At sunset that day, Jing Mu came.
At the time, Shu Changyu was sitting on the bed, several pillows propped behind his back. A small kang table had been placed in front of him, and he was eating.
Beside him, Shu Xunzhi held a copy of the Analects, rocking her head back and forth as she read aloud to Shu Changyu.
In this dynasty, people commonly said that a woman who lacked learning was virtuous. There were very few women like Shu Changlan, who did not remain at home to support their husbands and raise their children, but instead went to the battlefield to guard the borders.
Because of this, people in the court often said that Old General Shu was too eager for success and had even sacrificed his daughter’s reputation for the sake of his own career.
Thus, women of this dynasty generally read books such as the Admonitions for Women and the Biographies of Exemplary Women, learning chastity and virtue and, at most, ensuring that they were not completely ignorant.
But the people of the Shu family had a somewhat different way of thinking.
After Shu Changyu had asked a teacher to begin Shu Xunzhi’s education with the Thousand Character Classic last year, he would often have her read some of the Four Books and Five Classics.
At the time, Kongqing had even tried to persuade him, saying that girls should not read such books.
Shu Changyu had frowned in confusion.
“These Four Books and Five Classics are the finest works selected by the Confucian sages. They teach people how to cultivate themselves and put their families in order. Anyone can read them. Why should there be a distinction between men and women?”
Kongqing had been unable to explain the reason either. He had muttered, “They say that if a girl reads too many books, it will make it difficult for her to marry.”
Upon hearing that, Shu Changyu had frowned even more deeply.
“What kind of logic is that? If someone refuses to marry Xunzhi because she has read too many books, then she is better off not marrying such a person. If everyone in the world is like that, I will raise her for the rest of her life.”
Thus, when Jing Mu arrived, this was the scene he saw.
Shu Changyu was leaning against the bed, with plain dishes laid out before him.
On the chair beside him, Shu Xunzhi’s crisp little voice rang out. In her tender, soft voice, she read each word carefully and solemnly.
“Confucius said, ‘Is it not a pleasure to learn and practice what one has learned from time to time?’…”
Shu Changyu sat there watching her with a gentle gaze, occasionally correcting her pronunciation.
The warm light of the setting sun streamed through the window.
For a moment, everything was peaceful and serene.
Jing Mu stood at the doorway, secretly tightening his fists.
Who exactly is this child’s mother?
No matter how he looked, he could not see any trace of Shu Changyu in the little girl’s soft features. Yet even Kongqing was extremely evasive whenever the subject of the child’s mother came up.
Combined with what had happened in his previous life, Jing Mu could not help but grow suspicious.
And now, seeing Shu Changyu teaching this child to read while he was ill only made him insanely jealous.
Just then, Kongqing noticed him.
“Your Highness?”
Kongqing hurriedly called out.
Jing Mu immediately put on an indifferent expression, as though he had not just been standing motionless at the doorway, and walked straight inside.
Ever since Jing Mu had comforted her that day, Shu Xunzhi had become convinced that he was a cold-faced but warm-hearted good person.
When she saw him, she even put down her book and sweetly called out,
“Hello, General Brother.”
One was a father, the other a brother.
They were an entire generation apart.
Jing Mu ignored her and walked straight to Shu Changyu’s bedside, looking down at him.
Shu Changyu instinctively raised his head as well.
Jing Mu’s face showed no unnecessary emotion. He looked somewhat cold, and even his manner of speaking was entirely businesslike.
“Lord Shu is awake?” Jing Mu said coldly. “There are some military matters I wish to discuss with Lord Shu.”
Shu Changyu stared blankly at him, feeling as though something were blocking his chest, leaving behind a dull ache.
He quickly recovered and put down his chopsticks, raising a hand to invite Jing Mu to sit.
Kongqing, meanwhile, was perceptive enough to take Shu Xunzhi by the hand with one hand and pick up her book with the other before walking out.
Standing beside the bed, Jing Mu watched Shu Changyu pick up a handkerchief and wipe his mouth.
With an unreadable smile, he let out a quiet laugh.
“Lord Shu stops eating the moment he sees me?”
Shu Changyu lowered his eyes without looking at him.
“I simply have no appetite. Your Highness need not think too highly of yourself.”
For no apparent reason, Jing Mu suddenly remembered the young man he had seen at the door that morning, peeling an apple for Shu Changyu.
That young man was foolish and young, and rather resembled Jing Mu himself from years ago.
And Shu Changyu had smiled at him so warmly and happily.
Jing Mu found the sight extremely irritating.
“Well, since that is the case…”
He reached out, picked up an apple and a fruit knife from the fruit plate, then sat down heavily in the chair beside Shu Changyu’s bed without consulting him at all.
“I will peel an apple for Lord Shu.”
He clearly had no idea how much force to use. It was obvious that he had never done this sort of thing before.
With his very first cut, he nearly gouged out an entire chunk of flesh from the apple.
Shu Changyu: “…”
Shu Changyu lowered his eyes and looked at the piece of fruit rolling on the floor.
After a pause, he said, “There is no need to trouble yourself, Your Highness.”
That young man peels an apple for you and you eat it.
But when I peel one for you, you refuse?
What? Are apples somehow different from one another now?
Jing Mu glanced at him.
He ignored him and continued gritting his teeth as he worked on the apple.
While peeling, he said, “Nearly half of the forces Zhuo Renyue brought have now been wiped out. Zhuo Renyue fled by ship. The remaining rebels have all been captured.”
Hearing this, Shu Changyu breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thanks to Your Highness. However, the situation in the four occupied prefectures in the north is not optimistic either.”
Jing Mu gave a laugh.
