"Clouds drift, clouds roam, high in the heavens the clouds go by."
"The people below smile and wave, asking where they might fly..."
Atop the highest level of the watchtower, Ye Zhao leaned against the railing, listening to the singing of a girl drifting up from below. His fair fingers tapped out a slow rhythm to the leisurely tune, looking relaxed and at ease.
Only when the music stopped did he let out a soft sigh after a long silence.
"Yi Mao, are you still there?"
Ye Zhao stared at the bustling crowds below, his gaze unmoving as he suddenly spoke.
A few breaths later, a door to a room behind him opened, and a man stepped out, looking quite somber.
Hearing the footsteps stop beside him, Ye Zhao did not turn around. He simply asked, "Tell me, how long can a person's memory actually hold onto someone?"
"So many people brush past each other every day; so many meet only to fade into oblivion. In this vast sea of people, coming and going, meeting and parting—why must one be so obsessed with a single person?"
Amidst the noisy clamor of the streets, Ye Zhao kept his eyes lowered, watching the various people below. It was impossible to tell if his gaze was vacant or lost in thought.
He didn't need an answer; he just wanted someone to talk to, someone to whom he could vent the confusion and complexity in his heart.
'Yi Mao' was a qualified listener. Ever since Wei Feng had assigned him to Ye Zhao's side, he had paid more and more attention to this man. The stack of reports sent back to Qiongyu Pavilion had already grown quite thick.
However, his assessment of Ye Zhao as a person was complicated...
After a moment's thought, he spoke. "Are you troubled because of the Duke of An?"
It sounded like a statement, yet Ye Zhao still detected a rare hint of doubt within it.
Turning his head, Ye Zhao gave a faint smile. "Don't you follow me around all day and night? Do you even need to ask me that?"
The man fell silent. Ye Zhao couldn't tell why; he guessed the man was simply too lazy to talk to him further.
"Indeed... since ancient times, the poison of love has cut deep; a devoted heart is the hardest to cure," Ye Zhao sighed. "‘Wise men do not enter the sea of love.’ Truly, those are words to live by."
Having said his piece, he turned and strolled away.
He left Yi Mao standing there, frowning in deep thought for a moment before silently following after him.
Consequently, a few days later, when Wei Xiyang saw the report recording this sentence, he immediately cursed, "Bullshit!"
The others who frequently visited the Imperial Forest Guards to check on Ye Zhao’s recent activities were left speechless.
So, what exactly was Ye Zhao hiding that day?
No one knew, and no one breathed a word about the events of that day.
***
"I'm asking you, what did you mean by that sentence the other day!"
It was midsummer, and the sun was blazing. Ye Zhao had one leg hooked over a branch, reclining in a tree by the pond to escape the heat.
The layers of green shade swayed and overlapped. Removing the book covering his face, Ye Zhao opened his somewhat lazy eyes. His gaze drifted down toward the base of the tree, his voice tinged with confusion. "What sentence?"
Wei Xiyang let out a heavy huff, his face flushed—whether from anger or the heat, perhaps both.
He said crossly, "What you said at the watchtower the day before yesterday! Have you forgotten already?! Do you need this old man to remind you?"
Oh, the day before yesterday...
Prompted by the other man, Ye Zhao slowly recalled the events of that day. After serious and repeated reflection, he still couldn't remember which sentence had tripped Wei Xiyang’s landmine.
Thus, he asked quite honestly, "What did I say that day? I didn't say anything bad about you, did I?"
Wei Xiyang choked.
He knew Ye Zhao remembered nothing now, so even if he was angry, he couldn't vent it on him. Yet, at the same time, a slight sense of loss tugged at his heart.
How could he not remember? How could he say such things?
If anyone else had said it, Wei Xiyang wouldn't be this angry. But these words specifically could not come from Ye Zhao’s mouth, because...
He was *him*! He was Tianshu!
