# Chapter 71: Why
Splash...
Cold water poured down from above. The whole city woke up. Mancheng realized his limbs couldn't move, his body suspended in mid-air, his shattered left shoulder sending waves of agony throughout his entire body. He opened his eyes slightly—vaguely, several figures stood before him. Looking more closely: a burly man with stubble, and a thinner one with a pale, ashen face.
The stubbly one spoke: "Huiwu, the kid's woken up." He reached over and roughly pushed aside Mancheng's wet, dripping hair. "Wow, first time seeing such a beauty—this is insane. Look at him, Huiwu, even closer up he's absolutely stunning! No wonder the young prince can't stop thinking about him."
The ashen-faced one called Huiwu said: "Save the chatter! The brothers he's killed are too many to count. Now that he's awake, beat him ruthlessly."
"But Third Prince didn't say we could use torture!" the stubbly one protested.
"He also didn't say we couldn't!"
Huiwu was unmoved: "Kongfang, don't go making your own decisions. You know the young prince's temper—if you anger him, can you handle the consequences?"
"If the young prince blames me, I'll take responsibility!" Huiwu's mind was set. He barked at a soldier: "Beat him to death!"
The stubbly man had no choice but to step aside, wringing his hands. "Ah, don't hit his face... or the young prince will be heartbroken... Really... This really isn't my fault..."
Mancheng stared hard at both of them, murderous intent blazing in his eyes. His deathly pale lips moved: "I want to see Cheng Zhongshan..."
"Kongfang, what did he say?"
"...I didn't hear clearly either..."
"I want... to see Cheng Zhongshan."
Huiwu said: "He's too busy to bother with you. The prince is discussing military strategy with him right now."
"Bullshit!" Mancheng spat out a mouthful of blood and shouted: "Cheng Zhongshan, you bastard, come out and face me! Cheng Zhongshan—"
"Ignore him, keep beating!"
Water-soaked leather whips slashed through the air. Blood streaks blossomed across the fair skin in chaotic patterns.
Suddenly, a hand cleaved through the air and firmly gripped the whip. Zhongshan wore the golden armor of the Yongzhao Army, his brow furrowed in fury, flames of rage blazing in his eyes. He snatched the whip and hurled it to the ground, then swung his fist toward Kongfang—but Guangda and others rushed over and pinned him down.
Kongfang scrambled backward, frantically explaining: "It wasn't my idea to beat him!"
Zhongshan turned his furious gaze on Huiwu, veins bulging on his forehead. His madness ignited, he broke free from Guangda and the others, seizing Huiwu by the collar. As he raised his fist to strike, a cold laugh rang out. Mancheng spoke icily: "Cheng Zhongshan, stop putting on this act! The person who's hurt me most in this lifetime is none other than you. Congratulations."
Zhongshan froze, his strength draining away. Guilt rendered him speechless.
Huiwu broke out in a cold sweat. Guangda shot him a look, and he hastily retreated.
"Cheng Zhongshan!" Mancheng laughed bitterly at himself, his tone cold as ice: "I heard you were dead, and I even shed a few tears. How ridiculous... When did you betray me?"
Guangda said: "General Cheng surrendered to our great king a month ago. Thanks to General Cheng's inside cooperation, we were able to capture Anqing."
A month ago? So while I was recovering in Yuanliao, he'd already betrayed me? And I gave him the underground map of Anqing? How incredibly stupid of me! Mancheng shot Zhongshan a withering look and sneered: "Cheng Zhongshan, your name is perfectly chosen!"
Guangda, remembering Zhongshan's life-saving grace, couldn't help but speak in his defense: "General Cheng never intended to kill you. As you know, even hitting only your left shoulder—if he'd used half his strength, you would have died on the spot."
Mancheng snorted coldly: "So I should thank him for sparing my life?"
Zhongshan clenched his fists, quietly closing his eyes. He turned his head away and slowly left the cell.
