WMSG Chapter 49
by VolareYe Yueshen avoided Gong Shengyin, who was personally greeting the guests, and took the initiative to sit down at the seats for the imperial relatives and in-law’s families. After waiting for the servants to set the dishes, a bowl of thick, milky white fish soup was placed on everyone’s left.
Ye Yueshen said to the person next to him, “I’m a bit cold. I wonder if it’s convenient to switch with you so I can bask in the sunlight.”
The person next to him was easygoing and naturally got up to switch places with him. Ye Yueshen turned his head to examine the servants serving the dishes. Everyone looked normal, except for one person who glanced over almost imperceptibly.
That glance was very light and natural, as if it were an unintentional sweep. Ye Yueshen even had trouble remembering if that glance had returned his gaze.
Ye Yueshen got up and walked out, beckoning to him, “Hey, come here for a moment.”
The servant walked up to him and stood still. Ye Yueshen reached out his hand towards the servant. The servant subconsciously took a step back to avoid him, half a foot out as if wanting to run.
Seeing Ye Yueshen’s movement stop, the servant realized his reaction was too strange and lowered his head to explain, “My Lord Yueshen, please forgive me. This humble one thought I had inadvertently angered you and that you would punish me…”
“It’s nothing,” Ye Yueshen said. “Come and support me. I felt like my shoes were rubbing against my feet just now when I was walking, as if a small stone got inside.”
The servant scanned the other servants walking around serving food and stepped forward. “This humble one will help you take off your boots.”
“No need.” Ye Yueshen supported himself on the servant’s arm, raised one leg, and took off his shoe. His actions were not very appropriate in a gathering of nobles, but fortunately, everyone had already taken their seats, and no one noticed him outside.
Ye Yueshen turned the shoe upside down and when putting it back on, his finger brushed against the heel of the sole. As he stood up straight, he staggered and quickly reached out to grab something, pinching the servant’s inner upper arm.
“Sorry,” Ye Yueshen said with a smile, apologizing to him. “I’m weak. I get dizzy when I stand up suddenly.”
His smile was brighter than the sunlight that day. The servant was almost stunned, lowering his head and saying, “My Lord Yueshen is too kind.”
Ye Yueshen smiled indifferently. “By the way, there are many guests here. How did you know who I was?”
The servant explained reasonably, “This humble one knows that My Lord Yueshen has an outstanding appearance. You are the most handsome young master this humble one has seen today, so I assumed you were My Lord Yueshen.”
“Eloquent,” Ye Yueshen said, reaching for his waist. He wasn’t skilled at giving rewards. Come to think of it, this was his first time. He fumbled for a long time without finding anything and slapped his forehead. “Look at me, so careless. Where did I lose my purse?”
The servant quickly said, “This humble one will have someone help you find it.”
Ye Yueshen watched him grab a nearby servant, and waited until he finished saying, “My Lord Yueshen has lost his purse. Quickly have someone find it for him,” before stopping him. “No need to trouble yourselves. Perhaps I forgot it at home. Actually, there’s nothing much inside, just a silver note, a few copper coins, and a few winter jasmine petals. You all hurry and get back to work.”
Ye Yueshen also went to the washroom. After entering, he didn’t do anything, just stretched out his hand and looked at the rich crimson color on the pad of his index finger.
On the way back, Gong Shengyin chased after him and called out, “Zherong, I’ve been looking all over for you. What are you doing here? Hurry and take your seat.”
“I already took my seat,” Ye Yueshen politely declined to go with him.
Gong Shengyin’s intentions were firm. It was not easy to meet him once in a reasonable setting, and he would never sit idly by. “Don’t refuse. I left my imperial uncle and brothers to look for you. How could you bear to let me return empty-handed?”
Gong Xunwu looked at Ye Yueshen with a firm gaze. Without hesitating for too long, Ye Yueshen agreed, “Alright, I’ll go say something first.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for you.” Gong Xunwu walked away, turning his head back every few steps.
