Chapter 38: The Seventh Prince
The next day, at the entrance of Baihe Station.
The carriage sent by the prince’s manor had been waiting by the roadside since early morning; the two black-maned horses kept pawing the ground with their hooves, as if already impatient.
The three monks, each carrying a travel bundle, stepped over the threshold together with Mu Bai and Su Mo.
After exchanging a few polite farewells—”Parting here,” “Safe travels”—Su Mo boarded the carriage.
Mu Bai followed, slipping inside, and heard the young monk calling cheerfully from behind, “Brother Taxue, do come visit us at Konggu Temple when you have time!”
He turned back and said earnestly, “Very well, I shall certainly visit when I have the chance.”
The carriage curtain fell; the coachman cracked his whip and shouted, “Giddyup!”
The carriage sped away in a cloud of dust.
Mu Bai lifted the curtain of the small window on one side of the carriage and leaned out; he could still see the little monk waving at him from the same spot, while Kong Yan and Kong Yuan were also gazing in this direction.
He curved his eyes into a smile, then withdrew back into the carriage. The smile vanished instantly, and his entire demeanor suddenly drooped.
Su Mo, catching Mu Bai’s expression from the corner of his eye, gently took his hand and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mu Bai shook his head and merely said, “It’s been a long time since I last returned to Qinglian Valley.”
Probably too weak to move, yet unwilling to lie paralyzed like stagnant water, his emotions have been unusually active these past two days.
Yesterday, after bidding farewell to Elder White Crane, he was reminded of his own master; witnessing the interactions among the three fellow disciples at Konggu Temple made him miss his senior sisters as well.
Upon careful reflection, he realized it had already been more than half a year since he left Qinglian Valley.
Su Mo said softly, “Once things settle down in a while, I’ll accompany you back for a visit.”
Mu Bai asked, “After we return to the imperial capital, do you have any plans?”
Su Mo replied, “Once we’re back, we’ll rest properly for a couple of days. When you’ve recovered somewhat, I’ll take you to visit Minister Peng and the Seventh Prince.”
In the imperial capital, Mu Bai had already eliminated two ministers listed on the wanted posters; infiltrating the residences of the others would be easy for him.
Only Minister Peng held high rank and significant power within the court. Although his mansion was not as heavily guarded as Prime Minister Wei’s in Jialan, attempting to infiltrate it without familiarity with the layout still carried considerable risk.
However, Mu Bai had never heard of this Seventh Prince, nor had Su Mo previously mentioned which minister was his ally.
Could it be that this prince is a rival Su Mo intends to overthrow?
“What are you thinking?” Su Mo asked softly. “Among all the princes in the palace, only the Seventh Prince, Su Cheng, shares a close friendship with me. That is why I planned to introduce you to him—not for you to break into someone’s residence in the middle of the night.”
Mu Bai replied, “Oh…”
Su Mo lowered his eyes and said softly, “After my mother passed away, the other consorts wished nothing more than to see me dead. Only Lan Fei, Su Cheng’s birth mother, cared for me in every way. Without her, I fear… In my childhood, I was ignorant and often angered the Emperor. Whenever I was punished, Su Cheng would secretly come to see me on Lan Fei’s orders, bringing me some food. Thus, we formed a bond, closer than with any of the other princes.”
“Now that the Emperor’s health declines day by day, the struggle within the imperial family has reached its fiercest point. Su Cheng possesses both virtue and talent; in my opinion, among all the princes, he is the most suitable to inherit the throne. It is a pity that Lan Fei passed away too early and could not pave the way for him…”
Hearing this, Mu Bai coughed once and asked, “And what about you? Are you not also a prince?”
As for becoming emperor, according to the original story, it was Su Mo who ultimately ascended the throne, though he died shortly after his reign began.
“I—” Su Mo smiled and asked, “Now that I have a wife, what use do I have for the throne?”
Mu Bai had not expected him to say such a thing; she nearly choked, coughing several times.
He averted Su Mo’s gaze, lowered his head to find a water flask, took a large gulp, and only then regained his composure, murmuring softly, “I’d believe anything you say.”
Su Mo raised an eyebrow. “What? Do you want me to seize the throne, so that after my coronation, ministers chase me day after day with memorials urging me to take concubines?”
Mu Bai suddenly recalled that in the original story, after the Fifth Prince ascended the throne, he was overwhelmed with state affairs yet showed no interest whatsoever in expanding the harem or continuing the bloodline.
While it is commendable for a monarch not to be indulgent in beauty, Su Mo had taken abstinence to an extreme. Where other emperors boasted thousands of beauties in their harems, his remained utterly empty, driving ministers to submit memorials daily, imploring him to take consorts.
Mu Bai still remembered doubting, while reading the original story, whether Su Mo was impotent or simply asexual.
But facts proved neither to be true.
