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墨書 Inktalez
Upon returning to the Regent's residence, Ye Chen kept his face turned away from Pei Guanjing. The latter's fingertips hovered near his sleeve several times but ultimately curled into a fist and retreated into his wide sleeves.
As the carriage rumbled over the cobblestones, Pei Guanjing recalled their conversation from a few days prior in the eastern courtyard.
The Regent stroked his jade ring, the map on the wall flickering in the candlelight. "Though Liu Chen is the only son of King Huai'an, he is merely a Kun Ze. As long as you mark him, he will be bound to you, and King Huai'an will not oppose his future son-in-law; he will only lend us the troops from Chongzhou.
However... when Liu Chen leaves the capital next month, you must mark him and leave your imprint on him. This way, our alliance with King Huai'an will be even more solidified. I trust you don't need your adoptive father to teach you how to do this."
The Regent's gaze was particularly sharp as he looked into Pei Guanjing's eyes. He placed a heavy hand on Pei Guanjing's shoulder and said earnestly, "Guanjing, I have raised you for over ten years; do not let me down!"
He had already caused enough harm to A Chen; he could not do it again.
Pei Guanjing clenched his fingers tightly, his pale fingertips drawing Ye Chen's attention. Yet, he was not in the mood to concern himself with Pei Guanjing.
His friend and Chef Wang, who had done him a favor, were both indirectly dead because of him. How could he come to terms with that? Moreover, today’s actions with Captain Li only highlighted his coldness and ruthlessness. How could he kill someone he had spent a year with? Especially after saying it was none of his business and that he would no longer hold grudges—yet he still intended to act.
Truly, a face like Guanyin but a heart like a viper.
After returning to the palace, the two seemed to have an unspoken agreement not to speak to each other.
In truth, Pei Guanjing wanted to talk to Ye Chen, but every time he thought about how Ye Chen had opposed him for someone he had only met a few times—Tian Qian—his heart felt sour and swollen with anger that lingered for a long time.
If he was so soft-hearted towards someone like Li Wangcai, what would happen when he faced Lou Yu in the future? Would he still plead for mercy?
For several days following that incident, Pei Guanjing left early and returned late.
Often, when Ye Chen fell asleep at night, Pei Guanjing had yet to return. By the time Ye Chen woke up the next day, it seemed Pei Guanjing still hadn’t come back; he hadn’t heard the sound of the door opening at the other end of the room for days.
It appeared that Pei Guanjing was also intent on giving him the cold shoulder.
For several consecutive days, Ye Chen confined himself in the west chamber. Without stepping outside, he was unaware that the world outside had already changed dramatically.
After news spread that Lou Yu had exchanged himself as collateral for Prince Yong’s safety, public sentiment gradually shifted in his favor. Meanwhile, Cangzhou raised the banner of "Qing Jun Ce," revealing evidence of the Regent's harm against Xiao Feng Taizi and mobilizing troops northward toward the capital.
Pei Guanjing stroked the jade pendant at his waist as he listened to reports from scouts about military affairs. He had never been interested in this vast territory nor had any thoughts of contention; however, due to his cautious nature, he had secretly cultivated many loyal followers across various states. Thus, he received news of movements in these states promptly.
His fingertips traced the vermilion mark on the map, and he suddenly recalled events from a few days prior.
Now that Lou Yu had defected and slipped away from the capital, it allowed him to breathe a little easier, no longer having to worry about Lou Yu sneaking off to find Ye Chen. But soon, his brow furrowed again.
The military forces of Lan Prefecture were under the command of Feng De, and the border with the Wolf Tribe was not to be crossed. This was Tianqi's last shred of dignity; even as various states vied for supremacy, they could not allow the Wolf Clan members to take advantage and breach their defenses.
So on this day, when Pei Guanjing stumbled upon Ye Chen swinging in the courtyard and saw him trying to avoid him, he quickly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Ye Chen's slender waist. Pei Guanjing remained silent for a moment before lifting his gaze with determination and saying, "Since there is no place left for us in this world, A Chen, I will claim this vast land for both of us. Then, the whole world can be our home."
Ye Chen's angry expression froze instantly. He did not understand why Pei Guanjing had suddenly changed; just days ago, he had spoken of marrying him for a peaceful life, yet now he was uttering such ambitious words. Just as he was about to ask, he remembered that they were still in a cold war.
"The first one to speak loses." Ye Chen silently challenged himself, ignoring everything Pei Guanjing said.
Pei Guanjing merely smiled lightly, reaching out to gently caress Ye Chen's still swollen cheek, coaxing softly, "Once I have pacified the world, I will build Liuli Palace for you. From now on, you can go wherever you wish. How does that sound?"
Ye Chen felt troubled. He knew that once Pei Guanjing made up his mind, it would be hard to change it, especially since the other man's eyes were red and his expression frenzied; any words of persuasion would likely fall on deaf ears.
In the end, Pei Guanjing left him in the care of a maid and hurried away with Mo Sheng.
Ye Chen watched his lonely figure grow distant and felt an absurdity wash over him. The one who had once vowed to protect him was now willing to slaughter countless lives for power?
The autumn wind swept through the corridor with dry leaves swirling around. Ye Chen touched his swollen lips and murmured to himself, "Are you truly fighting for the world for me, or are you merely using my name to satisfy your own desires?"
He lowered his head to look at the swaying shadows of trees on the ground and suddenly found it hard to distinguish whether the person before him was his beloved or a shura clad in human skin.
What Ye Chen did not expect was that soon an unexpected turn of events would arise; he and Pei Guanjing would soon part ways.
The day of his return to Chongzhou was drawing near, and Pei Guanjing personally came to see him off at the city gate.
Alongside him was the Regent, which surprised Ye Chen. The Regent stared at Ye Chen for a long time before addressing Pei Guanjing, "Guanjing, aren't you going to spend a few more days with A Chen before sending him away so soon?"
Pei Guanjing lowered his head and replied, "A Chen is still an unmarried Kun Ze; being close with me could tarnish his reputation. Coincidentally, King Huai'an has been sending letters these past few days expressing his longing for him. I thought it best to send him back to Chongzhou to reunite with his father."
The Regent looked at Pei Guanjing in silence for a long while, seemingly disappointed. He waved his hand and instructed the guards at the city gate to let Ye Chen leave.
There comes a time when one must part ways after seeing someone off.
The first snow fell unexpectedly, marking the arrival of winter.
As he pulled back the curtain, his heart told him not to look back, yet his instinctive action was to linger on Pei Guanjing.
Standing at the city gate, Pei Guanjing saw a pair of clean hands parting the curtain, his expression as clear and transparent as the bright moon, gazing straight ahead. If only Ye Chen turned around, he would see that Pei Guanjing had been right behind him all along.
Unfortunately, Ye Chen did not look back.
A Chen, are you truly unwilling to forgive me?
In an instant, it felt as if something had dropped within his heart, leaving an emptiness behind. The biting cold of the ice and snow was nothing compared to the chill that settled deep within him.
It wasn't until the long line of people vanished into the distance with the falling snowflakes that Pei Guanjing reluctantly turned to leave.
This time, he had sent more than half of his elite shadow guards to escort Ye Chen to Chongzhou. Once they entered Chongzhou, King Huai'an would naturally ensure his safety. As for now...
Pei Guanjing raised his gaze, scanning the bustling crowd on the street; he needed to eliminate any potential threats to A Chen.
It was still too early to tell Ye Chen everything. But it didn't matter; he had plenty of time ahead to share it all.
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