The Supporting Male Characters Who Died Alone All Those Years Later

A month swiftly passed, and Wang Yi, who had been thinking about He Dongchen’s marriage, finally compiled a list.

On it were listed several legitimate daughters from the prominent families of the former Chen Kingdom, each of them outstanding in appearance and gentle in demeanor.

As a citizen of the Chao Kingdom, Wang Yi couldn’t help but have his own thoughts.

He deliberately placed the only daughter of a prominent scholar, whose family had few descendants, at the top of the list, saying with praise, “Master Mingda is talented and renowned throughout the world, a true gentleman indifferent to fame and wealth. His daughter, Young Lady Mu, has been skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting since childhood, and is the perfect choice for the Crown Prince’s Consort.”

He Dongchen glanced at him lightly, said nothing more, and picked up an essay written by Mu Mingda, carefully reading it.

The writing reflected the man, eloquent and refined. After reading several essays, He Dongchen automatically envisioned a scholar who was broad-minded and had the welfare of the world in his heart.

The marriage was meant to appease the people of the Chen, not to find a family with ambitious designs. Mu Mingda, renowned and uninterested in wealth, was indeed a suitable candidate.

Setting aside the essay, He Dongchen picked up a poem next to it; a simple welcoming spring poem, with graceful handwriting that carried a sense of freedom between its lines.

Seeing the Crown Prince pick up that poem, Wang Yi smiled meaningfully and asked, “How do you find it, Your Highness?”

“It’s good, written by someone insightful,” He Dongchen remarked.

In fact, being the Crown Prince’s Consort wasn’t an easy position in the Chao Kingdom.

Just look at the several prominent families who surrendered previously; not one proposed a marriage alliance. Did they not value the title of Crown Prince’s Consort? They absolutely did, to a fault! But no one wanted to risk their family’s reputation by being the first.

It’s not easy to erase the hatred of a lost country; the words of scholars were as sharp as knives. He Dongchen could almost imagine that once Master Mingda’s daughter became his Crown Princess, the reputation accumulated by Master Mingda would plummet, becoming the object of criticism and ridicule among the people of the Chen Kingdom.

As the Crown Princess, Young Lady Mu would be even more in the eye of the storm, facing the disdain of the Chen people on one hand and enduring the condescension of the people of the Chao Kingdom as a nation in subjugation of the other.

In such a situation, only a strong heart could endure.

With that in mind, He Dongchen stood up, straightened his clothes, and said, “Prepare yourself. We’re going to visit Master Mingda.”

“Yes,” Wang Yi, sensing an opportunity, immediately beamed with joy, hastened out of the great hall, and personally prepared the gifts to ensure everything was flawless.

***

Master Mingda lived in an academy outside Nandu. He Dongchen, accompanied by hundreds of soldiers, hurried along, kicking up dust as they rode. They encountered delays on the way due to a bridge being out, which cost them several hours, and they arrived at the foot of the mountain just before sunset.

By this time, the academy was deserted, the whole hilltop eerily quiet, with occasional cries of birds making it even more desolate.

He Dongchen pulled on the reins, glanced at the sky, turned his horse around, and ordered, “It’s getting late. We’ll visit tomorrow.”

“Yes,” the hundreds of soldiers responded loudly. They turned their direction and the thunderous sound of hoof beats echoed.

Just then, a soldier turned around and noticed something, staring at a certain thicket of trees, and shouted loudly, “Who’s there! Acting suspiciously!”

Upon hearing that, everyone immediately stopped what they were doing, staring vigilantly at the thicket where they spotted a patch of white fabric, the kind ordinary people couldn’t afford.

He Dongchen narrowed his eyes, raised his hand with a sharp arrow, and shot it accurately at the fabric.

There was a cry from within the thicket, rustling sounds, and after a moment, a woman wearing a veil emerged.

Her face couldn’t be seen clearly through the veil, but her figure was slender and graceful, her skin fair and delicate, unmistakably a young woman in her prime.

Because her dress was pinned to the ground by the arrow, she could only bend slightly, looking rather disheveled.

Seeing this charming young woman, the soldiers burst into laughter.

