As Jin Shu settled into an empty chair, Sun Ming's gaze shifted, landing on Li Xue, who had been partially obscured behind him. A glint of curiosity lit the Crown Prince's eyes as his lips curled into a polite smile. “And who is this lovely young lady? Your companion, Little Brother Shu?” Sun Ming's tone was warm, but Jin Shu noticed the subtle shift in how he addressed him.
Jin Shu's eyes narrowed as he caught a faint, lustful gleam in his elder cousin's gaze. The sight grated on him, and he imdiately regretted bringing Li Xue along. He decided to dispel any dangerous assumptions before they could take root. “Yes, she's coming back to Black Mountain City with .” His tone was firm.
Jin Shu was acutely aware of the political tensions surrounding Li Xue’s adopted father, a known adversary of Sun Ming’s faction. If Sun Ming learned her identity, Jin Shu had no doubt his cousin would try sothing underhanded, and he couldn’t allow that to happen.
“What? I-I am?” Li Xue gasped, her wide eyes locking onto him, her cheeks blooming with color.
“Yes. Now sit down,” Jin Shu said, cutting off any protests.
Li Xue obeyed, her expression brightening as she slid into the seat beside him. Her chair scraped slightly as she scooted closer, looping her arms around his. Jin Shu felt his temple throb, but he said nothing, unwilling to create a scene.
Yin’er, however, had no such reservations. She puffed up and hissed sharply. “Don’t touch! Daddy is mine.”
Sun Ming chuckled, his smile widening as he watched the exchange. “You have such fascinating companions, Little Brother Shu.”
Jin Shu sighed, grabbing a cup of tea and downing it in one swift motion. “I’d prefer them a little less fascinating.” He set the cup down and fixed his gaze on Sun Ming. “What did you call here for, Elder Brother Ming?” he asked, his tone direct.
Sun Ming’s polite mask faltered slightly at Jin Shu’s bluntness. “Straight to the point, as always,” he murmured. “Very well. I’ll get to it—I want your endorsent for the throne.”
Jin Shu raised a brow. “Aren’t you first in line? What difference would my endorsent make?”
“The third and fifth princes have been making their moves, closing the gap. Your endorsent, however, would carry significant weight—especially with your mother’s influence. My father places great value on her opinion.”
Jin Shu leaned back, thoughtful. His mind wandered to the third and fifth princes. The third, two years his senior, was a despicable little tyrant who’d once beaten a servant to death at the age of seven simply because he found it amusing. At five years old, Jin Shu had retaliated by giving him a beating of his own. Rather than punish Jin Shu, the Emperor had forced his third son to apologize, centing the younger prince's hatred—and fear—of him.
As for the fifth prince, Jin Shu’s mories were hazier. They had gotten along well enough as children, but sothing about him tugged at the edge of his thoughts. A faint, inexplicable shiver ran down Jin Shu’s spine as if he were forgetting sothing important.
“Hmm… let’s leave the endorsent talk for another ti. I have urgent business with Uncle, so if you’ll excuse us, we need to leave.” Jin Shu’s tone was final. He had no intention of getting entangled in their political gas.
Without waiting for a response, Jin Shu stood and turned on his heel, leaving the private room with deliberate strides. Sun Ming’s brow twitched as he watched his cousin exit. “Er Lu!” he barked monts after the door shut.
From the shadows of a nearby pillar, a eunuch erged, bowing low. Jin Shu would have recognized him as the sa one from the previous night. “Your orders, Your Highness?”
“Follow him. Find out why he’s eting my father—and investigate the woman with him,” Sun Ming ordered coldly, his voice like steel. The teacup in his hand shattered into powder under his tightening grip.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Er Lu bowed once more before disappearing through the door.
***
Outside the restaurant, Li Xue was still clinging to Jin Shu’s arm.
“Let go,” he said, shaking her off with a sigh.
Li Xue pouted, her eyes sparkling with feigned innocence. “But… aren’t we lovers now?”
“No,” Jin Shu replied sharply. “I only said that to throw off Sun Ming’s sches. Now that he’s seen you, he’ll undoubtedly investigate your background. Once he learns you’re connected to Shen Gong, he’ll target you to get back at him.” His tone was serious, his sharp gaze locking onto hers to emphasize his point.
Li Xue tilted her head in confusion. “Why would the prince co after ?”
Jin Shu exhaled, a mix of irritation and disbelief flashing across his face. “Are you really that naive? Didn’t you notice the way he was looking at you? His lustful gaze was impossible to miss.”
Li Xue blushed deeply, her eyes darting downward as she fidgeted with the jewels on her dress. “No… I wasn’t looking at him. I was only looking at you,” she admitted softly.
Jin Shu rubbed his temple with a wry shake of his head. “Regardless, you’ll co back to Black Mountain City with when I leave. Sun Ming won’t dare make a move against you there—not unless he wants to risk angering . And for now, he still needs .”
Li Xue hesitated, her voice dropping as she asked, “So… you don’t like ?”
Jin Shu groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Ugh, just follow ho, all right?”
She blinked up at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “Okay…” she whispered, nodding reluctantly.
“Anyway, head ho and get ready to leave,” Jin Shu said, waving Li Xue off dismissively.
“Won’t the prince try sothing while you’re not with ?” she asked, her voice trembling at the thought.
