CH 12.2

“Lady Teng’s jadeite sword can cut off the flesh of an evil creature, so presumably it must not be an ordinary sword. However, I searched through the 《Everlasting Treasure Book》,yet I did not find the records of this sword. Her father, Teng Shao, returns to Chang’an every year to report his duties. If it was him who got this sword, there would at least be some rumors and talk in Chang’an City, but even Qingyun Temple has never heard of this sword. In this case, Lady Teng may not have gotten it from her father. You two directly ask her about the origin of the sword, but she may not be willing to tell the truth. Today you two will go and use my methods to fish the words out of her1get her to tell the truth.”  

Qizhi and Jue Sheng muttered in their hearts. One does not know how many rare treasures senior brother has seen growing up. Although this jadeite sword is rare, compared to the treasures in the temple, it can be considered just a piece of hair of a good horse2a very small part of a treasure. They did not understand why senior brother was so interested in it. 

Lin Chengyou seemed to know what they were thinking, and gently patted their heads with the ruler: “Last night in the Ziyun building, after the group of evil creatures rose from the ground, they did not go after you and me, and instead turned around to chase the group of people under the corridor. At the time, I thought that they were targeting the wounded victims, but after this matter, I remembered that those evil things only eat plants. The wounded victims have lost their minds, so there was no reason for the grass creatures to leave us alone just to pursue after the wounded victims. In this case, there must be something else that strongly attracted them. After thinking about it for a while, among the crowd, only the jadeite sword was the most special.” 

Qizhi scratched his head in confusion: “Something is not right. When encountering such a magic weapon, it would make sense that those evil creatures would try to avoid it. How could they take the initiative to approach it?”  

“When things are unusual, there must be something strange going on, so we have to figure it out clearly.” 

The two of them nodded, feeling somewhat doubtful in their hearts. To merely just want to know the origin of that sword? Just to spare Lady Teng like this does not seem to be in line with senior brother’s typical behavior. 

Lin Chengyou raised his eyes to look at them, and suddenly smiled: “Apart from this, there is one more thing.” 

After Jue Sheng and Qizhi listened to Lin Chengyou’s instructions, their little faces became tangled. They knew that anyone who offended senior brother would not have a good ending, but they were already too busy to take care of themselves. How dare they plead for leniency on the behalf of Lady Teng?

“But, but Lady Teng does not seem to be one who is easily fooled.” 

“Not fooled? Let me ask you, what does she want?” 

The two of them blankly said: “She wants the bugs.” 

“…..” Lin Chengyou, “If you two say that it is bugs, then let it be bugs. Since she is greedy, I’m not afraid that she will not be fooled.” 

He smiled as if he was harboring malicious intentions. To dare to scheme against his belongings, one really does not know how complex things are. 

The two of them firmly took Lin Chengyou’s words to heart. When they came out, only then did they realize that their Taoist robes were drenched. 

Returning back to the scripture hall, An Guogong stood up with his cane to greet: “This old man has already measured the size of his wife’s feet.”

While speaking, he handed the paper with the footprints drawn to Lin Chengyou. As soon as Lin Chengyou took it, the second prince of Chun’an put down his tea cup and said: “The Lady Teng that Jue Sheng mentioned just now, is it the daughter of Teng Shao?” 

Lin Chengyou deliberately said: “Who?” 

The second prince of Chun’an said: “Don’t pretend to be stupid, I have already heard everything. Teng Shao has saved my life before. You can find trouble with other families, but by all means, don’t find trouble with the Teng family.” 

Lin Chengyou made a “hiss” in his mouth, pressed his hand against his forehead and frowned deeply. 

The second prince of Chun’an angrily laughed: “Look at you, you are always like this everytime we talk about serious matters.” 

Lin Chengyou squeezed out a word from between his teeth: “Yu Fengyu.” 

The complexion of the second prince of Chun’an changed. Lin Chengyou’s expression clearly indicated that something was wrong. An Guogong dropped his cane, and hurriedly tried to lend an arm to support Lin Chengyou. However, he was a step late, Lin Chengyou held his forehead, and fell down. 

Jue Sheng and Qizhi took big strides forward, and rushed over: “Senior brother, what’s wrong?” 

Yu Fenyu said urgently: “The prince’s old illness has flared up. Last night, when His Majesty had heard that the little prince was injured, he was very worried about this. I did not expect that the illness would flare up so fast. Quick, quickly help support the prince to the couch.” 

The second prince of Chun’an supported Lin Chengyou and said in a deep voice: “In the past, it would not flare up until April every year. Why is it that it was so many days ahead this year?”

Jue Sheng and Qizhi were anxious and uneasy. Senior brother injured his heart when he fought with the old spirit last night. After returning, he did not make time to have his injury examined. They were already worried that senior brother’s old illness would be affected. They did not expect that with this delay, it really flared up in advance. 