Ye Yueshen quickly returned to his seat and swapped the bowl of fish soup he had with the person he had switched seats with earlier. The fish soup had just been served, steaming hot, right out of the pot, so Ye Yueshen felt justified in swapping the fish soup.
“I don’t like fish, I only like to drink the soup.” Ye Yueshen smiled at him. “So, can you help me with the fish since there’s a lot?”
Originally, it was a very rude act, but when Ye Yueshen smiled, the young master didn’t think much of it, saying with a smile, “What a good thing! I’ll eat the meat and you’ll drink the soup. Okay, from now on, if I have meat, you’ll have soup to drink.”
Ye Yueshen sat for a little while longer before getting up to find Gong Shengyin.
As soon as he entered, Ye Yueshen saw the extremely prominent golden nanmu wood table. Although it wasn’t entirely made of golden nanmu wood, just the tabletop alone was already very valuable, showing that Gong Shengyin had recently acquired a lot of good things.
The golden nanmu wood tabletop was a somewhat special hexagon, but not a rigid, standard hexagon, but rather a shape with soft curves.
Gong Xunwu and four princes had already occupied five sides. Gong Xunwu was undoubtedly in the main seat. To his left and right were the host, Gong Shengyin, and the honored Crown Prince. Next to the Crown Prince and Gong Shengyin were the Third Prince and Fourth Prince, respectively. The seat left for Ye Yueshen was between the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince.
After greeting everyone, Ye Yueshen was just about to sit down when the Crown Prince suddenly stood up. “Zherong, half of my face is burning from the sun here. I wonder if you could bask in it for a while so I can cool down.”
The Crown Prince’s joke only made the Third Prince laugh. Gong Xunwu picked up his teacup and drank, as if he hadn’t heard anything. Gong Xuyin symbolically curled the corners of his lips. Neither he nor Gong Shengyin, who had a cold expression, knew when the Crown Prince had become familiar enough with Ye Yueshen to joke around.
Unlike Gong Xuyin, who had a mask of approachability, the Crown Prince was usually unmasked in his aloofness. He was the Crown Prince, and he didn’t need to show too much warmth, nor did he need to give everyone face.
Gong Shengyin saw everyone as a love rival who liked Ye Yueshen, while Gong Xuyin’s thoughts raced wildly, racking his brains to think about what the Crown Prince was up to.
Ye Yueshen’s expression was very ugly. He softly said okay and walked over to switch places with the Crown Prince, without a trace of a smile in return.
Ye Yueshen sat next to Gong Xunwu, who slightly tilted his head towards him, saying in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Don’t mind him.”
“I know. It has nothing to do with me anyway.” Ye Yueshen sneered, “I’m the favor he’s using to curry favor with you. He finally has an opportunity.”
Gong Xunwu frowned and said softly, “When have you ever spoken to me without sarcasm?”
Ye Yueshen, with his handsome face, said softly in front of many people, “When you’re not using your rod.”
Gong Xunwu suddenly turned his head to look at him, even suspecting that he had misheard.
Although Ye Yueshen’s voice wasn’t loud enough for others to hear, Gong Xunwu still felt his scalp tingle. Discussing these things in front of everyone in a voice only the two of them could hear was a bit too stimulating.
But he didn’t feel much excitement. Instead, he looked at Ye Yueshen with great worry.
Ye Yueshen had never said anything obscene before, and there was no possibility of flirting in this sudden remark.
Gong Xunwu’s reaction was a bit much, and everyone was secretly sizing him up, becoming even more curious about what shocking words Ye Yueshen had said.
Ye Yueshen didn’t react at all. As if he didn’t realize what he had said, he lowered his head and said to Gong Xunwu, who had completely lost interest in the conversation, “There’s a servant with a little red smear under his arm. Have someone find him, keep him under surveillance first, and don’t alert the others.”
Gong Xunwu was still in the aftermath of the shock and asked after a while, “What’s your plan?”
