Chapter 18#
Meeting (Part 2)#
Seeing that he couldn’t break free from Wenren Yue, Le Wuya had no choice but to “negotiate properly” with him, even if he didn’t want to.
“Each returning to their own place—isn’t that best?” Le Wuya rolled his eyes and came up with a terrible idea. “I’ll find two ropes, and we’ll hang ourselves together. The moment I leave, you can take my place. How about that?”
Wenren Yue seriously considered his proposal, then asked, “And who will untie us?”
Le Wuya muttered, “True. If others saw us, they’d think we were dying for love.”
Wenren Yue blushed slightly at his careless mention of “dying for love.”
He offered his own idea: “I think you should stay, and I’ll stay too. I’ll be Ming Xiangzhao, and you’ll be Wenren Yue. How about that?”
Le Wuya didn’t believe him. “Easy for you to say. And your official position? Give it to me?”
Wenren Yue: “I’ll give it to you.”
“Your scholarly honors?”
“Let me retake the exams.”
Le Wuya blinked.
He found that this man’s demeanor was solemn and his expression sincere—he didn’t seem to be lying.
Ming Xiangzhao’s appearance was indeed quite good: handsome and tall, with lashes like raven feathers that drooped almost to his jet-black pupils.
If not for his annoying, stubborn, and prickly personality, this face would belong to a romantic young master deeply admired by many.
But when this romantic young master spoke to him, he kept his head lowered, looking quite well-behaved, which made Le Wuya can’t help wanting to tease him a little.
Le Wuya sat up. “And your father? Won’t you give him to me too?”
The person across from him fell silent.
But Wenren Yue was truly a man of strong will.
Back then, for Ming Xiangzhao’s innocence, he acted swiftly and was willing to die without hesitation.
Now, having found a way to live through death, he could steady himself and stay grounded when considering future matters.
He said solemnly, “If I’m with you, I can always be by his side.”
Le Wuya said nothing.
“I’m alone in a foreign land, and now I’ve finally gained a friend. I don’t want to just watch you leave like this.” Wenren Yue reasoned logically, his voice tender yet firm. “Besides, after this ordeal, I think I’m not yet fit to be a local magistrate. I need more experience, and this is a good opportunity to start over.”
Le Wuya didn’t take in much of this eloquent speech.
One sentence was enough to move him.
“I’m alone in a foreign land…”
I’m alone in a foreign land.
Seeing him frozen, Wenren Yue said no more, simply staying quietly by his side, waiting for his response.
After thinking it over, Le Wuya still didn’t really want to live.
“No, what would I live for?” Le Wuya lay back down, rolled over, pulled a pillow over his face. “No point.”
“Let me find some meaning for Brother Gu.” Wenren Yue was young too; seeing him like this, he also rolled over and lay face-down beside him on the bed, tugging at his sleeve. “…Teach me, will you?”
“Teach you?”
“I’ve borrowed Ming Xiangzhao’s body, and I feel deeply ashamed. Can I… fulfill his wishes and continue taking the imperial exams?”
Le Wuya peeked one eye out from the edge of the pillow. “You were at least a seventh-rank county magistrate, and your family is not incredibly wealthy but comfortable. After swapping back, even if you resign from office and retire, you could still be a wealthy gentleman. Why insist on being a poor scholar starting from scratch?”
Wenren Yue reasoned clearly, “The young scholar Ming was a promising youth who shouldn’t have died like this. I also have ambitions; having a second chance at life, I shouldn’t let it go to waste.”
Le Wuya fixed his gaze on him.
This small county magistrate seemed gentle and weak, but he had his own opinions.
Whether it was trying to use his own life to reach the emperor’s ears or decisively abandoning the identity of Wenren Yue, it showed that this man had a strong sense of responsibility.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll ruin your reputation by taking your body?”
“Why would I?” Wenren Yue thought for a moment, then added, “Even if it’s ruined, it will be your reputation now.”
Hearing this, Le Wuya seemed lost in thought and repeated, “…‘My reputation’?”
Le Wuya was used to a tarnished reputation, and now Wenren Yue was so generous as to let him do as he pleased. For a moment, he didn’t know how to handle it.
What could he even do?
After a moment, Le Wuya let out a long sigh.
“You’ve said so many cheesy things. Don’t you know that a friendship between gentlemen is as plain as water?” Le Wuya complained. “Well, now we’re not as clear as water—we’re as thick as blood.”