“Lord Shu certainly manages to concern himself with everything.”
Shu Changyu froze.
He had not expected that after this man arrived, two out of every three sentences would contain a knife.
The dull pain in his chest became even worse, almost indistinguishable from the pain of his wound.
He pressed his lips together.
“No matter where it is, so long as it is imperial territory, as subjects, we cannot help but be concerned.”
Jing Mu said, “Yes. Lord Shu is truly righteous, with the whole world in his heart. I learned that about you long ago.”
Shu Changyu could not hold back.
He softly called, “Jing Mu.”
He had spoken Jing Mu’s name.
But after that, he did not know what to say.
He had no standing to reproach Jing Mu, nor could he bring himself to say anything reproachful.
Thus, he lowered his eyes and fell silent.
“Finally, you are no longer calling me ‘Your Highness’?” Jing Mu said mockingly.
“For three years, from the moment I first saw you until just now, I thought you had forgotten me. Or perhaps you had already decided that in this lifetime, you would completely sever ties with me.”
Shu Changyu’s lips turned pale.
He raised his head and looked at him.
Jing Mu continued,
“Junior Preceptor, you are much more heartless in this life than you were in the previous one. In your previous life, when you had a child, at least you remained by my side and assisted me. But in this life, now that you have a daughter, you intend to draw a complete and absolute line between us?”
Shu Changyu looked at him.
The last trace of color vanished from his face.
He had known that Jing Mu must resent him.
But thinking about it in his heart was different from actually seeing him and hearing him say these words.
Shu Changyu closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath.
Indeed.
The decision he had made three years ago had already caused him to lose Jing Mu.
But he had held onto a small, selfish hope, believing that he had done it for Jing Mu’s sake, and that sooner or later, they would reconcile.
Only three years later did he finally understand.
Three years ago, he had not simply left.
He had completely severed his ties with Jing Mu.
Shu Changyu pressed his lips together, unwilling to think any further.
When he opened his eyes again, he said softly,
“Then, does Your Highness intend to march north and recover the lost territories? If so, I still have some soldiers and provisions under my command. I am willing to do what little I can to assist Your Highness.”
But Jing Mu stared at him.
“Shu Changyu, we have spoken to this point already. Aside from official matters, is there really nothing else you want to say to me?”
Shu Changyu looked at him without speaking.
“Shu Changyu, I originally thought you liked me a little. No matter how much, I believed there was at least some affection.”
Jing Mu gritted his teeth.
“I never expected your heart to be this ruthless. You dared not return to the capital for three whole years. You did not even come to see me once.”
“Shu Changyu, aside from those ridiculous things you said when you left back then, is there really nothing else you want to say to me?”
Shu Changyu looked at him.
If Jing Mu were still the same person he had been three years ago, Shu Changyu believed he would have explained everything.
That fragile young man who loved him so deeply, whose heart and eyes held only him—how could Shu Changyu bear to let him misunderstand?
But now, Jing Mu had become so forceful and unfamiliar.
The Jing Mu before him made the decision Shu Changyu had made three years ago seem like a joke.
He had been afraid that Jing Mu would be punished by Emperor Qian Ning because of that case.
He had been afraid that Jing Mu would act recklessly and harm himself.
So he had hidden the truth from him, spoken those words against his own heart, and left the capital, his family, and his lover behind, coming to the desolate Huzhou of that time.
But these three years had shown him through his actions just how ridiculous the protection he had once believed he was giving Jing Mu had been.
Shu Changyu opened his mouth.
For a moment, he could not say anything.
He looked at Jing Mu’s cold smile and fierce gaze, and no words would come out.
Somewhat resignedly, he thought to himself:
Forget it.
What use would an explanation be anyway?
Shu Changyu lowered his eyes.
“There is nothing to say. Hasn’t everything already ended, Your Highness?”
Upon hearing this, Jing Mu actually laughed.
“Ended? Yes. It has ended, Shu Changyu.”
The next moment, he slammed the fruit knife onto the table beside him.
He reached out, seized Shu Changyu’s chin, and fiercely pressed his lips against his.
The kiss was hardly a kiss at all.
It was more like a beast viciously tearing into its prey.
He fiercely devoured the medicinal taste lingering on Shu Changyu’s lips, boldly pushing his tongue into his mouth and tangling with him as though punishing him.
In his dazed state, Shu Changyu felt as though time had turned back three years.
Back then, the young man who had pinned him inside the carriage had been just like this, holding him down firmly as their lips and tongues became entangled.
Shu Changyu was almost frozen in place.
He did not struggle.
Only when both their breathing had become ragged and Shu Changyu could no longer catch his breath did he raise his hand and push against him.
Only then did Jing Mu release his lips.
Jing Mu braced one hand beside Shu Changyu, the tip of his nose almost touching Shu Changyu’s.
Grinding his teeth, he said,
“Shu Changyu, it’s impossible. You and I have never ended, and we will never end.”
“Don’t think you can get away with something this convenient. It won’t be that easy.”
Shu Changyu said nothing.
He merely pressed his lips together and looked at him.
Jing Mu leaned forward again and bit down hard on his lips.
“Shu Changyu, you said you wanted power, so you stayed in this miserable place for three years. And what happened?”
“You nearly lost your life. What did you gain?”
“Now that I have the power to cover the heavens with one hand, Shu Changyu, whatever you want, I can give you. No one will dare touch you.”
“But remember this.”
“Everything that belongs to you belongs to me, Jing Mu.”
The next moment, he took the apple in his other hand—the one he had butchered until it was full of pits and looked as though a dog had gnawed on it—and shoved it directly into Shu Changyu’s hand.
“Eat.”
He ordered.