WMSG Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Chapter Two: That Must Be Fear of Me

Chapter 2 Chapter Two: That Must Be Fear of Me

The past and present lives were connected. Ye Yueshen didn’t know how long he had been unconscious. He wasn’t sleepy for a long time, until noon the next day.

During this time, servants attended to him, helping him eat and change clothes. The warm afternoon sun induced a moment of fatigue, which Ye Yueshen quickly dispelled by widening his eyes.

He didn’t want to sleep; he wanted to see yesterday’s “mother” again. Although she wasn’t his mother, she felt so familiar…

He waited until after supper without anyone coming to see him. Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but doubt whether the character setting of being loved by thousands in the original book was actually true.

After all, that was from the protagonist Gong Shengyin’s perspective. Perhaps his being favored was just his misunderstanding.

By nightfall, he was very disappointed, resting his chin on the pillow and mocking himself, “Forget it, just treat it as adjusting to the time difference.”

After saying that, he turned his head to the side and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Ye Yueshen was awakened by the pain in his lower back from his injuries. The disappointment of no one visiting, coupled with the pain, brought him to an emotional low. When the Imperial Physician came to apply medicine for him, he absentmindedly shed a few tears.

He buried his face in the pillow, hearing approaching footsteps. The people who had been serving him these past few days were very disciplined; no one would walk so loudly.

He had just raised his head to look when he received a slap on his lower back. A young man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a hint of cunning leaking out, plopped down on the edge of the bed and smiled at him, “Who’s this? A half-grown kid with a bare butt in broad daylight, oh… and shedding tears?”

Ye Yueshen had never been treated so intimately before, and instinctively raised his hand to push him away, “Go away…”

“Brat, I just got a lecture from the Old Man Ye, and even you dare to talk to your second brother like that?” Saying that, he cupped Ye Yueshen’s face and vigorously rubbed it.

Ye Lingshen, Ye Yueshen’s second older brother.

In the original book, Gong Shengyin treated Ye Yueshen’s family very well after becoming the victor. However, Ye Lingshen’s habits were not up to par. He had done a few things involving scheming against the Imperial court.

The protagonist Shou had even advised the protagonist Gong Gong Shengyin not to reuse Ye Lingshen, but Gong Shengyin suspected that he was jealous of his affection for the Ye family, and the two had a big fight.

Later, when Gong Shengyin realized that he loved Liu Qingying, he demoted Ye Lingshen and sent him to a remote place.

The Imperial Physician packed up his medicine kit, and Ye Lingshen didn’t delay or hesitate, immediately getting up to see him off.

Before long, he came back to tease Ye Yueshen, poking him a few times in the soft flesh around his waist. Only when Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but get angry and tell him to leave did he stop and sit on the footstool without minding.

He smiled at Ye Yueshen, “I heard from the Old Man that you became much more obedient after being spanked. Did you really change your personality? Tsk tsk… I thought you would be dragging your two lame legs to crawl in front of Father, shouting with determined eyes that you were innocent.”

Ye Yueshen had nothing to say, resting his chin on the pillow and looking at the wooden carvings on the head of the bed.

Lying on the bed for too long also made him tired, but fortunately, he had figured out the most effortless method, gently resting his arms forward on the pillow, not letting his elbows exert any force.

Ye Lingshen fell silent. The younger brother who was as lively and enthusiastic as a little sun hadn’t even moved his gaze for a long time, only occasionally fluttering his curled eyelashes.

Just now, he was crying like a weeping pear blossom, but in the blink of an eye, he had become an aloof beauty.

Ye Lingshen was surprised by his estranged aura. The brother he saw every day suddenly seemed like a completely different, unfamiliar person.

He leaned over and poked Ye Yueshen’s face, “Did you really change your personality? Sigh… It must be because the Old Man didn’t protect you and added fuel to the fire, making Father spank you a few more times, so you’re also feeling resentful towards the Old Man. Am I right?”

