Chapter 102: Palace Banquet

Chen Qing Xu muttered, “Impossible, then it is the blood?… Did I make an error in my assessment?”

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      When Gu Yun was still in the Northwest Frontier at the beginning of the year, the whole country of Great Liang was engulfed in gloomy clouds, on the verge of losing at any moment.

      But this year, the whole country was reborn with incredible vitality. Even though grand banquets and dancing of the past could no longer be seen, the children queuing on the streets to buy candy have put on their new clothes one after another. During the day, the sound of firecrackers could sometimes be heard, each and every family were also busy preparing the New Year’s goods.

      The collapsed city wall was rebuilt again, and the anti air net on Qi Ming Altar broadened its stern sight. The Baihong bows and silent iron puppets on the wall watched the unexpected visitors enter the city. The Northern Camp accompanied them stopped outside the Nine Gates in a clean and orderly manner. The absolute silence seemed to be the essence, vitality, and spirit that had been honed through blood and fire.

      With this year’s many ups and downs, only counting the merit of bringing the country back to life alone, in the future, history books would not lack Yan Wang‘s name.

      The Third Barbarian Prince’s carriage drove slowly through the long street. The cold wind raised the corner of the curtain, revealing a thin and pale face, but a hand immediately pulled the curtain down and blocked both sides from peeping.

      At this time, Gu Yun was sitting in casual clothing on the Wangnan Tower, with a liuli glass on his nose — it was not the one he usually used for emergency when blinded, but a kind of Qian Li Yan for long-distance targeting on the battlefield.

      Chang Geng and Shen Yi were all present. A moment later, the door was pushed open and a figure flashed in. It was Cao Chun Hua who had disappeared into mystery since Jiangbei.

      Cao Chun Hua entered the room and paid simple courtesy then sat down. “I’m thirsty to death.”

      Chang Geng was accustomed to it, carrying a large bowl and filling it with wine. Cao Chun Hua took it without blushing or panting and drank it dry. If someone did not know, they would have thought he was drinking cold water. Gu Yun, a drunkard, stared with wide eyes and felt like he had met a wine bottle in a human shape.

      “Another bowl,” Cao Chun Hua sighed comfortably. “I have been traveling back to the North since I separated from Marshal at the capital city… there were wind, snow, and rain on the journey, I have endured plenty.”

      Cao Chun Hua had possessed great talent in disguise since he was a child, learning foreign languages by ears, taking only half a month to be fluent. He was sent by Chang Geng to the border of Northern Frontier for a long time to keep watch, only when he needed a perfect double to travel to Jiangbei for investigation did he call him back.

      Cao Chun Hua took the second bowl of wine and threw a flirtatious eye at Gu Yun who looked as if he was craving for wine, and successfully evoked Gu Yun’s unforgettable memory of ‘this man who was twisting his waist and hip while wearing Chang Geng’s face’.

      Gu Yun silently patted off the goosebumps on his body and turned his eyes away with an ashen face.

      Chang Geng: “How did you become this worn down?”

   “Don’t mention it anymore, counting all the male and female slaves, they are a team of elite. I can’t get close to them within a mile, I have to follow after them by groveling on the ground again and again.”

      Cao Chun Hua said softly and delicately with a flowery voice, “To tell the gentlemen the truth, when I was in Northern Frontier, I once sneaked into the rank of Jia Lai Ying Huo’s guards, even pretended to be the female slave the Second Prince favored the most, swayed around in front of him for a day and a night without being discovered, but for more than a year, I could never approach the Third Prince, even his appearance could not be seen.”

      Chang Geng asked, “Can’t even take a look from the distance when he travels?”

