WMSG Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Chang’e

As the princes mounted their horses, preparing to depart, Gong Xunwu arrived belatedly, still wearing his everyday shoes. He said to the Crown Prince, “You go ahead, I haven’t had breakfast yet.”

The princes dismounted to greet him with bows, and after the Crown Prince made a show of politeness, he mounted his horse and set off. The other princes followed closely behind. Ye Yueshen had never ridden a horse before, but he wasn’t timid. Following the instructions Shao Ou had given him, he managed to get on the horse.

Gong Xunwu glanced at Shao Ou, who, upon receiving the signal, quickly put on his mask, mounted his horse, and followed.

The hunting grounds lay beyond a low hill. Some of the princes had virtually disappeared, only the faint sound of hooves could be heard.

Ye Yueshen found a clearing and focused on practicing his riding. Shao Ou diligently taught him. After noon, Ye Yueshen was confident he could control the horse and make it stop. Shao Ou thought they could finally go hunting, but to his surprise, Ye Yueshen was remarkably patient. Only then did he take out his bow and arrows, asking, “Can you teach me how to draw the bow now?”

Shao Ou was a little surprised, nodding and saying, “As Young Master Yue wishes.”

The seemingly simple movement turned out to be quite difficult. Ye Yueshen discovered that his arms weren’t even strong enough to fully draw the bow. He maintained the strained posture, letting Shao Ou guide him on how to aim.

After several repetitions, he was panting slightly. He didn’t intend to give up, but his hand protested first. His thumb ring was a little too big and accidentally slipped off. He didn’t think much of it and drew the bow with his bare hand, only for the bowstring to graze his fingertip, causing drops of blood to fall.

Shao Ou gave him a simple bandage. The sky was getting late, and they hadn’t had lunch. Ye Yueshen felt his stomach rumbling and said apologetically to Shao Ou, “I’ve delayed your lunch.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Shao Ou said, accompanying him back.

The princes had returned earlier than them and were counting the animals they had hunted on the open ground in front of the house.

The princes’ attendants had brought rations, but Shao Ou hadn’t prepared any, assuming Ye Yueshen would quickly tire and want to return.

Gong Xunwu had already bathed and changed, sitting on a hard couch under the veranda, drinking tea. Shao Ou took the initiative to explain his oversight.

Gong Xunwu frowned and told him to find some food for Ye Yueshen.

Ye Yueshen saw many uncommon animals, forgetting his hunger. He hovered nearby, asking the attendants what they were.

The attendant recording the numbers answered them one by one, smiling as he proactively told Ye Yueshen, “Today, the Fifth Prince is in the lead, having hunted quite a bit more than His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Didn’t you go see? The Fifth Prince even captured a peacock alive.”

Gong Xunwu was a little distance away and didn’t hear what Ye Yueshen said, only hearing the eunuch diligently and flatteringly reporting the day’s results to Ye Yueshen. He assumed Ye Yueshen had proactively inquired about it.

He immediately felt a little dissatisfied. Just whose hunting situation was Ye Yueshen curious about? It couldn’t be his, could it? Gong Xunwu was well aware of his own standing in Ye Yueshen’s heart. That was impossible.

Hearing about the peacock, Ye Yueshen was a little tempted, but his stomach rumbled.

“I’ll eat something first,” Ye Yueshen said to him, thanking the attendant, who was taken aback, and hurriedly nodded, saying, “I wouldn’t dare.”

Gong Xunwu stopped him, asking knowingly, “What did you hunt?”

Ye Yueshen asked him in return, “What about you?”

Gong Xunwu bent down and picked up a ball of white fluff at his feet, pinching the rabbit’s fur with his fingers and offering it to Ye Yueshen, “Take it and play with it.”

Ye Yueshen saw the rabbit kicking and quickly took it, cradling it in his arms. The rabbit calmed down in his arms, gnawing at his clothes with its teeth.

The rabbit’s fur felt very good. Ye Yueshen stroked it a few times, lowering his head to touch the rabbit’s ear with his lips.

Just then, Gong Shengyin passed by from the front. He had just taken off his riding clothes. Originally, wearing only his inner garments among a group of men was nothing much, but when he saw Ye Yueshen, he regretted it, not wanting Ye Yueshen to see him looking so unkempt.