Lin Chenyou closed his eyes tightly, and in the blink of an eye, his white forehead was already covered in beads of sweat. The flare up of this illness is fierce and urgent, and it was like a sharp awl stirring in his head desperately. The sharp pain is unbearable, and endless. 

He rolled around on the bed, and it was so painful that he could not even speak. Fortunately, his mind was still awake, and before he could lose consciousness, he forcefully lifted up his arm, pointing to his front lapel. 

Jue Sheng and Qizhi saw it clearly, and with burning with anxiety, took out the jade dew bottle out of Lin Chengyou’s robe.

Yu Fengyu opened the medicine box with trembling hands, and upon seeing this, his eyes lit up: “Quick, quickly open it for the prince to take.” 

After taking the medicine, Yu Fengyu took out a packet of silver needles, and instructed the second prince of Chun’an: “Your Highness, can you help support the little prince. When applying the needles, there must not be any careless movements.” 

Lin Chengyou’s complexion was ghostly white, and he did not utter a single sound. In just a short moment, his robe became sweaty inside and out. At the moment, he could only barely withstand himself. However, if the pain continues, there is no guarantee that he will not struggle till he loses his mind. 

The second prince of Chun’an complexion was heavy, and complied to helping support Lin Chengyou. 

The people in the room were all deeply worried. Fortunately the illness was treated in time. After Yu Fengyu finished with the last needle, Lin Chengyou’s eyebrows finally stretched out leisurely. 

An Guogong wiped his sweat: “Okay, everything appears to be good now.”

The second prince of Chun’an sighed in relief: “It flares up every year, and every year I have to be frightened by this kid. Fortunately he is able to endure it. To be in such pain like this, he does not even utter a single sound. However, today this incident indeed is very sudden. Before it was even March, the illness had already flared up. If it weren’t for the fact that Yu Fengyu was here, we’ll see how much you can suffer!” 

Lin Chengyou faced upwards on the couch, and lazily put the back of his hand on his forehead, smiled: “To have suffered the pain in advance, there will be no need to suffer the pain in March.” 

The second prince of Chun’an turned his head to look at An Guogong and Yu Fengyu: “You two look at this. To have been in such pain earlier, just to now seem as if he was completely unaffected by it. You should have let him suffer the pain more. Yu Fengyu, there really isn’t any cure for this illness?”  

“How can it be cured? It is already not easy to have a way to restrain it.” 

Lin Chengyou turned over and sat up. He directly waved his hand towards Jue Sheng and Qizhi, indicating that he is okay now, and wanted them to hurry to the Teng Mansion to do their tasks. 

Jue Sheng and Qizhi stalled again for a short period of time, and seeing that senior brother was talking and smiling with ease, they said goodbye and wanted to leave. At this time, the door of the side room suddenly opened, and two old Taoist who were in charge of protecting formations hurriedly came in: “Not good, senior brother. The soul setting incense suddenly flickered and flickered, and the heart-clearing talisman is also almost running out.” 

Everyone was startled. An Guogong hurriedly looked at Lin Chengyou, who restrained his smile, and waved his hand at Jue Sheng and Qizhi: “You two, don’t go yet. Write a few heart-clearing talismans before leaving.” After saying this, he got up, and quickly entered the side room. 

Jue Sheng and Qizhi took the cinnabar, writing brush, and ink stone, spreading it out on the table. One is to grind the black ink, and the other is to write the talismans. 

Yu Fengyu and the second prince of Chun’an could not help, so they stayed in the main hall. 

Yu Fengyu put the silver needles back into the box, and asked the second prince of Chun’an: “Your Highness has just mentioned about the matter of removing the root cause of the illness earlier, but I don’t even know how the little prince contracted this illness. If Your Highness knows about the whole story of the cause, is it possible to carefully elaborate on it?”

Jue Sheng and Qizhi were stunned. Senior brother’s illness came and went like the wind. In the past, they have always been kept in the dark about it. It was just last year when they unexpectedly bumped into senior brother flaring up, and only then did they learn that senior brother had an ineradicable illness. 

Later on, they heard that this illness was not caused by the fetus, and instead the root cause of the illness was actually caused when senior brother was recklessly using spells when he was eight years old. It’s been almost ten years now, and he has to suffer it once a year.

However, as to why senior brother would practice that spell without a rhyme or reason, they still don’t understand till this day. 

The second prince of Chun’an glanced at the closed door of the side room, and faintly smiled: “This matter is a long story, and Chengyou has always prohibited others from talking about his illness.”

Yu Fengyu said: “I do not have the intention to inquire about his privacy, and everything is meant to help cure the prince’s illness. After today’s incident, Your Highness also should have understood. Hiding the illness and refusing to look for treatment is never going to remove the root cause of the illness. The Taoist Chief, Qing Xuzi is not in Chang’an at the moment, and His Majesty has already entrusted the prince’s illness to me. Although I had long known that the prince has an ineradicable illness, as for what exactly happened back then, I’m still very confused about. This time the illness was able to be controlled without careful consideration, but in the future, who knows what will happen? Therefore, Your Highness does not need to be too worried, and just tell this humble one about the root cause of this illness. Later when the prince comes out, I will still ask him again in person.” 

