Chapter 8: Young Master Ning Xiang
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
Alright! After chatting with these scheming yet straightforward folks for a while, he probably got the gist of it.
This era didn’t belong to any dynasty he recognized, and the relationships between the ten small countries in existence were in disarray. The customs and manners of the people could roughly match those of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
The country he was imprisoned in, Yan Kingdom, was the third largest country in the current world. With factions vying for power and the recent ascension of the new king, Yan Tenghua, the nation was still unstable. If he were to leave the palace at this time, he doubted there would be any delicious food and drink waiting for him outside.
Before being taken to the king’s palace, he was first led to the bathhouse to freshen up and change into new clothes. Only then did he board the carriage and get escorted into the main hall. Getting to the king’s palace turned out to be much more difficult than he had anticipated. There were many people outside, and he didn’t want to be recognized. Those people would surely be as persistent as the two who had come to find him.
Throughout the journey, Xiao Zipei kept a close eye on his every move. Yu Zhen looked at him and teased, “Xiao Pei, are you afraid I’ll run away? Don’t worry, for you, I won’t.”
After considering for a moment, he realized that his body had serious issues. Not only did it lack any foundation, but the fatigue emanating from within constantly reminded him that his body was ailing. It was sheer folly to think of leaving the palace with such a body, especially considering that he had no idea what to do once he was outside.
“… Prime Minister, you shouldn’t let His Majesty hear such words,” What is he thinking about?
Just as he spoke, the carriage arrived at the front of the main hall. Xiao Zipei got off first before reaching out to help Yu Zhen out of the carriage.
Before Xiao Zipei could steady himself, Yu Zhen rushed down impatiently, swiftly reaching his side and mercilessly patting him on the head. “What does it matter what I say? Let’s go, Xiao Pei, I’m in a hurry.”
“Prime Minister, please don’t speak so loudly. Crown Prince Liu’s entourage is nearby. If you don’t want to cause trouble for the Yan Kingdom, please listen to me.” Xiao Zipei cautioned.
Yu Zhen paid no mind, urging impatiently, “Stop dawdling, won’t standing here longer raise more suspicion?”
The imperial city of Yan was resplendent with gold and jade, adorned with luxurious lanterns and banners. The soldiers stood tall and imposing. Out of habit, Yu Zhen nearly rushed forward to salute them. Everything around him piqued his curiosity—the items they held, the decorations on the walls—everything sparked the already curious Yu Zhen’s interest even more.
As an eighteen-year-old youth, Yu Zhen had sacrificed his life for his career at a young age. Previously, he had always been constrained by his team leader, obediently following the rules without daring to deviate. He hadn’t experienced much of life yet. Now, seeing the splendid palace adorned with colorful lanterns, Yu Zhen couldn’t contain his excitement, his youthful spirit soaring.
However, Xiao Zipei was not pleased with his erratic behavior, constantly pulling him back whenever he strayed. Each time, Yu Zhen would immediately wriggle free and run off again. Xiao Zipei’s patience wore thin, feeling a surge of anger but unable to draw his sword and confront him in the main hall. He was sorely tempted to give him a severe beating.
Finally managing to drag him to the garden, Xiao Zipei found that Yu Zhen was still following the palace maids carrying pastries, unwilling to let them out of his sight.
On the golden tray, each piece of translucent pastry sparkled enticingly, its aroma intoxicating. The palace maids, gracefully carrying the pastries, added to the allure with their seductive postures. Liu Yu Zhen couldn’t resist the temptation, eagerly following behind them.
He figured, if he just grabbed one to eat, Yan Tenghua wouldn’t get angry, would he? After all, it’s not like starving to death would make things any easier for him, right?
With this thought fueling his determination, Liu Yu Zhen didn’t hesitate. “Swoosh!” His hand darted towards the tray, swiftly grabbing a delectable osmanthus cake. It melted in his mouth, the taste was divine.
“Ah!” The palace maid’s sharp cry mercilessly shattered the tranquility of the garden.
Yu Zhen reached for another osmanthus cake while covering the maid’s mouth, swiftly stealing another bite.
This reminded him of something his teammates often said to him, “What happened to your principles, Liu Yu Zhen?”
But when he was hungry, unless there was a clear mission directive or obvious signs of poison in the food, any obstacle was insignificant to him. Usually, when he tried to steal food, the captain would come over and beat him up. But now, he was free from that nightmare. So satisfying!
