The ladder to heaven.

Under the dim lamp, Chu Lan’s expression flickered and changed.

Whether it was because that thin layer of window paper had been implicitly pierced through, or because the initial shock had passed, Chu Lan felt his composure actually settle down.

After all, he wasn’t someone who hadn’t seen the world! He was well-read in poetry and books—he had seen plenty of bloodshed and violence in the historical records!

He picked up his teacup and sighed: “Your Highness jests. With our Chu family’s humble status, how could there be any ladder to heaven?”

Xiao Xun smiled: “Mister Chu, your Chu family being able to have its current status was exchanged for by climbing the ladder to heaven. Otherwise, how could you sit safely at home today with marital harmony, children without worries, and modest contentment?”

Chu Lan was somewhat angry: “Your Highness, I don’t understand these words. I, Chu Lan, have never committed crimes or broken laws. Can’t I even be an ordinary citizen? Just because of my brother, in the eyes of the world I can’t even live like a human being?”

Having said this, he heavily set down his teacup on the table.

Xiao Xun said: “Whether you can or not, you know very clearly in your heart. Moreover, Mister Chu, is the way you’re living now what you want?”

He also placed his teacup on the table, gently and slowly without sound, yet Chu Lan’s heart trembled.

“When your brother was glorious, you were dim and lightless in the eyes of the world. Seeing you, everyone would only say you were Chu Ling’s elder brother. Even if you possessed a wealth of knowledge and eight measures of talent, it was useless.”

“When your brother fell from grace, you also became a fellow criminal in the eyes of the world, having to bear contempt and humiliation. Your wealth of knowledge and vast learning remained useless.”

“Mister Chu, in the eyes of the world you are forever only Mister Chu, Elder Brother Chu. No one remembers your name.”

“My coming here today, and my previous visits, were all because of Chu Ling. Surely Mister Chu doesn’t think I admire your learning?”

Chu Lan’s face flushed red then white. A scholar’s self-respect truly could bear no more. He stood up: “If that’s the case, Your Highness please leave. I, Chu Lan, dare not accept your great favor.”

Xiao Xun smiled: “Mister Chu, don’t be angry. Truth and reality are always hurtful.”

Chu Lan laughed coldly: “I, Chu Lan, have poor fate and deserve this humiliation.”

Xiao Xun’s voice was slow: “Mister Chu’s fate isn’t actually poor. After all, you and Chu Ling are blood brothers—the same parents, raised in the same environment. You pursued literature while he practiced martial arts. He has courage and strategy, you are the heir to a renowned ministerial family. He achieved meritorious deeds, you established a school and teach disciples. He has immediately visible fame, you have the merit of educating people that will extend for a hundred years. You two brothers each have your strengths—how can you say your fate is poor?”

Chu Lan had heard praise before. He turned his head and said lightly: “Your Highness overpraises me. Chu Lan dare not accept this.”

“But good fate is useless.” Xiao Xun said. “You’ve still ended up in your current state where no one pays attention to you, even living hand to mouth.”

“Did Your Highness come tonight to protect me or to take my life?” Chu Lan angrily slapped the table. “I’m already living hand to mouth—just let me be.”

Xiao Xun laughed heartily, then said meaningfully: “Mister Chu now even dares to slap the table at me. Clearly your fate has changed.”

A trace of unnaturalness flashed in Chu Lan’s eyes. He lowered his gaze and bowed: “Your Highness, Chu Lan thanks you for coming to protect us. It’s just that Chu Lan knows himself to be inadequate, and humbly asks for Your Highness’s mercy.”

Xiao Xun said: “I haven’t finished what I was saying earlier. Your fate isn’t poor—you simply haven’t encountered your ladder to heaven. Chu Ling befriended His Majesty and ascended to heaven in one step. From then on, you could only be subordinate to him. No matter what you did, you couldn’t surpass his brilliance.”

Chu Lan clenched his hands, raised his head and sighed: “This is still poor fate. Thank you, Your Highness. This matter—”

“But now you have this fate.” Xiao Xun interrupted him, looking at him. “Do you want to step onto this ladder to heaven?”

Under the dim lamp, the young man’s eyes stared at him deeply, as if seeing into his heart. Chu Lan couldn’t help but clench his hands tighter, forcing out a smile: “What is Your Highness saying? I don’t understand any of it. Alas, with the world in such chaos, what ladder to heaven is there?”

Xiao Xun smiled and withdrew his pressing gaze, looking down at his own hands and gently stroking them.

“The Crown Prince is dead.” he said.

