CH 42

Ye Zi left the villa in a state of confusion.

The streets were crowded with people and Ye Zi walked slowly among them. For the first time, he had the feeling of not knowing where to go.

“Little leaf, this isn’t the way to the Prince’s manor.” The little gray sparrow squatting on Ye Zi’s shoulder said in confusion.

Ye Zi suddenly came back to his senses and shook his head: “I don’t want to go back.”

The little gray sparrow’s voice lowered: “Little leaf……”

“I’m fine.” Ye Zi lightly smiled and touched its head, “I just……suddenly don’t know what to do.”

The person he saw in that portrait was most likely the man named Huaiyuan.

He didn’t know what had happened between Gu Yan and Huaiyuan, but he could feel Gu Yan’s pain from that small room. It must have been some painful and unbearable past that turned that person into the knot in his heart.

Ye Zi was a bit sour as he murmured: “Little sparrow, do you think it’s a bad idea for me to continue staying by his side like this?……”

Since he became the Princess Consort, Gu Yan had accommodated him in every possible way, almost to the point of obedience. He originally thought that Gu Yan might be interested in him, but now it seemed that he only had a face similar to that person.

If he didn’t have this face, would that person still be this nice to him?

“Little leaf, what are you talking about?” The little gray sparrow spoke beside his ear, “The Prince naturally likes you if he keeps you by his side, don’t think too much about it.”

Ye Zi’s footsteps paused and his eyes turned slightly dark: “He……likes me?”

“Of course.” The little gray sparrow fluttered its wings and slightly raised its voice, “When I flew out of the palace yesterday, I heard the little eunuch say that the Prince and the Emperor had a big fight in the Imperial study for you. He also said that if you were really guilty, he was willing to use his life as an exchange.” 

“…….Since he is willing to sacrifice his life for you, doesn’t that mean he likes you?” 

“I don’t know.” Ye Zi narrowed his eyes, “But him and Huaiyuan……”

“That is all in the past.” The little gray sparrow said, “I was just joking back there, since the Prince treats you this well, how could he have a lover? Plus, didn’t you say that the Prince hasn’t been there for more than a year? During this recent period of time, you were the one who was by his side.” 

The little gray sparrow rubbed its head against Ye Zi’s face: “Although I don’t quite understand all this, those young gentlemen and ladies in the story books don’t only fall in love with one person in their whole life. Liking someone in the past doesn’t mean you can’t like someone else now.” 

Ye Zi was stunned and subconsciously shook his head: “I don’t mean that, I just……feel a little painful.”

He used to think that Gu Yan never took anyone or anything into his heart and he couldn’t even believe it when he said he was going to get married. But only now did he realize that it was because that person already had someone else in his heart and it was so full that he couldn’t fit anything else. 

That person used all his strength and heart to love that person whose face was exactly like his.

Would Gu Yan let go of such feelings easily?

Ye Zi was in a daze and didn’t notice the sound of hooves and cries of alarm that came galloping behind him. It was only when the sound approached and the little gray sparrow shrieked in alarm that Ye Zi turned around belatedly.

A tall brown horse was galloping toward him. When the man on the horse saw Ye Zi, his expression couldn’t help but change: “Do you want to die? Get out of the way!” 

Ye Zi was in a trance and forgot to react as he only stared at the horse rushing towards him. Seeing that Ye Zi was about to be caught under the hooves of the horse, someone suddenly rushed out of the crowd and pulled Ye Zi back before landing a kick on the galloping horse.

The brown horse hissed and its body twisted as it fell to the ground.

The man steering the horse couldn’t dodge in time and rolled off the horse’s back in a sorry state.

Ye Zi came back to his senses, raised his eyes to see the person who had pulled him, and subconsciously took half a step back: “……Many thanks, Little Prince Xiao.”

Xiao Min let go of his hand in a hasty manner: “Are you alright?”

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“I’m fine.” Ye Zi shook his head, “That person……”

A few household servants ran out from behind the crowd as they scrambled to help up the man who was just steering the horse. The man wasn’t very old, his clothes were exquisite, and he looked like he was from a wealthy family.

He stood up with the help of his servants and cursed: “Who kicked this young master’s horse?”

Xiao Min sneered: “I kicked it.”

The man looked towards them and recognized the man in front of him: “So it’s Little Prince Xiao.”

