The rain continued to fall, and a heavy silence hung over the execution grounds.
*Tap, tap, tap—*
A series of light footsteps broke the quiet as Ye Zhao walked toward Pei Shian and the others.
As he passed Jiang Ziqi, he came to a halt and looked down. A faint smile suddenly played at the corners of his lips. "Why bother becoming a pair of ghost brothers in death? Isn't it better to be alive?"
His slender, jade-like hand reached out and gently patted the top of Jiang Ziqi’s head, ruffling his hair as if he were a loyal hound. "Jiang Ziqi, you absolute blockhead."
Seeing the man still sitting on the ground, staring up at him in a daze, the helplessness in Ye Zhao’s voice became even more apparent. "Can you really not recognize me anymore?"
The silence of the scene was shattered. Song He and the other officials instinctively straightened their backs and looked over, their expressions flickering between shock and uncertainty.
Visibly, Jiang Ziqi’s expression shifted from stunned amazement to slowly gaping wide. Those few words seemed to have finally flipped a switch somewhere inside him.
He suddenly lunged upward, shouting in disbelief, "Ye Zhao?!"
"Mm," Ye Zhao grunted in response.
"Is it really you, Ye Zhao?"
"Of course. Who else would I be?"
As soon as Ye Zhao finished speaking, Jiang Ziqi was overcome with joy. In a fit of ecstasy, he threw his arms around him. "You’re back! Ye Zhao, you’ve changed back!"
*Changed back?* Ye Zhao was speechless. Realizing he might have truly terrified his friend earlier, he lightly patted Jiang Ziqi’s back and offered a few words of patient comfort. "It’s a good thing you didn't move just now. Otherwise, if my blade had slipped, your little life would be gone."
Jiang Ziqi suddenly shoved him away, finally remembering the man’s previous behavior. He snapped angrily, "You still have the nerve to say that! You were so ruthless and cold-blooded; I really thought I was going to die by your hand!"
Ye Zhao turned his head away guiltily, avoiding his gaze. "Didn't I have to make the act convincing? Otherwise, how could I have fooled Sun Puhe? Not to mention saving all of you."
"Son..." A soft call came from beside them.
Ye Zhao turned to look. It was his father and mother, their eyes filled with a trace of tension and trepidation.
"Father, Mother, your son was impolite earlier. Please do not take offense." He walked over and bowed deeply in apology.
After carefully scrutinizing the expression on Ye Zhao’s face, Father Ye finally regained his sense of reality. He let out a long sigh of relief and pulled his son up. "Son, how could I blame you? It’s just... just that your acting was too realistic. You really gave your old man a fright."
Ye Zhao had thought that since he had already played the part twice before, one more time wouldn't hurt. He hadn't expected to actually scare his own father so badly.
Ye Zhao proactively sought forgiveness. "Yes, yes, I was wrong. I admit my mistake."
"Sigh, as long as we are all alright now..."
Just as Father Ye finished speaking, Mother Ye, who had been standing quietly to the side as if in a trance, suddenly snapped to her senses. She abruptly raised her hand and struck Ye Zhao.
Ye Zhao, having taken the blow: "???"
What happened?
Before he could figure out why he was being hit, his mother’s second strike arrived.
"What did I tell you before?! If you dared to get involved, see if I didn't beat you to death!"
*Holy crap!*
Ye Zhao immediately remembered that conversation and scrambled to dodge.
Mother Ye showed none of her previous steady and calm demeanor. Like a furious tigress, she chased Ye Zhao to beat him. "You even dared to deceive your own father and mother! You’ve truly gone too far!"
"Mother, Mother, I didn't do it on purpose!" Ye Zhao dodged left and right.
"You dare do this when it's 'not on purpose'? If you did it on purpose, would you dare take a knife to your father and me?!"
Ye Zhao felt his head throbbing. "How would I ever dare!"
Mother Ye, beyond the point of listening to reason, immediately shot back, "Why wouldn't you? Killing people without recognizing your own kin! Think you're pretty capable, don't you?"
