His Adam’s apple moved slightly, like a young beast cautiously testing danger, probing little by little. Completely unaware, Mo Xi quietly leaned closer toward him…
“By the way.”
Suddenly, Mo Xi raised his head, interrupting Gu Mang’s little movement.
“The third day of next month is Yue Chenqing’s birthday.”
“Huh?” Gu Mang broke out in a cold sweat. He had not heard what Mo Xi had said at all. As if suddenly waking from a dream, he hurriedly avoided Mo Xi’s gaze, his ears turning slightly red. He raised a hand and rubbed his ear. “Oh… oh…”
The aftershocks of his racing heartbeat had yet to fade.
He was wondering what he had just been doing. Why had he suddenly developed such an impulse and desire? One had to know that when grown wolves bit each other, it represented conquest and submission. What about between him and Mo Xi? Was it the same?
He tried to imagine whether he desired to conquer Mo Xi—but he realized that he did not even know what would count as “conquering” him. Was Mo Xi supposed to lower his head and kneel before him?
No. That wasn’t it.
He had absolutely no interest in that.
Or perhaps it was supposed to be…
“Are you listening to me?”
Gu Mang suddenly came back to his senses. “Huh? Mm! I’m listening, I’m listening.”
Mo Xi frowned as he looked at him. “Why are your ears red?”
Gu Mang scratched his ear. “I-I-I’m hot, hot.”
“……”
Not knowing what exactly was wrong with him, and seeing that they had almost finished eating, Mo Xi put down his chopsticks and instructed Gu Mang, “We need to prepare a birthday gift for Yue Chenqing. I haven’t had time to spare recently, so you and Li Wei keep an eye on it.”
“Mm…” Gu Mang paused. “Why are we giving Little White Bird a gift?”
Mo Xi’s face darkened considerably. “Didn’t you say you were listening?”
“…I missed that part.”
Grinding his teeth, Mo Xi repeated, “The third day of next month is Yue Chenqing’s birthday.”
This time, Gu Mang finally understood. His eyes suddenly widened. “Little White Bird is having a birthday?”
“Mm.”
After answering, Mo Xi noticed Gu Mang’s eyes lighting up and could not help feeling speechless.
He knew that Gu Mang loved watching other people’s happy occasions. Whether it was a birthday celebration or a wedding, he adored joining in on the excitement. Previously, when Luo Lijun’s son got married, the bride’s ceremonial procession had majestically passed through the entire city. Since Gu Mang was not allowed to casually go outside, when he heard the gongs and drums making a racket, he climbed onto the roof and lay along the eaves, cracking sunflower seeds while watching the people below. When passersby applauded and cheered, he would applaud and cheer from the roof as well. Later, after night fell and Mo Xi allowed him to go outside for a walk, he happily searched between the gaps in the paving stones for peanuts, pine nuts, and dried longans that people had dropped during the day. He stuffed his pockets full and returned, excitedly insisting on sharing them with Mo Xi.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Mo Xi said to the gluttonous Gu Mang, “But I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed.”
“Huh?”
“Yue Chenqing’s birthday is never celebrated with a large banquet at the Yue Residence. There won’t be candies or roasted nuts scattered along the road for you to pick up.”
As expected, Gu Mang became dejected. “…Oh…”
After a moment, he could not help asking curiously, “But Little White Bird is clearly so doted on by his family. Why don’t they hold a banquet?”
Mo Xi took a sip of hot soup and said, “It is related to Yue Chenqing’s birth. Yue Chenqing’s mother was a member of the royal clan, and she died from complications during childbirth when giving birth to Yue Chenqing.”
Gu Mang was slightly surprised, then immediately understood. “So the Yue Residence doesn’t hold a banquet for Little White Bird because his daddy hasn’t forgotten Little White Bird’s mommy?”
Mo Xi said indifferently, “Do you really think Yue Juntian is a man of such affection and loyalty? If you said he was commemorating his deceased wife, that would be absolutely impossible. It is only because Murong Huang was, after all, a daughter of the royal family. Even though she had been dead for many years, Yue Juntian still had to show the royal family some respect. Therefore, his own son’s birthday was kept as simple as possible.”
“So that’s how it is…” Gu Mang murmured. He counted on his fingers several times, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “Then, if that’s the case, Murong Chuyi is also part of the royal family?”
