Su Mingfeng followed the bearded guard inside, all the while under the scrutinizing gazes of Prince Rui's Residence's servants, which made him feel quite uneasy.
But then he thought, what's done is done, and there was no turning back now. He had already offended Prince Rui, and if things weren't as they seemed, the worst he could do was apologize. After all, in the territory of Ming Qi, Prince Rui would surely give some face to the officials.
Yet Su Mingfeng began to feel anxious again. Prince Rui didn't even regard Emperor Wenhui with respect, let alone a minor young master like him from the Su family. Moreover, the Su family was no longer involved in officialdom. To Emperor Wenhui, the Pingnan Bo Manor held no value worth utilizing. If something really happened, Emperor Wenhui wouldn't offend Prince Rui for his sake.
Fortunately, the Pingnan Bo Manor still had the second young master of the Su family, Su Minlang. Even if something were to happen to him, the Su family wouldn't be left without heirs.
But what if Prince Rui took his anger out on the entire Su family and implicated the whole manor?
Lost in these chaotic thoughts, Su Mingfeng gradually broke out in a cold sweat, so absorbed that he didn't even notice when the bearded guard brought him to their destination. It wasn't until the guard reminded him, "Young Master Su, we're here," that Su Mingfeng snapped back to reality.
They were in the backyard of Prince Rui's Residence. There was a pond in the courtyard, and on this winter night, the wind blowing from the pond was bitterly cold. Faintly visible through the lanterns hanging on the tree branches was a stone table in the garden, where two figures—one seemingly male and the other female—sat, though their features were unclear.
Su Mingfeng instinctively looked at the bearded guard, who said, "His Highness is waiting ahead. I shall take my leave now." Without waiting for Su Mingfeng's response, he turned and left.
Watching the guard's retreating figure, Su Mingfeng thought that even the guards of Prince Rui's Residence were this arrogant—no wonder Prince Rui behaved the way he did. Like master, like servant. Prince Rui showed little respect for Emperor Wenhui, and his guards showed little respect for guests.
Come to think of it, the only one in Fixed Capital who acted so recklessly was probably the former young marquis of Marquis Lin'an Manor, Xie Jingxing.
At the thought of Xie Jingxing, Su Mingfeng's heart skipped a beat. He glanced at the two figures by the stone table, hesitated for a moment, and finally stepped forward toward them.
As he approached, he noticed a fluffy white creature lying under the table. At first glance, Su Mingfeng thought it was a cat. The cat-like little thing turned its head at the sound of his footsteps and let out a fierce "roar," revealing sharp white teeth.
It was unmistakably a tiger.
Su Mingfeng thought, raising a tiger in Prince Rui's Residence—even if it was just a cub—was truly something extraordinary.
With this in mind, he felt that Prince Rui and Xie Jingxing weren't so alike after all.
Su Mingfeng walked up to the stone table. Prince Rui had his back to him, so the first person Su Mingfeng saw was the seated woman.
She had delicate features and an elegant, dignified demeanor. When her familiar gaze met his, Su Mingfeng exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Shen?"
It was actually Shen Miao!
"Miss Shen, what are you doing here?" Su Mingfeng couldn't help but ask.
"Young Master Su is overstepping his bounds," a careless voice chimed in, tinged with faint displeasure. "Is there something wrong with this prince's Royal Consort being in her own residence?"The phrase "from our own residence" nearly made Shen Miao choke on her tea. She smiled faintly at Su Mingfeng and nodded. "Young Master Su."
Su Mingfeng's gaze then shifted to Prince Rui, who had his back turned to him.
Though seated lazily, his posture was unexpectedly tall and straight. In the dim glow of the lantern, the intricate gold thread embroidery along his collar could be seen, tracing elegant patterns.
"Your Highness, Prince Rui," Su Mingfeng greeted.
