Chapter 51: The Visitor (II)

Le Wuya was speechless for a long moment, and his final reaction could only be described as downright rude: "...You?"

Xiang Zhijie said gently, "It's me."

Le Wuya: Whoa.

He, a mere county magistrate, had left the Sixth Prince cooling his heels in the inn for four or five days. It was truly a capital offense.

Since it was already a capital offense, a few more wouldn't hurt.

Le Wuya looked him up and down, and the more he pondered, the more intrigued he became.

Unlike the last time when he was dressed in bold, striking colors, today he wore a plain blue robe with a blue jade crown, appearing elegant and understated. Yet there was a touch of vermilion on his lips, which, in contrast, made his brows and eyes seem even more strikingly handsome.

Interestingly, even though he was alone in his room late at night, he had still gussied himself up like this. It seemed time had changed even the simple, unadorned Xiaoliu into someone who cared about looking good.

Le Wuya enjoyed the view, and his hunger also growled.

He sat down at the table, setting aside the flat round wooden lunchbox he had brought with him, and slowly edged closer to the steaming crispy cakes.

Le Wuya asked, "Why the sudden trip to Nanting?"

Xiang Zhijie replied gently, "I heard that Magistrate Wenren wanted a portrait of me. My fifth brother, out of kindness, invited a famous painter to paint one overnight. I had intended to ask Jiang He to deliver it, but I felt the painting wasn't quite good enough, so I decided to come in person. If Magistrate Wenren has any instructions, you need only look at me."

Le Wuya chuckled inwardly:

Not bad. The boy is no fool; he comes out ahead either way.

Before he could speak, Xiang Zhijie said softly, "All of that was just an excuse."

He looked at Le Wuya: "I missed Nanting."

Le Wuya's heart gave a sudden thump.

Before he could fully digest that, Xiang Zhijie pointed at the table: "I tried those crispy cakes once in Nanting County and have been craving them ever since. On this trip, I thought I'd take some back for the people in my household."

Le Wuya: "..."

He let out a silent sigh of relief, but inexplicably felt his teeth itch, as if he wanted to take a bite out of him out of pure craving.

Since Xiang Zhijie had brought up the crispy cakes, and Le Wuya was hungry, he dug in without a second thought, sending crumbs flying across the table, not giving a damn about manners.

Xiaoliu never called him out on it; he just quietly watched him eat and drink, and when Le Wuya felt parched, he promptly slid a white jade teapot his way.

...It was rose sweet tea, with extra rock sugar, perfectly to Le Wuya's taste.

Xiang Zhijie was as considerate as ever in his dealings with others.

He maintained a respectful attitude as if toward a teacher, but never discussed the past or talked about old times, always calling him "Magistrate Wenren."

"Magistrate Wenren, the incense you sent was much appreciated by my mother," Xiang Zhijie said. "I came to get some more for her."

Le Wuya noticed the sandalwood bead bracelet on his wrist.

As he drew closer, Le Wuya could smell a faint blend of sandalwood and citrus on him, like it had soaked into his bones.

Curious, he asked, "Does the Sixth Prince also practice Daoism?"

"Occasionally."

"Do you actually believe it?"

"Yes." Xiang Zhijie fingered a Daoist bead with one hand and said seriously, "It helped me fulfill a great wish, so of course I believe."

Le Wuya's heart jumped again, remembering that Little Phoenix had said it was he and Xiaoliu who went to the Daoist sect to pray for his life.

Even though he knew, Le Wuya pretended not to know, teasing him, "You only believe after your wish is granted? How transactional."

Xiang Zhijie gave a wry smile and shook his head, holding the Daoist beads, and said gently, "Daoism speaks of the twelve links of dependent origination. This string has twelve beads, meaning fate is in your own hands."

"I don't believe in predestined fate; I only believe that people make things happen."

Ignorance, action, consciousness, name and form, the six sense bases, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, becoming, birth, old age and death.

Xiang Zhijie's thumb rested on the "craving" bead, slowly rubbing it between his fingers.

Le Wuya, with a cake in his mouth, narrowed his eyes slightly.

Those words were loaded.

"Daoism advocates for leaving the world behind, yet everything you say, Sixth Prince, is about being in the world. Isn't that contradictory?"

Xiang Zhijie said, "Leaving the world behind and being in the world are merely simple distinctions made by Confucianism and Daoism."

Le Wuya propped his chin on his hand: "Oh?"

"Laozi said, 'The Dao' has no form or image; it is a certain way the universe works."

Xiang Zhijie explained eloquently: "Then why can't my Dao be a person?"

