Uncle Ding had been waiting at the door, and when he saw Xia Xingchi fleeing out, he took the tray and the empty medicine bowl with a smile: “Sure enough, you went to deliver the medicine and Sir did not refuse it. Young Master, why don’t you just —”

Xia Xingchi gradually grew fearful and quickly shook his head like a rattle drum, saying, “No, no, no, he definitely wants to kill me now.”

According to Li Chengyuan’s horrible facial expression, it was pretty good if he didn’t sharpen his teeth and bite his head off on the spot.

“That is unlikely, did you see if Sir drank all the medicine?”

Xia Xingchi could only be honest: “I accidentally exposed that he is afraid of bitter things, and he tried to cover up the truth.”

And he might want to silence him.

Uncle Ding paid no attention to this, but continued to look at him with earnest eyes that Xia Xingchi found difficult to refuse, begging him to take on this arduous task.

As if he was the only person in the world who could make Li Chengyuan drink Chinese medicine. Xia Xingchi naturally didn’t believe it, but in the face of this look, he couldn’t refuse.

— Just think of it as contributing to the goal of keeping Li Chengyuan’s body healthy so that he could live a few more days.

The “brick mover”^[1] Xia shook his head helplessly, but agreed in the end.

Watching Uncle Ding descend the stairs with a satisfied smile on his face, Xia Xingchi couldn’t help but silently look toward the study again. Hearing no movement from inside, he then wandered back to his own room.

His room was next to the master bedroom, only a wall away from Li Chengyuan’s.

Last night he was too sleepy and fell asleep quickly with no time to look around, but now he was able to look around attentively, and there was the same sense of admiration as when Grandma Liu entered the Grand View Garden.^[2]

The bright and spacious bedroom was decorated luxuriously, and this single room was several times larger than the total area of his shabby apartment.

Xia Xingchi poked around curiously, inspecting all of the expensive decorations, and was finally lured in by the luxurious bathroom —

There was a built-in bathtub, expensive wine and goblets on a shelf, a large hanging display screen to watch movies at any time, and the beautiful garden could be viewed outside the curtains.

The evils of capitalism were truly enjoyable.

He was instantly moved. There was still time before dinner, which was perfectly suitable to experience how the rich and powerful bathed.

– – –

In the study, a fancy chocolate candy wrapper was carefully smoothed under Li Chengyuan’s fingertip.

He opened a drawer that contained a half-empty wooden box, and the completely empty candy wrapper was placed inside.

There was only a bracelet made of red string, a few coins, and a bus ticket to nowhere.

At that time, Young Master Li was out of touch with the world. He had never taken a long-distance train, and didn’t know what the tickets looked like. He had indeed been fooled by such a “fake ticket” with the wrong style, design, and even color.

He even looked for the non-existent destination on the ticket for many years, and the end result was, of course, nothing.

Whenever he thought of those sworn promises and the little liar’s bright smile, Li Chengyuan gritted his teeth with resentment and wanted to catch that person back and imprison him by his side day and night.

For his promises and lies, let him pay a terrible price for a lifetime.

Li Chengyuan lowered his eyes, stroked the ring on his finger, and finally bowed his head and kissed it gently.

– – –

Glug, glug, glug ……

Xia Xingchi buried his head in the water and spit out a stream of bubbles, then raised his head above the surface.

He reached out and took a grape from the fruit tray on the side, put it in his mouth, and sucked on it hard. Sweet juice bloomed on the tip of his tongue.

As he moved, the big diamond engagement ring that he was reluctant to take off glinted. Xia Xingchi couldn’t help but kiss it excitedly.

Was this what it felt like to “marry” into a wealthy family?

It was so invigorating!

He carelessly splashed around for a while, experiencing a life of wealth like never before.

In passing, he also filled in the gaps of his empty childhood, childishly blowing big bubbles with the shower gel in his bare hands —

Bang!

The thin bubble suddenly vanished, and the sudden loud noise was simply earth-shattering!

The bathroom door had been opened vigorously. It was less like opening the door, and more like someone was here to fight.

Xia Xingchi immediately shuddered with fright and instinctively hid in the water, but the water in this tub was clear, so of course there was nowhere to hide.

In hindsight, sure enough, no one aside from Li Chengyuan would do something so deranged.

Xia Xingchi could help but get irritated. His heart had almost jumped out of his throat in fright, and while he was still recovering from the shock, violent anger gushed out from beneath.

For a moment, he forgot to continue pretending to be cute in front of the big villain, and showed his true colors on the spot, like a little hedgehog with bristles standing up all over its body in anger: 

“What the hell are you doing! Li Chengyuan, do you want to fight!”

“Come on, if you have the guts, take off your clothes right now and come fight in the water!”

Li Chengyuan: “……..”

After Xia Xingchi finished yelling, he realized that something was wrong.

He had meant to say that fighting should not deliberately be provoked while he was taking a bath, which was a fair point.

But why did he say something so……erotic?

Wait a minute, it seemed that the most important thing was not his colorful choice of words.

— God, why did he just scold the big villain?!

Xia Xingchi’s habitual irritability was temporarily suppressed, but at this moment he suddenly realized what he had done.

He quickly observed the changes in Li Chengyuan’s expression, thinking that if this person was going to commit a crime, he didn’t want to flee naked.

However, Li Chengyuan’s expression was obscure and indeterminate. Instead of being angry, his eyes flashed as if an intense panic had suddenly eased.

Xia Xingchi blinked suspiciously, unable to think of why he would display such a look, let alone what caused the madman to act this way.

But after careful inspection, Li Chengyuan’s face only carried calm indifference, and what he saw just now seemed to have been an illusion.

So the two stared at each other without knowing what to do, and the scene fell into a death-like silence.

Xia Xingchi thought that Li Chengyuan would either say something or leave quickly, but this person was oblivious, just staring at him intently.

It was fine to endure this kind of sudden and terrifying stare from time to time, the only problem was that he was taking a bath at the moment, and he was completely naked.

The whole picture was very absurd.

The corners of Xia Xingchi’s mouth twitched, but he dared not speak out. He could only hold back his greetings to the eighteen generations of ancestors^[3] and ask with a fake smile: “Sir, there is a fee for watching, two hundred per time. Mortgage, credit, and loan installments are not supported. Do you prefer Alipay or WeChat?”

These words finally brought Li Chengyuan back to his senses.

The panic and anger from not being able to find this person just now ebbed away like the tide, and he immediately looked away with a frown, not deliberately wanting to stare.

Unexpectedly, he couldn’t help painting a complete picture in his mind —

Surrounded by misty steam, the young man leaned back in the water and looked up at him slightly. His wet hair matched his beautiful eyes, and he looked very well-behaved.

Fair, milky skin, slightly reddened from soaking in the hot water……

Li Chengyuan pursed his lips. The more he tried not to think about it, the more this scene continued to show up in front of him.

The temperature in the room seemed to be continuously rising, and the atmosphere gradually became indescribably heated and strange.

On the contrary, Xia Xingchi didn’t think much of it, and insouciantly soaked in the water without hiding.

Although he preferred men, it didn’t look like this man was deliberately taking advantage.

What’s more, his opponent was Li Chengyuan. If he really wanted to, he wouldn’t use this sort of dirty method. He would just strip him naked and look at him openly.

There was an 80 percent chance that he was just out of his mind and didn’t know what he was doing.

Li Chengyuan took a deep breath and finally calmed down completely. He said in a solemn tone: “Don’t let me be unable to find you again.”

That expression was terrifying, as if he was going to swallow someone alive.

In the face of this, Xia Xingchi couldn’t help feeling fearful and baffled.

— For fuck’s sake, I’m just taking a bath. You’d think I had violated some kind of rule.

“Sir, I’m right here, I can’t just evaporate on the spot.”

They were already in his territory. Even if he wanted to run, where would he go?

To his surprise, Li Chengyuan didn’t say a word upon hearing this, his face cold as he remained silent.

It seemed that he was really contemplating the possibility of him performing a magician’s trick and disappearing out of nowhere.

Xia Xingchi: “……?” Sir, why are you thinking so seriously?

The big villain was not only crazy, but also appeared to have a serious brain disease.

Whichever mental asylum he escaped from, please hurry up and take him back.

– – – 

Even if there was a small interlude that was less than fantastic, taking a bath was always amazing.

Xia Xingchi put on a bathrobe, feeling as comfortable as if he was about to melt.

As soon as he went out, he saw the big white dumpling appear at the door of his room in the classic posture of a kitty cat squatting like a loaf of bread.

Summer looked inside curiously, as if it wanted to secretly observe and approach the newcomer in its home.

But the person and cat looked at each other for a moment, and then it hurriedly raised its tail and ran away.

How could a cat be delivered to his door without being petted? Xia Xingchi was overjoyed, and swiftly chased after it without even thinking to dry his hair.

When approaching the study, he heard Li Chengyuan’s voice: “Xia Xingchi, come in.”

Xia Xingchi promptly came to a stop.

There was an illusion that he was being called to the office by the cold-faced principal, and he stood there in shock without daring to move.

But in the end, the villain was too scary, so Xia Xingchi had no choice but to poke his head into the study, praying internally that he had heard wrong.

At first glance, he saw Summer, who was not to be trifled with just now, sitting obediently on the desk and rolling upside down to beg for pets.

Its grim owner ignored it completely, and pushed it aside for being in the way.

The two locked eyes, and Xia Xi had to bite the bullet and enter the room. “Mr. Li, what do you need from me?”

There was an extra chair in the study, but Li Chengyuan didn’t signal for him to sit on it, and only ordered: “Go dry your hair first.”

“Huh?” Xia Xingchi tilted his head, waved a hand casually, and said, “It’s okay, it will be dry in a while.”

He’d had this bad habit ever since his old knock-off hair dryer malfunctioned and nearly caught fire. Anyway, air-drying would do, and he was reluctant to buy a new one.

To his surprise, Li Chengyuan sent someone to deliver a hairdryer directly, and the servant plugged it in very considerately before handing it to Xia Xingchi.

Xia Xingchi was very puzzled – Sir, are you going to stare at me and let me blow-dry my hair in your workplace?

The aura of the big villain was too strong. Xia Xingchi had a limited understanding of him, and felt that if he didn’t follow along, blood would splatter on the spot.

He was forced to quickly surrender and obediently comply.

Li Chengyuan looked at this person’s slightly long, soft, and fluffy hair, and finally nodded: “Sit.”

Summer lay on the desk between the two of them and raised its fluffy white paw to scratch the pen holder beside it.

Li Chengyuan tapped the desk with his slender fingers, and it immediately “meowed,” standing up lightly and jumping into his arms.

It pretended to be a big, cute hand warmer.

Xia Xingchi sat to the side, his eyes wide and envious.

Then he watched as Li Chengyuan casually tossed it onto the ground.

Summer pushed lightly at his trousers to request pets, unwilling to give up, but its cruel owner was completely indifferent.

How could he refuse the spoiled behavior of a beautiful cat?

Seeing this, Xia Xingchi wanted to roar “If you don’t want it, just give it to me! You really don’t know what a blessing looks like!”

But Li Chengyuan pointed at the place where Summer had just been sitting – there was a bank card.

A little money grubber had a particularly strong sensitivity to “money” and various related things, and his attention was instantly diverted from the kitty cat.

Is it for me?!

Although he was instantaneously excited, he still tried to hide the big tail of his true nature.

So the corners of his mouth were clearly raised to the sky, but he still sat quietly, staring at the desk without blinking.

From Li Chengyuan’s perspective, that person seemed to be like a little hedgehog who had put away his spikes in an instant, pretending to be cute as he waited for a meal.

He laughed inwardly and couldn’t help wanting to touch Xia Xingchi’s soft, fluffy hair.

This idea passed in a flash, and he said very perfunctorily: “This is your pocket money.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the little hedgehog’s eyes lit up.

Even though he tried his best to conceal it, he still had his emotions written across his face, eagerly poking his head over to find out how much money was on it.

Xia Xingchi never expected to have income.

Enjoying the life of a wealthy family with food and lodging included, he was already quite happy without bringing in money.

In addition, the cold, abstinent villain obviously didn’t need some kind of bed-warming service.

As an unproductive little waste, a lucky accessory with nothing to do, Xia Xingchi estimated that he wasn’t worth much.

But he still couldn’t help but hope that the super-rich tycoon would be very generous, such as giving him thousands of dollars a month for free.

He heard Li Chengyuan calmly say: “One million a month.”

Oh, only a……

— A million?!

That voice was not loud, but it seemed as if it pierced the sky and cracked the earth, stunning Xia Xingchi on the spot.

Good god, even if you weighed him and sold him, he wouldn’t have that much meat, let alone be worth so much money!

Who was the crazy, ruthless villain?

Anyway, it couldn’t be his dear fiance whom he had fallen in love with at first sight. His benefactor was of course the best and most handsome person in the world!

Li Chengyuan saw that he was stupefied at first, and then giggled foolishly as if he was having an out-of-body experience, and he also smiled slightly.

But he soon returned to his indifferent expression, and coughed lightly to signal him to return to his senses.

“Your job is to play my……lover.” Li Chengyuan picked up his teacup, and the awkwardness in his eyes was hidden by the liquid. “This includes marrying me.”

Even if he wanted him to pluck the stars out of the sky, the huge monthly salary of one million was enough for the little money-grubber to work hard.

“Not a problem.” Xia Xingchi nodded as if his life depended on it. “Don’t worry, Mr. Li, I can play all types of lovers, I can be a partner of any style!”

“Whatever style is fine. But first you need to change how you address me —”

As soon as he spoke, Xia Xingchi changed his words quite simply: “Husband!”

Li Chengyuan was drinking tea, and when he heard this unexpected word, he coughed violently.

---

[1] “Brick mover” refers to hard, thankless work. ⮐

[2] Grandma Liu is a character in the well-known story “A Dream of Red Mansions.” This phrase refers to a person who comes from the countryside/poverty and steps foot for the first time into the world of wealth and luxury. ⮐

[3] One might use this as an insult, such as, “screw your ancestors to the eighteenth generation.” ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Seven << Table of Contents >> Chapter Nine

Xia Xingchi instantly conjured up a series of scenes with scary background music.

Li Chengyuan silently opened the door to his room in the middle of the night, sat on the edge of the bed, and stared at him expressionlessly —

He watched for an unknown amount of time, and there was no telling what the ruthless madman was thinking then.

Xia Xingchi swallowed, asking reluctantly: “Aunt Li, is this the nightgown that Li Chengyuan wore last night?”

Aunt Li didn’t know why he asked, so she just nodded in affirmation.

Xia Xingchi shuddered, thorns popping up all over his body like a wary little hedgehog.

He knew that Li Chengyuan was paranoid, but he didn’t expect this person to be so scary and strange, going to observe how he slept in the middle of the night for no reason.

But he heard Aunt Li sigh with distress: “Sir was not well last night. I’ve told him before that he can ring the bell to call me or someone else at any time, but he doesn’t like to bother others and prefers to look for medicine himself.”

When she got up at night, she happened to see that the wall lamp on the second floor was on. She thought she had forgotten to turn it off, but when she went upstairs, she saw Li Chengyuan standing in front of the medicine cabinet in the living room with a pale face and one hand on his chest.

She guessed that he was taking medicine due to chest pain. If she didn’t see it by chance, no one would have even known.

— He was unwell last night?

After hearing this, Xia Xingchi tilted his head slightly and wondered if he was wrong.

After all, Li Chengyuan was a super popular big boss, so it stood to reason that he wouldn’t be so bored that he would end up enduring physical discomfort in the middle of the night in order to scare an unknown person.

After thinking it over, he still felt suspicious but didn’t dare to rush forward and question him boldly, so he had no choice but to keep a card up his sleeve before going to bed next time.

– – –

In the living room on the second floor, Xia Xingchi finally ate the egg tarts he had dreamed of, and at the same time, began to sort out all kinds of doubts about Li Chengyuan.

Putting aside the frightening incident in the middle of the night, what was more terrible was that the plot had gone off the rails. Why did the big villain not call off the engagement, but kidnap him instead? 

He was just a small cannon fodder, and had been miserable and poor for two lifetimes, with no gain worth seeking.

And Li Chengyuan had no romantic lines in the book, let alone such a niche hobby as engaging in this sort of gay thing.

The big financial tycoon, who was always alone until death, really wanted to get engaged and married?

Et cetera?

Xia Xingchi patted his head, connected the words “marriage” and “death,” and was enlightened.

This magnificent sky-high mansion and an inheritance of hundreds of billions……

A flash of inspiration flashed through the mind of the little money-grubber as he remembered that the first in the line of inheritance was the “spouse!”

When all was said and done, he died poor and feared poverty, so the temptation of wealth could double Xia Xingchi’s courage in an instant.

A few minutes ago, he was still thinking of various ways to ask Li Chengyuan to withdraw from the engagement.

But now there was a huge money tree in front of him. Even if he had to face the moody, paranoid, and cruel villain, Xia Xingchi instantly wanted to shout, “I can do it! It was love at first sight and I just want to get married!”

— Anyway, Li Chengyuan isn’t gay, so he’s not interested in me. As long as I’m an invisible shrinking quail for half a year, I can have hundreds of billions of zeros every day.

For a rich man who was only twenty-five years old, this death was too sudden. Even if Li Chengyuan was not in good health, it was reasonable to say that he was not near death.

Perhaps it was a forced arrangement of the plot, so that the cheap pair of Xia Yu and Li Shengrui, the villain protagonists of the original book could be gong and shou.

The protagonist gong, Li Shengrui, was Li Chengyuan’s “good brother,” after all. He would obtain the inheritance according to the legal succession order, and then have a happy ending.

