Chapter 44#
Trust#
The most beautiful Golden Crow, Lu Yan, forced the Crown Prince to lie in bed for three days.
Lu Yan, who had originally fainted from the poison, now appeared to be in high spirits since he was no longer troubled by the residual poison. On the contrary, Yin Yuheng was half-faint and half-awake, constantly coughing up blood, which made Lu Yan both angry and distressed. He strictly required everything down to the smallest detail, such as when to drink what medicine and what food to eat every day.
Under this kind of care, Yin Yuheng finally regained a bit of color and refused to stay in bed any longer. Braving Lu Yan’s disapproving gaze, he forced himself to get up and handle the affairs that had been delayed before. Lu Yan really couldn’t bear to watch and gritted his teeth as he wrapped the person in a quilt.
“Recovering your body is the most important thing. What matter is so urgent that it can’t wait a moment?”
Yin Yuheng muttered, “I’m afraid it’ll be too late,” and before Lu Yan could ask further, he smiled and changed the subject.
*
“I’m really afraid it’ll be too late. There are too many things to arrange…”
When speaking with Little White, Yin Yuheng was sitting by the window, writing a letter to his second sister, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time. Sunlight fell on the tip of his pen, and a faint scent of ink wafted through the room. Lu Yan sat nearby, holding a medicine bowl and tasting the temperature of the medicine.
In this world, the one who knew almost all of Yin Yuheng’s secrets was probably only Little White. It understood Yin Yuheng’s worry: “The most important plot point is about to come.”
“Yes.” Yin Yuheng wrote another stroke on the paper. “I’m worried I’ll really lose my memory.”
In the original plot, Lu Yan would soon return to the Demon Clan and inherit the throne, from then on possessing the ability to turn his hand into clouds and rain. After rising to the heavens in a single step, Lu Yan destroyed Yin Yuheng’s memory and abandoned him, watching him struggle between life and death. When the whim struck him, he would save him again and take him back to the Demon Clan to humiliate him.
In short, he didn’t do anything humane.
Thinking of these plots, Yin Yuheng stopped his pen and turned to look at Lu Yan: “Young Lord Lu?”
Lu Yan raised his head with the medicine bowl.
“If you become especially powerful in the future, what do you plan to do?” Yin Yuheng propped his face with one hand, looking at Lu Yan with a smile. “Will you take revenge on me?”
“Why would I take revenge on you?” Lu Yan was puzzled.
Yin Yuheng blinked: “I shot you with an arrow.”
Lu Yan finally remembered this and said helplessly, “I’ve forgotten it already, why do you still remember?”
He stood up, walked to Yin Yuheng’s side, and handed him the medicine bowl: “The temperature is just right, drink the medicine.”
Yin Yuheng obediently took the bowl and drank the medicine, hearing Lu Yan continue: “If I become especially powerful, I won’t let you get hurt again. If you don’t cherish yourself, then I’ll…”
Lu Yan stuffed a preserved fruit into Yin Yuheng’s mouth: “Then I’ll punish you.”
Yin Yuheng took a light bite of the preserved fruit, and a thread of sweetness spread in his mouth. He narrowed his eyes and pulled Lu Yan, who fed him another piece.
With the fruit in his mouth, Yin Yuheng said indistinctly, “Young Lord Lu, you’re so good to me now. If you’re not good to me in the future, I won’t be able to stand it.”
Lu Yan thought that the matter of Li Guanghan and Zhu Anning had indeed hurt A-Heng’s heart, which was why A-Heng felt so insecure. He said seriously, “I will always be good to you. If I fail to do so, you can leave me just like you left Li Guanghan.”
Yin Yuheng slightly curved his eyes and laughed softly.
“Alright, then I’ll remember that.”
*
The day of parting came sooner than expected.
One early morning, when Lu Yan got up early to practice his sword in the backyard, his long sword suddenly slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. Such a mistake was extremely unusual for him. He stood on the spot with his head lowered, dazed for a long time.
For a powerhouse like the Demon Emperor, when he is about to fall, heaven and earth will sense it. Lu Yan, being connected by blood, also had a premonition.
Yin Yuheng found Lu Yan with a new secret report about the Demon Clan, handed it to him, and said softly, “A-Yan.”
