Wei Zhenfeng’s order was decisive, but Shen Buqi remained motionless. He only ever followed the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince.
Shen Buqi glanced at His Highness out of the corner of his eye, and only said, “Alright,” after seeing the Prince nod.
Zhao Mian indeed disliked harming innocent people, but the white-robed youth in front of him was clearly not innocent.
As for Wei Zhenfeng saying the boy was Wan Huameng, was it a bold guess, or had he already confirmed it?
In terms of height, the boy did match Wan Huameng’s notorious trait: rather short. For a teenager of fifteen or sixteen, his stature might be passable, but Wan Huameng belonged to the same generation as Zhao Mian’s father and should be nearly forty by now.
If the youth really was Wan Huameng, it seemed like all the doubts could be explained, except for one thing—why would Wan Huameng have the red thread symbolizing the male and female Gu on his wrist as well? And who inflicted the Gu on him?
Moreover, Wan Huameng was in his own territory, why would he so easily allow himself to be led by the nose?
The youth froze in terror, his face losing all color, and shook his head frantically. Tears welled up in his eyes: “Don’t…don’t kill me! I didn’t lie to you, I really just came to steal the antidote! You can see for yourselves!” Saying that, he eagerly raised the porcelain bottle in his hand once more.
The youth looked flustered and pitiful. Bai Yu had seen Wan Huameng twice and couldn’t possibly connect the boy before her with that eccentric grandmaster. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy and said, “Young Master, how about letting me see the antidote first?”
After obtaining Zhao Mian’s permission, Shen Buqi took the porcelain bottle from the youth’s hand, and after confirming that there were no hidden weapons inside, he passed the bottle to Bai Yu.
Bai Yu poured out the pill inside, took a whiff, and her expression became extremely subtle.
What the youth had given them was indeed the antidote to the male and female Gu.
And inside the porcelain bottle, there was indeed only one dose of the Gu antidote left.
The male and female Gu was one of Wan Huameng’s masterpieces. The antidote was extremely difficult to concoct. Even if one knew the recipe and gathered all the ingredients, it would still take at least three months to complete. There was no time to brew another batch.
Two people, one antidote…although she felt very sorry for the young prince, shouldn’t she seize the opportunity to let His Highness take the antidote first?
Zhao Mian asked, “Well?”
Bai Yu had no choice but to answer truthfully. “He’s not lying, Young Master.”
The youth continued pleading pitifully, “You see, right? Can you let me go? I won’t tell anyone. You can knock me unconscious, but don’t kill me…”
“He’s really good at pretending, I’m almost ashamed of myself,” Wei Zhenfeng smirked. “Knock you out so you can watch the show? Your peculiar hobbies are a bit too much, Imperial Advisor.”
The boy grew frantic: “I’m really not the Imperial Advisor!”
Wei Zhenfeng laughed: “You’re this short—if you’re not Wan Huameng, then who are you?”
As soon as the word “short” came out, the boy’s expression changed drastically, a chilling aura erupted around him. His face, previously like a pure white flower, instantly turned cold, his eyes as icy as a slithering snake. Zhao Mian thought he heard a faint hissing sound—or was it just his imagination?
In an instant, a black shadow lunged toward Wei Zhenfeng like lightning.
Fortunately, Wei Zhenfeng’s reaction was quick enough, and he dodged the blow by sidestepping. A dull thud was heard, and a mark, capable of breaking the tree, appeared on the trunk behind Wei Zhenfeng, shaped like a snake’s tail.
The boy’s true identity was now unmistakable. The four of them tensed, gripping their weapons as if facing a formidable enemy.
The boy didn’t hold back his praise: “Young brother, you’re quite skilled and brave, too.” He slowly broke into a smile, “I’m really curious, when did you see through me?”
Wei Zhenfeng answered succinctly: “Just now.”
The boy made a surprised “Oh” sound, his earlier anger seemingly dissipated. “Not bad at all.” He turned his gaze to Zhao Mian, pointing at him. “I picked this beauty just for you. Do you like him? He’s very pretty. You two make a perfect match. The most perfect pair I’ve ever seen.”
Wei Zhenfeng had barely uttered a single “I—” when Zhao Mian cut him off coldly, “Why would you do this?”
One thing Zhao Mian couldn’t quite determine was whether Wan Huameng knew their true identities. If he didn’t, things would be much simpler. But if he did, this was no longer just a matter between them—it would be a full declaration of war by Dongling against both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms.
