CH 14

The house had already prepared breakfast, and as soon as the two of them entered the courtyard, the maids served it up one after the other.

Yan Mingting ordered the cook to make some steamed buns, then sat down to eat. Taking a few big mouthfuls, he found that Zhao Yelan was looking at the table in boredom and asked, “Why don’t you eat?”

“Not hungry.” Zhao Yelan had no appetite.

“You said you didn’t eat enough.” Yan Mingting said, “What did you eat?”

Zhao Yelan glanced at him arrogantly: “Regardless, it was richer than what is on your table.”

“No matter how rich the food is, if the diner doesn’t like it, it’s a waste.” Yan Mingting smiled and continued to eat.

After marching for many years, he had always had a good appetite. Eating fast and in large amounts, he ate half the table without knowing it.

Zhao Yelan was stunned: “Have you not eaten for hundreds of years?”

Yan Mingting chewed quickly and gave a hearty smile: “Sometimes the military rations were not enough, and the soldiers were either starving or digging the roots of wild vegetables. When we had hot food, we couldn’t wait to swallow it right away, unlike you who are well-clothed and well-fed. You don’t understand the preciousness of food.”

Zhao Yelan was silent.

“Have you ever gone hungry?” Yan Mingting asked.

“How could I not have.”

It happened that the buns were delivered to the table. Zhao Yelan picked up a hot bun and broke it. The juice flowed out along the thin skin, releasing its fragrance. He took a bite and ate slowly.

“When?” Yan Mingting became interested.

“It’s none of your business, just eat your share, ba.” Zhao Yelan no longer responded to him, and quietly finished eating a bun. Yan Mingting picked another one for him and set it on his plate.

Zhao Yelan didn’t refuse, and finished another one.

“I told you the cook in our mansion is good.” Yan Mingting raised his eyebrows triumphantly, and then pretended to be sad, saying, “Don’t always give the cook a cold shoulder. Be careful not to dishearten him, yesterday I saw him secretly wiping away tears in the kitchen.”

“……” Zhao Yelan resisted the urge to hit him. Then he was taken aback, and said seriously, “What do you mean, ‘our?’”

“Hey, family doesn’t have to stand on ceremony.”

“Go away.” Zhao Yelan returned to his room expressionlessly, called Gao Tan in, and asked, “What is going on in the mansion these days?”

“Going on?” Gao Tan scratched his head and recalled, “Playing flower drum?”[1]

“……”

“It’s interesting, Housekeeper Qin taught me how, and it’s fun to play with everyone,” Gao Tan said with a smile.

“……” Zhao Yelan tapped him on the head. “I’m talking about news about me and Yan Mingting, such as……affection between couples, or something.”

“Affection between couples, ah……oh, I see! Everyone is saying that you and the general are playing adult games, so I went to ask Housekeeper Qin, and he taught me how to play flower drums.”

Zhao Yelan: “Adult games?”

“En.”

“I see, you go out first.”

Since Gao Tan obviously didn’t even know what “adult games” were, then the people in the General’s Mansion probably didn’t spread the night’s incident to the outside world.

If the Emperor knew, there could only be two reasons. One was that an informant was planted in the General’s Mansion. But the servants in the General’s Mansion were all familiar people from many years ago, when Zhao Xuan was just a prince with no power. It was impossible for him to have planned this such a long time ago.

It could only be the other reason – The Gold Collar Guard.

The Imperial City had guards to maintain security, but the world was unaware of another organization – The Gold Collar Guard was a group of dead soldiers[2] organized by Zhao Xuan in his early years. Proficient in martial arts, well-trained, and loyal, they followed orders covertly.

He only learned of the existence of this group of people after being besieged with Zhao Xuan.

There was a time when there were many assassination attempts on him, so Zhao Xuan sent a small team to protect him. Ordinarily, no one could detect the traces of this group at all. They were a strong shield.

But now, they were a thorn in his side.

When Yan Mingting said before that “there is someone on the roof,” was it just to tease him, or was there really someone there, and it just happened that Gao Tan didn’t see them?

Regardless, planting people to monitor him without his consent would not be tolerated.

The problem was, since he didn’t have the manpower to defeat the Gold Collar Guard, not to mention blatantly killing the Emperor’s people, the solution to this problem still needed some thought.

