Fatal to Pretend With a Cheat | Chapter 12 | A Bloodstained Past | Novela.app

I bluntly asked for the gossip regarding the Second Young Master and Ye Tan, but Ze Que merely snorted, refusing to pay me any mind. After a moment’s thought, I tried another angle. "On my way here, I heard a rumor that the Eldest Young Master of Zhongli has slept his way through the entire manor, from top to bottom..." "Nonsense!" Ze Que slammed his fist against the bed in a fit of rage. "Even I haven't had that honor!" Me: "...???" Isn't your way of thinking a little... skewed? "So, the rumors circulating in the streets about the Eldest Young Master being a profligate rake are all lies then..." "The Eldest Young Master is free-spirited and magnanimous. He has countless admirers; it is only natural for him to indulge in a few romantic escapades." Ze Que’s tone was filled with pride as he began to list the Eldest Young Master’s amorous conquests: seven tea-serving maids, eight top-tier courtesans from the pleasure quarters, nine leaders of the Martial Alliance, ten demon lords of the wicked cults... Truly, a man of legendary prowess. I pondered this for a long while before asking the question I cared about most: "My little shadow guard used to belong to Zhongli Manor. I wonder if he ever had the... ahem, *honor* of being favored by the Eldest Young Master?" "Even I haven't! How could it possibly be his turn!" Ze Que roared. "Yes, yes, of course. You are a man of such talent and grace, Great Hero; it is clearly the Eldest Young Master’s loss for lacking the fortune to have you," I said, soothing him readily. Having vented his indignation, Ze Que spoke more honestly. "The Eldest Young Master did indeed take a great liking to Ye Sha, but Ye Sha was, after all, the Second Young Master’s man." "..." I fell into deep thought once more. "...Then, did the Second Young Master ever sleep with Ye Sha?" Ze Que was incensed. "The Second Young Master is a man of noble character and lofty virtue! How could he ever commit such a filthy act!" ...Wait, what? Who exactly are you calling filthy here? "The Eldest Young Master was interested in Ye Sha only because the boy was so insolent," Ze Que said, trying to salvage some dignity for his master. "The Eldest Young Master always says that what one cannot obtain is of the highest quality, while that which is already in hand is utterly tasteless." I asked curiously, "But hasn't the Eldest Young Master always been quite satisfied with Yue Changsheng?" Ze Que replied, "If he had ever truly gotten what he desired, he wouldn't be searching for him so desperately everywhere now." I summarized the situation in my head. The Eldest Young Master has bedded countless people. But he hasn't managed to bed a single person he actually wants. Hahahaha, how pathetic. "What are you laughing at now?" Ze Que glared at me. "You’re just lucky. You’re only able to push Ye Sha around because he’s lost all his martial arts." I caught the hidden meaning in his words and asked suspiciously, "I am Ye Sha’s master. Why would he want to 'move' against me?" Ze Que found this hilarious. He asked coldly, "You don't truly believe that Ye Sha is some kind of good person, do you?" He’s a guard; what does 'good' or 'bad' have to do with it? Ze Que let out a chilling laugh. "Ye Sha is bloodthirsty and cruel, a man devoid of loyalty or righteousness. He personally murdered his first master, Qin Kezou, grinding his bones to powder and scattering the ashes until nothing remained. The Second Young Master kindly took him in, only to be met with betrayal when Ye Sha conspired with the enemy, leading to his expulsion from Zhongli Manor... These deeds are known to all. What are you trying to act for?" He gave a cold snort. "Though, one cannot entirely blame him. For a thousand years, not a single 'Ye Sha' of the Night Walkers has ever met a peaceful end." There was far too much information in that statement. I needed a moment to process. It took some effort to straighten out the history. Once I stripped away Ze Que’s personal bias and his colored lenses of disdain, the story—if he was telling the truth—looked something like this: "Ye Sha" was not actually a name, but a title awarded by the Night Walkers every ten years. Every time the rankings were decided, the three individuals at the very peak would share these titles: Ye Yin, the Hidden Fog Sovereign; Ye Jun, the Imperial Lord Protector; and Ye Sha, the Blood Demon. The criteria for these three titles differed. The *Ye Yin* specialized in concealment, the *Ye Jun* in protecting the master, and the *Ye Sha* in slaughter. If a title holder was defeated, the victor would inherit the title. However, if a shadow guard had already acknowledged a master, they were no longer permitted to compete. Ten years ago, when Ye Tan was ranked as Ye Sha, he was only seventeen years old. The Ye Sha is the individual with the strongest combat capability in the entire Night Walkers, but the title carries an ill omen; every generation’s Ye Sha has met a violent death. Thus, Ye Tan was left aside, as no one dared to hire him. He was left in limbo for four whole years. During that time, Ye Sha struck down countless fellow disciples within the Night Walkers who harbored delusions of seizing his title. It wasn't until he was twenty-one that he was finally taken away by the Seventh Young Master of the Qin family. Relying on his own genius, he was arrogant and willful. He repeatedly offended and defied his master, and after being disciplined many times, resentment gradually took root in his heart. Finally, one day, he committed an act of utter depravity, decapitating his master in front of a crowd of guests. When the Qin family tried to reclaim the body for burial, they fought for half a month but could not even get close. Ye Sha said he hated the man to his core and insisted on grinding his bones to ash. Poor Qin Kezou left behind a daughter still in her swaddling clothes; his once-enviable marriage was shattered as his wife descended into madness. Every year during the Qingming Festival, when the Qin family offers sacrifices to their ancestors, there isn't even a place to light a single stick of incense for him. From then on, Ye Sha’s reputation was ruined, and he became a target for all. However, the Second Young Master of Zhongli Manor was magnanimous and kind. He took in this "hot potato," and from then on, Ye Sha lived under the protection of Zhongli Manor, enjoying a life of luxury and security. For three years, Ye Sha ran rampant through Zhongli Manor, causing endless trouble. The Second Young Master never held it against him. But no matter how gentle and kind the master was, he could not warm a heart made of stone. The hateful Ye Sha, blinded by greed, sold out his master for personal gain. He committed an irredeemable mistake, and the Second Young Master finally lost heart, waking up from his delusions. Fortunately, the Second Young Master is a true gentleman. Out of consideration for their past bond, he went to great lengths to spare Ye Sha’s life, merely expelling him from the manor. Me: "I have something I’d like to ask." Ze Que: "Speak." Me: "Ye Tan... no, Ye Sha. Excluding me, he really only had two previous masters, right? There won't be a third, fourth, or fifth ex-master popping up, will there?" Ze Que: "...Are your priorities even in the right place?!" *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 夜行 | Night Walkers | The sect/organization of shadow guards. 夜隐雾尊 | Ye Yin, the Hidden Fog Sovereign | One of the three peak titles; focuses on concealment. 夜君御帝 | Ye Jun, the Imperial Lord Protector | One of the three peak titles; focuses on protection. 夜刹血魔 | Ye Sha, the Blood Demon | One of the three peak titles; focuses on slaughter. 秦可奏 | Qin Kezou | Ye Tan's first master. 清明 | Qingming Festival | Tomb-Sweeping Day; a traditional festival for mourning ancestors.