Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 149
Mupi thought he had the upper hand, but he didn’t expect that Prince Zhenbei would expose his identity with just one sentence…
Unfazed after being recognized, Mupi calmly nodded and said, “Your Highness has sharp eyes. Mupi is indeed just an alias I use in Goryeo. My real name is Chu Ling, and the Duke is already aware of the situation of the Chu Clan. I hope Your Highness won’t hold it against me.”
“I don’t care what your real name is,” Jun Xuanxiao scoffed, “I just don’t like people playing tricks in front of me.”
In the past, if Jun Xuanxiao had recognized someone from the Chu clan, he would have immediately arrested them. But ever since he almost lost Shen Yu, his interest in the Chu royal tomb had diminished, even becoming a taboo in his heart. The bloodied, mutilated fingers inside the jade box were an image he couldn’t shake.
Chu Ling quickly agreed and with a smile, said, “I hope Your Highness will consider the suggestion I presented.”
“Consider?” Prince Zhenbei tapped his fingers on the armrest of the throne and said, “You should be thankful I haven’t dragged you out and beheaded you, all because of your surname, Chu.”
Chu Ling, undeterred, replied, “Your Highness wouldn’t do that. Though rumors say you are violent and impulsive, from what I’ve learned, you are meticulous beneath that rough exterior—not just a brute who swings his blade.”
Jun Xuanxiao chuckled softly. Under normal circumstances, he would have killed Chu Ling by now. But the fact that he bore the surname Chu made him hesitate… Jun Xuanxiao began to consider Shen Yu’s feelings. Other than himself, Shen Yu had no one else in the world, no blood relatives, no one at all. Like a rootless water lily, he seemed to float alone, isolated from the world.
“Dajing is now beset by enemies on all sides, and there’s also Emperor Ye operating in the shadows. Your Highness is dealing with both internal and external threats. Right now, for the cost of just a little money, you could eliminate one of your enemies. This would make it much easier to handle the other issues. No matter how you look at it, this deal benefits Your Highness.”
Chu Ling spoke with a gentle and refined tone, laying out his argument clearly and sincerely. It was easy for most people to be swayed by such a persuasive demeanor.
Prince Zhenbei cast a sidelong glance and said, “Your Chu clan is down to just a handful of people, and yet you’re still thinking of gathering resources to restore the Great Chu?”
“That’s not it,” Chu Ling replied. “The Chu clan is gravely weakened, as Your Highness pointed out. The number of legitimate royal heirs can be counted on one hand, and it’s unlikely that we could revive our dynasty within the next century. Your Highness can rest easy on that. However, the Chu people have their pride. Even in our most destitute state, we cannot just survive in humiliation. Just feeding and housing the hundreds of servants we have each year is a significant expense, so we must step out and earn some silver to make ends meet.”
Jun Xuanxiao remained silent, considering how much of Chu Ling’s words were believable…
Chu Ling, thinking he had piqued the Duke’s interest, continued, “I have some influence with the King of Goryeo. If Your Highness agrees, I can even convince the King of Goryeo to turn against the Xiongnu and ally with Your Highness. That way, the Xiongnu would be left without supplies, weakening them, and Your Highness would gain another ally…”
“Are you finished?” Jun Xuanxiao interrupted him. “If your only purpose in coming to the capital was for this, I fear there will soon be one less Chu person in this world.”
Chu Ling paused, then sighed lightly, still maintaining his polite demeanor as he said, “Your Highness, the truth is, my clan elders sent me here this time to meet the Chu clansman by Your Highness’s side.”
Jun Xuanxiao frowned in displeasure, his sharp eyebrows furrowing, giving him an even more imposing and authoritative air.
“Don’t misunderstand, Your Highness. The elders are merely concerned. You know that there are few of us Chu clan members left. Each one of us is of great importance to the clan. If it weren’t for our efforts to gather and hide our people over the years, the Chu clan would have long since become a mere footnote in history.”
“Oh? It seems your clan has been keeping a close eye on the situation in Dajing,” Jun Xuanxiao sneered.
Chu Ling replied humbly, “Not at all. The Jun Mountain Tomb is the ancestral burial ground of my Chu people. When Emperor Ye recently discovered it, we began investigating in secret. We have no intention of prying into Your Highness’s private affairs.”
“If he truly is a descendant of your Chu clan, what then? Will you take him away?”
Chu Ling quickly waved his hand. “We wouldn’t dare touch anyone belonging to Your Highness. In truth, our investigation has confirmed that he is a legitimate heir of the Chu royal family, and is even a distant cousin of mine, just five degrees of separation away. Therefore, instead of being enemies, our Chu clan and Your Highness could strengthen our ties.”
“Yu’er is not some legitimate heir of the Great Chu royal family, nor is he a link between me and the Chu clan. Don’t think you can use him to establish ties with me,” Jun Xuanxiao said firmly. To him, Shen Yu was a forbidden treasure, and that was reason enough.
On the carriage ride back to the villa, Jun Xuanxiao was still pondering whether to let Yu’er meet his clan relatives…
The identity of “Chu” had already caused Shen Yu enough harm. Jun Xuanxiao didn’t want him to have any further involvement with the Chu clan. However, Jun Xuanxiao now found himself thinking from Shen Yu’s perspective, considering his feelings. Would Yu’er be happy if he knew that he still had family in this world?
If it would make him happy, Jun Xuanxiao was willing to set aside his own will.
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**Author’s note:** The previous chapter was slightly edited. Refresh or skip, as it doesn’t affect much. It’s just that Yu’er hasn’t fully accepted Jun Xuanxiao yet but is no longer as afraid of him. The pursuit is still ongoing; the Duke still has work to do…
