Chapter 25

TRANSLATED BY MYPEN_22

Yan Shi is good at reading words and listening to voices to determine whether they are true or false. However, the Master of the Ten Directions Sect was wearing a silver mask and his voice did not rise or fall, so it was difficult to tell whether what he said was true or not for a while.

    Seemingly sensing Yan Shi's hesitation, the Ten Directions Sect Master continued, "If it were really my sect's work, would the Prince still see me here?"

    There seemed to be some truth in what he said, but it was rumoured that the Ten Directions Sect Master was sinister and cunning, and had a great deal of strategy, otherwise he would not have built such a large sect in just five years.

    The corners of Yan Shi's mouth rose slightly: "Then the Sect Master's meeting with me this time is by no means as simple as wanting to clear his name of wrongdoing, right?"

    The Master of the Ten Directions Sect laughed lightly, "I like to talk to smart people like you, Your Highness.

    As he said this, the Ten Directions Sect Master suddenly grabbed the wine jug on the table with an empty grip, and with another grip, he grabbed the wine cup on the table as well. He poured a full cup of wine into the glass, then using his inner strength, he threw the glass towards Yan Shi: "Please drink, Your Majesty, and let's talk while we drink."

    Yan Shi was a few metres away from him, but the wine cup floated steadily in the air without spilling a drop. Seeing that the wine cup was close, Yan Shi caught it with his quick hands and eyes, and a smile bloomed at the corner of his mouth, "I don't know how to drink wine, it's better for the master to drink."

    After saying that, he also threw the wine cup back towards the Ten Directions Sect Master. The Ten Directions Sect Master cupped the wine cup in his hand, "What? Are you still afraid that it is poisonous?"

    Yan Shi was frank enough to admit: "I have to guard against it."

    He laughed a few times, "Your Highness, you are so worried, how dare I poison Your Highness?"

    Yan Shi did not want to talk too much with him here and decided to make it quick: "What business does the Sect Master want to discuss, just tell me."

    The Master of the Ten direction Sect put down his wine pot and glass: "The Ten direction Sect does all kinds of business, as long as Your Highness needs it."

    Yan Shi deliberately said, "Do business that involves killing people?"

    The Ten Directions Sect Master laughed lightly, "I will do whatever Your Highness asks."

    This was said with some ambiguity, and Yan Shi was slightly annoyed: "Since the Sect Master has no other business, then I will leave."

    "Wait, Your Majesty." The Master of the Ten Square Sect took out a token, "If the Prince is looking for me in the future, you can take this jade pendant to Xing Long Cloth Company. I think we will do business."

    Yan Shì took the token in his hand, it was inky black and resembled jade, with the words Ten Square Sect written on it, he thought about it and took it, arching his hand to the Ten Square Sect Master, "Many thanks."

    After speaking, he pushed the door open and left.

    When he returned to the Nuan Yang Pavilion, he saw Hua Ling sitting at the table with a frown on his face, the table full of some things. It was just some embroidery cloth, needle and thread.

    Seeing that he had returned, Hua Ling was happy at first, but then, as if he had done something wrong, he clutched the embroidery cloth tightly in his hand and bowed his head, "Brother, the purse is not yet finished, there is not enough thread in the house, so we will have to go to the street tomorrow to buy it."

    Yan Shi did not really want him to embroider the purse, he was just making an excuse not to let him go with him. Now that he saw the little wife pitiful look, his heart softened: "If you don't have any thread, go and buy it tomorrow.

    Hua Ling obediently put away all the needles and threads on the table, and then scratched his head in embarrassment, "Don't worry, brother, I will definitely finish the embroidery soon. When I've finished embroidering, I'll make a dress for you to wear. I can do a lot of things, all of which are my mother's ..."

    When Hua Ling stopped speaking at this point, Yan Shi was about to say something to comfort him, but he smiled bitterly and waved his hand, "No matter what, she has raised me for more than ten years, I still have to thank her for raising me for so many years."

    "Mingting," Yan Shi paused, "if it's hard, say so."

    "It was hard at first," Hua Ling bit his lip and looked at Yan Shi again, "but now that I've figured it out, I still have to look ahead, and it's good that I know her true face now. I think when I married here, she asked me to tell her about my brother's every move, and I thought she was caring for us. But in reality, she was trying to use me to spy on my brother."

    Yan Shi looked at him in surprise that his little princess understood so much.

    Hua Ling blinked his big beautiful eyes and revealed a compelling smile, "Brother, I'm not stupid. After I knew her true nature, I thought over all the things that were related to her in piles. Especially what she said to me on the eve of my marriage. Fortunately, I came to my senses early, and fortunately I did not do anything to hurt my brother. Brother, apart from Sister Mute, you are the only person in this world who is closest to me. So, no matter what, I will never do anything wrong to you. I know I am stupid, but I will learn to be wiser, and I will be a royal wife that will please you. So brother, do you like me a little?"