Wenren Yue, seeing that he had started joking, felt a bit relieved. “I’ll keep you company, you keep me company. That way, neither of us is lonely.”
Le Wuya leaned closer. “From now on, when your family has New Year’s Eve dinner, will you have one extra seat?”
Wenren Yue nodded gently. “Yes, Brother Gu.”
Le Wuya sat cross-legged in place and, hearing the words “Brother Gu,” didn’t know what to say for a moment.
He suddenly thought of something he had said to County Clerk Sun.
“Everything in this world has its origin.”
Le Wuya, what is your origin?
Who exactly are you?
The many memories he had deliberately ignored could no longer be suppressed. They surged into his mind like wild horses, both good and bad.
His train of thought was interrupted by a gentle call: “Brother Gu.”
Pulling himself out of the roaring memories, Le Wuya stared blankly into the pair of clear, calm eyes. “I…” I am not Gu Qizhen.
I am… I should have been…
Le Wuya thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out who he should be.
He had thought enough in his previous life and still didn’t know the truth.
At least for now, he only needed to be Wenren Yue, and that was enough.
That was already much simpler.
And Wenren Yue’s next question caught him off guard. “…Brother Gu, you’re not Gu Qizhen, are you?”
Le Wuya said nothing, casting a sidelong glance at him.
“I know my abilities are lacking, so I always keep a copy of The Laws of Great Yu on my desk and read it often. I also collect revised editions and frequently compare them.”
“After the current emperor ascended the throne, he revised the penal code section of The Laws of Great Yu. The provision ’no retrial for the same case’ was Article 23 in the previous emperor’s reign, not Article 25.”
“I think that in one day, you’ve done so many big things that you wouldn’t have had time to read through the entire Laws of Great Yu from start to finish.”
“In the courtroom, I was worried you might get it wrong.”
The real Gu Qizhen was a Top Scholar from the previous emperor’s reign.
The “correct” version of The Laws of Great Yu in his memory would differ from the actual one.
Le Wuya let out an “Ah,” laughed, and said, “So that’s it. I was right, but also wrong.”
Since his identity was already exposed, Le Wuya felt relaxed. “Still want to know who I am? If you want to know, wait until I make up another story for you.”
Wenren Yue couldn’t help but smile, the corners of his mouth gently curving. “Brother Gu, please go ahead.”
Le Wuya thought for a moment, then propped himself up and said in resignation, “Fine. Gu Qizhen is a good name, and the meaning is good too. Just take it.”
Wenren Yue stared at this “Brother Gu” who called himself “Gu,” pressed a hand to his chest, and felt puzzled by his own quickening heartbeat.
After a moment, he suddenly fixed his eyes on Le Wuya and let out a doubtful sound. “…Huh?”
“What is it?”
Wenren Yue examined the ends of his hair closely.
…He didn’t remember his hair having slightly wavy tips like this.
“I’ve never seen your face like this before, have I?”
“Not a bad face.” Le Wuya, not knowing what he was looking at, joked, “Want it back? Too late, I’m not giving it to you.”
Wenren Yue laughed. “It’s yours now.”
Le Wuya was about to tease this honest man a bit more when he suddenly remembered something, his expression changed, and he jumped up urgently. “Hurry, hurry!”
Wenren Yue: “?”
Le Wuya: “Those two are coming again tomorrow. They’ll definitely test my governance record and ask about the customs of Nanting. You haven’t told me anything—how am I supposed to answer?”
Wenren Yue: “?” Which two people?
Despite being utterly confused, he obediently let Le Wuya drag him to the desk. Question and answer followed, as Le Wuya grilled him on Nanting County’s population, farmland, taxes, and all kinds of information.
Only when it seemed Wenren Yue had nothing left to offer did Le Wuya finally relax. He stood up, threw on his clothes, and prepared to go out.
Seeing how rushed he was, Wenren Yue followed after him. “Is there anything I can do for Brother Gu?”
Le Wuya pointed out the window.
Wenren Yue then realized that dawn had already broken, and it was time for the city gates to open.
Le Wuya tied his hat cord. “I’m hungry. The sugar cakes are still hot now. I’ll go get a bite.”
Wenren Yue was surprised. “Not going to sleep a little?”
Le Wuya: “Sleep? It’s already light. So much to do—how can you sleep when you’re so young?”
Wenren Yue: “No.”
Le Wuya: “…You’re ordering me around?”
