I Ran Away with the Scumbag's White Moonlight Chapter 50

After coming out of the Flowing Gold Stone Mine, have you remained conscious the whole time? How is that possible...

The words spoken by Shen Zhuo took everyone present by surprise. When the Sect Leader asked, his tone was even more strained than Shen Zhuo, who had been in a coma for sixteen years.

"You mean to say, you've been conscious all along...?"

Shen Zhuo nodded. Compared to his calm demeanor, everyone in the room was so shocked they were almost collectively speechless. They repeatedly confirmed the meaning of Shen Zhuo's words and had to admit that the reality was indeed the most unimaginable and cruel possibility they could think of.

For sixteen whole years, Shen Zhuo's bodily functions were in stasis, but his consciousness was still active. He couldn't speak, see, or move, but he could perceive everything happening around him. Moreover, as a martial artist with keen senses, losing his sight only made his other senses sharper. With Shen Zhuo's internal strength, recognizing people by sound or hearing through walls was not difficult.

And in such a situation, Shen Zhuo was forcibly confined for sixteen years, unable to move. If not for his body being well cared for, if not for finding the antidote formula... Shen Zhuo might have died consciously in this endless darkness.

Even just imagining such a scenario is enough to make one's scalp tingle. No one can truly imagine how Shen Zhuo managed to endure it. Even sixteen days would be enough to drive someone with less resolve insane.

However, amidst the incredulous and astonished gazes of everyone, the person who had truly experienced boundless despair did not elaborate on the matter. Instead, Shen Zhuo looked at the Sect Leader by the bedside and softly said, "Xiao Er, you've worked hard."

The Sect Leader had not yet fully grasped the true meaning of what Shen Zhuo had said. Upon hearing this, he instinctively shook his head and replied, "I'm fine."

But it wasn't until he finished speaking that he realized what the other meant. The Sect Leader was slightly taken aback, "Brother Shen, you..."

He was already exceptionally beautiful, and now, with his eyes slightly widened in surprise, he appeared somewhat endearingly cute.

Shen Zhuo said he had been conscious all along. This meant that during the days when the Sect Leader stayed by his side after coming to Xuanyun Sect, all the words he spoke when they were alone were heard word for word by the seemingly comatose Shen Zhuo.

He looked up at Shen Zhuo, and upon meeting his gaze, he had to dispel the last bit of wishful thinking. There was no need for words between them; a glance was enough to understand each other's meaning—Shen Zhuo was indeed referring to those words the Sect Leader dared not recall.

The Sect Leader couldn't help but avert his gaze. Even if he deliberately tried not to think about the words he had spoken by the ice coffin, his cheeks couldn't help but burn, and even his ears weren't spared.

At that time, it was just the two of them in the secret realm, and they communicated silently. The others present were completely clueless. Even the young master who occasionally visited the secret realm couldn't understand the meaning, looking at the Sect Leader, whose ears were red, with utter confusion.

He had been with his father for sixteen years, and their bond was deep. But even so, he had never seen the Sect Leader like this.

Ultimately, it was the retired imperial physicians who broke the unknown atmosphere. They came forward to examine Shen Zhuo one by one and finally reached a unanimous conclusion.

Shen Zhuo's pulse was stable, and his body was no longer in danger. Although there was still a trace of residual poison in his body, it no longer posed any threat and would be expelled naturally in a couple of days.

Speaking of the obvious difference between Shen Zhuo and the Northern Consort, the physicians were also puzzled. However, Shen Zhuo was highly skilled in martial arts and had profound internal strength, so differences in their reactions to the antidote were expected.

Moreover, the fact that the poison seemed to keep one's consciousness clear was also noted. Shen Zhuo's strong will allowed him to endure what others could not, which was considered normal.

After the examination, the former imperial physicians discussed and prescribed some calming and restorative medicine. After leaving the prescription, they prepared to leave. They planned to report Shen Zhuo's condition back to the capital and discuss it with their disciples still serving in the royal family.

After the former imperial physicians confirmed Shen Zhuo's well-being, everyone present finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, despite the fact that things were clearly moving in the best direction, and despite Shen Zhuo having remained conscious for sixteen years, his body had been inactive for so long that it was not suitable for immediate activity.

The Sect Leader, though emotionally turbulent, was very thorough in his considerations. After the former imperial physicians left, the Sect Leader held Shen Zhuo down, preventing him from getting up on his own. He only asked if Shen Zhuo felt any discomfort and planned to personally help him loosen up his stiff meridians.

