Once, I Was a Legend | Chapter 18 | The Grand Duke's Arrival | Novela.app

That evening, at the Pei Residence. The father and son, having finished their respective dinners, rarely found themselves gathered in the same room. "Why did you go to Zhiyuan Academy?" Pei Shian asked. Given Pei Yunting’s level of scholarship, there was no need for him to study there. "Did you not go as well, Father?" Pei Yunting replied coolly. He had only learned of the matter a few days prior and, driven by an indiscernible motive, had followed suit. Yet, it was only after he had been enrolled for several days that Pei Shian brought it up, as if he had only just discovered his son was also at the academy today. He pursed his lips and asked coldly, "Is it because of Ye Zhao?" The room fell into a deeper silence. The other man said nothing for a moment before finally speaking. "And if it is?" Pei Yunting pressed his thin lips together tightly, his entire being resembling an ice sculpture, his expression frozen and stern. A certain face flashed before his eyes. He gritted his teeth; the boy merely looked similar, nothing more... "Father, do not be deceived by appearances. He is Ye Zhao, not anyone else!" His low voice seemed to emphasize every word, carrying a hidden implication. "He is not necessarily the Son of Tianxu." Pei Yunting looked up, their gazes colliding, neither yielding. After a long pause, he heard Pei Shian say, "I know who he is." His eyes were deep and filled with a complexity that no one could decipher. Pei Yunting fell silent, not believing his father's words. In fact, he felt his father was merely deceiving himself. At the same time, he knew that certain rumors circulating in the streets were actually true. The two parted on bad terms, neither able to convince the other. Pei Shian’s identity did not remain a secret for long before everyone in Class A found out. Before they could even process their shock, another person arrived who was equally unexpected. The way they looked at Ye Zhao became increasingly strange... That afternoon, Ye Zhao had run a few laps around the training field and was already exhausted. He sat by the edge of the field to rest, watching the others in the center practicing combat, drawing bows, riding horses, and training with spears with fervent energy. Ye Zhao felt his own weakness from the bottom of his heart. He felt it was better for him and his fellow "useless" brother to stay on the sidelines and offer praise rather than going up there to seek a sense of presence. Suddenly, a shadow fell over him. Ye Zhao looked up. "???" He saw a face that looked inexplicably familiar. Had he seen him somewhere before? Ye Zhao silently turned his head to adjust his perspective. Yes, looking at him this way made him seem even more familiar. He thought for a long while before finally retrieving this man's silhouette from a certain memory. "Why is it you?!" Ye Zhao was startled. Beside him, Jiang Ziqi had never personally seen Wei Xiyang, the Grand Duke of Zhen. He only felt that this old man looked fierce and difficult to provoke. He whispered to Ye Zhao, "Who is this?" Ye Zhao thought for a moment; he didn't seem to know the answer to that either. He only knew that when this man first appeared, he had pressed down on his injury. "Uh..." Ye Zhao paused, then whispered back, "I don't know either." Wei Xiyang watched the two of them whispering as if no one else were there. With a dark face, he barked, "This old man’s surname is Wei. I am the new martial arts instructor." At this, both were stunned. Ye Zhao was worried that his future training sessions would be difficult, as his first meeting with this Old Master Wei had been quite unpleasant. On the other hand, Jiang Ziqi felt this opening was strangely familiar, much like when they first met the old Prime Minister Pei. The music teacher surnamed Pei was actually the old Prime Minister; then this martial arts instructor surnamed Wei couldn't possibly be... A suspicion silently took root in his mind. However, time did not allow him to think further. The new martial arts instructor was already dutifully fulfilling his obligations. "What are you two doing here? Get to training, now!" "Yes!" At that majestic roar, Jiang