It took a good while to suppress the chaotic emotions in his heart. Wei Xiyang looked up, his face stern, and said in a deep voice, "I’m asking you, what do you mean by ‘Wise men do not enter the sea of love’? You learned about the matter between Pei Shian and Tianshu, and this is the conclusion you came to?"
So that was it. Ye Zhao finally understood the purpose of Wei Xiyang’s visit, but... where did this anger come from?
Ye Zhao was a bit bewildered. Could he, an outsider, not express a bit of sentiment? Was Wei Xiyang even angry about *this*?
Ye Zhao: "I said it. Is there a problem?"
*Is there a problem???*
The two men had been on different frequencies from the start; it was truly a case of a chicken talking to a duck. One was working himself into a frustrated tizzy, while the other was completely fogged and confused.
Wei Xiyang sputtered for a long while before suddenly cursing, "He really was blind! To have fallen for a stinking bastard like you!"
*Huh??*
Ye Zhao, suddenly insulted, thought: *What did I do wrong for you to curse at me like that?*
"Wait... wait!" Ye Zhao snapped back to reality and said half-seriously, "Even if you are the Duke of Zhen and a senior, you can't just go around insulting people."
Clenching his fist, Wei Xiyang sneered. "What if I do insult you? If it weren't for the fact that you're currently as weak as a kitten, I'd see you on the drill grounds!"
Having thrown down his harsh words, Wei Xiyang flicked his sleeves and strode away.
Ye Zhao... Ye Zhao watched the man's retreating back for a moment, then irritably slapped the book back over his face, grumbling internally, *He's crazy!*
But as if sensing something, the man who had already walked far away suddenly turned back. Wei Xiyang looked at Ye Zhao in the tree, his expression complex. "Right. If you don't remember anything, then just forget it all in the end. Do not..."
Do not what?
His words halted; nothing followed.
Looking at the motionless figure who seemed to have fallen asleep, a flash of hesitation and restraint crossed his eyes. He pursed his lips and departed once more. This time, he did not return, leaving those final two words to provoke endless speculation.
A long time passed before Ye Zhao took the book off his face. He turned to glance at the empty space where the man had been, frowned slightly, then leaned back against the trunk, staring blankly at the branches above.
He was certain now that the people around him were definitely hiding something from him. From Pei Shian to Wei Xiyang, and the words and deeds of everyone he had contacted recently, Ye Zhao felt a sense of eeriness permeating everything. It was as if... these people had changed their attitude toward him.
Cautious, uncertain, gazes filled with wonder mixed with suspicion and doubt—those were the looks he had seen most often lately.
But why?
In their eyes, what position did he hold? Who did they see him as?
Tianshu?
Ye Zhao let out a scoffing laugh and suddenly whispered, "What a bunch of imaginative people..."
The Imperial Forest Guards and the others dutifully recorded this sentence. It would become one of the ironclad pieces of evidence used to "slap his face" in the future. Though by the time the truth finally came to light, he wouldn't even know how many times he had metaphorically slapped himself swollen...
***
In the ninth month, early autumn, the air of Tianshangjing was filled with a rich, fragrant aroma.
"A-choo!" Ye Zhao walked down the street, rubbing his reddened nose and sniffing, his eyes also slightly bloodshot.
He didn't know how many times he had sneezed since leaving the house today. No matter how he tried to block it with a handkerchief, the thick scent of osmanthus was inescapable. Wisps of fragrance seeped through the gaps in the fabric and tunneled into his nose, constantly provoking him to sneeze.
Seeing Ye Zhao’s miserable state, Jiang Ziqi felt a bit bad and began to regret dragging him out. "How about you go back? You can check on Fengyun Mansion in a few days."
Indeed, the Fengyun Mansion in the capital of Wei had been built and was recently completed. Although it wasn't large in scale, it was exactly as Ye Zhao and the others had originally envisioned. Even though it had just been established, its influence was already enough for one to foresee its grand future.
