Lan Ming Yue

Downtown

Hexi County, Nanyuan District

The night was dark, and the wind in early summer had already brought warmth, but it still couldn’t dispel the haze that enveloped the sky over Hexi County.

“Daren, more than ten people died in the district today, and the medicinal materials are not enough either.” a messenger reported, “The silver sent by His Majesty to distribute to various districts and for the embankment repair has been used up. If this continues…”

Baili Cheng’an stood on the city wall and looked at the vast wilderness, “His Majesty’s temperament has changed drastically since his head injury. Although the series of actions in the imperial court did not touch the interests of the Grand Empress Dowager and the inner court, it has still already alerted them……His Majesty has been dormant for many years, drawing the bow but not releasing the arrow, Great Liang is finally about to change the world.”

The person listening behind had a surge of emotion and said, “Daren, we should return to the capital as soon as possible to help His Majesty.”

Baili Cheng’an shook his head, “Coming out this time, His Majesty entrusted me with important tasks…..I’m afraid I can’t go back.”

The person was immediately shocked, “Daren, why do you say so?!”

“The outer court has stood on equal footing with the inner court for many years, all relying on the hard work of Imperial Perceptor Wen. Now that His majesty has the intention, the Grand Empress Dowager will definitely find ways to obstruct my return to the capital. I am afraid that His Majesty will have to compromise.” Baili Cheng’an said without impatience, “At best, the result is to be delegated as a district magistrate.” (TL: just to be clear, the character used is 县 which translates to county but roughly the same meaning as district. And this character 郡 which also translates to county but roughly have the same meaning as region. The latter is obviously bigger than the former. Therefore I’m changing it to district to not let you be confused.)

“Why not a county magistrate? Daren is nevertheless the assistant minister in the Ministry of Rites. Being demoted like this, isn’t His Majesty afraid that your heart will be chilled?” (TL: county here is region)

“Now, the county magistrate of Hexi is the Grand Empress Dowager’s person.” Baili Cheng’an sighed, “I only hope that His Majesty can fight more, to easily solve Hexi’s urgent needs.”

“Daren—” the guard under the tower suddenly shouted loudly, “There are a group of scholars outside the city who have returned from their study tour in Southern Zhao and want to enter the city. Should we let them in?”

“The epidemic is rampant, and the city gate has already been closed, drive them away!” The person behind Baili Cheng’an was dissatisfied and said, “This little matter also needs to bother Daren!”

Sounds of disputes came from under the city gate.

“Daren! We are students of Changlin Academy in Guangyuan District, Hexi County! Hearing that Hexi County is in trouble, we came here to help. Many of us are proficient in medicine, and some are even adept at flood control. I hope that Daren will let us enter the city!” Someone shouted from below.

“A group of young men who have never taken the imperial examination and achieved fame dare to come and pretend to be big heads.” The person behind said, “Daren, I’ll let people drive them away!”

“Wait.” Baili Cheng’an raised his hand, “Long Xiang, let them enter the city.”

“Southern Zhao and Eastern Chen are now reforming the imperial examinations and eclectically recruiting talents. Could it be that our Liang Country is so short-sighted! In the face of a catastrophe, do we still have to work behind closed doors and remain complacent in the current crisis!?” A scholar stood on the carriage and spoke fervently with a loud voice, “Daren! Are you afraid of us entering the city and taking your credit! Rest assured, we will never take credit for anything!”

Baili Cheng’an smiled.

“Daren!” Long Xiang looked at Baili Cheng’an with disapproval.

“Having a young man full of enthusiasm for a just cause, our Great Liang is really fortunate.” Baili Cheng’an said, “Go, and ask that scholar’s name by the way.”

Long Xiang had no choice but to go down from the tower, and not long after, the scholar raised his head, saluted at the figure on the tower, and then shouted loudly, “Student from Changlin Academy, Guangyuan District, Hexi County, Xunyang Xunshuzhuo!”

“Daring to ask this lordship, the Daren on the city wall is—” a student asked curiously as they entered the gate.

“That person is the assistant minister in the Ministry of Rites, Baili Cheng’an Daren.” Long Xiang said.

This group of students with high self-esteem exploded in an instant.

“Indeed, at the age of only fourteen, Young Master Wen Bin even won first in the imperial examination!?” A student became excited instantly, “I have read his Chang’an bamboo slip before! It criticizes the current problems, and is eloquent, it was an unparalleled masterpiece!”

“That was the head of the Six Young Masters in those years…..an out of this world genius…”

“Baili Daren is actually in Nanyuan District!”

“..our country’s youngest assistant minister…in the future will be the minister…”

For scholars, Baili Cheng’an was not only just Baili Cheng’an, but also a role model and ideal that was far away but close at hand. No scholar did not want to become a genius like Baili Cheng’an, but unfortunately, geniuses were destined to be rare.

Baili Cheng’an listened to their enthusiastic discussions with a calm heart. His fingers resting on the city wall lightly tapped the rough stone surface, and looked into the distant sky. Countless stars radiated faint light, but were connected into a vast galaxy.

