Monkey

Qin Yi returned to Li Qinglin's Prince Residence—though it was not really a Royal Palace, since Li Qinglin had no title. It was merely a Prince Residence. Qin Yi did not know why Li Qingjun had a title while Li Qinglin did not.

Of course, this place would probably soon become the Crown Prince Residence. Whether he had a title or not no longer mattered. Qin Yi stood at the entrance and took out Li Qinglin's Waist Tag, just about to ask someone to announce him, when he saw the central gate thrown wide open and Li Qingjun standing before him.

"Why did you come back?" Qin Yi was quite surprised. The Crown Prince's death was such a major matter; she had only entered the palace a short while ago, yet she was already back?

"Father and Brother... and Royal Brother are discussing matters. Sitting there would have been no different from sitting here, so I came out to see you instead." Li Qingjun said expressionlessly, "I was worried you might not be used to the place, but it turns out you never entered the residence at all."

"I went out for a stroll and bought a few things."

Li Qingjun's gaze fell upon the bundle on his back.

The bulging bundle had originally had the handle of the Wolf Tooth Club sticking out, already looking wildly out of place. Now there was another unknown wooden handle protruding from it, making him look even more like a country bumpkin entering the city. Li Qingjun said irritably, "If you need something, tell the residence steward to buy it. They will do their best to satisfy you. Why wander around blindly on your own?"

"It's that good?"

"Of course." Li Qingjun turned and led him inside. "You are a guest personally invited back by Royal Brother. Who would dare neglect you?"

The residence stewards nearby immediately bowed and scraped. "Princess, Mr. Qin's quarters have already been prepared."

Li Qingjun said flatly, "Lead the way."

Qin Yi watched Li Qingjun with great interest and found her rather amusing.

Earlier, while they had been roaming the martial world, Li Qingjun had been entirely a rash yet courageous swordswoman. Now that she had returned to the Capital City and entered a prince's residence, she had become a composed Princess of grace and bearing.

Qin Yi was certain that the Li Qingjun of the martial world was her true self. He simply did not know whether the Li Qingjun in the Capital City was putting on an act, or whether this too was another side of her nature.

The residence steward had prepared an independent courtyard for Qin Yi. Its layout bore some resemblance to the little courtyard at his own home, except its carved beams and painted rafters were far more luxurious. Instead of medicinal herbs, the courtyard was filled with flowers and green grass; the fragrance was refreshing, elegant, and beautiful.

The steward bowed. "His Highness had someone return in advance to inform us. He said that Mr. Qin preferred quiet and elegance, so we made these arrangements. If you are dissatisfied, we can change it for another courtyard."

Qin Yi shook his head. "This is already very good. It would be best to clear out an open patch with sunlight as well. Sometimes I have uses for one."

The steward immediately turned and ordered, "Go level the grassland behind—"

Servants were about to set to work at once when Qin Yi hurriedly said, "Wait, wait, wait. There's no need."

The servants immediately stopped, obeying orders as if they were military commands. Had Li Qinglin brought his army-management style into his household?

Qin Yi looked at Li Qingjun with a bit of a headache. Li Qingjun remained expressionless and silent. He said helplessly, "Let's leave it at that. The Princess and I have something to discuss."

The steward tactfully led the others away. Li Qingjun stood quietly for quite some time, watching the servants depart from the corner of her eye. Once they had gone far enough, she promptly discarded her ladylike, noble air and plopped down onto the grass beside them. "I'm exhausted."

Qin Yi laughed dumbly and sat down beside her on the grass. "When you fought demons and monsters, blood running from the corner of your mouth, I never heard you complain of being tired. Yet you only came back a short while ago..."

Li Qingjun fell silent for a moment, then sighed softly. "If your elder brother had died, you would probably be tired too."

Her eyes reddened as she spoke. Clearly, she had been holding her grief in all this time, but now she could no longer keep it down.

"Mm..." Qin Yi said apologetically, "Sorry."

Earlier, when he had bullied this girl until she was aggrieved and on the verge of tears, she had still worn an unyielding expression. This was the first time Qin Yi had seen such a fragile grief in her. No matter how bold the heart of a heroine, there was still a softest place within it—such as family.

She had a very good relationship with Li Qinglin, and she clearly had not been distant from the Crown Prince, whom Qin Yi had never met. Qin Yi believed that it would be difficult for a younger sister like her to have conflicts with any elder brother. She was probably the sort everyone doted on.

"It's nothing." Li Qingjun sniffed, her expression turning fierce. "It must have been the Western Wilderness Barbarians. They wanted to stir up trouble!"

Qin Yi found it difficult to respond. Li Qingjun did not expect him to solve the case either. She merely needed somewhere to speak, and continued to herself, "One day, I will sweep through the Western Wasteland and avenge Big Brother!"

