Chapter 3, the old friend is still here

A gloomy atmosphere permeated the mourning hall, where a large white lantern hung at the entrance. When the wind blew, it swayed slightly, as if leading directly to the underworld. The old steward had been waiting there for a long time, having prepared incense, paper offerings, large candles, and other items.

It is disrespectful to say, but I fear that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince today is perhaps less significant than the parrot kept by His Majesty in the study.

In addition to Helian Yi, who has two fierce older brothers, the second prince Helian Qi is ten years his senior, while the eldest brother Helian Zhao has long since matured and taken flight. No one regards this convenient prince seriously; they consider him just another joke among the emperor's entourage, following the likes of the 'Parrot General', the 'Wife Grand Tutor', and the 'Storyteller Chancellor'.

That voice, even if turned to ash, cannot be mistaken.

The old butler opened his mouth: "This ... ... "

The old steward devoted his life to the royal residence, always adhering to the rules. Although Jing Qi was only ten years old that year, in his heart, the late old prince was gone, and the young master had the final say. He said little and respectfully withdrew.

Although he was only around 10 years old, he was a youth of remarkable beauty, akin to the elegance of orchids and jade trees, who suddenly caught his eye

Helian Yi coaxed Jing Qi, saying: "I have tried it, it’s not bitter, just a few sips, and after drinking it, I will give you some candied fruit, alright?"

Jing Qi then cooperatively closed his eyes, only hearing a sigh from that person by his ear

No one understands better than Jing Qi that this man harbors vast ambitions and is destined to rise to the pinnacle and invigorate the world. Sometimes, Jing Qi even doubts whether the greatest pleasure in life is listening to the emperor, who has scolded the ministers in the study, lamenting how great a misstep he must have taken to have established such a crown prince.

At this moment, when Jing Qi saw him again, he could only react with some surprise. He thought, so this is what Helian Yi is like? ... How ... it all feels so unfamiliar now.

The seventh day after death is the day when the wandering soul returns to bid farewell to the kitchen god. He does not know whether the old man, who has been devotedly pursuing his deceased wife, still remembers that there is a son in the world. He is also unaware of whether he has returned to the living and whether he will still encounter the spirits of the underworld, yet he harbors some lingering thoughts in his heart

Helian Yi did not think much of it. Seeing him shrink back with a pale face, he assumed that he was unwilling to take the medicine, so he forcibly grabbed the back of his neck and said with a smile: "What are you hiding from? You're already so grown up, are you still afraid of taking medicine?"

In a lifetime, when encountering that deeply loved and profoundly hurt person from the past, a myriad of emotions will surge within, stirring the heart endlessly, yet several hundred years have already passed

For some reason, Ping An felt a deep-seated fear of this Prince, who was gentle and amiable with everyone. Not daring to speak further, he hurriedly responded and brought over the candied fruits from the small table

General Feng Yuanji, the Pingxi General, was one of the few friends of the late Prince Wang. In fact, Jing Qi should still address him as Master, as it was General Feng who introduced him to that rudimentary skill.

Helian Yi saw him staring with a pair of big, watery eyes that had been burned, looking confused, and couldn't help but reach out to tap his forehead, asking: "Beiyuan?"

What do you know?" Helian Yi was both amused and exasperated. Just then, Ping An entered holding a bowl of medicine. He casually took it over, instructed him to stand aside, and personally picked up Jing Qi, intending to feed him.

Jing Qi waved his hand and said, "It's fine, just bring it here. You all can go down now; I will have a word with the general."

Helian Yi quickly pressed him back onto the bed and chuckled, "After being ill this time, you've learned to be more polite; just lie there and don't move."

In a moment, a robust man strode in with large steps, while Ping An followed closely behind, running lightly.

Jing Qi thought, my mind has always been faulty, this time burning a little longer will save me the trouble of being remade.

Jing Qi raised the corners of her mouth in a smile, stretched her legs, and relaxed while sitting on the ground, casually tossing some paper money into the fire pit: "I am doing well, but it seems you, General, are about to leave the capital, aren't you?"

