Shi Qingxuan was still feeling guilty about fanning the fire that burned down Paradise Manor, and he wished dearly that Xie Lian would ask him for a hundred things. “Whatever you need.”
“The boy I brought up here with me is in the side palace. Please take care of him,” Xie Lian said.
“A trivial matter! What’s the second thing?” Shi Qingxuan said.
“If General Pei decides he wants to make things difficult for Banyue in the future, please help her out.”
“Of course,” Shi Qingxuan replied. “I won’t let Pei Ming get his way. Where is she?”
“I’ve hidden her in a small pickle jar in my Puqi Shrine. If you can, please air her out on occasion,” Xie Lian said.
“…”
After allowing Xie Lian to thank the Wind Master, the two heavenly officials brought him to the Palace of Xianle.
“Please, Your Highness,” they said courteously as they excused themselves.
Xie Lian bowed his head. “Thanks for the trouble.”
Stepping through the front gates, Xie Lian closed the doors behind him. Looking around, it was all as he expected, all as he remembered. The palace’s appearance and all its rooms and facilities were exactly the same as his previous Palace of Xianle. The last time he passed by, he didn’t enter. He would never have guessed that the first time he set foot in here would be due to a house arrest. Not the best sign.
But after so much excitement over the past few days, Xie Lian felt drained. He passed out immediately.
He dreamt of many things.
He seemed to be meditating with his eyes closed, and when he blinked his eyes open, he found himself sitting upright before a desk. His black robes flowed on the floor in layers around him, and on his face there was a cold, heavy mask.
When he looked down, the sight before him was a young boy sprawled over the desk. The boy appeared to be fourteen or fifteen years of age and was dressed sumptuously. His form strummed with life, but he was fast asleep all the same.
He shook his head and walked over. Bending slightly, he knocked on the desk with his knuckles. “Your Highness.”
Maybe it was because of that cold mask, but even his voice was cool. The boy woke up with a start. When he looked up and saw him, he jolted and sat upright immediately in horror.
“S-S-S-State Preceptor!!”
He said, “You fell asleep again. Transcribe Dao De Jing ten times as punishment.”
The crown prince cried out in dismay. “Shifu, please no! Why don’t you have me run ten laps around the palace as punishment instead?”
“Transcribe it twenty times. Do it now, and try to write nicely.”
The crown prince seemed to fear him, and he sat up properly to start copying. Xie Lian then sat back in his original position and continued to meditate. In truth, everyone in the palace was a little scared of him. But this estrangement, this aura of untouchable and oppressive power, was one that he cultivated intentionally.
Perhaps it was due to this crown prince’s young age, but he could never hold any such fear for long. Shortly after he started transcribing the scripture, he called out, “Shifu!”
He opened his eyes. “What is it?”
“I learned all the sword techniques you taught me last time. Isn’t it time for a new technique?” the crown prince said.
“All right. What do you want to learn?” he asked.
“I want to learn the technique you used to save me!” the crown prince exclaimed.
He contemplated for a brief moment, then said, “That move? No.”
“Why not?” the crown prince asked.
“That technique is impractical. At least, it’s not suitable for you,” he explained.
The crown prince was confused. “But isn’t it useful? Using one sword to dissolve the power of two swords! You saved me with that technique!”
It was normal for the crown prince not to understand. He said, “Your Royal Highness, let me ask you a question.”
“Go ahead!”
“There were once two people, eyes bloodshot with hunger. They started fighting, each hoping to rob the other of their food. In came a third person, and he wanted to stop the fight. Do you think words would be effective in this situation?”
“…I don’t think so? Talking would be useless. They only want food, right?”
“Correct. Because the root of the problem hasn’t been solved, no one will listen to your grand explanations. Thus, the only way this third person can stop the fight is to provide what they want. To give them food from his own purse.”