Chapter 65

Chu Zhaoyou said, “If I weren’t curious about your past, that would be a dereliction of duty.”

“But curiosity doesn’t necessarily entail delving into the depths if you don’t want to discuss it. All your achievements from the past have led to the present. I find the current Regent is quite admirable,” Chu Zhaoyou continued.

The Regent gazed quietly at Chu Zhaoyou, his expression slightly moved.

Chu Zhaoyou immediately followed up with self-praise, “I am so understanding. Unlike some people who forget our agreements in the blink of an eye.”

Xiao Heng felt the need to explain, “My situation with His Majesty is different.”

His past is just that – the past. Yet, Feng Xingzhou deceived him, claiming that Chu Zhaoyou’s fate had changed. How could he not be anxious?

Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes shifted, gazing at him tenderly, tugging at the Regent’s sleeve. “Won’t you tell me?”

Xiao Heng embraced Chu Zhaoyou. “It’s an old story. If you speak out, it will only seek sympathy. His Majesty is still in the womb, so it’s my duty to sympathize with you.”

Chu Zhaoyou replied, “The Regent’s storytelling skills must be terrible. I promise not to sympathize. Why don’t you practice with me first? Then you can tell bedtime stories to him in the future.”

He gestured toward his stomach.

“Learn how to tell a vivid story. If you remain expressionless, the child will surely be frightened.”

“What story should I tell? I’ll read him a memorial,” replied the Regent. Unable to ask for a major memorial, he made the most of a minor one, picking up a memorial. “We can listen to it now.”

Chu Zhaoyou was placed on the dragon case, forced to listen to the memorial.

The Regent had a forward-thinking prenatal education awareness, and nothing could stop him.

As he listened, Chu Zhaoyou suddenly felt that the content of this memorial was not right.

“Twenty-one years ago, there was a case of examination fraud. Grand Secretary Xiao Congwen was the chief examiner for that year’s imperial examination and was accused of leaking examination questions and accepting bribes. Despite vehemently denying the accusations, No one listened to him. Xiao Congwen, determined to clear his name, chose to end his life, and the matter was left unresolved.

Throughout his career, he was known for his honesty and integrity. He had modest wealth and only one daughter, Xiao Man. Xiao Man gave birth to a child out of wedlock, and the child was secretly raised at home, receiving careful instruction from his grandfather.

After Xiao Congwen’s passing, she left the capital with her son, and their whereabouts became unknown. Six months later, Xiao Man traveled south to Yangzhou, where she abandoned the child by the banks of Lingbi River. The child was found by a wandering Taoist priest and given the name ‘Yudao.’ Xiao Yu Dao traveled with the priest for two years.

At the age of nine, the priest decided to set sail in search of Penglai Island, leaving the young disciple in the care of Master Mingrui. At seventeen, Xiao Yu Dao descended from the mountains and participated in the imperial examination, entering officialdom.”

Three years later, he wielded immense power in the court.

Xiao Heng briefly summarized the years from when he was seven to seventeen.

His tone was calm, as if speaking about another person’s life.

Master Mingrui was actually Feng Xingzhou’s master, and they couldn’t truly be considered as master and disciple. Xiao Heng had another master. Out of loyalty, he refused to leave halfway into monkhood without his master’s approval and instead waited on the mountain for the Taoist’s return.

As Master Mingrui couldn’t always attend to him, Xiao Heng was left in the care of the monks below. Due to his refusal to shave his head, he faced exclusion and mockery from the lower-ranking monks who accused him of freeloading. Unyielding, Xiao Heng moved out and lived for eight years in a woodshed, chopping wood and fetching water in exchange for food in the kitchen.

In the backyard, he met a humble sweeping monk who concealed his martial arts skills and learned from him.

Xiao Heng’s martial arts proficiency improved rapidly, and the humble monk was happy to teach him, often calling Feng Xingzhou over for sparring matches.

Feng Xingzhou inherited the mantle of his master and was the most esteemed senior disciple on the mountain. Xiao Heng, merely residing in the woodshed, never considered himself Feng Xingzhou’s junior brother, at most engaging in a few fights.

At fourteen, Xiao Heng defeated Feng Xingzhou, much to the delight of the humble monk, who quietly gave him the key to the library.

The library was a restricted area, accessible only to Feng Xingzhou, and the sign on the door read, “No entry for idle visitors.” It was puzzling how the humble monk obtained a key and allowed an outsider like Xiao Heng access. Feng Xingzhou chose to ignore it when they encountered each other in the library.

