Chapter 37 – My Son Is The Cabbage Of Someone Else’s House

The courtyard was as silent as dead.

Their eyes met, and only awkwardness lingered in the air. Lu Xingwang, however, was fine. The Third Prince had grown accustomed to various unexpected situations, but the young general was feeling a bit uncomfortable.

“Um…” Zuo Qingshan looked around awkwardly and said, “I came at the wrong time, huh.”

Lu Xingwang spoke calmly, “Young General, don’t think too much about it.”

Zuo Qingshan thought he would offer some comfort.

Little did he know, Lu Xingwang said nonchalantly, “Not only did you come at the wrong time, but you also came to the wrong place, Young General.”

“…” You’re basically saying that I shouldn’t have shown up.

Zuo Qingshan felt embarrassed and said, “I came to celebrate Your Highness’s birthday!”

“Is that so?” Lu Xingwang glanced at the pot of wine in his hand, as if seeing through everything. “Isn’t it because you wanted an excuse to drink?”

Zuo Qingshan’s thoughts were pierced, and he wished he could just smash the wine  and leave on the spot. But he couldn’t do that because it was against the rules to drink in the military, and if he went home, there would be a bunch of people watching him, making it impossible to drink. It was hard to find an excuse throughout the year, so how could he easily let it go?

With resentment in his eyes, he asked Lu Xingwang, “Does Your Highness want to drink?”

Lu Xingwang wasn’t in a good mood today either. He rarely drank alcohol, but he nodded reluctantly, “Bring it here.”

Zuo Qingshan took a step forward and handed him the wine, all the while muttering in his heart. He didn’t know why, but now it seemed like he was following Lu Xingwang’s orders. But if he didn’t listen, it seemed like there was no way around it!

Sitting down next to Lu Xingwang, he looked at Consort Lan’s sleeping palace. Even the usually thick-skinned young general could sense the solemn atmosphere. He said, “I investigated the matter you asked me to.”

Lu Xingwang took a sip of the fruit wine in his cup, his profile sharp and icy.

“They said that at that time, there was indeed only one dose of Yin Yang Water, and initially, your chances of survival were lower than Consort Lan’s. However, Consort Lan still chose to give you the water.” Zuo Qingshan’s voice rang clear in the courtyard as he continued, “At that time, the soldiers guarding you basically perished, but I managed to locate a soldier who had been stranded on a border star due to the explosion. He said that Consort Lan refused to use Yin Yang Water and was told by the priest that if she used it, your divine power might lose. So, in the final moments, she used spell at last moment.”

Although the Stan Star believed in divine power, different individuals possessed different divine techniques. As a result, a group known as the sorcerers had gradually emerged on the continent.

The sorcerers was bizarre and difficult to find. The Lan family, located on the outskirts of the Stan star, was a large family of sorcerers. They were unwilling to have any ties between their daughter and the imperial family. When Consort Lan married into the imperial family against the traditional low-key style of the Lan family, they were furious and severed all contact with their daughter.

Despite this, as the only legitimate daughter of the Lan family, Consort Lan remained skilled in sorcery. Lu Xingwang had never witnessed his mother using it during his upbringing, which made him unfamiliar with the Lan family he had only heard of but never seen.

Lu Xingwang frowned and asked, “Mother used sorcery?”

“Yes.” Zuo Qingshan recalled the words of the soldier and felt a deep sense of awe. “He said that Consort Lan completed this sorcery with her final moments of life. In order to prevent your divine power from disappearing, before using Yin Yang Water, she extracted and sealed your divine power through sorcery, then sent it to another place.”

If Zuo Qingshan hadn’t spoken with such seriousness, Lu Xingwang would have thought he was joking.

Zuo Qingshan said to Lu Xingwang, “If you can regain your divine power, perhaps the toxins within your body can also be resolved.”

Lu Xingwang drank the wine in his cup, and for some reason, whether due to the wine or something else, the pain from the poison gradually subsided, not as intense as before.

“If things were that simple, would you still be here drinking with me, Young General?” Lu Xingwang remained calmer than Zuo Qingshan had imagined. “The sorcery of the Lan family is mysterious, and my mother didn’t leave any clues about the seal. Where should we even begin searching?”

Zuo Qingshan was somewhat surprised. “I thought Your Highness would be happy to know that your divine power could possibly return.”

Lu Xingwang leaned against the stone steps and curled his lips. “Why would you think that, Young General?”

“Isn’t it natural?” Zuo Qingshan was straightforward in nature, and his words were just as frank. “Your Five Elements Divine Power is rare in the world. Even possessing just one of them would already make others consider themselves lucky and proud. But Your Highness possesses a power that others can’t even imagine. Such favored power from the gods, who wouldn’t want it?”

That was the most straightforward way of thinking for ordinary people.

Lu Xingwang, with his handsome face and the slightly terrifying scars on the other side, would appear extremely ugly to others. However, on this young man, his intimidating nobility and majestic demeanor added a touch of mystery to those scars, making him all the more charismatic. “Having immense power is not always a good thing.”