"If I care about someone, and regard them as the law of my universe, able to accompany each other like the sun and moon, walking together side by side, how's that not a true achievement?"

Le Wuya raised an eyebrow.

He remembered that as a child, Xiaoliu loved to look at the stars. Now, grown up, he had become even more ambitious and was thinking about reaching for the moon.

Seeing Le Wuya lost in thought, Xiang Zhijie added, "Also, I follow the Celestial Masters school."

Le Wuya did not quite understand: "What?"

He explained seriously, "The one that allows marriage. Similarly, the Quanzhen sect doesn't allow marriage."

Le Wuya: "..."

Le Wuya: "Then, are you married?"

A blush spread across the Sixth Prince's face as his thumb kept rolling over the "craving" bead: "...Not yet."

Le Wuya thought, You haven't even got a wife in sight, yet you're planning way ahead.

Le Wuya was not stupid.

He could guess who the person he wanted to "seek" was.

But why him, of all people?

Ever since Le Wuya was reborn, nothing much seemed to have changed.

The officialdom remained the same, the emperor remained the same.

Little Seven was still sharp-tongued, Little Phoenix still willful, Jiang He still dull-witted, and even Wenren Yue, who was always by his side, was an honest man who inspired no caution.

Only Xiao Liu was an exception, far removed from the well-behaved child in his memory.

On the one hand, he treated him well, and on the other...

It seemed he was still treating him well.

But Le Wuya had learned early on that no one in the world would treat him well without reason.

Such kindness forced him to remain vigilant.

"These days, the Sixth Prince has sent letters, given silver, invited physicians—his sincerity truly moves me, a humble official."

Le Wuya stared steadily into his eyes and probed, "Your Highness, I am now merely a lowly Magistrate of Nanting, of humble birth and unremarkable achievements. Unless something unexpected happens, I will remain a minor official for life. If you honor me so, are you not afraid of being mistaken?"

The room fell silent for a moment.

They faced each other across the table when a gust of night wind, carrying the dampness of the season, swept in from the window, startling the candle flame and the pair of shadows before them.

Faint spring thunder rolled outside, rumbling like a multitude of carts passing by.

The light in the room flickered suddenly, and half of Le Wuya's face plunged into darkness, as if he might vanish on the wind.

The Sixth Prince gasped sharply, reaching out in the darkness to seize Le Wuya's wrist tightly.

Le Wuya let out a sharp hiss.

—It hurt.

Sensing his reaction to the pain, the Sixth Prince eased his grip but did not withdraw his hand.

He had dreamed of this scene too many times.

Every time, he tried to grab hold of his teacher, but could never hold on.

Now that he had caught him, he did not want to let go.

Le Wuya did not immediately shake off the Sixth Prince's hand either.

Xiao Liu's palm was dry and warm, appearing calm, but Le Wuya could faintly feel his pulse racing wildly.

But before he could confirm it, Xiang Zhijie released his hand, stood up, and closed the window.

"It's going to rain." Catching the earthy scent of rain in the wind, Xiang Zhijie turned back and said, "Magistrate Wenren, please take your leave."

Le Wuya: "..." Oh.

He had failed to extract a solid answer as to "why he was being treated well." He had lost.

Yet, before Le Wuya could feel disheartened, he turned and saw Xiang Zhijie already holding an oil-paper umbrella, waiting at the door.

Xiang Zhijie said, "I'll see you out."

Le Wuya had not brought an umbrella when he came out. Seeing Xiang Zhijie's thoughtful gesture, he naturally had no reason to refuse.

Seeing Le Wuya about to leave empty-handed, leaving the flat round food container on the table, the Sixth Prince's curiosity was piqued: "Magistrate Wenren, what is that?"

"A gift for the Sixth Prince." Le Wuya looked out at the pitch-black sky. "You can look at it when you return."

Xiang Zhijie pursed his lips slightly at the food container and finally decided to see Le Wuya out first.

If he delayed any longer, the rain would fall and let him catch a chill, that would be bad.

This proved to be a wise decision.

Halfway there, a spring drizzle began to fall.

Fortunately, the rumbling spring thunder had given warning, and since it was deep into the night, those at home stayed home, and those on the road hurried along. No one noticed the unusual sight of the Imperial Commissioner holding an umbrella over the county magistrate while they walked.

With nothing else to do, Le Wuya naturally brought up his gift: "After asking for your portrait, I originally wanted to carve an ice sculpture of Your Highness. But later, I thought better of it."

Xiang Zhijie tilted his head and gave him a rather disapproving look.

That wouldn't do.

