CH 35

On the banks of the Qin River, where the lights were brighter than during the day, where the clamor of the passers-by disturbed the rest.

Fortunately, sandstorms in the desert required communicating in a loud voice, so Prince Yinuo’s voice was particularly loud. Ye Zhao had been fighting and yelling out order on battlefields for a long time, and although her voice was relatively low and husky, it was no quieter than an ordinary man’s. Moreover, Xia Yujin had learned to listen to dice throwing, honing his hearing sharper than most people’s, so he could still hear the whole conversation even when squatting in a distant and noisy spot.

Prince Yinuo took two more steps in the direction of the bridge, calmly moving into Ye Zhao’s line of sight and making her face the pleasure boats on the Qin River. After making small-talk, he let out a sigh. “On the battlefield three years ago, you displayed your bravery and heroism. You really are a hero. But, as it happens, you’re a woman. If you were born in Eastern Xia, men would be breaking down your doors trying to propose to you. Your husband must be the most outstanding man in the Great Qin to be able to win your favor!”

Who in the world did not know of the spoiled prince of Nanping’s revolting behavior? Those words simply doomed that jerk to be proven wrong, but the look on his face said, “I’m a foreigner, I don’t know anything.” Xia Yujin didn’t even know where he could spit out the mouthful of blood that was choking him.

But Ye Zhao’s face unexpectedly did not change. She nodded. “That’s right.”

Prince Yinuo hadn’t been expecting this kind of answer from her. “Do Prince Xia’s talents lie in the literary or martial arts?” he hastily and deferentially asked. “Could a remote foreigner such as me learn from him?”

“You can’t learn his talents,” Ye Zhao said casually.

Prince Yinuo rubbed his nose, seeming embarrassed. “Honestly speaking, I’ve held admiration in my heart for you since I learned you were a woman, General. However, our two countries were at odds, the pearl found a master, and I still grieve. In any case, let me learn what I’ve lost.”

What unmannerly words to say to a married woman!

Ye Zhao frowned, discontent. If this was just a matter of her identity, she couldn’t condemn him further.

But Prince Yinuo wasn’t willing to let it go, and frankly said, “He’s too refined, and probably inferior to you when it comes to fighting, isn’t he?”

“Indeed,” Ye Zhao answered sarcastically, “he’s inferior to me in that aspect. He couldn’t last three moves against me, but you can last a hundred moves before yielding, Your Royal Highness. The difference is huge.”

“Right.” A little embarrassed at her mentioning this, he hurriedly added in self-deprecation, “We are all your defeated inferiors, General Ye. We’re all the same here. Well, he’s more beautiful than I am.”

You’re ‘beautiful’! Die, you Eastern Xia barbarian son of a bitch! Xia Yujin hated it when other people praised his good looks, and hated it even more so when he suspected those who praised him were cut-sleeves. He was so angry that he muttered aloud, but it unfortunately wouldn’t look good if he was found eavesdropping, so he didn’t dare jump out.

“It’s not all about looks,” Ye Zhao said calmly. “He’s also a very good man.”

“Tell me more,” Prince Yinuo doggedly said. “I would like to know wholeheartedly whom I lost to.”

Ye Zhao was struck dumb. Thinking of Xia Yujin, embarrassment filled her whole face, no longer so indifferent. How could love, that shameful thing, be so easily spoken about in public? It was really too embarrassing. She feigned a cough and tried to change the topic.

However, the customs of Eastern Xia were more open and never shied away from the topic of love between men and women. What’s more, Prince Yinuo knew already what Xia Yujin was worth, and he liked sowing discord and watching people make fools of themselves, so he probed again and again, even taunting, “Could Prince Xia be so terrible that you can’t say it? That you use you can because you can’t say one good thing about him? Ai, everyone told me Prince Xia was quite useless. I didn’t believe it at first, but apparently… He’s probably just a cute little lamb.”

Comparing a woman to a lamb was a praise.

But comparing a man to a lamb was humiliating.

Ye Zhao finally got angry. She slapped the willow tree next to her, its trunk wider than two men’s embrace, causing it to shake dangerously as if it was on the verge of falling, scaring Xia Yujin who was hiding next to it. Then she took a deep breath and curtly retorted, “He’s not a lamb, he’s an eagle.”

“An eagle?” Prince Yinuo drawled, as though he couldn’t quite believe it. Then he lowered his face and snickered. “Yes, a beautiful eagle chick.”

