Lan Ming Yue

Chapter 13 Assassin

In the beginning, Wang Dian was quite patient, all around, it was nothing more than tranquility, until half an hour later and the sun was already at its zenith, and until the sky darkened, yet Liang Ye never showed up.

Wang Dian thought he might have been fooled, and simply honestly waited for the lunatic to come back to this place where birds did not even shit.

The last spark in the stove disappeared, and the narrow kitchen became pitch-black, the night wind blew outside the window, and the old window sash creaked.

At seven or eight o’clock in the evening, at this time in the past, he should have finished his dinner, swiped a few news or videos, continued to work overtime at home if in a good mood, or watched a movie or went to the boxing gym if in a bad mood, before going to bed, take a comfortable bath then go to bed and sleep, simply living an ordinary life in modern society.

Those bustling and lively scenes of the city or entertainment venues at night seemed to be a thing of the previous life.

Wang Dian was sitting on the pile of firewood, as he listened to the haunted creaking sound, he sighed.

He rarely had moments of depression, nevertheless, living alone in a different world, where life and death were uncertain, in this still of the night and with nothing to do, it was inevitable that he would think of his parents, family, friends, subordinates, partners, and a few projects that were nearing completion in hand, as well as the land in the east of the city where he had invested a lot of effort. At this time, the foundation should have been mostly laid, and the detailed planning plan should also be put on the agenda…..Wang Dian grabbed his hair, inevitably feeling frustrated.

I should have spent more time with my parents.

If a person is missing for two years, their account will be canceled. If I had known earlier, I would have made a will in advance.

“Squeak.” The window was shaken by the wind and was half opened, the frosty moonlight poured in, the sound of insects from outside also fell in, and the stars in the sky shone brightly, forming a long and distant river.

Perhaps it’s going back in time, or perhaps it’s a parallel time and space behind a wormhole, separated by an insurmountable flood of modern society. In the first few days, he was anxious and easily got angry. He did a lot of stupid things trying to cross back, but in the end he had to accept the reality.

Wang Dian stood up and patted the dust on his hands. Depression had no meaning to his current situation, and struggling to find a way to survive was the top priority.

A black shadow suddenly rolled down from the window, accompanied by a few crisp crashing sounds, which startled him.

Wang Dian’s heart rose in an instant, and he picked up a stick as thick as a forearm at the door, and cautiously pushed open the kitchen door.

The black shadow that fell on the ground was motionless. He got closer and realized that it was a person. The person was dressed strangely, with armor on his forearms, and five or six colorful ropes around his neck, with stones and wolf teeth hanging from them. The left half of the face was covered with a golden mask carved with animal patterns and goshawks, and the loose hair was braided with colorful ropes and decorated with a few feathers.

Very individualistic.

Wang Dian looked at the few dart-shaped things scattered around him, and turned him over using the stick, revealing the right half of his face. His eyebrows were high and his nose was deep, his skin was white and his lips were red, his eyes were also a dark green color.

Foreigner?

Wang Dian suddenly realized that something was wrong, and poked the other party’s throat with the stick, and said in a low voice, “Move, and I’ll kill you.”

The man had a big gash in his stomach, and he was stretching out his hands to cover it tightly. He spoke in authentic official language, and he didn’t seem to have much strength, “Killing me won’t do you any good either. When the pursuers come over, you will die with me.”

“Who is chasing you?” Wang Dian asked suddenly.

The person’s gaze swept over the dragon pattern on his hem and the corner of his mouth curled up, “The Grand Empress Dowager of the Liang Kingdom, Cui Yuxian.”

“Why is she chasing you down?” Wang Dian loosened his grip slightly.

“You have the child-mother Gu on your body.” The other party glanced at his face and narrowed his eyes, “That Xia Gu is still a novice.”  (TL: witchcraft or releasing Gu)

After it took to burn a stick of incense, Wang Dian dragged the person into the side hall.

The other party’s head knocked hard on the threshold, creating a loud noise. Wang Dian, who was pulling his feet, quickly let go and went to grab his collar, “Pardon me, pardon me, but you are really too heavy.”

“Soft muscle powder.” The man let himself be dragged as if he had no bones, “You people of North Liang are all cunning.” (TL: he was poisoned)

“I agree with this point.” Wang Dian gritted his teeth and threw him on the carpet next to him, closing the door softly.

