Chapter Nine, of great importance

He awkwardly touched his nose and first cupped his fists in salute to Chen Yuanshan, saying: "A few days ago, my father passed away, and I am truly grateful to you, Lord Chen, for your assistance during this time. I feel deeply ashamed that I can only express my thanks in person now."

Wuxi remains indignant

The few subtle attempts to get closer were brushed off by the other party with just a few words, all while maintaining a facade of loyalty to the country and a sense of righteousness. Jing Qi did not feel angry; in his heart, he still had a certain understanding of this esteemed Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

I wish I could kill all the enemies here without hesitation said Wu Xi

Wu Xi is somewhat unclear about what he wants to express

Wu Xi was half-heartedly listening to Chen Yuanshan's polite small talk, feeling that regardless of whether the people here were sincere or insincere, no matter how much they hated each other in their hearts, they always had to put on a smiling face and engage in seemingly genuine inquiries about each other's well-being, which was extremely hypocritical and tedious

Wuxi fell silent for a moment before finally asking, "Why are you telling me all this?"

Jing Qi recalled that He Lian Zhao had blurted out the character 'Yi' at the end, and suddenly remembered that He Lian Yi had already left the venue. The fleeting expression of fatigue and disappointment on his face made her feel a sense of regret

He hopes that his brothers will take into account that this younger brother has been well-behaved and unassuming for many years, and that he has not been favored, and thus grant him a chance to live.

Wu Xi widened her eyes, staring blankly at him

The struggle for supremacy in the court has reached a fever pitch, with Helian Zhao and Helian Qi locked in a deadly conflict. In Helian Pei's eyes, perhaps that taciturn younger son truly lacks the fate to become the crown prince or the emperor; even with the title of the Eastern Palace, he is merely a façade to cover up the shame.

The Minister of the Grand Secretariat, Chen Yuanshan, is like a seamless egg, a person who is charming and adaptable, maintaining a balanced distance with everyone. Both the First Prince and the Second Prince, akin to swarms of flies, wish to take a bite out of this favored individual in the Emperor's eyes, yet they have yet to find an opportunity. Even the future Crown Prince, Helian Yi, harbors a subtle intention of winning him over.

Jing Qi said softly: "In our Daqing, a boy reaches adulthood at the age of twenty after performing the rites. If he is from a noble family or has achieved some distinction, he can enter the court to hear cases and marry at the age of fifteen. After that, what he says will no longer be regarded as the words of a child."

Chen Yuanshan could not help but glance at Jing Qi once more, thinking to himself that this Wang of Nanning, though young, possessed an extraordinary demeanor. He spoke in a seemingly casual and unhurried manner, his voice slightly lowered, effectively suppressing the slight childishness that came with his youth. His every gesture was devoid of any pretense, exuding a unique style that subtly hinted at a sense of carefree ease.

Following Chen Yuanshan's words, he naturally asked: "Is it your father who has passed away?"

"Oh, it has been a long time," Wu Xi looked at him with understanding and said, "No wonder when I mentioned your father's death, you didn't seem very sad; it turns out it has been such a long time."

Helian Pei's usual indifference towards this legitimate son is, in fact, a form of protection

Wu Xi was taken aback for a moment: "I... I didn't mean that, I didn't say anything bad about you." He glanced at Jing Qi, thought for a moment, and then explained, "A Jialai's father died in battle. He retrieved his father's body from the battlefield and carried it home. His sister and mother cried out loud, and although he didn't cry, we could all see his sorrow. You are different from him."

Perhaps Helian Pei himself knows that the so-called prime of spring and autumn is nothing but a joke. He is not a tortoise and cannot live for ten thousand years, but once he dies, will not his yet-to-be-adult young son also be buried alongside him?

He could only force a smile and say: "Father and son share a natural bond, and the ties of kinship are the closest. How could the young prince not feel heartbroken? However, emotional pain is not like a physical wound that can be seen at a glance; sorrow is hidden deep within the heart. If the shaman speaks this way, does it not hurt the young prince's feelings of filial piety and brotherly love?"

It is heard again that Wang of Nanning has often frequented the Eastern Palace since childhood, having a close personal relationship with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince ... Chen Yuanshan felt a stir in his heart, vaguely formulating some calculations.

In the future, regardless of which son gains power and ascends to a high position, the youngest son, who has been the crown prince since birth, will certainly not meet a good end.

He lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes fell halfway down, giving him a somewhat dazed appearance

Look, the clay figurine still has a bit of temperament, not to mention that the Prince of Nanning himself is just a half-grown child. Chen Yuanshan does not understand what the Emperor is thinking, finding a child to coax another child, is he afraid that the two of them won't get into a fight?

Jing Qi was momentarily taken aback by the child's indiscriminate honesty, and after clearing his throat, he said: "But we have lost four hundred thousand of our people. Four hundred thousand is a significant number; if the corpses were piled together, even if you craned your neck, you would not be able to see the top."

Chen Yuanshan thus fell silent, feeling that the shaman from the southern border was like a curious child who was unaware of the vastness of the world. He reached out to pat the tiger's rear, and the tiger, half-asleep and half-awake, was too lazy to bother with him. He mistakenly thought there was no issue and even went so far as to twist the tiger's whiskers with an air of entitlement.

