Chapter 13: Chapter 186: Fire Breaks Out Before the Person is Seen

Chapter 186: Fire Rises Before the Man Appears

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the fire outside has been extinguished. Aside from the East Wing, which was burned until not a single tile remained, the main hall and West Wing of Guanju Palace are intact. Furthermore, the servant who just fought the fire discovered this Ice Silkworm Garment amidst the ruins." An Bingshan entered upon hearing the call, standing respectfully before Ye Hongyi and reporting the facts. In his hands, he held that rare and peerless treasure—the Ice Silkworm Garment.

"Where is Ye Junqing?" Ye Hongyi’s eyes were dark and sinister as he questioned coldly.

"Your Majesty... he is right there." Before An Bingshan could speak, Yao Mowan pulled on Ye Hongyi's sleeve and turned her gaze toward the chaise lounge. At this moment, Ye Junqing was still sleeping soundly on the lounge, showing no sign of waking.

"Is he alright?" Ye Hongyi raised an eyebrow at Ye Junqing, his voice tinged with a hint of disappointment.

"Mhm. When Liu Xing rescued him, he said he was draped in this very thing. Your Majesty... the East Wing is gone. Surely he can leave now, right?" Yao Mowan blinked at Ye Hongyi, her cherry lips pouting as she spoke with apparent disgust.

Just then, a young eunuch suddenly ran in from outside.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the envoys of Great Shu have sent someone to request an audience." Hearing this, Ye Hongyi was inwardly startled, then granted permission for the meeting.

"Shu official Huangfu Junxi pays his respects to the King of Yue." Ye Hongyi recognized the man by his voice. The man before him was handsome and elegant, possessing an extraordinary temperament and an imposing posture that radiated a commanding aura. Particularly when making eye contact, his calm demeanor commanded silent admiration.

"Rise. As far as I know, the King of Han is still a day's journey away from reaching the State of Yue. To send you here now, I wonder what urgent business you have?" Ye Hongyi concealed the vigilance in his eyes and questioned in a calm voice.

"Replying to the King of Yue, His Highness the King of Han sent this lowly official for two reasons. First, regarding the matter of lodging: His Highness previously regarded Empress Chu as an elder sister. Now, having heard that Empress Chu's younger sister has entered the palace as a concubine, the King of Han specifically requests to stay at Guanju Palace to commemorate Empress Chu and to become better acquainted with Noble Consort Yao. Second, to reclaim what belongs to His Highness the King of Han—the Ice Silkworm Garment." Every sentence Huangfu Junxi uttered caused Yao Mowan's lips to twitch involuntarily. An elder sister? She certainly didn't feel like one! What a piece of work, Chu Moxin. Before he even arrives, he starts with a show of force; setting fires in secret would be one thing, but now he dares to do it so brazenly in public.

"Men and women should not be so intimately acquainted. Noble Consort Yao is the Emperor's favored concubine; how can she be alone in Guanju Palace with the King of Han? This would surely be improper according to etiquette," An Bingshan interjected from the side, attempting to mediate.

"Huangfu Junxi believes that as a Chief Eunuch, Manager An should be more indifferent to matters of men and women. I did not expect your thoughts to be so filthy. The King of Han wishes to become acquainted with Noble Consort Yao purely out of familial affection, without a single impure thought like those of Manager An. Of course, the King of Yue may refuse. However, it is the King of Han's intention that if he cannot stay at Guanju Palace, he will not enter the city tomorrow and will instead turn back directly to Shu." Huangfu Junxi's expression was as gentle as a spring breeze, yet his words were sharper than a midwinter gale. His few sentences left An Bingshan's face flushed red, his eyes bloodshot.

"Very well. Since the King of Han treasures his bond with Moxin so much, I shall grant it. As for the Ice Silkworm Garment, I do not understand—if it is the King of Han's garment, why was it found in the East Wing that has already been burned to ruins?" In Ye Hongyi's view, Chu Moxin's trip was nothing more than an attempt to pick a fight and start a war. Since his internal troubles were not yet settled, it was truly unsuitable to go to war with Great Shu. Thus, he would endure whatever he could. This was also why he had tasked Ye Junqing with the full responsibility of hosting Chu Moxin; once Chu Moxin found a reason to start a war, the blame would fall on Ye Junqing.

"If it were not for the Ice Silkworm Garment, how could Prince Su sleep so sweetly? It was the King of Han's intention—since it seemed inappropriate for Prince Su to stay within Guanju Palace, he devised this particular method, hoping Prince Su would seek lodging elsewhere." Huangfu Junxi did not offer even a shred of concealment, openly admitting to the arson.