“Never mind my plan for now. I’ve already fallen into someone else’s plan.” Ye Yueshen reached out to pick up the wine pot and pour wine for Gong Xunwu. “The Third Prince isn’t destined to die today, but I’ll at least pull him out.”
Gong Xunwu picked up his wine cup and drank it in one gulp, then tilted his head to say to Ye Yueshen, “Don’t act rashly if you don’t have a foolproof plan. I never said I wouldn’t help you, as long as…”
“As long as I beg you?” Ye Yueshen looked at him, “Or as long as I debase myself and please you?”
Gong Xunwu felt that today was not a good day to communicate with Ye Yueshen. Ye Yueshen’s eyes were neither cold nor warm, but rather the eyes of someone looking at someone completely unrelated to them, completely calm and unruffled.
What Gong Xunwu actually wanted to say was, “As long as you’re alright.” But now he didn’t think there was any need to explain, because Ye Yueshen’s guard and hostility towards him were very strong.
The matter with Ye Lingshen had completely angered Ye Yueshen. This wasn’t something that could be appeased overnight. Gong Xunwu knew in his heart that he had been thinking about what he could do to make amends and make up for it these days, but the result was that he didn’t dare to do anything, so he planned to do everything he could.
He had people sneak into the Third Prince’s manor and the Third Prince’s residence in the palace twice to search his study. The second time, he almost got discovered by the eunuch in his palace.
But the Third Prince hadn’t left any clues, and Gong Xunwu almost thought that the Third Prince was just seemingly loose on the surface, but actually more meticulous than anyone else.
They weren’t secretly whispering. Everyone had different expressions, and Gong Shengyin was the first to interrupt, starting a drinking game.
Ye Yueshen got a headache as soon as he heard about the drinking game. He would rather roll dice, at least there was a chance not to drink.
“Zherong was sick before.” Gong Xunwu spoke up to refuse for him. “It’s not suitable to drink today.”
Ye Yueshen had no reason to refute him, nodded to Gong Shengyin, acknowledging Gong Xunwu’s words, and went along with it. “I’m a little dizzy from the sun. I want to rest for a while.”
Gong Xuyin chuckled and joked with the Crown Prince, “Second Brother, this is your fault.”
“I know, I’ve always been the bad guy.” The Crown Prince smiled and didn’t mind, seemingly not taking Ye Yueshen’s lack of tact to heart.
“I’ll take Zherong.” Gong Shengyin stood up. He didn’t lead Ye Yueshen to the place prepared for the guests to rest, but took him to his own bedroom.
Ye Yueshen already had some understanding of the layout of the courtyard. Although the bed was clean and stiff, as if no one had ever slept in it. He said, “I don’t want to sleep in your bedroom.”
Gong Shengyin was a little embarrassed by the rejection and helplessly said okay. He then led him to a nearby wing.
Gong Shengyin brought him a small square table and ordered the servants to bring hangover soup. Ye Yueshen had already sat down on the bed. Gong Shengyin walked over and knelt on one knee beside him, saying in a pleading tone, “I have to host the banquet and can’t leave for too long. Can I come see you later under the pretense of checking on you, okay?”
Ye Yueshen was a little embarrassed by his unwarranted guilt complex and quickly said, “I can rest by myself. You don’t need to come over. I might fall asleep, and I’m a light sleeper.”
Gong Shengyin was stunned for a moment. He had only said that he would come to see him, but he had received a series of rejections. He gave a bitter smile. “Alright, then you rest well.” Then he got up and left, still turning his head back every few steps.
Soon someone brought the hangover soup. Ye Yueshen hadn’t drunk any wine at all. He lifted the lid of the soup bowl and looked at it. Several things that looked like Chinese medicine were particularly noticeable at the bottom, making it look unappetizing.
Ye Yueshen picked up the tea that the servant had poured for him earlier. As the cup reached his lips, his movements suddenly stopped. He glanced at the rim of the cup again, and there was a bit of inconspicuous powder on it.
