Chapter 49: He Called Him By His Given Name, With Such Intimacy.

“Gu-xiong.” Mu Zhiming smiled and bowed as a salute. “It’s been two years since we parted ways at the border. As I was coming here, I heard that Gu-xiong refused to receive congratulatory gifts from anyone, so I was worried Gu-xiong wouldn’t want anyone to visit him. Fortunately, Gu-xiong was generous enough to let me in.”

Gu Heyan said as indifferent as ever: “Sit down.”

After thanking Gu Heyan, Mu Zhiming sat down. At that moment, Mu Zhiming’s eyes fell on the person he noticed upon reaching the main hall. When his gaze collided with Pei Hantang’s eyes, Mu Zhiming bowed and said with a smile: “Greetings, Lord Pei. I didn’t expect that Lord Pei would be here today, I wonder if I interrupted your meeting.”

“Of course not.” Pei Hantang returned the greeting. “But since Mu-gongzi is looking for Yuyi, I’ll go first. I’ll come back another day.”

After hearing Pei Hantang’s words, Mu Zhiming’s eyes imperceptibly twitched.

‘How can he dare to call Gu Heyan by his given name?’

‘Even the way he said ‘Yuyi’ was so natural and intimate.’

Mu Zhiming turned his head to look at Gu Heyan, only to see him appearing as normal as usual. As if Gu Heyan didn’t care that Pei Hantang called him by his given name. As if they were very close.

“Yuyi, I’m leaving. See me off.” Pei Hantang stood up, straightened his sleeves, and winked at Gu Heyan.

Gu Heyan didn’t understand Pei Hantang’s frown and the wink he threw at him, but since Pei Hantang wanted to leave, Gu Heyan would naturally see him off. Therefore, Gu Heyan stood up and said to Mu Zhiming: “Wait a minute.” Then, he sent Pei Hantang out of the main hall.

When they were alone, Pei Hantang said to Gu Heyan: “I don’t know why the Duke of Yan’s son came here, so I won’t say anything else. Take care, I’ll come see you in a few days.”

“Hm, take care.” Gu Heyan said.

Pei Hantang cupped his fist and waved goodbye. When Pei Hantang reached the entrance to the courtyard, he saw a young man dressed with an indigo bodyguard uniform. With his arms crossed, he was leaning against a parasol tree in the corner of the courtyard, yawning.

Pei Hantang looked at him, but then looked away. As he walked, Pei Hantang couldn’t help but turn his head to look at him again, as if sensing that he knew that young man from somewhere. As Pei Hantang walked out of the Gu Residence thoughtfully, something suddenly occurred to him. He turned back, and hurriedly walked towards that young man…..

—

At that very instant, Mu Zhiming was sitting alone in the main hall, waiting. When Miss Juan brought the pastries over, Mu Zhiming smiled at her and thanked her. But suddenly, he asked in a low voice: “Miss Juan, what is the relationship between General Gu and Lord Pei?”

Miss Juan replied: “My Young Master and Pei-gongzi have been best friends since they were young. They are sworn brothers.”

“Sworn brothers……” Mu Zhiming softly repeated, his eyes full of envy. “To be able to form a sworn brotherhood with General Gu…..”

Miss Juan said: “Mu-gongzi, you already know my Young Master’s temperament. It’s hard for him to express his emotions, so it’s difficult for him to make friends. Fortunately, Pei-gongzi has a big heart, and he never cared about the cold look on the Young Master’s face. Instead, Pei-gongzi is always teasing him and taking him out to play and meet other people. It’s such a fortune that the Young Master met Pei-gongzi, otherwise, the Young Master wouldn’t have had so much fun in his childhood.”

Mu Zhiming quietly listened to Miss Juan, with a smile lighting up his face. However, his heart felt inexplicably uneasy. Mu Zhiming carefully asked: “So, although General Gu always looks cold and indifferent, he actually enjoys playing around?”

“Ah, how old was my Young Master at that time? All children have a playful soul. As for now…” Miss Juan thought carefully. “Now I’m not so sure. But if Mu-gongzi is free to come see my Young Master more often, please do so. My Young Master has been so busy at the border, but now that he has returned to the Capital, he has to rest and has nothing else to do. Ah, he must be feeling really uncomfortable.”

Mu Zhiming nodded gently, as if thinking of something.

Miss Juan left after placing down the pastries, just as Gu Heyan returned to the main hall. Mu Zhiming and Gu Heyan, who hadn’t seen each other for two years, looked into each other’s eyes, feeling like strangers.

”
”
Then, Mu Zhiming’s gaze landed on Gu Heyan’s right arm, which was bent in a resting position: “General Gu, your wound…..”

“It’s fine.” Gu Heyan said. “It will heal in a few days.”

“A few days?” Mu Zhiming said helplessly. “I won’t hide this from the General. I went to the Imperial Physician Department yesterday. The Imperial Physician, who examined your wound, said that you had been poisoned with Gouji poison, and no antidote can be found in the Great Jin. Without an antidote, you must rest for several months to recover.”

Gu Heyan didn’t expect that Mu Zhiming would care so much about his injury. After being stunned, Gu Heyan let out an ‘hmm’ and didn’t mention the injury anymore. Instead he asked: “Why have you come to see me today?”

“Why have I come?” On the contrary, the question confused Mu Zhiming, causing him to repeat it in bewilderment.

Gu Heyan calmly asked: “Are you here on behalf of King Xian…or King Su?”

Mu Zhiming: “…..”

After hearing such a question, Mu Zhiming’s eyes darkened and he was speechless. After remaining silent for a long time, Mu Zhiming looked up at Gu Heyan with a bitter smile on his face: “I never thought that General Gu, who has lived at the border for so long, would have heard about the party disputes in the Capital.”

‘Besides, I never thought that in Gu Heyan’s eyes, I would be the type of person who tends to cling to power.’

“Then, does General Gu think that I came here today because of the Military power that the General possesses in his hands?” Mu Zhiming asked rhetorically.

Gu Heyan frowned.

The reason why Gu Heyan asked that question, was actually to understand why Mu Zhiming wanted to get involved in the murky waters of the rivalry between the parties for the throne. Wasn’t it better to be a rich and carefree Gongzi?

But Mu Zhiming’s answer made Gu Heyan even more confused.

‘If he didn’t come to see me because of King Xian or King Su, then why did Mu Zhiming come today?’

The two men remained silent for a while, each lost in thought. When all of a sudden, a man rushed into the main hall, startling both of them.

Wen Heyin grabbed Mu Zhiming’s arm: “Young Master, this is bad! Let’s go, go, go!! A demon has come!!!”

Pei Hantang came running from outside, laughing: “Little one, who are you calling a demon?”