He glanced at Ye Zi and laughed: “Where did Little Prince Xiao find another little beauty from? I thought he was some ungrateful person who blocked this young master’s path. Since it’s Little Prince Xiao’s person, then this young master will not pursue the matter.”

“You won’t pursue this matter, but I will.” Xiao Min said in a cold voice, “According to the law of the dynasty, those who gallop their horses in the downtown area will be flogged fifty times. Come, arrest him, and send him to the authorities.”

Several honorary manor retainers came forward and surrounded the man and his servants. 

The man was startled and said angrily: “Xiao Shouyu, have you gone crazy?! Believe it or not, I’ll have my father……”

Before he could finish, he was gagged by the attendants of the Prince Yu Manor and taken away.

Only then did Xiao Min look back at Ye Zi: “I remember that you were quite good with martial arts, what were you thinking just now? If I hadn’t arrived in time, you would have been injured.”

Ye Zi narrowed his eyes and didn’t answer.

Xiao Min asked again: “Why didn’t Zicheng accompany you today? It’s dangerous for you to be out by yourself.” 

Not many people knew about Gu Yan’s investigation so Ye Zi didn’t explain much: “He has something to do today.”

“Is that so……” Xiao Min thought about it, “Have you had lunch? I know there is a restaurant nearby that has pretty good food. If you don’t mind……”

Without waiting for him to finish, Ye Zi nodded: “Okay.”

The two sat down in the private room of the restaurant.

It was noon and the restaurant was full of people, but only the private room was quiet. Xiao Min carefully inquired about Ye Zi’s tastes and ordered a few signature small dishes with ease before sending away the waiter. 

Xiao Min got up and poured a cup of wine for Ye Zi: “Forgive me for my ignorance in the beginning. I’ve been trying to find a chance to apologize to you in person. This restaurant’s osmanthus wine is a masterpiece, give it a try, if you like it……” 

Before he finished his words, he immediately came to a realization. Back when Emperor Jinghe set up a banquet, this person seemed to have said that he wasn’t a good drinker.

Xiao Min said: “Look at this brain of mine, I forgot that you can’t drink wine. I’ll ask someone to take the wine——”

“No need.” Ye Zi stopped him, “It’s okay if I drink a little.”

Xiao Min wanted to say something else, but Ye Zi interrupted: “Who was that man just now?”

“The eldest son of the Secretariat Department’s Minister Qi.” Xiao Min said disdainfully, “He’s a playboy and I heard that he has ridden his horse more than once in the downtown area. It’s because of the power his father has that no one dares to do anything to him.” 

Ye Zi said: “Little Prince, you shouldn’t stand up for me.”

“No worries, others are afraid of him but I am not afraid of him.” Xiao Min said, “Besides, if Zicheng was here today, that Qi bastard’s fate wouldn’t be as simple as fifty flogs.”

Hearing this name, Ye Zi’s eyes darkened slightly.

Xiao Min didn’t notice this reaction of his and smiled: “Truth be told, Zicheng and I grew up together and when we took classes together, the Grand Tutor would smack our palms. This is actually the first time I’ve seen him care so much about another person.”

Ye Zi’s eyes twitched: “The first time?”

“Yes, why?”

Ye Zi narrowed his eyes: “I heard rumors……that he seems to have had another person in his heart.”

“What?” Xiao Min was stunned for a moment and he couldn’t help but raise his voice a bit. As if he felt that he was a bit out of character, he coughed lightly to cover it up, “Zicheng used to be quite the boring type so I really don’t know about it. However, I have never seen anyone around him except you. You might not know, but Zicheng……”

Xiao Min was extremely talkative, chattering on and on with Ye Zi about his old memories with Gu Yan, but Ye Zi hardly listened to it.

When he had been immersed in a low mood just a while ago, he forgot one thing. If Gu Yan and Huaiyuan were really together, why hadn’t he seen that person in the past ten years in the manor?

Moreover, even the classmates he grew up with and the shadow guards who had been with him for several years did not know about that person’s existence.

What on earth was going on here?

With something occupying his heart, Ye Zi ate listlessly and couldn’t resist drinking two more cups of wine. This sweet-scented osmanthus wine was not like the wine Ye Zi drank before. Although it wasn’t strong and he felt a little dizzy after drinking it, he didn’t feel intoxicated.