Shen Zhuo, upon hearing this, merely smiled faintly and shook his head, saying, "It's fine, I'm alright."

The young master quietly watched from the side, feeling inexplicably drawn to the smiling Shen Zhuo. Even though it was their first meeting, he couldn't help but feel a sense of closeness to him.

Although he received Shen Zhuo's response, the Sect Leader was still not entirely at ease and insisted on checking him. The former imperial physicians had already thoroughly examined Shen Zhuo's pulse, so the Sect Leader naturally wouldn't repeat unnecessary actions. He reached out and placed his hand directly over Shen Zhuo's heart.

At this time, Xuanyun Sect was still covered in ice and snow, but the room was as warm as spring for the sake of the patient. To facilitate observation, the newly awakened Sect Master Shen was only wearing a light blue inner garment. This was clothing the Sect Leader had specially prepared before coming, not only fitting in size but also soft and breathable, perfect for a patient.

As his palm rested on Shen Zhuo's chest, warmth was transmitted along with the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, bringing a comforting sense of peace that could almost bring tears to one's eyes.

Shen Zhuo did not comment on the Sect Leader's actions, continuing to gaze quietly at him with his gentle light brown eyes. Despite his appearance being preserved by the ice for over a decade, leaving no trace of time, the sixteen years of conscious awareness had given Shen Zhuo a maturity and gentleness that his younger self could not possess.

The smile in his eyes as he looked at the Sect Leader was a calmness and warmth that young people could not have.

Shen Zhuo's internal strength was not significantly affected, with only minor deficiencies, which were normal after sixteen years. After carefully confirming this, the Sect Leader finally felt at ease. He personally fetched a thick robe he had prepared earlier and draped it over Shen Zhuo's shoulders.

Once Shen Zhuo was comfortably propped up against the headboard, the Sect Leader finally let out a small sigh of relief.

As the Sect Leader stepped back a bit, the people by the bedside came into Shen Zhuo's view. The two standing closest were the young master and Bai Qinglian.

Upon seeing Ling Yao, Shen Zhuo did not inquire about his identity but simply smiled warmly at him. Suddenly facing the gaze of Sect Master Shen, the young master's expression stiffened slightly, and he couldn't help but avert his gaze, his fingers instinctively clutching the soft robe hem.

No matter how detailed the stories he had heard about the Sect Leader and Sect Master Shen's interactions, no matter how much he had imagined their circumstances, when truly facing this biological father he had never interacted with since birth, the young master was still at a loss.

Seemingly noticing his nervousness, Shen Zhuo did not rush to speak with him. Instead, he turned to Bai Qinglian beside the young master, "Ah Ling, thank you for taking care of the sect all these years."

"Just doing my duty," Bai Qinglian shook his head, lowering his eyes and speaking in a deep voice, "Failing to gather the antidote sooner is my fault."

The young master snapped back to reality. The atmosphere between the two sect masters was noticeably different from before. It seemed particularly... solemn.

The young master wasn't quite sure how to describe it, only feeling that compared to the warmth when Shen Zhuo looked at him, the atmosphere had suddenly become serious and formal.

However, compared to Bai Qinglian's insistence on taking the blame, Shen Zhuo's tone was much more relaxed. For this calm and outstanding disciple, Shen Zhuo's relief was evident, outweighing any concerns. After a brief exchange, Shen Zhuo turned his gaze to the people behind Bai Qinglian.

For the sake of the patient's recovery, not many people were left in the room. Those standing by the bed, overwhelmed with emotion, were mostly elders of the sect and Shen Zhuo's junior brothers from back in the day.

Hearing that their senior brother had remained conscious all these years, the junior brothers felt both joy and guilt. After all, over the years, their suspicions and doubts about the Demon Sect and the Sect Leader had been clearly heard by their senior brother.

Back then, they had all met Ling Er and witnessed the interactions between their senior brother and Ling Er. Ultimately, they hadn't trusted their senior brother's feelings enough.

The junior brothers, feeling both joy and guilt, stood obediently in a neat line by the bed, looking extremely disciplined. Despite being grown men, they resembled young apprentices waiting to be punished for their mistakes.

