Visiting

At noon, he sensed something unusual outside. Leaving the West Side Hall of Bright Martial Hall, he came to the courtyard beside the training ground.

This courtyard was a small training ground.

His personal eunuch, Zou Fang, along with the eunuchs serving the other Heir Apparents and Princes, were waiting here. Most of them were practicing martial arts without pause.

Zou Fang stopped his fist routine and drifted over without his feet touching the ground. He clasped his fists and said softly, "Young Master, there is an invitation."

He drew a card from his sleeve.

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

Chu Zhiyuan raised his sword-like brows and jerked his chin.

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

Chu Zhiyuan examined the invitation.

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

Jiang Qiuge moved quickly enough.

"That is enough training for today. We will head back early."

He gestured for Zou Fang to put away the invitation, then turned and returned to the training ground.

Under the noonday sun, only Chu Zhichuan was wielding his sword in the empty training ground of Bright Martial Hall. His sword moves were dense and unbroken, its gleaming light soft and bright like a waterfall.

Chu Zhiyuan called out, "Tenth Brother, let's go."

"Fourth Brother, go on ahead," Chu Zhichuan answered, his sword moves not stopping.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled.

Chu Zhichuan was truly competitive. Training this hard, he clearly wanted to defeat him in their next match.

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

As they walked, Chu Zhiyuan asked, "How is it over there?"

"The Town Martial Division's experts have already taken over. They dispatched four grandmasters."

Surrounded by the group, Chu Zhiyuan returned to Prince Qing's Estate.

No one followed them along the way.

Not only had the Town Martial Division withdrawn, but the other group of watchers had also vanished. Everything was finally quiet, and he let out a breath of relief.

The two groups of stalkers had been like two dark clouds hanging over his heart, keeping him vigilant and oppressed, making him feel danger and unease at every moment.

They had also constantly reminded him of his weakness.

It was an extremely unpleasant feeling.

The clear notes of a zither drifted across the misty lake.

Inside Moon Invitation Pavilion, two beautiful maidservants dressed in snow-white robes played the zither.

Their bright eyes were like water, and their rippling glances occasionally swept toward Chu Zhiyuan on the Arhat Bed opposite them. Their smiles bloomed like flowers, their beauty radiant.

The zither music carried a lofty, tranquil realm, with the wondrous effect of clearing the heart and calming the spirit.

The faint fragrance of the two women floated through the pavilion, adding a touch of enchanting softness.

As always, Zou Fang stood at the entrance to the pavilion, holding the White Jade Duster without moving, like a wooden carving so easily overlooked.

Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on the Arhat Bed, studying a long sword like a pool of autumn water. His left hand formed a sword seal and slid back and forth along the blade.

The cold light reflected by the sword fell across his sharply arched brows.

He focused his mind and probed into the sword's interior.

If it had been an ordinary treasured sword, a single concentration of his mind would have let him see everything within it clearly, down to every grain.

Yet an invisible force inside this sword blocked his perception.

In the end, he could only shake his head helplessly.

At the Postnatal Realm, internal energy could not leave the body and could only circulate within it. Otherwise, if he poured internal energy into the sword, his Super Sensation could follow it inside and see everything clearly.

Without entering the Xiantian Realm, internal energy could not be released beyond the body. One could not be considered a true martial artist.

With a flash, he vanished from the Arhat Bed and appeared before the pavilion railing. He stabbed his sword at the night sky more than ten times before sheathing it, then assumed the Dragon Subduing Stance.

Seeing this, the two women changed their music to something broad and tranquil, avoiding abrupt rises and falls that might disturb him.

Just as he was gradually entering a state of perfect absorption, he suddenly opened his eyes and turned his head.

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

His gray robe fluttered, the clear beard beneath his chin swaying gently. He walked unhurriedly, carrying the air of an immortal sage.

Chu Zhiyuan withdrew from the Dragon Subduing Stance and stepped out of the pavilion to greet him. "Father."

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

The zither music came to an abrupt stop.

The two white-robed maidservants rose and performed a respectful curtsy.

Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand.

They withdrew lightly from the pavilion, their graceful figures drifting away.

"Father, Mister Moqing did not come today?"

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

"Please instruct me, Father."

"In ten days, there will be an important day."

Chu Zhiyuan was puzzled.

He quickly ran through the birthdays of their family of four in his mind. None matched. Then what important day was it?

He turned to look at Zou Fang.

Zou Fang gently shook his head.

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

Chu Zhiyuan's expression changed slightly.