Based on Mu Bai’s personal experience, His Highness the Prince was more than capable; moreover, he possessed extraordinary natural gifts, with every glance and smile seeming designed to stir the heart.
Mu Bai raised their eyes to meet Su Mo’s gaze. “Good brother, were you born with a preference for men?”
Su Mo shook his head and said, “Not at all; I just happened to run into you.”
“Before me, did you ever like someone else?”
Su Mo pondered for a moment, then slowly replied, “In my youth, I went through certain events that nearly left me crippled. Since then, it has been difficult for me to trust others, let alone develop feelings. After my coming-of-age ceremony, they urged me to choose a suitable bride from the noble ladies of the imperial capital, but I declined.”
“Why?”
Su Mo whispered softly, “I fear that if I wake in the middle of the night, I might end up killing the person lying beside me.”
“…So terrifying?”
Su Mo smiled. “Don’t be afraid, my lady.”
“It’s not that.” Mu Bai raised a hand to touch the back of her neck, which had turned cold. “Now that you mention it, I won’t be able to sleep soundly tonight.”
“Sorry.” Su Mo leaned in and gently kissed his forehead.
Yet he offered no further explanation.
Mu Bai lowered his gaze, pondering silently before concluding that it made sense.
Given Su Mo’s suspicious nature, if he were to marry someone of equal status but without any affection as a bed partner, he would probably not even dare turn over in his sleep and expose his back to them.
He distrusts others and possesses a cold, detached nature, making it difficult for him to genuinely develop feelings for anyone.
However…
Mu Bai suddenly recalled that upon waking that morning, he had seen Su Mo still sleeping soundly, completely devoid of any guard.
Perhaps, to Su Mo, he was someone worthy of trust.
Having come to this realization, Mu Bai lifted his arm to wrap around Su Mo’s shoulders, buried his face against Su Mo’s shoulder, closed his eyes, and whispered softly, “I’ll nap for a while; wake me when we arrive.”
Su Mo lowered his gaze and smiled softly.
Just moments ago, she had claimed she couldn’t sleep soundly, yet now she was dozing off on his shoulder.
He adjusted his posture to make Mu Bai more comfortable, when suddenly he heard a whisper so faint it was almost imperceptible: “Brother Su Mo, I trust you too.”
“…”
–
When the carriage arrived at the prince’s residence, dusk was already settling.
Drawing aside the curtain of the small window, one could see the majestic and grand palace of the Wuti Kingdom in the distance. Over a hundred splendid lanterns were being lit one after another, casting a brilliant glow upon the purple-gray clouds along the horizon.
Inside the carriage, Mu Bai changed into a skirted outfit and applied light makeup. As the weather had turned cooler this season, the garments were buttoned tightly all the way up to the chin, making an additional scarf unnecessary.
Once the change of attire was complete, he stepped out from behind the curtain.
The coachman had already left, leaving only Su Mo waiting below.
As Mu Bai jumped down from the carriage, he stumbled, but was promptly caught by Su Mo.
“Be careful.”
Mu Bai raised a hand to rub his lower back, drooping his brows and eyes, looking utterly aggrieved.
Su Mo laughed at him, “With a constitution so weak, you still bounce around all day.”
Mu Bai retorted defiantly, “Your Highness the Prince is robust and healthy, yet you pretend to be ill all day long.”
“Cough.” Su Mo cleared his throat and supported Mu Bai as they stepped over the threshold.
Ye Xing and Jin Yi had been waiting for some time; upon seeing the pair, they immediately approached to greet them.
Jin Yi, seeing Mu Bai walking with a limp, hurried over to support her. “What has happened to you, Madam?”
“Just a minor injury,” Mu Bai replied. “Nothing serious.”
“Madam, you and His Highness have only just been married, yet you’ve spent three consecutive nights away from home and returned covered in wounds. Where have you been?” Jin Yi whispered softly. “Please rest within the manor for these next few days; let us not give others more cause for gossip.”
Mu Bai raised an eyebrow. “Who’s gossiping?”
Jin Yi opened his mouth to speak, but a glance from Su Mo made him swallow his words.
Sensing something amiss, Mu Bai turned to look at him.
Su Mo said softly, “A maid in the manor spoke out of turn; she has already been dismissed.”
“Oh.”
Mu Bai let out a sigh of relief, only to hear Ye Xing say, “Your Highness, the Seventh Prince has come to see you. Hearing that you hadn’t returned yet, he’s waiting in the tea hall.”
“Su Cheng is here? Perfect; I was planning to visit him in a couple of days anyway.” Su Mo then asked, “Xiao Bai, how are you feeling? Can you still walk?”
Before Mu Bai could answer, Ye Xing leaned close to Su Mo’s ear and whispered something.
Su Mo’s expression shifted slightly, and he said, “Xiao Bai, let me help you back to your room to rest first.”