Qin Yi nodded and went along with her. "With Brother Qing Lin planning and directing things, that day will come sooner or later."

"Mm." Li Qingjun had great faith in Li Qinglin. "It definitely will."

After saying that, the two fell into an awkward silence. Qin Yi did not know what to say to comfort her, while she gazed blankly at the sky. They simply sat quietly on the grass, saying nothing.

After a long while, Li Qingjun suddenly said, "I still remember what you said when we first met: eat well, sleep well, free of worries and cares—would that not make one an immortal? And now? You are immortals entering the mortal world, while we mortals strive to transcend mortality?"

Qin Yi sighed. "There are always things that must be done. Even immortals have things they seek."

"Those who seek are merely people searching for the path of immortality. What could true immortals possibly seek?" Li Qingjun looked up at the sky and said softly, "The 'Song of Better Things' you taught the Woodcutter lays bare the obsessions of all living beings. Once those are cast aside, one becomes an immortal, with nothing left to seek. Is that not so?"

Qin Yi knew that her eldest brother's assassination and death had hit Li Qingjun rather hard. The thought of seeking immortality, which had always taken root in her heart, had been stirred up once more. So he advised, "I know of a monkey who crossed countless rivers and mountains and spent a full ten years seeking immortals. At last, it found a true immortal and learned the art of longevity. Do you think it became immortal free of desire and without demands?"

"Of course it did. How could attaining longevity not make one an immortal?" Li Qingjun grew interested. "What happened afterward?"

"Afterward... Anyway, I know that before it sought immortality, it was truly carefree and untroubled. Yet after attaining the Dao, it was chickens flying and dogs leaping, never at peace. In the end, it put on shackles and became a Buddha, never again possessing that lofty spirit of battling heaven and earth. I wonder how far such attainment of the Dao and immortality had drifted from its original heart, and whether it regretted it in the end."

Li Qingjun stared at Qin Yi. She felt this monkey was something Qin Yi had invented to allude to her. "Are you... warning me?"

Qin Yi shook his head. "No. Everyone has their own fate and affinity. I only think people must know what they themselves seek."

"What I seek..." Li Qingjun gazed absentmindedly at the sky and murmured, "What I seek is to wield my Twelve-Foot Silver Spear, gallop unhindered beneath heaven, soar in and out of the azure vault, and sweep away all injustice in this world... not to become some noble lady in the Capital City, eventually marry some dull consort, and remain trapped here for the rest of my life."

Qin Yi truly could not help saying, "You were really born into the wrong body."

Li Qingjun smiled and changed the subject. "Could you tell me the monkey's story in detail?"

"That is a long story..."

Li Qinglin was busy at the moment, and Qin Yi had only just arrived, so he did not know what he should do for the time being. Since Li Qingjun happened to be sitting here chatting with him, and she was instead the only person he knew in the Capital City, Qin Yi did not feel the story was too long at all. He truly began telling her about Journey to the West.

He spoke all the way until the Havoc in Heaven. The unprecedented tale left Li Qingjun enthralled, and she smiled lightly. "What a wild, untamable monkey, bold enough to defy the heavens."

Li Qinglin's voice came from outside the courtyard. "It is a monkey that dared to resist and dared to fight for what it wanted, even if what it did may have been sinful. A very interesting story. I look forward to Brother Qin's continuation."

Both of them rose to their feet. Li Qingjun's expression became solemn once more. "How are things?"

"There are no clues." Li Qinglin said in a deep voice, "The killer was extremely fast. According to Big Brother's guards, they only saw a Black Shadow flash past, and then Big Brother... I personally suspect the Western Wasteland."

Li Qingjun pressed her lips tightly together.

Li Qinglin continued, "Neither you nor I was there when it happened, and there was nothing we could do in the moment. Father is investigating with all his strength. There will be an outcome eventually."

Li Qingjun sighed. "Are you going to become the Crown Prince?"

"Mm..." There was no joy visible on Li Qinglin's face. Instead, he shook his head. "This really is... being roasted over a fire."

Li Qingjun asked, "Does someone think you are suspicious?"

"Mm. Though there are only a very few, such suspicions are unavoidable. But such doubts are meaningless."

They truly were meaningless. The king had only two sons. He could not treat his sole remaining son as a suspect merely because of a few groundless doubts.

Li Qinglin did not continue that topic. Instead, he said to Qin Yi, "Brother Qin, I am truly sorry. This happened so suddenly, and you have been neglected."

"The Princess spent an entire day chatting nonsense with me. How have I been neglected?" Qin Yi pointed at the sky. "The sun has already set. If you do not invite me to dinner, that would be neglect."

Li Qinglin burst into laughter.