A Visit

Around noon, he sensed something amiss outside and left the West Side Hall of Bright Martial Hall, arriving at the courtyard adjacent to the Training Ground.

This courtyard was a small training ground.

His personal eunuch, Zou Fang, along with the eunuchs of other princes and heirs apparent, were all waiting here, most of them practicing their martial arts without pause.

Zou Fang halted his fist stance and drifted over to Chu Zhiyuan without his feet touching the ground, cupping his fist and speaking softly: "Young Master, there's an invitation."

He withdrew a card from his sleeve.

Its cover was azure blue, with a single white cloud floating in the upper left corner against the blue sky—a style both elegant and understated.

Chu Zhiyuan raised a sword-like brow and pursed his lips.

Zou Fang opened the invitation and presented it to him: "Steward Feng handed this invitation over outside the palace gate."

Chu Zhiyuan examined the invitation.

"At the hour of You, the first quarter, the Flowing Cloud Tower's third floor awaits the Heir Apparent's presence. Respectfully submitted by Jiang Qiuge of the Town Martial Division."

This Jiang Qiuge moved quickly.

"Training ends here today. I'll head back early."

He gestured for Zou Fang to put away the invitation, then turned and walked back to the Training Ground.

Under the noonday sun, only Chu Zhichuan remained in the empty Training Ground of Bright Martial Hall, swinging his sword. His sword technique was dense and continuous, the blade's light soft and bright like a waterfall.

Chu Zhiyuan called out: "Tenth Brother, I'm leaving."

"Fourth Brother, go ahead." Chu Zhichuan replied without stopping his sword strokes.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

This Chu Zhichuan was truly competitive—such diligence meant he wanted to defeat him in their next spar.

When he reached the South Palace Gate, Feng Xi and Guo Chi were already waiting with eight Xiantian Masters.

Chu Zhiyuan walked as he asked: "How are things over there?"

"The Town Martial Division's experts have taken over. They've deployed four Grandmasters."

Surrounded by his retinue, Chu Zhiyuan returned to the Prince's residence.

There were no tailers along the way.

Not only had the Town Martial Division withdrawn, but the other group of trackers had also vanished. Complete quiet settled in, letting him breathe a sigh of relief.

Those two groups of pursuers had hung over his heart like two dark clouds, keeping him alert and oppressed, constantly feeling threat and unease.

They also kept reminding him of his weakness.

That feeling was utterly unbearable.

The resonant sound of a zither drifted across the misty, rippling lake.

Inside the Moon Invitation Pavilion, two maidservants as white as snow played the zither.

Their bright eyes were like water, and their rippling gazes occasionally swept toward Chu Zhiyuan, who sat on the Arhat Bed across from them. Their smiles bloomed like flowers, their beauty radiant.

The zither's melody was lofty, quiet, and serene, with the wondrous effect of clearing the heart and calming the spirit.

The faint fragrance of the two women floated through the small pavilion, adding a touch of charm.

Zou Fang stood as always at the entrance of the pavilion, holding a white jade horsetail whisk, motionless as a piece of wood, easily overlooked.

Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on the Arhat Bed, examining a long sword as clear as autumn water. His left hand formed a sword-finger seal, sliding along the blade.

The cold light reflected from the sword shone on his sharp, upright brows.

He focused his mind, probing into the interior of the long sword.

If it were an ordinary treasured blade, a single moment of concentration would let him see everything inside the sword clearly, down to every particle.

But this sword had a layer of formless power blocking his perception.

In the end, he shook his head helplessly.

In the Postnatal Realm, Internal Energy could not be released externally; it could only circulate within the body. Otherwise, if he drove his Internal Energy into the sword and let his Super Sensation follow it in, he would see everything clearly.

Without entering the Xiantian Realm, one could not release Internal Energy externally and could not be considered a true martial artist.

He vanished from the Arhat Bed in a flash, reappearing before the pavilion's railing. He thrust the long sword a dozen times toward the night sky, then sheathed it and assumed the Dragon Subduing Stance.

Seeing this, the two women made their zither music calm and unhurried, avoiding any sudden shifts that might disturb him.

Just as he was entering a deep state, he suddenly opened his eyes and turned his head.

Chu Minghou's lean, slender figure appeared on the lakeside corridor.

His gray robe fluttered, his neat beard stirred in the breeze, and his steps were slow and measured—a picture of immortal elegance.

Chu Zhiyuan released the Dragon Subduing Stance and walked out of the pavilion to greet him: "Father King."

"Yuan'er." Chu Minghou smiled as he stepped into the pavilion.

The zither music came to an abrupt halt.

The two white-robed maidservants rose and curtsied in salute.

Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand.

They withdrew lightly from the small pavilion, drifting away with graceful, delicate steps.

"Father King, why didn't Master Li Moqing come today?"

"Mister Moqing will come this afternoon. Yuan'er, I need to discuss something with you."

