CH 19

Zhao Yelan clenched his fists and then loosened them. Picking up the teacup on the table, and seeing that there was no more tea to pour, he set it back down heavily and abruptly raised his voice: “You sober up!”

“Look, you’re embarrassed to the point of anger.”

“……”

Yan Mingting reached out and patted his back: “Okay, don’t worry, I understand, you’re right. Let’s pretend we don’t know about this, you don’t like me at all.”

Zhao Yelan couldn’t bear it anymore and kicked him: “Get the hell out!”

Yan Mingting went to the door, then turned around with a smile: “It’s time for breakfast, no matter how shy you are, you can’t starve yourself.”

“Scram!”

Breakfast was eaten separately. Yan Mingting waited in the hall for a while, until Gao Tan came to serve the dishes and said that his lord would eat in the room.

Yan Mingting assented, but asked another question: “Were you seriously injured yesterday?”

“Not seriously,” Gao Tan said. “Thank you, General, for coming to rescue me.”

With a guilty conscience, Yan Mingting turned back to his food.

Zhao Yelan finished his meal in the room. Looking at the time, it was time to go to the Imperial Academy.

The new official uniform was a green robe, and there was no need to wear an identification talisman. Although it was all a single piece, it was difficult to hide his elegance.

Gao Tan watched in amazement: “My lord, you look the best in whatever clothes you wear.”

“Now your tongue is nimble again?” Zhao Yelan glanced at him coldly, picked up the sachet in his hand, and smacked him on the head with it. “Do you know how much trouble you have caused me?”

Gao Tan covered his head and asked blankly: “Am I in trouble again?”

“En, big trouble.” Zhao Yelan put the sachet on and handed him a piece of silver: “Go see the doctor yourself, ba.”

“Thank you, my lord!” Gao Tan took the silver and sent him to the door, then turned around and took the silver to buy snacks.

The Imperial Academy did not need to go to morning court, and used a shift system for when the Emperor called. Today was a day that Zhao Yelan was on duty. He stood at the courtyard gate and looked up at the plaque, his thoughts inscrutable.

After stepping through the gate, he saw that his colleagues had arrived and were compiling classics. There were many people, but it was a little quiet. Those who became scholars were addicted to it, and didn’t care about worldly affairs.

“Isn’t this Zhao Yelan, Zhao-daren?” A Bachelor[1] took the lead to identify him, greeted him with a forced smile, and then went about his business.

Others looked over one after another with varied expressions, but it was obvious that nobody welcomed him. 

Most likely it was scholarly contempt, or their dislike of Zhao Yelan’s intrigue in court, which made them look down on him.

Although the Imperial Academy was the place many students aspired to, it was a big joke that Zhao Yelan was transferred from a first-rank minister to the Imperial Academy.

Everyone nodded their heads in embarrassment, not knowing what trouble Zhao Yelan would cause the Imperial Academy in the future.

“Zhao-daren, excuse me for not going out to meet you. I hope you will forgive this Ruan Xian.” A young man in his prime came to greet him generously. “I am also an editor, so how about I give you a tour first?”

“Ruan Xian?” Zhao Yelan smiled slightly. “I have admired you for a long time.”

“My lord knows me?”

“The talented and elegant previous third place scholar in the Imperial examinations, who doesn’t know your name?”

Never thinking that Zhao Yelan would remember him when he was a mere third place, Ruan Xian smiled shyly and led him inside, saying, “It was just a little bit of luck. If I were to take the Imperial examinations with Zharo-daren, in which round would I be able to make third? What’s more, the first and second place scholars are more talented than me, I can only do some small errands and try my best to solve problems for the Emperor and the people.”

Zhao Yelan smiled but said nothing.

When the people around saw the two talking and smiling together, their faces became a bit strange, especially the previous first and second place scholars, whose brows never loosened.

The top three in each Imperial examination would enter the Imperial Academy, starting as editors. Seeing that this year’s spring was coming soon, and a new batch of talents was about to enter the Imperial Academy, it would be difficult if they wanted to stand out.

They usually couldn’t go to court, and the Emperor didn’t like people who flattered and curried favor, so they could only follow orders diligently and steadfastly. But how many gray-haired people in the Imperial Academy had yet to achieve success?

This Ruan Xian immediately got involved with Zhao Yelan. Even if Zhao Yelan would never return to court in this life, if he could find out the Emperor’s preferences through him, the road to promotion would be much smoother.

After they circled around, Zhao Yelan was brought to Jingshi Pavilion, where he would compile and write historical records in the future. 

Others saw him pick up the annals of the late Emperor and read it quietly. He didn’t make trouble, so they each breathed a sigh of relief and got busy.

