Chapter 13: CH 13

The room was quiet for a moment with no one saying anything. The atmosphere was filled with awkwardness.

Du Ci raised his finger, pointing shakily at the tall and dark-skinned man who called himself Qingjun, outwardly smiling but not really,  “Ah, I know, you are Qi Nanke’s subordinate, right? ” 

He held onto a slim trace of hope as his eyes darted back and forth, looking everywhere except for the other party’s face.

Seeing Du Ci’s appearance of being unable to accept the truth, Qi Nanke’s face turned a few shades darker.

Du Ci thought to himself: Oh mother, his face was already dark to begin with, but it got even darker when he sulked. It looked exactly like a piece of moving black cloth! Stop joking! How can this be my man? You must be kidding, right?!

Second Yang looked left and right, slightly pushed the sword’s tip away and smiled sarcastically, “The little prince is really good.” 

How could Du Ci still be in the mood to play with him? He asked sharply, “Who did you say he was?!”

Second Yang answered, “Who else can he be? Haven’t the little prince played enough? Do you still want to make fun of us brothers?”

Du Ci pulled out the short sword on Big Yang’s waist, pointing it at Second Yang, “I’m asking one last time. If you don’t tell me, I will kill you!”

Second Yang’s face was ashen. He unwillingly opened his mouth, “This is the husband little prince kept saying you were looking for. The eldest son of Duke Qi, the young master of the Duke’s Mansion, and the current Border Protector General— Qi Nanke.”

Du Ci’s face went blank. Whatever Second Yang said afterward basically went in one ear and out with the other. His mind were filled with the images of a youth bathing in moonlight he fell in love with at first sight— the nineteen year old Qi Nanke dressed in black attire with a red belt. His slender body danced with a sword under the moon, wind blowing on his satin black hair. When he turned his head, his face was cold and solemn, two thick black eyebrows slightly furrowed as his pink lips pursed tightly. It was a picturesque scene that made people’s hearts couldn’t help but tremble.

But now this…

His stature has become much taller, with a long back and broad shoulders. His chest muscles are so robust they threaten to rip off his clothes. His upper arms were twice the size of Du Ci’s thighs. When he frowned, it no longer carried a cold aura of the beautiful youth but a terrible air of bloodthirst. The young man of the past had fair skin and rosy cheeks, but the man of present has dark and rough skin, a pair of gloomy eyes, a stubble beard on his chin, and a bonus scar on the side of his face!

Is this really the same person? Du Ci just wanted to scream: Just how the heck have you been living all these years?! 

The beautiful youth in his memory was smashed to pieces by reality just like that. Du Ci thought: This was indeed a case of being tripped up by your own intelligence.

He had never considered how people who fought for many years in distant lands would change. Otherwise, with that kind of imposing air, that secretive manner and excellent flying skill, he would have guessed this person was Qi Nanke sooner.

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“Tbe ogjev! Qtja Hlcupec? Qtja rfiilcu olrt? Tbe vfmflnfv wf rb yjvis!” 

Hl Rjcxf rqbxf lc j ibk abcf; tf kjr jirb oeglber, “Qf’gf atf rjwf. Ktf qglcmf jirb ilfv ab wf!”

Ge Jl tfiv tlr tfjv, rajwqlcu tlr offa, “P kjca ab ygfjx boo atlr fcujufwfca!!”

Qi Nanke’s voice rose suddenly, “You dare?!”

Du Xi was slightly stunned. He lifted his head, “What did you say?” 

Qi Nanke’s reaction was completely subconscious. After returning to his senses, he felt embarrassed and attempted to cover it up, “His Majesty bestowed this marriage. How can you defy the decree?”

Du Ci said, “You also said it. His Majesty only bestowed the marriage. NOT decreed the marriage! This prince can still plead with him!”

Looking as if he wanted to cry, Du Ci flopped down with the dagger in hand, curling into salted fish with nothing else to live for, “This engagement happened becaused I requested it. If not for that, would Dasheng’s emperor dare to force you to become a marriage partner? Is he not afraid you will rebel at the border? He’s just using me as an excuse!”