"No, no, no, no, I'm not capable at all..." Ye Zhao shook his head like a rattle.
"I think you're plenty capable!" Mother Ye’s face was flushed with anger. She shoved aside Father Ye, who was trying to restrain her and persuade her to stop. "If I don't beat you to death today, you'll forget your own damn surname!"
With that, her eyes scanned the surroundings, suddenly landing on Father Ye.
Before he could react, Father Ye’s belt was snatched from his waist and held firmly in her hand.
*This is bad!*
Ye Zhao took off running immediately.
"Don't be angry! I only did what I had to do..."
"What do you mean 'had to'! I think your skin is just itching for a beating!"
Mother Ye chased Ye Zhao to strike him. The "Lord Tian Shu" who had just been exuding a ferocious, peerless, and awe-inspiring aura was now scurrying away with his head in his hands, looking utterly pathetic. His presence...
Was completely gone!
"Sigh..." Someone sighed.
Watching the two—one chasing, one fleeing—with a face full of weariness, they couldn't help but lament, "That is definitely not Lord Tian Shu."
"At least, not the one from a moment ago," Minister Qian added, following Minister Song’s remark.
After speaking, the two looked at each other, both tucking their hands into their sleeves with identical bitter expressions. The psychological gap was immense.
"Lord Tian Shu... changes truly fast," Grandfather of the State Yin spat out dryly.
"He said he was acting—acting as his former self," Minister Li added.
"So, what exactly happened to him? Did he break his brain?" Wei Xiyang couldn't help but ask.
Pei Shian ignored their chatter. He took an umbrella handed to him by a subordinate and walked forward slowly. "Madam Ye, perhaps you should calm your anger first."
Just as she was about to snap back, Mother Ye saw who was approaching. She forcibly swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue, her face stiffening as she bowed. "...Duke of An."
Pei Shian handed the umbrella to her, offering a warm smile. "Under the circumstances just now, Ye Zhao’s method was quite good. At the very least, he saved you all safely. Did he not?"
The fire in Mother Ye’s heart suddenly dissipated. She looked at Ye Zhao, who was hovering nearby with a sheepish look, and let out a breath. "...Home!"
Though she didn't say anything else, seeing his mother’s expression, Ye Zhao knew he had passed this hurdle. He smiled gratefully at Pei Shian.
Seeing that his mother was about to leave, Ye Zhao hesitated for a moment before speaking in a wheedling tone, "Mother, His Majesty has ordered me to assist in the investigation of the official salt matter. There are still things to handle. How about... you and Father go back first?"
Mother Ye’s eyes sharpened for a moment before her expression slowly relaxed. She frowned and dropped a single sentence: "Come home early once you're finished."
"Okay," Ye Zhao replied obediently.
"Sigh... Lord Tian Shu..." Someone sighed like a wandering soul, their tone filled with a thousand twists and turns and their eyes brimming with sorrow. If one didn't know better, they would think he was bidding a final farewell to a lover.
*Ugh.* Wei Xiyang shuddered and snapped, "Can't you speak properly? Why are you hanging on by half a breath?"
Grandfather Yin shot a resentful look at Wei Xiyang and gave two mirthless chuckles. "I can't compare to the Duke of Zhen, whose breath shoots straight to the heavens. One shout from you is enough to deafen a man."
Wei Xiyang choked. "Why are you being so sarcastic?"
"Am I being sarcastic?" Grandfather Yin looked at him sideways.
"Aren't you?!"
"Am I?"
...
Minister Yin and General Wei watched their respective fathers get into it again and sighed helplessly. They looked at each other, their eyes full of resignation.
On the way here, these two had happened to run into each other and somehow started bickering. It had taken a long time to mediate, which was why they were delayed.
Ye Zhao, having waved goodbye to his parents, looked back at the crowd still present and offered a smile. "I apologize for deceiving you all earlier."
