POSTED ON MAY 15, 2023 BY TNYKT
Back to Li Qinglin’s king mansion— it was actually not a king mansion, because Li Qinglin didn’t have a title. It was just a prince mansion. Qin Yi didn’t know why Li Qingjun had a title but Li Qinglin didn’t.
Of course, this place would soon become the crown prince mansion, so it didn’t matter whether he had a title or not. Qin Yi stood at the door, took out Li Qinglin’s badge, and was about to let someone pass the message, then he saw the door open and Li Qingjun was standing in front of him.
“Why did you come back?” Qin Yi was very surprised. The death of the crown prince is such a big deal, how long have you been to the palace before coming back?
“Father and Brother… and Royal Brother are discussing matters. I’m just idle anyway, so I came back to see you.” Li Qingjun said blankly, “I was worried that you were not used to living here or something, but it turned out that you didn’t come at all.”
“I went for a stroll and bought something.”
Li Qingjun’s eyes fell on his backpack.
The bulging rucksack already looked weird with the handle of the mace exposed outside. Now there was a wooden handle for some reason. He looked like a bumpkin who entered the city for the first time. Li Qingjun said in annoyance, “If you want anything, just tell the steward in the mansion to buy them. They will try their best to satisfy you. Why bother wandering around by yourself?”
“So good?”
“Of course.” Li Qingjun turned around and led him in, “You’re a guest invited by Royal Brother himself, who dares to neglect you?”
Immediately, the steward of the mansion nodded and bowed, “Princess, Sir Qin’s residence is ready.”
Li Qingjun said lightly, “Lead the way.”
Qin Yi looked at Li Qingjun’s appearance with great interest, thinking it was very amusing.
It could be said that when Li Qingjun was out there, she was a reckless but daring chivalrous woman. Now that she was back in the capital and at the prince mansion, she was a graceful and calm princess.
Qin Yi was convinced that Li Qingjun in the outside world was her real side, but he didn’t know if Li Qingjun’s face in the capital was just acting or if this was also the other side of her personality?
The steward of the mansion prepared an independent courtyard for Qin Yi. The layout was somewhat similar to Qin Yi’s own small courtyard, except that the carved beams and painted buildings were much richer. The courtyard was no longer planted with medicinal herbs, but full of flowers and green grass. The air was refreshing, and the scene was beautiful.
The steward bowed and said, “His Highness sent someone back to report just now, saying that Sir Qin likes to be quiet and elegant, so I made this arrangement. If sir is not satisfied, we can change another room.”
Qin Yi shook his head and said, “It’s very good here. It’s better to have an empty lawn with sunshine. I can use it sometime.”
The steward immediately turned his head and instructed, “Go and level the grass behind…”
There were servants going to work soon. Qin Yi hurriedly said, “Wait, wait, no need anymore.”
The servants stopped immediately. It seems that Li Qinglin used the style of managing the army at home?
Qin Yi looked at Li Qingjun with some headaches, but Li Qingjun remained expressionless and did not speak. He said helplessly, “That’s all. I have something to talk to the princess personally.”
The steward left with the servants very sensibly. Li Qingjun stood quietly for a while. After watching the servants walk away from her peripheral vision, she quickly removed her lady temperament and sat down on the lawn, “It’s really tiring .”
Qin Yi couldn’t help but laugh. He also sat on the lawn with her, asking, “When you fought the beastkins, and blood bled from your mouth, I didn’t see you say tiring. How long have you been back…”
Li Qingjun was silent for a moment, then she sighed, “If your brother dies, you will be just as tired.”
As she said that, her eyes turned red. Obviously, she had been holding back her sadness before, but now she couldn’t hold it anymore.
“Uhm…” Qin Yi apologized, “I’m sorry.”
This girl was bullied by him earlier to the point of being aggrieved. She still had a tough face even when she shed tears. This was the first time Qin Yi saw the sad and weak side of her. No matter how chivalrous she was, there was still the softest place in her heart, such as family affection.
She had a very good relationship with Li Qinglin, and her relationship with the crown prince was obviously not bad either. Qin Yi believed that it was difficult for such a younger sister to have conflicts with her brothers. She should be loved by everyone.
“Nothing.” Li Qingjun sniffled, and her expression turned fierce, “It must be the barbarians of the West Savage Kingdom. They just want to make trouble!”
Qin Yi couldn’t answer to her. Li Qingjun didn’t expect him to solve the case. She was just looking for a place to talk. She continued, “One day, I will destroy the West Savage Kingdom and avenge my brother!”