Seeing him approach, he instructed someone to fetch the fox fur coat for him to wear in the evening

At this moment, a young servant came in to report that the General Pingxi had come to visit. The old steward then went to see Jing Qi. Jing Qi was taken aback and hurriedly said: "Please invite him in." There was an unexpected hint of excitement in his words

Feng Yuanji believed that his father had just passed away, sighed, and with a hand as large as a fan, reached over to pat his head, saying, "You have suffered." He then bowed to the spirit tablet of the old prince, and Jing Qi returned the gesture. He then said to Ping An, "Bring a cushion for the general."

Helian Yi sighed, tucked him in properly, and gently patted him as if soothing a child: "I shouldn't have said these words, and you shouldn't be too sad. The departure of the old prince is, in fact, a relief for him. After handling the funeral affairs, he will return to the palace with me, and it will be no different from the past."

Jing Qi was astonished to discover that the feelings of love and hate, intertwined and unable to be grasped or let go, which he had while waiting for this person by the Naihe Bridge all those years ago, seemed to have dissipated as if by a mere illusion, leaving his heart feeling empty and hollow

Only after completing this action did he remember that at this moment, he had not yet fallen out with Helian Yi, and they were still in the close and affectionate phase of their youth. This overly guarded posture was indeed excessive; he felt his head spinning, as if it were filled with a lump of paste, with memories from his past life and the circumstances of this life tangled together.

The room was silent, and a faint fragrance emanated from Helian Yi. Jing Qi was momentarily dazed and fell asleep without a care. It was not until evening that Ping An woke him up. He had broken into a sweat, the fever had subsided, and he was somewhat more alert.

It is just that Jing Qi thinks that He Lianyi is also... too inexperienced.

Feng Yuanji was taken aback and looked up at him: "How do you know?"

Then, reaching out with a small hand, I secretly grabbed a few times on it, thinking to myself that this brother has had a hard time. Tonight, I will burn extra paper for you, so you can take it with you, and make some arrangements in the underworld, so that in your next life, you won't have to live in such a skin.

If Helian Yi truly behaved as he presented himself, gentle and unassuming, it would be acceptable; however, he is anything but that.

Jing Qi had endured the torment of being skinned and having his muscles pulled, so the mere presence of this item made him feel quite uncomfortable. However, he did not want to offend the old steward, so he merely furrowed his brow slightly and stood there obediently, allowing the old steward to tremble as he draped it over him.

The old steward took Jing Qi's small hand and led him to the ancestral tablet, bending down to say: "Little Prince, bow to the old Prince. From now on, you will be in charge of this royal residence."

When the young man saw that he was awake, the anger on his face instantly faded. He leaned down and softened his voice, asking, "How are you? Is there anywhere on your body that feels uncomfortable?"

Jing Qi quickly dismounted from the donkey, hurriedly putting on a look of reluctance to take medicine due to fear of hardship. He cast a glance at the dark, murky medicine bowl, then looked up at Helian Yi, continuing to shrink back.

The matter of ill-fated relationships is akin to encountering bird droppings while out and about. One goes to great lengths to avoid it, devising all sorts of precautions, yet there always seems to be a bird that unexpectedly swoops down from who knows where, launching a surprise attack, and a lump of excrement lands squarely on one's head, neither too early nor too late. From that moment on, one feels as though bad luck is a constant shadow.

This is the seventh night after the passing of the old prince. The guests have already been attended to, and now they have all left. The filial son is to keep vigil in the mourning hall. Jing Qi hastily tidied himself up and then stood up unsteadily. Ping An reached out to help, but Jing Qi waved his hand and said, "No need, I'm fine now. Let me lead the way."

Jing Qi knew that he was accustomed to being unrestrained, and seeing that he did not bow, he merely smiled faintly—he remembered clearly that Feng Yuanji's lifespan was nearing its end

He came to his senses and suddenly realized that this was a scene where the leader was standing while he was lying down. He felt a sudden discomfort, propped himself up to get up, swallowed to moisten his throat, and opened his mouth to say: "Your Highness the Crown Prince..."

