Chapter 41

41 The Candidness of the Brothers

Tonight, they still camped out in the mountains and forests. Although the matter in Fengzhou City had been resolved, Shang Wuxin was not in a hurry to return to the capital. However, with their group numbering several thousand, if they openly took the main roads, who knew what troubles they might encounter. So Shang Wuxin led everyone along the secluded paths, though their pace was slow, treating it as a chance to enjoy the scenery.

As Shang Wuxin stepped down from the carriage, she immediately heard the sound of everyone bowing, voices filled with deep respect and admiration. She nodded, telling them that when out on the road, such formalities were unnecessary. If she had taken the carriage right from the start upon leaving the capital, she didn’t know what rumors those people might have spread behind her back. So even though her health was poor, Shang Wuxin never once considered riding in a carriage at the beginning.

Now, after nearly a month of living with these soldiers, she had won them over with her own skills and abilities. So even though she now spent her days sitting in the carriage, no one complained; on the contrary, it was seen as only natural. If she truly rode a horse, the soldiers would feel she was not being properly served as the crown prince. This was the conquest of human nature.

Fearlessly stepping forward, she spread the handkerchief she had taken out on the ground, and Shang Wuxin sat down directly. Without favorable conditions, she could endure any hardship, but if she could enjoy life, Shang Wuxin would never wrong herself. At this moment, in the eyes of the soldiers, Shang Wuxin’s demeanor was like this: Look, the Crown Prince is so elegant, truly the royal Eastern Palace Crown Prince! He can share hardships with them, and now he remains so refined… If Shang Wuxin knew what these soldiers were thinking, she wouldn’t know what to say.

Shang Wuxin sat there, lost in thought, while Wuju went to the carriage to fetch the dried biscuits and other provisions that had been prepared in advance. At that moment, they saw Leng Yufeng and Huan Mochen emerging from the forest. Huan Mochen held some greenish fruits in his hand, while Leng Yufeng carried a rabbit he had already shot dead.

Leng Yufeng approached the Crown Prince, took the biscuits from Wuju’s hand, and in the chilly night air, his voice carried a hint of warmth. “I hunted a beast; later, I’ll roast it for the Crown Prince to try!” Yesterday, he noticed the Crown Prince ate very little at breakfast, which didn’t seem to suit his taste. If the Crown Prince had to eat those cold, hard biscuits again, he might eat even less. So Leng Yufeng thought that roasting the game might encourage the Crown Prince to eat more. Having experience in military campaigns, he was quite skilled at roasting game. Moreover, Leng Yufeng figured that after so many years in the capital, the Crown Prince probably hadn’t had much chance to taste wild game. With that in mind, as soon as everyone rested, he went hunting.

Shang Wuxin watched as the cake was taken by Leng Yufeng and given to his subordinate without refusal. Then he saw Huan Mochen and Leng Yufeng go to find a water source, while Shang Wuxin sat there gazing at the starry sky. No one approached to disturb him; even the soldiers lowered their voices, because at this moment, the crown prince’s quiet demeanor made it hard to bring themselves to interrupt.

Not far away by the lake, Huan Mo Che carefully washed the fruit in his hand, then watched his friend skillfully clean the prey’s entrails and skin it. Leng Yu Feng was very practiced, and soon the prey was completely cleaned.

Huan Mo Che wrapped the fruit in a handkerchief, then looked at his friend who was about to leave, his voice full of provocation. “You like the Crown Prince?” The question was blunt, but there was an unmistakable undercurrent of anger.

Leng Yu Feng’s right hand, holding the cleaned prey, suddenly dropped it to the ground. He had never considered this question before, but now his friend had openly torn it open. He had always thought his feelings for the Crown Prince were just a simple fondness, like for a younger brother. Later, he admired the Crown Prince’s temperament and tactics as one would a true prince. But was that really the case? In the past, he could have continued deceiving himself, telling himself he only wanted to become the Crown Prince’s confidant.

But now Leng Yufeng knew that he could neither deceive his friend nor himself. If he truly wanted to be the Crown Prince’s confidant, why did the prince’s image always appear in his dreams? Why did his gaze involuntarily focus on the prince? Even now, why was he worried that the prince’s appetite was poor and went hunting because of it? What he did and thought went beyond the relationship between ruler and subject, even surpassing the boundaries between friends. Yet… Leng Yufeng’s heart was filled with endless sorrow. He was a man, and the Crown Prince was a man too!

Leng Yufeng stood there motionless, not responding, but Huan Mochen did not let him off. He stepped in front of Leng Yufeng, his peach blossom eyes meeting Leng Yufeng’s starry gaze. “Yufeng, you’ve fallen for the Crown Prince!”

“No, no!” Leng Yufeng looked at his friend, who was seriously without a smile, and bitterly said under Huan Mochen’s suspicious gaze, “I’ve fallen in love with the Crown Prince!”