Ziqi shuddered in fear. He grabbed Ye Zhao and scrambled away. He soon discovered that this new Instructor Wei seemed to have a grudge against them. His eyes were practically glued to them, monitoring their every move, leaving them no room to slack off. Gasping for breath, Jiang Ziqi threw limp punches as he sparred with Ye Zhao. Their limbs were weak and sore; they looked like they were performing drunken boxing in a dream. "Ye Zhao... why does this Instructor Wei... keep staring at us?" Ye Zhao’s forehead was covered in sweat. He thought for a moment and said, "Probably because I met him not long ago." Jiang Ziqi didn't understand at first, but then Ye Zhao added, "And that first meeting... wasn't a very pleasant experience." "..." Jiang Ziqi froze. Fine, he understood everything now. He had wondered why Instructor Wei was always glaring at them; it turned out he was just being caught in the crossfire while the man was primarily targeting Ye Zhao. Jiang Ziqi stopped and cupped his fists in a salute. "Farewell, brother. I suddenly remembered I haven't ridden a horse in a long time. I'm going to do a few laps. Find someone else to spar with." With that, he vanished in a flash. Ye Zhao: "..." Calls me "brother," yet runs away so fast! Ye Zhao plopped down on the ground, panting with exhaustion. The Yulin Guard who had blended into the academy secretly shook his head. To be honest, even those in Class A who intended to become civil officials knew a move or two; none had worse physical stamina than Ye Zhao. In truth, he couldn't be blamed. Back in Class D, they didn't have to learn these things. Ye Zhao couldn't help but miss those leisurely days of the past. Wei Xiyang stood not far away, frowning as he watched Ye Zhao. In the field, Pei Yunting was dressed in black training robes, his dark hair tied high. His figure was tall and sturdy. He had noticed Wei Xiyang the moment he appeared, and several others had likewise recognized the Grand Duke of Zhen. They watched as Wei Xiyang walked toward Ye Zhao. Ye Zhao looked up; with the sun behind the man, a face like a dark-faced god of wrath filled his vision. "Get up!" Wei Xiyang led Ye Zhao to the archery range, his voice seemingly suppressed with anger. "Take it. Practice!" As he spoke, he tossed a bow to him and stood aside with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on Ye Zhao. Ye Zhao: "..." He was now certain this man definitely found him eyesore. This was the first time Ye Zhao had held a bow and arrow. He adjusted his grip to a comfortable position and aimed at the target fifty paces away. "Wait. Raise your hand higher, spread your feet." Seeing his posture was substandard, Wei Xiyang stepped forward to adjust his movements. Ye Zhao was quite obedient. Perhaps because it was his first time and there was an element of novelty, he did exactly as he was told. Although Wei Xiyang wore a sour expression and grew angrier the more he watched Ye Zhao's performance, he taught with genuine seriousness. "Like that. Don't move!" "...Hey! ...Don't let your hand tremble!" Shortly after drawing the bow, Ye Zhao couldn't hold it anymore. The lack of strength in his arms was truly beyond his control. With a *clack*, the arrow fell. Immediately, someone nearby burst out laughing, only to be startled into silence by a glare from Wei Xiyang. They hurriedly pretended to be focused on their own practice. Then, Wei Xiyang turned back and stared blankly at Ye Zhao. Wei Xiyang said disdainfully, "How can you be so useless?" Ye Zhao pulled a smile, his skin thicker than a city wall. "I just am this useless." "..." An awkward silence fell between them. Wei Xiyang had an expression like he had swallowed a fly. "Then what are you smiling for?" Ye Zhao: "If I don't smile, should I cry?" To be honest, he really did feel like crying. Wei Xiyang was choked up again, feeling as though his fate was fundamentally at odds with Ye Zhao's. "Are you trying to provoke me on purpose?" Ye Zhao: "If I provoke you to death, wouldn't I have to take responsibility?" His look of utter frankness and sincerity made Wei Xiyang’s face turn even darker. It was only the first day, and he hadn't even spoken many words to Ye Zhao, yet he already felt full of rage—as