Usually, at this time of year, Ye Zhao didn't want to leave the house, but he couldn't withstand Jiang Ziqi’s repeated pleas.
Since he was already out, if he went back now, wouldn't all those previous sneezes have been for nothing?
Ye Zhao waved his hand and said in a muffled, nasal voice, "No need. Didn't you say we're almost there?"
"Walk faster."
Seeing that he was serious, Jiang Ziqi didn't stand on ceremony. "Fine. It's just past this street. Just bear with it a bit longer."
Ye Zhao nodded slightly, looking like he didn't want to talk. There was no helping it; his nose was constantly itchy. He was truly afraid that if he opened his mouth, he’d sneeze and spray saliva all over someone's face before he could finish a sentence. That would be far too embarrassing...
Glancing again at Ye Zhao, who looked like he wanted to hide his entire head in his sleeves, Jiang Ziqi couldn't help but wonder, "I remember you weren't like this before."
Ye Zhao gave him a side-eye. "...Can't I have developed this problem this year?"
"Sure." Jiang Ziqi remained silent for a moment before teasing, "Haven't enough strange things happened to you this year? What's so strange about a few sneezes?"
Looking at his smiling face, Ye Zhao felt like the man was watching a comedy show. Covering his nose, he quickened his pace toward the place Jiang Ziqi had mentioned.
Actually, regarding this ailment, it really was related to Ye Zhao’s psychology. Notice how he was fine before he remembered his past life? Now that he had recalled his previous life, that deeply ingrained memory had returned with it.
It happened when he was a child in his previous life.
Once, he was sleeping in the large osmanthus tree in his backyard. Surrounded by the fragrance of flowers and a gentle breeze, it was incredibly pleasant. Suddenly, a small insect flew into his nose. It took a long time to get it out, and he still remembered that agonizing discomfort to this day.
From then on, he didn't much like osmanthus. Later, whenever the scent of osmanthus grew strong, he couldn't stand it, always feeling like his nose was uncomfortable.
"We're here."
After walking for a short while, they arrived at Fengyun Mansion, just as Jiang Ziqi had said.
Fengyun Mansion was built in a small alley, possessing a certain "great hermit in the city" vibe. It was inconspicuous, yet the interior was meticulously and securely renovated. From a distance, one might even mistake it for a private residence.
Ye Zhao toured the place from inside out. Every detail had been attended to, especially the archives where information was stored, which were managed with extreme rigor. Ye Zhao couldn't help but marvel; it seemed Jiang Ziqi really had grown up.
As they were about to part, Jiang Ziqi had other business and couldn't see Ye Zhao off. Standing at the door, he gave Ye Zhao a special warning. "Be careful lately. People from Dongling have arrived."
Hmm?
Ye Zhao didn't react at first, but then he suddenly snapped to attention, startled. "You mean envoys from Dongling are coming?"
At the same time, his mind recalled the series of troubles that had occurred when the Xize envoys arrived.
Hearing Jiang Ziqi’s implication now, he truly felt a headache coming on.
"Not just Dongling." Jiang Ziqi’s face took on a serious cast. "Beiyue has also sent envoys to Tianshangjing."
He lowered his voice. "According to the latest news, they set out about a month ago. The Beiyue envoys will arrive in a few days, but the movements of the Dongling group are quite hidden; it's difficult to gather information on them."
"The leader of that group is a civil official whose name I've never heard. As for who else is coming, it's unclear; the information is being kept very tight. I fear they come with ill intent." Having said this, he patted Ye Zhao’s shoulder.
"Alright, I understand." A flash of helplessness crossed Ye Zhao’s eyes as he slowly turned to leave.
Behind him, Jiang Ziqi wanted to say something more, but he hesitated and remained silent. He had a worry in his heart... Since Xin Muyi of Xize had come, would *that person* from Dongling also come in person?
It was hard to say... Jiang Ziqi felt deeply uncertain.
***
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