Helian Peitian was not the kind of man who could dominate the world. He could not grasp the hidden agendas of the powerful ministers in the court, nor could he control the fratricidal conflicts among his sons that could ultimately lead to regicide and usurpation. All he had was a sincere heart, wishing only to preserve the life of his young son

Jing Qi had a face that had long been tempered to be impervious to knives and guns in his past life, deeply embodying the essence of thick blackness. He lied as easily as one eats or drinks, without even blinking, shifting all the causes and consequences onto Helian Yi—after all, it was also the emperor's intention. Seeing the look of confusion on Wu Xi's face, he continued: "Helian Zhao's ambitions are already so apparent. At present, His Highness the Crown Prince is still in his infancy and cannot be moved against. In the future..." He let out a light, cold laugh; his face did not show much severity, yet it caused Wu Xi to widen his eyes even more. Seeing the look of confusion on Wu Xi's face, he continued: "Helian Zhao's ambitions are already so apparent. At present, His Highness the Crown Prince is still in his infancy and cannot be moved against. In the future..." He let out a light, cold laugh; his face did not show much severity, yet it caused Wu Xi to widen his eyes even more.

Jing Qi shook his head, turned his head to look at him, and upon closer inspection, Wu Xi discovered the beauty of the Nanning Prince. Every detail of his brows and eyes seemed meticulously crafted, his skin possessed a delicate fairness typical of the privileged nobility of Daqing, and his features still bore a hint of childish innocence. However, when he looked over, his gaze could easily make one overlook those aspects, compelling one to want to hear his words clearly. His skin possessed a delicate fairness typical of the privileged nobility of Daqing, and his features still bore a hint of childish innocence. However, when he looked over, his gaze could easily make one overlook those aspects, compelling one to want to hear his words clearly

Jing Qi understood that this child, wild like a little beast, also possessed the instincts of a little beast, able to discern who is good, who is insincere, and who harbors ill intentions

Jing Qi has always been the kind of person who is naturally advantaged in appearance, especially since he always carries a hint of a smile when meeting others. When he smiles, the corners of his eyes and brows curve up, making him appear particularly sincere and endearing

Wuxi couldn't help but be stunned; this was a question he had pondered throughout his journey without arriving at a clear answer

Jing Qi then slightly paused his steps and spoke with a serious expression: "Witch boy, there are some things that may not be quite appropriate for me to say."

It is a pity that his good prince does not appreciate this sentiment

Jing Qi sighed: "Daqing is so large, he does not know everything that happens."

It is said that the southern frontier is a wild and uncivilized place, where people are uneducated and no different from beasts, living a life of eating raw meat and drinking blood. When the children of the southern frontier saw him for the first time, their bodies exhibited clear signs of vigilance and tension, taking half a step to the side to scrutinize him, as if they could see through his seemingly kind and harmless exterior.

"Your Majesty is concerned about the old prince, and I am merely here to share your worries, not to claim any credit. I also ask the prince to take care of himself in this time of sorrow." Chen Yuanshan slightly lowered his head, "Gentlemen, please follow me this way."

The word 'death' itself is inauspicious and considered taboo, and the one who spoke it is the old Wang of Nanning, which is even more disrespectful. Chen Yuanshan paused for a moment, cautiously glancing at Jing Qi, fearing that this unrestrained southern barbarian shaman might provoke the young prince.

Why did Jing Qi smile and tell the shaman these words? Why did Helian Pei desperately seek him out to accompany the distant guest

What kind of place is Southern Xinjiang? It is characterized by rugged mountains and treacherous waters, with a fierce and resilient populace that is difficult to conquer. During the spring and summer seasons, it is plagued by miasma. Even Feng Yuanji, leading 400,000 elite troops from Daqing, suffered significant losses there. Helian Pei has not appeared in the court for over a year; in order to address the situation in Southern Xinjiang, he specifically summoned the witch doctor and brought in the grieving King of Nanning and the Crown Prince from their mourning. This marks the beginning of paving a retreat for his younger son.

He seemed to sense something and turned his head, just in time to see the Nanning King, whom the emperor had mentioned, walking this way

He firmly believes that if a shaman like him can live safely and steadily in this place in the future, it would probably be quite a miracle

Jing Qi turned his head away from him and said: "You say that your people have suffered countless deaths and injuries, you must be filled with hatred towards us people of Da Qing now, right?"

Such matters certainly do not require Chen Yuanshan to intervene, however, the expression on Wang Nanning's face suggests that he has something to say and does not wish for him to be present. Chen Yuanshan, being perceptive, understood this and found an excuse to take his leave with his companions

Jing Qiwang smiled with her eyes and said, "The battle in the southern frontier... it was not actually the Emperor's intention, do you understand?"

He turned to Wuxi, but retracted the feigned smile on his face and said: "You have just arrived in the capital, and there are many trivial matters regarding clothing, food, housing, and transportation that I must trouble Lord Chen to arrange. I have overstepped my bounds by taking it upon myself to host you esteemed guests on behalf of His Majesty, in order to fulfill the duties of a host."