if he were making up for all the anger he hadn't felt over the past several years! "Less nonsense! Get back to practicing!" If he stayed any longer, the short-tempered Grand Duke would truly be unable to resist the urge to hit someone. Thus, he dropped that command and stomped off to the side to continue his supervision. Ye Zhao sighed and resignedly picked up an arrow. His arms were still a bit weak. He notched the arrow and aimed at the distant target but did not draw the bow. Instead, a different idea popped into his head. Hmm? Someone’s gaze drifted toward Ye Zhao and paused. They saw Ye Zhao standing sideways, holding the bow in his left hand, but with an arrow in his right hand. He stared at the distant target and, with a *whoosh*, flung the arrow out by hand. And then... Of course, it didn't hit. It didn't even graze the edge of the target. "Hahahaha..." "That's hilarious!" "What a fantasy. Throwing an arrow without a bow... I'm afraid only Young Lord Yunting could hit the target like that." "Exactly. Ye Zhao doesn't know a lick of martial arts. This is just overestimating himself." "..." Ye Zhao hadn't actually intended to "shoot" the arrow; he just suddenly wanted to try throwing it like a dart to test his aim. "What are you laughing at? Get back to your own practice!" Wei Xiyang roared, and the field returned to a state of fervent training. Ye Zhao lowered his head and weighed an arrow in his hand, looking as if he were deep in thought. Wei Xiyang watched him but said nothing. After a while, he saw Ye Zhao raise his hand and throw another arrow. As expected, it missed. Wei Xiyang felt a slight pang of disappointment. If this truly was that person's child, the gap between father and son was simply too vast. He looked away and failed to see that another arrow Ye Zhao flung actually struck the target, though it fell to the ground because it lacked sufficient force. However, this scene was caught by several others, as their primary focus had been on Ye Zhao all along. Ye Zhao raised his hand again. He had truly begun to treat archery as throwing darts and was becoming serious. But this time, before the arrow in his hand could be flung, the bell for the end of class rang. Ye Zhao snapped out of his focused state, put down the arrow, packed up, and left with Jiang Ziqi. "Yunting, it seems Young Master Ye’s aim is quite good," Xie Yusong said softly, standing beside Pei Yunting. "Mm." Pei Yunting uttered a non-committal syllable and then went to change his clothes. *If Ye Zhao were given a bit more time, I wonder if that arrow could have hit the bullseye...* someone thought. As time went on, Wei Xiyang fully realized that Ye Zhao was truly incompetent at everything—he couldn't even win a fight for food. One day at noon, he passed by the classroom and saw Jiang Ziqi snatch Ye Zhao’s pastry and run. Ye Zhao chased him for a few steps before becoming too lazy to move further, watching the other boy eat with longing eyes. He looked like a pathetic soul who couldn't win and could only resign himself to his fate... Seeing this, Wei Xiyang nearly fainted from anger. "Sigh..." Ye Zhao and his friend turned around to see Instructor Wei let out a long, inexplicable sigh before striding away. "Eh? What's wrong with Old General Wei now?" Yes, this man's identity was no longer a secret. His explosive temper over the past few days had certainly made an impression on everyone. Jiang Ziqi wondered, "Why does he look like someone owes him money?" Ye Zhao casually took a piece of pastry from Jiang Ziqi's hand and said flatly, "Who knows? Maybe someone really does owe him money and hasn't paid it back." The two laughed together. Yes, that would explain why he was constantly in a state of irritation. "Pfft..." A light chuckle came from behind them. Ye Zhao turned to see Xie Yusong. He used his folding fan to lightly hide the curve of his lips, but it couldn't conceal the smile in his eyes, which seemed to hold the warmth of a June sun. It was bright and moving, his voice like a clear spring. "Young Master Ye is mistaken. Who would dare owe money to Uncle Wei?" Ye Zhao thought about how Old General Wei looked like someone you shouldn't mess with even when he wasn't angry. "I suppose you're right." *They'd probably scramble to pay him back before he even opened his mouth...