The library wasn’t solely filled with scriptures. It took Xiao Heng three years to read everything besides the scriptures. His grandfather, Xiao Congwen, was the most knowledgeable person in Great Chu. Before the age of seven, Xiao Heng had received guidance from him and showed exceptional comprehension.

Later, the humble monk said there was nothing more to teach him. After eight years, with no news of the Taoist master, he advised Xiao Heng to leave the mountain.

Xiao Heng bowed to him three times and descended the mountain.

Upon entering officialdom, he sought to clear his grandfather’s name.

The woodshed was dilapidated, and winter brought in drafts. During those eight years, Xiao Heng brushed over this period, but Chu Zhaoyou knew that the less one spoke, the more arduous the situation.

The only thing he didn’t mention was why he detested actors.

Chu Zhaoyou speculated that it might be related to his birth mother. When the Regent mentioned being abandoned by his birth mother, his eyes were cold and unyielding. Over the years, there had been no news of him seeking Xiao Man, indicating deep-rooted resentment.

The Regent was right. Speaking about the past could elicit sympathy. Chu Zhaoyou now felt particularly sympathetic.

At seven, he waited at the banks of Lingbi river for his birth mother; from nine to seventeen, he waited for his master on the mountain; and after twenty, he waited for death with no hope.

Xiao Heng was inherently loyal, nurturing deep sentiments for mother and child, master and disciple, and ruler and subject. Among these relationships, only the Taoist had not let him down. The remaining two, one was more ruthless than the other, stirring deep-seated resentment.

Fortunately, I am not that kind of person.

Chu Zhaoyou embraced the Regent, sniffed, and with a choked voice said, “Thank you for going through so much and still daring to like me.”

The more the Regent invested, the deeper the wounds, and anyone else would have closed off their heart and never dared to develop affection for the son of an enemy.

Truly, the only person on the entire mountain without a bald spot, displaying both high skill and boldness.

Chu Zhaoyou asked, “Was your name chosen by your grandfather?”

“Yes.”

The “Heng” in Xiao Heng’s name referred to a type of fragrant herb, often symbolizing a wise minister. This was Xiao Congwen’s hope for his grandson, a hope that the Regent had fulfilled, but unfortunately, the late emperor had not conducted himself as a human being.

Chu Zhaoyou pursed his lips and hesitantly said, “The divine Physician said that the herb I’m currently burning contains a type of Du Heng.”

Xiao Heng, considering Chu Zhaoyou’s sudden enthusiasm for the medicinal herbs, had a thought. “Your Majesty, if you have such a need, why not just tell me directly? Let Chu Zhaoyou be enveloped in my scent, not in any Du Heng.”

“What need do I have?!” Chu Zhaoyou grabbed two memorials to shield himself from the Regent. “Don’t misunderstand me.”

Xiao Heng took the memorials and placed them back. “I consulted the divine Physician, and he said that my effects are similar to Du Heng.”

After all, the He Xin Gu had resided within him.

Chu Zhaoyou replied, “You’re all quacks. I’m not taking it.”

“Really?” Xiao Heng asked.

Chu Zhaoyou, who had just felt sympathy for the Regent, was actually quite lenient and easy to talk to, but he maintained a precarious sense of dignity. “You haven’t regained your memory, so I won’t do it.”

The Regent didn’t want to experience that sensation again.

Xiao Heng raised an eyebrow. “Where is Your Majesty’s mind wandering? The divine Physician only suggested that I sleep with you at night.”

“And besides, I’ve remembered some things,” Xiao Heng approached him slowly. “Which part of it did Your Majesty mention?”

Chu Zhaoyou blushed. What kind of scoundrel are you? He had concealed it before, not daring to let Xiao Heng know. Now, taking advantage of his own distress, Xiao Heng dared to flaunt it.

Shameless.

You have the nerve to mention it in front of me with your lousy technique.

…

Xie Chaoyun was interrogating five monks. Due to their high reputation, without evidence, he couldn’t use force and had to rely on verbal persuasion.

“Confess. The other four have all identified you as the impostor.” Uncertain which of the five it was, Xie Chaoyun used a stack of false testimonies marked with red handprints and went through each one with deceit.

By the fifth, the impostor, less resolute than the other four, tremblingly confessed the truth.