Mo Xi said flatly, “He doesn’t count.”
“W-Why? He clearly has the surname Murong too…”
Mo Xi said, “The clothing of all nobles in Chonghua must have gold trim embroidered around the sleeves. Murong Chuyi’s, however, only has silver trim. Why do you think that is?”
Gu Mang answered seriously, “Because silver-white suits him. He looks good in it.”
Mo Xi’s face darkened slightly. “…………Do you think this is a beauty pageant?”
“Then why?”
Mo Xi said, “Murong Chuyi is not of royal blood. He was an abandoned child whom his elder sister, Murong Huang… who was also Yue Chenqing’s birth mother, adopted in the past. When Murong Huang was young, she went outside the city to offer prayers at Hanshan Temple. On the way back, she encountered this child abandoned outside the temple’s stone steps. Feeling that their meeting was fated, she took him in as her younger brother and raised him. She then reported the matter to the former sovereign, who bestowed the royal surname Murong upon Murong Chuyi.”
Gu Mang repeated it twice under his breath before finally understanding. His blue eyes widened.
“Little Dragon Girl was picked up?!!”
“…Stop giving people random nicknames.” Mo Xi rubbed his temples. “Yue Chenqing is one thing, but Murong Chuyi’s temperament… If he heard you calling him Little Dragon Girl, he would definitely have you skinned alive and thrown into a refining furnace as raw material.”
Gu Mang waved his hand. “It’s not that exaggerated. Little Dragon Girl is a really nice person. Today, I even…”
His words abruptly stopped.
Gu Mang realized that he had let something slip and nervously looked at Mo Xi, hoping that Mo Xi had not noticed what he had just said.
Unfortunately, heaven did not comply with his wishes. How could Marshal Mo, whose eyes observed everything and whose ears heard everything, miss such a piece of information?
He narrowed his eyes and stared at Gu Mang.
“You saw him today?”
Seeing that he could not hide it, Gu Mang could only clasp his hands before his chest and bow obsequiously.
“Nothing escapes your notice, Lord Xihe. You are truly wise and brilliant.”
“You don’t need to flatter me. Why did you see him?”
Gu Mang had no choice but to tell Mo Xi about his chance encounter with Murong Chuyi by Peach Blossom Lake that day. Remembering Murong Chuyi’s warning, he kept it very brief and did not embellish anything.
He had originally thought that Mo Xi would be at least somewhat surprised upon hearing this, but unexpectedly, Mo Xi merely frowned and sighed.
“Why bother?”
“What do you mean?”
Mo Xi said, “A few days ago, Yue Chenqing came to find me and asked to borrow a copy of the Divine and Demonic Compendium of a Hundred Herbs from Liao. He said he was looking for a medicinal herb capable of curing all illnesses. However, I lent this book to the administrator of the Cultivation Academy half a month ago, so I don’t know whether Yue Chenqing will go ask him for it.”
Gu Mang blinked. “So Little White Bird has known about his uncle’s illness for several days already?”
“More than several days.” Mo Xi said, “Yue Chenqing found out several years ago that his Fourth Uncle’s health wasn’t very good. He accompanied me to guard the northern border because he also wanted to see if he could find some foreign remedy for his Fourth Uncle. But Yue Chenqing himself knew that Murong Chuyi didn’t want other people meddling in his affairs, so he had been silently searching for medicine behind his back.”
Gu Mang was astonished. “It’s been that long already? Then why did Murong Chuyi say that Little White Bird only knew the general situation?”
“Murong Chuyi wasn’t wrong to say that. Yue Chenqing only knows that his uncle is ill, but he doesn’t know what illness he has. Without knowing the condition, he cannot prescribe the right medicine. That’s why he wanted to search for an immortal herb capable of curing all diseases.”
Gu Mang looked bewildered. “Why does Murong Chuyi keep hiding it from him…”
Mo Xi sighed. “Because their relationship has never been very good. The Yue family’s affairs are simply one tangled mess.”
Gu Mang fell silent. He sat there and silently sorted through the relationships between Jiang Yexue, Yue Chenqing, and Murong Chuyi several times. In the end, he could only clutch his head and sigh.
“I can’t figure it out. Forget it.”
Mo Xi glanced at him. “What can’t you figure out?”