Wei Zhenfeng whispered in Zhao Mian’s ear: ““Do you really think he’ll answer if you ask him like that?”
Zhao Mian replied, “He will. My father once said that people like Wan Huameng usually have an overwhelming need to express themselves.”
To quote his father’s words: Villains die because they talk too much.
The boy looking utterly disinterested, his face wearing an expression of world-weariness sighed, “Because living is boring. It’s so meaningless.”
Wan Huameng spoke in a dejected tone, as if he were truly just a lonely, bored teenager. Yet the words that followed made him sound like a mischievous brat who would do anything for a moment of pleasure.
“My shixiong told me to find something that makes me happy, so I did.” The boy’s eyes suddenly brightened. “I wanted to attend joyous weddings—that way, I could see lots and lots of guests and, as a bonus, watch the love-hate entanglements of beautiful people. Watching them fight, watching them dote on each other… it’s all so entertaining. Sometimes, you can even—” He abruptly cut himself off, as if remembering something.
The “shixiong” Wan Huameng mentioned was undoubtedly the Empress Dowager of Dongling.
Recalling the appearance of the young lady from the Liu family, her beauty was enough to shame flowers and outshine birds. So that must be Wan Huameng’s selection criteria, only targeting the most beautiful people?
Wei Zhenfeng thought to himself that Zhao Mian’s father was right, Wan Huameng really did talk a lot. He then asked, “And what’s the deal with the red thread on your wrist?””
The boy froze, his instinctive grasp at his wrist seeming genuine rather than feigned. He murmured softly, “This… A-Meng can’t say..”
Zhao Mian couldn’t help but wonder—was Wan Huameng really over thirty years old? Whether looking at his height, appearance, or behavior, he didn’t seem like an adult.
A face could be borrowed, but mimicking someone’s demeanor required innate talent. Take Wei Zhenfeng, for example—even with the face of a thirty-two-year-old fishmonger, his eighteen-year-old essence still shone through.
The boy lowered his head, lost in thought for a moment, before suddenly snapping it back up. His gaze locked onto the four of them, his expression twisting into something vicious and sinister.
“Shixiong said, if anyone dares to trespass into the Nangong, I should kill them.”
Wei Zhenfeng said, “That’s only right.”
The Nangong Palace was not just Wan Huameng’s residence—it was also the heart of Dongling’s secrets like the Fuxue Tower in Beiyuan. If anyone dared to sneak in, he would certainly kill them.
In the blink of an eye, a trace of confusion flickered across the youth’s face: “But I’ve waited for so many, many years, and no one dared to come. You two are the first. It’s such a pity to kill you.”
“So,” Zhao Mian said calmly, “How do you intend to entertain us?”
“You’ve betrayed my goodwill. You refuse to marry, and now you even try to steal my antidote—when I barely have enough for myself.” The young man sighed with infinite regret. “Since you’re so unwilling to fall in love, let’s play something else instead.”
Zhao Mian asked, “Do you know who we are?”
The boy stared at him blankly. “I don’t care.”
Wei Zhenfeng’s heart skipped a beat, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Those four simple words were spoken so casually, so naturally, without the slightest hint of pretense.
What Wan Huameng didn’t care about wasn’t just their identities; it was also all the consequences his actions will bring to himself and to Dongling.
Even if he died, even if Dongling fell, he wouldn’t care.
After all this trouble, the Dongling’s Imperial Advisor was truly a complete madman.
In front of a madman, all schemes and strategies lose their meaning.
Wan Huameng excelled in poisons and gu, but in a direct fight, he might not be a match for the four of them. But even if they joined forces to kill him, there was no guarantee they could retrieve the remaining antidote.
Wei Zhenfeng lowered his voice and said to Zhao Mian, “Something’s not right. Let’s retreat.”
Zhao Mian sensed the danger as well and made the call immediately. “Go.”
As soon as Zhao Mian gave the order, Shen Buqi advanced instead of retreating, attacking Wan Huameng with his sword like lightning. He knew very well that his duty was to cover the prince’s retreat.
Shen Buqi’s sword was extremely fast. As Wei Zhenfeng had guessed, Wan Huameng was not good at facing opponents in head-to-head combat. His body was too thin and weak, and he didn’t even look like he could lift a long spear, but he was light and agile enough to graze past Shen Buqi’s sword each time, until Wei Zhenfeng suddenly made his move.
