AYM Chapter 12

Although he thought of it on a sudden whim, it wasn’t without reason. He did have a connection with Protector General Du Yunsong, but the person he wanted to meet was Du Yunsong’s son, Du Cheng’en.

 

To explain, it all went back to when his mother brought him to stay at King Qin’s residence temporarily during his childhood. At the time, Du Yunsong was the chief general under King Qin, and his son, Du Cheng’en, studied alongside the king’s son, Li Xuanjing. The two were as close as brothers.

 

After he went there, he spent every day tagging along with the two of them. Back then, he would chase after Du Cheng’en, calling him “Cheng’en ge[mfn]承恩哥 – Brother Cheng’en[/mfn]” with great affection. Since he was stuck here now, he figured he might as well take the opportunity to reminisce about the old days.

 

What he didn’t know was that when the sedan chair was still a kilometer[mfn]二里 Two li – 1 li is equal to 500 meters, 2 li is equal to 1 kilometer[/mfn] away from the General’s residence, word had already reached the residence. With the General away, Du Cheng’en hurried to the gate to welcome the unexpected visitor. Watching the imperial sedan approach from afar, Du Cheng’en couldn’t figure out who from the palace would be visiting his home at this time.

 

“Du Cheng’en respectfully welcomes…”

 

Um… who is he welcoming? Du Cheng’en clasped his hands in a formal bow but found himself unsure of how to continue. A trace of unease flickered in his heart. However, when the eunuch accompanying the sedan lifted the curtain, the person seated inside turned out to be a fair and handsome young man. As soon as the young man caught sight of him, his eyes lit up and his face broke into a broad grin that couldn’t be contained.

 

“Cheng’en ge!”

 

This long-unheard form of address left Du Cheng’en momentarily dazed. The face before him overlapped with that of the milky-white little porcelain doll from his childhood. A surge of joy filled his heart, and before he realized it, he blurted out,

 

“Little pampered brat!”

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, Du Cheng’en knew he’d slipped up. How could he have blurted out the nickname they used to tease him from their childhood? His face turned red with embarrassment, and he hurriedly greeted,

 

“Greetings, Third Young Master Yan!”

 

“Ah, I don’t mind,” Yan Yihuan replied breezily. Though he had been pampered growing up, he had an easy-going temperament and got along well with everyone.

 

Back then, when Li Xuanjing and Du Cheng’en first met him, they were very disdainful and refused to play with him, privately calling him “little pampered brat”.

 

But Yan Yihuan still chased after them every day, calling them “brother” over and over again, until even the Consort Qin noticed. She issued a strict order to Li Xuanjing to look after Yan Yihuan.

 

Later on, Du Cheng’en’s lips curled into a faint smile as he recalled how the two of them had gradually grown to treasure Yan Yihuan. Especially Li Xuanjing, anyone who dared to say a harsh word to him would immediately have to deal with Li Xuanjing’s wrath.

 

Seeing an old friend after many years naturally brought joy, Du Cheng’en eagerly ushered Yan Yihuan inside. Since it was already evening, Du Cheng’en set up a feast in his courtyard, determined to give him a proper welcome.

 

“Luckily, today is my day off. Otherwise, you’d have come all this way for nothing. Why didn’t you send word in advance?” Du Cheng’en poured wine from the jug, hesitating as he remembered how frail Yan Yihuan’s health used to be as a child. He poured only half a cup for him.

 

“I thought about it and realized you’re the only one I know in the capital, so I decided to take a chance.” As he glanced at the cup, he quickly grabbed Du Cheng’en’s retracting hand, stopping him and exclaiming, “Since when did you get so stingy, Cheng’en ge? You won’t even fill my cup with wine?”

 

“I’m just worried about your…”

 

“Hey, it’s fine now.” Yan Yihuan stubbornly held the wine jug and poured his cup to the brim. “I’m in great health now.”

 

“Third Young Master,” Li Jiang, standing nearby, seemed a bit anxious. “You’re still on medication, you shouldn’t drink.”

 

“Then I just won’t take the medicine tonight.” All the meals at the retreat were light and healthy, and as for alcohol, he was not even allowed a single drop.

 

Yan Yihuan had been craving it for a long time. Putting down the wine jug, he clinked his cup with Du Cheng’en’s and downed it all in one go.

 

As the commander of the Imperial Guards, Du Cheng’en knew that Yan Yihuan had been ordered by the emperor to stay in the capital to recuperate, but he didn’t know the reason behind it.

 

Although he was worried, he also understood that the emperor’s mind was too hard to fathom. If he pried into it too much, he might bring trouble upon Yan Yihuan. However, seeing Yan Yihuan so freely visiting his residence now, Du Cheng’en found it even more puzzling.

