The icy gleam of the sword flashed across Zhao Baozhu’s face.
Without another word, Shanyi spun around and kicked the doors open with a tremendous crash.
Only when Zhao Baozhu heard the door slam against the wall with a bang did he finally snap back to himself. He lunged forward and seized Shanyi’s flying crimson cloak with both hands.
“Wait! Brother Liu! What’s going on? Why are you drawing a sword for no reason? Stop!”
Shanyi was powerfully built, but Zhao Baozhu was not weak either. Instantly dragged backward off balance, Shanyi struggled for a moment before turning back with the sword still raised.
“My lord need not worry. I know it was that surnamed Ye using flowery words and despicable tricks to take advantage of you. I understand everything. I’ll go chop off his hands right now to vent your anger!”
Zhao Baozhu’s expression changed drastically. Frightened pale, he immediately released the cloak and darted in front of Shanyi, spreading his arms wide to block the doorway with his own body.
“Brother Liu, let’s talk this out properly! Young Master didn’t deceive me, nor did he use any tricks. Blades have no eyes, Brother Liu, you absolutely mustn’t harm his life!”
Hearing this, Shanyi frowned in confusion. After a brief silence, as though thinking of something, he said: “Does my lord fear the power of the Ye family? There’s no need to worry. I’m alone in this world, what princeling or noble heir can I not kill? Once I succeed, I’ll simply disappear into the forests. Even if he wants to exterminate my entire clan, there’ll be no clan for him to find!”
Zhao Baozhu’s scalp went numb from hearing this. His hairs stood on end instantly as he hurried forward and grabbed the sword hilt.
“Brother Liu, I beg you! There truly is nothing like that. Young Master, Young Master never bullied me!”
Only after hearing those words did Shanyi’s rage subside somewhat. Seeing that Zhao Baozhu’s anxious concern did not seem fake, he slowly lowered his hand and sheathed the sword again.
“This blade is extremely sharp. My lord, stand farther back. Be careful not to cut your hand.”
Once Zhao Baozhu saw him put the sword away, he retreated several steps as well, though he still guarded the doorway vigilantly. Meanwhile, Shanyi lowered his head and paced around several times before suddenly turning and sitting down in a chair. Slapping the table with one hand, he raised his eyes toward Zhao Baozhu.
“My lord truly wasn’t forced by him?”
Standing by the doorway, Zhao Baozhu saw Shanyi’s serious posture and did not dare admit his own feelings toward Ye Jinghua. His gaze flickered evasively, not daring to meet those bright phoenix eyes directly, and he nodded vaguely.
“N-no, I wasn’t.”
By now, Shanyi had calmed down. Hearing this, he lowered his eyes thoughtfully. Thinking carefully, it did indeed seem that he had never heard rumors of the Second Young Master Ye liking men.
Although this Second Young Master Ye and Cao Lian were intimate friends, Shanyi himself had rarely ever seen Ye Jinghua. One reason was that whenever Cao Lian met Ye Jinghua, he never brought Shanyi along. Another was that Young Master Ye lived deeply secluded, almost exclusively traveling between the imperial palace and the Ye residence, rarely showing his face outside. Shanyi had never once encountered him in pleasure quarters or entertainment houses. For someone like that, had he not witnessed it with his own eyes, even Shanyi would never have believed Ye Jinghua capable of behaving so improperly toward Zhao Baozhu.
As Shanyi pondered, he hesitantly glanced at Zhao Baozhu. Perhaps the two simply had a close bond, and Ye Jinghua treated Zhao Baozhu like a younger brother, hugging and coaxing him a little… that could barely be explained away.
Thinking this, he sighed softly and shook his head. “This matter was my impulsiveness.” Though he still felt something was off, he was unwilling to judge a gentleman with a petty heart. Thus he raised his eyes toward Zhao Baozhu and said, “Please apologize to Second Young Master Ye on my behalf. I was discourteous today.”
Seeing that he had managed to fool him, Zhao Baozhu finally let out a huge sigh of relief inwardly. Lifting his head, he said, “It’s fine, really. Young Master has the best temper. He won’t mind.”
Ye Second had a good temper? Hearing this, Shanyi paused slightly, unconvinced. The Ye family’s Second Young Master, the full brother of Noble Consort Chen, the treasured qilin son of the Prime Minister, could absolutely be described as arrogantly lofty and detached from the mundane world. Shanyi dared guarantee that during all the times he had occasionally encountered this Young Master while accompanying Cao Lian, Ye Jinghua likely had not even clearly seen what his eyebrows or eyes looked like.
