Jun Huailang froze, inexplicably thinking again of the distant, indifferent look on Xue Yan’s face just moments ago.
That day, when Xue Yan had been soaked from head to toe and he had taken him to change clothes, he had been the same way—silent, expressionless, like a block of ice that could never be warmed.
It was as if he had grown accustomed to being bullied. He had long since become numb to it. No matter how much humiliation or abuse he suffered, he seemed completely unaffected, and even when someone reached out a hand to him, he showed little reaction.
For some reason, Jun Huailang’s sour heart softened again.
He smiled at Jun Linghuan and said, “Of course he’s your brother. There are still some lychees on the table. Take them to him.”
Xue Yunhuan, sitting nearby, was puzzled. “Why are you so nice to him? That evil star is an ungrateful wretch. No matter how good you are to him, it’s useless. He might even drag you down with him.”
Jun Huailang comforted himself inwardly: It wasn’t because he was softhearted. It was only because he had previously told Linghuan that Xue Yan was her biological brother. He couldn’t go back on his word and set a bad example for his little sister.
Thinking of this, Jun Huailang reminded Jun Linghuan, “When you go over there, don’t say that I sent you. And don’t say too much. Just call him ‘Brother’ a few more times.”
That was the most important thing. He refused to believe that after Xue Yan had heard Jun Linghuan call him “Brother” since she was little, he could still develop any improper thoughts toward her.
Thinking this, he finally relaxed and let Jun Linghuan take the palace maids away.
——
Xue Yan sat alone in a corner. There was no one around him, and no one paid any attention to him.
Someone approached from behind. He remained composed, simply sitting there drinking tea. Only when that person drew close did he finally turn around, as though he had just noticed him.
“What is it?”
He frowned, putting on just the right amount of confusion.
The man hunched his shoulders and bowed, dressed as a eunuch. Upon hearing Xue Yan, however, he did not salute. Instead, he smiled and asked, “Fifth Highness, are you truly willing to accept such circumstances?”
Xue Yan paused. His expression then turned dull and indifferent.
“What is there to be willing or unwilling about? I’m merely trying to stay alive.”
The man continued, “But His Highness the Second Prince has humiliated you time and again. He clearly wants to force you into a dead end. If your martial arts had not been so formidable just now, you would either have died or been seriously injured today. This was no joke.”
Xue Yan frowned at that.
“How do you know it was the Second Imperial Brother?”
The man smiled.
“This servant has his own ways.”
Xue Yan was silent for a moment before curling his lips in self-mockery.
“Why stop at the Second Imperial Brother? From Imperial Father to everyone in the palace, who doesn’t want me dead? Even if I hate them, I’m alone. What can I possibly do?”
A meaningful smile appeared on the eunuch’s face.
“You are not alone, Your Highness.”
“There is someone who has cared about you ever since the day you were born. Unfortunately, because of his status, he has never been able to meet you. As long as you are willing, he and everyone under his command can become your backing.”
The eunuch spoke slowly and steadily. Although his head remained lowered, he was still observing Xue Yan’s reaction from the corner of his eye.
A trace of confusion and emotion appeared on Xue Yan’s face, along with a cautious longing. Only after the man finished speaking did he ask, “Who is this person?”
The eunuch watched him for a moment before slowly kneeling down. Hidden beneath the branches, he gave Xue Yan a grand salute.
“Eunuch Wu Shunhai, the Chief Steward of the Eastern Depot, was once the head eunuch serving Consort Rong,” he said. “Eunuch Wu and Consort Rong were separated fifteen years ago. Your Highness has now grown to adulthood, and the time has come when you can make use of Eunuch Wu.”
“You mean…”
Xue Yan remained composed as he asked.
The eunuch continued, “Eunuch Wu has already reported this matter to Commander Duan. Commander Duan was moved by the deep bond between him and Consort Rong, his former mistress, and is willing to devote the strength of the Eastern Depot to protect and assist Your Highness. He only hopes that Your Highness will not mind the Eastern Depot’s infamous reputation and allow it to tarnish your good name.”
Xue Yan remained silent for a long while.
The eunuch knelt motionless on the ground, quite patient himself. After the two remained silently facing each other for some time, faint footsteps finally sounded.
Xue Yan walked over and personally helped the eunuch to his feet.
“I never thought… I never knew.”
His voice was low and somewhat hoarse. After a moment, he finally managed to say those words.
“I always thought that no one would…”
His voice caught, and he fell silent again.
Only after calming himself did he ask, “How is Eunuch Wu’s health now? He must be quite old by now, considering he served my mother back then.”
The eunuch replied, “Eunuch Wu has always been in good health. Your Highness need not worry.”
At this point, he cautiously asked, “Then, Your Highness, about what this servant mentioned…”
Xue Yan smiled.
“I’ve grown accustomed to this over the years. I appreciate Eunuch Wu’s kindness, but if I want revenge, I don’t even know where to begin… I’ve never had any family. I’m grateful that Eunuch Wu has remembered me all these years. I wonder when I might be able to meet him. I would like to reminisce with him.”
The eunuch did not give a definite answer. He merely agreed.
“Eunuch Wu’s position makes things inconvenient, but if there is an opportunity, he will certainly meet with Your Highness.”
Xue Yan thanked him and watched him leave.
The warmth, emotion, and smile on his face were like a mask. With effortless ease, he removed them, returning to his original coldness and derision.
The Second Prince?
