Emperor Xingwu was still unable to sleep peacefully tonight and had no desire to visit the concubines in the harem. Instead, he summoned Long Xuan, and the father and son sat face to face to play a game of chess. Emperor Xingwu had no idea whether Long Xuan was skilled at chess or not, but he soon discovered that Long Xuan’s chess skills were indeed exceptional. As father and son became engrossed in their game, Zhao Fu hurriedly rushed in and knelt before the chess table.
Emperor Xingwu and Long Xuan didn’t need to ask; they knew that something serious had happened.
“What has happened?” Emperor Xingwu asked.
“Your Majesty,” Zhao Fu, sweating profusely, thinking about what he should say to absolve Luo Wei.
“Is there an urgent report?” Long Xuan, seeing Zhao Fu sweating and hesitating to speak, asked.
“It’s Prince Jin,” Zhao Fu said.
The white piece in Emperor Xingwu’s hand fell onto the chessboard. “What happened to Prince Jin?” he asked.
Zhao Fu said, “Prince Jin went out to relax and was encountered by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
Although Zhao Fu’s words were ambiguous, both Emperor Xingwu and Long Xuan understood. How could Luo Wei, who had been confined in the Changming Hall, go out to relax? Why was the Crown Prince, at this late hour, not sleeping in the East Palace but instead encountering Luo Wei in the palace?
“Where did the Crown Prince encounter Prince Jin?” Emperor Xingwu asked.
Zhao Fu said, “It was in the Xiaoxiang Bamboo Grove.”
Long Xuan asked, “Where is the Xiaoxiang Bamboo Grove?”
Emperor Xingwu’s corner of the eye twitched, and his face turned livid. The Xiaoxiang Bamboo Grove was only separated from the palace by a palace wall. If Luo Wei went there late at night, this child was determined to escape.
Long Xuan glanced at Emperor Xingwu and stopped asking where the Xiaoxiang Bamboo Grove was. Instead, he asked, “Where are the Crown Prince and Prince Jin now?”
Zhao Fu said, “They are outside the hall.”
“Summon them into the hall,” Emperor Xingwu ordered.
“Your Majesty,” Zhao Fu had not yet mentioned Wei Lan’s matter, but how could he phrase it in a way that would help Luo Wei? Wei Lan was a guard from the Senior Chancellor’s mansion; sneaking into the palace at midnight was a serious crime punishable by death!
“Is there anything else?” Emperor Xingwu said.
Zhao Fu couldn’t find the words. He stammered and couldn’t make a coherent sentence.
“Summon them into the hall!” Emperor Xingwu suspected there was more to the matter and seeing Zhao Fu’s dilemma, he said, “Let the Crown Prince and Prince Jin explain to me themselves!”
Zhao Fu withdrew, and soon Long Yu entered the hall.
“Where is Prince Jin?” Emperor Xingwu asked Long Yu.
Long Yu’s expression was grim, tinged with embarrassment.
“You,” Emperor Xingwu couldn’t sit still seeing Long Yu like this. He stood up suddenly and asked, “Did you injure him?”
“Your Majesty,” Luo Wei entered with Wei Lan at this moment.
“Him,” Emperor Xingwu saw Wei Lan and was stunned. He did recognize Wei Lan, but for a moment, he couldn’t understand why Wei Lan was here.
“Your Majesty,” Luo Wei knelt down from a distance and said to Emperor Xingwu, “He is Wei Lan, my attendant.”
“I know him,” Emperor Xingwu looked at Wei Lan behind Luo Wei and said, “But why is Wei Lan here? When did he enter the palace?”
Luo Wei said, “I’m going to Northern Yan, and there are some things that I wanted to discuss with Wei Lan.”
“You,” Emperor Xingwu sat back down slowly. He realized now that Wei Lan sneaked into the palace to take Luo Wei away.
Long Xuan had already stood up when Long Yu entered the hall. He moved away from the chess table and stood below the jade steps. Then he said, “It seems to be Father’s grace to let Wei Lan enter the palace to meet with Sixth Brother.”
Emperor Xingwu remained silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed and said, “Wei’er, I let Wei Lan enter the palace, and you can talk in the Changming Hall. Why go outside to talk? Can’t you stay within the palace?”
“I know my mistake,” Luo Wei knelt down. “Please punish me, Your Majesty.”
“Rise,” Emperor Xingwu said. “Wei Lan, too.”