“Some birds don’t fly for three years before soaring in the sky, don’t make a sound for three years before amazing the world with their cry. There are still many days to come.” Ye Zhao’s temper flared up, but her face betrayed nothing, and she spoke slowly, word by word. “Don’t mock a poor young man!”

“Don’t get mad.” Prince Yinuo glanced around to check that Xia Yujin was still hiding like a mouse and hadn’t been spotted. He also examined the look on Ye Zhao’s face. She didn’t appear to be joking, so he hastened to smooth things down. “If you say so, then that’s it.”

“He’s a young eagle who hasn’t shed its fluff yet, but the chick will eventually spread his wings and soar in the sky like all eagles.” Paying no attention to him, as though she was venting, she continued, “He’s very clever. He can master many different topics in two days… He can remember and accurately quote from abstruse books. He’s an official in a high position, but he’s very good and honest, never takes advantage of the poor, always cares for the people around him, and uses his power chivalrously as much as he can. He has a lot of determination, too. He can withstand ten years of dullness by studying the same trick over and over, until he masters it. He’s courageous; he never yields in front of his opponents, he’s quick-witted and adaptable and doesn’t need to handle a situation in the usual way. He’s positive and ready to improve himself. For years, he was seriously ill, between life and death, but he’s never let that shadow his heart… Do you want me to go on?”

Prince Yinuo was astounded. “Is he really not terrible?”

“He is. I like him that way,” Ye Zhao said categorically.

There would never be a perfect love in this world.

But there may be someone in whose eyes all the other’s shortcomings might be so lovely that they become perfect.

Prince Yinuo suddenly realized that he was overreaching himself and had done something stupid, so he let out a hurried laugh and started clamoring to go back for a drink.

Although Ye Zhao didn’t have enough patience for it, she was forced to follow him away.

At the bridgehead, Xia Yujin was hugging his knees and blankly staring at the flagstone ground.

He had been weak since childhood, neglected his classwork, and wiled his days away. He’d been coddled and raised deep inside the house like a girl, so that by the time he grew up, the distance separating him and his peers was already huge. Literary, martial arts: he was inferior to them in everything. And when he’d recovered, he’d been fascinated by the world of pleasure, which kept delaying him.

“The sun is high, don’t go watching polo, hurry back home and rest.”

“Don’t stand there like the others, you can’t take it. Grab a seat.”

“Is admiring women more important than your health? You should move to the pavilion on the side.”

“You just recovered, don’t read too many books, be careful not to hurt your eyes.”

“You’re my nephew. Even if you can’t do it, how could I blame you?”

“I failed him for so many years, so even if he misbehaves a little outside the house, it’s no problem as long as nothing serious happens.”

“Reputation? You’re from the imperial family, who’d dare say anything?”

“Look, isn’t it that spoiled little lord, as beautiful as he’s useless, haha…”

He was a good-for-nothing in everyone’s eyes! An orphaned child! A spoiled brat! A wretch! A useless waste of space!

He muddled through life every day.

No one had ever held any hope for him.

No one had ever known he had dreams.

No one had ever…

He’d once dreamed of marching off to war, becoming a brave and heroic general.

He’d once dreamed of a life of honor, of walking the world as a noble, free wanderer.

He’d once looked forward to becoming a talented, erudite scholar.

He’d once fantasized about becoming an honest and upright minister of the imperial court.

As the years passed, reality started to wipe out those dreams, bit by bit.

Finally, he became a spoiled rich kid.

He thought he’d given up on his aspirations long ago and forgotten the dreams he had when he was young and foolish.

But Ye Zhao had highlighted his strengths, appreciated his shortcomings. She solemnly vowed to believe in him, but soaring in the sky… How could he do it?

Damned woman, over-exaggerating!

What eagle? What a bad habit to chat away and make that idiotic prince of Eastern Xia believe it!

Once said aloud, it became a fucking joke!

Xia Yujin furiously spat, as if he wanted to completely erase the recent events. But his nose itched and teardrops softly slid on his cheeks, falling against his wishes. He quickly covered his face and lowered his head, hiding in a corner as much as possible so as not to let this embarrassing sight be discovered, but tear tracks still appeared through his fair fingers that he couldn’t wipe.

Don’t cry, don’t cry…

Men did not cry easily.

But the words of Lao Gao the lamb-meat seller came to his mind.

The most important thing is that your wife is devoted to you and genuinely cares for you.

Three months and seven days after their wedding, it was like Xia Yujin had met Ye Zhao for the first time.