Li Chengyuan probably didn’t expect that he would have a sudden illness, and didn’t have time to arrange a funeral, let alone leave a will to divide up the property.

It was a pity that it wasn’t a supernatural novel, otherwise if he knew everything about that cheap bastard Li Shengrui from the netherworld, he would surely rise from the grave and donate it all in advance.

Xia Xingchi ate the last bite of egg tart and habitually licked his fingertips.

After realizing that he had transmigrated, he had tried his best to recall the plot after hastily reading it, but found that the whole text was focused on how the protagonist happily did evil, and there were not many descriptions of the villain.

Li Chengyuan’s background story and the reasons for his madness and paranoia were unknown, and even the cause of death could only be summed up as “succumbed to disease,” with little useful information.

While he was worrying over not knowing what to do, he suddenly saw a round ball of fur “rolling” over from the stairs in the distance to abruptly appear in his line of sight.

Its speed was extremely fast, like a soft white cloud.

When it got close, Xia Xingchi realized that it was a rather beautiful pure white long-haired cat.

The big dark amber eyes were round and bright, its big fluffy tail held high as it flicked back and forth.

Xia Xingchi’s eyes widened. This coat color, this appearance, it was simply his dream cat!

The kitty cat gradually slowed down, walked past his feet reservedly and with grace, and looked back arrogantly at the strange visitor in its home.

Xia Xingchi didn’t even care about the small calculations in his mind any longer as he was looked at by it. He could only squat down and carefully stretch out his hand, trying to touch its head.

His fingertips touched the soft fur and gently stroked it back. It was like catching a soft cloud, filling him with extreme satisfaction.

Comfortable to the point that he almost squinted his eyes.

It was a shame that before he had time to stroke it a second time, this big white dumpling who seemed to have a bad temper got annoyed.

It gave a dissatisfied “meow!” and then its big tail unceremoniously slapped the tip of Xia Xingchi’s nose as it ran away without looking back.

“Hey!” Xia Xingchi hurriedly got up and tried to catch it. He was addicted and hadn’t touched enough.

It just so happened that Uncle Ding was going upstairs with a tray and saw him staring in the direction the cat had disappeared. He said with a smile: “You like cats too? Summer^[1] usually only allows Sir to touch it, and if other people try to touch, it will explode with anger.”

“Summer……” Xia Xingchi tilted his head slightly when he heard this, and asked in shock after a moment, “Could this be Li Chengyuan’s cat?”

This was Li Chengyuan’s villa, so it must be his cat, but how could the villain keep such a cute and beautiful cat as a pet?

It wasn’t a terrifying creature like the traditional tiger, crocodile, or python.

He even gave it such a warm name as “Summer,” which wasn’t in the style of crazy or gloomy at all.

But the white dumpling was indeed “similar to its master.” Both the big one and the small one were handsome, especially the noble and arrogant eyes that could not be provoked, and the easily explosive bad temper. It really resembled Li Chengyuan.

That is to say, Li Chengyuan seemed to be a bit like a cat……no, no, no, you would have to be crazy to equate such a scary person with a cute kitty cat.

Xia Xingchi quickly shook his head to rid himself of this thought, and suddenly heard Uncle Ding speak again: “Young Master, may I ask you for a favor?”

Facing the old man’s series of respectful words, Xia Xingchi couldn’t help feeling embarrassed: “Of course, whatever I can do for you, just say it.”

He was trying to get Uncle Ding, Aunt Li, and the others to call him by his full name at will, especially without the honorifics, but he had obviously not had much success.

“Can the Young Master give this bowl of medicine to Sir?”

On the tray in Uncle Ding’s hands was a bowl of some pitch black concoction, and Xia Xingchi could only just faintly smell the bitter medicinal scent dispersing in the air.

It wasn’t until he automatically took the tray that he realized something was wrong.

Xia Xingchi was instantly struck dumb. He looked at the medicine, and then at the closed study door.

It was as if the one in the study was not a sickly and handsome financial tycoon, but a vicious and cannibalistic white tiger, the kind that would puff up and eat people when they got close.

“Uh……go and give it to Li Chengyuan?”

Although he was willing to help the kind old man, even if he lent Xia Xingchi some more courage, he would not dare to go.

For some reason, Uncle Ding mistakenly believed that he was “deeply loved” by Li Chengyuan.

But in fact, he was clearly quite unpopular. Perhaps if he was the one who brought the medicine, that person might not want to drink it.

Just as he was about to refuse, he noticed the old man looking at him earnestly. His face was full of vicissitudes and the wrinkles left by the years, and his eyes were very sincere.

Xia Xingchi: ……

Those evasive words reached the tip of his tongue, and he couldn’t utter them in the end. As he was in a stupor, Uncle Ding’s appearance overlapped with that of someone else in his memory.

Forget it, Li Chengyuan was not really a cannibal, so he probably wouldn’t lose a piece of meat if he helped out.

– – –

“Mr. Li?” Xia Xingchi knocked on the study door three times with the tray in one hand, and then directly opened the door as instructed.

 Li Chengyuan was sitting at the desk reading documents, and his white casual clothes made his face look extremely pale.

His whole body exuded a forbidding aura, and after realizing Xia Xingchi’s reason for coming, he was even more indifferent and had no intention whatsoever to take the medicine.

Xia Xingchi could only clear his throat and remind him: “Mr. Li, the current temperature is just right for drinking, but it won’t taste good after it cools down.”

Although it also wouldn’t taste good when it was hot.

“Get out.” Li Chengyuan still didn’t even give him a look, but just spoke coldly.

Xia Xingchi: ?

His fist clenched. If it wasn’t for the fact that he was a big boss and couldn’t be offended, this bowl of medicine would have been directly used to wash his hair.

Calm down, calm down……

Xia Xingchi suppressed his violent temper and said silently in his heart: He is dying, so let him make orders, ba. Just think of it as giving him the best end-of-life care for the sake of the inheritance, and not have a falling-out with him.

Xia Xingchi looked at his stubborn expression, then at the bowl of medicine —

Nope, I can’t calm down at all.

He almost wanted to yell: Li Chengyuan, hurry up and take your medicine for me! Live longer! If you die, who will punish the protagonist villain gong and shou?

Xia Xingchi pondered for a moment, then said abruptly: “Mr. Li, you wouldn’t be – afraid of bitterness, right?”

There was no basis for this statement. It was just nonsense to try to force him to drink the medicine.

Contrary to expectations, before the words fell, Li Chengyuan’s expression instantly went cold.

Like……like Summer getting its head touched, it seemed as if he would explode in the next second.

But the lethality between a kitty cat and a big white tiger was absolutely different, and Xia Xingchi was taken aback when he saw this.

For god’s sake, did I accidentally hit the mark?

Li Chengyuan really didn’t drink the medicine because he thought it was too bitter?

Putting the words “crazy villain” and “afraid of bitterness” together was simply unimaginable.

Having inadvertently discovered Li Chengyuan’s shocking secret, Xia Xingchi hurriedly took two steps back, suspecting that he would be splattered with blood and promptly killed.

Just as he was scared witless, Li Chengyuan picked up the medicine bowl very calmly and indifferently, and drank it down in one gulp.

This seemed to prove Xia Xingchi’s statement wrong, but after careful observation, it appeared that he was trying to cover up —

It was so bitter that there was a slight, barely noticeable trembling in his shoulders.

Li Chengyuan impatiently put the bowl down with a bang, and said angrily: “Leave!”

Xia Xingchi just stared at him speechlessly. After a long moment, he finally came back to his senses and could help but want to laugh wildly.

A certain person actually had such a lively and human side.

Thus, although he was still a little afraid of him, Xia Xingchi was not scared away this time.

Instead, he swiftly took something out of his pocket, and with a pa, slapped it down on Li Chengyuan’s desk with pizzazz.

Then he rushed out like a gust of wind.

With the bitter taste of medicine still lingering on his tongue, Li Chengyuan pursed his lips as he saw an extra piece of chocolate on the table.

Printed on the wrapping paper was a quirky smiling face sticking out its tongue, exactly the same as Xia Xingchi’s expression just now.

---

[1] In the text, the cat’s name is spelled out in English as “Summer.” Xia Xingchi’s surname is Xia (夏) which also means summer. Coincidence?? Hm…… ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Six << Table of Contents >> Chapter Eight

A few days later, it was the grand concubine selection day, and the palace was busy from top to bottom.

Zhao Yelan stayed idle at home, tasting the newly arrived lychees.

Lychees were hard to come by. The south had only paid tribute to Beijing yesterday, and the Emperor gave these to several hard-working officials this morning, including Yan Mingting

Yan Mingting himself didn’t like to eat this thing, thinking that it was a waste of time to peel them and really troublesome to wash the juice off one’s hands.

But he sat on the sidelines and watched Zhao Yelan peel the lychees. His two slender hands peeled off the scale-like shell, revealing the plump, tender flesh. The moist juice touched his fingertips, and there was a basin of cold water beside him that he could wash his hands with if they felt sticky.

Then a mouth bit into the pulp, bright red lips becoming moist. The pit spit out was only the size of a fingernail, with a touch of sweet flavor.

He continued in this way without a care, over and over.

Yan Mingting was fascinated by the sight, and he was salivating a little. After another one was peeled, he leaned over and bit off the flesh in one bite.

Zhao Yelan was startled as the lychee meat heading towards his mouth suddenly disappeared. His face sank and he said in displeasure: “Do you not have hands?”

“Stingy, I’ll give you one back.” Yan Mingting peeled one eagerly, and fed it to his mouth. “Here.”

Zhao Yelan glanced at the lychee meat and reached out to pick it up. Unexpectedly, the other party stuffed it into his mouth without warning, so he had to open his mouth and swallow it, glancing at him angrily. 

Yan Mingting thought it was funny. The look in his eyes seemed to be smiling rather than angry, making his heart flutter.

Yan Mingting simply placed the basket in front of himself, intending to feed them to him one by one, but Zhao Yelan stopped eating after realizing his careful plan. It so happened that Gao Tan came back with a basket, which contained a big watermelon. To quench summer thirst, it was put into the well to cool down first.

There was also a bunch of grapes in the basket, which were big and plump, very attractive. If these were fed to him……Yan Mingting began to fantasize, feeling a little hot for some reason.

He reached out to grab the grapes, but was slapped away by Zhao Yelan: “Go eat your lychees, don’t come and grab my things.”

As if afraid that he would snatch it away, he carried the basket and walked towards the bedroom. As soon as he entered the door, he turned around and asked Gao Tan with his eyes: Is anyone following?

Gao Tan shook his head.

Zhao Yelan took out the note from the basket, unfolded it, and was stunned.

– There are two pieces of good news. One, the cell boss has been found and is in my hands. What do you want to do with him? Second, the medicine is finally ready. When do you plan to act?

“I just want to eat a few of your grapes, why hide so far away?” Yan Mingting’s voice sounded at the door, and he faltered imperceptibly. Pretending to be calm, he pinched the note in his palm, turned around, and changed the subject: “Is there any news about Yao Muze’s master?”

“Still searching.” Yan Mingting didn’t know why he had suddenly asked about this, but when he thought of him being so caring, he couldn’t help but be grateful. “If there is any news, I will definitely notify you as soon as possible.”

“Let’s go and eat grapes, ba. “ Zhao Yelan lowered his head, eyes dimming, and then stuffed the note into a sachet without any trace.

In the evening, after eating, the two sat in the courtyard to enjoy the moon and drink tea.

News came from the palace that the general election was over. A total of thirty-two people were selected, and Sun Muyun was named nobility.

“An idle member of nobility?” Yan Mingting laughed. “I think she is quite independent, but how can she be so in the palace from now on?”

The corner of Zhao Yelan’s mouth curved up: “Perhaps she will make great achievements in the future. Had we met in Jiangnan, she would have been a good friend.” 

“You want to go to Jiangnan to play?” Yan Mingting thought for a moment and smiled. “Why don’t I take a leave of absence from the Imperial Court, and we can go south for a trip. How about it? I also haven’t been to the south, I don’t know if it is really as great as Sun Muyun said.” 

Zhao Yelan pinched the sachet and gave it some thought: “Let’s talk about it, there are still many matters to attend to in Beijing.”

“What matters?” Yan Mingting put his arms behind his head and gazed up at the moon. “Ever since I returned to Beijing, I have had nothing to do. I go to early court every day and then it is over. I don’t have the authority to take care of any major issues, and all I can do is listen to the quarrels of those civil servants.”

“Is this not a good thing? You earn a salary with no need to work, which is a job that many people can only dream of,” Zhao Yelan said with a smile.

“But I’m idle and bored, ah.” Yan Mingting sighed. 

“If you are so idle, go and cut up the watermelon in the well.”

Yan Mingting immediately went to cut up the watermelon and returned with a large plate full of watermelon slices. As soon as Zhao Yelan reached out to take a piece, it was snatched away.

“It’s too cold, let it sit for a while before you eat,” Yan Mingting said.

“Nonsense.” Zhao Yelan reached out once more, but was stopped by him again.

“Be good, you finally stopped coughing recently, so don’t mess around and get sick again.”

Zhao Yelan sighed deeply, feeling that Yan Mingting’s nagging was also quite difficult to deal with. Wasn’t it the point of icing the watermelon to be able to cool his mouth?

Two days later, Yan Mingting reported the border news to the Emperor. Although the Mongols had surrendered, there was still a little movement from time to time recently, and they needed to send more people over to keep watch. He planned to order Zhong Yuehong to bring three thousand soldiers back to the border. 

After thinking about it for a long time, Zhao Xuan agreed. He also rewarded Zhong Yuehong with some good things and elevated her by a rank.

On the day of departure, many officials went to meet with each other before they left.

Yan Mingting rode out of the city at the head, followed by He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong. In the carriage was Mother Zhong and all her belongings.

To leave with this party now was to never return.

After arriving outside the city, He Cuizhang saw Zhong Yuehong looking all around. He poked her shoulder with a horsewhip and pointed to a pavilion in the distance: “Look, Zhao-daren is over there.”

In order to prevent those censors and civil officials who had nothing to do from accusing him of being close to these military officials, Zhao Yelan went out of the city first and waited in the pavilion. This way, he wouldn’t bump into other colleagues and have to come up with excuses.

“Zhao-daren!” Zhong Yuehong swung her whip and galloped to the pavilion. As soon as Zhao Yelan stood, he watched her swing off her horse. With a plop, she went down to one knee and said solemnly: “Many thanks to Zhao-daren for saving my life. This daughter will remember her benefactor for as long as she lives. From now on, the heavens will be high and the water far.^[1] Please take care of your body, Zhao-daren, and live in good health for the rest of your life.”

Zhao Yelan helped her up and smiled sincerely: “It was nothing more than a little effort. Although the capital is dangerous, it is less so than the frontier with its swords and spears. Proceed with caution and never be careless.”

“Yuehong will keep this in mind.” Zhong Yuehong nodded heavily, her eyes a little red. She raised her arm and wiped away her tears vigorously, then picked up the wine cup on the table. “My lord, General, we part here.”

Yan Mingting also picked up his wine cup: “Take care, and send me a message if you need anything.”

“I will substitute the wine with tea and drink for you, ba.” Zhao Yelan poured a cup of tea.

The three of them drank together. Zhao Yelen took out another package and gave it to her, and when Zhong Yuehong opened it, she saw that it was a newly made dress.

“The material was gifted by a nobleman before, and I naturally don’t need it. If you want to wear a dress, you can wear it without fear. If you meet your perfect person in the future, you can wear it for him too. If no man can make your heart beat, then you should be your own hero and wear it for yourself,” Zhao Yelan said.

Tears welled up in Zhong Yuehong’s eyes again, and she nodded solemnly. As if afraid to be seen crying, she turned and quickly mounted her horse, waved back at them, and led the troops away without looking back.

The mighty group gradually faded from sight. Yan Mingting turned to look at Zhao Yelan and saw his distant gaze, not knowing whether he was looking at the traveling group or the sky. He said: “We can go to the border to see her in the future. Let’s go back.”

They returned to the city, because after Zhong Yuehong’s departure, someone needed to be arranged to take over her duties. Yan Mingting hired a sedan chair, told Gao Tan to protect him, and went to the training grounds with He Cuizhang. 

Unexpectedly, the sedan chair was stopped by someone on the road. Li Yucheng opened the curtain with a smile: “Hey, I said it must be you. What a coincidence, Zhao-xiong.”

“Unfortunately.” Zhao Yelan looked at his bruised nose and swollen face and said coolly: “You fought hard.”

“That’s right.” Li Yucheng touched his black eyes. “I beat Fu Qian like this to help you save that person.”

“You and Fu Qian have been at odds for a long time,” Zhao Yelan said.

“Sure enough, I can’t hide anything from you, ah,” Li Yucheng said. “Since we’re here, it is better to take advantage of the occasion than to choose another time to meet. Do you want to listen to music with me?”

Zhao Yelan took a good look at him, recalled the conversation he had heard when they met Fu Qian in front of Hongxiu House that day, and said clearly: “Could it be that you fell in love with that beauty and wanted to marry her, but your father refused to agree, so you want me to be a lobbyist?”

Li Yucheng blushed, faltering as he said: “I’m a good-for-nothing in my twenties. If I can start a family, maybe Dad will be happier. But you also know my reputation. No woman from a good family is willing to marry me, but A-Chang is different. Not only does she sing beautifully, but she never looks down on me.”

“You are her benefactor, so of course she won’t despise you.” Zhao Yelan jabbed straight at his heart.

“She sells her art but not her body! A lot of people throw money at her, but she ignores them,” Li Yucheng said.