Prince Rui remained silent. Su Mingfeng steadied himself. With Shen Miao present, he felt less afraid. It suddenly occurred to him—Shen Miao was now the Royal Consort of Prince Rui, and judging by their current interaction, their relationship seemed amicable. If Prince Rui truly intended to kill him, Shen Miao, out of regard for Xie Jingxing, wouldn’t stand idly by.
Though the thought felt somewhat odd, Su Mingfeng mustered his courage and asked, "I’ve come today to ask Your Highness a question."
"Speak."
The more succinct Prince Rui was, the more uneasy Su Mingfeng became. He said, "Your Highness bears a striking resemblance to an old friend of mine. But that friend disappeared many years ago. I... I dare to request..." He steeled himself. "I dare to ask Your Highness to remove your mask and resolve the doubts in my heart."
After speaking, Su Mingfeng lowered his head, anxiously awaiting a response.
After a long silence, a voice finally broke the quiet—calm and indifferent, yet each word weighed heavily on Su Mingfeng’s ears, deep and melodious.
Prince Rui asked, "Is this old friend of yours named Xie Jingxing?"
Su Mingfeng’s heart leaped, a surge of wild joy flashing through him, though he quickly forced himself to remain composed. Prince Rui had been in Ming Qi for several months now. Xie Jingxing was a well-known figure, a hero of Ming Qi, and Su Mingfeng had grown up with him. It was possible someone had mentioned this to Prince Rui.
He replied, "Yes."
"Xie Jingxing is dead," Prince Rui said, his tone unreadable. "You say he disappeared?"
"The world believes he died in battle in the northern frontier. I saw his body with my own eyes," Su Mingfeng said with a bitter smile. "But I refuse to believe it. Now that Your Highness has appeared, I know my request is abrupt and unreasonable. Yet there are some things in this world worth pursuing with all one’s might." He held nothing back from Prince Rui. The prince didn’t seem like someone who would act unreasonably—if anything, he appeared understanding. Perhaps he might empathize and show leniency.
The white tiger on the ground let out a low whimper. Prince Rui stood from the stone bench.
As he turned, half of his silver mask gleamed coldly in the wind. Only then did Su Mingfeng realize that Prince Rui stood a full head taller than him.
Xie Jingxing had also been taller by half a head.
Back in their youth, when they were brash and competitive, Su Mingfeng had once begged Su Furen to serve him an extra half-bowl of rice every day, hoping to outgrow Xie Jingxing. Xie Jingxing had scoffed at the time, saying, "Do you want to become a second Su Minlang?"
Time had passed in a blur, as if nothing had changed. Yet the world had shifted beyond recognition.
Shen Miao hesitated, as if wanting to speak, but Prince Rui asked first, "You wish to see my face?"
Su Mingfeng nodded.
Prince Rui raised his hand and slowly removed the silver mask.The slanting brows reached his temples, his peach-blossom eyes brimming with emotion, his nose straight and bold, the lazy smile at the corners of his lips almost unchanged from yesterday. Yet there was a subtle transformation in his appearance—from a beautiful, mischievous youth to the mature, roguishly handsome young man before them now.
But it was still him, unmistakably.
Xie Jingxing curled his lips in a smirk, his tone dripping with disdain. "Staring like a fool?"
Su Mingfeng suddenly felt his eyes sting. He stepped forward and, as they had often done in the past, punched Xie Jingxing on the shoulder. "You bastard," he cursed. "Deceiving everyone all this time, even me. No loyalty at all."
Shen Miao couldn't hide her astonishment.
She truly hadn't expected Xie Jingxing to so easily remove his mask before Su Mingfeng and reveal his identity—just as he had done before Rong Xin Princess.
When faced with sudden, drastic changes in the identity of a once-close friend or family member, understanding isn't always guaranteed. The more precious the bond, the more cautious one should be about testing it, for if the outcome isn't what you can bear, the torment it brings is profound and everlasting.
Had it been Shen Miao herself, she might not have been so forthright. After all, she lacked the courage to face an uncertain result.
In this regard, she could never match Xie Jingxing's decisiveness. He knew exactly what he wanted and didn't want, forcing himself forward without leaving room for hesitation.