“I have golden sore medicine in my arms.” The other party motioned for him to take it, “Apply it on the wound.”

Wang Dian applied medicine to him neatly, and found a piece of cloth to bind his wound, “What’s your name?”

“Quan Ning.” The other party leaned on the leg of the chair and panted heavily.

He crouched in front of Quan Ning and asked, “Why is the Grand Empress Dowager chasing you down?”

****

Xingqing Palace.

The table was filled with delicacies emitting a faint heat.

The grand empress dowager sat on the main seat, and looked at Liang Ye beside her with a smile, “It seems that Aija has not had dinner together with the mother and son for a long time, Aija still remembers that you like to drink this bowl of white jade soup the most. Today, Aija specially let people do it for you, have a taste?”

(t/n Aija-widowed empress)

“Yes, Queen Mother has always loved him.” Bian Yunxin laughed dryly on the side, “Ye’er, don’t disappoint your Imperial Grandmother’s intention.”

Liang Ye lowered his eyes and looked at the milky white soup in front of him, twitched the corners of his mouth, stirred it twice with the spoon, threw the spoon away, picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

Bian Yunxin’s face turned pale as she watched from the side, “Ye’er, drink slowly.”

Liang Ye turned a deaf ear to it, picked up his chopsticks and started picking vegetables to eat.

The grand empress dowager smiled and said, “Since Ziyu likes to drink it, Yang Man, serve another bowl.”

Bian Yun was startled, “Queen——”

“Two bowls.” Liang Ye casually bit the peanuts in his mouth until they creaked, “Haven’t been able to drink outside the palace for the past three months, it’ll be compensated this time.”

The smile on the grand empress dowager’s face slightly tightened, “Good, just do as Ziyu said.”

“Yes.” Yang Man responded and left.

Bian Yunxin’s hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly, she forced a cheerful smile and said, “Ye’er, drinking too much soup will make it difficult to eat.”

“Child, the appetite is big. It’s okay to drink more.” The grand empress dowager picked up a handkerchief and gently dabbed the corners of her mouth, “Ziyu has made a lot of progress recently. Aija heard about the Hexi Prefecture’s Yun river embankment bursting. Ziyu handled it very well, especially sending Baili Daren for flood control. He is the youngest son of the Baili family, originally thought to be just a mediocre generation, unexpectedly, only to have so much talent, you should use him again.”

(t/n  flood control-Construct water conservancy to eliminate water damage.)

(t/n mediocre generation-person whose ideological quality or achievement is not outstanding at all or leaves no impression on people, insignificant, talented or mediocre)

Liang Ye took a piece of soft cake and took a bite, and knitted his brows from its greasiness, “He has no money in his hands, and he is trapped by the epidemic, not very useful even when coming back.”

“Since you don’t like it, let him stay in Hexi Prefecture.” The grand empress dowager said slowly, “Although Cheng’an now is a subordinate minister, he is young after all, appointing him as county magistrate and returning after a few years of training, presumably, he’ll do better in assisting you.”

Liang Ye was taken aback for a moment.

The grand empress dowager paused slightly, “Ziyu is not willing?”

Liang Ye stuffed the remaining pastry into his mouth, frowned and said, “Who is Cheng’an?”

The grand empress dowager suddenly laughed, “This child, I just praised you for caring about government affairs. Isn’t Baili Cheng’an, the subordinate minister of the Ministry of Rites, the one you sent to Hexi for flood control?”

“Don’t have any impression.” Liang Ye recalled, “Since the Imperial Grandmother thinks that he should be trained, let him stay in Hexi Prefecture and just give some money for the dispatch.”

The grand empress dowager looked at him with an indistinguishable expression.

Yang Man timely brought the second bowl of soup, Liang Ye held the soup and stirred it, “What does the Imperial Grandmother think about giving one hundred thousand taels of silver?”

“Your Majesty, that Baili Cheng’an will only be a county magistrate, and one hundred thousand taels of silver is really…” Yang Man said with a sneer, “It’s really too much.”

Liang Ye slammed the soup bowl in his hand, and with a smile, pressed the broken porcelain piece against his throat, “Zhen is talking to the Imperial Grandmother.”

