Recently, Wei Jing has been feeling that something is off with the Imperial Advisor.
For instance, the Imperial Advisor, who previously had little interest in gastronomy, now often requests additional dishes during dinner. His taste used to lean towards the lighter side, but lately, his diet includes quite a few spicy dishes.
Similarly, the books the Imperial Advisor often reads in his hands have been different from the usual ones. Sometimes, when Wei Jing enters the study to report on matters, he would occasionally glance up cautiously and notice the distinct book covers, which boasted printing techniques unmatched across the vast Zhou Dynasty.
Another example is the unexplained appearance of flower branches in the blue porcelain vase in the study that usually remained empty.
Sometimes it was a branch of iris, other times a branch of red camellia, or even a branch of orchid… and even some flowers Wei Jing could not name.
Every time they appeared, there was only ever one stem.
Within the Imperial Advisor’s residence, whether Wei Jing was stationed outside the main courtyard or outside Wei Yun’s room, he never saw when these flower branches were placed there.
Clearly, he had also never seen Wei Yun bringing those branches into the room.
But… when did those branches appear? Despite having many questions, Wei Jing never dared to voice them easily.
With his mind preoccupied, as Wei Jing stood outside the study, an inadvertent glance revealed a figure in a tea-colored robe approaching.
It was the heir of the Nanping Marquisate, Qi Ji.
Immediately, Wei Jing turned his head and said to the inside: “Master, the heir has arrived.”
When Qi Ji entered the study, his eyes were immediately drawn to the bright color in the vase.
As if he had spotted something rare, he walked over and clicked his tongue, “Yanchen brother, have you changed your ways? To add such a splash of spring to this usually dull study?”
Wei Yun looked up, noticing his gesture, his brows furrowed, his voice slightly cold, “Don’t touch it carelessly.”
Qi Ji’s hand instinctively paused, indeed hesitating to touch.
“Are you really being this stingy, Wei Yanchen?” Qi Ji tilted his head to look at him.
“Is there something you need?” Wei Yun massaged his brow, his voice revealing a hint of fatigue.
Seeing him like this, Qi Ji’s expression suddenly became more serious, “You’ve been incredibly busy these days, even getting dragged into matters by Prince Xin. Do you have any plans regarding the Emperor?”
Upon hearing this, Wei Yun’s lips twitched slightly, his eyes expressing minimal emotion, “What plans? As long as I do nothing, no fire can touch me.”
After hearing his words, Qi Ji suddenly said, “But will you really… do nothing?”
As if sensing the deeper meaning in his words, Wei Yun looked at him steadily, “What are you trying to say?”
Qi Ji lifted his lips slightly, “Nothing.”
Surrounded by an inexplicable sweet fragrance, Qi Ji sniffed around, eventually fixing his gaze on an open paper box on Wei Yun’s desk.
He walked over immediately.
Upon seeing the heart-shaped candies inside, his eyes lit up, and he reached out his hand.
Wei Yun saw his action, waved his hand away, and quickly closed the box..
Qi Ji was utterly baffled by his series of actions.
“What’s the matter with you, Wei Yanchen? Not even a piece of crispy candy for me?” He gritted his teeth, slapped the desk, “Besides, don’t you dislike these things? Perfect, I’ll take care of them for you!”
Saying that, he reached out his hand again.
“No need.” Wei Yun once again mercilessly swatted his hand away and moved the box further inside.
“…”
Qi Ji glared at him, “Is this how you should act, Wei Yanchen?!”
“Do you still consider me as your close friend?”
Wei Yun shook his head, “Never have.”
“Then what do you take me for?!” Qi Ji was so angry that he put his hands on his hips.
“A lifesaver.”
When Wei Yun looked up at him, his words were deliberate, and his voice carried an inexplicably mocking tone.
“…” Qi Ji was choked up.
Seeing his expression, Wei Yun seemed to ponder for a moment, then, as Qi Ji’s eyes lit up again, he opened the box and took out… a piece of crispy candy.
“Just one?” Qi Ji’s gaze suddenly dimmed.