Not long after, someone outside shouted that the Emperor was coming, and everyone put down their work one after another, getting up to go and pay respects.

Zhao Yelan fell in at the back of the line.

There was a group of court ladies and eunuchs standing in front, with Zhao Xuan at the head. He asked, “Where are the chess players?”

The Imperial Academies also recruited some chess players and musicians for entertainment when the Emperor had leisure time. 

As soon as the chess players stood up, Zhao Xuan heard a familiar coughing sound and looked at the person in the back. Kneeling on the ground with everyone, he coughed until his face turned pale, but refused to raise his head.

“You got down first.” After giving orders to the chess players, he walked to Zhao Yelan’s side and said, “Come and play with me.”

“Yes.” When Zhao Yelan stood up, he was dizzy for a moment after kneeling for so long. His blood supply was insufficient, and he almost lost his footing.

Zhao Xuan subconsciously tried to reach out, but the other party had already taken two steps back while pressing his head, then cupped his hands respectfully: “Your Majesty, this way, please.”

Everyone looked at these familiar yet slightly estranged people and were a little uncertain about the Emperor’s attitude toward Zhao Yelan.

The chess room was not large. Usually if the Emperor wanted to play chess, he could just call someone into the palace, and he rarely came to the Imperial Academy in person.

Zhao Yelan coughed hard a few more times before feeling better, pressed his throat, and walked to the chessboard to sit down.

“You’ve lost weight.” Zhao Xuan examined his figure. “How are you these days?”

“Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am very well,” Zhao Yelan said.

The two looked at each other silently, and after a moment, Zhao Xuan abruptly said: “Three teams of Gold Collar Guards all died at the hands of Yan Mingting.”

Zhao Yelan sighed deeply: “It was only when I checked the corpses that I found out that they were our Gold Collar Guard. Yan Mingting was very vigilant, and as soon as he found that someone was following us, he took action. Without His Majesty’s order, I dared not inform him of the existence of our Gold Collar Guard.”

“En.” Zhao Xuan nodded, inexplicably pleased with the phrase “our Gold Collar Guard,” and was even more convinced that this was not arranged by him. He said with a smile, “If that is the case, then I will take back the Gold Collar Guard and you will be more careful in the future. If you are in danger……”

“This official will be careful.”

“En……” Zhao Xuan placed a black chess piece and asked, “How is the Imperial Academy?”

“Fair,” Zhao Yelan said vaguely.

“Is there anyone who is impressive?”

“Ruan Xian.” Zhao Yelan set a white chess piece down leisurely. “He treats others comprehensively. It is difficult to guarantee that he possesses tact and sophistication, but further observation can be made.”

“En, continue to help me look. Let us see if we can find another Zhao Yelan from here,” Zhao Xuan joked.

Zhao Yelan played with his chess piece, the corners of his mouth curling slightly: “Your Majesty, it is your turn.”

While Zhao Xuan played chess, he thought about the sophisticated and tactful person and asked: “In the Imperial examination last year, Ruan Xian’s literature was indeed not as good as the first place scholar, but he found new ways to answer the questions and won in wit.”

“Exactly.”

“Then I’ll listen to you, and observe for a while longer. There are many vacancies in the court now……” Zhao Xuan felt as if he had returned to the past, chatting with him about the affairs of the court and almost forgetting that the most sought-after vacancy in the court today was the position of Deputy Prime Minister. He stiffly brought a halt to the topic and continued to ask, “Does Ruan Xian have other strengths?”

“He is very good-looking.”

Zhao Xuan was slightly taken aback: “Good-looking?”

“En.” 

“……” Zhao Xuan looked at him meaningfully. “When did you learn to judge others by their appearance?”

Zhao Yelan smiled back: “I have only known Ruan Xian for half an hour, so how could I know his nature well? Of course I can only judge him by his appearance.”

Only then did Zhao Xuan nod, wondering: “Is he really so good-looking that you are full of praise?”

“Hasn’t His Majesty seen him?”

“Of course I’ve seen him, he’s obviously not half as good as you……” Zhao Xuan stopped abruptly and looked up at the other party.

“Your Majesty jokes, how can this sick and weak official compare to him?” Zhao Yelan set down a chess piece calmly. “There are many men in the world, each with their own advantages. Ruan Xian and this official are not of the same kind.”

“What about Yan Mingting? Is he the same kind as you?”

“Why did His Majesty bring him up?” Zhao Yelan made no secret of his distaste. “He is wretched.”

Zhao Xuan laughed loudly, lost two games in a row, and said with a smile: “It is still the most comfortable to play against you. You will never let me win. The chess players will only try to let me get ahead.”

