Xu Jingzhou quickly carried Gu Yun to the pavilion.
The pavilion stood beside the water, surrounded on all sides by trees. Vast shadows poured across the ground like dark water, swallowing the structure whole.
Had it been summer, it would have been an ideal retreat from the heat. Unfortunately, it was now a late autumn night. The moment one arrived, a chill seeped into the body, producing a prickling sensation deep between the bones.
Gu Yun took a moment to adjust. Apart from his knees, everything else had returned to normal.
He kicked Xu Jingzhou once, found a stone bench and sat down. Taking out two handkerchiefs, he folded them and laid them over his knees. Even that did not feel sufficient, so he placed his hands on top and gently rubbed them.
With several layers of cloth and the warmth of his hands, his knees gradually warmed up. The discomfort disappeared. Letting out a breath, he looked towards Xu Jingzhou.
Xu Jingzhou was frowning as he watched him. “How have you become this delicate? You…”
The rest of the sentence died in his throat.
Holding up his lantern and taking a careful look by its light, he swallowed the words back down. “Looks like you’ve had it worse than I have since transmigrating. You’ve lost loads of weight.”
After a pause, he added, “Though your complexion doesn’t actually look bad.”
Gu Yun touched his face.
He glanced around. Everything was shrouded in darkness, and nothing seemed out of place. Even so, he remained uneasy. Holding his breath, he concentrated and listened carefully. Apart from the sounds of nature, there was nothing else. Only then did he finally relax and begin recounting everything from the beginning.
“When I first transmigrated, I was somewhere in the mountains. Which mountain exactly, I have no idea…”
The night breeze stirred gently. Speaking in modern vernacular, Gu Yun’s soft voice blended into the wind and drifted through the trees.
After listening to the whole story, Xu Jingzhou felt as though a great stone had been placed upon his chest, weighing him down.
Clenching his fists, he opened his mouth and drew in several deep breaths, filling himself with air before finally calming down. Then he grabbed Gu Yun’s hand.
“This is way too dangerous. You need to run. No, wait! The Eastern Palace is guarded so heavily. How are you supposed to run?”
Releasing Gu Yun’s hand, he sprang to his feet and began pacing in circles. After scratching his head furiously for a while, he suddenly thrust his face right in front of Gu Yun’s.
“This humble mountain dweller has a brilliant plan. Why don’t you bring the Crown Prince here? I’ll drug him unconscious, then we’ll get rid of him. Once the Eastern Palace falls into chaos, we’ll pack our things and run.”
“I’m a black belt in taekwondo. After transmigrating, I learned staff techniques from Master Kongyue at the temple. I’m actually pretty talented. These days I can hold my own against several of Master Kongyue’s disciples. By my estimation, taking on a group of ordinary people bare-handed wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Anyway, I can definitely protect you, so don’t worry. Once things settle down, we’ll change our identities and start a business. With your brains, there’s no way we’d lose money. Supporting ourselves won’t be a problem.”
Gu Yun: “…”
“That’s not…”
Xu Jingzhou cut him off.
“I don’t want to do it either. But if we just tie him up and hide him in the temple, he’ll be found sooner or later. That won’t be enough to throw the Eastern Palace into chaos.”
Gu Yun said, “You’d do it? You could actually bring yourself to do it?”
Grinding his teeth, Xu Jingzhou replied, “You can’t do it, so who else is there besides me? I’ll shut my eyes, tighten the cord, and it’ll be over.”
Gu Yun said, “…That’s not…”
Xu Jingzhou continued, “Forget whether the world falls into chaos or not. Worry about yourself first. The Emperor has several sons. If one Crown Prince dies, he can appoint another. Chao Ziyu was already the second Crown Prince of the Anqing era.”
Gu Yun’s attention immediately wandered. “The first Crown Prince was who?”
“The first Crown Prince was the current Empress’s son, Chao Ning, courtesy name Mingyao. The present Emperor basically crushed him to death politically. According to the masters at the temple, he weighed less than a hundred jin when he died.”