“Then why are you looking for me? You should go to a matchmaker, or someone else more suitable.”

“My father’s colleagues don’t want to see me at all, and they don’t understand the beauty of rhythm! And my dad actually admires you quite a bit. I used to make trouble for you all the time, and besides telling me not to provoke you, he also incidentally complimented you, which made me even more angry……” Li Yucheng smiled sheepishly.

The sedan chair happened to pass Hongxiu House. Li Yucheng continued to urge him, and as he was distracted, the sedan chair missed it.

“Zhao-xiong, I beg you, please help me! You can do anything, ah!” Li Yucheng pleaded bitterly.

Zhao Yelan changed his mind and said: “It’s getting late, let’s try another day.” After speaking, he pulled down the curtain.

“Okay, another day is fine, I will leave my life’s important affairs to you!” Li Yucheng shouted at the sedan chair, and then ran excitedly back to Hongxiu House to discuss marriage with his confidante.

In the evening, after Yan Mingting came back, he heard that Zhao Yelan and Li Yucheng were chatting on the street. This time he didn’t sulk, and said directly to Zhao Yelan: “Can you eat and drink less with those little white faces in the future?”

“I don’t drink.” Zhao Yelan was feeding the rabbit. He patted the rabbit’s head, stood, and walked to his side. “Who did you hear it from? Yu Dali?”

Yan Mingting did not answer.

“Didn’t you promise me that for them, my orders would definitely override yours? How are they different from the people sent by the Emperor to monitor me? You should remember what happened to those people, ba. If you don’t want Yu Dali and the others to die tragically, then don’t ask them about my whereabouts,” Zhao Yelan said coldly.

“No, my lord……I told the General,” Gao Tan muttered beside him.

Zhao Yelan swiftly looked at him and said: “Who the hell do you think you are? !”

“The General gave me this……” Gao Tan tremblingly took out a bunch of tanghulu and said with a very pitiful tone, “He said that he would take you out to swim in the lake tonight, so I said you might be a little tired today……”

“Swim in what lake at night?” Zhao Yelan asked.

Yan Mingting said: “I saw that you are a little bored in the mansion all day long, so I wanted to take you to relax. Do you want to go?”

Zhao Yelan’s throat choked up. He had just finished being vicious toward someone, and they turned around to invite him to go to the lake. It was really embarrassing, so he refused: “I don’t, I’m going to bed.”

“Okay then, let’s go to the lake another day,” Yan Mingting said.

After he left the courtyard, Yan Mingting asked Gao Tan in a low voice: “What’s wrong with your family’s lord? His temper came out of nowhere, was he angry outside today?”

“I don’t know, ah, his temper is really unpredictable. Don’t you know that, General?” Gao Tan ate tanghulu and said, “It seems that there are a few days every month where he is particularly quick to anger.”

“……”

Yan Mingting only felt that his reaction this time was a little too big. He was clearly fine when he saw Zhong Yuehong off in the afternoon, so could it be that Li Yucheng angered him?

At night, Yan Mingting lay on the ground and asked softly: “Are you asleep?”

“What is it?”

“What is the matter with you these days?”

“Nothing, why?”

“Are you weak and faint, emotionally unstable, with unbearable abdominal pain? Will there be any blood?”

Zhao Yelan’s brow creased: “What nonsense are you talking about? !”

Yan Mingting covered his mouth with embarrassment and said: “You haven’t promised me yet that you won’t go out with those little white faces in the future.”

“Why?”

“Because……there will be gossip, ah! And isn’t Wang Guisheng your pawn? How can anyone hang around with chess pieces all day long? Isn’t this clearly telling others that the two of you are in the same group?”

Zhao Yelan was inwardly amused, so he didn’t expose him, only saying: “All right, I won’t do it again.” There would also be no such opportunity.

Only then did Yan Mingting fall asleep satisfied.

For several days, Yan Mingting saw Li Yucheng’s figure nearby. He would make a fist at him from afar, and then Li Yucheng would run away like a mouse that had encountered a cat.

On this day, Li Yucheng had already figured out Yan Mingting’s routine, and while he was out, he came to the General’s Mansion and called: “Zhao-xiong, Zhao-xiong, are you there?”

Zhao Yelan walked out in splendor and looked at him without saying a word. 

“I brought you something good!” Li Yucheng took out a sachet. “This was my sister’s favorite kind of sachet in the past. There are dozens of floral fragrances mixed in it, which is cool and pleasant in summer. I made this, and if you like it, I will give it to you. I’ll even tell you the recipe!”

Zhao Yelan took it and sniffed it: “Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

An hour later, Yan Mingting returned from the training grounds, but hadn’t yet arrived at the General’s Mansion when he heard passers-by chattering about Zhao Yelan. He immediately reined in his horse, pulled someone aside, and asked, “Where did you say Zhao Yelan went?”

“He went to the brothel with Li Yucheng!”

Yan Mingting: “ ! ! ! ”

Very good, he only just promised him last night that he wouldn’t have dinner with the little white faces, and today he was looking for girls instead!

---

[1] This phrase describes a long journey or a vast distance. ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Forty-One <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-Three

“Why did you go to a brothel again?” Yan Mingting asked during dinner.

Zhao Yelan’s chopsticks paused. He said unhurriedly: “I was just passing by.”

“Then why did Li Yucheng call you to go to the brothel to listen to music?”

When Zhao Yelan heard this, he turned his head and glanced at Gao Tan, who immediately covered his face with his hands and turned away. “He said that there was a new lady who could sing well, and asked me to go and listen.”

“I didn’t know that your relationship was so good that he could invite you to a brothel to listen to music!” Yan Mingting said with emphasis on the word “brothel,” for fear that the other party would not be able to hear that he was angry.

Zhao Yelan gave him a piece of radish, and Yan Mingting’s expression softened slightly. He was just about to eat it when he heard him say: “Eat salty radishes and worry less.”^[1]

Yan Mingting scoffed, put down his chopsticks heavily, and left the table.

A few days later, as soon as Zhao Yelan left the Imperial Academy, he was stopped by Li Yucheng.

“I’ve found you. I went to the General’s Mansion every day, but no one was there. Now I’ve caught you,” Li Yucheng said. 

“What?”

“Let’s go eat. There is a new restaurant in the east of the city. I’ve reserved a private room for you, hurry up and get on the sedan chair.”

Zhao Yelan looked at the luxuriously soft sedan chair next to him. He turned around and got in.

The newly opened restaurant was very lively, and in the lobby, there were entertainers specially invited to play instruments. The surrounding area was full of applause.

There were also a lot of very colorful dishes, including carrots carved into the shape of phoenixes. After a table of delicacies was served, Zhao Yelan looked at Li Yucheng, who was hesitant to speak: “Tell me, what is the matter?”

Li Yucheng took a deep breath, then raised the wine glass in front of him and solemnly said: “I want to formally apologize to you. I was arrogant and conceited in the past, and inexplicably blamed you for all the anger my father received at court, so I targeted you everywhere and even tried to make trouble for you several times. I will drink this cup first in respect.”

This could be interesting. Zhao Yelan nodded slightly.

Li Yucheng poured a second cup of wine and said: “This cup is for gratitude. The cause of my sister’s death……if you hadn’t helped his Holy Majesty ascend the throne, the late dog……that person might have killed countless others.”

After gulping it down, he poured a third cup, but couldn’t open his mouth. After struggling for a while, he said in shame: “This cup is my apology to Yan Mingting. I shouldn’t have taken it upon myself to believe rumors and hold grudges against him. He has served the country and the people all his life, but I pressed unwarranted charges against him. It was truly hateful.”

“You should drink this cup of wine directly with him,” Zhao Yelan said.

“I dare not……anyway, aren’t you both family?”

Zhao Yelan couldn’t speak.

“Go back and convey it for me.” Perhaps because Yan Mingting was so upright, Li Yucheng was ashamed and always felt that he didn’t fit in with him. But Zhao Yelan, who was both righteous and evil, was easier to talk to. “If you accept my apology, drink this.”

“I don’t drink,” Zhao Yelan said.

“Then……have a meal?” Li Yucheng looked at him beseechingly. “Just forgive me, or my father won’t take it easy on me.”

“What does your father want me to do?” Zhao Yelan had already guessed that Li Jinyu had sent him here, otherwise it would be impossible for him to apologize so obediently.

“You misunderstand, my father didn’t mean to ask you for help, he just wanted me to apologize to Yan Mingting. I was too ashamed to face him directly, so I took a detour……and turned up here with you.” 

“Did it need to be so roundabout?” Zhao Yelan was amused, but his face remained blank.

“Of course, the two of you have such a good relationship, the effect is just the same.” Li Yucheng took out three banknotes. “This is all my savings from over the years. My father has never embezzled, so I can’t afford ten thousand taels of gold, and I can only use this to make amends to you. If one day I become prosperous, I will definitely make up the rest.”

Dislike was dislike, but who couldn’t get along with silver? Zhao Yelan put away the banknotes without changing his expression, and then paused abruptly: “Who said I have a good relationship with him?”

“Does this still need to be said?” Li Yucheng’s lips curled. “I’ve cursed him to his face, calling him my natural enemy, a bearer of ill luck, an evil star, and he just pretended he didn’t hear it. But last time in front of you, when I cursed at him that he would kill you……he slapped me twice in an instant! It took a fortnight for the swelling to subside!”

“You deserved it.” Zhao Yelan thought to himself, if it wasn’t useful to keep you at that time, you would have died at my hands long ago.

“Yes, yes, yes, I deserved it. My father told me not to cause trouble for you, but I refused to listen,” Li Yucheng said, smiling ingratiatingly. “But not anymore. I’ve decided to make you a friend!”

Zhao Yelan looked at him in disbelief: “Who gave you the face?”

“Why, what threshold needs to be reached before someone will be considered your friend?”

“They must at least have a functioning brain.” Zhao Yelan looked at his empty head with distaste and shook his head.

“It’s because my dad didn’t let me go to school when I was a child!” Li Yucheng said with conviction. “He didn’t want me to practice martial arts, saying that the battlefield was too dangerous, and he never wanted me to be an official, so he didn’t care about my studies. Otherwise, there’s no telling who this year’s top scholar would be.”

“Oh? Who is talking about a new top scholar, ah?” Someone laughed outside the door.

Li Yucheng opened the door curiously and saw two strangers. He was about to shoo them away when a smiling man walked in and said: “Zhao-xiong, it really is you. I saw your back just now and thought I was mistaken.”

“You guys know each other?” Li Yucheng asked in surprise.

“I’m Ruan Xian, of the Imperial Academy.” Ruan Xian smiled, then pointed to the person behind him and introduced, “This is the number one scholar, Wang Guisheng.”

Li Yucheng was dumbfounded, and wondered if he had run his mouth too much. He immediately muttered: “Tathagata Buddha, Guanyin Bodhisattva, appear quickly before me. If that doesn’t work, Xichi Diaochan^[2] will also do, ah.”

Zhao Yelan looked at him speechlessly. It was a mystery how this person could think he was intelligent enough to be his friend.

“It is crowded out there, and there are no empty tables. I wonder if I can share a table with Zhao-xiong?” Ruan Xian asked.

“Take a seat.” Zhao Yelan simply didn’t want to share a table alone with this Li idiot, so he ordered two more sets of bowls and chopsticks.

Each of them sat on one side of the table. Ruan Xian and Zhao Yelan talked about the changes in the current situation. Li Yucheng found that he couldn’t get a word in edgewise and was a little bit down, so he nudged the top scholar next to him: “You and Zhao Yelan have a good relationship?”

Wang Guisheng didn’t know how to answer, and subconsciously looked at Zhao Yelan. He found him sitting on one side with a natural and casual posture, but without losing any elegance. Eating slowly, he occasionally nodded in agreement with Ruan Xian’s comments. He couldn’t help but stare at him in a daze, thinking that some people were born in such a way that people couldn’t take their eyes off them.

He didn’t answer this question, and then heard Zhao Yelan mention the Jiangnan matter.

“A few days ago, the water report from the Huaihe River was submitted to the Imperial Court. Didn’t it say that precipitation has increased significantly compared to the past, and floods are predicted?”

“Yes, Guisheng should be more aware of this matter, he was the one who drafted the decree for delegating disaster relief funds,” Ruan Xian replied.

When the late Emperor was alive, there was a flood one year that led to people having no way to make a living. Therefore, as soon as Zhao Xuan came to power, he set up newsmen at the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. At the end of spring, they began to regularly report the precipitation to the court, so as to prepare flood control in advance.

Zhao Yelan looked at Wang Guisheng: “Where did the disaster funds go?”

Wang Guisheng was surprised, and said, “It will be distributed to Huaizhou and Zhizhou as appropriate when the time comes. According to the distance, there should be more than ten days left.”

Zhao Yelan frowned. A few days ago, when talking with Sun Muyun about the customs of Jiangnan, the other party had warmly invited him to visit Jiangnan, saying that the weather had been good recently and that it had been sunny for more than ten days in a row, making it easy to travel.

“Is there an issue?” Ruan Xian asked.

As soon as he spoke, there was the sound of a table overturning in the lobby. Li Yucheng, an excitable fellow, immediately opened the door. Looking down, he saw his old nemesis, Fu Qian, who was known as the most beautiful man in the capital. 

The other party firmly grasped a short young master, asking: “Who are you? Do you dare to strip off your clothing and reveal yourself?”

“You let go of me!”

Zhao Yelan paused. The voice was inexplicably familiar, and he calmly walked to the corridor overlooking the two arguing people. He suddenly remembered who this jade-faced young man was, and said: “Go and bring this man up.”

The three of them were taken aback, and went downstairs one after another. Li Yucheng was the first to act, grabbing Fu Qian by the collar and cursing: “Everyone, come and see! In broad daylight, Fu Qian actually wanted to strip off the man’s clothes. Could this be the goodness of Longyan?”^[3]

In an instant, everyone burst into laughter. In consideration of saving face, Fu Qian quickly released his grip and turned around to argue with him, but he was dragged out before he could speak, and the two scuffled at the gate.

The jade-faced young man caught his breath and was just about to flee, but was instead politely invited upstairs by two gentlemen. When he caught sight of the person sitting in the private room, he said excitedly, as if meeting a relative: “Zhao-daren!”

“You are too bold,” Zhao Yelan said, displeased. “Where is your handmaiden?”

“Handmaiden?” Ruan Xian looked at this young man in surprise. Thin skin and tender flesh, slender fingers, a crisp voice, and upon closer look, no Adam’s apple……it was clearly a girl!

“She’s gone to look for someone.” Sun Muyun smiled after having a close brush with disaster. “Fortunately Zhao-daren helped me, otherwise I would be finished.”

She wouldn’t just be finished. As she was here to participate in the draft, if she consorted with other men in public and someone had the mind to accuse her of adultery, the gains would not make up for the losses.

“I was wrong, I thought my disguise was flawless.” Sun Muyun was quick to admit her mistake, and said aggrievedly, “I heard that the most beautiful man in Beijing was here, so I disguised myself and came to have a look, but who would have known that he was nothing but a useless person only fit for drinking. He saw that I was a girl and said that I was attracted to him, and had put on these clothes to have a private meeting with him. When he wanted to get closer to me, I refused, and we started arguing……hmph, I saw his oily face, how could he be worthy of the title of most beautiful man? He doesn’t hold a finger to Zhao-daren.”

“I agree with this!” Ruan Xian clapped his hands and laughed.

“Wow, you two……are pretty handsome too!” Only then did Sun Muyun notice the other two people in the room, looking at them with piercing eyes.

Zhao Yelan was speechless for a moment. He didn’t know if he should admire her simple-minded courage or her sweet-talking skills. A mere sentence made these two blush inwardly.

He thought for a moment and said: “If Sun-guniang wants to see a handsome man, after entering the palace, she can glimpse the face of the Emperor. That is true excellence and grace.”

“Is this true?” Sun Muyun lowered her voice and struggled to say, “But I saw the late Emperor once when I was young, he was really ugly……”

Ruan Xian and Wang Guisheng hid their smiles. Zhao Yelan did so as well. “The Holy Majesty is more like his mother concubine, with a face like a crown of jade. You won’t be disappointed.”

“Exactly,” Ruan Xian agreed, “I saw the Holy Majesty and felt inferior.”

Sun Muyun looked at Wang Guisheng doubtfully, and when he nodded, she was instantly moved. Let her see this famous handsome man in Beijing. The only two men with heavenly looks were husband and wife, so there was only one left that she hadn’t met.

In any case, her plan from the start was to see if there were any handsome men she liked in Beijing. If she found one, she would make herself look undesirable during the draft, and when the process was over, she would be inseparable from her ideal person. If she couldn’t find one, then she would submit to the will of heaven.

“Okay, I’ll go back and prepare for the draft!”

“Don’t go out and cause trouble for the next few days. The draft is not just about you alone. You have the Sun family behind you,” Zhao Yelan reminded.

“I know, thank you, Zhao-daren.” Sun Muyun nodded. Her maid arrived just then with someone in tow, so she left first.

The three of them left the restaurant one step later, and when they walked out the gate, they glanced at Li Yucheng and Fu Qian, who were still wrestling. Zhao Yelan walked around them without a sideways glance, but his footsteps halted suddenly, and he looked at the person standing in front of him with surprise.

Ruan Xian and Wang Guisheng also saw him. Facing the other’s gloomy eyes, they took the lead in politely saying: “General Yan.”

For some reason, Ruan Xian felt that General Yan seemed to hate him even more! What could have gone wrong, he hadn’t even seen him a few times in total!

This frustrated the sophisticated and tactful Ruan Xian. He had coaxed all the old and young of the Imperial Academy to view him favorably, so why did he fail with Yan Mingting?