Speaking of which, Shanyi grew even more puzzled. “Why exactly did he come all the way here to become an official?”
At those words, Zhao Baozhu’s heart trembled violently, and his gaze became even more evasive.
By now, he was ninety percent certain that Ye Jinghua had probably… probably come because of him.
What was so good about Qingzhou? Becoming a prefect here offered no benefits whatsoever, whether for one’s career or one’s quality of life.
Filled with tangled thoughts, Zhao Baozhu finally managed to persuade Shanyi to calm down, only to end up burdened with worries himself as he walked back outside with furrowed brows.
Originally, he had wanted to continue talking with Ye Jinghua. But there was never a moment of peace at the yamen. By the time Zhao Baozhu stepped outside, several commoners were already waiting beyond the doors.
Ye Jinghua was not seated at the main hall but rather at one of the guest seats, a cup of tea and several official documents beside him. When Zhao Baozhu emerged, he lifted his eyes toward him.
Zhao Baozhu hesitated as he glanced at the waiting commoners outside. Then he withdrew his gaze and walked over to Ye Jinghua. “Young Master, Brother Liu was just overly anxious earlier. I apologize on his behalf.”
Ye Jinghua looked at him and smiled gently. “It’s fine.” Then he gestured outward. “There are plaintiffs waiting for you. Official matters come first.”
Hearing this, Zhao Baozhu opened his mouth. He had so many things he wanted to ask Ye Jinghua. Yet in the end, the common people were more important. Thus he looked at him once before saying, “Young Master, then I’ll go.”
He turned and started toward the hall. Yet just as he turned around, Ye Jinghua suddenly reached out and caught hold of his wrist.
Zhao Baozhu was tugged to a halt and turned back around, only to see Ye Jinghua looking at him gently as he said: “Just remember not to get angry.”
Zhao Baozhu froze for a moment, then recalled that Doctor Qi had indeed instructed him not to become angry while taking the medicine. Seeing how concerned Ye Jinghua was about him, Zhao Baozhu felt deeply moved and nodded earnestly. “Alright, I’ll remember.”
Ye Jinghua smiled, then released him.
Zhao Baozhu thus walked up onto the raised platform while outside, Ah Long began calling for people to enter.
Before anyone had even come in, Zhao Baozhu sat down in his seat and casually touched several official documents. Picking them up for a look, he immediately recognized Ye Jinghua’s beautiful handwriting. In fine detail, he had recorded several cases from the yamen while Zhao Baozhu was still asleep that morning. Every circumstance, every cited statute, the complainants’ names, appearances, and places of residence had all been remembered with perfect clarity.
Seeing this, warmth once again filled Zhao Baozhu’s heart.
Ordinarily, these were tasks that belonged to the yamen clerks, in other words, work that Cheng Wenxiu would have done. But because his ear had been bitten, Zhao Baozhu had sent him home to recover, leaving no one to handle these duties.
Young Master had always been meticulous in everything he did. Zhao Baozhu felt indescribably cared for. Even when he first began hearing cases, his gaze could not help drifting downward again and again.
Ye Jinghua sat calmly below, reading official documents and occasionally sipping tea. Though seated in a courtroom, he appeared as relaxed as if he were sitting in an ordinary teahouse or tavern, entirely at ease. While Zhao Baozhu presided over cases, Ye Jinghua never interrupted, minding only his own affairs. Thus, when the commoners stepped forward, some noticed him because of his appearance and grew curious about his identity, but they soon focused entirely on presenting their grievances to Zhao Baozhu.
At first, Zhao Baozhu still kept sneaking glances at Ye Jinghua, but after several cases, he forgot everything else. His brows furrowed tighter and tighter.
After about the time it took two sticks of incense to burn, Ah Long cautiously lifted his eyes from below the hall.
He saw Zhao Baozhu seated above, leaning back against the grand chair, his cat-like eyes slightly narrowed, complexion cold and pale, one hand tapping rhythmically against the table.
Someone below said something. Upon hearing it, Zhao Baozhu’s brows knitted sharply with intimidating force. “Say that again?”
Ah Long’s heart immediately tightened. His scalp prickled as he realized Zhao Baozhu was about to lose his temper again.
The person below had already been clinging to a shred of luck. The moment he saw Zhao Baozhu’s expression, he instantly shrank his neck and dared not speak.
Unfortunately, what Zhao Baozhu hated most was precisely this kind of petty, cowardly behavior. Fury surged through him at once. Reaching out, he grabbed the magistrate’s block and raised it high—
Yet at that very moment, a light cough sounded from below.
