Chapter 24

TRANSLATED BY MYPEN_22

"Mother, don't think about those old stories," King Zhaoge reassured his mother, "you'll have nightmares again."

    "Alas..." the Queen Mother sighed long and hard, "Let's not talk about that, let's talk about your aunt's affairs."

    Seeing that the Empress seemed to be feeling better, King Zhaoge was relieved: "Mother, you need not worry too much about aunt's affairs. When Father is in a better mood in a few days, you can persuade him, and I think Aunt will be back soon. Now I will send someone to the Zen Lin Nunnery to take care of a few things, and my aunt will not suffer much there."

    The Empress nodded: "Let it be as you say."

    A few words from King Zhaoge gradually brought a ray of sunshine into the Empress gloomy mood. Her son was a good-looking man, with a gentle personality and a good command of literature and military tactics. However, the title of first son was taken by Yan Shi, otherwise, the crown prince would have been his long ago.

    When she thought of Yan Shi the Empress could not bear to gnash her teeth.

    "Empress Mother, there is still one thing I don't understand, and I would like to ask Empress Mother for advice." King Zhaoge said again.

    The Empress said, "Tell me what it is."

    "When you first discussed with my aunt, you wanted to have the Duke of Hongle's House join with the eldest brother in marriage, with the intention of drawing in and spying on the eldest brother." King Zhaoge said, "But why did you not marry the children born to my aunt?"

    Wouldn't it be better to marry a son or daughter of one's own birth, since Hua Ling was not Yang's own child?

    After hearing this, she thought for a moment and murmured, "Your aunt has long wanted Hua Xu to inherit the title.

    King Zhaoge gave her a meaningful smile in return, "Mother, it's a good idea to know people's hearts. As for the eldest brother, it's time to give him a good beating."

    Yan Shi woke up in Hua Ling's arms, covered with Hua Ling's quilt, his quilt having been thrown to the other side at some point. Luckily, Hua Ling was still asleep, otherwise he would have died of shame.

    When he went to bed last night, he was afraid that Hua Ling would make a move on him, but he didn't think it would be himself. He didn't notice that as he sat on the edge of the bed, the man who had been asleep opened his eyes and a smile gradually blossomed at the corners of his mouth.

    After breakfast, the princess arrived.

    They had not seen each other for half a year and were both very excited to see each other. Yan Shi accompanied Princess Huijia around the house and took her on a tour of the imperial city, buying her many things.

    It was not long after Yan Shi and Hua Ling returned to Zhaoyang Palace that the concierge came to report, "The old marshal has sent someone."

    Yan Shi was so happy that he immediately got up from his chair and personally went to meet him outside the palace. He had not seen Marshal Wei for many years, and since the death of Queen Yuan, Marshal Wei had been stationed at the southern border. It had been five years since he had last returned. In order to prevent the Emperor from suspecting him, the two had rarely exchanged letters. This time it was because he was about to get married, so he wrote a letter to Marshal Wei to inform him.

    Outside the gate, a young man with a carriage and a strong black suit waited there without expression. The man was handsome and dashing, with a distinctive aura of a military general, but his expression was too dull, like a wooden man.

    When he saw Yan Shi coming, he fell to one knee and bowed, "Sang Yu pays his respects to Your Highness."

    Yan Shi quickly lifted him up with both hands, "Please rise quickly and follow me to the palace."

    When he came to sit down in the palace, Sang Yu took out from his pocket the letter Marshal Wei had written to Yan Shi. The letter was nothing more than a peace offering and a few instructions to him. The letter also said that Sang Yu was a guard he had specially trained for him and was highly skilled in martial arts, and that he could be relied upon.

    Yan Shi was very happy about Sang Yu's arrival. The most important thing for those who are seeking a great cause is people. The road would become more and more dangerous in the future, and he had married Hua Ling, and was worried that he would have no one to protect him.

    "I had intended to come in time for Your Highness wedding, but I was delayed by some matters, so I came late, please forgive me." Sang Yu said and knelt down on one knee again and bowed.

    When Yan Shi let him stand up, Sang Yu took out a pair of jade ruyi from his bag, "This is a wedding gift from the Marshal to His Highness."

    Yan Shi held the pair of jade ruyi in his hands and looked at them carefully, not looking at the pair of jade ruyi, but just thinking of someone else. Hua Ling stretched out his neck curiously to look at them, but Yan Shi smiled and gave him the pair of jade ruyi.

    "Your Highness." Jiang Qingyue walked in through the door, seeming to have something to say to Yan Shi, and as soon as he saw Sang Yu standing by, he asked, "Who is this?"

    Jiang Qingyue came quite coincidentally, so Yan Shi introduced the two of them. Jiang Qingyue only nodded indifferently, with a somewhat detached expression. In fact, except for Yan Shi, he had a sense of detachment from everyone, and rarely talked to anyone in the house.

    Jiang Qingyue said, "We've found out the whereabouts of the Ten Square Sect in the Imperial City." Although the Ten Square Sect was large in number and involved in many different trades and industries, it was also hidden in various places, it could be the largest merchant house in the city, or it could be a shabby stall on a street corner.