Chu Minghou sighed and looked out at the misty lake. "Our estate has been unsealed, yet your Second Uncle is still confined within."

"Father, mind your words," Chu Zhiyuan hurriedly said.

His gaze swept across the surroundings.

The reason he liked being on this lake was that they did not need to worry about ambushes or about walls having ears.

Chu Minghou shook his head mournfully. "Can we not even mention him now?"

"Father..." Chu Zhiyuan said helplessly. "We have only just been released from confinement. We need to be cautious in word and deed, lest Imperial Grandfather feel that we have no remorse at all."

"..."

Chu Minghou fell silent, the melancholy on his face deepening. After a long while, he sighed. "For the bond between father and son to come to this... ah..."

"Father, why exactly was Second Uncle confined?"

The confinement of the Second Prince, Chu Mingren, had come extremely abruptly. An imperial decree had descended without warning, and no reason had been given.

Rumors were rife among the common folk. The most widely accepted version was that the Second Prince had violated a taboo of the inner palace by having an affair with one of the imperial consorts, and the Emperor had discovered it.

Chu Minghou frowned.

"Father, you do not know either?"

"I do not."

"..." Chu Zhiyuan had no response.

Without knowing the reason, he still wanted to plead rashly?

Second Uncle was wise and valiant, greatly resembling his father. He had been the most likely to inherit the throne, and his relationship with the Emperor had also been harmonious. For an edict of confinement to be suddenly issued, it could not possibly have been an ordinary grave error.

Pleading rashly without knowing anything—was that not asking for trouble?

"When I was twelve and joined a hunt, a Demonic Leopard suddenly charged out. If your Second Uncle had not risked his life to stand before me, you and your sister would not exist today. Your Second Uncle suffered grievous injuries and nearly lost his life."

Chu Zhiyuan slowly nodded.

Over the years, no one in Prince Qing's Estate had ever mentioned the Second Prince. From top to bottom, everyone avoided that name as a taboo.

"After so many years, Imperial Grandfather's anger should have mostly faded. Since he could lift the restrictions on our estate, perhaps he will soon lift your Second Uncle's confinement as well."

"Father, it is not the same." Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.

In the end, Prince Qing's Estate had been sealed because of reckless behavior and had incurred the Emperor's wrath. After all, they had committed no other offense.

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

His anger likely had not faded at all. Second Uncle might be confined forever.

"While our estate was sealed, we had no way to visit your Second Uncle. Now that we have been released, we should go see him."

"Father, please think thrice!" Chu Zhiyuan said solemnly.

"Your mother has tried to persuade me as well. It is not as though I refuse all advice. I will not go personally, lest I truly anger Father Emperor. You can visit your Second Uncle in my stead."

Chu Zhiyuan knitted his sword-like brows tightly. After pondering for a moment, he finally shook his head. "Father, given our estate's current situation, prudence must come first. We should not take further risks, otherwise..."

Before they knew what offense Prince Jing had committed to be confined, they should not make any move. They had already been sealed away for thirty years over this; they had done all that duty and affection required. No one could criticize them for it.

From the Emperor's perspective, visiting Prince Jing could be seen positively as loyalty and affection, or negatively as provocation.

"In ordinary years, it would be fine not to go. But in a few days, it will be your Second Uncle's sixtieth birthday. His sixtieth birthday, spent cold and quiet, all alone... it truly..." Chu Minghou shook his head and sighed. "I simply cannot bear it."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "If visiting Second Uncle causes our estate to be sealed again, or even causes us to be confined, would Father still wish to try?"

His father was good in every way, except that he was too kind-hearted and valued affection too deeply.

That was both a strength and a weakness.

"Our estate will not be sealed again." Chu Minghou shook his head. "You are a junior visiting an elder. It is only right and proper, not a crime. Besides, you are different now."

He smiled.

The reason he dared raise this matter was that he now had confidence.

Father Emperor valued martial arts above all else. He would surely look favorably upon a legitimate grandson with astonishing martial talent and be far more tolerant.

Even if he was displeased, he would not punish his legitimate grandson as harshly as before.

"I know Father feels guilty and restless for not visiting Second Uncle, unable to eat well or sleep soundly. But Father must think this through: should the whole estate risk being sealed or even confined in order to fulfill brotherly affection, or should Father endure the guilt in order to fulfill his responsibilities as a son and husband?"

Chu Minghou looked helplessly at Chu Zhiyuan. Seeing the solemn expression on his face, he finally sighed helplessly, shook his head, and left.