Would You Like to Have A Drink - Chapter 15.2

On the other side, Zong Luo instructed the attendant to proceed inside the courtyard.

The residences allocated to the students of the hundred schools of thought were self-contained, with elegant interiors, rockeries and flowing waters, and unique scenery.

This used to be the residence of the marquis of the former dynasty, but unfortunately he stood on the wrong team and was later rooted out by Emperor Yuan along with his brother. In the end, it had taken a lot of effort to build it, and it would have been a waste of money and labor, so the inner buildings were preserved and used for other purposes.

A sweet-scented osmanthus tree was also planted in the courtyard. Looking around, clusters of pale yellow flower buds weighed down the branches, and when the wind blew, they would fall one after another, emitting a fragrance that assailed one’s nostrils.

Zong Luo: “…?”

In this quiet background, the Fifth Prince in brocade clothes and jade crown was standing in front of the writing desk, with both hands folded inside his sleeves, looking at the painting spread out on the table with great interest.

That painting had been painted by Zong Luo when he pretended to be ill in the past few days and had nothing to do. It specially imitated his own painting skills and brushstrokes. Those who had seen his paintings or calligraphy could guess the similarities just at a glance.

With the white silk blocking his eyesight, he could only vaguely see the outline of Zong Yuanwu; as for the more subtle expressions, he really couldn’t see them.

Hearing the footsteps, the Fifth Prince with his hands behind his back raised his head, and the moment he saw Zong Luo, he straightened his back and body subconsciously. After finishing this action, Zong Yuanwu reacted and heaved a long sigh of relief in his heart.

“Sir is back.”

Of course, it was clear and obvious. Looking at this face that resembled the Third Imperial Brother’s face, he still felt uncomfortable no matter how he looked at it. Although he had no profound learning in swordsmanship skills, now he was full of expectations of quickly finishing his business here and quietly escaping.

“I happened to come here today because I remembered that Sir had signed up for the Hunting category, and I thought that Sir is still short of a good horse that could match his peerless swordsmanship.”

Zong Yuanwu laughed awkwardly. “As it happens, this Prince has also led soldiers for a period of time before; he could say a few words in the army for you.”

He placed a waist token on the stone table. “If Sir isn’t opposed to it, you can take this waist token to the suburbs of the Capital to pick a horse. You can take the horse directly with you once you’ve chosen one.”

Saying that, Zong Yuanwu seemed to be afraid of Zong Luo’s misunderstanding, so he quickly added, “Mr. Gu must not be polite to this Prince. This Prince just admires Sir’s unparalleled swordsmanship. If Sir is free, this Prince would like to ask Sir to come to this Prince’s mansion for some advice. This Prince will wait for Sir’s gracious presence at any time.”

Zong Luo: “?”

He judged Zong Yuanwu’s words with discrimination and disbelief.

Would Zong Yuanwu really just ignore the painting he put on the table because of his feelings? This guy was still as brainless as he remembered, very straightforward even in courting, and was not afraid of offending Yu Beizhou.

Zong Luo felt deeply helpless.

Among his martial younger brothers, Zong Yuanwu was the closest to him. Back then, Zong Luo had also practiced this guy’s martial arts with his hands and used the same methods of how he brought up his students in his previous life to teach the other.

It was a pity that Zong Yuanwu had no talent, not even a little, in martial arts, and the Ghost Valley’s teachings passed down to him could never be taught to him. He couldn’t teach him anything else. As soon as he hit the battlefield, he would become a soft-footed shrimp. Several times, Zong Luo wanted to sigh with emotion that really, rotten wood could not be carved.

(Translator’s note: Soft-footed shrimp – weak)

(Translator’s note: Rotten wood could not be carved – used as a metaphor for people who cannot be molded or things and situations that are corrupt and incurable)

However, Zong Yuanwu was really passionate about martial arts. It was said that when he was young, he secretly ran away from home with a sword on his back and wanted to go to other schools to learn martial arts. It was so unbelievable that people didn’t know what to say.

Although he had told Gu Ziyuan only yesterday that he could release rumors about his origin, why didn’t Yuanwu hurry up to investigate, and instead only came to him to ask for advice?

Among the three princes, the Fourth brother was deeply scheming, hibernating and forbearing. The Sixth brother was resourceful, was good at being perfunctory, pleasing others, and was very thoughtful in all aspects. Only the Fifth brother, with a single track mind, would do whatever he wanted.