 

Noticing Yan Yihuan was accompanied by a high-ranking eunuch, Du Cheng’en swallowed back some of the questions he wanted to ask.

 

On the other hand, Yan Yihuan tried several times to inquire about Zhao Chufeng from Du Cheng’en, but every time he leaned closer, Li Jiang’s gaze would drift over to him.

 

After a few cups of wine, the two gradually recaptured the feeling of their old camaraderie. As they clinked cups and exchanged toasts, their conversation grew more animated. Yet whenever they caught a glimpse of the calm and composed Li Jiang standing to the side, both of them would unconsciously calm down a bit, limiting their talk to childhood anecdotes.

 

They were deep in conversation, completely unaware that Protector General Du Yunsong, who had been away patrolling military camps for half a month, had just returned to the residence. Handing his horse to a servant, he noticed that the residence seemed unusually quiet today. Even the steward, who would normally greet him upon his arrival, was nowhere to be seen.

 

Du Yunsong assumed his son was still on duty at the palace and paid it no mind. He was about to call for someone to prepare a meal when the gatekeeper suddenly rushed in to report,

 

“General, two sedan chairs have just arrived at the end of the street and are heading straight for our residence!”

 

Du Yunsong’s eyes showed a hint of confusion. He had just returned, and no one else should have known yet. He couldn’t think of anyone who might visit him at this hour.

 

“Did you notice anything unusual?”

 

“The sedans look like those of an ordinary wealthy household, with a few attendants following alongside. Nothing seems particularly special.”

 

Frowning, Du Yunsong quickly straightened his attire and stood guard at the gate. Before long, the two sedans indeed arrived one after the other, stopping at the entrance of the general’s residence. Although the sedans themselves appeared unremarkable, Du Yunsong’s instincts as a seasoned martial artist made him immediately sense a subtle pressure.

 

The guards accompanying them were all experts!

 

The curtain of one of the sedans was lifted, revealing only darkness within, making it difficult to discern the figure inside. The only detail illuminated by the flickering lantern light was a hand adorned with a verdant jade ring, causing Du Yunsong’s breath to hitch slightly.

 

“Shen…”[mfn]t/n: referring to Eunuch Shen, Shen Zhaoquan (first appearance in chapter 8)[/mfn]

 

The hand raised, cutting him off. “General, please dismiss everyone present.”

 

Du Yunsong’s heart skipped a beat, already having an inkling of whom the visitor might be. He quickly ordered all the household servants to withdraw before personally escorting the two sedans into the residence.

 

Moments later, the figure seated in the main seat was dressed in nothing more than an ordinary indigo robe. Even the silver headpiece securing his hair was plain and unadorned. Yet no amount of simplicity could obscure the face illuminated by the lamplight, one so striking it was difficult to look at directly for more than a moment.

 

This was none other than Zhao Chufeng, the man Yan Yihuan feared, or rather more accurately, the newly ascended emperor from four months ago:

 

Li Xuanming.

 

Du Yunsong knelt down and performed the grand salute, but was not immediately granted leave to rise. The main hall was momentarily silent save for the sound of Shen Zhaoquan brewing tea. The stillness was so oppressive, it seemed to tighten around one’s chest.

 

“General Du, did you encounter anything unusual during your recent inspection of the camps?”

 

Du Yunsong’s brows twitched slightly. Years of experience on the battlefield allowed him to suppress his inner shock as he replied in a steady voice,

 

“There were no significant incidents in the four camps I inspected this time. However…” Du Yunsong drew a slow breath and raised his head. “However, Military Governor Qiao Shiqing, a former subordinate of mine who once served under me when I was at the Residence of King Qin, came to visit. It was merely a casual meeting to reminisce.”

 

The air in the hall grew heavy with tension. Du Yunsong didn’t dare make a sound, only the sound of his heart pounding aggressively reverberated in his ears like a drum.

 

“Zhen[mfn]朕 (zhèn) – means ‘I’ or ‘my’, used by the emperor to refer to himself.[/mfn] is traveling incognito this time, there’s no need for such formalities. You may rise, General Du.”

 

Li Xuanming suddenly spoke. Although his tone was calm and devoid of discernible emotion, his words broke the suffocating atmosphere. Du Yunsong let out a long breath of relief, finally rising to his feet and serving the tea that Shen Zhaoquan had just brewed to the emperor.

 

Du Yunsong knew the emperor did not doubt his words. However, the fact that he himself had only just returned to his residence, yet the emperor had already known about his return and made a secret visit was deeply unsettling.

 

Li Xuanming accepted the cup of tea and took a small sip, then spoke with a gentle tone,

 

“Zhen knows you have no private dealings with King Qin. But why is the third young master of the Residence of King Yan currently at your residence?”

 

“King Yan?” Du Yunsong’s eyes widened in shock, “Why would he be here?!”