Chapter 237: Past Like Smoke

The past is like smoke.

It was already the late afternoon, the sun setting. The gradually sinking warm sun stretched the newcomer's silhouette long, and against the light, his features were hard to discern. After a while, when the newcomer slowly walked to the dragon couch where Emperor Shun Cheng was reclining, the emperor finally saw his face and was taken aback.

"…You?!"

Prince Xiang now still looks like the old eunuch in charge of cleaning the palace forbidden area. Dressed in a worn eunuch's robe, his expression is indifferent. So, looking at him now, Emperor Shun Cheng, after a brief daze, immediately frowned, then turned his gaze to Nie Jinxuan.

"An Guo, what's happening? Why did you bring a servant to me?"

Emperor Shun Cheng was puzzled. Yet upon hearing that, Nie Jinxuan felt complicated in her heart. Especially when she heard the emperor address the other as "servant," a sour feeling rose.

So for a moment, Nie Jinxuan was at a loss for words. She thought of telling Emperor Shun Cheng the truth directly, but the words stuck in her throat. Then, after signaling with her eyes to the talented Gao Caiyong to dismiss all the palace staff from the room, Nie Jinxuan thought briefly, then whispered.

"Your Majesty, please listen to him!"

Nie Jinxuan handed the words to Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo. But upon hearing this, Emperor Shun Cheng grew more puzzled. He again turned his gaze to the Prince Xiang dressed as a eunuch.

At this moment, Emperor Shun Cheng's face already showed a hint of displeasure. Just as he was about to question the person standing before him, the silent Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo suddenly smiled slightly, then spoke softly.

"Your Majesty, you're being pedantic again; you should take good care of your health!"

Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo's voice was gentle and easygoing, and the mask‑covered, wrinkled face bore a comforting smile and calmness. At this, Emperor Shun Cheng was first stunned, but in an instant his eyes widened sharply.

……

Once, when Emperor Shun Cheng was a child, he was not a likable kid! Because he always kept silent, sitting gloomily aside, while other princes played and competed, he alone hid quietly. Thus the former emperor did not favor him!

Emperor Shun Cheng was also an awkward child; the less the former emperor liked him, the more silent he became, and other princes, seeing his lack of favor, outwardly said nothing but privately often bullied him! Though he was taciturn, he was also stubborn and refused to yield, so he often fought them. Yet two fists could not match four hands, and each time he was left bruised.

Therefore, at such times, the second prince, a year older and the most favored among the princes, would step in to protect him, driving away those who bullied him, then come to comfort him.

And each time, the second prince would gently pat his head, wipe the dust from his face, and softly say.

"Third prince brother, you're being pedantic again; let them speak, it's their business, aren't you still yourself? Why argue with them? After all, the body is yours, you must take good care of it!"

……

The memory of that day still rings in his ears, the past vivid before his eyes. So now, hearing almost the same words again, Emperor Shun Cheng was startled, and after a long while he could no longer help but point at the old eunuch who had bowed before him for over twenty years; his whole body trembled violently.

"You… you… you are… cough…"

At this moment, Emperor Shun Cheng seemed to be caught in raging waves, then kept coughing. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan hurried forward, steadied him, and patted his back, trying to calm him.

But after only a few pats, Emperor Shun Cheng pushed her away, then stared straight at the person before him, his sunken eyes suddenly bloodshot from excitement.

"You… you are…"

At this moment, seeing Emperor Shun Cheng's agitation, Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo, still standing, let out a sigh, then lifted his hand to his face, slowly removing the human‑skin mask he had worn for over twenty years.

Immediately, the entire inner palace fell silent. Emperor Shun Cheng stared blankly at the man before him, speechless as if struck by a pressure point, while Nie Jinxuan turned curious, but upon seeing the Prince, she was stunned.

It turned out that the Prince before him had handsome features, white skin, a kind wrinkle at the corner of his eye, yet showed no sign of age. Even though he was already over forty, one could still see his youthful brilliance.

But at this moment, especially noted by Nie Jinxuan, the gentle, benevolent aura between the Prince's brows seemed like something in his eyes, light and carefree, like a bodhisattva spreading peace, exuding a comforting aura.

Nie Jinxuan couldn't help silently praising. Meanwhile, Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo gave a slight smile, then continued his gentle voice to Emperor Shun Cheng.

"It is I, the Third Emperor."

That utterance of "Third Emperor" seemed to pull memories back to those years. After a violent shiver, Emperor Shun Cheng gradually calmed, then looked closely at Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo, and finally spoke.

"You also deceived me!"

……

Just four simple words. Yet at hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was taken aback, then turned to Emperor Shun Cheng.