Yan Mingting didn’t even glance at them, and went straight to Zhao Yelan. Pulling him by the arm, he stuffed him into the sedan chair next to him and then sat inside with a dark expression.

“What’s wrong with you?” Zhao Yelan rubbed the place where he had been dragged, feeling that it hurt a little, and was unavoidably somewhat aggravated. “Have you eaten firecrackers?”

Yan Mingting scoffed coldly: “You’ve had quite a carefree day, ah.”

His purposeful coldness these few days had been in vain!

Ever since their last dinner, Yan Mingting had intentionally ignored him so as to let him reflect on himself and preferably to realize his mistakes. Then he came to show his affection for him, but who knew that the other party not only did not show the slightest regret, but also came out to eat and drink with these two little white faces from the Imperial Academy. How happy!

There were so many knowledgeable old men in the Imperial Academy, so why didn’t he see him sharing a meal with those people?

However, Zhao Yelan thought he disliked him going to the restaurant and spending extravagantly, so he said: “It was Li Yucheng who arranged the table, and he also paid for everything.”

Hurray, there was also Li Yucheng!

Yan Mingting was so angry that his hair stood on end.

There was silence all the way back. Zhao Yelan looked at his face, thinking that every time he went to a restaurant outside, he would chide him about wasting money, and couldn’t help getting angry, saying: “It’s my money, so why does it bother you? In the end, did I cost you a penny?”

As soon as the sedan chair stopped, he forcefully opened the curtain and furiously walked into the General’s Mansion.

“……” Yan Mingtiing looked at the curtain that was still swaying. What did he have to be angry about?

The atmosphere at the table during dinner was so abnormal that even the servants noticed it. Xiao Gao secretly asked Housekeeper Qin: “Is the General forcing my lord to do horse stance again? Otherwise, why is my lord so unhappy?”

“How can a couple not quarrel?” Housekeeper Qin sighed. He could see that something was wrong a few days ago, but he didn’t expect that instead of the two people reconciling, it had intensified instead. He would have to figure out a solution.

After Zhao Yelan took a bath in the evening, he locked the door tightly, but tonight this scoundrel didn’t come to knock on the door or open the window.

He tossed and turned for a long time, a little curious about what this fellow was doing. Would he really go to sleep in the study obediently?

But at this moment, the voice of Housekeeper Qin passing by came through the door: “The General is injured, you should be careful when serving him and not touch his wound.”

Zhao Yelan frowned, recalling Yan Mingting’s lively appearance. He really didn’t feel that he was injured, so he turned over and went to sleep.

A quarter of an hour later, a candle was suddenly lit in the house. He put on his outer layers, searched around, and saw a light on in the study. When he walked inside, he happened to see Yan Mingting nimbly stuffing the thing in his hand into his bosom and asked: “What are you doing here?”

“Um……reading a book. Why are you still awake?” Yan Mingting asked nervously.

Zhao Yelan walked up to him with the candle, looked him up and down, and asked with a frown: “Where are you injured?”

“Injured?” Yan Mingting was taken aback. From the corner of his eye, he saw Housekeeper Qin poking his head into the study and desperately winking at him. Hearing Zhao Yelan’s slightly concerned tone, he immediately covered his chest with his left hand: “An old injury has relapsed, and my heart aches.”

“The heart is on the left.” Zhao Yelan remained expressionless.

“I misspoke, it’s the middle of my chest.” Yan Mingting looked at him with an expression of suffering. “It hurts so bad.”

Zhao Yelan narrowed his eyes slightly: “Take off your shirt.”

“This isn’t good, ba……” Yan Mingting said shyly, but quickly peeled off his shirt, revealing his muscular chest covered in several knife scars. 

But none of them passed over the heart or the middle of the chest.

Zhao Yelan pulled out the short, gaudy knife and slid it against his chest: “It seems that your injury is somewhat light. You might as well properly feel what it means to have heartache, ba.”

“Don’t, don’t, don’t,” Yan Mingting hurriedly begged for mercy and stepped back. He was putting on his clothes again when a booklet suddenly fell in front of Zhao Yelan.

Zhao Yelan swiftly picked up the book, which was as big as his palm. It had a few large characters written on it – Thirty-Six Strategies of the Qin and Jin Dynasties.

Yan Mingting’s expression changed slightly, and just when he was about to grab it, the knife pressed against his neck.

Zhao Yelan quickly turned to the title page, which read: Marriage is like a battlefield. If you want to live in harmony with your husband or wife and have an unbreakable bond forever, you must use some small tricks to make it long and enduring.

Turning to the first page, the first plan was: Bitter meat plan.^[4]

Zhao Yelan looked up at him with eyes like knives.

“……” Yan Mingting gulped and said: “You may not believe it, but this is a family heirloom left to me by my father, and it was given to me by Uncle Qin just now. You can……you can tear me up, but can you not tear up the old man’s posthumous work?”

“You sleep in the study!” Zhao Yelan angrily threw the posthumous work back to him, then pinched the other’s mouth with both hands and started to tear.

“Hiss – wuwuwu.”

---

[1] Eat salty radishes and worry less (咸吃萝卜淡操心) is an idiom, meaning that someone is nosy and worries about something without knowing the truth of the facts. ⮐

[2] Diaochan is one of the four legendary beauties of ancient China and a character in “The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” ⮐

[3] The goodness of Longyan (龙阳之好) is an allusion to homosexuality, referring to a historical record of Lord Longyan and King Wei, who were two men in a dedicated romantic relationship. ⮐

[4] The bitter meat plan is the plan of last resort. ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Forty <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-Two

The vehicle drove into a courtyard and slowly came to a stop. The interior was very quiet.

Xia Xingchi was sleeping soundly. In his dream, there was a huge golden money tree covered in glittering yellow gold standing before him.

The branches of pure gold were cold to the touch, and one wrapped around his waist to imprison him, while the other lightly touched his lips……

The cool tingle spread all the way from his lips to his collarbone, and Xia Xingchi unconsciously crooned, stretching out his hand to grab the gold —

Then he grabbed Li Chengyuan’s fingers.

Upon opening his eyes, he saw Li Chengyuan’s expressionless face close by. This hand had been touching his lips just now as lowered eyes gazed at him silently.

Xia Xingchi was dazed for a moment, then woke up with a start!

From his perspective, the villain almost seemed like he was observing whether he was fat and tender enough to be cooked.

……For god’s sake, one sleep-in mistake wasn’t enough? He had accidentally fallen asleep in front of Li Chengyuan again.

This really couldn’t be blamed on Xia Xingchi. After all, he had hardly slept at all the whole week before transmigrating, working hard every day to earn money.

After finally repaying his debt this month, he wanted to go back and sleep, but was struck by lightning on the way.

In the end, he never got a good night’s sleep.

On such a quiet night, which was very suitable for terrible crimes, Xia Xingchi and the big villain looked at each other at close range as soon as he woke up and the horror meter of this scene was instantly full.

He suddenly realized that he was still holding Li Chengyuan’s fingers, and let go as if he had been electrocuted.

Fortunately, Li Chengyuan didn’t do anything else. He just looked away and got out of the car, and Xia Xingchi had no choice but to follow, gazing around as if sleepwalking:

There was a luxurious French villa with a courtyard and a lake. There were sculptures and fountains in the garden that reflected the bright gleam of the lights, manicured lawns, carefully trimmed flowers……

In the capital where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, all of this showed that the owner’s wealth was unparalleled. 

This display of fortune gave Xia Xingchi a shock.

It wasn’t until he walked through the gate that he realized that his life was still in danger, and that he was a fish waiting to be slaughtered on the chopping board.

Li Chengyuan hadn’t completely lost his mind yet, but who knew if he would go crazy in advance?

Inexplicably, the engagement banquet was not only ahead of schedule, but also hadn’t ended with a divorce as in the original plot.

The fish meat didn’t dare to ask why he had been captured by Li Chengyuan. Xia Xingchi was afraid of stepping on the tiger’s tail again, so he could only hold back his talkative nature, shut up, and follow behind.

The interior of the villa was quite large, and the luxury was astonishing. Xia Xingchi looked up and saw the elevator described in the book.

When reading the book, he got to thinking. There was a garage on the ground floor and a swimming pool on the first floor, then three other floors. Installing an elevator on the fifth floor was simply an inhuman extravagance.

When he delivered food, he used to climb ten floors in one go to catch up on time.

But luxury was luxury, and Xia Xingchi knew it was because of Li Chengyuan’s illness:

This person looked fine now, but he only had half a year to live.

It was difficult to walk when you were that ill, and such a proud and bad-tempered person would not allow himself to be carried.

He couldn’t go back to his room without an elevator to carry his wheelchair.

The butler, Uncle Ding, stepped forward to take Li Chengyuan’s coat and hang it up, saying with a smile: “Sir.”

Then he turned his head and said kindly and cordially: “You are Young Master Xia, right? Is there any luggage that needs to be settled in, or anything I can help with?”

Xia Xingchi cutely shook his head. Seeing that there were five or six servants and a kind-hearted butler around him, his tense heartstrings finally relaxed —

The big villain couldn’t commit crimes in front of so many people.

His life should be safe for the time being. Xia Xingchi finally dared to ask: “Mr. Li, when will I go back, ah?”

Li Chengyuan was walking up the stairs while undoing his tie.

Hearing these words, he asked lightly: “We are already engaged, where would you go?”

Light from the crystal chandelier shone down, and the diamond engagement rings on the middle fingers of these two sparkled brightly.

This answer was reasonable. Xia Xingchi was slightly taken aback, and let out a prolonged “Ah.”

Right, they had previously had an outrageously exciting engagement party……but was this really an engagement?

Not to mention that the original plot was not like this at all, but considering Li Chengyuan’s worth, what kind of lover would he not be able to obtain?

How could he make such a hasty life decision?

Bang! With the cold sound of a door closing, Li Chengyuan entered his room and directly shut Xia Xingchi out.

Xia Xingchi……

It was more likely for pigs to climb trees than for the big villain boss to want to marry him.

He really wanted to shake his shoulders vigorously with both hands and question him loudly: We barely know each other, why didn’t you call off the engagement according to the script at the engagement banquet?

The villain boss and the cannon fodder, two characters who were destined to meet their ends. It was impossible for two negatives to make a positive.

Thinking this, Xia Xingchi suddenly turned into a sad frog,^[1] frowning as he contemplated how he would die as cannon fodder.

“Young Master, the room is ready. Do you want to eat something or have a glass of milk before going to sleep?” Uncle Ding asked upstairs.

Seeing Xia Xingchi crouched dispiritedly at Li Chengyuan’s door and drawing circles on the ground with his finger, he guessed that he was sad because he couldn’t share a bed with his fiance.

The old man at once comforted him sincerely: “Don’t think too much, Sir might want to get a marriage certificate before the two of you stay together – but he must love you.”

His tone was quite confident.

Yet he saw Xia Xingchi’s expression of utter disbelief, and added: “Really. He specifically asked us to watch you and report to him at any time.”

Xia Xingchi: ……

Thank you, I am not relieved at all. I suspect that he just wants people to watch me in order to directly foil all of my escape plans.

He didn’t quite understand why the old butler who had watched Li Chengyuan grow up and knew him quite well had this illusion.

– – –

Supper that night was steaming hot rib noodles.

The noodles were soft and smooth, and the pork ribs had been stewed soft and delicious, dotted with a few pieces of golden corn. Xia Xingchi took a bite and felt perfectly fulfilled, as if his soul had been healed.

— Truly happy. Even if he was about to be caught and slaughtered by the villain, he would become a satiated ghost.

The ups and downs of the engagement dinner were too stimulating, and he hadn’t been able to eat anything. At this moment, after eating two full bowls of noodles, he finally paused his chopsticks in satisfaction.

After the meal, he did not forget to express his gratitude to Aunt Li:^[2] “It’s so delicious, thank you, Auntie!”

Although Xia Xingchi was a difficult person, he looked quite well-behaved and cute when he smiled sincerely with his eyebrows curved.

Aunt Li was instantly flattered.

These years, she had been responsible for Li Chengyuan’s diet and daily life, but Young Master Li had been weak since he was a child, and his stomach was also poor. If his diet was not suitable, he would suffer from stomach pains, and was not interested in eating anything.

It got to the point that Aunt Li had to suspect that her cooking was not very tasty, and she always hoped that he would eat more.

Unexpectedly, something happened later on and his temperament, words, and actions changed drastically. This time he was “normal” —

Completely normal. He didn’t avoid raw, cold, or spicy food, and ate as much as he wanted, uncaring if his body could bear it as this vicious cycle continued.

It wasn’t until he left the old house that his daily behavior gradually improved.

At any rate, it was rare for Aunt Li to meet such a flattering child as Xia Xingchi. A sweet child with such a healthy appetite was simply a compliment to her culinary skills.

She straightaway asked Xia Xingchi with benevolence and contentment: “I recently came up with a set of recipes. Would you like to order food every day in the future?”

Free luxurious board and lodgings, and the freedom to eat meat. Xia Xingchi immediately pricked up his ears.

Just as he was about to nod excitedly, he stopped at once —

Wait, live here every day……?

Are you sure it will be me who will order the food, or will I become a dish stewed by Li Chengyuan?

Xia Xingchi thought for a moment, and then asked cautiously: “Li Chengyuan, he……”

He opened his mouth, but didn’t ask anything in the end.

Even Uncle Ding was under the misapprehension that Li Chengyuan liked him, so he figured that Li Chengyuan’s motivation and purpose for keeping him wouldn’t be found through Aunt Li.

While tidying up the dishes, Aunt Li said enthusiastically: “Young Master, go to bed early. Sir will be at home tomorrow, so you can sleep until you wake up naturally.”

The room had been prepared in advance, and all kinds of daily necessities were available.

Xia Xingchi was originally full of energy, but the word “sleep” jogged his sleep-deprived brain.

Heavy fatigue fell over him, and he couldn’t help yawning.

He climbed the stairs as if sleepwalking, and after sloppily washing up, he quickly got into the warm and comfortable bed.

Forget it, he could sleep even when the sky was falling. No matter what Li Chengyuan wanted to do, he didn’t believe that he could enter his dreams and scare him.

– – –

He didn’t expect that he had spoken too soon, and that the horror villain that could “scare children into silence at night” would actually enter his dreams.

In the dead of night, Xia Xingchi opened his eyes in a daze, half awake. Some light came in through the half-drawn curtains

It wasn’t too bright, but it was enough to see the inside of the room —

Then he saw that Li Yucheng was actually sitting beside his bed, staring at him motionlessly.

Xia Xingchi: ……

I swear, no horror movie has such a terrifying opening.

Li Chengyuan was wearing a black nightgown, which made his face look even paler.

The belt was tied casually, and the neckline was slightly open, clearly revealing the beautiful lines of his muscles.

There was no expression on his face, and messy hair hung over his forehead, but even though he was dressed casually, the aura around him in the dream was still very intimidating.

The two looked at each other for a moment, and Xia Xingchi quickly acted on a semi-conscious “effective” idea:

He retracted his head into the bedding at once, closed his eyes, and hid himself.

The subtext seemed to say, as long as I can’t see you, you can’t see me.

Then he simple-mindedly fell back to sleep.

– – –

As if making up for his lack of sleep, when Xia Xingchi awoke the next day, it was already after noon.

The feeling of being fully rested was very satisfying, and the soft bed and blanket gave him an incomparable sense of happiness.

It even gave him a sense of “it would be nice to live here all the time.”

Xia Xingchi felt refreshed, and stretched his waist in the warm golden sun that filled the room.

After a simple wash, he put on the well-fitting house clothes that Uncle Ding had delivered. He had missed lunch, so he had to hungrily go downstairs and look for food.

Aunt Li was carrying a clothes basket and preparing to do the laundry. When she saw him sticking his head into the kitchen, she asked with a smile: “Young Master, you’re awake? Dinner isn’t ready yet, but if you’re hungry, I just baked some egg tarts for you. Would you like some?”

Xia Xingchi nodded at once when he heard this, and it was just now that he was attracted by a sweet fragrance.

In his previous life, he was reluctant to even buy an extra vegetable bun, let alone eat egg tarts and other small desserts.

He had always had a child’s sweet tooth. As a versatile migrant worker, he could actually bake all kinds of desserts.

But after making them, he could only stare at the tempting sweetness and watch someone else buy them. There were only a handful of times he could try it.

As he happily entered the kitchen with Aunt Li, his eyes subconsciously moved toward the clothes basket in her hand — on top was a black nightgown.

He knew without asking that it was Li Chengyuan’s.

The style was very familiar, as if he had just seen him wearing it…….the question was, when had he ever seen him wear it?

Li Chengyuan was wearing a white shirt when he returned to his room last night, and even after taking a shower and changing clothes, he never went out where he could see him.

In the blink of an eye, that horror movie-like dream reappeared in front of his eyes.

Why were they exactly the same style and color as the clothes on Li Chengyuan in his “dream?”

A question that made his blood run cold hung in his mind. Xia Xingchi suddenly realized something, and the smile on his face slowly froze.

Could it be that he came into my room last night, sat by my bed, and watched me sleep?

---

[1] Picture any sad Pepe the Frog meme here. ⮐

[2] The “aunt” here is just a respectful way to address a woman older than you. Also, the name “Li” here uses the 李, or “plum” character, rather than the 黎 character in Li Chengyuan’s name, which can mean “many” or “dark.” They aren’t actually related. ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Five << Table of Contents >> Chapter Seven

Zhao Yelan didn’t pay any attention to him all night, and began to reflect on whether he had been too talkative recently. That was why Yan Mingting was so lawless that he dared to tease him.