At a moment like this, what was there left to salvage?
---
# Backstory
Langjing Garden was bustling with noise early in the morning. Mancheng had been woken up and, still in his pajamas, rushed out barefoot, shouting: "What's all this noise? None of you want to live anymore?"
Mandu was already crying his eyes out. When he saw his brother appear, he threw himself at him wailing: "Brother! My whistle is gone! My Little Black won't come back!"
Mancheng held him close and asked: "Weren't you playing with that squirrel yesterday? How could it just disappear?"
"I don't know! When I woke up this morning it was gone! Sister went out, and all these servants say they didn't see it!" Mandu clung to his brother's neck, hopping up and down in agitation.
Mancheng scanned the area狠狠地四下扫视一番, glaring at the terrified maids and servants: "I think you all are tired of living! Did someone break that porcelain whistle and hide the evidence?"
Everyone in the garden dropped to their knees simultaneously, each crying and swearing they hadn't.
"Ah..." Mandu wailed at the top of his lungs: "Where could it have gone?! I don't care! I want my whistle! Ah—"
Lanxing stamped her foot anxiously: "Good heavens! If young prince keeps crying like this, his asthma will act up again!"
Mancheng held him tighter, trying to comfort him: "Don't cry first! If we can't find it, we'll just get a different one. Brother will find you an even better one..."
When Mandu heard "a different one," he cried even more hysterically: "No no no! Ah—"
Mancheng was at a loss, stammering: "Then... then what do you want me to do? Tell me! Stop—stop crying! What do you want your brother to do?"
"I want my whistle! I want my whistle! I want my whistle!" Mandu's sobs came one after another, his voice growing hoarse.
"Okay okay okay..." Mancheng agreed desperately, utterly at his wit's end. He roared at the servants: "What are you standing there for? Start looking! If you can't find it, I'll take your heads!"
The servants didn't dare hesitate for a moment. They frantically scrambled in all directions. Just as the garden descended into chaos, Zhongshan walked in.
Mancheng saw him like a drowning man spotting a lifeline and urgently called out: "Zhongshan, the whistle is gone! What do we do? Is there any way to lure that squirrel out?"
Mandu also gazed at Zhongshan with teary eyes.
Who would have guessed Zhongshan would just shrug and say bluntly: "Then there's nothing I can do either!"
When Mandu saw even his last hope extinguished, he collapsed into his brother's arms and rolled around: "Ah... I don't care! I want Little Black!"
Mancheng's heart ached so much his eyes grew red. He held Mandu helplessly, his frustration turning on Zhongshan: "Cheng Zhongshan! I'll kill you!"
Amused, Zhongshan squatted down and spoke gently: "Mandu, want to play a little game with me?"
Mancheng glared at Zhongshan furiously and shouted: "Get lost!"
Zhongshan grinned and took another step closer, playing on his own. He pulled out a copper coin, tossed it into the air, and caught it with his right hand. Then he placed both fists in front of the two of them and asked: "Which hand do you think the coin is in?"
Mandu was crying so hard the sky was falling—how could he pay attention to anything? Zhongshan shot Mancheng a look, and Mancheng understood he was about to pull something. So Mancheng cooperated by pointing to his right hand.
Zhongshan opened his right palm—nothing there. The coin was in his left hand.
Mandu had noticed, sniffled a few times, and calmed his crying slightly. Zhongshan cheerfully tossed the coin again, caught it with his left hand, and asked: "Which hand this time?"
The foolish brothers pointed to his right hand in unison.
Zhongshan smiled and opened his palm—but there was no copper coin in his right hand. There was a piece of candy! The coin was in his left hand!
Mandu accepted the candy Zhongshan handed him and popped it in his mouth.
Zhongshan reached out with his right hand and wiped the tears from Mandu's face, then made a fist. He laughed and said: "I'll borrow Mandu's tears." Finished speaking, he tossed the coin into the air again and caught it with his left hand.