Wenren Yue thought for a moment and said firmly, “This body is mine.”
Le Wuya: “It’s mine now.”
Wenren Yue grabbed him. “No way.”
Seeing that this man was too strong and he couldn’t force his way out, Le Wuya immediately put on a pitiful expression. “But I’m starving. Will you take care of me or not?”
Wenren Yue: “?”
He was young and never expected such a trick, so he immediately felt sympathetic. “Then I’ll buy it for you. You get some rest.”
In the past day and two nights, he hadn’t had a moment’s rest.
A person isn’t made of iron; they can’t endure such hardship.
Seeing that Wenren Yue’s grip had loosened, Le Wuya seized the opportunity and dashed out joyfully. “I’ll eat it while it’s hot!”
Wenren Yue had no choice but to follow.
At this hour, there weren’t many people on the street. The sugar cake vendor had just set up his stall, and a fresh batch of cakes had just come out of the pan, neatly arranged in a row.
The hawker quickly recognized the county magistrate in plain clothes and hurriedly wrapped up the sugar cakes in oil paper, insisting on not taking any money.
Le Wuya didn’t argue with him. He tossed a copper coin into the lead can where the vendor kept his change and slipped away while the man was fumbling for the money.
Le Wuya didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but yesterday when he was buying steamed buns, he noticed the sugar cakes at the neighboring stall looked crispy, oily, and beautifully made, so he remembered them and wanted to try one.
But once he actually had it in hand, he wasn’t in a hurry to eat it. He nibbled at the edge, not eating the sugar filling inside.
Wenren Yue watched as Le Wuya bit the sugar cake into the shape of a flower, rotating it as he went, and couldn’t help but disapprove. “If you bought it and aren’t going to eat it, that’s wasteful.”
Le Wuya couldn’t be bothered with this upright gentleman. “You’re so naggy.”
Out of habit, he handed it over. “If you think it’s wasteful, you eat it.”
No sooner had he extended his hand than a gust of wind swept from behind.
Le Wuya spun around sharply. A black shadow, like a whirlwind, pounced on him and knocked him flat into the snow.
Wenren Yue was startled.
Born in the Jiangnan region, he was naturally somewhat afraid of dogs, but seeing Le Wuya in danger, he disregarded his own safety and lunged forward to drag the creature away, forcibly separating it from Le Wuya.
It was a tall, slender dog, entirely black except for a streak of white fur shaped like lightning on its chest. It wore a collar, clearly belonging to someone.
Though it looked slender, it was incredibly strong and had been trained. With a clever maneuver, it broke free from Wenren Yue’s grip and wagged its tail as it pounced on Le Wuya again.
During the tussle, Wenren Yue realized that the large dog meant no harm to Le Wuya; it seemed more affectionate than anything else.
But he didn’t dare gamble that the dog, after licking him happily, might take a bite. So he continued to grip the dog’s collar tightly and pull it back.
Thus, the two men and the dog were locked in a stalemate.
Clear, crisp horse hooves echoed in the empty morning street, approaching from behind.
Several horses galloped forward, and the man in front didn’t wait for his horse to stop before leaping down from the side.
Le Wuya struggled to look sideways.
Shining spurs flanked the black leather military boots.
After landing, his gaze traveled up a pair of tall, straight legs, sheathed in dark, thin armor.
To judge by his appearance, this man stood solitary as a sword, yet with a fiery, tempered disposition. “Er Ya! Get back!”
Startled by the shout, the dog immediately lost its nerve and reluctantly retreated.
A soldier rushed up from behind, holding half a broken leash in his hand. He knelt without daring to offer any excuse.
Pei Mingqi said coldly, “Report for ten strokes of the military rod.”
The soldier didn’t dare to argue that the dog had broken free on its own. Kneeling on one knee, he replied loudly, “Yes!”
Pei Mingqi stepped forward, grabbed the dog, and looked down at the man on the ground. “Sorry, are you hurt…”
Le Wuya got up, dusted himself off, and walked away without a word.
Pei Mingqi looked down and saw half a sugar cake on the ground, ringed with bite marks.
His heart inexplicably raced. “You!”
Le Wuya didn’t stop.
Seeing that he wouldn’t stop, Pei Mingqi threw the dog aside and took a few steps forward to grab his hand. “Stop right there!”
A hand shot out from the side and tightly grasped his wrist.
Wenren Yue said politely, “Excuse me, please don’t touch him.”