Gu Mang began counting on his fingers as he explained it to Mo Xi. “I’m wondering why their relationship is so bad. Take Murong Chuyi first. Murong Chuyi was clearly rescued and raised by Little White Bird’s mother, so why would he hate his elder sister’s child?”
In the past, Gu Mang had been able to understand such matters of human relationships with just a little explanation. Now, however, he was completely ignorant of them and instead needed Mo Xi to explain.
Mo Xi said, “It’s very simple. To Murong Chuyi, Murong Huang was both his teacher and his elder sister. Although Murong Huang called him her younger brother in name, she treated him as if he were her own child, regarding him as being as important as her own son. When she married into the Yue family, she even specifically requested the sovereign’s permission for Murong Chuyi to accompany her. That is also why Murong Chuyi came to live with the Yue family.”
Gu Mang nodded vigorously. “Got it. In other words, although Little White Bird and Little Dragon Girl are technically uncle and nephew, they’re actually more like an older brother and younger brother.”
“Exactly.” Mo Xi said, “To Murong Chuyi, Murong Huang was his benefactor. When she was alive, Murong Chuyi was with her day and night, inheriting her teachings, and deeply respecting and loving her. Naturally, he hoped she would find an excellent home. But Yue Juntian…”
Mo Xi pursed his lips, unwilling to say more about this man.
Gu Mang, however, understood.
“He was a bad person.”
Mo Xi said, “Yue Juntian’s reputation regarding romantic affairs was not very good at the time. He and Murong Huang had been betrothed since childhood by their parents. But Yue Juntian was naturally a philanderer. When he was only sixteen, he got a qin player pregnant and took her as a concubine, and they had a son.”
“That’s impressive.” Gu Mang murmured. “He wasn’t even married to Murong Huang yet, and he already had a concubine. Not only did he have a concubine, he already had a child too.”
After thinking about it, he asked, “Is that child Jiang Yexue?”
“…Mm.” Mo Xi did not like discussing matters between men and women, so he was somewhat embarrassed. “Yes.”
Gu Mang said, “Then I understand why Little Dragon Girl doesn’t like Jiang Yexue. Yue Juntian married two wives. Murong Chuyi was the younger brother of the primary wife, Murong Huang, so he stood on the primary wife’s side. Jiang Yexue, however, was the son of the concubine, so he stood on the side of the concubine.”
Mo Xi did not want to discuss the issue of wives and concubines. Lowering his lashes, he coughed softly.
“…Yes. Although such matters are not unusual among the nobility, just as you said, Murong Chuyi respected his adopted elder sister, and he was actually extremely dissatisfied with this marriage. On top of that, Yue Juntian was naturally flirtatious and often caused Murong Huang grief and anger… So, toward this nephew who had half of Yue Juntian’s blood flowing through his veins, Murong Chuyi’s feelings had always been very complicated.”
At this point, Mo Xi poured two more cups of hot tea, pushing one toward Gu Mang and holding the other himself.
Gu Mang stared blankly at him. “I don’t really understand… Even if Little White Bird has half the blood of someone he dislikes, at least he’s his sister’s child. Isn’t there a saying that goes, ‘Love the house and its crow’? Why doesn’t he like someone whom his sister loved?”
“Because he felt that his sister wasn’t happy. He believed that the birth of this child was simply one mistake piled on top of another.”
The steam from the tea curled upward, hazy and drifting, like the old grudges being discussed at that moment.
“But aside from that, there is another, more important reason…”
Gu Mang asked, “What is it?”
Mo Xi said, “Murong Huang’s difficult childbirth was not without reason. After marrying into the Yue family, she often quarreled with Yue Juntian, leaving her perpetually depressed and sorrowful. On the day she gave birth, a woman whom Yue Juntian had offended outside came to the residence to make a scene. Her words were filthy and vicious. Murong Huang was already extremely broken and weak, and after being subjected to such a disturbance, her qi and blood deteriorated even further. In the end, her heart died, and she passed away.”
Gu Mang was shocked and let out a quiet “Ah.”
Mo Xi sighed. “So you see, one wrong cause produced one wrong consequence, and in the end, it took away the most important person in Murong Chuyi’s life. After all these years, Murong Chuyi has still been unable to let this matter go. Now that he has become a master refiner, Yue Juntian has tried several times to reconcile with him, but Murong Chuyi has rejected him from afar because of this old grievance. As for Yue Chenqing, Murong Chuyi has never known how to face him either.” He paused, then continued, “That’s more or less the story of their family.”