Mandu noticed Zhongshan's right hand hadn't moved at all, so he exchanged a glance with Mancheng and pointed at Zhongshan's left hand with a grin.
A mysterious expression spread across Zhongshan's face. He opened his left palm—nothing was there either. Mandu's jaw dropped in surprise. Mancheng cursed inwardly: That rascal tricked me and now he's tricking my brother!
But then Zhongshan opened his right hand—and lying in his palm was not a copper coin, but the whistle! This time Mancheng's mouth fell open too.
Mandu leaped for joy, lunging forward to snatch the whistle, cheering: "Zhongshan is amazing! He made my whistle appear!"
As soon as the whistle sounded, the squirrel came hopping over within moments. Mandu had gotten back what he'd lost, cradling it lovingly and stroking it again and again.
Zhongshan smugly glanced at the bewildered Mancheng, who grabbed his collar and dragged him aside, excitedly asking: "How did you make the whistle appear?"
"You think I'm a god?" Zhongshan whispered: "Do you think I could actually perform magic? Yesterday when you took him to my house, he left it there."
Mancheng's face fell. He unbuckled a small jade ring from his own body, untied the red cord, and tossed the jade ring to Zhongshan: "This is your reward." Then he called Mandu over and securely tied the whistle around Mandu's neck with the cord, softly saying: "Don't lose it again."
Mandu scratched his ear, puzzled: "If I lose it, I lose it. It's fine, since Zhongshan can make it appear again."
Zhongshan was speechless. Mancheng also laughed. He wiped the tears and snot from his brother's face, soothing him: "Zhongshan said he hasn't cultivated enough spiritual power. He can only do it once. If you lose it again, he won't be able to help."
Mandu became serious and nodded repeatedly.
Mancheng turned around and, without hesitation, wiped the tears and snot from his hands onto Zhongshan's face. Zhongshan complained dramatically, dodging repeatedly, which sent Mandu into fits of laughter.
As the two were fooling around, Jinyin returned from outside. Mandu called out: "Sister!"
Before Mancheng could even speak, Zhongshan said: "Oh dear, sister is back."
Jinyin giggled and chided: "Who told you to call me that along with Mancheng?" She took a small bag of snacks from Houpu's hands and handed them over: "Here, sister got these for you."
Mancheng was mortified, but Zhongshan acted shamelessly, taking the snacks and drawling: "Thank you, sister~"
Mancheng's face flushed crimson as he roared: "Cheng Zhongshan! Don't you dare overstep!"
Jinyin laughed so hard she was doubled over. Then she spotted the small jade ring in Zhongshan's hand and snatched it away, cursing with a smile: "You rascal! How did you get this thing?"
Mancheng tried to explain, but Jinyin poked his forehead and pretended to be angry: "You scoundrel! You pestered me until I gave you this, and then you just gave it away to someone else!"
"I..."
"You what? You want to make excuses? Zhongshan, tell me—did Mancheng give this to you?"
Zhongshan nodded vigorously: "Yes yes! He gave it to me first thing this morning. Sister, please give it back to me."
"Cheng Zhongshan, you—you—" Mancheng sputtered frantically.
Mandu interjected: "Sister, brother gives Zhongshan lots of things! There's even brother's clothes in Zhongshan's room, and..."
Mancheng nearly choked. Lanxing quickly grabbed Mandu, covering his mouth, and led him away with哄带骗地.
Jinyin covered her mouth laughing. Her other hand reached out and pinched Mancheng's cheek hard. Mancheng yelped like a slaughtered pig. Zhongshan's heart ached, so he quickly smiled apologetically and begged for mercy.
Jinyin released him and said to Houpu: "Look, when I pinch Mancheng, it's really his heart that hurts."
Houpu laughed in agreement: "That general isn't as dear to him as this one is."