Blood dripped down the snow-white tiles and soaked on the soup stains on the ground.

Bian Yunxin was too frightened to speak, the grand empress dowager was also taken aback for a moment, then she immediately smiled and said, “Yang Man has been with Aija for a long time, and somehow become ignorant of etiquette, Yang Man, why don’t you plead guilty to His Majesty.”

“This slave is guilty, asking His Majesty’s forgiveness!” Yang Man knelt down in the broken porcelain and soup with a plop.

Liang Ye threw away the porcelain in his hand, picked up another bowl of soup on the table and drank it up, “Imperial Grandmother, Zhen is tired, Zhen will retire first.”

After speaking, regardless of Yang Man who was kneeling on the ground and Bian Yunxin who was trembling on the table, he lifted up his robe, turned around and left.

Bian Yunxin kowtowed conscientiously, “This concubine will also retire.”

Then she chased after him with a pale face.

“Get up.” The grand empress dowager said in a deep voice.

Grinning his teeth, Yang Man supported the table and got up, staring at the direction Liang Ye left with resentment, “Grand Empress Dowager, he is becoming increasingly disrespectful towards you. If things go on like this, I’m afraid it’s nothing but to rebel.”

The grand empress dowager looked at the two clean soup bowls on the table and said, “It’s all just a child’s temperament, let him go.”

Yang Man said unwillingly, “Do you really want to give Hexi one hundred thousand taels of silver?”

“Don’t talk about one hundred thousand taels of silver, even if it is one hundred thousand taels of gold, it’s worth keeping Baili Cheng’an in Hexi.” The grand empress dowager smiled and got up from the table, “Pour out all the dishes, Aija is looking at dirt.”

“Yes.” Yang Man quickly reached out to support her, “In case Baili Cheng’an stays in Hexi and act in cooperation with him—”

“He doesn’t even know who Baili Cheng’an is, how can he act in cooperation with him?” The grand empress dowager bypassed the bloodstained fragments of porcelain on the ground.

“But after all, he is the person he sent.” Yang Man said worriedly.

“He drinks this white jade soup every month.” The Empress Dowager said coldly, “Who do you expect him to remember?”

“The Grand Empress Dowager has keen intelligence and excellent judgment.” Yang Man smiled that wrinkles formed on the face, “He’s just a useless person, and can’t escape from the palm of your hand.”

The thick soup on the ground soaked into the crimson carpet.

“Ye’er!” Bian Yunxin hastily grabbed Liang Ye’s wrist, her long nails embedding on the thin flesh, and with a weeping voice, she said, “How can you drink two bowls of white jade soup at once!”

Liang Ye looked at her hand with a smile, “Zhen said, Zhen doesn’t like others touching himself.”

Bian Yunxin hurriedly let go of her hand, but she still refused to let go, she was so anxious that she wanted to shed tears, “Go find the imperial physician quickly, now, spitting it out won’t likely—”

 Liang Ye gave her a cold look, “You are annoying.”

Bian Yunxin said with red eyes, “Do you want to forget your Empress Mother as well?”

Liang Ye casually brushed the sleeves that were wrinkled by her, “Wish for it.” 

Bian Yunxin wanted to speak again, but he interrupted impatiently, “Chong Heng, send the Empress Mother back to the palace.”

“Yes!” Chong Heng held his sword in front of Bian Yunxin, and said in a cold tone, “Empress Mother, this subordinate will send you back.”

 Bian Yunxin opened her mouth, but she was never able to take another step forward.

Liang Ye walked forward against the cool wind with his hands clasped behind his back. The long palace road seemed to be endless at a glance, and the vermilion walls were mottled with paint. He walked leisurely for a long time, until it was dark, before stopping at the fork of the two roads in the palace gate.

Chong Heng jumped from the roof to the top of the wall.

Liang Ye raised his head and looked at him.

 “Subordinate Chong Heng.” Chong Heng squatted on the wall and said.

Liang Ye curled his lips into a smile, “Zhen hasn’t forgotten you.”

Chong Heng breathed a sigh of relief.

Liang Ye took another two steps forward, then raised his head suddenly and asked, “Where…is Zhen going?”