Only a fool would engage in a one-on-one fight when they could gang up on the opponent.
The sharp blade smoothly slashed across Wan Huameng’s arm, and the snow-white robe was instantly stained red with blood. The cut was deep, almost to the bone, but Wan Huameng didn’t seem to feel any pain. He just stopped and looked down, bewildered, at the blood flowing onto the ground, as if he didn’t quite understand what had happened.
Wan Huameng ignored his wound, letting the blood flow freely without even trying to cover it. He looked at Zhao Mian and Wei Zhenfeng and said, “You really want the antidote that badly, don’t you? Don’t kill me, I can give it to you. I’ll give you the dose I was going to take next month.” He smiled brightly. “But only one.”
Wei Zhenfeng urged: “Ignore him, let’s go.”
“You guys go play.” Wan Huameng’s voice suddenly amplified, filling the entire Yanyue Residence, surging towards them from all directions like a tide, “When the moon grows very, very round, I’ll come see you again.”
As his words fell, Zhao Mian’s foot stepped into empty space. Before he could grasp what was happening, he heard Bai Yu and Shen Buqi calling out to him. “Young Master!”
The sensation of falling was terrifying. He couldn’t suppress the urge to scream, but the thought of compromising his dignity as the Crown Prince made him grit his teeth and hold it in.
When he landed, he had to maintain an elegant posture no matter what.
Lost in these frantic thoughts, a hand swiftly wrapped around his waist, steadying him. The speed of their descent gradually slowed until only the howling wind remained in his ears.
After a blur of green flashed chaotically before his eyes, Wei Zhenfeng landed firmly on the ground with him.
Accompanying their descent was the porcelain vial containing the single antidote.
Before Zhao Mian could react, the hand released his waist, and Wei Zhenfeng’s voice came from above: him “Are you alright?”
A gust of autumn wind swept past, and Zhao Mian snapped back to his senses, his feet now planted on solid ground. His rationality slowly returned. He realized he and Wei Zhenfeng were in another secluded paradise while Wan Huameng, Bai Yu, and Shen Buqi were nowhere to be seen.
Zhao Mian looked around.
They stood in a dense bamboo grove alive with the ceaseless chirping of insects. Through the bamboo, he could glimpse the autumn sun high in the sky. It must have been noon. A narrow path stretched from beneath their feet into the depths of the grove, vanishing beyond sight.
“Where is this place?” Zhao Mian asked.
Wei Zhenfeng bent down to pick up the porcelain vial. “No idea, but we’re definitely still within Nangong Mountain.” He had found the map of Nangong odd earlier. Yanyue Residence as Wan Huameng’s dwelling seemed unusually small. Sure enough, there was more to it than met the eye.
Zhao Mian caught sight of Wei Zhenfeng pocketing the antidote, stirring an uneasy feeling within him. Suppressing it, he said coolly, “How do we get out?”
Wei Zhenfeng wasn’t optimistic. “Wan Huameng deliberately sent us here so it won’t be easy to leave. But…” He narrowed his eyes at the path ahead. “Since we’re here, we might as well explore. Let’s follow this trail for now.”
The path seemed endless, and Zhao Mian had a bad feeling.
This was the first time since he left the palace that he was alone with an outsider. No Shen Buqi, Zhou Huairang, Bai Yu, or the shadow guards secretly protecting him. He only had Wei Zhenfeng.
Zhao Mian grew wary: “You go first.”
Wei Zhenfeng said, “Fine, fine.”
The two walked single file along the path, their robes brushing against the verdant vines. The bamboo leaves rustled softly, exuding a crisp coolness even without wind. In summer, strolling through such a grove would have been pleasant. But now, in late autumn, it only deepened the chill, leaving hands and feet icy.
Zhao Mian realized that these towering bamboo trees looked almost identical, making it difficult to tell them apart by eye, which meant that they could easily get lost. Without this small path, they wouldn’t be able to find their way at all.
After walking for about half an hour, Zhao Mian heard the sound of flowing water. As he turned to locate the source, he abruptly bumped into Wei Zhenfeng’s back.
Annoyed, Zhao Mian rubbed his nose. “What now?”
“Look.”
Zhao Mian followed his gaze. Ahead, a small bamboo hut stood in clear view.
This hut was built with peculiar charm, like the secluded dwelling of a reclusive master.