“He won’t—for now,” Jin Shu replied. “His priority is . But once I’m gone, he’ll likely turn his attention to you.”
Li Xue’s face paled. “Won’t he worry about offending my adopted father?”
Jin Shu shook his head. “He’s the Crown Prince, and Shen Gong is a disgraced ex-general. Do you really think he’d have any qualms about targeting you?”
Her shoulders trembled, but she remained silent.
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen before we leave. Just go and get ready.” His tone softened slightly.
Li Xue nodded and hurried off, her unease still evident.
***
Jin Shu soon arrived at the royal palace, its grand gates towering imposingly before him. He approached the guards and flashed his seal. This ti, they stepped aside without question, granting him passage.
On the other side of the gates, a eunuch stood waiting for him. “Greetings, Golden Prince. Let escort you to the waiting room.”
“Hm? Does Uncle already know I’m here?”
“The Emperor was inford of your arrival early this morning, Your Highness. However, pressing matters required his attention. Otherwise, he would have summoned you directly.”
“Hm, very well. Lead the way,” Jin Shu said, gesturing forward.
“Certainly, Your Highness.” The eunuch promptly turned and led him through the palace’s grand halls.
As they passed, servants bowed low before Jin Shu. He suspected this was an order rather than recognition—few of them would know him on sight, if any at all.
Soon, he was seated in a luxurious waiting room adorned with carvings of phoenixes and dragons fashioned from gold and jadeite, a testant to the imperial family’s wealth and authority.
Yin’er perched on the table, happily nibbling at the pastries prepared for Jin Shu. The nearby servants exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unsettled by the animal’s presence on palace furniture. However, they dared not speak up; this was the Golden Prince’s pet, and Jin Shu held more favor with the Emperor than most of his own sons.
Ti ticked by, each minute stretching into an hour before the grand doors finally creaked open. Emperor Sun Quan entered, his regal presence filling the room, flanked by a retinue of servants.
“Nephew! It is good to see you well!” the Emperor exclaid warmly as he strode toward Jin Shu.
Rising to greet him, Jin Shu noticed a familiar figure among the servants—the eunuch from the previous night. He instantly knew who had sent the man but dismissed the thought. Sun Ming’s political sches were of little concern to him.
“Greetings, Imperial Uncle,” Jin Shu replied politely.
“Oh, posh! Dispense with the formalities. You know you’re exempt from them, my dear nephew,” the Emperor said, waving his hand dismissively before taking a seat opposite Jin Shu.
“Now, tell —what brings you here, Nephew?”
Jin Shu sat back down, eting the Emperor’s gaze. “A friend of mine has fallen into a coma. I need the help of a Divine Physician to wake her. I hoped you might assist in finding one.”
The Emperor’s brows rose, a smile tugging at his lips. “Well, aren’t you in luck? We’ve recently enlisted a Divine Physician as the palace’s head physician. While they’re still an apprentice, they should be more than capable of assisting your friend—provided their cultivation level is below the Core Realm.”
“That’s perfect, Uncle. Thank you,” Jin Shu said, bowing his head slightly in gratitude.
The Emperor leaned back in his chair, his expression softening into one of familial concern. “Nephew, while I am more than happy to assist you, I must ask—how is your mother, my dear sister? It has been too long since I’ve seen her.”
Jin Shu’s fingers tightened slightly around the teacup in his hand. His mother’s absence weighed heavily on him, but he couldn’t risk telling the Emperor the truth. If he did, his uncle would mobilize the imperial army in a heartbeat, causing chaos and drawing unnecessary attention to her disappearance.
“She is well,” Jin Shu said carefully, keeping his tone neutral. “She has been dedicating herself to cultivation within the Immortal Phoenix Sect. You know how devoted she is to her path.”
The Emperor sighed, but a skeptical look flickered across his face. “Ah, that doesn’t quite sound like her. She was never one to sit still for too long.”
Jin Shu hesitated, then cast a deliberate glance at the servants surrounding them.
The Emperor noticed his subtle glances and waved the servants away, leaving only an ancient-looking eunuch by his side. His tone hardened as he leaned forward. “Tell the truth.”
“It’s nothing serious,” Jin Shu said after a pause, lowering his voice. “She’s just upset about the sect master position being taken from her. She’s throwing herself into cultivation to surpass her Senior Sister.”
While it was partly true, Jin Shu knew his mother cared deeply for her Senior Sister. The rivalry others saw was little more than a convenient façade. Still, it was a believable explanation, one the Emperor wouldn’t question too deeply.
The Emperor studied him intently, then exhaled, his suspicion easing. “Still, she could spare so ti to visit her old brother. Tell her I’d like to see her the next ti you speak.”
“I will let her know,” Jin Shu promised, guilt tightening in his chest.
The Emperor’s gaze lingered for a mont longer before he nodded. “Very well, Nephew. I’ll summon the Divine Physician for you shortly. Be sure to convey my regards to your mother when you return to Black Mountain City.”
“Of course, Uncle.” Jin Shu rose to his feet, bowing slightly. “Thank you for your help.”
As he left the waiting room, Jin Shu’s thoughts grew heavy. Mother, where are you? He tightened his grip on the earring hidden in his pocket. If the Emperor ever discovered the truth, the chaos that would follow could shake the empire. For now, he would handle this burden alone—no matter the cost.
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