Huan Mochen felt as if he had been struck by lightning. Why? Why like this? His right hand clenched so tightly that blood dripped down from it. Only then did Huan Mochen compose himself, suppressing the anger that wanted to kill his friend. Or rather, he knew he had no right to be angry, because the Crown Prince was actually much closer to Yufeng than to himself.

“And what about you?” Leng Yufeng revealed the secret he had hidden in his heart for so long, but instead of feeling relieved, it only grew heavier. He also saw the blood flowing from his friend’s hand. They had never had any disputes in all these years of friendship, yet now, because of one man, their hearts were filled with bitterness.

“Me?” Huan Mochen suddenly grabbed Leng Yufeng’s collar. “You love him? What right do you have to love him? You’re both men!”

For the first time ever, Huan Mo Che lost his temper—not with the usual angry smile, but with his face slightly twisted. His peach blossom eyes were filled with a cold, murderous aura.

Leng Yu Feng suddenly punched Huan Mo Che. Although he didn’t use any inner strength, it still made Huan Mo Che stagger. Leng Yu Feng shouted at him, “Man? Aren’t you a man? What right do you have to question me!”

Huan Mo Che wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth and instantly regained his smile. He didn’t know if he was speaking to Leng Yu Feng or to himself: “Yeah, what right do I have to question you! It’s not just you who loves her, I love her too!”

Leng Yufeng looked at his friend like this, suddenly unsure whether to feel anger or sorrow. They truly were all like this. They had always been cold and indifferent people, never thinking about matters of love and affection. Yet, the first time they were moved was by the same person—and that person was a man. How could they bear it? If the Crown Prince found out, how would he view them?

After a moment, Huan Mochen looked at Leng Yufeng firmly. “Yufeng, we have been friends for many years. I never imagined that one day we would be at odds because of a man. I admit, I really did think about killing you. But what good would killing you do? Would the Crown Prince accept me then? I have no chance, and neither do you, because we are both men!”

Leng Yufeng remained silent. How could he not understand? If the Crown Prince were a woman, they could still fight desperately for her. But now, they didn’t even dare let the Crown Prince know their feelings. Such shameful love could never be revealed to that cold, snow-like Crown Prince.

“But…” Huan Mo Che suddenly smiled gently and said, “I won’t let go!”

“Are you crazy?” Leng Yu Feng asked in disbelief.

Huan Mo Che covered the wound on his hand, then looked at his friend and asked, “Can you really let go? I don’t mean anything else, I just feel that I won’t give up on this love. I will always protect the Crown Prince!”

Leng Yu Feng knew that although his friend appeared gentle, deep down he was colder than anyone else. What he said now was not only the truth but also his plan.

“I will always protect the Crown Prince. Since I can’t let go, I just hope the Crown Prince can be safe and happy!” Leng Yufeng picked up the prey from the ground and cleaned it again. Even if unwilling, even if heartbroken, if he can’t let go and can’t have it, then all that’s left is to protect.

Huan Moche’s lips parted slightly, but he couldn’t say a word. Unable to have, unable to let go, unable to love, unable to erase—meeting the Crown Prince was a calamity for the two brothers, and they were doomed to suffer it.

After waiting for a long time, Shang Wuxin finally saw Leng Yufeng and Huan Mochen return. Although the two didn’t look much different, Shang Wuxin still noticed the faint bruising at the corner of Huan Mochen’s mouth and the lingering murderous aura around Leng Yufeng. Yet, Shang Wuxin wore an indifferent attitude, as if it was none of her concern.

“The wild game will be ready in a while. Have some fruit to quench your thirst and fill your stomach!” Huan Mochen sat down beside the Crown Prince, then took out some green fruit wrapped in a handkerchief from his sleeve. The last time he picked fruit for the Crown Prince, he noticed that the prince liked sour fruit, so this time he chose the ones that weren’t fully ripe yet. Although he didn’t quite understand why the prince liked such a tart taste, it didn’t matter—what mattered was that the prince liked it.

Shang Wuxin looked at the man beside her, his tone carrying a subtle hint of flattery and happiness. Though puzzled, she still took the fruit and put it in her mouth. Instantly, the sour and astringent flavor flooded her taste buds, causing her furrowed brows to relax. Few people liked such sourness, but she did—because when she had been in pain before, she would eat this very sour fruit to help shift the pain in her heart.

Huan Mochen turned his face to look at the Crown Prince beside him. The prince’s small, palm-sized face was fairer than snow, appearing even paler, delicate and radiant, like a flawless piece of premium mutton fat jade. His full, rosy lips, straight and rounded nose, jet-black, upward-arched eyebrows—every feature seemed meticulously carved by a biased god. The most captivating were his large, clear, sparkling eyes. Within the black pearl-like pupils flashed a fleeting light—pure and clean, yet hauntingly deep. Huan Mochen knew that the moment he first saw those eyes, he had already fallen helplessly into them.