A bamboo fence enclosed a small courtyard, where a variety of chrysanthemums bloomed vibrantly in the late autumn, clearly well-tended by someone. Looking up from the courtyard, one could see towering mountains shrouded in mist, a breathtaking sight.
Zhao Mian couldn’t help but recite: “Plucking chrysanthemums beneath the eastern fence, I leisurely gaze upon the mountain of Nangong.”
Wei Zhenfeng, devoid of poetic sentiment, said, “Oh, still in the mood for poetry, as expected of you, Crown Prince of Nanjing.”
Zhao Mian retorted, “My affairs as Crown Prince are none of your business.”
Behind the hut was a flowing clear spring, with steam rising from its surface. Approaching it, they could smell faint whiffs of medicinal herbs. Wei Zhenfeng surmised that this was likely a place for medicinal baths.
Zhao Mian walked to the hot spring to take a closer look. The hot spring was quite large, big enough to swim a few laps in. Its edges were constructed with stones, with spring water continuously bubbling up from the bottom.
Rolling up his sleeve, Zhao Mian reached toward the water.
Wei Zhenfeng grabbed his wrist, like an older scolding lecturing a younger sibling: “You’re always looking for trouble, aren’t you? What do you think you’re doing?”
Zhao Mian was baffled: “Testing the strangeness of this hot spring.”
Wei Zhenfeng laughed at him: “You can’t just test it with your hand, idiot.”
Letting go of his hand, he plucked a bamboo leaf and dropped it into the pool. The two watched intently as the leaf swirled lazily in the water—then nothing happened.
Zhao Mian scoffed, “May I ask, Your Highness, what did you discover?”
“Anyway, it’s best for us to touch Wan Huameng’s things as little as possible,” Wei Zhenfeng managed to save face. “Let’s go look inside the house.”
The interior of the hut was spacious and bright, the sunlight filtering through the bamboo framed windows, casting dappled shadows onto the desk. Neatly arranged on the desk were an inkstone, Xuan paper for painting, and purple rabbit hair brushes of varying sizes and lengths.
The owner of the bamboo hut seemed fond of painting.
Zhao Mian thought of the painting he had given to Wan Huameng. Could this place also be related to Gu Ruzhang?
The furnishings inside were simple, consisting only of the desk and essential living items. Zhao Mian searched thoroughly, but couldn’t find any paintings left behind by the owner.
Wei Zhenfeng also scoured the area, turning up no useful clues. The sun was now setting in the west, and it would be dark in half an hour. They agreed not to waste time investigating further and focused on finding a way out.
Leaving the hut, they were once again swallowed by the bamboo forest. Wei Zhenfeng carved a mark into a stalk. “While the sun’s still out, let’s head west.”
In Wan Huameng’s territory, neither of them dared to be careless. They carefully followed the setting sun, leaving marks as they went. However, half an hour later, they found themselves back at the starting point in front of the hut, staring at the marks they had carved themselves, expressionless.
Wei Zhenfeng scratched his eyelid, and suggested: “Try again?”
Zhao Mian agreed: “Okay, but this time I’ll make the marks.”
Wei Zhenfeng asked: “Is there a difference?”
Zhao Mian scoffed dismissively: “Of course.”
Wei Zhenfeng’s so-called mark was just an arrow, completely…’
Wei Zhenfeng’s so-called mark was just an arrow, completely lacking in aesthetic appeal. How could it compare to his meticulously designed secret codes, where each different code represented a different direction and piece of information?
Unfortunately, no matter how exquisite the marks were, they were still trapped in the same illusion. After two large loops, they once again ended up back where they started.
Wei Zhenfeng decisively chose to give up: “It seems we can’t walk our way out. We need to think of another way.”
“”I don’t want to think,” Zhao Mian said listlessly, “I’m hungry.”
counting from last night when they left Xuyuan Garden, he hadn’t eaten for an entire day.
Wei Zhenfeng sighed: “Me too.”
Zhao Mian: “…”
Though both were exceptionally skilled martial artists, the gap between Wei Zhenfeng and Shen Buqi was anything but small.
Despite being pampered, Zhao Mian was still a grown man. hardly someone who needed to rely on a young prince from a neighboring country just to survive.
“Stay here and don’t move,” Zhao Mian said, “I’ll go find something to eat.”