    Hua Ling's words softened Yan Shi's heart a little more, and the previous defensiveness and suspicion had dissipated as soon as Yang was expelled to the Zen Lin Nunnery. He admitted that he did not hate Hua Ling.

    But in his eyes, Hua Ling was still just a child. Although he was already eighteen, only three years younger than him. But Hua Ling's face was tender and he had an innocent look. It hardened his age by several years, and if he hadn't grown as tall as he did, he would have wondered if he was only fourteen or fifteen.

    He had always treated him as a child before, and would always forget that he was actually an adult, or an adult with whom he had both a name and a reality. Hua Ling had a good personality and his heart was all over him. Perhaps, he should try to accept him.

    "Brother, you don't have to answer me." Hua Ling didn't wait for Yan Shi to speak, "I'm the one who's too eager, we've only known each other for a few days, so how can you fall for me so quickly? I can wait slowly, there's no rush. I just told my brother that I really like you a lot. I liked you from the first moment I saw you, and I will never change."

    Yan Shi had never had anyone confess to him so loudly in all his years of life and blushed slightly, "Mingting, I know how you feel. I, I will also learn to like you slowly."

    "Really?" Hua Ling's big eyes immediately stared wider than copper bells, his delight overflowing, "That's wonderful, I'm so happy. Brother, I want to play a flute for you, okay?"

    If he didn't find something to do, he would probably be spinning around the house in a circle of joy.

    "Sure." Yan Shì had often seen him polishing his flute, but had never seen him play it.

    When Hua Ling played the flute for the first time in front of Yan Shi, he was as calm as ever, but in fact he was so flustered that his hands were sweating.

    Hua Ling chose a very cheerful tune, the sound of the flute was long and clear, crisp and pleasant to the ear. It was as if it could make people forget all the worries in the world, and the corners of Yan Shi's mouth gradually rose as he listened to it. When the song was over, Hua Ling asked apprehensively, "Brother, how was it? Did it sound good?"

    Yan Shi did not hesitate to praise, "Mingting's piece is very good, even the people in the Tai Le Office can do no better."

    The stone in Hua Ling's heart immediately fell to the ground and he smiled again, "Since brother likes to listen to it, then I will play it to brother every day."

    Yan Shi said, "Thank you so much Mingting."

    Hua Ling pouted slightly, "Brother, why do you have to be so formal with me, if you keep doing that I will get angry."

    "Fine, fine, it's my fault." Yan Shi smiled and looked outside again, "It's getting late, let's get some rest early."

    Hua Ling was a little reluctant, "Brother, I'm not sleepy yet, will you stay with me and talk for a while? Just for a while."

    Yan Shi was not too sleepy either, but he was afraid that Hua Ling would get tired, and since he did not want to sleep, he would sleep later.

    "Then let's talk for half an hour at most." Hua Ling was still young and was growing up, so he should not sleep too late.

    "Yes, yes." Hua Ling nodded his head in agreement, "We haven't had a good chat these days either, brother, I want to know more about you. You tell me about it, okay?"

    Yan Shi did not expect him to want to talk about this, "Which ones do you want to hear?"

    Hua Ling put his hands on his cheeks and blinked his eyes, "I want to hear everything about brother, brother, tell me from the beginning."

    Yan Shi said yes, and really started from the time he was born. When he talked about the few funny incidents between him and Empress Yuan when she was alive, Hua Ling would giggle out loud as he listened. When it came to how he had survived in that cannibalistic palace after the prince of Queen Yuan, Hua Ling's eyes reddened and he sniffled.

    But he didn't say much about the aftermath of the Empress death, only a few words, those dark years, he really didn't want Hua Ling to hear. Hua Ling was clean and pure, like flawless white jade, so let him keep this pure and beautiful forever.

    When it was almost time to talk, Hua Ling asked, "Brother was only able to leave the palace this year to build a house, so has brother never left the palace before?"

    "That's not true," Yan Shi said, "As an imperial son, when we were young, Father allowed us to leave the palace once a year on our birthdays. When we grew up, we were allowed to leave the palace when we worked for Father."

    Hua Ling asked blearily, "Then where did you like to go when you were young?"

    Yan Shi said, "I didn't like any particular place, I just walked around every time."

    Hua Ling asked again, "Has brother ever been to Nanqing Temple? I heard that the incense there is very spiritual."

    Yan Shi thought for a moment, "I have never been there, but if Mingting wants to go, I can accompany you."

    "Sure, I want to burn a few more pillars of incense and ask Buddha to bless brother." Hua Ling barely managed to squeeze out a few smiles, his heart felt a pang of loss, it seemed that he really didn't remember.

    "Your Highness, Your Highness." Qingji's voice suddenly came from outside.

    Yan Maki said aloud, "What is it?"

    As he spoke, he had already walked to the door and opened it.

    Qing Ji saluted, "The Emperor has sent word over to ask you to enter the palace immediately."

    Yan Shi and Hua Ling looked at each other, "Do you know what it is about?"

    Qing Ji said, "Princess Huijia has disappeared."