“This is pastry intended for Young Master Ning Xiang, how dare you… How could you…” The palace maid at the front heard her companion’s scream, hastily turning back, only to see the disheveled Liu Yu Zhen licking his fingers with satisfaction, then turning around and walking away, leaving her stomping her foot in frustration.
Young Master Ning Xiang? That sounds like a woman’s name.
Liu Yu Zhen casually gave them a nod in a Western gentlemanly manner. “He definitely won’t mind. Just tell him it was eaten by King Yan.” Seeing his companion, who was now far behind because of him, rushing towards him, he grinned widely. “Hey, come here, could you help me with this?”
“…,” Xiao Zipei was stunned for a moment, then glanced at the palace maids, their expressions grim. Looking back at the infuriatingly smug Liu Yu Zhen, he realized the lack of remorse for his actions. “Fine. I am Xiao Zipei, Commander of the Imperial Guards. Tell them what he said. If there’s any blame, just report my name.”
“Yes,” the palace maids nodded obediently and left the garden, casting horrified glances back at Liu Yu Zhen as they walked away.
Liu Yu Zhen was accustomed to snatching things to eat from others, and every time his teammates would cover for him. He didn’t expect things to be any different after transmigration! Having someone like Xiao Zipei, such a caring guy, as a companion wasn’t bad at all. “How much further is it? This palace seems so complicated.”
“Don’t change the subject!” Xiao Zipei’s voice came with a hint of annoyance. “Prime Minister Liu, you may not know this, but Young Master Ning Xiang is His Majesty’s favorite. While your intentions are good in telling them to say that, it could backfire. If His Majesty blames you, I can’t guarantee your safety.”
“Xiao Pei, didn’t you just say that if Young Master Ning Xiang’s blame comes down, it’ll be reported in your name? If King Yan blames me, I’ll report your name too,” Liu Yu Zhen chuckled, completely disregarding Xiao Zipei’s concern.
What’s a ‘favorite’? Someone who takes care of King Yan’s pets?
Note: The chinese word literally translated to serving pet, so technically the meaning of someone to serve the King, that’s why Yu Zhen doesn’t know what it means first time. But let just call it favorite.
Liu Yu Zhen had no desire to understand unfamiliar terms; he was just really in a hurry. “Hurry up, Xiao Pei! I can’t wait any longer!”
Xiao Zipei was about to get angry, but when he saw Liu Yu Zhen’s stern expression, he hesitated to continue his outburst, feeling somewhat intimidated by his boldness.
However, what Xiao Zipei thought Liu Yu Zhen knew was that Young Master Ning Xiang was King Yan’s favorite companion, deeply beloved by him. With the ongoing search for Princess Zhi Jun and the conflict with the Yunshuang Kingdom, Young Master Ning Xiang had been neglected lately. Being a person of considerable power and temperament, it was uncertain whether hearing such words would bring joy or concern to him.
Liu Yu Zhen finally arrived at the sleeping quarters of King Yan, and the contrast with the environment he had just experienced upon his rebirth was staggering. Not only was the room adorned with lavish decorations and fragrant scents wafting through the air, but even the palace maids were far more beautiful than those in his previous living quarters.
The soft tiger-skin carpet, the luxuriously comfortable bed that surpassed any mattress he had ever known—Liu Yu Zhen didn’t care about the stains from his medicinal ointments as he eagerly threw himself onto the bed for a roll or two.
If it weren’t for King Yan’s prior orders, Xiao Zipei would have surely split him with a sword at that moment.
Yue Lan helped him remove his outer robe and assisted him in preparing for bed. She carefully wiped away the traces of osmanthus oil from his hands, showing great diligence. After Xiao Zipei went to guard the main gate, she gently asked, “Prime Minister, Yue Lan is curious, do you have any plans?”
“Plans? Hmm. First, let’s sleep!” In truth, Liu Yu Zhen was tired. Plus, he didn’t feel like answering Yue Lan’s strange question. He decided it would be better to wait until King Yan returned to discuss any plans.
But as he thought about King Yan, Yu Zhen turned over and pondered slightly. That young man was about the same age as himself, yet he could display such firm and domineering resolve. He could almost be compared to his formidable team leader…
Huge shoutout to @denkoumaru on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