Originally, in Emperor Shun Cheng's mind, he had already known that Noble Consort Ning's death was not an accident, and had even acknowledged that Yin Fengzhan was his biological son… otherwise, how could he say that "also"?

And precisely because of this, in the previous series of events, Emperor Shun Cheng had been especially tolerant of Yin Fengzhan, because he was the son of him and his beloved woman!

Thinking this, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help sighing in relief. At this moment, hearing Emperor Shun Cheng say so, Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo's face showed a faint, slightly bitter smile.

"Indeed, I also deceived His Majesty… perhaps that's just my caprice!"

Saying that, Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo walked over to a side seat and sat down. Seeing this, Nie Jinxuan slightly pursed her lips, then stood up, walked over to the ever‑silent Yin Fengzhan, and whispered.

"Let's go out first."

"Hmm."

He answered automatically, then Yin Fengzhan turned his head to look at Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo and Emperor Shun Cheng, and then left together with Nie Jinxuan.

……

Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo and Emperor Shun Cheng are blood brothers; after so many years of reunion, they naturally have things to say. So Nie Jinxuan politely left first. But upon exiting Emperor Shun Cheng's inner palace, Nie Jinxuan stopped, then pulled Yin Fengzhan to sit on the steps at the palace doorway.

"Yin Fengzhan, what do you think Prince Xiang and His Majesty will say?"

"I don't know."

Yin Fengzhan answered briskly, then also sat down beside Nie Jinxuan. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan smiled faintly, then said.

"Indeed, it's hard to guess… but I hope His Majesty can untie the knot in his heart after all these years!"

Nie Jinxuan kept talking, then turned to Yin Fengzhan. At this moment, Yin Fengzhan said nothing, only his deep eyes quietly gazed at the western sinking sunset and the crimson clouds coloring half the sky…

Then, after an unknown amount of time, he finally gave a slight nod.

"Hmm."

……

Thus, Nie Jinxuan and Yin Fengzhan sat quietly on the steps, waiting, and this waiting lasted until midnight.

Meanwhile, Nie Jinxuan heard from the inner palace behind her shouts, quarrels, and painful cries, which eventually all turned into silence…

Later, after an unknown span, long enough that Nie Jinxuan felt sleepy and leaned on Yin Fengzhan's side, a door creaked, and Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo stepped out.

At once, the slightly drowsy Nie Jinxuan, who had just closed her eyes, was startled, then quickly rose to stand beside the Prince.

"Your Highness…"

Nie Jinxuan whispered, and as she spoke, she glanced at the inner palace behind the Prince. Seeing her like that, Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo burst into laughter.

"Rest assured, His Majesty is fine."

Prince Xiang's tone was gentle; hearing this, Nie Jinxuan let out a slight sigh, then returned her gaze to Prince Xiang Yin Yanduo.

"Actually, Your Highness, An Guo has several things that I can't figure out..."

"Hehe~, you little girl, are you asking why I, the Prince, pretended to die and then hid in this palace?"

It seemed as if he could see through Nie Jinxuan, Prince Xiang spoke softly; but upon reaching this point, he turned his head to look at Nie Jinxuan and gave a gentle smile.

"Actually it's simple. Regarding the events of those years, although I, the Prince, don't know everything, I at least understand Wan'er's feelings; but back then Wan'er and the Emperor had a deep misunderstanding, and both Wan'er and the Emperor are stubborn, and afterwards Wan'er even died unjustly for no reason… So think about it, if at that time I, the Prince, had spoken up for Wan'er, what would have happened?"

"What would happen? Naturally…… the Emperor would fly into a rage, and even if he didn't kill Prince Xiang to vent his anger, he would find an excuse to deal with him, and the most likely outcome would be to exile him! Would Prince Xiang hide out of fear of trouble and death? Nie Jinxuan doesn't think so; then there is only one possibility……"

So upon thinking this through, Nie Jinxuan suddenly had an epiphany.

"So you mean, Your Highness, you are advancing by retreating, then hiding your identity just to wait for the right moment to explain the truth to the Emperor?! But Your Highness, you have waited this way for over twenty years, how could you……"

Suddenly, Nie Jinxuan understood why Consort Zhang had been so certain in saying that Prince Xiang would never do something vile! It turned out he was actually……

For a moment, Nie Jinxuan's heart filled with emotion and inexpressible admiration. But at this time, compared to Nie Jinxuan's slight agitation, Yin Yanzhuo merely gave a calm smile.

"What's twenty years? As long as I can untangle the Emperor's knot, let the Emperor and Wan'er no longer misunderstand each other, even thirty years, forty years, I, the Prince, can endure!"

Uploaded at the third watch! Any more afterwards? Any more…… hehe……