Splendid Twins

The little emperor took a few cautious steps, his steps revealing a hint of panic and uneasiness. He looked up at Lu Yuan, his eyes flashing with a mixture of guilt and nervousness, and said in a slightly trembling voice:

"Uncle, I...I know I was wrong..."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner fluctuations, and continued:

"I shouldn't have concealed anything from my uncle. I should have told him these things honestly. It was my youth and impetuosity that made me inconsiderate."

Hearing this, Lu Yuan's eyes turned deep and dark, and he said in a low voice:

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. The vast territory of Southern Liang belongs to Your Majesty. As the Son of Heaven, it is normal for you to be inconsiderate sometimes."

The little emperor could hear Lu Yuan's displeasure, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally mustered up his courage and lowered his voice, revealing a hint of timidity:

"Uncle, he... once mentioned a shocking secret... saying that the Imperial Master is actually a body of two souls! His words hinted to me that if I could get closer to her, it might bring unexpected benefits to Nanliang..."

When Lu Yuan heard this, his expression suddenly changed. There seemed to be a storm gathering in his deep eyes, and a chill was pressing around him. He stared at the little emperor, and his tone was filled with unquestionable majesty:

"Xiao Chen, as an emperor, you must be careful with your words. You should have a scale in your heart to judge which words you can hear and which words should just pass by like wind!"

The little emperor nodded quickly, his expression full of sincerity and fear:

"Uncle, rest assured. I know the importance of the Imperial Master, and I understand that her position in your heart is irreplaceable. I have never had any bad intentions. She treats me like a family member, and I also want to do my best to protect this friendship."

Lu Yuan felt a murderous intent in his heart, no one could possibly dare to attack her!

There was a warning in his eyes: "You just need to be a good Majesty and don't worry too much. I will take care of her affairs!"

The little emperor nodded hurriedly, but there was a hint of insistence in his words:

"Uncle, I also want to do my part for Nan Liang and devote my heart to her. Please believe that my original intention is pure and I have no other intentions!"

Lu Yuan was silent for a moment, and finally spoke slowly, with a more scrutinizing tone in his voice:

"Well, since you have this intention, let me ask you, what else did he say besides these? Where did you meet?"

The little emperor keenly sensed that Lu Yuan's tense aura had eased a little, so he took the opportunity to step closer, lowered his voice, and said almost in a whisper:

"Uncle, on the night you decided to go on a diplomatic mission to North Vietnam, he... quietly sneaked into my bedroom and mentioned that the Imperial Master was not only extremely intelligent, but also possessed extraordinary skills. Her arrival was truly a blessing for the Southern Liang..."

Having said that, the little emperor turned his gaze to the bookshelf beside him. He walked over gently, stroking an exquisite brocade box with his fingers, as if looking for some clues to his memories.

He slowly opened the brocade box, and inside lay a simple and mysterious tourmaline pendant, emitting a soft luster under the dim light.

The moment Lu Yuan's eyes touched the pendant, he was slightly startled and memories came flooding back.

He was very familiar with this pendant. It was once his father's favorite thing. Later, it was given to Xiao Junyi as a heavy expectation.

However, things are unpredictable. In his pursuit of the illusory way of immortality, Xiao Junyi lost his mind and embarked on the wrong path of wantonly killing children. Fearing that those innocent souls would come to seek revenge, he buried the pendant, which originally symbolized good luck and well-being, deep under Longshou Mountain as a talisman to ward off evil. He left it to be stained with blood, becoming filthy and dull.

Now, when I see this pendant again, it is so clean and new, as if time has never left any trace on it.

Lu Yuan immediately understood in his heart that this was definitely not the one given to Xiao Junyi by his father, but belonged to another important person - Prince Zhong.

The little emperor saw that Lu Yuan looked strange and wanted to tell him everything he knew, but he was afraid of touching Lu Yuan's weak spot:

"Uncle, he...he specially gave me this pendant, saying that it has an indissoluble bond with the Imperial Master. Although I don't understand the deep meaning, I always feel that this matter is very important, so I have kept it and want to wait for the right opportunity to tell you..."

Lu Yuan listened to the little emperor's narration, thinking secretly in his heart, his eyes deep and complex, as if he was examining the secret hidden behind the pendant.

"I will handle this matter for you, and you only need to regard it as a thing of the past and not worry about it anymore."

He took the pendant and touched it with his fingertips, as if he could feel an inexplicable power flowing.

The little emperor nodded, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and then responded:

"Okay, nephew will follow the instructions of the emperor uncle."

Lu Yuan turned around, his eyes deep, as if he could see into people's hearts, he said slowly:

"Xiao Chen, when you are eight years old, it will be time for you to take charge of the government. You will be the one to shoulder the heavy responsibility of Nanliang."

The little emperor felt mixed emotions when he heard this, and hesitated to speak. He only heard Lu Yuan continue:

"I know you have concerns, but please remember that although I, Lu Yuan, was born into the royal family, I have no intention of becoming the emperor. You can rest assured that I will keep my edge and not hurt anyone easily. However, I will not allow anyone to hurt me in the slightest!"

Lu Yuan turned around and left. Just as he was leaving, the little emperor's voice sounded again, with some hesitation and uneasiness:

"Uncle, then, has he... received the punishment he deserves?"

Hearing this, Lu Yuan paused for a moment, without turning back, and spoke slowly in his deep and magnetic voice:

"Why do you ask this?"

The little emperor took a deep breath and mustered up his courage and said:

"Not only did he commit such a cruel act against you, my uncle, he also lured my father into indulging in the illusory dream of immortality. His crimes are too serious to list in numbers. If he continues to use his evil magic to harm the world, I'm afraid..." His words revealed his fear and worry about the unknown.

Lu Yuan was silent for a moment, and finally said in a deep voice:

"From now on, there will be no such person in the world."

The little emperor felt relieved after hearing this, but he asked curiously:

"But isn't his last name Xiao? Why is he called Gou Huan?"

Lu Yuan pursed his lips and did not answer. Even after his back disappeared, the little emperor still maintained his previous posture, with a dark look in his eyes.

Although his voice was immature, it had a depth that was not in line with his age:

"Everyone in the world says that power is good, but my uncle treats it like a piece of trash. I really don't understand why. That loyal prince is willing to abandon the Xiao family name and devote himself to power. Could it be that there are people in this world who are beyond fame and fortune?"

The Grand Tutor once said that power is like a double-edged sword. It can create heroes but can also devour people's hearts. Some people are crazy about it and pursue it at all costs, while others are forced to be involved in it, lose themselves, and become puppets of power.

"One man's meat is another's poison." The little emperor murmured softly, as if he was talking to himself, or as if he was lamenting the impermanence of the world.