Qin Yi nodded and followed her, “With Brother Qinglin operating, sooner or later this day will come.”
“En.” Li Qingjun trusted Li Qinglin very much, “It will definitely come.”
After saying this, the atmosphere became awkward. Qin Yi didn’t know what to say to comfort her; she just looked at the sky in a daze. They sat quietly on the lawn.
After a while, Li Qingjun suddenly said, “I still remember the words when I first saw you. You said eat enough and sleep well, carefree and no worries, isn’t it an immortal? What about now? You are immortal in the mortal world; we are just mere mortals?”
Qin Yi sighed, “There are always things that must be done. Even the immortals seek something.”
“The ones who seek are only those who seek the way to immortality. How can a real immortal seek anything?” Li Qingjun looked at the sky and said in a low voice, “The song you taught the woodcutter is full of all sentient beings’ obsessions. Once the obsessions are met, one will become an immortal. There will be nothing left to seek.”
Qin Yi knew that her elder brother’s assassination had caused a huge impact to Li Qingjun, so the desire to seek immortality that had always been rooted in her mind was provoked again. Then he persuaded, “I know a monkey who traveled all thousands of rivers and mountains, searched for the immortal for 10 years, and finally found a real immortal and learned the method of longevity. Do you think it can become an immortal without desires?”
“Of course, how can you not be an immortal after gaining longevity?” Li Qingjun became interested, “What happened later?”
“Later… Anyway, I know that it was really carefree before seeking immortality, but after it attained Tao, he could not live in peace. In the end, it put on shackles and became a Buddha. It no longer had the lofty sentiment of fighting the world. I wonder if becoming an immortal like is far from its original intention? Did it regret in the end?”
Li Qingjun stared at Qin Yi. She felt that this monkey was made up by Qin Yi to insinuate her, “Are you… admonishing me?”
Qin Yi shook his head and said, “No, everyone has their own destiny, but I think that people still need to know what they want.”
“What I want…” Li Qingjun looked at the sky in a daze and whispered to herself, “What I want is to raise my silver spear, travel the world, go in and out of the immortal land, and sweep away the injustices in the world… instead of doing a noblewoman in the capital, recruiting a boring husband, and be trapped here for life.”
Qin Yi couldn’t help but said, “You really reincarnate into the wrong baby.”
Li Qingjun smiled and shifted the topic, “Can you tell me the story of that monkey in detail?”
“That’s a long story…”
Li Qinglin was busy right now, and Qin Yi didn’t know what he should do for the time being. It happened that Li Qingjun was sitting here chatting, and she was the only person he knew in the capital. Qin Yi didn’t think the story was too long, so he actually started talking about Journey to the West with her.
This talk went straight to Havoc in Heaven. Li Qingjun was fascinated by the unheard-of story. She smiled lightly, “What a wild, unruly and bold monkey.”
Li Qinglin’s voice came from outside the courtyard, “This is a monkey that dared to resist and fight for what it wanted. Even if what it did may be a crime. It’s a very interesting story. I look forward to the following story from Brother Qin.”
Both of them stood up. Li Qingjun’s expression became solemn again, “How was it?”
“There is no clue.” Li Qinglin said in a deep voice, “The murderer was very fast. According to the elder brother’s guards, only a black shadow flashed by, and the elder brother… I personally suspect that the West Savage Kingdom did it.”
Li Qingjun tightened her lips.
Li Qinglin said again, “You and I were not around when the incident happened, so we couldn’t intervene temporarily. Father is doing his best to investigate. There will be results soon.”
Li Qingjun sighed, “Are you going to be the crown prince?”
“En…” There was no joy on Li Qinglin’s face. Instead, he shook his head, “This is really… being roasted on the fire.”
Li Qingjun asked, “Someone is suspecting you?”
“En, although there are only a few, it is inevitable, but this kind of suspect is meaningless.”
It really was meaningless, because the emperor only had 2 sons. It was impossible to treat the only remaining son as a suspect because of some groundless and unfounded doubts.
Li Qinglin didn’t continue this topic. He turned to Qin Yi, “Brother Qin, I’m really sorry to neglect you. It was kind of sudden.”
“The princess has been talking nonsense with me all day, how is there neglect?” Qin Yi pointed at the sky, “The sun is already setting, and you haven’t treated me a meal yet. That’s a real negligence.”
Li Qinglin laughed.