After playing chess in the Imperial Academy for half a day, Zhao Yelan rested for a while after returning to the General’s Mansion. When he woke up, the sun was already positioned in the west.

Not long after, Yan Mingting also returned. When he returned to his room, he saw that Xiao Gao was massaging Zhao Yelan’s legs. He walked over to pat Xiao Gao: “You’re still injured, why are you still attending to him? Go back and rest properly.”

“But my lord’s legs are uncomfortable,” Gao Tan muttered, unwilling to go.

“I’ll do it, you go back first.” Yan Mingting pushed him to the door, then sat next to Zhao Yelan. As soon as he touched his calf, his hand was slapped away. “You don’t need to do it, you’re clumsy. Get me a different person,” Zhao Yelan said indifferently.

“I haven’t massaged it yet, how do you know I’m clumsy?” Yan Mingting was unconvinced. “This kneading bones and pressing tendons, I’m good at it.”

Zhao Yelan put on a stern face and was about to push him away, when his calf suddenly hurt. He let out a muffled grunt. Immediately afterward, the painful place was relieved. The feeling of soreness and swelling faded, and his expression eased. He even enjoyed it a little.

“How about that, my technique isn’t bad, right?” Yan Mingting was like a dog showing affection to its master, smiling and wagging his tail straight at him.

“So obedient.” Zhao Yelan took a piece of sugarcane from the table and ate it, then smiled and patted Yan Mingting’s face. “Wāng[2] twice if you’re listening?” (T/N: please read the footnote or this is not going to make any sense.)

“Wāng what?”

“Wāng Wāng.”

“Hey, I heard that, very cute.” Yan Mingting patted his head triumphantly

Zhao Yelan reacted belatedly. With a surge of energy and blood, he picked up a sugarcane and smacked him with it: “Yan Mingting! Don’t go too far!”

“I’m a fool and you curse me, ai, it’s so hard for me,” Yan Mingting complained to himself.

Zhao Yelan scoffed coldly, watching him patiently massage his legs in silence. The strength was even and the tension was moderate, causing him to let down his guard and speak with a rare good temper: “Today I read the annals of the late Emperor when he was alive. Only then did I find out that your first marriage was granted by the late Emperor himself.”

Yan Mingting wore an “as expected” expression. This fellow had already started to inquire about his early marriage, and he said he wasn’t drinking vinegar?

But he didn’t say this, so as not to annoy the other again, just pretending to be calm as he said: “Yes, ah, these royal children have a habit of giving marriages to others.”

Zhao Yelan nodded in agreement, feeling the same way.

However, for that first marriage, the late Emperor was only the matchmaker, and that woman was the eldest daughter of the current Prime Minister. At that time, the Prime Minister was a second-rank official whose daughter was well-read in poetry and books, both knowledgeable and reasonable.

The late Emperor decided to discuss with the two elders, and both parties had no objection, so the matter was settled.

Yan Mingting didn’t know anything about love affairs, and just felt that it was better to go into battle to kill the enemy. When he had returned to Beijing to recuperate, he didn’t have the face to see anyone, so the two of them had never met.

Unexpectedly, within two months of returning to the frontier, the capital sent a letter saying that his fiance had died of illness, and the matter was left alone.

“As far as I can remember, her name was Li Yanran,” Yan Mingting said.

“Did she really just die of illness?”

Yan Mingting was taken aback: “What do you mean?”

Zhao Yelan observed his expression and narrowed his eyes slightly: “You didn’t have any doubts about her death?”

“We had never met each other, not to mention that I had been at the border. If the letter from Beijing said she died of illness, then she died of illness. What else could I do? Perform a ritual to bring her back to life?” Yan Mingting said.

Zhao Yelan understood. Since he wasn’t investigating the cause of his fiance’s death, then it could only be another, more important person.

It was only that the whole nation knew that the old general died on the battlefield for the country. Could there be more to it?

Even the always-scheming Zhao Yelan couldn’t help but feel alarm in his heart. 

With years of war at the border, and the Yan family army living and dying to avert disaster, who acutally murdered old General Yan regardless of the safety of the common people?

It was fine if Yan Mingting succeeded in taking over the army. If it was a good-for-nothing waste who shouldered this responsibility, the entire Xuan Dynasty would experience disaster.

Zhao Yelan was immersed in his own thoughts when he suddenly felt a warm fingertip pressing on his brow, gently kneading twice. The eyebrows that had been squeezed together gradually loosened.

He raised his eyes to look at the other party, and Yan Mingting smiled: “Why were you frowning so hard?”

Zhao Yelan looked at him gravely.

Yan Mingting asked: “Is there really something strange about Li Yanran’s death?”