Gu Mang still could not digest such complicated emotions. A layer of confusion clouded his deep-blue eyes. After a long while, he asked doubtfully, “But Murong Huang’s death can’t be blamed on Yue Chenqing either. He was only a child at the time…”
Mo Xi said, “Murong Chuyi should have always known in his heart that this had nothing to do with Yue Chenqing. But knowing and letting go have always been two different things.”
Gu Mang rubbed his chin and murmured the words again.
“Knowing and letting go have always been two different things…”
A trace of bewilderment flashed through his eyes.
“Why does that sound so familiar?”
“You told me that before.”
Gu Mang was astonished. “I did? Then I’m really amazing.”
Mo Xi: “…………”
Looking at Gu Mang’s delighted, rather self-satisfied expression, Mo Xi decided not to tell him that this entire analysis of Murong Chuyi’s emotions had, more or less, been explained to Mo Xi by Gu Mang himself back then.
The human heart was exceedingly complicated. He had once understood none of it. He had been even less capable of seeing through the love and hatred between people. It was Gu Mang who had patiently explained it all to him, telling him why people loved, and why they hated.
Mo Xi remembered that when Gu Mang had once lain beside him on a riverbank with his arms behind his head, chatting casually about this matter, he had also mentioned Jiang Yexue.
At the time, Gu Mang had spat out the foxtail grass he had been chewing and sincerely sighed.
“Jiang Yexue really has it hard. He actually managed to make knowing and letting go become one and the same. Look, because of his adopted elder sister, Murong Chuyi has still treated Yue Chenqing coldly after all these years. Jiang Yexue’s mother also passed away, but he didn’t take his anger out on these two people. He can see things clearly. Instead, he treats both of them politely… Tsk, tsk, tsk. He’s practically a Buddha. If it were me, I might’ve turned into a psychopath.”
Mo Xi turned his face sideways and looked at the young man lying beside him and gazing at the stars, his eyes filled with tenderness.
He knew Gu Mang wouldn’t.
Even if Gu Mang were placed in Jiang Yexue’s position, Gu Mang would also let go. He would not vent his anger on others or drag innocent people into it. He would continue treating everyone well.
After all, Gu Mang was so bright, just like the sun.
If someone hugged Murong Chuyi and cried, Murong Chuyi would only push them away and sweep his sleeve as he left.
If someone hugged Jiang Yexue and cried, Jiang Yexue would kindly accompany that person in their sadness and listen to their grievances.
And Gu Mang?
If someone hugged Gu Mang and cried, Gu Mang would definitely coax that person into smiling through their tears.
Bringing laughter and light to others—that was the Gu Senior Brother he had always loved so deeply.
Several days later, most of the military affairs left over from the spring hunt had finally been dealt with. Fortunately, with Gu Mang taking care of him afterward, although Mo Xi always had to linger over his meals for a while, he had at least been eating and drinking in moderation and had not let down the bitter medicine prescribed by Physician Jiang.
That day, Mo Xi had nothing to do during his rest and was considering whether to go to the Cultivation Academy to sit for a while and, while there, retrieve the Divine and Demonic Compendium of a Hundred Herbs for Yue Chenqing to look at.
After all, although Yue Chenqing was lazy and careless by nature, he had regarded his Fourth Uncle as a guiding light since childhood. Whenever something related to Murong Chuyi was involved, he was always more serious than he could possibly be, and more troubled than anyone could possibly be.
The child looked unreliable on the surface, but once he set his mind on something, he would work at it almost obsessively.
The young were fearless, and a chest full of passion could easily lead to confusion. Hopefully, he wouldn’t cause trouble by then.
Thinking this, Mo Xi tidied himself up and was just about to leave when he suddenly saw Li Wei hurry into the main hall, his face filled with anxiety.
“My lord!”
“What happened? Why do you look like that?”
Li Wei said, “Something happened at the Yue Residence.”
Mo Xi stiffened, his heart sinking.
No way. Just what I was worried about actually happened?
He asked, “Is it Yue Chenqing…”
Li Wei’s eyes widened.
“Yes! My lord, how did you guess it in one try? Young Master Yue is missing!”