Chapter 55: The World is Easy to Understand, but the Tao is Difficult to Comprehend

  After the Crown Prince's smile, the atmosphere between the two people relaxed a lot, and Qin Lei also sat down beside the Crown Prince with a flushed face.

  The prince sighed and said: "It seems that we brothers are indeed compatible, if the third and fourth brothers were like you, I would have been unhappy in my heart long ago."

  Qin Lei just smiled and handed the tea to the prince again. The prince took it with a smile, took a sip, and said softly, "Fifth brother, in my house, everything can be discussed openly, even if heaven pokes holes, I can make up for you. Who made us brothers?"

  Qin Lei waited for him to change his tone, and indeed the crown prince said seriously: "Although Father Emperor is extremely doting on my sisters, he has always been strict with us. Since you arrived in the capital, everything you've done deserves twenty lashes."

  Qin Lei felt a chill run down his spine and smiled wryly: "If it's cumulative, I'm afraid little brother will be beaten to a pulp."

  The prince was amused by him and comforted: "But there is no such calculation, counting crimes and punishments is just forty lashes, and being confined for half a year."

  Qin Lei chuckled and said: "It's about time to take a break and recover." Then he whispered: "Second brother, I have something to ask you. If it's convenient for you, please tell me, little brother."

  The prince nodded and said, "You're quite clever, ask away, there aren't many things I can't tell you."

  Qin Lei looked into his eyes and asked softly: "Aren't our royal family and the Grand Marshal, Prime Minister not getting along too well?"

  The crown prince listened and shook his head with a bitter smile: "You've only been back for a few days, but you've already dug up the highest secrets of our Great Qin Dynasty."

  Qin Lei's eyes widened innocently: "No way, I see that Wen San Li Si are all unapologetic, they're all cunning people, this can only explain one thing..."

  The crown prince narrowed his eyes and said, "That's right." He acknowledged his words, but didn't let him say it out loud.

  Qin Lei's question seemed to have stirred up the unpleasantness in the crown prince's heart, and the crown prince's eyebrows, which had always been calm and serene, became increasingly knotted. After a long while, he finally made up his mind, walked over to Qin Lei's side, and said softly, "Follow me."

  However, it didn't lead to a secret room as Qin Lei had imagined, but instead turned into a small screen behind the bookshelf. There were several bamboo chairs and a small wooden table here, on which was placed a rare set of tea utensils, delicate and intricate, with many pieces, similar to the Gongfu tea sets of later generations in Qin Lei's eyes, but slightly different. At this time, drinking tea was already popular, but even the southern nobles did not have such complicated tea utensils.

  The crown prince stirred the small earthenware stove a few times, and the pale blue flames danced gently, an effect that only the best Wuling tribute charcoal could achieve. Then he placed a delicate small copper kettle on the small stove. Gazing at the jumping flames, he said softly: "Do you know why I became the crown prince instead of Eldest Brother or Third Brother Fourth Brother?"

  Qin Lei heard that the crown prince did not call him "older brother", but rather "boss". He had his own thoughts, but said: "Second brother, this crown prince is the one everyone expects, it's only natural."

  The crown prince let out a soft laugh, and the blue flames danced wildly. He said leisurely, "You also saw it that day when you entered the capital, and you are also considered to be the one everyone is looking forward to, but how is it? Until now, Father Emperor hasn't even issued an imperial edict."

  The small copper kettle had begun to emit a wisp of hot air, and through the mist, Qin Lei gazed at the entranced prince, seeming more real than ever before, yet somehow also more illusory.

  He quietly didn't say a word, knowing that the two 'people's hopes' weren't referring to the same thing.

  The prince might have felt that he had said something excessive, so he stood up straight and smiled apologetically at Qin Lei: "Just now, Second Brother was distracted, if I said anything nonsense, don't mind it."

  Qin Lei shook his head and smiled lightly: "I like listening to it. This kind of second brother makes me feel more intimate."

  The crown prince smiled warmly, and at this time the water boiled. Qin Lei brought over the tea set, the crown prince opened the empty teapot, poured boiling water into it to warm the pot. Then he poured the water from the teapot into a purple sand shallow plate in the tea set.