Qi Nanke sealed Second Yang acupoint again. Putting the short sword behind his back, he frowned, “So what is going on after all? How did you leave Royal City? And what’s the meaning of that flute?” 

Big Yang and Second Yang were also curious. They didn’t expect Shu Shi’s Ninth Prince would join hands with Qi Nanke. Everyone said the young prince only liked pleasure, wine, and food. He was spoiled by Dasheng’s emperor  until he became a worthless human being and was abandoned by Shu Shi a long time ago. No matter how you look at it, he should be the easiest person to sweet-talk. Unexpectedly, they were the ones who got played!

Since things had already come to this, Du Ci no longer had anything to hide. The evidence was already in their hands anyway. He just had to act according to the plan. Thinking about it, the little prince became dejected again. All the plans had been set, yet at the most crucial step, he was caught by Qi Nanke!

Du Ci pouted unhappily, thinking in his heart, “As expected, in this world, not everything can go smoothly.”

Putting the dagger down on the table, he sighed, “To speak of this matter, it has to start with Goujiu’s involvement in navy affairs.” 

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The Ming family is currently being favored and holds a lot of influence. The children in the family were all appointed with an official position. Even the idle good-for-nothings also have a place in the Imperial Guards, a place fill with most nobles’ children.

Emperor Yuangong wanted to develop the navy and nurture marine forces. Without a doubt, this was a fat piece of meat, and the Ming family naturally wanted to swallow it all. First, it was to expand their power. Second, it was to maintain their position as the emperor’s confidant. Third, it was to ensure their descendant’s bright future, so they could enjoy carrying out the act of blatant embezzlement. Finally, it was to pave a way for the Fifth Prince.

Due to the navy affairs, Goujiu had no time to care about Du Ci so his surveillance was slackened. Du Ci had been living like a waste in Royal City all these years, however, he still secretly organized his own people and informants. Whenever there was a chance, he would immediately send a letter to Shu Shi, looking for find a way to return home.

However, a reply never came. One by one, the letters went and disappeared silently, like throwing stones into the sea without causing the slightest ripple. 

At that moment, Du Ci knew he had been abandoned, whether he could go home or not would depend on his own luck.

“At the start of this year, a confidant whom this prince spent much effort to station outside the city sent a letter.”

That year, when Du Ci entered Yongge with 500 servants, he picked a few trustworthy ones and subtly sent them outside of Royal City. These people would act as undercover agents, information collectors, and points of contact whenever necessary. Then, he bought new servants to replace them, filling in the missing number, and nobody was the wiser.

“This flute was sent along with the letter.” 

Du Ci twirled the flute in his hand with complicated eyes, “There are only three flute like this in this world. One belongs to the eldest brother, the other to the third brother, and the last one belongs to me. These three were carved from the same jade. Even their marble veins are identical. That year, this prince got chosen as a hostage because of third brother’s scheme. Originally, the person who was supposed to come to Dasheng was him.”

Qi Nanke didn’t think there was so much intricacy involved in this matter, but what surprised even more was — How is this person the cute and naive little prince who doesn’t know schemes and only indulge himself all day long people talked about?

Just the fact he hid his confidant outside the city was enough to see that he had insight and had long prepared a retreat route for himself. Definitely not a simple person!

According to the custom, all 500 servants arriving with Du Ci would be recorded in the registry. If he had waited much later to send people out, it would have been an impossible mission. But if it was when they first entered the city, that was a different story. During that period, the palace staff would be too busy to complete the registry, making it the best time to act, and the risk was also much lower. 

That is to say, the fourteen year old little prince back then had already planned ahead even before he entered the city. No wonder Shu Shi’s third prince must kick him out. Otherwise, he wouldn’t he have to contest against a strong rival?