He had originally wanted to pass quietly, go back to bathe and change, and then come out to say hello, but Liu Qingying, for some reason, acted up. The usually quiet, introverted person who didn’t say a word when seeing people suddenly called out to Ye Yueshen jokingly, “Chang’e!”

Ye Yueshen looked over, seeing Liu Qingying smiling mischievously at him.

After a moment, Ye Yueshen realized he was making fun of him holding the white rabbit, looking like Chang’e. He felt a little embarrassed and put the rabbit on the table.

Gong Xunwu’s entire face had darkened like a thunderstorm was brewing. Ye Yueshen clearly liked the little rabbit he had given him and had even kissed its ear.

Yet, just because Liu Qingying teased him with “Chang’e,” Ye Yueshen was too embarrassed to take the rabbit he had offered. Gong Xunwu just wanted to drag Ye Yueshen into the house immediately and demand why he cared so much about Liu Qingying. Yesterday, he had told him to be careful, and today, he was shy because of him. Did he like Liu Qingying that much?

Gong Xunwu couldn’t help but scrutinize his nephew’s attendant. Liu Qingying’s expression suddenly changed, and he carefully glanced at the cold-eyed Gong Shengyin, then quickly lowered his head, his lips moving silently, but he could guess he was apologizing.

This person seemed timid and cowardly. To be able to serve by the prince’s side, his appearance wouldn’t be bad, but he couldn’t be said to be very good-looking, at least not even one percent as good-looking as Ye Yueshen, Gong Xunwu thought. So he was particularly puzzled as to what outstanding qualities this Liu had that could catch Ye Yueshen’s eye?

Qualities he himself had not managed to obtain.

Gong Xunwu’s expression became even more sinister. He turned to glare at Ye Yueshen, “Aren’t you going to take a bath? Are you going to eat in those clothes?”

Ye Yueshen could tell he was angry but didn’t understand why he was suddenly angry. His temper was coming out of nowhere.

Ye Yueshen knew he couldn’t afford to provoke him, so he decided to avoid him. He turned around and went inside to bathe and change.

Shao Ou came over carrying a steaming food box. “These are the dishes the kitchen prepared earlier, originally for the feast later, but I brought them over first because you wanted to eat.”

Gong Xunwu pinched his brow. “He doesn’t need it. Take it back. And throw the rabbit away.”

Shao Ou was taken aback. Seeing Gong Xunwu’s face in a state that clearly couldn’t be defied, he reached out to pick up the rabbit and ran to a nearby bush to release it.

Then he came back, picked up the food box, and was about to leave when Gong Xunwu changed his mind again. “Put it here. He can eat it after he’s done bathing.”

So he was just having a tantrum, Shao Ou thought, putting down the food and finding another place to pretend to be busy, not wanting to incur Gong Xunwu’s displeasure.

Ye Yueshen sat on the soft couch after bathing, originally not feeling too tired, but when he raised his arms to comb his hair while washing it, his arms felt as if they were bound by plaster, unable to move.

Now that he was done washing, he didn’t even have the strength to dry his hair. He lay on the soft couch, trying to recover his strength. He still couldn’t overcome his long hair. Every time he washed his hair, he wanted to shave it into a short, cool buzz cut.

But Ting Xue Dong said that if a marquis’s son shaved his head, not to mention his father, Ye Hou, who had already retired, his brothers who were officials in the court would also be questioned. He didn’t want to implicate his family, so he had to give up the idea.

He was about to fall asleep when Gong Xunwu pushed the door open and used a cloth to help him dry his hair. At this moment, Ye Yueshen found him more pleasing to the eye. He turned over, resting his head on his lap, and sincerely said, “Thank you.”

He received a cold laugh from Gong Xunwu in return.

So Ye Yueshen shut his mouth and didn’t say anything else. After his hair was half dry, Gong Xunwu casually tied it up loosely for him. He told Ye Yueshen to go out first.

Ye Yueshen understood that they were going out one after the other to avoid suspicion, so he obediently went out, asking Shao Ou at the door, “Are we going to eat now?”

Shao Ou quickly showed him the food box on the table. “His Highness specifically asked me to fetch this for you. It’s all freshly made by the kitchen and still hot, just right for eating.”

Ye Yueshen had come here to see people, so he said, “Leave these for me as a late-night snack. Where are the princes?”

Shao Ou felt that his intentions had been conveyed. He led Ye Yueshen to the main hall of the estate. The four princes had already arrived, making Ye Yueshen the last one. Shao Ou tactfully explained for him, “Young Master Yue returned late today and hurried to change, so he’s just arrived.”