The hangover soup came from the kitchen. Perhaps the cup had picked up flour in the kitchen. Ye Yueshen thought about it. Perhaps someone else’s cup might have picked up flour, but his was most likely poison.
“Wait,” Ye Yueshen called out to the servant who was about to leave. Suddenly, the screen was smashed down with a bang. Shaou was fighting with a person dressed as a palace eunuch. Shaou shouted to him, “Hide quickly!”
Ye Yueshen was about to jump out the window when the servant from before grabbed his robe and pulled him down forcefully. Ye Yueshen fell to the ground and, without hesitation, flipped over and sat up, landing a punch on the servant’s knee. The servant lost his balance and fell.
Ye Yueshen didn’t care about whether he needed a live witness or not. Self-preservation was the most important thing. He picked up the not-so-light short table next to him and smashed it on the servant.
The servant took advantage of the moment when he had turned back to grab the short table and crawled to the small table. He picked up the tea on the table and, after being hit in the waist by the short table and only letting out a low growl, turned around and used his great explosive force to knock Ye Yueshen down, forcing the remaining half cup of tea into Ye Yueshen’s mouth.
Shaou was still entangled with the other person. Ye Yueshen had been knocked down before he could react. His face was pinched, forcing him to open his mouth. After the tea was poured into his mouth, the servant expertly pinched his cheeks and didn’t let go. As long as Ye Yueshen made any movement to spit it out, he would threaten to stab Ye Yueshen’s tongue with a hairpin.
Ye Yueshen’s nose was also pinched, and he couldn’t breathe. Soon, he subconsciously gasped, and the tea in his mouth went down his throat. He coughed and hadn’t had time to gather his strength when the servant grabbed his neck.
The servant was clearly very cautious, poisoning first and then killing, not giving him any chance of survival.
Ye Yueshen couldn’t pry open his hand, and gradually, blurry white hexagonal spots appeared before his eyes. He suddenly remembered the sharp weapon he had prepared on his head, groped to pull out the weapon from his hair crown, and stabbed it fiercely into the servant’s neck.
The servant let go in pain. Ye Yueshen stabbed randomly and hit the carotid artery. The servant collapsed to the ground, covering his neck that was constantly gushing blood, gradually taking in more air than he was exhaling.
On Shaou’s side, there was a bang, and the whole person was thrown against the wall. His opponent was more powerful than Ye Yueshen’s. After discovering that Ye Yueshen had been poisoned, he planned to escape.
Ye Yueshen wouldn’t let him succeed. Before Shaou could get up, he darted over and knocked the person down with his body weight. The servant was angered by his failure to escape and picked up the dagger that had fallen to the ground, stabbing it towards Ye Yueshen.
Ye Yueshen heard the sound of the knife piercing the flesh without any resistance and felt as if his stomach had been poked, but there was actually no pain.
The next moment, the ferocious killer was kicked away. Ye Yueshen covered his ribs weakly, leaned against the wall, and watched Gong Xunwu rush towards him.
Gong Xunwu saw him mouthing, “It’s okay, first find the servant with the red mark on his arm. This time there’s a live one.”
Ye Yueshen had red marks and bruises on his neck, and there were handprints on his cheeks. There was blood seeping out of his stomach, soaking a large area. He looked up, opened his mouth, and gasped for air. He lowered his head, swallowed, and then gave Gong Xunwu a smug smile.
Gong Xunwu wanted to smash something. What was there to be smug about when he was injured? He wanted to cover Ye Yueshen’s mouth to stop him from smiling.
But he didn’t have any extra energy because he was pressing on Ye Yueshen’s wound.
Shaou limped over and saluted Gong Xunwu. “This subordinate was ineffective and failed to protect My Lord Yueshen, failing Your Highness’s trust. I am willing to accept punishment.”
From the moment Gong Xunwu saw Ye Yueshen get injured, his mind was floating. He instinctively handled the current situation. “Find an excuse to dismiss the people outside, and call a physician nearby before the imperial physician arrives.”