Too tiring, too cold.

But his expression still darkened momentarily with disappointment.

He lowered his eyelids, barely covering with his long lashes the disappointment that threatened to spill from his eyes.

Le Wuya pretended not to notice, adding, "There is someone in the world who looks too closely like you, and I feared mistaking you for him. After much thought, I decided it's best to give Your Highness a unique gift."

The Sixth Prince paused mid-step, almost making Le Wuya step into the rain.

Luckily, the Sixth Prince reacted quickly and caught up, softly replying, "Mm."

"This gift was made in my spare time over the past few days. I wonder if it can earn me a sincere word from Your Highness?" Le Wuya still remembered his purpose. "Why does Your Highness treat me so well? Are you not afraid that I am an ingrate who will turn arrogant once I achieve my ambitions?"

Xiang Zhijie looked at him and smiled slightly.

Becoming arrogant from being favored was inevitable.

Even if he turned arrogant, that was fine.

Whether arrogant or humble, he was still his teacher.

He didn't care.

Xiang Zhijie held the umbrella in one hand and the prayer beads in the other, walked slowly and spoke slowly:

"Magistrate Wenren, your future is limitless. Do not sell yourself short."

"Your solving of Scholar Ming's rebellion case has already caught the attention of the Ministry of Personnel. Now you are promoting agriculture, building irrigation systems, and constructing roads and bridges. If you achieve results, a path of promotion will open for you. When that time comes, I only hope you will help me in serving the Fifth Prince and become a capable and upright official, one worthy of your talents, and live out this life well."

Le Wuya's heart finally settled.

Just as he thought!

Whenever someone wanted to be good to him, they intended to use him for some purpose.

The Sixth Prince knew his abilities, so he kept showing him kindness to earn his steadfast loyalty.

Whether it was truly as he said—to have him assist the Fifth Prince—or for some other purpose, in any case, Le Wuya had been given a calming reassurance. All his worries and unease evaporated into thin air.

Seeing his relieved expression, the Sixth Prince's heart settled as well.

With that said, he could probably feel at ease.

Le Wuya's mood relaxed, and he perked up, stepping forward through the sound of rain, and soon saw the red lanterns swaying in the wind and rain at the entrance of the government office.

At this moment, Le Wuya could no longer suppress his mischievousness and curiosity, and without further ado, he bent over and pressed his ear against Sixth Prince's chest.

Xiang Zhijie's limbs stiffened and then went weak, holding the oil-paper umbrella high, not knowing what to do.

After listening for a short while, Le Wuya straightened up and announced triumphantly, "I didn't mishear. His heart is indeed beating very fast."

Le Wuya has always believed in repaying kindness with kindness and repaying grievances.

The Sixth Prince has been showing him kindness for no reason recently, keeping his own heart in suspense for so long; it's time for the prince to feel a little suspense himself.

Let him ponder that!

However, to Le Wuya's slight disappointment, Xiaoliu remained as steady as a rock, neither blushing like Little Phoenix nor stamping his feet like Xiao Qi.

He was still himself, showing no reaction to his own rash behavior.

He gauged the distance and stopped under the rain-sheltering eave thirty feet from the office entrance, bidding farewell to Le Wuya.

Since both were aware of each other's identities, there was no need for idle formalities.

Seeing Le Wuya enter the government office, the Sixth Prince turned abruptly and hurried back to the post station.

He could finally open his gift.

Lying among the clear crushed ice was a string of twelve ice-carved Taoist beads.

This string of beads was identical to the sandalwood Taoist beads on his wrist, even the tassels were the same shade of crimson.

He didn't know how his teacher had seen the bracelet on his wrist during their last meeting.

Xiang Zhijie stared at the Taoist beads for a moment, then closed the lid.

He calmly summoned the postmaster, asking him to bring an ice chest and to have plenty of ice chopped.

Then, following Imperial Consort Zhuang’s usual instruction, he lit three incense sticks, knelt on the meditation cushion, and faced the bracelet placed in the ice chest, trying to calm his mind and offer a prayer.

But it didn't work.

The warmth of Le Wuya's cheek still lingered against his chest.

Before his eyes lay the beads that Le Wuya himself had carved.

Outside the window, the spring rain was falling heavily, pattering on the window frame.

Amid the wind and rain, beneath the facade of this modest gentleman, there was rampant desire and molten magma.

Xiang Zhijie lowered his head, pressing his index finger firmly against the bead marked "Take", with sweat beading on his forehead and the tip of his nose.

Drop by drop, they fell before the cushion.

"Teacher," he called softly, "...Teacher."