“After the former Crown Prince died, the teaching monks responsible for ritual affairs at Cining Temple conducted the funeral rites. I’m a teaching monk now as well. Not long ago, I even helped conduct some rites myself. Anyway, forget that. What do you think of my suggestion?”
Without hesitation, Gu Yun shook his head. Xu Jingzhou’s voice rose.“Why not?”
Looking at him seriously, Gu Yun said, “I think he’s intelligent and willing to involve himself in practical affairs at the grassroots level. If he ascends the throne, he’ll definitely make a good Emperor.”
“If someone else takes his place, that almost certainly won’t be the case. When chaos engulfs the realm, people like us, just two among countless commoners, won’t be able to remain untouched.”
“Secondly, he’s treated me very well. He likes teasing me sometimes, but I can’t repay kindness with betrayal. If I did something like that, I might as well die.”
Xu Jingzhou tried to argue. But when he met Gu Yun’s eyes, all the fight leaked out of him like air from a punctured balloon.
In a listless voice, he said, “Then what do you propose? Anyway, we’ve already agreed. I won’t just stand by and watch you die. You’re the only family I’ve got left in this world.”
“I know.” Gu Yun gestured for him to sit down and talk.
Xu Jingzhou refused. It was obvious he was still annoyed that Gu Yun had rejected his brilliant plan after all the sacrifice he was apparently prepared to make.
Gu Yun hooked an arm around his shoulder. Only then did Xu Jingzhou reluctantly sit down.
His long legs were spread carelessly apart. His arms rested on his thighs, fingertips dangling downwards, the very picture of dejection.
Unaffected by his mood, Gu Yun remained calm. “I really do think the Crown Prince hasn’t recovered his memories.”
“So what?” Xu Jingzhou asked.
Gu Yun said, “Didn’t I tell you before? If he truly hasn’t recovered his memories, then that’s my greatest safeguard.”
Xu Jingzhou thought for a moment. Then he thought harder. Unfortunately, being irritated, he could not think of anything at all. In the end, he frowned, looking unusually fierce.
“That’s far too much thinking. I’m rubbish at all these twists and turns. Just tell me directly.”
Gu Yun organised his thoughts and tried to explain it as simply as possible.
He knew Xu Jingzhou well. When this man was annoyed, getting him to listen at all was already an achievement. Expecting him to ponder your words deeply would only earn you a curse for being mysterious before he turned around and walked off.
Gu Yun said, “If he really has amnesia, that means he’s lost more than twenty years’ worth of memories. A clever person would never reveal that secret to outsiders because it would leave him vulnerable to his enemies. Since I know this secret, if one day he really can’t restrain himself any longer and decides he wants to consummate the marriage despite the lie I’ve told about my poor health, then I can use this secret against him and force him to abandon the idea.”
Xu Jingzhou understood. He calmed down and carefully considered whether it was feasible before raising a concern.
“What if he becomes angry from humiliation and decides to kill you?”
Gu Yun smiled. “That’s why I’m telling you about it. If something really happens to me, you can expose the secret, and he won’t escape the consequences either. Just to be safe, I’ll also write a secret document. I’ll burn it afterwards, because it absolutely cannot fall into anyone’s hands, but the Crown Prince must believe that it exists.”
Xu Jingzhou silently raised a thumbs-up. Before Gu Yun could even attempt any modesty, he raised his other hand and gave another thumbs-up.
Gu Yun looked at him speechlessly. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
Xu Jingzhou replied, “At first I admired your intelligence. But then I thought about how you’ve had to endure a man’s advances throughout all of this, and suddenly I admired you even more. One thumbs-up wasn’t enough to express my respect, so I gave you two.”
He looked rather pleased with himself.
Gu Yun: “…”
Xu Jingzhou declared, “I hereby crown you China’s Number One Endurer!”
“Idiot. Get lost.”
Xu Jingzhou grabbed his arm and pretended to sob twice. “We’re family! Son, your father can’t bear to part with you!”