But he had only taken half a step when Wei Zhenfeng grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back. Suppressing a laugh, Wei Zhenfeng said “Forget it. You wait here.” He threw the tinderbox he carried to Zhao Mian, “Can you start a fire?”
Zhao Mian nodded: “Yes.”
Besides teaching him swordsmanship and archery, his master had also taught him many survival skills in case of emergencies.
Zhao Mian found some dry bamboo tubes and leaves, then started a fire in the courtyard. The sky had darkened completely, and the night was heavy with dew. Dressed only in a thin white robe, his entire body was chilled.
Wei Zhenfeng returned with a bundle of bamboo shoots and saw Zhao Mian’s pallid expression. He asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Mian replied, “Cold.”
“Then make the fire bigger.”
Hugging his arms, Zhao Mian inched closer to the flames.
The two of them brought out pots, bowls and utensils from the house, drew a basin of well water, and cooked a pot of very mediocre, unchewable bamboo shoot soup.
The late autumn bamboo shoots were far past their prime, and with no seasonings to enhance the flavor, Zhao Mian couldn’t finish even half of his portion. He cradled the bowl in his hands, feeling warmth slowly return to his body.
The clear night was dust-free, the moonlight was like water, illuminating a solitary courtyard, a single fire, and two young men.
It should have been a picturesque scene, but Zhao Mian had no mind to appreciate it. The tension inside him coiled tighter and tighter, almost suffocating him as time dragged on.
He looked up at the bright moon in the sky and asked, “Has it passed midnight?”
Wei Zhenfeng answered, “Probably. Today is the thirteenth day of the tenth month.”
Zhao Mian murmured, “Thirteenth…” Once midnight passed tomorrow, the male and female Gu worms in his body would activate.
Wei Zhenfeng also thought of this, his expression unusually grave: “I wonder how Yun Yong, Hua Ju, and the others are doing outside. They are probably also trying to find a way to come in and save us.”
“Don’t worry, I have a backup plan,” Zhao Mian reassured himself. “It doesn’t matter if we fail. Someone will help me get the antidote.”
He had already arranged it—if no news of his success reached the outside by the afternoon of the fourteenth, Zhou Huairang would notify the Prime Minister to intervene.
Wei Zhenfeng shook his head, seemingly sighing at Zhao Mian’s naivety: “Your Highness, have you ever considered one thing?”
“What?”
“That is, what if Wan Huameng truly has no antidote left? Even if he’s killed, even if armies besiege Dongling, even if Beiyuan and Nanjing join forces to annihilate Dongling—if it doesn’t exist, it doesn’t exist. He can’t just produce it out of thin air.
Zhao Mian still couldn’t understand, much less accept it. “But why would he do this? Just for his own amusement, he’d willingly plunge his own country and people into ruin?”
“Didn’t you hear him say it? He doesn’t care.” Wei Zhenfeng said indifferently, “He doesn’t care who we are, and he doesn’t care what the consequences of offending us might be. Dongling means nothing to him—he has nothing to worry about.”
Once a person has nothing and no one they care about, they fear nothing.
Not torture, not threats, not even death.
Zhao Mian cursed, “Madman,” then unwillingly said, “Wan Huameng might not care, but what about Lu Wang? Doesn’t he care about Dongling either?”
Lu Wang was the birth name of the current regent Empress Dowager of Dongling. The true ruler of its vast lands.
Wei Zhenfeng chuckled softly: “That, I wouldn’t know.”
Zhao Mian pressed his lips together and fell silent. He didn’t agree with Wei Zhenfeng’s words.
Wan Huameng wasn’t a monster; he was a human, and every human has a weakness.
Just like the Prime Minister, the seemingly invincible government official of Nanjing. The moment matters concerning the Emperor arose, his vulnerabilities would inevitably surface, leading him to act in ways befitting a “treacherous minister.”
A few years ago, there was a talented and handsome scholar from the capital. He worked hard through the imperial examinations and eventually became a third-ranking Tanhua scholar personally selected by the Emperor. Later, merely because he composed a poem praising the Emperor’s beauty while drunk, the Prime Minister stripped him of his title and sent him back to his hometown, never to hold office again.
Even the Prime Minister was like that, let alone Wan Huameng.
Zhao Mian pondered further. There must be something he had overlooked.
A sudden realization struck him, and he blurted out, “No, Wan Huameng does have someone he cares about.”
Wei Zhenfeng, who had been idly toying with a bamboo stalk, glanced up. “Hm?”