After one morning, the news of Zhao Yelan’s demotion spread all over the capital. This matter was being discussed in the streets and alleys, and although opinions differed, there was no doubt that they were all gloating.

It was rare for anyone in the gambling hall to mention this sort of business, but likely because everyone had witnessed Zhao Yelan coming to gamble with their own eyes, they talked about it enthusiastically.

Standing by the gambling table, Li Yucheng couldn’t help but laugh when he heard that Zhao Yelan had been sent to the Imperial Academy: “Retribution, this is all retribution!”

“Young master, you can’t gamble anymore, the master is already angry,” a servant boy reminded him from the side.

“This young master is already in a good mood today. All these things, I’ll bet all of them!” Li Yucheng placed his bets with such arrogance, and then lost all his money, but he was not angry, and walked out of the gambling house cheerfully.

“Zhao Yelan, Zhao Yelan, your day has come as well.” Li Yucheng rubbed his hands expectantly, turned his head, and told the servant, “Has he been out of the house recently? You go find a few people. Cover your face, and find a chance when he’s alone……remember to keep it secret.”

“Yes.”

After plotting loudly, Li Yucheng swaggered forward and left the gambling house with a cheerful expression, not noticing the doorman standing at the door, who immediately turned and went up to the second floor.

The people in the General’s Mansion naturally heard about the rumors that spread outside. The servants discussed in private and immediately felt that they had won another round. The master had been demoted, let them see how long those servants of the Zhao family could hold their heads high.

Housekeeper Qin found Yan Mingting, who was practicing his sword. With a heavy heart, he said: “General, your wife was demoted just after you were married, so will you also be……”

Yan Mingting stopped and took a handkerchief out to wipe his sweat, but felt that it was not enough. After returning to the room, he washed his hands with cold water to wash away the smell of sweat.

Watching this series of actions, Housekeeper Qin was dumbfounded. It was hard to believe that this was the easygoing person who had entered the battlefield countless times with his father since he was a child.

“No, it was inevitable that he would be demoted. He knew it himself that this would happen, have you ever seen him so calm? What’s more, he relied on the Emperor to reach his high position, so as long as the Emperor became unhappy, he would have to withdraw at any time.”

Yan Mingting picked up another handkerchief to wipe the water off, and used it to wipe his scabbard. “I’m different. I’m the son of Duke Ding, a first-rank general, and the commander of the Yan family army. Even if he no longer favors me, he still has to give me face.”

Housekeeper Qin seemed to see the old general before him. No, he was more energetic, proud, and confident than the old general. He smiled and nodded: “As the general says…….only, do you want to go see Furen?”

“See him?”

“Yes, ah, Furen must be very sad now,” Housekeeper Qin said in a considerate manner.

Although he didn’t like his new master, Zhao Yelan would also implicate the General’s Mansion if something serious happened, not to mention the fact that the two of them had a “husband and wife” relationship. He persuaded: “Since you are now united, you should face difficulties together and overcome them together, ah.”

“With him?” Yan Mingting didn’t think Zhao Yelan would be sad, but after thinking about it, he went to the mansion to search for him.

“He is in the back courtyard,” Housekeeper Qin said.

Not expecting this, Yan Mingting raised his eyebrows. He strode towards the back courtyard, a little worried that Zhao Yelan would be unhappy and kill all the chickens in the pen. He couldn’t finish eating so many chickens in a day or two.

Fortunately, all the chickens in the pen survived. He turned and caught a glimpse of a figure fishing by the fish pond.

Gao Tan was squatting beside him, murmuring something. When he heard footsteps, he turned his head to greet the general and stood aside to stand guard.

“Hey, are you fishing?” Yan Mingting walked over.

Zhao Yelan didn’t turn his head, continuing to stare at the hook. “You ask when you already know the answer.”

“How are you feeling now?” Yan Mingting asked bluntly.

“Feeling?”

“There are rumors going around outside.”

“What does it have to do with me?”

Yan Mingting turned back and shrugged at Housekeeper Qin, signaling that this man did not need comfort. Housekeeper Qin gave him a meaningful look – this is Furen putting on a brave face, it’s just the time to comfort him!

