Chapter 152: A Confidential Letter from Yunzhou (86.1)
Translator: asa.s.sin
In the capital of Great Chu.
“Your Highness, we got a confidential letter from Yunzhou!” Chief Steward Mo walked into the study in a rush with a sealed letter.
Mo Xiu Yao, who was reading, looked up at that. He took the letter and went through it quickly, his face growing heavy. Because of that, the air in the room became stagnant as well.
Chief Steward Mo asked a bit worried: “Your Highness?”
Mo Xiu Yao paused with his head down. It turned out he had rolled the letter into a ball without noticing it. Closing his eyes, he tried to control his shock and anger before he unfolded the letter and said in a heavy voice: “Send for Feng Zhi Yao and… Mr. Shen. Get prepared. I'm going to the palace.”
Chief Steward Mo frowned faintly since His Highness hadn't gone to the palace since the princess was missing. It seemed that the letter from Yunzhou did send a message about something big. Though he was worried, Chief Steward Mo had no choice but to obey His Highness's command: “Yes, Your Highness.”
Shortly afterwards, Feng Zhi Yao and Shen Yang showed up at the study.
Feng Zhi Yao raised his brows with a smile and said: “What can I do for you, Your Highness?”
Mo Xiu Yao pa.s.sed him the slightly wrinkled letter and said in a stern voice: “Read it.”
Feng Zhi Yao's brows rose slightly. He knew Mo Xiu Yao so he understood the meaning behind his expression and tone. Without demur, he took the letter and sat down. “From Yunzhou? It's Master Qing Yun's handwriting?”
Mo Xiu Yao nodded in silence.
Feng Zhi Yao's expression became grave. At first, he just wanted scholars of Xu Family to help translate what Ye Li sent back. However, now that Master Qing Yun was involved, it must be something big.
As Feng Zhi Yao sat there reading the letter, Shen Yang looked at Mo Xiu Yao a bit curious and asked: “Your Highness, what do you want with me? Or do you not feel well?” Shen Yang was a doctor. Usually, he didn't like to get involved in politics.
Mo Xiu Yao shook his head as he said: “Mr. Shen, you are supposed to leave for Xi Ling in a few days. However, I'm afraid I must ask you to postpone your trip.”
Shen Yang said with a frown: “Change of plan, Your Highness?”
Mo Xiu Yao sighed: “I can't wait any longer. Mr. Shen, I have to go to Nan Zhao.”
“What?” Shen Yang said loudly.
Feng Zhi Yao, who was sitting on the side paused because of that, his brows drew together in worry.
Shen Yang didn't leave Mo Xiu Yao any chance to speak and shouted angrily at him: “Your Highness, are you joking? You are in a better condition than you were during the winter. But it is just compared to the winter! It rains a lot in Nan Zhao, which is bad for your health. Besides… you know that the toxin in your body was out of control last winter. Though it was curbed, your health will only go downhill after that. If you are in a new place, we might lose control of the toxin again!”
Feng Zhi Yao was confused. “It's warmer in the south. Isn't that better for His Highness's health?”
Shen Yang rolled his eyes, displeased. “If that's the case, we don't have to go through all the trouble over the years and might as well send His Highness to recuperate in the south.”
“Mr. Shen.” With a frown, Mo Xiu Yao looked at Shen Yang and said seriously: “I have to go.” His heavy and firm tone declared his determination.
“A reason!” Said Shen Yang angrily. “Your Highness, please give me a reason why you don't take your life seriously! As a doctor, at least I have the right to know why my patient wants to throw away his life.”
Mo Xiu Yao sighed. He had great respect for this elder man who had saved him from the gate of h.e.l.l multiple times, but he had to go against his wish. “Because… if I don't go, in the future, all of us might have to kill ourselves for redemption.”
Shen Yang was shaken by that since something that could let Mo Xiu Yao speak in that way was beyond his control. In an instant, he seemed to gain 10 years of age. He said sadly: “Your Highness, even if you arrive in Nan Zhao, you can't do anything in your current condition.” A body that suffered from the toxin was extremely sensitive to the change of weather. In the north with a dry climate, Mo Xiu Yao would feel pain during rainy days, let alone going to the south where it rained all the time. If Mo Xiu Yao went there, he wouldn't be in a better condition than he did during the winter.
Mo Xiu Yao lowered his eyes as he said: “I know you have your approaches. Mr. Shen, I can't go there like this. I have to be able to stand. I have to appear in Nan Zhao a healthy man. Do you understand that?”
“You are out of your mind!” Shen Yang exclaimed outright.
Feng Zhi Yao rose to his feet abruptly and said: “Your Highness, I don't think that's necessary now. How about we go there first and talk again… when we are there?”
Mo Xiu Yao looked at him calmly and said: “You should know that everything will be lost if I can't go there a healthy man.”
Feng Zhi Yao lowered his head. His grip around the letter tightened in silence.
Shen Yang snorted slightly as he said: “I don't care how things are right now. I don't have a solution for that! I'm a doctor, not a killer. I won't let you do that!”
Mo Xiu Yao didn't respond to that. He said calmly to Feng Zhi Yao: “Go and prepare. I'm going to the palace.”
Feng Zhi Yao stared at him but didn't know what to say. After a good while, he had no choice but to answer in a small voice: “Yes, Your Highness.”
With a flicker of his hands, Mo Xiu Yao went out in his wheelchair. When he pa.s.sed Shen Yang, he said to him below his breath: “Mr. Shen, when I'm back, I want to see my medicine.”
“I won't give it to you!” Shen Yang, throwing away his usual gentleness, shouted, though the one he shouted at was long gone.
Feng Zhi Yao looked at Shen Yang who was red in the face with cords standing out in his neck and followed Mo Xiu Yao with his grip tightened on the letter.
Furious, Shen Yang was left behind in the study, lost in his thought. After a good while, he suddenly burst out scolding: “What is wrong with you guys of Mo Family? Do you think this world will come to an end without you?”
Feng Zhi Yao turned back to the study then caught up with Mo Xiu Yao.
Mo Xiu Yao asked calmly: “Is there anything you want to say?”
Pausing for a moment, Feng Zhi Yao finally shook his head as he spoke: “No. But please let me go to Nan Zhao with you, Your Highness.”
With a frown, Mo Xiu Yao said: “I need you here to take care of everything.”
Feng Zhi Yao's brows rose with a bit of heroic spirit which was rarely seen on him normally. “Your Highness, I'm a man of the military. The goal of my life is to sweep over the battlefield, not leading the secret guards and collecting intelligence.”
Mo Xiu Yao was shocked. He turned to Feng Zhi Yao. It had been so long that he almost forgot. When they were kids, Feng Zhi Yao, in his red robe told him he wanted to be a peerless general who won every battle. After that, Feng Zhi Yao gave up a life of luxury at Feng Family at the age of 13 and followed him into battles where he risked death. If it wasn't for what happened to Mo Xiu Yao back then, Feng Zhi Yao might have already become the best general of his generation, instead of being forced to live in the capital, acting like a unrestrained and licentious lord in front of everyone just to hide his ident.i.ty as the leader of the secret guards
After a long time, Mo Xiu Yao finally said in a small voice: “All right, if they do… then they should have known your relation with me. I'll make another plan about secret guards.”
In the past, few people knew that Feng Zhi Yao went into battles with him under an alias, but there were people who did know about it.
Feng Zhi Yao was very happy to hear that. “Thank you very much, Your Highness!”
Mo Xiu Yao answered with a faint smile: “It is me who should thank you. Besides, send a message to Ah Li. Tell her to be careful of Shu Man Lin.”