Extending from Nanyuan District to the north for more than a thousand miles, was the capital.

Wang Dian was lying on the bed with his arm as a pillow, looking through the wide open window at the dark sky with not a single star visible, feeling depressed.

His chest was also stuffy.

Half of Liang Ye’s body was pressed domineeringly on him, it was as hot as a piece of burning coal, his face was pressed against his neck—inhaled and exhaled in a regular pattern—he was sleeping very peacefully.

At the beginning, he tried to explain to Liang Ye that two big men should keep a polite and beautiful distance in the same bed, but he forgot that Liang Ye, a psychopath, would not reason with him. This bastard only knows how to be comfortable on his own.

“Sleep.” Liang Ye patted his waist displeased, “Your breathing is not steady, it’s bothering Zhen.”

The veins on Wang Dian’s forehead twitched violently, “Do you want to crush me to death?”

Liang Ye yawned, the resting head rubbed on his neck, “Your Gu worm has swam up to your neck, Zhen will help you bite it out.”

“Wh-wait!” Wang Dian was startled, and quickly covered his bloody mouth that was eager to try, “You retard, what bite it out! Why don’t you just bite me to death!”

Liang Ye laughed so hard that his whole body trembled, “Zhen scared you, what is retard?”

“Praising your intelligence.” Wang Dian let go of his hand tiredly, pushed him away with great effort, turned his back to him and closed his eyes, trying to numb himself.

Just like raising a mad dog. How can a person have a similar understanding to a dog, don’t take a dog seriously……

Before the other disagreed and nagged, feeling a little drowsy, yet suddenly, a sturdy and hot chest pressed against the back. Liang Ye pulled him into his arms like a bear hugging a piece of log, and stubbornly placed his nose in the place closest to the back of his neck, then closed his eyes in dissatisfaction, and contentedly said, “You are also quite a retard.”

“Cough cough cough!” Wang Dian choked on himself a bit.

“Zhen has never read a memorial since childhood, and now Zhen is making an exception for you.” Liang Ye was probably too moved by himself, and with great emotion, he said, “This is because Zhen dotes on you.”

Wang Dian felt that he was indeed a retard. In the dark, with Liang Ye’s slightly helpless sounding words, he felt as if he was being struck by lightning. “Liang Ye, do you like men?”

Liang Ye hugged him, clicked his tongue, and said with a sneer, “Zhen is not a cut sleeve, put away your dirty thoughts.”

Wang Dian twitched the corners of his mouth, and reluctantly let go of his anxiety, “That’s good.”

Be sticky…..just be sticky, anyway, it’s just another self, holding it is like touching your right hand with your left hand——bu******!

The first ray of sunlight in the morning shone in from outside the window, and fine dust floated in the light. Wang Dian blinked slowly, then he felt a strange touch on his leg.

Liang Ye, in a happy mood, opened his eyes, deliberately rubbed against him, and proudly said, “Envious? Let Zhen have a look if you have—”

He hadn’t finished speaking yet, when his hand had already reached into his pants.

“Fuck!” Wang Dian scrambled and jumped off the bed, it was the first time that he put on his middle robe and outer robe so quickly and smoothly.

Liang Ye propped his head on the bed, stared at him and smiled leisurely.

Wang Dian got dressed and walked away angrily.

Chong Heng hung upside down from the window with his sword in his arms, “Master, did you sleep well last night?”

“Well.” Liang Ye dragged his voice, “Zhen has never slept so peacefully and comfortably.”

“But Wang Dian seems to be angry.” Chong Heng was a bit worried, “Master, don’t go too far and bully him into running away.”

“He can’t run.” Liang Ye sat up and stretched, “Go, to Yingsu Square for breakfast.”

This was the first time Wang Dian had seen a real ancient street market. This was a ten mile of long street, with restaurants and liquor shops, crowded with people, peddlers carrying a pole and the loads on it and hawking, business owners soliciting business, women leading their children out to eat, crowds of teenagers rushing to school all in groups, even the air was filled with the aroma of cooking smoke and fried snacks.

Hustling and bustling, things were done in a hurry, however, it was fresh and lively, very much bustling with activity.

He lowered his head to look at the smooth bluestone slabs under his feet, and said to Liang Ye beside him, “Liang Country has established its capital for a hundred years, and most of them are the most prosperous cities. Now, the population is increasing, expansion will be a matter of time.”

Liang Ye raised his hand and pressed the mask on his face, “Your new face is unsightly, it is too ugly, the original is still good-looking, handsome and unparalleled.”

“There must be a limit to boasting.” Wang Dian twitched his lips, looked up at the stalls on the street, “Do you know how much businessmen are taxed now?”

Liang Ye stared at him with a paralyzed face, “Zhen brought you out for a meal, not in a disguise private visit.”

“Taxation is the foundation of enriching the national treasury, and the wealth of the people can make the country strong.” Wang Dian frowned and said, “Too heavy or too light taxes are not conducive to the long-term development of the country, but the current Liang Country still relies on agriculture as its foundation, compared to developing trade, increasing the production of food is the key point, and perhaps, in the future be able to reform the imperial examination and recruit some experts who are proficient in agricultural affairs—mmhmp!”

