TBR CH276: Extra

“Soon it will be the state banquet,” Chu Huaicun said. “You can eat whatever you want.”

The Black Book almost couldn’t suppress its excitement. This was definitely the friendliest, most generous, and most polite thing anyone had said to it since it started looking for people to eat with.

The former Prime Minister Chu, now the Emperor, sat in the palace, patiently listening to it finish its story, his fingertips still resting on the hilt of a sword as cold and bright as a mirror. His sharp and imposing aura had not diminished, but he had also gained a certain solemn and authoritative air. A nine-dragon crest glared angrily from his robe, like a tamed beast at his fingertips.

He stared thoughtfully at the blade in his hand, then gently put it down.

This divine weapon was thus placed on the imperial desk where the emperor reviewed memorials, its cold temperament somewhat out of place here.

Chu Huaicun pressed his forehead. “It just so happens that you are a good omen. I also wanted to ask you for a favor.”

What else could the emperor need help with?

“How about this? When the celebration begins, you fly around Yuan Ya a few times, so that all the officials can see,” Chu Huaicun said in a low voice. “The more open and aboveboard, the more ostentatious the better. In short, I want everyone to think that Yuan Ya is an immortal on earth, deeply favored by heaven, and closely related to the fate of the country…”

His words were interrupted by footsteps.

“Is Your Majesty talking about me?”

It was already late at night. The attendant outside the door only had time to announce, “Prime Minister Ji, please wait while I announce you to His Majesty—please, slow down—”

The Black Book hadn’t had time to recover from the emperor’s absurd request when it was suddenly pressed down. The emperor winked at it, his dark pupils reflecting the light of the sword, as bright as a mirror. He placed a finger to his lips, making a shushing gesture: “Keep it a secret.”

…Wait, had it agreed?

Ji Ying, in a deep purple official robe, stepped over the threshold and lifted the door curtain, walking straight in.

Obviously, in any worldview, a prime minister acting like Ji Ying was too ostentatious and likely to arouse jealousy. No emperor would allow the peak of power by his side to act so willfully, rushing directly into the nine-layered palace late at night without any announcement, and without any obstruction.

Any emperor seeing this scene would be unable to sit still, and Chu Huaicun was of course no exception.

He suddenly stood up from the dragon throne.

“The night is deep and the dew is heavy. You are dressed too thinly.”

The emperor took off his own outer robe and draped it over the shoulders of the prime minister who had come treading on a thin layer of dew under the moon. He then touched his cold hands and said with some reproach, “Yuan Ya, your body needs to be cared for. You should be more careful.”

“This is the dragon robe,” Ji Ying blinked, his gaze unable to help but glance at the sword and the Black Book on the table. “I am truly unworthy… Does Your Majesty have a guest? I thought I heard someone speaking just now.”

The Black Book symbolically flipped its own pages.

“It is the good omen from the year Your Majesty ascended the throne,” Ji Ying understood.

Since it wasn’t an outsider, the rebellious Prime Minister Ji became even more rebellious.

While saying that he was unworthy and felt ashamed, he wrapped the outer robe tighter and took a deep breath. The room was the residence of the Son of Heaven, filled with the fragrance of royal incense, yet this dragon robe was stained with a cold aura.

Even after becoming the current Emperor Chu, Chu Huaicun’s cold sword aura had not dissipated.

The sword would not harm him.

He leaned down, his fingers passing over the blade, and pulled out the memorial underneath. “Someone has impeached me again—let me see what they have to say?”

As he read, his eyes narrowed. “Insubordination, arrogance due to merit, contempt for imperial power… what fine writing, Your Majesty. It seems that if this Ji is not removed, the state will not be at peace… Hmm, but why is it also written here that he fawns on his superiors and bullies his subordinates, curries favor, disregards etiquette, and offers pleasure…”

Ji Ying’s voice suddenly stopped.

He casually scanned further, and the descriptions became more and more unbearable, even to the point of being offensive to the ears.

