Chapter 0188: Childlike Thoughts of Xie Shoujun, Obsessive Thoughts of Xie Jinyu
An indescribable emotion welled up in his heart. Xie Chengze tightened his grip on the blood-stained letter and began searching through the other letters. The varying degrees of wear on the paper were immediately apparent, and he quickly found the newest letter at the edge. He swiftly opened it and read the date and contents.
[Jian’an 78, August 23rd.
I hope this letter finds you well. The peace treaty with the Xiongnu has been successfully signed, thanks to the explosives you created. Though I haven’t witnessed them firsthand, their power must be immense to have frightened the Xiongnu into retreat. Your reputation has spread throughout the military camp, and everyone holds you in high esteem.
Perhaps I’m being presumptuous, but I wonder if you still remember our childhood promise—that you would come to the border to find me. Prime Minister Li says your health is frail and you never leave the palace. I suspect that’s why you’re helping me in this way, so that I can return to the capital to see you.
If that’s not the case, it doesn’t matter. It’s only natural for feelings to fade over ten years. I’m not one to force things; I only wish for your health and happiness.
Alright, I lied. I hope that when I return to the capital, we won’t be too distant. If you were to dislike me, it would surely weigh on my heart, and I might simply return to the border to spare myself the pain.
This might seem childish, and I don’t know if you’d laugh at me for it. But, fortunately, you’ll never see these letters.]
The letter fell from his hand onto the floor. Xie Chengze’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, accompanied by a sense of loss.
So, for the past ten years, Xie Shoujun had been writing letters to the original owner of this body.
Though the words themselves were ordinary, the emotions conveyed between the lines deeply moved him.
That a bond formed over just a few childhood years could endure for so long… Thinking of Xie Shoujun’s care for him in Liaozhou and the special treatment he received in the palace, Xie Chengze suddenly felt like a thief, guilty and uneasy. He hurriedly stuffed the letter back into its envelope and returned all the scattered letters to the wooden box.
After neatly placing the box back in its original position, Xie Chengze recalled that in his memories, he had never received any letters from Xie Shoujun, nor any birthday gifts.
Where were the letters?
Where were the birthday gifts?
Was his inherited memory incomplete, or… had they been intercepted?
“Wuhen?” Xie Chengze called out. The next moment, Wuhen descended from above. “Your Highness.”
Xie Chengze looked up at the ceiling. “…Why were you on the roof beam?”
Wuhen replied calmly, “It’s convenient for poking out the eyes of anyone who tries to peek by lifting the tiles.”
Was he referring to Sheng Shihai…?
Xie Chengze coughed lightly. “…Alright. I wanted to ask if you know whether my elder brother ever sent me letters or birthday gifts. Why don’t I remember any of it?”
Wuhen paused. “Does Your Highness wish to know?”
Xie Chengze looked at him curiously. “Of course.”
“Though there’s no evidence, the answer is obvious. They must have all been…” Just as Wuhen was about to name the culprit, the study door was knocked. A maid’s voice came from outside, “Second Prince, it’s time for dinner. The First Prince has sent me to escort you back to the main hall.”
Interrupted, Xie Chengze glanced at the darkening sky and gathered the teaching materials from the desk. He handed them to Wuhen. “We’ll discuss this later. First, take these to Su Qinghe and have him make a copy.”
“Yes.” Wuhen took the materials and slipped out through the window.
Xie Chengze took one last look at the wooden chest before stepping out of the study and said to the palace maid, “Lead the way.”
…
Dinner was already prepared. Though not lavish, the homely dishes were quite satisfying.
Xie Chengze had been overexerting his mind lately, which inevitably sharpened his appetite, leading him to indulge in excessive eating and drinking. Xie Shoujun sternly intervened, “Wuji has gone back to Cheng Huan Palace to fetch the medicinal porridge. You’ll have that later.”
Xie Chengze had initially intended to wheedle his way out of it, but thoughts of those letters made him set down his chopsticks obediently. “Alright, I’ll listen to you, Imperial Brother.”
Beside them, Xie Jinyu continued eating with a natural expression, showing no curiosity about why Xie Chengze needed medicinal porridge. This, in turn, aroused Xie Chengze’s suspicion.
