In the past, at palace banquets, according to rank and noble title, Jun Huailang would always sit together with Jun Linghuan. But this year, Jun Linghuan was living in Consort Shu’s palace, so Consort Shu brought her along and had her sit among the women of the imperial harem.
Jun Huailang, on the other hand, gained some peace and quiet, but he was missing someone he needed to look after, which made him rather unaccustomed to it. However, Xue Yunhuan chattered noisily the entire way, so it did not feel lonely.
The two had just reached the entrance of Yongle Hall when a sudden gust of wind came from behind Jun Huailang. Before he could dodge, someone hooked an elbow around him, locking his neck.
“Ha! Brother, we haven’t seen each other for two years. Did you miss me?”
The clear, bright voice of a young man carried two parts huskiness, like a young eagle circling over the grasslands, filled with vigorous and sharp youthful spirit.
“…Xiaowu?” Jun Huailang froze, then called out in delighted surprise.
He had actually forgotten that in his previous life, although he had not attended the Qianqiu Banquet, his younger brother Jun Xiaowu, who had traveled thousands of miles to Yumen Pass, had come.
Jun Xiaowu was his full younger brother, and from childhood he had been lively and unruly, completely different from Jun Huailang. In his previous life, because he was determined to practice martial arts while their father refused to allow it, he had run away from home at the age of twelve or thirteen. He had taken only a few servants with him and traveled thousands of miles to Yumen Pass.
Jun Huailang’s mother, Madam Shen, came from a military family. Jun Huailang’s maternal uncle was the commander stationed at Yumen Pass. Jun Xiaowu went to him, leaving Jun Chengyuan with no choice but to let him be. He allowed him to stay there for two whole years.
This winter, just a few days after Jun Huailang entered the palace, Jun Xiaowu had returned.
As for this younger brother of his, Jun Huailang had almost not dared to recall him in his previous life.
After Jun Xiaowu returned to Chang’an in his previous life, he never went back to Yumen Pass. But he never neglected his martial training. At a young age, he became a commander in the Jinwu Guard.
The Jinwu Guard was the Emperor’s personal guard responsible for protecting the imperial city, a position of immense prestige. Yet in his previous life, when the Prince of Yunnan’s army reached the gates of the city and the Chang’an garrison defected to the enemy, it was his younger brother who, alone, led eight hundred Jinwu Guards and defended Chang’an for more than half a month. Then, on the eve of Xue Yan’s return with his army, he died defending the city.
By then, Jun Huailang’s parents had already passed away. Having inherited the title of Duke of Yongning, he personally went outside the city to collect his younger brother’s body.
He had died on the city wall, covered in wounds, pierced by countless arrows and nailed to the top of the city tower. The surviving Jinwu Guards told him that during his brother’s final days, he had been so severely wounded that he could no longer stand. He had used the rear shaft of his long halberd to support his back while commanding his soldiers to defend the city.
After several days, the long halberd had even pressed a deep, bone-exposing bloody hole into his back.
Jun Huailang personally prepared his brother’s body for burial and buried him.
And the sight of that city wall had often appeared in his dreams, causing him unbearable heartache.
Fortunately, in this life, none of it had happened yet.
Jun Huailang turned around and saw the young man with his arm around his shoulders.
Jun Xiaowu was grinning, revealing a pair of small canine teeth and shallow dimples. After spending two years at Yumen Pass, his skin had become considerably darker, making his eyes look especially bright, like a pair of glittering stars.
Jun Huailang’s eyes immediately grew hot.
The vigorous young man before him was still not the corpse riddled with wounds that had once lain atop the city gate in his previous life…
Thank goodness.
“I… I actually forgot that you were coming back these days.” When Jun Huailang spoke again, his voice was slightly choked.
Jun Xiaowu had been smiling, but upon hearing his voice, he was immediately startled.
“Brother? What’s wrong? Did I hurt you when I put you in a chokehold?”
Jun Huailang quickly took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in his throat.
“…No,” he said. “I just missed you a little.”
Jun Xiaowu immediately chuckled.
“I didn’t expect that after two years apart, Brother, you’d become so sentimental.”
Hearing this, Jun Huailang laughed as well.
None of the things from his previous life had happened yet.
He still had a chance to protect every person close to him.
Beside them, Xue Yunhuan also became happy when he saw Jun Xiaowu. He came up and punched him in the shoulder.
“Weren’t you going to Yumen Pass to become a great general? How come you’re back after only two years?”
Jun Xiaowu immediately began roughhousing with him.
“I can become a general after coming back too! Xue the Sixth, let me see whether your martial arts have deteriorated over these two years!”
The two boys bickered and fought their way into the hall. Jun Huailang followed alongside them, smiles filling his eyes and brows.
And so, at this palace banquet, Jun Huailang’s companion became Jun Xiaowu.
The two had not seen each other for two years, and for Jun Huailang, there had also been the separation of life and death in his previous life. Naturally, they had many things to say to each other.
Jun Xiaowu was also an unruly sort. Once the banquet began and the princes, nobles, and officials started eating and drinking, he could no longer sit properly. Before long, he was complaining that his waist, back, and butt hurt, hooking an arm around Jun Huailang’s shoulders and leaning heavily against him.
Jun Huailang knew that his younger brother had never been able to sit still since childhood, let alone during a palace banquet filled with complicated etiquette.
Before the banquet even began, the ceremonial speeches and rituals alone had lasted more than an hour. All the officials had to sit upright and properly. For Jun Xiaowu, this could practically be considered torture.