Zhao Baozhu paused and turned his eyes over, only to suddenly meet Ye Jinghua’s gaze.
At some point, Ye Jinghua had already set aside the documents. Resting one hand against his temple, he looked directly at Zhao Baozhu with a pair of icy eyes, his brows slightly furrowed.
It felt as though a basin of cold water had suddenly been dumped over Zhao Baozhu’s head. Remembering that Ye Jinghua was still right there, the dark fire in his chest instantly extinguished.
The man below stared wide-eyed at Zhao Baozhu frozen in place with the magistrate’s block raised overhead. Zhao Baozhu looked at him awkwardly, coughed once, and slowly sat back down. Instead, he slammed the magistrate’s block sharply against the desk with a pa!
“Now honestly confess everything!”
The man below was already frightened out of his wits. Not noticing Zhao Baozhu’s odd behavior at all, he dropped to his knees with a thump and kowtowed repeatedly like pounding garlic, spilling everything.
By now Zhao Baozhu was no longer angry. Once the case was finished, he somewhat guiltily glanced downward, only to see Ye Jinghua had already lowered his head once more to continue reading documents. Zhao Baozhu secretly observed him for quite some time but could not determine whether his mood was good or bad. Still, the matter remained lodged in his mind, and afterward he handled the cases much more calmly, never losing his temper again.
Once all the cases were finally concluded, even Ah Long found it astonishing. Carrying tea over for Zhao Baozhu, he sneaked another glance at Ye Jinghua while leaving, and suddenly understood everything.
So that was why the master’s temper had been so good today, he had been watching his future brother-in-law’s expression!
Up on the platform, Zhao Baozhu took a sip of tea and secretly glanced at Ye Jinghua.
Seeing that he still had his head lowered, his expression unreadable, Zhao Baozhu finally dared to slowly climb down from his seat and carefully walk over before softly calling out: “Young Master.”
Only then did Ye Jinghua lift his head. His gaze slowly swept across Zhao Baozhu’s face before he pulled him down into the nearby seat. Taking out a handkerchief, he gently dabbed at Zhao Baozhu’s forehead.
“You worked yourself into a sweat.” Then he handed him a cup of tea. “Drink some tea and soothe your throat.”
Seeing that Ye Jinghua did not seem angry, Zhao Baozhu relaxed somewhat. He accepted the tea and took a sip before letting out a heavy sigh.
“Young Master doesn’t know, these people are truly outrageous. Every day they steal chickens and dogs and behave without the slightest decency. I really can’t stand watching it!”
Ye Jinghua looked at him. His lashes shifted slightly, his eyes flickering faintly.
He had originally sat here intending only to keep watch so Zhao Baozhu would not become angry and injure himself. Yet while observing from the side, for the very first time he discovered what Zhao Baozhu looked like before outsiders.
He gazed silently at Zhao Baozhu for a while. Only after Zhao Baozhu finished his tea and steadied his breathing did Ye Jinghua reach out and gently hold Zhao Baozhu’s hand.
“There’s a draft passing through here. You just worked up a sweat, be careful not to catch cold. Let’s go talk in the back.”
The moment Zhao Baozhu’s hand intertwined with those long elegant fingers, numbness spread through his heart. Instantly he forgot everything else. Following Ye Jinghua’s pull, he stood and obediently followed him toward the rear hall.
Ah Long trailed behind them, originally intending to follow as well. Yet seeing the way the two behaved, something suddenly stirred in his mind. For some inexplicable reason, he felt it would be inconvenient to continue following them, and abruptly stopped in place.
Only after the two had walked far away did Ah Long suddenly jolt in realization, stunned.
Watching them walk one before the other while holding hands… they didn’t look like intimate friends at all. H-how did they instead look… like husband and wife?
***
Inside the rear hall, once the two entered the room, it was indeed much warmer.
Having just released Ye Jinghua’s hand, Zhao Baozhu quietly let out a breath of relief. He was just about to lift a hand to feel whether his face was still hot when suddenly he heard the sound of the door being shut and bolted behind him.
Zhao Baozhu froze. The moment he turned around, he saw Ye Jinghua standing before him. Lowering his eyes, Ye Jinghua held Zhao Baozhu’s hand and carefully looked him over from head to toe for quite a while before finally saying: “In the past, I never knew you possessed such authority and dignity. It seems I truly failed to recognize your worth.”
Hearing this, Zhao Baozhu’s face instantly reddened. His brows trembled slightly. Being praised by Ye Jinghua left him momentarily unsure how to react.
“Y-Young Master, what kind of thing is that to say, ”
Ye Jinghua smiled softly, his eyes seeming to contain entire galaxies.