“—What kind of people are the advisors in the Duke’s residence, and what kind of memorial did they present on his behalf?”

For the former Grand Duke Lin, who had been famous throughout the world, reading this memorial was truly a challenge.

Ji Ying casually closed the memorial. He didn’t seem angry at all, but rather found it very interesting.

That pair of smiling eyes looked over. “It seems this Ji has truly become a calamitous and nation-ruining concubine, and not a very chaste one at that. Your Majesty must not be deceived by such a petty person, and should deal with it impartially.”

He said the words “calamitous concubine” very lightly, but his enunciation was very clear.

Chu Huaicun wrapped his arm around his waist. If this person were to be called a calamitous concubine, his flesh and bones were a bit too thin. It was only after these few years of proper care that he didn’t immediately feel heartache when he touched him. Being teased like this by Ji Ying, the emperor who ruled the world did indeed feel his anger slowly dissipate.

It was indeed a bit outrageous… It was more like a fledgling swordsman from the jianghu, who had even picked up his sword.

Chu Huaicun objectively and justly reviewed it, then took the person’s hand and asked, “How should we deal with it?”

“That, of course, must be punished heavily,” Ji Ying was a little surprised that he would still cooperate with him to continue such an outrageous topic. He thought for a moment, dragging out the end of his words, “As for what to punish, it’s all up to Your Majesty’s pleasure.”

His eyes stared at him.

Having been a blood-soaked emperor for so many years, this person did indeed have a certain air of肃杀 about him. His dark hair was mixed with the scent of frost and snow, his hair crown pressing down heavily. A lock of hair fell down his temple, not disturbing the focus in his eyes in the slightest.

The words he said were too easy to provoke bad associations, and various images couldn’t help but flash through Lord Ji’s mind.

Although the words came from his own mouth, the tips of his ears also slowly turned red. Because no matter what, he was stained with the outside warmth, and was held by the other hand of His Majesty the Emperor, who had calluses from practicing the sword for many years. He stared at him intently for a few seconds, then turned his head and said sullenly, “I am not happy.”

…

Ji Ying’s pupils shrank slightly, and then he heard him say in a low voice, “Don’t call me Your Majesty.”

The all-powerful Prime Minister Ji finally began to self-censure: What kind of dirty things was he usually thinking about?

Right.

How could Chu Huaicun be such an outrageous person? When he came in, treading on the wind and snow outside, the first thing he saw was a shining sword.

He still had the temper of a young swordsman. When he was unhappy, he would place his sharpened weapon by his side. If he were still Prime Minister Chu, and showed such an expression at a banquet, people would be vying to kill for him—but now, the once supreme and powerful minister Chu Huaicun had become the new dynasty’s His Majesty. The only one who could see this expression was himself.

…Perhaps he should also count the black book on the table here that was playing dead.

It should be able to both hear and see, right? Although he had once been unable to see the writing on the pages, today when he walked in, he could already see the ink marks left on the white paper. The ink marks vaguely spelled out a few familiar words.

As he thought, Ji Ying’s expression softened a lot, and his originally frivolous smile also turned into a slight sigh: “You’re already Your Majesty, and you still need to be coaxed.”

He weighed it and found that he probably couldn’t pull his hand out of Chu Huaicun’s fingers. He had to use his arm to support himself and move in his direction, until the outer robe that had just been draped over his shoulder slipped off, and his breath mingled with the other’s. The new emperor still didn’t look at him, until he said softly and slowly in his ear, “Huaicun… Huaicun. I have it under control. Don’t worry.”

That pair of eyes as bright as a sword’s edge finally turned to him.

“In the struggle for the throne back then, the old noble families like the Duke’s residence temporarily withdrew their fangs, but it was just to recuperate and wait for another day to rise again. Unfortunately, you didn’t give them this opportunity. In these few years, as the situation has stabilized and the country is prosperous and the people are at peace, the meritorious officials who should have been rewarded have also been enfeoffed one after another. They naturally couldn’t sit still. But Huaicun, you are almost invulnerable to them. They have always been afraid of you, just as they were afraid of Prime Minister Chu back then.”