    The Ten Square Sect is very secretive, and anyone who is not a member of the sect does not know how to contact the people in the palace. In order to investigate the disappearance in the imperial city, Yan Shi ordered his men to find out the stronghold of the Ten Square Sect in the imperial city.

    "It was found in a cloth shop," Jiang Qingyue continued, "and it is said that the master of the Ten Square Sect will be dining at the Drunken Sky House tonight."

    Yan Shi's eyes lit up, "Oh? I'll have to go and meet him then." Yan Shi only thought that he had found out the whereabouts of someone in the sect, but he did not expect it to be the sect master, so he was secretly happy.

    Hua Ling, who was still playing with the pair of jade ruyi, suddenly raised his head and asked, "So are we leaving now? Then brother wait for me, I will go and change my clothes, it will be quick." It was already dark, if they delayed any longer, they were afraid that the sect master would be gone.

    Yan Shi helplessly called out to the young princess who was about to run out, "Mingting, you and Qingyue rest in the house, I will go with Sang Yu."

    Hua Ling's originally cheerful face was immediately clouded with pity, and his little mouth was suffused with pity: "Why don't you take me with you?" This tone was like accusing Yan Shi of being a heartless man.

    "Rumour has it that the master of the Tenfold Sect has great martial arts skills and an unpredictable personality, I am afraid that you will be in danger." Yan Shi only had to explain patiently.

    Hua Ling was not surprised: "But I am the princess, he is still a grass, so how could he have the guts to do anything to me?"

    The young princess had been brought up to be ignorant of the world, so Yan Shi decided to tell him more about the dangers of the jianghu in the future, but there was no time for that now.

    Yan Shi thought for a moment and then said, "Didn't you say before that you would embroider a purse for me? Where is that purse?"

    Hua Ling immediately lowered his head sheepishly, "I haven't had time to embroider it yet."

    Yan Shi sighed and said, "Alas, I don't know when I'll be able to wear the purse embroidered by Your Highness' own hands."

    "I, I will go and embroider it right away." Hua Ling looked as if he had done something wrong to Yan Shi, shoved the jade ruyi into Jiang Qingyue's hand, jumped and ran out of the room, and from a distance he could still hear the voice coming from him, "Don't worry, brother, I will finish embroidering it soon -"

    Jiang Qingyue had a faint smile on his face, but when he looked at Sang Yu, he looked like a log, expressionless, as if he hadn't seen everything that had just happened. Jiang Qingyue couldn't help but laugh, this person, this is really dumb.

    Yan Shi shook his head helplessly and patted Sang Yu's shoulder, "Let's go."

    The Drunken Sky House was not too far from Ruiying's residence, so the two of them didn't take a carriage, they went out of the residence and used their lightning skills to fly away.

    "Two masters, please come inside!" When the waiter saw that the two of them were both very handsome and dignified, he was all smiles as he welcomed Yan Shi and Sang Yu inside.

    Yan Shi walked faithfully to the first floor and stopped in front of the elegant room at the end.

    He waved his hand at the two, "I'm here to find him, go down first, don't come in without orders."

    Yan Shi nodded again towards Sang Yu, who wanted to knock on the door but was stopped by his hand: "I'll do it." He tapped his finger, but suddenly dodged to the side, and at the same time the door opened with a bang as if the wind had blown hard.

    Yan Shi and Sang Yu looked at each other and decided to go in and have a look.

    He was just about to step into the elegant room when he heard a voice, both male and female, from inside: "I only welcome you here, Your Highness." Yan Shi paused in his steps and nodded towards Sang Yu who was following him.

    Sang Yu was also a little worried about Yan Shì and was just about to draw his sword from his waist when Yan Shi's hand rested on the hilt of his sword and shook his head.

    He had no choice but to stand outside the door and wait.

    Only then did Yan Shi re-enter the elegant room, and as soon as he stepped in, he heard the door slam shut behind him. The elegant room was not large and he saw the person with his back to him, staring out of the window. The man was dressed in a black suit like ink dye, and the somewhat loose robe perfectly covered his silhouette, making it impossible to tell whether he was a man or a woman.

    "Please sit down!" Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Yan Shi saw the chair that was originally about two metres away from him move smoothly in front of him.

    What strong inner strength, Yan Shi secretly marvelled.

    Not willing to be left behind, Yan Shì waved his sleeve and robe, and brought the other chair in front of the table to the Ten Directions Sect Master as well: "Sect Master also sits."

    The Ten Directions Sect Master slowly turned around, his face was covered with a silver mask, with only one pair of eyes exposed: "Thank you, Your Highness." And then he swaggered and sat down on that chair.

    Yan Shi also sat down: "No need to say thank you."

    "Your Highness is slow in coming, I've finished my meal here." The Master of the Ten Square Sect looked at the table of leftovers and said, "If you want to find me in the future, you should come earlier.

    Yan Shi asked instead of answering, "Master of the Sect is very powerful, do you not know what I am looking for you for?"

    The Master of the Ten Square Sect actually nodded and admitted, "Naturally, I know. Then I must also tell Your Highness that I am a good citizen, and I did not do the disappearances in the Imperial City."