Chu Lan made a sound of acknowledgment, his voice trembling: “This, this—”

“The Third Prince probably won’t survive either.” Xiao Xun continued. “Even if he lives, His Majesty won’t let him become Crown Prince. His Majesty is that kind of person—when affectionate he dotes without limits, when heartless he won’t even acknowledge his own flesh and blood.”

Chu Lan’s throat was dry: “Ah, this—someone like me, a humble citizen—”

He wanted to say this kind of matter wasn’t something a humble citizen like him could discuss.

Xiao Xun interrupted again, raising his head to look at him: “Mister Chu, do you think I could become Crown Prince?”

Chu Lan looked at him in shock, this time unable to make even half a sound.

“Oh, that’s not right—the Crown Prince’s son is still alive.” Xiao Xun said, looking at Chu Lan with a slight smile. “With him here, I can’t become Crown Prince.”

That one sentence was like a punch to the gut. Chu Lan could bear no more and stepped back two paces.

He knew it—how could things be so simple?

He knew it—Chu Ling would definitely bring trouble.

Heaven help him, Chu Ling was truly going to be the death of him.

Chu Lan stood dumbly like a wooden post, his mind filled with chaotic thoughts yet also completely blank.

The room was quiet and silent, but no one burst in with flashing blades and flying flesh and blood.

The young prince sat calmly, even pouring tea for himself and for Chu Lan.

“Mister Chu.” he said. “Sit down and talk.”

Chu Lan stared blankly. Sit or not sit—could he still make his own decisions? He woodenly sat down.

“Mister Chu, have some tea.” Xiao Xun said.

Chu Lan picked up the tea and took a sip. What should he do? What actions should he take? He didn’t want to die—

Watching this man return to his earlier lost and distracted state, no longer putting on a stern face or slapping the table, Xiao Xun smiled: “Mister Chu is different from Chu Ling—”

Hearing these words now, Chu Lan wasn’t angry at all. He muttered: “Yes, I’m different from him. I’m not as good as him. I don’t know anything about his affairs—”

Xiao Xun interrupted him: “What I mean is, you’re different from Chu Ling. Chu Ling is about to die, while Mister Chu, you will live for a long time yet.”

Chu Lan was stunned. What did this mean? Did it mean they wouldn’t kill him?

“Your Highness—” he called out, but hesitated. There were some words he still swallowed back down.

His reluctance to speak wasn’t due to great integrity, but fear—speaking might mean death, not speaking might also mean death. Since he still didn’t want to die, for now he could only play dead.

Xiao Xun didn’t mind his hesitation. Instead, he raised his hand and gently stopped him: “Mister Chu, you don’t need to speak yet. Listen to what I have to say. After I finish, you can judge whether what I said is right or wrong.”

He would judge whether it was right or wrong? Chu Lan was even more confused.

“Earlier I said the Crown Prince is dead, the Third Prince is finished. The Crown Prince’s son is only six years old this year. He is the Crown Prince’s bloodline, the natural heir. But His Majesty hasn’t managed state affairs for many years and his health is poor. An elderly and weak emperor, a young crown prince—is this a good thing for Da Xia?”

“Will the realm be peaceful because of this, or will it become even more chaotic?”

“Mister Chu, you are well-read in historical texts, a man of great learning. You must have your own judgment in your heart.”

Chu Lan remained silent. Even if he weren’t well-read in poetry and books, he knew how to judge after hearing all this. He wasn’t stupid.

Xiao Xun didn’t force him to give an immediate answer.

“Now about you, Mister Chu. I said earlier that my ability to step into the Chu household and speak with you isn’t because of you, but because of Chu Ling.” he said, looking at Chu Lan with a meaningful smile. “I am like this, and so are others.”

Chu Lan lowered his gaze even more, like an old monk in meditation, listening as Xiao Xun’s voice slowly came through.

“Therefore, whatever Mister Chu does now will only be attributed to Chu Ling’s power and merit, having nothing whatsoever to do with you, Mister Chu.”

“I also said earlier that Chu Ling is different from you. Chu Ling is about to die, while Mister Chu, you will live for a long time yet.”

“So for Mister Chu who still has a long life ahead, how do you want to live? Like now—nameless, lightless, living hand to mouth?”

“Or—”

Xiao Xun’s voice paused, and a cup of tea was held before Chu Lan’s eyes.

“Step onto the ladder to heaven with me, and together, ascend to the gate of heaven.”

Step onto the ladder to heaven together?

Together, ascend to the gate of heaven?

Chu Lan raised his head to look at Xiao Xun.

He seemed to understand yet not understand. His heart pounded wildly.

He heard his own voice, trembling, hoarse, respectful: “Chu Lan doesn’t quite understand what Your Highness means.”