Wan Huameng, like them, was afflicted with the male and female Gu. Two Gu, two infected people. Who would be Wan Huameng’s match? A name suddenly appeared in Zhao Mian’s mind.
– Gu Ruzhang.
Both Gu Ruzhang and Wan Huameng had attended the wedding at Xuyuan Garden during the first year of Zaixi’s reign. It was highly likely they had met then. For some reason, the two had been bound by the red string, and since Wan Huameng refused to hand over the antidote, Gu Ruzhang had no choice but to visit Mount Nangong once a month to meet with Wan Huameng… Well.
The bamboo forest they were in might be where Gu Ruzhang stayed temporarily after visiting Nangong.
The former Chief Minister of a destroyed Western Xia and the Imperial Advisor of Dongling…? How outrageous!
But then again, if even he and the young prince of Beiyuan could be forcibly entangled, perhaps the illicit affair between Wan Huameng and Gu Ruzhang wasn’t all that shocking.
Now that Western Xia had fallen, even if Gu Ruzhang wasn’t dead, he was probably half-dead. Without Gu Ruzhang, Wan Huameng would naturally only be able to take the antidote to suppress the Gu.
Wei Zhenfeng waved his hand in front of Zhao Mian: “What are you spacing out about?”
Zhao Mian snapped back to reality. As one of the key figures responsible for the fall of Western Xia and the first Beiyuan native to sit on its throne, Wei Zhenfeng undoubtedly knew things about Gu Ruzhang’s fate that others didn’t.
But Gu Ruzhang’s situation was tied to the lost treasures of Western Xia, questioning Wei Zhenfeng about it would be far from wise.
Zhao Mian said calmly: “I was thinking that Wan Huameng should care about his shixiong.”
“Lu Wang?” Wei Zhenfeng scoffed softly, “I doubt it. The so-called love me, love my dog. If Wan Huameng truly cared about his Shixiong, Lu Wang, he wouldn’t have let him be cornered into such a dilemma by the court officials. But none of that matters anymore.” He tossed the bamboo leaf in his hand into the fire, utterly disinterested, and then stood up. “The most pressing matter is to get out of this damned place.”
“Lu Wang?” Wei Zhenfeng sneered lightly, “I doubt it. As the saying goes, ‘love me, love my dog.’ If Wan Huameng truly cared about Lu Wang as his shixiong, how could he let her fall into the difficult position of being forced by her court officials? But none of this matters now.” He threw the bamboo leaf in his hand into the fire with disinterest, then stood up. “The most pressing matter is to get out of this cursed place first.”
But if they couldn’t find their way out during the day, how could they possibly manage at night? It was better to rest early and try again tomorrow.
The hut had two bamboo beds, one for each of them, allowing them to pass the night without disturbing each other although neither slept well. In their hearts, an hourglass stood tall, its sands trickling relentlessly toward the moment when the Gu poison would take effect.
They watched helplessly as the fine sand in the top of the hourglass dwindled, yet they could do nothing.
The next day, the two youths’ attitudes showed a clear change. Zhao Mian no longer “plucked chrysanthemums by the eastern fence,” Wei Zhenfeng stopped playing with bamboo, and their idle chatter decreased. Neither was in the mood to bicker anymore, replaced by a singular focus on finding an escape.
The two turned the hut upside down, wishing they could dig three feet deep, but still found no useful clues. They had no choice but to try walking out again, but no matter which direction they walked, they always ended up back where they started.
This bamboo forest truly seemed to be an isolated “Peach Blossom Spring,” and only its master could freely enter and leave. Although the mountains of Nangong were right in front of them, they were trapped here, completely unable to find their way.
This bamboo forest seemed truly like an isolated “Peach Blossom Spring,” where no one could enter or leave freely except its owner. Although the Nangong’s mountain range was right before their eyes, they were trapped here, completely unable to find their way.
The bamboo forest was static; the only “movement” was the spring water constantly flowing into the hot spring from an unknown source. They might be able to find a way out by following the direction of the flowing water, but to dig down to the spring’s source would require them to dig three feet deep, which might take three days and three nights: time they simply didn’t have to waste.
The two proud and arrogant young men had to admit that Wan Huameng, one of the four great masters of the world, was indeed worthy of his reputation.
After circling back to the starting point again, Wei Zhenfeng slumped onto the stone steps and declared in defeat, “Enough. Let’s just stop struggling and wait to die.”