  The prince took out a yellowish bamboo tube from under the low table, on which was simply carved a cluster of solitary bamboos. The prince removed the bamboo lid, sniffed it lightly, and handed it to Qin Lei: "This tea is produced in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, and is top-grade Silver Needle White Hair, even the southern nobles can hardly get one or two."

  Qin Lei took the bamboo tube and saw that on the back was engraved "Dust heart washed away, difficult to exhaust, one tree cicada sound, a piece of shadow slanting". He looked at the tea leaves inside and found they were indeed top-grade Silver Needle White Fur. They were different from the common White Fur, with plump buds covered in downy hair, and were actually the legendary Old Jun Mei. Qin Lei's heart cried out in regret, for using a bamboo tube to store this priceless famous tea was a waste, and even more wasteful was using such elegant tea leaves to make Gongfu tea, truly a case of "dog farting without understanding", wasting heavenly treasures.

  But Qin Lei still smiled warmly and handed it back to the prince, letting him continue.

  The prince would not know his mistake, in fact as a pioneer of tea culture, he has done enough. The prince put the tea leaves into a small teapot with a copper spoon, because the tea leaves were too precious, even for a prince, to put more than one scoop. This kind of tea, famous for its delicate flavor, could not bring out the taste of oolong tea no matter what.

  However, Qin Lei saw the crown prince washing dishes and pouring tea according to his own method. His movements were meticulous and elegant, calm and focused, with a tranquil and distant expression.

  Qin Lei admired in his heart that although the prince's method was far from perfect, this focus and tranquility had already grasped the essence of drinking tea.

  He stretched out his middle and index fingers to take the tea cup handed over by the prince, placed it under his nose, calmed down, and savored the tranquility for a long time before taking a sip.

  The prince also picked up a bowl and placed it at his lips, his eyes slightly closed, gently shaking his head to savor the tranquility.

  Not in tea fragrance, no longer in artistic heights. Serene and peaceful, embracing the four seas.

  Qin Lei and the Crown Prince exchanged a glance, for the first time in his life feeling like he had found a kindred spirit.

  The two sat opposite each other, silently sipping their wine.

  A wisp of white smoke rose, and two young masters asked.

  The way can be told, but it's not the usual way. The worldly affairs are easy to understand, but the truth is hard to comprehend. Names can be named, but they're not the usual names. The way is emotionless yet emotional.

  The drum beats sounded, time passed, but this moment was forever etched in the minds of the two.

  The two didn't say another word. When it was time to leave, Qin Lei stood up, cupped his hands and took his leave with a flourish, without any hesitation.

  The crown prince smiled as he watched Qin Lei leave, until he disappeared from view, then quietly and carefully picked up the tea set...

  …………

  Coming out from the prince's place, a crescent moon was already hanging on the willow branch. Qin Lei strolled leisurely along the goose egg stone path, his fingers occasionally brushing against the bamboo leaves filled with dew.

  Lao Jun's eyebrows were originally light, otherwise Liu Ji would not be unhappy.

  When the tea fragrance dissipated, that kind of picking flowers and smiling scene also turned into nothingness. Today's conversation with the prince gave Qin Lei a great shock. The prince tactfully criticized his style. The prince clearly put Qin Lei and his own situation in front of him. The prince obscurely expressed his political ambitions to himself, implying without saying. There is more, but it will have to wait for Qin Lei to slowly ponder later on.

  Qin Lei gazed at the late lotus flowers swaying in the lake and suddenly sighed: "The worldly affairs are easy to understand, but the Tao is difficult to comprehend..."

  Divider line

  The meaning of "red dust is easy to see, but the Tao is difficult to understand" is: Even if he sees it clearly, he still cannot transcend.

  Alright alright, I originally thought there was no need to update again, but before going to sleep everyone worked together to get the recommendation tickets up to 1100, so here's my most satisfying chapter yet.

  Everyone continues to recommend, I've decided that every time we reach 100 votes, I'll update a chapter. Until I really can't hold on anymore, I'll discuss it with everyone haha.

  Thank you, good night.