Especially when she struggled hard to pull out the arrow, but couldn’t manage; It was particularly adorable.

Just then, a gust of wind blew, flipping the woman’s veil off, revealing her true face.

Everyone fell silent.

The soldiers swallowed hard. She’s incredibly beautiful!

Wang Yi, catching a glimpse of the woman’s face, noticed a resemblance to the portrait of Master Mingda in his youth. Sensing the significance, he leaned close to He Dongchen’s ear and whispered, “This might be Master Mingda’s only daughter, Mu Jingyuan.”

He Dongchen nodded knowingly, raised his hand to signal everyone to be silent, then dismounted and walked step by step towards her.

Mu Jingyuan knew these soldiers riding high-headed horses exuded a strong aura of power were from the Chao Kingdom. She felt hopeless, knowing escape was impossible, and fearing mistreatment, she abruptly pulled a hairpin from her head, closed her eyes, and slashed it across her face.

With a clang, the hairpin was knocked away from her hand, her palm stinging painfully.

Mu Jingyuan abruptly opened her eyes, looked at the hairpin on the ground behind her in confusion, then turned to see the black-clothed man standing close by. He was tall, with handsome features that, under the setting sun, surprisingly carried a hint of gentleness.

Weren’t all people from the Chao Kingdom said to be coarse and uncouth?

He Dongchen bent down, effortlessly removed the arrow stuck in Mu Jingyuan’s dress, and casually tossed it back into the quiver on his horse’s back with precision.

Mu Jingyuan widened her eyes slightly, impressed by his skill.

The soldiers from the Chao Kingdom cheered, “Your Highness’s archery is godlike!”

“That’s right! During the siege, he shot down over thirty generals and soldiers from Chen.”

Mu Jingyuan’s face turned pale, realizing they were enemies. She gripped her skirt and stepped back continuously.

He Dongchen frowned, silenced them, then reassured Mu Jingyuan, “Don’t be afraid, Young Lady. Today, we’re here to visit Master Mingda. We mean no harm, so please don’t worry.”

Mu Jingyuan’s face grew even paler at his words, her lips trembling slightly. “Master Mingda has already left this place. You’ve come to the wrong place.”

He Dongchen chuckled lightly, “Young Lady Mu, have you ever looked in the mirror when telling lies?”

Mu Jingyuan heard him call her Young Lady Mu and knew her identity was exposed, feeling despair in her heart.

“We mean you no harm. Young Lady Mu, why don’t you tell us why you’re alone descending from the mountain?” He Dongchen changed the subject.

Mu Jingyuan looked at the hundreds of soldiers behind him and, feeling defeated, blurted out, “My father is seriously ill. I came down the mountain to find a doctor.”

Unexpectedly, right after descending the mountain, Mu Jingyuan ran into the soldiers from Chao, her mouth twisting bitterly.

Upon hearing that, He Dongchen inquired about Master Mingda’s condition, then urgently dispatched someone to find a doctor.

With things as they were, there was no mention of postponing the visit until the next day. The group, led by Mu Jingyuan, ascended the mountain.

***

Mu Jingyuan’s feelings were complicated and hard to express. On one hand, she feared she had brought a pack of wolves upon herself; on the other hand, she hoped they could cure her father’s illness.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the uneven ground beneath her feet and stumbled forward.

“Be careful,” He Dongchen walking beside her swiftly pulled her up.

“Thank you,” Mu Jingyuan withdrew her hand, glanced at the rugged stone steps, and touched her chest with lingering fear. For the rest of the journey, she kept her focus and didn’t dare to be distracted again.

Half an hour later, the gate of the academy faintly came into view.

He Dongchen looked up at the grand characters of Qingshan Academy and praised, “Impressive calligraphy.”

Mu Jingyuan faintly smiled, “These are penned by my father.”

“Master Mingda is renowned for his calligraphy across the world, and we’ve heard of him even in the Chao Kingdom.”

Listening to his sincere words and observing the genuine demeanor, Mu Jingyuan felt relieved. Judging from their appearance, this group didn’t seem to be looking for trouble.

The academy was deserted at this hour, with scholars, students, and servants all advised to leave. Rumors had it that the Chao army looked down upon intellectuals. As the head of Qingshan Academy, Master Mingda feared for the safety of his students and decided to distribute the books and send everyone away.