The sound of Wei Xiyang and Grandfather Yin arguing paused. They shut their mouths, their expressions turning strange.
Wei Feng was wiping his blood-stained blade. Hearing this, he looked up and said with an unreadable tone, "Young Master Ye’s acting skills are truly admirable. I suspect even the real person wouldn't be more convincing than that."
The others chimed in with agreement, exchanging glances. The forced smiles on their faces were awkward to the extreme.
Ye Zhao: *...Why does that sound a bit strange?*
Without overthinking it, Ye Zhao offered a few humble words. "Not at all, you flatter me..."
Suddenly, Pei Shian spotted someone standing at the corner of the street not far away. "Mingyuan?"
*Hmm?*
Hearing this, the others followed his gaze. Sure enough, standing there was none other than the Duke of Mingde, Xie Mingyuan.
Evidently, the other man had noticed their gaze as well and began walking toward them slowly.
As he drew closer, they noticed the pallor of his face. Wei Xiyang frowned. "If your health is poor, don't go wandering about."
He looked behind the man; it was empty. He hadn't brought a single person with him. Wei Xiyang’s frown deepened. "You don't know martial arts. Why don't you know to bring a guard when you go out? If you ran into danger, who would save you?"
Those present knew Wei Xiyang had a foul mouth. Even when he meant to show concern, he insisted on saying it in such an annoying way.
"Death would be a clean end," Xie Mingyuan said calmly with a light cough. He lowered his eyelashes, looking quite frail.
"You know that's not what I meant." Wei Xiyang stubbornly refused to back down, though his expression was rather uneasy.
Pei Shian smoothed things over, reaching out to touch Xie Mingyuan’s clothes. "You've been standing for so long, your outer robe is soaked through. Go back and change quickly; it wouldn't be good to fall ill again."
"Mm," the other man replied softly, taking an umbrella someone had fetched for him.
He turned to leave. Suddenly, he looked back at Ye Zhao.
*?* Ye Zhao was somewhat confused, but the man left after that single glance without saying a word, so Ye Zhao didn't ask anything.
"I’m taking Jiang Ziqi back to the government office. Now that the true culprit is dead, he can go home," Ye Zhao said calmly to the group.
Though Sun Puhe was dead, there were still follow-up matters to handle. Wei Feng left with his troops without a word.
The others also took their leave.
Pei Shian, however, made no move to go. Ye Zhao looked at him with confusion, a smile tugging at his lips. "Why aren't you leaving?"
"Are you going to the palace later? Or... coming to my house to recover for a while? Once you come out of the yamen, you'll need to nurse your injuries for a time." He made this suggestion first, but his subsequent words were strangely puzzling—why would he say that?
Ye Zhao was stunned for a moment, then gave a helpless smile, knowing the other man had seen through his plan.
"You guessed it."
Pei Shian didn't confirm or deny it. A trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes as if he wanted to advise against something, but in the end, he only said, "...Do you really have to do this?"
Ye Zhao smiled and said nothing. Pei Shian understood his meaning.
Ye Zhao also realized that he had never actually been to the Pei residence before, and the idea appealed to him. "I suppose I'll trouble your household for a few days."
He gave a pained smile and continued, "I really don't dare stay in the palace any longer. In my current state, if I'm not tormented to death by that little brat, I'll be annoyed to death. Better to hide at your place for some peace and quiet."
"Alright," Pei Shian nodded.
Jiang Ziqi had been listening to the two speak in riddles, completely lost. He saw Pei Shian reach out and touch Ye Zhao’s right hand, which was hanging at his side. "How is it? Should we see a doctor first?"
"What's wrong?" He also curiously reached out to pinch Ye Zhao’s arm.
"Hiss—" Ye Zhao quickly dodged. "Don't touch, don't touch. I overexerted myself just now; I've strained the tendons."
"Huh?" Jiang Ziqi’s mouth fell open in shock.
Ye Zhao looked at him sideways. "What's with the fuss? Is this the first day you've known I don't have martial arts?"