"How... how did you become Prince Rui?" Su Mingfeng patted his chest. "Just moments ago, I was thinking if Prince Rui decided to kill me, today would be my last day." He added, "At least now I know I'll live."
Yet his voice was brimming with irrepressible excitement.
Xie Jingxing looked at him and said, "Two years apart, and you've grown even more foolish."
Su Mingfeng waved a hand. "I knew you weren't dead. The wicked live a thousand years—someone like you ought to live ten thousand!" He sighed. "If Rong Xin Princess hadn't come to me that day, and if I hadn't seen Miss Shen's Tiger Head Bracelet, I'd still be in the dark. Were you planning to never see me again?" His tone was indignant, carrying the resentment of one who felt betrayed.
Xie Jingxing shrugged. "Exactly."
Su Mingfeng was furious, but having been bullied by Xie Jingxing often in the past, he didn't stay angry for long. Instead, he frowned in confusion. "So Miss Shen knew your identity all along." He chuckled meaningfully and glanced at Shen Miao. "Back then, I sensed something was off. Now it seems you've gotten what you wanted—you hid it well."
Shen Miao: "..."
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Xie Jingxing said impatiently. "Your sister-in-law and I still have things to discuss."
Both Shen Miao and Su Mingfeng were momentarily stunned by the term "sister-in-law." Su Mingfeng glanced at Shen Miao and said, "If you were alive all this time, why didn't you tell me for two years? And it seems Rong Xin Princess suspected your identity—why didn't you come forward to her? And your father—"
"Su Mingfeng," Xie Jingxing interrupted him. "I am Prince Rui of Great Coolness."
Silence fell over the courtyard.
Shen Miao sighed inwardly. This moment was inevitable.Xie Jingxing's identity destined him to have no allies in Fixed Capital. No matter who it was, upon learning his true identity, they would inevitably think of the label "traitor." Regardless of the truth or his circumstances, no one cared. What they cared about was only the "outcome" and the "deception."
Rong Xin Princess doted on Xie Jingxing as if he were her own son, yet in the end, she couldn't escape suspicion and deceit. Su Mingfeng was initially overjoyed to see his old friend reborn, but after that fleeting happiness, the moment of truth would inevitably arrive.
That was when human nature was laid bare, at its most cruel and agonizing.
Su Mingfeng looked at Xie Jingxing in confusion and asked, "What are you talking about? By the way, you've now become Prince Rui. Did something happen on the Northern Frontier Battlefield? Was this a temporary measure you had to take? The title of Prince Rui is indeed noble, but it's not a long-term solution. You must—"
"I am Prince Rui of Great Coolness," Xie Jingxing said.
The rambling voice came to an abrupt halt.
The wind swept up the fallen leaves in the courtyard. The white tiger had long curled up in the resting shed built for it. In this starless, moonless night, only the lantern emitted a faint glow.
Su Mingfeng's gaze flickered with shock and doubt. He hesitated before asking, "What do you mean by that?"
"My true identity is Prince Rui of Great Coolness. I am not Xie Ding's son from Marquis Lin'an Manor," Xie Jingxing said calmly. "This is not a temporary measure."
"Impossible!" Su Mingfeng blurted out. "We've known each other for over a decade, since childhood. If you were Prince Rui of Great Coolness, how could I not know?"
"The heir apparent of the Xie family died shortly after birth. The true heir of Marquis Lin'an Manor is already dead," Xie Jingxing said. "It wasn't me."
Su Mingfeng stared blankly at Xie Jingxing. His words were somewhat chaotic, as if even he couldn't make sense of some things. He said, "Are you saying that from the beginning, you weren't the son of Marquis Lin'an? Someone switched you in, and you lived in Fixed Capital until adulthood, but in truth, you're not from Ming Qi? You're from Great Coolness? You're the Yongle Emperor's younger brother? A prince of Great Coolness? How is that possible? It's simply impossible—"
His words abruptly stopped when he saw the expression on Xie Jingxing's face. On that familiar, handsome face was nothing but indifference. Su Mingfeng knew Xie Jingxing well—when he was serious, disliked repetition, or was impatient, this was the expression he wore.