Gu Yun immediately stretched both hands towards him with utmost sincerity. “Father, your son is short of money. Please give me some. I’m begging you.”
Xu Jingzhou coughed awkwardly, let go of him, rubbed his nose, and looked at the sky, the ground, and everything in between, except Gu Yun.
Folding his arms, Gu Yun said, “Oh? Xu Jingzhou, you’re really poor.”
Xu Jingzhou’s eyes widened.
“It’s only temporary! I’ve only just figured out how to conduct rituals. I haven’t earned much in wages or rewards yet. I spend money maintaining relationships, making friends, learning staff techniques, buying daily necessities, and helping people in need. A little spent here, a little spent there, and it’s all gone! Once I become the lead ritual master, I’ll have as much money as I want!”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
“I’m serious. If I’m bragging, I’m an idiot. You have no idea how generous these imperial relatives are. They’ll casually hand out a whole gold ingot. Just the scraps that fall through their fingers are enough for an ordinary person to eat and drink comfortably for the rest of their life.”
As he spoke, his tone became increasingly indignant and the conversation drifted elsewhere. “I’ve already seen plenty of people in the capital who can’t even afford food!”
Gu Yun himself had once been one of those people who could not afford to eat. Hearing that, he fell silent.
After a while, he said, “When the Crown Prince becomes Emperor, things will get better.”
Xu Jingzhou did not respond.
Lifting his spirits again, Gu Yun asked, “How did you become a teaching monk at Cining Temple?”
Xu Jingzhou waved a hand.
“It’s quite a coincidence. I transmigrated into the back courtyard of a place that did that sort of business. Just happened to catch a teaching monk sleeping with one of the women there and accidentally killing her. I don’t know why, but I looked exactly like that monk. Anyway, when he saw me, it was like he’d seen a ghost. He immediately started trying to kill me.
You think I’d put up with that? I was the top schoolyard bully at No. 1 High School. Even gangsters didn’t dare mess with me. I got carried away in the heat of the moment and sent him off to the Western Paradise to meet the Buddha.
After that, I needed a way to survive, so I shaved my head, had ordination scars burned into it, took his identity, and came to Cining Temple. When I first arrived, I pretended my throat was in terrible pain and didn’t speak at all. I only started talking once I’d figured out how people here spoke. Nearly drove me mad.”
Gu Yun nodded. “So that’s what happened.”
Xu Jingzhou smiled, looking rather relieved. “Thank goodness I became a monk. Otherwise, I’d never have known where to find you. I figured that if I’d transmigrated here, then you probably had too.”
Gu Yun lowered his head and hugged him.
Startled, Xu Jingzhou said, “Gu Yun?”
Gu Yun released him and smiled. “I’m also grateful the Crown Prince brought me into the Eastern Palace. Otherwise, who knows when I’d have seen you again. Maybe not for years. Maybe not in this lifetime.”
“Don’t say such depressing things.”
In the distance came the shouts of palace maids, monks, and guards. They were looking for him.
Gu Yun knew he could not stay any longer.
“I’m leaving first. You should head back as well. Don’t let anyone discover you.”
As he spoke, he handed the rose dew and jade ornament to Xu Jingzhou, telling him to exchange them for money just in case, then turned and walked away. However, after only a short distance, Xu Jingzhou called out to him.
Gu Yun turned back. “What is it?”
Xu Jingzhou hesitated briefly. Then he seemed to make up his mind and revealed a secret he had kept hidden until now.
“Actually, I suspect we didn’t transmigrate into a parallel world at all.”
“What?”
Even though Gu Yun had entertained similar suspicions, he was still surprised to hear it spoken aloud. “Why do you think that?”
Xu Jingzhou said, “Because a lot of things about this dynasty match things described in a novel. The dynasty’s name, the broader historical background, and even some of the characters.”
“Crown Prince Chao Ziyu is one of those characters. Except in the novel, he’s the ruler of a fallen kingdom. The novel tells the story of what happened after the fall of the Xuan Dynasty, when various warlords and heroes fought for supremacy across the realm.”
