Chapter 1348: [10Year] Embrace
After hearing little Shadow’s words, Rui’er felt that something was wrong. He asked Shadow and Yan’er to come closer for a discussion.
“The whereabouts that the Grand Tutor reported to the medical division were forged, why?” he asked seriously.
Shadow shook his head. “My father must have a reason for doing things.”
Yan’er rolled her eyes at him. “Obviously.”
Little Shadow had long sensed something amiss, but he figured he’d find out after meeting his parents and didn’t think wild thoughts. Mother had made it clear that he was not allowed to leak the secret. But he bumped into Princess Yan on the day he received the secret letter and was exposed. Without a choice, he could only tell Princess Yan and require her to keep it secret. Princess Yan also sensed something wrong and clamored to tell her parents immediately. In the end, he could only agree to take her out of the palace to Endless Mountain to stop her.
Naturally, there would be a huge team of shadow guards following along if he brought Princess Yan out of the palace. Helpless, Shadow could only find His Highness Crown Prince. He knew that only he would have ideas to avoid the shadow guards.
“Shadow, could something have happened to your parents?” Rui’er asked seriously.
Shadow didn’t answer, but his gentle eyes dimmed.
“Big bro, we can’t hide this from imperial father and mother, right…imperial father can take care of any big matters!” Yan’er worshiped her father naturally from birth.
Rui’er and Shadow looked at her and nodded in agreement.
In the hearts of all children, Long Feiye was a guardian god who could do anything. He protected the nation and every single one of them.
“Let’s go tell imperial father right now!” Yan’er urged.
Rui’er stopped her. “Stinky girl, do you want to get Shadow yelled at? Let’s take a look first. Maybe the Grand Tutor and Aunt Min hid somewhere to rest and there’s nothing wrong at all.”
Rui’er’s words were obviously meant to comfort Shadow. The three children tossed and turned for a long time before falling into a deep sleep. Shadow got up first thing the next morning. He couldn’t bear to wake up His Highness and the princess, so he sat alone at the tent entrance. Unexpectedly, His Highness and the usually sleepy Princess Yan also got up early. The trio began to rush around day and night, arriving at Medical City before the time Rui’er was expected to meet his grandpa. Rui’er searched for a day and night to distract the shadow guards before they sneaked off to Endless Mountain.
By the time Shadow was standing at the gates to the small courtyard and staring at its empty interior and tightly-shut doors, he stopped walking unconsciously.
“Go!” Yan’er tugged at his hand and strode into the compound.
Shadow looked around and murmured, “Your Highness, princess….did we, find the wrong place?”
The courtyard was overgrown with weeds, and it was clear at a glance that no one had cleaned up here for a long time. Mother loved to tidy up the courtyard and lived in places full of blooming flowers that were clean and neat. It wouldn’t end up like this.
The doors to the building had been locked from the outside, so it was obvious no one was here. Meanwhile, the two large stone bath tubs placed by the house had one filled with countless moss and covered in a luxurious growth of vines while the other had been tidied out and left empty and clean. The air was filled with the scent of medicinal herbs. As they came closer to this bathtub, the fragrance grew stronger. Rui’er knelt down to give a sniff before asking, “Shadow, is this used to take medicinal baths?”
Shadow hurried over and sniffed carefully before nodding. “Father must have used it, I remember this smell!”
Since youth, little Shadow had not only learned the Shadow Arts but medicine as well. He was very sensitive to the scents of medicine and he remembered the smell of his father’s frequent medicinal baths.
“Then there’s no mistake. Where are Grand Tutor and the rest?” Yan’er looked around curiously.
As she spoke, Rui’er looked guardedly at the place beyond the gates. Shadow immediately looked over as well, while Yan’er was late to notice and turned to see two figures coming back from a distance.
Those two were naturally Gu Beiyue and Qin Min! Gu Beiyue was the same as always, with clothes as white as snow and a face as gentle as jade. But his face was obviously much, much paler. Qin Min seemed the same as well, but her eyes were haggard from the two years of hard work and helplessness.
“Father, mother dearest!” Shadow happily ran out, too excited to remember using shadow arts as he rushed towards them. Over the past two years, mother would frequently write him letters to tell of the places she and father had gone, what had happened, and ask after his situation.
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Back in Ningzhou, he would always leave a few words for father in his mother’s letters. Over the past two years, father would always leave a few words for him under his mother’s letters. He hid every single letter like a treasure!
He always knew he wasn’t their biological child, so in addition to fondness there was gratitude hidden in his heart towards them.
He loved them too, too much.
Shadow jumped into his mother’s arms and hugged her tightly. After all, he was only a boy around ten, so how independent could he be? After being separated from his parents for so long, he couldn’t help shedding tears no matter how obedient he was. Even someone older would instantly turn into a little kid in front of his or her parents.
Qin Min treated this child as her own and subconsciously forgot he was even adopted. She embraced little Shadow without words, eyes red. Over the past two years, she had worried whether Shadow would be lonely, miss them, or think too much. She wrote him a letter once every ten days, sent to each medical clinic where someone else was sent to deliver into the palace. She went to all this trouble just to maintain companionship with the boy.