Zhao Mian, equally frustrated and overwhelmed by a crushing sense of failure, couldn’t maintain his usual composure. He broached the question they had both been avoiding: “Why resign ourselves to death? You still have one antidote, don’t you?”
Wei Zhenfeng chuckled. “You said it yourself. ‘One.'” He emphasized the word one. “Should you take it, or should I?”
Zhao Mian’s nerves tightened, but he asked seemingly casually. “Would you give it to me?”
Wei Zhenfeng countered, “If I did, would you even care what happens to me?”
Zhao Mian had no answer.
“The reality is, either we both survive, or one of us dies,” Wei Zhenfeng said, his tone inscrutable as he studied him. “You know you can’t beat me in a fight, Your Highness.”
Zhao Mian didn’t answer. He glanced at Wei Zhenfeng’s chest, where Wei Zhenfeng kept the antidote.
“Or,” Wei Zhenfeng continued leisurely, “do you want to try?”
Zhao Mian’s fingers brushed against something cold hidden in his sleeve—the dagger Wei Zhenfeng had given him the day before when they explored Xuyuan Garden under cover of darkness.
“No, I won’t try,” Zhao Mian released his hand and said indifferently, “I really can’t beat you.”
Wei Zhenfeng exhaled in relief. “Good. At least you’re not stubborn about that.”
Another silence stretched between them.
Wei Zhenfeng hesitated. He started to speak, then stopped, and began again before finally composing himself to ask, “Have you done it before?”
An eighteen-year-old crown prince of a nation, unlike him who had spent years running around outside, shouldn’t lack experience in this regard.
His own crown prince elder brother, at Zhao Mian’s age, already had numerous wives and concubines and several children.
Zhao Mian didn’t answer, just looked at him coldly.
Wei Zhenfeng said slowly, “I’m not very good at this. If you’ve done it before, you could… teach me.” His tone grew hesitant and uncertain toward the end, as if trying to convince himself. “Survival is more important, right? As long as there’s life, there’s hope.”
Wei Zhenfeng thought he had already made a huge concession, but the crown prince showed no appreciation.
“You make it sound so easy,” Zhao Mian said coolly, “Do you think I’d react to your face? I couldn’t even do it with the lights off and my eyes closed, okay?”
Wei Zhenfeng smiled, with a hint of schadenfreude: “Then there’s nothing to be done. I’m willing to let you, but you’re the one who can’t do it.”
“Are you doing this on purpose?” Zhao Mian was embarrassed and angered, already speaking without thinking, “Deliberately showing your dark-skinned face in front of me, just so you can be in control at a crucial moment?!”
Wei Zhenfeng laughed in exasperation: “Can you be reasonable? Am I a prophet? Could I have known things would develop to this point? Do you think I want you to despise me? You keep calling me ugly, don’t I feel wronged? Oh, only you have a temper, others don’t? If it weren’t for Nanjing’s sake, I would have long ago…”
Wei Zhenfeng saw Zhao Mian’s expression, and stopped abruptly.
Whenever the crown prince was angry, his cheeks were particularly red, like now, as if drunk. The anger floating in his eyes, to others, looked like the haze of intoxication.
Wei Zhenfeng swallowed the not-so-pleasant words back, “Alright, alright, let’s not fight, Your Highness.” He pressed his fingers to his temples in frustration. “Instead of wasting energy arguing, we should think about what to do next.”
Zhao Mian said coldly, “What else can we do besides wait?”
Currently, he could only pin his hopes on the Prime Minister and Shen Buqi rescuing him. The people the Prime Minister had arranged should have already arrived in Dongling’s capital and were likely doing everything they could to pressure Lu Wang.
Of course, there was one thing he could do on his own.
He wasn’t against intimacy; it was a natural human desire. Even if he didn’t experience it now, he would in the future.
What he hated was being forced, and doing this reluctantly with Wei Zhenfeng. If Wei Zhenfeng hadn’t gone astray in these six years, perhaps he would have…
One antidote, two people. This was the “game” Wan Huameng wanted to play with them.
If he had to choose between the two…
Realizing that malice was uncontrollably rising in his heart, Zhao Mian abruptly closed his eyes.
Wei Zhenfeng, beside him, didn’t notice Zhao Mian’s abnormality. He looked at his hand in confusion. At some point, a small part of his right hand had changed, the brown fading away to reveal a slender, fair fingertip.