“What? You don’t want it anymore?”
Wei Yun pretended to put the crispy candy back into the box.
Seeing his action, Qi Ji quickly waved his hand, “I, the young master, did not say I didn’t want it!”
Then he quickly snatched the crispy candy from Wei Yun’s hand and stuffed it into his mouth.
The Great Zhou Dynasty did not have such crispy candy.
Ever since Qi Ji had a piece from Wei Yun last time, he had never found such crispy candy again.
It was truly a lingering taste.
However, happiness is always short-lived. After finishing one piece, Qi Ji’s eyes turned to the box in Wei Yun’s hand again.
“…”
Wei Yun simply locked the box in the drawer next to the desk.
Watching Wei Yun’s actions, Qi Ji bit his teeth again, “Wei Yanchen, I never realized you were such a miser before.”
“If the young master has nothing else to do, it’s better to go back earlier.”
Wei Yun stood up, casually ground the ink, took a brush, and laid down a few strokes on the spread out rice paper.
Qi Ji waved his wide sleeves, turned around, and walked away.
But when he was about to reach the door, he suddenly paused.
Just moments ago, still bristling with displeasure, his expression suddenly calmed down, even becoming somewhat inexplicably complex.
Suddenly, he spoke: “Wei Yanchen, in serving as the Imperial Advisor, are you doing it for the country, for His Majesty, or for yourself?”
He turned around to look at Wei Yun, who stood behind the desk, dressed in a dark cyan robe embroidered with silver patterns, “Strategizing step by step over the past two years, what exactly is your purpose in coming to Yingdu?”
Even though Qi Ji has never been interested in entering the court, aside from being known in Yingdu as a carefree noble’s son, he is also a famously talented scholar.
He has no interest in court affairs, but that does not mean he is unaware of the silent struggles within the court.
Living outside the storms of all factions, his heart, however, is like a clear mirror.
Even though he indeed saved Wei Yun years ago, to this day, he is completely unaware of Wei Yun’s background, let alone his reasons for coming to Yingdu and entering the court.
Perhaps, Qi Ji has always had a suspicion in his heart, but he does not wish to dwell on it.
But seeing the depth in Wei Yun’s eyes, Qi Ji laughed, and without waiting for an answer, he said: Well, as you said, there are some things, it’s better not to know.
Even sometimes, he can’t help but want to delve deeper, but upon seeing Wei Yun, he would then lose the urge.
Qi Ji shook his head and turned to leave.
And Wei Yun, watching his back disappear at the door, his eyes filled with a few more shadows of gloom.
If he guessed correctly.
Qi Ji must have seen through the trap he deliberately set for the Emperor and Qin Qi from the beginning.
But… he never mentioned a word.
Towards this son of the Nanping marquis, Wei Yun has always harbored many complex feelings, including gratitude and a bit of guilt.
He knows that Qi Ji has come to regard him as a close friend and confidant.
But Wei Yun… has always been unable to completely open up about many things to him.
In the past many years, he has climbed out of hell, stepping on countless bones.
His past is filled with too much unspeakable bloody hardship.
More than two years ago, had it not been for Qi Ji saving him, perhaps he, Wei Yun, would no longer have the chance to live.
Wei Yun will always remember his kindness.
But every step he takes now is on the edge of the knife, a wrong step means continuous mistakes, with no possibility of reversal.
He has always been indifferent, after all, he has always been alone, with no family to involve or be held accountable.
If he dies, then he dies.
He came alone, and he will leave alone.
But Qi Ji is different.
He is the heir of the Marquis of Nanping, even if he does not enter official service, he will have a very bright future.
Wei Yun has no reason to involve him.
For Qi Ji, this should be the best protection.
For a moment, Wei Yun stood there holding the brush in his hand, motionless.
Suddenly, his heart felt much heavier, furrowing his brow lightly.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then when he opened them again, he saw the pale-colored flower in the green porcelain vase placed on the mahogany table nearby.
Suddenly,
He lost focus.
What about her?
If one day he were to make mistakes, what would she do?
