Once, I Was a Legend | Chapter 94 | The Silver Ring's Secret | Novela.app

"I didn't expect you to suspect Mingyuan," Pei Shian’s familiar voice came from behind, his tone thick with emotion and helplessness. Ye Zhao turned his head and countered, "Why couldn't it be him? In my eyes, he was the candidate who best fit my expectations." "Do you still think so, even now?" Pei Shian asked. Since Xie Mingyuan’s departure, the tent had returned to a heavy silence. *Well...* Ye Zhao thought it over but did not answer. Given the immense kindness Tianshu had shown Xie Mingyuan, no one—unless they were naturally cold-blooded and ungrateful—would choose to repay such grace with enmity. Especially considering Xie Mingyuan was the one who had personally overseen the execution of the entire Xie clan back then; logically, it was even more impossible. "Sigh..." After a long silence, he let out a soft breath. "I don't know." By now, Ye Zhao had fallen into a state of confusion. He tapped the folding fan in his hand rhythmically against his other palm. "Why didn't you suspect someone else? For instance, Grand Preceptor Yin?" Pei Shian asked softly. Grand Preceptor Yin, who had been hiding in the corner like a tortoise retracting into its shell, felt his heart skip a beat at the mention of his name. He remained silent. He had no desire to draw Ye Zhao’s attention; he had seen the scene just now. If he were the one Ye Zhao suspected with such intensity, it would be a lie to say he wouldn't be terrified! However, Ye Zhao only spared him a fleeting glance before saying hesitantly, "Perhaps... it's because when I deliberately treated him as the culprit, I didn't get that *feeling*?" "But with the Duke of Mingde, it was different. He gave me a sense of..." Ye Zhao paused, his expression deepening in thought. "A sense of... meeting a worthy opponent? No, that’s not quite right. Tsk, it’s really hard to describe." The expressions of the others froze, and their gazes toward Ye Zhao slowly filled with a certain realization. Pei Shian stood with one hand behind his back. Hearing this, he couldn't help but sigh with emotion. "To think it was because of that." "Hmm?" Ye Zhao was puzzled. "What do you mean?" Wei Xiyang let out a cold snort and said nothing, looking as though he had already guessed the reason behind Pei Shian’s words. "Do you know what Tianshu’s evaluation of Mingyuan was?" "What was it?" Ye Zhao asked casually, though he thought dismissively, *What does that have to do with me?* Pei Shian looked at him and said, "He once said that in terms of intellect, Mingyuan was the greatest in the world, unsurpassed by anyone—including himself. He didn't say this just once. Although I don't know how he reached such a conclusion, he was very certain in his words." *The greatest in the world?* Ye Zhao was stunned. This evaluation truly shocked him. "Therefore, if they were enemies, Mingyuan would likely be the opponent Tianshu valued most. Fortunately... such a thing would never happen." Pei Shian lowered his eyes, his voice growing faint. "I thought I disguised myself quite well, but it seems I really can't hide it from you all." Ye Zhao cracked his neck, relaxing his body, his expression tinged with regret. Impersonating Tianshu was a matter of 'clumsy the first time, practiced the second.' It was just that he hadn't slept all night and had just exhausted himself performing this grand drama, only to fail in unearthing the mastermind. A total waste of effort. *Sigh...* "But no one could be more like him than you," Pei Shian said. Ye Zhao’s expression faltered for an imperceptible moment. "As for today’s matter, I was reckless. I ask Your Majesty for forgiveness." Although Emperor Wei had been drained by the chaos Ye Zhao caused, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to be truly harsh. With a soft sigh, he instructed Ye Zhao to apologize to Xie Mingyuan and then reflect on his actions in seclusion. As soon as Ye Zhao stepped out of the tent, he saw someone waiting in the clearing. "General Xiao?" Ye Zhao looked at Xiao Hongfei’s soiled clothing and unkempt appearance, asking in surprise, "General Xiao, why aren't you back in your tent freshening up? Why are you waiting here? Do you have a matter to discuss with His Majesty?" Xiao Hongfei’s purpose for waiting was not that. He glanced at the few people standing beside Ye Zhao, pursed his lips, and said, "I have something to say to you." Ye Zhao looked at him. "Oh? Please, speak." "..." Xiao Hongfei stood with a stoic face, arms crossed over his chest. His expression as he looked at Ye Zhao was extremely complex, with a faint hint of something strange buried within. He asked, "Do you really want me to say it here?" Ye Zhao blinked, looking around. There were indeed quite a few people nearby, but... there didn't seem to be anything between him and Xiao Hongfei that couldn't be said aloud. Certainly nothing that others shouldn't hear. Thus, he replied, "Just say what you have to say." Xiao Hongfei stared at him for two seconds. Amidst Ye Zhao’s increasing confusion, he suddenly blurted out, "Do you still want your ring?" "Huh?" Ye Zhao was floored. "What ring? Where would I get a ring?" He was utterly bewildered, his face a mask of pure confusion. Xiao Hongfei answered matter-of-factly, "Naturally, the ring you gave to my adoptive father. He wore it on his hand until the day he died, never letting it leave his person." *Boom—* It was as if a bomb had detonated in the hearts of the surrounding people. "What are you talking about? When did I ever give anyone a ring?" Where would he even get a ring, let alone give one to someone else! While Ye Zhao was still lost in confusion, Wei Xiyang suddenly roared at him, "You dissolute scoundrel! You really did have a secret affair with him?!" "???" Could someone please tell him what on earth was happening? Ye Zhao was dumbfounded. "Old Man Wei, did you take the wrong medicine? Who did I have an affair with? Make yourself clear!" Wei Xiyang was