[*It can be a short sword as well as a dagger, they aren’t all that different … we will be using the terms interchangeably here.]
Huangfu Chen led Ye Zhen away from Wangjiang. He promised Zhao Tianji that he would consider going to Zhao Jia Island together.
“Master, Zhao Tianji came to Huaijiang City to ask you to come back to Zhao Jia Island with him?” Ye Zhen whispered to Huangfu Chen as they walked side by side.
“Yes, the Zhao Jia Island people have misunderstood me. He hopes to clear it, Huangfu Chen said. In fact, Zhao Tianji hoped that he and Mu Qing could explain it clearly.
Ye Zhen looked at Xue Lin who was several steps away from them and said in a low voice, “Master, do you want to go?”
Huangfu Chen did not answer her. He just pursed his lips and walked on silently.
“Some misunderstandings aren’t suited to last a lifetime without an explanation,” Ye Zhen looked at him and said.
“Do you want to go to Zhao Jia Island too?” Huangfu Chen turned around and glanced at her indifferently.
Ye Zhen turned to look at Xue Lin. After confirming that he was far enough away and out of earshot, she whispered, “Yes, Master, I want to go.”
“Because of the master of that dagger?” Huangfu Chen asked softly. He knew that Ye Zhen did not want others to hear their conversation, so he kept his voice really low.
She knew she couldn’t hide it from her master. She was too shocked at the inn and couldn’t control her emotions. She whispered, “Ye Shi is the style name of Ye Yisong.”
Huangfu Chen’s expression changed. “What?”
“That’s why I want to go to Zhao Jia Island to check if that person is Ye Yisong,” she said.
“Yaoyao…,” Huangfu Chen looked down at her and said, “have you ever met Ye Yisong? How do you know that the dagger belonged to him?”
Ye Zhen turned her face away in a fluster. As Lu Yaoyao, she had indeed never seen Ye Yisong before, but she was Ye Zhen. No one would believe if she said that, but how was she to explain how she recognized her uncle’s writing and dagger?
Huangfu Chen recalled the divination he had done for this little girl. It had been a blank trigram. Given her behavior today, the mysteries around her seemed to have only deepened.
“Master, I cannot explain right now… If there is ever a chance in the future, I will certainly tell you,” she said softly.
“Good.” He didn’t suspect anything else. He believed in her character. If it wasn’t really difficult for her to talk about, she wouldn’t hide anything from him.
She continued, “Master, can we keep our plans from Xue Lin… Can we not take him along?”
“If I hide it from him, it means I have to hide it from Ah Zhan,” Huangfu Chen remarked.
“I’m not sure if it’s Ye Yisong, but if… What if he’s not the only one on Zhao Jia Island?” For some inexplicable reason, Ye Zhen believed that this journey would lead her to her father and brother, and that she would meet them there.
Huangfu Chen’s eyes gleamed as the meaning behind her words dawned over him. “Then let’s go, but we have to be quick. If not, I’m afraid we won’t be able to leave when Tang Zhen returns.”
Ye Zhen’s face lit up instantly.. “Master, let’s set off tomorrow. I’ll think of a way and send Xue Lin over to Tang Zhen.”
Huangfu Chen nodded lightly. “I will tell Zhao Tianji tonight to make preparations. We will set off tomorrow.”
“Hmm.” She smiled sweetly.
When she returned to the mansion, Ye Zhen had Dai Mei tidy up. She only stated that she would be leaving tomorrow but did not specify where she would be going. The events of today had been particularly astounding. She had gone to the restaurant to find some peace of mind but was instead presented with a conundrum. Never had she expected to see her eldest uncle’s Cang Ying. Shocked as she was, she was still astute to perceive an oddity.
If Ye Shi from Zhao Island is really Eldest Uncle, why would he give his dagger to Mu Xue? If Eldest Uncle is still alive, who was the one who died in the capital? Why did he go to Zhao Jia Island?
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t solve this puzzle. For now, she could only hope to find her father and brother as soon as possible.
The next day, Ye Zhen called Xue Lin over. “I’ll be helping Imperial Physician Qi in the medical bureau for the next few days. Marquis Jingning has gone to look into Governor-general Zhang’s matter. I’m really worried. You’ve already investigated half of this matter, go report your findings to him.”
“But Your Highness, by your side—” Xue Lin had learned his lesson from last time, he was absolutely reluctant to repeat it.
Ye Zhen said, “Didn’t Marquis Jingning leave a few guards in the medical bureau? Besides, Master is still in the city, are you still worried about what Xu Ji would do to me? Well, now even Zheng Yulong is aware of my identity, it’s a little too late to fawn over me.”
The last time Xu Ji had dared to act brazen, it was only because her master was ill and indisposed to be by her side. Besides, he had cashed in on the fact that those around were unaware of her identity as a princess. But now, could he afford to go on a rampage yet again?
Xue Lin said, “Your Highness, in that case, I’ll go find Marquis Jingning. I’ll definitely be back tonight.”
One day was enough time for them to leave Huaijiang City.
“Okay.” Ye Zhen smiled and nodded. “Go!”
After confirming that Xue Lin had left Huaijiang City, Ye Zhen brought Dai Mei and Huangfu Chen out of the house. No one knew about their plan; she had even left Quan Fu behind and asked him to return to the capital.
Zhao Tianji was waiting for them outside the city gate.
“The nearest ferry has been washed away by the water. We have to go to the next ferry. We’ll be there before dark,” Zhao Tianji said to Huangfu Chen with a smile on his face. He seemed to be in a good mood.
Huangfu Chen glanced at him. “Your merchant ship?”
“My boat!” Zhao Tianji emphasized. “However, I haven’t been to sea in a long time.”
Ye Zhen looked at him and said, “Can you walk on your own?”
“Followed your prescription a few times. Although I can’t walk as fast as I used to, I can still walk,” he declared proudly.
“Humph, shouldn’t you pay my fees?” Ye Zhen cast him a sidelong glance. “You’re still the Island Lord; there’s no reason you shouldn’t pay me a consulting fee.”
Zhao Tianji sneered, “You’re lucky I didn’t kill you in the villa.”
“If you had killed her, you would have been in a wheelchair for the rest of your life.” Huangfu Chen swiftly leapt to the rescue of his little apprentice.
“Hasn’t she learnt her medical skills from you? If she could cure my legs, couldn’t you?” Zhao Tianji retorted. He believed that everything this little girl knew was because of Huangfu Chen, and that’s why she knew how to treat his legs.
Huangfu Chen looked at him and said, “If it were me, you might not be able to walk this fast. I might not even be able to cure you. To be honest, I didn’t teach Yaoyao’s medical skills. I only accepted her as my apprentice two months ago.”
Zhao Tianji’s eyes popped wide open. Aren’t I glad I didn’t kill Lu Yaoyao?
Ye Zhen looked at him with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Island Master Zhao, do you suddenly feel that you should give me a large amount of consultation fee?”
“I assure you that I always settle my debts,” Zhao Tianji harrumphed haughtily.
Huangfu Chen cracked a wry smile. The Island Master was a domineering man in many ways, but that probably had to do with his environment and upbringing. Considering his sovereign birthright, it was quite likely that no one had bothered to teach him how to treat others as his equals.
♚♚♚