Ye Yueshen turned his head away to avoid his poking.

Ye Lingshen was very talkative, “It’s really unfortunate that your second brother was banished by the Emperor to a Godforsaken place for half a year. If your second brother was at home, how could I have watched you get spanked? I would have protected you completely. I’m not lying to you, put your hand on your heart and ask yourself, haven’t I protected you more than the Old Man these years? Hey, tell me, has the Old Man ever protected you?”

Ye Yueshen covered his ears. Ye Lingshen didn’t realize it at all, taking his hand away from his ear and continuing, “Your second brother was able to come back today only by borrowing the title of escorting tribute. This journey has worn me out. You almost became the second Old Man Ye, you know?”

Ye Yueshen had a headache from his chatter, and accidentally said what was on his mind, “What a pity.”

“Huh?” Ye Lingshen stretched out his arm, circled Ye Yueshen’s neck, and brought him into his arms, “I was thinking of you, and even wanted to get you a jade bracelet with good water, for nothing.”

His eyes were desolate, as if about to shatter. Ye Yueshen immediately felt a little guilty and sincerely apologized, “I was talking nonsense, don’t be sad.”

Ye Lingshen released him, propping his elbows on the bed, pressing his fists against his nose, and lowering his head.

After a while, Ye Yueshen realized that he was lowering his head to suppress his laughter, and immediately felt a fire of being deceived.

Ye Lingshen raised his head, revealing two rows of big white teeth at him, “You’re different. Can spanking really change a person’s personality? Then I have to slap the Old Man a few times while he’s sleeping, tsk…” He briefly fell into thought, and a look of eagerness appeared in his eyes, “Find an opportunity to give Father a beating too.”

Ye Yueshen was speechless for a moment, “What filial piety.”

Ye Lingshen smiled indifferently, with a nonchalant look.

At that moment, Ye Yueshen felt that Ye Lingshen seemed to be a greedy person.

Just like the middle child in a multi-child family, he had received attention, but felt it wasn’t enough, so he had to use reckless behavior to attract some attention that wouldn’t originally fall on him.

“You.” Ye Lingshen’s words stopped abruptly. It was unclear whether it was an illusion, but just now, Ye Yueshen’s gaze seemed to have directly seen through his flesh and blood to his heart.

He didn’t know what Ye Yueshen thought of him, but from his gaze just now, Ye Yueshen must be very sure of his own thoughts.

Ye Lingshen shrugged indifferently, grabbed his brother’s hand, and teased, “Tell me, why were you in the palace…”

The approaching footsteps outside the door interrupted them. They both looked towards the door in unison.

From Ye Yueshen’s perspective, he could only see half of his arm reaching in, and a respectful sentence, “Your Highness, please.”

The person who came was noble and dignified. Just one look and Ye Yueshen was sure that whoever this Highness was, it couldn’t be the person who had tried to murder him.

Because if it was him, Ye Yueshen wouldn’t have to wait until next year; he would undoubtedly die today.

Ye Lingshen calmly got up and took a step forward, respectfully kneeling and bowing, “Greetings, Qi Wang.”

This appearance was completely different from when he was alone with Ye Yueshen just now, switching effortlessly, without a trace of acting.

Ye Yueshen became even more nervous because of him, hesitating whether or not to get out of bed to pay his respects, but he couldn’t stand up independently right now.

“It’s fine.” The man said coldly, his voice low but not dull, a very pleasant voice. Ye Yueshen thought it sounded like the audiobooks he heard when taking a taxi. The unfathomable bigshots in them always had this kind of tone.

Ye Yueshen met his gaze. After staring at each other for a while, it made him start to doubt whether it was really fine or if he was waiting for Ye Yueshen to pay his respects.

Ye Lingshen’s gaze quickly glanced between them, urging, “The Emperor’s grace is mighty. Sanyue, Qi Wang has personally come to visit you. Why don’t you quickly thank His Highness?”

