Ji Qing’s heart began to stir with activity. After tossing and turning for several nights, he finally wrote a petition to King Zheng of Qin requesting to return to Yan. After revising it several times, he solemnly had someone deliver it to Xianyang Palace.

In the following days, Ji Qing lingered at Lin’s porridge shop, wanting to find an opportunity to explain his identity to Miss Lin and seek to win the beauty’s heart. But each time he fingered the inscription of the rhinoceros horn seal in his sleeve and looked at Miss Lin’s charming smile, he found it difficult to speak.

Yes, wait a little longer. When he was granted permission to return home, he would tell Miss Lin everything.

Ji Qing composed himself for the fifth time and walked out of Lin’s porridge shop, slowly making his way back to the hostage residence along the familiar road. He thought this night would be like countless previous nights when nothing would happen, but when he saw the gates of the hostage residence, he discovered that the rhinoceros horn seal he had kept hidden in his sleeve had vanished without a trace.

How could this be? It had still been there when he left Lin’s porridge shop!

Ji Qing anxiously searched through his sleeve. The two guards monitoring him from behind saw this and approached, asking if he needed help.

Cold sweat immediately broke out on Ji Qing’s back. Absolutely no one else could get hold of this rhinoceros horn seal, or how would he explain why he carried a seal engraved with someone else’s name? Ji Qing’s existence in Yan was not difficult to investigate—any determined person could quickly detect the problems involved.

Pretending nonchalance as he walked back, Ji Qing was actually burning with anxiety. While urgently scanning the street surface for any sign of the rhinoceros horn seal, he frantically considered the consequences of losing it in his mind.

He had been too careless. Yan Dan carrying the other rhinoceros horn seal with him was already an utterly foolish act, but at least that served as proof to reveal his identity later. His rhinoceros horn seal, apart from bringing him endless trouble, was completely useless! He should have ground down the inscription and completely destroyed it long ago.

But he had never been able to bring himself to do it, always feeling this was the last thing that could prove he was still Ji Qing, able to remind himself at any time of his true name and identity. If he destroyed it, it would be like destroying his own true heart.

Ji Qing turned a street corner and immediately saw a youth of thirteen or fourteen standing upright in the corner, looking back and forth at the pedestrians on the street as if waiting for someone. Ji Qing’s gaze immediately caught sight of something the youth seemed to be holding in his hand, and the red silk cord hanging from between his fingers was tied in an auspicious cloud knot that he found extremely familiar.

His body reacted before his brain could think. Ji Qing quickly walked over, but the moment the youth turned to look at him and he saw the youth’s appearance clearly, he immediately felt as if he had fallen into an icy cavern.

This youth wore only an unremarkable wide-sleeved green robe, with features like a painting and an upright bearing like elegant bamboo after rain.

Ji Qing had seen him long ago in the great hall, when as a child he had already made great contributions for Qin and been honored as a high minister. He had spoken eloquently under the gaze of thousands. Afterward, he willingly became the study companion of eldest prince Fu Su, becoming Fu Su’s shadow in a low-key manner, yet still not to be underestimated.

Now the two had made eye contact. It was too late for Ji Qing to turn and walk away, so he could only steel himself and bow to the other party as a greeting.

“Crown Prince Yan walks with such haste—have you lost something?”

The youth also returned the bow, his lips curving in an unfathomable smile.

Ji Qing had regained his composure by now and nodded calmly, “It’s a rhinoceros horn seal, belonging to my younger cousin.”

“I did indeed pick up a rhinoceros horn seal. The relationship between Crown Prince Yan and his cousin is truly enviable.” The green-robed youth opened his palm, revealing the wine-red rhinoceros horn seal lying quietly there like jade.

Ji Qing’s eyebrows twitched at the meaningful words, but he maintained his composure. After all, no one had seen a second such rhinoceros horn seal. Ji Qing smiled generously, saying, “When I left Jicheng, my cousin was still young and couldn’t bear our separation, so I carried this object as companionship. I once made a promise that the day I return to Jicheng would be the day I return this object.”

He didn’t know how Yan Dan had covered up his disappearance when they left together years ago, but he believed the other had planned for a long time and would have handled any flaws. However, when Ji Qing mentioned “still young,” recalling the age when he and Yan Dan left Jicheng, it was probably about the same as when this youth before him was honored as a high minister.

Indeed, people were different from one another.

Smiling bitterly inside, Ji Qing retrieved the rhinoceros horn seal from the youth’s hand. Thinking that speaking more would lead to more mistakes, he solemnly thanked him and turned to leave.

The green-robed youth watched Crown Prince Yan’s slightly flustered steps with interest, narrowing his eyes. That rhinoceros horn seal probably had deeper implications—should he spare time to investigate?

While pondering, the green-robed youth felt two gazes fall upon him, with discussion voices faintly drifting over.