He was telling the truth.
Su Mingfeng couldn't describe what he was feeling at that moment. It was as if a lump of cotton had clogged his chest. The joy of reuniting with his old friend had vanished without a trace, leaving only emptiness and an inexplicable anger.
He asked, "When did you learn of your identity?"
"Since I could remember," Xie Jingxing replied.
Su Mingfeng took two steps back.
"Since you could remember?" he asked. "You knew you were from Great Coolness long ago?"
Xie Jingxing neither confirmed nor denied it.
Shen Miao sighed inwardly. Why did Xie Jingxing have to be so brutally honest? The more he spoke like this, the more Su Mingfeng would feel deeply deceived. Sometimes, a well-placed lie would make things easier to accept—for both oneself and others.
But Shen Miao asked herself—if she were in his place, she would likely be just as frank as Xie Jingxing.
For those who are truly close, there is no need for deception.As expected, just as Shen Miao had anticipated, Su Mingfeng's expression turned extremely complex upon hearing Xie Jingxing's answer. After initial shock and suspicion, a look of betrayal-fueled anger gradually surfaced. He sneered and retorted, "Oh? Then why have you returned now? Could it be that seeing Ming Qi is no match for your Great Coolness, you're ambitiously trying to stake a claim here?"
His words were so cutting that even Shen Miao couldn't help but glance at him sideways. Yet she understood clearly—an outsider watching a chess game sees the situation most clearly. Su Mingfeng, suddenly confronted with so many secrets, was inevitably unable to accept them. People always find it easiest to hurt those closest to them.
"And what if I am?" Xie Jingxing, never one to humble himself, not only failed to placate Su Mingfeng but calmly admitted to it instead.
Shen Miao considered speaking up but ultimately decided against it. A true gentleman observes chess without comment—today, she would simply watch the drama unfold.
Su Mingfeng indeed grew even angrier. He shouted at Xie Jingxing, "Today I finally understand what it means to be a treacherous official, what it means to be an ungrateful wolf! I used to think your distance from Marquis Lin'an since childhood was because of Princess Yuqing. Now I see you were deliberately cutting ties with them all along! You're not Marquis Lin'an's son, yet you shamelessly enjoyed everything from Marquis Lin'an Manor—even the two illegitimate sons of the Xie family couldn't compare to you. You kept claiming Rong Xin Princess was your family, yet you deceived her, letting her suffer daily over your false death. You called me your brother, yet hid your true identity for years. I suspect your friendship with me had ulterior motives too!"
"You dislike Ming Qi, you dislike Fixed Capital. Yet that was the place that raised you. The kindness of birth cannot compare to the kindness of upbringing. You enjoyed everything Ming Qi gave you, only to pull the rug out from under it as Prince Rui of Great Coolness. Your Great Coolness is wealthy and strong, your Great Coolness has well-fed soldiers and sturdy horses—you abandoned everything in Ming Qi for riches and honor. Xie Jingxing, you're heartless and unjust! You're a scoundrel! You're unworthy as a subject, unworthy as a legitimate heir, and utterly unworthy as a brother! Get back to your Great Coolness!"
"Enough!" Shen Miao suddenly stood up, cutting off Su Mingfeng.
His words were simply too cruel.
She turned to look at Xie Jingxing. Without his mask, his expression was completely visible—no anger, no smile, just a calm, detached gaze at Su Mingfeng. It was as if the person Su Mingfeng was describing wasn't him, or as if he simply didn't care about Su Mingfeng's words at all.
A ripple of emotion stirred unexpectedly in Shen Miao's heart.
She looked back at Su Mingfeng, a mocking smile appearing on her face. "Oh? Young Master Su seems so righteous, rushing here to uphold justice. What a pity—the 'ungrateful wolf' you accuse others of being is exactly what you are in my eyes."
