “Your Highness?”

 

Xie Bufeng then slowly turns away, releasing Wen Qingci’s reddened right hand, looking into Wen Qingci’s dark eyes, half-hidden by his eyelashes.

 

Vaguely realizing his good intentions, yet unsure how to face this unfamiliar kindness, Xie Bufeng fell silent for a long while, finally dropping the words, “Your life does not belong to just you,” before leaving without looking back.