“I’m just skeptical. According to the annals, three days before she died of illness, she attended the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. If she was seriously ill, how could she attend? However, it is also possible that she suffered from a sudden illness, and only the Li family knew the details.” After Zhao Yelan finished speaking, he stared at his hand again.

Yan Mingting continued to rub his brow for him.

“After rubbing my legs with your hands, you touch my face?” Zhao Yelan asked coldly.

Yan Mingting immediately retracted it and smiled mischievously: “You are disgusted by your own legs?”

Zhao Yelan turned his head, put one arm on the table, and rested his chin in his hand, falling deep into thought. Even Yan Mingting couldn’t read his eyes.

Yan Mingting stared at his profile, just admiring it quietly. It was worthy of being a famous painting. It would be great if this painting could not make any noise, but when it opened its mouth, it was full of sarcasm and cynicism.

Ai.

After a long silence, Yan Mingting dropped his legs and asked: “How about I tell you about my second marriage?”

“Get lost.”

See, ba, just don’t open your mouth, you ruin everything when you open your mouth.

After dinner, Zhao Yelan was a little bored. He suddenly didn’t have to go to court or think about the opinions of officials for the Emperor, let alone exhaust his thoughts and ingenuity to calculate benefits. He was still not used to this kind of life.

It happened that Yan Mingting was about to leave the mansion at this time, so he asked casually, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going out for a while, why, do you want to go together?” 

“Since you have sincerely invited me, then I will go.”

Yan Mingting was confused. Seeing him neatly get into the sedan chair, he lifted his heels and followed him in, saying: “I’m going to Zhong Yuehong’s house for a drink.”

“You’re a real man, going to drink at the house of an unmarried girl in the middle of the night. What are you thinking?” Zhao Yelan cast a mocking glance at him. “If you want to take her as a concubine, just welcome her openly, why bother to be sneaky?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, if Zhong Yuehong hears you, I will be beaten,” Yan Mingting said with a smile. “Today is her mother’s birthday, and she just invited us to have a drink at home, why do you have such a strong smell of vinegar?”

“……” Zhao Yelan finally knew what it meant to play an instrument for a cow.[3]

Moreover, this cow was just obstinate, and it seemed that nothing could make him bend.

Zhong Yuehong’s house was a little far away, and the sedan chair stopped after half an hour. Yan Mingting stepped out first and waited for a moment.

“I don’t know if you’ve been here before, but the road is not easy to walk on, so be careful.” As Yan Mingting spoke, he led the way with familiarity.

It was not bustling here, and there were only sporadic candles peeking out from the windows of each house, occasionally accompanied by spouses talking about trivial matters at home.

Zhao Yelan concentrated on looking at the surrounding environment. When he coughed, his voice echoed. He didn’t notice the hole that he stepped in, his whole body swayed, and he instinctively grabbed the person next to him to stabilize himself.

Yan Mingting laughed.

Zhao Yelan withdrew his hand in embarrassment, and the next moment, Yan Mingting took the initiative to grab his wrist.

“This section of the road is dark and narrow, and the sedan chair can’t get in, so just follow me,” Yan Mingting said.

A wise man knew better than to fight when the odds were against him. In order to avoid a shameful stumble, Zhao Yelan followed him carefully all the way inside without shaking off his hand.

After passing through the dark alley, he heard a commotion, which was caused by the group of lieutenant generals.

When the two appeared at the door, the laughter stopped abruptly. The people who were drinking and playing a finger-guessing game stiffened and paused, looking dumbfoundedly at the two. They couldn’t help looking at hands being held together by the two of them, and someone lost their grip on a bowl, dropping it to shatter on the ground.

Zhao Yelan looked down in bewilderment and quickly freed his wrist. Pretending to be composed, he put his hands behind his back and leisurely met the eyes of the group of people.

On the contrary, this group of people didn’t dare to look him in the eyes anymore.

“General, you’re here.” Zhong Yuehong was the first to break the silence, greeting, “Zhao-daren, come and sit down. We didn’t know you were coming, so we started drinking first.”

“Right, right, we didn’t know,” He Cuizhang immediately said. “General, you’re late, you will be fined a drink!”

Yan Mingting walked over and proudly drank a cup. At this time, an old woman came out with food and drink. Yan Mingting stepped forward to say hello and let her open the gift box.

Zhao Yelan looked over curiously, and saw a kitchen knife inside.

“……” Was this a reasonable birthday gift?

“Oh, General, thank you for the great gift, I like it so much.” The old woman took it cheerfully. “Your gift is the one I like the most!”

“……” Zhao Yelan was speechless. He found an empty seat to sit down, and He Cuizhang happened to be on his left.

