Chapter Thirty: Deception

Little Fish did not answer Rain Huatian’s question, but instead began, “Just now, I was among the household servants at the door. I truly didn’t expect that the wealthy young lord with whom I recently ate, drank, and made merry would, with a turn, reveal himself as the Emperor. I wonder, Steward Tian, what your true identity might be?”

“I am Rain Huatian, Chief Eunuch of the Western Depot.” Unlike his demeanor as Steward Tian, Rain Huatian now radiated an overwhelming aura, revealing his true identity to Little Fish.

“So, you are Chief Rain. I have long heard your illustrious name in the martial world.” Upon hearing Rain Huatian’s introduction, Little Fish began to exchange pleasantries.

Rain Huatian frowned at this and said, “If you have business, speak it. If not, I’m leaving.”

“Don’t go, it’s nothing major. I just wish to meet with His Majesty. Could you please let him know?” Little Fish finally relented, stating his purpose.

Meet the Emperor? Impossible. Rain Huatian knew exactly what the Emperor was doing at this time.

“His Majesty is unavailable at the moment. I’ll relay your message; wait here.” Rain Huatian gave a perfunctory reply and departed before Little Fish could protest, already striding far down the corridor.

.........................................

The next morning, Murong Manor.

Zhu Yu rose lazily from bed, attended by the Virtuous Consort. After breakfast, Rain Huatian took the opportunity to mention Little Fish’s request from the previous day.

Zhu Yu acknowledged the message. Once Rain Huatian withdrew, Zhu Yu began recalling the plot of Little Fish and Flowerless, realizing that the benefits he could reap here extended far beyond Jiang Yuyan alone.

For instance, there were the five masters collected by Liu Xi. Zhu Yu no longer had any intention of cultivating the art of absorbing skills from a distance, but these five were ready-made resources to enhance his own power.

Unfortunately, no matter how he racked his brain, Zhu Yu could recall no other crucial plot points. Jiang Yuyan’s late rampage had overshadowed all else in his memory, leaving only her figure behind.

Still, Zhu Yu was not discouraged. Once the storylines began, he would naturally recall more. Just like now—after last night’s indulgence, his mind seemed to clear, and he suddenly remembered the subplot involving Little Fish at Murong Manor.

As he recalled, Tie Xinlan had been gravely wounded by Yaoyue of the Flower Palace and required a rare medicinal herb from the Murong family for her recovery, thus entangling Little Fish and Murong Xian in a web of affection.

...

At this thought, Zhu Yu suddenly remembered that the Flower Palace was annihilated in the end, though he could not recall by whose hand. Since he now knew, why not take care of it himself? At least he could gain some fortune points from it.

As for the main characters, Little Fish and Flowerless, he needed to think carefully about how to handle them...

Lost in these musings, time passed quickly, and soon it was time for lunch. Before eating, Zhu Yu instructed Rain Huatian, “Inform Little Fish that I will see him after I’ve finished my meal.”

Rain Huatian accepted the order and went to find Little Fish.

After Zhu Yu returned to his room from lunch, he found Little Fish waiting patiently inside.

“This humble subject greets Your Majesty.” The moment he saw Zhu Yu, Little Fish bowed respectfully.

“No need for such formality. This is a private occasion—let’s speak as we always have,” Zhu Yu replied with a smile.

At this, Little Fish nodded and spoke directly, “Your Majesty, Tie Xinlan was gravely injured a few days ago by that old witch Yaoyue from the Flower Palace. She desperately needs Fire Ganoderma to survive. I have discovered that the Murong family possesses a rare, aged specimen. I beg Your Majesty, for the sake of our few days’ acquaintance, to grant me this favor.”

Everything Little Fish said was exactly as Zhu Yu expected. He nodded, replying, “Of course. Miss Tie is also my friend. Now that her life hangs by a thread, I will certainly help. And in private, there’s no need to address me as ‘Your Majesty.’”

Hearing this, Little Fish was overjoyed. “Then please, Young Master Zhu, command Murong Wudi to hand over the Fire Ganoderma so I can save her as soon as possible.”

“It’s a bit tricky right now. Murong Wudi is, after all, my father-in-law. The Murong manor is in the midst of birthday celebrations and ancestral rites these two days. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to ask at this time. How about this: the day after tomorrow, I’ll have Murong Wudi personally hand you the Fire Ganoderma.”

Hearing Zhu Yu’s words, Little Fish had no grounds to object. Besides, the Fire Ganoderma was no ordinary item, and Zhu Yu had already promised to grant it—what more could he say?

At least the hardest part was settled; now he could only hope Tie Xinlan would hold on.

With Tie Xinlan’s matter resolved, Zhu Yu steered the conversation elsewhere.

“Little Fish, we’ve traveled together for some time now. From what I see, Miss Tie’s heart belongs to Flowerless. Are you in such a hurry because you’ve fallen for her? And where is Flowerless now—what is he doing?”

Little Fish’s expression shifted, but he didn’t tell the truth. He answered Zhu Yu, “Flowerless is searching elsewhere for Fire Ganoderma, so I came alone to Murong Manor.

“As for my feelings for Tie Xinlan? Young Master Zhu, you jest. I already have someone dear to my heart.”

...

Zhu Yu feigned curiosity. “Who is it? Is it someone I know?”

“Of course you know her. She’s the fourth daughter of the Murong family, Murong Xian.”

Upon hearing Little Fish admit to his relationship with Murong Xian, Zhu Yu nodded to himself, then pretended to hesitate. “Murong Xian? Well then… I hope you won’t take offense to what I’m about to say.”

Little Fish gestured for Zhu Yu to speak freely.

“First, let me be clear—I don’t mean to break you and Murong Xian up. But, honestly, do you think Murong Wudi would ever consent to your marriage with his daughter?

“Murong Wudi is the Emperor’s father-in-law, after all. His standards are understandably high. And let’s be frank, you have neither wealth nor fame, no official rank, your martial skills are unremarkable. It will be difficult for him to approve of your union.

“But let’s set that aside. Suppose Murong Xian loves you deeply and elopes with you. Do you really think your days together would be as carefree as they are now?

“Murong Xian is a sheltered young lady, unaccustomed to hardship and reliant on servants for everything. All of that requires money. I know you can get your hands on silver, but is it honestly gained? Will it be enough for Murong Xian’s needs?

“Even if the money suffices, the authorities are bound to come knocking. Will you turn yourself in, or will you take Murong Xian and wander the land as fugitives? What will happen when you both grow old—will you still be able to run?

“And that’s not all. Suppose Murong Xian can endure hardship and live as common folk. Could you bear such loneliness? If you could, you would not have escaped from Villains’ Island in the first place.

“Even if you can endure it for love, you know well what life is like for ordinary people. In time, Murong Xian will go from being a fairy admired from afar to an ordinary, aging woman—she will lose the spirit and charm that once made her so captivating. Will you still love her then?

“Even if your feelings remain unchanged, all of Murong Xian’s transformation will be a consequence of your own choices. Could you bear it? Could you accept that?”