“Eh eh eh? That… couldn’t be the boss when he was young! My god! He looks so much like a shota!”

“Keep your voice down! It wouldn’t be good if we’re discovered! Speaking of which, that rhinoceros horn seal is from the ancient red-colored horn of the Asian rhinoceros species! Heavens! Asian rhinoceros supposedly disappeared from the Central Plains during the Han Dynasty and then completely went extinct on Earth. Even Emperor Qianlong never saw a real Asian rhinoceros. Almost all rhinoceros horn products from the Ming and Qing dynasties were artificially dyed to imitate ancient colors! Amazing…”

“…Why do I feel your voice is even louder than mine?”

The youth frowned, feeling that the two people’s accents didn’t sound like those from the other six states, and their words were nonsensical gibberish. When he turned to look, he couldn’t find the speakers at all.

The youth secretly clenched his fist. It seemed Xianyang’s city defenses needed a good reorganization.

Ji Qing returned to the hostage residence with an uneasy heart, locking the recovered rhinoceros horn seal in the cabinet by his bedside, no longer carrying it with him.

Soon, King Zheng of Qin’s reply regarding his request to return to Yan also came down. He made this vow: “When the sun returns to center from the west, when heaven rains grain, when crows grow white heads and horses grow horns, when the wooden statues at the kitchen door grow flesh and feet, then you may return.”

Ji Qing’s face turned iron-blue. King Zheng of Qin had no intention of agreeing to his request at all, saying that if the westward sun returned to center, if grain fell from heaven, if crows turned white-headed, if horses grew horns, if the wooden carved figures at the kitchen door grew flesh and feet, only then would he be allowed to return to Yan. These five things were completely impossible, meaning he could never return to his homeland in this lifetime.

The enormous blow left Ji Qing dispirited for many consecutive days without going out, until the fifth evening when he remembered he hadn’t visited Lin’s porridge shop for many days.

Thinking that since he could never return to Yan territory, perhaps he could settle for second best? If he continued being kept like this in Xianyang, he surely couldn’t remain unmarried forever. If he chose the unremarkable Miss Lin as his wife, King Zheng of Qin might even feel more at ease.

But even he couldn’t stand his own lack of ambition in such consoling thoughts.

However, what else could he do? He was just an imprisoned hostage, wasn’t he?

Ji Qing was in very low spirits, but he completely didn’t expect that after only five days of not coming to Lin’s porridge shop, he would be greeted by a seal on the door.

What was happening? Ji Qing frantically inquired of the neighboring shopkeepers, only to be told that Lin’s shop had been sealed two days ago on charges of collaborating with the enemy and treason, while Miss Lin had been arrested as a Yan spy. Whether true or not, she definitely could never return.

Ji Qing was thunderstruck, completely unable to understand why such a thing had happened. Since Shang Yang’s reforms, Qin’s punishments had always been known for their harsh cruelty. Even Shang Yang himself was torn apart by chariots, let alone for the crime of treason. Ji Qing begged the two guards who always followed him to gather information, but one of them smiled unfathomably and hinted that he shouldn’t get involved in this muddy water.

Was this… King Zheng of Qin’s displeasure at his petition requesting to return to Yan?

A bone-deep sense of powerlessness filled Ji Qing’s entire body. He hardly knew how he walked back to the hostage residence.

Standing alone in the courtyard for a long time, he thought of every possible connection he could seek, but all seemed to offer little hope of rescuing Miss Lin.

No matter who pleaded, as long as King Zheng of Qin wanted Miss Lin dead, it would be as simple as crushing an ant.

Ji Qing wandered aimlessly through the empty hostage residence. As if possessed, he walked to the side courtyard where the servants lived. He suddenly very much wanted to see Yan Dan. Yes, Yan Dan also liked Miss Lin—he couldn’t possibly watch her die. He was so clever, he would surely have a way!

But all his excitement turned ice-cold when he pushed open the wooden door.

He smelled thick blood.

Yan Dan, whom he hadn’t seen for a long time, lay in a pool of blood with a sharp dagger piercing his lower abdomen. He hadn’t even been able to crawl onto the bed, much less had the strength to treat his wound himself. He didn’t know how long he had been lying there, yet he was still conscious. Hearing Ji Qing push the door open, he even opened his eyes, clearly filled with joy.

“Heavens… why didn’t you call for help?” Ji Qing frantically rushed over, fumbling to try to stop the bleeding.

“Don’t… make noise.” Yan Dan coughed lightly a few times, blood trickling from his lips. Ji Qing was startled, knowing Yan Dan’s injury was not simple, or he would have called for help long ago.

How could this person be like this? Could he watch himself die? If he hadn’t come to see him on a whim, would Yan Dan have just lain here alone and died silently? The wound on Yan Dan’s lower abdomen was truly too horrifying. Combined with having passed the optimal rescue time, Ji Qing knew that if he pulled out this dagger, Yan Dan would quickly die from excessive blood loss. In fact, that he could still consciously open his eyes was already a miracle.