As if guessing that he was confused, He Cuizhang took the initiative to explain: “My lord doesn’t know that Zhong Yuehong’s mother is a butcher who kills pigs for a living, so the General gave her a butcher’s knife.”

Zhao Yelan paused: “Butcher? Where is her father?”

He Cuizhang hurriedly motioned for him to keep his voice down, but Zhang Yuehong, who had very good hearing, heard him. She took a few bottles of unopened wine, put them on the table, and sat down on the other side: “He ran away with a woman of unknown origin. In order to support me, my mother had no choice but to take over the job at the stall.”

Zhao Yelan glanced at Mother Zhong again. She was slightly fat and her hands were covered in thick calluses, but she had a cheerful face and kept adding food and wine for everyone, busy at work.

Mother Zhong pushed Yan Mingting to sit down to drink and eat food. Seeing Zhao Yelan next to him, she said happily: “This is Zhao Yelan, Zhao-daren, right?”

Zhao Yelan nodded.

“You girl, isn’t this just a small birthday party? Why did you bring the General and Zhao-daren?” Mother Zhong said a few words to Zhong Yuehong as if to cast blame, but she couldn’t hide the smile on her face. So many great people came to celebrate a small butcher’s birthday, it was an honor.

“Yuehong is popular, and everyone was willing to come, but I am afraid Auntie will think we eat too much,” Yan Mingting said with a smile.

“That’s right, that’s right, Yuehong is very powerful in our military camp, and everyone likes her, so why would we not come to eat and drink on your birthday?” He Cuizhang said.

The others echoed this as well, drinking again after saying a few words.

The table was full of people, and Zhao Yelan sat for a long time, watching this group of rustic fellows exchanging toasts and making a lot of noise. Getting up impatiently, he went to the courtyard alone and couldn’t figure out how he had ended up here. 

The moonlight was strong, and it would be a long walk to find the sedan chair from here. The road was not easy to walk, and it would be easy to encounter enemies. After much deliberation, he could only wait for Yan Mingting and go back together.

“Zhao-daren, I feel embarrassed, there is nothing good to eat and drink in my home, I’ve neglected you,” Mother Zhong said, suddenly appearing behind him.

He turned and said lightly, “It’s nothing.”

“You are so handsome and well-dressed, no wonder Yuehong always says that you are prettier than the people in paintings.” Mother Zhong smiled simply and honestly.

Zhao Yelan smiled slightly: “She doesn’t know me well.”

Mother Zhong nodded and sighed: “This girl was not well-liked by the neighbors when she was a child. She jumped up and down all day, dominating the streets and alleys, never regarding herself as a daughter of the family. These years’ salaries are either sent home or just used to buy swords and spears. I thought she had already raised herself as a man, but I saw her washing her hands with soap recently, and she always says that Zhao-daren in the General’s Mansion dresses like a fairy in the sky and looks exceedingly beautiful in whatever clothes he wears……”

Zhao Yelan looked at her in silence.

Mother Zhong took out an old purse from her bosom, poured out the fine silver inside, and held it in front of him with both hands: “Zhao-daren, I don’t know much about the world, and I don’t know where you buy your clothes. Can you help me use this silver to buy a beautiful dress for Yuehong?”

Zhao Yelan lowered his eyes to look at the pile of broken silver which had passed through the hands of many people, stained with oil and stench from the pork stall.

“Is it not enough?” Mother Zhong was a little embarrassed. “I’ll get some more……”

“It’s enough.” Zhao Yelan reached out to take the silver, weighed it, and said without batting an eye, “With this much, it is enough to buy several pieces.”

Mother Zhong was dubious, but seeing that he had only a mild expression on his face, he shouldn’t be lying. So, feeling relieved, she said with a smile: “That is good. Thank you for your help, my lord, you are such a good person.”

“I am not a good person.” Zhao Yelan pocketed the silver and heard a slight laugh. When he looked up, Yan Mingting had come to stand at the door at some point, folding his arms and looking at him with a slight smile.

He looked away.

“Auntie, we still have something to do, so we’ll take our leave.” Yan Mingting came over and bid farewell to Mother Zhong.

“Eh, alright, come back next time to play at home, I’ll cook for you.” Mother Zhong knew that these bigshots had a lot to do, so she didn’t keep them and sent them to the gate.

When Zhao Yelan turned his head, he could still see a figure waving their hands in the distance. He turned his head expressionlessly, not knowing what he was thinking, and didn’t even notice that Yan Mingting had grabbed his wrist.

Sitting back in the sedan chair again, his wrist was bare, the slight heat vanishing suddenly. Yan Mingting had already withdrawn his hand when he looked down. He didn’t pursue it further, and asked, “Going back so early? Why don’t you have a few more drinks with them?”