Xie Jingxing froze in surprise.
Su Mingfeng's anger now turned toward Shen Miao. "What did you say?"
"That you're an ungrateful wolf," Shen Miao replied. In her past life, her daily battles with Mei Furen in the palace had involved no shortage of verbal sparring. While not exceptionally skilled at sarcasm, she'd certainly learned a thing or two from Mei Furen.
Her smile was dignified and composed, making Su Mingfeng's rudeness stand out all the more. Her voice remained gentle and mild, like a soft breeze, yet every word was merciless."Before pointing fingers at others, it's best to take a look at yourself first. Young Master Su thinks Prince Rui is an ingrate, that Prince Rui took advantage of you. But I'd like to ask you, Young Master Su, how much has Xie Jingxing helped you since childhood at the Pingnan Earl's residence?"
"From the moment you entered officialdom, when you didn't understand social interactions, it was Xie Jingxing who spent money to smooth things for you. When you wanted to learn martial arts, Xie Jingxing hired instructors for you. When Emperor Wenhui sought to suppress the Pingnan Earl's residence, it was he who reminded you and advised the Earl to retire at the height of his career. If not for that, do you think the Pingnan Earl's residence would still exist in Ming Qi's Fixed Capital today? The grass on your graves would already be ten feet tall."
"You say Xie Jingxing used you, that his friendship had ulterior motives. Throughout the entire Fixed Capital, who doesn't know that Su Mingfeng is Xie Jingxing's childhood friend? Since childhood, despite your frail health, no one dared to bully you. Do you think that was due to the prestige of your Pingnan Earl's residence, or because you had a childhood friend no one in Fixed Capital dared to provoke? Things in this world aren't so simple, Young Master Su. Don't take offense at my blunt words, but think about how many paths Xie Jingxing paved for you since childhood, how many times he helped your Su family. If this is what you call 'using' someone, then I wish someone would 'use' me like that too. Don't you agree, Young Master Su?"
Her smile was radiant, but her words fell like rain on banana leaves—each drop carrying a chill: "After benefiting from someone's kindness, you turn around to bite the hand that fed you, constantly accusing them of wrongdoing. Isn't that the definition of an ingrate? Young Master Su, might I also say that you're heartless and unworthy of being called a brother? You comfortably enjoy everything from the very person you're accusing—doesn't that weigh on your conscience?"
Su Mingfeng wasn't one to engage in verbal sparring with women, especially when Shen Miao's words, dripping with sarcasm, were undeniably true. They left him flushed crimson with embarrassment. In his rising anger, as Shen Miao spoke, scenes from the past began flashing through his mind.
To be fair, Xie Jingxing had indeed treated him well. If not, Su Mingfeng wouldn't have remembered him all these years. Xie Jingxing was arrogant, unruly, and willful, with almost nothing to restrain him. Though he spoke harshly, he always helped Su Mingfeng when needed. Like when they were children and someone bullied Su Mingfeng—Xie Jingxing would immediately gather people to beat the offender mercilessly, even if they were from an imperial relative's family, ensuring no one dared bully Su Mingfeng again.
Yet despite doing so much, Xie Jingxing never sought credit, never even mentioned it. Instead, he often maintained a deliberately abrasive attitude. Over time, people remembered his flaws while forgetting his kindness.
After finishing her tirade, Shen Miao felt an immense sense of relief. For some reason, seeing Su Mingfeng accuse Xie Jingxing had struck her as deeply wrong. Though she felt slightly embarrassed afterward, she didn't regret it.
Did Xie Jingxing truly have ulterior motives in befriending Su Mingfeng? Shen Miao was certain he didn't. Otherwise, in their past life, when Emperor Wenhui ordered the Su family executed, when no one dared claim Su Yu and his father's bodies for fear of the Emperor's wrath and suspicion, only Xie Jingxing had stepped forward to give them a proper burial.Even at that time, Xie Jingxing was shouldering the perilous burden of Xie Ding's death in battle, the precarious state of Marquis Lin'an Manor, and his own imminent military deployment.