“In the past, I only saw you as clever and intelligent, diligent and eager to learn. But because you were young, I always feared that once outside, others might deceive you.” At this point, he paused slightly and lowered his eyes, his voice softening. “Yet I never imagined you possessed such ability in handling affairs. When I first heard about the You family matter, my heart was filled only with worry. But now that I think on it carefully, the fact that you managed, through your own strength alone, to deal with powerful local gentry and tyrants in an entire region is truly remarkable. And yet I never offered you a single word of praise. I really have treated you unfairly.”
Zhao Baozhu’s cheeks flushed scarlet from his words.
Ye Jinghua was both the person he admired most and the one he loved. Hearing him say such things today sent waves crashing through Zhao Baozhu’s heart.
“Y-Young Master, please stop praising me already! If you praise me any more, I’ll die of embarrassment!”
At this, Ye Jinghua sighed softly. His eyes shimmered as he raised a hand and touched Zhao Baozhu’s plump flushed cheek with indescribable tenderness and heartache.
“How is it that after only a short while without seeing you, you’ve already grown up this much?”
Zhao Baozhu felt as though he were about to melt inside Ye Jinghua’s gaze. It felt as if his entire heart had been kneaded apart.
Pressing his lips together, he looked back up at Ye Jinghua, light flickering in his cat-like eyes. “I’ve grown up quite a bit already. In just a short while, I’ll be seventeen.”
“That’s right.” Hearing this, Ye Jinghua’s expression softened even further. His hand moved away from Zhao Baozhu’s cheek and settled upon his shoulder, his voice impossibly gentle.
“I already prepared your birthday gifts long ago. I’ve brought them all with me this time. Take the inventory list and look through it. If there’s anything else you want, just tell me.”
Zhao Baozhu froze, then smiled brightly with delight. “Really?” But then confusion surfaced. “A birthday gift is a birthday gift, why is there even an inventory list?”
Hearing this, Ye Jinghua opened his mouth as though intending to explain something. Yet after pausing, he merely closed his lips and smiled at Zhao Baozhu with restrained amusement, raising a hand to stroke his cheek.
“You’ll understand when the time comes.”
Since he said so, although Zhao Baozhu remained puzzled, he did not pursue the matter further. Instead, he simply smiled happily at Ye Jinghua.
His cat-like eyes shimmered with light, curled lashes trembling faintly. Two deep dimples appeared at the corners of his lips, overflowing with boundless sincerity.
Ye Jinghua’s hand lingered beside Zhao Baozhu’s temple for a very long time.
Without realizing it, the two had drawn extremely close together. The warmth of the charcoal brazier mingled with the cold fragrance lingering upon Ye Jinghua’s body, and heat slowly rose through the room.
Yet at that moment, cautious knocking sounded from the doorway.
As though aware he was disturbing the people inside, Ah Long’s voice came weakly from outside: “O-old master… My lord, the master’s medicine is ready.”
Zhao Baozhu did not want to drink bitter medicine. For some reason, he also felt reluctant to part from Ye Jinghua. The hand resting upon Ye Jinghua’s arm tightened slightly, clutching a piece of his sleeve.
One of Zhao Baozhu’s strands of black hair had wound itself around Ye Jinghua’s fingers. Hearing the voice outside, Ye Jinghua’s fingers moved slightly, gently rolling that strand of hair between them.
“Drink the medicine first.” He released the strand, the black hair slipping from between his fingers. Patting Zhao Baozhu lightly on the shoulder, he turned and went to answer the door.
Before long, the creaking sound of the bolt turning could be heard. A gust of cold wind slipped through the crack in the doorway and brushed against Zhao Baozhu’s face. He shivered slightly, only then feeling some of the heat on his face fade.
Outside, Ah Long stood trembling as he respectfully offered the medicine bowl to Ye Jinghua with both hands. Accepting it, Ye Jinghua lowered his eyes to examine the medicinal broth within.
“How long was it boiled?”
Ah Long hunched his neck nervously and answered cautiously, “A-according to Doctor Qi’s instructions, it was simmered over low heat for three hours.”
Hearing this, Ye Jinghua nodded. Looking up at Ah Long and seeing the frightened little-quail expression of someone terrified he had made a mistake, his expression softened somewhat. “You did well. It’s commendable that you remembered.”
At those words, Ah Long immediately snapped his head upward, his face filled with delight.
He had thought he interrupted the two of them and would surely be blamed. He never expected Ye Jinghua to actually praise him like this.