“I’m going to court tomorrow,” Yan Mingting replied. “Besides, it’s getting so late. Don’t you go to bed early?”

Zhao Yelan: “When do I go to bed early?”

“Last night.” Yan Mingting looked at him. “I thought you would be worried about Gao Tan’s safety and not be able to fall asleep, but I didn’t expect that you would already be asleep when I came back.”

Zhao Yelan had pretended to be asleep in order to avoid confronting Yan Mingting face-to-face, and he had to wait for Gao Tan’s report before he could figure out how to face the other party. He said calmly: “It is because I trust in your martial arts, and I knew you would definitely be able to bring Gao Tan back.”

Yan Mingting immediately beamed with joy: “I knew it!”

“……”

Zhao Yelan deeply suspected that this person’s brain pathways were developing in a strange direction again. Maybe he had already started to imagine that he loved him so much that he couldn’t extricate himself, and even started to practice martial arts for him.

“I give up, ba. I won’t practice martial arts,” Zhao Yelan said abruptly.

Yan Mingting was startled, and his smile froze: “How do you know what I’m thinking?!”

Zhao Yelan: “…………” You really thought so?!

The two of them looked at each other for a moment and then glanced away, each with their own thoughts. Zhao Yelan couldn’t be bothered to talk to the fool. He opened a corner of the curtain and ordered the bearers to stop when they were almost at the tailor shop.

He put the money in his pocket on the countertop. Looking at these dirty pieces of broken silver with some surprise, in disbelief that they had been taken out of Zhao Yelan’s purse, the shopkeeper cautiously said: “Zhao-daren, do you want to buy a few handkerchiefs?”

“Take out your newest clothes and let’s have a look.” Zhao Yelan paused, coughed slightly, and subconsciously lowered his voice. “It is for a young lady.”

“My lord, you want to buy clothes for a girl? Are you not afraid that General Yan will find out?” After the shopkeeper finished speaking, he saw General Yan appear from behind him with a grin.

The shopkeeper immediately covered his mouth, nodding again and again, and led them to the side, introducing: “These are the dresses for girls. As far as patterns and styles are concerned, our household is the best in the entire capital. I don’t know which one you two want, ah?”

Yan Mingting didn’t know anything about this business. After looking at the clothes hanging all over the walls, he only felt that his eyes were a little dazzled, and then looked at Zhao Yelan.

Zhao Yelan browsed casually and didn’t select anything ready-to-wear, but touched the fabric on the tables and finally selected three silks and satins, ordering: “Customize this and replace the inner shin coat with trousers.”

“What?” The shopkeeper suspected that he hadn’t heard clearly. “My lord, this is a dress. I have never heard of any lady who wears trousers under a dress. It’s not meant to be worn by men, aren’t you embarrassing me?”

“Then I’ll just embarrass you. I’ll come to pick it up in a few days. If you can’t even fulfill these requirements, then you won’t be able to do business with my household in the future.” Zhao Yelan took out a few more silver ingots, put them on the table, and turned to leave.

Yan Mingting followed and said with a smile: “Our Zhao-daren is rather considerate. Knowing that Yuehong is used to being armed, even the clothes have to be custom-made for her.”

Zhao Yelan gave him a sideways glance: “Will you die if you don’t talk?”

“Why are you so anxious? I’m complimenting you.” Yan Mingting smiled even more happily. “I would like to thank you on behalf of Yuehong and Auntie.”

“Since you want to give thanks, just don’t talk.” 

“What do you want?”

“Money, manpower, one of the two, you choose it yourself.”

“Zhao-daren really does not trade at a loss.” Yan Mingting looked around, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he dragged him to the other side of the street. “I know what to give you.”

A moment later, Zhao Yelan was standing by a small river, looking at the blurry reflection in the water and stiffly holding tanghulu. Turning to look at the person eating tanghulu beside him, his face was gloomy: “This is your thank-you gift?”

“Yes, how delicious this is!” Yan Mingting bit down on another hawthorn berry as if he was eating some kind of delicacy. With a smile on his face, he ate a bunch in a few bites and looked helplessly at the one in Zhao Yelan’s hand. “Do you not like to eat them? How about I help you out?”

“…….”

If the other party didn’t take the initiative to ask, he might have thrown it at him in disgust, but when Yan Mingting asked this, he immediately bit into one. “You can’t have it.”

Yan Mingting saw that he had sucked it down in a hurry, his cheeks bulging. There was some childishness hidden under that indifferent skin, and he couldn’t help laughing: “You are a strange and interesting person.”

Zhao Yelan didn’t think that was high praise, so he turned his back and didn’t look at him anymore. It was a shame that after eating three, he got a little tired of them, which was discovered by Yan Mingting.