Simply speaking, all the letters she received were good, telling of Shadow get along with His Highness and the princess, speaking much of interesting anecdotes. Princess Yan filled up most of the content. Gu Beiyue glanced at the two young masters in the courtyard and couldn’t help frowning. However, he didn’t speak but hugged Shadow lightly as he stroked the boy’s head. “Chen’er, were you tired after rushing all the way here？”
Shadow had just lifted his head from his mother’s embrace, tears still clinging to his face. He blossomed into a warm smile and reached over to hug his father. “Not tired, hehehe！”
Gu Beiyue’s tender gaze intensified as he studied him carefully. “You grew taller.”
“Father can still pick you.” He picked up Shadow and smiled as he personally wiped away the boy’s tears. Shy, Shadow immediately dropped his head in wipe away his own tears in a rush. Smiling soundlessly, Gu Beiyue lightly patted Shadow’s back with his hand.
Father and son didn’t have many words, just like Long Feiye and Rui’er. But a light caress and a hug was enough to supplant all language. Qin Min discovered Rui’er and Yan’er with a start. She was about to ask Shadow when he spoke up himself. “Mother, Princess Yan saw your letter. Only His Highness and Princess Yan know you two are here, the rest don’t know.”
Qin Min glanced at Gu Beiyue, who only shook his head at her silently. But she more or less understood what he meant. After all these years, they had tacit understanding of each other. Did this count as another form of intimacy？
“If they came, then they came,” Gu Beiyue said lightly.
Shadow was still worried and shot a questioning look at his mother. Seeing her smile, he relaxed.
“Shadow, get down！”
Although it was a happy occasion to see Gu Beiyue holding Shadow, Qin Min quickly picked him out of his father’s arms. She couldn’t bear to see Gu Beiyue expend any strength, nor did he…have much strength left to use. After setting Shadow down, she took his left hand. Gu Beiyue smiled and took Shadow’s right. Little Shadow looked up at his father, then at his mother, and laughed out loud in joy. His smiles had always been the gentle type, so it was rare for him to smile until he laughed.
The mountain roads were too dark and the moon was hazy, so he didn’t manage to see his father’s face clearly. Currently, he was thinking that neither of his parents seem to object to His Highness Crown Prince or Princess Yan coming along with him. Moreover, they were perfectly fine, so this shouldn’t be anything serious. Even if it was something serious, with both father and mother here it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Just like that, Shadow walked hand-in-hand with his parents slowly into the courtyard along the mountain path. Rui’er and Yan’er stood watching them from the entrance.
“Big brother, you’re too much of a worrywart. Grand Tutor and Aunt Min are fine！” Yan’er said with a grin.
Rui’er didn’t speak, but secretly exhaled. He had been fretting the entire way. He was about to head over when Yan’er held him back, ordering him under her breath, “Stay put！ Big brother Shadow finally managed to get together with his mother and father. Why are you getting involved？ Let’s ask Aunt Min for a meal and then leave.”
Rui’er looked at her suspiciously. “You were the one who obviously insisted on getting involved, all right？ Would I come if you didn’t？”
Yan’er turned away with a serious tone. “I’m just worried for big brother Shadow. Now he’s fine. How about you leave first？”
Rui’er forced a smile. “Dream on！”
If he left first, this girl definitely wouldn’t go back. Although Rui’er disliked girls who talked too much, he couldn’t help speaking more than usual when it came to getting involved with his own talkative little sister. The siblings were still fighting when Gu Beiyue and the others came in.
“Your Highness, Princess Yan.” Gu Beiyue was about to bow when Rui’er and Yan’er pounced over at the same time.
“Grand Tutor, Rui’er missed you！”
“Grand Tutor, Yan’er missed you！”
Rui’er was faster and pounced on Gu Beiyue first, hugging him tightly so that Yan’er, who was two steps behind, didn’t brake in time and crashed into his back. She didn’t even have time to pull back her hands and ended up hugging her brother instead.
Rui’er turned to look at her. “Imperial sister, what are you doing？”
Yan’er was angry enough to bite him, but she didn’t. She quickly released her hands and circled behind the Grand Tutor to hug his thigh. Qin Min and Shadow were tickled by the sight while Gu Beiyue couldn’t help laughing out loud.
“Grand Tutor, why did you let big brother Shadow come find you here?”
“Grand Tutor, why did you and Aunt Min end up living here? Weren’t you guys in the south?”
“Grand Tutor, why did Aunt Min told big brother Shadow not to let anyone else know your whereabouts?”
“Grand Tutor, do you and Aunt Min…hehe, have some unspeakable secret? Tell me, I promise I won’t spill! I swear on my imperial father’s name!”
Yan’er started asking nonstop questions until Rui’er couldn’t help snarking, “Would they tell you an unspeakable secret?”
Yan’er recovered her wits and huffed, wanting to kick him. But her questions were Shadow’s own curious thoughts as well. He looked up at his mother with a questioning look.
“All right, all right. It’s the middle of the night, go inside first,” Gu Beiyue remarked.