Zuo Qingshan was taken aback.

“When I proposed the travel permit to you, you mentioned that you didn’t actually have any fondness for the palace. Though it is splendid, it feels like a prison, and you’re not accustomed to it.” Lu Xingwang looked at him, his voice calm. “So, if you were already feeling bored after just a short time there, then for me, I have spent many years in this prison. If I were to inherit the throne, it could be many more years.”

Zuo Qingshan was dumbfounded by what he heard. After all, in this world, was there truly someone who didn’t want the throne? It was a position above all others, where one could command the wind and rain. Who wouldn’t envy such a position?

Lu Xingwang’s eyes were fixed on him, and he spoke softly, “Put yourself in their shoes. If it weren’t for taking on the position of Grand Marshal, how could the former Marshal have encountered trouble?”

Zuo Qingshan’s throat tightened slightly, his Adam’s apple moving subtly. “With great power comes great responsibility.”

“But if you possess enough power, you can protect the things you desire,” Lu Xingwang said as he looked around the empty grand hall. “I won’t lose your mother just because of a bottle of potion.”

Was there truly only that one bottle of Yin Yang Water in the palace?

Of course not.

But no one dared to say it, and no one dared to bring it up. Precious Yin Yang Water was typically kept in stock in the palace, with two bottles available. One bottle was produced every 30 years, and the spare bottle was meant for the Emperor. No one dared to touch the Emperor’s reserve bottle, so they could only watch Consort Lan pass away helplessly.

Lu Xingwang had never yearned for power and authority to such an extent. It was his hatred and unwillingness that motivated him to keep on living. “This kind of situation can’t be described as being happy or unhappy, after all, neither you nor I have any choice in the matter.”

In that moment, Zuo Qingshan looked at Lu Xingwang’s somewhat frail figure, and a flicker of understanding seemed to cross his mind.

He himself was just a Young General burdened with the weight of the General’s Manor. With countless eyes watching him from all sides in the military, he already felt overwhelmed by the responsibility. Then, what about Lu Xingwang? The pressure and burden he carried were not much less than his own. I had been cherished by  my parents since childhood, and now I was forced to bear the weight of responsibility, already feeling exhausted. And Lu Xingwang, perhaps he had been burdened with pressure since childhood.

Suddenly, he saw the Third Prince, who was known for his glamorous reputation, in a different light. In his mind, a thought emerged that would have been impossible in the past, because he suddenly felt that the Third Prince… was somewhat pitiful.

Jian Family

Jian Mei rushed up the stairs to find her mother and confirm some things. But when he reached the door on the third floor, he hesitated and couldn’t bring himself to act. His hand that was about to knock on the door remained suspended in the air, hesitating and indecisive.

“Click.”

Finally, the door opened from the inside.

Father Jian looked outside at his son with some surprise and asked, “Meimei, is there something wrong?”

Jian Mei didn’t know how to speak and looked inside, hesitating visibly as his lips moved.

But how could Father Jian, who was quick-witted, not understand his son’s hint? He felt happy inside but didn’t show it, pretending to be ignorant. “Oh, I happen to need to go downstairs to get a glass of water. You wait here for a moment.”

Jian Mei agreed as he saw his father leave. “Okay.”

As soon as Father Jian left, Jian Mei’s courage seemed to increase. He took a few steps towards the inside, but after only two steps, he heard his mother’s voice coming from the bathroom, “Who is it outside?”

Jian Mei halted his steps.

Shen Meina, who came out of the bathroom, happened to make eye contact with her son. Shen Meina was momentarily at a loss, even though it was her own child. Her hair was still dripping with water, but her son stood there dumbfounded. After a while, she finally reacted and said, “Why did you come here?”

Jian Mei stood at the door, feeling a bit nervous. He said, “Um… then I’ll go back.”

“No.” Shen Meina realized she misspoke. “Mom didn’t mean to chase you away.”

The two of them locked eyes, and the tension and nervousness were evident on their faces. However, after a moment of eye contact, they both couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Jian Mei hurried to the cabinet and took out a hairdryer. Then he said to his mother, “Mom, you should blow-dry your hair first. It’s still wet.”

Shen Meina didn’t really want to blow-dry her hair, but after two days of tension between them, her son had finally softened his attitude. She wanted to take the hairdryer from him and said, “Okay.”

However, Jian Mei hesitated for a moment and didn’t give it to her. Instead, he asked Shen Meina to sit on the chair next to her, and he himself started using the hairdryer. It had been a long time since they had such a moment alone due to their busy work schedules. While helping his mother dry her hair, Jian Mei unexpectedly saw strands of white hair among her dark ones.

This sight caught him off guard, and a complex mix of emotions surged within him. Shen Meina had always taken care of her appearance, even in front of her children, she was always elegant. Jian Mei was surprised to see the white hair, and for a moment, he realized that as he grew up, his parents were gradually aging. His nose suddenly felt a bit sour, and the words he had been contemplating in his heart hesitated on his lips.