If Ah Long had truly been a puppy, his tail would probably have wagged all the way up to the heavens by now.
Ye Jinghua smiled faintly at him before turning back into the room.
Even after the door closed, Ah Long still stood there thinking to himself how wonderful it was now that there was a new prefect.
This lord was handsome, educated, and refined. Most importantly, the master feared him and listened to him. Now there was no need to worry about the master refusing to take his medicine anymore.
With someone watching over him so closely, surely the root of the cold ailment would soon be cured!
Ah Long silently thought this to himself. Before leaving, he glanced back at the door once more, but unfortunately the door had no window, so he could not see anything. Everything about this Lord Prefect was good, except that he was always touching and fussing over the old master.
***
Inside the room, Zhao Baozhu was pulled by Ye Jinghua to sit beside the table.
“Drink the medicine first.”
Zhao Baozhu looked at the medicine. It did indeed appear much clearer than the prescriptions previously prescribed by doctors in the county, as though it would not be nearly as bitter.
Yet seeing his hesitation, Ye Jinghua assumed Zhao Baozhu was afraid of bitterness and gently said, “I asked Doctor Qi. This prescription isn’t bitter.”
Zhao Baozhu had already been about to pick up the bowl and drink it, but upon hearing this, he suddenly changed his mind. He remained motionless, merely lifting his eyes to look at Ye Jinghua.
Seeing this, Ye Jinghua’s brows shifted slightly. Reaching out, he picked up the bowl himself, stirred it gently with a spoon, then scooped up a spoonful and held it to Zhao Baozhu’s lips.
“Here.”
Only then did Zhao Baozhu lean over and drink the medicine. Sure enough, it was not bitter.
Who knew whether it was because of the prescription, or because of the person feeding it to him.
The two sat close together like this, spoonful after spoonful. If not for the faint medicinal fragrance drifting through the air, anyone seeing them would probably have thought they were drinking sweet syrup instead.
After Zhao Baozhu finished the medicine, Ye Jinghua even asked him, “Is it bitter?”
Zhao Baozhu immediately replied, “Not bitter at all. Not even a little.”
The moment he finished speaking, Ye Jinghua took out a small embroidered pouch and raised his eyes toward him. “If it isn’t bitter, then should I still give you this candy?”
Hearing this, Zhao Baozhu instantly changed expressions. Smacking his lips thoughtfully, he reconsidered and then said, “Actually… it’s still a little bitter.”
Ye Jinghua burst into amused laughter and took out candy from the pouch.
The moment Zhao Baozhu placed the candy into his mouth, his eyes immediately brightened. “This is Madam’s candy.”
Ye Jinghua smiled. “Your tongue is sharp indeed.” Then he handed the entire pouch to him. “Mother knew you liked it, so she specifically told me to bring some for you.”
Hearing this, the incomparable face of Madam Ye surfaced in Zhao Baozhu’s mind, and his heart suddenly faltered.
How could Madam Ye bear to let Young Master come to such a distant place? Zhao Baozhu thought.
Since ancient times, imperial relatives and noble descendants had always differed from ordinary commoners. What was more, Ye Jinghua was astonishingly talented, not some ordinary idle young master. Zhao Baozhu suddenly recalled overhearing one of the county school instructors mention during a lecture years ago that the late emperor’s empress, the Virtuous Empress Xianzhuang, had once had a nephew famed for his rare talent. After taking first place in the imperial examinations and training several years in the Hanlin Academy, he had become Shilang of the Ministry of War before even reaching adulthood.
If even a nephew could rise so swiftly, how much more so a full-blooded brother?
Traditionally, the top three examination graduates all entered the Hanlin Academy and remained there at least three years. Two years was already unusual. Yet counting carefully, Ye Jinghua had only stayed there barely half a year.
Without realizing it, Zhao Baozhu frowned.
Remaining in the Hanlin Academy was not merely for compiling books. Every scholar in the empire knew it was an excellent place for building connections. Yet after only half a year, Ye Jinghua had come to this godforsaken place, which offered no benefit whatsoever to his official career.
“What’s wrong?”
The moment Zhao Baozhu frowned, Ye Jinghua’s hand reached over, gently brushing aside a strand of hair fallen over his forehead.
“Something on your mind?”
Zhao Baozhu raised his eyes. Seeing Ye Jinghua’s gentle expression, he hesitated and bit lightly upon his lower lip. After taking an almost imperceptible deep breath, he finally gathered the courage after a long while to ask softly: “Young Master… did you come here because of me?”
Before he had even finished speaking, Ye Jinghua’s answer already arrived. “If not for you, then who else would it be for?”
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