"So that's how it is..." Waves of rage surged in Ye Hongyi's heart. If he could, he would kill this overbearing Huangfu Junxi right now, then send men to ambush Chu Moxin and march troops into Great Shu to slay Chu Mobei! But he did not have that capability.

Beside Ye Hongyi, Yao Mowan felt a large bead of cold sweat drip down the back of her head. Facts proved that in a few years, Chu Moxin had not grown into a gentleman at all; instead, he had become increasingly wicked. It seemed he truly had surpassed his master.

After Huangfu Junxi departed, Ye Hongyi ordered An Bingshan to immediately build a magnificent wing upon the ruins of the East Wing, demanding it be completed before Chu Moxin arrived in Great Chu. This move could be considered a silent protest; if Chu Moxin was so capable of burning things, then let them burn again. Since the person living inside was Ye Junqing, it would cause him no harm.

At dinner time, when Ye Junqing woke up and learned of the sequence of events, his clenched fist slammed violently onto the table, instantly snapping the fine antique pearwood tabletop into two pieces.

"Actually, Chu Moxin isn't too bad. At least he left the Ice Silkworm Garment for the Prince. Otherwise, the Prince might not have the strength to smash our dining table right now. Tingyue, order someone to bring a new tabletop." Yao Mowan completely understood Ye Junqing's current fury; if it were her, she wouldn't have stopped at tearing down a house.

"He is clearly insulting this Prince! Years ago, he used this very trick to make a fool of me, and now he repeats the old tactic, and I have actually fallen for it again!" Ye Junqing could hardly believe that he had been drugged by Chu Moxin without even realizing it.

"The tactic isn't very original, but back then it was on Shu territory, whereas now it is in Guanju Palace," Yao Mowan reminded him of the fact quite cruelly.

"So you think this Prince is weak! Hmph! Chu Moxin is truly pushing his luck. Don't let me encounter him, otherwise, I'll teach him a lesson!" Veins bulged on Ye Junqing's forehead, and his angry, clear eyes flashed with a piercing, cold light.

"Then the Prince will be able to teach him a lesson very soon. The Emperor has ordered the reconstruction of the East Wing, to be completed by noon tomorrow. For tonight, I'll have to trouble Xuzi to clear out a space for the Prince," Yao Mowan said nonchalantly, though she felt a slight sense of trepidation in her heart. She did not know what Chu Moxin's true purpose for this trip was.

"A dragon swimming in shallow water is teased by shrimp; a tiger fallen to the plains is bullied by dogs. Has this Prince's status declined to the point where I have to fight a cat for territory?" At this moment, Ye Junqing finally felt an unprecedented sense of desolation. Back then, as he fought battles in the north and south, he was met with envious gazes wherever he went. But now, even the habitually lazy Xuzi was unwilling to spare him a second glance. How could he, Ye Junqing, have fallen to such a state? How!

"Xuzi isn't just an ordinary cat, you know," Yao Mowan said, as if trying to comfort him.

"But it's still a cat!" Ye Junqing could not change that fact.

The next day at the hour of the Monkey, the moment the legendary Chu Moxin stood outside the gates of Guanju Palace, the main hall began to boil with tension.

"Mowan thinks there is no need for the Prince to go to such extremes." Looking at Ye Junqing, who was clutching the Flame Soul Sword, Yao Mowan tried her best to persuade him.

"If he is willing to admit his mistake, this Prince will consider sparing his life!" Ye Junqing had not slept all night. He had been pacing and preparing; early in the morning, he had returned to the Prince Su Mansion to fetch his most cherished Flame Soul Sword, intending to give Chu Moxin a show of force. Now, asking him to put the sword away was almost impossible.

Seeing that she could not stop him, Yao Mowan simply let him be. She knew Ye Junqing's personality too well. Given the situation between Shu and Yue, he wouldn't do anything truly out of line. Moreover, after yesterday's events, Yao Mowan had reason to believe that Chu Moxin would certainly not sit idly by.

Walking out of Guanju Palace, Yao Mowan saw Chu Moxin standing at the palace gates from a distance. Under the sunlight, his gemstone-green robes were colorful and dazzling. What shocked Yao Mowan, however, was Chu Moxin's face, which was completely different from her memory.

Back in the Shu Palace, Chu Moxin had been nothing more than a ten-year-old child, with a round little face and delicate features, whose smiling appearance made one's maternal instincts overflow.