Back at Li Qinglin's prince's residence—though it wasn't really a prince's residence since Li Qinglin didn't have a title, it was just a prince's home. Qin Yi didn’t understand why Li Qingjun had a title while Li Qinglin did not.
Of course, this place would soon become the crown prince's residence, so whether or not it had a title was no longer important. Qin Yi stood at the entrance, took out Li Qinglin's token, and was about to have someone announce him when he saw the main gate wide open, and Li Qingjun standing there.
"Why are you back?" Qin Yi was surprised. The crown prince had died, which was a big deal, and he had just entered the palace not long ago.
"My father and brother are in a meeting, so I thought I’d come out to see you instead of just sitting there," Li Qingjun said with a blank expression. "I was worried you wouldn’t be comfortable here, but it turns out you didn’t even enter the residence."
"I went out for a stroll and bought some things."
Li Qingjun’s gaze fell on his backpack.
The stuffed backpack had the handle of a wolf-tooth club sticking out, which looked quite out of place. Now it had an unknown wooden handle added, making it look even more like a country bumpkin entering the city. Li Qingjun said with irritation, "If you need something, just tell the steward to buy it. They will do their best to satisfy you. Why wander around yourself?"
"Is it really that good?"
"Of course." Li Qingjun turned and led him inside. "You are a guest personally invited by my brother. Who would dare to neglect you?"
Immediately, some stewards in the residence nodded and bowed, "Princess, Mr. Qin's accommodations are ready."
Li Qingjun replied calmly, "Show the way."
Qin Yi found Li Qingjun's demeanor quite amusing.
Previously, she was a reckless and brave heroine in the martial world, but now that she was back in the capital and at the prince's residence, she seemed like a graceful and composed princess.
Qin Yi believed that the Li Qingjun in the martial world was her true self, but he wondered if the Li Qingjun in the capital was just putting on a show or if it was another side of her character.
The steward prepared a separate courtyard for Qin Yi, which resembled his own small courtyard but was much more luxurious, with beautiful carvings and paintings. Instead of herbs, the courtyard was filled with fragrant flowers and green grass, elegant and beautiful.
The steward bowed and said, "Your Highness has already sent someone to report back, saying that Mr. Qin enjoys peace and elegance, so this arrangement was made. If you are not satisfied, we can change to another room."
Qin Yi shook his head, "This is great. Just make sure there’s a sunny open area; sometimes I have some uses for it."
The steward immediately turned and instructed, "Level the grassland behind..."
Servants were about to get to work when Qin Yi quickly said, "Wait, wait, there’s no need."
The servants immediately stopped, obeying the command. It seemed that Li Qinglin's military-style management was now being applied at home?
Qin Yi looked at Li Qingjun with a bit of a headache. Li Qingjun remained expressionless and silent. He helplessly said, "Let’s leave it as it is; I need to talk to the princess."
The steward wisely led the others away. Li Qingjun stood quietly for a while, glancing at the servants as they walked away. Soon, she dropped her noble demeanor and sat down on the grass, saying, "I'm really tired."
Qin Yi chuckled and sat down beside her, asking, "You fought against monsters and bled, and I didn’t see you complain about being tired. You’ve only been back for a short time..."
Li Qingjun was silent for a moment and sighed, "If you had died, big brother, I would probably be just as tired."
As she spoke, her eyes turned red, clearly holding back her sadness until now.
"Um..." Qin Yi felt sorry. "I'm sorry."
This girl had been wronged by him before, shedding tears yet maintaining a tough demeanor. This was the first time Qin Yi saw her show a vulnerable side. It was clear that no matter how brave she appeared, she still had a soft spot in her heart, like for family.
She had a very good relationship with Li Qinglin, and it was evident that her relationship with the crown prince, whom Qin Yi had never met, was also quite good. He believed that a sister like her would hardly have conflicts with any brother; she was likely the type everyone cherished.
"It's nothing." Li Qingjun sniffed and her expression turned fierce. "It must be the barbarians from the West who did this; they want to cause trouble!"
Qin Yi didn’t know how to respond. Li Qingjun didn’t expect him to solve the case; she just needed someone to talk to. She continued, "One day, I will sweep away the West and avenge my brother!"
