Brother's smile was sinister and eerie, paired with his somewhat pale face, like a ghost crawling out of a graveyard, frightening Xiao Changying into taking a step back: "Brother, that is the imperial mausoleum, where our ancestors are buried!"
To be human, to revere one's ancestors—this is the most fundamental humanity. Upholding moral principles, righteousness, integrity, filial piety, and respect for elders are the most basic tenets of being human. If even these are lost, can one still be called human?
If not for this, why would Xiao Huayong handle this matter in secret? Digging up graves and disturbing the ancestors is even more intolerable than being tortured to death.
"The imperial mausoleum is heavily guarded. How could I possibly transport gunpowder inside without anyone noticing?" Xiao Changqing's slender fingers rubbed the Ocarina in his hand. "I merely followed the Crown Prince's example and tampered with the area outside the imperial mausoleum."
The explosion occurred very close to the mausoleum, with thick smoke billowing into the sky. The villagers in the distance could only see the general location, and he had already prepared people to incite rumors, allowing the spread of unfounded tales to become uncontrollable.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Changying relaxed slightly. He stepped forward slowly and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder: "Brother, please don't do this again, alright?"
His younger brother's tone was full of pleading and fear. Xiao Changqing looked down at the hand on his shoulder—it was gripping tightly, as if to conceal its trembling. Xiao Changqing let out an almost imperceptible sigh and gently patted Xiao Changying's hand in return.
"Little brother, your brother does not wish to deceive you."
Xiao Changying's long eyelashes fluttered, and the corners of his eyes quickly reddened: "Brother... Fifth Sister-in-law is already gone. Can you please let yourself go? Just... just consider it your younger brother begging you."
Xiao Changqing gently removed Xiao Changying's hand from his shoulder: "Little brother, the only way I can forget your fifth sister-in-law is to fall into an eternal slumber. Before she died, she told me to live well, so I am living well..."
As he spoke, he noticed a delicate dagger hanging from Xiao Changying's waist. He swiftly drew it out—the thin blade was extremely sharp. He placed the hilt in Xiao Changying's palm and guided his hand to point it at himself: "Perhaps... you could grant your brother this wish. That way... it would not be me breaking my promise to her."
Xiao Changying struggled a few times but could not break free from Xiao Changqing's grip, accidentally cutting his brother's hand in the process. Panicked, Xiao Changying released the dagger, letting it fall to the ground, and pushed away his brother, who was smiling with lips red as blood and teeth white as jade: "Brother, you've gone mad!"
He had long known that his brother had not been normal since Fifth Sister-in-law's death. In the past, he had assumed it was grief he had yet to overcome. Only today did he realize it was not that he had not moved on, but that he had locked himself firmly within that pain. The person standing before him was nothing but an empty shell, devoid of heart and soul.
"Hahahahahaha..." Xiao Changqing laughed aloud. He crouched down to pick up the dagger, wiping the blood from the blade with his thumb as he looked at his still-bleeding hand. "I went mad long ago. The father I revered exterminated my wife's clan. The mother I respected handed the poison to my wife, causing her death and the loss of our child. He was so small, right before my eyes, he turned into a pool of blood. Her body grew cold inch by inch in my arms.
They dismembered my heart piece by piece, yet expected me to carry on as if nothing had happened. When I drowned in the pain of losing my wife, they told me, 'A real man need not worry about lacking a wife.' Once a year had passed since her death, they would find me another suitable match.""That is my wife's memorial hall. How could they utter such cold and heartless words? Have they ever regarded me as their own child?"
Xiao Changying rushed forward and embraced Xiao Changqing, who was so grief-stricken he seemed on the verge of madness: "Brother."
His elder brother's state wasn't solely due to losing his beloved, but rather because after this profound loss, all his closest relatives treated him with indifference, with no one understanding his pain. Father considered him too sentimental to be of any use, while Mother viewed his desolation over a woman as weakness and indecisiveness.
None of them had ever experienced such pain. Not only did they fail to empathize with his suffering, but they repeatedly rubbed salt in his wounds.
Xiao Changqing closed his eyes briefly. When he reopened them, all emotions had sunk deep into his dark pupils. He patted his younger brother's back before gently pushing him away: "Let us end this matter here. The remaining investigation shall be left to His Majesty."
The tomb robbery case had nothing to do with him. He had merely uncovered some clues and made use of them. As for who was behind such heaven-defying methods of amassing wealth, he wasn't curious and had no intention of intervening, lest it arouse His Majesty's suspicions.
In Liyang Commandery, Shen Xihe gazed at the night sky where occasional stars twinkled. Having waited several nights, only tonight had starlight appeared.
Around mid-morning, Shen Xihe casually glanced over and noticed the flower bud timidly peeking upward like a shy young girl. Her face lit up with joy as she grabbed Xiao Huayong's arm beside her, unconsciously lowering her voice: "It moved."
Xiao Huayong's gaze lingered on his arm where she had touched him. The warm, soft sensation seemed to cling to his skin, and he couldn't help but reveal a slightly foolish smile.
Shen Xihe paid no attention to Xiao Huayong, her eyes completely fixed on the Jade Flower. Soon, the stem pushed the bud upward, like a young girl growing into a slender maiden.
A breeze swept through, causing the bud to tremble slightly and loosen its tight petals. Layer by layer, they slowly unfurled, resembling a young woman blooming with infinite shyness - elegant and unadorned, soft as silk, delicate like gauze, swaying gracefully and standing tall.
The stamens timidly emerged, accompanied by the spread of an intense, captivating fragrance.
Xiao Huayong snapped out of his reverie to watch its transformation. The two flowers bloomed almost simultaneously, as if he were witnessing a beauty's glorious blossoming throughout her life. Just as he was about to express his admiration, before he could even open his mouth, Shen Xihe reached out and plucked both flowers at their peak bloom.
Only bare stems remained on the branch. Xiao Huayong's smile froze on his face.
"Done. We can still rest for an hour or two if we hurry back." Shen Xihe placed the flowers into a box that Zhenzhu had been holding.
After storing the flowers, she turned to leave without any lingering attachment. Xiao Huayong watched her walk away, then looked back at the bare stems. Reluctantly, he murmured those unspoken words to the flowerless branch: "Beauty under the moonlight, moonlight under the beauty... Neither the moon's beauty nor the flower's beauty can compare to human beauty..."
After speaking, he gazed at the stems trembling in the night wind and sighed: "Meeting someone who understands no romance, you and I are equally pitiful."
Only after boarding the carriage did Shen Xihe notice Xiao Huayong still standing in place. Puzzled, she watched him seemingly studying the bare Jade Flower stems and asked Zhenzhu beside her: "Was there something special about the Jade Flower stems just now?"
Zhenzhu shook her head: "This maid doesn't know."
Fortunately, Xiao Huayong didn't remain still for long and soon caught up. Shen Xihe repeated her question to him: "Your Highness, what were you looking at earlier?"Xiao Huayong smiled gently, his expression perfectly composed: "I was just thinking about how to cultivate the Jade Flower, so I couldn't help but take a few extra glances."
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