Although Yan Mingting didn’t ask him why he was suddenly angry, he looked at him with a smile from time to time, which made him even more annoyed.

The next day, after bathing and resting, Zhao Yelan awoke when the sky was barely light, and had just sat up when he caught a glimpse of the person lying on the ground. But this person was awake, and looked over as soon as he heard movement.

“Why didn’t you get up?”

Normally at this time, Yan Mingting was just getting back from court or on his way to the training grounds, and had never stayed in bed until this hour.

Yan Mingting crossed his arms and said unhurriedly: “I’m seeing how long someone can sleep.”

Zhao Yelan slanted him an annoyed look and got up to go bathe. No matter how closely the other party followed, he treated him as if he completely didn’t exist.

After getting dressed, he stood in front of the drawer, staring at the sachets in a daze. His hand finally stopped on the most eye-catching one, the one with sweetgrass inside.

Sweetgrass could be used as a medicine, and also be used as a spice. It was only that the scent was special. Some people liked it and some people hated it, and Yan Mingting was of the latter.

As soon as he grasped the rope of the bag, his hands were held down. Yan Mingting stood behind him and said: “Change to another, ba.”

Sneezing was too embarrassing, and hurt his handsome face.

During the silence, Housekeeper Qin walked in and saw one’s chest against the other’s back. “Ah!” He instantly covered his eyes and said: “General, my lord, there are guests outside asking to see you.”

“It’s so early, who is it?” Yan Mingting asked.

“It is the daughter of the magistrate of Zhizhou who came to thank the two masters.”

The two looked at one another, and Yan Mingting asked: “Do you know each other?”

Zhao Yelan shook his head: “You?”

“I barely know a few people in the capital, so how could I know Zhizhou?”

“Let’s go and see.”

Yan Mingting nodded, noticed that he had put down the sweetgrass sachet, and followed with satisfaction.

A young woman was standing in the foyer, wearing a lotus root-colored Liuxian skirt and a beaded hairpin on her head. Her hair was worn half up and half down, and one could tell at a glance that she was a girl not yet of age. When she saw them coming to the hall together, her eyes lit up for a moment, and she looked at them with a happy expression: “General Yan, Zhao-daren, this youngest daughter is the daughter of the magistrate for the prefecture. Her name is Sun Muyun, and unfortunately she ran into a thief on the street a few days ago. Thanks to the General’s help, her grandmother’s heirlooms were not lost.”

Yan Mingting finally remembered why she looked familiar, and said: “It was a small matter, no thanks are necessary.”

Sun Muyun stretched out her hand, and the maid handed a box to her. She offered her thanks with both hands: “General Su Wenyan made great military exploits. This little girl received a Luan jade knife, which is of no use to her. If it can be appreciated by the General, it is no loss of money.”

When the box was opened, there was a short, sharp knife inside. The scabbard placed next to it looked very extravagant and had a unique shape, inlaid with gold, jewels, and precious stones.

Yan Mingting watched in silence for a moment. Sun Muyun knew that he liked it, so she handed it over to Housekeeper Qin, who was standing nearby.

“Thank you, Miss Sun,” Yan Mingting said.

“You’re welcome.” Sun Muyun looked at him and smiled so hard that her eyes were barely visible.

Seeing this, Zhao Yelan sneered inwardly and sat down. His eyes scanned the two of them, and he said with a half smile: “Housekeeper Qin, why don’t you prepare Miss Sun some tea.”

“No need, I have already had tea.” Sun Muyun smiled and took a roll of silk from the maid, and walked up to Zhao Yelan with a meaningful look. “I bumped into Zhao-daren by accidently last time, thank you for your help. I also know that you like good brocade and silk clothes. I happened to bring a lot of silk when I came to Beijing this time, and it is all good silk selected from the Jiangnan Embroidery Workshop. I wonder if they can catch your eye?”

Zhao Yelan lowered his head for a look, and the other party thoughtfully presented the material before his eyes, explaining: “The best materials from Jiangnan Embroidery Workshop will be sent to the palace, but I have a good relationship with the embroiderers, so they sent me a few pieces. These patterns are woven stitch by stitch by the embroiderers……”

Zhao Yelan looked up at her: “You came to Beijing to take part in the draft?”

“Precisely, I came of age at the beginning of the year. According to the law, all daughters of officials will enter Beijing for the draft after coming of age.”

“Then why did you give us gifts? It is better to save them for the people in the palace,” Zhao Yelan said.

“No, my lord has misunderstood, I did not come here to curry favor with you and General Yan,” Sun Muyun hurried to explain, but it was not easy to tell them the real reason in person – you were born good-looking, and it brings me joy to look at you.

If she said this, she would be thrown out, right?

Her eyes darted away and she said: “I am just a newcomer, and I am grateful for the kindness of the two masters. This is why I want to give the knife to the hero and the silk to the beauty…..Zhao-daren.”

Zhao Yelan looked at her suspiciously, and at this moment, Sun Muyun took out a brand new brocade handkerchief: “My lord, if you don’t like the silk, take a look at the material of this handkerchief, soft and comfortable, much better than those in the capital. I personally tested it……”

Zhao Yelan became interested and rubbed the fabric between his fingertips.

Seeing them discussing the handkerchief, Yan Mingting’s expression became darker and darker. He sent a meaningful look toward Housekeeper Qin at the side, and he immediately understood, stepping forward to interrupt their conversation: “My lord, it is time for breakfast.”

“Oh, so you haven’t had breakfast yet? This one didn’t expect that the two masters had also not eaten yet,” Sun Muyun said.

“Miss Sun also hasn’t eaten?” Zhao Yelan said, “If you don’t mind, why don’t you stay for a meal?”

“Can I?” Sun Muyun looked at them in surprise. 

Can’t ! ! !

Yan Mingting roared in his heart, but remained outwardly indifferent, thinking that Zhao Yelan would understand his expression, but the other party had already led her to sit down at the table.

The two chatted happily, from the waving south of the Yangtze River, to scenery, food, and customs. Sun Muyun talked endlessly, and her words were full of longing for her hometown.

After breakfast, Sun Muyun bid them farewell again. As soon as she walked out of the General’s Mansion, she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and giggled silently, saying to the maid in a low voice: “Heavens, how can Zhao-daren be so handsome and gentle, full of knowledge about economics and market conditions. Having a meal with him today, even if I die, I will have no regrets!”

The maid fell into deep helplessness. Her Miss was good at everything, but when she saw a handsome man, she couldn’t function. She said: “But General Yan looks a bit fierce.”

“What do you know?” Sun Muyun smiled inexplicably. “He was obviously jealous.”

“What? Jealous?”

“It seems that the rumors in the capital cannot be completely believed. How could anyone think that the General and Zhao-daren are incompatible?” Sun Muyun’s smile gradually became unrestrained. “I think they will be in harmony sooner or later, heehee.” 

After sending her away, Yan Mingting turned around and asked: “What did you do to help her?”

“The last time she was outside the gate, she dropped something and I picked it up,” Zhao Yelan replied.

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

“It was just a matter of lending a hand, but she spent a lot of time inquiring about your preferences and then came to give gifts?” Yan Mingting’s face was so dark that he could squeeze out ink. “I think she clearly has ulterior motives.”

“Oh? What ulterior motives?” Zhao Yelan asked.

“To keep you in her thoughts! Mostly because you look handsome and she wants to get close,” Yan Mingting said.

“……” Zhao Yelan said, “She is a beautiful girl, and will soon belong to the Emperor. Knowing the relationship between the two of us, but still being able to give gifts in person, how can she have ulterior motives?”

Yan Mingting was soothed by the words, “the relationship between the two of us.”

“Besides, didn’t she also give you a precious knife? Couldn’t she just be thinking of you, and only praised me in passing so that it would be easier to enter the door in the future?” Zhao Yelan said mockingly.

“How is this possible.” Speaking of the precious knife, Yan Mingting took the box and put it in front of him. “This sort of fancy and useless weapon is just what you like, so take it.”

If he had known that this woman would give Zhao Yelan silk, he wouldn’t have taken the knife and would have directly invited that person to leave.

“Didn’t you already prepare the crossbow for me?” Zhao Yelan took the knife and played with it. “Can this thing still be used?”

“It is of little use in self-defense, but it can be played with. Don’t you love gold, silver, and jewels? You can pick all these things off the sheath.”

Zhao Yelan gave him a blank look.

Yan Mingting still had to go to the training grounds to tell Zhong Yuehong the news from the palace, so he left the house first. Zhao Yelan handed the two gifts to Xiao Gao to be put in storage, and when he returned to the room, he saw Housekeeper Qin staring at the things on the table, talking to himself non-stop. 

“What are you looking at?” Zhao Yelan asked flatly.

“My lord, may I ask where this hairpin came from, ah?” When Housekeeper Qin came to clean up, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of several hairpins on the table, and one flowing cloud jade hairpin caught his attention. He was afraid he had been mistaken, so he boldly asked.

“Yan Mingting gave it to me, why?”

“Indeed,” Housekeeper Qin said with a smile. “This hairpin was originally given to the old general by the late Emperor, and the general gave it to the old madam when they got married. But this is men’s jewelry, so the old madam gave it to the old general again. However, the general thought it was a nuisance, so he never wore it. I didn’t expect this hairpin to find a suitable owner……”

Zhao Yelan frowned. He thought that Yan Mingting had bought it, but it turned out to be a family heirloom. Fortunately, this hairpin didn’t have any “Furen” significance –

“My lord, the General is taking after the old general and giving it to you as his wife……”

Zhao Yelan froze and looked at him coldly: “Finished cleaning? From now on, you don’t need to bother with this room, just call other servants to clean it.” The kind who talked less.

Housekeeper Qin complained to Xiao Gao aggrievedly: “Xiao Gao, how did you survive by Zhao-daren’s side for so many years?”

Xiao Gao wore an honest expression: “I am good at martial arts, and I don’t talk too much. I just do what I’m told and don’t ask many questions.”

Housekeeper Qin: “……Fine, I do none of that.”

In the afternoon, Zhao Yelan went out to take care of some business. When the sedan chair passed Hongxiu House, he heard someone making a commotion from a distance and the sedan chair suddenly stopped.

“What happened?”

Xiao Gao replied: “My lord, someone fell in front of the sedan chair.”

“Go around.”

“It seems to be Li Yucheng.”

Zhao Yelan lifted the curtain and got out of the sedan chair to see Li Yucheng lying on the ground. He was yelling incessantly and pointing at the man standing across from him as he cursed: “Boy, you dare to throw me? Just you wait until I call someone!”

Zhao Yelan: “…….” This fellow always shouted so arrogantly yet barely had the power of a fart. How the hell had he survived until now?

While he was speechless, Li Yucheng spotted him and his eyes lit up. He quickly got up and ran to his side: “Zhao-xiong, Zhao-xiong, are you here to pick me up?”

Were they that familiar?

Zhao Yelan’s face darkened. He turned around and tried to leave, but was unexpectedly grabbed by the other. They seemed to hook shoulders like two brothers as one shouted at the person opposite: “I think that your claim of being the number one beautiful man in the capital is just a bunch of bragging. If you have the ability to compare with my Zhao-xiong, let’s see what you’ve got!”

Zhao Yelan looked down at his feet, which were standing on tiptoes due to his arm being over the other’s shoulders, and said: “Stop showing off.”

Li Yucheng choked.

But when that person saw Zhao Yelan, he said sternly to Li Yucheng: “Next time you try to snatch people from me, I will beat you to death!” Then he affected a confident and condescending look and fled.

“You’re capable of running away, ah, what a virtue.” Li Yucheng proudly gave his back a thumbs up, then turned around. Seeing Zhao Yelan’s gloomy expression, he gave an embarrassed smile and tidied his clothes carefully, then straightened up and said: “Thank you for your kindness, I owe you this time.”

“What will you pay me?”

“I’ll……I’ll invite you to listen to music!” Li Yucheng raised his voice. “A stunning beauty came to Hongxiu House recently. She is proficient at playing music and singing, she’s good at everything. It is hard to find one like her!”

Zhao Yelan watched him ramble on and said: “You don’t gamble anymore?”

Li Yucheng was surprised for a moment, and waved his hand: “No more gambling, no more, I quit.”

“You changed to prostitutes?”

“……Don’t say it so harshly, ah!” Li Yucheng said with a guilty conscience, “That beautiful woman is really like nothing in heaven and earth, ah. If you see her, I guarantee that you will be as fascinated as I am.”

Zhao Yelan scoffed and turned to leave, but was held back by him again.

“I have something to say to you. To save face, let’s have a meal together,” Li Yucheng said with a humble posture.

Zhao Yelan looked back at him and said: “I still have something to do, let’s talk another day.”

“What is it?”

“Going back to feed the rabbit.”

A vein twitched in Li Yucheng’s forehead: “You would rather go back and feed the rabbit than have a meal with me?”

“If you don’t take back your hand, I will ask Xiao Gao to personally escort you back.”

Li Yucheng glanced at the martial artist boy next to him and immediately raised his hands, saying with a smile: “Another day, another day.”

After getting rid of Li Yucheng, Zhao Yelan returned to the mansion to find Yan Mingting already sitting in the foyer.

“Where did you go?” Yan Mingting asked.

Zhao Yelan asked lightly: “Did you bring the message to Zhong Yuehong?”

“En.” Yan Mingting sighed deeply. “She decided to go back to the military camp.”

“Back to the military camp?”

“En, that’s what she meant to do earlier. She doesn’t like the capital, and this time she returned to Beijing only to visit her family, which is why she delayed for so long. She didn’t expect that this would lead to so many complications, so she is determined to go guard the border now,” Yan Mingting said.

“What about her mother?”

“They will leave together. I contacted someone to let Mother Zhong settle down in a border town, so that they can get together when they are free.”

Zhao Yelan nodded: “If that’s the case, then let her go, ba. Just don’t move them right now, in case the Emperor discovers this abnormality. When the general election is over, send her out on the grounds of a military transfer order.”

“En, I think so too. She will stay in Beijing for now.” Yan Mingting smiled helplessly. “It is good to go to the border, the capital is as unpredictable as clouds and waves, really bothersome.”

A few birds flew overhead, flapping their wings and soaring towards the endless sky. Zhao Yelan turned to the side, looking up at them, and said: “Yes, from now on the bird will fly free, how happy……”

Yan Mingting was taken aback for a moment. A trace of longing peeked out from the other’s expression, and he said: “Have you ever thought about leaving?”

Zhao Yelan glanced at him, then went to the study without saying a word.

“By the way, you never told me what you did today and why it took you so long to come back,” Yan Mingting said, chasing after him.

“Don’t meddle in other people’s business,” Zhao Yelan said.

Yan Mingting’s intuition told him that something was not quite right. He stopped and turned to look for Gao Tan. He saw the person feeding the rabbit in the back courtyard and asked: “Xiao Gao, where did you and your lord go today?”

Xiao Gao raised his head and averted his eyes: “We didn’t go anywhere.”

“Nonsense, I clearly saw you on the street. A good many people saw you,” Yan Mingting lied. As expected, Xiao Gao believed it and looked at him in surprise, recalling the time when there were the most onlookers……

“My lord really didn’t want to go to the brothel, it was Li Yucheng who insisted on pulling him along!”

Yan Mingting: “ ! ”

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Thirty-Nine <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty-One

A burning hot pair of lips fell on a slightly cold cheek.

It was difficult to master his strength due to panic, so it was not so much a kiss as it was a hard, noisy smooch.

After this sound, the vehicle went silent, and the scene that had been about to go out of control looked as if someone had pressed the pause button.

Xia Xingchi couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge his blush, and quickly pushed Li Chengyuan away with both hands.

But he seemed to be frozen in place, unmoving, the expression on his face blank and a little……dazed?

This was only fleeting, however, and Li Chengyuan bullied him again in an instant! Even worse than before!

“You can’t kill me!” Xia Xingchi clenched the diamond engagement ring tightly in his right hand and hurried to loudly say, “Li Chengyuan, we, we are already engaged! You can’t murder your husband, ah!”

Secretary Ye was separated by the privacy screen, pricking her ears up to eavesdrop and expecting to hear something embarrassing that was not suitable for the ears of children —

In the end, it turned out to be a legal drama?

She was drinking water when she heard those confusing words and almost choked to death, never expecting that Master Xia would have such a bizarre misunderstanding of Mr. Li.

Although the boss was indeed ruthless and tyrannical, it was actually not to the point of murder and arson, ah.

……She understood.

This must be a little fun between husband and wife!

As soon as those words were uttered, Li Chengyuan’s eyes also flickered with a bit of surprise, as if angered and amused at this dreadful idea.

At present, the back seat was very quiet.

Finally, Li Chengyuan gave an angry laugh, the corners of his lips curling up in a mocking arc.

Perhaps he realized he had made a gaffe just now, but in any case, he didn’t want to further frighten Xia Xingchi, so he reached out his hand to fasten the seatbelt for him.

In the end, he leaned back into his seat and closed his eyes to rest, as if nothing had happened.

Secretary Ye in the front seat was currently coughing from choking on water after accidentally interpreting a legal drama.

Xia Xingchi couldn’t help feeling a little embarrassed, and looked at Li Chengyuan again as he wondered, am I too cowardly and disgraceful?

In all fairness, the current big villain didn’t seem to be entirely insane, nor had he become a maniac outlaw.

For a time, he couldn’t tell whether it was more embarrassing to kiss him suddenly and noisily, or to curl into a ball and shout, “Don’t kill me.”

Whatever, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t made a fool out of himself in front of him before.