so angry he looked ready to jump up and thrash the man in front of him. He knew it! Back then, seeing those two fighting so intensely on the battlefield, only to be 'exchanging glances,' 'thick as thieves,' and 'cherishing each other's talents' afterward—so there really *was* a romance?! "He said it right to our faces! Could he have made it up just to lie to us?!" Wei Xiyang was held back by several people working together. Xiao Hongfei responded promptly, his voice flat, "Every word I say is the truth." "Did you hear that?!" Wei Xiyang struggled to rush forward and punch Ye Zhao, shouting furiously, "I finally know why he came to the State of Wei! He’s here to collect a debt for his adoptive father who died alone!" "Collect a debt? What do I owe their family?!" Ye Zhao ducked behind Jiang Ziqi, not daring to go head-to-head with the enraged Old General Wei. "You tell me! Isn't it the romantic debt you incurred by philandering and dallying with others everywhere?!" Wei Xiyang rarely used such flowery language, but this time he had been driven to use two idioms in a row. But Ye Zhao heard them without understanding. He even suspected Wei Xiyang’s brain had malfunctioned. "Are you senile? When did I ever dally with anyone?" Wei Xiyang pointed at him and demanded, "Did you or did you not give him a ring?!" Ye Zhao felt his head throbbing. "Who did I give a ring to?!" Xiao Hongfei replied, "Yes. You gave it to my adoptive father, Xiao Mu." Ye Zhao turned his head to look at him, stunned. *Brother, what nonsense are you spouting?* Then he saw the old general continue his interrogation. "Did you once say that a ring represents a token of love?!" Ye Zhao thought back. He seemed to have... indeed... said something similar at some point. He answered hesitantly, "Uh... yes." The moment the words left his mouth, Wei Xiyang summoned all his strength to charge at Ye Zhao. "Then how dare you quibble?! The man's son has come to the door to find you!!" Although he wasn't clear on the logic of the other two, or how a ring had been linked to him, Ye Zhao still had to say, "Giving someone a ring doesn't always mean it's a token of love." *Gah...* The chaotic scene suddenly went still. Wei Xiyang stopped moving and asked in a low voice, "There are other meanings?" "Of course! This kind of ring is usually gold or silver." Wei Xiyang asked, "If you had to choose, which color do you prefer?" Seeing that he seemed to have calmed down slightly, Ye Zhao tentatively stated his preference. "Silver, I suppose. I like silver more than gold." Right then, Xiao Hongfei’s voice drifted over eerily. "What a coincidence. The ring my adoptive father wore happened to be silver." This was the final straw. The fire atop Wei Xiyang’s head burned even brighter than before. "I’ll kill you today, you degenerate!!!" As the others desperately held him back, Ye Zhao looked at the fuming Wei Xiyang, his heart trembling. "Didn't you ask me? Is it a crime to answer?!" His tone was one of utter bafflement and grievance. "Besides, there’s a specific way to wear a ring on the fingers. If it’s on the wrong one, it doesn't count." "It was on the fourth finger." Before Ye Zhao could speak, he heard someone else say it. He nodded subconsciously. "Right! That’s the finger it should be on." Instantly, Wei Xiyang’s rage exploded. Ye Zhao turned his head. Great, it was that fellow Xiao Hongfei again. He was beyond exasperated. "What kind of fire are you trying to stoke?!" Xiao Hongfei watched with cold eyes. "I am merely telling the truth. Besides, didn't you tell me to speak?" Ye Zhao snapped, " I told you to speak, not to talk nonsense!" "I am not talking nonsense," Xiao Hongfei said with calm earnestness. "You truly did give my adoptive father such a ring." He paused, then added as if remembering something, "Though you no longer remember it." Ye Zhao: *I never had that memory to begin with!!!* Fine, it seemed no one would listen to his explanations anyway. Ye Zhao adopted a cold, indifferent face. "Was there an engraving on the ring? If not, it doesn't count." To his surprise, Xiao Hongfei nodded seriously. "There was. There were indeed several characters I didn't recognize engraved on the inside of the band." At this point, Ye Zhao had to admit that the ring was very likely a wedding ring. He sighed. "Fine, I have nothing left to say. That is indeed a wedding ring. But what does that have to do with me?" He spread his hands, asking with righteous indignation. But in the next second, the response he received was Wei Xiyang’s fist flying toward his face. "TIANSHU!!!" After a sharp pain in his forehead, Ye Zhao’s vision began to swim in darkness. Wei Xiyang’s roar, loud as a bronze bell, echoed in his ears. He wanted to snap back at Wei Xiyang, but the darkness encroached too quickly. It was as if a robot that had been functioning normally a second ago suddenly ran out of power and crashed. Ye Zhao’s body went rigid and fell straight backward. Then, he lost consciousness. This gave the group of people standing nearby a fright. To faint just like that—did Wei Xiyang really show no mercy with that punch? They hurriedly scrambled to carry Ye Zhao away. Wei Xiyang himself was startled. Had he really failed to control his strength? But it shouldn't be. No matter how strong he was, he shouldn't have been able to knock the man out with a single punch, right? *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 殷国丈 | Grand Preceptor Yin | Also "Imperial Father-in-law Yin"; a high-ranking official and relative of the Emperor. 萧木 | Xiao Mu | The deceased adoptive father of Xiao Hongfei; a former rival/associate of Tianshu. 萧鸿飞 | Xiao Hongfei | A general, the adoptive son of Xiao Mu. 婚戒 | Wedding ring | Referred to in the text as a ring with specific cultural significance (fourth finger, engraving). 浪荡混子 | Dissolute scoundrel | A derogatory term used by Wei Xiyang for Ye Zhao. 勾三搭四 | Philandering / Dallying | An idiom meaning to flirt or have improper relations with many people.