Lu Yan looked up, revealing a pair of slightly red eyes and pale lips.
Yin Yuheng bent down to pick up the sword for him and gently embraced him.
Lu Yan trembled all over and finally couldn’t help but bury his head on Yin Yuheng’s shoulder.
“…I thought when he died, I wouldn’t be very sad.”
Lu Yan’s voice was a bit choked.
“He didn’t like me, and he wasn’t good to me since I was a child… He rarely even came to see me. Occasionally when we met, the look in his eyes was one of annoyance. At times, I even wondered if he wanted me to die.”
Yin Yuheng circled Lu Yan, one hand gently stroking his hair.
“But I’m still… still sad. He is my father after all… he’s about to die.”
Lu Yan’s voice was intermittent, as if he were crying.
“…If you can’t let it go, then go back and see him.” Yin Yuheng said softly, “The Demon Clan needs you.”
The morning breeze blew, and the morning glow was about to dissipate. The surroundings were very quiet, with only Yin Yuheng and Lu Yan present.
Lu Yan suddenly hugged Yin Yuheng tightly, so hard as if he wanted to rub the person into his own body. He let out a low sob.
Yin Yuheng didn’t struggle, his hand stroking Lu Yan’s hair becoming even gentler.
This was silent indulgence and comfort.
“Go back and take a look. There may be danger along the way. I’ve already arranged for Commander Qin to escort you.”
Lu Yan looked up in a daze. He remembered that Commander Qin was a confidant of Yin Yuheng, but his whereabouts had not been seen for a long time.
“He…”
“He has been in charge of the Demon Clan’s affairs recently,” Yin Yuheng said softly. “The road home, I’ve already paved for you. You just need to walk forward, don’t be afraid.”
Lu Yan’s lips moved, and he stared intently at Yin Yuheng’s gentle eyes. He couldn’t help but call the other’s name over and over in a low voice: “Yuheng, Yuheng…”
Tears rolled down and hit Yin Yuheng’s collar.
Yin Yuheng reached out and wiped his face: “Go, don’t worry about me. My body is much better than before. You’ll come to see me again, right?”
Lu Yan nodded while choking back tears.
Yin Yuheng clipped a black bead to Lu Yan’s left ear, and he himself wore one as well. He smiled softly: “I’ll wait for you.”
*
Lu Yan left.
After seeing Lu Yan off, Yin Yuheng came outside Chaoge City. He went to the place where he first met Lu Yan, thinking of his disgust and weariness toward the other person at the time, and felt that the ways of the world were unpredictable.
“At that time, he fainted right here,” Yin Yuheng said to Little White. “I said I would watch over him, but turned around and left.”
Little White also felt emotional: “At that time, you didn’t expect…”
“Yes. Tell me, why is he different from the plot?” Yin Yuheng looked down and smiled. “Let’s go.”
With Lu Yan not by his side, Yin Yuheng actually found himself a bit unaccustomed. One day, he was so busy that he worked too late and forgot to take his medicine. When he remembered, his first reaction was, “Lu Yan is going to be angry.” Then he realized that Lu Yan had already left.
Yin Yuheng touched the black bead on his ear with a guilty conscience. The black bead was called “Listening to Speech,” two beads forming a pair; it was a type of communication artifact. Yin Yuheng lowered his hand, thinking it was better not to tell Lu Yan about this matter, or he would nag again.
Thinking of Lu Yan, a smile appeared in Yin Yuheng’s eyes.
The moment of the plot’s arrival was getting closer and closer, but Yin Yuheng really couldn’t imagine Lu Yan turning against him and becoming an enemy. In the quiet waiting, Yin Yuheng received an invitation from Shen Liyuan.
Yin Yuheng held the invitation and looked at it for a long time, finally smiled, and decided to go to the appointment.
*
Quzhou, where the Shen family was located, was not far from Chaoge. When Yin Yuheng arrived, Shen Liyuan was already waiting outside the door. He sat in a wheelchair, looking like a noble young master at first glance.
Yin Yuheng’s hair was held up by a jade hairpin, and he wore white clothes with dark patterns embroidered in gold thread on the corners. The daylight fell on him, and as the wind blew his clothes, his features were like a painting. He walked toward Shen Liyuan, revealing a gentle, shallow smile.