Mu Bai was puzzled. “Aren’t you taking me to see Su Cheng? I can still walk.”
He hadn’t originally given much thought to meeting that Seventh Prince, but their secretive demeanor, as if hiding something from him, struck him as odd.
Su Mo said, “Su Cheng has some private matters to discuss with me; I’ll bring him over to see you later.”
“Oh… then go ahead directly. Just have Jinyi help me back to my room.”
After Su Mo left, Mu Bai quietly asked Jinyi, “Are they hiding something from me?”
Jin Yi opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Mu Bai said, “Speak up. I won’t betray you.”
“My lady,” Jin Yi frowned, whispering softly, “you don’t know—now throughout the imperial capital, ministers and princes are all spreading rumors that His Highness and you are on bad terms.”
“Huh?”
“After that talkative maid was expelled from the estate, she told others about this matter. Unfortunately, just then His Highness went to find you; he wasn’t in the imperial capital, so there was no way to suppress these rumors. After a few days, the gossip has spread wildly—even the Seventh Prince has heard of it.”
Mu Bai: “So he came here for this matter as well?”
Jin Yi clicked his tongue: “The Seventh Prince and His Highness are close friends. Hearing that his wife ran away right after their wedding, he naturally wanted to ask… Madam, what’s wrong? You look so pale.”
Mu Bai shook her head: “It was my lack of consideration, causing your master to become a laughingstock for others.”
“What nonsense,” Jin Yi said. “Madam is the young master of Qinglian Valley, accustomed to roaming the jianghu freely; naturally, you wouldn’t wish to be confined within the mansion. Those people are merely gossip-mongers; pay them no mind. Next time, we’ll simply act more cautiously to avoid giving them anything to talk about.”
“Mm.” Mu Bai lowered her eyes and said awkwardly, “No wonder Su Mo didn’t let me follow.”
“My lady, please don’t overthink it. His Highness merely feared the Seventh Prince might say something inappropriate in your presence. Once they finish their conversation, he will naturally come to keep you company.”
“…Mm.”
After returning to her room, Jinyi heated water for a bath. Having soaked and changed, Mu Bai now wore a white palace robe embroidered with cloud patterns.
This is the court attire of the Wuti Kingdom, appearing light and flowing, with wide robes and broad sleeves exuding an air of elegance. However, the dressing process is exceedingly intricate; he had previously found it too troublesome and had never worn it before.
Mu Bai walked over to the bronze mirror and turned around, realizing that this court garment indeed looked splendid on him. Yet, given his current pallor, the white seemed somewhat plain, so he fetched the Qinglian Sword and fastened it to the brocade sash at his waist, adding a touch of color.
His black hair hung loose, damp with mist carrying the fragrance of flower petals. Mu Bai took a wooden comb to smooth it out, and just as he casually tied it into a bun, he heard voices conversing outside the room.
It seemed Su Mo and the Seventh Prince were approaching.
He set down the comb, adjusted his palace robes, and stepped out of the room.
Even though Su Mo and Mu Bai saw each other constantly, they were still stunned when they clearly made out the figure clad in flowing white robes at the end of the corridor.
The Seventh Prince, Su Cheng, standing beside him, was utterly stunned, staring blankly for two full breaths before finally tearing his gaze away.
Just moments ago, Su Cheng had thought his elder brother must have been bewitched—newlywed yet sleeping alone, and even speaking up for the wife who had fled. Now, having seen his sister-in-law in person, he felt even more convinced of this notion.
This girl was so breathtakingly beautiful; vanishing on her very first night after marriage—who knew where she had gone? His Fifth Brother must surely have been blinded by her beauty, showing not a shred of suspicion.
Su Cheng stroked his chin, concocting a plan.
He pretended not to notice someone approaching from the opposite direction, turned his head, and asked Su Mo, “Elder Brother, when we meet Sister-in-law later, shall I ask her about taking a concubine? She herself just got married yet is never at home; surely she won’t object if you take two side consorts into the mansion?”
His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just right for the person walking along the corridor to hear.
Su Mo: “?”
Hadn’t they clearly agreed in the tea hall just moments ago not to bring this up? Why was he bringing it up again?
He hadn’t yet figured out how to explain when Mu Bai approached, smiling softly as she said, “Taking a concubine? Very well, I grant my permission.”
Su Cheng’s eyes lit up.
Now his imperial brother should finally understand: this beauty in white never had him in her heart at all.
It made sense; newlywed yet never home, would she even care whether her husband took concubines? Only pity that his Fifth Imperial Brother had misplaced such devoted affection.
To carry out the act completely, he should now turn around and feign surprise, saying, “How is Sister-in-law here?”
Su Cheng turned around, and before he could even speak, he was truly startled.
“Sister-in-law, sister-in-law…”
“Um… you… please put your sword away first. Let’s talk calmly.”