“Come on, leave the rest to me.” Yan Mingting rubbed his hands eagerly.

“I won’t give it to you even if I have to throw it away.” Zhao Yelan walked past him, but Yan Mingting took the things in his hands first and quickly bit off two sugar-coated hawthorns.

“Have you not eaten for hundreds of years?” Zhao Yelan frowned.

“Ai, I’ve been craving this stuff since I was a child, and haven’t eaten it but a few times,” Yan Mingting said carelessly. “Those few times, they were all eaten in the capital. People like you who have lived in the capital since childhood and grew up carefree and without worries wouldn’t understand.”

Zhao Yelan scoffed coldly: “Carefree and without worries?”

Yan Mingting paused and looked at him uncertainly.

“Do you think everyone in the capital grew up carefree and without worries?”

“It was a slip of the tongue. Naturally, there are some unfortunate children, such as He Cuizhang and Zhong Yuehong……” Yan Mingting looked at him unhurriedly. “How about you? Were you carefree and without worries?”

“What concern is it of yours?” Zhao Yelan finished speaking with a half smile, then turned and left the small river.

“I’m just asking……by the way, there is something I’m curious about. How did you meet the Emperor? He was powerless at the time, how could you work for him?” Yan Mingting followed him all the way and didn’t stop talking at all.

There were many people coming and going on the streets. Among them were many successful Imperial examination candidates with foreign accents, who had come to the capital with great ambition to participate in the exams.

When passing Hongxiu House, girls with tulle shawls could be seen at the gates, luring guests inside. Some clever girls would specially select from the examination candidates passing by in order to make a fortune from them.

Looking at the scenes of women recruiting all around, and the thin-skinned young men at the doors, Yan Mingting asked with emotion: “Why don’t you take the Imperial examination directly? With your talent, winning top marks would be easy, right?”

“Yan Mingting, you are trying to cause trouble!” Zhao Yelan had endured all the way, and finally couldn’t help but yell, “When is it your responsibility to take care of my business? !”

Yan Mingting went quiet. Clearly he was angry, and not just a little. He quickly apologized: “Forgive me, I was talking too much.”

“Yo, did you two young masters come together?” An attractive beauty walked over with her slender and supple waist swaying. “Would you like to come in and have some wine? Our girls will keep you satisfied ~”

“No need, we’re just passing by……eh, Zhao Yelan, where are you going! Is that a place you can go into!” Yan Mingting called to Zhao Yelan in a panic, but Zhao Yelan turned his head and ran toward the brothel so decisively that he had no choice but to grit his teeth and follow.

As soon as Zhao Yelan entered, he attracted the attention of many of the girls. As soon as the girls saw his clothing, they knew that he simply must be rich. Looking at that face again, a lot of them immediately jumped on the opportunity.

“Call the most beautiful girls you have here for me.”

After speaking, Zhao Yelan tossed out a purse so skillfully that Yan Mingting suspected that he was a regular customer. He secretly asked the girl next to him: “Do you know him?”

“I know him, ah.”

“Who is he?”

“My future husband~” The girl held her face and smiled shyly, and in the next moment rushed forward as well.

Yan Mingting: “……”

With such a big commotion, everyone upstairs and downstairs glanced over. Yan Mingting still saved face and lowered his head, but the smell of cosmetics in this building made his nose start to itch again.

“Yo, who is this young man?” The Madam brought a few girls down from the second floor, dismissed all the girls around Zhao Yelan, and looked at him with a smile. These here are all pretty girls. The best one already has a customer, I truly apologize, but you can pick a few here, young master, and take them with you, ah.”

Yan Mingting was stunned for a moment. This Madam was quite different from what he had imagined. Dressed in red clothing, with gold beads and silver hairpins, her features were very beautiful and her bearing was elegant. She was not like commonplace women, even better than these girls in front of him.

But as it happened, nothing could be perfect. There was a scar stretching from the brow to the cheek on that beautiful face, and it was like adding a bit of bitter water to fine wine.

Just when Yan Mingting was feeling sorry, he heard Zhao Yelan say: “I just want the most beautiful girl, bring her down quickly.”

“I truly dare not, Qingyan is accompanying Liu-daren from the Ministry of Rituals.” The Madam fluttered her round fan. “I don’t know if the young master dares to offend Liu-daren?”

“That’s Zhao Yelan!” Someone from upstairs said.

Everyone was shocked, and the girls also looked at him in surprise.

Now Yan Mingting was sure it was Zhao Yelan’s first time coming to the brothel, so he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Is it really Zhao-daren?” The Madam immediately changed her expression and told the people next to her, “Go, bring Qingyan down from the room.”