Luo Wei and Wei Lan stood up together.
“Wei Lan,” Emperor Xingwu called.
“This humble one is here,” Wei Lan just stood up and was about to kneel again.
“Speak while standing,” Emperor Xingwu said.
Wei Lan stood still and listened obediently.
“I see you are loyal,” Emperor Xingwu said to Wei Lan. “You will accompany Prince Jin to Northern Yan and take care of him.”
Before Wei Lan could respond, Luo Wei spoke up, “Your Majesty, this time there’s no need for Wei Lan to accompany me. He doesn’t need to go to Northern Yan.”
“Young Master?” Emperor Xingwu and his two sons in the hall hadn’t spoken yet, but Wei Lan called out first. He couldn’t take Luo Wei away, so he must accompany Luo Wei to Northern Yan. He didn’t expect Luo Wei to refuse his company.
Luo Wei glanced at Wei Lan and shook his head lightly. Seeing that Wei Lan still wanted to speak, he stepped back and held Wei Lan’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.
Before entering the Changming Hall, Luo Wei had instructed Wei Lan not to speak once inside. Everything would be said by him. Wei Lan always remembered Luo Wei’s instructions. After Luo Wei squeezed his hand, Wei Lan remained silent.
Emperor Xingwu asked Luo Wei, “You don’t want Wei Lan to accompany you?”
Luo Wei said, “I don’t want Wei Lan to remain just a guard from the Senior Chancellor’s mansion. My second brother has always wanted Wei Lan to join his army.”
Long Xuan said, “You want Wei Lan to join the army?”
Luo Wei knelt before Emperor Xingwu again and said, “Your Majesty, I want to request permission to let Wei Lan join the army. While at the Senior Chancellor’s mansion, Wei Lan often followed my second brother and received training in my eldest brother’s army during our previous trip to Northern Yan. He is familiar with military affairs, is proficient in martial arts and can read and write. He is a good candidate for military service.”
Luo Wei still referred to Luo Qi and Luo Ze as his brothers, which made Emperor Xingwu uncomfortable. However, he couldn’t bring himself to be angry with Luo Wei. He just asked Luo Wei, “Wei Lan is going to join the army. What about you? Once in Northern Yan, will you not need someone to serve you?”
“My daily needs can be attended to by any servant from the Senior Chancellor’s mansion,” Luo Wei pulled Wei Lan from behind him to stand beside him. He continued holding Wei Lan’s hand and, after glancing at him, said to Emperor Xingwu, “I don’t want to delay Wei Lan’s future any longer. It is time for him to make his own way.”
Emperor Xingwu looked at Luo Wei tightly holding Wei Lan’s hand and asked Wei Lan, “Wei Lan, do you want to join the army or stay with Wei’er?”
Wei Lan and Luo Wei knelt together and said, “This humble servant wishes to stay with the Young Master.”
“Wei Lan!” Luo Wei cried out.
“Young Master,” Wei Lan gently shook the hand held by Luo Wei and said, “How could I feel at ease letting the young master go to Northern Yan alone?”
“No, ” Luo Wei decisively interrupted, “You cannot come with me. You must stay in Great Zhou.”
“Why is that?” Wei Lan asked.
Luo Wei looked at Wei Lan with anxiety in his eyes and said, “Can you listen to me?”
“I…”
“Wei Lan! Just this once, listen to me,” Luo Wei interrupted Wei Lan without hesitation and said, “You going to Northern Yan won’t help me!”
Emperor Xingwu had been thinking for a long time. In his understanding, Luo Wei was not someone who acted out of sentimentality. Wei Lan had always been by Luo Wei’s side. Luo Wei’s firm refusal to let Wei Lan accompany him might indeed have its reasons. Emperor Xingwu asked Luo Wei, “Wei’er, have you thought this through? You want Wei Lan to join the army instead of accompanying you to Northern Yan?”
Luo Wei hurriedly kowtowed to Emperor Xingwu and said, “Your Majesty, I have thought it through. Wei Lan’s abilities are not inferior to Ning Fei’s. If Ning Fei can do it, I believe Wei Lan can too.”
“If you go to Northern Yan without Wei Lan,” Long Xuan, seeing Emperor Xingwu seemingly inclined to follow Luo Wei’s suggestion, became anxious and said to Luo Wei, “If something happens, who will protect you? Do you know martial arts? Can you protect yourself?”
Boundless Dao 
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