Qi Nanke’s mood was a bit complicated. He felt both admiration and amusement towards Du Ci, but it made his heart feel uncomfortable. After all, this person was just about to leak their country intel in one moment, thinking about leaving Dasheng the next, ultimately, he might side with Shu Shi and become his enemy. But this kind of enemy who is beautiful and cute, looking as innocent as a small cub on the outside, but having an unfathomable mind on the inside and behaving completely erratically, is the type Qi Nanke never wants to encounter on the battlefield.

What’s more. This enemy is also the one who begged the emperor for a marriage with him, saying he fell in love at first sight. And yet, not only did he fail to recognize him all this time, but once he knew the truth, he even said he would break the engagement?

Qi Nanke had fought on battlefields for so many years and remained undefeated, but he had never met such a difficult to handle opponent like Du Ci. 

It made him feel a little bit stifled.

Du Ci didn’t care what Qi Nanke was thinking and continued, “That year, even though imperial father knew this prince was set up by third brother, he still nodded and gave his consent. Because I was angry, I didn’t bring my flute with me when I left. The message sent by my confidant mentioned they found this letter and the flute when they intercepted Shu Shi’s spy who was about to sneak into the city. That spy was most likely sent by my third brother to pass Shu Shi’s internal strife news to me. Third brother sent this flute along with the letter as an a sign he still cared about our brotherhood and wanted to take this prince back. However, in return, he needed my cooperation to deal with Dasheng, providing insider information, and also help him settle the internal strife in Shu Shi.”

Qi Nanke rose an eyebrow: “And you believe it?”

Du Ci sneered in return, “Of course I don’t believe it.” 

Du Ci picked up the flute. Looking towards the fire, he spoke expressionlessly, “This flute isn’t the mine. That year, imperial father engraved three different seals had on the flutes. Only we knew about it. Eldest brother’s is peony, third brother’s is plum blossom, and mine is jasmine.”

Qi Nanke walked over, took the flute, and raised it towards the fire. After scrutinizing for awhile, he found an inconspicuous blooming “peony” on the flute shaft.

“This is eldest brother’s,” Du Ci said. “Third brother was probably in a hurry and took the wrong flute. This indicates that the eldest brother has been either arrested or killed. With his rivals are almost all gone, third brother wanted to use this flute to lure this prince. Knowing I was not willing to wait and die in Dasheng, he threw out a rope that looked like a lifeline but was actually a hangman’s noose!”

Qi Nanke: “What if this was purposely sent by your eldest brother to make you think that something happened to him, forcing you to join forces with the third prince and then collecting the evidence to accuse you two of forming factions? ” 

Du Ci nodded. Pointing at Big Yang and Second Yang, he said, “That is also possible. Before meeting them, I wasn’t sure whether it was the eldest or third brother who did this. But now, things are clear: It’s the third brother’s idea.”

Qi Nanke thought for a moment and understood, “The third prince never intended to take you back. He just wanted to give you a glimmer of hope. If you are bent on leaving Dasheng, you must grasp his olive branch. He wants you to cooperate and act as a spy from the inside while he attacks from the outside. You will deliver Dasheng’s intel to him, while he joins forces with the Crown Prince, pretending to raise an army to help the Crown Prince ascend the throne. In return, the Crown Prince will fulfill his promise, ceding the Southwest land and supporting him to become monarch.

Not only will the third prince achieve his goal of gaining the throne, but he will also expand his territory. His name will be recorded in history, be respected by all Shu Shi’s citizens, and be praised as a wise king. As for you, little prince…you will most likely be assassinated by the Crown Prince, helping the third prince get rid of a big problem. Of course, your merits in acting as a spy will be forgotten, and Shu Shi will never remember a ninth prince ever existed.”

Do Xi clicked his tongue and clapped his hands: “So do you think this king will still agree to his request? Does this king look like an idiot” 

Qi Nanke: “…” Haven’t you been pretending to be stupid all the time?

Seeing Du Ci was clear-headed, Qi Nanke breathed a sigh of relief, “Then why did you leave the royal city…?”

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