Having lived a second life, Jun Huailang was particularly indulgent toward this younger brother who had died defending his country in his previous life.
When Jun Xiaowu leaned against him, Jun Huailang did not stop him. He merely sat upright and allowed him to hold onto him.
“A future great general cannot have improper posture or sit improperly,” Jun Huailang advised with a smile.
Jun Xiaowu clicked his tongue impatiently.
“That’s way too troublesome. A general’s job is to lead troops into battle and be loyal to the Emperor and defend the country. What use is this skill of sitting as still as a bell?”
If he did not have memories of his previous life, Jun Huailang would certainly have thought this boy was boasting and making excuses.
But he knew that Jun Xiaowu could do it.
In his previous life, that was exactly what he had done.
Jun Huailang smiled and said nothing more, simply listening as Jun Xiaowu chattered beside his ear about interesting stories from the border.
Meanwhile, in a lonely, neglected corner of the princes’ seating area, the atmosphere was especially oppressive today.
Jinbao carefully served dishes to Xue Yan while listening in all directions and watching from every angle, paying close attention to his master’s mood.
People said that serving a monarch was like accompanying a tiger. For Jinbao, serving Xue Yan was more like serving an unpredictable, vicious wolf.
He was already perceptive by nature. After spending so long under Xue Yan’s oppressive presence, he had been forced to develop a certain ability to read his master’s intentions.
For example, today, he could clearly sense that his master’s mood was particularly gloomy.
As for the reason?
Jinbao raised his eyes and saw that, for who knew how many times, his master was seemingly casually glancing toward the front-left.
Sitting there was none other than the heir of the Duke of Yongning—the little living Bodhisattva who lived in Consort Shu’s palace.
At this moment, he was sitting together with a tall and handsome young man, the two of them talking and laughing.
That young man was even sitting crookedly, constantly leaning against the heir, yet the heir was not annoyed. Instead, he simply indulged him, the smile on his face both gentle and indulgent.
Jinbao cautiously glanced at his master again.
He had not expected to suddenly meet those wolf-like, cold, pale-colored eyes.
“M-Master…”
“What are you looking at?” Xue Yan asked coldly.
Naturally, I’m looking at the person you’ve been watching this whole time.
Jinbao naturally did not dare say that.
His instinct for survival was extremely strong. He gave a sheepish laugh and said, “I wasn’t looking at anything. This servant has simply never seen such a grand occasion before, so naturally I was looking around at the excitement.”
Xue Yan gave him a cold glance and turned his gaze away.
Jinbao saw that his eyes once again, intentionally or otherwise, fell upon Jun Huailang.
Gathering his courage, he cautiously said, “The heir seems to have a very good relationship with his full younger brother.”
Xue Yan paused.
“Younger brother?”
Jinbao knew that his extra remark had hit the mark.
They servants were most well-informed when it came to gossip and rumors. He hurriedly said, “Yes! That young man is the heir’s own younger brother. A few years ago, he ran off alone to Yumen Pass to seek out General Shen. He only returned these past few days. I heard he came specifically for His Majesty’s Qianqiu Banquet.”
Xue Yan gave a cold hum, indicating that he understood.
Jinbao could not help but wonder.
What? Is this ancestor really so domineering that he’s even jealous of someone making friends?
If that’s the case, why does he refuse to see the other person every day…
Just then, Xue Yan suddenly rose from his seat.
“Master?” Jinbao, who was kneeling before the table, hurriedly stood as well.
“Don’t follow me,” Xue Yan said. “I’m going out for some air. Don’t follow me around and annoy me.”
Having been rejected, Jinbao did not dare say anything. He only answered obediently before returning to his own place.
Thus, during a lull in the banquet, Jun Huailang raised his head and saw that Xue Yan’s seat was completely empty. Only Jinbao remained there, waiting all alone.
Jun Xiaowu was much more perceptive than Xue Yunhuan.
Ever since the banquet began, he had noticed his brother looking over there several times. He could not help asking, “Brother, who are you looking at?”
Jun Huailang paused, then answered frankly.
“Do you know that Aunt has recently taken in a prince to stay by her side?”
Jun Xiaowu nodded.
“I heard about it on the way back. I heard Aunt doesn’t really like him?”
Jun Huailang nodded.
“It’s him.”
Jun Xiaowu gave an “oh.”
“So that’s who you were looking at just now. Why were you looking at him? Have you gotten along pretty well with him these days?”
That left Jun Huailang unable to answer.
How was his relationship with Xue Yan?
Clearly, in his previous life, they had been mortal enemies.
But the person in this life was rather difficult to understand.
His circumstances were bleak, his situation pitiful, like an abandoned little puppy. Yet at the same time, although he was taciturn, he was extremely stubborn. Jun Huailang had merely shown him a little kindness, and he had silently returned it to him in full.
Instead, he had made Jun Huailang think of him again and again without realizing it.
Jun Huailang hesitated, wondering whether he should tell his younger brother about this.
Just then, a eunuch rushed in hurriedly.
“This is bad! This is bad, Your Highness!”
He actually ran straight up to Jun Huailang, panting heavily.
Jun Huailang froze.
“What happened?”
The little eunuch hurriedly said, “The eldest young lady of the Duke of Yongning’s residence is missing! His Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress, and Consort Shu have all sent people to look for her!
“I-I heard the eunuchs serving beside the Imperial Garden say that the eldest young lady left the Imperial Garden with His Fifth Highness, and then disappeared!”