WMSG Chapter 89
by VolareYe Yueshen ignored Gong Xunwu and turned to look at the slow but alluring movements of the exotic man. The man was performing a limbo, his head easily touching the ground like a snake, his distinct knuckles supporting him.
A rose fell from his skin, revealing a bloody wound.
Ye Yueshen touched his arm, calming the goosebumps that had risen beneath his sleeve.
The man stood up, holding a silver tray inlaid with dark red jewels, walking past the onlookers. Some stepped back, while others donated generously.
He lingered a little longer when he reached Ye Yueshen, allowing Ye Yueshen to see him more clearly. His hair was much shorter than the men of Daqi, barely reaching his neck, with a few strands just touching his collarbone.
He wore a dark green floral forehead ornament inlaid with rubies. Ye Yueshen suspected that in his homeland, they wouldn’t call it a “forehead ornament.”
Ye Yueshen found their clothing very familiar, especially the silver tube-shaped ornaments on their upper arms. Ye Yueshen’s eyes flickered, noticing the man shivering slightly from the cold, and he quickly reached for his purse.
A hand reached over from behind, placing a heavy silver ingot on the tray. Gong Xunwu’s gesture almost felt like he was enveloping Ye Yueshen in his embrace.
The exotic man glanced at Gong Xunwu, raising an eyebrow slightly. Ye Yueshen dumped his entire purse onto the tray, containing only a few loose silver coins, but also a warm, lustrous jade bead.
Gong Xunwu frowned, reaching to take back the bead, but the exotic man sensed his intention and quickly leaned forward, snatching the bead into his mouth.
Ye He excitedly patted Ye Yueshen twice. Ye Yueshen, with his waist held by Gong Xunwu, took a step back as Gong Xunwu pulled him closer. The exotic man, seeming only interested in the bead, walked away without lingering.
“You like exotic styles?” Gong Xunwu asked, lowering his head.
Ye Yueshen gently pushed him away and retreated, pulling Ye He with him.
Gong Xunwu maintained a distant following. Ye Yueshen looked back once but said nothing.
Since recovering from his injuries at the Marquis’s residence, Ye He had been reluctant to leave. However, unwilling to cause trouble for Ye Yueshen, he had planned to leave a couple of days after recovering. Xue Dong noticed his hesitation and deliberately mentioned to others about the mansion planning to buy servants.
As expected, Ye He approached and asked if he could be bought. Xue Dong pretended to consider it and smiled, saying, “Why not?”
Ye He readily sold his freedom, feeling somewhat intoxicated by the idea. Ye Yueshen said nothing about it. Xue Dong asked him if he wanted to take Ye He’s contract from the accounting office, but Ye Yueshen thought for a moment and refused.
Since Ye He was willing, there was no reason for him to impose unrealistic ideals on him.
They played on the streets until late, both exhausted. Ye Yueshen asked Ye He to take him to an inn for the night.
Ye He led him to a large restaurant called Han Ke Ju. The waiter led them to a small building in the backyard. They ordered a room. Ye He seemed a little uneasy outside.
He happily lay on the bed and said, “I used to be the one leading the way, but today I’m the customer.”
Ye Yueshen sat down by the bed. He told Ye He that he needed to return before breakfast, or the Junzhu would worry. Ye He said that Xue Dong had already told him. They paused for a moment, both feeling too tired to speak.
Just as Ye Yueshen was about to lie down, someone knocked on the door. Ye Yueshen knew it was Gong Xunwu without even thinking, and he immediately felt annoyed. He hadn’t said anything about being followed all night, but knocking on the inn room door was too much.
Ye Yueshen ignored it, but the knocking continued. Ye He asked, “If Xue Dong were with you, what would he do?”
Ye Yueshen thought for a moment and said, “Drive him away.”
So, Ye He, full of fighting spirit, shuffled out of bed. He opened the door a crack, wearing a stern face, and said, “My young master is resting…”
He saw a stranger outside. The stranger was young and handsome, with a gentle smile on his face, appearing much more approachable than Qi Wang.
The stranger wore a loose, thin robe and didn’t seem to shiver from the early spring night. Ye He could see bulges under his robe, wondering what he was hiding.
The stranger smiled at him and said, “I am a friend of Zherong. He will know when he sees me.”
If Xue Dong were present, he would recognize the person and block the door, not letting him in.
But Ye He had no experience in this matter. He watched the stranger enter, and it was too late to stop him.
Ye Yueshen sat up in bed, watching Gong Shengyin standing just a step away with a smile.
Gong Shengyin smiled innocently, as if he hadn’t kidnapped Ye Yueshen before. He spoke softly, his tone strangely subtle, “Isn’t Zherong already resting? Why are you still dressed?”
Ye Yueshen didn’t plan to bathe or change clothes when staying out for the night, just making do for the night.
“I didn’t allow you to come in,” Ye Yueshen said coldly. “Isn’t the Fifth Prince being too rude?”
“Zherong, don’t be angry. I actually came to give you a gift.” Gong Shengyin raised his chin slightly, unbuttoning the floral clasps of his thin robe, enjoying Ye Yueshen’s surprised expression.
Under Gong Shengyin’s robe were red roses, still covered in fresh dew.
He had actually imitated the exotic man, embedding roses on his skin. It was hard to say whether Ye Yueshen’s expression was surprise or horror.
He frowned and glared at him, unable to bear it any longer, “Get out.”
The smile on Gong Shengyin’s face immediately froze. He awkwardly held the pose of unfastening the floral clasps at his waist, feeling trapped.
After a long silence, he said awkwardly, “Zherong doesn’t like it?”
Ye Yueshen felt a headache coming on, “You’re not even as good as your Imperial Uncle. At least he openly follows me.”
Gong Shengyin’s mouth twitched, “Zherong is comparing me to Qi Wang?”
“Don’t you know?” Ye Yueshen said unceremoniously, “What is the relationship between us, what has happened, isn’t it known to everyone?”
“It’s known to everyone that you don’t want him.” Gong Shengyin relaxed his posture, letting his arms hang by his side, and said to him, “The eldest prince is already dead, Gong Yiyin is imprisoned, Gong Ruilin is in jail. Now there are only the fourth and me left. Father is especially lenient towards us now, after all, he probably can’t have any more children. And the Fourth Prince, he can’t compete with me.”
Ye Yueshen couldn’t deny this. He knew the original ending of the book, although it had changed a lot now, he couldn’t be sure if the original book would have the power to correct the chaos.
Gong Shengyin said with a straight face, “Imperial Uncle will go to his fief sooner or later. Even if Father decrees that he can stay in the palace forever, Father won’t outlive the new emperor.”
Ye Yueshen had no reaction to such rebellious remarks. Ye He was a little frightened.
Ye He was startled by the sudden sound of the door opening. He looked over and saw Gong Xunwu walking towards Gong Shengyin unhurriedly, his eyes contemptuously scanning Gong Shengyin’s outfit from top to bottom.
Ye Yueshen only glanced at them indifferently, then buried his face in the pillow, covering it. He didn’t care what they were going to do, he just wanted to sleep.