Qi Wang Gong Xunwu. The plot about him in the original book was even less than that of Ye Yueshen. He only provided some help to the protagonist Gong Gong Shengyin in the later stages as a “golden finger.”

The protagonist Gong Gong Shengyin’s ascension was not so legitimate, and it was precisely because of this “Ninth Imperial Uncle’s” nod that he stopped the mouths of the court officials.

The withered trees rustled in the early spring night breeze. Gong Xunwu turned to look at Ye Lingshen. Ye Lingshen’s smile was a little stiff, almost imperceptible.

Ye Yueshen felt a gloomy chill.

“Ye Er.” Gong Xunwu’s tone was still calm, “You returned to the capital with the convoy transporting tribute. I heard that the carriage carrying jade was right behind your carriage.”

Ye Lingshen asked, “Your Highness has come late at night. Could it be that something went wrong with the jade? Does the Emperor suspect that this humble subject switched the jade?”

“No one switched the jade.” Gong Xunwu slightly raised his chin, “The jade has traces of being damaged.”

The jade has traces of being damaged. Someone stole the tribute jade given to the Imperial family.

In a daze, Ye Yueshen remembered what Ye Lingshen casually said to him not long ago: I was thinking of you, and even wanted to get you a jade bracelet with good water, for nothing.

Get you a jade bracelet with good water.

Jade bracelet… Jade…

It seemed that no one noticed Ye Yueshen trembling slightly.

“Damaged?” Ye Lingshen showed a bewildered expression, and then said, “Your Highness is unaware, jade mining inevitably causes bumps and cracks. This humble subject took a look at it during transport, and there were indeed traces of cracks, but…”

He didn’t continue, his gaze following Gong Xunwu, who slowly passed him and walked towards Ye Yueshen.

“Are you cold?” Gong Xunwu asked.

Ye Yueshen was in a dilemma. Stealing tribute under the power of the Emperor was tantamount to being at odds with nine generations of his family. The original book didn’t say that his second brother would steal the tribute jade at all. According to his kind and righteous little sun character setting, should he kneel down and take responsibility and plead for leniency?

Gong Xunwu stared into his eyes, slightly raising his eyebrows as if asking.

Ye Yueshen immediately rejected his previous thoughts. Gong Xunwu didn’t look like he would be a sucker who would disregard the law for a naive and sweet person.

“Your Highness, please forgive my younger brother for not being able to perform a grand ceremony.” Ye Lingshen knee-walked forward, earnestly saying, “My third brother was injured from the spanking. I’m not afraid of Your Highness laughing, but all three of us brothers have been subjected to family law. From childhood to adulthood, we have been cautious and fearful. Petty theft, trickery, and deception are absolutely out of the question. Your Highness, don’t misunderstand. My third brother is an honest child, it’s just that the family rules are strict.”

Gong Xunwu was unmoved, as if he hadn’t heard his attempt to excuse himself, and casually glanced at Ye Yueshen’s bed.

Ye Yueshen felt that his indifference seemed to be saying to Ye Lingshen: Did anyone ask you?

“Not cold?” Gong Shengyin looked at Ye Yueshen, imperceptibly nodding his head. Just when Ye Yueshen thought this topic was over, Gong Shengyin suddenly said somewhat abruptly, “Then that must be fear of me.”

Ye Yueshen instinctively moved back a little bit, slowly retreating into his shell like a little turtle.

Gong Xunwu must be quite certain of the whereabouts of the jade to come here and question him. Ye Yueshen was sure of this.

And as a “child” who had made a mistake and still had to rely on family law for discipline, he shouldn’t receive a word of concern from the emotionally detached Qi Wang. That would only mean that Gong Xunwu was subtly interrogating him.

“Not afraid.” Ye Yueshen shook off his identity as an “accomplice.” “I just don’t tolerate pain very well.” Under the almost coercive gaze, his eyelashes trembled slightly.