Yan Mingting asked: “What would you like to have for lunch?”

“Why? What do you want to eat?” Zhao Yelan raised his head to look at him. The sun was a little dazzling, and his pupils shrank slightly, his eyelashes fluttering like dragonflies in the sunlight.

“Dragonflies.”

“……I didn’t know that the General has such strange tastes that he likes to eat dragonflies.”

“No, it’s not that.” Yan Mingting waved his hand briefly, then bent down and pointed to his eyelashes with a smile. “I mean, your eyelashes kind of look like dragonflies.”

“……” Zhao Yelan was stunned for a moment, then turned his face away like nothing had occurred, staring at the hook in a daze. “I can’t catch any.”

Yan Mingting wanted to persuade him to be patient, as fishing was not easy and not something that could be accomplished overnight, but the other person said: “You go get me some.”

“Me?” Yan Mingting pointed to himself.

“En, I’m hungry.” Zhao Yelan tilted his head. His face was covered with a layer of gentle sunlight, his expression was soft, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. “Aren’t you good at martial arts? Quickly grab one and braise it.”

Yan Mingting was quite pleased. He went down two steps to stand by the fish pond, and observed quietly for a while before quickly pulling out his sword. He deftly inserted it into the water, and when he took it out again, a perch was impaled upon it, frantically flicking its tail.

“Is one enough?” Yan Mingting asked.

Zhao Yelan looked directly at him and smiled lightly. It was as if a calm lake was touched by the feet of a bird, causing layers of ripples that formed a beautiful trap.

“Not enough.”

Yan Mingting went to fish for several more.

Housekeeper Qin was very pleased to see it, but couldn’t help but want to persuade him to change his tool. This sword was a precious weapon bestowed by the Emperor, ah. Using it to spear fish was too excessive!

In the end, a total of six fish were caught. Yan Mingting said regretfully: “So many, how can I finish them? What a waste.”

“Don’t you have a few subordinates? They come to the house every day. Let’s have them eat lunch together today,” Zhao Yelan said.

“Really?” Yan Mingting was slightly surprised. “You actually took the initiative to invite them for lunch?”

“Didn’t you say it was a waste?” Zhao Yelan’s face straightened. “If you don’t want to, then forget it. Throw them away if you can’t eat them.”

“No, I’ll talk to them later.”

He Cuizhang and the rest would come to the General’s Mansion to discuss important matters these days, and they occasionally smelled the fragrance of the kitchen, so they left quickly, for fear of staying and having dinner with Zhao Yelan. According to He Cuizhang’s report, this group of lieutenant generals had listed eating with Zhao Yelan as the third most difficult thing they encountered after returning to Beijing.

However, as soon as they arrived at the mansion today, they were persuaded  by Yan Mingting to stay.

At mealtime, everyone looked at each other in blank dismay. Finally, Zhong Yuehong stood up first to wash her hands, and the others followed suit.

Zhao Yelan nodded in satisfaction: “At will, everyone.”

The result of letting this group of military officials do whatever they wanted was that he didn’t have enough to eat. A table of vegetables and six fish was not enough for them all.

Putting down the bowls and chopsticks, they felt belatedly embarrassed again, and smiled awkwardly.

Seeing this, Yan Mingting turned his head and was about to order the kitchen to make more, but was stopped by Zhao Yelan: “Don’t bother, I’m going out for a while.”

“Where are you going?”

“Huichun Tower.”

“Look how finicky you are.” Yan Mingting immediately ordered the kitchen to prepare more.

A vein twitched on Zhao Yelan’s forehead. He kept smiling: “By the way, let’s go to the gambling hall to redeem your sword.”

Everyone was astonished. Yan Mingting said in disbelief: “Are you serious? You’re going to help me redeem it?”

Zhao Yelan nodded and looked at the table calmly: “It’s just as a thank-you for these few fish.”

“Ai, with our relationship, why are you being polite?” Yan Mingting stood up and urged, “What are you waiting for, let’s go together.”

The subordinates also breathed a sigh of relief. Although the sword was not something expensive, people who practiced martial arts treated their swords as treasures. Losing it to the gambling hall was really neglectful.