Seeing them like this, Shen Zhuo couldn't help but chuckle. The past was the past, and he had already learned the truth from the Sect Leader's self-talk while he was by his side. He had his own judgment of right and wrong and wouldn't spoil the good mood of this newly detoxified moment.

He simply offered a few comforting words to his junior brothers and then smiled, "Why are you standing so neatly? It's not like you're here for a lecture."

The junior brothers shifted slightly but still didn't lift their heads. Finally, the youngest, who had been closest to Shen Zhuo and Ling Er back then, spoke up softly.

"Senior brother, we'd rather hear you lecture us."

Shen Zhuo chuckled, "Why would I lecture you for no reason?"

"However," he shook his head, "you have indeed been a bit lax over the years. Second junior brother, you've gained over twenty pounds, haven't you? Have you completed your daily running routine? Third junior brother, what about the supervision you promised?"

The junior brothers straightened their backs instinctively, feeling a chill run down their spines.

The Sect Leader, who was looking for a hand warmer for Shen Zhuo, couldn't help but rub his nose at this, a faint smile flashing across his lips. This was a scene he had grown accustomed to twenty years ago.

But unlike the pure awe from twenty years ago, the junior brothers, who were being named and lectured, couldn't help but secretly wipe their eyes at the familiar yet seemingly distant tone.

Ignoring the presence of the younger generation, they all called out "senior brother" in unison, their voices choked with emotion.

They had waited too long for this lecture.

However, despite their excitement, to allow Shen Zhuo, who had just woken up, to rest well, the junior brothers composed themselves and, after a brief chat with Shen Zhuo, collectively left the room.

Only four people remained inside.

The room gradually quieted down, and the young master, half-hidden behind the Sect Leader, quietly clenched his hands. After hesitating for a while, he finally opened his mouth a few times, but in the end, he only managed to call out softly.

"Sect Master Shen..."

The more anticipated title was stuck in his throat, unable to break free from its final restraint.

Shen Zhuo didn't mind, instead extending his hand to the young master, his tone gentle and soothing, "Good child, come here."

The young master instinctively glanced at the Sect Leader, who reached out to ruffle his soft black hair, stepping aside to make some space.

The Sect Leader had unconditional trust in Shen Zhuo.

The young master pursed his pale pink lips tightly and cautiously took a step forward.

His slender right hand was gently touched by two long fingers, and a warm flow of energy entered his meridians through the main acupoint on his wrist.

The young master was momentarily stunned.

He quickly recognized it as a concentrated internal force being infused from the outside. Perhaps because he had previously practiced the Xuanyun Sect's mental techniques, combined with Shen Zhuo's deliberate actions, this internal force carried no aggression, instead quietly nourishing the young master's meridians like spring rain.

The internal force followed the meridians upward, eventually settling around the young master's philtrum. When he felt a slight warmth at the tip of his nose, the fingers gently resting on his wrist withdrew.

The young master couldn't help but rub his nose and let out a small sneeze.

However, when he opened his eyes again, he found that his usually blurry vision was now incredibly clear.

A second system prompt sounded in his ear today.

[Ding—Task repair progress, 90%]

When Shen Zhuo woke up, the progress had already jumped to 85%.

But this time...

The young master blinked.

What was the reason?

Seeing the young master's reaction, both the Sect Leader and Bai Qinglian confirmed Shen Zhuo's actions.

Before the Sect Leader could speak, Bai Qinglian frowned.

His tone carried a hint of disapproval, "Master."

Shen Zhuo waved his hand, smiling, "It's nothing, just a small meeting gift."

Seeing the young master still a bit dazed, the Sect Leader couldn't help but reach out and pinch the child's soft cheek.

"Little one, your nasal congestion won't trouble you anymore."

The young master had previously practiced the Xuanyun Sect's mental techniques with Bai Qinglian, but he hadn't reached the final step for a complete cure. Shen Zhuo's intervention directly helped him clear the cycle. When he continued to practice, his internal force would flow through the enhanced cycle at the tip of his nose.

As long as Ling Yao continued to practice martial arts, his nasal congestion wouldn't recur.

However, Shen Zhuo had just detoxified, and it was uncertain if using internal force would have any impact. Bai Qinglian directly expressed his disapproval. Although the Sect Leader didn't say anything, after confirming the young master was fine, he once again placed his hand on Shen Zhuo's chest.

The young master finally understood the meaning of the meeting gift.

Because he had just used special-effect medicine on Shen Zhuo, he wasn't too worried about his condition.