Just now, I was completely confused by Wu Xi, but I understood this sentence. In a moment of urgency, I grabbed Jing Qi's wide sleeve and asked, "What did you say?"

Just as I was about to say something to smooth things over, I saw Jing Qi nodding nonchalantly and saying, "It's been over a year."

The situation of the Southern Border shaman, being a hostage, is already awkward, and his temperament does not seem to be accommodating. Having offended the Crown Prince's faction upon his arrival, if he were to add the Southern Ning King into the mix, it would truly be a case of having too many lice and not feeling itchy, having too many adversaries and not worrying about it.

Jing Qi merely reprimanded the child lightly, and naturally, he could not be bothered to argue with Wu Xi over such trivial matters. Moreover, he noticed that this child generally spoke whatever was on his mind, rarely beating around the bush. To put it nicely, he was simple-minded; in reality, he was just a bit dim-witted.

For some reason, when Jing Qi was glanced at by him, the smile on her face suddenly became somewhat difficult to maintain

Wu Xi was taken aback, and after a long pause, he hesitantly asked, "Then... why would your emperor agree?"

Indeed, he does not understand

From a young age, Wang of Nanning was a companion reader to the Crown Prince and had always been close to Helian Yi. Being of a similar age to the shaman of Southern Frontier, Helian Pei specifically sought him out, hoping to foster a closer bond between the Crown Prince and the shaman, allowing the feelings formed in their youth to endure. In the future, Southern Frontier could serve as a retreat for him—regardless of the long and arduous journey, or the fact that it was a land of uncivilized savages devoid of education.

Jing Qi squinted his eyes and slightly tilted his head to gaze at the horizon, whispering, "You are new here and do not understand some matters. The person who wants to kill you today is the Crown Prince Helian Zhao. The Jian Sizong you have mocked, Jian Shangshu, is the father of the Crown Prince's consort. Currently, the Crown Prince's faction holds immense power in the court, disregarding even the Crown Prince himself. If he intends to harm you..."

When this person was not wearing a smile on his face, he suddenly exuded a particularly composed aura. For a moment, Wu Xi felt that this young man bore some resemblance to the great wizard far away in the southern frontier, and she couldn't help but be taken aback, her subtle hostility diminishing significantly.

The meaning of Chen Yuanshan is that although the young king of Nanning is still quite young, he has been raised in the palace since childhood, growing up alongside the princes. Whether it is due to the friendship between the old prince and the emperor, or the amusing romantic affairs of those nobles from the past, it is evident to discerning eyes that, although he currently holds no power or influence, he is favored by Emperor Helian Pei even more than the three biological princes.

After seven cycles of reincarnation, the various sorrowful, lamentable, admirable, and contemptible matters witnessed in these seven lives amount to nothing more than a mere sentiment of humanity

At this moment, Jing Qi looked up and smiled at him, saying: "Lord Chen, I remember that the post station seems to be not far away?"

Jing Qi almost suppressed his voice in his throat, unexpectedly exuding a sense of solemnity, and said: "If you were not of this age, if... if the current emperor did not place such heavy emphasis on etiquette and reputation, what you have done today would warrant a thousand deaths, and that would not be excessive."

Wu Xi looked up at him

With a light chuckle, Jing Qi said, "After the passing of my late mother, my father... my father has always missed her. Although for us, the living, the death of a loved one is a deeply sorrowful matter, perhaps for him, it is a good thing."

Jing Qi's voice grew increasingly faint, to the point where one could only see his lips slightly trembling. It seemed that the wind would carry away his words whenever it picked up. He said: "Because the Crown Prince desires General Feng's power, and General Feng is unwilling to grant it to him, he must find a way to eliminate General Feng"

Chen Yuanshan was taken aback and quickly said: "Yes, I will go ahead and greet them to prevent them from neglecting the esteemed guests."

Wu Xi nodded slightly, as if understanding yet not fully comprehending, remaining silent

Jing Qi sighed: "But why must we fight this war? The people of the Central Plains cannot live in your territory, the journey is inconvenient, and even frequent visits are not feasible. The heavens are high and the emperor is far away; the officials of Daqing cannot reach your area, and it is still your great shaman who manages the affairs of your own people. Tell me, what benefits has Daqing gained from this?"

Wu Xi followed behind him in a daze until Chen Yuanshan returned to lead them to the post station, still not having come to his senses. It was the first time he understood the meaning of "to weigh heavily in the balance"; it turned out that a person could carelessly cause the death of so many others for something they desired, simply because... he was a so-called high-ranking figure, possessing power and influence

Wu Xi continued to glare at him with an unyielding gaze filled with vigilance, his round eyes resembling a little black cat that had just been ruffled, desperately trying to appear more mature and threatening. Jing Qi couldn't help but want to reach out and pat his head, but recalling the significant loss suffered by Minister Jian, he awkwardly withdrew his hand, rubbed his chin, and said: "It is the Crown Prince's intention"

Jing Qi indeed frowned slightly and retorted, "The three-year period has not yet expired; does the shaman mean to say that I am unfilial?"