Walking through the empty academy, past the elegant gardens and pavilions, they finally arrived at a graceful courtyard.

He Dongchen only took Wang Yi inside the house, instructing the others to wait outside the door.

Mu Jingyuan pushed open the door and saw her father lying unconscious on the bed. She hurried over in small steps.

Wang Yi, with some understanding of medical arts, followed closely behind. Under Mu Jingyuan’s vigilant gaze, he checked Mu Mingda’s pulse and after a moment said, “No problem. After taking the medicine, he should wake up tomorrow.”

Mu Jingyuan’s expression softened. She stood up and respectfully bowed, “Thank you, Sir.”

Wang Yi stepped back to avoid the formality, smiling as he said, “If Young Lady Mu wants to thank someone, thank His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The Crown Prince?! Disbelief flashed in Mu Jingyuan’s eyes. The leader of this group in black clothing was actually the Crown Prince of the Chao Kingdom!

Mu Jingyuan wasn’t foolish and quickly realized the purpose of their visit.

With the Chao Kingdom having annexed the Chen Kingdom, there was an urgent need to pacify the people and stabilize the situation.

The most effective way to do that was to get an endorsement from a respected scholar.

Mu Jingyuan looked at her father lying unconscious on the bed, feeling at a loss. On one hand was her father’s good reputation, and on the other was his life.

Taking a deep breath, Mu Jingyuan suppressed her worries and put on a smile to welcome everyone.

“You don’t need to trouble yourself, Young Lady Mu. Let them take care of themselves,” He Dongchen said as he saw her preparing tea for the soldiers outside, intervening.

Wang Yi agreed, “His Highness is right. With hundreds of people, how can you manage to serve them all?” In his heart, Wang Yi thought that the Crown Prince’s attitude towards Mu Jingyuan seemed favorable.

Mu Jingyuan was likely to be the future Crown Princess, with a noble status. How could she handle such menial tasks in the future?

Mu Jingyuan paused at his words and stopped insisting.

In the Chen Kingdom, women were heavily restricted; unmarried women rarely left their homes. Mu Jingyuan was fortunate to have an enlightened father who wasn’t so strict, but navigating among a group of large men was still very challenging for her.

***

An hour later, soldiers brought back an elderly physician from a nearby town.

The old physician, panting heavily under the weight of a large medicine chest, dared not say a word in front of the burly soldiers. His face turned red as he checked Mu Mingda’s pulse, prescribed medication, and because he had been informed of the symptoms beforehand, he had brought the appropriate herbs and could immediately prepare the medicine, sparing the need for back-and-forth.

Mu Jingyuan thanked the old physician and slipped him a silver note.

The old physician’s face immediately lit up, and as he went to instruct the kitchen on preparing the medicine, he whispered to Mu Jingyuan, “Miss, although these soldiers from Chao look fierce, they seem disciplined. Just go along with them and don’t go against them. Nothing is more important than your life.”

Being nearby, the old physician naturally knew Qingshan Academy and recognized the man lying on the bed as the respected Master Mingda.

Mu Jingyuan almost shed tears upon hearing that, took a deep breath, and whispered back, “I understand.”

Unwilling to entrust others with the task of brewing the medicine, Mu Jingyuan stayed in the small kitchen herself. By the time she returned with the medicine, the hundreds of soldiers outside had already started a fire, cooked food, and were eating heartily, drinking and feasting.

Mu Jingyuan caught a whiff of alcohol in the air, then noticed two holes dug under the peach tree in the corner of the courtyard, her mouth twitching.

Father’s cherished wine…

Ah, best not to dwell on it.

After fussing for a while, she fed her father the medicine and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Suddenly, someone was standing behind her. Mu Jingyuan jumped in surprise when she turned and saw He Dongchen’s face. She took a step back, lowering her eyes. “Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

He Dongchen stood with one hand behind his back, gesturing to the food on the table. “You must be hungry. Eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” Mu Jingyuan replied, but her stomach growled loudly.

The world seemed to quiet down all of a sudden.

The soldiers outside were muted, their boasting voices blocked out.