The medicine boy, who had brewed the medicine according to the imperial physicians' prescription, brought the decoction. The young master and Bai Qinglian then left, leaving the room to the remaining two.

The young master walked out with his head down, his eyes lowered, staring at the fluffy front of his robe.

This outer robe was bought for Ling Yao by the Sect Leader, and both the material and craftsmanship were impeccable. It had a tie at the front, and because the young master had narrow shoulders, if the tie wasn't tight enough, it would need adjusting after a while.

Before coming to Xuanyun Sect, the person who most often helped the young master adjust the tie was the Sect Leader.

His unusual behavior was quickly noticed by the man beside him, and after a few steps, the young master was brought back to attention by a low, magnetic voice.

"Young master? What's wrong?"

The young master gently shook his head.

He raised his hand, as if tired, and rubbed his eyes with his fingers.

"Nothing. Maybe I'm just... not quite used to it."

After softly answering, the young master quietly glanced back at the solemn room behind him, covered in snow.

In his mind, he recalled the focused look the Sect Leader had when looking at Sect Master Shen. The young master withdrew his gaze, silently lowering his eyes.

The cold wind of the Yunling Snow Mountain was biting, and the chilly air filled his fragile nasal cavity.

His heart, in turmoil, felt as if it was being slowly pressed with a comforting weight, yet at the same time, it seemed to have suddenly lost a large piece of filling.

Even though the Sect Leader had just said that his nasal congestion wouldn't trouble him anymore, the young master felt a slight sourness at the tip of his nose, and his eyes were swollen and aching.

Father...

He couldn't help but lower his head, burying his chin deep into his collar.

His neck tightened slightly, and in the next moment, the fluffy scarf was snugly wrapped around his face.

The young master looked up in surprise, only to see the man in front of him helping to adjust the scarf more securely around his chest.

The long fingers brushed lightly against the young master's chin, the warmth fleeting.

"Hmm...?"

He met the man's gaze, and in the touchable distance, those light silver eyes seemed more vast and distant than the snow-covered plains.

"There will be plenty of time in the future, young master can take your time to adapt."

Bai Qinglian withdrew his hand.

"No rush."

The young master was taken aback.

He suddenly realized that although this Bai Sect Master always had a stern expression, the way he looked at him seemed to have a seven-point resemblance to the way Sect Master Shen looked at the Sect Leader.

...Sect Master Shen?

Before the young master could fully process his sudden thought, a fluffy white ball appeared in front of him.

"...Huh?!"

A pair of round red eyes looked at him curiously, and even when being held by the scruff, the little creature was well-behaved and put all its effort into trying to run into the young master's arms.

The young master felt a weight in his arms, and a little snow rabbit that had appeared out of nowhere was now securely nestled against his chest.

"It came looking for you just now."

As the young master clumsily held the little snow rabbit, which was blending in with the white scarf's fluff, he heard Bai Qinglian's voice.

The little snow rabbit, having finally reached its destination, wiggled its ears contentedly and nuzzled against the young master.

The young master instinctively nuzzled back.

The warm body of the fluffy milk rabbit gradually soothed the inexplicable sourness that had accumulated in his heart. The young master carefully petted the young snow rabbit's back, letting out a soft breath.

He looked up and smiled at Bai Qinglian.

"Thank you, Sect Master Bai."

"I will... try to adapt."

————

The task progress was proceeding smoothly as expected, with the only unexpected development being the slight change in the young master's behavior after Shen Zhuo woke up.

The intense sourness welling up from his heart could no longer be attributed to nasal congestion. It seemed that this was an emotion spontaneously generated by Ling Yao's body.

However, considering the young master's situation, it wasn't hard to understand why he would have such a reaction. The young master and the Sect Leader had depended on each other for sixteen years, while Shen Zhuo had never been part of his life. This complete stranger, known only through the Sect Leader's words, suddenly intruding into his life, would naturally feel unsettling.

Ling Yao himself wasn't unreasonable; on the contrary, he was inherently kind and polite. Even though he was raised almost indulgently by the Sect Leader, he hadn't developed any arrogance.

When first reading the storyline, Shi Jingxian had been curious about how a young master of the Demon Sect could develop such a personality. Now it seemed that, besides the teachings during his upbringing, innate genetics played a significant role.

Ling Yao's personality was clearly identical to Shen Zhuo's.