Ji Ying paused. “But I am different. Since ancient times, have there been few examples of rulers and ministers turning against each other? Why is it that my Ji family can be favored by the emperor in two dynasties? Intimate people often have more rifts. They think that if they can bring me down, they can get a share of the pie like jackals and tigers tearing at their prey.”

Chu Huaicun slightly opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but Ji Ying one step ahead pulled out his hand and pressed it against his lips.

“I’m just giving an example!” he said as if to prove his innocence. “I don’t really think so. They don’t know that between you and me, it’s more than just ruler and minister.”

Candles burned in the hall, and wind and snow raged outside, but the hall was as bright as a snow cave from the lights and candlelight. It was, after all, inlaid with gold and jade, a scene of magnificent splendor. Chu Huaicun did not like the smell of spices, but the entire palace was still imbued with an indelible fragrance that had seeped in over many dynasties. Between light and shadow, Ji Ying saw his His Majesty suddenly laugh, a cold and arrogant laugh, full of aggression.

“Yuan Ya, I just want to say, if I were still Prime Minister Chu, I would make them dare not say another word; if I were still Chu Jiezhao, and someone spoke of my beloved like that, my sword should have already pierced their throats.”

The sword on the table reflected the candlelight in the room, like a flowing silver flame.

“Now I am the emperor, so I have to obey the rules of ruler and minister, because the one who benefits is me, and the one who is slandered is you,” Chu Huaicun said softly. “I am not willing.”

If this was a bit outrageous for an emperor, then he would rather just be outrageous.

Ji Ying stared at him blankly, almost unable to speak.

Although what he said was indeed unreasonable.

Who didn’t know that the new emperor’s methods were astonishing, and he was decisive in killing. Who would dare to provoke him? For some people, it was already a great blessing that Chu Huaicun could be emperor for a few years in peace. Who would dare to say anything more? So, although there were memorials like today’s, the number was already very small.

It was just gossip from others. Ji Ying didn’t think there was anything… They had both been cursed at countless times back then, one a powerful minister, one a sycophantic minister, both almost like targets for people to attack.

Now he had both identities. Compared to back then, he was living countless times more freely, and there were even fewer people who spoke ill of him.

This little fuss, the seasoned Lord Ji didn’t think there was anything wrong with it.

But now, someone was feeling bad for him, feeling indignant for him, wishing he could pick up his sword and seek justice right now… He suddenly also slowly felt a little wronged, and his whole person came alive. A certain scorching hot thing slowly crawled from his fingertips to his heart, and a comforting warmth filled his chest. He moved his fingers with difficulty, afraid that he had been in a daze for too long and had become a statue.

…Or His Majesty the Emperor had really deigned to go out late at night and chop someone up.

“Huaicun,” Ji Ying suddenly came back to his senses. “No, I really have it under control. There’s no need to dirty your hands.”

“Are my hands clean?” Chu Huaicun said calmly.

He was just being stubborn by saying that.

Sometimes this person was really so stubborn that it made you want to laugh and cry.

Ji Ying couldn’t help but laugh. The moment the laughter rang out, the hall seemed to brighten a little. Chu Huaicun’s eyes reflected the candlelight, reflected the light of the sword, but they were still a pair of dark pupils, looking particularly handsome.

“The White Sun Danshan Banquet,” he said. “I can take care of them before then.”

“You’re already prepared?”

“Hmm.”

“Good,” Chu Huaicun said, looking completely at ease with what he was going to do next, and not intending to ask. He stood up and sheathed the long sword on the table. When the blade’s edge was sheathed, it emitted a twinkling cold light, leaving a trembling aftershock at his fingertips.

A person like him would definitely not like to be an emperor.

Fortunately, compared to being an emperor, he chose to continue being Chu Huaicun.

State Banquet.

Attendants bustled like shuttles, their hair like clouds. Delicacies and fine wine were worth a thousand gold.