      “He never goes out at all. The Eighteen Tribes said that the Third Prince is gravely ill and could not go out to the wind,” Cao Chun Hua sighed. “Aside from Jia Lai Ying Huo himself, others could not even see a hair of him. The Third Prince is a taboo topic of the Eighteen Tribes. He lived inside three layers of guards. I tried to mix into the outer layer, it was successful, but the second layer is already no good, the people inside resembled iron puppets, they do not communicate, but they are all top tier masters and even suicide soldiers to boost. I tried several ways, but it was all for naught, even almost alerting them. I had to retreat first. Did Your Highness see the envoy accompanying them?”

      Everyone looked towards the direction where Cao Chun Hua’s chopsticks were pointed, just to see a middle-aged man turn around and speak to a guard. He was ordinary in appearance, but there was a vague unspeakable aura on his body, as robust and sturdy as a mountain.

      Cao Chun Hua: “That man is the guard captain of Jia Lai and one of his most important confidants, very powerful. I will not recognize the wrong person.”

      Several of the people present were surprised.

      Shen Yi frowned and said, “If that’s the case, General Cai’s news is not necessarily accurate. The usurper of the throne may be only the barbarians putting on a play of disorder to show us. Perhaps the hostage they sent this time was intending to use a vile trick.”

      Gu Yun did not say a word. Suddenly, he felt very uneasy.

      In the ongoing war between the two countries, it was conceivable that the arrival of this group of hostage and envoys would not receive any courtesy. The Third Prince and his party did not even have one decent person to welcome them. Li Feng’s instructions to Hongqi Temple were ‘act depending on the situation’. The officer of Hongqi Temple really understood the meaning of the ruler and placed the barbarian hostage in an envoy’s post and left them be. On the day of residence, the city’s internal defense was renewed. The newly formed Imperial Army surrounded the post station by three layers inside and outside, changing shifts half an hour and patrolling twelve times a day, regardless of day or night.

      Everything seemed unusual in those two days. First came a strange and mysterious hostage of the barbarians, then Chang Geng became seriously ill at an unusual time, contracting a high fever with just a bit of cold wind from sitting on Wangnan tower.

      Chang Geng practiced martial arts all year round and was very good at maintaining good health. He was in his twenties, logically, even if the wind was any stronger, it would not be able to affect him. But no one knew what was going on that day, his fever was fierce. When Gu Yun rushed back from the Northern Camp in the middle of the night, Chang Geng had already taken the medicine and went to rest, his cheeks were burning red from the fever.

      Gu Yun checked his forehead and laid down on one side still in his full clothes. Whether he returned home or not, Chang Geng always occupied only half of the bed, and even with the disturbing nightmares, his sleeping posture was very orderly and he never rolled around.

  Afraid that Chang Geng’s fever would burn higher at night, Gu Yun did not dare fall into a deep sleep, he woke up immediately whenever the person on the next pillow moved, when he reached out and checked, he found that Chang Geng’s body was as hot as charcoal, his breathing was also erratic.

      Chang Geng being disturbed by nightmares was a normal occurrence. Gu Yun was used to them. Most of the time, Chang Geng himself would calm down as long as he reached out and held him for a little comfort. But this evening, it was probably due to illness, Chang Geng’s face suddenly appeared painful. Instinctively, he grasped Gu Yun’s wrist and closed his fingers tightly. He involuntarily let out a grunt, unable to wake up no matter how he was called.

      Gu Yun had to reach out and take a silver needle from the small medicine bag at the head of the bed. He pressed Chang Geng down and pinch him gently on his wrist.

      Chang Geng shivered then woke up.

      Gu Yun’s pupil shrank slightly — double pupils.

      However, compared with the chaos of the last Bone of Impurity attack, Chang Geng obviously restrained himself a lot more, there was no frantic movement. He only looked at Gu Yun in a daze, the rims of his eyes were slightly red.

      Gu Yun called out to him nervously “Chang Geng, do you still recognize me?”

      Chang Geng blinked quickly, a drop of cold sweat rolled down his eyelashes. He said in a hoarse voice, “How come…you are back?”