Apart from his eyes and nasal issues, there were many bloodline connections between the young master and Shen Zhuo. Therefore, from the bottom of his heart, Shi Jingxian wasn't too worried about this matter.

He believed that time would perfectly resolve the young master's discomfort.

Aside from this minor hiccup, the rest of the investigation was progressing smoothly. After receiving the message sent by Xuanyun Sect, Xuanyuan Bei in the capital requested permission to thoroughly investigate the Northern Consort's family. It wasn't until a week later that they truly understood the effects of the poison.

As Shen Zhuo had mentioned after waking up, the poison would paralyze the body but not restrict the mind and senses. Those who appeared to be in a coma were actually in a state of constant awareness.

However, this state of being unable to see or speak was more terrifying than complete unconsciousness. Especially when those around them mistakenly believed the poisoned individuals were in a long-term coma, it could lead to a double despair of being abandoned in endless darkness.

Over time, without any external pressure, the poisoned individual's mind would collapse on its own. Even if they took the antidote to remove the physical restrictions, they would remain in a muddled, unresponsive state.

However, if the poisoned individual had an exceptionally strong will, could endure unimaginable loneliness, or had a powerful belief to support them, there was still a chance of survival.

In Shen Zhuo's case, Shi Jingxian speculated that even without the special-effect medicine exchanged with points, as long as no one interfered, he should have been able to recover on his own. The special-effect medicine merely provided him with a boost.

Moreover, the days the Sect Leader spent accompanying him in the secret realm likely played a significant role in keeping Shen Zhuo's consciousness clear. According to Shen Zhuo's recollection after waking up, by the tenth year, his perception of time had begun to distort, and his consciousness was affected by the prolonged stay in the extremely cold secret realm.

It wasn't until his lover's voice reached his ears that Shen Zhuo broke free from the chaos.

After understanding these details, Shi Jingxian specifically sent a message through the dark guards to remind Xuanyuan Bei.

The belief that supported Shen Zhuo was the Sect Leader and the sect, so similarly, the belief that supported the Northern Consort was her only son, Xuanyuan Bei.

Since the Northern Consort had maintained consciousness during her poisoning, if Xuanyuan Bei could recreate the state of interaction he had with his mother, it might awaken the Northern Consort's memory.

After receiving the secret message, Xuanyuan Bei quickly attempted this. Before the Northern Consort fell into a coma, she and her son were still favored. But after seventeen years of coma, the favor was gone, and Xuanyuan Bei was isolated due to Xuanyuan Nan's exclusion.

Among the princes, he was almost the weakest in terms of power, and even visiting his mother had to be done secretly when Xuanyuan Nan was busy with archery and couldn't come to cause trouble.

Therefore, Xuanyuan Bei's time with the Northern Consort was quite regular. This fixed habit was conducive to memory consolidation, and with the imperial physicians modifying the medicine to create a more targeted new prescription, after a few visits at fixed times, the Northern Consort's treatment showed significant improvement.

In less than half a month, the dark guards brought news that the Northern Consort could already recognize Xuanyuan Bei. With this, Shi Jingxian no longer had to worry about the limitations of using the item.

The task progress bar had already reached 90%, and Shi Jingxian had long had plans for the remaining ten percent.

Due to the main system's intervention and the inexplicable connection with the previous task character, Bai Qinglian, Shi Jingxian was more concerned about the quality of task completion than achieving 100% progress. After all, the higher the task rating, the more experience points he could earn to support his own algorithm detection.

So even with only 10% of the task progress remaining, Shi Jingxian wasn't in a hurry.

The secret arrangements continued to proceed methodically, and ultimately, Xuanyuan Bei, who had accumulated substantial wealth through personal abilities, emerged victorious in the Crown Prince Trial, becoming the winner personally acknowledged by the Emperor.

Less than half a year later, the Emperor passed away due to illness, and Xuanyuan Bei seized the opportunity amidst the chaos in the Imperial City, successfully securing the imperial edict and ascending the throne under the watchful eyes of dozens of brothers, some resentful and others unwilling.

The national mourning and the new emperor's enthronement took place in quick succession, and the Imperial City experienced a period of intense activity. However, once everything settled and the various systems began to operate routinely, an urgent report suddenly arrived from the northwest border.

The current northwest border had three neighboring countries, all with barren lands and relying on nomadic lifestyles. Due to their equal strength, they often had skirmishes but maintained a delicate balance.