Since it was someone from Qi Wang’s side explaining for him, naturally no one dared to make things difficult for Ye Yueshen.

In fact, Gong Xuyin, the amiable person who intentionally wanted to befriend Ye Yueshen, wouldn’t be picky, and Gong Shengyin, who regarded Ye Yueshen as his white moonlight, wouldn’t either.

Ye Yueshen was worried about the unfamiliar Crown Prince and Third Prince, but neither of them reacted much. Gong Xuyin said, “We’re all our own people, it doesn’t matter,” and they all waited patiently for Gong Xunwu.

Soon, Gong Xunwu arrived. Everyone stood up to greet him, and he walked over to take his seat, casually supporting Ye Yueshen as he passed by. “You may dispense with the formalities,” he said, and sat down next to him.

The princes who grew up in the imperial palace were all sharp-eyed and quick-witted. They saw it but pretended not to. Only the Third Prince glanced at the Crown Prince, not as an unconscious reaction of surprise, but as if he was confirming something.

Ye Yueshen averted his gaze, thinking about the incident when the Third Prince had bumped into him last night. He was afraid that it had already reached the Crown Prince’s ears, so he looked at Gong Xuyin with some sympathy.

Smart as Gong Xuyin was, he still didn’t know that this secret was known to more than just him.

But Ye Yueshen wasn’t too worried. Gong Xuyin wouldn’t dare to reveal it, and naturally, the Third Prince wouldn’t either. Otherwise, Gong Xunwu would quickly trace it back to him. He had no reason to offend this imperial uncle who was deeply valued by the emperor.

As for his daring to tell the Crown Prince, he must have some assurance that he could keep it a secret.

So Ye Yueshen quietly sat down, secretly looking at Gong Shengyin.

Gong Shengyin didn’t seem to have any reaction. He was one of the few people present who didn’t know this secret, probably still thinking it was just a casual gesture.

Of course, he was also the type of protagonist who didn’t reveal his talents easily, only making a splash when necessary.

Looking at the table full of food about to be eaten, Ye Yueshen suddenly felt a strong sense of unease.

These mouth-watering delicacies were going to be eaten.

Gong Xunwu was the first to pick up his chopsticks, and the others followed suit. There weren’t many rules when they were out and about, and there weren’t many people serving them.

Ye Yueshen also picked up a peeled shrimp, hesitated for a moment, and then pretended to drop it on the table. Then he picked up a dish with a layer of broth at the bottom.

Even if someone wanted to target him with poison, they wouldn’t choose this kind of dish that would contaminate the entire plate if poisoned. But one or two shrimp might be different. Perhaps only the one or two closest to Ye Yueshen would be poisoned.

Small talk was inevitable at the dinner table. The princes were outwardly gentle and smiling, displaying brotherly respect, but occasionally there were a few impolite barbed remarks.

The main focus was the Crown Prince’s sarcasm towards Gong Shengyin for being too high-profile, with the Third Prince responsible for chiming in and providing support. Gong Xuyin only played the role of the kind person, smoothing things over with a smile, while subtly sizing up Gong Xunwu.

The implication was: Imperial Uncle, you see who the truly good person is, right? Don’t forget to truthfully relay it to Father Emperor.

Ye Yueshen had complex feelings about Gong Xuyin. He hadn’t used any tricks against him in their interactions, nor would he.

But Ye Yueshen had read the original book and knew what kind of person he was, so he inevitably felt a little uncomfortable.

For example, right now, he was warmly and kindly quelling the sparks between his brothers, but it was clearly he who had instigated the Crown Prince to bully Ye Yueshen in the first place. The Third Prince’s agreement now could be considered copying him to a certain extent.

Ye Yueshen couldn’t help but look at Gong Shengyin, sincerely feeling angry at his situation.

And Gong Shengyin seemed to sense something, looking over at him. At the moment their eyes met, the anger and hatred in Gong Shengyin’s eyes were smoothed over, leaving only one thought: He understands my pain.

Servants came in at this time to bring dishes. Ye Yueshen’s gaze was drawn to a bowl of dumplings with thin skins and big fillings. His eyes widened for a moment, and then his heart began to pound.

No matter how you looked at it, this kind of thing, with one bowl for each person, was even more suitable for poisoning.