Mancheng rubbed his reddened cheek, extremely embarrassed. Without distinguishing right from wrong, he rounded on Zhongshan: "Why don't you get lost!"
"He can't leave!" Jinyin pursed her lips and glanced at Zhongshan, saying: "Sister Xiuyi is coming for lunch today. Xiao Peng Hong has been demanding to play with Zhongshan all morning."
Mancheng froze, then patted Zhongshan's shoulder with delight: "Then you should stay. I'm leaving."
"No!" Zhongshan whined, grabbing him and refusing to let go, pleading pitifully: "When the princess comes she'll scold me again. You can't abandon me!"
Mancheng shook off his grip, speaking seriously: "General Cheng, I have important business to attend to. Don't slow me down!" As he spoke, he winked meaningfully, signaling for Zhongshan to agree first and find a chance to slip away later.
Jinyin was wheezing from laughing at their guilty expressions.
Houpu was already doubled over too. She said: "General, you can't leave either. The princess absolutely must see both of you today. She said if you run, you'll face the consequences."
Mancheng rolled his eyes, utterly contemptuous: "What consequences? What's worse than being lectured by her? Zhongshan, Sister Xiuyi never brings us good news! She's coming to have fun at our expense. We need to fight our way out of this!"
Houpu said with a smile: "This time it's really good news!"
"Just let them go," Jinyin managed to stop laughing, still catching her breath: "They'll regret it."
Mancheng felt something was off: "Sister, what is it really?"
"Stay and you'll find out."
"Tell us please!" Mancheng fawned over her with a sycophantic smile. Zhongshan also wore an eager, flattering grin.
Jinyin's eyes curved into crescent moons. She turned the question back: "You rascal, what's the real reason you've been hounding Peng Hong every day?"
Mancheng made a surprised sound, not quite processing.
Houpu said: "General Cheng, have you forgotten who our prince listens to most?"
Zhongshan stood there like a wooden block.
"Zhongshan!" Mancheng jumped up, pounced on Zhongshan, and slapped his forehead, his mouth splitting into a huge grin: "Sister Xiuyi interceded for us! That idiot Peng Hong transferred you to the Weizhen Army!"
Zhongshan suddenly understood. Overjoyed beyond measure, he grabbed the Mancheng who rushed over, and blurted out: "That's great! Mancheng, from now on I—"
"Cough, cough..." Jinyin cleared her throat twice.
The two realized they'd gotten carried away. They quickly let go of each other and smiled foolishly.
Jinyin shot them a look, lightly scolding: "Have you no shame?" Then she laughed again and led Houpu inside.
The moment her sister was gone, Mancheng immediately turned around, spread his limbs wide, and draped himself all over Zhongshan like a koala, happily declaring: "You're finally mine!"
Zhongshan held him tight, emotionally saying: "Mancheng, from now on I can be with you every day. Wherever we go, we'll be together."
"That's right!" Mancheng ecstatically grabbed Zhongshan's face and bit him—but then suddenly added: "But stay away when Zhangzhou comes."
That moment of joy washed away instantly. A violent surge of pain ripped through Zhongshan's heart, climbing straight to his eyes. Tears fell in an instant.
"Zhongshan?" Mancheng sensed something was wrong. He was about to pull back and look at Zhongshan's face. Zhongshan hastily held him tighter, biting his lip hard. Then, forcing a light tone, he whispered in his ear: "Do you think I need you to tell me that? I know my place." The words came out easily, but his whole being ached unbearably, almost suffocating him.
"You're going to crush me!" Mancheng pushed a little.
Zhongshan absolutely wouldn't let him pull away. He picked Mancheng up and carried him inside, saying: "Why are you barefoot? It's so cold out here. Let me take you in to put on shoes."
Mancheng didn't struggle. He quietly leaned against Zhongshan's shoulder. He didn't dare look at Zhongshan's face anymore, because he felt a warm drop of water land on the back of his neck and slide down his back...