“No, I am very happy. If Your Highness is telling me about Chen Ji, it means that you are treating me like I am yours.” Sun Lingshu’s tone was sincere and she wore a smile. “I was quiet because I suddenly recalled that when the soldiers brought you back, they also brought back another man. The man claimed that he was in the mountains picking herbs and because of suspicions, they locked him in prison. Could it be that you mistook that man for Chen Ji?”
“That is very possible.” The Crown Prince laughed and shook his head. “Forget it, I will not mention Chen Ji anymore. I will let him go and when he reincarnates, his next life will definitely be better than his past one.”
Yet, Sun Lingshu stood up and instructed the guards to bring the herb picker in.
“You…” He did not understand her actions.
“When you were talking about Chen Ji, your happiness was something that I have not seen in a long time. It made me curious about that herb picker. Your Highness, why don’t you meet him with me?” As long as she could see his smile, she was willing to do anything.
Very quickly, the guards led the man in. There was a wound on the man’s face and it was obvious that he had been interrogated. However, what surprised the Crown Prince and Sun Lingshu was that the man had a very similar appearance to Chen Ji.
The Crown Prince sat upwards and disbelief filled his face. “Chen Ji!”
The man kneeled down. He had a steady voice. “My humble name is Fu Shui. Greetings to Your Highnesses.”
The Crown prince muttered to himself, “Spilt water cannot be retrieved, Fu Shui. This name is rare.”
“I am an orphan and I have been living with my foster father in the deep mountains ever since I was young. My father must have been having a hard time when he picked me up. So he gave me such a weird name. I must have made Your Highness laugh.”
“Spilt water cannot be retrieved…” The Crown Prince said, “There are many things in life that we cannot turn around. Fu Shui, do you know how to play chess?”
Fu Shui answered, “I know a bit.”
The Crown Prince’s mood was lifted. “Good, good. Play one round with me.”
Sun Lingshu had already personally prepared a chess board. The Crown Prince gave her a thankful look and made the first move. He turned towards Fu Shui. “Fu Shui, it is your turn.”
Fu Shui sat beside the bed and picked up a chess piece. He took a long time to think. The Crown Prince burst out into laughter, “Do you play chess so slowly?”
Fu Shui hesitated before making his move. “I have always played chess slowly.”
Sun Lingshu stared at the scene before her and she quietly made her way out of the room. Who said spilt water could not be retrieved? At that moment, time had turned back. How wonderful!
Chapter 66.1: Breaking Ties
Sheng Chumu opened his eyes. The room was dimly lit. He could faintly make out a silhouette behind the mountain-river screen and he moved silently. He got up. His body was covered in bandages. Every step affected the injury on his back. However, it did not affect his movement. He was as stealthy as a panther.
He moved around the screen. He recognised the figure. It was Lian Yan’er. He had brought her back so that her mother would stop showing him pictures of various noble ladies.
“What are you doing?” Sheng Chumu spoke after staring at Lian Yan’er for a while.
Lian Yan’er turned back in shock. She was holding a pile of books. “You scared me! I saw that the study table was in a mess and wanted to help you tidy up.”
“No need. I have my own way of arranging my stuff.” Sheng Chumu walked towards the table. He grabbed the things from her hands and placed it on the bookshelf.
“I am sorry. I won’t do it in the future.” Lian Yan’er smiled slightly. “Oh right, I learned how to cook ribs from Madam. Would you like to try a bowl?”
“Did my mother give you trouble?” He had only brought her back and had not told his mother.
“No, Madam is very nice to me.” She had opened the Belle Shop with Ma Hainiu. They had managed the majority of the noble ladies in Chang’an. Dealing with the outspoken Madam Sheng was no challenge to her.
“That is because she did not know that you have been in Swallow House before.” If she knew, his ears would have been torn off.
“She knows.” Lian Yan’er’s words were surprising. “I told her.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Sheng entered. She was dressed in a way that made her look ten years younger. From her hairstyle to her clothes, they were all new, unique and matched really well.
“Chumu, you are up? Yan’er, you are here too.”
“Good morning, Madam.” Lian Yan’er greeted gracefully. “I will get some soup for Young Master.”
Madam Sheng waited for Lian Yan’er to walk out before exclaiming, “She is a good girl. A pity that she has had a tough life and was sold by her cruel aunt to such a dirty place. Even if she is good now, she can’t be your proper wife. However, she could still be your concubine to help you pour tea and wash your feet. Chumu, are you ok with that?”
Sheng Chumu assessed her. “Mother, your appearance today is a pleasant change.”
Madam Sheng was proud. “Aiya, I merely released my top bun, it is so-so. Nowadays, I am always making your father dumbstruck.”
Sheng Chumu imagined how his father looked with his lower jaw gaped open and stifled a laugh. “Did Lian Yan’er help you dress up?”
“Do I look good?” Madam Sheng touched her hair.
“You do.” Sheng Chumu’s tone changed. “But you can’t sell your son just to dress up.”
“You heartless brat. You are the one that brought her back. I am trying not to make things difficult for you. As a magnanimous person, I should be more open, right? Oh right, the matchmaker has sent more pictures. This time, the ladies are not bad. Hurry and choose one. You should just get married. I am waiting for a grandchild…”
Sheng Chumu pushed the naggy Madam Sheng out of the room.
Madam Sheng called out, “What are you doing?”
“His Majesty has instructed me to reflect.” Sheng Chumu closed the door and said in a matter-of-fact way, “I am closing the door and reflecting.”
Sheng Chuling dashed into the garden. “Mother, Elder Brother. Guess what? The Crown Prince is disabled!”
Madam Sheng frowned. “Why are you excited? This is not a good thing!”
As Great Tang’s root, the fact that he was disabled was extremely unlucky. If they looked at the smaller picture, the hatred and animosity the Crown Prince had towards Prince Han and the Duke Lu Residence will become greater.
The door flew open. Sheng Chumu looked extremely shocked.
Sun Lingshu was hesitating in front of the door to the Crown Prince’s study room. She saw Fu Shui appear and rushed forwards. She asked. “Where have you been these past few days?”
“I have been picking medicinal herbs in the mountain. As soon as I entered the palace, I heard that something happened to the Crown Prince.” Fu Shui glanced at the tightly shut study room door. “How is His Highness?”
“Of course he is not in the best of moods. He does not want to eat. Help me to convince him.” Now, Sun Lingshu looked at Fu Shui as if they were on the same side. “I specially asked the kitchen to prepare his favourite grilled fish. But when they sent it to him, he rejected it.”
Fu Shui nodded and inserted his chopsticks into the grilled fish. He reached the front door. “Your Highness, it's me, Fu Shui. I am entering.”
Fu Shui pushed open the door and entered. The whole place was in a mess. The things in the study room had been thrown onto the floor and the Crown Prince was curled up in a corner, looking like a cornered animal.
“I am back.” Fu Shui handed the grilled fish over to him. “I brought a grilled fish for you. Didn’t you say that you liked eating grilled fish?”
The Crown Prince lifted his head and spoke in a gruff tone, “This grilled fish was just lying on the plate that the internal attendants brought in. How did it suddenly become a fish that you grilled?”
“Did I say I grilled the fish?” Fu Shui shrugged. “I clearly said that I brought a fish for you.”