Ji Qing found a pot of water of unknown age in the room, lifted Yan Dan’s head, and fed him a few sips. The cold moonlight shone through the window lattice onto Yan Dan’s face. Ji Qing couldn’t bear to see the blood staining it, so he dipped his sleeve in the remaining water and gently wiped the blood from his face.

The plant juice Yan Dan had always used for disguise was also wiped away, revealing a face very similar to Ji Qing’s but extremely thin, weak, and pale.

Ji Qing’s heart ached greatly as he asked in a mournful voice, “What… exactly happened?”

Yan Dan smiled with difficulty and sighed, “I implicated Miss Lin…”

“Mingji! Are you a spy?” Ji Qing was shocked! At the same time, everything that had been happening suddenly made sense. No wonder Yan Dan willingly became a servant, no wonder he quickly learned the Xianyang accent, no wonder he rarely appeared, no wonder he changed his appearance… So exchanging identities wasn’t to make him bear humiliation in Yan Dan’s place, but because a servant’s identity was better for gathering intelligence!

“Why didn’t you tell me plainly?” Ji Qing felt both relieved and pained—relieved that his crown prince cousin was indeed not a coward afraid of death, but pained that he couldn’t help at all.

Yan Dan forced a smile and whispered, “Langxuan, making you leave Jicheng was already… wronging you. Moreover, with you taking my identity… cough cough… all of Qin focuses on you, there must not be… the slightest error.”

Ji Qing shuddered violently, thinking of the foolish things he had done recently. Lingering at Lin’s porridge shop, rashly petitioning to return to Yan, losing the rhinoceros horn seal and having it picked up by the young high minister…

Ji Qing’s hands holding Yan Dan trembled as he wept, “It’s all my fault… all my fault…”

“Don’t cry… Langxuan, Qin law states that ministers attending the palace may not carry foot-long weapons… all guards with weapons are positioned below the hall and may not ascend without orders. After you return to Yan, find a brave warrior to assassinate King Zheng of Qin at court—this is an excellent opportunity… as long as King Zheng of Qin dies… Great Qin will be leaderless… Yan’s siege will immediately lift…”

Yan Dan intermittently revealed the intelligence he had gathered combined with his own thoughts. Unfortunately, he couldn’t personally send King Zheng of Qin to the afterlife himself, which Yan Dan found deeply regrettable.

“But… but how can I return to Yan?” Ji Qing was completely at a loss.

Yan Dan sighed silently, feeling he had indeed protected his cousin too thoroughly, usually not letting him know anything, which was clearly wrong. With no other choice now, Yan Dan forced himself to rally his spirits and entrusted to Ji Qing all the people he had arranged in Qin territory over the years, telling him how to disguise himself as a servant to leave Xianyang, which routes to take, whom to find for assistance, and so on.

After speaking, he directed Ji Qing to take out the rhinoceros horn seal he had always carried in his bosom. After a moment of silence, he exhaled slowly, “Langxuan, actually you have another choice.”

“What choice?”

“Restore your original identity, escape from Xianyang, and say that Crown Prince Dan of Yan has died in Xianyang.” Yan Dan’s eyes were hazy, his breathing difficult—he was at death’s door.

“Mingji!” Ji Qing’s eyes filled with tears, not knowing what to say. He had dreamed of restoring his original identity, but at this moment, it no longer seemed important. But to have him plot to assassinate King Zheng of Qin…

“I… I can’t do it…” Ji Qing was uneasy. He was so ordinary, only knowing how to complain about fate—how could he bear such a great burden?

“Langxuan… do you know the first and second points… I mentioned before?” Yan Dan said suddenly.

Ji Qing was startled, then quickly continued, “Growing up and becoming a man is not about whether one has performed the capping ceremony, but whether one understands principles. The first is knowing that in this world, even without you, nothing changes. The second is knowing that in this world, there are always some things that no matter how hard you try, you are powerless and helpless against…”

“The third… the third… even knowing some things are powerless and helpless… even if Heaven ordains it so… one must still make the greatest effort… to struggle against it…” Yan Dan’s words were desolate, then suddenly ceased.

Ji Qing sat in the pool of blood until the sky completely darkened before returning to his room in blood-stained robes.

He took his rhinoceros horn seal from the bedside cabinet and also placed the blood-soaked rhinoceros horn seal on the table.

This was the first time in many years that this pair of rhinoceros horn seals had been placed together.

Ji Qing stared at the two rhinoceros horn seals intently.

Who exactly was he? Was he Ji Qing? Or Yan Dan?

This time, he could choose his own identity instead of having others choose for him.

After a very long time, he picked up one of them and smashed it to pieces with a heavy object.