      During this sentence, the pupils in his eyes slowly merged into one and the red mark gradually disappeared, as if everything was only Gu Yun’s imagination. Gu Yun kissed him, wiped his sweat and coaxed him back to sleep. In the end, he was still not at ease. The next morning, he sent someone to the palace to take a sick leave and went to find Chen Qing Xu.

      “It’s alright,” said Miss Chen after the check up, she diagnosed, “His Highness is in good health, but the weather has changed a little recently, he only caught a bit of cold wind. It will be alright after taking the medicine.”

      Chang Geng laughed and said, “I said so as well, but he didn’t believe me and also made a fuss about it, troubling Miss Chen for a trip here.”

      Although Miss Chen was polite as usual, she truly didn’t want to look at the triumphant expression of His Highness Yan Wang any longer. Even a bride who had just given birth to her first child would not be as happy as he was.

      Miss Chen could no longer bear it and bid farewell to the two, Gu Yun personally saw her off. As they passed the cold corridor of the manor, Gu Yun suddenly whispered, “The reason I invited Miss Chen here today was not to check a cold. When he had a high fever last night, his double pupils suddenly reappeared, I’m not feeling very reassured.”

      Chen Qing Xu immediately turned serious and frowned, “Marquis, please tell me more in details.”

      Gu Yun described the scene of the sudden attack then immediately sobering up of Chang Geng and asked, “What do you think about this situation?”

      After listening, Chen Qing Xu was silent for a long time. Her eyes lowered slightly, she seemed to be carefully recalling the pulse she had taken just now. When Gu Yun grew nervous waiting, she said, “His Highness has strong mentality, truly inspiring admiration in others.”

      Gu Yun immediately responded, “You mean that his usual sanity was due to him using his will to suppress it, and yesterday, due to the fever that caused him to be confused, it was momentarily revealed?”

Chen Qing Xu nodded: “His Highness was tormented by the Bone of Impurity from childhood. He should have been used to it. Even when he falls asleep, he still keeps a little consciousness. I just worry that…he is young, strong and energetic now, if he were to grow weak from old age in the future, will he still have this kind of mental strength?”

      Gu Yun, however, thought of something and asked in return, “According to you, if he were to get sick, injured, or get to drinking something that muddle his mind, it will always lead to this scenario?”

      Chen Qing Xu: “That is the case according to logic, it depends on whether the situation is serious or not.”

      “But there is one thing I don’t quite understand,” Gu Yun said. “A while ago, he was injured in Jiangbei, it was me who went to pick him up. At that time, because of the excessive blood loss from the wound, he was in a coma for a whole day and night, but during this period, he was very stable. Not only did he not have an attack, but he seemed to have no symptoms of waking up from nightmares.”

      Chen Qing Xu was suddenly stunned.

      Gu Yun: “Miss Chen?”

      Chen Qing Xu muttered, “Impossible, then it is the blood?… Did I make an error in my assessment?”

      Gu Yun was frightened.

      Chen Qing Xu did not explain anything. She turned around and left without saying a word.

      Gu Yun: “Hey… Miss Chen…”

      “Let me think about it.” Chen Qing Xu left this sentence and drifted away with her feet not touching the ground. In a blink of an eye, she was already a few feet away and disappeared in a flash.

      Shen Yi, who happened to be visiting, was bad-mouthing about Gu Yun to Huo Dan, all the way from the gate, he had not stopped to take a breather. Commander Huo was dejected, not knowing what method he should use to get rid of this man. Before he could think of anything, Shen Yi shut up without warning.

      As soon as Huo Dan looked up, he saw a ghostly white shadow sweeping by in front of his eyes. General Shen resembled a wooden board standing on top of the heaven and earth, saving his words like saving gold in the midst of nervousness: “Miss Chen.”

      Chen Qing Xu already did not speak much, and likewise, she returned, “General Shen.”