“Although, I went to the shopkeeper before, and he refused to return the property to the original owner,” Zhong Yuehong said.

“That only shows that the money you gave wasn’t enough.” Zhao Yelan took out a stack of bank notes. “Gamblers only have money in their eyes.”

Everyone was taken aback by the generous brush he conveniently took out, and thought it made sense, so they went together to get the sword.

He Cuizhong suddenly felt that something was wrong, and pulled Zhong Yuehong over to whisper: “It’s strange, he obviously lost the General’s sword and should be the one to get it back, so why do we still feel so grateful now?

Zhong Yuehong: “ ! ”

The group of people came to the gambling hall in a grandiose manner. Zhao Yelan said: “Just wait here, lest anyone be too afraid to move when they see your swords.”

“Alright.” Yan Mingting and his subordinates waited at the gate. The swords and knives on the waists of this group made them daunting, and no one dared to approach them at all.

Suddenly, there was the sound of fighting inside.

Several people rushed in quickly and saw Zhao Yelan being grabbed by the collar by a man black and thrown towards the wall.

Before anyone could react, Yan Mingting exerted strength in his feet and leaped onto a table with good form, taking two or three steps forward to catch Zhao Yelan.

“Are you all right?”

Zhao Yelan looked at him in panic: “There are more than one of them.”

Yan Mingting looked over and found a few suspicious people among the shocked crowd around him. His men started to move immediately, and he rushed directly toward the man in black.

There was instant commotion in the gambling hall. Tables and chairs were split apart and swept around the room. The sound of swords colliding was frightening, and the people rushed out with their arms covering their heads.

Li Yucheng was caught in the crowd. He looked back at the man in black who was fighting Yan Mingting, and said in surprise: “Where did you find this person? I just wanted to teach Zhao Yelan a lesson, I didn’t want him to actually die! How can I explain it if he dies!”

“I didn’t find this person!” The servant boy said anxiously. “I only found a few ruffians, and they’ve already been caught by those military officials!”

“Where did the man in black come from?!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the roof of the gambling hall suddenly broke open. The man in black jumped out, followed by Yan Mingting, and the two started fighting hand-to-hand on the roof.

Yan Mingting noticed that the other’s collar had several patterns embroidered with gold thread. Unlike ordinary nightwear, this should be from an organization.

At this time, other men in black suddenly poured out from all directions, besieging them. There was gold thread on their collars.

Yan Mingting drew out the sword at his waist, unsheathed the sharp blade, and slashed at them with an awe-inspiring sword aura.

He Cuizhang and the others came out and joined the battle together, and soon gained the upper hand.

This group of people were obviously martial artists. Yan Mingting was originally concerned about keeping them alive, but the other party had completely hit his weak point. With a cold look in his eyes, he struck quickly and ruthlessly. The vigilance gained through years of experience allowed him to always predict his opponent’s moves first, and he quickly took down this group of people.

Not having a rope at hand, Zhong Yuehong skillfully took out a nine-tailed whip and tied up the group of people: “General, everyone is here.”

Yan Mingting sheathed his sword, bowed his head to the dozen or so people on the ground, and frowned: “No, one person is missing.”

The one who attacked Zhao Yelan at the beginning was not among them.

Oh no, Zhao Yelan.

He turned and rushed into the gambling house. Almost everyone had fled, leaving only a messy floor and the crying shopkeeper.

“Zhao Yelan!” Yan Mingting yelled a few times, searched around, and was relieved when he saw the corner of his clothes hidden beneath a table in the corner.

He picked up the broken table and saw Zhao Yelan crouched there. He bent over and laughed, stretching out his hand: “You’re not well-hidden at all.”

Zhao Yelan seemed to be frightened, staring at his hand motionlessly.

“All right, it’s okay. I lost one, but I’ll catch him.” Yan Mingting looked at his slightly trembling body, and simply gathered him in his arms. “Don’t go to Huichun Tower today, let’s go home first.”

Zhao Yelan froze and looked at him with a complicated expression.

[1] Flower drum is a kind of folk dance where one person beats a small gong and the others play a small drum while singing and dancing. ⮐

[2] Dead soldiers (死士) is a term referring to people with special ops training, used to protect important people. They also carry out suicide attacks. ⮐