Qin Yi nodded, agreeing, "With Brother Qinglin’s planning, that day will come."
"Yes." Li Qingjun trusted Li Qinglin completely. "It will definitely happen."
After saying this, there was a bit of an awkward silence. Qin Yi didn’t know what to say to comfort her, and she seemed lost in thought, staring at the sky. They sat quietly on the grass, without speaking.
After a long while, Li Qingjun suddenly said, "I still remember the first time I met you, you said to eat well, sleep well, and have no worries. Isn’t that what a celestial being is? And now? You are a celestial being among mortals, and we are mortals surpassing the ordinary?"
Qin Yi sighed, "There are always things that must be done, even celestial beings have their desires."
"Only those seeking the path to immortality have desires. Real celestial beings have no desires," Li Qingjun looked at the sky and softly said, "The song you taught the woodcutter, 'The Good Song,' expresses the attachments of all beings. Once those are resolved, then one becomes a celestial being, with nothing left to desire."
Qin Yi knew that her brother's assassination had hit Li Qingjun hard, and the thought of seeking immortality that had always been in her heart was stirred again. He advised, "I know of a monkey that traveled across mountains and rivers, searching for ten years for an immortal, and finally found a true immortal and learned the way to longevity. Do you think it counts as a celestial being without desires?"
"Of course it does. How can living forever not be considered celestial?" Li Qingjun became interested. "What happened next?"
"Well... I know that before seeking immortality, it was truly carefree, but after achieving it, it was chaos and unrest. In the end, it wore shackles and became a Buddha, losing the passion to fight against heaven and earth. I wonder how much its path to immortality differed from its original intentions. Did it regret it in the end?"
Li Qingjun stared at Qin Yi, feeling that this monkey was a metaphor for herself. "Are you... advising me?"
Qin Yi shook his head, "No, everyone has their own fate. I believe one must know what they truly seek."
"What I seek..." Li Qingjun gazed at the sky, murmuring to herself, "What I seek is to wield my silver spear, traverse the world, enter the void, and sweep away all injustices... not to be a noble lady in the capital, marrying some boring prince and being trapped for life."
Qin Yi couldn’t help but say, "You really were born in the wrong time."
Li Qingjun smiled slightly and shifted the topic, "Can you tell me more about that monkey's story?"
"Well, that’s a long story..."
At this moment, Li Qinglin was busy, and Qin Yi, being new to the capital, didn’t know what to do. Fortunately, with Li Qingjun sitting here chatting, she was the only familiar person he had in the capital, so he didn’t mind the long story and began to tell her about "Journey to the West."
He spoke about the havoc in heaven, and the unheard-of tales captivated Li Qingjun, making her smile and say, "What a wild and untamed monkey with guts!"
Outside the courtyard, Li Qinglin’s voice could be heard, "This is a monkey that dares to resist and fight for what it wants, even if its actions may be sinful. It’s a very interesting story; I look forward to Brother Qin’s continuation."
Both stood up, and Li Qingjun's expression became serious again. "What happened?"
"There are no clues," Li Qinglin said solemnly. "The killer was very fast. According to my brother’s guards, they only saw a shadow flash by, and then my brother... I suspect it’s the work of the West."
Li Qingjun pressed her lips tightly together.
Li Qinglin continued, "At the time of the incident, we were not present, and we couldn’t intervene. My father is investigating thoroughly; there will eventually be results."
Li Qingjun sighed, "Are you going to become the crown prince?"
"Yes..." Li Qinglin didn’t show any joy on his face and shook his head instead. "This is really... like being roasted over a fire."
Li Qingjun asked, "Does someone suspect you?"
"Yes, although it’s only a few people, there are indeed some suspicions, but such doubts are meaningless."
It truly was meaningless because there were only two sons of the king; it was impossible to treat the only remaining son as a suspect based on unfounded doubts.
Li Qinglin didn’t continue on that topic and turned to Qin Yi, saying, "Brother Qin, I’m really sorry; it happened suddenly, and I neglected you."
"The princess chatted with me all day; how could that be neglect?" Qin Yi pointed at the sky, "The sun has already set; if you don’t invite me to dinner, that would be neglect."
Li Qinglin laughed.
(End of Chapter)