“Um…”

“Um…”

Both the son and the mom opened their mouths at the same time, but they both froze at the same time as well. They looked at each other through the mirror, and both Shen Meina and Jian Mei burst into a light laughter.

Jian Mei lowered his gaze, a serious expression on his fair little face. He asked softly, “Mom, you came back early today. I fell asleep in the living room and didn’t even notice.”

Shen Meina said, “Next time, remember to cover yourself when you sleep. Take good care of your own health.”

Jian Mei responded, “I know.”

While Shen Meina hesitated, Jian Mei spoke again, “Did Mom make the cake in the kitchen?”

Clearly, Jian Mei felt his mother’s body tense for a moment.

Shen Meina hesitated and said, “The cake…”

“Auntie said she helped make it because she was busy, but she deliberately didn’t clean up the kitchen, as if she was afraid I would find out,” Jian Mei gently blow-dried her hair. “I’ve been thinking, only Mom would do something like this.”

Shen Meina pursed her lips and fell into silence.

Jian Mei raised his eyelids to look at her and whispered, “Why did Mom do this?”

“Well…” Jian Mei hesitated for a moment and revealed an unfavorable guess, “Is it because you don’t want me to make that cake?”

After all, his mother had always been against it and didn’t want him to contact his online friends. If she didn’t want him to make that cake, it could be understood.

Shen Meina looked at her child’s heavy expression in the mirror and answered, “If I tell you the truth, of course, I doesn’t want it.”

Jian Mei’s movements paused slightly.

He came here with joy, but now it plummeted to a low point.

However, before he could digest this emotional rollercoaster, he heard Shen Meina say, “Because I doesn’t want you to suffer even the slightest harm, even though the possibility is extremely small, but…”

Jian Mei looked up and met Shen Meina’s gaze, those eyes were filled with a mother’s love mixed with helplessness. “But I hope even more than anything that you can be happy.”

Jian Mei was momentarily taken aback but soon a smile gradually spread across his face. He whispered, “Mom, are you saying…?”

Shen Meina helplessly said, “For this matter,I won’t oppose it anymore. If you don’t want to delete it, then don’t.”

The pendulum of emotions swung too quickly, and a smile appeared on Jian Mei’s face. He didn’t know how to express his gratitude. Finally, he moved the hairdryer a bit further away and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Mom. I love you the most.”

Shen Meina glanced at him reproachfully and said, “You change your expression so quickly. Not only did you run away from home, you even argued with me.You heartless child.”

Jian Mei quickly said, “No, no.”

“But Mom, why didn’t you tell me?” Jian Mei looked at her with confusion. “And you made Auntie take the blame.”

Shen Meina’s smile gradually froze on her face. She looked at her child’s innocent eyes and sighed helplessly. She said, “I was afraid you’re still angry. lf you knew,

you might not have used the cake and decided to make another cake yourself. You’re not in good health. Look how you’ve tired yourself..’.

Jian Mei listened quietly. He leaned against his mother’s shoulder from behind and lowered his head. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

Shen Meina was taken aback.

“It’s my fault, making you worry,” Jian Mei whispered, “I won’t be so stubborn anymore.”

Shen Meina’s voice choked up. Ever since she talked with her husband, she had also been reflecting deeply on herself. “I have mine faults too. I didn’t pay attention to your feelings. It’s mine fault that you were upset. Don’t worry, Dad and I will definitely change for the better, make time to spend more with you and your brother.”

Jian Mei smiled. “Okay!”

The situation wasn’t as difficult as they thought. Once everything was out in the open, both the son and the mom were happy. Father Jian, who had come back with the water, looked at them from the doorway with a contented smile. He walked in, handed the water glass and the fruit to the children, and let Jian Mei eat while he took the hairdryer and started blow-drying his wife’s hair. He asked,”How come you didn’t find out about the cake at that time and only noticed it now?”

Jian Mei, nibbling on an apple, said, “Da Zhuang ge reminded me.”

He didn’t have the opportunity before, but now he finally had the chance to boast about his friend in front of his parents. Jian Mei excitedly continued, “DaZhuang ge is so smart. He’s the same age as me, but he’s much better at solving problems. He often helps me analyze things, and his analysis is always spot on. I can ask him anything I don’t know. He also likes the teddy bear I chose, and he’s…”

The more he spoke, the more at ease Shen Meina felt.

However, unlike his wife, Father Jian, who hadn’t been concerned at first, looked at his son’s radiant smile and, as someone who had pursued his wife, a sense of unease began to rise. Although the two kids probably didn’t have any mature thoughts, but… but looking at his son’s silly expression, it was clear that he was smitten.

This…

Father Jian suddenly felt a bit troubled. He wondered if he should find an opportunity to give Jian Mei a lesson on how to prevent early relationships.

However, if that DaZhuang ge is really as outstanding as his son described, would he be interested in Jian Mei? That seemed uncertain. But if he changed his perspective, maybe what he needed to guard against wasn’t Jian Mei being lured away, but whether his own naive son would ruin a nice child from another family!