After lunch, Xiao Min had something to do and needed to leave. But before he did, he proposed to send Ye Zi back to the manor, but Ye Zi refused.

He said goodbye to Xiao Min and walked on the street alone.

The little gray sparrow flew back to him and immediately smelled the alcohol: “Little leaf, why did you drink?”

It was afraid of being discovered and didn’t dare to follow him to the restaurant, so it stayed alone on a tree by the street and waited, thus it didn’t know what the two had said.

Ye Zi’s consciousness gradually became chaotic and his footsteps became a little wobbly, he shook his head and smiled lightly: “Not a big deal, I only drank a little.”

The little gray sparrow looked at him worriedly.

A moment later, Ye Zi asked again: “Little sparrow, do you think I should go and ask him?”

“But what can I ask him? Ask him if there’s someone in his heart, if he still can’t let go and can’t forget?” The alcohol started kicking in and Ye Zi felt dizzy as he leaned against a fence to rest for a while.

Ye Zi squatted down with his arms wrapped around his knees: “But what if he says it’s true? What should I do then?” 

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The little gray sparrow landed on Ye Zi’s shoulder: “Little leaf, I think you should go and ask.”

“You know, in the story books, a lot of misunderstandings arise between lovers because they keep hiding things. And as the things accumulate, they make their heart ache unnecessarily. Don’t be like that……” 

Ye Zi buried his head into his arm and muttered, but it couldn’t tell what he was talking about. 

“Little leaf?” The little gray sparrow called out to him twice, but there was no response.

It fluttered its wings and burrowed into Ye Zi’s arm, but it saw that the man’s eyes were closed tightly, as if he had already fallen asleep.

The little gray sparrow bounced twice on Ye Zi’s arm, saying in chagrin: “You can’t sleep here, how am I supposed to bring you back? Little leaf, little leaf!”  

But no matter how many times the little gray sparrow called him, Ye Zi never responded.

They have already walked out of the downtown area, where there weren’t that many people coming and going in the past few days. Since the little gray sparrow couldn’t wake him up, it could only squat beside Ye Zi and wait for him to wake up. But after waiting for a while, it also fell asleep. 

After an unknown amount of time had passed, there were suddenly footsteps coming from the alley entrance.  

It was two men: one tall and the other short. They were dressed in ordinary clothes and the tall man’s face also had a long and thin scar.

The short man was carrying a money bag as he weighed it with his hands: “Big brother is really amazing. In just a few words, you were able to trick that girl. Now, we won’t have to worry about food and drink for a while.”

The tall man laughed: “What do you know, I wasn’t tricking her. Those little girls who escaped from famine can’t afford to eat. At least they won’t be hungry after entering the brothel. I gave them a way to survive.”

As the two of them were talking, they saw Ye Zi on the side of the road.

Ye Zi was curled up next to the fence with his gorgeous clothes wrapped around his thin figure. Only a small section of his slender pale wrist and a delicate profile of his face were exposed.

The short man was dumbfounded for a moment and only returned to his senses after a long time: “Big brother, do you think that person is……drunk?”

The tall man leaned down, reached out, and lifted Ye Zi’s face: “He has a pretty good face, if we sold him to the brothel, he would certainly be worth more than those poor girls.”

The short man was a bit hesitant: “Sell him? He looks to be well-dressed and doesn’t look like he is from an ordinary family. What if he is a son from a powerful family?……”

“What do you know?” The tall man glanced at him and said leisurely: “Whoever he is, after I drug him with medicine and send him out the city, and he wakes up not knowing where he is, do you think he’ll still have any say?” 

The short man immediately agreed: “It’s as big brother says.”

While the two were talking, the little gray sparrow was woken up. It opened its eyes just in time to see the tall man’s hand still on Ye Zi’s face. Before it had time to think about it, it flew up and pecked the man’s hand hard.

The tall man retracted his hand in pain and cursed: “Where did that stupid bird come from?!”

The little gray sparrow was persistent. It flapped its wings and pecked at the man several times. The two men looked like they had some skill and the little gray sparrow couldn’t dodge in time as it was slapped down onto the fence.

The little gray sparrow slammed into the fence and then slid down, falling with stars in its eyes.

It shook its head and raised its eyes to see that the two men had already lifted Ye Zi up.

A demonic light suddenly flashed in the little gray sparrow’s eyes.

“Let go of him!”