“Eight years ago, Qinghui abbot found me and said that Changhai abbot had suddenly gone on a journey. To maintain the reputation of Wuyun Temple, we needed five abbots, so he asked me to impersonate him.”

The five abbots usually kept to themselves and became even more reclusive after the sudden change, making them less visible to others. The impostor bore some resemblance to Changhai, and to this day, no one has discovered the switch.

Xie Chaoyun asked, “Do you recall the specific date?”

“On the seventh day of the eighth month. I remember that day; it was just after the late emperor had stayed at Wuyun Temple.”

Xie Chaoyun continued, “What were you and the others usually doing? Did anyone go looking for Changhai?”

“I was only responsible for chanting scriptures. I knew nothing about the others. They often gathered together, discussing matters without allowing anyone to disturb them. When I asked how long I needed to impersonate, they simply told me to sincerely chant scriptures and that provisions wouldn’t be lacking.”

Being a monk at Wuyun Temple was quite a comfortable position, not to mention the role of abbot.

“Recently, have there been any unusual occurrences at the Temple or the neighboring Matchmaking Temple?”

“None.”

Xie Chaoyun tapped his sword. “Think carefully.”

“Yes, yes! Just a few days ago, I saw a young woman heading towards the head abbot’s residence. Recently, people have often been seen jumping from the Matchmaking Temple to the Temple. I saw it once at night, but the head abbot said it was of no concern.”

That young woman should be Miao Ruoqiu, yet despite searching throughout Wuyun Temple, they found no trace of Miao Ruoqiu.

“Yesterday, Feng Xingzhou from Dayan visited the Yue Lao Temple. Did anyone in your Temple speak to him?”

“I was present at the time. The head abbot invited Feng Xingzhou to preach, but he declined. I could tell that the four abbots greatly admired and revered Feng Xingzhou, often expressing that if they could reach his level, they could die content.”

Xie Chaoyun smirked. Whether it was admiration for Feng Xingzhou’s abilities or his extraordinary status in Dayan, that was hard to say.

Perhaps they envied Feng Xingzhou. Eight years ago, when the late emperor passed by, the five abbots sent Changhai to present the He Xin Gu as a gesture of goodwill, hoping to aid the emperor in eliminating the empress dowager and then following Dayan’s example to elevate their status.

The late emperor disliked Buddhist rituals and was averse to being constrained by monks, just as the Dayan royal family had been. Consequently, he killed Changhai and seized the He Xin Gu.

The remaining four abbots harbored resentment and had been contemplating revenge.

Xie Chaoyun tossed aside the testimony, preparing to question the remaining four.

…

Outside the Regent’s residence, a group of beggars passed by and suddenly threw a box at the doorstep.

As the lid popped open, it revealed precious jewels.

Inside was a set of opera masks and several old hairpins. The craftsmanship of the silver hairpins was a style that had been popular in the capital twenty years ago.

At the bottom lay a letter:

“At midnight, take the young emperor to the woods seven miles east from the western gate to the eastern gate.”

Xiao Heng crushed the letter, his veins bulging on the back of his hand. He closed his eyes, recalling the year he was seven, standing at the bank of Lingbi river, watching the departing passenger ship bound for Yangzhou.

The hairpins on the woman at the ship’s bow glinted glaringly in the sunlight; an image he would never forget.

“Heng’er, you’ll be fine. No need to find your mother.”

Xiao Man thought she had arranged things well. Mr. Ding in the west of the city was ailing and needed a son. But as soon as the passenger ship departed, the man who trafficked him, Ma Shu, sold him to the Chu House, a brothel in the city.

His exceptional looks as a child didn’t trigger maternal affection in Xiao Man; instead, they stirred covetous intentions.

As soon as he entered, he escaped and spent three days in the reeds, battered and bruised, steadfastly watching the pier.

The river remained calm, boats coming and going, but the people at the bow never looked back.

After collapsing from hunger, a Taoist asked him if he wanted to join him.

Could it be that someone now believed he would trade Chu Zhaoyou for a person who abandoned a child just to sing freely without constraints?

The author has a message: Chu Zhaoyou: “The Regent in my household is the most handsome lad on the entire mountain.”

Lu Jinghuan: “The National Preceptor is too.”

Xiao Heng nodded: “He’s quite bright.”

Dandan is also bright.

It seems some readers have misunderstood; the Regent hasn’t recovered his memory yet. Previously, it was only mentioned that he could recall a drunken episode.