* Ye Zhao silently added in his head. Jiang Ziqi asked curiously, "Then why is he always so furious? It seems... he especially can't stand Ye Zhao?" Though his tone sounded uncertain, that was exactly how he felt in his heart. Xie Yusong looked at Ye Zhao and smiled meaningfully. "Perhaps he discovered that some things are far from what he imagined." Ye Zhao processed this, and a phrase suddenly popped into his mind: *Reality is far less beautiful than the imagination???* Xie Yusong left it at that. The two didn't think deeply about what his words meant. After spending these days together, they had become friends who could exchange a few words. Jiang Ziqi asked him, "Want some?" Counting Xie Yusong’s help at Chiyin Lake, Jiang Ziqi had a good impression of him. The other man glanced at the pastry in his hand and replied politely yet warmly, "No, thank you. I am not hungry yet." "Oh..." Jiang Ziqi didn't mind and went back to eating with Ye Zhao. Wei Xiyang, having finished his daily bout of anger, once again made himself at home in Pei Shian’s lounge. "I'm going to die of anger! How can Ye Zhao be such a waste! He doesn't have even half the grace of his father!!!" Wei Xiyang poured himself a cup of tea. "I'm telling you, others are bullying him to his face, and he just endures it!" "Truly, a dragon gives birth to nine sons and they are all different—and one of them is a tortoise!" "If this were his father, and someone dared to snatch his things, the grass on their grave would be two chang high by now!!!" *Slam!* Wei Xiyang set the teacup down hard, gasping for air. Seeing the calm, unruffled man before him, his anger stalled. "How can you be so calm? No! I've never seen you get angry at Ye Zhao!" Pei Shian said indifferently, "Why should I be angry? Isn't Ye Zhao very good?" "Very good?!" Wei Xiyang nearly toppled over. "He's a total failure in both civil and martial arts! You call that 'very good'?! And his personality is soft as mush, no temper at all, a complete pushover!" "Pei Shian, is your vision clouded by gunk?!" Even in his old age, Old General Wei was still fiery and impetuous, his temper not diminished one bit from his youth, and his speech was just as blunt. Pei Shian advised him, "Wei Xiyang, you are in your sixties now. Don't be so loud and rowdy; getting angry harms the body." It was strange; he and Wei Xiyang had polar opposite personalities and argued frequently. Usually, General Wei would be thundering with rage while Pei Shian would be cold-faced and exasperated. Yet over the years, the person they trusted most when things happened was each other. The relationship between the Pei and Wei families was exceptionally close; to outsiders, the two of them often seemed like a pair of intimate arch-rivals. "Harm the body? One look at Ye Zhao’s cowardly state and I lose ten years of my life!!!" This was the roar of the frustrated Old General Wei, slamming the table in disappointment. Pei Shian looked at him and truly marveled at the man's vitality. "Then go back. Out of sight, out of mind." It would give him some peace as well. "Go back?!" Old General Wei’s eyes widened, his beard bristling. "How can I go back! If I don't straighten out that waste Ye Zhao, I won't be able to close my eyes even in death!!" With that, the ambitious Old General Wei turned and rushed out again, heaven knows to do what. Behind him, Pei Shian sighed helplessly. Ever since Wei Xiyang arrived at Zhiyuan Academy, he hadn't had a single day of peace! Furthermore... when had he ever said Ye Zhao was that man's son? *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 卫西扬 | Wei Xiyang | The Grand Duke of Zhen, a famous general and new martial arts instructor. 镇国公 | Grand Duke of Zhen | A high-ranking noble title (Duke of the State). 天枢 | Tianxu | Literally "Heaven's Pivot" (the star Dubhe in the Big Dipper). Likely a title or code name for a significant figure. 天枢之子 | Son of Tianxu | A mysterious title referring to Ye Zhao's suspected parentage. 羽林卫 | Yulin Guards | "Feather Forest" Guards; elite imperial guards. 两丈 | Two chang | A unit of length; 1 chang is roughly 3.3 meters. Used hyperbolically here.