Volume One, Chapter 14: The Face-to-Face Greeting Is Truly a Matter of Dignity

Outside the Ye Residence, in a teahouse, Ye Fusang’s face turned deathly pale the moment Yefusang landed. “Brother Jingzhi, can you not fly so fast next time?”

Jingzhi said nothing, tilting his head slightly as he stood quietly behind Chu Ye.

Chu Ye sat by the tea table, leisurely pouring a cup of tea. His white robes were spotless, and under the daylight, his cold, pale profile lost some of its oppressive aura. His indifferent peach blossom eyes glanced at Ye Fusang with a subtle, languid coolness.

Where are you staring…? Ye Fusang noticed Chu Ye’s gaze was strange and suddenly remembered she was still wearing his clothes.

Looks like this lord intends to settle accounts after the harvest.

Despite her panic, Ye Fusang managed a faint smile. It seemed that although Chu Ye and Ji Yan shared one soul, their memories did not overlap. However, she had not forgotten to have those women deliver clothes to Chu Ye before leaving. “My lord, given the situation, I really had no choice. If it’s not acceptable, I can take these clothes off and return them to you.”

With that, Ye Fusang made a show of trying to remove the garments.

Chu Ye’s peach blossom eyes were icy and lazy, half-smiling without a word.

“Brr… it’s a bit cold,” Ye Fusang said as she unfastened the outer layer, then wrapped it back around herself. “My lord, I just got out of the water; I’ll catch a cold.”

“You’re thick-skinned, not afraid,” Chu Ye replied, flipping the white jade bodhi beads on his wrist. “Let me help you take it off.”

“No… wait, it’s broad daylight…” Before Ye Fusang could finish, the white jade bodhi beads in Chu Ye’s hand shot out and struck the back collar of her clothes, instantly dispersing the entire garment.

At that moment, a red-clad figure descended from above, broad hands pressing the clothes back onto Ye Fusang’s body. The white jade bodhi beads were deflected back into Chu Ye’s hand by a sword sheath.

“You’ve been bullied, so I’ll protect you,” Xiao Wogu said, drawing his sword immediately.

The sharp blade instantly lunged toward Chu Ye.

Ye Fusang was deeply moved by Xiao Wogu’s protection but dared not move as she watched the scene unfold.

“Memory or not, they’re both this foolish,” Chu Ye said, sitting still and watching the man protecting Ye Fusang with a faint smile. Jingzhi blocked the attack with a single sword. Though their fight had little consequence at first, within moments, they had leapt to the roof of the teahouse.

Ye Fusang smiled awkwardly. “My lord, this little sword has good intentions. Don’t take it too seriously.”

Chu Ye’s long black hair fell over his white robes, his cool peach blossom eyes shimmering with a faint blue starlight. His voice was detached, but a cold, seductive smile curved his lips. “He just massacred the White Gate and is now being hunted. You want to keep him by your side and die together?”

“That’s naturally not…” Ye Fusang began, but Chu Ye continued smoothly, “There’s a bounty of five hundred thousand taels of silver on his head. If you bring him here, what share do you expect?”

“Five hundred thousand taels? Ninety-one percent…” Ye Fusang hadn’t even finished calculating before Chu Ye interrupted, “Add the One Leaf Lotus, and his worth is priceless.”

“What is my lord implying?” Ye Fusang’s face showed confusion.

“The One Leaf Lotus is his,” Chu Ye said softly, shadows falling across his deep, sculpted features in the daylight.

Ye Fusang was about to retort—they hadn’t even seen half a lotus leaf!—but found she couldn’t argue, at least from an outsider’s perspective. Then realization dawned; she glanced sideways at Chu Ye. The One Leaf Lotus must be in his possession. No wonder the Fourteen Frosts flared up so quickly—he had been tomb raiding all along.

That damned Chu Ye, hinting at the whereabouts of the One Leaf Lotus. Ye Fusang felt she had boarded a thief’s ship.

“Want to be an official?” Chu Ye suddenly asked.

Ye Fusang thought, this isn’t good. Becoming an official would only add another layer to her identity—how could she possibly escape then?

“My lord, I am the favored companion of the Princess Royal. How could such a companion become an official?” Ye Fusang smiled politely.

“Bribe your way through,” Chu Ye said lightly.

That one sentence from the Regent, so powerful in court and renowned for his integrity, struck Ye Fusang like lightning. What are you suggesting?

“Ahem…” Meanwhile, Jingzhi, unable to win, spat blood and obediently returned to stand behind Chu Ye.

“No backbone,” Chu Ye glanced disdainfully at Jingzhi, “really getting worse with age.”

Jingzhi pouted, “That Master Xiao has always wanted to spar with you, but he’s not in the same league as you.”

“Get out,” Chu Ye said coldly.

Once the intruder was gone, Chu Ye sipped his tea calmly. His deep peach blossom eyes were like an unfathomable spring pool, dark and rippling with a sense of inevitable stratagem. “No need to rush. I’ll give you three days.”

“And if I don’t want to?” Ye Fusang swallowed nervously.

“Then you die.”

Ye Fusang choked. Is forcing people into officialdom still a thing?

“I won’t let you die,” Xiao Wogu said expressionlessly, standing before Ye Fusang.

“If you won’t let her die, then will you kill me?” Chu Ye smiled, his pristine white-robed godlike visage now laced with a hint of alluring charm.

“I can’t kill you,” Xiao Wogu frowned slightly. He sensed his internal energy was chaotic, far from a match for Chu Ye.

This man… he felt like he had seen him many times before.

***

Red Dust Inn.

“Little Sword, are you really planning to follow me?” Ye Fusang suddenly turned to the person trailing behind her.

Xiao Wogu looked confused. “Didn’t you tell me to follow you?”

Upon hearing this, Ye Fusang felt a pang of guilt. “You’re being hunted; it’s dangerous. How about this—I’ll find you a safe place.”

After sharing some tea, Master Qiu arrived. “Just this once. Until you move into the Princess Royal’s residence, I cannot acknowledge you as the lord’s attendant.”

Seeing how strict he was, it seemed being a favored companion required some real skill. Ye Fusang handed a cup of tea to Master Qiu and braced herself.

“You want him to be your companion?” Master Qiu almost spat out his old tea upon hearing this.

Xiao Wogu was the world’s premier red-clad swordsman. Rumor had it he was twenty-five and still untouched by women, a boyish purity with no recognition of gender. Making him a companion for the Princess Royal was an idea only Ye Fusang could conceive.

But Master Qiu truly dared not. What if Xiao Wogu regained his memory and tore him to pieces?

He hadn’t even considered the Princess Royal’s opinion yet. After all, Xiao Wogu’s appearance and strength fit perfectly. Among companions, Ye Fusang was the weakest.

“Companion?” Xiao Wogu’s phoenix eyes were indifferent, chilling Ye Fusang.

“What’s that?” he asked.

So he was an innocent lad.

“Yes, a companion. The Princess Royal’s companion—that’s a prestigious role,” Ye Fusang raised an eyebrow.

“Prestigious? Does the Princess Royal’s sword move faster than mine?” Xiao Wogu drew his long sword, stroking its blade.

“Master Ye, someone from the Ye Residence is here,” Ning Zhen entered hastily.

Ye Fusang frowned slightly. That shouldn’t be—if they had found him, why come to her? “Ye Mingzhu has been found?”

A stern middle-aged man entered with a group of guards. “You, an illegitimate son, dared to touch the eldest Miss Ye. Seize him!”