"Loyal to friends, a true hero, following his heart with unrestrained freedom"—that was Fu Ming's assessment of Xie Jingxing. A child's eyes see the truest things. Shen Miao believed Fu Ming's words were precisely so.
If someone like this still had to endure Su Mingfeng's accusation of "unworthy of being a brother," Shen Miao felt it was utterly unfair to Xie Jingxing. A single identity could shift everyone's gaze—the title of Prince Rui might appear glorious, but in reality, the burdens it carried were something few could bear without flinching, let alone endure with a smile.
Yet she didn’t notice that as she spoke, Xie Jingxing, after a brief moment of surprise, turned his gaze toward her, his eyes filled with nothing but amused delight.
Su Mingfeng looked at Xie Jingxing, speechless.
His emotions were tangled and sorrowful. The fact that his old friend was alive when he had believed him dead should have been cause for joy. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t muster even a shred of happiness now.
Xie Jingxing glanced at him and said, "I owe you nothing."
"If there was any debt, it’s long been repaid." Xie Jingxing continued, "Marquis Lin'an Manor stands too tall, drawing the wind—the emperor is intent on suppressing it. With the Xie Family Army numbering in the millions under Lin'an Hou's command, if father and son remained affectionate and the son inherited the father’s legacy, the emperor would never sleep soundly. The closer you are, the quicker you fall. I’d like to live a few more years, so I’ll first secure the Marquis Manor for Lin'an Hou."
"Is trading the debt of upbringing for the stability of the Marquis Manor worth it?" Xie Jingxing curled his lips and asked.
Su Mingfeng was left without a retort.
"If I hadn’t done this, Xie Ding would have remained a thorn in the emperor’s side, doomed to die one day. Marquis Lin'an Manor would have been framed with baseless crimes, smeared with filth, and toppled. Now, though the son is 'dead' and the lineage severed, at least the Marquis Manor still stands, spared by the emperor. When people speak of Marquis Lin'an Manor, it remains a house of integrity." Xie Jingxing smiled mockingly. "There’s still the nominal bond of mother and son between me and Princess Yuqing. For the sake of that sentiment, all I could do was preserve Lin'an Hou’s dignity—the dignity of Marquis Lin'an Manor."
Shen Miao studied Xie Jingxing’s handsome profile. He spoke carelessly, as if none of this mattered. But in all those past years, these unspoken words had been locked away in his heart.
Xie Jingxing was an honest man, yet also the most dishonest. He was honest in stating the truth, the facts of what happened—but dishonest about his own heart. He never mentioned the grievances he’d suffered, never spoke of his worries or sorrows. So, in everyone’s eyes, he was a man who played with life, cynical and untroubled, as if nothing in the world could faze him. Yet when he orchestrated everything—when he fought to preserve the integrity of a Marquis Manor—he was forced to bear the labels of "defiance," "recklessness," "disrespect for elders," and "contempt for father and brother."
Su Mingfeng listened, stunned.
"Life in Great Coolness wasn’t as simple as the wealth and luxury you imagine," Xie Jingxing said idly, gazing at the icicles on the trees. "If it were you, you wouldn’t last a day before crying and running back to your mother."
Su Mingfeng choked on his anger at those words.
"Nothing in this world comes without a price. What you gain, you must fight for. Su Mingfeng, your life is comfortable—don’t use that comfort to measure me. What I’ve endured is far more than you can imagine."
He sighed softly, his expression still smiling. His peach-blossom eyes curved slightly, his lashes casting a delicate shadow. From this angle, his features were gentle, his beauty like that of a spirit stepping out of a painting—yet there was not a trace of warmth in those eyes.
They were as biting as a winter gale.
"Most importantly," he said, "Ming Qi gave me no nurture—only erasure."－－－－－－Off Topic－－－－－－
Ah, this part makes me feel a bit sorry for Old Xie, so melancholy tot~~ Search for "blue" to read the full text of the following chapters.
...
OpenNovel