Taking out the paper box from the box, Wei Yun took a piece of pastry and put it in his mouth.
These days, he seemed to be getting more used to the sweetness of this pastry.
In the afternoon, Xie Tao finished the test and returned home feeling downcast.
“What’s with that expression?” Wei Yun put down the book in his hand and asked her.
Leaning on her chin, Xie Tao said weakly, “I was tortured by the math test to the point of almost crying…”
The math test this time was really difficult. Xie Tao had a hard time answering the questions this afternoon.
“I heard it was a test set by the teacher from the neighboring Chengyuan High School,” Xie Tao sighed, “It’s really worthy of Chengyuan, the test questions are really insane, they even included physics questions!”
Because he had read many books sent by Xie Tao these days, Wei Yun also had a lot of understanding about the world she was in.
Her high school, as she mentioned, he naturally knew.
But physics… he was still not very clear about.
Xie Tao seemed to suddenly think of something, her eyes lit up, and she looked at Wei Yun on the phone screen with her head tilted, “Do you know physics?”
Seeing Wei Yun shake his head, she smiled triumphantly, “See? You always think I’m stupid. Let me tell you, physics is truly the most terrifying subject in the world! I think if you were to study physics, you might not be as good as me!”
After all, he was an ancient person, and the modern technology was already amazing enough for him.
If he were to study physics, it would probably be even more difficult for him.
“Are you proud to compare yourself with me?” Wei Yun said lightly.
“… ”
Indeed, what was there to be proud of when she compared herself to an ancient person in physics?
Moreover… she was just an arts student.
Xie Tao chuckled awkwardly, then said, “I won’t talk to you anymore, I have to continue studying, I have an exam tomorrow.”
After the two ended the call, Wei Yun looked at the copper pendant on his hand, which had already returned to its original state for a moment, then, under the reminder from Wei Jing outside the door, he stood up, casually tucked the copper pendant into his clothes, and then walked out of the study.
He still needed to go to the Forbidden Palace.
When Wei Yun returned to the Imperial Advisor’s Mansion, night had already fallen.
While bathing in the bathhouse, he leaned against the edge of the bath, silently closing his eyes, thinking about the events of the Astrology Pavilion today.
Later, he finally got up, the water making a slight sound.
When he picked up the thin robe he had thrown on the soft couch earlier, he inadvertently moved the tassel of the copper pendant.
At that moment, the copper pendant shifted position and pressed against the corner of his robe.
Wei Yun’s pupils contracted slightly, but it was too late when he reached out.
His robe disappeared in front of him in an instant, and the copper pendant fell to the ground with a sound.
“…”
Wei Yun’s complexion turned a bit unsightly.
When he picked up the copper pendant just now, he saw the star chart flickering faintly inside, and the light screen appeared suddenly.
Xie Tao held a piece of clothing that suddenly fell on her head, obviously wanting to say something, but when she saw Wei Yun on the phone screen, her lips were slightly open, her eyes widened, and she froze completely.
In the screen of the mobile phone, a young gentleman with loose, damp black hair and flawless fair skin, with a hint of watercolor. Only his upper body can be seen on the screen, but it is a bare upper body.
Xie Tao even saw droplets sliding down his neck… sliding down without a trace.
“Ah!!!”
Xie Tao’s face suddenly turned red, her hand trembled, and the phone fell directly, hitting her face.
She exclaimed in pain, then hurriedly ended the video call.
Xie Tao buried herself under the blanket, even stuffing the robe into her quilt. She curled up, her nose touching the corner of the robe, a cold and faint fragrance emanating. She tightly closed her eyes, but the incredible scene just now kept replaying uncontrollably in her mind.
Ah!!!
She tossed and turned on the bed.
Meanwhile, Wei Yun held the copper pendant in his hand, standing by the bath, his ears completely red.
After a while, he gritted his teeth:
“Wei Jing!”
“My lord?” Wei Jing heard something off in his tone, so he answered cautiously.
Wei Yun tightly gripped the copper pendant. At this moment, by the steam-filled bath, his usually pale face even had a rare blush:
“Fetch… a robe for me.”
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