Shen Liyuan was stunned for a moment, his breathing slightly disordered.
He really loved Yin Yuheng’s elegant and transcendental appearance. His hands holding the sides of the wheelchair tightened as he tried hard to restrain the dark thoughts in his heart. He smiled and said, “His Highness has been unwell lately, and Liyuan has been deeply worried. Last time, I thought of inviting you to relax, and now I finally have the chance. The Shen family has been waiting for a long time. Your Highness, please.”
Shen Liyuan’s arrangements were very meticulous. They passed through pavilions, water features, and elaborately carved buildings, and arrived at an elegant room overlooking the water. The copper bells hanging under the eaves swayed in the wind, and outside the window, the water sparkled, making for a breathtakingly beautiful scenery.
“It’s just for relaxation; today we won’t talk about official business,” Shen Liyuan smiled. “In my heart, I have always admired Your Highness. That Your Highness is willing to come makes me very happy.”
Yin Yuheng’s eyes were filled with a smile, and his posture was relaxed, as if he fully trusted the person in front of him: “Young Master Shen doesn’t need to be so polite.”
Shen Liyuan’s gaze moved slightly, thinking, Has he not yet found out about me? He said tentatively, “There is a distinction between ruler and subject; we still cannot forget etiquette.”
“I have always regarded Young Master Shen as a confidant and good friend,” Yin Yuheng laughed. “Young Master Shen is a rare gentleman.”
A gentleman? Shen Liyuan’s smile deepened, thinking, When you are locked up, and your beautiful eyes are shedding helpless tears, will you still think I am a gentleman?
I don’t just want to be your confidant and good friend.
Shen Liyuan lowered his eyes and smiled: “Let’s eat.”
The dishes were very exquisite, and the maids also served fine brewed fruit wine. Shen Liyuan poured two cups and handed one to Yin Yuheng.
“It’s not strong liquor. Why don’t you try it, Your Highness?”
Yin Yuheng hesitated slightly but still took the wine cup. The wine was indeed not too strong, and it even had a hint of fruity fragrance.
The meal was enjoyed by both host and guest.
The sun set in the west, and the lanterns were lit. Yin Yuheng could not hold his liquor well and gradually became a bit tipsy. Shen Liyuan smiled and filled his wine cup again.
“Your Highness?” Shen Liyuan called out softly.
Yin Yuheng blinked, his reaction a bit slow. His eyes were slightly misty, his cheeks flushed, and his long eyelashes seemed to be misted with moisture. His collar was slightly loose, revealing fair skin. The evening breeze blew in from the window, moving the ends of his hair.
A beautiful person intoxicated is especially heart-stirring.
Shen Liyuan’s gaze was dark, and his voice became a bit hoarse: “Your Highness, the night wind is cold; be careful not to catch a chill.”
He turned his wheelchair and came to Yin Yuheng’s side. He reached out his hand, wanting to help Yin Yuheng straighten his collar. At the moment he was about to touch it, his hand was suddenly grabbed by Yin Yuheng.
“…Liyuan.” Yin Yuheng murmured in a low voice, his gaze like water. Shen Liyuan’s throat tightened, and he felt a tingling sensation climbing all the way from his wrist, which Yin Yuheng was holding. His heart was in a mess.
Shen Liyuan said with a trembling voice: “What did you call me?”
“Liyuan.” Yin Yuheng smiled lightly. “You don’t like me calling you that?”
Shen Liyuan closed his eyes, using all his strength to suppress the crazy impulse in his heart.
“I know that among the great families, many people don’t like me, and perhaps even want to kill me…” Yin Yuheng was probably really drunk. “The only one I can trust is you…”
“The only one you can trust is me?” Shen Liyuan seemed to have heard some joke. He suddenly said in a low voice, “Are you not afraid that I will also betray you?”
Yin Yuheng blinked slowly and said, “I don’t think you will. You gave me the Qilin Horn… and you told me not to be afraid…”
Shen Liyuan’s breathing became heavier and heavier, and the hand held by Yin Yuheng was trembling.
After experiencing the betrayal of your master and junior brother, you can still trust me so much…
But this trust is only rooted in my calculation. None of the chance encounters were accidental; all the care was a meticulously arranged trap. I arranged for you to lose everything and then lured you, step by step, to my side.