Liang Ye stuffed something soft and sweet into his mouth, and he subconsciously took a bite, it was quite delicious.

“Sweet?” Liang Ye asked him.

“It’s okay.” Wang Dian licked the residue on his lips.

Liang Ye raised his eyebrows, stuffed the remaining half into his mouth, and said in disgust, “It’s unpalatable.”

“Really not paying attention to..” Before Wang Dian finished speaking, he quickly dodged to the side, “Don’t even try to wipe on my sleeves, you’re not without a handkerchief!”

Liang Ye twirled the crushed foam on his fingertips, and said coldly, “Use the heart of a villain to measure the belly of a gentleman.” (TL: to use despicable thoughts to speculate on the minds of decent people.)

Wang Dian was too lazy to talk to him, and then he was attracted by the jade on a nearby stall.

“Oho! Young Master, you have a good eye. This is a high-quality Suet White Jade. Take a look.” The boss graciously handed him a jade pendant to show him.

Wang Dian took it and touched it with his hand, looked at it twice under the sun, smiled and handed it back to him, “No need.”

“Rather of good intentions, a swindler—” Liang Ye gave the boss a cold look.

“Get out of the way! All, get out of the way!” An irritable roar mixed with the sound of horse hooves and the screams of the crowd interrupted his words.

“A frightened horse! A frightened horse! Get out of the way!” Someone shouted loudly.

Wang Dian was pulled by Liang Ye, and followed the sound and look. He saw a sixteen or seventeen year old boy in red riding a black maned horse rampaging down the street. While trying to pull a stop to the horse, he yelled at the people on the street, “Get out of the way!”

“Little Young Master!” An elderly woman servant nearby suddenly screamed, “Come back quickly!”

A five or six-year-old kid in expensive clothes lowered its head and picked up the longevity lock on the ground, staring blankly at the behemoth that was suddenly approaching.

The young man’s pupils suddenly dilated and he tightly tugged at the reins.

“Chong Heng!” Liang Ye frowned.

Wang Dian rushed forward without warning, picked up the child and rolled with him to the side of the street. The horse’s hooves brushed his side face and stepped heavily on the bluestone slab. Chong Heng’s sword pierced the horse’s neck, and the black horse together with the young man in red, all fell to the ground.

There was a moment of silence along the long street.

The kid laying in Wang Dian’s arms burst into tears, and the voices of the crowd instantly boiled.

“Little Young Master!” The elderly woman servant rushed to Wang Dian in shock, and snatched the kid into her arms. After confirming that he was not injured, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Without even looking at Wang Dian, she hugged the kid and ran into the crowd.

“Hey——” Wang Dian called to her, but the person had already disappeared. He looked at the longevity lock in his hand and sighed.

“My Ji Feng!” The heart-piercing wail of the young man in red rang in his ears, and then a dozen servants rushed over panting heavily, “Young Master! Young Master! Ancestor!”

“Who allowed you to kill this Young Master’s Ji Feng! Do you know how much effort it took me to buy it!” The young man in red got up from the ground and looked at Chong Heng angrily.

Chong Heng said, “Riding a horse in a busy street, according to the law, one should be flogged fifty times.”

The young man in red was furious, “Do you know who my adoptive father is! Do you know who I am! Daring to flog me!”

As he said that, he wanted to lift his foot to kick him, Chong Heng then flashed with ease. He lifted his foot and kicked him on the calf and the young man knelt down on the ground in pain. When the servants around saw this, they wanted to rush up. Chong Heng raised his scabbard and hit him on the shoulder, pressed against his neck, and said coldly, “I don’t care who you are.”

He had been following his master to run amuck for many years, and he had never seen anyone more of a scoundrel than his master.

“Master, how to deal with it—” Chong Heng turned his head to ask for instructions, only to find that his master was standing in front of Wang Dian with an unsuspecting face, apparently he had no time to talk to him.

Wang Dian stuffed the longevity lock into his hand, and looked at his scratched palm, which was still mixed with some sand, gravel and dust. It was bloody and dirty looking, and he wanted to find some clean water to rinse it off, but as soon as he raised his head, he met Liang Ye’s gloomy gaze.

“…I’m fine.” Wang Dian felt inexplicably guilty when being looked at by him, “Just scratched the skin a bit.”

Before his voice died away, a piercing pain suddenly spread from his heart to all his limbs and bones. He looked at Liang Ye in disbelief, unable to stand still, “You…..are you sick?”

“Zhen’s thing.” Liang Ye looked at him expressionlessly, “Who allowed you to break it on your own?”

Wang Dian staggered forward for a moment and sat down on the ground. His mind was a little confused from the pain, “What…….your thing?”

“You are the treasure Zhen found.” Liang Ye looked down at him with no emotion in his eyes, “Treasures should be clean and fresh, be obedient and heed what his superior says, understand? Don’t make claims and make Zhen unhappy.”

“Fuck you……” Wang Dian’s eyes darkened.