“You’re trampling on Southern Liang’s blood and tears in order to brag about Northern Jin’s heroes. And you still want me to speak for you?” Xian Sheng tilted his head sideways and asked softly, “Do you think that it’s appropriate?”
“I’m really sorry,” said Zhan Jin. “No one else can help me. Brother will definitely not let a woman enter the military camp. Mother and Father will only think that I’m trying to cause trouble. Only you can convince Brother.”
Xian Sheng looked at her. “If I don’t help you, what will you do?”
Zhan Jin went silent for a moment and her eyelashes trembled. She said, “I don’t know.”
Xian Sheng examined her and said slowly, “Someone in the palace is bothering you. You need to take refuge outside the palace, right?”
Zhan Jin lowered her head. After a long time, she said, “Actually, I have always wanted to ask you: How did you hide it from the Imperial Doctor?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You and I might have done it for different reasons. But now, I think both of us are just trying to survive. There’s no need to conceal any further, right?”
‘She’, or rather, ‘He’ raised his head. His eyelashes were wet, but his eyes were extremely bright. Xian Sheng sat there motionlessly and said after a while, “Didn’t you come here today to seek my help?”
Zhan Jin did not hesitate either. Picking up the bowl, he took a sip and lowered his gaze. He said, “I thought we had reached an understanding.”
Xian Sheng smiled but did not speak. He examined Zhan Jin quietly. Although he was only fifteen, he was already very tall, even slightly taller than Xian Sheng. With such a height, he would attract a lot of attention if he stayed with Zhan Yin all the time.
But he did not think that he should believe Zhan Jin so easily. To him, Zhan Jin was from Northern Jin. Maybe they had to make the same decision due to certain reasons, but in the end, they were not on the same boat.
He remained silent and Zhan Jin did not press him further. He said, “You’re right. I’m here to seek your help.”
Xian Sheng nodded. He thought that Zhan Jin was very smart. He knew how to behave and was not excessively forceful. Xian Sheng would consider what Zhan Jin said earlier as proof of his own importance to Zhan Lue.
He said, “I can consider helping you.”
Zhan Jin’s eyes lit up and he slowly exhaled. He promised, “If you need help, I’ll definitely help you.”
“Looks like you already know where to go?”
“He’s the Crown Prince’s classmate and a general’s son. If I distance myself too far away from the royal family, Mother will be worried. If I’m too close, I’ll be easily exposed. Plus… He looks very gullible.”
After Zhan Jin left, Xian Sheng sat alone for a while. He was a little disappointed. So Zhan Jin was really a man dressed as a woman. Xian Sheng wondered if he would ever meet that woman with the Yang energy before his eighteenth birthday. If he died from his illness then, and if he was lucky enough to not be exposed, would Zhan Lue spare Southern Liang?
That was something to be decided by the heavens. Even if he pondered about it, he had no idea. He gave up thinking about it.
Zhan Lue did not return for dinner, so Xian Sheng ate simply and prepared to rest. After lying down for a short while, a voice sounded outside. “Your Highness, be careful.”
The doors were pushed open and Zhan Lue, reeking of alcohol, was being helped in. Xian Sheng had no choice but to get off the bed. “What’s wrong? Did he drink too much?”
Zhan Lue was swaying. He did not dare to go up to him, so he moved aside and let the others place him on the bed. The palace maids took his shoes off and covered him with the blanket. However, Ru Yi pulled Xian Sheng aside and said softly, “He seemed to have gone to the brothel. The girls there sent him back… You should sleep in the other room tonight. He’s so drunk that he might hurt you.”
Xian Sheng frowned. Sticking his head out to have a look, he said, “You’re right.”
As he was preparing to leave, Zhan Lue suddenly sat up. “Stand right there.”
Xian Sheng stopped in his tracks and looked at him. Zhan Lue’s cheeks were flushed and the room was engulfed in the smell of alcohol—even the incense could not conceal it. However, his eyes were exceptionally dark. He was not completely drunk and was even slightly conscious.
Zhan Lue said to the rest, “Get out.”
This half-drunk man was even more terrifying. Ru Yi was scared. Yue Hua entered, bent down and consoled him softly, “Your Highness, the princess is weak. I can stay back with Ru Yi to take care of you, and she can rest in the other room. Is that okay?”
Zhan Lue narrowed his eyes and stared fixedly at Xian Sheng. He said slowly, “If you don’t want to die, get lost.”