      After greeting each other, the two stared at one another for a long time, Shen Yi realized that he was blocking the way and retreated to one side in panic: “Miss Chen please!”

      Chen Qing Xu originally thought he had something to say, she gave him a confused look and then blew away like a storm.

      Commander Huo pulled his ears and led the suddenly muted General Shen to Gu Yun.

      Gu Yun made a sound in response and changed an ice bag for Chang Geng, making the other’s face twist from the cold, he then went out to meet the visitor: “What’s the matter?”

      Shen Yi had not yet recovered from his mute meditation and looked silently at Gu Yun as his soul travelled far.

      Gu Yun was very surprised, he turned to Huo Dan and asked, “What’s wrong with him?”

      Huo Dan speculated, “Suddenly can’t speak anymore. Maybe Doctor Chen had given him mute drugs.”

      Shen Yi’s visit to Gu Yun was actually due to business.

      Shen Yi: “The Emperor has been giving the cold shoulder to the Barbarian envoys for several days. He intends to meet them at this year’s Palace Banquet and display our might. But the Barbarian witchcraft is very powerful. He is afraid that there are still some remnants left by the Barbarian women that year that had not been cleaned up. In order to prevent the scenario of the rebellion of the Imperial Army on Qi Ming altar happening for the second time, the defense of the palace is carried out by the Northern Camp, the inner guard and the newly formed Royal Army, jointly responsible for and mutually restraining each other. The Marshal was invited to personally oversee this.”

      Gu Yun nodded. He understood that Li Feng was once bitten, twice shy.

      This year’s Palace Banquet was grand and almost wasteful, the intention of demonstrating their power was clear. The guards were strictly keeping watch on both sides. All the generals doned armour and swords, separated on both sides. Even their own people thought they had entered the Hong Men banquet* as they entered.

*refers to a historical event in 206 BC where the future Han Emperor Liu Bang was attempted to be murdered by his rival Xiang Yu in a banquet at Hongmen

      Gu Yun also saw for the first time the legendary Third Barbarian Prince that could be blown to death by a gust of wind.

      The boy was at the age of fourteen or fifteen, his appearance was very delicate, but his face was pale and his complexion was dull. He never looked up. He had to follow the reminders of the servants in everything he did. As if he could not walk well, he was led to see the Emperor before the imperial court.

      The envoy said to Li Feng, “Emperor of Great Liang please pardon the Third Prince who was naturally born weak, if there are any disrespectful actions during the feast, please forgive him for being only a child.”

      Li Feng waved his hand to allow them to be at ease, but the teenager turned a deaf ear, it was clear he could not understand Mandarin.

      The envoy bent down, whispered and coaxed in his ear, yet the Third Prince’s blank face remained, in the end he was held up by the envoy, half-supported and half-dragged to sit at the banquet table.

      Gu Yun’s ear was very sharp, and he could hear someone commented beside him: “Could it be that this Third Prince is an idiot?”

      What did Jia Lai Ying Huo mean by sending his idiot son to the capital as a hostage?

      Gu Yun and Shen Yi who were not far from each other exchanged a look. Their expressions turned grave. He wondered if he thought too much, but Gu Yun always felt that there was something about the young man that evoked chill in him.

      Just then, the display of politeness between Li Feng and the barbarians came to an end. The Barbarian envoy suddenly deliberately or unconsciously mentioned: “Before coming here from my home country, I had heard that under the Emperor of Great Liang, there were two people who one must meet no matter what. One was Marquis Gu, an invincible hero, I was lucky to have met with him here today, but there was another…it seemed he is not present in this banquet?”

      Li Feng: “I am unsure who the envoy is referring to?”

      The Man envoy laughed and said, “It is the young leader of six ministries in your court, His Highness Yan Wang, this man still has a lot of links with our tribes.”

      The corners of Gu Yun’s eyes slightly twitched.

      Li Feng swept a glance around and found that Chang Geng was absent, he asked the servants, “Where’s A Min?”