Chapter 360 – Homecoming

Luo Wei’s constant thoughts of escape, once noticed by Long Xuan, prompted him to instruct the imperial physician to add sedatives to Luo Wei’s medicine. Additionally, incense for soothing the nerves was continuously burned in the carriage. Luo Wei was already in low spirits, so now, let alone planning to escape, he was feeling groggy all day long and just wanted to sleep.

Seeing Luo Wei sleeping all the time, Long Xuan grew concerned. He repeatedly asked the Imperial Physician if this would harm Luo Wei’s health.

The physician, however, thought it best for Luo Wei to rest more. For someone with a weak heart, less movement was advisable. The physician didn’t aim to perform miracles and cure Luo Wei’s illness; he didn’t have the ability. He simply wished for Luo Wei to safely return to the capital. Once there, the Prince of Jin would no longer need him for medical attention, and he would be free.

Seeing the physician’s assurance, Long Xuan allowed Luo Wei to sleep almost all the way from Xuanzhou City to the capital. When Luo Wei slept, Long Xuan would stay by his side. Only when Luo Wei slept could they be at peace together.

Sometimes, upon waking from his slumber, Luo Wei would find Long Xuan sleeping soundly with his arms around him. At first, Luo Wei would have a fight with Long Xuan, but as they drew closer to the capital and the impending meeting with Wei Lan, Luo Wei grew more anxious. Eventually, for Wei Lan’s sake, Luo Wei reluctantly swallowed his anger towards Long Xuan.

With Luo Wei behaving, Long Xuan was content, and the entire entourage felt they could all breathe a sigh of relief.

After arriving at Yu Prefecture in the vicinity of the capital, Long Xuan went ahead to the capital before Luo Wei.

“You promised me you wouldn’t harm Wei Lan,” seeing Long Xuan about to leave, Luo Wei became nervous. He blocked Long Xuan’s horse and said, “Why are you going ahead?”

“So many people heard it,” Long Xuan gestured to the people around him and Luo Wei, “The emperor’s word is golden. You can rest assured, I won’t harm Wei Lan.”

“Will you let me see him?” Luo Wei asked cautiously.

“Naturally,” Long Xuan replied.

Though skeptical, Luo Wei let Long Xuan go ahead.

“Your Highness,” the Imperial Physician saw Luo Wei yawning while standing and quickly went up to support him, advising, “Why don’t you go back to the carriage and rest for a while? You’ll feel better after some sleep.”

Luo Wei shrugged off the physician’s hand. Did they think he didn’t know they were drugging him?

The physician had no choice but to follow behind Luo Wei.

Fu Yun, who had been left behind by Long Xuan to attend to Luo Wei, dared not approach now. When his master was present, he wouldn’t vent his frustrations on others, giving them an easier time. But now that Long Xuan was gone, who knew how he would torment him again.

Returning to the carriage, as soon as Luo Wei’s head touched the pillow, he fell asleep almost instantly.

Seeing Luo Wei asleep, the physician dared not leave, staying in the carriage to watch over him.

“Let’s go,” Fu Yun waited outside the carriage for a while. Seeing no movement inside, he ordered the soldiers, “We’re hitting the road too.”

Long Xuan arrived in the capital a month ahead of Luo Wei. Long Xuan’s first order of business was to announce to the world that Prince of Jin had not died and was not disloyal to his ancestors. When explaining the situation to the public, Long Xuan shifted all blame onto Sima Qingsha, claiming that the Prince of Jin’s affair was actually a plot instigated by Northern Yan to sow discord within the Great Zhou imperial family.

Unaware of the turmoil he had caused throughout the realm, the “resurrected” Prince of Jin lay in a daze, eagerly awaiting the day he would reunite with Wei Lan. Although he didn’t yet know how to escape, just seeing Wei Lan once to ensure his safety would ease his mind.

“How many days until we reach the capital?” Luo Wei, waking up in the warm bed, asked the physician by his side.