Their horoscopes must not suit each other, otherwise he wouldn’t have had repeated social deaths since the night they first met —

– – –

As soon as he transmigrated into the book, he fell into Li Chengyuan’s bathtub out of nowhere, and even slipped and landed on him.

An earth-shattering splash, water flying in all directions. Forget about the person in front of him only being asleep, even if he was dead, he would have still woken up.

The moment he fell into the water, Xia Xingchi only had one thought in his mind: “It’s over.”

He thought he would be caught red-handed in the next second, but found that the man seemed to be passed out.

His mouth and nose were already submerged under the water, and his eyes were closed and motionless.

Xia Xingchi was completely at a loss. The odd lightning strike and resurrection from the dead, the unfamiliar situation and strange naked beauty, everything was very baffling.

But the priority right now was not to watch the other party drown. Before he had time to think about anything else, he quickly fished him out with great effort.

The man looked pale and sickly, who would have thought that he was actually so tall?

When he saw him at first, he had admired his beautiful and defined muscles, but this situation had become a catastrophe for Xia Xingchi —

With his thin, pitiful little body, it was really not easy to drag a man with such a huge difference in body size to the bed.

After a long period of struggling, it was finally done. Xia Xingchi let out a long sigh of relief, and reached out to touch Li Chengyuan’s chest.

Although he was unconscious, there was fortunately still a heartbeat, and his breathing was normal.

Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to explain to Comrade Police how he had appeared here out of thin air, and there just happened to be a dead person.

“Sir?” Xia Xingchi called him tentatively.

No one answered, and no one explained to him what was going on.

Looking around, he appeared to be in the presidential suite of a hotel. The furnishings definitely put it above five stars, costing five or even six figures per day.

Thinking of this, even though he was confused and at a loss, Xia Xingchi couldn’t help sighing like a money enthusiast, as if there was the alluring smell of banknotes in the air.

After a short moment, he at last remembered his proper business and hurried toward the huge glass floor-to-ceiling window to see: 

This was the top floor of the hotel, which overlooked the bustling night scenery of the city.

Xia Xingchi faintly saw the word “Beijing” — but it was not the capital city that he was familiar with.

The high-rise buildings, the city landmarks, everything was unfamiliar.

But what was reflected in the glass was still his original appearance. Even the crescent-shaped scars on his wrists were still the same, and the outfit was still the waiter’s uniform that he was wearing before.

It was really too strange. When he was struck by lightning, he was burnt on the outside and tender on the inside. Add a bit of cumin and salt, and the kids next door would cry from hunger. It was outrageous enough to make the social news.

Not only was he still alive, but he was also in a strange “capital city” that seemed to be in another space and time.

And then there was this mysterious person……wait!

Where was that person?!

Xia Xingchi turned his head and found that the bed was empty.

Before he could react, there was a strong wind from behind and a powerful hand grabbed his wrist, then he was pushed down on the bed without warning!

The pale, handsome face was very close. The man had woken up at some unknown point, and walked up behind him after putting on a bathrobe.

His whole person was like a big cat, walking without a sound.

Xia Xingchi was immediately taken aback. Before he could resist or quibble, his neck was gripped by the other party and he was unable to move.

That cold hand was extremely strong. Obviously, he was being regarded as an uninvited guest who snuck into the room late at night.

“Ah……Sir, don’t get worked up, let go first! I……I’m here to give you a show!”

Xia Xingchi was squeezed almost to the point of suffocation. He pointed to his waiter’s uniform with great effort, trying to pretend that he was someone from the hotel.

— No, no, what was he talking about, ah?!

Soaking in someone’s bathtub in the middle of the night for a show, could it be that the performance was a magician conjuring a person out of nowhere?

As expected, these words were not credible at all, the strength of the hand on his neck got a little stronger. The throttled Xia Xinchi was suffocated for a while, and the attempts he made to speak and remedy the situation were stuck in his throat.

It was over. He was dead.

For fuck’s sake, where had he offended God……being struck to death by lightning wasn’t enough, so now he was going to be strangled in another space and time?

Breaking into a private residence wasn’t a crime punishable by death, ah. Was he really going to kill him?

Xia Xingchi’s eyes were full of stars and black mist as he thought about all kinds of messy things.

So he didn’t notice the man’s momentary astonishment when he saw his face clearly — the restraint on his neck suddenly disappeared.

When he could breathe again, Xi Xingchi quickly took a few deep breaths and coughed uncontrollably.

He just wanted to give in and beg the good man to spare his life, and maybe let it be known that his counterpart’s method of self-defense was excessive, but he sensed that the other party was shaken.

Then that body tilted, and he collapsed on the spot. His entire frame actually fell directly down on top of Xia Xingchi. 

With the abrupt “zero-distance intimate social interaction,” Xia Xingchi felt that he had been more frightened in this one night than he had been in the entirety of the past twenty-three years.

He wanted to quickly push this person away, but found that the other person’s eyes were closed tightly. His whole body was freezing, and he even trembled unconsciously, clearly in extreme discomfort.

Xia Xingchi realized belatedly that he hadn’t been knocked unconscious in the bathroom just now, but lost consciousness due to some sort of illness.

“Sir? Are you unwell? Do you want me to call an ambulance?” 

Xia Xingchi hurriedly captured back his frightened soul and sat up to look. He saw that the man’s face was paper-white and his forehead was dripping with cold sweat.

“……Leave.” Li Chengyuan was still conscious, but his condition was extremely poor. His thin, bloodless lips trembled slightly, and his voice was low and almost inaudible.

His attitude was considerably irascible, perhaps because he didn’t want to be seen by strangers when he was sick and weak. 

Fortunately, Xia Xingchi didn’t mind this bad attitude. On the contrary, this was the sentence he wanted to hear the most  — as soon as he heard this, he stood up and got out of there immediately!

As soon as he turned around, his wrist was tightly grasped by a firm hand.

It was unknown if he had confused him with someone else due to his sickness and confusion, or if he had suddenly changed his mind.

In any case, the man struggled to get up, and his hoarse voice sounded both like a command and a plea: “Don’t leave.”

Xia Xingchi was baffled.

This person had just strangled someone forcefully and indifferently, but now he was like some sort of vaguely-conscious large, fluffy animal begging for company.

This change of attitude was faster than flipping the page of a book.

In Li Chengyuan’s blurred vision, he could only vaguely see the shape of a figure.

With the remnants of his faint consciousness, he tightly held onto Xia Xingchi’s wrist: “Don’t go, I’ll give you money……don’t leave anymore.”

“Money?”

Little money-grubbers were very sensitive to this word. They worked hard down to the last second before they died, and “making money” was already imprinted into their bones.

He immediately pricked up his ears and asked: “Sir, are you hiring me to take care of you overnight?”

This request was not difficult to understand. Although he didn’t know what was wrong with this beauty, he looked so uncomfortable and definitely needed someone to look after him.

Otherwise, in the case of sudden death in the middle of the night, no one would know to call 120.

“Don’t go,” Li Chengyuan repeated. “……I’ll give you all the money in my wallet.”

The wallet happened to be on the bedside table. Xia Xingchi quietly picked it up and took a look — and was immediately shocked by the quantity of banknotes!

Li Chengyuan had just gone abroad to negotiate a contract yesterday, and inside the wallet was a thick wad of US dollars that he hadn’t had time to exchange.

The little money-grubber’s eyes nearly lit up.

Just now, he had wanted to rub the soles of his feet with oil and slip away, but after looking over the salary, the boss had offered too much money for him to leave.

Xia Xingchi then persuaded himself: Stay, ba, there is nowhere to go just now. I can just stay here for one night. It seems this beauty doesn’t have the strength to go crazy again.

Under the influence of such wealth, the newly inducted “Xia Nursing Worker’s” attentiveness was like a barrage of gunfire.

“Boss, do you need me to pour water for you? Do you need any medicine? Or a bedtime story? Do you want me to sing to you?”

There was no answer. Li Chengyuan had received Xia Xingchi’s affirmative answer of “not leaving,” finally couldn’t endure any longer, and fell asleep.

Seeing this, Xia Xingchi simply took off the wet waiter’s uniform and set it aside, then found a bathrobe to put on.

Sitting by the bedside was called patient care, but in actuality, he started to happily count money.

There was a whole one hundred bills, and the little money-grubber who was poor until death became rich due to a windfall!

– – –

Early the next morning, warm sunshine fell upon his body.

Xia Xingchi shrank back into the depths of the bed, yawned contentedly, and curled up into a ball with only half of his face exposed to breathe.

In his dreams, he was still counting money that never ended no matter what. Instead, he counted more and more until he almost drowned in it.

When he finally realized that this was a dream, he woke up abruptly —

And saw his super-rich temporary employer, whose face was expressionless as he slightly raised his head to button his shirt. 

But those eyes stayed on him from beginning to end. There was no telling how long he had been watching him.

The eyes of the two met. Xia Xingchi was at a loss at first, thinking, “Who am I?” Then he quivered, screaming in his heart, help, I’m going to die!

The boss hired me as a caregiver and paid me so much money, and I suddenly……fell asleep! And got caught!

Immediately afterward, a mess of thoughts cascaded through Xia Xingchi’s sleepy head: 

He was unconscious at the time, did the wages still count?

Or maybe he didn’t know he had so much money in his wallet? Would he go back on his word?

Unacceptable! He still wanted money!

What if he didn’t remember holding him tight and not letting go, and asked why he was in his room or in his bed?

Xia Xingchi was frightened, and stared at Li Chengyuan vigilantly with wide, round eyes.

At this time, a female voice was suddenly heard: “Mr. Li, the quarterly summary of the Finance Department – ah!”

The door was ajar, and it opened with a light tap.

This exposed Xia Xingchi lying on the bed in disheveled clothes and sleep-mussed hair.

In the next moment, Xia Xingchi jumped up as if he had received an electric shock, picked up his clothes and wallet amidst Secretary Ye’s screams, and ran away!

Having been single for twenty-three years, he experienced the scene of being caught in bed one day after his death.

The ridiculous thing was that because he was barefoot when he died, he only wanted to “borrow” a pair of disposable slippers to wear.

Who would have thought that, panicked and not fully awake, he didn’t realize that this was far from the truth until he had wildly run far away.

To his surprise, he had maintained the “excellent” habit of thrift, and subconsciously swept away all the disposable items in the hotel that he could see.

He opened his hand, and there was a complementary condom in his palm.

Xia Xingchi: ……

– – –

Unable to bear recalling the past, Xia Xingchi was embarrassed for two days, until he finally had no choice but to comfort himself by thinking that the man might just be a handsome passer-by NPC.

Just like one of those that gave out money and experience at the start of a game, in any case, they wouldn’t meet again.

Who would have guessed that he would meet the big villain boss at the start?

Now firmly bound by the seat belt fastened by the boss himself, Xia Xingchi could only huddle into a ball and not dare to act rashly again, so as not to make Li Chengyuan suddenly go crazy once more.

The quieter it was, the more his brain continued to play the previous scenes of strangulation.

Xia Xingchi could do nothing but repeatedly grab the floor with his toes, as if he could dig a hole through the floorboard and jump in to hide.

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Four << Table of Contents >> Chapter Six

Early in the morning the next day, as soon as the Emperor adjourned court, Yan Mingting rushed back to the mansion without stopping. Zhao Yelan happened to be eating breakfast, and wondered: “You left court so early today?”

“En, there was nothing serious to discuss, so we dispersed.” Yan Mingting hurried out after finishing his meal.

Zhao Yelan changed into his official uniform and walked slowly to the sedan chair. He opened the curtain and stared blankly for a moment: “Why are you here?”

“To send you to the Imperial Academy, ah.” Yan Mingting smiled and sat up straight, saying, “It just so happens that I have nothing to do right now, so I’ll just take your sedan chair and go to the Zhong residence.”

“You need a sedan chair? Isn’t it faster to ride a horse?” Zhao Yelan climbed in dubiously, and as soon as he sat down, Yan Mingting ordered the bearers to leave without giving him a chance to stop them.

“I could ride a horse, but what if Auntie Zhong wants to take the sedan chair?” Yan Mingting argued with conviction.

Why would Auntie Zhong sit in the sedan chair? To have a taste of a different life?

Zhao Yelan didn’t want to argue with him anymore, so he turned to business: “Since you are going to Zhong Yuehong’s house, you can bring her a message.”

“What message?”

Zhao Yelan whispered a few words in his ear.

Yan Mingting was distracted. His warm breath was like wind on a summer night, soft and serious, inexplicably making him hot and restless. It also brought a faint fragrance that made his heart itch, and he could see the line of his white neck, down until it sank behind the lapel. The protruding Adam’s apple was like a sharp, gleaming weapon, stabbing at his city gate time after time.

“What did……you just say?” Yan Mingting asked, swallowing.

“Are you deaf?” Zhao Yelan seemed like he was about to get angry.

“The sedan chair was shaking a bit, I didn’t hear it clearly,” Yan Mingting said with a guilty conscience.

Zhao Yelan glared at him with cold fury and repeated himself: “If she is summoned to the palace, you have her do this……”

After listening, Yan Mingting found it hard to understand and asked uncertainly: “Really? Isn’t this directly presenting her to the door? What if the Emperor really likes her?”

“Do you understand him or do I understand him?”

“……You,” Yan Mingting choked out, feeling a bit stifled. It was a very normal answer, but it left a sour taste in his mouth.

After arriving at the Imperial Academy, Zhao Yelan did not allow him to get off the sedan chair, and directly ordered the bearer to carry him back. Then he turned around and went in, hearing commotion inside. Taking a closer look, he saw an old scholar arguing with Wang Guisheng.

He listened closely, and it was nothing more than a small verbal dispute which somehow involved matters of the court. The Bachelor said that Wang Guisheng was arrogant, not knowing respect, and Wang Guisheng in turn insinuated that he was pedantic and old-fashioned, and didn’t know how to adapt.

In any case, the rank and qualifications of the old Bachelor were higher than most people here. Seeing that he, a fresh scholar, was so shameless, he was so angry that he almost couldn’t breathe. The others hurried to appease the Bachelor and teach Wang Guisheng a lesson.

In the blink of an eye, Wang Guisheng became the target of public criticism.

Ruan Xian, who had been sitting on the sidelines, saw Zhao Yelan coming and had a change of mind. He quickly slipped to his side and said in a low voice: “What should be done now? Shall we help Wang Guisheng?”

On one side were many colleagues and seniors, and on the other were powerless newcomers. Ruan Xian weighed it in his heart. If they spoke for the Bachelor, others had already done so, and at most everyone would get along in harmony as before. But if they helped Wang Guisheng at this time, and he was promoted in the future, he would still care about their friendship, so they might as well give it a try.

“It’s up to you,” Zhao Yelan said flatly.

Aware of everyone’s condemning gazes, Wang Guisheng looked around and paused for a moment on Zhao Yelan, wondering if the other party would also take the opportunity to make things difficult for him. Unexpectedly, he whispered something to Ruan Xian and then turned around and left.

The next moment, Ruan Xian smiled and walked forward to mediate. First he placated the Bachelor’s emotions, then pretended to be angry and took Wang Guisheng aside to reprimand him.

As for what happened after, Zhao Yelan didn’t care at all. Anyway, Wang Guisheng’s temperament would definitely make him suffer in officialdom. If he didn’t know how to adapt, it would be difficult to achieve great things. He didn’t have the patience to guide him.

Use it if you can, discard it if you can’t.

He walked into the chess player’s room and coughed weakly twice: “Sir, I heard you want to play chess with me?”

“Precisely, my lord, please come in!” The chess player welcomed him in flatteringly. For those who were good at chess, officialdom was far less fascinating than a chess game. Whether it was a famous scholar or a courtier, as long as he could play a good game of chess, he would be considered a confidant.

The two had never played chess together before, but when the Emperor came to the Imperial Academy, he only played against Zhao Yelan. The chess players were very curious about the level of their opponent. How much courage must he have to beat the Emperor at every game?

In the evening, Zhao Yelan walked out the gate of the Imperial Academy to his sedan chair, opened the curtain, and froze again: “Why are you still here?”

“Waiting for Zhao-daren to be released, ah,” Yan Mingting said with a smile.

After Zhao Yelan sat down, he saw him poking his head out to look around, and asked: “What are you looking for?”

“Has the Emperor come to see you today?”

“No.”

Yan Mingting sat back again and said: “Someone really announced that Zhong Yuehong would enter the palace today, but it was the Empress.”

Zhao Yelan nodded: “It is no wonder that the Emperor didn’t come to the Imperial Academy today. The Empress likely went to see him.”

What this said was that the Imperial Academy was also a courtyard in the harem, just waiting to be favored. Yan Mingting frowned and said: “Yuehong didn’t dare come to the mansion, and went home directly, but sent someone to pass the news to me.”

“Let’s talk about it when we get back.”

In the study, Yan Mingting recounted Zhong Yuehong’s deeds that day.

The Empress sent a letter inviting Zhong Yuehong to the palace to enjoy the flowers. Zhong Yuehong didn’t have much appreciation for these scenes of red flowers, willows, and greenery, and just listened to the Empress nattering on and reading some literary poems. Although she couldn’t understand them, she knew that the general meaning was to praise the flowers for their beauty.

It was a lot of work to say one thing, Zhong Yuehong thought.

During dinner, Zhong Yuehong clearly felt two scrutinizing eyes. Her already rough eating habits were not fit to be displayed, and she nervously knocked over two dishes.

The Empress thoughtfully and generously sent someone to replace the dishes again, and she praised the Empress as much as possible in an extremely over enthusiastic manner. But she was not a person of literary talent, and the words of praise were very plainspoken, making the Empress laugh.