Seeing the situation getting worse and worse, Yan Mingting finally stood forward: “Zhao Yelan, follow me back.”

“Is this General Yan?” The Madam’s eyes lit up. “So handsome, do you want to stay and play together?”

Yan Mingting’s face darkened. Seeing Zhao Yelan standing still and staring at the room upstairs, he simply lifted him up.

“What are you doing? !” Zhao Yelan exclaimed, and was taken away amongst the jeering and laughter of the crowd.

He could only imagine what kinds of rumors there would be in Beijing tomorrow.

– – Shocking! Zhao Yelan lived up to his infamy and snatched a brothel’s famous beauty; Yan Mingting was furious and carried him back in public!

Yan Mingting brought Zhao Yelan back to the mansion without stopping, and put him on a chair. Seeing that he was about to resist, he pressed his arms firmly: “If you move again, I will draw my sword.”

Zhao Yelan looked at him sullenly, but took no other action, so Yan Mingting tried to persuade him: “I know it was me who spoke out of proportion just now, and you were angry. Don’t go to that kind of place to play, it’s not good for your health.”

Zhao Yelan: “……”

“Your fountain is originally poor, what kind of tricks can you play? You don’t want to be clever all your life just to end up dying under the peonies, do you?”

In the end, Zhao Yelan couldn’t hold back and kicked him hard.

Yan Mingting laughed: “Yes, that’s it, just let it out on me if you’re angry. What were you doing running off to the red-light district?”

Zhao Yelan: “If I vent my anger on you, you will threaten me with a sword.”

“It’s just to scare you, come on, just kick me.” Yan Mingting stood up straight with a heroic look on his face.

“Then you sit down and don’t resist.”

“No problem.” Yan Mingting immediately changed seats with him and sat obediently in the chair.

“What should I do if you resist?”

“I swear, if I resist, I will be your grandson!” 

After Yan Mingting spoke these firm words, he saw that Zhao Yelan didn’t do anything, but went to the room to fetch the rope, saying in surprise, “You, you, what are you going to do?”

When Housekeeper Qin heard that the two masters had returned to the mansion, he brought Xiao Gao and a group of servants to the courtyard. He had originally wanted to discuss the anniversary of the death of the old general, but as soon as he arrived at the door, he saw the General tied to a chair with his chin being pinched by Zhao Yelan: “Stay obediently and don’t move around.”

Just as Gao Tan was about to speak, Housekeeper Qin covered his mouth and made a gesture to everyone, slipping away bent at the waist.

Xiao Gao: “Wuwuwu, why are you stopping me?”

“You almost spoiled the General and his wife’s happy occasion!” Housekeeper Qin said bitterly. Seeing that he was so stupefied, he only waved his hand and said, “You all go and boil some hot water.”

Xiao Gao thought that the General’s Mansion was no good at all! There was nowhere to display his skills, and he was always dragged off to boil hot water!

The two people in the room naturally heard the footsteps of the servants. Zhao Yelan turned around and closed the doors and windows without leaving a single gap.

“What do you intend to do?” Yan Mingting looked down at the ropes on his body, his face flushed and his heart beating hard. “You shouldn’t be making advances and forcing me to submit, ba?”

Zhao Yelan circled the table. Hearing this, he looked back at him with his lips curled up: “You’re always saying I like you, but when you mentioned it, you smiled so happily. Is it me who likes you, or you who likes me?”

Yan Mingting smiled once, as if stunned by this question. His brain stopped working for a moment, and his body even felt slightly numb. When Zhao Yelan walked towards him slowly, he heard the sound of his heart beating again, much faster than his opponent’s footsteps.

Zhao Yelan’s facial features gradually and clearly appeared before his eyes. Yan Mingting’s Adam’s apple moved slightly and he subconsciously swallowed. His expression was at a loss and mixed with indescribable expectations. When he was about to speak, he saw what the other was holding in his hand and was shocked: “What are you doing with the incense! Put that thing down! Don’t use it, don’t use it, ah!”

Yan Mingting struggled on the chair. Zhao Yelan smiled slightly, lit several incense sticks, and placed them in a circle around him: “Dare to resist and you are my grandson.”

“Achoo! Zhao Ye……achoo! Let me tell you……achoo! I’m going to pull out…..achoo, my sword!”

[1] A Bachelor here is an accomplished scholar with a degree. ⮐

[2] Wāng (汪) can mean several things, and can also be used as an onomatopoeia for a dog barking. So wāng wāng = bark bark. I couldn’t come up with an English equivalent for this wordplay. ⮐

[3] To play an instrument for a cow is to play to the wrong audience/reason with stubborn people. ⮐