The Second Prince did not possess the ability to order such highly skilled imperial guards to spar with him merely to give him a minor injury. The only one capable of making such a grand arrangement was the Eastern Depot.
He had been surrounded and attacked countless times on the battlefield. Hearing in six directions and seeing in eight had long since become instinctive to him. Even if three or five more people had attacked him today, he could have handled them with ease.
However, since his opponent had gone to such great lengths to set up this trap, he could not ruin their fun. He had to show weakness and satisfy their expectations before he could get them to take the bait.
Sure enough, the big fish had taken the bait, proving that his guess had been correct.
His mother Consort Rong’s former servant had scattered after her downfall and sought refuge beneath the Eastern Depot’s protection. Over the years, he had risen through the ranks and become the second-highest-ranking eunuch beneath the Eastern Depot’s Chief Eunuch.
But the Eastern Depot had fallen on hard times. It had lost the Emperor’s trust and become like a rat everyone wanted to beat.
That was why they had thought of finding a prince to serve as their puppet.
After all, the Eastern Depot was full of hidden experts. What it lacked was a pawn who could stand publicly at their disposal, allowing all their abilities to have a proper outlet.
Once they pushed that prince into a high position, they would once again be able to hold absolute power.
That was why they had chosen him.
After all, someone like him—who had suffered endless bullying in the palace and happened to have ties with people from the Eastern Depot—would be the easiest to control.
As for the so-called Seven Killings fate?
What kind of filthy and secretive things had the people of the Eastern Depot not done? They had no descendants of their own, so what did they have to fear from fate or heavenly retribution?
At last, after casting his net for so long, Xue Yan had finally caught this cunning old fox.
And his refusal just now was merely advancing by retreating.
After all, someone who harbored hatred but did not dare seek revenge, someone weak yet deeply sentimental, was naturally suited to becoming a pawn.
He had added another weight to the scales, waiting for Wu Shunhai to become unable to sit still.
A smile that was neither quite a smile nor quite a sneer appeared on Xue Yan’s face, carrying a cold, clear-headed chill.
He sat back down and once again picked up his teacup.
Just then, another set of footsteps approached from a distance.
Xue Yan raised his head and saw a little girl as delicate as a carved jade figurine, wrapped in a fluffy cloak and walking toward him on her short little legs. Behind her followed a palace maid carrying lychees.
Was this… Jun Huailang’s younger sister?
Xue Yan remembered the cold look he had given Jun Huailang earlier.
At that time, someone from the Eastern Depot had been watching from the shadows. He had known this perfectly well, which was why he had deliberately distanced himself from Jun Huailang.
Given Jun Huailang’s reaction just now, he would probably hold a grudge.
But he was walking step by step, and he could not afford even the slightest mistake.
So what had this little girl come here for?
He remained seated, watching as the little girl approached him with a smile that curved her brows and eyes. She even looked somewhat like her brother.
Xue Yan’s heart inevitably softened a little.
Then he heard the little girl’s crisp voice.
“Brother! Are you thirsty? I brought you some lychees!”
Xue Yan paused.
He couldn’t help thinking: Does that little peacock get called “Brother” like this every day?
With a heart that soft and a personality so easy to bully, no wonder he would indulge this little girl and spoil her to the very core.
Meanwhile, Jun Linghuan remembered her brother’s instructions well. She was supposed to call this brother “Brother” a few more times.
She was young, and her tongue was sweet. This task was far too easy for her.
Seeing that this brother did not speak, she was not angry at all. Instead, she picked up a lychee and placed it in Xue Yan’s hand.
“Brother, hurry and eat it! My brother doesn’t like sweets, but even he said these lychees were delicious!”
Only when Xue Yan heard her mention her brother did he lower his eyes and look at the innocent little girl.
“Did your brother tell you to come?” Xue Yan asked.
Jun Linghuan was startled by the question. Immediately, an awkward expression appeared on her face.
“Oh dear…”
She spoke softly.
“Brother told me not to say. How did you guess?”
Upon hearing this, Xue Yan raised his eyes toward the training grounds.
That tall, outstanding figure could be seen clearly from afar at a single glance.
A smile that he could not quite conceal instinctively surfaced in Xue Yan’s eyes.
“What a silly fool,” he murmured to himself.
Not far away, ever since Jun Linghuan arrived, the Second Prince’s gaze had remained fixed on her.
His mother’s palace had only been given a dozen or so lychees. His mother could not bear to eat them and had saved them all for him. Yet after he had merely tasted them, they had all been gone.
And Jun Linghuan had actually been able to bring several plates of lychees to give Jun Huailang and Xue Yunhuan as snacks.
There were so many lychees that she could have divided them among all the princes, but she had given them only to those two. Then, she had actually brought an entire large plate over to Xue Yan.
The Second Prince was so jealous that his teeth ached.
Beside him, the Fourth Prince smiled as warmly as a spring breeze and spoke as though casually.
“Consort Shu’s family really treats Fifth Brother well. Not only do they give Fifth Brother everything good, even the heir and his sister are so close to him.”
The Second Prince snorted coldly and said nothing.
Then, as though he had thought of something, the Fourth Prince turned toward Jun Enze.
“Enze, aren’t you the heir’s cousin? You two practically grew up together. Yet it seems the heir gets along better with Fifth Brother, whom he only recently met.”
At this point, he chuckled.
“With so many lychees, he never even thought to give you any.”
Jun Enze was embarrassed and remained silent for a long while.
Only after a moment did he grit his teeth and speak.
“He has always been that selfish.”