But behind this guy stood Dingbei Military Mansion. Military power, imperial court, aristocratic family, financial resources… he hardly lacked anything. In terms of seizing the Crown Prince position, his strength was naturally a little higher than the Sixth’s; otherwise, the Sixth would not have formed gangs everywhere.

Logically, if Zong Luo were placed in the position of Zong Yuanwu, the Crown Prince position would have already belonged to him a long time ago, and maybe, if he were too daring, he would also directly overthrow his father’s throne. But what was Zong Yuanwu like now? He still argued back and forth with Zong Yongliu.

Supporting such a master, he could only say that he felt sorry for the advisors and patrons in the Fifth Prince’s Mansion for a second.

After sending Zong Yuanwu away, Zong Luo turned his head and sat back at the table under the osmanthus tree, took some tea, and planned to brew a pot to reduce the fire.

As a result, the pot of tea was not even half-drunk yet, and the attendant suddenly announced that a new guest had come.

“Is it a good day today? Why is everyone running towards me?”

Zong Luo shook his head, refusing to be misled by fallacies, changed the table to a more conspicuous position and waited for the person to come.

He still didn’t believe it.

This time, it was the Fourth Prince who came.

Finally, a wise man.

Zong Luo was clear about Zong Chengsi’s cautious and cunning character under his flamboyant style.

The prince, dressed in gorgeous clothes, walked in with a smile on his face. “That day, when I watched Sir’s swordsmanship at the banquet, I was astonished. It’s just that Sir didn’t attend for the next few days. I don’t know why and became worried. This is why I rashly disturbed Sir’s private time. Please don’t blame me.”

As expected, Zong Chengsi was able to maintain his composure when speaking while testing the waters. However, after seeing the painting, his breath stagnated; obviously he saw something.

He first used graceful and gorgeous rhetoric to praise his swordsmanship at the Baijia Banquet that day, and then thoughtfully cared about Zong Luo’s absence in the following days. In fact, the real intention hidden under these words was still a test itself.

Zong Luo had three cards: True Identity, Amnesia, and Blindness.

Facing different people, he would play different cards, but blindness would be his last remaining trump card. Except for Yu Beizhou, who unexpectedly exposed him in a rude manner, even when he would face Emperor Yuan, he had to hold on tight to his last trump card.

“His Royal Highness has been worrying too much. This common man was just ill for the past few days, but now there is no serious problem.”

Faced with these hidden sharp-edged chit-chats, Zong Luo calmly handed over the information and pushed it forward and back as if playing Tai Chi, but he was having fun with a genial smile on the surface.

“I see, so there’s nothing to worry about regarding Sir.”

Zong Chengsi, who had forgotten to sit down, suddenly changed the conversation. “I thought it was because at the banquet that day when the Fifth Prince unintentionally offended Sir, which made Sir unhappy. Here I will first apologize for his ignorance, and also ask Sir to not take it to heart.”

Zong Luo smiled slightly. “Nothing of the sort.”

Look at this positioning; it was not even the same level as the Fifth’s.

“Sir is really generous.”

Sure enough, Zong Chengsi followed this topic and said, “…Maybe this is a bit offensive, but Sir is very similar to an old friend of mine.”

More than just similar. Relying on the fact that Zong Luo was blind, Zong Chengsi scrutinized the person opposite him with unrestrained eyes.

The young man with eyes covered in white silk sat in front of the table, like a pine and bamboo.

He was very thin, and the spotless white robe hung on his body, which made his skin appear pale and fragile. As he got closer, even the scent of sweet-scented osmanthus flowers in the garden was tinged with the acrid smell of medicinal herbs, but it smelled so good that it almost made people want to sink in.

Sitting just like that, there seemed to be a fragile feeling like the full moon in autumn frost. This was a fragility he had never seen in the Third Imperial Brother before his amnesia.

It was the same as putting the sword across the neck in that dream, letting the cold rain slide down the sword’s body, the fluttering soaked robe’s lapels—it really made people captivated.

Zong Chengsi spread out his folding fan, and his usual romantic peach blossom eyes became a little darker.

Before coming to visit, Zong Chengsi had already determined 70% of this person’s identity.

A year ago, he was seriously injured and lost his memory; he was picked up by the Confucianists in the Bo country. His swordsmanship that was unique in the world but did not lose the style of a noble person, had the same voice and temperament—

Even the most cautious person had to admit it.

The elder brother who was buried in the Imperial Mausoleum and was conferred a posthumous title of Crown Prince did not really die.

But when he returned, he was blind and amnesiac, had become a chronic invalid and forgotten everything.