However, after the Crown Prince Trial began, one of the three countries, Peijue, suddenly rose to power, and within two years, it had annexed the other two neighboring countries.

The unification of the three northwest countries naturally drew significant attention from the current dynasty. However, Peijue did not continue its aggressive expansion by invading the dynasty's borders. Instead, it lowered its flags and drums, beginning a period of recuperation.

At that time, the reigning emperor was still the late Emperor. After discussions among the civil and military officials, it was unanimously believed that Peijue had paused its offensive due to the arrival of the winter rest season. However, regarding how to deal with Peijue, the court was sharply divided into two factions.

The pro-war faction believed that Peijue's ambitions were not to be underestimated, and if left unchecked, it would become a major threat to the dynasty in the coming spring. The pro-peace faction, on the other hand, advocated for negotiating with Peijue, allowing it to pay tribute to ensure border peace.

In just two years, Peijue's fierce offensive, which had annexed two neighboring countries with decades of history, was well-known. This battle was almost inevitable, and the sooner it was fought, the better. However, the dynasty had a long-standing pride as a great power, and traditional beliefs were deeply ingrained. Many civil officials adamantly refused to agree to an expedition.

The most crucial issue was the lack of funds in the national treasury. A hasty war would severely deplete resources. As a result, this decision was debated for over half a month until the late Emperor fell ill, forcing a pause.

The late Emperor's condition showed no improvement, and after Xuanyuan Bei ascended the throne, he was busy suppressing his discontented brothers. The matter of Peijue in the northwest was delayed repeatedly until it became an imminent issue—

Peijue directly issued a declaration of war to the dynasty.

The ruler of Peijue was named Yelü Cheng, the very prince who had led the conquest of the first neighboring country. It was said that he was an illegitimate son who had endured hardships before being recognized by his family, yet he never gained the favor of the ruler.

At that time, the princes of Peijue were vying for the throne, and no one, including the major powers, had high hopes for this illegitimate son with a lowly mother.

However, when he truly began to lead troops into battle, this king on horseback shone with brilliance. He became famous in one battle, and in another, he swallowed a country. Yelü Cheng's military talents were exceptional, and combined with his seemingly divine luck in battle, he rose from a lowly commoner to the ruler of a nation in just two years.

With the new emperor's enthronement, the dynasty had not yet recovered from the power struggles when it was suddenly challenged by a formidable enemy. For a time, the Imperial City was in turmoil.

However, compared to the stormy court, the Xuanyun Sect, far away in the snowy mountains, was like a paradise, unaffected by the outside world.

The only one closely monitoring the situation was Shi Jingxian, who couldn't help but be at a loss when he received the latest developments.

...To be honest, he never expected things to develop in this direction.

This Yelü Cheng was also a familiar face Shi Jingxian had seen in the task storyline. During his time wandering outside, he had entered the dynasty's territory and had met Xuanyuan Nan several times.

Xuanyuan Nan had a decent appearance and had concealed his identity as a prince. Yelü Cheng seemed to have taken a liking to him because of his looks and had tried to get close to Xuanyuan Nan several times. Xuanyuan Nan, who was vengeful, couldn't tolerate this and immediately held a grudge. After amassing power, he sent his subordinates from the martial world to poison Yelü Cheng.

This time, Xuanyuan Nan's plan didn't come to fruition, and he no longer had the ability to command martial world figures. However, Yelü Cheng was still a person who could be used, so Shi Jingxian had sent dark guards to investigate his movements early on, setting a plan similar to the one used with Cui Hua, intending to make Yelü Cheng the final piece in the revenge plan.

To deepen Yelü Cheng's interest in Xuanyuan Nan, after Nian Er disguised as the young master and rescued Xuanyuan Nan, Shi Jingxian specifically sent Nian Er to take Xuanyuan Nan, disguised, to appear in front of Yelü Cheng, who had entered the dynasty's territory.

Yelü Cheng's military talents were undeniable, but Peijue's overall strength was limited. Even after annexing two countries, it didn't have the capital to engage in a decisive battle with the dynasty. Shi Jingxian had calculated this and planned to wait for Yelü Cheng to develop an interest in Xuanyuan Nan before advising Xuanyuan Bei to send Xuanyuan Nan to Yelü Cheng for a marriage alliance, in exchange for peace on the border.