“What did His Majesty ask you to do?” Ji Ying asked abruptly.

At that time, the Black Book was lying quietly on a stone pillar carved with a li dragon pattern, silently observing the specific positions of the guests to confirm where Prime Minister Ji was sitting.

Suddenly hearing someone speak to it, its first reaction was that someone had made a mistake. Who would talk to a book? But the next second, it saw the person it was looking for leaning against the stone pillar with a smile, his deep eyes making it difficult to guess his specific emotions.

“Nothing,” it answered subconsciously. “It’s just that I found… ah!”

Ji Ying swiftly caught the Black Book that was about to fall, as if grabbing a bird that was about to fly away.

“Found what?” He tilted his head slightly and said with understanding, “I knew you would appear here now. The night before last when I walked in, I happened to see the words written on your pages…”

“You only just found out?”

“Hmm,” Prime Minister Ji blinked. “I asked Huaicun last night, so he told me everything.”

It knew it.

This wasn’t the first time the Black Book had been blinded by the dazzling and undeniable tacit understanding between a couple.

It indignantly flipped its pages. “You guys should have done this earlier. Isn’t it just asking me to fly a circle above your head? Chu Huaicun even had to ask me to keep it a secret from you. Hmph, so childish. In the end, I still have to be asked to help… him.”

It looked at the understanding expression on Ji Ying’s face and suddenly felt something was wrong.

“Wait, you’re not trying to trick me, are you—”

Ji Ying didn’t speak, but the smile in his eyes deepened a little.

Seriously, the Black Book thought. It should have learned its lesson from its previous experiences with humans. Humans are really the most cunning and secretive beings. Although Chu Huaicun’s request was very strange, being exposed in advance still made the Black Book a little embarrassed.

“He was also thinking of you…”

“I know,” Ji Ying nodded without hesitation and suddenly stretched out his hand. “Let you fall from the sky again. Do you have any inspiration? Perhaps I can take you to find some reference.”

“Reference?”

“You know there’s a temple built for you here, right?”

The Black Book froze completely in mid-air. It was motionless, as if fixed in mid-air. After about a few seconds, it suddenly came back to its senses and began to flap its pages quickly. “Really! Is it already built! My god…”

It had a temple of its own.

The human in front of him pursed his lips and smiled. Today he was wearing a crimson official robe, but his temperament was completely different from the turbid and gloomy one at that time. Instead, he wore it with the air of a handsome young master from a noble family. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the former Grand Duke Lin was standing here again.

And as everyone knows, the Grand Duke Lin was well-read. If such a radiant and clear-moon-like figure were to lead a tour of a scenic spot, there would certainly be no regrets.

“I happen to have time,” Ji Ying said. “And, I think it’s better for me not to appear here now.”

Before the Black Book could react, it followed him in a daze.

On the other side, before the new emperor.

“The evidence is irrefutable.”

Liang Kechun carefully sorted the files in his hand. The dense ink marks covered the paper, and then he respectfully handed them to the emperor. “The members of the Duke’s residence have relied on the merits of their ancestors, embezzled and bent the law, oppressed the common people, and accepted money and grain, thereby gaining profit… These matters can be traced back to before Your Majesty ascended the throne. When the former emperor was on the throne, he was very protective of them. Some of the crimes were even placed on people who should not have borne them. Now is the time to pay it all back.”

The new emperor’s gaze was already a powerful sword.

All the officials at the banquet fell silent. Looking around, they only heard a shrill cry.

“This is all slander!”

Suddenly, a figure rushed over and knelt on the ground. The clothes on his body were magnificent, but his face had already turned ashen with the evidence that had just been read out. But he still muttered unwillingly, “It’s Ji Ying… that’s right, it’s that petty person who wants to harm me! My ancestors made great contributions to this dynasty. Your Majesty, as the ruler of the country, should consider the law of ruler and minister. That Ji Ying is a person with no background and no name, and was once deeply favored by the former emperor. He has done many evil things that are intolerable by heaven and earth. You must not believe, you must not believe this kind of person who fawns on the powerful and curries favor—”

His voice suddenly stopped, and a “ho… ho” sound came from his throat.