“We’ll arrive in three days,” the physician replied, handing Luo Wei a cup of warm ginseng tea as he woke up.

After drinking some tea, Luo Wei looked out the window. It was early spring again. He tried to remember the season when he last left the capital but found he couldn’t recall.

“Yunqi?” A warm, gentle male voice came from outside the carriage.

Luo Wei was stunned for a moment and said, “Who?”

The person outside chuckled. “Your Highness, it’s Xie Yu, Xie Mingyuan.”

“Mingyuan?” Luo Wei quickly got up, wanting to invite Xie Yu into the carriage. However, seeing himself only in his undershirt with his hair still disheveled, he hurriedly put on his clothes, saying to Xie Yu outside, “Just wait for me a moment.”

“No rush, Your Highness. Take your time,” Xie Yu laughed outside the carriage.

Inside the carriage, the physician hurriedly helped Luo Wei tidy up his appearance and asked, “Does Your Highness want to freshen up?”

Luo Wei finished buttoning his clothes and shook his head, then instructed the physician, “Open the door quickly.”

Seeing the door open and Luo Wei stepping out, Xie Yu stood in front of him. After being helped out of the carriage by the physician, Luo Wei walked up to Xie Yu. Several years had passed, yet Luo Wei still looked like the young man who had left the capital, leaving Xie Yu somewhat incredulous.

“Mingyuan,” Luo Wei grabbed Xie Yu’s hand upon seeing him, asking, “Have you seen Wei Lan? I…”

“Yunqi,” Xie Yu glanced around, then gently shook Luo Wei’s hand, “We can talk in the carriage.”

Luo Wei glanced at Fu Yun standing nearby.

Fu Yun quickly lowered his head.

“Let’s talk in the carriage,” Xie Yu said to Luo Wei. Seeing Fu Yun looking like a frightened bird in front of Luo Wei, he didn’t know whether to worry or be happy.

Luo Wei was pulled into the carriage by Xie Yu. “How is Wei Lan? Have you seen him?” Once inside the carriage, Luo Wei was still anxious to ask about Wei Lan.

“Yunqi,” Xie Yu helplessly said, “Do you only care about Lan? You don’t ask about anyone else from the Luo Residence?”

“I…” Luo Wei’s face flushed. He knew about everyone from the Luo Residence, so why bother asking?

Xie Yu blamed Luo Wei while using his finger dipped in tea water to write on a small tea table, “Lan is fine.”

“How’s my father?” Luo Wei, seeing how Xie Yu was acting, quickly asked about Luo Zhiqiu. Simultaneously, he used his finger dipped in tea water to write on the tea table, “Where is Lan being held?”

“The Lord is well. He’s quite sturdy,” Xie Yu said as he wrote, “The Emperor didn’t detain him. Lan is in the Senior Chancellor’s residence.”

“And my mother?” Luo Wei asked. Seeing Wei Lan was at the Senior Chancellor’s residence, he felt somewhat relieved. At least Wei Lan wouldn’t suffer much there.

“Madame is fine, she just misses you,” Xie Yu said, asking Luo Wei while writing, “How are you?”

Luo Wei wrote down “I’m okay.”

Looking at Luo Wei’s face, which probably looked pale from just waking up, Xie Yu thought he seemed fine. “Your Highness,” he said to Luo Wei, “you’ve given us quite a scare, only to bring us great joy afterward.”

Luo Wei shook his head and wrote, “Can Wei Lan leave the Senior Chancellor’s residence?”

Seeing Luo Wei write Wei Lan’s name, Xie Yu’s face filled with sorrow. How should he tell Luo Wei about Wei Lan’s situation? “Yunqi,” Xie Yu laid his hand on top of Luo Wei’s hand placed on the tea table.

“Hmm?” Luo Wei responded, still writing, “Does Wei Lan know I’m back?”

Xie Yu turned his head, biting his lip. The unbearable look in his eyes became even stronger. However, Luo Wei was still bowing his head and writing, oblivious to this scene.