No, it wasn't. He had always known Ye Zhao couldn't fight.
But... but...
He exclaimed in shock, "Then just now...!" *You fought that hard?*
Recalling the scene of his battle with Sun Puhe, it didn't look like someone who lacked martial arts. Jiang Ziqi was both shocked and incredulous.
Ye Zhao suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He moved his right hand, which was numb, painful, and completely devoid of strength. "That's why, to save a little fool like you, my hand ended up like this."
"...Ye Zhao," Jiang Ziqi whispered, his mood dropping as he called out blankly.
"Father, you go back first."
Nearby, while everyone else had left, Minister Li and his daughter were still lingering.
Minister Li’s face darkened, and the look he gave Jiang Ziqi was extremely unfriendly.
"So it's convenient for you to stay and accompany that brat?"
Minister Li’s poise and cultivation had truly met their match in Jiang Ziqi. "Don't even think about it! Didn't you want to stay? Your father happens to have nothing to do right now. We'll go back together later."
"..." Li Yunrong felt helpless. Seeing her father’s determined attitude, she knew there was no talking him out of it, so she simply let him be.
Only then did Jiang Ziqi realize why Ye Zhao was escorting him back to the yamen.
It was because Ye Zhao had to officially withdraw the charges.
"Ye... Ye Zhao!" Jiang Ziqi collapsed onto the ground, his eyes rimmed with red, watching the whip fall onto Ye Zhao’s back one stroke after another.
"Ugh... what are you crying for? I'm the one being hit, not you." Ye Zhao appeared to be sitting cross-legged on the ground in a dashing posture, but his body was wound tight. His back was already bleeding. His breath was unsteady as he spoke, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat.
But if it weren't for him, Ye Zhao wouldn't be suffering this flogging.
Jiang Ziqi’s heart was filled with bitter pain, and he could only keep saying, "I'm sorry."
"I didn't know... you... since when were you such a crybaby?" Ye Zhao forced out another sentence.
"Ye Zhao! You are my blood brother! From now on, if I have a bite to eat, you have one too! My parents are your parents, and your parents are my own flesh and blood parents!"
"Pfft." Ye Zhao couldn't help but be amused. Looking at the teary-eyed Jiang Ziqi making his vow, he said jokingly, "We aren't bandits. Can't you say something that sounds a bit better?"
Jiang Ziqi’s eyes were red. "Fine! From this day forward, we share our joys and our sorrows. I'm two months older than you. From now on, I'm your Big Brother! I'll definitely treat you well!"
A black line slid down Ye Zhao’s mind. *Forget it. Call you Big Brother?*
"Shameless!" After Ye Zhao said this, his face turned even paler.
"Don't hit him! Hit me instead! I'm thick-skinned and can take a beating!" Jiang Ziqi lunged forward, shielding Ye Zhao’s back.
The executioner stopped and looked toward Magistrate Chen, who was sitting at the head of the hall. Magistrate Chen himself was restless and felt truly put on the spot, especially with the Duke of An and a Minister of the Boards standing nearby, staring at him coldly.
Magistrate Chen wiped the sweat from his brow, about to say "forget it."
Though the pain was severe, Ye Zhao hadn't lost consciousness. He pushed Jiang Ziqi away. "Don't cause trouble."
As if being treated like an ignorant child, Jiang Ziqi felt hurt.
"Continue. Ten more strokes." Ye Zhao straightened his back again. Though his face looked terrible, his tone brooked no argument.
After a moment of hesitation, the executioner’s whip fell upon Ye Zhao’s back once more.
Knowing he couldn't help, Jiang Ziqi could only fret. Like a red-eyed rabbit, he sat helplessly by Ye Zhao’s side, watching him with wide eyes.
From the start of the punishment until now, Ye Zhao hadn't cried out once. It had to be said, it was admirable.
Jiang Ziqi’s parents stood to the side, watching Ye Zhao with emotion. They knew their son owed Ye Zhao a massive debt this time; this was a friend worth having!