"Father King, just give your orders."

"Ten days from now is an important day."

Chu Zhiyuan looked puzzled.

He quickly ran through the birthdays of their family of four in his mind—none matched. What important day was it?

He turned his head to look at Zou Fang.

Zou Fang gently shook her head.

Chu Minghou said, "Your Second Uncle's birthday is coming."

Chu Zhiyuan's expression shifted slightly.

Chu Minghou sighed, lifted his gaze to the misty, rippling lake, and said with a sigh, "Our estate has been unsealed, but your Second Uncle is still locked up inside."

"Father King, be careful with your words." Chu Zhiyuan said hurriedly.

His eyes swept the surroundings.

The reason he liked being on this lake was that there was no need to worry about ambushes or eavesdropping from behind walls.

Chu Minghou shook his head sorrowfully: "Can't even mention it now?"

"Father King..." Chu Zhiyuan said helplessly, "We've just been released from restrictions. We need to be cautious in word and deed, lest Imperial Grandfather think we show no remorse."

"..."

Chu Minghou fell silent, the melancholy on his face deepening. After a long moment, he sighed: "Father-son bonds have come to this... alas..."

"Father King, why exactly was Second Uncle confined?"

The Second Prince Chu Mingren's confinement had been extremely abrupt—an imperial decree descending without explanation.

Rumors swirled through the markets, the most accepted version being that the Second Prince had violated palace taboos, carrying on a secret affair with someone in the harem, and the Emperor had discovered it.

Chu Minghou frowned.

"Father King, you don't know either?"

"Not clear."

"..." Chu Zhiyuan was speechless.

Not knowing the reason, yet rashly pleading for leniency?

Second Uncle was wise and valiant, much like his father, the most likely heir to the throne, and had a good father-son relationship with the Emperor. For a decree of confinement to fall so suddenly, it could not be a mere ordinary mistake.

To plead without knowing anything—wasn't that just asking for trouble?

"When I was twelve, I joined a hunt. Suddenly a Demonic Leopard burst out. If your Second Uncle hadn't thrown himself in front of me, you and your sister wouldn't exist. He was gravely wounded and nearly died."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Over the years, no one in the estate had ever mentioned the Second Prince. From top to bottom, the name was taboo.

"After all these years, your Imperial Grandfather's anger should have mostly subsided. Since he could lift the seal on our estate, perhaps he'll soon lift your Second Uncle's confinement too."

"Father King, it's different." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

When it came down to it, Prince Qing's Estate had been sealed due to rashness and collateral anger—after all, there was no other crime.

Even so, it had been sealed for thirty years. That showed how furious the Emperor had been.

He likely wouldn't let go of his anger; the confinement would probably be permanent.

"When our estate was sealed, we couldn't visit your Second Uncle. Now that we're unsealed, we should go see him."

"Father King, think thrice!" Chu Zhiyuan said gravely.

"Your mother has also advised me, and I'm not one to ignore advice. I won't go myself, lest I truly anger Father Emperor. You go in my stead to visit your Second Uncle."

Chu Zhiyuan furrowed his sword-like brows tightly, pondered for a moment, and finally shook his head: "Father King, given our estate's current situation, it's better to play it safe. We shouldn't take more risks. Otherwise..."

Until they knew what crime Prince Jing had committed to be confined, it was unwise to act. After all, they had already been sealed for thirty years because of it—they had done their duty to the fullest. No one would fault them.

Visiting Prince Jing, from the Emperor's perspective, could be seen as loyalty on one hand, but as provocation on the other.

"In ordinary years, not going is fine. But in a few days, it's your Second Uncle's sixtieth birthday. A grand sixtieth, spent cold and lonely all by himself... truly..." Chu Minghou shook his head and sighed: "I can't bear it."

Chu Zhiyuan said: "If we visit Second Uncle, we might be sealed up again or even confined ourselves. Father King, do you still want to try?"

His father was good in every way, except too kind-hearted, too attached to bonds of affection.

That was both a strength and a weakness.

"They wouldn't seal the estate again." Chu Minghou shook his head. "You're a junior; visiting an elder is only proper—it's no crime. Besides, you're different now."

He broke into a smile.

The reason he dared to bring this up was that he had the confidence to back it.

Father Emperor valued martial prowess above all else, and would surely look upon a grandson with astonishing martial talent with great favor and leniency.

Even if displeased, he would not punish that grandson as harshly as he had before.

"I know that Father King cannot bear the guilt of not visiting Second Uncle, that you cannot eat or sleep well. But Father King must think clearly: will you risk the entire household being sealed off or even placed under house arrest to fulfill brotherly love, or will you endure the guilt and fulfill your duties as a father and husband?"

Chu Minghou stared helplessly at Chu Zhiyuan, watching his son's solemn expression. In the end, he could only sigh in resignation, shake his head, and walk away.