She looked at the Emperor again, secretly pinched her thigh, and her face flushed slightly. With eyes filled with admiration, she praised the Emperor with the same words, but the other party showed no expression, just frowning and eating with indifference.

During the dinner, the Empress expressed her affection for her again and kindly called her younger sister. Zhong Yuehong suppressed the distaste in her heart, and responded delicately with “sister.”

Zhao Xuan’s chopsticks paused. Seeing that she was wearing fine attire and wanted to flatter him, he felt indescribably strange and left Kunning Palace after finishing his meal in a hurry.

“Will this really work?” Yan Mingting asked. “Are you sure the Emperor won’t like Yuehong?”

“He is a contradictory man who likes neither flatterers nor sycophants. He doesn’t like people who compete for fame and fortune, but he is in a high position and is surrounded by these two kinds of people, so deep down, he doesn’t like anyone. As long as he dislikes Yuehong’s flattery, he will also dislike the Empress, and then carefully consider the pros and cons of Yuehong’s entry to the harem. In fact, with his heart, he should have already made his considerations. He only needs a light push to help him make up his mind.” Zhao Yelan picked up a candle wick and rekindled the flame.

Yan Mingting nodded: “Does Yuehong need to do anything else?”

“There have been a lot of outsiders in the city lately. If you have nothing to do tomorrow, take her to patrol,” Zhao Yelan said.

“I will.”

The next day, the Emperor visited the Imperial Academy again in person and summoned Zhao Yelan to play chess.

As the two sat on each side, Zhao Xuan asked: “I heard you lost two chess games in a row yesterday. What is going on?”

Zhao Yelan coughed twice with a pale face and said with a smile: “Chess games always go back and forth, how can I win all the time?”

“You are willing to lose to him, but not to me?” There seemed to be a hint of bitterness and jealousy in his tone.

Zhao Yelan smiled: “Yesterday, my physical condition was not good.”

“The weather has been pretty good recently, isn’t your health better?” Zhao Xuan asked with concern.

Zhao Yelan shook his head helplessly and smiled: “It is better, but I have headaches occasionally. Your Majesty, let’s begin.”

The round passed quickly, and Zhao Xuan sighed: “Why did you win again?”

“Because His Majesty is not paying attention.” Zhao Yelan picked up the chess pieces and rolled them into the chess box one by one with crisp, clacking sounds.

Zhao Xuan’s eyes inadvertently fell on his slender hands, and he said bluntly: “The Empress suggested that I accept Zhong Yuehong as my concubine.”

“What about His Majesty’s own thoughts?”

If they hadn’t seen Zhong Yuehong last night, perhaps she would have been a concubine within a few days. Zhao Xuan sighed, “I thought she had wisdom, but yesterday in Kunning Palace, she kept currying favor with the Empress. With rough manners and a simple mind, it would be difficult for her to become a lady of the household.”

Zhao Yelan rubbed a chess piece and said with a smile: “Your Majesty, you are too greedy. Lieutenant General Zhong is a military official, after all. You didn’t think her manners were rough when she was killing enemies outside, but now that she is to be included in the harem, you want her to be beautiful and intelligent, and leave behind her independence?”

Zhao Xuan rubbed his eyebrows: “I am naturally aware of the dilemma, but I suspect that she has been won over by the Empress. If she has the ambition to climb higher and really enters the harem, wouldn’t it be reduced to a stream of competition for favor?”

“It is as His Majesty says.” Zhao Yelan added, “That would be a great loss for His Majesty.”

“Loss?”

“Nowadays the world is peaceful. Zhong Yuehong’s position as a female military official seems to be useless, and the Empress thinks she is an easy pawn to win over. If His Majesty truly summons her into the harem as a favor to the Empress in return for nothing, what is the benefit to His Majesty? Secondly, since His Majesty said she was simple-minded, it would be difficult for her to gain a foothold in this harem without the grace of god. But she is also a resounding heroine within the hearts of the soldiers. If she is accepted as a concubine, how can they see their heroine be treated badly? Unless His Majesty is willing to spoil her forever, but can he do it? Furthermore, there have never been female military officials in this dynasty. Now that Zhong Yuehong has returned triumphantly, she has become a role model among the people. Many women are now willing to follow her example. If you let them see the indomitable female lieutenant general finally collapse in the back courtyard of the deep palace due to conspiracies and tricks, at that time, the hearts and minds of the people and the army will truly be lost, ah.”

Zhao Xuan frowned, taking a deep look at him: “It seems that you object to her entering the harem.”

“Yes.”

“How do you know she doesn’t want to enter the harem? What if she wants to?”

“Willing or not, I have explained my reasoning. Whether you listen or not is up to you, Your Majesty.” Zhao Yelan closed the chess box. “This official is still busy with government affairs, so he cannot accompany His Majesty. Chess players will be invited over.”

“Why are you getting angry?” Zhao Xuan laughingly stopped him. “It’s all right, I’m just asking casually. In fact, I already rejected the Empress last night. It is most appropriate to let Zhong Yuehong remain in her original position.”

“Then why did Your Majesty come to ask about this?” Zhao Yelan looked up at him.

Zhao Xuan thought to himself: Because I wanted to see you angry.

Ever since Zhao Yelan got married and was dismissed, he always acted in a “you can do whatever you want” manner. To put it bluntly, he was good and obedient, but in fact, he was disappointed with Zhao Xuan, and he could see it.

These days, he had stabilized the laws and discipline of the Imperial court, but he couldn’t help but miss the days when he and Zhao Yelan talked about everything. Thinking over it last night, he first thought of Zhong Yuehong’s vulgar behavior in Kunning Palace, and then his mind wandered to Zhao Yelan’s words and demeanor, and he fell asleep in a daze. In his dreams, the two played chess all night long.

He sacrificed Zhao Yelan in exchange for the stability of the throne, but no matter how ignorant he was, he would take pity on his people.

Looking at the slightly angry person in front of him who was becoming more and more familiar, Zhao Xuan smiled and asked: “You are very concerned about the matter of accepting a concubine?”

Zhao Yelan did not deny it, nodding blatantly. In any case, he still had a lot of reasons for him to give up accepting Zhong Yuehong as his concubine.

Zhao Xuan didn’t ask any more questions, and pulled him back to the chess table for a second game. Even though he lost, he was still in a good mood, but it was not early and it was time to return to the palace.

Before leaving, he looked at Zhao Yelan again: “Do you have anything else to say?”

Zhao Yelan blurted out: “Your Majesty, it is time for you to consider the issue of your heirs.”

Zhao Xuan’s face froze: “What?”

“The concubine election is coming up soon, and many people will enter the harem. This is a good opportunity. Your Majesty, you must hurry up.”

Zhao Yelan learned from Eunuch Gao that the Emperor stayed in the Imperial study at night and rarely stepped into the harem. There were only a few concubines in the harem, and he had been on the throne for a year with nothing to show for it. A while ago, the officials were advising about this every day, so the general election was scheduled in order to fill the harem.

He suggested: “If His Majesty doesn’t want to make a spectacle concerning concubines, he can let the Empress give birth to a prince first, so that the prince can be established as soon as possible……”

“Enough! Why are you just like those old stubborn ones!”

Zhao Xuan flicked his sleeves and left the Imperial Academy in a fit of pique. When he was about to reach the palace, he heard a commotion outside and lifted the curtain to ask: “What is that noise?”

The entourage replied: “Answering Your Majesty, it seems that Lieutenant General Zhong has captured a fleeing thief, and the people are cheering for her.”

Zhao Xuan looked over at the woman on a horse in the distance, looking very imposing with long hair flying and a man tied up with a whip.

He suddenly remembered Zhao Yelan’s words: “Not all women are vainly trying to obtain the grace of the throne. Some people are good at feminine arts, so naturally there are others who are good at martial arts. The way of a ruler is to protect them, instead of telling them to change.”

Zhao Xuan’s heart was touched. Thinking back to the early years when the two of them were at each other’s sides day and night, behind all their deliberations, the goal was to let all the common people escape from the former Emperor. When exactly did strategy become the most important thing to him?

As the sun set, the remaining clouds on the horizon were dyed red.

When Zhao Yelan stepped into the General’s Mansion, Yan Mingting greeted him in the foyer with a restless appearance, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

“It should be fine.” Zhao Yelan surmised that he was waiting on the results.

But Yan Mingting asked: “Why did you come back so late?”

“After talking with the Emperor for a time, it happened that he had already rejected the Empress last night,” Zhao Yelan said.

“He really went to the Imperial Academy to look for you?” Yan Mingting straightened his expression. “Did you only talk about Yuehong?”

“En.” Zhao Yelan sat down, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and saw that he didn’t seem to believe him. Thinking about it, he added: “There was also the matter of the dragon heir.”

“Dragon heir?” Yan Mingting immediately moved to the side.

“En.” This was the foyer, and Zhao Yelan didn’t want to talk too much about the royal family. In order to avoid being overheard by interested people, he got up and walked to the study, hearing a burst of brisk footsteps behind him.

He turned his head and saw Yan Mingting walking two steps and running back three steps, going back and forth very much like a fool about to be beaten.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing, I just think……a dragon heir is good, a dragon heir is very good, how could the Emperor not have a dragon heir!” Yan Mingting laughed loudly.

“Keep your voice down.” Zhao Yelan quickly covered his mouth, looking at the servants coming and going in a hurry. “Are you not afraid that others will hear you talking about the royal family?”

Yan Mingting pressed his wrist, but did not take it away immediately. He rubbed it casually, then smiled and said: “Zhao-daren has taught me a lesson.”

His lips parted slightly as he spoke, touching the palm of his hand. Zhao Yelan quickly withdrew it and continued walking with his hands behind his back.

Yan Mingting gazed at his back with a smile on his face for a moment, and suddenly said: “Mengting, you are on the same hands and feet.”^[1]

“……What does it matter to you?” Zhao Yelan paused and turned around to give him a hard look, but saw an indescribable cunning hidden in his smile. Only then did he realize that he was walking with his hands behind his back – behind his back! How could he be walking with the same hands and feet?

Yan Mingting leaned against a beam and looked at him with a smile: “Mengting, where did your thoughts go?”

---

[1] When the left hand and left foot move at the same time, the right hand and right foot move at the same time. ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Thirty-Eight <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Forty

It was shocking enough to take the initiative to sit on his lap, but Xia Xingchi still thought it wasn’t enough. He adjusted his sitting posture and leaned into Li Chengyuan’s arms, and even tidied his collar casually and intimately.

The scene froze for a time and everyone was dumbfounded, as if watching the terrifying spectacle of Mars colliding with the earth.

No one was unaware of Mr. Li’s temper. Xia Xingchi probably thought that his life was too long.

Prior to this, don’t even mention such intimate contact, just being able to attend the same banquet as him was a considerable honor.

Shouldn’t he be tossed to the ground on the spot?

But Li Chengyuan only pursed his lips slightly and watched with faint indifference to see what other outrageous things he would do.

Xia Xingchi indeed lived up to expectations, and reached out to decisively hold Li Chengyuan’s cold hand.

Then he quickly turned his head to look at Xia Yu as he climbed up from the ground, saying loudly and with extreme outrage: “Xia Yu, I won’t allow you to say such things about my husband!”

“I’ve already said that whether in sickness or in health, I want to be with him. Don’t try to provoke us to break up!”

The scene grew even more silent.

Xia Xingchi’s fastball fiercely struck back those covert words, and nobody knew what Xia Yu had said before being kicked to the ground.

Words such as “break up” led to infinite imaginings.

Between the two were the sensitive identities of the true and false young masters, who were doomed to either be victims or beneficiaries. No matter how affectionately they called out ge, it was impossible for them to be as close as brothers.

When the people present looked at Xia Yu, their expressions gradually became more inscrutable. Xia Xingchi heaved a sigh of relief. Sure enough, one had to fight fire with fire.

Xia Pingjian alone had a livid face, looking like he wanted to tear apart that little bastard Xia Xingchi on the spot.

Not only did he beat up his precious son, but he made him take such a big loss. It was madness.

The little abacus in Xia Xingchi’s mind was calculating at lightning speed, and he knew that he could only rely on Li Chengyuan.

Xia Xingchi had been observing the changes in his expression ever since he sat on his lap.

The mercurial big villain didn’t appear to be displeased by his overstepping, and only gazed at him calmly from beginning to end.

Although this look was absolutely terrifying, he was definitely more reliable than the vicious Xia father and son who wanted to sharpen their teeth and bite him to death.

Xia Xingchi took a deep breath to prepare himself. He continued to hold Li Chengyuan’s cold hand, warming it unthinkingly, and said with affection: “Mr. Li, do you believe in love at first sight?”

— As the villain protagonist of the victims’ alliance, boss, you must save me, or I will be beaten to death when I go home tonight.

“As soon as I saw you……”

Xia Xingchi didn’t finish his sentence, as he suddenly saw Li Chengyuan withdraw his fixed, terrifying gaze. He changed his attitude faster than turning the page of a book, and his mood seemed to improve at once.

There was a hint of a smile in his deep voice as he whispered in Xia Xhingchi’s ear: “I believe.”

Xia Xingchi: “……?”

He didn’t have time to react to this strange script direction, and only felt his whole body become weightless!

Incredibly, he was once again lifted up and carried by Li Chengyuan!

In full view of everyone, Li Chengyuan looked less like he was here to get engaged, and more like he was kidnapping a bride.

Everyone was filled with shock and wonder. No matter what, they had never imagined that Li Chengyuan would actually marry someone from the already crumbling Xia family.

Let’s talk about the embarrassing situations of these two sons — the one who was well-educated and raised richly was not his own son, but his biological child was raised poverty-stricken and wild, and was simply the wrong sort of goods.

Xia Xingchi was especially confused. He had just wanted Li Chengyuan to not break off the engagement on the spot, and to lend him the title of “fiance” to back him up, so as not to go back and be beaten to death by the Xia father and son.

With no emotional foundation in the first place, coupled with the poor performance of kicking the ball into his own goal just now, who would have thought that things would develop in such a strange direction?

In a short time, he had been carried in his arms twice.

He didn’t know if it was intentional or not, but Li Chengyuan was not stable at all, as if he would drop Xia Xingchi on the ground at any moment.

It made Xia Xingchi subconsciously want to hug his neck, putting a “seat belt” on himself like he had done in the bathroom.

But at present, he already knew that this was the big villain boss. He didn’t dare to act rashly at all, and only dared to carefully and silently grasp Li Chengyuan’s shirt.

A light, cold fragrance still lingered in his nose, and there seemed to be some safe haven-like trustworthiness within that powerful and terrifying dangerous aura.

In order to concentrate amongst the chaos and bewilderment, Xia Xingchi would only stare at the button of that person’s shirt, almost staring himself cross-eyed before giving up.

In the eyes of outsiders, it looked like he was leaning intimately into Mr. Li’s arms.

Heedless of the following engagement ceremony, Li Chengyuan took the engagement ring from the secretary, leisurely and calmly locking it on Xia Xingchi’s middle finger.

Rather than wearing a ring, it was more like wearing handcuffs.

Once you put it on, you were stuck.

Then he directly carried the person and turned to depart, leaving behind a group of people who stared at each other mutely, each more dazed than the other.

– – –

“……Mr. Li, do you think we have some misunderstandings, ah?”

When leaving the engagement banquet, the sky was completely dark.

Xia Xingchi stared nervously at the capital’s night scene passing by outside the vehicle window, really unable to figure out why he had been forcefully abducted.

No one spoke, and there was silence for a long time. Just when Xia Xingchi thought he wouldn’t answer, he heard Li Chengyuan say with a fake smile: “Love at first sight.”

Xia Xingchi: “……”

No one would believe this answer unless they were crazy. That the callous and ruthless villain fell in love with a cannon fodder passer-by at first sight was less likely than an ATM machine spitting out free banknotes.

Repeatedly stepping on landmines today, in addition to the death and chaos that night when he transmigrated into the book, and thinking about being forcibly abducted now —

Then the next step must be bloody, horrifying torture, ah!

Xia Xingchi immediately shuddered at the picture that formed in his head.

He recalled one of his most profound memories of a scene later on in the book:

When Li Chengyuan fell ill, he was so weak that he could barely stand up, but even sitting in a wheelchair couldn’t stop him from going crazy.

Followed by bodyguards and the assistant pushing the wheelchair, he held a needle in one hand, laughing as he used the other hand to slowly bleed someone.

Then he threw the person into the ocean to feed the sharks, smiling as he watched the mad horror movie scene of a blood-stained sea.

In this book where moral values were distorted and the protagonist and the villain were gong and shou, the concept of a legal system in this society was quite weak, and it was almost impossible to reason with a crazy villain.

Xia Xingchi immediately trembled in fear.

He had always had a bad habit where the more nervous and timid he was, the more he couldn’t control his mouth, unable to keep from talking to ease the atmosphere:

“Sir, although I don’t want to miss out on love……I also honestly don’t want to lose my legs. I won’t dare to randomly talk about love at first sight anymore.”

“I’m begging you, sir, forget about Xia Xingchi by Daming Lake,^[1] let me jump into the lake myself, okay? At least there won’t be any sharks in it……”

Li Chengyuan ignored his babbling, just leaning back in the seat and closing his eyes to rest.

The more Xia Xingchi thought, the more frightened he became. In the silent compartment, all that remained was his heart beating like a drum.

It was impossible to ask the big villain to let him go.

Xia Xinchi came to a decision, and while chattering and continuing to perform stand-up comedy, he quietly lowered his head to study the lock button on this Rolls Royce —

Just at the moment when the vehicle slowed down slightly for the red light ahead, Xia Xingchi immediately pressed the unlock button, pushed the door handle, and jumped out of the car at lightning speed!