This plan was one Shi Jingxian had set after assessing the dynasty's situation, and it was meant to be the final layer of revenge against Xuanyuan Nan. However, when Shi Jingxian truly grasped Yelü Cheng's intelligence, he found that reality seemed to differ significantly from his understanding.

When Yelü Cheng first saw Xuanyuan Nan, he was immediately attracted, his gaze too blatant, causing Xuanyuan Nan to be displeased. When Shi Jingxian had read the storyline, he thought Yelü Cheng was attracted to Xuanyuan Nan's appearance, but the final intelligence revealed that Yelü Cheng's true interest was in Xuanyuan Nan's jade hairpin.

The jade hairpin was an imperial gift, with each prince having one. They were made from the same batch of jade, exquisitely crafted, and apart from the small characters engraved on the hairpin, they were essentially identical. Yelü Cheng recognized the valuable jade hairpin, which piqued his interest in Xuanyuan Nan.

It was only after thoroughly investigating Yelü Cheng's childhood experiences that Shi Jingxian learned which prince had first met Yelü Cheng wearing that jade hairpin.

...It turned out to be Xuanyuan Bei.

This was about a decade ago. At that time, Xuanyuan Bei, traveling incognito, encountered Yelü Cheng, who was being bullied and ostracized due to his foreign appearance. Perhaps recalling his own experiences of being bullied by Xuanyuan Nan, Xuanyuan Bei saved the then-small Yelü Cheng.

For Xuanyuan Bei, this minor incident wasn't memorable. But for Yelü Cheng, who had endured much malice, Xuanyuan Bei was his savior.

So after returning to the Peijue royal family and annexing two neighboring countries, becoming the undisputed next ruler, Yelü Cheng disguised himself and returned to the dynasty's territory, seeking his benefactor.

Because of the distinctive jade hairpin and the three-part resemblance between half-brothers, Yelü Cheng noticed Xuanyuan Nan, leading to the subsequent developments.

With this, Yelü Cheng's interest in Xuanyuan Nan was unfounded. Shi Jingxian's plan should have been shelved, but ironically, he discovered something else.

In fact, what initially caught Shi Jingxian's attention and prompted him to thoroughly investigate Yelü Cheng's past was a wooden figurine Yelü Cheng carried with him. The wooden figurine was carved by Yelü Cheng himself. Although the wood wasn't of high quality, Yelü Cheng's craftsmanship was excellent, and with a few strokes, he had carved the figurine vividly and lifelike.

Yelü Cheng cherished this wooden figurine, always carrying it with him. Over time, the surface of the figurine had been polished to a smooth sheen. Additionally, the back of the figurine was stained with indelible bloodstains—blood from Yelü Cheng's injuries during battles.

Despite this, Yelü Cheng had no intention of replacing the figurine. Even after unifying the three countries and disguising himself to enter the dynasty's territory, Yelü Cheng continued to carry the figurine, seemingly searching for the real person it represented.

The figurine was clearly carved in the likeness of a young girl, and seeing Yelü Cheng treasure it so much, Shi Jingxian couldn't help but think of a dream lover. However, when he used the figurine as a clue to investigate, he uncovered the incident of Xuanyuan Bei saving Yelü Cheng.

Moreover, when Xuanyuan Bei drove away the bullies and saved Yelü Cheng, the wooden stick he used as a makeshift sword was the original material Yelü Cheng used to carve the figurine.

Shi Jingxian: ...

When all the intelligence was delivered, even Shi Jingxian, who had experienced so many tasks, couldn't help but fall silent for a moment when he saw the words in black and white.

Aside from this, the youthful appearance of the figurine bore a five-part resemblance to Xuanyuan Bei.

Shi Jingxian finally understood the true sequence of events.

Xuanyuan Bei's appearance took after the Northern Consort, with a somewhat androgynous look. In his youth, before his features matured, this was even more pronounced. Coupled with his unchanged voice, Yelü Cheng, upon seeing him, assumed he was a girl disguised as a boy. So after this meeting, Yelü Cheng had regarded Xuanyuan Bei as his love at first sight, treasuring him in his heart for over a decade.

Based on the current intelligence, Shi Jingxian had yet to confirm whether Yelü Cheng had learned Xuanyuan Bei's true identity. However, given Peijue's actions of not declaring war during the national mourning but waiting until Xuanyuan Bei ascended the throne, it seemed that the Peijue ruler was not far from the truth.