The emperor he was talking about was looking down at him. The long sword had already cut his throat, his eyes as cold as ice and snow. He didn’t even see when the blade had approached him, and had already sensed the pale and indifferent death hovering above his head, never so real.

Chu Huaicun withdrew his sword.

The person in front of him was trembling, looking as if he had been stabbed to death, looking extremely horrified—but he had only used the blade to cut the skin on his throat, and was still far from really taking his life.

“I don’t want to die, don’t kill me! Don’t kill me!”

Liang Kechun said politely to him, “We haven’t interrogated you in the Court of Judicial Review yet. We won’t kill you now.”

The evidence in his hand was too sufficient. Of course, a large part of this was thanks to Prime Minister Ji. Although this real meritorious official was not present at this time, and was nowhere to be found.

At this moment, Ji Ying was introducing its statue to the Black Book.

The Black Book circled it a few times in amazement. “This is simply me! Even the expression is exactly the same!” The book that was sculpted on the altar did indeed have a completely identical appearance to it, although no one knew how it had determined the expression.

“When you appeared back then, many people saw it.”

After all, it had descended from the sky at the Fengshan ceremony on the White Sun Danshan. “At that time, there were many court painters and craftsmen, so there was a basis for creating it.”

Ji Ying gently pointed one by one. “Now people still believe that by making a wish to your statue, they can find a way to solve their own troubles, and some people even come to you to fulfill their vows. This is the most common kind of belief, yet it is also very real. You see, even today, the common people who come here to offer incense are still endless.”

He was holding the Black Book—no one would think there was anything wrong with that, because on the merchant stalls in front of the temple, they were selling this kind of blackened book that symbolized auspiciousness.

No one knew that this black book was the good omen of that time, and was moved to tears.

This small folk tour was finally interrupted by a hand placed on Prime Minister Ji’s shoulder.

The visitor was wearing a conical hat, and under the hat was a pair of eyes like ice and snow.

Chu Huaicun obviously didn’t think there was anything wrong with him, as the emperor, temporarily escaping from a banquet and coming to the Tiandao Temple to find his own prime minister. What’s more, Ji Ying looked to be in a good mood today, and was very gentle with people and things. Although in the eyes of the new emperor, he might have been like this from beginning to end, and had never changed. If an ordinary emperor’s unannounced visit required special attention to safety, then Chu Huaicun obviously had no such concerns.

“How was it?” Prime Minister Ji, who had rarely put on a radiant and clear-moon-like skin, curved his lips.

“Locked up,” Chu Huaicun said. “You did well.”

“Do you still want it to fly over my head?” Ji Ying pointed at the Black Book with a smile.

A rare trace of unnaturalness flashed across the new emperor’s face.

This was indeed a somewhat childish request.

But—”Yuan Ya, you deserve the best in this world,” he still said softly. “So, if you don’t mind, and it doesn’t mind…”

The Black Book of course didn’t mind.

It was now so moved that it would do anything. This was a temple built for it, and the believers coming and going were all holding black books. It could feel those simple, beautiful wishes, in the mortal world.

“Wait—” Ji Ying had expected what would happen on that side, but he obviously hadn’t expected this development. For him, in the first ten years of his life, he would never have thought that one day there would be a mascot symbolizing the way of heaven, rehearsing in advance, and then flying around him. He opened his mouth, a little helpless, and a little satisfied, and smiled.

“At least let’s go back to the banquet first,” he said. “The emperor and the prime minister have both run away. This sounds very outrageous. And the Black Book can also join us.”

Oh, right.

This was a state banquet.

The Black Book flew up happily and disappeared in a flash.

The two people left behind said they were going, but when it came to it, they didn’t take a step for a long time.

Finally, in the shadow under the low-hanging eaves, a silent kiss was left, melting into a color as sharp and gentle as ice and snow.