"Ye Zhao, if I hadn't pestered you when we were kids, you wouldn't be suffering this beating today. Do you regret being friends with me? Wuu..."
"I remember, I remember everything now. Back then, it was because I kept calling you a freak and a little old man that you became 'stupid' later. You were clearly so smart before; even your mother said you were as smart as an adult when you were little. It must have been my fault."
"Ye Zhao!"
"Stop shouting, you're calling my soul away!" Ye Zhao’s head throbbed from the noise. This chatterbox Jiang Ziqi not only talked too much, but his thoughts jumped around too fast.
This was something from how many years ago? And he was digging it up now... Sigh.
Ye Zhao didn't bother replying, letting him shout. It would be over once the beating was finished anyway.
But speaking of this, Ye Zhao did recall that his later transformation couldn't be said to be entirely unrelated to Jiang Ziqi’s words back then. Even though he had completely lost the memories of his past life at the time, certain instincts and values were carved into his bones.
He knew he was different from ordinary children, so he subconsciously began to disguise himself. Later... as time passed, he even fooled himself. This was likely a form of assimilation.
Seeing Ye Zhao close his eyes, Jiang Ziqi immediately jumped in fright. "Ye Zhao, don't faint! Don't scare me!"
*Noisy, noisy, noisy. My ears hurt.*
Ye Zhao silently counted the strokes. After the final lash, he opened his eyes and laboriously pulled his outer robe back on, covering the wounds on his back.
"...Stop shouting," Ye Zhao patted Jiang Ziqi’s shoulder, cutting off his remaining words. "Also, don't tell my father and mother about today. If they ask, say I'm handling business in the palace and will be back in five days. I'm leaving."
After leaving those instructions, Ye Zhao didn't have the energy to say more. His face was white as he gently pulled his arm from Jiang Ziqi’s grasp. Pei Shian stepped forward and supported him.
The two walked slowly toward the exit.
Looking at their retreating backs, Jiang Ziqi wanted to say something, but in the end, his mouth just opened and closed without a sound.
"Father..." Li Yunrong called out thoughtfully, turning her head to ask, "Ye Zhao, he is actually...?"
Minister Li only glanced at her once, not answering the unfinished question.
After a long while, he simply stared at the now-empty doorway and said, "If one day you forget who you are, when I see you again, I will recognize you as my daughter."
Even if she didn't recognize him as her father.
Li Yunrong fell silent, as if she understood something.
At that moment, they heard Jiang Ziqi call out softly, "Rongrong?"
The father and daughter turned to look. Jiang Ziqi stood there with a face full of hesitation.
"I... I lied to you before. It was my fault," he managed to squeeze out.
Just as Li Yunrong was about to say something, Minister Li beat her to it. "It's good that you know!"
...
"Cough..." Li Yunrong coughed lightly and tugged at her father’s sleeve, signaling him not to be so aggressive.
In truth, by now, the anger in her heart had long since vanished.
The moment she heard Jiang Ziqi had been kidnapped, her heart had been in her throat. She knew she was done for; Jiang Ziqi’s web of affection had truly trapped her within it.
Fortunately, his earlier monologue had left her without a trace of regret.
"Let the past be the past. Jiang Ziqi, you..." Li Yunrong looked at him, her voice pausing as if she wanted to say something but couldn't quite bring herself to. Finally, she only said, "I will come to see you another day."
*Eh?!*
Minister Li was stunned. The meaning of those words was...
Having finished, Li Yunrong turned her head away and pulled Minister Li along to leave.
Jiang Ziqi’s mind went blank for a second before he suddenly reacted, his face gradually breaking into a wide grin. "Alright! I'll wait for you, Rongrong!"
Lingering affection, old flames reigniting!
Minister Li’s face was black. Watching his daughter’s appearance—feigning composure while clearly in the throes of young love—he felt as if a mouthful of old blood was stuck in his throat, choking him.
***