The current emperor has some minor flaws, such as being impulsive and whimsical, occasionally suffering from bouts of forgetfulness, and for instance, years ago, he insisted on establishing the principle of preferring the legitimate son over the eldest. When his youngest son, Helian Yi, was born, he issued an edict to designate this infant, who had not yet reached one month old, as the crown prince. Furthermore, in the years that followed, he completely disregarded the crown prince he had personally appointed, as if he had forgotten about him altogether.

He certainly knows why Helian Yi is sighing, the Empress has long passed away, and the Emperor, aside from governing the country, has no interest in anything else. The Crown Prince and the Second Prince take pleasure in fighting like dogs, making it their lifelong pursuit and career. The ministers engage in internal strife, each one more cunning and capable than the last, yet when it comes to actual work, they are increasingly inept, leaving one in awe of their level of incompetence.

Only the Prince of Nanning, Jing Beiyuan, who was raised in the palace since childhood, shares a close bond with him. Jing Beiyuan is young and has lost his parents' guidance. Growing up, he was influenced by his uncle, the emperor, who wore the yellow robe and was known for his eccentricity, thus acquiring many eccentric habits himself. Although their statuses are different and their temperaments are quite opposite, they share a sense of mutual sympathy, both having been born of a mother but raised without a father

Helian Yi noticed that he was staring blankly and not speaking, thinking that he was in a daze. He cautiously reached out again to feel his forehead, frowned, and turned to the servant, saying: "Is the medicine not ready yet? If this continues, he will damage his brain."

When the boy's body leaned in, it brought with it a wave of warmth. Jing Qi had no time to think carefully and instinctively wanted to evade, unable to help but lean back slightly, her whole body tensing up, raising an arm to shield herself.

Jing Qi blinked and said, "Ah... yes, I know."

Helian Yi lowered his head to take a small sip of his medicine, then turned to Ping An and said: "Go fetch some candied fruits for your master."

Bai Wuchang casually uttered the name "Helian Yi" by the banks of the River of Forgetfulness, which did not stir anything within him. So many years had passed, and coupled with deliberate forgetfulness, this name lay buried deep in his memory, almost impossible to unearth. Yet he still remembered that person's voice. He remembered that person's small gestures, and how when that person's fingers rested on his forehead, he would involuntarily engage in the habit of brushing aside his hair.

In the mourning hall, only a brazier and two people remained. Feng Yuanji sat down heavily on the mat; he was a rough man, only skilled in fighting. After thinking for a long time, he did not know what to say and awkwardly remarked: "That old rascal Mingzhe was useless when he was alive, and now that he has passed, you... you, with your frail, paper-like body, must take good care of yourself."

Jing Qi let out a quiet sigh, realizing that her breathing rate had already changed when she was startled awake by Ping An. She no longer wished to pretend and opened her eyes.

Jing Qi remained silent, quietly observing the profile of the young man.

These seem to be things that penetrate to the marrow. Sometimes, Jing Qi thinks that if it weren't for the relentless entanglement with Helian Yi back in the day, there would be no Seventh Master who sat by the Three-Life Stone for a century.

The old man's face bore a sense of helplessness that came with the frailty of age. Jing Qi knelt down in accordance with his gesture, properly bowing her head several times to the cheap father king, who had long been forgotten whether he was round or flat.

At this time, both individuals are without support. They grew up together in their childhood, and their relationship cannot be said to lack intimacy; however, they later ended up in a situation where they would not see each other again in life or death

Although there are no strong feelings, now that I have the chance to live again and meet some old acquaintances, it is ultimately... it is always a good thing

Jing Qi was covered in goosebumps, and suddenly understood what it meant to be "the heart serving the form". Silently, she grasped one edge of the pill and, with Helian Yi's hand, swallowed it down.

He exchanged a few words with Helian Yi, mostly consisting of Helian Yi's indirect advice, while Jing Qi responded with ulterior motives. There were some sleep-inducing substances in the medicine, and after drinking it, he soon felt his eyelids grow heavy. Helian Yi sat by his bedside and said softly, "You should sleep; I will leave once I see you fall asleep."