Given Xie Jinyu’s usual temperament, he should have immediately asked why Xie Chengze needed medicinal porridge and whether he was feeling unwell. But he hadn’t asked, which suggested he likely already knew about Xie Chengze’s health issues and was even aware of the specific ailment.
But how had he found out? Xie Chengze had kept the matter extremely well-hidden.
Biting his chopsticks, Xie Chengze suddenly asked, “Imperial Brother, I remember asking you to write letters to me when I was young. Why did you never write?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xie Chengze noticed Xie Jinyu’s body stiffen slightly. Even the chopsticks he had extended paused mid-air before he feigned nonchalance and continued picking up food, chewing slowly.
No matter how composed he tried to appear, his delayed movements betrayed him.
Xie Chengze smiled faintly.
So it really was you, you rascal.
Xie Shoujun was also taken aback by the sudden and abrupt question. He asked in surprise, “I did write to you. Didn’t you receive the letters?”
“No, I didn’t. You didn’t even send me birthday gifts. I thought you had forgotten about me,” Xie Chengze continued, putting on a pitiful expression while surreptitiously observing Xie Jinyu’s reaction.
Xie Shoujun furrowed his brow. “I did send birthday gifts. It’s just that you never replied, so I assumed you didn’t like them…”
“How could that be? I was looking forward to your letters more than anything!” Xie Chengze slammed the table in frustration, the loud noise startling both Xie Jinyu and Xie Shoujun.
He snarled, “How infuriating! If I ever find out who stole the letters and birthday gifts you sent me, I’ll skin them alive!”
Xie Jinyu lowered his head and took a sip of tea. “Perhaps no one stole them. Maybe they were lost along the way?”
“But they couldn’t have been lost every single time,” Xie Shoujun shook his head. “The courier stations in Jian’an aren’t that incompetent.”
“Hmph, someone must have done it with malicious intent!” Xie Chengze retorted angrily. “Or maybe they have some obsessive, possessive fixation on me and were jealous that you wrote to me, so they intercepted everything!”
“Cough, cough, cough!” Xie Jinyu burst into a fit of coughing. Seeing both of them turn to look at him, he quickly raised his teacup to soothe his throat and waved his hand. “It’s nothing, I just choked accidentally.”
Only then did Xie Chengze and Xie Shoujun look away.
“So…” Xie Shoujun seemed to recall something, a shadow passing through his eyes. “Did you also write to me, but your letters were lost too?”
Xie Chengze: Ah…
Well, well… The Second Prince had indeed never written to Xie Shoujun, but Xie Chengze still declared with unshakable confidence, “I did write! They must have been stolen!”
Lies.
Xie Jinyu thought to himself.
He had clearly never written any letters to Xie Shoujun.
“I knew you wouldn’t forget to write to me.” Hearing the answer he wanted, Xie Shoujun’s expression softened, his eyes filled with affection as he patted Xie Chengze’s head. “It’s alright. As long as I know you’re thinking of your imperial brother, that makes me happy.”
As for whoever stole the letter, he would investigate it sooner or later. If they intended to harm Xie Chengze, he would have to eliminate them.
After the meal, the three chatted for a while before retiring to the bedchambers.
Wu De Hall wasn’t equipped with a heated kang bed, so Xie Shoujun had hot water prepared for bathing. He bathed first, allowing the steam to warm the room before having Xie Chengze take his turn.
Xie Chengze soaked in the hot water briefly before emerging. At the sound of him rising, both Xie Shoujun and Xie Jinyu, who were sitting by the wooden table, stood up simultaneously.
Xie Shoujun glanced at Xie Jinyu, only to see him stride behind the screen first, pick up the change of undergarments, and say to Xie Chengze, “Second Brother, let me help you.”
Behind the screen, hearing his voice, Xie Chengze slipped back into the water. “No, I want Imperial Brother.”
Xie Jinyu paused in handing over the clothes, then stepped forward and rested his hand on the edge of the bathtub, a smile playing at his eyes. “Eldest Brother has already lain down.”
Xie Shoujun, standing by the wooden table: …
I can hear you!