Then, bang, his whole body slammed into the motionless car door.

Xia Xingchi: ……?

I don’t know if saying mmp^[2] is appropriate, but I must speak.

At that ringing noise, Li Chengyuan, who had been stubbornly refusing to listen, finally opened his eyes and turned his head to look over.

Although his face was still expressionless, the moment the two looked at each other, Xia Xingchi could clearly see the instant burst of anger and violence in his eyes.

— So this was what he looked like when he was truly angry.

This thought instantly appeared in Xia Xingchi’s mind. Even the previous rude words and pawing didn’t make him as angry as trying to jump out of the car and escape.

Xia Xingchi’s non-existent tail suddenly puffed up in fright. Li Chengyuan’s gaze made his scalp go numb, and he quibbled with a dry smile: “I……was testing the quality of the door for you. After all, driving safety is very, very important.”

“I didn’t expect the quality to be quite so good, hahaha……ha.”

Driver Xiao Wu heard the noise in the back seat and dared not speak out. He could only admire in his heart: 

As expected of Mr. Li, the child locks on the doors that he arranged in advance actually worked, and the doors couldn’t be opened from inside the car.

The air pressure in the car was getting lower and lower, practically crushing the breath out of people.

Co-pilot secretary Ye silently looked back in the rearview mirror, but when she met the dark, cold gaze of her boss, she quickly turned her head and didn’t dare to peek anymore.

Li Chenyuan had always been temperamental, and it may only be a matter of a second to irritate him.

“Xia Xingchi.” This was the first time he had called out his full name. “Where are you trying to run again?”

His voice was inherently low, with an innate maliciousness and sense of oppression, especially when he was in a bad mood.

Xia Xingchi couldn’t help being distracted from the panic. What was this “again?”

Could it be that the chaos of that night when he transmigrated could also be considered as running away?

Sir, are you speaking sense? At that time, only a fool would not run away from that situation, ah!

Before he had time to speak, Li Chengyuan actually bullied him directly, and the distance between them narrowed in an instant.

He was forced to retreat again and again, until at last his back was against the door of the car and there was nowhere to hide.

Who would have guessed that the location of the villain’s minefield was so particular and strange, and that inadvertently stepping on it would be so scary?

Xia Xingchi was nearly scared into the famous painting “The Scream.” This time, he even choked back his cursing without a word, and could only clench his right fist and consider whether he could win the fight.

When Li Chengyuan was not suffering from hypoglycemia, he could easily put people on the ground.

It showed that his sickly and frail handsome appearance couldn’t be believed. Not to mention he had gradually recovered now, and a fight with him would only result in a loss.

The automatic privacy screen had closed at some point without a sound, and the spacious rear seat instantly became a nearly airtight space.

That scorching breath was getting closer and closer, and Xia Xingchi was pinned against the corner of the car. He had to look up directly into the crazy and terrifying eyes of the big villain.

The atmosphere was instantly tense. In the face of the cruel, insane villain, it would be a lie to say that he was not afraid.

Li Chengyuan’s eyes were like a fierce beast staring at its prey, which was definitely not the behavior of a normal, clear-headed person. 

This was what he looked like after his inverse scale was touched.

Could it be that some butterfly effect was accidentally triggered, and not only did the marriage go forward without reason, but Li Chengyuan went crazy ahead of time?

He doesn’t want to strangle me now, does he? As soon as this idea popped up, Xia Xingchi, who was not very courageous from the beginning, was frightened out of his wits.

He clenched his fists nervously, and something suddenly pinched between his fingers —

It was that fully-jeweled pigeon egg diamond ring.

As if he had reached some sort of enlightenment, a miraculous halo of inspiration flashed across his panicked brain, and suddenly there was a justification:

He can’t kill me, because I’m his fiance!

Having reached enlightenment, Xia Xingchi gritted his teeth and directly grabbed the collar of Li Chengyuan’s shirt with one hand, pressing the back of his neck with the other —

Then closed his eyes and kissed him hard!

---

[1] Daming Lake is a popular scenic attraction in Jinan, and also became an internet meme. For example, ‘Confucius by Daming Lake,’ ‘Washington by Daming Lake,’ etc. ⮐

[2] 媽賣批, or mmp, literally means “your mom is a prostitute,” but is usually used in place of “son of a bitch.” ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Three << Table of Contents >> Chapter Five

There was silence in the room, and several people around Zhong Yuehong reached out to support her, not knowing what to say for a while.

If an ordinary woman entered the palace, she would consider it a stroke of luck and be very happy, just waiting to bathe in the Emperor’s favor, to bring honor to her ancestors, and to share in prosperity.

However, Zhong Yuehong……

Everyone could see her dejected expression. There was no trace of joy on her face, and it was obvious that she was unwilling.

But if the Emperor insisted on welcoming her into the palace, then what would be her fate?

“Yuehong, you……” Just as He Cuizhang was about to speak, Zhong Yuehong pushed him away and staggered out.

“Yuehong!” He Cuizhang shouted, looking anxiously at Yan Mingting. “General, what should we do?”

“You guys go check on her first, don’t let her do anything stupid,” Yan Mingting ordered.

Everyone chased after her, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Only then did Yan Mingting walk out of the room with a serious expression, and a somewhat determined stride.

“Where are you going?” Zhao Yelan hurried up to hold onto him.

“I’m going to reason with the Emperor,” Yan Mingting said in a powerful and resonating voice.

“Don’t go for now.” Zhao Yelan stood in front of him.

“I only just promised Auntie that I would find a good husband for her. The Emperor will definitely not be a good match. Not to mention that as a person who has practiced martial arts and swords, there are no such twists and turns in her mind. How could she survive after entering the harem?” Yan Mingting bypassed him and walked forward, his steps so fast that it was difficult to keep up.

Zhao Yelan shouted, out of breath: “All right, you go then! Maybe when you return, you will bring me back a death sentence!”

Yan Mingting gave a sudden pause and turned back in disbelief. After thinking for a moment, he fell back again: “What do you mean? A death sentence for whom?”

“For me, naturally. I am the one who passed the information to you without authorization,” Zhao Yelan said.

Yan Mingting was forced to calm down, and said in a low voice: “Could it be that this matter is not a foregone conclusion yet?”

“Nonsense!” Zhao Yelan gave him a sharp, gouging look. He appeared to be incensed, and kicked him twice. “Had I known you would be so reckless, I wouldn’t have told you all and would have waited for the palanquin to take her directly to the palace gate.”

“I’m sorry, I was impulsive.” Yan Mingting patted him on the back and went to the study together with him. He closed the door and windows, and asked quietly, “Where did your news come from?”

“You don’t need to worry about it, I have my ways. Just know that if you suddenly went to reason with the Emperor, I, and my spies, would all be discovered, and he would definitely not let me off easily!” Zhao Yelan fumed.

“I was wrong, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have done it. Kick me a few more times, ba.” Yan Mingting apologized over and over, stretching out his leg. After being kicked several more times, he asked: “So what is the situation now? Is there a way out?”

Zhao Yelan had vented his anger and regained his composure: “There is still a glimmer of hope, because this matter was proposed by the Empress.”

The harem election was imminent, and the Empress had no heirs, so she thought that before many newcomers entered the palace, she would show her respect to the Emperor first. Therefore, she thought of Zhong Yuehong at the Imperial examination banquet and proposed to call her into the harem.

In this way, the Empress gained a good reputation with the Emperor, and thought she had done a favor for Zhong Yuehong. Which woman didn’t want to jump through the Dragon Gate and become the master of each palace in the harem?

Zhong Yuehong’s appearance was ordinary, there was no possibility of competing for favor, and her mother was even more vulnerable. The influence of the harem was very extensive. When the time came, the first person she went to for refuge would be the Empress. This was the Empress’s wishful thinking.

And she also predicted that the Emperor would be tempted. Not liking it was one thing, but suitability was another. The soldiers in Zhong Yuehong’s hands alone would be enough to move the Emperor, not to mention that he would have no worries about her extended family.

“The Emperor is still considering it. It should be that he has not yet made a decision, otherwise this would have already been drafted. However, without interference, he will likely agree.” Zhao Yelan paused. “For him, this pairing causes no harm in the slightest.”

Yan Mingting knocked on the table angrily: “Should we just let them decide? Is it true that all women in the world belong to the royal family?”

Zhao Yelan gazed at him for a long time, then said abruptly: “What if the Emperor truly wants to marry her by force? What will you do?”

“I……” Yan Mingting clenched his fists. “I will send her out.”

“She is just a subordinate, are you willing to offend the Emperor for her?”

“You’ve never seen her fight desperately on the battlefield.” Seeing his indignant look, Zhao Yelan couldn’t help but raise his hand and touch his head. Both of them froze for a moment. 

Yan Mingting looked up, and when their eyes met, Zhao Yelan’s expression shifted at once. He said, “This is bad.”

“What is it?”

“If even you are willing to offend the Emperor, what about those lieutenants who are with her day in and day out?” Zhao Yelan walked out in a hurry. “Get a horse ready! We’re going to the city gate!”

Yan Mingting swiftly mounted his horse, saw Zhao Yelan following him, and asked: “Are you going too?”

“I’m afraid you will be persuaded by them!” Zhao Yelan very much suspected that he wouldn’t be able to bear it, and would let those people run away.

At the gate of the city, a carriage galloped by, its wheels rolling through the two treadmarks in the road.

Mother Zhong sat in the carriage with tears streaming down her face, tightly clutching Zhong Yuehong’s hand: “Hong’er, do you really want to……”

The carriage abruptly came to a stop. Mother Zhong fell backwards and was caught by Zhong Yuehong.

The two heard He Cuizhang saying to the gatekeeper with a smile: “Brother, do us a favor. The family’s old man is sick and the doctors in the city are helpless, so we can only go out of the city to find other doctors.”

The gatekeeper looked into the carriage and saw two plainly dressed women, so he let them go. 

The carriage drove past the city gate. Zhong Yuehong had just breathed a sigh of relief when the carriage stopped again.

She asked: “What is the matter?”

“The General and Zhao-daren are in front……” He Cuizhang said.

Zhong Yuehong opened the curtain and saw a horse in front of the carriage, two people sitting on its back.

“What are you doing!” Zhao Yelan had almost fainted due to the speedy pursuit. Fortunately, they had arrived in time. He adjusted his breathing, and Yan Mingting reassured him from behind, repeating, “What are you doing?”

“General……” He Cuizhang was very ashamed, and the others chimed in, “General, can you just pretend you didn’t see us? If something goes wrong, we will take responsibility!”

“How will you take responsibility?” Zhao Yelan asked them condescendingly from horseback. “All land under heaven is the territory of the sovereign. Where do you expect to let her and her mother escape to? If you are caught, you will be criminals. Why should a lieutenant general with a great reputation be reduced to a guilty official? Aren’t there a few of you who have family members? To act recklessly only for a moment of loyalty is not loyalty at all, but stupidity! You may help her temporarily, but did you ever pause to think that the Yan family army would be implicated?”

Everyone was stunned by his words and lowered their heads, regretting their impulsiveness.

“My lord, that’s enough.” Zhong Yuehong jumped down from the carriage. Her eyes were reddened, and she cupped her hands in a bow. “Thanking my lord for the reminder, I will return immediately.”

After speaking, she turned and walked back to the city on foot, and the others followed.

When they passed through the city gate, the gatekeeper asked in surprise: “Weren’t you going to see a doctor? Why did you come back so soon?”

“Didn’t find one, a cure is impossible, he can only wait for death,” He Cuizhang sighed, leading the carriage to follow Zhong Yuehong.

The group of people were very somber as they escorted her and Mother Zhong all the way home. Mother Zhong finally couldn’t bear it any longer, and wept out loud.

Zhong Yuehong returned to her room. She saw the three dresses, picked up some scissors, and cut the beautiful cloth into pieces, saying in a dazed manner: “I don’t want, don’t want to wear dresses, I don’t want anything……”

Yan Mingting couldn’t endure it anymore, and went in to take the scissors from her hands: “Yuehong, things can turn around, so you calm down first.”

Zhong Yuehong slumped down on the ground. A person who had never cried on the battlefield sobbed bitterly at this moment: “General, I want to go back to the military camp, I don’t want to be in the capital anymore, it’s no good at all……”

Everyone else’s eyes were faintly red. Yan Mingting turned his face away and took a deep breath.

At this time, Zhao Yelan crouched down, took out a handkerchief, and wiped her crying face: “Do you trust me?”

Zhong Yuehong looked sideways at him, tears rolling down, and nodded slightly after a long while.

“All right, since you trust me, you must listen to me. Don’t make any trouble now, just go on as usual and don’t let anyone know that there is anything wrong,” Zhao Yelan said.

Zhong Yuehong was taken aback, and He Cuizhang asked hurriedly, “Zhao-daren, do you have any ideas?”

Zhao Yelan stood up and looked around: “At present, this news is something that I found out in advance. If you run away or behave abnormally now, it will definitely attract the attention of the Emperor, and it will be even more difficult to escape this predicament at that time. So everyone present, please keep calm and do not be impulsive like you were today.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” He Cuizhang and the others nodded repeatedly, as if they couldn’t wait to nod their heads off, and just hoped that he could come up with a way.

Zhao Yelan reached out a hand to help Zhong Yuehong up, and said: “Leave this matter to me. You will act the same as always, and I will notify you if something occurs. You refrain from making a mess of the situation first.”

Zhong Yuehong slowly nodded.

When the two left the Zhong residence, Yan Mingting asked in a low voice: “Do you really have a way?”

“I don’t dare to say for sure, but we needed to calm her down first lest she act under extreme agitation,” Zhao Yelan said. “Tomorrow, I will go to investigate what the Emperor has said.”

“You can’t go to court, so how will you see him? Go directly to the palace?”

“He will come to the Imperial Academy.”

Yan Mingting paused: “Why would he go to the Imperial Academy in person?”

“To play chess.”

“And to find you?”

“En, I’ll try to get him to come to me.” Zhao Yelan returned to the study, busy with thoughts about this plan, and didn’t notice the change in the other party’s expression at all.

“How can you be sure that he will come to play chess with you tomorrow?”

“I have my own ways. And even if it isn’t tomorrow, it will be in these next few days.” Zhao Yelan said, “Moreover, he is entangled in government affairs, so it is impossible for him to dwell on this matter. Perhaps he will be busy until the day of the general election.”

Yan Mingting frowned, and he remained silent for a while before asking suddenly: “Are you on good terms with him?”

Zhao Yelan stared blankly for a moment before realizing that it was Zhao Xuan he was asking about, and replied: “It is hard to say, the score depends on the situation.”

“Then elaborate according to the situation.”

“Are you so free?” Zhao Yelan raised his head and glared at him.

Yan Mingting didn’t bother him any further, but during dinner, he leaned in toward his ear and asked: “Do you know him well?”

Zhao Yelan nodded: “I do.”

Modestly, Zhao Yelan could guarantee that no one understood Zhao Xuan’s nature better than himself. Even Zhao Xuan may have forgotten those dark days, but they were still imprinted in his mind.

“What do you know? What is his favorite food?” Yan Mingting asked.

Zhao Yelan gave him a strange look: “What are you asking this for? Do you mean to……”

Rebel? He sounded out with his lips.

“How is that possible? I’m just asking casually.” Yan Mingting quickly busied himself with his meal.

When going to bed that night, Yan Mingting lay on the ground, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, and said: “Is he good-looking?”

“Don’t you have eyes, ah? Did you poke your eyes out when you went to see him?” Zhao Yelan was speechless.

“I’m just asking, do you think he’s good-looking?” Yan Mingting asked persistently.

“How could I not, all the civil and military officials in the court think he is handsome.”

Yan Mingting turned over indignantly, and asked after a while: “Then am I handsome?”

Zhao Yelan was about to fall asleep, but this woke him up. He picked up a nearby pillow and threw it at him: “Are you trying to cause trouble? Hurry up and sleep!”

“Just tell me, am I handsome or not?”

Yan Mingting had made it clear that he didn’t want him to sleep well, so Zhao Yelan sneered and said: “Shouldn’t you already know the answer? I still remember your big head and fat ears from when you were young.”

“Ah!” Yan Mingting crawled to his bedside in embarrassment, lit a candle, and held it under his chin to illuminate his face. “That was all in the past! Take a closer look at me now, am I handsome or not?”

When Zhao Yelan turned around, he was terrified: “What’s wrong with you, ah!”

Yan Mingting held up the candle and moved it around his face, asking with a smile: “Take a good look, handsome or not?”

“Handsome, handsome, handsome! You are the most handsome!” Zhao Yelan completely surrendered and suffered a crushing defeat.

“Then tell me, how am I handsome?”

“……” Zhao Yelan couldn’t endure any more, and grabbed his ears hard. “You are handsome because you have two eyes and a mouth!”

Yan Mingting was satisfied, then immediately realized that something was wrong: “What kind of handsome is this? Then let me ask you one last question.”

“If I fell into a river with him, which of us would you save first?”

Zhao Yelan turned over and got out of bed, rummaging through boxes and cabinets in search of something.

“What are you looking for?” Yan Mingting asked curiously.

“Where is my crossbow? Either you die tonight or I die!”

“……There’s no need to be a pair of wild mandarin ducks in the underworld.”^[1]

“……….”

---

[1] At Chinese weddings, it’s common to see motifs of Mandarin ducks on various decorations. In Chinese culture, Mandarin ducks are believed to be extremely faithful to their partner, and are symbols of love, devotion, affection and fidelity. ⮐

---

Consider donating via Kofi here!

Chapter Thirty-Seven <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirty-Nine