The second prince of Chun’an waved his hand and smiled: “No need to ask, even if you beat him to death, he still won’t tell you a word about it. But what Yu Fengyu said is correct, to find the cure for this illness, it needs to be traced back to its root cause, and blindly concealing it, is indeed improper. In this case, I will tell you about what I know, and I hope that it can help find a way to cure the root cause of this illness as soon as possible, saving him from having to suffer every year.” 

Jue Sheng and Qizhi subconsciously pricked up their ears. 

The second prince of Chun’an scooped up a spoonful of light yellow colored tea with a silver spoon, held the sleeve of his robe, and poured tea for Yu Fengyu. The movement was not too fast or too slow, and his posture was exceptionally clear and dignified. 

Jue Sheng and Qizhi did not even dare to breathe loudly. The second prince of Chun’an is King Cheng’s younger brother, but the two brothers are not from the same mother. After the first wife of King Lan passed away, he married another wife, and the second prince of Chun’an was born from the second wife. His name is Lin Min, as known as Min Lang, and was no less than sixteen years younger than King Cheng. 

Because of this, the second prince of Chun’an is considered to be the imperial uncle of senior brother, but was actually only a few years older than senior brother. After interacting and getting along with senior brother, he is not like an elder or senior, but instead is more like an older brother. About senior brother’s childhood, he knows better than anyone. 

Every time they saw the second prince of Chun’an, Jue Sheng and Qizhi always felt that he was leisurely and elegant, tender like fine jade. However, it’s just that the second prince of Chun’an is notorious for being slow-tempered, and this time was no exception. The two of them waited and waited. From beginning to end, they were not able to wait until he spoke. 

Yu Fengyu slowly slipped the tea, and from the looks of it, he was also not in a hurry. Seeing that a cup of tea was about to be finished, only then did the second prince of Chun’an leisurely say: “This matter is a long story. When Chengyou was just born, the Taoist Chief, Qing Xuzi used a divination3Divination = is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic, standardized process or ritual, basically fortune-telling on him, saying that Chengyou has a smooth life everywhere, and it is only his fate of marriage that was not going to go smoothly. Saying that in the future, he will fall head over heels for a young lady, and this matter was unavoidable. This matter was originally hidden from Chengyou, but it was unexpected that when Chengyou was seven to eight years old, he had actually learned the divination. One time, he wanted to try divination himself for fun, and the results were the same as when his master calculated back then.” 

“Chengyou was not willing to believe such a thing, so he ran to find the Taoist Chief, Qing Xuzi to perform a divination on him.” 

“The Taoist priest, Qing Xuzi resolutely refused to do so, and also harshly scolded Chengyou as well. Chengyou guessed that there is a difference, and after practicing for several months, he tried the divination again. Who would have guessed that the results were still the same as before.”  

Speaking of this, the second prince of Chun’an laughed: “At that time, Chengyou happened to be studying in the Chongwen Hall, and because he did not believe the results of the divination no matter what, he would often try the divination on himself if he had nothing to do. However, it is a pity that the results were the same every time. The prince does not have an airtight wall in this world4meaning that there is no secret that never leaks, and his private actions have been seen by people. The friends who often play with Chengyou always teased him with this matter.” 

“Soon after, Chengyou accompanied Princess Consort Cheng to attend the banquet at the Mansion of the Marquis of Lin’an. The old marquis was originally a senior figure of the three dynasties, and it was also the year of the old age5this generally refers to a hundred-year-old man, meaning that veterans cannot take care of themselves in eating and living, and everything needs to be expected to be provided or taken care of by others. When His Majesty heard about this, he personally paid respects and bestowed rewards to the old Marquis. Therefore, on that day, not only did most of the high-ranked and noble families attend to celebrate, but also many officials from different places came to celebrate and give greetings. It was at the Mansion of the Marquis of Lin’an where Chengyou met a little girl from Yangzhou.” 

Yu Fengyu said: A little girl from Yangzhou?” 

The second prince of Chun’an sighed: “I don’t know whose family that little girl is from, only four to five years old, and does not like to talk. She held a small shabby rag doll in her arms. I heard that she was extremely beautiful, and when she spoke, she had a Yangzhou accent. At that time, Chengyou was playing in the garden with his friends, and after being bored of archery and wrestling, he suggested playing hide-and-seek in the garden.” 

The author has something to say: “Chongwen Hall is not as in touch with people as the Imperial Academy; therefore, it generally only accepts the imperial princes and nobles. 

Thank you for reading! The amount of times I had to type “the second prince of Chun’an” and “Chengyou” in this chapter…lol